124 LOSS OF AN ENGLISH SLOOP. 
death. Our anxiety was renewed on account of the carpea- 
ter, who was left behind. The sea continuing to roll with un- 
abated fury, so that it was impossible to send the boat to his 
relief, we were obliged to wait the return of low water ; when 
we at length persuaded him to come on shore in the same 
manner as the others ; which he did with extreme difficulty, 
being reduced to a state of the utmost weakness, and frozen in 
almost every part of his body. 
Night arrived, and we spent it rather more comfortably than 
the preceding. Yet, notwithstanding we were careful to keep 
np a large fire, we suffered considerably from the sharpness 
of the wind, against which we had no shelter. The trees 
were scarcely sufficient to protect us from the snow, which 
fell in immense flakes, as if to extinguish our fire. While it 
soaked through our clothes on the side exposed to the fire, on 
our backs it formed a heap which we were obliged to shake 
off before it froze into ice. The craving sensation of hunger, 
a new hardship that we had been hitherto unacquainted with, 
was now added to that of cold, which we had so much difficul- 
ty to endure. 
Two days elapsed, every moment of which added to the 
painful recollection of our past misfortunes, the terror of a 
still more distressing futurity. At length the wind and the 
sea, which had combined to prevent us from approaching the 
Tessel, redoubled their united efforts to destroy her. We 
were apprised of her fate by the noise of her breaking up. 
We ran toward the shore, and saw part of the cargo already 
floating, which the impetuosity of the waves washed through 
the opens of her sides. Fortunately the tide carried part of 
the wreck upon the beach. Providing ourselves with long 
poles,and the oars of our boat, we proceeded along the sand, 
drawing on shore whatever was most useful within our reach. 
It was thus we saved a few casks of salt beef^ and a conside- 
rable quantity of onions, which the captain had taken onboard 
to sell. Our attention was likewise directed to the planks 
that were detached from the vessel, and which might prove 
serviceable to us in constructing a hut. We collected a great 
number, which we dragged into the wood, to be immediately 
employed for the above mentioned purpose. This was no 
easy undertaking, as few of us were able to go to work upon 
It. Our success this day, however, inspired us with courage, 
and the food we had procured supporting our strength, the 
work had advanced considerably by the close of day. The 
light of our fire enabled us to continue it till after dark, and 
