Eyes to the Wind

And when the ship was caught, and could not bear up into the wind, we let her drive. Acts 27:15

"This expression literally translated would be, " Could not keep her eyes to the wind " and the allusion is to the figure of an eye which is either painted or carved on each side of the bows of many Oriental ships. So the ship resembled a great fish; " imagination gave life and sense to the craft, and it was supposed to peer into the storm, and press forward to its goal."

In ancient times mariners were almost entirely dependent on their eyes—their look-out—their observation of the coast-line, and the heavens, as they had no compass, and very imperfect nautical instruments."