book from the captain, who had read it at home, and I heard him only a
few days before his death regretting that he had not got one. I believe
our ship was not worse than others, and to the best of my belief not one
of the South Sea whalers we fell in with had a Bible on board. The
crews, as a rule, were lawless reprobates, and the masters petty
tyrants, who cared nothing for the men, provided they would work to get
their ships full. We sailed for England by the way of Cape Horn. I
wished to go there because I wished to see what sort of a country it
was, and to enjoy the amusements of which I heard the men talking. We
had a prosperous passage till we were in the latitude of the Falkland
Islands, when we were caught in a heavy gale, and after knocking about
for some time in thick weather, when no observation could be obtained,
we found ourselves with breakers under our lee, and a rocky shore
beyond. The masts were cut away and anchors let go, but to no purpose;
the ship parting from her anchors was driven on the rocks. Nearly half
the crew were washed away, and the rest of us succeeded in gaining the
shore, soon after which the ship went to pieces, and all the cargo which
we had toiled so hard to collect was returned to the sea from whence it
was obtained. Very few provisions came on shore, but there was a fair
supply of canvas and plenty of ropes. We at once therefore put up a
tent for ourselves, and placed all our more valuable possessions under
cover. With some spars which came on shore we formed a lofty flagstaff,
on which we hoisted a flag, in the hope that it might be seen by some
passing vessel. There were springs of good water near the shore, and as
long as our provisions lasted we got on pretty well, but when they began
to fail the men looked at each other and asked, `What next?'

"`Oh, some ship must be passing soon, and will take us off,' cried out
two or three, who were unwilling to be placed on reduced rations.

"`But suppose no ship does pass, lads, what will you do? I have to tell
you that, with the greatest economy, our provisions will not last
another ten days,' said the first mate, who was now captain. `It is
barren and sandy here, but maybe, if we push our way across the island,
we may find a richer country, and some animals on which we may live.'

"Some agreed to the mate's proposal, others determined to remain on the
sea-shore. I accompanied the mate. The provisions were equally
div