Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 2.djvu/327

Rh would have been broken to pieces and all lost. It seems almost incredible that the ship should have been allowed to drive thus in the fog, and illustrates with what recklessness, as often noticed by the European writers in regard to the American seamen, sailing was carried on at an early day; though the suspicion was formed in the minds of the sailors of the Baltic that as the ship was old, the wreck was not wholly accidental. It was but a few hours after striking before the ship went to pieces, and the wreckage coming in on the waves, strewed the shore. Among this was much provision. Guns and ammunition and some barrels of sea biscuit had also been hastily stowed into the boats, and as there was an abundance of game on the island, there was no immediate danger of suffering from lack of food. There were pheasants, resembling the Mongolian species, of fine flavor. They also tried eating sea gulls, which were too fishy to be good; and once they tried eating a bald eagle, which, says Bradbury, was the toughest mouthful he ever attempted to chew, the muscular fibers very much resembling steel wires.

Nevertheless, with all its comforts of boat bottoms for roofs, plenty of driftwood for fires, and pheasants, sea birds, and bald eagles for food, the island was a bleak place. The upper part was still covered with snow. It was, therefore, with much joy that a ship was at length sighted, and its attention gained. The question rose whether to divide their company, and let a part take this vessel, and the other part wait for another; or all take this and place what stores they had on board, and trust to having enough provisions to do them all to port. The latter was decided upon, the stores dug up and placed in the boats, and all loaded away for the Bengal,—for such the vessel turned out to be, an American ship from New Bedford. She was bound for Honolulu, and with a double