The wit and broken English which the boy had learned among the captives of our nation, pleased me entirely:  and, to add to his cheerfulness I gave him a dram of the bottle:  we could get but little sleep all the night for those terrible howlings they made; and, indeed, we were both very much affrighted, when, by the rollings of the water, and other tokens, we justly concluded one of these monsters made towards our boat.  I could not see till it came within two oars length, when taking my fusee, I let fly at him.  Whether I hit him or no, I cannot tell; but he made towards the shore, and the noise of my gun increased the stupendious noise of the monsters.

The next morning I was resolved to go on shore to get fresh water, and venture my life among the beasts or savages should either attack me.  Xury said, he would take one of the jars and bring me some.  I asked him why he would go and not I?  The poor boy answered, “If wild mans come they eat me, you go away.”  A mind scarcely now to be imitated, so contrary to self-preservation, the most powerful law of Nature.  This indeed increased my affection to the child.  “Well, dear Xury,” said I, we will both go ashore, both kill wild mans, and they “shall eat neither of us.”  So giving Xury a piece of rusk-bread to eat, and a dram, we waded ashore, carrying nothing with us but our arms, and two jars for water.  I did not go out of sight of the boat, as dreading the savages coming down the river in their canoes; but the boy seeing a low descent or vale about a mile in the country, he wandered to it:  and then running back to me with great precipitation, I thought he was pursued by some savage or wild beast; upon which I approached, resolving to perish or protect him from danger.  As he came nearer to me, I saw something hanging over his shoulders, which was a creature he had shot like a hare, but different in colour, and longer legs; however, we were glad of it, for it proved wholesome, and nourishing meat:  but what added to our joy was, my boy assured me there was plenty of water, and that he see no wild mans. And greater still was our comfort when we found fresh water in the creek where we were when the tide was out, without going so far up into the country.

In this place I began to consider that the Canary and Cape de Verde islands lay not for off:  but having no instrument, I knew not what latitude, or when to stand off to sea for them; yet my hopes were, I should meet some of the English trading vessels, who would relieve and take us in.

The place I was in was no doubt that wild country, inhabited only by a few, that lies between the Emperor of Morocco’s dominions and the Negroes.  It is filled with wild beasts and the Moors use it for hunting chiefly.—­From this place I thought I saw the top of the mountain Teneriff in the Canaries:  which made me try twice to attain it:  but as often was I drove back, and so forced to pursue my fortune along shore.