Abundance of such things as these assisted to argue me out of all apprehensions of its being the Devil.
I presently concluded it must be some of the dangerous savages of the main land who had wandered out to sea in their canoes and, either driven by the currents or by contrary winds, had made the island. They had been on shore but were gone away again to sea, being as loth, perhaps, to have stayed on my desolate island as I would have been to have had them.
Thus my fear banished all former confidence in God. I reproached myself with my laziness, that would not sow any more corn one year than would just serve me till the next season, as if no accident would intervene to prevent my enjoying the crop that was upon the ground. This I thought so just a reproof, I resolv’d for the future to have two or three years' corn beforehand, so whatever might come, I might not perish for want of bread.
How strange a chequer-work of providence is the life of man! That I should now tremble at the very apprehensions of seeing a man, and was ready to sink into the ground at but the shadow or silent appearance of a man's having set his foot in the island.
One morning, lying in my bed and fill’d with thoughts about my danger from the appearances of savages, I found it discomposed me very much. Upon which these words of the Scripture came into my thoughts, Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
Upon this, rising out of my bed, my heart was not only comforted but I was guided and encouraged to pray. When I had done praying, I took up my Bible, and, opening it to read, the first words presented to me were, Wait on the Lord, and be of good cheer, and he shall strengthen thy heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. It is impossible to express the comfort this gave me. In answer, I thankfully laid down the book and was no more sad, at least on that occasion.
In the middle of these cogitations, apprehensions, and reflections, it came into my thoughts all this might be a mere chimera of my own. This might be the print of my own foot, or e'en that of the beast, since distorted by the tydes. This cheered me up a little too, and I began to persuade myself it was all a delusion, that it was nothing else but my own foot.
Now I began to take courage and to peep abroad again, for I had not stirred out of my castle for three days and nights, so I began to starve for provisions. I had little or nothing within doors but some barley-cakes and water. I knew my goats wanted to be milked too, which was my evening diversion, and the poor creatures were in great pain and inconvenience for want of it. Indeed, it almost spoiled some of them and dried up their milk.
As I went down thus two or three days, and having seen nothing, I began to be a little bolder and to think there was nothing in it but my own imagination. But I could not persuade myself fully of this till I should go down to the shore again and see this print of a foot and measure it by my own and see if there was any similitude or fitness. The wind had dull'd it somewhat, but still it was there in the damp sand.
First, it appeared to me I could not possibly be on shore any where thereabouts. Secondly, when I came to measure the mark with my own foot, I found my foot not so large and not as broad by a great deal. Also, there were peculiarities of the mark, such as the small holes by each toe, as those left by the beast's claws, tho' this was most assuredly not a track of the beast. There also was an oddness I could not put a name to, as if the foot print-maker had worn fine stockings stretched between each splayed toe.
All these things fill’d my head with new imaginations and gave me the vapours again to the highest degree, so I shook with cold like one in an ague. I went home again fill’d with the belief some man or men had been on shore there, or the island was inhabited and I might be surprised before I was aware. What course to take for my security I knew not.
O what ridiculous resolutions men take when possessed with fear! It deprives them of the use of those means which reason offers for their relief. The first thing I proposed to myself was to throw down my enclosures and turn all my tame cattle wild into the woods, lest the enemy should find them and then frequent the island in prospect of the same or the like booty. Then to the simple thing of digging up my two corn fields lest they should find such a grain there and still be prompted to frequent the island. Then to demolish my bower and tent, that they might not see any vestiges of habitation and be prompted to look farther, in order to find out the persons inhabiting.