myself with food,
and in this enforced occupation I obtained some relief from the
dejection which had formerly obsessed me. I found no difficulty in
procuring fish, and I quickly became expert with Moira's bow and
arrows. Salt, also, I gathered from the rocks, and some roots which
Moira had shown me served as vegetables. Of water I had an abundance
from a fresh-water lagoon near by. So that I lacked nothing for my
support. But although my body was nourished, my mind became so
oppressed by solitude that, at times, I even thought of returning to
the blacks and conforming to their ways, and had it not been that I
knew them to be cannibals I might have spent the remainder of my life
among them, so intense had become my longing to meet with others of my
kind.

Another cause for anxiety now made me consider whether I had not better
move my habitation to some cave along the coast. Within a week from the
carrying off of Moira by the sea-spider, I began to miss supplies of
fish and flesh which I kept in the storehouse cave. Strange sounds,
also, as of some heavy body dragging itself over the rocks kept me
awake at night, and filled me with alarm. Could it be that the monster
was once more paying its visits to the cave? The sounds continued
during the night, but with the break of dawn they ceased.

One morning, however, when I had resolved upon moving my camp, on
mounting the cliff I sighted a vessel which I recognized as the
"Endraght", coming up the coast from the south. In a frenzy of
excitement I lighted the beacon and taking a silk handkerchief from my
neck I waved it to attract attention. A dread overpowered me that my
signals might not be observed, and had the ship passed without seeing
me I verily believe I would have cast myself from the cliff on which I
stood to certain death upon the rocks below. But now I saw that the
vessel was heading for the shore, and presently a boat put off for the
beach. Carried away by the thought of my salvation, I waded knee deep
to meet my comrades, and climbing into the boat I soon found myself on
board the "Endraght".

So wild-looking and unkempt had I become that at first my shipmates did
not know me, but when they recognized me I was given a hearty welcome.

"Of a truth, Peter," said Hartog, smiling at my sorry appearance, "I
have small wonder the cannibals did not make a meal off one so skinny."
And, indeed, the hard life I had led on the island had reduced me to a
bag of bones.