roans of
my poor shipmates still ring in my ears. Now one man sank down, now
another. The cold was terrible, even to those who, having been on
watch, were well clothed. In the morning, several of our number were
missing, and others lay dead on the rock. We were looking out for the
whale-boat, when a sail was seen standing directly down for us. In our
eagerness to get off, we began to form rafts of the spars and planks we
had collected. As the ship approached, she hove-to and lowered a boat,
which came towards us till almost within pistol-shot, when her crew
rested on their oars, and looked at us earnestly. Who they were we
could not tell. The man at the helm waved his hat, and then, seeming
suspicious of our character, steered back to the ship. In vain we waved
and shouted, the fellows paid no attention to us. To our bitter
disappointment, we saw the boat hoisted up, when the ship again made
sail. We were now in despair. I'd before felt somewhat hungry and
thirsty, but till now never knew what real thirst was. Some of the men
drank salt water, but that only made them worse.

"Another day came to an end. Fortunately the weather had moderated, and
we tried to keep ourselves warm by huddling close together. Death was
now making rapid progress amongst us. Those who had drunk salt water
went raving mad, and threw themselves into the sea; others died of
exhaustion, among them our captain, and first lieutenant. I never
expected to see another day, when, the voice of the boatswain hailed us.
The cry was at once raised for `water! Water!' but to our bitter
disappointment, he told us he had brought none, as he could only get
some earthen jars, in which it was impossible to bring it through the
surf. He said, however, that a large vessel would arrive the next
morning, with provisions and water. The thought of this kept up our
spirits. When daylight returned, we eagerly looked out for the expected
vessel, but she didn't appear, and all that day we had to wait in vain.
More of our people died. It seemed a wonder that any of us should have
survived, suffering so terribly from hunger and thirst as we were. Some
attempted to satisfy their hunger in a way too horrible to describe.
All day long we were on the look-out, expecting the boats to appear
which the boatswain said would come, but hour after hour passed. I can
tell you they were the most dreadful hours I ever remember. To remain
longer on the rock seemed