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to eat their sword-belts and cartridge-boxes;- others devoured their linen, and others the leathers of their hats ; but all these expedients and others of a still more loathsome nature were of no avail.
A third night of horror now approached; b(illegible text) it proved to be a night of tranquility, disturbed only by the piercing cries of those whom hunger and thirst devoured. The water was up to the(illegible text) knees, and they could only attempt to get a litt(illegible text) sleep by crowding together, so as to form an immoveable mass. The morning’s sun shewed them ten or a dozen unfortunate creature(illegible text) stretched lifeless on the raft; all of whom were committed to the deep, with the exception of one destined for the support of those who the evening before had pressed his trembling hands in vowing eternal friendship. At this period, fortunately a shoal of flying fish, in passing the raft, (illegible text) nearly three hundred entangled between the spars. By means of a little gunpowder and linen, and by erecting an empty cask, they contrived (illegible text) make a fire; and mixing with the fish the flesh of their deceased comrade, they all partook of (illegible text) meal, which by this means, was rendered less revolting.
The fourth night was marked by another massacre. Some Spaniards, Italians, and negroes who had taken no part with the former mutineers, now entered into a conspiracy to throw the rest into the sea. The negroes had persuaded the others that the land was close to them and that once on shore, they would answer (illegible text) their crossing Africa without the least danger
