r smiling to see how easy he took the danger of the ship,
and said to him: "Let us shake off this gale of wind first, and talk
of the damaged powder afterwards."

At four we had gained upon the ship a little, and I went upon deck, it
being my watch. The second lieutenant relieved me at the pumps. Who
can attempt to describe the appearance of things upon deck? If I was
to write for ever I could not give you an idea of it--a total darkness
all above, the sea on fire, running as it were in Alps, or Peaks of
Teneriffe; (mountains are too common an idea); the wind roaring louder
than thunder, (absolutely no flight of imagination), the whole made
more terrible, if possible, by a very uncommon kind of blue lightning;
the poor ship very much pressed, yet doing what she could, shaking her
sides, and groaning at every stroke. Sir Hyde upon deck lashed to
windward! I soon lashed myself alongside of him, and told him the
situation of things below, saying the ship did not make more water
than might be expected in such weather, and that I was only afraid of
a gun breaking loose. "I am not in the least afraid of that; I have
commanded her six years, and have had many a gale of wind in her; so
that her iron work, which always gives way first, is pretty well
tried. Hold fast! that was an ugly sea; we must lower the yards, I
believe, Archer; the ship is much pressed." "If we attempt it, Sir, we
shall lose them, for a man aloft can do nothing; besides their being
down would ease the ship very little; the mainmast is a sprung mast; I
wish it was overboard without carrying any thing else along with it;
but that can soon be done, the gale cannot last for ever; 'twill soon
be daylight now." Found by the master's watch that it was five
o'clock, though but a little after four by ours; glad it was so near
daylight, and looked for it with much anxiety. Cuba, thou art much in
our way! Another ugly sea: sent a midshipman to bring news from the
pumps: the ship was gaining on them very much, for they had broken one
of their chains, but it was almost mended again. News from the pump
again. "She still gains! a heavy lee!" Back-water from leeward,
half-way up the quarter-deck; filled one of the cutters upon the
booms, and tore her all to pieces; the ship lying almost on her beam
ends, and not attempting to right again. Word from below that the ship
still gained on them, as they could not stand to the pumps, she lay so
much along. I said to Sir Hyde: "Th