we weighed anchor again on the
13th of April, when I brought our people to a resolution not to
surrender on any account, let the consequence be what it might. We had
not now forty gallons of water in the ship, and no other liquids, when
we came to an allowance of half a pint each for twenty-four hours, even
this being too large, considering we could get none nearer than the
island of Quibo, which was about 160 leagues from the gulf of Amapala,
and we were forty-three in number, including our negroes.

[Footnote 274: About forty-two marine leagues E.S.E.]

We accordingly steered for Quibo, having very uncertain winds and
variable weather, and were thirteen days on this short allowance. No one
who has not experienced it can conceive our sufferings in this sultry
climate, by the perpetual extremity of thirst, which would not permit us
to eat an ounce of victuals in a day. We even drank our urine, which
moistened our mouths indeed, but excited our thirst the more. Some even
drank large draughts of sea-water, which had like to have killed them.
[275] On the 25th April we came to the island of _Cano_, in lat. 8 deg. 47'
N. which, by the verdure, promised to yield us water, if our canoe could
get on shore. In this hope we came to anchor off the north-west side of
this island, when it was as much as we could do to hand our sails, stop
our cable, and execute the other necessary labours, so greatly were we
reduced. We imagined we could see a run of water, yet dreaded the
dangerous surf which broke all round those parts of the island we could
see. Mr Randal was sent with some jars, to try what could be done; and
as he did not appear again when very late at night, I became
apprehensive he was either lost, or, not finding water on the island,
had gone in search of it to the continent. At length he came back, with
his jars filled, and any one may guess our unspeakable joy on being thus
opportunely delivered from the jaws of death. He did not bring above
sixty or seventy gallons, and I was at great pains to restrain my men
from using it immoderately, allowing only a quart to be distributed
immediately to each man. What made me the more strict on this occasion
was, that Mr Randal assured me we should hardly get any more, the
breakers were so very dangerous. That very night we chanced to have a
shower of rain, on which we used every expedient for catching it, in
sheets, blankets, and sails. During our long thirst we had continually
wi