WHAT DO YOU THINK OF IT? 
263 
We were now ‘by the wind/ with the beach along 
which we had been running looming up upon our 
weather quarter and astern, with the three islands (an- 
other having come out of the fog as we neared them) 
on our lee quarter, and with what was an apparent 
reef of rocks, over which the surf was breaking furiously, 
extending from the outer of the three islands along our 
lee beam and well forward on the lee bow, — almost dead 
ahead, in fact. The wind also had increased to a young 
gale ; that is, we felt its force much more then, that wo 
were no longer running away from it; and, had we not 
got in the topgallant-sails as soon as we did, the masts 
would certainly have gone over the side. Our headway, 
too, was entirely deadened, and, in spite of the assisting 
propeller, it soon became apparent that we were drifting 
on to the reef. 
“‘What do you think of it, Mr. Carnes?’ asked the 
captain. ‘Is it a reef, or only the strong current break- 
ing around the point? The sailing-directions speak of 
three islands, but of no reef.’ 
“‘It looks miserably natural, sir,’ replied the master, 
as he continued regarding it through his opera-glass;* 
‘but I don’t see how it can well be any thing, if this is 
the northeast point : that’s the difficulty.’ 
“We were at this moment in a painful state of doubt 
and uncertainty, and would have gladly hesitated, had it 
only been to gain time to think ; but, as we were all the 
while drifting toward the reef, immediate action was 
what was wanted. Fortunately for our peace of mind, 
* Opera-glasses are rapidly superseding the ordinary “spy-glass” on 
ship-hoard, especially at night. 
