istant Engineer]

I had intended putting on board twenty-five pounds of boiled rice
in sealed tins, but discovered one of the tins to be swollen just
before the provisions were started off. Hastily the tins were opened
and the rice found unfit for use. The dessicated potatoes were at once
served out in place of the rice, the cans scalded and again sealed.

With the navigating instruments and the clothing of the voyagers on
board, the boat was pronounced ready and we went to dinner. There was
little conversation during the meal. The impending departure of our
shipmates hung like a pall of gloom over us at the last and was too
thought-absorbing for speech. Talbot seemed to be the most unconcerned
of all, but as I watched him I felt that the brave fellow was assuming
it to encourage the rest of us. I had a long friendly talk with him,
last evening, during which he seemed thoroughly to estimate the risk
he was to take, and entrusted to me his will to be forwarded to his
parents in Kentucky in case he should not survive the journey.

All hands have been given permission to send letters by the boat, so
all papers, together with a bill of exchange for two hundred pounds
sterling, which by order of the captain I have given to Talbot, have
been sealed air tight in a tin case. I sent the following letter to my
home in Philadelphia, which I will insert here, as it partially
represents the state of affairs:--

You will of course be surprised to receive a letter from this
desert island, but it now has a population of ninety-three men,
the Saginaw's crew. In short, we were wrecked on the coral reef
surrounding it, and the Saginaw is no more. We left Midway
Islands on the evening of Friday, October 28, and the next
morning at three o'clock found ourselves thumping on the reef.
We stayed by the ship until daylight, when we got out three
boats and all the provisions we possibly could. We also saved
the safe, part of the ship's books, about one fourth of my
clothing, and my watch. If you could see me now you would hardly
recognize me: a pair of boots almost large enough for two feet
in one, ragged trousers, an old felt hat, and no coat--I keep
that for evenings when it is cool. I have my best uniform saved,
having rescued it to come ashore in. We had to wade about two
hundred feet on the reef, and I stood in water about one half of
the day helping to pass provisions to t