It now came on to blow very fresh.  There was not much sea in the offing; but, owing to the way the tide ran and met the wind, the bottom being rocky, the water nearer the shore was tossed about in a most curious and somewhat dangerous fashion, for several "lumps of sea," as Truck called them, came flop down on our deck; and it was easy to see what might be the consequences if an open boat had attempted to pass through the Race.  Paul told us that good-sized vessels had been seen to go down in similar places.  One off Portland is far worse than this in heavy weather.