A sudden lull of the tempest was followed by a partial lifting of the obscurity. Then it became evident that the 'Alert' had been blown right away from her innermost anchorage, past the town, and was quite one mile to leeward.
The wind again increased, but not so strongly as before. Mr. Statten presently reported a sensible rise of the barometer.
'Then the typhoon is passing away,' Captain Thorne sang out. 'We won't drag any farther. The sea is beginning to catch us out here.'
'It will soon go down, sir,' Readyman exclaimed, 'She's safe now. The shelter of the land broke the "heft" of the blow.'
By that time it had become intensely dark. The wind, however, was certainly not so strong, but the troublesome sea did not tend toward an improvement of the situation. In spite of all her struggles the barque did not emerge from that ordeal unscathed.
A violent shock was followed by the alarming cry, 'She's ashore!' The next instant screams came aft from the bow, and were followed by similar cries. The heavy bumping of some weighty object along the starboard side was also distinctly felt. Many of the hands immediately hastened that way.
Through the darkness loomed the huge form of a Chinese junk, apparently unmanageable, driving aft before the wind, and doing much injury in the process. As she drifted abreast of the mainmast all the outer iron-work of the stockade was instantly torn away. Three or four Chinamen leaped from their vessel on board the 'Alert,' and in their fall were somewhat severely injured.
Most fortunately the junk had already been dismasted, or she would certainly have brought down some of the barque's spars. Just as she drove clear of the stern a piercing female scream rose from her deck. Then she disappeared. Nothing could be done to save the unfortunate woman, as no boat would have floated for five minutes in the heavy sea. By ten o'clock that night the trouble had almost passed. The vessel was holding her own. The captain ordered the galley fire to be relighted, and a hot supper was served fore and aft. The Chinamen down below also became more amenable, and they enjoyed a meal of boiled rice.
By sun-up next morning the typhoon had completely passed away, and the sea near the land was quite smooth.
To the surprise of all hands, Mr. Statten suddenly reported that he could see the drifting junk of the previous night's adventure still afloat three miles to leeward.