Though we had
now the same wind, and were in the same latitude with the Pilgrim on
her passage out, yet we were nearly twelve hundred miles to the
westward of her course; for the captain, depending upon the strong
south-west winds which prevail in high southern latitudes during the
winter months, took the full advantage of the trades, and stood well
to the westward, so far that we passed within about two hundred
miles of Ducie's Island.
It was this weather and sailing that brought to my mind a little
incident that occurred on board the Pilgrim, while we were in the same
latitude. We were going along at a great rate, dead before the wind,
with studding-sails out on both sides, alow and aloft, on a dark
night, just after midnight, and everything was as still as the
grave, except the washing of the water by the vessel's side; for,
being before the wind, with a smooth sea, the little brig, covered
with canvas, was doing great business, with very little noise. The
other watch was below, and all our watch, except myself and the man at
the wheel, were asleep under the lee of the boat. The second mate, who
came out before the mast, and was always very thick with me, had been
holding a yarn with me, and just gone aft to his place on the
quarter-deck, and I had resumed my usual walk to and from the
windlass-end, when, suddenly, we heard a loud scream coming from
ahead, apparently directly from under the bows.
Pages:
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520