The boats were lowered, and, the sea being now quite calm, the passengers were emptied into them.
By what accident I was left behind I cannot tell.

I had been talking to the second mate and telling him of a rather similar experience of mine in the China Sea, and holding him by the coat as I did so, when quite suddenly he took me by the shoulders, and rushing me into the deserted smoking-room said, "Sit there, Mr.Borus, till I come back for you." The fellow spoke in such a menacing way that I thought it wiser to comply.
When I came out they were all gone.

By good fortune I found one of the ship's rafts still lying on the deck.

I gathered together such articles as might be of use and contrived, though how I do not know, to launch it into the sea.
On my second morning on my raft I was sitting quietly polishing my boots and talking to myself when I became aware of an object floating in the sea close beside the raft.

Judge of my feelings when I realized it to be the inanimate body of a girl.