Chapter 14

Doubling the Cape--Southern constellations--Intelligent chief officer--Sailors and their friends--Parting company--The cape--Simon's town--A fresh breeze--Rising to a gale--All hands shorten sail--Value of experience to an officer--Taking in reefs--Taking in mainsail--Heaving the log--Before the gale--Effects of a gale--Value of a chronometer proved by the want of one--Awful catastrophe