ow to see him.
His voice was as strong as ever; his pulse beat as regularly, and his
nerves seemed as strong as usual. After pointing out to him how
grateful he should feel to our Almighty Father for his preservation from
an early and dreadful death, I begged him to tell me how he had
contrived to keep himself so long afloat. He replied to me in the
following words:--`Why, sir, you see as soon as I came up again, after I
had first struck the water, I looked out for the ship, and, getting
sight of her running away from me, I remembered how it happened I was
there, and knew there would be no use swimming after her or singing out.
Then, sir, I felt very certain you would not let me drown without an
attempt to pick me up, and that there were plenty of fine fellows on
board who would be anxious to man a boat to come to my assistance, if
you thought a boat could swim. Then, thinks I to myself, a man can die
but once, and if it's my turn to-day, why, there's no help for it. Yet
I didn't think all the time that I was likely to lose the number of my
mess, do ye see, sir. The next thought that came to me was, if I am to
drown, it's as well to drown without clothes as with them; and if I get
them off, why, there's a better chance of my keeping afloat till a boat
can be lowered to pick me up; so I kicked off my shoes, and then I got
off my jacket, and then, waiting till I could get hold of the two legs
at once, I drew off my trousers in a moment. My shirt was soon off me,
but I took care to roll up the tails, so as not to get them over my
face. As I rose on the top of the sea, I caught sight of the ship as
you wore her round here, and that gave me courage, for I felt I was not
to be deserted; indeed, I had no fear of that. Then I knew that there
would be no use swimming; so all I did was to throw myself on my back
and float till you came up to me. I thought the time was somewhat long,
I own. When the ship got back, I saw her hove to away down to leeward,
but I did not like to sing out for fear of tiring myself, and thought
you would not hear me; and I fancied also that a boat would at once have
been lowered to come and look for me. Well, sir, I waited, thinking the
time was very long, and hearing no sound, yet still I could see the ship
hove to, and you may be sure I did not take my eyes from off her; when
at last I heard your voice give the order to wear ship again. Then
thinks I to myself, now or never's the time to sin