TOBIAS SMOLLETT 9I 



but this State of inaction did not last long, for next 

 night our maintop-sail was split by the wind, which, 

 in the morning, increased to a hurricane. I was 

 awakened by a most horrible din, occasioned by 

 the play of the gun-carriages upon the decks 

 above, the cracking of cabins, the howling of the 

 wind through the shrouds, the confused noise of 

 the ship's crew, the pipes of the boatswain and his 

 mate, the trumpets of the lieutenants, and the 

 clanking of the chain pumps. Morgan, who had 

 never been at sea before, turned out in a great 

 hurry, crying, " Cot have mercy and compassion 

 upon us ! I believe we have cot upon the confines 

 of Lucifer and the d — n'd I " while poor Thompson 

 lay quaking in his hammock, putting up petitions 

 to heaven for our safety. I rose and joined the 

 Welshman, with whom (after having fortified our- 

 selves with brandy) I went above ; but if my sense 

 of hearing was startled before, how must my sight 

 have been appalled in beholding the effects of the 

 storm ! The sea was swelled into billows moun- 

 tain high, on the top of which our ship sometimes 

 hung as if it were about to be precipitated to the 

 abyss below 1 Sometimes we sank between two 

 waves that rose on each side higher than our top- 

 mast-head, and threatened by dashing together to 

 overwhelm us in a moment ! Of all our fleet, con- 

 sisting of a hundred and fifty sail, scarce twelve 

 appeared, and these driving under their bare poles, 



