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The outhaul block gave way, and the topmast studding-sail boom bent in a manner which I never before supposed a stick could bend. I had my eye on it when the guys parted, and it made one spring and buckled up so as to form nearly a half circle, and sprang out again to its shape.
The outhaul block gave way, and the topmast studding-sail boom bent in a manner which I never before supposed a stick could bend. I had my eye on it when the guys parted, and it made one spring and buckled up so as to form nearly a half-circle, and sprang out again to its shape.
All hands obeyed, and at once the eight or ten seamen who composed the crew, sprang to their respective stations at the spanker brails and outhaul, topsail sheets and halyards, the jib downhaul, and the topsail clewlines and buntlines. The young sailor gave a look to see that his orders were promptly and accurately obeyed, and then turned again to the owner.
The after-guard, which is the portion of the ship's company stationed on the quarter-deck, or abaft the mizzenmast, obeyed this order, and stood ready to set the spanker, which is the aftermost sail. "Walk away with the outhaul!" and the after-guard ran off with the rope, which drew the sail out into its place on the gaff. "Stand by the spanker sheet let it out!"
"Here, sir!" replied the second lieutenant; but his voice sounded like a whisper in the roar of the hurricane. "Double the hands on the outhaul!" added Terrill. "Stand by the brails!" "All ready, forward, sir!" reported Martyn. "Stand by the fore-sheets! Mr. Cleats!" continued the executive officer. "Here, sir!" said the old sailor, who, with the carpenter, was holding on at the weather-rail.
His gyrations, as he bobbed about under the uneasy motions of the vessel, gave him a ludicrous appearance, which even the positive expression of suffering on his face did not essentially mitigate. He had evidently come to a realizing sense of the perils of the sea, and was a pitiful sight to behold. "Man the foresail outhaul!" shouted Terrill, through his trumpet. "Mr. Martyn!"
It was soon ready, the boom topped up, preventer guys rove, and the idlers called up to man the halyards; yet such was still the force of the gale, that we were nearly an hour setting the sail; carried away the outhaul in doing it, and came very near snapping off the swinging boom. No sooner was it set than the ship tore on again like one that was mad, and began to steer as wild as a hawk.
Jump down into the gig, cast Jose adrift, and bid him come aboard instantly; we have not a moment to lose." And as I spoke I made a dash at the trysail brails, cast them off, and proceeded to drag upon the fall of the outhaul tackle.
It was soon ready, the boom topped up, preventer guys rove, and the idlers called up to man the halyards; yet such was still the force of the gale that we were nearly an hour setting the sail; carried away the outhaul in doing it, and came very near snapping off the swinging boom. No sooner was it set than the ship tore on again like one mad, and began to steer wilder than ever.
"Steady!" said the first lieutenant, when the ship had come up to her intended course. "Steady, sir," repeated the quartermaster in charge of the helm. "Stand by to set the spanker," added the first lieutenant. "Man the outhaul! Cast off the brails, and loose the vangs!"
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