f the saloon and
made my way up the companion-ladder. On glancing through the portholes
there, a scene of indescribable tumult met my eye. In place of the calm
and almost monotonous stretch of blue water across which we had been
sailing so peacefully less than twenty-four hours before, I now saw a
wild and angry sea, upon which dark, leaden clouds looked down. The gale
was from the north-east and beat upon our port quarter with relentless
fury.

My horizon being limited in the companion, I turned the handle and
prepared to step on to the deck outside. It was only when I had done so
that I realised how strong the wind was; it caught the door and dashed
it from my hand as if it had been made of paper, while the cap I had
upon my head was whisked off and carried away into the swirl of grey
water astern before I had time to clap my hand to it. Undaunted,
however, by this mishap, I shut the door, and, hanging on to the
hand-rail, lest I too should be washed overboard, made my way forward
and eventually reached the ladder leading to the bridge. By the time I
put my foot upon the first step I was quite exhausted and had to pause
in order to recover my breath; and yet, if it was so bad below, how
shall I describe the scene which greeted my eyes when I stood upon the
bridge itself? From that dizzy height I was better able to estimate the
magnitude of the waves and the capabilities of the little vessel for
withstanding them.

The captain, sea-booted and clad in sou'wester and oilskins, came
forward and dragged me to a place of safety as soon as he became aware
of my presence. I saw his lips move, but what with the shrieking of the
wind in the shrouds and the pounding of the seas on the deck below, what
he said was quite inaudible. Once in the corner to which he led me, I
clung to the rails like a drowning man and regarded the world above my
canvas screen in silent consternation. And I had excellent reasons for
being afraid, for the picture before me was one that might have appalled
the stoutest heart. Violent as the sea had appeared from the port of the
companion hatch, it looked doubly so now; and the higher the waves, the
deeper the valleys in between. Tossed to and fro, her bows one moment in
mid-air and the next pointing to the bottom of the ocean, it seemed
impossible so frail a craft could long withstand the buffeting she was
receiving. She rolled without ceasing, long, sickening movements
followed on each occasion by a d