Another sea came over the lee side and washed me overboard feet first. This sea sent a lot of water into the saloon, the sliding door of which was wide open. After I got washed on board again, I went below into the saloon and found the water rushing about there. The pantry window was then open, and the sea coming in. The steward and I succeeded in closing the window and refastening the bolts before we went on deck again. I did not afterwards go below, but the chief mate, steward, and myself on looking down the companion saw that the water was still rising in the saloon. At this time the water on the main deck was up right over the pantry window, so that we could not see it at all. The steward said the window must have been carried away. I do not know what state the engine room and stoke-hole were in then; but shortly afterwards all the people connected with the motive power came on deck, saying they could not remain below on account of the water. I had a conversation with the chief officer concerning the condition of the ship and the weather. I got washed away some little time before the vessel foundered. She went down about half past four with her nose sticking up in the air. I am the only man that was saved out of her. After being nearly sixteen hours in the water, I was ultimately thrown ashore about ten miles from where the ship went down. Cross-examined by Mr. Purves: Before I was wrecked, I did not know exactly what the dimensions of the _Alert_ were. I saw the figures in the papers after the Marine Board enquiry. It is correct when I say this was the lightest cargo I had ever known on board the vessel. It was the general talk of everybody on board about the cargo being the smallest we ever had. I could not swear that the captain said so. The crew said it before we left the wharf at Bairnsdale, and they said it when they were putting their life-belts on before the ship went down. _Question._—You received certain moneys from a fund subscribed by the public? _Answer._—Yes. _Q._—Do you know whether Messrs. Huddart, Parker and Co. contributed to that fund? _A._—It was advertised in the newspapers that they contributed £100 to the fund, and from the £1200 subscribed by the public I received £25. _Q._—Did you have any bad weather on this particular voyage? _A._—Not exceptionally bad. _Q._—Did you have a choppy sea,—mind I don’t mean a sea cook’s chops? (Laughter.) _A._—Yes, we had some choppy seas. _Q._—Was it blowing a gale? _A._—Not before we reached the Schanck. _Q._—Do you know how many miles you went from seven o’clock till four? _A._—About nine or ten knots an hour. _Q._—At three o’clock you were two miles east of the Schanck? _A._—Yes; and at four o’clock we were six or seven miles to windward of the Schanck. _Q._—You were going out to sea from two miles until the time you foundered? _A._—No; we were making for the Heads when she went down.