Page:A voyage round the world, in His Britannic Majesty's sloop, Resolution, commanded by Capt. James Cook, during the years 1772, 3, 4, and 5 (IA b30413849 0001).pdf/215

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flash of lightning illuminated the whole arm of the sea; we saw the billows foaming, and furiously rolled above each other in livid mountains; in a word, it seemed as if all nature was hastening to a general catastrophe.

Non han piu gli elementi ordine o segno,

S'odono orrendi tuoni, ognor piu cresce

De' fieri venti il furibondo sdegno.

Increspa, e inlividisce il mar la faccia,

E s'alza contra il ciel che lo minaccia. .

The lightning was instantaneously followed by the most astonishing explosion we had ever heard, reverberated from the broken rocks around us; and our hearts sunk with apprehension lest the ship might be destroyed by the tempest or its concomitant ætherial fires, and ourselves left to perish in an unfrequented part of the world. In this dismal situation we lingered out the night, which seemed the longest we had ever known. At last about six in the morning the violence of the storm abated, we embarked about day break, and reached the vessel soon after, which had been obliged to strike yards and top-masts. The inlet we had now surveyed, received the name of Wet Jacket Arm, from the dreadful night we passed in it. There now remained only one inlet to the northward of this unexplored; and captain Cook, finding himself recovered, set out, immediately after our return, to examine it. He proceeded