knocking
over those who opposed them, seized the cask, and carried it off in
triumph. The French boatswain endeavoured to persuade them to take only
a small quantity; but they laughed at his warnings, and were soon in the
same condition as the Englishmen. Some sang and shrieked; and others,
getting up, attempted to dance, till one unhappy man in his gyrations
tumbled overboard. Some of his companions attempting to catch hold of
him, nearly fell in likewise. Their efforts were of no avail, and he
sank almost within arm's length. The accident partly sobered some of
them. Capstick, calling on the Englishmen, who were still sober enough
to move, then endeavoured to regain possession of the cask, when in the
struggle the bung-hole was turned downwards, and the greater portion of
the contents ran out. A general fight ensued, both parties accusing
each other of being the cause of the loss. Knives were drawn, and
wounds inflicted. The Englishmen, however, secured the prize, and had
to continue the fight to preserve it. The two boatswains stood aloof
encouraging their respective parties; while the doctor and Tidy, who
attempted to act the part of pacificators, were knocked over, the
Irishman narrowly escaping being thrown into the sea. The fight
continued for some time, till the combatants, many of them badly
wounded, sank down utterly exhausted. The doctor, notwithstanding the
hurts he had received, wished to do his duty, and went among them to
examine their hurts. His sorrow was great when he found that no less
than five were dead,--chiefly, he believed, from the effects of the
spirits they had drunk; while several more were in a state which showed
him that, even should help speedily come, they were too far gone to
recover. Before the sun rose next morning, not a dozen people remained
alive on the raft.

The doctor and Tidy had agreed to keep watch and watch, to protect each
other, and they were thus able to preserve a little of the water and a
small piece of beef which remained in the cask. It might be supposed
that the fearful results of the drink would have been a warning to the
survivors; but their desire for liquor was as strong as ever; and as
soon as they awoke, they insisted on again attacking the rum-cask. A
common misfortune seemed at length to have united the two parties; but
their leaders stood aloof from each other. The men, however, began
sharing the rum out equally among themselves. This went o