h rice-straw, and over that a
large leaf of a tree, that his house was as dry as if it had been tiled
or slated. The outer circuit was covered as a lean-to, quite round this
inner appartment, laying long rafters from the thirty-two angles to the
top posts of the inner house, about twenty-feet distant, so that there
was a space like a wall between the outer and inner wall, near twenty
feet in breadth. The inner place he partitioned off with the same
wicker-work, dividing it into six neat apartments every one of which had
a door, first into the entry of the main tent, and another into the
space and walk that was round it, not only convenient for retreat, but
for family necessaries. Within the door of the outer circle, there was
a passage directly to the door of the inner house; on either side was a
wicker partition, and a door, by which you go into a room twenty-two
feet wide, and about thirty long, and through that into another of a
smaller length; so that in the outer circle were ten handsome rooms, six
of which were only to be come at through the apartments of the inner
tent, serving as retiring rooms to the respective chambers of the inner
circle, and four large warehouses, which went in through one another,
two on either hand of the passage that led through the outer door to the
inner tent. In short, nothing could be built more ingeniously, kept more
neat, or have better conveniences; and here lived the three families,
Will Atkins, his companion, their wives and children, and the widow of
the deceased. As to religion, the men seldom taught their wives the
knowledge of God, any more than the sailors' custom of swearing by his
name. The greatest improvement their wives had, was, they taught them to
speak English, so as to be understood.

None of their children were then above six years old; they were all
fruitful enough; and I think the cook's mate's wife was big of her
sixth child.

When I inquired of the Spaniards about their circumstances while among
the savages, they told me, _that they abandoned themselves to despair,
reckoning themselves a poor and miserable people, that had no means put
into their hands, and consequently must soon be starved to death._ They
owned, however, that they were in the wrong to think so, and for
refusing the assistance that reason offered for their support, as well
as future deliverance, confessing that grief was a most insignificant
passion, as it looked upon things as without remedy,