The mate then hailed the yards- "All ready forward?"- "All
ready the cross-jack yards?" etc., etc., and "Aye, aye, sir!" being
returned from each, the word was given to let go; and in the twinkling
of an eye, the ship, which had shown nothing but her bare yards, was
covered with her loose canvas, from the royal-mast-heads to the decks.
Every one then laid down, except one man in each top, to overhaul
the rigging, and the topsails were hoisted and sheeted home; all three
yards going to the mast-head at once, the larboard watch hoisting
the fore, the starboard watch the main, and five light hands, (of whom
I was one,) picked from the two watches, the mizen. The yards were
then trimmed, the anchor weighed, the cat-block hooked on, the fall
stretched out, manned by "all hands and the cook," and the anchor
brought to the head with "cheerily men!" in full chorus. The ship
being now under weigh, the light sails were set, one after another,
and she was under full sail, before she had passed the sandy point.
The fore royal, which fell to my lot, (being in the mate's watch,) was
more than twice as large as that of the Pilgrim, and, though I could
handle the brig's easily, I found my hands full, with this, especially
as there were no jacks to the ship; everything being for neatness, and
nothing left for Jack to hold on by, but his eyelids.
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