Page 273 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

CHAPTER XVII. AT SEA.

n hour after sunrise, the frail boat, which was the last
Ahope of these four human beings, drifted with the out-
going current towards the mouth of the harbour. When first
launched she had come nigh swamping, being overloaded,
and it was found necessary to leave behind a great portion
of the dried meat. With what pangs this was done can be
easily imagined, for each atom of food seemed to represent
an hour of life. Yet there was no help for it. As Frere said, it
was ‘neck or nothing with them”. They must get away at all
hazards.
That evening they camped at the mouth of the Gates,
Dawes being afraid to risk a passage until the slack of the
tide, and about ten o’clock at night adventured to cross the
Bar. The night was lovely, and the sea calm. It seemed as
though Providence had taken pity on them; for, notwith-
standing the insecurity of the craft and the violence of the
breakers, the dreaded passage was made with safety. Once,
indeed, when they had just entered the surf, a mighty wave,
curling high above them, seemed about to overwhelm the
frail structure of skins and wickerwork; but Rufus Dawes,
keeping the nose of the boat to the sea, and Frere baling with
his hat, they succeeded in reaching deep water. A great mis-
fortune, however, occurred. Two of the bark buckets, left by
some unpardonable oversight uncleated, were washed over-

For the Term of His Natural Life