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time. First she reared up, and then plunged down under the water, so as to be as nearly as possible upright. Of course under such circumstances everything gave way; no fixtures hardly were left standing. I was in the saloon, or rather entering it from my cabin, and holding fast to the door post, just managed to save my bacon. The state cabin windows were dashed in and the captain's cabin flooded. The saloon was like a pond. I hurried to my cabin, and found everything shaken off the shelf, and all the contents of the shelf swimming on the deck in prime confusion. I hurriedly threw them into the sleeping berth, and let them drain there. The dressing case was dashed open, and its contents mingled with the rest. What a pickle to be in and no mistake, and expecting every moment to go under.
As the storm increased, the masts snapped off just like so many carrots, about half way down, rendering the two topmost sails on each of the three masts quite useless. The sails were nearly all made ribbons of, or were blown away entirely. The captain went about like a madman, and were it not for the first mate, who is a thorough sailor, I do not know what would have become of us. I did not feel at all alarmed at it myself, but took it all as coolly as if nothing at all were the matter. I knew that we were all in the hands of a merciful and gracious God, who could control the winds and the waves, and casting all my trust on him, I did not fear what might happen. I felt quite resigned to suffer whatever was his will concerning me. However, after some time the storm providentially abated, and gradually grew calmer, although the next morning it was quite a heavy gale still. I went on deck as well as I could among the ruins, and truly it was sad to see the devastation that was done.
It took all day Saturday and Sunday to clear away the wreck of the masts and tackle. Enough sail was left to keep the ship in motion, at a few miles an hour, and so on we went crippled, and fortunately not beyond repair.
In the morning some of the men saw a wreck at a distance. The mate did not tell me of it till noon, and the captain was not told of it till four o'clock. Upon close questioning the men who saw it, they reported it as the hull of a ship which was probably dismasted during the night and almost foundered. It was a barbarous thing not to have mentioned it, as we might easily have gone to their help, but when it was known it was too late. All who did not see it supposed it to be merely a few spars