The pursuing ship, though still in
sight, was luckily so far astern and to leeward as to prevent any danger
from a visit by boats, and there was leisure to make the preparations that
might become necessary on the springing up of a new breeze. Of the speedy
occurrence of such a change there was now every symptom, the heavens
lighting up at the north-west, a quarter from which the genius of the
storms mostly delights in making a display of his power.
Chapter X
I come with mightier things;
Who calls mo silent? I have many tones--
The dark sky thrills with low mysterious moans,
Borne on my sweeping winds.
MRS. HEMANS.
The awaking of the winds on the ocean is frequently attended with signs
and portents as sublime as any the fancy can conceive. On the present
occasion, the breeze that had prevailed so steadily for a week was
succeeded by light baffling puffs, as if, conscious of the mighty powers
of the air that were assembling in their strength, these inferior blasts
were hurrying to and fro for a refuge. The clouds, too, were whirling
about in uncertain eddies, many of the heaviest and darkest descending so
low along the horizon, that they had an appearance of settling on the
waters in quest of repose. But the waters themselves were unnaturally
agitated.
Pages:
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178