I was pounced upon by "Mistah" Jones, the
fourth mate, whom I heard addressed familiarly as "Goliath" and
"Anak" by his brother officers, and ordered to assist him in
rigging the "crow's-nest" at the main royal-mast head. It was a
simple affair. There were a pair of cross-trees fitted to the
mast, upon which was secured a tiny platform about a foot wide
on each side of the mast, while above this foothold a couple of
padded hoops like a pair of giant spectacles were secured at a
little higher than a man's waist. When all was fast one could
creep up on the platform, through the hoop, and, resting his
arms upon the latter, stand comfortably and gaze around, no
matter how vigorously the old barky plunged and kicked beneath
him. From that lofty eyrie I had a comprehensive view of the
vessel. She was about 350 tons and full ship-rigged, that is to
say, she carried square sails on all three masts. Her deck was
flush fore and aft, the only obstructions being the brick-built
"try-works" in the waist, the galley, and cabin skylight right
aft by the taffrail. Her bulwarks were set thickly round with
clumsy looking wooden cranes, from which depended five boats.
Two more boats were secured bottom up upon a gallows aft, so she
seemed to be well supplied in that direction.
Pages:
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45