The California Had Got Under Weigh At The Same Moment; And We
Sailed Down The Narrow Bay Abreast And Were
Just off the mouth,
and finding ourselves gradually shooting ahead of her, were on
the point of giving her three
Parting cheers, when, suddenly, we
found ourselves stopped short, and the California ranging fast
ahead of us. A bar stretches across the mouth of the harbor,
with water enough to float common vessels, but, being low in
the water, and having kept well to leeward, as we were bound
to the southward, we had stuck fast, while the California,
being light, had floated over.
We kept all sail on, in the hope of forcing over, but failing in
this, we hove aback, and lay waiting for the tide, which was on
the flood, to take us back into the channel. This was somewhat
of a damper to us, and the captain looked not a little mortified
and vexed. "This is the same place where the Rosa got ashore,"
observed the redheaded second mate, most mal-a-propos. A malediction
on the Rosa, and him too, was all the answer he got, and he slunk
off to leeward. In a few minutes, the force of the wind and the
rising of the tide backed us into the stream, and we were on our
way to our old anchoring-place, the tide setting swiftly up, and
the ship barely manageable, in the light breeze. We came-to, in
our old berth, opposite the hide-house, whose inmates were not a
little surprised to see us return. We felt as though we were tied
to California; and some of the crew swore that they never should
get clear of the bloody coast.
In about half an hour, which was near high water, the order was
given to man the windlass, and again the anchor was catted; but not
a word was said about the last time. The California had come back
on finding that we had returned, and was hove-to, waiting for us,
off the point. This time we passed the bar safely, and were soon
up with the California, who filled away, and kept us company.
She seemed desirous of a trial of speed, and our captain accepted
the challenge, although we were loaded down to the bolts of
our chain plates, as deep as a sand-barge, and bound so taught
with our cargo that we were no more fit for a race than a man
in fetters; - while our antagonist was in her best trim. Being
clear of the point, the breeze became stiff, and the royal masts
bent under our sails, but we would not take them in until we saw
three boys spring aloft into the rigging of the California; when
they were all furled at once, but with orders to stay aloft at the
top-gallant mastheads, and loose them again at the word. It was
my duty to furl the fore royal; and while standing by to loose
it again, I had a fine view of the scene.
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