Interpreting Meanings

6. The main conflict, or struggle, in this story is the most basic conflict of all—between people and nature. Explain wrjat animals and natural forces present dangers. Describe the physical needs and discomforts that also threaten the Robert­sons.

7. Even though the odds- are against them, the family wins its struggle at, sea. Their survival is

partly due to Mr. Robertson's exceptional per­sonal qualities. For example, his comments to his son and his wife just after the shipwreck show cheerfulness in the face of disaster. De­scribe some other personal qualities Mr. Rob­ertson displays during tlte struggle.

8. This story and "Three Skeleton Key" (page 7) involve struggles between people and nature. Did you enjoy one more tl an the other, or cud you enjoy them equally' Did you perhaps not enjoy either one? Give several reasons for your opinion.

Applying Meanings

9. What other true stories do you know of, in which people struggle against nature to survive? What do you think helps some people to survive such ordeals, while others perish⁷

Writing About the Journal A Creative Response

Writing from Another Point of View. The Robertsons'

story is told by Mr. Robertson. Therefore, you don't learn much about the other characters' thoughts. Write a paragraph in which you tell what one of the other characters in the raft is thinking during the first hours after the boat was wrecked. Use the first-person pronoun /.

Analyzing Language and Vocabulary Jargon

The narrator of the story used jargon, or specialized vocabulary, of sailing and the sea. Careful reading can give you an idea what many of these technical terms mean, even though they are probably new to you. From your reading of the story, match each specialized word below with the appropriate defi­nition,

1. yaw

2. thwart

3. trim

4. forestay

5. swamp

6. swell

a. b.

c.

e.

rower's seat placed across a boat boat's balanced position in the water

strong rope supporting a boat's foremast

to swerve from its course, as when struck by a wave large wave

to sink by filling with water

Check a dictionary to make sure you correctly matched the words and definitions. Then use each word in a sentence of your own.

Reading About the Writer

Dougal Robertson (1924- ) was born in Edin­burgh, Scotland. After attending Leith Nautical Col­lege, Robertson joined the British Merchant Navy. He then took a leave from maritime life to raise a family and to become a dairy farmer. In 1970 Rob­ertson bought the Lucette to take his wife and chil­dren on an educational tour of the world. Since 1973, Robertson has primarily worked as a writer. Besides Survive the Savage Sea, he has also written Sea Survival: A Manual. Robertson's other interests are rugby, music, and French.

Focusing on Background

What Happened Next?

After they are rescued, the Robertsons spend four days aboard the Japanese ship before they reach land. The following is taken from the book's last chapter, called "Safety."

"I staggered back to the foredeck where the family and Robin were seated with their backs against the hatch coaming,¹ in their hands tins of cool orange juice, and a look of blissful content on their faces. I picked up the tin that was left for me, smiled my thanks to the Japanese who grinned broadly back at me, then lifting my arm said 'Cheers.' I shall remember the taste of that beautiful liquid to the end of my days. . . . The Japanese crew carried the twins to the large four-foot deep, hot seawater bath, Robin and Douglas tottering along behind on uncertain legs. There was also a fresh water shower (we had to readjust our ideas to the notion that fresh water could be used for other things besides drinking!) where they soaped and lathered and wal­lowed In luxury, scrubbing at the brown scurf which

1. coaming: raised border around the opening of the hatch, which keeps out water.

our skins had developed (but which took days to disappear). ... On our return to the foredeck, there on the hatch stood a huge tray of bread and butter and a strange brown sweet liquid called cof­fee. Our eyes gleamed as our teeth bit into these strange luxuries and in a very short space of time the tray was empty, the coffee pot was empty, and our stomachs were so full that we couldn't squeeze in another drop. It felt rather like having swallowed a football. ... In the days that followed we in dulged in the luxury of eating and drinking won­derful food, the meals growing in quantity and so­phistication. The familiar figure of the cook, Sakae Sasaki, became the symbol round which our whole existence revolved as he bore tray after tray up the foredeck to us. . . .

"It took four days for Toka Maru II to reach Bal­boa [seaport in Panama], by which time we had to some extent learned to use our legs again; in four days Captain Kiyato Suzuki and his wonderful crew brought the milk of human kindness to our tortured spirits and peace to our savage minds."

—Dougal Roberts