Even the Captain had never, so he said, seen anything to compare with it.

For two days and nights we encountered and endured the full fury of the sea.

Our soup plates were secured with racks and covered with lids.

In the smoking-room our glasses had to be set in brackets, and as our steward came and went, we were from moment to moment in imminent danger of seeing him washed overboard.
On the third morning just after daybreak the ship collided with something, probably either a floating rock or one of the dry Tortugas.
She blew out her four funnels, the bowsprit dropped out of its place, and the propeller came right off.

The Captain, after a brief consultation, decided to abandon her.