86 Chapter III. 



bridge, occupying- myself in alternately making libations 

 to Neptune and trembling for the safety of the boats 

 and the men, who were trying to make snug what 

 they could forward on deck. I often saw only a 

 hotch-potch of sea,- drifting planks, arms, legs, and 

 empty barrels. Now a green sea poured over us 

 and knocked a man off his legs so that the 

 water deluged him ; now I saw the lads jumping 

 over hurtling spars and barrels, so as not to get 

 their feet crushed between them. There was not 

 a dry thread on them. Juell, who lay asleep in the 

 " Grand Hotel," as we called one of the long-boats, 

 awoke to hear the sea roaring, under him like a 

 cataract. I met him at the cabin door as he came 

 running down. It was no longer safe there, he 

 thought ; best to save one's rags he had a bundle 

 under his arm. Then he set off forward to secure his 

 sea-chest, which was floating about on the fore-deck, 

 and dragged it hurriedly aft, while one heavy sea 

 after another swept over him. Once the Fram buried 

 her bows and shipped a sea over the forecastle. There 

 was one fellow clinging to the anchor-davits over the 

 frothing water. It was poor Juell again. We were 

 hard put to it to secure our goods and chattels. 

 We had to throw all our good paraffin casks overboard, 

 and one prime timber baulk after another went the 

 same way, while I stood and watched them sadly as 

 they floated off. The rest of the deck cargo was shifted 



