s surprised to see that I had
taken up my lot on the worst side of the island, for here, indeed, the
shore was covered with innumerable turtles, whereas on the other side I
had found but three in a year and a half. Here was also an infinite
number of fowls of many kinds, some which I had seen, and some which I
had not seen before, and many of them very good meat, but such as I knew
not the names of, except those called penguins.

I could have shot as many as I pleased, but was very sparing of my powder
and shot, and therefore had more mind to kill a she-goat if I could,
which I could better feed on; and though there were many goats here, more
than on my side the island, yet it was with much more difficulty that I
could come near them, the country being flat and even, and they saw me
much sooner than when I was on the hills.

I confess this side of the country was much pleasanter than mine; but yet
I had not the least inclination to remove, for as I was fixed in my
habitation it became natural to me, and I seemed all the while I was here
to be as it were upon a journey, and from home. However, I travelled
along the shore of the sea towards the east, I suppose about twelve
miles, and then setting up a great pole upon the shore for a mark, I
concluded I would go home again, and that the next journey I took should
be on the other side of the island east from my dwelling, and so round
till I came to my post again.

I took another way to come back than that I went, thinking I could easily
keep all the island so much in my view that I could not miss finding my
first dwelling by viewing the country; but I found myself mistaken, for
being come about two or three miles, I found myself descended into a very
large valley, but so surrounded with hills, and those hills covered with
wood, that I could not see which was my way by any direction but that of
the sun, nor even then, unless I knew very well the position of the sun
at that time of the day. It happened, to my further misfortune, that the
weather proved hazy for three or four days while I was in the valley, and
not being able to see the sun, I wandered about very uncomfortably, and
at last was obliged to find the seaside, look for my post, and come back
the same way I went: and then, by easy journeys, I turned homeward, the
weather being exceeding hot, and my gun, ammunition, hatchet, and other
things very heavy.

In this journey my dog surprised a young kid, and seized