The Sea-Wolf

Braving cold, changing winds and oncoming storms, Maud and Humphrey endeavor to sail on a course to Japan. However, the weather prevents them from moving in a straight course, and Humphrey fights for several days to keep the boat afloat. They spend several days in a fog bank, which threatens to steal their resolve. His love for Maud is Humphrey’s main motivation, as he “[loves] Maud with an increasing love” (212). The pair struggle to survive through several days and nights of storms before they see land on the horizon.

As neither can swim, they must navigate the boat into one of the calmer coves of the island’s precipitous and rocky coastline. There passes a moment in which Humphrey doubts their ability to make it onto land, and he contemplates throwing them both into the ocean while declaring his love. Miraculously, the current takes them clear of the dangerous promontories and into a cove, where they find a rookery of seals. This excites them as it suggests there may be seal hunters nearby.

They pass by the seal’s cove as the current carries them into another with calmer waters that they can row the boat through straight to shore.