We Sprang
Aloft Immediately And Furled The Royals And Top-Gallant-Sails,
And Took In The Flying Jib, Hauled Up The Mainsail And Trysail,
Squared The After Yards, And Awaited The Attack.
A huge mist
capped with black clouds came driving towards us, extending over
that quarter of the horizon, and covering the stars, which shone
brightly in the other part of the heavens.
It came upon us at
once with a blast, and a shower of hail and rain, which almost
took our breath from us. The hardiest was obliged to turn his back.
We let the halyards run, and fortunately were not taken aback.
The little vessel "paid off" from the wind, and ran on for some
time directly before it, tearing through the water with everything
flying. Having called all hands, we close-reefed the topsails and
trysail, furled the courses and job, set the fore-top-mast staysail,
and brought her up nearly to her course, with the weather braces
hauled in a little, to ease her.
This was the first blow, that I had seen, which could really be
called a gale. We had reefed our topsails in the Gulf Stream, and
I thought it something serious, but an older sailor would have thought
nothing of it. As I had now become used to the vessel and to my duty,
I was of some service on a yard, and could knot my reef-point as
well as anybody. I obeyed the order to lay(1) aloft with the rest,
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1. This word "lay," which is in such general use on board ship,
being used in giving orders instead of "go"; as "Lay forward!"
"Lay aft!" "Lay aloft!" etc., I do not understand to be the
neuter verb, lie, mispronounced, but to be the active verb lay,
with the objective case understood; as "Lay yourselves forwards!"
"Lay yourselves aft!" etc.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
and found the reefing a very exciting scene; for one watch reefed the
fore-topsail, and the other the main, and every one did his utmost to
get his topsail hoisted first. We had a great advantage over the
larboard watch, because the chief mate never goes aloft, while our
new second mate used to jump into the rigging as soon as we began to
haul out the reef-tackle, and have the weather earing passed before
there was a man upon the yard. In this way we were almost always
able to raise the cry of "Haul out to leeward" before them, and having
knotted our points, would slide down the shrouds and back-stays,
and sing out at the topsail halyards to let it be known that we were
ahead of them. Reefing is the most exciting part of a sailor's duty.
All hands are engaged upon it, and after the halyards are let go,
there is no time to be lost - no "sogering," or hanging back, then.
If one is not quick enough, another runs over him. The first on the
yard goes to the weather earing, the second to the lee, and the next
two to the "dog's ears;" while the others lay along into the bunt,
just giving each other elbow-room. In reefing, the yard-arms
(the extremes of the yards) are the posts of honor; but in furling,
the strongest and most experienced stand in the slings, (or, middle
of the yard,) to make up the bunt. If the second mate is a smart
fellow, he will never let any one take either of these posts from him;
but if he is wanting either in seamanship, strength, or activity,
some better man will get the bunt and earings from him; which
immediately brings him into disrepute.
We remained for the rest of the night, and throughout the next day,
under the same close sail, for it continued to blow very fresh;
and though we had no more hail, yet there was a soaking rain,
and it was quite cold and uncomfortable; the more so, because we
were not prepared for cold weather, but had on our thin clothes.
We were glad to get a watch below, and put on our thick clothing,
boots, and south-westers. Towards sun-down the gale moderated
a little, and it began to clear off in the south-west. We shook
our reefs out, one by one, and before midnight had top-gallant
sails upon her.
We had now made up our minds for Cape Horn and cold weather,
and entered upon every necessary preparation.
Tuesday, Nov. 4th. At day-break, saw land upon our larboard quarter.
There were two islands, of different size but of the same shape;
rather high, beginning low at the water's edge, and running with
a curved ascent to the middle. They were so far off as to be of
a deep blue color, and in a few hours we sank them in the north-east.
These were the Falkland Islands. We had run between them and the
main land of Patagonia. At sun-set the second mate, who was at
the masthead, said that he saw land on the starboard bow. This must
have been the island of Staten Land; and we were now in the region
of Cape Horn, with a fine breeze from the northward, top-mast and
top-gallant studding-sails set, and every prospect of a speedy and
pleasant passage round.
CHAPTER V
CAPE HORN - A VISIT
Wednesday, Nov. 5th. The weather was fine during the previous night,
and we had a clear view of the Magellan Clouds, and of the Southern Cross.
The Magellan Clouds consist of three small nebulae in the southern
part of the heavens, - two bright, like the milky-way, and one dark.
These are first seen, just above the horizon, soon after crossing
the southern tropic. When off Cape Horn, they are nearly overhead.
The cross is composed of four stars in that form, and is said to be
the brightest constellation in the heavens.
During the first part of this day (Wednesday) the wind was light,
but after noon it came on fresh, and we furled the royals.
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