236 THE HOME OF A NATURALIST. 



to assure me he knew it was a case of life and death, 

 a plunge, and Slop was cleaving the water towards 

 the nearest shore. I sat still and silent on my dismal 

 perch, and watched his rapid progress. I saw him 

 approach and gain the rocky shore. I saw him shake 

 himself hastily. I saw him scramble up amongst the 

 boulders, up the sloping path at the head of the creek, 

 and reach the brow of the cliff. For an instant I saw 

 him clear against the sky, and then he disappeared. 

 He had never paused, or looked back. And now I 

 felt indeed alone and miserable beyond description. 

 A depression of spirit weighed me down. It happened 

 long ago, and yet, I well remember my thoughts and 

 feelings and fancies as though it had been yesterday. 

 They were too deep and intense to be other than graven 

 on memory as with a pen of iron. 



"Scarcely had Slop passed beyond recall, when it 

 occurred to me that it might have been a better plan 

 to have tied a strand of twine to his collar and my own 

 wrist and made him tow me on shore. He could have 

 done it ; and I might have reached the rocks alive. 

 Why did I not think of this sooner ! But it was too 

 late now; and I feared I should certainly perish 

 miserably. Then I wished the end were come. When 

 it did come it would only be a brief struggle. But to 

 be doomed to sit there and think, and watch the rising 

 tide for two or three long hours, hope and despair 

 alternately possessing me — it would drive me mad, 

 I said to myself. But I resolutely thrust from me the 

 ghastly picture which fancy conjured up, and tried, as 



