N01264:111
Compassions called for. An essay of profitable reflections on miserable spectacles
Compassions called for. An essay of profitable reflections on miserable spectacles. : To which is added, A faithful relation of some late, but strange occurrences that call for an awful and useful consideration. Especially distresses and deliverances, of a company lately shipwrecked on a desolate rock, on the coast of New-England. ; [Three lines of Scripture texts]Compassions called for. An essay of profitable reflections on miserable spectacles. : To which is added, A faithful relation of some late, but strange occurrences that call for an awful and useful consideration. Especially distresses and deliverances, of a company lately shipwreck'd on a desolate rock, on the coast of New-England. ; [Three lines of Scripture texts]
printed by B. Green, 1711
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
About the latter end of this Month, the Carpenter, who had been ill ever since his coming a-shore, and now having his Feet frozen, an excessive pain in his ⟨p. 56⟩back, and such a stiffness in his Neck, that he could not stir his head, and almost choked with Phlegm, to our apprehension drew near his End; towards evening we raised his head, and I Prayed over him; he showed himself Sensible, but was Speechless; about Midnight I enquired of them that lay next him, who told me, he was dead. The next Day presented me with the most Melancholy view of the effects of Hunger; for our starving Company, who had now been for several Days without any sustenance, but Sea weed and 2 or 3 Mussels a day, desiring of me that they might have his Body to support their Lives with: This, of all I had met with, was the most shocking to me; to see us drove to such necessity as to eat what seemed to contrary to Nature: I begged of God that He would find out some way for our support, without feeding upon our Dead Companion; but all other means failing, and the Men incessantly calling upon me for it, I was forced to give my consent; and their own feebleness necessitated me, upon their request, to prepare it for them the best manner I could, that they might not all perish with hunger. I gave them some of it that Night; and the next day suffered them to Eat what they would of it; but finding some very ravenous, I was forced to keep watch over it, and let them have only their daily Portion; least, ere we obtained our deliverance, this should be spent, and we be obliged to feed upon the Living. It having pleased God, in Mercy to us, to put it into the hearts of some People, where the Raft was cast a shore, to come upon the search; the sight of a Vessel on the Morning of the 2d. of January ⟨p. 57⟩half way from the shore, standing directly for us, made our hearts leap within us: When they came within Call, I desired them to veer a Buoy to me, and I would fasten my self to the End of the Rope, and they should hale me on board; (for the swell would not suffer them to venture to the Rock) but expecting smoother Water, they hovered about the Island till Noon; when I told them we were perishing for want of Fire, which we had been without all this cold season; at length one of the Men came a-shore in his small Canoe, and gave us the refreshment of a Fire;
About the latter end of this Month, the Carpenter, who had been ill ever since his coming a-shoar, and now having his Feet frozen, an excessive pain in his