r escape, until the big ships came down and they were
compelled to strike their flags.

We were cruising about the mouth of the Channel, and, favoured by fine
weather, had taken many prizes, when a south-westerly wind sprang up,
and soon increased to a heavy gale, harder than any we had yet
encountered.

The dark leaden seas came rolling up from the Atlantic, crested with
foam, which flew in masses across our decks. The sky, covered with
black clouds, sent forth vivid flashes of lightning, whilst peals of
rattling thunder vied with the loud howling of the blast through the
rigging, the creaking of blocks and bulkheads, and the dashing of the
waves against the bows and sides. Now the wind blew from one quarter,
now from another, and prevented our running for Kinsale, the only
harbour in which we could have found a secure refuge.

We could see the rest of the fleet tumbling and tossing about under
close-reefed canvas, scattered far and wide, some in one direction, some
in another. Thus the night closed down upon us. We had to keep a
watchful eye on every side, for should we run foul of another ship under
such circumstances, the destruction of both would be inevitable.

The next day and the greater part of the following night the storm raged
with as much fury as ever. Fearful of being driven on the Scilly Isles,
or the southern coast of England, our captain endeavoured to keep a good
offing, though we thereby lost sight of the rest of the fleet. About
the middle of the next night the storm began to abate, and when morning
came we found ourselves enveloped in a thick fog, while the ocean,
though still heaving in slow undulations, gradually assumed a glass-like
surface of leaden hue.

We, having borne up, stood to the northward in search of the squadron.
The captain ordered a bright look-out to be kept.

"Marry! a bright look-out. We must have eyes of a different nature to
most men to pierce through this dense mist," quoth Martin, laughing.

Still, such a look-out as was possible was kept, the captain hoping ere
long to see one of the Prince's vessels, and to learn from her where the
rest were to be found. At length, about noon, the sun made an effort to
burst through the thick veil which shrouded us. Soon afterwards the
mist lifted for an instant ahead, and during that instant I saw what
appeared to me the hull of a ship, the canvas just rising above it; but
it was only a glimpse, and it needed a sharp pair