heavy surf. "But," said he, "in pulling along about half a mile from
shore, a roller struck the boat and capsized it. Of course we were
obliged to swim for shore; in fact, we had little to do with it, for the
moment the boat was upset we were driven into the surf, and not one of
us thought we should ever reach the shore, for if we were not lost in
the surf, the sharks would eat us up. As I rose on the top of a wave I
could look ahead and see the stretch of wild, tossing surf, which it
seemed impossible for any one to live in; but when I looked back I could
count all my men striking out, which was very encouraging, as I feared
one or two might be under the boat. I thought for a moment of you all at
home, and wondered if mother would not feel a little frightened if she
knew how strong the chances were against her son's receiving any more
letters from home. Just then a roller struck me and carried me down so
deep I was caught by the undertow and carried toward the sea, instead of
the land. When I came to the surface I tried to look out for the next
roller, but it was no use; the first one half-drowned me, and the next
kept me down so long that when I rose I was in the wildest of the surf,
which tumbled and rolled me about in a way I did not like at all. My
eyes, nose, and mouth were full of sand, and, in fact, I thought my time
had come. Just then I looked on shore, and saw two of my men dragging
some one from the water, and at that sight I struck out with one
despairing kick, and managed to get near enough for two of the men to
reach me; but that was all I knew of the affair until a little after
sunset, when I became conscious of the fact that I was being well
shaken, and I heard one of the men say, 'Cheer up, Mr. Perkins! Your
boat and all the men are on shore.' This was such good news that I did
not much mind the uncomfortable position in which I found myself. I was
covered with sand and stretched across a log about two feet high, my
head on one side and my feet on the other. The men had worked a long
while to bring me to. Three of the men were half-drowned and one