278 
LETTERS FROM 
determined to keep strict watch over the 
plunderers for the future, and in the morning, 
when my companions went on shore for pro¬ 
visions, I remained on board as a guard. 
The captain had assured us that he should 
not sail till the middle of the next day, and 
had persuaded us not to purchase our sea-stock 
till the morning. At midnight, however, he 
got under weigh, and proceeded to sea. 
And now for several days we suffered greatly 
from hunger, though we were in no danger of 
absolute starvation, for the captain was very 
willing to supply us with such trash as Si¬ 
cilian seamen are accustomed to feed upon. 
The rogue had deceived us about the time of 
his leaving Milazzo, in order that, having no 
provisions of our own, we might be obliged 
to purchase of him. So for nearly a week 
we lived chiefly upon bad biscuit, Sicilian 
cheese, dried peas and beans, or if we had 
