"It is the eye of an hurricane," he said at length. "We shall have it
break upon us presently, and if we fail to reach the land, Jack, we
shall not live to see another sunrise."

Calmly telling the men to be prepared for the worst, but not to despair,
he put the boat round, and we pulled in for the land. I told him of the
opening I had seen. He had observed it also, but was doubtful whether
we should discover it in the darkness. Still, unless we could do so,
our destruction seemed certain. Earnestly I prayed for deliverance; so
did Medley, I know. With fearful rapidity, borne onward by the sea, we
approached the raging breakers. For some time in vain we looked along
the line of foam for the opening we had seen. The howling tempest
astern forbade us attempting to pull off the shore; but should we gain
it, if it was inhabited, what sort of treatment were we to expect from
the savages? Several boats' crews had, it was said, lost their lives
among this group. I was straining my eyes ahead when I made out against
the sky the outline of the high land I had before remarked. Beyond it
the clouds appeared to be brighter than in any other part of the
heavens. The instant afterwards the pale moon burst forth, and though
but for a brief space, it was long enough to enable her to serve as a
beacon to us. Directly below her we saw the looked-for opening.

"Give way, lads, we may yet save our lives," cried Medley.

The men did give way, but so narrow appeared the opening that it seemed
impossible we should get through without being swamped by the breakers
rising high up on either side, rendered visible and more terrific by the
vivid flashes of lightning darting from the clouds, which were followed
by crashing peals of thunder, sounding above even the roaring of the
angry waters. Onwards we were carried, the foam leaping high above our
heads on the summit of a hissing sea, and then down we shot like an
arrow, guided by Medley's oar, on to the comparatively calm surface of a
deep bay. A few strokes more we glided up it, and were in smooth water,
the moon not hiding her face till we were in safety. We made out before
us a sandy beach, towards which we steered, and, leaping out, drew up
our boat to free her of water.

Our first act was to kneel down and return thanks to our Heavenly
Father, who had so mercifully preserved us, and most of our rough crew,
though at first they hesitated, followed our example. We then look