For this
purpose every vessel is furnished with a "spun-yarn winch"; which is
very simple, consisting of a wheel and spindle. This may be heard
constantly going on deck in pleasant weather; and we had employment,
during a great part of the time, for three hands in drawing and
knotting yarns, and making, spun-yarn.
Another method of employing the crew is, "setting up" rigging.
Whenever any of the standing rigging becomes slack, (which is
continually happening,) the seizing and coverings must be taken off,
tackles got up, and after the rigging is bowsed well taught, the
seizings and coverings replaced; coverings which is a very nice piece
of work. There is also such a connection between different parts of
a vessel, that one rope can seldom be touched without altering
another. You cannot stay a mast aft by the back stays, without
slacking up the head stays, etc., etc. If we add to this all the
tarring, greasing, oiling, varnishing, painting, scraping, and
scrubbing which is required in the course of a long voyage, and also
remember this is all to be done in addition to watching at night,
steering, reefing, furling, bracing, making and setting sail, and
pulling, hauling and climbing in every direction, one will hardly ask,
"What can a sailor find to do at sea?"
If, after all this labor- after exposing their lives and limbs in
storms, wet and cold,
"Wherein the cub-drawn bear would couch:
The lion and the belly-pinched wolf
Keep their furs dry;-"
the merchants and captains think that they have not earned their
twelve dollars a month, (out of which they clothe themselves,) and
their salt beef and hard bread, they keep them picking oakum- ad
infinitum.
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