swelled gloomily into a magnitude greater than that of the
surrounding billows.

The seamen dropped their oars, as if by one impulse, and looked
expressively at each other, without speaking a word. Awful XXXX
forebodings of a fate similar to that of the captain appeared to chill
every heart, and to repress the energy that had hitherto excited us to
make unremitting exertions for our common safety. While we were in
this state of hopeless inaction, the man at the helm called out that
he saw a light ahead. We all strained our eyes to discern it, but at
the moment the boat was sinking down between two immense waves, one of
which closed the prospect, and we remained in breathless anxiety till
a rising surge elevated us above the level of the surrounding ocean. A
light like a dazzling star then suddenly flashed upon our view, and
joyful exclamations burst from every mouth. "That," cried one of the
crew, "must be the floating beacon which our captain was looking out
for this afternoon. If we can but gain it, we'll be safe enough yet."
This intelligence cheered us all, and the men began to ply the oars
with redoubled vigour, while I employed myself in baling out the water
that sometimes rushed over the gunnel of the boat when a sea happened
to strike her.

An hour's hard rowing brought us so near the lighthouse that we almost
ceased to apprehend any further danger; but it was suddenly obscured
from our view, and at the same time a confused roaring and dashing
commenced at a little distance, and rapidly increased in loudness. We
soon perceived a tremendous billow rolling towards us. Its top, part
of which had already broke, overhung the base, as if unwilling to
burst until we were within the reach of its violence. The man who
steered the boat brought her head to the sea, but all to no purpose,
for the water rushed furiously over us, and we were completely
immersed. I felt the boat swept from under me, and was left struggling
and groping about in hopeless desperation for something to catch hold
of. When nearly exhausted, I received a severe blow on the side from a
small cask of water which the sea had forced against me. I immediately
twined my arms round it, and, after recovering myself a little, began
to look for the boat, and to call to my companions; but I could not
discover any vestige of them, or of their vessel. However, I still had
a faint hope that they were in existence, and that the intervention of
the billows concea