Page:Early voyages to Terra Australis.djvu/292

 136 dampier's voyages.

the consequences of it. When the sun was now not above 2 degrees high, it entered into a dark smoaky-colourcd cloud that lay parallel with the horizon, from whence presently seem'd to issue many dusky blackish beams. The sky was at this time covered with small hard clouds fas we call such as lye scattering about, not likely to rain), very thick one by another; and such of them as lay next to the bank of clouds at the horizon, were of a pure gold colour, to 3 or 4 degrees high above the bank. From these, to about 10 degrees high, they were redder, and very bright ; above them they were of a darker colour still, to about 60 or 70 degrees high, where the clouds began to be of their common colour. I took the more particular notice of all this, because I have generally observed such colour'd clouds to appear before an approaching storm. And this being winter here, and the time for bad weather, I expected and provided for a violent blast of wind, by reefing our topsails, and giving a strict charge to my officers to hand them or take them in, if the wind should grow stronger. The wind was now at W.N.W. a very brisk gale. About twelve o'clock at night we had a pale whitish glare in the N.W., which was another sign, and intimated the storm to be near at hand ; and the wind increasing upon it, we presently handed our top-sails, furled the main-sail, and went away only with our fore-sail. Before two in the morning, it came on very fierce, and we kept right before wind and sea, the wind still increasing. But the ship was very governable, and steered incomparably well. At eight in the morning we settled our fore-yard, lowering it four or five foot, and we ran very swiftly ; especially when the squalls of rain or hail, from a black cloud, came over head, for then it blew excessive hard. These, tho' they did not last long, yet came very thick and fast one after another. The sea also ran very high ; but we running so violently before wind and sea, we ship'd little or no water, tho' a little wash'd into our