Rarx，Iputhiminthebow，asfarfromusasIcould。AndIputsomeofthebestmennearusinorderthatifIshoulddroptheremightbeaskilfulhandreadytotakethehelm。
Theseamoderatingasthesuncameup，thoughtheskywascloudyandwild，wespoketheotherboat，toknowwhatstorestheyhad，andtooverhaulwhatwehad。Ihadacompassinmypocket，asmalltelescope，adouble—barrelledpistol，aknife，andafire—boxandmatches。Mostofmymenhadknives，andsomehadalittletobacco：
some，apipeaswell。Wehadamugamongus，andanironspoon。Astoprovisions，therewereinmyboattwobagsofbiscuit，onepieceofrawbeef，onepieceofrawpork，abagofcoffee，roastedbutnotground（thrownin，Iimagine，bymistake，forsomethingelse），twosmallcasksofwater，andabouthalf—a—gallonofruminakeg。TheSurf—boat，havingrathermorerumthanwe，andfewertodrinkit，gaveus，asIestimated，anotherquartintoourkeg。Inreturn，wegavethemthreedoublehandfulsofcoffee，tiedupinapieceofahandkerchief；theyreportedthattheyhadaboardbesides，abagofbiscuit，apieceofbeef，asmallcaskofwater，asmallboxoflemons，andaDutchcheese。Ittookalongtimetomaketheseexchanges，andtheywerenotmadewithoutrisktobothparties；thesearunningquitehighenoughtomakeourapproachingneartooneanotherveryhazardous。Inthebundlewiththecoffee，IconveyedtoJohnSteadiman（whohadaship’scompasswithhim），apaperwritteninpencil，andtornfrommypocket—book，containingthecourseImeanttosteer，inthehopeofmakingland，orbeingpickedupbysomevessel——Isayinthehope，thoughIhadlittlehopeofeitherdeliverance。Ithensangouttohim，soasallmighthear，thatifwetwoboatscouldliveordietogether，wewould；but，thatifweshouldbepartedbytheweather，andjoincompanynomore，theyshouldhaveourprayersandblessings，andweaskedfortheirs。
Wethengavethemthreecheers，whichtheyreturned，andIsawthemen’sheadsdroopinbothboatsastheyfelltotheiroarsagain。
Thesearrangementshadoccupiedthegeneralattentionadvantageouslyforall，though（asIexpressedinthelastsentence）theyendedinasorrowfulfeeling。Inowsaidafewwordstomyfellow—voyagersonthesubjectofthesmallstockoffoodonwhichourlivesdependediftheywerepreservedfromthegreatdeep，andontherigidnecessityofourekingitoutinthemostfrugalmanner。OneandallrepliedthatwhateverallowanceIthoughtbesttolaydownshouldbestrictlykeptto。Wemadeapairofscalesoutofathinscrapofiron—platingandsometwine，andIgottogetherforweightssuchoftheheaviestbuttonsamongusasIcalculatedmadeupsomefractionovertwoounces。Thiswastheallowanceofsolidfoodservedoutoncea—daytoeach，fromthattimetotheend；withtheadditionofacoffee—berry，orsometimeshalfaone，whentheweatherwasveryfair，forbreakfast。Wehadnothingelsewhatever，buthalfapintofwatereachperday，andsometimes，whenwewerecoldestandweakest，ateaspoonfulofrumeach，servedoutasadram。Iknowhowlearnedlyitcanbeshownthatrumispoison，butIalsoknowthatinthiscase，asinallsimilarcasesIhaveeverreadof——whicharenumerous——nowordscanexpressthecomfortandsupportderivedfromit。NorhaveItheleastdoubtthatitsavedthelivesoffarmorethanhalfournumber。Havingmentionedhalfapintofwaterasourdailyallowance，Ioughttoobservethatsometimeswehadless，andsometimeswehadmore；formuchrainfell，andwecaughtitinacanvasstretchedforthepurpose。