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confounded the heavens with the sea. Every thing ap- 
peared of a reddish grey. The sails were torn, the ship 
took in water on all sides, and the pumps did not serve 
to diminish the quantity. The greater part of the 
trembling passengers appeared like dead people. Se- 
veral of the sailors were wounded, either by the blows 
of the captain, or by falls. The ship bounded like a 
tennis ball between the two elements, which buffeted 
it. Such was the horrible sight which presented itself 
to my eyes. 
The captain with tears approached and said to me, 
" what can I do; Sidi Ali Bey, if it is the will of God 
that we should die here this night, what will become 
of us?" I only replied " Oh! Captain." I w r as not will- 
ing to say more, because his infamous conduct and ob- 
stinacy had brought us into this extremity. I remain- 
ed upon deck with a Maltese sailor, and two Neapoli- 
tans. What a spectacle! a vessel almost as large as a 
frigate, shipping water on all sides, riding in a tremen- 
dous hurricane, without captain, pilot, or sailors; hav- 
ing the helm tied, and completely abandoned to the 
fury of the winds and waves. 
At ten at night the wind increased, the shocks of the 
sea became stronger, and more frequent. Seeing that 
the storm acquired fresh force, I expected a terrible 
crisis at the passage of the moon through the meridian; 
no longer relying upon the captain or men, I looked 
upon the ship, and all of us as lost. 
At eleven the moon passed the meridian, and the 
tempest augmented, so that at midnight it was the 
most horrible that can be conceived. Notwithstanding 
the moon, we were enveloped in the most profound 
