第63章

But this is by the by：While I was cutting down some Wood here，I perceiv'd that behind a very thick Branch of low Brushwood，or Underwood，there was a kind of hollow Place；I was curious to look into it，and getting with Difficulty into the Mouth of it，I found it was pretty large；that is to say，sufficient for me to stand upright in it，and perhaps another with me；but I must confess to you，I made more hast out than I did in，when looking farther into the Place，and which was perfectly dark，I saw two broad shining Eyes of some Creature，whether Devil or Man I knew not，which twinkl'd like two Stars，the dim Light from the Cave's Mouth shining directly in and making the Reflection.

However，after some Pause，I recover'd my self，and began to call my self a thousand Fools，and tell my self，that he that was afraid to see the Devil，was not fit to live twenty Years in an Island all alone；and that I durst to believe there was nothing in this Cave that was more frightful than my self；upon this，plucking up my Courage，I took up a great Firebrand，and in I rush'd again，with the Stick flaming in my Hand；I had not gone three Steps in，but I was almost as much frighted as I was before；for I heard a very loud Sigh，like that of a Man in some Pain，and it was follow'd by a broken Noise，as if of Words half express'd，and then a deep Sigh again：I stepp'd back，and was indeed struck with such a Surprize，that it put me into a cold Sweat；and if I had had a Hat on my Head，I will not answer for it，that my Hair might not have lifted it off. But still plucking up my Spirits as well as I could，and encouraging my self a little with considering that the Power and Presence of God was every where，and was able to protect me；upon this I stepp'd forward again，and by the Light of the Firebrand，holding it up a little over my Head，I saw lying on the Ground a most monstrous frightful old He-goat，just making his Will，as we say，and gasping for Life，and dying indeed of meer old Age.

I stirr'd him a little to see if I could get him out，and he essay'd to get up，but was not able to raise himself；and I thought with my self，he might even lie there；for if he had frighted me so，he would certainly fright any of the Savages，if any of them should be so hardy as to come in there，while he had any Life in him.

I was now recover'd from my Surprize，and began to look round me，when I found the Cave was but very small，that is to say，it might be about twelve Foot over，but in no manner of Shape，either round or square，no Hands having ever been employ'd in making it，but those of meer Nature：I observ'd also，that there was a Place at the farther Side of it，that went in farther，but was so low，that it requir'd me to creep upon my Hands and Knees to go into it，and whither I went I knew not；so having no Candle，I gave it over for some Time；but resolv'd to come again the next Day，provided with Candles，and a Tinder-box，which I had made of the Lock of one of the Muskets，with some wild-fire in the Pan.

Accordingly the next Day，I came provided with six large Candles of my own making；for I made very good Candles now of Goat's Tallow；and going into this low Place，I was oblig'd to creep upon all Fours，as I have said，almost ten Yards；which by the way，I thought was a Venture bold enough，considering that I knew not how far it might go，nor what was beyond it. When I was got through the Strait，I found the Roof rose higher up，I believe near twenty Foot；but never was such a glorious Sight seen in the Island，I dare say，as it was，to look round the Sides and Roof of this Vault，or Cave；the Walls reflected 100 thousand Lights to me from my two Candles；what it was in Rock，whether Diamonds，or any other precious Stones，or Gold，which I rather suppos'd it to be，I knew not.

The Place I was in，was a most delightful Cavity，or Grotto，of its kind，as could be expected，though perfectly dark；the Floor was dry and level，and had a sort of small lose Gravel upon it，so that there was no nauseous or venemous Creature to be seen，neither was there any damp，or wet，on the Sides or Roof：The only Difficulty in it was the Entrance，which however as it was a Place of Security，and such a Retreat as I wanted，I thought that was a Convenience；so that I was really rejoyc'd at the Discovery，and resolv'd without any Delay，to bring some of those Things which I was most anxious about，to this Place；particularly，I resolv'd to bring hither my Magazine of Powder，and all my spare Arms，viz. Two Fowling-Pieces，for I had three in all；and three Muskets，for of them I had eight in all；so I kept at my Castle only five，which stood ready mounted like Pieces of Cannon，on my out-most Fence；and were ready also to take out upon any Expedition.

Upon this Occasion of removing my Ammunition，I took occasion to open the Barrel of Powder which I took up out of the Sea，and which had been wet；and I found that the Water had penetrated about three or four Inches into the Powder，on every Side，which caking and growing hard，had preserv'd the inside like a Kernel in a Shell；so that I had near sixty Pound of very good Powder in the Center of the Cask，and this was an agreeable Discovery to me at that Time；so I carry'd all away thither，never keeping above two or three Pound of Powder with me in my Castle，for fear of a Surprize of any kind：I also carry'd thither all the Lead I had Belt for Bullets.

I fancy'd my self now like one of the ancient Giants，which are said to live in Caves，and Holes，in the Rocks，where none could come at them；for I perswaded my self while I was here，if five hundred Savages were to hunt me，they could never find me out；or if they did，they would not venture to attack me here.

The old Goat who I found expiring，dy'd in the Mouth of the Cave，the next Day after I made this Discovery；and I found it much easier to dig a great Hole there，and throw him in，and cover him with Earth，than to drag him out；so I interr'd him there，to prevent the Offence to my Nose.