Their roar now broke upon my ears, faint, low but deep, terrible, half like distant thunder or the growl of some gigantic beast of prey.
In a few brief moments we were on the reef.
With a terrible crash our staunch little vessel leaped upon the rocks and wedged herself in, tight and fast, between two jagged ledges.
The relentless sea now broke over and over us.
“Oh! if the day would only break!” I murmured, “possibly we might find some means to reach the main land.”
To stay here simply means destruction.
After hours of the severest suffering, for every sea which broke over us seemed as if bent upon the fell purpose of tearing our limbs from their lashings—day came at last.
I discovered now that we were about a quarter of a mile from the main land.
With my glass, I could distinguish great crowds of people running hither and thither on shore. But they made no effort to send us succor or to encourage us to cling to the wreck until the storm should abate.
What was to be done?