went down to make a
search. And so, in a little while, we came upon two casks which the
bo'sun broke open with a hatchet. These casks were sound and tight, and
in them was ship's biscuit, very good and fit for food. At this, as may
be imagined, we felt eased in our minds, knowing that there was no
immediate fear of starvation. Following this, we found a barrel of
molasses; a cask of rum; some cases of dried fruit--these were mouldy and
scarce fit to be eaten; a cask of salt beef, another of pork; a small
barrel of vinegar; a case of brandy; two barrels of flour--one of which
proved to be damp-struck; and a bunch of tallow dips.

In a little while we had all these things up in the big cabin, so that
we might come at them the better to make choice of that which was fit for
our stomachs, and that which was otherwise. Meantime, whilst the bo'sun
overhauled these matters, Josh called a couple of the men, and went on
deck to bring up the gear from the boats, for it had been decided that we
should pass the night aboard the hulk.

When this was accomplished, Josh took a walk forward to the fo'cas'le;
but found nothing beyond two seamen's chests; a sea-bag, and some odd
gear. There were, indeed, no more than ten bunks in the place; for she
was but a small brig, and had no call for a great crowd. Yet Josh was
more than a little puzzled to know what had come to the odd chests; for
it was not to be supposed that there had been no more than two--and a
sea-bag--among ten men. But to this, at that time, he had no answer, and
so, being sharp for supper, made a return to the deck, and thence to the
main cabin.

Now while he had been gone, the bo'sun had set the men to clearing out
the main cabin; after which, he had served out two biscuits apiece all
round, and a tot of rum. To Josh, when he appeared, he gave the same,
and, in a little, we called a sort of council; being sufficiently stayed
by the food to talk.

Yet, before we came to speech, we made shift to light our pipes; for the
bo'sun had discovered a case of tobacco in the captain's cabin, and after
this we came to the consideration of our position.

We had provender, so the bo'sun calculated, to last us for the better
part of two months, and this without any great stint; but we had yet to
prove if the brig held water in her casks, for that in the creek was
brackish, even so far as we had penetrated from the sea; else we had not
been in need. To the charge of this, the bo'su