Vol. l.-NO. 4.
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and our ward room was aRoat from the


sea that drove with irresistible force AGA


inst the storm-posts and penetrated by the


rudder coat. And the sick were in their


darkness and distress but delaying death.


But wet as was the ship and shivered
as were her sails, the revelation uf the
morning had not been anticipated for its
fearful apprehension and the critical cir
cumstances in which the gallant bark was
to be found. The topgallant masts, not
withstanding they had been housed and
the back-stays sheep-shanked and we'll
taught, bent like withe in the roll
of the ship; and the morning discover
ed, as triAes in these circumstances, that
the main top gallant mast had been car
ried away, together with the main trysail
mast; and one of the boats, without hav-
ing been noticed as it was disengased by
some surge in the loud roar of the winds
from the davits, had gone on its wild
buffet of the waves. With sea room,
the gale might, if it please, blow its
worst in typhoon, hurricane and tempest,
and we would trust the good Columbia
to her stumps, evincing as she did, her
staunch qualities, without admitting drop
of water through her lower planks; and
bounding and rebounding like some light
but solid trunk of forest mammoth,
which the storm for ages might beat unin-
jured and unyielding, so staunch was she
in the tight work of her admirable me-
chanism. But the rock and the coral reef,
and shoal, and sand bar, in unison with
the surge of the open ocean, and the wild
gale that shows no pity in its madness,
would make even thing so fair and
faithful as the ship that had so Justly re-
ceived our confidence and attachment,
but cradle of bulrushes were she once
to strike upon them, in the tumult of
elements that were now driving above,
and raging around, and rolling beneath
us. But it was hoped that we had gain
ed an ofing the first twenty-four hours, of
one hunded and fifty miles, and it must
be fearful drift of tides and drive of
winds, that could have borne us in dam
gerous nearness to the coast. The dark
clouds had admitted of no observation,
and the log could not give us the tides
and the drift. The second morning broke,
and the storm had not lowered its voice;
and the hurricane in its torrent - tenn
pest, blended its fury with the heaviest
roll of the sea, heaving, in its widest COM
motion. None but the mariner then, can
estimate the Gcvelopement of the day.
break as it fell on changed sea in its
color for the deep blue Of the fathom-
less ocean to the pale green Of sound
ings. The lead in its cast gave the shall
low water of twenty five fathoms; and in
the drift of few more casts, but twenty
two fathoms, still decreasing, while the
elements combined their concentrated and
unabating furies.


To be continued.