thighs, and a pair of open-kneed breeches of the same, completing my
outfit. I had a broad belt of goat's skin, and in this I hung, on one
side, a saw, on the other, a hatchet. Under my arm hung two pouches for
shot and powder; at my back I carried my basket, on my shoulder my gun,
and over my head a great clumsy goat's skin umbrella.

A stoic would have smiled to have seen me at dinner. There was my
majesty, prince and lord of the whole island. How like a king I dined,
too, all alone, attended by my servants! Poll, my parrot, as if he had
been my favourite, was the only person permitted to talk to me. My old
dog sat at my right hand, and two cats on each side of the table,
expecting a bit from my hand as a mark of special favour.


_III.--The Footprint_


It was my custom to make daily excursions to some part of the island.
One day, walking along the beach, I was exceedingly surprised with the
print of a man's naked foot plainly impressed on the sand. I stood like
one thunderstruck. I listened, I looked around, but I could hear nothing
nor see anything. I went up to a rising ground to look further; I walked
backwards and forwards on the shore, but I could see only that one
impression.

I went to it again. There was exactly a foot--toes, heel, and every part
of a foot. How it came thither I knew not; but I hurried home, looking
behind me at every two or three steps, and mistaking every bush and
tree, fancying every stump to be a man. I had no sleep that night; but
my terror gradually wore off, and after some days I ventured down to the