第71章

However at last，after many secret Disputes with my self，and after great Perplexities about it，for all these Arguments one Way and another struggl'd in my Head a long Time，the eager prevailing Desire of Deliverance at length master'd all the rest；and I resolv'd，if possible，to get one of those Savages into my Hands，cost what it would. My next Thing then was to contrive how to do it，and this indeed was very difficult to resolve on：But as I could pitch upon no probable Means for it，so I resolv'd to put my self upon the Watch，to see them when they came on Shore，and leave the rest to the Event，taking such Measures as the Opportunity should present，let be what would be.

With these Resolutions in my Thoughts，I set my self upon the Scout，as often as possible，and indeed so often till I was heartily tir'd of it，for it was above a Year and Half that I waited，and for great part of that Time went out to the West End，and to the South West Corner of the Island，almost every Day，to see for Canoes，but none appear'd. This was very discouraging，and began to trouble me much，tho' I cannot say that it did in this Case，as it had done some time before that，（viz.） wear off the Edge of my Desire to the Thing. But the longer it seem'd to be delay'd，the more eager I was for it；in a Word，I was not at first so careful to shun the sight of these Savages，and avoid being seen by them，as I was now eager to be upon them.

Besides，I fancied my self able to manage One，nay，Two or Three Savages，if I had them so as to make them entirely Slaves to me，to do whatever I should direct them，and to prevent their being able at any time to do me any Hurt. It was a great while，that I pleas'd my self with this Affair，but nothing still presented；all my Fancies and Schemes came to nothing，for no Savages came near me for a great while.

About a Year and half after I had entertain'd these Notions，and by long musing，had as it were resolved them all into nothing，for want of an Occasion to put them in Execution，

I was surpriz'd one Morning early，with seeing no less than five Canoes all on Shore together on my side the Island；and the People who belong'd to them all landed，and out of my sight：The Number of them broke all my Measures，for seeing so many，and knowing that they always came four or six，or sometimes more in a Boat，I could not tell what to think of it，Or how to take my Measures，to attack Twenty or Thirty Men single handed；so I lay still in my Castle，perplex'd and discomforted：However I put my self into all the same Postures for an Attack that I had formerly provided，and was just ready for Action，if any Thing had presented；having waited a good while，listening to hear if they made any Noise；at length being very impatient，I set my Guns at the Foot of my Ladder，and clamber'd up to the Top of the Hill，by my two Stages as usual；standing so however that my Head did not appear above the Hill，so that they could not perceive me by any Means；here I observ'd by the help of my Perspective Glass，that they were no less than Thirty in Number，that they had a Fire kindled，that they had had Meat dress'd. How they had cook'd it，that I knew not，or what it was；but they were all Dancing in I know not how many barbarous Gestures and Figures，their own Way，round the Fire. While I was thus looking on them，I perceived by my Perspective，two miserable Wretches dragg'd from the Boats，where it seems they were laid by，and were now brought out for the Slaughter. I perceived one of them immediately fell，being knock'd down，I suppose with a Club or Wooden Sword，for that was their way，and two or three others were at work immediately cutting him open for their Cookery，while the other Victim was left standing by himself，till they should be ready for him. In that very Moment this poor Wretch seeing himself a little at Liberty，Nature inspir'd him with Hopes of Life，and he started away from them，and ran with incredible Swiftness along the Sands directly towards me，I mean towards that part of the Coast，where my Habitation was.

I was dreadfully frighted，（that I must acknowledge） when I perceived him to run my Way；and especially，when as I thought I saw him pursued by the whole Body，and now I expected that part of my Dream was coming to pass，and that he would certainly take shelter in my Grove；but I could not depend by any means upon my Dream for the rest Of it，（viz.） that the other Savages would not pursue him thither，and find him there. However I kept my Station，and my Spirits began to recover，when I found that there was not above three Men that follow'd him，and still more was I encourag'd，when I found that he outstrip'd them exceedingly in running，and gain'd Ground of them，so that if he could but hold it for half an Hour，I saw easily he would fairly get away from them all.

There was between them and my Castle，the Creek which I mention'd often at the first part of my Story，when I landed my Cargoes out of the Ship；and this I saw plainly，he must necessarily swim over，or the poor Wretch would be taken there：But when the Savage escaping came thither，he made nothing of it，tho' the Tide was then up，but plunging in，swam thro' in about Thirty Strokes or thereabouts，landed and ran on with exceeding Strength and Swiftness；when the Three Persons came to the Creek，I found that Two of them could Swim，but the Third cou'd not，and that standing on the other Side，he look'd at the other，but went no further；and soon after went softly back again，which as it happen'd，was very well for him in the main.