United States or Paraguay ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"'Three times I 've been woke up this night by something shouting in my ear, "Steer nor'-nor'-west!" ses the cap'n very solemnly, "Steer nor'-nor'-west!" that's all it says. The first time I thought it was somebody got into my cabin skylarking, and I laid for 'em with a stick but I've heard it three times, an' there's nothing there.
At last the fog lifted a little, and a light and fitful wind began to blow from what quarter they had no means of knowing, but it was a chill wind. Biorn guessed it was northerly. He saw the stars before he saw the sun, and got his bearings. Next day it was fair. The sun rose out of the sea. The ship was heading nor'-nor'-west. He hoisted all sail, and made brave work of it.
Arnold's course was decided on in an instant. He saw a chance of turning the tables on his Majesty in a fashion that he would find as unpleasant as it would be unexpected. He turned to his coxswain and said "How is the wind, Smith?" "Nor'-nor'-west, with perhaps half a point more north in it, sir. About a ten-knot breeze at least that's the drift that Mr. Marston's allowing for."
It was still dark, when Captain M , having run his distance, shortened sail, and hove-to in the cruising ground which McElvina had recommended; and so correct was the calculation, as well as the information of the captain of the smugglers, that at day-break, as the frigate lay with her head in-shore, with the wind at Nor'-Nor'-West, a large vessel was descried under the land, a little on her weather-bow.
"I have them," replied I, "and we may as well put them down on the log-board: North Foreland Light Nor'-Nor'-West and a quarter West. Why, we should see the Tongue buoy. Now we'll drop the anchor and furl the sails, if you please, sir we can do nothing at present."
Souls for whom the wind is always nor'-nor'-west, and they sail nearer success than failure, and nearer wisdom than lunacy. Neither leaders nor slaves but no Tomlinsons! whomsoever of your friends you miss, them you will certainly meet again, not unduly pardoned, the fifty-first by the Throne. Such is Toronto.
So he agreed, and shrill whistling stirred to life more or less comatose troopers and horses. Steering, nor'-nor'-west, each following close upon the next ahead, they rode in deep silence. They crossed wave after wave of sand-hills, monotonous and bewildering.
"You just go up on deck and see how every sea that hits her knocks her bodily to leeward, and you'll tell a different story, my friend." "Well, well, I'll take your word for it this time, young man, just to encourage you a bit, you know. Now, let's see how that works out. How did you say she was heading, Delamere?" "Nor'-nor'-west," I repeated.
Saunders spoke a mongrel kind of language a mixture of Scotch and English in which, although the Scotch words were sparsely scattered, the Scotch accent was very strong. "How's her head?" "Nor'-nor'-west, sir." "Keep her there, then. Maybe, if the wind holds stiddy, we may overhaul them before it's quite dark."
The wind was out from about nor'-nor'-west, and had been blowing very fresh all day, notwithstanding which the ship was under all three royals, and fore and main topgallant studdingsails, her course being south-east.
Word Of The Day