"Aye, aye! Weather-bit
your chain and loose the topsails! Make sail on her, men- with a
will!" A few moments served to loose the topsails, which were furled
with reefs, to sheet them home, and hoist them up. "Bear a hand!" was
the order of the day; and every one saw the necessity of it, for the
gale was already upon us. The ship broke out her own anchor, which
we catted and fished, after a fashion, and stood off from the
lee-shore against a heavy head sea, under reefed topsails,
fore-topmast staysail and spanker. The fore course was given to her,
which helped her a little; but as she hardly held her own against
the sea which was settling her leeward- "Board the main tack!"
shouted the captain; when the tack was carried forward and taken to
the windlass, and all hands called to the handspikes. The great sail
bellied out horizontally as though it would lift up the main stay; the
blocks rattled and flew about; but the force of machinery was too much
for her. "Heave ho! Heave and pawl! Yo, heave, hearty, ho!" and, in
time with the song, by the force of twenty strong arms, the windlass
came slowly round, pawl after pawl, and the weather clew of the sail
was brought down to the waterways.
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