286 
SOUTH SEA 
critically, the mate with one powerful stroke of the steer- 
ing oar saved us ! We escaped from the mighty power of 
the water, and were driven along with great velocity into 
a beautiful smooth bay, away from the foaming billows 
( see cut) ; the storm rolled over our heads ; we could hear 
its violence behind us, but we were protected from its 
rage, and heeded it not,— everlasting thanks to the 
invisible hand of Him who held thee out, pale Cynthia ! 
to Him who drew the dark curtain from before thy bright 
face in the moment of need, when the demon of darkness 
and death was hovering over us. 
We soon reached the termination of the bay, and 
landed upon a small sandy beach that was situated 
between two immense masses of broken rocks, which 
reared their uncouth forms high into the air. At a small 
distance from the edge of the water and at the back of 
the beach, an extensive forest of tamana trees 'com- 
menced, some of them being of gigantic size, whose wide 
spreading branches shut out the few rays of light which 
shot at times from the silvery moon — forming dark 
arbours for the retreat of the night bird, and where the 
dying fox (with which this island abounds), and the 
night-loving bat, might revel unreached by the light of 
day, whose unseemly forms are hidden in the shades of 
evening, as if nature felt herself disgusted with the sight 
cf beings so different in form to those inhabitants of the 
air which rise with the glorious sun, whose beauty of 
shape enchant us, whose brilliancy of colour delight us ; 
but nature, all wise, animates with those shady beings 
the stillness of the evening for some great purpose who 
