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Updated: May 4, 2025
Would'nt surprise me if we had to double-reef topsails afore mornin'. Tell you what it is, Mr. Higgins, there's that ar north star with a towel over her face again. Sink me if there'll be any lunar took to-night." The captain shook his head, gave his Panama a tip, and walking aft, stood beside the binnacle watching the compasses for several minutes.
At noon, latitude 51° 12', longitude 173° 17' W. The wind veered to the N. and N.E. by N., blew a strong gale by squalls, which split an old topgallant sail, and obliged us to double-reef the top-sails; but in the evening the wind moderated, and veered to W.N.W., when we loosed a reef out of each top-sail; and found the variation of the compass to be 9° 52' E., being then in the latitude 51° 47', longitude 172° 21' W., and the next morning, the 18th, in the latitude of 52° 25', longitude 170° 45' W., it was 10° 26' E. Towards noon, had moderate but cloudy weather, and a great swell from the west: Some penguins and pieces of sea-weed seen.
We had chased a convoy of vessels to the bottom of the bay: the wind was very fresh when we hauled off, after running them on shore, and the surf on the beach even at that time was so great, that they were certain to go to pieces before they could be got afloat again. We were obliged to double-reef the topsails as soon as we hauled to the wind, and the weather looked very threatening.
I had no fears for his life, for he was a powerful and skillful swimmer, and this was not the first upset for either of us; but I never was so deeply impressed before by John's bad seamanship. He gained the boat without difficulty, and clambered on to the upturned bottom, so that I had time to let go my sheet and double-reef my sail.
"No, sir," replied the mate. "Very well, then," retorted the skipper, "don't you do it agen." Then to the crew, all of whom were by this time on deck, "Bowse down yer reef-tackles and double-reef the taups'ls, then stow the mains'l." "Don't you think we'd better run back to the Tyne, afore we drops too far to leeward to fetch it?" inquired the mate.
A deeper plunge than usual, a pause for a second, as if everything in the world suddenly stood still, and a great white giant seems to spring upon our weather-bow and to leap on board. We hear the crash and feel the shock, and presently the water comes pouring aft, and Captain Cope calls out to reef topsails, double-reef fore and mizzen, one reef in the main.
"She's like a mettled courser, sir, and loves the fleet track." "Scud while you can, Mr. Faulkner, it's a true nautical rule. Some men will always heave a ship to if there is a cap fill of " "Double-reef the mainsail!" shouted the captain, interrupting himself, to give an order that he saw was imperative. " Wind, but I believe in scudding, if you can," he added.
"He seemed to whistle to himself for a moment; and the next I heard him yell out sharply to the boys forward to tumble on the mainsail, strip her covers off, double-reef and hoist her. He took command from that moment. While a score of them flew to tackle this job, he beat his way forward and called on another lot to get out the staysail.
When folks finds out 't they've got to go to a doctor and swear 't there 's somethin' the matter with their insides, in order to git a little tod o' whiskey aboard, they turns and p'ints her direc' for Bar Harbor and Saratogy Springs; an' they not only p'ints her, they h'ists double-reef sails and sends her clippin'!" "Lunette 's got two," came from the other side of the house.
Still there was no evidence that a double-reef in the mainsail was necessary; no indication that the weather-glass had told a truthful tale. It came at length with awful speed and fury. At first there was a stifling heat in the atmosphere; then clouds began to dim the sky. Mysterious and solemn changes seemed to be taking place in nature noiselessly for a time.
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