The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)

by Daniel Defoe

  THE

  LIFE AND ADVENTURES

  OF

  ROBINSON CRUSOE.

  I was born at York, in the year 1632, of a reputable family. My fatherwas a native of Bremen, who by merchandizing at Hull for some time,gained a very plentiful fortune. He married my mother at York, whoreceived her first breath in that country: and as her maiden name wasRobinson, I was called _Robinson Kreutznaer_: which not being easilypronounced in the English tongue, we are commonly known by the nameof Crusoe.

  I was the youngest of three brothers. The eldest was a lieutenantcolonel in Lochart's regiment, but slain by the Spaniards: what becameof the other, I could never learn.

  No charge or pains were wanting in my education.--My father designed mefor the law; yet nothing would serve me but I must go to sea, bothagainst the will of my father, the tears of my mother, and theentreaties of friends. One morning my father expostulated very warmlywith me: What reason, says he, have you to leave your native country,where there must be a more certain prospect of content and happiness, toenter into a wandering condition of uneasiness and uncertainty? Herecommended to me Augur's wish, "Neither to desire poverty nor riches:"that a middle state of life was the most happy, and that the hightowering thoughts of raising our condition by wandering abroad, weresurrounded with misery and danger, and often ended with confusion anddisappointment. I entreat you, nay, I command you, (says he) to desistfrom these intentions. Consider your elder brother, who laid down hislife for his honour, or rather lost it for his disobedience to my will.If you will go (added he) my prayers shall however be offered for yourpreservation; but a time may come, when, desolate, oppressed, orforsaken, you may wish you had taken your poor despised father'scounsel.--He pronounced these words with such a moving and paternaleloquence, while floods of tears ran down his aged cheeks, that itseemed to stem the torrent of my resolutions. But this soon wore, off,and a little after I informed my mother, that I could not settle to anybusiness, my resolutions were so strong to see the world; and begged shewould gain my father's consent only to go one voyage; which, if I didnot prove prosperous, I would never attempt a second. But my desire wasas vain as my folly in making. My mother passionately expressed herdislike of this, proposal, telling me, "That as she saw I was bent uponmy own destruction, contrary to their will and my duty, she would say nomore; but leave me to do whatever I pleased."

  I was then, I think, nineteen years old, when one time being Hull; I meta school-fellow of mine, going along with his father, who was master ofa ship, to London; and acquainted him with my wandering desires; heassured me of a free passage, and a plentiful share of what wasnecessary. Thus, without imploring a blessing, or taking farewell of myparents, I took shipping on the first of September 1651. We set sailsoon after, and our ship had scarce left the Humber astern, when therearose so violent a storm, that, being extremely sea-sick, I concludedthe judgment of God deservedly followed me for my disobedience to mydear parents. It was then I called to mind, the good advice of myfather; how easy and comfortable was a middle state of life; and Ifirmly resolved, if it pleased God to set me on dry land once more, Iwould return to my parents, implore their forgiveness, and bid a finaladieu to my wandering inclinations.

  Such were my thoughts while the storm continued: but these goodresolutions decreased with the danger; more especially when my companioncame to me, clapping me on the shoulder: "What, Bob!" said he, "sure youwas not frightened last night with scarce a capful of wind?"--"And doyou" cried I, "call such a violent storm a capful of wind?"--"A storm,you fool you," said he, "this is nothing; a good ship and sea-roomalways baffles such a foolish squall of wind as that: But you're a freshwater sailor: Come boy, turn out, see what fine weather we have now, anda good bowl of punch will drown all your past sorrows." In short, thepunch was made, I was drunk and in one night's time drowned both myrepentance and my good resolutions, forgetting entirely the vows andpromises I made in my distress: and whenever any reflections wouldreturn on me, what by company, and what by drinking, I soon masteredthose fits, as I deridingly called them. But this only made way foranother trial, whereby I could not but see how much I was beholden tokind Providence.

  Upon the sixth day we came to an anchor in Harwich road, where we laywind bound with some Newcastle ships; and there being good anchorage,and our cables found, the seamen forgot their late toil and danger, andspent the time as merry as if they had been on shore. But on the eightday there arose a brisk gale of wind, which prevented our tiding it upthe river; and still increasing, our ship rode forecastle in, andshipped several large seas.

  It was not long before horror seized the seamen themselves, and I heardthe master express this melancholy ejaculation, "Lord have mercy uponus, we shall be all, lost and undone!" For my part, sick unto death, Ikept my cabin till the universal and terribly dreadful apprehensions ofour speedy fate made me get upon deck; and there I was affrightedindeed. The sea went mountains high: I could see nothing but distressaround us; two ships had cut their masts on board, and another wasfoundered; two more that had lost their anchors, were forced out to themercy of the ocean; and to save our lives we were forced to cut ourforemast and mainmast quite away.

  Who is their so ignorant as not to judge of my dreadful condition? I wasbut a fresh-water sailor and therefore it seemed more terrible. Our shipwas very good, but over-loaded; which made the sailors often cry out,"She would founder!" Words I then was ignorant of. All this while thestorm continuing, and rather increasing, the master and the most soberpart of his men went to prayers, expecting death every moment. In themiddle of the night one cried out, "We had sprung a leak;" another,"That there was four feet water in the hold." I was just ready to expirewith fear, when immediately all hands were called to the pump; and themen forced me also in that extremity to share with them in their labour.While thus employed, the master espying some light colliers, fired a gunas a signal of distress; and I, not understanding what it meant, andthinking that either the ship broke, or some dreadful thing happened,fell into a swoon. Even in that common condition of woe, nobody mindedme, excepting to thrust me aside with their feet, thinking me dead, andit was a great while before I recovered.

  Happy it was for us, when, upon the signal given, they ventured outtheir boats to save our lives. All our pumping had been in vain, andvain had all our attempts been, had they not come to our ship's side,and our men cast them a rope over the stern with a buoy to it, whichafter great labour they got hold of, and we hauling them up to us gotinto their boat, and left our ship which we perceived sink within lessthan a quarter of an hour; and thus I learned what was meant by_foundering at sea._ And now the men incessantly laboured to recovertheir, own ship; but the sea ran so high, and the wind blew so hard,that they thought it convenient to hale within shore; which, with greatdifficulty and danger, at last we happily effected landing at a placecalled _Cromer_, not far from Winterton lighthouse; from whence we allwalked to Yarmouth, where, as objects of pity, many good peoplefurnished us with necessaries to carry us either to Hull or London.

  Strange, after all this, like the prodigal son, I did not return to myfather; who hearing of the ship's calamity, for a long time thought meentombed in the deep. No doubt but I should have _shared on his fattedcalf_, as the scripture expresseth it; but my ill fate still pusheth meon, in spite of the powerful convictions of reason and conscience.

  When we had been at Yarmouth three days, I met my old companion, who hadgiven me the invitation to go on board along with his father. Hisbehaviour and speech were altered, and in a melancholy manner asked mehow I did, telling his father who I was, & how I had made this voyageonly for a trial to proceed further abroad. Upon which the old gentlemanturning to me gravely, said, "Young man, you ought never to go to seaany more, but to take this for a certain sign that you never willprosper in a sea-faring condition." "Sir" answered I, "will you take thesame resolution?" "It is a different case," said he, "it is my calling,and consequently my duty; but as you have made this voyage for a trial,you see what ill success heav
en has set before your eyes; and perhapsour miseries have been on your account, like _Jonah_ in the ship of_Tarshish_. But pray what are you, and on what account did you go tosea?" Upon which I very freely declared my whole story: at the end ofwhich he made this exclamation: "Ye sacred powers: what had I committed,that such a wretch should enter into my ship to heap upon me such adeluge of miseries!" But soon recollecting his passion, "Young man" saidhe, "if you do not go back, depend upon it, wherever you go, you willmeet with disasters and disappointments till your father's words arefulfilled upon you." And so we parted.

  I thought at first to return home; but shame opposed that good motion,as thinking I should be laughed at by my neighbours and acquaintance. Sostrange is the nature of youth, who are not ashamed to sin, but yetashamed to repent; and so far from being ashamed of those actions forwhich they may be acounted fools, they think it folly to return to theirduty, which is the principal mark of wisdom. In short I travelled up toLondon, resolving upon a voyage, and a voyage I soon heard of, by myacquaintance with a captain who took a fancy to me, to go to the coastof Guinea. Having some money, and appearing like a gentleman, I went onboard, not as a common sailor or foremast man; nay, the commander agreedI should go that voyage with him without any expence; that I should behis messmate and companion, and I was very welcome to carry any thingwith me, and make the best merchandise I could.

  I blessed my happy fortune, and humbly thanked my captain for thisoffer; and acquainting my friends in Yorkshire, forty pounds were sentme, the greatest part of which my dear father and mother contributed to,with which I bought toys and trifles, as the captain directed me. Mycaptain also taught me navigation, how to keep an account of the ship'scourse, take an observation, and led me into the knowledge of severaluseful branches of the mathematics. And indeed this voyage made me botha sailor and a merchant; for I brought home five pounds nine ounces ofgold-dust for my adventure which produced, at my return to London,almost three hundred pounds. But in this voyage I was extremely sick,being thrown into a violent calenture through the excessive heat,trading upon the coast from the latitude of fifteen degrees north, evento the line itself.

  But alas! my dear friend the captain soon departed this life after hisarrival. This was a sensible grief to me; yet I resolved to go anotherwith his mate, who had now got command of the ship. This proved a veryunsuccessful one; for though I did not carry quite a hundred pounds ofmy late acquired wealth, (so that I had two hundred pounds left, which Ireposed with the captain's widow, who was an honest gentlewoman) yet mymisfortunes in this unhappy voyage were very great. For our ship sailingtowards the Canary islands, we were chased by a Salee rover; and inspite of all the haste we could make by crowding as much canvas as ouryards could spread, or our masts carry, the pirate gained upon us, tothat we prepared ourselves to fight. They had eighteen guns, and we hadbut twelve. About three in the afternoon there was a desperateengagement, wherein many were killed and wounded on both sides; butfinding ourselves overpowered with numbers, our ship disabled andourselves too impotent to have the least hopes of success, we wereforced to surrender; and accordingly were all carried prisoners into theport of Salee. Our men were sent to the Emperor's court to be soldthere, but the pirate captain taking notice of me, kept me to be hisown slave.

  In this condition, I thought myself the most miserable creature onearth, and the prophecy of my father came afresh into my thoughts.However, my condition was better than I thought it to be, as will soonappear. Some hopes indeed I had that my new patron would go to seaagain, where he might be taken by a Spanish or Portuguese man of war,and then I should be set at liberty. But in this I was mistaken; for henever took me with him, but left me to look after his little garden, anddo the drudgery of his house, and when he returned from sea, would make,me lie in the cabin, and look after the ship. I had no one that I couldcommunicate my thoughts to, which were continually meditating my escape;no Englishman, Irishman, or Scotchman here but myself; and for two yearsI could see nothing practicable, but only pleased myself with theimagination.

  After some length of time, my patron, as I found, grew; so poor that hecould not fit out his ship as usual; and then he used constantly, onceor twice a week, if the weather was fair, to go out a fishing, taking meand a young Moresco Boy to row the boat; and to much pleased was he withme for my dexterity in catching the fish, that he would often send mewith a Moor, who was one of his kinsemen, and the Moresco youth, tocatch a dish of fish for him.

  One morning, as we were at the sport, there arose such a thick fog thatwe lost sight of the shore; and rowing we knew not which way, welaboured all the night, and in the morning found ourselves in the ocean,two leagues from land. However, we attained there at length, and madethe greater haste, because our stomachs were exceedingly sharp andhungry. In order to prevent such disasters for the future, my patronordered a carpenter to build a little state room or cabin in the middleof the long-boat, with a place behind it to steer and hale home themain-sheet, with other conveniences to keep him from the weather, asalso lockers to put in all manner of provisions, with a handsomeshoulder of mutton sail, gibing over the cabin.

  In this he frequently took us out a fishing: and one time inviting twoor three persons of distinction to go with him, made provisionextraordinary, providing also three fusees with powder and shot, thatthey might have some sport at fowling along the sea-coast. The nextmorning the boat was made clean, her ancient and pendants on, and everything ready: but their minds altering, my patron ordered us to go afishing, for that his guests would certainly sup with him that night.

  And now I began to think of my deliverance indeed. In order to this Ipersuaded to Moor to get some provisions on board, as not daring tomeddle with our patron's: and he taking my advice, we stored ourselveswith rusk biscuit, and three jars of water. Besides, I privatelyconveyed into the boat a bottle or brandy, some twine, thread, a hammer,hatchet, and a saw; and, in particular, some bees wax, which was a greatcomfort to me, and served to make candles. I then persuaded Muley (forso was the Moor called) to procure some powder and shot, pretending tokill sea curlues, which he innocently and readily agreed to. In short,being provided with all things necessary, we sailed out, resolving formy own part to make my escape, though it should cost me my life.

  When we had passed the castle, we fell a fishing; but though I knewthere was a bite, I dissembled the matter, in order to put out furtherto sea. Accordingly we ran a league further; when giving the boy thehelm, and pretending to stoop for something, I seized Muley by surpriseand threw him overboard. As he was an excellent swimmer, he soon aroseand made towards the boat; upon which I took out a fusee, and presentedat him: "Muley" said I, "I never yet designed to do you any harm, andseek nothing now but my redemption. I know you are able enough to swimto shore, and save your life: but if you are resolved to follow me tothe endangering of mine, the very moment you proceed, I will shoot youthrough the head." The harmless creature at these words, turned himselffrom me, and I make no doubt got safe to land. Them turning to the boyXury, I perceived he trembled at the action: but I put him out of allfear, telling him, that if he would be true and faithful to me, I woulddo well by him. "And therefore," said I, "you must stroke your face tobe faithful: and, as the Turks have learned you, swear by Mahomet, andthe beard of your father, or else I will throw you into the sea also."So innocent did the child then look, and with such an obliging smileconsented, that I readily believed him, and from that day forward beganto love him entirely.

  We then pursued our voyage: and least they should think me gone to theStraits' mouth, I kept to the southward to the truly Barbarian coast;but in the dusk of the evening, I changed my course, and steeringdirectly S. and by E. that I might keep near the shore: and, having afresh gale of wind, with a pleasant smooth sea, by three o'clock nextday I was one hundred and fifty miles beyond the Emperor of Morocco'sdominions. Yet still having the dreadful apprehensions of being retaken,I continued sailing for five days successively, till such time as thewind shifting to the southward, mad
e me conclude, that if any vessel wasin the chase of me, they would proceed no farther. After so much fatigueand thought, I anchored at the mouth of a little river, I knew not whator where: neither did I then see, any people. What I principally wantedwas fresh water; and I was resolved about dusk to swim ashore. But nosooner did the gloomy clouds of night begin to succeed the decliningday, when we heard such barking, roaring, and howling of wild creatures,that one might have thought the very strongest monsters of nature, orinfernal spirits had their residence there. Poor Xury, almost dead withfear, entreated me not to go on shore that night. "Supposing I don't,Xury," said I, "and in the morning we should see men who are worse thanthose we fear, what then?" "O den we may give dem de shoot gun," repliedXury, laughing, "and de gun make dem all run away."

  The wit and broken English which the boy had learned among the captivesof our nation, pleased me entirely: and, to add to his cheerfulness Igave him a dram of the bottle: we could get but little sleep all thenight for those terrible howlings they made; and, indeed, we were bothvery much affrighted, when, by the rollings of the water, and othertokens, we justly concluded one of these monsters made towards our boat.I could not see till it came within two oars length, when taking myfusee, I let fly at him. Whether I hit him or no, I cannot tell; but hemade towards the shore, and the noise of my gun increased thestupendious noise of the monsters.

  The next morning I was resolved to go on shore to get fresh water, andventure my life among the beasts or savages should either attack me.Xury said, he would take one of the jars and bring me some. I asked himwhy he would go and not I? The poor boy answered, "If wild mans comethey eat me, you go away." A mind scarcely now to be imitated, socontrary to self-preservation, the most powerful law of Nature. Thisindeed increased my affection to the child. "Well, dear Xury," said I,we will both go ashore, both kill wild mans, and they "shall eat neitherof us." So giving Xury a piece of rusk-bread to eat, and a dram, wewaded ashore, carrying nothing with us but our arms, and two jars forwater. I did not go out of sight of the boat, as dreading the savagescoming down the river in their canoes; but the boy seeing a low descentor vale about a mile in the country, he wandered to it: and then runningback to me with great precipitation, I thought he was pursued by somesavage or wild beast; upon which I approached, resolving to perish orprotect him from danger. As he came nearer to me, I saw somethinghanging over his shoulders, which was a creature he had shot like ahare, but different in colour, and longer legs; however, we were glad ofit, for it proved wholesome, and nourishing meat: but what added to ourjoy was, my boy assured me there was plenty of water, and that he _seeno wild mans. _And greater still was our comfort when we found freshwater in the creek where we were when the tide was out, without going sofar up into the country.

  In this place I began to consider that the Canary and Cape de Verdeislands lay not for off: but having no instrument, I knew not whatlatitude, or when to stand off to sea for them; yet my hopes were, Ishould meet some of the English trading vessels, who would relieve andtake us in.

  The place I was in was no doubt that wild country, inhabited only by afew, that lies between the Emperor of Morocco's dominions and theNegroes. It is filled with wild beasts and the Moors use it for huntingchiefly.--From this place I thought I saw the top of the mountainTeneriff in the Canaries: which made me try twice to attain it: but asoften was I drove back, and so forced to pursue my fortune along shore.

  Early one morning we came to an anchor under a little point of land, butpretty high; and the tide beginning to flow, we lay ready to go furtherin--But Xury, whose youthful and penetrating eyes were sharper thenmine, in a soft tone, desired me to keep far from land, lest we shouldbe devoured, "For look yonder, mayter," said he, "and see de dreadfulmonster fast asleep on de side of de hill." Accordingly looking where hepointed, I espied a fearful monster indeed. It was a terrible great lionthat lay on shore, covered as it were by a shade of a piece of the hill."Xury," said I, "you shall go on shore and kill him." But the boy lookedamazed: "Me kill him!" says he, "he eat me at one mouth:" meaning onemouthful. Upon which I bid him lie still, and charging my biggest gunwith two slugs, and a good charge of powder, I took the best aim I couldto shoot him through the head, but his leg lying over his nose, the slugbroke his knee-bone. The lion awaking with the pain, got up, but soonfell down, giving the most hideous groan I ever heard: but taking mysecond piece, I shot him through the head, and then he lay strugglingfor life. Upon this Xury took heart and desired my leave to go on shore."Go then," said I. Upon which taking a little gun in one hand, he swamto shore with the other, and coming close to the lion, put a period tohis life, by shooting him again through the head.

  But this was spending our ammunition in vain, the flesh not being goodto eat. Xury was like a champion, and comes on board for a hatchet, tocut of the head of his enemy: but not having strength to perform it, hecut off and brought me a foot. I bethought me, however, that his skinwould be of use. This work cost Xury and me a whole day: when spreadingit on the top of our cabin, the hot beams of the sun effectually driedit in two days time, and it afterwards served me for a bed to lie on.

  And now we sailed southerly, living sparingly on our provisions, andwent no oftener on shore than we were obliged for fresh water. My designwas to make the river Gambia or Senegal, or any where about the Cape deVerde, in hopes to meet some European ship. If Providence did not sofavour me, my next course was to seek for the islands, or lose my lifeamong the Negroes. And in a word, I put my whole stress upon this,"Either that I must meet with some ship or certainly perish."

  One day as we were sailing along, we saw people stand on the shorelooking at us: we could also perceive they were black and stark naked. Iwas inclined to go on shore, but Xury cried, "No, no:" however, Iapproached nearer, and I found they run along the shore by me a goodway. They had no weapons in their hands, except one, who held a longstick, which Xury told me was a lance, with which they could kill at agreat distance. I talked to them by signs and made them sensible Iwanted something to eat: they beckoned to me to stop my boat, while twoof them ran up into the country, and in less than half an hour cameback, and brought with them two pieces of dried flesh, and some corn,which we kindly accepted; and to prevent any fears on either side, theybrought the food to the shore, laid it down, then went and stood a greatway off till we fetched it on board, and then came close to us again.

  But while we were returning thanks to them, being all we could afford,two mighty creatures came from the mountains: one as it were pursuingthe other with great fury, which we were the rather inclined to believeas they seldom appear but in the night: and both these swiftly passingby the Negroes, jumped into the sea, wantonly swimming about, as tho'the diversion of the waters had put a stop to their fierceness. At lastone of them coming nearer to my boat than I expected or desired, I shothim directly through the head; upon which he sunk immediately, and yetrising again, would have willingly made the shore: but between the woundand the strangling of the water, he died before he could reach it.

  It is impossible to express the consternation the poor Negroes were inat the firing of my gun; much less can I mention their surprise, whenthey perceived the creature to be slain by it. I made signs to them todraw near it with a rope, and then gave it them to hale on shore. It wasa beautiful leopard, which made me desire its skin: and the Negroesseeming to covet the carcase, I freely gave it to them. As for the otherleopard, it made to shore, and ran with prodigious swiftness out ofsight. The Negroes having kindly furnished me with water, and with whatroots and grains their country afforded, I took my leave, and, aftereleven days sail, came in sight of the Cape de Verde, and those islandscalled by its name. But the great distance I was from it, and fearingcontrary winds would prevent my reaching them, I began to growmelancholy and dejected, when, upon a sudden, Xury cried out, "Master!Master! a ship with a sail!" and looked as affrighted as if it was hismaster's ship sent in search of us. But I soon discovered she was aPortuguese ship, as I thought bound to the coast of Guinea for Neg
roes.Upon which I strove for life to come up to them. But vain had it been,if through their perspective glasses they had not perceived me andshortened their sail to let me come up. Encouraged at this, I set up mypatron's ancient, and fired a gun, both as signals of distress; uponwhich they very kindly lay to, so that in three hours time I came upwith them. They spoke to me in Portuguese, Spanish, and French, butneither of these did I understand; till at length a Scots sailor called,and then I told him I was an Englishman, who had escaped from the Moorsat Sallee: upon which they took me kindly on board, with all my effects.

  Surely none can express the inconceivable joy I felt at this happydeliverance! who from being a late miserable and forlorn creature wasnot only relieved, but in favour with the master of the ship, to whom,in return for my deliverance, I offered all I had. "God forbid," saidhe, "that I should take any thing from you. Every thing shall bedelivered to you when you come to Brazil. If I have saved your life itis no more than I should expect to receive myself from any other, whenin the same circumstances I should happen to meet the like deliverance.And should I take from you what you have, and leave you at Brazil, why,this would be only taking away a life I had given. My charity teaches mebetter. Those effects you have will support you there, and provide you apassage home again." And, indeed, he acted with the strictest justice inwhat he did, taking my things into his possession, and giving me anexact inventory, even to my earthen jars. He bought my boat of me forthe ship's use, giving me a note of eighty pieces of eight, payable atBrazil; and if any body offered more, he would make it up. He also gaveme 60 pieces for my boy Xury. It way with great reluctance I wasprevailed upon to sell the child's liberty, who had served me sofaithfully; but the boy was willing himself; and it was agreed, thatafter ten years he should be made free, upon his renouncingMahometanism, and embracing Christianity.

  Having a pleasant voyage to the Brazils, we arrived in the Bay de Todoslos Santos, or All Saints Bay, in twenty-two days after. And here Icannot forget the generous treatment of the captain. He would takenothing for my passage, gave me twenty ducats for the leopard's skin,and thirty for the lion's. Every thing he caused to be delivered, andwhat I would sell he bought. In short I made about 220 pieces of mycargo; and with this stock I entered once more, as I may say into thescene of life.

  Being recommended to an honest planter, I lived with him till such timeas I was informed of the manner of their planting and making sugar; andseeing how well they lived, and how suddenly they grew rich, I wasfilled with a desire to settle among them, and resolved to get my moneyremitted to me, and to purchase a plantation.

  To be brief, I bought a settlement next door to an honest and kindneighbour, born at Lisbon, of English parents, whose plantation joiningto mine, we improved it very amicably together. Both our stocks werelow, and for two years we planted only for food: but the third year weplanted some tobacco, and each of us dressed a large piece of ground theensuing year for planting canes. But now I found how much I wantedassistance, and repented the loss of my dear boy Xury.

  Having none to assist me, my father's words came into my mind; and Iused to ask myself, if what I sought was only a middle station of life,why could it not as well be obtained in England as here? When I ponderedon this with regret, the thoughts of my late deliverance forsook me. Ihad none to converse with but my neighbour; no work to be done but by myown hands; it often made me say, my condition was like to that of a mancast upon a desolate island. So unhappy are we in our reflections, soforgetful of what good things we receive ourselves, and so unthankfulfor our deliverance from these calamities that others endure.

  I, was in some measure settled, before the captain who took me updeparted from the Brazils. One day I went to him, and told him whatstock I had in London, desiring his assistance in getting it remitted;to which the good gentleman readily consented, but would only have mesend for half my money, lest it should miscarry; which, if it did, Imight still have the remainder to support me: and so taking letters ofprocuration of me, bid me trouble myself no farther about it.

  And indeed wonderful was his kindness towards me; for he not onlyprocured the money I had drawn for upon my captain's widow, but sent meover a servant with a cargo proportionable to my condition. He also sentme over tools of all sorts, iron-work, and utensils necessary for myplantation, which proved to be of the greatest use to me in my business.

  Wealth now accumulating on me, and uncommon success crowning myprosperous labours, I might have rested happy in that middle state oflife my father had so often recommended, yet nothing would content me,such was my evil genius, but I must leave this happy station, for afoolish ambition in rising; and thus, once more, I cast myself into thegreatest gulph of misery that ever poor creature fell into. Having livedfour years in Brazil, I had net only learned the language, butcontracted acquaintance with the most eminent planters, and even themerchants of St. Salvadore; to whom, once, by way of discourse, havinggiven account of my two voyages to the coast of Guinea and the manner oftrading there for mere trifles, by which we furnish our plantations withNegroes, they gave such attention to what I said, that three of themcame one morning to me, and told me they had a secret proposal to make.After enjoining me to secrecy (it being an infringement on the powers ofthe Kings of Portugal and Spain) they told me they had a mind to fit outa ship to go to Guinea, in order to stock the plantation with Negroes,which as they could not be publicly sold, they would divide among them:and if I would go their supercargo in the ship, to manage the tradingpart, I should have ah equal share of the Negroes, without providing anystock. The thing indeed was fair enough, had I been in anothercondition. But I, born to be my own destroyer, could not resist theproposal, but accepted the offer upon condition of their looking aftermy plantation. So making a formal will, I bequeathed my effects to mygood friend the captain, as my universal heir; but obliged him todispose of my effects as directed, one half of the produce to himself,and the other to be shipped to England.

  The ship being fitted out, and all things ready, we set sail the firstof September, 1659, being the same day eight-years I left my father and,mother in Yorkshire. We sailed northward upon the coast, in order togain Africa, till we made Cape Augustine; from whence going farther intothe ocean, out of sight of land, we steered as though we were bound forthe isle Fernand de Norenba, leaving the islands on the east; and thenit was that we met with a terrible tempest, which continued for twelvedays successively, so that the wind carried us wheresoever they pleased.In this perplexity one of our men died, and one man and a boy werewashed overboard. When the weather cleared up a little, we foundourselves eleven degrees north latitude, upon the coast of Guinea. Uponthis the captain gave reasons for returning; which I opposed,counselling him to stand away for Barbadoes, which as I supposed, mightbe attained in fifteen days. So altering our course, we sailednorth-west and by west, in order to reach the Leeward Islands; but asecond storm succeeding, drove us to the westward; so that we werejustly afraid of falling into the hands of cruel savages, or the paws ofdevouring beasts of prey.

  In this great distress, one of our men, early in the morning cried out,_Land, land!_ which he had no sooner cried out, but our ship struck upona sand bank, and in a moment the sea broke over her in such a mannerthat we expected we should all have perished immediately. We knewnothing where we were, or upon what land we were driven; whether anisland or the main, inhabited or not inhabited; and we could not so muchas hope that the ship would hold out many minutes, without breaking inpieces, except the wind by a miracle should turn about immediately.While we stood looking at one another, expecting death every moment, themate lay a hold of the boat, and with the help of the rest got her flungover the ship's side, and getting all into her, being eleven of us,committed ourselves to God's mercy and the wild sea. And now we saw thatthis last effort would not be a sufficient protection from death; sohigh did the sea rise, that it was impossible the boat should live. Asto making sail, we had none; neither if we had, could we make use ofany. So that when we had rowed, or rather
were driven about a league anda half, a raging wave, like a lofty mountain, came rolling astern of us,and took us with such fury, that at once it overset the boat. Thus beingswallowed up in a moment, we had hardly time to call upon the tremendousname of God; much less to implore, in dying ejaculations, his infinitemercy to receive our departing souls.

  Men are generally counted insensible, when struggling in the pangs ofdeath; but while I was overwhelmed with water, I had the most dreadfulapprehensions imaginable. For the joys of heaven and the torments ofhell, seemed to present themselves before me in these dying agonies, andeven small space of time, as it were, between life and death. I wasgoing I thought I knew not whither, into a dismal gulf unknown, and asyet unperceived, never to behold my friends, nor the light of this worldany more! Could I even have thought of annihilation, or a totaldissolution of soul as well as body, the gloomy thoughts of having nofurther being, no knowledge of what we hoped for, but an eternal_quietus_, without life or sense: even that, I say, would have beenenough to strike me with horror and confusion! I strove, however, to thelast extremity, while all my companions were overpowered and entombed inthe deep: and it was with great difficulty I kept my breath till thewave spent itself, and retiring back, left me on the shore half deadwith the water I had taken in. As soon as I got on my feet, I ran asfast as I could, lest another wave should pursue me, and carry me backagain. But for all the haste I made, I could not avoid it: for the seacame after me like a high mountain, or furious enemy; so that mybusiness was to hold my breath, and by raising myself on the water,preserve it by swimming. The next dreadful wave buried me at once twentyor thirty feet deep, but at the same time carried me with a mighty forceand swiftness toward the shore: when raising myself, I held out as wellas possible, till at length the water having spent itself, began toreturn, at which I struck forward, and feeling ground with my feet, Itook to my heels again. Thus being served twice more, I was at lengthdashed against a piece of a rock, in such a manner as left me senseless;but recovering a little before the return of the wave, which, no doubt,would then have overwhelmed me, I held fast by the rock till thosesucceeding waves abated; and then fetching another run, was overtaken bya small wave, which was soon conquered. But before any more couldovertake me, I reached the main land, where clambering up the cliffs ofthe shore, tired and almost spent I sat down on the grass, free from thedangers of the foaming ocean.

  No tongue can express the ecstasies and transports that my soul felt atthe happy deliverance. It was like a reprieve to a dying malefactor,with a halter about his neck, and ready to be turned off. I was wrapt upin contemplation and often lifted up my hands, with the profoundesthumility, to the Divine Powers, for saving, my life, when the rest of mycompanions were all drowned. And now I began to cast my eyes around, tobehold what place I was in and what I had next to do. I could see nohouse nor people; I was wet, yet had no clothes to shift me; hungry andthirsty, yet had nothing to eat or drink; no weapon to destroy anycreature for my sustenance; nor defend myself against devouring beasts;in short, I had nothing but a knife, a tobacco pipe, and a box halffilled with tobacco. The darksome night coming on upon me, increased myfears of being devoured by wild creatures; my mind was plunged indespair, and having no prospect, as I thought, of life before me, Iprepared for another kind of death then what I had lately escaped. Iwalked about a furlong to see if I could find any fresh water, which Idid, to my great joy: and taking a quid of tobacco to prevent hunger, Igot up into a thick bushy tree, and seating myself so that I could notfall, a deep sleep overtook me, and for that night buried my sorrows ina quiet repose.

  It was broad day the next morning before I awaked; when I not onlyperceived the tempest was ceased, but law the ship driven almost as faras the rock before-mentioned, which the waves had dashed me against, andwhich was about a mile from the place where I was. When I came down frommy apartment in the tree, I perceived the ship's boat two miles distanton my right-hand, lying on shore, as the waves had cast her. I thoughtto have got to her; but there being an inlet of water of about half amile's breadth between it and me, I returned again towards the ship, ashoping to find something for my more immediate subsistence. About noon,when the sea was calm, that I could come within a quarter of a mile ofher, it was to my grief I perceived, that, if we had kept on board allour lives had been saved. These thoughts, and my solitude drew tearsfrom my eyes, though all in vain. So resolving to get to the ship, Istripped and leapt into the water, when swimming round her, I was afraidI should not get any thing to lay hold of; but it was my good fortune toespy a small piece of rope hang down by the fore chains, so low that, bythe help of it, though with great difficulty, I got into the forecastleof the ship. Here I found that the ship was bulged, and had a great dealof water in her hold: her stern was lifted up against a bank, and herhead almost to the water. All her quarter and what was there, was freeand dry. The provisions I found in good order, with which I crammed mypockets, and losing no time, ate while I was doing other things: I alsofound some rum, of which I took a hearty dram: and now I wanted fornothing except a boat, which indeed was all, to carry away what wasneedful for me.

  Necessity occasions quickness of thought. We had several spare yards, aspare topmast or two, and two or three large spars of wood. With these Ifell to work, and flung as many of them overboard as I could manage,tying every one of them with a rope, that they might not drive away.This done, I went down to the ship's side, and tyed four of them fasttogether at both ends, in form of a raft, and laying two or three shortpieces of plank upon them crosswise, I found it would bear me, but notany considerable weight. Upon which I went to work again, cutting aspare topmast into three lengths, adding them to my raft with a greatdeal of labour and pains. I then considered what I should load it with,it being not able to bear a ponderous burden. And this I soon thoughtof, first laying upon it all the planks and boards I could get; next Ilowered down three of the seamen's chests, after I had filled them withbread, rice, three Dutch cheeses, five pieces of dried goat's flesh, andsome European corn, what little the rats had spared: and for liquors, Ifound several cases of bottles belonging to our skipper, in which weresome cordial waters, and four or five gallons of rack, which I stowed bythemselves. By this time the tide beginning to flow, I perceived mycoat, waistcoat, and shirt, swim away, which I had left on the shore; asfor my linen breeches and stockings, I swam with them to the ship; but Isoon found clothes enough, though I took no more than I wanted for thepresent. My eyes were chiefly on tools to work with; and after a longsearch, I found out the carpenter's chest, which I got safe down on myraft. I then looked for arms and ammunition, and in the great cabinfound two good fowling pieces, two pistols, several powder horns filled,a small bag of shot, and two old rusty swords. I likewise found threebarrels of powder, two of which were good, but the third had takenwater, also two or three broken oars, two saws, an ax, and a hammer. Ithen put to sea, and in getting to shore had three encouragements. 1. Asmooth calm sea. 2. The tide rising and letting in to shore. 3. Thelittle wind there was blew towards the land. After I had sailed about amile, I found the raft to drive a little distance from the place where Ifirst landed; and then I perceived a little opening of the land, with astrong current of the tide running into it: upon which I kept the middleof the stream. But great was my concern, when on a sudden the fore partof my raft ran a ground, so that had I not, with great difficulty, fornear half an hour, kept my back straining against the chests to keep myeffects in their places, all I had would have gone into the sea. Butafter some time, the rising of the water caused the raft to float again,and coming up a little river with land on both sides, I landed in alittle cove, as near the mouth as possible, the better to discover asail, if any such providentially passed that way.

  Not far off, I espied a hill of stupendous height, surounded with lesserhills about it, and thither I was resolved to go and view the countrythat I might see what part was best, to fix my habitation. Accordingly,arming myself with a pistol a fowling piece, powder and ball, I ascendedthe mountai
n. There I perceived I was in an island, encompassed by thesea; no distant lands to be seen but scattering rocks that lay to thewest: that it seemed to be a barren place, and, as I thought, inhabitedonly by wild beasts. I perceived abundance of fowls, but ignorant ofwhat kind, or whether good for nourishment; I shot one of them at myreturn, which occasioned a confused screaming among the other birds, andI found it, by its colours and beak, to be a kind of a hawk, but itsflesh was perfect carrion.

  When I came to my raft, I brought my effects on shore, which work spentthat day entirely; and fearing that some cruel beasts might devour me inthe night time while I slept, I made a kind of hut or barricade with thechests and boards I had brought onshore. That night I slept verycomfortably; and the next morning my thoughts were employed to make afurther attempt on the ship, and bring away what necessaries I couldfind, before another storm should break her to pieces. Accordingly I goton board as before, and prepared a second raft far more nice then thefirst, upon which I brought away the carpenter's stores, two or threebags full of nails, a great jack-screw, a dozen or two of hatchets, anda grind-stone. I also took away several things that belonged to thegunner, particularly two or three iron crows, two barels ofmusket-bullets, another fowling-piece, a small quantity of powder, and alarge bagful of small shot. Besides these, I took all the men's clothesI could find, a spare fore topsail, a hammock, and some bedding; andthus completing my second cargo, I made all the haste to shore I could,fearing some wild beast might destroy what I had there already. But Ionly found a little wild cat sitting on one of the chests, which seemingnot to fear me or the gun that I presented at her, I threw her a pieceof biscuit, which she instantly ate, and departed.

  When I had gotten these effects on shore, I went to work in order tomake me a little tent with the sail and some poles which I had cut forthat purpose; and having finished it, what things might be damaged bythe weather I brought in, piling all the empty chests and calks in acircle, the better to fortify it against any sudden attempt of man orbeast. After this, I blocked up the doors with some boards, and an emptychest, turned the long way out. I then charged my gun and pistol, andlaying my bed on the ground, slept as comfortably, till next morning, asthough I had been in a christian country.

  Now, though I had enough to subsist me a long time, yet despairing of asudden deliverance, or that both ammunition and provision might be spentbefore such a thing happened, I coveted as much as I could; and so longas the ship remained in that condition, I daily brought away onenecessary or other; particularly the rigging, sails, and cordage, sometwine, a barrel of wet powder, some sugar, a barrel of meal, 3 calks ofrum, &, what indeed was most welcome to me, a whole hogshead of bread.

  The next time I went I cut the cables in pieces, carried off a hawserwhole, with a great deal of iron work, and made another raft with themizen and sprit-sail-yard; but this being so unwieldy, by the too heavyburden I had upon it, and not being able so dextrously to guide it, asthe former, both my cargo and I were overturned. For my part, all thedamage I sustained was a wet skin; and, at low water, after much labourin diving, I got most of the cables, and some pieces of iron.

  Thirteen days I had now been in the island, and eleven times on board,bringing away all that was possible, and, I believe, had the weatherbeen calm, I should have brought away the whole ship piece by piece. AsI was going the twelfth time, the wind began to rise; however, Iventured at low water, and rummaging the cabin, in a locker I foundseveral razors, scissors, and some dozens of knives and forks; and inanother thirty-six pounds in pieces of eight, silver and gold. _Ah!simple vanity_ said I _whom this world so much dotes on, where is nowthy virtue, thy excellency to me? You cannot procure me one thingneedful, nor remove me from this desolate island to a place of plenty.One of these knives, so meanly esteemed, is to me more preferable thanall this heap. E'en therefore remain where thou art to sink in the deepas unregarded, even as a creature whose life is not worth preserving._Yet, after all this exclamation, I wrapt it up in a piece of canvas,and began to think of making another raft, but I soon perceived the windbegan to arise, a fresh gale blowing from the shore, and the skyovercast with clouds and darkness; so thinking a a raft to be in yaw, Ilet myself into the water with what things I had about me, and it waswith much difficulty I got ashore, when soon after it blew afearful storm.

  That night I slept very contentedly in my little tent, surrounded withall my effects; but when I looked out in the morning no more ship was tobe seen. This much surprised me for the present; yet, when I consideredI had lost no time, abated no pains and had got every thing useful outof her, I comforted myself in the best manner, and entirely submitted tothe will of Providence.

  My next thoughts were, how I should defend and secure myself fromsavages and wild beasts, if any such were in the island. At one time Ithought of digging a cave, at another I was for erecting a tent; and, atlength, I resolved to do both: The manner or form of which will not, Ihope, be unpleasing to describe.

  When I considered the ground where I was, that it was moorish, and hadno fresh water near it, my resolutions were to search for a soil healthyand well watered, where I might not only be sheltered from the sun'sscorching heat, but be more conveniently situated, as well to be securedfrom wild men and beasts of prey, as more easily to discover any distantsail, should it ever happen.

  And, indeed, it was not long before I had my desire. I found a littleplain near a rising hill, the front towards which being as steep as ahouse side, nothing could descend on me from the top. On the side ofthis rock, was a little hollow place, resembling the entrance or door ofa cave. Just before this place; on the circle of the green, I resolvedmy tent should stand. This plain did not much exceed a hundred yardsbroad, and about twice as long, like a delightful green, before my door,with a pleasing, though an irregular descent every way to the lowgrounds by the sea-side, lying on the N. W. side of the hill, so that itwas sheltered from the excessive heat of the sun. After this, I drew asemi-circle, containing ten yards in a semi-diameter, and twenty yardsin the whole, driving down two rows; of strong stakes, not 6 inches fromeach other. Then with the pieces of cable which I had cut on board, Iregularly laid them in a circle between the piles up to their tops,which were more than five feet out of the earth, and after drove anotherrow of piles looking within side against them, between two or three feethigh, which made me conclude it a little impregnable castle against menand beasts. And for my better security I would have no door, but enteredin and came out by the help of a ladder, which I also made.

  Robinson Crusoe building his castle. _Dr. & Eng. by A.Carse, Edin._]

  Here was my fence and fortress, into which I carried all my riches,ammunition, and stores. After which, working on the rock, what with dirtand stones I dug out, I not only raised my ground two feet, but made alittle cellar to my mansion-house; and this cost me many days labour andpains. One day in particular a shower of rain falling, thunder andlighting ensued, which put me in terror lest my powder should take fire,and not only hinder my necessary subsistence, by killing me food, buteven blow up me and my habitation. To prevent which, I fell to makingboxes and bags, in order to separate it, having by me near 150lb.weight. And thus being established as king of the island, every day Iwent out with my gun to see what I could kill that was fit to eat. Isoon perceived numbers of goats but very shy, yet having watched themnarrowly, and seeing I could better shoot off the rocks than when in thelow grounds, I happened to shoot a she-goat suckling a young kid; whichnot thinking its dam slain, stood by her unconcerned; and when I tookthe dead creature up, the young one followed me even to the inclosure. Ilifted the kid over the pales, and would willingly have kept it alive;but finding it could not be brought to eat, I was forced to slay it alsofor my subsistence.

  Thus entered into as strange a scene of life as ever any man was in, Ihad most melancholy apprehensions concerning my deplorable condition:and many times the tears would plentifully run down my face, when Iconsidered how I was debarred from all communications with human kind.Yet while t
hese disponding cogitations would seem to make me accuseProvidence, other good thoughts would interpose and reprove me afterthis manner: Well, supposing you are desolate, it is not better to be sothan totally perish? Why, were you singled out to be saved and the restdestroyed? Why should you complain, when not only your life ispreserved, but the ship driven into your reach, in order to take whatwas necessary out of her for your subsistence? But to proceed, it was,by the account I kept, the 30th of September, when I first landed onthis island. About twelve days after, fearing lest I should lose myreckoning of time, nay, even forget the Sabbath days, for want of pen,ink, and paper, I carved with a knife upon a large post, in greatletters; and set it up: in the similitude of a cross, on the seashorewhere I landed, I CAME ON SHORE, _Sept._ 30 1659. Every day I cut anotch with my knife on the sides of the square post, and this on theSabbath was as long again as the rest; and every first day of the monthas long again as that long one. In this manner I kept my calendar,weekly, monthly or yearly reckoning of time. But had I made a morestrict search (as afterwards I did) I needed not have set up this mark;for among the parcels belonging to the gunner, carpenter, and captain'smate, I found those very things I wanted; particularly pens, ink, andpaper. So I found two or three compasses, some mathematicalinstruments, dials, perspective glasses, books of navigation, threeEnglish Bibles, and several other good books, which I carefully putup.--Here I cannot but call to mind our having a dog and two cats onboard, whom I made inhabitants with me in my castle. Though one mightthink I had all the necessities that were desirable, yet still I foundseveral things wanting. My ink was daily wasting; I wanted needles,pins, and thread to mend or keep my clothes together; and particularly aspade, pickax, or shovel, to remove the earth. It was a year before Ifinished my little bulwark; and having some intervals of relaxation,after my daily wandering abroad for provision, I drew up this plan,alternately, as creditor and debtor, to remind me of the miseries andblessings of my life, under so many various circumstances.

  E V I L

  I am cast upon a desolate island, having no hopes, no prospects of awelcome deliverance.

  Thus miserably am I singled out from the enjoyment or company of allmankind.

  Like an hermit (rather should I say a lonely anchorite) am I forced fromhuman conversation.

  My clothes after some time will be worn out; and then I shall have noneto cover me.

  When my ammunition is wasted, then shall I remain without any defenceagainst wild men and beasts.

  I have no creature, no soul to speak to; none to beg assistance from.Some comfort would it be to resound my woes where I am understood, andbeg assistance where I might hope for relief.

  GOOD

  But yet I am preserved, while my companions are perished in the ragingocean.

  Yet set apart to be spared from death. And he, who has so preserved me,can deliver me from this condition.

  However, I have food to eat, and even a happy prospect of subsistencewhile life endures.

  At present I enjoy what is absolutely needful; and the climate is sohot, that had I never so many, I would hardly wear them.

  Yet if it does, I see no danger of any hurt to me, as in Africa; Andwhat if I had been cast away, upon that coast.

  Is there not God to converse to, and is not he able to relieve thee?Already has he afforded thee sustenance, and put it in thy power toprovide for thyself till he sends thee a deliverance.

  And now easing my mind a little by these reflections, I began to rendermy life as easy as possible.

  I must here add, to the description I have given of my habitation, thathaving raised a turf wall against the outside of it, I thatched it soclose as might keep it from the inclemency of the weather; I alsoimproved it within, enlarged my cave, and made a passage and door in therock, which came out beyond the pale of my fortification. I nextproceeded to make a chair and a table, and so began to study suchmechanical arts as seemed to me practicable. When I wanted a plank orboard I hewed down a tree with my hatchet, making it as thin with my axas possible, and then smooth enough with an adz to answer my designs:yet though I could make no more this way than one board out of a tree,in length of time I got boards enough to shelter all my stores, everything being regularly placed, and my guns securely hanging against theside of the rock. This made it a very pleasant sight to me, as being theresult of vast labour and diligence; which leaving for a while, and meto the enjoyment of it, I shall give the reader an account of my Journalfrom the day of my landing, till the fixing and settling of myhabitation, as heretofore shown.

  * * * * *

  JOURNAL.

  _September 30, 1659_. I unhappy Robinson Crusoe, having sufferedshipwreck, was driven on this desolate island, which I named the_Desolate Island of Despair_, my companions being swallowed up in thetempestous ocean. The next day I spent in consideration of my unhappycircumstances, having no prospect but of death, either to be starvedwith hunger, or devoured with beasts or merciless savages.

  _Oct. 1_. That morning, with great comfort, I beheld the ship droveashore. Some hopes I had, that when the storm was abated I might be ableto get some food and necessaries out of her, which I conceived were notdamaged, because the ship did stand upright. At this time I lamented theloss of my companions, and our misfortune in leaving the vessel. When Iperceived the ship as it were lay dry, I waded through the sands, thenswam aboard, the weather being very rainy, and with scarcely any wind.

  To the 14th of this month, my time was employed in making voyages, everytide getting what I could out of the ship. The weather very wet anduncertain.

  _Oct. 20_. My raft and all the goods thereon were overset: yet Irecovered most again at low water.

  _Oct. 25_. It blew hard, and rained night and day, when the ship went inpieces, so that nothing was seen of her but the wreck at low water. Thisday I secured my goods from the inclemency of the weather.

  _Oct. 26_. I wandered to see where I could find a place convenient formy abode. I fixed upon a rock in the evening, marked out a half-moon,intending to erect a wall, fortified with piles, lined within withpieces of cables, and covered with turf.

  _Nov. 1_. I erected my tent under a rock, and took up my lodgings verycontentedly in a hammock that night.

  _Nov._ 2. This day I fenced myself in with timber, chests, and boards.

  _Nov._ 3. I shot two wild fowl, resembling ducks, which were good toeat, and in the afternoon made me a table.

  _Nov._ 4. I began to live regularly. In the morning I allowed myself twoor three hours to walk out with my gun; I then worked till near eleveno'clock, and afterwards refreshed myself, with what I had to eat. Fromtwelve to two I would lie down to sleep. Extremely sultry weather. Inthe evening go to work again.

  _Nov._ 5. Went out with my gun and dog, shot a wild ca with a soft skin,but her flesh was good for nothing. The skins of those I killed, Ipreserved. In my return, I perceived many wild birds, and was terrifiedby some seals which made off to sea.

  _Nov._ 6. Completed my table.

  _Nov._ 7. Fair weather. I worked till the 12th, but omitted the 11th,which, according to my calculation, I supposed to be Sunday.

  _Nov._ 13. Rain in abundance, which, however, much cooled the air; withthunder and lightening, caused in me a terrible surprise. The weatherclearing, I secured my powder in separate parcels.

  _Nov._ 14--16. I made little boxes for my powder, lodging them inseveral places. I also shot a large fowl, which proved excellent meat.

  _Nov._ 17. I began to dig in the rock, yet was obliged to desist forwant of a pickax, shovel, and wheel-barrow. Iron crows I caused tosupply the place of the first; but with all my art I could not make awheel-barrow.

  _Nov._ 18. It was my fortune to find a tree, resembling what Brazilianscall an iron tree. I had like to have spoiled my ax with cutting it,being very hard and exceedingly heavy; yet with much labour & industry,I made a sort of a spade out of it.

  _Nov._ 21. These tools being made, I daily carried on my business;eighteen days I all
owed for enlarging my cave, that it might serve me,not only for a warehouse, but kitchen, parlour, and cellar. I commonlylay in the tent, unless the weather was rainy that I could not lie dry.So wet would it be at certain seasons, that I was obliged to cover allwithin the pale with long poles, in the form of rafters, leaning againstthe rock, and loaded them with flags and large leaves of trees,resembling a thatch.

  _Dec._ 10. No sooner did I think my habitation finished, but suddenly agreat deal of the top broke in, so that it was a mercy I was not buriedin the ruins. This occasioned a great deal of pains and trouble to me,before I could make it firm and durable.

  _Dec_ 17. I nailed up some shelves and drove nails and staples in thewall and posts to hang things out of the way.

  _Dec_ 20. Every thing I got into its place, then made a sort of adresser, and another table.

  _Dec._ 24. 25. Rain in abundance.

  _Dec._ 26. Very fair weather.

  _Dec._ 27. I chanced to light on some goats, shot one and woundedanother. I led it home in a string, bound up its leg, and cured it in alittle time; at length it became so tame and familiar as to feed beforethe door, and follow me where I pleased. This put me in mind to bring uptame creatures, in order to supply me with food after my ammunitionwas spent.

  _Dec._ 28, 29, 30. The weather being excessively hot, with little air,obliged me for the most part, to keep within doors.

  _Jan_ 1. Still sultry, however, obliged by necessity, I went out with mygun, and found a great store of goats in the valleys; they wereexceedingly shy, nor could my dog hunt them down.

  _Jan._ 3 to 14. My employment this time was to finish the wall beforedescribed, and search the island. I discovered a kind of pigeons likeour house-pigeons in a nest among the rocks. I brought them home, nursedthem till they could fly, and then they left me. After this, I shotsome, which proved excellent food. Some time I spent vainly incontriving to make a cask; I may well say it was vain, because I couldneither joint the staves; nor fix the heads, so as to make it tight: So,leaving that, took some goat's tallow I had about me, and a little okumfor the wick, and provided myself with a lamp, which served me insteadof candles.

  But now a very strange event happened. For being in the height of mysearch, what should come into my hand, but a bag, which was used to holdcorn (as I supposed) for the fowls; so immediately resolving to putgunpowder in it, I shook all the hulks and dirt upon one side of therock, little expecting what the consequences would be. The rain hadfallen plentifully a few days before; and about a month after, to mygreat amazement something began to lock out very green and flourishing;and when I came to view it more nicely, every day as it grew, I foundabout ten or twelve ears of green barley appeared in the very same shapeand make as that in England.

  I can scarce express the agitations of my mind at this sight. Hitherto Ihad looked upon the actions of this life no otherwise than only as theevents of blind chance and fortune. But now the appearance of thisbarley, flourishing in a barren soil, and my ignorance in not conceivinghow it should come there, made me conclude _that miracles were not yetceased:_ nay, I even thought that God had appointed it to grow therewithout any seed, purely for my sustenance in this miserable anddesolate island. And indeed such great effect this had upon me, that itoften made me melt into tears, through a grateful sense of God'smercies; and the greater still was my thankfulness, when I perceivedabout this little field of barley some rice stalks, also wonderfullyflourishing.

  While thus pleased in mind, I concluded there must be more corn in theisland; and therefore made a diligent search narrowly among the rocks;but not being able to find any, on a sudden it came into my mind, how Ihad shaken the husks of corn out of the bag, and then my admirationceased, with my gratitude to the Divine Being, _as thinking it was butnatural_, and not to be conceived a miracle; though even the manner ofits preservation might have made me own it as a wonderful event of God'skind providence.

  It was about the latter end of June when the ears of this corn ripened,which I laid up very carefully together with 20 or 30 stalks of rice,expecting one day I should reap the fruit of my labour; yet four yearswere expired before I could allow myself to eat any barley-bread, andmuch longer time before I had any rice. After this, with indefatigablepains and industry for three or four months, at last I finished my wallon the 14th, of April, having no way to go into it, but by ladderagainst the wall.

  _April_ 16. I finished my ladder, and ascended it; afterwards pulled itup, then let it down on the other side, and descended into my newhabitation, where I had space enough, and so fortified that nothingcould attack me, without scaling the walls.

  But what does all human pains and industry avail, if the blessing of Goddoes not crown our labours? Or who can stand before the Almighty, whenhe stretcheth forth his arm? For one time as I was at the entrance of mycave, there happened such a dreadful earthquake, that not only the roofof the cave came rumbling about my ears, but the posts seemed to crackterribly at the same time. This put me in great amazement; and runningto the ladder, and getting over the wall, I then plainly knew it was anearthquake, the place I stood on sustaining three terrible shocks inless than three minutes. But judge of my terror when I saw the top of agreat rock roll into the sea; I then expected the island would beswallowed up every moment: And what made the scene still more dreadful,was to see the sea thrown into the most violent agitations and disordersby this tremendous accident.

  For my part I stood like a criminal at the place of execution ready toexpire. At the moving of the earth, I was, as it were, sea-sick; andvery much afraid lest the rock, under which was my fence and habitation,should overwhelm it and myself in a lasting tomb.

  When the third dreadful shock had spent itself, my spirits began torevive; yet still I would not venture to ascend the ladder, butcontinued fitting, not knowing what I should do. So little grace had Ithen, as only to say _Lord have mercy upon me!_ and no sooner was theearthquake over, but that pathetic prayer left me.

  It was not long after, when a horrible tempest arose, at the same timeattended with a huricane of wind. The sea seemed mountains high, and thewaves rolled so impetously, that nothing could be perceived but frothand foam. Three hours did this storm continue, and in so violent amanner, as to tear the very trees up by the roots, which was succeededby abundance of rain. When the tempest was over I went to my tent: butthe rain coming on in a furious manner, I was obliged to take shelter inthe cave, where I was forced to cut a channel through my fortificationto let the water out. It continued raining all that night, and some timethe next day. These accidents made me resolve, as soon as the weathercleared up, to build me a little hut in some open place, walled round todefend me from wild creatures and savages; not doubting but at the nextearthquake, the mountain would fall upon my habitation and me, andswallow up all in its bowels.

  _April_ 16--20. These days I spent in contriving how and in what mannerI should fix my place of abode. All this while I was under the mostdreadful apprehensions. When I looked round my habitation, every thing Ifound in its proper place. I had several resolutions whether I shouldmove or not; but at length resolved to stay where I was, till I foundout a convenient place where I might pitch my tent.

  _April_ 22. When I began to put my resolutions in practice, I was stoptfor want of tools and instruments to work with. Most of my axes andhatchets were useless, occasioned by cutting the hard timber that grewon the island. It took me up a full week to make my grind-stone of useto me, and at last I found out a way to turn it about with my foot, byhelp of a wheel and a string.

  _April_ 28--29. These days were spent in grinding my tools.

  _April_ 30. My bread falling short, I allowed myself but one biscuit aday.

  _May_ 1. As I walked along the sea shore I found a barrel of gunpowder,and several pieces of the wreck, the sea had flung up. Having securedthose, I made to the ship, whose stern was torn off, and washed a greatdistance ashore; but the rest lay in the sands. This I suppose wasoccasioned by the earthquake. I now resolved to keep my old place o
fabode; and also to go to the ship that day, but then found itimpossible.

  _May_ 3. This day I went on board, and with my saw sawed off one of thebeams, which kept her quarter-deck. I then cleared the sand till flood.

  _May_ 4. I caught some fish, but they were not wholesome, The same day Ialso catched a young dolphin.

  _May 5._ 'This day I also repaired to the wreck, and sawed anotherpiece of timber, and when the flood came, I made a float of three greatplanks, which were driven ashore by the tide.

  _May 6, 7, 8, 9._ These days I brought off the iron bolts, opened thedeck with the iron crow, and carried two planks to land, having made away into the very middle of the wreck.

  _May 10, 11, 12, 13, 14._ All this time I spent in bringing off greatquantities of iron and timber.

  _May 15._ Took with me two hatchets on purpose to cut off some lead fromthe roll, but all in vain, for it lay too low under water.

  _May 16._ I omitted going to the wreck this day, for employing myself inlooking for pigeons, I outstaid my time.

  _May 17._ I perceived several pieces of the wreck driven ashore, which Ifound belonged to the head of the ship.

  _May 24._ To this day I worked on the wreck, and with great difficultyloosened some things so much with the crow, that at the first flowingtide several casks floated out, and many of the seamen's chests, yetthat day nothing came to land but pieces of timber, and a hogshead whichhad some Brazil pork in it. I continued working to the 15th of June;(except necessary times for food and rest) and had I known how to havebuilt a boat, I had timber and planks enough; I had also near 100 weightof sheet lead.

  _June 16._ As I was wandering towards the sea-side, I found a largetortoise or turtle, being the first I had seen on the island, though, asI afterwards found, there were many on the other side of it.

  _June 17._ This day I spent in cooking it, found in her threescore eggs,and her flesh the most savoury and pleasant I ever tasted in my life.

  _June 18._ I staid within this day, there being a continual rain; and itwas somewhat more chilly and cold than usual.

  _June 19._ Exceedingly bad, being taken with a trembling and shivering.

  _June 20._ Awake all night, my head racked with pain and feverish.

  _June 21._ Sick unto death, and terrified with the dismal apprehensionsof my condition. Prayed to God more frequently, but very confusedly.

  _June 22._ Something better, but still uneasy in my mind.

  _June 23._ Again relapsed much as before.

  _June 24._ Mended a second time.

  _June 25._ A violent ague for seven hours, cold and hot fits succeededwith faint sweats.

  _June 26._ Better, but very weak, yet I scrambled out, shot a she-goat,brought it home and broiled some of it; I would willingly have stewedit, and made some broth, but had no pod.

  _June 27_ All this day I was afflicted with an ague; thirsty, yet Icould not help myself to water: Prayed to God in these words: _Lord, inpity look upon me: Lord, have mercy upon me: have mercy upon me!_ Afterthis I fell asleep, which I found had much refreshed me when I awaked. Ifell fast asleep a second time, and fell into this strange and terriblesort of dream.

  Methought I was sitting on the same spot of ground at the outside of thewall where I sat when the storm blew after the earthquake; and that Isaw a man descending from a great black cloud, and alight upon theground. He was all over as bright as a flash of fire that a littlebefore surrounded him; his countenance inconceivably terrible; the earthas it were trembled when he stept upon the ground, and flashes of fireseemed to fill all the air. No sooner I thought him landed upon theearth, but with a long spear, or other weapon, he made towards me; butfirst ascending a rising ground, his voice added to my amazement, when Ithought I heard him pronounce these dreadful words, _Unhappy wretch!seeing all these things have not brought thee to repentance, thou shaltimmediately die._ In pronouncing this dreadful sentence, I thought hewent to kill me with the spear that was in his hand.

  Any body may think it impossible for me to express the horrors of mymind at this vision: and even when I awaked, this very dream made a deepimpression upon my mind. The little divine knowledge I had, I receivedfrom my father's instructions, and that was worn out by an uninterruptedseries of sea-faring impiety for eight years space. Except what sicknessforced from me, I do not remember I had one thought of lifting up myheart towards God, but rather had a certain stupidity of soul, nothaving the least sense or fear of the Omnipotent Being when in distress,nor of gratitude to him for his deliverances. Nay, when I was on thedesperate expedition on the desert African shore, I cannot remember Ihad one thought of what would become of me, or to beg his consolationand assistance in my sufferings and distress. When the Portugal captaintook me up and honorably used me, nay, farther, when I was evendelivered from drowning by escaping to this island, I never looked uponit as a judgment, but only said I was an unfortunate dog, and that'sall. Indeed some secret transports of soul I had, which was not throughgrace but only a common flight of joy, that I was yet alive, when mycompanions were all drowned, and no other joy could I conceive but whatis common with the sailors over a bowl of punch, after they have escapedthe greatest dangers.

  The likelihood of wanting for neither food nor conveniences, might havecalled upon me for a thankful acknowledgment to Providence. Indeed, thegrowth of my corn touched with some sense, but that soon wore off again.The terrible earthquake pointed to me, as it were, the finger of God,but my dreadful amazement continued no longer than its duration. Butnow, when my spirits began to sink under the burden of a strongdistemper, and I could leisurely view the miseries of death presentthemselves before my eyes, then my awakened conscience began to reproachme with my past life, in which I had so wickedly provoked the justice ofGod to pour down his vengeance upon me.

  Such reflections as these oppressed me even in the violence ofdistemper. Some prayers I uttered, which only proceeded from the fear ofdeath. But when I considered my father's advice and prophecy, I couldnot forbear weeping; for he told me, _That if I did persist in my folly,I should not only be deprived of God's blessing, but have time enough toreflect upon my despising his instructions, and this, in a wretchedtime, when none could help me_. And now concluding it to be fulfilled,having no soul in the island to administer any comfort to me, I prayedearnestly to the Lord, that he would help me in this great calamity. Andthis, I think, was the first time I prayed in sincerity for many years.But now I must return to my journal.

  _June_ 28. Something refreshed with sleep, and the fit quite off, I gotup. My dream still occasioned in me a great consternation; and, fearingthat the ague might return the succeeding day, I concluded it time toget something to comfort me. I filled a case bottle with water, and setit within reach of my bed; and, to make it more nourishing and lesschilly, I put some rum in it. The next thing I did was to broil me apiece of goat's flesh, of which I ate but little. I was very weak;however, walked about, dreading the return of my distemper; and at nightI supped on three of the turtle's eggs, which I roasted and ate, beggingGod's blessing therewith.

  After I had eaten, I attempted to walk again out of doors with my gun;but was so weak, that I sat down, and looked at the sea, which wassmooth and calm. While I continued here, these thoughts came intomy mind.

  In what manner is the production of the earth and sea, of which I haveseen so much? From whence came myself, and all other creatures living,and of what are they made?

  Our beings were assuredly created by some almighty invisible Power, whoframed the earth the sea, and air, and all therein. But what isthat Power?

  Certainly it must follow that God has created it all. Yet, said I, ifGod has made all this he must be the Ruler of them all, and what isrelating thereto; for certainly the Power that makes, must indisputablyhave a power to guide and direct them. And if this be so, (as certainlyit must) nothing can happen without his knowledge and appointment. Then,surely, if nothing happens without God's appointment, certainly God hasappointed these my sufferings to befal me. And here I fix
ed my firmbelief that it was his will that it should be so; and then proceeded toenquire, why should God deal with me in this manner? Or what have I donethus to deserve his indignation.

  Here conscience flew in my face, reprehending me as a blasphemer; cryingwith a loud and piercing voice, _Unworthy wretch! how dare you ask whatyou have done? Look on your past life, and see what you have leftundone? Ask thyself, why thou wert not long ago in the merciless handsof death? Why not drowned in Yarmouth roads, or killed in the fight,when the ship was taken by the Sallee man of war? Why not entombed inthe bowels of wild beasts on the African coast, or drowned here when allthy companions suffered shipwreck in the ocean._

  Struck dumb with these reflections, I rose up in a pensive manner, beingso thoughtful that I could not go to sleep; and fearing the dreadfulreturn of my distemper, it caused me to remember, that the Braziliansuse tobacco for almost all diseases. I then went to my chest in older tofind some, where Heaven, no doubt, directed me to find a cure for bothsoul and body; for there I found one of the Bibles, which, till thistime, I had neither leisure nor inclination to look into, I took boththe tobacco and that out of the chest, and laid them on the table.Several experiments did I try with the tobacco: First, I took a piece orleaf, and chewed it; but it being very green and strong, almoststupified me. Next I steeped it in some rum an hour or two, resolvingwhen I went to bed to take a dole of it: and, in the third place, Iburnt some over a pan of fire, holding my nose over it as long as Icould endure it without suffocation.

  In the intervals of this operation, though my head was giddy anddisturbed by the tobacco, I took up the Bible to read. No sooner did Iopen it, but there appeared to me these words _Call on me in the day oftrouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shall glorify me_.

  At first this sentence made a very deep impression on my heart, but itsoon wore off again, when I considered the word _deliver_ was foreign tome. And as the children of Israel said, when they were promised flesh toeat, _Can God spread a table in the wilderness?_ in like manner I beganto say, _Can God himself deliver me from this desolate island?_ However,the words would still return to my mind, and afterwards made a greaterimpression upon me. As it was now very late, and the tobacco had dazedmy head, I was inclined to sleep: but before I would lie down I fell onmy knees, and implored the promise that God had made to me in the HolyScriptures, that _if I called upon him in the day of trouble he woulddeliver me._ With much difficulty I afterwards drank the rum wherein Ihad steeped the tobacco, which flying into my head, threw me into such aprofound sleep, that it was three o'clock the next day before I awaked;or rather, I believe, I slept two days, having certainly lost a day inmy account, and I could never tell any other way. When I got up, myspirits were lively and cheerful; my stomach much better, being veryhungry; and, in short, no fit returned the next day, which was the 29th,but I found myself much altered for the better.

  The 30th, I went abroad with my gun, but not far, and killed a sea-fowlor two, resembling a brand goose, which, however, I cared not to eatwhen I brought them home, but dined on two more of the turtle's eggs. Inthe evening I renewed my medicine, excepting that I did not take solarge a quantity, neither did I chew the leaf, or hold my head over thesmoke: but the next day, which was the 1st of _July_, having a littlereturn of the cold fit, I again took my medicine as I did thefirst time.

  _July_ 3. The fit quite left me, but very weak. In this condition, Ioften thought of these words, _I will deliver thee_; and while, at sometimes, I would think of the impossibility of it, other thoughts wouldreprehend me for disregarding the deliverances I had received, even fromthe most forlorn and distressed condition. I asked myself, what regardhave I had to God for his abundant mercies? Have I done my part_: He hasdelivered me, but I have not glorified him:_--as if I had said, I hadnot owned and been thankful for these as deliverances, and how could Iexpect greater? So much did this sensibly touch my heart, that I gaveGod thanks for my recovery from weakness in the most humble prostration.

  _July_ 4. This morning I began seriously to ponder on what is written inthe New Testament, resolving to read a chapter every morning and nightas long an my thoughts would engage me. As soon as I set about this workseriously, I found my heart deeply affected with the impiety of my pastlife; these words that I thought were spoken to me in my dream revived,_All these things have not brought thee to repentance._ After this, Ibegged of God to assist me with his Holy Spirit in returning to my duty.One day in perusing the Scriptures, I came to these words, _He isexalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and to giveremission_: Immediately I laid down the book, and with uplifted hands toHeaven, loudly cried, _O blessed Jesus, thou son of David, Jesus, thouexalted Prince and Saviour, give we repentance!_ And now indeed I prayedwith a true sense of my condition, and a more certain hope, founded onthe word of God. Now I had a different sense of these words, _Call on meand I will deliver thee_, that is from the dreadful load of guilt whichoppressed my sinful soul, and not from a solitary life, which mightrather be called, a blessing, seeing I wanted neither food nor raiment,when compared living amongst the human race, surrounded with so muchoppression, misery, and affliction; in a word, I came to thisconclusion, that a deliverance from sin was a much greater blessing,than a deliverance from affliction. But again I proceed to my journal.

  To the 14th of _July_, I walked about with my gun, little and little ata time, having been reduced to the greatest extremity of weakness. Theapplications and experiments I used were perfectly new: neither could Irecommend them to any one's practice. For though it carried off the fit,it very much weakened me, and I had frequently convulsions in my nervesand limbs for some time. From this I learned, that going abroad in rainyweather, especially when it was attended with storms and hurricanes ofwind, was most pernicious to health. I had now been about ten months inthe island; and as I never had seen any of the human kind, I thereforeaccounted myself as sole monarch; and as I grew better, having securedmy habitation to my mind, I resolved to make a tour round my kingdom, inorder to make new discoveries.

  The 15th of _July_, I began my journey; I first went to the creek, whereI had brought my rafts on shore; and travelling farther, found the tidewent no higher than two miles up, where there was a little brook ofrunning water, on the banks of which were many pleasant savannahs ormeadows, plain, smooth, and covered with grass. On the rising parts,where I supposed the water did not reach, I perceived a great deal oftobacco growing to a very strong stalk. Several other plants I likewisefound, the virtues of which I did not understand. I searched a long timefor the Cassava root, which I knew the Indians in that climate madetheir bread of, but all in vain. There were several plants of aloes,though at that time I knew not what they were; likewise I saw severalsugar canes, but imperfect for want of cultivation. With these fewdiscoveries, I came back that night, and slept contentedly in mylittle castle.

  The next day, being the 16th, going the same way, but farther then theday before, I found the country more adorned with woods and trees. HereI perceived different fruits in great abundance. Melons in plenty lay onthe ground, and clusters of grapes, ripe and very rich, spread over thetrees. You may imagine I was glad of this discovery, yet ate verysparingly, lest I should throw myself into a flux or fever. The grapes Ifound of excellent use; for when I had dried them in the sun, whichpreserved them as dried raisins are kept, they proved very wholesome andnourishing, and served me in those seasons when no grapes were tobe had.

  The night drawing on apace, I ascended up a tree, and slept verycomfortably, though it was the first time I had lain out of myhabitation. And when the morning came, I proceeded with great pleasureon my way, travelling about four miles, as I imagined, by the length ofthe valley, directing my course northward, there being a ridge of hillson the south and north side of me. At the end of this valley, I came toan opening, where the country seemed to descend to the west; there Ifound a little spring of fresh water, proceeding out of the side of thehill, with its chrystal streams running directly east. And, indeed, heremy sen
ses were charmed with the most beautiful landscape nature couldafford; for the country appeared flourishing, green, and delightful,that to me it seemed like a planted garden. I then descended on the sideof that delicious vale, when I found abundance of cocoa, orange, lemon,and citron trees, but very wild and barren at that time. As for thelimes, they were delightful and wholesome, the juice of which I afterused to mix in water, which made it very cooling and refreshing. And nowI was resolved to carry home and lay up a store of grapes, limes, andlemons, against the approaching wet season. So laying them up inseparate parcels, and then taking a few of each with me, I returned tomy little castle, after having spent three days in this journey. BeforeI got home, the grapes were so bruised that they were utterly spoiled;the limes indeed were good, but of those I could bring only a few.

  _July 19_. Having prepared two bags, I returned thither again, but, tomy great surprise, found all the grapes spread about, trod to pieces,and abundance eaten, which made me conclude there were wild beaststhereabouts. To prevent this happening again, I gathered a largequantity of the grapes, and hung them upon the out branches of the tree,both to keep them unhurt, and that they might cure and dry in the sun;and having well loaded myself with limes and lemons, I returned oncemore to my old place of residence.

  And now contemplating on the fruitfulness of this valey, andpleasantness of its situation, its security from storms, and thedelightfulness of the adjacent woods, I concluded I was settled in theworst part of the country, and therefore was thinking to remove myhabitation.

  But when I considered again, that though it was pleasant, it was offfrom the sea-side, where there was a possibility, some time or other, aship might either be driven or sail by; and that to inclose myself amonghills and woods must certainly put an end to my hopes of deliverance; Iresolved to let my castle remain where Providence had first assigned it.Yet so ravished was I with this place, that I made me a little kind ofbower, surrounding it with a double hedge, as high as I could reach,well staked and filled with bullrushes: and having spent a great part ofthe month of _July_, I think it was the first of _August_ before I beganto enjoy my labour.

  _Aug. 3._ Perceiving my grapes to be dry, I took them from the trees,and they proved excellent good raisins of the sun: the most of which Icarried to my cave; and happy for me I did so; by which I saved the bestpart of my winter food.

  _Aug_. 14. This day it began to rain; and though I had made me a tentlike the other, yet having no shelter of a hill to keep me from storms,nor a cave behind me to retreat to, I was obliged to return to my oldcastle. The rain continued more or less every day, till the middle of_October;_ and sometimes so violently, that I could not stir out of mycave for several days. This season I found my family to increase; forone of my cats that ran away from me, and which I thought had been dead,returned about _August_, with three kittens at her heels, like herself,which I thought strange, because both my cats were females, and the wildcats of the island seemed to be of a different kind from our Europeancats; but from these cats proceeded such numbers, that I was forced tokill and destroy them as I would do wild beasts and vermin.

  To the 26th of this month, I could not stir out, it raining incessantly;when beginning to want food, I was compelled to venture twice, the firstof which I shot a goat, and afterwards found a very large tortoise. Themanner of my regulating my food was thus: a bunch of raisins served mefor my breakfast; a piece of goat's flesh or turtle boiled for mydinner, and two or three turtle's eggs for my supper. While the rainlasted, I daily worked two or three hours at enlarging my cave, and bydegrees worked it on towards one side, till I came to the outside of thehill, and made a door or way out, which came beyond my fence or wall,and so I came in and out this way. But after I had done this, I wastroubled to see myself thus exposed; though I could not perceive anything to fear, a goat being the biggest creature I had seen uponthis island.

  _Sept_. 30. Casting up my notches on my post, which amounted to 365, Iconcluded this to be the anniversary of my landing; and, therefore,humbly prostrating myself on the ground, confessing my sins,acknowledging God's righteous judgments upon me, and praying to JesusChrist to have mercy upon me, I fasted for twelve hours till the goingdown of the sun; and then eating a biscuit and a bunch of grapes, laidme on the bed, and with great comfort took my night's repose. Till thistime I never had distinguished the Sabbath-day; but now made a longernotch than ordinary for the days of rest, and divided the weeks as wellas I could, though I found I had lost a day or two in my account. My inkfailing soon after, I omitted in my daily memorandum things of anindifferent nature, & contented myself to write down only the mostremarkable events of my life. The rainy and dry seasons appeared nowregular to me, and experience taught me how to provide for them; yet, inone thing I am going to relate, my experience very much failed me. Youmay call to mind what I have mentioned of some barley and rice which Ihad saved; about thirty stalks of the former, and twenty of the latter;and at that time, the sun being in its southern position, going fromme, together with the rains, made me conclude it a very proper season tosow it. Accordingly I dug up a piece of ground, with my wooden spade,and dividing it into two parts, sowed about two thirds of my seed,preserving by me about a handful of each. And happy it was I did so; forno rains falling, it was choaked up, and never appeared above the earthtill the wet season came again, and then part of it grew, as if it hadbeen newly sown.

  I was resolved all to make another trial; and seeking for a moisterpiece of ground near my bower, I there sowed the rest of my seed inFebruary, a little before the vernal equinox; which having the rainymonths of March and April to water it, yielded a noble crop, and sprangup very pleasantly. I had still saved part of the seed, not daring toventure all; and by the time I found out the proper seasons to sow itin, and that I might expect every year two seed-times and two harvests,my stock amounted to above half a peck of each sort of grain.

  No sooner were the rains over, but the stakes which I had cut from thetrees, shot out like willows the first year after lopping their heads. Iwas ignorant of the tree I cut them from; but they grew so regularlybeautiful, that they made a most lively appearance, and so flourished inthree year's time, that I resolved to cut more of them; and these soongrowing made a glorious fence, as afterwards I shall observe.

  And now I perceived that the seasons of the year might generally bedivided, not into summer and winter, as in Europe, but into wet and dryseasons, as in this manner:

  / February,Half< March, > Rainy, sun coming near the Equinox. April, /

  / April, | May, |Half< June, > Dry, sun getting north of the Line. | July, | August, /

  / August, Half< September, > Wet, the sun being then come back. October, /

  / October, | November, |Half< December, > Dry, sun running south of the Line. | January, | February, /

  The wet seasons would continue longer or shorter, as the winds happenedto blow. But having found the ill consequences of being abroad in therain, I took care beforehand to furnish myself with provisions; andduring the wet months sat within doors as much as possible. At this timeI contrived to make many things that I wanted, though it cost me muchlabour and pains, before I could accomplish them. The first I tried wasto make a basket; but all the twigs I could get proved so brittle, thatI could not then perform it. It now proved of great advantage to me thatwhen a boy, I took great delight in standing at a basket-maker's in thesame town where my father lived, to view them at work; and like otherboys, curious to see the manner of their working these things and veryofficious to assist, I perfectly learned the method of it, and wantednothing but the tools. And it coming into my mind that the twigs of thattree of which I made my stakes, might be as tough as a fallow willow, orosiers, growing in England, I resolved to make an experiment, and wentthe next day to my country-seat, and found some fit for my turn; andafter cutting down a quantity with my hatchet, I dried them in my pale,and, when fit to work with, carried them t
o my cave, where I employedmyself in making several sorts of baskets, insomuch that I could put inwhatsoever I pleased. It is true, they were not cleverly made, yet theyserved my turn upon all occasions.

  But still I wanted two necessary things. I had no cask to hold myliquor, except two rundlets almost full of rum, a few bottles of anordinary size, and some square case bottles, neither had I a pot to boilany thing in, only a large kettle unfit to make broth, or stew a bit ofmeat: I wanted, likewise at the beginning of this dry season a tobaccopipe; but for this I afterwards found an expedient.

  I kept myself employed in planting my second row of stakes, Butremembering that when I travelled up to the brook, I had a mind to seethe whole island, I now resumed my intention, and taking my dog, gun,hatchet, two biscuit cakes, a great bunch of raisins, with a largerquantity of powder and shot than usual, I began my journey. Havingpassed the vale where my bower stood, I came within view of the sealying to the west when it being a clear day, I fairly descried land,extending from the W. to the S.W. about ten or fifteen leagues, as Iconcluded; but could not say whether it was an island or acontinent.--Neither could I tell what this place might be; only thoughtit was part of America, & where I might have been in a miserablecondition, had I landed. Again I considered that if this was the Spanishcoast, certainly, one time or other, I should see some ship pass by; andif it was not, then it must be the savage coast, between the Spanishcountry and Brazil, which abounds with cannibals or man-eaters.

  As I proceeded forward I found this side of the island much morepleasant than mine; the fields fragrant adorned with sweet flowers &verdant grass, together with several very, fine woods. There wereparrots in plenty, which made me long for one to be my companion; butit was with great difficulty I could knock one down with my stick; and Ikept him at home some years before I could get him to call me bymy name.

  In the low grounds, I found various sorts of hares and foxes, as I tookthem to be, but much different from those in England. Several of these Ikilled, but never ate them; neither indeed had I any occasion; forabounding with goats, pigeons, turtle, and grapes, I could defyLeadenhall market to furnish me a better table. In this journey I didnot travel above two miles a-day, because I took several turns andwindings, to see what discoveries I could make, returning weary enoughto the place where I designed to rest all night, which was either in atree, or in a place which I surrounded with stakes, that no wildcreature might suddenly surprise me. When I came to the sea shore, I wasamazed to see the splendour of it. Its strand was covered with shells ofthe most beautiful fish, and constantly abounding with innumerableturtles, and fowls of many kinds, which I was ignorant of, except thosecalled penguins. I might have shot as many as I pleased, but was sparingof my ammunition, rather choosing to kill a she-goat, which I did withmuch difficulty, on account of the flatness of the country.

  Now though this journey produced me the most pleasing satisfaction, yetmy habitation was so much to my liking, that I did not repine at mybeing seated on the worst part of the island. I continued my journey,travelling about twelve miles further towards the east, where I set agreat pile on the shore for a mark, concluding that my next journeyshould bring me to the other side of the island, east from my castle,and so round till I came to my post again. As I had a constant view ofthe country, I thought I could not miss my way; but scarce had Itravelled three miles, when I descended into a very large valley, sosurrounded with hills covered with wood, that I having no guide but thesun, nor even this, unless I knew will the position of the sun at thetime of day; and to add to my misfortune, the weather proving very hazy,I was obliged to return to my post by the sea-side, and so backwards thesame way I came. In this journey my dog surprised a kid and would havekilled it, had I not prevented him. As I had often been thinking ofgetting a kid or two, and so raising a breed of tame goats to supply meafter my ammunition was spent, I took this opportunity of beginning: andhaving made a collar for this little creature, with a string made ofrope-yarn, I brought it to my bower, and there inclosed and left him;and, having spent a month in this journey, at length I returned to myhabitation.

  Nobody can doubt of my satisfaction, when I returned to my littlecastle, and reposed myself in my hammock. After my journey I restedmyself a week, which time I employed in, making a cage for my prettyPoll. I now began to consider the poor kid I had left in the bower, andI immediately went to fetch it home. When I came there I found the youngcreature almost starved; I gave it some food, and tied it as before: butthere was no occasion, for it followed me like a dog; and, as Iconstantly fed it, it became so loving, gentle, and fond, that itcommenced one of my domestics, and would never leave me.

  The rainy season of the autumnal equinox being now come, I kept the 30thof September in the most solemn manner, as usual, it being the thirdyear of my abode in the island. I spent the whole day in acknowledgingGod's mercies, in giving him thanks for making this solitary life asagreeable, and less sinful, than that of human society; and for thecommunications of his grace to my soul, in supporting, comforting, andencouraging me to depend, upon his Providence, and hope for his eternalpresence in the world to come.

  Indeed, I often did consider how much more happy I was in this fate oflife, than in that accursed manner of living formerly used; andsometimes when hunting, or viewing the country, the anguish of my soulwould break out upon me, and my very heart would sink within me, tothink of the woods, the mountains, the desarts I was in; and how I was aprisoner locked up within the eternal bars and bolts of the ocean, in anuninhabited wilderness, without hopes, and without redemption: In thiscondition I would often wring my hands, and weep like a child: And evensometimes, in the middle of my work, this fit would take me; and then Iwould sit down and sigh, looking on the ground for an hour or twotogether, till such time as my grief got vent in a flood of tears.

  One morning as I was sadly employed in this manner, I opened my Bible,when I immediately fixed my eyes upon these words, _I will never leavethee, nor forsake thee!_ Surely, thought I, these words are directed tome, or else why should they appear just at a moment when I am bemoaningmy forlorn condition? and if God does not forsake, what matters it,since he can me more happy in this state of life, than if I enjoyed thegreatest splendour in the world? But while I was going to return Godthanks for my present state, something seemed to shock my mind, as if ithad thus said: _Unworthy wretch; can you pretend to be thankful for acondition, from which you would pray to be delivered_? Therefore Istopt:--and tho' I could not say, I thanked the Divine Majesty forbeing there, yet I gave God thanks for placing in my view my formercourse of life, and granting me a true knowledge of repentance. Andwhenever I opened or read the Bible, I blessed kind Providence, thatdirected my good friend in England to send it among my goods withoutany order, and for assisting me to save it from the power of theraging ocean.

  And now beginning my third year, my several daily employments werethese: _First_, My duty to Heaven, and diligently reading the HolyScriptures, which I did twice or thrice every day: _Secondly_, Seekingprovision with my gun, which commonly took me up, when it did not rain,three hours every morning: _Thirdly_, The ordering, curing, preserving,and cooking what I killed, or catched for my supply which took me upgreat part of the day: for, in the middle of the day, the sun being inits height, it was so hot, that I could not stir out; so that I had onlybut four hours in the evening to work in: and then the want of tools, ofassistance, and skill, wasted a great deal of time to little purpose. Iwas no less than two and forty days making a board fit for a long shelf,which two sawyers with their tools and saw-pit, would have cut off thesame tree in half a day. It was a large tree, as my board was to bebroad. I was three days in cutting it down and two more in lopping offthe boughs, and reducing it to a piece of timber. This I hacked andhewed off each side, till it became light to move; then I turned it,made one side of is smooth and flat as a board from end to end, thenturned it downward, cutting the other side, till I brouht the plank tobe about three inches thick, and smooth on both sides. Any body mayj
udge my great labour and fatigue in such a piece of work; but this Iwent through with patience, as also many other things that mycircumstances made necessary for me to do.

  The harvest months, November and December, were now at hand, in which Ihad the pleasing prospect of a very good crop. But here I met with a newproblem; for the goats and hares, having tasted of the outshoot of theblade, kept it to short that it had not strengthen to shoot up into astalk. To prevent this, I enclosed it with a hedge, and by day shot someof its devourers; and my dog which I had tied to the field-gate, keepingbarking all night; so frightened those creatures, that I got entirelyrid of them.

  But no sooner did I get rid of these, than other enemies appeared, towit, whole flocks of several sorts of birds, who only waited till myback was turned, to ruin me: so much did this provoke me, that I letfly, and killed three of the malefactors; and afterwards served them asthey do notorious thieves in England, hung them up in chains as a terrorto others. And, indeed, to good an effect had this that they not onlyforsook the corn, but all that part of the island, so long as thesecriminals hung there.

  My corn having ripened apace, the latter end of December, which was mysecond harvest, I reaped it with a scythe, made of one of my broadswords. I had no fatigue in cutting down my my first crop it was soslender. The ears I carried home in a basket, rubbing it with my hands,instead of threshing it: and when the harvest was over, found my halfpeck of seed produced near two bushels of rice, and two bushels and ahalf of barley. And now I plainly foresaw, that by God's goodness, Ishould be furnished with bread; but yet I was concerned, because I knewnot how to grind or make meal of my corn, nor bread, neither knew how tobake it. I would not however, taste any of the crop, but resolved topreserve it against next season, and, in the mean while, use my bestendeavours to provide myself with other food.

  But where were my labours to end? The want of a plough to turn up theearth, or shovel to dig it, I conquered by making me a wooden spade. Thewant of a harrow I supplied myself, with dragging over the corn a greatbough of a tree. When it was growing I was forced to fence it; when ripeto mow it, carry it home, thrash it, part it from the chaff, and saveit. And, after all, I wanted a mill to grind it, sieve to dress it, yestand salt to make it into bread, and an oven to bake it. This set mybrains to work to find some expedient for every one of these necessariesagainst the next harvest.

  And now having more seed, my first care was to prepare me more land. Ipitched upon two large flat pieces of ground near my castle, for thatpurpose, in which sowed my seed, and fenced it with a good hedge. Thistook me up three months: by which time the wet season coming on, and therain keeping me within doors, I found several occasions to employmyself; and, while at work, used to divert myself in talking to myparrot, learning him to know and speak his own name _Poll_ the firstwelcome word I ever heard spoke in the island. I had been a long time incontriving how to make earthen vessels, which I wanted extremely; andwhen I considered the heat of the climate, I did not doubt but if Icould find any such clay, I might botch up a pot, strong enough, whendried in the sun, to bear handling, and to hold any thing that was dry,as corn, meal, and other things.

  To be short, the clay I found; but it would occasion the most seriousperson to smile, to see what aukward ways I took, and what uglymisshapen things I made; how many either fell out or cracked by theviolent heat of the sun, and fell in pieces when they were removed; sothat I think it was two months time before I could perfect any thing:and even then but two clumsy things in imitation of earthen jars. These,however, I very gently placed in wicker baskets, made on purpose forthem, and between the pot and the baskets, stuffed it full of rice andbarley straw, and these I presume would hold my dried corn, and perhapsthe meal when the corn was bruised. As for the smaller thing, I madethem with better success, such as little round pots, flat dishes,pitchers, and pipkins, the fun baking them very hard.

  Yet still I wanted one thing absolutely necessary, and that was anearthen pot, not only to hold my liquid, but also to bear the fire,which none of these could do. It once happened that as I was putting outmy fire, I found therein a broken piece of one of my vessels burnt ashard as a rock, and red as a tile. This made me think of burning somepots; and having no notion of a kiln, or of glazing them with leaf, Ifixed three large pipkins, and two or three pots in a pile one uponanother. The fire I piled round the outside, and dry wood on the top,till I saw the pots in the inside red hot, and found out that, they werenet crackt at all: and when I perceived them perfectly red, I let one ofthem stand in the fire about five or six hours, till the clay melted bythe extremity of the heat, and would have run to glass, had I sufferedit; upon which I slacked my fire by degrees, till the redness abated;and watching them till the morning, I found I had three very goodpipkins, and two earthen pots, as well burnt and fit for my turn as Icould desire.

  No joy could be greater than mine at this discovery. For after this, Imay say, I wanted for no fort of earthen ware. I filled one of mypipkins with water to boil me some meat, which it did admirably well,and with a piece of kid I made me some good broth, as well as mycircumstances would afford me at that time.

  The next concern I had was to get me a stone-morter to beat some cornin, instead of a mill to grind it. Here indeed I was at a great loss, asnot being fit for a stone-cutter; and many days I spent to find out agreat stone big enough to cut hollow and make fit for a morter, andstrong enough to bear the weight of a pestil, and that would break thecorn without filling it with sand. But all the stones of the islandbeing of a mouldering nature, rendered my search fruitless; and then Iresolved to look out for a great block of hard wood, which having found,I formed it with my ax and hammer, and then, with infinite labour, madea hollow in it, just as the Indians of Brazil make their canoes. When Ihad finished this, I made a great pestil of iron wood, and then laidthem up against my succeeding harvest.

  My next business was to make me a sieve, to sift my meal and part itfrom the bran and husk. Having no fine thin canvas to search the mealthrough, I could not tell what to do. What linen I had was reduced torags: I had goat's hair, enough, but neither tools to work it, nor did Iknow how to spin it: At length I remembered I had some neckcloths ofcalico or muslin of the sailors, which I had brought out of the ship,and with these I made three small sieves proper enough for the work.

  I come now to consider the baking part. The want of an oven I suppliedby making some earthen pans very broad but not deep. When I had a mindto bake, I made a great fire upon the hearth, the tiles of which I hadmade myself; and when the wood was burnt into live coals, I spread themover it, till it became very hot; then sweeping them away, I set down myloaves, and whelming down the earthen pots upon them, drew the ashes andcoals all around the outsides of the pots to continue the heat; and inthis manner I baked my barley loaves, as well as if I had been acomplete pastry-cook, and also made of the rice several cakesand puddings.

  It is no wonder that these things took me up the best part of a year,since what intermediate time I had was bestowed in managing my newharvest and husbandry; for in the proper season I reaped my corn,carried it home, and laid it up in the ear in my large baskets, til Ihad time to rub, instead of thrashing it. And now, indeed, my cornincreased so much, that it produced me twenty bushels of barley, and asmuch rice, that I not only began to use it freely, but was thinking howto enlarge my barns, and resolved to sow as much at a time as would besufficient for me for a whole year.

  All this while, the prospect of land, which I had seen from the otherside of the island, ran in my mind. I still meditated a deliverance fromthis place, though the fear of greater misfortunes might have deterredme from it.--For, allowing that I had attained that place, I run thehazard of being killed and eaten by the devouring cannibals: and if theywere not so, yet I might be slain, as other Europeans had been, who fellinto their hands. Notwithstanding all this, my thoughts ran continuallyupon that shore. I now wished for my boy Xury, and the long boat, withthe shoulder of mutton sail: I went to the ship's boat that had beencast
a great way on the shore in the late storm. She was removed but alittle; but her bottom being turned up by the impetuosity and fury ofthe waves and wind, I fell to work with all the strength I had, withlevers and rollers I had cut from the wood, to turn her, and repair thedamages she had sustained. This work took me up three or four weeks,when finding my little strength all in vain, I fell to undermining it bydigging away the sand, and so to make it fall down, setting pieces ofwood to thrust and guide it in the fall. But after this was done, I wasstill unable to stir it up, or to get under it, much less to move itforward towards the water, and so I was forced to give it over.

  This disapointment, however did not frighten me. I began to thinkwhether it was not possible for me to make a canoe or perigua, such asthe Indians make of the trunk of a tree, But here I lay under particularinconveniencies; want of tools to make it, and want of hands to move itin the water when it was made. However, to work I went upon it, stoppingall the inquiries I could make, with this very simple answer I made tomyself, _Let's first make it, I'll warrant I'll find some way or otherto get it along when it is done_.

  I first cut down a cedar tree, which was five feet ten inches diameterat the lower part next the stump, and four feet eleven inches diameterat the end of twenty-two feet, after which it lessened for a space, andthen parted into branches. Twenty days was I a hacking and hewing thistree at the bottom, fourteen more in cutting off the branches and limbs,and a whole month in shaping it like the bottom of the boat. As for theinside, I was three weeks with a mallet and chissel, clearing it in sucha manner, as that it was big enough to carry twenty-six men, much biggerthan any canoe I ever saw in my life, and confequentiy sufficient totransport me and all my effects to that wished-for shore I soardently desired.

  Nothing remained now, but, indeed, the greatest difficulty to get itinto the water, it lying about one hundred yards from it. To remedy thefirst inconvenience, which was a rising hill between the boat and thecreek, with wonderful pains and labour I dug into the bowels of theearth, and made a declivity. But when this was done, all the strength Ihad was as insufficient to remove it, as it was when I attempted toremove the boat. I then proceeded to measure the difference of ground,resolving to make a canal, in order to bring the water to the canoe,since I could not bring the canoe to the water. But as this seemed to beimpracticable to myself alone, under the space of eleven or twelveyears, it brought me into some sort of consideration: so that Iconcluded this also to be impossible, and the attempt altogether vain. Inow saw, and not before, _what stupidity it is to begin a work before wereckon its costs, or judge rightly our own abilities to go through withits performance_.

  In the height of this work my fourth year expired, from the time I wascast on this island, At this time I did not forget my anniversary; butkept it with rather greater devotion than before. For now my hopes beingfrustrated, I looked upon this world as a thing had nothing to do with;and very well might I say as Father Abraham said unto Dives, _Betweenthee and me there is a gulph fixed._ And indeed I was separated from itswickedness too, having neither the lust of the flesh, the lust of theeye, nor the pride of life; I had nothing to covet, being lord, king andemperor over the whole country I had in possession, without dispute andwithout control: I had loadings of corn, plenty of turtles, timber inabundance, and grapes above measure. What was all the rest to me? themoney I had lay by me as despicable dross, which I would freely havegiven for a gross of tobacco pipes, or a hard mill to grind my corn: ina word the-nature and experience of these things dictated to me thisjust reflection: _That the good things of this world are no farthergood to us, than they are for our use; and that whatever we may heap upto give to others, we can but enjoy as much as we use, and no more._

  These thoughts rendered my mind more easy than usual. Every time I satdown to meat, I did it with thankfulness, admiring the providential handof God, who in this wilderness had spread a table to me. And now Iconsidered what I enjoyed, rather than what I wanted, compared mypresent condition with what I at first expected it should be; _how Ishould have done, if I had got nothing out of the ship, that I must haveperished before I had caught fish or turtles; or lived, had I foundthem, like a mere savage, by eating them raw, and pulling them in pieceswith my claws, like a beast_. I next compared my station to that which Ideserved: _how undutiful I had been to my parents; how destitute of thefear of God; bow void of every thing that was good; and how ungratefulfor those abundant mercies I had received from Heaven, being fed as itwere, by a miracle, even as great as Elijah's being fed by ravens; andcast on a place where there is no venomous creatures to poison or devourme_; in short making God's tender mercies matter of great consolation, Irelinquished all sadness, and gave way to contentment.

  As long as my ink continued, which with water I made last as long as Icould, I used to minute down the days of the month on which anyremarkable event happened.--And,

  First, I observed, _that the same day I forsook my parents and friends,and ran away to Hull, in order to go to sea, the same day afterwards inthe next year, I was taken and made a slave by the Sallee rovers_.

  _That the very day I escaped out of the wreck of the ship in Yarmouthroads, a year after on the same day, I made my escape from Sallee in mypatron' fishing boat_.

  _And on the 30th of September, being the day of the year I was born on,on that day twenty-six years after, was I miraculously saved, and castashore on this island_.

  The next thing that wasted after my ink, was the biscuit which I hadbrought out of the ship, and though I allowed myself but one cake a day,for above a twelvemonth, yet I was quite out of bread for near a year,before I got any corn of my own.

  In the next place, my clothes began to decay, and my linen had been gonelong before. However, I had preserved about three dozen of the sailorschequered shirts, which proved a great refreshment to me, when theviolent beams of the sun would not suffer me to bear any of the seamen'sheavy watch coats, which made me turn taylor, and, after a miserablebotching manner, convert them to jackets. To preserve my head, I mademe a cap of goat-skins, with the hair outwards to keep out the rain;which indeed served me so well, that afterwards I made me a waistcoatand opened-kneed breeches of the fame: And then I contrived a sort of anumbrella, covering it with skins, which not only kept out the heat ofthe sun, but rain also. Thus being easy, and settled in my mind, mychief happiness was to converse with God, in most heavenly andcomfortable ejaculations.

  For five years after this I cannot say any extraordinary thing occuredto me. My chief employment was to cure my raisins, and plant my barleyand rice, of both which I had a year's provision beforehand. But thoughI was disapointed in my first canoe, I made it, at intermediate times,my business to make a second, of much inferior size; and it wastwo-years before I had finished it. But as I perceived it would no wifeanswer my design of failing to the other shore, my thoughts wereconsigned to take a tour round the island, to see what furtherdiscoveries I could make. To this intent, after having moved her to thewater, and tried how she would sail, I fitted up a little raft to myboat, and made a sail of the ships sail that by me. I then made lockersor boxes at the end of it, to put in necessaries, provision, andammunition, which would preserve them dry, either from rain or the sprayof the sea; and in the inside of the boat, I cut me a long hollow placeto lay my gun in, and to keep it dry made a flag to hang over it. Myumbrella I fixed in a step in the stern, like a mast, to keep the heatof the sun off me. And now resolving to see the circumference of mylittle kingdom, I victualled my ship for the voyage, putting in twodozen of my barley-bread loaves, an earthen pot-full of parched rice, alittle bottle of rum, half a goat, powder and shot, and two watch coats.It was the _6th_ of November, in the _6th_ year of my reign, orcaptivity, that I set out in this voyage; which was much longer than Iexpected, being obliged to put further out, by reason of the rocks thatlay a great way in the sea. And indeed so much did these rocks surpriseme, that I was for putting back, fearing that if I ventured farther itwould be out of my power to return in this uncertainty I
came to ananchor just off shore, to which I waded with my gun on my shoulder, andthen climbing up a hill, which overlooked that point, I saw the fullextent of it, and so resolved to run all hazards.

  In this prospect from the hill, I perceived a violent current running tothe east, coming very close to the point; which I the more carefullyobserved, thinking it dangerous, and that when I came to it, I might bedrove into the sea by its force, and not able to return to the island;and certainly it must have been so, had I not made this observation; foron the other side was the like current, with this difference, that itset off at a greater distance; and I perceived there was a strong eddyunder the land; so that my chief business was to work out of the firstcurrent, and conveniently get into the eddy. Two days I staid here, thewind blowing very briskly E.S.E. which being contrary to the current,leaves a great breach of the sea upon the point; so it was neither fitfor me to keep too near the shore, on account of the breach; nor standat too great a distance, for fear of the streams. That night the windabating, it grew so calm, that I ventured out; & here I may be amonument to all rash and ignorant pilots; for I was no sooner come tothe point and not above the boat's length from shore, but I was goinginto a deep water, with a current like a mill, which drove my boat alongso violently, that it was impossible for me to keep near the edge of it,but forced me more and more out from the eddy to the left of me; and allI could do with my paddle were useless, there being no wind to help me.

  Now I began to look upon myself as quite lost, since as, the current ranon both sides of the island, I was very certain they must join again,and then I had no hope but of perishing for want in the sea, after whatprovision I had was spent, or before, if a storm should happen to arise.

  Who can conceive the present anguish of my mind at this calamity? withlonging eyes did I look upon my little kingdom, and thought the islandthe pleasantest place in the universe. _Happy, thrice happy desert_,said I, _shall I never see thee more?_ _Wretched creature! wither am Igoing? Why did I murmur at my lonesome condition, when now I would givethe whole world to be thither again?_ While I was thus complaining, Ifound myself to be driven about two leagues into the sea; however, Ilaboured till my strength was far spent, to keep my boat as far north aspossibly I could, to that side of the current where the eddy lay on.About noon I perceived a little breeze of wind spring up from the S.S.E.which overjoyed my heart; and was still more elated, when, in about halfan hour it blew a gentle fine gale. Had any thick weather sprung up, Ihad been left another way; for having no compass onboard, I should neverhave found the way to steer towards the island, if once it haddisappeared; but it proving the contrary, I set up my mast again, spreadmy sail, and stood away northward, as much as I could, to get rid of thecurrent. And no sooner did the boat begin to stretch away, but Iperceived by the clearness of the water, a change of the current wasnear; for, where it was strong, the water was foul; and where it wasclear the current abated. To the east, I soon saw about half a mile, abreach of the sea upon, some rocks, which caused it again to separate;and as the main force of it drove away more southwardly, leaving therocks to the north-east, so the other came back by the repulse of therocks making a sharp eddy, which returned back again to the north-westwith a very swift stream.

  They who have experienced what it is to be reprieved upon the ladder, orto be saved from thieves, just going to take away their lives, or suchas have been in the like calamities with my own, may guess my presentexcess of joy, how heartily I ran my boat into the stream of this eddy,and how joyfully I spread my sail to the refreshing wind, standingcheerfully before it, with a smart tide under foot. By the assistance ofthis eddy, I was carried above a league home again, when being in thewake of the island, betwixt the two currents, I found the water to be ina sort of a stand. About four o'clock in the afternoon, I reached withina league of the island, and perceived the points of the rock, whichcaused this disaster, stretching out, as I observed before, to thesouthward, which throwing off the current more southwardly hadoccasioned another eddy to the north. But having a fair brisk gale, Istretched across this eddy, and in an hour came within a mile of theshore, where I soon landed to my unspeakable comfort; and after anhumble prostration, thanking God for my deliverance, with a resolutionto lay all thoughts of escaping aside, I brought my boat safe to alittle cove, and laid me down to take a welcome repose. When I awoke Iwas considering how I might get my boat home; and coasting along theshore, I came to a good bay, which ran up to a rivulet or brook, wherefinding a safe harbour, I stowed her as safe as if she had been in adry-dock made on purpose for her.

  I now perceived myself not far from the place where before I hadtravelled on foot; so taking nothing with me except my gun and umbrella,I began my journey, and in the evening came to my bower, where I againlaid me down to rest. I had not slept long before I was awakened ingreat surprise, by a strange voice that called me several times. _Robin,Robin, Robinson Crusoe, poor Robin! Where are you, Robinson Crusoe?Where are you? Where have you been_?

  So fast was I asleep at first, that I did not awake thoroughly: but halfasleep and half awake, I thought I dreamed that somebody spoke to me.But, as the voice repeated _Robinson Crusoe_ several times, beingterribly affrighted, I started up in utmost confusion; and, no soonerwere my eyes fully open, but I beheld my pretty Poll sitting on the topof the hedge, and soon knew that it was he that called me; for just insuch bewailing language I used to talk and teach him; which he soexactly learned that he would sit upon my finger and lay his bill closeto my face, and cry, _Poor Robinson Crusoe, where are you? where haveyou been? how came you here_? and such like prattle I had constantlytaught him. But even though I knew it to be the parrot, it was a greatwhile before I could adjust myself; being amazed how the creature gotthither, and that he should fix about that place; and no where else.But now being assured it could be no other than my honest Poll, mywonder ceased, and reaching out my hand, and calling familiarly Poll,the creature came to me, and perched upon my thumb as he was wont,constantly prating to me with _Poor Robinson Crusoe, and how did I comehere, and where had I been?_ as if the bird was overjoyed to see me; andso I took him home along with me.

  I was now pretty well cured of my rambling to sea; yet I could wish myboat, which had cost me so much trouble and pains, on this side theisland once more, but which indeed was impracticable. I therefore beganto lead a very retired life, living near a twelvemonth in a verycontented manner, wanting for nothing except conversation. As tomechanic labours, which my necessities obliged me to, I fancied I could,upon occasion, make a tolerable carpenter were the poor tools I had towork withal but good. Besides, as I improved in my earthen ware, Icontrived to make them with a wheel, which I found much easier andbetter, making my work shapely, which before was rude and ugly. But Ithink I was never so elevated with my own performance or project, thanfor being able to make a tobacco-pipe, which though it proved an awkwardclumsy thing, yet it was very sound, and carried the smoke perfectlywell, to my great satisfaction.

  I also improved my wicker ware, making me abundance of necessarybaskets, which though not very handsome, were very handy and convenientto fetch things home in, as also for holding my stores, barley, rice,and other provisions.

  My powder beginning to fail, made me examine after what manner I shouldkill the goats or birds to live on after it was all gone. Upon which Icontrived many ways to ensnare the goats, and see if I could catch themalive, particularly a she-goat with young. At last I had my desire, formaking pitfalls and traps baited with barley and rice, I found onemorning, in one of them, an old he-goat, and in the other three kids,one male, the other two females.

  So boisterous was the old one, that I could not bring him away. But Iforgot the old proverb, _That hunger will tame a lion_: For had I kepthim three or four days without provisions, and then given him somewater, with a little corn, he would have been as tame as a young kid.The other creatures I bound with strings together; but I had greatdifficulty before I could bring them to my habitation. It was some timebefore they would feed; b
ut throwing them sweet corn it so much temptedthem, that they began to be tamer. From hence I concluded, that if Idesigned to furnish myself with goat's flesh, when my ammunition wasspent, the tamely breeding them up, like a flock of sheep, about mysettlement, was the only method I could take. I concluded also I mustseparate the wild from the tame, or else they would always run wild asthey grew up; and the best way for this, was to have some inclosed pieceof ground, well fenced, either with a hedge or pale, to keep them soeffectually, that those within might not break out, or those withoutbreak in. Such an undertaking was very great for one pair of hands; butas there was an absolute necessity for doing it, my first care was tofind a convenient piece of ground where there was likely to be herbagefor them to eat, water to drink, and cover to keep them from the sun.

  Here again, I gave another instance of my ignorance and inexperience,pitching upon a piece of meadow land so large, that had I inclosed it,the hedge or pale must have been at least two miles about. Indeed had itbeen ten miles, I had time enough to do it in; but then I did notconsider that my goats would be as wild in so much compass, as if theyhad had the whole island, and consequently as difficult for me to catchthem. This thought came into my head, after I had carried it on, Ibelieve, about fifty yards; I therefore altered my scheme, and resolvedto inclose a piece of ground about one hundred and fifty yards inlength, and one hundred in breadth, sufficient enough for as many aswould maintain me, till such time as my flock increased, and then Icould add more ground. I now vigorously prosecuted my work, and it tookme about three months in hedging the first piece; in which time Itethered the three kids in the best part of it, feeding them as near meas possible, to make them familiar: and indeed I very often would carrysome ears of barley or a handful of rice, and feed them out of my hands;by which they grew so tame, that when my inclosure was finished, and Ihad let them loose they would run after me for a handful of corn. Thisindeed answered my end; and in a year and half's time I had a flock ofabout twelve goats, kids and all; and in two years after, they amountedto forty-three, besides what I had taken and killed for my sustenance.After which I inclosed five several pieces of ground to feed them in,with pens to drive them into, that I might take them as I had occasion.

  In this project I likewise found additional blessings; for I not onlyhad plenty of goat's flesh, but milk too, which in my beginning I didnot so much as think of. And, indeed, though I had never milked a cow,much less a goat, or seen butter or cheese made, yet, after some essaysand miscarriages, I made the both, and never afterwards wanted.

  How mercifully can the omnipotent Power comfort his creatures, even inthe midst of their greatest calamities? How can be sweeten the bitterestprovidences, and give us reason to magnify him in dungeons and prisons?what a bounteous table was here spread in a wilderness for me, where Iexpected nothing thing at first but to perish for hunger.

  Certainly a Stoic would have smiled to see me at dinner. There sat myroyal majesty, and absolute prince and ruler of my kingdom, attended bymy dutiful subjects, whom, if I pleased, I could either hang, draw,quarter, give them liberty, or take it away. When I dined, I seemed aking eating alone, none daring to presume to do so till I had done._Poll_, as if he had been my principal court favorite, was the onlyperson, permitted to talk with me. My old but faithful dog, now grownexceedingly crazy, and who had no species to multiply his kind upon,continually sat on my right hand; while my two cats sat on each side ofthe table, expecting a bit from my hand, as a principal mark of my royalfavour. These were not the cats I had brought from the ship; they hadbeen dead long before, and interred near my habitation by mine own hand.But one of them, as I suppose, generating with a wild cat, a couple oftheir young I had made tame; the rest ran wild into the woods, and intime grew so impudent as to return and plunder me of my stores, tillsuch time as I shot a great many, and the rest left me without troublingme any more. In this plentiful manner did I live, wanting for nothingbut conversation. One thing indeed concerned me, the want of my boat; Iknew not which way to get her round the island. One time I resolved togo along the shore by land to her; but had any one in England met such afigure, it would either have affrighted them, or made them burst intolaughter; nay, I could not but smile myself at my habit, which I thinkin this place will be very proper to describe.

  The cap I wore on my head, was great, high, and shapeless, made of agoat's skin, with a flap of pent-house hanging down behind, not only tokeep the sun from me, but to shoot the rain off from running into myneck, nothing being more pernicious than the rain falling upon the fleshin these climates. I had a short jacket of goat's skin, whose hair hungdown such a length on each side, that it reached down to the calves ofmy legs. As for shoes and stockings, I had none, but made a semblance ofsomething, I know not what to call them; they were made like buskins,and laced on the sides like spatterdashes, Barbarously shaped like therest of my habit. I had a broad belt of goat's skin dried, girt round mewith a couple of thongs, instead of buckles; on each of which, to supplythe deficiency of sword and dagger, hung my hatchet and saw. I hadanother belt, not so broad, yet fastened in the same manner, which hungover my shoulder, and at the end of it, under my left arm, hung twopouches, made of goat's skin, to hold my powder and shot. My basket Icarried on my back, and my gun on my shoulder; and over my head a greatclumsy ugly goat's skin umbrella; which, however, next to my gun, wasthe most necessary thing about me. As for my face, the colour was notso swarthy as the Mulattoes, or might have been expected from one whotook to little care of it, in a climate within nine or ten degrees ofthe equinox. At one time my beard grew so long that it hung down about aquarter of a yard; but as I had both razors scissors in store, I cut itall off, and suffered none to grow, except a large pair of Mahometanwhiskers, the like of which I had seen wore by some Turks at Sallee, notlong enough indeed to hang a hat upon, but of such a monstrous size, aswould have amazed any in England to have seen.

  But all this was of no consequence here, there being none to observe mybehavior or habit. And so, without fear and without controul, Iproceeded on my journey, the prosecution of which took me up five or sixdays. I first travelled along the sea shore, directly to the place whereI first brought my boat to an anchor, to get upon the rocks; but nowhaving no boat to take care of, I went overland a nearer way to the sameheight that I was before upon; when looking forward to the point of therock, which lay out, and which I was forced to double with my boat, Iwas amazed to see the sea so smooth and quiet, there being no riplingmotion, nor current, any more than in other places. This made me pondersome time to guess the reason of it, when at last I was convinced thatthe ebb setting from the west, and joining with the current of waterfrom some great river on shore, must be the occasion of these rapidstreams; & that, consequently, as the winds blew more westwardly, ormore southwardly, so the current came he nearer, or went the fartherfrom the shore. To satisfy my curiosity, I waited there till evening,when the time of ebb being made, I plainly perceived from the rock thecurrent again as before, with the difference that it ran farther off,near half a league from the shore, whereas in my expedition, it setclose upon it, furiously hurrying me and my canoe along with it, whichat another time would not have done. And now I was convinced, that, byobserving the ebbing and flowing of the tide I might easily bring myboat round the island again. But when I began to think of putting it inpractice, the remembrance of the late danger, struck me with suchhorror, that I changed my resolution, and formed another, which was moresafe, though more laborious; and this was to make another canoe, and tohave one for one side of the island, and one for the other.

  I had now two plantations in the island; the first my littlefortification, fort, or castle, with many large and spaciousimprovements; for by this time I had enlarged the cave behind me withseveral little caves, one with another, to hold my baskets, corn, andstraw. The piles with which I made my wall were grown so lofty and greatas obscured my habitation. And near this commodious and pleasantsettlement, lay my well cultivated and improved corn-fields, whichkindly yielded m
e their fruit in the proper season. My second plantationwas that near my country seat, or little bower, where my grapesflourished, and where, having planted many stakes, I made inclosures formy goats, so strongly fortified by labour and time, that it was muchstronger than a wall, and consequently impossible for them to breakthrough. As for my bower itself, I kept it constantly in repair, and cutthe trees in such a manner, as made them grow thick and wild, and form amost delightful shade. In the centre of this stood my tent, thuserected. I had driven four piles in the ground, spreading over it apiece of the ship's sail; beneath which I made a sort of couch with theskins of the creatures I had slain, and other things; and having laidthereon one of the sailor's blankets, which I had saved from the wreckof the ship, and covering myself with a great watch-coat, I took up thisplace for my country retreat.

  Very frequently from this settlement did I use to visit my boat, andkeep her in very good order. And sometimes I would venture in her a castor two from shore, but no further, lest either a strong current, asudden stormy wind, or some unlucky accident should hurry me from theisland as before. But now I entreat your attention, whilst I proceed toinform you of a new, but most surprising scent of life which therebefel me.

  You may easily suppose, that, after having been here so long, nothingcould be more amazing than to see a human creature. One day it happened,that going to my boat I saw the print of a man's naked foot on theshore, very evident on the sand, as the toes, heel, and every part ofit. Had I seen an apparition in the most frightful shape, I could nothave been more confounded. My willing ears gave the strictest attention.I cast my eyes around, but could satisfy neither the one nor the other,I proceeded alternately in every part of the shore, but with equaleffect; neither could I see any other mark, though the sand about it wasas susceptible to take impression, as that which was so plainly stamped.Thus struck with confusion and horror, I returned to my habitation,frightened at every bush and tree, taking every thing for men; andpossessed with the wildest ideas. That night my eyes never closed. Iformed nothing but the most dismal imaginations, concluding it must bethe mark of the devil's foot which I had seen. For otherwise how couldany mortal come to this island? where was the ship that transportedthem? & what signs of any other footsteps? Though these seemed verystrong reasons for such a supposition, yet (thought I) why should thedevil make the print of his foot to no purpose, as I can see, when hemight have taken other ways to have terrified me? why should he leavehis mark on the other side of the island, and that too on the sand,where the surging waves of the ocean might soon have erased theimpression. Surely this action is not consistent with the subtility ofSatan, said I to myself; but rather must be some dangerous creature,some wild savage of the main land over against me, that venturing toofar in the ocean, has been driven here, either by the violent currentsor contrary winds; and not caring to stay on this desolate island, hasgone back to sea again.

  Robinson Crusoe struck with confusion and horror, atseeing the print of a man's foot upon the sand _Dr. & Eng. by A.Carse, Edin._]

  Happy, indeed, said I to myself, that none of the savages had seen me inthat place: yet I was not altogether without fear, lest, having found myboar, they should return in numbers and devour me; or at least carryaway all my corn, and destroy my flock of tame goats. In a word, all myreligious hopes vanished, as though I thought God would not now protectme by his power, who had so wonderfully preserved me so long.

  What various chains of Providence are there in the life of man! Howchangeable are our affections, according to different circumstances! Welove to-day, what we hate to-morrow; we shun one hour, what we seek thenext. This was evident in me in the most conspicous manner: For I, whobefore had so much lamented my condition, in being banished from allhuman kind, was now even ready to expire, when I considered that a manhad set his foot on this desolate island. But when I considered mystation of life decreed by the infinitely wise and good providence ofGod, that I ought not to dispute my Creator's sovereignty, who has anunbounded right to govern and dispose of his creatures as he thinksconvenient; and that his justice and mercy could either punish ordeliver me: I say when I considered all this, I comfortably found it myduty to trust sincerely in him, pray ardently to him, and humbly resignmyself to his divine will.

  One morning, lying on my bed, these words of the sacred writings cameinto my mind, _Call upon me in the day of trouble, and I will deliverthee, and thou shalt glorify me._ Upon this sentence, rising morecheerfully from my bed, I offered up my prayers in the most heavenlymanner; and when I had done, taking up my Bible to read, these wordsappeared first in my sight:--_Wait on the Lord, and be of good cheer,and he shall strengthen thy heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord._ Suchdivine comfort did this give me, as to remove all cause of sadness uponthat occasion.

  Thus, after a world of apprehensions and fears, for three days andnights, I at last ventured out of my castle, and milked my goats, one ofwhich was almost spoiled for want of it. I next (though in great fear)visited my bower, and milked my flocks there also; when, growing bolder,I went down to the shore again, and measuring the print of the foot tomine, to see, perhaps, whether I myself had not occasioned that mark, Ifound it much superior in largeness; and so returned home, nowabsolutely convinced that either some men had been ashore, or that theisland must be inhabited, and therefore that I might be surprised beforeI was aware.

  I now began to think of providing for my security, and resolved in mymind many different schemes for that purpose. I first proposed to cutdown my inclosures; and turn my tame cattle wild into the woods that theenemy might not find them, and frequent the island in hopes of killingthe same. Secondly, I was for digging up my corn fields for the verysame reason. An, lastly, I concluded to demolish my bower, lest, seeinga place of human contrivance, they might come farther and find out andattack me in my little castle.

  Such notions did the fear of danger suggest to me; and I looked Ithought like the unfortunate king Saul, when not only oppressed by thePhilistines, but also forsaken by God himself. And, it is strange, thata little before, having entirely resigned myself to the will of God, Ishould now have little confidence in him, fearing those more who couldkill this fading body, than him who could destroy my immortal soul.

  Sleep was an utter stranger to my eyes that night: yet nature, spent andtired, submitted to a silent repose the next morning, and then joiningreason with fear, I considered that this delightful and pleasant islandmight not be to entirely forsaken as I might think; but that theinhabitants from the other shore might fail, either with design or fromnecessity, by cross winds; and if the latter circumstance. I had reasonto believe they would depart the first opportunity. However, my fearmade me think of a place for retreat upon an attack. I now repented thatI had made my door to come out beyond my fortification; to remedy which,I resolved to make me a second one: I fell to work, therefore, and drovebetwixt that double row of trees, which I planted above twelve yearsbefore, several strong piles, thickening it with pieces of timber andold cables, and strengthening the foot of it with earth which I dug outof my cave; I also made me seven holes, wherein I planted my musketslike cannon, fitting them into frames resembling carriages. This beingfinished with indefatigable industry, for a great way every where, Iplanted sticks of osier like a wood, about twenty thousand of them,leaving a large space between them and my wall, that I might have roomto see an enemy, and that they might not be sheltered among the youngtrees, if they offered to approach the outer wall. And, indeed, scarcetwo years had passed over my head, when there appeared a lovely shadygrove, and in six years it became a thick wood perfectly impassable. Formy safety, I left no avenue to go in or out: instead of which I set twoladders, one to a part of a rock which was low, and then broke in,leaving room to place another ladder upon that; so that when I tookthese down, it was impossible for any man to descend without hurtinghimself; and if they had, they would still be at the outside of my outerwall. But while I took all these measures of human prudence for my ownpreservation I was not altogether unmindful
of other affairs. Topreserve my stock of tame goats, that the enemy should not take all atonce, I looked out for the most retired part of the island, which wasthe place where I had lost myself before-mentioned; and there finding aclear piece of land, containing three acres, surrounded with thickwoods, I wrought so hard, that in less than a month's time, I fenced itso well round, that my flocks were very well secured in it, and I puttherein two he-goats and ten she ones.

  All this labour was occasioned purely by fearful apprehensions, onaccount of seeing the print of a man's foot. And not contented yet withwhat I had done, I searched for another place towards the west point ofthe island, where I might also retain another flock. Then wandering onthis errand more to the west of the island than ever I had yet done, andcasting my eyes towards the sea, methought I perceived a boat at a greatdistance; but could not possibly tell what it was for want of myperspective glass. I considered then it was no strange thing to see theprint of a man's foot; and concluding them cannibals, blessed God forbeing cast on the other side of the island, where none of the savages,as I thought, ever came. But when I came down the hill to the shore,which was the S.W. point of the island, I was soon confirmed in myopinion; nor can any one describe my horror and amazement, when I sawthe ground spread with sculls, hands, feet, and bones of human bodies;and particularly, I perceived a space like a circle, in the midst ofwhich had been a fire, about which I conjectured these wretches sat, andunnaturally sacrificed and devoured their fellow creatures.

  The horror and loathsomeness of this dreadful spectacle, both confoundedmy senses, and made me discharge from my stomach in an excessive manner.I then returned towards my habitation; and, in my way thither, sheddingfloods of tears, and falling down on my bended knees, gave God thanksfor making my nature contrary to these wretches, and delivering me solong out of their hands.

  Though reason and my long residence here had assured me, that thesesavages never came up to the thick woody parts of the country, and thatI had no reason to be apprehensive of a discovery; yet such an abhorencedid I still retain, that, for two years after, I confined myself only tomy three plantation: I mean my castle, country-seat, and inclosure inthe woods. And though in process of time, my dreadful apprehensionsbegan to wear away, yet my eyes were more vigilant for fear of beingheard by those creatures, they should proceed to attack me. I resolved,however, manfully to lose my life if they did, and went armed with threepistols stuck in my girdle, which added to the description I have givenof myself before, made me look with a very formidable appearance.

  Thus my circumstances for some time remained very calm and undisturbed;and when I compared my condition to others, I found it far from beingmiserable. And, indeed, would all persons compare their circumstances,not with those above them, but with those innumerable unhappy objectsbeneath them, I am sure we should not hear these daily murmurings andcomplainings that are in the world. For my part, I wanted but fewthings. Indeed, the terror which the savages had put me in, spoiled someinventions for my own conveniences. One of my projects was to brew mesome beer; a very whimsical one indeed, when it is considered that I hadneither casks sufficient; nor could I make any to preserve it in;neither had I hops to make it keep, yest to make it work, nor a copperor kettle to make it boil. Perhaps, indeed, after some years, I mightbring this to bear, as I had done other things. But now my inventionswere placed another way; and day and night I could think of nothing buthow I might destroy some of these cannibals, when proceeding to theirbloody entertainments; and so saving a victim from being sacrificed,that he might after become my servant. Many were my contrivances afterthis purpose, and as many more objections occurred after I hatched them.I once contrived to dig a hole under the place where they made theirfire, and put therein five or six pounds of gunpowder, which wouldconsequently blow up all those that were near it: but then I was loth tospend so much upon them, lest it should not do that certain execution Icould desire, & but only affright & not kill them. Having laid thisdesign aside, I again proposed to myself to lie privately in ambush, insome convenient place, with my three guns double loaded, and let fly atthem in the midst of their dreadful ceremony: and having killed two orthree of them at every shot, fall upon the rest suddenly with my threepistols, & not let one mother's son escape. Thus imagination pleased myfancy so much that I used to dream of it in the night time. To put mydesign in execution, I was not long in seeking for a place convenientfor my purpose, where unseen I might behold every action of the savages.Here I placed my two muskets, each of which was loaded with a brace ofslugs, and four or five smaller bullets about the size of pistolbullets; the fowling-piece was charged with near a handful of thelargest swan-shot, and in every pistol were about four bullets. And thusall things being prepared, no sooner would the welcome light spread overthe element, but, _like a giant refreshed with wine_, as the Scripturehas it, would I issue forth from my castle, and from a lofty hill, threemiles distant, view if I could see any invaders approach unlawfully tomy kingdom. But having waited in vain two or three months, it not onlygrew very tiresome to me, but brought me to some consideration, andmade me examine myself, what right I had to kill these creatures inthis manner.

  If (argued I to myself) this unnatural custom of theirs be a sinoffensive to Heaven, it belongs to the Divine Being, who alone has thevindictive power in his hands, to shower down his vengeance upon them.And perhaps he does so, in making them become one another'sexecutioners. Or, if not, if God thinks these doings just, according tothe knowledge they conceive, what authority have I to pretend to thwartthe decrees of Providence, which has permitted these actions for so manyages, perhaps from almost the beginning of the creation? They neveroffended me, what right have I then to concern myself in their sheddingone another's blood: And, indeed, I have since known, they value no moreto kill and devour a captive taken in war, than we do to kill an ox oreat mutton. I then concluded it necessarily followed, that these peoplewere no more murderers than Christians, who many times put whole troopsto the sword, after throwing down their arms.--Again I considered, thatif I fell upon them, I should be as much in the wrong as the Spaniards,who had committed the greatest barbarities upon these people who hadnever offended them in their whole lives; as if the kingdom of Spain waseminent for a race of men without common compassion to the miserable, aprincipal sign of the most generous temper: these considerations made mepause, and made me think I had taken wrong measures in my resolution: Inow argued with myself, it was better for me never to attack, but toremain undiscovered as long as I possibly could; that an oppositeconduct would certainly prove destructive; for as it was scarcely to besupposed I could kill them all, I might either be overpowered by theremaining, or that some escaping, might bring thousands to my certaindestruction. And, indeed, religion took their part so much as toconvince me how contrary it was to my duty to be guilty of sheddinghuman blood, innocent as to my particular, whatever they are to oneanother: that I had nothing to do with it, but leave it to the God ofall power and dominion, as I said before, to do therein what seemedconvenient to his heavenly wisdom. And, therefore, on my knees I thankedthe Almighty for delivering me from blood guiltiness, and begged hisprotection that I might never fall into their hands.

  Thus giving over an attempt which I had rashly begun, I never ascendedthe hill on that occasion afterwards: I only re-removed my boat, whichlay on the other side of the island, and every thing that belonged toher, towards the east, into a little cove; that there might not be theleast shadow of any boat near, or habitation upon the island.--My castlethen became my cell, keeping always retired in it, except when I wentout to milk my she-goats, and order my little flock in the wood, whichwas quite out of danger: for sure I was that these savages never camehere with expectations to find any thing, consequently never wanderedfrom the coast; however, as they might have several times been on shore,as well before as after my dreadful apprehensions, I looked back withhorror to think in what state I might have been, had I suddenly met themslenderly armed; with one gun only loaded with small shot; and how
greatwould have been my amazement, if, instead of seeing the print of oneman's foot, I had perceived fifteen, or twenty savages, who having onceset their eyes upon me, by the swiftness of their feet would have leftme no possibility of escaping? These thoughts would sink my very soul,so that I would fall into a deep melancholy, till such time as theconsideration of my gratitude to the Divine Being moved it from myheart. I then fell into a contemplation of the secret springs ofProvidence, and how wonderfully we are delivered, when insensible of it;and when intricated in uncertain mazes or labyrinths of doubt orhesitation, what secret hint directs us in the right way, when weintended to go out of it, nay, perhaps contrary to our business, senseor inclination. Upon which, I fixed within me this as a certain rule,never to disobey those secret impressions of the mind, to the acting ornot acting any thing that offered, for which I yet could assign noreason. But let it be how it will, the advantage of this conduct veryeminently appeared in the latter part of my abode on this island; I am,a stranger in determining whence these secret intimations of Providencederive; yet methinks they are not only some proof of the converse ofspirits, but also of the secret communications they are supposed to havewith those that have not passed through the gloomy vale of death.

  These anxieties of mind, and the care of my preservation, put a periodto all future inventions and contrivances, either for accommodation orconvenience. I now cared not to drive a nail, chop a stick, fire a gunor make a fire, lest either the noise should be heard, or the smokediscover me. And on this account I used to burn my earthen wareprivately in a cave which I found in the wood, and which I madeconvenient for that purpose; the principal cause that brought me herewas to make charcoal, so that I might bake and dress my bread and meatwithout any danger. At that time a curious accident happened me, which Ishall now relate.

  While I was cutting down some wood for making my charcoal, I perceived acavity behind a very thick branch of underwood. Curious to look into it,I attained its month, and perceived it sufficient for me to standupright in. But when I had entered, and took a further view, two rollingshining eyes like flaming stars seemed to dart themselves at me; so thatI made all the haste out that I could, as not knowing whither it was thedevil or a monster that had taken his residence in that place. When Irecovered a little from my surprise, I called myself a thousand fools,for being afraid to see the devil one moment, who had now lived almosttwenty years in the most retired solitude. And therefore resuming allthe courage I had, I took a flaming firebrand, and in I rushed again. Ihad not proceeded above three steps, when I was more affrighted thanbefore; for then I heard a very loud sigh, like that of a human creaturein the greatest agony, succeeded with a broken noise, resembling wordshalf expressed, and then a broken sigh again. Stepping back, _Lord!_(thought I to myself) _where am I got, into what enchanted place have Iplunged myself, such as are reported to contain miserable captives, tilldeath puts an end to their sorrow_? And, indeed, in such great amazementwas I, that it struck me into a cold sweat; and had my hat been on myhead, I believe my hair would have moved it off. But again encouragingmyself with the hopes of God's protection, I proceeded forward, and, bythe light of my firebrand, perceived it to be a monstrous he-goat, lyingon the ground, gasping for life, and dying of mere old age. At first, Istirred him, thinking to drive him out, but the poor ancient creaturestrove to get upon his feet, but was not able; so I e'en let him liestill to affright the savages, should they venture into this cave. I nowlooked round me and found the place but small and shapeless. At thefarther side of it, I perceived a sort of an entrance, yet so low, asmust oblige me to creep upon my hands and knees to it; so, having nocandle, I suspended my enterprise till the next day, and then I cameprovided with two large ones of my own making.

  Having crept upon my hands and feet, through this strait, I found theroof higher up, I think about twenty feet. But surely mortal never sawsuch a glorious sight before! The roof and walls of this cave reflecteda hundred thousand lights to me from my two candles, as though they wereindented with mining gold, precious stones, or sparkling diamonds. Andindeed it was the most delightful cavity or grotto of its kind thatcould be desired, though entirely dark. The floor was dry and level, andhad a kind of gravel upon it: no nauseous venomous creatures to be seenthere, neither any damp or wet about it. I could find no fault but inthe entrance, and I began to think that even this might be verynecessary for my defence, and therefore resolved to make it my mostprincipal magazine. I brought hither two fowling-pieces, and threemuskets, leaving only five pieces at my castle, planted in the nature ofcannon. Of the barrel of gunpowder, which I took up out of the sea, Ibrought away about sixty pounds powder, which was not damaged, and thiswith a great quantity of lead for bullets, I removed for my castle tothis retreat, now fortified both by art and nature.

  I fancied myself now like one of the giants of old, who were said tolive in caves and holes among the rocks, inaccessible to any butthemselves, or, at lest, a most dangerous to attempt. And now I despisedboth the cunning and strength of the savages, either to find me out orto hurt me.

  But I must not forget the old goat, which caused my late dreadfulamazement. The poor creature gave up the ghost the day after mydiscovery; & it being difficult to drag him out, I dug his gave, andhonourably entombed him in the same place where is departed, with asmuch ceremony as any Welch goat that has been interred about the highmountain Penmanmawn.

  I think I was now in the twenty-third year of my reign, and my thoughtsmuch easier than formerly, having contrived several pretty amusementsand diversions to pass away the time in a pleasant manner. By this timemy pretty Poll had learned to speak English, and pronounce his wordsvery articulately and plain; so that for many hours we used to chattogether after a familiar manner, and he lived with me no less thantwenty-six years. My dog which was nineteen years old, sixteen of whichhe lived with me, died some time ago of mere old age. As for my cats,they multiplied so fast, that I was forced to kill or drive them intothe woods, except two or three which became my particular favourites.Besides these, I continually kept two or three household kids about me,which I learned to feed out of my hand, and two more parrots which couldtalk indifferently, and call _Robinson Crusoe_, but not so excellentlyas the first, as not taking that pains with them. I had also severalsea-owls which I had wounded and cut their wings; and growing tame, theyused to breed among the low trees about my castle walls, all which mademy abode very agreeable.

  But what unforeseen events suddenly destroy the enjoyment, of thisuncertain state of life, when we least expect them! it was now the monthof December, in the southern solstice, and particular time of myharvest, which required my attendance in the fields; when going outpretty early one morning, before it was day-light, there appeared to me,from the sea shore, a flaming light, about two miles from me at the eastend of the island, where I had observed some savages had been before,not on the other side, but to my great affliction, it was on my sidethe island.

  Struck with a terrible surprise, and my usual apprehensions, that thesavages would perceive my improvements, I returned directly to mycastle, pulled the ladder after me, making all things look as wild andnatural as I possibly could. In the next place, I put myself into aposture of defence, loading my mussels and pistols, and committingmyself to God's protection, I resolved to defend myself till my lastbreath. Two hours after, impatient for intelligence, I set my ladder upto the side of the hill, where there was a flat place, and then pullingthe ladder after me ascended to the top, where laying myself on mybelly, with my perspective glass, I perceived no less than nine nakedsavages, sitting round a small fire, eating, as I supposed human flesh,with their two canoes haled on shore, waiting for the flood to carrythem off again. You cannot easily express the consternation I was in atthis sight, especially seeing them near me; but when I perceived theircoming must be always with the current of the ebb, I became more easy inmy thoughts, being fully convinced that I might go abroad with securityall the time of flood, if they were not before landed. And, indeed, thisproved just as
I imagined; for no sooner did they all take boat andpaddle away, but the tide made N.W. Before they went off they danced,making ridiculous postures and gestures for above an hour, all starknaked; but whether men or women, or both, I could not perceive. When Isaw them gone, I took two guns upon my shoulders, and placing a coupleof pistols in my belt, with my great sword hanging by my side, I went tothe hill, where at first I made a discovery of these cannibals, and thensaw there had been three canoes more of the savages on shore at thatplace, which with the rest were making over to the main land.

  But nothing could be more horrid to me, when going to the place ofsacrifice, the blood, the bones, and other mangled parts of human bodiesappeared in my sight; and so fired was I with indignation, that I wasfully resolved to be revenged on the first that came there, though Ilost my life in the execution. It then appeared to me, that the visitswhich they make to this island are not very frequent, it being fifteenmonths before they came again; but still I was very uneasy, by reason ofthe dismal apprehensions of their surprising me unawares; nor dared Ioffer to fire a gun on that side of the island where they used toappear, lest, taking the alarm, the savages might return with manyhundred canoes, and then God knows in what manner I should have made myend. Thus was I a year or more before I saw any of these devouringcannibals again.

  But to wave this, the following accident, which demands attention, for awhile eluded the force of my thoughts in revenging myself onthose Heathens.

  On the 16th of May (according to my wooden calendar) the wind blewexceedingly hard, accompanied with abundance of lightning and thunderall day, and succeeded by a very stormy night. The seeming anger of theHeavens made me have recourse to my Bible. While I was seriouslypondering upon it, I was suddenly alarmed with the noise of a gun, whichI conjectured was fired upon the ocean. Such an unusual surprise made mestart up in a minute, when, with my ladder, ascending the mountain asbefore, that very moment a flash of fire presaged the report of anothergun which I presently heard, and found it was from that part of the seawhere the current drove me away. I could not but then think, that thismust be a ship in distress, and that there were the melancholy signalsfor a speedy deliverance. Great, indeed, was my sorrow upon thisoccasion; but my labours to assist them must have proved altogether vain& fruitless. However, I brought together all the dry wood that was athand, and making a pretty large pile, set it on fire on the hill. I wascertain they plainly perceived it, by their firing another gun as soonas it began to blaze, and after that several more from the same quarter.All night long I kept up my fire: and when the air cleared up, Iperceived something a great way at sea, directly E. but could notdistinguish what it was, even with my glass, by reason that the weatherwas so very foggy out at sea. However, keeping my eyes directly fixedupon it, and perceiving it did not stir, I presently concluded it mustbe a ship at anchor, and so very hasty I was to be satisfied, thattaking the gun, I went to the S.E. part of the island, to the same rockswhere I had been formerly drove away by the current, in which time theweather being perfectly cleared up, to my great sorrow, I perceived thewreck of a ship cast away upon those hidden rocks I found when I was outwith my boat; and which, by making a kind of an eddy, were the occasionof my preservation.

  Thus, _what is one man's safety is another's ruin_; for undoubtedly thisship had been driven on them in the night, the wind blowing strong atE.N.E. Had they perceived the island, as I now guessed they had not,certainly, instead of firing there guns for help, they would rather haveventured in their boat and saved themselves that way. I then thought,that perhaps they had done so, upon seeing my fire, and were cast awayin the attempt: for I perceived no boat in the ship. But then I againimagined, that, perhaps, they had another vessel in company, which, uponsignal, saved their lives, and took the boat up: or that the boat mightbe driven into the main ocean, where these poor creatures might be inthe most miserable condition. But as all these conjectures were veryuncertain, I could do no more than commiserate there distress, and thankGod for delivering me, in particular, when so many perished in theraging ocean.

  When I considered seriously every thing concerning this wreck, and couldperceive no room to suppose any of them saved, I cannot explain, by anypossible force of words, what longings my soul felt on this occasion,often breaking out in this manner: _O that there had been but two orthree, nay even one person saved, that we might have lived together,conversed with, and comforted one another!_ and so much were my desiresmoved, that when I repeated these words, _Oh! that there had been butone!_ my hands would clench together, and my fingers press the palms ofmy hands to close, that, had any soft thing been between, it would havecrushed it involuntarily, while my teeth would strike together, and setagainst each other so strong that it required some time for me topart them.

  Till the last year of my being on this island, I never knew whether ornot any had been saved out of this ship. I had the affliction, some timeafter, to see the corpse of a drowned boy come on shore, at the end ofthe island which was next the shipwreck; there was nothing on him but aseaman's waistcoat, a pair of opened kneed linen drawers, and a bluelinen shirt, but no particular mark to guess what nation he was of. Inhis pocket were two pieces of eight, and a tobacco-pipe, the last ofwhich I preferred much more than I did the first. And now the calmnessof the sea tempted me to venture out in my boat to this wreck, not onlyto get something necessary out of the ship, but perhaps, some livingcreature might be on board, whose life I might preserve. This had suchan influence upon my mind, that immediately I went home, and preparedevery thing necessary for the voyage, carrying on board my boatprovisions of all sorts, with a good quantity of rum, fresh water, and acompass: so putting off, I paddled the canoe along the shore, till Icame at last to the north-east part of the island, from whence I was tolaunch into the ocean; but here the currents ran so violently, andappeared so terrible, that my heart began to fail me; foreseeing that ifI was driven into any of these currents, I might be carried not only outof reach or sight of the island, but even inevitably lost in the boilingsurges of the ocean.

  So oppressed was I at these troubles, that I gave over my enterprize,sailing to a little creek on the shore, where stepping out, I set medown on a rising hill, very pensive and thoughtful. I then perceivedthat the tide was turned; and the flood came on, which made itimpracticable for me to go out for so many hours. To be more certain howthe sets of the tides or currents lay when the flood came in, I ascendeda higher piece of ground, which overlooked the sea both ways; and here Ifound that as the current of the ebb set out close by the south point ofthe island, so the current of the flood set in close by the shore of thenorth side; and all that I had to do was to keep to the north of theisland in my return.

  That night I reposed myself in my canoe, covered with my watch coat,instead of a blanket, the heavens being my tester. I set out with thefirst of the tide full north, till I felt the benefit of the current,which carried me at a great rate eastward, yet not with such impetuosityas before, as to take from me all government of my canoe; so that in twohours time I came up to the wreck, which appeared to me a mostmelancholy sight. It seemed to be a Spanish vessel by its building,stuck fast between two rocks; her stern and quarter beaten to pieces bythe sea; her mainmast and foremast were brought off by the board, thatis broken off short. As I approached near, I perceived a dog on board,who seeing me coming, yelped and cried, and no sooner did I call him,but the poor creature jumped into the sea, out of which I took him up,almost famished with hunger and thirst; so that when I gave him a cakeof bread, no ravenous wolf could devour it more greedily; and he drankto that degree of fresh water, that he would have burst himself, had Isuffered him.

  The first sight I met with in the ship, were two men drowned in thecook-room or forecastle, inclosed in one another's arms: hence I veryprobably supposed, that _when the vessel struck in the storm, so highand incessantly did the waters break in and over her, that the men notbeing able to bear it, were strangled by the constant rushing in of thewaves_. There were several casks of liquor, w
hether wine of brandy, Icould not be positive, which lay in the lower hold, as were plainlyperceptible by the ebbing out of the water, yet were too large for me topretend to meddle with; likewise I perceived several chests, which Isupposed to belong to the seamen, two of which I got into my boat,without examining what was in them. Had the stern of the ship beenfixed, and the forepart broken off, I should have made a very prosperousvoyage; since by what I after found in these two chests, I could nototherwise conclude, but that the ship must have abundance of wealth onboard; nay, if I must guess by the course she steered, she must havebeen bound from the Buenos Ayres, or the Rio de la Plata, in thesouthern parts of America, beyond the Brazils, to the Havannah, in thegulf of Mexico, and so perhaps to Spain. What became of the rest of thesailors, I could not certainly tell; and all her riches signifiednothing at that time to any body.

  Searching farther, I found a cask containing about twenty gallons, fullof liquor, which, with some labour, I got into my boat; in her cabinwere several muskets, which I let remain there; but took away with me agreat powder horn, with about four pounds of powder in it. I took also afire-shovel and tongs, two brass kettles, a copper pot to makechocolate, and a gridiron; all which were extremely necessary to me,especially the fire-shovel and tongs. And so with this cargo,accompanied with my dog, I came away, the tide serving for that purpose;and the same evening, about an hour within night, I attained the island,after the greatest toil and fatigue imaginable.

  That night I reposed my wearied limbs in the boat, resolving the nextmorning to harbour what I had gotten in my new-found subterraneousgrotto; & not to carry my cargo home to my ancient castle. Havingrefreshed myself, and got all my effects on shore I next proceeded toexamine the particulars; and so tapping the cask, I found the liquor tobe a kind of rum, but not like what we had at the Brazils, non indeednear so good. At the opening of the chest, several things appeared veryuseful to me; for instance, I found in one a very fine case of bottles,containing the finest and best sorts of cordial waters; each bottle heldabout three pints, curiously tip with silver. I found also two pots fullof the choicest sweetmeats, and two more which the water had utterlyspoiled. There were likewise several good shirts exceedingly welcome tome, and about one dozen and a half white linen handkerchiefs andcoloured neckcloths, the former of which was absolutely necessary forwiping my face in a hot day; and, in the till, I found three bags ofpieces of eight, about eleven hundred in all, in one of which, decentlywrapped up in a piece of paper, were six doubloons of gold, and somesmall bars and wedges of the same metal, which I believe might weighnear a pound. In the other chest, which I guessed to belong to thegunner's mate, by the mean circumstances which attended it, I found onlysome clothes of very little value, except about two pounds of fineglazed powder, in three flasks, kept, as I believe, for charging theirfowling pieces on any occasion; so that, on the whole, I had no greatadvantage by this voyage. The money was indeed as mere dirt to me,useless and unprofitable, all which I would freely have parted with fortwo or three pair of English shoes and stockings; things that for manyyears I had not worn, except lately those which I had taken of the feetof those unfortunate men I found drowned in the wreck, yet not so goodas English shoes either for ease or service. I also found in theseaman's chest about fifty pieces of eight in royals, but no gold; soconcluded that what I took from the first belonged to an officer, thelatter appearing to have a much inferior person for its owner. However,as despicable as the money seemed, I likewise lugged it to my cave,laying it up securely, as I did the rest of my cargo; and after I haddone all this, I returned back to my boat, rowing and paddling her alongtill I came to my old harbour, where I carefully laid her up, and somade the best of my way to my castle. When I arrived there, every thingseemed safe and quiet: so that now my only business was to repose myselfafter my wonted manner, and take care of my domestic affairs. But thoughI might have lived very easy, as wanting nothing absolutely needful, yetstill I was more vigilant than usual upon account of the savages, nevergoing much abroad; or, if I did, it was to the east part of the island,where I was well assured that the savages never came, and where I mightnot be troubled to carry that heavy load of weapons for my defence, as Iwas obliged to do if I went the other way.

  Two years did I live in this anxious condition, in all which time,contrary to my former resolutions, my head was filled with nothing butprojects and deligns, how I might escape from this island; and so muchwere my wandering thoughts bent upon a rambling disposition that had Ihad the same boat that I went from Sallee in, I should have venturedonce more to the uncertainty of the raging ocean.

  I cannot, however, but consider myself as one of the unhappy persons,who make themselves wretched by there dissatisfaction with the stationswhich God has placed them in; for, not to take a review of my primitivecondition, and my father's excellent advice, the going contrary to whichwas, as I may say, my original sin, the following mistakes of the samenature certainly had been the means of my present unhappy station. Whatbusiness had I to leave a settled fortune, and well stocked plantation,improving and increasing, where, by this time, I might have been worth ahundred thousand moidores, to turn supercargo to Guinea, to fetchNegroes, when time and patience would so much enlarge my stock at home,as to be able to employ those whose more immediate business it was tofetch them home even to my door?

  But as this is commonly the fate of young heads, so a serious reflectionupon the folly of it ordinarily attends the exercise of future years,when the dear bought experience of time teaches us repentance. Thus wasit with me; but not withstanding the thoughts of my deliverance ran sostrongly in my mind, that is seemed to check all the dictates of reasonand philosophy. And now to usher in my kind reader with greater pleasureto the remaining part of my relation, I flatter myself it will not betaken amiss, to give him an account of my first conceptions of themanner of escaping, and upon what foundation I laid my foolish schemes.

  Having retired to my castle, after my late voyage to the ship, myfrigate laid up and secured, as usual, and my condition the same asbefore, except being richer, though I had as little occasion for richesas the Indians of Peru had for gold, before the cruel Spaniards cameamong them: One night in March, being the rainy season in the four andtwentieth year of my solitude, I lay down to sleep, very well in health,without distemper pain, or uncommon uneasiness, either of body or mind;yet notwithstanding, I could not compose myself to sleep all the nightlong. All this tedious while, it is impossible to express whatinnumerable thoughts came into my head. _I traced quite over the wholehistory of my life in miniature, from my utmost remembrance of thingstill I came to this island, and then proceeded to examine every actionand passage that had occurred since I had taken possession of mykingdom._ In my reflections upon the latter, I was _comparing the happyposture of my affairs from the beginning of my reign, to this life ofanxiety, fear, and concern, since I had discovered a print of a foot inthe sand; that while I continued without apprehension, I was incapableof feeling the dread and terror I now suffered._ How thankful ratherought I to have been for the knowledge of my danger, since the greatesthappiness one can be possessed of is to have sufficient time to provideagainst it? How stupendous is the goodness of Providence, which setssuch narrow bounds to the sight and knowledge of human nature, thatwhile men walk in the midst of so many dangers they are kept serene andcalm, by having the events of things hid from their eyes and knowingnothing of those many dangers that surround them, till perhaps they aredissipated and vanish away.

  When I came more particularly to considerer of _the real danger I hadfor so many years escaped; how I had walked about in the greatestsecurity and tranquility, at a time, perhaps, when even nothing but thebrow of a hill, a great tree, or the common approach of night, hadinterposed between me and the destructive hands of the cannibals, whowould devour me with as good an appetite, as I would a pigeon orcurlew;_ surely all this, I say, could not but make me sincerelythankful to my great Preserver, whose singular protection I acknowledgewith the greatest humility, and witho
ut which I must inevitably havefallen into the cruel hands of those devourers.

  Having thus discussed my thoughts in the clearest manner, according tomy weak understanding, I next proceeded to consider _the wretched natureof those destroying savages, by seeming, though with great reverence,_to enquire _why God should give up any of his creatures to suchinhumanity, even to brutality itself, to devour its own kind?_ but asthis was rather matter of obstruse speculation, and as my miserablesituation made me think this of mine the most uncomfortable situation inthe world, I then began rather to inquire _what part of the world thesewretches lived in; how far off the coast was from whence they came; whythey ventured over so far from home; what kind of boats conveyed themhither; and why I could not order myself and my business so, that Imight be able to attack their country, as they were to come tomy kingdom.

  But then_ thought I, _how shall I manage myself when I come thither?what will become of me if I fall into the hands of the savages? or howshall I escape from them if they make an attempt upon me? and supposingI should not fall into their power, what shall I do for provisions, orwhich way shall I bend my course?_ These counter thoughts threw me intothe greatest horror and confusion imaginable; but then I still lookedupon my present condition to be the most miserable that possibly couldbe, and that nothing could be worse, except death _For_ (thought I)_could I but attain the shore of the main, I might perhaps meet withsome reliefs, or coast it along, as I did with my boy Xury, on theAfrican shore, till I came to some inhabited country, where I might meetwith some relief, or fall in with some Christian ship that might take mein; and if I failed, why then I could but meet with death, which wouldput an end to all my miseries._ These thoughts, I must confess, were thefruit of a distempered mind and impatient temper made desperate, as itwere, by long continuance of the troubles and disappointments I had metwith in the wreck; where I hoped to have found some living person tospeak to, by whom I might have known in what place I was, and of theprobable means of my deliverance. Thus, while my thoughts were agitated,my resignation to the will of heaven was entirely suspended; to that Ihad no power to fix my mind to any thing, but to the project of a voyageto the main land. And indeed so much was I inflamed upon this account,that it set my blood into a ferment, and my pulse beat high, as though Ihad been in a fever; till nature being, as it were, fatigued andexhausted with the thoughts of it, made me submit myself to asilent repose.

  In such a situation, it is very strange, that I did not dream of what Iwas so intent upon; but, instead of it, my mind roved on a quitedifferent thing, altogether foreign. I dreamed, that as I was issuingfrom my castle one morning, as customary, when I perceived upon theshore two canoes, and eleven savages coming to land, who had broughtwith them another Indian, whom they designed to make a sacrifice of, inorder to devour; but just as they were going to give the fatal blow,methought the poor designed victim jumped away, and ran directly into mylittle thick grove before my fortification, to abscond from his enemies,when perceiving that the others did not follow him that way, I appearedto him; that he humbly kneeled down before me, seeming to pray for myassistance; upon which I showed him my ladder, made him ascend, carriedhim to my cave, and he became my servant; and when I had gotten thisman, I said to myself, _now surely I may have some hopes to attain themain land; for this fellow will serve me as a pilot, tell me what to do,and where I must go for provisions, what places to shun, what to ventureto, and what to escape._ But when I awaked, and found all theseinexpressible impressions of joy entirely vanished, I fell into thegreatest dejection of spirit imaginable.

  Yet this dream brought me to reflect, that one sure way of escaping wasto get a savage; that after I had ventured my life to deliver him fromthe bloody jaws of his devourers, the natural sense he might have ofsuch a preservation, might inspire him with a lasting gratitude and mostsincere affection. But then this objection reasonably interposed: _howcan I effect this,_ thought I, _without I attack a whole company ofthem, and kill them all? why should I proceed on such a desperateattempt, which my scruples before had suggested to be unlawful?_ andindeed my heart trembled at the thoughts of so much blood, though itwere a means to procure my deliverance. 'Tis true, I might reasonablyenough suppose these men to be real enemies to my life, men who woulddevour me, was it in their power, so that it was self preservation inthe highest degree to free myself, by attacking them in my own defence,as lawfully as if they were actually assaulting me: though all thesethings, I say, seemed to me to be of the greatest weight, yet, as I justsaid before, the dreadful thoughts of shedding human blood, struck sucha terror to my soul, that it was a long time before I could reconcilemyself to it.

  But how far will the ardency of desire prompt us on? For notwithstandingthe many disputes and perplexities I had with myself, I at lengthresolved, right or wrong, to get one of these savages into my hands,cost what it would, or even though I should lose my life in the attempt.Inspired with this firm resolution, I set all my wits at work, to findout what methods I should take to answer my design: this, indeed, was sodifficult a task, that I could not pitch upon any probable means toexecute it: I, therefore, resolved continually to be in a vigilantposture, to perceive when the savages came on shore and to leave therest to the event, let the opportunities offer as they would.

  Such was my fixed resolutions; and accordingly I set myself upon thescout, as often as I could, till such time as I was heartily tired ofit. I waited for above a year and a half, the greatest part of which Iwent out to the west, and south-west corner of the island, almost everyday, to look for canoes, but none appeared. This was a very greatdiscouragement; yet, though I was very much concerned, the edge of mydesign was as keen as ever, and the longer it seemed to be delayed, themore eager was I for it: in a word, I never before was so careful toshun the loathing sight of these savages, as I was now eager to be withthem; and I thought myself sufficiently able to manage one, two, orthree savages if I had them, so as to make them my entire slaves, to dowhatsoever I should direct them, and prevent their being able at anytime to do me any mischief. Many times did I used to please myself withthese thoughts, with long and ardent expectations; but nothingpresenting, all my deep projected schemes and numerous fancies vanishedaway, as though, while I retained such thoughts, the decrees ofProvidence was such, that no savages were to come near me.

  About a year and a half after, when I was seriously musing of sundryother ways how I should attain my end, one morning early I was very muchsurprised by seeing no less than five canoes all on shore together, onmy side the island, and the savages that belonged to them all landed,and out of my sight. Such a number of them disconcerted all my measures;for, seeing so many boats, each of which would contain six, andsometimes more, I could not tell what to think of it, or how to order mymeasures, to attack twenty or thirty men single-handed; upon which, muchdispirited and perplexed, I lay still in my castle; which, however, Iput in a proper posture for an attack: and, having formerly provided allthat was necessary, was soon ready to enter upon an engagement, shouldthey attempt. Having waited for some time, my impatient temper would letme bear it no longer; I set my guns at the foot of my ladder, and, asusual, ascended up to the top of the hill at two stages, standing,however, in such a manner, that my head did not appear above the hill,so that they could easily perceive me; and here, by the assistance of myperspective glass, I observed no less than thirty in number around afire, feasting upon what meat they had dressed: how they cooked it, orwhat it was, I could not then perfectly tell; but they were all dancingand capering about the flames, using many frightful andbarbarous gestures.

  But while, with a curious eye, I was beholding these wretches, myspirits sunk within me, when I perceived them drag two miserablecreatures from the boats, to act afresh the dreadful tragedy, as Isupposed they had done before. It was not long before one of them fellupon the ground, knocked down, as I suppose, with a club or woodensword, for that was their manner; while two or three others wentimmediately to work, cutting him open for their cookery, and then fellto de
vour him as they had done the former, while the last unhappycaptive was left by himself, till such time as they were ready for him.The poor creature looked round him with a wishful eye, trembling at thethoughts of death; yet, seeing himself a little at liberty, nature, thatvery moment, as it were, inspired him with hopes of life: He startedaway from them, and ran, with incredible swiftness along the sands,directly to that part of the coast where my ancient and venerablecastle stood.

  You may well imagine, I was dreadfully affrighted upon this occasion,when, as I thought, they pursued him in a whole body, all runningtowards my palace. And now, indeed, I expected that part of my dream wasgoing to be fulfilled, and that he would certainly fly to my grove forprotection; but, for the rest of my dream, I could depend nothing on it;that the savages would pursue him thither, and find him there. Howevermy spirits, beginning to recover, I still kept upon my guard; and I nowplainly perceived, there were but three men out of the number thatpursued him. I was infinitely pleased with what swiftness the poorcreature ran from his pursuers, gaining so much ground upon them, that Iplainly perceived, could he thus hold out for half an hour, there wasnot the least doubt but he would save his life from the power ofhis enemies.

  Between them and my castle there was a creek, that very same which Isailed into with all my effects from the wreck of the ship on the steepbanks of which I very much feared the poor victim would be taken, if hecould not swim for his escape: but soon was I out of pain for him, whenI perceived he made nothing of it, though at full tide, but with anintrepid courage, spurred on by the sense of danger, he plunged into theflood, swimming over in about thirty strokes, and then landing, ran withthe same incredible strength and swiftness as before. When the threepursuers came to the creek, one of them, who I perceived could not swim,happily for his part, returned to his company, while the others, withequal courage, but much less swiftness attained the other side, asthough they were resolved never to give over the pursuit. And now or ornever I thought was the time for me to procure me a servant, companion,or assistant; and that I was decreed by Providence to be the instrumentto save this poor creature's life. I immediately descended my twoladders with the greatest expedition: I took up my two guns, which, Isaid before, were at the bottom of them, and getting up again with thesame haste towards the hill, I made nearer the sea. In a word, taking ashort cut down the hill, I interposed between the pursuers and pursued,hallooing aloud to the latter, who, venturing to look back, was, nodoubt, as much terrified at me as I at them. I beckoned to him with myhand, to return back, in the mean time advancing towards the pursuers,and rushing on the foremost, I knocked him down with the stock of mypiece, and laid him flat on the ground. I was very unwilling to firelest the rest should hear, though at a distance, I question whether theycould or no; and being out of sight of the smoke, they could not easilyhave known what to make of it. The other savage seeing his fellow fall,stopped as if he had been amazed; when advancing towards him, I couldperceive him take his bow from his back, and, fixing and arrow to it,was preparing to shoot at me, and, without dispute, might have lodgedthe arrow in my breast; but, in this absolutely necessary case of selfpreservation, I immediately fired at him, and shot him dead, just as hishand was going to draw the fatal string. All this while, the savage whohad fled before stood still, and had the satisfaction to see his enemieskilled, as he thought, who designed to take away his life; so affrightedwas he with the fire and noise of my piece, _that he stood as it werelike Lot's wife, fixed and immoveable, without either sense or motion_.This obliged me to halloo to him again, making the plainest signs Icould to him to draw nearer. I perceived he understood those tokens byhis approaching to me a little way, when, as is afraid I should kill himtoo, he stopped again. Several times did he advance, as often stop inthis manner, till coming more, to my view, I perceived him trembling, asif he was to undergo the same fate. Upon which I looked upon him with asmiling countenance, and still beckoning to him, at length he came closeto me and kneeled down, kissed my hand, laid his head upon it, andtaking me by the foot, placed it upon his head; and this, as Iunderstood afterwards, was in token of swearing to be my slave for ever.I took him up, and, making much of him, encouraged him in the bestmanner I could. But my work was not yet finished; for I perceived thesavage whom I knocked down, was not killed, but stunned with the blow,and began to come to himself, Upon which I pointed to my new servant,and shewed him that his enemy was not yet expired, he spoke some wordsto me, but which I could not understand; yet being the first sound of aman's voice I had heard for above twenty-five years, they were verypleasing to me. But there was no time for reflection now, the woundedsavage recovering himself so far as to sit upon the ground, which mademy poor prisoner as much afraid as before; to put him out of which fear,I presented my other gun at the man, with an intent to shoot him; but mysavage, for so I must now call him, prevented my firing, by making amotion to me, to lend him my sword, which hung naked in my belt by myside. No sooner did I grant his request, but away he runs to his enemy,and at one blow cut off his head as dextrously as the most accomplishedexecutioner in Germany could have done; for, it seems, these creaturesmake use of wooden swords made of hard wood which will bear edge enoughto cut off heads and arms at one blow. When this valorous exploit wasdone, he comes to me laughing, as a token of triumph, delivered me mysword again, with abundance of suprising gestures, laying it, along withthe bleeding and ghastly head of the Indian, at my feet.

  ROBINSON CRUSOE rescuing FRIDAY from his pursuers.]

  The greatest astonishment that my new servant conceived was the mannerof killing the savage at such a distance, without a bow and arrow; andsuch was his longing desire to know it, that he first pointed to thedead carcase, and then made signs to me to grant him leave to go up tohim. Upon which I bid him go, and, as well as I could, made him sensibleI granted his request. But when he came there, how wonderfully was hestruck with amazement! First, he turned him on one side, then onanother, wondering he could perceive no quantity of blood, he bleedinginwardly; and after sufficiently admiring the wound the bullet had madein his breast, he took up his bow and arrows, and came back again; uponwhich I turned to go away, making signs to him to follow, left the restmissing their companions, might come in pursuit of them, and this Ifound he understood very well, by his making me understand that hisdesign was to bury them, that they might not be seen if it happened; andwhich by signs again I made him sensible I very much approved of.Immediately he fell to work, and never was a grave-digger more dextrousin the world than he was; for in an instant, as I might say, he scrapeda large hole in the sand with his hands, sufficient to bury the firstin; there he dragged him; and without any ceremony he covered him over;in like manner he saved the other; so that I am sure no undertaker couldbe more expert in his business, for all this was done in less than aquarter of an hour. I then called him away, and instead of carrying himdirectly to my castle at first, I conveyed him to my cave on the fartherpart of the island; and so my dream was now fulfilled in thatparticular, that my grove should prove an asylum or sanctuary to him.

  Weary and faint, hungry and thirsty, undoubtedly must this poor creaturebe, supported chiefly by the vivacity of spirit, and, uncommontransports of joy that his deliverance occasioned. Here I gave him breadand a bunch of raisins to eat, and water to drink, on which he fed verycheerfully, to his exceeding refreshment. I then made him a convenientbed with a parcel of rice straw, and a blanket upon it, (a bed which Iused myself sometimes) and then pointing to it, made signs for him tolie down to sleep, upon which the poor creature went to take awelcome repose.

  Indeed he was a very comely, handsome, young fellow, extremely wellmade, with straight long limbs, not two large, but tall and well shaped,and, as near as I could reckon, about twenty-six years of age. Hiscountenance had nothing in it fierce or surly, but rather a sort ofmajesty in his face; and yet, especially when he smiled, he had all thesweetness and softness of an European. His hair was not curled likewool, as many of the blacks are, but long and black, with the mostb
eautiful, yet careless tresses spreading over his shoulders. He had avery high and large forehead, with a great vivacity and sparklingsharpness in his eyes. His skin was not so tawney, as the Virginians,Brazilians, or other Americans; but rather of a bright dun, olivecolour, that had something agreeable in it, though not very easy to givea description of. His face was round and plump, with a small nose, verydifferent from the flatness of the negroes, a pretty small mouth, thinlips, fine teeth, very well set, and white as the driven snow. In aword, such handsome features, and exact symmetry in every part, made meconsider that I had saved the life of an Indian prince, no less gracefuland accomplished than the great _Oroonoko_ whose memorable behavior andunhappy contingencies of life have charmed the world, both to admirationof his person, and compassion to his sufferings.

  But let him be either prince or peasant, all my happiness centered inthis, that I had now got a good servant or companion, to whom, as hedeserved, I was resolved to prove a kind master and a lasting friend. Hehad not, I think, slept above an hour when he awakened again, and whileI was milking my goats hard by, out he runs from the cave towards me inmy inclosure, and laying himself down on the ground, in the lowestprostration, made all the antic gestures imaginable, to express histhankfulness to me for being his deliverer. I confess though the mannerof his behaviour seemed to be ludicrous enough to occasion, laughter,yet I was very much moved at his affection, so that my heart meltedwithin me, fearing he might die away in excess of joy, like reprievedmalefactors, especially as I was incapable either to let him blood, oradminister physic. It were to be wished, that Christians would takeexample by this Heathen, to have received by the kind mediation andpowerful interposition of their benefactors and deliverers; and it wouldbe likewise happy for mankind, were there no occasion to blame many,who, instead of thankfully acknowledging favours and benefits, ratherabuse and condemn those who have been the instruments to save them fromdestruction.

  But, leaving these just reflections, I return to the object thatoccasioned them; for my man, to conclude the last ceremony of obedience,laid down his head again on the ground, close to my foot, and set myother foot upon is head, as he had done before, making all the signs ofsubjection, servitude, and submission imaginable, and let me understandhe would serve me as long as his life endured. As I understood him inmany things, I made him sensible I was very well pleased with him; and,in a little time, I began to speak to him, and learn him to talk to meagain. In the first place, I made him understand his name was to be_Friday_, because it was upon that day I saved his life; then I taughthim to say _Master_, which I made him sensible was to be my name. Ilikewise taught him to say _Yes_ and _No_, and to know what they meant.I gave him some milk in an earthen pot, making him view me while I drankit before him, and soaked my bread in it; I gave him a cake of bread,and caused him to soak it likewise, to which he readily consented,making signs of the greatest satisfaction imaginable.

  All that night did I keep him there; but no sooner did the morning lightappear, when I ordered him to arise, and come along with me, withcertain tokens that I would give him some clothes like mine, at which heseemed very glad, being stark naked, without the least coveringwhatever. As we passed by the place where the two men had been interred,my man pointed directly to their graves, showing me the marks that hehad made to find them again, giving me to understand, by signs, that weshould dig them up, and devour them. At this I appeared extremelydispleased, expressed my utmost abhorrence, as if I would vomit at theapprehensions of it, beckoning with my hand to come away, which he didwith the greatest reverence and submission. After this I conducted himto the top of the hill, to view if the rest of the savages were yetremaining there; but when I looked through my perspective glass, I couldsee no appearance of them, nor of their canoes; so that it was evidentthey never minded their deceased companions whom we had slain: which ifthey had, they would surely have searched for, or left one boat behindfor them to follow, after they returned from their pursuit.

  Curiosity, and a desire of satisfaction, animating me with courage tosee this scene of barbarity, I took my man Friday with me, putting asword into his hand, with the bow and arrows at his back, which Iperceived he could use very dexterously, causing him to carry one gunfor me, and I two for myself; and thus equipped against all attacks,away we marched directly to the place of their bloody entertainment. Butwhen I came there, I was struck with the utmost horror at so dreadful aspectacle, whilst Friday was no way concerned about it, being no doubtin his turn one of these devourers. Here lay several human bones, thereseveral pieces of mangled flesh, half eaten, mangled, and scorched,whilst streams of blood ran promiscuously as waters from a fountain. AsI was musing on this dreadful sight, Friday took all the pains he could,by particular signs, to make me understand, that they had brought overfour prisoners to feast upon, three of whom they had eaten up, and thathe was the fourth, pointing to himself; that there having been a bloodybattle between them and his great king, in the just defence of whom hewas taken prisoner, with many others; all of these were carried off todifferent places to be devoured by their conquerors; and that it was hismisfortune to be brought hither by these wretches for the same purpose.

  After I was made sensible of these things, I caused Friday to gatherthose horrid remains, and lay them together upon a heap, which I orderedto be set on fire, and burnt them to ashes: My man, however, stillretained the nature of a cannibal, having a hankering stomach after someof the flesh; but such an extreme abhorrence did I express at the leastappearance of it, that he durst not but conceal it; for I made him verysensible, that if he offered any such thing, I would certainlyshoot him.

  This being done, I carried my man with me to my castle, and gave him apair of linen drawers, which I had taken out of the poor gunner's chestbefore mentioned; and which, with a little alteration, fitted him verywell; in the next place I made him a jerkin of goat's skin, such as myskill was able to manage, and indeed I thought myself then a tolerablegood tailor. I gave him also a cap which I made of a hare's skin, veryconvenient and fashionable. Thus being clothed tolerably well, my manwas no less proud of his habit, than I was at seeing him in it. Indeedhe went very aukwardly at first, the drawers being too heavy on histhighs not used to bear any weight, and the sleeves of the waistcoatgalled his shoulders and the inside of his arms; but by a little easingwhere he complained they hurt him, and by using himself to them, atlength he took to them very well.

  My next concern was, where I should lodge him; and that I might do wellby him, and yet be perfectly easy myself, I erected a tent for him inthe vacant place between my two fortifications, in the inside of thelast, and the outside of the first; and, as there was an entrance ordoor into my cave, I made a formal framed door-case, and a door to openon the inside; I barred it up in the night time, taking in my ladderstoo, so that, was my man to prove treacherous, there could be no way tocome at me in the inside of my innermost wall, without making so muchnoise in getting over, that it must needs waken me; for my first wallhad now a complete roof over it of long poles, spreading over my tent,and leaning up to the side of the mountain, which was again laid crosswith smaller sticks instead of laths, and thatched over a greatthickness with the rice straw, which was as strong as reeds; and at thehole of the place, left on purpose to go in or out by the ladder, hadplaced a kind of trap-door, which, if it had been attempted on theoutside, would not have opened at all, but have fallen down, and made agreat noise; and as to my weapons, every night I took them all to mybed side.

  But there was no occasion for this precaution; for surely never masterhad a more sincere, faithful, and loving servant, than Friday proved tome. Without passion, sullenness, or design, perfectly obliging andengaging, his affections were as much tied to me, as those of a child toits parents; & I might venture to say, he would have sacrificed his lifefor the saving mine, upon any occasion whatsoever. And indeed the manytestimonies he gave me of this, sufficiently convinced me that I had nooccasion to use these precautions. And here I could not but reflect withgreat wonde
r, that however it hath pleased the Almighty in hisprovidence, and in the government of the creation, to take from so greata part of the world of his creatures, the noblest uses to which theirfaculties, and the powers of their souls are adapted; yet that he hasbestowed upon them the same reason, affections, sentiments of kindnessand obligation, passions of resentment, sincerity, fidelity, and all thecapacities of doing and receiving good that he has given us; and thatwhen he is graciously pleased to offer them occasions of exerting these,they are as ready, nay, more ready, to apply them to the proper uses forwhich they were bestowed, than we often are. These thoughts would makeme melancholy, especially when I considered how mean a use we make ofall these, even though we have these powers enlightened by the HolySpirit of God, and by the knowledge of this world, as an addition to ourunderstanding; and why it has pleased the heavenly Wisdom to conceal thelife saving knowledge from so many millions of souls who would certainlymake a much better use of it than generally mankind do at this time.These reflections would sometimes lead me so far, as to invade thesovereignty of Providence, and, as it were, arraign the justice of suchan arbitrary disposition of things, that should obscure that light fromsome, and reveal it to others, and yet expect a like duty from all. ButI closed it up, checking my thoughts with this conclusion; first, Thatwe were ignorant of that right and law by which those should becondemned; but as the Almighty was necessarily, and by the nature of hisessence, infinitely just and holy; so it could not be otherwise, butthat if these creatures were all destined to absence from himself, itwas on account of sinning against that light, _which_, as the Scripturesays, _was a law to themselves_ and by such rules as their conscienceswould acknowledge to be just, though the first foundation was notdiscovered to us. And, secondly, That still as we were the clay in thehand of the potter, no vessel could thus say to him, _Why hast thoufashioned me after this manner_?

  I had not been above two or three days returned to my castle, but mychief design was, how I should bring Friday off from this horrid way offeeding; and to take from him that inhuman relish he by nature had beenaccustomed to, I thought it my duty to let him taste other flesh, whichmight the rather tempt him to the same abhorrence I so often expressedagainst their accursed way of living. Upon which, one morning I took himout with me, with an intention to kill a kid out of the flock, and bringit home and dress it. As I was going, I perceived a she-goat lying downin the shade, and two young kids sitting by her. Immediately I catchedhold of my man Friday, and bidding him stand still, and not stir, Ipresented my piece, and shot one of the kids. My poor servant, who hadat a distance perceived me kill his adversary, and yet did not know bywhat means, or how it was done, stood trembling and surprised, andlooked so amazed, that I thought he would have sunk into the earth. Hedid not see the kid I aimed at, or behold I had killed it, but ripped uphis waistcoat to see if he was not wounded, thinking my resolution wasto kill him; for coming to me, he fell on his knees, earnestlypronouncing many things which I did not understand the meaning of; whichat length I perceived was, that I would not take away his life.

  Indeed I was much concerned to see him in that condition, where natureis upon the severest trial, when the immediate hand of death is ready toput for ever a period to this mortal life; and indeed so much compassionhad I to this creature, that it was with difficulty I restrained fromtears. But, however, as another sort of countenance was necessary, andto convince him that I would do no harm, I took him smiling by the hand,then laughed at him, and pointing to the kid which I had slain, madesigns to him to fetch it, which accordingly he did. No less curious washe in viewing how the creature was killed, than he had been before inbeholding the Indian; which, while he was admiring at, I charged my gunagain, and presently perceived a great fowl like a hawk, perching upon atree within shot; and therefore, to let Friday understand what I wasgoing to do, I called him to me again, pointing at the fowl, which Ifound to be a parrot. I made him understand that I would shoot and killthat bird; accordingly I fired, and bade him look, when immediately hesaw the parrot fall down. Again he stood like one amazed,notwithstanding all I had said to him: and the more confounded he was,because he did not perceive me put any thing into my gun. Undoubtedly athing so utterly strange, carrying death along with it, far or near,either to man or beast, must certainly create the greatest astonishmentto one who never had heard such a thing in his whole life; and reallyhis amazement continued so long, that had I allowed it, he would haveprostrated himself before me and my gun, with the greatest worship andadoration. As for the gun in particular, he would not so much as touchit for several days after, but would come & communicate his thoughts toit, & talk to it, as if the senseless piece had understood and answeredhim; all this I could perceive him do, when he thought my back wasturned, the chief intent of which was, to desire it not to kill him, asI afterwards came to understand.

  I never strove to prevent his admiration, nor hinder him from thosecomical gestures he used on such occasions; but when his astonishmentwas a little over, I make tokens to him to run and fetch the parrot thatI had shot; which accordingly he did, staying some time longer thanusual, by reason the bird not being quite dead, had fluttered some wayfurther from the place where she fell. In the mean time, as he waslooking for her, I took the advantage of charging my gun again, that soI might be ready for any other mark that offered; but nothing moreoccurred at that time. So I brought home the kid, and the same eveningtook off the skin and divided the carcase as well as I could. Part ofthe flesh I stewed and boiled in a pot I had for this purpose. And thenspreading my table, I sat down, giving my man some of it to eat, who waswonderfully pleased and seemed to like it very well: but what was themost surprising to him was to see me eat salt with it: upon which hemade me understand, that the salt was very bad for me; when putting alittle into his mouth, he seemed to nauseate it in such a manner as tospit and sputter at it, and then washed his mouth with fresh water: butto shew him how contrary his opinion was to mine, I put some meat intomy mouth without salt and feigned to spit and sputter as much for thewant of it, as he had done at it; yet all this proved of nosignification to Friday; and it was a long while before he could enduresalt in his meat or broth, and even then but a small quantity.

  Thus having fed him sufficiently with boiled meat and broth at thattime, the next day I was resolved to feast him with a roasted piece ofthe kid. And having no spit to fasten it, nor jack to turn it, I madeuse of that common artifice which many of the common people of Englandhave, that is to let two poles upon each side of the fire, and one crosson top, hanging the meat thereon with a string, and so turning roundcontinually, roast it, in the same manner as we read bloody tyrants ofold cruelly roasted the holy martyrs. This practice caused greatadmiration in my man Friday, being quite another way than that to whichthe savages were accustomed. But when he came to taste the sweetness andtenderness of the flesh, he expressed his entire satisfaction above athousand different ways. And as I could not but understand his meaning,you may be sure I was as wonderfully pleased, especially when he made italso very plain to me, that he would never, while he lived eat man'sflesh more.

  It was now high time I should set my servant to work; so next day I sethim to beat out some corn, and sat it in the same manner as I had donebefore. And really the fellow was very quick and handy in the executionof any thing I ordered him to go about. I made him understand that itwas to make bread for us to eat, and afterwards let him see me make it.In short, he did every thing as I ordered him, and in a little time aswell as I could perform it myself.

  But now considering that I had two mouths to feed instead of one, it wasnecessary that I must provide more ground for my harvest, and plant alarger quantity of corn than I commonly used to do; upon which I markedout a larger piece of land, fencing it in, in the same manner as I haddone before; in the execution of which I must give Friday this goodword; that no man could work, more hardy or with better will than hedid: and when I made him sensible that it was for bread to serve him aswell as me, he then very passionately made me
understand that he thoughtI had much more labour on his account, than I had for myself; and thatno pains or diligence should be wanting in him, if I would but directhim in those works wherein he might proceed.

  I must certainly own, that this was the most pleasant year I ever had onthe island; for after some time Friday began to talk pretty well, andunderstood the names of those things which I was wont to call for, andthe places where I used to send him. So that my long silent tongue,which had been useless so many years, except in an exclamatory manner,either for deliverance or blessings, now began to be occupied inteaching, and talking to my man Friday for indeed I had such a singularsatisfaction in the fellow himself, so innocent did his simple andunfeigned honesty appear more and more to me every day, that I reallybegan entirely to love him; and for his part, I believe there was nolove lost, and that his nature had been more charmed by his exceedingkindness, and his affections more placed upon me, than any other objectwhatsoever among his own countrymen. I once had a great mind to try ifhe had any hankering inclination to his own country again; and by thistime, having learned the English so well; that he could give metolerable answer to any question which I demanded. I asked him whetherthat nation to which he belonged, ever conquered in battle? Thisquestion made Friday to smile, and to which he answered, _Yes, yes, wealways fight the better;_ as much as to say, they always got the betterin fight. Upon which we proceeded on the following discourse: _You say_,said I, _that you always fight the better; why, then, Friday, how cameyou to be taken prisoner_?

  Friday. _But for all that my nation beat much_.

  Master. _How say you, beat? if your nation beat them, how came you to betaken_?

  Friday. _They more many mans than my nation in the place where me was;they take one, two, three, and me: my nation much over beat them in theyonder place where me no was, there my nation mans beat one, two, three,great tousand_.

  Master. _Then why did not your men recover you from the hands of yourenemies?_

  Friday. _They run one, two, or three, and me: they make all go in thecanoe; my nation have no canoe that time_--

  Master. _'Tis very well, Friday; but what does your nation do with theprisoners they take? Do they carry them away and eat them as thesehave done_?

  Friday. _Yes, yes, my nation eat mans too, eat up all_.

  Master. _To what place do they carry them to be devoured_?

  Friday. _Go to other nations where they think_.

  Master. _Do they bring them hither_?

  Friday. _Yes, come over hither, came over other place_.

  Master. _And have you been with them here, Friday_?

  Friday. _Yes, me been here_, (pointing to the north-west of the island,being the side where they used to land.)

  Thus having gotten what account I could from my man, I plainlyunderstood that he had been as bad as any of the rest of the cannibals,having been formerly among the savages who used to come on shore on thefarthest part of the island, upon the same bloody occasion as he wasbrought hither for; and some time after I carried him to that placewhere he pointed; and no sooner did he come there, but he presently knewthe ground, signifying to me that he was once there when they ate uptwenty men, two women and a young child; but as he could not explain thenumber in English, he did it by so many stones in a row, making a signto me to count them.

  This passage I have the rather mentioned, because it led to things moreimportant and useful for me to know; for after I had this satisfactorydiscourse with him, my next question was, how far it was from the islandto the shore, and whether the canoes were not often lost in the ocean?to which he answered, _there was no danger, that no canoes were everlost; but that after a little way out to the sea, there was a strongcurrent and a wind always one way in the afternoon_. This I thought atfirst to be no more than the sets of the tide, of going out or comingin; but I afterwards understood it was occasioned by the great-draughtand reflux of the mighty river Oroonoko, in the mouth or gulf of which Iimagined my kingdom lay: and that the land which I perceived to the W.and N.W. must be the great island Trinidad, on the north of the river. Athousand questions (if that would satisfy me) did I ask Friday about thenature of the country, the sea, the coasts, the inhabitants, and whatnations were nearest them: To which questions the poor fellow declaredall he knew with the greatest openness & utmost sincerity. When Idemanded of him the particular names of the various nations of his sortof people, he could only answer me in general that they were called_Carrabee_. Hence it was I considered that these must be the Carribees,so much taken notice of by our maps to be on that part of America, whichreaches from the mouth of the river Oroonoko to Guiana, and so on to St.Martha. Then Friday proceeded to tell me, _that up a great way beyondthe moon_, as much as to say, beyond the setting of the moon, which mustbe W. from their country, _there dwelt white-bearded men, such as Iwas_, pointing to my whiskers, _and that they kill much mans_. I was notignorant with what barbarity the Spaniards treated these creatures; sothat I presently concluded it must be them, whose cruelties had spreadthroughout America, to be remembered even to succeeding generations.

  Well, you may be sure, this knowledge, which the imperfect knowledge ofmy man had led me to, was very comfortable to me, and made me so curiousas to ask him how I might depart from this island, & get amongst thosewhite men? He told me, _Yes, yes, I might go in two canoes_. In twocanoes, thought I, what does my man mean? surely he means one forhimself, and another for me; and if not, how must two canoes hold mewithout being joined, or one part of my body being put in one, andanother in another? And indeed it was a long time before I understoodhis meaning; which was, that it must be a large boat, as big as twocanoes, able to bear with the waves, and not so liable to be overwhelmedas a small one must be.

  I believe there is not a state of life but what may be happy, if peoplewould but endeavour for their part to make it so. He is not thehappiest man that has the most riches; but he that is content with whathe hath. Before I had my servant, I thought myself miserable till I hadhim; and now that I had enjoyed the happy benefits of him, I stillcomplained, and begged a deliverance from a place of retirement, ease,and plenty, where Providence had sufficiently blessed me. In a word,from this time I entertained some hopes, that one time or other I mightfind an opportunity to make my escape from this island, and that thispoor savage might be a great furtherance thereto.

  All the time since my man became so intelligent as to understand andspeak to me, I spared no pain nor diligence to instruct him, accordingto my poor share of knowledge in the principles of religion, and theadoration that he ought to pay to the TRUE GOD. One time, as I very wellremember, I asked him who made him? At first the innocent creature didnot understand what I meant, but rather thought I asked him who was hisfather? upon which I took another way to make him sensible, by demandingfrom him an answer to this question. "Friday," I said, "who is it thatmade the sea, this ground whereon we walk, and all the hills and woodswhich we behold?" And here, indeed, I did not miss my intention; for hetold me _it was Old Benamuckee_ (the God whom I supposed these savagesadored) _who lived a great way beyond all_. But as to his attributes,poor Friday was an utter stranger. He could describe nothing of thisgreat person; and all that he could say was, _that he was very old, mucholder than the sea and land, the moon, or the stars_. "Friday," said Iagain, "if this great and old person has made all things in the world,how comes it to pass, that all things, as you in particular, do notadore and worship him? upon this looking very grave, with a perfectsweet look of innocence, he replied: _Master all things say O to him_,"by which it may reasonably be supposed he meant adoration. "And where,"said I, "do the people of your country go when they die?" He answered_to Benamuckee_. "What, and those people that are eaten up, do they gothere?" _Benamuckee_, said he, _love 'em dearly; me pray to Benamuckeein the canoe, and Benamuckee would love me when dey eat me all up_.

  Such discourses as these had I with my man, and such made me sensible,that the true God is worshipped, tho' under imperfect similitudes; andthat the false adorati
on which the Heathens give to their imaginaryDeity, is as great an argument of the divine essence, as the mostlearned Atheists _(falsely so called)_ can bring against it; for Godwill be glorified in his works, let their denominations be what it will;and I cannot be of that opinion which some conceive, that God shoulddecree men to be damned for want of a right notion of faith, in a placewhere the wisdom of the Almighty has not permitted it to be preached;and therefore cannot but conclude, that since obedience is the bestsacrifice, these poor creatures are acting by that light and knowledgewhich they are possessed of, may undoubtedly obtain a happy salvation,though not that enjoyment with Christ, as his saints, confessors, andmartyrs must enjoy.

  But laying these determinations aside, more fit for divines than me todiscuss, I began to instruct my servant in the saving knowledge of thetrue Deity, in which the direction of God's Holy Spirit assisted me. Ilifted up my hands to Heaven, and pointing thereto, told him "that thegreat Maker of Heaven and Earth lived there; that as his infinite powerfashioned this world out of a confused chaos, and made it in thatbeautiful frame which we behold; so he governs and preserves it by hisunbounded knowledge, sovereign greatness and peculiar providence; thathe was omnipotent, could do every thing for us, give every thing to us,and take every thing away from us; that he was a rewarder and punisherof good, and evil actions; that there was nothing but what he knew, nothoughts so secret, but what he could bring to light;" and thus, bydegrees, I opened his eyes, and described to him "the manner of thecreation of the world, the situation of paradise, the transgression ofour first parents, the wickedness of God's peculiar people, and theuniversal sins and abominations of the whole earth." When these thingswere implanted in his mind, I told him "that as God's justice was equalto his mercy, he resolved to destroy this world, till his Son JesusChrist interposed in our behalf; and to procure our redemption, obtainedleave of his heavenly Father to come down from Heaven into the world,Where he took human nature upon him, instructed us in our way to eternallife, and died as a sacrifice for our sins; that he was now ascendedinto Heaven, mediating for our pardon, delivering our petitions, andobtaining all those good benefits which we ask in his name, by humbleand hearty prayers, all which were heard at the throne of Heaven." Asfrequently I used to inculcate things into his mind. Friday one day toldme, _that if our great God could hear us beyond the sun, he must surelybe a greater God than their Benamuckee, who lived but a little way off,yet could not hear them till they ascended the great mountains, where hedwelt to speak to him._ 'What' said I, 'Friday, did you go thither tospeak to him too?' He answered, _No, they never went that were youngmen, none but old men, called their Oowakakee_, meaning the Indianpriests, _who went to say O,_ (so he called saying their prayers) _andthey returned back, and told them what Benamuckee said._ From hence, Icould not but observe how happy we Christians are, who have God'simmediate revelation for our certain guide; and that our faith isneither misled, nor our reason imposed upon, by any set of men,such as these Indian impostures.

  But to clear up this palpable cheat to my man Friday, I toldhim, "that the pretence of their ancient men going up tothe mountain to say O to their God _Benamuckee_ was an imposture,and that their bringing back an answer was all a sham, ifnot worse; for that, if there was any such thing spoken to them,surely it must proceed from an infernal spirit." And here Ithought it necessary to enter into a long discourse with him,which I did after this manner.

  "Friday," said I, "you must know, that before the worldwas made, there was an Almighty power existing, by whosepower all things were made, and whose Majesty shall have noend. To be glorified and adored by beings of a heavenly nature,he created angels and archangels, that is glorified spiritsresembling himself, to encompass his throne, eternally singingforth his praise in the most heavenly sounds and divine harmony.And, among this heavenly choir, Lucifer bore a great sway, as beingthen one of the peculiar favourites of these celestial abodes;but he, contrary to that duty he owed his heavenly Sovereign,with unbounded ingratitude to his Divine Creator, not onlyenvied him that adoration which was his due, but thought tousurp that throne, which he had neither power to keep, nortitle to pretend to. He raised a dissention and civil war inHeaven, and had a number of angels to take his part. Unboundedfolly! stupendous pride! to hope for victory, and aspireabove his powerful Creator! The Deity, not fearful of suchan enemy, yet justly provoked at this rebellion, commissionedhis archangel Michael to lead forth the heavenly host, and givehim battle; the advantage of which was quickly perceived,by Satan's being overthrown, and the prince of the air, for sowas the devil called, with all his fallen angels, driven headlonginto a dismal place, which is called _Hell_."

  The recital of this truth made my man give the greatest attention,and he expressed a great satisfaction by his gestures, that Godhad sent the devil into a deep hole. And then I desired him togive great heed to what I had further to say.

  "No sooner," proceeded I, "was God freed from, and the Heaven clearof this arch-traitor, but the Father speaks to the Son and HolySpirit, who belonged to his essence, and were equal to him in powerand glory, _Come let us make man_, said he _in our own image, afterour own likeness_, Gen. i. 26. to have dominion over the creaturesof the world which we have created. And these he intended shouldglorify him in Heaven, according to their obedience in this state ofprobation on earth, which was, as it were, to be the school to trainthem up for these heavenly mansions. Now, Satan seeing himself foiled;yet that God had taken the power from him as prince of the air, whichpower Heaven designed he should retain, whereby his creatures mightbe tried; in revenge for the disgrace he had received, he temptsAdam's wife, Eve, to taste of the tree of knowledge of good andevil, which God had forbidden. He appears to her in the shape of aserpent, then a most beautiful creature, and tells her that it was nobetter than an imposition, which God had put upon her and her husbandnot to eat of that fair fruit which he had created; that the tastethereof would make them immortal like God himself; and consequently asgreat and powerful as he. Upon which she not only eat thereof herself,but made her husband eat also, which brought them both under theheavenly displeasure."

  Here Friday expressed a great concern: _Ah, poor mans!_ cried he,_naughty womans! naughty devil! make God not love de mans, made manslike devil himself._

  'Friday,' said I, 'God still loved mankind, and though the devil temptedhuman nature so far, he would not suffer him to have an absolute powerover them. I have told you before of his tender love to his people, tillthey, like Lucifer, disobeyed his commands and rebelled against him; andeven then, how Jesus Christ, his only Son, came to save sinners. Butstill every man that lives in the world is under temptation and trial.The devil has yet a power, as prince of the air, to suggest evilcogitations in our minds, and prompt us on to wicked actions, that hemight glory in our destruction. Whatever evil thoughts we have, proceedfrom him; so that God in this our distress, expects we should applyourselves to him by fervent prayer for speedy redress. He is not like_Benamuckee,_ to let none come near him but _Oowakakee_, but suffers thepeople as well as priests to offer themselves at his feet, thereby to bedelivered from the power and temptation of the devil.

  But though at first my man Friday expressed some concern at thewickedness of Lucifer, I found it not so easy to imprint the rightnotions of him in his mind, as it was about the divine essence of God;for there nature assisted me in all my arguments, to show him plainlythe necessity of a great first cause, and over-ruling, governing power,of a secret directing Providence, and of the equity and reasonablenessof paying adoration to our Creator: whereas there appeared nothing ofall this in the notion of an evil spirit, of his first beginning, hisnature, and, above all, of his inclination to evil actions, and hispower to tempt us to the like. And indeed this unlearned _Indian_, bythe mere force of nature, puzzled me with one particular question, morethan ever I could have expected.

  I had, it seems, one day, been talking to him of the omnipotent power ofGod, and his infinite abhorrence of sin, insomuch that the Scripturesstyled him _a consum
ing fire_ to all the workers of iniquity; and thatit was in his power, whenever he pleased, to destroy all the world in amoment, the greater part of which are continually offending him.

  When, with a serious attention, he had listened a great while to whatI said, after I had been telling him how the devil was God's enemy inthe hearts of men, and used all his malice and skill to defeat the gooddesigns of Providence, and destroy the kingdom of Christ in the world,and so forth: _Very well, Master_, said Friday, _you say God is sostrong, so great, is he not much strong, much mightier than the naughtydevil?_ "To be sure, Friday," said I, "God is more wise and strongerthan the serpent: he is above the devil, which makes us pray to him,that he would tread down Satan under his feet, enable us to resist theviolent temptations; and quench his fiery darts." _Why then_, answeredFriday quickly, _if God, as you say, has much strong, much might as thedevil, why God no kill devil, make no more tempt, no more do wicked._

  You may be certain, I was strangely surprised at this question of myman's: and, though an old man, I was but a young doctor, andconsequently very ill qualified for a causuist, or a resolver ofintricate doubts in religion, and as it required some time for me tostudy for an answer, I pretended not to hear him, nor to ask him what hesaid; but, to so earnest was he for an answer, as not to forget hisquestion which he repeated in the very same broken words as above. WhenI had recovered myself a little, "Friday," said I, "God will at lastpunish him severely, being reserved for judgment, and is to be cast intothe bottomless pit, to remain in fire everlasting." But all this did notsatisfy Friday, for, returning upon me, he repeated my words "RESERVE ATLAST, _me no understand; but, why not kill devil now, not kill devil,great, great while ago_?" "Friday" said I "you may as well ask me whyGod does not kill you and me, when, by our wicked actions, we so muchoffend his divine Majesty? He gives us time to repent of our sins, thatthereby we may obtain pardon." At these words _obtain pardon_, Fridaymused a great while; and, at last, looking me stedfastly in the face,_Well, well_, said he, _that's very well; so you, I, devil, all wickedmans, all preserve, repent, God pardon all._

  Indeed, here I was ran down to the last extremity, when it became veryevident to me; how mere natural notions will guide reasonable creaturesto the knowledge of a Deity, and to the homage due to the Supreme Beingof God; but, however, nothing but divine revelation can form theknowledge of Jesus Christ, and of a redemption purchased for us, of themediator of the new covenant, and of an intercessor at the footstool ofGod's throne; and, therefore, the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour JesusChrist; that is, the word and Spirit of God, promised for the guide andthe sanctifier of his people, are the most necessary instructors of thesouls of men, in the saving knowledge of the Almighty, and the means toattain eternal happiness.

  And now I found it necessary to put an end to this discourse between myman and me; for which purpose I rose up hastily, and made as if I hadsome occasion to go out, sending Friday for something that was a goodway off, I then fell on my knees, and beseeched God that he wouldinspire me so far as to guide this poor savage in the knowledge ofChrist, to answer his questions more clearly, that his conscience mightbe convinced, his eyes opened, and his soul saved. When he returnedagain, I entered into a very long discourse with him, upon the subjectof the world's redemption by the Saviour of it, and the doctrine ofrepentance preached from heaven, together with an holy faith of ourblessed Redeemer Jesus Christ; and then I proceeded to explain to him,according to my weak capacity, the reason why our Saviour took not onhim the nature of angels, but rather the seed of Abraham; and how thefallen angels had no benefit by that redemption; and, lastly, that hecame only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and the like. Godknows I had more sincerity than knowledge in all the ways I took for thepoor Indian's instruction; and, I must acknowledge what I believe, everybody that acts upon the same principle will find, that in layingheavenly truths open before him, I informed and instructed myself inmany things that either I did not know, or had not perfectly consideredbefore: so that, however, this poor creature might be improved by myinstructions, certain it is, that I myself had great reason to bethankful to Providence for sending him to me. His company allayed mygrief, and made my habitation comfortable; and when I reflected that thesolitary life to which I had been so long confined, had made me to lookfurther towards Heaven, by making me the instrument under Providence, tosave the life, and for ought I know, the soul of this poor savage, bybringing him to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, it caused a secret joy tospread through every part of my soul; and I frequently rejoiced, thatever I was brought to this place, which I once thought the mostmiserable part of the world.

  In this thankful frame of mind did I afterwards continue, while I abodeon the island, and for three years did my man and I live in the greatestenjoyment of happiness. Indeed, I believe the savage was as good aChristian as I; and I hope we were equally penitent; and such penitentsas were comforted and restored by God's Holy Spirit; for now we had theword of the Lord to instruct us in the right way, as much as if we hadbeen on the English shore.

  By the constant application I made to the Scriptures, as I read them tomy man Friday, I earnestly endeavoured to make him understand every partof it, as much as lay in my power. He also, on the other hand, by hisvery serious questions and inquiries, made me a much better proficientin Scripture knowledge, than I should have been by my own privatereading and study. I must not omit another thing, proceeding from theexperience I had in my retirement: It was that infinite andinexpressible blessing, the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ, whichwas so plain and easy to be understood, as immediately to direct me tocarry on the great work of sincere repentance for my sins, and layinghold of a Saviour for eternal life, to a practical stated reformation,and obedience to all God's institutions, without the assistance of areverend and orthodox divine; and especially by this same instruction,so to enlighten this savage creature, as to make him so good aChristian, as very few could exceed him. And there was only this greatthing wanting, that I had no authority to administer the Holy Sacrament,that heavenly participation of Christ's body and blood; yet, however, werested ourselves content; that God would accept our desires, andaccording to our faith, have mercy on us.

  But what we wanted one way, was made up in another, and that wasuniversal peace in our little church. We had no disputes and wranglingabout the nature and equality of the holy, blessed, and undividedTrinity, no niceties in doctrine, or schemes of church government; nosour or morale dissenters to impose more sublimated notions upon us; nopedant sophisters to confound us with unintelligible mysteries: but,instead of all this, we enjoyed the most certain guide to Heaven; thatis, the word of God: besides which, we had the comfortable views of hisSpirit leading us to the truth, and making us both willing and obedientto the instruction of his word. As the knowledge and practice of thisare the principal means of salvation, I cannot see what it avails anychristian church, or man in the world, to amuse himself withspeculations and opinions, except it be to display their particularvanity and affectation.

  You may well suppose, that, by the frequent discourse we had together,my man and I became most intimately acquainted, and that their was butvery little that I could say, but what Friday understood; and, indeed,he spoke very fluently, though it was but broken English. I now took aparticular pleasure in relating all my adventures, especially those thatoccurred since my being cast on this island. I made him understand thatwonderful mystery, as he conceived, of gunpowder and bullet, and taughthim how to shoot. I also presented to him a knife, which pleased himexceedingly, making him a belt, with a frog hanging thereto, like thosein which we wear hangers in England; and, instead of a hanger to put inthe frog, I gave him a hatchet, which was not only as good, but even abetter weapon upon many occasions. In a word, my man thus accoutred,looked upon himself as great as Don Quixote, when that celebratedchampion went to combat the windmill.

  I next gave him a very particular description of the territories ofEurope, and in a particular manner of Old England, the place
of mynativity. I laid, before him the manner of our worshipping God, ourbehaviour one to another, and how we trade in ships to every part of theuniverse. I then told him my misfortunes in being shipwrecked, showinghim, as near as I could the place where the ship lay, which had beengone long before; but I brought him to the ruins of my boat which beforemy whole strength could not move, but now was a most rotten, and fallento pieces. I observed my man Friday to view this boat with uncommoncuriosity; which, when he had done, he stood pondering a great while,and said nothing. At last, said I, "Friday, what makes you ponder somuch?" He replied, _O master, me see like boat come to place atmy nation_.

  It was some time, indeed, before I understood what my man meant; butexamining strictly into it, I plainly found, that such another boatresembling mine, had come up on the country where he dwelt: that is tosay, by his farther explanation, that the boat was driven there throughstress of weather. It then came into my mind that some European shiphaving been cast away, the poor distressed creatures were forced to haverecourse to the boat to save their lives; and being all, as I thoughtdrowned, I never concerned my self to ask any thing concerning, them,but my only inquiry was about the boat, and what description my mancould give of it.

  Indeed Friday answered my demands very well; making everything veryplain to my understanding: but beyond measure was I satisfied, when hetold me with great warmth and ardour. _O master, we save white mans fromdrown;_ upon which I immediately asked him, If there were any whitemans, as he called them in the boat? _Yes, yes_, said he, _the boatfull, very full of white mans_ "How many, Friday?" said I. Hereupon henumbered his fingers, and counted seventeen. And when I asked him whatbecame of them all, and whether they lived or not? he replied, _Yesmaster, they all live, they be live among my nation._ This informationput fresh thoughts into my head, that these must be those very men whobefore I concluded had been swallowed up in the ocean, after they hadleft the ship that had struck upon the rocks of my kingdom, and afterescaping the fury of the deep, landed upon the wild shore, and committedthemselves to the fury of the devouring Indians.

  The manner of their cruelties to one another, which consequently, as Ithought, must be acted with greater barbarity to strangers, created inme a great anxiety, and made me still more curious to ask Fridayconcerning them. He told me, he was sure they still lived there, havingresided among them above four years, and that the savages gave themvictuals to live upon: "But pray, Friday," said I, "whence proceeded allthis good nature and generosity? How came it to pass that they did notkill and eat them, to please their devouring appetites, and occasion tosplendid an entertainment among them?" _No, no,_ said Friday, _they notkilt 'em, they make brothers with 'em_; by which I understood there wasa truce between them. And then I had a more favourable opinion of theIndians, upon Friday uttering these words, _My nation, t'other nation noeat man, but when mans, make war fight:_ as though he had said, thatneither those of his kingdom, nor any other nations that he knew of,ever ate their fellow-creatures, but such as their law of arms allowedto be devoured; that is, those miserable captives, whose misfortune itshould be to be made prisoners of war.

  Some considerable time after, upon a very pleasant day, in most sereneweather, my man and I stood upon the top of a hill, on the east side ofthe island, whence I had once before beheld the continent of America. Icould not tell immediately what was the matter, for suddenly Friday fella jumping and dancing as if he had been mad, and upon my demanding thereason of his behaviour, _O joy_! said he, _O glad! there see mycountry, there my nation, there live white mans gether_. And indeed sucha rapturous sense of pleasure appeared in his countenance that his eyeshad an uncommon sparkling and brightness, and such a strange eagerness,as if he had a longing desire to be in his country again. This made meno so well satisfied with my man Friday as before; for by thisappearance, I made no dispute, but that if he could get back thitheragain, he would not only be unmindful of what religion I had taught him,but likewise of the great obligation he owed me for his wonderfuldeliverance; nay, that he would not only inform his countrymen of me,but accompany hundreds of them to my kingdom, and make me a miserablesacrifice like those unhappy wretches taken in battle.

  Indeed I was very much to blame to have those cruel and unjustsuspicions, and must freely own I wronged the poor creature very much,who was of a quite contrary temper. And had he had that discerningacuteness which many Europeans have, he would certainly have perceivedmy coldness and indifference, and also have been very much concernedupon that account; as I was now more circumspect, I had much lessened mykindness and familiarity with him, and while this jealousy continued, Iused that artful way (now to much in fashion, the occasion of strife anddissention) of pumping him daily thereby to discover whether he wasdeceitful in his thoughts and inclinations; but certainly he had nothingin him but what was consistent with the best principles, both as areligious Christian and a grateful friend; and indeed; I found everything he said was ingenuous and innocent, that I had no room forsuspicion, and, in spite of all uneasiness, he not only made me entirelyhis own again, but also caused me much to lament that I ever conceivedone ill thought of him.

  As we were walking up the same hill another day, when the weather wasso hazy at sea, that I could not perceive the continent, "Friday," saidI "don't you wish yourself to be in your own country, your nation, amongyour old friends and acquaintances?" _Yes,_ said he, _me much O glad tobe at my own nation._ "And what would you do there, Friday? Would youturn wild again, eat man's flesh, and be a savage as you were formerly."_No, no,_ (answered he, full of concern and making his head) _Friday nowtell them to live good, tell them pray God, tell them to eat corn bread,cattle flesh, milk, no eat man again._ "But surely," replied I, "if youshould offer to do all this, they will kill you; and to manifest theircontempt of such instruction eat you up when they have done." He thenput on a grave, yet innocent and smooth countenance, saying, _No, theyno kill me, they willing love learn_: that is that they would be verywilling to learn: adding withal, _that they had learned much of thebearded mans that came in the boat_. "Will you," said I "go back again,Friday?" He smiled at that, and told me, that he could not swim so far.But said I, I will make a canoe for you. _Yes, Master_ said he, _me goif you go, me no go if you stay_. "I go, Friday! why would you have themto eat me up, and devour your kind master?" _No no_, said he, _me makethem not eat master, and me make them much love you_; that is, he wouldtell them how I had slain his enemies, and thereby saved his life, forwhich reason he would make them love me: and then he related to me, aswell as he was able, how exceedingly kind those his nation were to thewhite, or bearded men, as he called them, who, in their great calamity,were driven into their country.

  It was from this time, indeed, I had strong inclinations to ventureover, and use my utmost efforts, if possible, to join these whitebearded men, who undoubtedly were Spaniards or Portuguese; for, thoughtI, it must be certainly a better and safer way to escape when there is agood company, than for me alone, from an island forty miles off theshore, and without any assistance. Some days, after, Friday and I beingat work, as usual, at the same time diverting ourselves with variousdiscourses; I told him I had a boat which I would bestow upon him,whenever he pleased to return to his own nation; and to convince him ofthe truth of what I said, I took him with me to the other side of theisland, where my frigate lay, and then taking it from under the water,(for I always kept it sunk for fear of a discovery) we went both into itto see how it would manage such an expedition.

  And really never could any be more dexterous in rowing than my faithfulservant, making the boat go as fast again as I could. "Well now,Friday", said I, "shall we now go to your so much admired nation." Butinstead of meeting with that cheerfulness I expected, he looked verydull and melancholy at my saying so; which indeed at first surprisedme, till he made me sensible, that his concern was about the boat'sbeing too small to go so far a voyage. Upon which I let him understand Ihad a much bigger; and accordingly, the next day went to the place wherethe first boat lay, which I had made,
when all the strength I had or artI could use failed me in my attempt to get it into the water: but now ithaving lain in the sun two and twenty years, and no care being taken ofit all that while, it became in a manner rotten. My man told me, thatsuch a boat would do very well for the purpose, sufficient to carry_enough vittle, drink, bread_, for that was his manner of talking. Inshort, my mind being strongly fixed upon my design of going over withhim to the Continent, I very plainly told him that we would both go andmake a boat full as big, and more proportionable than that, wherein hemight safely return to his own nation.

  These words made Friday look so very pensive that I thought he wouldhave fallen at my feet. It was some time before he could speak a word,which made me ask him, what was the matter with him? He replied in avery soft and moving tone, _What has poor Friday done? why are you angrymad with poor servant? What me done, O what me done?_ "Friday," said I,"you never yet have offended me, what makes you think I am angry withyou, when I am not angry at all." _You no angry, no angry,_ said heseveral times, _if you be no angry, why den send Friday over great waterto my own nation?_ "Why from a mountain you beheld the place where youwas born, and is it not to satisfy your desires that I am willing togive you leave to return thither?" _Yes, yes_, said Friday, _me wish tobe there sure enough, but then me with master there too: no wish Fridaythere, no master there._ In short, he could not endure the thoughts ofgoing there without me. "I go there! Friday," said I, "what shall I dothere?" He answered very quickly, _O master you do great deal much good,you teach all de wild mans to be good tame mans: you learn dem to besober, life good live, to know God, and pray God._ "Alas! poor Friday,"said I, "what can I do against their priests of _Benamuckee_, or indeedwhat good can I make your nation sensible of, when I myself am but apoor ignorant man?" _No, no, master,_ said he, _you be no ignorant, youteachee me good, you teachee dem good._ "You shall go without me,Friday," said I, "for I don't care to accompany you thither; I wouldrather live in this solitude than venture among such inhuman savages._Go your way since you desire it, and leave me alone by myself as I wasbefore I saved your life_."

  Never was any creature more thunderstruck than Friday was at thesewords. _Go me away, leave master away, (said he after a long silence,)no, no, Friday die, Friday live not master gone_, as though he hadsaid, I neither can nor will live, if my master sends me from him. Andhere I cannot but take notice of the strong ties of friendship, whichmany times surpass those of consanguinity: For often we find a greatdisagreement among kindred; and when there is any seeming regard foreach other, it is very seldom true, and scarce ever lasting, if powerfulinterest does not bear the sway; and that alone is often the occasion ofthe greatest hatred in the world, which is to desire the death ofparents and relations, for the sake of acquiring their fortunes. Butthere was no such thing between my servant and me; instead of whichthere was the greatest gratitude and the most sincere love; he found menot only his deliverer, but his preserver and comforter; not a severeand cruel tyrant, but a kind, loving, and affable friend. He wanted forno manner of sustenance; and when he was ill or out of order, I was hisphysician, not only for his body but his soul; and therefore no wonderwas it, that such an innocent creature long since divested of his formernatural cruelty, should have an uncommon concern at so cruel aseperation from me, which pierced him to the very soul, and made himdesire even to die, rather than live without me..

  After I had told Friday, in a very careless manner, that he should be athis liberty as soon as the boat was made, the language of his eyesexpressed all imaginable confusion; when, immediately running to one ofhis hatchets, which he used to wear as a defensive weapon, he gives itinto my hand, with a heart so full, that he could scarcely speak.'Friday,' said I, 'what is it you mean? What must I do with this?' _Onlykill Friday_, said he, _Friday care not live long._' 'But what must Ikill you for? replied I again, _Ah! dear master, what made you Fridaysave from eat a me up, so keep long Friday, make Friday love God, andlove not Benamuckee, and now Friday send away; never see Friday more._As though the poor creature had said, Alas! my dearest kind master, howcomes it to pass, that after having ventured your precious life to saveme from the jaws of devouring cannibals, like myself, after such atender regard to provide for me such a comfortable nourishment, andcontinuing so long a kind master, and a most sincere friend; and aftermaking me forsake the false notion of an Indian Deity, and worship thetrue God in spirit and in truth; and after all this how comes it now,that you are willing to send me away to my former course of living, bywhich means undoubtedly we shall be dead to each other; but greater mustbe my misfortune, that I shall never behold my best friend I have in theworld any more. And this undoubtedly, though he could not expresshimself so clearly, must be his sentiments; for the tears ran down hischeeks in such a plentiful manner, that I had much ado to refrain fromweeping also, when I beheld the poor creature's affection; so that I wasforced to comfort him in the best manner I could, which I did, bytelling him, if he was content to abide with me, I should be everwilling to keep him.

  After Friday's grief was something abated, more fully to convince me ofhis affection, he said, _O master, me not care to be in my nation, leaveyou here; me desire nation learn good, that's all;_ meaning, that hisdesire was for the conversion of that barbarous people. But as I had noapostolic mission, nor any concern about their salvation; so I had notthe least intention or desire of undertaking it; and the strength of myinclination, in order to escape, proceeded chiefly from my latediscourse with Friday, about these seventeen white bearded men, that hadbeen driven upon the Barbarian coast; whom I designed to join, as theonly means to further our escape. To which intent my man and I went tosearch for a proper tree to fell, whereof we might make a large periguaor canoe, to undertake the voyage; and, indeed, we were not long infinding one fit for our purpose, there being enough of wood in theisland to have built a fleet of large vessels, but the thing weprincipally wanted was to get one so near the water, that we mightlaunch it after it was finished, and not commit so horrid a mistake as Ihad once done before.

  Well, after a great search for what was best and most convenient,Friday, at last, whose judgment in such affairs was much superior tomine, pitches upon a kind of wood the most fitting for it. To this day Icannot tell the name of the tree, nor describe it any other way, thanonly by saying, that it is like what we call _fustic_, or between thatand the Niacaragua wood, being much of the same colour and smell. Butthough my man exceeded me in the knowledge of the most proper tree, yetI shewed him a much better and clearer way to make a canoe than ever heknew before; for he was for burning the hollow or cavity of the tree, inorder to make this boat; but I then told him how he might do it withtools, learning him at the same time how to use them, which indeed hedid very dexterously; so that in a month's time we finished it, makingit very handsome, by cutting the outside in the true shape of a boat.After this it took us a full fortnight before we could get her into thewater, which we did as it were inch by inch, upon great rollers; butwhen she was in, she would have carried twenty men, with all the easeimaginable.

  As I was very well pleased, you may be sure at the launching of this manof war of mine, I was no less amazed to behold with what dexterity myman would manage her, turn her, and paddle her along. 'Well Friday,'said I, 'what do you think of it now? Do you think this will carry usover? _Yes, master_, said he, _me venture over well, though great blowwind_. But my design was yet farther, which he was insensible of; andthat was to make a mast and a sail, and to provide her with an anchorand cable. As to a mast, that was no difficult thing at all to procure:so I fixed upon a strait young cedar-tree; which I found near the place,great plenty of it abounding in the island; and setting Friday to cut itdown, I gave him particular directions how to shape and order it; but asto the sail, that I managed myself. I very well knew I had some oldones, or pieces of sails enough, which had lain six and twenty years byme; but not being careful to preserve them, as thinking I should have nooccasion to use them any more, when I came to overlook them I found themalmost a
ll rotten, except two; and with these I went to work, and aftera great deal of pains and aukward tedious stitching for want of needles,at length I finished a three-cornered ugly thing, like those which ourlong boats use, and which I very well knew how to manage, especiallysince it was like that which I had in my patron's fishing boat, when,with my boy Xury, I made my escape from the Barbarian shore.

  It was near two months, I think, before I completed this work, that is,the rigging and fitting my mast and sails; and indeed they were nicelydone, having made a small stay and a sail, or a foresail to it, toassist, if we should turn to the westward; and what is still more, Ifixed a rudder to the stern of her, to steer with; and though I was buta very indifferent shipwright, yet, as I was sensible of the greatusefulness and absolute necessity of a thing like this, I applied myselfto it with such a confident application, that at last I accomplished mydesign; but what with the many dull contrivances I had about it, and thefailure of many things, it cost me as much pains in ordering as inmaking the boat. Besides when all this was done, I had my man to teachwhat belonged to its navigation; for though he very well understood howto paddle a canoe along, he was an utter stranger to a sail and arudder, and was amazed when he saw me work the boat to and again in thesea, by them, and how the sail gibbed and filled this way or that way,as the course we sailed changed. After some time and a little use, Imade all these things very familiar to him, so that he became an expertsailor, except in relation to the compass, and that I could make himunderstand but little of. But, as it happened, there was seldom occasionfor it, there being but little cloudy weather, and scarce any fog inthose parts; the stars were always visible in the night, and the shoreperspicuous by day, except in the rainy season, which confined every oneto his habitation. Thus entered in the seven and twentieth year of myreign, or captivity, which you please, (the last three of which blessedwith the company of my man Friday, ought not to be reckoned) I kept theanniversary of my landing here with the same thankfulness to God, forhis tender mercies, as I did before; and certainly, as I had greatcause for a thankful acknowledgement for my deliverance at first, I hadmuch greater now for such singular and additional testimonies of thecare of Providence over me, in all my distress of both body and mind,and the great hopes I had of being effectually and speedily delivered;for I had a strong impression upon my mind, that I should not be anotheryear in this island. But, however, I still continued on with myhusbandry, digging, planting, and fencing, as usual; gathering andcuring my grapes, and doing all other things that were necessary.

  And now the rainy season beginning to come on, obliged me to keep thelonger within doors; but before this I brought my new vessel into thecreek, where I had landed my rafts from the ship, and haling her up tothe shore, I ordered my man Friday to dig a dock sufficient to hold herin, and deep enough to give her water, wherein she might float; and thenwhen the tide was out, we made a strong dam cross the end of it, to keepout the water; by which means she lay dry, as to the tide from the sea;and to keep the rain from her, we thatched her over, as it were, withboughs of trees, like a house, so we waited for the months of Novemberand December, in which I designed to venture over the ocean.

  No sooner did the seasonable weather begin to draw near, but so much wasI elevated with this new designed adventure, that I daily prepared forthe voyage. The first thing I thought on was, to lay by a certainquantity of provisions, as a sufficient store for such an expedition,intending in a week or fortnight's time to open the dock, and to launchout the boat for that purpose. But one morning as I was very busy uponsomething necessary for this occasion, I called Friday to me, and bidhim go to the seashore, and see if he could find a turtle or tortoise, athing which we commonly had once a week, as much upon account of theeggs, as for the sake of the flesh. He had not been long gone, but hecame running back, as though he was pursued for life, and as if it wereflew over my outer-wall, or fence, like one that felt not the ground, orsteps he set his feet on; and before I had time to enquire the reason ofthis precipitation, he cries out, _O dear master, O sorrow, sorrow! Bad!O bad!_ 'Why, what's the matter Friday,' said I. _O yonder, yonder!_said he; _there be one, two, or three canoes! two three!_ Surely,thought I, there must be six, by my man's way of reckoning; but on astricter inquiry, I found there were but three. 'Well Friday,' said I,'don't be terrified, I warrant you we will not only defend ourselvesagainst them, but kill the most of these cruel savages.' But though Icomforted him in the best manner I could, the poor creature trembled so,that I scarce knew what to do with him:--_O master_, said he, _they comelook Friday, cut pieces Friday, cut a me up_. 'Why Friday,' said I,'they will eat me up as well as you, and my danger is as great asyours. But since it is so, we must resolve to fight for our lives. Whatsay you? Can you fight Friday? _Yes,(said he, very faintly) me shoot, mekill what I can, but there come a great many number._'That's no matter,'said I again, 'our guns will terrify those that we do not kill: I amvery willing to stand by you to the last drop of my blood. Now tell meif you will do the like by me, and, obey my orders in whatsoever Icommand?' Friday then answered, _O master, me loses life for you, me diewhen you bid die._ Thus concluding all questions concerning hisfidelity, immediately I fetched him a good dram of rum, (of which I hadbeen a very good husband) and gave it him to comfort his heart. After hehad drank it, I ordered him to take the two-fowling pieces, which wealways carried, and load them with large swan-shot, as big as smallpistol bullets; then I took four muskets, and loaded them with two slugsand five small bullets each; charging my two pistols each with a brace;I hung my great sword, as customary, naked to my side, and gave Fridayhis hatchet, as a most excellent weapon for defence.

  Thus prepared, I thought as well of myself, as any knight errant thatever handled a sword and spear. I took my perspective glass and went upto the side of the hill, to see what I could discover; and I perceivedvery soon, by my glass, that there were one and twenty savages, threeprisoners, and three canoes, and that their chief concern seemed to bethe triumphant banquet upon the three poor human bodies, a thing whichby this time I had observed was very common with them. I also remarked,that they did not land at that place from whence Friday made his escape,but nearer to the creek, where the shore was low, and where a thick woodcame very close to the sea. My soul was then filled with indignation andabhorrence at such inhuman wretches, which put a period to all my formerthoughts in their vindication, neither would I give myself time toconsider their right of conquest, as I had done before: but descendingfrom the mountain, I came down to Friday, and told him, I was resolvedto go speedily to them, and kill them all; asking him again in the samebreath, if he would stand by me; when by this time being recovered fromhis fright, and his spirits much cheered with the dram I had given him,he was very pleasant, yet seriously telling me, as he did before, _WhenI bid die, he would die_.

  And now it was, having fixed my resolution in so strong a manner, thatnothing could divest my breast of its uncommon fury. I immediatelydivided the loaded arms betwixt us. To my man Friday I gave a pistol tostick in his girdle, with three guns upon his shoulder, a weight toogreat, I confess, to bear but what must a poor king do, who has but onesoldier in the world? But to show I made him bear no more than what Iwould lay on myself, I stuck the other pistol in my girdle, and theother three guns upon my shoulders; nay, something more, but that waslike Aesop's burden, a small bottle of rum, which was soon lightened toour exceeding refreshment. Thus we marched out, under a ponderous loadof armour, like two invincible champions, with a quantity of powder andbullets to stand our battle, and load again, when the pieces weredischarged. And now my orders being to be obeyed, I charged Friday tokeep close behind me, and not to stir, or shoot, or attempt anythingtill I commanded him; and in the interim, not to speak so much as oneword. It was in this order I fetched a compass to the right hand, ofnear a mile, as well to get over the creek, as to attain the wood; andby this, I thought to come within shot of them before I could bediscerned, as I found by my glass, would not be difficult to accomplish.

  Bu
t how fickle and wavering is the mind of man, even in our greatestfury and strongest inclinations. For while I was taking this march, myresolution began to abate, not through fear of their numbers, who were aparcel of naked unarmed wretches, but those reflections occurred to mythoughts: _what power was I commissioned with, or what occasion ornecessity had I to go and imbrue my hands in human blood, and murderpeople that had neither done nor intended to do me any wrong? They wereinnocent in particular as to me: and their barbarous custom was not onlytheir misfortune but a sign that God had left them in the most immensestupidity; but yet did not warrant me to be a judge of their actions,much less an executioner of his righteous judgments? That, on thecontrary, whenever he thought fit, he would take vengeance on themhimself, and punish them in a national way, according to their nationalcrimes; but this was nothing at all to me, who had no concern with them.Indeed my man Friday might justify himself, because they were hisdeclared enemies, of that very same nation that went to sacrifice himbefore; and indeed it was lawful for him to attack them, which I couldnot say was so with respect to me,_--So warmly did these things pressupon my thoughts all the way I went, that I only resolved to placemyself so as to behold their bloody entertainment, without falling uponthem, except something more than ordinary, by God's special direction,should oblige me thereto.

  Thus fixed in my resolution, I entered into the thick wood, (my manFriday following me close behind) when with all possible wariness andsilence, I marched till I came close to the skirt of it, on that sidewhich was the nearest to them; for only one end of the wood interposedbetween me and them. Upon which I called very softly to Friday, andshewing him a great tree, that was just at the corner of the wood, Iordered him to repair thither, and bring me word, if he could plainlyperceive their actions; accordingly he did as I commanded him, and cameback with this melancholy story, _that they were all about their fire,eating the flesh of one of their prisoners; and that another lay boundupon the sands at a little distance from them, which they designed forthe next sacrifice, and this, he told me was not one of their nation,but one of those very bearded men, who were driven by a storm into theircountry, and of whom he had so often talked to me about_--You may besure, that upon hearing this, my soul was ready to sink within me: whenascending into a tree, I saw plainly, by my glass, a white man, who layupon the beach of the sea, with his hands and feet tied with flags, orthings resembling rushes, being covered with clothes, and seemed to bean European. From the tree where I took this prospect I perceivedanother tree and a thicket beyond it, about fifty yards nearer to themthan where I was, which, by taking a small circle round, I might come atundiscovered, & then I should be within half a shot of these devourers.And this consideration alone, to be more perfectly revenged upon them,made me withhold my passion, though I was enraged to the highest degreeimaginable; when going back about twenty paces I got behind some bushes,which held all the way till I came to the other tree; and then Iascended to a little rising ground, not above eighteen yards distance,and there I had a full view of these creatures, and I could perceive alltheir actions.

  Such a fight did then appear, as obliged me not to lose a moment's time.No less than nineteen of these dreadful wretches sat upon the ground,close huddled together, expressing all the delight imaginable at sobarbarous an entertainment; and they had just sent the other two tomurder this poor unhappy Christian, and bring him limb by limb to theirfire; for they were then just going to untie the bands from his feet, inorder for death, as fetters are knocked off the feet of malefactorsbefore they go to the place of execution. Hereupon, immediately turningto my man, 'now, Friday' said I 'mind what I say, fail in nothing, butdo exactly as you see me do'. All which he promising--he would perform,I let down one of my muskets, and fowling-piece upon the ground, andFriday did the same by his; and with the other musket I took my aim atthe savages, bidding him do the like: 'Are you ready' said I: _Yes,Master,_ said he; 'why then fire at them,' said I; and that very momentI gave fire likewise.

  I only killed one and wounded two; but my man Friday, taking his aimmuch better than I, killed two and wounded three. You may be sure theywere in a dreadful consternation, at, such an unexpected disaster, andthose who had yet escaped our penetrating shot, immediately jumped upontheir feet, but were in such a confusion, that they knew not which wayto run or look; not knowing from whence their destruction came. We threwdown our pieces, and took up others, giving a second dreadful volley;but as they were loaded only with swan shot, or small pistol bullets, weperceived only two of them fall; tho many were wounded, who run yellingand screaming about like mad creatures. 'Now, Friday,' said I, 'lay downyour piece, and take up the musket, and follow me.' He did so, withgreat courage, when showing ourselves to the savages we give a greatshout, and made directly to the poor victim, who would have beensacrificed, had not our first fire obliged the butchers, with threeothers, to jump into a canoe. By my order, Friday fired at them, atwhich shot I thought he had killed them all, by reason of their fallingto the bottom of the boat; however, he killed two, and mortally woundeda third. In the mean time, I cut the flags that tied the hands and feetof the poor creature, and lifting him up asked him in the Portuguesetongue, _What he was?_ He answered me in Latin, _Christiantis;_ but sovery weak and faint, that he could scarce stand or speak. Immediately Igave him a dram; and a piece of bread to cherish him, and asked him,What countryman he was? He said, _Hispaniola;_ and then uttered all thethankfulness imaginable for his deliverance. 'Signior,' said I, with asmuch Spanish as I was master of, 'let us talk afterwards, but fight now;here, take this sword and pistol, and do what you can.' And, indeed, hedid so with much courage and intrepidity, that he cut two of them topieces in an instant, the savages not having the power to fly for theirlives. I ordered Friday to run for those pieces we had left at the tree,which he brought me with great swiftness, and then I gave him my musket,while I loaded the rest. But now their happened a fierce encounterbetween the Spaniard & one of the savages who had made at him with oneof their wooden swords; and though the former was as brave as could beexpected, having twice wounded his enemy in the head, yet being weak &faint, the Indian had thrown him upon the ground, & was wrestling mysword out of his hand, which the Spaniard very wisely quiting, drew outhis pistol, and shot him through the body before I could come near him,though I was running to his assistance.' As to Friday, he pursued theflying wretches with his hatchet, dispatching three, but the rest weretoo nimble for him. The Spaniard taking one of the fowling pieces,wounded two, who running into the wood Friday pursued and killed; butthe other, notwithstanding his wounds, plunged himself into the sea &swam to those who were left in the canoe; which, with one wounded, wereall that escaped out of one and twenty. The account is as follows.

  _Killed at first shot from the tree ..... 3At the second shot ...................... 2By Friday in the boat ................... 2Ditto of those first wounded ............ 2Ditto in the wood ....................... 1By the Spaniard ......................... 3Killed or died of their wounds .......... 4Escaped in the boat, whereof one wounded, if not slain_ ......................... 4 -------- Total 21 --------

  The savages in the canoe worked very hard to get out of our reach, andFriday was as eager in pursuing them; and indeed I was no less anxiousabout their escape, lest after the news had been carried to theirpeople, they should return in multitudes and destroy us. So beingresolved to pursue them, I jumped into one of the canoes and bid Fridayfollow me; but no sooner was I in, than to my surprise, I found anotherpoor creature bound hand and foot for the slaughter, just as theSpaniard had been, with very little life in him. Immediately I unboundhim, and would have helped him up; but he could neither stand nor speak,but groaned so piteously, as thinking he was only unbound in order to beslain. Hereupon I bid Friday speak to him, and tell him of hisdeliverance; when pulling out my bottle I made the poor wretch drink adram; which, with the joyful news he had received, so revived his heartth
at he sat up in the boat. As soon as Friday began to hear him speak,and look more fully in his face, it would have moved any one to tears toperceive his uncommon transports of joy; for he kissed, embraced him,hugged him, cried, laughed, hollooed, jumped about, danced, sung, thencried again, wrung his hands, beat his face and head, then sung andjumped about again, like a distracted creature; so that it was a greatwhile before I could make him speak to me, or tell me what was thematter with him; but when he came to the liberty of his speech at last,he told me it was his father.

  Here indeed I was infinitely moved to see that dutiful and tenderaffection this poor savage had to his aged parent. He would sit down byhim in the boat, open his breast and hold his father's head close to hisbosom half an hour together to cherish him: then he took his arms &ankles, which were stiff and numbed with binding, and chaffed and rubbedthem with his hands; by which means perceiving what the case was, I gavehim some rum, which proved of great benefit to him.

  While we were busy in this action the savages had gotten almost out ofsight; and happy it was we did not pursue them: For there arose from thenorth-west, which continued all night long, such a violent storm that Icould not suppose otherwise but that they were all drowned. After this Icalled Friday to me, and asked him if he had given his father any bread?He shook his head and said, _None, not one bit, me eat-a up all;_ so Igave him a cake of bread out of a little pouch I carried for this end. Ilikewise gave him a dram for himself, & two or three bunches of raisinsfor his father. Both these he carried to him, for he would make himdrink the dram to comfort him.

  Away then he runs out of the boat as if he was bewitched, with such anextraordinary swiftness, that he was out of sight as it were in aninstant; but at his return I perceived him slacken his pace, because hehad something in his hand. And this I found to be as he approachednearer, an earthen jug with some water for his father, with two morecakes of bread, which he delivered into my hands. Being very thirstymyself I drank some of the water, of which his father had dranksufficiently, it more revived his spirits than all the rum I hadgiven him.

  I then called Friday to me and ordered him to carry the Spaniard one ofthe cakes and some water, who was reposing himself under a green placeunder the shade of a tree, but so weak, that though he exerted himselfhe could not stand upon his feet. Upon which I ordered Friday to rub andbathe his ankles with rum as he did his father's. But every minute hewas employed in this he would cast a wishful eye towards the boat, wherehe left his father sitting; who suddenly disappearing he flew likelightning to him, and finding he had only laid himself down to ease hislimbs, he returned back to me presently; and then I spoke to theSpaniard to let Friday help him and lead him to the boat, in order to beconveyed to my dwelling where I would take care of him. Upon whichFriday took him upon his back and so carried him to the canoe, settinghim close by his father; and presently stepping out again, launched theboat off and paddled it along the shore faster than I could walk, thoughthe wind blew very hard too, and having brought them safe to the creek,away he runs to fetch the other canoe, which he brought to the creekalmost as soon as I got to it by land, when wafting me over, he took ournew guests out of the boat; but so weak were they that I was forced tomake a kind of a hand-barrow; and when I came to my castle, not beingwilling to make an entrance into my wall, we made them a handsome tentcovered with old sails and boughs of trees, making two good beds of ricestraw, with blankets to lie upon and cover them. Thus like an absoluteking over subjects who owed their lives to me, I thought myself veryconsiderable, especially as I had now three religions in my kingdom, myman Friday being a Protestant, his father a Pagan, and the Spaniard aPapist: but I gave liberty of conscience to them all.

  To get provisions for my poor weak subjects, I ordered Friday to kill mea yearling goat; which when he had done I cut off the hinder quarters,and chopping it into small pieces, boiled and stewed it, putting barleyand rice into the broth. This I carried into their tent, set a table,dined with them myself and encouraged them. Friday was my interpreter tohis father, and indeed to the Spaniard too, who spoke the language ofthe savages pretty well. After dinner I ordered Friday to fetch home allour arms from the field of battle, and the next day to bury the deadbodies, which he did accordingly.

  And now I made Friday inquire of his father, whether he thought thesesavages had escaped the late storm in their canoe? and if so, whetherthey would not return with a power too great for us to resist? Heanswered, _that he thought it impossible they could outlive the storm;or, if they were driven southwardly, they would come to a land wherethey would as certainly be devoured, as if they were drowned in the sea.And suppose they had attained their own country, the strangeness oftheir fatal and bloody attack, would make them tell their people, thatthe rest of them were killed by thunder and lightning, not by the handof man, but by two heavenly spirits_ (meaning Friday and me) _who weresent from above to destroy them. And this_, he said, _he knew because heheard them say the same to one another_. And indeed he was in the righton't; for I have heard since, that these four men gave out that whoeverwent to that inchanted island, would be destroyed by fire from the gods.

  No canoes appearing soon after, as I expected, my apprehensions ceased:instead of which my former thoughts of a voyage took place, especiallywhen Friday's father assured me, I should have good usage in his nation.As to the Spaniard, he told me, that sixteen more of his countrymen andPortuguese, who had been shipwrecked, made their escape thither; thatthough they were in union with the savages, yet they were very miserablefor want of provisions and other necessaries. When I asked him about theparticulars of his voyage, he answered that their ship was bound fromthe Rio de la Plata to the Havannah; that when the ship was lost, onlyfive men perished in the ocean; the rest having saved themselves in theboat, were now landed on the main continent. 'And what do they intend todo there?' said I. He replied, they have concerted measures to escape,by building a vessel, but that they had neither tools nor provisions,for that all their designs came to nothing. 'Supposing, said I, I shouldmake a proposal, and invite them here, would they not carry me prisonerto New Spain?' he answered no; for he knew them to be such honest men,as would scorn to act such inhuman baseness to their deliverer: That, ifI pleased, he and the old savage would go over to them, talk with themabout it, and bring me an answer: That they should all swear fidelity tome as their leader, upon the Holy Sacrament; and for his, part he wouldnot only do the same, but stand to the last drop of his blood shouldthere be occasion.

  These solemn assurances made me resolve to grant them relief, and tosend these two over for that purpose; but when every thing was ready,the Spaniard raised an objection, which carried a great deal of weightin it: _You know, Sir, said he, that having been some time with you, Icannot but be sensible of your stock of rice and corn, sufficient,perhaps for us at present, but not for them, should they come overpresently; much less to victual a vessel for an intended voyage. Wantmight be as great an occasion for them to disagree and rebel, as thechildren of Israel did against God himself, when they wanted to breakbread in the wilderness. And therefore, my advice is to await anotherharvest and in the mean time cultivate and improve more land, whereby wemay have plenty of provisions in order to execute our design_.

  This advice of the Spaniard's I approved extremely; and so satisfied wasI of his fidelity that I esteemed him ever after. And thus we all fourwent to work upon some more land, and against seed time we had gotten somuch cured and trimmed up sufficient to sow twenty-two bushels of barleyon, and sixteen jars of rice, which was in short all the feed we had tospare. As we were four in number and by this time all in good health, wefeared not a hundred Indians should they venture to attack us; and whilethe corn was growing, I pitched upon some trees, fit to build us a largevessel in case the Spaniards came over; which being marked, I orderedFriday and his father to cut them down, appointing the Spaniard, who wasnow my privy counsellor, to oversee and direct the work. I likewiseincreased my flocks of goats by shooting the wild dams and bringing hometheir kids
to my inclosure. Nor did I neglect the grape season, butcured them as usual, though I had such a quantity now as would havefilled eighty barrels with raisins. And thus all of us being employed,they in working, and I in providing for them till harvest came, GodAlmighty blessed the increase of it so much, that from twenty-twobarrels of barley we thrashed out two hundred and twenty, and the likequantity of rice; sufficient to victual a ship fit to carry me and allthe Spaniards to any part of America.

  Thus the principal objection being answered, by a sufficient stock ofprovisions, I sent my two ambassadors over to the main land, with aregal authority to administer the oaths of allegiance and fidelity, andhave an instrument signed under their hands, though I never askedwhether they had pen, ink, or paper; when giving each of them a musket,eight charges of powder and ball, and provisions enough for eight days,they sailed away with a fair gale on a day when the moon was at full.

  Scarce a fortnight had passed over my head, but impatient for theirreturn, I laid me down to sleep one morning, when a strange accidenthappened, which was ushered in by Friday's coming running to me, andcalling aloud, _Master, Master, they are come, they are come._ Uponwhich, not dreaming of any danger, out I jumped from my bed, put on myclothes and hurried through my little grove; when looking towards thesea, I perceived a boat about a league and a half distant, standing infor the shore with the wind fair. I beheld they did not come from theside where the land lay on, but from the southerhmost end of the island:So these being none of the people we wanted, I ordered Friday to liestill, till such time as I came down from the mountain, which, with myladder, I now ascended in order to discover more fully what they were;and now, with the help of my perspective glass, I plainly perceived anEnglish ship, which I concluded it to be; by the fashion of its longboat; and which filled me with such uncommon transports of joy, that Icannot tell how to describe; and yet some secret doubts hang about me,proceeding from I know not what cause, as though I had reason to be uponmy guard. And, indeed, I would have no man contemn the secret hints andintimations of danger, which very often are given, when he may imaginethere is no possibility of its being real; for had I not been warned bythis silent admonition, I had been in a worse situation than before, andperhaps inevitably ruined.

  Not long it was, before I perceived the boat to approach the shore, asthough they looked for a place where they might conveniently land; andat last they ran their boat on shore upon the beach, about half a miledistance; which proved so much the happier for me, since, had they comeinto the creek, they had landed just at my door, and might not only haveforced me out of my castle, but plundered me of all I had in the world.Now I was fully convinced they were all Englishmen, three of which wereunarmed and bound; when immediately the first four or five leaped onshore, and took those three out of the boat as prisoners; one of whom Icould perceive used the most passionate gestures of entreaty,affliction, and despair, while the others in a lesser degree, showedabundance of concern.

  Not knowing the meaning of this, I was very much astonished, and Ibeckoned to Friday, who was below, to ascend the mountain, and likewiseview this sight. _O master_, said he to me, _you see English mans eatprisoners as well as Savage mans_. 'And do you think they will eat themFriday?' said I. _Yes_, said Friday, _they eat all up_. 'No, no,' saidI, 'Friday, I am much more concerned lest they murder them, but as foreating them up, that I am sure they will never do.'

  And now I not only lamented my misfortune in not having the Spaniard andSavage with me, but also that I could not come within shot of themunperceived, they having no fire arms among them, and save these threeme, whom I thought they were going to kill with their swords. But somecomfort it was to me, that I perceived they were set at liberty to gowhere they pleased, the rascally seamen scattering about as though theyhad a mind to see the place; and so long did they negligently ramble,that the tide had ebbed so low, as to leave the boat aground. Nor werethe two men who were in her more circumspect; for having drunk a littletoo much liquor, they fell fast asleep; but one of them waking beforethe other, and perceiving the boat too fast aground for his strength tomove it, he hallooed out to the rest, who made all possible expeditionto come to him; but as Providence ordered it, all their force wasineffectual to launch her, when I could hear them speak to one another,_Why let her alone, Jack, can't ye, she'll float next tide_; by whichwords I was fully convinced they were my own countrymen. I all thiswhile lay very quiet, as being fully sensible it could be no less thanten hours before the boat would be afloat, and then it would be so dark,that they could not easily perceive me, by which means I should be atmore liberty to hear their talk, and observe all their motions: not butthat I prepared for my defence: yet, as I had another sort of enemy tocombat with I acted with more caution. I took two fusees on my shoulder,and gave Friday three muskets; besides my formidable goat-skin coat andmonstrous cap made me look as fierce and terrible as Hercules of old,especially when two pistols were stuck in my belt, and my naked swordhanging by my side.

  It was my design at first not to make any attempt till it was dark; andit being now two o'clock, in the very heat of the day, the sailors wereall straggling in the woods, and undoubtedly were lain down to sleep.The three poor distressed creatures, too anxious to get any repose, werehowever seated under the shade of a great tree, about a quarter of amile from me. Upon which, without any more ado, I approached towardsthem, with my man following behind me, and before I was perceived, Icalled aloud to them in Spanish, _What are ye, Gentlemen_.

  At these words, they started up in great confusion, when they beheld thestrange figure I made; they returned no answer, but seemed as if theywould fly from me: 'Gentlemen,' said I, in English 'don't be afraid,perhaps you have a friend nearer than you expect.' _He must be fromHeaven_, said one of them, gravely pulling off his hat, _for we are pastall help in this world._ 'All help is from Heaven,' said I: 'But Sir, asI have perceived every action between you and these brutes since yourlanding only inform me, how to assist you, and I will do it to theutmost of my power.'

  _Am I talking with God or man_, said he, in melting tears. _Are you ofhuman kind or an angel_? 'Sir,' said I, 'my poor habit will tell you Iam a man, and an Englishman, willing to assist you, having but thisservant only: here are arms and ammunition: tell freely your condition:Can we save you?' _The story_, said he, _is too long to relate, sinceour butchers are so near: but, Sir, I was master of that ship, my menhave mutinied, and it is a favour they have put my mate, thispassenger, and me, on shore without murdering us, though we expectnothing but perishing here_. 'Are your enemies gone?' said I. _No_,replied he, pointing to a thicket, _there they lie, while my hearttrembles, lest having seen and heard us they should murder us all._'Have they fire arms?' said I. _They have but two pieces_, said he, _oneof which is left in the boat._ He also told me there were two enormousvillains among them, that were the authors of this mutiny, who, if theywere killed or seized, might induce the rest to return to theirobedience. 'Well, well,' said I, 'let us retire farther under thecovering of the woods;' and there it was I made these conditionswith him:

  R. Crusoe accosting the Captain, &c. set ashore by theMutineers.]

  I. That, while they staid in the island, they should not pretend to anyauthority; but should entirely conform to my orders, and return me thearms which I should put in their hands.

  II. That, if the ship was recovered, they should afford Friday andmyself a passage _gratis_ to England.

  When he had given me all the satisfaction I could desire, I gave him andhis two companions each of them a gun, with powder and ball sufficient,advising them to fire upon them as they lay sleeping. The Captainmodestly said, that he was sorry to kill them; though, on the otherhand, to let these villains escape, who were the authors of his misery,might be the ruin of us all. _Well,_ said he, _do as you think fit;_ andso accordingly I fired, killed one of the Captain's chief enemies andwounding the other; who eagerly called for assistance, but the Captainwho had reserved his piece, coming up to him, _Sirrah_, said he, _'tistoo late to call for
assistance, you should rather cry to God to pardonyour villany;_ and so knocked him down with the stock of his gun: threeothers were also slightly wounded, who at my approach cried out formercy. This the Captain granted upon condition that they would swear tobe true to him in recovering the ship, which they solemnly did; HoweverI obliged the Captain to keep them bound. After which I sent Friday andthe Captain's mate to secure the boat and bring away the oars and sails;when, at their return, three men coming back, and seeing their latedistressed Captain, now their conqueror, submitted to be bound also. Andthen it was, that having more liberty, I related the adventures of mywhole life, which he heard with a serious and wonderful attention. Afterthis, I carried him and his two companions into my little fortifiedcastle, shewed them all my conveniences, and refreshed them with suchprovisions as I could afford. When this was over, we began to considerabout regaining the ship: he said, that there were twenty-six hands onboard, who knowing their lives were forfeited by the law, for conspiracyand mutiny, were so very hardened, that it would be dangerous for oursmall company to attack them. This was a reasonable inference indeed;but something we must resolve on, and immediately, put in execution:we, therefore heaved the boat upon the beach so high that she could notshoot off at high water mark, and broke a hole in her not easily to bestopped; so that all the signals they gave for the boat to come on boardwere in vain. This obliged them to send another boat ashore, with tenmen armed, whose faces the Captain plainly descried, the boatswain beingthe chief officer; but he said there were three honest lads among them,who were forced into the conspiracy. Hereupon I gave him fresh courage(for I had perceived he was in concern): In the mean while securing ourprisoners, except two, whom we took to our assistance, we thoughtourselves able enough to adventure a battle. When the sailors landed,and beheld their boat in that condition, they not only hallooed, butfired for their companions to hear, yet they received no answer. Thisstruck them with horror and amazement, thinking their companions weremurdered, they made as if they would return to the ship. I couldperceive the Captain's countenance change at this, till of a suddenthree men were ordered to look after the boat, while the other sevenleapt on shore in order to search for their companions; and, indeed,they came to the brow of the hill, near my ancient castle, from whencethey could see to a great distance in the woods, and there shooting andhallooing till tired and weary, they at length seated themselves under aspreading tree. My opinion was, that nothing could be done till night,when I might use some artifice to get them all out of the boat; but of asudden they started up, and made to the sea-side; hereupon I orderedFriday and the Captain's mate to go over the creek, and halloo as loudas they could, and so decoying them into the woods, come round to meagain. And this, indeed, had good effect; for they followed the noise,till coming westward to the creek, they called for their boat to carrythem over, and taking one of the men out of her, left two to look afterher, having fastened her to the stump of a little tree on shore.Hereupon immediately the Captain and our party passing the creek, out oftheir sight, we surprised them both, by the Captain's knocking down one,and ordering the other in surrender upon pain of death, and who beingthe honestest of them all, sincerely joined with us. By this time it waspretty late; when the rest returning to there boat, which they foundaground in the creek, the tide out, and the men gone, they ran aboutwringing their hands, crying it was an enchanted island, and that theyshould be all murdered by spirits or devils. My men would willingly havefallen upon them, but I would not agree to hazard any of our party. Butto be more certain, Friday & the Captain crawled upon their hands &feet, as near as possible; and when the boatswain approached in sight,so eager was the Captain, that he fired and killed him on the spot;Friday wounded the next man, and a third ran away. Hereupon I advancedwith, my whole army: and, it being dark, I ordered the man we hadsurprised in the boat, to call them by their names, and to parley withthem. Accordingly he called out aloud, _Tom Smith, Tom Smith!_ Heanswered, _Who's that? Robinson!_ answered the other. _For God's sakeTom, surrender immediately, or you're all dead men. Who must wesurrender to?_ says Smith. _To our captain and fifty men here, who havetaken me prisoner, wounded Will Frye, and killed the boatswain. Shall wehave quarter then?_ said he. Hereupon the Captain calls out, _You Smith,you know my voice, surrender immediately, and you shall all have yourlives granted, except Will Atkins_. Hereupon Atkins cries out, _Whathave I done Captain, more than the rest, who have been as bad as me?_But that was a lie, for he was the person that laid hold of him, andbound him. However, he was ordered to submit to the governor's mercy,for such was I called. And so, laying down their arms, we bound themall, and seized on their boat.

  After this, the Captain expostulated with them, telling them that thegovernor was an Englishman, who might execute them there; but he thoughtthey would be sent to England, except Will Atkins, who was ordered toprepare for death next morning. Hereupon Atkins implored the Captain tointercede for his life, and the rest begged they might not be sent toEngland. This answered our project for seizing the ship. For aftersending Atkins and two of the worst fast bound to the cave, and the restbeing committed to my bower, I sent the Captain to treat with them inthe, governor's name, offering them pardon if they would assist inrecovering the ship. Upon which they all promised to stand by him tillthe last drop of their blood; and whoever acted treacherously, should behanged in chains upon the beach. They were all released on theseassurances: and then the Captain repaired to the other boat, making hispassenger Captain of her, and gave him four men well armed; whilehimself, his mate, and five more, went in the other boat. By midnightthey came within call of the ship, when the Captain ordered Robinson tohale her, and tell them that with great difficulty they had found themen at last. But while they were discoursing, the Captain, his mate andthe rest entered, and knocked down the second mate and carpenter,secured those that were upon the deck, by putting them under hatches,while the other boat's crew entered and secured the forecastle; theythen broke into the round-house, where the mate after some resistance,shot the pirate captain through the head, upon which all the restyielded themselves prisoners. And thus the ship being recovered, thejoyful signal was fired, which I heard with the greatest joy imaginable:nor was it long before he brought the ship to an anchor at the creek'smouth, where, coming to me unawares, _There_, says he _my dearest friendand deliverer, there is your ship, and we are your servants_: a comfortso unspeakable, as made me swoon in his arms while, with gratitude toHeaven, we were tenderly embracing each other.

  Nothing now remaining, but to consult what we should do with theprisoners, whom he thought it was not safe to take on board. Hereuponconcerting with the Captain, I dressed myself in one of his suits, andsending for them, told them, that I was going to leave the island withall my people, if they would tarry there, their lives should be spared;if not, they should be hanged at the first port they came at. Theyagreed to stay. Hereupon I told them my whole story, charging them to bekind to the Spaniards that were expected, gave them, all my arms, andinforming them of every thing necessary for their subsistence, I and myman Friday went on board. But the next morning two of the men cameswimming to the ship's side, desiring the Captain to take them on board,though he hanged them afterwards, complaining mightily how barbarouslythe others used them. Upon which I prevailed with the Captain to takethem in; and being severely whipt and pickled, they proved more honestfor the future, and so I bid farewell to this island, carrying alongwith me my money, my parrot, umbrella, and goat-skin cap; setting sailDecember 12, 1686, after twenty-eight years, two months, and nineteendays residence, that same day and month that I escaped from Sallee;landing in England, June 11, 1687, after five and thirty years absencefrom my own country; which rendered me altogether a stranger there.

  Here I found my first Captain's widow alive, who had buried a secondhusband, but in very mean circumstances, and whom I made easy upon hisaccount. Soon after I went down to Yorkshire, where all my family wereexpired, except two sisters, and as many of one of my brother'schildren. I found no provi
sion had been made for me, they concluding Ihad been long since dead; so that I was but in a very slender station.Indeed the Captain did me a great kindness, by his report to the owners,how I had delivered their ship on the Desolate Island, upon which theymade me a present of 200L. sterling. I next went to Lisbon, taking myman Friday with me, and there arriving in April, I met the PortugueseCaptain who had taken me on board on the African coast; but, beingancient, he had left off the sea, and resigned all his business to hisson, who followed the Brazil trade. So altered both of us were, that wedid not know each other at first, till I discovered myself more fully tohim. After a few embraces, I began to enquire of my concerns; and thenthe old gentleman told me that it was nine years since he had been atBrazil, where my partner was then living, but my trustees were bothdead; that he believed I should have a good account of the product of myplantation; that the imagination of my being lost, had obliged mytrustees to give an estimate of my share to the procurator fiscal, who,in case of my not returning, had given one third to the king & the restto the monastery of St. Augustine: but if I put in my claim, or any onefor me, it would be returned, except the yearly product which was givento the poor. I then desired him to tell me what improvement he thoughthad been made of my plantation, and whether he imagined it was worth mywhile to look after it? he answered, he did not know how much it wasimproved; but this he was certain of, that my partner was grown vastlyrich upon his half of it; and, that he had been informed, that the kindhad 200 moidores per annum of his third part. He added, that thesurvivors of my trustees were nervous of an ingenuous character; that mypartner could witness my title, my name being registered in the country,by which means I should indefensibly recover considerable sums of money,but, answered, I, how could my trustees dispose of my effects, when Imade you only my heir? This, said he, was true but, there being noaffidavit made of my death he could not act as my executor. However, hehad ordered his don,(then at Brazil), to act by procuration upon myaccount, and he had taken possession of my sugar-house, having accountedhimself for eight years with my partner and trustees for the profits, ofwhich he would give me a very good account.

  And, indeed, this he performed very faithfully in a few days, makinghimself indebted to me 470 moidores of gold, over and above what hadbeen lost at sea, after I had left the place. And then he recounted tome what misfortune he had gone through, which forced my money out of hishands, to buy part in a new ship-but says he, _you shall not want, takethis; and, when my son returns, every farthing shall be paid you._ Uponwhich he put into my hand a purse of 150 moidores in gold, as likewisethe instrument, containing the title to the ship which his son was in,and which he offered as security for the remainder. But really when Isaw so much goodness, generosity, tenderness, and real honesty, I hadnot the heart to accept it, for fear he should straiten himself upon myaccount. _It is true,_ said he, _it may be so; but then the money isyours, not mine, and you may have the greatest occasion for it._However, I returned fifty of them back again, promising that I wouldfreely forgive him the other hundred when I got my effects into myhands, and that I designed to go myself for that purpose. But he told mehe could save me that trouble, and so caused me to enter my name with apublic notary, as likewise my affidavit, with a procuration affixed toit; and this he ordered me to send in a letter to one of hisacquaintance, a merchant in Brazil; and, indeed, nothing could be morefaithfully and honourably observed; for, in seven months time, I had avery faithful account of all my effects, what sums of money were raised,what expended, and what remained for myself! In a word I found myselfto be worth 5000L. sterling, and 1000 per annum. Nor was this all, formy partner congratulated me upon my being alive, telling me how much myplantation was improved; what Negroes were at work, and how many _AveMarias_ he had said to the Virgin Mary for my preservation, desiring meto accept kindly some presents he had sent me, which I found showed thegreatest generosity.

  No sooner did the ship arrive, but I rewarded my faithful Captain, byreturning him the hundred moidores, and not only forgiving him all heowed me, I allowed him yearly a hundred more, and fifty to his son,during their lives. And now being resolved to go to England, I returnedletters of thanks to the Prior of St. Augustine, and in particular to myold partner, with very suitable presents. By the Captain's advice, I waspersuaded to go by land to Calais, and there take passage for England:when, as it happened, I got a young English gentleman, a merchant's sonat Lisbon, to accompany me, together with two English, and twoPortuguese gentleman: so that with a Portuguese servant, an Englishsailor, and my man Friday, there were nine of us in number.

  Thus armed and equipped, we set out, and came to Madrid, when the summerdecaying, we hasted to Navarre, where we were informed that there wasscarcely any passing, be reason of the prodigious quantity of snow; sothat we were obliged to abide near twenty days at Pamoeluria, and atlast to take a guide to conduct us safe towards Tholouse. And now twelveother gentlemen joining with us, together with their servants, we had avery jolly company. Away our guide led us by frightful mountains, andthrough so many intricate mazes and windings, that we insensibly passedthem, which, as we travelled along, ushered us into the prospect of thefruitful and charming provinces of Languedoc and Galcoigne.

  But now came on two adventures, both tragical and comical. First, ourguide was encountered by three wolves and a bear, who set upon him andhis horse, and wounded him in three places; upon which my man, riding upto his assistance, shot one of them dead upon the spot, which made theothers retire into the woods. But the pleasantest adventure was, tobehold my man attack the bear. 'Tis such a creature, that if you let himalone, he will never meddle with you, and this my man very well knew,and so begging leave of me in broken English, he told us, _he would makegood laugh_. 'Why, you silly fool,' said I, 'he'll eat you up at amouthful.' _Eatee me up,_ replied he, by way of scorn, _me not onlyeatee him, but make much good laugh._ Upon which, pulling off his boots,he claps on his pumps, and running after the monstrous beast, he calledout, that he wanted to discourse with him, and then throwing stones onpurpose to incense him, the beast turns about in fury, and, withprodigious strides, shuffles after him. But though he was not swiftenough to keep up pace with Friday, who made up to us as it were forhelp; yet being angry, 'You dog,' said I, 'immediately take horse, andlet us shoot the creature.' But he cried, _Dear master, no shoot, memake you laugh much._ And so he turned about, making signs to follow,while the bear ran after, till coming to a great oak, he ascended in aminute, leaving his gun, at the bottom of it. Nor did the bear make anydifficulty of it, but ascended like a cat, though his weight was verygreat. You must consider I was not a little amazed at the folly of myman, as not perceiving any thing to occasion our laughter, till suchtime as we rode up nearer, and beheld the bear mounted upon the oak, onthe beginning of the same branch, to which Friday clung at the fartherend, where the bear durst not come. Hereupon Friday cried out, _Nowmaster, me make much laugh, me make bear dance._ Upon which he fell ashaking the bough, which made the creature look behind him, to see howhe could retreat. Then as if the bear had understood his stammeringEnglish, _Why you no come farther, Mr. Bear_ said he, _pray, Mr. Bearcome farther_; and then indeed we all burst into a laughter; especiallywhen we perceived Friday drop like a squirrel upon the ground, leavingthe beast to make the best of his way down the tree. And now thinking itthe most convenient time to shoot the creature, Friday cried out, _Odear master, no shoot, me shoot by and by_; when taking up the gun, _meno shoot yet_, said he _me make one more much laugh._ And accordingly hewas as good as his word; for the creature descending backwards from thetree very leisurely, before he could lay one foot on the ground, Fridayshot him through the ear, stone dead; and looking to see whether we werepleased, he burst out into a hearty laughter, saying, _So we kill debear in my country, not with the gun, but with much long arrows._ Thusended our diversion, to our great satisfaction; especially in a placewhere the terrible howlings struck us with a continual terror. But thesnows now growing very deep, particularly on the mountains, the raveno
uscreatures were then obliged to seek for sustenance in the villages, werecoming by surprise on the country people, killed several of them,besides a great number of their sheep and horses.

  Our guide told us, we had yet one more dangerous place to pass by; andif their were any more wolves in the country, there we should find them.This was a small plain encompassed with woods, to get through a longlane to the village where we were to lodge. When we entered the wood,the sun was within half an hour of setting: and a little after it wasset, we came into the plain, which was not above two furlongs over, andthen we perceived five great wolves cross the road, without takingnotice of us, and so swift as though they were pursuing after theirprey. Hereupon our guide, believing there were more coming, desired usto be on our guard. Accordingly our eyes were very circumspect, tillabout half a league farther, we perceived a dead horse, and near a dozenof wolves devouring its carcase. My man Friday fain would have fired atthem, but I would not permit him; nor had we gone half over the plain,but we heard dreadful howlings in a wood on our left, when presently wesaw an hundred come up against us, as though they had been anexperienced army. This obliged us to form ourselves in the best manner;and then I ordered that every other man should fire, that those who didnot, might be ready to gave a second volley, should they advance uponus; and then every man should make use of his pistols. But there was nonecessity for this; for the enemy being terrified stopped at the noiseof the fire; four of them were shot dead, and, several others beingwounded; went bleeding away, as we could very plainly discover by thesnow. And now remembering what had been often told me, that such was themajesty of a man's voice, as to strike terror even in the fiercestcreatures, I ordered all our companions to halloo as loud as possible;and in this notion I was not altogether mistaken; for they immediatelyturned about upon the first halloo, and began to retire; upon which,ordering a second volley in their rear, they galloped into the woodswith great precipitation.

  Thus we had some small time to load our pieces again, and then made allthe haste we could on our way; but we had not rode far, before we wereobliged to put ourselves in a posture of defence as before, beingalarmed with a very dreadful noise in the same wood, on our left hand,the same way as we were to pass, only that it was at some distance fromus. By this time the darksome clouds began to spread over the elements,and the night growing very dusky, made it so much the more to ourdisadvantage; but still the noise increasing, we were fully assured,that it was the howling and the yelling of those ravenous creatures;when presently three troops of wolves on our front appeared in sight, asthough a great number of them had a design to surround us, and devour usin spite of fate. But as they did not fall upon us immediately, weproceeded on our journey in as swift a manner as the roads would permitour horses, which was only a large trot. It was in this manner wetravelled, till such a time as we discovered another wood, and had theprospect of its entrance through which were to pass, at the farthestside of the plain. But surely none can express the terror we were in,when approaching the lane, we perceived a confused number of thefiercest wolves, standing, as it were guarding its entrance. Nor were welong in this amazement, before another occasion of horror presenteditself; for suddenly we heard the report of a gun at another opening inthe wood and, looking that way, out ran a horse bridled and saddled,flying with the greatest swiftness, and no less than sixteen orseventeen wolves pursuing after him, in order to devour the poorcreature; and unquestionably they did so, after they had run him down,not being able to hold out that swiftness with which he at firstescaped them.

  When we rode up to that entrance from whence the horse came forth, therelay the carcases of another horse & two men, mangled and torn by thesedevouring wolves; and undoubtedly one of these men was the person whofired the gun which we had heard, for the piece lay by him; but alas!most of the upper part of his body and his head were entombed in thebowels of these ravenous creatures.

  What course to take, whether to proceed or retreat, we could not tell;but it was not long before the wolves themselves made us to come to aresolution; for such numbers surrounded us, every one of whom expectedtheir prey, that were our bodies to be divided among them, there wouldnot be half a mouthful a-piece. But happy, very happy it was for us,that but a little way from the entrance, there lay some very largetimber trees, which I supposed had been cut down and laid there forsale: amongst which I drew my little troop, placing ourselves in a linebehind one long tree, which served us for a breast work, when desiringthem to alight, we stood in a triangle, or three fronts, closing ourbodies in the centre, the only place where we could preserve them.

  Never certainly was there a more furious charge than what the wolvesmade upon us in this place: and the sight of the horses, which was theprincipal prey they aimed at, provoked their hunger, and added to theirnatural fierceness. They came on us with a most dreadful noise, thatmade the woods ring again: and beginning to mount the pieces of timber,I ordered every man to fire, as before directed: and, indeed, so welldid they take their aim, that they killed several of the wolves at thefirst volley; but still we were obliged to keep a continual firing, byreason they came on like devils, pushing one another with the greatestfury. But our second volley something abated their courage, whenstopping a little, we hoped they would have made the best of their way,however, it did not prove so, for others made a new attempt upon us; andthough in four firings, we killed seventeen or eighteen of them, lamingtwice as many, yet they several times successively came on, as thoughthey valued not their lives for the sake of their prey.

  Unwilling was I to spend our last shot too suddenly, and thereforecalling my other servant, and giving him a horn of powder, bid him lay alarge train quite along the timber, which he did, while Friday wascharging my fusee and his own, with the greatest dexterity. By this timethe wolves coming up the timber, I set fire to the train, by snapping adischarged pistol close to the powder. This so scorched and terrifiedthem, that some fell down, and others jumped in among us: but therewere immediately dispatched, when all the rest, frighted with thelight, which the darksome night caused to appear more dreadful, began atlength to retire; upon which ordering our last pistols to be fired atonce, giving at the same time a great shout, the wolves were obliged tohave recourse to their swiftness, and turn tail; and then we sallied outupon twenty lame ones, cutting them in pieces with our swords, whichobliged them to howl lamentably, to the terror of their fellows, whoresigned to us the field as victorious conquerors. And, indeed, Iquestion whether Alexander king of Macedonia, in any of his conquests,had more occasion for triumph than we had; for he was but attacked withnumerous armies of soldiers; whereas our little army was obliged tocombat a legion of devils, as it were, worse than the cannibals, who,the same moment they had slain us, would have sacrificed us, to satisfytheir voracious appetites.

  Thus ended our bloody battle with the beasts, having killed threescoreof them, and saved our lives from their fury. We still had a leaguefurther to go, when, as we went, our ears were saluted with their mostunwelcome howlings, and we expected every moment another attack. But, inan hour's time, we arrived at the town where we were to lodge; and herewe found the place strictly guarded, and all in terrible confusion, aswell they might, for fear of the bears and wolves breaking into thevillage, in order to prey upon their cattle and people. The next morningwe were obliged to take a new guide, by reason the other fell very badof his wounds, which he had received as before mentioned. After we hadreached Tholouse, we came into a warm, pleasant, and fruitful country,not infested with wolves, nor any sort of ravenous creatures: and whenwe told our story there, they much blamed our guide, for conducting usthrough the forest at the foot of the mountains, in such a severeseason, when the snow obliged the wolves to seek for shelter in thewoods. When we informed them in what manner we placed ourselves, and thehorses in the centre, they exceedingly reprehended us, and told us, itwas an hundred to one, but we had been all destroyed; for that it wasthe very sight of the horses, their so much desired prey, that made thewolves more ragingly furi
ous than they would have been, which wasevident, by their being at other times really afraid of a gun; but thenbeing exceedingly hungry and furious upon that account, their eagernessto come at the horses made them insensible of their danger; and that, ifwe had not, by a continual fire, and at last by the cunning stratagem ofthe train of powder, got the better of them, it had been great odds iftheir number had not overpowered us; besides, it was a great mercy wealighted from our horses, and fought them with that courage and conduct,which, had we failed to do, every man of us, with our beasts, had beendevoured: and, indeed, this was nothing but truth; for never in my lifewas I so sensible of danger, as when three hundred, devils came roaringupon us, to shun whose unwelcome company, if I was sure to meet a stormevery week; I would rather go a thousand leagues by sea.

  I think I have, nothing uncommon in my passage through France to takenotice of, since other travellers of greater learning and ingenuity,have given more ample account than my pen is able to set forth. FromTholouse I travelled to Paris, from thence to Calais, where I tookshipping, and landed at Dover the 14th of January, in a verycold season.

  Thus come to the end of my travels, I soon discovered my new foundestate, and all the bills of exchange I had were currently paid. Thegood ancient widow, my only privy counsellor, thought no pains nor caretoo great to procure my advantage, nor had I ever occasion to blame herfidelity, which drew from me an ample reward. I was for leaving myeffects in her hands, intending to set out for Lisbon, and so theBrazils; but as in the Desolate Island I had some doubt about the Romishreligion, so I knew there was little encouragement to settle there,unless I would apostatize from the orthodox faith, or live in continualfear of the Inquisition. Upon this account I resolved to sell myplantation; and, for that intent, I wrote to my old friend at Lisbon,who returned to me an answer to my great satisfaction; which was, thathe could sell it to good account; however, if I thought it convenient togive him liberty to offer it in my name to the two merchants, thesurvivors of my trustees residing at the Brazils, who consequently knewits intrinsic value, having lived just upon the spot, and who I wassensible were very rich, and therefore might be the more willing topurchase it: he did not in the least doubt, but that I should make fouror five thousand pieces of eight more of it, than I could, if I disposedof it in any other manner whatsoever.

  You may be sure I could not but agree with this kind and ingenuousproposal; and immediately I sent him an order to offer it to them, whichhe accordingly did; so that about eight months after, the ship being inthat time returned, he gave me a satisfactory account, that they notonly willingly accepted the offer, but that they had also remitted33,000 pieces of eight to a correspondence of their own at Lisbon, inorder to pay for the purchase.

  Hereupon, in return, I signed the instrument of sale, according to form,which they had sent from Lisbon, and returned it again to my old friend,he having sent me, for me estate, bills of three hundred andtwenty-eight thousand pieces of eight, reserving the payment of onehundred moidores per annum, which I had allowed him during life,likewise: fifty to his son during life also, according to my faithfulpromise, which the plantation was to make good as a rent charge.

  And thus having led my reader to the knowledge of the first parts of mylife so remarkable for the many peculiar providences that attended it,floating in the ocean of uncertainty and disappointment, of adversityand prosperity, beginning foolishly, and yet ending happily; methinksnow that I am come to a safe & pleasant haven, it is time to cast out myanchor, &c, laying up my vessel, bid, for a while, adieu to foreignadventures. I had no other concerns to look after but the care of mybrother's two sons, which, with the good widow's persuasions, obliged meto continue at home seven years. One of these children I bred up agentleman, and the other an experienced sailor, remarkable for hiscourage and bravery. Besides this, I married a virtuous younggentlewoman, of a very good family, by whom I had two sons and onedaughter. But my dear and tender wife leaving this earthly stage (as inthe second part of my life you will hear) which rent my soul as it wereasunder, my native country became weary and tiresome to me; and mynephew happening to come from sea, tempted me to venture another voyageto the East Indies, which I did in the year 1694, at which time Ivisited my island, and informed myself of every thing that happenedsince my departure.

  One might reasonably imagine, that what I had suffered, together with anadvanced age, and the fear of losing not only what I had gotten, but mylife also, might have choaked up all the seeds of youthful ambition andcuriosity, and put a lasting period to my wandering inclinations. But asnothing but death can fully allay the active part of my life, no lessremarkable for the many various contingencies of it, you will nextperceive how I visited my little kingdom, saw my successors theSpaniards, had an account of the usage they met with from theEnglishmen, agreeing and disagreeing, uniting and separating, till atlast they were subjected to the Spaniards, who yet used them veryhonorably, together with the wonderful and successful battles over theIndians who invaded, and thought to have conquered the island, but wererepelled by their invincible courage and bravery, having taken elevenmen and five woman prisoners by which at my return, I found about twentyyoung children on my little kingdom. Here I staid twenty days, left themsupplies of all necessary things, as also a carpenter and smith, andshared the islands into parts, reserving the whole property to myself.Nor will you be insensible, by the account of these things, of severalnew adventures I have been engaged in, the battles I have fought, thedeliverances I have met with; and while, in the surprising relation ofsuch remarkable occurrences, I shall describe many of God's kindestprovidences to me in particular, no less conspicuous in the samegoodness, power, and majesty of our great creator, shown one way orother, over the face of the earth, if duly adverted to.