Mark Seaworth

Mark Seaworth, by William H.G.
Kingston

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Mark Seaworth, by William H.G.
Kingston This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and
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Title: Mark Seaworth
Author: William H.G. Kingston
Release Date: May 15, 2007 [EBook #21477]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARK
SEAWORTH ***

Produced by Nick Hodson of London, England

Mark Seaworth, A tale of a young man's search for his sister and his
identity, by W.H.G. Kingston.
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This is an absolutely brilliant book, not least because it is a shining
example throughout, of the use of good English. The story is exciting,
and the telling of it made interesting, with its wealth of local detail. It
was the first Kingston book we put online, and we shall be bringing you
more books of Kingston's during the coming years. Definitely!
We have thoroughly enjoyed creating this e-book for you, and we hope
that you will enjoy it as much as we have. This transcription was made
during March 2003, by Athelstane e-texts.
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"MARK SEAWORTH", A TALE OF A YOUNG MAN'S SEARCH FOR
HIS SISTER AND HIS IDENTITY, BY W.H.G. KINGSTON.
CHAPTER ONE.
MARK SEAWORTH.
Picture a wide expanse of ocean, smooth as a polished mirror, and
shining like molten silver; a sky of intense blue, without a cloud or
speck, forming a vast arch resting on the water; no land or rock in sight;
the boundless sea on every side; the sun travelling slowly and
majestically along the arch, and casting his burning rays upon the
glittering plain below.
Let us pause and contemplate that scene. What grandeur and sublimity
there is in it! What a magnificent edifice does it seem! When compared
with it, how utterly insignificant and contemptible do all the works of
man's hands appear! Then watch the sun sink with rays of glory in the
west; the bright rich tinge glowing for a time, and gradually fading
away before the obscurity of night; the stars coming forth and shining
with a splendour unknown in northern climes; and then the moon, a
mass of liquid flame, rising out of the dark sea, and casting across it a
broad path of the silvery light. Watch the tranquil luminary glide also
through her destined course, till once more the sun rushes upward from
his ocean-bed in a sheet of fire, and claims supremacy over the world.

This is one of the many grand and wonderful objects beheld by those
who sail across the ocean, and amply does it repay for a long voyage
those who have taste to appreciate its beauties.
Now let us return to the scene as I first described it, and, by looking
closer into the picture, we shall observe a boat floating in its very
centre. There are no masts or sails, nor are there any oars moving. The
boat lies motionless like a log on the water. She is a large boat, a ship's
launch; her gunwale seems battered in as if she had undergone some
hard usage. Above it nothing is seen moving; and, at the first glance, it
would seem that there are no human beings on board. On looking down
into the boat, however, we discover several persons, but whether dead
or alive it is difficult to say, they are so quiet and so silent. Towards the
bow are the forms of two men. They are on their backs--one is at the
bottom of the boat, the other stretched along the thwarts, in uneasy
postures. Their eyes are open and glaring unmoved at the bright sun;
their lips are parted, black, and dry; the hand of death has, alas! at all
events, fallen on them; nothing living could present such an aspect. By
their dress and their complexion they seem to be British seamen. There
is a small breaker or keg in the boat, but the hung is out--it is empty.
There is also a bag, containing some hard ship-biscuit; it is still half full,
but there is no other provision.
In the after part of the boat there is a sort of awning, formed of a shawl
stretched across the gunwale, with a mat on the top of it, so as to form a
thick shade. Near it, with her back leaning against the side of the boat,
sits a dark-skinned woman. She has a turban on her head, and massive
gold ear-rings in her ears, and bracelets round her arms, and anklets of
gold round her legs, and her loose dress is of gay-coloured striped
cotton of delicate