THE WIND'S WILL 



133 



North Sea, but wilder still is that upon the 

 open North Atlantic. In latitude 40°, longitude 

 40°, in the region of " the brave west winds," 

 there is no yellow tinge to the water that comes 

 from shallowness, no short wave that comes 

 from hampered movement. Wind and water 

 are both free and both of great strength. Hand 

 in hand the waves come marching down upon 

 the straining ship in inexhaustible sequence and 

 energy. And occasionally, looming above the 

 horizon line, swinging and pushing to the front, 

 lifting, still lifting as it nears, comes a huge 

 " gray-back." With the cry of warning from 

 no one knows exactly where, every man- jack 

 leaps into the rigging and takes a twist of a 

 rope about him as the great comber strikes the 

 shoulder of the ship, rushes up and over the 

 bulwarks, and thunders across the trembling 

 decks. In a moment it has vanished, but it is 

 not long before the warning cry tells of an- 

 other. All day and the night through perhaps, 

 they come and go, the push and shock are ter- 

 rific; and the wonder is that ribs of oak, or 

 even of steel, can stand such buffeting without 

 breaking. 



With the sailing vessel there is always some 

 making of leeway, some bending and drifting 

 with the wind, some swerving under the blow. 



Rtorm in 

 latitude 40', 

 longitude 

 40°. 



The "gray- 

 back." 



