DANGEROUS POSITION. 109 



though, if the truth was known, they were not the 

 only ones who felt the pangs of terror. 



Mr. Young now ordered Reid, who steered the boat 

 throughout this gale, to let her run before it. We 

 were rapidly making a lee shore, and the tremen- 

 dous rollers and surf that lined the beach warned us to 

 keep away. In vain we sought a place of refuge — 

 none was to be found. About eight miles to the north 

 an abrupt point rose from the lake, and having ex- 

 amined the coast between us and it carefully with 

 the glasses, and seeing no other spot where there was 

 any likelihood of being able to find shelter, we direct- 

 ed our course thither. 



On bringing the boat up, the seas came rolling 

 almost abeam of us. The whole lake was now a mass 

 of white foam, and no one could help feeling that any 

 one of the hoarv-headed seas breakino^ over us would 

 have sent us to the bottom ; but though they broke 

 all round, none had as yet entered the boat. For 

 three hours Mr. Young stood by the mast, looking 

 alternately at the lake and heavens. Our awning 

 being half up, Reid was unable to see when it was 

 necessary to " bring her up " to ride over a large wave. 

 I therefore sat at the mouth of the awning and told 

 him when these monsters, which came in twos and 

 threes every five minutes^ were approaching. Several 

 seas broke over the quarter of the boat, but were 

 kept out, being thrown off by the stout awning. At 

 last a heavy wave struck her abeam, and knocked 

 me over, drenching Reid right aft, and half filling 

 us with water. There was but one bucket in the 



