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For there were others, rounded domes of tide-washed rock, treacherous ledges, little craggy steeples, sloping shelves, which low water gave up to the sun and where a man might walk dry-shod. To such strange places the longboats turned when we would have none of them.
A few sailing ships, laden for the East Indies, were heading toward the Cape of Good Hope. One day we were chased by the longboats of a whaling vessel, which undoubtedly viewed us as some enormous baleen whale of great value. But Captain Nemo didn't want these gallant gentlemen wasting their time and energy, so he ended the hunt by diving beneath the waters.
Thus we made ready for fight; but all this while we kept out to sea, with wind enough, and could see the boats at a distance, being five large longboats, following us with all the sail they could make. Notwithstanding this, they came on till they were near enough to call to them with a speaking-trumpet, bidding them keep off at their peril.
Augustine to the island of Trinidad, and from Panama to the coasts of Peru. About the middle of the seventeenth century certain French adventurers set out from the fortified island of St. Christopher in longboats and hoys, directing their course to the westward, there to discover new islands.
The little armada was completed by a 'gondola' with six 9-pounders, by twenty gunboats and four longboats, each carrying a single piece, and by many small craft used as transports. On the 11th of October Carleton's whole naval force was sailing south when one of Arnold's vessels was seen making for Valcour Island, a few miles still farther south on the same, or western, side of Lake Champlain.
On the 15th, while I was walking on the forecastle, I overheard one of the sailors, a man named Owen say to his mates, "Now I just give you all warning that I am not going to wait until the last minute. Every one for himself, say I." "Why, what do you mean to do?" asked Jynxstrop, the cook. "Pshaw!" said Owen, "do you suppose that longboats were only made for porpoises?"
I therefore decided, in conjunction with Carter, that if it should prove necessary to lighten the ship still further, we would discharge the two longboats on to the sandbank a considerable area of which remained dry even at high-water and then strike another cargo down into the empty boats.
Lower away the boats, lads; I'm going to dance to that music." They swung the two longboats out on the davits, and the port crew were in their seats, when Mister Jacob touched my arm and questioned my order a thing I haven't known him to do twice in ten years. "Beg pardon, sir," said he, "but there's no boat that will help the Santa Cruz to-night." "And why, Mister Jacob why do you say that?"
Those had plunged into the unknown, touching lands beyond the sea mists, sailed and oared by men plagued by the need to learn what lay beyond the horizon. And here was such a ship, taut, well kept, larger than the Viking longboats Ross had watched on the tapes of the Project's collection, yet most like those far-faring Terran craft.
Then he found himself swaying unsteadily down a flight of steps and calling to the men behind not to hustle and precipitate him into one or other of the two longboats that lay below. Into the nearer of these his company swept him, and poured in at his heels until the gunwale was nearly level with the water.
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