And never was there a more beautiful sight than these two
fine steamers manoeuvring to stop at a respectful distance from each
other; then our little boat was lowered, and O, how pretty it was to
see her dancing over the rough waves to the other steamer! We sent
to the America the sad news of the loss of the Kestrel. After what
seemed to us a long time, the boat returned and brought papers, &c.,
but no important news; and in a few moments the two steamers
courtesied to each other, and each went on her way.
After six days, the waves had risen to a terrible height; the wind
was all but a gale; the ocean, as far as one could see, was one
roaring foam; one after another the angry billows rose to the height
of twenty or thirty feet, and rolled on, curling over their green
sides, and then broke with a voice of thunder against our vessel.
I crawled out of the cabin, assisted by two gentlemen, and from the
lower deck saw the sublime commotion over the bulwarks, when the
ship rolled over on the side where I was sitting. The sea broke over
our vessel repeatedly; it went over the top of the smoke pipe, and
struck the fore-topsail in the middle but did, not hurt either of
them. The fourth officer was washed out of his berth by a sea when
he was asleep. One of the paddles broke, but in a very short time
was replaced. One of the wheels was often entirely out of water, but
no harm was done us by any of these disasters; and on we went safe
through the troubled waters.
At night, when we were planning how we should secure ourselves from
rolling about the cabin, there came a sudden lurch of the ship, and
every thing movable was sent SLAM BANG on one side of the cabin; and
such a crash of crockery in the pantry! A few minutes after came a
sound as if we had struck a rock. "What is that?" I asked of the
stewardess.
"Only a sea, ma'am," she replied. In my heart I hoped we should not
have another such box on the ear.
We had a horrid night, but the next day it grew quieter, though it
was still rough, and the wind ahead. Soon after, it grew fair, and
the captain promised us that on Monday, before twelve o'clock, we
should see Ireland; and sure enough it was so. I was on deck again
just at twelve; the sun came out of the clouds, and the mate took an
observation.
