mnity of this interview, which was exceedingly
affectionate on both sides. When it was over they all embraced.

Will was delighted to see so many old friends, coming, as he supposed,
to take him away. He was almost naked, his own clothes having been worn
out, so that he had only a skin about his waist. Seeing the vessels, he
had in the morning killed three goats and dressed them with cabbage, to
treat his visitors as soon as they got on shore.

The Spaniards had several times searched for him, but he had always
managed to conceal himself from them. He had been out hunting in the
woods for goats when Captain Watling had embarked his men, and he had
thus been left behind. He had with him his gun and a knife, with a
small horn of powder and a few shot. This ammunition being spent, he
contrived, by notching his knife, to saw the barrel of his gun into
small pieces, with which he made harpoons, lances, hooks, and a long
knife. Having made a fire by means of his gun-flint and a piece of the
barrel of his gun which he had hardened, he heated the pieces, which he
hammered out or bent as he desired with stones, and either sawed them
with his jagged knife or ground them to an edge with persevering labour,
hardening them to a good temper.

This may seem strange, but the Mosquito Indians are especially clever in
manufacturing implements out of the roughest materials. With the
weapons he thus made he was able to kill goats or fish. At first he had
lived upon seals; but, having made some good hooks, he never afterwards
killed any seals, except for the purpose of cutting up their skins to
make lines and thongs. He had erected a hut for himself, half a mile
from the sea, which was lined with goat-skins, his clothes and bedding
being formed of the same material. Seals and sea-lions swarmed round
the coast of this island.

Although Alexander Selkirk, afterwards found by Dampier, was the true
original of Robinson Crusoe, Defoe appears to have taken some of his
descriptions from the adventures of the Mosquito Indian just mentioned.

The hills of Juan Fernandez are partly covered with woods, and partly
open, intersected by fertile valleys, the grass being rich and delicate.
There were no trees fit for masts, but there was much fine timber,
among which was the cabbage-tree. Here Captain Cook was taken seriously
ill, and was evidently in a declining state.

The crews having refreshed themselves during sixteen days, the two sh