The place was a most delightful cavity or grotto of its kind, as could be expected, tho’ perfectly dark. The floor was dry and level and had a sort of a small loose gravel upon it, so there was no nauseous or venomous creature to be seen, neither was there any damp or wet on the sides or roof. The only difficulty in it was the entrance. However, as it was a place of security, and such a retreat as I wanted, I thought that was a convenience. I was rejoiced at the discovery and resolv’d, without any delay, to bring some of those things which I was most anxious about to this place. Particularly, I resolv’d to bring hither my magazine of powder and all my spare arms. I kept at my castle only seven, which stood ready-mounted, like pieces of cannon, on my outmost fence, and were ready also to take out upon any expedition. I carried all away thither, never keeping above two or three pounds of powder with me in my castle, for fear of a surprise of any kind. I also carried thither all the lead I had left for bullets.
I fancy'd myself now like one of the ancient giants which were said to live in caves in the rocks where none could come at them. For I persuaded myself, while I was here, if five hundred savages were to hunt me, they could never find me out. If they did, they would not venture to attack me here.
The beast and I were now in the twenty-second year of our residence in this island and were so naturalized to the place, and the manner of living, that could I have but enjoyed the certainty no savages would come to the place to disturb me, we could have been content to have capitulated for spending the rest of our time there. Even to the last moment, till I had laid me down and died.
But it was otherwise directed. It may not be amiss for all people who shall meet with my story to make this just observation from it, viz. how frequently in the course of our lives the evil which in itself we seek most to shun, and which is the most dreadful to us, is oftentimes the very means or door of our deliverance, by which alone we can be raised again from the affliction we are fallen into. I could give many examples of this in the course of my unaccountable life. But in nothing was it more remarkable than in the circumstances of my last years of solitary residence in this island.
It was now the month of December, as I said above, in my twenty-second year. This, being the southern solstice (for winter I cannot call it), was the particular time of my harvest and required my being pretty much abroad in the fields. When going out pretty early in the morning, even before it was thorough daylight, I was surprised with seeing a light of some fire upon the shore, at a distance from me of about two miles, towards the end of the island where I had observ’d some savages had been, as before. And not on the other side, but, to my great affliction, it was on my side of the island.
I was indeed terribly surprised at the sight, and stopped short within my grove, not daring to go out, lest I might be surprised. Yet I had no more peace within from the apprehensions I had that if these savages, in rambling over the island, should find my corn standing or cut, or any of my works and improvements, they would conclude there were people in the place and would then never give over till they had found me out. In this extremity, I went back to my castle, pulled up the ladder after me, and made all things without look as wild and natural as I could.
Then I prepared myself within, putting myself in a posture of defence. I loaded all my cannon, as I called them, that is to say, my muskets, which were mounted upon my new fortification, and all my pistols, and resolv’d to defend myself to the last gasp. I continued in this posture about two hours, and began to be mighty impatient for intelligence abroad, for I had no spies to send out.
After sitting awhile longer and musing what I should do in this, I was not able to bear sitting in ignorance any longer. Setting up my ladder to the side of the hill where there was a flat place, and then pulling the ladder up after me, I set it up again and mounted to the top of the hill. Pulling out my perspective-glass, which I had taken on purpose, I laid me down flat on my belly on the ground and began to look for the place.
I found there were no less than nine naked savages, with dark eyes and skin the color of wetted clay, sitting round a small fire they had made. Not to warm them, for they had no need of that, the weather being extremely hot, but, as I supposed, to dress some of their barbarous diet of human flesh, which they had brought with them. Whether alive or dead, I could not tell.
They had two canoes with them, which they had haul’d up upon the shore, and as it was then tyde of ebb, they seemed to me to wait for the return of the flood to go away again. It is not easy to imagine what confusion this sight put me into, especially seeing them come on my side of the island, and so near me too. But when I considered their coming must be always with the current of the ebb, I began, afterwards, to be more sedate in my mind, being satisfied I might go abroad with safety all the time of the tyde of flood, if they were not on shore before. Having made this observation, I went abroad about my harvest-work with the more composure.