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Chapter　IV

The　following　morning　the　fresh　water　and　provisions　were　received　on　board；　and　once　more　the　Pacific　stretched　her　broad　canvas　to　the　winds；　and　there　was　every　prospect　of　a　rapid　voyage；　as　for　many　days　she　continued　her　passage　with　a　fair　wind　and　flowing　sheet。　But　this　did　not　continue：　it　fell　calm；　and　remained　so　for　nearly　three　days；　during　which　not　a　breath　of　wind　was　to　be　seen　on　the　wide　expanse　of　water；　all　nature　appeared　as　if　in　repose；　except　that　now　and　then　an　albatross　would　drop　down　at　some　distance　from　the　stern　of　the　vessel；　and；　as　he　swam　lazily　along　with　his　wings　half…furled；　pick　up　the　fragments　of　food　which　had　been　thrown　over　the　side。

〃What　great　bird　is　that；　Ready？〃　inquired　William。

〃It　is　an　albatross；　the　largest　sea…bird　we　have。　Their　wings　are　very　long。　I　have　seen　them　shot；　and　they　have　measured　eleven　feet　from　the　tip　of　one　wing　to　the　tip　of　the　other　when　the　wings　have　been　spread　out。〃

〃It　is　the　first　one　that　I　have　seen；〃　said　William。

〃Because　you　seldom　meet　them　north　of　the　Cape；　sir：　people　do　say　that　they　go　to　sleep　on　the　wing；　balancing　themselves　high　up　in　the　air。〃

〃Papa；〃　said　William；　turning　to　Mr。　Seagrave；　who　stood　by；　〃why　is　it　that　one　bird　can　swim　and　another　cannot？　You　recollect　when　Tommy　drove　the　hens　into　the　large　pond；　they　flounced　about；　and　their　feathers　became　wet；　and　would　support　them　no　longer；　and　then　they　were　drowned。　Now；　how　does　a　sea…bird　contrive　to　remain　so　long　on　the　water？〃

〃Because　a　sea…bird；　William；　is　provided　with　a　sort　of　oil　on　purpose　to　anoint　the　outside　of　its　feathers；　and　this　oil　prevents　the　water　from　penetrating　them。　Have　you　not　observed　the　ducks　on　shore　dressing　their　feathers　with　their　bills？　They　were　then　using　this　oil　to　make　their　feathers　waterproof。〃

〃How　odd！〃

〃Don't　say　how　odd；　William；　that　is　not　an　expression　to　use　when　we　talk　of　the　wonderful　provisions　made　by　the　Almighty　hand；　who　neglects　not　the　meanest　of　his　creatures　…　say　rather；　how　wonderful！〃

〃That's　very　true；　sir；〃　observed　Ready；　〃but　still　you　must　not　be　too　hard　upon　Master　William；　for　I　have　heard　many　a　grownup　man　make　use　of　the　same　expression。〃

On　the　third　day　of　the　calm；　the　barometer　fell　so　low　as　to　induce　Captain　Osborn　to　believe　that　they　should　have　a　severe　gale；　and　every　preparation　was　made　to　meet　it；　should　it　come　on。　Nor　was　he　mistaken：　towards　midnight　the　clouds　gathered　up　fast；　and　as　they　gathered　up　in　thick　piles；　heaped　one　over　the　other；　the　lightning　darted　through　them　in　every　direction；　and　as　the　clouds　rose　up；　so　did　the　wind；　but　at　first　only　in　heavy　gusts；　and　then　lulling　again　to　a　calm。

〃Ready；〃　said　Captain　Osborn；　〃how　do　you　think　we　shall　have　the　wind？〃

〃Why；　Captain　Osborn；　to　tell　you　the　truth；　I　don't　think　it　will　be　steady　to　one　point　long。　It　may　at　first　blow　hard　from　the　north；　but　it's　my　idea　it　will　shift　soon　to　some　other　quarter；　and　blow　still　harder。〃

〃What　think　you；　Mackintosh？〃

〃We'll　have　plenty　of　it；　and　a　long　steady　gale；　that's　my　notion；　and　the　sooner　we　ship　the　dead　lights　the　better。〃

Mr。　Seagrave；　with　William；　happened　to　be　standing　by　at　the　time　of　this　conversation；　and　at　the　term　dead　lights　Willie's　face　expressed　some　anxiety。　Ready　perceived　it；　and　said

〃That's　a　foolish　name　they　give　to　the　shutters　which　go　over　the　cabin　windows　to　prevent　the　water　from　breaking　into　the　cabin　when　a　vessel　sails　before　the　wind；　you　know　we　had　them　on　the　last　time　that　we　had　a　gale。〃

〃But；　Ready；〃　said　Captain　Osborn；　〃why　do　you　think　that　we　shall　have　a　shift　of　wind？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know；　perhaps　I　was　wrong；〃　replied　the　old　man；　〃and　Mr。　Mackintosh　is　right：　the　wind　does　seem　to　come　steady　from　the　north…east；　that's　certain；〃　and　Ready　walked　away　to　the　binnacle；　and　looked　at　the　compass。　Mr。　Seagrave　and　William　then　went　below；　and　Mr。　Mackintosh　went　forward　to　give　his　orders。　As　soon　as　they　were　all　gone；　Ready　went　up　again　to　Captain　Osborn　and　said：

〃Captain　Osborn；　it's　not　for　me　to　contradict　Mr。　Mackintosh；　but　that's　of　little　consequence　in　a　time　like　this：　I　should　have　held　to　my　opinion；　had　it　not　been　that　the　gentleman　passenger　and　his　son　were　standing　by；　but　now；　as　the　coast　is　clear；　I　tell　you　that　we　shall　have　something　worse　than　a　gale　of　wind。　I　have　been　in　these　latitudes　before；　and　I　am　an　old　seaman；　as　you　know。　There's　something　in　the　air；　and　there　has　been　something　during　the　last　three　days　of　calm；　which　reminds　me　too　well　of　what　I　have　seen　here　before；　and　I　am　sure　that　we　shall　have　little　better　than　a　hurricane；　as　far　as　wind　goes　…　and　worse　in　one　point；　that　it　will　last　much　longer　than　hurricanes　generally　do。　I　have　been　watching；　and　even　the　birds　tell　me　so；　and　they　are　told　by　their　nature；　which　is　never　mistaken。　That　calm　has　been　nothing　more　than　a　repose　of　the　winds　previous　to　their　being　roused　up　to　do　their　worst；　and　that　is　my　real　opinion？〃

〃Well；　and　I'm　inclined　to　agree　with　you；　Ready；　so　we　must　send　topgallant　yards　down　on　deck；　and　all　the　small　sails　and　lumber　out　of　the　tops。　Get　the　trysail　aft　and　bent；　and　lower　down　the　gaff。　I　will　go　forward。〃

Their　preparations　were　hardly　complete　before　the　wind　had　settled　to　a　fierce　gale　from　the　north…east。　The　sea　rose　rapidly；　topsail　after　topsail　was　furled；　and　by　dusk　the　Pacific　was　flying　through　the　water　with　the　wind　on　her　quarter；　under　reefed　foresail　and　storm　staysail。　It　was　with　difficulty　that　three　men　at　the　wheel　could　keep　the　helm；　such　were　the　blows　which　the　vessel　received　from　the　heavy　seas　on　the　quarter。　Not　one　seaman　in　the　ship　took　advantage　of　his　watch　below　to　go　to　sleep　that　night；　careless　as　they　generally　are；　the　storm　was　too　dreadful。　About　three　o'clock　in　the　morning　the　wind　suddenly　subsided；　it　was　but　for　a　minute　or　two；　and　then　it　again　burst　on　the　vessel　from　another　quarter　of　the　compass；　as　Ready　had　foretold；　splitting　the　foresail　into　fragments；　which　lashed　and　flogged　the　wind　till　they　were　torn　away　by　it；　and　carried　far　to　leeward。　The　heavens　above　were　of　a　pitchy　darkness；　and　the　only　light　was　from　the　creaming　foam　of　the　sea　on　every　side。　The　shift　of　wind；　which　had　been　to　the　west…north…west；　compelled　them　to　alter　the　course　of　the　vessel；　for　they　had　no　chance　but　to　scud；　as　they　now　did；　under　bare　poles；　but　in　consequence　of　the　sea　having　taken　its　run　from　the　former　wind；　which　had　been　north…east；　it　was；　as　sailors　call　it；　cross；　and　every　minute　the　waves　poured　over　the　ship；　sweeping　all　before　their　weight　of　waters。　One　poor　man　was　washed　overboard；　and　any　attempt　made　to　save　him　would　have　been　unavailing。　Captain　Osborn　was　standing　by　the　weather　gunnel；　holding　on　by　one　of　the　belaying…pins；　when　he　said　to　Mackintosh：

〃How　long　will　this　last；　think　you？〃

〃Longer　than　the　ship　will；〃　replied　the　mate　gravely。

〃I　should　hope　not；〃　replied　the　captain；　〃still　it　cannot　look　worse。　What　do　you　think；　Ready？〃

〃Far　more　fear　from　above　than　from　below　just　now；〃　replied　Ready；　pointing　to　the　yard…arms　of　the　ship；　to　each　of　which　were　little　balls　of　electric　matter　attached；　flaring　out　to　a　point。　〃Look　at　those　two　clouds；　sir；　rushing　at　each　other；　if　I〃

Ready　had　not　time　to　finish　what　he　would　have　said；　before　a　blaze　of　light；　so　dazzling　that　it　left　them　all　in　utter　darkness　for　some　seconds　afterwards；　burst　upon　their　vision；　accompanied　with　a　peal　of　thunder；　at　which　the　whole　vessel　trembled　fore　and　aft。　A　crash　…　a　rushing　forward　…　and　a　shriek　were　heard；　and　when　they　had　recovered　their　eyesight；　the　foremast　had　been　rent　by　the　lightning　as　if　it　had　been　a　lath；　and　the　ship　was　in　flames：　the　men　at　the　wheel；　blinded　by　the　lightning；　as　well　as　appalled；　could　not　steer；　the　ship　broached　to　…　away　went　the　mainmast　over　the　side　…　and　all　was　wreck；　confusion；　and　dismay。

Fortunately　the　heavy　seas　which　poured　over　the　forecastle　soon　extinguished　the　flames；　or　they　all　must　have　perished；　but　the　ship　lay　now　helpless；　and　at　the　mercy　of　the　waves　beating　violently　against　the　wrecks　of　the　masts　which　floated　to　leeward；　but　were　still　held　fast　to　the　vessel　by　their　rigging。　As　soon　as　they　could　recover　from　the　shock；　Ready　and　the　first　mate　hastened　to　the　wheel　to　try　to　get　the　ship　before　the　wind；　but　this　they　could　not　do；　as；　the　foremast　and　mainmast　being　gone；　the　mizenmast　prevented　her　paying　off　and　answering　to　the　helm。　Ready；　having　persuaded　two　of　the　men　to　take　the　helm；　made　a　sign　to　Mackintosh　（for　now　the　wind　was　so　loud　that　they　could　not　hear　each　other　speak）；　and；　going　aft；　they　obtained　axes；　and　cut　away　the　mizen…rigging；　the　mizen…topmast　and　head　of　the　mizenmast　went　over　the　side；　and　then　the　stump　of　the　foremast　was　sufficient　to　get　the　ship　before　the　wind　again。　Still　there　was　much　delay　and　confusion；　before　they　could　clear　away　the　wreck　of　the　masts；　and；　as　soon　as　they　could　make　inquiry；　they　found　that　four　of　the　men　had　been　killed　by　the　lightning　and　the　fall　of　the　foremast；　and　there　were　now　but　eight　remaining；　besides　Captain　Osborn　and　his　two　mates。



Chapter　V

Sailors　are　never　discouraged　by　danger　as　long　as　they　have　any　chance　of　relieving　themselves　by　their　own　exertions。　The　loss　of　their　shipmates；　so　instantaneously　summoned　away；　…　the　wrecked　state　of　the　vessel；　…　the　wild　surges　burying　them　beneath　their　angry　waters；　…　the　howling　of　the　wind；　the　dazzling　of　the　lightning；　and　the　pealing　of　the　thunder；　did　not　prevent　them　from　doing　what　their　necessity　demanded。　Mackintosh；　the　first　mate；　rallied　the　men；　and　contrived　to　fix　a　block　and　strap　to　the　still　smoking　stump　of　the　foremast；　a　rope　was　rove　through　the　block；　and　the　main…topgallant　sail　hoisted；　so　that　the　vessel　might　run　faster　before　the　gale；　and　answer　her　helm　better　than　she　did。

The　ship　was　again　before　the　wind；　and　comparatively　safe；　notwithstanding　the　heavy　blows　she　now　received　from　the　pursuing　waves。　Night　again　came　on；　but　there　was　no　repose；　and　t