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If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Narrative of the Most Extraordinary and Distressing Shipwreck of the Whale-ship Essex, - of Nantucket; Which Was Attacked and Finally Destroyed by - a Large Spermaceti-whale, in the Pacific Ocean; With an - Account of the Unparalleled Sufferings of the Captain and - Crew During a Space of Ninety-three Days at Sea, in Open - Boats in the Years 1819 & 1820. - -Author: Owen Chase - -Release Date: April 25, 2020 [EBook #61931] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK NARRATIVE--WHALE-SHIP ESSEX *** - - - - -Produced by Richard Tonsing, Mary Glenn Krause, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - NARRATIVE - OF THE - MOST EXTRAORDINARY AND DISTRESSING - SHIPWRECK - OF THE - WHALE-SHIP ESSEX, - OF - NANTUCKET; - WHICH WAS ATTACKED AND FINALLY DESTROYED BY A LARGE - SPERMACETI-WHALE, - IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN; - WITH - AN ACCOUNT - OF THE - UNPARALLELED SUFFERINGS - OF THE CAPTAIN AND CREW - DURING A SPACE OF NINETY-THREE DAYS AT SEA, IN OPEN BOATS - IN THE YEARS 1819 & 1820. - - - BY - OWEN CHASE, - OF NANTUCKET, FIRST MATE OF SAID VESSEL. - - - _NEW-YORK_: - PUBLISHED BY W. B. GILLEY, 92 BROADWAY. - J. SEYMOUR, Printer. - - 1821. - - - - - _Southern District of New-York, ss._ - -Be it remembered, That on the thirty-first day of October, in the -forty-sixth year of the Independence of the United States of America, -JONATHAN SEYMOUR, of the said District, hath deposited in this office -the title of a book, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in the -words and figures following, to wit: - - “Narrative of the most extraordinary and distressing shipwreck of - the whale-ship Essex, of Nantucket; which was attacked and finally - destroyed by a large spermaceti-whale, in the Pacific ocean; with an - account of the unparalleled sufferings of the captain and crew - during a space of ninety-three days at sea, in open boats, in the - years 1819 and 1820. By Owen Chase of Nantucket, first mate of said - vessel.” - -In conformity to the Act of the Congress of the United States, entitled -“An Act for the encouragement of Learning, by securing the Copies of -Maps, Charts, and Books, to the authors and proprietors of such copies, -during the time therein mentioned.” And also to an Act, entitled “an -Act, supplementary to an Act, entitled an Act for the encouragement of -Learning, by securing the copies of Maps, Charts, and Books, to the -authors and proprietors of such copies, during the times therein -mentioned, and extending the benefits thereof to the arts of designing, -engraving, and etching historical and other prints.” - - JAMES DILL, - _Clerk of the Southern District of New-York_. - - - - - TO THE READER. - - -I am aware that the public mind has been already nearly sated with the -private stories of individuals, many of whom had few, if any, claims to -public attention; and the injuries which have resulted from the -promulgation of fictitious histories, and in many instances, of journals -entirely fabricated for the purpose, has had the effect to lessen the -public interest in works of this description, and very much to -undervalue the general cause of truth. It is, however, not the less -important and necessary, that narratives should continue to be furnished -that have their foundations in fact; and the subject of which embraces -new and interesting matter in any department of the arts or sciences. -When the motive is worthy, the subject and style interesting, affording -instruction, exciting a proper sympathy, and withal disclosing new and -astonishing traits of human character:—this kind of information becomes -of great value to the philanthropist and philosopher, and is fully -deserving of attention from every description of readers. - -On the subject of the facts contained in this little volume, they are -neither so extravagant as to require the exercise of any great credulity -to believe, nor, I trust, so unimportant or uninteresting, as to forbid -an attentive perusal. It was my misfortune to be a considerable, if not -a principal, sufferer, in the dreadful catastrophe that befel us; and in -it, I not only lost all the little I had ventured, but my situation and -the prospects of bettering it, that at one time seemed to smile upon me, -were all in one short moment destroyed with it. The hope of obtaining -something of remuneration, by giving a short history of my sufferings to -the world, must therefore constitute my claim to public attention. - - - - - PREFACE. - - -The increasing attention which is bestowed upon the whale fishery in the -United States, has lately caused a very considerable commercial -excitement; and no doubt it will become, if it be not at present, as -important and general a branch of commerce as any belonging to our -country. It is now principally confined to a very industrious and -enterprising portion of the population of the States, many individuals -of whom have amassed very rapid and considerable fortunes. It is a -business requiring that labour, economy, and enterprise, for which the -people of Nantucket are so eminently distinguished. It has enriched the -inhabitants without bringing with it the usual corruptions and luxuries -of a foreign trade; and those who are now most successful and -conspicuous in it, are remarkable for the primitive simplicity, -integrity, and hospitality of the island. This trade, if I may so call -it, took its rise amongst the earliest settlers, and has gradually -advanced to the extended, important, and lucrative state in which it now -is, without any material interruption, and with very little competition -until the present time. The late war temporally, but in a great degree -affected its prosperity, by subjecting numerous fine vessels with their -cargoes to capture and loss; but in its short continuance, it was not -sufficient to divert the enterprise of the whalemen, nor to subdue the -active energies of the capitalists embarked in it. At the conclusion of -peace, those energies burst out afresh; and our sails now almost whiten -the distant confines of the Pacific. The English have a few ships there; -and the advantages which they possess over ours, it may be feared will -materially affect our success, by producing in time a much more -extensive and powerful competition. They are enabled to realize a -greater profit from the demand and price of oil in their markets; and -the encouragement afforded by parliament, not only in permitting the -importation of it free of duty, but in granting a liberal bounty. It is -to be hoped that the wisdom of Congress will be extended to this -subject; and that our present decided supremacy will not be lost for the -want of a deserved government patronage. - -Recent events have shown that we require a competent naval force in the -Pacific, for the protection of this important and lucrative branch of -commerce; for the want of which, many serious injuries and insults have -been lately received, which have a tendency to retard its flourishing -progress, and which have proved of serious consequence to the parties -concerned. - -During the late war, the exertions and intrepidity of Capt. Porter, were -the means of saving a great deal of valuable property, which otherwise -must have fallen into the hands of the enemy. His skilful, spirited, and -patriotic conduct, on all occasions where he was called upon to act, -imparted a protection and confidence to our countrymen, which completely -fulfilled their expectations of him, and without doubt those of the -government in sending him there. - -Our ships usually occupy from two to three years in making a voyage. -Occasionally, necessity obliges them to go into port for provisions, -water, and repairs; in some cases, amongst mere savages, and in others, -inhospitable people, from whom they are liable to every species of -fraud, imposition, and force, which require some competent power to awe -and redress. As long as the struggle between the patriots and royalists -continues, or even should that speedily end—as long as young and -instable governments, as there naturally must be for many years to come, -exist there, our whalemen will continue to require that countenance and -support which the importance and prosperity of the trade to them, and to -the country, eminently entitle them. It is, undoubtedly, a most -hazardous business; involving many incidental and unavoidable -sacrifices, the severity of which it seems cruel to increase by the -neglect or refusal of a proper protection. - -The seamen employed in the fishery, and particularly those from -Nantucket, are composed of the sons and connexions of the most -respectable families on the island; and, unlike the majority of the -class or profession to which they belong, they labour not only for their -temporary subsistence, but they have an ambition and pride among them -which seeks after distinguishment and promotion. Almost all of them -enter the service with views of a future command; and submit cheerfully -to the hardships and drudgery of the intermediate stations, until they -become thoroughly acquainted with their business. - -There are common sailors, boat-steerers, and harpooners: the last of -these is the most honourable and important. It is in this station, that -all the capacity of the young sailor is elicited; on the dexterous -management of the harpoon, the line, and the lance, and in the -adventurous positions which he takes alongside of his enemy, depends -almost entirely the successful issue of his attack; and more real -chivalry is not often exhibited on the deck of a battle-ship, than is -displayed by these hardy sons of the ocean, in some of their gallant -exploits among the whales. Nursed in the dangers of their business, and -exposed to the continual hazards and hardships of all seasons, climates, -and weathers, it will not be surprising if they should become a fearless -set of people, and pre-eminent in all the requisites of good seamen. Two -voyages are generally considered sufficient to qualify an active and -intelligent young man for command; in which time, he learns from -experience, and the examples which are set him, all that is necessary to -be known. - -While on this subject, I may be allowed to observe that it would not be -an unprofitable task in a majority of our respectable shipmasters in the -merchant service, to look into the principles of conduct, and study the -economical management of the captains of our whale-ships. I am confident -many serviceable hints could be gathered from the admirable system by -which they regulate their concerns. They would learn, also, what respect -is due to the character and standing of a captain of a whale-ship, which -those of the merchant service affect so much to undervalue. If the post -of danger be the post of honour; and if merit emanates from exemplary -private character, uncommon intelligence, and professional gallantry, -then is it due to a great majority of the shipmasters of Nantucket, that -they should be held above the operations of an invidious and unjust -distinction. It is a curious fact that one does exist; and it is equally -an illiberal, as an undeserved reproach upon them, which time and an -acquaintance with their merits must speedily wipe away. - -The reader is requested to notice the following errors, which have -resulted from the haste in transcribing the original narrative. - - Page 23, line 2, for “one vows,” read _are now_. - 44, line 15, for “one,” read, _none_. - 57, line 11, for “keeled,” read, _heeled_. - 57, line 8, for “of,” read, _and_. - 65, line 9, for “momentous,” read _momentary_. - 102, line 6, for “Mather,” read _Matthew_. - 107, line 9, after “ourselves,” insert _it_. - - - - - NARRATIVE. - - - - - CHAPTER I. - - -The town of Nantucket, in the State of Massachusetts, contains about -eight thousand inhabitants; nearly a third part of the population are -quakers, and they are, taken together, a very industrious and -enterprising people. On this island are owned about one hundred vessels, -of all descriptions, engaged in the whale trade, giving constant -employment and support to upwards of sixteen hundred hardy seamen, a -class of people proverbial for their intrepidity. This fishery is not -carried on to any extent from any other part of the United States, -except from the town of New-Bedford, directly opposite to Nantucket, -where are owned probably twenty sail. A voyage generally lasts about two -years and a half, and with an entire uncertainty of success. Sometimes -they are repaid with speedy voyages and profitable cargoes, and at -others they drag out a listless and disheartening cruise, without -scarcely making the expenses of an outfit. The business is considered a -very hazardous one, arising from unavoidable accidents, in carrying on -an exterminating warfare against those great leviathans of the deep; and -indeed a Nantucket man is on all occasions fully sensible of the honour -and merit of his profession; no doubt because he knows that his laurels, -like the soldier’s, are plucked from the brink of danger. Numerous -anecdotes are related of the whalemen of Nantucket; and stories of -hair-breadth ’scapes, and sudden and wonderful preservation, are handed -down amongst them, with the fidelity, and no doubt many of them with the -characteristic fictions of the ancient legendary tales. A spirit of -adventure amongst the sons of other relatives of those immediately -concerned in it, takes possession of their minds at a very early age; -captivated with the tough stories of the elder seamen, and seduced, as -well by the natural desire of seeing foreign countries, as by the hopes -of gain, they launch forth six or eight thousand miles from home, into -an almost untraversed ocean, and spend from two to three years of their -lives in scenes of constant peril, labour, and watchfulness. The -profession is one of great ambition, and full of honourable excitement: -a tame man is never known amongst them; and the coward is marked with -that peculiar aversion, that distinguishes our public naval service. -There are perhaps no people of superior corporeal powers; and it has -been truly said of them, that they possess a natural aptitude, which -seems rather the lineal spirit of their fathers, than the effects of any -experience. The town itself, during the war, was (naturally to have been -expected,) on the decline; but with the return of peace it took a fresh -start, and a spirit for carrying on the fishery received a renewed and -very considerable excitement. Large capitals are now embarked; and some -of the finest ships that our country can boast of are employed in it. -The increased demand, within a few years past, from the spermaceti -manufactories, has induced companies and individuals in different parts -of the Union to become engaged in the business; and if the future -consumption of the manufactured article bear any proportion to that of -the few past years, this species of commerce will bid fair to become the -most profitable and extensive that our country possesses. From the -accounts of those who were in the early stages of the fishery concerned -in it, it would appear, that the whales have been driven, like the -beasts of the forest, before the march of civilization, into remote and -more unfrequented seas, until now, they are followed by the enterprise -and perseverance of our seamen, even to the distant coasts of Japan. - -The ship Essex, commanded by captain George Pollard, junior, was fitted -out at Nantucket, and sailed on the 12th day of August, 1819, for the -Pacific Ocean, on a whaling voyage. Of this ship I was first mate. She -had lately undergone a thorough repair in her upper works, and was at -that time, in all respects, a sound, substantial vessel: she had a crew -of twenty-one men, and was victualled and provided for two years and a -half. We left the coast of America with a fine breeze, and steered for -the Western Islands. On the second day out, while sailing moderately on -our course in the Gulf Stream, a sudden squall of wind struck the ship -from the SW. and knocked her completely on her beam-ends, stove one of -our boats, entirely destroyed two others, and threw down the cambouse. -We distinctly saw the approach of this gust, but miscalculated -altogether as to the strength and violence of it. It struck the ship -about three points off the weather quarter, at the moment that the man -at the helm was in the act of putting her away to run before it. In an -instant she was knocked down with her yards in the water; and before -hardly a moment of time was allowed for reflection, she gradually came -to the wind, and righted. The squall was accompanied with vivid flashes -of lightning, and heavy and repeated claps of thunder. The whole ship’s -crew were, for a short time, thrown into the utmost consternation and -confusion; but fortunately the violence of the squall was all contained -in the first gust of the wind, and it soon gradually abated, and became -fine weather again. We repaired our damage with little difficulty, and -continued on our course, with the loss of the two boats. On the 30th of -August we made the island of Floros, one of the western group called the -Azores. We lay off and on the island for two days, during which time our -boats landed and obtained a supply of vegetables and a few hogs: from -this place we took the NE. trade-wind, and in sixteen days made the Isle -of May, one of the Cape de Verds. As we were sailing along the shore of -this island, we discovered a ship stranded on the beach, and from her -appearance took her to be a whaler. Having lost two of our boats, and -presuming that this vessel had probably some belonging to her that might -have been saved, we determined to ascertain the name of the ship, and -endeavour to supply if possible the loss of our boats from her. We -accordingly stood in towards the port, or landing place. After a short -time three men were discovered coming out to us in a whale boat. In a -few moments they were alongside, and informed us that the wreck was the -Archimedes of New-York, captain George B. Coffin, which vessel had -struck on a rock near the island about a fortnight previously; that all -hands were saved by running the ship on shore, and that the captain and -crew had gone home. We purchased the whale boat of these people, -obtained some few more pigs, and again set sail. Our passage thence to -Cape Horn was not distinguished for any incident worthy of note. We made -the longitude of the Cape about the 18th of December, having experienced -head winds for nearly the whole distance. We anticipated a moderate time -in passing this noted land, from the season of the year at which we were -there, being considered the most favourable; but instead of this, we -experienced heavy westerly gales, and a most tremendous sea, that -detained us off the Cape five weeks, before we had got sufficiently to -the westward to enable us to put away. Of the passage of this famous -Cape it may be observed, that strong westerly gales and a heavy sea are -its almost universal attendants: the prevalence and constancy of this -wind and sea necessarily produce a rapid current, by which vessels are -set to leeward; and it is not without some favourable slant of wind that -they can in many cases get round at all. The difficulties and dangers of -the passage are proverbial; but as far as my own observation extends, -(and which the numerous reports of the whalemen corroborate,) you can -always rely upon a long and regular sea; and although the gales may be -very strong and stubborn, as they undoubtedly are, they are not known to -blow with the destructive violence that characterizes some of the -tornadoes of the western Atlantic Ocean. On the 17th of January, 1820, -we arrived at the island of St. Mary’s, lying on the coast of Chili, in -latitude 36° 59′ S. longitude 73° 41′ W. This island is a sort of -rendezvous for whalers, from which they obtain their wood and water, and -between which and the main land (a distance of about ten miles) they -frequently cruise for a species of whale called the right whale. Our -object in going in there was merely to get the news. We sailed thence to -the island of Massafuera, where we got some wood and fish, and thence -for the cruising ground along the coast of Chili, in search of the -spermaceti-whale. We took there eight, which yielded us two hundred and -fifty barrels of oil; and the season having by this time expired, we -changed our cruising ground to the coast of Peru. We obtained there five -hundred and fifty barrels. After going into the small port of Decamas, -and replenishing our wood and water, on the 2d October we set sail for -the Gallipagos Islands. We came to anchor, and laid seven days off -Hood’s Island, one of the group; during which time we stopped a leak -which we had discovered, and obtained three hundred turtle. We then -visited Charles Island, where we procured sixty more. These turtle are a -most delicious food, and average in weight generally about one hundred -pounds, but many of them weigh upwards of eight hundred. With these, -ships usually supply themselves for a great length of time, and make a -great saving of other provisions. They neither eat nor drink, nor is the -least pains taken with them; they are strewed over the deck, thrown -under foot, or packed away in the hold, as it suits convenience. They -will live upwards of a year without food or water, but soon die in a -cold climate. We left Charles Island on the 23d of October, and steered -off to the westward, in search of whales. In latitude 1° 0′ S. longitude -118° W. on the 16th of November, in the afternoon, we lost a boat during -our work in a shoal of whales. I was in the boat myself, with five -others, and was standing in the fore part, with the harpoon in my hand, -well braced, expecting every instant to catch sight of one of the shoal -which we were in, that I might strike; but judge of my astonishment and -dismay, at finding myself suddenly thrown up in the air, my companions -scattered about me, and the boat fast filling with water. A whale had -come up directly under her, and with one dash of his tail, had stove her -bottom in, and strewed us in every direction around her. We, however, -with little difficulty, got safely on the wreck, and clung there until -one of the other boats which had been engaged in the shoal, came to our -assistance, and took us off. Strange to tell, not a man was injured by -this accident. Thus it happens very frequently in the whaling business, -that boats are stove; oars, harpoons, and lines broken; ancles and -wrists sprained; boats upset, and whole crews left for hours in the -water, without any of these accidents extending to the loss of life. We -are so much accustomed to the continual recurrence of such scenes as -these, that we become familiarized to them, and consequently always feel -that confidence and self-possession, which teaches us every expedient in -danger, and inures the body, as well as the mind, to fatigue, privation, -and peril, in frequent cases exceeding belief. It is this danger and -hardship that makes the sailor; indeed it is the distinguishing -qualification amongst us; and it is a common boast of the whaleman, that -he has escaped from sudden and apparently inevitable destruction oftener -than his fellow. He is accordingly valued on this account, without much -reference to other qualities. - - - - - CHAPTER II. - - -I have not been able to recur to the scenes which are now to become the -subject of description, although a considerable time has elapsed, -without feeling a mingled emotion of horror and astonishment at the -almost incredible destiny that has preserved me and my surviving -companions from a terrible death. Frequently, in my reflections on the -subject, even after this lapse of time, I find myself shedding tears of -gratitude for our deliverance, and blessing God, by whose divine aid and -protection we were conducted through a series of unparalleled suffering -and distress, and restored to the bosoms of our families and friends. -There is no knowing what a stretch of pain and misery the human mind is -capable of contemplating, when it is wrought upon by the anxieties of -preservation; nor what pangs and weaknesses the body is able to endure, -until they are visited upon it; and when at last deliverance comes, when -the dream of hope is realized, unspeakable gratitude takes possession of -the soul, and tears of joy choke the utterance. We require to be taught -in the school of some signal suffering, privation, and despair, the -great lessons of constant dependence upon an almighty forbearance and -mercy. In the midst of the wide ocean, at night, when the sight of the -heavens was shut out, and the dark tempest came upon us; then it was, -that we felt ourselves ready to exclaim, “Heaven have mercy upon us, for -nought but that can save us now.” But I proceed to the recital.—On the -20th of November, (cruising in latitude 0° 40′ S. longitude 119° 0′ W.) -a shoal of whales was discovered off the lee-bow. The weather at this -time was extremely fine and clear, and it was about 8 o’clock in the -morning, that the man at the mast-head gave the usual cry of, “there she -blows.” The ship was immediately put away, and we ran down in the -direction for them. When we had got within half a mile of the place -where they were observed, all our boats were lowered down, manned, and -we started in pursuit of them. The ship, in the mean time, was brought -to the wind, and the main-top-sail hove aback, to wait for us. I had the -harpoon in the second boat; the captain preceded me in the first. When I -arrived at the spot where we calculated they were, nothing was at first -to be seen. We lay on our oars in anxious expectation of discovering -them come up somewhere near us. Presently one rose, and spouted a short -distance ahead of my boat; I made all speed towards it, came up with, -and struck it; feeling the harpoon in him, he threw himself, in an -agony, over towards the boat, (which at that time was up alongside of -him,) and giving a severe blow with his tail, struck the boat near the -edge of the water, amidships, and stove a hole in her. I immediately -took up the boat hatchet, and cut the line, to disengage the boat from -the whale, which by this time was running off with great velocity. I -succeeded in getting clear of him, with the loss of the harpoon and -line; and finding the water to pour fast in the boat, I hastily stuffed -three or four of our jackets in the hole, ordered one man to keep -constantly bailing, and the rest to pull immediately for the ship; we -succeeded in keeping the boat free, and shortly gained the ship. The -captain and the second mate, in the other two boats, kept up the -pursuit, and soon struck another whale. They being at this time a -considerable distance to leeward, I went forward, braced around the -mainyard, and put the ship off in a direction for them; the boat which -had been stove was immediately hoisted in, and after examining the hole, -I found that I could, by nailing a piece of canvass over it, get her -ready to join in a fresh pursuit, sooner than by lowering down the other -remaining boat which belonged to the ship. I accordingly turned her over -upon the quarter, and was in the act of nailing on the canvass, when I -observed a very large spermaceti whale, as well as I could judge, about -eighty-five feet in length; he broke water about twenty rods off our -weather-bow, and was lying quietly, with his head in a direction for the -ship. He spouted two or three times, and then disappeared. In less than -two or three seconds he came up again, about the length of the ship off, -and made directly for us, at the rate of about three knots. The ship was -then going with about the same velocity. His appearance and attitude -gave us at first no alarm; but while I stood watching his movements, and -observing him but a ship’s length off, coming down for us with great -celerity, I involuntarily ordered the boy at the helm to put it hard up; -intending to sheer off and avoid him. The words were scarcely out of my -mouth, before he came down upon us with full speed, and struck the ship -with his head, just forward of the fore-chains; he gave us such an -appalling and tremendous jar, as nearly threw us all on our faces. The -ship brought up as suddenly and violently as if she had struck a rock, -and trembled for a few seconds like a leaf. We looked at each other with -perfect amazement, deprived almost of the power of speech. Many minutes -elapsed before we were able to realize the dreadful accident; during -which time he passed under the ship, grazing her keel as he went along, -came up alongside of her to leeward, and lay on the top of the water, -(apparently stunned with the violence of the blow,) for the space of a -minute; he then suddenly started off, in a direction to leeward. After a -few moments’ reflection, and recovering, in some measure, from the -sudden consternation that had seized us, I of course concluded that he -had stove a hole in the ship, and that it would be necessary to set the -pumps going. Accordingly they were rigged, but had not been in operation -more than one minute, before I perceived the head of the ship to be -gradually settling down in the water; I then ordered the signal to be -set for the other boats, which, scarcely had I dispatched, before I -again discovered the whale, apparently in convulsions, on the top of the -water, about one hundred rods to leeward. He was enveloped in the foam -of the sea, that his continual and violent thrashing about in the water -had created around him, and I could distinctly see him smite his jaws -together, as if distracted with rage and fury. He remained a short time -in this situation, and then started off with great velocity, across the -bows of the ship, to windward. By this time the ship had settled down a -considerable distance in the water, and I gave her up as lost. I -however, ordered the pumps to be kept constantly going, and endeavoured -to collect my thoughts for the occasion. I turned to the boats, two of -which we then had with the ship, with an intention of clearing them -away, and getting all things ready to embark in them, if there should be -no other resource left; and while my attention was thus engaged for a -moment, I was aroused with the cry of a man at the hatchway, “here he -is—he is making for us again.” I turned around, and saw him about one -hundred rods directly ahead of us, coming down apparently with twice his -ordinary speed, and to me at that moment, it appeared with tenfold fury -and vengeance in his aspect. The surf flew in all directions about him, -and his course towards us was marked by a white foam of a rod in width, -which he made with the continual violent thrashing of his tail; his head -was about half out of water, and in that way he came upon, and again -struck the ship. I was in hopes when I descried him making for us, that -by a dexterous movement of putting the ship away immediately, I should -be able to cross the line of his approach, before he could get up to us, -and thus avoid, what I knew, if he should strike us again, would prove -our inevitable destruction. I bawled out to the helmsman, “hard up!” but -she had not fallen off more than a point, before we took the second -shock. I should judge the speed of the ship to have been at this time -about three knots, and that of the whale about six. He struck her to -windward, directly under the cathead, and completely stove in her bows. -He passed under the ship again, went off to leeward, and we saw no more -of him. Our situation at this juncture can be more readily imagined than -described. The shock to our feelings was such, as I am sure none can -have an adequate conception of, that were not there: the misfortune -befel us at a moment when we least dreamt of any accident; and from the -pleasing anticipations we had formed, of realizing the certain profits -of our labour, we were dejected by a sudden, most mysterious, and -overwhelming calamity. Not a moment, however, was to be lost in -endeavouring to provide for the extremity to which it was now certain we -were reduced. We were more than a thousand miles from the nearest land, -and with nothing but a light open boat, as the resource of safety for -myself and companions. I ordered the men to cease pumping, and every one -to provide for himself; seizing a hatchet at the same time, I cut away -the lashings of the spare boat, which lay bottom up, across two spars -directly over the quarter deck, and cried out to those near me, to take -her as she came down. They did so accordingly, and bore her on their -shoulders as far as the waist of the ship. The steward had in the mean -time gone down into the cabin twice, and saved two quadrants, two -practical navigators, and the captain’s trunk and mine; all which were -hastily thrown into the boat, as she lay on the deck, with the two -compasses which I snatched from the binnacle. He attempted to descend -again; but the water by this time had rushed in, and he returned without -being able to effect his purpose. By the time we had got the boat to the -waist, the ship had filled with water, and was going down on her -beam-ends: we shoved our boat as quickly as possible from the -plank-shear into the water, all hands jumping in her at the same time, -and launched off clear of the ship. We were scarcely two boat’s lengths -distant from her, when she fell over to windward, and settled down in -the water. - -Amazement and despair now wholly took possession of us. We contemplated -the frightful situation the ship lay in, and thought with horror upon -the sudden and dreadful calamity that had overtaken us. We looked upon -each other, as if to gather some consolatory sensation from an -interchange of sentiments, but every countenance was marked with the -paleness of despair. Not a word was spoken for several minutes by any of -us; all appeared to be bound in a spell of stupid consternation; and -from the time we were first attacked by the whale, to the period of the -fall of the ship, and of our leaving her in the boat, more than ten -minutes could not certainly have elapsed! God only knows in what way, or -by what means, we were enabled to accomplish in that short time what we -did; the cutting away and transporting the boat from where she was -deposited would of itself, in ordinary circumstances, have consumed as -much time as that, if the whole ship’s crew had been employed in it. My -companions had not saved a single article but what they had on their -backs; but to me it was a source of infinite satisfaction, if any such -could be gathered from the horrors of our gloomy situation, that we had -been fortunate enough to have preserved our compasses, navigators, and -quadrants. After the first shock of my feelings was over, I -enthusiastically contemplated them as the probable instruments of our -salvation; without them all would have been dark and hopeless. Gracious -God! what a picture of distress and suffering now presented itself to my -imagination. The crew of the ship were saved, consisting of twenty human -souls. All that remained to conduct these twenty beings through the -stormy terrors of the ocean, perhaps many thousand miles, were three -open light boats. The prospect of obtaining any provisions or water from -the ship, to subsist upon during the time, was at least now doubtful. -How many long and watchful nights, thought I, are to be passed? How many -tedious days of partial starvation are to be endured, before the least -relief or mitigation of our sufferings can be reasonably anticipated? We -lay at this time in our boat, about two ship’s lengths off from the -wreck, in perfect silence, calmly contemplating her situation, and -absorbed in our own melancholy reflections, when the other boats were -discovered rowing up to us. They had but shortly before discovered that -some accident had befallen us, but of the nature of which they were -entirely ignorant. The sudden and mysterious disappearance of the ship -was first discovered by the boat-steerer in the captain’s boat, and with -a horror-struck countenance and voice, he suddenly exclaimed, “Oh, my -God! where is the ship?” Their operations upon this were instantly -suspended, and a general cry of horror and despair burst from the lips -of every man, as their looks were directed for her, in vain, over every -part of the ocean. They immediately made all haste towards us. The -captain’s boat was the first that reached us. He stopped about a boat’s -length off, but had no power to utter a single syllable: he was so -completely overpowered with the spectacle before him, that he sat down -in his boat, pale and speechless. I could scarcely recognise his -countenance, he appeared to be so much altered, awed, and overcome, with -the oppression of his feelings, and the dreadful reality that lay before -him. He was in a short time however enabled to address the inquiry to -me, “My God, Mr. Chase, what is the matter?” I answered, “We have been -stove by a whale.” I then briefly told him the story. After a few -moment’s reflection he observed, that we must cut away her masts, and -endeavour to get something out of her to eat. Our thoughts were now all -accordingly bent on endeavours to save from the wreck whatever we might -possibly want, and for this purpose we rowed up and got on to her. -Search was made for every means of gaining access to her hold; and for -this purpose the lanyards were cut loose, and with our hatchets we -commenced to cut away the masts, that she might right up again, and -enable us to scuttle her decks. In doing which we were occupied about -three quarters of an hour, owing to our having no axes, nor indeed any -other instruments, but the small hatchets belonging to the boats. After -her masts were gone she came up about two-thirds of the way upon an even -keel. While we were employed about the masts the captain took his -quadrant, shoved off from the ship, and got an observation. We found -ourselves in latitude 0° 40′ S. longitude 119° W. We now commenced to -cut a hole through the planks, directly above two large casks of bread, -which most fortunately were between decks, in the waist of the ship, and -which being in the upper side, when she upset, we had strong hopes was -not wet. It turned out according to our wishes, and from these casks we -obtained six hundred pounds of hard bread. Other parts of the deck were -then scuttled, and we got without difficulty as much fresh water as we -dared to take in the boats, so that each was supplied with about -sixty-five gallons; we got also from one of the lockers a musket, a -small canister of powder, a couple of files, two rasps, about two pounds -of boat nails, and a few turtle. In the afternoon the wind came on to -blow a strong breeze; and having obtained every thing that occurred to -us could then be got out, we began to make arrangements for our safety -during the night. A boat’s line was made fast to the ship, and to the -other end of it one of the boats was moored, at about fifty fathoms to -leeward; another boat was then attached to the first one, about eight -fathoms astern; and the third boat, the like distance astern of her. -Night came on just as we had finished our operations; and such a night -as it was to us! so full of feverish and distracting inquietude, that we -were deprived entirely of rest. The wreck was constantly before my eyes. -I could not, by any effort, chase away the horrors of the preceding day -from my mind: they haunted me the live-long night. My companions—some of -them were like sick women; they had no idea of the extent of their -deplorable situation. One or two slept unconcernedly, while others -wasted the night in unavailing murmurs. I now had full leisure to -examine, with some degree of coolness, the dreadful circumstances of our -disaster. The scenes of yesterday passed in such quick succession in my -mind that it was not until after many hours of severe reflection that I -was able to discard the idea of the catastrophe as a dream. Alas! it was -one from which there was no awaking; it was too certainly true, that but -yesterday we had existed as it were, and in one short moment had been -cut off from all the hopes and prospects of the living! I have no -language to paint out the horrors of our situation. To shed tears was -indeed altogether unavailing, and withal unmanly; yet I was not able to -deny myself the relief they served to afford me. After several hours of -idle sorrow and repining I began to reflect upon the accident, and -endeavoured to realize by what unaccountable destiny or design, (which I -could not at first determine,) this sudden and most deadly attack had -been made upon us: by an animal, too, never before suspected of -premeditated violence, and proverbial for its insensibility and -inoffensiveness. Every fact seemed to warrant me in concluding that it -was any thing but chance which directed his operations; he made two -several attacks upon the ship, at a short interval between them, both of -which, according to their direction, were calculated to do us the most -injury, by being made ahead, and thereby combining the speed of the two -objects for the shock; to effect which, the exact manœuvres which he -made were necessary. His aspect was most horrible, and such as indicated -resentment and fury. He came directly from the shoal which we had just -before entered, and in which we had struck three of his companions, as -if fired with revenge for their sufferings. But to this it may be -observed, that the mode of fighting which they always adopt is either -with repeated strokes of their tails, or snapping of their jaws -together; and that a case, precisely similar to this one, has never been -heard of amongst the oldest and most experienced whalers. To this I -would answer, that the structure and strength of the whale’s head is -admirably designed for this mode of attack; the most prominent part of -which is almost as hard and as tough as iron; indeed, I can compare it -to nothing else but the inside of a horse’s hoof, upon which a lance or -harpoon would not make the slightest impression. The eyes and ears are -removed nearly one-third the length of the whole fish, from the front -part of the head, and are not in the least degree endangered in this -mode of attack. At all events, the whole circumstances taken together, -all happening before my own eyes, and producing, at the time, -impressions in my mind of decided, calculating mischief, on the part of -the whale, (many of which impressions I cannot now recall,) induce me to -be satisfied that I am correct in my opinion. It is certainly, in all -its bearings, a hitherto unheard of circumstance, and constitutes, -perhaps, the most extraordinary one in the annals of the fishery. - - - - - CHAPTER III. - - -November 21st. The morning dawned upon our wretched company. The weather -was fine, but the wind blew a strong breeze from the SE. and the sea was -very rugged. Watches had been kept up during the night, in our -respective boats, to see that none of the spars or other articles (which -continued to float out of the wreck,) should be thrown by the surf -against, and injure the boats. At sunrise, we began to think of doing -something; what, we did not know: we cast loose our boats, and visited -the wreck, to see if any thing more of consequence could be preserved, -but every thing looked cheerless and desolate, and we made a long and -vain search for any useful article; nothing could be found but a few -turtle; of these we had enough already; or at least, as many as could be -safely stowed in the boats, and we wandered around in every part of the -ship in a sort of vacant idleness for the greater part of the morning. -We were presently aroused to a perfect sense of our destitute and -forlorn condition; by thoughts of the means which we had for our -subsistence, the necessity of not wasting our time, and of endeavouring -to seek some relief wherever God might direct us. Our thoughts, indeed, -hung about the ship, wrecked and sunken as she was, and we could -scarcely discard from our minds the idea of her continuing protection. -Some great efforts in our situation were necessary, and a great deal of -calculation important, as it concerned the means by which our existence -was to be supported during, perhaps, a very long period, and a provision -for our eventual deliverance. Accordingly, by agreement, all set to work -in stripping off the light sails of the ship, for sails to our boats; -and the day was consumed in making them up and fitting them. We -furnished ourselves with masts and other light spars that were -necessary, from the wreck. Each boat was rigged with two masts, to carry -a flying-jib and two sprit-sails; the sprit-sails were made so that two -reefs could be taken in them, in case of heavy blows. We continued to -watch the wreck for any serviceable articles that might float from her, -and kept one man during the day, on the stump of her foremast, on the -look out for vessels. Our work was very much impeded by the increase of -the wind and sea, and the surf breaking almost continually into the -boats, gave us many fears that we should not be able to prevent our -provisions from getting wet; and above all served to increase the -constant apprehensions that we had, of the insufficiency of the boats -themselves, during the rough weather that we should necessarily -experience. In order to provide as much as possible against this, and -withal to strengthen the slight materials of which the boats were -constructed, we procured from the wreck some light cedar boards, -(intended to repair boats in cases of accidents,) with which we built up -additional sides, about six inches above the gunwale; these, we -afterwards found, were of infinite service for the purpose for which -they were intended; in truth, I am satisfied we could never have been -preserved without them; the boats must otherwise have taken in so much -water that all the efforts of twenty such weak, starving men as we -afterwards came to be, would not have sufficed to keep her free; but -what appeared most immediately to concern us, and to command all our -anxieties, was the security of our provisions from the salt water. We -disposed of them under a covering of wood, that whale boats have at -either end of them, wrapping it up in several thicknesses of canvass. I -got an observation to-day, by which I found we were in latitude 0° 6′ S. -longitude 119° 30′ W. having been driven by the winds a distance of -forty-nine miles the last twenty-four hours; by this it would appear -that there must have been a strong current, setting us to the NW. during -the whole time. We were not able to finish our sails in one day; and -many little things preparatory to taking a final leave of the ship were -necessary to be attended to, but evening came and put an end to our -labours. We made the same arrangements for mooring the boats in safety, -and consigned ourselves to the horrors of another tempestuous night. The -wind continued to blow hard, keeping up a heavy sea, and veering around -from SE. to E. and E.SE. As the gloom of night approached, and obliged -us to desist from that employment, which cheated us out of some of the -realities of our situation, we all of us again became mute and -desponding: a considerable degree of alacrity had been manifested by -many the preceding day, as their attention had been wholly engaged in -scrutinizing the wreck, and in constructing the sails and spars for the -boats; but when they ceased to be occupied, they passed to a sudden fit -of melancholy, and the miseries of their situation came upon them with -such force, as to produce spells of extreme debility, approaching almost -to fainting. Our provisions were scarcely touched—the appetite was -entirely gone: but as we had a great abundance of water, we indulged in -frequent and copious draughts, which our parched mouths seemed -continually to need. None asked for bread. Our continued state of -anxiety during the night, excluded all hopes of sleep; still, (although -the solemn fact had been before me for nearly two days,) my mind -manifested the utmost repugnance to be reconciled to it; I laid down in -the bottom of the boat, and resigned myself to reflection; my silent -prayers were offered up to the God of mercy, for that protection which -we stood so much in need of. Sometimes, indeed, a light hope would dawn, -but then, to feel such an utter dependence on and consignment to chance -alone for aid and rescue, would chase it again from my mind. The -wreck—the mysterious and mortal attack of the animal—the sudden -prostration and sinking of the vessel—our escape from her, and our then -forlorn and almost hapless destiny, all passed in quick and perplexing -review in my imagination; wearied with the exertion of the body and -mind, I caught, near morning, an hour’s respite from my troubles, in -sleep. - -November 22d. The wind remained the same, and the weather continued -remarkably fine. At sunrise, we again hauled our boats up, and continued -our search for articles that might float out. About 7 o’clock, the deck -of the wreck began to give way, and every appearance indicated her -speedy dissolution; the oil had bilged in the hold, and kept the surface -of the sea all around us completely covered with it; the bulk-heads were -all washed down, and she worked in every part of her joints and seams, -with the violent and continual breaking of the surf over her. Seeing, at -last, that little or nothing further could be done by remaining with the -wreck, and as it was all important that while our provisions lasted, we -should make the best possible use of time, I rowed up to the captain’s -boat, and asked him what he intended to do. I informed him that the -ship’s decks had bursted up, and that in all probability she would soon -go to pieces; that no further purpose could be answered, by remaining -longer with her, since nothing more could be obtained from her; and that -it was my opinion, no time should be lost in making the best of our way -towards the nearest land. The captain observed, that he would go once -more to the wreck, and survey her, and after waiting until 12 o’clock -for the purpose of getting an observation, would immediately after -determine. In the mean time, before noon all our sails were completed, -and the boats otherwise got in readiness for our departure. Our -observation now proved us to be in latitude 0° 13′ N. longitude 120° 00′ -W. as near as we could determine it, having crossed the equator during -the night, and drifted nineteen miles. The wind had veered considerably -to the eastward, during the last twenty-four hours. Our nautical -calculations having been completed, the captain, after visiting the -wreck, called a council, consisting of himself and the first and second -mates, who all repaired to his boat, to interchange opinions, and devise -the best means for our security and preservation. There were, in all of -us, twenty men; six of whom were blacks, and we had three boats. We -examined our navigators, to ascertain the nearest land, and found it was -the Marquesas Islands. The Society Islands were next; these islands we -were entirely ignorant of; if inhabited, we presumed they were by -savages, from whom we had as much to fear, as from the elements, or even -death itself. We had no charts from which our calculations might be -aided, and were consequently obliged to govern ourselves by the -navigators alone; it was also the captain’s opinion, that this was the -season of the hurricanes which prevail in the vicinity of the Sandwich -Islands, and that consequently it would be unsafe to steer for them. The -issue of our deliberations was, that, taking all things into -consideration, it would be most adviseable to shape our course by the -wind, to the southward, as far as 25° or 26° S. latitude, fall in with -the variable winds, and then, endeavour to get eastward to the coast of -Chili or Peru. Accordingly, preparations were made for our immediate -departure; the boat which it was my fortune, or rather misfortune to -have, was the worst of the three; she was old and patched up, having -been stove a number of times, during the cruise. At best, a whale boat -is an extremely frail thing; the most so of any other kind of boat; they -are what is called clinker built, and constructed of the lightest -materials, for the purpose of being rowed with the greatest possible -celerity, according to the necessities of the business for which they -are intended. Of all species of vessels, they are the weakest, and most -fragile, and possess but one advantage over any other—that of lightness -and buoyancy, that enables them to keep above the dash of the sea, with -more facility than heavier ones. This qualification is, however, -preferable to that of any other, and, situated as we then were, I would -not have exchanged her, old and crazy as she was, for even a ship’s -launch. I am quite confident, that to this quality of our boats we most -especially owed our preservation, through the many days and nights of -heavy weather, that we afterwards encountered. In consideration of my -having the weakest boat, six men were allotted to it; while those of the -captain and second mate, took seven each, and at half past 12 we left -the wreck, steering our course, with nearly all sail set, S.SE. At four -o’clock in the afternoon we lost sight of her entirely. Many were the -lingering and sorrowful looks we cast behind us. - -It has appeared to me often since to have been, in the abstract, an -extreme weakness and folly, on our parts, to have looked upon our -shattered and sunken vessel with such an excessive fondness and regret; -but it seemed as if in abandoning her we had parted with all hope, and -were bending our course away from her, rather by some dictate of -despair. We agreed to keep together, in our boats, as nearly as -possible, to afford assistance in cases of accident, and to render our -reflections less melancholy by each other’s presence. I found it on this -occasion true, that misery does indeed love company; unaided, and -unencouraged by each other, there were with us many whose weak minds, I -am confident, would have sunk under the dismal retrospections of the -past catastrophe, and who did not possess either sense or firmness -enough to contemplate our approaching destiny, without the cheering of -some more determined countenance than their own. The wind was strong all -day; and the sea ran very high, our boat taking in water from her leaks -continually, so that we were obliged to keep one man constantly bailing. -During the night the weather became extremely rugged, and the sea every -now and then broke over us. By agreement, we were divided into two -watches; one of which was to be constantly awake, and doing the labours -of the boat, such as bailing; setting, taking in, and trimming the -sails. We kept our course very well together during this night, and had -many opportunities of conversation with the men in the other boats, -wherein the means and prospects of our deliverance were variously -considered; it appeared from the opinions of all, that we had most to -hope for in the meeting with some vessel, and most probably some whale -ship, the great majority of whom, in those seas, we imagined were -cruising about the latitude we were then steering for; but this was only -a hope, the realization of which did not in any degree depend on our own -exertions, but on chance alone. It was not, therefore, considered -prudent, by going out of our course, with the prospect of meeting them, -to lose sight, for one moment, of the strong probabilities which, under -Divine Providence, there were of our reaching land by the route we had -prescribed to ourselves; as that depended, most especially, on a -reasonable calculation, and on our own labours, we conceived that our -provision and water, on a small allowance, would last us sixty days; -that with the trade-wind, on the course we were then lying, we should be -able to average the distance of a degree a day, which, in 26 days, would -enable us to attain the region of the variable winds, and then, in -thirty more, at the very utmost, should there be any favour in the -elements, we might reach the coast. With these considerations we -commenced our voyage; the total failure of all which, and the subsequent -dismal distress and suffering, by which we were overtaken, will be shown -in the sequel. Our allowance of provision at first consisted of bread; -one biscuit, weighing about one pound three ounces, and half a pint of -water a day, for each man. This small quantity, (less than one third -which is required by an ordinary person,) small as it was, we however -took without murmuring, and, on many an occasion afterwards, blest God -that even this pittance was allowed to us in our misery. The darkness of -another night overtook us; and after having for the first time partook -of our allowance of bread and water, we laid our weary bodies down in -the boat, and endeavoured to get some repose. Nature became at last worn -out with the watchings and anxieties of the two preceding nights, and -sleep came insensibly upon us. No dreams could break the strong -fastenings of forgetfulness in which the mind was then locked up; but -for my own part, my thoughts so haunted me that this luxury was yet a -stranger to my eyes; every recollection was still fresh before me, and I -enjoyed but a few short and unsatisfactory slumbers, caught in the -intervals between my hopes and my fears. The dark ocean and swelling -waters were nothing; the fears of being swallowed up by some dreadful -tempest, or dashed upon hidden rocks, with all the other ordinary -subjects of fearful contemplation, seemed scarcely entitled to a -moment’s thought; the dismal looking wreck, and the horrid aspect and -revenge of the whale, wholly engrossed my reflections, until day again -made its appearance. - -November 23d. In my chest, which I was fortunate enough to preserve, I -had several small articles, which we found of great service to us; among -the rest, some eight or ten sheets of writing paper, a lead pencil, a -suit of clothes, three small fish-hooks, a jack-knife, a whetstone, and -a cake of soap. I commenced to keep a sort of journal with the little -paper and pencil which I had; and the knife, besides other useful -purposes, served us as a razor. It was with much difficulty, however, -that I could keep any sort of record, owing to the incessant rocking and -unsteadiness of the boat, and the continual dashing of the spray of the -sea over us. The boat contained, in addition to the articles enumerated, -a lantern, tinder-box, and two or three candles, which belonged to her, -and with which they are kept always supplied, while engaged in taking -whale. In addition to all which, the captain had saved a musket, two -pistols, and a canister, containing about two pounds of gunpowder; the -latter he distributed in equal proportions between the three boats, and -gave the second mate and myself each a pistol. When morning came we -found ourselves quite near together, and the wind had considerably -increased since the day before; we were consequently obliged to reef our -sails; and although we did not apprehend any very great danger from the -then violence of the wind, yet it grew to be very uncomfortable in the -boats, from the repeated dashing of the waves, that kept our bodies -constantly wet with the salt spray. We, however, stood along our course -until twelve o’clock, when we got an observation, as well as we were -able to obtain one, while the water flew all over us, and the sea kept -the boat extremely unsteady. We found ourselves this day in latitude 0° -58′ S. having repassed the equator. We abandoned the idea altogether of -keeping any correct longitudinal reckoning, having no glass, nor -log-line. The wind moderated in the course of the afternoon a little, -but at night came on to blow again almost a gale. We began now to -tremble for our little barque; she was so ill calculated, in point of -strength, to withstand the racking of the sea, while it required the -constant labours of one man to keep her free of water. We were -surrounded in the afternoon with porpoises that kept playing about us in -great numbers, and continued to follow us during the night. - -November 24th. The wind had not abated any since the preceding day, and -the sea had risen to be very large, and increased, if possible, the -extreme uncomfortableness of our situation. What added more than any -thing else to our misfortunes, was, that all our efforts for the -preservation of our provisions proved, in a great measure, ineffectual; -a heavy sea broke suddenly into the boat, and, before we could snatch it -up, damaged some part of it; by timely attention, however, and great -caution, we managed to make it eatable, and to preserve the rest from a -similar casualty. This was a subject of extreme anxiety to us; the -expectation, poor enough of itself indeed, upon which our final rescue -was founded, must change at once to utter hopelessness, deprived of our -provisions, the only means of continuing us in the exercise, not only of -our manual powers, but in those of reason itself; hence, above all other -things, this was the object of our utmost solicitude and pains. - -We ascertained, the next day, that some of the provisions in the -captain’s boat had shared a similar fate during the night; both which -accidents served to arouse us to a still stronger sense of our slender -reliance upon the human means at our command, and to show us our utter -dependence on that divine aid which we so much the more stood in need -of. - -November 25th. No change of wind had yet taken place, and we experienced -the last night the same wet and disagreeable weather of the preceding -one. About eight o’clock in the morning we discovered that the water -began to come fast in our boat, and in a few minutes the quantity -increased to such a degree as to alarm us considerably for our safety; -we commenced immediately a strict search in every part of her to -discover the leak, and, after tearing up the ceiling or floor of the -boat near the bows, we found it proceeded from one of the streaks or -outside boards having bursted off there; no time was to be lost in -devising some means to repair it. The great difficulty consisted in its -being in the bottom of the boat, about six inches from the surface of -the water; it was necessary, therefore, to have access to the outside, -to enable us to fasten it on again: the leak being to leeward, we hove -about, and lay to on the other tack, which brought it then nearly out of -water; the captain, who was at the time ahead of us, seeing us -manœuvring to get the boat about, shortened sail, and presently tacked, -and ran down to us. I informed him of our situation, and he came -immediately alongside to our assistance. After directing all the men in -the boat to get on one side, the other, by that means, heeled out of the -water a considerable distance, and, with a little difficulty, we then -managed to drive in a few nails, and secured it, much beyond our -expectations. Fears of no ordinary kind were excited by this seemingly -small accident. When it is recollected to what a slight vessel we had -committed ourselves; our means of safety alone consisting in her -capacity and endurance for many weeks, in all probability, yet to come, -it will not be considered strange that this little accident should not -only have damped our spirits considerably, but have thrown a great -gloominess over the natural prospects of our deliverance. On this -occasion, too, were we enabled to rescue ourselves from inevitable -destruction by the possession of a few nails, without which, (had it not -been our fortune to save some from the wreck,) we would, in all human -calculation, have been lost: we were still liable to a recurrence of the -same accident, perhaps to a still worse one, as, in the heavy and -repeated racking of the swell, the progress of our voyage would serve -but to increase the incapacity and weakness of our boat, and the -starting of a single nail in her bottom would most assuredly prove our -certain destruction. We wanted not this additional reflection, to add to -the miseries of our situation. - -November 26th. Our sufferings, heaven knows, were now sufficiently -increased, and we looked forward, not without an extreme dread, and -anxiety, to the gloomy and disheartening prospect before us. We -experienced a little abatement of wind and rough weather to-day, and -took the opportunity of drying the bread that had been wet the day -previously; to our great joy and satisfaction also, the wind hauled out -to E.NE. and enabled us to hold a much more favourable course; with -these exceptions, no circumstance of any considerable interest occurred -in the course of this day. - -The 27th of November was alike undistinguished for any incident worthy -of note; except that the wind again veered back to E. and destroyed the -fine prospect we had entertained, of making a good run for several days -to come. - -November 28th. The wind hauled still further to the southward, and -obliged us to fall off our course to S. and commenced to blow with such -violence, as to put us again under short sail; the night set in -extremely dark, and tempestuous, and we began to entertain fears that we -should be separated. We however, with great pains, managed to keep about -a ship’s length apart, so that the white sails of our boats could be -distinctly discernable. The captain’s boat was but a short distance -astern of mine, and that of the second mate a few rods to leeward of -his. At about 11 o’clock at night, having laid down to sleep, in the -bottom of the boat, I was suddenly awakened by one of my companions, who -cried out, that the captain was in distress, and was calling on us for -assistance. I immediately aroused myself, and listened a moment, to hear -if any thing further should be said, when the captain’s loud voice -arrested my attention. He was calling to the second mate, whose boat was -nearer to him than mine. I made all haste to put about, ran down to him, -and inquired what was the matter; he replied, “I have been attacked by -an unknown fish, and he has stove my boat.” It appeared, that some large -fish had accompanied the boat for a short distance, and had suddenly -made an unprovoked attack upon her, as nearly as they could determine, -with his jaws; the extreme darkness of the night prevented them from -distinguishing what kind of animal it was, but they judged it to be -about twelve feet in length, and one of the killer-fish species. After -having struck the boat once, he continued to play about her, on every -side, as if manifesting a disposition to renew the attack, and did a -second time strike the bows of the boat, and split her stem. They had no -other instrument of offence, but the sprit-pole, (a long slender piece -of wood, by which the peak of the sail is extended,) with which, after -repeated attempts to destroy the boat, they succeeded in beating him -off. I arrived, just as he had discontinued his operations, and -disappeared. He had made a considerable breach in the bows of the boat, -through which the water had began to pour fast; and the captain, -imagining matters to be considerably worse than they were, immediately -took measures to remove his provisions into the second mate’s boat and -mine, in order to lighten his own, and by that means, and constant -bailing, to keep her above water until daylight should enable him to -discover the extent of the damage, and to repair it. The night was -spissy darkness itself; the sky was completely overcast, and it seemed -to us as if fate was wholly relentless, in pursuing us with such a cruel -complication of disasters. We were not without our fears that the fish -might renew his attack, some time during the night, upon one of the -other boats, and unexpectedly destroy us; but they proved entirely -groundless, as he was never afterwards seen. When daylight came, the -wind again favoured us a little, and we all lay to, to repair the broken -boat; which was effected by nailing on thin strips of boards in the -inside; and having replaced the provisions, we proceeded again on our -course. Our allowance of water, which in the commencement, merely served -to administer to the positive demands of nature, became now to be -insufficient; and we began to experience violent thirst, from the -consumption of the provisions that had been wet with the salt water, and -dried in the sun; of these we were obliged to eat first, to prevent -their spoiling; and we could not, nay, we did not dare, to make any -encroachments on our stock of water. Our determination was, to suffer as -long as human patience and endurance would hold out, having only in -view, the relief that would be afforded us, when the quantity of wet -provisions should be exhausted. Our extreme sufferings here first -commenced. The privation of water is justly ranked among the most -dreadful of the miseries of our life; the violence of raving thirst has -no parallel in the catalogue of human calamities. It was our hard lot to -have felt this in its extremest force, when necessity subsequently -compelled us to seek resource from one of the offices of nature. We were -not, at first, aware of the consequences of eating this bread, and it -was not until the fatal effects of it had shown themselves to a degree -of oppression, that we could divine the cause of our extreme thirst. -But, alas! there was no relief. Ignorant, or instructed of the fact, it -was alike immaterial; it composed a part of our subsistence, and reason -imposed upon us the necessity of its immediate consumption, as otherwise -it would have been lost to us entirely. - -November 29th. Our boats appeared to be growing daily more frail and -insufficient; the continual flowing of the water into them, seemed -increased, without our being able to assign it to any thing else, than a -general weakness, arising from causes that must in a short time, without -some remedy or relief, produce their total failure. We did not neglect, -however, to patch up and mend them, according to our means, whenever we -could discover a broken or weak part. We this day found ourselves -surrounded by a shoal of dolphins; some, or one of which, we tried in -vain a long time to take. We made a small line from some rigging that -was in the boat, fastened on one of the fish-hooks, and tied to it a -small piece of white rag; they took not the least notice of it, but -continued playing around us, nearly all day, mocking both our miseries -and our efforts. - -November 30th. This was a remarkably fine day; the weather not exceeded -by any that we had experienced since we left the wreck. At one o’clock, -I proposed to our boat’s crew to kill one of the turtle; two of which we -had in our possession. I need not say, that the proposition was hailed -with the utmost enthusiasm; hunger had set its ravenous gnawings upon -our stomachs, and we waited with impatience to suck the warm flowing -blood of the animal. A small fire was kindled in the shell of the -turtle, and after dividing the blood, (of which there was about a gill,) -among those of us who felt disposed to drink it, we cooked the -remainder, entrails and all, and enjoyed from it an unspeakably fine -repast. The stomachs of two or three revolted at the sight of the blood, -and refused to partake of it; not even the outrageous thirst that was -upon them could induce them to taste it; for myself, I took it like a -medicine, to relieve the extreme dryness of my palate, and stopped not -to inquire whether it was any thing else than a liquid. After this, I -may say exquisite banquet, our bodies were considerably recruited, and I -felt my spirits now much higher than they had been at any time before. -By observation, this day we found ourselves in latitude 7° 53′ S. our -distance from the wreck, as nearly as we could calculate, was then about -four hundred and eighty miles. - -December 1st. From the 1st to the 3d of December, exclusive, there was -nothing transpired of any moment. Our boats as yet kept admirably well -together, and the weather was distinguished for its mildness and -salubrity. We gathered consolation too from a favourable slant which the -wind took to NE. and our situation was not at that moment, we thought, -so comfortless as we had been led at first to consider it; but, in our -extravagant felicitations upon the blessing of the wind and weather, we -forgot our leaks, our weak boats, our own debility, our immense distance -from land, the smallness of our stock of provisions; all which, when -brought to mind, with the force which they deserved, were too well -calculated to dishearten us, and cause us to sigh for the hardships of -our lot. Up to the 3d of December, the raging thirst of our mouths had -not been but in a small degree alleviated; had it not been for the pains -which that gave us, we should have tasted, during this spell of fine -weather, a species of enjoyment, derived from a momentary forgetfulness -of our actual situation. - -December 3d. With great joy we hailed the last crumb of our damaged -bread, and commenced this day to take our allowance of healthy -provisions. The salutary and agreeable effects of this change were felt -at first in so slight a degree, as to give us no great cause of comfort -or satisfaction; but gradually, as we partook of our small allowance of -water, the moisture began to collect in our mouths, and the parching -fever of the palate imperceptibly left it. An accident here happened to -us which gave us a great momentary spell of uneasiness. The night was -dark, and the sky was completely overcast, so that we could scarcely -discern each other’s boats, when at about ten o’clock, that of the -second mate was suddenly missing. I felt for a moment considerable alarm -at her unexpected disappearance; but after a little reflection I -immediately hove to, struck a light as expeditiously as possible, and -hoisted it at the mast-head, in a lantern. Our eyes were now directed -over every part of the ocean, in search of her, when, to our great joy, -we discerned an answering light, about a quarter of a mile to leeward of -us; we ran down to it, and it proved to be the lost boat. Strange as the -extraordinary interest which we felt in each other’s company may appear, -and much as our repugnance to separation may seem to imply of weakness, -it was the subject of our continual hopes and fears. It is truly -remarked, that misfortune more than any thing else serves to endear us -to our companions. So strongly was this sentiment engrafted upon our -feelings, and so closely were the destinies of all of us involuntarily -linked together, that, had one of the boats been wrecked, and wholly -lost, with all her provisions and water, we should have felt ourselves -constrained, by every tie of humanity, to have taken the surviving -sufferers into the other boats, and shared our bread and water with -them, while a crumb of one or a drop of the other remained. Hard, -indeed, would the case have been for all, and much as I have since -reflected on the subject, I have not been able to realize, had it so -happened, that a sense of our necessities would have allowed us to give -so magnanimous and devoted a character to our feelings. I can only speak -of the impressions which I recollect I had at the time. Subsequently, -however, as our situation became more straightened and desperate, our -conversation on this subject took a different turn; and it appeared to -be an universal sentiment, that such a course of conduct was calculated -to weaken the chances of a final deliverance for some, and might be the -only means of consigning every soul of us to a horrid death of -starvation. There is no question but that an immediate separation, -therefore, was the most politic measure that could be adopted, and that -every boat should take its own separate chance: while we remained -together, should any accident happen, of the nature alluded to, no other -course could be adopted, than that of taking the survivers into the -other boats, and giving up voluntarily, what we were satisfied could -alone prolong our hopes, and multiply the chances of our safety, or -unconcernedly witness their struggles in death, perhaps beat them from -our boats, with weapons, back into the ocean. The expectation of -reaching the land was founded upon a reasonable calculation of the -distance, the means, and the subsistence; all which were scanty enough, -God knows, and ill adapted to the probable exigences of the voyage. Any -addition to our own demands, in this respect, would not only injure, but -actually destroy the whole system which we had laid down, and reduce us -to a slight hope, derived either from the speedy death of some of our -crew, or the falling in with some vessel. With all this, however, there -was a desperate instinct that bound us together; we could not reason on -the subject with any degree of satisfaction to our minds, yet we -continued to cling to each other with a strong and involuntary impulse. -This, indeed, was a matter of no small difficulty, and it constituted, -more than any thing else, a source of continual watching and inquietude. -We would but turn our eyes away for a few moments, during some dark -nights, and presently, one of the boats would be missing. There was no -other remedy than to heave to immediately and set a light, by which the -missing boat might be directed to us. These proceedings necessarily -interfered very much with our speed, and consequently lessened our -hopes; but we preferred to submit to it, while the consequences were not -so immediately felt, rather than part with the consolation which each -other’s presence afforded. Nothing of importance took place on the 4th -of December; and on the 5th, at night, owing to the extreme darkness, -and a strong wind, I again separated from the other boats. Finding they -were not to be seen in any direction, I loaded my pistol and fired it -twice; soon after the second discharge they made their appearance a -short distance to windward, and we joined company, and again kept on our -course, in which we continued without any remarkable occurrence, through -the 6th and 7th of December. The wind during this period blew very -strong, and much more unfavourably. Our boats continued to leak, and to -take in a good deal of water over the gunwales. - -December 8th. In the afternoon of this day the wind set in E.SE. and -began to blow much harder than we had yet experienced it; by twelve -o’clock at night it had increased to a perfect gale, with heavy showers -of rain, and we now began, from these dreadful indications, to prepare -ourselves for destruction. We continued to take in sail by degrees, as -the tempest gradually increased, until at last we were obliged to take -down our masts. At this juncture we gave up entirely to the mercy of the -waves. The sea and rain had wet us to the skin, and we sat down, -silently, and with sullen resignation, awaiting our fate. We made an -effort to catch some fresh water by spreading one of the sails, but -after having spent a long time, and obtained but a small quantity in a -bucket, it proved to be quite as salt as that from the ocean: this we -attributed to its having passed through the sail which had been so often -wet by the sea, and upon which, after drying so frequently in the sun, -concretions of salt had been formed. It was a dreadful night—cut off -from any imaginary relief—nothing remained but to await the approaching -issue with firmness and resignation. The appearance of the heavens was -dark and dreary, and the blackness that was spread over the face of the -waters dismal beyond description. The heavy squalls, that followed each -other in quick succession, were preceded by sharp flashes of lightning, -that appeared to wrap our little barge in flames. The sea rose to a -fearful height, and every wave that came looked as if it must be the -last that would be necessary for our destruction. To an overruling -Providence alone must be attributed our salvation from the horrors of -that terrible night. It can be accounted for in no other way: that a -speck of substance, like that which we were, before the driving terrors -of the tempest, could have been conducted safely through it. At twelve -o’clock it began to abate a little in intervals of two or three minutes, -during which we would venture to raise up our heads and look to -windward. Our boat was completely unmanageable; without sails, mast, or -rudder, and had been driven, in the course of the afternoon and night, -we knew not whither, nor how far. When the gale had in some measure -subsided we made efforts to get a little sail upon her, and put her head -towards the course we had been steering. My companions had not slept any -during the whole night, and were dispirited and broken down to such a -degree as to appear to want some more powerful stimulus than the fears -of death to enable them to do their duty. By great exertions, however, -towards morning we again set a double-reefed mainsail and jib upon her, -and began to make tolerable progress on the voyage. An unaccountable -good fortune had kept the boats together during all the troubles of the -night: and the sun rose and showed the disconsolate faces of our -companions once more to each other. - -December 9th. By twelve o’clock this day we were enabled to set all sail -as usual; but there continued to be a very heavy sea running, which -opened the seams of the boats, and increased the leaks to an alarming -degree. There was, however, no remedy for this but continual bailing, -which had now become to be an extremely irksome and laborious task. By -observation we found ourselves in latitude 17° 40′ S. At eleven o’clock -at night, the captain’s boat was unexpectedly found to be missing. After -the last accident of this kind we had agreed, if the same should again -occur, that, in order to save our time, the other boats should not heave -to, as usual, but continue on their course until morning, and thereby -save the great detention that must arise from such repeated delays. We, -however, concluded on this occasion to make a small effort, which, if it -did not immediately prove the means of restoring the lost boat, we would -discontinue, and again make sail. Accordingly we hove to for an hour, -during which time I fired my pistol twice, and obtaining no tidings of -the boat, we stood on our course. When daylight appeared she was to -leeward of us, about two miles; upon observing her we immediately ran -down, and again joined company. - -December 10th. I have omitted to notice the gradual advances which -hunger and thirst, for the last six days, had made upon us. As the time -had lengthened since our departure from the wreck, and the allowance of -provision, making the demands of the appetite daily more and more -importunate, they had created in us an almost uncontrollable temptation -to violate our resolution, and satisfy, for once, the hard yearnings of -nature from our stock; but a little reflection served to convince us of -the imprudence and unmanliness of the measure, and it was abandoned with -a sort of melancholy effort of satisfaction. I had taken into custody, -by common consent, all the provisions and water belonging to the boat, -and was determined that no encroachments should be made upon it with my -consent; nay, I felt myself bound, by every consideration of duty, by -every dictate of sense, of prudence, and discretion, without which, in -my situation, all other exertions would have been folly itself, to -protect them, at the hazard of my life. For this purpose I locked up in -my chest the whole quantity, and never, for a single moment, closed my -eyes without placing some part of my person in contact with the chest; -and having loaded my pistol, kept it constantly about me. I should not -certainly have put any threats in execution as long as the most distant -hopes of reconciliation existed; and was determined, in case the least -refractory disposition should be manifested, (a thing which I -contemplated not unlikely to happen, with a set of starving wretches -like ourselves,) that I would immediately divide our subsistence into -equal proportions, and give each man’s share into his own keeping. Then, -should any attempt be made upon mine, which I intended to mete out to -myself, according to exigences, I was resolved to make the consequences -of it fatal. There was, however, the most upright and obedient behaviour -in this respect manifested by every man in the boat, and I never had the -least opportunity of proving what my conduct would have been on such an -occasion. While standing on our course this day we came across a small -shoal of flying fish: four of which, in their efforts to avoid us, flew -against the mainsail, and dropped into the boat; one, having fell near -me, I eagerly snatched up and devoured; the other three were immediately -taken by the rest, and eaten alive. For the first time I, on this -occasion, felt a disposition to laugh, upon witnessing the ludicrous and -almost desperate efforts of my five companions, who each sought to get a -fish. They were very small of the kind, and constituted but an extremely -delicate mouthful, scales, wings, and all, for hungry stomachs like -ours. From the eleventh to the thirteenth of December inclusive, our -progress was very slow, owing to light winds and calms; and nothing -transpired of any moment, except that on the eleventh we killed the only -remaining turtle, and enjoyed another luxuriant repast, that invigorated -our bodies, and gave a fresh flow to our spirits. The weather was -extremely hot, and we were exposed to the full force of a meridian sun, -without any covering to shield us from its burning influence, or the -least breath of air to cool its parching rays. On the thirteenth day of -December we were blessed with a change of wind to the northward, that -brought us a most welcome and unlooked for relief. We now, for the first -time, actually felt what might be deemed a reasonable hope of our -deliverance; and with hearts bounding with satisfaction, and bosoms -swelling with joy, we made all sail to the eastward. We imagined we had -run out of the tradewinds, and had got into the variables, and should, -in all probability, reach the land many days sooner than we expected. -But, alas! our anticipations were but a dream, from which we shortly -experienced a cruel awaking. The wind gradually died away, and at night -was succeeded by a perfect calm, more oppressive and disheartening to -us, from the bright prospects which had attended during the day. The -gloomy reflections that this hard fortune had given birth to, were -succeeded by others, of a no less cruel and discouraging nature, when we -found the calm continue during the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth -of December inclusive. The extreme oppression of the weather, the sudden -and unexpected prostration of our hopes, and the consequent dejection of -our spirits, set us again to thinking, and filled our souls with fearful -and melancholy forebodings. In this state of affairs, seeing no -alternative left us but to employ to the best advantage all human -expedients in our power, I proposed, on the fourteenth, to reduce our -allowance of provisions one-half. No objections were made to this -arrangement: all submitted, or seemed to do so, with an admirable -fortitude and forbearance. The proportion which our stock of water bore -to our bread was not large; and while the weather continued so -oppressive, we did not think it adviseable to diminish our scanty -pittance; indeed, it would have been scarcely possible to have done so, -with any regard to our necessities, as our thirst had become now -incessantly more intolerable than hunger, and the quantity then allowed -was barely sufficient to keep the mouth in a state of moisture, for -about one-third of the time. “Patience and long-suffering” was the -constant language of our lips: and a determination, strong as the -resolves of the soul could make it, to cling to existence as long as -hope and breath remained to us. In vain was every expedient tried to -relieve the raging fever of the throat by drinking salt water, and -holding small quantities of it in the mouth, until, by that means, the -thirst was increased to such a degree, as even to drive us to -despairing, and vain relief from our own urine. Our sufferings during -these calm days almost exceeded human belief. The hot rays of the sun -beat down upon us to such a degree, as to oblige us to hang over the -gunwale of the boat, into the sea, to cool our weak and fainting bodies. -This expedient afforded us, however, a grateful relief, and was -productive of a discovery of infinite importance to us. No sooner had -one of us got on the outside of the gunwale than he immediately observed -the bottom of the boat to be covered with a species of small clam, -which, upon being tasted, proved a most delicious and agreeable food. -This was no sooner announced to us, than we commenced to tear them off -and eat them, for a few minutes, like a set of gluttons; and, after -having satisfied the immediate craving of the stomach, we gathered large -quantities and laid them up in the boat; but hunger came upon us again -in less than half an hour afterwards, within which time they had all -disappeared. Upon attempting to get in again, we found ourselves so weak -as to require each other’s assistance; indeed, had it not been for three -of our crew, who could not swim, and who did not, therefore, get -overboard, I know not by what means we should have been able to have -resumed our situations in the boat. - -On the fifteenth our boat continued to take in water so fast from her -leaks, and the weather proving so moderate, we concluded to search out -the bad places, and endeavour to mend them as well as we should be able. -After a considerable search, and, removing the ceiling near the bows, we -found the principal opening was occasioned by the starting of a plank or -streak in the bottom of the boat, next to the keel. To remedy this, it -was now absolutely necessary to have access to the bottom. The means of -doing which did not immediately occur to our minds. After a moment’s -reflection, however, one of the crew, Benjamin Lawrence, offered to tie -a rope around his body, take a boat’s hatchet in his hand, and thus go -under the water, and hold the hatchet against a nail, to be driven -through from the inside, for the purpose of clenching it. This was, -accordingly, all effected, with some little trouble, and answered the -purpose much beyond our expectations. Our latitude was this day 21° 42′ -South. The oppression of the weather still continuing through the -sixteenth, bore upon our health and spirits with an amazing force and -severity. The most disagreeable excitements were produced by it, which, -added to the disconsolate endurance of the calm, called loudly for some -mitigating expedient,—some sort of relief to our prolonged sufferings. -By our observations to-day we found, in addition to our other -calamities, that we had been urged back from our progress, by the heave -of the sea, a distance of ten miles; and were still without any prospect -of wind. In this distressing posture of our affairs, the captain -proposed that we should commence rowing, which, being seconded by all, -we immediately concluded to take a double allowance of provision and -water for the day, and row, during the cool of the nights, until we -should get a breeze from some quarter or other. Accordingly, when night -came, we commenced our laborious operations: we made but a very sorry -progress. Hunger and thirst, and long inactivity, had so weakened us, -that in three hours every man gave out, and we abandoned the further -prosecution of the plan. With the sunrise the next morning, on the -seventeenth, a light breeze sprung up from the SE. and, although -directly ahead, it was welcomed with almost frenzied feelings of -gratitude and joy. - -December 18th. The wind had increased this day considerably, and by -twelve o’clock blew a gale; veering from SE. to E.SE. Again we were -compelled to take in all sail, and lie to for the principal part of the -day. At night, however, it died away, and the next day, the nineteenth, -proved very moderate and pleasant weather, and we again commenced to -make a little progress. - -December 20th. This was a day of great happiness and joy. After having -experienced one of the most distressing nights in the whole catalogue of -our sufferings, we awoke to a morning of comparative luxury and -pleasure. About 7 o’clock, while we were sitting dispirited, silent, and -dejected, in our boats, one of our companions suddenly and loudly called -out, “there is land!” We were all aroused in an instant, as if -electrified, and casting our eyes to leeward, there indeed, was the -blessed vision before us, “as plain and palpable” as could be wished -for. A new and extraordinary impulse now took possession of us. We shook -off the lethargy of our senses, and seemed to take another, and a fresh -existence. One or two of my companions, whose lagging spirits, and worn -out frames had begun to inspire them with an utter indifference to their -fate, now immediately brightened up, and manifested a surprising -alacrity and earnestness to gain, without delay, the much wished for -shore. It appeared at first a low, white, beach, and lay like a basking -paradise before our longing eyes. It was discovered nearly at the same -time by the other boats, and a general burst of joy and congratulation -now passed between us. It is not within the scope of human calculation, -by a mere listener to the story, to divine what the feelings of our -hearts were on this occasion. Alternate expectation, fear, gratitude, -surprise, and exultation, each swayed our minds, and quickened our -exertions. We ran down for it, and at 11 o’clock, A. M. we were within a -quarter of a mile of the shore. It was an island, to all appearance, as -nearly as we could determine it, about six miles long, and three broad; -with a very high, rugged shore, and surrounded by rocks; the sides of -the mountains were bare, but on the tops it looked fresh and green with -vegetation. Upon examining our navigators, we found it was Ducies -Island, lying in latitude 24° 40′ S. longitude 124° 40′ W. A short -moment sufficed for reflection, and we made immediate arrangements to -land. None of us knew whether the island was inhabited or not, nor what -it afforded, if any thing; if inhabited, it was uncertain whether by -beasts or savages; and a momentary suspense was created, by the dangers -which might possibly arise by proceeding without due preparation and -care. Hunger and thirst, however, soon determined us, and having taken -the musket and pistols, I, with three others, effected a landing upon -some sunken rocks, and waded thence to the shore. Upon arriving at the -beach, it was necessary to take a little breath, and we laid down for a -few minutes to rest our weak bodies, before we could proceed. Let the -reader judge, if he can, what must have been our feelings now! Bereft of -all comfortable hopes of life, for the space of thirty days of terrible -suffering; our bodies wasted to mere skeletons, by hunger and thirst, -and death itself staring us in the face; to be suddenly and unexpectedly -conducted to a rich banquet of food and drink, which subsequently we -enjoyed for a few days, to our full satisfaction; and he will have but a -faint idea of the happiness that here fell to our lot. We now, after a -few minutes, separated, and went different directions in search of -water; the want of which had been our principal privation, and called -for immediate relief. I had not proceeded far in my excursion, before I -discovered a fish, about a foot and a half in length, swimming along in -the water close to the shore. I commenced an attack upon him with the -breach of my gun, and struck him, I believe, once, and he ran under a -small rock, that lay near the shore, from whence I took him with the aid -of my ramrod, and brought him up on the beach, and immediately fell to -eating. My companions soon joined in the repast; and in less than ten -minutes, the whole was consumed, bones, and skin, and scales, and all. -With full stomachs, we imagined we could now attempt the mountains, -where, if in any part of the island, we considered water would be most -probably obtained. I accordingly clambered, with excessive labour, -suffering, and pain, up amongst the bushes, roots, and underwood, of one -of the crags, looking in all directions in vain, for every appearance of -water that might present itself. There was no indication of the least -moisture to be found, within the distance to which I had ascended, -although my strength did not enable me to get higher than about 20 feet. -I was sitting down at the height that I had attained, to gather a little -breath, and ruminating upon the fruitlessness of my search, and the -consequent evils and continuation of suffering that it necessarily -implied, when I perceived that the tide had risen considerably since our -landing, and threatened to cut off our retreat to the rocks, by which -alone we should be able to regain our boats. I therefore determined to -proceed again to the shore, and inform the captain and the rest of our -want of success in procuring water, and consult upon the propriety of -remaining at the island any longer. I never for one moment lost sight of -the main chance, which I conceived we still had, of either getting to -the coast, or of meeting with some vessel at sea; and felt that every -minute’s detention, without some equivalent object, was lessening those -chances, by a consumption of the means of our support. When I had got -down, one of my companions informed me, that he had found a place in a -rock some distance off, from which the water exuded in small drops, at -intervals of about five minutes; that he had, by applying his lips to -the rock, obtained a few of them, which only served to whet his -appetite, and from which nothing like the least satisfaction had -proceeded. I immediately resolved in my own mind, upon this information, -to advise remaining until morning, to endeavour to make a more thorough -search the next day, and with our hatchets to pick away the rock which -had been discovered, with the view of increasing, if possible, the run -of the water. We all repaired again to our boats, and there found that -the captain had the same impressions as to the propriety of our delay -until morning. We therefore landed; and having hauled our boats up on -the beach, laid down in them that night, free from all the anxieties of -watching and labour, and amid all our sufferings, gave ourselves up to -an unreserved forgetfulness and peace of mind, that seemed so well to -accord with the pleasing anticipations that this day had brought forth. -It was but a short space, however, until the morning broke upon us; and -sense, and feeling, and gnawing hunger, and the raging fever of thirst -then redoubled my wishes and efforts to explore the island again. We had -obtained, that night, a few crabs, by traversing the shore a -considerable distance, and a few very small fish; but waited until the -next day, for the labours of which, we considered a night of refreshing -and undisturbed repose would better qualify us. - -December 21st. We had still reserved our common allowance, but it was -entirely inadequate for the purpose of supplying the raging demands of -the palate; and such an excessive and cruel thirst was created, as -almost to deprive us of the power of speech. The lips became cracked and -swollen, and a sort of glutinous saliva collected in the mouth, -disagreeable to the taste, and intolerable beyond expression. Our bodies -had wasted away to almost skin and bone, and possessed so little -strength, as often to require each other’s assistance in performing some -of its weakest functions. Relief, we now felt, must come soon, or nature -would sink. The most perfect discipline was still maintained, in respect -to our provisions; and it now became our whole object, if we should not -be able to replenish our subsistence from the island, to obtain, by some -means or other, a sufficient refreshment to enable us to prosecute our -voyage. - -Our search for water accordingly again commenced with the morning; each -of us took a different direction, and prosecuted the examination of -every place where there was the least indication of it; the small leaves -of the shrubbery, affording a temporary alleviation, by being chewed in -the mouth, and but for the peculiarly bitter taste which those of the -island possessed, would have been an extremely grateful substitute. In -the course of our rambles too, along the sides of the mountain, we would -now and then meet with tropic birds, of a beautiful figure and plumage, -occupying small holes in the sides of it, from which we plucked them -without the least difficulty. Upon our approaching them they made no -attempts to fly, nor did they appear to notice us at all. These birds -served us for a fine repast; numbers of which were caught in the course -of the day, cooked by fires which we made on the shore, and eaten with -the utmost avidity. We found also a plant, in taste not unlike the -peppergrass, growing in considerable abundance in the crevices of the -rocks, and which proved to us a very agreeable food, by being chewed -with the meat of the birds. These, with birds’ nests, some of them full -of young, and others of eggs, a few of which we found in the course of -the day, served us for food, and supplied the place of our bread; from -the use of which, during our stay here, we had restricted ourselves. But -water, the great object of all our anxieties and exertions, was no where -to be found, and we began to despair of meeting with it on the island. -Our state of extreme weakness, and many of us without shoes or any -covering for the feet, prevented us from exploring any great distance; -lest by some sudden faintness, or over exertion, we should not be able -to return, and at night be exposed to attacks of wild beasts, which -might inhabit the island, and be alike incapable of resistance, as -beyond the reach of the feeble assistance that otherwise could be -afforded to each. The whole day was thus consumed in picking up whatever -had the least shape or quality of sustenance, and another night of -misery was before us, to be passed without a drop of water to cool our -parching tongues. In this state of affairs, we could not reconcile it to -ourselves to remain longer at this place; a day, an hour, lost to us -unnecessarily here, might cost us our preservation. A drop of the water -that we then had in our possession might prove, in the last stages of -our debility, the very cordial of life. I addressed the substance of -these few reflections to the captain, who agreed with me in opinion, -upon the necessity of taking some decisive steps in our present dilemma. -After some considerable conversation on this subject, it was finally -concluded, to spend the succeeding day in the further search for water, -and if none should be found, to quit the island the morning after. - -December 22d. We had been employed during the last night in various -occupations, according to the feelings or the wants of the men; some -continued to wander about the shore, and to short distances in the -mountains, still seeking for food and water; others hung about the -beach, near the edge of the sea, endeavouring to take the little fish -that came about them. Some slept, insensible to every feeling but rest; -while others spent the night in talking of their situation, and -reasoning upon the probabilities of their deliverance. The dawn of day -aroused us again to labour, and each of us pursued his own inclination, -as to the course taken over the island after water. My principal hope -was founded upon my success in picking the rocks where the moisture had -been discovered the day before, and thither I hastened as soon as my -strength would enable me to get there. It was about a quarter of a mile -from what I may call our encampment; and with two men, who had -accompanied me, I commenced my labours with a hatchet and an old chisel. -The rock proved to be very soft, and in a very short time I had obtained -a considerable hole, but, alas! without the least wished-for effect. I -watched it for some little time with great anxiety, hoping that, as I -increased the depth of the hole, the water would presently flow; but all -my hopes and efforts were unavailing, and at last I desisted from -further labour, and sat down near it in utter despair. As I turned my -eyes towards the beach I saw some of the men in the act of carrying a -keg along from the boats, with, I thought, an extraordinary spirit and -activity; and the idea suddenly darted across my mind that they had -found water, and were taking a keg to fill it. I quitted my seat in a -moment, made the best of my way towards them, with a palpitating heart, -and before I came up with them, they gave me the cheering news that they -had found a spring of water. I felt, at that moment, as if I could have -fallen down and thanked God for this signal act of his mercy. The -sensation that I experienced was indeed strange, and such as I shall -never forget. At one instant I felt an almost choking excess of joy, and -at the next I wanted the relief of a flood of tears. When I arrived at -the spot, whither I had hastened as fast as my weak legs would carry me, -I found my companions had all taken their fill, and with an extreme -degree of forbearance I then satisfied myself, by drinking in small -quantities, and at intervals of two or three minutes apart. Many had, -notwithstanding the remonstrances of prudence, and, in some cases, -force, laid down and thoughtlessly swallowed large quantities of it, -until they could drink no more. The effect of this was, however, neither -so sudden nor bad as we had imagined; it only served to make them a -little stupid and indolent for the remainder of the day. - -Upon examining the place from whence we had obtained this miraculous and -unexpected succour, we were equally astonished and delighted with the -discovery. It was on the shore, above which the sea flowed to the depth -of near six feet; and we could procure the water, therefore, from it -only when the tide was down. The crevice from which it rose was in a -flat rock, large surfaces of which were spread around, and composed the -face of the beach. We filled our two kegs before the tide rose, and went -back again to our boats. The remainder of this day was spent in seeking -for fish, crabs, birds, and any thing else that fell in our way, that -could contribute to satisfy our appetites; and we enjoyed, during that -night, a most comfortable and delicious sleep, unattended with those -violent cravings of hunger and thirst, that had poisoned our slumbers -for so many previous ones. Since the discovery of the water, too, we -began to entertain different notions altogether of our situation. There -was no doubt we might here depend upon a constant and ample supply of it -as long as we chose to remain, and, in all probability, we could manage -to obtain food, until the island should be visited by some vessel, or -time allowed to devise other means of leaving it. Our boats would still -remain to us: a stay here might enable us to mend, strengthen, and put -them in more perfect order for the sea, and get ourselves so far -recruited as to be able to endure, if necessary, a more protracted -voyage to the main land. I made a silent determination in my own mind -that I would myself pursue something like this plan, whatever might be -the opinion of the rest; but I found no difference in the views of any -of us as to this matter. We, therefore, concluded to remain at least -four or five days, within which time it could be sufficiently known -whether it would be adviseable to make any arrangements for a more -permanent abode. - -December 23d. At 11 o’clock, A. M. we again visited our spring: the tide -had fallen to about a foot below it, and we were able to procure, before -it rose again, about twenty gallons of water. It was at first a little -brackish, but soon became fresh, from the constant supply from the rock, -and the departure of the sea. Our observations this morning tended to -give us every confidence in its quantity and quality, and we, therefore, -rested perfectly easy in our minds on the subject, and commenced to make -further discoveries about the island. Each man sought for his own daily -living, on whatsoever the mountains, the shore, or the sea, could -furnish him with; and every day, during our stay there, the whole time -was employed in roving about for food. We found, however, on the -twenty-fourth, that we had picked up, on the island, every thing that -could be got at, in the way of sustenance; and, much to our surprise, -some of the men came in at night and complained of not having gotten -sufficient during the day to satisfy the cravings of their stomachs. -Every accessible part of the mountain, contiguous to us, or within the -reach of our weak enterprise, was already ransacked, for birds’ eggs and -grass, and was rifled of all that they contained: so that we began to -entertain serious apprehensions that we should not be able to live long -here; at any rate, with the view of being prepared, as well as possible, -should necessity at any time oblige us to quit it, we commenced, on the -twenty-fourth, to repair our boats, and continued to work upon them all -that and the succeeding day. We were enabled to do this, with much -facility, by drawing them up and turning them over on the beach, working -by spells of two or three hours at a time, and then leaving off to seek -for food. We procured our water daily, when the tide would leave the -shore: but on the evening of the twenty-fifth, found that a fruitless -search for nourishment had not repaid us for the labours of a whole day. -There was no one thing on the island upon which we could in the least -degree rely, except the peppergrass, and of that the supply was -precarious, and not much relished without some other food. Our situation -here, therefore, now became worse than it would have been in our boats -on the ocean; because, in the latter case, we should be still making -some progress towards the land, while our provisions lasted, and the -chance of falling in with some vessel be considerably increased. It was -certain that we ought not to remain here unless upon the strongest -assurances in our own minds, of sufficient sustenance, and that, too, in -regular supplies, that might be depended upon. After much conversation -amongst us on this subject, and again examining our navigators, it was -finally concluded to set sail for Easter Island, which we found to be -E.SE. from us in latitude 27° 9′ S. longitude 109° 35′ W. All we knew of -this island was, that it existed as laid down in the books; but of its -extent, productions, or inhabitants, if any, we were entirely ignorant; -at any rate, it was nearer by eight hundred and fifty miles to the -coast, and could not be worse in its productions than the one we were -about leaving. - -The twenty-sixth of December was wholly employed in preparations for our -departure; our boats were hauled down to the vicinity of the spring, and -our casks, and every thing else that would contain it, filled with -water. - -There had been considerable talk between three of our companions, about -their remaining on this island, and taking their chance both for a -living, and an escape from it; and as the time drew near at which we -were to leave, they made up their minds to stay behind. The rest of us -could make no objection to their plan, as it lessened the load of our -boats, allowed us their share of the provisions, and the probability of -their being able to sustain themselves on the island was much stronger -than that of our reaching the main land. Should we, however, ever arrive -safely, it would become our duty, and we so assured them, to give -information of their situation, and make every effort to procure their -removal from thence; which we accordingly afterwards did. - -Their names were William Wright of Barnstable, Massachusetts, Thomas -Chapple of Plymouth, England, and Seth Weeks of the former place. They -had begun, before we came away, to construct a sort of habitation, -composed of the branches of trees, and we left with them every little -article that could be spared from the boats. It was their intention to -build a considerable dwelling, that would protect them from the rains, -as soon as time and materials could be provided. The captain wrote -letters, to be left on the island, giving information of the fate of the -ship, and that of our own; and stating that we had set out to reach -Easter Island, with further particulars, intended to give notice (should -our fellow-sufferers die there, and the place be ever visited by any -vessel,) of our misfortunes. These letters were put in a tin case, -enclosed in a small wooden box, and nailed to a tree, on the west side -of the island, near our landing place. We had observed, some days -previously, the name of a ship, “The Elizabeth,” cut out in the bark of -this tree, which rendered it indubitable that one of that name had once -touched here. There was, however, no date to it, or any thing else, by -which any further particulars could be made out. - -December 27th. I went, before we set sail this morning, and procured for -each boat a flat stone, and two arms-full of wood, with which to make a -fire in our boats, should it become afterwards necessary in the further -prosecution of our voyage; as we calculated we might catch a fish, or a -bird, and in that case be provided with the means of cooking it; -otherwise, from the intense heat of the weather, we knew they could not -be preserved from spoiling. At ten o’clock, A. M. the tide having risen -far enough to allow our boats to float over the rocks, we made all sail, -and steered around the island, for the purpose of making a little -further observation, which would not detain us any time, and might be -productive of some unexpected good fortune. Before we started we missed -our three companions, and found they had not come down, either to assist -us to get off, nor to take any kind of leave of us. I walked up the -beach towards their rude dwelling, and informed them that we were then -about to set sail, and should probably never see them more. They seemed -to be very much affected, and one of them shed tears. They wished us to -write to their relations, should Providence safely direct us again to -our homes, and said but little else. They had every confidence in being -able to procure a subsistence there as long as they remained: and, -finding them ill at heart about taking any leave of us, I hastily bid -them “good-bye,” hoped they would do well, and came away. They followed -me with their eyes until I was out of sight, and I never saw more of -them. - -On the NW. side of the island we perceived a fine white beach, on which -we imagined we might land, and in a short time ascertain if any further -useful discoveries could be effected, or any addition made to our stock -of provisions; and having set ashore five or six of the men for this -purpose, the rest of us shoved off the boats and commenced fishing. We -saw a number of sharks, but all efforts to take them proved ineffectual; -and we got but a few small fish, about the size of a mackerel, which we -divided amongst us. In this business we were occupied for the remainder -of the day, until six o’clock in the afternoon, when the men, having -returned to the shore from their search in the mountains, brought a few -birds, and we again set sail and steered directly for Easter Island. -During that night, after we had got quite clear of the land, we had a -fine strong breeze from the NW.; we kept our fires going, and cooked our -fish and birds, and felt our situation as comfortable as could be -expected. We continued on our course, consuming our provisions and water -as sparingly as possible, without any material incident, until the -thirtieth, when the wind hauled out E.SE. directly ahead, and so -continued until the thirty-first, when it again came to the northward; -and we resumed our course. - -On the third of January we experienced heavy squalls from the W.SW. -accompanied with dreadful thunder and lightning, that threw a gloomy and -cheerless aspect over the ocean, and incited a recurrence of some of -those heavy and desponding moments that we had before experienced. We -commenced from Ducies Island to keep a regular reckoning, by which, on -the fourth of January, we found we had got to the southward of Easter -Island, and the wind prevailing E.NE. we should not be able to get on to -the eastward, so as to reach it. Our birds and fish were all now -consumed, and we had begun again upon our short allowance of bread. It -was necessary, in this state of things, to change our determination of -going to Easter Island, and shape our course in some other direction, -where the wind would allow of our going. We had but little hesitation in -concluding, therefore, to steer for the island of Juan Fernandez, which -lay about E.SE. from us, distant two thousand five hundred miles. We -bent our course accordingly towards it, having for the two succeeding -days very light winds, and suffering excessively from the intense heat -of the sun. The seventh brought us a change of wind to the northward, -and at twelve o’clock we found ourselves in latitude 30° 18′ S, -longitude 117° 29′ W. We continued to make what progress we could to the -eastward. - -January 10th. Matthew P. Joy, the second mate, had suffered from -debility, and the privations we had experienced, much beyond any of the -rest of us, and was on the eighth removed to the captain’s boat, under -the impression that he would be more comfortable there, and more -attention and pains be bestowed in nursing and endeavouring to comfort -him. This day being calm, he manifested a desire to be taken back again; -but at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, after having been, according to his -wishes, placed in his own boat, he died very suddenly after his removal. -On the eleventh, at six o’clock in the morning, we sewed him up in his -clothes, tied a large stone to his feet, and, having brought all the -boats to, consigned him in a solemn manner to the ocean. This man did -not die of absolute starvation, although his end was no doubt very much -hastened by his sufferings. He had a weak and sickly constitution, and -complained of being unwell the whole voyage. It was an incident, -however, which threw a gloom over our feelings for many days. In -consequence of his death, one man from the captain’s boat was placed in -that from which he died, to supply his place, and we stood away again on -our course. - -On the 12th of Jan. we had the wind from the NW. which commenced in the -morning, and came on to blow before night a perfect gale. We were -obliged to take in all sail and run before the wind. Flashes of -lightning were quick and vivid, and the rain came down in cataracts. As -however the gale blew us fairly on our course, and our speed being great -during the day, we derived, I may say, even pleasure from the -uncomfortableness and fury of the storm. We were apprehensive that in -the darkness of this night we should be separated, and made -arrangements, each boat to keep an E.SE. course all night. About eleven -o’clock my boat being ahead a short distance of the others, I turned my -head back, as I was in the habit of doing every minute, and neither of -the others were to be seen. It was blowing and raining at this time as -if the heavens were separating, and I knew not hardly at the moment what -to do. I hove my boat to the wind, and lay drifting about an hour, -expecting every moment that they would come up with me, but not seeing -any thing of them, I put away again, and stood on the course agreed -upon, with strong hopes that daylight would enable me to discover them -again. When the morning dawned, in vain did we look over every part of -the ocean for our companions; they were gone! and we saw no more of them -afterwards. It was folly to repine at the circumstance; it could neither -be remedied, nor could sorrow secure their return; but it was impossible -to prevent ourselves feeling all the poignancy and bitterness that -characterizes the separation of men who have long suffered in each -other’s company, and whose interests and feelings fate had so closely -linked together. By our observation, we separated in lat. 32° 16′ S. -long. 112° 20′ W. For many days after this accident, our progress was -attended with dull and melancholy reflections. We had lost the cheering -of each other’s faces, that, which strange as it is, we so much required -in both our mental and bodily distresses. The 14th January proved -another very squally and rainy day. We had now been nineteen days from -the island, and had only made a distance about 900 miles: necessity -began to whisper us, that a still further reduction of our allowance -must take place, or we must abandon altogether the hopes of reaching the -land, and rely wholly on the chance of being taken up by a vessel. But -how to reduce the daily quantity of food, with any regard to life -itself, was a question of the utmost consequence. Upon our first leaving -the wreck, the demands of the stomach had been circumscribed to the -smallest possible compass; and subsequently before reaching the island, -a diminution had taken place of nearly one-half; and it was now, from a -reasonable calculation, become necessary even to curtail that at least -one-half; which must, in a short time, reduce us to mere skeletons -again. We had a full allowance of water, but it only served to -contribute to our debility; our bodies deriving but the scanty support -which an ounce and a half of bread for each man afforded. It required a -great effort to bring matters to this dreadful alternative, either to -feed our bodies and our hopes a little longer, or in the agonies of -hunger to seize upon and devour our provisions, and coolly await the -approach of death. - -We were as yet, just able to move about in our boats, and slowly perform -the necessary labours appertaining to her; but we were fast wasting away -with the relaxing effects of the water, and we daily almost perished -under the torrid rays of a meridian sun; to escape which, we would lie -down in the bottom of the boat, cover ourselves over with the sails, and -abandon her to the mercy of the waves. Upon attempting to rise again, -the blood would rush into the head, and an intoxicating blindness come -over us, almost to occasion our suddenly falling down again. A slight -interest was still kept up in our minds by the distant hopes of yet -meeting with the other boats, but it was never realized. An accident -occurred at night, which gave me a great cause of uneasiness, and led me -to an unpleasant rumination upon the probable consequences of a -repetition of it. I had laid down in the boat without taking the usual -precaution of securing the lid of the provision-chest as I was -accustomed to do, when one of the white men awoke me, and informed me -that one of the blacks had taken some bread from it. I felt at the -moment the highest indignation and resentment at such conduct in any of -our crew, and immediately took my pistol in my hand, and charged him if -he had taken any, to give it up without the least hesitation, or I -should instantly shoot him!—He became at once very much alarmed, and, -trembling, confessed the fact, pleading the hard necessity that urged -him to it: he appeared to be very penitent for his crime, and earnestly -swore that he would never be guilty of it again. I could not find it in -my soul to extend towards him the least severity on this account, -however much, according to the strict imposition which we felt upon -ourselves it might demand it. This was the first infraction; and the -security of our lives, our hopes of redemption from our sufferings, -loudly called for a prompt and signal punishment; but every humane -feeling of nature plead in his behalf, and he was permitted to escape, -with the solemn injunction, that a repetition of the same offence would -cost him his life. - -I had almost determined upon this occurrence to divide our provisions, -and give to each man his share of the whole stock; and should have done -so in the height of my resentment, had it not been for the reflection -that some might, by imprudence, be tempted to go beyond the daily -allowance or consume it all at once, and bring on a premature weakness -or starvation: this would of course disable them for the duties of the -boat, and reduce our chances of safety and deliverance. - -On the 15th of January, at night, a very large shark was observed -swimming about us in a most ravenous manner, making attempts every now -and then upon different parts of the boat, as if he would devour the -very wood with hunger; he came several times and snapped at the steering -oar, and even the stern-post. We tried in vain to stab him with a lance, -but we were so weak as not to be able to make any impression upon his -hard skin; he was so much larger than an ordinary one, and manifested -such a fearless malignity, as to make us afraid of him; and our utmost -efforts, which were at first directed to kill him for prey, became in -the end self-defense. Baffled however in all his hungry attempts upon -us, he shortly made off. - -On the 16th of January, we were surrounded with porpoises in great -numbers, that followed us nearly an hour, and which also defied all -manœuvres to catch them. The 17th and 18th proved to be calm; and the -distresses of a cheerless prospect and a burning hot sun, were again -visited upon our devoted heads. - -We began to think that Divine Providence had abandoned us at last; and -it was but an unavailing effort to endeavour to prolong a now tedious -existence. Horrible were the feelings that took possession of us!—The -contemplation of a death of agony and torment, refined by the most -dreadful and distressing reflections, absolutely prostrated both body -and soul. There was not a hope now remaining to us but that which was -derived from a sense of the mercies of our Creator. The night of the -18th was a despairing era in our sufferings; our minds were wrought up -to the highest pitch of dread and apprehension for our fate, and all in -them was dark, gloomy, and confused. About 8 o’clock, the terrible noise -of whale-spouts near us sounded in our ears: we could distinctly hear -the furious thrashing of their tails in the water, and our weak minds -pictured out their appalling and hideous aspects. One of my companions, -the black man, took an immediate fright, and solicited me to take out -the oars, and endeavour to get away from them. I consented to his using -any means for that purpose; but alas! it was wholly out of our power to -raise a single arm in our own defence. Two or three of the whales came -down near us, and went swiftly off across our stern, blowing and -spouting at a terrible rate; they, however, after an hour or two -disappeared, and we saw no more of them. The next day, the 19th of -January, we had extremely boisterous weather, with rain, heavy thunder -and lightning, which reduced us again to the necessity of taking in all -sail and lying to. The wind blew from every point of the compass within -the twenty-four hours, and at last towards the next morning settled at -E.NE. a strong breeze. - -January 20. The black man, Richard Peterson, manifested to-day symptoms -of a speedy dissolution; he had been lying between the seats in the -boat, utterly dispirited and broken down, without being able to do the -least duty, or hardly to place his hand to his head for the last three -days, and had this morning made up his mind to die rather than endure -further misery: he refused his allowance; said he was sensible of his -approaching end, and was perfectly ready to die: in a few minutes he -became speechless, the breath appeared to be leaving his body without -producing the least pain, and at four o’clock he was gone. I had two -days previously, conversations with him on the subject of religion, on -which he reasoned very sensibly, and with much composure; and begged me -to let his wife know his fate, if ever I reached home in safety. The -next morning we committed him to the sea, in latitude 35° 07′ S. -longitude 105° 46′ W. The wind prevailed to the eastward until the 24th -of January, when it again fell calm. We were now in a most wretched and -sinking state of debility, hardly able to crawl around the boat, and -possessing but strength enough to convey our scanty morsel to our -mouths. When I perceived this morning that it was calm, my fortitude -almost forsook me. I thought to suffer another scorching day, like the -last we had experienced, would close before night the scene of our -miseries; and I felt many a despairing moment that day, that had well -nigh proved fatal. It required an effort to look calmly forward, and -contemplate what was yet in store for us, beyond what I felt I was -capable of making; and what it was that buoyed me above all the terrors -which surrounded us, God alone knows. Our ounce and a half of bread, -which was to serve us all day, was in some cases greedily devoured, as -if life was to continue but another moment; and at other times, it was -hoarded up and eaten crumb by crumb, at regular intervals during the -day, as if it was to last us for ever. To add to our calamities, biles -began to break out upon us, and our imaginations shortly became as -diseased as our bodies. I laid down at night to catch a few moments of -oblivious sleep, and immediately my starving fancy was at work. I dreamt -of being placed near a splendid and rich repast, where there was every -thing that the most dainty appetite could desire; and of contemplating -the moment in which we were to commence to eat with enraptured feelings -of delight; and just as I was about to partake of it, I suddenly awoke -to the cold realities of my miserable situation. Nothing could have -oppressed me so much. It set such a longing frenzy for victuals in my -mind, that I felt as if I could have wished the dream to continue for -ever, that I never might have awoke from it. I cast a sort of vacant -stare about the boat, until my eyes rested upon a bit of tough cow-hide, -which was fastened to one of the oars; I eagerly seized and commenced to -chew it, but there was no substance in it, and it only served to fatigue -my weak jaws, and add to my bodily pains. My fellow-sufferers murmured -very much the whole time, and continued to press me continually with -questions upon the probability of our reaching land again. I kept -constantly rallying my spirits to enable me to afford them comfort. I -encouraged them to bear up against all evils, and if we must perish, to -die in our own cause, and not weakly distrust the providence of the -Almighty, by giving ourselves up to despair. I reasoned with them, and -told them that we would not die sooner by keeping up our hopes; that the -dreadful sacrifices and privations we endured were to preserve us from -death, and were not to be put in competition with the price which we set -upon our lives, and their value to our families: it was, besides, -unmanly to repine at what neither admitted of alleviation nor cure; and -withal, that it was our solemn duty to recognise in our calamities an -overruling divinity, by whose mercy we might be suddenly snatched from -peril, and to rely upon him alone, “Who tempers the wind to the shorn -lamb.” - -The three following days, the 25th, 26th, and 27th, were not -distinguished by any particular circumstances. The wind still prevailed -to the eastward, and by its obduracy, almost tore the very hopes of our -hearts away: it was impossible to silence the rebellious repinings of -our nature, at witnessing such a succession of hard fortune against us. -It was our cruel lot not to have had one bright anticipation -realized—not one wish of our thirsting souls gratified. We had, at the -end of these three days, been urged to the southward as far as latitude -36° into a chilly region, where rains and squalls prevailed; and we now -calculated to tack and stand back to the northward: after much labour, -we got our boat about; and so great was the fatigue attending this small -exertion of our bodies, that we all gave up for a moment and abandoned -her to her own course.—Not one of us had now strength sufficient to -steer, or indeed to make one single effort towards getting the sails -properly trimmed, to enable us to make any headway. After an hour or two -of relaxation, during which the horrors of our situation came upon us -with a despairing force and effect, we made a sudden effort and got our -sails into such a disposition, as that the boat would steer herself; and -we then threw ourselves down, awaiting the issue of time to bring us -relief, or to take us from the scene of our troubles. We could now do -nothing more; strength and spirits were totally gone; and what indeed -could have been the narrow hopes, that in our situation, then bound us -to life? - -January 28. Our spirits this morning were hardly sufficient to allow of -our enjoying a change of the wind, which took place to the westward.—It -had nearly become indifferent to us from what quarter it blew: nothing -but the slight chance of meeting with a vessel remained to us now: it -was this narrow comfort alone, that prevented me from lying down at once -to die. But fourteen days’ stinted allowance of provisions remained, and -it was absolutely necessary to increase the quantity to enable us to -live five days longer; we therefore partook of it, as pinching necessity -demanded, and gave ourselves wholly up to the guidance and disposal of -our Creator. - -The 29th and 30th of January, the wind continued west, and we made -considerable progress until the 31st, when it again came ahead, and -prostrated all our hopes. On the 1st of February, it changed again to -the westward, and on the 2d and 3d blew to the eastward; and we had it -light and variable until the 8th of February. Our sufferings were now -drawing to a close; a terrible death appeared shortly to await us; -hunger became violent and outrageous, and we prepared for a speedy -release from our troubles; our speech and reason were both considerably -impaired, and we were reduced to be at this time, certainly the most -helpless and wretched of the whole human race. Isaac Cole, one of our -crew, had the day before this, in a fit of despair, thrown himself down -in the boat, and was determined there calmly to wait for death. It was -obvious that he had no chance; all was dark he said in his mind, not a -single ray of hope was left for him to dwell upon; and it was folly and -madness to be struggling against what appeared so palpably to be our -fixed and settled destiny. I remonstrated with him as effectually as the -weakness both of my body and understanding would allow of; and what I -said appeared for a moment to have a considerable effect: he made a -powerful and sudden effort, half rose up, crawled forward and hoisted -the jib, and firmly and loudly cried that he would not give up; that he -would live as long as the rest of us—but alas! this effort was but the -hectic fever of the moment, and he shortly again relapsed into a state -of melancholy and despair. This day his reason was attacked, and he -became about 9 o’clock in the morning a most miserable spectacle of -madness: he spoke incoherently about every thing, calling loudly for a -napkin and water, and then lying stupidly and senselessly down in the -boat again, would close his hollow eyes, as if in death. About 10 -o’clock, we suddenly perceived that he became speechless; we got him as -well as we were able upon a board, placed on one of the seats of the -boat, and covering him up with some old clothes, left him to his fate. -He lay in the greatest pain and apparent misery, groaning piteously -until four o’clock, when he died, in the most horrid and frightful -convulsions I ever witnessed. We kept his corpse all night, and in the -morning my two companions began as of course to make preparations to -dispose of it in the sea; when after reflecting on the subject all -night, I addressed them on the painful subject of keeping the body for -food!! Our provisions could not possibly last us beyond three days, -within which time, it was not in any degree probable that we should find -relief from our present sufferings, and that hunger would at last drive -us to the necessity of casting lots. It was without any objection agreed -to, and we set to work as fast as we were able to prepare it so as to -prevent its spoiling. We separated his limbs from his body, and cut all -the flesh from the bones; after which, we opened the body, took out the -heart, and then closed it again—sewed it up as decently as we could, and -committed it to the sea. We now first commenced to satisfy the immediate -cravings of nature from the heart, which we eagerly devoured, and then -eat sparingly of a few pieces of the flesh; after which, we hung up the -remainder, cut in thin strips about the boat, to dry in the sun: we made -a fire and roasted some of it, to serve us during the next day. In this -manner did we dispose of our fellow-sufferer; the painful recollection -of which, brings to mind at this moment, some of the most disagreeable -and revolting ideas that it is capable of conceiving. We knew not then, -to whose lot it would fall next, either to die or be shot, and eaten -like the poor wretch we had just dispatched. Humanity must shudder at -the dreadful recital. I have no language to paint the anguish of our -souls in this dreadful dilemma. The next morning, the 10th of February, -we found that the flesh had become tainted, and had turned of a greenish -colour, upon which we concluded to make a fire and cook it at once, to -prevent its becoming so putrid as not to be eaten at all: we accordingly -did so, and by that means preserved it for six or seven days longer; our -bread during the time, remained untouched; as that would not be liable -to spoil, we placed it carefully aside for the last moments of our -trial. About three o’clock this afternoon a strong breeze set in from -the NW. and we made very good progress, considering that we were -compelled to steer the boat by management of the sails alone: this wind -continued until the thirteenth, when it changed again ahead. We -contrived to keep soul and body together by sparingly partaking of our -flesh, cut up in small pieces and eaten with salt water. By the -fourteenth, our bodies became so far recruited, as to enable us to make -a few attempts at guiding our boat again with the oar; by each taking -his turn, we managed to effect it, and to make a tolerable good course. -On the fifteenth, our flesh was all consumed, and we were driven to the -last morsel of bread, consisting of two cakes; our limbs had for the -last two days swelled very much, and now began to pain us most -excessively. We were still, as near as we could judge, three hundred -miles from the land, and but three days of our allowance on hand. The -hope of a continuation of the wind, which came out at west this morning, -was the only comfort and solace that remained to us: so strong had our -desires at last reached in this respect, that a high fever had set in, -in our veins, and a longing that nothing but its continuation could -satisfy. Matters were now with us at their height; all hope was cast -upon the breeze; and we tremblingly and fearfully awaited its progress, -and the dreadful development of our destiny. On the sixteenth, at night, -full of the horrible reflections of our situation, and panting with -weakness, I laid down to sleep, almost indifferent whether I should ever -see the light again. I had not lain long, before I dreamt I saw a ship -at some distance off from us, and strained every nerve to get to her, -but could not. I awoke almost overpowered with the frenzy I had caught -in my slumbers, and stung with the cruelties of a diseased and -disappointed imagination. On the seventeenth, in the afternoon, a heavy -cloud appeared to be settling down in an E. by N. direction from us, -which in my view, indicated the vicinity of some land, which I took for -the island of Massafuera. I concluded it could be no other; and -immediately upon this reflection, the life blood began to flow again -briskly in my veins. I told my companions that I was well convinced it -was land, and if so, in all probability we should reach it before two -days more. My words appeared to comfort them much; and by repeated -assurances of the favourable appearance of things, their spirits -acquired even a degree of elasticity that was truly astonishing. The -dark features of our distress began now to diminish a little, and the -countenance, even amid the gloomy bodings of our hard lot, to assume a -much fresher hue. We directed our course for the cloud, and our progress -that night was extremely good. The next morning, before daylight, Thomas -Nicholson, a boy about seventeen years of age, one of my two companions -who had thus far survived with me, after having bailed the boat, laid -down, drew a piece of canvass over him, and cried out, that he then -wished to die immediately. I saw that he had given up, and I attempted -to speak a few words of comfort and encouragement to him, and -endeavoured to persuade him that it was a great weakness and even -wickedness to abandon a reliance upon the Almighty, while the least -hope, and a breath of life remained; but he felt unwilling to listen to -any of the consolatory suggestions which I made to him; and, -notwithstanding the extreme probability which I stated there was of our -gaining the land before the end of two days more, he insisted upon lying -down and giving himself up to despair. A fixed look of settled and -forsaken despondency came over his face: he lay for some time silent, -sullen, and sorrowful—and I felt at once satisfied, that the coldness of -death was fast gathering upon him: there was a sudden and unaccountable -earnestness in his manner, that alarmed me, and made me fear that I -myself might unexpectedly be overtaken by a like weakness, or dizziness -of nature, that would bereave me at once of both reason and life; but -Providence willed it otherwise. - -At about seven o’clock this morning, while I was lying asleep, my -companion who was steering, suddenly and loudly called out “_There’s a -Sail!_” I know not what was the first movement I made upon hearing such -an unexpected cry: the earliest of my recollections are, that -immediately I stood up, gazing in a state of abstraction and ecstasy -upon the blessed vision of a vessel about seven miles off from us; she -was standing in the same direction with us, and the only sensation I -felt at the moment was, that of a violent and unaccountable impulse to -fly directly towards her. I do not believe it is possible to form a just -conception of the pure, strong feelings, and the unmingled emotions of -joy and gratitude, that took possession of my mind on this occasion: the -boy, too, took a sudden and animated start from his despondency, and -stood up to witness the probable instrument of his salvation. Our only -fear was now, that she would not discover us, or that we might not be -able to intercept her course: we, however, put our boat immediately, as -well as we were able, in a direction to cut her off; and found, to our -great joy, that we sailed faster than she did. Upon observing us, she -shortened sail, and allowed us to come up to her. The captain hailed us, -and asked who we were. I told him we were from a wreck, and he cried out -immediately for us to come alongside the ship. I made an effort to -assist myself along to the side, for the purpose of getting up, but -strength failed me altogether, and I found it impossible to move a step -further without help. We must have formed at that moment, in the eyes of -the captain and his crew, a most deplorable and affecting picture of -suffering and misery. Our cadaverous countenances, sunken eyes, and -bones just starting through the skin, with the ragged remnants of -clothes stuck about our sun-burnt bodies, must have produced an -appearance to him affecting and revolting in the highest degree. The -sailors commenced to remove us from our boat, and we were taken to the -cabin, and comfortably provided for in every respect. In a few minutes -we were permitted to taste of a little thin food, made from tapioca, and -in a few days, with prudent management, we were considerably recruited. -This vessel proved to be the brig Indian, captain William Crozier, of -London; to whom we are indebted for every polite, friendly, and -attentive disposition towards us, that can possibly characterize a man -of humanity and feeling. We were taken up in latitude 33° 45′ S. -longitude 81° 03′ W. At twelve o’clock this day we saw the island of -Massafuera, and on the 25th of February, we arrived at Valparaiso in -utter distress and poverty. Our wants were promptly relieved there. - -The captain and the survivers of his boat’s crew, were taken up by the -American whale-ship, the Dauphin, Captain Zimri Coffin, of Nantucket, -and arrived at Valparaiso on the seventeenth of March following: he was -taken up in latitude 37° S. off the island of St. Mary. The third boat -got separated from him on the 28th of January, and has not been heard of -since. The names of all the survivers, are as follows:—Captain George -Pollard, junr., Charles Ramsdale, Owen Chase, Benjamin Lawrence, and -Thomas Nicholson, all of Nantucket. There died in the captain’s boat, -the following: Brazilla Ray of Nantucket, Owen Coffin of the same place, -who was shot, and Samuel Reed, a black. - -The captain relates, that after being separated, as herein before -stated, they continued to make what progress they could towards the -island of Juan Fernandez, as was agreed upon; but contrary winds and the -extreme debility of the crew prevailed against their united exertions. -He was with us equally surprised and concerned at the separation that -took place between us; but continued on his course, almost confident of -meeting with us again. On the fourteenth, the whole stock of provisions -belonging to the second mate’s boat, was entirely exhausted, and on the -twenty-fifth, the black man, Lawson Thomas, died, and was eaten by his -surviving companions. On the twenty-first, the captain and his crew were -in the like dreadful situation with respect to their provisions; and on -the twenty-third, another coloured man, Charles Shorter, died out of the -same boat, and his body was shared for food between the crews of both -boats. On the twenty-seventh, another, Isaac Shepherd, (a black man,) -died in the third boat; and on the twenty-eighth, another black, named -Samuel Reed, died out of the captain’s boat. The bodies of these men -constituted their only food while it lasted; and on the twenty-ninth, -owing to the darkness of the night and want of sufficient power to -manage their boats, those of the captain and second mate separated in -latitude 35° S. longitude 100° W. On the 1st of February, having -consumed the last morsel, the captain and the three other men that -remained with him, were reduced to the necessity of casting lots. It -fell upon Owen Coffin to die, who with great fortitude and resignation -submitted to his fate. They drew lots to see who should shoot him: he -placed himself firmly to receive his death, and was immediately shot by -Charles Ramsdale, whose hard fortune it was to become his executioner. -On the 11th Brazilla Ray died; and on these two bodies the captain and -Charles Ramsdale, the only two that were then left, subsisted until the -morning of the twenty-third, when they fell in with the ship Dauphin, as -before stated, and were snatched from impending destruction. Every -assistance and attentive humanity, was bestowed upon them by Capt. -Coffin to whom Capt. Pollard acknowledged every grateful obligation. -Upon making known the fact, that three of our companions had been left -at Ducies Island, to the captain of the U. S. frigate Constellation, -which lay at Valparaiso when we arrived, he said he should immediately -take measures to have them taken off. - -On the 11th of June following I arrived at Nantucket in the whale-ship -the Eagle, Capt. William H. Coffin. My family had received the most -distressing account of our shipwreck, and had given me up for lost. My -unexpected appearance was welcomed with the most grateful obligations -and acknowledgments to a beneficent Creator, who had guided me through -darkness, trouble, and death, once more to the bosom of my country and -friends. - - - - - SUPPLEMENT. - - - The following is a list of the whole crew of the ship, with their - arrangements into the three several boats upon starting from the - wreck: the names of those who died, were left on the island, or - shot—with those also who survived, and who were in the third or - second mate’s boat at the time of separation—and whose fate is yet - uncertain:— - - Capt. James Pollard, jun. 1st boat survived - Obed Hendricks, do. put in 3d boat - Brazilla Ray, do. died - Owen Coffin, do. shot - Samuel Reed, (black) do. died - Charles Ramsdale, do. survived - Seth Weeks, do. left on the island - Owen Chase, 2d boat survived - Benjamin Lawrence, do. do. - Thomas Nicholson, do. do. - Isaac Cole, do. died - Richard Peterson, (black) do. do. - William Wright, do. left on the island - Matthew P. Joy, 3d boat died - Thomas Chapple, do. left on the island - Joseph West, do. missing - Lawson Thomas, (black) do. died - Charles Shorter, (black) do. do. - Isaiah Shepherd, (black) do. do. - William Bond, (black.) do. missing - - - FINIS. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - - - - - TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES - - - 1. The errors on p. 12 have been corrected in the text. - 2. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling. - 3. Archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings retained as printed. - 4. 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