I immediately despatched the first lieutenant to barricade the port and stop out the water as effectually as possible, in which he succeeded pretty well.

This report gave me considerable anxiety, as the ports in the gun-deck and the uppermost works of the ship are her weak points at which the gale would assault her with most effect.

In the meantime the barometer has been gradually settling, settling, settling--sometimes remaining stationary for several hours and then going down as before.

At 8 P.M.it was 29.53.
We had an awful night--no one able to sleep.
_Thursday, December 12th_ .-- Thick, gloomy weather, with the gale raging as fiercely as ever.

It blew very heavily all the morning.