SUFFERINGS OF EPHRAIM HOW. 145 
was hardly ever dry, nor had he the benefit of warm food 
above thrice, or thereabout. 
At length, about the 21st of November, early in the morn- 
ing, the vessel was driven on the tailings of a ledge of rocks 
where the sea broke violently. Looking out, they saw a dis- 
mal rocky island to the leeward, upon which, if Providence 
had not given timely warning, they had been dashed to pieces. 
They immediately let go an anchor, and got out the boat, 
and the sea became calm. The boat proving leaky, and they 
being in great terror they took but little out of the ketch, but 
got on shore as they could. 
Here they could discover nehher man or beast. It was a 
small, rocky, desolate island, near Cape Sable, the southern 
extremity of Nova Scotia. They now appeared to be in great 
danger of being starved to deatb, but the storm returning, 
beat so violently on the vessel as it still lay at anchor, that 
it was stove to pieces, and several things floated to the shore. 
The following articles were all they had toward their fu- 
ture support: — A cask of gunpowder, which received no da- 
mage from the water; a barrel of wine; half a barrel of mo- 
lasses ; and several useful articles toward building a tent: all 
the above drifted from the wreck; beside which, they had 
fire arms and shot, a pot for boiling, and most probably other 
things not mentioned in the narrative. 
Their tent was soon erected, for the cold was noAv getting 
severe, but new and great distresses attended them, for though 
they had arms and ammunition, there were seldom any fowls 
to be seen, except crows, ravens, and sea-gulls. These were 
so fev/ that they could seldom shoot more than one at a time. 
Many times half a fowl, with the liquor it was boiled in, serv- 
ed for a meal for all three. Once they lived five days with- 
out any sustenance, but did not feel themselves pinched with 
hunger as at other times; which they esteemed as a special 
favor of heaven unto them. 
AVhen they had lived in this miserable condition twelve 
weeks, Mr. Flow's dear friend and companion, Mr. Augur, 
died, about the middle of February, 1677; so that he had none 
left to converse with but the ]ad, who likewise departed on the 
2d of April. 
Mr. How was now the sole inhabitant of this desolate spot, 
during April, May, and June, and saw fishing vessels every 
now and then sailing by ; some of which came even nearer 
to the island than that which at last took him off. He used 
all the means in his power to make them acquainted with his 
13 
