{"product_id":"2940016321066","title":"Idle Days in Patagonia","description":"AT LAST, PATAGONIA!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe wind had blown a gale all night, and I had been hourly expecting that\u003cbr\u003ethe tumbling, storm-vexed old steamer, in which I had taken passage to the\u003cbr\u003eRio Negro, would turn over once for all and settle down beneath that\u003cbr\u003etremendous tumult of waters.  For the groaning sound of its straining\u003cbr\u003etimbers, and the engine throbbing like an overtasked human heart, had made\u003cbr\u003ethe ship seem a living thing to me; and it was tired of the struggle, and\u003cbr\u003eunder the tumult was peace. But at about three o'clock in the morning the\u003cbr\u003ewind began to moderate, and, taking off coat and boots, I threw myself into\u003cbr\u003emy bunk for a little sleep.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOurs, it must be said, was a very curious boat, reported ancient and much\u003cbr\u003edamaged; long and narrow in shape, like a Viking's ship, with the\u003cbr\u003epassengers' cabins ranged like a row of small wooden cottages on the deck:\u003cbr\u003eit was as ugly to look at as it was said to be unsafe to voyage in.  To make\u003cbr\u003ematters worse our captain, a man over eighty years old, was lying in his\u003cbr\u003ecabin sick unto death, for, as {p 2} a fact, he died not many days after our\u003cbr\u003emishap; our one mate was asleep, leaving only the men to navigate the\u003cbr\u003esteamer on that perilous coast, and in the darkest hour of a tempestuous\u003cbr\u003enight.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI was just dropping into a doze when a succession of bumps, accompanied by\u003cbr\u003estrange grating and grinding noises, and shuddering motions of the ship,\u003cbr\u003ecaused me to start up again and rush to the cabin door.  The night was still\u003cbr\u003eblack and starless, with wind and rain, but for acres round us the sea was\u003cbr\u003ewhiter than milk.  I did not step out; close to me, half-way between my\u003cbr\u003ecabin door and the bulwarks, where our only boat was fastened, three of the\u003cbr\u003esailors were standing together talking in low tones.  \"We are lost,\" I heard\u003cbr\u003eone say; and another answer, \"Ay, lost for ever!\"  Just then the mate,\u003cbr\u003eroused from sleep, came running to them.  \"Good God, what have you done with\u003cbr\u003ethe steamer!\" he exclaimed sharply; then, dropping his voice, he added,\u003cbr\u003e\"Lower the boat -- quick!\"","brand":"WDS Publishing","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47146592141552,"sku":"2940016321066","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940016321066_p0.jpg?v=1763632881","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940016321066","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}