At length Mr. Witch said that he thought we were opposite to a
favourable spot, on which I directed him to put the boat's head towards
the shore, and to keep her end on as he went in. Round we flew, and in a
moment after we were running at railway speed on the top of a heavy wave.
"Steady, men," said Mr. Witch: "Steady all," and on we went; but looking
round him a moment after--"Back, all. Back, all," he cried. The men did
as they were ordered, and the boat's way was stopped. Her stern rose
almost perpendicularly over the prow, and the next moment fell into the
trough of the sea. The wave, transparent as bottle glass, rushed past us,
and topping, as it is called, burst at our very bow, in a broad sheet of
foam. "Give way, my lads," was the next order of the watchful steersman,
as he again cast his eyes behind him. "Give way, my lads. Give way, all."
"Steady, men," he called, as if doubtful of the result of the coming
wave. I thought I saw paleness on the face of the rowers, but they pulled
regularly and well, and a thundering sound soon told us we had escaped
the threatening sea that had come so rapidly up. I do not know if I am
doing justice to the occurrence. There was more of apparent than real
danger in it, and I myself was less nervous, because I had not long
before been accustomed to the heavy surf of Norfolk Island. It was,
however, a moment of great excitement.
Pages:
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589