If my canoe had not
been well built, it would have run great risk of being overset by the
waves, which broke over it. Jack, when he saw one coming, lay down on
his face, saying he preferred having them on his back rather than in his
mouth; he jumped up as soon as it passed, to help to empty the canoe,
till another wave came to fill it again; but, thanks to my out-riggers,
we preserved our balance very well, and I consented to go as far as
_Cape Disappointment_, which merited the name a second time, for we
found no trace here of the vessel, though we mounted the hill, and thus
commanded a wide extent of view. As we looked round the country, it
appeared completely devastated: trees torn up by the roots, plantations
levelled with the ground, water collected into absolute lakes,--all
announced desolation; and the tempest seemed to be renewing. The sky was
darkened, the wind arose, and was unfavourable for our return; nor could
I venture the canoe on the waves, every instant becoming more
formidable. We moored our bark to a large palm-tree we found at the foot
of the hill, near the shore, and set out by land to our home. We crossed
the Gourd Wood and the Wood of Monkeys, and arrived at our farm, which
we found, to our great satisfaction, had not suffered much from the
storm.
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