DISTINGUISHED NANTUCKETERS . 129 



little known to our naval vessels. In that year the 

 ' Potomac,' commanded by Commodore John Downes, 

 was crossing its waters on her cruise around the world; 

 Reuben K. Pinkham was her third lieutenant. A 

 thorough sailor, born in a Northern wiialing port, he 

 had made several voyages to the North Pacific as 

 a whaler, and was comparatively familiar with that 

 region, where the other officers were strangers. The 

 day was drawing to a close; Pinkham had the watch, 

 and the commodore was walking the deck. The wind, 

 which before was fresh, had increased to a gale; the 

 top-gallant sails were handed, topsails reefed, and 

 spanker brailed up, when all at once Pinkham gave 

 the order: 'Man the weather head braces — weather 

 main-brace — weather main-topsail brace — lee crojeck 

 [cross-jack] braces!' ' What is that for, Mr. Pink- 

 ham?' asked the commodore. 'We shall have the 

 wind out here in a moment, sir,' said Pinkham, 

 stretching his arm out, and pointing to leeward. With 

 that the commodore ran over to the lee-rail, and looked 

 anxiously out in the direction indicated. Presently he 

 returned and said, ' I see no signs of it, Mr. Pinkham; 

 let the men leave the braces.' With that a number of 

 the crew dropped the ropes, and Pinkham called out, 

 'Keep hold of those braces, every man of you! ' when 

 they resumed their grasp. The commodore's face 

 flushed with anger to find his directions thus disre- 

 garded, and he called out in a peremptory tone, ' Let 

 the men leave the braces, sir! ' Again the crew 

 dropped the ropes from their hands, when Pinkham, 

 shaking his trumpet at them, exclaimed: 'Don't any 



of you dare to let go of those ropes!' At that moment 

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