This was not the first storm I had experienced on board the _Veielland_, so I knew pretty well what to do.
First of all, then, I battened down the hatches; this done, I made every movable thing on deck as secure as I possibly could.

Fortunately all the sails were furled at the time, so I had no trouble with them.

By mid-day it was blowing so hard that I positively could not stand upright, but had to crawl about on my hands and knees, otherwise I should have been hurled overboard.

I also attached myself to a long rope, and fastened the other end to one of the masts, so that in the event of my being washed into the raging sea, I could pull myself on board again.
Blinding rain had been falling most of the time, and the waves came dashing over the deck as though longing to engulf the little ship; but she rode them all in splendid style.

The climax was reached about two o'clock, when a perfect cyclone was raging, and the end seemed very near for me.