lculated that I had run at least
twenty miles, if not more.

With the perspiration running down me in streams, and hardly able to
drag one leg before the other, I at last, just about daybreak, gave it
up, when I threw myself on the ground, and dropped out of my hand my
axe, which I had carried the whole way. I lay there for more than half
an hour, tormented with thirst, but quite unable to move. At last I
recovered; and, as I well knew that the Indians would divide in parties
of three or four, and hunt every part of the woods, and by daylight
probably discover my track, I rose and prepared to resume my toil, when,
looking round me, I perceived that I was exactly on the spot where I had
followed the deer, and had fallen in with the Jolly Rover, as he termed
himself, who had pointed out the way to the plantations. I turned and
saw the river below, and as he had told me that the Indians never came
there, I resolved to go to the river, where, at least, I should find
shell-fish and water. I did so; and in half an hour arrived at the
skirts of the wood, and found that the river was about four hundred
yards from me and clear of trees at the mouth for some distance. I went
down to the river, which ran swiftly cut, and I drank till I was ready
to burst. I then rose on my feet, and walked along its banks towards
the mouth, thinking what I should do. To get to James Town appeared to
me to be an impossibility, unless by water, and I was not likely to meet
with any other vessel here but a pirate. Should I, then, go aboard of a
pirate? It appeared to me to be my only resource, and that I should be
happy if I could find one.

By this time I had arrived at the mouth of the river, and, looking out
to seaward, I saw a schooner at anchor. She was about three miles off.
That she was a pirate vessel, I presumed. Should I go on board of her
or not? And if so, how was I to get on board? All her boats were up;
and I surmised that she had just left the river with the intention of
sailing as soon as there was any wind, for now it was calm. The river
ran out swiftly, and I thought I should be able to swim the distance
with the assistance I should obtain from the current, which swept down
right for her, and she was riding to its strength.

I was demurring. I had been perhaps two hours on the beach, waiting to
see if she might send a boat on shore, when, as I stood at the
river-side, still hesitating, I happened to turn round and p