feelings of men, they will surely experience some remorse when they learn that not less than thirty brave fellow-creatures fell a sacrifice to their unexampled cruelty. It was some time after daylight, when we perceived a vessel, with all sail set, coming down before the wind, and steering directly for us: as well as our weak state would permit, we made every possible signal of distress; which at last was seen, and the vessel hove-to and hoisted out her boat. What delight it gave us! We prepared immediately to form rafts to take us through the surf, not doubting but the boat was provided with every thing to relieve us: who then can judge of our agony, when this boat full of men, dressed after the manner of Englishmen, came within pistol-shot, looked at us for a few minutes, and then rowed off again to their ship: Still more to distress us, during the whole of the day, they were employed in taking up the wreck of our unfortunate sloop.
“All that melancholy time we anxiously watched the return of our boat, thinking to send her to the vessel; but we saw nothing of her, and our fears that she was lost were still further confirmed. But how can any descriptioD be given of the agitation – the despondency – that we this day experienced. We had nothing before us but the most gloomy prospect of death: our fellow-creatures had seen our distress, and instead of relieving us, had taken advantage of our misery: if it were just to utter an anathema against the most abandoned of men, with how much justice would it be allowed to us to utter it on those villains who had so inhumanly abandoned us. Our thirst was now become intolerable; and some were desperate enough to resort to salt water to allay it: instances were cited of its terrible effects, but without avail; and we had soon the grief to learn by experience, what we had to expect in following the examples of out companions – in a few hours it brought on a violent madness, with which nature could not struggle, and she was consequently soon exhausted. Full of every idea that could terrify our imagination, we had again to pass a most miserable night. The weather was, however, considerably more moderate, and we had hopes to pass this night with more comfort than the last: we endeavoured to preserve ourselves from the cold, by pressing close to each other, and by covering ourselves with the few rags we had left. We soon found ourselves particularly drowsy, but could not sleep: the ravings of our companions, who had drank the salt water, were truly horrid; all that could be said to console them was ineffectual. In the middle of the night we were unexpectedly hailed by the crew of the whale boat; our first cry was. Water! they had none! they could not procure any but earthen vessels, and these could not have been conveyed through the surf. The coxswain, however, informed us, that in the morning a large fishing vessel would take us off the rock, and with this we were obliged to be content: it was some consolation to learn that our boat was safe, and that we had so far succeeded in procuring relief. All anxiously awaited the coming of the morning – Alas, the