272 
SOUTH SEA 
difficulty* by firmly holding the capstan with both hands 
while we were anxiously watching the ship wrestling 
with the enormous waves ; every time that she plunged 
her head into them the masts bending to such an extent 
that we every moment expected them to go by the 
board,— the carpenters axe slung to windward ready to 
cut them away if necessary. A prodigious wave came 
careering and roaring along towards the weather-bow of 
our ship— she struggled to avoid it, but she pitched 
almost perpendicularly headlong into a deep hollow, 
which came immediately before her,— the monstrous 
wave lifted its gigantic head nearly as high as the fore- 
top, and then fell completely over her decks, even to 
the main hatchway— it was a dreadful moment! the 
sudden cries of our brave mariners were heard above 
the storm, as they gave command or uttered their con- 
cern. The ship remained as if she was fixed in the 
wave for a few seconds, she was unable to rise from the 
water which held her under its weight, but she recovered 
herself with a jerk, and the massive bowsprit was broken 
like a reed ; she rose upon the next wave, another 
struck her, and threw the wreck of the bowsprit across 
the forecastle ; there was an immediate rush made for- 
wards by the crew, who secured it with lashings ; imme- 
diate attention was also paid to the foremast, which was 
now likely to go, but it was properly secured in time to 
prevent that calamity. The ship now rode more easily, 
not pitching so much, and we endured the hurricane till 
near sunset before it began to decline ; but by sunrise 
the following morning the sea had fallen, the face of 
