man, and sent the white foam, torn off the surface
of the harbour, flying over the deck in sheets, which drenched us
through and through. In an instant, the surrounding waters were lashed
into the wildest foaming billows. The vessels pitched fearfully into
the seas, and began, one after the other, to drag their anchors. Some
broke adrift altogether, and were hurled along till they were cast
helplessly on the shore; and fortunate were any of the crew who could
scramble clear of the hungry waves which rolled after them up the beach.
Some of the smaller craft pitched heavily a few times, and then
apparently the sea rushed over them, and down they went to rise no more.
I was holding on all the time to the fore-rigging with hands and feet,
fearing lest I should be blown away, and expecting every moment to see
our turn come next to be driven on shore. We were, however, exposed to
a danger on which I had not calculated: the vessels breaking adrift, or
dragging their anchors, might be driven against us, when we and they
would probably have been cast on shore or sunk together. On land,
wherever we could see, a terrific scene of confusion and destruction was
taking place; tall trees bent and broke like willow wands, some were
torn up by their roots, and huge boughs were lifted high in the air and
carried along like autumn leaves; houses as well as huts were cast down,
and their roofs were carried bodily off through the air. I doubted
whether I would rather be afloat or on shore, unless I could have got
into a deep cave, out of the way of the falling walls, and trees, and
roofs. All this time every one was on deck,--the officers and crew at
their stations, ready to try and avert any danger which might threaten
us. With a steady gale we might have cut or slipped and run out to sea;
but in a hurricane the wind might have shifted round before we were
clear of the land, and sent the ship bodily on shore.

While all hands were thus on the look-out, a boat, bottom uppermost, was
seen drifting down near us amidst the foaming waters. One man was
clinging to the keel. He looked imploringly towards us, and seemed to
be shrieking for aid. No assistance could we give him. I could
distinguish his countenance: it was that of one of the passengers who
had just before persisted in leaving the ship! His companion, and the
master and crew, where were they? He, poor wretch, was borne by us, and
must have perished among the breakers at t