-preserv
a t io n
Cf MARINERS..
Captain was o f opinion, that he had eaten the fame kind, o f filh
in the laft voyage on the coaft o f New Holland, : and this was
fufficient to. quiet our spprehenfions. Whilft we were at
fupper, the fervant Ihewed us the liver, which looked very
tempting, for people who had been for fome time deprived of
freih food; we had it therefore fried,' but as it came after fupper,
I ate o f it about the fize o f two half-crown pieces* and the Captain
with my fon only tailed it, each to the fize o f about half a crown
piece. It had no bad taile and we expedted to have a good dinner
o f the fifh next day. In the morning about three o’clock I awoke-
from an uneafinefs fimilar to that when the ftomach is out o f order
on account o f a furfeit. I fat upright in the bed and found: my
head giddy and fwimming, I wanted to. remove a chair from before
the bed, which in my hands was as light as a: feather* and I found
I could not dillinguilh heavy things from light ones. When I
began to walk, I reeled from one fide o f the cabin to the other.
I felt in the ftomach a heavinefs and a burning, which extended
all the length o f the gullet, as i f it had been excoriated, and my
extremities were benumbed,. I had a ftool and in order to alleviate
the ftomach, endeavoured to void by vomiting its contents, but
this caufed fuch a burning all along from the mouth, to the ftomach,
that I thought the whole to be wounded.. I waked Dr. Sparrman,
andipoke to him about my fituation; as he was feparated. only by
a deal:
a deal partition from the Captain's ftate room, Capt. Cook overheard
our difcourfe, and tried to get up, when he found that he
had the fame fymptoms which I experienced. I then waked my
fon, who was in the fame fituation. T h e Captain feat for our
furgeon Mr. P a t t o n , who prefcribed us plenty o f warm water,
in order to free the fton^ach o f any remains o f this dangerous diet,
and then gave us fome diaphoretics, and falls, which in a few days
reftored us to our former health* though the giddinefs o f the
head, the numbnefs o f our hands and feet, a conftant chillnefs,
and fome few pains were not quite removed till after about eight
or ten days. A dog which had eaten the remainder o f the fried
liver,' and a hog given me by an old man at Tanna, which had
devoured the garbage o f the filh, fell likewife very fick, and the.
latter died the next day. Several natives coming on board, faw
the fiih hanging, and gave us to underftand by4gns, that it was.
unwholfome food, for they pointed to their ftomach, and fbewed
that it caufed pains there, and afterwards laid their hand to the
cheek and ear, and made a motion o f the head as i f they were
going to deep. I feigned not to comprehend the meaning o f thefe.
figns, and as i f I believed they wanted the filh to eat, I ordered if
to be given to them; but they ihewed the moil unequivocal figns,
e f abhorrence, when it was offered to them.
PRESERVATION
OF MARINERS,
6, The:
WÊÊÊ