186 The Island of

years on a lee-scupper, the only object on
which we could save ourselves, all the
boats being smashed. We had suffered so
much from hunger that we had been forced
to eat one another, turn and turn about; and
my last recollection is of the Friday when
my weekly turn came round again to eat
the other six.

Then I fainted from repletion ; and when
I next became conscious, I was lying, still
ill with acute indigestion, in a bunk on board
the schooner Gum Drop.

A doctor sat by my side holding my
wrist. There was an indescribable pecu-
liarity about this man which made me
detest him.

He said, “The Captain of this vessel ob-
jects to queer combinations.” I was too
weak to inquire what queer combinations
were.

As soon as my indigestion had lessened
a little, I went on deck. Standing on the
companion was a man with an indescribable
peculiarity about him which made me detest
him.