Sun and moon hidden this
two days, and no observation possible; but by calculation of wind and
current, we should be about fifty miles to the southward of the
Mauritius. God's will be done."
He got on deck with the bottle in his pocket and the bladder peeping out:
put the log and its case down on deck, and by means of the life-lines
crawled along on his knees, and with great difficulty, to the wheel.
Finding the men could hardly hold on, and dreading another sea, Dodd,
with his own hands, lashed them to the helm.
While thus employed, he felt the ship give a slight roll, a very slight
roll to windward. His experienced eye lightened with hope, he cast his
eager glance to leeward. There it is a sailor looks for the first spark
of hope. Ay, thereaway was a little gleam of light. He patted the
helmsman on the shoulder and pointed to it; for now neither could one man
speak for the wind, nor another hear. The sailor nodded joyfully.
Presently the continuous tornado broke into squalls.
Hope grew brighter.
But, unfortunately, in one furious squall the ship broke round off, so as
to present her quarter to the sea at an unlucky moment: for it came seven
deep again, a roaring mountain, and hurled itself over her stern and
quarter.
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