The Mate Then Hailed The
Yards - "All Ready Forward?" - "All Ready The Cross-Jack Yards?" Etc.,
Etc., And "Aye, Aye,
Sir!" being returned from each, the word was
given to let go; and in the twinkling of an eye, the
Ship, which
had shown nothing but her bare yards, was covered with her loose
canvas, from the royal-mast-heads to the decks. Every one then
laid down, except one man in each top, to overhaul the rigging,
and the topsails were hoisted and sheeted home; all three yards
going to the mast-head at once, the larboard watch hoisting the
fore, the starboard watch the main, and five light hands, (of whom
I was one,) picked from the two watches, the mizen. The yards were
then trimmed, the anchor weighed, the cat-block hooked on, the fall
stretched out, manned by "all hands and the cook," and the anchor
brought to the head with "cheerily men!" in full chorus. The ship
being now under weigh, the light sails were set, one after another,
and she was under full sail, before she had passed the sandy point.
The fore royal, which fell to my lot, (being in the mate's watch,)
was more than twice as large as that of the Pilgrim, and, though I
could handle the brig's easily, I found my hands full, with this,
especially as there were no jacks to the ship; everything being for
neatness, and nothing left for Jack to hold on by, but his eyelids.
As soon as we were beyond the point, and all sail out, the order
was given, "Go below the watch!" and the crew said that, ever since
they had been on the coast, they had had "watch and watch," while
going from port to port; and, in fact, everything showed that,
though strict discipline was kept, and the utmost was required
of every man, in the way of his duty, yet, on the whole, there
was very good usage on board. Each one knew that he must be a
man, and show himself smart when at his duty, yet every one was
satisfied with the usage; and a contented crew, agreeing with
one another, and finding no fault, was a contrast indeed with
the small, hard-used, dissatisfied, grumbling, desponding crew
of the Pilgrim.
It being the turn of our watch to go below, the men went to work,
mending their clothes, and doing other little things for themselves;
and I, having got my wardrobe in complete order at San Diego,
had nothing to do but to read. I accordingly overhauled the
chests of the crew, but found nothing that suited me exactly,
until one of the men said he had a book which "told all about a
great highway-man," at the bottom of his chest, and producing it,
I found, to my surprise and joy, that it was nothing else than
Bulwer's Paul Clifford. This, I seized immediately, and going
to my hammock, lay there, swinging and reading, until the watch
was out.
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