something in it, I am persuaded, from my own experience. I am
satisfied that our spirits embodied have a converse with and receive
intelligence from the spirits unembodied, and inhabiting the invisible
world; and this friendly notice is given for our advantage, if we knew
how to make use of it. Come, let us go and look abroad; and if we find
nothing at all in it to justify the trouble, I'll tell you a story to the
purpose, that shall convince you of the justice of my proposing it."

They went out presently to go up to the top of the hill, where I used to
go; but they being strong, and a good company, nor alone, as I was, used
none of my cautions to go up by the ladder, and pulling it up after them,
to go up a second stage to the top, but were going round through the
grove unwarily, when they were surprised with seeing a light as of fire,
a very little way from them, and hearing the voices of men, not of one or
two, but of a great number.

Among the precautions I used to take on the savages landing on the
island, it was my constant care to prevent them making the least
discovery of there being any inhabitant upon the place: and when by any
occasion they came to know it, they felt it so effectually that they that
got away were scarce able to give any account of it; for we disappeared
as soon as possible, nor did ever any that had seen me escape to tell any
one else, except it was the three savages in our last encounter who
jumped into the boat; of whom, I mentioned, I was afraid they should go
home and bring more help. Whether it was the consequence of the escape
of those men that so great a number came now together, or whether they
came ignorantly, and by accident, on their usual bloody errand, the
Spaniards could not understand; but whatever it was, it was their
business either to have concealed themselves or not to have seen them at
all, much less to have let the savages have seen there were any
inhabitants in the place; or to have fallen upon them so effectually as
not a man of them should have escaped, which could only have been by
getting in between them and their boats; but this presence of mind was
wanting to them, which was the ruin of their tranquillity for a great
while.

We need not doubt but that the governor and the man with him, surprised
with this sight, ran back immediately and raised their fellows, giving
them an account of the imminent danger they were all in, and they again
as readily took the al