Великий военный синдикат

           Butthesewerenotdischarged,and,indeed,thecrabs,whichwerenewonesofunusualswiftness,werealongsidetheAdamantinanincrediblyshorttime,andoutoftherangeoftheseguns.CrabJwasonthestarboardsideoftheAdamant,CrabKwasontheportside,and,simultaneously,thetwolaidholdofher.Buttheywerenotdirectlyasternofthegreatvessel.Eachhaditsnippersfastenedtoonesideofthestern-jacket,nearthehinge-likeboltswhichheldittothevessel,andonwhichitwasraisedandlowered.InamomenttheAdamantbegantosteambackward;buttheonlyeffectofthismotion,whichsoonbecamerapid,wastoswingthecrabsaroundagainsthersides,andcarrythemwithher.Asthevesselswerethusmovingthegreatpincersofthecrabsweretwistedwithtremendousforce,thestern-jacketononesidewasbrokenfromitsbolt,andontheothertheboltitselfwasdrawnoutofthesideofthevessel.Thenippersthenopened,andthestern-jacketfellfromtheirgraspintothesea,snappinginitsfallthechainbywhichithadbeenraisedandlowered.ThisdisasteroccurredsoquicklythatfewpersonsonboardtheAdamantknewwhathadhappened.Butthecaptain,whohadseeneverything,gaveinstantorderstogoaheadatfullspeed.Thefirstthingtobedonewastogetatadistancefromthosecrabs,keepwellawayfromthem,andpoundthemtopieceswithhisheavyguns.