As I stood at the steer-oar I saw that this was a heavier surf than we had ever yet been in.

We were swept along at a terrific rate, and yet it appeared as if each following wave must engulf us, so lofty were they, and so rapidly did they pour on.
WRECK OF ONE OF THE BOATS.
At length we reached the point where the waves broke; the breaker that we were on curled up in the air, lifting the boat with it, and when we had gained the summit I looked down from a great height, not upon water, but upon a bare, sharp, black rock.

For one second the boat hung upon the top of the wave; in the next I felt the sensation of falling rapidly, then a tremendous shock and crash which jerked me away amongst rocks and breakers, and for the few following seconds I heard nothing but the din of waves whilst I was rolling about amongst men, and a torn boat, oars, and water-kegs, in such a manner that I could not collect my senses.
END OF VOLUME 1..