which struck the vessel--and the seas followed each other in
close succession--causing her to shake, and all on board occasionally to
tremble. At each of these strokes of the sea the rolling and pitching of
the vessel ceased for a time, and her motion was felt as if she had
either broke adrift before the wind or were in the act of sinking; but,
when another sea came, she ranged up against it with great force, and
this became the regular intimation of our being still riding at anchor.

About eleven o'clock, the writer with some difficulty got out of bed,
but, in attempting to dress, he was thrown twice upon the floor at the
opposite end of the cabin. In an undressed state he made shift to get
about half-way up the companion-stairs, with an intention to observe the
state of the sea and of the ship upon deck; but he no sooner looked over
the companion than a heavy sea struck the vessel, which fell on the
quarter-deck, and rushed downstairs in the officers' cabin in so
considerable a quantity that it was found necessary to lift one of the
scuttles in the floor, to let the water into the limbers of the ship, as
it dashed from side to side in such a manner as to run into the lower
tier of beds. Having been foiled in this attempt, and being completely
wetted, he again got below and went to bed. In this state of the weather
the seamen had to move about the necessary or indispensable duties of
the ship with the most cautious use both of hands and feet, while it
required all the art of the landsman to keep within the precincts of his
bed. The writer even found himself so much tossed about that it became
necessary, in some measure, to shut himself in bed, in order to avoid
being thrown upon the floor. Indeed, such was the motion of the ship
that it seemed wholly impracticable to remain in any other than a lying
posture. On deck the most stormy aspect presented itself, while below
all was wet and comfortless.

About two o'clock p.m. a great alarm was given throughout the ship from
the effects of a very heavy sea which struck her, and almost filled the
waist, pouring down into the berths below, through every chink and
crevice of the hatches and skylights. From the motion of the vessel
being thus suddenly deadened or checked, and from the flowing in of the
water above, it is believed there was not an individual on board who did
not think, at the moment, that the vessel had foundered, and was in the
act of sinking. The writer could w