The starboard watch hauled aft
the sheet, and the ship tore through the water like a mad horse,
quivering and shaking at every joint, and dashing from its head the
foam, which flew off at every blow, yards and yards to leeward. A half
hour of such sailing served our turn, when the clews of the sail
were hauled up, the sail furled, and the ship, eased of her press,
went more quietly on her way. Soon after, the foresail was reefed, and
we mizen-top men were sent up to take another reef in the mizen
topsail. This was the first time I had taken a weather earing, and I
felt not a little proud to sit, astride of the weather yard-arm,
pass the earing, and sing out "Haul out to leeward!" From this time
until we got to Boston, the mate never suffered any one but our own
gang to go upon the mizen topsail yard, either for reefing or furling,
and the young English lad and myself generally took the earings
between us.
Having cleared the point and got well out to sea, we squared away
the yards, made more sail, and stood on, nearly before the wind, for
San Pedro. It blew strong, with some rain, nearly all night, but
fell calm toward morning, and the gale having gone over, we came-to,-
Thursday, Oct.
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