THE DANGERS OF THE SEA 397 



rolled behind us, and the kooners and piccaninnies 

 became speechless with fright. It was a new method 

 of traveling to them and they were experiencing new 

 sensations. 



Presently the wind attained such velocity that I 

 decided upon a prompt landing. This proved any- 

 thing but an easy accomplishment, for the shores here 

 were rugged, lined with grim, forbidding rocks 

 against which the sea broke with such force that it 

 seemed hopeless for a time to discover an opening be- 

 tween them where the boat could be beached with 

 safety. 



At length I headed for Lifeboat Cove in almost 

 the same place where we made the landing on the up 

 trip. Here I espied a narrow sand-bank hedged in 

 upon either side by jagged rocks. It was the most 

 available place to beach her, and though a ticklish 

 place to steer into under the conditions of wind and 

 tide, decided we must do it and take our chance, for 

 our little craft could not live much longer in the ris- 

 ing gale and sea. All sail was taken in a consider- 

 able distance from land, and I instructed the people 

 to be ready to leap ashore the moment we struck, or 

 the next roller would be likely to carry them away. 



For a moment it looked as though we should miss 

 the sand and strike the rocks, but fortunately, though 

 by an exceedingly narrow margin, it was made. We 

 hit hard, and before all could get out wave after wave 

 tumbled over our stern. Everybody and everything 

 was drenched, but fortunately no one was injured, 

 and the boat was hauled ashore without damage. 



