16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
and moving, as Jack noticed for the first time,
like an old man.
It was after this late breakfast that Stephen,
somewhat restored and by now reconciled to
the fact that the dead marine animals were
too far altered by heat, battering and sometimes
by great change of depth to be valued
as specimens, sat under an awning watching
the Franklin grow larger. For the rest, he and
Martin contented themselves with counting at
least the main genera and rehearsing all that
Dr Falconer had said about submarine volcanic
activity, so usual in these parts; they had
little energy for more. The wind had dropped,
and a squall having cleared the air of volcanic
dust, the sun beat down on the heaving sea
with more than ordinary strength: the Surprise,
under forecourse and main topsail, bore
slowly down on the privateer, rarely exceeding
three knots. Her guns were loaded and run