three o’clock in the morning
She struggled on until her stiffened arms and bleeding hands fell powerless , and , losing consciousness , she was floated along in her frail kayak at the mercy of winds and waves . She did not know how long this lasted , she remembered nothing more , until a sudden shock roused her , her kayak had struck against something , it opened beneath her , and she was plunged into cold water , the freshness of which revived her . A few moments later , she was flung upon the sand in a dying state by a large wave . This had taken place the night before , just before dawn -- that is to say , about two or three o'clock in the morning . Kalumah had then been seventy hours at sea since she embarked ! The young native had no idea where she had been thrown , whether on the continent or on the floating island , which she had so bravely sought , but she hoped the latter . Yes , hoped that she had reached her friends , although she knew that the wind and current had driven them into the open sea , and not towards the coast !