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Her maintopmast is reefed a third down; we have been long without topgallantmasts, being necessitated to take the topgallant rigging for running gear."
"Well, we don't," I concluded defiantly, beginning again my knocking and hammering. Next day, the mast-steps clear and everything in readiness, we started to get the two topmasts aboard. The maintopmast was over thirty feet in length, the foretopmast nearly thirty, and it was of these that I intended making the shears. It was puzzling work.
"I saw him, I tell you, Master Charles, as plain as I see you now; and as true as I am standing by your side the sarpint jumped right over the Amphitrite when Gil Saul and I was a-looking up, and carried away our maintopmast and everything belonging to it!" "Well, it must have been wonderful, Jim," said I.
The gale was white with snow, and dark with the blinding fall of it too, when I came on deck at noon. I was in the chief mate's, or port watch, as it is called. The ship was running under a double-reefed topsail in those days we carried single sails, reefed foresail, close-reefed foretopsail, and maintopmast staysail.
In the Morning the Carpenter reported the Maintopmast to be Sprung in the Cap, which we supposed hapned in the P.M., when both the Weather Backstays broke. Our Rigging and Sails are now so bad that something or another is giving way every day. At Noon had 13 Sail in sight, which we are well assured are the India Fleet, and are all now upon our Weather Quarter.
"She has a longer range than most Spaniards," said he. "But I'll not waste powder yet for all that. We've none to spare." Scarcely had he spoken when a third shot boomed. There was a splintering crash overhead followed by a sough and a thud as the maintopmast came hurtling to the deck and in its fall stretched a couple of men in death. Battle was joined, it seemed.
It had been my intention to sail into the latitude of the Azores, and then to return to Rio de Janeiro; but strong gales coming on we made the unpleasant discovery that the frigate's maintopmast was sprung, and when putting her about, the main and maintopsail yards were discovered to be unserviceable.
As she drifted seaward, Porter decided to seize the emergency and take the long chance of running out to windward of the Phoebe and the Cherub. He therefore cut the other cable, and the Essex plunged into the wind under single-reefed topsails to claw past the headland. Just as she was about to clear it, a whistling squall carried away the maintopmast.
Fix'd a new maintopmast Backstay, the old one having broke several times. Wind Ditto; course North 31 degrees 15 minutes West; distance 124 miles; latitude 17 degrees 5 minutes North, longitude 34 degrees 9 minutes West. Friday, 31st. Strong Gales and Cloudy in the Evening. Got down Top Gallant Yards, and in the Morning found the Variation 5 degrees 9 minutes West.
It was blowing strong a shot struck her foremast, and with all its top hamper away it went over the side, carrying the maintopmast with it. The frigate luffed up into the wind and became unmanageable. A fire-ship was approaching. On it came. It got entangled in the wreck of the mast, and soon the frigate herself was wrapped in flames. Edda saw and comprehended the danger.
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