s one of
the fastest of her class, well armed, and manned with an active and
spirited crew; so that, to all human appearance, we had little to dread,
either from man or the elements. We had scarcely lost sight of the land,
when the wind died away to a dead calm, and the sea became as smooth and
clear as a mirror, glancing back the reflection of a bright and
cloudless moon. The sails flapped heavily against the masts, as the ship
rolled helpless and unmanageable in the long swell, and the water
dripped from her channels, as she rose again, after dipping them deep
into the sea. All at once a small, dark cloud appeared on the larboard
beam.

"'Oh, it's nothing,' said the mate.

"Not so thought the captain, who fortunately came upon deck at the time.

"'All hands shorten sail!' shouted he. 'Bear a hand! Up foresail!--in
royals and topgallantsails! Brace the yards round to port! Stand by
topsail--haulyards and sheets!'

"These orders were barely carried into effect, when a sudden and
tremendous squall struck the ship. The small sails were clued up, and
the topsailyards on the caps; but the gallant little bark staggered
under the shock, lay over till her gunwale almost touched the water,
struggled for a moment, and then rose again. The squall had overtaken
them with lightning-like rapidity, and was gone again almost as quickly.
A few moments before, and a neater and snugger ship never swam the
water--now, she was almost a wreck aloft. The foretopmast was hanging
over the side, the jib-boom gone, the maintop-gallant-mast snapped short
above the step, and the maintopsail in tatters. All this desolation had
been the work of a moment; the demon of the storm had passed, and all
was again calm.

"'Thank Heaven it's no worse!' said the captain. 'Two minutes sooner,
and we should all have been lost! Better lose a few sticks than the ship
herself. But this will be a warning to you, Mr Rogers,' said he to the
mate, 'not to be foolhardy for the future.'

"All hands were immediately set to work to clear away the wreck of the
spars, and were busily employed all night. It was late in the forenoon
before the wreck of the foretopmast was launched clear of the ship, and
a new maintopsail bent. During this interval, a light breeze had sprung
up, and a strange sail hove in sight to windward. The captain mounted
the rigging, and got his glass to bear upon her, and, after a long and
anxious look, paced the quarterdeck with hurried and irre