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mourning over our own misfortunes, certain of perishing, yet contending for the remains of existence with that cruel element, which menaced to swallow us up; such was our situation till break of day—horrible situation! how shall we convey it an idea of it which will not fall short of the reality.”
In the morning the wind abated, and the sea subsided a little, but a dreadful spectacle presented itself—ten or twelve of the unhappy men, having their lower extremities jammed between the spars of the raft, unable to extricate themselves, had perished in that situation; several others had been swept away by the violence of the waves. In calling over the list it was found that twenty had disappeared. ‘Already says the narrator, with exquisite simplicity, already was the moral character of the people greatly changed! Two young men threw themselves into the sea, after deliberately taking leave of their comrades; some fancied they saw the land; and others, ships approaching to rescue them.
All this, however, was nothing to the dreadful scene which took place the following night. The day had been beautiful, and no one seemed to doubt that the boats would appear in the course of it, to relieve them from their perilous situation; but the evening approached, and none were seen; from that moment a spirit of sedetion spread from man to man, and manifested itself by the most furious shout; night came on; the heavens were obscured with thick clouds; the wind rose, and with it the sea; the waves broke over them
