214 WALL STREET AND THE WILDS 



and they could see no other destination for the 

 Morro Castle. 



Hour by hour the velocity of the wind in- 

 creased. A line was rigged from my room to the 

 pilot house and husky sailors helped me make the 

 trip. Once, as I neared the pilot house, the wind 

 tore my cap from my head and the next instant 

 it was flattened against the taffrail. The gale 

 tore the crests from the waves and stung my face 

 with particles as solid as sleet. In the middle of 

 my room was a double bed and hard work I had 

 to stay in it. Lashed to the bed was a box con- 

 taining a few dozen cocoanuts which I was taking 

 home. One night the box broke loose and was 

 capsized. When I tried to dress in the morning 

 it was as if my legs were nine-pins at which in- 

 visible bowlers were hurling balls. I finally cor- 

 ralled and secured the box and thereafter caught 

 the cocoanuts one at a time as they were flying 

 past me. 



Captain Curtis became suddenly insistent for 

 me to go below. I refused, but he urged, "It's 

 pretty near a hurricane, it's beginning to tear us 



