Page:California Inter Pocula.djvu/230



a prairie  bison,  the  ship's  bow  pointed  now  upward toward the  sky,  now  downward  into  the  depths. Responsive to  the  shrieking  blast  the  phosphorescent waves reared  their  crests  on  high,  clashed  one  against another, and  breaking  into  foam  shot  brilliant  streams of spray  into  the  black  air,  like  flashes  of  light  from a luminous  snowdrift. Fearing to  be  driven  to  de- struction before the  wind,  the  steamer's  bow  was pointed athwart  the  waves,  and  there  in  the  teeth  of the  storm  the  utmost  eflbrts  were  made  to  prevent her being  caught  and  overturned  in  the  trough  of  the sea.

Returning to  my  berth,  and  bracing  myself  and holding on,  I  lay  listening  to  the  creaking  timbers and straining  joints,  to  the  thud  and  rattle  of  the waters against  the  ship's  planks,  to  the  crashing  of glass  and  crockery,  and  the  clatter  and  bang  of  loose furniture and  baggage,  sent  hither  and  thither  by every  lurch  of  the  struggling  ship,  to  the  shouts  of sailors,  and  the  mingled  moans  and  blasphemies  of passengers ;  watching  through  the  slow  hours  for  day, listening for  some  break  in  the  beating  machinery which should  leave  us  at  the  mercy  of  the  waves, wondering if  ever  I  should  see  the  firm  and  beauteous earth again.

Dawn brought  only  increased  fury  to  the  storm. No tables  could  be  set  that  day ;  indeed,  there  was little thought  of  eating,  for  long  before  the  tempest had spent  itself  the  ship  was  despaired  of,  and  such passengers as  were  out  of  bed  were  beaten  about  like footballs. All loose  canvas  was  torn  to  shreds,  and boats were  splintered  and  sent  flying  from  their  fas- tenings Clothes went  adrift  without  their  owners, and half-dressed  men  and  women  staggered  about  in dismay  and  confusion. Heavy seas  were  shipped  in rapid  succession ;  the  wind  and  waves  swept  over  the deck in  a  hurricane,  and  to  add  to  our  distress  the ship, though  comparatively  new,  had  parted  her seams, and  was  leaking  badly,  so  that  all  the