Towns, until we came within
the hearing of them. That which betrayed us into this danger was,
that meeting with a Path, which only led from one Town to another,
we concluded it to be that great Road above mentioned; and so having
past it over, we supposed the Danger we might encounter in being seen,
was also past over with it; but we were mistaken; for going further we
still met with other Paths, which we crossed over, still hoping one or
other of them was that great Road; but at last we perceived our Error;
viz. That they were only Paths that went from one Town to another.

And so while we were avoiding Men and Towns, we ran into the midst
of them. This was a great trouble to us, hearing the Noise of People
round about us, and knew not how to avoid them; into whose hands we
knew if we had fallen, they would have carried us up to the King,
besides Beating and Plundring us to boot.

We knew before that these Towns were here away, but had we known
that this River turned and run in among them, we should never have
undertaken the Enterprize. But now to go back, after we had newly
passed so many Paths, and Fields and places where People did resort, we
thought not advisable, and that the danger in so doing might be greater
than in going forward. And had we known so much then, as afterwards
did appear to us, it had been safer for us to have gone on, than to
have hid there as we did; which we then thought was the best course
we could take for the present extremity: viz. To secure our selves in
secret until Night, and then to run thro in the dark. All that we now
wanted was a hole to creep in to lye close, for the Woods thereabouts
were thin, and no shrubs or bushes, under which we might be concealed.

[Their fright lest they should be seen.] We heard the noise of
People on every side, and expected every moment to see some of them
to our great terror. And it is not easie to say in what Danger, and
in what apprehension of it we were; it was not safe for us to stir
backwards or forwards for fear of running among People, and it was
as unsafe to stand still where we were, lest some body might spy us:
and where to find Covert we could not tell. [Hid themselves in a hollow
Tree.] Looking about us in these straits we spyed a great Tree by us,
which for the bigness thereof 'tis probable might be hollow. To which
we went, and found it so. It was like a Tub, some three foot high. Into
it immediately we both crept, and made a shift to si