"Now, lad, now! now!" shouted the boat's crew, as the unhappy man
once more neared the gunwale.

Forsyth hesitated. Suddenly he became desperate and sprang, but the
hesitation gave him a much higher fall than he would otherwise have
had; it caused him also to leap wildly in a sprawling manner, so that
he came down on the shoulders of his comrades "all of a lump".
Fortunately they were prepared for something of the sort, so that no
damage was done.

When the boats were at last filled they pushed off and rowed towards
the rock. On approaching it the men were cautioned to pull steadily
by Mr. Stevenson, who steered the leading boat.

It was a standing order in the landing department that every man
should use his greatest exertions in giving to the boats sufficient
velocity to preserve their steerage way in entering the respective
creeks at the rock, that the contending seas might not overpower them
at places where the free use of the oars could not be had on account
of the surrounding rocks or the masses of seaweed with which the
water was everywhere encumbered at low tide. This order had been
thoroughly impressed upon the men, as carelessness or inattention to
it might have proved fatal to all on board.

As the leading boat entered the fairway, its steersman saw that more
than ordinary caution would be necessary; for the great green billows
that thundered to windward of the rock came sweeping down on either
side of it, and met on the lee side, where they swept onward with
considerable, though much abated force.