Some Of The Watch Were Asleep, And The
Others Were Perfectly Still, So That There Was Nothing To Break The
Illusion, and I stood leaning over the bulwarks, listening to the
slow breathing of the mighty creatures - now one breaking
The water
just alongside, whose black body I almost fancied that I could see
through the fog; and again another, which I could just hear in the
distance - until the low and regular swell seemed like the heaving
of the ocean's mighty bosom to the sound of its heavy and long-drawn
respirations.
Towards the evening of this day, (Friday 7th,) the fog cleared off,
and we had every appearance of a cold blow; and soon after sun-down
it came on. Again it was clew up and haul down, reef and furl,
until we had got her down to close-reefed topsails, double-reefed
trysail, and reefed forespenser. Snow, hail, and sleet were driving
upon us most of the night, and the sea was breaking over the bows
and covering the forward part of the little vessel; but as she would
lay her course the captain refused to heave her to.
Saturday, Nov. 8th. This day commenced with calm and thick fog,
and ended with hail, snow, a violent wind, and close-reefed topsails.
Sunday, Nov. 9th. To-day the sun rose clear and continued so until
twelve o'clock, when the captain got an observation. This was very
well for Cape Horn, and we thought it a little remarkable that,
as we had not had one unpleasant Sunday during the whole voyage,
the only tolerable day here should be a Sunday. We got time to
clear up the steerage and forecastle, and set things to rights,
and to overhaul our wet clothes a little. But this did not last
very long. Between five and six - the sun was then nearly three
hours high - the cry of "All starbowlines ahoy!" summoned our watch
on deck; and immediately all hands were called. A true specimen
of Cape Horn was coming upon us. A great cloud of a dark slate-color
was driving on us from the south-west; and we did our best to take
in sail, (for the light sails had been set during the first part of
the day,) before we were in the midst of it. We had got the light
sails furled, the courses hauled up, and the topsail reef-tackles
hauled out, and were just mounting the fore-rigging, when the storm
struck us. In an instant the sea, which had been comparatively quiet,
was running higher and higher; and it became almost as dark as night.
The hail and sleet were harder than I had yet felt them; seeming to
almost pin us down to the rigging. We were longer taking in sail
than ever before; for the sails were stiff and wet, the ropes and
rigging covered with snow and sleet, and we ourselves cold and nearly
blinded with the violence of the storm.
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