The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1827-05-18
OF A STORM AT SEA

- bU ill' " 4ltA u IIAlllfNNfA lilf iliIii u
the bchol1er more powerfully thar a
heavy gale at sea. GA the land storm
Is Invested of Il great part of its awful
grandeur, by sense OF security s
| hear il raging, NJ our habltations re
immoyeable, aDd the warning IF the ole
ments is scarcely needed, as We IL shell
tered from their violence. The atten-
ton may, however, be occasionally and
translenty excited as a gust more turl-
Gus than the rest, sweeps bowling hy on
when an mcommonly vivid Fash OF
lightning, or heavy laal Of thunder,
strikes us with momentary ave and ELECTS
an emotion Of fear and admiration in onr
besoms. 1t IS different al sea, and no
one who has not experienced Il tempest
ON The ocean, can conceive an idea o. tlia
sublirlity Of the scene.
We sailed from port in the United
States, and were bound for thu North OF
Europe. The favourable winds and
charming weather which attended MS
during the first part OF our passage, al
most induced me 10 believe that the dan
gers of the ocean had been greatly OK
aggeratcd, and was joyously anlicipa=
ting tina, we al least would escape being
subjected to any of the lerils that attend
a sailors life The sky and occap smi-
led hope battered, and every ANXIOUS
feeling sunk 10 rest. There is some
thing exceedingly delightful in the spor-
tive deshing OF the waters ., thoy gllsten
in the bright sunbeams, or spaiklo be-
meath the mild rays of the moon and
10 Paze over the vast oxpanse, bounding
in ther beauty before the ireshoning
breeze. When tho cleaf azure sky,
crowned with the splendouf of tho me-
rldIap sun, or spanglcd with innumefa-
bic stars, is spread like canopy over
the scene, the Imagination roams with
delight amid the brilliant aud lovely Wis
ions which the beauty Of the prospect
excItes, and the cares and lomuts Of the
world, are banished irem our thoughts.
The majestic ship, with her snowy
wings expanded to catch the wandering
winds, proudly divides the waters, and
appears like the monarch of the deep
Well may we eXclaim with The poet:
." Oh, who can tell, save he whose heart has tred,
Aud donccd in triumph DER the waters wide,
The e.otng sense, the pulses mud ming play,
! That i4rlA the wand'fer VI that uaekless way -
To one who is fond of meditation,
there is no place better calculated for
the indulgence Of ms disposition. All
IS calm and qOial; the Silence unbfo-
ken, save 10y til 5weet aud soothing
music OF the restless waters, aud the
sound Of the vessei's passage thro' the q.
cean, as she ABRUPTLY na'hes away tho
little bllow that curls ana glittels across
her path.
Our ship was occasionally scene Of
mirih and fioic. The sailors, when
their duties permitted, dlye.ted them
selves and the passengers with their sea
tricks, rendered by the droilery of the
actors lrrcsIsdbly ludicrous, and there
was not a heart OH board unprecedented
by feelings Of pleasure, and good humor.
! A distant sail, sometimes sen gliding
dong The verge OF the horizon like u
SNOW white speck against the dark blue
sky, would afford IA subject ii great in
tcrest 10 those Of us who had never eros
sed the western man.
At length, on the 18th Of August, two
| weeks after we babe America farewell,
we were, Ivy observation. almost up with
! me meridian Of the Western Islands,
and IN the 17lh deg. of N0fth latitude.
Early in the morning Of that day, a shoal
Of poIpoises, the sure foferunners OF
boisterous winds, were seen leaping aud
gambolng in their course towards the
east The sun arose with its usual
splendour, and promised a continuance
of the lovely weather we had thus far
enjoyed, but about uine O'Clock, A. NJ
the western horizon became obscured by
a haze, which gradually advancing over
the face of the heavens, at length cnvez
loped the Whole in q misty veil, through
which the sun could scarcely emIl pale
and slckly light. so unlaNonrable a
change having taken place, Tie soamen
were puslly engaged III MAKING pTepa-
ratlons to meet any sudden emergency.
The lighter sails we're all furled. and the
larboard, fore, and main top, and top
gallant studdbg sail boouis rugged in.
Her canvas thus being greatly reduced,
our ship appeared deprived of much of
her majesty, and under her top-Sails and
tore-course only, continued 10 advance
on her way. The breeze about noon
began to ireshcn and rapidly increased
our speed the atmosphere continued TO
darken, and the scud flew swiftly along
The little waves that had hitherto been
our companions, assumed loitier height
and mote disturbed appearance, as the
increasing gale hurried them on and
crested them with foam. A further re-
duction OF the canvas became necessary,
and orders we're given to double reef