Blown to Bits: The Lonely Man of Rakata, the Malay Archipelago
image1
By R. M. Ballantyne 13 Jul, 2020
Blown to bits; bits so inconceivably, so ineffably, so “microscopically” small that—but let us not anticipate. About the darkest hour of a very dark night, in the year 1883, a large brig lay becalmed on the Indian Ocean, not far from that regio ... Read more
Blown to bits; bits so inconceivably, so ineffably, so “microscopically” small that—but let us not anticipate. About the darkest hour of a very dark night, in the year 1883, a large brig lay becalmed on the Indian Ocean, not far from that region of the Eastern world which is associated in some minds with spices, volcanoes, coffee, and piratical junks, namely, the Malay Archipelago. Two men slowly paced the brig’s quarterdeck for some time in silence, as if the elemental quietude which prevailed above and below had infected them. Both men were broad, and apparently strong. One of them was tall; the other short. More than this the feeble light of the binnacle-lamp failed to reveal. “Father,” said the tall man to the short one, “I do like to hear the gentle pattering of the reef-points on the sails; it is so suggestive of peace and rest. Doesn’t it strike you so?” “Can’t say it does, lad,” replied the short man, in a voice which, naturally mellow and hearty, had been rendered nautically harsh and gruff by years of persistent roaring in the teeth of wind and weather. “More suggestive to me of lost time and lee-way.” The son laughed lightly, a pleasant, kindly, soft laugh, in keeping with the scene and hour. Less
  • File size
  • Print pages
  • Publisher
  • Language
  • ISBN
  • 289.278 KB
  • 142
  • Public Domain Book
  • English
  • 978-1497441811
Robert Michael Ballantyne (24 April 1825 – 8 February 1894) was a Scottish author of juvenile fiction who wrote more than 100 books. He was also an accomplished artist and exhibited some of his wate...
Related Books