I took it into my head that I should be all
alone on the island, but I found to my cost, that the devil insisted
on having his share. I'll tell you how it is, Miles; a man must either
look ahead, or look astarn; there is no such thing as satisfying
himself with the present moorings. Now, this was my misfortune; for,
ahead I had nothing to look forward to; and astarn, what comfort had I
in overhauling past sins!"
"I think I can understand your difficulties, my friend; how did you
manage to get rid of them?"
"I left the island. You had put the Frenchman's launch in capital
condition, and all I had to do was to fill up the breakers with fresh
water, kill a hog and salt him away, put on board a quantity of
biscuit, and be off. As for eatables, you know there was no scarcity
on the island, and I took my choice. I make no doubt there are twenty
hogsheads of undamaged sugars, at this very moment, in the hold of
that wreck, and on the beach of the island. I fed my poultry on it,
the whole time I staid."
"And so you abandoned Marble Land to the pig's and the fowls?"
"I did, indeed, Miles; and I hope the poor creaturs will have a
comfortable time of it. I gave 'em what the lawyers call a quit-claim,
and sailed two months to a day after you went off in the Crisis."
"I should think, old shipmate, that your voyage must have been as
solitary and desperate as your life ashore.
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