e, which
struck us on the chesstree, and deluged us with water fore and aft.
But we were now on the other tack, and the ship regained her way, and
we had evidently increased our distance from the land.

"My lads," said the captain to the ship's company, "you have behaved
well, and I thank you; but I must tell you honestly that we have more
difficulties to get through. We have to weather a point of the bay on
this tack. Mr. Falcon, splice the main-brace, and call the watch.
How's her head, quartermaster?"

"S.W. by S. Southerly, sir."

"Very well; let her go through the water;" and the captain, beckoning
to the master to follow him, went down into the cabin. As our
immediate danger was over, I went down into the berth to see if I could
get anything for breakfast, where I found O'Brien and two or three more.

"By the powers, it was as nate a thing as ever I saw done," observed
O'Brien: "the slightest mistake as to time or management, and at this
moment the flatfish would have been dubbing at our ugly carcasses.
Peter, you're not fond of flatfish, are you, my boy? We may thank
Heaven and the captain, I can tell you that, my lads; but now, where's
the chart, Robinson? Hand me down the parallel rules and compasses,
Peter; they are in the corner of the shelf. Here we are now, a
devilish sight too near this infernal point. Who knows how her head
is?"

"I do, O'Brien: I heard the quartermaster tell the captain S.W. by S.
Southerly."

"Let me see," continued O'Brien, "variation 2 1/4--leeway--rather too
large an allowance of that, I'm afraid; but, however, we'll give her 2
1/2 points; the _Diomede_ would blush to make any more, under any
circumstances. Here--the compass--now, we'll see;" and O'Brien
advanced the parallel rule from the compass to the spot where the ship
was placed on the chart. "Bother! you see, it's as much as she'll do
to weather the other point now, on this tack, and that's what the
captain meant when he told us we had more difficulty. I could have
taken my Bible oath that we were clear of everything, if the wind held."

"See what the distance is, O'Brien," said Robinson. It was measured,
and proved to be thirteen miles. "Only thirteen miles; and if we do
weather, we shall do very well, for the bay is deep beyond. It's a
rocky point, you see, just by way of variety. Well, my lads, I've a
piece of comfort for you, anyhow. It's not long that you'll be kept in
suspense, for by one o'clock