There Was What The
Sailors Call A "Mess" - Everything Let Go, Nothing Hauled In, And
Everything Flying.
The poor Spanish woman came to the companion-way,
looking as pale as a ghost, and nearly frightened to death.
The mate
and some men forward were trying to haul in the lower studding-sail,
which had blown over the sprit-sail yard-arm and round the guys;
while the topmast-studding-sail boom, after buckling up and springing
out again like a piece of whalebone, broke off at the boom-iron.
I sprang aloft to take in the main top-gallant studding-sail, but
before I got into the top, the tack parted, and away went the sail,
swinging forward of the top-gallant-sail, and tearing and slatting
itself to pieces. The halyards were at this moment let go by the run;
and such a piece of work I never had before, in taking in a sail.
After great exertions I got it, or the remains of it, into the top,
and was making it fast, when the captain, looking up, called out
to me, "Lay aloft there, D - - -, and furl that main royal." Leaving
the studding-sail, I went up to the cross trees; and here it looked
rather squally. The foot of the top-gallant-mast was working between
the cross and trussel trees, and the royal-mast lay over at a fearful
angle with the mast below, while everything was working, and cracking,
strained to the utmost.
There's nothing for Jack to do but to obey orders, and I went up
upon the yard; and there was a worse "mess," if possible, than I
had left below.
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