scover any sign of houses or inhabitants; at least I was in so weak a
condition, that I did not observe them. I was extremely tired, and with
that, and the heat of the weather, and about half a pint of brandy that I
drank as I left the ship, I found myself much inclined to sleep. I lay
down on the grass, which was very short and soft, where I slept sounder
than ever I remembered to have done in my life, and, as I reckoned, about
nine hours; for when I awaked, it was just day-light. I attempted to
rise, but was not able to stir: for, as I happened to lie on my back, I
found my arms and legs were strongly fastened on each side to the ground;
and my hair, which was long and thick, tied down in the same manner. I
likewise felt several slender ligatures across my body, from my arm-pits
to my thighs. I could only look upwards; the sun began to grow hot, and
the light offended my eyes. I heard a confused noise about me; but in
the posture I lay, could see nothing except the sky. In a little time I
felt something alive moving on my left leg, which advancing gently
forward over my breast, came almost up to my chin; when, bending my eyes
downwards as much as I could, I perceived it to be a human creature not
six inches high, with a bow and arrow in his hands, and a quiver at his
back. In the mean time, I felt at least forty more of the same kind (as
I conjectured) following the first. I was in the utmost astonishment,
and roared so loud, that they all ran back in a fright; and some of them,
as I was afterwards told, were hurt with the falls they got by leaping
from my sides upon the ground. However, they soon returned, and one of
them, who ventured so far as to get a full sight of my face, lifting up
his hands and eyes by way of admiration, cried out in a shrill but
distinct voice, _Hekinah degul_: the others repeated the same words
several times, but then I knew not what they meant. I lay all this
while, as the reader may believe, in great uneasiness. At length,
struggling to get loose, I had the fortune to break the strings, and
wrench out the pegs that fastened my left arm to the ground; for, by
lifting it up to my face, I discovered the methods they had taken to bind
me, and at the same time with a violent pull, which gave me excessive
pain, I a little loosened the strings that tied down my hair on the left
side, so that I was just able to turn my head about two inches. But the
creatures ran off a second time, befor