CH. IX.] The Beginning of a Storm. 149 



stranded high up on the beach. I got a civil 

 word of greeting as I came up, and then we 

 all watched in silence, for by this time the 

 *' half gale " had become a storm, and it was 

 only by shouting we could have made each 

 other hear. It was a wild weird scene, awe- 

 inspiring, but intensely attractive — at least 1 

 found it so ; but then such scenes did not 

 often come before me, and I daresay my 

 companions, who were well used to being 

 out on such a night, only felt thankful they 

 were safe on shore, and thought with anxiety 

 of those of their friends and neighbours who 

 were out battlincj with the storm. The 

 moon when I reached the beach was nearly 

 at the full and high up in the heavens, but it 

 shed a fitful light, as each few seconds dark 

 clouds and veils of mist flew across its face. 

 One moment the sea lay before us a dark 

 black mass, only marked along the beach 

 by a broad strip of breaking, foam-crested 



