CHAPTER VIII.
AQUATIC SPORTS.
One day, after we had lost the north-east Trade wind, a furious squall, unperceived till it reached us, swept through the fleet.

These violent tornadoes are generally called white squalls, from being unattended by those black heavy rain clouds.

On the occasion of ordinary squalls, even with the advantage of the warning given by rising clouds, it is not always easy to escape their force unhurt.

If the wind be fair, a natural reluctance is felt to shorten sail, at all events, until the squall is so near that there is an absolute necessity for doing so, and inexperienced officers are often deceived by the unexpected velocity with which the gust comes down upon them.
Even the oldest sailors are apt to miscalculate the time likely to elapse before the wind can touch them.

In these cases, unless the men be very active, the sails are torn, and sometimes a mast or a yard is carried away.