Page 217 - for-the-term-of-his-natural-life

ing his head at the spring, however, he succeeded in keeping
on his legs, until the work of dragging together the boughs
was completed, when he threw himself on the ground, and
declared that he could rise no more.
Frere applied to him the remedy that had been so suc-
cessfully tried upon Grimes, but the salt water inflamed his
wound and rendered his condition worse. Mrs. Vickers rec-
ommended that a little spirit and water should be used to
wash the cut, and the cask was got out and broached for
that purpose. Tea and damper formed their evening meal;
and by the light of a blazing fire, their condition looked less
desperate. Mrs. Vickers had set the pannikin on a flat stone,
and dispensed the tea with an affectation of dignity which
would have been absurd had it not been heart-rending. She
had smoothed her hair and pinned the white shawl about
her coquettishly; she even ventured to lament to Mr. Frere
that she had not brought more clothes. Sylvia was in high
spirits, and scorned to confess hunger. When the tea had
been drunk, she fetched water from the spring in the ket-
tle, and bathed Bates’s head with it. It was resolved that, on
the morrow, a search should be made for some place from
which to cast the fishing line, and that one of the number
should fish daily.
The condition of the unfortunate Grimes now gave cause
for the greatest uneasiness. From maundering foolishly he
had taken to absolute violence, and had to be watched by
Frere. After much muttering and groaning, the poor fellow
at last dropped off to sleep, and Frere, having assisted Bates
to his sleeping-place in front of the rock, and laid him down

1 For the Term of His Natural Life