Having long plough’d the Ocean with a prosperous Gale, we at length came in Sight of other Syrens, who by Intervals would set up a most hideous and dismal Yell. This struck an uncommon Terror into the Sailors, who knew, by woful Experience, that such mournful Musick portended Storms and Shipwrecks. Hereupon we immediately took in our Sails, and every Man was order’d to his Post. We had scarce made an End of our Work before we saw the Heavens cover’d with black Clouds. The Waves began to swell, and such a Storm follow’d, that the Pilot, who had us’d the Subterranean Seas for almost forty Years, declar’d he had never known so terrible a one. Every Thing that happen’d to be upon Deck was immediately wash’d overboard, partly by Means of the Waves, which were every Moment breaking over it, and partly by the violent Rain’s which fell at the same Time, attended with dreadful Lightning and loud Claps of Thunder. So that all the Elements seem’d to conspire together for our Destruction. Our Main-Mast was presently broke short off and carry’d away, and the rest soon follow’d it. We had nothing now but Death before our Eyes. One was calling out upon his Wife and Children, another upon his Friends and Relations, and the whole Vessel resounded with their mournful Cries. The Pilot, though without Hope himself, was nevertheless oblig’d to sooth the rest with Hopes, and to advise them not to give Way to unavailing Sorrows. Whilst he was in the Midst of this Discourse, a sudden Gust of Wind hurry’d him overboard, and he was quickly swallow’d up by the Waves. Three others underwent the same Fate, namely, the Purser, and two Sailors. I was the only one who bore the general Calamity without repining. Life was grown a Burden to me, and I had no Inclination to return to _Martinia_, where I had forfeited my Liberty and good Name. All the Compassion I had left was for the Captain, who had treated me with so much Kindness during our whole Voyage. I strove with all the Eloquence I was Master of, to raise his drooping Spirits; but in vain; he persisted in his Sighs and womanish Complaints, till a Wave came rolling over us, and carry’d him away with it into the Ocean.