Probably painted soon after Hennell was discharged 'recovered' (on 31 October 1935) from Claybury psychiatric hospital, Essex, as described in his book The witnesses (1938). On the right a turbulent seascape buffeting a solitary seaman in a Turner-like sky filled with spume. On the left is a punt or gondola guided by a serene classical steersman, whose vessel is occupied by a big classical authority-figure resembling Blake's Urizen (the establishment), which a hopeless figure attempts to catch up with.