At the end of the half-hour the mainmast of the vessel to windward, which had been several times struck, fell with a crash.

The superiority of the lugger in sailing was now so great as to put it out of all question that she was not to be overtaken in the chase; and Raoul at one time actually thought of turning up along the land and going into Bastia, where he might even provide himself with a new mainmast at need.

A serious wound was given to the mainmast below the hounds, and the yard itself was shivered in the slings.

It used the shrouds and stays of the still upright mainmast as an aeolian harp from which to draw horrible music.

And so, having all ready, we hove the mainmast into position, after which we proceeded to rig it.

The spars had all stood, and Raoul no longer hesitated about trusting his wounded mainmast with a new yard and sail.

The vessel I was in had her foremast shot away, which they supplied very expeditiously by taking a mainmast from a smaller vessel.