In Search of an Unknown Race — page 201: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

VAN. 184 Once in the water he struck out as well as he could, that he might.not be drawn down in the great whirlpool already hissing and circling about the sinking steamer, which slowly settled and disappeared beneath the waves. Till then, Van had not thought of any real peril by reason of the near proximity of the other steamer, and her boats. But where were the boats? And for that matter, where was the steamer P Confused and excited, Van shouted wildly as he saw a faint light glimmering like a starthrough the darkness. He knew it was the steamer’s rapidly receding head light.while the sound of the throbbing screw came fainter and fainter to his ears. In all his varied experience of danger, Van says that he never felt such a sensation of terrible desolation as then came over him. Fully two hundred miles from land, drifting at the mercy of wind and sea, in danger of being leisurely devoured by man-eating sharks, or perishing by thirst or starvation, who shall wonder that Van broke down and for a brief moment gave way to despair? Eomicbdoo CS (E(@) im