The Four Days which Follow

           DickSandwasthencaptainofthe"Pilgrim,"and,withoutlosinganinstant,hetookthenecessarymeasuresforputtingtheshipunderfullsail.

           Itwaswellunderstoodthatthepassengerscouldhaveonlyonehope—thatofreachingsomepartoftheAmericancoast,ifnotValparaiso.WhatDickSandcountedondoingwastoascertainthedirectionandspeedofthe"Pilgrim,"soastogetanaverage.Forthat,itwassufficienttomakeeachdayonthechartthewaymade,asithasbeensaid,bythelogandthecompass.Therewasthenonboardoneofthose"patentlogs,"withanindexandhelix,whichgivethespeedveryexactlyforafixedtime.Thisusefulinstrument,veryeasilyhandled,couldrenderthemostusefulservices,andtheblackswereperfectlyadaptedtoworkit.

           Asinglecauseoferrorwouldinterfere—thecurrents.Tocombatit,reckoningwouldbeinsufficient;astronomicalobservationsalonewouldenableonetorenderanexactcalculationfromit.Now,thoseobservationstheyoungnovicewasstillunabletomake.

           ForaninstantDickSandhadthoughtofbringingthe"Pilgrim"backtoNewZealand.Thepassagewouldbeshorter,andhewouldcertainlyhavedoneitifthewind,which,tillthen,hadbeencontrary,hadnotbecomefavorable.BetterworthwhilethentosteerforAmerica.

           Infact,thewindhadchangedalmosttothecontrarydirection,andnowitblewfromthenorthwestwithatendencytofreshen.Itwasthennecessarytoprofitbyitandmakealltheheadwaypossible.

           SoDickSandpreparedtoputthe"Pilgrim"underfullsail.