From Sea to Sea or Clint Webb's Cruise on the Windjammer (Classics To Go)

Excerpt: The after port anchor had come inboard before I stepped over the rail of the Gullwing and leaped to the deck. The starboard and port bowers were both catted and fished and the stay-fore-sail had filled to pay off her head. The wind was blowing directly on shore; the current ran parallel with the land; there was no choice of direction in getting the big four-master under weigh and she was headed into the stream. A clarion voice shouted from the poop: “Haul main-tack! “Come aft with that sheet! “Set jib and spanker! Look alive there! “Mr. Gates! see if you can’t get some action out of your watch!” “Aye aye sir!” from the mate. “Helm a-lee! hard a-lee!” “Hard a-lee she is!” growled the helmsman a great hairy two-fisted salt with an enormous quid of tobacco in one cheek a cast in his eye and his blue shirt so wide open at the throat that we could catch a glimpse of a dashing looking mermaid in blue and red upon his chest. “Set fore-sail! Be alive there Mr. Barney. Those men of yours act as stiff as Paddy’s father—and him nine days dead!”