OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 18%

God to deliver me aut of the hands of the barbarians; and in this
posture I continued about two hours, but began to be mighty impatient
for intelligence abroad, for I had no spies to send out.

After sitting a while longer, and musing what I should do in this
case, I was not able to bear sitting in ignorance longer ; so setting up
my ladder to the side of the hill, where there was a flat place, as I
sbserved before, and then pulling the ladder up after me, I set it up
again, and mounted to the top of the hill; and pulling out my perspec-
tive glass, which I had taken on purpose, I laid me down flat on my
belly on the ground, and began to look for the place. I presently
found there were no less than nine naked savages sitting round a small
fire they had made; not to warm them—for they had no need of that
—the weather being extreme hot; but, as I supposed, to dress some
of their barbarous diet of human flesh which they had brought with
them, whether alive or dead I could not know.

They had two canoes with them, which they had hauled up upon
the shore: and as it was then tide of ebb, they seemed to me to wait
the return of the flood to go away again. It is not easy to imagine
what confusion this sight put me into, especially seeing them come on
my side the island, and so near me too; but when I observed their .
coming must be always with the current of the ebb, I began after-
wards to be more sedate in my mind, being satisfied that I might go
abroad with safety all the time of tide of flood, if they were not on
shore before; and having made.this observation, I went abroad about
my harvest work with the more composure.

As I expected, so it proved; for as soon as the tide made to the
westward, I saw them all take boat, and row (or paddle, as we call it)
all away: I should have observed, that for an hour and more before they -
went off, they went to dancing, and I could easily discern their postures
and gestures by my glasses: I could only perceive, by my nicest ob-
servation, that they were stark naked, and had not the least covering
upon them; but whether they were men or women, that I could not
distinguish.

As soon as I saw them shipped and gone, I took two guns upon my.
shoulders, and two pistols at my girdle, and my great sword by my
side, without a scabbard; and with all the speed I was able to make,
I went away to the hill, where I had discovered the first appearance of
all. As soon asI got thither, which was not less than two hours (for
I could not go apace, being so loaded with arms as I was), I perceived
there had been three canoes more of savages on that place; and looks
ing out farther, I saw they were all at sea together, making over for
the main.

- saan.