Pedro, his valet, too, he tried to save, But the same cause, conducive to his loss, Left him so drunk, he jump’d into the wave As o’er the cutter’s edge he tried to cross, And so he found a wine-and-watery grave; They could not rescue him although so close, Because the sea ran higher every minute, And for the boat—the crew kept crowding in it. A small old spaniel,—which had been Don Jose’s, His father’s, whom he loved, as ye may think, For on such things the memory reposes With tenderness—stood howling on the brink, Knowing (dogs have such intellectual noses!), No doubt, the vessel was about to sink; And Juan caught him up, and ere he stepp’d Off, threw him in, then after him he leap’d. He also stuff’d his money where he could About his person, and Pedrillo’s too, Who let him do, in fact, whate’er he would, Not knowing what himself to say, or do, As every rising wave his dread renew’d; But Juan, trusting they might still get through, And deeming there were remedies for any ill, Thus re-embark’d his tutor and his spaniel. ’Twas a rough night, and blew so stiffly yet, That the sail was becalm’d between the seas, Though on the wave’s high top too much to set, They dared not take it in for all the breeze: Each sea curl’d o’er the stern, and kept them wet, And made them bale without a moment’s ease, So that themselves as well as hopes were damp’d, And the poor little cutter quickly swamp’d. Nine souls more went in her: the long-boat still Kept above water, with an oar for mast, Two blankets stitch’d together, answering ill Instead of sail, were to the oar made fast: Though every wave roll’d menacing to fill, And present peril all before surpass’d, They grieved for those who perish’d with the cutter, And also for the biscuit-casks and butter. The sun rose red and fiery, a sure sign Of the continuance of the gale: to run Before the sea until it should grow fine, Was all that for the present could be done: A few tea-spoonfuls of their rum and wine Were served out to the people, who begun To faint, and damaged bread wet through the bags, And most of them had little clothes but rags. They counted thirty, crowded in a space Which left scarce room for motion or exertion; They did their best to modify their case, One half sate up, though numb’d with the immersion, While t’other half were laid down in their place At watch and watch; thus, shivering like the tertian Ague in its cold fit, they fill’d their boat, With nothing but the sky for a great coat. ’Tis very certain the desire of life Prolongs it: this is obvious to physicians, When patients, neither plagued with friends nor wife, Survive through very desperate conditions, Because they still can hope, nor shines the knife Nor shears of Atropos before their visions: Despair of all recovery spoils longevity, And makes men’s miseries of alarming brevity.