158 Chapter V. 



carrying down all we wanted. But bad as it was, 

 trudging through the soft clay with heavy quarters of 

 bear on our backs, there was worse awaiting us on the 

 beach. The tide had risen, and at the same time the 

 waves had got larger and swamped the boat, and were 

 now breaking over it. Guns and ammunition were 

 soaking in the water ; bits of bread, our only provision, 

 floated round, and the butter dish lay at the bottom, 

 with no butter in it. It required no small exertion to 

 get the boat drawn up out of this heavy surf and 

 emptied of water. Luckily, it had received no injury, 

 as the beach was of a soft sand ; but the sancl had 

 penetrated with the water everywhere, even into the 

 most delicate parts of the locks of our rifles. But worst 

 of all was the loss of our provisions, for now we were 

 ravenously hungry. We had to make the best of a bad 

 business, and eat pieces of bread soaked in sea water, 

 and flavoured with several varieties of dirt. On this 

 occasion, too, I lost my sketch-book, with some sketches 

 that were of value to me. 



It was no easy task to get our heavy game into the 

 boat with these big waves breaking on the flat beach. 

 We had to keep the boat outside the surf, and haul both 

 skins and flesh on board with a line ; a good deal of 

 water came with them, but there was no help for it. And 

 then we had to row north along the shore against the wind 

 and sea as hard as we could. It was very tough work. The 

 wind had increased, and it was all we could do to make 



