The pilot: a tale of the sea. By J. Fenimore Cooper.

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iasstid (the two smtall bealtlatnds that fi:rtin:d tdte
titoiu(i tif ti}te }Iar{)ottt'.'he men pulttl.ed, w{it}ll
tnifli.e.d oat's, thlc'ir 1ltong, vigorousl strokes, a,)nd the
tsoat glide(l, with amiazing ralpidity, by thet obl:jects
that could Ie yet indlistinctly scetn alotg thet (tini
sihore. Wbe "n)~, however, the::> y had gtained the
tpe): ocean~, and (bhe:cdirectilon of theitr little hl:ark
was chantged to one that led t(hem in a line with
the:(oast, and within thte shladowvs of the cliffs,
the cocksw\1 ain, deeming that the silence was,no )
lon)ger neeessary to their s;taf:ty, ventured to break
it, as follows
{ A sqularet-sail is; a good sail to Ctl'ti'y 0onl a
craft, (tdea aito)re it, and in a heavy sea.;'ut if
fifty years eatn teach a man to know the we}athert
it's lly judtfglnent thrat should tle Ariel break gtrotll(
aflter tie night turns at eight bells, she'llt need h}e;
tnain-sail to hold her upt to her course."
The lieutenant started at this sutdden interrupl)
ti.on, and caifstin his loak from his shoulde:rs, lhe
looked abt: road on tlie waters, as if seekit.ig those
Iortentous ott ens whicl tistlrbed the itmatgination
ofl his cocksxvaiti.
Hw now\,,t' o te silt, shaid starply, " hatave ye
tiurned trioaker in your 0(ld age? what see you, to
cautse sutch an o0tl woman'ls d(itty!B'
"'('is no song of al od1( wvortnan, returltned
the,ocvkswaint, x'ith solemn earnestnless) "but the
tarning of an ol1d man; andt one who huts sj)ent
his (lays where there werte no btills to prevent tt.he
wvii(lds of heaven from blowing ol hi, unless tllhey
were hills of' salt. water and fotiam. I judgel si`r,
there'll be a heavy north-eastel' setting itt uponl us
aotre the mornling watch is called.">
BI"aristable knew the expetience of his old mess.
mate too well, to feel no uneasiness at such ma', opi.