Books: The China Voyage

The China Voyage

(Extract)

'Most shocking of all were the impacts of the waves which happened to peak and crest as they swept up to the raft. Then the top of the wave broke free and smashed into the side of the raft, while the body of the wave washed under. The impact was shattering: shaking the entire raft, and felt especially clearly inside the flimsy bamboo cabin which shook and bent under the blows, "Like a missile landing," was Joe's description, as tons of water thundered right over the cabin, small timbers lashed together, creaked and groaned, and sometimes split with a terrifying crack. The cabins bent and buckled under the weight of water, twisting and squashing out of shape. The same thought was in everyone's minds: will the bamboo-and-leaf cabins survive or will they be washed away as their bindings snap, or will they simply fold inwards trapping their occupants ?"

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