I have been watching,
and even the birds tell me so, and they are told by their nature, which
is never mistaken. That calm has been nothing more than a repose of the
winds previous to their being roused up to do their worst; and that is
my real opinion?"
"Well, and I'm inclined to agree with you, Ready; so we must send
topgallant yards down on deck, and all the small sails and lumber out
of the tops. Get the trysail aft and bent, and lower down the gaff. I
will go forward."
Their preparations were hardly complete before the wind had settled to
a fierce gale from the north-east. The sea rose rapidly; topsail after
topsail was furled; and by dusk the Pacific was flying through the
water with the wind on her quarter, under reefed foresail and storm
staysail. It was with difficulty that three men at the wheel could keep
the helm, such were the blows which the vessel received from the heavy
seas on the quarter. Not one seaman in the ship took advantage of his
watch below to go to sleep that night, careless as they generally are;
the storm was too dreadful. About three o'clock in the morning the wind
suddenly subsided; it was but for a minute or two, and then it again
burst on the vessel from another quarter of the compass, as Ready had
foretold, splitting the foresail into fragments, which lashed and
flogged the wind till they were torn away by it, and carried far to
leeward.
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