About two hours after noon
Soon our little rag of canvas was torn away , but still we rushed on before the following seas at a very great speed . Now I thought of trying to make the land , but found that we could not do so with the oars , because of the current that set out towards the ocean against which it was impossible to urge our clumsy craft . Therefore we must content ourselves with trying to keep her head straight with the steering oar , but even then we were often whirled round and round . About two hours after noon the sky clouded over , and there burst upon us a great thunder-storm with torrents of rain ; also the wind grew stronger and stronger . Now we could no longer steer or do anything except lie flat upon the bottom of the _ balsa _ , gripping the cords with which it was tied together , to save ourselves from being washed overboard , since often the foaming crests of the waves broke upon us . Indeed , it was marvellous that this frail craft should hang together at all , but owing to the lightness of the reeds and the blown-up skins that were tied in them , still she floated and , whirling round and round , sped upon her southward path . Yet I knew that this could not endure for very long , and committed my soul to God as well as I was able in my half-drowned state , wishing that my miseries were ended .