As they drew near, they began to take in sail after sail,
until they were reduced to the same condition; and, after twelve or
fourteen hours of rolling and pitching in a heavy sea, before a
smart gale, they ran out of the bank on the other side, and were in
fine weather again, and under their royals and skysails. As we drew
into it, the sky became cloudy, the sea high, and everything had the
appearance of the going off, or the coming on, of a storm. It was
blowing no more than a stiff breeze; yet the wind, being north-east,
which is directly against the course of the current, made an ugly,
chopping sea, which heaved and pitched the vessel about, so that we
were obliged to send down the royal yards, and to take in our light
sails. At noon, the thermometer, which had been repeatedly lowered
into the water, showed the temperature to be seventy; which was
considerably above that of the air,- as is always the case in the
centre of the Stream. A lad who had been at work at the royal
mast-head, came down upon the deck, and took a turn round the
long-boat; and looking very pale, said he was so sick that he could
stay aloft no longer, but was ashamed to acknowledge it to the
officer.
Pages:
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632