200 A NATURALIST ON DESERT ISLANDS. 



guns to keep them dry, and nearly topple head first into 

 Fuller, who is rowing stroke ; and then we gradually settle 

 down to watch the white horses as they follow quickly, 

 one after the other, and do their best to come aboard. 



There is nothing so fine and exhilarating as this, if you 

 want to realise what the sea really means. The sonorous 

 surge of the waves is all about you, smiting on the brain 

 and ear Avith a wild overmastering chant of elemental 

 music. The wind blows cool and fresh and clean. It is 

 all clean here. That is the feeling one gets — ^that and 

 a sense of respect and awe and admiration, half love, 

 half fear, for these great, irresistible, clean waves. They 

 are playmates, but rough big playmates, to be humoured 

 and coaxed ; full of fun, but anxious to shew us their 

 strength. 



" Hullo ! " they seem to say, " come out of that big 

 thing you call a ship, have you ? That's right, now we 

 meet on something like equal terms. Nice fresh morning 

 for a frolic, eh ? — like to have a game with us ? What, 

 no ! — well take that anyway — sorry we can't stop to 

 apologise — must hurry on you know — it's this con- 

 founded stiff Trade — oh ! never mind ; it's only our fun — 

 look out for big Ben though, he's coming toppling along 

 about six waves behind — always lagging like that — seems 

 to have got into the habit of it — but he's a real whopper — 

 ta-ta." 



" Why ! who's that you've got in there ? " says another, 

 tearing by with his crest all shaggy with flying spindrift ; 

 " one of them navy fellows ? Ah ! thinks he rules the 

 waves, does he ? — well, there now ! we didn't mean to 

 make him so wet as all that — awfully sorry ! — so-long ! 

 mind the tide-rips, they play the very devil, even with us." 



"Ah ! ah ! nearly had you there, my boys ! — should 

 have done, too, if it hadn't been for that fellow steering — 

 been to sea before, eh ? — ah, yes, I daresay — well, you're 

 not a bad lot, as sailors go now-a-days — what ! English ? — 

 well, how's your navy ? — seems to us you don't give us 

 half the chance you did in the good old days." 



