ll into nothing, for want of an
occasion to put them into execution), I was surprised one morning by
seeing no less than five canoes all on shore together on my side the
island, and the people who belonged 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 lay still in my castle, perplexed
and discomforted. However, I put myself into the same position for an
attack that I had formerly provided, and was just ready for action, if
anything 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 clambered 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
observed, by the help of my perspective glass, that they were no less
than thirty in number; that they had a fire kindled, and that they had
meat dressed. How they had cooked it 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 dragged from the boats, where, it seems, they were
laid by, and were now brought out for the slaughter. I perceived one of
them immediately fall; being knocked 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
and unbound, Nature inspired 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 frightened, I must acknowledge, when I perceived
him 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,