JULY24。Thismorningsawuswonderfullyrecruitedinspiritsandstrength。Notwithstandingtheperiloussituationinwhichwewerestillplaced，ignorantofourposition，althoughcertainlyatagreatdistancefromland，withoutmorefoodthanwouldlastusforafortnightevenwithgreatcare，almostentirelywithoutwater，andfloatingaboutatthemercyofeverywindandwaveonthemerestwreckintheworld，stilltheinfinitelymoreterribledistressesanddangersfromwhichwehadsolatelyandsoprovidentiallybeendeliveredcausedustoregardwhatwenowenduredasbutlittlemorethananordinaryevil-sostrictlycomparativeiseithergoodorill。
Atsunrisewewerepreparingtorenewourattemptsatgettingupsomethingfromthestoreroom，when，asmartshowercomingon，withsomelightning，weturnourattentiontothecatchingofwaterbymeansofthesheetwehadusedbeforeforthispurpose。Wehadnoothermeansofcollectingtherainthanbyholdingthesheetspreadoutwithoneoftheforechain-platesinthemiddleofit。Thewater，thusconductedtothecentre，wasdrainedthroughintoourjug。Wehadnearlyfilleditinthismanner，when，aheavysquallcomingonfromthenorthward，obligedustodesist，asthehulkbeganoncemoretorollsoviolentlythatwecouldnolongerkeepourfeet。Wenowwentforward，and，lashingourselvessecurelytotheremnantofthewindlassasbefore，awaitedtheeventwithfarmorecalmnessthancouldhavebeenanticipatedorwouldhavebeenimaginedpossibleunderthecircumstances。Atnoonthewindhadfreshenedintoatwo-reefbreeze，andbynightintoastiffgale，accompaniedwithatremendouslyheavyswell。Experiencehavingtaughtus，however，thebestmethodofarrangingourlashings，weweatheredthisdrearynightintolerablesecurity，althoughthoroughlydrenchedatalmosteveryinstantbythesea，andinmomentarydreadofbeingwashedoff。
Fortunately，theweatherwassowarmastorenderthewaterrathergratefulthanotherwise。
July25。Thismorningthegalehaddiminishedtoamereten-knotbreeze，andtheseahadgonedownwithitsoconsiderablythatwewereabletokeepourselvesdryuponthedeck。Toourgreatgrief，however，wefoundthattwojarsofourolives，aswellasthewholeofourham，hadbeenwashedoverboard，inspiteofthecarefulmannerinwhichtheyhadbeenfastened。Wedeterminednottokillthetortoiseasyet，andcontentedourselvesforthepresentwithabreakfastonafewoftheolives，andameasureofwatereach，whichlatterwemixedhalfandhalf，withwine，findinggreatreliefandstrengthfromthemixture，withoutthedistressingintoxicationwhichhadensuedupondrinkingtheport。Theseawasstillfartooroughfortherenewalofoureffortsatgettingupprovisionfromthestoreroom。Severalarticles，ofnoimportancetousinourpresentsituation，floatedupthroughtheopeningduringtheday，andwereimmediatelywashedoverboard。Wealsonowobservedthatthehulklaymorealongthanever，sothatwecouldnotstandaninstantwithoutlashingourselves。Onthisaccountwepassedagloomyanduncomfortableday。Atnoonthesunappearedtobenearlyvertical，andwehadnodoubtthatwehadbeendrivendownbythelongsuccessionofnorthwardandnorthwesterlywindsintothenearvicinityoftheequator。Towardeveningsawseveralsharks，andweresomewhatalarmedbytheaudaciousmannerinwhichanenormouslylargeoneapproachedus。Atonetime，alurchthrowingthedeckveryfarbeneaththewater，themonsteractuallyswaminuponus，flounderingforsomemomentsjustoverthecompanion-hatch，andstrikingPetersviolentlywithhistail。Aheavyseaatlengthhurledhimoverboard，muchtoourrelief。Inmoderateweatherwemighthaveeasilycapturedhim。
July26。Thismorning，thewindhavinggreatlyabated，andtheseanotbeingveryrough，wedeterminedtorenewourexertionsinthestoreroom。Afteragreatdealofhardlaborduringthewholeday，wefoundthatnothingfurtherwastobeexpectedfromthisquarter，thepartitionsoftheroomhavingbeenstoveduringthenight，anditscontentssweptintothehold。Thisdiscovery，asmaybesupposed，filleduswithdespair。