This Had Probably
Started Our Captain; As "Old Wilson" (The Captain Of The Ayacucho)
Had Been Many Years On The
Coast, and knew the signs of the weather.
We soon had the topsails loosed; and one hand remaining, as usual,
In each top, to overhaul the rigging and light the sail out, the rest
of us laid down to man the sheets. While sheeting home, we saw the
Ayacucho standing athwart our bows, sharp upon the wind, cutting through
the head sea like a knife, with her raking masts and sharp bows running
up like the head of a greyhound. It was a beautiful sight. She was
like a bird which had been frightened and had spread her wings in flight.
After the topsails had been sheeted home, the head yards braced aback,
the fore-top-mast staysail hoisted, and the buoys streamed, and all
ready forward, for slipping, we went aft and manned the slip-rope
which came through the stern port with a turn round the timber-heads.
"All ready forward?" asked the captain. "Aye, aye, sir; all ready,"
answered the mate. "Let go!" "All gone, sir;" and the iron cable
grated over the windlass and through the hawse-hole, and the little
vessel's head swinging off from the wind under the force of her backed
head sails, brought the strain upon the slip-rope. "Let go aft!"
Instantly all was gone, and we were under weigh. As soon as she was
well off from the wind, we filled away the head yards, braced all
up sharp, set the foresail and trysail, and left our anchorage well
astern, giving the point a good berth.
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