Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: May 22, 2025
"Run it up," ordered the newly installed captain, "and watch his answer." Up went the signal, and as the men on the main-deck were manning the topsail-halyards, Poop-deck made out the answer: "V. K. C." "That means 'All right, Seldom," he said, after inspecting the book. "Good enough; but we'll get our line ready, too.
A heavy squall had struck the frigate, and she was heeling over with her main-deck ports almost in the water. Up they flew with the topmen to their respective stations, while the officer of the watch was shouting through his speaking-trumpet. "Let go topgallant-halyards. Clew up, haul down." Then came, "Let fly topsail-halyards. Clew up. Round in the weather braces."
Now her topsail-halyards were let go, and three heavy yards came down by the run, breaking across the caps; and amid a grinding, creaking, and crashing of riven timbers, and a deafening din of applauding tug whistles, she plowed her way into the nest of canal-boats and came to a stop. Then was a hejira.
With another fiendish laugh Job sprang into the rigging, and was soon out upon the topsail-yard busy with the reef points. "Why, he's shakin' out the reef," cried Jim in alarm. "I've half a mind to haul on the starboard brace, and try to shake the monster into the sea!" Job soon shook out the reef, and, descending swiftly by one of the backstays, seized the topsail-halyards.
The hands were thrilling for the order, and the great sail came with a run, and fell half overboard among the racing foam. 'Jib topsail-halyards! Let the stays'l be, he said again. But before it was well uttered, the squall shouted aloud and fell, in a solid mass of wind and rain commingled, on the Farallone; and she stooped under the blow, and lay like a thing dead.
"All hands shorten sail," cried the first lieutenant. "Man the fore and main clew-garnets, spanker brails topsail-halyards clew up haul down, let fly of all." These and sundry other orders followed in rapid succession. The squall, seeming to gain rapidity as it advanced, struck the frigate before it was expected.
Howland was a brave man; he had already showed both strength and prowess when, washed overboard in a "seel" of the ship, and carried fathoms deep in mid-ocean, he caught the topsail-halyards swept over with him and clung to them until he was rescued in spite of the raging wind and waves that repeatedly dragged him under; nor in the face of savage foe, or savage beast, or peril by land or sea, was John Howland ever known less than the foremost; but now in face of this angry woman he found naught to say, and blushing and stammering and half laughing fairly turned and ran away, springing up the stairs to the elevated deck cabins, in one of which Elder Brewster and his family had their lodging.
"Highland day and off she goes, Off she goes with a flying fore-topsail, Highland day and off she goes." It is one of the most spirited things imaginable, when well sung, and, when applied to the topsail-halyards, brings the yards up in grand style. These are some of the working-songs of the sea. They are not chosen for their sense, but for their sound.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking