238 ADVENTURES IN THE SOUTH SEAS 
away from the ship, and at once commenced to swim to 
her, as he was sheltered by the hull from the force of the 
wind. The next sea, however, lifted him up and threw him 
right on board again, where he lay hold of some ropes and 
climbed up again to windward. While waiting for daylight 
we all, officers and crew and passengers, collected in the 
cabin, and though the storm was still raging, we felt com- 
paratively safe. 
“At last the mercury began to rise again, telling us that 
the strength of the gale was past. This was at 12:40 a. ., 
the wind being then S. S. W. I sat listening to the talk 
around me. All were loud in the praises of our vessel. 
‘Isn’t she a beauty?’ ‘“Didn’t she behave well?’ ‘I'll never 
say a word against her so long as I live.’ “Talk about her 
being cranky, why, there’s very few ships in this world 
would ever have come up again after such a knockdown 
as she got tonight.’ These are samples of one class of re- 
marks. ! 
“Then there was a little cessation and a little talk about 
personal risks and what each one did, but the topic was soon 
started again by some one’s saying: ‘But, I say, wasn’t it 
a near go?’ to which there was a general chorus of reply: 
‘It was so; it was indeed; couldn’t have been nearer.’ Then 
again, ‘If the masts hadn’t gone when they did, she would 
have turned turtle [capsized] in another minute.’ This last 
remark was most emphatically assented to, for it was, and 
is yet, the full conviction of every one on board the ship. 
Just before the mainmast went, not one on board felt the 
faintest hope of ever seeing the sunlight again. 
“Other thoughts also and other feelings occupied us dur- 
ing the remainder of that eventful night, and heartily and 
earnestly did we each thank God for His goodness in spar- 
ing our lives. Some few perhaps slept a little in their wet 
clothes, but most of us were too much agitated to sleep. 
Never did I pass such a wearisome night. Over and over 
