16 The Wine-Dark Sea - Libro della tutto

Patrick O'Brian The Wine-Dark Sea
'Was there anyone killed, Doctor?' asked
Grainger.
'There was not.'
'Ah,' said William Sadler, 'my cousin Jackson
was carpenter's crew in the Diligent when she
was struck by forked lightning near the Island
of a Thursday. Which three hands were killed
in the maintop; and he said their bodies
stayed warm till Sunday after church, when
they were obliged to be put over the side.'
'The Repulse was laying off Spain in the year
ten,' said Pullings. 'It was a Thursday too, and
all hands had washed clothes. Towards evening
clouds began to gather thick, and the
watch below, afraid their laundry would be
rained upon when the things were nearly dry,
jumped aloft to take it in. There was a single
flash, and seven dropped down dead on deck,
while thirteen more were horribly burnt.'