But This Was Too Much After
Sail; And Order Was Given To Furl The Spanker.
The brails were
hauled up, and all the light hands in the starboard watch sent
out on the gaff to pass the gaskets; but they could do nothing
with it.
The second mate swore at them for a parcel of "sogers,"
and sent up a couple of the best men; but they could do no better,
and the gaff was lowered down. All hands were now employed in
setting up the lee rigging, fishing the spritsail-yard, lashing
the galley, and getting tackles upon the martingale, to bowse it
to windward. Being in the larboard watch, my duty was forward,
to assist in setting up the martingale. Three of us were out on
the martingale guys and back-ropes for more than half an hour,
carrying out, hooking and unhooking the tackles, several times
buried in the seas, until the mate ordered us in, from fear of
our being washed off. The anchors were then to be taken up on
the rail, which kept all hands on the forecastle for an hour,
though every now and then the seas broke over it, washing the
rigging off to leeward, filling the lee scuppers breast high,
and washing chock aft to the taffrail.
Having got everything secure again, we were promising ourselves
some breakfast, for it was now nearly nine o'clock in the forenoon,
when the main topsail showed evident signs of giving way. Some sail
must be kept on the ship, and the captain ordered the fore and main
spencer gaffs to be lowered down, and the two spencers (which were
storm sails, bran new, small, and made of the strongest canvas)
to be got up and bent; leaving the main topsail to blow away,
with a blessing on it, if it would only last until we could set
the spencers. These we bent on very carefully, with strong robands
and seizings, and making tackles fast to the clews, bowsed them down
to the water-ways. By this time the main topsail was among the
things that have been, and we went aloft to stow away the remnant
of the last sail of all those which were on the ship twenty-four
hours before. The spencers were now the only whole sails on the
ship, and, being strong and small, and near the deck, presenting
but little surface to the wind above the rail, promised to hold
out well. Hove-to under these, and eased by having no sail above
the tops, the ship rose and fell, and drifted off to leeward like
a line-of-battle ship.
It was now eleven o'clock, and the watch was sent below to
get breakfast, and at eight bells (noon), as everything was
snug, although the gale had not in the least abated, the watch
was set, and the other watch and idlers sent below. For three
days and three nights, the gale continued with unabated fury,
and with singular regularity.
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