6 
SCENES IN INDIA. 
to the destructive course of these ponderous bodies, 
which had so unexpectedly escaped from their assigned 
stations, and seemed about to add seriously to the 
mischiefs already fearfully threatened by the storm. 
At length, the second officer having dexterously cast a 
noose over the gun, brought the rope suddenly round 
the capstern, to which the carriage was soon fastened, 
and here it was suffered to remain for the moment. 
The stone was now easily secured, and thus our 
immediate anxiety was quieted. 
The wind continued to blow with terrific violence, 
and the Lascars were evidently becoming indifferent 
about working the ship. This is one of the cha- 
racteristics of Indian sailors. In stormy weather, 
whenever the case appears an extreme one, they 
abandon themselves to dogged apathy which nothing 
can rouse: their notions of predestination lead them 
to -imagine that their time is come ; and thus, instead 
of striving to avert the threatened calamity, they sul- 
lenly await the apprehended destruction. Ships have 
been frequently lost by this sluggish and unmanly 
despair on the part of these blind predestinarians. It 
has been wisely said by one of their own sages, 
“ danger should be feared when absent, and braved 
when present but they entirely reverse the maxim, 
and give way to the most superstitious apprehensions. 
It fortunately happened that we had a few Manilla 
men on board, who by their active example stirred up 
the torpid energies of some of the Lascars, which else 
they might have refused to exercise. 
As night drew on, and the hurricane rather in- 
creased than abated, every precaution was used to 
