[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 19th We have still head wind but vary strong. It is much warmer this morning. I was quite unwell this morning. The wind increased to A strong gale. At 9 oclok they were oblieged to put the ship nearly under bare poles. Left nothing up but closs reef main top sail And one gib. The Sun Shone most of the day & it does not look possible for the wind to blow so hard According to the looks of the weather but it continued to blow a strong gale through the day. Yet we were in hops the wind would lay at sun set. But we were disappointed And the edge of the evening Showed us we must be prepared for a most dismal night. The gale was from the North west & Clouds now began to rise from that quarter black as ink & rose in the Heavens with Awful majesty And terrible fury. The gale immediately increased to a Hurrican which lasted through the night which was the longest & most dismal night I ever spent at sea.
We are truly experiencing A passage of the roughest class. I knew we were in a ship of the Strongest Class And my hope is wholly in that God who has Carried me through all dangers thus far in life.
The wind & waves increased & continued to spend there fury upon us amid the darkness of the night. We were shiping some heavy seas when about 11 oclok A heavy sea rolled over us the main body of which buried the aft quarter deck. As it passed Along it stove to peases the compass house. Washed it against two men at the wheel. It smashed the wheel that governs the helm. Came near washing the men overboard. It dashed the window of the first Cabin & water poured into the cabin. Some Hogheads of water run from the captains Cabin into ours. When the sea passed over evry timber in the ship trembled like An aspen leaf.
The mate informed us that the wheel was broken that governed the helm. They had to lash down the helm & let her ride untill the wheel could be mended. We got up And Assisted about mending the Compass house.
No one can form an Idea of such seenes surrounded by the raging billows of the deep unless they experience them. The Atlantic is the roughest ocean in the world to navigate And we were in the worst season of the year. But we spent the remainder of the night without further Accident except washing of the door of the cook Galley & washing out a man who had fallen asleep in it but he was suddenly aroused from his slumber by taking A ride on A sea several times for & aft across the deck. At length day light appeared which we were all glad to see.
[source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
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