The Braces Had Been Let Go, And The Yard Was Swinging
About Like A Turnpike-Gate, And The Whole Sail Having Blown Over To
Leeward, The Lee Leach Was Over The Yard-Arm, And The Sky-Sail Was
All Adrift And Flying Over My Head.
I looked down, but it was in
vain to attempt to make myself heard, for every one was busy
Below,
and the wind roared, and sails were flapping in every direction.
Fortunately, it was noon and broad daylight, and the man at the wheel,
who had his eyes aloft, soon saw my difficulty, and after numberless
signs and gestures, got some one to haul the necessary ropes taught.
During this interval I took a look below. Everything was in confusion
on deck; the little vessel was tearing through the water as if she were
mad, the seas flying over her, and the masts leaning over at an angle
of forty-five degrees from the vertical. At the other royal-mast-head
was S - - -, working away at the sail, which was blowing from him as
fast as he could gather it in. The top-gallant-sail below me was
soon clewed up, which relieved the mast, and in a short time I got my
sail furled, and went below; but I lost overboard a new tarpaulin hat,
which troubled me more than anything else. We worked for about half
an hour with might and main; and in an hour from the time the squall
struck us, from having all our flying kites abroad, we came down to
double-reefed top-sails and the storm-sails.
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