The Captain's Warning to the Crew

The captain ordered the idle oars to be drawn up to the sides. They ran the pointed sail yards up the mast and with spread canvas caught the coming breeze. Perhaps the ship had not sailed half her course on every side the land was out of sight, in fact at a great distance. On every side fierce winds wage a destructive warfare which stirs up the furious waters to their utmost power. One pumps the waves up from the hold and pours the rushing sea again into the sea. Another takes the yards off while such things are being done without command or order the wild storm increases. Then the captain, terrified, confessed he did not know the status of the ship and could not order