122 EAST PRUSSIA TO THE GOLDEN GATE 



lost, our men substituted reserve-sails and, as the weather 

 brightened during the afternoon, we heaved out the top- 

 sail, set it and took the course North West to West. The 

 air was cold and large pieces of ice floated on our water- 

 barrels. The weather continued fair on Monday, the 

 eighth, and as it was tolerably bright, we were satisfied 

 though the wind had neither changed in violence nor di- 

 rection, remaining S. W. and W., as during the day be- 

 fore. We kept S. to S. W. and S. W., making the best of 

 our chances. 



Suddenly there arose another powerful gale from the 

 South, about two o'clock in the afternoon, carrying with 

 it a cutting cold, and much snow and hail; notwithstand- 

 ing which we managed to keep our course West to South 

 until about midnight. From this hour on the storm 

 changed gradually to North-Northwest and assumed such 

 proportions that we were again compelled to take in all 

 sail except the smallest; again we drifted hopelessly while 

 our vessel was constantly under water. To complete our 

 misery, the clouds kept sending us snow and hail— dark, 

 sharp, cutting hail. This continued till Wednesday, the 

 tenth of September. While it is true that the wind con- 

 tinued, even on this day, W. to N. W., accompanied by 

 constant snow, it became possible about noon to again 

 bring our vessel under more sail and its course was 

 changed to Southwest. We then had a chance about 

 three o'clock in the afternoon to see another vessel 

 through the fog. It was a freight-bark, which cruised 

 East-ward, probably bound for Europe ; none but the fore- 

 mast-sail was set out. 



Soon after this we experienced another ' 'rough sea," 

 which destroyed the pigeon-house that we had standing 

 on deck and washed away a few things, without causing 

 much damage. The sky was thickly clouded when night 

 came and the storm increased but it did not reach its 

 greatest violence until Thursday, the eleventh, in broad 

 daylight; the severe cold again caused plenty of ice to 

 form on board. Early in the morning there was another 

 Joss to be registered, another sail gone which compelled 



