In the meantime I gathered together a great quantity of small wood,
brambles, and dry thorns, and making them up into faggots made a
great circle with them round the tree, and also tied some of them
to the branches over my head. Having done thus, when the evening
came I shut myself up within this circle, with this melancholy
piece of satisfaction, that I had neglected nothing which could
preserve me from the cruel destiny with which I was threatened. The
serpent failed not to come at the usual hour, and went round the
tree, seeking for an opportunity to devour me, but was prevented by
the rampart I had made, so that he lay till day, like a cat
watching in vain for a mouse that has retreated to a place of
safety. When day appeared he retired, but I dared not to leave my
fort until the sun arose.
I was fatigued with the toil he had put me to, and suffered so much
from his poisonous breath that, death seeming preferable to me than
the horror of such a condition. I came down from the tree, and not
thinking on the resignation I had made to the will of God the
preceding day, I ran towards the sea, with a design to throw myself
into it headlong.
God took compassion on my desperate state, for just as I was going
to throw myself into the sea, I perceived a ship at a considerable
distance.
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