CHAPTER XI.
His joy on his arrival at land--A description of the place-- No inhabitants--Wants fresh water--Resides in a grotto-- Finds water--Views the country--Carries his things to the grotto.
It is impossible to express my joy at the sight of day once more. I goton the land as soon as possible after my dismission from the cavern,and, kneeling on the ground, returned hearty thanks to God for mydeliverance, begging, at the same time, grace to improve His mercies,and that I might continue under His protection, whatever shouldhereafter befall me, and at last die on my native soil.
I unloaded my vessel as well as I could, and hauled her up on theshore; and, turning her upside down, made her a covering for my armsand baggage. I then sat down to contemplate the place, and eat a mostdelightful meal on the grass, being quite a new thing to me.
I walked over the greensward to the wood, with my gun in my hand, abrace of pistols in my girdle, and my cutlass hanging before me; but,when I was just entering the wood, looking behind me and all around theplain, "Is it possible," says I, "that so much art (for I did not thenbelieve it was natural) could have been bestowed upon this place, andno inhabitant in it? Here are neither buildings, huts, castle, nor anyliving creature to be seen! It cannot be," says I, "that this place wasmade for nothing!"
I then went a considerable way into the wood, and inclined to have gonemuch farther, it being very beautiful, but, on second thoughts, judgedit best to content myself at present with only looking out a saferetreat for that night; for, however agreeable the place then seemed,darkness was at hand, when everything about me would have more or lessof horror in it.
The wood, at its first entrance, was composed of the most charmingflowering shrubs that can be imagined; each growing upon its own stem,at so convenient a distance from the other, that you might fairly passbetween them any way without the least incommodity. Behind them grewnumberless trees, somewhat taller, of the greatest variety of shapes,forms, and verdures the eye ever beheld; each, also, so far asunder aswas necessary for the spreading of their several branches and the growthof their delicious fruits, without a bush, briar, or shrub amongst them.Behind these, and still on the higher ground, grew an infinite numberof very large, tall trees, much loftier than the former, but intermixedwith some underwood, which grew thicker and closer the nearer youapproached the rock. I made a shift to force my way through these as faras the rock, which rose as perpendicular as a regular building, havingonly here and there some crags and unevennesses. There was, I observed,a space all the way between the underwood and the rock, wide enoughto drive a cart in; and, indeed, I thought it had been left for thatpurpose.
I walked along this passage a good way, having tied a rag of the liningof my jacket at the place of my entrance, to know it again at my comingback, which I intended to be ere it grew dark; but I found so muchpleasure in the walk, and surveying a small natural grotto which was inthe rock, that the daylight forsook me unawares: whereupon I resolvedto put off my return unto the boat till next morning, and to take up mylodging for that night in the cave.
I cut down a large bundle of underwood with my cutlass, sufficient tostop up the mouth of the grotto, and laying me down to rest, slept assound as if I had been on board my ship; for I never had one hour's resttogether since I shot the gulf till this. Nature, indeed, could not havesupported itself thus long under much labour; but as I had nothing to dobut only keep the middle stream, I began to be as used to guide myselfin it with my eyes almost closed, and my senses retired, as a higgler isto drive his cart to market in his sleep.
The next morning I awaked sweetly refreshed; and, by the sign of my rag,found the way again through the underwood to my boat I raised that up alittle, took out some bread and cheese, and, having eat pretty heartily,laid me down to drink at the lake, which looked as clear as crystal,expecting a most delicious draught; but I had forgot it brought mefrom the sea, and my first gulp almost poisoned me. This was a soredisappointment, for I knew my water-cask was nigh emptied; and, indeed,turning up my boat again, I drew out all that remained, and drank it,for I was much athirst.
However, I did not despair; I was now so used to God's providence, andhad a sense of its operations so riveted in my mind, that though thevast lake of salt water was surrounded by an impenetrable rock orbarrier of stone, I rested satisfied that I should rather find even thatyield me a fresh and living stream, than that I should perish for wantof it.
With this easy mind did I travel five or six miles on the side of thelake, and sometimes stepped into the wood, and walked a little there,till I had gone almost half the diameter of the lake, which lay in acircular or rather an oval figure. I had then thoughts of walking back,to be near my boat and lodging, for fear I should be again benightedif I went much farther; but, considering I had come past no water, andpossibly I might yet find some if I went quite round the lake, I ratherchose to take up with a new lodging that night, than to return; and Idid not want for a supper, having brought out with me more bread andcheese than had served for dinner, the remainder of which was in thelining of my jacket. When it grew darkish, I had some thoughts ofeating; but I considered, as I was then neither very hungry nor dry, ifI should eat it would but occasion drought, and I had nothing toallay that with; so I contented myself for that night to lay me downsupperless.
In the morning I set forward again upon my water search, and hoped tocompass the whole lake that day. I had gone about seven miles more,when, at a little distance before me, I perceived a small hollow or cutin the grass from the wood to the lake; thither I hasted with all speed,and blessed God for the supply of a fine fresh rill, which, distillingfrom several small clefts in the rock, had collected itself into onestream, and cut its way through the green sod to the lake.
I lay down with infinite pleasure, and swallowed a most cheering draughtof the precious liquid; and, sitting on the brink, made a good meal ofwhat I had with me, and then drank again. I had now got five-sixths ofthe lake's circumference to go back again to my boat, for I did notsuspect any passage over the cavern's mouth where I came into the lake;and I could not, without much trouble, consider that, if I would havethis water for a constant supply, I must either come a long way for it,or fix my habitation near it. I was just going back again, revolvingthese uneasy thoughts in my breast, when this rose suddenly in my mind,that, if I could possibly get over the mouth of the cavern, I should nothave above three miles from my grotto to the water. Now, as I could notget home that night otherwise than by crossing it, and as, if I lost mylabour, I should be but where I was, whereas if I should get over it, itwould very much shorten my journey, I resolved to try whether thething was practicable, first, however, looking out for a resting-placesomewhere near my water, if I should meet with a disappointment.
I then walked into the wood, where, meeting with no place of retreat tomy liking, I went to my rill, and taking another sup, determined not toleave that side of the lake till morning; but having some time tospare, I walked about two miles to view the inlet of the lake, and wasagreeably surprised, just over the mouth of the cavern, to see a largestone arch like a bridge, as if it had been cut out of the rock, quiteacross the opening: this cheered me vastly, and, pushing over it, Ifound a path that brought me to my boat before night.
I then went up to my grotto for the third night in this most delightfulplace; and the next morning early I launched my boat, and taking mywater-cask and a small dipping bucket with me, I rowed away for therill, and returned highly pleased with a sufficiency of water, whereofI carried a bucket and a copper kettle full up with me to the grotto.Indeed, it was not the least part of my satisfaction that I had thiskettle with me; for though I was in hopes, in my last voyage, I shouldhave come to some shore, where I could have landed and enjoyed myselfover some of my fish, and for that reason had taken it, notwithstandingthings did not turn out just as I had schemed, yet my kettle proved themost useful piece of furniture I had.
Having now acquainted myself with the circumference of the lake,
andsettled a communication with my rill, I began to think of commencinghousekeeper. In order thereunto, I set about removing my goods up to thegrotto. By constant application, in a few days I had gotten all thitherbut my two great chests and my water-cask; and how to drag or driveany of those to it, I was entirely at a loss. My water-cask was of theutmost importance to me, and I had thoughts sometimes of stopping itclose, and rolling it to the place; but the ascent through the wood tothe grotto was so steep, that, besides the fear of staving it,which would have been an irreparable loss, I judged it impossible toaccomplish it by my strength; so with a good deal of discontent, Idetermined to remit both that and the chests to future consideration.
Life And Adventures Of Peter Wilkins, Vol. I. (of II.) Page 15
