It was no wonder that the coastguard was surprised, or even awed, for not often can such a sight have been seen. The man was simply fastened by his hands, tied one over the other, to a spoke of the wheel. Between the inner hand and the wood was a crucifix, the set of beads on which it was fastened being around both wrists and wheel, and all kept fast by the binding cords.

The poor fellow may have been seated at one time, but the flapping and buffeting of the sails had worked through the rudder of the wheel and had dragged him to and fro, so that the cords with which he was tied had cut the flesh to the bone.

Accurate note was made of the state of things, and a doctor, Surgeon J. M. Caffyn, of 33, East Elliot Place, who came immediately after me, declared, after making examination, that the man must have been dead for two days. In his pocket was a bottle, carefully corked, empty save for a little roll of paper, which proved to be the addendum to the log. The coastguard said the man must have tied up his own hands, fastening the knots with his teeth.

Vocabulary:

Awe: Astonishment and wonder
Spoke: A bar going from the middle of a wheel to the edge
Crucifix: A cross with the image of Christ attached
Cord: Thin rope use to tie things
Buffeting: Many blows from something large
To and fro: Backwards and forwards
Corked: A soft tree bark used to close wine bottles
Save: Here it means 'except for'
Addendum: Something added to an official document
Fasten: Here it means 'tie' or 'make secure'