At first de sea smoove, and de ship go along straight.

Den de ship begin to toss about jus' as nigger does when he has taken too much palm wine, and we all feel berry bad.

Ebery one groan and cry and tink dat dey must have been poisoned.

For tree days it was a terrible time.

De hatches were shut down and no air could come to us, and dere we was all alone in de dark, and no one could make out why de great house on de water roll and tumble so much.