I had
wickedly taken at first, than I was at death itself; and these, added to
the terror of the storm, put me into such a condition that I can by no
words describe it. But the worst was not come yet; the storm continued
with such fury that the seamen themselves acknowledged they had never
seen a worse. We had a good ship, but she was deep laden, and wallowed
in the sea, so that the seamen every now and then cried out she would
founder. It was my advantage in one respect, that I did not know what
they meant by _founder_ till I inquired. However, the storm was so
violent that I saw, what is not often seen, the master, the boatswain,
and some others more sensible than the rest, at their prayers, and
expecting every moment when the ship would go to the bottom. In the
middle of the night, and under all the rest of our distresses, one of the
men that had been down to see cried out we had sprung a leak; another
said there was four feet water in the hold. Then all hands were called
to the pump. At that word, my heart, as I thought, died within me: and I
fell backwards upon the side of my bed where I sat, into the cabin.
However, the men roused me, and told me that I, that was able to do
nothing before, was as well able to pump as another; at which I stirred
up and went to the pump, and worked very heartily. While this was doing
the master, seeing some light colliers, who, not able to ride out the
storm were obliged to slip and run away to sea, and would come near us,
ordered to fire a gun as a signal of distress. I, who knew nothing what
they meant, thought the ship had broken, or some dreadful thing happened.
In a word, I was so surprised that I fell down in a swoon. As this was a
time when everybody had his own life to think of, nobody minded me, or
what was become of me; but another man stepped up to the pump, and
thrusting me aside with his foot, let me lie, thinking I had been dead;
and it was a great while before I came to myself.

We worked on; but the water increasing in the hold, it was apparent that
the ship would founder; and though the storm began to abate a little, yet
it was not possible she could swim till we might run into any port; so
the master continued firing guns for help; and a light ship, who had rid
it out just ahead of us, ventured a boat out to help us. It was with the
utmost hazard the boat came near us; but it was impossible for us to get
on board, or for the boat to lie near the ship's s