296 a A NEW SUBJECT OF ANXIETY.

must of necessity be drowned or driven south to those other shores
where they were as sure to be devoured as they were to be drowned
if they were cast away. But as to what they would do if they came
safe on shore, he said he knew not; but it was his opinion that they
were so dreadfully frighted with the manner of their being attacked
—the noise and the fire—that he believed they would tell their
people they were all killed by thunder and lightning, not by the
hand of man; and that the two which appeared—namely, Friday
and me—were two heavenly spirits or furies come down to destroy
them, and not men with weapons. This he said he knew, because
he heard them all ery out so in their language to one another; for
it was impossible for them to coneeive that a man could dart fire
and speak thunder, and kill at a distance without lifting up the
hand, as was done now. And this old savage was in the right;
for, as I understood since by other hands, the savages never
attempted to go over to the island afterwards; they were so terrified
with the accounts given by those four men (for it seems they did
escape the sea) that they believed whoever went to that enchanted
island would be destroyed with fire from the gods!

This, however, I knew not, and therefore was under continual
apprehensions. for a good while, and kept always upon my guard,
me and all my army ; for as we were now four of us, T would have
ventured upon a hundred of them fairly in the open field at any time.

In a little time, however, no more canoes appearing, the fear of
their coming wore off, and I began to take my former thoughts of
a voyage to the main into consideration, being likewise assured by
Friday’s father that I might depend upon good usage from their
nation on his account, if I would go.

But my thoughts were a little suspended when I had a serious
discourse with the Spaniard, and when I understood that there
were sixteen more of his countrymen and Portuguese, which is
near that number, who, having been cast away and made their
escape to that side, lived there at peace indeed with the savages,
but were very sore put to it for necessaries, and indeed for life.
J asked him all the particulars of their voyage, and found they
were a Spanish ship bound from the Rio de la Plata to the
Havannah, being directed to leave their loading there, which was