United States or New Caledonia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
In that supreme moment the power of the man rose to a great height. He grasped the situation with the calmness of one thinking in bed; and waiting motionless for some seconds, which were seconds almost of agony to the rest of us, he cried of a sudden "Hard a-starboard!" and the helm went over with a run. The movement was altogether superb.
"Brace the yards up sharp-hard a-starboard! and trim aft the sheets," ordered the Captain, who had previously given the order, "All hands on deck!" The order was scarcely executed, before the noise of the approaching gale was heard in the distance.
At the proper moment the word was given, the axe fell once, twice, and we were once more adrift, the ship gathering stern-way and paying off with her helm hard a-starboard and the port fore braces flattened in.
The moment her people felt that they had complete command of their vessel, as if waiting only for that assurance, they altered her course and made sail. Putting her helm a-starboard, the ship came close by the wind, with her head looking directly in for the promontory, while her tacks were hauled on board, and her light canvas aloft was loosened and spread to the breeze.
I am sorry that I have a painful duty to perform. I must place you under an arrest, till I know what may be the port admiral's pleasure concerning this unpleasant business; for for the loss of the Mary Anne of London you are clearly responsible." "Had you sung out hard a-starboard, instead of hard a-port, the case might have been different." "Clearly."
The braces were then manned and the main yard swung, while our helm put hard a-starboard; when, the upper sails now filling and drawing again, our courses were dropped and the tacks hauled aboard, the clew garnets rattling as they were brought aft, and the ship put on her course.
The guns were freed, and they, too, went hurtling through the air, striking the rock with a clang. The captain leaped to the helm and put it hard a-starboard. The ship's pace slackened, she curved gracefully around, and headed from the threatening coast. "Shake out all sail, lads, for we're free at last, by God's good grace."
It was in this narrow passage that they had their altercation with a lumbering Chinese junk tacking slowly to and fro against the tide. "Hard a-port!" ordered Falland, who was conning the ship. "Hard a-starboard!" contradicted the Commander excitedly. "What are you thinking about, Mr. Falland?"
That might be all to the good, he judged, forgetting how far south he had run before the thick weather caught him; anyhow, there was nothing to be done except to keep a sharp look-out for land a-starboard. He passed several icebergs and had a touch-and-go business with some of them, he said.
'Funny, says thot mate-fellow, 'I'm no rememberun' ony islands un the mouth o' Narrow Reach. I took one look ot the islands an' yells, 'Putt your wheel hard a-starboard, tull the mon ot the wheel. An' ye should a-seen the old Tryapsic turnun' the sharpest circle she ever turned.