a furious south wind, so that the pilot, with
all his art, could not bear up against it. The tempest carried the ship
into a sea unknown to the Portuguese; and the face of heaven was so black
with clouds, that, during five days and nights, there was no appearance
of sun or stars; insomuch that the mariners-were not able to take the
elevation of the pole, and consequently not to know whereabouts they
were. One day, towards the evening, the wind redoubled with so much fury,
that the vessel had not power to break the waves, so high they went, and
came on with so much violence. In this terrible conjuncture they thought
fit to cut down the forecastle, that the ship might work the better;
after which, they bound the sloop which followed with thick cables to the
ship: but night coming on while they were thus employed, and being very
dark, abundance of rain also falling at the same time, which increased
the tempest, they could not draw out of the sloop five Portuguese and ten
Indians, as well as slaves and mariners, which were in her.

Those of the ship had neither comfort nor hope remaining, but in the
company and assistance of Father Xavier. He exhorted them to lament their
sins, thereby to appease the wrath of God; and he himself poured forth
whole showers of tears before the face of the Almighty. When night was
now at the darkest, a lamentable cry was heard, as of people just upon
the brink of perishing, and calling out for succour. The noise came from
the sloop, which the violence of the winds had torn off from the vessel,
and which the waves were hurrying away. As soon as the captain had notice
of it, he ordered the pilot to turn towards those poor creatures, without
considering, that, by his endeavour of saving his nephew, Alphonso Calvo,
who was one of the five Portuguese in the sloop, the ship must certainly
be lost, and himself with her. In effect, as it was difficult to steer
the ship, when they would have turned her towards the sloop, she came
across betwixt two mountains of water, which locked her up betwixt
them; one of those waves fell upon the poop, and washed over the deck;
and then it was that the whole company thought their business was done,
and nothing but cries and lamentations were heard on every side. Xavier,
who was at his prayers in the captain's cabin, ran out towards the noise,
and saw a miserable object,--the vessel ready to bulge, the seamen, the
soldiers, and the passengers, all tumbling in confusi