- Resuming his story, Jim tells us that the men in the lifeboat were rescued by the Avondale.
- But of course before we can settle in to the story again, Marlow breaks in with his own information on the Patna and how the news of it broke. He seems to have something against telling stories in chronological order.
- We jump forward in time to Marlow's conversation with a French lieutenant, who was serving aboard the vessel that rescued the Patna.
- The two meet up in Sydney, and Marlow learns from the lieutenant that his French gunboat towed the Patna to safety.
- The French lieutenant recalls being bored during much of this, though he and his crew were very interested in the dead body they found (George).