The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1915-04-08
. CHAPTER XXXV.

and everything in readiness, we
started to get the two topmasts
aboard. The maintopmast was
over thirty feet in length, the
foretopmast nearly thirty. and II
was of these that / intended
making the shears. 1t was puz-
cling work. Fastening one end
of a heavy tackle to the windlass
and with the other end fast to
the butt of the foretopmast, l be-
gan to heave. Maud held the
turn on the windlass and coiled
down the slack.
We were astonished at the
ease with which the spar was
lifted. 1t WAS an improved
crank windlass, and the purchase
IL gave was enormous. or course,
what " gave us in power we
paid for In distance; as many
times as 1t doubled my strength,
that many times was doubled the
length of rope / heaved in. The
tackle dragged heavily across the
rail, increasing it's drag as the
spar arose more and more out of
the water, and the exertion on
the windlass grew severe.
But when the butt of the top
mast was level with the rail,
everything came to standstill.
II might have known it," 1
said impatiently. Now we have
to do it all over again"
why not fasten the tackle
part way down the mast?" Maud
suggested.
TITS what I should have done
at first" / answered, hugely dis
gusted with myself.
Slipping off a turn, I lowered
the mast back-into the water and
fastened the tackle a third of the
way down from the butt. In an
hour, what of this and of rests
between the heaving, had hoist
ed 1t to the point where could
hoist no more. Eight feet of the
butt was above the rail, and II
was as far away as ever from
getting the spar on board. l sat
down and pondered the problem.
1t did not. take long. l sprang
jubilantly to my feet.
Nov / have it," l cried. I'll
ought to make the tackle fast at
the point of balance. And what
we learn of this will serve us
with everything else we have to
hoist aboard"
nnrA oHotn ,nAfI 81
work by lowering the mast into
the water. But / rniscalculated
the point of balance, so that
when / heaved the top of the
mast came up instead Of the butt.
Maud looked despair, but II
laughed and said 1t would dol
just as we'll.
Instructing her how to hold
the turn and be ready to slack |
away at command, laid hold of |
the mast with my hands and
tried to balance II inboard across
the rail. When / though had
1t l cried to her to slack away; |
but the spar righted, despite my
efforts, and dropped back to-
ward the water. Again heaved
1t up to its old position. for III
had now another idea. remem- |
bered the watch-tackle. Ia small
double and single block affair."
and fetched It.
While / was rigging II be-
tween the top of the spar and the
opposite rail, Wolf Larsen came |
on the scene. We exchanged |
nothing more than good MORN |
ings, and. though he could not |
see. lie sat on the rail out OF the
way and followed by the sound
all that / did.
Again instructing Maud toll
slack away at the windlass when |
gave the word, l proceeded to |
heave on the watchtackle. Slowly
the mast swung In until It bal
anced at right angles across theI
rail; and then / discovered to myI
that there was mol
need for Maud TO slack away. I'M
fact. the very opposite WAS nec-
eneary Making thu xatc6tncklet
fast. I hove On the Uindl1o1 and
Q<o0Kh< ~ The un1Gk. {u<H ~