UTENANT L'HIRONDELLE.

It is scarcely necessary to relate that Captain Rymer was on his way, on
board the _Cerberus_, West Indian merchantman, to take the command to
which he had been appointed when he was captured by the privateer. He
had been too much accustomed to the ups and downs of a sailor's life to
be disheartened at what had occurred, though it was a great trial it
must be owned. He had cause also to be grateful that he and his
companions had not received that ill-usage to which passengers were too
often subjected when their vessel was taken by a privateer. It might
have been very different had the French captain himself remained on
board. He had now, however, great cause for apprehension, in
consequence of the increasing violence of the hurricane. The
_Cerberus_, he knew, was a stout, strong-built ship, but many a stout
ship had gone down in a West Indian hurricane; not long before, several
line-of-battle ships with all their gallant crews had been lost. Things
on deck looked as bad as they well could do. He was a Christian man,
and put his trust in One who is all-able to save. Thus he could impart
hope and confidence to his companions. Hitherto the ship had not sprung
a leak, and, as far as he could judge, they were at some distance from
any land. The French had, however, become alarmed. Some, like true
men, stayed at their posts on deck, but the greater number had gone
below and stowed themselves away in the berths. A few had endeavoured
to break open the spirit-room, but the French officers, suspecting their
intentions, had been in time to prevent them, and threatened to shoot
the first man, whether Frenchman or Englishman, who would again make the
attempt. Order was thus kept on board. No human power was longer of
any avail in guiding the ship. The hatches were battened down in time
to prevent the seas, which now began to break on board, from washing
below. On she drove before the hurricane. The caboose and spars were
first washed away; then two of the quarter-boats shared the same fate.
The seas were making a clean sweep over the decks; still on she drove.
Now part of the bulwarks were knocked to pieces, and it seemed that in a
short time everything on deck would follow; still the masts stood and
the ship floated. There was hope, but it grew fainter and fainter; even
the stoutest hearts had cause to fear. Several fearful hours followed.
The hurricane howled more loudly and fiercely aroun