lled for a few
minutes to blow with redoubled fury. About four in the afternoon it was
utterly impossible to stand up against the violence of the blast; and,
as the night closed in upon us, I had not a shadow of hope that the
vessel would hold together until morning.

By midnight we had settled very deep in the water, which was now up to
the orlop deck. The rudder went soon afterward, the sea which tore it
away lifting the after portion of the brig entirely from the water,
against which she thumped in her descent with such a concussion as would
be occasioned by going ashore. We had all calculated that the rudder
would hold its own to the last, as it was unusually strong, being rigged
as I have never seen one rigged either before or since. Down its main
timber there ran a succession of stout iron hooks, and others in the
same manner down the stern-post. Through these hooks there extended
a very thick wrought-iron rod, the rudder being thus held to the
stern-post and swinging freely on the rod. The tremendous force of the
sea which tore it off may be estimated by the fact, that the hooks in
the stern-post, which ran entirely through it, being clinched on the
inside, were drawn every one of them completely out of the solid wood.

We had scarcely time to draw breath after the violence of this shock,
when one of the most tremendous waves I had then ever known broke right
on board of us, sweeping the companion-way clear off, bursting in the
hatchways, and filling every inch of the vessel with water.

CHAPTER 9

LUCKILY, just before night, all four of us had lashed ourselves firmly
to the fragments of the windlass, lying in this manner as flat upon the
deck as possible. This precaution alone saved us from destruction. As
it was, we were all more or less stunned by the immense weight of water
which tumbled upon us, and which did not roll from above us until we
were nearly exhausted. As soon as I could recover breath, I called aloud
to my companions. Augustus alone replied, saying: "It is all over with
us, and may God have mercy upon our souls!" By-and-by both the others
were enabled to speak, when they exhorted us to take courage, as there
was still hope; it being impossible, from the nature of the cargo, that
the brig could go down, and there being every chance that the gale would
blow over by the morning. These words inspired me with new life; for,
strange as it may seem, although it was obvious that a vessel with a