So strong and so weak are men.
Thompson raised his knife high; there was a pause: then in went all their
knives, and away went the sail into the night of the storm, and soon
seemed a sheet of writing-paper, and more likely to hit the sky than the
sea. The men came down, picked their officer off the rigging, had a dram
in the captain's cabin, and saw him enter their names in the log-book for
good service, and in the purser's for extra grog on Sundays from there to
Gravesend.
The ship was relieved; and all looked well till the chronometer, their
only guide now, announced sunset: when the wind, incredible as it may
appear, increased, and one frightful squall dipped the muzzles of the lee
carronades in the water.
Then was heard the first cry of distress: an appalling sound; the wail of
brave men. And they had borne it all so bravely, so cheerfully, till now.
But now they knew something must go, or else the ship; the suspense was
awful, but very short. Crack! crash! the fore and main topmast both gone
short off by the caps; and the ship recovered slowly, hesitatingly,
tremblingly.
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