210 A MIND ILL AT EASE,

see it; this was an amusement the other way. I considered that
the devil might have found out abundance of other ways to have
terrified me than this of the single print of a foot ;—that, as I lived
quite on the other side of the island, he would never have been so
simple to leave a mark in a place where it was ten thousand to
one whether I should ever see it or not; and in the sand, too,
which the first surge of the sea upon a high wind would have
defaced entirely. All this seemed inconsistent with the thing
itself, and with all the notions we usually entertain of the subtilty
of the devil.

Abundance of such things as these assisted to argue me out of
all apprehensions of its being the devil. And I presently con-
cluded, then, that it must be some more dangerous creature—
namely, that it must be some of the savages of the mainland
over against me, who had wandered out to sea in their canoes,
and either driven by the currents, or by contrary winds, had made
the island; and had been on shore, but were gone away to sea,
being as loath, perhaps, to have stayed in this desolate island as I
would have been to have had them.

While these reflections were rolling upon my mind, I was very
thankful in my thoughts that I was so happy as not to be there-
abouts at that time, or that they did not see my boat, by which
they would have concluded that some inhabitants had been in the
place, and perhaps have searched further for me. Then terrible
thoughts racked my imagination about their having found my boat,
and that there were people here; and that if so, I should certainly
have them come again in greater numbers and devour me; that if
it should happen so that they should not find me, yet they would
find my enclosure, destroy ail my corn, carry away all my flock of
tame goats, and [ should perish at last for mere want.

Thus my fear banished all my religious hope; all that former
confidence in God, which was founded upon such wonderful ex-
perience as I had had of his goodness, now vanished, as if he
that had fed me by miracle hitherto could not preserve by his
power the provision which he had made for me by his goodness.
I reproached myself with my easiness, that would not sow any
more corn one year than would just serve me till the next season,