water；　and　that　arrested　his　dive；　and　brought　him　up　with　a　slant；
  shocked　and　panting；　drenched　and　confused。　　The　next　moment　he
  saw；　as　through　a　foghis　eyes　being　full　of　watersomething　fall
  from　the　ship。　　He　breasted　the　big　waves；　and　swam　towards　it：　it
  rose　on　the　top　of　a　wave；　and　he　saw　it　was　a　life…buoy。
  Encumbered　with　wet　clothes；　he　seemed　impotent　in　the　big　waves；
  they　threw　him　up　so　high；　and　down　so　low。
  Almost　exhausted；　he　got　to　the　life…buoy；　and　clutched　it　with　a
  fierce　grasp　and　a　wild　cry　of　delight。　　He　got　it　over　his　head；
  and；　placing　his　arms　round　the　buoyant　circle；　stood　with　his
  breast　and　head　out　of　water；　gasping。
  He　now　drew　a　long　breath；　and　got　his　wet　hair　out　of　his　eyes；
  already　smarting　with　salt　water；　and；　raising　himself　on　the　buoy；
  looked　out　for　help。
  He　saw；　to　his　great　concern；　the　ship　already　at　a　distance。　　She
  seemed　to　have　flown；　and　she　was　still　drifting　fast　away　from
  him。
  He　saw　no　signs　of　help。　　His　heart　began　to　turn　as　cold　as　his
  drenched　body。　　A　horrible　fear　crossed　him。
  But　presently　he　saw　the　weather…boat　filled；　and　fall　into　the
  water；　and　then　a　wave　rolled　between　him　and　the　ship；　and　he　only
  saw　her　topmast。
  The　next　time　he　rose　on　a　mighty　wave　he　saw　the　boats　together
  astern　of　the　vessel；　but　not　coming　his　way；　and　the　gloom　was
  thickening；　the　ship　becoming　indistinct；　and　all　was　doubt　and
  horror。
  A　life　of　agony　passed　in　a　few　minutes。
  He　rose　and　fell　like　a　cork　on　the　buoyant　wavesrose　and　fell；
  and　saw　nothing　but　the　ship's　lights；　now　terribly　distant。
  But　at　last；　as　he　rose　and　fell；　he　caught　a　few　fitful　glimpses
  of　a　smaller　light　rising　and　falling　like　himself。　　〃A　boat！〃　he
  cried；　and　raising　himself　as　high　as　he　could；　shouted；　cried；
  implored　for　help。　　He　stretched　his　hands　across　the　water。　　〃This
  way！　this　way！〃
  The　light　kept　moving；　but　it　came　no　nearer。　　They　had　greatly
  underrated　the　drift。　　The　other　boat　had　no　light。
  Minutes　passed　of　suspense；　hope；　doubt；　dismay；　terror。　　Those
  minutes　seemed　hours。
  In　the　agony　of　suspense　the　quaking　heart　sent　beads　of　sweat　to
  the　brow；　though　the　body　was　immersed。
  And　the　gloom　deepened；　and　the　cold　waves　flung　him　up　to　heaven
  with　their　giant　arms；　and　then　down　again　to　hell：　and　still　that
  light；　his　only　hope；　was　several　hundred　yards　from　him。
  Only　for　a　moment　at　a　time　could　his　eyeballs；　straining　with
  agony；　catch　this　will…o'…the…wisp；　the　boat's　light。　　It　groped
  the　sea　up　and　down；　but　came　no　near。
  When　what　seemed　days　of　agony　had　passed；　suddenly　a　rocket　rose
  in　the　horizonso　it　seemed　to　him。
  The　lost　man　gave　a　shriek　of　joy；　so　prone　are　we　to　interpret
  things　hopefully。
  Misery！　　The　next　time　he　saw　that　little　light；　that　solitary
  spark　of　hope；　it　was　not　quite　so　near　as　before。　　A　mortal
  sickness　fell　on　his　heart。　　The　ship　had　recalled　the　boats　by
  rocket。
  He　shrieked；　he　cried；　he　screamed；　he　raved。　　〃Oh；　Rosa！　Rosa！　for
  her　sake；　men；　men；　do　not　leave　me。　　I　am　here！　here！〃
  In　vain。　　The　miserable　man　saw　the　boat's　little　light　retire；
  recede；　and　melt　into　the　ship's　larger　light；　and　that　light
  glided　away。
  Then；　a　cold；　deadly　stupor　fell　on　him。　　Then；　death's　icy　claw
  seized　his　heart；　and　seemed　to　run　from　it　to　every　part　of　him。
  He　was　a　dead　man。　　Only　a　question　of　time。　　Nothing　to　gain　by
  floating。
  But　the　despairing　mind　could　not　quit　the　world　in　peace；　and　even
  here　in　the　cold；　cruel　sea；　the　quivering　body　clung　to　this
  fragment　of　life；　and　winced　at　death's　touch；　though　more
  merciful。
  He　despised　this　weakness；　he　raged　at　it；　he　could　not　overcome
  it。
  Unable　to　live　or　to　die；　condemned　to　float　slowly；　hour　by　hour；
  down　into　death's　jaws。
  To　a　long；　death…like　stupor　succeeded　frenzy。　　Fury　seized　this
  great　and　long…suffering　mind。　　It　rose　against　the　cruelty　and
  injustice　of　his　fate。　　He　cursed　the　world；　whose　stupidity　had
  driven　him　to　sea；　he　cursed　remorseless　nature；　and　at　last　he
  railed　on　the　God　who　made　him；　and　made　the　cruel　water；　that　was
  waiting　for　his　body。　　〃God's　justice！　　God's　mercy！　　God's　power！
  they　are　all　lies；〃　he　shouted；　〃dreams；　chimeras；　like　Him　the
  all…powerful　and　good；　men　babble　of　by　the　fire。　　If　there　was　a
  God　more　powerful　than　the　sea；　and　only　half　as　good　as　men　are；
  he　would　pity　my　poor　Rosa　and　me；　and　send　a　hurricane　to　drive
  those　caitiffs　back　to　the　wretch　they　have　abandoned。　　Nature
  alone　is　mighty。　　Oh；　if　I　could　have　her　on　my　side；　and　only　God
  against　me！　　But　she　is　as　deaf　to　prayer　as　He　is：　as　mechanical
  and　remorseless。　　I　am　a　bubble　melting　into　the　sea。　　Soul　I　have
  none；　my　body　will　soon　be　nothing；　nothing。　　So　ends　an　honest；
  loving　life。　　I　always　tried　to　love　my　fellow…creatures。　　Curse
  them！　curse　them！　　Curse　the　earth！　　Curse　the　sea！　　Curse　all
  nature：　there　is　no　other　God　for　me　to　curse。〃
  The　moon　came　out。
  He　raised　his　head　and　staring　eyeballs；　and　cursed　her。
  The　wind　began　to　whistle；　and　flung　spray　in　his　face。
  He　raised　his　fallen　head　and　staring　eyeballs；　and　cursed　the
  wind。
  While　he　was　thus　raving；　he　became　sensible　of　a　black　object　to
  windward。
  It　looked　like　a　rail；　and　a　man　leaning　on　it。
  He　stared；　he　cleared　the　wet　hair　from　his　eyes；　and　stared　again。
  The　thing；　being　larger　than　himself　and　partly　out　of　water；　was
  drifting　to　leeward　faster　than　himself。
  He　stared　and　trembled；　and　at　last　it　came　nearly　abreast；　black；
  black。
  He　gave　a　loud　cry；　and　tried　to　swim　towards　it；　but　encumbered
  with　his　life…buoy；　he　made　little　progress。　　The　thing　drifted
  abreast　of　him；　but　ten　yards　distant。
  As　they　each　rose　high　upon　the　waves；　he　saw　it　plainly。
  It　was　the　very　raft　that　had　been　the　innocent　cause　of　his　sad
  fate。
  He　shouted　with　hope；　he　swam；　he　struggled；　he　got　near　it；　but
  not　to　it；　it　drifted　past；　and　he　lost　his　chance　of　intercepting
  it。　　He　struggled　after　it。　　The　life…buoy　would　not　let　him　catch
  it。
  Then　he　gave　a　cry　of　agony；　rage；　despair；　and　flung　off　the　life…
  buoy；　and　risked　all　on　this　one　chance。
  He　gains　a　little　on　the　raft。
  He　loses。
  He　gains：　he　cries；　〃Rosa！　　Rosa！〃　and　struggles　with　all　his　soul；
  as　well　as　his　body：　he　gains。
  But　when　almost　within　reach；　a　wave　half　drowns　him；　and　he　loses。
  He　cries；　〃Rosa！　　Rosa！〃　and　swims　high　and　strong。　　〃Rosa！　　Rosa！
  Rosa！〃
  He　is　near　it。　　He　cries；　〃Rosa！　　Rosa！〃　and　with　all　the　energy　of
  love　and　life　flings　himself　almost　out　of　the　water；　and　catches
  hold　of　the　nearest　thing　on　the　raft。
  It　was　the　dead　man's　leg。
  It　seemed　as　if　it　would　come　away　in　his　grasp。　　He　dared　not　try
  to　pull　himself　up　by　that。　　But　he　held　on　by　it；　panting；
  exhausting；　faint。
  This　faintness　terrified　him。　　〃Oh；〃　thought　he；　〃if　I　faint　now；
  all　is　over。〃
  Holding　by　that　terrible　and　strange　support；　he　made　a　grasp；　and
  caught　hold　of　the　woodwork　at　the　bottom　of　the　rail。　　He　tried　to
  draw　himself　up。　　Impossible。
  He　was　no　better　off　than　with　his　life…buoy。
  But　in　situations　so　dreadful；　men　think　fast；　he　worked　gradually
  round　the　bottom　of　the　raft　by　his　hands；　till　he　got　to　leeward；
  still　holding　on。　　There　he　found　a　solid　block　of　wood　at　the　edge
  of　the　raft。　　He　prised　himself　carefully　up；　the　raft　in　that　part
  then　sank　a　little：　he　got　his　knee　upon　the　timber　of　the　raft；
  and　with　a　wild　cry　seized　the　nearest　upright；　and　threw　both　arms
  round　it　and　clung　tight。　　Then　first　he　found　breath　to　speak。
  〃THANK　GOD！〃　he　cried；　kneeling　on　the　timber；　and　grasping　the
  upright　post〃OH；　THANK　GOD！　THANK　GOD！〃
  CHAPTER　XVI。
  〃Thank　God！〃　why；　according　to　his　theory；　it　should　have　been
  〃Thank　Nature。〃　　But　I　observe　that；　in　such　cases；　even
  philosophers　are　ungrateful　to　the　mistress　they　worship。
  Our　philosopher　not　only　thanked　God；　but　being　on　his　knees；
  prayed　forgiveness　for　his　late　ravings；　prayed　hard；　with　one　arm
  curled　round　the　upright；　lest　the　sea；　which　ever　and　anon　rushed
  over　the　bottom　of　the　raft；　should　swallow　him　up　in　a　moment。
  Then　he　rose　carefully；　and　wedged　himself　into　the　corner　of　the
  raft　opposite　to　that　other　figure；　ominous　relic　of　the　wild
  voyage　the　new…comer　had　entered　upon；　he　put　both　arms　over　the
  rail；　and　stood　erect。
  The　moon　was　now　up；　but　so　was　the　breeze：　fleecy　clouds　flew　with
  vast　rapidity　across　her　bright　face；　and　it　was　by　fitful　though
  vivid　glances　Staines　examined　the　raft　and　his　companion。
  The　raft　was　large；　and　well　made　of　timbers　tied　and　nailed
  together；　and　a　strong　rail　ran　round　it　resting　on　several
  uprights。　　There　were　also　some　blocks　of　a　very　light　wood　screwed
  to　the　horizontal　timbers；　and　these　made　it　float　high。
  But　what　arrested　and　fascinated　the　man's　gaze　was　his　dead
  companion；　sole　survivor；　doubtless；　of　a　horrible　voyage；　since
  the　raft　was　not　made　for　one；　nor　by　one。
  It　was　a　skeleton；　or　nearly；　whose　clothes　the　seabirds　had　torn；
  and　pecked　every　limb　in　all　the　fleshy　parts；　the　rest　of　the　body
  had　dried　to　dark　leather　on　the　bones。　　The　head　was　l