THE HARBOR AND BAR. 63 
the bar, on account of the disturbed state of the water, caused 
by the high winds and storms which had prevailed outside. Also 
that the harbor had not before been thus closed for so long a 
period within the memory of the oldest inhabitants. One can 
easily understand the danger of crossing at such times who has 
watched the high breakers, with 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,” oran Alpine torrent! 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 whole length 
of Nassau bar, and spends itself at last upon the white shore 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 alwaysa second, which 
in turn 1s succeeded by a third, at short and regular intervals. 
All travel the same path, and, like 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 power. ; 
A short lull occurs after the third breaker, of sufficient length 
to enable waiting vessels to cross the bar. This novel race by 
high mettled, spray-enveloped ocean steeds, with their long white 
