as soon as the strain was on the
cables, she dipped, and a tremendous sea broke over her bows, deluging
us fore and aft, nearly filling the main-deck, and washing the
carpenters away from their half-completed work. A second and a third
followed, rolling aft, so as to almost bury the vessel, sweeping away
the men who clung to the cordage and guns, and carrying many of them
overboard.

I had quitted the gangway, where there was no hold, and had repaired to
the main bitts, behind the stump of the main-mast. Even in this
position I should not have been able to hold on, if it had not been for
Bob Cross, who was near me, and who passed a rope round my body as I was
sweeping away; but the booms and boats which had been cut adrift, in
case of the ship driving on shore broadside, were driven aft with the
last tremendous sea, and many men on the quarter-deck were crushed and
mangled.

After the third sea had swept over us, there was a pause, and Cross said
to me, "We had better go down on the main-deck, Captain Keene, and get
the half-ports open if possible." We did so, and with great difficulty,
found the people to help us; for, as it may be imagined, the confusion
was now very great; but the carpenters were again collected, and the
half-ports got out, and then the battening down was completed; for,
although she continued to ship seas fore and aft, they were not so heavy
as the three first, which had so nearly swamped her.

I again went on deck, followed by Cross, who would not leave me. Most
of the men had lashed themselves to the guns and belaying pins, but I
looked in vain for the first lieutenant and master; they were standing
at the gangway at the time of the first sea breaking over us, and it is
to be presumed that they were washed overboard, for I never saw them
again.

We had hardly been on deck, and taken our old position at the bitts,
when the heavy seas again poured over us; but the booms having been
cleared, and the ports on the main-deck open, they did not sweep us with
the same force as before.

"She cannot stand this long, Bob," said I, as we clung to the bitts.

"No, sir, the cables must part with such a heavy strain; or if they do
not, we shall drag our anchors till we strike on the sands."

"And then we shall go to pieces?"

"Yes, sir; but do not forget to get to the wreck of the masts, if you
possibly can. The best chance will be there."

"Bad's the best, Cross; however, that was my intention.