TIDE-BORE. 133 



whose habitual carefulness for the interests of all 

 under his command, if I forbear to speak, I am 

 silent because, while I recognise their existence, 

 and perceive how much they exalt the character 

 they adorn, I feel, too, that they have elevated it 

 above, either the need, or the reach of any eulogy 

 within my power to offer ! 



I felt pretty confident that the first rush of the 

 tide upon its reflux would be violent, and had made 

 preparation accordingly. In the first watch these 

 anticipations were realized, and I was roused from 

 a momentary doze by a loud roaring, which I at 

 once recognized to be the voice of thunder, herald- 

 ing the advancing tide. The night was pitch dark, 

 and though I instinctively turned my eyes towards 

 the ofling, I could see nothing, but as each anxious 

 moment passed away, the fearful voice of the waters 

 sounded nearer and nearer, and within less time 

 than I have occupied in the narration, the full force 

 of the rush of tide coming on like a wall, several feet 

 high, and bringing our anchor away with it, was upon 

 us. The cable thus slackened, the yawl sheered, 

 and was thrown violently upon her broadside in the 

 midst of it, and had it not been for the shores lashed 

 to each mast, she must inevitably have capsized. 

 The whale boat fared better ; being lighter she 

 was the sooner afloat, and besides her buoyant bow 

 was the better able to receive and resist the shock. 

 When the tide slacked we returned to the deep 

 water off Escape Point, and spent the remainder of 



