74 THE CALL OF THE SEA 



which, owing to the horror and confusion, appeared 

 very long ; but they were saved (after God), owing 

 to the strength and soundness of the ships. 



Pedro Fernandes de Qiiiros. 



The Fury of It 'Qy 'vi>- ^Ci.. 



(From \h& Journal ; trans.) 



"VTEVER before have I seen the sea so high, so 

 horrible, so covered with foam. The wind 

 prevented our advance, even as far as some shel- 

 tering headland, and kept me out on this sea, 

 which seemed suffused with blood and boiled like 

 a cauldron on a great fire. Never before had the 

 sky looked so terrible. Day and night it blazed 

 like a furnace, sending out such streaks of fire that 

 every moment I looked to see the masts carried 

 away. The thunderbolts fell around with such 

 inconceivable fury that we all thought the vessel 

 must be struck. All this time the rain fell without 

 ceasing : not mere rain indeed, but truly another 

 deluge. 



Christopher Columbus. 



