370 
RAPID RISING OF THE TIDE. 
and my sight grow dimmer^ and more dim under such 
a combination of excitement, fear, and exertion. 
Finally it was reached; and, as I waded heavily around 
it through the knee-deep water that broke against its 
rugged front, I saw the boat rolling from bilge to bilge 
in the rising surf a few yards ahead, — a sight which 
so enlivened me as to cause the expenditure of most 
of my remaining breath in an encouraging shout to 
those 'W'ho followed. As it tui’ned out, I had not arrived 
a minute too soon: a few moments later and she would 
have been afloat, probably drifting out into the bay, and 
leaving us to swim, climb up the steep and crumbling 
sides of the promontory, or sink, 
I staggered up to her unsteady side, and, grasping 
the gunwale with both hands, strove to keep her 
steady; but my strength was all gone, I felt at once 
that I was powerless while alone, and so contented my- 
self with crawding over into the stern-sheets and being 
rolled from side to side until the lapse of about twenty 
or thirty seconds brought up the rest of the party, who 
shoved her ofl‘ into deep water. The oars were now got 
out, and, while thus engaged, we drifted by the point 
around which we had so lately waded. 
“ Put over a boat-hook and see how deep the water 
is,” said the doctor. 
One of the crew complied, and found four feet where 
but a minute before it had been only knee-deep. We 
looked at the hopeless hill-side, shuddered, and felt — I 
hope — thankful. 
“It’s a great pity there are so many jackasses in 
