Page:Memoirs of a Huguenot Family.djvu/263

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JOURNAL OF JOHN FONTAINE.
255

no sail. We got a spare main-yard, which we put up for a mizzen-mast. We roll enough to tear the ship to pieces. The weather dark and hazy, always wet upon the deck as in the sea. No observation.

6th Jan.—Wind S. by E., stormy. We lay under a skirt of our main-sail, and so drove as the wind and sea carried us. The ship rolls enough to distract one, and is always shipping water. Give us grace, Lord, to amend our lives by these warnings.

7th Jan.—Wind S. by E., stormy. A great sea, and we laying under a reefed main-sail. We shipped several seas. One carried away our main-tack, another came part in the steerage. We were forced to reef our main-sail, not able to bear any, the wind so stormy. We had but an indifferent observation, and think ourselves to be in lat. 49° 30", and reckon ourselves to be 258 leagues to the westward of the Land's End. In a miserable condition for want of rigging.

8th Jan.—Wind S. by E., tempestuous. A terrible sea. About six of the clock in the morning, we were struck with a violent sea in the quarter and waist of the ship, and we all felt assured we should perish. We received several other seas, but not so terrible. No observation this day.

O God, be pleased to sustain us, for we are brought to nothing. Turn thy face towards us, look upon our afflictions, and take pity upon us, most miserable sinners.

9th Jan.—Wind S. by W. No observation. Weather thick, wind abated. We lay under our main-sail. The sea doth not break over us as it did, but there is still a great swell. We are in the lat. 50° 00″, and west from the Land's End 260 leagues.

10th Jan. — The wind S. W. by S., the weather fair and