134 PREPARING FOR BAD WEATHER. 



high, and about eight inches in diameter at the base, stacked with 

 their small ends upward of course, thus making the whole affair 

 look like an immense Indian wigwam. It is placed in front of the 

 house and on a slightly descending slope, about ten rods from 

 the sea at low tide. The temperature throughout the day scarcely 

 varied from i8°. Frequent snow squalls, a wind direct east, and a 

 sudden and tremendous fall of the barometer, told that we might 

 expect a "spell of weather," as the people say, or even worse, with 

 the possibility of a hurricane. As a means of preparation, al- 

 though it was Sunday, the old adage of " a work of necessity," 

 though it was hardly of "mercy," seemed to justify us in mustering 

 all hands and preparing for the worst. The worst appeared then 

 to be the hauling of the big logs, — as many of them as we were 

 able — which had been towed ashore from the wreck as far up on 

 the beach as our limited force of four men and ten children 

 would permit. This was not far, however, as solid oak logs some 

 eighteen or twenty inches square, and thirty to fifty feet in length, 

 are anything but easy handling. We then hauled all the boats, 

 those at least that seemed at all exposed to the fury of the wind 

 or water, as far up on the rocks as we were able. They were very 

 heavy, and to haul them we were obliged to use a "tackle." This 

 is an oblong block, with two wheels inside, separated by a narrow 

 partition, over which the ropes run easily, while the block is fastened 

 to the boat by a large iron hook. The end rope is fastened 

 to a ring in the top of the block, while the rope passes over 

 the wheels and through a single wheeled block some distance 

 back, this latter block being fastened to a large immovable anchor. 

 In this way a small force will literally run away with the log or boat 

 attached, which a large force may exert its utmost to move with 

 the hands. After working hard all the morning, it seemed as if 

 we really had everything prepared for the storm, should it break in 

 fury upon us. 



About noon the thermometer rose to 36°, and the sky showed 

 signs of clearing ; but it was only a sign, for soon the wind started 

 up again, and blew a perfect gale from the southwest, and the 



