across the blue sky,
over which a thick veil of mist seemed suddenly to have been drawn. In
a few seconds a fierce blast struck the ship, making her heel over to
starboard in a way which seemed as if it was about to take the masts out
of her. Mrs Davenport clung to the cabin skylight, on which she was
sitting. It was with difficulty we could save Emily and Grace from
being carried away to leeward; indeed, they both cried out with terror,
so suddenly had the gale broken on us.

Down, down the tall ship lay. It seemed as if she would never rise.
The watch below rushed up on deck, looks of dismay on the countenances
of many. The captain shouted to Mr Thudicumb, "Get the axes ready!"
and pointed significantly to the mizzen-mast. The first officer
repeated the order; and Mr Tarbox was seen coming along, axe in hand,
followed by the carpenter and several of his crew. There was no time to
be lost, it seemed. I could not help dreading lest another similar
blast should send the ship over, and the sea, rushing up her decks,
carry her to the bottom. The rudder had lost its power, being nearly
out of the water, so that no means but the desperate one to which we
were about to have recourse remained for getting the ship before the
wind. The risk of those on deck being injured by the falling of the
mast was very great. I made my way up to where my sister, with Mrs
Davenport and Grace, were clinging to the cabin skylight, in order to
conduct them below. The captain shouted to Mr Hooker, and signed to
him to assist me. Unless, however, I had been aided by the second mate,
I could scarcely have done so.

As soon as I had seen them into the cabin, I sprang again on deck. The
sharp sound of the axe as it struck the mizzen-mast was heard at that
moment. The shrouds on either side were cut, and over the mast fell
into the foaming water. Still the ship lay as before. "It must be
done, Thudicumb!" the captain cried, and this time the mate himself
approached the mast, and stood with gleaming axe uplifted, ready to
strike. The hurricane howled round us. Every instant the seas
increased in height and fury, the spoon-drift from their summits driving
in showers over our deck. The sea came rushing up every instant higher
and higher over the lee bulwarks, up almost to the hatchways. The
captain gave another glance to windward. Still the rudder did not act.
"Cut!" he shouted, his voice sounding high above the roar of the blast.