I liked this proposal, provided it was done
while we were near enough to come up to them before they could load
their pieces again. But this event did not happen; and we lay
still a long time, very irresolute what course to take. At length
I told them there would be nothing done, in my opinion, till night;
and then, if they did not return to the boat, perhaps we might find
a way to get between them and the shore, and so might use some
stratagem with them in the boat to get them on shore. We waited a
great while, though very impatient for their removing; and were
very uneasy when, after long consultation, we saw them all start up
and march down towards the sea; it seems they had such dreadful
apprehensions of the danger of the place that they resolved to go
on board the ship again, give their companions over for lost, and
so go on with their intended voyage with the ship.
As soon as I perceived them go towards the shore, I imagined it to
be as it really was that they had given over their search, and were
going back again; and the captain, as soon as I told him my
thoughts, was ready to sink at the apprehensions of it; but I
presently thought of a stratagem to fetch them back again, and
which answered my end to a tittle.
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