chap, xii.] NEARLY SWAMPED. 347 
water. Every one was at work baling with all their 
might; I had no idea that the canoe conld live. Down 
came the rain in torrents, swept along with a terrific 
wind ; nothing was discernible except the high cliffs 
looming through the storm, and I only trusted that we 
might arrive upon a sandy beach, and not upon bluff 
rocks. We went along at a grand rate, as the arched 
cover of the canoe acted somewhat as a sail; and it 
was an exciting moment when we at length neared the 
shore, and approached the foaming breakers that were 
rolling wildly upon (happily) a sandy beach beneath 
the cliffs. I told my men to be ready to jump out the 
moment that we should touch the sand, and to secure 
the canoe by hauling the head up the beach. All 
were ready, and we rushed through the surf, the 
native boatmen paddling like steam-engines. “ Here 
comes a wave; look out!” and just as we almost 
touched the beach, a heavy breaker broke over the 
black women who were sitting in the stern, and 
swamped the boat. My men jumped into the water 
like ducks, and the next moment we were all rolled in 
confusion on the sandy shore. The men stuck well to 
the boat, and hauled her firmly on the sand, while my 
wife crawled out of her primitive cabin like a caddis 
worm from its nest, half drowned, and jumped upon 
the shore. “ El hamd el Illah ! ” (thank God!) we all 
exclaimed; “ now for a pull—all together !” and having 
so far secured the boat that she could not be washed 
away, I ordered the men to discharge the cargo, and 
then to pull her out of the lake. Everything was 
destroyed except the gunpowder, that was all in canisters. 
But where was the other canoe ? I made up my mind 
that it must be lost, for although much longer than 
our boat, it was lower in the water. After some time 
and much anxiety, we perceived it running for the 
shore about half a mile in our rear; it was in the 
midst of the breakers, and several times I lost sight of 
it, but the old tree behaved well, and brought the 
crew safe to the shore. 
