The Four Days which Follow

           

           DickSandwasthencaptainofthe"Pilgrim,"and,withoutlosinganinstant,hetookthenecessarymeasuresforputtingtheshipunderfullsail.

           ItwaswellunderstoodthatthepassengerscouldhaveonlyonehopethatofreachingsomepartoftheAmericancoast,ifnotValparaiso.WhatDickSandcountedondoingwastoascertainthedirectionandspeedofthe"Pilgrim,"soastogetanaverage.Forthat,itwassufficienttomakeeachdayonthechartthewaymade,asithasbeensaid,bythelogandthecompass.Therewasthenonboardoneofthose"patentlogs,"withanindexandhelix,whichgivethespeedveryexactlyforafixedtime.Thisusefulinstrument,veryeasilyhandled,couldrenderthemostusefulservices,andtheblackswereperfectlyadaptedtoworkit.

           Asinglecauseoferrorwouldinterferethecurrents.Tocombatit,reckoningwouldbeinsufficient;astronomicalobservationsalonewouldenableonetorenderanexactcalculationfromit.Now,thoseobservationstheyoungnovicewasstillunabletomake.

           ForaninstantDickSandhadthoughtofbringingthe"Pilgrim"backtoNewZealand.Thepassagewouldbeshorter,andhewouldcertainlyhavedoneitifthewind,which,tillthen,hadbeencontrary,hadnotbecomefavorable.BetterworthwhilethentosteerforAmerica.

           Infact,thewindhadchangedalmosttothecontrarydirection,andnowitblewfromthenorthwestwithatendencytofreshen.Itwasthennecessarytoprofitbyitandmakealltheheadwaypossible.

           SoDickSandpreparedtoputthe"Pilgrim"underfullsail.

Настройки
Фон страницы
Размер шрифта
Межстрочный интервал
Фразовые глаголы
Показать / Скрыть меню
Шрифт
Roboto Lora
Уведомления
Страница 98 из 464