Meanwhile we took in all our sails, save a gib; and, as soon as we might

without danger, changed our course, running with the wind for the Italian

shore. Dark night mixed everything; we hardly discerned the white crests of

the murderous surges, except when lightning made brief noon, and drank the

darkness, shewing us our danger, and restoring us to double night. We were

all silent, except when Adrian, as steersman, made an encouraging

observation. Our little shell obeyed the rudder miraculously well, and ran

along on the top of the waves, as if she had been an offspring of the sea,

and the angry mother sheltered her endangered child.

I sat at the prow, watching our course; when suddenly I heard the waters

break with redoubled fury. We were certainly near the shore--at the same

time I cried, "About there!" and a broad lightning filling the concave,

shewed us for one moment the level beach a-head, disclosing even the sands,

and stunted, ooze-sprinkled beds of reeds, that grew at high water mark.

Again it was dark, and we drew in our breath with such content as one may,

who, while fragments of volcano-hurled rock darken the air, sees a vast

mass ploughing the ground immediately at his feet. What to do we knew not

--the breakers here, there, everywhere, encompassed us--they roared, and

dashed, and flung their hated spray in our faces. With considerable

difficulty and danger we succeeded at length in altering our course, and

stretched out from shore. I urged my companions to prepare for the wreck of

our little skiff, and to bind themselves to some oar or spar which might

suffice to float them. I was myself an excellent swimmer--the very sight

of the sea was wont to raise in me such sensations, as a huntsman

experiences, when he hears a pack of hounds in full cry; I loved to feel

579

The Last Man