In Search of an Unknown Race — page 222: what you’re looking at

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

208 VAN. Captain Peterson, after responding with the usual ‘‘ Aye, aye!” The ship, under her usual canvas, was running with a free wind, and the dial plate of the patent log, drawn na little before, showed that she was doing her eight knots ‘‘ without making any fuss about it,” as the mate remarked in making his report. A few rapid orders were given, and the deck was alive with hurrying feet. Men swarmed nimbly up the rigging. The heel lashings were cast off, and the tong studdingsail booms run out on either side, while 2 couple of sailors in either top overhauled the tacks and halyards for topmast and topgallant studdingsails. Up went the triangular sails outside the swelling courses and pyramids of canvas above them, and were boom ended with many a cheery shout. There was all the excitement of a chase in the old privateering days, without the attendant danger to life and limb. Under the increased pressure of sail, the great Belling- ham began to show what she could do when emergency called. The wind had freshened to a moderate gale, while the booming and bellowing, as it swept through the straining rigging and against the hollowing sail- cloths, was almost deafening. Rolling heavily from port to starboard in her wild onrush, the sharp bowed ship tore her way through rather than over the woolly wave crests, sending great clouds of spray high above the knightheads, while a column of seething foam spouted upward from the stem and swept past on either side. The perspiration streamed from the weather-beaten (E() im COMMEMIOOLKS