[26]. I had broken my oath, which I gave during the first storm. Now it seemed clear what fate awaited me, if I didn’t return home. And this, added to the terror of the storm, put me into such a condition, that I have no words to describe it.
I was lying still in my cabin, and I heard that the master went in and out of his cabin by mine, saying softly several times a minute “Lord, be merciful to us![27] We shall be all lost! We shall be all undone!” and the like. I got up out of my cabin and looked out; but such a dismal sight I never saw. I saw terror and amazement in the faces of the seamen themselves. The sea ran mountains high, and broke upon us every three or four minutes.
Towards evening the mate and boatswain[28] asked the master of our ship to let them cut away the fore-mast.[29] When they had cut it away, the main mast[30] shook the ship so much, that they were obliged to cut that away also, and make a clear deck.
Two more ships, that were standing near us, drived from their anchors[31] and were run out of the Roads to sea, at all adventures, without any masts. The similar fate awaited us. The boatswain, the master, and some others more sensible than the rest were praying, expecting every moment that the ship would go to the bottom.
In the middle of the night we found the leak in a hold[32]. One of the men that had been down to see cried out that there was four feet water in the hold. Then all hands were called to the pump. We worked all night long, but the water kept coming. It was clear that the ship would founder; and though the storm began to fall off a little, it was impossible to keep afloat till we might run into any port. So the master began firing guns for help[33].
The light ship, who had rid it out just ahead of us, sent a boat to help us. But it was impossible for us to get on board, or for the boat to lie near the ship’s side. All the men in the boat were rowing very heartily, and venturing their lives[34] to save ours. Finally, we extended them a rope[35] so they managed to swim very close to the board of our ship, and we all got into their boat. It was no purpose for them or us, after we were in the boat, to think of reaching their own ship; so all agreed to let the boat drive on it’s own, and only to pull it in towards shore as much as we could.