foresail and main-topsail, followed by a tremendous
sea, which threatened every moment to overwhelm us, and accompanied by
piercing showers of hail, and a gale which blew with incredible fury.
The same course was steered until next day about noon, when land was
seen on the lee-bow. The weather being thick, some time elapsed before
it could be distinctly made out, and it was then ascertained to be the
island of North Arran, on the coast of Donegal, westward of Lochswilly.
The ship was therefore hauled up some points, and we yet entertained
hopes of reaching an anchorage before nightfall, when the weather
gradually thickened, and the sea, now that we were upon the wind, broke
over us in all directions. Its violence was such, that in a few minutes
several of our ports were stove in, at which the water poured in in
great abundance, until it was actually breast high on the lee-side of
the main deck. Fortunately, but little got below, and the ship was
relieved by taking in the foresail. But a dreadful addition was now made
to the precariousness of our situation, by the cry of "land a-head!"
which was seen from the forecastle, and must have been very near. Not a
moment was now lost in wearing the ship round on the other tack, and
making what little sail could be carried, to weather the land we had
already passed. This soon proved, however, to be a forlorn prospect, for
it was found that we should run our distance by ten o'clock. All the
horrors of shipwreck now stared us in the face, aggravated tenfold by
the darkness of the night, and the tremendous force of the wind, which
now blew a hurricane. Mountains are insignificant when speaking of the
sea that kept pace with it; its violence was awful beyond description,
and it frequently broke over all the poor little ship, that shivered and
groaned, but behaved admirably.

The force of the sea may be guessed from the fact of the sheet-anchor,
nearly a ton and a half in weight, being actually lifted on board, to
say nothing of the forechain-plates' board broken, both gangways torn
away, quarter-galleries stove in, &c. In short, on getting into port,
the vessel was found to be loosened through all her frame, and leaking
at every seam. As far as depended on her good qualities, however, I
felt assured at the time, we were safe, for I had seen enough of the
Talbot to be convinced we were in one of the finest sea-boats that ever
swam. But what could all the skill of the ship-builder avai