260] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1790. 
one P.M. having® boiled all our 
poultry, and cut up the goofe, which 
was but fimall, into fifteen equal 
parts; one of the men forward was 
then blind-folded, and directed . to 
call each perfon by name, and ano- 
ther was appointed to ferve out the 
morfel by lots. Notwithftanding 
we had now fafted above thirty 
hours, all were perfectly fatisfied 
with the {mall morfel; and fome 
had fo little appetite, that they re- 
ferved a part of it for a future oc- 
cafion. But the very fcanty mea- 
fure of water received afterwards by 
no means allayed. the univerfal 
craving for drink, evidently occa- 
fioned by the exceflive heat and fe- 
verifh ftate of our bodies. .We did 
not dare, however, to take ore 
drop ‘more than the preferibed al- 
-dowance. We therefore through 
néceffity became’ philofophers, and 
fubmitted with becoming refolution 
to the exigences of the moment. At 
feven we received-cur fecond mea- 
fure of water, which being fucceed- 
ed by the'coldnefs of the night, ad- 
miniftered greatly to our relief. At 
midnight it blew a frefh gale, with 
dark, cloudy, and remarkably cold 
‘weather. -The launch was at this 
‘time brought under her main-fail 
only, and the weather. continuing 
much the fame, no alteration was 
made throughout the day. 
Dec. 28. 'The firft part freth gales 
and cloudy weather, middle more 
moderate. About noon we had 
one of the fowls cut up, and divided 
amongft us, as on the preceding day, 
and then received our jill of water. 
‘The heat and fever of our bodies in- 
created, and our lips began tolbreak 
out in watery and ulcerous blifters. 
This day oneofthe crew, being afraid 
of famifhing, requeited his whole 
3 
‘quantity of water for the day at one 
ferving, which Mr. Clements op- 
pofed. He therefore had recourfe to 
falt-water, of which he drank fréely. 
At five in the morning got the top- 
matt up, and fet the top-fail; at ten 
frefh gales, lowered and took in the 
top-fail. In thefe feas are conftantly 
vaft numbers of © fea-fowl' flying 
about; and had we been fortunate 
enough to have had a fowling-piece, 
we could not have been much at a 
lofs for provifions. Powder ard 
fhot we had in ftore, and two brace 
of piltols, but were unable to do 
any execution with them. : 
Dec. 29. This day cut up and di- 
vided our laft fowl, and fhared our 
water as before. At day-break 
ftrong gales, with flying fhowers of 
rain, from which we endeavoured to 
benefit as much as poflible, ’ by 
facing the weather with our mouths 
open and handkerchiefs fpread out ; 
but the drifting moifture was fo 
thin and light, that we were barely 
able to catch fufficient to wet our 
lips. ‘This morning we received a 
finall thimble - full of rum each, 
which was eccafionally allowed. 
Dec. 30. We were this day re- 
duced to a very low ebb indeed, and 
could not eat the {malleft crumb, till 
fupplied with an additional meafure 
of water to moiften our lips, which 
were almoft held together by a 
tough vifcid phlegm, that could not 
be expectorated but with the greateft 
difficulty. On this occafion we 
dipped our bit of bifcuit in the wa- 
ter, and afterwards fupped a little 
of it with each mouthful, to force it 
down.—=-The butter, cheefe, and 
hams, were left free for the ufe of 
every one; for they were found to 
occafion greater thirft, and therefore 
remained almoft untouched, age 
: Ce) 
