tirely, a large bird came and landed on the boat and looked at me as
I stood at the tiller. The other four at this time were very weak from
want of food and from dysentery; they were more dead than alive. I
caught the bird, tore off the feathers, cut it up in five pieces, and
we all had a good meal. It was raw, but it tasted good. About
thirty-six hours after this, just at break of day, as I was sitting at
the tiller, I felt something strike my cheek. It was a little
flying-fish. I caught it, and soon a school of them came skipping
along, several dropping on deck. I captured five or six of them and
they gave us the last meal we had on the gig: for at daylight I saw
land--Tahoora or Kaula Rock."

Our captain has made the following report to the Secretary of the
Navy, which adds to and confirms the story of the lone survivor of the
gig:--

HONOLULU, HAWAIIAN ISLANDS,
_January 18, 1871._

SIR:--I forward herewith the brief report called for by
regulation of the death of Lieutenant J.G. Talbot (and also
three of the crew of the United States Steamer Saginaw) at the
island of Kauai (Hawaiian Group).

I feel that something more is due to these devoted and gallant
friends, who so nobly risked their lives to save those of their
shipmates, and I beg leave to report the following facts
regarding their voyage from Ocean Island and its melancholy
conclusion.

The boat (which had been the Saginaw's gig and was a whaleboat
of very fine model) was prepared for the voyage with the
greatest care. She was raised on the gunwale eight inches,
decked over, and had new sails, etc.

The boat left Ocean Island November 18, 1870. The route
indicated by me to Lieutenant Talbot was to steer to the
northward "by the wind" until he got to the latitude of about 32
degrees north, and then to make his way to the eastward until he
could "lay" the Hawaiian Islands with the northeast trade winds.
He seems to have followed about that route. The boat lost her
sea anchor and oars in a gale of wind and a good deal of her
provision was spoiled by salt water. The navigation instruments,
too, were of but little use, on account of the lively motions of
the boat. When she was supposed to be in the longitude of Kauai
she was really about one and one half degrees to the westward;
thus,