“Talking of seas, Captain Gar’ner,” observed Hazard, “don’t you think, sir, we begin to feel the swell of the Pacific.  Smooth as the surface of the water is, here is a ground-swell rolling in that must be twelve or fifteen feet in height.”

“There’s no doubt of that.  We have felt the swell of the Pacific these two hours; no man can mistake that.  The Atlantic has no such waves.  This is an ocean in reality, and this is its stormiest part.  The wind freshens and hauls, and I’m afraid we are about to be caught close in here, with a regular sow-west gale.”

“Let it come, sir, let it come,” put in Stimson, again; “if it does, we’ve only to run in and anchor.  I can stand pilot, and I promise to carry the schooner where twenty sow-westers will do her no harm.  What I’ve seen done once, I know can be done again.  The time will come when the Horn will be a reg’lar harbour.”

Roswell left the forecastle, and walked aft, pondering on what had just been said.  His situation was delicate, and demanded decision, as well as prudence.  The manner in which Daggett had stuck by him, ever since the two vessels took their departure from Block Island, is known to the reader.  The Sea Lions had sailed from Rio in company, and they had actually made Staten Land together, the day preceding that on which we now bring the Oyster Pond craft once more upon the scene, and had closed so near as to admit of a conversation between the two masters.  It would seem that Daggett was exceedingly averse to passing through the Straits of le Maire.  An uncle of his had been wrecked there, and had reported the passage as the most dangerous one he had ever encountered.  It has its difficulties, no doubt, in certain states of the wind and tide, but Roswell had received good accounts of the place from Stimson, who had been through several times.  The wind was rather scant to go through, and the weather threatened to be thick.  As Daggett urged his reasons for keeping off and passing outside of Staten Land, a circuit of considerable extent, besides bringing a vessel far to leeward with the prevalent winds of that region, which usually blow from northwest round to southwest, Roswell was reflecting on the opportunity the circumstances afforded of giving his consort the slip.  After discussing the matter for some time, he desired Daggett to lead on, and he would follow.  This was done, though neither schooner was kept off until Roswell got a good view of Cape St. Diego, on Tierra del Fuego, thereby enabling him to judge of the positions of the principal land-marks.  Without committing himself by any promise, therefore, he told Daggett to lead on, and for some time he followed, the course being one that did not take him much out of the way.  The weather was misty, and at times the wind blew in squalls.  The last increased as the schooners drew nearer to Staten Land.  Daggett, being about half a mile ahead, felt the full power of one particular squall that came out of the ravines