Page:Life and Adventures of William Buckley.djvu/45

This page has been validated.
22
LIFE OF BUCKLEY.

under such circumstances. I continued to wander about in this way, subsisting upon succulent shrubs and berries, until I came to a large lake, upon which I could see an abundance of ducks, and geese, and swans, and other wild fowl. From that lake I found a very considerable river flawing, as I concluded, toward the sea. I at once resolved to follow its course; and of reaching its entrance, saw the little rocky island already mentioned as haring the seal, or sea elephants upon it; and it was a great comfort to me, to find myself once more not far from my old quarters where the three natives had left me. I soon after arrived at the turf cabins, having now acquired some acquaintance with the locality, and although suffering much from hunger, lay myself down and slept soundly. At daylight, I had the satisfaction to find some of the same kind of fruit the native had brought me in the rush basket. On these I made a great feast, and after remaining there that day, returned to my own hut on the beach. Here I must have remained many months—how long I cannot tell—subsisting as before; but at length it appeared likely that my supplies would fail, and I began again to reflect on my deplorable condition. My clothes were all in tatters, my shoes were worn out, my health was much impaired by want and exposure, and my spirits broken—so much so, that I determined on retracing my steps in order to regain the ship in the event of her remaining in the bay, and with the hopes of rejoining my companions, should they be still in existence. The winter was fast approaching, the weather