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about to be given.
Hours passed thus--hours which might write old age on the face of
beardless youth, and grizzle the silky hair of infancy---hours, while the
chaotic uproar continued, while each dread gust transcended in fury the one
before, and our skiff hung on the breaking wave, and then rushed into the
valley below, and trembled and spun between the watery precipices that
seemed most to meet above her. For a moment the gale paused, and ocean sank
to comparative silence--it was a breathless interval; the wind which, as
a practised leaper, had gathered itself up before it sprung, now with
terrific roar rushed over the sea, and the waves struck our stern. Adrian
exclaimed that the rudder was gone;--"We are lost," cried Clara, "Save
yourselves--O save yourselves!" The lightning shewed me the poor girl
half buried in the water at the bottom of the boat; as she was sinking in
it Adrian caught her up, and sustained her in his arms. We were without a
rudder--we rushed prow foremost into the vast billows piled up a-head--
they broke over and filled the tiny skiff; one scream I heard--one cry
that we were gone, I uttered; I found myself in the waters; darkness was
around. When the light of the tempest flashed, I saw the keel of our upset
boat close to me--I clung to this, grasping it with clenched hand and
nails, while I endeavoured during each flash to discover any appearance of
my companions. I thought I saw Adrian at no great distance from me,
clinging to an oar; I sprung from my hold, and with energy beyond my human
strength, I dashed aside the waters as I strove to lay hold of him. As that
hope failed, instinctive love of life animated me, and feelings of
contention, as if a hostile will combated with mine. I breasted the surges,
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