A STORM*. 
303 
As the storm increased the waves began to 
roll with greater turbulence than before; and 
with such impetuosity did they break over the 
bows of the vessel, that it was with the very 
Utmost difficulty that I, and half a dozen more 
who had taken our station on the forecastle, 
could hold by our hands fast enough to save 
ourselves from being carried overboard. For 
upwards of four hours did we remain in this 
situation, expecting every instant that the vessel 
would go to pieces, and exposed every three 
or four minutes to the shock of one of the 
tremendous breakers which came rolling to¬ 
wards us. Many of the billows appeared to 
be half as high as the foretop, and sometimes, 
when they burst over us, our breath was 
nearly taken away by the violence of the 
shock. At last, finding ourselves so benumbed 
With cold that it would be impossible for us 
to make any exertions in the water to save 
ourselves if the vessel w T as wrecked, we deter¬ 
mined to go below, there to remain until we 
should be again forced up by the waves. 
Some of the passengers now began to write 
their wills on scraps of paper, and to inclose 
them in what they imagined would be most 
likely to preserve them from the water; others 
had begun to take from their trunks what they 
deemed most valuable; and one unfortunate 
thoughtless man, who was moving with his 
