We were now once more in need of water, and having sighted an island, we made for it, but could find no means to get near the land, owing to the heavy surf.  We found the coast very precipitous, without any foreland or inlets.  In short, it seemed to us a barren, accursed place, without leaf or grass.  The coast here was steep, consisting of red rocks of the same height almost everywhere, and impossible to touch at owing to the breakers.

During the whole of the next day the current carried us northward against our will, since we were running with small sail, and had but little control over the rudder.  In the afternoon we saw smoke rising up from the shore, when I took charge of a boat’s crew, in order to effect a landing, with our spirits somewhat revived, for I concluded if there were men on the island there must be water also.

Coming near to the shore, we found it to be a steeply-rising coast, full of rocks and stones, with a violent surf running.  Nevertheless, two of our men swam ashore, and succeeded in drawing the pinnace close to the reef, upon which we landed.

We now began our search for water, without, however, finding any, when we observed coming toward us, from the direction in which we had seen the smoke, three men creeping on all fours.  Their appearance was so wretched that we began to doubt if they were humans.  They made no sound, apparently being incapable of speech, but they signed to us with beckoning fingers to approach them.  Then they raised themselves upon their knees, and stretched out their hands to us in mute appeal.  They were white men—­some of the Spaniards marooned by Captain Montbar as a punishment for having stolen our vessel.  And, with a shock, I recognized among them Pedro de Castro, the traitor to whom we owed the piracy of our ship.

When we came close to the unfortunate Spaniards whom Montbar had left to shift for themselves on this desolate shore I bent over to examine them.  But that they moved I would not have thought them to be alive.  The pupils of their eyes were strangely dilated, and there were black circles under their eyes.  Their hollow cheeks were deeply wrinkled.  Their lips glued to their yellow teeth.  They exhaled an infectious odour, and might well have been taken for dead men come forth from the tombs.

We had some salt junk and biscuits on the boat, kept in one of the lockers against, as sometimes happened, the boat being unable to return to the ship in time for meals, and I sent one of the crew to fetch a portion, which he set before the famished men.

When the Spaniards saw the food their limbs were affected with a shivering, and tears came into their eyes.  Then they fell upon it, and devoured it with sobs of joy.  In astonishment and pity we watched them at their wolfish meal.  When they had finished I asked de Castro for some account of what had befallen them.