2 04 The fDiftreffes and Adventure s 

 Providence had made this Refe%e towards 

 the Prefervation of my Life, which feemed, 

 at this Time, to be on the Point of forfaking 

 me, for want of proper Noujifhnient, and, 

 on the other Hand, extreme Grief and Re- 

 morfe ; for that, after I had fo long and 

 greatly experienced the Mercies of God to- 

 wards me, I Ihould ftill perfift in my De- 

 spondency, and forgetting all paft Benefits, 

 be ever in Doubt of his future Protection. 

 After I had refrefhed myfelf with one of 

 thefe ripe Plantains, which is of much higher 

 Nourishment than a green one, I then made 

 a ftrift Search after more, remembring, that 

 the Indians frequently bury them in the 

 Sand to ripen ; but tho' I found no more, I 

 hope, I was not unthankful for thofe I al- 

 ready had. While I ftaid here, the Moon 

 being in the Full, I faw abundance of large 

 Turtles come on Shore one Night to lay. 

 Thefe Creatures ufe the greateft Artifice 

 imaginable to conceal their Eggs j they come 

 to the Top of the Beach at low Water, and 

 dig a Hole about four Feet deep, and there 

 lay 100 or 150 Eggs at one Time ; after 

 which, they will cover them up fo nicely, 

 that the Place where they lie lhall be as 



fmooth 



