ROBINSON CRUSOE. 31

follow us far.” I had no sooner said so, but I perceived the
creature (whatever it was) within two oars’ length, which some-
thing surprised me; however, I immediately stepped to the
cabin-door, and taking up my gun, fired at him ; upon which he
immediately turned about, and swam towards the shore again.

But it is impossible to describe the horrid noises, and hid-
eous cries and howlings, that were raised, as well upon the edge
of the shore as higher within the country, upon the noise or
report of the gun—a thing I have some reason to believe those
creatures had never heard before:—this convinced me that
there was no going on shore for us in the night on that coast,
and how to venture on shore in the day was another question
too ; for to have fallen into the hands of any of the savages
had been as bad as to have fallen into the hands of the lions
and tigers ; at least we were equally apprehensive of the dan-
ger of it.

Be that as it would, we were obliged to go on shore some-
where or other for water, for we had nota 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 it there
was any water, and bring some to me. 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, as made me love him
ever after. Says he, “ if wild mans come, they eat me, you go
wey.” ‘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 the boat in as near the shore as we thought was proper,
and so waded on shore, carrying 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 frighted with some
wild beast, and I ran towards him to help him; but when I
came nearer to him, I saw something hanging over his shoul-
ders, which was a creature that he had shot, like a hare, but
different in color, and longer legs: however, we were very glad
of it, and it was very good meat; but the great joy that poor
Xury came with, was to tell me he had found good water, and
seen no wild mans. :

But we found afterwards that we need not take such pains