The waves most dreaded came rolling on in threes, with their crests, driven into spray, streaming behind them.

A short lull followed each triple charge.

Had one of these seas struck our boat, nothing could have saved us; for they came on with resistless force; seaward, in shore, and on either side of us, they broke in foam, but we escaped.

For six weary hours we faced those terrible trios.

A low, dark, detached, oddly shaped cloud came slowly from the mountains, and hung for hours directly over our heads.