Робинзон Крузо / Robinson Crusoe

удлинение нижних мачт)] and make everything close, that the ship might ride as easy as possible.

By noon the sea went very high. Once or twice we thought, that our anchor had come home; upon which our master ordered out the sheet-anchor,[25 - sheet-anchor – запасной становой якорь] so that we rode with two anchors ahead.

By this time it blew a terrible storm indeed. Anyone may judge, what a condition I must been in at all this, who was such a young sailor, and was so frightened in a first little storm.

But not the fear of death scared me. It seemed like a Providence punishment.[26 - Providence punishment – наказание Провидения] I had broken my oath, which I gave during the first storm. Now it seemed clear, what fate awaits me, if I don’t return home. And these, added to the terror of the storm, put me into such a condition, that I have no words to describe it.

During the first hurries I was stupid, lying still in my cabin, but in the next time I heard as the master went in and out of his cabin by me, saying softly several times a minute “Lord, be merciful to us![27 - Lord, be merciful to us! – Господи, смилуйся над нами!] We shall be all lost! We shall be all undone!” and the like.

I got up out of my cabin and looked out; but such a dismal sight I never saw. I saw terror and amazement in the faces even of the seamen themselves. The sea ran mountains high, and broke upon us every three or four minutes.

Towards evening the mate and boatswain[28 - mate and boatswain – штурман и боцман] asked the master of our ship to let them cut away the fore-mast.[29 - fore-mast – фок-мачта (фок-мачта – мор. первая, считая от носа к корме, мачта на судне с двумя или более мачтами).] When they had cut it away, the main mast[30 - main mast – грот-мачта (грот-мачта – мор.

обычно вторая мачта, считая от носа судна).] shook the ship so much, that they were obliged to cut that away also, and make a clear deck.

Two more ships, that were standing near us, drived from their anchors[31 - drived from their anchors – сорвались с якоря] and were run out of the Roads to sea, at all adventures, without any masts. The similar fate awaited for us.