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Updated: June 8, 2025
The Zodiac came down scarcely a cable's length from her quarter, but the stranger gave no sign of any intention of accompanying her. Very few seamen appeared on her deck, and two or three officers only, whose uniform, seen through the glass, was evidently that of Austria.
"I tell you," replied Jack, "we shall be the 'corps de reserve, and have the honour of turning the scale in our favour." "Give way, my lads," cried Gascoigne, perceiving the other boats still kept their distance ahead of them, which was about a cable's length.
They were not above half a cable's length off when we fired; and our gunners took their aim so well, that three or four of their canoes were overset, as we had reason to believe, by one shot only.
Before he quitted the poop, however, he stood at the weather-ladder, holding on to the mizzen-rigging, and gazing at the scene. The wind had increased, as had the sea, but it was not yet a gale. The York had long before hauled up in her station, a cable's length ahead of the Cæsar, and was standing on, under the same canvass as the flag-ship, looking stately and black.
"The same; and there's the spot in which we was stowed when they made us out from the brig; and here-away, a cable's length, more or less, the wreck of that Mexican craft must lie." "What is that rising above the water, thereaway, Jack; more on our weather-beam?" "I see what you mean, sir; it looks like a spar. By George! there's two on 'em; and they do seem to be the schooner's masts."
Our engines had already slackened speed; and, the helm being put down, we came up to the wind, to leeward of the ship and not a half cable's length away from her, broadside-on. "Stand by there, forrad," shouted the skipper. "Ship ahoy there! Surrender, or we'll run you aboard."
The strong light enabled me to trace everything minutely alas, too minutely! I could see the white gleaming teeth, the frothing lips, the eyes glaring in madness or terror. We were still scarce a cable's length from them. I could note every movement as if I had been in their midst, or within ten feet of them.
We kept turning out of the bay till the afternoon, and about ten o'clock we were suddenly becalmed, so that the ship would neither wear nor stay, and the tide or current setting strong, she drove towards land so fast, that before any measures could be taken for her security she was within a cable's length of the breakers: We had thirteen fathom water, but the ground was so foul that we did not dare to drop our anchor; the pinnace therefore was immediately hoisted out to take the ship in tow, and the men, sensible of their danger, exerting themselves to the utmost, and a faint breeze springing up off the land, we perceived with unspeakable joy that she made head-way, after having been so near the shore that Tupia, who was not sensible of our hair's breadth escape, was at this very time conversing with the people upon the beach, whose voices were distinctly heard, notwithstanding the roar of the breakers.
"Where away?" "Right ahead of us, sir," replied the man in an equally eager tone. "And not half a cable's length away!"
"Yes, I think I can guess," admitted Cartoner, with his slow smile. "But you won't tell me?" "No. When do you expect them?" "I'll answer that and ask you another," said Captain Cable, getting a yellow decanter from a locker beneath the table. "That's port ship-chandler's port. I won't say it's got a bokay, mind." For Captain Cable's hospitality was not showy or self-sufficient.
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