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After a severe effort I succeeded in getting upon the topgallant yard, where I again paused I could go no further. My breath was quite gone and I had scarce strength to hold by the rigging and prevent myself from falling. The royal-mast still towered above, and below, threatened the dark face of Le Gros.
We, however, did not get off scathless. The enemy still continued to annoy us with their foremost guns; while the shot from their muskets rattled thickly round our heads, our main royal-mast and main-topsail yard had been shot away, and the gaff was so severely wounded, that when the Frenchmen fell aboard us, it dropped over his deck.
All sail being set, he now cast loose the life-line, reserved for swaying him to the main royal-mast head; and in a few moments they were hoisting him thither, when, while but two thirds of the way aloft, and while peering ahead through the horizontal vacancy between the main-top-sail and top-gallant-sail, he raised a gull-like cry in the air. "There she blows! there she blows!
Oddly enough, his first thought, as he hung there, was not for the man he had come to save, but for that which had turned him pale when first he glanced through the telescope. The foremast across which he lay was complete almost to the royal-mast, though the yards were gone; and to his left, just above the battered fore-top, five men were lashed, dead and drowned.
The foot of the top-gallant-mast was working between the cross and trussel trees, and the royal-mast lay over at a fearful angle with the mast below, while everything was working, and cracking, strained to the utmost. There's nothing for Jack to do but to obey orders, and I went up upon the yard; and there was a worse "mess," if possible, than I had left below.
Every eye was wildly fixed on the captain, and every cheek wore a death-like paleness. At last, away went her fore-top mast, top-gallant and royal-mast, foreyard, main-royal-mast, main-top-gallant, and main-top-mast; and her mizen-mast was much injured.
So far the brig appeared to be getting rather the best of it, for though her canvas showed the daylight through it in several places, her spars and running gear still remained uninjured, and every sail was drawing to the utmost advantage, whilst the frigate had lost her fore royal-mast, which, with its sail, was hanging down over the topgallant-sail and topsail, and the main-topmast studding-sail tack was cut and the sail streaming out loose and flapping furiously in the wind; these little casualties being sufficient to enable the brig to hold her own, for the time being at least, in the unequal race.
Commodore's Cockswain. . . Joe Bunk, of the Launch. Old Luff . . . . . . . Quarter-master Coffin. Mayor . . . . . . . . Seafull, of the Forecastle. PERCY ROYAL-MAST . . . . JACK CHASE. Mrs. Lovelorn . . . . . Long-locks, of the After-Guard. Toddy Moll . . . . . . Frank Jones. Gin and Sugar Sall. . . . Dick Dash.
We found her on her beam-ends." "Indeed, Captain Kendall, you have had your hands full," replied Mr. Lowington, pleased with the gallant conduct of his young friend. "The captain of the galiot, he has a name as long as the main royal-mast backstay, and I can't remember it, the captain is on board of the Josephine, and wishes to see you very much. I referred the whole matter to you, sir."
The old tars on the forecastle looked knowingly over the side at the foamy water rushing past, and then cast approving glances aloft where every sail was drawing. But their complacency was shattered by a loud crash aloft, which proved to be the main royal-mast which had given way under the strain.
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