ut
neither sextant nor quadrant for the third.[42] Then, instead of pushing
away for some port, so amazed and bewildered were we that we continued
sitting in our places gazing upon the ship, as though she had been an
object of the tenderest affection. Our eyes could not leave her, till,
at the end of many hours, she gave a slight reel, then down she sank. No
words can tell our feelings. We looked at each other--we looked at the
place where she had so lately been afloat--and we did not cease to look,
till the terrible conviction of our abandoned and perilous situation
roused us to exertion, if deliverance were yet possible.

'We now consulted about the course which it might be best to
take--westward to India, eastward to South America, or south-westward to
the Society Isles. We knew that we were at no great distance from
Tahiti, but were so ignorant of the state and temper of the inhabitants,
that we feared we should be devoured by cannibals, if we cast ourselves
on their mercy. It was determined, therefore, to make for South America,
which we computed to be more than two thousand miles distant.
Accordingly we steered eastward, and though for several days harassed
with squalls, we contrived to keep together. It was not long before we
found that one of the boats had started a plank, which was no wonder,
for whale-boats are all clinker-built, and very slight, being made of
half-inch plank only, before planing. To remedy this alarming defect we
all turned to, and having emptied the damaged boat into the two others,
we raised her side as well as we could, and succeeded in restoring the
plank at the bottom. Through this accident, some of our biscuit had
become injured by the salt-water. This was equally divided among the
several boats' crews. Food and water, meanwhile, with our utmost
economy, rapidly failed. Our strength was exhausted, not by abstinence
only, but by the labours which we were obliged to employ to keep our
little vessels afloat amidst the storms which repeatedly assailed us.
One night we were parted in rough weather; but though the next day we
fell in with one of our companion-boats, we never saw or heard any more
of the other, which probably perished at sea, being without either
sextant or quadrant.[43]

'When we were reduced to the last pinch, and out of everything, having
been more than three weeks abroad, we were cheered with the sight of a
low, uninhabited island, which we reached in hope, but were bitte