urried forward to rouse up
the watch below.

In less than a minute the other mates and the rest of the crew were on
deck. Courses were hauled up, topgallant sheets were let fly, topsails
lowered. The crew had sprung aloft. The fore-topsail was hauled, but
before the men were off the yards, the hurricane was down upon us. Over
the ship heeled. In an instant the topgallantsails were blown to
ribbons.

"Down, for your lives, down!" I shouted. No human power could have
handled the canvas now, with wild roars lashing furiously in the wind.
The main and mizen-topsails were blown out of the bolt-ropes, and soon
with innumerable coils encircled the yards. The ship, relieved of the
pressure of the sails, righted. Happily the wind was off the land, or
in a few minutes she would have been driven on shore. Still there was
the danger of it shifting; I therefore put the helm up, and ran off
before the wind. Every instant the sea rose, and as she got farther and
farther from the land, she began to pitch and tumble wildly about. Dick
and several hands, going aloft with axes, at length cleared the
topgallant yards, and we got them down on deck, and struck the gallant
masts. Getting the main-topsail set, a lull occurring, I was able to
heave her to.

Not till then could I venture to leave the deck. On entering the cabin,
I found my passengers clinging to the sofas. By the light which swung
to and fro in the centre, I saw that they all looked pale and alarmed,
expecting again to have to encounter the fearful dangers from which they
had lately escaped. I did my best to reassure them, by expressing my
hopes that the hurricane would soon cease, and that, God protecting us,
we might be able to enter port.

"Oh, then I have no fear," exclaimed Sophie; and raising her head, she
did her best to impart the same confidence she felt to her companions.

Not knowing, however, what might occur, I was compelled again to return
quickly to the deck. The gale howled and whistled through the rigging,
the waves roared, and the sea, as it rose in wild billows around, every
now and then broke on board, threatening to sweep our decks clear of all
upon them. The lightning, darting from the clouds in vivid flashes,
played around our masts. At any instant the electric fluid might, I
knew full well, come hissing down on deck, and set the ship on fire.
Should also the wind shift, we should lose more of our sails, and might
be driven before