set off together for the island, where they had agreed to leave us to perish!  The scene to us was a funereal scene.  There were no arms in the prisoners boat, and, of course, all attempts to relieve ourselves would have been throwing our lives away, as Bolidar was near us, well armed.  We were rowed about two miles north-easterly from the pirates, to a small low island, lonely and desolate.  We arrived about sunset; and for the support of us eleven prisoners, they only left a ten gallon keg of water, and perhaps a few quarts, in another small vessel, which was very poor; part of a barrel of flour, a small keg of lard, one ham and some salt fish; a small kettle and an old broken pot; an old sail for a covering, and a small mattress and blanket, which was thrown out as the boats hastened away.  One of the prisoners happened to have a little coffee in his pocket, and these comprehended all our means of sustaining life, and for what length of time we knew not.  We now felt the need of water, and our supply was comparatively nothing.  A man may live nearly twice as long without food, as without water.  Look at us now, my friends, left benighted on a little spot of sand in the midst of the ocean, far from the usual track of vessels, and every appearance of a violent thunder tempest, and a boisterous night.  Judge of my feelings, and the circumstances which our band of sufferers now witnessed.  Perhaps you can and have pitied us.  I assure you, we were very wretched; and to paint the scene, is not within my power.  When the boats were moving from the shore, on recovering myself a little, I asked Bolidar, “If he was going to leave us so?”—­he answered, “no, only two days—­we go for water and wood, then come back, take you.”  I requested him to give us bread and other stores, for they had plenty in the boat, and at least one hundred barrels of flour in the Mexican.  “No, no, suppose to-morrow morning me come, me give you bread,” and hurried off to the vessel.  This was the last time I saw him.  We then turned our attention upon finding a spot most convenient for our comfort, and soon discovered a little roof supported by stakes driven into the sand; it was thatched with leaves of the cocoa-nut tree, considerable part of which was torn or blown off.  After spreading the old sail over this roof, we placed our little stock of provisions under it.  Soon after came on a heavy shower of rain which penetrated the canvas, and made it nearly as uncomfortable inside, as it would have been out.  We were not prepared to catch water, having nothing to put it in.  Our next object was to get fire, and after gathering some of the driest fuel to be found, and having a small piece of cotton wick-yarn, with flint and steel, we kindled a fire, which was never afterwards suffered to be extinguished.  The night was very dark, but we found a piece of old rope, which when well lighted served for a candle.  On examining the ground under the roof, we found perhaps thousands of creeping insects, scorpions, lizards, crickets, &c.  After scraping them out as well as we could, the most of us having nothing but the damp earth for a bed, laid ourselves down in hopes of some rest; but it being so wet, gave many of us severe colds, and one of the Spaniards was quite sick for several days.