eave
off till I had eaten four of my precious biscuits. I had been told that
nothing creates so keen an appetite as a turn of sea-sickness, and I
found this to be truth. Indeed, I felt as if I could have consumed the
whole of my stock, and the four biscuits I ate scarcely took the edge
well off my hunger. Nothing but the dread of running short hindered me
from eating three times as many.

I was also in great thirst, and swallowed far more than my allowance of
water; but I was not so careful of this, as I believed it would be quite
sure to last me to the end of the voyage. One thing about the water
troubled me not a little. Each time that I went to take a drink, a
considerable waste took place, in consequence of my having no vessel to
draw it in; and, moreover, to drink from the hole I had made was
altogether an unsatisfactory way of quenching my thirst. As soon as the
peg was drawn out, a strong jet would shoot forth, to which I applied my
mouth. But I could not swallow it as fast as it came, and it was sure--
after taking away my breath, and half choking me--to squirt all over my
face, wetting my clothes and everything else about me, before I could
get the stopper back into its place.

If I only had had a vessel to draw it in--a cup or anything?

I thought of using one of my buskins, for I had no need for them
otherwise; but I felt some qualms about making this use of them.

I should not have hesitated to have drunk out of them, or any other
vessel, when pressed by thirst previous to my having tapped the butt;
but now that I had water in plenty, the case was different. Still, I
could get one of them sufficiently clean for the purpose. Better,
thought I, to waste a little water in washing one of them, than lose a
large quantity every time I went to drink.

I was about to put this design into execution, when a better idea came
into my head--that was to make a drinking-cup out of a piece of
broadcloth. This was altogether better. I had already observed that
the cloth was waterproof--at least, the water that was spilt from the
butt appeared to lie upon it without passing through--for I had been
obliged to shake it off on each occasion. A piece of the cloth,
therefore, formed into a cup shape, would be likely enough to serve my
purpose; and accordingly I resolved to make me such a vessel.

It needed only to cut a broad strip with my knife, roll it up, as if I
was intending it for a funnel--taking care to f