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In less than a week after I had made my plunge from the royal rigging, I could climb to the royal-yard without the slightest fear ay, I had even in a fit of bravado gone higher, and put my hand upon the main-truck!
Not to speak of the tall masts, and yards, and rigging of this famous ship, among whose mazes of spun-glass I used to rove in imagination, till I grew dizzy at the main-truck, I will only make mention of the people on board of her.
Clear away the bow gun there, and fire it with a blank cartridge; and, Pedro, get out the recall signal, and stand by to run it up to the main-truck at the flash of the gun."
The Pisco soon told; and, with great difficulty, we restrained a party in the very act of breaking into the after-hold in pursuit of more. All manner of pranks were now played. "Mast-head, there! what d'ye see?" bawled Beauty, hailing the main-truck through an enormous copper funnel. "Stand by for stays," roared Flash Jack, bawling off with the cook's axe, at the fastening of the main-stay.
The "main-royal-mast" terminates the structure, and its top, or head, is usually crowned with a flat circular piece of wood, called the "main-truck," which is the most elevated point in the ship. The fore and mizen-masts are similarly divided, though the latter is much shorter than either of the others and rarely has topgallant-sails, and still more rarely "royals."
"A year ago, I was like you only paler and thinner, and maybe fewer clothes to my back and trembled when I went aloft; and now there are not many aboard can reach the main-truck from the deck before me, or lay out smarter on a yard." The tide was against them, so that Ned had time to tell his new acquaintances a good deal of his history before they reached the ship.
So, while the uninjured men were assisting the wounded five into the forecastle, the police flag was run up to the main-truck, and the two mates retired to the poop to wait and watch. In a few moments the eleven men came aft in a body, empty-handed, however, and evidently with no present hostile intention: they had merely come for their clothes.
Whether ordered to the main-truck in a gale; or rolled by the drum to the grog-tub; or commanded to walk up to the gratings and be lashed, Landess always obeyed with the same invincible indifference. His advice to a young lad, who shipped with us at Valparaiso, embodies the pith and marrow of that philosophy which enables some man-of-war's-men to wax jolly in the service.
"But I shall not do you any mean, underhanded tricks, if that is what you mean." "Why, Marcy, I never done you nary one," began Beardsley. "Captain, I know you from main-truck to kelson," answered the boy, gathering up his reins as if about to ride away.
Stir thyself, Starbuck! stave it off move, move! speak aloud! Mast-head there. See ye my boy's hand on the hill? Crazed; aloft there! keep thy keenest eye upon the boats: mark well the whale! Ho! again! drive off that hawk! see! he pecks he tears the vane" pointing to the red flag flying at the main-truck "Ha! he soars away with it!
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