第39章

I could not tell what Part of the World this might be，otherwise than that I know it must be Part of America，and as I concluded by all my Observations，must be near the Spanish Dominions，and perhaps was all Inhabited by Savages，where if I should have landed，I had been in a worse Condition than I was now；and therefore I acquiesced in the Dispositions of Providence，which I began now to own，and to believe，order'd every Thing for the best；I say，I quieted my Mind with this，and left afflicting my self with Fruitless Wishes of being there.

Besides，after some Pause upon this Affair，I consider'd，that if this Land was the Spanish Coast，I should certainly，one Time or other，see some Vessel pass or re-pass one Way or other；but if not，then it was the Savage Coast between the Spanish Country and Brasils，which are indeed the worst of Savages；for they are Cannibals，or Men-eaters，and fail not to murther and devour all the humane Bodies that fall into their Hands.

With these Considerations I walk'd very leisurely forward，I found that Side of the Island where I now was，much pleasanter than mine，the open or Savanna Fields sweet，adorn'd with Flowers and Grass，and full of very fine Woods. I saw Abundance of Parrots，and fain I would have caught one，if possible to have kept it to be tame，and taught it to speak to me. I did，after some Pains taking，catch a young Parrot，for I knock'd it down with a Stick，and having' recover'd it，I brought it home；but it was some Years before I could make him speak：However，at last I taught him to call me by my Name very familiarly：But the Accident that follow'd，tho' it be a Trifle，will be very diverting in its Place.

I was exceedingly diverted with this Journey：I found in the low Grounds Hares，as I thought them to be，and Foxes，but they differ'd greatly from all the other Kinds I had met with；nor could I satisfy my self to eat them，tho' I kill'd several：But I had no Need to be ventrous；for I had no Want of Food，and of that which was very good too；especially these three Sorts，viz.Goats，Pidgeons，and Turtle or Tortoise；which，added to my Grapes，Leaden-hall Market could not have furnish'd a Table better than I，in Proportion to the Company；and tho' my Cafe was deplorable enough，yet I had great Cause for Thankfulness，that I was not driven to any Extremities for Food；but rather Plenty，even to Dainties.

I never travell'd in this Journey above two Miles outright in a Day，or thereabouts；but I took so many Turns and Returns，to see what Discoveries I could make，that I came weary enough to the Place where I resolv'd to sit down for all Night；and then I either repos'd my self in a Tree，or surrounded my self with a Row of Stakes set upright in the Ground，either from one Tree to another，or so as no wild Creature could come at me，without Waking me.

As soon as I came to the Sea Shore，I was surpriz'd to see that I had taken up my Lot on the worst Side of the Island；for here indeed the Shore was cover'd with innumerable Turtles，whereas on the other Side I had found but three in a Year and half. Here was also an infinite Number of Fowls，of many Kinds，some which I had seen，and some which I had not seen of before，and many of them very good Meat；but such as I knew not the Names of，except those call'd Penguins.

I could have shot as many as I pleas'd，but was very sparing of my Powder and Shot；and therefore had more Mind to kill a she Goat，if I could，which I could better feed on；and though there were many Goats here more than on my Side the Island，yet it was with much more Difficulty that I could come near them，the Country being flat and even，and they saw me much sooner than when I was on the Hill.

I confess this Side of the Country was much pleasanter than mine，but yet I had not the least Inclination to remove；for as I was fix'd in my Habitation，it became natural to me，and I seem'd all the while I was here，to be as it were upon a Journey，and from Home：However，I travell'd along the Shore of the Sea，towards the East，I suppose about twelve Miles；and the setting up a great Pole upon the Shore for a Mark，I concluded I would go Home again；and that the next Journey I took should be on the other Side of the Island，East from my Dwelling，and so round till I came to my Post again：Of which in its Place.

I took another Way to come back than that I went，thinking I could easily keep all the Island so much in my View，that I could not miss finding my first Dwelling by viewing the Country；but I found my self mistaken；for being come about two or three Miles，I found my self descended into a very large Valley；but so surrounded with Hills，and those Hills cover'd with Wood，that I could not see which was my Way by any Direction but that of the Sun，nor even then，unless I knew very well the Position of the Sun at that Time of the Day.

It happen'd to my farther Misfortune，That the Weather prov'd hazey for three or four Days，while was in this Valley；and not being able to see the Sun，I wander'd about very uncomfortably，and at last was oblig'd to find out the Sea Side，look for my Post，and come back the same Way I went；and then by easy Journies I turn'd Homeward，the Weather being exceeding hot，and my Gun，Ammunition，Hatchet，and other Things very heavy.

In this Journey my Dog surpriz'd a young Kid，and seiz'd upon it，and I running in to take hold of it，caught it，and sav'd it alive from the Dog：I had a great Mind to bring it Home if I could；for I had often been musing，Whether it might not be possible to get a Kid or two，and so raise a Breed of tame Goats，which might supply me when my Powder and Shot should be all spent.

I made a Collar to this little Creature，and with a String which I made of some Rope-Yarn，which I always carry'd about me，I led him along，tho' with some Difficulty，till I came to my Bower，and there I enclos'd him，and left him；for I was very impatient to be at Home，from whence I had been absent above a Month.