Pass the Southern Loo- Choo Channel. — End of the Cij clone. 545 



strength ; squall followed squall, the universal covering of 

 cloud in which the heavens seemed wrapped looked as though 

 it reached to the very waters, and the air was quite filled 

 with sj)ray, till when standing at the ship's stern it was barely 

 possible to distinguish the forecastle. The storm, sweeping 

 along above the seething water, had a singular piercing, almost 

 metallic, notCj quite unlike the singing and whistling made 

 among the sails and cordage. Staggering along under close- 

 reefed fore and main sail, and double-reefed top-sail, the 

 frigate pressed on through the thick night, going 14 miles an 

 hour, through the strait between Loo-Choo and Meiaco-sima, 

 out of the China Sea into the Pacific Ocean, whither she was 

 being hurried along with such impetuous, irresistible violence 

 by the wind, that not even the most experienced seaman could 

 make head against it, but had, when passing from one part of 

 the ship to the other, to warp himself along by means of a 

 rope made fast fore and aft.* At 4 p.m. the barometer stood 

 at its lowest (29°. 302, the temperature at the same period 

 being 66°.02 Fahr.), where it remained without sensible alter- 

 ation for several hours. At last, towards 9 p.m., it began 

 slowly to rise, the sm^est indication, and therefore most 

 welcome one, that we were increasing our distance fi'om the 



* During this storm, we made the not uninteresting obsen-ation in a physiological 

 point of view, that when the gale was at its worst, even the least hard-a-weather of 

 us seemed quite free from sea-sickness, apparently the result of extreme excitement. 

 For similar reasons, men who have been bitten by a snake, and who have had raw 

 spirits administered as an antidote, seem able to take four or five limes the quantity 

 which they can on ordinary occasions. 



VOL. II. 2 N 



