346 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



no longer, assured that I was somehow or other a 

 part of the waves and the tempest, and that the 

 wonderful and beautiful vision that had sailed by 

 me was an aboriginal creature of the ocean. There 

 was unspeakable pride and grandeur in this delirium. 

 I was more intensely conscious of a brightened ex- 

 istence than I ever was in the most glorious dream, 

 and instead of fearing death, I felt as if I were 

 immortal. 



This delirium, I think, must have gradually sub- 

 sided during a kind of sleep, for I dimly recollect 

 mixed images of pain and pleasure, land and sea, 

 storm and calm, tears and laughter. I thought I had 

 a companion at my side, even her I best loved ; now 

 like an angel comforting me, and now like myself 

 needing to be comforted, lying on my bosom cold, 

 drenched, despairing, and insane, and uttering, with 

 pale quivering lips, the most horrid and dreadful 

 imprecations. Once I heard, methought, a voice 

 crying from below the waves, " Hast thou forgot 

 Theresa 1 ?" And looking down, I saw something 

 like the glimmering of a shroud come slowly up- 

 wards, from a vast depth, to the surface iof the 

 water. I stooped down to embrace it, and in a 

 moment a ghastly blue -swollen face, defeatured 

 horribly, as if by gnawing teeth of sea -monsters, 

 dashed against mine ; and as it sank again, I knew 

 well to whom belonged the black streaming hair. 

 But I awoke. The delirium was gone, and I was 



