17

We one day descried some shapeless object drifting at a distance. At sea, every thing that breaks the monotony of the surrounding expanse attracts attention. It proved to be 16 the mast of a ship that must have been completely wrecked; for there were the remains of handkerchiefs 17, by which some of the crew had fastened themselves to this spar, to prevent their being washed off by the waves. There was no trace by which the name of the ship could be ascertained. The wreck had evidently drifted about for many months; clusters of shell-fish had fastened about it, and long sea-weeds flaunted 18 at its sides. But where, thought I, is the crew? Their struggle has long been over they have gone down amidst the roar of the tempest their bones lie whitening among the caverns of the deep. Silence, oblivion, like the waves, have closed over them, and no one can tell the story of their end. What sighs have been wafted after that ship; what prayers offered up at the deserted fire-side of home! How often has the mistress, the wife, the mother, pored over the daily news, to catch some casual intelligence of this rover of the deep! How has expectation darkened into anxiety anxiety into dread

19

and dread into despair! Alas! not one memento shall ever return for love to cherish2o. All that shall ever be known is, that she21 sailed from her port, "and was never heard of more!"

The sight of this wreck, as usual 22, gave rise to many

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16) It proved (0 uh) to be: Nominativ mit d. Infinitiv: Es zeigte sich, fand sich, dass es .

war.

17) handkerchief (d ist stumm u. ie wie kurzes i zu sprechen) zusammengesetzt aus hand Hand und kerchief, entstellt aus dem franz. couvre-chef Kopfbedeckung, Kopftuch. Nachdem die Sprache das Bewusstsein von dieser Ableitung verloren hatte, und kerchief in den einfachen Begriff „,Tuch" übergegangen war, wurde zur Bezeichnung der für andere Gliedmassen bestimmten Tücher der Name derselben hinzugefügt: handkerchief: eigentlich Handtuch, dann Taschentuch; neckerchief Halstuch.

18) to flaunt (spr. au

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dtsch. a) flattern, prunken, vielleicht nasalierte Form des Stammes vom neuhochd. flattern.

19) Man beachte das Perfekt, welches gebraucht wird, wo Thatsachen erwähnt werden, welche in der Vergangenheit beginnen und in der Gegenwart fortdauern, in welchem Fall im Deutschen gewöhnlich das Präsens gebraucht wird. Hier: Ihr Kampf ist lange vorüber. zärtlich lieben, werth halten, in Ehren halten, sc. it, d. h. the memento das Andenken.

20) to cherish

21) she viz. the ship.

22) Das Adjectiv usual ist zu erklären aus der Ellipse von is as is usual.

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dismal anecdotes. This was particularly the case 23 in the evening, when the weather, which had hitherto been fair, began to look wild and threatening, and gave indications of one of those sudden storms that will 24 sometimes break in upon the serenity of a summer voyage. As we sat round the dull light of a lamp in the cabin, that made the gloom more ghastly, every one had his tale of shipwreck and disaster. I was particularly struck with 25 a short one related by the captain.

,,As I was once sailing", said he,,,in a fine stout ship, across the banks of Newfoundland, one of those heavy fogs that prevail in those parts rendered it impossible for us to see far ahead even in the day-time; but at night the weather was so thick that we could not distinguish any object at twice the length of the ship. I kept lights at the mast head, and a constant watch forward 26 to look out for fishing smacks, which are accustomed to lie at anchor on the banks 27. The wind was blowing a smacking 28 breeze, and we were going at a great rate through the water. Suddenly the watch gave the alarm of 'a sail ahead!' it was scarcely uttered before we were upon her. She was a small schooner, at anchor, with her broadside towards us. The crew were all asleep, and had neglected to hoist a light. We struck her just a-midships. The force, the size, and weight of our vessel bore her down below the waves;

23) case mit scharfem s, wie in base, dose, goose, geese, house, loose, louse, mouse, obèse, obtùse, precise.

24) vergl. S. 3, Anm. 12.

25) I am struck with something: Etwas ergreift mich, macht Eindruck auf mich.

26) vorne.

27) the banks viz. of Newfoundland: Die Sandbänke von Neufundland im atlantischen Ocean, auf denen sich seit Jahrhunderten jährlich eine unermessliche Menge von Schiffen einfinden und dem Fischfang (Kabliau) obliegen. Die berühmteste Fischerbank ist die sogen. Grosse Bank von Neufundland, auf der Ostseite der Insel, etwa 60 geogr. Meilen von Norden nach Süden und 50 von Westen nach Osten messend; über ihr ist das Wasser 90 bis 120 Fuss tief. Ausserdem gibt es noch eine äussere Bank und eine südwärts nach Neuschottland sich ausdehnende Reihe von Bänken.

28) to smack, dtsch. schmecken, woraus schmatzen, mhd. smazen aus smackezen to have any particular taste, tincture, or quality, often followed by of (schmecken nach); hence, to make a noise, as by separation of the lips after tasting (schmatzen); and hence, to kiss with an audible separation of the lips (schmatzen). Aus der 2. Bedeutung des Geräuschmachens ist a smacking breeze als ,,lauter, scharfer Wind" zu verstehen, vergl. Webster: smacking making a sharp, brisk sound; as, a smacking breeze. Thieme u. Grieb geben fälschlich die Uebersetzung: ein günstiger Wind.

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we passed over her, and were hurried on our course. As the crashing wreck was sinking beneath us, I had a glimpse of two or three half-naked wretches rushing from her cabin; they just started from their beds to be swallowed shrieking by the waves. I heard their drowning cry mingling with the wind. The blast that bore it to our ears swept us out of all farther hearing. I shall never forget that cry! It was some time before 29 we could put the ship about 30, she was under such head-way 31. We returned, as nearly as we could guess, to the place where the smack had anchored. We cruised about for several hours in the dense fog. We fired signal guns, and listened if we might hear the halloo of any survivors: but all was silent we never saw or heard any thing of them more".

31

I confess these stories, for a time, put an end to all my fine fancies. The storm increased 32 with the night. The sea was lashed into tremendous confusion. There was a fearful 33, sullen sound of rushing waves, and broken surges. Deep called unto deep 34. At times the black volume of clouds over head seemed rent asunder by flashes of lightning that quivered along the foaming billows, and made the succeeding darkness doubly terrible. The thunders bellowed over the wild waste of waters, and were echoed and prolonged by the mountain waves. As I saw the ship staggering and plunging among these roaring caverns, it seemed miraculous that she regained her balance, or preserved her buoyancy. Her yards would dip into the water: her bow was almost buried beneath the waves. Sometimes an impending surge appeared ready to overwhelm her, and nothing but a dexterous movement of the helm preserved her from the shock.

When I retired to my cabin, the awful scene still followed

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29) It was some time before
30) to put about = beilegen.

81

Es dauerte einige Zeit, bis, ehe.

31) so war es im Schuss, so rasch ging es vorwärts. Head-way motion of an advancing ship; vergl. zu dieser Bedeutung von head das deutsche,,kopfüber", das latein. „,praeceps" zu caput.

92) to increase hat scharfes s, wie to cease, to decrease, to de

cease, to lease, to release, to prómise etc.

38) fearful heisst furchtsam und furchtbar, hier natürlich letzteres: Viele Engländer sprechen das Wort in letzterer Bedeutung mit verkürzter Stammsilbe (férful).

84) vergl. Psalm 42, 7. wo es nach dem Grundtexte heisst: Fluth rufet der Fluth (beim Brausen deiner Wasserfälle), in der engl. Bibelübersetzung: Deep calleth unto deep at the noise of thy water-spouts; während es in der Lutherschen Bibelübersetzung heisst: Deine Fluthen rauschen daher, dass hier eine Tiefe und da eine Tiefe brausen.

me. The whistling of the wind through the rigging sounded like funereal wailings. The creaking of the masts, the straining and groaning of bulk-heads, as the ship laboured in the weltering sea, were frightful. As I heard the waves rushing along the side of the ship, and roaring in my very ear, it seemed as if Death were raging round this floating prison, seeking for his prey: the mere starting of a nail, the yawning of a seam, might give him entrance.

A fine day, however, with a tranquil sea and favouring breeze, soon put all these dismal 34a reflections to flight. It is impossible to resist the gladdening influence of fine weather and fair wind at sea. When the ship is decked out in all her canvas, every sail swelled, and careering gaily over the curling waves, how lofty, how gallant she appears! how she seems to lord it 35 over the deep! I might fill a volume with the reveries of a sea voyage for with me it is almost a continual reverie but it is time to get to shore.

36

It was a fine sunny morning when the thrilling cry of ,,land!" was given from the mast head. None but those who have experienced it can form an idea of the delicious throng of sensations which rush into an American's bosom, when he first comes in sight of Europe. There is a volume of associations with the very name. It is the land of promise 38, teeming with every thing of which his childhood has heard, or on which his studious years have pondered.

37

From that time until the moment of arrival, it was all

34a) dismal (mit weichem s) traurig, unglücklich, wahrscheinlich von dem latein. dies malus, wie es denn auch bei Chaucer noch als Hauptwort in der Bedeutung Verderben, Unglück vorkommt. Jedenfalls wurde es frühzeitig so verstanden.

35) to lord it den Herrn oder Gebieter spielen. Verwandt mit der Verbindung ursprünglich intransitiver Zeitwörter mit einem Accusativ von demselben Wortstamm oder von ähnlicher Bedeutung (to dream a dream; to sigh a sigh; to grin a ghastly smile) ist die Verkürzung des Accusativs it mit einem Intransitiv, wodurch das Ergebniss der Thätigkeit, wenngleich in der Gestalt eines unbestimmten Objects, angedeutet wird; vergl. hierzu das deutsche es mit jemand aufnehmen; ich halte es hier nicht aus; es darauf ankommen lassen; das franz. l'emporter, le céder. Aehnliche engl. Ausdrücke sind: to prince it (Shaksp.); to square it (Irving, Stage Coach); to frolic it (Cowper); to battle it (Byron); to walk it (Goldsmith).

36) sea voyage vergl. S. 3, Anm. 11.
37) associations sc. of ideas

bindungen.

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Ideenassociationen, Gedankenver

38) the land of promise = das Land der Verheissung, das gelobte Land, wie das Land Canaan von den Israeliten genannt wurde.

feverish excitement. The ships of war, that prowled like guardian giants along the coast; the headlands of Ireland, stretching out into the channel: the Welsh mountains, towering into the clouds; all were objects of intense interest. As we sailed up the Mersey 9, I reconnoitred the shores with a telescope. My eye dwelt with delight on neat cottages, with their trim shrubberies and green grass-plots. I saw the mouldering ruin of an abbey overrun with ivy, and the taper spire of a village church rising from the brow of a neighbouring hill; all were characteristic of 40 England.

The tide and wind were so favourable, that the ship was enabled to come at once to the pier. It was thronged with people; some, idle lookers-on, others eager expectants of friends or relatives. I could distinguish the merchant to whom the ship was consigned. I knew him by his calculating brow and restless air. His hands were thrust into his pockets; he was whistling thoughtfully, and walking to and fro 41, a small space having been accorded him by the crowd 42, in deference to his temporary importance. There were repeated cheerings and salutations interchanged between the shore and the ship, as friends happened to recognise 13 each other. I particularly. noticed one young woman of humble dress, but interesting demeanour 44. She was leaning forward from among the crowd 45, her eye hurried over the ship as it neared the shore, to catch some wished-for countenance. She seemed disappointed and.

39) up the Mersey den Mersey hinauf. Der Mersey entsteht aus Tame und Goyt am Westabhange der Peninischen Kette, bildet dann, westlich fliessend, die Grenze zwischen Chester und Lancaster und mündet nach 14 M. Laufs in die irische See. Vor seiner Mündung erweitert er sich zu einer seeartigen Bucht, an welcher Liverpool und das in neuerer Zeit entstandene Burkenhead liegen.

40) characteristic of, deutsch: charakteristisch für.

41) to and fro, ganz wie das deutsche hin und her; fro ist die jetzt nur noch als Adverb übliche verkürzte Nebenform von from.

42) a small space having been accorded him by the crowd: Absolutes Particip (the case absolute), entsprechend dem latein. Ablat. absol., aufzulösen durch einen Nebensatz: da ihm von der Menge ein kleiner Raum zugestanden war.

43) spr. récognise.

44) demeanour Führung, Benehmen, Wesen v. demean, altfr. demener, demesner, neufr. (se) démener aus de und dem einfachen fr. mener, mittellat. minare; schon bei Apuleius findet sich neben dem klassischen minari droben ein minare das Vieh durch Drohungen antreiben.

45) Man beachte die Verbindung der Präposition from mit dem präpositionalen Satzgliede among the crowd.