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Updated: April 30, 2025
Wilson seized the lead-line, sprang to the fore-chains, and threw the lead; the rope ran out between his fingers, at the third knot the lead stopped. "Three fathoms," cried Wilson. "Captain," said John, running to Will Halley, "we are on the breakers." Whether or not he saw Halley shrug his shoulders is of very little importance.
Chase was immediately given, but the water shoaled, and the pilot was asked if they could stand on. He replied in the affirmative, stating that they were now in the shallowest water, and that it was deeper within. The leadsman was ordered into the chains, but at the first heave, the lead-line broke; another was sent for, and the Dort still carried on under a heavy press of sail.
A single riding light glowed at the No. 5's masthead. Her cabin lights blinked out. Her crew sprawled in their bunks, sound asleep. Under cover of the night the fishermen took pattern from the seiner's example. A gill net is nine hundred feet long, approximately twenty feet deep. They stripped the cork floats off one and hung it to the lead-line of another.
Before other means could be resorted to, Michael Collins, a young sailor belonging to the Cæsar's mizen-top, seized the end of a lead-line, and exclaiming, "You shall soon have a warp," darted into the sea from the tafrail, and swam with the line to the Audacious, where it was received, and by that means a hawser was run out which answered the intended purpose. Mole of Gibraltar.
"So you cut the lead-line? The negro saw you, and has saved us." The Spaniard leaped down from off the gun, and, before he could be prevented, had buried his knife in the heart of the negro. "Maldetto, take that for your pains!" cried he, in a fury, grinding his teeth and flourishing his knife. The negro fell dead.
It is always interesting to trace the necessity which directly or indirectly was the parent of a particular invention; and in the great importance of an accurate record of the sea-depth in which a cable is being laid, together with the tedious and troublesome character of ordinary sounding by the lead-line, especially when a ship is actually paying out cable, we may find the requirements which led to the invention of the 'bathometer, an instrument designed to indicate the depth of water over which a vessel is passing without submerging a line.
"Ay, ay, Mr Troubridge, I will. That's the proper thing to do," responded the boatswain, as he bustled away down on to the main deck and wended his way forward to bring up the lead-line. The ship was already hove-to; there should therefore be no difficulty in obtaining absolutely accurate soundings.
Just then, the negro slave went up to Philip, and told him that he had seen the pilot with his knife in the chains, and that he thought he must have cut the lead-line so far through, as to occasion its being carried away, and told Philip not to trust him. The helm was immediately put down; but as the ship went round she touched on the bank, dragged, and was again clear. "Scoundrel!" cried Philip.
The natives came off in their canoes in great numbers, and exchanged yams and shaddocks for nails and old rags; but, as usual, some began to pilfer, and one man got hold of the lead-line, which he would not relinquish till fired at.
'Nay, I answered, 'after leaving Major Hooker in a somewhat cavalier fashion, it would be a bitter thing to have to ask his help now that there is danger. 'Ho, ho! cried the Baronet. 'It does not take a very deep lead-line to come to the bottom of your stoical philosophy, friend Micah. For all your cold-blooded stolidity you are keen enough where pride or honour is concerned.
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