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. There was no lulls, and very
little variation in its fierceness. Our ship, being light,
rolled so as almost to send the fore yard-arm under water,
and drifted off bodily, to leeward. All this time there was
not a cloud to be seen in the sky, day or night; - no, not so
large as a man's hand. Every morning the sun rose cloudless
from the sea, and set again at night, in the sea, in a flood of
light.
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