FISHERMEN'S MEMORIAL AND RECORD BOOK. 93 



" Skipper, wo arc to have a severe gale of wind, or something else 

 of a dangerous nature is going to overtake the vessel, and we had 

 better make land if we can, or at least keep clear of Georges, so M 

 not to have it so rough when the danger comes." 



Capt. W. asked him what made him think so, as everything was 

 clear at the time, and there were no apprehensions of trouhle or dan- 

 ger. 



Nelson replied, " I have been dreaming, and twice before I have 

 had the same kind of dreams when at sea, and both times have had 

 narrow chances of being saved. The first time we were run into, the 

 day following the dream, and left in a sinking condition. With great 

 efforts in bailing and pumping, we reached the coast of Norway. 

 The other time we experienced a terrible gale, had our sails blown 

 away, and the vessel half full of water ; run before it under bare poles, 

 until we met the northeast trade winds, when we patched her up and 

 made out to get into Havana." 



He then told the purport of the dreams, which were of females 

 dressed in white, either standing in the rain, or near a waterfall, or 

 attempting to cross a brook. The figures in each dream were the 

 same, but the surroundings somewhat different. 



The steward is a reliable man, and was so much in earnest that the 

 captain, although seeing no signs of a gale of wind, and not inclined 

 to be superstitious, concluded it best to be on his guard, and charged 

 the man forward to keep a strict watch. 



The wind was now increasing, with a heavy sea rising, and at half 

 past one A. M., the vessel was about five miles from Georges Banks. 

 She was hove to under a close-reefed foresail, and they were furling 

 the balance reef, when a white light was observed to leeward, sup- 

 posed to be on board a fisherman lying at anchor. Suddenly one of 

 the crew sang out from the forecastle, " The vessel is filling with wa- 

 ter ! " Telling him not to alarm the men, the captain went down and 

 found six inches of water on top the floor. The pumps were imme- 

 diately manned, and bailing with buckets commenced, after which the 

 captain went sounding around in the hold to find the leak, but the 

 vessel was rolling so hard and the water made so much noise among 

 the barrels and in the ice house, that it was impossible to hear any- 

 thing else. It was thought the leak was under the port bow, and the 

 vessel was wore round and hove to on the other tack, in hopes to 

 bring the leak out of water. The steward was told to get some pro- 

 visions and see that the boat was ready to launch at a moment's no- 

 tice. It was now blowing a strong breeze from the northward, with 



