ur hours. They were better provided with salted meat, cheese, and
biscuit; but this dry and salt food excited an intolerable thirst, which
they had no means to quench; in consequence of which some of them died
suddenly, and without having exhibited any previous symptoms of illness;
and it was particularly observed, that those were first carried off who had
formerly lived in the most intemperate manner, and had given themselves up
to drunkenness, or had continually indulged themselves in hovering over the
fire. Though these had the external appearance of being strong and healthy,
they were least able to endure the hardships they had now to suffer, and
two or three of them used to die in a day. This mortality prevailed for ten
days, from the 19th to the 29th of December. On the 29th the last remainder
of the wine was served out, and every one resigned himself to meet death,
which seemed at hand. Some of the people, urged by raging thirst, drank sea
water, which evidently hastened their dissolution. Others had recourse to
their own urine, and this nauseous beverage, joined to the precaution of
eating as little salt provision as possible, contributed most of all to the
preservation of their lives.

For the space of five days they continued in this dreadful situation,
sailing all the time to the north-eastward. At length on the 4th of
January, one of the people who sat in the bow of the boat, descried
somewhat to leeward which he conceived to be the shadow of land, and
immediately informed the crew of his discovery in an anxious voice. All
eyes were now eagerly directed to this object, and as day broke they saw
with extreme joy that it really was the land. The sight of this welcome
object inspired them with fresh vigour, and they now plied their oars in
order to arrive the sooner at the shore; but on account of its great
distance, as well as the shortness of the day, which was only two hours
long, they were unable to accomplish this desire. Besides, they were now so
weak as to be unable to make use of their oars for any length of time; and
as night soon overtook them, and was of long continuance, it seemed to men
in their forlorn state as if it would never end. When the next day broke,
they could no longer discern the land which they had seen the day before;
but they discovered another mountainous country very near them and to
leeward. That they might not lose the way to this during the ensuing night,
they took its bearings by