r that
she had been lost in the gale of the preceding night.

Death, in its most horrible forms, now stared them in the face; the
pangs of hunger and thirst were almost insupportable. There was--

Water, water everywhere,
Yet not a drop to drink.--COLERIDGE.

Some, indeed, of the poor sufferers were desperate enough to allay
their raging thirst with salt water, in spite of the entreaties and
warnings of those who knew how terrible are its effects. In a few
hours those who had drunk it were seized with violent hysteria and
raving madness, which in many ended in death.

Another night drew on, and they made their sad preparations for it by
huddling together as closely as they could, to keep alive the little
warmth that remained in their bodies, and covering themselves with the
few ragged garments that were left. Happily the weather was more
moderate, and they hoped to be able to get through the night; but worn
out as they were, the ravings of some of their companions banished
sleep from the eyes of the rest. In the middle of the night they were
unexpectedly hailed by the crew of the whale-boat.

The first cry from the rock was--'water! water!' but water they had
none. They had found it impossible to procure anything but earthen
vessels, and these could not be carried through the surf. The
coxswain, however, informed them that next morning a large vessel
would come to their relief; and in this hope of a speedy deliverance
they were encouraged to further endurance. The morning broke at last,
but no boat appeared; then came a reaction, and the heart-sickness of
hope deferred. The scenes that occurred on that day were too dreadful
to relate--it was the fourth on which they had not tasted food.

......Savagely
They glared upon each other;
.............
.... and you might have seen
The longings of the cannibal arise
(Although they spoke not) in their wolfish eyes.--BYRON.

They must now either taste human flesh or perish--there was no
alternative.

A young man who had died the previous night was selected to be food
for the rest.[9] Most of them had not power to masticate or to
swallow--

For every tongue, through utter drought,
Was withered at the root.
COLERIDGE (_Ancient Mariner_).

Before evening death had made fearful ravages, and had numbered
amongst its victims Captain Palmer and the first lieutenant.

Another night came on; long and anxiously had they gazed u