about six o'clock in the morning
About one o'clock I came out from my hut , and found the stars shining most beautifully in the sky , and all the air full of the noises of the night . I did not tarry , however , but walked straight to the beach , and along it towards the northern end of the island , around which and beyond the cape I knew the bay to lie , about ten leagues distant from the king 's town . I had only been twice upon my feet since the fever had left me , and found that I was far more weak than I had supposed myself to be , so that I had to rest myself at frequent intervals . However , I managed to cover some ten miles of my journey by about six o'clock in the morning , by which time I was so exhausted that I could go no farther , but had to lie down under the shade of the bushes and rest myself for a long time . I speak of these things to show why it was that my journey should have occupied nigh upon two days , for it was not until the afternoon of the second day that I came within sight of a boat , drawn up on the beach , which I knew to belong to the pirates , and from which the crew had gone into the thickets , either to search for game or for water . I had eaten nothing all that day , for I had not thought that my journey would have taken me so long , and I did not care to burden myself with any more food than necessary . So I was glad to see the boat , not only being very weary , but also having my feet so badly blistered by the unwonted exposure to the hot sun on the bare sand that it was only with pain that I could take a single step .