Summary:
An unnamed narrator frames his story by disclaiming connection to his family and country. He says that he prefers the company of the German moralist writers, whose flights of fancy he can detect and repudiate. He admits having a rigidly rational mindset, dedicated to the truth and impervious to superstition. The narrator then recounts a voyage from the island of Java upon a vessel containing cotton-wool, cocoa-nuts, and a few cases of opium. Soon after departure, the narrator observes a large, ominous cloud in the distance and fears the signs of an approaching Simoon, or typhoon. The captain of the ship, however, dismisses the narrator’s fears. As he retreats below deck, the narrator hears a loud noise and feels the ship capsizing. When the ship bobs back up, the narrator realizes that he and an old Swede are the only survivors. However, the ship remains engulfed in a whirlpool, which threatens to suck the vessel into the depths of the sea. For five days, the two men float on the shattered ship, escaping the pull of the whirlpool. They find their surroundings have grown cold, and soon complete darkness overwhelms them.
Vocabulary words:
aft: at or near the rear of the ship.
The space aboard was well organised, the cabin aft rode low, but the full width of the hull, and though Emma had to stoop her neat head to enter, stepping down to the lower level within, she and her uncle would have had room within for sleeping. coir: Fiber from coconut husks. It is used to make ropes and mats.
Coconuts floated as lightly as coir, and were more watertight than any cask. fore: at or near the front of a ship.
He who kept to the fore was a youth of such shining beauty that his like has never been seen in the world of mortal men. hull: Body of a ship excluding masts and rigging. At the front end is the bow, or prow; at the rear is the stern.
With the level of damage this ship's sustained, walking the hull might be the fastest way to get anywhere mast: Vertical pole to which the sails are attached and from which a flag flies. A mast also supports rigging.
But running the ship's boy up and down the mast is a tradition. poop: On a sailing ship, the raised deck on the stern.
Out we ran, and there on the poop were the lieutenant and ten of his men. Pyrrhonism: Belief that certainty about anything is impossible, as taught by the Greek thinker Pyrrho (circa 360-270 BC); skepticism about all knowledge.
Among these Aristocles counts Pyrrhonism, as represented by Pyrrho himself and by the initiator of the later Pyrrhonist tradition, Aenesidemus rigging: Ropes and other gear that manipulate the sales and support the mast.
Of this, however, we had but little fear, as our rigging was all new and of the very best. simoom: Wind that is hot and dry and carries particles of sand or dust.
The approach of the simoom is a dense black cloud of whirling and seething fine dust. spar: Vertical or horizontal pole on a sailing ship.
Fortunately the spar was a portion of one of the yards, and still had a quantity of rope connected to it. stern: Rear end of a ship.
At the stern are the two women; one, ruddy and strong, steers the boat; the other, small and delicate, minds her children. Tadmor: City in ancient Syria.
John lives in Tadmor for the past 6 years. taffrail: Rail around the rear of a ship.
Up went the bow in the air, till the keel showed above water, and the taffrail was almost under it. topgallant: Tallest mast on a ship with square sails as the main sails.
He had only just learned what a topgallant was, but he could have told his captain that his mathematical studies were far advanced. yawl: Rowboat carried on ships.
By the middle of the next day the yawl was aground, and from the shoalness of the water could not proceed any higher.
Summary:
An unnamed narrator frames his story by disclaiming connection to his family and country. He says that he prefers the company of the German moralist writers, whose flights of fancy he can detect and repudiate. He admits having a rigidly rational mindset, dedicated to the truth and impervious to superstition. The narrator then recounts a voyage from the island of Java upon a vessel containing cotton-wool, cocoa-nuts, and a few cases of opium. Soon after departure, the narrator observes a large, ominous cloud in the distance and fears the signs of an approaching Simoon, or typhoon. The captain of the ship, however, dismisses the narrator’s fears. As he retreats below deck, the narrator hears a loud noise and feels the ship capsizing. When the ship bobs back up, the narrator realizes that he and an old Swede are the only survivors. However, the ship remains engulfed in a whirlpool, which threatens to suck the vessel into the depths of the sea. For five days, the two men float on the shattered ship, escaping the pull of the whirlpool. They find their surroundings have grown cold, and soon complete darkness overwhelms them.
Vocabulary words:
aft: at or near the rear of the ship.
The space aboard was well organised, the cabin aft rode low, but the full width of the hull, and though Emma had to stoop her neat head to enter, stepping down to the lower level within, she and her uncle would have had room within for sleeping.
coir: Fiber from coconut husks. It is used to make ropes and mats.
Coconuts floated as lightly as coir, and were more watertight than any cask.
fore: at or near the front of a ship.
He who kept to the fore was a youth of such shining beauty that his like has never been seen in the world of mortal men.
hull: Body of a ship excluding masts and rigging. At the front end is the bow, or prow; at the rear is the stern.
With the level of damage this ship's sustained, walking the hull might be the fastest way to get anywhere
mast: Vertical pole to which the sails are attached and from which a flag flies. A mast also supports rigging.
But running the ship's boy up and down the mast is a tradition.
poop: On a sailing ship, the raised deck on the stern.
Out we ran, and there on the poop were the lieutenant and ten of his men.
Pyrrhonism: Belief that certainty about anything is impossible, as taught by the Greek thinker Pyrrho (circa 360-270 BC); skepticism about all knowledge.
Among these Aristocles counts Pyrrhonism, as represented by Pyrrho himself and by the initiator of the later Pyrrhonist tradition, Aenesidemus
rigging: Ropes and other gear that manipulate the sales and support the mast.
Of this, however, we had but little fear, as our rigging was all new and of the very best.
simoom: Wind that is hot and dry and carries particles of sand or dust.
The approach of the simoom is a dense black cloud of whirling and seething fine dust.
spar: Vertical or horizontal pole on a sailing ship.
Fortunately the spar was a portion of one of the yards, and still had a quantity of rope connected to it.
stern: Rear end of a ship.
At the stern are the two women; one, ruddy and strong, steers the boat; the other, small and delicate, minds her children.
Tadmor: City in ancient Syria.
John lives in Tadmor for the past 6 years.
taffrail: Rail around the rear of a ship.
Up went the bow in the air, till the keel showed above water, and the taffrail was almost under it.
topgallant: Tallest mast on a ship with square sails as the main sails.
He had only just learned what a topgallant was, but he could have told his captain that his mathematical studies were far advanced.
yawl: Rowboat carried on ships.
By the middle of the next day the yawl was aground, and from the shoalness of the water could not proceed any higher.
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