It was some time before I could summon resolution to go down through the trees and bushes upon the flank of the headland to the beach. At last I did it at a run; and as I emerged from the thicket upon the sand, I heard some other body come crashing after me. At that I completely lost my head with fear, and began running along the sand. Forthwith there came the swift patter of soft feet in pursuit. I gave a wild cry, and redoubled my pace. Some dim, black things about three or four times the size of rabbits went running or hopping up from the beach towards the bushes as I passed.
The narrator describes a moment of intense fear and hesitation as he contemplates descending through the trees to the beach. After gathering the courage to run down the headland, he feels a sudden panic when he realizes he is not alone; something is following closely behind him. This fear propels him to sprint along the sand, filled with dread.
As he runs, he hears the sound of soft footsteps chasing him, further heightening his terror. While fleeing, he notices strange, large creatures, much bigger than rabbits, moving away from the beach, adding to the surreal and frightening atmosphere of the encounter.
