THE STRAITS OF HUNGER. 885

surgeon charged the men to cause the meat to be boiled while they
stayed, and to keep guard in the cook-room to prevent the men
taking it to eat raw, or taking it out of the pot before it was well
boiled, and then to give every man but a very little at a time; and
by this caution he preserved the men, who would otherwise have
killed themselves with that very food that was given them on pur-
pose to save their lives.

At the same time, I ordered the mate to go into the great cabin
and see what condition the poor passengers were in, and if they
were alive, to comfort them, and give them what refreshment was
proper; and the surgeon. gave him a large pitcher with some of
the prepared broth which he had given the mate that was on
board, and which he did not question would restore them
gradually.

I was not satisfied with this, but, as I said above, having a great
mind to see the scene of misery which I knew the ship itself would
present me with in a more lively manner than I could have it by
report, I took the captain of the ship, as we now called him, with
me, and went myself a little after in their boat.

I found the poor men on board almost in a tumult to get the
victuals out of the boiler before it was ready. But my mate
observed his order, and kept a good guard at the cook-room door;
and the man he placed there, after using all possible persuasion to
have patience, kept them off by force. However, he caused some
biscuit cakes to be dipped in the pot and softened with the liquor
of the meat, which they called brewes, and gave them every one,
one to stay their stomachs, and told them it was for their own
safety that he was obliged to give them but «a little at a time.
But it was all in vain; and had I not come on board, and their
own commander and officers with me, and with good words, and
some threats also of giving them no more, I believe they would
have broken into the cook-room by force and torn the meat outof the
furnace. For words are indeed of very small force to a hungry
belly. However, we pacified them, and fed them gradually and
cautiously for the first time, and the next time gave them more,
and at last filled their bellies, and the men did well enough.

But the misery of the poor passengers in the cabin was of