all over with shells, shutting under one another
like shells of armour. In this country thirteen of his majesty's British
subjects put to flight a thousand Spanish horse. Horses are more numerous
here, than sheep are on the plains in Dorset and Wiltshire. We on board see
abundance of seal lying on the shore cut in pieces, but the wind blows so
hard we can by no means get at it. We think ourselves now worse off than
ever, for we are actually starving in the sight of plenty. We have but two
people on board that can swim; to give them all the assistance we can, the
lieutenant and myself, with the rest of the people, proposed to haul the
vessel nearer in, and make a raft for one of the two to swim ashore on, and
to carry a line to haul some of the seal aboard: With much entreaty these
two swimmers were prevailed on to cast lots; the lot falling on the weakest
of 'em, who was a young lad about fifteen years of age, and scarce able to
stand, we would not suffer him to go. While our brethren were regaling in
the fulness of plenty ashore, we aboard were obliged to strip the hatches
of a seal-skin, which has been for some time nailed on, and made use of for
a tarpawlin; we burnt the hair off the skin, and for want of any thing else
fell to chewing the seal-skin.

Wednesday the 13th, fine weather and calm. At six this morning the
boatswain shot a horse, and the people a wild dog. The horse was branded on
the left buttock with these letters A.R. By this we conjecture there are
inhabitants not far off. At nine veered the boat in, lashed the oars to the
hatches, and made a stage to haul up the seal. The people swam off three
casks of water, sent on shore one quarter-cask more, and two breakers. Came
aboard the boatswain, carpenter, and Lieutenant E----rs, and four men more
are getting the seal and the horse on board, which was no sooner in the
vessel than a sea-breeze came in, and blowed so hard, that we were obliged
to weigh, leaving ashore one quarter-cask, two breakers, and eight of the
people. The wind at E.S.E. and a tumbling sea, came to an anchor about a
league off the shore; we shared all the provisions among the company; we
still see the people ashore, but can't get them off.

Thursday the 14th, hard gales at E.S.E. and fair weather. Last night the
sea was so great, that it broke the rudder-head off; we were doubtful every
moment of the vessel's parting, which if she had, we must have been all of
us inevitably lost. We were