Now I must bail afresh, and had the fish renewed its onset, I should have been lost.

But not finding wood and iron to its taste, it went away for a while, although I saw its fin from time to time for the space of some hours.

I bailed with my hands till I could lift the water no longer, then making shift to take off my boot, I bailed with that.

Soon the edge of the cask stood twelve inches above the water, and I did not lighten it further, fearing lest it should overturn.

Now I had time to rest and to remember that all this was of no avail, since I must die at last either by the sea or because of thirst, and I lamented that my cowardice had only sufficed to prolong my sufferings.
Then I prayed to God to succour me, and never did I pray more heartily than in that hour, and when I had finished praying some sort of peace and hope fell upon me.