If anyone has had their curiosity piqued by the Essex reference one of the better books on the subject is:

http://www.amazon.com/Heart-Sea-Tragedy-...m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

Worth the $13, I bought mine when it was closer to $24, many libraries have it as loaner for free.

One interesting aspect is that misconceptions about island tribes, and fear of cannibalism, played a big part in making their situation much worse. Which supported my idea that a lot of survival is mental, you are controlled by your fears and assumptions, and knowledge base.