We soon
found that the sloop had not been exempted from those calamities which we
had so severely felt; for her commander, Captain Saunders, waiting on the
Commodore, informed him that out of his small complement he had buried
thirty-four of his men; and those that remained were so universally
afflicted with the scurvy that only himself, his lieutenant, and three of
his men were able to stand by the sails.
CHAPTER 9.
THE SICK LANDED--ALEXANDER SELKIRK*--SEALS AND SEA-LIONS.
(*Note. Alexander Selkirk (1676 to 1721) was an adventurous sailor who
joined Dampier's privateering expedition to the South Seas in 1703. He
quarrelled with his captain, Stradling, and requested to be landed on the
uninhabited island of Juan Fernandez. He immediately repented of his
request, and begged to be taken off; but his prayers were disregarded,
and he remained on the island from September, 1704, until he was picked
up in 1709 by Dampier's new expedition. An account of his adventures was
published, which apparently gave Defoe his idea of Robinson Crusoe.)
We were now extremely occupied in sending on shore materials to raise
tents for the reception of the sick, who died apace on board. But we had
not hands enough to prepare the tents for their reception before the
16th. On that and the two following days we sent them all on shore,
amounting to a hundred and sixty-seven persons, besides at least a dozen
who died in the boats on their being exposed to the fresh air.
Pages:
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67