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Its suddenness can only be appreciated by those who have sailed in the West India passages, where the sudden shocks of the short-chopping sea acts with a tremendous strain upon the hull of a heavy-laden vessel. The captain ran to the windward gangway, hurrying his men in the discharge of their duty, and giving another order to clew up the coursers and foretop-sail.
The weather moderated soon after we were round the Horn, but in a short time another gale sprung up, during which our bulwarks were battered in, one of our boats carried away, our bowsprit sprung, and the foretop-sail, the only canvas we had set, blown to ribbons. Besides this, we received other damages, which contributed still further to sour our captain's temper.
It was a real tempest which was raging, and such that the "Pilgrim" could not carry even the little sail she had left. Dick Sand, seeing that his top-sail was going to be torn, gave the order to furl. But it was in vain. A more violent gust struck the ship at that moment, and tore off the sail. Austin, who was on the yard of the foretop-sail, was struck by the larboard sheet-rope.
Well, I guess I must be off; there's the foretop-sail just let fall, and I'm bound they've passed the messenger already. I'm real sorry I can't take you all with me and shove you ashore somewhere on the quiet; but you see how 'tis; that feller Ralli but I ain't got time to talk any more, I swow. Good- bye.
Then you can pay me on Monday.” “No,” said I; “I’ll pay you off with the foretop-sail.” He laughed. “Here, take the stockings, and pay me when you please.” This I did not do until I had given him a little note promising to pay him when we returned from our cruise.
On the former there was a sail running fore and aft, just like the sail of the little yacht Alice, and on the latter there was a foresail, a foretop-sail, a foretop-gallant-sail, and a fore-royal-sail, all of course square sails, that is, running across the vessel, and fastened to what are called yards.
I chased them, with the exception of one, who ran aground near Calais, into that port. In hauling off after giving them a few more shot, their battery favoured us with one which struck us between wind and water. As the shells were now falling plentifully around us, I thought it prudent to make more sail, as one of the shells had gone through the foretop-sail.
She had been put in quarantine on her arrival, which we paid off with the foretop-sail, as we sailed the day after for a six weeks’ cruise in the chops of the Channel. At the end of that period we returned to our anchorage with another French brig laden with Colonial produce.
A perfect silence reigned over the deck. Our first business was to shorten sail, and round-to the ship. Mr Gale flew to the helm, and put it down, while we flattened in the topsail-braces, and clewed up top-gallant-sails, and brailed up the courses, throwing the foretop-sail aback. As this work occupied all our attention, we had no time to make any remarks as to the state of affairs on deck.
Our sufferings had now become intense, both from cold and hunger. All the provisions we could get at were spoiled with salt water, and the few clothes we had on were drenched also with water, and the wind pierced through them to our very bones. We still managed to keep a close-reefed foretop-sail on the ship, with a mainstay-sail and trysail, or we could not have avoided being constantly pooped.
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