The Open Boat: A Tale Intended to be after the Fact: Being the Experience of Four Men from the Sunk Steamer Commodore (1898) PDF Free Download

Name: The Open Boat: A Tale Intended to be after the Fact: Being the Experience of Four Men from the Sunk Steamer Commodore (1898) PDF
Author: James Santos

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The Open Boat: A Tale Intended to be after the Fact: Being the Experience of Four Men from the Sunk Steamer Commodore (1898) PDF Free Download

The Open Boat: A Tale Intended to be after the Fact: Being the Experience of Four Men from the Sunk Steamer Commodore (1898) PDF free Download. Think more deeply and widely.

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Tale

Intended

after

the

Fact:

Bem

the Experience of Four

Men

from

the

Sunk Steamer

Commodore

-:-F--

_ ~.

(1898)

1k.

cP.,-re,f

111

l"~o,;

. tt.

fifl<,

(}I' Stephen Crane

fJ)

r h

rirri

,,.JP'

t9ure.,1

ide~

1-:J

ost

~Ii"

(

•ii,

htc

6·r

!~'1

,rohl e

?tl'f'f

rW>-<

eie,~

1,1r(t)

~ ,

J%P

Juli

sea.

de.

( t pd«~~

l-iol-J

~--7

~('

None o the

knew

the

color of

the

sk . Their eyes glanced level, ~ d were fastened

t<>.

~~~

upon the

that swe t toward

The&e

waves were

the hue o s at , save

'bl! ·

for the

tops

whic were 0£ oamin

1te

the

men

knew the colors

the

..,.

. I

'----.

pre

,-:r1'\"c

11i

. . _

sea.

The horizon narrowed

w1dene

and

d!pped.

and

_rose,

and

all times its edge

d,u,,,,

.,4

was

jagged

with

waves that seemed thrust u

01nts

hk roe

,__

___

_ _ _

o1e

~.At

&-~1.--

Many a

man

ought

hav~

~ ~'

n 'Th~ oat wpjch here rode upon

the

, ,

,,~

''-'~ C

f\A

V'l4

ll'\(Jb(~l,

o,.

i~ ·

",:

sea.

These

waves

were

most

wron

ful

!Y,~-

'::'arbarously

abrupt

arn:r

tall, and each froth-

'(J..

o.,

top

was

a problem

small-boat navigati

+n:a"'e,

oli~

G\bl\.Q(~

v",{

f ~

()~

'.J_

;

~~"

.;-,

pttid

'!:,

tC'

The cook squatted

the ~ttom, and looked with both eves at the six 1nches

i::kw~

o .

4'\

....

a·

~•

rt.

wca

N:,

:;,

...

4r{g

unw

aTI)

which separated

him

rro

11l\

the ocean:

111s

sleeves were rolled over his fat

\,i

h~!,

tff

-C

~~---

-.,,,,_

~.)V~

...

~ "

forearms, and the two flaps

his

unbuttoned vest aangled

he bent to ail out the .

.,,,,.w-

:al

#lt

,..

boat. Ofte~_

J~d~ 'Gawd! that

was

a narrow clip.'

he remarked it he

vana

19~

1t.._J

,c,r.,kJ

11.;!;,J

gazed east

-W~

~~·

r the b

seat

~~ ~

""-

<ft~~;,.,

'-"

'"~"

CtJ

...

~ /

~ V

.....

1\.

u;!

,4)

r_;

o·

..,.

Thetoile

,rJ

steering with one

the two oars in the boat, sometimes raised himself

,.,.,

..i,•

ro .,_ . .

.:r~

.~:)J

suddenly

keep clear

water that swirled m over the stem. It was a thin littl o .J

}e{q,._

-.... ,

othM

htl't

(,,

t'lf

e-,

•

..>

••

and it seemed often ready

sna .

~ K

t+,<

·,

..,c,.

f"'i,,k

k'ie

e>..

..._.;,.,.

:=-~

""-

"l""'e~~~

f'V\

10,-f The correspondent,

the

ot er oar, watched the waves and wondered why

,n's~~~

s there.

''-~

~ -

b ..

Wffllt.

· --

-''4

c.c,~

.....

. .

ac~•

(ad

·.

d '

sGCl\"'So

lc,k.

The mJured captam, ymg

the bow, was at this time buried

:fo

that profound ··"

~fl!l.tt,

•

dejection

and

indifference which comes, tem~orar

at least \t~q

t le f iav~ s

'r\

rf'

J't!

m?st enduring

when,

willy-nilly, t

t!_

Wi'o/arr

arJi'Jtforet,

lfi

's""

down. The

mmd

the

master of a

vessel

rooted deep

the timbers

her, though

c~ mands

for a day or a decade; and this captain had on him the stem impression

a scene

the

grays

dawn

seven turned faces, and later a stump

a topmast with a white

The

Open B

oat

\)~

'1WS

-p

ge' (

OlM

po/is~

cf-

t\K,

" •)

V\Q

twll/

~Lt

t:Y

1',\e

feoJ'

~:t

~tl

~""

,.~

't'

J!'

ball on it, that

s!Js

and

o at the

waves,

went

and

owe

r, and

down.

Ill.

Thereafter there :vas so

n_1

ething strange.

s voice. Although steady,~ f as W with

mournino and

a quality be_1

ond

orat1

rs . ..:?n~M

bc,,c,(

~ ,

MA_Jwe

,e~

(>l

·Keep

r a little more south, illie JSaid he.

nan,c

givtM-

,~ .

c~,

,._

~,ove

Mt>1

;-,

<.:

~re$

-o'"

CA')

-(ol~~

..,,

,~~

Yrnt11

t'Yl

11..

'f.o

A little more south& sa1

U1e

'oiler

111

the

ter

"tf-/'

ei/C

:rt ·

11~

A seat

this boat was not unlike a seat upon

a/b

bronch

g,,

qnd

the

same

:}-o

kcA

v I O

4!..~

l,\

f'l

1 f'(1

VC<~l ·

token a broncho is not much smalle

The

craft pr™ d and

~ ng

ect

,.i

flvl°'

,i~

imal. As each wave

me, and she rose for it, she

seeme

d like a horse making

, t,

1.C

,l~- . . .

11"

;""

nce outrageously high. The

manner

of-

her

scra

mble

over

the

walls

ter

a ,

\Y\

,J.'>

.P~

fi-y,

~ nyst

and, moreover, at the top

them were ordinarily these problems in white

~(f,,

. ,~

e-<

~wate

e foam racing down from the summit

each wave requiring a new leap, and

~a';f:I

t.,

ei:-

\o:

a leap from the air. Then, after sco

y bumping a crest, she would

and r~ and

?0:rf>-

~- ~plasl~ down a long incline. and arrive bobbing and nodding

front

the next menace .

....

\tv'

t"'~c.L

~.~'""''' _ A s

gular di

dvantage

the se~ lies

the fa~t th~t ~fter su~cessfu

y surm~unting

>#'

""ca~

· •f

one wave you dis

cover

that

there

1s an

her behrnd

as i

ortant and

e,t/}r -

--------r.

ers

,,,,

, •

)><trA.

'"'1

..r..

.,,,

1ervous y anxious to

so111et

h111g

ef{ec.tive

the way

swa

mping boat

In a ten-foot _

i,,._

t,J

J..

~.,~

1tf

rtd,ct

Jk1

si...

-. . .

1u,

;

,,.,<

""'

dmghy one

n get an

1ct

tile resoucces

the sea m the !me

waves that ~s

....

-"'

-''

...,

.,.,

~11

v-e

l'f

ry n""

l'f

c;t

roe

...

•

f"<l

probable

the

avera

exoenence

,1 which is

never

sea

in a

dinghy

each s

11b

i- "-V'U"'~f

..,c.

,r \1si,,.p

i..•ii.Cl\

rtF

~ t i".

approached, it s

hut

air else from the view o the men m the boa~

and

was not difficult to imagine that this particular wave was the{fuialjo

Ufu

t '

?stbf

~the

a°c~

the last effort

the grim water.

There

was ~ terrible grace in the

move

the waves,

and they

came

in silence, save for the snarling

the cres~

~';!~~b

•Q~h;

~.,~

•

ncct'

l.(

In the wan light the faces

the men

must

have

been gray.

Their

eyes

must

have

glinted in strange wavs as th~

2:azed

steadily astern. Viewed from a balcony, the whole

n("'H

f:tl

Ol<..

':1""'"'0"'

thing would douotless-!lave

n weirdly picturesque.

But

the men in the

boat

had

time

see

it,

and

the

had

leisure,

there

were

other

things

occupy

their

~ls

e,,i.(_

minds.

The

sun

swung

steadily up the s

'Ffi

~· knew it was broad

y because the

;::,

ufrh~

- - - -

1S~htA

TX.

F~bf...l.

Otl.ACTl.tN

color

the

sea

changed

from slate to emeralct-g

een

streaked

w1fll

amber

lights,

and

the foam

was

tumbling

snow.

The

process

the l

breaking

was

unknow

01A

\i>f

,;'\

IV'

9 /

piA.

'rl.

•

them.

They

were

aware

onl

this

effect

upon

the

color

the

waves

tnat

rolled

toward them. r

•f

col\trll

~t\,,\

t1,te9

.See

cfe.pQ.i'#~A.

\:-

wo.+er

In disjointed

sentences

the

cook

and the

correspondent

argued

to the difference

between a lifesaving station and a house

refuge.

The

cook had said: '

There

's a house

refuge

just

north

the Mosquito Inlet Light, and as soon as they see us the

ll come

off

in their

boat

and

pick us up.'

, ~

'~s

soon

who

see

u~ ' ·

said

the

co~respondent.

'""'~

The

crew,' said the cook.~ ~n

C,1/.,

rta,~

'Houses

refuge

don't

have crews,' said the correspondent. 'As I understand them,

they are only

places

where

clothes and grub are stored for the benefit

shipwrecked

people.

They

don't

carry

crews.'

'Oh, yes, they do,' said the cook. .

'No, they

don't,'

said

the correspondent.

/vo,

'f'

~O'),\

'Well,

we're

not there yet,

anyhow,'

said th@ in the stern.

\..:(NB

1"e

dlo ~ o~

t..

)

·--------

i 58 Stories

Ourselves

•we11.· said the

cook.

·perhaps

it's

not

house

refug_e

that

I'm

thinking

beino near Mosquito Inlet Light;

per

s it's a lifesaving station. '

·\

ve·re

not there yet,· said th

oiler

the stern. , •

re~

~0\-4 ,

weAJ-e

op.

.s,~

velt,

vto

ti<~

.su

ot-,

~-•

·"

l1Y1

•

L '

As the boat bounced from the top

each

wave

the

wind

tore through

hair

e aJr

. h

L . ~

af\.J~

hatless

mer

and

the

craft

plopped

her

stern

down

again

t e

lJ2_

ra ~ ashe P

a_fil

"JV

e.c.i,~•

Si;

them.

The

crest

each

these

waves

was

a hill,

from

the

top

which

the men

surveyed for

ment

broad

tumultuous

expanse,

shining

and

wind-riven

. It was

ro a plendid, it was Jroba glorious, this play

the free sea,

wi~d

with

s of

eu~~

emerald an w

1te

an amber. ·

l'(J.M

o~ , ~

~a.

fYl~

ol--&Nv-

WMSrov\

c:tA

..:r

jrtlCU.~

H~ ,·

o--r

'Bully oood thing it's an onshore wind,' said the cook.

'If

not, where would we

Wouldn't have a show.

"''

""'-

RQQ,

Jpi'r

)

,.A('

· , ,

-,,..

tsf;

(£b

at's righ

said the correspondent.

~ o

l'l

~(!,I\""'~

c.,

t-ll

The

busy oiler nodded his assent.

~copta~

(,!j

lo~

rwr

Then

the captain in the bow,

chuckled

in a

way

that

expressed

humor

, contempt,

b1'Eo.

~ -

.:-

tragedy. all in one.

you think

we've

got

much

show

now, bo ys

said

dow ~h~

. ~

ereupon

the

three

were

silent,

save

for

trifle

hemming

and

hawing.

~""'-

express any particular optimism at this time they felt to

childish

and

stupid, but they

)

all doubtless possessed this sense

the situation in their minds.

young

man thinks

doggedly at such times. On the other hand, the ethics

their condition was decidedly

against any open suggestion

hopelessness.

they

were

silent.c

~ta

J11.

fGt

HA~

~ ~ v

t't-

h\f

'Oh, well,' said the captain, soothing his children;

ll g

lit;

re all

gh"if

~t:

",...;

Wlc

But there was that in his tone which made them think; so the oil

quoth, '

this

1 ·

wind holds.' oPnl"·tll~

j)(

?€s.r

1'Ml.rM'\

The

c~ was bailing. 'Yes!

n't

catch

hell in the surf.'

Canton-flannel gulls flew

near

and

far.

Sometimes

they

sat

down

the sea, near

patches

brown seaweed that rolled

over

the

waves

with

movement

like carpets on

li · l Th

d ·

c -~

"T\l\"AL

\I\AUL..~

J"X

M.SN

&..

64'\fF.5/t/

ltl(;-

a ne m a ga e. e

sat com1ortabl)1 m groups,

ana

they were env1ea

some

111

the dinghy, for the wrath

the

sea

was no

them

than

it was to a covey

flo

prairie chickens a thousand miles ~nland. Often they

came

very close and stared

the

' ' h' bl k b d l"k

m•t\Cl

lt\

· ·

h ·

)

comp~S

men. w

. ~ .

- i e eyes.

these times they were

uncanny

and

sinister m

eff

ft~

< unblinking sc~utmy, and

_the

men ~ooted angrily at them, telling

them

to be

go_ne.

One

to.:

(l(

!'r

Jpc-

_came, and evidently

dec_1ded

to_

alight on the top

the

captain's

head.

The

bird _flew Y

emo

o-t

parallel

the boat and did not c1rcle, but made short sidelong

jumps

in the air

chicken

~l,

\-f\~3) fas

s black eyes were wistfully fixed upon the

captain'~head

'Ugly

brute.' said

the o

er to

e bird, 'You look as

you were

made

with a

jackknife.'

The

cook and

the correspondent swore darkly at the

cre

.ature.

The

~l?

tain natural\i wished

knock

it away with

e end

the heavy painter,

ttt

3fc d~

ct~

because

anything

resembling an emphatic gesture would have capsized this freighted boat; and so, with

his

open hand,

e capta

gent

ly and

carefu

wav

ed the gull away.

Aft

er it had been

discouraged from

pur

suit

e captain breathed

eas

ier

on ac

count

his hair, and

others

thed

eas

ier be

cau

se the

bird

struck

the

minds

this

time

as being

somehow gruesome and ominous.

(

J'I

(

\ t

)f"

Open

t S? _ ) )

_,,

r-e..re

t'tve

rt\

t-\

e m

ntime the oiler and the

rrespondent rowed. And

so thcy~ed.

They

le.Ss

sat togeth

in the

sea

t, and

eac

h rowed an oar.

the

oiler

took both oars;

en the

espo

nde

too

k both

rs; then the oiler; then

the

correspondent.

They

rowed and they rowed.

e very

cklish part

the business was when the time

came

e reclining one

the stern to take

s turn at the oars.

the very

last

star

truth, it is

eas

ier to st

eggs

from

und

er a hen

than

was

change

seats

the

din

ohy First the man in the ste

rn.

slid

s han.d along the

thwa,t

and moved with care as

0 . ~ i

rc:<:l

,.,.,,

~er~

f:rO. ~•lt · '

if he were

res. Tl·

~1e

man

in the ~o_

wing

eat

slid

his

hand

along

the

other

f "

fA.

\N.

fY10\f"C

1,A

( ~ .

""-

t€L

1-A

thwa

!J,.r

done wt

t 1e

extr

·d

car

~. rAs

-i:he

two

sidled

past

each

e whole party ke

watchful

eyes on the

coming

wave,

and

the

captain

cried: , ,

·L

k out, no

Steady

, there!;_,

np l

-e..ctlC:

h•,

t..

-of-

~ -

c~i

r-c

for L

e.vie

N10.9

•f\e.

elJ?

rown

mat

sf of se

aweed

that appeared from

time

were

like islands bits

of earth.

The

re traveling, apparently, neither

one

way

nor the other.

They

were, to

intent

stationary.

They

informed

the men in

the

boat

that

was

making

progress

slowly toward the land.

The captain, rearing cautiously in the

bow

after the

dinghy

soared

on a

great

swell,

aid

that he had seen the lighthouse at Mosquito Inlet. Presently the

cook

remarked that

had seen it.

The

correspondent

was

the

oars

then,

and

for

some

reason

too

wished to look at the lighthouse;

but

his

back

was toward the far shore,

and

the wavesive

. d

f .

. . .

~l~rq

hv'v

were important, an

some

time

e cou

not

seize an

opportumty

tum

his head.

o.f

-'..1~

1-~

But

at last there

came

wave

gentle than the others,

and

when

the

crest

011C'J

swiftly scoured the

western

horizon. i

'See it?'

said

the

captain.

.q_

~ ~

~""'

'N ' .d h d

1 1

d'd

' h. '

c..

o..~

C\1'

c.\

o, sat t e

correspon

ent

, s

n t see

anyt

mg. ~

+-M~

'a.,

'Look again,' said the captain.

pointed.

'It's

exactly in that direction.'

.fo<-

u..)

At the top

another

wave

the

correspondent

did

was

bid,

and

this

time

his

eyes chanced on a small, still thing on the edge

the swaying horizon. It was R

t::.:

.:::

;;::.

c~i

..._.___..."':""-

n1-n

---

like the point

a pin It took an anxious

eye

to find a lighthouse so tiny.

MT"'r),

i:_

Ql~

, ·

~If\

'Th.

_Jj {

...

""'~""

,.,

pos/"t1

of-

we'll

e · ,

Captain?

Q.e

p-tr

ate

•

vul.

¥\2.J'a.

« n

o_v.

llr

c.3

'If

this

wind

holds

anp

the

boat

don't

swamp,

can't

much

els

~ '

said

the

captain. [°

k.o..

opKm,

The little boat, lifted

each towering

sea

and

splashed viciously by the crests, made

c ,

progress that in

the

absence

seaweed

was

not

apparent

to those in her.

She

seemed

_ _

, Just a

wee

thing

wallowing,

miraculously

top

up,

the

mere

fiv

Q ·

)<.

'ivvl

o r

ccas1?nally a

great

spread

water

white

flames

warmed

mto

her.

'N11.

't~it

+'.Ll

'Bail her,

cook,'

said

the

captain,

serene!

.1-

--w.-

o P

Y';\

\S\,\,,

S'-1G\

>"-f

pce

.5st\-(.

narM

'AI · '

t r

:-t.-

1:;

1..,

,Q( b

~t-

I nght,

Captain,'

said

the

1eerful cook. e r

'"QU

oi.

c.c

u.s.t-o

(l,,

III

.....,_

would be difficult to describe the subtle brotherhood_

m~n that

~as

here_

est

:~1~~~?

:::._

e seas. No

one

said

that

was

so.

one

ment10ne_d it. But. it dwelt m t~

each

man

felt

warm

They

were

captatn,

oiler,

cook

and

correspondent, and they

were

friends _ friends in a more curiously ironboun degree than

rnay

comm

The

hurt captain, lying against the water

jar

in the bow, spoke always

k.L

c..o

h-1

1:7

ktmff)

If~

1JUAA

0-.A\.,"6-~

.1}-tug

H-1

oJ-

e11cJ.sh

60 Sto

Ourselves

in a low voice and calmly; but he ould never c

omm

and a more r

dy and swiftly

obedient crew than the motley three f the dinghy. It was more

an a mere recognition

of what

s best for the common safety.

There

s surely in it a qua

ty that was

personal and heartfelt. And after this evotto to the commander

e boat,

ere was

this comradeship, that the correspondent, for

stance, who had been taught

be cynical

men, knew even at the time was the best ~ erience of his life.

But

no one said

that it was so. No one mentioned it. caf'

l::t.u

~.f

~f'/

,rt'j

Ul-t--

~ S

etC.r

~c.

>-i

ndrt:t.u't

c.ar

"•·~

"'f.

wcv

h'.t

~er,

'I wish we had a sail,' remark the captain. 'We might try

(§y

overco~ on the

oar, and ive ou two bo a chance to rest.' So the cook and the correspondent

held the mast and spread wide the overcoat; the oiler s

tee~~

~and the little boat made

good way with her new rig. Sometimes the oil~ had. to SE!!Jfshf:J,

if{&

· keep a sea from

aki . .

.P.tt:~~"

pGll'H

lt:

uw,b

ho~

re n mto the boat, but otherw1s sailm

wets

a success

::,

0 0,-- , ·

5'k

~r>w

Meanwhile th lighthouse had been owin slowly larger. It had now almost

sumed

tuta.-nc.qf

color, and appeared like a little gray shadow on the s

ky.

The man at the oars could not

be prevented from turning

s head rather often to try for a glimpse

is little gray

shadow.

~~,

f,uh1', h,

w.poro.r._,

"'°fR

At last, from the top

each ave, the men in the tossing boat could see land. Even

as the lighthouse was an upright sha o on the sky, this land seemed but a long black

shadow on the sea.

certainly was thinner than paper. 'We must

about opposite

New Smyrna,' said the cook, who had coasted this shore often in schooners. 'Captain,

by the way, I believe they abandoned that lifesaving station there about a year ago.'

'Did

t~ey?' said

th~

rug<X.Wvc

ph~

e,,J,uMct.

o.J

n.opt-

c,l

J::

e.r

The wmd slowly ~away. The cook and the correspondent were not now obliged

to slave in order to Iiold high the oar.

But

the waves continued their

old

impetuous

swooping at the dinghy, and the little craft, no longer under way, struggled woundily over

them. The oiler or the correspondent took the oars again.

Shipwrecks are

nothing.

men could only train for them and have them _

occur when the men had reached pink condition, there would be less drowning at sea.

the four in the dinghy none had slept any time worth mentioning for two days an ;

a two nights previous to embarking in the dinghy, and in the excitement

clambering

} about the deck

a foundering ship they had also forgotten to eat heartily.

s::t-

For these reasons, and for others, neither the oiler nor the correspondent was fond

rowing at this time. The correspondent wondered ingenuously how in the name

all

that was sane could there be people who thought it amusing to row a boat. It was not

¥-

an amusement; it was a diabolical punishment, and even a genius

mental

aberrati_ons

could

never

conclude

that

was anything but a horror to the muscles and a c

c.1Yx

>I.

against the back. He mentioned to the boat in general how the amusement

rowing

struck

him

, and

the

weary-faced

oiler

smiled

full

sympathy. Previously to the

foundering,

the way, the oiler had worked a double watch

the engine room

the

ship.

l'duu,

l~,

W.o

~t,'\JC

positio,,.

'Take her

sy now, boys,' said the captain. 'Don't spend yourselve

If we have to

run a

surf

you'

need all your strength, because we'

sure have to swim for it. Take

your time.'

1)1

t·

-t

R -

ko.c,

te.os-·

01'

/ •

ouc-

~bn

t°'PSi

U.,

r(lort

h"'W,d

Greek

two

·1° \

v'\

c.O.p~

Jett\9~1A~

The Open Boat

owly the land arose from the sea. From a black line it became a line

black and

lin

white -trees and sand. Fina

e captain sa

at he could make out a house

on the shore.

hat's the house

refuge, sure

said the coo

They

see us before

long. and come out after us.'

The

distant

ghthouse reared high.

'The

keeper

ought

to be able to

make

out

now.

he ·s looking

through

a gl

ass,'

said the

captain

. '

notify

the

lif

~s.a

ving .

people.·

poss

bil

hopt

les

} Jiw

a.tfO

h •

p.J'.-lty1

,5"1 r x

SfrM

•

·None

those othe

oats could have got ashore to give word

this wreck,' said

the

ler, in a low voice,

~X the lifeboat ~ould be

ut huntm

us)

Slowly a

beautifully ~ e la~ d

(!2._

ome

~1£j

.~e_

The

wind

came

again.

had

veered from the northeast to the southeast. Finally a new

sound

struck the ears

the

men in the boat. It was the low thunder

the

surf

on the shore.

'We'll

never

able

to make the lighthouse now

the

captain. '

Swing

her

head

a little

north,

:1r0\

l~f'

given

o.na.~

"°'Y'I'{.

~n,Q~

surn

?at"1

vQti~

~ i~S.

little more

orth, s

,' said the oiler.

Whereupon the little boat turned her nose once more down the wind,

and

all

but

the

oarsman

watched

the

shore

grow.

Under

the

influence

this

expansion

doubt

and

direful apprehension were leaving the minds

the men.

The

management

the

boat

t.lnceri

"'3

was still

most

absorbing,

but

could

not

prevent

quiet

cheerfulness

hour

Perhaps they would

ashore c.a""'o~ c~l~l:)rQI-( Cc:\~\'tTC(hW •

l'\ O

01'\~

' '

ovtl

hf~T\d

-Their backbones had become thoroughly used to balancing in the boat,

and

they

now

rode this wild colt

a dinghy like circus men.

The

correspondent thought

that

had

been drenched to the skin, but happening to feel in the top pocket

his coat,

found

therein

eight

cigars.

Four

them

were

soaked

with

seawater;

four

were

perfectly

scatheless.

After

a search,

somebody

produced

three

dry

matches;

and

thereupon

the

four waifs rode impudently in their little boat and, with an assurance

impending

rescue shining in their eyes, puffed at the big cigars, and judged well and ill

all men.

Everybody took a drink

water.

lM0...9(

"'c;ee

ti>w7-tiOYJ'?

'Cook,'

remarked

the

captain,

'there

don't

seem

any

signs

life

about

your

house

refuge'

op¼-,~il\M

co,c,

t'\dV~it'~~

~ J

, ·

,.,~9~

nvfr-!:J

.sM

. .

No,' repli the

cooK.

'Funn

y they

don't

see

us!'

r-e.

a.c{u-

te-a.

Uses

na\r

t-\1ut

A broad etch

lowly coast lay before the eves

the men. It

was

low

dunes

n.o

, . ~

··•

-n

l;ltlC,cn(

fnl

lo ~t

l"C

t'1

Cll

't"1_11

f,L,'.Oe,iC,1.)

t~e

t-(_ .

topped

ve etation.

The

the

sun

was plai'n,

ano

sometimes

mey

could

see

white

lip

wave

spun

the

beach.

tiny

house

was

blocked

out

blac upon the sky. Southward, the slim lighthouse lifted its little gray length.

Tide, wind,

and

wav~

were

swinging the dinghy northward. '

Funn

y they

don't

see

,' said the men.

Ct,cco10

.:,power ~

pe+:Ho

lt-'J

o(Q,Wlt

1'_9

()i\

rit~

boa.i--

The

surf's

roar

was

here

dulled,

but

its

tone

was

nevertheless

thunderous

and

~h.~

W'IM

,H\

. h

sp"""""

1!!

g ; As the boat swam over the great rollers

men sat

lisienin_g_

tlJis

roar. 'We'll

wa.w&

swamp sure ' said everybodyt

rea'

~cr

~e,t

O'fiS

,e,

ti~,

3 -

r't'l0tdt

l\k..J

. . ' dr

ClM~hc.

ro~'i

. . .

•~

"'~

Q \

<, i

tfo

fair to say here that

here

was

not

hfesavmg

stat10n w1thm twenty

miles

<'.

(

either directio

i_ill

but

the

men

did

not

know

this fact,

and

consequence

they

ories

Ou1

·se

,es

·,~(

S~Mpa~~j

fur

~ itm

eti

tha

reMofi-)

().tt

ti:>

M ~fu

a"9~

reAt(

e,('

°'-9

f\i\

C1,t

ln,,.

dark

~nd

opprobriou

remarks concerning the eyesight

the nation's

fesaver

Four

scowlmg

men

sat in the dinghy and surpassed records in the invention of epithet

Funn

y they don't see us

The

light-heartedness

a former time

had

completely

faded. To

eir sharpened

s it was easy to conjure pictures

all kinds

incompetency and blindness and

indeed, cowardice. There was the shore

the populous land, and

was bitter a

bitte;

to them that from it

came

no sign.

oks

sio

& c:lea,t

1,i_

•

'Well,'

said the captain, ultimately, 'I suppose we'll have to make a try for ourselves.

stay out here too long,

we'll

none of us have strength left to swim

ter

e boat

wamps

And

so the oiler, who was at the oars, turned the boat straight for the shore. There

was a sudden tightening

muscles. There was some thinking.

don't

all get ashore,' said the captain - '

we don

all get ashore, I suppose

fellows know where to send news

my finish?

:,.

e.u.p

l::..o

cwo

ru,

They then briefly exchanged some addresses and admonition

As for

e reflect

dte1.I',

the

men

there

was

great

deal

rage

them

Perch

e th

might

be .

formulated

thus:

'If

going to

drowned -

going

to be drowned -if

going

drowned

, why, in t~ nam~

the seyen

mad

ods who rule the sea

Mt~

CflAel

3"J;

~.~

l was I

allowed

come

thus far an

contemp

ate

sana

ana

tre

as I brought here

' ' 0

merely

have

nose

dragged away

I was about to

nibb

~~ ~ e sacre cheese o

£,.~1,1"

9-v

f,c,

ohs

V'SC11"

•

Oi/11

,sg'-tSh ,

OCA.tr~

Jifi:

'1.

~P.,!_C

posterous.

this old @y-woman~ cannot o etter tnan this, she

sm.!.

shore

should

epnve

the management

men's fortunes. She is an old hen who

n~1,

.!e

ll\+-e~

c::..c..

not

her

intention.

she

has

decided

drown

me,

why

did

she

not

do it in

r-t?

beginning

and

save

all this trouble?

The

whole affair is absurd

r.1'B'tt

""fi

~Fs

i e·

~~;

cannot mean to drown me. She dare not drown me. She cannot drown~ ot

ter a

•

this work.' Afterward the man might have had an impulse to shake

st at

ouds.

«-~

'Just you drown

, now, and then hear what I call

you!'

.sp.u~

The

billows that

came

at this time were more formidable.

ed alwa

just

about to break and roll over the little boat in a turmoil

foam. There was a preparat

ory

and long growl

the speech

them. No mind unused to the s

would have concluded

. that the dinghy could ascend these sheer heights in time.

The

shore

s still afa

The

ro..,,,

ler was

a{_

wily surf-maij) 'Boys

said swiftly,

'she

won't

live three minutes

ne;:r;:

we're too far out to swim. Shall I take

her

sea

again, Captain

f(Mict1-

'Yes; go

ahead!'

said the captain.

~~I:,

le.

jrea.l- ~

t..

Lt .

fci

. :,

This oiler, by a series

quick miracles d~ ~ oarsmanship, turned

the

boat

the middle

the

surf

and took he

e to

sea

again.

There

was a

considerable

silence

the

boat

bumped

over

the

furrowed

sea to

deeper water. Then somebody i

,!!._g

.22!!!,

spoke: 'Well, anyhow, they must have se

t_,Buj

from the shore by now.'

Ol~

et\a.

ho-pe..

~ '

'sfo,°:,._

The gulls went in slanting flight up the wind toward the gray, desolate east. A~

marked

dingy

clouds

and

clouds

brick-red

, like

smoke

from

a burning budding,

appeared from the southeast.

'What

ou think

those lifesaving people?

Ain't

they

peaches?'

'Funn they haven't seen us.'

llfle

re,p

ea+ed

beccYlieb

":>S

juY1t1_3.

The Open Boat

'Maybe they think

we're

out here for sport! Maybe they think

we're

fishin

Maybe

they think we're damne fools.·

It was a long afternoon. A changed tide t1ied to force them southward, but wind and

wave said northward. Far ahead, where coastline, sea, and sky formed their mighty

~t.

angle, there were little dots w

ch seemed to indicate a city on the shore.

IJf

$t<...·

'St Augustine?'

ler

,t10-ft

\ The captain shook

s head. 'Too n

ear

Mosquito Inlet.' t

i,ll,'

ttlCO

OI'

the oiler rowed, and then the

correSRO

ndent rowed; then

oiler rowei!} It was

tA,m

i_{

a weary bu

ness. The human back can become the seat

more aches and pains than

Je5C-t

phcm

are reQiste

hooks for

e composite anatomy

a regiment. It is a limited area,

t)l\

(.rerlil>

":¢

tp~u

but

can

eto

me t,,e ~ -~.

innumerable

muscular conflicts, tangles, wrenches,

pa.

•

knot

and other

mfort

(

wr.ful

S'-.9¥-

·s

acc"1tu.\

How

pt.ti\.1

• ,

tJJ'6.fd.

you ever like to row, Billie?' asked the correspondent.

~~:~

f\1-e~Ct.

'No,' said the oiler: 'hang it! '

OJ'

When

one

exc

hanged

the

rowing-seat

for a

place

in the

bottom

the boat, he

suffered a

bodily

depression

that

caused

him to be

careless

everything

save

obligation to

wiggle

one

finger.

~ ~

Jl:i

cold seawate} \washing to

and

fro in the

boat, and he lay

it. His head, pillow

-b

ira

fh'J

a~ ~ s• w'rtllin an inch '

_the

swirl ~ ,

-----

l\o

i5U,

t/.

<:«If

-t'O

l\qv

wave-crest

and

sometimes

a p

ticularly

(§

strepero

sea

came

oard

anct

,0t-c,nt

~ Q - ·

drenched him once more

tlut these matters did not annoy him. It

almost certam that

if the boat had capsized he would have tumbled~omfortabi

out upon~~~ ocean

be-~on,,~

I-

he felt sure that it was a € eat

sof

t mattres

spl.1\"'8~

c.wt.e

.,_,

,,~

d,e ...--,

tM.-

'Look!

There

a man on the shore!'

jiAx.t-

~p•J

lt-i

ov,

w\l:M

olat-..9ero~

q_o.c:rt

'Where?

'There!

See

im?'

'Yes, sure!

He's

walking along.'

1 f

'Now

he's

stopped. Look!

He's

facing us! '

,,.

'He's

waving

at us!'

-·~

.,;

'So

he is! By thunder!'

'Ah, now

we're

all right! Now

we're

all right! There'll be a boat out here for us in

half an hour.'

'He's

going on.

He's

running.

He's

going up to that house there.'

The remote beach

seemed

lower than the sea, and it required a searching glance to

discern the little black figure.

The

captain saw a floating stick, and they rowed to it. A

bath towel

was

some

weird

chanc

ffi'

boat, and, tying this

the stick, the

captain

waved

it.

The

oarsman

did

not

dare

turn his head, so he was obliged to ask

questions.

'What's

doing

now?'

'He's standing still again.

He's

looking, I think

...

There

he goes again - toward

the house

Now

he's

stopped

again.'

'ls he

waving

us?'

'No, not now; he was, though.'

'Look!

There

comes

another

man!'

(

. ,

runnmg.

~~et\t'

~~e

~ w

t-ef-l

e.c-~

'1ft

.$1-1

(a)

lP.. ·

1HtS

PA-G-e

• t

,rne p

CAl

d~'ftl.d

ttk

c>"'

•

71--\

\ S

AC-E-

·.

,re

Ct.

°[:

1;a.

rr:t C

lon9

t-c

l.-.

u.e.,

:...,;,,

nS<,

e,)<.c<~

✓

c-en_k

ories

Ours

ves

•

l'V1

ood

h·

in:;i

•

•-

,.,.,

°f::.

, o(espuod;ov, -

J'ior

J11f-e

rn~

Cr,

t;z:__

'Loo

k at him go, would you!'

c..t,,

)

'Why.

e's

a bicycle.

Now

he's

met

the

other

ey'

re both

w .

Look!'

us.

'Ther

comes

something

the beach.'

What

the devil is that thjng?'

'Why

looks like a

boat

'Why, certainly, it

a boat.'

(l{,u~c.t-----f

No; it

wheels

t tYes,

is. Well,

that

must

the

lifeboat.

They

drag

them along sh

ore

wagon.'

a,{~

'That

's the lifeboat,

sure.'

~)\9

-h,

'No, by God,

it's

an omnibus.'

U\4'19~

on~

tell

you

it's

a lifeboat.'

' a1tok.tr'S

'It

is not! It's an omnibus. I can see it plain. See?

One

these big hotel omnibuses

,;11.

;

d. '

thun_der,

you'r~

right.

It's

an omnibus,

_sure

as fate.

Wha_t

do you suppose

they

are

domg

with

omnibus?

Maybe

they are gomg around collectmg the life-crew,

hey

'That's

it, likely. Look!

There's

a fellow waving a little black flag. He's standing

the

steps

the

omnibus.

There

come

those

other

two

fellows.

Now

they're

all

talkjng

together.

Look

the

fellow

with

the flag. Maybe

ain't

waving

it!'

'That

ain't

a flag, is it?

That's

his coat. Why, certainly,

that's

his coat.'

'So

is;

it's

his coat.

He's

taken it

off

and is waving it around his head. But

would

you

look

him

swing

it!'

'Oh,

say,

there

isn't

any

lifesaving

station

there.

That's

just

a winter-resort hotel

ommbus

that

has

brought

over

some

the boarders

see us drown.'

What's

that

idiot

with

the

coat

mean?

What's

signaling, anyhow?'

'It looks

were trying to tell us to go north. There must

a lifesaving

station

there.'

'No;

thinks

we're

fishing.

Just

giving us a

merry

hand.

See?

Ah, there,

Willie!

'Well, I wish I

could

make

something

out

those signals.

What

do you suppose

means?'

'He

don't

mean

anything;

he's

just

playing.'

'Well,

he'd

just

signal

try

the

surf

again,

sea

and wait'.

north,

south,

to hell, there would

some

reason m

But

look at

him.

just

stands

there

and

keeps

his

coat

revolving

a wheel.

The

ass!'

There

come

people.'

Now

there's

quite

mob.

Look!

Isn't

that

boat?'

Where?

Oh,

see

where

you

mean.

No,

that's

boat.'

That

fellow is still

waving

his

coat.'

mean

must

think

see

him

that.

Why

don't

quit

it? It don

anythjng.' 's a

don

know.

think

trying

make

north.

must

be that there

lifesaving station there

somewhere.'

'Say,

ain't

tired yet.

Look

'im

wave!'

,..r

lzh

Q,1'CfQ

'1\Gl

'""""

clr

a~c:tti

c,,

frtV\

t°'

t·

The Open Boat 65

nder how long he can keep

at up. He's been revolving

s coat ever since he

caught sight

He·s an

Why aren't they getting men to bring a boat out? A

hin

g boat - one

ose big yawls - could come out here a

righ

Why don't he do

meth

g?'

h, i

s a

right now.'

'The

have

boat o

here

r us

less than no time, now that they've seen~s.'

hope.

faint ye

ow tone

me into W.e ~ kyk

~Yt~

r the low land. The shadows on the s

uu.p

slowly deepened. The w

d boreP

~ofJ

ne~~

tn~ t, and the men began to shiver.

re.ctd

'Holy smoke!' said one, allow

s vo

e to express

s impious mood, 'if we keep

on monkey

g out her

we've got to

ounder out here all right!'

'Oh, we'

never have to st

here a

night! Don't you worry. They've seen us now,

and it won't be long before they'

come chasing out after

us.

ot-al

L.- .

The shore grew dusky. The man waving a coat blended gradually into this gloom, and

,,,

.s,,v1AS

l .

h . f l Th

er,

~"tr::J

swa

111

t ,e same

manner

t e omnibus and the group o

peop

e. e spray,

}I.

a.A

t ·

when it dashed uproariously over the side, made the voyagers shrink and

swear

h b . b d d

,..,.

f"-

.,,

.,.hl

hsi~ ,

°'"

i~ 1,

men w o were emg ran e -~

P."'

ni~

l\1:.

he1p

'I'

d like to

tch the chump who waved the coat.

feel like socking him one,

just

r luck.'

t-i

"I)

~,c.p14'111«h~

c),-.

J4-r

~h-Dc.11_9~

aCh

'o~ .

'Why? What did he do?'

c:(~

~perario~,

, ·

e.mo

h·

oll'I

-Mr"l

~pe

hU..

Oh, nothmg, but then he seemed so damned cheerful.' '

O'll\on,

du~

the

meantime

the oiler rowed, and then the corres ondent owed, and then the re-~

teel

oiler rowed. Gray-faced and bowed forward, they mechanically tum by tum, plied the

_)t.n

~Q.

•

leaden

oar

The

form

~he.li2:hthouse had vanished from the southern horizon lhut .

f-t>.t

~U'_gl4t

l•9

'4't

lt•w1-C

oc..r.,

Jf>l

C.C....

J finally

azy

ale star) appeare ,

~~~~

~on;

U1r

J~ -

The streaked saffro

~n .

west

CDU)Ult.

nr.

rf\

~, ~

passed before the all-merging dark'riess, an1 t~e sea to the east was lac e

~-l1a

4~ .

k•('t

vanished, and was expressed only by the low and drear thunder

the surf.

QI~

'lf

I am going to be drowned -

going to be

tlo\t.tr

drowned, why,

the name

the seven mad gods who rule the sea, was

allowed to

nd.

come thus far and contemplate sand and trees? Was

brought here merely to have my

se dragged away as

was about to nibble the sacred cheese

life?'

The patient captain, drooped over the water jar, was sometimes obliged to speak to

the oarsman.

'Keep her

head

up! Keep her head up!'

'Keep

her

head up, sir.'

The

voices were weary and low.

This was surely a quiet evening.

All

save the oarsman lay heavily and listlessly in the

boat's bottom. As for him, his eyes were just capable

noting the tall black waves that

swept forward in a mo~ i in

!!l

len

e, save for an occasional subdued ~

cres

\o.~a

mOlllt.\lt)f~"'~

11t.

cJtlt1i4

h-10,ivol

tH")

The cook

head was on a thwart, and he looked without interest at the water under ~ni

lil h"

s nose.

deep

other

scenes.

Finally

spoke.

'Billie,'

murmured,

dreamfully, 'what kind

pie do you like beG

~ h-~

olritt~

oP,

VA'-11-eJ,-

1';(

Tl<-

o1n.-,lit.

fctr1

~ ~ l

uf\

s,-v

)

pie

'Pie!' said

the

oiler and the coITespondent, agitatedly.

'Don't

talk about those thing

blast

you!

1tti'

htre

l f~ i

ffurlAtt

( _

..,J

n'\lt

•

tit

· ~

t>lJk

--a

':::J

hu'1gf'Cj_

66 Stories

Our

'Well

said the

cook

, as st thinking about ham sandwiches, and

A night on the sea in a o

boat is a long night. As darkness settled finally, the

shine

the light, lifting from t

sea m the south, changed to full gold. On the northern

horizon a

new

light

appeared

, a small bluish

gleam

on the edge

the waters. These

k,.uilol

(N'

two

ghts were the furniture

the world. Otherwise there was nothing but waves.

J1Y

Two

huddle

in the stem, a~d distances were so magnifice~t

the dinghy that

the

ro~er

was

~nable~

keep

hts

feet

partly

warm

thrusting

them

under

his

companions. Their legs mdeed extended far under the rowing seat until they touched the

soc..

'),t.A

\,,

feet

the captain forward. Sometimes, despite the efforts

the tired oarsman, a wave

I\OY'V""S

·1·

. h b .

J"'-"C-""

°'

came

mg mto t e oat, an ~ wave

the night, and the ~ g water soaked them

1'a..,

sZ~ .

bY'I' e · anew.

They

would

their bodies for a moment and groan, and sleep the dead sleep

oncehmore, while

the_

water

in the boat gurgled about the

f..

~ fJ~~

:Ah.t.l

)

T e

...

olan

the

otler

and

the

corres

ondent

was for

oQe

to row

urtt11

fie

Jost die

. . ..~

>l)C.f'Qle.:

SeQ~CJ1

t-v

~.,..,

......,

____

--,...;

>5l#

""~

•

~ag

ab1hty,

an<l

then arouse the'

◊

rmm

his sea-water c 1 ~the bot1om

the boat.

ctes-h/,.(u1-.

. .

.so

a«.w

!\OlA

Q.Qe

~tur,t., •

The

01ler

phed

the oars un 1

heact drooped forward an

tre

o¥efJ1o~enng sleep

-e.

iptnr · blinded him; and he rowed yet afterward. Then he touched a man in the bottom

the

boat, and called his name. 'Will you spell me for a little while?' he said meekly.

'Sure,

Billie,'

said

the

correspondent,

awaking

and dragging

himself

to a sitting

position.

They

exchanged

places carefully, and the oiler~uddling

do~

ri)

in th~ seawater .

at the

cook's

side,

seemed

to ·sieep instantly.

C.kH

/w-

W ·

_?,

lea-

t.S

The

particular violence

the sea had ceased. The waves came without

snar_lin

&lf

obligation

the

man

the

oars

was to

keep

the boat headed so that the tilt

the )

rollers

would

not

capsize

her, and to preserve her from filling when the crests rushed

past.

The

black

waves

were silent and hard to be seen in the darkness. Often one was

vi'~

almost

upon

the

boat

before

the

oarsman

was aware.

div:'

In a

low

voice

the

correspondent

addressed

the captain.

was

not

sure that the

a,WeJt:_,

captain was awake, although this iron man seemed to be always awake. 'Captain, shall

I keep

her

making

for

that light north, sir?'

The

same

steady

voice

answered

him. 'Yes.

Keep

about

two points

off

th~

po~

. .

a/\.d

bow.'

)~~

inou!

eqUcri(,.

•

~~~

~t.,~

The

cook

had

tie

d.(L

lifebe©around

himself

in order to get even the warmt

which

this

clumsy

cork

contrivance

could

donate,

and he

seemed

almost

stove-like when a

rower, whose teeth invariably chattered wildly as soon as he ceased his labor, dropp~ .

down to sleep.

JhOt~

r-,

si~

The correspondent, as he rowed, looked down at the two

eeping underfoot. ~

r~J.,t,)11

extte,M~

cook's

arm

was around the oili's shoulders, and, with their fragmentary

clothing~ct

etts,,c

iJ 1

.,,,oc..u,

,..

,pc,a,e

\NO

.,.,,

o<A~

t"'

r-e

.,.-

°'

·,·~ .

face

they

were

the

bes

the

sea

- a

grotesque

rendering

the o

J.0

1.,rl4f"-

abes in the ~ o

(1,~

tpt~

LVl,,C.UTU"ctb

it,

Later he must have grown stupid at his work, for suddenly there was a growling

water, and a

crest

came

with a

roar

and

swash

into

the boat,

and

it was a wonder

t~at it did not set the

cook

afloat in his lifebelt.

The

cook

continued to sleep, but the

oile,r sat ~p, blinking his eyes and shaking with the new cold.

"~"

"'fo

JUic.

oh,

a~ful

sorry, Billie,' said the correspondent,

ontnt

yf"

at s all nght, old boy.' said the oiler, and lay

down

again and was asleep.

f-r

~"ti,

tAvl

t-,

l,,of"k~A,,ooc,t

f'\o

bl()

V)'t

~ ,

114{fUt{

o..,Qk

Sh:lf'l1';

The

en Boat 67

Presently

seem

at even

e capta

dozed. and

rrespondent thought that

he was the one

oat on a

the oceans. The wind had a v

ce as it came over the

. w

es. and it was sadder than

e end.

""'11t,5U.1t

There was a long. loud

ish

g astern of the bo

, and a gl

min

g t

hosphorescence

ke blue

ame. was

owed on

e black waters. It

ght have been

ma e

monstrous k1:ife.

Cs~att9e

e.ttHrt.ol

li~'-u

r,r1e11~\-

htI,L4t<v1

dtJ(,(l

h '

OYI

Then there

me a ~trllness. while

esRo

ent breathed with open mouth and p

looked at the s

. \llOttw\t-,

Wnh

,~,)

~~~"'"-5

'-~

~fi..t

l \.i

~t->.

Sudde

ano

er s

sh and ano

er long

ash

bluish

ght, and this time

it was alongside the

boa

t, and might a

~ st. have b

n reached

with

an oar.

correspondent saw an(enormous

1~ ~a

°l1

~i"8

through

e water, hurling

ine spray and leav

e long glow

g trai

The

espondent looked

ove

s shoulder at the captain.

s face was hidden, and

he seemed to be asle

. He looked at

e babes

the sea. They certa

ly were asl

bei

ng bereft of sympathy, he leaned a little way to one side and swore so

ftl

y into

But the thing

did

not then leave the vicinity

the boat.

Ahea

d or astern,

one

side or

e o

, at interv

s long

ho11

ed the long sparkl

g streak, and there

to be h

rd the

whirroo

the

n. The speed and

power

the thing

rea

tly

to be admired. It cut the

like a gigantic and keen projectile.

/';':°.~~~~

~,!.:~~t'

l,I)

The pr

ese

nce of this biding9 did not

aff

ect the man with the same horror that it

wou

if he had

bee

n a picnicke~ He simply looked at the sea(dullvand

swo

re in an

undertone.

MG\

Wt,

l'I

C(.

.tt1c-tk,

11<

•~ •

"C.,A>O

N'I

ot.A.t-

te.5,1.13

nul

Nevertheless, it is true that he did not wish to be alone with the thing. He wish~d

h. . k b h d k h·

'---

P'el'-~tic.c.

)"1

pa.t1

en-ts

one o 1s

pamon

e y c ance an

eep

ompany

1tn

1t. llt the

captain hung moti

onle

ove

r the wat

jar, and the oiler and the cook in the

bottom

e b

re plu

nged

in slumber.

~ttcli.,j

h4e.

•

o.r

et,·~

e,,l'\ }

wl'tl-4

~-ti

iJ more

c.M"9

lJWJ'

lAt<'l

ikL

prv,{o'U)

0'1eh .

9ro.('~

bec.om

W .

VI J

...

a.~

'Jf

am going to be

drow

ing to be

drow

goi

ng to be

c:ie,a

drowned,

why

, in the name

the seven mad

ds who rule the

sea

llowed

CA.f

roa

come thus far and c

ontempl

ate

nd and trees

)

During this dismal

may

be remarked that a man would

nclude that it was

all

e intention of the seven mad

ds to drown him, despite the abominable injustice

of it. F

s ce

ainly an a

bominable

injustice to drown a man who had

worked

hard.

The

man

lt it

would

be a c

rim

st unnatural.

Oth

people

had

drowned at sea since galleys sw

med with

paint

ed sails,

_bu

sti_ll-/"

o.l\

t'\

tgrl

When it o

urs to a man that

natur

doe

s not regard

h1m

portant, and that she

tit

t"utt

feels she would not maim the universe by disposing

him,

at first wishes to throw

1W1bl

'29

~ h'Sq

bricks at

the

templ

and

hate

deeply

the

fact

that

there

are

brick

and

temp es. Any

ible

expression

nature would surely

pelleted with his

jeer

nQt-u,c

Then, if there

no tan ible thin t hoot he feels, perhaps, the desire to confront a

t~h

sonifi

tion a

indulge

in p as,

bowed

one

knee

and

with

hand

s s

upplicant,

,.,,

. .

If '

90d

say

g, '

s, but I

love

myse .

·-to

e.f\

(

N~f't.

Q.-

)

r'-0~

I~.~~->

......

;.___:_..:..:_~;..,,,

qn11of

bt. A

k,a.dfa

ft-

· ·-·

~ed

;

11{-u

eft

U.O

ittdi'flvt~

68 Stories

Ourselves

high

cold

star

on a

winter's

night

is the

word

he feels

that

she say

s to him.

Thereafter he knows the pathos

his situation.

The

men in the dinghy

had

not

discussed

these matters,

but

each

had, no doubt,

reflected

upon

them

silence

and

according

to his

mind.

There

was

seldom

any

expression upon their faces save the general

one

comp

_lete

weariness. Speech was

tlf'

<:A

d d h b · f h b

,...,,

~"~

hows

oc.c.J:;

1 _

C>{rJlld..ir

. evote to t e usmess o t e oat.

p~v("cf'l.,,(,)l'i

c()(.(..lJt

Co"

e,fl

.,.;,

\,,Q

U-

To chime the notes

his emotio

n':

a verse mysterio sly entered the correspondent~s

r of

lfted

head. He had even forgotten that he had{forgotte

rjl

thi

verse, bvt it suddenly was

his

)l,-u,~U

(.OrH\t

ct,

oV\

be~

s\.(~l\q

.So

~¥ht-l'oj,I\

"/.K9o

/.t,,t,

nw,

J,,

at1d

.tt.e

oorrespoV1de,,t

V''f

1..

-1..

_ _

•

J-o-r

V\\'l\d

A soldier

the Legion lay dying

Algiers·

~bc.-./~

dti

trto

t,,.¼,.

emohur,

-----------....:..---=:.--:,,:.

___

....,_..__

dv~eACL ;_

fl./

W.f)~~

,ef1_ecJ.c,d

t,0

lt.c.

,..

There

was lack

woman's

nursing, there wa

eart

woman s 1ears ·

t1to

wt1fo.,.I.

anJ

CJ.,lSS

But

comrade stood beside him, and he took that comrade's hand ·

c,o

;v,~

s 7

tr-e,v,1

u nd he

sa1

never more shall see my own, my native land.'

l::h

,::i,-~

_oif'ff.hu In his childhood the correspondent had been made acquainted with the fact

71'T

~ - --

IV1

soldier

the

Legion

lay

dying

in Algiers,

but

had

never

regarded

the

fact as

important. Myriads

his schoolfellows had informed him

the soldier's plight, but the

""o.l4

dinning

had

naturally

ended

making

him

perfectly

indifferent.

had

never

r !

(J'

)

considered

it his affair that a soldier

the Legion lay

dying

in Algiers,

nor

had it tt.e,W

appeared

him

as a

matter

for sorrow. It was less . him

than

the

breaking

aj,~~

pencil's point.

n.o

p•

sy11t1pa.1:;l,t:J

ltU?

Cllc:l

"tw°'

Now, however, it quaintly came to him as a human, living thing.

was no longer

merely a picture

a few throes in the breast

a poet, meanwhile drinking tea and

warming his feet at the grate; it was an actuality -stern, mournful, and fine.

The

correspondent

plainly saw the soldier. He lay

the

sand

with his feet

out

straight and still. While his pale left hand was upon his chest in an attempt to thwart the

going

his life, the blood came between his fingers. In the far Algerian distance, a city

low square forms was set against a sky that was faint with the last sunset hues. The

correspondent, plying the oars and dreaming

the slow and slower movements

the

lips

the soldier, was moved by a profound and perfectly impersonal apprehension. He

was sorry for the soldier

the Legion who lay dying in Algiers.

The

thing which had followed the boat and waited had evidently grown bored at the

delay.

There

was no longer to

heard the slash

the cutwater, and there was no

longer

the flame

the long trail.

The

light in the north still glimmered, but it was

apparently

nearer

the

boat.

Sometimes

the

boom

the

surf

rang

the

correspondent's

ears,

and

turned

the

craft

seaward

then

and

rowed

harder.

Southward, someone had evidently built a watch fire on the beach.

was too low and

too far to be seen,

but

it made a shimmering, roseate reflection upon the bluff

back

it, and this could be discerned from the boat. The wind came stronger, and sometimes

a wave suddenly raged out like a mountain cat, and there was to be seen the sheen and

sparkle

a broken crest.

The captain, in the bow, moved on his water

jar

and sat erect. 'Pretty long night,' he

observed to the correspondent. He looked at the shore. '

Those

lifesaving p

ple take

their time.'

Cm~e.

op~•

'Did

you see that shark playing around?'

•

·Yes. l saw him. He was a big

ow. a

right. '

·Wish l had known you were

av-,1ake.'

The Open B

t 69

ter the corresponde

spoke into the bottom

e boat. '

lli

' There was a slow

gradual disentanglement. '

lli

e, w

ill

you spe

_?'

~~ Qh°IM

·sure.'

said the o

er.

(o(e,f(-noroJtort o~

l:!:a.

~ih;Je.

soon as the correspondent touched

e cold,(Eomfortabl

er;

ter

e bottom

e boat and had huddled cl

ose

coo

lifebelt he was deep in sl

p, despite

e t~ct that his tee

played a

e popular airs. This sl

p was so good to him that it

~~a.g&,~ ~ s

but a moment befor~ he h

rd a voi

ce ca

s name

a tone that demonstrated

~¥

e last stages

exhaus

·w1

you

/speii\

e?'

:,L

lu,w

· 8·

11·

~lo,~

°'~

~m~t-He.

~,__

....

,) .

Lil

e,_

1 1

l:e~~-Wtt'bi,,

til'\d

V'Cr·

J~p

t-e

t=m!olne

}

..S

The

ght

II1

the north had my

enously

va111shed

, but the

correspondent

took

course from the wide-awake

ptain.

Later

the

ght they t

k the boat farther out to sea, and the captain directed the

cook to take one

oar

at the s

tem

and k

e boat facing the seas.

was to call

out

he sho

uld

ear

the {

thund

the

surf.

Thi

plan

enabled

the

oiler

and

the

correspond

ent

to get respite together. 'We'

give those boys a chance to

get

into shape

aga

,' said the

ptain.

They

curled down and,

ter a few preliminary chatterings

and

trembles, sl

ept

mor

e(ffie d

d sl

Neither

knew

they

had

bequeathed

the

cook the

any

another shark,

perhaps the

same

shark.

(

~rc:.

~t.f

J!~

As the

boat

caroused

on the

waves

ray

occasionally

bumped

over

the

side

and

~them a fresh

soa

king, but this had no p

ower

to break their repose.

The

ominous

. ~ f the wind and the

water

affe

cte

d th

as it would have affecte~ ~

'.:J

ys,'

the

coo

k, with the notes

every reluctance

s voice,

he's drifted

) .

J"~~

pretty close. I guess

one

you had better take her to sea again.'

The

correspondent,

aroused,

heard

the

crash

the toppl

crest

t:Af'~CM~

As he was

rowing

, the

ptain

gave

him

me whiskey-and-

water

and

this s

teadied

the chills out

him.

'If

ever

get ashore and anybody shows me even a photograph

oar-

9 l

i1'11W1ff

m o

(.A.j

last there was a s

hort

conversation.

se"~(lcL

Billie_!

. ·

Billie

will you spell

me?'

O'fl;)

p~t

Sure,, said the

oder

l1o

pt,

l.,1

C,tjY1

o,Y·

~u.,e..1

Vil

~XA

)~k

of-Ml

e--

~~t

•f

ll<D,rlr..

•

When the

correspondent

again

opened

eyes,

the

sea

and

the k

were

eact

~l r thel

J>!-'f~

gray hue

the

dawning.

Later,

carmi

and

gold

was

upon

the

water

The

morning appeared finally, in its splendor, with a sky

pure blue, and the sunlight flamed

on the tips

the

waves

hor

Ct,f

q Cc.o

.-,NO'\.

On the distant

dune

were

many

little

black

cottages, and a tall

white

windmill

~fJ,

reared

above

them.

man,

nor

dog

nor

bicycle appeared on the beach.

The

cottages

~ave

formed

rted village.

nopi_,

The voyag

ers

sca

nned the shore. A conference was held in the boat. •

~ell,'

sai

d the

lt~

captain, '

no help is corning, we

might

better try a run through the s

urf

nght

away. If

tkL

stay out here

much

longer

we will be too

weak

anything for ourselves at all. '

\--'

~t"~

J..1

The others

len

,9Y.

!£

guiesce~ n this reasoning.

The

boat was headed for the beach.

The

y-,..91-1

rQ.11,,4c.m

r1½

JWo

'10""""

l.J

't-

~h,

wpt

x. ~ pm

fas"'~

a.wf'/1,o,

,f'j

70 Stories

Ourselves

e,~

99eretb'ovt

corresponde

wondered. if none ever t cended

e ta

ll_

d-tower,

and

if th

never looked seaward.

Thi

s tower w

J'g,ant, standmg

wllh

s b

the p

ght of th t

ants.

represe~te~ i_n a degree.

e con

"=e

spondent,

e sere

nit

amid

th~

tru

ggles

the

md1v

1dual

-nature

th~

wind

and

nature in

the

sion of m

en.

She d

~ot.

seem cruel t.o

~1m

then, nor beneficent, nor treacherou

nor wise.

t she

was

n"h.tre

,...

m~ fferent,

flatly

mdifferent.

.is

, perhap

plausible

that

man

is s

itu

on, i

ressed

0tb

Sb'Tte~

with the unconcern.

the ~mv~rse, _should see .the innumerable

aws

t_r_o~

cl-.t

have

the~

taste wickedly m

s mmd, and

sh for another chance. A

sti

nct

problt.wl . between nght and wrong seems

absurd~y

clear

hi~,

then,

thi

new

ignoran

grave-e~ge, and he understands that

were given another opportunity

d t

mend

s conduct and

his

words,

and

better a

brighter during

introduction

a tea.

tt.,

uhoocf

O -

•,-

. _

'N . . ' . . r os

t,) ' ~

t,r

lM.S

CU(

oyt

ow boys, said the captain,

she

gomg

swamp

sure.

ork

her in as ar as possible, and then when she swamps, pile out

and

scra

mble

the

~f'K

~ep cool

'¾l

and don't j~mp until she swamps s

ure.

f t

~11

rea_s~

T~e

,ler took

th~

oars. Over his shoulders

scanned

the

surf. 'Ca

ain,' he sa

id,

i'>1

"'\

I thmk I d better bnng her about and keep her head-on

the

seas a

bac

k her in.'

'All

right, Billie,' said

the

captain, 'Back her

The

oiler s

wung

the

boat

then

seated in the stern, the cook and the corres onde~

li~ed

look o

r their

shoulders to contemplate the lonely

and

indifferent shore.~

Oli\

tf-+£,..

~d.

>'43

~1-

The monstrous inshore rollers heaved

the

boat

high

until

the

men

were

again

enabled

see the white sheets

water scudding

the slanted beach. '

won

't get

ery

11.t)

close,' said the captain. Each time a man could wrest his attention from the rollers,

4Wh'o

turned his glance toward the shore, and in the expression

the eyes during this

l-t

contemplation there was a singular quality. The correspondent, observing the others,~

knew that they we~e not afraid, but the full meaning

their glances was[shr

]r"

wm~

-W

:As

for himself, he was too tired

grapple fundamentally with the fact.

tried

ooerce his mind into thinking

it, but the mind was dominated at this time

the

<.»

l / muscles, and the muscles said they did not care. It merely occurred

him that if

ltt::C/'bA should drown it would be a shame.

f-19

at-•

There were no hurried words, no pallor,

plain agitation. The

men

simply

looked

the shore.

'Now

, remember to get well clear

the boat when you jump,' said

the

captain.

Seaward the crest

a roller suddenly fell with a thunderous crash, and

the

long

white comber came roaring down upon the boat.

'Steady now,' said the captain. The men were silent. They turned their eyes

f~om

the shore to the comber and waited. The boat slid up the incline, leaped

the

funous

top, bounced over it, and swung down the long back

the wave. Some water

had

been

shipped, and the cook bailed it out.

~ $

-;'ve

But the next crest crashed also. The tumb · ng, rb

..:.

'::

J.!.

.:..

o~d-o

-::

f~w

.,.._

_w_a

'J"':'.

'.".'.:'l

caught

the boat and whirled it almost perpendicular. Water ·warmed in from all sides.

The

correspondent had

his

hands on the gunwale at this time, and

.en

the

water enterid

~j~

that plac_e he swiftly withdre.w

hi~

fin~ers, a~

he objected

wetting them .

..-

The httle boat, drunken with this weight

water, reeled and snugg e deeper

mto

~~Jf

d'i

sea.

-----

LN'

:rx

boa

f ~,

:i~e,~(-rt

en Boat 7 I

·Bail h

out.

coo

Bail

er out! '

the

capta

· All tight.

Cap

tain.· said the

coo

'Now. boys. the next one wi

do for us sur

e,'

said the oi ler. 'Mind to

jump

clear

the boat. . t r,·

c.o

(

,>rt-ct

f'1'f

The

third

wave m

oved

forward.

huge, furious, impl

acab

ll It fairly

swal

owe

the

dingh

and almost simultaneously the men

tumb

led into the

a. A

ece

lif

ebe

had

lai n

the

bottom

the boat, and as the coITes

pondent

overboard

he held this to

his chest with his l

t hand.

The

January

er_

was i

, and he reflec~ed imn:iediately that it

_was

colder

. than h~1~ t

"-'1

LU,be..-

had ~xpected to

hnd

off

the

coast

Florida. This a

ppeared

dazed

mmd

J't-

rC\

t.-i

'f'.'

....

fact

important

enough

not

the time.

coldness

the

ter

,.,

~ ~

e11

was tragic.

This

fact

was

somehow

mixed and

confused

with

opinion

own

pu i I

situation,

that

seemed

alm

ost

proper

easo

n for

tear

The

water

was

cold

When

came

the

urfa

was

conscious

little

the

Oisy

water

:-,,~p

o.Ja

tf<J'

qtutt

,~,t•ff<r

~~r

Afterward he

saw

his

mpanion

s in the sea.

The

oiler

ahead

the race.

imming

strongly and rapidly.

Off

to the

correspondent's

left,

the

cook

great

white

.Je.a,.,,

rew

and

corked

back

bulged

out

the water;

and

in the

rear

the

captain

was

hanging

with

'>:'-

1:;.u-

one

good

hand

to the keel

the

overturned

dinghy.

-I u

Ther

e is a

rtain

immovable

quality to a shore, and the coITespondent

wondered

it arrud

the

confusion

the

sea

J«A~

t se

emed

so very attractive;

but

the cotTespondent

knew

that it was a

long

journey

e~~ n

C<.

and he

paddled

leis

ly.

The

piece

life

preserver

lay

under

him,

and

sometimes

<;,ulo

'-'

S~ rurled

down

the

incline

wave

were

hand-sled_

.,.ttJbo99o

But

finally

arrived

place

the

sea

where

travel

was

beset

with

difficulty.

He did

not

pause

swimming

to inquire what manner

current had

caught

rum,

but

there

his

progres

s ceased.

The

shore

s s

before

him

like a

bit

scenery

stage

and

looked

at it

and

understood

with his

eyes

each

detail

it.

e)(.~rm

the

cook

passed,

much

farther

to the left, the

captain

was

calling

him

, '

Turn

?e-

(__

over on

your

back,

cook!

Tum

over

your

back

and

use the

oar.'

~R-t,tae-1 · '

All

right, sir.'

The

cook

turned on his back,

and

, paddling with an

oar

, went ahead

were

canoe.

tt,~,t

i's

Presently

the

boat

also

passed

the

left

rfaf

the

On::e

pondent

with

the

cap

tain

f"l'\Q

. . . _

li::"::'r<i

ol"'(l

t-i-.

voq

+ . . . . fo r

can~

, n

cbngmg

with

one

hand

to th~ 1 e would

ave

appeared

like a

man

raismg

rumself

-T

)

to look

over

board

fence

were

not

for

the

extraordinary

gymnastics

the boat. .

Iii

ii The correspondent marveled that the captain could still hold to it.~ "';;

~ f

gte":!l

, I ~

U..

They

passed

nearer

shore

-the

oile

t!\,e caoj(,

the

captai

~ -

and

following

~•, . , .

Li9

eo.rt-

ll\

r,o

c~ '

lhem

went

the

water

Jar,

bouncmg

over

t e seas.

"--.:

COt-"l'\t-tl"po

lf'lttb

oiQt\q__V

of,

t~~

wa.

L,"'\

The

correspondent

remained

in the

E?.rio

this

ange new

enemy

- a current.:

The

a,t'l

~ ct.a,ic."-p

0"1 ~ r

ot,~

i..

p<r

b..

. . ~.:sbt..vie~~

J"X

~ o·,.) ~

CA."-

rt'

kfL

shore,

twithi

white

slop

ana

its green

topped

with httl

~.£_

ottages, o t

t->,e

L-ej

f\.OU.J • was s

pread

a p

icture

~ ~f~r

him.

was

very

near

him

then

but

he w~ ho""(.,

. . I k f B . Al .

c.o,.,.,fo

~ t

impress

one

who, m a gallery,

s ~t a scene_

rom

nt~any

. g1ers. .

.,..-

c.:

o...,,

l~ t-«-

He thought:

going

drown?

Can

be possible?

Can

be possible?

Can

~bf.l \

possible

Perhaps an individual must consider

own

death to be the final phenomenon ;,

t~~

o.,,

nat . s

c.C

enhf

"""'l

~S'

..)

s+o

r~ _";

e.s

t-o -v,a .

ti,0

½_9

"'.b

72 Stories

Ourselves

~;j

But later a wave perhaps whirled him out

this small deadly current, for

found

suddenly that he could again make progress toward the shore. Later st

ill

he was aware

that the captain, clinging with one hand to the keel

the dinghy, had

s face turned

·,

'"putt~

from

the shore and toward him, and was calling his name.

'Come

to the boat'

~to the boat!'

S~t

Gik

In his struggle to reach the captain and the boat, he reflected that when one gets

tJ.tf '

properly wearied drowning must really be a comfortable arrangement -a cessation of

eKtte~i hostilities accompanied by a large degree

relief; and he was glad

it, for the main

~~a\-\

thing in his mind for S?me mom~nt~ had

bee~ horror

the temporary agony. He did

not wish to be

hurt_

._....utsfl,.

f-,

lJo

tclt

$~;.

iMp

l,s

c.,

t"lst.

<Udire

l..Qf-J

sy,ripa.

tJiu

ctS

Cl.T

~:----....,---,---'-

o.s

c:.

i(,

r.or

pkQJ,.:s

Present

,!.)'

saw a man running along die shore. He was undressing with most • .

eo-;~

tit-

(!'

emar

kable}speed. Coat, trousers, shirt, everything flew

<gf

agica

off

him. / r

c.a

:i~~

~ b~

)

'Come

to the boat!' called the captain.

V\-\

~ct.A.~W

_.,f

~~c::t

~ jt

. 'All right, Captain.' As the correspondent paddled, he saw the captain let himself

-foll(,

rt\t._

down to bottom and leave the boat. Then the correspondent performed his one little

,!~-tk'eSJ

fip

arve

the voyage. A large wave caught him and flung him with ease and supreme

eo..rl

speed completely over the boat and far beyond it. It struck him even then as an event

~cs an_d a

~rue

Jmirac

, the sea. An overturned boat in the

surf

is not a

~ . plaything to a swunmmg man.

co.J.

f1.:~

t:J

f--

.Ju

I-to~

The

correspondent arrived in water that r~ach~d o

o his waist, but his condition

,,-

· 'd · d &

~ ~

v..sn

()>I\

, l

r,~

~ •

h kn k d h' ·

(

not

enable him to stan 1pr more than a mmpent. ac . wave oc e

mto a

•

I.Al"'

heap and the undertowmat him

'Jl!Yil,S

of-v,ole*

rk~s

•

c.aL

eo~ea

•

c:t,~

o.,-b,

J ' -

•

cle.6--~

Then

he saw the man who had been running and l:}ndressing, and undressmg and

t'l )

"J.

•""

running,

come

bounding into the

~:J.

er. ~

~ged ashorfe the cook, and then waded

•~o'-'t- - . .

~o4Mi

MQ-J

l'IH " ·

N.SP,t.

f.A'~

·,

,..1-

toward the captam; but

trre

captam twavea

away antl sent him to the correspondent.

was

naked

as a 1tree.

.wjnt~~; b t a

(fa@

was

about

his head, and

-';

~pc,r.r-cct

ti)

..,.,.

, ~ ...

..,.

"°'

shom

(]

a sain

gave a strong pull, n a long drag,

and

a bully heave at the

correspondent's hand. The correspondent, schooled in the minor formulae, said, 'Thanks,

old

man.'

But

suddenly the

man

cried,

'What's

that?'

pointed a swift finger. The

correspondent said

'Go

......,..

c or

.-e~f>

~f'\

r's ~ctl

o1o<t

s ~

kUt-

t:.JJt

fhl~

_ . ·w.

·-

,_;_.;

=--

•-

.........

· · h

cl~

tCi\Ca

of.

pr~ o

'·.:,

In the shallows, face downward, lay the oiler. His forehead toucned sano that wa~

periodically, between each wave, clear

the sea.

.t.

fio

he,

wr::u

Cll

(Mos

~i:-

The correspondent did not know all that transpired afterward. When he achieved safe

ground he fell, striking the sand with each particular part

his body. It was as if

had dropped from a roof, but the thud ·was grateful to him.

°'"fJ!A

j~°/1

/:.~1.Utd

f •/y'9

(.io

1A.

It seems that instantly the beach was populated with@ •witlt'blank

lt'

clothes, and f

{'C-l

'-'

flasks,

women with

coffeepots

and all

the

remedies

sacred

their

minds. The

w~lc~me-

the land

the men from the sea was warm and generous; but a still and

drippmg

hape was carried slowly up the beach, and the land's welcome for it could onl~

t,r

be the different and sinister hospitality

the grave.

ot~

f-~

.,,Ht1

U0~

c..~

tr•

·~d~n

Wh · · h · w

,:rtt

---.c;

-I

. en it came mg t, the white waves

paced

to and fro m the {noonlight and the

wmd br~~ e sound

the great sea's voice to the men on the shore, and they felt

that the~then be internreters.

i...hc.u~

i.h

CU>Ml\e.c...ti

l.CJ

1-1..}-

1 _

, __ ,

"'ohucu

W'UY

I "'

~"~

c.ot

l.4-,cu

~,>

"l:t

11°'-

v\~

90~~

tt,fro~&.c

S4<c"4

uR.TH

'Rf~

1<uJ

Snrl,u

or C

r L

o(~rJ2.

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...>~

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0 views·17 pages

The Open Boat: A Tale Intended to be after the Fact: Being the Experience of Four Men from the Sunk Steamer Commodore (1898) PDF Free Download

The Open Boat: A Tale Intended to be after the Fact: Being the Experience of Four Men from the Sunk Steamer Commodore (1898) PDF free Download. Think more deeply and widely.

Uploaded by James Santos on 4/17/2026

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The Open oat 7

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1111?.

tJU

Fl/tSl-l/3

1(,K.

Tale

Intended

after

the

Fact:

Bem

the Experience of Four

Men

from

the

Sunk Steamer

Commodore

-:-F--

_ ~.

(1898)

1k.

cP.,-re,f

111

l"~o,;

. tt.

fifl<,

(}I' Stephen Crane

fJ)

r h

rirri

,,.JP'

t9ure.,1

ide~

1-:J

ost

~Ii"

(

•ii,

htc

6·r

!~'1

,rohl e

?tl'f'f

rW>-<

eie,~

1,1r(t)

~ ,

J%P

Juli

sea.

de.

( t pd«~~

l-iol-J

~--7

~('

None o the

knew

the

color of

the

sk . Their eyes glanced level, ~ d were fastened

t<>.

~~~

upon the

that swe t toward

The&e

waves were

the hue o s at , save

'bl! ·

for the

tops

whic were 0£ oamin

1te

the

men

knew the colors

the

..,.

. I

'----.

pre

,-:r1'\"c

11i

. . _

sea.

The horizon narrowed

w1dene

and

d!pped.

and

_rose,

and

all times its edge

d,u,,,,

.,4

was

jagged

with

waves that seemed thrust u

01nts

hk roe

,__

___

_ _ _

o1e

~.At

&-~1.--

Many a

man

ought

hav~

~ ~'

n 'Th~ oat wpjch here rode upon

the

, ,

,,~

''-'~ C

f\A

V'l4

ll'\(Jb(~l,

o,.

i~ ·

",:

sea.

These

waves

were

most

wron

ful

!Y,~-

'::'arbarously

abrupt

arn:r

tall, and each froth-

'(J..

o.,

top

was

a problem

small-boat navigati

+n:a"'e,

oli~

G\bl\.Q(~

v",{

f ~

()~

'.J_

;

~~"

.;-,

pttid

'!:,

tC'

The cook squatted

the ~ttom, and looked with both eves at the six 1nches

i::kw~

o .

4'\

....

a·

~•

rt.

wca

N:,

:;,

...

4r{g

unw

aTI)

which separated

him

rro

11l\

the ocean:

111s

sleeves were rolled over his fat

\,i

h~!,

tff

-C

~~---

-.,,,,_

~.)V~

...

~ "

forearms, and the two flaps

his

unbuttoned vest aangled

he bent to ail out the .

.,,,,.w-

:al

#lt

,..

boat. Ofte~_

J~d~ 'Gawd! that

was

a narrow clip.'

he remarked it he

vana

19~

1t.._J

,c,r.,kJ

11.;!;,J

gazed east

-W~

~~·

r the b

seat

~~ ~

""-

<ft~~;,.,

'-"

'"~"

CtJ

...

~ /

~ V

.....

1\.

u;!

,4)

r_;

o·

..,.

Thetoile

,rJ

steering with one

the two oars in the boat, sometimes raised himself

,.,.,

..i,•

ro .,_ . .

.:r~

.~:)J

suddenly

keep clear

water that swirled m over the stem. It was a thin littl o .J

}e{q,._

-.... ,

othM

htl't

(,,

t'lf

e-,

•

..>

••

and it seemed often ready

sna .

~ K

t+,<

·,

..,c,.

f"'i,,k

k'ie

e>..

..._.;,.,.

:=-~

""-

"l""'e~~~

f'V\

10,-f The correspondent,

the

ot er oar, watched the waves and wondered why

,n's~~~

s there.

''-~

~ -

b ..

Wffllt.

· --

-''4

c.c,~

.....

. .

ac~•

(ad

·.

d '

sGCl\"'So

lc,k.

The mJured captam, ymg

the bow, was at this time buried

:fo

that profound ··"

~fl!l.tt,

•

dejection

and

indifference which comes, tem~orar

at least \t~q

t le f iav~ s

'r\

rf'

J't!

m?st enduring

when,

willy-nilly, t

t!_

Wi'o/arr

arJi'Jtforet,

lfi

's""

down. The

mmd

the

master of a

vessel

rooted deep

the timbers

her, though

c~ mands

for a day or a decade; and this captain had on him the stem impression

a scene

the

grays

dawn

seven turned faces, and later a stump

a topmast with a white

The

Open B

oat

\)~

'1WS

-p

ge' (

OlM

po/is~

cf-

t\K,

" •)

V\Q

twll/

~Lt

t:Y

1',\e

feoJ'

~:t

~tl

~""

,.~

't'

J!'

ball on it, that

s!Js

and

o at the

waves,

went

and

owe

r, and

down.

Ill.

Thereafter there :vas so

n_1

ething strange.

s voice. Although steady,~ f as W with

mournino and

a quality be_1

ond

orat1

rs . ..:?n~M

bc,,c,(

~ ,

MA_Jwe

,e~

(>l

·Keep

r a little more south, illie JSaid he.

nan,c

givtM-

,~ .

c~,

,._

~,ove

Mt>1

;-,

<.:

~re$

-o'"

CA')

-(ol~~

..,,

,~~

Yrnt11

t'Yl

11..

'f.o

A little more south& sa1

U1e

'oiler

111

the

ter

"tf-/'

ei/C

:rt ·

11~

A seat

this boat was not unlike a seat upon

a/b

bronch

g,,

qnd

the

same

:}-o

kcA

v I O

4!..~

l,\

f'l

1 f'(1

VC<~l ·

token a broncho is not much smalle

The

craft pr™ d and

~ ng

ect

,.i

flvl°'

,i~

imal. As each wave

me, and she rose for it, she

seeme

d like a horse making

, t,

1.C

,l~- . . .

11"

;""

nce outrageously high. The

manner

of-

her

scra

mble

over

the

walls

ter

a ,

\Y\

,J.'>

.P~

fi-y,

~ nyst

and, moreover, at the top

them were ordinarily these problems in white

~(f,,

. ,~

e-<

~wate

e foam racing down from the summit

each wave requiring a new leap, and

~a';f:I

t.,

ei:-

\o:

a leap from the air. Then, after sco

y bumping a crest, she would

and r~ and

?0:rf>-

~- ~plasl~ down a long incline. and arrive bobbing and nodding

front

the next menace .

....

\tv'

t"'~c.L

~.~'""''' _ A s

gular di

dvantage

the se~ lies

the fa~t th~t ~fter su~cessfu

y surm~unting

>#'

""ca~

· •f

one wave you dis

cover

that

there

1s an

her behrnd

as i

ortant and

e,t/}r -

--------r.

ers

,,,,

, •

)><trA.

'"'1

..r..

.,,,

1ervous y anxious to

so111et

h111g

ef{ec.tive

the way

swa

mping boat

In a ten-foot _

i,,._

t,J

J..

~.,~

1tf

rtd,ct

Jk1

si...

-. . .

1u,

;

,,.,<

""'

dmghy one

n get an

1ct

tile resoucces

the sea m the !me

waves that ~s

....

-"'

-''

...,

.,.,

~11

v-e

l'f

ry n""

l'f

c;t

roe

...

•

f"<l

probable

the

avera

exoenence

,1 which is

never

sea

in a

dinghy

each s

11b

i- "-V'U"'~f

..,c.

,r \1si,,.p

i..•ii.Cl\

rtF

~ t i".

approached, it s

hut

air else from the view o the men m the boa~

and

was not difficult to imagine that this particular wave was the{fuialjo

Ufu

t '

?stbf

~the

a°c~

the last effort

the grim water.

There

was ~ terrible grace in the

move

the waves,

and they

came

in silence, save for the snarling

the cres~

~';!~~b

•Q~h;

~.,~

•

ncct'

l.(

In the wan light the faces

the men

must

have

been gray.

Their

eyes

must

have

glinted in strange wavs as th~

2:azed

steadily astern. Viewed from a balcony, the whole

n("'H

f:tl

Ol<..

':1""'"'0"'

thing would douotless-!lave

n weirdly picturesque.

But

the men in the

boat

had

time

see

it,

and

the

had

leisure,

there

were

other

things

occupy

their

~ls

e,,i.(_

minds.

The

sun

swung

steadily up the s

'Ffi

~· knew it was broad

y because the

;::,

ufrh~

- - - -

1S~htA

TX.

F~bf...l.

Otl.ACTl.tN

color

the

sea

changed

from slate to emeralct-g

een

streaked

w1fll

amber

lights,

and

the foam

was

tumbling

snow.

The

process

the l

breaking

was

unknow

01A

\i>f

,;'\

IV'

9 /

piA.

'rl.

•

them.

They

were

aware

onl

this

effect

upon

the

color

the

waves

tnat

rolled

toward them. r

•f

col\trll

~t\,,\

t1,te9

.See

cfe.pQ.i'#~A.

\:-

wo.+er

In disjointed

sentences

the

cook

and the

correspondent

argued

to the difference

between a lifesaving station and a house

refuge.

The

cook had said: '

There

's a house

refuge

just

north

the Mosquito Inlet Light, and as soon as they see us the

ll come

off

in their

boat

and

pick us up.'

, ~

'~s

soon

who

see

u~ ' ·

said

the

co~respondent.

'""'~

The

crew,' said the cook.~ ~n

C,1/.,

rta,~

'Houses

refuge

don't

have crews,' said the correspondent. 'As I understand them,

they are only

places

where

clothes and grub are stored for the benefit

shipwrecked

people.

They

don't

carry

crews.'

'Oh, yes, they do,' said the cook. .

'No, they

don't,'

said

the correspondent.

/vo,

'f'

~O'),\

'Well,

we're

not there yet,

anyhow,'

said th@ in the stern.

\..:(NB

1"e

dlo ~ o~

t..

)

·--------

i 58 Stories

Ourselves

•we11.· said the

cook.

·perhaps

it's

not

house

refug_e

that

I'm

thinking

beino near Mosquito Inlet Light;

per

s it's a lifesaving station. '

·\

ve·re

not there yet,· said th

oiler

the stern. , •

re~

~0\-4 ,

weAJ-e

op.

.s,~

velt,

vto

ti<~

.su

ot-,

~-•

·"

l1Y1

•

L '

As the boat bounced from the top

each

wave

the

wind

tore through

hair

e aJr

. h

L . ~

af\.J~

hatless

mer

and

the

craft

plopped

her

stern

down

again

t e

lJ2_

ra ~ ashe P

a_fil

"JV

e.c.i,~•

Si;

them.

The

crest

each

these

waves

was

a hill,

from

the

top

which

the men

surveyed for

ment

broad

tumultuous

expanse,

shining

and

wind-riven

. It was

ro a plendid, it was Jroba glorious, this play

the free sea,

wi~d

with

s of

eu~~

emerald an w

1te

an amber. ·

l'(J.M

o~ , ~

~a.

fYl~

ol--&Nv-

WMSrov\

c:tA

..:r

jrtlCU.~

H~ ,·

o--r

'Bully oood thing it's an onshore wind,' said the cook.

'If

not, where would we

Wouldn't have a show.

"''

""'-

RQQ,

Jpi'r

)

,.A('

· , ,

-,,..

tsf;

(£b

at's righ

said the correspondent.

~ o

l'l

~(!,I\""'~

c.,

t-ll

The

busy oiler nodded his assent.

~copta~

(,!j

lo~

rwr

Then

the captain in the bow,

chuckled

in a

way

that

expressed

humor

, contempt,

b1'Eo.

~ -

.:-

tragedy. all in one.

you think

we've

got

much

show

now, bo ys

said

dow ~h~

. ~

ereupon

the

three

were

silent,

save

for

trifle

hemming

and

hawing.

~""'-

express any particular optimism at this time they felt to

childish

and

stupid, but they

)

all doubtless possessed this sense

the situation in their minds.

young

man thinks

doggedly at such times. On the other hand, the ethics

their condition was decidedly

against any open suggestion

hopelessness.

they

were

silent.c

~ta

J11.

fGt

HA~

~ ~ v

t't-

h\f

'Oh, well,' said the captain, soothing his children;

ll g

lit;

re all

gh"if

~t:

",...;

Wlc

But there was that in his tone which made them think; so the oil

quoth, '

this

1 ·

wind holds.' oPnl"·tll~

j)(

?€s.r

1'Ml.rM'\

The

c~ was bailing. 'Yes!

n't

catch

hell in the surf.'

Canton-flannel gulls flew

near

and

far.

Sometimes

they

sat

down

the sea, near

patches

brown seaweed that rolled

over

the

waves

with

movement

like carpets on

li · l Th

d ·

c -~

"T\l\"AL

\I\AUL..~

J"X

M.SN

&..

64'\fF.5/t/

ltl(;-

a ne m a ga e. e

sat com1ortabl)1 m groups,

ana

they were env1ea

some

111

the dinghy, for the wrath

the

sea

was no

them

than

it was to a covey

flo

prairie chickens a thousand miles ~nland. Often they

came

very close and stared

the

' ' h' bl k b d l"k

m•t\Cl

lt\

· ·

h ·

)

comp~S

men. w

. ~ .

- i e eyes.

these times they were

uncanny

and

sinister m

eff

ft~

< unblinking sc~utmy, and

_the

men ~ooted angrily at them, telling

them

to be

go_ne.

One

to.:

(l(

!'r

Jpc-

_came, and evidently

dec_1ded

to_

alight on the top

the

captain's

head.

The

bird _flew Y

emo

o-t

parallel

the boat and did not c1rcle, but made short sidelong

jumps

in the air

chicken

~l,

\-f\~3) fas

s black eyes were wistfully fixed upon the

captain'~head

'Ugly

brute.' said

the o

er to

e bird, 'You look as

you were

made

with a

jackknife.'

The

cook and

the correspondent swore darkly at the

cre

.ature.

The

~l?

tain natural\i wished

knock

it away with

e end

the heavy painter,

ttt

3fc d~

ct~

because

anything

resembling an emphatic gesture would have capsized this freighted boat; and so, with

his

open hand,

e capta

gent

ly and

carefu

wav

ed the gull away.

Aft

er it had been

discouraged from

pur

suit

e captain breathed

eas

ier

on ac

count

his hair, and

others

thed

eas

ier be

cau

se the

bird

struck

the

minds

this

time

as being

somehow gruesome and ominous.

(

J'I

(

\ t

)f"

Open

t S? _ ) )

_,,

r-e..re

t'tve

rt\

t-\

e m

ntime the oiler and the

rrespondent rowed. And

so thcy~ed.

They

le.Ss

sat togeth

in the

sea

t, and

eac

h rowed an oar.

the

oiler

took both oars;

en the

espo

nde

too

k both

rs; then the oiler; then

the

correspondent.

They

rowed and they rowed.

e very

cklish part

the business was when the time

came

e reclining one

the stern to take

s turn at the oars.

the very

last

star

truth, it is

eas

ier to st

eggs

from

und

er a hen

than

was

change

seats

the

din

ohy First the man in the ste

rn.

slid

s han.d along the

thwa,t

and moved with care as

0 . ~ i

rc:<:l

,.,.,,

~er~

f:rO. ~•lt · '

if he were

res. Tl·

~1e

man

in the ~o_

wing

eat

slid

his

hand

along

the

other

f "

fA.

\N.

fY10\f"C

1,A

( ~ .

""-

t€L

1-A

thwa

!J,.r

done wt

t 1e

extr

·d

car

~. rAs

-i:he

two

sidled

past

each

e whole party ke

watchful

eyes on the

coming

wave,

and

the

captain

cried: , ,

·L

k out, no

Steady

, there!;_,

np l

-e..ctlC:

h•,

t..

-of-

~ -

c~i

r-c

for L

e.vie

N10.9

•f\e.

elJ?

rown

mat

sf of se

aweed

that appeared from

time

were

like islands bits

of earth.

The

re traveling, apparently, neither

one

way

nor the other.

They

were, to

intent

stationary.

They

informed

the men in

the

boat

that

was

making

progress

slowly toward the land.

The captain, rearing cautiously in the

bow

after the

dinghy

soared

on a

great

swell,

aid

that he had seen the lighthouse at Mosquito Inlet. Presently the

cook

remarked that

had seen it.

The

correspondent

was

the

oars

then,

and

for

some

reason

too

wished to look at the lighthouse;

but

his

back

was toward the far shore,

and

the wavesive

. d

f .

. . .

~l~rq

hv'v

were important, an

some

time

e cou

not

seize an

opportumty

tum

his head.

o.f

-'..1~

1-~

But

at last there

came

wave

gentle than the others,

and

when

the

crest

011C'J

swiftly scoured the

western

horizon. i

'See it?'

said

the

captain.

.q_

~ ~

~""'

'N ' .d h d

1 1

d'd

' h. '

c..

o..~

C\1'

c.\

o, sat t e

correspon

ent

, s

n t see

anyt

mg. ~

+-M~

'a.,

'Look again,' said the captain.

pointed.

'It's

exactly in that direction.'

.fo<-

u..)

At the top

another

wave

the

correspondent

did

was

bid,

and

this

time

his

eyes chanced on a small, still thing on the edge

the swaying horizon. It was R

t::.:

.:::

;;::.

c~i

..._.___..."':""-

n1-n

---

like the point

a pin It took an anxious

eye

to find a lighthouse so tiny.

MT"'r),

i:_

Ql~

, ·

~If\

'Th.

_Jj {

...

""'~""

,.,

pos/"t1

of-

we'll

e · ,

Captain?

Q.e

p-tr

ate

•

vul.

¥\2.J'a.

« n

o_v.

llr

c.3

'If

this

wind

holds

anp

the

boat

don't

swamp,

can't

much

els

~ '

said

the

captain. [°

k.o..

opKm,

The little boat, lifted

each towering

sea

and

splashed viciously by the crests, made

c ,

progress that in

the

absence

seaweed

was

not

apparent

to those in her.

She

seemed

_ _

, Just a

wee

thing

wallowing,

miraculously

top

up,

the

mere

fiv

Q ·

)<.

'ivvl

o r

ccas1?nally a

great

spread

water

white

flames

warmed

mto

her.

'N11.

't~it

+'.Ll

'Bail her,

cook,'

said

the

captain,

serene!

.1-

--w.-

o P

Y';\

\S\,\,,

S'-1G\

>"-f

pce

.5st\-(.

narM

'AI · '

t r

:-t.-

1:;

1..,

,Q( b

~t-

I nght,

Captain,'

said

the

1eerful cook. e r

'"QU

oi.

c.c

u.s.t-o

(l,,

III

.....,_

would be difficult to describe the subtle brotherhood_

m~n that

~as

here_

est

:~1~~~?

:::._

e seas. No

one

said

that

was

so.

one

ment10ne_d it. But. it dwelt m t~

each

man

felt

warm

They

were

captatn,

oiler,

cook

and

correspondent, and they

were

friends _ friends in a more curiously ironboun degree than

rnay

comm

The

hurt captain, lying against the water

jar

in the bow, spoke always

k.L

c..o

h-1

1:7

ktmff)

If~

1JUAA

0-.A\.,"6-~

.1}-tug

H-1

oJ-

e11cJ.sh

60 Sto

Ourselves

in a low voice and calmly; but he ould never c

omm

and a more r

dy and swiftly

obedient crew than the motley three f the dinghy. It was more

an a mere recognition

of what

s best for the common safety.

There

s surely in it a qua

ty that was

personal and heartfelt. And after this evotto to the commander

e boat,

ere was

this comradeship, that the correspondent, for

stance, who had been taught

be cynical

men, knew even at the time was the best ~ erience of his life.

But

no one said

that it was so. No one mentioned it. caf'

l::t.u

~.f

~f'/

,rt'j

Ul-t--

~ S

etC.r

~c.

>-i

ndrt:t.u't

c.ar

"•·~

"'f.

wcv

h'.t

~er,

'I wish we had a sail,' remark the captain. 'We might try

(§y

overco~ on the

oar, and ive ou two bo a chance to rest.' So the cook and the correspondent

held the mast and spread wide the overcoat; the oiler s

tee~~

~and the little boat made

good way with her new rig. Sometimes the oil~ had. to SE!!Jfshf:J,

if{&

· keep a sea from

aki . .

.P.tt:~~"

pGll'H

lt:

uw,b

ho~

re n mto the boat, but otherw1s sailm

wets

a success

::,

0 0,-- , ·

5'k

~r>w

Meanwhile th lighthouse had been owin slowly larger. It had now almost

sumed

tuta.-nc.qf

color, and appeared like a little gray shadow on the s

ky.

The man at the oars could not

be prevented from turning

s head rather often to try for a glimpse

is little gray

shadow.

~~,

f,uh1', h,

w.poro.r._,

"'°fR

At last, from the top

each ave, the men in the tossing boat could see land. Even

as the lighthouse was an upright sha o on the sky, this land seemed but a long black

shadow on the sea.

certainly was thinner than paper. 'We must

about opposite

New Smyrna,' said the cook, who had coasted this shore often in schooners. 'Captain,

by the way, I believe they abandoned that lifesaving station there about a year ago.'

'Did

t~ey?' said

th~

rug<X.Wvc

ph~

e,,J,uMct.

o.J

n.opt-

c,l

J::

e.r

The wmd slowly ~away. The cook and the correspondent were not now obliged

to slave in order to Iiold high the oar.

But

the waves continued their

old

impetuous

swooping at the dinghy, and the little craft, no longer under way, struggled woundily over

them. The oiler or the correspondent took the oars again.

Shipwrecks are

nothing.

men could only train for them and have them _

occur when the men had reached pink condition, there would be less drowning at sea.

the four in the dinghy none had slept any time worth mentioning for two days an ;

a two nights previous to embarking in the dinghy, and in the excitement

clambering

} about the deck

a foundering ship they had also forgotten to eat heartily.

s::t-

For these reasons, and for others, neither the oiler nor the correspondent was fond

rowing at this time. The correspondent wondered ingenuously how in the name

all

that was sane could there be people who thought it amusing to row a boat. It was not

¥-

an amusement; it was a diabolical punishment, and even a genius

mental

aberrati_ons

could

never

conclude

that

was anything but a horror to the muscles and a c

c.1Yx

>I.

against the back. He mentioned to the boat in general how the amusement

rowing

struck

him

, and

the

weary-faced

oiler

smiled

full

sympathy. Previously to the

foundering,

the way, the oiler had worked a double watch

the engine room

the

ship.

l'duu,

l~,

W.o

~t,'\JC

positio,,.

'Take her

sy now, boys,' said the captain. 'Don't spend yourselve

If we have to

run a

surf

you'

need all your strength, because we'

sure have to swim for it. Take

your time.'

1)1

t·

-t

R -

ko.c,

te.os-·

01'

/ •

ouc-

~bn

t°'PSi

U.,

r(lort

h"'W,d

Greek

two

·1° \

v'\

c.O.p~

Jett\9~1A~

The Open Boat

owly the land arose from the sea. From a black line it became a line

black and

lin

white -trees and sand. Fina

e captain sa

at he could make out a house

on the shore.

hat's the house

refuge, sure

said the coo

They

see us before

long. and come out after us.'

The

distant

ghthouse reared high.

'The

keeper

ought

to be able to

make

out

now.

he ·s looking

through

a gl

ass,'

said the

captain

. '

notify

the

lif

~s.a

ving .

people.·

poss

bil

hopt

les

} Jiw

a.tfO

h •

p.J'.-lty1

,5"1 r x

SfrM

•

·None

those othe

oats could have got ashore to give word

this wreck,' said

the

ler, in a low voice,

~X the lifeboat ~ould be

ut huntm

us)

Slowly a

beautifully ~ e la~ d

(!2._

ome

~1£j

.~e_

The

wind

came

again.

had

veered from the northeast to the southeast. Finally a new

sound

struck the ears

the

men in the boat. It was the low thunder

the

surf

on the shore.

'We'll

never

able

to make the lighthouse now

the

captain. '

Swing

her

head

a little

north,

:1r0\

l~f'

given

o.na.~

"°'Y'I'{.

~n,Q~

surn

?at"1

vQti~

~ i~S.

little more

orth, s

,' said the oiler.

Whereupon the little boat turned her nose once more down the wind,

and

all

but

the

oarsman

watched

the

shore

grow.

Under

the

influence

this

expansion

doubt

and

direful apprehension were leaving the minds

the men.

The

management

the

boat

t.lnceri

"'3

was still

most

absorbing,

but

could

not

prevent

quiet

cheerfulness

hour

Perhaps they would

ashore c.a""'o~ c~l~l:)rQI-( Cc:\~\'tTC(hW •

l'\ O

01'\~

' '

ovtl

hf~T\d

-Their backbones had become thoroughly used to balancing in the boat,

and

they

now

rode this wild colt

a dinghy like circus men.

The

correspondent thought

that

had

been drenched to the skin, but happening to feel in the top pocket

his coat,

found

therein

eight

cigars.

Four

them

were

soaked

with

seawater;

four

were

perfectly

scatheless.

After

a search,

somebody

produced

three

dry

matches;

and

thereupon

the

four waifs rode impudently in their little boat and, with an assurance

impending

rescue shining in their eyes, puffed at the big cigars, and judged well and ill

all men.

Everybody took a drink

water.

lM0...9(

"'c;ee

ti>w7-tiOYJ'?

'Cook,'

remarked

the

captain,

'there

don't

seem

any

signs

life

about

your

house

refuge'

op¼-,~il\M

co,c,

t'\dV~it'~~

~ J

, ·

,.,~9~

nvfr-!:J

.sM

. .

No,' repli the

cooK.

'Funn

y they

don't

see

us!'

r-e.

a.c{u-

te-a.

Uses

na\r

t-\1ut

A broad etch

lowly coast lay before the eves

the men. It

was

low

dunes

n.o

, . ~

··•

-n

l;ltlC,cn(

fnl

lo ~t

l"C

t'1

Cll

't"1_11

f,L,'.Oe,iC,1.)

t~e

t-(_ .

topped

ve etation.

The

the

sun

was plai'n,

ano

sometimes

mey

could

see

white

lip

wave

spun

the

beach.

tiny

house

was

blocked

out

blac upon the sky. Southward, the slim lighthouse lifted its little gray length.

Tide, wind,

and

wav~

were

swinging the dinghy northward. '

Funn

y they

don't

see

,' said the men.

Ct,cco10

.:,power ~

pe+:Ho

lt-'J

o(Q,Wlt

1'_9

()i\

rit~

boa.i--

The

surf's

roar

was

here

dulled,

but

its

tone

was

nevertheless

thunderous

and

~h.~

W'IM

,H\

. h

sp"""""

1!!

g ; As the boat swam over the great rollers

men sat

lisienin_g_

tlJis

roar. 'We'll

wa.w&

swamp sure ' said everybodyt

rea'

~cr

~e,t

O'fiS

,e,

ti~,

3 -

r't'l0tdt

l\k..J

. . ' dr

ClM~hc.

ro~'i

. . .

•~

"'~

Q \

<, i

tfo

fair to say here that

here

was

not

hfesavmg

stat10n w1thm twenty

miles

<'.

(

either directio

i_ill

but

the

men

did

not

know

this fact,

and

consequence

they

ories

Ou1

·se

,es

·,~(

S~Mpa~~j

fur

~ itm

eti

tha

reMofi-)

().tt

ti:>

M ~fu

a"9~

reAt(

e,('

°'-9

f\i\

C1,t

ln,,.

dark

~nd

opprobriou

remarks concerning the eyesight

the nation's

fesaver

Four

scowlmg

men

sat in the dinghy and surpassed records in the invention of epithet

Funn

y they don't see us

The

light-heartedness

a former time

had

completely

faded. To

eir sharpened

s it was easy to conjure pictures

all kinds

incompetency and blindness and

indeed, cowardice. There was the shore

the populous land, and

was bitter a

bitte;

to them that from it

came

no sign.

oks

sio

& c:lea,t

1,i_

•

'Well,'

said the captain, ultimately, 'I suppose we'll have to make a try for ourselves.

stay out here too long,

we'll

none of us have strength left to swim

ter

e boat

wamps

And

so the oiler, who was at the oars, turned the boat straight for the shore. There

was a sudden tightening

muscles. There was some thinking.

don't

all get ashore,' said the captain - '

we don

all get ashore, I suppose

fellows know where to send news

my finish?

:,.

e.u.p

l::..o

cwo

ru,

They then briefly exchanged some addresses and admonition

As for

e reflect

dte1.I',

the

men

there

was

great

deal

rage

them

Perch

e th

might

be .

formulated

thus:

'If

going to

drowned -

going

to be drowned -if

going

drowned

, why, in t~ nam~

the seyen

mad

ods who rule the sea

Mt~

CflAel

3"J;

~.~

l was I

allowed

come

thus far an

contemp

ate

sana

ana

tre

as I brought here

' ' 0

merely

have

nose

dragged away

I was about to

nibb

~~ ~ e sacre cheese o

£,.~1,1"

9-v

f,c,

ohs

V'SC11"

•

Oi/11

,sg'-tSh ,

OCA.tr~

Jifi:

'1.

~P.,!_C

posterous.

this old @y-woman~ cannot o etter tnan this, she

sm.!.

shore

should

epnve

the management

men's fortunes. She is an old hen who

n~1,

.!e

ll\+-e~

c::..c..

not

her

intention.

she

has

decided

drown

me,

why

did

she

not

do it in

r-t?

beginning

and

save

all this trouble?

The

whole affair is absurd

r.1'B'tt

""fi

~Fs

i e·

~~;

cannot mean to drown me. She dare not drown me. She cannot drown~ ot

ter a

•

this work.' Afterward the man might have had an impulse to shake

st at

ouds.

«-~

'Just you drown

, now, and then hear what I call

you!'

.sp.u~

The

billows that

came

at this time were more formidable.

ed alwa

just

about to break and roll over the little boat in a turmoil

foam. There was a preparat

ory

and long growl

the speech

them. No mind unused to the s

would have concluded

. that the dinghy could ascend these sheer heights in time.

The

shore

s still afa

The

ro..,,,

ler was

a{_

wily surf-maij) 'Boys

said swiftly,

'she

won't

live three minutes

ne;:r;:

we're too far out to swim. Shall I take

her

sea

again, Captain

f(Mict1-

'Yes; go

ahead!'

said the captain.

~~I:,

le.

jrea.l- ~

t..

Lt .

fci

. :,

This oiler, by a series

quick miracles d~ ~ oarsmanship, turned

the

boat

the middle

the

surf

and took he

e to

sea

again.

There

was a

considerable

silence

the

boat

bumped

over

the

furrowed

sea to

deeper water. Then somebody i

,!!._g

.22!!!,

spoke: 'Well, anyhow, they must have se

t_,Buj

from the shore by now.'

Ol~

et\a.

ho-pe..

~ '

'sfo,°:,._

The gulls went in slanting flight up the wind toward the gray, desolate east. A~

marked

dingy

clouds

and

clouds

brick-red

, like

smoke

from

a burning budding,

appeared from the southeast.

'What

ou think

those lifesaving people?

Ain't

they

peaches?'

'Funn they haven't seen us.'

llfle

re,p

ea+ed

beccYlieb

":>S

juY1t1_3.

The Open Boat

'Maybe they think

we're

out here for sport! Maybe they think

we're

fishin

Maybe

they think we're damne fools.·

It was a long afternoon. A changed tide t1ied to force them southward, but wind and

wave said northward. Far ahead, where coastline, sea, and sky formed their mighty

~t.

angle, there were little dots w

ch seemed to indicate a city on the shore.

IJf

$t<...·

'St Augustine?'

ler

,t10-ft

\ The captain shook

s head. 'Too n

ear

Mosquito Inlet.' t

i,ll,'

ttlCO

OI'

the oiler rowed, and then the

correSRO

ndent rowed; then

oiler rowei!} It was

tA,m

i_{

a weary bu

ness. The human back can become the seat

more aches and pains than

Je5C-t

phcm

are reQiste

hooks for

e composite anatomy

a regiment. It is a limited area,

t)l\

(.rerlil>

":¢

tp~u

but

can

eto

me t,,e ~ -~.

innumerable

muscular conflicts, tangles, wrenches,

pa.

•

knot

and other

mfort

(

wr.ful

S'-.9¥-

·s

acc"1tu.\

How

pt.ti\.1

• ,

tJJ'6.fd.

you ever like to row, Billie?' asked the correspondent.

~~:~

f\1-e~Ct.

'No,' said the oiler: 'hang it! '

OJ'

When

one

exc

hanged

the

rowing-seat

for a

place

in the

bottom

the boat, he

suffered a

bodily

depression

that

caused

him to be

careless

everything

save

obligation to

wiggle

one

finger.

~ ~

Jl:i

cold seawate} \washing to

and

fro in the

boat, and he lay

it. His head, pillow

-b

ira

fh'J

a~ ~ s• w'rtllin an inch '

_the

swirl ~ ,

-----

l\o

i5U,

t/.

<:«If

-t'O

l\qv

wave-crest

and

sometimes

a p

ticularly

(§

strepero

sea

came

oard

anct

,0t-c,nt

~ Q - ·

drenched him once more

tlut these matters did not annoy him. It

almost certam that

if the boat had capsized he would have tumbled~omfortabi

out upon~~~ ocean

be-~on,,~

I-

he felt sure that it was a € eat

sof

t mattres

spl.1\"'8~

c.wt.e

.,_,

,,~

d,e ...--,

tM.-

'Look!

There

a man on the shore!'

jiAx.t-

~p•J

lt-i

ov,

w\l:M

olat-..9ero~

q_o.c:rt

'Where?

'There!

See

im?'

'Yes, sure!

He's

walking along.'

1 f

'Now

he's

stopped. Look!

He's

facing us! '

,,.

'He's

waving

at us!'

-·~

.,;

'So

he is! By thunder!'

'Ah, now

we're

all right! Now

we're

all right! There'll be a boat out here for us in

half an hour.'

'He's

going on.

He's

running.

He's

going up to that house there.'

The remote beach

seemed

lower than the sea, and it required a searching glance to

discern the little black figure.

The

captain saw a floating stick, and they rowed to it. A

bath towel

was

some

weird

chanc

ffi'

boat, and, tying this

the stick, the

captain

waved

it.

The

oarsman

did

not

dare

turn his head, so he was obliged to ask

questions.

'What's

doing

now?'

'He's standing still again.

He's

looking, I think

...

There

he goes again - toward

the house

Now

he's

stopped

again.'

'ls he

waving

us?'

'No, not now; he was, though.'

'Look!

There

comes

another

man!'

(

. ,

runnmg.

~~et\t'

~~e

~ w

t-ef-l

e.c-~

'1ft

.$1-1

(a)

lP.. ·

1HtS

PA-G-e

• t

,rne p

CAl

d~'ftl.d

ttk

c>"'

•

71--\

\ S

AC-E-

·.

,re

Ct.

°[:

1;a.

rr:t C

lon9

t-c

l.-.

u.e.,

:...,;,,

nS<,

e,)<.c<~

✓

c-en_k

ories

Ours

ves

•

l'V1

ood

h·

in:;i

•

•-

,.,.,

°f::.

, o(espuod;ov, -

J'ior

J11f-e

rn~

Cr,

t;z:__

'Loo

k at him go, would you!'

c..t,,

)

'Why.

e's

a bicycle.

Now

he's

met

the

other

ey'

re both

w .

Look!'

us.

'Ther

comes

something

the beach.'

What

the devil is that thjng?'

'Why

looks like a

boat

'Why, certainly, it

a boat.'

(l{,u~c.t-----f

No; it

wheels

t tYes,

is. Well,

that

must

the

lifeboat.

They

drag

them along sh

ore

wagon.'

a,{~

'That

's the lifeboat,

sure.'

~)\9

-h,

'No, by God,

it's

an omnibus.'

U\4'19~

on~

tell

you

it's

a lifeboat.'

' a1tok.tr'S

'It

is not! It's an omnibus. I can see it plain. See?

One

these big hotel omnibuses

,;11.

;

d. '

thun_der,

you'r~

right.

It's

an omnibus,

_sure

as fate.

Wha_t

do you suppose

they

are

domg

with

omnibus?

Maybe

they are gomg around collectmg the life-crew,

hey

'That's

it, likely. Look!

There's

a fellow waving a little black flag. He's standing

the

steps

the

omnibus.

There

come

those

other

two

fellows.

Now

they're

all

talkjng

together.

Look

the

fellow

with

the flag. Maybe

ain't

waving

it!'

'That

ain't

a flag, is it?

That's

his coat. Why, certainly,

that's

his coat.'

'So

is;

it's

his coat.

He's

taken it

off

and is waving it around his head. But

would

you

look

him

swing

it!'

'Oh,

say,

there

isn't

any

lifesaving

station

there.

That's

just

a winter-resort hotel

ommbus

that

has

brought

over

some

the boarders

see us drown.'

What's

that

idiot

with

the

coat

mean?

What's

signaling, anyhow?'

'It looks

were trying to tell us to go north. There must

a lifesaving

station

there.'

'No;

thinks

we're

fishing.

Just

giving us a

merry

hand.

See?

Ah, there,

Willie!

'Well, I wish I

could

make

something

out

those signals.

What

do you suppose

means?'

'He

don't

mean

anything;

he's

just

playing.'

'Well,

he'd

just

signal

try

the

surf

again,

sea

and wait'.

north,

south,

to hell, there would

some

reason m

But

look at

him.

just

stands

there

and

keeps

his

coat

revolving

a wheel.

The

ass!'

There

come

people.'

Now

there's

quite

mob.

Look!

Isn't

that

boat?'

Where?

Oh,

see

where

you

mean.

No,

that's

boat.'

That

fellow is still

waving

his

coat.'

mean

must

think

see

him

that.

Why

don't

quit

it? It don

anythjng.' 's a

don

know.

think

trying

make

north.

must

be that there

lifesaving station there

somewhere.'

'Say,

ain't

tired yet.

Look

'im

wave!'

,..r

lzh

Q,1'CfQ

'1\Gl

'""""

clr

a~c:tti

c,,

frtV\

t°'

t·

The Open Boat 65

nder how long he can keep

at up. He's been revolving

s coat ever since he

caught sight

He·s an

Why aren't they getting men to bring a boat out? A

hin

g boat - one

ose big yawls - could come out here a

righ

Why don't he do

meth

g?'

h, i

s a

right now.'

'The

have

boat o

here

r us

less than no time, now that they've seen~s.'

hope.

faint ye

ow tone

me into W.e ~ kyk

~Yt~

r the low land. The shadows on the s

uu.p

slowly deepened. The w

d boreP

~ofJ

ne~~

tn~ t, and the men began to shiver.

re.ctd

'Holy smoke!' said one, allow

s vo

e to express

s impious mood, 'if we keep

on monkey

g out her

we've got to

ounder out here all right!'

'Oh, we'

never have to st

here a

night! Don't you worry. They've seen us now,

and it won't be long before they'

come chasing out after

us.

ot-al

L.- .

The shore grew dusky. The man waving a coat blended gradually into this gloom, and

,,,

.s,,v1AS

l .

h . f l Th

er,

~"tr::J

swa

111

t ,e same

manner

t e omnibus and the group o

peop

e. e spray,

}I.

a.A

t ·

when it dashed uproariously over the side, made the voyagers shrink and

swear

h b . b d d

,..,.

f"-

.,,

.,.hl

hsi~ ,

°'"

i~ 1,

men w o were emg ran e -~

P."'

ni~

l\1:.

he1p

'I'

d like to

tch the chump who waved the coat.

feel like socking him one,

just

r luck.'

t-i

"I)

~,c.p14'111«h~

c),-.

J4-r

~h-Dc.11_9~

aCh

'o~ .

'Why? What did he do?'

c:(~

~perario~,

, ·

e.mo

h·

oll'I

-Mr"l

~pe

hU..

Oh, nothmg, but then he seemed so damned cheerful.' '

O'll\on,

du~

the

meantime

the oiler rowed, and then the corres ondent owed, and then the re-~

teel

oiler rowed. Gray-faced and bowed forward, they mechanically tum by tum, plied the

_)t.n

~Q.

•

leaden

oar

The

form

~he.li2:hthouse had vanished from the southern horizon lhut .

f-t>.t

~U'_gl4t

l•9

'4't

lt•w1-C

oc..r.,

Jf>l

C.C....

J finally

azy

ale star) appeare ,

~~~~

~on;

U1r

J~ -

The streaked saffro

~n .

west

CDU)Ult.

nr.

rf\

~, ~

passed before the all-merging dark'riess, an1 t~e sea to the east was lac e

~-l1a

4~ .

k•('t

vanished, and was expressed only by the low and drear thunder

the surf.

QI~

'lf

I am going to be drowned -

going to be

tlo\t.tr

drowned, why,

the name

the seven mad gods who rule the sea, was

allowed to

nd.

come thus far and contemplate sand and trees? Was

brought here merely to have my

se dragged away as

was about to nibble the sacred cheese

life?'

The patient captain, drooped over the water jar, was sometimes obliged to speak to

the oarsman.

'Keep her

head

up! Keep her head up!'

'Keep

her

head up, sir.'

The

voices were weary and low.

This was surely a quiet evening.

All

save the oarsman lay heavily and listlessly in the

boat's bottom. As for him, his eyes were just capable

noting the tall black waves that

swept forward in a mo~ i in

!!l

len

e, save for an occasional subdued ~

cres

\o.~a

mOlllt.\lt)f~"'~

11t.

cJtlt1i4

h-10,ivol

tH")

The cook

head was on a thwart, and he looked without interest at the water under ~ni

lil h"

s nose.

deep

other

scenes.

Finally

spoke.

'Billie,'

murmured,

dreamfully, 'what kind

pie do you like beG

~ h-~

olritt~

oP,

VA'-11-eJ,-

1';(

Tl<-

o1n.-,lit.

fctr1

~ ~ l

uf\

s,-v

)

pie

'Pie!' said

the

oiler and the coITespondent, agitatedly.

'Don't

talk about those thing

blast

you!

1tti'

htre

l f~ i

ffurlAtt

( _

..,J

n'\lt

•

tit

· ~

t>lJk

--a

':::J

hu'1gf'Cj_

66 Stories

Our

'Well

said the

cook

, as st thinking about ham sandwiches, and

A night on the sea in a o

boat is a long night. As darkness settled finally, the

shine

the light, lifting from t

sea m the south, changed to full gold. On the northern

horizon a

new

light

appeared

, a small bluish

gleam

on the edge

the waters. These

k,.uilol

(N'

two

ghts were the furniture

the world. Otherwise there was nothing but waves.

J1Y

Two

huddle

in the stem, a~d distances were so magnifice~t

the dinghy that

the

ro~er

was

~nable~

keep

hts

feet

partly

warm

thrusting

them

under

his

companions. Their legs mdeed extended far under the rowing seat until they touched the

soc..

'),t.A

\,,

feet

the captain forward. Sometimes, despite the efforts

the tired oarsman, a wave

I\OY'V""S

·1·

. h b .

J"'-"C-""

°'

came

mg mto t e oat, an ~ wave

the night, and the ~ g water soaked them

1'a..,

sZ~ .

bY'I' e · anew.

They

would

their bodies for a moment and groan, and sleep the dead sleep

oncehmore, while

the_

water

in the boat gurgled about the

f..

~ fJ~~

:Ah.t.l

)

T e

...

olan

the

otler

and

the

corres

ondent

was for

oQe

to row

urtt11

fie

Jost die

. . ..~

>l)C.f'Qle.:

SeQ~CJ1

t-v

~.,..,

......,

____

--,...;

>5l#

""~

•

~ag

ab1hty,

an<l

then arouse the'

◊

rmm

his sea-water c 1 ~the bot1om

the boat.

ctes-h/,.(u1-.

. .

.so

a«.w

!\OlA

Q.Qe

~tur,t., •

The

01ler

phed

the oars un 1

heact drooped forward an

tre

o¥efJ1o~enng sleep

-e.

iptnr · blinded him; and he rowed yet afterward. Then he touched a man in the bottom

the

boat, and called his name. 'Will you spell me for a little while?' he said meekly.

'Sure,

Billie,'

said

the

correspondent,

awaking

and dragging

himself

to a sitting

position.

They

exchanged

places carefully, and the oiler~uddling

do~

ri)

in th~ seawater .

at the

cook's

side,

seemed

to ·sieep instantly.

C.kH

/w-

W ·

_?,

lea-

t.S

The

particular violence

the sea had ceased. The waves came without

snar_lin

&lf

obligation

the

man

the

oars

was to

keep

the boat headed so that the tilt

the )

rollers

would

not

capsize

her, and to preserve her from filling when the crests rushed

past.

The

black

waves

were silent and hard to be seen in the darkness. Often one was

vi'~

almost

upon

the

boat

before

the

oarsman

was aware.

div:'

In a

low

voice

the

correspondent

addressed

the captain.

was

not

sure that the

a,WeJt:_,

captain was awake, although this iron man seemed to be always awake. 'Captain, shall

I keep

her

making

for

that light north, sir?'

The

same

steady

voice

answered

him. 'Yes.

Keep

about

two points

off

th~

po~

. .

a/\.d

bow.'

)~~

inou!

eqUcri(,.

•

~~~

~t.,~

The

cook

had

tie

d.(L

lifebe©around

himself

in order to get even the warmt

which

this

clumsy

cork

contrivance

could

donate,

and he

seemed

almost

stove-like when a

rower, whose teeth invariably chattered wildly as soon as he ceased his labor, dropp~ .

down to sleep.

JhOt~

r-,

si~

The correspondent, as he rowed, looked down at the two

eeping underfoot. ~

r~J.,t,)11

extte,M~

cook's

arm

was around the oili's shoulders, and, with their fragmentary

clothing~ct

etts,,c

iJ 1

.,,,oc..u,

,..

,pc,a,e

\NO

.,.,,

o<A~

t"'

r-e

.,.-

°'

·,·~ .

face

they

were

the

bes

the

sea

- a

grotesque

rendering

the o

J.0

1.,rl4f"-

abes in the ~ o

(1,~

tpt~

LVl,,C.UTU"ctb

it,

Later he must have grown stupid at his work, for suddenly there was a growling

water, and a

crest

came

with a

roar

and

swash

into

the boat,

and

it was a wonder

t~at it did not set the

cook

afloat in his lifebelt.

The

cook

continued to sleep, but the

oile,r sat ~p, blinking his eyes and shaking with the new cold.

"~"

"'fo

JUic.

oh,

a~ful

sorry, Billie,' said the correspondent,

ontnt

yf"

at s all nght, old boy.' said the oiler, and lay

down

again and was asleep.

f-r

~"ti,

tAvl

t-,

l,,of"k~A,,ooc,t

f'\o

bl()

V)'t

~ ,

114{fUt{

o..,Qk

Sh:lf'l1';

The

en Boat 67

Presently

seem

at even

e capta

dozed. and

rrespondent thought that

he was the one

oat on a

the oceans. The wind had a v

ce as it came over the

. w

es. and it was sadder than

e end.

""'11t,5U.1t

There was a long. loud

ish

g astern of the bo

, and a gl

min

g t

hosphorescence

ke blue

ame. was

owed on

e black waters. It

ght have been

ma e

monstrous k1:ife.

Cs~att9e

e.ttHrt.ol

li~'-u

r,r1e11~\-

htI,L4t<v1

dtJ(,(l

h '

OYI

Then there

me a ~trllness. while

esRo

ent breathed with open mouth and p

looked at the s

. \llOttw\t-,

Wnh

,~,)

~~~"'"-5

'-~

~fi..t

l \.i

~t->.

Sudde

ano

er s

sh and ano

er long

ash

bluish

ght, and this time

it was alongside the

boa

t, and might a

~ st. have b

n reached

with

an oar.

correspondent saw an(enormous

1~ ~a

°l1

~i"8

through

e water, hurling

ine spray and leav

e long glow

g trai

The

espondent looked

ove

s shoulder at the captain.

s face was hidden, and

he seemed to be asle

. He looked at

e babes

the sea. They certa

ly were asl

bei

ng bereft of sympathy, he leaned a little way to one side and swore so

ftl

y into

But the thing

did

not then leave the vicinity

the boat.

Ahea

d or astern,

one

side or

e o

, at interv

s long

ho11

ed the long sparkl

g streak, and there

to be h

rd the

whirroo

the

n. The speed and

power

the thing

rea

tly

to be admired. It cut the

like a gigantic and keen projectile.

/';':°.~~~~

~,!.:~~t'

l,I)

The pr

ese

nce of this biding9 did not

aff

ect the man with the same horror that it

wou

if he had

bee

n a picnicke~ He simply looked at the sea(dullvand

swo

re in an

undertone.

MG\

Wt,

l'I

C(.

.tt1c-tk,

11<

•~ •

"C.,A>O

N'I

ot.A.t-

te.5,1.13

nul

Nevertheless, it is true that he did not wish to be alone with the thing. He wish~d

h. . k b h d k h·

'---

P'el'-~tic.c.

)"1

pa.t1

en-ts

one o 1s

pamon

e y c ance an

eep

ompany

1tn

1t. llt the

captain hung moti

onle

ove

r the wat

jar, and the oiler and the cook in the

bottom

e b

re plu

nged

in slumber.

~ttcli.,j

h4e.

•

o.r

et,·~

e,,l'\ }

wl'tl-4

~-ti

iJ more

c.M"9

lJWJ'

lAt<'l

ikL

prv,{o'U)

0'1eh .

9ro.('~

bec.om

W .

VI J

...

a.~

'Jf

am going to be

drow

ing to be

drow

goi

ng to be

c:ie,a

drowned,

why

, in the name

the seven mad

ds who rule the

sea

llowed

CA.f

roa

come thus far and c

ontempl

ate

nd and trees

)

During this dismal

may

be remarked that a man would

nclude that it was

all

e intention of the seven mad

ds to drown him, despite the abominable injustice

of it. F

s ce

ainly an a

bominable

injustice to drown a man who had

worked

hard.

The

man

lt it

would

be a c

rim

st unnatural.

Oth

people

had

drowned at sea since galleys sw

med with

paint

ed sails,

_bu

sti_ll-/"

o.l\

t'\

tgrl

When it o

urs to a man that

natur

doe

s not regard

h1m

portant, and that she

tit

t"utt

feels she would not maim the universe by disposing

him,

at first wishes to throw

1W1bl

'29

~ h'Sq

bricks at

the

templ

and

hate

deeply

the

fact

that

there

are

brick

and

temp es. Any

ible

expression

nature would surely

pelleted with his

jeer

nQt-u,c

Then, if there

no tan ible thin t hoot he feels, perhaps, the desire to confront a

t~h

sonifi

tion a

indulge

in p as,

bowed

one

knee

and

with

hand

s s

upplicant,

,.,,

. .

If '

90d

say

g, '

s, but I

love

myse .

·-to

e.f\

(

N~f't.

Q.-

)

r'-0~

I~.~~->

......

;.___:_..:..:_~;..,,,

qn11of

bt. A

k,a.dfa

ft-

· ·-·

~ed

;

11{-u

eft

U.O

ittdi'flvt~

68 Stories

Ourselves

high

cold

star

on a

winter's

night

is the

word

he feels

that

she say

s to him.

Thereafter he knows the pathos

his situation.

The

men in the dinghy

had

not

discussed

these matters,

but

each

had, no doubt,

reflected

upon

them

silence

and

according

to his

mind.

There

was

seldom

any

expression upon their faces save the general

one

comp

_lete

weariness. Speech was

tlf'

<:A

d d h b · f h b

,...,,

~"~

hows

oc.c.J:;

1 _

C>{rJlld..ir

. evote to t e usmess o t e oat.

p~v("cf'l.,,(,)l'i

c()(.(..lJt

Co"

e,fl

.,.;,

\,,Q

U-

To chime the notes

his emotio

n':

a verse mysterio sly entered the correspondent~s

r of

lfted

head. He had even forgotten that he had{forgotte

rjl

thi

verse, bvt it suddenly was

his

)l,-u,~U

(.OrH\t

ct,

oV\

be~

s\.(~l\q

.So

~¥ht-l'oj,I\

"/.K9o

/.t,,t,

nw,

J,,

at1d

.tt.e

oorrespoV1de,,t

V''f

1..

-1..

_ _

•

J-o-r

V\\'l\d

A soldier

the Legion lay dying

Algiers·

~bc.-./~

dti

trto

t,,.¼,.

emohur,

-----------....:..---=:.--:,,:.

___

....,_..__

dv~eACL ;_

fl./

W.f)~~

,ef1_ecJ.c,d

t,0

lt.c.

,..

There

was lack

woman's

nursing, there wa

eart

woman s 1ears ·

t1to

wt1fo.,.I.

anJ

CJ.,lSS

But

comrade stood beside him, and he took that comrade's hand ·

c,o

;v,~

s 7

tr-e,v,1

u nd he

sa1

never more shall see my own, my native land.'

l::h

,::i,-~

_oif'ff.hu In his childhood the correspondent had been made acquainted with the fact

71'T

~ - --

IV1

soldier

the

Legion

lay

dying

in Algiers,

but

had

never

regarded

the

fact as

important. Myriads

his schoolfellows had informed him

the soldier's plight, but the

""o.l4

dinning

had

naturally

ended

making

him

perfectly

indifferent.

had

never

r !

(J'

)

considered

it his affair that a soldier

the Legion lay

dying

in Algiers,

nor

had it tt.e,W

appeared

him

as a

matter

for sorrow. It was less . him

than

the

breaking

aj,~~

pencil's point.

n.o

p•

sy11t1pa.1:;l,t:J

ltU?

Cllc:l

"tw°'

Now, however, it quaintly came to him as a human, living thing.

was no longer

merely a picture

a few throes in the breast

a poet, meanwhile drinking tea and

warming his feet at the grate; it was an actuality -stern, mournful, and fine.

The

correspondent

plainly saw the soldier. He lay

the

sand

with his feet

out

straight and still. While his pale left hand was upon his chest in an attempt to thwart the

going

his life, the blood came between his fingers. In the far Algerian distance, a city

low square forms was set against a sky that was faint with the last sunset hues. The

correspondent, plying the oars and dreaming

the slow and slower movements

the

lips

the soldier, was moved by a profound and perfectly impersonal apprehension. He

was sorry for the soldier

the Legion who lay dying in Algiers.

The

thing which had followed the boat and waited had evidently grown bored at the

delay.

There

was no longer to

heard the slash

the cutwater, and there was no

longer

the flame

the long trail.

The

light in the north still glimmered, but it was

apparently

nearer

the

boat.

Sometimes

the

boom

the

surf

rang

the

correspondent's

ears,

and

turned

the

craft

seaward

then

and

rowed

harder.

Southward, someone had evidently built a watch fire on the beach.

was too low and

too far to be seen,

but

it made a shimmering, roseate reflection upon the bluff

back

it, and this could be discerned from the boat. The wind came stronger, and sometimes

a wave suddenly raged out like a mountain cat, and there was to be seen the sheen and

sparkle

a broken crest.

The captain, in the bow, moved on his water

jar

and sat erect. 'Pretty long night,' he

observed to the correspondent. He looked at the shore. '

Those

lifesaving p

ple take

their time.'

Cm~e.

op~•

'Did

you see that shark playing around?'

•

·Yes. l saw him. He was a big

ow. a

right. '

·Wish l had known you were

av-,1ake.'

The Open B

t 69

ter the corresponde

spoke into the bottom

e boat. '

lli

' There was a slow

gradual disentanglement. '

lli

e, w

ill

you spe

_?'

~~ Qh°IM

·sure.'

said the o

er.

(o(e,f(-noroJtort o~

l:!:a.

~ih;Je.

soon as the correspondent touched

e cold,(Eomfortabl

er;

ter

e bottom

e boat and had huddled cl

ose

coo

lifebelt he was deep in sl

p, despite

e t~ct that his tee

played a

e popular airs. This sl

p was so good to him that it

~~a.g&,~ ~ s

but a moment befor~ he h

rd a voi

ce ca

s name

a tone that demonstrated

~¥

e last stages

exhaus

·w1

you

/speii\

e?'

:,L

lu,w

· 8·

11·

~lo,~

°'~

~m~t-He.

~,__

....

,) .

Lil

e,_

1 1

l:e~~-Wtt'bi,,

til'\d

V'Cr·

J~p

t-e

t=m!olne

}

..S

The

ght

II1

the north had my

enously

va111shed

, but the

correspondent

took

course from the wide-awake

ptain.

Later

the

ght they t

k the boat farther out to sea, and the captain directed the

cook to take one

oar

at the s

tem

and k

e boat facing the seas.

was to call

out

he sho

uld

ear

the {

thund

the

surf.

Thi

plan

enabled

the

oiler

and

the

correspond

ent

to get respite together. 'We'

give those boys a chance to

get

into shape

aga

,' said the

ptain.

They

curled down and,

ter a few preliminary chatterings

and

trembles, sl

ept

mor

e(ffie d

d sl

Neither

knew

they

had

bequeathed

the

cook the

any

another shark,

perhaps the

same

shark.

(

~rc:.

~t.f

J!~

As the

boat

caroused

on the

waves

ray

occasionally

bumped

over

the

side

and

~them a fresh

soa

king, but this had no p

ower

to break their repose.

The

ominous

. ~ f the wind and the

water

affe

cte

d th

as it would have affecte~ ~

'.:J

ys,'

the

coo

k, with the notes

every reluctance

s voice,

he's drifted

) .

J"~~

pretty close. I guess

one

you had better take her to sea again.'

The

correspondent,

aroused,

heard

the

crash

the toppl

crest

t:Af'~CM~

As he was

rowing

, the

ptain

gave

him

me whiskey-and-

water

and

this s

teadied

the chills out

him.

'If

ever

get ashore and anybody shows me even a photograph

oar-

9 l

i1'11W1ff

m o

(.A.j

last there was a s

hort

conversation.

se"~(lcL

Billie_!

. ·

Billie

will you spell

me?'

O'fl;)

p~t

Sure,, said the

oder

l1o

pt,

l.,1

C,tjY1

o,Y·

~u.,e..1

Vil

~XA

)~k

of-Ml

e--

~~t

•f

ll<D,rlr..

•

When the

correspondent

again

opened

eyes,

the

sea

and

the k

were

eact

~l r thel

J>!-'f~

gray hue

the

dawning.

Later,

carmi

and

gold

was

upon

the

water

The

morning appeared finally, in its splendor, with a sky

pure blue, and the sunlight flamed

on the tips

the

waves

hor

Ct,f

q Cc.o

.-,NO'\.

On the distant

dune

were

many

little

black

cottages, and a tall

white

windmill

~fJ,

reared

above

them.

man,

nor

dog

nor

bicycle appeared on the beach.

The

cottages

~ave

formed

rted village.

nopi_,

The voyag

ers

sca

nned the shore. A conference was held in the boat. •

~ell,'

sai

d the

lt~

captain, '

no help is corning, we

might

better try a run through the s

urf

nght

away. If

tkL

stay out here

much

longer

we will be too

weak

anything for ourselves at all. '

\--'

~t"~

J..1

The others

len

,9Y.

!£

guiesce~ n this reasoning.

The

boat was headed for the beach.

The

y-,..91-1

rQ.11,,4c.m

r1½

JWo

'10""""

l.J

't-

~h,

wpt

x. ~ pm

fas"'~

a.wf'/1,o,

,f'j

70 Stories

Ourselves

e,~

99eretb'ovt

corresponde

wondered. if none ever t cended

e ta

ll_

d-tower,

and

if th

never looked seaward.

Thi

s tower w

J'g,ant, standmg

wllh

s b

the p

ght of th t

ants.

represe~te~ i_n a degree.

e con

"=e

spondent,

e sere

nit

amid

th~

tru

ggles

the

md1v

1dual

-nature

th~

wind

and

nature in

the

sion of m

en.

She d

~ot.

seem cruel t.o

~1m

then, nor beneficent, nor treacherou

nor wise.

t she

was

n"h.tre

,...

m~ fferent,

flatly

mdifferent.

.is

, perhap

plausible

that

man

is s

itu

on, i

ressed

0tb

Sb'Tte~

with the unconcern.

the ~mv~rse, _should see .the innumerable

aws

t_r_o~

cl-.t

have

the~

taste wickedly m

s mmd, and

sh for another chance. A

sti

nct

problt.wl . between nght and wrong seems

absurd~y

clear

hi~,

then,

thi

new

ignoran

grave-e~ge, and he understands that

were given another opportunity

d t

mend

s conduct and

his

words,

and

better a

brighter during

introduction

a tea.

tt.,

uhoocf

O -

•,-

. _

'N . . ' . . r os

t,) ' ~

t,r

lM.S

CU(

oyt

ow boys, said the captain,

she

gomg

swamp

sure.

ork

her in as ar as possible, and then when she swamps, pile out

and

scra

mble

the

~f'K

~ep cool

'¾l

and don't j~mp until she swamps s

ure.

f t

~11

rea_s~

T~e

,ler took

th~

oars. Over his shoulders

scanned

the

surf. 'Ca

ain,' he sa

id,

i'>1

"'\

I thmk I d better bnng her about and keep her head-on

the

seas a

bac

k her in.'

'All

right, Billie,' said

the

captain, 'Back her

The

oiler s

wung

the

boat

then

seated in the stern, the cook and the corres onde~

li~ed

look o

r their

shoulders to contemplate the lonely

and

indifferent shore.~

Oli\

tf-+£,..

~d.

>'43

~1-

The monstrous inshore rollers heaved

the

boat

high

until

the

men

were

again

enabled

see the white sheets

water scudding

the slanted beach. '

won

't get

ery

11.t)

close,' said the captain. Each time a man could wrest his attention from the rollers,

4Wh'o

turned his glance toward the shore, and in the expression

the eyes during this

l-t

contemplation there was a singular quality. The correspondent, observing the others,~

knew that they we~e not afraid, but the full meaning

their glances was[shr

]r"

wm~

-W

:As

for himself, he was too tired

grapple fundamentally with the fact.

tried

ooerce his mind into thinking

it, but the mind was dominated at this time

the

<.»

l / muscles, and the muscles said they did not care. It merely occurred

him that if

ltt::C/'bA should drown it would be a shame.

f-19

at-•

There were no hurried words, no pallor,

plain agitation. The

men

simply

looked

the shore.

'Now

, remember to get well clear

the boat when you jump,' said

the

captain.

Seaward the crest

a roller suddenly fell with a thunderous crash, and

the

long

white comber came roaring down upon the boat.

'Steady now,' said the captain. The men were silent. They turned their eyes

f~om

the shore to the comber and waited. The boat slid up the incline, leaped

the

funous

top, bounced over it, and swung down the long back

the wave. Some water

had

been

shipped, and the cook bailed it out.

~ $

-;'ve

But the next crest crashed also. The tumb · ng, rb

..:.

'::

J.!.

.:..

o~d-o

-::

f~w

.,.._

_w_a

'J"':'.

'.".'.:'l

caught

the boat and whirled it almost perpendicular. Water ·warmed in from all sides.

The

correspondent had

his

hands on the gunwale at this time, and

.en

the

water enterid

~j~

that plac_e he swiftly withdre.w

hi~

fin~ers, a~

he objected

wetting them .

..-

The httle boat, drunken with this weight

water, reeled and snugg e deeper

mto

~~Jf

d'i

sea.

-----

LN'

:rx

boa

f ~,

:i~e,~(-rt

en Boat 7 I

·Bail h

out.

coo

Bail

er out! '

the

capta

· All tight.

Cap

tain.· said the

coo

'Now. boys. the next one wi

do for us sur

e,'

said the oi ler. 'Mind to

jump

clear

the boat. . t r,·

c.o

(

,>rt-ct

f'1'f

The

third

wave m

oved

forward.

huge, furious, impl

acab

ll It fairly

swal

owe

the

dingh

and almost simultaneously the men

tumb

led into the

a. A

ece

lif

ebe

had

lai n

the

bottom

the boat, and as the coITes

pondent

overboard

he held this to

his chest with his l

t hand.

The

January

er_

was i

, and he reflec~ed imn:iediately that it

_was

colder

. than h~1~ t

"-'1

LU,be..-

had ~xpected to

hnd

off

the

coast

Florida. This a

ppeared

dazed

mmd

J't-

rC\

t.-i

'f'.'

....

fact

important

enough

not

the time.

coldness

the

ter

,.,

~ ~

e11

was tragic.

This

fact

was

somehow

mixed and

confused

with

opinion

own

pu i I

situation,

that

seemed

alm

ost

proper

easo

n for

tear

The

water

was

cold

When

came

the

urfa

was

conscious

little

the

Oisy

water

:-,,~p

o.Ja

tf<J'

qtutt

,~,t•ff<r

~~r

Afterward he

saw

his

mpanion

s in the sea.

The

oiler

ahead

the race.

imming

strongly and rapidly.

Off

to the

correspondent's

left,

the

cook

great

white

.Je.a,.,,

rew

and

corked

back

bulged

out

the water;

and

in the

rear

the

captain

was

hanging

with

'>:'-

1:;.u-

one

good

hand

to the keel

the

overturned

dinghy.

-I u

Ther

e is a

rtain

immovable

quality to a shore, and the coITespondent

wondered

it arrud

the

confusion

the

sea

J«A~

t se

emed

so very attractive;

but

the cotTespondent

knew

that it was a

long

journey

e~~ n

C<.

and he

paddled

leis

ly.

The

piece

life

preserver

lay

under

him,

and

sometimes

<;,ulo

'-'

S~ rurled

down

the

incline

wave

were

hand-sled_

.,.ttJbo99o

But

finally

arrived

place

the

sea

where

travel

was

beset

with

difficulty.

He did

not

pause

swimming

to inquire what manner

current had

caught

rum,

but

there

his

progres

s ceased.

The

shore

s s

before

him

like a

bit

scenery

stage

and

looked

at it

and

understood

with his

eyes

each

detail

it.

e)(.~rm

the

cook

passed,

much

farther

to the left, the

captain

was

calling

him

, '

Turn

?e-

(__

over on

your

back,

cook!

Tum

over

your

back

and

use the

oar.'

~R-t,tae-1 · '

All

right, sir.'

The

cook

turned on his back,

and

, paddling with an

oar

, went ahead

were

canoe.

tt,~,t

i's

Presently

the

boat

also

passed

the

left

rfaf

the

On::e

pondent

with

the

cap

tain

f"l'\Q

. . . _

li::"::'r<i

ol"'(l

t-i-.

voq

+ . . . . fo r

can~

, n

cbngmg

with

one

hand

to th~ 1 e would

ave

appeared

like a

man

raismg

rumself

-T

)

to look

over

board

fence

were

not

for

the

extraordinary

gymnastics

the boat. .

Iii

ii The correspondent marveled that the captain could still hold to it.~ "';;

~ f

gte":!l

, I ~

U..

They

passed

nearer

shore

-the

oile

t!\,e caoj(,

the

captai

~ -

and

following

~•, . , .

Li9

eo.rt-

ll\

r,o

c~ '

lhem

went

the

water

Jar,

bouncmg

over

t e seas.

"--.:

COt-"l'\t-tl"po

lf'lttb

oiQt\q__V

of,

t~~

wa.

L,"'\

The

correspondent

remained

in the

E?.rio

this

ange new

enemy

- a current.:

The

a,t'l

~ ct.a,ic."-p

0"1 ~ r

ot,~

i..

p<r

b..

. . ~.:sbt..vie~~

J"X

~ o·,.) ~

CA."-

rt'

kfL

shore,

twithi

white

slop

ana

its green

topped

with httl

~.£_

ottages, o t

t->,e

L-ej

f\.OU.J • was s

pread

a p

icture

~ ~f~r

him.

was

very

near

him

then

but

he w~ ho""(.,

. . I k f B . Al .

c.o,.,.,fo

~ t

impress

one

who, m a gallery,

s ~t a scene_

rom

nt~any

. g1ers. .

.,..-

c.:

o...,,

l~ t-«-

He thought:

going

drown?

Can

be possible?

Can

be possible?

Can

~bf.l \

possible

Perhaps an individual must consider

own

death to be the final phenomenon ;,

t~~

o.,,

nat . s

c.C

enhf

"""'l

~S'

..)

s+o

r~ _";

e.s

t-o -v,a .

ti,0

½_9

"'.b

72 Stories

Ourselves

~;j

But later a wave perhaps whirled him out

this small deadly current, for

found

suddenly that he could again make progress toward the shore. Later st

ill

he was aware

that the captain, clinging with one hand to the keel

the dinghy, had

s face turned

·,

'"putt~

from

the shore and toward him, and was calling his name.

'Come

to the boat'

~to the boat!'

S~t

Gik

In his struggle to reach the captain and the boat, he reflected that when one gets

tJ.tf '

properly wearied drowning must really be a comfortable arrangement -a cessation of

eKtte~i hostilities accompanied by a large degree

relief; and he was glad

it, for the main

~~a\-\

thing in his mind for S?me mom~nt~ had

bee~ horror

the temporary agony. He did

not wish to be

hurt_

._....utsfl,.

f-,

lJo

tclt

$~;.

iMp

l,s

c.,

t"lst.

<Udire

l..Qf-J

sy,ripa.

tJiu

ctS

Cl.T

~:----....,---,---'-

o.s

c:.

i(,

r.or

pkQJ,.:s

Present

,!.)'

saw a man running along die shore. He was undressing with most • .

eo-;~

tit-

(!'

emar

kable}speed. Coat, trousers, shirt, everything flew

<gf

agica

off

him. / r

c.a

:i~~

~ b~

)

'Come

to the boat!' called the captain.

V\-\

~ct.A.~W

_.,f

~~c::t

~ jt

. 'All right, Captain.' As the correspondent paddled, he saw the captain let himself

-foll(,

rt\t._

down to bottom and leave the boat. Then the correspondent performed his one little

,!~-tk'eSJ

fip

arve

the voyage. A large wave caught him and flung him with ease and supreme

eo..rl

speed completely over the boat and far beyond it. It struck him even then as an event

~cs an_d a

~rue

Jmirac

, the sea. An overturned boat in the

surf

is not a

~ . plaything to a swunmmg man.

co.J.

f1.:~

t:J

f--

.Ju

I-to~

The

correspondent arrived in water that r~ach~d o

o his waist, but his condition

,,-

· 'd · d &

~ ~

v..sn

()>I\

, l

r,~

~ •

h kn k d h' ·

(

not

enable him to stan 1pr more than a mmpent. ac . wave oc e

mto a

•

I.Al"'

heap and the undertowmat him

'Jl!Yil,S

of-v,ole*

rk~s

•

c.aL

eo~ea

•

c:t,~

o.,-b,

J ' -

•

cle.6--~

Then

he saw the man who had been running and l:}ndressing, and undressmg and

t'l )

"J.

•""

running,

come

bounding into the

~:J.

er. ~

~ged ashorfe the cook, and then waded

•~o'-'t- - . .

~o4Mi

MQ-J

l'IH " ·

N.SP,t.

f.A'~

·,

,..1-

toward the captam; but

trre

captam twavea

away antl sent him to the correspondent.

was

naked

as a 1tree.

.wjnt~~; b t a

(fa@

was

about

his head, and

-';

~pc,r.r-cct

ti)

..,.,.

, ~ ...

..,.

"°'

shom

(]

a sain

gave a strong pull, n a long drag,

and

a bully heave at the

correspondent's hand. The correspondent, schooled in the minor formulae, said, 'Thanks,

old

man.'

But

suddenly the

man

cried,

'What's

that?'

pointed a swift finger. The

correspondent said

'Go

......,..

c or

.-e~f>

~f'\

r's ~ctl

o1o<t

s ~

kUt-

t:.JJt

fhl~

_ . ·w.

·-

,_;_.;

=--

•-

.........

· · h

cl~

tCi\Ca

of.

pr~ o

'·.:,

In the shallows, face downward, lay the oiler. His forehead toucned sano that wa~

periodically, between each wave, clear

the sea.

.t.

fio

he,

wr::u

Cll

(Mos

~i:-

The correspondent did not know all that transpired afterward. When he achieved safe

ground he fell, striking the sand with each particular part

his body. It was as if

had dropped from a roof, but the thud ·was grateful to him.

°'"fJ!A

j~°/1

/:.~1.Utd

f •/y'9

(.io

1A.

It seems that instantly the beach was populated with@ •witlt'blank

lt'

clothes, and f

{'C-l

'-'

flasks,

women with

coffeepots

and all

the

remedies

sacred

their

minds. The

w~lc~me-

the land

the men from the sea was warm and generous; but a still and

drippmg

hape was carried slowly up the beach, and the land's welcome for it could onl~

t,r

be the different and sinister hospitality

the grave.

ot~

f-~

.,,Ht1

U0~

c..~

tr•

·~d~n

Wh · · h · w

,:rtt

---.c;

-I

. en it came mg t, the white waves

paced

to and fro m the {noonlight and the

wmd br~~ e sound

the great sea's voice to the men on the shore, and they felt

that the~then be internreters.

i...hc.u~

i.h

CU>Ml\e.c...ti

l.CJ

1-1..}-

1 _

, __ ,

"'ohucu

W'UY

I "'

~"~

c.ot

l.4-,cu

~,>

"l:t

11°'-

v\~

90~~

tt,fro~&.c

S4<c"4

uR.TH

'Rf~

1<uJ

Snrl,u

or C

r L

o(~rJ2.

r ouro..g-t..

!::t

...>~

pne

The Open Boat: A Tale Intended to be after the Fact: Being the Experience of Four Men from the Sunk Steamer Commodore (1898) PDF Free Download

The Open Boat: A Tale Intended to be after the Fact: Being the Experience of Four Men from the Sunk Steamer Commodore (1898) PDF Free Download

The Open Boat: A Tale Intended to be after the Fact: Being the Experience of Four Men from the Sunk Steamer Commodore (1898) PDF Free Download

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