DESTRUCTION OF THE ESSEX. 399 
rigged the boats as well as we could ; there being a compass 
for each, and a sextant for two, and a quadrant for one, but 
neither sextant nor quadrant for the third. Then, instead of 
pushing away for some port, so amazed and bewildered were 
we, that we continued sitting in our places, gazing upon the 
ship as though she had been an object of the tenderest affec- 
tion. Our eyes could not leave her, till, at the end of many 
hours, she gave a slight reel, then down she sank. No words 
can tell our feelings. We looked at each other — we looked 
at the place where she had so lately been afloat — and we did 
not cease to look till the terrible conviction of our abandoned 
and perilous situation roused us to exertion, if deliverance were 
yet possible. 
We now consulted about the course which it might be best 
to take — westward to India, eastward to South America, or 
south-westward to the Society Isles. We knew that we were 
at no great distance from Tahiti, but were so ignorant of the 
state and temper of the inhabitants that we feared we should 
be devoured by cannibals if we cast ourselves on their mercy. 
It was determined therefore to make for South America, which 
we computed to be more than two thousand miles distant. Ac- 
cordingly we steered eastward, and though for several days 
harassed with squalls, we contrived to keep together. It was 
not lG,2g before we found that one of the boats had started a 
plank, which was no wonder, for whale boats are all clinker 
built, and very slight, being made of half-inch plank only, 
before planing. To remedy this alarming defect we all turn- 
ed to, and having emptied the damaged boat into the two oth- 
ers, we raised her side as well as we could, and succeeded 
in restoring the plank at the bottom. Through this accident 
some of our biscuit had become injured by the salt water. 
This was equally divided among the several boats' crews. 
Food and water, meanwhile, with our utmost economy, rapidly 
failed. Our strength was exhausted, not by abstinence only, 
but by the labors which we were obliged to employ to keep 
our little vessels afloat aiviidst the storms which repeatedly 
assailed us. One night we were parted in rough weather; 
but though the next day we fell in with one of our com- 
panion-boats, we never saw or heard any more of the other, 
which probably perished at sea, being without either sextant 
or quadrant. 
When Ave were reduced to the last pinch, and out of every 
thing, having been more than three weeks abroad, we were 
cheered with the sight of a low uninhabited island, which we 
