Começo da Vida

We drink. We laugh. And one night I forgot all my promises to God. I forgot my fear. I forgot my father's wisdom. The ocean was calm. My conscience too. I pushed away all serious thoughts. When they tried to return I drank more punch.

The wind was still bad. It was blowing from the southwest. We couldn't sail upriver. After four days the wind became stronger. Much stronger. But our sailors weren't worried. They said that Yarmouth Roads was safe.

Our anchor was strong. Our ship was good. That's why the men were drinking and laughing. They were telling stories. They were playing cards. I tried to act like them. I wanted to be a real sailor. Everything seemed fine.

But on the eighth morning everything changed. The wind became wild. The captain ordered all the men to work. "Lower the masts!" he shouted. "Tie everything down! Prepare for a storm!" The sailors jumped to obey. They knew that this was serious.