and died without a groan. As it became next to certainty that we should all perish in the same manner in a day or two, it was somewhat comfortable to reflect, that dying of hunger was not so dreadful as our imaginations had represented.. Others had complained of the same symptoms in their throats; some had drank their own urine, and all but myself had drank salt water.

Hitherto despair and gloom had been successfully prohibited, and, as the evenings closed in, the men had been encouraged, by turns, to sing a song, or relate a story, instead of a supper; but this evening I found it impossible to raise either. As the night came on it fell calm, and, about midnight, a breeze sprung up from the westward, as we guesed by the swell; but there not being a star to be seen, we were afraid of running out of our way, and waited impatiently for the rising of the sun to be our compass.

As soon as the dawn appeared we found the wind to be exactly as we had wished, at westsouth-west, and immediately spread our sail, running before the sea at the rate of four miles an hour.

Our last breakfast had been served with the bread and water remaining, when John Gregory, quarter-master, declared, with much confidence, that he saw land in the south-east. We had seen fog-banks so often bearing the appearance of land, that I did not trust myself to believe it, and cautioned the people, who were extravagantly elated, that they might not feel the effects of disappointment. At length one of them broke out into a most immoderate swearing fit of joy, which I could not restrain, and declared that he had never seen land in his life if what he now saw was not so.

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We immediately shaped our course for it, though, on my part, with very little faith. The wind freshened; the boat went through the water at the rate of five or six miles an hour; and, in two hours time, the land was plainly seen by every man in the boat, but at a very great distance, so that we did not reach it before ten at night. It must have been at least twenty leagues from us when first discovered, and I cannot help remarking, with much thankfulness, on the providential favour shewn to us in this instance. In every part of the horizon, except where the land was seen, there was so thick a haze that we could not have observed any thing more than three or four leagues distant. Fayal, by our reckoning, bore east by north, which course we were steering, and, in a few hours, had not the sky opened for our preservation, we should have increased our distance from the land, got to the eastward, and, of course, missed all the islands.

As we approached the land, our belief strengthened that it was Fayal. The island of Pico, which might have revealed it to us, had the weather been perfectly clear, was at this time capped with clouds; and it was some time before we were quite satisfied, having traversed for two hours a great part of the island, where the steep and rocky shore refused us a landing. This circumstance was borne with much impatience, for we had flattered ourselves that we should meet with fresh water at the first part of the land we might approach, and, being disappointed, the thirst of some had increased anxiety almost to a degree of madness, so that we were nearly making the attempt to land in places where the boat must have been dashed

to pieces by the surf. At length we discovered a fishing canoe, which conducted us into the road of Fayal about midnight, but where the regulations of the port did not permit us to land until examined by the health officers. However, I did not think much of sleeping this night in the boat, our pilots having brought some refreshments of bread, wine, and water.

In the morning we were visited by Mr Graham, the English consul, whose humane attention made very ample amends for the formality of the Portuguese. Indeed I can never sufficiently express the sense I have of his kindness and humanity, both to myself and people; for I believe it was the whole of his employment, for several days, contriving the best means of restoring us to health and strength. It is true, that there never were more pitiable objects; for some of the stoutest belonging to the Centaur, were obliged to be supported through the streets of Fayal. Mr Rainy the master, and myself, were, I think, in better health than the rest, but I could not walk without being supported; and, for several days, notwithstanding the best and most comfortable provisions of diet and lodging, we grew rather worse than better."

Of the company of the Centaur were saved, Captain Inglefield, the master Mr Rainy; Robert Bayles, a midshipman; James Clark, surgeon's mate; the captain's coxswain, two quartermasters, one of whom died in the boat, and five seamen. There were lost five lieutenants, the captain of marines, purser, surgeon, boatswain, gunner, carpenter, ten mates and midshipmen, and

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LOSS OF THE CENTAUR MAN-OF-WAR.

all the rest on board. This calamity happened in 48° 33′ north latitude, and 43° 20' longitude.

Captain Inglefield and the survivors, being afterwards tried by a court-martial, were honourably acquitted of all blame on the occasion.

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As the best concerted plans are frequently rendered abortive by accidents, so are the most casual and unexpected occurrences productive of extraordinary benefits. This is fully exemplified in the following narrative. The wreck of a ship bound for a quarter altogether different, has brought a whole nation, endowed with many estimable properties, and formerly quite unknown, to our familiar notice.

The Antelope, a packet of nearly 300 tons, in the East India Company's service, commanded by Captain Henry Wilson, having arrived at Macao in June 1783, was ordered to be refitted with the greatest expedition. This being done, the captain received his dispatches on the 20th of July, and embarked the same day. The whole ship's company consisted of fifty persons, including sixteen Chinese, who received the advance money usual on such occasions. The weather becoming unsettled and hazy, they anchored in seven fathom water at nine in the evening. Next morning they weighed and set sail with a fine breeze, and their pilot soon afterwards left them.

The ship getting farther from the land, a high