When we came close to the unfortunate Spaniards whom Montbar had left
to shift for themselves on this desolate shore I bent over to examine
them. But that they moved I would not have thought them to be alive.
The pupils of their eyes were strangely dilated, and there were black
circles under their eyes. Their hollow cheeks were deeply wrinkled.
Their lips glued to their yellow teeth. They exhaled an infectious
odour, and might well have been taken for dead men come forth from the
tombs.
We had some salt junk and biscuits on the boat, kept in one of the
lockers against, as sometimes happened, the boat being unable to return
to the ship in time for meals, and I sent one of the crew to fetch a
portion, which he set before the famished men.
When the Spaniards saw the food their limbs were affected with a
shivering, and tears came into their eyes. Then they fell upon it, and
devoured it with sobs of joy. In astonishment and pity we watched them
at their wolfish meal. When they had finished I asked de Castro for
some account of what had befallen them.
The devil Montbar, he said, had abandoned them upon this desolate
island, telling them to make shift for themselves, and to learn from
the hardship of their lot repentance for the act of piracy they had
committed in stealing our ship.
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