53 . Dezember 1845

one could already hear and see from afar. But no one anticipated into what danger we would soon come and what untold fear would befall all of us. A stronger firing under the boiler had to provide the steam with a greater power to drive the ship with force over the flat sandbar into the bay. But how easily could the boiler have exploded and with the explosion hurt or kill the majority of the people on the ship?-In a few moments we found ourselves in the midst of the breakers. With every wave the ship was thrown on the side and onto the sand with frightening force, so that one was in danger of falling over the very low railing and drowning in the sea, a fate which certainly would have befallen many if the captain had not allowed them to go down into the extremely narrow space of the middledeck beforehand and crowd together there. Those remaining above held themselves, with exertion, fast to the masts or to the rigging of the same. In spite of the fact that the fire was fed ever higher, the degree of steam power continually raised, and for the increase of the same the foremast was also rigged with sails (the local steamships also have masts like the sailing ships). Ours had three of them, except that they were much weaker than those of the sailing ships, thus the ship frequently remained still and received such a forceful blow with every wave that it cracked in every seam and threatened to break up in the next instant; and since the blows as well as the cracking of the ship became ever stronger, so that the seams between the planks became very wide and that the water penetrated everywhere so that everyone was seized by a real mortal fear, everyone gave up hope of living longer; everyone saw the jaws of death in the roaring waves, by which he could be devoured and buried in the next instant. There began among the faint hearted, especially among the women and children, a frightful heart and mind rending screaming and whimpering. Many threw themselves to their knees and cried upwards for help and rescue by the Lord of Heaven, Earth and Sea, others emitted heavy groans and said: Oh God, we are lost! still others stood there still and rigid like statues