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We’re Not Afraid to Die if We Can All Be Together
by Gordon Cook ans Alan East
Introduction to Chapter
The chapter “We are not Afraid to Die If we can all be Together” is written by Gender Cook and Alan East. This is a true adventure story. The writer, his wife and his two children undertook an adventurous sea journey. They wanted to duplicate the round-the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain Cook. They faced great difficulties during their voyage. There were storms and huge waves. At one point it seemed that they would die. But luckily, they survived. The writer’s wife and children also showed remarkable courage. They managed to reach a very small island.
Summary in English & translated in Hindi:
The chapter “We are not Afraid to Die If we can all be Together” is written by Gender Cook and Alan
East. In this chapter, the writer describes his round the world voyage. In July 1976, my wife Mary son
Jonathan, 6, daughter Suzanne, 7, and set sail from Plymouth, England, to duplicate the round-the-world
voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James Cook. Our boat wave walker, a 23 mere, 30-ton wooden
hulled beauty, had been professionally built,
and we had spent months fining it out and testing it in the roughest weather we could find. The first
leg 105,000-kilometre journey passed pleasantly as we sailed down the west coast of Africa to Cape Town.
On our second day out of Cape Town, we began to encounter strong gales. For the next few weeks, they
blew continuously. Gales did not worry me, but the size of the waves was alarming. December 25 found us
3,500 kilometres east of Cape Town. Despite atrocious weather, we had a wonderful holiday complete with
a Christmas tree. New Year's Day saw no improvement in the weather, but we reasoned that it had to
change soon. And it did change - for the worse.
'We are not Afraid to Die If we can all be Together’ Gordon Cook Alan East द्वारा लिखा गया है। इस अध्याय
में, लेखक अपनी सांसारिक समुद्री यात्रा का वर्णन करता है। जुलाई 1976 में, मेरी पत्नी मेरी, 6 वर्षीय बेटा
जॉन, 7 वर्षीय बेटी सुजैन के साथ लगाउथ इंग्लैण्ड से संसार की ऐसी समुद्री यात्रा के लिए निकल पड़ा, जो 200
वर्ष पहले कैप्टन जेम्स कुक द्वारा की गई थी। हमारी नाव 23 मीटर, 30 टन भारी लकड़ी से बनी सुन्दर वस्तुथी
जिसे व्यवसायियों द्वारा बनाया था, और हमने उसमें सामान लगाने तथा तूफानी मौसम में निरीक्षण करने में कई
महीने बिता दिये थे। प्रथम चरण हमारी 105,000 किलोमीटर की यात्रा खुशी से व्यतीत हो गई जो कि हमने अफ्रीका
के दक्षिणी तट से केप टाऊन तक की थी। दूसरे दिन केप टाऊन के बाहर हमने तेज हवाओं का सामना किया। अगले कुछ
सप्ताह तक वे निरन्तर रूप से चलती रही तेज हवाओं की मुझे चिन्ता नहीं थी, परन्तु लहरों का आकार बहुत भयानक
था। 25 दिसम्बर को हमने स्वयं को केप टाऊन से 3500 किलोमीटर पूर्व में पाया ।अधिक खराब मौसम के बावजूद हमने
एक क्रिसमस पेड़ के साथ शानदार अवकाश बताया। नव वर्ष के दिन भी मौसम में कोई सुधार नहीं हुआ, परन्तु हमने
तर्क दिया कि शीघ्र ही मौसम सुधर जाएगा और यह बढ़ता पहले से भी बुरा।
At dawn on January 2, the waves were gigantic. As the ship rose to the top of each wave, we could see
endless enormous seas rolling towards us, and the screaming of the wind and spray was painful to the
ears. To slow the boat down, we dropped the storm jib. Then double lashed everything, went through our
life-raft drill, attached lifelines, donned oilskins and life jackets and waited. The first indication
of impending disaster come at about 6 pm, with an ominous silence. The wind dropped, and the sky
immediately grew dark. Then came a growing roar. With horror, I realised that it was not a cloud,
but a wave like no other I had ever seen. The roar increased to a thunder as the stem moved up the face
of the wave, and for a moment I thought we might ride over it. But then a tremendous explosion shook the
deck. My head smashed into the wheel and I was aware of flying overboard and sinking below the waves. I
accepted approaching death. Unexpectedly, my head popped out of the water. A few metres away, Wave
walker was near capsizing. Then a wave hurled her right, my lifeline jerked taut, I grabbed the guard
rails and sailed through the air into Wave walker’s main boom. My mouth filled with blood and broken
teeth. Somehow, I found the wheel.
Water, Water Everywhere. I could feel that the ship had water below, but I dared not abandon the wheel
to investigate. Suddenly, the front hatch
was thrown open and Mary appeared “We are sinking!” she screamed "The decks are smashed; we're full of
waters” “Take the wheel”, I shouted. Larry and Herb war pumping like madmen. I half-swam, half-crawled
into the children’s cabin "Are you all right?” I asked. “Yes,” they answered from an upper bunk. After
finding a hammer, screws and canvas, I struggled back on dock. If couldn't make some repairs, we would
surely sink. Somehow, I managed to stretch canvas. Some water continued to steam below, but most of it
was now being deflected over the side. More problems arose when our electric pump short-circuited. The
water level rose threateningly. Then I remembered we had another electric pump under the chartroom
floor. I connected it to an out-pipe, and was thankful to find that it worked. Sue’s head had swollen
alarmingly, she had two enormous black eyes, and now she showed us a deep cut on her arm. When I asked
why she hadn't made more of her injuries before this, she replied, "I didn't want to worry when you were
trying to save us all.”
2 जनवरी को सुबह लहरें बहुत विशाल थी। जैसे ही जहाज प्रत्येक लहर की चोटी पर ऊपर उठता तो हम अनन्त विशाल
समुद्र को अपनी ओर आते हुए देखते, और हवा की चीखें और बौछारों की आवाज कानों के लिए दर्दनाक थी। नाव की गति
को कम करने के लिए हमने पाल नीचे गिरा दिया। तब हमने प्रत्येक चीज को दोहरा बांध दिया, अपने जीवनरक्षक नाव
की ड्रिल, रक्षा के लिए रस्सियां बांध ली, जलरोधी कपड़े पहने व रक्षक जैकेट पहनी और प्रतीक्षा करने लगे। आने
वाले विनाश का पहला संकेत अशुभ खामोशी के साथ लगभग छः बजे आया। हवा रूक गई और आसमान अचानक काला हो गया। फिर
एक गर्जना आई डर के साथ, मैंने महसूस किया कि यह एक बादल नहीं था, अपितु एक लहर थी जैसी कि मैंने पहले कभी
नहीं देखी थी। गर्जना बढ़कर गड़गड़ाहट बन गई और नाव का पिछला हिस्सा लहर की ओर उठ गया और क्षणभर के लिए मैंने
सोचा कि नाव लहर के ऊपर चढ़ जाएगी। परन्तु तभी एक विशाल विस्फोट से जहाज का ऊपरी हिस्सा हिल गया। मेरा सिर
पहिए से टकरा गया और मुझे पता था कि मैं नाव से परे उड़ रहा था और लहरों के नीचे डूब रहा था। मैंने अपनी आने
वाली मृत्यु को स्वीकार कर लिया। अनापेक्षित रूप से, मेरा सिर पानी से बाहर निकला। कुछ मीटर की दूरी पर,
वैववाकर लगभग उलट गई थी। तभी एक लहर ने उसे सीधा कर दिया, मेरी जीवनरक्षक रस्सी झटके के साथ कस गई, मैंने
सुरक्षा रेल पकड़ी और वायु में तैरकर वेदवाकर के मुख्य भाग में चला गया। मेरा मुंह खून से भर गया और मेरे
दांत टूट गये। किसी तरह मैंने एक पहिये को खोजा पानी, पानी, प्रत्येक स्थान पर मैं महसूस कर सकता था कि जहाज
के नीचे पानी था परन्तु मैं पहिये को छोड़कर निरीक्षण करने का साहस नहीं कर सकता था। अचानक सामने वाला
दरवाजा खुला और मैरी दिखाई दी। "हम डूब रहे हैं।" वह चिल्लायी। “डैकस टूट गये हैं, हम पानी से भरे हैं।"
"पहिये को पकड़ों" मैं चिल्लाया। मैरी और मैं पागलों की तरह पानी से बाहर निकल रहे थे। मैं आधा तैरकर, आधा
रेंगकर बच्चों के केबिन में पहुंचा। "क्या तुम ठीक हो?" मैने पूछा "हां," उन्होंने ऊपर की बर्थ से उत्तर
दिया। हथौड़ा, पेंच और तिरपाल ढूंढने के बाद, मैंने वापिस बैंक पर संघर्ष किया। यदि मैंने कुछ मुरम्मत न की
होती तो हम अवश्य ही डूब जाते। किसी तरह मैंने तिरपाल को फैलाया। कुछ पानी लगातार नीचे से आता रहा परन्तु अब
अधिकतर पानी साइड पर से मुड़कर बह रहा था। अधिक कठिनाइयां तब पैदा हुई जब हमारे बिजली वाले पम्प में
शीटसर्किट हो गया। पानी का स्तर खतरनाक ढंग से बढ़ने लगा। तब मुझे याद आया कि हमारे पास अन्य बिजली का पम्प
चार्टरूम के फर्श के नीचे था। मैंने इसे बाहरी पम्प से जोड़ दिया और इसके काम करने पर धन्यवाद दिया। श्यू का
सिर भयानक रूप से सूज गया था, उसकी दो बड़ी-बड़ी आंखें थी, और अब उसने हमने अपनी बाजू का एक गहरा घाव
दिखाया। जब मैंने पूछा कि तुमने अपने घाव की ओर पहले ध्यान क्यों नहीं दिया, उसने उत्तर दिया, “मैं आपको
चिन्तित नहीं करना चाहती थी जब आप सबकी जान बचाने की कोशिश कर रहे थे।"
By morning on January 3, the pumps had the water level sufficiently under control for us take two hours
rest in rotation. We had survived for 15 hours since the wave hit, but Wave walker would hold together
long enough for us to reach Australia. Our only hope was to reach these pin-pricks in the vast ocean.
But unless the wind and seas abated so we could hoist sail, our chances would be slim indeed. The great
wave had put our auxiliary engine out of action. We hoisted the storm jib and headed for where I thought
the two islands were. We ate our first meal in almost two days. But our respite was short-lived.
3 जनवरी को सुबह तक पानी का स्तर काफी हद तक काबू में आ गया था कि हम बारी से दो घण्टे तक आराम कर सकते थे।
हम 15 घण्टे बाद तक लहरों के हमले के संकट से बचे हुए थे, परन्तु वेववाकर हमारे लिए आस्ट्रेलिया तक बचा नहीं
रहेगा। हमारी एकमात्र उम्मीद विशाल सागर में सुई की नोंक जितनी जगह घेरने वाले द्वीपों पर पहुंचने की थी।
परन्तु हवा और सागर के शान्त होने तक हम अपने पाल नहीं खोल सकते थे और वास्तव में हमारे बचने के अवसर बहुत
कम थे। विशाल लहर ने हमारे सहायक इंजन को खराब कर दिया था। हमने तूफान में लगाई जाने वाली पाल को चढ़ा दिया
और उस और चल पड़े जहां मेरे विचार में वे दो द्वीप थे। हमने हमारा पहला भोजन दो दिन के बाद खाया। परन्तु
हमारा आराम थोड़े समय के लिए था।
At 4 p.m. black clouds began building up behind us, within the hour the wind was back to 40 knots and
the seas were getting higher. The weather continued to deteriorate throughout the night, and by dawn on
January 5, our situation was again desperate. When I went in to comfort the children, Jon asked, "Daddy,
are we going to die? I tried to assure him that we could make it. "But, Daddy," he went on, we aren't
afraid of dying if we can all be together you and Mummy, Sue and I.” I could find no words with which to
respond. That evening, Mary and I sat together holding hands, as the motion of the ship brought more and
more water in through the broken planks. We both felt the end was very near.
चार बजे शाम को काले बादल हमारे पीछे बनना आरम्भ हो गए। घंटे भर में हवा फिर से 40 समुद्री मील की गति से
चलने लगी और सागर में लहरें ऊंची होने लगी। सारी रात मौसम निरन्तर बिगड़ता गया और 5 जनवरी को सुबह हमारी
हालत फिर से निराशाजनक हो गई। जब मैं बच्चों को दिलासा देने गया, जॉन ने पूछा, “डैडी, क्या हम मरने जा रहे
हैं?" मैंने उसे विश्वास दिलाने की कोशिश की कि हम उसे झेल सकते थे। "परन्तु डैडी," उसने कहना जारी रखा, "हम
मरने से नहीं डरते यदि हम सब इकट्ठा हैं आप और मम्मी, स्यू और मैं।" मेरे पास उत्तर देने के लिए शब्द नहीं
थे। उस शाम मेरी और में एक दूसरे का हाथ पकड़कर बैठ गए, क्योंकि जहाज के हिलने के कारण टूटे हुए तख्तों में
से अधिक पानी अन्दर आ रहा था। हम दोनों ने महसूस किया कि अन्त अत्यधिक समीप था ।
But Wave walker rode out the storm and by the morning of January 6, with the wind easing, I tried to get
a reading on the sextant. The best I could determine was that we were somewhere in 150,000 kilometres of
ocean looking for a 65-kilometre-wide island. I checked and rechecked my calculations. We had lost our
main compass. When I woke it was 6 pm and was growing dark, I knew we must have missed the island. "Can
I have a hug Jonathan asked. Sue was right behind him. "Why am I getting a hug now? I asked. Because you
are the best daddy in the whole world - and the best captain," my son replied, "Not today, Jon, I'm
afraid." "Why, you must be," said Sue in a matter-of-fact voice. "You found the island." "What?" I
shouted. “It's out there in front of us,” they chorused, “as big as a battleship." I rushed on deck.
With little vegetation the most beautiful island in the world! We anchored offshore for the night, and
the next morning all 28 inhabitants of the island cheered as they helped us ashore. With land under my
feet again, my thoughts were full of Larry and Herbie, cheerful and optimistic under the direst stress,
and of Mary. Most of all, I thought of a seven-year-old girl, who did not want us to worry about a head
injury and of a six-year-old boy who was not afraid to die.
परन्तु वेववाकर तूफान में से गुजरा और 6 जनवरी की सुबह हवा के कम होने के साथ, मैंने सेक्सटेन्ट पर पढ़ने की
कोशिश की। मैं अच्छी तरह से यही पता चला सका कि हम 150,000 किलोमीटर के सागर में कहीं पर है और 65 किलोमीटर
चौड़े द्वीप को खोज रहे हैं। मैंने अपनी गणना की बार-बार जांच-पड़ताल की। हमने हमारा मुख्य दिशासूचक यंत्र खो
दिया था। जब मैं उठा शाम के 6 बजे थे और अंधेरा हो रहा था। मुझे पता या कि हम द्वीप को अवश्य ही पीछे छोड़
गये हैं। क्या मैं एक आलिंगन कर सकता हूं?" जॉनधन ने पूछा स्यू उसके पीछे थी। "अब मुझे आलिंगन क्यों कर रहे
हो?" मैंने पूछा। क्योंकि आप सारे संसार के सबसे अच्छे पापा है और सबसे अच्छे कप्तान," मेरे बेटे ने उत्तर
दिया। ‘‘आज नहीं, जॉन, मैं डरता हूँ।" "क्यों हां आप अवश्य हैं," श्यू ने रूखे स्वभाव से कहा “आपने द्वीप
खोज लिया हैं।" "क्या!" मैं चिल्लाया। “यह बाहर हमारे सामने है," वे एक साथ बोले, "इतना बड़ा जितना कि
युद्धपोत होता है।" मैं डैक पर दौड़ा। थोड़ी-सी वनस्पति के साथ-संसार में सबसे अधिक सुन्दर द्वीप! हमने रात के
लिए तट से दूर लंगर डाले रखा, और अगली सुबह टापू के 28 वासियों ने प्रसन्नतापूर्वक हमारी सहायता की फिर से
अपने पैरों को धरती पर रखने के बाद मेरे विचारों में लैरी और हैब थे जो कठिन समय में भी प्रसन्न और आशावादी
थे और मेरी के बारे में सबसे अधिक, मैंने सात वर्षीय लड़की के बारे में सोचा जो हमें अपने सिर की चोट के
विषय में बताकर चिन्तित नहीं करना चाहती थी, और छः वर्षीय लड़का जो मरने से नहीं डरता था।
Full Explanation with Word Meanings
IN July 1976, my wife Mary, son Jonathan, 6, daughter Suzanne, 7, and I set sail from Plymouth, England,
to duplicate the round-the-world Voyage (– a long journey by sea or space) made 200 years earlier by
Captain James Cook. For the longest time, Mary and I — a 37-year-old businessman — had dreamt of sailing
in the wake of the famous explorer, and for the past 16 years, we had spent all our leisure (free time)
time honing (sharpen, improving) our seafaring (regularly traveling by sea) skills (improving the skills
required to travel by sea) in British waters.
Our boat Wave walker, a 23 meter, 30-ton wooden-hulled (a watertight body of a ship) beauty, had been
professionally built, and we had spent months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather we
could find.
The first leg of our planned three-year, 105,000-kilometre journey passed pleasantly as we sailed down
the west coast of Africa to Cape Town. There, before heading east, we took on two crewmen — American
Larry Vigil and Swiss Herb Seigler — to help us tackle one of the world’s roughest seas, the southern
Indian Ocean.
On our second day out of Cape Town, we began to encounter strong gales. (A very strong wind) For the
next few weeks, they blew continuously. Gales did not worry me; but the size of the waves was alarming —
up to 15 metres, as high as our main mast. (a tall upright structure on a boat or ship)
December 25 found us 3,500 kilometres east of Cape Town. Despite atrocious (bad; of a very poor quality)
weather, we had a wonderful holiday complete with a Christmas tree. New Year’s Day saw no improvement in
the weather, but we reasoned that it had to change soon. And it did change — for the worse.
At dawn on January 2, the waves were gigantic. (huge; of a big size) We were sailing with only a small
storm jib (a triangular staysail set forward the mast in a ship) and were still making eight knots. (a
unit of speed equal to one nautical mile per hour, used especially of ships, aircraft, or winds)
As the ship rose to the top of each wave we could see endless enormous (a very large size) seas rolling
towards us, and the screaming of the wind and spray was painful to the ears. To slow the boat down, we
dropped the storm jib and lashed (to hit with a lot of force) a heavy mooring (the ropes, chains, or
anchors by or to which a boat, ship, or buoy is moored) rope in a loop (a shape produced that bends
round and crosses; bent) across the stern. (the back part of a ship or a boat) Then we double-lashed
everything, went through our life-raft drill, attached lifelines, donned (put on, wore) oilskins (heavy
cotton cloth waterproofed with oil) and life jackets — and waited.
The first indication of impending (about to happen) disaster came at about 6 p.m., with an ominous
silence. (unpleasant or threatening silence) The wind dropped, and the sky immediately grew dark. Then
came a growing roar, and an enormous cloud towered aft (near the stern of the ship) of the ship. With
horror, I realised that it was not a cloud, but a wave like no other I had ever seen. It appeared
perfectly vertical and almost twice the height of the other waves, with a frightful (very unpleasant or
shocking) breaking crest. (reach the top of a wave)
The roar increased to a thunder as the stern moved up the face of the wave, and for a moment I thought
we might ride over it. But then a tremendous (very great in amount) explosion shook (past tense of shake
(vibrate)) the deck.
(a floor of a ship) A torrent (a fast moving stream of water) of green and white water broke over the
ship, my head smashed (shattered or violently broken) into the wheel and I was aware of flying overboard
and sinking below the waves. I accepted my approaching death, and as I was losing consciousness, I felt
quite peaceful.
Unexpectedly, my head popped out of the water. A few metres away, Wave walker was near capsizing, (be
overturned in the water) her masts almost horizontal. Then a wave hurled (throw with a great force) her
upright, my lifeline jerked taut, (stretched or pulled tightly) I grabbed the guard rails and sailed
through the air into Wavewalker’s main boom. (pole that controls the angle and shape of the sail)
Subsequent waves tossed me around the deck like a rag doll. My left ribs cracked; my mouth filled with
blood and broken teeth. Somehow, I found the wheel, lined up the stern for the next wave and hung on.
Water, Water, Everywhere. I could feel that the ship had water below, but I dared not abandon the wheel
to investigate. Suddenly, the front hatch was thrown open and Mary appeared. “We’re sinking!” she
screamed. “The decks are smashed (badly broken); we’re full of water.”
“Take the wheel”, I shouted as I scrambled (climb; claw one’s way) for the hatch. (door)
Larry and Herb were pumping like madmen. Broken timbers (wood board used in building of a ship) hung at
crazy angles, the whole starboard (side of a ship which is on the right side when one is facing forward)
side bulged (swell) inwards; clothes, crockery, charts, tins, and toys sloshed (move through liquid with
a splashing sound) about in deep water.
I half-swam, half-crawled into the children’s cabin. “Are you all right?” I asked. “Yes,” they answered
from an upper bunk. “But my head hurts a bit,” said Sue, pointing to a big bump above her eyes. I had no
time to worry about bumped heads.
After finding a hammer, screws, and canvas (a strong unbleached cloth), I struggled back on deck. With
the starboard side bashed (strike hard; hit) open, we were taking water with each wave that broke over
us. If I couldn’t make some repairs, we would surely sink.
Somehow, I managed to stretch canvas (a strong unbleached cloth) and secure waterproof hatch covers
across6 the gaping holes. Some water continued to stream below, but most of it was now being deflected
(turned aside HOCKEY FOOTBALL change direction after hitting/ something/a shot that has contacted one or
more players) over the side.
More problems arose when our hand pumps started to block up with the debris (rubbish) floating around
the cabins and the electric pump short-circuited. The water level rose threateningly. Back on deck I
found that our two spare hand pumps had been wrenched (pull suddenly, removed) overboard — along with
the forestay (a rope to support ship’s foremast) sail, the jib, the dinghies (a small boat for
recreation with mast or sail) and the main anchor.
Then I remembered we had another electric pump under the chartroom floor. I connected it to an out-pipe
and was thankful to find that it worked.
The night dragged on with an endless, bitterly cold routine of pumping, steering, and working the radio.
We were getting no replies to our Mayday calls — which was not surprising in this remote corner of the
world.
Sue’s head had swollen alarmingly; she had two enormous black eyes, and now she showed us a deep cut on
her arm. When I asked why she hadn’t made more of her injuries before this, she replied, “I didn’t want
to worry you when you were trying to save us all.”
By morning on January 3, the pumps had the water level sufficiently under control for us to take two
hours’ rest in rotation. But we still had a tremendous leak somewhere below the waterline and, on
checking, I found that nearly all the boat’s main rib frames were smashed down to the keel. (steel
structure along the base of the ship) In fact, there was nothing holding up a whole section of the
starboard hull except a few cupboard partitions.
We had survived for 15 hours since the wave hit, but Wave walker wouldn’t hold together long enough for
us to reach Australia. I checked our charts and calculated that there were two small islands a few
hundred kilometres to the east. One of them, Ile Amsterdam,
was a French scientific base Our only hope was to reach these pinpricks (a prick caused by a pin) in the
vast ocean. (the two small islands in the vast ocean were very tiny like the prick caused by a pin) But
unless the wind and seas abated (something unpleasant to become less intense) so we could hoist sail,
our chances would be slim indeed. The great wave had put our auxiliary engine (small secondary engine
used to board ships to operate a windlass in the ship) out of action.
On January 4, after 36 hours of continuous pumping, we reached the last few centimetres of water. Now,
we had only to keep pace with the water still coming in. We could not set any sail on the main mast.
Pressure on the rigging (the ropes and wires supporting the structure of the ship) would simply pull the
damaged section of the hull (the framework of the vessel) apart, so we hoisted the storm jib and headed
for where I thought the two islands were. Mary found some corned beef and cracker biscuits, and we ate
our first meal in almost two days.
But our respite (a short period of rest) was short-lived. At 4 p.m. black clouds began building up
behind us; within the hour the wind was back to 40 knots and the seas were getting higher. The weather
continued to deteriorate (get worse) throughout the night, and by dawn on January 5, our situation was
again desperate.
When I went in to comfort the children, Jon asked, “Daddy, are we going to die?” I tried to assure him
that we could make it. “But, Daddy,” he went on, “we aren’t afraid of dying if we can all be together —
you and Mummy, Sue and I.”
I could find no words with which to respond, but I left the children’s cabin determined to fight the sea
with everything I had. To protect the weakened starboard side, I decided to heave to) to raise or lift
with effort) — with the undamaged port hull facing the oncoming waves, using an improvised sea anchor of
heavy nylon rope and two 22 litre plastic barrels of paraffin. (colourless flammable oil liquid)
That evening, Mary and I sat together holding hands, as the motion of the ship brought more and more
water in through the broken planks. We both felt the end was very near.
But Wavewalker rode out the storm and by the morning of January 6, with the wind easing, I tried to get
a reading on the sextant. (an instrument with graduated arc of 60 degrees for taking altitudes and
navigation) Back in the chartroom, I worked on wind speeds, changes of course, drift and current in an
effort to calculate our position. The best I could determine was that we were somewhere in 150,000
kilometres of ocean looking for a 65-kilometre-wide island.
While I was thinking, Sue, moving painfully, joined me. The left side of her head was now very swollen,
and her blackened eyes narrowed to slits. She gave me a card she had made.
On the front she had drawn caricatures (picture of a person; cartoon) of Mary and me with the words:
“Here are some funny people. Did they make you laugh? I laughed a lot as well.” Inside was a message:
“Oh, how I love you both. So, this card is to say thank you and let’s hope for the best.” Somehow, we
had to make it.
I checked and rechecked my calculations. We had lost our main compass and I was using a spare which had
not been corrected for magnetic variation. I made an allowance for this and another estimate of the
influence of the westerly currents which flow through this part of the Indian Ocean.
About 2 p.m., I went on deck and asked Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. If we were lucky, I told
him with a conviction I did not feel, he could expect to see the island at about 5 p.m.
Then with a heavy heart, I went below, climbed on my bunk and amazingly, dozed off. (went off to sleep)
When I woke it was 6 p.m. and growing dark. I knew we must have missed the island, and with the sail, we
had left, we couldn’t hope to beat back into the westerly winds.
At that moment, a tousled head (disarranged hair of the narrator’s son, Jonathan) appeared by my bunk.
(Bed) “Can I have a hug?” Jonathan asked. Sue was right behind him.
“Why am I getting a hug now?” I asked.
“Because you are the best daddy in the whole world — and the best captain,” my son replied.
“Not today, Jon, I’m afraid.”
“Why, you must be,” said Sue in a matter-of-fact voice. “You found the island.”
“What!” I shouted.
“It’s out there in front of us,” they chorused, “as big as a battleship.”
I rushed on deck and gazed with relief at the stark (sharply defined) outline of Ile Amsterdam.
It was only a bleak (an area of land lacking vegetation) piece of volcanic rock, with little vegetation — the most beautiful island in the world! We anchored (moor a ship to the sea bottom) offshore (situated at the sea some distance from the shore) for the night, and the next morning all 28 inhabitants of the island cheered as they helped us ashore. (on the shore of the land) With land under my feet again, my thoughts were full of Larry and Herbie, cheerful and optimistic (hopeful and confident) under the direst stress, and of Mary, who stayed at the wheel for all those crucial hours. Most of all, I thought of a seven-year-old girl, who did not want us to worry about a head injury (which subsequently took six minor operations to remove a recurring blood clot between skin and skull), and of a six-year-old boy who was not afraid to die.
Enjoy Full Explanation on Youtube
Exercises
Comprehension Passage:
Passage 1:
IN July 1976, my wife Mary, son Jonathan, 6, daughter Suzanne, 7, and I set sail from Plymouth, England, to duplicate the round-the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James Cook. Our boat Wavewalker, a 23 metre, 30 ton wooden-hulled beauty, had been professionally built, and we had spent months fitting it out and testing it in the roughest weather we could find.
Questions:
Q.1. When did the writer start his voyage?
(A) July 1976
(B) August 1976
(C) September 1976
(D) October, 1976
Ans: A
Q2. What was the name of the writer's wife?
(A) Mary
(B) Miriam
(C) Sue
(D) Allen
Ans: A
Q3. Who was Sue's brother?
(A) Jon
(B) Sophie
(C) Suzanne
(D) All of these
Ans: A
Q.4. Who was Jon?
(A) Writer's father
(B) Writer's son
(C)Writer's mother
(D) Writer's daughter
Ans: B
Q.5. Name the daughter of the writer.
(A) Suzanne
(B) Khalida
(C) Mazida
(D) Nitika
Ans: A
Q.6. What was the age of the writer's son, Jon?
(A) Only six-year-old
(B) Only four-year-old
(C) Only seven-year-old
(D) Only eight-year-old
Ans: A
Q.7. The narrator started his journey from
(A) France
(B) From Plymouth
(C) Cape Town
(D) Jersy
Ans: B
Q.8. What was the age of the writer's daughter, Suzanne?
(A) Thirteen-year-old
(B) Ten-year-old
(C) Five-year-old
(D) Seven-year-old
Ans: D
Passage 2:
On our second day out of Cape Town, we began to encounter strong gales. For the next few weeks, they blew continuously. Gales did not worry me; but the size of the waves was alarming — up to 15 metres, as high as our main mast. December 25 found us 3,500 kilometres east of Cape Town. Despite atrocious weather, we had a wonderful holiday complete with a Christmas tree. New Year’s Day saw no improvement in the weather, but we reasoned that it had to change soon. And it did change — for the worse. At dawn on January 2, the waves were gigantic.
Questions:
Q:1 Name the chapter.
A) We are not Afraid to Die
B) Landscape of the soul
C) The Portrait of a Lady
D) None of these
Ans: A
Q:2 What was the name of the writer who started his round-the-world
voyage?
A) Gordon
B) Gordon Cook
C) Gordon Cook and Allen East
D) A. R. Williams
Ans: C
Q:3 How far were the writer and his family from Cape Town on December 25?
A) 3550 km
B) 3500 km
C) 3600 km
D) 3660 km
Ans: B
Q:4 What did they encounter on their second day out of Cape Town?
A) Strong gales
B) Strong lions
C) Strong whales
D) Strong birds
Ans: A
Q:5 There were huge waves on …………….
A) On 3rd January
B) On 4th January
C) On 5th January
D) On 2nd January
Ans: D
Passage 3:
On January 4, after 36 hours of continuous pumping, we reached the last few centimetres of water. Now, we had only to keep pace with the water still coming in. We could not set any sail on the main mast. Pressure on the rigging would simply pull the damaged section of the hull apart, so we hoisted the storm jib and headed for where I thought the two islands were. Mary found some corned beef and cracker biscuits, and we ate our first meal in almost two days. But our respite was short lived. At 4 p.m. black clouds began building up behind us; within the hour the wind was back at 40 knots and the seas were getting higher. The weather continued to deteriorate throughout the night, and by dawn on January 5, our situation was again desperate. When I went in to comfort the children, Jon asked, “Daddy, are we going to die?” I tried to assure him that we could make. “But, Daddy, “he went on, “We aren’t afraid of dying, if we can all be together-you and Mummy, Sue and I”.
Questions:
(i) Name the chapter and the author.
A: Chapter: We’re Not Afraid to Die… If We Can All Be Together. Author: Gordon
Cook and Alan East
(ii) Why were they pumping water?
A: They were pumping water because water was flowing in their boat through the
hole.
(iii) Why was their respite short lived?
A: Their respite was short lived because at 4 p.m. black clouds began building
up behind them.
(iv) How did Jon reassure the author?
A: Jon reassured the author by saying that they were not afraid to die.
(v) Give the word from the passage which means: (a) become worse (b)
daybreak
A:(a) deteriorate (b) dawn
Working With Words
Knot
stern
boom
hatch
anchor
Ans. 1. Knot: He loosened the knot in the rope and took away the cow.
2. Stern: His father is very stern and dominates the whole family.
3. Boom: There is a boom in the stock market these days.
4. Hatch: The criminals hatched a plan to rob the bank.
5. Anchor: Mohan was the anchor of the show.
Q.2.The following three compound words end in -ship. What does each of them mean? airship flagship lightship
Ans. 1. Airship: A large aircraft without wings, filled with gas which is lighter than air.
2. Flagship: The main ship in a fleet of ship in the navy.
3. Lightship: A small ship that stays at a particular place on sea and has a powerful light on it to warn and guide other ships.
Q.3. The following are the meanings listed in the dictionary against the phrase ‘take on’. In which meaning is it used in the third paragraph of the account
: take on sth:
to begin to have a particular quality or appearance; to assume sth.
take sb on :
employ sb; to engage sb.
to accept sb as one’s opponent in a game, contest or conflict.
take sb/sth on:
to decide to do sth; to allow sth/sb to enter e.g., a bus, plane or ship; to take sth/sb on board. Ans. In the third paragraph of the story, this phrase has been used in the second meaning. The narrator employed two persons to assist his family during the voyage. Things to do 1. Given on this page(above) is a picture of a yacht. Label the parts of the yacht using the terms given in the box.
Bow cabin rudder cockpit
Stern boom mainsail mast
Question and Answers
Q:1. Who is the narrator of the story? What did they decide to do?
Ans. This is an adventure story. The narrator was a 37 years old businessman. He and his wife were adventure loving. The couple decided to re-enact the round-the-world voyage made 200 years earlier by Captain James Cook.
Q:2. What preparations did they make for their voyage?
Ans. They spent sixteen years gaining experience of sea journey in the ocean. They continued honing their sea-faring skills. Then one day the whole family set out on the long and difficult journey. Apart from the writer and his wife, Mary, their two children– six years old son, Jonathan, seven years old daughter, Suzanne–also took part in the journey.
Q:3. Describe the ship used by the narrator and his family for the voyage.
Ans. They named their ship ‘Wavewalker’. It is a 23 metre, 30-ton beautiful wooden ship. They had spent months fitting it with necessary things and testing it out in the rough weather.
Q:4. How did the first leg of their journey pass? Whom did they take as helpers after that?
Ans. They had planned a journey of 105,000 kilometres. The first leg of this journey passed pleasantly. After that they headed east. They took two persons as helpers. They were: Larry Vigil, an American and Herb Seigler, a Swiss.
Q:4. How did the first leg of their journey pass? Whom did they take as helpers after that?
Ans. They had planned a journey of 105,000 kilometres. The first leg of this journey passed pleasantly. After that they headed east. They took two persons as helpers. They were: Larry Vigil, an American and Herb Seigler, a Swiss.
Q:5. How did the weather worsen on 2nd January?
Ans. On 2nd January, the waves were very big. At about six p.m., the sky grew dark. The writer found a big cloud at a distance. Then he realized with horror that it was not a cloud, but a very big wave which was coming towards them.
Q:6. What did the narrator, his wife and his son behave when they were face-to-face with death?
Ans. By dawn on January 5, their situation was again very bad. The narrator went in to comfort the children. Jon asked if he was going to die. Then he said that they were not afraid of dying if they could all be together. That evening the narrator and his wife sat together holding hands. They felt that their end was near.
Q:7. How were the voyagers hopes of reaching an island revived?
Ans. Luckily by the morning of January 6, the wind eased. The narrator checked and re-checked his calculations. They had lost their main compass. He was using a spare one which was not very reliable. About 2 p.m., he told Larry to steer a course of 185 degrees. He said that if they were lucky, they could expect to see the island at about 5 p.m.
Q:8. What happened after an explosion shook the ship?
Ans. The weather became very bad. Then a big explosion shook the deck. A strong torrent of water came over the ship. The writer’s head smashed into the wheel. He was tossed overboard and felt himself sinking.
Q:9. What happened when the narrator was thrown into the sea by the wave?
Ans. The narrator thought that he was going to die. But unexpectedly, his head came out of the water. He saw that the ship was almost capsizing. But then a wave came and it became upright. His lifeline became tight. With difficulty he reached the ship.
Q:10. How did the waves injure the narrator?
Ans. The waves tossed him round the deck like a doll. His left ribs cracked. His mouth was filled with blood and broken teeth. There was water everywhere on the ship. He felt there was water in the lower part of the ship. But he could not leave the wheel in order to investigate.
Q:11. What did Mary tell the narrator?
Ans. Mary came up and told the narrator that the ship was sinking. He asked to take the wheel of the ship and went below. He found Larry and Herb were pumping water frantically. He went into the children’s cabin. He found that Sue had a big bump above his eyes.
Q:12. How did the narrator manage to control the water coming into some extent?
Ans. The water was coming through the holes caused by the storm. He managed to stretch canvas cover and waterproof covers over the holes and the coming in of the water was largely controlled.
Q:13. What happened to the pumps?
Ans. The pumps started to block and the electric pump went out of order. He found that the two spare pumps, the sail, the dinghies and the main anchor has been thrown overboard. He remembered that he had another electric pump and luckily it worked.
Q:14. What did the writer learn about the two Islands?
Ans. The narrator realized that the ship would not hold together long enough for them to reach Australia. He checked his charts and found that there were two small Islands a few hundred kilometres to the east. But if the wind and the waves did not abate, their chances of reaching the Islands were slim.
Q:15. What happened on 4th January?
Ans. On 4th January, they reached the last few centimeters of water. Now they had only to keep pace with the water still coming in. They took food for first time in two days
Q:16. What happy news did the narrator’ son give him? How were they saved?
Ans. Jonathan came to his father and told him that they were about to reach the island. The narrator could not believe his ears. He rushed on deck and found that there was the island at a distance. They anchored offshore for the night. The next morning all the 28 inhabitants of the island helped them ashore and cheered them.
Q:17. In the end, what does the narrator say about those who were with him during the dangerous voyage? V. Imp.
Ans. The narrator remembered the work done by Larry and Herbie who remained cheerful even in dangers. His wife Mary stayed at the wheel during crucial hours. He was thankful to his children also. His seven years old daughter did not care for her injuries and is son was not afraid to die.
Q:18. How does the story suggest that optimism helps to endure “the direct stress”?
Or
Q. What lessons do we learn from such hazardous experiences when we are face-to-face with death?
Ans. This story teaches us that when we are face-to-face with death, we should not lose courage and optimism. This is an adventure story. The writer, his wife and two children undertook a long sea voyage. They wanted to duplicate the round the world voyage undertaken by Captain Cook two hundred years ago. During the voyage, they faced great difficulties and dangers. A storm came and their ship was damaged. Water started coming in. At first, they thought that they were going to die. But they survived because of their determination and optimism. For thirty-six hours, they kept pumping out water. Their two helpers Larry and Herbie also did not lose courage and remained cheerful. The writer’s children also showed great courage. They told their father that they were not afraid of dying. In the end, their determination and efforts proved successful. They were able to reach a small island. Thus, we find that optimism helps us to endure the direct stress.
Q:19. Why do you think people undertake such adventurous expeditions despite the risks involved?
Ans. Some people have the spirit of adventure in them. They do not like a life of rest and ease. They do not wish to spend their days doing nothing courageous. That is why they undertake dangerous expeditions. Such expeditions satisfy their spirit of adventure. They also reaffirm their belief in the unconquering will of man. Several people in the past have undertaken such expeditions. Columbus discovered America. Vascoda-Gama came to India. Marco Polo also undertook difficult sea voyages. Tenzing and Hillary conquered the Everest. Bachendrai Pal was the first Indian woman to conquer Everest. Captain Robert Scott reached the South Pole with great difficulty and died while returning from there. Captain Cook undertook a round-the world sea voyage. In this real story, the writer and his family try to duplicate that journey. They do not lose courage despite great difficulties and dangers.
See Video for Explanation of the Exercises
Multiple Choice Questions:
(A) businessman
(B) sailor
(C) teacher
(D) labourer
Ans. (A) businessman
2. They wanted to duplicate the voyage made 200 years earlier by:
(A) Columbus
(B) Scott
(C) Vasco-da-Gama
(D) Captain James Cook
Ans. (D) Captain James Cook
3. Apart from the narrator’s family,there were two other persons on the ship. They were:
(A) two crewmen
(B) two robbers
(C) two postmen
(D) two servants
Ans. (A) two crewmen
4. The name of their ship was:
(A) The Wavebreaker
(B) The Wavewalker
(C) The Wave-eater
(D) The Wavelover
Ans. (B) The Wavewalker
5. What happened on the second day out of Cape Town?
(A) they saw a whale
(B) they met another person on the sea
(C) they began to encounter strong gales
(D) they landed on an island
Ans. (C) they began to encounter strong gales
6. A big cloud came towards the ship. Then the narrator saw that it was not a cloud but:
(A) a sea monster
(B) a whale
(C) a big serpent
(D) a big wave
Ans. (D) a big wave
7. A torrent of water swept over the ship and the author:
(A) was thrown overboard
(B) died
(C) called for help
(D) jumped into the sea
Ans. (A) was thrown overboard
8. Suddenly Mary appeared and said:
(A) we have been saved
(B) we are sinking
(C) we are going to jump into the sea
(D) we should all take our breakfast
Ans. (B) we are sinking
9. What happened to the electric pump?
A) it short-circuited
(B) it was stolen
(C) it was thrown into the sea
(D) the writer did not know how to use it
Ans. (A) it short-circuited
10. What had happened to the two spare pumps?
(A) they had been stolen
(B) they had become out of order
(C) they had been washed overboard
(D) the writer had gifted them away
Ans. (C) they had been washed overboard
11. The narrator checked the charts and found:
(A) a lighthouse
(B) a restaurant
(C) two small islands a few hundred
(D) a rock kilometre to the east
Ans. (C) two small islands a few hundred kilometres to the east
12. How was the situation by the dawn on January 5?
(A) it was very good
(B) the sea was calm
(C) they received help
(D) the situation was again desperate
Ans. (D) the situation was again desperate
13. Who said, “We aren’t afraid of dying if we can all be together”?
(A) the narrator’s son
(B) the narrator’s wife
(C) the narrator daughter
(D) the narrator
Ans. (A) the narrator’s son
14. On the evening of 5th January the narrator and his wife sat together holding their hands because:
(A) they were quarrelling
(B) they felt that their end was near
(C) they were checking each other’s hands
(D) they were making love
Ans. (B) they felt that their end was near
15. What had happened to the narrator’s main compass?
(A) they had lost it
(B) they had lent it to someone
(C) they had thrown it into the sea
(D) they did not know how to use it
Ans. (A) they had lost it
16. What was wrong with the second compass?
(A) it was small
(B) it was borrowed
(C) it was not corrected for magnetic variation
(D) it was not working
Ans. (C) it was not corrected for magnetic variation
17. Sue was injured on her:
(A) head
(B) knee
(C) back
(D) leg
Ans. (A) head
18. The narrator expected to reach the island by:
(A) the next day
(B) 5 p.m.
(C) 2 p.m.
(D) at night
Ans. (B) 5 p.m.
19. The narrator climbed his bunk and:
(A) became sad
(B) started weeping
(C) dozed off
(D) took rest
Ans. (C) dozed off
20. Who gave him the news that they were about to reach the island?
(A) his son
(B) his wife
(C) his daughter
(D) Larry
Ans. (A) his son
21. What was the name of the island where they landed?
(A) Andaman
(B) Nicobar
(C) Lakshadweep
(D) Ile Amsterdam
Ans. (D) Ile Amsterdam
22. That island was made of:
(A) coral reef
(B) volcanic rock
(C) black soil
(D) red rock
Ans. (B) volcanic rock
23. Who were the crewmen hired by the narrator?
(A) Larry and Terry
(B) Tom and Jerry
(C) Herbie and Charbie
(D) Larry and Herbie
Ans. (D) Larry and Herbie
24. What were the names of the narrator’s children?
(A) Jonathan and Sue
(B) Sonathan and Jue
(C) Jim and Della
(D) Saif Ali and Soha Ali
Ans. (A) Jonathan and Sue
25. When did the voyagers land on the island?
(A) at night
(B) in the evening
(C) the next morning
(D) in the afternoon
Ans. (C) the next morning
26. How many inhabitants were there on the island?
(A) 28
(B) 38
(C) 48
(D) 58
Ans. (A) 28
27. How many minor operations did the narrator’s daughter have to undergo?
(A) six
(B) five
(C) eight
(D) none
Ans. (A) six
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