150 Adventures of Nttttfragus. Auo. 



like inanimate statues, with a fixed stare, and a deathlike hue upon their counte- 

 nances : the most afflicting circumstance was, their being destitute of warm cloth- 

 ing, which they had neglected to provide themselves with, as they ought to have 

 done, out of the four months' advance they received in Calcutta. All that I could 

 spare was given to Thomson ; but unable to endure the sight of their misery, 

 1 distributed among them many articles which I could ill spare, sheets, shirts, and 

 blankets ; except one of the latter, which I had reserved as a provision against any 

 further extreme of suffering which might yet await us. There was one poor lascar, 

 a simple inoffensive youlh, about nineteen, who was an object of the liveliest com- 

 miseration : he was nearly naked, and in that state had been continually drenched 

 by the sea and rain, during the whole of the day and night; he was holding his 

 hands up to heaven in a supplicating attitude, and shaking in an aguish fit ; the 

 tears fell in torrents down his cheeks, while he uttered his plaints in loud and 

 piercing lamentations: unable, at last, to witness his misery any longer, I rushed 

 down to my cabin ' Can you, Virginia, spare me this blanket, without feeling the 

 cold too much yourself? it is to save the life of a fellow-creature.' * Yes, take it; 

 but stay with me, or, under the horrors I feel, I shall die in this cabin, and alone. 

 I know we must perish, and why not die together ?' I entreated her to support 

 herself with all the fortitude she 'could collect, urged the impossibility of my keep- 

 ing her company, as every moment called for my assistance; and assuring her 

 there was no real danger, I" hurried on deck with the blanket, and wrapped the 

 poor wretch in its folds. I thought he would have worshipped me. 



This miserable condition needs but one circumstance to increase its dis- 

 tress : at one in the morning, on the fifth morning of the hurricane, it is 

 found that there are five feet water in the hold. 



" It was about four o'clock, on the fifth morning that I ventured into my cabin, 

 to repose myself on my cot until daylight, more with the persuasion that my 

 presence would inspire Virginia with fresh hopes, and, in consequence, better 

 spirits, than that the storm had in the least abated, or that the peril had become 

 less imminent. At six, Thomson, whom I had left in charge of the deck, aroused 

 me by bawling, in a voice necessarily raised to the highest pitch, to make itself 

 heard amidst the howling, or rather screaming of the elements * Naufragus !' I 

 instantly jumped up, without waiting any specific communication, and, on reach- 

 ing the deck, found the pumps at work, and was informed that we had five feet 

 water in the hold, and that the water was gaining upon us fast, notwithstanding the 

 pumps had been kept constantly going.' Well,' said Thomson, in alow tone, not 

 to be heard by the crew, * we'll do our best, as long as she floats, but that cannot 

 now be much longer it's all over with us, depend upon it !' There was no time 

 for argument : the pumps were now the chief object of our attention ; and Thom- 

 son and myself, with the secunnies, plied them incessantly, until we were ready to 

 drop down with fatigue. 



" In a short time we found that the water brought up by the pumps bore a 

 brownish colour, and, on tasting it, that it was sweet ; so that it was evident we 

 were pumping up the sugar, which being contained in baskets, was but ill pro- 

 tected against water. Such is the fondness for life, that on the appearance of any 

 sudden or immediate cause of dissolution, any consideration unconnected with the 

 paramount one of preservation, is set at nought; thus, although I was sensible 

 that my valuable cargo was momentarily diminishing, and my property wasting 

 away, 1 then felt no disposition to regret my loss, the powers of my mind, and the 

 affections of my heart, being all engaged on higher objects. 



" Those lascars who could at all be brought to the pumps, were in so wretched 

 and debilitated a state, as to require constant reliefs. For one day and two 

 nights, except a few short intervals, Thomson and myself, with the secunnies, were 

 at the pumps : at the end of that time, our hands were blistered to such a degree, 

 that the skin having peeled off, the raw flesh appeared ; our arms, thighs, and Tegs, 

 were so dreadfully swelled, and 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, 



