Our plan of going back to the Brandywine was altered by circumstances; and
a party of us shipped in the Monongahela, a Liverpool liner, out of
Philadelphia. The cabin of this vessel was taken by two gentlemen, going
to visit Europe, viz.: Mr. Hare Powell and Mr. Edward Burd; and getting
these passengers, with their families, on board, the ship sailed. By this
time, I had pretty much given up the hope of preferment, and did not
trouble myself whether I lived forward or aft. I joined the Monongahela as
a forward hand, therefore, quite as well satisfied as if her chief mate.
We left the Delaware in the month of August, and, a short time out,
encountered one of the heaviest gales of wind I ever witnessed at sea. It
came on from the eastward, and would have driven us ashore, had not the
wind suddenly shifted to south-west. The ship was lying-to, under bare
poles, pressed down upon the water in such a way that she lay almost as
steady as if in a river; nor did the force of the wind allow the sea to
get up. A part of the time, our lee lower yard-arms were nearly in the
water. We had everything aloft, but sending them down was quite out of the
question. It was not possible, at one time, for a man to go aloft at all.
I tried it myself, and could with difficulty keep my feet on the ratlins.
I make no doubt I should have been blown out of the top, could I have
reached it, did I let go my hold to do any work.
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