s a perfect calm; the men were now busily
employed clearing the gun-deck, and securing every port-hole and
scuttle in which they effectually succeeded by 1 P. M.

"For a moment the turbulent and outrageous sky seemed to be assuaged;
but it intermitted its wrath only to increase its strength; soon the
sounding squadrons of the air returned to their attack, and renewed
their ravages with redoubled fury; and the stately dome rocked amidst
the wheeling clouds. The impregnable clouds tottered on its basis, and
threatened to overwhelm those whom it was intended to protect, the
vessel was almost rent in pieces, and scarcely secure; where then was
a place of safety? Sleep affrighted flew, diversion was turned into
horror; all was uproar in the elements; all was consternation among
us, and nothing was seen but one wide picture of rueful devastation.

"The ocean swelled with tremendous commotions; the ponderous waves
were heaved from their capacious beds, and almost lay bare the
unfathomed deep; flung into the most rapid agitation, they swept over
us, and tossed themselves into the clouds. We were rent from our
anchors, and with all our enormous load were whirled swift as an arrow
along the vast abyss. Now we climb the rolling mountains, we plough
the frightful ridge, and seem to skim the skies; anon we plunge into
the opening gulf, we reel to and fro, and stagger in the jarring
decks, or climb the cordage, whilst bursting seas foam over the decks.
Despair is in every face, and death sits threatening in every surge."
The whistling of the wind and roaring of the sea, together with the
voice of despairing seamen, and the dreadful shrieks of the women,
made us truly miserable; but we were forced to exert ourselves with
assumed courage and vigour, which could only be imagined but by those
placed in a similar situation,--our exertions were for life or death,
knowing that if they once failed, that nothing was to be expected but
to perish in a watery grave.

We kept the water under to about three feet during the time of this
dreadful gale; about 4 P. M. it abated, and about 5 P. M. it blew a
steady breeze from the south-west; and at 6 P. M. we went round her to
examine the damage we had sustained; when, dreadful to relate, we
found that a man and child had been washed out of their hammocks and
perished; on proceeding along the waste we found two invalids had been
jammed to death between two water-casks and the ship's sides, making a