all the doors and windows werefet open, and 

 every precaution ufed, to prevent injury or 

 accident.' We remained in the ward- room, 

 during the time of firing the guns, in that 

 part of the iliip, and endeavoured to be ftriftly 

 attentive to the effed. It was not unlike a 

 violent ftroke of eledricity : and, for a moment, 

 we felt ftunned with the fliock. The jarring 

 concufiion conveyed the fenfxtion of the 

 whole (hip having fhivered afunder, or fud- 

 denly burft into atoms ; and It feemed matter 

 of furprize that the ears of the failors fliould, 

 ever, beconie capable of fupporting the fuc-^ 

 ceffive and violent explodons of a hoftile en- 

 gagement. Notwithilanding the precaution 

 of letting down the v/indows, thofe of the 

 quarter gallery were fhattered to pieces. 



You know what a fick and fulFering 

 failor I am, and will not be furprized to learn 

 that the flight motion of the fliip, at anchor, 

 gives me a degree of head^ach, with a fenfe 

 of naufea, and uneafinefs of ftomach. It does 

 not quite amount to ficknefs, but is fuf- 

 fifient 10 make me know that I am not upon 

 terra firnia. Poffibly the gradual introdudion 



