"Trice up and lay out!"
In obedience to this, we made our way out on the foot-ropes, Mick
securing the weather earring, when we began knotting the points and
reefing in earnest; after which, the topsail halliards were manned below
and the yards run up again.
The wind now shifted from the northward to the north-east, coming on to
blow pretty hard; so the courses were clewed up and furled and the jib
hauled down, the ship presently running under her close-reefed topsails
and fore-topmast staysail.
By Six Bells, however, the storm had increased to such an extent, that,
after trying what treble-reefing would do, we had to take in our
topsails altogether, laying-to under storm staysails and easy steam, the
engine-fires had been lit and the screw lowered on the first break of
the storm, so as to keep the ship-head to wind and provide for any
eventuality that might come.
The sea at this time was a terrible sight, the big billows racing madly
past us and jostling each other, tossing their spray and spent water
right over the main-yard; while, anon, the corvette would be lifted
bodily up on top of what seemed a high mountain, from whence we viewed
the wide stretch of broken waves extending as far as the eye could
reach; anon, plunging us down into a deep dark watery abyss, as if she
were going to founder!
We rolled so, that preventer stays were rigged to make sure of our masts
and the guns were secured with double lashings round the breech; while
lifelines were rove fore and aft to assist us in keeping our footing
along the deck.
So far, we had been all alone; the other ships of the squadron having
parted company early in the afternoon, each making shift as best she
could for herself.
Not a sail was in sight anywhere on the horizon.
But, presently, careering onwards before the heavy storm clouds ahead,
out of which she emerged all in a moment like some spirit of the deep, a
large full-rigged ship appeared, bearing down upon us at the rate of
twenty knots an hour, I should think, judging by the way she rapidly
rose out of the water. It looked as if she were going to run us down.
"Sail ahead!" roared out the lookout-man forwards, his voice borne back
inboard by the wind and seeming all the louder in consequence. "She's
a-coming down end on to us, sir!"
The commodore aft, however, had seen our peril, even before the lookout-
man spoke; and almost at the same instant that his words of warning
reached our ears--the while the hands on deck stared with horror at the
surging ship, nearing us now closer and closer as we looked at her--the
gallant, ready-witted sailor had taken effective measures to avoid the
imminent danger threatening us.