Your journalist, whether he takes charge of a ship or a fleet, almost invariably "casts" his
anchor. Now, an
anchor is never cast, and to take a liberty with technical language is a crime against the clearness, precision, and beauty of perfected speech.
On the 10th of February, 1828, the Astrolabe appeared off Tikopia, and took as guide and interpreter a deserter found on the island; made his way to Vanikoro, sighted it on the 12th inst., lay among the reefs until the 14th, and not until the 20th did he cast
anchor within the barrier in the harbour of Vanou.
The vessel was slowly rising and now the
anchor was beyond the blacks who faced me and several feet above their heads.
As I hinted before, this whalebone marquee was never pitched except in port; and on board the Pequod, for thirty years, the order to strike the tent was well known to be the next thing to heaving up the
anchor.
You can't stop if you haven't got an
anchor. And you'll need a bell."
Last of all, so far as concerned the Solomons, her
anchor rumbled down and bit into the coral-sanded bottom of the harbour of Tulagi, where, ashore on Florida Island, lived and ruled the Resident Commissioner.
It was not worth while to
anchor till they were sure of good ground.
The Eleanor remained some few days at
anchor here, and an apparently friendly intercourse was kept up with the inhabitants.
He proceeded to the banks of the Hudson, and looked about among the vessels moored or
anchored in the river, for any that were about to depart.
The Jessie was plunging madly to two
anchors, and every second or third sea broke clear over her bow.
At the expiration of an hour's struggling with the waves, it reached the spot where the admiral's vessel was
anchored, and from the side of which two boats had already been dispatched towards their aid.
On the 16th of February, the Resolute cast
anchor near Greenwich.