he fiercest man is made meek. Those who live on shore at
ease, and are seldom or never exposed to danger or are in hazard of
their lives, can scarcely understand these things; priding themselves on
their education, rank or fortune, they look down on all beneath them as
unworthy of their thoughts or care, and I verily believe that some of
them fancy that a different Creator made them--that they were sent into
the world for different objects, and that they will go to different
heaven when they die--that is to say, if they ever think of dying, or
ever trouble their heads about an hereafter. I have often wished to get
those young gentlemen in just such a position as I was that night, and
they could not fail to learn a lesson which they would remember to the
end of their days.

In the morning watch the gale began to abate.

"Come," said I, "let's turn to and see if we cannot lessen the water in
the hold."

"Ay, ay, sir," replied Grampus. "We've a chance now, I think."

We therefore all set to work with a will--there is nothing like trying
what can be done, however desperate affairs may seem--and before
daylight we most certainly were gaining on the leaks. We now found a
second jib in the sail-room, which we set as a trysail, though I had not
much expectation of it standing, and by its means we hove the vessel to.
This at once relieved her greatly, but, as day broke, the weather
looked so unpromising that I had great fears we might very soon be in a
worse position than before. Our comfort was, that we had now done all
that men could do, so we went to breakfast with clear consciences on
some of the good things left us by the former owners. We lighted a fire
in the cabin, dried our clothes, warmed our bodies, and otherwise made
ourselves as comfortable as circumstances would admit. On deck the
aspect of affairs was not so cheering. Nothing was to be seen but dark
green seas crested with foam around us, and black lowering clouds
overhead, while a cold whistling wind did its best to blow our teeth
down our throats. The wind, as I expected, soon breezed up again, and
continued blowing heavily the whole day. The water, however, did not
further gain on us, so I had hopes that we might still weather it out.
Night came back on us without our having seen a sail or experienced any
change for the better, and the morning came, and the next day passed
away exactly as had the first. We had bread enough to eat, and flour to
ma