Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 3, 2025
We had the courses clewed up when the men were alive, and the lower yards were fairly square; so the ship, with the aid of the head-sails, kept the canvas full, and she sailed along, manned by a crew of rabid rats, a crazy first mate, and a half-crazy second mate.
"Sure it's grateful I am it wasn't a fifteen-shilling pig or a twenty-shilling one." The Kanaka helmsman put the wheel down, and the Malahini slipped into the eye of the wind and righted to an even keel. Her head-sails emptied, there was a rat-tat of reef-points and quick shifting of boom-tackles, and she was heeled over and filled away on the other tack.
Night compelled them to knock off before the work was finished. The wind, however, continued steady, and the ship ran on almost dead before it under her head-sails the French officer, Lieutenant Vinoy, was a remarkably polite young gentleman, but whether or not he was a good seaman remained to be proved.
At one time it seemed as if she had got stern way, and he opened his mouth about to give the order to let go the anchor and to shorten sail. Those on board knew the order would have been followed by another, dreaded by all seamen to cut away the masts, the only mode of proceeding to enable the corvette to ride out the gale. Again and again the captain looked up at the head-sails.
Then she shot into the wind; her sails fluttered; she lay almost motionless, and her head-sails were lowered. "That's just as if they were coming into port," said Burke. "Yes," said Shirley, "I expect they intend to drop anchor." This surmise was correct, for, as he spoke, the anchor went down with a splash. "They're very business-like," said Burke. "Look at them. They are lowering a boat."
'Never, sir; and they have fished together now for seven years. Francisco gave the key to the man, who opened the locks of the hatches, and returned it. 'There she is! cried the man; the head-sails making their appearance as the vessel opened to their view from the projecting point distant about four miles.
There they lay as if drugged, all through the night, even when the seamen trampled over them to haul the head-sails and tack ship. When, at last, they blinked at the morning sky, it dismayed them to find the breeze blowing strong out of the southeast and the Revenge standing in to the coast under easy sail. They looked aft and saw Blackbeard at the rail with a long glass at his eye.
He was picked up by the first boat to put off from the bark, and ordered pursuit; but this was soon seen to be useless. The clean-lined brig had sternway equal to the best speed of the boats, and now head-sails were run up, and she paid off from the shore.
According to Bau-Oti, anchorage three hundred yards off the west shore in nine fathoms, coral patches to the southeast. There are the patches. What do you get, Jackie?" "Nine fadom." "Let go, Mr. Snow." The Uncle Toby swung to her chain, head-sails ran down, and the Kanaka crew sprang to fore and main-halyards and sheets.
As she stood across the bay, she appeared to be not more than a couple of miles from the deepest part and in how few minutes would she be driven that distance! She had again reached the northern shore; once more her head-sails shivered in the gale, and the hearts of the bravest on board the Gauntlet trembled, lest, missing stays, her fate might be sealed.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking