It happened that we had a forewarning of what might be expected. On Friday, the 10th of November, just four days ere the fatal catastrophe which caused such disasters occurred, I was on board the _Jason_ Captain Lane, which happened to be lying outside, and as it came on to blow, I could not return to the shore or get to the camp that evening. The ship was a noble steamer, well manned and ably commanded, but ere midnight I would have given a good deal to have been on land; for the gale setting right into the bay, raised a high wild sea, which rushed up the precipices in masses of water and foam, astonishing by their force and fury; and the strain on the cable was so great that the captain had to ease it off by steaming gently a-head against the wind. The luckless _Prince_, which had lost two anchors and cables on bringing up a day or two before, was riding near the _Agamemnon_, and adopted the same expedient; and, of the numerous vessels outside, and which in so short a time afterwards were dashed into fragments against those cruel rocks, the aspect of which was calculated to thrill the heart of the boldest seaman with horror, there were few which did not drag their anchors and draw towards the iron coast which lowered with death on its brow upon us. Guns of distress boomed through the storm, and flashes of musketry pointed out for a moment a helpless transport which seemed tossing in the very centre of the creaming foam of those stupendous breakers, the like of which I never beheld, except once, when I saw the Atlantic running riot against the cliffs of Moher. But the gale soon moderated--for that once--and wind and sea went down long before morning. However, Sir Edmund Lyons evidently did not like his berth, for the _Agamemnon_ went round to Kamiesch on Sunday morning, and ordered the _Firebrand_, which was lying outside, to go up to the fleet at the Katcha. As to the _Prince_, and the luckless transports, they were allowed, nay, ordered, to stand outside till the hurricane rushed upon them. On the 14th of November came a new calamity--the hurricane.