would have been too much for me. I had met with a great many
sorrows just at that time; one of which was, the misfortune of
losing the use of my right hand by a fall from my horse, which
accident robbed me of most of my friends; for I could no longer
entertain them with my performance as I used to do, and so I was
ashamed to see them or you; and that was the reason I came hither to
try my fortune with some other adventurers.

"You have, I suppose, heard that the savages of the island put our
whole party to death. But it was my chance to escape their cruelty.
I was heart-broken for my comrades; yet upon the whole, I do not
know that the savages were much to blame--we had no business to
invade their territories! and if they had invaded England, we should
have done the same by them. My life was spared, because, having
gained some little strength in my hand during the voyage, I pleased
their king when I arrived there with playing on my violin.

"They spared my child too, in pity to my lamentations, when they
were going to put him to death. Now, dear brother, before I say any
more to you concerning my child, I will first ask your pardon for
any offence I may have ever given you in all the time we lived so
long together. I know you have often found fault with me, and I
dare say I have been very often to blame; but I here solemnly
declare that I never did anything purposely to offend you, but
mostly, all I could to oblige you--and I can safely declare that I
never bore you above a quarter of an hour's resentment for anything
you might say to me which I thought harsh.

"Now, dear William, after being in this island eleven years, the
weakness in my hand has unfortunately returned; and yet there being