Oh! who would go to sea when he can stay on shore! The wind in southwest driving us back again, so that we are losing all the advantages of our fair wind of yesterday, which lasted, as I supposed, two or three hours.
* * * * * "_Tuesday, 12th September._ Gale abated, but head wind still....
"_Wednesday, 13th September._ All last night a tremendous storm from northwest.
"_Thursday, 14th September._ The storm increased to a tremendous height last night.

The clouds at sunset were terrific in the extreme, and, in the evening, still more so with lightning.

The sea has risen frightfully and everything wears a most alarming aspect.

At 3 A.M.a squall struck us and laid us almost wholly under water; we came near losing our foremast....

None of us able to sleep from the dreadful noises; creakings and howlings and thousands of indescribable sounds.