He swallowed up one of my
comrades, notwithstanding his loud cries and the efforts he made to
rid himself from the serpent, which shook him several times against
the ground, and crushed him; and we could hear him gnaw and tear
the poor wretch's bones, when we had fled a great distance from
him. Next day we saw the serpent again, to our great terror, and I
cried out, 'O heaven, to what dangers are we exposed! We rejoiced
yesterday at having escaped from the cruelty of a giant and the
rage of the waves, and now are we fallen into another danger
altogether as terrible.'
As we walked about we saw a large tall tree, upon which we designed
to pass the following night, for our security; and having satisfied
our hunger with fruit, we mounted it accordingly. A little while
after, the serpent came hissing to the root of the tree, raised
itself up against the trunk of it, and meeting with my comrade, who
sat lower than I, swallowed him at once, and went off.
I staid upon the tree till it was day, and then came down, more
like a dead man than one alive, expecting the same fate as my two
companions. This filled me with horror, so that I was going to
throw myself into the sea; but nature prompting us to a desire to
live as long as we can, I withstood this temptation to despair, and
submitted myself to the will of God, who disposes of our lives at
His pleasure.
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