important a fact by my own experience ; and my fondest wish was,
to be able to bear witness to the truth of it.
The idea, that the land was now before me where I was to become
acquainted with my fellow-creatures living in primeval simplicity,
caused a pleasing glow in my mind, and I imagined myself already
in the midst of their tribes, delighted at thé novelty of the scene,
and acquiring new views Of human. nature. Not aware that the
ardor of a youthful imagination concealed every difficulty, I could
see none which could disappoint my hope-of traversing in any
direction the unknown regions of Southern Africa ; and believed
that once safely landed, every obstacle to my progress would vanish.
My impatience, therefore, at remaining on the sea so long after
coming in sight of the harbour, began to render my confinement to
the ship exceedingly irksome.
The whole crew, being but few in number, were obliged to
remain constantly on. the watch; and as the wind was continually
changing, they were nearly exhausted by fatigue. Thus passed the
day; and the evening came on without any symptoms of abatement
in the storm. At last, about eight o’clock, we suddenly found ourselves
within its influence, having unfortunately drifted beyond the
shelter of the mountain. The wind roared in the rigging, and
drove us before it like a feather on the surface of a lake ; it was
impossible to regain our shelter, and in this extremity we bore
up for Robben island, hoping under the lee of it to find some
protection. But this we could not accomplish, and the fury of
the storm sweeping us past it with, awful rapidity, hurried us once
more out of sight o f land. With great difficulty the sails were
furled, and under a close reefed fore-topsail we scudded before
the tempest. The vessel rolled in a dreadful manner ; every minute
we expected to hear, the crash of masts falling, overboard;., the
men were .thrown from side to side, unable to keep on their feet;
and worn out with labor and fatigue, they looked at each other
in a desponding manner, which betrayed their fears; and showed
the reality o f our danger. The storm raged still more furiously,
and the peril of our situation increased every moment. It was no
longer safe to scud; huge waves pursuing as if bent on our
d e s t r u c t i o n , threatened every instant to break over us,: and at
once overwhelm our bark in the fathomless deep. The captain,
w h o s e judgment was always cool, saw no alternative between certain
destruction and what was, in our circumstances, a very perilous
experiment; but we happily succeeded in heaving the ship to, under
storm-mainsail, fore stay-sail, and close-reefed try-sail. There was
still much reason for unqasiness, lest she should not keep her head to
the sea; and every one continued watching the danger with the
greatest' anxiety, dreading that some unforeseen accident would
before morning bury us all in the cold grave of the ocean. The vessel
became so leaky that it was necessary to keep both pumps going
day and night; and it was at one time uncertain whether they gained
on the water or not.
The night passed without sleep or rest, and the welcome morning
light served in some measure to diminish the gloomy appearance of
the scene: the sunshine and cloudless sky exhibited the fallacious
semblance of fair weather, but the angry wind still howled in the
rigging, and the waves still lifted up their foaming heads around.
The hatches carefully closed, and the deadlights bolted in, the cabin
dark as a dungeon, and the deck deluged with the waves, were
appearances well suited to the solemnity of a storm. Heavy seas
frequently rolled on board with overwhelming force, throwing every
thing into confusion, breaking the spars and casks from their lashings,
and washing away the loose utensils into the . sea. The seamen,
drenched with water, seemed to go aloft with reluctance, expecting
hardly to escape being blown overboard. The captain, whose careful
eye was unceasingly surveying every part of his ship, discovered that
the try-sail, which was an old one, showed in several parts the first
symptoms of splitting, some of the threads having already given way.
Knowing that on this sail depended the maintenance of the balance
of wind necessary for keeping the vessel’s head either from falling
off or broaching to, he began, with evident melancholy, to express to
me his fears. At such a time as this, and indeed on every occasion,
when the safety or right management of the ship is in question, a