Two or three Spaniards,
who stood upon the beach looking at us, wrapped their cloaks about
them, shook their heads, and muttered "Caramba!" They had no taste for
such doings; in fact, the hydrophobia is a national malady, and
shows itself in their persons as well as their actions.
Watching for a "smooth chance," we determined to show the other
boats the way it should be done; and, as soon as ours floated, ran out
with her, keeping her head on, with all our strength, and the help
of the captain's oar, and the two after oarsmen giving way regularly
and strongly, until our feet were off the ground, we tumbled into
the bows, keeping perfectly still, from fear of hindering the
others. For some time it was doubtful how it would go. The boat
stood nearly up and down in the water, and the sea, rolling from under
her, let her fall upon the water with a force which seemed almost to
stave her bottom in. By quietly sliding two oars forward, along the
thwarts, without impeding the rowers, we shipped two bow oars, and
thus, by the help of four oars and the captain's strong arm, we got
safely off, though we shipped several seas, which left us half full of
water.
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