them, and sweep the decks. At length a piece of canvas was lashed to
the fore-rigging which gave her a balance, and she rode easy until
about five o'clock in the morning, when by a sudden broach the
canvas was carried away, and a tremendous sharp sea boarded her
forward; starting several stanchions, carrying away part of her
starboard bulwark and rail, and simultaneously the
foretop-gallant-mast, which snapped just above the withe. As a
natural consequence, every thing was in the utmost confusion--the old
hull worked in every timber. The wreck swayed to and fro, retarding
the working of the vessel and endangering the lives of those who
attempted to clear it from obstruction. Thus she remained for more
than half an hour, nearly on her beam-ends, and at the mercy of each
succeeding sea that threatened to engulf her.

As daylight broke, the wind lulled, and, as usual in those waters,
the sea soon ran down. Enabled to take the advantage of daylight,
they commenced to clear away the wreck. In the mean time it was
found necessary to remove the fore-hatch in order to get out some
spare sails that had been stowed away near the forward bulkhead,
instead of a more appropriate place. The mate, after trying the
pumps in the early part of the gale, reported that she had started a
leak; which, however, was so trifling as to require but one man to
keep her free, until she broached, and carried away her
topgallant-mast. The man on duty then reported the water increasing,
and another was ordered to assist him. On an examination in the
morning, it was found that she was strained in the fore-channels,
and had started a but.

"She's an unlucky concern, skipper," said the mate as he brought the
axe to take the battons off the forehatch. "A fellow might as well