Page 132 - Travels in Arabia (Vol 2)_Neat

VII.] GULF OF AKABAH. 113

in some measure from the violence of the
blast which swept over us during the night;
but its fury made me apprehensive at times
that the trees would be torn from their roots.
The wind, which had lulled in the morning,

again menaced as we drew towards the centre
of the sea. At length, in a strong gust, al­

though under close-reefed sails, the boat
heeled over and filled. I had but a moment
in which to act: I used it decisively: the
boat was put before the wind ere another
billow could give it the coup de grace; and
then, by baling with our hats, &c., we suc­
ceeded in getting her free. We were pre­
vented from sinking by the buoyancy of our
fresh-water casks, of which we always carried

eight or ten as ballast. When the blast struck
us, the Lascars raised a yell of mingled agony
and fear ; and our situation, many miles from
the ship and the shore, appeared so desperate,
that our hardy pilot, who had been steering,
let go the helm, addressed a short prayer to
Mohammed, and quietly resigned himself to
his fate. Indeed, our escape may be consi­
dered as almost miraculous, for it afterwards
appeared that Captain Moresby, anxious for

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