Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-09-28

two cocoa-nu, shells, while pistol-bulet (oftwen
ty-fve to the pound) served as weight TO hx IN
allowance of bread to each. The halt pint OF co
Goa nut milk, however, was soon further reonce
10 quarter; and as for the bread, wetteo ahu ue
cayed as il was, and doled Out thus oy ouiiei
WEIGHT. it was eaten with the utmost relish. 4
fearful storm of thunder and lightning dreDche'
them to the skin, yet proved timely godsend, 10
it produced them twenty gallons OF water. ihl
was dealt out three times day, In a small horI
Gun two inches deep and two in diameter, ant
round it was written by Bligh, allowance o
water three times a-day." He took his own meals
out of gourd, round which he also wrote, ''Iht
cup eat my miserable allowance out or" The
bullet was afterwards set IN metal plate, OF
which Bligh inscribed, This bullet, l-25th of q
h.. was the allowance of bread which supported
eighteen men for forty eight days. served to each
person three times a-day, under the command o
CAPTAIN William Bligh, from the 2Sth April l7Ss
to the 18th June following" All these deeply
interesting relics are now in the hands OF his
daughters From the 10th OF May they encount-
cred succession of storms, with frequent thunder
and lightning, the sea constantly breaking over
the boat, and nearly filling it with water, which
they had to bale out as quickly as possible to pre-
vent being swamped yet most OF them were Sc
rously weakened and i'll from cramps and spasms.
They gained some slight relief by adopting sus-
gestion of their thoughtful commander VIZ, they
all took off their clothes, stepped In ran-we, and
wrung them in the salt water, which produced
some little warmth to their shiverng limbs
Whata sight these unfortunate beings, thus engag-
ed on the lonely ocean, must have presented to
pitying beholder To aggravate their disastrous
condition, their little store of bread had become
soaked in the salt water, which mad broken over
them necessarily; and even OF their sorry fare'
their pittance, by the 24th May, was reduced 10
l-25th of ID. for breakfast, and the like quantity
for dinner, emitting supper! On the 18TH they
succeeded in capturing one or two sea-fow! tnat
came so near the boat (Which must have been In
deed novel sight to them) as enabled the marl-
ners to catch them with the hand They were
of the size of pigeon, and each was cut into eigh-
teen pieces, and eaten, of course, uncooKed. "A
bout this time the heat of the sun became so IN
tense that it caused languor and falntness which
made them weary of life. On the morning OF the
29,h they found themselves within quarter OF a
mile of rocks on which the sea was breaking flu
riousy. but they contrved to haul off, and so es-
cane instant destruction. They were able to steer
throuuh an opening in the reef, and found snail
| lSanQ NlIniu II. WHlCu Hoih'N
Direction" "We had," says he, returned God
thanks for His gracious protection; and with much
content took our miserable allowance OF 10Th OF
lb. of bread, and quarter of pint of water
with which they had been furnished, 1t will be
remembered. by the thunder -storm). AT length
thew bepan to near New Holland, and landed on
fine sandy bay in an island near the main, where
thew luxurated on oysters water, and berries, and
slept comfortably all night; Tut as they were pre-
paring in the morning to leave, they found large
party of natives armed with spears, running and
ballooinq towards them-whether friendly or not,
MIR. BliSh and his companions did not pause to as
certain. but put of safely to sea. On the 3lst
thew landed at another little island, where they
again found oysters and it may be said, in sad
way. that they indeed ''astonished the natives"
on whom they supped heartily. On the evening
of the Sd June they succeeded in threading their
way through most difficult and dangerous pass
age (the Endeavour Straits), and were again In
| the omen ocean: but here again they had To en-
counter lonp-continued wet and stormy weather,
from which their exhausted frames suffered very
severely. Incessant fatigue, and exposure to cold
and wet. overpowered the strongest among them,
and several seemed at the point of death. During
all these terrible trials the noble spirited comman-
der contrived to support their sinking spirits oy
eyery exertion to distract and amuse their atten-
tion he himself all the while as exhausted as them
selves. At length, however, his fortitude and
constancy were rewarded for, behold at A. NJ
of the llth June, their eyes were ravlshed win
siuht of their long-sghedfor point OF destination
Tmor, Timor the island Of Timor was in sight!
An who shall tell the thrill of ectasy that shot
tbrmcb the hearts of the weather-bea and all
-. o..,o hoot,c craw ne thew first saw the is
land and found themselves nearing 1t! what
pous gratitude filled them towards their good God
in whose hands are all the waters OF the earth
and who had conducted them through such unex-
ampled perlls!
settlement of Coupang. after having been forty
eight long days and nights In this open BOAT on
the ocean. and received most hearty and hospl-
table welcome from the governor and al! me othel
residents On the 30th of August Mr. Bllgh sail,
ed with his surviving crew for one died oil feve'
At Timor). taking with him the launch IN which
they had crossed the ocean. for BATAVIA; and al
terwards homeward with eleven out OF the orig
nal eighteen, the others having died or preferred
remaining in Batavia. He landed sale at Forts
mouth on the 18th March l790. Ills cruel case
was instantly made known, and attracted unver
sal sympathy. He was quickly promoted, servee
with great distinction at the battles OF camper
down and Copenhagen, at the latter oil which NJ
commanded ship under Lord Nelson; and was
afterwards appointed governor OF New oou'f
Wales, and ultimately became yice-admlral;-
Thenceforth he lived happily in the bosom OF hi
family. and died in London,i the year 1917 aget
sixty three. ;,
(To be Continued)