ndous high
mountains, which to all appearance seemed ready to fall and crush us.
The carpenter came forward, and informed us, that we had sprung
another leak, and that we had ten feet water in the well; the men, as
by one accord, dropped the pumps, and appeared to despair; we might
all have well exclaimed with the poet,

"Heaven have mercy here upon us!
For only that can save us now."

"The atmosphere was hurled into the most tremendous confusion, the
aerial torment burst itself over mountains, seas, and continents. All
things felt the dreadful shock; all things trembled under her scourge,
her sturdy sons were strained to the very nerves, and almost swept her
headlong to the deep."

It would be in vain to attempt to give a description of our feelings
at this critical moment, tortured as we were with anguish and despair.
Every man seemed now as if all was given over for lost, when the
carpenter came forward and informed us the leak was found out, and
that with a little exertion it might be stopped; the men then rose
with great vigour, flew to the pumps with renovated strength, and gave
three cheers. The cabins were all washed down, and a party of men were
busily employed throwing every thing overboard,--self was not
considered,--the very last rag was committed to the furious elements
without a sigh. At 11 A. M. the sea struck her starboard
quarter-gallery and forced it from its birth, and as we were busily
employed, a cry was heard, the starboard fore-mast port was carried
away, and the sea forced itself with great rapidity along the deck;
but the seamen flew to meet this new misfortune with the vigour of
tigers, not considering the dangers they had to encounter, and thus
effectually succeeded in stopping the leak.

While the seamen were busily employed, the troops were desired to
pump, which they firmly refused, and said they would sooner sink,
except a poor blind man, who could not keep from them; his reply was
truly noble, and, I am sure, my readers will excuse my repeating it.
"I am unworthy of the life I have if I do not exert myself in this
hour of distress; if it has pleased God to deprive me of the blessing
of sight, he has not of the feelings of a Christian." At half past
eleven the gale greatly abated, and by this time the carpenter had
stopped the leak, by using all the gunny bags and blankets that could
be found; the damage was occasioned by the masts beating under her
counter. By 12 A. M. it wa