Having got on deck again, we looked round to see what time of
night it was, and whose watch. In a few minutes the man at the wheel
struck four bells, and we found that the other watch was out, and
our own half out. Accordingly, the starboard watch went below, and
left the ship to us for a couple of hours, yet with orders to stand by
for a call.
Hardly had they got below, before away went the fore-topmast
staysail, blown to ribbons. This was a small sail, which we could
manage in the watch, so that we were not obliged to call up the
other watch. We laid out upon the bowsprit, where we were under
water half the time, and took in the fragments of the sail, and as she
must have some head sail on her, prepared to bend another staysail. We
got the new one out, into the nettings; seized on the tack, sheets,
and halyards, and the hanks; manned the halyards, cut adrift the
trapping lines, and hoisted away; but before it was half way up the
stay, it was blown all to pieces. When we belayed the halyards,
there was nothing left but the bolt-rope. Now large eyes began to show
themselves in the foresail, and knowing that it must soon go, the mate
ordered us upon the yard to furl it.
Pages:
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392