After these thoughts had for some time entertained me, I came to reflect seriously upon the real danger I had been in for so many years in this very island, and how I had walked about in the greatest security, and with all possible tranquillity, even when perhaps nothing but the brow of a hill, a great tree, or the casual approach of night, had been between me and the worst kind of destruction—viz. that of falling into the hands of cannibals and savages, who would have seized on me with the same view as I would on a goat or turtle; and have thought it no more crime to kill and devour me than I did of a pigeon or a curlew. I would unjustly slander myself if I should say I was not sincerely thankful to my great Preserver, to whose singular protection I acknowledged, with great humanity, all these unknown deliverances were due, and without which I must inevitably have fallen into their merciless hands.
Belegondoltam, hogy komoly veszély közepette éltem itt teljes nyugalomban éveken át, miközben néha talán csak egy hegygerinc vagy még annyi sem választott el a kannibáloktól és a legcsúfabb pusztulástól. Őszintén hálás voltam a Mindenhatónak, és rendkívüli alázatot éreztem iránta, amiért csodás módon megóvott ettől a borzalmas sorstól.