We had a very ugly sea lashing us this morning--the ship rolling so heavily as to awaken me frequently, though I sleep in a swinging cot; and the water swashing over the decks, and rushing by bucketsful down the companion-way, which we are obliged to keep open to avoid being smothered.
_Friday, December 19th._--The gale continues with the tenacity of a norther, this being the third day.

This is but a foretaste of the weather we may expect in the Gulf of Mexico.

Being now in the Gulf of Honduras, there is but a small strip of land between us and it.
_Saturday, December 20th._--As ugly a day as one often sees, with a great variety of wind and weather.

In the morning the wind was fresh from the N.E., with flying clouds, and a bright sun, now and then obscured.

At about 9 A.M.a cloud bank in the north began to rise, and by 11.30 we had a densely overcast sky, with heavy rain-squalls.