fisetermen's memorial and record book. 163 



with head to eastward. Told the watch to call him if the wind 

 hauled. The wind shifted into the north-east with a tremendous gale 

 and heav}' sea. Tried to carry sail so as to clear the north 

 shoal, but could not. Was soon off soundings and could not get 

 bottom with a hundred fathoms. All through the forenoon the gale 

 increased fearfully, the wind canting a little more to the northward. 

 Had the lee rail under water, when all at once a tremendous sea 

 raised the vessel perpendicularly in the air, and it seemed as if it 

 would throw her end over end. He was standing in the companion- 

 way, and states that the vessel was completely enveloped in a sheet 

 of water. He could look up under it, the same as one can gaze 

 under the Falls of Niagara. Such a sight he never before witnessed, 

 nor did it ever occur before or since, to his knowledge, on Georges. 

 Not a drop of water had touched the deck. William Blatchford, one 

 of the crew, had his arm in the pump drawing the box, and never got 

 wet a particle. 



Soon this immense volum-e of water broke. The arch separated, 

 and down it came, striking on the end of the bowsprit, breaking off 

 both shrouds as clean as they could have been cut with a knife, sev- 

 ering the life-lines, splitting the end of the bowsprit from the pall- 

 bits into the knight-heads, seventeen inches through. The sea went 

 over the mast-heads, carrying away the main-topmast, end of the 

 main boom, broke davits and boat, yet not a hogshead of water came 

 on deck. The vessel was worked into port, and, after being repaired, 

 continued her season's work. 



