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Igotupoutofmycabinandlookedout; butsuchadismalsightIneversaw: thesearanmountainshigh, andbrokeuponuseverythreeorfourminutes; whenIcouldlookabout,Icouldseenothing butdistressroundus; twoshipsthatrodenearus,wefound,hadcuttheirmastsbytheboard,beingdeepladen; andourmencriedoutthatashipwhichrodeaboutamileaheadofuswasfoundered. Twomoreships,beingdrivenfromtheiranchors, wererunoutoftheRoadstosea,atalladventures, andthatwithnotamaststanding. Thelightshipsfaredthebest,asnotsomuchlabouringinthesea; buttwoorthreeofthemdrove,andcameclosebyus, runningawaywithonlytheirspritsailoutbeforethewind.
Towardseveningthemateandboatswainbeggedthemasterofourship toletthemcutawaythefore-mast, whichhewasveryunwillingtodo; buttheboatswainprotestingtohim thatifhedidnottheshipwouldfounder,heconsented; andwhentheyhadcutawaythefore-mast,themain-maststoodsoloose,andshooktheshipsomuch, theywereobligedtocutthatawayalso,andmakeacleardeck.
AnyonemayjudgewhataconditionImustbeinatallthis, whowasbutayoungsailor,andwhohadbeeninsuchafrightbeforeatbutalittle. ButifIcanexpressatthisdistancethethoughts Ihadaboutmeatthattime, Iwasintenfoldmorehorrorofminduponaccountofmyformerconvictions, andthehavingreturnedfromthemtotheresolutionsIhadwickedlytakenatfirst, thanIwasatdeathitself;andthese,addedtotheterrorofthestorm, putmeintosuchaconditionthatIcanbynowordsdescribeit. Buttheworstwasnotcomeyet; thestormcontinuedwithsuchfury thattheseamenthemselvesacknowledgedtheyhadneverseenaworse.
