C 



till I came back. I had the moft dreadful 

 journey of it imaginable, through thick 

 woods and fwamps all the way ; but t 

 might as well have fpared rnyfelf that 

 trouble, as it was to no manner of pur- 

 pofe ; for they would not give me, nor 

 any one of us that left them, a fmgle 

 ounce of provifions of any kind. I there- 

 fore returned, and after that made a fe- 

 cond attempt $ but all in vain. They 

 even threatened, if we did not return 

 with the barge, they would fetch 

 her by force. It is impoflible to con- 

 ceive the diftrefled fituation we were 

 now in, at the time of the long-boat's 

 departure. I don't mention this event 

 as the occafion of it ; by which, if we 

 who were left on the ifland experienced 

 any alteration at all, it was for the better ; 

 and which, in all probability, had it been 

 deferred, might have been fatal to the 

 greatefl part of us ; but at this time, the 

 fubliftence on which we had hitherto de- 

 pended 



