Robert Nelson
This is the timeline of the horrific journey this raft went through: 10am Wednesday 24th Jan: Rafts Launched with chief cook Sam Hancock, fireman Max Stensler, fireman George Long, waiter Frank Connors, Unknown, steward A.T. Rolph, passenger W. Wilson, passenger Harry Gregory, waiter John Wallace and third assistant engineer Robert Nelson. 4pm Wednesday 24th Jan: Raft drifts past Cape Beale. 4-5pm Wednesday 24th Jan: After passing Cape Beale Unknown dies of exposure and is thrown overboard. 4-5pm Wednesday 24th Jan: Rolph jumped overboard to swim to shore. Others watch as he is dashed against the rocks. 5-6pm Wednesday 24th Jan: Wilson died of exposure and is thrown off the raft, leaving 7 on board. 1159pm(midnight Wed night) Wed 24th Jan: Raft Lands on Turret Island with Hancock, Stensler, Long, Connors barely alive, Gregory and Nelson nearly dead from exposure and Wallace dead from exposure. Nelson remained in a stupor all night though Gregory It was during this time that Gregory attacked Hancock and after being fought off, Gregory remained still the rest of the night. 8am(daylight Thurs morning) Thurs 25th Jan: Hancock, Stensler, Long and Connors head inland and along the coast in search of help. 9am Thurs 25th Jan: Connors splits from Hancock, Stensler and Long, heading inland in search of a lighthouse Connors believed he saw. Hancock believed Connors was losing his mind and wanted to keep close to the beach. 12pm Thurs 25th Jan: Hancock, Stensler and Long found by two First Nations locals. 9pm Thurs 25th Jan, Hancock, Stensler and Long taken by steamer Shamrock to Toquay. 9am Friday 26th Jan Hancock, Stensler and Long taken aboard Salvor and the Salvor learns that Connors is possibly still alive on Turret Island. 11am Friday 26th Jan Salvor anchors off Turret Island and launched two boats to circle the island in either direction to find Connors. 1pm Friday Jan 26th: The westward boat finds the raft, in the third bay searched, with Gregory, Nelson, and Wallace huddled on the raft. 2pm Friday Jan 26th: The other boat found Connors about a mile eastward, laying on a log in the sun.