what was going to happen, than we saw away
to the south-east, far as the eye could reach, a tumbling mass of
foaming waters rushing on at a furious rate towards us.

Meantime the storm stay-sails had been set, and the helm being put down,
the ship was hove-to with her head to the eastward. As the seas came
with the swell, they were regular, and though the ship plunged
violently, now rising to the summit of a wave, now sinking down into the
trough, there was no fear of any of them breaking on board provided our
masts stood. Such was the state of things when night came on. The wind
howled, and whistled, and shrieked; the sea roared and hissed; the
timbers and the masts groaned; the bulkheads creaked; and everything and
everybody which was not secured very tightly, tumbled and rolled about
in a most uncontrollable manner. For my part, I confess that I more
than once wished I were safe on shore again. As to turning in, not one
of us thought of doing that. Still the glass was falling, and still the
gale was increasing. With regard to eating, also, all we could do was
to nibble a biscuit; for, as Jerry observed, had we attempted to put
anything into our mouths with a fork, the chances were that we should
have sent fork and all down our throats, or dug the prongs into our eyes
or noses, or done some other mischief. Every now and then Jerry and I
started up on deck to see how things were going on, not that we could be
of any use there. Just as we had agreed to go below again, a blast, as
if a fresh hand had beep added to the bellows, came down upon us; there
was a terrific report, the ship heeled over on her side as if she were
going down, and away flew the stay-sails out of the bolt-ropes, followed
by nearly all the canvas, which, ill furled in our hurry, broke loose
from the gaskets, and, fluttering away with loud flaps, was soon reduced
to ribbons, knotted and twisted in every conceivable way. As the ship
fell off into the trough of the sea when her sails rent, a foaming
billow came roaring up, and striking her, made a clean breach over us.
There were shouts and cries fore and aft. Jerry and I held on for our
lives. Happily the stanchions we held to did not give way. Half
terrified, and not knowing what was next to happen, we tried to pierce
the gloom which surrounded us. Jerry's chief anxiety was for his
father; so was mine, and for Cousin Silas likewise, and, indeed, for our
kind friend the doctor. I had time