THE OCEAN VOYAGE 103 



but we soon after noticed small white feathery clouds 

 arising on the far end of the horizon; by six o'clock they 

 had grown into large, threatening ones, which covered the 

 heavens. It is astonishing how quickly they will gather 

 and disappear. 



The sun had just set, giving the atmosphere a rather 

 disagreeable yellowish-red coloring, as if it were the re- 

 flection of an immense fire. Not a breath of air was notice- 

 able; a dull oppressive sultriness was spread over the dark 

 silent ocean, while the night grew darker every minute. 

 Soon we saw Hashes of lightning, followed by the heavy 

 rumbling of distant thunder, and these approached nearer 

 and nearer, and the thunder grew louder and louder. Half 

 an hour after sun-set every color-play of the clouds had 

 completely disappeared, though it was only half-past six, 

 and the darkness grew so dense that one could not see 

 three feet ahead. Then began the rain— and what a rain! 

 The most severe thunderstorm at home will hardly give 

 you a correct idea of that fearful storm; in a few seconds 

 everybody was wet to the skin and the splashing rain 

 could at times be heard above the deafening roar of the 

 thunder. The gale, which accompanied the rain, filled 

 our storm and topsails and sent us rapidly over the wild 

 water-mountains, which were covered with white, whiz- 

 zing foam. Such was the change which had been wrought 

 in a few minutes and the color of the sea had become as 

 black as the sky. 



The thundering roar of the waves, that threatened ev- 

 ery moment to swamp our trembling vessel, while it was 

 sailing down a mighty wave with lightning speed to slow- 

 ly and laboriously ascend the next one, the torrents of 

 splashing rain, the whistling and blustering of the storm 

 in the squeaking and rattling rigging of the ship, together 

 with the continual rolling of the thunder, formed a con- 

 cert so terrible and imposing that I feel absolutely unable 

 to give you an adequate description of the powerful, last- 

 ing impression which it has made upon me. 



The eye, too, was treated to sights of impressive mag- 

 nificence. The lightning, with the beautiful diversity of 



