face to windward. Yet there
was no driving sleet and darkness and wet and cold as off Cape Horn; and
instead of stiff oilcloth suits, southwester caps, and thick boots, we
had on hats, round jackets, duck trousers, light shoes, and everything
light and easy. These things make a great difference to a sailor. When
we got on deck the man at the wheel struck eight bells (four o'clock in
the morning), and "All star-bowlines, ahoy!" brought the other watch up,
but there was no going below for us. The gale was now at its height,
"blowing like scissors and thumb-screws"; the captain was on deck; the
ship, which was light, rolling and pitching as though she would shake
the long sticks out of her, and the sails were gaping open and splitting
in every direction. The mizzen-topsail, which was a comparatively new
sail and close reefed, split from head to foot in the bunt; the
foretopsail went in one rent from clew to caring, and was blowing to
tatters; one of the chain bobstays parted; the spritsailyard sprung in
the slings, the martingale had slued away off to leeward; and owing to
the long dry weather the lee rigging hung in large bights at every
lurch. One of the main-topgallant shrouds had parted; and to crown all,
the galley had got adrift and gone over to leeward, and the anchor on
the lee bow had worked loose and was thumping the side. Here was work
enough for all hands for half a day. Our gang laid out on the
mizzen-topsailyard, and after more than half an hour's hard work furled
the sail, though it bellied out over our heads, and again, by a slat of
the wind, blew in under the yard with a fearful jerk and almost threw us
off from the foot-ropes.

Double gaskets were passed round the yards, rolling tackles and other
gear bowsed taut, and everything made as secure as it could be. Coming
down, we found the rest of the crew just coming down the fore rigging,
having furled the tattered topsail, or rather, swathed it round the
yard, which looked like a broken limb bandaged. There was no sail now on
the ship but the spanker and the close-reefed main-topsail, which still
held good. But this was too much after-sail, and order was given to furl
the spanker. The brails were hauled up, and all the light hands in the
starboard watch sent out on the gaff to pass the gaskets; but they could
do nothing with it. The second mate swore at them for a parcel of
"sogers," and sent up a couple of the best men; but they could do no
better, and th