, added to their strong desire for sleep, they
had forgotten the tide. The sand, dust-dry under the heat of a burning
sun, had deceived them. They had lain down upon it, without a thought
of its ever being submerged under the sea; but now to their surprise
they perceived their mistake. Not only was their couch completely under
water; but, had they slept a few minutes longer, they would themselves
have been quite covered. Of course the waves had awakened them; and no
doubt would have done so half an hour earlier, but for the profound
slumber into which their long watching and weariness had thrown them.
The contact of the cold water was not likely to have much effect: since
they had been already exposed to it for more than forty hours. Indeed,
it was not that which had aroused them; but the briny fluid getting into
their mouths, and causing them that feeling of suffocation that very
much resembled drowning.

More then one of the party had sprung to an erect attitude, under the
belief that such was in reality the case; and it is not quite correct to
say that their first feeling was one of mere astonishment. It was
strongly commingled with terror.

On perceiving how matters stood, their fears subsided almost as rapidly
as they had arisen. It was only the inflow of the tide; and to escape
from it would be easy enough. They would have nothing more to do than
keep along the narrow strip of sand, which they had observed before
landing. This would conduct them to the true shore. They knew this to
be at some distance; but, once there, they could choose a more elevated
couch on which they could recline undisturbed till the morning.

Such was their belief, conceived the instant after they had got upon
their legs. It was soon followed by another--another consternation--
which, if not so sudden as the first, was, perhaps, ten times more
intense.

On turning their faces towards what they believed to be the land, there
was no land in sight, neither sand-hills nor shore, nor even the narrow
tongue upon whose tip they had been trusting themselves! There was
nothing visible but water; and even this was scarce discernible at the
distance of six paces from where they stood. They could only tell that
water was around them, by hearing it hoarsely swishing on every side,
and seeing through the dim obscurity the strings of white froth that
floated on its broken surface.

It was not altogether the darkness of the night that obs