water in the hold was to be kept under, as was proved by our
salvation, when the yacht was labouring furiously and taking in whole
thunderstorms of wet over the bows; the vessel then was surely to be
easily kept afloat should the weather clear up; there were spare sails
below, a spare gaff, and other materials for rigging the broken height
of mast; and there was also plenty of fresh water and provisions. But
those were considerations to weigh with men bred to the sea life; they
would not in the least degree have influenced me even had I been alone.

In truth, I had had enough of the yacht; I should have cursed myself
for my folly had we parted company with the ship and then met with bad
weather again; it was impossible to hear the clanking of the pump, and
glance at the coil of cold bright water gushing from it without a
shudder that penetrated to my inmost being. And to keep my sweetheart
in this perilous craft, rendered leaky and ricketty by storm; to go on
subjecting her to the brain-addling convulsive pitching and tossing of
the poor, mutilated hooker; to risk with her another passage of violent
winds, merely to preserve a vessel which I was now quite willing to let
quietly go to the bottom!

"Not for a million!" said I aloud. "No, my darling," I continued, as I
fondled her hand, "my business is to see you safe first of all. There
is safety yonder," said I, pointing to the _Carthusian_, "but none
here. We must take our chance of being trans-shipped from her as
speedily as may be, of being put on board some passing steamer that
will carry us home swiftly and comfortably. But sooner than miss the
chance that vessel yonder provides us with, I would be content to make
the whole round voyage in her, with you by my side, though she should
occupy three years in completing it."

We had been waiting, and watching the weather for about an hour, when
my eye was suddenly taken by a cloud of extraordinary shape, sailing up
the sky out of the north and east, whence the wind was still blowing.
It was of the colour of sulphur, and was the exact representation of a
huge hand, the forefinger outstretched, the thumb curved backwards as
it would be in life, the remaining fingers clenched. As it came along
it seemed to project from the dirty grey surface of vapour under which
it sailed; it was as though some Titan, lying hid past the clouds, had
thrust his hand through the floor of vapour with the finger pointing
towards the m