tremendous. She careened over so that her lee channels were under the
water; and when pressed by a sea, the lee side of the quarter-deck and
gangway were afloat. She now reminded me of a goaded and fiery horse,
mad with the stimulus applied; not rising as before, but forcing
herself through whole seas, and dividing the waves, which poured in one
continual torrent from the forecastle down upon the decks below. Four
men were secured to the wheel--the sailors were obliged to cling to
prevent being washed away--the ropes were thrown in confusion to
leeward--the shot rolled out of the lockers, and every eye was fixed
aloft, watching the masts, which were expected every moment to go over
the side. A heavy sea struck us on the broadside, and it was some
moments before the ship appeared to recover herself; she reeled,
trembled, and stopped her way, as if it had stupefied her. The first
lieutenant looked at the captain, as if to say, "This will not do."
"It is our only chance," answered the captain to the appeal. That the
ship went faster through the water, and held a better wind, was
certain; but just before we arrived at the point the gale increased in
force. "If anything starts we are lost, sir," observed the first
lieutenant again.

"I am perfectly well aware of it," replied the captain, in a calm tone;
"but, as I said before, and as you must now be aware, it is our only
chance. The consequence of any carelessness or neglect in the fitting
and securing of the rigging will be felt now; and this danger, if we
escape it, ought to remind us how much we have to answer for if we
neglect our duty. The lives of a whole ship's company may be
sacrificed by the neglect or incompetence of an officer when in harbor.
I will pay you the compliment, Falcon, to say, that I feel convinced
that the masts of the ship are as secure as knowledge and attention can
make them."