Anyone may judge what a condition I was in at all this, who was but a young sailor. But if I can express the thoughts I had about me, I was in tenfold more horror of mind upon account of my former convictions, and having returned from them, than I was at death itself. These, added to the terror of the storm, put me in such a condition I can by no words describe it.
But the worst was not come yet. The storm continued with such fury the seamen themselves acknowledged they had never known a worse. We had a good ship, but she was deep laden and wallowed in the sea. The seamen every now and then cried out she would fall to the shoggoths. It was my advantage, in one respect, that I did not know what they meant by shoggoths. However, the storm was so violent, I saw what is not often seen; the master, the boatswain, and some others more sensible than the rest, at their prayers, though the words and language of their prayers were unknown to me. When the boatswain saw me intruding upon their time with their Lord and master, I was given a heated glare and sent away.
In the middle of the night one of the men cried out we had sprung a leak. All hands were called to the pump. At that very word my heart died within me and I fell backwards upon the side of my bed where I sat. However, the men roused me and told me I who was able to do nothing was as well able to pump as another. I stirred up and went to the pump and worked very heartily.
While this was doing, the master, seeing some light colliers who would not come near us, ordered us to fire a gun as a signal of distress. I was so surprised I thought the ship had broke or some dreadful thing had happened. We worked on but it was apparent the ship would founder. Tho’ the storm began to abate a little, it was not possible she could swim till we might run into a port, so the master continued firing guns for help. A light ship who had rid it out just ahead of us ventured a boat out to help. It was with the utmost hazard the boat came near us, till at last the men rowed very heartily, and ventured their lives to save ours. Our men cast them a rope over the stern which they took hold of. We hauled them close under our stern and got all into their boat.
We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of our ship but we saw her sink. Then I understood for the first time what was meant by shoggoths. I must acknowledge I had hardly eyes to look up when the seamen told me she was overrun. The shapes, like pale worms or catter-pillers, tore at the hull and twisted upon the deck. From that moment, my heart was dead within me, partly with fright, partly with horror of mind, and the thoughts of what was yet before me. They rode the ship beneath the waves, and the boatswain said another prayer to the Lord, whom he also muttered as "--Gon."
While we were in this condition, the men yet labouring at the oar to bring the boat near the shore, we could see a great many people running along the strand to assist us. We made slow way towards the shore, nor were we able to reach it till, being past the light-house at Winterton, the shore falls off to the westward so the land broke off a little of the violence of the wind. Here we got all safe on shore and walked afterwards on foot to Yarmouth, where, as unfortunate men, we were met with great humanity by the magistrates of the town, who assign’d us good quarters and had money given us sufficient to carry us either to London or back to Hull, as we thought fit.
But my ill fate pushed me on now with an obstinacy nothing could resist. Tho’ I had several times loud calls from my reason to go back to Hull, I had no power to do it, even with the moon a week upon me. Certainly, nothing but some such decreed, unavoidable misery which was impossible for me to escape could have pushed me forward against the calm reasonings and persuasions of my most retired thoughts, and against two such visible instructions as I had met with in my first attempt.
My comrade, Jakob, who had helped to harden me before, and who was the master's son, was now less forward. The first time he spoke to me after we were at Yarmouth, which was not till two or three days, for we were separated in the town to several quarters, it appeared his tone was altered. Shaking his head, he asked me how I did, telling his father who I was and how I had come this voyage only for a trial, in order to go farther abroad.
Master Martenese turn’d to me with a very grave and concerned tone. “Young man,” said he, “you ought never to go to sea any more. You ought to take this for a plain and visible token you are not to be a seafaring man.”
“Why, Sir,” said I, “will you go to sea no more?”
“That is another case,” said he. “It is my calling, and therefore my duty. But as you made this voyage for a trial, you see what a taste Heaven has given you of what you are to expect if you persist. Perhaps this has all befallen us on your account, like Jonah in the ship of Tarshish. Pray,” continued he, “what are you, and on what account did you go to sea?”