hip, which had been heeling over to starboard till the
scuppers were under water, righted suddenly, and her sails flapped
loudly against the masts.

"Hands aloft, shorten sail!" shouted the first lieutenant, with an
energy that made every one start to obey the order. "Let fly topgallant
sheets! Be smart, my men."

The sails were being quickly handed. The officer had ordered
topgallant-yards to be sent down, and topgallant-masts struck, when a
vivid flash of forked lightning darted close ahead, across the ship's
course, followed by a terrific crash of thunder, which startled all on
board. Many thought the electric fluid had struck the ship. The
captain sprang on deck. He was just in time to see the ship taken aback
by the long threatening gale, which came down with greater fury from its
continued delay. Stern first she drove, the rising seas threatening to
engulph her. Pedro Alvarez was shouting out the necessary orders to
bring her round, so as once more to get headway on her. But the men
were aloft endeavouring to execute the previous order issued to them,
and some were obeying one order, some another. In vain Don Hernan
endeavoured to aid in restoring order. The object was to reduce the
after sails, so that those ahead might have greater influence. All the
masts were crowded with the labouring crew; fiercer blew the tempest;
there was a crash; wild shrieks, rising high above the howling of the
storm, rent the air. The mizenmast had gone by the board, and falling
over the starboard side had carried all those upon it into the boiling
ocean.

There was a second crash; the mainyard had gone, and it seemed likely,
from the way in which the mainmast bent and quivered that that also
would go. In vain many of the poor fellows cast from the mizen-mast
struggled for life; their shipmates were too busily occupied to afford
them assistance. Some had clung desperately to the rigging, and had
managed to regain it, and were endeavouring to haul themselves on board
again. Now one succeeded; now another, with a cry of despair, was
washed off, as the seas dashed furiously up against the corvette's
quarter, threatening to drive in her counter, or to carry away her
taffrail.

All the time the butt end of the mizen-mast was striking like a
battering-ram against the side of the ship, with every chance of
speedily making a hole in it. The main-yard, too, had fallen across the
deck, still held by lifts and braces from g