a rock by the
seaside, I made a kind of salve which gave me a little ease. But now the
time of my worst distress was drawing to an end.

For when I had been three years in the island there came Arabs to buy
negroes, and I pleaded with them to take me away, telling them how it
was that I, an English boy, was left in this condition. Then the chief
merchant of the Arabs said he could not carry me away without the King's
leave, for it would spoil their trade; but he would try to get me clear,
and as long as the Arabian vessel lay there I might come to his house
and get food and drink.

About six weeks after the merchant sent for me, and told me he had
bought me of the King for twenty dollars, and that he would carry me to
my own country people again.

The ship lay there about ten weeks, and when they had got all their
negroes we sailed from Madagascar. But all the history of my voyaging
with the Arabs, who treated me with much kindness, and sold me at last
to Englishmen, would be too long to relate. When I first saw my own
countrymen I had forgotten English, so that I could only speak to them
in the language of Madagascar; but by the time I had been among them six
or seven days my English came back, and I could tell them my story.

At last I was taken on board an English ship called the 'Diana,' and,
sailing in this, I reached Yarmouth and afterwards Blackwall, where I
met my father, to the great joy of us both. Thus I conclude my
narrative, with humble thanks to God for His wonderful preservation of
me through so many hardships and dangers.

FOOTNOTE:

[35] Taken from the Churchill Collection, 1732. Written by himself.

_THE FIGHT AT SVOLDER ISLAND_ (A.D. 1000)

OLAF TRYGGVASON, King of Norway, had sailed with a large fleet eastwards
to Wendland, passing through the Danish king's dominion without his
goodwill, and was now returning thence. He sailed with a light breeze
and fair weather for Denmark, the smaller ships going before, and the
larger ships following behind because they needed more wind.

At an island off Wendland were gathered many great chiefs: the island is
called Svolder. In this fleet was Sweyn, King of the Danes, who had many
charges against King Olaf--one being that Olaf had taken to wife Sweyn's
sister without his leave; another that he had established himself in
Norway, a land tributary to Sweyn and subdued by King Harold his father.
Earl Sigvaldi was there with the Danish king because