Whilst on this island myself and another were left ashore, the rest having gone to the main with the boats. Through an oversight, they took the water-keg along with them, leaving us unprovided with water. We immediately searched for a spring, or some other depository of the priceless liquid, but it was in vain. As we had but a short time before been freely eating of salt junk, our thirst became intolerable, so that we even went so far as to drink of the water of the river, which was salt and brackish. After we had thus suffered for several hours, one of the boats returned, and supplied our want. Never before in my life did I taste so grateful and sweet a draught as I imbibed at that time from the most ordinary of boat-piggins. This was the nearest approach to deprivation of water for any length of time that I ever experienced. If any person should wish to be pestered with a gnawing, unquenched thirst, let him follow our example by eating about a pound of salt meat, and then sitting for hours on an island where no water is to be found, except such as will have a tendency to aggravate his thirst. After the arrival of the English ships, our nights were passed in an excess of mirth. The rainy weather preventing any amount of work being performed during daytime, their listlessly lolling about the ship made the men feel prime for sport at night; and as none of our ship’s company, since the desertion of our men, were allowed to leave her after twilight, by common consent our barque became the rendezvous for all; so that, about half an hour after supper, whole boats’ crews would come aboard. One night I counted seventy men in our forecastle. Each vessel contributed its singers, and the choral performances were really a diverting medley. The cook of the schooner, being French, sang the Marseillaise for us; a German sang the Fatherland; a Portuguese, I know not what, but, like all the others, he was loudly applauded for his performance; the Mauriis, Sandwich and Navigators’ Islanders, all sang their respective songs; whilst English, Irish, Scotch, and Americans, also gave vent to their national melodies--Rule Britannia, Erin go Bragh, Scots wha hae wi’ Wallace bled, and the Star-spangled Banner, or Hail Columbia, followed each other--one song being as good as another, so that it had a tune to it. Amongst the Lady Emma’s crew were four excellent singers, who had practised together, and performed very creditably; so that we were not without good singers. Instead of spirituous drink, we indulged in a beverage, known as switchell, concocted of molasses, vinegar, and water, with the addition of a little ground ginger. At a late hour we separated, without being muddled, as is usual in many, in fact most, assemblages of the like character amongst people who profess more morality than the sailor. On these occasions all was mirth and jollification: discipline, for the time-being, was set aside, and the utmost good-feeling pervaded the company.