In about twenty minutes the wind moderated, and while some of the men went aloft to clear away the wreck of the topsails and make all snug, others went below to put on dry garments.
That was a narrow escape, Mr Millons, remarked the captain, as he stood by the starboard-rails.
It was, sir, replied the mate. Its a good job too, sir, that none o the ands were washed overboard.
It is, indeed, Mr Millons; weve reason to be thankful for that; but Im sorry to see that weve lost our waist-boat.
Weve lost our spare sticks, sir, said the mate, with a lugubrious face, while he wrung the brine out of his hair; and I fear weve nothink left fit to make a noo foretopmast or a jib-boom.
True, Mr Millons; we shall have to run to the nearest port on the African coast to refit; luckily we are not very far from it. Meanwhile, tell Mr Markham to try the well; it is possible that we may have sprung a leak in all this straining, and see that the wreck of the foretopmast is cleared away. I shall go below and consult the chart; if any change in the weather takes place, call me at once.
Yes, sir, answered the mate, as he placed his hand to windward of his mouth, in order to give full force to the terrific tones in which he proceeded to issue his captains commands.
Captain Dunning went below, and looking into Ailies berth, nodded his wet head several times, and smiled with his damp visage benignlywhich acts, however well meant and kindly they might be, were, under the circumstances, quite unnecessary, seeing that the child was sound asleep. The captain then dried his head and face with a towel about as rough as the mainsail of a seventy-four, and with a violence that would have rubbed the paint off the figurehead of the Red Eric. Then he sat down to his chart, and having pondered over it for some minutes, he went to the foot of the companion-ladder and roared up Lay the course nor-nor-east-and-by-nor-half-nor, Mr Millons.
To which Mr Millons replied in an ordinary tone, Ay, ay, sir, and then roared Lay her head nor-nor-east-and-by-nor-half-nor, in an unnecessarily loud and terribly fierce tone of voice to the steersman, as if that individual were in the habit of neglecting to obey orders, and required to be perpetually threatened in what may be called a tone of implication.
The steersman answered in what, to a landsman, would have sounded as a rather amiable and forgiving tone of voice Nor-nor-east-and-by-nor-half-nor it is, sir; and thereupon the direction of the ships head was changed, and the Red Eric, according to Tim Rokens, bowled along with a stiff breeze on the quarter, at the rate of ten knots, for the west coast of Africa.
Chapter Nine.
Rambles on Shore, and Strange Things and Ceremonies Witnessed There