BLIGH'S ACTIVITY AND CHEERFULNESS. 59 
I cannot conclude without making mention of 
the great advantage I received from soaking my 
clothes twice a-day in salt-water, and putting 
them on without wringing. It was a considerable 
time before I could make the people comply 
with this measure ; though, from seeing the good 
effect it produced, they afterwards, of their 
own accord, practised it twice a-day. To this 
discovery I may with justice attribute the pre- 
servation of my own life, and that of six other 
persons, who must have perished but for its 
being put in use. 
" This hint was first communicated to me 
from the perusal of a treatise written by Dr. 
Lind, and which, I think, ought to be commonly 
understood, and recommended to all seafaring 
people. So very great advantage did we derive 
from this practice, that the violent drought went 
off, and the parched tongue was cured in a few 
minutes, after bathing and washing our clothes ; 
at the same time, we found ourselves as much 
refreshed as if we had received some actual 
nourishment.'' 
Bligh was not a person likely to overlook such 
an advantage as this. But, whilst these and 
like means were made available for the benefit 
of those who were so sorely tried, it must not be 
forgotten, that he, by his own advice and ex- 
ample, and the application of all his resources, 
helped to keep up the flame of life and courage 
in the whole party with the happiest effects. 
There is internal evidence of this, which has not 
been sufficiently marked in the accounts hitherto 
published ; but which, if collected, would serve 
