Yo,
heave, hearty, ho!" and, in time with the song, by the force of
twenty strong arms, the windlass came slowly round, pawl after pawl,
and the weather clew of the sail was brought down to the waterways.
The starboard watch hauled aft the sheet, and the ship tore through
the water like a mad horse, quivering and shaking at every joint,
and dashing from its head the foam, which flew off at every blow,
yards and yards to leeward. A half hour of such sailing served our
turn, when the clews of the sail were hauled up, the sail furled,
and the ship, eased of her press, went more quietly on her way.
Soon after, the foresail was reefed, and we mizen-top men were
sent up to take another reef in the mizen topsail. This was the
first time I had taken a weather earing, and I felt not a little
proud to sit, astride of the weather yard-arm, pass the earing,
and sing out "Haul out to leeward!" From this time until we got
to Boston, the mate never suffered any one but our own gang to
go upon the mizen topsail yard, either for reefing or furling,
and the young English lad and myself generally took the earings
between us.
Having cleared the point and got well out to sea, we squared away
the yards, made more sail, and stood on, nearly before the wind,
for San Pedro. It blew strong, with some rain, nearly all night,
but fell calm toward morning, and the gale having gone over,
we came-to, -
Thursday, Oct.
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