very great sea; and though we handed the main-topsail before the height
of the squall, yet we found the yard sprung; and soon after, the
foot-rope of the mainsail breaking, the mainsail itself split instantly
to rags, and in spite of our endeavours to save it, much the greater part
of it was blown overboard. On this the Commodore made the signal for the
squadron to bring to; and, the storm at length flattening to a calm, we
had an opportunity of getting down our main-topsail yard to put the
carpenters at work upon it, and of repairing our rigging; after which,
having bent a new mainsail, we got under sail again with a moderate
breeze. But in less than twenty-four hours we were attacked by another
storm still more furious than the former; for it proved a perfect
hurricane, and reduced us to the necessity of lying to under our bare
poles.


As our ship kept the wind better any of the rest, we were obliged in the
afternoon to wear ship, in order to join the squadron to the leeward,
which otherwise we should have been in danger of losing in the night;
and as we dared not venture any sail abroad, we were obliged to make use
of an expedient which answered our purpose; this was putting the helm
a-weather and manning the fore-shrouds. But though this method proved
successful for the end intended, yet in the execution of it one of our
ablest seaman was canted overboard; and notwithstanding the prodigious
agitation of the waves, we perceived that he swam very strong, and it was
with the utmost concern that we found ourselves incapable of assisting
him; and we were the more grieved at his unhappy fate, since we lost
sight of him struggling with the waves, and conceived from the manner in
which he swam that he might continue sensible for a considerable time
longer of the horror attending his irretrievable situation.