Just below my bunk, Seaman first Class Luis Rengifo snored like a trombone. I don't know what he was dreaming about, but the certainly wouldn't have slept so soundly had he known that eight days later he would be dead at the bottom of the sea" (Chapter I, p. 5).

"I think that an old sailor who has traveled the whole world can determine by the movement of his ship which sea he is sailing." (Chapter 2, p. 11).

"It was as if in that instant I had awakened from a moment's deep sleep. It dawned on me that I wasn't alone in the sea. There, only a few meters away, my mates were shouting to alone another and trying to stay afloat" (Chapter 3, p. 19).

"At twilight the transparent sea provided a lovely spectacle. Fish of every color approached the raft. Enormous yellow and green fish, fish striped in blue and...