The carpenter
sometimes mustered in the starboard watch, and was an old sea-dog, a
Swede by birth, and accounted the best helmsman in the ship. This was
our ship's company, beside cook and steward, who were blacks, three
mates, and the captain.
The second day out, the wind drew ahead, and we had to beat up the
coast; so that, in tacking ship, I could see the regulations of the
vessel. Instead of going wherever was most convenient, and running
from place to place, wherever work was to be done, each man had his
station. A regular tacking and wearing bill was made out. The chief
mate commanded on the forecastle, and had charge of the head sails and
the forward part of the ship. Two of the best men in the ship- the
sailmaker from our watch, and John, the Frenchman, from the other,
worked the forecastle. The third mate commanded in the waist, and,
with the carpenter and one man, worked the main tack and bowlines; the
cook, ex-officio, the fore sheet, and the steward the main. The second
mate had charge of the after yards, and let go the lee fore and main
braces. I was stationed at the weather cross-jack braces; three
other light hands at the lee; one boy at the spanker-sheet and guy;
a man and a boy at the main topsail, top-gallant, royal braces; and
all the rest of the crew- men and boys- tailled on to the main brace.
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