310 HOMEWARD BOUND. 



the second iiiglit one split ^vitll a crack like a cannon ; and 

 was tied np in an instant, cordage and strips, into inex- 

 trical)le knots. 



The next night I was woke by a slap which shook the Neva 

 from stem to stern, and made her stagger and writhe like a 

 live thing struck across the loins. Then a dull rush of water 

 which there was no mistaking. We had shipped a green 

 sea. AVell, I could not hale it out again ; and there was 

 plenty of room fo-r it on board. So, after ascertaining that 



K was not frightened, I went back to my berth and slept 



aiiain, somewhat wondering that the roll of the screw was 

 all l)ut silent. 



Next mornine^ we found that a sea had walked in over 

 the bridge, breaking it, and washing off it the first officer 

 and the look-out man luckily they fell into a sail and not 

 overboard ; put out the galley-fires, so that we got a cold 

 breakfast ; and eased the ship ; for the shock turned the 

 indicator in the engine-room to "Ease her." The engineer, 

 thinking that the captain had given the order, obeyed it. 

 The captain turned out into the wet to know who had eased 

 his ship, and then returned to bed, wisely remarking, that 

 the ship knew her own business best ; and as she had 

 chosen to ease the engines herself, eased she should be, his 

 orders being "not to prosecute a voyage so as to endanger 

 the lives of the passengers or the property of the Company." 



