When it wanted about an hour to sunset we had made about twenty-five miles, and then ran in closer along the coast to look either for a boat harbour or some spot at which we could beach them.

But nothing suited to our purpose could we see: the coast was straight, sandy, exposed and lashed by a tremendous surf; the wind now freshened considerably and the sky looked very threatening; we had therefore no resource left but either to run to the northward before the breeze or to beach the boats.

I chose the first alternative; and we coasted within about a quarter of a mile of the shore, just outside the surf, looking out for any spot which gave us the least hope of beaching in safety.
BEACH THE BOATS.
As the sun sank so freshened the breeze, until it blew a good half gale of wind, and everything gave indications of approaching foul weather.
This was no coast to be on during a stormy night in heavily laden whale-boats; and as it now began to grow dark I determined at all hazards to beach rather than be driven out to sea in a gale of wind.

I accordingly ran my boat in through the surf, leaving the other one outside to see what success we had before they made the attempt.
BOAT SWAMPED IN BEACHING.
The surf was very heavy but the men behaved steadily and well; and through it we went, dancing along like a cork in a mill-pond; at last one huge roller caught us, all hands gave way, and we were hurried along on the top of the swelling billow, which then suddenly fell under us and broke; in a moment after we had grounded, and although still upwards of two hundred yards from the shore, we all jumped out to haul the boat up, but ere we could move our heavily laden whaler beyond a few yards breaker after breaker came tumbling in and completely swamped it.

We continued to haul away and presently found ourselves swimming.