OF ROBINSON CRUSOE: 113

 

I was sc astonished with the sight of these things, that I entertained
no notions of any danger to myself from it for a long while; all my
apprehensions were buried in the thoughts of such a pitch of inhuman,
hellish brutality, and the horror of the degeneracy of human nature ;
which, though I had heard of often, yet I never had so near a view of
before: in short, I turned away my face from the horrid spectacle ;
my stomach grew sick, and I was just at the point of fainting, when
nature discharged the disorder from my stomach, and having vomited
with an uncommon violence, I was a little relieved, but could not bear
to stay in the place a moment; so I got me up the hill again with all
the speed I could, and walked on towards my own habitation.

When I came a little out of that part of the island, I stood still
awhile as amazed; and then recovering myself, I looked up with the
utmost affection of my soul, and with a flood of tears in my eyes, gave
God thanks, that had cast my first lot in a part of the world where I
was distinguished from such dreadful creatures as these; and that,
though I had esteemed my present condition very miserable, had yet
given me so many comforts in it, that I had still more to give thanks
for than to complain of; and this above all, that I had, even in this
miserable condition, been comforted with the knowledge of himself,
and the hope of his blessing, which was a felicity more than sufficiently
equivalent to all the misery which I had suffered, or could suffer.

In this frame of thankfulness I went home to my- castle, and began
to be much easier now, as to the safety of my circumstances, than ever
I was before; for I observed, that these wretches never came to this
island in search of what they could get; perhaps not seeking, not
wanting, or not expecting, any thing here, and having often, no doubt,
been up in the covered woody part of it, without finding any thing to
their purpose. I knew I had been here now almost eighteen years,
and never saw the least footsteps of a human creature there before ;
and might be here eighteen more as entirely concealed as I was now,
if I did not discover myself to them, which I had no manner of occa-
sion to do, it being my only business to keep myself entirely concealed
where I was, unless I found a better sort of creatures than cannibals to
make myself known to.

Yet I entertained such an abhorrence of the savage wretches that I
have been speaking of, and of the wretched inhuman custom of their

devouring and eating one another up, that I continued pensive and ©
sad, and kept close within my own circle for almost two years after. _
this: when I say my own circle, I mean by it my three plantations,

  
 

namely, my castle, my country seat, which I called my bower,:aimd my
enclosure in the woods; nor did I look after this for any oth