wind, while the old vessel had an uneasy, unnatural motion,
caused by a long, new swell rolling athwart the existing set of
the sea. Then the wind became fitful and changeable, backing
half round the compass, and veering forward again as much in an
hour, until at last in one tremendous squall it settled in the
N.W. for a business-like blow, Unlike the hurried merchantman who
must needs "hang on" till the last minute, only shortening the
sail when absolutely compelled to do so, and at the first sign of
the gales relenting, piling it on again, we were all snug long
before the storm burst upon us, and now rode comfortably under
the tiniest of storm staysails.

We were evidently in for a fair specimen of Western Ocean
weather, but the clumsy-looking, old-fashioned CACHALOT made no
more fuss over it than one of the long-winged sea-birds that
floated around, intent only upon snapping up any stray scraps
that might escape from us. Higher rose the wind, heavier rolled
the sea, yet never a drop of water did we ship, nor did anything
about the deck betoken what a heavy gale was blowing. During
the worst of the weather, and just after the wind had shifted
back into the N.E., making an uglier cross sea than ever get up,
along comes an immense four-masted iron ship homeward bound. She
was staggering under a veritable mountain of canvas, fairly
burying her bows in the foam at every forward drive, and actually
wetting the clews of the upper topsails in the smothering masses
of spray, that every few minutes almost hid her hull from sight.

It was a splendid picture; but--for the time--I felt glad I was
not on board of her. In a very few minutes she was out of our
ken, followed by the admiration of all. Then came, from the