on the
rocks close to me. Already I was covered by the spray, which flew in
showers over me. Had I slept on much longer I must have been swept
away, and awakened only to find myself in the cruel grasp of the
relentless waves. I might, however, now never see another sunrise. I
prayed as I had never prayed before, and resolved to struggle to the
last for life.

Few have been placed in a more perilous position and escaped. I had the
stout beacon to cling to. It had probably stood many a storm, but would
it stand fast now? To that I held fast as before, but I feared that my
strength would fail me, and that I might be torn away from it. I looked
up at the cask above my head, wondering whether that would afford me an
asylum I was unwilling, however, to exhaust my strength by attempting to
climb the post. With increasing force the waves beat on the rock.
Again and again it trembled from their blows, though I fancied, and
almost expected, to find it washed away beneath my feet. I was wet
through, and blinded by the spray. As I cleared my eyes, I could
discern through the darkness the seas dancing up level with the rock on
which I stood. Some appeared, as they rolled on meeting with no
impediment, to be much higher. Then I saw one coming roaring and
hissing along towards me. It broke with fearful force, and rushed over
the rock higher than my knees.

Had I not been firmly grasping the beacon-post, I should have been
carried off my legs and washed helplessly away. I shrieked with terror
as I saw another coming higher than the last. My cries were echoed by
those of the wild sea-birds passing above. The foaming sea broke, and
as I drew myself up the post, I found my legs floating behind me. A
moment later, and my doom would have been sealed. I got up higher and
higher. Now, as I looked down, I saw that I was surrounded by a
tumultuous ocean, without a particle of rock on which to place the soles
of my feet. I knew that all depended on my strength holding out. The
beacon might stand fast, but I might be torn away. Had it been daylight
I might better have endured the horrible position in which I was placed,
but at night to be thus all alone, with the hungry waves leaping up and
striving to snatch me from my holdfast, was truly dreadful.

I wonder my senses did not give way. Sometimes I thought that it was
only a dream, but I then knew it to be a fearful reality. With arms and
legs clinging round the post,