I
obtained a place on the larboard side of the hatchway, where I stood
facing the East, and endeavored, as much as possible, to withdraw my
attention from the terrible sounds below me, by watching, through the
grating, the progress of the stars. I there spent hour after hour, in
following with my eyes the motion of a particular star, as it rose and
ascended until it passed over beyond my sight.
"How I longed for the day to dawn! At length the morning light began
to appear, but still our torments were increasing every moment. As the
usual hour for us to ascend to the upper deck approached, the
Working-party were mustered near the hatchway, and we were all
anxiously waiting for the opportunity to cool our weary frames, to
breathe for awhile the pure air, and, above all, to procure water to
quench our intolerable thirst. The time arrived, but still the
gratings were not removed. Hour after hour passed on, and still we
were not released. Our minds were at length seized with horror,
suspicious that our tyrants had determined to make a finishing stroke
of their cruelty, and rid themselves of us altogether.
"It was not until ten o'clock in the forenoon that the gratings were
at last removed. We hurried on deck and thronged to the water cask,
which was completely exhausted before our thirst was allayed. So great
was the struggle around the cask that the guards were again turned out
to disperse the crowd.
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