The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-08

old of the island gate. Not one of those
seas has promised to carry the boat through
in safety. At last a higher roller Is seen 10
rear itself far out beyond the outer bar
rier, and to come rolling shoreward with a
magnificent stretch of perpendicular race.
All are intent upon its progress as II sweeps
Grandly inward with ever acceleraung We
locity, for it may prove the wave so long
waited for. If it is seen to pass un6rok oxen
over a pinnacle outlying in front of the main
ledge by a small interval, it is known that
that is indeed the wave TO use. AS its wall
face sweeps on, the boat is roWed shore
ward out of the eddy, the oarsmen put then
their every pound of muscle and courage
into the oars as they back water INTO the
very cliff of water which is sWooplng down
upon the boat.
There is the thump of wood and water as
the wave hits the stern of the boat ana
begins to heaVe it in the air. The crew
pull now like men possessed, for the rev
boat lengths which intervene they must keep
the boat on the advancing face or the giant
wave. The speed IS something terTlHc, tHe
prospect is something appalling TO view
from the lifting stern of the boat, coastlng
with tremendous velocity down the steep
slope of a hill of water, which is itself
eareering onward with far more than the
speed of a railroad train. Just in front lies
the wall of the gateway, dripping yet with
the foam of the last wave, tense hgures or
the islanders clinging to the rocks in readI-
ness to reach out into the commouon ana
snatch the ShipWrecked from drowning IN
case of disaster.
With a last struggling effort the crew bend
to the oars and draw them inbOard and out
boat must pass without check. for even
the slightest check would mean prompt de-
stguction The ears are deafened with the
roar of the breaking of the tons of water
on the rock. the eyes are all but blinded
with the salt cloud of mist into which tho
water is hammered by the impact. The
boat must be just one single instant ahead
OF that thunder and that breaking of the
water, it must be headed exactly into the
narrow rift in the rock just a foot before the
crest of the propelling wave skaters over
upon the lmmoVable obstacle.
Then, as the water boils into the construct
ed channel, ii seiZes on the boat and hurls
it onward until it seems that the might of
giants would not avail to direct ii away
from the fangs of rock and coral which be-
set the way. But answering the steering
oar, the boat is directed through those fifty
dangerous feet, avoiding a danger on the
right. only to be confronted by another on
the left sliding past rocky peris with so
close a margin that it looks as if a sheet Of
boat and the rock. With every minute
fraction Of an instant the still lagoon is
nearer.
Still the peril is not yet past Just as
the boat clears the walls of rock and is on
the very instant Of passing in and floating
peacefully on quiet waters the boys throw
out the oars and pull as hard as ever.
With all their strength they can do no
more than keep the stern Of the boat just
barely clear Of the channel out of which
on its inner side it has just escaped, into
which the outward rush of the waters is
seeking to drag it. There, by dint of hard
rowing the boat just succeeds in standing
still until the effluX is past, and the turn
of the waters. with the startling advance
escape into the lagoon. Then, as the crew,
exhausted by the excitement, takes leisure
ly strokes across the smooth water, and
to the landing place, the Apolima people
have adventured so much to see the island.
Such is the getting into Apolima.