Surveys His Position

           Iemployedmyselfinplantingmysecondrowsofstakesorpiles,andinthiswicker-workingallthesummerordryseason, whenanotherbusinesstookmeupmoretimethatitcouldbeimaginedIcouldspare. 

           ImentionedbeforethatIhadagreatmindtoseethewholeisland,andthatIhadtravelledupthebrook,andsoontowhereIbuiltmybower,andwhereIhadanopeningquitetothesea,ontheothersideoftheisland. Inowresolvedtotravelquiteacrosstotheseashoreonthatside; sotakingmygun,ahatchet,andmydog,andalargerquantityofpowderandshotthanusual,withtwobiscuit-cakesandagreatbunchofraisinsinmypouchformystore,Ibeganmyjourney. WhenIhadpassedthevalewheremybowerstood,asabove,Icamewithinviewoftheseatothewest; anditbeingaveryclearday,Ifairlydescriedland,whetheranislandoracontinentIcouldnottell; butitlayveryhigh,extendingfromthewesttotheWSW.ataverygreatdistance;bymyguess,itcouldnotbelessthanfifteenortwentyleaguesoff. 

           Icouldnottellwhatpartoftheworldthismightbe,otherwisethanthatIknowitmustbepartofAmerica,and,asIconcluded,byallmyobservations,mustbeneartheSpanishdominions, andperhapswasallinhabitedbysavages,where,ifIshouldhavelanded,IhadbeeninaworseconditionthanIwasnow; andthereforeIacquiescedinthedispositionsofProvidencewhichIbegannowtoownandtobelieveorderedeverythingforthebest. Isay,Iquietedmymindwiththis,andleftafflictingmyselfwithfruitlesswishesofbeingthere. 

           Besides,aftersomepauseuponthisaffair,IconsideredthatifthislandwastheSpanishcoastIshouldcertainly,onetimeorother,seesomevesselpassorrepassonewayorother;