nd in seven minutes landed on the opposite shore; but
one being seized with the cramp, was obliged to disengage himself
from his bundle, which was of course lost: they set off through
the woods, and in a short time got on board the ship, the one
with his shirt and trowsers, the other perfectly naked.

Upon their information, a boat was sent down, and took us on
board, after a pretty fatiguing journey. I cannot help here
remarking how providential it was, that we did not all agree to
walk round the north-west harbour. At eight in the morning we
heard the report of a great gun, which led me to suspect that
some person belonging to the Sirius was missing, and had probably
been lost in the woods; we frequently fired muskets that morning,
and sometimes imagined we heard a musket at a considerable
distance in the woods; in consequence of this suspicion, we
frequently fired several together, and as often heard the report
of that which we believed was meant to answer us.

In short, by means of these repeated vollies, we drew nearer
to that which answered us, and by hallooing all together, found
we had got within hearing of the person who had answered our
firing; for, after calling out, we listened attentively, and
heard a very faint voice in answer; in that direction we walked,
and at last, by frequent calling, and answering, we found the
person out, who proved to be Peter White, sail-maker of the
Sirius; who had been four days lost, and when he set out from the
ship had not more than four ounces of biscuit with him, one ounce
of which he had still left; he was very faint, and appeared to us
to be stupid and almost exhausted, for he staggered like a man
drunk; we took him with us, and by giving him such provisions as
we had, in small proportions, he was in a few hours a good deal
recovered; but I think if he had not been found as he was, in
twenty-four hours more he would not have been able to make any
farther effort to save himself, and must have perished where he
lay down.

It is remarkable, that the flint of his gun being worn to a
stump, he could not get fire out of it the whole of the day
before, when trying to shoot some birds for his subsistence,
until night came on, when it was necessary for him to have a fire
to sleep by; he then tried it again with very little hope of
succeeding, but contrary to his expectations he got a fire and
sat by it the whole night; the next morning it failed him
repeatedly, until he had