In This Extremity The
Seamen Were Almost In Despair.
Without the boat it was impossible for
them to return on board.
They had no carpenters, no tools, and no wood,
with which to repair their boat, as there was no wood whatever on the
island. They were all wet, as they had waded into the water as high as
their shoulders to draw the boat from the rocks, and they were starving
with cold. Fortunately, at low water, the boat being aground, they
recovered an axe and some tools, with a few nails, which revived their
hopes of being able to get back to the ship. But as it was impossible to
get the boat drawn ashore before night for repairs, they were obliged to
pass the night on shore in the open air, where they made a fire of some
broken planks from the boat, and eat some birds half-roasted, without
bread, and with so little water that they could not quench their thirst.
As soon as day appeared on the 13th, every one went cheerfully to work,
in repairing that side of the boat which was most injured, which was
quite refitted before night. Next day the other side was repaired; and
having loaded her with 450 penguins, they went aboard on the evening of
the 14th, having been three days on shore. While they were catching
penguins on the 12th, they found a savage woman, who had hid herself in
one of the holes. At the time when Van Noort landed here, there was a
band of savages on the island, by whom two of his men were slain; in
revenge of which Van Noort had destroyed them all but this woman, who
was then wounded, and who now shewed her wounds to the seamen.
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