ItiswithextremereluctancethatIdwellupontheappallingscenewhichensued；ascenewhich，withitsminutestdetails，noaftereventshavebeenabletoeffaceintheslightestdegreefrommymemory，andwhosesternrecollectionwillembittereveryfuturemomentofmyexistence。Letmerunoverthisportionofmynarrativewithasmuchhasteasthenatureoftheeventstobespokenofwillpermit。Theonlymethodwecoulddevisefortheterrificlottery，inwhichweweretotakeeachachance，wasthatofdrawingstraws。
Smallsplintersofwoodweremadetoanswerourpurpose，anditwasagreedthatIshouldbetheholder。Iretiredtooneendofthehulk，whilemypoorcompanionssilentlytookuptheirstationintheotherwiththeirbacksturnedtowardme。ThebitterestanxietywhichI
enduredatanyperiodofthisfearfuldramawaswhileIoccupiedmyselfinthearrangementofthelots。Therearefewconditionsintowhichmancanpossiblyfallwherehewillnotfeeladeepinterestinthepreservationofhisexistence；aninterestmomentarilyincreasingwiththefrailnessofthetenurebywhichthatexistencemaybeheld。
Butnowthatthesilent，definite，andsternnatureofthebusinessinwhichIwasengagedsodifferentfromthetumultuousdangersofthestormorthegraduallyapproachinghorrorsoffamineallowedmetoreflectonthefewchancesIhadofescapingthemostappallingofdeaths-adeathforthemostappallingofpurposes-everyparticleofthatenergywhichhadsolongbuoyedmeupdepartedlikefeathersbeforethewind，leavingmeahelplesspreytothemostabjectandpitiableterror。Icouldnot，atfirst，evensummonupsufficientstrengthtotearandfittogetherthesmallsplintersofwood，myfingersabsolutelyrefusingtheiroffice，andmykneesknockingviolentlyagainsteachother。Mymindranoverrapidlyathousandabsurdprojectsbywhichtoavoidbecomingapartnerintheawfulspeculation。Ithoughtoffallingonmykneestomycompanions，andentreatingthemtoletmeescapethisnecessity；ofsuddenlyrushinguponthem，and，byputtingoneofthemtodeath，ofrenderingthedecisionbylotuseless-inshort，ofeverythingbutofgoingthroughwiththematterIhadinhand。Atlast，afterwastingalongtimeinthisimbecileconduct，IwasrecalledtomysensesbythevoiceofParker，whourgedmetorelievethematoncefromtheterribleanxietytheywereenduring。EventhenIcouldnotbringmyselftoarrangethesplintersuponthespot，butthoughtovereveryspeciesoffinessebywhichIcouldtricksomeoneofmyfellow-suffererstodrawtheshortstraw，asithadbeenagreedthatwhoeverdrewtheshortestoffoursplintersfrommyhandwastodieforthepreservationoftherest。Beforeanyonecondemnmeforthisapparentheartlessness，lethimbeplacedinasituationpreciselysimilartomyown。
Atlengthdelaywasnolongerpossible，and，withaheartalmostburstingfrommybosom，Iadvancedtotheregionoftheforecastle，wheremycompanionswereawaitingme。Iheldoutmyhandwiththesplinters，andPetersimmediatelydrew。Hewasfree-his，atleast，wasnottheshortest；andtherewasnowanotherchanceagainstmyescape。Isummonedupallmystrength，andpassedthelotstoAugustus。Healsodrewimmediately，andhealsowasfree；andnow，whetherIshouldliveordie，thechanceswerenomorethanpreciselyeven。Atthismomentallthefiercenessofthetigerpossessedmybosom，andIfelttowardmypoorfellow-creature，Parker，themostintense，themostdiabolicalhatred。Butthefeelingdidnotlast；
and，atlength，withaconvulsiveshudderandclosedeyes，Iheldoutthetworemainingsplinterstowardhim。Itwasfullyfiveminutesbeforehecouldsummonresolutiontodraw，duringwhichperiodofheartrendingsuspenseIneveronceopenedmyeyes。Presentlyoneofthetwolotswasquicklydrawnfrommyhand。Thedecisionwasthenover，yetIknewnotwhetheritwasformeoragainstme。Noonespoke，andstillIdarednotsatisfymyselfbylookingatthesplinterIheld。Petersatlengthtookmebythehand，andIforcedmyselftolookup，whenIimmediatelysawbythecountenanceofParkerthatIwassafe，andthatheitwaswhohadbeendoomedtosuffer。Gaspingforbreath，Ifellsenselesstothedeck。
Irecoveredfrommyswoonintimetobeholdtheconsummationofthetragedyinthedeathofhimwhohadbeenchieflyinstrumentalinbringingitabout。Hemadenoresistancewhatever，andwasstabbedinthebackbyPeters，whenhefellinstantlydead。Imustnotdwelluponthefearfulrepastwhichimmediatelyensued。Suchthingsmaybeimagined，butwordshavenopowertoimpressthemindwiththeexquisitehorroroftheirreality。Letitsufficetosaythat，havinginsomemeasureappeasedtheragingthirstwhichconsumedusbythebloodofthevictim，andhavingbycommonconsenttakenoffthehands，feet，andhead，throwingthemtogetherwiththeentrails，intothesea，wedevouredtherestofthebody，piecemeal，duringthefourevermemorabledaysoftheseventeenth，eighteenth，nineteenth，andtwentiethofthemonth。
Onthenineteenth，therecomingonasmartshowerwhichlastedfifteenortwentyminutes，wecontrivedtocatchsomewaterbymeansofasheetwhichhadbeenfishedupfromthecabinbyourdragjustafterthegale。Thequantitywetookinalldidnotamounttomorethanhalfagallon；buteventhisscantyallowancesupplieduswithcomparativestrengthandhope。
Onthetwenty-firstwewereagainreducedtothelastnecessity。
Theweatherstillremainedwarmandpleasant，withoccasionalfogsandlightbreezes，mostusuallyfromN。toW。
Onthetwenty-second，asweweresittingclosehuddledtogether，gloomilyrevolvingoverourlamentablecondition，thereflashedthroughmymindallatonceanideawhichinspiredmewithabrightgleamofhope。Irememberedthat，whentheforemasthadbeencutaway，Peters，beinginthewindwardchains，passedoneoftheaxesintomyhand，requestingmetoputit，ifpossible，inaplaceofsecurity，andthatafewminutesbeforethelastheavyseastruckthebrigandfilledherIhadtakenthisaxeintotheforecastleandlaiditinoneofthelarboardberths。Inowthoughtitpossiblethat，bygettingatthisaxe，wemightcutthroughthedeckoverthestoreroom，andthusreadilysupplyourselveswithprovisions。
WhenIcommunicatedthisobjecttomycompanions，theyutteredafeebleshoutofjoy，andweallproceededforthwithtotheforecastle。Thedifficultyofdescendingherewasgreaterthanthatofgoingdowninthecabin，theopeningbeingmuchsmaller，foritwillberememberedthatthewholeframeworkaboutthecabincompanion-hatchhadbeencarriedaway，whereastheforecastle-way，beingasimplehatchofonlyaboutthreefeetsquare，hadremaineduninjured。Ididnothesitate，however，toattemptthedescent；andaropebeingfastenedroundmybodyasbefore，Iplungedboldlyin，feetforemost，mademywayquicklytotheberth，andatthefirstattemptbroughtuptheaxe。Itwashailedwiththemostecstaticjoyandtriumph，andtheeasewithwhichithadbeenobtainedwasregardedasanomenofourultimatepreservation。
Wenowcommencedcuttingatthedeckwithalltheenergyofrekindledhope，Petersandmyselftakingtheaxebyturns，Augustus’swoundedarmnotpermittinghimtoaidusinanydegree。Aswewerestillsofeebleastobescarcelyabletostandunsupported，andcouldconsequentlyworkbutaminuteortwowithoutresting，itsoonbecameevidentthatmanylonghourswouldbenecessarytoaccomplishourtask-thatis，tocutanopeningsufficientlylargetoadmitofafreeaccesstothestoreroom。Thisconsideration，however，didnotdiscourageus；and，workingallnightbythelightofthemoon，wesucceededineffectingourpurposebydaybreakonthemorningofthetwenty-third。
Petersnowvolunteeredtogodown；and，havingmadeallarrangementsasbefore，hedescended，andsoonreturnedbringingupwithhimasmalljar，which，toourgreatjoy，provedtobefullofolives。Havingsharedtheseamongus，anddevouredthemwiththegreatestavidity，weproceededtolethimdownagain。Thistimehesucceededbeyondourutmostexpectations，returninginstantlywithalargehamandabottleofMadeirawine。Ofthelatterweeachtookamoderatesup，havinglearnedbyexperiencetheperniciousconsequencesofindulgingtoofreely。Theham，exceptabouttwopoundsnearthebone，wasnotinaconditiontobeeaten，havingbeenentirelyspoiledbythesaltwater。Thesoundpartwasdividedamongus。PetersandAugustus，notbeingabletorestraintheirappetite，swallowedtheirsupontheinstant；butIwasmorecautious，andatebutasmallportionofmine，dreadingthethirstwhichIknewwouldensue。Wenowrestedawhilefromourlabors，whichhadbeenintolerablysevere。
Bynoon，feelingsomewhatstrengthenedandrefreshed，weagainrenewedourattemptatgettingupprovisions，Petersandmyselfgoingdownalternately，andalwayswithmoreorlesssuccess，untilsundown。Duringthisintervalwehadthegoodfortunetobringup，altogether，fourmoresmalljarsofolives，anotherham，acarboycontainingnearlythreegallonsofexcellentCapeMadeirawine，and，whatgaveusstillmoredelight，asmalltortoiseoftheGallipagobreed，severalofwhichhadbeentakenonboardbyCaptainBarnard，asthe_Grampus_wasleavingport，fromtheschooner_MaryPitts_，justreturnedfromasealingvoyageinthePacific。
InasubsequentportionofthisnarrativeIshallhavefrequentoccasiontomentionthisspeciesoftortoise。Itisfoundprincipally，asmostofmyreadersmayknow，inthegroupofislandscalledtheGallipagos，which，indeed，derivetheirnamefromtheanimaltheSpanishwordGallipagomeaningafresh-waterterrapin。
Fromthepeculiarityoftheirshapeandactiontheyhavebeensometimescalledtheelephanttortoise。Theyarefrequentlyfoundofanenormoussize。Ihavemyselfseenseveralwhichwouldweighfromtwelvetofifteenhundredpounds，althoughIdonotrememberthatanynavigatorspeaksofhavingseenthemweighingmorethaneighthundred。Theirappearanceissingular，andevendisgusting。Theirstepsareveryslow，measured，andheavy，theirbodiesbeingcarriedaboutafootfromtheground。Theirneckislong，andexceedinglyslender，fromeighteeninchestotwofeetisaverycommonlength，andIkilledone，wherethedistancefromtheshouldertotheextremityoftheheadwasnolessthanthreefeetteninches。Theheadhasastrikingresemblancetothatofaserpent。Theycanexistwithoutfoodforanalmostincrediblelengthoftime，instanceshavingbeenknownwheretheyhavebeenthrownintotheholdofavesselandlaintwoyearswithoutnourishmentofanykind-beingasfat，and，ineveryrespect，inasgoodorderattheexpirationofthetimeaswhentheywerefirstputin。Inoneparticulartheseextraordinaryanimalsbeararesemblancetothedromedary，orcamelofthedesert。Inabagattherootofthenecktheycarrywiththemaconstantsupplyofwater。Insomeinstances，uponkillingthemafterafullyear’sdeprivationofallnourishment，asmuchasthreegallonsofperfectlysweetandfreshwaterhavebeenfoundintheirbags。Theirfoodischieflywildparsleyandcelery，withpurslain，sea-kelp，andpricklypears，uponwhichlattervegetabletheythrivewonderfully，agreatquantityofitbeingusuallyfoundonthehillsidesneartheshorewherevertheanimalitselfisdiscovered。
Theyareexcellentandhighlynutritiousfood，andhave，nodoubt，beenthemeansofpreservingthelivesofthousandsofseamenemployedinthewhale-fisheryandotherpursuitsinthePacific。
Theonewhichwehadthegoodfortunetobringupfromthestoreroomwasnotofalargesize，weighingprobablysixty-fiveorseventypounds。Itwasafemale，andinexcellentcondition，beingexceedinglyfat，andhavingmorethanaquartoflimpidandsweetwaterinitsbag。Thiswasindeedatreasure；and，fallingonourkneeswithoneaccord，wereturnedferventthankstoGodforsoseasonablearelief。
Wehadgreatdifficultyingettingtheanimalupthroughtheopening，asitsstruggleswerefierceanditsstrengthprodigious。ItwasuponthepointofmakingitsescapefromPeter’sgrasp，andslippingbackintothewater，whenAugustus，throwingaropewithaslipknotarounditsthroat，helditupinthismanneruntilIjumpedintotheholebythesideofPeters，andassistedhiminliftingitout。
Thewaterwedrewcarefullyfromthebagintothejug；which，itwillberemembered，hadbeenbroughtupbeforefromthecabin。Havingdonethis，webrokeofftheneckofabottlesoastoform，withthecork，akindofglass，holdingnotquitehalfagill。Wetheneachdrankoneofthesemeasuresfull，andresolvedtolimitourselvestothisquantityperdayaslongasitshouldholdout。
Duringthelasttwoorthreedays，theweatherhavingbeendryandpleasant，thebeddingwehadobtainedfromthecabin，aswellasourclothing，hadbecomethoroughlydry，sothatwepassedthisnightthatofthetwenty-thirdincomparativecomfort，enjoyingatranquilrepose，afterhavingsuppedplentifullyonolivesandham，withasmallallowanceofthewine。Beingafraidoflosingsomeofourstoresoverboardduringthenight，intheeventofabreezespringingup，wesecuredthemaswellaspossiblewithcordagetothefragmentsofthewindlass。Ourtortoise，whichwewereanxioustopreservealiveaslongaswecould，wethrewonitsback，andotherwisecarefullyfastened。