Jules Verne by Dick Sand - a Captain at Fifteen Page B
Authors: Dick Sand - a Captain at Fifteen
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holding on by the other—perilous work for
any one who is not used to it. The oscillation from the rolling and
pitching of the ship, very much increased by the length of the lever,
the flapping of the sails under a stiff breeze, have often sent a man
overboard. It was then a truly dangerous operation for Tom and his
companions.
Very fortunately, the wind was moderate. The sea had not yet had time
to become rough. The rolling and pitching kept within bounds.
When Dick Sand, at Captain Hull's signal, had steered toward the scene
of the catastrophe, the "Pilgrim" only carried her jibs, her
brigantine, her foresail, and her top-sail. To get the ship under way
as quickly as possible, the novice had only to make use of, that is, to
counter-brace, the foresail. The blacks had easily helped him in that
maneuver.
The question now was to get under full sail, and, to complete the
sails, to hoist the top-sails, the royal, the fore-staff, and the
stay-sails.
"My friends," said the novice to the five blacks, "do as I tell you,
and all will go right."
Dick Sand was standing at the wheel of the helm.
"Go!" cried he. "Tom, let go that rope quickly!"
"Let go?" said Tom, who did not understand that expression.
"Yes, loosen it! Now you, Bat—the same thing! Good! Heave—haul taut.
Let us see, pull it in!"
"Like that?" said Bat.
"Yes, like that. Very good. Come, Hercules—strong. A good pull there!"
To say "strong" to Hercules was, perhaps, imprudent. The giant of
course gave a pull that brought down the rope.
"Oh! not so strong, my honest fellow!" cried Dick Sand, smiling. "You
are going to bring down the masts!"
"I have hardly pulled," replied Hercules.
"Well, only make believe! You will see that that will be enough! Well,
slacken—cast off! Make fast—Make fast—like that! Good! All together!
Heave—pull on the braces."
And the whole breadth of the foremast, whose larboard braces had been
loosened, turned slowly. The wind then swelling the sails imparted a
certain speed to the ship.
Dick Sand then had the jib sheet-ropes loosened. Then he called the
blacks aft:
"Behold what is done, my friends, and well done. Now let us attend to
the mainmast. But break nothing, Hercules."
"I shall try," replied the colossus, without being willing to promise
more.
This second operation was quite easy. The main-boom sheet-rope having
been let go gently, the brigantine took the wind more regularly, and
added its powerful action to that of the forward sails.
The fore-staff was then set above the brigantine, and, as it is simply
brailed up, there was nothing to do but bear on the rope, to haul
aboard, then to secure it. But Hercules pulled so hard, along with his
friend Acteon, without counting little Jack, who had joined them, that
the rope broke off.
All three fell backwards—happily, without hurting themselves. Jack was
enchanted.
"That's nothing! that's nothing!" cried the novice. "Fasten the two
ends together for this time and hoist softly!"
That was done under Dick Sand's eyes, while he had not yet left the
helm. The "Pilgrim" was already sailing rapidly, headed to the east,
and there was nothing more to be done but keep it in that direction.
Nothing easier, because the wind was favorable, and lurches were not to
be feared.
"Good, my friends!" said the novice. "You will be good sailors before
the end of the voyage!"
"We shall do our best, Captain Sand," replied Tom.
Mrs. Weldon also complimented those honest men.
Little Jack himself received his share of praise, for he had worked
bravely.
"Indeed, I believe, Mr. Jack," said Hercules, smiling, "that it was you
who broke the rope. What a good little fist you have. Without you we
should have done nothing right."
And little Jack, very proud of himself, shook his friend Hercules' hand
vigorously.
The setting of the "Pilgrim's" sails was not yet complete. She still
lacked those top-sails whose action is not to be despised under this
full-sail movement. Top-sail, royal,
any one who is not used to it. The oscillation from the rolling and
pitching of the ship, very much increased by the length of the lever,
the flapping of the sails under a stiff breeze, have often sent a man
overboard. It was then a truly dangerous operation for Tom and his
companions.
Very fortunately, the wind was moderate. The sea had not yet had time
to become rough. The rolling and pitching kept within bounds.
When Dick Sand, at Captain Hull's signal, had steered toward the scene
of the catastrophe, the "Pilgrim" only carried her jibs, her
brigantine, her foresail, and her top-sail. To get the ship under way
as quickly as possible, the novice had only to make use of, that is, to
counter-brace, the foresail. The blacks had easily helped him in that
maneuver.
The question now was to get under full sail, and, to complete the
sails, to hoist the top-sails, the royal, the fore-staff, and the
stay-sails.
"My friends," said the novice to the five blacks, "do as I tell you,
and all will go right."
Dick Sand was standing at the wheel of the helm.
"Go!" cried he. "Tom, let go that rope quickly!"
"Let go?" said Tom, who did not understand that expression.
"Yes, loosen it! Now you, Bat—the same thing! Good! Heave—haul taut.
Let us see, pull it in!"
"Like that?" said Bat.
"Yes, like that. Very good. Come, Hercules—strong. A good pull there!"
To say "strong" to Hercules was, perhaps, imprudent. The giant of
course gave a pull that brought down the rope.
"Oh! not so strong, my honest fellow!" cried Dick Sand, smiling. "You
are going to bring down the masts!"
"I have hardly pulled," replied Hercules.
"Well, only make believe! You will see that that will be enough! Well,
slacken—cast off! Make fast—Make fast—like that! Good! All together!
Heave—pull on the braces."
And the whole breadth of the foremast, whose larboard braces had been
loosened, turned slowly. The wind then swelling the sails imparted a
certain speed to the ship.
Dick Sand then had the jib sheet-ropes loosened. Then he called the
blacks aft:
"Behold what is done, my friends, and well done. Now let us attend to
the mainmast. But break nothing, Hercules."
"I shall try," replied the colossus, without being willing to promise
more.
This second operation was quite easy. The main-boom sheet-rope having
been let go gently, the brigantine took the wind more regularly, and
added its powerful action to that of the forward sails.
The fore-staff was then set above the brigantine, and, as it is simply
brailed up, there was nothing to do but bear on the rope, to haul
aboard, then to secure it. But Hercules pulled so hard, along with his
friend Acteon, without counting little Jack, who had joined them, that
the rope broke off.
All three fell backwards—happily, without hurting themselves. Jack was
enchanted.
"That's nothing! that's nothing!" cried the novice. "Fasten the two
ends together for this time and hoist softly!"
That was done under Dick Sand's eyes, while he had not yet left the
helm. The "Pilgrim" was already sailing rapidly, headed to the east,
and there was nothing more to be done but keep it in that direction.
Nothing easier, because the wind was favorable, and lurches were not to
be feared.
"Good, my friends!" said the novice. "You will be good sailors before
the end of the voyage!"
"We shall do our best, Captain Sand," replied Tom.
Mrs. Weldon also complimented those honest men.
Little Jack himself received his share of praise, for he had worked
bravely.
"Indeed, I believe, Mr. Jack," said Hercules, smiling, "that it was you
who broke the rope. What a good little fist you have. Without you we
should have done nothing right."
And little Jack, very proud of himself, shook his friend Hercules' hand
vigorously.
The setting of the "Pilgrim's" sails was not yet complete. She still
lacked those top-sails whose action is not to be despised under this
full-sail movement. Top-sail, royal,
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