Seite:Marsh Hallig 1856.djvu/40

40THE HALLIG.

over the ocean which had already advanced upon the
land, and separated by its waves the scattered cabins
from each other. There she saw, and her heart beat
faster at the sight, a white point, which sometimes rode
boldly on the foaming edge of a high rolling billow,
then, sinking into the deep galfs, vanished from her
sight as if never to reappear.
  "A ship, mother," cried she, and thought of
Godber.
  The sympathizing mother looked in the direction in-
dicated, where at first her eyes, enfeebled by age, could
discern nothing. But it drew nearer and nearer,
first like the white wing of some lagging sea-mew,
now seeming resolved to force a passage through the
dark vault above her, now plunging into the engulfing
waves. By degrees the shape of the sails might be
distinguished, then the masts became visible, and at
length the whole fine model of the ship could be seen.
Now she leans completely on her side, her strained
cordage almost touching the swollen waves, which fre-
quently in their wild sport broke against the sails, then
like a proud conqueror descending to his tomb, she
boldly leaps into the deep abyss below. But once more
the light bark with her slender masts and weather-
beaten sails rides on the topmost waves, then plunging
again, and again rising, she seems blindly to pursue
a way which is in fact directed by an experienced
hand.
  "They have a good helmsman," said the mother ;
and Godber's name fell from the lips of Maria.
  The ship now changed her course, and passing be-
tween two shoals which almost touched each other, tri-