The Carpenter Sometimes
Mustered In The Starboard Watch, And Was An Old Sea-Dog, A Swede
By Birth, And Accounted The Best Helmsman In The Ship.
This was
our ship's company, beside cook and steward, who were blacks,
three mates, and the captain.
The second day out, the wind drew ahead, and we had to beat up
the coast; so that, in tacking ship, I could see the regulations
of the vessel. Instead of going wherever was most convenient,
and running from place to place, wherever work was to be done,
each man had his station. A regular tacking and wearing bill
was made out. The chief mate commanded on the forecastle, and had
charge of the head sails and the forward part of the ship. Two of
the best men in the ship - the sailmaker from our watch, and John,
the Frenchman, from the other, worked the forecastle. The third
mate commanded in the waist, and, with the carpenter and one man,
worked the main tack and bowlines; the cook, ex-officio, the fore
sheet, and the steward the main. The second mate had charge of
the after yards, and let go the lee fore and main braces. I was
stationed at the weather cross-jack braces; three other light
hands at the lee; one boy at the spanker-sheet and guy; a man
and a boy at the main topsail, top-gallant, and royal braces;
and all the rest of the crew - men and boys - tallied on to the
main brace.
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