nclemency, a
fire was made, by means of a knife and a flint preserved in the pocket
of one of the sailors; and with much difficulty, some damp powder,
from a small barrel washed on shore, was kindled. A kind of tent was
next made, with pieces of old canvass, boards, and such things as
could be got about the wreck, and the people were thus enabled to dry
the few clothes they had saved. But they passed a long and comfortless
night, though partly consoled with the hope of their fire being
descried in the dark, and taken for a signal of distress. Nor was this
hope altogether disappointed.

When the ship first struck, a small whale-boat was hanging over the
quarter, into which, an officer, George Smith the coxswain, and nine
men, immediately got, and, lowering themselves into the water, happily
escaped. After rowing three or four leagues against a very high sea,
and the wind blowing hard, they reached the small island of Pera. This
proved to be scarce a mile in circuit, and containing nothing but a
few sheep and goats, belonging to the inhabitants of Cerigo, who come
in the summer months to carry away their young. They could find no
fresh water, except a small residue from rain in the hole of a rock,
and that was barely sufficient though most sparingly used. During the
night, having observed the fire above mentioned, the party began to
conjecture that some of their shipmates might have been saved, for
until then they had deemed their destruction inevitable.--The coxswain
impressed with this opinion, proposed again hazarding themselves in
the boat for their relief, and, although some feeble objections were
offered against it, he continued resolute to his purpose, and
persuaded four others to accompany him.

About nine in the morning of Tuesday, the second day of the shipwreck,
the approach in the little whale-boat was descried by those on the
rock; all uttered an exclamation of joy, and in return the surprise of
the coxswain and his crew to find so many of their shipmates still
surviving is not to be described. But the surf ran so high as to
endanger the safety of the boat, and several of the people imprudently
endeavored to get into it. The coxswain tried to persuade Captain
Palmer to come to him, but he steadily refused, saying, "No, Smith,
save your unfortunate shipmates, never mind me."--After some little
consultation, he desired him to take the Greek pilot on board, and
make the best of his way to Cerigotto, where the