. Recollections of a sea wanderer's life; an autobiography of an old-time seaman who has sailed in almost every capacity before and abaft the mast, in nearly every quarter of the globe, and under the flags of four of the principal maritime nations. e, Captain Doane, theother portion of the discharged Navigators crew separatingand shipping in different vessels. The Gazelle, though a small craft of ninety tons measure-ment, carried a crew of eighty men, was well armed, andpainted sea-green, so as not to be so conspicuous at a dis-tance, and carried such a crowd of canvas that when underall sail,
. Recollections of a sea wanderer's life; an autobiography of an old-time seaman who has sailed in almost every capacity before and abaft the mast, in nearly every quarter of the globe, and under the flags of four of the principal maritime nations. e, Captain Doane, theother portion of the discharged Navigators crew separatingand shipping in different vessels. The Gazelle, though a small craft of ninety tons measure-ment, carried a crew of eighty men, was well armed, andpainted sea-green, so as not to be so conspicuous at a dis-tance, and carried such a crowd of canvas that when underall sail, with a beam wind or close-hauled with a stiff breeze,she would lay over, and the captain would carry sail untilthe water would almost reach the main hatch combings, 250 GAZELLE. and her long, tapering yellow pine masts would bend untilthey formed an angle of twenty degrees, especially when anysuspicious piratical-looking junk or lorchas hove in sight. Shewas employed in carrying treasure from the opium receivingships to Whampoa, for shipment to Canton, or more generallyto England or Calcutta, and sometimes Bombay. The largecrew and armament, in connection with her admirable sail-ing qualities, were necessary to protect her from the attacks. .-? - ? ? . . ? GAZELLE. of the hordes of Ladrone pirates who swarmed in thesewaters. I have often assisted in loading her with millions in Lycee silver, in pigs like lead or iron packed in strongboxes, like those used for the purpose of packing and ship-ping tin. One night, on our second trip to Canton orWhampoa, loaded with treasure to the planksheer almost,and while riding at anchor in Cumsingmoon passage in adead calm with a strong ebb against us, the Gazelle wasattacked by a number of these pirates, about one hundredand fifty of them having stealthily jumped overboard from PIRATES. 251 junks anchored further up stream, and, dividing into twolines, so as to come alongside on both sides simultaneously,drifted silently down on us with the
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectseafari, bookyear1887
