A succession of gales from various
points of the compass now prevailed with more or less violence for seven
or eight days, during a great portion of which the Alabama was lying to,
in a heavy sea under close-reefed maintopsail and reefed trysails.
These were hard times for the prisoners; huddled together on deck, with
no shelter but an extemporized tarpaulin tent between them and the
pelting of the pitiless storm, which drenched the decks alternately with
salt water and fresh, as the heavy rain-squalls came down, or the sea,
glittering with phosphoric light, came dashing over the weather
bulwarks. There was, however, no alternative. The berth-deck was already
fully occupied by the Alabama's own crew, and the unlucky prisoners were
compelled to make the best of their uncomfortable position, and console
themselves with the hope that some vessel with a neutral cargo might
fall on the same ill-fortune with themselves, and afford them a chance
of being paroled and sent ashore.
As the sun crossed the line the weather moderated, and by the 25th of
September all was again calm and fair, and the crew busy caulking the
decks, which had leaked terribly during the gales. They were followed by
a succession of calms and light baffling winds, the delay occasioned by
which was turned to advantage in practising the crew at the battery, and
with small arms.
With the commencement of another month the rough weather returned.
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