firmly lashing myself to the same arm with the
loose end of the halliard.

I was now much better off than when I first found myself overboard, for
I had a stout spar to support me, and might remain afloat until I fell
off from exhaustion; moreover, even when my end of the spar was
submerged--as of course it very frequently was--I was never buried
deeper than my armpits, while there were moments when I was hove up
clear out of the water altogether. Besides, the water was quite warm.
I was therefore by no means uncomfortable, notwithstanding my situation.

Having made myself secure, I next began to look about me with the view
of ascertaining how many of my companions in misfortune had survived the
catastrophe; for I had not a doubt that a few at least would be as lucky
as myself. But to my horror I found that I was the sole occupant of
this particular mass of wreckage; and although I shouted at the full
power of my lungs until I was hoarse, in the hope that if there were any
more survivors they would hear me and thus be guided to the same refuge
that I had gained, the sole response was the howling of the gale and the
hissing wash of the breaking seas. True, there was a moment when I
fancied that I heard a faint shout in reply to my cries, but I concluded
that it was only imaginary, for I did not hear--or fancy that I heard--
it again. Then, as opportunity offered, I looked about me in quest of
other wreckage, thinking that possibly there might be a few fragments to
some of which one or more of my shipmates might be clinging, but the
darkness was so intense that I could not see farther than some two or
three fathoms in either direction; and indeed it was only the faint
phosphorescent light given off by the breaking seas that enabled me to
see anything at all, even at that short distance. The thought occurred
to me that, as whatever floating wreckage there might be would all drive
in the same direction, possibly I might be more fortunate in the
morning; and with this reflection I composed myself as well as I could
to rest, for I was by this time literally half-dead with fatigue.

So utterly exhausted was I that, despite my desperate plight, I believe
I actually did lose consciousness in sleep at brief intervals during
that terrible night, for the dawn came very much more speedily than I
had dared to hope, and with its appearance the gale broke, the wind
perceptibly moderating with the rising of the sun. As soon as it