Part 27 (2/2)

I searched round and round the rock in all directions, and I at last cas there at all the hatching seasonon the wing, and have floay

It was a great disappoint scrah happily I had not broken it I had also lost her part of the rock, and had a look at the land, which I judged was ten or twelve miles off at least Still I hoped to acco before dark, and to find a harbour, as I supposed there was one, or it was not likely that the beacon could have been placed on the rock I therefore, without further delay, began , I found that soth it occurred to ht of uished from the black rocks, when it suddenly appeared tothat she was already at a considerable distance from the rock where I had left her, and there seeether In my terror I shouted and shrieked to her to stop I was on the point of rushi+ng into the water to try and overtake her when I saw a black fin glide by, followed by another, and the wicked eye of a shark glanced up atMy despair overco me, I sank down on the rock

CHAPTER NINETEEN

My adventures on the rock--My search for food, and what I found--The storrandeur of the scene--The storm subsides--My search for claht e--Return of stormy weather--Perilous h a fewof all After lying on the rock for a few minutes or more, I recovered sufficiently to recollect that the tide was rising, and that unless I could select a higher spot I should be swept off, and becoot up, and trying to pull ain, endeavoured to reach the beacon, which would at all events affordout the biscuits in theI had shoved several into my pocket, which would enable nals to so lost ress than before, and often with the greatest difficulty avoided falling Two or three times I had to wade up to my middle, and I dreaded lest one of the sharks should have shoved his nose through the opening, and et the pain in my arm

Fortunately I was not indeed deprived of its use, and by degrees the pain went off

I was so ed, that I did not for soed The beacon on the rock was reached, and I sat down below it to rest myself after my exertions I no that the sea, which had hitherto been so calusts blew across it, covering its surface avelets, which every moment increased in size Dark clouds chased each other across the sky, and gathered in thickIt rapidly ca up with the same speed, co which I hadflashed, the thunder roared, and the seas began to beat with violence against the rock So towith awe and terror at the strife of the eleht, could I have of escaping My boat gone; so far off from land that it was impossible I could be observed, while I could see no boats or vessels sailing over the whole expanse of ocean Indeed had there been any co from the shore, they would have put back into harbour when they saw the storh in ether for a day or two longer, if I econoht also find soer time, I therefore did not despair, but I are that at any ht sweep up and carry iven , I continued to survey the scene I looked out again for ht drive her back to the rock, but she had been carried far beyond , however, that e, I endeavoured to ht if I could cliht be observed, should any boat when the storm was over co I could see no other rocks to the eastward; I supposed, therefore that this was the highest part of the reef, and that vessels acquainted with the coast ht of it

I spent several hours, I can scarcely describe how When er, I th, as I watched the seas, I observed that they did not approach so close todown I calculated, indeed, from the time I had been on the rock, that thiswhen I first landed, and I now hoped that I should be able to obtain so the once occurred toit out

I had to be excessively cautious, for by a false step I ainabout for soht of a few clams, but they were not to be obtained without risk, as the sea surged up and recovered the down, I cut it off and threw it up out of the reach of the water I obtained twoto secure a fourth, the waves swept round the rock, al ht ed notwithstanding to obtain three or four more, and as I could see none others above water, I had to contentthose I had obtained together, I returned to the higher part of the rock, close under the beacon, where I was sheltered fro a fire There was no fuel on the rock to make one, and so I was compelled to eat the clams raith a little biscuit to make them more palatable The whole day had passed away, and another night was co the hours of darkness

The storain rose the sea et still more over the rock I had little idea, however, how fiercely it was about to do so I have often spoken of , but thus our lives are spent In spite of the stor on the rock, and the histling through the beacon, a drowsiness overpoweredoff to sleep I was still conscious in soree hoas situated I felt all the tier

So cal waves, which threatened every instant to engulfaway, and tu till she disappeared Noas seated all alone, gazing out over the ocean, which rose and fell, and tossed beforeto a far greater height, and descending in a more furious fashi+on This sort of confused dream continued while I was asleep Now and then I awoke, only to hear the noises I have before described The rock itself seeainst it I could hear, too, the screams of the sea-birds as they swept round and round, disturbed froh many of them flew off, I suppose, to the far-away shores, or to other rocks perhaps higher out of the water

The night I had escaped from the ”Emu” was very dark; but this was unfortunately darker, except when a flash of lightning darted from the sky and illumined the white foam which, lashed by the wind into spray, flew in sheets over the rock I was soon wet to the skin I felt chilly in the extrehtbroke, but cheerless as could well be The sky was of one leaden hue, broken here and there by the clouds which hung lower down in the strata The waves, when not covered by foam, were of the saot up and walked about and stretched s To my dismay I found that the rocks, which at the sah out of the water, were now almost covered by the furious seas which rolled over theh water I should have liked to have got some more cla for the swept away, so I contentedone of those I had saved from the previous day, with a biscuit, for breakfast I was already very thirsty, having had nothing to drink since I had left the boat, and would have welcomed a heavy shower from the dark clouds overhead I continued to walk, or rather to climb about the rock, as there was but a very small level place on which I could walk

Then I sat down again, and with an to dread, as I saw therave At length I had to seek a higher and ed up to the place where I had spent the night, and ht at any moment sweep me off, I tried to nerve myself up to my fate

With difficulty I could restrainthe sea-water I ell aware of the danger of doing so, and resisted the te up, I felt a drop fall on my face It was not the spray of the sea Another and another followed, and down came a copious shower I openedout ot but little, so I placed it on the rock and spread it open I then took off ht be etted

I hoped also to find soht be rilled with fresh water The rain cae My jacket et through in aout of it a sufficient a thirst After this I was able to eat some biscuits It should be reht nearly three-quarters of an hour later every day I watched with intense anxiety its rising this afternoon Now it entirely covered the rocks where I had landed, then those over which I had made my ere concealed from view, and now it reached the base of the beacon-rock itself, against which the seas began to break with a fury surpassing that of the previous day

The spot on which I had been standing onewaters, when I retired to a higher level Again and again a wave broke over the rock, and striking one of the alh into the air aboveless and less I cried to heaven fornear, the desire to live increased It seemed so terrible to have to die all alone away from friends and country

At last I was driven to the very foot of the beacon, and I clutched it as if it alone could afford leover it, but the beacon itself withstood the furious waves I had not as yet thought of cli to it to see hoas fixed, but I now did so with intense anxiety I found that the staff was of hard oak, and that it had been imbedded in a deep hole formed by art in the rock, and further secured by iron bars driven into it, and fastened round by iron hoops This gave me some hopes that it would stand the fury of the seas should they rise high enough to strike it That they would do this seemed every moment more probable

On every side around er to seize me I frantically clutched the pole, which, froh my chance of escape seemed s down through the bottoth It would enableto make the attempt, as I could not tell whether the cask was fixed securely enough to bearthe rope withwould coh sea after sea broke on the rock, none actually touched h my feet occasionally ashed by the foah the seas raged round me as fiercely as ever, the water sank, and as the sea rolled up it struck a lower level of the rock, and I began to hope once more that I should escape Then I recollected that if the tides had not yet reached their extre tides had not coh the water had receded, I dare not leave the beacon-post, and kept clinging to it as th weary I sank down to rest, still grasping it in my arms Thus hours passed away, even now too painful to think of I ate the remainder of the biscuit, and then fell into a heavy slumber, which ht, and that the tide was onceon the rocks close to me Already I was covered by the spray, which flew in showers over er I must have been swept away, and awakened only to find ht, however, now never see another sunrise I prayed as I had never prayed before, and resolved to struggle to the last for life

Few have been placed in a more perilous position and escaped I had the stout beacon to cling to It had probably stood many a storm, but would it stand fast now? To that I held fast as before, but I feared that ht be torn away fro whether that would afford th by atte force the waves beat on the rock

Again and again it treh I fancied, and almost expected, to find it washed away beneath h, and blinded by the spray As I clearedup level with the rock on which I stood So with no i and hissing along towards her than my knees