avoided. I therefore set the boat going on her
correct compass course, and then, releasing the yoke-lines, I
endeavoured to render the craft self-steering by adjusting the fore and
mizen sheets. It took me the best part of half an hour to accomplish
this to my complete satisfaction, but I did it at length and, this done,
I went aloft and took a good look round. There was nothing in sight--
indeed I scarcely expected to see anything in the part of the ocean
which I had then reached; I therefore descended and rested until dinner-
time, indulging in another nap until the hour for my evening meal, in
preparation for an all-night watch.

The weather had now become quite settled, and was as favourable as it
could possibly be to persons who, like myself, were engaged upon an
ocean voyage in an open boat. The wind still held steadily in the
western quarter, enabling me to lay my course with eased sheets, while
its strength was sufficient to push the boat along under whole canvas at
a speed of about five knots, with no need to keep one's eye continually
watching the lee gunwale. My only difficulty at this time was the lack
of a light to illuminate the boat compass at night, the can containing
the supply of lamp oil seeming to have gone adrift when the boat was
capsized. I was therefore compelled to steer entirely by the stars, and
I was sometimes disturbed by an uneasy doubt as to whether I might not
occasionally have deviated slightly from my proper course by holding on
to one particular star for too long a time. In all other respects I did
splendidly.

The morning of the tenth day of this remarkable but, on the whole,
uneventful voyage of mine in the life-boat dawned auspiciously, and the
daily routine into which I had settled began. I went aloft for a look
round, and then, the horizon being empty, I had breakfast; after which,
with the boat steering herself, I stretched myself out for a short
sleep.

I must have slept for perhaps two hours when some mysterious influence
awoke me, and I started up, gazing eagerly about me. There was still
nothing in sight from the low elevation of the boat herself, but being
awake I decided to have a look round from aloft. In another minute I
was straddling the yard of the main lug, from which position, as the
boat floated up on a ridge of swell, I caught a momentary glimpse of
something gleaming white in the brilliant sunshine right ahead. It
could, of course, be but one thing,