370 CAUGHT IN A STORM. Chap. XIX. 



The lake appeared to be surrounded by mountains, but 

 it was afterwards found that these beautiful tree-covered 

 heights were, on the west, only the edges of high table-lands. 

 Like all narrow seas encircled by highlands, it is visited 

 by sudden and tremendous storms. We were on it in 

 September and October, perhaps the stormiest season of 

 the year, and were repeatedly detained by gales. At times, 

 while sailing pleasantly over the blue water with a gentle 

 breeze, suddenly and without any warning was heard the 

 sound of a coming storm, roaring on with crowds of angry 

 waves in its wake. We were caught one morning with the 

 sea breaking all around us, and, unable either to advance or 

 recede, anchored a mile from shore, in seven fathoms. The 

 furious surf on the beach would have shivered our slender 

 boat to atoms, had we tried to land. The waves most dreaded 

 came rolling on in threes, with their crests, driven into spray, 

 streaming behind them. A short lull followed each triple 

 charge. Had one of these white-maned seas struck our 

 frail bark, nothing could have saved us ; for they came on 

 with resistless force ; seaward, in shore, and on either side of 

 us, they broke in foam, but we escaped. • For six weary 

 hours we faced those terrible trios, any one of which 

 might have been carrying the end of our Expedition in its 

 hoary head. A low, dark, detached, oddly-shaped cloud 

 came slowly from the mountains, and hung for hours directly 

 over our heads. A flock of night-jars (Cometornis vexillarius), 

 which on no other occasion come out by day, soared above us 

 in the gale, like birds of evil omen. Our black crew became 

 sea-sick and unable to sit up or keep the boat's head to the 

 sea. The natives and our laud party stood on the high cliffs 

 looking at us and exclaiming, as the waves seemed to swallow 

 up the boat, " They are lost ! they are all dead ! " When at 

 last the gale moderated and we got safely ashore, they saluted 



