Night came on; the fog still enveloped us, and the situation became
darker. We had our supper, and I turned in, with the understanding that
at midnight I was to take the watch, and let Walkirk sleep. It was of no
use to make ourselves any more uncomfortable than need be.
It was between two and three o'clock when I was called to go on watch;
and after I had been sitting in the stern smoking and thinking for an
hour or more, I noticed that the light on the mast had gone out. It was,
however, growing lighter, and, fancying that the fog was thinner, I
trusted to the coming of the day and a breeze, and made no attempt to
take down and refill the lantern.
Not long after this my attention was attracted by something which
appeared like the nucleus of a dark cloud forming in the air, a short
distance above the water, and not far away on our port quarter. Rapidly
the cloud grew bigger and blacker. It moved toward us, and in a few
moments, before I had time to collect my thoughts and arouse Walkirk, it
was almost upon us, and then I saw that it was the stern of a vessel,
looming high above my head.
I gave a wild shout; Walkirk dashed out of his bunk; there was a call
from above; then I felt a shock, and our boat keeled over on her
starboard side.
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