The present agitation was a dissolving view, unconscientious and useless, and quickly accomplished.
What was the object of it all?
What a mystery of blind destruction it was! The clouds continued to stream out on high, out of the west continually, racing and darkening all.

A few yellow clefts remained, through which the sun shot its rays in volleys.

And the now greenish water was striped more thickly with snowy froth.
By midday the _Marie_ was made completely snug for dirty weather: her hatches battened down, and her sails storm-reefed; she bounded lightly and elastic; for all the horrid confusion, she seemed to be playing like the porpoises, also amused in storms.

With her foresail taken in, she simply scudded before the wind.
It had become quite dark overhead, where stretched the heavily crushing vault.

Studded with shapeless gloomy spots, it appeared a set dome, unless a steadier gaze ascertained that everything was in the full rush of motion; endless gray veils were drawn along, unceasingly followed by others, from the profundities of the sky-line--draperies of darkness, pulled from a never-ending roll.
The _Marie_ fled faster and faster before the wind; and time fled also--before some invisible and mysterious power.