126 benelle's arguments prevail. [1693. 



Eelief, no Support liere ; we shall die, and our Island 

 remain Desert. He who dies last, will have no Body to 

 Assist and Comfort him, his Corps have no other Burial but 

 the Belly of those filthy Batts,^ that seem now ready to 

 devour us alive. A little Water wou'd perhaps Eefresh him 

 in his Bed of Languishing Sickness, but his weakness not 

 permitting him to fetch it, he will see himself consum'd by 

 a heat without Eemedy, and all his Distresses will be 

 extream. Let us therefore save our selves from this fate, 

 and for a more happy Society. We have Philosophers 

 among us, who they say, love their Liberty ; with all our 

 Hearts, let them enjoy it. The Isle is their own, and they 

 may be as free as they please in these Torests. They need 

 not fear that any Nymph will come and trouble the Pleasures 

 of their Contemplative Life. As for us, Let us go and submit 

 to the agreeable Yoak (if it must be a Yoak) the amiable 

 Yoak of those whose Victorious Charms ought in my Opinion 

 to be preferable to the most sweet Oil of our Turtles. But we 

 lose Time, we have said enough on this Subject ; follow me, 

 my Friends, and let us immediately think of what we ought 

 to do, in order to our Departure. 



The truth is, we rose up all hastily, and as if the question 

 had been decided by an Oracle, not a AVord was said, but of 

 refitting the Bark, and preparing things necessary for our 

 Voyage. However I made a new Proposition to gain Time, 

 but they wou'd not hearken to me, and 'twas resolv'd we 

 shou'd re-embark the next time the Moon was at the 

 Full.2 



Since nothing cou'd happen worse to me, than to Live and 

 Die alone in an Island of the other World, I resolv'd, yet 

 not without some contrary Pteflection, to go with them. 

 The day prefix'd arriving, we bad this Charming Island 

 adieu, and with the Island, what is worst of all, we bad adieu 



1 Vide sii])ra, p. 83. In orig. it is, however, " ces vilains Rats.'' 

 - At spring-tide. 



