128 LOSS OF AN ENGLISH SLOOP. 
gether with the captain, the mate, two seamen, and my ser- 
vant. The remainder of the provisions was divided accord- 
ing to the number of persons, into fourteen equal shares, with- 
out reserving, on account of the excessive labor we were 
about to undertake, a larger proportion for ourselves than was 
allotted to those who were to remain quietly in the hut. 
With this wretched allowance of a quarter of a pound of 
beef a day, for six weeks, with a crazy boat covered with a 
matter on which we could not depend, which the least breath 
of wind might upset, and the smallest rook dash to pieces, it 
was that we had to attempt an enterprize, the plan of which 
could have been inspired by blind despair alone. But we 
were at that point, that there was less temerity in braving 
every possible danger with the feeblest ray of hope, than in 
exposing ourselves, by cowardly inactivity, to the almost ine- 
vitable danger of perishing, abandoned by all nature. 
The year 1781 had just commenced. It Vv^as our intention 
to set off the second of January, but a furious northwest wind 
detained us till the afternoon of the fourth. Its violence having 
then abated, we carried on board our provisions, together with 
a few pounds of candles, and all the little articles that might 
be of service to us, and took leave of our companions, in the 
cruel uncertainty whether this might not be out last farewell. 
We had not proceeded above eight miles, when the wind turn- 
ing to the southeast, checked our progress and obliged us to 
make Avith our oars toward a large bay, which offered us a 
favorable asylum for the night. 
Our first care was to land our provisions and to remove the 
boat far enough upon the beach to prevent her being damaged 
by the sea. We were then obliged to kindle a fire and to cut 
wood to keep it up till the next morning. The smallest pine 
branches were employed in forming our bed, and the largest 
in hastily erecting a kind of wigwam, to secure ourselves as 
well as possible from the severity of the weather. 
In. taking our scanty repast I observed on the shore several 
pieces of wood thrown upon it by the tide, and Avhich appear- 
ed to have been cut with a hatchet. I likewise saw some 
poles formed long since by the hand of man, but we could not 
discover any marks of inhabitants. At the distance of two 
miles was a hill bare of trees, with some appearance of its 
having been cleared. I prevailed on two of my companions 
to accompany me thither before dark, that from its summit 
we might embrace a more extensive horizon. As we pro- 
ceeded along the bay we saw a Newfoundland fishing-boat, 
