tremendous
everywhere. Rushing rivers met by opposing cataracts; bursting against
each other; leaping high in air from the shock; falling back and
whirling away in wild eddies,--seeking rest, but finding none! Vain
indeed must be our attempt to describe the awful aspect, the mad music,
the fearful violence of "broken water" on the Break!

In such a sea the boat was tossed as if she were a chip; but the gale
gave her speed, and speed gave her quick steering power. She leaped
over the foam, or dashed through it, or staggered under it, but always
rose again, the men, meanwhile, holding on for life. Pike was ready in
the bow, with an arm tightly embracing the bollard, or strong post,
round which the cable runs. The coxswain's figure, towering high in the
stern, with the steering tackles in his hands, leaned forward against a
strong strap or band fixed across the boat to keep him in position.

They made straight for the spot where the flare light had been seen. At
first darkness and thick spray combined prevented them from seeing
anything, but in a few minutes a dark object was seen looming faintly
against the sky, and the coxswain observed with anxious concern that it
lay not to leeward, but to windward of him.

"Out oars! down with the sail!" he shouted.

His voice was very powerful, but it was swept away, and was only heard
by those nearest to him. The order was instantly obeyed, however; but
the gale was so heavy and the boat so large that headway could not be
made. They could see that the wreck was a small vessel on her
beam-ends. Being to leeward, they could hear despairing cries
distinctly, and four or five human beings were seen clinging to the
side. The lifeboat-men strained till their sinews well-nigh cracked; it
seemed doubtful whether they had advanced or not, when suddenly an
unusually large wave fell in thunder on the Break; it rushed over the
shallows with a foaming head, caught the boat on its crest and carried
it far away to leeward.

Sail was again made. A box near the coxswain a feet was opened, and a
blue-light taken out. There was no difficulty in firing this. A sharp
stroke on its butt lighted the percussion powder within, and in a moment
the scene was illumined by a ghastly glare, which brought out the blue
and white boat distinctly, and gave corpse-like colour to the faces of
the men. At the same time it summoned the attendant steamer.

In a few minutes the tug ran down to her; th