"When we found that we really were deserted, the spirits of all of us and the minds of some gave way. Several of the crew broke into the spirit-room, which they could now reach, and, broaching a cask of liquor, endeavoured to forget their miseries by getting drunk. The mate and I, and most of the passengers, abstained from the temptation. Those who indulged in it were the first to pay the penalty by a miserable death. "Still discipline had been maintained. Mr Carr called on me to accompany him round the ship in search of anything which might serve as food to stay the cravings of hunger. We discovered a few pounds of candles, some bits of old leather, leather shoes, a rug, a couple of hides; but our greatest prize was about a gallon of lamp-oil, and some oil intended to mix with paint. These we brought into the cabin, to be kept in safety. While we were there, Mr Carr's eyes fell on old Trojan, the captain's favourite Newfoundland dog, as he lay almost dying under his master's cot. The captain very naturally had not brought himself to order its death. "`I am sorry, sir,' said Mr Carr, `to propose what I do; but that dog may be the means of preserving the lives of all of us. We must kill him.' "`You'll be proposing to kill and eat each other before long,' exclaimed the poor master, in a querulous tone. "`Heaven forbid!' answered the mate. `But to take the life of a brute beast is a different matter. I don't see how we can spare him. Even if we do, he will not live long, and now his blood alone will be of great importance.' "At last the captain consented to the death of his favourite, and poor Trojan was led up on deck to be put to death. Before he was killed, we all of us took an anxious look round the horizon, to ascertain that no sail was near. We would gladly, even then, have saved the poor dog's life. The cravings of hunger soon, however, drove all feelings of remorse from our bosoms. The faithful brute looked up into our faces, and his eyes said as clearly as if he had spoken the words, `I know that it is necessary--be quick about it.' How carefully we husbanded every drop of the blood! The mate got a teaspoon, and served it out with that measure full to each of us at a time, while the flesh was reserved for another day. "I cannot describe how those wretched days passed away. Except the mate and three others of us, no one could even stand. The captain lay in his cot growing worse and worse. I was on deck one afternoon with Mr Carr, steering and keeping the ship's head to the eastward, when we were startled by a faint shriek from the cabin. Presently afterwards the captain rushed on deck. "`Mutiny! mutiny!' he exclaimed, frantically flourishing his arms about. `But I'll take care that no one takes the ship from me. I'll shoot the first man who approaches me, be he whom he may. See here here!'