The steward tried to justify
himself; but he had been heard to talk of spilling blood, and that was
enough to earn him his flogging; and the captain did not choose to
inquire any further.
CHAPTER XXXIV
NARROW ESCAPES--THE EQUATOR--TROPICAL SQUALLS--A THUNDER STORM
The same day, I met with one of those narrow escapes, which are so
often happening in a sailor's life. I had been aloft nearly all the
afternoon, at work, standing for as much as an hour on the fore
top-gallant yard, which was hoisted up, and hung only by the tie;
when, having got through my work, I balled up my yarns, took my
serving-board in my hand, laid hold deliberately of the top-gallant
rigging, took one foot from the yard, and was just lifting the
other, when the tie parted, and down the yard fell. I was safe, by
my hold upon the rigging, but it made my heart beat quick. Had the tie
parted one instant sooner, or had I stood an instant longer on the
yard, I should inevitably have been thrown violently from the height
of ninety or a hundred feet, overboard; or, what is worse, upon the
deck. However, "a miss is as good as a mile;" a saying which sailors
very often have occasion to use.
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