CH. X.] Watching the Boat. 175 



green waves at the harbour mouth. For a 

 moment it seemed to stagger and quail, and 

 then, impelled by those hands and muscles 

 of iron, it was driven forward through the 

 blinding spray into the angry sea beyond. 

 Shall I ever forget how we watched that 

 boat, now mounted high on the top of a 

 wave, now for moments lost to sight, the 

 men all straining at their oars to the utmost, 

 and always creeping forward yard by yard ? 

 All this time, we on the Point could see, with 

 increasing fears, that the hope of the yacht 

 holding together till reached by the rescuers 

 was but a faint one. Each monster wave 

 that rolled in lifted it from the rocks and left 

 it to fall back with an irresistible force midst 

 spray and foam, that constantly wholly hid 

 it from our sight ; and even before the boat 

 started, portions of the wreck were being 

 tossed about on the sea, making its passage 

 even more precarious. At one time a group 



