Evening star., 1926-02-21
BY REX CLEMENTS.

Ii to assure uS that we had
~ got into his own domain at
~ last, the North Atlantic de-
\ termined to introduce himself
All day the wind had been rts
ting: the light sails had been taken in
rs soon as the anchors were secured.
and at four bells In the first dog.
watch, in a ringing hail-squall, the
rgallants'ls were clewed up.
Still. with steady persistence. the
wind rose. Little seas stopped over
the weather.rail and scurried viciously
70 leeward. and the lurches Of the bark
became ever more sudden and violent.
In the halfdeck. the quarters of the
apprentices, there was nothing but sod.
den, cheerlesS confusion. The floor
was awash and the remains Of our
tea Uttered a sea-chest. 1t was a
dreary evening and our mood was in
keeping with 1t.
"All hands on deck! Weather main
clew garnet
We scrambled out on deck and
stared into the wet darkness that shut
US in on every side. 1t was wild
looking prospect--what little we could
see of It. High above our bulwarks
solid black walls Of water. streaked
and crested with lines of foam. drove
furiously past. Overhead a low sky,
pendent above our mast-heads.
The decks were a foot deep in swirl
ing water, and in the black caverns
nloft the wind drummed and scream
ed like a legion OF lost spirits. The
hands, In answer to the call, were
stumbling their way aft. their yellow,
oilskin-clad figures cleaning in the
wet. Just as l left the shelter OF the
house a sousins dollop OF water came
IN over the weather-rail, swept me
off Of my feet, and landed me in the
lee scuppers.
"Why, bully-boy." said a surprised
voice, "phwat are yez doin' down
there?" and 1 felt myself grabbed by
the coat and swung to my feet;
Looking up, I saw 1t was big Mac
the huge, bearded Irish seaman. he
was barefooted and VT hout oilsklns;
a. stringy old blue jersey, with the
sleeves cut off at the elbows. had been
drawn on above his one and only
shirt, but his big red face was as sInil-
ing SIS ever.
| plowed on In Macs wake to the
main rigging where, under the mates
direction, the men were clearing the
x.oLes and preparing to start the tack.
HOW that sail was taken never
realized. 1t was like fight with
a, living monster. The second mate,
shouting orders and cursing vocifer-
ously, was stacking away q rope In
-he darkness to wind'ard. while the
men manned the clew garnet ana
buutlines that were to snug the sail
,.p to the yard. The wet and heavy
canvas banged and beloved uproar-
1ously above our heads as we hauled
away at the lines.
Icy sheets of stinging spray and fhe
tops of waves kept leaping over the
weather bulwarks. sweeping down On
VS. and drenching US to the skin.
Pretty we'll bewildered as I was. haul
ing at seemingly endless ropes, yet
realized that slowly, inch by inch,
The sail was being mastered.
At last the tearing, Stating canvas
was dragged close up to the yard and
The order given:
i'Way aloft and furl it,
The men clambered aloft, fsted the
sail, and rolled it up on the yard. At
the bunt was Mr.. Miller, the second
mate, and still, above the roar OF the
-yind and the din and clatter OF the
swinging ports, I could catch fras.
,1lents Of his voice encouraging the
-OeN IN DuISIS OIL lIellLleu piOldiiAlS.
The wind took off little when we
got down to the latitude Of the Span
Ysh coast and the topgallantsls were
set. The weather steadily cleared and
soon we We're bowling along under Gil
plain sail. and the world began to
look a different place.
was Just beginning to enjoy things,
and turned out for my afternoon
watch on deck with seamanlike alac-
7
ever the threshold before Paddy, the
third mate, hailed me:
You been up aloft YETI" said he,
sharply
T admitted I hadn't.
We'll, up you go then" said he, and
obediently I swung myself into the
main rigging and cla.nbered cautious
ly aloft.
at your feet!'
Again did as was told and made
nv way up till l was stopped by the
r,Ittock shrouds at the head Of the
lower rigging. They stretched out
wards to the edge OF the maintop. and
realizing that to surInount them l
should have to turn on my back and
haul myself up by sheer strength of
arm, I thought I had done enough
Cor one day.
But "Go on,'' sternly encouraging,
came to me from below and. taking
my courage In both hands. went.
with a desperate effort I swung my
self over into the top and, almost
breathless. caught hold Of the top
mast rigging and dared to look about
me.
Strange indeed everything looked.
Cp there one seemed In a world Of
canvas and cordage, lost in the wide
spaces Of the sky. The great bellying
I7ainsail was actually below me and
the deck looked perilous distance be-
meath.
But was not allowed to dwell for
200 long on the newness and wonder
Of the scene. "Go ahead. get along
with you" came an impatient hail and
ainsing myself. spread-eagled, into the
sopmast rigging I went up step by
step.
Interninable that ascent seemed,
and when, after long ages Of climbing.
7 reached the topmasthead. had an
other shock. The complicated web Of
rigging that led to the comparative
security Of the cross-trees was worse
than the futtocks, and the spidery
-cpes looked ridiculously finsy and