Page:A Voyage of Discovery and Research in the Southern and Antarctic Regions Vol 1.djvu/177

] rendezvous. The barometer continued to fall until 3, when, at its lowest (28.29.), there was nothing in the sky to indicate more than an ordinary storm, indeed the gale had abated considerably; but so great was our reliance on the barometer, that we kept the ship under snug sail, and every way prepared for whatever might happen; and soon the dense accumulating clouds gave notice of the tempest which shortly followed. We, however, escaped it with but little damage, by the steadiness of our men that were steering, and by keeping the vessel directly before the wind; although the seas broke into our ship over both quarters, flooding our decks to a depth of more than two feet, and obliged us to knock out the ports to let the water run off and relieve her of its weight. The mountainous sea, before which we had been scudding was quelled, for the time, by the force of the wind, whilst the tops of the waves were driven completely over us in sheets of water; but the violence of the hurricane was such as soon to expend itself. Beginning at N.N.W., in an hour and three quarters the storm had abated to the strength of a common gale from the west, and in that short space of time the mercury in the barometer rose nearly half an inch.

During the night the wind and sea subsided, and we had a comparatively fine morning. We were all anxiously looking out for the Terror, and wondering how she had weathered the breeze,