332 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
in, every countenance. ‘‘ About ship,” exclaimed 
the captain; immediately the ship’s head was 
turned from the land, and, steering as near the 
wind as possible, we proceeded towards the open 
sea. After sailing in this direction for some time, 
the ship was again turned towards the shore; 
but the wind, which during the forenoon had 
been so favourable, was now against us, and as 
soon as we could distinguish the flag-staff on the 
coast, we found ourselves farther from it than 
before. The wind increased; and as the evening 
advanced, a storm came on, which raged with 
fearful violence. The night was unusually dark ; 
the long and heavy waves of the Pacific rolled 
in foam around our vessel; the stormy wind 
howled through the rigging; all hands were on 
deck, and twice or thrice, while in the act of turn- 
ing the ship from the land, the sails were rent by 
the tempest; while the hoarse and hollow roaring 
of the breakers, and the occasional glimmering of 
lights on the coast, combined to convince us of 
our situation, and the proximity of our danger. 
The depression of spirits, resulting from the dis- 
appointment, which had been more or less felt by 
all on board, the noise of the tempest, the vocifera- 
tions and frequent imprecations of the officers, the 
hurried steps, rattling of ropes and cordage, and 
almost incessant labours of the seamen on deck, 
and the heavy and violent motion of the vessel, 
which detached from their fastenings, and dashed 
with violence from one side of the ship to the other, 
chests of drawers, trunks, and barrels, that had re- 
mained secure during the voyage, produced a state 
of mind peculiarly distressmg. The darkness and 
general disorder that prevailed in the cabin, with 
the constant apprehension of striking on some fatal 
