only thing now wanting, was another rope, and as that belonging to the well in the midshipmen's yard, was (from decay) not trust-worthy; in the night, we hacked several of the heart-yarns, so that the first time it was used in the morning, it broke. A subscription was made by the mids, and a new one applied for; by these means, we had, at command, about thirty-six feet, in addition to what our friends had before purchased of the boys. Every thing was now prepared; the spirits and provisions in the knapsacks were concealed in the dog kennel. On the 14th, Whitehurst communicated the secret to a young mid, named Mansell, who immediately proposed to join, and my consent was requested; but I strongly objected, upon the plea of his being incapable to endure the privations and hardships to which we might probably be exposed: by the persuasion of Ricketts and Cadell, however, I consented.
At length, the day arrived which I had so ardently desired, and the feelings of delight with which I hailed it, were such as
