Identifier: merchantvesselsa1884nord (find matches)
Title: The merchant vessel : a sailor boy's voyages around the world
Year: 1884 (1880s)
Authors: Nordhoff, Charles, 1830-1901 LaPlante, Charles. egr Wyllie, W. L. (William Lionel), 1851-1931. ill Dodd, Mead & Company. pbl
Subjects: Boys Conduct of life Voyages and travels Voyages around the world Merchant ships Seafaring life Sailing Slavery
Publisher: New York : Dodd, Mead & Co.
Contributing Library: Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Boston Public Library

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
e topsail continually lifting—that is, fluttering in the wind, neither full nor aback. And it is thespecial duty of the helmsman, for the time being, to keep the sail inprecisely that condition. Reeftackles being hauled out and bunt-lines tightened, all hands go aloft, the first one up going out to thelee earing—the weather earing being the second mates place—andthe balance stretching out along the yard, the greater number, ofcourse, to windward. Light up the sail, light up to windward, isnow shouted, and catching hold of the reef points^ each one dragsthe slack sail in the required direction. Presently the second matehas his earing or corner secured, and haul out to leeward, is thecry. Those at the leeside haul out until the reef-band is tightlystretched along the yard, when knot away is shouted, and thepoints are fastened tightly around the yard. Reefing is lively work—everything is done with a i^ish, and there is generally a race down 21 r < H O CO o c HHI M Ud n i—i H
Text Appearing After Image:
REEFING TOPSAILS. 2$ the rigging, some sliding down backstays, others catching on Ihalyards, and adding their weight to the pull of those on deck, whoare hoisting the reefed sail. We were thirty-five days from Boston to Mobile. Our originaldestination was New Orleans, but the owners had changed theirminds after the crew was shipped, and concluded to send the ve-to Mobile Bay. This leaked out before we were many days at sea,and the articles of agreement being thus broken, our crew, with thewaywardness of true sailors, at once determined to avail themselvesof the privilege thereby afforded them, of leaving the vessel on herarrival in port. The sailor is essentially a bird of passage. His is awandering, vagabond existence, and so strong is his distaste for any-thing resembling a steady pursuit, that it is a very rare thing to finda man making two voyages in one ship. No matter how unexcep-tionable the vessel, or how kindly he has been treated, there is nopersuading him to stay. No, we ha

Note About Images