ck trips, and was ready to seize with alacrity the
least breath in his favor. After all, he made one of his best voyages,
by the help of the strong, steady wind that drove him on at the last. It
was perhaps as much, however, from his vigilance in watching when there
was so little to take advantage of, and seizing all the little bits of
help it was possible to get, as it was from the great help of that
powerful wind; for other vessels that started with us, and even days
before us, have not come in yet, and they all had the great wind alike.

R---- ventured to inquire of the captain one day, when we were beating
about the mouth of the Straits, as to the feasibility of going into
Neeah Bay, while it was yet possible to do so; but the captain said he
preferred to beat about, and then he was ready to take advantage of the
first chance in his favor, which he might lose if he were in shelter.

One day it was more than I could enjoy. The wind roared so loud, and the
sound of the waves was so heavy, that I retreated to my berth, and lay
down; but I could not keep my mind off the thought of how deep the water
was under us. After a while I went on deck and sat there again, and the
vessel began to plunge so that it seemed as if it were trying to stand
upon one end. I felt so frightened that I thought I would speak to the
captain, and ask him if he ever knew a lumber-vessel to tip over; and if
I dared I would suggest that he should carry a little less sail. I knew
that he was once on a vessel that turned bottom upward in the Straits,
and he was left on the overturned hull for three days, in a snow-storm,
before help came to him. I spoke to him, and he did not give me much of
an answer; but, a little while after, he came to me, and said, "Are you
able to go to the forward part of the ship with me? I should like to
have you, if you can." So he helped me along to the bow, where it seemed
almost too frightful to go, and said, "Kneel down;" and knelt down by
me, and said, "Look under the ship." It was one of the most beautiful
sights I ever saw,--such a height of foam, and rainbows over it. The
dark water beside it seemed to be full of little, sharp, shining
needles. I suppose it was moving so quickly that made the elongated
drops appear so. Then he took me to the other side, that was in shadow;
and there the water was whirled into the most beautiful shapes, standing
out distinct from each other, from the swiftness of the motion, that
he