our Men.--Our Number dreadfully reduced by Famine.--
Description of the various Contrivances used for procuring Food.--Further
Transactions.--Departure from the Island.

These being a desperate and factious set, did not distress us much by their
departure, but rather added to our future security. One in particular,
James Mitchell by name, we had all the reason in the world to think had
committed no less than two murders since the loss of our ship, one on the
person found strangled on board, another on the body of a man whom we
discovered among some bushes upon Mount Misery, stabbed in several places,
and shockingly mangled. This diminution of our number was succeeded by an
unfortunate accident much more affecting in its consequences, I mean the
death of Mr Cozens, midshipman; in relating which with the necessary
impartiality and exactness, I think myself obliged to be more than ordinary
particular. Having one day among other things, got a cask of pease out of
the wreck, about which I was almost constantly employed, I brought it to
shore in the yawl, when having landed it, the captain came down upon the
beach, and bid me to go up to some of the tents and order hands to come
down and roll it up; but finding none except Mr Cozens, I delivered him the
orders, who immediately came down to the captain, where I left them when I
returned to the wreck. Upon my coming on shore again, I found that Mr
Cozens was put under confinement by the captain for being drunk and giving
him abusive language; however, he was soon after released. A day or two
after he had some dispute with the surgeon, and came to blows: all these
things incensed the captain greatly against him. I believe this unfortunate
man was kept warm with liquor, and set on by some ill-designing persons;
for, when sober, I never knew a better-natured man, or one more
inoffensive. Some little time after, at the hour of serving provisions, Mr
Cozens was at the store-tent; and having, it seems, lately had a quarrel
with the purser, and now some words arising between them, the latter told
him he was come to mutiny; and without any further ceremony fired a pistol
at his head, which narrowly missed him. The captain, hearing the report of
the pistol, and perhaps the purser's words, that Cozens was come to mutiny,
ran out of his hut with a cocked pistol in his hand, and, without asking
any questions, immediately shot him through the head. I was at this time in
my hut, as the weath