towards us. When she came alongside a fine, hale-looking old man
stepped on board and introduced himself as Captain Barnett, of the
_Eleanor_. He spoke in a hearty, cheery tone, which contrasted greatly
with the rough and unpleasant way in which Captain Hawkins generally
expressed himself.

Captain Barnett dined on board, and then invited Captain Hawkins and Dr
Cockle to come and sup with him, I managed to address the old gentleman,
and told him about Jack.

"Should I ever fall in with your brother I'll say that I met you, and
that you were inquiring for him," he answered, kindly.

When the two captains came on deck they took a look round the horizon.

"You must excuse me from accompanying you," said Captain Hawkins, "for I
tell you what, I don't like the look of the weather. There's something
brewing somewhere I'd advise you to get on board as soon as you can."

The ocean had hitherto been perfectly calm, but there now came from the
north-east a slowly-heaving swell, which every minute increased, and the
whole atmosphere in a short time assumed a sombre, melancholy
appearance, while a peculiar light tinged the two ships and sea around,
owing to the sun's rays passing through clouds of a dull yellowish-red
colour. Before this, numbers of birds had been flying about the ship,
but they now winged their way to distant lands. As soon as our visitor
had pulled away, our captain ordered the hands aloft to shorten sail,
although at the time there was not a breath of wind.

Everything was taken in with the exception of a main-topsail and storm
trysail.

As the swell increased, the ship began to roll in a most frightful
manner, her chain-plates striking the water every time she heeled over,
while the water as it rose beat against the stern with a force so
violent that we were almost thrown off our legs.

We had to cast adrift the last whale caught before the whole blubber was
cut in, as it was impossible, without the greatest risk, to keep it
alongside.

I asked Brown, who was the most intelligent seaman on board, what he
thought was going to happen.

"We shall have a typhoon--a precious hard one too, I suspect," he
answered.

All night long the swell went on increasing, when suddenly the wind
sprang up and broke the hitherto calm swells into foaming seas, which
furiously dashed round the ship though they did us no damage.

Just as daylight came on the wind again dropped; but though the wind had
fallen, the