all the Keys thereabouts.  On one we found a number of sugar-box shooks, two lashing plank and some pieces of old spars, which were a part of the Exertion’s deck load, that was thrown overboard when she grounded on the bar, spoken of in the first part of the narrative.  It seems they had drifted fifteen miles, and had accidentally lodged on these very Keys within our reach.  Had the pirates known this, they would undoubtedly have placed us in another direction.  They no doubt thought that they could not place us on a worse place.  The wind at this time was blowing so strong on shore, as to prevent rafting our stuff round to our island, and we were obliged to haul it upon the beach for the present; then dug for water in the highest place, but found it as salt as ever, and then returned to our habitation.  But hunger and thirst began to prey upon us, and our comforts were as few as our hopes.

Friday, 25th.—­Again passed over to those Keys to windward in order to raft our stuff to our island, it being most convenient for building.  But the surf on the beach was so very rough, that we were again compelled to postpone it.  Our courage, however, did not fail where there was the slightest hopes of life.  Returning without it, we found on our way an old top timber of some vessel; it had several spikes on it, which we afterwards found very serviceable.  In the hollow of an old tree, we found two guarnas of small size, one male, the other female.  Only one was caught.  After taking off the skin, we judged it weighed a pound and a half.  With some flour and lard, (the only things we had except salt water,) it made us a fine little mess.  We thought it a rare dish, though a small one for eleven half starved persons.  At the same time a small vessel hove in sight; we made a signal to her with the blanket tied to a pole and placed it on the highest tree—­some took off their white clothes and waved them in the air, hoping they would come to us; should they be pirates, they could do no more than kill us, and perhaps would give us some water, for which we began to suffer most excessively; but, notwithstanding all our efforts, she took no notice of us.

Saturday, 26th.—­This day commenced with moderate weather and smooth sea; at low tide found some cockles; boiled and eat them, but they were very painful to the stomach.  David Warren had a fit of strangling, with swelling of the bowels; but soon recovered, and said, “something like salt rose in his throat and choked him.”  Most of us then set off for the Keys, where the plank and shooks were put together in a raft, which we with pieces of boards paddled over to our island; when we consulted the best plan, either to build a raft large enough for us all to go on, or a boat; but the shooks having three or four nails in each, and having a piece of large reed or bamboo, previously found, of which we made pins, we concluded to make a boat.