206 
IN FORBIDDEN SEAS 
land at the back of the shore hereabouts formed a 
large semicircle of almost perpendicular cliffs, no 
doubt part of an old crater, with low, flat land 
filling up the hollow, so that the coast-line was nearly 
straight; high mountains rose behind. At night a 
heavy swell set in from the north, which was dead 
on shore, but there was not a breath of wind with 
it to enable us to get under way. By morning the 
swell increased to heavy seas, and it was evident 
there was a hard blow outside ; but still no wind 
reached us, the peculiar shape of the high land not 
allowing the wind to blow home. We had two 
anchors down with 75 fathoms of chain out, but 
we gradually dragged until we were close in to the 
breakers. All sails were set, cables were prepared 
for slipping, with a line to the stern to make sure 
of the vessel canting in the right direction when 
we slipped, in readiness to take advantage of the 
wind the moment it came. It was a very anxious 
time. Every now and then a sea would break on 
board and sweep our decks from stem to stern, 
when we had to hold on for dear life. One unusually 
heavy sea filled our boats, which we carried on deck, 
and smashed our cabin skylights. This was caused 
by a sea driving the vessel astern with such force 
that her cables were strained almost to breaking- 
point ; then, after the sea had passed, there being 
no wind, the weight of the cables and the strain on 
them caused her to plunge ahead and dash into the 
next sea, which, as it broke on the bows, swept 
over us. 
My shipkeeper, who was an old deep-water-big- 
ship sailor, said there was no chance for the vessel, 
and got some men with axes and wanted to cut away 
