Argosy, Vol. 1 (December 9, 1882) — page 199: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

192 THE ARGOSY, to a rapid order from the helmsman, the starboard watch flattened in the main sheet, thereby causing the proa to lie over at an alarming angle. Then, at another order from the man at the oar, the port watch ran out on one arm of the outrigger like a monkey, and to my great astonishment, dropped down in a squatting position on the pointed log, where he clung with both hands to some withes of twisted bark. “Sails like a steamer now!” shouted Raymond, who had witnesses this procedure with quite as much surprise as myself. ‘This only ‘one man’ breeze,” said the starboard watch—“ you wait “dilly bit more.” And then the full significance of the expression broke in on my mind. A “two man breeze” would in all probability send the starboard watch out on the outrigger. And what if it blew a “ three man breeze? ” I glanced at Raymond, who, evidently having the same thought in his mind, returned the look with one of quizzical drollery. “ Wonder if we'll have to draw lots to see which of us is to act as shifting ballast?” he bawled, as a stronger puff of wind nearly sent the proa on her beam ends. Before I had a chance to reply, the tall helmsman called out something to the starboard watch, which IJ naturally interpreted as an order for him to join the port watch. But it wasn’t. Touching Raymond on the shoulder he pointed to the outrigger, and said in tones of unmistakable import: “ You go ‘long of oder man—dat way you work your passage!” I was mean enough to laugh at the expression on poor Raymond’s face, as, after vainly expostulating, he cautiously crawled out and took his place at the end of the outrigger, which was oftener under than on top of the water. My mirth was short lived. The buoyant craft was now fairly flying, and as a stronger puff of wind nearly capsized us, the starboard watch impera- tively ordered me to take my place beside the other two. Entreaty to be excused was as useless as resistance could have been, and a moment or two later found me hanging for dear life to the after end of the out- rigger, which I am positive was dashing through the seas at the rate of full ‘twenty knots an hour. Raymond almost forgot his own deplorable situation in ‘grim enjoyment of mine. At every forward jump of the proa we were almost submerged, and a dozen times I was nearly swept away. “ How do you like this for a new sensation >? "T shouted to Raymond just before we reached a tremendous line of breakers at the mouth of the river which empties into a little bay on the east side of the island. “ It might be worse—and I’m afraid it’s going to be |” he roared, pointing to the great combers directly ahead. But luckily for us the breeze lessened and the drenched and shivering ballast was allowed to shift itself inboard. We found shelter with a Scotch carpenter who had been wrecked on the island ten years before, and made it his home, till we were taken off by a native trading vessel and transferred to the American schooner Jane Adams. But I have it to remember that under very unpleasant circumstances J have sailed GONG OOO at the rate of twenty knots an hour in a “ three man breeze.” a | UN ceo