Longtail Jaeger

At sea, weather is important. A sailor scans the sky when he comes on deck at dawn and sweeps the horizon when he turns in.

These "tricks" have never left me. One September morning I saw a LONGTAIL JAEGER sweeping above these Taconic Hills. Between two wing-beats, memory flew back to the schooner's deck where we lay off the Bay of Fundy.

The sun — a ball of dull copper — hung above a level plain of sienna sea.

"Get the boom in the crotch — hook on both tackles and see they're taut. Double-stop the sails an' put an extra hitch on the halliard pins. Rout out the wire bridle an' make it fast to the seine boat. Get that net an' oars on board."

Andrews gave the orders quite casually but obedience was man-o'-war precision.

Comradeship and efficiency linked arms aboard the Eva and Annie.

Low over the far western shore, came the swirling gray squall arch and then beneath its ominous smoky brown appeared a line of white.

"A double-header an' butt end foremost!"

Bill's pipe was going at regulation exhausts. He wasn't worried so why should I be?

Smash! Like an enormous hand the wind hit. Over went the schooner and lay there at an angle of 30 degrees without a bit of duck on her.

The breath went out of me and only returned under shelter of the cabin side. Every one of us had a hand grip on some part of the vessel. The pull of our long seine boat astern gradually brot us head to wind and the pressure eased as she took it on the bows.

Then into that chaos of wind, three Longtail Jaegers appeared to lu'ard riding the gale lightly as Swallows on a June morning. In hard puffs they were blown upward many fathoms: when the blast lessened, their wings vibrated and while we watched, they slowly forged ahead!

They knew when to work and when to let the wind work for them.

"Breeze hittin' seventy an' them spalpeens beatin' into it! Dommed if I ever see the like!" gasped Flanagan.

Neither did I nor have I since seen such masterly control of wind by those tiny points of energy.

Other observers agree with this verdict and comment on their grace and agility aloft. They have the same thievish traits as other species and if an enemy like man threatens the home, they use the "disabled" act in an attempt to lure him away.

‍