the sky
caused an awful semi-darkness to fall upon the scene, and this was still
further increased by the presence of a kind of smoky mist, which now
filled the air, rendering everything so obscure that it was difficult to
see further than a mile on either side.

Ella now came upon deck to announce that breakfast was ready, but we had
something else to occupy our attention just then; and the fair girl
placed her arm in mine, and gazed with us in silence at the awe-
inspiring scene.

The wind had died away altogether, but the inky sea exhibited a singular
and alarming appearance, leaping into low waves which had no run in any
direction, and which presented more the appearance of what we see on the
surface of a simmering caldron than anything else to which I can compare
it.

Suddenly a blinding flash of lightning rent the canopy overhead, and
simultaneously came the cracking, rattling crash of the thunder. I
directed Ella to retire below, and not to attempt returning to the deck
unless I called her, advising her also to get her breakfast at once, and
clear everything away, if she wished to save the crockery, as I expected
we should soon have more of both wind and sea than we wanted.

I then closed the cabin doors and drew over the slide, and well it was
that I did so; for at that moment there came another flash, another
deafening, stunning peal, and then the floodgates of heaven were opened,
and the rain descended in such blinding sheets that our deck was in less
than a minute full to the low rail, notwithstanding that there was an
inch of clear space all round the craft, between bulwarks and covering-
board, to enable her to free herself rapidly of water.

This lasted perhaps five minutes, and then the rain ceased as suddenly
as it had come on. It was, to compare great things with small, like the
emptying of a bucket of water. It was a deluge whilst it lasted, and it
ceased as suddenly as would the shower from a bucket when its contents
had all fallen to the ground.

Another minute or two of suspense succeeded, and then a pale, primrose-
coloured streak appeared on the horizon to the eastward, rapidly
increasing in size, and a hollow moaning sound gradually became audible
in the air. I did not like it at all. I was sure something out of the
common was about to happen, and I desired Bob to go forward and haul
down the foresail, and stow it. He had just done this, and was coming
aft again, when he sung out, "