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Updated: June 9, 2025
Everything was made snug, alow and aloft; and as the wind steadily freshened, we lay to, at length, under spanker and foretopsail, both double-reefed. In this trim, we rode safely enough for forty-eight hours the ship proving herself an excellent sea boat, in many respects, and shipping no water of any consequence.
She was about a hundred tons and could be handled by a crew of twenty. The nearest modern equivalent of her rig is that of a barque, though she carried a little square sail under her bowsprit and had no jibs, while her spanker had a most lateenish look. Her mainsail had a good hoist and spread. She had three masts and six sails altogether. The masts were 'pole, that is, all of one piece.
"All I know and can tell you," cried she, "is, that fear should never get a-horseback." Lord George burst into one of his loud laughs. "But as to the rest, fear may be a confounded good thing in its proper place; but they say it's catching; so I must run away from you, child," said she to Lady Augusta. "Jack, bring up Spanker. I've twenty miles to ride before dinner.
'Take in two reefs in the tops'ls, cried the captain; 'let go the bowlin's, haul the brace, lower the to'gall'nt sails, haul out the reef-tackles on the yards." "That was not enough for those latitudes," said the Englishman; "I should have taken four reefs in the topsails and furled the spanker." His firm, sonorous, and unexpected voice made every one start.
Popkins, with the men of the larboard watch, went to work, and in a few minutes the ship was running along quietly under her three topsails, jib, and spanker. Captain Jarvis: Throw the log, Mr. Popkins. Mr. Popkins: She is now going six knots, sir. Captain Jarvis: Six knots! Very well very well indeed, Mr. Popkins.
Every thing was made snug, alow and aloft; and as the wind steadily freshened, we lay to, at length, under spanker and foretopsail, both double-reefed. In this trim we rode safely enough for forty-eight hours the ship proving herself an excellent sea-boat in many respects, and shipping no water of any consequence.
Zounds! we shall be smashed to atoms if you don't mind your hands, you lubbers main topsail sheets let fly there she pays off, and has headway once more, that's it right your helm now never mind his spanker boom, the forestay will stand it there up with the helm, sir we have cleared him hurrah!"
The Elsinore, naked-sparred, under only lower-topsails, with spanker and crojack furled, was prepared for anything. Her lower-topsails hung in limp emptiness from the yards, heavy with rain and flapping soggily when she rolled. The cloud mass thinned, the day brightened, the green blackness passed into gray twilight, the lightning eased, the thunder moved along away from us, and there was no wind.
Well, one of the first things the lad does, when he gets on board her, is to lengthen his gaff, perhaps, put a cloth or two in his mizzen, and call it a spanker, settle away the peak till it sticks out over his taffrail like a sign-post, and then away he goes upon a wind, with his helm hard-up, bragging what a weatherly craft he has, and how hard it is to make her even look to leeward."
There was no sail now on the ship but the spanker and the close-reefed main topsail, which still held good. But this was too much after sail; and order was given to furl the spanker. The brails were hauled up, and all the light hands in the starboard watch sent out on the gaff to pass the gaskets; but they could do nothing with it.
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