| 580 | 581 | 582 | 583 | 584 |
| 1 | 154 | 308 | 461 | 615 |
|
and flung them from me, as I would the opposing front and sharpened claws
of a lion about to enfang my bosom. When I had been beaten down by one
wave, I rose on another, while I felt bitter pride curl my lip.
Ever since the storm had carried us near the shore, we had never attained
any great distance from it. With every flash I saw the bordering coast; yet
the progress I made was small, while each wave, as it receded, carried me
back into ocean's far abysses. At one moment I felt my foot touch the sand,
and then again I was in deep water; my arms began to lose their power of
motion; my breath failed me under the influence of the strangling waters--
a thousand wild and delirious thoughts crossed me: as well as I can now
recall them, my chief feeling was, how sweet it would be to lay my head on
the quiet earth, where the surges would no longer strike my weakened frame,
nor the sound of waters ring in my ears--to attain this repose, not to
save my life, I made a last effort--the shelving shore suddenly presented
a footing for me. I rose, and was again thrown down by the breakers--a
point of rock to which I was enabled to cling, gave me a moment's respite;
and then, taking advantage of the ebbing of the waves, I ran forwards--
gained the dry sands, and fell senseless on the oozy reeds that sprinkled
them.
I must have lain long deprived of life; for when first, with a sickening
feeling, I unclosed my eyes, the light of morning met them. Great change
had taken place meanwhile: grey dawn dappled the flying clouds, which sped
onwards, leaving visible at intervals vast lakes of pure ether. A fountain
of light arose in an encreasing stream from the east, behind the waves of
582
Page
Quick Jump
|