effort was made to secure whatever could be saved from the wreck.  Bales of cloth, cases of wine, a few boxes of cheese, some hams, the carcass of a milch cow that had been washed on shore, buckets, tubs, butts, a seaman’s chest, (containing a tinder-box and needles and thread,) with a number of elegant mahogany turned bed-posts, and part of an investment for the India market, were got on shore.  The rain poured down in torrents—­all hands were busily at work to procure shelter from the weather; and with the bed-posts and broad-cloths, and part of the foresail, as many tents were soon pitched as there were individuals on the island.

Drenched with the sea and with the rain, hungry, cold, and comfortless, thousands of miles from their native land, almost beyond expectation of human succor, hope nearly annihilated,—­the shipwrecked voyagers retired to their tents.  In the morning the wreck had gone to pieces; and planks, and spars, and whatever had floated in, were eagerly dragged on shore.  No sooner was the unfortunate ship broken up, than deeming themselves freed from the bonds of authority, many began to secure whatever came to land:  and the captain, officers, passengers, and crew, were now reduced to the same level, and obliged to take their turn to fetch water, and explore the island for food.  The work of exploring was soon over—­there was not a bird, nor a quadruped, nor a single tree to be seen.  All was barren and desolate.  The low parts were scattered over with stones and sand, and a few stunted weeds, rocks, ferns, and other plants.  The top of the mountain was found to consist of a fragment of original table-land, very marshy, and full of deep sloughs, intersected with small rills of water, pure and pellucid as crystal, and a profusion of wild parsley and celery.  The prospect was one dreary scene of destitution, without a single ray of hope to relieve the misery of the desponding crew.  After some days, the dead cow, hams, and cheese, were consumed; and from one end of the island to the other, not a morsel of food could be seen.  Even the celery began to fail.  A few bottles of wine, which, for security had been secreted under ground, only remained.  Famine now began to threaten.  Every stone near the sea was examined for shell-fish, but in vain.

In this dreadful extremity, and while the half-famished seamen were at night squatting in sullen dejection round their fires, a large lot of sea-birds, allured by the flames, rushed into the midst of them, and were greedily laid hold of as fast as they could be seized.  For several nights in succession, similar flocks came in; and by multiplying their fires a considerable supply was secured.  These visits, however, ceased at length, and the wretched party were exposed again to the most severe privation.  When their stock of wild fowl had been exhausted for more than two days, each began to fear they were now approaching that sad point of necessity, when, between death and