The course of the schooner, at no
one period particularly rapid, had been considerably
checked since her entrance into the gloomy arch, in the
centre of which her present accident had occurred; so
that it was without immediate injury to her hull and
spars she had been thus suddenly brought to. But this
was not the most alarming part of the affair. Captain de
Haldimar and Sir Everard both recollected, that, in making
the same passage, not forty-eight hours previously, they
had encountered no obstacle of the kind, and a misgiving
of danger rose simultaneously to the hearts of each. It
was, however, a thing of too common occurrence in these
countries, where storm and tempest were so prevalent and
partial, to create more than a mere temporary alarm; for
it was quite as probable the barrier had been interposed
by some fitful outburst of Nature, as that it arose from
design on the part of their enemies: and when the vessel
had continued stationary for some minutes, without the
prepared and expectant crew discovering the slightest
indication of attack, the former impression was preserved
by the officers--at least avowedly to those around.
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