LOSS OF A JAMAICA SLOOP. 261 
and my way both. When I left the chase I endeavored to 
find the canoe ; but instead of going toward it, I wandered 
farther into the woods, and found myself merooned, for so 
they call those people that have lost themselves in a wood. 1 
walked on, endeavoring to find my way, and hallooed several 
times in hopes of being answered by the Indian, Avho might 
have directed me ; but hearing no answer, I concluded I had 
got a good way into the woods ; and being entirely at a loss 
how to recover the canoe, I began in earnest to consider the 
most proper means of finding it, and determined to mount the 
first tree I could climb. Having found one fit for my purpose, 
I got up into it, and from thence saw the river ; and being 
acquainted with the manner of its course, I judged where- 
about the plantation was ; having finished my view, the sun 
keeping a certain position, I bent my course toward that part 
of the river where I judged the canoe was. And in passing 
through the woods I came to a large cotton tree, which could 
not be less than twenty-five feet in circumference ; having 
passed it going forward, I found the underwood so close that 
I could not force my way through for a long time, and was 
at last obliged to creep through the thicket, which gave me 
much trouble, beside the loss of my clothes, which was mor- 
tification enough in a country where I could get no more ; 
but my chief concern being now for my life, that did not much 
affect me. When I was through it I found the woods more open, 
and continued my course till I came to a place where the 
water had been newly dried up, and left an oozy ciay behind 
it of a hardness fit to take any impression, and saw there 
the fresh print of the footing of a large beast, which I took to 
be a tiger's. This sight startled me, and I immediately exa- 
mined my gun, to see if it was in a condition to shoot if I met 
it: and soon perceived that the priming was lost out of the 
pan, and having no more powder with me, I would have avoid- 
ed going that way, but saw the underwood so close every 
where else, that there was no getting through it ; and consid- 
ering I might as well meet the tiger in the thicket as any 
where, I kept my course. Having gone about half a mile 
further, I saw the opening of the woods ; soon after, to my 
great satisfaction, I came to the plantation and found the ca- 
noe, and resolved with myself not to run into the same dan- 
ger any more, but went to fishing, and b}^ night had caught 
nine small fishes, three of which would make a middling sized 
herring ; we returned to our habitation and had them dressed ; 
I took three of them for my own share, and left the rest for 
