Page:Shipwrecks and disasters at sea.pdf/17

 A Spaniard was the first to advance with a drawn knife; the sailors seized him, and threw him into the sea. An Italian, seeing this, jumped overboard; the rest were easily mastered, and order was once more restored.

Thirty persons only now remained, many of whom were in the most deplorable state, the salt-water having entirely removed the epidermis of eir lower extremities, which, with contusions d bruises, rendered them unable to support emselves. The remains of the fish and wine were calculated to be just enough to support life r four days; but in these four they also calculated that ships might arrive from St. Louis save them. At this moment two soldiers were discovered behind the cask of wine, through which they had bored a hole, for the purpose of inking it through a reed; they had just before edged themselves to punish with death whoever would be found guilty of the like proceeding, d the sentence was immediately carried into ecution by throwing the culprits into the sea.

Their number was thus reduced to twenty-ght, only fifteen of whom appeared able to exist a few days; the other thirteen were so reced, that they had nearly lost all sense of istence; as their case was hopeless, and as ile they lived they would consume a part of e little that was left, a council was held, and er a deliberation at which the most horrible spair is said to have presided, it was decided  throw them overboard. “Three sailors and soldier undertook the execution of this cruel ntence; we turned away our eyes and shed