have a quick run of it. Howsomever, the
wind breezed up a little on the second day, and by nightfall it blew
pretty freshish, with a heavyish sea on. We had much the same sort of
weather on the third day, and at night it came on so thick and dark that
we could not see our hands held out before us. Still all seemed going
on well. We supposed that we were steering a course through the
Skaggerack, with a good offing from the land, when, just about the
middle of the first watch, as the passengers were in the cabin, maybe
thinking of turning in to their warm beds all snug, and talking of what
they would do next day at Copenhagen, where we were to touch, without an
instant's warning--bang! Crash!--loud shrieks and cries of terror were
heard, the ship quivered from stem to stern as if her last moment was
come. It was not far off, either; the sea came roaring up abaft and
made a clean sweep over her. She had struck heavily on a rock of some
sort, that was certain; but where we were, or how it had happened, no
one could tell. Every one was running here and there, crying for help,
when there was no one to help them; some took to praying, some to
blaspheming; terror seemed to have taken away their senses. I did think
that all of us had seen the sun rise for the last time, for it was too
dark by far to allow us to try and help ourselves; and, from the way the
sea kept striking the ship, I knew full well she could not long hold
together.

"Well, Mr Fairman, I'm not ashamed to say I prayed as I never prayed
before; and, you'll believe me, sir, I felt a comfort and an assurance
of my Maker's protection which also I had never felt before. As my ears
caught the sound of the dreadful oaths of the blasphemers, I thought of
the Day of Judgment. When that awful time comes, and the world breaks
up like the ship, how will such men and many others, amid the clouds and
thick darkness which will surround them, be able to pray? No; they'll
blaspheme on, as they are doing now, to the end. The captain, to do him
but justice, behaved nobly. He did his best to keep order and
discipline on board. He told the people that, if they would but remain
by the ship, they all might be saved. He could not say, like Saint
Paul, they would be saved. Few listened to him; some, however, stayed
by his side and promised to support him. They had been on their knees
asking support for themselves; whence only it can come, you know, sir.
Others, on the