torrent. They came head first, feet first, sidewise, rolling over and
over, twisting, squirming, writhing, and crumpling up. Now and again
one caught a grip on a stanchion or a rope; but the weight of the
bodies behind tore such grips loose.

One man I noticed fetch up, head on and square on, with the starboard
bitt. His head cracked like an egg. I saw what was coming, sprang on
top of the cabin, and from there into the mainsail itself. Ah Choon
and one of the Americans tried to follow me, but I was one jump ahead
of them. The American was swept away and over the stern like a piece
of chaff. Ah Choon caught a spoke of the wheel, and swung in behind
it. But a strapping Raratonga vahine (woman)--she must have weighed
two hundred and fifty--brought up against him, and got an arm around
his neck. He clutched the kanaka steersman with his other hand; and
just at that moment the schooner flung down to starboard.

The rush of bodies and sea that was coming along the port runway
between the cabin and the rail turned abruptly and poured to
starboard. Away they went--vahine, Ah Choon, and steersman; and I
swear I saw Ah Choon grin at me with philosophic resignation as he
cleared the rail and went under.

The third sea--the biggest of the three--did not do so much damage. By
the time it arrived nearly everybody was in the rigging. On deck
perhaps a dozen gasping, half-drowned, and half-stunned wretches were
rolling about or attempting to crawl into safety. They went by the
board, as did the wreckage of the two remaining boats. The other pearl
buyers and myself, between seas, managed to get about fifteen women
and children into the cabin, and battened down. Little good it did the
poor creatures in the end.