What we did know was that both masts were gone, that we must bail the boat without ceasing if we would keep it from swamping, that the wind was doing an apparently impossible thing and rising higher and higher, and that the waves which buffeted us from one to the other were hourly swelling to a more monstrous bulk.
We had come into the wider waters at dawn, and still under canvas.

An hour later, off Point Comfort, a bare mast contented us; we had hardly gotten the sail in when mast and all went overboard.

That had been hours ago.
A common peril is a mighty leveler of barriers.

Scant time was there in that boat to make distinction between friend and foe.

As one man we fought the element which would devour us.