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Page 87
The topsails of the Young America had three reef bands, or strips of
canvas sewed crosswise over them, in which were the reef points, or
strings by which the sail is tied up when reefed. When the first or
highest row of reef points was used, the sail was single reefed; when
the second was used, it was double reefed; and when the third row was
used, it was close reefed. On each side of the sail, at the end of each
reef band, was a cringle, or eye, in which the reef pendent was
fastened. The reef tackle consists of a rope passing from the eye, at
the end of the reef band, through a block at the extremity of the yard,
thence to the mast, and down to the deck. Hauling on this rope draws the
required portion of the sail up to the yard in readiness to be reefed.
The reef tackles were hauled out, and the buntlines hauled up to bring
the sail where it could be easily handled. When the sail is to be
reefed, the seamen have to a "lay out" on the yards, and tie up the
sail. To enable them to do this with safety, there are horses, or
foot-ropes, extending from the slings, or middle of the spar, to the
yard-arms. This rope hangs below the yard, the middle parts being
supported by stirrups. When a man is to "lay out," he throws his breast
across the yard with his feet on the horse. The man at the "weather
earing," or eye for the reef pendent, has to sit astride the yard, and
pull the sail towards him.
The foot-rope sometimes slips through the eyes in the stirrups when only
one hand goes out upon it, which does, or may, place him in a dangerous
position. During the preceding day, when the barometer indicated a
change of weather, Mr. Lowington had sent the old boatswain aloft to
"mouse the horses," in anticipation of the manoeuvre which the boys were
now compelled to perform at midnight, in a gale of wind. Mousing the
horses was merely fastening the foot-ropes to the eyes of the stirrups,
so that they could not slip through, and thus throw the entire slack of
the horse under one boy, by which he sank down so low that his neck was
even with the spar.
At the foot of each mast there is a contrivance for securing ropes,
called the fife-rail. It is full of belaying pins, to which are secured
the sheets, halyards, buntlines, clewlines, lifts, braces, reef tackle,
and other ropes leading down from aloft. Looking at the mast, it seems
to be surrounded by a perfect wilderness of ropes, without order or
arrangement, whose uses no ordinary mortal could comprehend. There were
other ropes leading down from aloft, which were fastened at the
sheer-poles and under the rail. Now, it is necessary that every sailor
should be able to put his hand on the right rope in the darkest night;
and when the order to haul out the buntlines was given in the gloom and
the gale, those to whom this duty was assigned could have closed their
eyes and found the right lines.
"Aloft, topman!" continued the first lieutenant, when the topsails were
in readiness for reefing.
At this order thirty of the young tars ran up the shrouds, over the
cat-harpings, and up the rigging, till they reached the fore, main, and
mizzen topsail yards. Twelve of them were stationed on the main, ten on
the fore, and eight on the mizzen topsail yard. The first, second, and
third midshipmen were aloft to superintend the work, and when the
studding-sail booms had been triced up, they gave the order to lay out,
and take two reefs.
When the hands were at their stations on the yard, the first lieutenant
ordered the quartermaster to "luff up;" that is, to put the helm down
so as to throw the ship up into the wind and spill the sail, or get the
wind out of it, that the young tars might handle it with the more ease.
The boys had been frequently trained in the manoeuvre which they were
now executing under trying circumstances, and all of them knew their
duty. If any one trembled as the mast swayed over when the ship rolled,
he was afraid to mention the fact, or to exhibit any signs of alarm.
Perhaps most of them would have been willing to acknowledge that it was
rather "ticklish" business to lay out on a topsail yard at midnight in a
gale of wind; and if their anxious mothers could have seen the boys at
that moment, some of them might have fainted, and all wished them in a
safer place.
The boom tricing-lines were manned again, and the studding-sail booms
restored to their places.
"Lay down from aloft!" shouted Haven, when the midshipman in charge
aloft had reported the work done; and he was obliged to roar at the top
of his lungs through the speaking trumpet, in order to be heard above
the piping of the gale and the dashing of the sea. "Man the topsail
halyards! stand by the braces."
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