which sank so low as nearly to touch
our mast-heads, and a tremendous sea, which appeared to have risen up
almost by magic, rolled in upon us, setting the vessel on a dead lee
shore. As the night closed in, it blew a dreadful gale, and the ship
was nearly buried with the press of canvas which she was obliged to
carry: for had we sea-room, we should have been lying-to under storm
staysails; but we were forced to carry on at all risks, that we might
claw off shore. The sea broke over us as we lay in the trough,
deluging us with water from the forecastle, aft, to the binnacles; and
very often as the ship descended with a plunge, it was with such force
that I really thought she would divide in half with the violence of the
shock. Double breechings were rove on the guns, and they were further
secured with tackles; and strong cleats nailed behind the trunnions;
for we heeled over so much when we lurched, that the guns were wholly
supported by the breechings and tackles, and had one of them broken
loose it must have burst right through the lee side of the ship, and
she must have foundered. The captain, first lieutenant, and most of
the officers, remained on deck during the whole of the night; and
really, what with the howling of the wind, the violence of the rain,
the washing of the water about the decks, the working of the
chain-pumps, and the creaking and groaning of the timbers, I thought
that we must inevitably have been lost; and I said my prayers at least
a dozen times during the night, for I felt it impossible to go to bed.
I had often wished, out of curiosity, that I might be in a gale of
wind; but I little thought it was to have been a scene of this
description, or anything half so dreadful. What made it more appalling
was, that we were on a lee shore, and the consultations of the captain
and officers, and the eagerness with which they looked out for
daylight, told us that we had other dangers to encounter besides the
storm. At last the morning broke, and the look-out man upon the
gangway called out, "Land on the lee beam!" I perceived the master
dash his feet against the hammock-rails, as if with vexation, and walk
away without saying a word, looking very grave.

"Up there, Mr. Wilson," said the captain to the second lieutenant, "and
see how far the land trends forward, and whether you can distinguish
the point." The second lieutenant went up the main-rigging, and
pointed with his hand to about two points be