
again; but to this Captain Stradling would not consent, and the _Cinque
Ports_ sailing away, he was left to his fate.

No sooner did he come up the side than he was recognised by Captain
Dampier, who was heartily glad to see him, and strongly recommended him
to Captain Rogers, who at once gave him the rank of mate on board.  He
it was who had made the fire on shore the previous night on seeing the
approach of the ships which he guessed were English.

During the four years he had been on the island he had not conversed
with a single human being.  On his first coming on board the _Duke_, he
had so greatly forgotten his language that it was difficult to
understand him, for he seemed to speak his words by halves.  He was
offered a dram, but would not touch it, having drunk nothing but water
since his being left there.  It was some time, indeed, before he could
even relish the ship's provisions.

He had, during his stay, seen several vessels pass by, but only two came
to an anchor.  As he cautiously approached to discover their
nationality, he found them to be Spaniards, and immediately retired; but
having been seen, he was pursued, and had great difficulty in escaping
from them.  They followed him into the woods, where he climbed to the
top of a tree close to the foot of which they passed in chase of some
goats, which they shot, but failed to discover him.

When landed, he had with him his clothes and bedding, with a gun, some
powder, bullets, and a hatchet, a knife, a kettle, and his Bible,
besides some mathematical instruments and books.  For the first eight
months he had great difficulty in bearing up against the melancholy
feelings which oppressed him at being left alone in so desert a place.
He occupied himself, however, in building two huts with pimento-trees,
which he covered with long grass, and lined with the skins of goats he
had killed with his gun.  He had, however, but a pound of powder, and
when that was nearly expended he produced fire by rubbing two sticks of
pimento-tree on his knee.  The lesser hut