186 A SECEET DESIGN. [1695. 



his Design, a Sea^ came and washed away his Float, which 

 afflicted him exceedingly. For our parts we were no less joy- 

 ful at it, especially when we saw it was carry'd by the Current 

 towards the main Sea, and far enough off from the Island, If 

 this accident had not happen'd, we might quickly have seen 

 our friend perish, without being able in the least to have 

 help'd him. One would have thought this happy Misfortune 

 might have made him more wise, and inclined him to forego 

 his Eesolution, but he continued obstinate for all that, and 

 would not hearken to the Reasons we gave, that what had 

 happen'd cou'd never be by chance, but that Providence must 

 needs have a hand in it, and that he ought to acquiess with 

 Patience in what had been done, and resolve with us to 

 endure Submissively, whatever God was pleas'd to impose 

 further upon us. Now as nothing of all this had the desir'd 

 effect upon him, in that he protested he would make another 

 Float to execute his former Design, I thought myself oblig'd 

 in Conscience to tell him, I would do all I could to hinder 

 him ; that we must treat him like a Mad-man, if he would 

 throw himself away after that rate, and that even tlio' I 

 should be alone, I would do the best I could to prevent his 

 Ruin. He said no more to me, and seemed to acquiess in 

 what I desir'd, imagining doubtless, that we were resolv'd 

 to make our selves Masters of him, but secretly he still 

 meditated the same Design. Perceiving it was impossible 

 for him to make another Float without our Knowledge, he 

 resolv'd to build a small Boat with the Beast-skins, that we 

 should know nothing of. As he was one that assisted in 

 making ours, and knew we laid the things"^ under our 

 Mattresses, he stole some away privately, and carry'd them 

 to a Grot in the Rock, where he wrought on the Boat at 

 spare hours. He finish'd this JNIachine in a short time and 



1 In orig. : " il arriva que la mer qui montoit enleva sa fragile 

 barque." 



- In orig. : '' des peaux de cerf." 



