The Storm

by Daniel Defoe

  By Four-a-clock we miss’d the Mary and the Northumberland, who rid not far from us, and found they were driven from their Anchors; but what became of them, God knows: and soon after a large Man of War came driving down upon us, all her Masts gone, and in a dreadful Condition. We were in the utmost Despair at this sight, for we saw no avoiding her coming thwart our Haiser:9 she drove at last so near us, that I was just gowing to order the Mate to cut away, when it pleas’d God the Ship sheer’d contrary to our Expectation to Windward, and the Man of War, which we found to be the Sterling Castle, drove clear off us, not two Ships Lengths to Leeward.

  It was a Sight full of terrible Particulars, to see a Ship of Eighty Guns and about Six Hundred Men in that dismal Case; she had cut away all her Masts, the Men were all in the Confusions of Death and Despair; she had neither Anchor, nor Cable, nor Boat to help her; the Sea breaking over her in a terrible Manner, that sometimes she seem’d all under Water; and they knew, as well as we that saw her, that they drove by the Tempest directly for the Goodwin, where they could expect nothing but Destruction: The Cries of the Men, and the firing their Guns, One by One, every Half Minute for Help, terrified us in such a Manner, that I think we were half dead with the Horror of it.

  All this while we rid with two Anchors a-head, and in great Distress: To fire Guns for Help, I saw was to no Purpose, for if any Help was to be had, there were so many other Objects for it, that we could not expect it, and the Storm still encreasing.

  Two Ships, a-head of us, had rid it out till now, which was towards Five in the Morning, when they both drove from their Anchors, and one of them coming foul of a small Pink, they both sunk together; the other drove by us, and having one Mast standing, I think it was her Main-Mast, she attempted to spread a little Peak of her Sail, and so stood away before it; I suppose she went away to Sea.

  At this time, the Raging of the Sea was so violent, and the Tempest doubled its Fury in such a Manner, that my Mate told me, we had better go away to Sea, for ’twould be impossible to ride it out; I was not of his Opinion, but was for cutting my Masts by the Board,10 which at last we did, and parted with them with as little Damage as could be expected, and we thought she rid easier for it by a great deal; and I believe, had it blown two Hours longer, we should have rid it out, having two new Cables out, and our best Bower and Sheet Anchor down: But about Half an Hour after Five to Six, it blew, if it be possible to conceive it so, as hard again as it had done before, and first our best Bower Anchor came Home, the Mate, who felt it give way, cried out, we are all undone, for the Ship drove; I found it too true, and, upon as short a Consultation as the Time would admit, we concluded to put out to Sea before we were driven too far to Leeward, when it would be impossible to avoid the Goodwin.

  So we slipt our Sheet Cable, and sheering the Ship towards the Shore, got her Head about, and stood away afore it; Sail we had none, nor Mast standing: Our Mate had set up a Jury Missen11 but no Canvass could bear the Fury of the Wind, yet he fasten’d an old Tarpaulin so as that it did the Office of a Missen and kept us from driving too fast to Leeward.

  In this Condition we drove out of the Downs, and past so near the Goodwin, that we could see several great Ships fast a ground, and beating to Pieces. We drove in this desperate Condition till Day-break, without any Abatement of the Storm, and our Men heartless and dispirited, tir’d with the Service of the Night, and every Minute expecting Death.

  About 8 a Clock, my Mate told me, he perceiv’d the Wind to abate; but it blew still such a Storm, that if we had not had a very tite Ship, she must have founder’d, as we were now farther off at Sea, and by my Guess might be in the mid Way between Harwich and the Brill,11 the Sea we found run longer, and did not break so quick upon us as before, but it ran exceeding high, and we having no Sail to keep us to rights, we lay wallowing in the Trough of the Sea in a miserable Condition: We saw several Ships in the same Condition with our selves, but could neither help them, nor they us; and one we saw founder before our Eyes, and all the People perish’d.

  Another dismal Object we met with, which was an open Boat full of Men, who, as we may suppose, had lost their Ship; any Man may suppose, what Condition a Boat must be in, if we were in so bad a Case in a good Ship: we were soon tost out of their Sight, and what became of them any one may guess; if they had been within Cables Length of us we could not have help’d them.

  About Two a Clock in the Afternoon, the Wind encreased again, and we made no doubt it would prove as bad a Night as before; but that Gust held not above Half an Hour.

  All Night it blew excessive hard, and the next Day, which was Sabbath Day, about Eleven a Clock it abated, but still blew hard: about three it blew something moderately, compar’d with the former; and we got up a Jury Main-Mast, and rigg’d it as well as we could, and with a Main Sail lower’d almost to the Deck, stood at a great Rate afore it all Night and the next Day, and on Tuesday Morning we saw Land, but could not tell where it was; but being not in a Condition to keep the Sea, we run in, and made Signals of Distress; some Pilots came off to us, by whom we were inform’d we had reached the Coast of Norway, and having neither Anchor nor Cable on board capable to ride the Ship, a Norweigian Pilot came on board, and brought us into a Creek where we had smooth Water, and lay by till we got Help, Cables, and Anchors, by which means we are safe in Place.

  Your Humble Servant,

  J. Adams.

  From on board the John and Mary, riding in Yarmouth Roads during the great Storm, but now in the River of Thames.

  SIR

  Hearing of your good Design of preserving the Memory of the late Dreadful Storm for the Benefit of Posterity, I cannot let you want the Particulars as happen’d to us on board our Ship.

  We came over the Bar of Tinmouth about thendashhaving had terrible blowing Weather for almost a Week, insomuch that we were twice driven back almost the Length of Newcastle, with much Difficulty and Danger we got well over that, and made the High-land about Cromer on the North-side of Norfolk; here it blew so hard the Wednesday Night before, that we could not keep the Sea, nor fetch the Roads of Yarmouth; but as the Coast of Norfolk was a Weather-shore,13 we hall’d as close Cromer as we durst lie, the Shore there being very flat; here we rode Wednesday and Thursday, the 24th and 25th of November.

  We could not reckon our selves safe here, for as this is the most dangerous Place between London and Newcastle, and has been particularly fatal to our Colliers, so we were very uneasy; I considered that when such Tempestuous Weather happen’d, as this seem’d to threaten, nothing is more frequent than for the Wind to shift Points; and if it should have blown half the Wind from the South East, as now blew from the South West, we must have gone a-shore there, and been all lost for being embayed; there we should have had no putting out to Sea, nor staying there.

  This Consideration made me resolve to be gon, and thinking on Friday Morning the Wind slacken’d a little, I weigh’d and stood away for Yarmouth Roads; and with great Boating and Labour got into the Roads about One in the Afternoon, being a little after Flood, we found a very great Fleet in the Roads; there was above Three Hundred Sail of Colliers, not reckoning above Thirty Sail which I left behind me, that rode it out thereabouts, and there was a great Fleet just come from Russia, under the Convoy of the Reserve Frigate, and Two other Men of War; and about a Hundred Sail of Coasters, Hull-Men, and such small Craft.

  We had not got to an Anchor, moor’d, and set all to Rights, but I found the Wind freshen’d, the Clouds gather’d, and all look’d very black to Windward; and my Mate told me, he wish’d he had staid where we were, for he would warrant it we had a blowing Night of it.

  We did what we could to prepare for it, struck our Top-mast, and slung our Yards, made all tite and fast upon Deck; the Night prov’d very dark, and the Wind blew a Storm about Eight a Clock, and held till Ten, when we thought it abated a little, but at Eleven it freshen’d again, and blew very hard; we rid it out very well till Twelve, when we veer’d out more Cable, and in about Half an Hour after, th
e Wind encreasing, let go our Sheet Anchor; by One a Clock it blew a dreadful Storm, and though our Anchors held very well, the Sea came over us in such a vast Quantity, that we was every Hour in Danger of Foundring: About Two a Clock the Sea fill’d our Boat as she lay upon the Deck, and we was glad to let her go over board for Fear of staving in our Decks: Our Mate would then have cut our Mast by the Board, but I was not willing, and told him, I thought we had better slip our Cables, and go out to Sea, he argued she was a deep Ship, and would not live in the Sea, and was very eager for cutting away the Mast; but I was loth to part with my Mast, and could not tell where to run for Shelter if I lost them.

  About Three a Clock abundance of Ships drove away, and came by us; some with all their Masts gone, and foul of one another; in a sad Condition my Men said they saw Two founder’d together, but I was in the Cabin, and cannot say I saw it. I saw a Russia Ship come foul of a Collier, and both drove away together out of our Sight, but I am told since the Russia Man sunk by her Side.

  In this Condition we rid till about Three a Clock, the Russia Ships which lay a-head of me, and the Men of War, who lay a-head of them, fir’d their Guns for Help, but ’twas in vain to expect it; the Sea went too high for any Boat to live. About Five, the Wind blew at that prodigious Rate, that there was no Possibility of riding it out, and all the Ships in the Road seem’d to us to drive: Yet still our Anchors held it, and I began to think we should ride it out there, or founder; when a Ship’s long Boat came driving against us, and gave such a Shock on the Bow that I thought it must have been a Ship come foul of us, and expected to sink all at once; our Men said there was some people in the Boat, but as the Sea went so high no Man dust stand upon the Fore-castle, so no Body could be sure of it; the Boat stav’d to pieces with the Blow, and went away, some on One Side of us and some on the other; but whether our Cable receiv’d any Damage by it or not we cannot tell, but our Sheet Cable gave Way immediately, and as the other was not able to hold us alone, we immediately drove; we had then no more to do, but to put afore the Wind, which we did: it pleased God by this Time the Tide of Ebb was begun, which something abated the Height of the Sea, but still it went exceeding high; we saw a great many Ships in the same Condition with our selves, and expecting every Moment to sink in the Sea. In this Extremity we drove till Daylight when we found the Wind abated, and we stood in for the Shore, and coming under the Lee of the Cliff near Scarbro, we got so much Shelter, as that our small Bower Anchors would ride us.

  I can give you no Account but this; but sure such a Tempest never was in the World. They say here, that of Eighty Sail in Grimsby Road, they can hear of but Sixteen; yet the rest are all blown away, Here is about Twelve or Fourteen Sail of Ships come in to this Place, and more are standing in for the Shore.

  Yours, &c.

  Abundance of other strange Deliverances have been related, but with so small Authority as we dare not convey them into the World under the same Character with the rest; and have therefore chose to omit them.

  The Conclusion

  The Editor of this Book has labour’d under some Difficulties in this Account: and one of the chief has been, how to avoid too many Particulars, the Crowds of Relations which he has been oblig’d to lay by to bring the Story into a Compass tolerable to the Reader.

  And tho’ some of the Letters inserted are written in a homely Stile, and exprest after the Country Fashion from whence they came, the Author chose to make them speak their own Language, rather than by dressing them in other Words make the Authors forget they were their own.

  We receiv’d a Letter, very particular, relating to the Bishop of Bath and Wells, and reflecting upon his Lordship for some Words he spoke, That he had rather have his Brains knock’d out, than &c. relating to his Inferiour Clergy. The Gentleman takes the Disaster for a Judgment of God on him: But as in his Letter the Person owns himself the Bishop’s Enemy, fills his Letter with some Reflexions indecent, at least for us: and at last, tho’ he dates from Somerton, yet baulks setting his Name to his Letter: for these Reasons we could not satisfie to record the Matter, and leave a Charge on the Name of that unfortunate Gentleman, which, he being dead, could not answer, and we alive could not prove. And on these Accounts hope the Reverend Gentleman who sent the Letter will excuse Us.14

  Also we have omitted, tho’ our List of Particulars promis’d such a thing, An Account of some unthinking Wretches, who pass’d over this dreadful Judgment with Banter, Scoffing, and Contempt. ’Tis a Subject ungrateful to recite, and full of Horror to read; and we had much rather cover such Actions with a general Blank in Charity to the Offenders, and in hopes of their Amendment.

  One unhappy Accident I cannot omit, and which is brought us from good Hands, and happen’d in a Ship homeward bound from the West-Indies. The Ship was in the utmost Danger of Foundring; and when the Master saw all, as he thought, lost, his Masts gone, the Ship leaky, and expecting her every moment to sink under him, fill’d with Despair, he calls to him the Surgeon of the Ship, and by a fatal Contract, as soon made as hastily executed, they resolv’d to prevent the Death they fear’d by one more certain; and going into the Cabbin, they both shot themselves with their Pistols. It pleas’d God the Ship recover’d the Distress, was driven safe into—and the Captain just liv’d to see the desperate Course he took might have been spar’d; the Surgeon died immediately.

  There are several very remarkable Cases come to our Hands since the finishing this Book, and several have been promis’d which are not come in; and the Book having been so long promis’d, and so earnestly desir’d by several Gentlemen that have already assisted that way, the Undertakers could not prevail with themselves to delay it any longer.

  FINIS.

  NAHUM. I. III

  The Lord has his way in the Whirle-Wind and in the Storm, and the Clouds are the Dust of his Feet.

  This Text is not chosen more for the Suitableness to the present Callamity, which has been the Portion of this Place, than for the aptness of the Circumstances, ’twas spoken of God going to Chastise, a Powerful, Populous, Wealthy and most reprobate City.

  Nineveh1 was the Seat of a mighty Empire, a Wealthy Encreasing People, Opulent in Trade, Flourishing in Power and Proud in Proportion.

  The Prophet does not seem to deliver these words, to the Ninevites, to convince them, or encline them to consider their own Circumstances and repent, but he seems to speak, it to the Israelites inviteing them to Triumph and Insult over the Heathen adversary, by setting forth the Power of their God, in the most exalted Terms.

  And that this is a just Exposition of this Text, seems plain from the words Imediately going before, the Lord is slow to Anger, and Great in Power and will not at all acquit the wicked.2 These words could have no Connexion with the Text, tho’ they are joyn’d with them in the same Verse, if it were not meant of his being slow to Anger, to his own People, and Terrible to the Heathen World, and this being spoken as an Expression of his being not easily provoked as to his Church, the Subsequent part of the Verse tells them how his power and Vengance is matter of particular Satisfaction to his People as being exercis’d in Revenging the affront put upon his Glory by his Enemies, God is Jealous, and the Lord Revengeth, the Lord Revengeth and is Furious, the Lord will take Vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his Enemies.3 Tis plain this is meant of his Enemies, but as if brought in with a Parenthesis, tis spoken for the comfort of his Church, the Lord is slow to Anger as to them, and to lift up their hearts in a further confidence that their Enemies are all in his hand, he goes on discribing the Terrors of his Judgement.

  The Lord has his way in the Whirl-wind and in the Storm, and the Clouds are the Dust of his Feet. Eloquent Flourishes upon the Omnipotence of God.

  The short Exposition I shall make of the words, Tends only to remind us that the Whirl-wind and Storm which are here made use of, to express the Magnipotent power of God are acted by his Direction, he has his way in them, it may note indeed the Invisible secrecy and swiftness of his providences, but to avoid l
ong Paraphrases, I confine my self to my own Construction, as that which, as it is a just inference from the matter of the Text, so ’tis most suitable to the design of this discourse.

  And as this Sermon may be a little Immethodical, because I purpose to make it almost all Aplication so I shall advance some Conclusions from the Premises which I lay down, as the Geneuine sence of the Words.

  1. The Omnipotence of God gives Christians sufficient ground to Insult their Enemies, wherefore do the Heathen Mock thy People and say unto them where is now your God? Behold our God is in the Heavens, and doeth whatsoever he pleaseth; as the Prophet Elija, Banter’d the Heathen Priest of Baal, with the Impotence of their Gods, Cry aloud for he is a God, either he is talking or he is Pursuing, or he is in a Journey, or Peradventure he Sleepeth and must be awakned, so he insulted them about the power of the true God, let it be known O Lord says he this day that thou art God in Israel.4

  2. As God in all the works of his Providence, makes use of the subserviency of means, so the whole Creation is Subordinate to the Execution of his Divine will, the Clouds are the Dust of his Feet and he rides upon the Wings of the Wind, the most Powerful Elements are so subjected to his almighty power that the Clouds are but as Dust under his feet, tis as easy for him to Govern and mannage them; as it is for a man to shake off the Dust from his feet, or he can as easily subdue the fury of them as a man Tramples the Dust, they are small and Triffling things, in his Eyes.

  3. The ways of God are unsearchable, the Methods of his Providence are secret and powerfull; his way is in the Whirle-wind, and in the Storm, tis invisible and iresistible, invisible as the Wind, and iresistible as the Storm.

  But waving these and abundance more usefull observations which might be justly drawn from so rich a Text, I shall proceed upon one which tho’ it favours something more of private authority, and I have not so Authentick Opinion of the Learned Commentators, on my side, yet I shall endeavour not to Merit much Censure, in the Improvement of it, even from those who perhaps may not joyn with me in the Exposition.