My situation was indeed melancholy; but I felt, as a mother, I
ought not to wish for death.
"As soon as day broke, I went close to the shore, to seek some
shell-fish for our breakfast. In crossing the sand, I nearly plunged my
foot into a hole, and fancied I heard a crash. I stooped, and putting my
hand into the opening, found it was full of eggs; I had broken two or
three, which I tasted, and thought very good. From the colour, form, and
taste, I knew them to be turtle's eggs; there were at least sixty, so I
had no more care about food. I carried away in my apron as many as I
could preserve from the rays of the sun: this I endeavoured to effect by
burying them in the sand, and covering them with one end of our plank,
and succeeded very well. Besides these, there were as many to be found
on the shore as we required; I have sometimes found as many as ninety
together. These were our sole support while we remained there: my
children liked them very much. I forgot to add, that I was fortunate
enough to discover a stream of fresh water, running into the sea; it was
the same which runs past this house, and which conducted me here. The
first day we suffered greatly from thirst, but on the second we met
with the stream which saved us. I will not tire you by relating day by
day our sad life; every one was the same, and took away by degrees every
hope from me.
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