Final answer:
Initially, the men at sea mistook the drowned man for a simple floating stick due to their fatigue and desperation. This tragic error highlights the profound struggle for survival and the theme of nature's indifference in their dire situation.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the drowned man was first spotted, he was mistaken for a floating stick by the captain and his companion in their dire situation at sea. Amidst the turmoil of the sea, with men fatigued from their survival efforts, the approach towards what is presumed to be a drowned man turns out to be an intense and desperate rescue.
Initially, not recognizing the true nature of the situation, the water-soaked figures in the boat row towards what they believe to be debris, unaware that it is a fellow man struggling amidst the waves.
The narrative captures the despair of men at sea, who contemplate the harshness of fate and the indifference of nature to human suffering, personified by the 'seven mad gods who rule the sea'.