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By Root 493 0

humbly implor'd the Continuance of his good Offices, even in this very disagreeable Instance. The Master took this extremely ill, and refus'd a good while to comply; but, at last, their incessant Prayers and Tears prevail'd, and by close of the Day, with another's Assistance, he had dispatch'd this very nauseous and difficult Task. A few thin Slices, wash'd in Salt-water, were brought into the Tent, and given to every one, with a good Quantity of Rockweed to supply the Place of Bread. The First the Master eat, was Part of the Grissels that compose the Breast, having the Flesh scraped clean off, for his Stomach, as yet, abominated the loathsome Diet, though his importunate Appetite had, more than once, led him to survey with a longing Even the Extremities of his fore Fingers, and a Day or two before compell'd him to taste his own Excrements. The Mate, and the two other Opposers, refus'd to partake of the Flesh that Night, but were the first next Morning to beg an equal Share in the common

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Allowance. The Mater, to prevent Dispute, distributed it by Lot, with the utmost Impartiality; and to take off any Aversion, enjoin'd them to call it Beef; tho' this last Precaution was needless, since they devour'd it in a rapacious Manner, and crav'd greater Quantities than consisted with health, and the Extent of their small Stock; and, in a few Days, Lame and Infirm as they were, he found himself oblig'd to remove the Pieces and Quarters to a craggy Eminency of difficult Access, as likewise to hold a stricter Hand, and exercise all the Authority he had taken at their Request, over them, which their present Impotence, and his comparative Strength, empower'd him to maintain; for on a sudden, he perceiv'd an Alteration on their Dispositions, infinitely to the worse, from a quiet, peaceable, affectionate Temper, a resign'd, submissive, religious Frame of Mind; the Majority grew fierce, brutish, barbarous, Impatient in their Afflictions, and Refractory to Command, using ill Language, Oaths and Imprecations, so that the Master almost repented he had not turn'd the dead Carcass adrift in the Sea, instead of reserving it for Food, since attended with such detestable Effects; however, this Deportment convinc'd him of the absolute Necessity of keeping a strick Watch over the Remainder of the Body, since he had Reason to apprehend future Want would drive them to sacrifice one another's Lives to their inexorable Hunger, and the Prolongation of their miseries a few Days would infallibly have terminated in this dreadful Event. This Nutriment had also an ill Effect upon their Ulcers and Sores, endangering a Mortification more than ever; and herein the Master incurr'd as great a Risque as any, having the Ends of his Fingers torn, and his Nails dislocated, on his first Recovering the Rock, and they had ever since been constantly employ'd in Building the Tent, Boat, and Raft, and a daily Acquisition of Victuals, without either Ease of Medicine to supple and heal them. To remedy this Inconvenience, the Master tried an Experiment of his own Conception, that suf-

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ficiently answer'd the Intention, viz. He applied Plaisterwise to the distemper'd Part, first cleansed and wash'd in Salt-water, the Fat taken off from the Kidneys of the Deceased, reduc'd to a proper Consistence, by working it with a Stone on a smooth Place of the Rock; and this proved a cooling, mollifying Medicament, giving much Ease to the Patient, and, peradventure, from something of this kind, improved by the Hands of the Learned, may be prepar'd an excellent Digestive.

The Close of the old Year left them in a most forlorn Condition; the Master's Brother attack'd with Convulsive Fits, and frozen in several Fingers; Mr. Whitworth, his Friend, in both his Feet, so that he oft, express'd himself willing to compound for Life with the Loss of a Limb, the Master, through Sympathy with them, and Concern at the ill Success of every Enterprize for Deliverance, together with the daily Care and Fatigue unavoidably revolving upon him, became diminish'd in his Strength,