our stern and quarters. The mifery we fuffered this night exceeded the preceding. The fea flew over us with great force, and kept us baling with horror and anxiety.

SATURDAY, MAY 23. At dawn of day I found every one in a moft diftreffed condition, and I began to fear that another fuch night would put an end to the lives of feveral, who feemed no longer able to fupport their fufferings.

I ferved an allowance of two tea-fpoonfuls of rum ; after drinking which, having wrung our clothes, and taken our breakfast of bread and water, we became a little refreshed.

SUNDAY, MAY 24. With the ufual allowance of bread and water for dinner, I ferved an ounce of pork to each perfon. This afternoon we had many birds about us, which are never feen far from land, such as boobies and noddies. As the fun for the first time for fifteen days fhone bright, and the fea was calmed, so that we fhipped but little water, I took the opportunity to examine into the state of our bread, and found, that according to the present mode of iffuing, there was a fufficient quantity remaining for 29 days allowance; by which time I hoped we should be able to reach TIMOR.

But

But as this was uncertain, I determined to proportion the allowance fo as to make our stock hold out fix weeks.

I was apprehenfive that this would be ill received, and that it would require my utmost resolution to enforce it; for, fmall as the quantity was which I intended to take away, for our future good, yet it might appear to my people like robbing them of life; and fome, who were lefs patient than their companions, I expected would very ill brook it. However, on my representing the neceffity of guarding against delays that might be occafioned in our voyage by contrary winds, or other causes, and promising to enlarge upon the allowance as we got on, they cheerfully agreed to my propofal. It was accordingly fettled, that every perfon fhould receive one 25th of a pound of bread for breakfast, and the fame quantity for dinner; fo that by omitting the proportion for fupper, we had 43 days allowance.

MONDAY, MAY 25. At noon fome noddies came fo near to us, that one of them was caught by the hand. This bird is the fize of a pigeon. I divided it, with its entrails, into 18 portions, and it was diftributed with the allowance of bread and water for dinner, and we eat up bones and all, with falt water for fauce. In the

evening,

evening, feveral boobies flying very near to us, we had the good fortune to catch one of them. This bird is as large as a duck: like the noddy, it has received its name from feamen, for suffering itself to be caught on the mafts and yards of fhips. I directed the bird to be killed for supper, and the body, with the entrails, beak, and feet, I divided into 18 fhares, and with an allowance of bread, confidering all circumftances, we feemed to make a tolerable fupper.

TUESDAY, MAY 26. Fresh breezes from the SE. with fine weather. In the morning we caught another booby, so that PROVIDENCE appeared to be relieving our wants in an extraordinary manner. My people were overjoyed at the addition to their dinner, which was diftributed in the fame manner as on the preceding evening, Who fhall have this?

The weather was now ferene, which, nevertheless, was not without its inconveniences, for we began to feel diftrefs of a different kind from that which we had lately been accustomed to fuffer. The heat of the fun occafioned feveral of our people to be feized with fuch languor and faintness, that life seemed intolerable. We complained all of dizziness in the head, great weakness of the joints, and violent tenefmus; most of us having

had

*

had no evacuation by ftool fince we left the fhip. I had conftantly a fevere pain at my stomach; but none of our complaints were alarming: on the contrary, every one retained marks of strength, that, with a mind poffeffed of a tolerable share of fortitude, seemed able to bear still greater fatigue.

MAY 29. We reached the coaft of New Holland, and the joy of my men at the profpect of finding fomething on the shore was exceffive. We returned GOD thanks for his gracious protection, and with much content took our miserable allowance of a 25th of a pound of bread, and a quarter of a pint of water, for dinner.

As there were no appearances to make me imagine any of the natives were near us, I fent out parties in fearch of fupplies, while others of the people were put

*It was fo in the cafe of Betsy CANNING, who being confined, because fhe would not prostitute herself, three weeks in a loft by a gipfey woman, lived during that time upon a cruft of bread and a small pitcher of water, and escaped in a moft wretched condition. Other circumstances also confirm the truth of her ftory. It feems to prove that the bile is not the only ftimulus wanted to forward the peristaltic motion of the bowels. There are fome phyficians (vide SHEBBEAR's Practice of Phyfic) who believe it bears but a slight part, and upon trying experiments with animals, they find, that its natural motions are very flow, and depend almost entirely on the operation of other ftimuli, and are quick in proportion to the force of these, as is exemplified by rhubarb, jalap, falts, &c. This fubject deferves further attention.

ting the boat in order, that we might be ready to go to fea in cafe any unforfeen cause fhould make it neceffary.

The parties returned, highly rejoiced at having found plenty of oyfters and fresh water. They had made a fire by the help of a finall magnifying glass; and what was ftill more fortunate, we found, among the few things which had been thrown into the boat and faved, a piece of brimftone and a tinder-box, fo that I fecured fire for the future.

THE SYMPTOMS OF HAVING EAT TOO MUCH BEGAN TO FRIGHTEN SOME OF US; BUT ON QUESTIONING OTHERS, WHO HAD TAKEN A MORE MODERATE ALLOWANCE, THEIR MINDS WERE A LITTLE QUIETED. THE OTHERS, HOWEVER, BECAME EQUALLY ALARMED IN THEIR TURN, DREADING THAT SUCH SYMPTOMS (which resembled intoxication) WOULD COME ON, AND THAT THEY WERE ALL POISONED, SO THAT THEY REGARDED EACH OTHER WITH THE STRONGEST MARKS OF APPREHENSION, UNCERTAIN WHAT WOULD BE THE ISSUE OF THEIR IMPRUDENCE. FORTUNATELY THE FRUITS WE OBTAINED HERE PROVED WHOLESOME AND GOOD, OF WHICH I WAS SOON PERSUADED,

VOL. III.

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