noon before
I had a large , full-rigged model at Clawbonny ; and this I had studied under my father so thoroughly , as to know the name of every rope in it , and to have some pretty distinct notions of their uses . This early schooling was now of great use to me , though I found it a little difficult , at first , to trace my old acquaintances on the large scale in which they now presented themselves , and amid the intricate mazes that were drawn against the skies . The braces , shrouds , stays and halyards , were all plain enough , and I could point to either , at a moment 's notice ; but when it came to the rest of the running rigging , I found it necessary to look a little , before I could speak with certainty . Eager as I was to ship , the indulgence of gazing at all I saw was so attractive , that it was noon before we reached an Indiaman . This was a pretty little ship of about four hundred tons , that was called the John . Little I say , for such she would now be thought , though a vessel of her size was then termed large . The Manhattan , much the largest ship out of the port , measured but about seven hundred tons ; while few even of the Indiamen went much beyond five hundred .