312 I N A G U A 



ward a smooth plain of dazzling white sand leveled off into a 

 blue immensity, dipping slightly at the point where it went 

 out of vision. To the right the southwesternmost crags of the 

 island lay piled in gigantic fashion, torn loose in great blocks 

 by some heavy force. On the left a similar but smaller bluff 

 jutted out into the azure world. Like the first it was scarred 

 and pitted, festooned with a tremendous mass of living objects. 

 Long fronds of exceedingly lacy algae alternately drooped list- 

 lessly, then flung skyward as the advancing pulse of a wave 

 hit and rushed upward, deflected by the stone. Looking at 

 the combers from below I was interested to observe that it 

 was the wave form that moved, not the water itself; the great 

 bulk of blue liquid seemed to throb forward slightly but always 

 came back to its original station. I ascertained this by watching 

 some floating bumpers that hung close to the watery ceiling. 

 Only in the last few yards did the inverted wave-mounds fling 

 themselves in their entirety at the cliff. In the open the wave 

 shapes advanced ceaselessly; their power seemed to be trans- 

 mitted from particle to particle, but the particles remained in 

 their relative positions. Were this not so the destruction that 

 would be wreaked on the land would be so tremendous that 

 the islands and the continents would be quickly eaten away. 



In order to take in the entire vista of the base of an island 

 resting on its bed of sand I moved forward towards the open 

 plain and stepped from the shelter of the twin bluffs. Instantly, 

 and unexpectedly, I was met by a blast of water that threw 

 me off my feet, rolling and twisting on my side over the smooth 

 sand bottom. A4y helmet filled with bitter salt water. I gasped 

 for breath and fought to stand erect. With a jerk I came to the 

 end of the light rope that I was trailing between my fingers, 

 then was startled to find myself yanked off my feet, and 

 streamed out on the end of the line like a rag in the breeze. 

 Fortunately my flight into open water brought me erect again 



