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 sit there for several hours, tho very uneasily, and all in mud and wet.  But however it did greatly comfort us in the fright and amazement we were in.

[They get safely over this Danger.] So soon as it began to grow dark, we came creeping out of our hollow Tree, and put for it as fast as our Legs could carry us.  And then we crossed that great Road, which all the day before we did expect to come up with, keeping close by the River side, and going so long till dark Night stopped us.  We kept going the longer, because we heard the Voice of Men hollowing towards Evening:  which created us a fresh disturbance, thinking them to be People that were coming to chace us.  But at length we heard Elephants behind us, between us and the Voice, which we knew by the noise of cracking the Boughs and small Trees, which they break down and eat.  These Elephants were a very good Guard behind us, and were methought like the Darkness that came between Israel and the Egyptians.  For the People we knew would not dare to go forwards hearing Elephants before them.

[They dress Meat and lay down to sleep.] In this Security we pitched our Tents by the River side, and boiled Rice and roasted flesh for our Supper, for we were very hungry, and so commending our selves to God’s keeping laid down to sleep.  The Voice which we heard still continued, which lasting so long we knew what it meant; it was nothing but the hollowing of People that lay to watch the Corn Fields, to scare away the wild Beasts out of their Corn.  Thus we past Monday.

[They fear wild Men, which these Woods abound with.] But nevertheless next Morning so soon as the Moon shone out bright, to prevent the worst we took up our Packs, and were gone:  being past all the tame Inhabitants with whom we had no more trouble.  But the next day we feared we should come among the wild ones; for these Woods are full of them.  Of these we were as much afraid as of the other.  For they would have carried us back to the King, where we should be kept Prisoners, but these we feared would have shot us, not standing to hear us plead for our selves.

[They meet with many of their Tents.] And indeed all along as we went, by the sides of the River till we came to the Malabar Inhabitants, had been the Tents of wild Men, made only of Boughs of Trees.  But God be praised, they were all gone, tho but very lately before we came:  as we perceived by the Bones of Cattle, and shells of Fruit, which lay scattered about.  We supposed that want of water had driven them out of the Countrey down to the River side, but since it had rained a shower or two they were gone again.  Once about Noon sitting down upon a Rock by the River side to take a Pipe of Tobacco and rest