a　gale。
  We　were　pooped。
  The　wave　passed。　It　seemed　to　me　that　I　was　under
  water　for　minutesreally　it　was　seconds。　I　looked
  forward。　The　blast　had　torn　out　the　great　sail；　and
  high　in　the　air　it　was　fluttering　away　to　leeward　like
  a　huge　wounded　bird。　Then　for　a　moment　there　was
  comparative　calm；　and　in　it　I　heard　Job's　voice
  yelling　wildly；　〃Come　here　to　the　boat。〃
  Bewildered　and　half　drowned　as　I　was；　I　had　the　sense
  to　rush　aft。　I　felt　the　dhow　sinking　under　me　she　was
  full　of　water。　Under　her　counter　the　whale…boat　was
  tossing　furiously；　and　I　saw　the　Arab　Mahomed；　who　had
  been　steering；　leap　into　her。　I　gave　one　desperate
  pull　at　the　towrope　to　bring　the　boat　alongside。
  Wildly　I　sprang　also；　and　Job　caught　me　by　one　arm　and
  I　rolled　into　the　bottom　of　the　boat。　Down　went　the
  dhow　bodily；　and　as　she　did　so　Mahomed　drew　his　curved
  knife　and　severed　the　fibre…rope　by　which　we　were　fast
  to　her；　and　in　another　second　we　were　driving　before
  the　storm　over　the　place　where　the　dhow　had　been。
  〃Great　God！〃　I　shrieked；　〃where　is　Leo？　Leo！　Leo！〃
  〃He's　gone；　sir；　God　help　him！〃　roared　Job　into　my
  ear；　and　such　was　the　fury　of　the　squall　that　his
  voice　sounded　like　a　whisper。
  I　wrung　my　hands　in　agony。　Leo　was　drowned；　and　I　was
  left　alive　to　mourn　him。
  〃Look　out；〃　yelled　Job；　〃here　comes　another。〃
  I　turned；　a　second　huge　wave　was　overtaking　us。　I　half
  hoped　that　it　would　drown　me。　With　a　curious
  fascination　I　watched　its　awful　advent。　The　moon　was
  nearly　hidden　now　by　the　wreaths　of　the　rushing　storm；
  but　a　little　light　still　caught　the　crest　of　the
  devouring　breaker。　There　was　something　dark　on　ita
  piece　of　wreckage。　It　was　on　us　now；　and　the　boat　was
  nearly　full　of　water。　But　she　was　built　in　air…tight
  compartmentsHeaven　bless　the　man　who　invented　them！
  and　lifted　up　through　it　like　a　swan。　Through　the　foam
  and　turmoil　I　saw　the　black　thing　on　the　wave　hurrying
  right　at　me。　I　put　out　my　right　arm　to　ward　it　from
  me；　and　my　hand　closed　on　another　arm；　the　wrist　of
  which　my　fingers　gripped　like　a　vise。　l　am　a　very
  strong　man；　and　had　something　to　hold　to；　but　my　arm
  was　nearly　torn　from　its　socket　by　the　strain　and
  weight　of　the　floating　body。　Had　the　rush　lasted
  another　two　seconds　I　must　either　have　let　go　or　gone
  with　it。　But　it　passed；　leaving　us　up　to　our　knees　in
  water。
  〃Bail　out！　bail　out！〃　shouted　Job；　suiting　the　action
  to　the　word。
  But　I　could　not　bail　just　then；　for　as　the　moon　went
  out　and　left　us　in　total　darkness；　one　faint；　flying
  ray　of　light　lit　upon　the　face　of　the　man　I　had
  gripped；　who　was　now　half　lying；　half　floating　in　the
  bottom　of　the　boat。
  It　was　Leo。　Leo　brought　back　by　the　waveback；　dead
  or　alive；　from　the　very　jaws　of　Death。
  〃Bail　out！　bail　out！〃　yelled　Job；　〃or　we　shall
  founder。〃
  I　seized　a　large　tin　bowl　with　a　handle　to　it；　which
  was　fixed　under　one　of　the　seats；　and　the　three　of　us
  bailed　away　for　dear　life。　The　furious　tempest　drove
  over　and　round　us；　flinging　the　boat　this　way　and
  that；　the　wind　and　the　storm　wreaths　and　the　sheets　of
  stinging　spray　blinded　and　bewildered　us；　but　through
  it　all　we　worked　like　demons　with　the　wild
  exhilaration　of　despair；　for　even　despair　can
  exhilarate。　One　minute！　three　minutes！　six　minutes！
  The　boat　began　to　lighten；　and　no　fresh　wave　swamped
  us。　Five　minutes　more；　and　she　was　fairly　clear。　Then；
  suddenly；　above　the　awful　shriekings　of　the　hurricane
  came　a　duller；　deeper　roar。　Great　heavens！　It　was　the
  voice　of　breakers！
  At　that　moment　the　moon　began　to　shine　forth　again
  this　time　behind　the　path　of　the　squall。　Out　far
  across　the　torn　bosom　of　the　ocean　shot　the　ragged
  arrows　of　her　light；　and　there；　half　a　mile　ahead　of
  us；　was　a　white　line　of　foam；　then　a　little　space　of
  openmouthed　blackness；　and　then　another　line　of　white。
  It　was　the　breakers；　and　their　roar　grew　clearer　and
  yet　more　clear　as　we　sped　down　upon　them　like　a
  swallow。　There　they　were；　boiling　up　in　snowy　spouts
  of　spray；　smiting　and　gnashing　together　like　the
  gleaming　teeth　of　hell。
  〃Take　the　tiller；　Mahomed！〃　I　roared　in　Arabic。　〃We
  must　try　and　shoot　them。〃　At　the　same　moment　I　seized
  an　oar；　and　got　it　out；　motioning　to　Job　to　do
  likewise。
  Mahomed　clambered　aft；　and　got　hold　of　the　tiller；　and
  with　some　difficulty　Job；　who　had　sometimes　pulled　a
  tub　upon　the　homely　Cam；　got　out　his　oar。　In　another
  minute　the　boat's　head　was　straight　on　to　the　ever…
  nearing　foam；　towards　which　she　plunged　and　tore　with
  the　speed　of　a　racehorse。　Just　in　front　of　us　the
  first　line　of　breakers　seemed　a　little　thinner　than　to
  the　right　or　leftthere　was　a　gap　of　rather　deeper
  water。　I　turned　and　pointed　to　it。
  〃Steer　for　your　life；　Mahomed！〃　I　yelled。　He　was　a
  skilful　steersman；　and　well　acquainted　with　the
  dangers　of　this　most　perilous　coast；　and　I　saw　him
  grip　the　tiller　and　bend　his　heavy　frame　forward；　and
  stare　at　the　foaming　terror　till　his　big　round　eyes
  looked　as　though　they　would　start　out　of　his　head。　The
  send　of　the　sea　was　driving　the　boat's　head　round　to
  starboard。　If　we　struck　the　line　of　breakers　fifty
  yards　to　starboard　of　the　gap　we　must　sink。　It　was　a
  great　field　of　twisting；　spouting　waves。　Mahomed
  planted　his　foot　against　the　seat　before　him；　and；
  glancing　at　him　I　saw　his　brown　toes　spread　out　like　a
  hand　with　the　weight　he　put　upon　them　as　he　took　the
  strain　of　the　tiller。　She　came　round　a　bit；　but　not
  enough。　I　roared　to　Job　to　back　water；　while　I　dragged
  and　labored　at　my　oar。　She　answered　now；　and　none　too
  soon。
  Heavens；　we　were　in　them！　And　then　followed　a　couple
  of　minutes　of　heartbreaking　excitement　such　as　I
  cannot　hope　to　describe。　All　I　remember　is　a　shrieking
  sea　of　foam；　out　of　which　the　billows　rose　here；
  there；　and　everywhere；　like　avenging　ghosts　from　their
  ocean　grave。　Once　we　were　turned　right　round；　but
  either　by　chance；　or　through　Mahomed's　skilful
  steering；　the　boat's　head　came　straight　again　before　a
  breaker　filled　us。　One　morea　monster。　We　were
  through　it　or　over　itmore　through　than　overand
  then；　with　a　wild　yell　of　exultation　from　the　Arab；　we
  shot　out　into　the　comparatively　smooth　water　of　the
  mouth　of　sea　between　the　teeth　like　lines　of　gnashing
  waves。
  But　we　were　half　full　of　water　again；　and　not　more
  than　half　a　mile　ahead　was　the　second　line　of
  breakers。　Again　we　set　to　and　bailed　furiously。
  Fortunately　the　storm　had　now　quite　gone　by；　and　the
  moon　shone　brightly；　revealing　a　rocky　headland
  running　half　a　mile　or　more　out　into　the　sea；　of　which
  this　second　line　of　breakers　appeared　to　be　a
  continuation。　At　any　rate；　they　boiled　around　its
  foot。　Probably　the　ridge　that　formed　the　headland　ran
  out　into　the　ocean；　only　at　a　lower　level；　and　made
  the　reef　also。　This　headland　was　terminated　by　a
  curious　peak　that　seemed　not　to　be　more　than　a　mile
  away　from　us。　Just　as　we　got　the　boat　pretty　clear　for
  the　second　time；　Leo；　to　my　immense　relief；　opened　his
  eyes　and　remarked　that　the　clothes　had　tumbled　off　the
  bed；　and　that　he　supposed　it　was　time　to　get　up　for
  chapel。　I　told　him　to　shut　his　eyes　and　keep　quiet；
  which　he　did　without　in　the　slightest　degree　realizing
  the　position。　As　for　myself；　his　reference　to　chapel
  made　me　reflect；　with　a　sort　of　sick　longing；　on　my
  comfortable　rooms　at　Cambridge。　Why　had　I　been　such　a
  fool　as　to　leave　them？　This　is　a　reflection　that　has
  several　times　recurred　to　me　since；　and　with　ever…
  increasing　force。
  But　now　again　we　are　drifting　down　on　the　breakers；
  though　with　lessened　speed；　for　the　wind　had　fallen；
  and　only　the　current　or　the　tide　（it　afterwards　turned
  out　to　be　the　tide）　was　driving　us。
  Another　minute；　and　with　a　sort　of　howl　to　Allah　from
  the　Arab；　a　pious　ejaculation　from　myself；　and
  something　that　was　not　pious　from　Job；　we　were　in
  them。　And　then　the　whole　scene；　down　to　our　final
  escape；　repeated　itself；　only　not　quite　so　violently。
  Mahomed's　skilful　steering　and　the　air…tight
  compartments　saved　our　lives。　In　five　minutes　we　were
  through；　and　driftingfor　we　were　too　exhausted　to　do
  anything　to　help　ourselves　except　keep　her　head
  straightwith　the　most　startling　rapidity　round　the
  headland　which　I　have　described。
  Round　we　went　with　the　tide；　until　we　got　well　under
  the　lee　of　the　point；　and　then　suddenly　the　speed
  slackened；　we　ceased　to　make　way；　and　finally　appeared
  to　be　in　dead　water。　The　storm　had　entirely　passed；
  leaving　a　clean…washed　sky　behind　it；　the　headland
  intercepted　the　heavy　sea　that　had　been　occasioned　by
  the　squall；　and　the　tide；　which　had　been　running　so
  fiercely　up　the　river　（for　we　were　now　in　the　mouth　of
  a　river）；　was　sluggish　before　it　turned；　so　we　floated
  quietly；　and　before　the　moon　went　down　managed　to　bail
  out　the　boat　thoroughly　and　get　her　a　little　ship…
  shape。　Leo　was　sleeping　profoundly；　and　on　the　whole　I
  thought　it　wise　not　to　wake　him。　It　was　true　he　was
  sleeping　in　wet　clothes；　but　the　night　was　now　so　warm
  that　I　thought　（and　so　did　Job）　that　they　were　not
  likely　to　injure　a　man　of　his　unusually　vigorous
  constitution。　Besides；