He kept up a pretty good rate of speed, however, until he was struck by a storm off Hale's Point.

The rain descended in torrents and darkness became so intense that he could scarcely tell whether he was going up, down or across.

His matches were wet and he could not strike a light.

He determined to go ashore, and if he could find no habitation, at least to remain along the bank until the storm had abated.

A landing was effected in a thick woods, and there he found that he had not bettered the situation, because he was in danger of the lightning.