16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
Most very strong irregular winds have freakish
effects and this was no exception: no men
were lost or seriously injured, but on the other
hand the well-lashed and double griped spare
top and topgallant masts on the leeward side
of the booms flew overboard, together with
other valuable spars, like a bundle of twigs,
while the Doctor's skiff, stowed inside the untouched
launch, was utterly destroyed; and
while the Doctor himself, contemplating the
apocalyptic scene from a scuttle in the cabin
(he was not allowed on deck) saw a sight
unique in his experience : an albatross, navigating
the great crests and troughs with all its
natural skill, was surprised by a flying packet
of water plucked from a cross-current and
dashed into the sea. It arose from the boil with
an enormous wing-stroke and fled across the
face of the rising wave: no sound could of
course be heard, but Stephen thought he de-