" An upright stairs or ladder is made
on the deck by lashing spars together. A block is fastened far above in
the rigging over the hatch through which a rope is rove leading down
into the hold. The end of this rope is fastened to a long spar just the
height of the ladder and terminating in a number of lines called whips.
These are grasped by six or eight sailors who climb the ladder, made of
spars, that has been set over the hatch. When the large bucket is filled
with coal below, the order is given to jump. The seamen simultaneously
spring from the spar while banging on to the whips, and their combined
weight brings up the huge tub of coal, which is grasped by the
lighter men and dumped over the side into their boat. When the cargo of
coal was discharged they commenced taking in copper ore until she was
sufficiently ballasted to proceed up the coast to Motril to finish her
cargo with Spanish Grass. This article is a coarse grained material
something like a rush and of the nature of willow and bamboo combined,
and is used extensively in England in the manufacture of mats, chair
bottoms, etc. It was put up in bales and proved a most disagreeable
article to stow away in the hold.
The cargo being completed, anchor was weighed to the cheerful sound of
"homeward bound" and the George started on her voyage to Newcastle,
England.
Pages:
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189