216 THE ALBATROSS. 



All the afternoon the wind increased, first grad- 

 ually, then rapidly, so rapidly that at sundown we 

 had the Pope under storm canvas — close-reefed 

 top-sails and reefed foresail. The wind kept fresh- 

 ening. It veered steadily toward the east. It 

 raged with increasing fury, a fresh hand at the 

 bellows. The ship was talking loudly — pitching 

 and pounding — bobbing at it with a will. At ten 

 o'clock it was blowing a furious gale. We had 

 got in all sail, save close-reef main-top-sail and 

 reefed fore-sail. At midnight matters grew worse. 

 We got the Pope under main-spencer and fore- 

 top-mast-stay-sail. The wind was blowing with 

 maddened frenzy. The ship was over on her 

 beam ends, with larboard rails and three boats 

 under water. 



I called all hands to batten down the hatches. 

 We stretched the tarpaulins tight across them and 

 we nailed the battens fast to the coamings and 

 head-ledges. 



By two o'clock in the morning the spencers 

 and fore-top-mast stay-sails had blown away. The 

 sails on the yards were working loose from under 

 the gaskets. I sent men into the rigging to 

 secure them, but they could not get aloft. When 

 they were about ten feet up, the wind pinned 

 them tight against the ratlines. They were like 



