The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-21

looking intently at the stranger with a
glass, say to the mate:
''That s the Alabama, as sure as ducks
swim. saw her when she left Liverpool
and know her we'll Well give her try
and see how much go there is in her. I've
heard that she can run down anything
that ever carried canvas, but don It believe
it.n
Then he took look into the pinnacle
and appeared to figure in his head a min
ute or two, as if doing some dead reckon
ing.
keep her away four points," said he,
and then, to the mate: "Brace in
the yards, Mr.. Holt. Call all hands to
make sail. Loose the skysails. Get ont
the square lower stun'sail and rig
out the swinging boom. Set fore topmast
and to'gallant stun sails-everythin that
will drew-and get swig on halliards fore
and aft. Well wake up the Signal and see
if there's any of the old mettle left in her.
II that British pirate catches US she will
have to get a good move on, II this wind
holds"
The word being passed forward that the
stranger was the notorious Confederate
cruiser the crew were spurred to jumping
rity in the execution OF orders, which came
thick and fast from the officers. They
were a good lot of sailormen-not bee
hunters and sheepherders, like some OF
the crews that go to sea now, who don't
know any better than to rig the jibboom
out of the gangway. So, in pretty short
order, almost in man-o'war fashion, we
had all the kites flying, and the old Signal
began to pile distance up behind her in
tua fula tn on o.
ment.
The Alabama had plainly gained on US
while we had been making sail. Our keep
ing away four points brought the wind
about on our starboard quarter and also
changed the position of the steamer in
pursuit, which was now squarely on our
lee beam, heading right for us. She was
smoke she could make besides the breeze
she carried.
Captain Harry was jolly and sucked his
pipe with extra good relish, keeping both
eyes peeled on things aloft all the while.
Keep her as straight as a pump-bolt, my
man, and don't let her yaw an inch. It's
straight steering that wins syacht-races
half the time" he said to me. She steered
like pilot-boat. 1t was beautiful sight
ing gracefully to the waves that she split
in two and tossed aside as if saying, "Clear
the way and give me chance to pass, for
I'm on business"
The sea was pretty smooth considering
the wind that was sending us along. Our
wake was like millrace churned to milky
foam, and on the weather quarter there
was white top comber that followed us as
steady as if we were towing it. Ny chum
| used to say the Signal went so fast then
| that the water was redhot for half mile
on each side of her. She wasn't what
might be called sharp ship or anything
like an extreme clipper, but was one OF
those medium ships that sail well and
carry heap OF freight: damned on wind
she was only average, but going free, with
all she could stand up under, she was a
bird entirely, and very few ships could
| crawl away from her.
| An hour or so after we had made sail
and got everything taut and drawing to
| the best advantage, the wind began to
freshen up considerably-iust what she
wanted. Then she was at home to all
callers. We hove the log and found
her going good fourteen knots. II you
| have never seen fuil-rigged ship IN a
! wholesale breeze you've missed seeing the