d with one hand gripping hard the edge of the bunk, smoked
nervously with quick puffs, staring upwards; immobilised in a great
craving for peace.

At midnight, orders were given to furl the fore and mizen topsails. With
immense efforts men crawled aloft through a merciless buffeting, saved
the canvas and crawled down almost exhausted, to bear in panting silence
the cruel battering of the seas. Perhaps for the first time in the
history of the merchant service the watch, told to go below, did not
leave the deck, as if compelled to remain there by the fascination of a
venomous violence. At every heavy gust men, huddled together, whispered
to one another,"It can blow no harder," and presently the gale would
give them the lie with a piercing shriek, and drive their breath back
into their throats. A fierce squall seemed to burst asunder the thick
mass of sooty vapours; and above the wrack of torn clouds glimpses could
be caught of the high moon rushing backwards with frightful speed over
the sky, right into the wind's eye. Many hung their heads, muttering
that it "turned their inwards out" to look at it. Soon the clouds closed
up and the world again became a raging, blind darkness that howled,
flinging at the lonely ship salt sprays and sleet.

About half-past seven the pitchy obscurity round us turned a ghastly
grey, and we knew that the sun had risen. This unnatural and threatening
daylight, in which we could see one another's wild eyes and drawn faces,
was only an added tax on our endurance. The horizon seemed to have come
on all sides within arm's length of the ship. Into that narrowed circle
furious seas leaped in, struck, and leaped out. A rain of salt, heavy
drops flew aslant like mist. The main-topsail had to be goose-winged,
and with stolid resignation every one prepared to go aloft once more;
but the officers yelled, pushed back, and at last we understood that
no more men would be allowed to go on the yard than were absolutely
necessary for the work. As at any moment the masts were likely to be
jumped out or blown overboard, we concluded that the captain didn't want
to see all his crowd go over the side at once. That was reasonable.
The watch then on duty, led by Mr. Creighton, began to struggle up the
rigging. The wind flattened them against the ratlines; then, easing
a little, would let them ascend a couple of steps; and again, with a
sudden gust, pin all up the shrouds the whole crawling line in attitudes
of cru