Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 24, 2025
Into this bay did we rush on top of a huge sea, Trentanove and the captain and I swinging with set teeth at the tiller, that was hard a-lee; she came round, but with such way upon her that she took a long shelving beach of ice and ran up it to the distance of half her own length, and there she lay, with her rudder within touch of the wash of the water.
We had not much time for cheering; we were still engaged with the commodore on our lee bow, while the second largest frigate lay upon our lee quarter, blazing away at us. Just then our pilot shouted out, "If we do not tack, in five minutes we shall be on the shoal!" "Never mind," answered the captain; "when the French commodore strikes the ground, put the helm a-lee."
He, too, in the puffs, climbed part way out on the outrigger, at the same time steering with both hands on a large paddle and holding the mainsheet with his foot. "Ready about!" he called. I carefully shifted my weight inboard in order to maintain the equilibrium as the sail emptied. "Hard a-lee!" he called, shooting her into the wind.
I looked again; a man was holding on to it, and drifting up towards us. I was certain I saw him lift up his hand and wave it. I immediately reported the circumstance to the captain. "Although he is probably one of those wretched Moors, he is a fellow-creature, and it is our duty to try and save him," he observed. "About-ship! helm a-lee!" he sung out.
The foresail they dared not take off, as, without any sail to keep her steady, the remaining mast would in all probability have rolled over the side; but without after-sail, the ship would not keep to the wind, and the consequence was, that she was two points off the wind, forging fast through the water, notwithstanding that the helm was hard a-lee.
Her topsail yard was braced so that it pointed directly to the north-east the quarter from which the gale blew. The helm was put a-lee just enough to keep her in the position indicated. She made little or no headway, but rather drifted with the waves. The young tars had a hard forenoon's work; and what was done was accomplished with triple the labor required in an ordinary sea.
A light was then hoisted at her peak; her helm lashed hard a-lee; the prize crew re-transferred to their own ship, and the Ocmulgee left to her own devices, the Alabama lying by her during the night.
Tack about, helm a-lee, thou son of a bachelor. Would I were now well in Quinquenais, though I were never to marry. Haste away, let's make all the sail we can. They'll be too hard for us; we are not able to cope with them; they are ten to our one, I'll warrant you. Nay, and they are on their dunghill, while we do not know the country. They will be the death of us. We'll lose no honour by flying.
"By the deep nine, an' the wind's a-lee, so heave, my mariners all O!" At first we began to gain considerably upon our pursuer, but presently I saw him turn his head, saw the Panama tossed aside as Mr. Selwyn settled down to real business and the struggle began.
"The wind is heading us," muttered the man at the wheel; "she's fallen off two points." "Hands about ship," cried Captain Fleetwood. "We'll show the poor fellows we do not intend to give them the go-by. Helm's a-lee! Tacks and sheets! Main-topsail haul. Of all, haul." And round came the brig, with her head to the eastward, or towards the island of Milo.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking