218 
SCENES IN THE PACIFIC. 
hours they lose the labor of eight days. Meantime the tem» 
pests continue almost every night with frightful fury. The 
hungry waters roar around the frail bark, and the winds and 
storms scourge her as if she were some doomed thing, labor¬ 
ing under their curse. But the men take courage, for the 
“ Triumph of the Cross” is a special object of Divine favor. 
Three successive nights the fires of Saint Elmo light the cross 
at the mast head, and no evil can befall them after such evi¬ 
dence of God’s protection. They are encouraged, therefore, to 
make a third attempt to escape from this dangerous neighbor¬ 
hood. Eight days struggling are vain. The currents and 
storms will not suffer them to depart; and at last they resolve 
to come to anchor at a convenient place which they discover 
near one of the islands, and go on shore. This begins now to 
be a matter of necessity on account of the sickness which has 
disabled all the crew except five. Some have the scurvy, 
and others are suffering from the effects of the sea water, 
which, farther up the Gulf, in the vicinity of the Colorado, 
has been so poisonous, as to produce painful, obstinate sores, 
and sharp pains in many parts of the body. Padre Ugarte 
himself, besides his other indispositions, is afflicted with the 
scurvy ; and it is essential that he take means to recover 
health. The Padre, notwithstanding his illness, is desirous to 
go in the boat to the Seris coast, and thence by land to Guay- 
mas. But the bare mention of his departure causes such de¬ 
jection among the crew, that he promises not to leave them if 
it cost his life to remain. 
They lie at anchor in this place about four days; during 
which time they are visited by a tempest more violent than 
any that preceded it. At length to their inexpressible joy, 
on the eighteenth of August, they escape these vexations, and 
are once more in an open sea. On the Sunday morning fol¬ 
lowing, they hail a most happy omen to their future* voyage. 
Three beautiful rainbows hang over the islands they have just 
weathered; bright arches of promise rising above the clouds 
that have so long lowered over them. The sick too are now 
