The idea was urged by several others and when the vessel came to within eight or ten feet of the ground, Coombes, Ingle, Kelman, Reeve and Gardner descended. The animals allowed themselves to be caught, and vaulting on their backs by the aid of their antlers, the riders got excellent seats. Whether they were accustomed to being driven, or the presence of a burden startled them, there was little time to discover, for no sooner were the riders seated than the horses flourished their heels and then set off like the wind, with heads lowered and horns nearly vertical. Shouts of delight came from the daring riders as they raced onward, surprised and thankful that the animals did not elevate their heads and thus bring the horns horizontal, in which case they would have stood an excellent chance of being swept off. On they went at a break-neck pace, waving their arms and shouting to their companions above who were watching, with not a little envy, perhaps excusable. The speed increased as the horses settled down into long, swinging strides, and now the end of the island was in sight; about half a mile of water separated it from the next island, but the horses never slackened pace, and instead of wheeling round and returning, or following the contour of the island, they rushed madly forward, dashing straight into the water at full speed, and that which followed made every one breathless. They did not sink, or at any rate not more than if they had been on sand, and the flying hoofs cut through the ripples of water, flinging behind them the crests and splashes of the waves as if they had been sand. The surprise of it so overcame Kelman that he let go the antlers, and at the sudden release the creature lifted up his head, gave it a turn, and the next instant Kelman was swept off his back, narrowly escaping being trampled to death by the scores of riderless horses following, whose flying hoofs, to the horrified gaze of those in the ship, seemed to be pounding him to a jelly. Instead of sinking, however, he fell flat with a splash, the water rising all around like sand, but in tiny globules as of quicksilver, and there he lay floating on the water, half his body immersed, and the waves lapping gently over him, wetting him to the skin, he being too surprised to do anything but lie still and stare around him. Then he essayed to rise, but instead of his feet sinking, they remained almost where they were, the frustrated action rolling him over on his face. From this position he got on his hands and knees, and finally stood up with only his feet slightly sunk, as in sand on the sea-shore, the water dripping from his nose, chin, elbows and his clothing.