At last we came among the Coral Islands of the Pacific, and I shall
never forget the delight with which I gazed--when we chanced to pass
one--at the pure, white, dazzling shores, and the verdant palm trees,
which looked bright and beautiful in the sunshine. And often did we
three long to be landed on one, imagining that we should certainly find
perfect happiness there! Our wish was granted sooner than we expected.
One night, soon after we entered the tropics, an awful storm burst upon
our ship. The first squall of wind carried away two of our masts, and
left only the foremast standing. Even this, however, was more than
enough, for we did not dare to hoist a rag of sail on it. For five days
the tempest raged in all its fury. Everything was swept off the decks
except one small boat. The steersman was lashed to the wheel, lest he
should be washed away, and we all gave ourselves up for lost. The
captain said that he had no idea where we were, as we had been blown
far out of our course; and we feared much that we might get among the
dangerous coral reefs which are so numerous in the Pacific. At daybreak
on the sixth morning of the gale we saw land ahead. It was an island
encircled by a reef of coral on which the waves broke in fury. There
was calm water within this reef, but we could see only one narrow
opening into it. For this opening we steered, but ere we reached it a
tremendous wave broke on our stern, tore the rudder completely off, and
left us at the mercy of the winds and waves.
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