Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ...minute." I pointed out that such a view was pessimism on a debauch, and that nothing short of a ten-ton crane could put her any higher. By throwing on full power I had already put her as high as she could go. Then I reflected. Thinking the situation over cheered me up. I pointed out to the others that we could not have found a better place in which to "pile up " on the whole Danube. The water was clear, the scenery was charming, and the air fine. But there was no pleasing the artist, who began to prick off our "The water was clear, the scenery was charming." course and tell us where we would have been at half past seven if we had not struck. It was then about half past five in the afternoon. We were almost in the middle of the river on the outer edge of the shoal, which reached nearly to the left bank, from which it was separated by a narrow channel. Any attempt to warp off with such light gear as we had aboard was out of the question; our big anchor might have held the boat against the current, but that was about all. Less than half a mile upstream there was a cable ferryboat, and it seemed most probable that the ferryman would have a big grapnel with hawser and tackle. The proper wrecking operation was obvious: that was, to put the grapnel at the end of a long, stout hawser in the stern of a pulling boat, hang to the ferryboat until she got opposite the Beaver, then cast off, drop down with the current, let go the grapnel well upstream, and bring the end of the hawser aboard the Beaver. With a good purchase and four or five men to heave, something would have to move, and if the anchor were big enough it might be the boat. In the meantime, knowing that all swift rivers are capable of quick rises at times from...
