Whereas, they must have been full five hundred leagues from that fearful vicinity.

However, they altered their course to avoid it; and a little before sunset, dropping the islands astern, resumed their previous track.

But very soon after, they espied our little sea-goat, bounding over the billows from afar.
This they took for a canoe giving chase to them.

It renewed and augmented their alarm.
And when at last they perceived that the strange object was a boat, their fears, instead of being allayed, only so much the more increased.

For their wild superstitions led them to conclude, that a white man's craft coming upon them so suddenly, upon the open sea, and by night, could be naught but a phantom.