At ten o'clock I thought to get a little sleep; came to look into my cot; it was full of water, for every seam, by the straining of the ship had begun to leak and the sea was also flooding through the closed gun-ports. I stretched myself, therefore, upon the deck between two chests and left orders to be called, should the least thing happen. At twelve a midshipman came up to me:
"Mr. Archer, we are just going to wear ship, sir."
"Oh, very well, I '11 be up directly. What sort of weather have you got?"
"It blows a hurricane, sir, and I think we shall lose the ship."
Went upon deck and found Sir Hyde there. Said he:
"It blows damned hard, Archer."
"It does indeed, sir."
"I don't know that I ever remember it blowing so hard before, Archer, but the ship makes a very good weather