These wise and sober thoughts continued all the while the storm
continued, and indeed some time after; but the next day the wind was
abated and the sea calmer, and I began to be a little inured to it.
However, I was very grave for all that day, being also a little
sea-sick still; but towards night the weather cleared up, the wind was
quite over, and a charming fine evening followed; the sun went down
perfectly clear, and rose so the next morning; and having little or no
wind, and a smooth sea, the sun shining upon it, the sight was, as I
thought, the most delightful that ever I saw.

  I had slept well in the night, and was now no more sea-sick but very
cheerful, looking with wonder upon the sea that was so wrought and
terrible the day before, and could be so calm and so pleasant in so
little time after. And now lest my good resolutions should continue,
my companion, who had indeed enticed me away, comes to me: "Well,
Bob," says he, clapping me on the shoulder, "how do you do after it? I
warrant you were frighted, wa'n't you, last night, when it blew but
a capful of wind?" "A capful, d'you call it?" said I; It was a
terrible storm." "A storm, you fool you," replied he; "do you call
that a storm? Why, it was nothing at all; give us but a good ship
and sea-room, and we think nothing at all; give us but a good ship and
sea-room, and we think nothing of such a squall of wind as that; but
you're but a fresh-water sailor, Bob. Come, let us make a bowl of
punch, and we'll forget all that; d'ye see what charming weather
'tis now?" To make short this sad part of my story, we went the old
way of all sailors; the punch was made, and I was made drunk with
it, and in that one night's wickedness I drowned all my repentance,
all my reflections upon my past conduct, and all my resolutions for my
future. In a word, as the sea was returned to its smoothness of
surface and settled calmness by the abatement of that storm, so the
hurry of my thoughts being over, my fears and apprehensions of being
swallowed up by the sea being forgotten, and the current of my
former desires returned, I entirely forgot the vows and promises
that I made in my distress. I found indeed some intervals of
reflection, and the serious thoughts did, as it were, endeavor to
return again sometime; but I shook them off, and roused myself from
them as it were from a distemper, and applying myself to drink and
company, soon mastered the return of those fits, for so I called them,
and I had in five or six days got as complete a victory over
conscience as any young fellow that resolved not to be troubled with
it could desire. But I was to have another trial for it still; and
Providence, as in such cases generally it does, resolved to leave me
entirely without excuse. For if I would not take this for a
deliverance, the next was to be such a one as the worst and most
hardened wretch among us would confess both the danger and the mercy.

  The sixth day of our being at sea we came into Yarmouth roads; the
wind having been contrary and the weather calm, we made but little way
since the storm. Here we were obliged to come to an anchor, and here
we lay, the wind continuing contrary, viz., at southwest, for seven or
eight days, during which time a great many ships from Newcastle came
into the same roads, as the common harbor where the ships might wait
for a wind for the river.

  We had not, however, rid here so long, but should have tided it up
the river, but that the wind blew too fresh; and after we had lain
four or five days, blew very hard. However, the roads .being
reckoned as good as a harbor, the anchorage good, and our
ground-tackle very strong, our men were unconcerned, and not in the
least apprehensive of danger, but spent the time in rest and mirth,
after the manner of the sea; but the eighth day in the morning the
wind increased, and we had all hands at work to strike our topmasts,
and make everything snug and close, that the ship might ride as easy
as possible. By noon the sea went very high indeed, and our ship rid
forecastle in, shipped several seas, and we thought once or twice
our anchor had come home; upon which our master ordered out the
sheet anchor, so that we rode with two anchors ahead, and the cables
veered out to the better end.

  By this time it blew a terrible storm indeed, and now I began to see
terror and amazement in the faces even of the seamen themselves. The
master, though vigilant to the business of perserving the ship, yet as
he went in and out of his cabin by me, I could hear him softly to
himself say several times, "Lord be merciful to us, we shall be all
lost, we shall be all undone"; and the like. During these first
hurries I was stupid, lying still in my cabin, which was in the
steerage, and cannot describe my temper; I could ill reassume the
first penitence, which I had so apparently trampled upon, and hardened
myself against; I though the bitterness of death had been past, and
that this would be nothing too, like the first. But when the master
himself came by me, as I said just now, and said we should be all
lost, I was dreadfully frighted; I got up out of my cabin, and
looked out but such a dismal sight I never saw: the sea went mountains
high, and broke upon us every three or four minutes; when I could look
about, I could see nothing but distress round us. Two ships that rid
near us we found had cut their masts by the board, being deep
loaden; and our men cried out that a ship which rid about's mile ahead
of us was foundered. Two more ships being driven from their anchors,
were run out of the roads to sea at all adventures, and that with
not a mast standing. The light ships fared the best, as not so much
laboring in the sea; but two or three of them drove, and came close by
us, running away with only their sprit-sail out before the wind.

  Towards evening the mate and boatswain begged the master of our ship
to let them cut away the foremast, which he was very unwilling to. But
the boatswain, protesting to him that if he did not the ship would
founder, he consented; and when they had cut away the foremast, the
mainmast stood so loose, and shook the ship so much, they were obliged
to cut her away also, and make a clear deck.