t were, alone in the brig, and my reflections,
to be sure, were of the most fearful and gloomy nature. No prospect
offered itself to my view but a lingering death by famine, or, at the
best, by being overwhelmed in the first gale which should spring up,
for in our present exhausted condition we could have no hope of living
through another.

The gnawing hunger which I now experienced was nearly insupportable, and
I felt myself capable of going to any lengths in order to appease
it. With my knife I cut off a small portion of the leather trunk, and
endeavoured to eat it, but found it utterly impossible to swallow a
single morsel, although I fancied that some little alleviation of my
suffering was obtained by chewing small pieces of it and spitting
them out. Toward night my companions awoke, one by one, each in an
indescribable state of weakness and horror, brought on by the wine,
whose fumes had now evaporated. They shook as if with a violent ague,
and uttered the most lamentable cries for water. Their condition
affected me in the most lively degree, at the same time causing me to
rejoice in the fortunate train of circumstances which had prevented
me from indulging in the wine, and consequently from sharing their
melancholy and most distressing sensations. Their conduct, however,
gave me great uneasiness and alarm; for it was evident that, unless
some favourable change took place, they could afford me no assistance in
providing for our common safety. I had not yet abandoned all idea being
able to get up something from below; but the attempt could not possibly
be resumed until some one of them was sufficiently master of himself to
aid me by holding the end of the rope while I went down. Parker appeared
to be somewhat more in possession of his senses than the others, and I
endeavoured, by every means in my power, to rouse him. Thinking that a
plunge in the sea-water might have a beneficial effect, I contrived to
fasten the end of a rope around his body, and then, leading him to the
companion-way (he remaining quite passive all the while), pushed him in,
and immediately drew him out. I had good reason to congratulate myself
upon having made this experiment; for he appeared much revived and
invigorated, and, upon getting out, asked me, in a rational manner, why
I had so served him. Having explained my object, he expressed himself
indebted to me, and said that he felt greatly better from the immersion,
afterward conversing sens