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:
lthough we had hauled upon a.wind as soon as we saw him, he still continued in sight, and,in fact, rather gained upon us. The captain walked the deckuneasily, every few minutes hailing the masthead, to know ifthere was any alteration in his appearance. He holds a better breeze than we do, and well have totry him upon another tack. We did try him upon every tack—now going straightbefore the wind, now with it abeam, and again close-hauled. Stillhe gained upon us slowly, but surely, and by dark his top-sails were visible off deck. A thorough trial had convincedthe captain, that with the wind about two points free wasour best chance, and accordingly we swept along under a ter-rible press of canvas, the very best helmsmen only beingallowed to take the wheel, and the captain continually look-ing into the compass, to see that she was kept straight. Thewind was fresh, and the little craft staggered like a drunkenman, under the crowd of sail which was forcing her along. O C/J H SCwf M■>
Text Appearing After Image:
ji.oj.i .il lij.ii.. IiIm n_j_ i-jJLJ Jin - ■**;j . __. -.. .. ^i^*;? ..,. wr~ .* 4» THE CHASE. 55 Everything was new and good, and now, it ever, was the tuneto try what virtue there was in hemp. Therefore, whatcant carry let her drag, was the word. All night we flew on, the wind roaring fiercely through therigging, while the timbers groaned in melancholy cadence. Wemade good headway, and strong hopes were entertained that bydaylight we should have left the foe behind. Hopes which.wehowever, to be disappointed, for as soon as the sun rose above thehorizon, we saw the same topsails, no nearer, but no farther offeither. All day, all night, and all next day, this tedious chase con-tinued, we straining everv nerve to escape, but seeming bound tothe accursed vessel astern, whose position we could not charthe least. The captain had been getting more and more impatientat being thrown so far out of his direct track, and had we bithoroughly armed, would, no doubt, have turned upon our pur-s

Note About Images