TYPHOON 51 



acquainted, and procure me a passage home. To this I 

 reluctantly and of necessity assented. 



Proceeding on our voyage, we were overtaken in the 

 China seas by one of those periodical storms known by 

 the name of a typhoon, which surpassed all I had before 

 seen, or, indeed, have ever witnessed, at sea or on shore, 

 in the terrific violence of its nature and the awful ap- 

 jDcarance of the elements. Deafening claps of thunder, 

 that seemed to threaten annihilation, instantaneously 

 followed lightning, that, in its dart-like peculiarity of 

 form and unearthly variety of colour, together with the 

 blackened intermission of its awfully vivid flash, seemed 

 to display the vengeance of an offended Deity. The 

 rain fell in such torrents i at intervals as are only kno"\vn 

 within the tropics; while the violence of the wind 

 agitated the waves to a degree that prevented all manage- 

 ment of the ship. 



For several hours Ave were under bare poles ; not a 

 stitch of canvas Avas to be seen in any of the fleet ; the 

 hatches were closed, and nothing but a biscuit and a 

 glass of arrack served out to the men during the 

 continuance of the storm, which was of thirty hours' 

 duration. 



The convoy Avas dis|)ersed in all directions, OAving to 

 the violence of its effect. 



The Dedaigneiise, a small thirty- two-gun frigate, 

 rolled away, her masts under our stern, and we all 

 expected to go doAvn every minute. We after Avards 

 learned she was saved only by the coolness and courage 

 or superior seamanship of her commander — by his 

 experience and knoAvledge of the proper resources in such 



