y, over which the dark storm was
raging in all its violence; the wind blowing with short and sudden gusts
sent the great waves thundering against the rocks, and with fearful roar
through the caves and crevices of the coast. Riding madly on till the
white foam dashed over him, he turned on every side, expecting to see
the boats of the fleet making for the land, but all was dreary and
desolate; he shouted aloud, but his voice was drowned in the uproar of
the elements; and then, but not till then, came over him the afflicting
dread of desertion. The vivid lightning shot to and fro over the bleak
expanse of sea, but not a sail was there--all, all were gone.

[Illustration: 467]

There was a projecting promontory of rock which, running out to a
considerable distance in the Bay, shut out all view beyond it; the last
hope he cherished was, that they might have sought shelter in the bay
beneath this, and plunging into the boiling surf, he urged his horse
forward--now madly rearing as the strong sea struck him--now buffeting
the white waves with vigorous chest--the noble beast braved the
storm-lashed water, and bore him alternately bounding and swimming, as
the tide advanced or receded.

The struggle, with all its peril to life, brought back the failing
courage to Mark's heart, and he cheered his horse with a cry of
triumphant delight, as each great wave passed over them, and still they
went on undaunted. It was a short but desperate achievement to round the
point of the promontory, where the sea beat with redoubled fury; but
the same daring intrepidity seemed to animate both horse and rider, and
after a moment of extreme danger, both gained the beach in safety. At
the very same instant that the animal touched the strand, a quick flash
broke over the sea, and then came the thundering report of a cannon.
This was answered by another further out to sea, and then a blue light
burst forth on high, and threw its lurid glare over the spars and canvas
of a large ship--every rope and block, every man and every gun were
displayed in the spectral light. It was a grand, but still an appalling
sight, to see the huge mass labouring in the sea, and then the next
moment to strain the eyes through the black canopy of cloud that closed
around her; for so it was, as the light went out, no trace of the vessel
remained, nor was there aught to mark the spot she had occupied.

From time to time the flash and the report of a gun would show where
s