FISHERMEN'S MEMORIAL AND REOORD 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 heavy 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 volume 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 hogsJtead of water came 

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

 continued her season's work. 



