torms which so frequently
devastate the islands of the Caribbean Sea. The rain, too, beat down
furiously, and the spoondrift in thick showers flew off the summits of
the seas, shrouding the ship in a dense mist, through which no objects,
had any been near, could have been discerned. At present, the chief
fear was lest the ship should run foul of any other hove to, for none
could cross her course under sail.

On she flew. Daylight returned, but the view around was almost as
obscure as during the night. The master consulted the chart. He would
have wished to haul to the southward, but the sea was running too high
and the wind blowing too furiously for that to be done; neither, in
consequence of the loss of her after-rails, could she be hove to. Her
only safe course was to fly before it. Except the close-reefed topsail,
no other canvas was set. The _Champion_ had by this time got to the
eastward of Cuba, and was compelled to run on far away from the coast
her commander wished to reach.

Another day and night passed by, the wind blowing with scarcely less
fury than at first. The well was sounded, but it was found that the
ship had made no unusual amount of water. If she could steer clear of
rocks and reefs, the only other thing to be apprehended was that, while
in her crippled condition, she might fall in with an enemy's ship of
equal or superior force. Numerous reefs and rocks however existed, and
as it had been impossible to take an observation, or even to keep an
exact dead reckoning, in consequence of the frequent shifting of the
wind, the master confessed that he was not certain of her position. She
was, he supposed, approaching the southern end of the dangerous Bahama
Islands, known as the Great Caicos. The island of Inagua, it was hoped,
was passed, but even that was not certain.

Another night was coming on. All on board hoped that the gale would
blow itself out, but as the darkness increased, it gave no signs of
doing so. A sharp look-out was of course kept, ahead, and the cables
were ranged ready to let go the anchors should any danger be seen.

Except when wearied out, in order to snatch a short rest, few of the
officers or men had gone below. Most of them were collected on deck,
when a voice from forward shouted out, "Breakers on the starboard bow!"
and almost immediately afterwards their roar was heard, and the white
foam could be seen dashing up over a dark reef. The helm was put a
couple