The whole day and night of the 15th were still rainy; the latter was dark, not a star to be seen by which the steerage could be directed, and the sea was continually breaking over the boat.  On the next day, the 16th, was issued for dinner an ounce of salt pork, in addition to their miserable allowance of one twenty-fifth part of a pound of bread.  The night was again truly horrible, with storms of thunder, lightning, and rain; not a star visible, so that the steerage was quite uncertain.

On the morning of the 17th, at dawn of day, ‘I found,’ says the commander, ’every person complaining, and some of them solicited extra allowance, which I positively refused.  Our situation was miserable; always wet, and suffering extreme cold in the night, without the least shelter from the weather.  The little rum we had was of the greatest service:  when our nights were particularly distressing, I generally served a teaspoonful or two to each person, and it was always joyful tidings when they heard of my intentions.  The night was again a dark and dismal one, the sea constantly breaking over us, and nothing but the wind and waves to direct our steerage.  It was my intention, if possible, to make the coast of New Holland to the southward of Endeavour Straits, being sensible that it was necessary to preserve such a situation as would make a southerly wind a fair one; that we might range along the reefs till an opening should be found into smooth water, and we the sooner be able to pick up some refreshments.’

On the 18th the rain abated, when, at their commander’s recommendation, they all stripped and wrung their clothes through the sea-water, from which, as usual, they derived much warmth and refreshment; but every one complained of violent pains in their bones.  At night the heavy rain recommenced, with severe lightning, which obliged them to keep baling without intermission.  The same weather continued through the 19th and 20th; the rain constant—­at times a deluge—­the men always baling; the commander, too, found it necessary to issue for dinner only half an ounce of pork.

At dawn of day, Lieutenant Bligh states, that some of his people seemed half dead; that their appearances were horrible; ‘and I could look,’ says he, ’no way, but I caught the eye of some one in distress.  Extreme hunger was now too evident, but no one suffered from thirst, nor had we much inclination to drink, that desire perhaps being satisfied through the skin.  The little sleep we got was in the midst of water, and we constantly awoke with severe cramps and pains in our bones.  At noon the sun broke out and revived every one.

’During the whole of the afternoon of the 21st we were so covered with rain and salt water, that we could scarcely see.  We suffered extreme cold, and every one dreaded the approach of night.  Sleep, though we longed for it, afforded no comfort; for my own part, I almost lived without it.  On the 22nd, our situation was extremely calamitous.  We were obliged to take the course of the sea, running right before it, and watching with the utmost care, as the least error in the helm would in a moment have been our destruction.  It continued through the day to blow hard, and the foam of the sea kept running over our stern and quarters.