100 words to know before reading The Sea-Wolf

1. A dark, strong beer made with roasted malt or barley.
2. Strong, thick, or sturdy in build or structure.

Atlantic. Coming aboard, as I passed through the cabin, I had noticed with greedy eyes a stout gentleman reading the Atlantic, which was open at my very essay. And there it was again, the

1. Unable to answer or solve a problem.
2. Confused or puzzled by something.

the Artist.” The red-faced man shot a glance up at the pilothouse, gazed around at the fog, stumped across the deck and back (he evidently had artificial legs), and stood still by my side, legs

1. Made or produced by humans rather than occurring naturally.
2. Not genuine; fake or insincere.

splintered wreckage, and yet the spark of life within burned brightly as ever. “With an artificial foot—and they make excellent ones—you will be stumping ships’ galleys to the end of time,” I

1. A boat used to transport passengers, vehicles, or goods across a body of water.
2. A vessel operating on a regular route, often between two fixed points.

from time to time the sound of other whistles came to us from out of the fog. “That’s a ferryboat of some sort,” the newcomer said, indicating a whistle off to the right. “And there! D’ye hear

1. A type of sailing vessel with two or more masts, typically fore-and-aft rigged.
2. A large beer glass, usually holding around 15–20 ounces (Australia, New Zealand).

a whistle off to the right. “And there! D’ye hear that? Blown by mouth. Some scow schooner, most likely. Better watch out, Mr. Schooner-man. Ah, I thought so. Now hell’s a poppin’ for

1. High-pitched and piercing in sound.
2. Sharp or strident in tone or manner.

steam schooner as near as I can judge, crawlin’ in from the Heads against the tide.” A shrill little whistle, piping as if gone mad, came from directly ahead and from very near at hand. Gongs

1. The gradual decline or decrease of something (e.g., tide, strength, interest).
2. The outward flow of the tide; receding water.

a panic I now suffered. Whither was I drifting? The red-faced man had said that the tide was ebbing through the Golden Gate. Was I, then, being carried out to sea? And the life preserver in which I

1. A large metal disc that produces a resonant sound when struck.
2. A medal or award, especially in British military honors.

As I reached the limit of my swing and prepared to rush back on the counter swing, a great gong struck and thundered. For an immeasurable period, lapped in the rippling of placid centuries, I

1. Making a harsh, grating sound.
2. A rough or irritating noise.

my hand over the horny projections, and my teeth went on edge once more from the horrible rasping sensation produced. “My name is Johnson, not Yonson,” he said, in very good, though slow,

1. Extremely hot or burning.
2. Harshly critical or severe.

denunciation that swept out of Wolf Larsen’s mouth, I was inexpressibly shocked. The scorching torrent was enough to wither the face of the corpse. I should not have been surprised if the wet

1. A unit of currency in Turkey, equal to 100 kuruş.
2. Informal term for "year" in some dialects or contexts.

through the torn and inflamed cuticle. “That’ll do, Yonson,” one of the men said. “Carn’t yer see you’ve bloomin’ well rubbed all the gent’s skin orf?” The man addressed as Yonson, a man of

1. A kitchen area on a ship or aircraft.
2. A long, low ship propelled by oars, used especially in ancient times.

And between this and the smells arising from various pots boiling and bubbling on the galley fire, I was in haste to get out into the fresh air. Further, there was the need of seeing the

1. A small, sweet baked good, typically made from dough.
2. Slang for someone who is eccentric or quirky.

was Wolf Larsen’s answer, as he turned partly away from me and cried out, “Cooky! Oh, Cooky!” The Cockney popped out of the galley. “Where’s that boy? Tell him I want him.” “Yes, sir;” and

1. People who work on ships or boats, especially as crew members.
2. Members of a navy, typically enlisted personnel.

up with them on this miniature floating world for I knew not how many weeks or months. The sailors, in the main, were English and Scandinavian, and their faces seemed of the heavy, stolid order.

1. A person who works on a ship or boat.
2. Someone skilled in navigating or operating vessels.

open, his breast, heaving as though from suffocation as he laboured noisily for breath. A sailor, from time to time and quite methodically, as a matter of routine, dropped a canvas bucket into

1. A strong, coarse cloth used for making sails, tents, or paintings.
2. A piece of fabric stretched over a frame for painting.

breath. A sailor, from time to time and quite methodically, as a matter of routine, dropped a canvas bucket into the ocean at the end of a rope, hauled it in hand under hand, and sluiced its

1. At or toward the rear of a ship or aircraft.
2. In nautical terms, the rear section of a vessel.

about navigation?” “No, sir.” “Well, never mind; you’re mate just the same. Get your traps aft into the mate’s berth.” “Ay, ay, sir,” was the cheery response, as Johansen started forward. In

1. A rounded protuberance on the back of a camel or other animal.
2. A small hill or mound.

kneecap that went undressed and from which I suffered for weary months, and the name of “Hump,” which Wolf Larsen had called me from the poop. Thereafter, fore and aft, I was known by no

1. (slang) Short for "what," often used in informal speech or text.
2. (acronym) "Wheel of Time," a fantasy book series by Robert Jordan.

Cawn’t even carry a bit of tea aft without losin’ it. Now I’ll ’ave to boil some more. “An’ wot ’re you snifflin’ about?” he burst out at me, with renewed rage. “ ’Cos you’ve ’urt yer pore

1. The reflexive form of "you," referring to the person being addressed.
2. Used to emphasize the subject "you."

did, sir.” “I thought as much. And damned glad you were to let them have it. Couldn’t make yourself scarce too quick, with several gentlemen you may have heard of looking for you.” The boy

1. The ability to live forever; eternal life.
2. Endless existence or lasting fame.

end did you serve? or did they? Consider yourself and me. What does your boasted immortality amount to when your life runs foul of mine? You would like to go back to the land, which is a

1. A piece of fabric attached to a boat to catch wind and propel it forward.
2. To travel on water using sails or a sailing vessel.

feet. But the trouble lay in that the wind was not strong enough nor steady enough to keep the sail full. When he was halfway out, the Ghost took a long roll to windward and back again into the

1. In or into the air; flying or floating above the ground.
2. At a height; high up in the air.

and a man is sent aloft to shift over the fore gaff topsail. In some way, when Harrison was aloft, the sheet jammed in the block through which it runs at the end of the gaff. As I understood it,

1. A stick with a hook for landing large fish.
2. A trick or deception (slang).

easy and without danger; and second, by climbing out the peak halyards to the end of the gaff itself, an exceedingly hazardous performance. Johansen called out to Harrison to go out the

1. Ropes or lines used to hoist or lower sails, flags, or yards on a ship.
2. Lines that support or control the position of a sail or spar.

which was comparatively easy and without danger; and second, by climbing out the peak halyards to the end of the gaff itself, an exceedingly hazardous performance. Johansen called out to

1. Behind or toward the rear of a ship or aircraft.
2. In a backward direction.

foaming along, wing-and-wing, and every sail drawing except the jibs, with a fresh breeze astern. Oh, the wonder of the great trade wind! All day we sailed, and all night, and the next day, and

1. A fastening made by tying a piece of rope, string, or fabric.
2. A tangled or complicated situation.

up the damp of the dew and relaxed, they were pulled tight again—and that was all. Ten knots, twelve knots, eleven knots, varying from time to time, is the speed we are making. And ever out

1. The front part of the foot, including the toes and ball.
2. The forward part of a ship's hull near the bow.

the weight and softness of a tiger. The Ghost ploughed on her way. I noted the gurgling forefoot was very like a snore, and as I listened to it the effect of Wolf Larsen’s swift rush from

1. An expression of contempt or disgust.
2. A sound made to show disapproval or dismissal.

that it may become strength and movement in fin and scale and the guts of fishes. Bah! And bah! again. The champagne is already flat. The sparkle and bubble has gone out and it is a tasteless

1. Unpredictable or erratic changes in behavior, conditions, or events.
2. Whimsical or capricious actions or ideas.

VIII Sometimes I think Wolf Larsen mad, or half-mad at least, what of his strange moods and vagaries. At other times I take him for a great man, a genius who has never arrived. And, finally, I am

1. Searching or feeling about uncertainly with the hands.
2. Attempting something clumsily or without clear direction.

and fear. The voice of my companion brought me back to myself with a laugh. I too had been groping and floundering, the while I thought I rode clear-eyed through the mystery. “Hello! somebody

1. A distilled alcoholic beverage made from fermented grain mash, such as barley, corn, rye, or wheat.
2. Typically aged in wooden casks, giving it a distinct flavor and color.

Wolf Larsen ordered, as they took seats at the table. “And bring out the cigars and the whisky you’ll find in my berth.” I returned with the articles in time to hear the Cockney hinting

1. A narrow bed, often stacked in tiers (e.g., in a dormitory or ship).
2. Nonsense or falsehood (slang).

an endless amount of work, I was sent to sleep in the steerage, where I made up a spare bunk. I was glad to get out of the detestable presence of the cook and to be off my feet. To my

1. Selfless concern for the well-being of others.
2. Behavior that benefits others at a cost to oneself.

at least for one who does not believe in eternal life. With immortality before me, altruism would be a paying business proposition. I might elevate my soul to all kinds of altitudes. But

1. To sharpen a blade or tool by grinding or honing.
2. To stimulate or increase interest, desire, or appetite.

inequality in its edge somewhere. Then he would put it on the stone again and whet, whet, whet, till I could have laughed aloud, it was so very ludicrous. It was also serious, for I learned

1. To dissolve or remove soluble substances from a material by percolation of liquid.
2. A device or process used for leaching.

and was really pleased, nodding his head with direful foreknowledge and mystery, until George Leach, the erstwhile cabin boy, ventured some rough pleasantry on the subject. Now it happened that

1. A feeling of deep sadness or sorrow, often without a clear cause.
2. A pensive or reflective sadness, sometimes with a poetic quality.

And while the whole face was the incarnation of fierceness and strength, the primal melancholy from which he suffered seemed to greaten the lines of mouth and eye and brow, seemed to give a

1. A pain in the head, often caused by stress, tension, or illness.
2. A persistent problem or source of difficulty.

mere expletive, but it came from his soul. At dinner he asked the hunters for a remedy for headache, and by evening, strong man that he was, he was half-blind and reeling about the cabin. “I’ve

1. Intense aggression or hostility.
2. Extreme strength or intensity.

“It is still obscure to me.” “What can I tell you?” he demanded, with a recrudescence of fierceness. “Of the meagreness of a child’s life? of fish diet and coarse living? of going out with the

1. Sharp, pointed growths on plants, often for protection.
2. A source of irritation or difficulty.

and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprung up and choked them.” “Well?” I said. “Well?” he queried, half petulantly. “It was not

1. Excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements.
2. The quality of being worthless or futile.

that my hands had wrought and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. “All things come alike to all;

1. Annoyance or irritation caused by a problem or situation.
2. The state of being frustrated or worried.

had wrought and on the labour that I had laboured to do; and behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun. “All things come alike to all; there is one

1. A person who delivers sermons or religious speeches.
2. A minister or clergy member who leads worship services.

sacrifice. But to return. I told him that, unhappily for the burial service, I was not a preacher, when he sharply demanded: “What do you do for a living?” I confess I had never had such a

1. The forward part of a ship where the crew's quarters are located.
2. A raised deck at the front of a ship, often used for navigation or observation.

turquoise sky. I do not forget one night, when I should have been asleep, of lying on the forecastle head and gazing down at the spectral ripple of foam thrust aside by the Ghost’s forefoot. It

1. A native of East London, especially one born within hearing distance of Bow Bells.
2. The dialect or accent associated with East Londoners.

Larsen’s answer, as he turned partly away from me and cried out, “Cooky! Oh, Cooky!” The Cockney popped out of the galley. “Where’s that boy? Tell him I want him.” “Yes, sir;” and Thomas

1. A thick, oily substance used as a lubricant or for cooking.
2. To apply grease or oil to a surface for smooth operation.

returned the dinner pots and pans from the forecastle. “Somehow Tommy’s grub always tastes of grease, stale grease, and I reckon he ain’t changed his shirt since he left ’Frisco.” “I know he

1. A disease caused by vitamin C deficiency, leading to weakness, anemia, and gum disease.
2. (Archaic) Despicable or contemptible behavior.

had ever joyed in his discomfiture or pain. Life had been unfair to him. It had played him a scurvy trick when it fashioned him into the thing he was, and it had played him scurvy tricks ever

1. To run hurriedly with short, quick steps.
2. A small opening or hatch in a ship's deck or hull.

their escaping foe. They began to drop off, to be brushed off against the sharp edge of the scuttle, to be knocked off by the legs which were now kicking powerfully. Leach was the last to go,

1. Narrow beds, often stacked in tiers, used in dormitories or ships.
2. To sleep in a simple or temporary bed.

with the honesty of his and the Kanaka’s sleep, Wolf Larsen passed on to the next two bunks on the starboard side, occupied top and bottom, as we saw in the light of the sea lamp, by Leach

1. A term used in Hawaii and the Pacific Islands referring to a person of Hawaiian or Polynesian descent.
2. Historically, a term for a South Pacific Islander, especially a laborer.

Larsen put thumb and forefinger to the wrist and counted the pulse. In the midst of it the Kanaka roused. He awoke as gently as he slept. There was no movement of the body whatever. The eyes,

1. A clergyman, especially a Protestant minister.
2. A surname of English origin.

Latimer called down the scuttles: “Hump! The old man wants you!” “He ain’t down here!” Parsons called back. “Yes, he is,” I said, sliding out of the bunk and striving my hardest to keep my

1. Discolored skin marks caused by broken blood vessels beneath the surface.
2. Injuries resulting from blunt force trauma without breaking the skin.

them dexterously. With the exception of several bad wounds, the rest were merely severe bruises and lacerations. The blow which he had received before going overboard had laid his scalp open

1. The front part of something.
2. In sports, the player positioned at the front.

months, and the name of “Hump,” which Wolf Larsen had called me from the poop. Thereafter, fore and aft, I was known by no other name, until the term became a part of my thought processes and I

1. The triangular sail set forward of the mast on a sailboat.
2. The projecting arm of a crane.

so that the Ghost was racing along under everything except the two topsails and the flying jib. These three sails, I gathered from the conversation, were to be set immediately after breakfast.

1. A group of animals, especially hoofed mammals, living or moving together.
2. To gather, lead, or manage a group of animals.

It strikes me as unnatural and unhealthful that men should be totally separated from women and herd through the world by themselves. Coarseness and savagery are the inevitable results. These men

1. The top section of a ship's mast.
2. The title or logo of a newspaper or magazine, typically at the top of the front page.

ho!” came down the open companionway. It was Smoke’s unmistakable voice, crying from the masthead. I shot a glance at the woman, but she was leaning back in the armchair, her eyes closed,

1. Easily damaged or fragile.
2. Requiring careful handling or tact.

aft. Also I was awkward. It seemed to me that I was realizing for the first time what a delicate, fragile creature a woman is; and as I caught her arm to help her down the companion stairs, I

1. A small, sharp nail with a flat head.
2. A course of action or policy.

the wind with everything to starboard, he came about, and returned close-hauled on the port tack. “Grand!” Johnson shouted in my ear, as we successfully came through the attendant deluge, and I

1. (verb) Past tense of 'heave'; to lift or haul with great effort.
2. (noun) A town in East Sussex, England.

from the shore by Wolf Larsen, took them in tow and brought them aboard. Late that afternoon we hove up anchor and got away. Nothing was before us but the three or four months’ hunting on the

1. Barely; almost not at all.
2. Only just; by a very small margin.

I I scarcely know where to begin, though I sometimes facetiously place the cause of it all to Charley

1. The number following seventeen and preceding nineteen (18).
2. The age at which one legally becomes an adult in many countries.

words with which he has favoured me since the voyage began. He left Sweden when he was eighteen, is now thirty-eight, and in all the intervening time has not been home once. He had met a

1. A Scottish term for a plaid or shawl, typically made of wool.
2. A grayish-brown color resembling the wool of a maud.

far distant when some unknown will arise in England and the critics will name her the English Maud Brewster.” “You are very kind, I am sure,” she murmured; and the very conventionality of her

1. (adjective) Harsh, strict, or severe in manner or appearance.
2. (noun) The rear part of a ship or boat.

deck, a slight twitching of the nostrils, a perceptible quickness of movement. His face was stern, the lines of it had grown hard, and yet in his eyes—blue, clear blue this day—there was a

1. Public shame or disgrace.
2. Dishonorable or humiliating conduct.

for me to go on. “What remains? Mine is the role of the weak. I remain silent and suffer ignominy, as you will remain silent and suffer ignominy. And it is well. It is the best we can do if we

1. Full of danger or risk.
2. Involving potential harm or hazard.

by craft. If you will be advised by me, this is what you will do. I know my position is perilous, and I may say frankly that yours is even more perilous. We must stand together, without

1. A printed publication containing news, articles, and advertisements, usually issued daily or weekly.
2. The organization responsible for producing and distributing such a publication.

were vindicated when he made that magnificent hit with his ‘Forge.’ ” “And it was a newspaper poem,” she said glibly. “It did happen to see the light in a newspaper,” I replied, “but not

1. The number equivalent to four times ten (40).
2. A term used to describe a quantity or age.

from that ugly carcass. Boost him along, and I’ll promote you to his place, and he’s getting forty-five dollars a month.” It was plain that I could look for no help or mercy from Wolf Larsen.

1. A staircase or ladder connecting different levels on a ship.
2. The opening or passage through which the stairs or ladder pass.

Prayerbook?” was the captain’s next demand, this time of the hunters lounging about the companionway. They shook their heads, and someone made a jocular remark which I did not catch, but which

1. The side or direction sheltered from the wind.
2. Pertaining to the side away from the wind.

sea till nightfall or bad weather drove them in. It was our duty to sail the Ghost well to leeward of the last lee boat, so that all the boats should have fair wind to run for us in case of

1. A feeling of great pleasure or joy.
2. Something that gives great pleasure.

while I was oppressed by the enormity of my sin—for sin it was—I chuckled with an insane delight. I was no longer Humphrey Van Weyden. I was Hump, cabin boy on the schooner Ghost. Wolf Larsen

1. Large pieces of fabric attached to a boat to catch wind and propel it forward.
2. The collective term for all sails on a ship.

In the southwest, and almost in our course, I saw the pyramidal loom of some vessel’s sails. Having completed my survey of the horizon, I turned to my more immediate surroundings. My first

1. Next to or along the side of something.
2. In cooperation or association with someone or something.

rag about a stick. He lifted into the air, described a short curve, and struck the deck alongside the corpse on his head and shoulders, where he lay and writhed about in agony. “Well?” Larsen

1. A name for the Devil or Satan in Christian theology.
2. The planet Venus when appearing as the morning star.

and unmistakable terror was in her eyes, and she said, almost in a whisper, “You are Lucifer.” The door closed and she was gone. He stood staring after her for a minute, then returned to

1. The part of the face above the eyebrows and below the hairline.
2. The front or forward part of something.

be friendly with him no matter how repulsive it may be.” She brushed her hand across her forehead in a puzzled way, saying, “Still I do not understand.” “You must do as I say,” I interrupted

1. A long pole with a flat blade at one end, used for rowing a boat.
2. To propel or steer a boat using oars.

oar,” Smoke said, drawing a more careful aim. I was looking through the glasses, and I saw the oar blade shatter as he shot. Henderson duplicated it, selecting Harrison’s right oar. The boat

1. The act of traveling or moving over water in a boat or ship.
2. The sport or activity of operating a sailboat.

a regret that he was not alive and present; he had so loved the Ghost and delighted in her sailing powers. “Better get your rifles, you fellows,” Wolf Larsen called to our hunters; and the five

1. Making a loud, deep sound (e.g., a lion roaring).
2. Very lively, successful, or intense (e.g., roaring twenties).

and squeaking and complaining in a thousand keys. The hunters were still arguing and roaring like some semi-human amphibious breed. The air was filled with oaths and indecent expressions. I

1. To ride on ocean waves using a board.
2. The foam and waves of the sea.

and precipice, and the shadows that lie therein, that one looked unconsciously for the white surf line and bellowing caverns where the sea charges on the land. And still we rocked gently, and

1. A small sheltered bay or inlet along a coast.
2. A recess or hollow in a cliff or rock face.

curved away, more and more to the south and west, until at last it disclosed a cove within the cove, a little landlocked harbour, the water level as a pond, broken only by tiny ripples where

1. Talking nonsense or speaking foolishly.
2. (Informal) Used to emphasize annoyance or frustration, often in "blithering idiot."

of a coffee tin I had taken from the Ghost’s larder had given me the idea of a fire. “Blithering idiot!” I was continuing. But Maud said, “Tut, tut,” in gentle reproval, and then asked why I was

1. A small, simple shelter or dwelling, often made of wood or other natural materials.
2. A temporary or basic structure used for camping or storage.

XXX No wonder we called it Endeavour Island. For two weeks we toiled at building a hut. Maud insisted on helping, and I could have wept over her bruised and bleeding hands. And still,

1. A small, non-vascular plant that grows in dense clumps in damp or shady locations.
2. A green or brown plant that forms soft carpets on surfaces like rocks, trees, or soil.

the spare oars, very true. They would serve as roof beams; but with what was I to cover them? Moss would never do. Tundra grass was impracticable. We needed the sail for the boat, and the

1. A vast, treeless Arctic region with low-growing vegetation and permafrost.
2. A biome characterized by cold temperatures and short growing seasons.

and regarding me intently. “But the question is, How do they club them?” “Let us gather tundra grass and thatch the roof,” Maud said. She was as frightened as I at the prospect, and we had

1. A part of a household reserved for women in some Muslim societies.
2. The wives, concubines, or female relatives of a polygamous man.

holluschickie haul out by themselves, and Dr. Jordan says that paths are left between the harems, and that as long as the holluschickie keep strictly to the path they are unmolested by the

1. A small storage compartment on a ship for provisions or equipment.
2. A quarantine area on a ship for isolating sick passengers or crew.

the trap in the floor, but for some moments gazed dubiously into the darkness of the lazarette beneath. I hesitated to descend. What if his lying down were a ruse? Pretty, indeed, to be caught

1. Care or concern for someone's well-being.
2. Anxious attentiveness or eagerness.

rising from the galley, and he no longer showed himself on the poop. I could see Maud’s solicitude again growing, though she timidly—and even proudly, I think—forbore a repetition of her

1. A sweet preserve made from citrus fruits, especially oranges, with sugar and water.
2. A type of jam containing pieces of fruit peel.

side. The next instant he had drawn up his legs and rolled clear. But he rolled into my marmalade and underclothes and against the trapdoor. The expression on his face was one of complete

1. Tall vertical poles on a ship that support sails and rigging.
2. Structures resembling ship masts, such as radio or flag poles.

for it was buried beneath a wild tumbling of water. Out of this water I could see the two masts rising, and that was all. The Ghost, for the moment, was buried beneath the sea. As she squared

1. Lifting or raising something, often with mechanical assistance.
2. In programming, moving declarations to the top of their scope before execution.

fast my hoisting tackle. To this hoisting tackle I could, if necessary, attach a second hoisting tackle. And then there was the windlass! Maud saw that I had achieved a solution, and her eyes

1. A lottery where people buy tickets for a chance to win prizes.
2. To offer something as a prize in a random draw.

and her eyes warmed sympathetically. “What are you going to do?” she asked. “Clear that raffle,” I answered, pointing to the tangled wreckage overside. Ah, the decisiveness, the very sound of

1. A tall upright post on a ship supporting sails or rigging.
2. A vertical structure for supporting antennas or flags.

He cleared the sheet, and was free to return, slightly downhill now, along the halyards to the mast. But he had lost his nerve. Unsafe as was his present position, he was loath to forsake it for

1. Large scissors used for cutting fabric, metal, or plants.
2. A tool with two blades pivoted together for cutting.

feet in length, the foretopmast nearly thirty, and it was of these that I intended making the shears. It was puzzling work. Fastening one end of a heavy tackle to the windlass, and with the other

1. A sturdy pole used on ships for masts or rigging.
2. A boxing or martial arts practice session.

it inboard across the rail. When I thought I had it I cried to her to slack away; but the spar righted, despite my efforts, and dropped back toward the water. Again I heaved it up to its old

1. Lifted or hauled with great effort.
2. Rose and fell rhythmically (e.g., waves or chest).

to be swept, and we drifted squarely down upon the upturned boat, badly smashing it as it was heaved inboard. Two hours of terrible work followed, in which all hands of us—two hunters, three

1. To raise or lift something, often using ropes or machinery.
2. A device used for lifting heavy loads, such as a pulley or crane.

them. “Your hunter’s decided to stay aboard awhile and doesn’t want it pounding alongside.” “Hoist in your boat, I said,” he repeated, this time in sharper tones as they hesitated to do his

1. The mast nearest the bow of a ship.
2. The forward lower mast on a sailing vessel.

buried beneath the pounding seas and clinging for life to the pinrail at the foot of the foremast. My fingers were torn loose, and I swept across to the side and over the side into the sea. I

1. Long poles with flat blades used for rowing boats.
2. The act of propelling a boat using oars.

blankness and darkness that was rising around me. A little later I heard the stroke of oars, growing nearer and nearer, and the calls of a man. When he was very near I heard him crying, in

1. A portable light source with a protective case, often with a handle.
2. A decorative or architectural structure with openings to emit light.

and striking on head and shoulders upon his sprawling mates beneath. Wolf Larsen and the lantern disappeared, and we were left in darkness.

1. The largest sail on a sailing vessel, typically set on the mainmast.
2. The principal sail that provides the main driving force for the ship.

three sailors, Wolf Larsen and I—reefed, first one and then the other, the jib and mainsail. Hove to under this short canvas, our decks were comparatively free of water, while the Ghost

1. The principal sail set on the foremast of a sailing vessel.
2. A large triangular or quadrilateral sail positioned forward on a ship.

spider crawling along the tracery of its web. It was a slight uphill climb, for the foresail peaked high; and the halyards, running through various blocks on the gaff and mast, gave him