The skipper himself estimated
it at fifteen tons, which was no small load for the tackles in
fine weather, but with the ship tumbling about in her present
fashion, it threatened to rip the mainmast out by the roots--not,
of course, the dead-weight strain; but when it was nearly aboard,
her sudden lee wallow sometimes floated the whole mass, which the
next instant, on the return roll, would be torn out of water,
with all the force of the ship suddenly rolling the other way.
Every splinter, every rope-yarn of her groaned again under this
savage treatment; but so splendid was her construction that she
never made a drop of water more than just sufficient to sweeten
the limbers.
It was with great and genuine satisfaction that we saw it at last
safely lowered on deck and secured. But when we turned our
attention to the case, which, still attached to the skull,
battered alongside, any chance of saving it was at once seen to
be hopeless. Indeed, as the old man said, it was time for us to
"up stick" and run for shelter. We had been too fully occupied
to notice the gradual increase of the wind; but when we did,
there was no gainsaying the fact that it was blowing a very stiff
breeze (ANGLICE, a violent gale).
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