appeared impracticable: so I resolved to go as before, when the tide was
down; and I did so, only that I stripped before I went from my hut;
having nothing on but a chequered shirt, a pair of linen drawers, and a
pair of pumps on my feet.

I got on board the ship as before, and prepared a second raft; and
having had experience of the first, I neither made this so unwieldy, nor
loaded it so hard, but yet I brought away several things very useful to
me: as, first, in the carpenter's stores, I found two or three bags of
nails and spikes, a great screw-jack, a dozen or two of hatchets; and,
above all, that most useful thing called a grind-stone. All these I
secured together, with several things belonging to the gunner;
particularly two or three iron crows, and two barrels of musket bullets,
seven muskets, and another fowling-piece, with some small quantity of
powder more; a large bag-full of small shot, and a great roll of
sheet-lead; but this last was so heavy, I could not hoist it up to get
it over the ship's side.

Besides these things, I took all the men's clothes that I could find,
and a spare fore-top sail, a hammock, and some bedding; and with this I
loaded my second raft, and brought them all safe on shore, to my very
great comfort.

I was under some apprehensions, during my absence from the land, that at
least my provisions might be devoured on shore: but when I came back, I
found no sign of any visitor; only there sat a creature like a wild cat,
upon one of the chests, which, when I came towards it, ran away a little
distance, and then stood still. She sat very composed and unconcerned,
and looked full in my face, as if she had a mind to be acquainted with
me. I presented my gun to her, but, as she did not understand it, she