Immediately a boat's crew was ordered out and an attempt was
successfully made to board the Arrow.

The sight that met the Frenchmen's eyes as they clambered over the
ship's side was appalling.

A dozen dead and dying men rolled hither and thither upon the pitching
deck, the living intermingled with the dead. Two of the corpses
appeared to have been partially devoured as though by wolves.

The prize crew soon had the vessel under proper sail once more and the
living members of the ill-starred company carried below to their
hammocks.

The dead were wrapped in tarpaulins and lashed on deck to be identified
by their comrades before being consigned to the deep.

None of the living was conscious when the Frenchmen reached the Arrow's
deck. Even the poor devil who had waved the single despairing signal
of distress had lapsed into unconsciousness before he had learned
whether it had availed or not.

It did not take the French officer long to learn what had caused the
terrible condition aboard; for when water and brandy were sought to
restore the men, it was found that there was none, nor even food of any
description.

He immediately signalled to the cruiser to send water, medicine, and
provisions, and another boat made the perilous trip to the Arrow.

When restoratives had been applied several of the men regained
consciousness, and then the whole story was told. That part of it we
know up to the sailing of the Arrow after the murder of Snipes, and the
burial of his body above the treasure chest.

It seems that the pursuit by the cruiser had so terrorized the
mutineers that they had continued out across the Atlantic for several
days after losing her; but on discovering the meager supply of water
and provisions aboard, they had turned back toward the east.

With no one on board who understood navigation, discussions soon arose
as to their whereabouts; and as three days' sailing to the east did not
raise land, they bore off to the north, fearing that the high north
winds that had prevailed had driven them south of the southern
extremity of Africa.

They kept on a north-northeasterly course for two days, when they were
overtaken by a calm which lasted for nearly a week. Their water was
gone, and in another day they would be without food.

Conditions changed rapidly from bad to worse. One man went mad and
leaped overboard. Soon another opened his veins and drank his own
blood.

When he died they threw him ove