Page 294 - Child's own book

cheerfulness; and nothing more happening between this and
the time lie was found on the island by Mr, Domngton, who,
with two or three other persons, wont from an island in the
South Sea on a fishing party : with his relation we shall con­
clude'these adventures in his own words:—
# Being come to the side of a rock, he saw a most delightful
country, flat and level, covercd with a curious grass; it bore
also abundance of fine lofty trees. Being landed upon it, we
discerned some arbours, apparently made of trees, near which
some animals were feeding; these I took to he goats. Wa soon
approached some huts, composed of trees, &:c,; and coming to
one, the door being fastened without, we opened it, and the
first thing we saw, opposite to the door, was a bed lying on the
ground, made of dry grass, a table made of thin boards, fastened
upon four sticks driven into the ground, and by it a chair made
of green twigs. Having viewed the dwelling-place, we scarcely
h.'id proceeded fort}' paces, before we perceived, at & consider­
able distance, something like a man, with another creature, but
presently lost them among the trees. Shortly we saw the
same again ; but that which was with him, running up a tree
as soon as it perceived us, prevented our discerning what animal
it was : the other appeared to be a venerable old man, with a
white beard, which covered his naked breast, and a long head
of hair of tlie same colour, that spreading over his shoulders,
hung quite down to his loins. Ilis presence, which inspired
respect more than fear, soon did away any alarm which at first
might have been excited. We soon discovered lhat he was an
Englishman, and from habit and long residence had become so
attached to his little island, that no persuasion could induce
him to return to his native country. He was at first appre­
hensive that we had been shipwrecked; but, on our informing
him of the cause of our being on the island, he was rejoiced,