A STATE OF WILD CONFUSION. 
441 
Now, Williams, a steady eye ! Life and death hang 
upon those two last shots. A.ini close ! JVouj ot Tict^v/ 
We watched for the expected flash which was ao-ain to 
arrest liis progress, and heard the snap of a failing cap. 
A cry of anguished despair arose from our midst as 
the staggering monster shook his bleeding liead and 
reeled heavily onward with returning powers to close 
with his foe. We leaned eagerly forward with a tumul- 
tuous feeling of excitement boiling in our breasts and 
clouding the vision with a species of vertigo. Another 
false cap ! — another hope gone, — their last ! 
Suddenly our attention is called to our own safety. A 
sudden jar, a crash of splintering oak, a long grating 
sound, and the boat’s bow is high and dry out of the 
water, her progress stopped. 
* ^ * :{c sjs 
We saw no more for the next few seconds. A sunken 
rock had crossed our path, and the boat, urged by her 
tremendous velocity, had run upon it high and dry. Wc 
were thrown in every possible direction, — some over- 
board, others along the thwarts, others piled in a pro- 
miscuous heap in the fox'ward part of the stern-shoots. 
As for myself, I went overboard bead first, but, b^^ catch- 
ing the gunwale of the boat with my left hand, brought 
up with only one leg in the water, and enough presence 
of mind to feel with ray foot for bottom, holding my 
rifle well clear of the water at the same time. 
I found it only knee-deep ; and, as wo were now not 
more than a hoat’s-lcngtli from the beach, a genera! rush 
was made for it as soon as people had recovered their 
legs and the depth of water became known. 
