Fighting the Whales | Page 6

at times, that the masts
are torn out o' the ship before you can say Jack Robinson."

"What! and without any warning?" said I.
"Aye, almost without warnin'; but not altogether without it. You heer'd
the captain say he'd go an' take a squint at the glass?"
"Yes; what is the glass?"
"It's not a glass o' grog, you may be sure; nor yet a lookin'-glass. It's the
weather-glass, boy. Shore-goin' chaps call it a barometer."
"And what's the meaning of barometer?" I enquired earnestly.
Tom Lokins stared at me in stupid amazement. "Why, boy," said he,
"you're too inquisitive. I once asked the doctor o' a ship that question,
and says he to me, 'Tom,' says he, 'a barometer is a glass tube filled
with quicksilver or mercury, which is a metal in a soft or fluid state,
like water, you know, and it's meant for tellin' the state o' the weather.'
"'Yes, sir,' I answers, 'I know that well enough.'
"'Then why did you ask?' says he, gettin' into a passion.
"'I asked what was the meanin' o' the word barometer, sir,' said I.
"The doctor he looked grave at that, and shook his head. 'Tom,' says he,
'if I was to go for to explain that word, and all about the instrument, in a
scientific sort o' way, d'ye see, I'd have to sit here an' speak to you right
on end for six hours or more.'
"'Oh, sir,' says I, 'don't do it, then. Please, don't do it.'
"'No more I will,' says he; 'but it'll serve your turn to know that a
barometer is a glass for measurin' the weight o' the air, and, somehow
or other, that lets ye know wot's a-coming. If the mercury in the glass
rises high, all's right. If it falls uncommon low very sudden, look out
for squalls; that's all. No matter how smooth the sea may be, or how
sweetly all natur' may smile, don't you believe it; take in every inch o'
canvas at once.'"

"That was a queer explanation, Tom."
"Aye, but it was a true one, as you shall see before long."
As I looked out upon the calm sea, which lay like a sheet of glass,
without a ripple on its surface, I could scarcely believe what he had
said. But before many minutes had passed I was convinced of my error.
While I was standing talking to my messmate, the captain rushed on
deck, and shouted:
"All hands tumble up! Shorten sail! Take in every rag! Look alive, boys,
look alive."
I was quite stunned for a moment by this, and by the sudden tumult that
followed. The men, who seemed never to take thought about anything,
and who had but one duty, namely, to obey orders, ran upon deck, and
leaped up the rigging like cats; the sheets of nearly all the principal
sails were clewed up, and, ere long, the canvas was made fast to the
yards. A few of the smaller sails only were left exposed, and even these
were close-reefed. Before long a loud roar was heard, and in another
minute the storm burst upon us with terrific violence. The ship at first
lay over so much that the masts were almost in the water, and it was as
impossible for anyone to walk the deck as to walk along the side of a
wall. At the same time, the sea was lashed into white foam, and the
blinding spray flew over us in bitter fury.
"Take in the topsails!" roared the captain. But his voice was drowned in
the shriek of the gale. The men were saved the risk of going out on the
yards, however, for in a few moments more all the sails, except the
storm-trysail, were burst and blown to ribbons.
We now tried to put the ship's head to the wind and "lay to", by which
landsmen will understand that we tried to face the storm, and remain
stationary. But the gale was so fierce that this was impossible. The last
rag of sail was blown away, and then there was nothing left for us but
to show our stern to the gale, and "scud under bare poles".

The great danger now was that we might be "pooped", which means
that a huge wave might curl over our stern, fall with terrible fury on our
deck, and sink us.
Many and many a good ship has gone down in this way; but we were
mercifully spared. As our safety depended very much on good steering,
the captain himself took the wheel, and managed the ship so well, that
we weathered the gale without damage, further than the loss of a few
sails and light spars. For two days the storm howled furiously, the sky
and sea were