They had no means of propelling it, and, had they possessed such means, no one knew what course to follow.

It looked as if days and nights must be passed on the raft, until one by one the survivors succumbed or ended their sufferings by plunging into the sea which they had striven so hard to escape.
Far away, however, on the verge of the horizon, an object rose dimly to view, which, after carefully studying for some time, the shipwrecked people agreed was a small island, but, as we have stated, they were powerless to propel their craft thither, and could only gaze and sigh for the refuge that was as much beyond their reach, as though it were a thousand leagues distant.
"I am going to swim to it!" exclaimed Miss Lacy.
"Are you mad ?" demanded the astonished chief-officer; "it is utterly impossible." "I prefer to risk it rather than remain here." "But it is much further off than it seems to be; these waters are full of sharks and you will never live to swim half the distance.

Dismiss the idea at once." "Good-by!" And the brave woman took a header into the sea, and with a long graceful stroke, that compelled the admiration of every one of the amazed survivors, began swimming toward the supposed refuge.
But the chief-officer knew more about the difficulties in her way than she did.

She grievously miscalculated the distance, and, though she was a swimmer of amazing skill and endurance, she began to believe she had undertaken a task beyond her power of accomplishment.
She swam directly toward the island, husbanding her strength like a wise person, but making steady progress, until before the afternoon was half gone, she knew she had placed many a long mile behind her.

When she looked back she could see nothing of the raft and her friends, but as she rose on the crest of an immense swell, she plainly discerned the island.