our loins in such tormenting pain, as to make
it impossible for us to continue the exertion, without suffering
extreme agony; and nothing but the melancholy conviction that we must
continue our labour, or perish, could possibly have sustained us under
such hardships--hardships, however, which we had the heartfelt
satisfaction to find were so far from being useless, that on perusing
the sounding-rod, when pulled up from the well, (which we did under
feelings of extreme anxiety and eagerness,) we were convinced that the
water did not gain upon us. Our spirits, however, received no
encouragement from the appearance of the elements; the clouds were
black and frowning, and all around still bore a threatening
appearance, the hurricane indeed having rather increased than in the
slightest degree abated.

The circumstance of our having on board so perishable and light a
cargo as soft sugar, it is remarkable, was the very means of our
preservation. Had it consisted of almost any other article, either of
pepper or of dead wood, we must inevitably have perished. To have
thrown overboard any heavy cargo, would, from the constant and heavy
breaches which the sea made over us, have been impossible. Neither
could the masts have been cut away, for the purpose of lightening the
vessel, in consequence of the imbecile condition of the crew; a
recourse to so hazardous a measure would, under our circumstances,
most likely have proved the cause of our destruction. As it was, from
constant pumping for three days, we found our vessel as light and
buoyant as a cork, and, with the exception of the baskets in which the
sugar had been stowed, as empty as when I first purchased her.

Night approached, bringing with it additional horrors. The secunnies,
who had hitherto borne their hardships with admirable fortitude, now
began to droop, and to express a violent inclination for more rum,
although as much had been given them as they could possibly bear;
indeed, rum, with dough, half-baked, had formed their only sustenance
during the whole period of our sufferings. As for the pumps, we were
now so lightened, they did not require to be worked at all; but the
greatest dread we laboured under was from the dangerous condition of
the main and fore masts, that tottered to and fro, threatening to go
by the board every minute. Before the hour of sunset, a large bird,
called the albatross, with wings the length of four to five feet each,
skimmed along the sur