Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-07-17
CHAPTER XIV.
THE CRUISE OF THE Cc~,Ac1,E

END OF treasure island. The sun was
up, but was still hid from me behind
the great bulk of the Spy-glass, which
on this side descended almost to the
sea in formidable cliffs.
Haulbowline Head and Mizzenmast
Hill were at my elbow; the hill bare and
dark, the head bound with cliffs 40 or
so feet high and fringed with great
masses of fallen rock. / was scarce a
quarter Of a mile to seward, and it
was my first thought to paddle in and
land.
That notion was soon given over
Among the fallen rocks the breakers
spouted and bellowed; loud reverbera-
tons. heavy sprays flying and falling,
succeeded one another from second to
second, and I saw myself, if ventured
nearer, dashed to death upon the rough
shore or spending my strength in vain
to scale the beetling crags.
Nor was that all for, crawling to-
gether on fiat tables of rock or letting
themselves drop into the sea with loud
reports, beheld huge Shiny monsters
soft snails, as it were, of incredible
bigness-two or three score of them to-
gether. making the rocks echo with
their barkings.
l have understood since that they
were sea lions and entirely harmless.
But the look of them, added to the
difficulty of the shore and the high
running of the surf, was more than
enough to disgust me of that landing
place. I felt willing rather to starve
at sea than to confront such perils.
In the meantime l had better
chance. as | supposed. North of Haul
bowline Head the land runs in long
way, leaving at low tide long stretch
of yellow sand. To the north of that,
again. there comes another cape-Cape
of the Woods, as it was marked upon the
chart-buried in tall green pines, which
descended to the margin of the sea.
l remembe red what Silver had said
about the current that sets northward
along the whole west coast of Treasure
island; and seeing from my position
that l was already under it's inf uence. I
preferred to leave iIaulbowine Head
behind me. and reserve my strength for
an attempt to land upon the kindlier-
looking Cape of the Woods.
There was great. smooth swell upon
the sea. The wind blowing steady ard
gentle from the south, there was no
contrariety between that and the cur
rent, and the pillows rose and fell I'M
broken.
Had it been otherwise, I must long
ago have persisted; but as it was, it is
surprising how easily and securely my
little and light boat could ride. Often,
as still lay at the bottom, and kept no
more than an eye above the gunwale.
l would see big blue summit heav-
ing close above me; yet the coracle
would but bounce little, dance as if on
springs, and subside on the other side
into the trough as lightly as a bird
l began after a little to grow very
bold, and sat up to try my skill at pad
ding. But even a small, change in the
disposition of the weight will produce
violent changes in the behavior Of a COR
acle, And | had hardly moved before
the boat, giving up at once her gentle,
dancing moVemc~, ran straight down
a slope of water so steep that it made
me giddy. and struck her nose, with a
spout of spray, deep into the side of the
next wave.
was drenched and terrified, and fell
instantly back into my old position,
whereUpon the coracle seemed to find
her head again. and led me softly as be-
fore among the pillows. 1t was plain she
was not to be interfered with. and at
that rate, since I could in no way in
huence her course, what hope had left
Of reaching land?
began to be horribly frightened,
but | kept my head, for all that. First,
moving with all care. gradually bailed
out the coracle with my sea-cGp; then
getting my eye once more above the
gunwalc, | set myself to study how it
was she managed to slip so quietly
through the rollers.
found each wave, instead OF the big,
smooth, glossy mountain it looks from
shore, or from vessels deck. was for
all the world like any range of hills on
the dry land, full of peaks and smooth
places and valleys. The coracle, left to
herself, turning from side to side,
threaded, so to speak. her way through
these lower parts, and avoided the
steep slopes aud higher, topping sum-
mits of the wave.
"Well. now" thought I to myself, at
Is plain / must lie where l am, and not
disturb the balance; but it is plain, also,
that / can put the paddle over the side,
and from time to time. in smooth places,
give her shove or two toward land"
No sooner thought upon than done.
There lay on my elbows, in the most
trying attitude, and every now and
again gave a weak stroke or two to turn
her head to shore.
1t was very firing and slow work, yet
did visibly gain ground, and as we
drew near the Cape Of the Woods,
though | saw / must infallibly miss
that point, had still made some hun
dred yards of casting. l was, indeed,
close In. ! could see the cool, green
tree-tops swaying together in the
breeze, and felt sure l should make
the next promonotory without fail.
1t was high time, for l now began
to be tortured with thirst. The glow
of the sun from above, its thousand
fold reflection from the waves, the sea
water that fell and dried upon me. cak-
Ing my very lips with salt, combined
to make my throat burn and my brain
hche. The sight Of the trees SC near
at hand had almost made mt sick with