became on this occaiion as it were pe- 

 trified and bereaved of all fenfe, like in- 

 animate logs, and were bandied to and 

 fro by the jerks and rolls of the fhip, 

 without exerting any efforts to help 

 thernfelves. So terrible was the fcene 

 of foaming breakers around us, that 

 one of the braveft men we had could 

 not help expreffing his difmay at it, 

 faying it was too fhocking a fight to 

 bear; and would have thrown himfelf 

 over the rails of the quarter-deck into 

 the fea, had he not been prevented : but 

 at the fame time there were not wanting 

 thofe who preferved a prefence of mind 

 truly heroic. The man at the helm, 

 though both rudder and tiller were gone, 

 kept his ftation ; and being afked by one 

 of the officers, if the fiiip would fleer or 

 not, firfhook his time to make trial by the 

 wheel, and then anfwered with as much 

 refped and coolnefs as if the fhip had 

 been in the greateft fafety j and immedi^ 



ately 



