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Show :l28 RETURN TO Al\IEIUCtL and we Iw pc(l t IJ at tl.J e c• lcctric fluid which was much cl 1.f fu se d t 1u oug1 1 the a' tmOS!Jherc,. would afford ns only a success1. on o f 1J e"d tltl'cs to adtmrc. But afte.r. a bout two I1 ours I1 1.1 cl eJ n" (JS• ecl ' these hopes were. ann1hllated. Th e cIo n d s me· t Ov'o·r our heads, and ve1le.d the moon · d d· kncss · the rain )Joured down m tonents; 111 ecp ttr ' . I I · fle v t1efore the wind; and awfnl flashes of t JC sliP ' . . . forked lightning, with thunder tmmedtatcly followmg, gave amp le Proof th'a t the weapons of" heaven's artil- !cry" were nigh at hand-even at our doors. Never before had we witnessed such a war of the clements; but our skilful captain had foreseen our trouble, and the well-prepared ship, with her smallest amount of canvass, moved along steadily. The discharges oflightning, however, and crashes of thunder, became more and more tremendous, when suddenly the vessel received a terrible shock. Almost all the sailors were knocked down, and, as soon as they conld find their feet, rushed into the cabin for safety ; one was dragged in, lightning struck, whether to live or die we knew not. The captain himself received a stroke which left black traces on his legs. Either a blazing rope, or the appearance of it ·in electric fluid, was seen falling on the deck; a violent smell of sulphur assailed us; both the upper arid lower cabins were filled with smoke, and it was the general belief and cry, that the ship was ~n fire. At the same time the cook ran into the cabm, and told us that the hold of the ship (for we were in ballast) was filling rapidly with water. Although our large company was preserved in a good measure of qm.e tness, we con ld no 1o nger conce,.t 1 f'rom ourselves that we were now in circumstances of extreme !Ianger. lt'ETUitN TO Al\IERI('A , 229 But beyond this climax we were not permitted to pass. The ship was searched, and no lire was discovered . the water in the hold was found to have flowed on!; from the hatch-way; the sulphurous smell and smoke gradually vanished; the storm, after raging for about an hour, rapidly subsided; the sky became clear; the moon regained her ascendancy ; our poor stricken sailor began to recover; and we were left in quiet possession of ourselves- body and mind unhurt. The . next morning we soon detected the effects of the lightning. The sails were pierced with holes, some boxes werr demolished, a considerable piece of timber was forced out of the deck, the main-mast was cracked, and the maintop-gallant and royal yanl&, shivered. Surely we had cause for humble thankfulness to the God of nature and of grace-the Controller of storms and thunderbolts, and the Preserver of men. Tl? us it was an agreeable circumstance, that the day after the storm was the First of the week. At the appointed hour, the ship's company, including the sailors, assembled on deck under no common feeling~ of seriousness. The fortieth chapter of Isaiah was read to us. Thou wilt perhaps recollect that it begins with the exhortation, "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people;" and ends with the cheering declaration, that "they who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint." Afterwards the whole company fell into silence; and during the solemn hour which ensued, we were reminded of the words of the poet- |
