Evening star., 1954-11-18

southwest course, lying on the
port tack. and the suns rays
had just pierced the cloud banks
that had gathered on the ho-
rizon, as they generally did at
this time.
Glancing up, I saw, against
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Eleventh in q Series of l8 Articles.
the red and gold, a rent in the
mainsail.
1t was about six inches long
and high up on the sail, near
the yard. Such small tears in
my sails and the incessant
mending they required had be-
come a part of the routine on
my raft. 7 had already had the
sail down a number Of times
to stitch the seams and only
a few days before had been
forced to undertake major re-
pairs after the worst storm my
Seven Little Sisters encountered.
Now, once again the orion had
torn from the pressure of the
trade winds and the beating OF
the sail against the mast and
rigging.
By rights, I should have taken
the sail down at once. My mind
knew this, but my body was tired
and successfully resisted my will
WEAKNESS, born of the inces-
SAINT work. becoming growing
problem. Ever since leaving
Callao, ii weeks before, had
been undergoing as best / could
work routine which had no be-
ginning, no end and no middle
point. Sailing my raft on the
correct course was a job that
could never stop. With sea and
wind one minute my allies, push
ing me toward Samoa, and the
next my enemies, threatening to
break up my raft, I could not
afford to relax my vigil.
Weakness Poses Problem.
1t was no time to dawdle, 4,800
miles from Peru, but with 1000
miles still to go to my destina-
ton, in a great ocean that would
soon be crisscrossed by hurri-
canes.
But ! let this sail rip go.
was pretty we'll worn out: For
days every move had been an
effort. These states of exhaus-
ton, I noticed. varied greatly
sometimes lasting only a few
days, but at other times as long
as a week before I felt re-
freshed and somewhat strength
ened again.
These periods of weakness
posed a particular problem for
me, as a lone sailor on a balsa-
log raft. So long as was sailing
the craft in which I had so much
pleasure and pride, I felt she
could handle any wind and sea
that came. But when I slept. or
lost consciousness, as had once
before during an illness. I dis
carded my first protection. The
Seven Little Sisters had to go on
alone. During such hours I re-
lied utterly on the raft. With
out the tiller's guidance. she
might turn into the wind and
have her sails stripped of or
have her mast snapped by the
Earring motion of the waves dur
ing calms. A sudden sea could
wash over the deck, clearing 1t
of gear and cabin.
Sail Rip Widens.
Do not misunderstood me: 1t
is not my nature to dwell on
these possibilities. But still, they
were the dangers inherent in the
incident that happened because
I did not repair the rent in the
sail without delay.
AS the sunset passed away and
it grew dark, I decided to let the
tear go until the next day, hop
ing that the night would not
bring any squalls which could
rip the sail from top to bottom.
spent the nights first hours
nodding at the wheel. The rent
was very much on my mind. ]
glanced toward it occasionally to
see if it were extending. About
three o'clock in the morning my
eyelids turned to lead. I lay
down on the deck next to the
wheel and let the Seven Little
Sisters run as she would.
I guess I had slept for only a
few minutes, perhaps five or a
little more, when the sharp slap
ping of the sail against the mast
brought me back to my senses.
The raft was turned into the
wind. The big mainsail was try
ing to beat itself to pieces. ]
could not afford to let this hap
pen. I had no spare sails.
Back and forth over the ship
| I jumped as fast as I could,
Stacking the brace and sheet on
one side and pulling in on the
other, after first dropping the
mizzen and putting the wheel
over. At last she was all right
again. But then I saw that the
rent which had stretched such
a short distance now had come
down to the first cross seam.
The s inches had become q
full eight feet.
WEAKNESS would have to wait;
that was the constant demand
of my voyage. I was up against
it again. Now ! had to lower
the sail, or there wouldn't be
a sail in the morning.
Finally Repairs Damage.
! let go the three halyards and
pulled on the downhauls. When
I had the yard down to the deck
I rolled up the torn sail and
secured it for the night. This
job took perhaps an hour, but
/ was so fatigued it seemed very
long. ! hoisted the jib. put a
reef in the mizzen and let her
go as she would with the mod
crate wind and choppy sea.
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