AROUND THE WORLD.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 187, 9 August 1930, Page 4

AROUND THE WORLD.

GOSSIP OF THE PORTS.

«SFMCIirG THE MAIN BRACE"

(By LEE FORE BRACE.)

- When an old sailorman hears the ex- ; predion "Splice the main .brace, he as I always ready to respond to the order. It is an ancient rite, the origm of the ex pression bang lost in the «**»** time. In the very early days of the M«- • chant Service it was the custom in the ! ships of the Honourable East India Company to issue an allowance of rum each Friday evening in the second dog-watch. : An interesting account of the ceremony is given in the diary of Lady Joa* Grey, kept by her when making a voyage to is well described, and was similar to many . of a like nature that took ptece in the better found ships of 'last century. _ ' "The great gale lasted for well nigh three days, and great was the damage done to our gallant ship. All the sails have been lost, and the brave seamen have had a hard time with Utile food and less lei 111 of them have worked heroiX P, intaving the vessel, and wheri new cails were fastened and set to the iavour able breie, the cuddy passengers made a subscript on and requested our cominander to supply the brave men mth twelve bottles of rum. Captam Blamues poo-poohed the idea suggesting that t would be setting a bad . but General Dalziel and Sir Hubert insisted that it be done. In the second dogwatch at about 7.30 pa, the boatswain * pipe bawd its shrill summons, oHjjred by bis stentorian cry, "Lay aft all hands. silS- the main brace." It was intercsti- t) witness the methodical manner ir '. hic-h the ceremony was earned out. A >cn the crew were mustered _on the ruarter deck near the main rigging, the main brace was taken across the deck and fastened to the port side by the boatswain and his mates. As each man s name was called, the eider ones first heducked under the rope, and received his tot from the cuddy servants. When the last man received his allowance they called for three cheers for the passengers. I asked Captain Blarmres why the rope was fastened across the deck lhat is a barricade/ he said. 'You don t know sailors as I do, for if we did .not fax the .brace in that manner some ol tne cunning rascals would be slipping into the crowd again for a second helping. That is called "Splicing the Maw Brace." Windjammer in a Hurricane. As I read Lady Grey's narrative a similar episode came to mind, and although it happened thirty-odd years ago the memory of it still rankles with a tinge of. bitterness. My good ship, a wool clipper, was thrashing her way through the wild Atlantic, striving hard to get home an time for the January wool sales. Our passage had been a good omen, and when we lifted the Ushant light far out on the starboard bow, all of us had delightfu'l visions of getting ashore for the New Year festivities. It was a glorious winter night, the wind steady and strong in the northwest. No signs of heavy weather approaching could be seen, and the wind was fair for a good run up Channel. All hands on deck, ware ship!" came like a bellow from the old skipper, and everyone looked at his mates in astonishment. As the crowd tumbled out everyone asked Ids neighbour what the order meant. But all good sailormen carry out their orders and do theiir growling afterwards, and for the remainder of the night everyone was too busy to seek enlightenment. The dawn of a new day gave us food for thought, and the greatest growlers had to admit that there was method in the skipper's madness. It was then blowing a hurricane, and as the day wore on it turned to a northerly blizzard. Although we were shortened down to storm canvas, a full *foresail and three topsails, the old ship was hard driven. Sail after sail was torn from their gaskets, and flew to leeward in a hundred remnants. The spume and spindrift as it came aboard became frozen, and the ship's decks were piled high with ice and snow. Out into the Atlantic the ship was driven, there was plenty or sea room there, for in weather like that 'a windjammer would have had no chance on a coastline. For twenty-four hours the blizzard held in all its intensive fury. What a sight the old beauty presented as daylight came on the second day! Her forecastle was buried in a gigantic ice heap. Her masts and yards and gear were encrusted from truck to deck, and with the enormous weight o£ this extraordinary lading she lay low in the water, more like a half submerged rock than a clipper. Everyone could see that the old skipper was worried, bis ship was carrying too much canvas, at times she was diving bows under. Towards mid-day the blizzard increased in its might, and orders were given to furl the foresail. More by good luck than skilful management we thawed out the frozen ropes with boiling water front the galley, and after two hours' laborious work we got the iron-like sail clewed up to the yard, but, as it proved, this was the easiest part of our task. Our bo'sun, a Nova Scotian, proved himself to be as kind in heart as he was rough in exterior, and when the mate gave the welcome order, "Splice the Main Brace," he helped the fainting ones to the break of the poop to get their tots.

Disappointment. And can I ever forget that issue _of rum! The gloom of the winter evening forms a fitting background for the big circle of chattering faces crowded around the cabin door. The old man is there himself doing the honours. The steward draws the cork with a resounding "plonk" to demonstrate that the contents have not been watered past the Excise requirement. He then fills a wine glass to the top of the "pretties" and hands it to the bo'sun, but he, however, with a fine air of abnegation, waves it aside and requests that his weary men be served frret. "VVe all think well of the bo'sun for such consideration, and the glass passes from hand to hand. Some bring a pannikin and take their tot away to supplement it with sugar and hot water, but the majority "coup it doon" as they stand. Trusting to the gloom. I rfiach out my hand for my whack, but the brawny arm of the mate shoots out and Krabs my coat collar. "Me lad," he says, "all the rum that is good for you is to be found in the pump for'ard. Get!" A vigorous shove helps me on my way and hoarse chuckles arise from the remaining unslaked throats. And I stand and wait to see if there is any compunction in the mate's heart, but there is none. At last they are all served, and the old man asks. "Where's the carpenter and sail-maker?" "Just a minute, sir." replies the bo'sun. "I'll fetch a pannikin and take the three along together." He hurries away and during his short absence I marvel more at this man's kindly forethought for others. He returns with a small nannikin, which looks ridiculously small to hefld three nips. And so it proves, for the second tot comes to within lip distance from the ton. "Better drink your's now, bo'sun," says the old man. But the bo'sun breaks in hastily, "Can't bear it neat, sir, I always takes a little water with it," and his eyes stray wistfully to the bottle where there still two generous tots remaining. The old man eyes him suspiciously for a moment, but his evident forethought for his men dispels the suspicion, and he thrusts the bottle into the bo'sun's hands. The stolid face breaks into a beam of ecstasy. "That will be one for his nob, sir, and thank 'e very much sir," j