THE HURRICANE INCREASES. 
11 
lightning streamed over them, pouring like a liquid 
torrent from the heavens in flashes so quick as to be 
almost continuous, and illuminating the whole expanse 
of the ocean. The wind howled so loudly, that I could 
scarcely hear my own voice, and blew so fiercely, that 
I was obliged to cling to the rail in front of the poop- 
deck in order to secure my footing. As I cast my eyes 
below, the ship appeared absolutely buried in the bil- 
lows. All the ports were fastened so that no water 
could escape, and she had shipped no less than five 
tremendous seas. She was now upon her beam- 
ends, labouring through the mighty swell with a 
motion so unnatural, that the captain turned to me, 
who was alone with him on the poop, and vocife- 
rated, with an oath which made me shudder, that 
we were going down. I quailed under his blas- 
phemy, which the extreme peril rendered the more 
horrible. He raved and stormed like a madman, and 
ordered that the lashings of all the ports to leeward 
should be instantly cut. The vessel now lay like a 
log upon the sea ; the rudder had no power. She 
was almost under water, while the hurricane was 
raging at its utmost might, and every billow seemed 
to rise like a mountain to overwhelm her. She still, 
however, floated ; but the struggle could not last. I 
had seated myself by the mizen-mast, against which 
I leaned, expecting every instant to feel the waves 
dash over and sweep me into the “ yeasty deep.” To 
attempt to describe my reflections at this crisis would 
be a vain effort. I was stunned by the awful scene ; 
my senses were so overwhelmed, that no perceptible 
image was presented to my mind. I had no positive 
