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Sailor Life on Man of War and Merchant Vessel
Sailor Life on Man of War and Merchant Vessel Author:Charles Nordhoff Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III. At sea at last—Hunting a mess—-Some' account of the vessel and her crew. ON the 4th of June, 18—, we finally hoisted sail and steered thr... more »ough the Narrows, seaward bound. But we Were still destined to delay. Owing to our heavy draught (twenty-seven feet), we were obliged to take advantage of the highest or spring tides, to make our way out. While going along with a steamboat ahead, it was found necessary to hold her with the anchor a few moments, and the order was accordingly given: " Let go the starboard anchor." In the general confusion, no one being yet statiened, the chain stoppers were not sufficiently manned, and the tick- carrying the ship along with great force, the starboard chain ran out end for end, and was, with its anchor, lost overboard. The other anchor was immediately let go, and safely held her. This made an all night's job of work for all hands, to pick up the lost chain and anchor. Besides this, the untoward accident was regarded by many of the old salts as an evil omen, and prophecies of future disasters, inaugurated by this, were not wanting on all sides. But we were too busied with the present to care much about the future. By daylight we had recovered our anchor and chain, and shortly after, the tide serving, we stood out to sea.As soon as the ship was fairly under weigh, the decks cleared, and the hurry and bustle over, I ventured on deck. My limbs were yet weak, nnd the dancing motion of the vessel, as she bounded along under a stiff topgallant breeze, made it hard work for me to get along. But by dint of clinging to the guns, the stanchions, and ladders, I at length succeeded in reaching the upper deck. As I saw the land gradually receding from view, and felt the fresh sea breeze fanning my wasted cheek, I first began to re...« less