enable me to
sustain existence until I could make signals to some passing boat or
vessel. Having lost my boat-hook I made slower progress than before,
and often with the greatest difficulty avoided falling. Two or three
times I had to wade up to my middle, and I dreaded lest one of the
sharks should have shoved his nose through the opening, and might snap
me up. Still I went on. My anxiety made me forget the pain in my arm.
Fortunately I was not indeed deprived of its use, and by degrees the
pain went off.

I was so much engaged, that I did not for some time observe how
completely the weather had changed. The beacon on the rock was reached,
and I sat down below it to rest myself after my exertions. I now saw
that the sea, which had hitherto been so calm, had begun to heave.
Sudden gusts blew across it, covering its surface with wavelets, which
every moment increased in size. Dark clouds chased each other across
the sky, and gathered in thick masses overhead. To my dismay I saw that
a storm was rising. It rapidly came on, while the sea getting up with
the same speed, completely swept over the lower part of the rock along
which I had made my way.

The lightning flashed, the thunder roared, and the seas began to beat
with violence against the rock. Some of them came sweeping up to where
I sat. I sprang to my feet, and stood gazing with awe and terror at the
strife of the elements which raged around me. What hope, I thought,
could I have of escaping. My boat gone; so far off from land that it
was impossible I could be observed, while I could see no boats or
vessels sailing over the whole expanse of ocean. Indeed had there been
any coming from the shore, they would have put back into harbour when
they saw the storm coming on. Still I was unharmed; I had biscuits
enough in my pockets to keep soul and body together for a day or two
longer, if I economised them as I intended to do. I might also find
some shellfish; they would serve me for food for a much longer time, I
therefore did not despair, but I was aware that at any moment the sea
might sweep up and carry me off.

With more calmness than I had given myself credit for possessing, I
continued to survey the scene. I looked out again for my boat, thinking
it possible that the current might drive her back to the rock, but she
had been carried far beyond my ken. This made my heart sick. Knowing,
however, that my life depended very much on my keeping up m