At half-past eleven they lost eight of the ship and boats, and shaped their course as much to the northward as the wind, then at N.W. would permit.
“Dec. 26th. – Strong gales, squally and cloudy weather, with remarkable high seas. We were this night very much benumbed and chilled with cold, and could get no sleep. In the morning the weather became more moderate. At four o’clock shifted the fore-mast to its proper place; stepped the main-mast, and set the fore and main-sails; at eight the people were employed to make a main-top-sail out of some sheets, and a yard out of one of the boat’s thwarts; the handle of a broken oar was converted into a top-mast; a small tobacco canister was cut up to make a measure for the distribution of water, rather lest than a gill, two of which it was agreed to allow each man a day.
“Dec. 27th. – First part moderate breezes and cloudy weather. At one p.m., having boiled all our poultry, and cut up a goose, which was but small, into fifteen equal parts, one of the men forward was then blind-folded, and directed to call each person by name, and another was appointed to serve out the morsel by lots. Notwithstanding we had now fasted above thirty hours, ail were perfectly satisfied with the slender allowance; and some had so little appetite, that they reserved a part of it for a future occasion. But the very scanty measure of water received afterwards, by no means allayed the universal craving for drink, evidently occasioned by the excessive heat and feverish state of our bodies. We did not dare, however, to take one drop more than the prescribed allowance: we therefore, through necessity, became philosophers, and submitted with becoming resolution to the exigencies of the moment. At seven we received our second measure of water, which being succeeded by the coldness of the night, administered greatly to our relief. At midnight it blew a fresh gale, with dark, cloudy, and remarkably cold weather. The launch was at this time brought under her main-sail only, and the weather continuing much the same, no alteration was made throughout the day.
“Dec. 28th. – The first part fresh gales and cloudy weather, middle more moderate. About noon we had one of the fowls cut up, and divided amongst us, as on the preceding day, and then received our gill of water. The heat and fever of our bodies increased, and our lips began to break out in watery and ulcerous blisters. This day one of the crew being afraid of famishing, requested his whole quantity of water for the day at one serving, which Mr. Clements opposed: he therefore had recourse to salt water, of which he drank freely. At five in the morning got the top-mast up, and set the sail; at ten, fresh gales; lowered and took in the top-sail. In these seas are vast numbers of sea-fowl flying about; and had we been fortunate enough to have had a fowling-piece, we could not have been much at a loss for provisions: powder and shot we had in store, and two brace of pistols, but we were unable to do any execution with them.
“Dec. 29th. – This day cut up and delivered our last fowl, and shared our water as before. At day-break, strong gales, with flying showers of rain,