Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 17, No. 099, March, 1876Various
Science
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 17, No. 099, March, 1876
Various
Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals; Science -- Periodicals
of terror and dismay, "Ah, you would, would you?" coupled with rapid
orders to the stout rowers and shouts to us of "Look out!" and I _do_
look out, to see on one side sand which the retreating wave has sucked
dry, and in which the boat-seems trying to bury herself as though
she were a mole: on the other hand there towers above us a huge
green wave, white-crested and curled, which is rushing at us like a
devouring monster. I glance, as I think, for the last time, at the
pale nurse, on whose lap lies the baby placidly sucking his bottle.
I see a couple of sailors lay hold of her and the child with one hand
each, whilst with the other they cling desperately to the thwarts.
A stout seafaring man flings the whole weight of his ponderous
pilot-coated body upon G---- and me: I hear a roar of water, and, lo!
we are washed right up alongside of the rude landing-place, still _in_
the boat indeed, but wet and frightened to the last degree. Looking
back on it all, I can distinctly remember that it was not the sight
of the overhanging wave which cost me my deadliest pang of sickening
fright, but the glimpse I caught of the shining, cruel-looking sand,
sucking us in so silently and greedily. We were all trembling so much
that it seemed as impossible to stand upright on the earth as on the
tossing waters, and it was with reeling, drunken-looking steps that
we rolled and staggered through the heavy sand-street until we reached
the shelter of an exceedingly dirty hotel. Everything in it required
courage to touch, and it was with many qualms that I deposited limp
little G---- on a filthy sofa. However, the mistress of the house
looked clean, and so did the cups and saucers she quickly produced;
and by the time we had finished a capital breakfast we were all quite
in good spirits again, and so sharpened up as to be able to "mock
ourselves" of our past perils and present discomforts. Outside there
were strange, beautiful shrubs in flower, tame pigeons came cooing and
bowing in at the door, and above all there was an enchanting freshness
and balminess in the sunny air.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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