Paddling under Palmettos — page 271: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

262 Paddling Under Palmettos. For hours the wind shrieked about their ears, actually lifting up the spray at the weather side of the island and dashing it up against the tents like rain. . The lightning and thunder had made lively work in the beginning of the night, but, believing they had seen the worst of it, the cruisers lay down to sleep. In the morning the storm had disappeared, and they had a fair breeze to push on. Sail was at once made, and the scene of their dismal night’s anchor- age left behind. Soon they were traversing the passages in be- tween the numerous islands, and here Ned could be observed studying his map closely, for he knew what tremendous trouble a blunder would make. It was monotonous work. They had reason to believe that it would end in their taking to a creek again, where the paddle would be their only propelling power. Indeed, more than once already they had to get out their blades and dip them deeply, for the breeze was very light and captious, at times favorable, and then again contrary. Gomicbooks. co