Right! Now, away aloft the rest of you; we must have those topsails close- reefed.

Cast-off the halliards--there--cheerily, men; that's the way to do it!" No sooner were the hands down from the topsail-yards, however, than he had them up again to take in the courses, which had already been clewed up and were now furled; the _Josephine_ lying-to under close-reefed topsails, with the fore-topmast staysail set to keep her in command of her helm.
She did not look so gay as she had done earlier in the day, with all her snowy plumage spread before the favouring breeze; but, she was all the better prepared to battle with the elements, and now steadily and sturdily awaited their onset.
The struggle was not long delayed.
Closer and closer came the whirling water-spout, surrounded by columns of misty spray and accompanied by the fierce wind.

The sea was agitated with violent eddies that rocked the ship to her centre every moment; and, above the shriek of the constant squalls tearing through the rigging, and the splash of the boiling water at the foot of the terrible cloud column, we could distinguish a peculiar hoarse sucking noise, as if the whole herd of Neptune's horses were drinking their fill, and letting us know about it, too!.