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.
From where I stood,
the two vessels seemed nothing but spars and sails, while their
narrow decks, far below, slanting over by the force of the wind
aloft, appeared hardly capable of supporting the great fabrics
raised upon them.
The California was to windward of us, and had
every advantage; yet, while the breeze was stiff, we held our
own. As soon as it began to slacken, she ranged a little ahead,
and the order was given to loose the royals. In an instant the
gaskets were off and the bunt dropped. "Sheet home the fore royal!
- Weather sheet's home!" - "Hoist away, sir!" is bawled from aloft.
"Overhaul your clew-lines!" shouts the mate. "Aye, aye, sir, all
clear!" - "Taught leech! belay! Well the lee brace; haul taught to
windward" - and the royals are set. These brought us up again; but
the wind continuing light, the California set hers, and it was soon
evident that she was walking away from us. Our captain then hailed,
and said that he should keep off to his course; adding - "She isn't
the Alert now. If I had her in your trim, she would have been out
of sight by this time." This was good-naturedly answered from the
California, and she braced sharp up, and stood close upon the wind
up the coast; while we squared away our yards, and stood before the
wind to the south-south-west.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 416 of 618
Words from 113950 to 114210
of 170236
