ater than when we
sailed from Portsmouth. We quickly lost sight of the grating and spars
thrown to our hapless shipmates, and they themselves had before then
disappeared.

The first thing now to be done was to get the main-topsail stowed, for,
flying wildly in the wind, it seemed as if about to carry away the
main-topmast. The mate, Andrews, and two other men were on the point of
going aloft to try and haul it in, in spite of the danger they ran in so
doing, when a report like that of thunder was heard, and the sail, split
into ribbons, was torn from the bolt-ropes. The fragments, after
streaming out wildly in the wind, lashed themselves round and round the
yard, thus saving us the hazardous task of attempting to furl the sail.

The brig flew on, now plunging into the roaring and foaming seas, now
rolling from side to side so that it was difficult to keep our feet.
The fore-staysail and jib had been stowed in time, and the flying jib
had been blown away, so that the fore-topsail was the only sail set.

Thus hour after hour passed. Had we been running in the opposite
direction we should have been making good progress, but we were now
going farther and farther from our destination, to be driven into even
worse weather, and perhaps to have to make our way south round the Irish
coast. To avoid this, the captain was anxious to heave the brig to, and
I saw him and the mate consulting how it could be done. It was a
dangerous operation, they both knew, for should she not quickly come up
to the wind, a sea might strike her on the broadside and sweep over her
deck, or throw her on her beam-ends.

"If we get a lull it must be done," said the captain.

"Ay, ay, sir!" answered the mate; and he ordered the men to stand ready
to brace round the fore-topsail-yard as the brig came up to the wind.

Still we watched in vain for the wished-for lull. In spite of the
roaring seas I felt wonderfully sleepy, and could scarcely keep my eyes
open as I held on to a stanchion at the after-part of the deck. Jim was
much in the same condition, for we had both been on foot since the
morning watch had been called, and we had had no food all day.

The kind captain, observing the state we were in, instead of abusing us,
as some skippers would have done, ordered us to go below to find
something to eat and to lie down till we were wanted. We were making
our way forward when he shouted out--

"Go into the cabin, laddies. There is some bre