lled the remaining light air of wind, and the
boats lay idly upon the water, their saturated canvas flapping heavily
against the masts. But not for long; the sails were speedily lowered
down and spread across from gunwale to gunwale to catch the precious
moisture, and so heavy was the downpour that in the quarter of an hour
during which the shower lasted the voyagers were enabled to almost
entirely refill their breakers, the contents of which had by this time
very materially diminished.

The rain ceased suddenly, and a few minutes afterwards a puff of wind,
hot as the breath of a furnace, swept over the boats from the north-
east, and passed away, leaving a breathless calm as before. This was
repeated twice or thrice; and then with a heavier puff than before a
stiff breeze set in from the north-east, breaking off the boats from
their course, and necessitating their hauling close upon a wind on the
port tack.

By midnight the wind had increased so much that it became necessary to
reef; the launch and pinnace double-reefing their canvas in order that
they might not run away from the other boats. The sea now began to rise
rapidly, and when day at length broke it revealed a dismal picture of
dark tempestuous sky, leaden-grey ocean, its surface broken up into
high, racing, foam-capped seas, and the little fleet of boats tossing
wildly upon the angry surges, the launch leading, the pinnace next, and
the others so far astern that it took Captain Staunton quite ten minutes
to satisfy himself that they were all still in sight.

It was by this time blowing a moderate gale, and appearances seemed to
indicate that downright bad weather was not far off; the captain
decided, therefore, to heave-to at once, as it would be quite impossible
in any other way to keep the little fleet together. The canvas on board
the launch was accordingly still further reduced, the jib-sheet hauled
over to windward, and the boat left to fight it out as best she could.
The pinnace soon afterwards joined company and followed suit, the
remainder of the boats doing the same as they came up.

As the day wore on the gale increased in strength, the sea rising
proportionally and flinging the boats about like corks upon its angry
surface. So violent was the motion that it was only with the utmost
difficulty the steward succeeded in preparing a hot meal at mid-day, and
when evening came our adventurers were obliged to content themselves
with what Lance la