Original watercolour showing six crewmen aloft on one of the upper yards of the Argonaut (1876) reefing in one of her upper, square sails against grey storm clouds. Two masts with standing rigging are shown with four or five other yards with their respective sails already closely reefed. The crew working on the final sail balance along the yardarms on the underhanging footrope. The outer edges of the sails have already been lashed firmly to the yard, the figure on the right securing the canvas with a gasket (short rope). The four figures nearer the mast are hauling up the centre part of the sail which has been loosely bundled up with the bunt line in order to take the weight.

Stored in folder with PAD6483.