ere rising again; while my
companion was so effectually supported by the lifebuoy that she remained
quite dry above the shoulders. The water was not at all cold, indeed it
was of quite a pleasant temperature, so I anticipated no discomfort on
that account, either for my companion or myself. Now--that we were
actually overboard my first anxiety was to place as great a distance as
possible between ourselves and the sinking ship, so that we might
perchance escape being dragged down by her when she should founder. I
therefore at once thrust my left arm through one of the beckets of the
lifebuoy, and struck out with all my strength away from the ship,
swimming athwart the sea, so that it might not break in our faces, and
towing my companion after me. I contrived to place a distance of about
a hundred fathoms between us and the ship before she disappeared--which
was very considerably more than I had dared to hope for when we jumped
overboard--and although this did not carry us quite clear of the vortex
created by the sinking ship, it carried us so far away that we were only
dragged back somewhat toward the centre, without being taken under. I
swam for another ten minutes, and then, deeming that we were so far
distant as to be free from all danger of injury by the rising of
floating wreckage under us, it seemed advisable to heave-to and husband
my strength a little, since I could not tell to what extent it might be
taxed in the immediate future. As to my companion, she was put to no
exertion whatever, the lifebuoy supporting her perfectly; and when I
inquired as to her welfare she informed me that she felt quite as
comfortable and as much at ease as could be reasonably expected under
the circumstances.

I allowed a quarter of an hour--as nearly as I could guess it--to elapse
after the disappearance of the ship; and then, believing that whatever
wreckage was likely to float up from her to the surface would already
have done so, I thought we might safely return to the scene of the
catastrophe, since it was upon the existence of a certain amount of
floating wreckage that I built such slight hope as I entertained of our
ultimate preservation. I knew pretty exactly the bearings of the spot
where the ship had gone down--having taken them by the moon--and, thus
guided, I struck out over the way that we had recently travelled, towing
Miss Onslow after me; and as I swam I could not help a feeling of
surprise at the height of the