e
_Circassian_ righted from her careen. Again the wind howled, and again
the vessel was pressed down to her bearings by its force; again another
flash of lightning, which was followed by a distant peal of thunder.

'Had the worst of it, did you say, captain? I've a notion that the worst
is yet to come,' muttered Oswald, still watching the heavens.

'How does she carry her helm, Matthew?' inquired Oswald, walking aft.

'Spoke a-weather.'

'I'll have that trysail off of her, at any rate,' continued the mate.
'Aft, there, my lads! and lower down the trysail. Keep the sheet fast
till it's down, or the flogging will frighten the lady passenger out of
her wits. Well, if ever I own a craft, I'll have no women on board.
Dollars shan't tempt me.'

The lightning now played in rapid forks; and the loud thunder, which
instantaneously followed each flash, proved its near approach. A deluge
of slanting rain descended--the wind lulled--roared again--then
lulled--shifted a point or two, and the drenched and heavy sails
flapped.

'Up with the helm, Mat!' cried Oswald, as a near flash of lightning for
a moment blinded, and the accompanying peal of thunder deafened, those
on deck. Again the wind blew strong--it ceased, and it was a dead calm.
The sails hung down from the yards, and the rain descended in
perpendicular torrents, while the ship rocked to and fro in the trough
of the sea, and the darkness became suddenly intense.

'Down, there, one of you! and call the captain,' said Oswald. 'By the
Lord! we shall have it. Main braces there, men, and square the yards.
Be smart! That topsail should have been in,' muttered the mate; 'but I'm
not captain. Square away the yards, my lads!' continued he; 'quick,
quick!--there's no child's play here!'

Owing to the difficulty of finding and passing the ropes to each other,
from the intensity of the darkness, and the deluge of rain which blinded
them, the men were not able to execute the order of the mate so soon as
it was necessary; and before they could accomplish their task, or
Captain Ingram could gain the deck, the wind suddenly burst upon the
devoted vessel from the quarter directly opposite to that from which the
gale had blown, taking her all aback, and throwing her on her beam-ends.
The man at the helm was hurled over the wheel; while the rest, who were
with Oswald at the main-bits, with the coils of ropes, and every other
article on deck not secured, were rolled into the scuppers,