270 
SOUTH SEA 
except a new main-topsail and a storm-trysail, which 
we were obliged to have bent to keep the ship somewhat 
steady in the prodigious swell which still continued to 
increase. 
In the second night after the rolling of the waters had 
commenced, the wind suddenly sprung up, and increased 
during the night to a hard gale, which however died 
away at sun-rise, and we again found ourselves without 
wind, the ship being left entirely to the mercy of the 
waves, which caused her to roll most frightfully, her 
chain-plates striking the water occasionally with terrific 
force, and the waves striking against the stern, so that 
the violent shocks thus caused at times jerked us off 
our seats. Some of our sailors thought the gale of the 
preceding night had finished the convulsion ; but in this 
they were much mistaken, for about three p.m. the wind 
again suddenly arose? and in about half an hour blew 
a complete gale, which continued to increase in violence 
until about two a. m. the following morning, when a 
sudden howling blast of wind of extreme violence laid 
the ship entirely on her beam ends, carrying the storm- 
trysail away, with all our trifling movables from the 
decks. The uproar which was set up at this time from 
the howling of the wind, the beating and dashing of the 
waves, the working of the ship, the creaking of the 
masts and clashing of the back-stays, intermixed with 
the hoarse calling of the sailors, made 66 night hideous / 5 
and rendered the scene altogether indescribable. That 
was a dreadful night to me, and to all on board ; we 
met each other with melancholy looks, at the same time 
