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care,andsoonfellintoasoundslumber.
UponawakeningIfeltstrangelyconfusedinmind,andsometime
elapsedbeforeIcouldbringtorecollectionallthevarious
circumstancesofmysituation.Bydegrees,however,Irememberedall.
Strikingalight,Ilookedatthewatch;butitwasrundown,andthere
were,consequently,nomeansofdetermininghowlongIslept.
Mylimbsweregreatlycramped,andIwasforcedtorelievethem
bystandingbetweenthecrates.Presentlyfeelinganalmostravenous
appetite,Ibethoughtmyselfofthecoldmutton,someofwhichIhad
eatenjustbeforegoingtosleep,andfoundexcellent.Whatwas
myastonishmentindiscoveringittobeinastateofabsolute
putrefaction!Thiscircumstanceoccasionedmegreatdisquietude;for,
connectingitwiththedisorderofmindIexperienceduponawakening,
IbegantosupposethatImusthavesleptforaninordinatelylong
periodoftime.Thecloseatmosphereoftheholdmighthavehad
somethingtodowiththis,andmight,intheend,beproductiveofthe
mostseriousresults.Myheadachedexcessively;IfanciedthatIdrew
everybreathwithdifficulty;and,inshort,Iwasoppressedwith
amultitudeofgloomyfeelings.StillIcouldnotventuretomakeany
disturbancebyopeningthetraporotherwise,and,havingwound
upthewatch,contentedmyselfaswellaspossible.
Throughoutthewholeofthenexttedioustwenty-fourhours
nopersoncametomyrelief,andIcouldnothelpaccusingAugustus
ofthegrossestinattention.Whatalarmedmechieflywas,thatthe
waterinmyjugwasreducedtoabouthalfapint,andIwassuffering
muchfromthirst,havingeatenfreelyoftheBolognasausagesafterthe
lossofmymutton.Ibecameveryuneasy,andcouldnolongertakeany
interestinmybooks.Iwasoverpowered,too,withadesiretosleep,
yettrembledatthethoughtofindulgingit,lesttheremightexistsome
perniciousinfluence,likethatofburningcharcoal,intheconfinedair
ofthehold.Inthemeantimetherollofthebrigtoldmethatwewere
farinthemainocean,andadullhummingsound,whichreached
myearsasiffromanimmensedistance,convincedmenoordinary
galewasblowing.Icouldnotimagineareasonfortheabsence
ofAugustus.Weweresurelyfarenoughadvancedonourvoyage
toallowofmygoingup.Someaccidentmighthavehappenedtohim—
butIcouldthinkofnonewhichwouldaccountforhissuffering
metoremainsolongaprisoner,except,indeed,hishavingsuddenly
diedorfallenoverboard,anduponthisideaIcouldnotdwellwithany
