40 I N A G U A 



and dropped it over the rail. Even as we did so another roller 

 caught us amidships, lifted us slightly and brought us down on 

 the skiff. It was mashed as flat as a flounder. The other boat 

 fared a little better but was swamped a moment later. 



It was no use. We were hard and fast. Every swell that came 

 in carried us a foot or so further. A second later the rudder 

 snapped off and was washed into the lagoon beyond the reef 

 where it sank to the bottom. There was but one recourse— to 

 save as much food and equipment as possible. A wind was com- 

 ing up, the trade for which we had waited in vain. If we were 

 to get anything ashore we must do it quickly. Food and water 

 first. Particularly water. We knew that some of these islands 

 were barren— dry waterless places where one could soon die 

 of thirst. Quickly as we could on the careening deck we cut 

 the lashings of the watercasks and with mighty heaves threw 

 them into the surf. Disregarding everything else for the mo- 

 ment we jumped overboard, severely cutting ourselves on the 

 jagged coral, and between crashing rollers edged the casks over 

 the reef and into the calm waters of the lagoon. Satisfied that 

 they would not float out to sea or be broken by surf we battled 

 our way back to the ship again. Our feet and legs by now were 

 bleeding freely from coral cuts and we were scratches and 

 bruises from head to foot. Once again on the ship, we fought 

 our way through the foam to the cabin. It was full of water. 

 Somewhere underneath, the planking had torn loose and the 

 bitter salt was surging in in a torrent. 



The floor boards had come up and were rushing back and 

 forth. They had the force of battering rams. The cabin was a 

 fright. We leaped for our prize possessions. Frantically I clawed 

 a cabinet apart to save my camera. It had accompanied me in 

 all my jaunts in Haiti, in South America and at home. I would 

 rather have lost a finger than that camera. Coleman dived for 

 his microscope and other valuables. Holding them high above 



