ls of seasickness and of misery made
ridiculous. The storm was ever growing worse. On the second day the last
sail was drawn in, and the rudder bound fast, so that now the ship was
left to its fate. The raging sea was playing with the gigantic
structure of the ships as with a toy; sailors were swallowed up by the
waters, others committed suicide and soldiers who ventured to go on deck
fell down unconscious because of the force of the waves. Only one
consolation remained, namely, the clarified atmosphere; but on the third
day of Whitsuntide dark gloomy clouds and torrents of rain darkened the
whole firmament, the winds seemed to be let loose, sounding like roaring
thunder, all nature seemed to have united in bringing to young America a
terrible funeral feast. While thousands are pleading here for the
protection of Heaven a furious wrathful indignation rages in the
American pulpit scattering its curses and, praying to God and the
Savior, dedicates the fleet to destruction.

With a loud and deafening roar the huge waves wash over the ships; the
decks and every port-hole had to be made extra tight. The soldiers were
lying in the lower compartments as if buried alive in coffins, gasping
in the darkness after air and water; from moment to moment the most of
them, quiet and depressed, expected to go out of this dark night into
the eternal day of heaven. Still on the next day the storm was raging
and the heavy sea also continued, and this threatened to break the ships
to pieces; but the clouds broke, the great downfall of rain ceased, the
air became clear, the wind subsided, and in the evening at 10 o'clock
the storm had stopped entirely--only the seething waters were still
roaring and placed the ships in even greater danger. It was not until
the morning of the 30th that this violent sea had spent its fury; sound
sleep reinvigorated exhausted nature; and when the soldiers and sailors
awoke to the beautiful day and looked out upon the glittering, smooth,
quiet sea, and saw how little by little the ships drew closer together,
they each and everyone felt as if they had awakened to a new day of
creation. The kitchen fires were again glowing, the kettles were
steaming, the provisions, clothing and bed linen, all so thoroughly wet
through, were dried, everywhere repairs were undertaken, the masts were
again properly set up, and the sails spread; on the decks praises to God
were sung with fervent feelings of gratitude in devout meeting