THE HARBOR AKD BAR. 63 



the bar, on account of the disturbed state of the water, caused 

 by the high winds and storms Avhich had prevailed outside. Also 

 that the harbor had not before been thus closed for so long a 

 period within the memory of the oldest inhal:)itants. One can 

 easily understand the danger of crossing at such times Avho has 

 watched the high breakers, Avith foaming crests, leap along the 

 bar from the back of Hog Island. It is often a pleasant and ex- 

 citing pastime to approach this bar in a yacht, and watch the 

 high waves as they approach, getting near enough to them to 

 realize their power, and be baptised in their spray. How grandly 

 they approach, with their high and foaming crests, ''white as 

 carded wool," or an Alpine torrenti The waves seem marshalled 

 for the onset. Like the measured tread of an army, they roll in 

 upon the honey-combed and trembling isle at short and regular 

 intervals. Here and there a daring column of assault leaps over 

 a depression in the rocks, but the main body, baffled in its pur- 

 pose, rolls and foams along the rocky rim of the shore, envelopes 

 the lighthouse in a mantle of spray, traverses the Avhole length 

 of Nassau bar, and sjiends itself at last upon the white shoi-e of 

 Silver Key. Like the heavy roll of distant thunder, but with 

 more exultant tones, loud voices from the troubled ocean mingle 

 with the hoarser and louder reverberations that arise from the 

 long line where sea and shore meet and struggle for the mastery. 

 Following the first great breaker there is always a second, which 

 in turn is succeeded by a third, at slioi-t and regular intervals. 

 All travel the same path, and, Jike swift moving snow-clad rail- 

 road trains, glide rapidly across the bar. It was easy to believe 

 them strange monsters of the sea, they sampled so well its mys- 

 tery and poAver. 



A short lull occurs after the third breaker, of sufficient lengtlv 

 to enable waiting vessels to cross the bar. This novel race by 

 high mettled, spray-enveloped ocean steeds, Avith their long white 



