"Slumber had begun to take possession of the senses of my companions, and I began to question the one who was keeping watch with me, upon many matters important to mariners, and needful for them to know, when it suddenly began to rain, not in drops, but as if whole clouds were at once emptying their contents upon our ship, so that it appeared as if the sea had risen into the sky, and from thence was overflowing upon our vessel. All awoke in great perturbation, and looking about on every side, saw a clear unclouded sky, and no signs of storm or tempest, a thing which struck every one with awe and dread: whilst they were gazing around, the man who had been with me, said, 'I have no doubt but that this rain proceeds from the nostrils of those monstrous fishes which are called wreckers, and if it be so, then are we in the greatest peril, and it will be necessary for us to discharge all our guns, for the noise will sometimes terrify them.' As he spoke, we saw the neck and head of a terrible serpent rise[I] and enter the ship: it seized, and instantly swallowed at a mouthful, one of our seamen before our eyes. 'Yes, they are 'Wreckers',' cried our pilot; 'we must make haste to fire, no matter with or without shot, for it is from the noise alone we can hope for help against these monsters.' "Our men were flying in confusion to hide themselves, none dared stand up, lest they should become the prey of these horrible enemies; but at this some flew to the guns, some shouted aloud, and others turned to the pumps to get rid of the water, which overflowed our deck. We set every sail, and fled as though we were escaping from a whole fleet of enemies; our present extreme danger was the greatest, in that it was one we had never yet seen or even heard of. The next day we found ourselves about dusk on the shore of an island unknown to any of us, and with the intention of watering here, we resolved to stay till the following morning close to the land; we, therefore, took down the sails and anchored, having done which, we resigned our weary bodies to sleep, which we greatly needed: sweet and grateful were our slumbers.