112 OUR HERITAGE THE SEA 



quite in the right way. Then she has received the 

 terrific impact of the wave, and although ever so 

 powerfully built and immune from damage as to her 

 solid structure, she has emerged from the immense 

 turmoil of water swept clean of everything in the 

 nature of upper works and fittings, let them be ever so 

 well secured. 



As an instance of the amazing frictional power of 

 the sea, as well as its mighty impact, let me quote 

 an experience of my own. I was on board a fine 

 passenger sailing ship, in which we had run from 

 England in the wonderfully short space of eighty days, 

 during the last fortnight of which we had been flying 

 at fully sixteen miles an hour before a tremendous 

 westerly gale and a corresponding sea. But with 

 staunchness of ship and fine seamanship we had not 

 suffered the loss of a rope yarn, as sailors say, until 

 one night off the southern point of New Zealand, the 

 Snares, having run far enough, it was necessary for us 

 to heave-to. Now, this operation is always a difficult 

 and dangerous one in a gale with a heavy sea, demand- 

 ing the greatest skill and coolness on the part of the 

 commander, which requisite in our case was fully 

 satisfied. All was made ready, and at the propitious 

 moment the ship was brought to the wind, turning 

 quickly and easily past the danger-point when the 

 giant sea rolls squarely on the broadside. But just 

 as she came up into the wind, the biggest wave I have 

 ever seen towered up over the weather-bow like a vast 

 black wall, and, at a yell from the bo'sn, everybody 

 clutched at some holding-place and held his breath. 

 Down came the wave on the topgallant forecastle, and 

 rushed aft along the decks, where its impact stove in 



