Big Game at Sea 



we would be blown out of the water, there seemed 

 to be but one chance for us, and that to cross the reef, 

 as it was impossible to beat around to the harbor 

 entrance. So Bob pointed to the roaring wall of 

 foam beyond which was our island and motioned me 

 to take the flying sheet. I kicked off my shoes, fol- 

 lowing his example, then without a word he kept the 

 boat away and headed her for what appeared to me 

 to be a sure and positive catastrophe ; but in the wall 

 of dead coral over which the sea was thundering 

 there was a channel called the " five-foot " from its 

 supposed width, and if a boat on the outside got the 

 lighthouse on a line with the second chimney in the 

 quarters and could hold her there, he might make 

 it in good weather, but it was almost impossible in a 

 gale. 



Bob had seen that it was our only chance and he 

 took it without any hesitation. I took a turn about 

 the cleat with the sheet, clung to the slack, and lay 

 flat in the bottom of the boat bracing myself, and 

 when he wore around and the gale caught the leg of 

 mutton sail, the gaff having been carried away, it 

 filled it with a report like a cannon, the jpft careened 

 violently, taking in a quantity of water, then like a 

 bird shot along over the waves. In a few seconds 

 we were in the back wash, then a huge roller caught 

 us, and breaking as it went, half filling us, it sent 

 the boat along like a shot into a mass of foam and 

 spume that welled up over the boat and filled her from 



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