west."

An enormous wave came down abeam, and fell on the vessel's quarter.
There is always in storms a tiger-like wave, a billow fierce and
decisive, which, attaining a certain height, creeps horizontally over
the surface of the waters for a time, then rises, roars, rages, and
falling on the distressed vessel tears it limb from limb.

A cloud of foam covered the entire poop of the _Matutina_.

There was heard above the confusion of darkness and waters a crash.

When the spray cleared off, when the stern again rose in view, the
skipper and the helm had disappeared. Both had been swept away.

The helm and the man they had but just secured to it had passed with the
wave into the hissing turmoil of the hurricane.

The chief of the band, gazing intently into the darkness, shouted,--

"_Te burlas de nosotros?_"

To this defiant exclamation there followed another cry,--

"Let go the anchor. Save the skipper."

They rushed to the capstan and let go the anchor.

Hookers carry but one. In this case the anchor reached the bottom, but
only to be lost. The bottom was of the hardest rock. The billows were