Зов Ктулху
The Madness from the Sea
Beingorderedperemptorilytoturnback,Capt.Collinsrefused; whereuponthestrangecrewbegantofiresavagelyandwithoutwarningupontheschoonerwithapeculiarlyheavybatteryofbrasscannonformingpartoftheyacht’sequipment. TheEmma’smenshewedfight,saysthesurvivor,andthoughtheschoonerbegantosinkfromshotsbeneaththewaterlinetheymanagedtoheavealongsidetheirenemyandboardher,grapplingwiththesavagecrewontheyacht’sdeck, andbeingforcedtokillthemall,thenumberbeingslightlysuperior,becauseoftheirparticularlyabhorrentanddesperatethoughratherclumsymodeoffighting.
ThreeoftheEmma’smen,includingCapt.CollinsandFirstMateGreen,werekilled; andtheremainingeightunderSecondMateJohansenproceededtonavigatethecapturedyacht,goingaheadintheiroriginaldirectiontoseeifanyreasonfortheirorderingbackhadexisted. Thenextday,itappears,theyraisedandlandedonasmallisland,althoughnoneisknowntoexistinthatpartoftheocean; andsixofthemensomehowdiedashore,thoughJohansenisqueerlyreticentaboutthispartofhisstory,andspeaksonlyoftheirfallingintoarockchasm. Later,itseems,heandonecompanionboardedtheyachtandtriedtomanageher,butwerebeatenaboutbythestormofApril2nd. Fromthattimetillhisrescueonthe12ththemanrememberslittle,andhedoesnotevenrecallwhenWilliamBriden,hiscompanion,died. Briden’sdeathrevealsnoapparentcause,andwasprobablyduetoexcitementorexposure. CableadvicesfromDunedinreportthattheAlertwaswellknownthereasanislandtrader,andboreanevilreputationalongthewaterfront. Itwasownedbyacuriousgroupofhalf-casteswhosefrequentmeetingsandnighttripstothewoodsattractednolittlecuriosity; andithadsetsailingreathastejustafterthestormandearthtremorsofMarch1st.
