In a short time parts of the wreck began to come down the river. We picked up a broken door, and other pieces of the wood-work, but nothing of any great value. We kept a sharp lookout for any survivors who might have been overlooked by the boats about us; but as yet we saw none, or even any who had been killed. Finding we could be of no service, I was about to turn the raft, and resume our voyage, when Flora called my attention to an object floating at some distance from us.
"It's a woman, Buckland!" exclaimed she, clasping my arm with convulsive energy.
"So it is," I replied, with my heart almost in my throat.
We were all too young and inexperienced to behold a human being apparently at the gates of death without a tremendous sensation of horror.
"Hookie!" gasped Sim, after he had gazed an instant at the object, his breath collapsing as he uttered the favorite expression.
"Can't you save her?" cried Flora, in trembling tones.
"O, do save her. It's terrible."
"She is clinging to a piece of wood, and has her head quite out of water," I added, as I turned the raft.
The unfortunate person was still some distance farther up the stream than the raft. I told Sim to trim the sail, and I hoped to get my clumsy craft in such a position that the current would bring the woman towards it, so that we could intercept her.