may fancy it could have been easily answered. The direction of the
wind and waves was landward. It was the sea-breeze, which at night, as
every navigator is aware, blows habitually towards the land,--at least,
in the region of the tropics, and more especially towards the hot Saaera.

The tide itself might have told them the direction to take. It was the
in-coming tide, and therefore swelling towards the beach.

You may fancy that they had nothing to do but follow the waves, keeping
the breeze upon their back.

So they fancied, at first starting for the shore; but they were not long
in discovering that this guide, apparently so trustworthy was not to be
relied upon; and it was only then they became apprised of the real
danger of their situation. Both wind and waves were certainly proceeding
landward, and in a direct line; but it was just this direct line the
castaways dared not--in fact could not--follow; for they had not gone a
hundred fathoms from the point of the submerged peninsula when they
found the water rapidly deepening before them; and a few fathoms further
on they stood up to their armpits!

It was evident that, in the direction in which they were proceeding, it
continued to grow deeper; and they turned to try another.

After floundering about for a while, they found shoal water
again,--reaching up only to their knees; but wherever they attempted to
follow the course of the waves, they perceived that the shoal trended
gradually downward.

This at first caused them surprise, as well as alarm. The former
affected them only for an instant. The explanation was sought for, and
suggested to the satisfaction of all. The sand-spit did not project
perpendicularly from the line of the coast, but in a diagonal direction.
It was in fact, a sort of natural breakwater--forming one side of a
large cone, or embayment, lying between it and the true beach. This
feature had been observed, on their first setting foot upon it; though
at the time they were so much engrossed with the joyous thought of
having escaped from the sea, that it had made no impression upon their
memory.

They now remembered the circumstance; though not to their satisfaction;
for they saw at once that the guide in which they had been trusting
could no longer avail them.

The waves were rolling on over that bay--whose depth they had tried,
only to find it unfordable.

This was a new dilemma. To escape from it there appeared but one way.
They must k