Page:Sailing Alone Around the World (Slocum).djvu/43

 CHAPTER III

NOW stowed all my goods securely, for the boisterous Atlantic was before me, and I sent the topmast down, knowing that the Spray would be the wholesomer with it on deck. Then I gave the lanyards a pull and hitched them afresh, and saw that the gammon was secure, also that the boat was lashed, for even in summer one may meet with bad weather in the crossing.

In fact, many weeks of bad weather had prevailed. On July 1, however, after a rude gale, the wind came out nor'west and clear, propitious for a good run. On the following day, the head sea having gone down, I sailed from Yarmouth, and let go my last hold on America. The log of my first day on the Atlantic in the Spray reads briefly: "9:30 sailed from Yarmouth. 4:30  passed Cape Sable; distance, three cables from the land. The sloop making eight knots. Fresh breeze N.W."

Before the sun went down I was taking my supper