THE ARIEL AMONG THE SHOALS （Ⅰ）
THE following deion of a ship among the shoals，is one of Cooper’s best pictures of nautical scenes.
1.THE extraordinary activity of Griffith，which communicated itself with promptitude to the whole crew，was produced by a sudden alteration in the weather.In place of the well-defined streak along the horizon，that has been already described，an immense body of misty light appeared to be moving in with rapidity from the ocean，while a distinct but distant roaring announced the sure approach of the tempest that had so long troubled the waters.Even Griffith，while thundering his orders through the trumpet，and urging the men by his cries to expedition，would pause for an instant to cast anxious glances in the direction of the coming storm，and the faces of the sailors who lay on the yards，were turned instinctively toward the same quarter of the heavens，while they knotted the reef-points，that were to confine the unruly canvas to the prescribed limits.
2.The pilot alone，in that confused and busy throng，where voice rose above voice，and cry echoed cry，in quick succession，appeared as if he held no interest in the important stake.With his eyes steadily fixed on the approaching mist，and his arms folded together in composure，he stood calmly awaiting the result.The ship had fallen off with her broadside to the sea，and had become unmanageable.“The schooner has it！”cried Griffith，“We are falling off before the wind；shall we try a cast of lead？”
3.The pilot turned from his contemplative posture，and moved slowly across the deck before he returned any reply to this question，like a man who not only felt that everything depended upon himself，but that he was equal to the emergency.“‘Tis unnecessary，”he at length said；“’twould be certain destruction to be taken aback，and it is difficult to say，within several points，how the wind may strike us.”“‘Tis difficult no longer，”cried Griffith；“and here it comes and in right earnest.”
4.The rushing sounds of the wind were now indeed heard at hand，and the words had hardly passed the lips of the young lieutenant，before the vessel bowed down heavily to one side，and then，as she began to move through the water，rose again majestically to her upright position，as if saluting，like a courteous champion，the powerful antagonist with which she was about to contend.Not another moment elapsed before the ship was throwing the waters aside with a lively progress.The hurry and bustle gradually subsided，and the men slowly descended to the deck，all straining their eyes to pierce the gloom in which they were enveloped，and some shaking their heads in melancholy doubt，afraid to express the apprehensions they really entertained.
5.All on board anxiously awaited for the fury of the gale；for there were none so ignorant in that gallant frigate as not to know that they as yet only felt the infant efforts of the wind.Each moment，however，it increased in power，though so gradually that the relieved mariners began to believe that all their gloomy forebodings were not to be realized.During this short interval of uncertainty，no other sounds were heard than the whistling of the breeze，as it passed quickly through the mass of rigging，and the dashing of the spray that began to fly from her bows like the foam of a cataract.
6.“It blows fresh，”cried Griffith，who was the first to speak in that moment of anxiety；“but it is no more than a cap-full or wind，after all.Give us elbow room，and the right canvas，Mr.Pilot，and I’ll handlethe ship like a gentleman‘s yacht，in this breeze.”“Will she stay，think ye，under this sail？”said the low voice of the stranger.“She will do all that man can ask of wood and iron，”returned the lieutenant，“but the vessel don’t float that will tack under double-reefed topsails alone against a heavy sea.Help her with the canvas，pilot，and you‘ll see her come round like a dancing-master.”“Let us feel the strength of the gale first，”returned the man who was called Mr.Gray，moving from Griffith to the weather side of the vessel，where he stood in silence，looking ahead of the ship with an air of singular coolness and abstraction.
