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bludgeonofastreetrobber.
Gettingnowholdofthewatch,Ifound,uponapplyingittomyear,
thatithadagainrundown;butatthisIwasnotatallsurprised,being
convinced,fromthepeculiarstateofmyfeelings,thatIhadslept,
asbefore,foraverylongperiodoftime,howlong,itwasofcourse
impossibletosay.Iwasburningupwithfever,andmythirstwas
almostintolerable.Ifeltabouttheboxformylittleremainingsupply
ofwater,forIhadnolight,thetaperhavingburnttothesocketofthe
lantern,andthephosphorus-boxnotcomingreadilytohand.Upon
findingthejug,however,Idiscoveredittobeempty—Tiger,nodoubt,
havingbeentemptedtodrinkit,aswellastodevourtheremnant
ofmutton,theboneofwhichlay,wellpicked,bytheopeningofthe
box.ThespoiledmeatIcouldwellspare,butmyheartsank
asIthoughtofthewater.Iwasfeebleintheextreme—somuchsothat
Ishookallover,aswithanague,attheslightestmovementorexertion.
Toaddtomytroubles,thebrigwaspitchingandrollingwithgreat
violence,andtheoil-caskswhichlayuponmyboxwereinmomentary
dangeroffallingdown,soastoblockuptheonlywayofingress
oregress.Ifelt,also,terriblesufferingsfromsea-sickness.These
considerationsdeterminedmetomakemyway,atallhazards,tothe
trap,andobtainimmediaterelief,beforeIshouldbeincapacitatedfrom
doingsoaltogether.Havingcometothisresolve,Iagainfeltaboutfor
thephosphorus-boxandtapers.TheformerIfoundaftersomelittle
trouble;but,notdiscoveringthetapersassoonasIhadexpected(for
IrememberedverynearlythespotinwhichIhadplacedthem),Igave
upthesearchforthepresent,andbiddingTigerliequiet,beganatonce
myjourneytowardthetrap.
Inthisattemptmygreatfeeblenessbecamemorethaneverapparent.
ItwaswiththeutmostdifficultyIcouldcrawlalongatall,andvery
frequentlymylimbssanksuddenlyfrombeneathme;when,falling
prostrateonmyface,Iwouldremainforsomeminutesinastate
borderingoninsensibility.StillIstruggledforwardbyslowdegrees,
dreadingeverymomentthatIshouldswoonamidthenarrowand
intricatewindingsofthelumber,inwhicheventIhadnothingbut
deathtoexpectastheresult.Atlength,uponmakingapushforward
withalltheenergyIcouldcommand,Istruckmyforeheadviolently
againstthesharpcornerofaniron-boundcrate.Theaccidentonly
stunnedmeforafewmoments;butIfound,tomyinexpressiblegrief,
thatthequickandviolentrollofthevesselhadthrownthecrate
