I Had Saved 1100 Dollars Belonging To The Owners, Which
Happened To Be In My Chest In The Great Cabin, All The Rest Of Their
Treasure Being In The Bottom Of The Bread-Room For Security, Which
Consequently Could Not Be Come At.
I now took some pains to find out a convenient place in which to set up
my tent, and
At length found a commodious spot of ground not half a mile
from the sea, having a fine stream of water on each side, with trees
close at hand for firing, and building our huts. The people settled
around me as well as they could, and as the cold season was coming on,
some thatched their huts, while others covered theirs with the skins of
seals and sea-lions. Others again satisfied themselves with water-butts,
in which they slept under cover of trees. Having thus secured ourselves
from the weather, we used to pass our time in the evenings around a
great fire before my tent, where my officers usually assembled,
employing themselves in roasting cray-fish in the embers; sometimes
bewailing our unhappy fate, and sinking into despondency; and at other
times feeding ourselves with hopes that something might yet be done to
set us again afloat. On this subject I first consulted with the
carpenter, who answered, that he could not make bricks without straw,
and then walked from me in a surly humour. From him I went to the
armourer, and asked what he could do for us in his way that might
contribute to build a small vessel.
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