collected together to ascertain who had perished, when
sixteen were missing: the captain, surgeon's assistant, and fourteen of
the crew. We divided the crew into parties, each headed by an officer;
some were sent to the wreck and along the beach in search of provisions,
others to roll up the hogsheads of beer, and butts of water that had
floated on shore; but the greater number were employed in hauling the
two cutters up, when the carpenters were directed to repair them.

By the time it was dark, we had collected about eighty pieces of salt
pork, ten hogsheads of beer, three butts of water, several bottles of
wine, and many articles of use and value; particularly three sextants
and a quadrant, Floresburg's _Directory_, and _Hamilton Moore_; the
latter were deemed inestimable. In course of time four live pigs, and
five live sheep, came on shore through the surf.

We first began upon the dead stock, serving out two ounces to each, and
half a pint of beer for the day. Nothing but brackish water could be
obtained by digging in the sand. We collected all the provisions
together near the tent, and formed a kind of storehouse, setting an
officer to guard them from plunder, to which indeed some of the evil
characters were disposed; but as they were threatened with instant death
if detected, they were soon deterred. The second night was passed like
the first, all being huddled together under one large tent; the more
robust, however, soon began to build separate tents for themselves, and
divided into messes, as on board. A staff was next erected, on which we
hoisted a red flag, as a signal to any vessel which might be passing.
Every morning, to each mess, was distributed the allowance of two ounces
per man, and half a pint of beer; if they got any thing else, it was
what they could catch by fishing, &c. Of fish, indeed, there was a great
variety, but we had few facilities for catching them, so that upon the
whole, we were no better than half-starved. The bank on which we lived,
was in latitude 16 deg. 45 s. and about two miles in circumference at low
water; the high tides would sometimes leave us scarcely half a mile of
sand, and often approached close to the tents; and if the wind had blown
from the westward, or shifted only a few points, we must inevitably have
been swept away, as an encampment of fishermen had been, a short time
previous from the same spot; however, Providence was pleased to preserve
us, one hundred and twent