l the
party are tumbled, or hoisted into the masullah boat, where they seat
themselves on the cross-bench, marvellously like so many culprits on a
hurdle on their way to execution! Ahead of them roars and boils a
furious ridge of terrific breakers, while close at their ears behind,
stamps and bawls, or rather yells, the steersman, who takes this
method of communicating his wishes to his fellow-boatmen. The
steersman stands on his poop, or quarter-deck, just behind the
miserable passengers, whose heads reach not quite so high as his
knees. His oar rests in a crutch on the top of the stern-post, and not
only serves as a rudder, but gives him the power to slew or twist the
boat round with considerable rapidity, when aided by the efforts of
the rowers. It is necessary for the steersman to wait for a favourable
moment to enter the surf, otherwise the chances are that the boat will
be upset, in the manner I shall describe presently. People are
frequently kept waiting in this way for ten or twenty minutes, at the
back of the surf, before a proper opportunity presents itself.

During all this while, the experienced eye of the veteran skipper
abaft glances backwards and forwards from the swell rolling in from
the open sea, to the surf which is breaking close to him. From time to
time he utters a half word to his crew, with that kind of faint
interrogative tone in which a commanding-officer indulges when he is
sure of acquiescence on the part of those under him, and is careless
whether they answer or not. In general, however, he remains quite
silent during this first stage of the passage, as do also the rowers,
who either rest the paddles horizontally, or allow their circular
blades to float on the surface of the water. Meanwhile the boat rolls
from side to side, or is heaved smartly upwards as the swell, just on
the eve of breaking, lifts her into the air, and then drops her again
into the hollow with the most sea-sickening velocity. I should state,
that, during this wofully unpleasant interval, the masullah boat is
placed sideways to the line of surf, parallel to the shore, and, of
course, exactly in the trough of the sea.

I have often watched with the closest attention to discover what were
the indications by which these experienced boatmen inferred that the
true moment was arrived when it was safe to enter the surf, but I
never could make out enough to be of much professional utility. It was
clear, indeed, that the proper