These words inspired me with new life; for, strange as it may seem, although it was obvious that a vessel with a cargo of empty oil-casks would not sink, I had been hitherto so confused in mind as to have overlooked this consideration altogether; and the danger which I had for some time regarded as the most imminent was that of foundering.

As hope revived within me, I made use of every opportunity to strengthen the lashings which held me to the remains of the windlass, and in this occupation I soon discovered that my companions were also busy.

The night was as dark as it could possibly be, and the horrible shrieking din and confusion which surrounded us it is useless to attempt describing.

Our deck lay level with the sea, or rather we were encircled with a towering ridge of foam, a portion of which swept over us even instant.

It is not too much to say that our heads were not fairly out of the water more than one second in three.
Although we lay close together, no one of us could see the other, or, indeed, any portion of the brig itself, upon which we were so tempestuously hurled about.