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Joshua Slocum - Sailing Alone Around The World
hundred and thirty-one feet in length. At this place I filled a barrel of water at night, and on the following
day sailed with a fair wind at last.
I had not sailed far, however, when I came abreast of more tallow in a small cove, where I anchored, and
boated off as before. It rained and snowed hard all that day, and it was no light work carrying tallow in
my arms over the boulders on the beach. But I worked on till the Spray was loaded with a full
cargo. I was happy then in the prospect of doing a good business farther along on the voyage, for the
habits of an old trader would come to the surface. I sailed from the cove about noon, greased from top to
toe, while my vessel was tallowed from keelson to truck. My cabin, as well as the hold and deck, was
stowed full of tallow, and all were thoroughly smeared.
CHAPTER X
Running to Port Angosto in a snow-storm - A defective sheetrope places the Spray in peril -
The Spray as a target for a Fuegian arrow - The island of Alan Erric - Again in the open Pacific -
The run to the island of Juan Fernandez - An absentee king - At Robinson Crusoe's anchorage.
Another gale had then sprung up, but the wind was still fair, and I had only twenty-six miles to run for
Port Angosto, a dreary enough place, where, however, I would find a safe harbor in which to refit and
stow cargo. I carried on sail to make the harbor before dark, and she fairly flew along, all covered with
snow, which fell thick and fast, till she looked like a white winter bird. Between the storm-bursts I saw
the headland of my port, and was steering for it when a flaw of wind caught the mainsail by the lee, jibed
it over, and dear! dear! how nearly was this the cause of disaster; for the sheet parted and the boom
unshipped, and it was then close upon night. I worked till the perspiration poured from my body to get
things adjusted and in working order before dark, and, above all, to get it done before the sloop drove to
leeward of the port of refuge. Even then I did not get the boom shipped in its saddle. I was at the entrance
of the harbor before I could get this done, and it was time to haul her to or lose the port; but in that
condition, like a bird with a broken wing, she made the haven. The accident which so jeopardized my
vessel and cargo came of a defective sheet-rope, one made from sisal, a treacherous fiber which has
caused a deal of strong language among sailors.
I did not run the Spray into the inner harbor of Port Angosto, but came to inside a bed of kelp
under a steep bluff on the port hand going in. It was an exceedingly snug nook, and to make doubly sure
of holding on here against all williwaws I moored her with two anchors and secured her besides, by
cables to trees. However, no wind ever reached there except back flaws from the mountains on the
opposite side of the harbor. There, as elsewhere in that region, the country was made up of mountains.
This was the place where I was to refit and whence I was to sail direct, once more, for Cape Pillar and the
Pacific.
I remained at Port Angosto some days, busily employed about the sloop. I stowed the tallow from the
deck to the hold, arranged my cabin in better order, and took in a good supply of wood and water. I also
mended the sloop's sails and rigging, and fitted a jigger, which changed the rig to a yawl, though I called
the boat a sloop just the same, the jigger being merely a temporary affair.
I never forgot, even at the busiest time of my work there, to have my rifle by me ready for instant use; for
I was of necessity within range of savages, and I had seen Fuegian canoes at this place when I anchored
in the port, farther down the reach, on the first trip through the strait. I think it was on the second day,
while I was busily employed about decks, that I heard the swish of something through the air close by my
ear, and heard a "zip"-like sound in the water, but saw nothing. Presently, however, I suspected that it
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