The Cruise of the Coracle

           ItwasbroaddaywhenIawokeandfoundmyselftossingatthesouth-westendofTreasureIsland.ThesunwasupbutwasstillhidfrommebehindthegreatbulkoftheSpy-glass,whichonthissidedescendedalmosttotheseainformidablecliffs.

           HaulbowlineHeadandMizzen-mastHillwereatmyelbow,thehillbareanddark,theheadboundwithcliffsfortyorfiftyfeethighandfringedwithgreatmassesoffallenrock.Iwasscarceaquarterofamiletoseaward,anditwasmyfirstthoughttopaddleinandland.

           Thatnotionwassoongivenover.Amongthefallenrocksthebreakersspoutedandbellowed;loudreverberations,heavyspraysflyingandfalling,succeededoneanotherfromsecondtosecond;andIsawmyself,ifIventurednearer,dashedtodeathupontheroughshoreorspendingmystrengthinvaintoscalethebeetlingcrags.

           Norwasthatall,forcrawlingtogetheronflattablesofrockorlettingthemselvesdropintotheseawithloudreportsIbeheldhugeslimymonsters—softsnails,asitwere,ofincrediblebigness—twoorthreescoreofthemtogether,makingtherockstoechowiththeirbarkings.

           Ihaveunderstoodsincethattheyweresealions,andentirelyharmless.Butthelookofthem,addedtothedifficultyoftheshoreandthehighrunningofthesurf,wasmorethanenoughtodisgustmeofthatlanding-place.Ifeltwillingrathertostarveatseathantoconfrontsuchperils.

           InthemeantimeIhadabetterchance,asIsupposed,beforeme.NorthofHaulbowlineHead,thelandrunsinalongway,leavingatlowtidealongstretchofyellowsand.Tothenorthofthat,again,therecomesanothercape—CapeoftheWoods,asitwasmarkeduponthechart—buriedintallgreenpines,whichdescendedtothemarginofthesea.