Under the command of Laud's whipping hand, the sailors, clutching at their last sliver of hope, sprang into action: the ropes were tightened, the winches continuously turned, and the sails made of camel hide leather were raised—these hides being exceedingly tough, capable of withstanding fierce winds and torrential rain.
The rest of the crew began to jettison the cargo piled on the deck to lighten the weight of the sailing vessel.
Watching as the cargo was cast off, one piece after another, into the water, Laud's heart bled, but he was powerless to stop it, for his own life was always more important.
The howling wind and rolling waves made the massive sail ship seem like a leaf that could capsize at any moment; the vessel rocked ceaselessly, as if it might plunge to the ocean floor at the next second.
