ld distinguish the
sound of big waves--"seas," as the sailors call them--breaking against
the vessel with awful crash, as if a huge trip-hammer or battering-ram
had been directed with full force against the timbers of the ship.

I had no doubt that the vessel was in danger of being wrecked; and under
this belief you may fancy my situation. I need not tell you that I was
in fear. When I thought that we should go to the bottom of the sea, and
I situated as I was--shut in on all sides as if in a coffin--with no
chance to move, not even to make, an effort to save myself by swimming,
how could it be otherwise with me than a time of great fear? Had I been
upon deck and free, I am certain I should not have been half so
frightened at that storm.

To increase my misery, the sea-sickness had returned upon me, for this
is usually the case with those who go to sea on a first voyage. A great
storm encountered brings a return of the nauseous malady, often as
disagreeably vigorous as that experienced during the first twenty-four
hours at sea. This is accounted for very easily: it is simply the
consequence of the more violent rocking of the ship while buffeted by
the storm.

For nearly forty hours the gale continued, and then there succeeded a
perfect calm. I knew this to be the case, because I no longer heard the
seething sound which usually betokens that the ship is moving through
the water. But notwithstanding that the wind had ceased to blow, the
vessel kept tumbling about; and her timbers creaked, and boxes and
barrels rolled and knocked each other, as badly as ever. This was
occasioned by the "swell" which always succeeds a heavy gale, and which
is sometimes as dangerous to vessels as the stormy weather itself. In a
very heavy swell the masts are sometimes broken, and the ship thrown
upon her beam-ends--a catastrophe ever dreaded by sailors.

The swell gradually subsided, until, in about twenty-four hours after,
it had ceased altogether, and the vessel appeared to glide along more
smoothly than ever. The nauseating sickness took its departure about
the same time, and I felt the reaction of health, which produced a
little cheerfulness within me. As my fears had kept me awake during the
whole time the storm was raging, and as I had continued ill so long as
the violent rocking prevailed, I was quite worn out; so that the moment
things were smooth again, I fell off into a profound slumber.

I had dreams that were near