"Their eyes must have glinted in strange ways as they gazed steadily astern. Viewed from a balcony, the whole thing would doubtless have been weirdly picturesque" (Visual Imagery)
In this example of visual imagery, the narrator briefly leaves the close perspective confined to the boat and imagines what the men might have looked like from a distance. The narrator recognizes that there would likely be a romantic quality to the men if viewed from afar, but then quickly returns to the minds of the men, who are so preoccupied with their survival that abstract thoughts are impossible.
"His eyes chanced on a small, still thing on the edge of the swaying horizon. It was precisely like the point of a pin" (Visual)
In this visual image, the correspondent finally sees the distant lighthouse that the other men have been discussing. The revelation that the lighthouse is so tiny deflates the hopeful mood. In contrast to the expectant way the other men discuss it, it dismays the correspondent to discover it is no larger than a pinhead.
"The surf's roar was here dulled, but its tone was nevertheless thunderous and mighty" (Auditory)
To emphasize the pervasive noise of the waves, the narrator likens the sea sound to a thunderous roar. This auditory image helps the reader better understand the violence of the waves.
