Many of his
days have been passed since then in explaining how the
thing happened; of these explanations it will be
sufficient to say that they were all different, and
none satisfactory: and the gross fact remains that the
main boom gybed, carried away the tackle, broke the
mainmast some three feet above the deck and whipped it
over-board. For near a minute the suspected foremast
gallantly resisted; then followed its companion; and by
the time the wreck was cleared, of the whole beautiful
fabric that enabled them to skim the seas, two ragged
stumps remained.
In these vast and solitary waters, to be dismasted is
perhaps the worst calamity. Let the ship turn turtle
and go down, and at least the pang is over. But men
chained on a hulk may pass months scanning the empty
sea-line and counting the steps of death's invisible
approach. There is no help but in the boats, and what
a help is that! There heaved the CURRENCY LASS, for
instance, a wingless lump, and the nearest human coast
(that of Kauai in the Sandwiches) lay about a thousand
miles to south and east of her.
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