What a mess we were in, everything completely soaked or ruined, our clothing, bedding, and extra change of clothing which we carried were dripping. What a sorry looking bunch of night hawks. Our shoes were all lost, but one pair which was saved by the peculiar freak of human nature which overtakes most people when suddently [suddenly] surprised by a catastrophe, when or how, they did certain unnatural stunts they are unable to account for. But we were unanimous on one point, that was a fire, for we were now chilled to the bone and our teeth chattering so it was almost impossible to get the run of what was really said or proposed.
Before a start was made toward a fire we perceived a number of articles belonging to our outfit washing backward and forward by the tide.
All hands at once turned to and before an outward current could carry them beyond our reach, had saved most of our belongings. Our shoes we gladly put on without socks wet as they were, our feet had suffered cruely during the short time we had been running without them.
There was now no danger from another flood, if we could get our boats righted and blocked up again, so while five of the boys stayed to arrange the boats, two left us to start a fire on the beach beyond the cove. Our supply of matches were intact as they had been packed in a water-tight can and were found still in the boat, but our pitch-wood which we had left near our fire the evening before was gone. After getting our boats secured once more we discovered in the medium sized one – our sail and tent almost wholly untouched by water-this was possible as they had been rolled very closely and tight in order that they would take up as little room as possible in the boats. This find was a luxury as we could use it for bedding until we were able to dry our other clothing.
When we reached the fire which the boys had with much difficulty had made, we had with us the dry tent and sails and as much wet bed clothing as we could carry. It was new near three o’clock in the morning and standing around that most cheerful fire we talked, discussed and told over and over again each individual thought and action that befell us this night, until with the excitement waning, we though of retiring for what few hours that was left of the night. Some wanted to make down our canvass [canvas] bed on the beach near the fire, but the majority favored the plateau above saying that they knew of a hayfield near and of an old stack of stock hay which had been stacked the year before and that it would be an excellent bed if we found the trail leading up the bank, so we started for our much needed haystack with the thought of a good long sleep in the morning with mountains of hay under us. But on reaching the upland no stack was in sight and look as we would, none was found.
It proved later to be at least one mile south of us and across a deep ravine, but we did find where we had finally found a suitable place to spread our canvas and began to roll in, that we had made our bed on, what is known as a beach sticker patch. This sticker is as near as I remember, resembled a small holly leaf, a sort of a five pointed leaf which is only an inch or so high and grows so flat to the ground that it is not visible as the grass is much higher, but nevertheless it is there with stickers long and hard and sharp as neddles.
The first man to lay down arose again with much haste, but before he had time to explain his actions another turned in and he immediately rose; but this time the cause was known, these neddles had penetrated through the two layers of stout canvas and into the bodies, causing a firey sting which continues to burn and smart for hours.
By tramping and sliding our feet over the entire area of our bed, we were able to lie down all in one nest. Just as it was breaking day we fell asleep completely worn out.