thstood
this dictate of despair, and submitted myself to the will of God,
who disposes of our lives at his pleasure.

In the mean time I collected together a great quantity of small
wood, brambles, and dry thorns, and making them up into
faggots, made a wide circle with them round the tree, and also
tied some of them to the branches over my head. Having done this,
when the evening came, I shut myself up within this circle, with
the melancholy satisfaction, that I had neglected nothing which
could preserve me from the cruel destiny with which I was
threatened. The serpent failed not to come at the usual hour, and
went round the tree, seeking for an opportunity to devour me, but
was prevented by the rampart I had made; so that he lay till day,
like a cat watching in vain for a mouse that has fortunately
reached a place of safety. When day appeared, he retired, but I
dared not to leave my fort until the sun arose.

I felt so much fatigued by the labour to which it had put me, and
suffered so much from his poisonous breath, that death seemed
more eligible to me than the horrors of such a state. I came down
from the tree, and, not thinking of the resignation I had the
preceding day resolved to exercise, I ran towards the sea, with a
design to throw myself into it.

God took compassion on my hopeless state; for just as I was going
to throw myself into the sea, I perceived a ship at a
considerable distance. I called as loud as I could, and taking
the linen from my turban, displayed it, that they might observe
me. This had the desired effect; the crew perceived me, and the
captain sent his boat for me. As soon as I came on board, the
merchants and seamen flocked about me, to know how I came into
that desert island; and after I had related to them all that had
befallen me, the oldest among them said to me, they had several
times heard of the giants that dwelt in that island, that they
were cannibals, and ate men raw as well as roasted; and as to the
serpents, they added, that there were abundance in the island
that hid themselves by day, and came abroad by night. After
having testified their joy at my escaping so many dangers, they
brought me the best of their provisions; and the captain, seeing
that I was in rags, was so generous as to give me one of his own
suits. We continued at sea for some time, touched at several
islands, and at last landed at that of Salabat, where sandal wood
is obtained, which is of great use in m