der bare poles, right in
the wake of the fore-topsail. Instead of abating, the wind increased
till it blew a perfect hurricane. I, however, kept at the helm, and
explaining to the captain the occurrence I had observed, begged to be
allowed to remain there. At first he would scarcely believe me, and
declared that it was a white cloud ahead of us, but I was so positive,
that at last he let me have my way. Well, we steered straight on all
that day, and when night approached I took the bearings of the sail that
we might follow it as before. The wind did not vary, and in the morning
there it was, exactly in its former position, only I think we had gained
a little on it. On, on we ran, tearing rather over than through the
foaming ocean, but still we did not come up with the fail. At last I
was obliged, from very weariness, to let a careful hand relieve me at
the helm, and, desiring to be called if we neared the sail, I turned in
and went to sleep. Now you will want to know, young gentlemen, why I
was so anxious to come up with the sail? The fact is that I had taken a
notion into my head, which I will tell you presently. Well, I was so
weary that I slept for five-and-twenty hours without turning, and I
could scarcely believe that I had been in my hammock more than an hour,
for when I came on deck everything was exactly as I had left it.
Feeling much refreshed, and having swallowed two dozen of biscuits, a
leg of pork, and a gallon of rum and water, I took the helm, resolved to
carry out my intentions. It wasn't, however, till the next morning,
when the sun broke out from behind the clouds, that it shone directly on
our fore-topsail, now not the eighth of a mile ahead of us. For some
reason or other, which I have never been able satisfactorily to explain,
we were coming rapidly up with it. I now saw that the moment was
approaching for carrying my plan into execution. Accordingly I sent the
people on to the fore-yard, and also on the fore-topsail yard, which was
hoisted right up, some with palm needles and others with earings and
lashings. It was a moment of intense interest. I kept the brig's head
directly for the sail. We approached it rapidly; it was over the
bowsprit end. My eye did not fail me, and, to my inexpressible
satisfaction, we shot directly up to the sail. The men on the yards
instantly secured it, and in five minutes it was again spread aloft as
if it had never left its place. There, young gentle