. Round the black man's garden . craft. Somebody gave a shovefrom the shore, and I found myself alone withmy twelve porters—temporarily turned into boat-men—who, shouting at the top of their voicesall the time, paddled for dear life. After about aquarter of an hour we came to the part of the lagoondirectly across the bar, where, in spite of the com-paratively low tide, the sea was rolling in withdecidedly unpleasant force. As each roller sweptunder us, the canoe lifted her pointed prow into theair, falling again into the trough of the next wavewith a splash, and shipping sea after sea, till, f
. Round the black man's garden . craft. Somebody gave a shovefrom the shore, and I found myself alone withmy twelve porters—temporarily turned into boat-men—who, shouting at the top of their voicesall the time, paddled for dear life. After about aquarter of an hour we came to the part of the lagoondirectly across the bar, where, in spite of the com-paratively low tide, the sea was rolling in withdecidedly unpleasant force. As each roller sweptunder us, the canoe lifted her pointed prow into theair, falling again into the trough of the next wavewith a splash, and shipping sea after sea, till, finding CROSSING THE LAGOON. 125 that the water had risen to the footboard of my filan-zana, I thought it was about time to take somesteps to get rid of it, and accordingly, doffing mybrand-new helmet, set to work to bale her out, a pro-ceedino; which seemed much to amuse the men;but nevertheless the one nearest to me followed myexample, and began trying to ladle out the waterwith his old sieve-like straw hat. I am afraid my. Crossing Lake Nosy - Vc. efforts and the disfigurement of my helmet were notof much avail, for the canoe seemed to get heavierand heavier, and in spite of the mens redoubledshouts, as with their heads between their knees theystrained at the paddles, the canoe refused to makeany headway against the sea. The situation wasgetting decidedly critical, and our difficulties wereincreased by our drifting into some weeds, among 126 THE ISLAND OF MYSTERY. whicli the starboard paddles could not be worked,so that we got broadside on to the sea. I waspreparing at any moment for a capsize, andto exchange the compan}^ of my Malagasy boat-men for that of the crocodiles that infest the lake,when, realising it was a case of now or never, themen gave another shout, and by a supreme effortshot the canoe into smooth water. On approaching the shore I looked in vain forthe doctor, whom I had expected to find waitingfor us; but seeing nothing but the usual collec-tion of lamha
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