The top-gallant and
royal yards were accordingly struck, the flying jib-boom rigged in,
and the top-gallant masts sent down on deck, and all lashed together
by the side of the long-boat. The rigging was then sent down and
coiled away below, and everything was made snug aloft. There was not a
sailor in the ship who was not rejoiced to see these sticks come down;
for, so long as the yards were aloft, on the least sign of a lull, the
top-gallant sails were loosed, and then we had to furl them again in a
snow-squall, and shin up and down single ropes caked with ice, and
send royal yards down in the teeth of a gale coming right from the
south pole. It was an interesting sight, too, to see our noble ship,
dismantled of all her top-hamper of long tapering masts and yards, and
boom pointed with spear-head, which ornamented her in port; and all
that canvas, which a few days before had covered her like a cloud,
from the truck to the water's edge, spreading far out beyond her
hull on either side, now gone; and she, stripped, like a wrestler
for the fight. It corresponded, too, with the desolate character of
her situation;- alone, as she was, battling with storms, wind, and
ice, at this extremity of the globe, and in almost constant night.
Pages:
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538