248 The Fifth Voyage of

 

One day I found in my way several dry calabashes that had
fallen from a tree; I took a large one, and, after cleaning it, pressed
into it some juice of grapes, which abounded in the island. Having
filled the calabash, I set it in a convenient place; and coming hither ©
again some days after, I took up my calabash, and ‘setting it to my
mouth found the wine to be so good that-it presently made me not
only forget my sorrow, but grow vigorous, and so light-hearted that
I began to sing and dance as I walked along. |

The old man, perceiving the effect which this drink had upon me,
and that I carried him with more ease than I did before, made a sign
for me to give him some of it. I gave him the calabash, and the
_ liquor pleasing his palate, he drank it all off He became drunk
immediately, and the fumes getting up into his head he began to sing
after his manner, and to dance upon my shoulders. His jolting
about made him sick, and he loosened. his legs from about me by
degrees ; so finding that he did not press me as before, I threw him
upon the ground, where he lay without motion, and then I took up a
great stone, with which I crushed his head to pieces,

I was extremely rejoiced to be freed thus for ever from this
cursed old fellow, and walked along the shore of the sea, where I met
the crew of a ship that had cast anchor to take in water to refresh
themselves. They were extremely surprised to see me, and to hear
the particulars of my adventures, “You fell,’ said they, ‘into the .
hands of the old man of _the sea, and are the first that has ever
escaped strangling by him. He never left those he had once made.
himself master of till he destroyed them, and he has made this island
famous for the number of men he has slain ; so that the merchants
and mariners who landed upon it dared not, advance into the island
but in numbers together,’ : no

After having informed me of these things they carried me with
them to the ship ;.the captain received me with great satisfaction
when they told him what had befallen me. He put out again to sea,