st, with
close-reefed top-sails upon the ship, and heavy squalls at times. Sir
Hyde came upon deck: "Well, Archer, what do you think of it?" "O, Sir,
't is only a touch of the times, we shall have an observation at
twelve o'clock; the clouds are beginning to break; it will clear up at
noon, or else--blow very hard afterwards." "I wish it would clear up,
but I doubt it much. I was once in a hurricane in the East Indies, and
the beginning of it had much the same appearance as this. So take in
the top-sails, we have plenty of sea-room."

At twelve, the gale still increasing, wore ship, to keep as near
mid-channel between Jamaica and Cuba, as possible; at one the gale
increasing still; at two, harder yet, it still blows harder! Reefed
the courses, and furled them; brought to under a foul mizen stay-sail,
head to the northward. In the evening no sign of the weather taking
off, but every appearance of the storm increasing, prepared for a
proper gale of wind; secured all the sails with spare gaskets; good
rolling tackles upon the yards; squared the booms; saw the boats all
made fast; new lashed the guns; double breeched the lower deckers; saw
that the carpenters had the tarpawlings and battens all ready for
hatchways; got the top-gallant-mast down upon the deck; jib-boom and
sprit-sail-yard fore and aft; in fact every thing we could think of to
make a snug ship.

The poor devils of birds now began to find the uproar in the elements,
for numbers, both of sea and land kinds, came on board of us. I took
notice of some, which happening to be to leeward, turned to windward,
like a ship, tack and tack; for they could not fly against it. When
they came over the ship they dashed themselves down upon the deck,
without attempting to stir till picked up, and when let go again, they
would not leave the ship, but endeavoured to hide themselves from the
wind.

At eight o'clock a hurricane; the sea roaring, but the wind still
steady to a point; did not ship a spoonful of water. However, got the
hatchways all secured, expecting what would be the consequence, should
the wind shift; placed the carpenters by the mainmast, with broad
axes, knowing, from experience, that at the moment you may want to cut
it away to save the ship, an axe may not be found. Went to supper:
bread, cheese, and porter. The purser frightened out of his wits about
his bread bags; the two marine officers as white as sheets, not
understanding the ship's working so much,