76 CRUSOE AND XURY ASHORE.

fallen into the hands of any of the savages had been as bad as ta
have fallen into the hands of lions and tigers; at least we were
equally apprehensive of the danger of it.

 

 

“TAKING UP MY GUN, I FIRED AT HIM.”

Be that as it would, we were obliged to go on shore somewhere
or other for water, for we had not a pint left in the boat. When
or where to get it was the point. Xury said, if I would let him
go on shore with one of the jars, he would find if there was any
water, and bring some tome. I asked him why he would go—
why I should not go and he stay in the boat? The boy answered
with so much affection that made me love him ever after. Says
ne, “If wild mans come, they eat me; you go way.” “ Well,
Xury,” said I, ‘ we will both go; and if the wild mans come, we
will kill them. They shall eat neither of us.” So I gave Xury
a piece of rusk-bread to eat, and a dram out of our patron’s case
of bottles which I mentioned before; and we hauled in the boat
as near the shore as we thought was proper, and so waded on shore,
earrying nothing but our arms and two jars for water.

I did not care to go out of sight of the boat, fearing the coming
of canoes with savages down the river; but the boy seeing a low
place about a mile up the country, rambled to it; and by-and-by I
saw him come running towards me. I thought he was pursued by
some savage, or frightened with some wild beast, and I ran forward
towards him to help him; but when I came nearer to him, I saw
something hanging over his shoulders—which was a creature that