Complex sentence: Having lost their ship, the crew of the "Essex" attempted to sail to South America in whaleboats; suffering from starvation and dehydration, most of the crew died before the survivors were rescued in February 1821.
Split into simpler sentences: Having lost their ship, the crew of the Essex attempted to sail to South America in whaleboats. After suffering from starvation and dehydration, most of the crew died before the survivors were rescued in February 1821.