drift on the open sea, would be
merely to repeat what has so often been written, and which will live for
ever in the memory of sailormen.

When the survivors had all been lifted on board--and many had suffered
badly from frost-bite--the search for two other life-boats which it was
learned had succeeded in getting away from the wrecked liner was
commenced.

Shortly before midday the snowing began again and the wind moaned
dismally through the rigging. Spurts of icy spray shot upwards from the
bows and were blown back across the fore-deck of the ship, searing the
skin of the tired men on watch. For several hours the sea around was
searched in vain. Flurries of snow obscured everything more than a few
hundred yards distant. Then towards four bells the storm passed and the
air cleared of its white fog, but nothing was visible except the wide
sweep of colourless heaving sea and leaden sky.

It came suddenly--an indescribable explosion with a violent uprush of
water, followed by the hoarse shouting of orders, the low groans of
wounded men and the sharp crack of cordite. The bows of the sloop had
been blown off by a torpedo, and the vessel commenced to rapidly settle
down.

The two undamaged boats were lowered and the survivors from the liner
once again cast adrift to face the horrors of the previous night. Rafts
floated free with all that were left of the crew of the sloop--two
officers and thirty men. Their condition was pitiable. There had been no
time to get either food or extra clothing, and so heavily laden were the
light structures of _capuc_ and wood that the occupants were continually
awash.

Barely had the boats and rafts got clear of the ship before she took the
final plunge, going down in a cloud of steam. A few minutes later the
U-boat rose to the surface about 300 yards distant, and after remaining
there for some time, without making any effort to render assistance, she
steamed slowly away.

The boats took the rafts in tow, and the wounded, who suffered terribly
from the cold and the salt water, were all transferred to the former.
One of the women survivors from the torpedoed liner collapsed during the
first hour, and although given extra clothing cheerfully discarded by
the men, she died soon afterwards.

Seas washed over the rafts and sent clouds of stinging spray into the
crowded life-boats. A biting frost stiffened the wet garments, which
rasped the raw and bleeding wrists of the men who tugged at th