ared torn up into sheets of hissing foam; on the other, the sky was
blue, and the water smooth as a polished mirror. There was not a breath
of air where the ship lay. Then down on us came the fierce squall with
its utmost fury--rain, hail, and wind united--over heeled the stout ship
as if she had been a mere cockleshell, till her gunwale was buried in
the water. I thought she would never rise again, but I kept my eye on
Captain Frankland, who seemed as cool and collected as if nothing
unusual was happening. With speaking-trumpet in hand, and holding on by
the weather-rail, he ordered the mizen-topsail to be furled. The lee
maintopsail braces were then slackened, to shiver the maintopsail; and
the wind being taken out of it, the whole pressure was thrown on the
headsail; the helm was then put a-starboard, and her bow paying off,
righting herself, away flew the ship rapidly before the gale on an even
keel. The foaming seas, rising every moment higher and higher, coursed
each other up under our stern, as if angry at our escaping their power.
Dark clouds were above us; dark hissing seas on every side; the thunder
roared, the lightning flashed brightly: so terrific did the scene appear
to me, that I thought at times that we must be hurrying to destruction.
I concealed my feelings, for Gerard took the matter very coolly, and he
was not likely to spare me if I expressed any unwarrantable alarm.
After we had run on before the gale for some time, it began to moderate.
We had all the time been going out of our course; so, to avoid losing
more ground, the captain gave the order to heave the ship to. I had
never before seen this operation performed. The fore-topsail was first
furled, and the maintopsail, which was closely reefed, and the
fore-topmast staysail were the only sails set. "Brace up the main
yard!" was the next order given. "Now, down with the helm!" cried the
captain, watching a favourable opportunity when a heavy sea had passed
us. The ship felt the influence of the wind, and came up with her head
to the westward; and then she rode, rising easily to the tops of the
seas, and gliding slowly down into the valleys--their wild, foaming,
hissing crests rushing furiously by her, but not a drop of water coming
on board. I had never pictured to myself a scene so awfully grand as
that which I now beheld in perfect security. On one side the waters
rose in a wall high above the deck, and looked as if about to overwhelm