Page:A voyage round the world, in His Britannic Majesty's sloop, Resolution, commanded by Capt. James Cook, during the years 1772, 3, 4, and 5 (IA b30413849 0001).pdf/73

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Two days after, Henry Smock, one of the carpenter's crew, being employed on the sides of the ship, was suddenly missed, and probably had fallen over-board and was drowned. His good-natured character, and a kind of serious turn of mind caused him to be regretted even among his shipmates, and must embitter his loss to those, whom the tender ties of parental or conjugal affection had united to him. Humanity stole a tear from each feeling traveller, the tribute due to a rational fellow-creature of a gentle and amiable disposition.

We had frequent showers after leaving St. Jago, and experienced a remarkable heavy fall of rain on the 21st, during which we caught up seven puncheons of fresh water in our spread awnings. This supply, though we were not distressed for want of it, was however very seasonable, inasmuch as we were now enabled to give large allowance of this necessary element to the crew. Captain Cook's remark deduced from long experience, that abundance of fresh water contributes to the preservation of health in long voyages, is extremely judicious, and seems to be founded on the known principles of physiology. If seamen have plenty of water to drink, and some to wash themselves and their linen, this essential precaution will in a great measure prevent the sea-scurvy from gaining ground among them. Their blood is diluted, and the waste of fluids caused by profuse perspiration in hot cli-