224 ON THE WATCH DAILY.

that it would be next to impossible that I should miss my shot, or
that I could fail wounding three or four of them at the first shot.

In this place, then, I resolved to fix my design, and accordingly
I prepared two muskets and my ordinary fowling-piece. The two
muskets I loaded with a brace of slugs each, and four or five
smaller bullets, about the size of pistol bullets; and the fowling-
piece I loaded with near a handful of swan-shot, of the largest size;
T also loaded my pistols with about four bullets each, and in this
posture, well provided with ammunition for a second and third
charge, I prepared myself for my expedition.

After I had thus laid the scheme of my design, and in my
imagination put it in practice, I continually made my tour every
morning up to the top of the hill, which was from my castle, as I
called it, about three miles, or more, to see if I ‘could observe any

 

“PO SEE IF I COULD OBSERVE ANY BOATS UPON THE SEA.”

boats upon the sea, coming near the island, or standing over
towards it. But I began to tire of this hard duty, after I had for
two or three months constantly kept my watch, but come always
back without any discovery, there having not in all that time been
the least appearance, not only on or near the shore, but not on the
whole ocean, so far as my eyes or glasses could reach every way.
As long as I kept up my daily tour to the hill to look out, so
long also I kept up the vigour of my design, and my spirits seemed