good distance around, the shore being plainly visible, but no sign of any help coming. It could not have been more than 7 p. m., yet it seemed to me that I had been days, instead of hours, in the water. I noticed that all had got on their boards again. The different groups were all ranged round in a semi-circle, and all, except myself, heading shoreward. I had found, by bitter experience, that in heading shoreward I was more exhausted—when turned over, or washed off my raft by a sea—in getting back to my boards than when I faced and headed the sea. At the same time, this method of going head first into the seas kept myself and my raft from drifting shoreward as quickly as the others. I did not mind this drawback, as my hope was strong that the life-boat would pick us all up before dark. Various currents now began to scatter our rafts in all directions. Both Coutts and Williamson (two of the sailors), drifted so close to me that I could speak to them. One after the other I asked how they were getting on. I got no reply and I could plainly see that they were so exhausted that they could not keep up the life struggle much longer. The boards to which Coutts held on were being carried seaward, while those belonging to Williamson were drifting in shore, towards the place where the four-masted ship _Craigburn_ was wrecked. I reckoned we had all drifted some miles shoreward—from where the _Alert_ had foundered—before the tide began to turn, and take our various rafts hither and thither. The seas, if possible, began to get bigger, and break irregularly in all directions around us. I caught sight of Mattison, the second officer, Thompson, the sailor, Kilpatrick, the second engineer, and Mr. Newton, the saloon passenger, all being carried by a current which I judged would take them round Cape Schanck whilst the rest of our number were going, some towards the shore, and some out seaward. [Illustration: ROBERT PONTING “AMONG THE BILLOWS” ON THE NIGHT OF DECEMBER 28, 1893.] [Illustration: Decoration] CHAPTER VII NIGHT. “Mirk and rainy is the nicht, No’ a star in a’ the carie; Lightnings gleam athwart the lift, And winds drive wi’ winter’s fury.” —_Tannah._