A little water which had remained, quenched my burning thirst. I
wished that the waves would rush over me. My hunger soon became
dreadful, but I had no means of relieving it. I endeavoured to sleep,
that I might for awhile, forget my torments; and my wearied frame
yielded for awhile to slumber. When I awoke I was not, however,
refreshed; I was weak, and felt a burning pain at my stomach. I became
hourly more feeble; I lay down, but was unable to rise again. My limbs
lost their strength; my lips and tongue were parched; a convulsive
shuddering agitated me; my eyes seemed darkened, and I gasped for
breath.

The burning at my stomach now departed; I experienced no pain; but a
dull torpor came over me; my hands and feet became cold; I believed I
was dying, and I rejoiced at the thought. Presently I lost all thought
and feeling, and lay, without sense, on a few boards, which divided me
from the ocean. In this situation, as I was afterwards informed, I was
taken up by a small vessel, and carried to a seaport town. I slowly
recovered, and found that I alone, of all who were on board the vessel
in which I had embarked, had escaped death. The crew, who had departed
in the boats, after murdering the captain, had met their reward--the
boats were shattered against a rock.

_December Tales._

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