The Only Food They Were Able To
Procure Consisted In A Few Muscles And Other Shell-Fish, Which They Picked
Up Along The Shore.
Thirteen of the company were lodged in one of the
tents, and three in the other.
The smoke of the wet wood caused their faces
and eyes to swell so much that they were afraid of becoming totally blind;
and, what added prodigiously to their sufferings, they were almost devoured
by lice and maggots, which they threw by handfuls into the fire. The
secretary of Quirini had the flesh on his neck eaten bare to the sinews by
these vermin, and died in consequence; besides him, three Spaniards of a
robust frame of body likewise died, who probably lost their lives in
consequence of having drank sea water while in the boat; and so weak were
the thirteen who still remained alive, that during three days they were
unable to drag away the dead bodies from the fire side.
Eleven days after landing on this rock or uninhabited island, Quirini's
servant, having extended his search for shellfish, their only food, quite
to the farthest point of the island, found a small wooden house, both in
and around which he observed some cow-dung. From this circumstance the
forlorn people concluded that there were men and cattle at no great
distance, which inspired them with, fresh hopes of relief, and revived
their drooping spirits. This house afforded them abundant room and good
shelter; and all, except three or four, who were too weak to be able for
the fatigue of removing to such a distance, changed their abode to this
hut, crawling with great difficulty through the deep snow, the distance
being about a mile and a half, and they took with them as much as they were
able of the ruins of their boat, to serve them for fire-wood.
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