Cuar. IV.] GALE IN THE FORMOSA CHANNEL. 49 
out of the sea upon the skylight on the poop, 
the frame of which was dashed to pieces, and the 
fish fell through, and landed upon the cabin table. 
In a day or two our cargo was got out and put 
into another vessel, in which I also embarked, and 
we again proceeded on our voyage. This attempt 
was even more disastrous than the last, for after 
being out for several days, and having got nearly 
through the Formosa Channel, we met one of those 
dreadful gales so well known to the navigators of 
these seas. Our newest and strongest sails were split 
to pieces, the bulwarks washed away, and in spite of 
the best seamanship, and every exertion, we were 
driven back far below the bay from which we 
started about a week before. I shall long remem- 
ber one of these fearful nights. The poor Lascar 
crew were huddled together under the long boat, 
to shelter themselves from the wind: the sea was 
running very high, and washing our decks fore and 
aft, as if we had been a narrow plank tossing on 
the waves. I had gone below, and the Captain 
had come down for a second, to look at the baro- 
meter, when we felt a sea strike the vessel with 
terrible force, and heard a crash which sounded as 
if her sides had been driven in; at the same mo- 
ment the glass of the skylight came down about 
our ears, and the sea forced its way into the cabin. 
I certainly thought the little schooner had gone to 
pieces; but Captain Landers rushed on deck to as- 
certain the damage which had been done, and to try 
to repair it. The night was very dark; but he 
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