168 AMID THE HIGH HILLS 
rocks, and for a few moments I was thoroughly- 
alarmed, as I realised that if the tide rose a little 
higher I shoidd probably be washed off, and 
though I could swim I had no reasonable hope of 
being able in that sea to swim the considerable 
distance which separated me from the mainland. 
However, the feeling of fear was very short, and 
was followed by a grim determination to hold on 
for all I was worth, and, strange as it seemed to 
me afterwards, a pleasurable excitement in what 
I realised Avas going to be a desperate effort to 
keep my footing. There were very few points of 
the rock left uncovered now, and the tide was 
still rising, when suddenly out of the mist I saw 
the boat coming, rising and falling in the angry 
sea. 
To cut a long story short, it was a most 
dangerous and difficult job to take me off the 
rocks without upsetting the boat, but it was 
managed all right by the two men, the older of 
whom was a very experienced seaman. In less 
than three minutes after they got me off, the 
point of rock that I had been on was covered and 
there was nothing of the island to be seen. 
My friend, to whom I shall be ever grateful, 
declares that he saved my life, and tliis I think 
