WHALING VOYAGE. 
283 
immense distance* but we could not distinguish the 
flaming body from which the rays of light proceeded * 
it appeared hidden in the ocean ; —there appeared light 
springing out of darkness* but in it there was no help 
for us. 
We all concluded that the captain had fired another 
blue light, which had only the effect of increasing our 
hopelessness ; for the crew exclaimed, u She is hull 
down,” meaning that the height of the convexity of the 
sea between us and the ship was greater than the height 
of the body of the vessel, and consequently we could 
not observe the flame of the blue light which was burnt 
from her deck, but only the rays of light which diverged 
from it. 
Our situation was becoming more and more alarming 
everv moment; there was at this time a terrible sea 
running ; astern appeared the gloomy form of the land 
—above a dark and frowning firmament, looking angry 
and inclined to mischief,— below, the vast ocean, getting 
up also into a terrible mood ; like unto a giant snake 
were its undulations ; its sea-caps performed its hissing, 
and its wide jaws were formed of two huge seas ready 
to engulf us. 
We were now obliged to keep the boat’s head to 
windward, so that she might be “ head to sea,” to pre* 
vent our being swamped, when, looking towards the 
same quarter, we observed a small bright speck in the 
heavens, which was slowly expanding into an arch. I 
was sitting by the side of the mate,— I saw him observe 
it with dismay ; in a moment there was a strong feeling 
