THE OCEAN VOYAGE 83 



eluded spot, I allowed my thoughts to run as they would, 

 and there i ; no need of telling you of their course: you 

 are quite aware of it, beloved ones. 

 The first day of Pentecost, as you already know, was 



spent on the same spot; the weather was cold, it stoi; 

 and then it rained hard. Many vessels passed during the 

 day, bound outward, but all had to cast anchor near us. 

 On Monday we had a hurricane from the West, of such 

 severity that one ship after the oilier was compelled to 

 weigh anchor and return up the river, seeking- shelter. 

 We, too, had to follow suit soon after twelve o'clock and 

 reached Gliickstadt about one, where we anchored again. 

 The waves rose so high that the rapid rolling of the ves- 

 sel caused many of our passengers to become seasick. 

 The following day was not much more agreeable, as the 

 rain came down in torrents. The wind veered fortunate- 

 ly to the North, so that it became possible for us to weigh 

 anchor during the forenoon, and to proceed toward Cux- 

 haven in company with about twenty other vessels which 

 were, like ourselves, sea-bound. We reached the light- 

 house at three o'clock p. m. and anchored about a quar- 

 ter of a mile off the coast. Being in hopes that we would 

 continue our trip right away, I sent the afore mentioned 

 letter ashore at once. In this, to my great chagrin, I was 

 disappointed, as the wind changed to the Northwest, 

 which compelled us to cultivate patience for another day, 

 as we were unable to move. To make it worse, this day, 

 too, was a rainy one and nobody will blame me for being 

 in ill-humor when evening came. Being compelled to 

 spend a whole week in rainy weather on the Elbe, when 

 one is conscious of having about four thousand miles of 

 travel ahead, is not the thing to improve one's temper. 

 Angry with the weather, with Hamburg and Cuxhaven, 

 with the I and North-Sea, with myself and fellow- 

 passengers, I crawled very early into my berth and soon 

 fell asleep, notwithstanding the pouring of the rain and 

 the splashing of the waters against the rolling ship. About 

 three o'clock In the morning of dune the 12th, I was 

 aroused by the rattling of the anchor-chain. I hastened 



