on could offer no other Advantage
than that of a Winding-Sheet, presented and prepared for our approaching
Fate. But why mention I Imagination? In me 'twas wholly dormant. And yet
those Sons of stormy Weather, the Sailors, had theirs about them in full
Stretch; for seeing the Wind and Seas so very boisterous, they lash'd
the Rudder of the Ship, resolv'd to let her drive, and steer herself;
since it was past their Skill to steer her. This was our Way of
sojourning most Part of that tedious Night; driven where the Winds and
Waves thought fit to drive us, with all our Sails quite lower'd and flat
upon the Deck. If _Ovid_, in the little _Archipelagian_ Sea, could whine
out his _jam jam jacturus_, &c. in this more dismal Scene, and much more
dangerous Sea (the Pitch-like Darkness of the Night adding to all our
sad Variety of Woes) what Words in Verse or Prose could serve to paint
our Passions, or our Expectations? Alas! our only Expectation was in the
Return of Morning; It came at last; yet even slowly as it came, when
come, we thought it come too soon, a new Scene of sudden Death being all
the Advantage of its first Appearance. Our Ship was driving full Speed,
towards the _Breakers_ on the _Cabritton_ Shore, between _Burdeaux_ and
_Bayonne_; which filled us with Ideas more terrible than all before,
since those were past, and these seemingly as certain. Beside, to add to
our Distress, the Tide was driving in, and consequently must drive us
fast to visible Destruction. A State so evident, that one of our
Sailors, whom great Experience had render'd more sensible of our present
Danger, was preparing to save one, by lashing himself to the main Mast,
against the expected Minute of Desolation. He was about that melancholy
Work, in utter Despair of any better Fortune, when, as loud as ever he
could bawl, he cry'd out, _a Point, a Point of Wind_. To me, who had had
too much of it, it appear'd like the Sound of the last Trump; but to the
more intelligent Crew, it had a different Sound. With Vigour and
Alacrity they started from their Prayers, or their Despair, and with all
imaginable Speed, unlash'd the Rudder, and hoisted all their Sails.
Never sure in Nature did one Minute produce a greater Scene of
Contraries. The more skilful Sailors took Courage at this happy Presage
of Deliverance. And according to their Expectation did it happen; that
heavenly Point of Wind deliver'd us from the Jaws of those _Breakers_,
ready open to devour us;