en the picture we presented and the dining-room of a
comfortable, well-lighted country-house in England on the same day was
not small.

Our condition was not improved when at length the year 1776 commenced.
We had expended all our sails with the exception of those actually bent
to the yards; of spars we had scarcely one remaining. In consequence
also of the great expenditure of provisions and stores, the ship had
become so light that she rolled excessively and with so quick and rapid
a motion that some of the guns in the galley, drawing their ring-bolts
from the side, broke loose, and before they could be secured committed
much damage. Added to all this it was announced that our supply of
water was very short, and we were put on an allowance of a pint for each
person. On these occasions the captain and the smallest boy share
alike. If any of us breakfasted or dined in the gun-room or cabin, we
carried with us our allowance of water to help make the tea. We were
still fully four hundred leagues from the coast, and to all appearances
as little likely to make it as we had been a month back. The officers
were unanimous in their opinion that we should bear up for the West
Indies, but Captain Hudson still resolved to persevere and to endeavour
to gain our intended port. Though I, like the rest, was heartily sick
of the life we had been enduring, and longed as much as anybody to get
into port, I could not help admiring the perseverance and determination
of our captain. Grave and anxious as he could not help appearing at
times, he did his utmost generally to assume a cheerful countenance, and
by words of encouragement to keep up the spirits of the men. As,
however, one after the other the people fell sick, and disaster upon
disaster overtook us, I more than once, when I went into the cabin,
found him sitting pale and silent at the table, with his head resting on
his hand, evidently meditating on the responsibilities of his position.

Meantime the men forward were grumbling and evincing no slight mutinous
disposition. "Here, old ship, do ye see, have we been boxing about for
the best parts of two months, and for what we knows to the contrary,
farther off from our port than ever we were," I heard one of the
quartermasters, Jos Lizard, observing to a messmate, another old salt of
the same kidney. Old Jos, as he was called, was somewhat of a sea
lawyer in his way, though not the less superstitious on that account.

"We