that we really require it,
we will have the remaining third of half a pint. Now, that is the best
I can do; it is the only thing that we dare do, and we must just make
the best of it."

"Yes," agreed Cunningham, "you are quite right, Mr Temple; we must be
satisfied with our strict allowance, and ask for no more. But there is
one thing we may do to ease our thirst, and it is wonderfully
efficacious. Let each man take off his clothes, saturate them with salt
water, and put them on again soaking wet. If we do this, say, once
every half-hour, we shall find ourselves marvellously refreshed, and
quite able to wait for a drink until the proper time for it arrives."

"Ay," said I, "I have heard of that trick before, and a splendid one it
is, too, I believe, although I have never had occasion to try it until
now. Let us test it at once, lads. I remember once hearing a man say
that if shipwrecked people would only keep their clothes thoroughly
saturated with salt water, they could practically manage to do without
drinking at all." And without further ado I stripped off my singlet and
pants, wrung the perspiration out of them, plunged them over the side,
and put them on again, my example being immediately followed by the
others. Then, the time having arrived for Cunningham to take a spell at
the oar, he exchanged places with the sailmaker, and we again proceeded.

The sensation of coolness imparted by the contact of our wet clothing
with our bodies was very refreshing, and as long as it lasted we were
able to pull a quick, steady stroke that put us along at the rate of
about three knots with little or no fatigue. The worst of it was that
it did not last long, for within ten minutes the sun had dried our
clothes again, and we began to perspire once more. But we soon found a
simple remedy for this by ceasing work just long enough to enable us to
pour two or three buckets of water over each other, and then getting to
work again; and although these frequent stoppages no doubt had the
effect of retarding our progress to some extent, I do not think our
actual loss of speed was very great, for the refreshment derived from
these often-repeated sousings was such that we were able to put a good
deal more life and vigour into our work than would otherwise have been
possible. As regards the alleged abatement of thirst, although I did
not experience any perceptible relief during the first half-hour of the
experiment, I certainly d