There was but one way of reaching this wreckage, and that was to swim to
it, propelling the raft and its fair burden before him. This was a
decidedly formidable task to undertake; for the raft, being rectangular
in shape, and drawing about two feet of water, offered a very
considerable amount of resistance to propulsion, especially under the
unfavourable conditions which were the only ones possible; still there
was no other task upon which Leslie could employ himself--and he felt
that it was imperative to do _something_, if only to while the time away
and interest his companion, thus diverting her thoughts and preventing
her from dwelling too much upon the horrors of their present situation.
He therefore set manfully to work and, shaping a course by the run of
the sea, proceeded to propel the raft to windward, resting his hand upon
its after end and striking out with his legs, in long, steady strokes
that could be maintained for a considerable period without entailing
undue fatigue.