little wind there was blew towards the land. After I had sailed about a
mile, I found the raft to drive a little distance from the place where I
first landed; and then I perceived a little opening of the land, with a
strong current of the tide running into it: upon which I kept the middle
of the stream. But great was my concern, when on a sudden the fore part
of my raft ran a ground, so that had I not, with great difficulty, for
near half an hour, kept my back straining against the chests to keep my
effects in their places, all I had would have gone into the sea. But
after some time, the rising of the water caused the raft to float again,
and coming up a little river with land on both sides, I landed in a
little cove, as near the mouth as possible, the better to discover a
sail, if any such providentially passed that way.

Not far off, I espied a hill of stupendous height, surounded with lesser
hills about it, and thither I was resolved to go and view the country
that I might see what part was best, to fix my habitation. Accordingly,
arming myself with a pistol a fowling piece, powder and ball, I ascended
the mountain. There I perceived I was in an island, encompassed by the
sea; no distant lands to be seen but scattering rocks that lay to the
west: that it seemed to be a barren place, and, as I thought, inhabited
only by wild beasts. I perceived abundance of fowls, but ignorant of
what kind, or whether good for nourishment; I shot one of them at my
return, which occasioned a confused screaming among the other birds, and
I found it, by its colours and beak, to be a kind of a hawk, but its
flesh was perfect carrion.

When I came to my raft, I brought my effects on shore, which work spent
that day entirely; and fearing that some cruel beasts might devour me in
the night time while I slept, I made a kind of hut or barricade with the
chests and boards I had brought onshore. That night I slept very