sand very much from
under the lee of the ship whereby she had fallen much on her side. But
we hoped with the flood tide she would come off again.

[Footnote 56: These are channels leading out around the Helder, the
Nieuwe Diep close to that cape on the inside, the Lands Diep close to
it on the outside. Farther out lay the old channel and the Spaniard's
Channel.]

There were several passengers, not only women, but men, and some of
the bravest, who began to secure the best they had, and were ready and
looking out how they might safely reach the land. But the Lord
possessed us with His grace. Though seeing all this and knowing the
danger, I was not disturbed by it. Margaret proposed throwing some of
the cargo overboard, but the pilot and I dissuaded her from it. The
captain wished to start the tanks of fresh water, but we hindered him.
Of all the men in the ship I saw no one who was so frightened as Jan.
He ran backwards and forwards and hardly knew what he said or did.
This happened about half past three o'clock in the afternoon, and as
we had not yet taken any dinner, and could effect nothing as long as
the ship was fast, the victuals were brought out to be eaten. We sat
before the hut and ate; but we had not finished when I perceived the
ship dragging, as had been predicted. I sprang up quickly and cried
out: "We are afloat; the ship's afloat." Immediately thereupon the
whole ship was in commotion. The victuals were removed, the boat put
to the bow, and every one did his best, rowing as well as he could.
The ship, floating more and more, gave some good pushes and was
brought into four fathoms of water, in the middle of the channel, and
there anchored. My companion and myself thanked God in our hearts, and
all were very much rejoiced. But no sooner was the danger over, which
had somewhat bridled the godlessness of these bad men, than they
returned to their old courses, with cursing and foul language. They
were not affected in the least by what had happened, nor by God's
gracious preservation of us. Truly was His hand visible, for it
remained perfectly calm, so the ship labored very little. It would
otherwise have been all over with us, for our ship not being the
strongest, and being moreover very heavily laden, if the wind had
changed to the east and forced us on a lee shore, she would have soon
gone to pieces; or if we had grounded on the opposite side, which
might easily have happened, there would have been little p