16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
and fresh by all hands, sitting on the deck
round a large pan, itself poised over charcoal
on a raised iron plate.
'By God, this is good,' said Jack, sweeping up
the juice with his biscuit. 'There is nothing better
than your really fresh anchovy.'
'It must die in the pan,' observed Plaice. 'It is
deadly poison else.' There was a general
murmur of assent. 'Very true,' said Jack. 'But I
tell you what, shipmates,' he went on, nodding
towards the east-south-east, 'you had better
blow your kites out, you had better eat all you
can, because God knows when you will have
another hot meal. Or a cold one, for that
matter. Ben, do you know what a wind-gall
is?'
The very young man blushed, choked on his
fish, and in a strained voice, looking nervously
at his companions, said, 'Well, sir, I seen the