a thin streak of ghostly white, drawn horizontally across the curtain of
Stygian darkness in that quarter. The line lengthened and broadened
with amazing rapidity; and presently a low moaning sound became audible.

"Let run your topsail halliards, fore and aft," I cried; and the command
was instantly followed by the creaking of the parrels as the yards slid
down the well-greased topmasts, and the scream of the block-sheaves as
the falls rapidly overhauled themselves.

The moaning sound grew louder as the band of spectral white astern
extended and approached; and presently, with a deafening shriek, the
hurricane struck us, the line of white foam at the same instant sweeping
past us at railway speed. The stroke of the blast was like a blow from
something solid, causing the ship to quiver from stem to stern; then she
gathered way, and, with bows buried deep in the milk-white water, drove
ahead like a frightened sentient thing. I had never witnessed so fierce
a squall before in those latitudes; the outfly was indeed as violent as
anything I had ever seen in the tropics; and there was nothing for it
but to let the ship scud. This she luckily did in splendid style,
gathering way quickly, and steering like a little boat, otherwise I
firmly believe that the first stroke would have dismasted us. The air
was so full of scud-water that, but for the salt taste of it on the
lips, one would have thought we were being pursued by a drenching
torrent of rain; while the roar and shriek of the wind overhead produced
a wild medley of sound that was simply indescribable, and so deafeningly
loud that it would have been quite impossible to issue an order in the
usual way, had it been ever so necessary, for the simple reason that in
that wild turmoil of sound no human voice could have made itself
audible. Fortunately, no orders were needed, we had done everything
that could be done for the safety of the ship--short of putting her
under bare poles--and now all that was left to us was to trust in the
mercy of God, and the staunchness of our spars and rigging.

The first mad fury of the squall lasted for only some five minutes; but
after that it still continued to blow so fiercely that we were compelled
to scud for fully three hours before we dared venture to round-to.
Then, having first with great difficulty clewed up and furled the
fore-topsail, we watched our opportunity and, taking advantage of a
momentary lull, put the helm over, and