MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



435 



oeing deemed equal to sustain na- 

 ture for four or five dayS;, in which 

 period they must either make the 

 land, or be so disposed of as to 

 require no provisions, it was con- 

 sidered sufficient by the party 

 themselves, and they looked for no 

 more. After pulling outwards a 

 little way to clear all the rocks, 

 they made sail to the southward, 

 attended by the best wishes of every 

 man on the island, and were soon 

 out of sight. The number left 

 behind was two hundred men and 

 boys, and one woman. 



The first measure of Captain 

 Maxwell, after fi.\.ing a party to 

 dig a well in a spot which was 

 judged, from a combination of 

 .circumstances, the most likely to 

 find water, was to remove our bi- 

 vouac to the top of the hill, where 

 we coxild breathe a cooler and 

 purer air ; a place in all respects 

 not only better adapted to the pre- 

 servation of our health, but to our 

 defence in case of attack. A path 

 was cut upwards, and a party em-" 

 ployed in clearing away and sett- 

 ing fire to the underwood on the 

 summit. This last operation tend- 

 ed much to free us from myriads 

 of ants, and of snakes, scorpions, 

 centipedes, and other reptiles, 

 which in such a place and climate 

 generally abound. Others were 

 employed in removing upwards 

 our small stock of provisions, 

 which were deposited (under a 

 strict guard), in a sort of natural 

 magazine, formed by the tumbling 

 together of some huge masses of 

 rock on the highest part of this 

 eminence. On board the wreck 

 a party was stationed, endeavour- 

 ing to gain any accession they 

 could to our stock of provisions 



and arms, and to save any public 

 stores that could be found. There 

 was a communication for this pur- 

 pose between the shore and the 

 ship whenever the tide permitted. 

 For the last two days every one 

 had experienced much misery from 

 thirst : a small cask of water (the 

 only one which could be obtained 

 from the ship) w-aa scarcely equal 

 to a pint each in tlic course of tiint 

 period ; and perhaps no question 

 was ever so anxiously repeated, as 

 "What hope from tlie wellr" 

 About eleven at night the dig- 

 gers had got, by rather a tortuous 

 direction (on account of large 

 stones), as far dowri as twenty 

 feet, when they came to a clayey 

 or marly soil, that above it being 

 a red earth, which seemed rathei" 

 moist, and had nothing saline in 

 the taste. At a little past mid- 

 night a bottle of muddy water was 

 brought the captain as a specimen, 

 and, the moment it was under- 

 stood to be fresh, the rush to the 

 well was such as to impede the 

 workmen ; therefore it became 

 necessary to plant sentries to 

 enable them to complete their 

 task, and permit the water to set- 

 tle a little. Fortunately about this 

 time a heavy shower of rain fell, 

 and, by spreading slieet?, table- 

 cloths, &c. and wringing them, 

 some relief was afforded. There 

 are few situations in which men 

 exposed without shelter to a tor- 

 rent of rain would, as in the pre- 

 sent instance, hail that circum- 

 stance as a blessing : bathing in 

 the sea was also resorted to by 

 many in order to drink by absorp- 

 tion, and they fancied it afforded 

 relief. 



Thursday, 20th. This morning 

 Q F 2 the 



