I felt an abrupt easing of the schooner, a loss for the moment of all strain and pressure, coupled with a swift acceleration of speed.

She was rushing around on her heel into the wind.
As she arrived at right angles to the sea, the full force of the wind (from which we had hitherto run away) caught us.

I was unfortunately and ignorantly facing it.

It stood up against me like a wall, filling my lungs with air which I could not expel.

And as I choked and strangled, and as the _Ghost_ wallowed for an instant, broadside on and rolling straight over and far into the wind, I beheld a huge sea rise far above my head.