If The Chief Officer Wants Force,
Discipline Slackens, Everything Gets Out Of Joint, The Captain
Interferes Continually; That Makes A Difficulty Between Them,
Which Encourages The Crew, And The Whole Ends In A Three-Sided
Quarrel.
But Mr. Brown (the mate of the Alert) wanted no help
from anybody; took everything into his own hands; and was more
likely to encroach upon the authority of the master, than to
need any spurring.
Captain T - - - gave his directions to the
mate in private, and, except in coming to anchor, getting under
weigh, tacking, reefing topsails, and other "all-hands-work,"
seldom appeared in person. This is the proper state of things,
and while this lasts, and there is a good understanding aft,
everything will go on well.
Having furled all the sails, the royal yards were next to be sent
down. The English lad and myself sent down the main, which was
larger than the Pilgrim's main top-gallant yard; two more light
hands, the fore; and one boy, the mizen. This order, we always
kept while on the coast; sending them up and down every time we
came in and went out of port. They were all tripped and lowered
together, the main on the starboard side, and the fore and mizen,
to port. No sooner was she all snug, than tackles were got up
on the yards and stays, and the long-boat and pinnace hove out.
The swinging booms were then guyed out, and the boats made fast
by geswarps, and everything in harbor style.
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