their heads covering the ocean with a sheet of white, while a lurid
light occasionally gleamed forth from the point where the sun was going
down, tinging for a moment the crests of the seas and here and there a
tossing ship on which it fell. The sea with thundering blows struck our
bows and washed along our high sides, the blocks rattled, the wind
whistled in the rigging, the masts groaned, the bulkheads creaked. We
had to speak at the top of our voices to make each other hear, while the
lieutenants had to shout their loudest through their speaking-trumpets
as they issued their orders. We were the leewardmost of the men-of-war
who were in sight, the merchantmen scattered around, all pitching and
rolling together, in a way which threatened to send their masts
overboard. The latter we could see had now a yard, now a topmast
carried away, but as far as we could make out, no great damage had been
done. Each dog-watch the pumps were manned. Their clanking was heard
amid the uproar as night closed in. My old shipmates and I had to keep
the morning watch, so as soon as the hammocks were piped down, we turned
in to get some sleep first. Seldom that I had my head on the pillow
many seconds before my eyes closed, but this night the fearful uproar,
the violent swinging of my hammock, and the plunges which I felt the
ship making, kept me awake. My watch below seemed twice as long as
usual. At length I heard eight bells strike. I turned out, and with my
two messmates went on deck.

"Things haven't mended since sundown," observed Nettleship, as he, Pim,
and I were together on the quarter-deck.

Indeed, the wind was howling more furiously than ever, and the big ship
plunged and rolled in a way which made it difficult to keep our feet.

"We've plenty of sea-room, that's one satisfaction, at all events," said
Nettleship. "I shouldn't like to be on a lee shore on a night like
this."

"Faith, nor should I, unless there was a good harbour to run into," said
I.

"It must have a broad entrance, and be well lighted, then," he answered,
"or we shouldn't be much better off than we are at present."

Two--four bells struck in the morning watch, and there appeared to be no
improvement in the weather. The captain and second and third
lieutenants came on deck, and, by the way they stood talking together, I
saw that they considered matters growing serious. The pumps were kept
going twice as long as usual. Six bells had just str