For Several Days We Lay "Humbugging About" In The Horse Latitudes,
With All Sorts Of Winds And Weather, And Occasionally, As We Were In
The Latitude Of The West Indies - A Thunder Storm.
It was hurricane
month, too, and we were just in the track of the tremendous hurricane
of 1830, which swept the North Atlantic, destroying almost everything
before it.
The first night after the tradewinds left us, while we
were in the latitude of the island of Cuba, we had a specimen of
a true tropical thunder storm. A light breeze had been blowing
directly from aft during the first part of the night which gradually
died away, and before midnight it was dead calm, and a heavy black
cloud had shrouded the whole sky. When our watch came on deck at
twelve o'clock, it was as black as Erebus; the studding-sails were
all taken in, and the royals furled; not a breath was stirring;
the sails hung heavy and motionless from the yards; and the
perfect stillness, and the darkness, which was almost palpable,
were truly appalling. Not a word was spoken, but every one stood
as though waiting for something to happen. In a few minutes the
mate came forward; and in a low tone, which was almost a whisper,
told us to haul down the jib. The fore and mizen top-gallant sails
were taken in, in the same silent manner; and we lay motionless upon
the water, with an uneasy expectation, which, from the long suspense,
became actually painful.
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