Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 21, 2025
And behind them in the after end of the ship the helmsman prayed aloud the helmsman's prayer, which is prayed by all who follow his trade upon the River Yann, of whatever faith they be. And the captain prayed to his little lesser gods, to the gods that bless Belzoond. And I too felt that I would pray.
The tide, too, was running out against her, and now and then a flaw of wind or a back eddy, caused by the cliffs on either side, would upset the helmsman's calculations. Yet with superb coolness he would drive her, till to us watchers, lying stretched out on the ground overhead, it seemed that her forefoot must surely be over the submerged cliff-side.
Up there, in the helmsman's seat, he espied Hal Hastings with his hands employed at t he steering apparatus. Hal was looking out over the water, straight ahead. "Sailing these days without word from your captain, eh?" Jack called, in a voice that carried, though it shook. "Gracious you?" ejaculated Hal, looking down for an instant.
The Frenchmen, who had concentrated all their attention on the Ruby and let the other two ships escape, now bore up after them. On she stood under all sail towards the rocks. The old pilot took his stand in the weather-rigging. The helmsman's eye was upon him, ready to answer each wave of his hand, or deep-toned sound of his voice.
The lighter and more lofty sails first acknowledged its welcome presence, alternately swelling out and fluttering to the masts, like the gentle rise and fall of the breast of sleeping beauty, then they filled out steadily, the lower and heavier canvas also sullenly yielding to its influence; a soft, musical, rippling sound arose beneath the frigate's bows, tiny whirlpools formed in the wake of the rudder and trailed away astern, the pressure of the spokes upon the helmsman's hand became firm and steady, a faint creak was occasionally heard aloft as the strain upon the spars increased, the sails "went to sleep," the sheets tautened out, the ripple under the bows grew louder and louder, until it emulated the rush of a mountain torrent, and the foam gathered round the cutwater, hissing along the side, and swirling far away in our wake, as the "Juno," yielding to the freshening breeze, swept out past the Needles, and hauled up a point or two for Ushant.
They drove her remorselessly; and she swept through the combers, tilted and streaming, while the spray scourged the helmsman's face as he gazed to weather. The men's arms and shoulders ached from working in a cramped position; but there was no help for it. They toiled on furiously, until at last the crest of a crag for which they were heading sloped away in front of them.
Just then the bell near the helmsman's window struck again, though in a manner a little different from before; for after the two pairs of strokes which had been heard before there came a single stroke, making five in all, thus: Ding ding! Ding ding! Ding. Immediately afterward the sound was repeated in the forward part of the ship, as it had been before. Ding ding! Ding ding! Ding,
Tom pulled off his coat and gave it to Ralph, saying: "Climb aboard with this, then come back and bear a hand." The lad ran down the plank and deposited the boatswain's jacket and his bundle in the helmsman's closet, then made his way back and took hold of the incoming freight with a will. In half an hour the stores were on board, and the tug, casting loose, began to steam swiftly down the river.
As the mass of water struck him, Frank had grabbed an awning stanchion, more from instinct than anything else, and thus saved himself from being swept overboard. Bill had laid hold of the wheel, and although he was lifted from the helmsman's seat and forcibly banged down again, he was safe.
"Starboard, Parrell! Starboard a bit now!" "Aye, aye, sir," came again the helmsman's answering cry from the wheel- house. "Starboard it is, sir!" "Keep her so. A trifle more off. Steady!" "Steady it is, sir!"
Word Of The Day
Others Looking