n again pacified. He was then taken into
the cabin, where two or three of the married ladies, who had children of
their own, set to work to wash him and dress him in clean clothes. He
kicked about in the tub of water, and seemed highly delighted, as if it
was a luxury to which he was accustomed, while he also appeared fully to
appreciate the advantage of clean clothes. He was rather thin, as if he
had lived for a length of time on a short allowance of food; but when
some broth, which had been got ready for him, was placed before him, he
did not eat ravenously as if he had been long without food altogether.
Indeed, I may as well here remark, that the mate had discovered a small
piece of biscuit, softened by water, by his side when he took the
children out of the boat, proving that the faithful nurse had given him
the last morsel of food in her possession rather than eat it herself, in
the hope of preserving his life. When he had swallowed the broth, he
fell fast asleep in the arms of the lady who was holding him. The
little fellow's perfect confidence in those surrounding him, while it
won their hearts, showed that he had always been accustomed to kind
treatment.

Mrs Clayton had also brought her little charge below, and was nursing
it with the most tender care. It seemed, indeed, but a fragile little
blossom; and it appeared surprising that it should thus have escaped
from the hardships to which it had been exposed.

Meanwhile, on deck, Captain Willis and his officers, and some of the
gentlemen passengers, were making every possible examination of the boat
and the dead bodies, to endeavour to discover some clue, by which they
might be able to trace to what ship they had belonged, or whence they
had come. There was, unfortunately, little on their bodies to identify
them. One of the men had fastened round his neck by a lanyard a knife,
on the handle of which was roughly carved the initials J.S., and on his
arm was discovered, marked by gunpowder, among a variety of other
figures, the name of James Smith,--one, however, borne by so many
people, that it could scarcely be said to serve as a distinguishing
appellation. Sir Charles Plowden, notwithstanding, who was taking a
great interest in and superintending the investigation, made a note of
it in his pocket-book, and took charge of the knife.

There was no name on the boat, nor were there any oars in her, which
have generally the name of the ship marked on them.