DAMPIER'S SOJOURN IN GREAT NICOBAR 271 



rattans, yet they must probably have yielded to such a sea 

 as this, when even before they were plunged under water, and 

 bent like twigs. 



"The evening of this i8th day was very dismal. The sky 

 looked very black, being covered with dark clouds ; the wind 

 blew hard, and the seas ran high. The sea was already roaring 

 in a white foam about us ; a dark night coming on, and no land 

 in sight to shelter us, and our little ark in danger to be swallowed 

 by every wave ; and what was worst of all, none of us thought 

 ourselves prepared for another world. The reader may better 

 guess than I can express, the confusion that we were all in. I 

 had been in many eminent dangers before now, some of which I 

 have already related, but the worst of them all was a play-game 

 in comparison with this. I must confess I was in great con- 

 flicts of mind at this time. Other dangers came not upon me 

 with such a leisurely and dreadful solemnity. A sudden skirmish 

 or engagement or so was nothing when one's blood was up, and 

 pushed forward with eager expectations. But here I had a 

 lingering view of approaching death, and little or no hopes of 

 escaping it ; and I must confess that my courage, which I had 

 hitherto kept up, failed me here ; and I made very sad reflections 

 of my former life, and looked back with horror and detestation 

 on actions which before I disliked, and I now trembled at the 

 remembrance of I had long before this repented me of that 

 roving course of life, but never with such concern as now. I 

 did also call to mind many miraculous acts of God's providence 

 towards me in the whole course of my life, of which kind I believe 

 few men have met with the like. For all these I returned 

 thanks in a peculiar manner, and this once more desired God's 

 assistance, and composed my mind as well as I could in the 

 hopes of it ; and, as the event showed, I was not disappointed of 

 my hopes. 



" Submitting ourselves, therefore, to God's good providence, 

 and taking all care we could to preserve our lives, I\Ir Hall 

 and I took turns to steer, and the rest took turns to heave out 

 the water, and thus we provided to spend the most doleful 



