William Clark Russell

It was in the latter days of September, and the equinoctial gales had set in with exceptional violence.

All day the wind had screamed, and the rain had beaten against the windows, so that even here, in the heart of great, handmade London, we were forced to raise our minds for the instant from the routine of life, and to recognize the presence of those great elemental forces which shriek at mankind through the bars of his civilization— like untamed beasts in a cage as evening drew in the storm grew higher and louder and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in the chimney sherlock holmes sat moodily at one side of the fireplace cross-indexing his records of crime while I, at the other, was deep in one of Clark Russell's fine sea-stories, until the howl of the gale from without seemed to blend with the text, and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the long swash of the sea-waves, my wife was on a visit to her mother's, and for a few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at Baker Street.

"'Why,' said I, glancing up at my companion, "'that was surely the bell.

Who could come up to-night? Some friend of yours, perhaps?' Except yourself I have none, he answered.

The captain and the mate would have one or two of the handbooks used by all sailors.

Readers of this series have heard from Mr. Clark Russell in his Life of Dampier of a sailor's wagoner.

There was also the sailor's Vade Mecum, containing all kinds of practical rules and information.

Apart from such books I think there could have been nothing to help the boy.

In 1670 Captain Narborough made his chart of the Straits of Magellan.

This was the only important British voyage of discovery belonging to the century.

To the end of this century belongs the period of the buccaneers, which has already been treated at length in this series by Mr. Clark Russell in his Life of Dampier.

The adventures of the Cygnet, the Roebuck, the Cinqueports, the Duke and the Duchess, the names of Morgan, Sawkins, Dampier, Edward Cook, Woods Rogers, Clapperton and Shelvick belong to the rovers.

Our gas was lit and shone its flicking light on the white cloth and glimmer of china, for the breakfast table had not been cleared.

Holmes was busy cross-indexing his record of crime while I was engrossed in one of Clark Russell's fine sea stories.

Our morning was not destined, however, to be a quiet one.

Shortly after 11 o'clock, Mrs. Hudson ushered a young lady into our room.

For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ruth Golding.

The Wreck of the Grosvenor by W. Clark Russell.

I am complimented by an invitation to tell what I can recollect of the writing, publication, and reception of the earliest of my sea books, The Wreck of the Grosvenor.

I approached the subject with diffidence, and asked the reader to forgive me if he thinks or finds me unduly egotistical.

She drew abreast of my house at Deal and I could have wept to witness my old floating home in so miserable a condition.

End of footnote.

End of The Wreck of the Grosvenor by W. Clark Russell.

Section 4 of My First Book by various authors.

Our gas was lit and shone its flicking light on the white cloth and glimmer of China, for the breakfast table had not been cleared.

Holmes was busy indexing his record of crime, while I was engrossed in one of Clark Russell's fine sea stories.

Our morning was not destined, however, to be a quiet one.

Shortly after 11 o'clock, Mrs. Hudson, I sent a young lady into our room.

The captain and the mate would have one or two of the handbooks used by all sailors.

Readers of this series have heard from Mr. Clark Russell in his Life of Dampier of a sailor's wagoner.

There was also the sailor's Vade Mecum, containing all kinds of practical rules and information.

Apart from such books I think there could have been nothing to help the boy.

In 1670, Captain Narborough made his chart of the Straits of Magellan.

This was the only important British voyage of discovery belonging to the century.

To the end of this century belongs the period of the buccaneers, which has already been treated at length in this series by Mr. Clark Russell in his Life of Dampier.

The adventures of the Cygnet, the Roebuck, the Cinque Ports, the Duke and the Duchess, the names of Morgan, Sawkins, Dampier, Edward Cook, Woods Rogers, Clapperton and Shelvick belong to the rovers.

I was married at the time and living away from Baker Street.

On this night in question, my wife had already gone to bed, and I was nodding in front of the fire over one of Clark Russell's fine sea stories.

I'd had a very tiring day, I remember.

It was about the hour that a man gives his first yawn and glances at the clock, when suddenly my front doorbell jangled discordantly.

The captain and the mate would have one or two of the handbooks used by all sailors.

Readers of this series have heard from Mr. Clark Russell in his life of Dampier of a sailor's wagoner.

There was also the sailor's Vade Mecum, containing all kinds of practical rules and information.

Apart from such books I think there could have been nothing to help the boy.

In 1670 Captain Narborough made his chart of the Straits of Magellan.

This was the only important British voyage of discovery belonging to the century.

To the end of this century belongs the period of the buccaneers, which has already been treated at length in this series by Mr. Clark Russell in his Life of Dampier.

The adventures of the Cygnet, the Roebuck, the Cinque Ports, the Duke and the Duchess, the names of Morgan, Sawkins, Dampier, Edward Cook, Woods Rogers, Clapperton and Shelvick belong to the rovers.

As evening drew in, the storm grew higher and louder, and the wind cried and sobbed like a child in the chimney.

Sherlock Holmes sat moodily at one side of the fireplace, cross-indexing his records of crime, while I at the other was deep in one of Clark Russell's fine sea stories, until the howl of a gale from without seemed to blend with the text, and the splash of the rain to lengthen out into the long swash of the sea waves.

My wife was on a visit to her mother's, and for a few days I was a dweller once more in my old quarters at Baker Street.

"'Why?' said I, glancing up at my companion.