The fireship [antikvár]

CHAPTER ONE **********************ft******** The Partisan The frigate Medusa was on her passage home from the Mediterranean and lay becalmed almost in sight of Falmouth. The sails flapped idle and useless beneath a dull grey sky. Captain Morris, not being the man to fret over a delay, instantly ordered an exercise in seamanship that would keep his men occupied. The foretopmast was to be sent down as if to be replaced and then sent up again and re-rigged, each watch to be timed in doing it. It meant stripping the mast down to the standing rigging below the foretop, an arduous task even in a flat calm. The men had of course done it all before, heaven knows how often, but it was one of the more popular crew exercises. When the order was given the seamen of the starboard watch worked methodically and well, leaving nothing undone and presenting a final result which would pass the first lieutenant's critical eye. The officer of the watch reported completion and a note was made of the exact time, only three seconds more than the previous record. Then the order was repeated and the seamen of the larboard watch fairly hurled themselves at the rigging. With more obvious and dramatic effort they raced through each phase and sweated to improve the timing. When the officer of the watch reported completion Rothery, the first lieutenant, timepiece in hand, was able to announce an improved time: one minute and twelve seconds quicker than the best previous result. The men of the larboard