Through the black gloom, a blacker barrier of mighty rocks was rising right ahead. Boiling fiercely before a northern blast, the sea was breaking on them wildly, dashing its white spray as high as the maintop, and, as the waves receded, the sable fronts of two particular or insulated masses were plainly visible from time to time, with a mass of froth between them; while accelerated by the wind astern, and no doubt by the indraught in the reef, for a reef it appeared to be, the stately Amethyst seemed to increase her speed from ten knots an hour to something far beyond it.
Clinging to a belaying pin on the port side, as the ship rushed on, there came into Derval's uninitiated mind only the fear of immediate death, with a quickened circulation of the blood and a painful tightness of the chest, and in this emotion men far his seniors shared, at that dreadful crisis; but now the voice of Captain Talbot, who had obtained his trumpet, was heard even amid the roar of the breakers, and a clear and manly voice it was.
In that tropical region the water and spray that swept over the ship were warm nearly as new milk, and by this time the poultry and pigs were all washed overboard and drowned.
"There is an opening in the reef, three points before the port beam," said the Captain; "Mr. Tyeblock, take the wheel and steer for it—three points, remember! There may be water there to carry us through. Hands to the braces; brace the yards, forward!"
Then, as the Amethyst sprang to the blast, the waves boiled over her lee gunnel; but finding a terrible strain aloft,—
"Let fly the topsail sheets!" was now the order of Captain Talbot, and then, as the canvas flew to ribbons that cracked like thunder in the gale, the topmasts were saved.
"Hard up with the helm now, Tyeblock! Hands to the braces and square away the yards."
Headlong careered the ship on her way through the narrow passage which Talbot's eye had detected, and splendidly was she steered in the skilful hands of Tyeblock, who exultingly declared that he could turn her on a sixpence.
"The reef is astern, we are safe, thanks be to God!" exclaimed Captain Talbot, whose emotion of prayerful gratitude was shared by all who heard him.
Deep water ahead, was reported by Girtline, the second mate, who was in the bows with the hand-lead.