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LIFE AND SURPRISING AI.) VENTURES
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.

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IT is scarcely needful to apologise for the appearance of another re-
print of so universal a favourite as “Robinson CRUsor: ;” a book which,
as a matter of course, must have found a place in a series like the pre-
sent ;—intended to comprise editions, in a neat and convenient form, and
at a price accessible to all, of many of the standard classics in English
literature. As fresh generations spring up, and fresh readers arise, so
fresh editions of such a book as the present will from time to time be .
called for ; and ours is put forth in the belief that it will not be found
an unworthy or unsuccessful competitor for patronage among the youth
of our land.
The author of this most attractive work is generally believed to have
been Daniel Defoe; whose name may also be known to some of our
readers as the author of the graphic narrative of “The Great Plague of
London.”
It may not be uninteresting to the juvenile reader to learn that the
tale of Robinson Crusoe is not altogether fictitious. The individual to
whose adventures it is supposed to owe its origin was born at Largo in
Fifeshire, Scotland, about 1676. His name was Alexander Selkirk. In
September 1703, he left Cork as the sailing-master of a small vessel
called the Cinque Ports Galley, Charles Pickering, captain. On the
coast of Brazil, Pickering died, and was succeeded in the command by his
lieutenant, Thomas Stradling. At the island of Juan Fernandez, Strad-
ling and Selkirk quarrelled, and the latter resolved, in consequence, to
stay there alone. When, however, his companions were about to con-
tinue their voyage, his determination was shaken by the thought of part-
ing from them and all human society, and he entreated to be taken on
board ; but his captain would not receive him, and he was left on the
island with nothing but his clothes and bedding, a firelock, a pound of
gunpowder, some bullets, a hatchet, a knife, a kettle, a Bible, his books
b

vi IPR EFACE.
and mathematical instruments. At first, his dejection was so extreme
that he could hardly refrain from committing suicide; and although he
had plenty of fish, goat's flesh, turnips, and other vegetables, he never ate
any thing until hunger absolutely compelled him. Eight months elapsed
before he became reconciled to his lonely condition. After he had over-
come his melancholy, he diverted himself with cutting his name upon the
trees, with contrivances to vary and increase his stock of tools, and some-
times, on clear evenings, with counting the stars. He built two huts of
unequal size, and at some distance from one another, which he thatched
with long grass, and lined with goat-skins. In the larger of these hovels
he slept, read, and offered his devotions; and he cooked his victuals in
the smaller. IIe was at first grievously annoyed by rats; but routed
these assailants by taming and surrounding himself with a numerous
bodyguard of the feline race. Selkirk also tamed some kids, and occa-
sionally varied his amusements by singing to them and teaching them to
dance. When his powder was exhausted, he chased the goats on foot,
and with such rapidity that he scarcely ever failed in catching them.
His pursuit of one of these animals once nearly cost him his life: he fol-
lowed the creature with so much eagerness, that he caught it just on the
brink of a precipice, which he did not perceive, as it was covered with
bushes; and he fell to the bottom, where he lay upwards of twenty-four
hours senseless ; and when he came to himself, found the goat lying dead
beneath him. It was with great difficulty that he could crawl to his
dwelling, which was about a mile distant, whence he was unable to stir
for ten days. When his clothes were worn out, he made a coat and cap
of goat-skins; these he stitched together with little thongs of the same,
which he cut with his knife. His only needle was a nail; and when his
knife was worn out, he made others of some iron hoops that were ashore,
which he beat thin, and ground upon stones. He could not succeed i
making shoes; but, at last, his feet became so hard, that he ran every
where without difficulty. Although he constantly prayed at stated hours
and read aloud, yet when he was taken off the island, his language, from
disuse of conversation, had become scarcely intelligible, for he seemed
to speak his words by halves. During his solitary abode in Juan Fer-
nandez, a period of four years and four months, he saw several ships pass
by ; but only two came to anchor. These were Spanish vessels, and Sel-
kirk had great difficulty in escaping from their crews, who, coming very
near him before he was aware of their approach, not only fired at the
recluse, but pursued him to the woods, where he climbed into a thick
tree, at the foot of which they stayed some time, and killed several goats
just by, but fortunately departed without discovering him.
On the 2d of February, 1709, two ships, which Selkirk knew to be
PIR EFA C E. vii
Flaglish, appeared in the bay. He immediately lighted a fire as a signal;
and on some of their company landing, he found they were The IOuke,
Captain Rogers, and The Duchess, Captain Courtney ; being two pri-
vateers from Bristol. He gave their officers the best entertainment he
could provide, and invited them to his retreat; but the path to it was
so very rugged and intricate, that only a very few of them had curiosity
enough to visit it. Captain ltogers appointed Selkirk master's-mate of
the Duke. After a fortnight's stay at Juan Fernandez, the ships pro-
ceeded on their cruise against the Spaniards; plundered a town on the
coast of Peru ; took a Manilla ship off California; and returned by way
of the East Indies to England, where they arrived on the 1st of October,
1711. Selkirk stayed in London till “he got his effects realised ;” and
then proceeded, in the spring of 1712, to his native village, Largo. For
a few days, it is narrated, he enjoyed the society of his relatives and
friends ; but, from long habit, he soon felt most happy in being alone.
In the upper part of the garden attached to his father's house, he formed
a kind of grotto, which commanded a fine and extensive view of the bay
of Largo and the shores of the Forth : there, or wandering through a
secluded valley, called Keil's Den, and fishing in the bay, he spent the
greater part of his time. After a while, he eloped with a young woman
named Sophia Bruce ; and went with her to London. Little is known
of him during the latter portion of his life. IIe died lieutenant on board
his Majesty's ship Weymouth, in 1723.”
The following extract is taken from a note appended to a small col-
lection of poetry, entitled “ St. Agnes' Fountain, and other Poems,” by
T. W. Kelly, Esq., to whose politeness we are indebted for the lines
which close this volume. -
“‘Alexander Selkirk, whose narrative of proceedings on the unin-
habited island of Juan Fernandez is said to have given rise to Defoe's
inimitable work of Robinson Crusoe, first landed at Baptist Bay, where
also the famous navigator Anson hove his ship down. The bay is com-
modiously situated on the lee-side of the island, having twenty feet water
three quarters of a mile off shore, and three feet and a half close to the
beach ; but as the shore is rocky, the operation of landing boats is ren-
dered dangerous.
“Bread is the only article of food for which Selkirk could have been
distressed, were the island then as fertile as it is now ; but could he have
Procured a small quantity of seed, he need not long have felt this incon-
venience, owing to the fertility of the soil.
“The island now abounds with wild goats and boars; there are also
* See Encyclopaedia Britannica, Cooke's Voyages, &c.
viii IP REFACE,
oxen and horses on it. Wild fowl and small birds are numerous ; wood-
pigeons of a large kind are very plentiful. In the valleys are fruit-trees
of various descriptions, such as the apple, pear, peach, quince, cherry,
and fig, in a flourishing state. In the hollows between the ridges of moun-
tains, there are several springs or falls of water, which run a distance of
three or four miles, shaded on each side by the above-mentioned trees.
Peaches seem most abundant, and grapes are found in some parts.
Radishes, turnips, potatoes, and other vegetables, are growing wild about
the island.
“Wood is found, of various species, some peculiar to the place.
There is a vast number of myrtle and box-trees on the heights. The
ridges of the mountains are very narrow and dangerous to pass; they are
also difficult of ascent and descent, and Selkirk must have found them
so in chasing the goats which frequented these heights.
“A resident on this island might procure fruit enough in one season,
dried or otherwise preserved, to supply him for seven years. The fruits
were not ripe on our arrival, except figs and a rich yellow fruit, about
the size and shape of a Siberian crab ; the latter of which were perfectly
ripe, and pleasant to eat. Of these, with apples, we made puddings and
ples.
“The cave made by Selkirk is situated near the place where an
American, in voluntary exile, erected his dwelling and store-huts. He
had with him a boat's crew, consisting of six men, natives of Otaheite, a
whale-boat and a canoe ; and his occupation was fishing. The fish he
dried and salted, and sent to Valparaiso and other places by small
vessels trading with him ; he receiving, in exchange, provisions and
money. In this cave, where Robinson Crusoe is said to have dwelt, a
musician of that name, belonging to our ship, left a memorial of our
visit, with the date, which also stated that it was placed there by Robin-
son Crusoe. This may excite wonder in future visitors, and they, per-
haps, may doubt the veracity of our statement, thinking we have claimed
the privilege of travellers, namely, dealing too largely in the marvellous.
Leaving them to their doubts, I may truly say that I was in the ship
which brought a Robinson Crusoe from the island of Juan Fernandez.
“I had nearly omitted to mention that we procured a large quantity
of wood for firing. Although the water here is excellent, watering is still
difficult, for want of a convenient place in which boats might run up.
Ships do water here, but they incur great risk of staving their boats.”
“This note was selected from an unpublished manuscript diary, or
“Memoranda and Observations, written by Wm. Harris, a very intelli-
gent seaman (formerly on board His Britannic Majesty's ship Doris),
between January 27th, 1825, and June 27th, 1829.”
TREFACE, ix
It need hardly be said, that the resemblance between the history of
Selkirk and that of Crusoe is of a very general kind. Even the locality
is not at all the same. Juan Fernandez is a solitary island on the coast
of Chili, with no other near it ; while Crusoe’s abode is placed in the
Caribbean group, in quite a different region of the world. Still, consider-
ing that Defoe's tale appeared only a few years after Selkirk's return,
there can be little doubt that the idea of it was suggested to him by the
adventures of the latter.
It remains to say a few words in reference to the present edition of
Crusoe. But little editorial revision was of course required. The first
part, indeed, may be said to have needed only such minor changes as
tended to perspicuity and grammatical correctness—such as occasionally
breaking up Defoe's long and often badly-constructed sentences—and
paring away a few of the more glaring instances of tautology. This,
however, has been done in such a manner as to preserve that quaintness
of style with which the charm of the book is so inseparably connected.
In the second part more liberty was allowable. It is confessedly inferior
to the first; so much so, as to have given rise to the opinion, that it was
not the production of the same author. However this may be, there
seems little doubt that it was got up mainly to sell on the credit of its
predecessor; and, judging from internal evidence, one would say that in
the later portions of the book, the story was eked out simply in order to
Swell it to the same bulk as the previous part. The commencement, on
the whole, does not disappoint us; we feel our sympathies so identified
with “the island,” and all connected with it, that we enter eagerly into
the adventures of the Spaniards and Englishmen—their domestic broils—
their battles with the savages—the increase of their settlement, &c. &c.
The interest, indeed, may be said to be very fairly kept up as long as
the island is the chief scene on the canvass. But after Crusoe “has done
with the island,” as he expresses it, we feel that we have nearly done
with him ; and when poor honest Friday dies so unexpectedly, to the grief
and regret of every reader, most of us have felt disposed to drop a tear to
his memory, and there close the book. Notwithstanding this, however,
We have not felt ourselves at liberty to omit the later portions, or to
make what is called an “abridged Crusoe ;” so that the reader will, as
usual, accompany him to Madagascar, the Persian Gulf, the Moluccas,
China, Tartary, Russia, and thence by Hamburgh to England; leav-
ing him there—as all former readers have—“resolved to prepare for a
longer journey than all these, having lived a life of infinite variety for 72
years.” All that we have done has been to relieve this portion of some-
what of its prolixity, so as to enable the juvenile reader to glide on with
X #REFACE.
a little more ease and pleasure ; simply to omit, in fact, such minor
details as the young are always known to skip over, and which, even
when they become older, they see to be of no interest or value. The
whole has also been divided into chapters; which, with the table of
contents, will, it is hoped, be found to add to the convenience of the
reader. - • ,
J. F. R.
Enfield Highway.

>
ſh)
* -
PART FIRST.
CHAPTER I.
IRobinson Crusoe's birth, parentage, and family. He opposes the wishes of
his parents, and goes to Sea. Is shipwrecked in Yarmouth Roads. Sets
up for a Guinea trader. Is carried prisoner into Sallee and made a
slave. Escapes in a fishing-boat with Xury. Meets with negroes and
wild beasts. Is picked up by a Portuguese ship, and sails to the Brazils.
Turns planter. Sails as a supercargo. Suffers shipwreck, and is cast
on an uninhabited island. e e e e º º Page 1-28.
CHAPTER II.
Crusoe’s first night on the island. He swims to the wreck. Makes a raft,
and succeeds in saving provisions, &c. from the wreck. Seeks a proper
place for his habitation. Lands his cargo. Prepares a second raft. Re-
visits the wreck, and lands another cargo. Makes a little tent. Over-
sets his raft. Removes his tent to the side of a rock, and defends it
with a fence. Begins digging a cave. Is terrified by a storm, and se-
parates and hides his gunpowder. Discovers that there are goats on the
island, and shoots one of them. Sets the good against the evil of his
condition. Makes a table and chairs. Begins a journal. Is astonished
at discovering some English barley, and stalks of rice. An earthquake.
Crusoe goes several times to the wreck, and works upon it. Is very ill
with the ague, and has a terrible dream. Reads the Bible and prays.
Steeps tobacco in rum, drinks the liquor, and feels considerably re-
freshed. Commences a tour of discovery. Finds a delicious valley and
abundance of fruits. Builds a bower in the valley, and calls it his
country-house. Begins to enjoy himself. Observes the anniversary of
his landing as a solemn fast. His ink fails. . . . Page 29-61.
CHAPTER III.
Crusoe sows some of his grain. Visits his bower, and makes a little dis-
covery. Succeeds as a basket-maker. Travels across the island. Ob-
C




xii CONTENTS.
serves the second anniversary of his shipwreck. Regularly divides his
time. Protects his young corn. His first harvest. He diverts himself
with his parrot. Makes pipkins, &c. His substitute for an oven. He
constructs a huge canoe, which he is unable to move. Keeps his fourth
anniversary. Tries his skill “a-tailoring.” Makes a little canoe. At-
tempts to sail round the island, and fails. Is alarmed by his parrot.
Catches goats, and tames several. Encloses the latter with a fence.
sketch of Crusoe’s “figure.” His habitations. . . Page 0°-99.
CHAPTER IV.
The naked footprint. Crusoe's fears, apprehensions, and resolutions. He
strengthens his “fortification.” The “broken victuals” of the cannibals.
Crusoe's sanguinary contrivances. His anxieties. He is alarmed by an
old goat in a cave. Removes his ammunition thither. The cannibals visit
his side of the island. A ship in distress. Crusoe ventures out to the
wreck. His profitable reflections. e e e e Page 94-117.
CHAPTER. W.
Five canoes of savages come on shore. Crusoe rescues a prisoner, and
names him Friday. He gives him lessons in civilisation and religion.
Benamuckee. The “bearded men” on the mainland. Crusoe resolves
to join them. He and Friday construct and launch a large canoe. He
instructs Friday in navigation. Keeps his seven-and-twentieth anni-
versary. More savages visit the island. Crusoe and Friday Sally forth
to attack them. They rescue a Spaniard and Friday's father. Friday's
ecstacy. Crusoe and the Spaniard converse about “the bearded men.”
The Spaniard and Friday's father go with an invitation to them.
Page 118-150.
CHAPTER VI.
An English long-boat, with its contents. Crusoe “discovers himself” to
the English captain. Several mutineers are secured. Ten others come
on shore. Crusoe’s stratagem to prevent their going on board. Their
consternation. An ambuscade. Death of the boatswain. Submission
of the boatswain's companions. Will Atkins intercedes for his life. The
captain recovers his vessel. He embraces Crusoe as his deliverer, and
makes him presents. Crusoe figures before the prisoners as governor.
They consent to remain on the island. Crusoe embarks for England.
Page 151-175.
CHAPTER VII.
Crusoe arrives in England. Finds some of his family. Meets with an
unexpected “piece of gratitude.” Sails for Lisbon. Meets an old
friend there, and hears good news of his plantation. Becomes suddenly
rich, and makes presents. Goes to Madrid. Friday's alarm at the
CONTENTS. xiii
cold. Pampeluna. A guide. Friday shoots a wolf. Friday “makes
laugh” with a bear. The travellers are attacked by wolves. Crusoe
lands at Dover. He marries. Engages to go as a private trader to
the East Indies. . & t & * tº § . Page 176-194.
IPART SECON D.
CHAIPTER I.
Crusoe illustrates a homely proverb. His wife brings him to reason. He
turns farmer. His wife dies. He sets out on a voyage with his nephew.
A ship on fire. Deliverance and extravagant delight of the crew. A
ship in distress. Misery of the crew and passengers from hunger. The
sufferers in the cabin. Crusoe arrives at his island, and goes on shore.
Friday's joyful meeting with his father. Crusoe is received by the Spa-
niards with great civility. . te e tº g . Page 195-214.
CHAPTER II.
Crusoe supplies “a defect” in his “former relation.” Arrival of the Spa-
niards. Brutal conduct of three of the English settlers to their coun-
trymen. Encounter between a Spaniard and an Englishman. The
three Englishmen are disarmed, and begin to cool. They turn vagrants.
They make reparation to their countrymen. Three savages are taken
prisoners. Another broil with the three Englishmen, who are “sent to
Coventry.” They become householders. Sail to the mainland. Return,
and relate their adventures. The Indian prisoners. The Englishmen
choose themselves wives. Unwelcome visitors. Three Savages, being
left behind by their companions, are captured. One of them escapes.
A cannibal invasion. Conflagration and slaughter. The savages retreat.
A second invasion. A conflict. Will Atkins's bravery. A second con-
flict. The savages fly to the woods. Their extremity and distress.
One of them is taken alive. They settle on the south-east corner of the
island. The colony enjoys perfect tranquillity. . . Page 215-253.
CHAPTER III.
Ingenuity of the Indians in wicker-work. Will Atkins's house. Crusoe's
conversation with the Spaniards. He feasts with the settlers. Distri-
butes his cargo of goods among them. The three colonies. An excel-
lent priest. His discourse fills Crusoe with admiration. His missionary
zeal. The Englishmen consent to be formally married. Will Atkins
xiv. CONTENTS.
calls in question his own missionary qualifications. He appears in a new
character. He makes a confession. A baptism and wedding. Another
wedding. How the colony was settled. Crusoe gives Will Atkins a
Bible. . * e * * & ſº e * e Page 254-283.
CIIAPTER IV.
Crusoe takes leave of the island. A naval engagement. Death of Friday.
Crusoe arrives at Brazil, and sends a sloop with supplies to the island.
Crusoe “exclaims against himself.” Sails to the Cape of Good Hope.
Madagascar. The seamen trade with the natives. A fray with the
natives. Its origin. The crew go in quest of Tom Jeffrys. They
determine to visit the Indian town. What they found there. A mas-
sacre. The crew become discontented with Crusoe’s “preaching.” He
finds himself in a minority, and is left behind. He disposes of his goods.
Goes into partnership. . g wº ſº gº g . Page 284-304.
CHA PTER V.
Crusoe makes a profitable voyage. He and his partner purchase a ship.
Crusoe receives alarming information. A chase. A facetious engage-
ment with the Cochin Chinese, in which pitch does the part of powder.
An old Portuguese pilot. Nanquin. The misery of a state of con-
stant fear. A Japan merchant. Crusoe and his colleague part with
their vessel. . * º de e tº e * . Page 305-323.
CHAPTER VI.
Crusoe's animadversions on the Chinese. A Chinese country gentleman.
Pekin. A large caravan. A house of china-ware. The great wall of
China. Sheep-hunting. Skirmish with the Tartars. “No man’s land.”
Crusoe goes after a camel, and gets his head broken. A Chinese coun-
try justice. A Tartar demonstration. Naum. Nertzinskay. An un-
couth idol and its worshippers. Crusoe insults the idol, and runs for his
life. He resolves to visit it again. Destruction of the idol, and anger
of the country people. The caravan is pursued. A stratagem. The
Tonguese. Janezay. . . . . . . . Page 324-348.
CHAPTER VII.
Crusoe arrives at Tobolski in Siberia. Provides against the cold. A
Russian grandee. A Siberian winter. Crusoe tempts the Russian
nobleman to escape, and fails of success. He quits Tobolski with the
nobleman's son. The travellers are attacked by Tartars. They escape
in the night. Arrive at Archangel. Conclusion. . Page 349-363.
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IR () IB I N S () N C IR U S () E.
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WAS born in the year 1632, in the city
of York, of a good family, though not of
that country, my father being a foreigner
of Bremen, who settled first at Hull. He
got a good estate by merchandise, and leav-
ing off his trade, lived afterward at York, from
whence he had married my mother, whose re-
lations were named Robinson, a very good family
in that country, and from whom I was called Ro-
binson Kreutznaer; but by the usual corruption of
words in England, we are now called, may we call
ourselves, and write our name Crusoe; and so my
companions always called me.
I had two elder brothers, one of whom was lieu-
tenant-colonel to an English regiment of foot in
Flanders, formerly commanded by the famous
Colonel Lockhart, and was killed at the battle near
Dunkirk against the Spaniards. What became of my
Y second brother I never knew, any more than my father or
} mother did know what was become of me.
§ Being the third son of the family, and not bred to any
trade, my head began to be filled very early with rambling
thoughts: my father, who was very old, had given me a
competent share of learning, as far as house education and
$2 a country free-school generally goes, and designed me for
the law ; but I would be satisfied with nothing but going
to sea; and my inclination to this led me strongly against
º
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IB
2 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES
the will, may the commands, of my father, and against all the
entreaties and persuasions of my mother and other friends.
My father, a wise and grave man, gave me serious and ex-
cellent counsel against what he foresaw was my design. ... II:
called me one morning into his chamber, where he was confined
by the gout, and expostulated very warmly with me upon the
subject: he asked me what reasons more than a mere wandering
inclination I had for leaving my father's house and my native
country, where I might be well introduced, and had a prospect
of raising my fortune by application and industry. . He told me
it was for men of desperate fortunes on the one hand, or of aspir-
ing superior fortunes on the other, to go abroad upon adventurºs,
to rise by enterprise, and make themselves famous in undertak-
ings of a nature out of the common road; that these things were
all either too far above me, or too far below me; that mine was the
middle state of life, which he had found by long experience Was
the best, the most suited to human happiness; not exposed to the
miseries and hardships, the labour and sufferings of the mechanic
part of mankind, and not embarrassed with the pride, luxury,
ambition, and envy of the upper part. . He told me, I might
judge of the happiness of this state by this one thing, viz; that
this was the state of life which all other people envied ; that kings
have frequently lamented the miserable consequences of being
born to great things, and wished they had been placed in the
middle of the two extremes, between the mean and the great ;
that the wise man gave his testimony to this, as the just stan-
dard of true felicity, when he prayed to have neither poverty
nor riches.
After this, he pressed me earnestly, and in the most affec-
tionate manner, not to precipitate myself into miseries which
nature and the station of life I was born in seemed to have
provided against: that I was under no necessity of seeking my
bread ; that he would do well for me, and endeavour to enter
me fairly into the station of life which he had been just recom-
mending to me; and that if I was not very easy and happy
in the world, it must be my fault that must hinder it, and that
he should have nothing to answer for, having thus discharged his
duty in warning me against measures which he knew would be
to my hurt : in a word, that as he would do very kind things for
me if I would stay and settle at home as he directed, so he would
not have so much hand in my misfortunes, as to give me any
encouragement to go away. To close all, he told me I had my
elder brother for an example, to whom he had used the same
earnest persuasions to keep him from going into the Low Country
wars, but could not prevail, his young desires prompting him to
run into the army, where he was killed. And though he said he
would not cease to pray for me, yet he would venture to say to
me, that if I did take this foolish step, I would have to reflect
CII. I. OF ROIRINSON CIRUSOE. 3
upon having neglected his counsel when there might be none to
assist in my recovery.
I observed in this last part of his discourse, which was truly
prophetic, though I suppose my father did not know it to be so
himself; I say, I observed the tears run down his face very plen-
tifully, and especially when he spoke of my brother who was
killed ; and that when he spoke of my having leisure to repent,
and none to assist me, he was so moved, that he broke off the
discourse, and told me his heart was so full he could say no more
to Ine.
I was sincerely affected with this discourse,_as, indeed, who
could be otherwise? and I resolved not to think of going abroad
any more, but to settle at home according to my father's desire.
IBut, alas, a few days wore it all off; and, in short, to prevent
any of my father's further importunities, in a few weeks after, I
resolved to run quite away from him. However, I did not act so
hastily neither as my first heat of resolution prompted; but I took
my mother, at a time when I thought her a little pleasanter than
ordinary, and told her, that my thoughts were so entirely bent
upon seeing the world, that I should never settle to any thing at
home, and my father had better give me his consent than force
me to go without it; that I was now eighteen years old, which
was too late to go apprentice to a trade, or clerk to an attorney;
that I was sure, if I did, I should never serve out my time, and I
should certainly run away from my master before my time was
out, and go to sea; and if she would speak to my father to let me
go but one voyage abroad, if I came home again and did not like
it, I would go no more, and I would promise by a double dili-
gence to recover that time I had lost.
This made my mother very angry; she told me she knew it
would be to no purpose to speak to my father on the subject; and
that she wondered how I could think of any such thing after such
kind and tender expressions as she knew my father had used to
Ine ; and that, in short, if I would ruin myself, there was no help
for me; but I might depend I should never have their consent to
it, and I should never have it to say, that my mother was willing
When my father was not.
It was not till almost a year after this that I broke loose,
though in the mean time I continued obstinately deaf to all pro-
posals of settling to business. But being one day at Hull, where
I went casually, and without any purpose of making an elope-
ment that time, and one of my companions being about to go by
sea to London, in his father’s ship, and prompting me to go with
them, with the common allurement of seafaring men, viz. that it
should cost me nothing for my passage, I consulted neither father
or mother any more, nor so much as sent them word of it; but
# leaving them to hear of it as they might, without asking GoD's
§ blessing, or my father's, without any consideration of circum-


4 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
stances or consequences, on the first of September 1651, I went on
board a ship bound for London.
The ship was no sooner gotten out of the Humber, than the
wind began to blow, and the waves to rise in a frightful mannel: ;
and as ſhad never been at sea before, I was inexpressibly sick in
body, as well as terrified in mind. I began now to reflect upon
what I had done, and how justly I was overtaken by the judgment
of Heaven for wickedly leaving my father's house, and abandoming
my duty; all the good counsel of my parents, my father's, tears
and my mother's entreaties, came now fresh into my mind, and
my conscience reproached me with the contempt of that advice,
and the breach of my duty to GoD and my father.
All this while the storm increased, and the sea went very
high, though nothing like what I have seen many times since,
mo, nor like what I saw a few days after; but it was enough to
affect me then, who was but a young sailor, and had never known
any thing of the matter. I expected every wave would have
swallowed us up, and that every time the ship fell down in the
trough or hollow of the sea, we should never rise more; and in
this agony of mind I made many vows and resolutions, that
if it would please GoD to spare my life this one voyage, if ever I
got my foot upon dry land again, I would go directly home, and
never set it into a ship again while I lived. Now I saw plainly
the goodness of my father's observations about the middle station
of life, how comfortably he had lived all his days, and never had
been exposed to tempests at sea or troubles on shore; and I
resolved that I would, like a true repenting prodigal, return
home.
These thoughts continued all the while the storm continued,
and indeed sometime after ; but the next day the wind abated and
the sea was calmer, and I began to be a little inured to it; how-
ever, I was very grave for all that day, being also a little sea-sick
still ; but towards night the weather cleared up, the wind was
quite over, and a charming evening followed ; the sun went down
perfectly clear, and rose so the next morning ; and having little
or no wind, and a smooth sea, with the sun shining upon it, the
sight was, as I thought, the most delightful that ever I saw.
I had slept well in the night, and was now no more sea-sick,
but very cheerful, looking with wonder upon the sea that was so
rough and terrible the day before, and could be so calm and so
pleasant in so little time after. But now, lest my good resolu-
tions should continue, my companion who had enticed me away
comes to me, “Well, Bob,” says he (clapping me on the shoul-
der), “how do you do? I warrant you were frighted, wasn’t you,
last night, when it blew but a cap full of windº” “A cap full, do
you call it?” said I, “it was a terrible storm l’ “A storm, you
fool,” replies he, “do you call that a storm 2 why, it was nothing
at all; give us but a good ship and sea-room, and we think no-
CII. I. OF ROBIN SON CIRUSO E. 5
thing of such a squall of wind as that. Dut you’re but a fresh-
water sailor, Bob ; come, let us make a bowl of punch, and we'll
forget all that. Do you see what charming weather it is now 7”
To make short this sad part of my story, we went the old way of
all sailors; the punch was made, and in that one night's wicked-
ness I drowned all my repentance, all my reflections upon my
past conduct, and all my resolutions for my future. In a word,
as the sea was returned to its smoothness of surface and settled
'almness by the abatement of that storm, so the hurry of my
thoughts being over, my fears and apprehensions of being swal-
lowed up by the sea being forgotten, and the current of my
former desires returned, I entirely forgot the vows and promises
that I made in my distress. I found, indeed, some intervals of
reflection, and the serious thoughts did, as it were, endeavour to
return again sometimes, but I shook them off, and roused myself
from them as it wore from a distemper; and applying myself to
drink and company, soon mastered the return of those fits, for so
I called them ; and I had in five or six days got as complete a
victory over conscience as any young fellow that resolved not to
be troubled with it could desire. But I was to have another trial
for it still ; and Providence, as in such cases it generally does,
resolved to leave me entirely without excuse. For if I would not
take this for a deliverance, the next was to be one of which the
worst and most hardened wretch among us would confess both
the danger and the mercy. º
The sixth day of our being at sea we came into Yarmouth
IRoads; the wind having been contrary, and the weather calm,
we had made but little way since the storm. We were obliged
to come to an anchor; and here we lay, the wind continuing con-
trary, viz. at south-west, for seven or eight days, during which
time a great many ships from Newcastle came into the same
roads, as the common harbour where the ships might wait for a
wind for the river.
We had not, however, rid here so long, but that the wind blew
too fresh; and after we had lain four or five days it blew very
hard. However, the roads being reckoned as good as a harbour,
the anchorage good, and our ground-tackle very strong, our men
were unconcerned, and not in the least apprehensive of danger,
but spent the time in rest and mirth, after the manner of sailors;
but on the eighth day, in the morning, the wind increased, and we
had all hands at work to strike our top-masts, and make every
thing snug and close, that the ship might ride as easy as possible.
By noon the sea went very high indeed, and our ship rid fore-
castle in, shipped several seas, and we thought once or twice our
anchor had come home; upon which our master ordered out the
sheet-anchor; so that we rode with two anchors a-head, and the
cables veered out to the better end.
By this time it blew a terrible storm ; and I began to see

Is 2
6. LIFE AND ADVENTURES
terror and amazement in the faces even of the seamen themselves.
The master, though he was vigilant in the business of preserving
the ship, yet as he went in and out of his cabin, I could hear him
softly to himself say several times, “LoRD, be merciful to us! we
shall be all lost, we shall be all undone;” and the like. When I
heard this, I was dreadfully frightened ; I got up out of my cabin,
and looked out ; but such a dismal sight I never saw ; the sea went
mountains high, and broke upon us every three or four minutes;
when I could look about, I could see nothing but distress round
us; two ships that rid near us, we found, had cut their masts by
the board, being deeply laden; and our men cried out, that a ship
which rid about a mile a-head of us was foundered. Two more
ships being driven from their anchors, were run out of the roads
to sea, and that with not a mast standing. The light ships fared
the best, as not so much labouring in the sea ; but two or three
of them drove, and came close by us, running away with only
their spritsail out before the wind.
Towards evening the mate and boatswain begged the master
of our ship to let them cut away the fore-mast, which he was
Very unwilling to do; but the boatswain protesting to him that
if he did not, the ship would founder, he consented; and when
they had cut away the fore-mast, the main-mast stood so loose,
and shook the ship so much, they were obliged to cut her away
also, and make a clear deck.
Any one may judge what a condition I must be in at all this,
who was but a young sailor, and who had been in such a fright
before at but a little. But if I can express at this distance the
thoughts, I had about me at that time, I was in tenfold more
horror of mind upon account of my former convictions, and the
having returned from them to the resolutions I had wickedly
taken at first, than I was at death itself; and these, added to the
terror of the storm, put me into such a condition, that I can by
no words describe it. But the worst was not come yet; the
storm continued with such fury, that the seamen themselves
acknowledged they had never known a worse. We had a good
ship, but she was deep laden, and wallowed in the sea, so that
the seamen every now and then cried out, she would founder. It
was my advantage in one respect, that I did not know what they
meant by founder, till I inquired. However, the storm was so
violent, that I saw what is not often seen, the master, the boat-
swain, and some others more sensible than the rest, at their
prayers, and expecting every moment when the ship would go to
the bottom. In the middle of the night, one of the men that had
been down ºn, purpose to see, cried out, we had sprung a leak;
another said there were four feet of water in the hºld. Then all
hands were called to the pump. At that word my heart died
within me, and I fell backwards upon the side of my bed where
I sat, into the cabin. However, the men roused me, and told me
CH. I. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 7
that I that was able to do nothing before, was as well able to
pump as another; at which I stirred up, and went to the pump
and worked very heartily. While this was doing, the master
seeing some light colliers, who, not able to ride out the storm,
were obliged to slip and run away to sea, and would not come
near us, ordered to fire a gun as a signal of distress. I, who knew
not what that meant, was so surprised, that I thought the ship
had broke, or some dreadful thing happened. In a word, I was
so surprised, that I fell down in a swoon. As this was a time
when every body had his own life to think of, nobody minded
me, or what was become of me; but another man stepped up
to the pump, and, thrusting me aside with his foot, let me lie,
thinking I had been dead; and it was a great while before I came
to myself.
We worked on, but the water increasing in the hold, it was
apparent that the ship would founder; and though the storm
began to abate a little, yet as it was not possible she could float
till we might run into a port, so the master continued firing guns
for help ; and a light ship who had rid it out just a-head of us,
ventured a boat out to help us. It was with the utmost hazard
the boat came near us, but it was impossible for us to get on
board, or for the boat to lie near the ship's side; till at last, the
men rowing very heartily, and venturing their lives to save ours,
our men cast them a rope over the stern with the buoy to it, and
then veered it out a great length, which they, after great labour
and hazard, took hold of, and we hauled them close under our
stern, and got all into their boat. It was to no purpose for them
or us after we were in the boat to think of reaching their own
ship, so all agreed to let her drive, and only to pull her in to-
wards shore as much as we could; and our master promised them,
that if the boat was staved upon shore, he would inake it good to
their master; so partly rowing and partly driving, our boat went
away to the northward, sloping towards the shore almost as far as
Winterton-Ness.
We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of our
ship before we saw her sink; and then I understood for the first
time what was meant by a ship foundering at sea. I must ac-
knowledge I had hardly eyes to look up when the seamen told
me she was sinking; for from that moment they rather put me
into the boat than I might be said to go in, for my heart was
as it were dead within me, partly with fright, partly with horror
of mind, and the thoughts of what was yet before me.
While we were in this condition, the men yet labouring at the
oar to bring the boat near the shore, we could see a great many
people running along the shore to assist us when we should come
near; but we made but slow way, nor were we able to reach the
land till, being past the light-house at Winterton, the shore falls.
8 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
off to the westward towards Cromer, and so the land broke off a
little the violence of the wind. Here we got in, and, though not
without much difficulty, got all safe on shore, and walked after-
wards on foot to Yarmouth, where, as unfortunate men, we were
used with great humanity, as well by the magistrates of the town
as by particular merchants and owners of ships; and had money
given us sufficient to carry us either to London or back to Hull,
as we thought fit.
Had I now had the sense to have gone back to Hull, and have
gone home, I had been happy; and my father, an emblem of him
in our blessed SAVIOUR's parable, had even killed the fatted calf
for me; but hearing the ship I went away in was cast away in
Yarmouth Road, it was a great while before he had any assur-
ance that I was not drowned.
My comrade, who had helped to harden me before, and who
was the master's son, was now less forward than I. The first time
he spoke to me after we were at Yarmouth, which was not till
two or three days, for we were separated in the town to several
quarters; I say, the first time he saw me, it appeared his tone
was altered ; and looking very melancholy, and shaking his
head, he asked me how I did, telling his father who I was, and
how I had come this voyage for a trial. His father, turning to
me with a very grave and concerned tone, “Young man,” says
he, “ you ought never to go to sea any more; you ought to take
this for a plain and visible token that you are not to be a seafar-
ing man.” “Why, sir,” said I, “will you go to sea no more ?”
“That is another case,” said he: “it is my calling, and therefore
my duty; but as you made this voyage for a trial, you see what
a taste Heaven has given you of what you are to expect if you
Persist; perhaps this is all befallen us on your account, like
Jonah in the ship of Tarshish. Pray,” continued he, “what are
you?, and on what account did you go to sea?” Upon that I
told him, some of my story, at the end of which he exclaimed,
“What had I done,” says he, “that such an unhappy wretch
should come into my ship! I would not set my foot in the same
ship with thee again for a thousand pounds.” This indeed was a
sudden burst of passion while he was agitated by the sense of his
loss, and was farther than he could have authority to go. How-
ever, he afterwards talked very sensibly and gravely to me, ex-
horted me to go back to my father, and not tempt Providence
to my ruin; told me I might see a visible hand of Heaven
against me; “And, young man,” said he, “depend upon it, if
- you do not. go back, wherever you go you will meet with no-
thing but disasters and disappointments, till your father’s words
are fulfilled upon you.”
We parted soon after, for I made him little answer, and I
saw him no more; which way he went I know not. As for me,
:
CH. I. OF ROBINSON CRU SOE, 9
f
having some money in my pocket, I travelled to London by
land; and there, as well as on the road, had many struggles
with myself what course of life I should take, and whether I
should go home, or go to sea.
As to going home, shame opposed the best thoughts that
offered themselves to my mind; and it immediately occurred to
me how I should be laughed at among the neighbours, and should
be ashamed to see, not my father and mother only, but every
body else; from whence I have since often observed, how irra-
tional the common temper of mankind is, especially of youth,
viz. that they are not ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to
repent ; not ashamed of the action for which they ought justly to
be esteemed fools, but are ashamed of the returning, which only
can make them be esteemed wise inen.
In this state of life, however, I remained some time, uncer-
tain what measures to take, and what course of life to lead. An
irresistible reluctance continued to going home; and as I stayed
a while, the remembrance of the distress I had been in wore off;
and as that abated, the little desire I had to a return wore off
with it, till at last I quite laid aside the thoughts of it, and looked
out for another voyage.
That evil influence which carried me first away from my
father's house, and hurried me into the wild and indigested no-
tion of raising my fortune, presented the most unfortunate of all
enterprises to my view : and I went on board a vessel bound to
the coast of Africa; or, as our sailors vulgarly call it, a voyage
to Guinea.
It was my great misfortune that in all these adventures I did
not ship myself as a sailor, whereby, though I might indeed have
worked a little harder than ordinary, yet at the same time I should
have learned the duty and office of a fore-mast man, and in time
might have qualified myself for a mate or lieutenant, if not for a
master: but as it was always my habit to choose for the worse,
so I did here ; for, having money in my pocket, and good
clothes upon my back, I would always go on board in the habit
of a gentleman, and so I neither had any business in the ship, or
learned to do anv.
It was my lot, first of all, to fall into pretty good company in
London, which does not always happen to such young fellows as
I then was, the devil generally not omitting to lay some snare
for them very early ; but it was not so with me. I became
acquainted with the master of a ship who had been on the
coast of Guinea; and who, having had very good success there,
was resolved to go again; he, taking a fancy to my conversa-
tion, and hearing me say I had a mind to see the world, told
me, if I would go the voyage with him I should be at no ex-
pense—I should be his messmate and his companion; and if I
could carry any thing with me, I should have all the advantage
10 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
of it that the trade would admit; and, perhaps, I might meet
with some encouragement.
I embraced the offer; and entering into a strict friendship
with this captain, who was an honest and plain-dealing man, I
went the voyage with him, and carried a small adventure with
me, which, by the disinterested honesty of my friend, I increased
very considerably ; for I carried about 40l. in such toys and
trifles as the captain directed me to buy. This 40l. I had mus-
tered together by the assistance of some of my relations whom
I corresponded with, and who, I believe, got my father, or,
at least, my mother, to contribute so much as that to my first
adventure.
This was the only voyage which I may say was successful in
all my adventures, and which I owe to the assistance of my friend
the captain, under whom also I got a competent knowledge of
mathematics and of navigation, learned how to keep an account
of the ship's course, take an observation, and, in short, to under-
stand some things that were needful to be understood by a
sailor; for, as he took delight to instruct me, I took delight to
learn ; and, in a word, this voyage made me both a sailor and a
merchant: for I brought home 5 pounds 9 ounces of gold-dust
for my adventure, which yielded me in London, at my return,
almost 300l.
I was now set up for a Guinea trader; and the captain, to
my great misfortune, dying soon after his arrival, I resolved to
go the same voyage again; and I embarked in the same vessel
with one who was his mate in the former voyage, and had now
got the command of the ship. This was the unhappiest voyage
that ever man made ; for, though I did not carry quite 100l. of
my new-gained wealth, so that I had 200l. left, and which I
lodged with my friend's widow, who was very just to me, yet I
fell into terrible misfortunes in this voyage.
The first was this: Our ship, making her course towards the
Canary Islands, or rather between those islands and the African
shore, was surprised, in the grey of the morning, by a Turkish
rover of Sallee, who gave chase to us with all the sail she could
make. We crowded also as much canvass as we could carry, to
have got clear; but finding the pirate gained upon us, and
would certainly come up with us in a few hours, we prepared to
fight: our ship having 12 guns, and he 18. About three in the
afternoon he came up with us, and bringing to, by mistake, just
athwart our quarter, instead of athwart our stern, as he intended,
we brought eight of our guns to bear on that side, and poured in
a broadside upon him, which made him sheer off again, after
returning our fire, and pouring in also his small shot from near
200 men which he had on board. However, we had not a man
touched, all our crew keeping close. He prepared to attack us
again, and we to defend ourselves; but laying us on board the
CH. I. OF ROBIN SON CRUSOE. 11
next time upon our other quarter, he entered 60 men upon our
decks, who immediately fell to cutting and hacking the decks
and rigging. We plied them with small shot, half-pikes, powder-
chests, and such like, and cleared our deck of them twice. How-
ever, to cut short this melancholy part of our story, our ship
being disabled, and three of our men killed, and eight wounded,
we were obliged to yield, and were carried all prisoners into
Sallee, a port belonging to the Moors.
The usage I had there was not so bad as at first I appre-
hended ; nor was I carried up the country to the emperor's
court, as the rest of our men were, but was kept by the captain
of the rover, as his proper prize, and made his slave, being
young and nimble, and fit for his business. At this surprising
change of my circumstances, from a merchant to a miserable
slave, I was perfectly overwhelmed; and now I looked back
upon my father's prophetic discourse to me, that I should be
miserable, and have none to relieve me, which I thought was
now so effectually brought to pass that I could not be worse;
that now the hand of Heaven had overtaken me, and I was
undone without redemption.
As my new master had taken me home to his house, so I was
in hopes that he would take me with him when he went to sea
again, believing that it would some time or other be his fate to be
captured by a Spanish or Portuguese man-of-war, and that then
I should be set at liberty. But this hope was soon taken away ;
for when he went to sea, he left me on shore to look after his
garden, and do the common drudgery of slaves about his house ;
and when he came home again from his cruise, he ordered me to
lie in the cabin to look after the ship.
Here I meditated nothing but my escape, and what method
I might take to effect it, but found no way that had the least
probability in it, for I had nobody to communicate it to that
would embark with me; so that for two years, though I often
pleased myself with the imagination, yet I never had the least
prospect of putting it in practice.
After about two years, an odd circumstance presented itself
which put the thought again in my head. My master lying at
home longer than usual, without fitting out his ship, used, once
or twice a week, if the weather was fair, to take the ship's pin-
nace, and go out into the road a-fishing, and as he always took
Ine and a young Maresco with him to row the boat, we made
him very merry; and I proved very dexterous in catching fish,
insomuch that sometimes he would send me with a Moor, one of
his kinsmen, and the youth, the Maresco as they called him, to
catch a dish of fish for }.
* It happened one time that, going a-fishing in a calm morn-
ing, a fog rose, so thick that, though we were not half a league
from the shore, we lost sight of it; and rowing we knew not
12 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
whither, we laboured all day and all the next night, and when
the morning came, we found we had pulled off to sea instead of
pulling in for the shore, and that we were at least two leagues
from land ; however, we got well in again, though with a great
deal of labour, and some danger, for the wind began to blow
pretty fresh in the morning; but, particularly, we were all very
hungry.
Our master, warned by this disaster, resolved to take more
care of himself for the future ; and having lying by him the
long boat of our English ship he had taken, he resolved he
would not go a-fishing any more without a compass and some
provision ; so he ordered the carpenter of his ship, who also was
an English slave, to build a little state-room or cabin in the
middle of the long-boat, like that of a barge, with a place to
stand behind it to steer and hale home the main-sheet, and room
before for a hand or two to stand and work the sails: she sailed
with what we call a shoulder-of-mutton sail; and the boom
gibed over the top of the cabin, which lay very snug and low,
and had in it room for him to lie, with a slave or two, and a
table to eat on, with small lockers to put in some bottles of such
liquor as he thought fit to drink, and particularly his bread, rice,
and coffee.
We went frequently out with this boat a-fishing; and as I
was most dexterous in catching fish for him, he never went
without me. . It happened that he had appointed to go out in
this boat, either for pleasure or for fish, with two or three Moors
of some distinction in that place, and had therefore sent on board
the boat, over night, a larger store of provisions than ordinary,
and had ordered me to get ready three fusees with powder and
shot, which were on board his ship, for that they designed some
sport of fowling as well as fishing.
I got all things ready, and waited the next morning with the
boat washed clean, her ancient and pendants out, and every
thing to accommodate his guests; when, by and by, my patron
came on board alone, and told me his guests had put off going,
upon some business that fell out; and ordered me, with the man
and boy, as usual, to go out with the boat and catch them some
fish, for that his friends were to sup at his house: all which I
prepared to do.
This moment my former notions of deliverance darted into
my thoughts, for now I found I was like to have a little ship at
my command ; and my master being gone, I prepared to furnish
myself, not for a fishing business, but for a voyage; though I
knew not, neither did I so much as consider, whither I should
steer, for to get out of that place any how was my object.
My first contrivance was to make a pretence to speak to this
Moor, to get something for our subsistence on board, for I told
him we must not presume to eat of our patron’s bread. He said

CIH. f. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 13
that was true; so he brought a large basket of rusk or biscuit of
their kind, and three jars with fresh water, into the boat. I knew
where my patron’s case of bottles stood, which it was evident by
the make were taken out of some English prize; and I conveyed
them into the boat while the Moor was on shore, as if they had
been there before for our master, I conveyed also a great lump
of bees’ wax into the boat, which weighed above half a hundred
weight, with a parcel of twine or thread, a hatchet, a saw, and a
hammer, all of which were of great use to us afterwards, espe-
cially the wax, to make candles. Another trick I tried upon
him, which he innocently came into also: his name was Ismael,
whom they call Muly or Moley; so I called to him;-“Muly,” said
I, “our patron’s guns are on board the boat; can you not get
a little powder and shot? it may be we may kill some alcamies
(a fowl like our curlews) for ourselves; for I know he keeps
the gunner's stores in the ship.” “Yes,” says he, “I’ll bring
some ;” and accordingly he brought a great leather pouch, which
held about a pound and a half of powder, or rather more, and
another with shot, that had five or six pounds, with some bullets,
and put all into the boat; at the same time I had found some
powder of my master's in the great cabin, with which I filled
one of the large bottles in the case, which was almost empty,
pouring what was in it into another; and thus furnished with
every thing needful, we sailed out of the port. We were not
above a mile out of the port before we hauled in our sail, and
set us down to fish : the wind blew from the N.N.E., which was
contrary to my desire, for had it blown southerly I had been
sure to have made the coast of Spain, and at least reached to
the bay of Cadiz ; but my resolutions were, blow which way it
would, I would be gone from that horrid place.
After we had fished some time and caught nothing, for when
I had fish on my hook I would not pull them up, that he might
not see them, I said to the Moor, “This will not do; our master
will not be thus served; we must stand farther off.” He, thinking
no harm, agreed, and being in the head of the boat set the sails;
and as I had the helm, I run the boat out near a league farther,
and then brought her to as if I would fish; when, giving the boy
the helm, I stept forward to where the Moor was, and making
as if I stooped for something behind him, I took him by surprise
with my arm under his twist, and tossed him clear overboard
intº the sea. He rose immediately, for he swam like a cork, and
calling to me, begged to be taken in, telling me he would go all
9ver the world with me; he swam so strong after the boat, that
he would have reached me very quickly, there being but little
Wind ; upon which I stept into the cabin, and fetching one of the
fowling-pieces, I presented it at him, and told him, I had done
him no hurt, and if he would be quiet I would do him none;
“You swim well enough,” said I, “to reach the land, and the
C
14 LIFE AND ADVRNTURES
sea is calm ; make the best of your way to shore, and I will do
you no harm; but if you come near the boat I’ll shoot you
through the head.” So he turned himself about, and swam for
the shore; and I make no doubt but he reached it with ease, for
he was an excellent swimmer.
I could have been content to have taken this Moor with me,
but I dared not trust him. When he was gone I turned to the
boy, whom they called Xury, and said to him, “Xury, if you will
be faithful to me I’ll make you a great man; but if you will not
stroke your face to be true to me,” (that is, swear by Mahomet
and his father's beard,) “I must throw you into the sea too.”
Upon this, the boy smiled in my face, and spoke so innocently
that I could not mistrust him ; he swore to be faithful to me, and
go all over the world with me.
While I was in view of the Moor, I stood out directly to sea
with the boat, rather stretching to windward, that they might think
me gone towards the Straits’ mouth (as indeed any one that had
been in their wits must have been supposed to do), for who would
have supposed we should sail on to the southward to the Barba-
rian coast, where whole nations of negroes were, sure to surround
us with their canoes, and destroy us; where we could not once
go on shore but we should be devoured by savage beasts, or more
merciless savages of human kind 7
But as soon as it grew dusk in the evening, I changed my
course; and steered directly south by east, bending a little
toward the east, that I might keep in with the shore; and hav-
ing a fair gale of wind, and a smooth sea, I made such sail
that I believe by the next day at three o'clock in the afternoon,
when I first made the land, I could not be less than 150 miles
South of Sallee; quite beyond the Emperor of Morocco's domin-
ions, or, indeed, of any other king thereabouts, for we saw no
people.
Yet such was the fright I had taken at the Moors, and the
dreadful apprehensions I had of falling into their hands, that I
would not go on shore, or come to an anchor. The wind con-
tinuing fair till I had sailed five days, and then shifting to the
southward, I concluded that if any of our vessels were in chase of
me, they also would now give over; so I ventured to make to the
coast, and come to an anchor in the mouth of a little river, I knew
not what, or where; I neither saw, or desired to see any people;
the principal thing I wanted was fresh water. we came into
this creek in the evening, resolving to swim on shore and dis-
cover the country; but as soon as it was quite dark, we heard
such dreadful noises of the barking and howling of wild crea-
tures of we knew not what kinds, that the poor boy was ready
to diº with fear, and begged of me not to go on shore till day.
“ Well, Xury,” said I, “then I won't ; but it may be we may see
men by day, who will be as bad to us as those lions.” “Then
CII. I, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 15
we give them the shoot gun,” says Xury, laughing; “make them
run wey.” I was glad to see the boy so cheerful, and I gave him
a dram to cheer him up: after all, Xury’s advice was good, and I
took it ; we dropped our little anchor and lay still all night; I
say still, for we slept none; for in two or three hours we saw
great creatures (we knew not what to call them) of many sorts,
come down to the sea-shore and run into the water, wallowing
and washing themselves ; and they made such hideous howlings
and yellings, that I never heard the like. .*
Xury was dreadfully frightened, and so, indeed, was I; but we
were both more alarmed when we heard one of these creatures
come swimming towards our boat: we could not see him, but we
might hear him by his blowing to be a monstrous and furious
beast. Xury said it was a lion, and it might be so for ought I
know ; but poor Xury cried to me to weigh anchor and row
away. “No,” says I, “Xury, we can slip our cable with a buoy
to it, and go off to sea, for they cannot follow us far.” I had no
sooner said so, than I perceived the creature within two oars’
length, which something surprised me ; however, I immediately
stept to the cabin-door, and taking up my gun, fired at him,
upon which he immediately turned about, and swam towards
the shore.
But it is impossible to describe the horrible noises, and hide-
ous cries and howlings, that were raised, as well upon the edge
of the shore, as higher up the country, upon the noise or report
of the gun; a thing I believe those creatures had never heard be-
fore. This convinced me that there was no going on shore for us
in the night upon that coast, and how to venture on shore in the
day was a question too; for to have fallen into the hands of any
of the savages, had been as bad as to have fallen into the hands of
lions and tigers.
However, we were obliged to go on shore somewhere or other
for water, for we had not a pint left in the boat; but when or
where to get it was the question. Xury said, if I would let him
go on shore with one of the jars, he would find if there was any
water, and bring some to me. I asked him why he would go t
§ I should not go, and he stay in the boat? The boy answered
with so much affection that he made me love him ever after, “If
wild mans come, they eat me ; you go wey.” “Well, Xury,”
said I, “we will both go; and if the wild mans come, we will
kill them, and they shall eat neither of us.” So we hauled the
boat in as near the shore as we thought was proper, and waded
on shore; carrying nothing but our arms, and two jars for water.
. I did not care to go out of sight of the boat, fearing the com-
ing of canoes with savages down the river; but the boy seeing a
low place about a mile up the country rambled to it; and by and
by I saw him come running towards me. I thought he was ſº
sued by some savage, or wild beast, and I ran forward to help
16 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
him; but when I came nearer to him, I saw something hanging
over his shoulders, which was a creature that he had shot, like a
hare, but different in colour, and longer legs; however, we were
very glad of it, and it was very good meat; but the good news that
poor Xury came with was, to tell me he had found water, and
seen “no wild mans.”
But we found afterwards that we need not take such pains for
water; for a little higher up the creek where we were, we found
the water fresh when the tide was out, which flowed but a little
way up ; so we filled our jars, and feasted on the animal we had
killed, and prepared to go on our way, having seen no footsteps
of any human creature.
As I had heen one voyage to this coast before, I knew very
well that the Canary and Cape de Verd islands lay not far off
from the coast. But as I had no instruments by which to discover
what latitude we were in, I knew not where to look for them, or
when to stand off to sea towards them ; otherwise I might now
easily have found some of these islands. But my hope was, that
if I stood along this coast till I came to that part where the Eng-
lish traded, I should find some of their vessels, that would relieve
and take us in.
By the best of my calculation, the place where I now was,
must be that country which, lying between the Emperor of Mo-
rocco's dominions and the Negroes, lies waste, and uninhabited,
except by wild beasts, the Negroes having abandoned it, and gone
farther south for fear of the Moors; and the Moors not thinking
it worth inhabiting, by reason of its barrenness; and indeed both
forsaking it because of the prodigious number of tigers, lions,
leopards, and other furious creatures which harbour there. The
Moors use it for their hunting only, where they go like an army,
two or three thousand men at a time; and indeed for near an
hundred miles together upon this coast, we saw nothing but a
waste uninhabited country by day; and heard nothing but howl-
ing and roaring of wild beasts by night.
Once or twice in the day-time I thought I saw the Pico of
Teneriffe, being the high top of the mountain Teneriffe in the
Canaries; and had a great mind to venture out in hopes of
reaching thither; but having tried twice, I was forced in again
by contrary winds, the sea also running too high for my little
jº ; so I resolved to pursue my first design, and keep along the
Słł Ore.
Several times I was obliged to land for fresh water after we
had left this place; and once in particular, early in the morning,
we came to anchor under a little point of land which was pretty
high, and the tide begining to flow, we lay still to go farther in.
Xury, whose eyes were more about him than it seems mine were,
ealled softly to me, and told me that we had best go farther off
the shore; “for,” said he, “yonder lies a dreadful monster, on
CH. I. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 17
the side of that hillock, fast asleep.” I looked where he pointed,
and saw a dreadful monster indeed ; for it was a huge lion that
lay on the side of the shore, under the shade of a piece of the hill
that hung, as it were, a little over him. “ Xury,” said I, “you
shall go on shore and kill him.” Xury looked frightened, and
said, “Me kill! he eat me at one mouth.” I said no more to the
boy, but bade him lie still ; I then took our biggest gun, which
was almost musket-bore, and loaded it with a good charge of
powder, and with two slugs, and laid it down ; I next loaded
another gun with two bullets; and the third, – for we had three
pieces, – I loaded with five smaller bullets. I took the best aim I
could with the first piece, to shoot him in the head; but he lay so
with his leg raised a little above his nose, that the slugs hit his leg
about the knee, and broke the bone. He started up growling at
first, but finding his leg broke, fell down again, and then got |
upon three legs, and gave the most hideous roar that ever I heard.
I was a little surprised that I had not hit him on the head; how-
ever, I took up the second piece immediately, and though lie
began to move off, fired again, and shot him in the head, and had
the pleasure to see him drop, and make but little noise, but lie
struggling for life. Then Xury took heart, and would have me
let him go on shore. “Well, go,” said I. So the boy jumped
into the water, and taking a little gun in one hand, swam to shore
with the other, and coming close to the creature, put the muzzle
of the piece to his ear, and shot him in the head again, which
despatched him quite.
This was game indeed to us, but no food; and I was very
sorry to lose three charges of powder and shot upon a creature
that was good for nothing to us.
I bethought myself, however, that perhaps his skin might one
way or other be of some value to us; and I resolved to take it off,
if I could. So Xury and I went to work with him ; but Xury
was much the better workman, for I knew very ill how to do it.
Indeed it took us both the whole day; but at last we got off
the hide, and spreading it on the top of our cabin, the sun effect-
i. dried it in two days' time, and it afterwards served me to
le upon.
After this stop, we made on to the southward continually for
ten or twelve days, living very sparingly on our provisions, which
began to abate very much, and going no oftener to the shore
than we were obliged to. My design in this was, to make the
river Gambia or Senegal, that is to say, any where about the Cape
de Verd, where I was in hopes to meet with some European ship;
and if I did not, I knew not what course I had to take, but to
seek for the Islands, or perish there among the Negroes. I knew
that all the ships from Europe, which sailed either to the coast
of Guinea or Brazil, or to the East Indies, made this cape, or
those islands; and, in a word, I put the whole of my fortune
C 2
18 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
upon this single point; either that I must meet with some ship, or
perish.
I When I had pursued this resolution about ten days longer, as
I have said, I began to see that the land was inhabited ; and in
two or three places, as we sailed by, we saw people stand upon
the shore to look at us; we could also perceive they were quite
black, and naked. I was once inclined to have gone on shore to
them; but Xury was my better counsellor, and said to me, “No
go, no go.” However, I hauled in nearer the shore, that I might
talk to them, and I found they ran along the shore by me a good
way. I observed they had no weapons in their hands, except one,
who had a long slender stick, which Xury said was a lance, and
that they would throw them a great way with good aim. So I
kept at a distance, but talked with them by signs as well as I
could ; and particularly made signs for something to eat : they
beckoned to me to stop my boat, and they would fetch me some
meat; upon this I lowered the top of my sail, and lay by, and
two of them ran up into the country, and in less than half an hour
came back, and brought with them two pieces of dried flesh and
some corn, such as is the produce of their country. But we
neither knew what the one nor the other was ; however, we were
willing to accept it, but how to come at it was our next difficulty,
for I was not for venturing on shore to them, and they were as
much afraid of us; but they took a safe way for us all, for they,
brought it to the shore and laid it down, and went and stood
a great way off till we fetched it on board, and then came close
to us again.
We made signs of thanks to them, for we had nothing to make
them amends; but an opportunity offered that very instant to
oblige them wonderfully; for while we were lying by the shore,
two mighty creatures came, one pursuing the other with great
fury from the mountains towards the sea, which greatly terrified
the people, especially the women. The man that had the lance
or dart did not fly from them, but the rest did ; however, as the
two creatures ran directly into the water, they did not seem to
offer to fall upon any of the negroes, but plunged themselves into
the sea, and swam about as if they had come for their diversion.
At last one of them began to come nearer our boat than at first I
expected, but I lay ready for him, for I had loaded my gun with
all possible expedition, and bade Xury load both the others. As
soon as he came fairly within my reach, I fired, and shot him
directly in the head. Immediately he sunk down into the water
but rose again, and plunged up and down as if he were struggling
for life, and so indeed he was ; he immediately made for the shore,
but between the wound and the choking of the water, he died just
before he reached the shore.
It is impossible to express the astonishment of these poor
creatures at the noise and fire of my gun; some of them even
CII. I. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 19
fell down as dead with the very terror. But when they saw the
creature dead, and that I made signs to them to come to the shore,
they took heart and came, and began to search for the creature.
I found him by his blood staining the water; and by the help of
a rope, which I slung round him, and gave the negroes to haul,
they dragged him on shore, and found that it was a most curious
leopard, spotted to an admirable degree; and the negroes held up
their hands with admiration to think what it was I had killed him
with.
I found quickly the negroes were for eating the flesh of this
creature, so I was willing to have them take it as a favour from
me, which, when I made signs to them that they might do, they
were very thankful for. Immediately they fell to work; and
though they had no knife, yet with a sharpened piece of wood
they took off his skin as readily, and much more readily, than we
could have done with a knife. They offered me some of the flesh,
which I declined, making as if I would give it them, but made
signs for the skin, which they gave me very freely, and brought
me a great deal more of their provision, which I accepted. Then I
made signs to them for some water, and held out one of my jars
to them, turning it bottom upward, to shew that it was empty,
and that I wanted to have it filled. They called immediately to
some of their friends, and there came two women, and brought a
great vessel made of earth, and burnt, as I suppose, in the sun ;
this they set down for ine, as before; and I sent Xury on shore
with my jars, and filled them all three.
I was now furnished with roots and corn, such as it was, and
water; and, leaving my friendly negroes, I made forward for
about eleven days more, without offering to go near the shore,
till I saw the land run out a great length into the sea, at about
the distance of four or five leagues before me; and the sea being
very calm, I kept a large offing to make this point. At length,
doubling the point, at about two leagues from the land, I saw
plainly land on the other side to seaward; then I concluded, as
it was most certain indeed, that this was the Cape de Verd, and
those the islands, called from thence Cape de Werd Islands. How-
ever, they were at a great distance, and I could not well tell what
I had best do, for if I should be taken with a gale of wind I might
neither reach one nor the other.
In this dilemma I stept into the cabin and set me down, Xury
having the helin; when on a sudden the boy cried out, “Master,
master, a ship with a sail ſ” and the foolish boy was frightened
out of his wits, thinking it must needs be some of his master’s
ships sent to pursue us, when I knew we were gotten far enough
out of their reach. I jumped out of the cabin, and immediately
saw not only the ship, but what she was ; viz. that it was a Por-
tuguese ship, and, as I thought, bound to the coast of Guinea for
negroes. But when I observed the course she steered, I was
20 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
soon convinced they were bound some other way, and did not
design to come any nearer to the shore; upon which I stretched
out to sea as much as I could, resolving to speak with them if
ossible.
With all the sail I could make, I found I should not be able to
come in their way, but that they would be gone by before I could
make any signal to them. However, after I had crowded to the
utmost, and began to despair, they, it seems, saw me by the help
of their glass, and that it was some European boat, which, as they
supposed, must belong to some ship that was lost; so they short-
ened sail to let me come up. I was encouraged with this; and as
I had my late master’s ancient on board, I made a waft of it to
them for a signal of distress, and fired a gun; upon which they
very kindly brought to, and lay-by for me; and in about three
hours’ time I came up with them.
They asked me what I was, in Portuguese, Spanish, and
French; but I understood none of them ; but at last a Scotch
sailor, who was on board, called to me, and I answered him, and
told him that I was an Englishman, that had made my escape out
of slavery from the Moors. Then they bade me come on board,
and very kindly took me in, and all my goods.
It was an inexpressible joy to me that I was thus delivered, as
I esteemed it, from such a miserable and almost hopeless condi-
tion, and I immediately offered all I had to the captain of the
ship, as a return for my deliverance; but he generously told me
he would take nothing from me, but that all I had should be de-
livered safe to me when I came to the Brazils; “For,” says he,
“I have saved your life on no other terms than I would be glad
to be saved myself; and it may one time or other be my lot to be
taken up in the same condition: besides,” said he, “when I carry
you to the Brazils, so great a way from your own country, if I
should take from you what you have, you will be starved there,
and then I only take away that life I have given. No, no, Sig.
nior #.º. he, “I will carry you thither in charity, and
those things will elp you to buy your subsistence there, and your
passage home again.”
As he was charitable in his proposal, so he was just in the per-
formance to a tittle, for he ordered that none of the seamen should
touch any thing I had ; then he took everything into his own pos-
session, and gave me back an exact inventory of them, even so
much as to my three earthen jars.
As to my boat, it was a very good one, and that he saw, and
told me he would buy it of me for the ship's use, and asked Iſle
what I would have for it? I told him he had been So generous
to me in everything that I could not offer to make any price for the
boat, but would leave it entirely to him; upon which he told me he
would give me a note of hand to pay me 80 pieces of eight for it
at Brazil; and when it came there, if any one offered to give
CIH. I. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 21
more, he would make it up. He offered me also 60 pieces of eight
more for my boy Xury, which I was loath to take; not that I was
not willing to let the captain have him, but I was very loath to sell
the poor boy’s liberty who had assisted me so faithfully in pro-
curing my own. However, when I let him know the reason, he
owned it to be just, and offered me this medium ; that he would
give the boy an obligation to set him free in ten years, if he
turned Christian. Upon this, and Xury saying he was willing
to go to him, I let the captain have him.
We had a very good voyage to the Brazils, and arrived in All-
Saints Bay in about twenty-two days after. The generous treat-
ment the captain gave me I can never enough remember. He
would take nothing of me for my passage, gave me twenty
ducats for the leopard’s skin, and forty for the lion's skin, which
I had in my boat, and caused every thing which I had in the ship
to be punctually delivered to me, and what I was willing to sell
he bought; in a word, I made about 220 pieces of eight of all my
cargo, with which stock I went on shore in the Brazils.
Being recommended by the captain to the house of a good
honest man like himself, who had an Ingenio, as they call it, that
is, a plantation and a sugar house, I lived with him some time,
and acquainted myself by that means with the manner of their
planting and making of sugar; and seeing how well the planters
lived, and how quickly they grew rich, I determined, if I could
get license to settle there, I would turn planter too, resolving in
the mean time to find out some way to get over my money which
I had left in London. To this purpose, getting a kind of a
letter of naturalisation, I purchased as much land as my money
would reach, and formed a plan for my plantation and settle-
ment, such as might be suitable to the stock which I proposed to
myself to receive from England.
I had a neighbour, a Portuguese of Lisbon, but born of Eng-
lish parents, whose name was Wells, and in much such circum-
stances as I was. I call him neighbour, because his plantation lay
next to mine, and we went on very sociably together. My stock
was but low as well as his, and we rather planted for food than
any thing else for about two years. However, we began to in-
crease, and our land began to come into order; so that the third
year we planted some tobacco, and made each of us a large piece
of ground ready for planting canes in the year to come; but we
both wanted help; and now I found, more than before, that I
had done wrong in parting with my boy Xury.
However, I had no remedy but to go on. I had got into an
employment directly contrary to the life I delighted in, and for
which I forsook my father's house, and broke through all his
good advice; and I used often to say to myself, I could have
done this as well in England among my friends, as have gone five
thousand miles off to do it, among strangers and savages in a wil-
22 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES
derness, and at such distance as never to hear from any part of
the world that had the least knowledge of me.
In this manner I used to look upon my condition with the
utmost regret. I had nobody to converse with but now and
then this neighbour; no work to be done but by the labour of
my hands; and I used to say, I lived just like a man cast away
upon some desolate island, that had nobody there but himself.
How should all men reflect, that when they compare their present
condition with others that are worse, Heaven may oblige them to
make the exchange, and be convinced of their former felicity by
their experience. And how just has it been, that the truly soli-
tary life I reflected on should be my lot in an island of mere deso-
lation, who had so often unjustly compared it with the life which
I then led, in which, had I continued, I had, in all probability,
been prosperous and happy.
I was in some degree settled in my measures for carrying on
the plantation before my kind friend, the captain of the ship,
went back; for the ship remained there, in providing loading and
preparing for the voyage, nearly three months; when, telling him
what little stock I had left behind me in London, he gave me
this friendly and sincere advice : “Signor Inglese,” says he
(for so he always called me), “if you will give me letters, with
orders to the person who has your money to send your effects to
Lisbon, to such persons as I shall direct, and in such goods as
are proper for this country, I will bring you the produce of
them, GoD willing, at my return ; but since human affairs are
all subject to changes and disasters, I would have you give orders
but for one hundred pounds, which you say is half your stock,
and let the hazard be run for the first, so that if it come safe,
you may order the rest the same way, and if it miscarry, you
may still have the other half to have recourse to.”
This advice was so wholesome, and looked so friendly, that I
eould not but be convinced it was the best course I could take;
so I accordingly prepared letters to the gentlewoman with whom
I had left my money, as he desired.
I wrote the English captain's widow a full account of my
adventures, my slavery, escape, and how I had met with the
Portuguese captain at sea, the humanity of his behaviour, and
what condition I was now in, with all other necessary directions
for my supply ; and when this honest captain came to Lisbon, he
found means, by some of the English merchants there, to send
over, not the order only, but a full account of my story, to a
merchant at London, who represented it effectually to her, where-
upon she not only delivered the money, but, out of her own
pocket, sent the Portuguese captain a very handsome present for
his humanity and charity to me.
The merchant in London vesting this hundred pounds in
English goods, such as the captain had written for, sent them
CH. I. OF ROBIN SON CRUSO F. 23
directly to him at Lisbon, and he brought them all safe to me to
the Brazils; among which, without my direction (for I was too
young in my business to think of them), he had taken care to
have all sorts of tools, iron-work, and utensils necessary for my
plantation, and which were of great use to me. .
When this cargo arrived, I thought my fortune made, and
was surprised with joy at it; and my good steward, the captain,
had laid out the five pounds which my friend had sent him for a
present for himself, to purchase and bring me over a servant
under bond for six years' service, for which he would not accept
of any consideration, except a little tobacco of my own produce,
which I desired he would take.
Neither was this all; but my goods being all of ºil.
manufactures, such as cloth, stuffs, baize, and things particularly
valuable and desirable in the country, I found means to sell them
to very great advantage, so that I may say I had more than
four times the value of my first cargo, and was now infinitely be-
yond my poor neighbour, I mean in the advancement of my plan-
tation ; for the first thing I did, was to buy me a negro slave, and
a European servant also, besides that which the captain brought
me from Lisbon.
But as abused prosperity is oftentimes made the very means
of our greatest adversity, so was it with me. I went on the next
year with great success in my plantation; I raised fifty great
rolls of tobacco on my own ground more than. I had disposed of
for necessaries among my neighbours, and these fifty rolls, being
each of above an hundred weight, were well cured and laid by
against the return of the fleet from Lisbon. And now, increas-
ing in business and in wealth, my head began to be full of pro-
jects and undertakings beyond my reach, such as are, indeed,
often the ruin of the best heads in business.
Had I continued in the station I was now in, I had room
for all the happy things to have yet befallen me, for which my
father so earnestly recommended a quiet retired life, and of
which he had so sensibly described the middle station of life to
be full. But as I had broken away from my parents, so I could
not be content now, but I must go and leave the happy view I
had of being a thriving man in my new plantation, only to pur-
** a rash and immoderate desire of rising faster than the nature
ºf the thing admitted, and thus I cast myself down again into
the deepest gulf of human misery that ever man fell into, or
lººps could be consistent with life and a state of health in the
To come, then, to the particulars of this part of my story.
You *y, Suppose that, having now lived almost four years in
the Brazils, and beginning to thrive and prosper very well upon
*y Plantation, I had not only learned the language, but had con-
tracted acquaintance and friendship among my fellow-planters,
24 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
as well as among the merchants of St. Salvadore, which was our
port; and that in my discourses among them, I had frequently
given them an account of my two voyages to the coast of Guinea,
the manner of trading with the negroes there, and how easy it
was to purchase upon the coast for trifles,—such as beads, toys,
knives, scissors, hatchets, bits of glass, and the like, -not only
gold-dust, Guinea grains, elephants teeth, &c., but negroes for
the service of the Brazils in great numbers.
They listened always very attentively to my discourses, and
especially to that part which related to the buying negroes, which
was a trade at that time not only not far entered into, but, as far
as it was, had been carried on by the assientos, or permission of
the kings of Spain and Portugal, and engrossed from the public,
so that few negroes were bought, and those extremely dear.
It happened that, being in company with some merchants
and planters of my acquaintance, and talking of those things very
earnestly, three of them came to me the next morning, and told
me they had been musing very much upon what I had discoursed
with them of last night, and they came to make a secret pro-
posal to ine; and after enjoining me secrecy, they told me that
they had a mind to fit out a ship to go to Guinea; that they had
all plantations as well as I, and were straitened for nothing so
much as servants; that as it was a trade that could not be car-
ried on, because they could not publicly sell the negroes when
they came home, so they desired to make but one voyage, to
bring the negroes on shore privately, and divide them among
their own plantations; and, in a word, the question was, whether
I would go as their supercargo in the ship, to manage the trading
part upon the coast of Guinea; and they offered me that I should
have my equal share of the negroes without providing any part
of the stock.
This was a fair proposal, it must be confessed, had it been
made to any one that had not had a settlement and plantation of
his own to look after, which was in a fair way of coming to be
very considerable, and with a good stock upon it. But for me,
that was thus entered and established, and had nothing to do but
go on as I had begun for three or four years more, and to have
sent for the other hundred pounds from England, and who in
that time, and with that little addition, could scarce have failed of
being worth three or four thousand pounds sterling, and that in-
creasing too, for me to think of such a voyage was the most
preposterous thing that ever man in such circumstances could be
guilty of.
... But I could no more resist the offer, than I could restrain my
first rambling designs when my father's good counsel was lost
upon me; in a word, I told them. I would go with all my heart,
if they would undertake to look after my plantation in my
absence, and would dispose of it to such as I should direct, if I
CII. I. • OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 25
miscarried. This they all engaged to do, and entered into writ-
ings or covenants to do so; and I made a formal will, disposing
of my plantation and effects, in case of my death, making the
captain of the ship that had saved my life, as before, my uni-
versal heir, but obliging him to dispose of my effects as I had
directed in my will ; one-half of the produce being to himself,
and the other to be shipped to England.
At length, the ship being fitted out, and the cargo fur-
nished, and all things done as by agreement by my partners in
the voyage, I went on board on the 1st of September, being the
same day eight years that I went from my father and mother at
Hull, in order to act the rebel to their authority, and the fool to
my own interest.
Our vessel was about 120 tons burthen, carried six guns, and
fourteen men, besides the master, his boy, and myself. We had
on board no large cargo of goods, except of such toys as were fit
for our trade with the negroes, such as beads, bits of glass, and
odd trifles, especially little looking-glasses, knives, hatchets, and
the like.
The same day I went on board we set sail, standing away to
the northward upon our own coast, with design to stretch over
for the African coast when they came about ten or twelve de-
grees of northern latitude, which it seems was the manner of
their course in those days. We had very good weather, only
excessively hot, all the way upon our own coast, till we came to
the height of Cape St. Augustino, from whence, keeping farther
off at sea, we lost sight of land, and steered as if we were bound
for the isle Fernand de Noronha, holding our course N.E. by N.,
and leaving those isles on the east. In this course we passed the
line in about twelve days’ time, and were, by our last observation,
in seven degrees twenty-two minutes northern latitude, when
a violent tornado or hurricane took us quite out of our reckon-
ing : it began from the south-east, came about to the north-
West, and then settled into the north-east, from whence it blew
in such a terrible manner, that for twelve days together we
could do nothing but drive; and scudding away before it, let it
carry us whither the fury of the winds directed ; and during
these twelve days I expected every day to be swallowed up, nor,
indeed, did any in the ship expect to save their lives.
In this distress, besides the terror of the storm, one of our
men died of the calenture, and one man and the boy were
washed overboard. About the twelfth day, the weather abating
* little, the master made an observation as well as he could, and
fºund that he was in about eleven degrees north latitude, but
that he Was twenty-two degrees of longitude difference west from
Cape St. Augustino; so that he found that he had got upon the
coast of Mexico, on the northern part of Brazil, beyond the River
Amazons, towards that of the River Oroonoque, commonly called
D
26 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
the Great River; and began to consult with me what course he
should take, for the ship was leaky and very much disabled;
and he was for going directly back to the coast of Brazil.
I was positively against that ; and looking over the charts of
the sea-coast of America with him, we concluded there was no
inhabited country for us to have recourse to till we came within
the circle of the Carribbee Islands, and therefore resolved to
stand away for Barbadoes, which, by keeping off at sea, to avoid
the indraft of the Bay or Gulf of Mexico, we might easily
perform, as we hoped, in about fifteen days’ sail, whereas we
could not possibly make our voyage to the coast of Africa with-
out some assistance both to our ship and ourselves.
With this design we changed our course, and steered away
N.W. by w., in order to reach some of our English islands,
where I hoped for relief; but our voyage was otherwise deter-
mined; for being in the latitude of twelve deg. eighteen min., a
second storm came upon us, which carried us away with the
same impetuosity westward, and drove us so out of the very way
of all human commerce, that had our lives been saved as to the
sea, we were rather in danger of being devoured by savages than
ever returning to our own country.
In this peril, the wind still blowing very hard, one of our
men, early in the morning, cried out, “land 1’’ and we had no
sooner run out of the cabin to look out, in hopes of seeing
whereabouts in the world we were, than the ship struck upon a
sandbank, and in a moment the sea broke over her in such a
manner that we expected we should all have perished forth-
with, and we were immediately driven into our close quarters,
to shelter us from the very foam and spray of the sea.
... It is not easy for any one who has not been in the like con-
dition to describe or conceive our consternation; we knew no-
thing of where we were, or upon what land it was we were
driven, whether an island or the main, whether inhabited or not
inhabited ; and as the fury of the wind was still great, though
rather less than at first, we could not so much as hope to have
the ship hold many minutes without breaking in pieces, unless
the winds by a kind of miracle should turn immediately about;
in a word, we sat looking one upon another, and expecting death
ºvery moment, and every man acting accordingly as preparing
for another world, for there was little or nothing more for us to
do in this: that which was our present comfort, and all the com-
fort we had, was that, contrary to our expectation, the ship did
not break yet, and that the master said the wind began to abate.
Now, though we found that the wind did a little abate, yet
the ship, having thus struck upon the sand, and sticking too fast
for us to expect her getting off, we were in a dreadful condition
indeed, and had nothing to do but to think of saving our lives as
well as we could. We had a boat at our stern just before the
CH. I. * OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 27
storm, but she was first staved by dashing against the ship’s
rudder, and in the next place she broke away, and either sunk
or was driven off to sea; so there was no hope from her. We had
another boat on board, but how to get her off into the sea was a
doubtful thing; however, there was no room to debate, for we
fancied the ship would break in pieces every minute, and some
told us she was actually broken already. The mate of our vessel
laid hold of the boat without delay, and with the help of the rest
of the men, got her slung over the ship's side, and all getting into
her, we let go, and committed ourselves, eleven in number, to
GoD's mercy and the wild sea; for though the storm was abated
considerably, yet the sea went dreadfully high upon the shore.
And now our case was dismal indeed ; for we all saw plainly
that the boat could not live in such a sea, and that we should be
inevitably drowned. As to making sail, we had none, nor, if
we had, could we have done any thing with it; so we worked at
the oar towards the land, though with heavy hearts, like men
going to execution, for we all knew that, when the boat came
nearer the shore, she would be dashed in a thousand pieces by
the breach of the sea. However, we committed our souls to God
in the most earnest manner; and the wind driving us towards
the shore, we hastened our destruction with our own hands,
pulling as well as we could towards land.
What the shore was, whether rock or sand, whether steep or
shoal, we knew not; the only hope was, that we might happen
to run into some bay or gulf, or the mouth of some river,
where, by great chance, we might get under the lee of the land,
and perhaps make smooth water. Nothing, however, of this
ºppeared ; but as we made nearer and nearer the shore, the land
looked more frightful than the sea.
After we had rowed, or rather driven, about a league and a
half, as we reckoned it, a raging wave, mountain-like, came roll-
ing astern of us, and took us with such fury, that it overset the
boat at once, and separating us, as well from the boat as from
one another, gave us not time so much as to say, O GoD ! for
We were all swallowed up in a moment.
Nothing can describe the confusion of thought which I felt
when I sank into the water; for though I swam very well, yet I
could not deliver myself from the waves so as to draw breath,
till a wave having driven me, or rather carried me, a vast way on
towards the shore, and having spent itself, went back and left me
upon the land almost dry, but half dead with the water I took
in... I had so much presence of mind, as well as breath left, that,
seeing myself nearer the mainland than I expected, I got upon
my feet, and endeavoured to make on towards the land as fast as
I could, before another wave should return and take me up again.
But I soon found it was impossible to avoid it; for I saw the sea
come after me as high as a great hill, and as furious as an enemy
28 LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE.
which I had no means or strength to contend with ; my business
was, to hold my breath, and raise myself upon the water if I
could, and so by swimming to preserve my breathing, and pilot
myself towards the shore if possible; my greatest concern now
being, that the sea, as it would carry me a great way towards
the shore when it came on, might not carry me with it again
when it gave back towards the sea.
The wave that came upon me again buried me at once twenty
or thirty feet deep in its body, and I could feel myself carried
with a mighty force and swiftness towards the shore a very great
way; but I held my breath, and swam forward still with all my
might. I was ready to burst with holding my breath, when, as I
felt myself rising up, so, to my immediate relief, I found my
head and hands shoot out above the surface of the water, and
though it was not two seconds of time that I could keep myself so,
yet it relieved me greatly, and gave me breath and new courage.
I was covered again with water a good while, but not so long but
I held it out; and finding the water had spent itself, and began
to return, I struck forward, and felt ground again with my feet.
I stood still a few moments to recover breath, and till the water
went from me, and then took to my heels and ran with what
strength I had farther towards the shore. But neither would
this deliver me from the fury of the sea, which came pouring in
after me again; and twice more I was lifted up by the waves and
carried forward as before, the shore being very flat.
The last time of these two had well nigh been fatal to me; for
the sea having hurried me along as before, landed me, or rather
dashed me against a piece of a rock, and that with such force as
to leave me senseless and indeed helpless as to my own deliver-
ance; for the blow taking my side and breast, beat the breath, as
it were, quite out of my body; and had it not returned again im-
mediately, I must have been choked in the water; but I recovered
a little before the return of the sea, and seeing I should be covered
again with the waves, I resolved to hold fast by a piece of the rock,
and so to hold my breath, if possible, till the wave went back.
Now as the waves were not so high as at first, being near land, I
held my hold till the wave abated, and then fetched another run,
which brought me so near the shore that the next wave, though it
went over me, yet did not so swallow me up as to carry me away;
and the next run I took I got to the mainland, where, to my great
comfort, I clambered up the shore, and sat me down upon the
grass, free from danger, and quite out of the reach of the water.
shore, and began to look up and
> thank GoD that my life was
fé” .243–1 saved, in a case wherein there
S&2) was some minutes before scarce any room
ºS$f 4 to hope.
ſº-N I walked about, lifting up my hands,
&/º and my whole being, as I may say, wrapt
º up in the contemplation of my deliver-
Sº
tions which I cannot describe, reflecting
upon all my comrades that were drowned;
for, as for them, I never saw them after-
wards, or any sign of them, except three of
their hats, one cap, and two shoes.
I cast my eyes to the stranded vessel—
but the breach and foam of the sea was
So great I could hardly see it, it lay so far off—and
lºidered how it was possible I could have got on
Silore.
After I had solaced my mind with the comfortable
Pºrt of my condition, I began to look round me to see
What kind of place I was in, and what was next to be
done; and I soon found my comforts abate, and that, in
* Word, I had a dreadful deliverance; for I was wet, had
*9. “lothes to shift me, nor any thing either to eat or
ºrink; neither did I see any prospect before me but
that of perishing with hunger, or being devoured by wild
beasts. What was particularly afflicting to me was, that
I had no weapon to kill any creature for my sustenance,
9. Q, defend myself against any other creatures that
might desire to kill me for theirs: in a word, I had nothing about
me but a knife, a tobacco-pipe, and a little tobacco in a box;
this was all my provision, and this threw me into terrible agonies
of mind, that for a while I ran about like a madman. Night
f
º
º
§
&
Cº-ºſ. XI
g
*ś
M
§5? ance, making a thousand gestures and mo-
*:
&





D 2
30 . LIFE AND ADVENTURES
coming upon me, I began with a heavy heart to consider what
would be my lot if there were any ravenous beasts in that country,
seeing at night they always come abroad for their prey.
All the remedy that offered to my thoughts at that time was,
to get up into a thick bushy tree like a fir, but thorny, which
grew near me, and where I resolved to remain all night, and con-
sider the next day what death I should die, for as yet I saw no
prospect of life. I walked about a furlong from the shore to see
if I could find any fresh water to drink, which I did, to my great
joy ; having drank and put a little tobacco in my mouth to pre-
vent hunger, I went to the tree, and getting up into it, endea-
voured to place myself so as that if I should sleep I might not
fall; and having cut me a short stick like a truncheon for my
defence, I took up my lodging, and being excessively fatigued,
I soon fell fast asleep.
When I awoke it was broad day, the weather clear, and the
storm abated, so that the sea did not rage and swell as before; but
that which surprised me most was, that the ship was lifted off in
the night from the sand where she lay by the swelling of the tide,
and was driven up almost as far as the rock, where I had been so
bruised by dashing against it. This being within about a mile
from the shore where I was, and the ship seeming to stand upright
still, I wished myself on board, that, at least, I might save some
necessary things for my use.
When I came down from the tree I looked about me again, and
the first thing I saw was the boat, which lay as the wind and the
Sea had tossed her up upon the land, about two miles on my right
hand. I walked as far as I could upon the shore to get to it, but
found a neck or inlet of water between, which was about half a
mile broad; so I came back for the present, being more intent
upon getting at the ship, where I hoped to find something for my
present subsistence.
A little after noon I found the sea very calm, and the tide
ebbed so far out that I could come within a quarter of a mile of
the ship. And here I found a fresh renewing of my grief; for I
saw evidently that if we had kept on, we should have all got safe
on shore, and I should not have been so miserable as to be left
entirely destitute of all comfort and company as I now was. This
forced tears from my eyes again; but as there was little relief in
that, I resolved, if possible, to get to the ship; so I pulled off my
clºthes and took to the water; but when I came to the ship, my
difficulty was still greater to know how to get on board, for as she
lay aground, and high out of the water, there was nothing within
my reach to lay hold of. I swam round her twice, and the second
time I spied a small piece of a rope, which I wondered I did not
See at first, hang down by the fore-chains so low that with some
difficulty I laid hold of it, and by this means got up into the fore-
castle of the ship. Here I found that the ship was bulged, and
ROBINSON CR USO E.

CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 31
had a great deal of water in her hold, but that she lay so on the
side of a bank of hard sand, or rather earth, that her stern lay
lifted up upon the bank, and her head low almost to the water.
By this means all her quarter was free, and all that was in that
part was dry. All the ship's provisions were untouched by the
water; and being very hungry, I went to the bread-room and
filled my pockets with biscuit, and eat it as I went about other
things, for I had no time to lose. I also found some rum in the
great cabin, of which I took a large dram, and which I had, indeed,
need enough of to spirit me for what was before me. Now I
wanted nothing but a boat to furnish myself with many things
which I foresaw would be very necessary to me.
It was in vain to sit still and wish for what was not to be had,
and this extremity roused my application. We had several spare
yards, and two or three large spars of wood, and a spare topmast
ºr two in the ship. I resolved to fall to work with these, and
flung as many of them overboard as I could manage for their
Weight, tying every one with a rope, that it might not drive away.
When this was done I went down the ship's side, and pulling
them to me, I tied four of them fast together at both ends in the
form of a raft, and laying two or three short pieces of plank upon
them crossways, I found I could walk upon it very well, but that
it was not able to bear any great weight, the pieces being too
light; so with the carpenter’s saw I cut a spare topmast into
three lengths and added them to my raft, with a great deal of
labour and pains; but hope of furnishing myself with necessaries
encouraged me to go beyond what I should have been able to
have done upon another occasion.
..My raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable
Weight; my next care was, what to load it with, and how to pre-
Serve what I laid upon it from the surf of the sea. But I was not
long considering this; I laid all the planks upon it that I could
get; and having considered well what I most wanted, I first got
three of the seamen's chests, which I had broken open and emp-
iºd, and lowered them down upon my raft. . The first of these I
filled with provisions, namely, bread, rice, three Dutch cheeses,
five pieces of dried goat's flesh, which we lived much upon, and
a little remainder of European corn which had been laid by for
some fowls which we brought to sea with us. There had been
Some barley and wheat together, but, to my great disappointment,
I found afterwards that the rats had eaten or spoiled it all. As
for liquors, I found several cases of bottles belonging to our skip-
Per, in which were some cordial waters, and in all about five or
six gallons of rack. These I stowed by themselves, there being
no need to put them into the chest, nor any room for them.
While I was doing this, I found the tide began to flow, though
very calm ; and I had the mortification to see my coat, shirt, and
waistcoat, which I had left on shore upon the sand, Swim away.
32 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
This put me upon rummaging for clothes, of which I found
enough, but took no more than I wanted for present use, for I
had other things which my eye was more upon. First, there
were tools to work with on shore; and it was after long searching
that I found out the carpenter’s chest, which was indeed a very
useful prize to me, and much more valuable than a ship-loading
of gold would have been at that time. I got it down to my raft,
whole as it was, without losing time to look into it, for I knew in
general what it contained.
My next care was for some ammunition and arms: there were
two very good fowling-pieces in the great cabin, and two pistols;
these I secured first, with some powder-horns and a small bag of
shot, and two old rusty swords. I knew there were three barrels
of powder in the ship, and with much search I found them. Two
were dry and good, the third had taken water. Those two I got
to my raft with the arms; and now I thought myself well
freighted, and began to think how I should get to shore with
them, having neither sail, oar, or rudder, and the least capful of
wind would have overset all my navigation.
I had three encouragements: first, a smooth, calm sea; second,
the tide rising and setting into the shore; third, what little wind
there was blew me towards the land. And thus, having found
two or three broken oars belonging to the boat, and besides the
tools which were in the chest, two saws, an axe, and a hammer,
with this cargo I put to sea. For a mile or thereabouts my raft
went very well, only that I found it drive a little distant from the
place where I had landed before, by which I perceived that there
was some current of the water, and consequently I hoped to find
some creek or river there which I might make use of as a port to
get to land.
As I imagined, so it was; there appeared before me a little
opening of the land, and I found a strong tide set into it, so I
guided my raft as well as I could to keep in the middle of the
stream; but here I had like to have suffered a second shipwreck,
for knowing nothing of the coast, one end of my raft run aground
upon a shoal, and it wanted but a little that all my cargo had
slipped off towards that end that was afloat, and so fallen into the
water. I did my utmost by setting my back against the chests
to keep them in their places, but could not thrust off the raft with
all my strength, neither durst I stir from the posture I was in ;
but holding up the chests with all my might, stood in that manner
nearly half an hour, in which time the rising of the water brought
me a little more upon a level; and a little after, the water still
rising, my raft floated again, and I thrust her off with the oar I
had into the channel; and then driving up higher, I at length
found myself in the mouth of a little river, with land on both
sides and a strong current running up. I looked on both sides
for a proper place to get to shore, for I was not willing to be
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRU SOE. 33
driven too high up the river, hoping in time to see some ship at
sea, and therefore resolved to place myself as near the coast as
I could.
At length I spied a little cove on the right shore of the creek,
to which, with great pain and difficulty, I guided my raft, and
at last got so near that, reaching ground with my oar, I could
thrust her directly in ; but here I had like to have dipped all my
cargo in the sea again, for the shore lying pretty deep, that is to
say sloping, there was no place to land but where one end of the
float, if it run on shore, would lie so high, and the other sink
lower as before, that it would endanger my cargo again. All that
I could do was to wait till the tide was at the highest, keeping the
raft with my oar like an anchor to hold the side of it fast to the
shore, near a flat piece of ground, which I expected the water
would flow over; and so it did. As soon as I found water enough
(for my raft drew about a foot of water), I thrust her upon that
flat piece of ground, and there fastened or moored her by sticking
my two broken oars into the ground, one on one side near one
end, and one on the other side near the other end ; and thus I la
till the water ebbed away, and left my raft and all my cargo º
on shore. -
My next work was to view the country, and seek a proper
place for my habitation, and where to stow my goods to secure
them from whatever might happen. Where I was I yet knew not;
Whether on the continent or an island, whether inhabited or not
inhabited, whether in danger of wild beasts or not. There was a
hill not above a mile from me, which rose up very steep and high,
and which seemed to overtop some other hills which lay as in a
ridge from it northward. I took out one of the fowling-pieces
and one of the pistols, and a horn of powder; and thus armed, I
travelled for discovery up to the top of that hill, where, to my
great affliction, I saw my fate, namely, that I was in an island en-
Vironed every way with the sea, no land to be seen except some
roºks which lay a great way off, and two small islands less than
this which lay about three leagues to the west.
I found also that the island I was in was barren, and, as I
Sºw good reason to believe, uninhabited, except by wild beasts, of
Whom, however, I saw none; yet I saw abundance of fowls, but
knew not their kinds, neither when I killed them could I tell what
Was fit for food and what not. At my coming back I shot at
* great bird which I saw sitting upon a tree on the side of a great
Wood; I believe it was the first gun that had been fired there since
the creation of the world. I had no sooner fired but from all parts
of the wood there arose an innumerable number of fowls of many
*9tts, making a confused screaming and crying, every one accord-
ºg to his usual note; but not one of them of any kind that I
knew. . As for the creature I killed, I took it to be a kind of
hawk, its colour and beak resembling it, but it had no talons or
34 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES
claws more than common: its flesh was carrion, and good for
nothing. -
Contented with this discovery, I came back to my raft, and
fell to work to bring my cargo on shore, which took me up the
rest of that day; and what to do with myself at night I knew
not, nor indeed where to rest, for I was afraid to lie down on the
ground, not knowing but some wild beast might devour me,
º as I afterwards found, there was really no need for those
€8. I’S.
However, as well as I could, I barricaded myself round with
the chests and boards that I had brought on shore, and made a
kind of a hut for that night's lodging ; as for food, I saw no
way as yet to supply myself, except that I had seen two or
}. creatures, like hares, run out of the wood where I shot the
OWI.
I now began to consider that I might still get a great many
things out of the ship which would be useful to me, and parti-
cularly some of the rigging and sails, and such other things as
might come to land, and I resolved to make another voyage on
board the vessel if possible; and as I knew that the first storm
that blew must necessarily break her all in pieces, I resolved to
do nothing till I had got every thing out of the ship that I could.
Then I considered whether I should take back the raft, but this
appeared impracticable; so I resolved to go as before, when the
tide was down; and I did so, only that I stripped before I went
from my hut, having nothing on but a chequered shirt and a pair
of linen trousers.
I got on board the ship as before, and prepared a second raft;
and having had experience of the first, I neither made this so
unwieldy, nor loaded it so much, but yet I brought away several
things very useful to me. In the carpenter’s stores I found two
or three bags full of nails and spikes, a great screw-jack, a dozen
or two of hatchets, and, above all, that most useful thing called a
ſº all these I secured, together with several things be:
onging to the gunner, particularly two or three iron crows, and
two barrels of musket bullets, seven muskets, and another fowl-
ing-piece, with some small quantity of powder, and a large bag
full of small shot.
Besides these things, I took all the men's clothes that I could
find, and a spare fore-topsail, hammock, and some bedding; and
with this I loaded my raft, and brought them all safe on shore, to
my very great comfort.
Having thus got my second cargo on shore, though I was in-
clined to open the barrels of powder, and bring them by parcels,
(for they were too heavy, being large casks,) I went to work to
make me a little tent with the sail and some poles which I cut for
that purpose; and into this tent I brought every thing that I knew
would spoil either with rain or sun, and piled all the empty chests
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 35
and casks up in a circle round the tent, to fortify it from any sud-
den attempt either from man or beast. -
When I had done this, I blocked up the door of the tent with
some boards within, and an empty chest set up on end without;
and spreading one of the beds upon the ground, laying my two
pistols just at my head, and my gun at length by me, I went to
bed for the first time, and slept very quietly all night, for I was
very weary and heavy.
I had the largest magazine of all kinds now that ever were laid
up, I believe, for one man; but I was not yet satisfied; for while
the ship sat upright in that posture, I thought I ought to get
every thing out of her that I could ; so every day at low water I
went on board, and brought away something or other; but par-
ticularly the third time I went, I brought away as much of the
rigging as I could, as also all the small ropes and rope twine I
could get, with a piece of spare canvass, which was to mend the
sails upon occasion, and the barrel of wet gunpowder; in a word,
I brought away all the sails first and last, only that I was fain to
cut them in pieces, and bring as much at a time as I could, for they
Were no more useful as sails, but only as mere canvass.
But that which comforted me more still was, that, last of all,
After I had made five or six such voyages as these, and thought I
had nothing more to expect from the ship that was worth my med-
'lling with, I found a great hogshead of bread, and three large
ºnlets of rum or spirits, and a box of sugar, and a barrel of fine
flour; which was surprising to me, as I had given over expecting
any more provisions, except what was spoiled by the water. I
$99n emptied the hogshead of the bread, and wrapped it up, par-
“el by parcel, in pieces of the sails, which I cut out: in a word, I
got all this safe on shore also.
The next day I made another voyage; and now, having
°ºptied the ship of all that was portable, I began with the
cables; and cutting them into pieces, such as I could move, I
8", twº cables and a hawser on shore, with all the iron-work I
Լld find; and having cut down the mizen-yard, and every
º I could to make a large raft, I loaded it with all those
|. goods, and came away. But here my good luck began to
º: ºne; for this raft was so unwieldy and so overladen, that
{l ter I had entered the little cove where I had landed the rest of
|... ºbing able to guide it so handily as did the other,
jº and threw me and all my cargo into the water. For
mv sº "is no great matter, for I was near the shore; but as to
jº it Was great part of it lost, especially the iron, which I
tide was Yºlº have been of great use to me; however, when the
some of i. * I got most of the pieces of cable ashore, and even
dip for it **9, though with infinite labour; for I was obliged to
P; had * the water, a work which fatigued me very much.
ad been now thirteen days on shore, in which time I had
36 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
carried away from the ship all that one pair of hands could well
be j capable to bring; though I believe verily, had the
calm weather continued, I should have brought away the whole
ship, piece by piece. On preparing to go on board once more, I
found the wind begin to rise; however, at low water I went on
board, and though I thought I had rummaged the cabin so effec-
tually as that nothing more could be found, yet I discovered a
locker with drawers in it, in one of which I found two or three
razors, and one pair of large scissors, with some ten or a dozen of
good knives and forks; and in another, about thirty-six pounds
value in money, some European coin, some Brazil, some pieces
of eight, some gold, some silver.
I smiled to myself at the sight of this. “O drug,” said I
alond, “what art thou good for 2 thou art not worth to me as
much as the taking off the ground; one of these knives is worth
all this heap : I have no manner of use for thee, even remain
where thou art, and go to the bottom, as a creature whose life is
not worth saving.” However, upon second thoughts, I took it
away, and wrapping all in a piece of canvass, I began to think of
making another raft; but while I was preparing it, I found the
sky began to over-cast, and the wind to rise; and in a quarter of
an hour it blew a fresh gale from the shore. It presently occurred
to me that it was in vain for me to try to make a raft with the
wind off shore, and that I had better be gone before the tide of
flood began, as otherwise I might not be able to reach the shore
at all; accordingly, I let myself down into the water, and swam
across the channel, which lay between the ship and the sands,
and even that with difficulty enough, partly on account of the
weight of things I had about me, and partly from the roughness
of the water; for the wind rose very hastily, and before it was
quite high water it blew a storm.
But I was gotten home to my little tent, where I lay with all
my wealth about me very secure. It blew very hard all that
night: and in the morning, when I looked out, no ship was to
be seen ; I was a little surprised, but recovered myself with this
satisfactory reflection, viz. that I had lost no time, nor abated any
diligence to get every thing out of her that could be useful to me,
and that indeed there was little ieri in her that i was able to bring
away if I had had more time.
My thoughts were now wholly employed about securing my-
self against savages, if any should appear, or wild beasts, if any
were in the island ; and I had many thoughts as to the best methods
of doing this, and what kind of dwelling to make; whether I should
make a cave in the earth, or a tent upon the earth ; and in short,
I resolved upon both, of the description of which it may not be
amiss to give an account.
I soon found the place I was in was not suited for my abode,
because it was upon a low moorish ground, near the sea; and I
CII, II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 37
believed would not be wholesome, and more especially because
there was no fresh water near it; so I resolved to find a more
healthy and convenient spot of ground.
I considered several things which would be proper for me in
my situation: 1st, health and fresh water, which I just now men-
tioned ; 2dly, shelter from the heat of the sun ; 3dly, security
from ravenous creatures, whether man or beast : 4thly, a view
to the sea, that if GoD sent any ship in sight, I might not lose
any advantage for my deliverance, of which I was not willing to
banish all expectation yet.
In search of a proper place, I found a little plain on the side
of a rising hill, whose front was steep as a house-side, so that
nothing could come down upon me from the top ; on the side of
this rock there was a hollow place, worn a little way in, like the
entrance or door of a cave, though there was not really any cave
or way into the rock at all.
On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place, I re-
solved to pitch my tent. This plain was not above an hundred
yards broad, and about twice as long, and at the end of it de-
scended irregularly every way down into the low grounds by the
sea-side. It was on the N.N.w.. side of the hill, so that I was
sheltered from the heat every day till it came to a w. and by s.
Sun, or thereabouts; which in those countries is near the setting.
Before I set up my tent, I drew a half circle before the hollow
place, which took in about ten yards in its semi-diameter from
the rock, and twenty yards in its diameter, from its beginning
and ending.
In this half circle I pitched two rows of strong stakes, driving
them into the ground till they stood very firm, like piles, the
biggest end being out of the ground about five foot and a half,
and sharpened on the top; the two rows did not stand above six
inches from one another.
Then I took the pieces of cable which I had cut in the ship,
and laid them in rows one upon another, within the circle between
these two rows of stakes, up to the top, placing other stakes in the
inside, leaning against them, about two feet and a half high, like
**Pur to a post. This fence was so strong, that neither man or
heast could get into it or over it ; but it cost me a great deal of
time and labour, especially to cut the piles in the woods, bring
them. to the place, and drive them into the earth.
* entrance into this place I made to be not by a door, but
by a short ladder to go over the top ; which ladder, when I was
; | lifted over after me; and so I was completely fenced in and
ortified, as I thought, from all the world, and consequently slept
i. 1I] the night, which otherwise I could not have done;
though, as it appeared afterward, there was no need of all this
Caution.
Into this fortress, with infinite toil, I carried all my riches, all
E
38 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
my provisions, ammunition, and stores; and I constructed a large
tent, which, to preserve me from the rains, I made double, viz.
one smaller tent within, and one larger tent above it, and covered
the uppermost with a large tarpaulin which I had saved among
the sails.
Into this tent I brought all my provisions, and every thing
that would spoil by the wet; and having thus enclosed all my
goods, I closed up the entrance, which till now I had left open,
and so passed and repassed, as I said, by a short ladder.
When I had done this, I began to work my way into the rock;
and bringing all the earth and stones that I dug down, out through
my tent, I laid them up within my fence in the nature of a ter-
race, so that it raised the ground within about a foot and a half;
and thus I made a cave just behind my tent, which served me like
a cellar to my house.
It cost me much labour, and many days, before all these
things were brought to perfection; and therefore I must go back
to some other things which took up some of my thoughts. At
the same time it happened, after I had laid my scheme for the set-
ting up my tent and making the cave, that a storm of rain falling
from a thick dark cloud, there was a sudden flash of lightning, and
after that a great clap of thunder. I was not so much surprised
with the lightning as I was with a thought which darted into my
mind as swift as the lightning itself. Oh, my powder my very
heart sunk within me when I thought that at one blast all my
powder might be destroyed, on which, not my defence only, but
the providing of my food, as I supposed, entirely depended : I was
not nearly so anxious about my own danger, though, had the
powder taken fire, I had never known who had hurt me.
Such impression did this make upon me, that after the storm
was over, I laid aside all my works, my building and fortifying,
and applied myself to make bags and boxes to separate the pow-
der, and to keep it in small parcels, in hope that, whatever might
come, it might not take fire at once; and to keep it so apart that
it should not be possible to make one part set fire to another. I
finished this work in about a fortnight; and I think my powder,
which in all was about 240 pounds weight, was divided in not less
than a hundred parcels; as to the barrel that had been wet, I did
not apprehend any danger from that, so I placed it in my new
cave, which I called my kitchen ; and the rest I hid up and down
in holes among the rocks, so that no wet might come to it; mark-
ing very carefully where I laid it.
In the interval of time while this was doing, I went out once
at least every day with my gun, as well to divert myself as to see
if I could kill any thing fit for food, and, as near as I could, to
acquaint myself with what the island produced. The first time I
went out, I quickly discovered that there were goats in the island,
which was a great satisfaction to me; but then it was attended
CH. II. of Rob INSON CRUsóE. 39
with this misfortune, viz. that they were so shy, so cunning, and so
swift of foot, that it was the most difficult thing in the world to
come at them ; but I was not discouraged at this, not doubting but
that I might now and then shoot one. And so it soon happened; for
after I had found their haunts a little, I laid wait in this manner for
them : I observed, that if they saw me in the valleys, though they
were upon the rocks, they would run away as in a terrible fright;
but if they were feeding in the valleys, and I was upon the rocks,
they took no notice of me: from whence I concluded, that by the
position of their eyes, their sight was so directed downward, that
they did not readily see objects that were above them ; so I always
climbed the rocks first, to get above them, and then had frequentl
a fair mark. The first shot I made I killed a she-goat, j
had a little kid by her, which she gave suck to, which grieved me
heartily; but when the old one fell, the kid stood stock still by her
till I came and took her up ; and not only so, but when I carried
the old one with me upon my shoulders, the kid followed me quite
to my enclosure, upon which I laid down the dam, and took the
kid in my arms, and carried it over my pale, in hopes to have bred
it up tame. It would not eat, however; so I was forced to kill it,
and eat it myself: these two supplied me with flesh a great while,
for I eat sparingly, and saved my provisions (my bread especially)
as much as I possibly could.
Having now fixed my habitation, I found it absolutely neces-
sary to provide a place to make a fire in, and fuel to burn; and
what I did for that, as also how I enlarged my cave, and what
conveniences I made, I shall give a full account of in its place;
but I must first give some little account of myself, and of my
lºgº about living, which it may well be supposed were not
eW.
I had a dismal prospect of my condition; for as I was not cast
away upon that island without being driven, as is said, by a vio-
lent storm quite out of the course of our intended voyage, and a
great way, viz. some hundreds of leagues, out of the ordinary course
of the trade of mankind, I had great reason to consider it as a
determination of Heaven, that in this desolate place, and in this
*iolate manner, I should end my life. The tears would run plenti-
fully down my face when I made these reflections, and sometimes
I would expostulate with myself why GoD should thus completely
* His creatures, and render them so absolutely miserable, so
Without help abandoned, so entirely depressed, that it could hardly
be rational to be thankful for such an existence.
th But Something always returned swiftly upon me to check these
Qughts, and to reprove me; and particularly one day, walking
With my gun in my hand by the sea-side, I was very pensive
upon the subject of my present condition, when reason, as it were,
expostulated With me the other way, thus: “Well, you are in a
desolate condition, it is true; but pray remember, where are the
40 LIFE AND AIDWENTURES
rest of you? Were there not eleven of you in the boat? Where
are the ten ? Why were they not saved and you lost? Why were
ou singled out ! Is it better to be here or there 7” and then I
ooked towards the sea. All evils are to be considered with the
good that is in them, and with what worse attends them.
Then it occurred to me again, how well I was furnished for
my subsistence, and what would have been my case if it had not
happened that the ship floated from the place where she first
struck, and was driven so near the shore that I had time to get
all these things out of her. What would have been my case if I
had been to have lived in the condition in which I at first came
on shore, without necessaries of life or necessaries to supply and
F. them : “Particularly,” said I to myself, “what should I
ave done without a gun, without ammunition, without any tools
to make any thing, or to work with ; without clothes, bedding,
tent, or any manner of covering 7” And that now I had all these
in a sufficient quantity, and was in a fair way to provide myselfin
such a manner, as to live without my gun when my ammunition
was spent ; so that I had a tolerable view of subsisting, without
any want, as long as I lived ; for I considered from the beginning
how I should provide for the accidents that might happen, and for
the time that was to come, even not only after my ammunition
º be spent, but even after my health or strength should
ecay.
. I confess I had not entertained any notion of my ammunition
being destroyed at one blast, I mean my powder being blown up
by lightning; and this made the thoughts of it so surprising to
me when it lightened and thundered, as I before observed.
And now being about to enter into a relation of a course of
Solitary life, such as perhaps was never heard of in the world
before, I shall take it from its beginning, and continue it in its
order. It was, by my account, the 30th of September, on which
I first set foot upon this island, when the sun, being, to us, in its
autumnal equinox, was almost just over my head; for I reckoned
myself, by observations, to be in the latitude of 9 degrees and
22 minutes north of the line. -
After I had been here about ten or twelve days, it came into
my thoughts, that I should lose my reckoning of time for want of
books, and pen and ink, and should even forget the Sundays from
the working-days; but to prevent this, I cut it with my knife
upon a large post in capital letters; and making it into a great
cross, I set it up on the shore where I first landed, viz. I came on
shore here on the 30th of September, 1659. Upon the sides of this
square post I cut every day a notch, and every seventh notch was
as long again as the rest, and every first day of the month as
long again as that long one: and thus I kept my calendar, or
weekly, monthly, and yearly reckoning of time.
In the next place I must observe, that among the many things
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 41
which I brought out of the ship in the several voyages which I
made to it, I got several things of less value, but not all less use-
ful to me, which I omitted setting down before; as pens, ink, and
paper, compasses, mathematical instruments, dials, perspectives,
charts, and books of navigation; also, I found three very good
Bibles which came to me in my cargo from England, and which
I had packed up among my things; some Portuguese books also,
and among them two or three books of devotion, and several
other works, all which I carefully secured. And I must not for-
get, that we had in the ship a dog and two cats, of whose history
I may have occasion to say something in its place; for I carried
both the cats with me; and as for the dog, he jumped out of the
ship of himself, and swam on shore to me the day after I landed
With my first cargo, and was a trusty servant to me many years;
I wanted nothing that he could fetch me, nor any company that
he could make up to me; the only thing wanting was, that he
should be able to talk to me. The pens, ink, and paper, I hus-
banded to the utmost; and I shall shew, that while my ink lasted,
I kept a very exact account of things; but after that was gone,
I could not; neither could I make any ink, by any means that I
could devise.
And this reminded me that I wanted many things, notwith-
standing all I had amassed; and of these, this of the ink was one,
as also spade, pick-axe, and shovel, to dig and remove the earth;
needles, pins, and thread; as for linen, I soon learned to dispense
With that without much difficulty.
I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the cir-
*mstances I was reduced to, and I drew up the state of my affairs
* Writing ; not so much to leave them to any that were to come
after me, as to prevent my thoughts from daily poring upon them,
*nd ºfflicting my mind; and as my reason began now to master
"y, despondency, I began to comfort myself as well as I could,
and tº set the good against the evil, that I might have something
§ distinguish my case from worse ; and I stated very impartially,
like debtor and creditor, the comfortsi enjoyed against the mis-
eries I suffered, thus:
EV IL. GOOD.
wº °ºst upon a desolate island, But I am alive, and not drown-
ld of all hope of recovery. ed, as all my ship's company was.
I am singled out, and separated, But I am singled out too from
i. º:om all the world, to all the ship's crew to be spared
* from death ; and He that miracu-
lously saved me from death can
deliver me from this condition.
*. from mankind, and But I am not starved and perish-
rom human society. ing on a barren place, affording no
Sustenance.
E 2
42 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
EVIL. GOOD,
I have no prospect of a supply But I am in a hot climate, where
of clothes to cover me. if I had clothes, I could hardly
wear them.
I am without any defence or But I am cast on an island where
means to resist any violence of man I see no wild beasts to hurt me, *
or beast. I saw on the coast of Africa; and
what if I had been shipwrecked
there 2
I have no soul to speak to, or But God wonderfully sent the
relieve me. ship in near enough to the shore,
that I have got out so many things
as will either supply my wants or
enable me to supply myself as long
as I live.
Having now brought my mind a little to relish my condition;
and given over looking out to sea, to see if I could spy, a ship, I
began to apply myself to arrange my way of living, and to make
things as easy to n,e as I could.
I have already described my habitation, which was a tent
under a side of a rock, surrounded with a strong pale of posts and
cables; but I might now rather call it a wall, for I raised a kind
of wall up against it of turf, about two feet thick on the outside;
and after some time—I think it was a year and a half–I raised
rafters from it, leaning to the rock, and thatched or covered it
with boughs of trees, and such things as I could get to keep out
the rain, which I found at some times of the year very violent.
I have already observed how I brought all my stores into this
pale, and into the cave which I had made behind me. At first
this was a confused heap of goods, which, as they lay in no order,
took up all my place, so that I had no room to turn myself. I set
myself, therefore, to enlarge my cave, and work farther into the
earth; for it was a loose sandy rock, which yielded easily to the
labour I bestowed on it: and so when I found I was pretty safe
as to beasts of prey, I worked sideways to the right hand into the
rock; and then turning to the right again, worked quite out, and
º a door to come out, on the outside of my pale or fortifica-
10Il.
This gave me not only egress and regress, as it were a back-
§ to my tent and to my store-house, but also room to stow my
goods.
. And now I began to apply myself to make such necessary
things as I found I most wanted, as particularly a chair and a
table; for without these I was not able to enjoy the few comforts
I had ; I could not write or eat, or do several things with so much
pleasure without a table.
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 43
So I went to work; I had never handled a tool in my life, but
yet in time, by labour, application, and contrivance, I found that
I wanted nothing that I could not have made, if I had had tools.
However, I made abundance of things, even without tools, and
some with no more than an adze and a hatchet, which perhaps
were never made that way before, or so laboriously: for example,
if I wanted a board, I had no other way but to cut down a tree,
set it on an edge before me, and hew it flat on either side with my
axe, till I had brought it to be as thin as a plank, and then make it
smooth with my adze. It is true, by this method I could make
but one board out of a whole tree; but this I had no remedy for
but patience, any more than I had for the time and trouble which
it took me to make it; but my time or labour was little worth, and
so it was as well employed one way as another.
However, I made me a table and a chair, in the first place,
and this I did out of the short pieces of board which I brought on
my raft from the ship; but when I had wrought out some boards,
as above, I made large shelves, of the breadth of a foot and a half,
one over another, all along one side of my cave, to lay my tools,
nails, and iron-work on ; and, in a word, to arrange every thing,
that I might come easily at what I wanted; also I knocked pieces
into the wall of the rock to hang my guns and all things that
Would hang up. So that my cave looked like a general magazine
of all necessary things; and I had every thing so ready at my
hand, that it was a great pleasure to me to see all my goods
1I] º order, and especially to find my stock of all necessaries so
great.
And now, having settled my household-stuff and habitation,
made me a table and a chair, and all as handsome about me as I
could, I began to keep a journal of every day's employment, of
Which I shall here give you the copy as long as it lasted; for
having no more ink, I was forced to leave it off after a time.
THE JOURNAL.
September 30, 1659. –I, poor Robinson Crusoe, being ship-
Yºecked, during a dreadful storm, came on shore on this solitary
island, which I called the Island of Despair, all the rest of the
ship's company being drowned.
... All the rest of that day I spent in afflicting myself, at the
ºl Circumstances I was brought to, viz. I had neither food,
§sº, clothes, weapon, or place to fly to, and in despair of any
. Saw nothing but death before me, either that I should be
º by wild beasts, murdered by savages, or starved to
* for want of food. At the approach of night I slept in a
º of wild creatures; but slept soundly, though it rained
9°tober 1–In the morning I saw. to mv great su rise, that
the ship had floated with the in tide, iº .# on shore
44 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
again much nearer the island; which as it was some comfort on one
hand, for seeing her upright, and not broken to pieces, I hoped, if
the wind abated, I might get on board, and get some food or neces-
saries out of her for my relief; so, on the other hand, it renewed
my grief at the loss of my comrades, who, I imagined, if we had
all stayed on board might have saved the ship, or at least that they
would not have been all drowned, as they were ; and that, had
the men been saved, we might perhaps have built us a boat out of
the ruins of the ship, to have carried us to some other part of the
world. . . I spent great part of this day in perplexing myself on
these things; but at length, seeing the ship almost dry, I went
upon the sand as near as I could, and then swam on board ; this
day also it continued raining, though with no wind at all.
From October 1st to 24th.-All these days entirely spent in
making several voyages to get all I could out of the ship, which
I brought on shore, every tide of flood, upon rafts. Much rain
also in these days, though with some intervals of fair weather;
but, it seems, this was the rainy season.
Oct. 20. – I overset my raft, and all the goods I had got
upon it; but being in shoal water, and the things being chiefly
heavy, I recovered many of them when the tide was out. -
Qct. 25.--It rained all night and all day, with some gusts
of wind, during which time the ship broke in pieces, the wind
blowing a little harder than before, and was no more to be seen,
except the wreck of her, and that only at low water. I spent
this day in covering and securing the goods which I had saved,
that the rain might not spoil them.
Oct; 26.-I walked about the shore almost all day, to find
out." place to fix my habitation, greatly concerned to secure my-
self from any attack in the night, either from wild beasts or men.
Towards eight I fixed upon a proper place under a rock, and
marked out a semi-circle for my encampment, which I resolved
tº strengthen with a work, wall, or fortification made of double
Piles, lined within with cables, and without with turf.
.[N.B.:-My proceedings, up to the time of finishing my habi-
tºtion, being described before, I purposely omit what was said in
the Journal; it is sufficient to observe, that I was no less time
than from the 3d of January to the 14th of April, working, fin-
ishing, and perfecting my wall, though it was no more than about
24 yards in length, being a half circle from one place in the rock
to another place about eight yards from it; the door of the cave
being in the centre behind it.
—h
Puring this time I made my rounds in the woods for game
every day, when the rain permitted me, and made frequent dis-
gºveries in these walks of something or other to my advantage.
Particularly I found a kind of wild pigeons; who built not as
wood-pigeons, in a tree, but rather as house-pigeons, in the holes
of the rocks; and taking some young ones, I endeavoured to
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 45
breed them up tame, and did so; but when they grew older they
flew away, which perhaps was at first for want of feeding them,
for I had nothing to give them ; however, I frequently found their
nests, and got their young ones, which were very good meat.
And now, in the managing my household affairs, I found my-
self wanting in many things, which I thought at first it was im-
possible for me to make, as indeed, as to some of them, it was;
for instance, I could never make a cask to be hooped. I had a
small runlet or two, as I observed before ; but I could never arrive
to the capacity of making one by them, though I spent many
weeks about it: I could neither put in the heads, or joint the
staves so true to one another as to make them hold water; so I
gave that also over.
In the next place, I was at a great loss for candle; so that as
Soon as ever it was dark, which was generally by seven o’clock,
I was obliged to go to bed. I remembered the lump of bees-wax
with which I made candles in my African adventure, but I had
none of that now ; the only remedy I had was, that when I had
killed a goat, I saved the tallow, and with a little dish made of
clay, which I baked in the sun, to which I added a wick of some
oakum, I made me a lamp ; and this gave me light, though not
a clear, steady light, like a candle.
In the middle of all my labours it happened that, rummaging
among my things, I found a little bag, which had been filled with
Corn for the feeding of poultry. What little remainder of corn
had been in the bag, was all devoured by the rats, and I saw
nothing in the bag but husks and dust; and being willing to
have the bag for some other use (I think it was to put powder
in when I divided it for fear of the lightning), I shook the husks
of cºrn out of it on one side of my fortification under the rock.
It was a little before the great rains just now mentioned that
I threw this stuff away, taking no notice of any thing, and not
$9, much as remembering that I had thrown any thing there,
when about a month after, or thereabout, I saw some few stalks
of something green shooting out of the ground, which I fancied
*ight be some plant I had not seen; but I was surprised and
*tly astonished when, after a little longer time, I saw about
* or twelye ears come out, which were perfect green barley, of
the same kind as our English barley.
I h It is impossible to express my astonishment on this occasion.
adhitherto acted upon no religious foundation at all; indeed,
hº Very few notions of religion in my head, or had enter-
than any sense of any thing that had befallen me otherwise
Out as a chance, or, as we lightly say, what pleases Gop, with-
thin so much as inquiring into the end of Providence in these
S *. His order in governing events in the world; but after
r *" ºrley grow there, in a climate which I knew was not
Proper for corn, and especially as I knew not how it came there,
46 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
it startled me strangely, and I began to think that GoD had
miraculously caused this grain to grow without any help of seed
sown, and that it was so directed purely for my sustenance on
that wild place.
This touched my heart a little, and brought tears out of my
eyes, and I began to bless myself that such a prodigy of nature
should happen upon my account; and this was the more strange
to me, because I saw near it still, all along by the side of the
rock, some other straggling stalks, which proved to be stalks of
rice, and which I knew, because I had seen it grow in Africa
when I was ashore there.
I not only thought these the pure productions of Providence
for my support, but, not doubting but that there was more in the
place, I went all over that part of the island where I had been
before, peeping in every corner, and under every rock, to see for
more of it, but I could not find any ; at last it occurred to me
that I had shaken a bag of chickens' meat out in that place, and
then the wonder began to cease, and, I must confess, my reli-
gious thankfulness to GoD's providence began to abate too, upon
discovering that all this was nothing but what was common.
ought, however, to have been as thankful for so strange and
unforeseen a providence as if it had been miraculous; for it was
really the work of Providence as regarded me, to order or ap-
point ten or twelve grains of corn to remain unspoiled when the
rats had destroyed all the rest, as if it had been dropped from
heaven; as also, that I should throw it in that particular place,
where, it being in the shade of a high rock, it sprang up imme-
diately; whereas, if I had thrown it any where else at that time,
it had been burnt up and destroyed.
I carefully saved the ears of this corn in their season, which
was about the end of June; and laying up every one, I resolved
to sow them all again, hoping in time to have sufficient to supply
me with bread ; but it was not till the fourth year that I could
allow myself the least grain of this corn to eat, and even then but
sparingly, as I shall say afterwards in its order; for I lost all that
I sowed the first season by not observing the proper time, having
sowed it just before the dry season, so that it never came up at
all, at least not as it should have done.
Besides this barley, there were, as above mentioned, twenty
or thirty stalks of rice, which I preserved with the same care,
and whose use was of the same kind, or to the same purpose, viz.
to make me bread, or rather food; for I found ways to cook it up
without baking, though I did that also after some time. But to
return to my journal.
I worked excessively hard these three or four months to get
my wall done, and the 14th of April I closed it up, contriving tº
go into it, not by a door, but over the wall, by a ladder, that
there might be no sign in the outside of my habitation.
CH, II. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 47
April 16.-I finished the ladder, so I went up with it to the
top, and then pulled it up after me, and let it down on the inside.
This was a complete enclosure to me; for within I had room
enough; and nothing could come at me from without, unless it
could first mount my wall.
The very next day after this wall was finished, I had almost
had all my labour overthrown at once, and myself killed. As I
was busy in the inside of it, behind my tent, just in the entrance
into my cave, on a sudden I found the earth come crumbling down
from the roof of my cave, and from the edge of the hill, over my
head, and two of the posts I had set up in the cave were crack-
ing in a frightful manner. I was heartily scared, but thought
nothing of what was really the cause, only thinking that the top
of my cave was falling in, as some of it had done before, and for
fear I should be buried in it, I ran forward to my ladder, and
not thinking myself safe there either, I got over my wall, for
fear of the pieces of the hill which I expected might roll down
upon me. I had no sooner stepped down upon the firm ground
than I plainly saw it was a terrible earthquake, for the ground I
stood on shook three times at about eight minutes' distance, with
such shocks as would have overturned the strongest building;
and a great piece of the top of a rock which stood about half a
mile from me, next the sea, fell down with such a terrible noise
as I never heard in all my life: I perceived also that the very
sea was put into violent motion by it.
... I was so amazed with the thing itself, having never felt the
like, or discoursed with any one that had, that I was like one
"ead or stupified ; and the motion of the earth made my
§omach sick, like one that was tossed at sea. But the noise of
the falling of the rock awaked me, as it were, and, rousing me
frºm the stupified condition I was in, filled me with horror; and
I thought of nothing then but the hill falling upon my tent and
all my household goods, and burying all at once: and this sunk
*y Very soul within me.
.While I sat thus, I found the air overcast and grow cloudy,
* if it would rain; soon after that the wind rose by degrees, so
!at in less than half an hour it blew a most dreadful hurricane.
h * Sea was all on a sudden covered over with foam and froth, the
*** was deluged with the waves, the trees were torn up by the
{*, and a terrible storm it was; and this continued about three
* When it began to abate, and in two hours more it was
'1"...Calm, and began to rain very hard.
º violent rain forced me to a new work; viz. to cut a hole
Out ". . new fortification, like a sink, to let the water go
in in *h would else have drowned my cave. After I had been
º . Some time, and found no more shocks of the earth-
Ort : Iollow, I began to be more composed ; and now, to Sup-
P9"t my spirits, I went to my little store and took a small por-
48 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
tion of rum, which, however, I did then, and always, very
sparingly, knowing I could have no more when that was gone.
It continued raining all that night and great part of the next
day, so that I could not stir abroad ; but my mind being more
composed, I began to think of what I had best do, concluding
that, if the island was subject to these earthquakes, there would
be no living for me in a cave, but I must consider of building
some little hut in an open place, which I might surround with a
wall as I had done here, and so make myself secure from wild
beasts or men; concluding, if I stayed where I was, I should cer-
tainly, one time or other, be buried alive.
With these thoughts I resolved to remove my tent from the
spot where it stood, which was just under the hanging precipice
of the hill; and I spent the next two days, being the 19th and
20th of April, in contriving where and how to remove my habi-
tation.
The fear of being swallowed up alive made me that I never
slept in quiet, and yet the apprehension of lying abroad, without
any fence, was almost equal to it; but still, when I looked about,
and saw how jº, thing was put in order, how pleasantly con-
cealed I was, and how safe from danger, it made me very loath to
Penh OVG.
In the mean time it occurred to me, that it would require a
vast deal of time for me to do this, and that I must be contented
to run the risk where I was till I had formed a camp for myself,
and had secured it so as to remove it; so with this resolution
I compºsed myself for a time, and resolved that I would go to
work with all speed to build a wall with piles and cables, &c., in
a circle as before, and set my tent up in it when it was finished,
but that I would venture to stay where I was till it was finished
and fit to remove to.
April 22.5–The next morning I began to consider of means to
put this resolve in execution, but I was at a great loss about my
tools; I had three large axes, and abundance of hatchets (for we
cºrried the hatchets for traffic with the Indians), but with much
chopping and cutting knotty hard wood, they were all full of
notches, and dull; and though I had a grindstone, I could not
turn it and grind my tools too; this cost me as much thought as
a statesman would have bestowed upon a grand point of politics,
or a judge upon the life and death of a man. At length I con-
trived a wheel with a string, to turn it with my foot, that I might
have both my hands at liberty. Note.—I had never seen any
such thing in England, or at least not to take notice how it was
done, though I have since observed that it is very common
there. I should also say that my grindstone was very large an
heavy. . This machine cost me a full week's work to bring it to
perfection.
April 30,—Having perceived that my bread had been low *
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 49
great while, I now took a survey of it, and reduced myself to one
biscuit-cake a day, which made my heart very heavy.
May 1.-In the morning, looking towards the sea-side, the
tide being low, I saw something lie on the shore bigger than
ordinary, which looked like a cask. When I came to it, I found
a small barrel, and two or three pieces of the wreck of the ship,
which were driven on shore by the late hurricane; and looking
towards the wreck itself, I thought it seemed to lie higher out of
the water than it used to do. I examined the barrel which was
driven on shore, and soon found it was a barrel of gunpowder,
but it had taken water, and the powder was caked as hard as a
stone; however, I rolled it farther on shore for the present, and
went on upon the sands, as near as I could to the wreck of the
ship, to look for more.
When I came down to the ship, I found it strangely re-
moved : the fore-castle, which lay before buried in sand, was
heaved up at least six feet; and the stern, which was broken to
pieces, and parted from the rest by the force of the sea soon after
I had left rummaging her, was tossed, as it were, up, and cast
on one side, and the sand was thrown so high on that side next
her stern, that, whereas there was a great place of water before,
so that I could not come within a quarter of a mile of the wreck
Without swimming, I could now walk quite up to her when the
tide was out. I was surprised with this at first, but soon con-
cluded it must be done by the earthquake; and as by this
Viºlence the ship was more broken open than formerly, so many
things came daily on shore which the sea had loosened, and
which the winds and water rolled by degrees to the land.
. This wholly diverted my thoughts from the design of remov-
lºg my habitation; and I busied myself mightily, that day espe-
*ially, in searching whether I could make any way into the ship ;
but I found nothing was to be expected of that kind, for that all
the inside of the vessel was choked up with sand ; however, as
I had learned not to despair of any thing, I resolved to pull
*Very thing to pieces that I could of the ship, concluding that
. thing I could get from her would be of some use or other
IIlê.
May 3–I began with my saw, and cut a piece of a beam
through which I thought held some of the upper part or quarter-
*ck together; and when I had cut it through, 'ſ cleared away
the sand as well as I could from the side which lay highest, but
the tide coming in, I was obliged to give over for that time.
d May 4.-I went a-fishing, but caught not one fish that I
!. * 9t, till I was weary of my sport, when, just going to
º: off, I caught a young dolphin. I had made me a long line
§ ºne rºpe-yarn, but I had no hooks; yet I frequently caught
fish enough, as much as I cared to eat; all which I dried in the
Sun, and eat them dry
F
50 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
May 5.-Worked on the wreck, cut another beam asunder,
and brought three great fir planks off from the decks, which I
tied together, and made swim on shore when the tide or flood
C81116 OIl.
May 6.-Worked on the wreck, got several iron-bolts out of
her, and other pieces of iron-work: worked very hard, and came
home very much tired, and had thoughts of giving it over.
May 7.—Went to the wreck, and carried an iron-crow to
wrench up the deck, which lay now quite clear of the water or
sand : I wrenched open two planks, and brought them on shore
also with the tide. I left the iron-crow in the wreck for next day.
May 16.—It had blown hard in the night, and the wreck
appeared more broken by the force of the water; but I stayed so
long in the woods to ; pigeons for food, that the tide prevented
me going to the wreck that day.
May 17.-I saw some pieces of the wreck blown on shore at
a great distance, near two miles off me, but resolved to see what
they were, and found they were portions of the head, but too
heavy for me to bring away.
May 24.—Every day to this day I worked on the wreck, and
with hard labour I loosened some things so much with the crow,
that the first blowing tide several casks floated out, and two of
the seamen’s chests; but the wind blowing from the shore, no-
thing came to land that day but pieces of timber, and a hogshead
which had some Brazil pork in it, but the salt water and sand
had spoiled it.
I continued this work every day to the 15th of June, except
the time necessary to get food, which I always appointed, during
this part of my employment, to be when the tide was up, that I
might be ready when it was ebbed out; and by this time I had
got timber and plank and iron-work enough to have built a good
boat, if I had known how ; and also I got, at several times and
in several pieces, near a hundred weight of the sheet-lead.
June 16,-Going down to the sea-side I found a large tortoise
or turtle. This was the first I had seen, which, it seems, was only
my misfortune, not any defect of the place; for had I happened
to be on the other side of the island, I might have had hundreds
of them every day, as I found afterwards, but perhaps had paid
dear enough for them.
June 17.—I spent in cooking the turtle: I found in her three-
score eggs; and her flesh was to me at that time the most sa-
voury and pleasant that ever I tasted in my life, having had no
flesh, but of goats and fowls since I landed in this horrid place.
June 18–Rained all day, and I stayed within. I thought at
this time the rain felt cold, and I was rather chilly, which I knew
was not usual in that latitude. 5
- ſun. 19.-Very ill, and shivering, as if the weather had been
COO. -
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 51
June 20,—No rest all night; violent pains in my head, and
feverish.
June 22.-A little better, but under dreadful apprehensions
of sickness.
June 23.—Very ill again; cold and shivering, and then a
violent headache.
June 24.—An ague very violent: the fit held me seven hours,
cold fit and hot, with faint sweats after it.
June 26.-Better; and having no victuals to eat, took my
gun, but found myself very weak. However I killed a she-goat,
and with much difficulty got it home, and broiled some of it,
and eat ; I would fain have stewed it, and made some broth, but
had no pot.
June 27.—The ague again so violent that I lay in bed all day,
and neither eat or drank. I was ready to perish for thirst, but so
Weak I had not strength to stand up, or to get myself any water
to drink. At last, the fit wearing off, I fell asleep, and did not
Wake till far in the night. When I waked I found myself much
refreshed, but weak and exceeding thirsty; however, as I had no
Water in my whole habitation, I was forced to lie till morning,
and went to sleep again. In this second sleep I had this ter-
rible dream.
I thought that I was sitting on the ground on the outside of
my Wall, where I sat when the storm blew after the earthquake,
ºnd that I saw a man descend from a great black cloud in a bright
flame of fire, and alight upon the ground. He was all over as
bright as a flame, so that I could but just bear to look towards
him; his countenance was most inexpressibly dreadful, impossible
ºr Words to describe. When he stepped upon the ground, I
thought the earth trembled just as it had done before in the earth-
|ake; and all the air looked to my apprehension as if it had been
filled with flashes of fire.
He was no sooner landed upon the earth but he moved for-
Wºrd towards me, with a long spear or weapon in his hand to kill
*; and when he came to a rising ground at some distance he
Pºke to me, or I heard a voice so terrible, that it is impossible to
‘. the terror of it. All that I can say I understood was this:
th . all these things have not brought thee to repentance, now
i. * die;” at which words I thought he lifted up the spear
*Was in his hand to kill me. .
shoi . that shall ever, read this account will expect that I
vision : i able to describe the horrors of my soul at this terrible
of those i. that even while it was a dream I even dreamed
ressi . nor is it any more possible to describe the im-
Pression that remained upon my mind when I awaked, and found
it was but a dream.
us' ... alas ! no religious knowledge; what I had received by
8000 instruction of my father was then worn out by an unin-
52 LIFE AND A DVENTURFS
terrupted series for eight years of seafaring wickedness. I do not
remember that I had in all that time one thought that so much as
tended either to looking upwards towards GOD, or inwards to-
wards a reflection upon my own ways; but a certain stupidity of
soul, without desire of good or conscience of evil, had over-
whelmed me, and I was all that the most hardened and unthink-
ing creature among our common sailors can be supposed to be,
having no sense either of the fear of GoD in danger or of thank-
fulness to God in deliverances.
When I got on shore first here, and found all my ship's crew
drowned and myself spared, I was surprised with a kind of
ecstasy and some transports of soul; but it ended where it begun,
in a mere common flight of joy, or, as I may say, being glad I
was alive, without the least reflection upon the distinguishing
goodness of the hand which had preserved me, and had singled
me out to be preserved, when all the rest were destroyed; or an
inquiry why Providence had been thus merciful to me: even just
the same common sort of joy which seamen generally have after
they have got safe on shore from a shipwreck, which they drown
all in the next bowl of punch, and forget it almost as soon as it is
over; and all the rest of my life was #. it.
Even when I was afterwards, on due consideration, made
sensible of my condition; how I was cast on this dreadful place,
out of the reach of human kind, out of all hope of relief or pro-
spect of redemption ; as soon as I saw but a prospect of living, and
that I should not perish for hunger, all the sense of my affliction
wore off, and I began to be very easy, applied myself to the
works proper for my preservation and supply, and was far enough
from being afflicted at my condition as a judgment from heaven
or as the hand of GoD against me: these were thoughts which
very seldom entered into my head. -
The growing up of the corn, as is hinted in my journal, had at
first some little influence upon me, and began to affect me with
Seriousness as long as I thought it had something miraculous in
it; but as soon as ever that thought was removed, all the im:
. which was raised from it wore off also, as I have noted
already.
. But now, when I began to be sick, and a leisurely view of the
Imiseries of death came to place itself before me; when my spirits
began to sink under the burden of a strong distémper, and nature
was exhausted with the violence of the fever, conscience, that ha
slept so long, began to awake, and I began to reproach myself
with my past life, in which I had so evidently, by uncommon
wickedness, provoked the justice of God to lay me under un-
common strokes, and to deal with me in so vindictive a manner.
These reflections oppressed me from the second or third day
of my distemper; and in the violence, as well of the fever as 6
the dreadful reproaches of my conscience, extorted some words
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 53
from me like praying to GoD, though I cannot say they were
either a prayer attended with desires or with hopes; it was rather
the voice of mere fright and distress; my thoughts were confused,
the convictions great upon my mind, and the horror of dying in
such a miserable condition raised vapours into my head with the
mere apprehensions; and in these hurries of my soul I know not
what my tongue might express. But it was rather exclamations;
such as, “LoRD, what a miserable creature am I | If I should be
sick, I shall certainly die for want of help, and what will become
of me?” . Then the tears burst out of my eyes, and I could say
no more for a good while.
In this interval the good advice of my father came to my
mind, and presently his prediction, which I mentioned in the be-
ginning of this story, namely, that if I did take this foolish step,
GoD would not bless me, and I would have leisure hereafter to
reflect upon having neglected his counsel, when there might be
none to assist in my recovery. “Now,” said I aloud, “my dear
father's words are come to pass; God’s justice has overtaken me,
and I have none to help or hear me; I rejected the voice of
Providence, which had mercifully put me in a posture or station
9f life wherein I might have been happy; but I would neither see
it myself nor learn to know the blessing of it from my parents; I
“ft them to mourn over my folly, and now I am left to mourn
under the consequences of it; I refused their help and assistance,
and now I have difficulties to struggle with too great for even
nature itself to support, and no assistance, no help, no comfort,
no advice.” Then I cried out, “LoRD, be my help; for I am
In great distress l?”
June 28.-Having been somewhat refreshed with the sleep I
!"d,had, and the fit being entirely off, I got up; and though the
fright and terror of my dream was very great, yet I considered
that the fit of the ague would return again the next day, and now
Yº my time to get something to refresh and support myself when
! should be ill; and the first thing I did i filled a large square
*º-bottle with water, and set it upon my table in reach of m
bed; and to take of the chili or aguish disposition of the water, }
P", about a quarter of a pint of rum into it, and mixed them to-
ºther. Then I got me a piece of the goat's flesh, and broiled it
on the coals, but could eat very little. I walked about, but was
... Y. Weak, and withal very sad and heavy-hearted under a sense
... my misérable condition, dreading the return of my distemper
the next Gay. At night I made my supper of three of the turtle's
# which I roasted in the ashes, and eat, as we call it, in the
*"; and this was the first bit of meat I had ever asked God's
*ºg tº even, as I could remember, in my whole life.
th After I had eaten I tried to walk, but found myself so weak
at I could hardly carry the gun, for I never went out without
*; so I went but a little way, and sat down upon the ground,
F 2
54 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
looking out upon the sea, which was just before me, and very calm
and smooth. As I sat here, some such thoughts as these occurred
to Iſle :
What is the earth and sea, of which I have seen so much {
Whence is it produced? And what am I, and all the other crea-
tures, wild and tame, human and brutal; whence are we ?
Sure we are all made by some secret Power, who formed the
earth and sea, the air and sky; and who is that?
Then it followed, most naturally, it is GoD that has made it
all. Well, but then it came on strangely, if GoD has made all
these things, He guides and governs them all, and all things that
concern them ; for the Being that could make all things must
certainly have power to guide and direct them.
If so, nothing can happen in the great circuit of His works
either without His knowledge or appointment.
And if nothing happens without His knowledge, He knows
that I am here, and am in this dreadful condition; and if nothing
happens without His appointment, He has appointed all this to
befall me.
Nothing occurred to my thoughts to contradict any of these
conclusions; and therefore it rested upon me with the greater
force, that it must needs be that GoD had appointed all this to
befall me; that I was brought to this miserable circumstance by
His direction, He having the sole power, not of me only, but of
i. thing that happened in the world. Immediately it fol-
OWeO =
Why has GoD done this to me? What have I done to be thus
UlSeCI
My conscience presently checked me in that inquiry, as if I had
blasphemed, and methought it spoke to me like a voice, “Wretch,
dost thou ask what thou hast done? Look back upon a dreadful
misspent life, and ask thyself what thou hast not done? Ask, why
is it that thou wert not long ago destroyed why wert thou not
drowned in Yarmouth Roads? killed in the fight when the ship
was taken by the Sallee man-of-war” devoured by the wild beasts
on the coast of Africa? or drowned here when all the crew perished
but thyself? Dost thou ask, what have I done º’”
I was struck with these reflections as one astonished, and had
not a word to say, no, not to answer to myself; but rose up pen-
SIW6 and sad, walked back to my retreat, and went up over my
wall, as if I had been going to bed. But my thoughts were sadly
disturbed, and I had no inclination to sleep; so I sat down in my
chair, and lighted my lamp, for it began to be dark. Now, as the
apprehension of the return of my distemper terrified me very
much, it occurred to me that the Brazilians take no physic but
their tobacco for almost all distempers; and I had a piece of a
roll of tobacco in one of the chests which was quite cured, and
some also that was green and not quite cured. j
CH, II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 55
I went, directed by Heaven, no doubt; for in this chest I found
a cure both for soul and body I opened the chest, and found
what I looked for, namely, the tobacco; and as the few books I
had saved lay there too, I took out one of the Bibles which I
mentioned before, and which to this time I had not found leisure
or so much as inclination to look into. I say I took it out, and
brought both that and the tobacco with me to the table.
What use to make of the tobacco I knew not as to my dis-
temper, or whether it was good for it or no; but I tried several
experiments with it, as if I resolved it should hit one way or
other.
In the interval of this operation, I took up the Bible, and be-
gan to read; but my head was too much disturbed with the
tobacco to bear reading, at least at that time; only having opened
the book casually, the first words that occurred to me were these :
“Call on Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and
thou shalt glorify Me.”
The words were very apt to my case, and made some impres-
sion upon my thoughts at the time of reading them, though not
so much as they did afterwards. It grew now late, and the to-
bacco had confused my head so much that I inclined to sleep; so
| left my lamp burning in the cave, lest I should want any thing
in the night, and went to bed; but before I lay down I did what
! never had done in all my life; I kneeled down and prayed to
God to fulfil the promise to me, that if I called upon Him in the
day of trouble, He would deliver me. After my broken and im-
Perfect prayer was over, I drank the rum in which I had steeped
the tobacco, which was so strong and rank of the tobacco that in-
deed I could scarce get it down. Immediately upon this I went
to bed, and I found presently it flew up into my head violently;
but I fell into a sound sleep, and waked no more till by the sun it
imust necessarily have been near three o’clock in the afternoon the
*ext day; nay, I am partly of the opinion that I slept all the next
!ay and night, and till almost three the day after; for otherwise I
knew not how I should lose a day out of my reckoning in the days
9f the week, as it appeared some years after I had done; for if I
had lost it by crossing and recrossing the line, I should have lost
*ore than one day; but certainly I lost a day in my account, and
never knew which way.
Be that, however, one way or other, when I waked, I found
*Yself exceedingly refreshed, and my spirits lively and cheerful.
When I got up, I was stronger than I was the day before, and
ºystomach better, for I was hungry; and, in short, I had no fit
the next day, but continued much altered for the better. This
Was the 29th,
July 3–While I was thus gathering strength, my thoughts
ºn exceedingly upon the Scripture, “I will deliver thee;” and
the *Possibility of my deliverance lay much upon my mind, in
56 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES
bar of my ever expecting it. But as I was discouraging myself
with such thoughts, it occurred to my mind, that I pored so much
upon my deliverance from the main affliction, that I disregarded
the deliverance I had received ; and I was, as it were, made to
ask myself such questions as these: viz. Have I not been deli-
livered, and wonderfully too, from sickness? from the most dis-
tressed condition that could be, and that was so frightful to me?
and what notice had I taken of it? had I done my part 2 GOD
had delivered me; but I had not glorified Him : that is to say, I
had not owned and been thankful for that as a deliverance; and
how could I expect greater deliverance 2
This touched my heart very much; and immediately I kneeled
down, and gave GoD thanks aloud for my recovery from my
sickness.
July 4.—In the morning I took the Bible; and, beginning at
the New Testament, I began seriously to read it, and resolved to
read awhile every morning and every night, not tying myself to
the number of chapters, but as long as my thoughts should engage
me. It was not long after I set seriously to this work, but I found
my heart more deeply and sincerely affected with the wickedness
of my past life; the impression of my dream revived, and the
words, “All these things have not brought thee to repentance,”
ran seriously in my thoughts. I was earnestly begging of GoD
to give me repentance, when it happened providentially the very
day, that, reading the Scripture, I came to these words: “He is
exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance, and to give
remission.” I threw down the book, and with my heart as well
as my hands lifted up to heaven, in a kind of ecstasy of joy I cried
out aloud, “JESUs, Thou Son of David, JESUs, Thou exalted
Prince and SAVIOUR, give me repentance 1”
This was the first time that I could say, in the true sense of
the words, that I prayed in all my life; for now I prayed with
a sense of my condition, and with a true scripture view of hope,
founded on the encouragement of the word of GoD ; and from this
time, I may say, I began to have hope that GoD would hear me.
Now I began to construe the words mentioned above, “Call
on Me, and I will deliver thee,” in a different sense from what I
had ever done before; for then I had no notion of any thing being
called deliverance but my being delivered from the captivity I
was in ; for though I was indeed at large in the place, yet the
island was certainly a prison to me, and that in the worst sense
in the world; but now I learned to take it in another sense. Now
I looked back upon my past life with such horror, and my sins
appeared so dreadful, that my soul sought nothing of God but
deliverance from the load of guilt that bore down all my comfort.
As for my solitary life, it was nothing; I did not so much as pray
to be delivered from it, or think of it; it was all of no consider-
ation in comparison of this; and I add this part here, to hint to
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 57
whoever shall read it, that whenever they come to a true sense of
things, they will find deliverance from sin a much greater blessing
than deliverance from affliction. -
But, leaving this, I return to my journal,
From the 4th of July to the 14th, I was chiefly employed in
walking about with my gun in my hand, a little and a little at a
time, as a man that was gathering up his strength after a fit of
sickness; for it is hardly to be imagined to what weakness I was
reduced. The application which I made use of was perfectly new,
and perhaps what had never cured an ague before; neither can I
recommend it to any one to practise by this experiment; and
though it did carry off the fit, yet it rather contributed to weaken
me; for I had frequent convulsions in my nerves and limbs for
Some time.
I learnt from it also this in particular; that being abroad in
the rainy season was the most pernicious thing to my health that
could be, especially in those rains which came attended with
Storms and hurricanes of wind; for as the rain which came in a
dry season was always most accompanied with such storms, so I
found this rain was much more dangerous than the rain which fell
in September and October.
I had been now in the island above ten months. All possibility
ºf deliverance from this condition seemed to be entirely taken
from me; and I firmly believed that no human shape had ever set
fºot upon that place. Having now secured my habitation as I
thought fully to my mind, I had a great desire to make a more
Perfect survey of the island, and to see what other productions
I might find, which I yet knew nothing of. -
Accordingly, on the 15th of July I began my tour of discovery.
I went up the creek first, where I brought my rafts on shore. I
found, after I got about two miles up, that the tide did not flow
any higher, and that it was no more than a little brook of running
Water, and very fresh and good; but this being the dry season,
there was hardly any water in some parts of it, at least not enough
to run in any stream, so as it could be perceived.
On the bank of this brook I found many pleasant savannas, or
*adows, plain, smooth, and covered with grass; and on the
*lºg parts of them, next to the higher grounds, where the water,
**, it might be supposed, never overflowed, I found a great deal of
tobacco, green, and growing to a great and very strong stalk;
there were several other plants which I had no notion of, or un-
derstanding about; perhaps having virtues of their own, which I
could not find out.
The next day, the 16th, I went up the same way again; and,
after going something farther than I had done the day before, I
found the brook and the meadows began to cease, and the coun-
try became more woody than before. In this part I found differ-
ent fruits, and particularly melons, in great abundance upon
58 I, IFE AND ADVENTURES
the ground, and grapes upon the trees; the vines had spread
indeed over the trees, and the clusters of grapes were just now in
their prime, very ripe and rich. This was a surprising discovery,
and I was exceedingly glad of them; but I was warned by my ex-
perience to eat sparingly of them, remembering that when I was
ashore in Barbary, the eating of grapes killed several of our
Englishmen who were slaves there, by throwing them into fluxes
and fevers; but I found an excellent use for these grapes, and that
was, to cure or dry them in the sun, and keep them as dried grapes
or raisins are kept, which I thought would be, as indeed they
j º wholesome, and as agreeable to eat, when no grapes might
be had.
I spent all that evening there, and went not back to my habi-
tation, which, by the way, was the first night, as I might say, I
had passed from home. i. the night I got up into a tree, where I
slept well, and the next morning proceeded upon my discovery,
travelling nearly four miles, as I might judge by the length of the
valley, keeping still due north, with a ridge of hills on the south
and north side of me.
At the end of this march I came to an opening, where the
country seemed to descend to the west; and a little spring of
fresh water, which issued out of the side of the hill by me, ran
the other way, that is, due east; and the country appeared so
fresh, so green, so flourishing, every thing being in a constant
. or flourishing of spring, that it looked like a planted
garden.
I descended a little on the side of that delicious valley, survey-
ing it with a secret kind of pleasure (though mixed with other
afflicting thoughts) to think that this was all my own, that I was
king and lord of all this country, and had a right of possession;
and if I could convey it, I might have it in inheritance, as com-
pletely as any lord of a manor in England. I saw here abundance
of cocoa-trees, orange, and lemon, and citron-trees, but all wild,
and few bearing any fruit, at least not then; however, the green
limes that I gathered were not only pleasant to eat, but very whole-
some ; and I mixed their juice afterwards with water, which made
it very wholesome, and very cool and refreshing.
I found now I had business enough to gather and carry home;
and I resolved to lay up a store, as well of grapes as of limes
and lemons, to furnish myself for the wet season, which I knew
was approaching.
In order to do this, I gathered a great heap of grapes in one
place, and a lesser heap in another place, and likewise a great
parcel of limes and lemons; and taking a few of each with me, I
travelled homeward, and resolved to come again, and bring a bag
or sack, or what I could make, to carry the rest home.
Accordingly, having spent three days in this journey, I re-
turned to my tent and my cave; but before I got thither the
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 59
grapes were spoiled; the richness of the fruit, and the weight of
the juice, having broken them, and bruised them, they were good
for little or nothing; as to the limes, they were good, but I could
bring but a few.
The next day, being the 19th, I went back, having made me
two small bags to bring home my harvest. But I was surprised
when, coming to my heap of grapes, which were so rich and fine
when I gathered them, I found them all spread abroad, trod to
pieces, and dragged about, some here, some there, and abundance
eaten and devoured. By this I concluded there were some wild
creatures thereabouts, which had done this; but what they were
I knew not.
However, as I found there was no laying them up on heaps,
and no carrying them away in a sack, but that one way they
would be destroyed, and the other way they would be crushed
with their own weight, I took another course; for I gathered a
large quantity of the grapes, and hung them upon the out branches
of the trees, that they might cure and dry in the sun ; and as for
the limes and lemons, I carried as many back as I could well
Stand under.
When I came home from this journey, I contemplated with
great pleasure on the fruitfulness of that valley, and the pleasant-
ness of the situation, the security from storms on that side of the
Water, and the wood ; and concluded that I had pitched upon a
Place to fix my abode which was by far the worst part of the
Sountry. Upon the whole, I began to consider of removing my
habitation, and to look out for a place equally safe as where I
. yº situated, if possible, in that pleasant fruitful part of the
lSland. *
This thought ran long in my head, and I was very fond of it
for some time, the pleasantness of the place tempting me; but
When I came to a nearer view of it, and to consider that I was now
by the sea-side, where it was at least possible that something might
happen to my advantage, and that the same ill fate that brought
* hither might bring some other unhappy persons to the same
Place; and though it was scarcely probable that any such thing
should ever happen, yet to enclose myself among the hills and
Wºods, in the centre of the island, was to render such an affair not
2nly improbable but impossible, and that therefore I ought not
Y any means to remove.
OWever, I was so enamoured of this place, that I spent much
}. *y time, there for the whole remaining part of the month of
uly; and though, upon second thoughts, I resolved as above, not
tº remove, yet I built me a little kind of a bower, and surrounded
it º a distance with a strong fence, being a double hedge, as high
º “ould reach, well staked, and filled between with brushwood.
And here I lay very secure, sometimes two or three nights to-
gether, always going over it with a ladder, as before; so that I
60 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
fancied now I had my country-house and my sea-coast house; and
this work took me up to the beginning of August.
I had but newly finished my fence, and begun to enjoy my
labour, when the rains came on, and made me stick close to my
first habitation; for though I had made me a tent like the other,
with a piece of a sail, and spread it very well, yet I had not the
shelter of a hill to keep me from storms, nor a cave behind me to
retreat into when the rains were extraordinary.
About the beginning of August, as I said, I had finished my
bower, and began to enjoy myself. By the third of August I found
the grapes I had hung up were perfectly dried, and indeed were
excellent good raisins of the sun. So I began to take them down
from the trees; and it was very fortunate that I did so ; for the
rains which followed would have spoiled them, and I should have
lost the best part of my winter food; for I had above two hundred
large bunches of them. No sooner had I taken them all down,
and carried most of them home to my cave, than it began to
rain; and from thence, which was the 14th of August, it rained
more or less every day till the middle of October; and some-
º: so violently, that I could not stir out of my cave for several
8.W.S. -
'i, this season I was much surprised with the increase of my
family. I had been concerned for the loss of one of my cats, who
ran away from me, or, as I thought, had been dead ; and I heard
no more tidings of her, till, to my astonishment, she came home
about the end of August with three kittens.
From the 14th of August to the 26th incessant rain, so that I
could not stir, and was now very careful not to be much wet.
In this confinement I began to be straitened for food; but ven-
turing out twice, I one day killed a goat; and the last day,
which was the 26th, found a very large tortoise, which was a
treat to me. And my food was regulated thus: I eat a bunch of
raisins for breakfast, a piece of the goat's flesh, or of the turtle,
for my dinner, broiled (for, to my great misfortune, I had no
vessel to boil or stew any thing), and two or three of the turtle's
eggs for supper.
During this confinement in my cover by the rain, I worked
daily two or three hours at enlarging my cave; and, by degrees,
worked it on towards one side till I came to the outside of the
hill, and made a door or way out, which came beyond my fence
or wall, and so I came in and out this way. But I was not per-
fectly easy at lying.so open; for as I had managed myself be-
fore, I was in a perfect enclosure, whereas now I thought I lay
exposed; and yet I could not perceive that there was any living
thing to fear, the biggest creature that I had seen upon the island
being a goat.
Sept. 30.-I was now come to the unhappy anniversary of
my landing. I cast up the notches on my post, and found I had
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. . 61
been on shore 365 days. I kept this day as a solemn fast, set-
ting it apart to a religious exercise, prostrating myself on the
ground with the most serious humiliation, confessing my sins
to God, acknowledging His righteous judgments upon me, and
praying to Him to have mercy on me through JESUS CHRIST ;
and having not tasted the least refreshment for twelve hours,
even to the going down of the sun, I then eat a biscuit-cake
º a bunch of grapes, and went to bed, finishing the day as I
egan it.
I had all this time observed no Sunday; for, as at first I had
no sense of religion upon my mind, I had after some time
omitted to distinguish the weeks by making a longer notch than
ordinary for the Sunday, and so did not really know what any
of the days were ; but now, having cast up the days as above, I
found I had been there a year; so I divided it into weeks, and set
apart every seventh day for a Sunday; though I found at the end
of my account I had lost a day or two in my reckoning.
A little after this my ink began to fail me; and so I contented
myself to use it more sparingly, and to write down only the most
remarkable events of my life, without continuing a daily memo-
randum of other things.

jšHE rainy season and the dry season
began now to appear regular to me;
and I learned to divide them, so as to
provide for them accordingly. But I
bought all my experience before I had
it; and this which I am going to re-
late was one of the most discouraging experiments that I made
at all. I have mentioned, that I had saved the few ears of barley
and rice which I had so surprisingly found spring up, as I thought,
of themselves, and believe there were about thirty stalks of rice,
and about twenty of barley; and now I thought it a proper
time to sow it after the rains, the sun being in its southern posi-
tion, going from me.
Accordingly, I dug up a piece of ground, as well as I could,
with my wooden spade, and dividing it into two parts, I sowed
my grain; but as I was sowing, it casually occurred to my
thought, that I would not sow it all at first, because I did not
know when was the proper time for it; so I sowed about two-
thirds of the seeds, leaving about a handful of each. It was a
great comfort to me afterwards that I did so; for not one grain
of that I sowed this time came to any thing; for the dry months
following, the earth having had no rain after the seed was sown;
it had no moisture to assist its growth, and never came up at all
till the wet season had come again, and then it grew as if it had
been newly sown. -
Finding my first seed did not grow, which I easily imagined
was by the drought, I sought for a moister piece of ground to
make another trial in ; and I dug up a piece of ground near my
new bower, and sowed the rest of my seed in February, a little
before the vernal equinox; and this, having the rainy months of
March and April to water it, sprung up very pleasantly, and

CH III, ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. . 63
yielded a very good crop; but having part of the seed left only,
and not daring to sow all that I had yet, I had but a small quan-
tity at last, my whole crop not amounting to above half a peck
of each kind.
But by this experience I was made master of my business,
and knew exactly when the proper season was to sow; and
that I might expect two seed-times, and two harvests, every
Year.
While this corn was growing I made a little discovery, which
was of use to me afterwards. As soon as the rains were over,
and the weather began to settle, which was about the month of
November, I made a visit up the country to my bower, where,
though I had not been some months, yet I found all things just
as I left them. The circle or double hedge that I had made was
not only firm and entire, but the stakes, which I had cut off of
some trees that grew thereabouts, were all shot out and grown
with long branches, as much as a willow-tree usually shoots the
first year after lopping its head. I could not tell what tree to
call it that these stakes were cut from. I was surprised, and yet
Very well pleased, to see the young trees grow, and I pruned
them and led them up to grow as much alike as I could; and it
is scarcely credible how beautiful a figure they grew into in three
Years; so that, though the hedge made a circle of about twenty-
five yards in diameter, yet the trees, for such I might now call
them, soon covered it; and it was a complete shade, sufficient to
lodge under all the dry season.
This made me resolve to cut some more stakes, and make me
a hedge like this in a semi-circle round my wall, I mean that of
my first dwelling, which I did ; and placing the trees or stakes in
º, double row, at about eight yards' distance from my first fence,
they grew presently, and were at first a fine cover to my habita-
tion, and afterwards served for a defence also, as I shall observe
ln its order.
. I found now that the seasons of the year might generally be
divided, not into summer and winter, as in Europe, but into the
**ny seasons and the dry seasons; which were generally thus:
Half February, March, half April, rainy; the sun being then
9m or near the equinox. ºf
Half April, May, June, July, half August, dry; the sun being
*.!. north of the line. -
a ugust tº º
then come #. September, half October, rainy; the sun being
Half October, N ovember, December, January, half February,
"yi, the sun being then to the south of the line.
the ...any season sometimes continued longer or shorter as
ti Winds happened to blow; but this was the general observa-
lon I mºde. After I had found by experience the ill conse:
*e of being abroad in the rain, I took care to furnish myself
64 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
with provision beforehand, that I might not be obliged to go
out; and I sat within doors as much as possible during the wet
months.
In this time I found much employment (and very suitable also
to the time); for I found great occasion of many things which I
had no way to furnish myself with but by hard labour and con-
stant application; particularly, I tried many ways to make my-
self a basket, but all the twigs I could get for the purpose proved
so brittle that they would do nothing. It proved of much advan-
tage to me now, that when I was a boy I used to take great
delight in standing at a basket-maker’s in the town where my
father lived, to see them make their wicker-ware ; and being, as
boys usually are, very officious to help, and a great observer of
the manner how they worked those things, and sometimes lend-
ing a hand, I had by this means so full a knowledge of the methods
of it, that I wanted nothing but the materials, when it came into
my mind that the twigs of the tree from whence I cut my stakes
that grew might possibly be as tough as the willows and osiers in
England, and I resolved to try.
Accordingly, the next day I went to my country-house, as I
called it, and cutting some of the smaller twigs, I found them to
my purpose as much as I could desire; whereupon I came the
next time prepared with a hatchet to cut down a quantity, which
I soon found, for there was a great plenty of them. These I set
up to dry within my circle or hedges, and when they were fit for
use, I carried them to my cave; and here, during the next sea-
son, I employed myself in making a great many baskets, both to
carry earth, or to carry or lay up any thing, as I had occasion;
and though I did not finish them very handsomely, yet I made
them sufficiently serviceable for my purpose; and thus after-
wards I took care never to be without them.
. Having mastered this difficulty, and employed a world of
time about it, I bestirred myself to see, if possible, how to supply
*Wo. Wants. I had no vessels to contain any thing that was
liquid, except two runlets, which were almost full of rum, and
Some glass bottles, some of the common size, and others which
Were case-bottles, square, for the holding of waters, spirits, &c.
I had not so much as a pot to boil any thing in, except a great
kettle which I saved out of the ship, and which was too big for
such uses, as I desired for it, viz. to make broth and stew a bit of
meat by itself. The second thing I would fain have had, was a
tobacco-pipe, but it was impossible for me to make one; how-
ever I found a contrivance for that too, at last.
... I employed myself in planting my second rows of stakes of
piles, and in this wicker-work, all the summer or dry season,
when another business took me up more time than it could be
imagined I could spare.
I mentioned before that I had a great mind to see the whole
C.H., III, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 65
island, and that I had travelled up the brook, and so on to where
I built my tower, and where I had an opening quite to the sea,
on the other side of the island. I now resolved to travel quite
across to the sea-shore on that side; so taking my gun and hat-
chet, and my dog, and a larger quantity of powder and shot than
usual, with two biscuit-cakes and a great bunch of raisins in my
pouch for my store, I began my journey. When I had passed
the vale where my bower stood, as above, I came within view of
the sea, to the west; and it being a very clear day, I fairly des-
cried land, whether an island or continent I could not tell, but it
lay very high, extending from the west to the w.s.w.., at a very
great distance: by my guess it could not be less than fifteen or
twenty leagues off.
I could not tell what part of the world this might be, other-
wise than that I knew it must be part of America, and, as I con-
cluded by all my observations, must be near the Spanish domi-
nions, and perhaps was all inhabited by savages, where, if I
should have landed, I had been in a worse condition than I was
now ; and therefore I acquiesced in the dispositions of Provi-
dence, which I began now to own and to believe ordered every
thing for the best.
... Besides, after some pause upon this affair, I considered, that
if this land was the Spanish coast, I should certainly, one time
or other, see some vessels pass or repass one way or other; but
if not, then it was the savage coast between the Španish country
and Brazil, inhabited, indeed, by the worst of savages, for they
are cannibals, or men-eaters, and fail not to murder and devour
all the human bodies that fall into their hands.
With these considerations I walked very leisurely forward. I
fºund that side of the island where I now was much pleasanter
than mine; the open fields sweet, adorned with flowers and grass,
*nd full of very fine woods. I saw abundance of parrots, and
| would fain have caught one, if possible, to have kept it to be
ºne, and taught it to speak to me. I did, after some pains
taken, catch a young parrot; for I knocked it down with a stick,
*nd, having recovered it, I brought it home; but it was somé
\ºars before I could make him speak. However, at last I taught
him to call me by my name very familiarly : but the accident
that followed, though it be a trifle, will be very diverting in its
place.
! was exceedingly diverted with this journey. I found in the
lºw grounds hares, as I thought them to be, and foxes, but they
differed greatly from all the other kinds I had met with ; nor
fºll I satisfy myself to eat them, though I killed several. But
ad no need to be venturous, for I had no want of food, and
of that which was very good too; especially these three sorts,
Yºº goats, pigeons, and turtle or tortoise, which, added to my
*P*S, Leadenhali market could not have furnished a better
G 2
66 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
table than I in proportion to the company; and though my case
was deplorable enough, yet I had great cause for thankfulness,
that I was not driven to any extremities for food, but rather had
plenty, even to dainties.
As soon as I came to the sea-shore, I found indeed that
I had taken up my lot on the worst side of the island, for
here the shore was covered with innumerable turtles, whereas
on the other side, I had found but three in a year and a half.
Here was also an infinite number of fowls of many kinds, some
of which I had not seen before, and many of them very good
meat, but such as I knew not the names of, except those called
penguins.
I could have shot as many as I pleased, but was very sparing
of my powder and shot; and therefore had more mind to kill a
she-goat, if I could, which I could better feed on ; and though
there were many more goats here than on the other side of the
island, yet it was with much more difficulty that I could come
near them ; the country being flat and even, and they saw me
much sooner than when I was on the hills.
Although this side of the country was much pleasanter than
mine, I had not the least inclination to remove ; for as I was fixed
in my habitation, it became natural to me; and I seemed all the
while I was here, to be, as it were, upon a journey, and from
home. However, I travelled along the shore of the sea towards
the east, I suppose, about twelve miles; and then setting up a
great pole upon the shore for a mark, I concluded I would go
home again ; and the next journey I took should be on the other
side of the island, east from my dwelling, and so round, till I
came to my post again.
I took another way to return than that I went, thinking I
could easily keep all the island so much in my view, that I could
not miss finding my first dwelling by viewing the country; but
I found myself mistaken; for being come about two or three
miles, I found myself descended into a very large valley; but so
surrounded with hills, and those hills covered with woods, that
I could not see which was my way by any direction but that of
the sun, nor even then, unless I knew very well the position of
the sun at that time of the day.
It happened, to my farther misfortune, that the weather proved
hazy for three or four days, while I was in this valley; and not
being able to see the sun, I wandered about very uncomfortably,
and at last was obliged to find out the sea-side, look for my post,
and come back the same way I went; and then, by easy journeys,
I turned homeward, the weather being exceeding hot, and my
gun, ammunition, hatchet, and other things, very heavy.
In this journey my dog surprised a young kid, and seized
upon it; and I running in to take hold of it, caught it, and saved
it alive from the dog. I had a great mind to bring it home, if
*
CII, III, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 67
I could ; for I had often been musing whether it might not be
possible to get a kid or two, and so raise a breed of tame goats,
which might supply me when my powder and shot should be
Sl)ent.
l I made a collar for this little creature; and with a string
which I made of some rope-yarn, which I always carried about
me, I led him along, though with some difficulty, till I came to
my bower, and there I enclosed him, and left him; for I was
very impatient to be at home, from whence I had been absent
above a month.
I cannot express what a satisfaction it was to me to come into
my old hutch, and lie down in my hammock-bed. This little
Wandering journey, without a settled place of abode, had been so
unpleasant to me, that my own house, as I called it to myself,
Was a perfect settlement to me, compared to that; and it ren-
dered every thing about me so comfortable, that I resolved I
would never go a great way from it again, while it should be my
lot to stay on the island.
I reposed myself here a week, to rest and regale myself after
my long journey; during which, most of the time was taken up
in the weighty affair of making a cage for my Poll, who began
nºw to be a mere domestic, and to be mighty well acquainted
with me. Then I began to think of the poor kid, which I had
Pent in within my little circle, and resolved to go and fetch it
hºme, and give it some food; accordingly I went, and found it
Where I left it; for indeed it could not get out, but was almost
Starved for want of food. I went and cut boughs of trees and
branches of such shrubs as I could find, and threw it over; and
*Wing fed it, I tied it as I did before to lead it away; but it was
2 tame with being hungry, that I had no need to have tied it;
for it followed me like a dog; and as I continually fed it, the
.*ture became so loving, so gentle, and so fond, that it became
from that time one of my domestics also, and would never leave
Ine afterwards.
he rainy season of the autumnal equinox was now come, and
I kept the 30th of September in the same solemn manner as
before, being the anniversary of my landing on the island, hav-
'º, now been here two years, and no more prospect of being.
§elivered than the first day I came. I spent the whole day in
humble and thankful acknowledgments of the many wonderful
jºies which my solitary condition was attended with, and
Without which it might have been infinitely more miserable. I
i. humble and hearty thanks, that God had been pleased to
. tº me, even that it was possible I might be more happy
in | Solitary condition than I should have been in society, and
to * the pleasures of the world; that He could fully make up
* the deficiencies of my solitary state and the want of human
*y by His presence, and the communications of His grace
68 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
to my soul, supporting, comforting, and encouraging me to de-
pend upon His providence here, and hope for His eternal presence
hereafter.
It was now that I began sensibly to feel how much more
happy the life I now led was, with all its miserable circumstances,
than the wicked life I led all the past part of my days; and now,
having changed both my sorrows and my joys, my very desires
altered, my affections changed, and my delights were perfectly new
from what they were at first coming, or, indeed, for two years past.
In this disposition of mind, I began my third year; and
though I have not given the reader the trouble of so particular
an account of my works this year as at the first, yet in general it
may be observed, that I was very seldom idle; having regularly
divided my time, according to the several daily employments
that were before me; such as, first, my devotions, for which I
constantly set apart some time thrice every day. Secondly, the
going abroad with my gun for food, which generally took me up
three hours every morning when it did not rain. Thirdly, the
ordering, curing, preserving, and cooking what I had killed or
caught for my supply. These took up great part of the day.
Also it is to be considered, that in the middle of the day, when
the sun was in the zenith, the violence of the heat was too great
to stir out; so that about four hours in the evening was all the
time I could be supposed to work in; with this exception, that
sometimes I changed my hours of hunting and working, and
went to work in the morning, and abroad with my gun in the
afternoon.
To this short time allowed for labour, I desire may be added
the exceeding laboriousness of my work; the many hours which,
for want of tools, want of help, and want of skill, every thing
that I did took up out of my time : for example, I was full two:
and-forty days making me a board for a long shelf, which I
wanted in my cave; whereas two sawyers, with their tools and
* would have cut six of them out of the same tree in ha
a day. *
My case was this: It was to be a large tree which was to be
cut down, because my board was to be a broad one. The tree
I was three days a cutting down, and two more cutting off the
boughs, and reducing it to a log, or piece of timber. With inex-
pressible hacking and hewing, I reduced both the sides of it into
chips, till it began to be light enough to move; then I turned it,
and made one side of it smooth and flat, as a board, from end to
end; then turning that side downward, cut the other side till
brought the plank to be about three inches thick, and smooth on
both sides. Any one may judge the labour of my hands in such a
piece of work; but labour and patience carried me through that
and many other things. I only observed this in particular, to
shew the reason why so much of my time went away with 80
CH, III. G F ROBIN SON CRUSOE, 69
little work, viz. that what might be a little to be done with help
and tools, was a vast labour, and required a prodigious time to
do alone and by hand.
But notwithstanding this, with patience and labour I went
through many things, and indeed every thing that my circum-
stances made necessary for me to do, as will appear by what
follows.
I was now in the months of November and December, ex-
pecting my crop of barley and rice. The ground I had manured
or dug up for them was not great; for, as I observed, my seed of
each was not above the quantity of half a peck, for I had lost one
whole crop by sowing in the dry season. But now my crop pro-
Inised very well, when on a sudden I found I was in danger of
losing it all again by enemies of several sorts, which it was scarce
possible to keep from it; at first, the goats, and wild creatures
which I called hares, which, tasting the sweetness of the blade,
lay in it night and day, as soon as it came up, and eat it so
close, that it could get no time to shoot up into stalks.
... This I saw no remedy for, but by making an enclosure about
it with a hedge, which I did with a great deal of toil; and the
Inore, because it required a great deal of speed, the creatures
daily spoiling my corn. However, as my arable land was but
small, suited to my crop, I got it totally well fenced in about
three weeks time; and shooting some of the creatures in the day-
time, I set my dog to guard it in the night, tying him up to a
stake at the gate, where he would stand and bark all night long ;
So in a little time the enemies forsook the place, and the corn
grew very strong and well, and began to ripen apace.
But as the beasts ruined me before, while my corn was in the
blade, so the birds were as like to ruin me now, when it was in
the ear; for going along by the place to see how it throve, I saw
my little crop surrounded with fowls of I know not how many
*9tts, which stood as it were watching till I should be gone. I
immediately let fly among them (for I always had my gun with
ºne). I had no sooner shot, but there arose up a little cloud of
fowls, which I had not seen at all, from among the corn itself.
This touched me sensibly; for Íforesaw that in a few days they
Yould devour all my hopes, that I should be starved, and never
* able to raise a crop at all; and what to do I could not tell.
However, I resolved not to lose my corn, if possible, though I
should watch it night and day. In the first place, I went among
* tº see what damage was already done, and found they had
Poiled a good deal of it; but that, as it was yet too green for
them, the loss was not so great, but the remainder was like to be
* 890d crop if it could be saved.
! stayed by it to load my gun, and then coming away, I could
*ily see the thieves sitting upon all the trees about me, as if they
only waited till I was gone away; and the event proved it to be
70 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
so; for as I walked off, as if I was gone, I was no sooner out of
their sight but they dropped down one by one into the corn again.
I was so provoked that I could not have patience to stay till more
came on, knowing that every grain they eat now was, so to
speak, a peck-loaf to me in the consequence; but coming up to
the hedge I fired again, and killed three of them. This was what
I wished for ; so I took them up, and served them as we serve
notorious thieves in England, namely, hanged them in chains for
a terror to others. It is impossible to imagine almost that this
should have such an effect as it had ; for the fowls would not only
not come at the corn, but in short they forsook all that part of
the island, and I could never see a bird near the place as long as
my scarecrows hung there.
This I was very glad of, you may be sure; and about the latter
end of December, which was our second harvest of the year, I
reaped my corn.
I was sadly put to it for a scythe or sickle to cut it down,
and all I could do was to make one as well as I could out of one
of the broad-swords or cutlasses which I saved among the arms
out of the ship. However, as my crop was but small, I had no
great difficulty to cut it down; in short, I reaped it my way; for
I cut nothing off but the ears, and carried it away in a great
basket which I had made, and so rubbed it out with my hands;
and at the end of all my harvesting I found, that out of my half-
peck of seed I had near two bushels of rice and above two bushels
and a half of barley.
However, this was a great encouragement to me, and I fore-
saw that in time it would please God to supply me with bread;
and yet here I was perplexed again, for I neither knew how to
grind or make meal of my corn, or, indeed, how to clean it and
part it; nor, if made into meal, how to make bread of it; and if
how to make it, yet I knew not how to bake it. These things
being added to my desire of having a good quantity for store, an
to secure a constant supply, I resolved not to taste any of this
crop, but to preserve it all for seed against the next season, and
in the mean time to employ all my study and hours of working tº
tºpil this great work of providing myself with corn an
read.
It might be truly said that now I worked for my bread. It is
a little wonderful, and what I believe few people have thought
much upon, namely, the strange multitude of little things neces-
sary in the providing, producing, dressing, making, and finishing
this one article of bread.
I, that was reduced to a mere state of nature, found this to be
my daily discouragement, and was made more and more sensible
of it every hour, even after I got the first handful of seed-corn,
which, as I have said, came up unexpectedly, and indeed to my
great surprise. -
CH. III. ‘OF ROBIN SON CRUSOE, 3. 71
First, I had no plough to turn the earth, no spade or shovel to
dig it. Well, this difficulty I conquered by making a wooden
spade, as I observed before ; but this did my work in but a wooden
manner, and though it cost me a great many days to make it, yet
for want of iron it not only wore out the sooner, but made my
work the harder, and made it be performed much worse.
However, this I bore with too, and was content to work it out
with patience, and bear with the badness of the performance.
When the corn was sowed I had no harrow; but was forced to go
over it myself, and drag a great heavy bough of a tree over it
to scratch the earth, as it may be called, rather than rake or
harrow it.
When it was growing or grown, I have observed already how
many things I wanted to fence it, secure it, mow or reap it,
carry it home, thresh, part it from the chaff, and save it. Then
I wanted a mill to grind it, sieves to dress it, yeast and salt to
make it into bread, and an oven to bake it in; and all these things
I did without, as shall be observed; and yet the corn was an in-
estimable comfort and advantage to me too. But all this, as I
said, made every thing laborious and tedious to me; but that there
was no help for; neither was my time so much loss to me. A
certain part of it was every day appointed to these works; and
* I resolved to use none of the corn for bread till I had a greater
Tantity by me, I had the next six months to apply myself,
wholly by labour and invention, to furnish myself with utensils
Prºper for the performing all the operations necessary for the
making the corn, when I had it, fit for my use.
But first I was to prepare more land, for I had now seed
*ough to sow above an acre of ground. Before I did this, I had
"Week's work at least to make me a spade, which, when it was
done, was a very poor one indeed, and very heavy, and required
double labour to work with it. However, I went through that,
and sowed my seeds in two large flat pieces of ground, as near
my house as I could find them to my mind, and fenced them in
with a gºod hedge, the stakes of which were all cut off that wood
which I had set before, which I knew would grow; so that in one
... time I knew I should have a quick or living hedge, that
would want but little repair.
in º '. it rained and I could not go out, I found employment
at º: *ing manner, always observing that all the while I was
ing i I diverted myself with talking to my parrot, and teach-
nam im to speak; and I quickly taught him to know his own
ſº. * to speak it out pretty loud, “Poll,” which was the
my º I eyer heard spoken in the island by any mouth but
.. º * This, therefore, was not my work, but an assistant to
my hi ; for now, as I said, I had a great employment upon
Or oth S, as follows, namely, I had long studied, by some mean:
* to make myself some earthen vessels, which, indeed, I
72 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
wanted sorely, but knew not how to come at them. However,
considering the heat of the climate, I did not doubt but if I could
find out any clay I might botch up some such pot as, being dried
by the sun, might be strong enough to bear handling, and to hold
any thing that was dry and required to be kept so; and as this
was necessary in preparing corn, meal, &c., I resolved to make
some as large as I could, and fit only to stand like jars to hold
what should be put into them.
It would make the reader laugh to tell how many awkward
ways I took to raise this paste, what odd misshapen things I
made, how many of them fell in and how many fell out, the clay
not being stiff enough to bear its own weight; how many cracked
by the over-violent heat of the sun, being set out too hastily; and
how many fell to pieces with only removing, as well before as
after they were dried; and, in a word, how, after having laboured
hard to find the clay, to dig it, to temper it, to bring it home, and
work it, I could not make above two large earthen ugly things, I
cannot call them jars, in about two months’ labour.
However, as the sun baked these two very dry and hard, I
lifted them gently up, and set them down again in two greater
wicker baskets, which I had made on purpose for them, that they
might not break; and as between the pot and the basket there
was little room to spare, I stuffed it full of the rice and barley
straw; and these two pots being to stand always dry, I thought
would hold my dry corn, and perhaps the meal when the corn
was bruised.
Though I succeeded so ill in my design for large pots, yet I
made several smaller things with better success; such as little
round pots, flat dishes, pitchers, and pipkins, and any thing my
hand turned to ; and the heat of the sun baked them very hard.
But all this would not answer my end, which was, to get an
earthen pot to hold what was liquid and bear the fire, which none
of these would do. It happened after some time that, making a
pretty large fire for cooking my meat, when I went to put it out
after I had done with it, I found a broken piece of one of my
earthenware vessels in the fire, burnt as hard as a stone and red
as a tile. I was agreeably surprised to see it, and said to mysel
that certainly they might be made to burn whole if they would
burn broken.
This set me to study how to arrange my fire, so as to make it
burn me some pots. I had no notion of a kiln, such as the pot-
ters burn in, or of glazing them with lead, though I had some
lead to do it with; but I placed three large pipkins and two or
three pots in a pile one upon another, and placed my fire-wo
all round it, with a great heap of embers under them. I plied
the fire with fresh fuel round the outside and upon the top, till I
saw the pots in the inside red-hot quite through, and observe
that they did not crack at all. When I saw them clear red, I let
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 73
them stand in that heat about five or six hours, till I found one
of them, though it did not crack, did melt or run ; for the sand
which was mixed with the clay melted by the violence of the
heat, and would have run into glass if I had gone on. So I
slacked my fire gradually till the pots began to abate of the red
colour, and watching them all night, that I might not let the fire
abate too fast, in the morning I had three very good—I will not
say handsome—pipkins, and two other earthen pots, as hard
burnt as could be desired, and one of them perfectly glazed with
the running of the sand.
After this experiment I need not say that I wanted no sort of
earthenware for my use ; but as to the shapes of them, they were
very indifferent, as any one may suppose, when I had no way of
making them but as the children make dirt-pies, or as a woman
would make pies that never learnt to raise paste.
No joy at a thing of so mean a nature was ever equal to mine,
when I found I had made an earthen pot that would bear the fire;
and I had hardly patience to stay till they were cold before I set
one upon the fire again with some water in it to boil me some
meat, which it did admirably well; and with a piece of a kid I
made some very good broth, though I wanted oatmeal and several
; ingredients requisite to make it so good as I would have
80 lt. - -
M y next concern was to get me a stone mortar to stamp or
beat Some corn in; for as to the mill, there was no thought of
arriving to that perfection of art with one pair of hands. To
supply this want I was at a great loss; for of all trades in the
World I was as perfectly unqualified for a stonecutter as for any
Whatever; neither had Î any tools to go about it with. I spent
many a day to find out a great stone big enough to cut hollow and
make fit for a mortar, and could find none at all, except what was
in the solid rock, and which I had no way to dig or cut out; nor
iºdeed were the rocks in the island of hº sufficient, but were
all of a sandy, crumbling stone, which would neither bear the
Weight of a heavy pestle, nor would break the corn without filling
it with sand. So, after a great deal of time lost in searching for
**one, I gave it over, and resolved to look out for a great block
"hard wood, which I found indeed much easier; and getting one
as big as I had strength to stir, I rounded it, and formed it on the
*ide with my axe and hatchet; and then, with the help of fire
ºd infinite labour, made a hollow place in it, as the Indians in
**zil make their canoes. After thii made a great heavy pestle
* beater, of the wood called the iron-wood, and this I prepared
and laid by against I had my next crop of corn, when I proposed
* myself to grind, or rather pound, my corn or meal to make
my bread. 2
My next difficulty was to make a sieve to dress my meal, and
P*it from the bran and the husk, without which I did not see it
H
74 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
possible I could have any bread. This was a most difficult thing,
so much as but to think on ; for to be sure I had nothing like the
necessary things to make it with ; I mean, fine thin canvass or
stuff to sift the meal through. And here I was at a full stop
for many months, nor did I really know what to do; linen I had
none left but what was mere rags; I had goat’s hair, but neither
knew I how to weave or spin it; and had I known how, here
were no tools to work it with. All the remedy that I found for this
was, that at last I remembered I had among the seamen's clothes
which were saved out of the ship some neckcloths of calico or
muslin; and with some pieces of these I made three small sieves,
but proper enough for the work; and thus I made shift for some
years.
The baking part was the next thing to be considered, and how
I should make bread when I came to have corn; for, first, I had
no yeast. As to that part, as there was no supplying the want, so
I did not concern myself much about it. But for an oven I was
indeed in great trouble. At length I found out an experiment for
that also ; which was this: I made some earthen vessels very
broad, but not deep; that is to say, about two feet diameter, and
not above nine inches deep. These I burnt in the fire, as I had
done the others, and laid them by ; and when I wanted to bake I
made a great fire upon the hearth, which I had paved with some
square tiles of my own making and burning also; but I should
not call them square.
When the fire-wood was burnt pretty much into embers or
live coals, I drew them forward upon this hearth, so as to cover
it all over, and there I let them lie till the hearth was very hot;
then sweeping away all the embers, I set down my loaf or loaves,
and whelming down the earthen pot upon them, drew the embers
all round the outside of the pot to keep in and add to the heat;
and thus, as well as in the best oven in the world, I baked my
barley-loaves, and became in a little time a pastry-cook into
the bargain, for I made myself several cakes of the rice, and
puddings; indeed I made no pies, neither had I any thing to put
*: them supposing I had, except the flesh either of fowls or
goats.
It need not be wondered at if all these things took me up
most part of the third year of my abode here; for it is to be ob-
served that, in the intervals of these things, I had my new har-
vest and husbandry to manage; for I reaped my corn in its
season, and carried it home as well as I could, and laid it up
in the ear in my large baskets till I had time to rub it out, for I
had no floor to thrash it on, or instrument to thrash it with.
And, now, indeed, my stock of corn increasing, I really
wanted to build my barns bigger: I wanted a place to lay it up
in; for the increase of the corn now yielded me so much, that
had of the barley about twenty bushels, and of the rice as much,
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 75
or more; insomuch, that I now resolved to begin to use it freely,
for my bread had been quite gone a great while; also I resolved
to see what quantity would be sufficient for me a whole year, and
to sow but once a year.
Upon the whole, I found that the forty bushels of barley and
rice were much more than I could consume in a year; so I re-
solved to sow just the same quantity every year that I sowed the
last, in hopes that such a quantity would fully provide me with
bread, &c.
All the while these things were doing, you may be sure my
thoughts ran many times upon the prospect of land which I had
seen from the other side of the island; and I was not without
Secret wishes that I was on shore there, fancying that, seeing the
mainland, and in an inhabited country, I might find some way
or other to convey myself farther, and perhaps at last find some
means of escape.
But all this while I made no allowance for the dangers of
such a condition, and how I might fall into the hands of savages,
and perhaps such as I might have reason to think far worse than
the lions and tigers of Africa: that if I once came into their
power, I should run a hazard, more than a thousand to one, of
being killed, and perhaps of being eaten; for I had heard that the
|. of the Caribbean coasts were cannibals, and I knew by the
atitude that I could not be far off from that shore; that, sup-
lºose they were not cannibals, yet they might kill me, as many
Europeans who had fallen into their hands had been served, even
when they had been ten or twenty together, much more I that
Was but one, and could make little or no defence. All these
things, I say, which I ought to have considered well of, and I
did cast up in my thoughts afterwards, yet took none of my ap-
Prehensions at first; and my head ran mightily upon the thoughts
of getting over to that shore.
Now I wished for my boy Xury and the long-boat with the
shoulder-of-mutton sail, with which I sailed above a thousand
miles on the coast of Africa; but this was in vain. Then I
thought I would go and look on our ship's boat, which, as I
have said, was blown up upon the shore a great way in the
sºm when we were first cast away. She lay almost where she
did at first, and was turned, by the force of the waves and the
Winds, almost bottom upwards, against the high ridge of a
beaghy rough sand, but no water about her as before.
If I had had hands to have refitted her, and have launched
her into the water, the boat would have done well enough, and
night have goné back into the Brazils with her easily; but I
*ght have foreseen that I could no more turn her and set her
"Pright upon her bottom than I could remove the island. How-
****, I went to the wood and cut levers and rollers, and brought
* to the boat, resolving to try what I could do, suggesting to
76 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
myself, that if I could but turn her down, I might easily repair
the damage she had received, and she would be a very good
boat, and I might go to sea in her very readily.
I spared no pains indeed in this piece of fruitless toil, and
spent, I think, three or four weeks about it; at last, finding it
impossible to heave it up with my little strength, I fell to dig-
ging away the sand, to undermine it, and so to make it fall down,
setting pieces of wood to thrust and guide it right in the fall.
But when I had done this, I was unable to stir it up again, or
to get under it, much less to move it forwards towards the water,
so I was forced to give it over; and yet, though I gave over
hopes of the boat, my desire to venture over to the mainland
increased rather than decreased as the means for it seemed im-
possible.
This at length set me upon thinking whether it was not pos-
sible to make myself a canoe, such as the natives of those
climates make, even without tools, or, as I might say, without
hands, viz. of the trunk of a great tree. This I not only thought
possible, but easy, and pleased myself extremely with my thoughts
of making it, and with my having much more convenience for it
than any of the negroes or Indians; but not at all considering
the particular inconveniences which I lay under more than the
Indians did, viz. want of hands to move it into the water when
it was made,-a difficulty much harder for me to surmount than
all the consequences of want of tools could be to them : for what
was it to me, that when I had chosen a vast tree in the woods,
and had with great trouble cut it down, if, after I might be able
with Iny tools to hew and dub the outside into a proper shape,
and burn or cut out the inside to make it hollow, and so to
make a boat of it,--if, after all this, I must leave it just there
where I found it, and not be able to launch it into the water?
Qne would have thought I could not have had the least re-
flection upon my mind of my circumstances while I was making
my boat, or I should have immediately thought how I should
get it into the sea; but my thoughts were so intent upon my
Yoyage in it, that I never once considered how I should move
it off the land; it was really in its own nature more easy for
me to guide it over forty-five miles of sea, than about forty-
five fathoms of land, where it lay, to set it afloat in the water.
I Went to work upon this boat the most like a fool that ever
man did who had any of his senses awake. I pleased myself
with the design, without determining whether I was ever able to
undertake it; not but that the difficulty of launching my boat
came often into my head, but I put a stop to my own inquiries
into it by this foolish answer which I gave myself, “Let me first
make it, I will warrant I will find some way or other to get it
along when it is done.” $
This was a most preposterous notion; but the eagerness of
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 77
my fancy prevailed, and to work I went, and felled a cedar tree.
I question much whether Solomon ever had such a one for the
building the temple of Jerusalem : it was five feet ten inches
diameter at the lower part, next the stump, and four feet eleven
inches diameter at the end of twenty-two feet, after which it les-
sened for a while, and then parted into branches. It was not
without immense labour that I felled this tree : I was twenty
days hacking and hewing at it at the bottom ; I was fourteen
more getting the branches and limbs and the vast spreading head
of it cut off, which I hacked and hewed through with my axe
and hatchet. After this it cost me a month to shape it some-
thing like the bottom of a boat, that it might swim upright as it
ought to do. It cost me near three months more to clear the in-
side and work it out so as to make an exact boat of it; this I
did, indeed, without fire, by mere mallet and chisel, and by the
dint of hard labour, till I had brought it to be a very handsome
Canoe, and big enough to have carried six-and-twenty men, and
consequently large enough to have carried me and all my cargo.
. . When I had gone through this work I was extremely de-
lighted with it. The boat was really much bigger than ſever
saw a canoe that was made of one tree in my life; there remained
nothing but to get it into the water; and had I been able to ac-
complish this, I make no question but I should have begun the
maddest voyage, and the most unlikely to be performed, that
ever was undertaken.
But all my devices to get it into the water failed me, though
they cost infinite labour too. It lay about 100 yards from the
Wººter, and not more ; but the first inconvenience was, it was up
hill tºwards the creek. Well, to take away this obstacle, I re-
*ºlved to dig into the surface of the earth, and so make a decli-
Yºy ; this I began, and it cost me a prodigious deal of pains;
"it who grudge pains that have their deliverance in view? But
when this was worked through, and this difficulty managed, it
Yº still much the same, for I could no more stir the canoe than
I could the other boat. *
Then I measured the distance of ground, and resolved to cut
**k or canal to bring the water up to the canoe, seeing I could
**,bring the canoe down to the water. Well, I began this
º and when I began to enter into it, and calculated how
. it was to be dug, how broad, how much the stuff to be
'9"º out, I found that, by the number of hands I had, being
* but my own, it must have been ten or twelve years before
ºld have gone through with it; for the shore lay high, so
* at the upper end, it must have been at least twenty feet
*P; so, at length, though with great reluctance, I gave this
*ttempt over als).
the * grieved me heartily; and now I saw, though too late,
*y of beginning a work before we count the cost, and
H 2
78 - LIFE AND ADVENTURES
º we judge rightly of our own strength to go through
with it.
In the middle of this enterprise I finished my fourth year in
this place, and kept my anniversary with the same devotion, and
with as much comfort, as ever before ; for by a constant study
and serious application of the word of GoD, and by the assistance
of His grace, I gained a different knowledge from what I had
before. I entertained different notions of things; I looked now
upon the world as a thing remote, which I had nothing to do
with, no expectation from, and indeed no desires about ; in a
word, I had nothing, indeed, to do with it, nor was ever
like to have : so I thought it looked, as we may perhaps look
º hereafter, viz. as a place I had lived in, but was come
Out Of.
In the first place, I was removed from all the wickedness of the
world here. I had neither “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the
eye, nor the pride of life.” I had nothing to covet; for I had all
I was now capable of enjoying; I was lord of the whole manor,
or, if I pleased, I might call myself king or emperor over the
whole country which I had possession of. There were no rivals;
I had no competitor, none to dispute sovereignty or command
with me. I might have raised ship-loadings of corn, but I had
no use for it; so I let as little grow as I thought enough for my
occasion. I had tortoises or turtles enough, but now and then
one was as much as I could put to any use. I had timber enough
to have built a fleet of ships. I had grapes enough to have made
wine, or to have cured into raisins, sufficient to have loaded that
fleet when it had been built.
But all I could make use of was all that was valuable. I had
enough to eat and to supply my wants, and what was all the rest
to me? If I killed more flesh than I could eat, the dog must eat
it, or the vermin. If I sowed more corn than I could eat, it must
be spoiled. The trees that I cut down were lying to rot on the
ground, I could make no more use of them than for fuel, and that
I had no occasion for but to dress my food.
In a word, the nature and experience of things dictated tº
me, upon just reflection, that all the good things of this wor
are no farther good to us than as they are for our use; and that
whatever we may heap up indeed to give to others, we enjoy º
much as we can use, and no more. The most covetous miser?"
the world would have been cured of the vice of covetousness if he
had been in my case: for I possessed infinitely more than I knew
what to do with. I had no room for desire, unless it was 9
things which I had not; and they were but trifles, though indeed
of great use to me. I had, as I hinted before, a parcel of money;
as well gold as silver, about thirty-six pounds sterling; alas!
there the useless stuff lay: I had no manner of business for it;
and I often thought with myself, that I would have given a han"
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 79
ful of it for a gross of tobacco-pipes, or for a hand-mill to grind
my corn; nay, I would have given it all for sixpenny worth of
turnip and carrot seed out of England, or for a handful of peas
and beans, and a bottle of ink: as it was, I had not the least
advantage by it or benefit from it, but there it lay in a drawer
and grew rusty with the damp of the cave in the wet season ;
and if I had had the drawer full of diamonds, it had been the
same case; and they had been of no manner of value to me,
because of no use.
I had now brought my state of life to be much easier in itself
than it was at first, and much easier to my mind as well as to my
body. I frequently sat down to my meat with thankfulness, and
admired the hand of GoD's providence which had thus spread
my table in the wilderness. I learned to look more upon the
bright and less upon the dark side of my condition; and to con-
sider what I enjoyed rather than what I wanted; and this gave
me, sometimes such secret comforts that I cannot express them,
and which I take notice of here, to put those discontented people
in mind of it, who cannot enjoy comfortably what GoD has
given them, because they see and covet something that He has
not given them : all our discontents about what we want ap-
!º to me to spring from the want of thankfulness for what
We have.
Another reflection was of great use to me, and doubtless
Would be so to any one that should fall into such distress as mine
Was ; and this was, to compare my present condition with what
I at first expected it should be ; nay, with what it would cer-
ainly have been, if the good providence of GoD had not wonder-
fully ordered the ship to be cast up nearer to the shore, where I
*9t only could come at her, but could bring what I got out of
her to the shore for my relief and comfort; without which I had
Wanted tools to work, weapons for defence, or gunpowder and
shot for getting my food.
! spent whole hours, I may say whole days, in º;
to myself in the most lively colours how I must have acted if
had got nothing out of the ship; how I could not have so much
* Hot any food, except fish and turtles; and that, as it was long
before I found any of them, I must have perished first ; that I
should have lived, if I had not perished, like a mere savage;
that if I had killed a goat or a fowl by any contriyance, I had no
.* to slay or open them, or part the flesh from the skin and the
º, or to cut it up, but must gnaw it with my teeth, and
Pull it with my claws, like a beast.
hese considerations made me very sensible of the goodness of
Tºvidence to me, and very thankful for my present condition,
with all its hardships and misfortunes. And this part also I
** but recommend to the reflection of those who are apt in
*eir misery to say, “Is any affliction like mine?” Let them
80 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
consider how much worse the cases of some people are, and what
their case might have been, if Providence had thought fit.
With these reflections I worked my mind up, not only to
resignation to the will of God in the present disposition of my
circumstances, but even to a sincere thankfulness for my condi-
tion ; and that I, who was yet a living man, ought not to com-
plain, seeing I had not the due punishment of my sins; that I
enjoyed so many mercies, which I had no reason to have ex-
pected in that place; that I ought never more to repine at my
condition, but to rejoice and to give daily thanks for that daily
bread which nothing but a cloud of wonders could have brought;
that I ought to consider I had been fed even by a miracle, even
as great as that offeeding Elijah by ravens; nay, by a long series
of miracles; and that I could hardly have named a place in the
uninhabited part of the world where I could have been cast more
to my advantage, a place where, as I had no society, which was
my affliction on one hand, so I found no ravenous beasts, no
furious wolves or tigers, to threaten my life; no venomous crea-
tures, or poisonous, which I might have fed on to my hurt; no
Savages to murder and devour me.
In a word, as my life was a life of sorrow one way, so it was
a life of mercy another; and I wanted nothing to make it a life
of comfort, but to be able to make my sense of God’s goodness
to me, and care over me in this condition, be my daily consola-
tion; and after I did make a just improvement of these things,
I was no more sad.
I had now been here so long, that many things which I
brought on shore for my help were either quite gone, or very
much wasted, and near spent.
My ink, as I observed, had been gone for some time, all but
a very little, which I eked out with water a little and a little, till
it was so pale it scarce left any appearance of black upon the
paper.
The next thing to my ink's being wasted, was that of my
bread, I mean the biscuit which I brought out of the ship. This
I had husbanded to the last degree, allowing myself but one cake
of bread a day, for above a year: and yet I was quite without
bread for near a year before I got any corn of my own; and great
reason I had to be thankful that I had any at all, the getting it
being, as has been already observed, next to miraculous.
My clothes too began to diminish: as to linen, I had had none
for a good while, except some chequered shirts which I found in
the chests of the other seamen, and which I carefully preserved,
because many times I could bear no other clothes on but a shirt;
and it was a very great help to me that I had, among all the
men's clothes of the ship, almost three dozen of shirts. There
were also several watchcoats of the seamen’s, but they were toº
thick to wear; and though it is true that the weather was 30
CH. III, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 81
º that there was no need of clothes, yet I could not go quite
naked.
Under these circumstances I began to consider about putting
the few rags I had, which I called clothes, into some order: I had
worn out all my waistcoats, and my business was now to try if I
could not make jackets out of the great watchcoats before men-
tioned, and with such other materials as I had ; so I set to work
a-tailoring, or rather indeed a-botching, for I made most pite-
ous work of it. However, I contrived to make two or three
waistcoats, which I hoped would serve me a great while ; as for
breeches or drawers, I made but a very sorry shift indeed, till
afterwards.
I have mentioned that I saved the skins of all the four-
footed creatures that I killed, and I had hung them up stretched
out with sticks in the sun, by which means some of them were
so dry and hard that they were fit for little; but others, it
seems, were very useful. The first thing I made of these was a
great cap for my head, with the hair on the outside to shoot off
the rain; and this I performed so well, that after this I made a
suit of clothes wholly of these skins; that is to say, a waistcoat, and
breeches open at the knees, and both loose; for they were rather
Wanted to keep me cool than to keep me warm. I must not omit
to acknowledge, that they were wretchedly made; for if I was a
had carpenter, I was a worse tailor: however, they were such as
made very good shift with; and when I was abroad, if it hap-
Pened to rain, the hair of the waistcoat and cap being outmost, I
was kept very dry.
After this I spent a deal of time and pains to make me an um-
brella, of which indeed I was in great want. I had seen them made
in the Brazils, where they are very useful in the great heats which
*there; and I felt the heats every jot as great here, and greater
too, being nearer the equinox; besides, as I was obliged to be much
*broad, it was a most useful thing to me, as well for the rains as the
hats. T took a world of pains at it, and was a great while before I
ºld make any thing likely to hold. After I thought I had hit
! * Way, I spoiled two or three before I succeeded to my mind ;
*** last I made one that answered indifferently well; I covered
* With skins, the hair upwards, so that it cast off the rain like a
Pºthouse, and kept off the sun so effectually, that I could walk
.." the hottest of the weather, with greater advantage than I
. before in the coolest; and when I had no need of it, I could
*.*, and carry it under my arm.
º lived very comfortably, my mind being composed by
l] . * to the will of Gop, and throwing myself wholly
º: the disposal of His providence. This made my life better
tion †† ; for when I began to regret the want of conversa-
mv. Wºuld ask myself, whether thus conversing mutually with
* *n thoughts, and, as I hope I may say, with even God Him-
82 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
self, by ejaculations, was not better than the utmost enjoyment of
human society in the world !
I cannot say that, after this, for five years any extraordinary
thing happened to me; but I lived on in the same course, in the
same manner and place just as before : the chief thing I was em-
ployed in, besides my yearly labour of planting my barley and
rice, and curing my raisins (of both which I always kept up
just enough to have sufficient stock for the year's provisions be-
forehand), and my daily labour of going out with my gun, was
that of making me a canoe, which at last I finished ; so that
by digging a canal to it, six feet wide, and four deep, I brought
it into the creek, almost half a mile. As for the first, that was so
vastly large, as I made it without considering beforehand, as I
ought to do, how I should be able to launch it ; so never being
able to bring it to the water, or bring the water to it, I was ob-
liged to let it lie where it was, as a memorandum to teach me to
be wiser next time. Indeed the next time, though I could not find
a tree proper for it, and was in a place where I could not get the
water to it, at any less distance than, as I have said, of near half
a mile, yet, as I saw it was practicable at last, I never gave it
over; and though I was near two years about it, yet I never
fºged my labour, in hopes of having a boat to go off to sea at
aSt.
However, though my little canoe was finished, yet the size of
it was not at all answerable to the design which I had in view when
I made the first ; I mean of venturing over to the terra firma,
which was above forty miles off; accordingly, the smallness of
my boat assisted to put an end to that design, and now I thought
no more of it. . But as I had a boat, my next design was to sail
round the island; for as I had been on the other side, in one place,
crossing, as I have already described it, over the land, so the dis-
coveries I made in that journey made me very eager to see other
parts of the coast.
For this purpose, and that I might do every thing with discre-
tion and consideration, I fitted up a little mast to my boat, and
made a sail to it out of some of the pieces of the ship's sails, which
lay in store, and of which I had a great quantity by me.
Having fitted my mast and sail, and tried the boat, I found
she would sail very well. Then I made little lockers and boxes
at each end of her, to put provisions, necessaries, and ammunition,
&c. into, to be kept dry, either from rain, or the spray of the sea;
and a little long }. place I cut in her inside, where I could
lay my gun, making a flap to hang down over it to keep it dry.
I fixed my umbrella also in a step at the stern, like a mast, to
stand over my head, and keep the heat of the sun off me, like an
awning; and thus I every now and then made a little excursion
upon the sea, but never went far out, nor far from the little creek;
but at last, being eager to view the circumference of my little
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 83
kingdom, I resolved upon my tour, and accordingly I victualled
my ship for the voyage; putting in two dozen of . loaves (cakes
I should rather call them) of barley-bread, an earthen pot full of
parched rice (a food I eat a great deal of), a little bottle of rum,
half a goat, and powder Af shot for killing more, and two of
the large watchcoats which I had saved out of the seamen’s
chests, – these I took, one to lie upon, and the other to cover
me in the night.
It was the sixth of November, in the sixth year of my reign,
or my captivity, which you please, that I set out on this voyage,
and I found it much longer than I expected ; for though the
island itself was not very large, yet when I came to the east side
of it, I found a great ledge of rocks lie out about two leagues into
the sea, some above water, some under it, and beyond this a shoal
of sand, lying dry, half a league more ; so that I was obliged to
go a great way out to sea to double that point.
When I first discovered them, I was ; to give over my
enterprise, and come back again, not knowing how far they might
oblige me to go out to sea, and above all, doubting how I should
get back again ; so I came to an anchor, for I had made me a
kind of an anchor with a piece of broken grappling which I got
out of the ship.
. Having secured my boat, I took my gun and went on shore,
climbing up a hill, which seemed to overlook that point, where I
saw the full extent of it, and resolved to venture.
In my viewing the sea from that hill where Istood, I perceived
a strong, and indeed a most furious current, which ran to the east,
and even came close to the point; and I took the more notice of
it, because I saw there might he some danger that, when I came
into it, I might be carried out to sea by the strength of it, and not
be able to make the island again. And, indeed, had I not got first
upon this hill, I believe it would have been so; for there was the
Sºme current on the other side of the island, only that it set it off
** a farther distance; and I saw there was a strong eddy under the
shore; so I had nothing to do but to get out of the first current,
*nd. I should presently be in an eddy.
| lay here, however, two days; because the wind blowing
Pretty fresh (E. at s. E. and that being just contrary to the said
$ºrrent) made a great breach of the sea upon the point; so that
!" was not safe for me to keep too close to the shore for the
*agh, nor to go too far off because of the stream.
, The third day, in the morning, the wind having abated over
*ght, the sea was calm, and I ventured; but I am a warning
*šºn to all rash and ignorant pilots; for no sooner was I come
? the point, when I was not my boat's length from the shore,
than I found myself in a great depth of water, and a current like
the sluice of a mill. It carried Iny boat along with it with
*uch violence, that all my efforts could not keep her so much as
84 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
on the edge of it; but I found it hurried me farther and farther
out from the eddy, which was on the left hand. There was no
wind stirring to help me, and all that I could do with my paddles
signified nothing: and now I began to give myself over for lost;
for, as the current was on both sides the island, I knew in a few
leagues distance they must join again, and then I was irrecover-
ably gone; nor did I see any possibility of avoiding it: so that I
had no prospect before me but of perishing, not by the sea, for
that was calm enough, but of starving for hunger. I had indeed
found a tortoise on the shore, as big almost as I could lift, and
had tossed it into the boat, and I had a great jar of fresh water,
that is to say, one of my earthen pots; but what was all this to
being driven into the vast ocean, where there was no shore, no
mainland, or island, for a thousand leagues at least 2
And now I saw how easy it was for the providence of GoD to
make the most miserable condition that mankind could be in
worse. Now I looked back upon my desolate solitary island as
the most pleasant place in the world, and all the happiness my
heart could wish for, was to be there again. I stretched out my
hands to it with eager wishes: “O happy desert,” said I, “I shall
never see thee more! O miserable creature l’” said I, “whither am I
going?” Then I reproached myself with my unthankful temper,
and how I had repined at my solitary condition; and now what
would I give to be on shore there again! Thus we never see the true
state of our condition till it is illustrated to us by its contraries;
nor know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it. . It
is scarce possible to imagine the consternation I was now in, being
driven from my beloved island (for so it appeared to me now to
be) into the wide ocean, almost two leagues, and in the utmost
despair of ever recovering it again. However, I worked hard, till
my strength was almost exhausted, and kept my boat as much to
the northward, that is, towards the side of the current which the
eddy lay on, as possibly I could ; when, about noon, as the Sun
passed the meridian, I thought I felt a little breeze of wind in my
face, springing up from the s.s.E. This cheered my heart a little,
and especially when, in about half an hour more, it blew a pretty
small gentle gale. By this time I had got to a frightful distance
from the island; and, had the least cloud or hazy weather inter-
vened, I had been undone another way; for I had no compass on
board, and should never have known how to have steered towards
the island, if I had but once lost sight of it; but the weather con;
tinuing clear, I applied myself to get up my mast again, an
spread my sail, standing away to the north as much as possible,
to get out of the current.
Just as I had set my mast and sail, and the boat began tº
stretch away, I saw, even by the clearness of the water, that some
alteration of the current was near ; for where the current was sº
strong, the water was foul; but perceiving the water clear, I fou'
CH. III. OF ROBIN SON CRUSO Es 85
the current abate ; and presently I found to the east, at about half
a mile, a breach of the sea upon some rocks; these rocks I found
caused the current to part again ; and as the main stress of it ran
away more southerly, leaving the rocks to the north-east, so the
other returned by the repulse of the rock, and made a strong
eddy, which ran back again to the north-west with a very sharp
Stream.
They who know what it is to have a reprieve brought to them
upon the ladder, or to be rescued from thieves just going to mur-
der them, or who have been in such-like extremities, may guess
what my present surprise of joy was, and how gladly I put my
boat into the stream of this eddy ; and the wind also freshening,
how gladly I spread my sail to it. -
This tide, or eddy, carried me about a league in my way back
again directly towards the island, but about two leagues more
towards the northward than the current lay, which carried me
away at first; so that when I came near the island, I found my-
self open to the northern shore of it, that is to say, the other end
of the island, opposite to that which I went out from.
When I had made something more than a league of way by
the help of this current, I found it was spent, and served me no
farther. However, I found, that being between the two great
currents (viz. that on the south side, which had hurried me away,
and that on the north, which lay about two leagues on the other
side), in the west of the island, I found the water at least still,
and running no way; and having still a breeze of wind fair for
me; I kept on steering directly for the island, though not making
such fresh way as I did before.
About four o'clock in the evening, being then within about a
league of the island, I found the point of the rocks which occa-
*ºned this distance, stretching out to the southward, and casting
of the current moré southerly, had, of course, made another eddy
tº the north; and this I found very strong, but not directly set-
"g the way my course lay, which was due west, but almost full
ºth. . However, having a fresh gale, I stretched across this
eddy, Slanting north-west, and in about an hour came within
Fº a mile of the shore : it being smooth water, I soon got to
th When I was on shore, I fell on my knees, and gave GoD
anks for my deliverance, resolving to lay aside all thoughts of
§ deliverance by my boat; and refreshing myself with such
*śs as I had, I brought my boat close to the shore, in a little
i.... that I had espied under some trees, and laid me down to
tººs quite spent with the labour and fatigue of the
* "º now at a great loss which way to get home with my
way I ! had run too much hazard to think of attempting it by the
7 * Went out; and what might be at the other side (I mean
I
86 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
the west side) I knew not, nor had I any mind to run any more
risks; so I only resolved in the morning to make my way west-
ward, along the shore, and to see if there was no creek where I
might lay up my frigate in safety, so as to have her again if I
wanted her. In about three miles, or thereabouts, coasting the
shore, I came to a very good inlet, or bay, about a mile over,
which narrowed till it came to a very little rivulet, or brook,
where I found a convenient harbour for my boat, and where she
lay as if she had been in a little dock made on purpose for her:
here I put in, and having stowed my boat very safe, I went on
shore to look about me, and see where I was.
I soon found I had but a little passed by the place where I had
been before, when I travelled on foot to that shore; so taking
nothing out of my boat but my gun and my umbrella (for it was
exceedingly hot), I began my march : the way was comfortable
enough after such a voyage as I had had, and I reached my old
bower in the evening, where I found everything standing as I left it.
I got over the fence, and laid me down in the shade to rest my
limbs, for I was very weary, and fell asleep: but judge you, if you
can, what a surprise I must have been in, when I was awoke out
of my sleep by a voice calling me by my name several times,
“Robin, Robin, Robin Crusoe, poor Robin Crusoe . Where are
you, Robin Crusoe’. Where are you? Where have you been 7°
I was so dead asleep at first, being fatigued with rowing, or
paddling, as it is called, the first part of the day, and walking the
latter part, that I did not awake thoroughly ; and dozing between
sleeping and waking, thought I dreamed that somebody spoke to
me; but as the voice continued to repeat “Robin Crusoe, Robin
Crusoe,” at last I began to awake more perfectly, and was at first
dreadfully frightened, and started up in the utmost consternation:
but no sooner were my eyes open, than I saw my Poll sitting on
the top of the hedge, and immediately knew that this was he that
spoke to me; for just in such bemoaning language I had used to
talk to him, and teach him; and he had learned it so perfectly,
that he would sit upon my finger, and lay his bill close to my
face, and cry, “Poor Robin Crusoe, Where are you? Where
have you been How came you here?”—and such things as I
had taught him.
I had now had enough of rambling to sea for some time, and
had enough to do for many days to sit still, and reflect upon the
danger I had been in. I was very well contented to be without
any boat, though it had been the product of so many months'
labour to make it, and of so many more to get it into the sea. . In
this frame of mind I remained near a year, lived a very sedate
retired life, as you may well suppose; and my thoughts being
very much composed, as to my condition, and fully comforted in
resigning myself to the dispensations of Providence, I thought
lived really very happily in all things except that of society.
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 87
I improved myself, in this time, in all the mechanic exercises
which my necessities put me upon applying myself to ; and I
believe could, upon occasion, have made a very good carpenter,
especially considering how few tools I had.
Besides this, I arrived at an unexpected perfection in my
earthenware, and contrived well enough to make them with a
wheel, which I found infinitely easier and better, because I made
things round and shapely, which before were ugly things indeed
to look upon. But I think I never was more proud of my own
performance, or more joyful for any thing I found out, than for
my being able to make a tobacco-pipe; and though it was a very
clumsy thing, and only burnt red like other earthenware, yet as
it was hard and firm, and would draw the smoke, I was exceed-
ingly comforted with it; for I had been always used to smoke,
º when I searched the ship, I could not come at any pipes
at all.
In my wicker-ware I also improved much, and made abund-
ance of baskets, as well as my inventions shewed me, which,
though not very handsome, yet were convenient for laying things
up, or fetching things home in. For example, if I killed a goat,
| could hang it up in a tree, flay it, dress it, cut it in pieces, and
bring it home in a basket: and the like, by a turtle; I could cut
it up, take out the eggs, and a piece or two of the flesh, which
Was enough for me, and bring them home in a basket, and leave
the rest behind me; also, large deep baskets were my receivers
for, my corn, which I always rubbed out as soon as it was dry,
and cured; and kept it in great baskets, instead of a granary.
. I began now to perceive my powder abated considerably; and
this was a want, which it was impossible for me to supply; on
which, I began seriously to consider what I must do when I
should have no more; that is to say, how I should do to kill
any goats.
But being now in the eleventh year of my residence, and, as I
have said, my ammunition growing low, I set myself to study
$9me art to trap and snare the goats, to see whether I could not
catch some of them alive.
To this purpose I made snares to hamper them; and believe
they were more than once taken in them ; but my tackle was
º, good, for I had no wire, and I always found them broken,
and my bait devoured.
... At length I resolved to try a pit-fall; so I dug several large
Pit, in the earth, in places where I had observed the goats used
* feed, and over these pits I placed hurdles of my own making,
with a great weight upon them ; and several times I put ears of
*ley and dry rice, without setting the trap; and I could easily
º: that the goats had gone in, and eaten up the corn, for I
i. See the mark of their feet; at length, I set three traps in one
'8", and going the next morning, I found them all standing,
88 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
and yet the bait eaten and gone. This was very discouraging:
however, I altered my traps; and going one morning to see them,
I found in one an old he-goat; and in another, three kids, a male
and two females. - -
As to the old one, I knew not what to do with him ; he was
so fierce I durst not go into the pit to him, to bring him away
alive, which was what I wanted: I could have killed him, but
that would not have answered my end; so I e'en let him out, and
he ran away as if he had been frightened out of his wits. But I
did not then know what I afterwards learned, that hunger would
tame a lion; if I had let him stay there three or four days with-
out food, and then have carried him some water to drink, and a
little corn, he would have been as tame as one of the kids; for
they are sagacious, tractable creatures, when they are well used.
However, for the present I let him go, knowing no better at
that time; then I went to the three kids; and taking them one
by one, I tied them with strings together; and with some diffi-
culty brought them all home.
It was a good while before they would feed; but throwing
them some sweet corn, it tempted them, and they began to be
tame; and now I found that if I expected to supply myself with
goat's-flesh, when I had no powder or shot left, breeding some
up tame was º only way, when perhaps I might have them
about my house like a flock of sheep.
But then it presently occurred to me, that I must keep the
tame from the wild, or else they would always run wild when
they grew up ; and the only way for this was to have some en-
closed piece of ground, well fenced either with hedge or pale, to
keep them in so effectually that those within might not break
out, or those without break in.
This was a great undertaking for one pair of hands; yet as I
saw there was an absolute necessity of doing it, my first endeavour
Was to find out a proper piece of ground; viz. where there was
likely to be herbage for them to eat, water for them to drink,
and cover to keep them from the sun.
...Those who understand such enclosures, will think I had very
little contrivance, when I shall tell them, that, having pitched
upon a place very proper for all these (namely, a plain open
Piece of meadow-land, which had two or three little rills of
fresh water in it), I began my enclosing this space of ground in
such a manner, that my hedge, or pale, must have been at least
two miles round; nor was the madness of it so great as to the
compass; for if it was ten miles about, I was like to have time
enough to do it in ; but I did not consider that my goats would
be as wild in so much compass, as if they had had the whole
island; and I should have so much room to chase them in, that
I should never catch them.
My hedge was begun, and carried on, I believe, about fifty
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 89
yards, when this thought occurred to me; so I presently stopped
short, and for the first beginning, I resolved to enclose a piece of
about 150 yards in length, and 100 yards in breadth, which, as
it would maintain as many as I should have in any reasonable
time, so, as my flock increased, I could add more ground to my
enclosure.
This was acting with some prudence, and I went to work with
courage. I was about three months hedging in the first piece;
and, till I had done it, I tethered the three kids in the best part
of it, and accustomed them to feed as near me as possible, to make
them familiar; and very often I would go and carry them some
ears of barley, or a handful of rice, and feed them out of my
hand; so that after my enclosure was finished, and I let them
loose, they would follow me up and down, bleating after me, for
a handful of corn.
This answered my end, and in about a year and a half I had
a flock of about twelve goats, kids and all; and in two years
more, I had three-and-forty, besides several that I took and
killed for my food; and after that I enclosed five several pieces
of ground to feed them in, with little pens to drive them into,
to take them as I wanted them; and gates out of one piece of
ground into another.
ut this was not all ; for now I not only had goat's-flesh to
fed on when I pleased, but milk too, a thing which indeed, in
the beginning of my exile, I did not so much as think of, and
which, when it came into my thoughts, was really an agreeable
surprise; for now I set up my dairy, and had sometimes a gallon
* two of milk in a day. And as nature, who gives supplies of
food to every creature, dictates even naturally how to make use
9ſit, so I, that had never milked a cow, much less a goat, or seen
utter or cheese made, very readily and handily, though after a
**t many essays and miscarriages, made me both butter and
cheese at last, and never wanted them afterwards.
How mercifully can our great Creator treat His creatures,
*** in those conditions in which they seemed to be overwhelmed
**estruction . How can He sweeten the bitterest providences,
§ #ºve, us cause to praise Him for dungeons and prisons !
hat a table was here spread for me in a wilderness, where I
*"ºnothing at first, but to perish for hunger!
liº have made a Stoic smile, to have seen me and my
º amily sit down to dinner: there was my majesty, the prince
at º of the whole island; I had the lives of all my subjects
it ºute command; I could hang, draw, give liberty, and take
*...*Y; and no rebels among all my subjects
hen to see how like a king I dined too, all alone, attended
º Iny Servants 1 Poll, as if he had been my favourite, was the
... Pºon permitted to talk to me; my dog, who was now
*wn old and crazy, sat always at my right hand; and two cats,
I 2
90 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
one on one side the table, and one on the other, expecting now
and then a bit from my hand, as a mark of special favour.
I was rather impatient, as I have observed, to have the use
of my boat, though very loath to run any more hazard; and there-
fore, sometimes I sat contriving ways to get her about the island,
and at other times I sat myself down contented enough without
her. But I had a strange uneasiness in my mind to go down to
the point of the island, where, as I have said in my last ramble,
I went up the hill to see how the shore lay, and how the current
set, that I might see what I had to do: this inclination increased
upon me every day; and at length I resolved to travel thither by
land, and following the edge of the shore, I did so. But had any
one in England been to meet such a man as I was, it must either
have frightened him, or raised a great deal of laughter; and as
I frequently stood still to look at myself, I could not but smile at
the notion of my travelling through Yorkshire with such an equip-
age, and in such a dress. Be pleased to take a sketch of my
figure, as follows:
I had a great high shapeless cap, made of goat's-skin, with a
flap hanging down behind, as well to keep the sun from me as
to shoot the rain off from running into my neck; nothing being
so hurtful in these climates as the rain upon the flesh under the
clothes.
I had a short jacket of goat's-skin, the skirts coming down
to about the middle of my thighs, and a pair of open-kneed
breeches of the same : the breeches were made of the skin of an
old he-goat, whose hair hung down such a length on either side,
that, like pantaloons, it reached to the middle of my legs.
Stockings and shoes I had none; but I made me a pair ...} SOIIlé-
thing, I scarce know what to call them, like buskins, to flap
over my legs, and lace on either side like spatterdashes, but
. * barbarous shape, as indeed were all the rest of my
ClOthes.
I had on a broad belt of goat's-skin dried, which I drew to-
gether with two thongs of the same, instead of buckles; and in a
kind of loop on either side of this, instead of a sword and dagger,
hung a little saw and hatchet, one on one side, one on the
, other. I had another belt, not so broad, and fastened in the
same manner, which hung over my shoulder; and at the end of
it, under my left arm, hung two pouches, both made of goat's-
skin too, in one of which hung my powder, in the other my
shot; at my back I carried my basket, on my shoulder my guil,
and over my head a great clumsy ugly goat's-skin umbrella, but
which, after all, was the most necessary thing I had about me,
next to my gun : as for my face, the colour of it was really not
so Mulatto-like as one might expect from a man not at all care-
ful of it, and living within nine or ten degrees of the equinox.
My beard I had once suffered to grow till it was about a quarter
) ,
p.
() N CR USO E
S
I O | 3 | N

CH, III. of Robinson crusoe. 91.
of a yard long; but as I had both scissors and razors sufficient,
I had cut it pretty short, except what grew on my upper lip,
which I had trimmed into a large pair of Mahometan whiskers,
such as I had seen worn by some Turks whom I saw at Sallee;
for the Moors did not wear such, though the Turks did. Of
these mustachios or whiskers, I will not say they were long
enough to hang my hat upon them, but they were of length
and shape monstrous enough, and such as in England would
have passed for frightful.
In this kind of figure I went my new journey, and was out
five or six days. I travelled first along the sea-shore, directly to
the place where I first brought my boat to an anchor to get up
upon the rocks; and, having no boat now to take care of, I went
over the land a nearer way to the same height that I was upon
before; when looking forward to the point of the rock which
lay out, and which I was obliged to double with my boat, as I
said above, I was surprised to see the sea all smooth and quiet;
. rippling, no motion, no current, any more there than in other
places.
. I was at a loss to understand this, and resolved to spend some
time in the observing of it, to see if nothing from the sets of the
tide had occasioned it; but I was presently convinced how it
Was, viz. that the tide of ebb setting from the west, and joining
with the current of waters from some great river on the shore,
must be the occasion of this current; and that, according as the
Wind blew more forcibly from the west or from the north, this
Current came nearer or went farther from the shore; for, waiting
thereabouts till evening, I went up to the rock again, and then
the tide of ebb being made, I plainly saw the current again as
before, only that it ran farther off, being near half a league from
the shore; whereas in my case it set close upon the shore, and
urried me and my canoe along with it, which at another time it
Would not have done. --
This observation convinced me that I had nothing to do but
tº observe the ebbing and the flowing of the tide, and I might
Nºry easily bring my boat about the island again: but when I
“gan to think of putting it in practice, I had such a terror at
the remembrance of the danger I had been in, that I could not
think of it again with any patience; but, on the contrary, I took
anºther resolution, which was more safe, though more laborious;
"d this was, that I would make another canoe, and so have
one for one side of the island, and one for the other.
had now two plantations in the island : one my little forti-
°ºtiºn, or tent, with the wall about it under the rock, with the
Cave behind me, which by this time I had enlarged into several
partments or caves, one within another. One of these, which
was the driest and largest, and had a door out beyond my wall
Or fortification, that is to say, beyond where my wall joined to
92 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
the rock, was all filled up with large earthen pots, of which I
have given an account, and with fourteen or fifteen great baskets,
which would hold five or six bushels each, where I laid up my
stores of provision, especially my corn, some in the ear, cut
off short from the straw, and the other rubbed out with my
hands.
As for my wall, made with long stakes or piles, those piles
grew all like trees, and were by this time grown so big, and
spread so very much, that there was not the least appearance,
to any one’s view, of any habitation behind them.
Near this dwelling of mine, but a little farther within the
land, and upon lower ground, lay my two pieces of corn-ground,
which I kept duly cultivated and sowed, and which duly yielded
me their harvest in its season ; and whenever I had occasion for
more corn, I had more land adjoining as fit as that.
Besides this, I had my country-seat, and I had now a toler-
able plantation there also ; for, first, I had my little bower,
which I kept in repair; i.e. I kept the hedge which circled it
in constantly fitted up to its usual height, the ladder standing
always in the inside : I kept the trees (which at first were no
more than stakes, but were now grown very firm and tall)
always so cut, that they might spread and grow thick and wild,
and make the more agreeable shade, which they did effectually.
In the middle of this I had my tent always standing, being a
piece of a sail spread over poles set up for that purpose, and
which never wanted any repair or renewing; and under this
had made me a couch with the skins of the creatures I had
killed, and with other soft things, and a blanket laid on them;
such as belonged to our sea-bedding, which I had saved, and
a great watchcoat to cover me; and here, whenever I had
occasion to be absent from my chief seat, I took up my country
habitation. &
Adjoining to this I had my enclosures for my cattle; that is
to say, my goats: and as I had taken immense pains to fence
and enclose this ground, I was so anxious to see it kept entiº
lest the goats should break through, that I never left off till, with
infinite labour, I had stuck the outside of the hedge so full ºf
small stakes, and so near to one another, that it was rather a paº
than a hedge, and there was scarcely room to put a hand thrög"
between them, which afterwards, when those stakes grew, as they
all did i. the next rainy season, made the enclosure stronger than .
8.Il W Wali,
'T. will shew that I was not idle, and that I spared no paiº
to bring to pass whatever appeared necessary for my comfortable
support; for I considered that keeping up a breed of tame Cº.
tures thus at my hand, would be a living magazine of flesh, milk,
butter, and cheese for me as long as I lived in the place; *
that keeping them in my reach depended entirely upon my P*

CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 93
fecting my enclosures to such a degree that I might be sure of
holding them together. -
In this place also I had my grapes growing, which I princi-
pally depended on for my winter store of raisins, and which I
never failed to preserve very carefully, as the best and most
agreeable dainty of my whole diet; and, indeed, they were not
only agreeable, but medicinal, wholesome, and nourishing to the
last degree.
As this was also about half way between my other habitation
and the place where I had laid up my boat, I generally stayed and
slept here in my way thither; for I used frequently to visit my
boat, and kept all things about or belonging to her in very good
order: sometimes I went out in her to divert myself, but no more
hazardous voyages would I go, nor searcely ever above a stone’s
cast or two from the shore, I was so apprehensive of being hur-
ried out of my knowledge again by the currents or winds, or any
other accident. But now I come to a new scene of my life.

<&
N
S-
º - Nº. WN
As ë z: §
T happened one day, about noon,
going towards my boat, I was
exceedingly surprised to see the print
of a man’s naked foot on the shore ! ||
º- 3.1%, I stood like one thunderstruck, or as
* if I had seen an apparition. I lis-
1S tened, I looked round me, I could hear nothing,
º
N
Ǻ § nor see any thing: I went up to a rising ground ſt
ſº l to look farther. I went up the shore, and down |
l *\ the shore, but it was all one, I could see no ||
| * |} other impression but that one. I went to it
| Nº" again, to see if there were any more, and to |
{ observe if it might not be my fancy; but there
| l a) was no room for that, for there was exactly
/ wº the very print of a foot, — toes, heel, and k
( Mºmº’ every part of a foot : how it came thither
| CŞſ knew not, nor could in the least imagine. But
# / ſ after innumerable fluttering thoughts, like a man
W H perfectly confused and out of myself, I came home
to my fortification, looking behind me at every two
or three steps, mistaking every bush and tree, and Y
fancying every stump at a distance to be a man;
nor is it possible to describe how many wild ideas
were formed every moment in my fancy, and what
strange unaccountable whimsies came into my thou hts.
When I came to my castle, for so I think I called it
ever after this, I fled into it like one pursued; wheth".
§ I went over by the ladder, as first contrived, or went
in at the hole in the rock, which I called a door, I gº.
not remember; no, nor could I remember the next mornimäh
for never frightened hare fled to cover, or fox to earth, wº
more terror than I to this retreat.
















CH. IV. ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 95
I had no sleep that night: the farther I was from the occa-
sion of my fright, the greater my apprehensions were ; which is
something contrary to the nature of such things, and especially to
the usual practice of all creatures in fear. But I was so embar-
rassed with my own frightful ideas of the thing, that I formed
nothing but dismal imaginations to myself, even though I was
now a great way off it. Sometimes I fancied it must be the
devil; and reason joined in with me upon this supposition.
For how should any other thing in human shape come into the
place Where was the vessel that brought them 2 What marks
were there of any other footsteps ? And how was it possible a
man should come there ? But, then, to think that Satan should
take human shape upon him in such a place, where there could
be no manner of occasion for it, but to leave the print of his foot
behind him, and that even for no purpose too (for he could not
be sure I should see it), this was an amazement the other way.
I considered that the devil might have found out abundance of
other ways to have terrified me than this of the single print of a
foot. That as I lived quite on the other side of the island, he
would never have been so simple to leave a mark in a place
where it was ten thousand to one whether I should ever see it
or not; and in the sand too, which the first surge of the sea upon
a high wind would have defaced entirely. All this seemed in-
consistent with the thing itself, and with all notions we usually
entertain of the subtlety of the devil.
Abundance of such things as these assisted to argue me out of
all apprehensions of its being the devil. And I presently con-
°luded that it must be some more dangerous creature, viz. that
it must be some of the savages of the mainland over against me,
Who, had wandered out to sea in their canoes, and either driven
by the currents, or by contrary winds, had made the island; and
*", been on shore, but were gone away again to sea, being as
loath, perhaps, to have stayed in this desolate island as I should
lave been to have had them.
While these reflections were passing in my mind, I was very
thankful that I was so happy as not to be thereabouts at that
**, and that they did not see my boat, by which they would
*** concluded that some inhabitants had been in the place, and
Perhaps have searched farther for me. Then terrible thoughts
º my imagination about their having found . boat, and
i. . were people here; and that if so, I should certainly
i F. en, come again in greater numbers and devour me; that
i. should happen that they should not find me, yet they would
ºver my enclosure, destroy all my corn, carry away all my
ock of tame goats, and I should perish at last for mere want.
boº be remembered, that the frequent ſº. of Satan in a
+ *P*, on the earth was a leading article of the popular creed at the
time when the above was ..". pop
96 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES
Thus my fear banished all my religious hope : all that former
confidence in GoD, which was founded upon such wonderful ex-
perience as I had had of His goodness, now vanished, as if He
that had fed me hitherto could not preserve by His power the
provision which He had made for me by His goodness. I re-
proached myself with my easiness, that would not sow any more
corn one year than would just serve me till the next season, as if
no accident could intervene to prevent my enjoying the crop that
was upon the ground. And this I thought so just a reproof, that
I resolved for the future to have two or three years' corn before-
hand, so that whatever might come, I might not perish for want
of bread.
How strange a chequer-work of Providence is the life of
man And by what secret differing springs are the affections
hurried about as differing circumstances present ' To-day we
love what to-morrow we hate ; to-day we seek what to-morrow
we shun ; to-day we desire what to-morrow we fear, may even
tremble at the apprehensions of. This was exemplified in me at
this time in the most lively manner imaginable; for I, whose
only affliction was, that I seemed banished from human society;
that to have seen one of my own species would have seemed to
me a raising me from death to life, and the greatest blessing that
Heaven itself, next to the supreme blessing of salvation, could
bestow; I say, that I should now tremble at the very apprehen-
sions of seeing a man, and was ready to sink into the ground at
but the shadow or silent appearance of a man's having set his foot
on the island 1
I then reflected that GoD, Who was not only righteous but
omnipotent, as He had thought fit thus to punish and afflict mº,
so He was able to deliver me; that if He did not think fit to dº
it, it was my unquestioned duty to resign myself absolutely and
entirely to His will. And, on the other hand, it was my duty
also to hope in Him, pray to Him, and quietly to attend the die-
tates and directions of His daily providence.
These thoughts occupied me many hours, days, nay, I may
say weeks and months; and one particular effect of my cogitº
tions on this occasion I cannot omit, namely, one morning early,
lying in my bed, and filled with thoughts about my danger from
the appearance of savages, I found it discomposed me very muº
upon which those words of the Scripture came into my though".
“Call upon Me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver theº
and thou shalt glorify Me.”
Upon this, rising, cheerfully out of my bed, my heart wº
not only comforted, but I was guided and encouraged to pray
earnestly to GoD for deliverance. When I had done praying,
took up my Bible, and opening it to read, the first words that
presented to me were, “Wait on the Lord, and be of gº
cheer, and He shall strengthen thy heart: wait, I say, on *
CH, IV, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 97
LoRD.” It is impossible to express the comfort this gave me;
and in return, I thankfully laid down the book, and was no more
sad ; at least, not on that occasion.
In the midst of these cogitations and apprehensions, it came
into my thoughts one day, that all this might be a chimera of
my own ; that this print might be the print of my own foot,
when I came on shore from my boat. This cheered me up a
little, but I could not persuade myself fully of it, until I should
go down to the shore, and see the print again, and measure it by
my own, and see if there was any similitude or fitness, that I
might be assured it was my own foot. But when I came to the
place; first, it appeared evident to me, that when I laid up my
boat, I could not possibly be on shore any where thereabouts;
secondly, when I came to measure the mark with my own foot,
I found my foot not so large by a great deal. Both these things
filled my head with new imaginations, and terrified me again to
the highest degree; so that I shook with cold, like one in an
ague, and I went home again, filled with the belief that some
ºnan or men had been on shore there; or, in short, that the
island was inhabited, and I might be surprised before I was
aware ; and what course to take for my security, I knew not.
Qh, what ridiculous resolutions men take, when possessed with
fºr! It deprives them of the use of those means which reason
ºffers for their relief. The first thing I proposed to myself was,
to throw down my enclosures, and turn all my tame cattle wild
"to the woods, that the enemy might not find them, and then
frequent the island in prospect of the same, or the like booty;
then to dig up my two corn-fields, that they might not find a
Érain, there, and be prompted to frequent the island; then to
demolish my bower and tent, that they might not see any vestiges
%f my habitation, and be prompted to look further, in order to
find out the persons inhabiting.
These were the subjects of the first night's cogitation, after
had come home again, while the apprehensions which had so
*-Tun my mind were fresh upon me. Thus fear of danger
* ten thousand times more terrifying than danger itself when
*ent to the eyes; and we find the burden of anxiety greater
º much than the evil which we are anxious about. But, what
. than all this, I had not that relief in this trouble, from
th jº I used to practise, that I hoped to have...I looked,
.."; it, like Saul, who complained not only that the Philistines
In OW tº: him, but that God had forsaken him ; for I did not
istres e due ways to compose my mind, by crying to GoD in my
or S., and resting upon His providence, as I had done before,
#. defence and deliverance.
in the **onfusion of my thoughts kept me waking all night; but
Sleepi *ning I fell asleep, through sheer exhaustion; and after
Ping very Soundly, I awoke much better composed than I had
K
98 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
ever been before. And now I began to think sedately; and,
upon debate with myself, I concluded, that this island, which
was so exceeding pleasant, fruitful, and no farther from the
mainland than as I had seen, was not so entirely abandoned as
I might imagine; that although there were no inhabitants who
lived on the spot, yet that there might sometimes come boats
off from the shore, who either with design, or when they were
driven by cross winds, might come to this place.
That I had lived here fifteen years now, and had not met with
the least shadow or figure of any people before ; and that, if at
any time they should be driven here, it was probable they went
away again as soon as they could, seeing they had never thought
fit to fix there, upon any occasion, to this time.
That the most I could suggest any danger from was, from
any such casual accidental landing of straggling people from the
main; and that therefore I had nothing to do but to consider
of some safe retreat, in case I should see any savages land upon
the spot.
Now I began sorely to repent that I had dug my cave so large
as to carry a door through again, which door, as I said, came
out beyond where my fortification joined to the rock. Upon
maturely considering this, therefore, I resolved to draw a second
fortification, in the manner of a semicircle, at a distance from
my wall, just where I had planted a double row of trees about
twelve years before; these trees having been planted so thick
before, there needed but a few piles to be driven between them,
that they should be thicker and stronger, and my wall would be
soon finished.
So that I had now a double wall, and my outer wall, wº
thickened with pieces of timber, old cables, and every thing I
could think of to make it strong; having in it seven little holes
about as big as I might put my arm out at. In the inside of this
I thickened my wall to about ten feet thick, continually bringin;
earth out of my cave, and laying it at the foot of the wall, and
walking upon it; and through the seven holes I contrived to
plant the muskets (of which I mentioned that I got seven 9"
shore out of the ship); and fitted them into frames that held thº'
like a carriage, that so I could fire all the seven guns in."
minutes time. This wall I was many a weary month in finishing
and yet I never thought myself safe till it was done. *
hen this was accomplished, I stuck all the ground without
my wall, for a great length every way, as full with stakes or stºº
of the osier-like wood, which I found so apt to grow, as they
could well stand; insomuch that I believe i might set in nº.
twenty thousand of them, leaving a pretty large space betwº.
them and my wall, that I might have room to see an enemy, anſ
they might have no shelter from the young trees, if they at
tempted to approach my outer wall.
CH. IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 99
Thus in two-years time I had a thick grove; and in five or
six-years time I had a wood before my dwelling, grown so thick
and strong, that it was, indeed, perfectly impassable; and no
man, of what kind soever, would ever imagine that there was
any thing beyond it, much less a habitation. As for the way
I proposed myself to go in and out (for I left no avenue), it was
by setting two ladders; one to a part of the rock which was
low, and then broke in, and left room to place another ladder
upon that ; so when the two ladders were taken down, no man
living could come down to me without injuring himself; and if
º had come down, they were still on the outside of my outer
Wall.
Thus I took all the measures human prudence could suggest
for my own preservation; and it will be seen at length, that they
were not altogether without just reason.
While this was doing, I was not altogether careless of my
other affairs; for I was greatly concerned for my little herd of
goats; they were not only a present supply to me upon every
occasion, and began to be sufficient for me, without the expense
of powder and shot, but also lessened the fatigue of my hunting
ºſter the wild ones; and I was loath to lose the advantage of
them, and to have them all to nurse up over again.
To this purpose, after long consideration, I could think but
of two ways to preserve them ; one was, to find another conve-
nient place to dig a cave under ground, and to drive them into it
*Yºry night ; and the other was, to enclose two or three little bits
“land, remote from one another, and as much concealed as I
could, where I might keep about half a dozen young goats in
*h place; so that if any disaster happened to the flock in
§ºal, I might be able to raise them again with little trouble
and time. And this, though it would require a great deal of time
and labour, I thought was the more rational design.
Accordingly, I spent some time to find out the most retired
Fºº ºf the island; and I pitched upon one which was as private
indeed as my heart could wish ; for it was a little damp piece of
º in the middle of the hollow and thick woods, where, as is
. I almost lost myself once before, endeavouring to come
& j that way from the eastern part of the island. Here I found
º piece of land, near three acres, so surrounded with woods
Wa t Yas almost an enclosure by nature; at least it did not
.**, so much labour to make it so, as the other pieces of
* I had worked so hard at.
es.'...ely went to work with this spot of ground, and in
Or i." *, month’s time I had so fenced it round, that my flock
which were not so wild now as at first they might be sup-
him...] • Were well enough secured in it. So without any
Place : º I removed ten she-goats and two he-goats to this
** when there, I continued to perfect the fence, till I had
100 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES
made it as secure as the other, which, however, as I did it at
more leisure, took me up more time by a great deal.
After I had thus secured one part of my little living stock, I
went about the whole island, searching for another private place to
make such another deposit; when, wandering more to the west
Fº than I had ever done yet, and looking out to sea, I thought
saw a boat at a great distance. It was so remote, that I could
not tell what to make of it, though I looked at it till my eyes
were not able to look any longer; but as I descended from the
hill, I could see no more of it, so I gave it over; only I resolved
to go no more without a perspective glass in my pocket.
When I was come down the hill, to the end of the island,
where, indeed, I had never been before, I was presently convinced
that the seeing the print of a man's foot was not such a strange
thing in the island as I imagined. I was perfectly confounded
and amazed, nor is it possible for me to express the horror of my
mind at seeing the shore spread with skulls, hands, feet, and
other bones of human bodies; and particularly I observed a place
where there had been a fire made, and a circle dug in the earth,
where it is to be supposed some savage wretches had sat down to
their inhuman feastings upon the bodies of their fellow-creatures.
I was so astonished with the sight of these things, that I enter-
tained no notions of any danger to myself from it for a long
while; all my apprehensions were buried in the thoughts of such
a pitch of inhuman brutality, which, though I had often heard
of, yet I never had so near a view of before. In short, I turned
away my face from the horrid spectacle, my stomach grew sick,
and I could not bear to stay in the place a moment; so I got
up the hill again with all the speed I could, and walked on tor
wards my own habitation.
When I came a little out of that part of the island, I stood
still awhile as amazed ; and then, recovering myself, I looked up
with the utmost affection of my soul, and, with a flood of tears in
my eyes, gave God thanks that He had cast my first lot in a part
of the world where I was separated from such dreadful creatures
as these; and that though I had esteemed my present conditiº
very miserable, had yet given me so many comforts in it, th”
I had still more to give thanks for than to complain of; and this
above all, that I had, even in this miserable condition, been Com"
forted with the knowledge of Himself, and the hope of His bless-
ing, which was a felicity more than equivalent to all the misery
which I had suffered or could suffer.
In this frame of thankfulness I went home to my castle, and
began to be much easier now as to the safety of my circumstances
than ever I was before; for I observed that these wretches new"
came to this island in search of what they could get; perh"P.
not seeking, not wanting, or not expecting any thing here; *
having often, no doubt, been up in the covered woody part of it,
CH. IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 101
without finding any thing to their purpose. I knew I had been
here now almost eighteen years, and never saw the least footsteps
of a human creature there before ; and might be here eighteen
more as entirely concealed as I was now, if I did not discover
myself to them, which I had no manner of occasion to do, it being
my only business to keep myself entirely concealed where I was,
unless I found a better sort of creatures than cannibals to make
myself known to.
Yet I entertained such an abhorrence of the savage wretches
I have been speaking of, and of the inhuman custom of their
devouring one another, that I continued pensive and sad, and
kept close within my own circle for almost two years after this,
by which I mean my three plantations, viz. my castle, my bower,
and my enclosure in the woods; nor did I look after this for any
other use than as an enclosure for my goats; for the aversion
which nature gave me to these hellish wretches was such that
! was as fearful of seeing them as of seeing the devil himself.
Nor did I so much as go to look after my boat in all this time,
but began rather to think of making another, for I could not
think of ever making any more attempts to bring the other boat
round the island, lest I should meet with some of those creatures
ºt, Sea, for if I had happened to have fallen into their hands,
I knew what would have been my lot.
Time, however, and the satisfaction I had that I was in no
danger of being discovered by these people, began to wear off my
uneasiness about them, and I began to live in the same composed
*anner as formerly; only with this difference, that I used more
*tion, and kept my eyes more about me, than I did before,
lest ! should happen to be seen. And, particularly, I was more
$ºtious of firing my gun, lest any one being on the island should
*Pºen to hear it; and it was therefore a very good providence to
!",that I had furnished myself with a tame breed of goats, that I
ad, no need to hunt any more about the woods or shoot at them.
And if I did catch any more of them after this, it was with traps and
*ēs; so that for two years after this I believe I never fired my
*" once off, though I never went out without it; and, what was
.*, as I had saved three pistols out of the ship, I always carried
§ **t with me, or at least two of them, sticking them in my goat-
*in belt. I likewise furbished up one of the great cutlasses that I
ad out of the ship, and made a belt to put it in also. So that
i tº. º, a most formidable fellow to look at when I went abroad,
º ºdd to the former description of myself the particular of
†. and a great broad-sword hanging at my side.
exce . #. on thus, as I have said, for some time, I seemed,
Wa ºf these cautions, to be reduced to my former calm, sedate
m. ...g., All thºse things tended to shew ºne more and
9W far my condition was from being miserable, compared
*y others, which it might have pleased GoD to have made
K 2
102 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
my lot. It put me upon reflecting how little repining there
would be among mankind, at any condition of life, if people would
rather compare their condition with those that are worse, in order
to be thankful, than be always comparing it with those which
are better, to assist their murmurings and complainings.
And now, night and day, I could think of nothing but how I
might destroy some of these monsters in their cruel bloody en-
tertainment, and, if possible, save the victim they should bring
hither to devour. It would take up a volume to set down all the
contrivances I hatched, or rather brooded upon in my thoughts,
for the destroying these creatures, or at least frightening them,
so as to prevent their coming hither any more. But all was in
vain. Nothing could possibly take effect unless I was to be there
to do it myself; and what could one man do when perhaps there
might be twenty or thirty together, with their bows and arrows,
with which they could shoot as true to a mark as I could with
my gun ?
I employed myself several days to find out proper places to
put myself in ambuscade to watch for the savages. At length. I
found a place in the side of the hill where I was satisfied I might
securely wait till I saw any of the boats coming, and might then,
even before they would be ready to come on shore, convey myself
unseen into thickets of trees, in one of which there was a hollow
large enough to conceal me entirely. Here I might sit and
observe all their bloody doings, and take my full aim at their
heads when they were so close together as that it would be next
to impossible that I could fail of wounding three or four of them
at the first shot.
This place, then, I fixed upon for my design; and accordingly
I prepared two muskets and my ordinary fowling-piece. The
two muskets I loaded with a brace of slugs each, and four or five
smaller bullets, about the size of pistol bullets, and the fowling.
piece I loaded with near a handful of swan-shot of the larges;
size. I also loaded my pistols with about four bullets each ; an
in this posture, well provided with ammunition for a second an
third charge, I prepared myself for my expedition. &
After I had thus laid the scheme for my design, and in my
imagination put it in practice, I continually made my tour evº
morning up to the top of the hill, which was from my castle. *
I called it, about three miles or more, to see if I could obser"?
any boats upon the sea coming near the island, or standing 9”
towards it.
As long as I kept up my daily tour to the hill to look out .
long also I kept up the vigour of my design, and my spirits
seemed to be all the while in a suitable frame for such an e^*.
cution as the killing twenty or thirty naked savages, for an offence
which I had not at all entered into a discussion of in my though":
any further than that my passions were at first fired by the hoº"
CH, IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 103
I conceived at the unnatural custom of the people of that country,
who, it seems, had been suffered by GoD, in His wise disposition
of the world, to have no other guide than that of their own debased
passions. But now I began to be weary of the excursion which I
had made so long and so far every morning in vain, and so like-
wise my opinion of the action itself began to alter, and I began, with
cooler and calmer thoughts, to consider what it was I was going to
engage in ; what authority or call I had to be judge and execu-
tioner upon these men, whom Heaven had thought fit for so many
ages to suffer unpunished; also, how far these people were offenders
against me, and what right I had to engage in the quarrel of that
blood which they shed promiscuously one upon another. I de-
pated with myself thus: How do I know what God Himself
judges in this particular case ? It is certain these people do not
cominit this as a crime; it is not against their own consciences
reproving or reproaching them. They do not know it to be an
ºffence, and then commit it in defiance of divine justice, as we do
in almost all the sins we commit.
When I had considered this a little, it followed that these
People were not murderers in the sense that I had before con-
demned them in my thoughts, any more than those Christians
**rē murderers who often put to death the prisoners taken in
lattle, or more frequently, upon many occasions, put whole troops
ºf men, to the sword without giving quarter, though they threw
down their arms and submitted.
In the next place, it occurred to me, that albeit the usage they
§ºe, one another was thus brutish and inhuman, yet it was really
nothing to me: these people had done me no injury; that if they
**sailed me, or I saw it necessary for my immediate preservation
to fall upon them, something might be said for it; but that I was
}* ºut of their power, and they had no knowlege of, and con-
...!"ently no design upon me; and therefore it could not be just
* ºne to fall upon them.
** considerations made me pause, and I began by little
and little to be off my scheme, and to conclude I had taken a
. measure in my resolution to attack, the savages; that it
. .."; business to meddle with them unless they first attacked
ifi * this it was my business, if possible, to prevent; but that,
Ö. discovered and attacked, then I knew my duty.
wa." the other hand, I argued with myselfthat this really was the
êS ; i not to deliver, but rather to ruin and destroy myself; for un-
that i. * ºre to kill every one that not only should be on shore at
*::::::: that should ever come on shore afterwards, if but
COIne . to tell his countrymen what had happened, they would
i.". ºn by thousands to revenge the death of their fel-
; and I should only bring upon myself a certain destruction.
1 Th
exem.*.*ºtors of the wholesale carnage above alluded to cannot, we think, be
Pted from the guilt of murder.—Ed.
104 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES
Upon the whole, I concluded, that neither in principle nor in
policy, ought I one way or other to concern myself in this affair:
that my business was, by all possible means, to conceal myself
from them, and not to leave the least signal whereby to guess
that there were any human beings upon the island.
In this disposition I continued for near a year after this: and
so far was I from desiring an occasion for falling upon these
wretches, that in all that time I never once went up the hill to
see whether there were any of them in sight, or to know whether
any of them had been on shore there or not; that I might not be
tempted to renew any of my contrivances against them, or be pro-
voked, by any advantage that might present itself, to fall upon
them ; only this I did, I went and removed my boat, which I had
on the other side the island, and carried it down to the east end of
the whole island, where I ran it into a little cove which I found
under some high rocks, and where I knew, by reason of the cur-
rents, the savages would not come with their boats, upon any
account whatsoever. -
With my boat I carried away every thing that I had left there
belonging to her, though not necessary for the bare going thither;
namely, a mast and sail, which I had made for her, and a thing like
an anchor, but, indeed, which could not be called either anchor
or grappling: however, it was the best I could make of its kind.
All these I removed, that there might not be the least shadow of
any discovery, or any appearance of any boat, or of any habita-
tion upon the island.
Besides this, I kept myself, as I said, more retired than ever,
and seldom went from my cell, other than upon my constant emi-
ployment, namely, to milk my she-goats, and manage my little
flock in the wood, which, as it was on the other part of the island,
was quite out of danger: for certain it is, that these savage people,
who sometimes haunted this island, never came with any thought.
of finding any thing here, and consequently never wandered 0
from the coast; and I doubt not but they might have been sever
times on shore after my apprehensions of them had made nº
cautious, as well as before; and indeed I looked back with some
horror upon the thoughts of what my condition would have been,
if I had chanced upon them, and been discovered naked and uſ."
armed, except with one gun, and that loaded often only with
small, shot. I walked everywhere peeping and peering about
the island to see what I could get: what a surprise should I hº
been in, if, when I discovered the print of a man's foot, I ha
instead of that seen fifteen or twenty savages, and found them
pursuing me, without a possibility of my escaping them :
The thoughts of this sometimes sunk my very soul within me,
and distressed my mind so much that I could not soon recovº,
it; to think what I should have done, and how I not only shoul
not have been able to resist them, but even should not have h
CH. IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 105
º: of mind enough to do what I might have done; much
ess what now after so much consideration and preparation I
might be able to do. Indeed, after serious thinking of these
things, I would fall into a melancholy, and sometimes it
would last a great while ; but at last I resolved it all into
thankfulness to that Providence which had delivered me from so
many unseen dangers, and had kept me from those mischiefs
. I could no way have been the agent in delivering myself
I'OII. -
I believe the reader will not think if strange, if I confess that
the anxieties, the constant dangers I lived in, and the concern
that was now upon me, put an end to all invention, and to all
the contrivances that I had laid for my future accommodations
and conveniences. I had the care of my safety more now upon
my hands than that of my food. I cared not to drive a nail, or
chop a stick of wood now, for fear the noise I should make
should be heard; much less would I fire a gun, for the same
eason; and above all, I was intolerably uneasy at making any
fire, lest the smoke, which is visible at a great distance in the
day, should betray me: and for this reason I removed that part
of my business which required fire, such as burning of pots and
l"Pes, &c. into my new apartment in the woods; where, after I
had been some time, I found, to my unspeakable consolation, a
*tural cave in the earth, which went in a vast way; and where,
I dare Say, no savage, had he been at the mouth of it, would be
* hardy as to venture in ; nor indeed would any man else, but
one who, like me, wanted nothing so much as a safe retreat.
The mouth of this hollow was at the bottom of a great rock,
Where, by mere accident (I would say, if I did not see now an
*"undant reason to ascribe all such things to Providence), I was
*ing down some thick branches of trees to make charcoal; and
*re I go on, I must observe the reason of my making this char-
°oal, which was this:
I was afraid of making a smoke about my habitation, as I said
befºr°; and yet I could not live there without baking my bread,
cooking my meat, &c., so I contrived to burn some wood here,
* I had seen done in England, under turf, till it became chark,
. dry coal; and then putting the fire out, I preserved the coal
Ilê ...} home, and perform the other services which fire was
º for at home, without danger of smoke.
ere º this is by the by. While I was cutting down some wood
woo. perceived that behind a very thick branch of low brush-
tºº. ..º. there was a kind of hollow place. I was
of it, i º ºk into it, and getting with difficulty into the mouth
standu °ºnd it was pretty large, that is to say, sufficient for me to
fess, I pright in, and perhaps another with me; but I must con-
intº i. * more haste out than I did in; for, on looking farther
eplace (which was perfectly dark), I saw two broad shining
106 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
eyes of some creature, whether devil or man I knew not, which
twinkled like two stars, the dim light from the cave’s mouth
shining directly in and making the reflection.
However, after some pause, I recovered myself, and began to
call myself a thousand fools, and tell myself, that he that was
afraid to see the devil was not fit to live twenty years in an
island all alone, and that I might venture to believe there was
nothing in this cave that was more frightful than myself. Upon
this, plucking up my courage, I took up a great firebrand, and in I
rushed, with the stick flaming in my hand. I had not gone three
steps in, when I was almost as much frightened as before; for
I heard a very loud sigh, like that of a man in some pain; and
it was followed by a broken noise, as if of words half-expressed,
and then a deep sigh again. I stepped back, and was struck
with such a surprise that it put me into a cold sweat; but still,
plucking up my spirits as well as I could, and encouraging
myself a little by considering that the power and presence of
GoD was everywhere, and was able to protect me, I stepped
forward again, and by the light of the firebrand, holding it up a
little over my head, I saw, lying on the ground, an old he-goat,
just gasping for life, and dying indeed of mere old age.
I stirred him a little to see if I could get him out, and he
essayed to get up, but was not able to raise himself; and
thought with myself, he might even lie there; for if he had
frightened me so, he would certainly frighten any of the savages,
if any of them should be so hardy as to come in there while he
had any life in him.
I was now recovered from my surprise, and began to look
round me, when I found the cave was but very small; that is to
say, it might be about twelve feet over, but in no manner 0
shape, either round or square, no hands but those of nature ever
having been employed in making it. I observed also, that there
was a place at the farther side of it that went in farther, but was
so low that it required me to creep upon my hands and knees.”
go into it, and whither it went, I knew not; so having no candle,
I gave it over for that time, but resolved to come again the ne”
day, provided with candles and a tinder-box.
Accordingly, the next day, I came provided with six largº
candles of my own making (for I made very good candles nº
of goats’ tallow); and going into this low place, I was obliged tº
creep upon all fours, almost ten yards; which, by the way,
thought was a venture bold enough, considering that I knew nº
how far it might go, nor what was beyond it. When I was #9
through the strait, I found the roof rose higher up, I belie"
near twenty feet; but never was such a glorious sight seen in the
island, I dare say, as it was to look round the sides and roof 0
this vault or cave. The walls reflected an hundred thousa"
lights to me, from my two candles; what it was in the ro"
CH. IV, OF ROBIN SON CRUSOE, 107
whether diamonds, or any other precious stones, or gold, I knew
110t.
The place I was in was a most delightful cavity, or grotto, of
its kind, though perfectly dark ; the floor was dry and level, and
had a sort of small loose gravel upon it; so that there was no
nauseous or venomous creature to be seen ; neither was there any
damp or wet on the sides or roof. The only difficulty was the en-
trance, which, however, as it was a place of security, and such a
retreat as I wanted, I thought was an advantage; so that I was
really rejoiced at the discovery, and resolved, without any delay,
to bring some of those things which I was most anxious about, to
this place; particularly, I resolved to bring hither my magazine
of powder, and all my spare arms, viz. two fowling-pieces (for I
had three in all) and three muskets (for of them I had eight in
all). So I kept at my castle only five, which stood ready mounted,
like pieces of cannon, on my outmost fence, and were ready also
to take out on any expedition.
Upon this occasion of removing my ammunition, I took oc-
casion to open the barrel of powder which I took up out of the
Sea, and which had been wet ; and I found that the water had
Penetrated about three or four inches into the powder on every
iſle, which, caking and growing hard, had preserved the inside
like a kernél in a shell; so that I had near sixty pounds of very
£900 powder in the centre of the cask; and this was an agreeable
discovery to me at that time: so I carried all away thither, never
keeping above two or three pounds with me in my castle, for fear
tº ºrprise. I also carried thither all the lead I had left for
8tS.
fancied myself now like one of the ancient giants, which are
*id to live in caves and holes in the rocks, where none could
º at them; for I persuaded myself while I was here, if five
"dred savages were to hunt me, they could never find me out;
or if they did, they would not venture to attack me.
º was now in my twenty-third year of residence in this island,
i. so naturalised to the place, and to my manner of living;
COm “ould I have but enjoyed the certainty that no savages would
late. ; disturb me, I could have been content to have capitu-
Illent º spending the rest of my time there, even to the last mo-
cave." | I had laid me down and died, like the old goat in the
which ad also contrived some little diversions and amusements;
than º the time pass more pleasantly with me a great deal
fore º before; as, first, I had taught my Poll, as I noted
intº. speak; he did it so familiarly, and talked so articu-
ess tha at it was very pleasant to me; and he lived with me no
... ."...and-twenty years. My dog was a very pleasan;
my !.g cºmpanion to me for no less than sixteen years of
multi º and then died of mere old age. As for my cats, they
'Pºd to that degree, that I was obliged to shoot several of
108 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
them at first, to keep them from devouring me and all I had;
but at length, when the two old ones I brought with me were
gone, and after some time continually driving them from me,
and letting them have no provision with me, they all ran wild
into the woods, except two or three favourites, which I kept
tame, and whose young, when they had any, I always drowned.
And these were part of my family. Besides these, I always kept
two or three household kids about me, which I taught to feed
out of my hand; and I had also more parrots which talked
pretty well, and would all call “Robin Crusoe,” but none like
my first ; nor, indeed, did I take the pains with any of them
that I had done with him. I had also several tame sea-fowls,
whose names I know not, which I caught upon the shore; and
the little stakes which I had planted before my castle-wall,
being now grown up to a good thick grove, these fowls all lived
among these low trees, and bred there, which was very agreeable
to me; so that, as I said above, I began to be very well contented
with the life I led, if it might but have been secured from the
dread of the savages.
But it was otherwise directed; and it may not be amiss for all
people who shall meet with my story to make this just observa-
tion from it, namely, how frequently, in the course of our lives, the
evil which in itself we seek most to shun, and which, when we
are fallen into, is the most dreadful to us, is oftentimes the very
means or door of our deliverance, by which alone we can be
raised again from the affliction we are fallen into. I could give
many examples of this in the course of my life; but in nothing
was it more remarkable than in the circumstances of my last
years of residence in this island.
It was now the month of December; and this being the
southern solstice, for winter I cannot call it, was the time 0
my harvest, and required my being pretty much abroad in the
fields: when going out rather early in the morning, even before
it was thorough daylight, I was surprised with seeing a light of
some fire upon the shore, at a distance from me of about twº
miles, towards the end of the island; and, to my great affliction,
it was on my side of the island.
. I was indeed terribly alarmed at the sight, and stepped short
within Iny grove, not daring to go out lest I might be surprisº";
and yet I had no more peace within, from my apprehension the
if these savages, in rambling over the island, should find my
corn standing or cut, or any of my works and improvemen.
they would immediately conclude that there were people in tº
place, and would then never give over till they had found ".
out. In this extremity I went back directly to my castle,”
pulled up the ladder after me, having made all things without
look as wild and natural as I could.
Then I prepared myself within, putting myself in a pos”
CH, IV, OF ROBINSON CRU SOE. 109
of defence. I loaded all my cannon, as I called them, that is to
say, my muskets, which were mounted upon my new fortifica-
tion, and all my pistols, and resolved to defend myself to the
last gasp ; not forgetting seriously to commend myself to the
Divine protection, and earnestly to pray to GoD to deliver me
out of the hands of the barbarians; and in this posture I con-
tinued about two hours; but began to be very impatient for in-
telligence abroad, for I had no spies to send out.
After remaining a while longer, and musing what I should
do, I was not able to continue sitting in ignorance; so setting
up my ladder to the side of the hill, where there was a flat
place, as I observed before, and then pulling the ladder up after
me...I set it up again, and mounted to the top of the hill; and
!"illing out my perspective glass, which I had taken on purpose,
| laid me down flat on the ground, and began to look for the
Place. I presently found there were no less than nine naked
Silvages sitting round a small fire they had made ; not to warm
them, for they had no need of that, the weather being extremely
hot; but, as I Supposed, to dress’some of their dist of human
| . º had brought with them ; whether alive or dead
C0ll 10 not know.
They had two canoes with them, which they had hauled up
"Pon the shore; and as it was then ebb tide, they seemed to
* to wait for the return of the flood to go away again. It
** easy to imagine what confusion this sight put me into,
"Pºcially seeing them come on my side the island, and so near
"too; but when I observed that their coming must be always
"ith the current of the ebb. I began afterwards to be more calm
'''"A mind, being satisfied that ſmight go abroad with safety all
º time of the tide of flood, if they were not on shore before ;
º having made this observation, I went abroad about my
"ºst work with the more composure. -
As I expected, so it proved; for as soon as the tide made to
º Westward, I saw them all take boat and row away. As soon
ºil. º shipped and gone, I took two guns upon my
my side, º, . º * i. .." sword |.
9 make, I went wº tº. ". "... | ºn".
*t appearance of . As soon as fgot thither, which was not
"... than two hours (for I could not . a DaCe bein so loaded
with arms as "..)"..."... ."...";
*re of savages th perceived there had been three canoes
them all gº on, that place; and looking out farther, I saw
all at sea together, making over for the main.
to the i. †† sight to me, especially when, going, down
ad been º i. º which the dismal work º
Pºſt of the flesh of eft behind it, viz. the blood, the bones, an
with merri of human bodies, devoured by those wretches
*nt and sport. I was so filled with indignation at
L
110 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
the sight, that I began now to premeditate the destruction of the
next that I saw there, let them be how many soever.
It seemed evident to me that the visits which they thus made
to this island were not very frequent, for it was above fifteen
months before any more of them came on shore there again,
though all this while I lived very uncomfortably, by reason of
the constant apprehensions I was in of their coming upon me by
surprise; from whence I observe that the expectation of evil is
more bitter than the suffering, especially if there is no room to
shake off that expectation or those apprehensions.
As I have said, a year and three months more elapsed before I
saw any more of the savages. The perturbation of my mind during
this interval was very great; I slept unquietly, and often started
out of my sleep; in the day great troubles overwhelmed my
mind, and in the night I dreamed often of killing the savages, and
the reasons why I might justify the doing of it. But to waive all
this for a while, it was in the middle of May, (on the sixteenth
day, I think, as well as my poor wooden calendar would reckon,
for I marked all upon the post still,) that it blew a very great
storm of wind all day, with a great deal of lightning and thunder,
and a very foul night it was after it. I know not what was th:
particular occasion of it; but as I was reading in my Bible, and
taken up with very serious thoughts about my present condition,
I was surprised with the noise of a gun, as I thought, fired at sea.
This was, to be sure, a surprise of a quite different nature from
any I had met with before. I started up in the greatest haste
imaginable, and in a trice clapped my ladder to the middle place
of the rock, and pulled it after me; and mounting it the secon
time, got to the top of the hill the very moment that a flash of
fire bade me listen for a second gun, which accordingly in abo"
half a minute I heard, and by #. sound knew that it was from
that part of the sea where I was driven out with the current *
my boat. • * *
I immediately considered that this must be some ship in dº.
tress, and that they had some comrade or some other ship "
company, and fired these guns for signals of distress and to obº.
help. I had the presence of mind at that minute to think, that
though, I could not help them, yet they might help, mº; .
brought together all the dry wood I could get at hand, i.
making a good handsome pile, I set it on fire upon the hill. The
wood was dry and blazed freely, and though the wind blew Yº
hard yet it burnt fairly out; so that I was certain, if ther: w88
any such thing as a ship, they must needs see it; and no dou f
they did; for as soon as ever my fire blazed up, I heard anothe
gun, and after that several others, all from the same quarter. oad
plied my fire all night long till day broke; and when it was" C6
day and the air cleared up, I saw something at a great diº.
at sea, east of the island; whether a sail or a hi I could n
CH, IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 111
distinguish, no, not with my glass, the distance was so great and
the weather still something hazy.
I looked frequently at it all that day, and soon perceived that
it did not move, so } presently concluded that it was a ship at
anchor; and being eager to be satisfied, I took my gun in my
hand, and ran toward the south side of the island to the rocks,
where I had been formerly carried away by the current; and
getting up there, the weather by this time being perfectly clear, I
could plainly see, to my great sorrow, the wreck of a ship cast
away in the night upon those concealed rocks which I found when
I was out in my boat; and which rocks, as they checked the vio-
lence of the stream, and made a kind of counter-stream or eddy,
were the occasion of my recovering then from the most hopeless
condition I had ever been in in all my life.
Thus, what is one man’s safety is another man's destruction;
for it seems that these men, whoever they were, being out of their
knowledge, and the rocks being wholly under water, had been
driven upon them in the night, the wind blowing hard at E. and
E.N.E., Had they seen the island, as I must necessarily suppose
they did not, they must, as I thought, have endeavoured to have
Sºved themselves on shore by the help of their boat; but the firing
of their guns for help, especially when they saw, as I imagined,
my fire, filled me with many thoughts. First, I imagined that,
upon seeing my light, they might have put themselves into their
boat, and have endeavoured to make the shore; but that the sea
; very high, they might have been cast away. Other times
Imagined they had some other ship or ships in company, who,
"Pºn the signals of distress they had made, had taken them up
*nd carried them off; otherwhiles I fancied they were all gone off
** in their boat, and being hurried away by the current that
! had been formerlyin, were carried out into the great ocean,
where there was nothing but misery and perishing, and that per-
haps they might by this time think of starving, and of being in a
°ondition to eat one another.
As all these were but conjectures, so, in the condition I was in,
Ҽuld do no more than look upon the misery of the poor men
*nd pity them, which had still this good effect on my side that it
ſº *e more and more cause to give thanks to GoD, who had so
ºily and comfortably provided for me in my desolate con-
.*; and that of two ships' companies, who were now cast
.*, *pon this part of the world, not one life should be spared
i. . I learned here again to observe, that it is very rare
OW * providence of God casts us into any condition of life so
to $." *ny misery so great, but we may see something or other
..ºl for, and may see others in worse circumstances
OWIm. -
.*.*. certainly, was the case of these men, of whom I could
* much as see room to suppose any of them were saved;
1 12 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES
nothing could make it rational so much as to wish or expect that
they did not all perish there, except the possibility only of their
being taken up by another ship in company; and this was but
mere possibility, for I saw not the least signal or appearance of
any such thing. -
I cannot explain, by any possible energy of words, what a
strange longing I felt in my soul upon this sight, breaking out
sometimes thus: Oh, that there had been but one or two, nay,
but one soul saved out of the ship to have escaped to me, that I
might but have had one companion, one fellow-creature to have
spoken to me and to have conversed with ! In all the time of my
solitary life I never felt so earnest, so strong a desire after the
º of my fellow-creatures, or so deep a regret at the want
of it. -
But it was not to be : either their fate, or mine, or both, for-
bade it; for till the last year of my being on this island I never
knew whether any were saved out of that ship or not, and had
only the affliction some days after to see the corpse of a drowned
boy come on shore, at the end of the island which was next the
shipwreck. He had on no clothes but a seaman’s waistcoat, a
pair of open-kneed lined drawers, and a blue linen shirt; but
nothing to direct me so much as to guess what nation he was of
He had nothing in his pocket but two pieces of eight and a
tobacco-pipe: the last was to me of ten times more value than
the first. - e
It was now calm, and I had a great mind to venture out in
my boat to this wreck, not doubting but I might find something
on board that might be useful to me; but that did not altogether
influence me so much as the possibility that there might be yet
some living creature on board, whose life I might not only save,
but might, by saving that life, comfort my own to the last degrº".
And this thought clung so to my heart that I could not be quiº
night or day, but I must venture out in my boat on board tº
wreck; and committing the rest to GoD's providence, I thought
the impression was so strong upon my mind that it could not.”
resisted, that it must come from some invisible direction, and thº'
I should be wanting to myself if I did not go.
With these views I hastened back to my castle, prepared
every thing for my voyage, took a quantity of bread, a pot. for
fresh water, a compass, a bottle of rum, a basket full of raisin”:
and thus loading myself, I went down to my boat, baled the watº,
out of her, and got her afloat, loaded all my cargo in her, an
then went home again for more. My second cargo was a grº
bag full of rice, the umbrella to set up over my head for shade,
another large pot full of fresh water, and about two dozen of ".
small loaves or barley cakes more than before, with a bottle O
goat's milk and a cheese; all which, with great labour, I brought
to my boat; and praying to God to directºmy voyage, I put 9”
CH. IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 113
and rowing or paddling the canoe along the shore, came at last to
the utmost point of the island on that side, viz. N.E. And now I
was to launch out into the ocean, and either to venture or not to
venture. I looked on the rapid currents which ran constantly on
both sides of the island at a distance, and which were very terrible
to me, from the remembrance of the hazard I had been in before,
and my heart began to fail me; for I foresaw that if I was driven
into either of those currents, I should be carried a vast way out to
sea, and perhaps out of reach or sight of the island again ; and
that then, as my boat was but small, if any little gale of wind
should rise, I should be inevitably lost.
These thoughts so oppressed my mind that I began to give
over my enterprise, and having hauled my boat into a little creek
on the shore, I stepped out, and sat me down upon a little rising
ground, very pensive and anxious, between fear and desire, about
ºy voyage; when, as I was musing, I could perceive that the
tide was turned, and the flood came on, which made my going for
$9 many hours impracticable. Upon this it presently occurred
9 me that I should go up to the highest piece of ground I could
find, and observe, if i could, how the sets of the tide or currents
lay when the flood came in, that I might judge whether, if I was
driven one way out, I might not expect to be driven another way
home, with the same rapidness of the currents. This thought was
*90ner in my head but I cast my eye upon a little hill which
sufficiently overlooked the sea both ways, and from whence I had
a clear view of the currents or sets of the tide, and which way I
*** guide myself in my return. Here I found, that as the cur-
.*.* the ebb set out close by the south point of the island, so the
º: of the flood set in close by the shore of the north side, and
*!had nothing to do but to keep to the north of the island in
"Wºturn, and I should do well enough.
to 8 "...g. with this observation, I resolved the next morning
ni i .9üt, with the first of the tide; and reposing myself for the
; i. the canoe, under the great watchcoat I mentioned, I
*d out. I made first a little out to sea full north, till I
W i. * feel the benefit of the current, which set eastward, and
the so . me at a great rate, and yet did not so hurry me as
IIle .." ern-side current had done before, and so as to take from
Uny paº: of the boat; but having a strong steerage with
ess th * I went at a great rate directly for the wreck, and in
It ** two hours I came up to it.
ing, wº a dismal sight to look at ; the ship, which, by its build:
the stern . stuck fast, jambed in between two rocks; all
and as hº quarter of her was beaten to pieces with the sea;
great vio 9teºastle, which stuck in the rocks, had run on with
* her mainmast and foremast were broken short off,
ñ. I'...P. was sound, and the head and bow appeared firm.
* close to her, a dog appeared upon her, who, seeing
&
L 2
114 LIFE AND A DVENTURES
me coming, yelped and cried, and as soon as I called him jumped
into the sea to come to me; and I took him into the boat, but
found him almost dead for hunger and thirst. I gave him a cake
of my bread, and he ate like a ravenous wolf that had been
starving a fortnight in the snow.
After this I went on board; but the first sight I met with was
two men drowned in the cook-room or forecastle of the ship, with
their arms fast about one another. I concluded, as is indeed pro-
bable, that when the ship struck, it being in a storm, the sea
broke so high and so continually over her that the men were not
able to bear it, and were drowned with the constant rushing in of ,
the water, as much as if they had been under water. Besides the
dog, there was nothing left in the ship that had life, nor any goods
that I could see but what were spoiled by the water. There were
some casks of liquor, whether wine or brandy I knew not, which
lay lower in the hold, and which, the water being ebbed out, I
could see; but they were too big to meddle with. I saw several
chests which I believed belonged to some of the seamen, and I
#. two of them into the boat without examining what was in
them.
Had the stern of the ship been fixed and the fore part broken
off, I am persuaded I might have made a good voyage; for by
what I found in these two chests, I had room to suppose the ship
had a great deal of wealth on board; and if I may guess by the
course she steered, she must have been bound from the Buenos
Ayres or the Rio de la Plata, in the south part of America, be-
yond the Brazils, to the Havanna, in the gulf of Mexico, and sº
perhaps to Spain. She had, no doubt, a great treasure in hº
but of no use at that time to any body; and what became of the
rest of her people I then knew not.
I found, besides these chests, a little cask full of liquor, of
about twenty gallons, which I got into my boat with much diffi-
culty; there were several muskets in a cabin, and a great powder
horn, with about four pounds of powder in it. As for the mº
kets, I had no occasion for them, so I left them, but took tº
powder-horn. I took a fire-shovel and tongs, which I want;
extremely; as also two little brass kettles, a copper pot to make
chocolate, and a gridiron. And with this cargo and the dog
came away, the tide beginning to make home again; and the
same evening, about an hour within night, I reached the island
again, weary and fatigued to the last degree.
I reposed that night in the boat; and in the morning I resolved
to harbour what I had gotten in my new cave, and not to carry"
home to my castle. After refreshing myself, I got all my gº.
on shore, and began to examine it. The cask of liquor I fou"
to be a kind of rum, but not such as we had at the Brazils, *
in a word, not at all good. But when I came to open the e.
I found several things of great use to me; for example, I ſo"
CH. IV. . OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 115
in one a fine case of bottles, of an extraordinary kind, and filled
with cordial waters, fine and very good. The bottles held about
three pints each, and were tipped with silver. I found two
pots of very good sweetmeats, so fastened also on the top that
the salt water had not hurt them; and two more of the same
which the water had spoiled. I found some very good shirts,
which were very welcome to me, and about a dozen and a half of
white linen handkerchiefs and coloured neckcloths; the former
were also very welcome, being exceeding refreshing to wipe my
face in a hot day. Besides this, when I came to the till in the
chests, I found there three great bags of pieces of eight, which
held about eleven hundred pieces in all; and in one of them,
wrapt up in a paper, six doubloons of gold, and some small bars
Or yºgº of gold. I suppose they might all weigh near a
Pound.
The other chest I found had some clothes in it, but of little
value; but, by the circumstances, it must have belonged to the
gunner's mate, though there was no powder in it, but about two
Pounds of glazed powder in the three flasks, kept, I suppose, for
charging their fowling-pieces on occasion. As to the money
above mentioned, I had no manner of occasion for it; it was to
me as the dirt under my feet, and I would have given it for three
or four pair of English shoes and stockings, which were things I
greatly wanted, but had not had on my feet now for many years.
! had, indeed, got two pair of shoes now, which I took off the
feet of the two drowned men whom I saw in the wreck; and I
found two pair more in one of the chests, which were very wel-
$ome to me. But they were not like our English shoes, either
for ease or service, being rather what we call pumps than shoes.
found in this seaman's chest about fifty pieces of eight in royals,
but no gold. I suppose this belonged to a poorer man than the
other, which seemed to belong to some officer.
owever, I carried this money home to my cave, and laid it
*P, as I had done that before which I brought from our own ship;
but it was a great pity, as I said, that the other part of the ship
"d not come to my share, for I am satisfied I might have loaded
*Y canoe several times over with money, which, if I had ever
*Ped to England, would have lain here safe enough till I came
*gain and fetched it.
I *Wing now brought all mythings on shore and secured them,
. back to my boat, and rowed or paddled her along the
{) Ore to her old harbour, where I laid her up, and made the best
3. ". Way to my old habitation, where I found every thing safe
.**iet. So I began to reposé myself after my old fashion, and
i. º: of my family affairs; and for a while I lived easy
.# only that I was more vigilant than I used to be, looked
did oftener, and did not go abroad so much; and if at any time I
* With any freedom, it was always to the east part of the
116 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
island, where I was pretty well satisfied the savages never came,
and where I could go without so many precautions, and such a
load of arms and ammunition as I always carried with me if I
went the other way.
I lived in this condition near two years more; but my unlucky
head was all this time filled with projects and designs how, if it
were possible, I might get away from this island. Sometimes I
was for making another voyage to the wreck, though my reason
told me that there was nothing left there worth the hazard of so
doing; sometimes for a ramble one way, sometimes another; and
I believe verily, if I had had the boat that I went from Sallee in,
I should have ventured to sea, bound any where, I knew not
whither.
On one of the nights in the rainy season in March, the four-
and-twentieth year of my first setting foot in this island of soli-
tariness, I was lying in my bed or hammock awake, and very
well in health, had no pain, no distemper, no uneasiness of body,
no, nor any uneasiness of mind more than ordinary, but could b
no means close my eyes, that is, so as to sleep; no, not a Win
all night long, otherwise than as follows:
It is as impossible as needless to set down the innumerable
crowd of thoughts that whirled through that great thoroughfare
of the brain, the memory, in this night's time. I ran over
the whole history of my life in miniature, to my coming to this
island ; and also of the part of my life since that event. In my
reflections upon the latter period, I was comparing the happy
posture of my affairs in the first years of my habitation, here:
compared to the life of anxiety, fear, and care, which I had live!
ever since I had seen the print of a foot in the sand; not that I
did not believe the savages had frequented the island even all the
while, and might have been several hundreds of them at times on
the shore there; but I had never known it; and I was as happy
in not knowing my danger, as if I had never really been expo.
to it. This furnished my thoughts with many very profitablº
reflections, and particularly this one: How infinitely good thº;
Providence is, which has provided in its government of mankind
such narrow bounds to his sight and knowledge of things; *
though he walks in the midst of so many thousand dangers.”
sight of which, if discovered to him, would distract his mind,
and sink his spirits, he is kept serene and calm by having.”
event of things hid from his eyes, and knowing nothing of"
dangers which surround him.
After these thoughts had for some time occupied me, I canº
to reflect seriously upon the real danger I had been in for.”
many years in this island ; and how I had walked about it the
greatest security and with all possible tranquility, even whº
perhaps nothing but a brow of a hill, a great tree, or the ga."
approach of night, had been between me and the worst kind 0
CH. IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 117
destruction, viz. that of falling into the hands of cannibals, who
would have thought it no more a crime to kill and devour me,
than I did of a pigeon or a curlew. I should unjustly slander
myself, if I should say I was not sincerely thankful to my great
Preserver, to whose singular protection I acknowledged, with
great humility, that all these unknown deliverances were due,
and without which I must inevitably have fallen into their mer-
ciless hands,
ºr Tºº
* amº tº ºzº.3,
ſº º - al º - *-
º: º;', º >
*illiº ºft
* . . º."
ºf º º Ž. |
pººl
º: & Nº.
- ºf ºr ºf sº ºf
d sº
f
º


§
y
W
j
àBOUT a year and a half after I had enter- ſº
tained these musings, I was surprised one
morning early with seeing no less than five lºſs
||| || canoes all on shore together, on my side ſºlº
|º] the island, and the people who belonged to them ºf
if all landed, and out of my sight: the number of ſº
them was beyond all my measures; for seeing so ||
many, and knowing that they always came four, or "
º, six, or sometimes more, in a boat, I could not tell
what to think of it, or how to take my measures
|| to attack twenty or thirty men single-handed ; so I
º lay still in my castle, perplexed and discomforted :
however, I put myself into all the same postures
y for an attack that I had formerly done, and was
ready for action, if any thing presented. Having
waited a good while, listening to hear if they made any
noise; I at length set my guns at the foot of my ladder,
and clambered up to the top of the hill by my two T
stages, as usual; standing so, however, that my head did
not appear above the hill, so that they could not per- ſº
ceive me by any means. Here I observed, by the help |
of my perspective glass, that the savages were no less
than thirty in number; that they had a fire kindled ; that
they had had meat dressed : how they had cooked it, that
I knew not, or what it was ; but they were all dancing, iº
in I know not how many barbarous gestures and figures, in their
own fashion, round the fire.
While I was thus looking at them, I perceived two miserab"
wretches dragged from the boats, where, it seems, they wer.
laid by, and now brought out for slaughter. I perceived on."
them immediately fall, being knocked down, I suppose, with a
club or wooden sword, for that was their way; and two or thrº
others at work immediately, cutting him open for their cookerſ,




CH. W. ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 119
while the other victim was left standing by himself, till they
should be ready for him. At that very moment, this poor
wretch, seeing himself a little at liberty, and inspired with
hopes of life, started away from them, and ran with incredible
swiftness along the sands, directly towards that part of the coast
where my habitation was.
I was dreadfully frightened (I must acknowledge) when I
º him to run my way, and especially when, as I thought,
saw him pursued by the whole body; and now I expected that
he would certainly take shelter in my grove. However, I kept
my station, and my spirits began to recover, when I found that
there were not above three men that followed him; and still
more was I encouraged, when I found he outstript them exceed-
ingly in running, and gained ground of them, so that if he could
but hold it out for half an hour, I saw he would fairly get away
from them all.
There was between them and my castle the creek, which I
mentioned often at the first part of my story, when I landed my
cargoes out of the ship; and this I saw plainly he must neces-
*rily swim over, or be taken; but when the savage escaping
*me, thither, he made nothing of it, though the tide was then
P; but plunging in, swam through in about thirty strokes, or
thereabouts, landed, and ran on with exceeding strength and
swiftness. When the three persons came to the creek, I found
that two of them could swim, but the third could not, and that,
*ding on the other side, he looked at the other, but went no
farther; and soon after went softly back again.
! observed that the two who swam were yet more than twice
as long Swimming over the creek as the fellow was that fled from
them. {t.came now irresistibly upon my thoughts, that I was
i. Plainly by Providence to save this poor creature's life.
f *mediately ran down the ladders with all possible expedition,
etched my two #. and getting up again with the same haste
tº the top of the ill, crossed toward the sea, and having a very
: ... ºut, and all down hill, clapped myself in the way between
...Pºuers and the pursued, hallooing aloud to him that fled,
.*.*oking back, was at first perhaps as much frightened at
. as I at them. However I beckoned with my hand to him to
º: back; and in the mean time, I slowly advanced towards
.."? that followed; then rushing at once upon the foremost,
.. him down with the stock of my piece; on which, the
j who pursued with him stopped, as if he had been fright-
.*} advanced apace towards him; but as I came nearer,
"...yº Presently he had a bow and arrow, and was fitting it
whi º: º me ; so I was then necessitated to shoot at him first ;
who fled id, and killed him at the first shot. The poor savage
fallen **, but, had stopped, though he saw both his enemies
'* killed (as he thought) yet was so frightened with the
120 f LIFE AND ADVENTURES
fire and noise of my piece, that he stood stock-still, and neither
came forward nor went backward, though he seemed rather in-
clined to fly than to come on. I hallooed again to him, and
made signs to come forward, which he easily understood, and
came a little way, then stopped again, and then a little further,
and stopped again ; and I could then perceive that he stood
trembling, as if he had been taken prisoner, and had just been
to be killed, as his two enemies were. I beckoned him again
to come to me, and gave him all the signs of encouragement that
I could think of; and he came nearer and nearer, kneeling down
every ten or twelve steps, in token of acknowledgment for saving
his life. I smiled at him and looked pleasantly, and beckoned
to him to come still nearer. At length he came close to me, and
he then kneeled down again, kissed the ground, and laid his
head upon the ground, and taking me by the foot, set my foot
upon his head. This, it seems, was in token of swearing to be
my slave for ever. I took him up, and made much of him, and
encouraged him all I could. But there was more work to do
et; for I perceived the savage I had knocked down was not
illed, but only stunned with the blow, and began to come to
himself; so I pointed to him, and shewed him the savage, that
he was not dead : upon this he spoke some words to me; and
though I could not understand them, yet I thought they were
pleasant to hear, for they were the first sound of a man's voice
that I had heard, my own excepted, for above twenty-five years.
But there was no time for such reflections now : the savage whº
was knocked down recovered himself so far as to sit up upon the
ground; and I perceived that my savage began to be afraid;
but when I saw that, I presented my other piece at the man, as
if I would shoot him : upon this my savage made a motion tº mº
to lend him my sword (which hung naked in a belt by my side),
which I did ; and he no sooner had it, than he ran to his enemy,
and at one blow cut off his head so cleverly, that no exºº.
tioner in Germany could have done it sooner or better; which
I thought very strange for one who, I had reason to believe,
never saw a sword in his life before, except their own wooden
swords. However, it seems, as I learned afterwards, they make
their wooden swords so sharp and heavy, and the wood is 80
hard, that they will cut off heads even with them, ay and ar”
and that at one blow too. When he had done this, he ca".
laughing to me, in sign of triumph, and brought me the SW9
again, and, with abundance of gestures, which I did not under-
stand, laid it down, with the head of the savage that he ha
killed, just before me.
But that which astonished him most was, to know how I had
killed the other Indian so far off: so pointing to him, he made
signs to me to let him go to him ; so I bade him go, as well as
I could. When he came to him, he stood like one amazed, look-
CH. V. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 121
ing at him; turned him first on one side, then on the other;
looked at the wound the bullet had made, which it seems was
just in his breast, where it had made a hole, and no great quan-
tity of blood had followed (but he had bled inwardly, for he was
quite dead): then took up his bow and arrows, and came back.
So I turned to go away, and beckoned him to follow me, making
signs to him that more might come after them.
Upon this he signed to me that he should bury them with
sand, that they might not be seen by the rest, if they followed;
and so I made signs to him to do so; on which, he fell to work,
and in an instant had scraped a hole in the sand with his hands
big enough to bury the first in, and he then dragged him into it,
and covered him, and did so also by the other. "I believe he had
buried them both in a quarter of an hour; then calling him away,
I carried him not to my castle, but quite away to my cave, on the
farther part of the island.
Here I gave him bread, and a bunch of raisins to eat, and a
Traught of water, which I found he was, indeed, in great distress
fºr, by his running; and having refreshed him, I made signs for
him to lie down and sleep, pointing to a place where I had laid
* great parcel of rice-straw, and a blanket upon it, which I used
"Sleep upon myself sometimes: so the poor creature lay down
and went to sleep.
e was a comely handsome fellow, well made, with straight
long limbs not too large, tall, and well-shaped; and, as I reckon,
about twenty-six years of age. There was something very manly
in his face, and yet he had all the sweetness and softness of a
*Pean in his countenance too, especially when he smiled;
is hair was long and black, his forehead very high and large,
and a great vivacity and sparkling sharpness in his eyes. The
°olour of his skin was not quite black, but very tawny, and yet
. of an ugly yellow tawny, as Brazilians and Virginians, and
. *... natives of America are, but of a bright kind of dun olive
.."; that had in it something agreeable, though not very
ºn.” describe. His face was round and plump, his nose
and *9t flat like the negroes, a very good mouth, thin lips,
ad fine teeth were well-set, and white as ivory. After he
º "...º. rather than slept, about half an hour, he waked
ing º came out of the cave to me, -for I had been milk-
he es y ſº which I had in the enclosure just by...When
agº. º, he came running to me, laying himself down
i...". ground, with all the possible signs of an humble
At last h jº, making many antic gestures to shew it.
and set e laid his head flat upon the ground, close to my foot,
and ..",". foot upon his head, as he had done before;
and submi * made all the signs to me of subjection, servitude,
ille as lo *ion imaginable, to let me know how he would serve
** ** he lived. I understood him in many things, and
M
122 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
let him know I was very well pleased with him. In a little time
I began to speak to him, and teach him to speak to me; and
first, I made him know his name should be Friday, which was
the day I saved his life; I called him so for the memory of the
time. I likewise taught him to say Master, and then let him
know that was to be my name ; I likewise taught him to say
Yes and No, and to know the meaning of them. I gave him
some milk in an earthen pot, and let him see me drink it before
him, and sop my bread in it; and I gave him a cake of bread to
do the like, which he quickly complied with, and made signs
that it was very good.
I stayed there with him all that night; but as soon as it was
day, I beckoned him to come with me, and let him know I would
give him some clothes; at which he seemed very glad. As we
went by the place where he had buried the two men, he pointed
exactly to the spot, and shewed me the marks that he had made
to find them again, making signs to me that we should dig them
up again and eat them. At this I appeared very angry, expressed
my abhorrence of it, and beckoned with my hand to him to come
away, which he did immediately with great submission. I then
led him up to the top of the hill, to see if his enemies, wº
gone; and pulling out my glass, I looked, and saw plainly tº
place where they had been, but no appearance of them 0 °
their canoes; so it was plain that they were gone, and hº
i. their two comrades behind them, without any search after
them. ... •
But I was not content with this discovery; and having nº
more courage, and consequently more curiosity, I took my mº"
Friday with me to the place where these creatures had been:
for I had a mind now to get some fuller intelligence of them.
When I came to the place, my very blood ran chill in ".
veins, and my heart sank within me at the horror of the SP.
tacle; though Friday made nothing of it. The place was gover
with human bones, the ground dyed with blood, great pleº ()
flesh left here and there half-eaten, mangled, and scorched; *.
in short, all the tokens of the triumphant feast they had *
making there. I saw three skulls, five hands, and the bonº i.
three or four legs and feet, and abundance of other parts º:
bodies; and Friday, by his signs, made me understand thº .
brought over four prisoners to feast upon ; that three of them
were eaten up, and that he, pointing to himself, was the fourt ſ
that there had been a great battle between them and their #.
king, whose subjects, it seems, he had been one of; and that the
had taken a great number of prisoners, all which were cº.
several places by those that had taken them in the º .
to feast upon them, as was done here upon those they broug
hither. and
I caused Friday to gather all the skulls, bones, flesh,
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRU SOE. 123
whatever remained, and lay them together on a heap, and make
a great fire upon it, and burn them all to ashes. I found Friday
had still a hankering stomach after some of the flesh, and was
still a cannibal in his nature ; but I shewed so much abhorrence
at the very thoughts of it, and at the least appearance of it, that
he durst not discover it; for I had, by some means, let him know
that I would kill him if he offered it.
When we had done this, we came back to our castle, and
there I fell to work for my man Friday. And first of all, I gave
him a pair of linen drawers, which I had out of the gunner's chest
I mentioned, and which I found in the wreck; and these, with a
little alteration, fitted him very well : then I made him a jerkin
of goat's-skin as well as my skill would allow, and I was now
grown a tolerably good tailor; and I gave him a cap, which I
had made of hare-skin, very convenient, and fashionable enough;
and thus he was dressed, for the present, tolerably well, and was
. well pleased to see himself almost as well clothed as his
IIlāSter.
., The next day after I came home with him, I began to con-
ider where I should lodge him; and that I might do well for
him, and yet be perfectly easy myself, I made a little tent for
him in the vacant place between my two fortifications, in the
inside of the last, and in the outside of the first. As there was
* door or entrance there into my cave, I made a formal framed
‘...."ase, and a door to it of boards, and set it up in the passage,
*little within the entrance ; and causing the door to open on the
.."; ! barred it up in the night, taking in my ladders too; so
that Friday could no way come at me in the inside of my inner-
º Wall, without making so much noise in getting over, that it
.* waken me; for my first wall had now a complete roof
side ; of long poles, covering all my tent, and leaning up to the
º ; hill, which was again laid across with small sticks in-
fisº laths, and then thatched over a great thickness with the
which * Which was strong like reeds; and at the hole or place
of tra *: left to go in or out by the ladder, I had placed a kind
Ilot . 99", which if it had been attempted on the outside, would
a greº: 9Pened at all, but would have fallen down, and made
ey *; and as to weapons, I took them all by my side
“. night.
§ º: '..." none of all this precaution; for never man had
ithout *ithful, loving, sincere servant than Friday was to me;
enga º sullenness, or designs; perfectly obliged and
tº a father *Yery affections were tied to me, like those of a child
e saving *nd I dare say he would have sacrificed his life for
monies . * upon any occasion whatsoever: the many testi-
Vinced *Y*.me of this, put it out of doubt; and soon con-
his ...that I needed to use no precautions as to my safety on
124 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
This frequently gave me occasion to observe, and that with
wonder, that however it had pleased GoD in His providence, and
in the government of the works of His hands, to take from so
great a part of the world, of His creatures, the best use to which
their faculties and the powers of their souls are adapted; yet
that He has bestowed upon them the same powers, the same
reason, the same affections, the same sentiments of kindness and
obligation, the same passions and resentments of wrongs, the
same sense of gratitude, sincerity, fidelity, and all the capacities
of doing good and receiving good, that He has given to us; and
that when He pleases to offer to them occasions of exerting these,
they are as ready, nay more ready, to apply them to the right
uses for which they were bestowed than we are. And this made
me very melancholy sometimes, in reflecting, as the several oc-
casions presented, how mean a use we make of all these, even
though we have these powers enlightened by the great lamp ºf
instruction, the SPIRIT of GoD, and by the knowledge of His
word, added to our understanding ; and why it has pleased GOD
to hide the like saving knowledge from so many millions of souls,
who, if I might judge by this poor savage, would make a much
better use of it than we did.
From hence I sometimes was led too far to invade the Soyer
reignty of Providence; and, as it were, arraign the justice ºf $9
arbitrary a disposition of things, that should hide that light from
some, and reveal it to others, and yet expect a like duty from
both : but I shut it up, and checked my thoughts with this con:
clusion:-First, that we did not know by what light and lºw
these should be condemned; but that as God was necessariº:
and by the nature of His being, infinitely holy and just, sº "
could not be, but that if these creatures were all sentenced,"
absence from Himself, it was on account of sinning against that
light, which, as the Scripture says, was a law to themselves, and
by such rules as their consciences would acknowledge to be jº
though the foundation was not discovered to us; and, secondly.
that still, as we are clay in the hands of the potter, no Yº
could say to him, Why hast thou formed me thus? ighted
But to return to my new companion. I was greatly deligh
with him, and made it my business to teach him everything tha
was proper to make him useful, handy, and helpful; but “P.
ally to make him speak, and understand me when I spoke: º
indeed he was the aptest scholar that ever was; and pariº.
was so merry, so constantly diligent, and so pleased when i.
could but understand me, or make me understand him, tºº.
was very pleasant to me to talk to him. And now my life º
to be so easy that I began to say to myself, that could I but haſ €
been safe from more savages, I cared notif I was never to re"
from the place while I lived. I
After I had been two or three days returned to my castle,
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 125
thought that, in order to bring Friday off from his former way of
feeding, I ought to let him taste other flesh ; so I took him out
with me one morning to the woods. I went, indeed, intending
to kill a kid out of my own flock, and bring him home and dress
it; but as I was going, I saw a she-goat lying down in the shade,
and two young kids sitting by her. I caught hold of Friday,
“Hold,” said I, “stand still ;” and made signs to him not to
stir; immediately I presented my piece, shot and killed one of
the kids. The poor creature, who had, at a distance indeed,
seen me kill the savage, his enemy, but did not know nor could
imagine how it was done, was sensibly surprised ; he trembled
and looked so amazed, that I thought he would have sunk down;
he did not see the kid I shot at, or perceive I had killed it, but
opened his waistcoat to feel if he was not wounded; and, as I
found, presently thought I was resolved to kill him; for he came
and kneeled down to me, and, embracing my knees, said a great
Imany things I did not understand; but I could easily see that
the meaning was to pray me not to kill him.
I soon found a way to convince him that I would do him no
haſin; and taking him up by the hand, laughed at him, and
Pointing to the kid which I had killed, beckoned to him to run
and fetch it, which he did; and while he was wondering and
lºoking to see how the creature was killed, I loaded my gun
*gºn, and by and by I saw a large parrot sit upon a tree
Within shot: so, to let Friday understand a little what I would
* I called him to me again, pointing to the parrot, and to
*y gun, and to the ground under the parrot, to let him see I
"ºld make him fall, and made him understand that I would shoot
and kill that bird; accordingly I fired, and bid him look, and
"mediately he saw the parrot fall. He stood like one fright-
:*d again, notwithstanding all I had said to him; and I found
t * the more amazed, because he did not see me put any
f *ś into the gun; but thought there must be some wonderful
"" of death and destruction in that thing, able to kill man,
tl ast, bird, or any thing near or far off: and the astonishment
. created in him was such as could not wear off for a long
"...ºnd I believe, if I would have let him, he would have
...imped me and my gun: as for the gun itself, he would not
it * * touch it for several days after; but would speak to
iº, it, as if it had answered him, when he was b
; whi # tº *
not to kill hi . º as I afterwards learned of him, was to desire it
poin .." after his astonishment was a little over at this, I
did, b º: him to run and fetch the bird I had shot, which he
had * º Some time; for the parrot, not being quite dead,
:...” a good way off from the place where she fell;
and, as i e found her, took her up, and brought her to me;
y had perceived his ignorance about the gun before, i
M 2
126 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
took this advantage to charge the gun again, and not let him see
me do it, that I might be ready for any other mark that might pre-
sent itself; but nothing more offered at that time; so I brought
home the kid ; and the same evening I took the skin off, and
cut it out as well as I could ; and having a pot for that purpose,
I boiled or stewed some of the flesh, and made some very good
broth. After I had begun to eat some, I gave some to my man,
who seemed very glad of it, and liked it very well; but that
which was strangest to him, was, to see me eat salt with it. He
made a sign to me that the salt was not good to eat; and putting
a little into his own mouth, he seemed to nauseate it, and would
spit and sputter at it, washing his mouth with fresh water after
it; on the other hand, I took some meat in my mouth without
salt, and I pretended to spit and sputter for want of salt as fast
as he had done at the salt; but it would not do, he would never
care for salt with meat, or in his broth; at least, not for a great
while, and then but a very little.
Having thus fed him with boiled meat and broth, I was
resolved to feast him the next day with roasting a piece of
the kid: this I did by hanging it before the fire suspended from
a string, as I had seen many people do in England, setting twº
poles up, one on each side the fire, and one across the top, and
tying the string to the cross stick, letting the meat turn ton-
tinually: this Friday admired very much ; but when he came
to taste the flesh, he took so many ways to tell me how well he
liked it, that I could not but understand him; and at last he
told me he would never eat man's flesh any more, which I W*
very glad to hear.
The next day I set him to work to beating some corn out, and
sifting it in the manner I used to do, as I observed before; and
he soon understood how to do it as well as I, especially after he
had seen what the meaning of it was, and that it was to make
bread of; for after that I ſet him see me make my bread,”
bake it too; and in a little time Friday was able to do all the
work for me, as well as I could do it myself. iº
I began now to consider, that having two mouths to feed in:
stead of one, I must provide more ground for my harvest, "
plant a larger quantity of corn than I used to do; so I marke
out a larger piece of land, and began the fence in the same mº
ner as before, in which Friday not only worked very hard, ;
very cheerfully; and I told him what it was for, that it W* .
corn to make more bread, because he was now with me, and tha
I might have enough for him and myself too: he appeared .
sensible of that, and let me know that he thought I had mut
more labour upon me on his account than I had for myself . t
º: he would work the harder for me, if I would tell him whº
to ClO.
This was the pleasantest year of all the life I led in this place.
CH. V. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 127
Friday began to talk pretty well, and understand the names of
almost every thing I had occasion to call for, and of every place
I had to send him to, and talked a great deal to me; so that, in
short, I began now to have some use for my tongue again, which
indeed I had very little occasion for before. Besides the pleasure
of talking to him, I had a singular satisfaction in the fellow him-
self; his simple unfeigned honesty appeared to me more and
more every day, and I began really to love the creature; and
on his side, I believe, he loved me more than it was possible for
him ever to love any thing before. -
I had a mind once to try if he had any hankering inclination
to his own country again; and having taught him English so well
that he could answer me almost any questions, I asked him whe-
ther the nation that he belonged to never conquered in battle 2
àt which he smiled, and said, “Yes, yes, we always fight the
better;” that is, he meant, always get the better in fight; and
$o we began the following discourse. “You always fight the
lºtter!” said I. “How came you to be taken prisoner then,
Friday tº -
{riday. My nation beat much for all that.
*faster. How, beat if your nation beat them, how came you
to be taken 2
Friday. They more many than my nation in the place where
* Wils; they take one, two, three, and me. My nation over
beat them in the yonder place where me no was : there my na-
*ºke one, two, great thousand.
**ter. But why did not your side recover you from the
*nº of your enemies then? -
Friday. They run one, two, three, and me, and make go in
e . my nation have no canoe that time, -
t eº ". ,"rºy, and what does your nation do with
these did ey take? Do they carry them away, and eat them as
†: Yes, my nation eat mans too, eat all up.
ºfer. Where do they carry them
; Go to other place where they think.
ºfer. Do they come hither
% Yes, yes, they come hither; come other else place.
; 'er. *:: you been here with them 7 w • * *
N.W. si jºr * I been here [at the same time pointing to the
By i. º: island, which, it seems, was their side].
among i. understood that my man Friday had formerly been
part of jº. who used to come on shore on the farther
how brou i. º, on the same man-eating occasions that he was
carry # * , and some time after, when I took the courage
he prº § that side, being the same I formerly mentioned,
when the ... new the place, and told me he was there once
7 * up twenty men, two women, and one child: he
128 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
could not tell twenty in English, but he numbered them by
laying so many stones in a row, and pointed to me to tell them
OVer.
I have told this passage, because it introduces what follows;–
that after I had had this discourse with him, I asked him how
far it was from our island to the shore, and whether the canoes
were not often lost 7 He told me there was no danger, no canoes
ever lost; but that after a little way out to sea, there was a cur-
rent, and wind always one way in the morning, the other in the
afternoon. -
This I supposed to be no more than the sets of the tide, as
going out, or coming in ; but I afterwards understood it was
occasioned by the great draught and reflux of the mighty river
Oroonoque; in the mouth, or the gulf, of which river, as I
thought afterwards, our island lay ; and this land, which I per-
ceived to the w. and N.w.. was the great island Trinidad, on the
north point of the mouth of the river. I asked Friday a thou-
sand questions about the country, the inhabitants, the sea, the
coast, and what nations were near : and he told me all he knew
with the greatest openness imaginable. I asked him the name: of
the several nations of his sort of people, but could get no other
name than Caribs; from whence I easily understood that thº
were the Caribbees, which our maps place on the part of Amerº”
which reaches from the mouth of the river Oroonogue to Guin"
and onwards to St. Martha. He told me, that up a great "J
beyond the moon, that was, beyond the setting of the mº";
which must be w. from their country, there dwelt white, beard
men, like me, and pointed to my great whiskers, and that they
had killed tº much mans,” that was his word: by all which [",
derstood he meant the Spaniards, whose cruelties in Ameri" º *
been spread over the whole countries, and was remember”"
all the nations from father to son. this
I inquired if he could tell me how I might come from t
island, and get among those white men; he told me, “Y. ; :
I might go in two canoe.” I could not understand whº two
meant, or make him describe to me what he meant by that
canoe;” till at last, with great difficulty, I found he me".
it must be in a large great boat as big as two canoes. well:
This part of Friday's discourse began to please me Vº e Of
and from this time I entertained some hopes that on.".
other I might find fun opportunity to make my escapº *: tº
º and that this poor savage might be a means to help
o it. tº:
During the long time that Friday had now been with me, and
that he began to speak to me and understand me ! º
wanting to ſay a foundation of religious knowledge in .
Particularly, I asked him one time, Who made him?

6.
ked
creature did not understand me at all, but thought | had as
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 129
who was his father: but I took it by another handle, and asked
him, who made the sea, the ground he walked on, and the hills
and woods He told me it was one old Benamuckee, that lived
beyond all; he could describe nothing of this great person, but
that he was very old; much older, he said, than the sea or the
land, than the moon or the stars. I asked him then, If this old
|. had made all things, why did not all things worship him 2
He looked very grave, and with a perfect look of innocence, said,
“All things do say O ! to him.” I asked him if the people who
die in his country went away any where 2. He said “Yes, they
all went to Benamuckee.” Then I asked him, whether those they
eat up went thither too? He said “Yes.”
From these things I began to instruct him in the knowledge
ºf the true God. I told him that the great Maker of all things
lived up there, pointing up towards heaven. That He governs
the wºrld by the same power and providence by which He made
it. That He was omnipotent, could do every thing for us, give
*ery thing to us, take every thing from us; and thus, by degrees,
!"pened his eyes. He listened with great attention, and re-
*\ed with pleasure the notion of JEstis CHRIST being sent to
*ºm us, and of the manner of making our prayers to GoD,
and His being able to hear us, even into heaven. He told me one
"y, that if our God could hear us up beyond the sun, He must
"ºlº be a greater God than their Benamuckee, who lived but
*little way off, and yet could not hear till they went up to the
#. mºuntains where he dwelt to speak to him. I asked him,
... went thither to speak to him 2 He said, No, they
men r W º that were young men; none went thither but the old
expla º he called their Qowookakee'; that is, as I made him
.." º: to me, their religious or clergy; and that they went
told i * (sº he called saying prayers) and then came back, and
this j . Benamuckee said. I endeavoured to clear up
their old o my man Friday, and told him, that the pretence of
km." going up to the mountains to say O to their god
what he s i. Was a cheat; and their bringing word from thence
wer, or º k was much more so; that if they met with any an-
and then º e . any one there, it must be with an evil spirit;
devil, the § into a long discourse with him about the
man, the ; O f im; his rebellion against God, his enmity to
of the world ..". it, his setting himself up in the dark parts
* many º e Worshipped instead of God, and as God, and
ºuin; how he * he made use of to delude mankind to their
*fections, to ad * * secret access to our passions and to our
us even to i.” !º to º inclinations as i. CallSe
* . .* €IIl DiérS gº
tion ".i. own choice. pters, and to run upon our strue
d ºt. * ". ºot so easy to imprint right notions in his
° devil as it was about the being of a God; nature
130 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
assisted all my arguments to evidence to him even the necessity
of a great First Cause and over-ruling governing Power, a secret
directing Providence, and of the equity, and justice of paying
homage to Him that made us, and the like; but there appeared
nothing of all this in the notion of an evil spirit—of his original,
his being, his nature, and above all, of his inclination to do evil,
and to draw us in to do so too; and the poor creature puzzled me
once in such a manner, by a question merely natural and inno-
cent, that I scarce knew what to say to him. I had been talking
a great deal to him of the power of GoD, His omnipotence, His
hatred to sin, His being a consuming fire to the workers of ini.
quity; how, as He had made us all, He could destroy us and all
the world in a moment; and he listened with great seriousness
to me all the while.
After this, I had been telling him how the devil was Gop's
enemy in the hearts of men, and used all his malice and skill to
defeat the good designs of Providence, and to ruin the kingdom
of CHRIST in the world, and the like. “Well,” said Friday,
“but you say GoD is so strong, so great, is He not much strºng,
much might as the devil?” “Yes, yes,” said I; “Friday, GoD
is stronger than the devil: GoD is above the devil, and thereſ?”
we pray to GoD to tread him down under our feet, and enabl;
us to resist his temptations, and quench his fiery darts.” “But,
says he again, “if God much strong, much might as the dºil.
why God no kill the devil, so make him no more do wicked”
I was strangely surprised at his question; and after all, though
I was now an old man, yet I was but a young doctor, and i
enough qualified for a casuist or a solver of difficulties; and, at
first, I could not tell what to say; so I pretended not to hº
him, and asked him what he said? But he was too earnest for
an answer to forget his question; so that he repeated it in."
very same broken words as above. By this time I had recº.
myselfalittle, and Ísaid,” God will at last punish him severº
he is reserved for the judgment, and is to be cast into the boº.
less pit, to dwell with everlasting fire.” This did not satisfy
Friday; but he returns upon me, repeating my words." Rº:
at last f me no understand; but why not kill the devil no".
kill great ago?” “You may as well ask me,” said I, “Why º:
does not kill you and me, when we do wicked things her: º:
offend Him—we are preserved to repent and be pardoneſ.
mused awhile at this: “Well, well,” says he, mighty affection
ately, “that well; so you, I, devil, all wicked, all pº
repent, GoD pardon all.” Here I was run down again by º
to the last degree ; and it was a testimony to me, how the me
notions of nature, though they will guide reasonable crea".
the knowledge of a God, and of a worship or homage dº”.
supreme being of God, as the consequence of our natº y
nothing but divine revelation can form the knowledge 9
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 131
CHRIST, and of a redemption purchased for us; of a Mediator
and Intercessor at GoD's throne; I say nothing but a revelation
from Heaven can form these in the soul ; and that therefore the
Gospel of our Lord and SAv Iou R JESUS CHRIST is the neces-
sary instructor of the souls of men in the saving knowledge of
GoD, and the means of salvation.
I therefore diverted the present discourse between me and my
man, rising up hastily, as upon some sudden occasion of going
out; then sending him for something a good way off, I seriously
prayed to GoD, that He would enable me to instruct savingly
this poor savage, assisting by His Spirit the heart of the poor
ignorant creature to receive the light of the knowledge of GoD
in CHRIST reconciling him to Himself, and would guide me to
30 speak to him from the word of GoD, that his conscience might
be convinced, his eyes opened, and his soul saved. When he
Came again to me, I entered into a long discourse with him upon
the subject of the redemption of man by the SAv Ioun of the
World, and of the doctrine of the Gospel preached from heaven,
namely, of repentance towards GoD, and faith in our blessed
loºp Jºsus CHRIST; I then explained to him, as well as I
Ҽuld, why our blessed REDEEMER took not on Him the nature
*Angels, but the seed of Abraham, and how, for that reason, the
fallen angels had no share in the redemption ; that He came
only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and the like.
! had, indeed, more sincerity than knowledge in all the
*thods I took for this poor creature's instruction; and must
*knowledge, what I believe all that act upon the same principle
will find, that in laying things open to him, I really informed
* instructed myself in many things, that either’I did not
"*",9r had not fully considered before; but which occurred
...]y to, my mind, upon my searching into them for the in-
*mation of this poor savage; and I had more affection in m
... y after things upon his occasion than ever I felt before;
*9that whether this poor creature was the better for me or not,
had gºt reason to be thankful that ever he came to me. My
fief *lighter upon me, my habitation grew comfortable to me
º ºneºsure; and when I reflected, that in this solitary life,
to .º had been confined to, I had not only been moved myself
me the "P.to Heaven, and to seek to the hand that had brought
.. but was now to be made an instrument, under Provi-
savage *...* he life, and, for ought I knew, the soul of a poor
the É h tº bring him to the true knowledge of religion and of
how . doctrine, that he might know CHRIST Jesus, to
in "9m is life eternal:—when I reflected upon all these
j, i *ºet joy ran through every part of my soul, and I
I had Wºoiced that ever I was brought to this place, which
o often thought the most dreadful of all afflictions that
Pºssibly have befallen me. -
132 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
In this thankful frame I continued all the remainder of my
time; and the conversation which employed the hours between
Friday and I was such as made the three years which we lived
there together perfectly and completely happy, if any such thing
as complete happiness can be found in a sublunary state. The
savage was now a good Christian, a much better than I; though
I have reason to hope, and bless GoD for it, that we were equally
penitent, and comforted restored penitents.
After Friday and I became more intimately acquainted, and
that he could understand almost all I said to him, and speak,
though in broken English, to me, I acquainted him with my own
story, or at least so much of it as related to my coming into the
place; how I had lived there, and how long. I let him into the
mystery (for such it was to him) of gunpowder and bullet, and
taught him how to shoot. I gave him a knife, which he was
wonderfully delighted with ; and I made him a belt with a loºp
hanging to it, such as in England we wear hangers in ; and in
the loop, instead of a hanger, I gave him a hatchet, which was
not only as good a weapon on some occasions, but much more
useful upon others. s
I described to him the countries of Europe, and particularly
England, which I came from ; how we lived, how we worshippº
God, how we behaved to one another, and how we traded tº
ships to all the parts of the world. I gave him, an account 9
the wreck which I had been on board of, and shewed him."
near as I could, the place where she lay. I shewed him tle
ruins of our boat, which we lost when we escaped, and which
I could not stir with my whole strength then, but was .
fallen almost all to pieces. Upon seeing this boat, Fridays".
musing a great while, and said nothing. I asked him, whº i.
was he studied upon?' At last, says he, “Me see such boat like
come to place at my nation.”
I did not understand him a good while ; but, at last, when
I had examined farther into it, I understood by him, that a "".
such as that had been, came on shore upon the country whº,
he lived; that is, as he explained it, was driven thither by sº
of weather. I presently imagined that some European ship º
have been cast away upon their coast, and the boat might .
loose, and drive ashore; but I was so dull, that I never º:
thought of men making escape from a wreck thither, much in
whence they might come; so I only inquired after a descript
of the boat. ht
Friday described the boat to me well enough ; but º
me better to understand him, when he added, with some .
“We save the white mans from drown.” Then I presently: the
him, if there were any “white mans,” as he called them'; "
boat? “Yes,” he said, “the boat full white mans.”
him, how many. He told me, upon his fingers, seven”
CIH. W. of Robinson CRUso E. 133
asked him then, what became of them 2 he told me, “They live,
they dwell at my nation.”
This put new thoughts into my head; for I presently ima-
gined that these might be the men belonging to the ship that
was cast away in sight of my island, as I now called it; and
who, after the ship was struck on the rock, and they saw her
inevitably lost, had saved themselves in their boat, and were
landed upon that wild shore, among the savages.
Upon this I inquired of him more particularly what was
become of them 2 He assured me they lived still there; that
they had been there about four years; that the savages let them
alone, and gave them victuals to eat. I asked him, how it came
to pass they did not kill them, and eat them 2 he said, “No,
they make brother with them;” that is, as I understood him,
a truce : and then he added, “They no eat mans but when
make the war fight;" that is to say, they never eat any men,
but such as come to fight with them, and are taken in battle.
It was some considerable time after this, that, being on the
top of the hill, at the east side of the island,-from whence, as I
have said, I had in a clear day discovered the main or continent
of America, Friday, the weather being very serene, looked ver
**rnestly towards the mainland, and in a kind of surprise fell
*Jumping and dancing, and called out to me (for I was at some
distance from him). T asked him what was the matter. “O
Jº!" says he, “O glad there see my country, there my
nation '' .
| observed an extraordinary sense of pleasure appeared in his
face, and his eyes sparkled, and his countenance discovered a
*ge eagerness, as if he had a mind to be in his own country
*; and this observation of mine put a great many thoughts
"'9.me, which made me at first not so easy about my new man
riday as I was before. . I began now to think that if he could
; *ºk to his own nation again, he would not only forget all
W. ". but all his obligations to me; that he would be for-
. *ºugh to give his countrymen an account of me, and come
*. Perhaps, with a hundred or two of them, and make a feast
.#. ** which he might be as merry as he used to be with those
..ºnemies when they were taken in war.
*". Wronged the poor honest creature very much, for which
Creased .. sorry afterwards. . However, as my jealousy in-
and ...” . some weeks, I was a little more circumspect,
Certainl º ºil. and kind to him as before; in which I was
tº. * Wrong too, the honest, grateful creature having no
as a reli ºut it but what consisted with the best principles, both
erW º Christian. and as a grateful friend, as appeared
y . º my . Satisfaction.
* ** *y, jealousy of him lasted, I was every day trying
him, to seeiſh. discover any of the new ºft, which
r" - .... N
134 LIFE AND ADventurEs
I suspected were in him; but I found every thing he said was so
honest and so innocent, that I could find nothing to nourish my
suspicion, and, in spite of all my uneasiness, he made me at last
entirely his own again; nor did he in the least perceive that I
was uneasy, and therefore I could not suspect him of deceit.
One day, walking up the same hill, and the weather being
hazy at sea, so that we could not see the continent, I called to
him, and said, “Friday, do not you wish yourself in your own
country, your own nation?” “Yes,” he said; “he be much 0
glad to be at his own nation.” “What would you do there?"
said I. “Would you turn wild again, eat men's flesh again, and
be a savage as you were before ?” He looked full of concern, and
shaking his head, said, “No, no; Friday tell them to live gºod,
tell them to pray God, tell them to eat corn bread, cattle flesh,
milk; no eat man again.” “Why, then,” said I to him, “ they
will kill you.” He looked grave at that, and then said, “ No,
they no kill me, they willing love learn.” He added, “they
learned much of the bearded mans that came in the boat.” Then
I asked him if he would go back to them He smiled at that
and told me he could not swim so far. I told him I would make
a canoe for him. He told me he would go if I would go with
him. “I go!” said I; “why, they will eat me if I come there.
“No, no,” says he; “me make them no eat you, me make they
much love you.” He meant he would tell them how I had killed
his enemies and saved his life, and so he would make them 10"
me. Then he told me, as well as he could, how kind they wº
to seventeen white men, or bearded men, as he called them, whº
came on shore there in distress.
From this time, I confess, I had a mind to venture over, and
see if I could possibly join with these bearded men, who, I nº
no doubt, were Spaniards or Portuguese; not doubting but if I
could, we might find some method to escape from thenee, being
upon the continent and a good company together, better tº
could from an island forty miles off the shore, and alone without
help. So, after some days, I told Friday I would give him
to go back to his own nation; and, accordingly, I carried hiº to
my frigate, which lay on the other side of the island, and hº";
cleared it of water (for I always kept it sunk in the water),
brought it out, shewed it him, and we both went into it.
I found he was a most dexterous fellow at managing
could make it go almost as swift and fast again as I coul".
when he was in, I said to him, “Well now, Friday, shall Wºº" º
your nation?” He looked very dull at my saying so, W ich, 1
seems, was because he thought the boat too small to go 89 far.
told him then I had a bigger; so the next day I went to the place
where the first boat lay which I had made, but which I could º:
et into the water. He said that was big enough ; but then, i.
#. taken no care of it, and it had lain two or three and twen
it; and
C.H. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 135
years there, the sun had split and dried it, so that it was in a
manner rotten. Friday told me such a boat would do very well,
and would carry “much enough drink, bread.”
Upon the whole, I was by this time so fixed upon my design
of going over with him to the continent, that I told him we
would make one as big as that, and he should go home in it. He
answered not one word, but looked very grave and sad. I asked
him what was the matter with him He asked me again thus,
“Why you angry with Friday ! what me done?” ... I asked him
what he meant? I told him I was not angry with him at all.
“No angry, no angry P’ says he, repeating the words several
times; “why send Friday home away to my nation?” “Why,”
said I, “Friday, did you not say you wished you were there?”
“Yes, yes,” says he, “wish be both there; no wish Friday there,
nº master there.” In a word, he would not think of going there
Without me. “I go there, Friday !” said I; “what should I do
there?” . He turned very quick upon me at this. “You do great
deal much good,” says he: “ you teach wild mans be good, sober,
ºne mans; you tell them know God, pray God, and live new
life.” “Alas, Friday,” said I, “thou knowest not what thou
Rºyest; I am but an ignorant man myself.” “Yes, yes,” says
he: “you teechee me good, you teechee them good.” “No, no,
Friday,” said I, “you shall go without me; leave me here to
live by myself, as I did before.” He looked confused again at
that word, and running to one of the hatchets which he used to
"º, he took it up hastily, and came and gave it to me. “What
*st I do with this?” said I to him. “You take kill Friday,”
*** he “What must I kill you for tº said I again. He re-
ºned very quick, “What you send Friday away for? Take kill
Friday; no send Friday away.” This he spoke so earnestly that
t *"...tears stand in his eyes; in a word, I so plainly discovered
i. utmost affection in him to me, and a firm resolution in him,
* I told him then and often after, that I would never send him
** if he was willing to stay with me.
aff Pºn the whole, as I found by all his discourse a settled
jº tº me, and that nothing could part him from me, so I
j All the foundation of his desire to go to his own country
oin * ... his ardent affection to the people, and his hopes of my
I j ºn good; a thing which as I had no notion of myself, so
8 stro *the least intention of undertaking it. But still I found
inj inclination to my attempting an escape, as I have said,
that in." the supposition gathered from the discourse, namely,
Out an °Were seventeen bearded men there; and therefore, with-
ee . delay, I went to work with Friday to find out a great
age. Pººper to fell, and make a large canoe to undertake the voy-
fleet, º Were trees enough in the island to have built a little
... .º. of canoes only, but even of good large vessels; but the
g I looked at was, to get one so near the water that we

136 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
might launch it when it was made, to avoid the mistake I com-
mitted before.
At last Friday pitched upon a tree, for I found he knew much
better than I what kind of wood was fittest for it; nor can I tell
to this day what wood to call the tree we cut down, except that
it was very like the tree we call fustic, or between that and the
Nicaragua wood, for it was much of the same colour and smell.
Friday was for burning the hollow or cavity of this tree out to
make into a boat; but I shewed him how rather to cut it out with
tools, which, after I shewed him how to use, he did very handily;
and in about a month’s hard labour we finished it, and made it
very handsome, especially when, with our axes, which I shewed
him how to handle, we cut and hewed the outside into the true
shape of a boat. After this, however, it cost us near a fortnight's
time to get her along, as it were inch by inch, upon great roller
into the water; but when she was in, she would have carried
twenty men with great ease. *
When she was in the water, and though she was so large, it
amazed me to see with what dexterity and how swiftly my mail
Friday would manage her, turn her, and paddle her along; so I
asked him if he would, and if we might venture over in her!
“Yes,” he said, “he venture over in her very well, though great
blow wind.” However, I had a farther design that he knew
nothing of, and that was, to make a mast and sail, and to fit tº
with an anchor and cable. As to a mast, that was easy enough
to get; so I pitched upon a straight young cedar-tree, which
found near the place, and which there was a great plenty ºf "
the island, and I set Friday to work to cut it down, and gave hiº
directions how to shape it. But as to the sail, that was my P*.
ticular care. I knew I had old sails, or rather pieces of old º
enough; but as I had had them now twenty-six years by mº"
had not been very careful to preserve them, not imagining that
should ever have this kind of use for them, I did not doul'."
they were all rotten; and indeed most of them were so. Hº:
ever, I found two pieces which appeared pretty good, and wit
these I went to work, and with a great deal of pains and awkwa *...*
tedious stitching for want of needles, I at length made * º:
cornered ugly thing like what we call in England a should."
mutton saiſ, to go with a boom at bottom and a little shorts!"
the top, such as usually our ships' long-boats sail with, and suc
as I best knew how to manage, because it was such a one **.
to the boat in which I made my escape from Barbary, as relate
in the first part of my story. in rig-
I was near two months performing this last work. Yº º
ging and fitting my mast and sails; for I finished the "...' to
complete, making a small stay, and a sail or foresail tº ºre
assist, if we should turn to windward; and, which W* .
than all, I fixed a rudder to the stern, to steer with ; *
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 137
so much pains to do it, that at last I brought it to pass; though,
considering the many dull contrivances I had for it that failed,
I think it cost me almost as much labour as making the boat.
After all this was done, I had my man Friday to teach as to
what belonged to the navigation of my boat; for though he knew
very well how to paddle the canoe, he knew nothing of what be-
longed to a sail and a rudder, and was the more amazed when
he saw me work the boat to-and-again in the sea by the rudder,
and how the sail filled this way or that way, as the course we
sailed changed; however, with a little use, I made all these
things familiar to him, and he became an expert sailor, except
that as to the compass, I could make him understand very little
of that: on the other hand, as there was very little cloudy
weather, and seldom or never any fogs in those parts, there was
the less occasion for a compass, seeing the stars were always to
be seen by night, and the shore by day, except in the rainy
seasons; and then nobody cared to stir abroad, either by land
Of Sea.
I had now entered on the seven-and-twentieth year of my
captivity in this place; though the three last years that I had
this creature with me ought rather to be left out of the account,
my habitation being quite of another kind than in all the rest of
*y time... I kept the anniversary of my landing here with the
*me thankfulness to GoD for His mercies as at first; and if I
"d such cause of acknowledgment at first, I had much more so
"W, having such additional testimonies of the care of Provi-
. over me, as well as hopes of being effectually and speedily
ºvered; for I had an invincible impression upon my thoughts,
** my deliverance was at hand, and that I should not be an-
other year in this place: however, I went on with my husbandry
º Planting, and fencing, as usual; I gathered and cured
y ſº and did every necessary thing, as before.
he rainy season was in the mean time commenced, when I
tº:*. within doors than at other times: so we had our new
.* as secure as we could, bringing her up into the
made inand hauling her up to the shore, at high-water mark, I
her º . Friday dig a little dock, just big enough to hold
was . . enough to float her in ; and then, when the tide
water on * made a strong dam across the end of it, to keep the
to keep th and so she lay dry, as to the tide, from the sea; and
thick º º off, we laid a great many boughs of trees, so
waited'ſ . ° was as well thatched as a house; and thus we
desi * the months of November and December, in which I
§. to make my ad # 2
hen inj...'. ğ
my desi season began to come in, as the thought of
foºt."ºned with the fair weather, I was preparing daily
$.”yage; and the first thing I did g dau
quantity of jº. rst thing I did was, to lay by a certain
Provision, being the gore, for the voyage; and I in-
N
138 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
tended, in a week or a fortnight's time, to open the dock, and
launch out our boat. I was busy one morning upon something
of this kind, when I called to Friday, and bid him go to the sea-
shore, and see if he could find a turtle or tortoise, a thing which
we generally got once a week, for the sake of the eggs as well as
the flesh. Friday had not been long gone, when he. came run-
ning back, and flew over my outward wall, or fence, like one
that felt not the ground, or the steps he set his feet on ; and be-
fore I had time to speak to him, he cried out to me, “O master!
O master O sorrow ! O bad l’” “What’s the matter, Friday ?”
said I. “O yonder there,” said he, “one, two, three canoeſ
one, two, three ſ” By his way of speaking I concluded there
were six; but on inquiry I found there were but three. “Well,
Friday,” said I, “do not be frightened;” so I heartened lim
up as well as I could. However, I saw the poor fellow was most
terribly scared ; for nothing ran in his head but that they were
come to look for him, and would cut him in pieces, and eat him;
and the poor fellow trembled so, that I scarcely knew what to
do with him. I comforted him as well as I could, and told him
I was in as much danger as he, and that they would eat me tº
well as him : “but,” said I, “Friday, we must resolve to fight
them. Can you fight, Friday ?” “Me shoot,” says he, “but
there come many great number.” “No matter for that,” said
I again, “our guns will frighten those we do not kill.”. Sº I
asked him, whether, if I resolved to defend him, he would ‘lºr
fend me, and stand by me, and do just as I bid him He said,
“Me die, when you bid die, master;” so I went and fetched 4
good dram of rum, and gave him; for I had been so careful of
my rum that I had a great deal left. When he had drank it,
I made him take the two fowling-pieces which we always, cº-
ried, and load them with large swan-shot, as big as small pistol-
bullets; then I took four muskets, and loaded them with "%
slugs and five small bullets each; and my two pistols I loaded
with a brace of bullets each : I hung my great sword, as us”
naked by my side, and gave Friday his hatchet.
When I had thus prepared myself, I took my glass, and went
up to the side of the hill, to see what I could discover ; *
found quickly that there were one-and-twenty savages, three
prisoners, and three canoes, and that their whole business sº
to be the triumphant banquet upon these three human bodies;
a barbarous feast indeed, but nothing more than as I had 0
served was usual with them. d
I observed also, that they were landed, not where they hº
done when Friday made his escape, but nearer to my e.
where the shore was low, and where a thick wood canº clº
almost down to the sea. This, with the abhorrence of.”.”
human errand these wretches came about, filled me with i.
indignation, that I came down again to Friday, and to y
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 139
I was resolved to go down to them, and kill them all ; and
asked him if he would stand by me. He was now gotten over
his fright; and his spirits being a little raised with the dram I
had given him, he was very cheerful; and told me, as before,
“he would die when I bid die.” --
I now took and divided the arms which I had charged be-
tween us; I gave Friday one pistol to stick in his girdle, and
three guns upon his shoulder; and I took one pistol, and the
other three myself; and in this posture we marched out. I
took a small bottle of rum in my pocket, and gave Friday a
large bag with more powder and bullet; and, as to orders, I
charged film to keep close behind me, and not to stir, or shoot,
or do any thing till I bid him ; and, in the mean time, not to
speak a word: I then fetched a compass to my right hand of
hear, a mile, as well to get over the creek as to get into the
Wood; so that I might come within shot of them before I
º be discovered, which I had seen by my glass it was easy
0 (IO,
, While I was making this march, my former thoughts return-
"g, I began to abate my resolution; I do not mean, that I
°ntertained any fear of their number; for as they were naked,
*rmed wretches, it is certain I was superior to them; nay,
thºugh I had been alone; but it occurred to my thoughts, what
call, What occasion, much less what necessity, was there to go
and dip my hands in blood; to attack people who had neither
done or intended me any wrong; who, as to me, were innocent,
"" whose barbarous customs were their own disaster, being in
them a token indeed of God's having left them, with the other
*s of that part of the world, to such inhuman courses, but
id not call me to take upon me to be a judge of their actions,
. less an executioner of His justice; that whenever He
*ght fit. He would take the cause into"His own hands, and
.*ional vengeance punish them, as a people, for national
ºnes; but that in the mean time, it was none of my business.
. things were so warmly pressed upon my thoughts all the
nº. . I went, that I resolved I would only go and place myself
º ºthat I might observe their barbarous feast, and that I
Q ..". then as God should direct; but that, unless something
Il *t was more a call to me than yet I knew of, I would
"Will with them.
Sl Will this resolution I entered the wood, and with all pos-
mº and silence (Friday following close at my heels)
WàS º: till I came to the skirt of the wood, on the side which
me and i. them ; only that one corner of the wood lay between
* great t em. Here I called softly to Friday, and shewing him.
him *; which was just at the corner of the wood, I bade
: #9 tº the tree, and bring m rd if he could see there
plainly what..."gºº"...º.º.º.
J What they were doing. He did so, and came immediately

140 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
back to me, and told me they might be distinctly viewed there;
that they were all about the fire, eating the flesh of one of their
prisoners; and that another lay bound upon the sand, a little
from them, whom, he said, they would kill next, and which
fired the very soul within me. He told me, it was not one
of their nation, but one of the bearded men whom he had told
me of, that came to their country in the boat. I was filled with
horror at the very naming of the white, bearded man; and going
to the tree, I saw plainly, by my glass, a white man, who la
upon the beach of the sea, with his hands and his feet tied wit
flags; and that he was a European, and had clothes on.
There was another tree, and a little thicket beyond it, about
fifty yards nearer to them than the place where I was, which, b
going a little way about, I saw I might come at undiscovered,
and that then I should be within half-shot of them. So I re-
strained my passion, though I was indeed enraged to the high:
est degree; and going back about twenty paces, I got behind
some bushes, which extended all the way till I came to the other
tree, and then I came to a little rising ground, which gave me a
full view of them, at the distance of about eighty yards.
I had now not a moment to lose; for nineteen of the dreadful
wretches sat upon the ground all close huddled together, and ha
just sent the other two to butcher the poor Christian, and bring
him, perhaps limb by limb, to their fire; and they were stoop-
ing down to untie the bands at his feet. I turned to Friday;
“Now, Friday,” said I, “do exactly as you see me do: fail in
nothing.” So I set down one of the muskets and the fowling"
piece upon the ground, and Friday did the like by his ; and with
the other musket I took my aim at the savages, bidding him dº
the same. Then asking him if he was ready, he said, “Yes,
º Then fire at them,” said I; and the same moment I fired
8|SO,
Friday took his aim so much better than I, that on the side
that he shot he killed two of them, and wounded three more;
and on my side, I killed one, and wounded two. They Werº
you may be sure, in a dreadful consternation: and all of them,
who were not hurt, jumped up upon their feet, but did not *.
mediately know which way to run, or which way to look ; for
they knew not from whence the destruction came. Frida kept
his eyes close upon me, that, as I had bid him, he might 9
serve what I did; so soon as the first shot was made, I thrº,
down the piece, and took up the fowling-piece, and Friday di
the like: he saw me cock, and present; he did the same ‘A’.
you ready, Friday?” said I. “Yes,” says he. “Let fly then,
said I, “in the Name of God;” and with that I fired ag”
among the amazed wretches, and so did Friday; and as .
pieces were now loaden with what I called swan-shot, or *
pistol-bullets, we found only two drop; but so many "
ſº
2
3.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.


CH. V. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 141
wounded, that they ran about yelling and screaming like mad
creatures; and three more fell quickly after, though not quite
dead.
“Now, Friday,” said I, laying down the discharged pieces,
and taking up the musket, which was yet loaded, “follow me,”
which he did, with a great deal of courage; upon which I rushed
out of the wood, and shewed myself, and Friday close at my
foot: as soon as I perceived they saw me, I shouted as loud as
I could, and bade Friday do so too; and running as fast as I
could, which, by the way, was not very fast, being laden with
arms as I was, I made directly towards the poor victim, who
Was, as I said, lying upon the beach or shore, between the place
where they sat and the sea. The two butchers, who were just
going to work with him, had left him, at the surprise of our
first fire, and fled in a terrible fright to the sea-side, and had
jumped into a canoe, and three more of the rest made the same
Way. I turned to Friday, and bid him step forwards, and fire
it them ; he understood me immediately, and running about
forty yards, to be near them, he shot at them, and I thought he
had killed them all, for they all fell of a heap into the boat;
however, he killed two of them, and wounded the third, so that
he lºy, down in the bottom of the boat, as if he had been dead.
While my man Friday fired at them, I pulled out my knife,
and cut the flags that bound the poor victim ; and, loosing his
hands and feet, I lifted him up, and asked him in the Portu-
*se tongue, what he was 7 He answered in Latin, “ Chris-
*}” but he was so weak and faint, that he could scarce
*nd or speak. So I took my bottle out of my pocket, and
**.*.it him, making signs that he should drink, which he did ;
* I gave him a piece of bread, which he eat; then I asked
. lº. countryman he was ; and he said, “Espagnole;”
could eing a little recovered, let me know, by all the signs he
ive pºssibly make, how much he was in my debt for his de-
. & 4 Signor,” said I, with as much Spanish as I could
YOu i º “we will talk afterwards, but we must fight now ; if
a . any strength left, take this pistol and sword, and lay
eth yºu.”. He took them very thankfully; and no sooner had
im i ". in his hands, but as if they had put new vigour into
em ºw upon his murderers like a fury, and had cut two of
8 Sur ... Plºce, in an instant; for the truth is, as the whole was
en !. to them, so the poor creatures were so much fright-
anº the noise of our pieces, that they fell down for mere
Own esc . and fear, and had no more power to attempt their
e Case pe, º their flesh had to resist our shot; and that was
three of tº. those five that Friday shot at in the boat; for as
fell with t. fell with the hurt they received, so the other two
I k e fright.
*Pt my piece in my hand still, without firing, being will-
142 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
ing to keep my charge ready, because I had given the Spaniard
my pistol and sword ; so I called to Friday, and bade him run up
to the tree from whence we first fired, and fetch the arms which
lay there, that had been discharged, which he did with great
swiftness; and then giving him my musket, I sat down myself
to load all the rest again, and bade them come to me when they
wanted. While I was loading these pieces, there happened a
fierce engagement between the Spaniard and one of the savages,
who made at him with one of their great wooden swords, the
same weapon that was to have killed him before, if I had not
prevented it. The Spaniard, who was as bold and as brave as
could be imagined, though weak, had fought this Indian a good
while, and had cut two great wounds on his head ; but the Savage,
being a stout lusty fellow, closing in with him, had thrown him
down, and was wringing my sword out of his hand, when the
Spaniard, though undermost, wisely quitting his sword, drew the
º from his girdle, shot the savage through the body, and
illed him on the spot, before I, who was running to help him,
could come near him. *
Friday, being now left at his liberty, pursued the flying
wretches with no weapon in his hand but his hatchet; and with
that he despatched those three who, as I said before, were
wounded at first and fallen, and all the rest he could come up
with; and the Spaniard coming to me for a gun, I gave him
one of the fowling-pieces, with which he pursued two of the
savages, and wounded them both ; but as he was not able to ruſ',
they both got from him into the wood, where Friday pursued
them, and killed one of them; but the other was too nimble tº
him ; and though he was wounded, yet he had plunged himself
into the sea, and swam with all his might off to those two whº
were left in the canoe; which three in the canoe, with one woul".
ed, were all that escaped our hands of one-and-twenty. *
account is as follows: *.
Three killed at our shot from the tree; two killed at thene.
shot; two killed by Friday in the boat; two killed by Friday,
of those at first wounded; one killed by Friday in the Woº:
three killed by the Spaniard; four killed, being found droppe
here and there, of their wounds, or killed by Friday in his º:
of them; four escaped in the boat, whereof one wounded, if DO
dead; in all one-and-twenty.
Those that were in the canoe worked hard to get out of #.
shot; and though Friday made two or three shots at them, .
not find that he hit any of them. Friday would fain havº .
me take one of their canoes, and pursue them; and indeed, "" 0
very anxious about their escape, lest, carrying the news h9.ree
their people, they should come back, perhaps, with two or th
hundred of their canoes, and devour us by mere multitude. tier
consented to pursue them by sea; and running to one of
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 143
canoes, I jumped in, and bade Friday follow me ; but when I
was in the canoe, I was surprised to find another poor creature
lie there alive, bound hand and foot, as the Spaniard was, for
the slaughter, and almost dead with fear, not knowing what the
matter was ; for he had not been able to look up over the side of
the boat, he was tied so fast.
I inmediately cut the twisted flags, or rushes, which they had
bound him with, and would have helped him up ; but he could
not stand, or speak, but groaned most piteously, believing, it
seems, still, that he was only unbound in order to be killed.
When Friday came to him, I bade him speak to him, and tell
him of his deliverance; and pulling out my bottle, made him
give the poor wretch a dram, which, with the news of his being
delivered, revived him, and he sat up in the boat; but when
Friday came to hear him speak, and looked in his face, it would
have moved any one to tears, to have seen how he kissed him,
embraced him, hugged him, cried, laughed, hallooed, jumped
about, danced, sung, then cried again, wrung his hands, ł. his
own face and head, and then sung and jumped about again like
*distracted creature. It was a good while before I could make
him speak to me, or tell me what was the matter ; but when he
came a little to himself, he told me that it was his father.
It was not easy for me to express how it moved me, to see
Whºt ecstasy and filial affection had worked in this poor savage
* the sight of his father, and of his being delivered from death;
ºf indeed can I describe half the extravagances of his affection
after this ; for he went into the boat and out of the boat a great
*Y times; when he went in to him, he would sit down by him,
* hold his father's head close to his bosom half an hour to:
gether; then he took his arms and ankles, which were numbed
i.º with the binding, and chaſed and rubbed them with his
...; and I, perceiving what the case was, gave him some rum
"...ºf my bottle to rub them with, which did them a great deal
of good. - 3
Ot º: action put an end to our pursuit of the canoe with the
W88 ºgº, who were now gotten almost out of sight; and it
two i. for us that we did not ; for it blew so hard within
their !. after, and before they could be gotten a quarter of
from ...'. and continued blowing so hard all night, and that
*.horth-west, which was against them, that I could not
Rul tº & tº
º. heir boat could live, or that they ever reached their
But to r
that I could eturn to Friday; he was so busy about his father,
b not find in my heart to take him off for some time;
. ... ; thought he could leave him a little, I called him to
light. d * “ame jumping and laughing, and pleased to the
any b *#"eº: Then I asked him, if he had given his father
! He shook his head, and said, “None: ugly dog eat
144 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
all up self.” So I gave him a cake of bread out of a little pouch
I carried on purpose; I also gave him a dram for himself; but he
would not taste it, but carried it to his father. I had in my
pocket also two or three bunches of my raisins, so I gave him
a handful of them for his father. He had no sooner given his
father these raisins, than I saw him come out of the boat, and run
away as if he had been bewitched. He ran at such a rate (for
he was the swiftest fellow that I ever saw), I say, he ran at such
a rate, that he was out of sight, as it were, in an instant; and
though I called and hallooed after him, it was all one; away he
went, and in a quarter of an hour I saw him come back again,
though not so fast as he went; and as he came nearer, I found his
pace was slacker, because he had something in his hand.
When he came up to me, I found he had been quite home for
an earthen jug, or pot, to bring his father some fresh water; and
that he had got two more cakes or loaves of bread. The bread
he gave me, but the water he carried to his father; however, as
I was very thirsty too, I took a little sup of it; this water revived
his father more than all the rum or spirits I had given him ; for
he was just fainting with thirst.
When his father had drank, I called to him, to know if there
was any water left; he said, “Yes;” and I bade him give it to
the poor Spaniard, who was in as much want of it as his father;
and I sent one of the cakes that Friday brought to the Spaniard
too, who was indeed very weak, and was reposing himself upon
a green place, under the shade of a tree. When I saw that upol,
Friday’s coming to him with the water he sat up and drank, and
took the bread, and began to eat, I went to him, and gave him *
handful of raisins; he looked up in my face, with all the token"
of gratitude and thankfulness that could appear in any count”
nance; but was so weak, notwithstanding he had so exerted hiº.
self in the fight, that he could not stand up upon his feet; he
tried to do it two or three times, but was really not able, his
ankles were so swelled and so painful to him; so I bade him.
still, and caused Friday to rub his ankles, and bathe them wº
rum, as he had done his father's. *
I observed that the poor affectionate creature every,"
minutes, or perhaps less, all the while he was here, turned.”
head about, to see if his father was in the same place and posture
as he had left him sitting; and at last he found he was not tº."
seen; at which he started up, and, without speaking a word, .
with that swiftness to him that one could scarce perceive his fee
o touch the ground as he went; but when he came, he only foun
he had laid himself down to ease his limbs; so Friday cameº
to me presently, and I then spoke to the Spaniard to let Fº
help him up, if he could, and lead him to the boat, and tº."
should carry him to our dwelling, where I would take ". it
him. But Friday, a lusty strong fellow, took the Spaniard q"
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 145
up upon his back, and carried him away to the boat, and set
him down softly upon the side or gunnel of the canoe, with his
feet in the inside of it, and then lifted them quite in, and set him
close to his father, and presently stepping out again, launched the
boat off, and paddled it along the shore faster than I could walk,
though the wind blew pretty hard too; so he brought them both
sale into our creek; and leaving them in the boat, ran away to
fetch the other canoe. As he passed me, I spoke to him, and
asked him, whither he went 2 He told me, “Go fetch more
boat;” so away he went like the wind; for sure never man or
horse ran like him ; and he had the other canoe in the creek
almost as soon as I got to it by land; so he wafted me over, and
then went to help our new guests out of the boat; but they were
neither of them able to walk; so that poor Friday knew not
what to do.
To remedy, this, I went to work in my thought, and calling
to Friday to bid them sit down on the bank while he came to
me, I soon made a kind of hand-barrow to lay them on, and
Friday and I carried them up both together upon it between us.
But when we got them to the outside of our wall or fortification,
We were at a worse loss than before; for it was impossible to get
them over; and I was resolved not to break it down: so I set to
work again; and Friday and I, in about two hours’ time, made
* Very handsome tent, covered with old sails, and above that
With boughs of trees, being in the space without our outward
ſenge, and between that and the grove of young wood which I
!” planted; and here we made them two beds of such things as
!had; namely, of good rice-straw, with blankets laid upon it to
lie on, and another to cover them on each bed.
, My island was now peopled, and I thought myself very rich
* subjects; and it was a merry reflection which I frequently
*de, how like a king I looked. ” First of ail, the whole country
Yº, my own mere property; so that I had an undoubted right
"..."9minion : secondly, my people were perfectly subjected; I
... absolute lord and lawgiver; they allowed their lives to me,
*d were ready to lay down their lives, if there had been occa-
*ion for it, for me.
. As soon as
I had secured my two weak rescued prisoners, and
given them
think shelter, and a place to rest them upon, I began to
j jº. making some provision for them; and the first thing I
ag ordered Friday to take a yearling goat, betwixt a kid and
.. out of my particular flock, to be killed: when I cut off
d º: §uarter, and, chopping it into small pieces, I set Fri-
: º ork to boiling and stewing, and thus made them a very
ſº d ish of flesh and broth. As i cooked it without doors (for
nº. no fire within my inner wall), so I carried it all into the
€at *; and having set a table there for them, I sat down and
*y dinner also with them ; and, as well as I could, cheered
O
146 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
them and encouraged them, Friday being my interpreter, especi-
ally to his father, and indeed to the Spaniard too; for the Span-
iard spoke the language of the savages pretty well.
After we had dined, or rather supped, I ordered Friday to
take one of the canoes, and go and fetch our muskets and other
fire-arms, which for want of time we had left upon the place of
battle; and the next day I ordered him to go and bury the dead
bodies of the savages, which lay open to the sun, and would
presently be offensive. I also ordered him to bury the horrid
remains of their barbarous feast, which I could not think of doing
myself; nay, I could not bear to see them, if I went that way;
all which he punctually performed, and removed every trace of
the savages having been there ; so that when I went again, I
could scarcely know where it was, otherwise than by the corner
of the wood pointing to the place.
I then began to enter into a little conversation with my two
new subjects; and first I set Friday to inquire of his father, what
he thought of the escape of the savages in that canoe and
whether we might expect a return of them with a power too
great for us to resist? His first opinion was, that the savages in
the boat never could live out the storm which blew that night
they went off, but must of necessity be drowned or driven south
to those other shores, where they were as sure to be devoured,
as they were to be drowned if they were cast away; but as to
what they would do if they came safe on shore, he said he knew
not; but it was his opinion, that they were so dreadfully fright-
ened with the manner of their being attacked, the noise, and the
fire, that he believed they would tell their people they were all
killed by thunder and lightning, not by the hand of man; and
that the two which appeared (namely Friday and I) were twº
spirits or furies come down to destroy them, and not men with
weapons. This, he said, he knew, because he heard them allºy
out so in their language to one another; for it was impossible for
them to conceive that a man should dart fire, and speak thunder,
and kill at a distance, without lifting up the hand, as was do”
now. , And this old savage was in the right; for, as I understoº
since by other hands, the savages never attempted to go over tº
the island afterwards. They were so terrified with the accounº
given by those four men (for it seems they did escape the sea),
that they believed whoever went to that enchanted island would
be destroyed with fire from the gods. *
This, however, I knew not, and therefore was under continual
apprehensions for a good while, and kept always upon my glº",
I and all my army; for as we were now four of us, I would ha"
ventured upon a hundred of them fairly in the open field at *
time.
In a little while, however, no more canoes appearing,
of their coming wore off, and I began to take my former
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 147
of a voyage to the main into consideration, being likewise assured
by Friday’s father, that I might depend upon good usage from
their nation on his account, if I would go.
But Iny thoughts were a little suspended when I had a serious
discourse with the Spaniard, and when I understood that there
were sixteen more of his countrymen and Portuguese who, having
been cast away and made their escape to that side, lived there at
peace indeed with the savages, but were very sorely put to it for
necessaries, and indeed for life. I asked him all the particulars
of their voyage, and found they were a Spanish ship bound from
the Rio de la Plata to the Havanna, being directed to leave their
loading there, which was chiefly hides and silver, and to bring
back what European goods they could meet with there; that they
had five Portuguese seamen onboard that they took out of another
Wreck; that five of their own men were drowned when first the
ship was lost; and that these escaped through infinite dangers
and hazards, and arrived almost starved on the cannibal coast,
where they expected to have been devoured every moment.
He told me they had some arms with them, but they were
Perfectly useless, for that they had neither powder nor ball, the
Washing of the sea having spoiled all their powder but a little
.." they used at their first landing to provide themselves some
000.
I asked him what he thought would become of them there,
* if they had formed no design of making any escape. He
*id they had many consultations about it; but that having neither
Yºssel nor tools to build one, nor provisions of any kind, their
°ounsels always ended in tears and despair.
I asked him how he thought they would receive a proposal
from me which might tend towards an escape; and whether, if
they were all here, it might not be done. I told him, with freedom,
that I feared mostly their treachery and ill-usage of me if I put
*y life in their hands; for that gratitude was no inherent virtue
. the nature of man, nor did men always square their dealings
y the obligations they had received, so much as they did by the
Advantages they expected. I told him it would be very hard that
º be the instrument of their deliverance, and that they
dn # i. make me their prisoner in New Spain, where
Or . ishman was certain to be made a sacrifice, what necessity
wn. accident soever brought him thither. I added, that
80 º was persuaded, if they were all here, we might with
eith. Y hands build a bark large enough to carry us all away
º tº the Brazils southward, or to the islands or Spanish coast
Orthward. 5
it. ºvered, with a great deal of candour, that their con-
he belie . * miserable, and they were so sensible of it, that
indl à they would abhor the thought of using any man un-
7 *at should contribute to their deliverance; and that, if
148 LIFE AND AIDV ENTURES
I pleased, he would go to them with the old man, and discourse
with them about it, and return again and bring me their answer;
that he would make conditions with them upon their solemn oath,
that they should be absolutely under my direction as their coin-
mander and captain; and that they should swear upon the Holy
Gospel to be true to me, and go to such Christian country as that
I should agree to, and no other; and to be directed wholly and
absolutely by my orders till they were landed safely in such
country as I intended; and that he would bring a contract from
them under their hands for that purpose.
Then he told me he would first swear to me himself, that he
would never stir from me as long as he lived till I gave him
orders; and that he would take my side to the last drop of his
blood, if there should happen the least breach of faith among his
countrymen. -
He added, they were all of them very civil honest men, and
they were under the greatest distress imaginable, having neither
weapons or clothes, nor any food, but at the mercy and discretion
of the savages; out of all hopes of ever returning to their own
country; and that he was sure, if I would undertake their relief,
they would live and die by me.
Upon these assurances I resolved to venture to relieve them
if possible, and to send the old savage and this Spaniard over to
them to treat; but when he had got all things in readiness tº
go, the Spaniard himself started an objection, which had so mºth
}. in it on one hand, and so much sincerity on the oth'ſ
and, that I could not but be very well satisfied in it, and, by hº
advice, put off the deliverance of his comrades for at least half"
year. The case was thus: t
He had been with us now about a month, during which time
I had let him see in what manner I had provided, with the assis'.
ance of Providence, for my support; and he saw evidently what
stock of corn and rice I had laid up, which, as it was more thº'
enough for myself, so it was not sufficient, at least without good
husbandry, for my family, now it was increased to four. P.”
much less would it be so, if his countrymen, who were, as ".
said, fourteen still alive, should come over; and least of all would
it be enough to victual our vessel, if we should build one, ſº
voyage to any of the Christian colonies of America. So he told
me he thought it would be more advisable, to let him and the two
others dig and cultivate some more land, as much as I 09"
spare seed to sow ; and that we should wait another harvest,
that we might have supply of corn for his countrymen when they
should come; for want might be a temptation to them, to dis-
agree, or not to think themselves delivered otherwise than out
of one difficulty into another. “You know,” says he, “ the chil-
dren of Israel, though they rejoiced at first at their being de-
livered out of Egypt, yet rebelled even against God Him”
C.H. W. OF ROBIN SON CRUSOE, 149
that delivered them, when they came to want bread in the
wilderness.”
His caution was so seasonable, and his advice so good, that I
could not but be very well pleased with his proposal, as well as
I was satisfied with his fidelity: so we all four of us fell to dig-
ging, as well as the wooden tools we were furnished with per-
mitted ; and in about a month’s time, by the end of which it was
seed-time, we had got as much land cured and trimmed up as we
sowed twenty-two bushels of barley on, and sixteen jars of rice,
which was, in short, all the seed we had to spare ; nor, indeed,
did we leave ourselves barley sufficient for our own food for the
six months that we had to expect our crop, that is to say, reckon-
ing from the time we set our seed aside for sowing; for it is not
to be supposed it is six months in the ground in that country.
Having now society enough, and our number being sufficient
to put us out of fear of the savages, if they had come, unless
their number had been very great, we went freely all over the
island, wherever we found occasion; and as here we had our
"scape or deliverance upon our thoughts, it was impossible, at
lºst for me, to have the means of it out of mind. To this purpose
marked out several trees, which I thought fit for our work, and
* Friday and his father to cutting them down ; and then I
"ºsed the Spaniard, to whom I imparted my thoughts on that
"air, to oversee and direct their work; I shewed them with
"hºt indefatigable pains I had hewed a large tree into single
Planks, and f caused them to do the like, till they had made
allºut a dozen large planks of good oak, nearly two feet broad,
thirty-five feet long, and from two inches to four inches thick;
"hºt prodigious labour it took up, any one may imagine.
At the same time I laboured to increase my little flock of tame
º as much as I could; and to this purpose I made Friday and
º !aniard to go out one day, and myself, with Friday, the next
º: we toºk our turns; and by this means we got above
º Young kids to breed up with the rest; for whenever we
}{1t º we saved the kids, and added them to our flock;
º º all, the season for curing the grapes coming on, I
j such a prodigious quantity to be hung up in the sun, that
are c º had we been at Alicant, where the raisins of the sun
thes º, we should have filled sixty or eighty, barrels; and
... With our bread, were a great part of our food.
the º º and our crop in good order: it was not
enought Plentiful increase I had seen in the island, but it was
ad i. answer our end; for though all the sixteen Spaniards
we had º shore with me, we should have had enough; or, if
Yictualled ºn ready for a voyage, it would very plentifully have
Then we . ship, to have carried us to any part of America.
fell to work ad housed and secured our magazine of corn, we
to make more wicker-work; namely, great baskets,
O 2
150 ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE.
in which to keep it; and the Spaniard was very handy and dex-
terous at this part, and often blamed me, that I did not make
some things for defence of this kind of work; but I saw no need
of it. And now, having a full supply of food for all the guests I
expected, I gave the Spaniard leave to go over to the main, to
see what he could do with those he left behind him there. I gave
him a strict charge in writing, not to bring any man with him,
who would not first swear, in the presence of himself and the old
savage, that he would no way injure, fight with, or attack the
person he should find in the island, who was so kind to send for
them in order to their deliverance; but that they would stand by
and defend him against all such attempts; and wherever they
went, would be entirely under and subjected to his commands;
and that this should be put in writing, and signed with their
hands: how we were to have this done, when I knew they had
neither pen or ink, that, indeed, was a question which we never
asked.
Under these instructions, the Spaniard and Friday's father
went away in one of the canoes, which they might be said to
come in, or rather were brought in, when they came as prisoners
to be devoured by the savages.
I gave each of them a musket with a firelock on it, and about
eight charges of powder and ball; admonishing them to be very
good husbands of both, and not to use either of them but upon
urgent occasions.
This was a cheerful work, being the first measures used by
me for my deliverance for now twenty-seven years and some
days. ... I gave them provisions of bread and of dried grapes suffi-
cient for themselves for many days, and sufficient for their coun:
trymen for about eight days’ time ; and wishing them a goo
voyage, I let them go, agreeing with them about a signal they
should hang out at their return, by which I should know them
again, when they came back, at a distance, before they came 0"
shore.
They went away with a fair gale on the day that the moºn
was at full; by my account, in the month of October; but as for
an exact reckoning of days, after I had once lost it, I could neve"
recover it again; nor had I kept even the number of years “
punctually as to be sure that I was right, though, as it prov
when I afterwards examined my account, I had been so.

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T was no less than eight days I had
(` t
CŞ waited for them, when a strange and unfore-
º seen accident intervened, of which the like has
*º 'º- not perhaps been heard of in history. I was
4 × <
fast asleep in my hutch one morning, when my man
Friday came running in to me, and called aloud, “Mas-
ter, master, they are come ! they are come !”
jumped up, and, regardless of danger, went out as soon as
I could get my clothes on, through my little grove (which, by
the way, was by this time grown to be a very thick wood,) with-
out my arms, which was not my custom to do; but I was sur-
prised when, turning my eyes to the sea, I presently saw a boat
at about a league and a half’s distance, standing in for the shore,
With a shoulder-of-mutton sail, as they call it, and the wind blow-
ing pretty fair to bring them in ; also I observed presently that
they did not come from that side which the shore lay on, but from
the southernmost end of the island. Upon this I called Friday in,
and bid him lie close, for these were not the people we looked
for, and that we did not know yet whether they were friends or
enemies.
In the next place, I went in to fetch my glass, to see what I
could make of them; and having taken the ladder out, I climbed
"P to the top of the hill, as I used to do when I was apprehensive
9 any thing, to take my view the plainer without being dis-
Covered.
! had scarce set my foot on the hill, when I plainly discovered
a ship lying at an anchor, at about two leagues and a half dis-
* from me, s.s.e., but not above a league and a half from
* shore. By º observation it appeared plainly to be an Eng-
ish ship, and the boat appeared to be an English long-boat.
cannot express the confusion I was in, though the joy of


152 LIFE AND ADV FNTURES
seeing a ship, and one whom I had reason to believe was manned
by my own countrymen, and consequently friends, was such as
I cannot describe; but yet some secret doubts hung about me, I
cannot tell from whence they came, bidding me keep upon my
guard. In the first place, it occurred to me to consider what busi-
ness an English ship could have in that part of the world ; since
it was not the way to or from any part of the world where the
English had any traffic ; and I knew there had been no storms
to drive them in there, as in distress; and that if they were Eng-
lish really, it was most probable that they were here upon no
good design; and that I had better continue as I was, than fall
into the hands of thieves and murderers.
Let no man despise the secret hints and notices of danger
which sometimes are given him when he may think there is no
possibility of its being real. That such hints and notices are af-
forded us, I believe few that have made any observations of things
can deny ; that they are discoveries of an invisible world, and a
converse of spirits, we cannot doubt; and if the tendency of them
seems to be to warn us of danger, why should we not suppose they
are from some friendly agent (whether supreme, or inferior and
subordinate, is not the question), and that they are given for
our good? *
The present question abundantly confirms me in the justice of
this reasoning; for had I not been made cautious by this secret
admonition, I had been undone inevitably, and in a far worse
condition than before, as you will see presently.
I had not kept myself long in this posture, when I saw the
boat draw near the shore, as if they looked for a creek to thrust
in at for the convenience of landing; however, as they did not
come quite far enough, they did not see the little inlet where
formerly landed my rafts, but ran their boat on shore, upon the
beach, at about half a mile from me, which was very happy for
me; for otherwise they would have landed just, as I may say, at
my door, and would soon have beaten me out of my castle, anº
perhaps, have plundered me of all I had.
When they were on shore, I was fully satisfied they wer.
Englishmen. There were in all eleven men, whereof three 9
them I found were unarmed, and (as I thought) bound; ºn
when the first four or five of them jumped on shore, they toº
those three out of the boat as prisoners. One of the three
could perceive using the most passionate gestures of entre"),
affliction, and despair; the other two lifted up their hands son".
times, and appeared concerned indeed, but not to such a deg"
as the first.
I was perfectly confounded at the sight, and knew not what
the meaning of it should be. Friday called out to me in Engliº,
as well as he could, “O master! you see English mans eat ".
soners as well as savage mans.” “Why,” said I, “Friday,"
CH, VI, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 153
you, think they are going to eat them, then?” “Yes,” says
Friday, “they will eat them.” “No, no,” said I, “Friday; I
am afraid they will murder them indeed, but you may be sure
they will not eat them.”
All this while I had no thought of what the matter really was,
but stood trembling with horror at the sight, expecting every
moment when the three prisoners should be killed ; nay, once I
saw one of the villains lift up his arm with a great cutlass or
sword, to strike one of the poor men; at which all the blood in
my body seemed to run chill in my veins.
I wished heartily now for my Spaniard, and the savage that
was gone with him ; or that I had any way to have come un-
discovered within shot of them, that I might have rescued the
three inen; for I saw no fire-arms they had among them; but it
fell out to my mind another way.
After I had observed the outrageous usage of the three men
by the insolent seamen, I saw that the fellows ran scattering
about the land, as if they wanted to see the country. I ob-
sºlved, that the three other men had liberty to go also where they
Ileased; but they sat down all three upon the ground very pen-
*"...and looked like men in despair.
This put me in mind of the first time when I came on shore;
how I gave myself over for lost, how wildly I looked round me,
What dreadful apprehensions I had, and how I lodged in the tree
all night for fear of being devoured by wild beasts.
As I knew nothing that night of the supply I was to receive
by the providential driving of the ship nearer the land, by the
"ns and tide by which I have since been so long nourished
*" supported; so these three poor desolate men knew nothing
... Sertain of deliverance they were, how near it was to them,
and how effectually and really they were in a condition of safety,
* the very time that they thought themselves lost, and their
case desperate. sº
SOn . little do we see before us in the world, and so much rea:
i...º.º.e, to depend cheerfully upon the great Maker of all
§ that He does not leave His creatures so absolutely desti-
º, "t that in the worst circumstances they have always some-
veran *... thankful for, and sometimes are nearer, their deli-
de i. than they imagine; nay, are even brought to their
..ºnce by the means by which they seem to be brought to
ºr destruction.
On S ...is at the top of high-water when these people came
er, º i. partly while they stood parleying with the prison-
what º, d . and partly while they rambled about to see
theid.". Place they were in, they had carelessly stayed till
leavin i. *Pent, and the water was ebbed considerably away,
§ their boat aground.
ey had left two men in the boat, who, as I found after-
154 I,IFE AND AIDVENTURES
wards, having drank a little too much brandy, fell asleep; how-
ever, one of them waking sooner than the other, and finding the
boat too fast aground for him to stir it, hallooed for the rest who
were straggling about, upon which they all soon came to the
boat; but it was past all their strength to launch her, the boat
being very heavy, and the shore on that side being a soft oozy
sand, almost like a quicksand.
In this condition, like true seamen, who are, perhaps, the
least of all mankind given to forethought, they gave it over, and
away they strolled about the country again ; and I heard one of
them say aloud to another (calling them off from the boat),
“Why let her alone, Jack, can’t ye? she’ll float next tide.” By
which I was fully confirmed in the main inquiry, of what coun-
trymen they were.
All this while I kept myself very close, not once daring to
stir out of my castle, any farther than to my place of observa-
tion, near the top of the hill; and very glad I was, to think how
well it was fortified. I knew it was no less than ten hours before
the boat could be afloat again, and by that time it would be
dark, and I might be more at liberty to see their motions, and to
hear their discourse, if they had any.
In the mean time I fitted myself up for a battle, as before,
though with more caution, knowing I had to do with another
kind of enemy than I had at first. I ordered Friday also, whom,
I had made an excellent marksman with his gun, to load himself
with arms. I took myself two fowling-pieces, and I gave him
three muskets. My figure, indeed, was very fierce; I had my
formidable goat-skin coat on, with the great cap I have me!"
tioned, a naked sword by my side, two pistols in my belt, and *
gun upon each shoulder.
It was my design, as I said above, not to have made any
attempt till, it was dark; but about two o'clock, being the hºt
of the day, I found that they were all gone straggling into, tº
woods, and, as I thought, were lain down to sleep; the thrº
poor distressed men, too anxious for their condition to get.*
sleep, were set down under the shelter of a great tree, at ab";
a quarter of a mile from me, and, as I thought, out of sight."
any of the rest.
Upon this I resolved to discover myself to them, and leſſ"
something of their condition. Immediately. I marched in tº
guise as above, my man Friday at a good distance behind º
as formidable for his arms as I, but not making quite so star”
a spectre-like figure as I did.
I came as near them undiscovered as I could, and then, lº.
any of them saw me, I called aloud to them in Spanish, “W ha
are ye, gentlemen 7°
They started up at the noise; but were ten times more,”
founded when they saw me, and the uncouth appearance that
On-
C.H. VI. OF ROBINSON CRU SOE, 155
made. They made no answer at all, but I thought I perceived
them just going to fly from me, when I spoke to them in Eng-
lish. “Gentlemen,” said I, “do not be surprised at me : per-
haps you may have a friend near you, when you did not expect
it,” “He must be sent directly from Heaven, then,” said one
of them very gravely to me, and pulling off his hat at the same
time to me, “for our condition is past the help of man.” “All
help is from Heaven, sir,” said I ; “but can you put a stranger
in the way how to help you? for you seem to me to be in some
great distress. I saw you when you landed ; and when you
seemed to make application to the brutes that came with you, I
saw one of them lift up his sword to kill you.”
The poor man, with tears running down his face, and trem-
bling, looking like one astonished, returned, “Am I talking
to God or man 2. Is it a real man, or an angel?” “Be in no
tear about that, sir,” said I; “if GoD had sent an angel to re-
lieve you, he would have come better clothed, and armed after
ºnother manner than you see me in ; pray lay aside your fears;
! ºn a man, an Englishman, and disposed to assist you: you see
| live one servant only; we have arms and ammunition; tell us
freely, can we serve you? what is your case?”
“Our case,” said he, “sir, is too long to tell you, while our
murderers are so near; but in short, sir, I was commander of
!hat ship; my men have mutinied against me, they have been
hardly prevailed on not to murder me, and at last have set me
ºn shore in this desolate place, with these two men with me,
* my mate, the other a passenger; where we expected to
!"rish, believing the place to be uninhabited; and we know not
yet what to think of it.”
... “Where are those brutes, your enemies?” said I; “do you
know Where they are gone?” “There they lie, sir,” said he,
Fººting to a thicket of trees; “my heart trembles for fear they
... seen us, and heard you speak; if they have, they will cer-
tainly murder us all.”
onl º º they any fire-arms?” said I; he answered, they had
i. *Rees, and one which they left in the boat. ... “Well,
it "...". I, “leave the rest to me; I see they are all º:
them . easy thing to kill them all; but shall we rather take
ains ...” He told me there were two desperate vil-
to ; but º that it was scarce safe to shew any mercy
return t . were secured, he believed all the rest would
told me ". eir duty. I asked him, which, they were, He
Would * could not at that distance describe them; but hº
said I. * my orders in anything I would direct. “Well,
awake º us retreat out of their view or hearing, lest they
ack with We will resolve further.” So they willingly went
{{ ºne, till the woods covered us from them. r
* You, sir,” said I; “if I venture upon your deliver-.
156 LLFE AND ADVENTURES
ance, are 3. willing to make two conditions with me?” He
anticipated my proposals, by telling me, that both he and the
ship, if recovered, should be wholly directed and commanded
by me in every thing; and if the ship was not recovered, he
would live and die with me in what part of the world soever I
would send him ; and the two other men said the same.
“Well,” said I, “my conditions are but two: first, that while
you stay on this island with me, you will not pretend to any
authority here ; and if I put arms into your hands, you will
upon all occasions give them up to me, and do no prejudice tº
me or mine upon this island, and in the mean time be governed
by my orders. Second, that if the ship is, or may be recovered,
you will carry me and my man to England, passage free.”
He gave me all the assurance that the invention and faith of
man could devise, that he would comply with these most reason-
able demands; and besides, would owe his life to me, and ac-
knowledge it upon all occasions as long as he lived. º
“Well, then,” said I, “here are three muskets for you, with
powder and ball; tell me next what you think is proper to be
done.” He shewed all the testimony of his gratitude that hº
was able, but offered to be wholly guided by me; I told him, I
thought it was hard venturing any thing, but the best method I.
could think of was, to fire upon them at once, as they lay; and iſ
any were not killed at the first volley, and offered to submit, Wº
might save them, and so put it wholly upon God's providen"
to direct the shot. *
He said, very modestly, that he was loath to kill them, if".
could help it; but that those two were incorrigible villains, "
had been the authors of all the mutiny in the ship, and if tº
escaped, we should be undone still ; for they would go on board,
and bring the whole ship's company, and destroy us all. “W ell,
then,” said I, “necessity legitimates my advice; for it is the only
way to save our lives.” However, seeing him still cautious."
shedding blood, I told him, they should go themselves, *
manage as they found convenient.
in the middle of this discourse we heard some of them aw”
and soon after we saw two of them on their feet. I asked".
“If either of them were the men who he had said were the hº
of the mutiny?” He said, “No.” “Well, then,” said I, “Y”
may let them escape, and Providence seems to have wº.
them on purpose to save themselves. Now,” said I, “if the reS
escape you, it is your fault.” im in
Animated with this, he took the musket I had given him
his hand, and pistol in his belt, and his two comrades with
with each man a piece in his hand. The two men, whº wer.
him, going first, made some noise; at which one of the sea.
& º Oll
who was awake, turned about, and seeing them coming, ºr ".
to the rest, but it was too late then; for the moment he “”
CH. VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 157
out, the captain’s companions fired, he wisely reserving his own
piece. They had so well aimed their shot at the men they knew,
that one of them was killed on the spot, and the other very much
wounded; but not being dead, he started up upon his feet, and
called eagerly for help to the other; but the captain, stepping to
him, told him it was too late to cry for help, he should call upon
God to forgive his villany; and with that word knocked him
down with the stock of his musket, so that he never spoke more.
There were three more in the company, and one of them was also
slightly wounded. By this time I was come ; and when they saw
their danger, and that it was in vain to resist, they begged for
mercy. The captain told them he would spare their lives, if they
would give him any assurance of their abhorrence of the treachery
they had been guilty of, and would swear to be faithful to him
in recovering the ship, and afterwards in carrying her back to
Jamaica, from whence they came. They gave him all the pro-
testations of their sincerity that could be desired; and he was
willing to believe them and spare their lives, which I did not
oppose ; only I desired him to keep them bound hand and foot
while they were upon the island.
While this was doing, I sent Friday with the captain’s mate
to the boat, with orders to secure her, and bring away the oars
and sail, which they did; and by and by, three straggling men,
that were (happily for them) parted from the rest, came back
"pon hearing the guns fired; and seeing their captain, who be-
fore was their prisoner, now their conqueror, they submitted to
be bound also, and so our victory was complete.
It now remained that the captain and I should inquire into
9me another's circumstances. I began first, and told him my
whole history, which he heard with an attention even to amaze-
ent, and particularly at the wonderful manner of my being
ºrnished with provisions and ammunition; and indeed as my
story was a whole collection of wonders, it affected him deeply;
"t when he reflected from thence upon himself, and how I
*med to have been preserved there on purpose to save his life,
the tears ran down his face, and he could not speak a word more.
hi After this communication was at an end, I carried him and
18 two men into my apartment, leading them in just where I
* out, viz. at the top of the house, where I refreshed them
With such provisions as I had, and shewed them all the contriv-
ances l had made during my long residence in that place.
All I shewed them, all iſ said to them, was perfectly amazing;
lº all, the captain admired my fortification; and how
...; I had concealed my retreat with a grove of trees, which,
in ng now been planted nearly twenty years, and the trees grow:
º faster than in England, was become a little wood, and
One * that it was impassable in any part of it, but at that
*ide where I had reserved my little winding passage into it.
P
158 L1FE AND ADVENTURES
I told him this was my castle and my residence, but that I had
a seat in the country, as most princes have, whither I could
retreat upon occasion, and I would shew him that too another
time ; but at present our business was to consider how to recover
the ship. He agreed with me as to that ; but told me he was
perfectly at a loss what measures to take, for that there were
still six-and-twenty hands on board, who having entered into a
conspiracy, by which they had all forfeited their lives to the
law, would be hardened in it now by desperation, and would
carry it on, knowing that if they were overcome they should be
brought to the gallows as soon as they came to England, or to
any of the English colonies, and that therefore there would be
no attacking them with so small a number as we were.
I mused for some time upon what he had said, and found it
was a very rational conclusion; and that therefore something was
to be resolved on very speedily, as well to draw the men on board
into some snare for their surprise, as to prevent their landing
upon us, and destroying us. It presently occurred to me, that
in a little while the ship’s crew, wondering what was become
of their comrades and of the boat, would certainly come on shore
in their other boat to look after them ; and that then, perhaps,
they might come armed, and be too strong for us: this he al-
lowed was reasonable.
Upon this I told him, the first thing we were to do was, to
stave the boat, which lay upon the beach, so that they might not
carry her off; and taking every thing out of her, leave her so
far useless as not to be fit to float ; accordingly, we went on
board, took the arms, and whatever else we found there, which
was a bottle of brandy, and another of rum, a few biscuit-cakes,
a horn of powder, and a great lump of sugar in a piece of canvass;
the sugar was five or six pounds; all which was very welcome tº
me, especially the brandy and sugar, of which I had had none left
for many years.
...When we had carried all these things on shore (the oars, mast,
sail, and rudder of the boat having been carried away before),
we knocked a great hole in her bottom, that if they had coº
.g enough to master us, yet they could not carry off the
O&t.
Indeed it was not much in my thoughts that we should be
able to recover the ship; but my view was, that if they we'.
away without the boat, I did not much question to make her
again to carry us away to the Leeward Islands, and call upon 9".
i. the Spaniards, in my way; for I had them still in my
thoughts.
While we were thus preparing our designs, and had first, by
main strength, heaved the boat up upon the beach, so high that
the tide would not float her off at high-water mark, and, º
had broken a hole in her bottom, too big to be quickly stoPP”
C.H. VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 1.59
and were sat down musing what we should do, we heard the ship
fire a gun, and saw her make a waft with her ancient, as a signal
for the boat to come on board; but no boat stirring, they fired
several times, making other signals for her return.
At last, when all their signals and firings proved fruitless, and
they found the boat did not stir, we saw them (by the help of
my glasses) hoist another boat out and row towards the shore;
and we found, as they approached, that there were no less than
ten men in her, and that they had fire-arms with them.
As the ship lay almost two leagues from the shore, we had a
full view of them as they came, and a plain sight of the men,
even of their faces; because, the tide having set them a little to
the east of the other boat, they rowed up under shore, to come
. º: same place where the other had landed, and where the
oat lay.
By this means, I say, we had a full view of them, and the
captain knew the persons and characters of all these individuals;
of whom, he said, that there were three very honest fellows, who,
he was sure, were led into this conspiracy by the rest, being
overpowered and frightened. But that as for the boatswain,
Who, it seems, was the chief officer among them, and all the rest,
they were as outrageous as any of the ship's crew, and were, no
doubt, made desperate in their new enterprise; and terribly ap-
Prehensive he was, that they would be too powerful for us.
I smiled at him, and told him that men in our circumstances
Yere past the operation of fear. I asked him, too, what he
thought of the events of my life, and whether a deliverance was
* Worth venturing for 2 “And where, sir,” said I, “is your
belief of my being preserved here on purpose to save your life,
which elevated you a little while ago? For my part,” I added,
& 4 hºre seems to be but one thing amiss in all the prospect of it.”
What is that º' says he. “Why,” said I, “it is that, as you
*Y, there are three or four honest fellows among them, which
should be spared; had they been all of the wicked part of the
°rew, I should have thought God's providence had singled them
°ut to deliver them into your hands; for, depend upon it, every
*" of them that comes ashore is our own, and shall die or
"º as they behave to us.”
I º | Spoke this with a raised voice and cheerful countenance,
i. it greatly encouraged him ; so we set vigorously to our
ing . We had, upon the first appearance of the boat's com;
.. the ship, resolved upon separating the prisoners, and
{ i.e., secured them effectually.
with § them, of whom the captain was less assured, I sent
where º *y, and one of the three (delivered men) to my cave,
heard o º were remote enough, and out of danger of being
if th discovered, or of finding their way out of the woods,
*Y “ould have delivered themselves: here they left them
160 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
bound, but gave them provisions, and promised them, if they
continued there quietly, to give them their liberty in a day or
two ; but that if they attempted their escape, they should be
put to death without mercy. They promised faithfully to bear
their confinement with patience, and were very thankful that
they had such good usage as to have provisions and a light
left them ; for Friday gave them candles (such as we made our-
selves) for their comfort; and they did not know but that he
stood sentinel over them at the entrance.
The other prisoners had better usage; two of them were kept
pinioned indeed, because the captain could not trust them; but
the other two were taken into my service upon their captain's
recommendation, and upon their solemnly engaging to live and
die with us; so, with them and the three honest men, we were
seven men well armed; and I made no doubt we should be able
to deal well enough with the ten that were coming, considering
that the captain had said there were three or four honest men
among them also.
As soon as they got to the place where their other boat lay,
they ran their boat into the beach, and came all on shore, hauling
the boat up after them, which I was glad to see; for I was afraid
they would rather have left the boat at an anchor, some distance
from the shore, with some hands in her to guard her; and so we
should not be able to seize the boat. -
Being on shore, the first thing they did was to run to the
other boat; and it was easy to see they were greatly surprisº
to find her stripped, as above, of all that was in her, and a hole
in her bottom.
After they had mused awhile upon this, they set up twº or
three great shouts, hallooing with all their might, to try if they
could make their companions hear; but all to no purpose; the
they came all close in a ring, and fired a volley of their small
arms, which made the woods ring; but it was all one : thºse "
the cave, we were sure, could not hear; and those in our keeſ.
ing, though they heard it well enough, yet durst give no answº"
to them.
They were so astonished at all this, that, as they told us after-
wards, they resolved to go all on board again to their ship, *.
let them know there that the men were all murdered, and the
long-boat staved; accordingly, they immediately launched the
boat again, and got all of them on board.
The captain was terribly amazed, and even confounded at
this, believing they would go on board the ship again, and Set
sail, giving their comrades up for lost, and so he should still .
the ship, which he was in hopes we should have recovered; "
he was quickly as much alarmed the other way.
They had not been long put off with the boat, than We Pº.
ceived them all coming on shore again; but with this *"
CH. VI, 3. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 16.1
measure in their conduct, which, it seems, they consulted to-
gether upon, namely, to leave three men in the boat, and the
rest to go on shore, and go up into the country to look for
their fellows.
This was a great disappointment to us; for now we were at a
loss what to do; for our seizing these seven men on shore would
be no advantage to us if we let the boat escape, because they
would then row away to the ship ; and then the rest of them
would be sure to weigh, and set sail, and so our chance of reco-
vering the ship would be lost.
However, we had no remedy but to wait and see what the
issue of things might present: the seven men came on shore,
and the three who remained in the boat put her off to a good
distance from the land, and came to an anchor to wait for them;
so that it was impossible for us to come at them.
Those that came on shore kept close together, marching
towards the top of the little hill under which my habitation
lay and we could see them plainly, though they could not per-
ceive us: we should have been very glad if they would have
come nearer to us, so that we might have fired at them ; or that
º yºu. have gone farther off, that we might have come
a Uroad. -
But when they were come to the brow of the hill, where they
could see a great way in the valley and woods, which lay towards
the north-east part, and where the island lay lowest, they shouted
and hallooed till they were weary; and not caring, it seems, to
Venture far from the shore, nor far from one another, they sat
!own together under a tree, to consider of it. Had they thought
fit to have gone to sleep there, as the other party of them had
done, they had done the job for us; but they were too full of
*PPrehensions of danger to venture to go to sleep, though they
°ould not tell what the danger was they had to fear.
The captain made a very just proposal to me upon this con-
Sultation of theirs; namely, that perhaps they would all fire a
"ley again, to endeavour to make their fellows hear, and that
Yº should all sally upon them, just at the juncture when their
!"º were all discharged, and they would certainly yield, and
We should have them without bloodshed. I liked the proposal,
!”vided it was done while we were near enough to come up to
them before they could load their pieces again.
wº this event did not happen, and we lay still a long time,
in i. resolute what course to take; at length. I told them that,
if tº: º there was nothing to be done till night; and then,
to ge i. . not return to the boat, perhaps we might find a way
º wi . them and the shore, and so might use some strata-
w.". In the boat to get them on shore. . &
remº Waited a great while, though very impatient for their
*8, and were very uneasy; when, after long consultations,
P 2
162 I,IFE AND ADVENTURES
we saw them all start up, and march down toward the sea: it
seems they had such dreadful apprehensions upon them of the
danger of the place, that they resolved to go on board the ship
again, give their companions over for lost, and so go on with
their intended voyage with the ship.
As soon as I perceived them go towards the shore, I imagined
it to be as it really was ; that they had given over their search,
and were for going back again; and the captain, as soon as I
told him my thoughts, was ready to sink at the apprehensions of
it; but I presently thought of a stratagem to fetch them back
again, and which answered my end to a tittle.
I ordered Friday and the captain’s mate to go over the little
creek westward, towards the place where the savages came on
shore when Friday was rescued; and as soon as they came to a
little rising ground, at about half a mile distance, to halloo as
loud as they could, and wait till they found the seamen heard
them ; as soon as ever they heard the seamen answer them, to
return it again, and then, keeping out of sight, take a round,
always answering when the others hallooed, to draw them as
far into the island, and among the woods, as possible, and then
wheel about again to me, by such ways as I directed them.
They were just going into the boat, when Friday and the
mate hallooed, and they presently heard them, and answering
ran along the shore westward towards the voice they heard,
when they were presently stopped by the creek, where, the
water being up, they could not get over, and called for the boat
to come up and carry them over, as indeed I expected. e
When they had crossed over, I observed that the boat being
gone up a good way into the creek, and as it were in a harbour
within the land, they took one of the three men out of her tº gº
along with them, and left only two in the boat, having fastened
her to the stump of a little tree on the shore. *
This was what I wished for; and immediately leaving Friday
and the captain’s mate to their business, I took the rest with me,
and crossing the creek out of their sight, we surprised the two
men before they were aware, one of them lying on shore, and
the other being in the boat; the fellow on shore was betwº
sleeping and waking, and going to start up, the captain, whº
was foremost, ran in upon him, and knocked him down; *
then called out to him in the boat to yield, or he was a dea
II1811.
There needed very few arguments to persuade a single º
to yield, when he saw five men upon him, and his com".
knocked down; besides, this was, it seems, one of the tº
that were not so hearty in the mutiny as the rest of the Ҽ
and therefore was easily persuaded not only to yield, but aſ"
wards to join very sincerely with us.
In the mean time, Friday and the captain’s mate 80 well
CH, VI, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 163
managed their business with the rest, that they drew them, by
hallooing and answering, from one hill to another, and from
one wood to another, till they not only heartily tired them, but
left them where they were very sure they could not return to
the boat before it was dark ; and, indeed, they were heartily
tired themselves also by the time they came back to us.
We had nothing now to do but to watch for them in the dark,
and to fall upon them, so as to make sure work with them.
It was several hours after Friday came back to me before
they returned to their boat; and we could hear the foremost
of them, long before they came quite up, calling to those be-
hind to come along ; and could also hear them answer, and
complain how lame and tired they were, and that they were
not able to come any faster; —all which was very welcome news
to us.
At length they came up to the boat; but it is impossible to
ºxpress their confusion, when they found the boat fast a-ground
in the creek, the tide ebbed out, and their two men gone. We
could hear them call to one another in a most lamentable man-
her, telling one another they were got into an enchanted island;
that either there were inhabitants in it, and they should all be
murdered ; or else there were devils or spirits in it, and they
should be all carried away and devoured.
They hallooed again, and called their two comrades by their
*mes a great many times, but received no answer: after some
time, we could see them, by the little light there was, run about
\ringing their hands, like men in despair; and that sometimes
they would go and sit down in the boat to rest themselves, then
º ashore again, and walk about, and so the same thing over
galn.
*y men would fain have had me given them leave to fall
"Pºn them at once in the dark; but I was willing to take them
** advantage, so as to slay as few of them as I could ; and,
ºcially, I was unwilling to hazard the killing any of our own
* knowing the others were very well armed : I therefore
jºlved to wait to see if they did not separate; and to make
º of them, I drew my ambuscade nearer; and ordered Fri-
to . the captain to creep upon their hands and feet, as close
and º 8|S |. could, that they might not be discovered,
to fire. near them as they possibly could before they offered
w"; º not been long in that posture before the boatswain,
Shewn . the principal ringleader of the mutiny, and had now
Came w º: the most dejected and dispirited of all the rest,
arº". ing towards them with two more of the crew. The
in his ** so eager, at having this principal rogue so much
COIne Pºe, that he could hardly have patience to let him
* near as to be sure of him; for they only heard his
164 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
tongue before: but when they came nearer, the captain and
Friday, starting upon their feet, let fly at them.
The boatswain was killed upon the spot ; the next man was
shot in the body, and fell just by him, though he did not die till
an hour or two after; and the third ran for it.
At the noise of the fire, I immediately advanced with my
whole army, which was now eight men ; viz. myself, general-
issimo ; Friday, my lieutenant-general ; the captain and his two
men, and the three prisoners of war, that we had trusted with
8 FIYTS.
We came upon them, indeed, in the dark, so that they could
not see our number ; and I made the man they had left in the
boat, who was now one of us, call them by name, to try if
I could bring them to a parley, and so might perhaps reduce
them to terms ; which fell out just as we desired ; for, indeed,
it was easy to think, as their condition then was, they would be
very willing to capitulate ; so he called out, as loud as he could,
to one of them, “Tom Smith !” Tom Smith answered imme-
diately, “Who’s that ? Robinson 7” For it seems he knew his
voice. The other answered, “Ay, ay ; for GoD's sake, Tom
Smith, throw down your arms and yield, or you are all dead
men this moment.”
“Who must we yield to ? Where are they 7" says Smith
again. “Here they are,” says he “here is our captain and
fifty men with him, have been hunting you this two hours: the
boatswain is killed ; Will Frye is wounded, and I am a pri-
soner; and if you do not yield, you are all lost.” -
“Will they give us quarter, then 7" said Tom Smith, “and
we will yield.” “I’ll go and ask, if you promise to yield,”
says Robinson. So he asked the captain, and the captain him."
self then called out; “You, Smith, you know my voice; if you
lay down your arms immediately, and submit, you shall have
your lives, all but Will Atkins.” *
Upon this Will Atkins cried out, “For GoD's sake, captain,
give me quarter: what have I done? they have been all as had
as I” (which, by the way, was not true; for it seems this Wijl
Atkins was the first man that laid hold of the captain when thºy
first mutinied, and used him barbarously, in tying his hand;
and giving him injurious language): however, the captain told
him he must lay down his arms at discretion, and trust the
mercy of the governor; for such they all called me. jº
In a word, they all laid down their arms, and begged thº,
lives; and I sent the man that had parleyed with them, *
two more, who bound them all ; and then my great army O
fifty men, which, with those three, were in all but eight, came "'
and seized upon them all and upon their boat, only that I kept
myself and one more out of sight, for reasons of state. • *
Our next work was to repair the boat, and to think of seizing
CH, WI. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 1.65
the ship ; and as for the captain, now that he had leisure to
parley with them, he expostulated with them upon the villany
of their practices, and how certainly it must bring them to
misery and distress in the end, and perhaps to the gallows.
They all appeared very penitent, and begged hard for their
lives. As for that, he told them they were no prisoners of his,
but of the commander of the island ; that they thought they
had set him on shore in a barren uninhabited island; but it had
pleased GoD so to direct them, that the island was inhabited,
and that the governor was an Englishman; that he might hang
them all there, if he pleased ; but as he had given them all
quarter, he supposed he would send them to England, to be
dealt with there as justice required, except Atkins, whom he was
commanded by the governor to advise to prepare for death; for
that he would be hanged in the morning.
Though this was all an invention of his own, yet it had the
desired effect: Atkins fell upon his knees to beg the captain to
intercede with the governor for his life; and all the rest begged
of him, for GoD's sake, that they might not be sent to England.
It now occurred to me, that the time of our deliverance was
Come, and that it would be an easy thing to bring these fellows
tº be hearty in getting possession of the ship ; so I retired in the
dark from them, that they might not see what kind of a gover-
* they had, and called the captain to me; when I called, as at
* Hood distance, one of the men was ordered to speak again, and
*\, to the captain, “Captain, the commander calls for you :”
and presently the captain replied, “Tell his excellency I am just
*...ºning.” . This more perfectly deceived them ; and they all
believed that the commander was just by, with his fifty men.
, 'pon the captain's coming to me, I told him my project for
.*g, the ship, which he liked wonderfully well, and resolved
to put in execution the next morning. -
Stle ut, in ºrder to effect it with more art and certainty of
s . I told him we must divide the prisoners, and that he
an º gº ind take Atkins, and two more of the worst of them,
Wà *nd them pinioned to the cave where the others lay : this
... Ҽmmitted to Friday, and the two men who came on shore
With the Captain.
hiº; . them to the cave, as to a prison; and it was
other ". º place, especially to men in their condition. The
tiºn. º i." bower; and as it was fenced in, and they
9 p
upºn their ...” Secure enough, considering they were
into . . in the morning I sent the captain, who was to enter
whº, “. them : in a word, to try them, and tell me,
Surprise t. º they might be trusted to go on board, and
the condi. ship; he talked to them of the injury done him, of
* they were brought to ; and that, though the go-
166 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
vernor had given them quarter for their lives as to the present
action, yet that, if they were sent to England, they would all be
hanged in chains; but that, if they would join in so just an
attempt as to recover the ship, he would have the governor's
engagement for their pardon. >
Any one may guess how readily such a proposal would be ac-
cepted by men in their condition ; they fell down on their knees
to the captain, and promised, with the deepest imprecations, that
they would be faithful to him to the last drop, and that they
should owe their lives to him, and would go with him all over
the world ; that they would own him for a father to them as
long as they lived. '
“Well,” said the captain, “I must go and tell the governor
what you say, and see what I can do to bring him to consent to
it.” So he brought me an account of the temper he found them
in, and that he verily believed they would be faithful.
However, that we might be more secure, I told him he
should go back again, and choose out those five, and tell them,
that they might see that he did not want men, that he would take
out those five to be his assistants, and that the governor would
keep the other two, and the three that were sent prisoners to the
castle (my cave), as hostages for the fidelity of those five; and
that if they proved unfaithful in the execution, the five hostages
should be hº in chains alive upon the shore.
This looked severe, and convinced them that the governor
was in earnest. However, they had no way left them but to at-
cept it; and it was now the business of the prisoners, as much
as of the captain, to persuade the other five to do their duty.
Our strength was now thus arranged for the expedition —l.
The captain, his mate, and passenger. 2. Then the two prison-
ers of the first gang, to whom, having their characters from the
captain, I had given their liberty, and trusted them with arms.
3. The other two, who I had kept till now in my bower pinion:
ed, but, upon the captain's suggestion, had now released.
These five released at last; so that they were twelve in all,
besides five we kept prisoners in the cave for hostages.
I asked the captain if he was willing to venture with thº
hands on board the ship : for, as for me and my man Friday,
I did not think it was proper for us to stir, having seven mº"
left behind ; and it was employment enough for us to keep them
asunder, and supply them with victuals.
As to the five in the cave, I resolved to keep them fast; but
Friday went twice a-day to them, to supply them with neº.
saries; and I made the other two carry provisions to a Certaill
distance, where Friday was to take it. - *
When I shewed myself to the two hostages, it was with the
captain, who told them, I was the person the governor had Orr
dered to look after them, and that it was the governor’s pleasure
C.H. VI, - OF ROBINSON CRU. S.O.E. 167
that they should not stir any where but by my direction; that
if they did, they should be fetched into the castle, and be laid in
irons; so that, as we never suffered them to see me as governor,
so I now appeared as another person, and spoke of the governor,
the garrison, the castle, and the like, upon all occasions.
The captain now had no difficulty, but to furnish his two
boats, stop the breach of one, and man them ; he made his pas-
senger captain of one, with four other men; and himself, and
his mate, and five more, went in the other; and they contrived
their business very well; for they came up to the ship about
midnight. As soon as they came within call of the ship, he
made Robinson hail them, and tell them they had brought off
the men and the boat, but that it was a long time before they
had found them, and the like; holding them in a chat, till they
came to the ship's side ; when the captain and the mate, enter-
ing first with their arms, immediately knocked down the second
mate and carpenter with the butt-end of their muskets. Being
very faithfully seconded by their men, they secured all the rest
that were upon the main and quarter-decks, and began to fasten
the hatches to keep them down who were below, when the other
boat, and their men, entering at the fore-chains, secured the
forecastle of the ship, and the skuttle which went down into the
cook-room, making the three men they found there prisoners.
When this was done, and all safe upon deck, the captain or-
dered the mate with three men to break into the round-house,
Where the new rebel captain lay, and, having taken the alarm,
had got up, and, with two men and a boy, had seized some fire-
ºrms; and when the mate with a crow-bar split open the door,
the new captain and his men fired boldly among them, and
Wºnded the mate with a musket-ball, which broke his arm,
*Wounded two more of the men, but killed nobody.
The mate, calling for help, rushed, however, into the round-
house, wounded as he was, and with his pistol shot the new
“Ptain through the head, the bullet entering at his mouth, and
*ing out again behind one of his ears; so that he never spoke
*Word; upon which the rest yielded, and the ship was taken
effectually, without any more lives lost.
As soon as the ship was thus secured, the captain ordered
.* guns to be fired, which was the signal agreed upon with
i. º gye me, notice of his success; which I was very glad to
th *''', hºwing sat watching upon the shore for it till near two of
e lock in the morning.
it º thus heard the signal plainly, I laid me down; and
til Wing been a day of great fatigue to me, I slept very soundly,
tºº." rather surprised with the noise of a gun; and presently
gº; up, I heard a man call me by the name of “governor,
climb "9":" and presently I knew the captain's voice, when,
*8 up to the top of the hill, he stood there, and pointing
168 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
to the ship, embraced me in his arms. “My dear friend and
deliverer,” says he, “there is your ship; for she is all yours,
and so are we, and all that belong to her.” I cast my eyes on
the ship, and there she rode within a little more than half a mile
of the shore ; for they had weighed her anchor as soon as they
were masters of her; and the weather being fair, had brought
her to an anchor just against the mouth of the little creek; and
the tide being up, the captain had brought the pinnace in near
. place where I first landed my rafts, and so landed just at my
OOI’.
I was, at first, ready to sink down with the surprise: for I
saw my deliverance indeed visibly put into my hands, all things
easy, and a large ship just ready to carry me whither I pleased
to go. At first, for some time, I was not able to answer him one
word ; but as he had taken me in his arms, I held fast by him,
or I should have fallen to the ground.
He perceived my condition, and immediately pulled a bottle
out of his pocket, and gave me a dram of cordial, which he
brought on purpose for me. After I drank it, I sat down upon
the ground; and though it brought me to myself, yet it was a
good while before I could speak a word to him.
All this while the poor man was in as great an ecstacy as I,
only not under any surprise, as I was; and he said a thousand
kind tender things to me, to compose me and bring me to my.
self; but such was the flood of joy in my breast, that it put all
my spirits into confusion; at last it broke out into tears, and in
a little while after I recovered my speech.
Then I took my turn, and embraced him as my deliverer, and
we rejoiced together. I told him I looked upon him as a man
sent from Heaven to deliver me, and that the whole transaction
seemed to be a chain of wonders; that such things as these W*
the testimonies we had of a secret hand of Providence governing
the world, and an evidence that the eyes of an infinite Pow";
could search into the remotest corner of the world, and send
help to the miserable whenever He pleased. #
• I forgot not to lift up my heart in thankfulness to Heave.
and what heart could forbear to bless Him, who had not only"
a miraculous manner provided for one in such a wilderness, *
in such a desolate condition, but from whom every deliver”
must always be acknowledged to proceed d
When we had talked a while, the captain told me he
brought me some little refreshments, such as the ship afforº;
and such as the wretches that had been so long his master**
not plundered him of. Upon this he called aloud to the boat, ".
bade his men bring the things ashore that were for the gº.
and, indeed, it was a present as if I had been one, not thº'" il
to be carried along with them, but as if I had been to dwell "1"
the island still, and they were all to go without me.
CH. VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 169
First, there were six large bottles of Madeira wine, holding
two quarts a-piece; two pounds of excellent tobacco; twelve
good pieces of the ship's beef, and six pieces of pork; with a
bag of peas, and about a hundred-weight of biscuit.
He brought me also a box of sugar, a box of flour, a bag full
of lemons, and two bottles of lime-juice, and abundance of other
things: but besides these, and what was a thousand times more
useful to me, he brought me six clean new shirts, six very good
neckcloths, two pair of gloves, one pair of shoes, a hat, and one
pair of stockings, and a very good suit of clothes of his own,
which had been worn but very little : in a word, he clothed me
from head to foot. -
. It was a very kind and agreeable present, as any one may
Imagine, to one in my circumstances; but never was any thing
in the world of that kind so unpleasant, awkward, and uneasy,
as it was to me to wear such clothes at their first putting on.
After these ceremonies passed, and after all his good things
were brought into my little apartment, we began to consult what
Wils to be done with our prisoners; for it was worth considering
Whether we might venture to take them away with us or not,
*Specially two of them, whom we knew to be incorrigible and
*fractory; and if we did carry them away, it must be in irons,
*, nalefactors, to be delivered over to justice at the first English
°olony we could come at ; and I found that the captain himself
Was very anxious about it.
Upon this, I told him, that if he desired it, I durst undertake
º bring the two men he spoke of to make it their own request
i. he should leave them upon the island. “I should be very
g *º that.” says the captain, “with all my heart.”
ther y ell,” said I, “I will send for them up, and talk with
º 9 you.” So I caused Friday and the two hostages (for
th Y Were now discharged, their comrades having performed
... Promise) to go to the cave, and bring up the five men,
Fºl as they were, to the bower, and keep them there till
&nº: some time, I came thither dressed in my new habit,
Cà º: Was called governor again. Being all met, and the
*...* º . me, I caused the men to be brought before me, and
viour t . I had had a full account of their villanous beha-
and wº the Captain, and how they had run away with the ship,
vii.e.: to commit farther robberies; but that Pro-
were fall aq ensnared them in their own ways, and that they
let º the pit which they had digged for others.
seized, th º know, that by my direction the ship had been
and by .. she lay now in the road, and they might see by
viº. º their new captain had received the reward of his
at * that they might see him hanging at the yard-arm.
** to them, I wanted to know what they had to say,
Q
I 70 LIFE AND A DVENTURES
why I should not execute them as pirates taken in the fact, as
by my commission they could not doubt I had authority to do.
One of them answered in the name of the rest, that they had
nothing to say but this, that when they were taken, the captain
promised them their lives, and they humbly implored my mercy.
But I told them I knew not what mercy to shew them ; for, as
for myself, I had resolved to quit the island with all my men,
and had taken passage with the captain to go for England; and
as for the captain, he could not carry them to England other
than as prisoners, in irons, to be tried for mutiny, and running
away with the ship; the consequence of which, they must needs
know, would be the gallows: so that I could not tell what was
best for them, unless they had a mind to take their fate in the
island: if they desired that, I did not care, as I had liberty to
leave it; I had some inclination to give them their lives, if they
thought they could shift on shore. They seemed very thankful
for it; said they would much rather venture to stay there than
to be carried to England to be hanged: so I left it on that issue.
However, the captain seemed to make some difficulty of it,
as if he durst not leave them there: upon this I seemed to be
a little angry with the captain, and told him, that they were my
prisoners, not his; and that, seeing I had offered them so much
favour, I would be as good as my word; and that if he did not
think fit to consent to it, I would set them at liberty as I found
them; and if he did not like that, he might take them again, if
he could catch them. .
Upon this they appeared very thankful, and I accordingly set
them at liberty, and bade them retire into the woods, to the
place whence they came, and I would leave them some fire;
arms, some ammunition, and some directions how they should
live very well, if they thought fit.
Upon this I prepared to go on board the ship; but told th;
captain, that I would stay that night to prepare my things; all
desired him to go on board in the mean time, and keep all right
in the ship, and send the boat on shore the next day for me; 9.
dering him, in the meantime, to cause the new captain, wh9 W*
jº, to be hanged at the yard-arm, that these men might °
III].
When the captain was gone, I sent for the men up to me."
my apartment, and entered seriously into discourse with them
of their circumstances. I told them, I thought they had made
a right choice; that if the captain carried them away, they
would certainly be hanged. I shewed them the new capº",
hanging at the yard-arm of the ship, and told them they had
nothing less to expect.
When they had all declared their willingness to stay, I ".
told them I would put them into the way of making it ea. º
them. Accordingly, I gave them the whole description of the
CH. VIs OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 171
place; shewed them my fortifications, the way I made my bread,
planted my corn, cured my grapes; and, in a word, all that
was necessary to make them easy. I told them also of the six-
teen Spaniards that were to be expected ; for whom I had left
a letter, and made them promise to treat them in common with
themselves.
I gave them my fire-arms; viz. five muskets, three fowling-
pieces, and three swords; also a barrel and a half of gunpowder
which I had left; for after the first year or two I used but little,
and wasted none. I described the way I managed the goats,
with directions to milk and fatten them, and how to make both
butter and cheese; I likewise told them, I would prevail with
the captain to leave them two barrels of gunpowder more, and
some garden-seeds; also I gave them the bag of peas which the
captain had brought me to eat, and bade them be sure to sow
and increase them.
Having done all this, I left them the next day, and went on
board the ship; we prépared immediately to sail, but did not
Weigh that night. The next morning early, two of the five men
came swimming to the ship's side, and making a most lament-
able complaint of the other three, begged to be taken into the
ship, for GoD's sake, for they should be murdered ; and begged
the captain to take them on board, though he should hang them
immediately.
Upon this the captain pretended to have no power without
me; but after some difficulty, and after their solemn promises
of amendment, they were taken on board, and were soon after
i. whipped; after which they proved very honest and quiet
OWS,
tº Some time after this, the boat was ordered on shore, the tide
being up, with the things promised to the men, to which the
"ſtain, at my intercession, caused their chests and clothes to be
added, which they took, and were very thankful for.
When I took leave of the island, I carried on board for relics
the great goat's-skin cap I had made, my umbrella, and my par-
*; ºlso I forgot not to take the money I formerly mentioned,
Which had lain by me so long useless, that it was grown rusty,
... ºrnished, and could hardly pass for silver till it had been a
little rubbed and handled; as also the money I found in the
"reck of the Spanish ship.
J
7
~%
5.
%
:=#|HUS, then, I left the island the 19th of De- ºft |
cember, as I found by the ship's account, &# º
in the year 1686, after I had been upon | \
it eight-and-twenty years, two months, -
and nineteen days; being delivered from this se- \
cond captivity the same day of the month that I j
first made my escape from the Moors of Sallee. sº
In this vessel, after a long voyage, I arrived in Z.
England the 11th of June, in the year 1687, hav-
ing been thirty-and-five years absent.
When I came to England, I was as perfect a §§
stranger to all the world as if I had never been §: §
known there: my benefactor and faithful stew- Nº.
| ard, whom I had left in trust with my money, j \;
was alive, but had had great misfortunes; was $ /\!
become a widow the second time, and very much § º
reduced in her circumstances. I made her easy º
as to what she owed me, assuring her I would give *
her no trouble; but, on the contrary, in gratitude
to her former care and faithfulness to me, I re-
lieved her as far as my little stock would afford. Jº
I went down afterwards into Yorkshire; but my father S!
and mother were dead, and all the family extinct; ex-
cept that I found two sisters, and two of the children of one of
my brothers: and as I had been long ago given over for dea".
there had been no provision made for me; so that, in a wo".
I found nothing to relieve or assist me; and that little monº
I had would not do much for me as to settling in the world.
I met with one piece of gratitude, indeed, which I did "
expect; and this was, that the master of the ship, whom, ""
so happily delivered, and by the same means saved the ship *
cargo, having given a very handsome account to the own?”
the manner in which I had saved the lives of the men, and the
ship, they invited me to meet them and some other merchan!”
{
\
|
















CH. VII. ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 173
concerned, and all together made me a very high compliment
upon the subject, and a present of almost two hundred pounds
sterling.
But after making several reflections upon the circumstances
of my life, and how little way this would go towards settling me
in the world, I resolved to go to Lisbon, and see if I might not
come by some information of the state of my plantation in the
Brazils, and of what was become of my partner, who, I had
reason to suppose, had some years now given me over for dead.
With this view I took shipping for Lisbon, where I arrived
in April following; my man Friday accompanying me in all
these ramblings, and proving a most faithful servant upon all
OCC:\Sl{}Il S.
When I came to Lisbon, I found out, by inquiry, and to my
particular satisfaction, my old friend, the captain of the ship
who first took me up at sea, off the shore of Africa: he was
now grown old, and had left off the sea, having put his son,
Who was far from a young man, into his ship, and who still con-
tinued the Brazil trade. The old man did not know me, and,
indeed, I hardly knew him; but I soon brought him to my re-
membrance, and as soon brought myself to his remembrance,
when I told him who I was.
After some passionate expressions of the old acquaintance
hºtween us, I inquired after my plantation and my partner.
The old man told me, he had not been to the Brazils for about
"The years; but that he could assure me, that when he came
*Way my partner was living; that he believed I would have a
Yºry good account of the improvement of the plantation; for
that, upon the general belief of my being cast away and drowned,
*Y.trustees had given in the account of the produce of my part
ºf the plantation to the procurator-fiscal; who had appropriated
º, in Case I never came to claim it, one-third to the king, and
ºil. to the monastery of St. Augustine, to be expended
º º benefit of the poor, and for the conversion of the Indians
i. Catholic faith; but that, if I appeared, or any one for me,
O claim the inheritance, it should be restored; only that the im-
.º, or annual production, being distributed to charitable
oft, º not be restored ; but he assured me that the steward
ard º .# S revenue (from lands), and the proviedore or stew-
incumb *.mºnastery, had taken great care, all along, that the
i º, º i. to say, my partner, gave every year a faith-
moiety. the produce, of which they duly received my
nº that he could not tell exactly to what degree the
Was grow was improved; but this he knew, that my partner
it : * i. º rich, upon the enjoying but one-half of
tº º, to the best of his remembrance, he had heard that
ng's third of my part, which was, it seems, granted away
Q 2
174 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
to some other monastery or religious house, amounted to above
two hundred moidores a-year: that as to my being restored to
a quiet possession of it, there was no question to be made of that,
my partner being alive to witness my title, and my name being
also enrolled in the register of the country. Also he told me,
that the survivors of Iny two trustees were very fair honest
people, and very wealthy, and he believed I would not only
have their assistance for putting me in possession, but would
find a very considerable sum of money in their hands for my
account, being the produce of the farm while their fathers held
the trust, and before it was given up as above, which, as he
remembered, was for about twelve years.
I shewed myself a little concerned and uneasy at this account,
and inquired of the old captain, how it came to pass that the
trustees should thus dispose of my effects, when he knew that I
had made my will, and had made him, the Portuguese captain,
my universal heir, &c.
He told me, that was true; but that, as there was no proof
of my being dead, he could not act as executor, until some cer-
tain account should come of my death ; and that, besides, he was
not willing to intermeddle with a thing so remote : that it was
true, he had registered my will, and put in his claim ; and could
he have given any account of my being dead or alive, he would
have acted by procuration, and taken possession of the ingenio
(so they call the sugar-house), and had given his son, who was
now at the Brazil's, order to do it.
“But,” said the old man, “I have one piece of news to tell
you, which perhaps may not be so acceptable to you as the rest;
and that is, that believing you were lost, and all the world be:
lieving so also, your partner and trustees did offer to account tº
me in your name, for six or eight of the first years of profits,
which I received; but there being at that time,” says he, “great
disbursements, for increasing the works, building an ingeni",
and buying slaves, it did not amount to near so much as after.
wards it produced ; however,” added he, “I shall give you.”
true account of what I have received in all, and how I have diº
posed of it.” e
After a few days' further conference with this ancient frien".
he brought me an account of the first six years' income of "J
plantation, signed by my partner and the merchants trusteº
being always delivered in goods, namely, tobacco in roll, *
sugar in chests, besides rum, molasses, &c., which is the consº.
quence of a sugar-work; and I found by this account that every
year the income considerably increased, but, as above, the dis-
bursement being large, the sum at first was small. However,"
old man let me see that he was debtor to me 470 moidore; "
gold, besides sixty chests of sugar and fifteen double rolls of to-
bacco, which were lost in his ship, he having been shipwreck
CH, VII. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 175
coming home to Lisbon, about eleven years after my leaving the
jlace.
I The good man then began to complain of his misfortunes, and
how he had been obliged to make use of my money to recover his
losses, and buy him a share in a new ship. “ However, my old
friend,” said he, “you shall not want a supply in your necessity;
and as soon as my son returns, you shall be fully satisfied.”
Upon this he pulled out an old pouch, and gave me 160 Por-
tugal moidores in gold ; and giving me the writing of his title to
the ship which his son was gone to the Brazils in, of which he was
a quarter part owner and his son another, he put them both in my
hands for security of the rest.
I was too much moved with the honesty and kindness of the
poor man to be able to bear this; and remembering what he had
done for me, how he had taken me up at sea, and how generously
he had used me on all occasions, and particularly how sincere a
friend he was now to me, I could hardly refrain weeping at what
he said to me. I therefore asked him first if his circumstances
admitted him to spare so much money at that time, and if it
Wºuld not straiten him He told me he could not say but it
might straiten him a little; but, nevertheless, it was my money,
and I might want it more than he.
Every thing the good man said was full of affection, and I
could hardly refrain from tears while he spoke. In short, I took
ºne hundred of the moidores, and called for a pen and ink to give
him a receipt for them ; then I returned him the rest, and told
ºn, if ever I had possession of the plantation, I would return the
*rs to him also, as indeed I afterwards did; and that, as to the
bill of sale of his part in his son's ship, I would not take it by any
*ans, but that if I wanted the money, I found he was honest
*ugh to pay me; and if I did not, but came to receive what he
º me reason to expect, I would never have a penny more from
W hen this was passed, the old man asked me if he should
. ºne in a way to make my claim to my plantation. I told
ºn I thought to go over to it myself. He said I might do so
if I pleased; but that if I did not, there were modes enough to
.**iny right, and immediately to appropriate the profits to
. And as there were ships in the river of Lisbon just
; to go away to Brazil, he made me enter my name in a
. **egister, with his affidavit, affirming upon oath that I was
. *nd that I was the same person who took up the land for
€ º the said plantation at first.
H fi. *::: regularly attested by a notary, and a procuration
a merci e directed me to send it, with a letter of his writing, to
IIl V º ºnt of his acquaintance at the place; and then proposed
*S*ying with him till an account came of the return.
** any thing was more honourable than the proceedings
176 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES
upon this procuration; for in less than seven months I received a
large packet from the survivors of my trustees (for they were
both dead), in which were the following particular letters and
papers enclosed:
First, there was the account current of the produce of my farm,
or plantation, from the year when their fathers had balanced with
my old Portugal captain, being for six years: the balance ap-
peared to be 1174 moidores in my favour.
Secondly, there was the account of four years more while they
kept the effects in their hands, before the government claimed the
administration as being the effects of a person not to be found,
which they called “civil death ;” and the balance of this, the
value of the plantation increasing, amounted to about 3241
moidores.
Thirdly, there was the prior of the Augustines’ account, who
had received the profits for above fourteen years; but not being
to account for what was disposed to the hospital, very honestly
declared he had 872 moidores not distributed, which he acknow:
ledged to my account. As to the king's part, that refunded
nothing.
There was a letter of my partner's, congratulating me very
affectionately upon my being alive; giving me an account how
the estate was improved and what it produced a year, with
particular of the number of squares or acres that it contain!"
how planted, how many labourers there were upon it, and in.
viting me very passionately to come over and take possession "
my own, and in the mean time to give him orders to whom."
should deliver my effects if I did not come myself; concludin;
with a hearty tender of his friendship and that of his family; "|
sent me as a present seven fine leopards' skins, which he had, "
seems, received from Africa by some other ship which he had sº."
thither, and which had apparently made a better voyage than
He sent me also five chests of excellent sweetmeats, and a hundr
pieces of gold uncoined, not quite so large as moidores.
By the same fleet my two merchant-trustees shipped me 1200
chests of sugar, 800 rolls of tobacco, and the rest of the whole
account in gold.
I might well say now, indeed, that the latter end of Job Y.
better than the beginning. It is impossible to express here the
flutterings of my very heart when I looked over these letter.”
especially when I found all my wealth about me; for as the Bražl
ships come all in fleets, the same ships which brought my.
brought my goods, and the effects were safe in the river befor."
letter came to my hand. In a word, I turned pale and greWi.
and had not the old man run and fetched me a cordial, I belº
the sudden surprise of joy had overset nature, and I had di
upon the spot. ing in
* I was now master, all on a sudden, of above 5000l. sterliº
C.H. VII. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 177
money, and had an estate, as I might well call it, in the Brazils
of above a thousand pounds a year, as sure as an estate of lands in
England; and in short, I was in a condition which I scarcely
knew how to understand, or how to compose myself for the
enjoyment of it.
The first thing I did was to recompense my original bene-
factor, my good old captain, who had been first charitable to me
in my distress, kind to me in my beginning, and honest to me at
the end. I shewed him all that was sent me; I told him that,
next to the providence of Heaven, which disposes all things, it
was owing to him ; and that it now lay on me to reward him,
which I would do a hundred-fold So I first returned to him the
hundred moidores I had received of him; then I sent for a notary,
and caused him to draw up a general release or discharge for the
470 moidores which he had acknowledged he owed me, in the
fullest and firmest manner possible; after which I caused a pro-
curation to be drawn, empowering him to be my receiver of the
annual profits of my plantation, and appointed my partner to ac-
count to him, and inake the returns by the usual fleets to him in
my name; and a clause in the end, being a grant of one hundred
moidores a year to him during his life out of the effects, and fifty
moidores a year to his son after him for his life.
I was now to consider which way to steer my course next, and
What to do with the estate that Providence had thus put into my
hands; and, indeed, I had more care upon my head now than I
had in my silent state of life in the island, where I wanted nothin
but what I had, and had nothing but what I wanted; ..";
lad "9W a great charge upon me, and my business was how to
** it, I had neither a cave to hide my money in, nor a place
. it, might lie without lock or key, till it grew rusty and
ºlº before any body would meddle with it. On the con-
"Yº I knew not where to put it, or who to trust with it; my old
Pºron, the captain, indeed, was honest, and that was the only
refuge I had
Ine º: next place, my interest in the Brazils seemed to summon
sºul.". but now I could not think of going thither till I had
Iſle A"; affairs, and left my effects in some safe hands behind
was *: rst I thought of my old friend the widow, who, I knew,
and b *t and would be just to me; but then she was in years
..".'" Poor; and, for aught I knew, might be in debt; so that,
"," word, I had nowa but to back to England lf, and
take my effects with . Ul go back to England myself,
Was Some months, how his ;
and therefo 2 ever, before I resolved upon this;
Ormer b º, as I had rewarded the old captain, who had been my
Oi n) enefactor, fully and to his satisfaction, so I began to think
{{In %. whose husband had been my first benefactor,
structor. "ºil, it was in her power, my faithful steward and in:
r. So the first thing I did was, to get a merchant in Lisbon
178 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
to write to his correspondent in London, not only to pay a bill,
but to go and find her out, and carry her in money a hundred
pounds from me, and to talk with her, and comfort her in her
poverty, by telling her she should, if I lived, have a further
supply. At the same time I sent my two sisters in the country
each of them a hundred pounds, they being, though not in want,
yet not in very good circumstances; one having been married,
and left a widow; and the other having a husband not so kind to
her as he should be. But among all my relations or acquaint-
ances I could not yet pitch upon one to whom I durst commit the
gross of my stock; and this greatly perplexed me. I had once a
mind to have gone to the Brazils, and have settled myself there,
for I was, as it were, naturalised to the place; but I now thought
rather of disposing of my property there, more especially as I
really did not know with whom to leave my effects behind me,
So I resolved at last to go to England with them, where, if I
arrived, I concluded I should make some acquaintance, or find
some relations, that would be faithful to me; and accordingly I
prepared to return to England with all my wealth.
And, first, to the prior of St. Augustine I wrote a letter
full of thanks for his just dealings, and the offer of the 872 moi-
dores which was undisposed of, and which I desired might be
given, 500 to the monastery, and 372 to the poor, as the prior
should direct, desiring the good padre's prayers for me, and
the like.
I wrote next a letter of thanks to my two trustees, with all the
acknowledgment that so much justice and honesty called for; as
for sending them any present, they were far above having any
occasion for it. sº
Lastly, I wrote to my partner, acknowledging his industry in
the improving the plantation, and his integrity in increasing the
stock of the works, giving him instructions for his future govern:
ment of my part, according to the powers I had left with my old
patron, to whom I desired him to send whatever became due to
me till he should hear from me more particularly, assuring him
that it was my intention not only to come to him, but to settle
myself there for the remainder of my life. To this I added a
very handsome present of some Italian silks for his wife and twº
daughters, for such the captain's son informed me he had; with
two pieces of fine English broad-cloth, the best I could get in
Lisbon, five pieces of black baize, and some Flanders lace of 8
good value.
Having thus settled my affairs, sold my cargo, and turned all
my effects into good bills of exchange, my next difficulty was
which way to go to England. I had been accustomed enough to
the sea, and yet I had a strange dislike to go by it at that time;
and though I could give no reason for it, yet the aversion in:
creased upon me so much, that though I had once shipped my
C.H. VII. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 179
baggage, yet I altered my mind, and that not once, but two or
three times.
Having been thus harassed in my thoughts, my old pilot, to
whom I communicated every thing, pressed me earnestly not to
go by water; but either to go by land to the Groyne, and cross
over the Bay of Biscay to Rochelle, from whence it was but an
easy and safe journey by land to Paris, and so to Calais and
Dover; or to go up to Madrid, and so all the way by land
through France.
In a word, I was so prepossessed against my going by sea at
all, except from Calais to Dover, that I resolved to travel all the
way by land; which, as I was not in haste and did not value the
charge, was by much the pleasanter way; and to make it more
so, my old captain brought an English gentleman, the son of a
merchant in Lisbon, who was willing to travel with me. After
which we picked up two more English merchants also, and two
young Portuguese gentlemen, the last going to Paris only; so
that we were in all six of us and five servants, the two merchants
and the two Portuguese contenting themselves with one servant
between two to save the charge ; and as for me, I got an English
Sailor to travel with me as a servant besides my man Friday, who
Was too much a stranger to be capable of supplying the place of
a Servant on the road.
In this manner I set out from Lisbon; and our company being
all very well mounted and armed, we made a little troop, whereof
they did me the honour to call me captain, as well because I was
the oldest man, as because I had two servants, and indeed was the
originator of the whole journey.
When we came to Madrid we, being all of us strangers to
Spain, were willing to stay some time to see the court of that
°ountry, and what was worth observing ; but it being the latter
Part of the summer, we hastened away, and set out from Madrid
*out the middle of October. But when we came to the edge
ºf Navarre, we were alarmed at several towns on the way, with
ºn account that so much snow was fallen on the French side of
!he mountains, that several travellers were obliged to come back
; Pampeluna, after having attempted, at an extreme hazard, to
aSS on.
When we came to Pampeluna itself, we found it so indeed;
*"d, to me that had been always used to a hot climate, and in-
"eed to countries where we could scarcely bear any clothes on,
- !he cold was insufferable ; nor, indeed, was it more painful than
| Was surprising, to come but ten days before out of the Old
Castile, where the weather was not only warm, but very hot,
and immediately to feel a wind from the Pyrenean mountains, so
.*Y keen, so severely cold, as to be intolerable, and to endanger
the benumbing and perishing of our fingers and toes. ,
oor Friday was really frightened when he saw the moun-
180 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
tains all covered with snow, and felt cold weather, which he had
never seen or felt before in his life.
To mend the matter, after we came to Pampeluna, it con-
tinued snowing with so much violence, and so long, that the
people said, winter was come before its time; and the roads,
which were difficult before, were now quite impassable. We
stayed no less than twenty days at Pampeluna; when (seeing the
winter coming on, and no likelihood of its being better, for it
was the severest winter all over Europe that had been known
in the memory of man) I proposed that we should all go away
to Fontarabia, and there take shipping for Bordeaux, which was
a very little voyage.
But while we were considering this, there came in four French
gentlemen, who, having been stopped on the French side of the
passes, as we were on the Spanish, had found out a guide, who,
traversing the country near the head of Languedoc, had brought
them over the mountains by such ways, that they were not much
incommoded with the snow ; and where they met with snow in
any quantity, they said it was frozen hard enough to bear them
and their horses. º
We sent for this guide, who told us he would undertake to
carry us the same way, with no hazard from the snow, provided
we were armed sufficiently to protect ourselves from wild beasts;
for, he said, upon these great snows, it was common for some
wolves to shew themselves at the foot of the mountains, being
made ravenous for want of food, the ground being covered with
snow. We told him we were well enough prepared for such
creatures as they were, if he would insure us from a kind of two-
legged wolves, which we were told we were in most danger from,
especially on the French side of the mountains.
He satisfied us there was no danger of that kind in the Wº
that we were to go: so we readily agreed to follow him; as di
also twelve other gentlemen, with their servants, some French
some Spanish, who, as I said, had attempted to go, and W*
obliged to come back again. {}
Accordingly we all set out from Pampeluna, with our guide,
on the fifteenth of November; and indeed'I was surprised, whº
instead of going forward, he came directly back with us on ".
same road that we came from Madrid, above twenty miles; when
having passed two rivers, and come into the plain country, ".
found ourselves in a warm climate again, where the country ".
pleasant, and no snow to be seen; but on a sudden, turning .
his left, he approached the mountains another way; and thoug
it is true the hills and the precipices looked dreadful, yº” .
led us by such winding ways, that we insensibly pass. "it
height of the mountains without being much encumbered .
the snow ; and all on a sudden he shewed us the pleasant º:
ful provinces of Languedoc and Gascoigne, all green and flou





ROBINSON CRUS () I.,

CH, VII. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 181
ishing; though indeed they were at a great distance, and we
had some rough way to pass yet.
We were a little disturbed, however, when we found it snowed,
one whole day and a night, so fast that we could not travel ; but
he bid us be easy, and we should soon be past it all. We found,
indeed, that we began to descend every day, and to come
more north than before ; and so, depending upon our guide, we
Went On.
It was about two hours before night, when our guide being
a little before us, and not just in sight, out rushed three mon-
strous wolves, and after them a bear, out of a hollow way
adjoining to a thick wood: two of the wolves flew upon the
guide, and had he been half a mile before us, he had been de-
Youred, indeed, before we could have helped him : one of them
fastened upon his horse, and the other attacked the man with
that violence that he had not time, or not presence of mind
enough, to draw his pistol, but hallooed and cried out to us most
lustily. My man Friday being next to me, I bade him ride up
and see what was the matter. As soon as Friday came in sight
of the man, he hallooed as loud as the other, “O master tº O
master!’” But, like a hold fellow, rode directly up to the poor
.." º with his pistol, shot the wolf that attacked him through
€ Ilead.
It was happy for the poor man that it was my man Friday;
for he, having been used to that kind of creature in his country,
had no fear upon him, but went close up to the wolf, and shot
him as above; whereas any of us would have fired at a farther
distance, and have perhaps either missed the wolf, or endangered
shooting the man.
, , But it was enough to have terrified a bolder man than I; and
dºed it alarmed all our company, when, with the noise of
Friday's pistol, we heard on both sides the dismallest howling of
Wolves, and the noise redoubled by the echo of the mountains,
*it was to us as if there had been a prodigious multitude of
them; and perhaps, indeed, there was not such a few as that we
ad no cause of apprehension.
f However, as Friday had killed this wolf, the other, that had
fººd upon the horse, left him immediately, and fled, having
*Pily fastened upon his head, where the bosses of the bridle
º stuck in his teeth, so that he had not done him much hurt:
. * indeed, was most hurt; for the raging creature had bit
º twice, once on the arm, and the other time a little above his
of i. and he was just as it were tumbling down by the disorder
*horse, when Friday came up and shot the wolf.
all º ... easy to suppose, that at the noise of Friday's pistol we
Wer °nded our pace, and rode up as fast as the way (which was
y difficult) would give us leave, to see what was the matter;
* as we came clear of the trees which blinded us before,
182 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
we saw plainly what had been the case, and how Friday had
disengaged the poor guide, though we did not presently discern
what kind of creature it was he had killed.
But never was a fight managed so hardily, and in such a
surprising manner, as that which followed between Friday and
the bear, which gave us all (though at first we were surprised
and afraid for him) the greatest diversion imaginable. As the
bear is a heavy clumsy creature, and does not gallop as the
wolf does, who is swift and light, so he has two particular qua-
lities, which generally are the rule of his actions: first as to
men, who are not his proper prey (though I cannot say what
excessive hunger might do, which was now the case, the ground
being all covered with snow), he does not usually attempt
them, unless they first attack him ; on the contrary, if you meet
him in the woods, and do not meddle with him, he will not
meddle with you; yet then you must take care to be very civil
to him, and give him the road; for he is a very nice gentleman:
he will not go a step out of the way for a prince ; nay, if you are
really º your best way is to look another way, and keep
going on; for sometimes, if you stop, and stand still, and look
stedfastly at him, he takes it for an affront; and if you throw
or toss any thing at him, and it hits him, though it were but
bit of stick as big as your finger, he takes it for an affront, alſº
sets all other business aside to pursue his revenge; for he wil
have satisfaction in point of honour: and this is his first quality
The next is, that if he be once affronted, he will never leave Yº",
night or day, till he has his revenge, but follows at a good ro"
rate till he overtakes you.
My man Friday had delivered our guide, and when we “”
up to him, he was helping him off his horse; for the man .
both hurt and frightened, and, indeed, the last more tha" .
first; when, on a sudden, we spied the bear come out 9."
wood, and a monstrous oné it was, the biggest by far that “.
saw. “We were all a little surprised when we saw him; bº.
Friday saw him, it was easy to see joy and courage in the .
countenance: “o or of " says Friday three times, Pº
to him, “O master you give me te leave, me shakee “”
with him; me make you good laugh.” ” said
I was surprised to see the fellow so pleased: “You fool, y º
I, “he will eat you up.” “Eatee me up eatee me up; .
Friday twice over again; “me eatee him up ; me makº §
good laugh; you all stay here, me shew you good laugh. i.
down he sat, got his boots off in a moment, and puttº º
pair of shoes which he had in his pocket, gave my oth. aş
vant his horse, and, with his gun, away he flew, as *"
the wind. with
The bear was walking softly on, and offered to meddle if the
nobody, till Friday coming pretty near, called to him, *
C. H. VII. OF ROBIN SON CRUSOE. 183
bear could understand him : “Hark ye, hark ye, me speakee wit
you.” We followed at a distance; for now being come down on
the Gascoigne side of the mountains, we had entered a vast forest,
where the country was plain and pretty open, though with many
trees in it scattered here and there.
Friday, who had, as we say, the heels of the bear, came up
with him quickly, and took up a great stone and threw at him,
and it hit him just on the head; but did him no more harm than
if he had thrown it against a wall: it answered Friday’s end,
however; for the rogue was so void of fear, that he did it purely
º: the bear follow him, and shew us some laugh, as he
Cúlled lt.
As soon as the bear felt the stone, and saw him, he turned
about, and came after him, taking tremendously long strides,
and shuffling along at a strange rate, so as would put a horse to
A middling gallop. Away ran Friday, and took his course as if
he ran towards us for help ; so we all resolved to fire at once
upon the bear, and deliver my man; though I was angry at him
heartily for bringing the bear back upon us, when he was going
*hout his own business another way; and especially I was angry
that he had turned the bear upon us, and then run away; and I
“alled out, “You dog! is this your making us laugh? Come
***Y, and take your horse, that we may shoot the creature.”
He heard me, and cried out, “No shoot, no shoot; stand still,
Y9" get much laugh;” and as the nimble creature ran two feet
for the beast's one, he turned on a sudden, on one side of us,
""" seeing a great oak-tree fit for his purpose, he beckoned to
º to fºllow, and doubling his pace, he got nimbly up the tree,
. "g his gun down upon the ground, at about five or six yards
Th º: bear soon came to the tree, and we followed at a distance,
i. º thing he did was to stop at the gun, and smell to it, but
('at i. lie, and up he scrambled into the tree, climbing like a
th * so monstrously heavy. I was amazed at the folly, as
to l *śht it, of my man; and could not for my life see any thing
Il *** Yet, till, seeing the bear get up the tree, we all rode
earer to him.
m º We came to the tree, there was Friday got out to the
im: °nd of a large branch, and the bear got about half way to
the tr *90n as the bear got out to that part where the limb of
tº: weaker, “Ha,” says he to us, “now you see me
ough * . dance.” So he falls a jumping, and shaking the
gan to l . the bear began to totter, but stood still, and
indeed, wº º him, to see how he should get back. Then,
him by a º: º heartily. But Friday had not done with
to him . gºl; when he saw him stand still, he called out
& 4 W. º, as if he had supposed the bear could speak English,
J9" come no further? Pray you come further.” So he
184 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
left jumping and shaking the tree; and the bear, just as if he
understood what he said, did come a little further; then he fell
a jumping again, and the bear stopped again.
We thought that now was a good time to knock him on the
head, and I called to Friday to stand still, and we would shoot the
bear ; but he cried out earnestly, “Oh, pray ! oh, pray ! no shoot,
me shoot by and then ;” (he would have said “by and by.")
However, to shorten the story, Friday danced so much, and the
bear stood so ticklish, that we had laughing enough indeed, but
still could not imagine what the fellow would do: for, first, we
thought he depended upon shaking the bear off; but we found
the bear was too cunning for that too; for he would not go out
far enough to be thrown down, but clung fast with his great
broad claws and feet; so that we could not imagine what would
be the end of it, and where the jest would be at last.
But Friday put us out of doubt quickly; for seeing the lººr
cling fast to the bough, and that he could not be persuaded tº
come any further, “Well, well,” says he, “you no come furth",
me go, me go; you no come to me, me go come to you.” And
upon this he went out to the smallest end of the bough, where."
would bend with his weight, and gently let himself down by it,
sliding down the bough till he came near enough to jump dº".
ºis feet; and away he ran to his gun, took it up, and st
still.
“Well,” said I to him, “Friday, what will you do now? Whº
don't you shoot him 7” “No shoot,” says Friday, “no ye; ".
shoot now, me no kill; me stay, give you one more laugh ;" and
indeed so he did, as you will see presently; for when the bear
saw his enemy gone, he came back from the bough where he
stood, but did it mighty leisurely, looking behind him º'
step, and coming backward till he got into the body of the ".
then with the same hinder end foremost, he came dow" the
tree, grasping it with his claws, and moving one foot * *:
very leisurely. Just at this juncture, and before he could "..."
hind feet upon the ground, Friday stepped close to him, clº
the muzzle of his piece into his ear, and shot him as ead as
Stone.
Then the rogue turned about, to see if we did not laugh: and
when he saw we were pleased by our looks, he falls a lºgº
himself very loud. “So we kill bear in my country,'... sº.
“So you kill them,” said I ; “why you have no guns.' No,
says he, “no gun, but shoot great much long arrow.”
This was, indeed, a good diversion to us; but we We *
a wild place, and our guide very much hurt; and what to 10 :
hardly knew; the howling of wolves ran much in my of
and, indeed, except the noise I once heard on the sh.
Africa, I never heard any thing that filled me with S0 iſ
horror.
re still in
CH. VII. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 185
These things, and the approach of night, called us off; or else,
as Friday would have had us, we should certainly have taken the
skin of this monstrous creature off, which was worth saving; but
we had three leagues to go, and our guide hastened us; so we
left him, and went forward on our journey.
The ground was still covered with snow, though not so deep
and dangerous as on the mountains ; and the ravenous creatures,
as we heard afterwards, were come down into the forest and plain
country, pressed by hunger, to seek for food, and had done a
great deal of mischief in the villages, where they surprised the
country folk, killed a great many of their sheep and horses, and
Some people too.
We had one dangerous place to pass, in which (our guide told
""), if there were any more wolves in the country, we should find
them; and this was in a small plain, surrounded with woods on
"Yery side, and a long narrow defile or lane, which we were to
lºs to get through the wood, and then we should come to the
village where we were to lodge. .
It was within half an hour of sunset when we entered the first
Wººd; and a little after sunset when we came into the plain.
We inet with nothing in the first wood, except that in a little
plain within the wood, which was not above two furlongs over,
. *W five great wolves cross the road, full speed one after an:
''''''''', º if they had been in chase of some prey, and had it in
'''" ; they took no notice of us, and were gone and out of our
sight in a few moments.
º our guide, who, by the way, was a wretched faint-
... low, bid us keep in a ready posture, for he believed
"º. more wolves a coming.
Ilo Nº. ºur arms ready, and our eyes about us; but we saw
f a lea Olves till we came through that wood, which was near
i. º entered the plain ; as soon as we came into
otject wº ad occasion enough to look about us. The first
and at i. i. was a poor horse which the wolves had killed,
im, but pi t ozen of them at work; we could not say eatin
the fles Pºking his bones rather; for they had eaten up ai
the
h before.
di ". º * think fit to disturb them at their feast, neither
then .# e much notice of us. Friday would have let fly at
were’īl. l Wºuld not suffer him by any means ; for I found we
aware o ; y W have more business upon our hands than we were
to hear the e !. not gone half over the plain, when we began
Inanner: ºOlves howl in the wood on our left, in a frightful
directly' Presently after we saw about a hundred coming on
tiš ºl."." us, all in a body, and most of them in a line,
scarcely k
#. ** an army drawn up by experienced officers. I
j in what manner to receive them; but found that
*** in a close line was the only way; so we formed
R 2
186 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
in a moment ; but, that we might not have too much interval,
I ordered, that only every other man should fire; and that the
others, who had not fired, should stand ready to give them a
second volley immediately, if they continued to advance upon
us; and that then those who had fired at first should not attempt
to load their fusees again, but stand ready, with every one a pis-
tol,-for we were all armed with a fusee and a pair of pistols each
man; so we were, by this method, able to fire six volleys, half
of us at a time: however, at present, we had no necessity; for,
upon firing the first volley, the enemy made a full stop, being
terrified, as well with the noise as with the fire ; four of then
being shot into the head, dropped; several others were wounded,
and went bleeding off, as we could see by the snow : whereupon
remembering that I had been told, that the fiercest creatures
were terrified at the voice of a man, I caused all our company
to halloo as loud as we could ; and I found the notion not altº:
gether mistaken; for upon our shout, they began to retire, and
turn about; then I ordered a second volley to be fired in thiſ
rear, which put them to the gallop, and away they went to tº
woods. -
This gave us leisure to charge our pieces again, and that *
might lose no time, we kept going; but we had but little ""
than loaded our fusees, and put ourselves into a readiness, whº
we heard a terrible noise in the same wood, on our left; only
that it was farther onward the same way we were to go; +
The night was coming on, and the light began to be dusky,
which made it the worse on our side; but the noise incº".
we could easily perceive that it was the howling and yelling "
those savage creatures; and, on a sudden, we perceived two
three troops of wolves on our left, one behind us, and one "" º
front, so that we seemed to be surrounded with them : Nº.
as they did not fall upon us, we kept our way forward, *.
we could make our horses go, which, the way being very.
was only a good large trot ; and in this manner we came " º f
of the entrance of a wood through which we were to Paº *
farther side of the plain; but we were greatly surprised, .
coming near the lane, or pass, we saw a confused numbe
wolves standing just at the entrance. rd the
On a sudden, at another opening of the wood, wº hea wit
noise of a gun; and, looking that way, out rushed a hº. p tº
a saddle and bridle on him, flying like the wind, and sº.
seventeen wolves after him full speed ; indeed the hors: º it at
heels of them ; but as we supposed that he could not º in at
that rate, we doubted not but they would get up with
last ; and no question but they did. * * * to the
But here we had a most horrible sight; for, riding "...º.
entrance where the horse came out, we found the carº.
other horse, and of two men devoured by the ravenous"
C.H. VII. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 187
and one of the men was no doubt the same who fired the gun we
had heard, for there lay an unloaded gun close by him ; but as to
the man, his head, and the upper part of his body, was eaten up.
This filled us with horror, and we knew not what course to
take; but the creatures soon determined us, for they gathered
about us speedily, in hopes of prey; and I verily believe there
were three hundred of them. It happened very much to our
advantage, that at the entrance into the wood, but a little way
from it, there lay some large timber-trees, which had been cut
down the summer before, and I suppose lay there for carriage. I
drew my little troop in among those trees, and placing ourselves
in a line behind one long tree, I advised them all to alight, and
keeping that tree before us for a breast-work, to stand in a tri-
angle, or three fronts, enclosing our horses in the centre.
We did so, and it was well we did ; for never was a more
ºrious charge than the creatures made upon us in this place.
They came on us with a growling kind of noise, and mounted
the piece of timber (which, as I said, was our breast-work), as
if they were only rushing upon their prey; and this fury of theirs,
it stems, was principally occasioned by their seeing our horses
behind us, which was the prey they aimed at. I ordered our men
tº fire, as before, every other man; and they took their aim so
***, that indeed they killed several of the wolves at the first
..". but there was a necessity to keep up a continual firing,
|...} came on like demons, those behind pushing on those
H m." we had fired our second volley, we thought they stopped
In ſom . and I hoped they would have gone off, but it was but a
of º nt, for others came forward again; so we fired two volleys
º pistols; and I believe in these four firings we had killed
they *en or eighteen of them, and lamed twice as many; yet
X came an again.
$6 º loath to spend our last shot too hastily; so I called my
with the nºt my man Friday, who was better employed,—for,
and his greates: dexterity imaginable, he had charged my fusee
other . while we were engaged,—but, as I said, I called my
train all . ; and giving him a horn of powder, I bade him º
did so ..". i. piece of timber, and let it be a large train. He
up to it. º but just time to get away, when the wolves came
uncharged nq º were got up upon it; when I, snapping an
Were upon Fº close to the powder, set it on fire; those that
them . e timber were scorched with it, and six or seven of
fright of º: ºr jumped in amongst us, with the force and
Test were so f º ; we despatched these in an instant, and the
it was very n rightened with the light, which the night (for now
a little. 9 *ear dark) made more terrible, that they drew back
188 LIFE AND A DVENTURES
Upon this I ordered our last pistols to be fired off in one
volley, and after that we gave a shout ; upon this the wolves
turned tail, and we sallied immediately upon near twenty lame
ones, that we found struggling on the ground, and fell a cutting
them with our swords, which answered our expectation; for the
crying and howling they made were better understood by their
fellows; so that they fled and left us.
We had, first and last, killed about threescore of them; and
had it been day-light, we had killed many more. The field of
battle being thus cleared, we went forward again, for we had
still near a league to go; we heard the ravenous creatures howl
and yell in the woods as we rode, several times; and sometimes
we fancied we saw some of them, but the snow dazzling our
eyes, we were not certain ; so in about an hour more we came
to the town where we were to lodge, which we found in a terrible
fright, and all in arms; for, it seems, that, the night before, the
wolves and some bears had broke into the village in the night,
and alarmed them greatly ; and they were obliged to keep guard
night and day, but especially in the night, to preserve their cattle,
and, indeed, their people.
The next morning our guide was so ill, and his limbs were *
swelled with the rankling of his two wounds, that he could prº-
ceed no farther; so we were obliged to take a new guide thºſ.
and go to Toulouse, where we found a warm climate, a fruitſ."
pleasant country, and no snow, no wolves, or any thing like
them. But when we told our story at Toulouse, they told us."
was nothing but what was ordinary in the great forest at tº
foot of the mountains, especially when the snow lay on ".
ground; but they inquired much what kind of a guide We had
had, that would venture to bring us that way in such a sº".
season; and told us, it was a great chance we were not."
devoured. When we told them how we placed ourselve; "
the horses in the middle, they blamed us exceedingly, and *
it was fifty to one but we had been all destroyed; for it .
the sight of the horses which made the wolves so furious.**
their prey; and that at other times they are really afraid " :
gun; but being excessively hungry, and raging on that *
the eagerness to come at the horses had }. them senselº,
of danger; and that if we had not by the continued fiº,"
at last by the stratagem of the train of powder, mastered the ".
it had been great odds but that we had been torn to Pº.
whereas, had we been content to have sat still on hº.
and fired as horsemen, they would not have taken the hor: §
so much for their own, when men were on their baº
otherwise; and withal they told us, that at last, if Yº
stood altogether, and left our horses, they would have ".
eager to have devoured them, that we might have come **
C.H. W. II, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 189
especially having our fire-arms in our hands, and being so many
in number.
For my part, I was never so sensible of danger in my life;
for, seeing above 300 wolves come roaring and open-mouthed
to devour us, and having nothing to shelter us, or retreat to, I
gave myself over for lost; and, as it was, I believe, I shall never
care to cross those mountains again. I think I would much
rather go a thousand leagues by sea, though I were sure to meet
with a storm once a .#
I have nothing uncommon to take notice of in my passage
through France; nothing but what other travellers have given
an account of, with much more advantage than I can. I travelled
from Toulouse to Paris, and without any considerable stay, came
to Calais, and landed safe at Dover, the 14th of January, after
having had a severe cold season to travel in.
. I was now come to the centre of my travels, and had in a little
time all my newly discovered estate safe about me, the bills of
ºngº, which I brought with me, having been very currently
paid.
. My principal guide and privy counsellor was my good old
widow, who, in gratitude for the money I had sent her, thought
no Pains too much, or care too great, to employ for me; and I
trusted her so entirely with every thing, that I was perfectly
*y as to the security of my effects; and indeed I was very
happy. from the beginning, and now to the end, in the unspotted
"Fº of this good gentlewoman.
f wrote to my old friend at Lisbon, to see if he could dispose
. º Property in the Brazils; who, in return, gave me notice
º: could easily dispose of it there: but that if I thought fit
t º him leave to offer it in my name to the two merchants,
full º . of my trustees, who lived in the Brazils, who must
º, º the value of it, who lived just upon the spot,
be glad’t º were very rich, so that he believed they would
ºo: 9 to buy it; he did not doubt but I should make 4 or
. of º the more of it.
le jºy, agreed, gave him order to offer it to them, and
returned i. in about eight months more, the ship being then
and had"; * ent me account that they had accepted the offer,
thei ºitted 88,000 pieces of eight to a correspondent of
i. * Lisbon, to pay for it.
the "... Ii. the instrument of sale in the form which
me bills of . º, and forwarded it to my old man, who sent
Feserving the “hange for 32,800 pieces of eight for the estate:
man) durin ºt of 100 moidores a year to him (the old
for his lif g #. life, and 50 moidores afterwards to his son
Was to *.." . I had promised them; which the plantation
8000 as a rent-charge. And thus I have given the
190 LIFE AND ADVENTURES
first part of a life of fortune and adventure, a life of Providence's
chequer-work, and of a variety which the world will seldom be
able to shew the like of: beginning foolishly, but closing much
more happily than any part of it ever gave me leave so much as
to hope for.
Any one would think that, in this state of complicated good
fortune, I was past running any more hazards; and so indeed
I had been, if other circumstances had concurred ; but I was
inured to a wandering life, had no family, not many relations,
nor, however rich, had I contracted much acquaintance; and
though I had sold my estate in the Brazils, yet I could not keep
the country out of my head, and had a great mind to be on the
wing again; especially I could not resist the strong inclination
I had to see my island, and to know if the poor Spaniards
i. in being there; and how the rogues I left there had used
them.
My true friend the widow earnestly dissuaded me from it, and
so far prevailed with me, that almost for seven years she pre-
vented my running abroad; during which time I took my two
nephews, the children of one of my brothers, into my care; the
eldest having something of his own, I bred up as a gentlemail,
and gave him a settlement of some addition to his estate, after
my decease: the other I put out to a captain of a ship; and aft'
five years, finding him a sensible, bold, enterprising young ſº
low, I put him into a good ship, and sent him to sea; and this
young fellow afterwards drew me in, old as I was, to farther
adventures myself. In the mean time, I in part settled myself
here: for, first of all, I married, and that not either to my disad,
vantage or dissatisfaction, and had three children, two son ºn
one daughter; but my wife dying, and my nephew coming hoº
with good success from a voyage to Spain, my inclination to #"
abroad, and his importunity, prevailed, and engaged me to gº."
his ship as a private trader to the East Indies. This was in the
year 1694.
In this voyage I visited my new colony in the island, saw "
successors the Spaniards, had the whole story of their lives, *
of the fellows I left there. - º ||
Here I stayed about twenty days; left them supplies,” *
necessary things, and particularly of arms, powder, shot, cloth.
tools, and two workmen, which I brought from England "
me : namely, a carpenter and a smith.
Besides this, I shared the island into parts with them, &
to myself the property of the whole, but gave them such ſº.
respectively, as they agreed on ; and having settled all tº:
i. them, and engaged them not to leave the place, I left the
there.
I next touched at the Brazils, from whence I sent a lº.
which I bought there, with more people to the island; and "
reserved

CH. VII. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 191
besides other supplies, I sent seven women, being such as I found
proper for service, or for wives to such as would take them. I
i. them also from the Brazils five cows, some sheep, and some
OQYS, -
"But all these things, with some very surprising incidents in
some new adventures of my own, for ten years more, I may,
perhaps, give a farther account of hereafter.

THE
3Life anti ſãubenturzg
OF
R 0B INS () N C R U S 0 E.
PART SECOND.


3
\º
\
\\
y
|
\ }}
l
*:
not spend the
expensive way
*ge, gaiety,
°r inclinatio
º *
a 2)
{ ..Sººº. º
f u Nº.
i ºy, -
OF
ROBIN SON CRU SOE.
PART SECOND.
sº
ſ
2 HE homely proverb, “What is bred in
the bone will not go out of the flesh,” was
never more verified than in the story
of my life. Any one would think that
§ after thirty-five years' affliction, and a variety of
unhappy circumstances, which few men, if any,
ever went through before, and after near seven
years of peace and enjoyment in the fulness of all
things, and when, if ever, it might be allowed me
to have had experience of every state of middle
life, and to know which was most adapted to
make a man completely happy; I say, after all
this, any one would have thought that my native
§ propensity to rambling should be worn out, and I
might at sixty-one years of age have been a little
| inclined to stay at home, and have done ventur-
{ing life and fortune any more.
Nay farther, the common motive of foreign
§ adventures was taken away in me; for I had no
fortune to make; I had nothing to seek; if I had
gained ten thousand pounds, I had been no richer;
for I had already sufficient for me, and for those
I had to leave it to ; and what I had was visibly
° increasing; for having no great family, I could
income of what I had, unless I would take to an
of living, such as a great family, servants, equip-
and the like, which were things I had no notion of
* to ; so that I had nothing indeed to do but to sit













196 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT, II.
still, and fully enjoy what I had got, and see it increase daily
upon my hands.
Yet all these things had no effect upon me, or at least not
enough to resist the strong inclination I had to go abroad again;
particularly the desire of seeing my new plantation in the island,
and the colony I left there, ran in my head continually. I
dreamed of it all night, and my imagination dwelt upon it all day;
it was uppermost in all my thoughts, and my fancy worked so
steadily and strongly upon it, that I talked of it in my sleep : in
short, nothing could remove it out of my mind; it even broke so
violently into all my discourses, that it made my conversation
tiresome, for I could talk of nothing else.
But to return to my story. In this kind of temper I had lived
some years; I had no enjoyment of my life, no pleasant hours,
no agreeable diversion, but what had something or other of this
in it; so that my wife, who saw my mind so wholly bent upon
it, told me very seriously one night, that she believed there was
some secret powerful impulse of Providence upon me, which had
determined me to go thither again; and that she found nothing
hindered my going but my being engaged to a wife and family:
She told mé, that it was true she could not think of parting with
me; but as she was assured, that if she was dead, it would be the
first thing I would do; so, as it seemed to her that the thing Wº
determined above, she would not be the only obstruction; for
I thought fit and resolved to go;-here she found me very intº"
upon her words, and that I looked very earnestly at her; 30 that
it a little disordered her, and she stopped. I asked her sh she
did not go on, and say out what she was going to say? ut I
perceived her heart was too full, and some tears stood in herº.
“Speak out, my dear,” said I; “are you willing I should gº.
“No,” said she, very affectionately, “I am far from willing:
but if you are resolved to go, rather than I should be the only hº
drance, I will go with you; for though I think it a prepºº.
thing for one of your years and in your condition, yet if it º
be, I won’t leave you; for if it be your duty to go, I will .
make it mine to go with you; or otherwise dispose of me,"
may not obstruct it.” ider
This affectionate behaviour in my wife brought me to 99. W
what I was doing; and I began to argue with myself serº". s
what business I had (after threescore years, and after such a ; -
of tedious sufferings and disasters, and closed in so hapſ. Il
easy a manner) to rush into new hazards, and put myself up"
adventures, fit only for youth and poverty to run into., . and
I resolved, therefore, to divert myself with other thing.
to engage in some business that might effectually tie me".
any more fancies of this kind; for I found the thing retur".edi-
me chiefly when I was idle, or had nothing of moment i*
ately before me.
CH. I. of Rob INSON CRUSOE. 197
To this purpose I bought a little farm in the county of Bed-
ford, and resolved to remove thither. I had a little convenient
house upon it, and the land I found was capable of É. improve-
ment, and that it was many ways suited to my inclination, which
delighted in cultivating, planting, and improving of land; and
particularly, being an inland country, I was removed from con-
versing among ships, sailors, and things relating to the remote
parts of the world.
But in the middle of all this retired and pleasant felicity, one
blow from unforeseen Providence unhinged me at once ; and not
only made a breach upon me, inevitable and incurable, but drove
ine, by its consequence, into a deep relapse into the wandering
disposition, . as I may say, being born in my very blood,
soon recovered its hold of ine, and, like the returns of a violent
distemper, came on with an irresistible force upon me; so that
nothing could make any more impression upon me. This blow
was the loss of my wife.
It is not my business here to write an elegy upon her, to give
a character of her particular virtues, and make my court to the
sex by the flattery of a funeral sermon. She was, in a few words,
the stay of all my affairs, the centre of all my enterprises; and
did more to guide my rambling genius, than a mother’s tears, a
father's instructions, a friend's counsel, or all my own reasoning
Pºwers could do., I was happy in listening to her advice, and in
*ing mºved by her entreaties, and to the last degree dislocated
and, lºsolate in the world by the loss of her.
I When she was gone, the world looked awkwardly around me.
i. as much a .."; in it, in my thoughts, as I was in the
ºil, when I went first on shore there; and as much alone
except as to the assistance of servants) as I was in my island. I
º neither what to do, or what not to do. I saw the world
§ { º . me; one part labouring for bread, and the other part
..". in vile excesses or empty pleasures, equally miser-
man º: the end they proposed still fled from them; for the
work f Pleasure every day surfeited of his vice, and heaped up
their º ºw and repentance; and the men of labour spent
strengtº in daily strugglings for bread to maintain the vital
. H. laboured with ; so living in a daily circulation of
bread wer '. but to work, and working but to live, as if daily
the only * the only end of wearisome life, and a wearisome life
T ly occasion of daily bread.
island s *..." in mind of the life I lived in my kingdom, the
and bred . suffered no more corn to grow than I wanted,
honey lay in ... than I had occasion for; where the
favour º l . rawer till it grew rusty, and had scarce the
All these ‘. ‘ed upon in twenty years.
don...had imprºved them as I ought to have
º **ason and religion had dictated to me, would have
S 2
198 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES PT, II,
taught me to search farther than human enjoyments for a full
felicity, and that there was something which certainly was the
reason and end of life, superior to all these things, and which
was either to be possessed, or at least hoped for, on this side the
grave.
But my sage counsellor was gone: I was like a ship without
a pilot, that could only run before the wind; my thoughts ran
all away again into the old affair; my head was quite turned with
the whimsies of foreign adventures; and all the pleasant inno-
cent amusements of my farm and my garden, my cattle, and my
family, which before entirely possessed me, were nothing to me,
had no relish, and were like music to one that has no ear, or food
to one that has no taste. In a word, I resolved to leave of
house-keeping, let my farm, and return to London; and in a few
months after I did so.
It was now the beginning of the year 1693, when my nephew,
who, as I have observed before, I had brought up to the sea,
and had made him commander of a ship, was come home from
a short voyage to Bilboa, being the first he had made. He came
to me, and told me, that some merchants of his acquaintance had
been proposing to him to go a voyage for them to the East
Indies and to China, as private traders; “And now, uncle,” says
he, “if you will go to sea with me, I will engage to land yºu
upon your old habitation in the island; for we are to touch at the
Brazils.”
My nephew knew nothing how far my distemper of wander;
ing was returned upon me, and I knew nothing of what he had
in his thoughts to say, when that very morning before he canº
to me, I had, in a great deal of confusion of thought, and revolº
ing every part of my circumstances in my mind, come to th;
resolution, namely, that I would go to Lisbon, and consult. Wit.
my old sea-captain; and so, if it was rational and practicable,
would go and see the island again, and see what was becº
of my people, there. I had pleased myself with the thoughts
of peopling the place, and carrying inhabitants from herº
getting a patent for the possession, and I know not what; when
in the middle of all this, in came my nephew, as I have ".
*. his project of carrying me thither, on his way to the East
Il CI 16S.
In a word, the scheme hit so exactly with my temper, that
is to say, the prepossession I was under, and of which have
said so much, that I told him, in few words, if he agreed ".
the merchants, I would go with him; but I told him, I.Y."
not promise to go any farther than my own island. ºwn,
sir,” said he, “you don’t want to be left there again, I hºp.
“Why,” said I, “can you not take me up again ºn X".
return ?” He told me it could not be possible that the mer
chants would allow him to come that way with a lade" "
CH, I, OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 199
of such value, it being a month’s sail out of his way, and might
be three or four. “Besides, sir, if I should miscarry,” said 'he,
“ and not return at all, then you would be just reduced to the
condition you were in before.”
This was very rational ; but we both found out a remedy for
it, which was to carry a framed sloop on board the ship, which,
being taken in pieces and shipped on board the ship, might, by
the help of some carpenters, whom we agreed to carry with us,
be set up again in the island, and finished, fit to go to sea, in a
few days.
I was not long resolving ; for, indeed, the importunities of my
nephew joined in so effectually with my inclination, that nothing
could oppose me; on the other hand, my wife being dead, there
was no one so much concerned for me, as to persuade me
one way or other, except my ancient good friend the widow,
who earnestly struggled with me to consider my years, my easy
circumstances, and the needless hazard of a long voyage; and,
Above all, my young children: but it was all to no purpose. I
had an irresistible desire to the voyage; and I told her I thought
there was something so uncommon in the impressions I had upon
ºy mind for the voyage, that it would be a kind of resisting
Providence, if I should attempt to stay at home; after which
she “eased her expostulations, and joined with me, not only in
making provision for my voyage, but also in settling my family
*śirs in my absence, and providing for the education of my
children. o
... "...order to this, I made my will, and settled the estate I had
p *ch a manner for my children, and placed in such hands, that
i. perfectly easy, and satisfied they would have justice done
it en, W hatever might befall me; and for their education, I left
it wholly to my widow, with a sufficient maintenance to herself
º !" ºrei, all of which she richly deserved, for no mother
etter: ave taken more care in their education, or understood it
er .; ºd as she lived till I came home, I also lived to thank
wº nephew was ready to sail about the beginning of January,
the 8th º I with my man Friday went on board in the Downs
very co .# besides that sloop which I mentioned above, a
colonv *able cargo of all kinds of necessary things for my
X, which, if I did not find in good condition. I resolved to
leave SO. g y
nºº carried with me some servants, whom I purposed to
iny own a as inhabitants, or at least to set on work there upon
or carr . while I stayed, and either to leave them there,
larly I º . forward, as they should appear willing; particu-
8 fe º two carpenters, a smith, and a very handy ingeni-
mechanic : }. 9, was a cooper by trade, but was also a general
*; or he was dexterous at making wheels, and hand-
200 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES PT. Ii.
mills to grind corn, was a good turner, and a good pot-maker;
he also made any thing that was proper to make of earth or of
wood ; in a word, we called him our Jack of all trades.
With these I carried a tailor, who had offered himself to go
passenger to the East Indies with my nephew, but afterwards
consented to stay on our new plantation, and proved a most handy
fellow as could be desired in many other businesses besides that of
this trade; for, as I observed formerly, necessity arms us for all
employments.
My cargo, as near as I can collect, consisted of a sufficient
quantity of linen and some thin English stuffs for clothing the
Spaniards that I expected to find there, and enough of them, as
by my calculation, might comfortably supply them for seven
years. The materials which I carried for clothing them, with
gloves, hats, shoes, stockings, and all such things as they could
want for wearing, amounted in value to above 200 pounds, in:
cluding some beds, bedding, and household stuff, particularly
kitchen utensils, with pots, kettles, pewter, brass, &c.; and nº
a hundred pounds more in iron-work, nails, tools of every
kind, staples, hooks, hinges, and every necessary thing I could
think of.
I carried also a hundred spare arms, muskets, and fusees, be-
sides some pistols, a considerable quantity of shot of all sizes.”
two pieces of brass cannon; and because I knew not what ".
and what extremities I was providing for, I carried a hundre
barrels of powder, besides swords, cutlasses, and the iron P"
some pikes and halberts. So that, in short, we had a large”.
zine of all sorts of stores; and I made my nephew carry twº " f
quarter-deck guns more than he wanted for his ship, tº º:
behind if there was occasion; that when they came there *
might build a fort, and man it against all sorts of enemie."
indeed, I at first thought there would be need enough of º --
and much more, if we hoped to maintain our possessiº" "
island. ised to
I had not such bad luck in this voyage as I had beeſ. rupt
meet with, and therefore shall have the less occasion tº i.
the reader, who, perhaps, may be impatient to hear how º
went with my colony; yet some odd accidents, crºss." det
bad weather happened on this first setting out, which º: newtſ
voyage longer than I expected it at first; and I, whº ha ea, in
made but one voyage, namely, my first voyage to gº. at
which I might be said to come back again, as the Yºyº. r coº-
first designed, began to think that I was born to be º
tented with being on shore, and yet to be always *
at Sea. in Ire"
Contrary winds first obliged us to put in at Gºl. ..º.
land, where we lay wind-bound two-and-twenty days; Ul ere el"
this satisfaction with the disaster, that provisions Wºº
CH. I. OF ROBIN SON CRU SOE, 201
ceeding cheap and in the utmost plenty ; so that while we lay
here we never touched the ship's stores, but rather added to them.
Here also I took in several live hogs, and two cows and calves,
which I resolved, if I had a good passage, to put on shore in my
island; but we found occasion to dispose otherwise of them.
f Wººl §: º 5th of February from Ireland, and had a very
air gale of wind for some days. As I remember, it might be
about the 20th of February, i. in the evening, when *...
having the watch, came into the round-house, and told us he saw
a flash of fire, and heard a gun fired ; and while he was telling us
ºf it, a boy came in, and told us the boatswain heard another.
This made us all run out upon the quarter-deck, where for a
while we heard nothing; but in a few minutes we saw a very
great light, and found that there was some very terrible fire at a
distance. Immediately we had recourse to our reckonings, in
which we all agreed that there could be no land that way in which
the fire shewed itself, nor for 500 leagues, for it appeared at
tº: l º this hº concluded it must be some ship on fire at
*; ºn! as by our hearing the noise of guns just before, we con-
tluded it could not be far off, we jº towards it, and
.." º satisfied we should discover it, because the farther
}...'..." º light º º: .
... " 9 Quld not perceive any thing but the light for a
* . * ..". º º: being º É. uS,
..",". * , an e weather clearing up a little, we
º: ºnly discern that it was a great ship on fire º the middle
º ... yºuthed with his disaster, though not at
ect º º with the persons engaged in it. I presently recol-
taken ll ; º 5.º. in what condition I was in when
rable * ãº, .g. captain; and how much more deplo-
ship must be, if i.º the º º: ..º.
pon this I immº, l no other ship in company with them.
"he Soon after lately, ordered that five guns should be fired,
th Sº another, that, if possible, we might give notice to
'" "at there was help for thº hand."ºid that ſh ight
“ndeavour to save thºſ. in their boat. º th 8. ". ".
**, the flame of the shi in their boat; tor though we cou
nothing of us e Ship, yet they, it being night, could see
We g º
ship § '... .." j. this, only driving as the burning
terror, th ugh we i. re º,º t, when on a º to our great
** and in a few mi 1 to expect it, the ship blew up in the
ship sunk. Tº nutes all the fire was out, and the rest of the
- * * Was a terrible and indeed an afflicting sight for
estroy ed in . i. men, who, I concluded, must be either all
the middle of..." be in the utmost distress in their boat in
| could note: *ś. which at present, by reason it was dark,
• *Owever, to direct them as well as I was able, I
202 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
caused lights to be hung out in all the parts of the ship where we
could, and which we had lanterns for; and kept firing guns all
the night long, letting them know by this that there was a ship
not far off.
About eight o'clock in the morning we discovered the ship's
boats by the help of our perspective glasses, and found there were
two of them, both thronged with people and deep in the water;
we perceived they rowed, the wind being against them; that they
saw our ship, and did their utmost to make us see them.
We immediately spread our ancient to let them know we saw
them, and hung a waft out as a signal for them to come on board;
and then made more sail, standing directly to them. In a little
more than half an hour we came up with them, and took them
all in, being no less than sixty-four men, women, and children,
for there were a great many passengers.
We found it was a French merchant-ship of 300 tons, home-
ward-bound from Quebec, in the river of Canada. The master
gave us a long account of the distress of his ship, how the fire
began in the steerage by the negligence of the steersman, but, on
his crying out for help, was, as every body thought, entirely put
out, when they found that some sparks of the first fire had gottº
into some part of the ship so difficult to come at that they could
not effectually quench it, till getting in between the timbers and
within the ceiling of the vessel, it proceeded into the hold, and
mastered all the skill and all the application they were able"
exert.
They had no more to do then but to get into their bºº.
which, to their great comfort, were pretty large, being their long
boat and a great shallop, besides a small skiff, which was of no
great service to them, other than to get some fresh water "
provisions into her after they had secured their lives from the fire.
They had, indeed, small hope of their lives by getting intº.”
boats at that distance from any land, only, as they said well,"
they were escaped from the fire, and had a possibility that ".
ship might happen to be at sea, and might take them in. Tº
had sails, oars, and a compass, and were preparing to make.
best of their way back to Newfoundland, the wind blowing P.
fair, for it blew an easy gale at s.E. by E. They had as º:
provisions and water as, with sparing it so as to be next door i
starving, might support them about twelve days; in which,
they had no bad weather and no contrary winds, the capta". º
he hoped he might reach the banks of Newfoundland, and º:
perhaps, take some fish to sustain them till they might #" all
shore. But there were so many chances against them " ins
these cases, such as storms to overset and founder them, "
and cold to benumb and perish their limbs, contrary Wºº.
keep them out and starve them, that it must have been *
miraculous if they had escaped.
CH. I. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 203
They were, however, agreeably surprised with seeing our
lights and hearing our guns. This set them to work with their
oars to keep their boats ahead, at least that we might the sooner
come up with them; and at last, to their inexpressible joy, they
found we saw them.
It is impossible for me to express the several gestures, the
strange ecstasies, the variety of postures, which these poor de-
livered people run into, to express the joy of their souls at so
unexpected a deliverance. Grief and fear are easily described ;
sighs, tears, groans, and a very few motions of the head and
hands, make up the sum of its variety; but an excess of joy, a
surprise of joy, has a thousand extravagances in it. There were
some in tears, some tearing themselves, as if they had been in
the greatest agonies of sorrow ; some stark raving and downright
lunatic; some ran about the ship stamping with their feet, others
Wringing their hands; some were dancing, some singing, some
laughing, more crying; many quite dumb, not able to speak a
word; others swooning and ready to faint; and a few were
crossing themselves, and giving God thanks.
There were two priests among them, one an old man and the
ºther a young man; and that which was strangest was, that the
oldest man was the worst.
As soon as he set his foot on board our ship, and saw himself
safe, he dropped down stone-dead, to all appearance; not the
lºst sign of life could be perceived in him. Our surgeon imme-
diately applied proper remedies to recover him, and was the only
* in the ship that believed he was not dead. At length he
9Pened a vein in his arm, having first chafed and rubbed the part
** to warm it as much as possible. Upon this the blood, which
only dropped at first, iºd something freely; in three minutes
after the man opened his eyes, and about a quarter of an hour
after that he spoke, grew better, and quite well. After the blood
"**topped, he walked about, told us he was perfectly well, took
*ºram of cordial which the surgeon gave him, and was what we
call come to himself. About a quarter of an hour after, they
* Funning into the cabin to the surgeon, who was bleeding a
i. wºman that had fainted, and told him the priest was gone
circ mad. It seems he had begun to revolve the change of his
8 . and again this put him into an ecstasy of joy, his
; ...i. about faster than the vessels could convey them,
*od grew hot and feverish, and the man was as fit for
Ilot i." any creature that ever was in it. The surgeon would
0Ze i. him. again in that condition, but gave him something to
upon . º º to sleep, which, after some time, operated
and well.” nd he waked the next morning perfectly composed
real.”ger priest behaved with great self-command, and was
V* example of a serious well-governed mind. At his first



204 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
coming on board the ship, he threw himself flat on his face, pro-
strating himself in thankfulness for his deliverance, in which I
unhappily and unseasonably disturbed him, really thinking he had
been in a swoon; but he spoke calmly, thanked me, told me he
was giving GoD thanks for his deliverance, begged me to leave
him a few moments, and that, next to his Maker, he would give
me thanks also.
I was heartily sorry that I disturbed him, and not only left
him, but kept others from interrupting him also. He continued
in that posture about three minutes, or a little more, after I left
him ; then came to me, as he had said he would, and, with a
great deal of seriousness and affection, but with tears in his eyes,
thanked me that had, under GoD, given him and so many mise-
rable creatures their lives.
After this the young priest applied himself to his country-
folks; laboured to compose them; persuaded, entreated, argued,
reasoned with them, and did his utmost to keep them within the
exercise of their reason; and with some he had success, though
others were, for a time, out of all government of themselves.
I cannot help committing this to writing, as perhaps it may
be useful to those into whose hands it may fall, for the guiding
themselves in all the extravagances of their passions; for if ºn
excess of joy can carry men out to such a length beyond the
reach of their reason, what will not the extravagances of ange;
rage, and a provoked mind, carry us to ? And, indeed, herº
saw reason for keeping an exceeding watch over our passio".
of every kind, as well those of joy and satisfaction, as those 9
sorrow and anger.
We were rather disordered by these extravagances amº";
our new guests for the first day; but when they had retire!"
the lodgings provided for them as well as our ship would all".
and had slept heartily (as most of them did), they were quite
another sort of people. h
Nothing of good manners, or civil acknowledgments for the
kindness shewn them, was wanting: the French, it is know"; ".
naturally apt enough to exceed that way. The captain, andº
of the priests, came to me the next day; and desiring to speak." §
me and my nephew, the commander, began to consult with u
what should be done with them; and first they told us, º:
we had saved their lives, so all they had was little enough .
return to us for that kindness received. The captain said,' §
had saved some money and some things of value in their lº.
catched hastily up out of the flames; and if we would accep
it, they were ordered to make an offer of it all to us; they º
desired to be set on shore somewhere in our way, where, *P*
sible, they might get passage to France. and
My nephew was for accepting their money at first ...
to consider what to do with them afterwards; but I ove”

CH. I. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 205
him in that part; for I knew what it was to be set on shore in a
strange country.
I therefore told the French captain, that it was true that we
had taken them up in their distress; but that it was our duty to
do so, as we were fellow-creatures, and as we would desire to be
so delivered, if we were in the like or any other extremity ; that
we had done nothing for them, but what we believed they would
have done for us if we had been in their case, and they in ours;
but that we took them up to save them, not to plunder them ;
and it would be a most barbarous thing to take that little from
them which they had saved out of the fire, and then set them on
shore and leave them; that this would be, first to save them from
death, and then kill them ourselves; save them from drowning,
and then abandon them to starving; and therefore I would not
let the least thing be taken from them. As to setting them on
shore, I told them, indeed, that was an exceeding difficulty to
us, for that the ship was bound to the East Indies; and though
we were driven out of our course to the westward a very great
Way, and perhaps were directed by Heaven on purpose for their
deliverance, yet it was impossible for us wilfully to change our
Voyage on this particular account; nor could my nephew, the
captain, answer it to the freighters, with whom he was under
charter-party to pursue his voyage by the way of Brazils; and
all I knew he could do for them was, to put ourselves in the
Yºy of meeting with other ships homeward-bound from the West
Indies, and get them passage, if possible, to England or France.
The first part of the proposal was so generous and kind, that
they could not but be very thankful for it: but they were in very
great consternation, especially the passengers, at the notion of
being carried away to the East Indies; and they then entreated
* that, seeing I was driven so far to the westward before I
!", with them, I would at least keep on the same course to the
º of Newfoundland, where it was probable I might meet
t º some ship or sloop that they might hire to carry them back
°%anada, from whence they came.
tln I ... this was but a reasonable request on their part;
dered º, I inclined to agree to it; for, indeed, I consi-
would º lat to carry this whole company to the East Indies,
ut wº º be an intolerable severity upon the poor people,
Provisions * Fining our whole voyage, by devouring all our
in unt, *... So I thought it no breach of charter-party, but what
which . accident made absolutely necessary to us; and in
and mº". cºuld say we were to blame; for the laws of God
two i.º. have forbid that we should refuse to take up
nature of . ºple in such a distressed condition; and the
People *i." ing, as well respecting ourselves as the poor
their dei gºd us to set them on shore somewhere or other for
*Y*rance. So I consented that we would carry them to
T
206 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II,
Newfoundland, if wind and weather would permit; and if not,
to Martinico, in the West Indies.
The wind continued fresh easterly, but the weather pretty
good; and as the winds had remained in the points between N.E.
and s. E. a long time, we missed several opportunities of send-
ing them to France. We met, indeed, several ships bound to
Europe, whereof two were French, from St. Christopher's; but
they had been so long beating up against the wind, that they
durst take in no passengers for fear of wanting provisions for
the voyage, as well for themselves as for those they should take
in ; so we were obliged to go on. It was about a week after
this that we made the banks of Newfoundland, where (to shorten
my story) we put all our French people on board a bark, which
they hired at sea there, to put them on shore, and afterwards
to carry them to France, if they could get provision to victual
themselves with. The young priest, however, hearing we were
bound to the East Indies, desired to go the voyage with us, and
to be set on shore on the coast of Coromandel, which I readily
agreed to ; for I wonderfully liked the man, and had very good
reason, as will appear afterwards; also four of the seamen en-
tered themselves in our ship, and proved very useful fellows. ..
From hence we directed our course for the West Indies,
steering away s. and s. by E. for about twenty days together,
sometimes with little or no wind at all, when we met with another
subject for our humanity to work upon, almost as deplorable *
that before.
It was in the latitude of twenty-seven degrees five minutes :
and the 19th day of March, 1694-5, when we spied a sail; our
course being s. E. and by s. We soon perceived it was a largº
vessel, and that she bore up to us; but could not at first kno"
what to make of her, till, after coming a little nearer, we foun
she had lost her main-top-mast, fore-mast, and bowsprit; *
presently she fired a gun as a signal of distress; the weather "*
pretty good, wind at N.N.w.. a fresh gale, and we soon came "
speak with her.
We found her a ship of Bristol, bound home from Barbadº
but had been blown out of the road a few days before she .
ready to sail, by a terrible hurricane, while the captain and chie
mate were both gone on shore; so that, besides the terror. of the
storm, they were but in an indifferent case for good artis” .
bring the ship home. They had been already nine weeks a
sea, and had met with another terrible storm after the hurriº”
was over, which had blown them quite out of their knowledº.
to the westward, and in which they lost their masts as *.
they told us, they expected to have seen the Bahama Islan º
but were then driven away again to the south-east by a sº
gale of wind at N.N.w.. the same that blew now, and hay. º
sails to work the ship with, but a main course, and a ki”."
CH. I. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 2O7
square sail upon a jury fore-mast, which they had set up, they
could not lie near the wind, but were endeavouring to stand
away for the Canaries.
But that which was worst of all was, that they were almost
starved for want of provisions, besides the fatigues they had un-
dergone. Their bread and flesh were quite gone, they had not
an ounce left in the ship, and had had none for eleven days;
the only relief they had was, their water was not all spent,
and they had about half a barrel of flour left; they had sugar
enough ; some succades, or sweetmeats, they had at first, but
they were devoured ; and they had seven casks of rum.
There was a youth and his mother, and a maid-servant, on
board, who were going passengers, and, thinking the ship was
ready to sail, unhappily came on board the evening before the
hurricane began; and, having no provisions of their own left,
they were in a more deplorable condition than the rest; for the
Reamen being reduced to such an extreme necessity themselves,
had no compassion, we may be sure, for the poor passengers;
and they were indeed in a condition that their misery is very
hard to describe.
had perhaps not known this part, if my curiosity had not
led me, the weather being fair, and the wind abated, to go on
board the ship. The second mate, who upon this occasion com-
*nded the ship, had been on board our ship; he told me,
deed, they had three passengers in the great cabin, and that
*y were in a deplorable condition: “Nay,” says he, “I be-
lieve they are dead, for I have heard nothing of them for above
"3 days; and I was afraid to inquire after them, for I had
hotling to relieve them with.” i
°, immediately applied ourselves to give them what relief
we could spare; and, indeed, I had so far over-ruled things with
º nephew, that I would have victualled them, though we had
; away to Virginia, or any part of the coast of America, to
*.*PPlied ourselves; but there was no necessity for that.
thei * now they were in a new peril; for there was danger of
º *ting too much even of that little we gave them. The
but i 9, commander, brought six men with him in his boat;
jº. Pººr wretches looked like skeletons, and were so weak,
i ..". hardly sit to their oars. The mate himself was very
from ". half-starved; for he declared he had reserved nothing
... ºen, and went share and share alike with them in
°ºy bit they eat.
i... " 'ºutioned him to eat sparingl , but set meat before him
jº, and he had º .# three mouthfuls before he
him u º sick; so he stopt a while, and our surgeon mixed
him. jºig with some broth, which he said would be to
tter." ood and physic; and after he had taken it, he grew
• * the mean time I forgot not the men; I ordered vic-
208 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES PT. II.
tuals to be given them, which the poor creatures rather devoured
than ate. They were so exceedingly hungry, that they were in
a kind ravenous, and had no command of themselves; and two
of them ate with so much greediness, that they were in danger
of their lives the next morning.
. The sight of these people's distress was very moving to me,
and brought to mind what I had a terrible prospect of, at my
first coming on shore in my island, where I had not the least
mouthful of food, or any prospect of procuring any ; besides
the hourly apprehension I had of being made the food of other
creatures. But all the while the mate was thus relating to me
the miserable condition of the ship's company, I could not put
out of my thought the story he had told me of the three poor
creatures in the great cabin; viz. the mother, her son, and the
maid-servant, whom he seemed to confess they had wholly neg-
lected, their own extremities being so great; by which I under-
stood, that they had really given them no food at all ; and that,
therefore, they must be perished, and be all lying dead, perhaps,
on the floor or deck of the cabin.
As I, therefore, kept the mate on board, with his men, to
refresh them, so I also forgot not the starving crew that were
left on board, but ordered my own boat to go on board the ship,
and, with my mate and twelve men, to carry them a sack of
bread, and four or five pieces of beef, to boil. Our surgeon
charged the men, to cause the meat to be boiled while they
stayed, and to keep guard in the cook-room, to prevent the me"
taking it to eat raw, or snatching it out of the pot before it wº
well boiled, and then to give every man but a very little at "
time. By this caution he preserved the men, who would other
wise have killed themselves with that very food that was give"
them on purpose to save their lives.
At the same time, I ordered the mate to go into the grº"
cabin, and see what condition the poor passengers were in.”
if they were alive, to comfort them, and give them what reſº.
ment was proper; and the surgeon gave him a large, Pitº".
with some of the prepared broth which he had given the nº.
that was on board, and which he did not question would res”
them gradually. *
I was not satisfied with this; but, as I said above, haviº
great mind to see the scene of misery which I knew the º
itself would present me with, in a more lively manner tº:
could have it by report, I took the master, or captain 0..
ship, as we now called him, with me, and went myself a lit
after in their boat. h6
I found the poor men on board almost in a tumult to gett
victuals out of the boiler before it was ready; but my nº.
served his order, and kept a good guard at the cook-room º:
and the man he placed there, after using all possible pers”
CH. I. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 209
to have patience, kept them off by force. However, he caused
some biscuit-cakes to be dipped in the pot, and Softened with the
liquor of the meat, which they call brewis, and gave them every
one one, to stay their stomachs, and told them it was for their
own safety, that he was obliged to give them but a little at a
time. But it was all in vain ; and had I not come on board,
and their own commander and officers with me, and with good
words, and some threats also of giving them no more, I believe
they would have broken into the cook-room by force, and torn
the meat out of the furnace ; however we pacified them, and fed
them gradually and cautiously for the first time, and the next
time gave them more, and so the men did well enough. -
But the misery of the poor passengers in the cabin was of
another nature, and far beyond the rest. The mother, who, as
the men reported, was a woman of good sense and good breed-
ing, had spared all she could get so affectionately for her son,
that at last she entirely sunk under it. And when the mate of
our ship went in, she sat upon the floor or deck, with her back
up against the sides, between two chairs, which were lashed fast,
and her head sunk in between her shoulders, like a corpse,
though not quite dead. My mate said all he could to revive
and encourage her, and with a spoon put some broth into her
inouth; she opened her lips, and lifted up one hand, but could
ººt speak; yet she understood what he said, and made signs to
him, intimating that it was too late for her, but pointed to her
child, as if she would have said, they should take care of him.
She died the same night.
The youth, who was preserved at the price of his most affec-
nate mother's life, was not so far gone; yet he lay in a cabin-
ed as one stretched out, with hardly any life left in him. He
* * piece of an old glove in his mouth, having eaten up the
º of it; however, being young, and having more strength than
"º mother, the mate got something down his throat, and he
'gºn sensibly to revive.
the º: next care was the poor maid....She lay all along upon
º hard by her mistress, and just like one that had fallen
iº an apoplexy, and struggled for life; her limbs were
an i. : ºne of her hands was clasped round the frame of a chair,
go; . º it so hard that we could not easily make her let
ther ºther arm lay over her head, and her feet lay both toge-
: “fast against the frame of the cabin-table: in short, she
# †: # & *
ºike one in the last agonies of death, and yet she was
tio
º: P99 creature was not only starved with hunger, and
. With the thoughts of death, but, as the men told us
i.” was broken-hearted for her mistress, whom she saw
Wln §
º two or three days before, and whom she loved most ten-
#
T 2
210 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
We knew not what to d6 with this poor girl; for when our
surgeon, who was a man of very great knowledge and experi-
ence, had, with great application, recovered her as to life, he
had her upon his hand as to her senses, for she was little less
than distracted for a considerable time after.
Our business was to relieve this distressed ship's crew, but not
to lie by for them ; and though they were willing to steer the
same course with us for some days, yet we could carry no sail to
keep pace with a ship that had no masts; however, as their cap-
tain begged of us to help him to set up a main top-mast, and a
kind of a top-mast to his jury fore-mast, we did, as it were, lie
by him for three or four days: and then having given him five
barrels of beef, a barrel of pork, two hogsheads of biscuit, and a
proportion of peas, flour, and what other things we could spare:
and taking three casks of sugar, some rum, and some pieces of
eight of them for satisfaction, we left them, taking on board
with us, at their own earnest request, the youth, and the maid,
and all their goods.
The young lad was about seventeen years of age; a pretty.
well-bred, modest, and sensible youth; greatly dejected with the
loss of his mother; and, as it seems, had lost his father but "
few months before at Barbadoes. He begged of the surgeon "
speak to me, to take him out of the ship: for he said, the crº
fellows had murdered his mother ; and indeed so they had tº
is to say, passively; for they might have spared a small Slls-
tenance to the poor helpless widow, that might have kept her
alive. But hunger knows no friend, no relation, no justice,"
right.
I was now in the latitude of 19° 32', and had hitherto had a
tolerable voyage as to weather, though at first the winds,"
been contrary. I shall trouble nobody with the little incidents
of wind, weather, currents, &c. on the rest of our voyage: .
shortening my story for the sake of what is to follow, º
serve, that I came to my old habitation, the island, on the 1% he
April, 1695. It was with no small difficulty that I found º
place; for as I came to it, and went from it before, on the º:
and east side of the island, as coming from the Brazils, * tº
coming in between the main and the island, and having ".
for the coast, nor any landmark, I did not know it when | *""
or know whether I saw it or not.
We beat about a great while, and went on sho for
islands in the mouth of the great river Oroonoque, but ".Ine-
my purpose. At last coasting from one island to anothº iºn
times with the ship, sometimes with the Frenchmen'. " ".
(which we had found a convenient boat, and therefore ..
with their very good will), at length I came fair on the ce
side of my island, and I presently knew the very count.
the place; so I brought the ship safe to an anchor, r08.
CH. I. QF ROBINson CRUsor. 211
with the little creek where was my old habitation. As soon as
I saw the place, I called for Friday, and asked him if he knew
where he was He looked about a little, and presently clapping
his hands, cried, “O yes, O there, O yes, O there !” pointing to
our old habitation, and fell a dancing and capering like a mad
fellow; and I had much ado to keep him from jumping into the
sea, to swim on shore to the place.
“Well, Friday,” says I, “do you think we shall find any
body here, or not ? and what do you think, shall we see your
father?” The fellow stood mute as a stock a good while ; but
when I named his father, the poor affectionate creature looked
dejected ; and I could see the tears run down his face very
plentifully. “What is the matter, Friday ?” said I, “are you
troubled because you may see your father ?” “No, no,” says he,
shaking his head, “no see him more, no ever more see again.”
“Why so,” said I, “Friday ? how do you know that 7” “Ono,
0 no,” says Friday, “he long ago die; long ago, he much old
man.” “Well, well,” says I, “Friday, you don’t know; but
shall we see any one else then 7" The fellow, it seems, had better
“y” than I, and he pointed just to the hill above my old house;
and though we lay half a league off, he cries out, “We see! we
* Yes, we see much man there, and there, and there.” I
loºked, but I could see nobody, no, not with a perspective glass;
which was, I su ppose, because I could not hit the place; for the
fºllow was right, as I found, upon inquiry the next day, that
!here were five or six men altogether looking at the ship, not
howing what to think of us.
E i. Soon as Friday had told me he saw people, I caused the
. ish ancient to be spread, and fired three guns, to give them
af * We were friends; and about half a quarter of an hour
ter, "º. perceived a smoke rise from the side of the creek ; so
"mediately ordered a boat out, taking Friday with me; and,
.."; out a white flag, or flag of truce, I went directly on
º,ºg with me the young priest I mentioned, to whom I
and the whole story of my living there, and the manner of it,
jº Particular, both of myself, and those I left there; and
ad b i. that account extremely desirous to go with me. We
any ** about sixteen men very well armed, if we had found
..". guest there which we did not know of; but we had no
"eed of weapons.
We tº ". on shore upon the tide of flood, near high water,
°ye upo *rectly into the creek; and the first man I fixed my
jº', º as the Spaniard, whose life I had saved, and whom I
at first !. face,perfectly well. I ordered nobody to go on shore
for the aff myself; but there was no keeping Friday in the boat,
gºod wa . Greature had spied his father at a distance, a
fi....'... the Spaniards, where indeed I saw nothing of
----> if they had not let him go on shore, he would have
212 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
jumped into the sea. He was no sooner on shore, than he flew
away to his father like an arrow out of a bow. It would have
made any man shed tears, in spite of the firmest resolution, to
have seen the first transports of this poor fellow’s joy, when he
came to his father; how he embraced him, kissed him, stroked
his face, took him up in his arms, set him down upon a tree, and
lay down by him ; then stood and looked at him as any one
would look at a strange picture, for a quarter of an hour together:
then he would lie down upon the ground, and stroke his legs and
kiss them, and then get up again, and stare at him; one would
have thought the fellow bewitched. But it would have made
a dog laugh to see how the next day his passion ran out another
way. In the morning he walked along the shore, to and again,
with his father, several hours, always ii. him by the hand,
as if he had been a lady; and every now and then he would come
to fetch something or other for him from the boat, either a lump
of sugar or a dram, a biscuit-cake, or something or other that W*
good. In the afternoon his frolics ran another way; for then he
would set the old man down upon the ground, and dance abo",
him, and make a thousand antic postures and gestures; anº."
the while he did this, he would be talking to him, and telling
him one story or another of his travels, and of what had happº"
to him abroad, to divert him. In short, if the same filial affe'ſ."
was to be found in Christians to their parents, in our parts of the
world, one would be tempted to say, there would hardly h"
been any need of the fifth commandment.
But this is a digression ; I return to my landing. ..It would
be endless to take notice of all the ceremonies and civilities tº
the Spaniards received me with. The first Spaniard, who (*
said) was he whose life I had saved, came towards the boat, at-
tended by one more, carrying a flag of truce also; and he nº!".
did not know me at first, but he had no thoughts, no nºtiº
its being I that was come, till I spoke to him. “Signor,” said l,
in Portuguese, “do you not know me?” At which he spokº not a
word; but giving his musket to the man that was with hiº. 16
threw his arms abroad, and saying something in Spanish that
did not perfectly hear, came forward and embraced me, telli"; mé,
he was inexcusable not to know that face again that he haſ :
seen, as of an angel from heaven sent to save his life., . And t .
beckoning to the person who attended him, he bade him gº.. d
out his comrades. He then asked me if I would walk to "!" º:
habitation, where he would give me possession of my own hº
again, and where I should see there had been but mean impº.
ments. So I walked along with him ; but, alas! I could t f
more find the place again than if I had never been thºrº º
they had planted so many trees, and placed them in such a Pº 8
ture, so thick and close to one another, that, in ten-years º
they were grown so big that the place was inaccessible, excel
RO BINSON CRUSO E

CſI. I. OF ROBINSON CRUISOE. 213
by such windings, and blind ways, as they themselves only who
made them could find.
I asked them, what put them upon all these fortifications.
He told me, I would say there was need enough of it, when they
had given me an account how they had passed their time since
their arriving in the island, especially after they had the misfor-
tune to find that I was gone. He told me he could not but
have some pleasure in my good fortune, when he heard that I was
gone away in a good ship, and to my satisfaction ; and that he
had oftentimes a strong persuasion, that one time or other he
should see me again; but nothing that ever befell him in his life
was so surprising and afflicting to him at first, as the disap-
l'ointment he was under when he came back to the island, and
found I was not there.
As to the three barbarians (so he called them) that were left
!”hind, and of whom he said he had a long story to tell me, the
Slºniards all thought themselves much better among the savages,
ºnly that their number was so small. “And,” says he, “had they
been strong enough, we had been all long ago in purgatory;”
"nº with that he crossed himself on the breast, “ Put, sir,” he
"led, “I hope you will not be displeased, when I shali tell you
how, forced by necessity, we were obliged, for our own preserva-
"", to disarm them, and make them our subjects, who would
not be content with being moderately our masters, but would be
". murderers.” I answered, “I was heartily afraid of it when
º then there; and nothing troubled me at my parting from
in. island, but that they were not come back, that I might
oth put them in possession of every thing first, and left the
º | state of subjection, as they deserved; but if they had
fi . them to it, I was very glad, and should be very far from
.."; any fault with it; for I knew they were a parcel of
&
...}} ungoverned villains, and were fit for any manner of
º º I was saying this, came the man whom he had sent
it wº. with him eleven men more: in the dress they were in,
all º: to guess what nation they were of; but he made
poin i. th to them and to me. First, he turned to me, and
who . º said, “These, sir, are some of the gentlemen
riº, eir lives to you ;” and then turning to them, and
all came me, he let them know who I was; upon which they
nary j. one by one, not as if they had been sailors, and ordi-
Assadors Wº, and I the like, but really as if they had been am-
heir sº noblemen, and I a monarch, or a great conqueror.
and yet .." was to the last degree obliging and courteous,
became tº. d with a manly majestic gravity, which very well
than I º and in, short, they had so much more manners
less hº scarcely knew how to receive their civilities, much
"to return them in kind.
214 ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. PT. II.
The history of their coming to and conduct in the island, after
my going away, is so very remarkable, and has so many inci-
dents, which the former part of my relation will help to under-
stand, and which will, in most of the particulars, refer to that
account I have already given, that I cannot but commit them
with great delight to the reading of those that come after me.

N order to relate the story as succinctly and \"
Ş. intelligibly as I can, I must go back to the
& circumstances in which I left the island, and
the persons of whom I am to speak. It is
|-} necessary to repeat that I had sent away Fri-
N day’s father and the Spaniard (the two whose
lives I had rescued from the savages) in a large
canoe to the main, as I then thought it, to fetch
over the Spaniard’s companions, whom he had
left behind him, in order to save them from the
º,w Yºr’s like calamity that he had been in, and in order
rººt) to succour them for the present, and that, if possible,
}rſ we might together find some way for our deliverance
afterward.
*...”. When the Spaniard landed among his countrymen,
!) they were, as may be supposed, overjoyed to see him
again, and the more so, because he was the principal
man among them (the captain of the vessel they had
2 been shipwrecked in having been dead some time); and
# because they knew that he was fallen into the hands of
ºf Savages, who, they were satisfied, would devour him, as
§ they did all the rest of their prisoners: that when he
\; told them the story of his deliverance, and in what man-
ºr he was furnished for carrying them away, it was
like a dream to them; their astonishment, they said,
Yº something like that of Joseph’s brethren, when he
told them who he was, and the story of his exaltation
arms, th in Pharaoh's court : but when he shewed them the
them f ! Pºwder, the ball, and the provisions that he brought
* or their Voyage, they were restored to themselves, took a
liš' § * tº g tº
J ... 9f the joy of their deliverance, and immediately pre-
to come away with him.



216 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II,
Their first business was to get canoes; and in this they were
obliged to trespass upon their friendly savages, and to borrow
two large canoes, on pretence of going qut a-fishing, or for
pleasure. º
In these they came away the next morning. It seems they
wanted no time to get themselves ready, for they had no bag-
gage, neither clothes, or provisions, or any thing in the world,
but what they had on them, and a few roots to eat, of which they
used to make their bread.
They were in all three weeks absent, and in that time, un:
luckily for them, I had the occasion offered for my escape, as I
mentioned in my other part, and to get off from the island;
leaving three of the most impudent, hardened, ungoverned, dis-
agreeable villains behind me, that any man could desire to meet
with, to the poor Spaniards’ great grief and disappointment, you
may be sure. - e
The only just thing the rogues did, was, when the Spaniards
came on shore, they gave my letter to them, and gave them
provisions, and other relief, as I had ordered them to do; alsº
they gave them the long paper of directions, which I had le"
º, them, containing the particular methods which I took ºf
managing every part of my life there; nor did they refuse tº
accommodate the Spaniards with every thing else, for they agree
very well for some time. They gave them an equal admiss."
into the house, or cave, and they began to live very sociably;
and the head Spaniard, who had seen pretty much of my method,
and Friday's father together, managed all their affairs; for."
for the Englishmen, they did nothing but ramble about tº
island, shoot parrots, and catch tortoises; and when they cº"
home at night, the Spaniards provided their suppers for them.
The Spaniards would have been satisfied with this, woul! the
others have but let them alone; which, however, they could ".
find in their hearts to do long; but, like the dog in the ma"8".
they would not eat themselves, and would not let otheſ.
either. The differences, nevertheless, were at first but " t
and such as are not worth relating; but at last they brok."
into open war, and began with all the rudeness and insole.
that can be imagined, without reason, without provocation, º
trary to nature, and indeed to common sense: and though t;
true the first relation of it came from the Spaniards them.* º
whom I may call the accusers, yet when I came to exam."
fellows, they could not deny a word of it. IV
But before I come to the particulars of this part, I must "".
a defect in my former relation; and this was, that I forgot." o:
down among the rest, that, just as we were weighing the ".
to set sail, there happened a little quarrel on board,0".
which I was afraid once would have turned to a second
nor was it appeased till the captain, rousing up his cour*
CH. II. o OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 217
taking us all to his assistance, parted them by force, and making
two of the most refractory fellows prisoners, laid them in irons;
and as they had been active in the former disorders, and let fall
some dangerous words the second time, he threatened to carry
them in irons to England, and have them hanged there for mutiny
and running away with the ship.
This, it seems, though the captain did not intend to do it,
frightened some other men in the ship; and some of them had
put it into the heads of the rest, that the captain only gave them
good words for the present, till they should come to some English
Port, and that then they should be all put into gaol, and tried for
their lives.
The mate got intelligence of this, and acquainted us with it;
upon which it was desired that I, who still passed for a great
man among them, should go down with the mate, and satisfy the
men, and tell them that they might be assured, if they behaved
Well the rest of the voyage, all they had done for the time past
should be pardoned. So I went, and after passing my honour’s
Word to them, they appeared easy; and the more so, when I
º the two men who were in irons to be released and for-
iVen. i.
But this mutiny had brought us to an anchor for that night,
the wind also falling calm. Next morning we found that our two
"en who had been laid in irons had stolen each of them a musket
*d some other weapons, (what powder or shot they had, we
*W not,) and had taken the ship's pinnace, which was not yet
hauled up, and ran away with her to their companions in roguery
on the shore.
...As soºn as we found this, I ordered the long-boat on shore,
With twelve men and the mate; and away they went to seek the
. But they could neither find them, nor any of the rest;
* they all fled into the woods when they saw the boat coming
..ºe. The mate was once resolved, in punishment of their
|...tº have destroyed their plantations, burnt all their
ºtuff and furniture, and left them to shift without it;
* º no order, he let it all alone, left every thing as he
them * and bringing the pinnace away, came on board without
viº two men made their number five; but the other three
en º Were so much wickeder than these, that after they had
COme Wo or three days together, they turned their two new-
nº. Out of doors to shift for themselves, and would have
prºj º do with them: nor could they for a good while be
Ilot º to give them any food : as for the Spaniards, they were
W. COrne.
Q go .. Spaniards came first on shore, the business began
English Y. The Spaniards would have persuaded the three
g *utes to have taken in their two countrymen again,
U
218 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT, II.
that, as they said, they might be all one family; but they would
not hear of it: so the two poor fellows lived by themselves; and
finding nothing but industry and application would make them
live comfortably, they pitched their tents on the north shore of
the island, but a little more to the west, to be out of the danger
of the savages, who always landed on the east parts of the island.
Here they built them two huts, one to lodge in, and the other
to lay up their magazines and stores in ; and the Spaniards
having given them some corn for seed, and especially some of
the peas which I had left them, they dug and planted, and en-
closed after the pattern I had set for them all, and began to live
pretty well. Their first crop of corn was on the ground; and
though it was but a little bit of land which they had dug up at
first, having had but a little time, yet it was enough to relieve
them, and find them with bread or other eatables; and one of
the fellows being the cook’s mate of the ship, was very ready at
making soup, puddings, and such other preparations, as the rice
and the milk, and such flesh as they got, enabled him to do.
They were going on in this little thriving posture, when the
three unnatural scoundrels, their own countrymen too, in mere
humour, and to insult them, came and bullied them, and told
them the island was theirs; that the governor, meaning me, had
given them possession of it, and nobody else had any right to it;
and they should build no houses upon their ground, unless they
would pay them rent for them. *
The two men thought they had jested at first; asked them to
come and sit down, and see what fine houses they were that they
had built, and tell them what rent they demanded; and one 9
them merrily told them, if they were ground landlords, he hoped
if they built tenements upon the land, and made improvements,
they would, according to the custom of all landlords, grant thº
a long lease; and bid them go fetch a scrivener to draw the
writings. One of the three told them, with an oath, they shoul
see they were not in jest; and going to a little place at a dis-
tance, where the honest men had made a fire to dress their ".
tuals, he took a firebrand, and clapping it to the outside of tº
hut, set it on fire ; and it would have been all burnt down,” “
few minutes, if one of the two had not run to the fellow, thrust
him away, and trod the fire out with his feet, and that not W*
out some difficulty too. - *
The fellow was in such a rage at the honest man's thrusting
him away, that he returned upon him with a pole he had in his
hand; and had not the man avoided the blow very nimbly, *.
run into the hut, he had ended his days at once. His comº.
seeing the danger they were both in, ran in after him, and im”
mediately they came both out with their muskets; and the ".
that was first struck at with the pole, knocked the fellow down
that had begun the quarrel, with the stock of his musket, befo
CH, II, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 219
the other two could come to help him ; and then seeing the rest
come at them, they stood together, and presenting the other end
of their pieces to them, bade them stand off.
The other had fire-arms with them too; but one of the two
honest men, bolder than his comrade, and made desperate by his
danger, told them, if they offered to move hand or foot, they
were dead men; and boldly commanded them to lay down their
arms. They did not indeed lay down their arms; but, seeing
hin so resolute, it brought them to a parley, and they consented
to take their wounded man with them, and be gone; and, indeed,
it seems the fellow was wounded sufficiently with the blow. How-
ever, they were much in the wrong that they did not disarm them
effectually, as they might have done, and have gone immediately
to the Spaniards, and given them an account how the rogues had
treated them; for the three villains studied nothing but revenge,
and every day gave them some intimation that they did so.
But not to crowd the story with an account of the lesser part
of their rogueries, such as treading down their corn, shooting
three young kids, and a she-goat which the poor men had got to
breed up tame for their store; in a word, they plagued them might
*nd day in such a manner, that it forced the two men to such a
desperation, that they resolved to fight them all three the first
time they had a fair opportunity. In order to this, they resolved
tº go to the castle, as they called it, that was my old dwelling,
Where, the three rogues and the Spaniards all lived together at
ºut time, intending to have a fair battle, and the Spaniards
shºuld stand by to see fair play. So they got up in the morning
befºre day, and came to the place, and called the Englishmen by
their names, telling a Spaniard that answered, that they wanted
to speak with them.
It happened that the day before two of the Spaniards, having
º in the woods, had seen one of the two Englishmen, whom,
Or distinction, I call the honest men; and he had made a sad
complaint to the Spaniards, of the barbarous usage they had met
Mºth from their three countrymen. When the Spaniards came
'''" at night, and they were all at supper, one of them took the
. to reprove the three Englishmen, though in very gentle
th *nnerly terms; and asked them, how they could be so cruel,
*Y.being harmless inoffensive fellows, and that they were only
º themselves in a way to subsist by their labour, and that
* cost them a great deal of pains to bring things to such per-
*ction as they had
º: the Englishmen returned very briskly, “What had
that t. 9 there? That they came on shore without leave; and
of th ºy should not plant or build upon the island; it was none
“Si ground.” “Why,” says the Spaniard, very calmly,
rejºh.gº. they must not starve.” The Englishman
"ke a true rough-hewn tarpaulin, they might starve
220 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
and welcome; for they should not plant or build. “But what
must they do then, Signor 7” says the Spaniard. Another of
the brutes returned, “Do! they should be servants, and work for
them.” “But how can you expect that of them 7” says the
Spaniard; “they are not bought with your money; you have no
right to make them servants.” The Englishman answered, the
island was theirs, the governor had given it to them, and no man
had any thing to do there but themselves. And with that swore
that they would go and burn all their new huts; they should
build none upon their land.
“Why, Signor,” says the Spaniard, “by the same rule, we
must be your servants too.” “Ay,” says the bold dog, with
an oath, “and so you shall too, before we have done with you.”
The Spaniard only smiled at that, and made him no answer.
However, this little discourse had heated them ; and starting up,
one (I think it was he they called Will Atkins) said to the other,
“Come, Jack, let us go and have the other brush with them; we
will demolish their castle, I will warrant you; they shall plant
no colony in our dominions.” Upon which they went all troop-
ing away, each taking a gun, a pistol, and a sword.
Whither they went, or how they occupied their time that
evening, the Spaniards said they did not know; but it seems
they wandered about the country, part of the night; and then
lying down in the place which I used to call my bower, they
were weary, and overslept themselves. The case was this: they
had resolved to stay till midnight, and so to take the two poor
men when they were asleep; and as they acknowledged after
wards, they intended to set fire to their huts while they were in
them, and either burn them in them, or murder them as they
came out: and, as malice seldom sleeps very sound, it was very
strange they should not have been kept waking.
However, as the two men had also a design upon them, *.
have said, though a much fairer one than that of burning "
murdering, it happened, and very luckily for them all, that tº
were up and gone abroad before the ruflians came to their huſ:
When they came there and found the men gone, Atkins, whº
it seems, was the forwardest man, called out to his comra”
“Ha! Jack, here's the nest; but, confound them, the birds”
flown.” They mused awhile to think what should be the 99.
sion of their being gone abroad so soon, and suggested p.
that the Spaniards had given them notice of it; and with,”
they shook hands, and swore to one another that they woul
revenged of the Spaniards. As soon as they had made this.
lution, they fell to work with the poor men’s habitation. ;
did not set fire indeed to any thing, but they threw down ſey
their little houses, and pulled them so limb from limb that".
left not the least stick standing, or scarce any sign on the g.d
where they stood; they tore all their little collected hou"
as I
CH, II, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 221
stuff in pieces, and scattered every thing about in such a manner,
that the poor men afterwards found some of their things a mile
distant from their habitation.
When they had done this, they rooted up all the young trees
the poor men had planted ; pulled up an enclosure they had made
to secure their cattle and their corn ; and, in a word, sacked and
!". every thing as completely as a herd of Tartars would
lave done.
The two men were at this juncture gone to find them out, and
had resolved to fight them wherever they had been, though they
were but two to three; so that, had they met, there certainly
would have been bloodshed among them ; for they were all very
stout resolute fellows, to give them their due.
But Providence took more care to keep them asunder than
they, themselves could do to meet; for as they had dogged one
another, when the three were gone thither, the two were here; and
afterwards, when the two went back to find them, the three were
coine to the old habitation again. We shall see their differing
"onduct presently. When the three came back, like furious
*atures, flushed with the rage which the work they had been
*"out put them into, they came up to the Spaniards, and told
ºn what they had done, by way of scoff and 'bravado; and one
ofthem stepping up to one of the Spaniards, as if they had been a
"ſle of bºys at play, took hold of his hat, as it was upon his
"", and giving it a twirl about, leering in his face, said to him,
...And you, Signor Jack Spaniard, shall have the same sauce,
if you do not mend your manners.” The Spaniard, who, though
*...* civil man, was as brave as a man could desire, and
". strºng and well-made, looked steadily at him for a good
to lº and then, having no weapon in his hand, stept gravely up
OX ". and with one blow of his fist knocked him down, as an
8 & º elled with a pole-axe ; at which one of the rogues, insolent
mis, jº, fired his pistol at the Spaniard immediately. He
j . body indeed, for the bullets went through his hair, but
The . i. em touched the tip of his ear, and he bled pretty much.
real Ood made the Spaniard believe he was more hurt than he
aii . ***, and that put him into some heat, for before he acted
Wor 8, º calm; but now resolving to go through with his
knoc ..". and took the fellow’s musket whom he had
fired at hi own, and was just going to shoot the man who had
Came ol . When the rest of the Spaniards, being in the cave,
Cured . • *d calling to him not to shoot, they stepped in, se.
º * 9ther two, and took their arms from them.
the S en they Were thus disarmed, and found they had made all
!”ds their enemies, as well as their own countrymen,
IłęV * tº º -
X,*gan to cool; and giving the Spaniards better words,
ask & tº º * * > ... . . . . .
tº: jº their arms again.” But the Spaniards considering
* was between them and the other two Englishmen,
U 2
222 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II,
and that it would be the best method they could take to keep
them from killing one another, told them they would do them
no harm ; and if they would live peaceably, they would be very
willing to assist and associate with them, as they did before; but
that they could not think of giving them their arms again, while
they appeared so resolved to do mischief with them to their own
countrymen, and had even threatened them all to make them
their servants.
Being thus, refused their request, the rogues went raving
away, raging like madmen, and threatening what they would do,
though they had no fire-arms; but the Spaniards, despising their
threatening, told them they should take care how they offered
any injury to their plantation or cattle; for if they did, they
would shoot them, as they would do ravenous beasts, wherever
they found them ; and if they fell into their hands alive, they
should certainly be hanged. As soon as they were gone, the two
men came back in passion enough also, though of another kind;
for, having been at their plantation, and finding it all demolished
and º it will easily be supposed they had provocatiºn
enough. They could scarcely have room to tell their tale, the
Spaniards were so eager to tell them theirs; and it was strangº
enough to find, that three men should thus bully nineteen, and
receive no punishment at all. - *
The Spaniards indeed despised them, and especially having
thus disarmed them, made light of all their threatenings; but
the two Englishmen resolved to have their remedy against them,
what pains soever it cost to find them out.
But the Spaniards interposed, and told them that, as thº
had disarmed them, they could not consent that they (the two)
should pursue them with fire-arms, and perhaps kill tº:
“But,” said the grave Spaniard who was their governor, ..."
will endeavour to make them do you justice, if you will lº
it to us; for as there is no doubt but they will come,” º
again when their passion is over, not being able to subsist º'
out our assistance, we promise you to make no peace Wit tº
without having a full satisfaction for you; and upon this "
tion we hope you will promise to use no violence with. .
other than in your defence.” To which the two Englishme
yielded, though with great reluctance. * *
In about five-days time the three vagrants, tired wi.
dering, and almost starved with hunger, having chiefly).
turtles' eggs all that while, came back to the grove; and
my Spaniard, who, as I have said, was the governor, th
more with him, walking by the side of the creek, they cº". .#
in a very submissive humble manner, and begged to be º{}
again into the family. The Spaniards used them civilly, but
them, they had acted so unnaturally by their countrymº
ot
so very grossly by them (the Spaniards), that they could nº
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 223
come to any conclusion without consulting the two Englishmen,
and the rest; but, however, they would go to them, and dis-
course about it, and they should know in half an hour.
After some consultation they were called in, and a long de-
bate ensued, their two countrymen charging them with the ruin
of all their labour, and a design to murder them ; all which they
owned before, and therefore could not deny now. Upon the
whole, the Spaniard acted the moderator between them ; and
as they had obliged the two Englishmen not to hurt the three,
while they were naked and unarmed, so they now obliged the
three to go and build their fellows two huts, one to be of the
same, and the other of larger dimensions than they were before;
to fence their ground again where they had pulled up the fences,
plant trees in the room of those rooted up, dig up the land again
for planting corn, where they had spoiled it; and, in a word, to
restore every thing to the same state as they found it, as near as
they could.
Well, they submitted to all this; and as they had plenty of
Provisions given them all the while, they grew very orderly, and
the whole society began to live pleasantly and agreeably toge-
ther; only that these three fellows could never be persuaded to
Work for themselves, except now and then a little, just as they
Pleased. However, the Spaniards told them plainly, that if they
Wºuld but live sociably and friendly together, and study in the
Whole the good of the plantation, they would be content to work
for them, and let them walk about and be as idle as they pleased.
And thus, having lived pretty well together for a month or two,
the Spaniards gave them their arms again, and liberty to go
abroad with them as before.
It was not above a week after they had their arms and went
abroad, when the ungrateful creatures began to be as insolent and
troublesome as before. However, an accident happened pre-
. "Pon this, which endangered the safety of them all : and
*ged them to lay by all private resentments, and look to the
Preservation of their lives.
him º one night that the Spaniard (the governor) found
. ...'. uneasy in the night, and could by no means get any
tºi *Was perfectly well in body, only found his thoughts
an. *; his mind ran upon men fighting and killing one
a gr. sº º time he was broad awake: in short, he lay
resolved to risé. at length, growing more and more uneasy, he
liu.ºp, lººked out, but it being dark, he could see
terce º ling ; and, besides, the trees which I had planted in-
it w º ... sight;. so that he could only look up, and see that
and laid i ºr starlight night; and hearing no noise, he returned
nor coul ºn down again. But it was all one, he could not sleep,
* he compose himself to anything like rest, but his
224 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
thoughts were to the last degree uneasy, and yet he knew not
for what. º
Having made some noise with rising and walking about,
going out and coming in, another of the Spaniards waked, and,
calling, asked who it was that was up. The governor told him
how it had been with him. “Say you so 7” says the other Spa-
niard ; “such things are not to be slighted, I assure you ; there
is certainly some mischief working near us.” And presently he
asked him, “Where are the Englishmen 7” “They are all in
their huts,” says he, “safe enough.” “Well,” says the Spaniard,
“there is something in it, I am persuaded from my own expe-
rience. I am satisfied our spirits embodied have a converse with,
and receive intelligence from, the spirits unembodied and inha-
biting the invisible world; and this friendly notice is given for
our advantage, if we know how to make use of it. Conſe, let us
go out and look abroad; and if we find nothing at all in it tº
justify our trouble, I will tell you a story to the purpose, that
shall convince you of the justice of my proposing it.” g
In a word, they went out to go up to the top of the hill,
where I used to go; but they, being strong, and in good coºl-
pany, not alone as I was, used none of my cautions to go up by
the ladder, and then pulling it up after them, to go up a second
stage to the top, but were going round through the grove uncon.
cerned and unwary, when they were surprised with seeing,"
light, as of fire, a very little way off from them, and hearing tº
voices of men, not of one or two, but of a great number. ..
In all the discoveries I had made of the savages landing."
the island, it was my constant care to prevent them from hº
the least idea of there being any inhabitant upon the Pºº":
and when by any occasion they came to know it, they felt it."
effectually, that they who got away were scarce able to give”
account of it, for we disappeared as soon as possible; no .
ever any that had seen me escape to tell any one else, exºſ.
was the three savages in our last encounter, who jumped .
the boat, of whom I mentioned that I was afraid they sh"
go home and bring more help.
Whether it was in consequence of the escape of
that so great a number came now together; or whe
came ignorantly, and by accident, on their usual horrid “. h
the Spaniards could not understand. But whatever it was, "'.
been their business either to have concealed themselves, and I)0
been seen by them at all, much less to have let the º
have seen that there were any inhabitants in the place; i. Ill
have fallen upon them so effectually, as that not a man of t i.
should have escaped, which could only have been done by º:
in between them and their boats. But this presence of ºl
wanting to them, which was the ruin of their tranquiliº
great while. w
those med,
ether they
rraud,
y for §

CH. II, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 225
We need not doubt but that the governor, and the man with
him, surprised at this sight, ran back immediately, and roused
their fellows, giving them an account of the imminent danger
they were all in. And they again as readily took the alarm; but
it was impossible to persuade them to stay close within where
ºver, but that they must all run out to see how things
$100tſ.
While it was dark, indeed, they were well enough, and they
had opportunity, for some hours, to view the savages by the
light of three fires they had made at some distance from one
another. What they were doing they knew not, and what to do
themselves they knew not; for, first, the enemy were too many;
and, secondly, they did not keep together, but were divided into
several parties, and were on shore in several places.
The Spaniards were in no small consternation at this sight;
*nd as they found that the fellows ran straggling all over the
thore, they made no doubt but that, first or last, some of them
Would stumble upon their habitation, or some other place where
they would see the token of inhabitants; and they were in great
!"Plexity also for fear of their flock of goats, which would have
ºn little less than starving them, if they should have been
destroyed. So the first thing they resolved upon was, to despatch
three men away before it was light, viz. two Spaniards and one
Englishman, to drive all the goats away to the great valley where
the cave Was, and, if need were, into the cave itself.
After lº mused a great while on the course they should
º they resolved at last, while it was still dark, to send the
º . (Friday's father) out as a spy, to learn, if possible,
i. ºg concerning them, what they came for, and what the
$t ended to do. Which the old man readily undertook, and,
."lºg himself quite naked, as most of the savages were, away
...; After he had been gone an hour or two, he brought
the d, that he had been among them undiscovered; that he found
º "** two parties, and of two several nations who had war
try : one another, and |had had a great battle in their own coun-
§: º that both sides, having had several prisoners taken
for . ght, were by mere chance landed all in the same island
ºn; *Wºuring their prisoners and making merry; but their
.# i. by chance to the same place had spoiled all their
ey we at they were in a great rage at one another; and that
800n . i. near, that he believed they would fight again as
they aylight began to appear; but he did not perceive that
selves H.". ºf any body's being on the island but them-
they coil ad hardly made an end of telling his story, when
two little ... by the unusual noise they made, that the
ridav’ ‘. were engaged in a bloody fight. --
**ther used all the arguments he could to persuadeº
People to lie close, and not be seen. He told them, their




226 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
safety consisted in it, and that they had nothing to do but lie
still, and the savages would kill one another to their hands, and
then the rest would go away. And it was so to a tittle. But
it was impossible to prevail, especially upon the Englishmen;
their curiosity was so great, that they must run out and see the
battle; however, they used some caution too, viz. they did not
go openly !". by their own dwelling, but went farther into the
woods, and placed themselves to advantage, where they might
securely see them manage the fight, and, as they thought, not
be seen by them ; but it seems the savages did see them, as we
shall find hereafter.
The battle was very fierce, and if I might believe the English-
men, one of them said he could perceive that some of the combat.
ants were men of great bravery, of invincible spirits, and of great
policy in guiding the fight. The fight, they said, lasted two hours
before they could guess which party would be beaten; but then,
that party which was nearest our people's habitation began to aſ-
pear the weaker, and, after some time more, some of them began
to fly. This put our men again into a great consternation, lestºny
of those that fled should run into the grove before their dwelling
for shelter, and thereby discover the place; and that by cºns".
quence the pursuers should do the like in search of them. UP."
this they resolved, that they would stand armed within the wall,
and whoever came into the grove, they should sally out over."
wall, and kill them ; so that, if possible, not one should ret"
to give an account of it: they ordered also, that it should be ".
with their swords, or by knocking them down with the stock."
the musket, but not by shooting them, for fear of raising "
alarm by the noise. ed
As they expected, so it fell out; three of the routed army fle
for life, and crossing the creek, ran directly into the place, not
in the least knowing whither they went, but running as "...
thick wood for shelter. The scout they kept to look abroad gº
notice of this within, with this addition, to our men's great ".
faction, viz. that the conquerors had not pursued them, 9. º:
which way they were gone. Upon this the Spaniard gº;
a man of humanity, would not suffer them to kill the three ".
tives; but sending three men out by the top of the hill, 9.
them to go round, and come in behind them, surprise anº."
them prisoners; which was done. The residue of the coºl.
people fled to their canoes, and got off to sea; the victors º:
made no pursuit, or very little; but drawing themselves º
body together, gave two great screaming shouts, which tº º:
posed were by way of triumph, and so the fight ended i.
same day, about three o'clock in the afternoon, they also mart
to their canoes. - f their
After they were all gone, the Spaniards came out 9.
den; and, viewing the field of battle, they found about *
CH. l I. OF ROBINSON CRU SOE. 227
thirty dead men upon the spot. Some were killed with great
long arrows, some of which were found sticking in their bodies;
but most of them were slain with their great wooden swords,
sixteen or seventeen of which they found on the field of battle,
and as many bows, with a great many arrows. These swords
were strange great unwieldy things, and they must have been
wery strong men that used them. Most of those men that were
killed with them had their brains knocked out, and several had
their arms and legs broken ; so that it is evident they fight
with inexpressible rage and fury. The Spaniards found not one
wounded man that was not stone dead; for either they stay by
their enemy till they have quite killed him, or they carry all the
wounded men, that are not quite dead, away with them.
This deliverance tamed the three English brutes I have been
Speaking of for a great while : the sight had filled them with
hºrror, and the consequences appeared terrible to the last degree,
even to them, if ever they should fall into the hands of those
*atures, who would not only kill them as enemies, but kill
then for food, as we kill our cattle.
For a time they were very tractable, and went about the
"innon business of their whole society well enough; planted,
.."ed, reaped, and began to be all naturalised to the country.
it some space after this, they fell all into such measures as
brought them into a great deal of trouble.
They had taken three prisoners, as I had observed ; and these
three being lusty stout oung fellows, they made them servants,
and taught them to º for them ; and, as slaves, they did well
tºº, But they did not take their measures with them as I did
... "Yºnan Friday, namely, to begin with them upon the prin-
|. of having saved their lives, and then instruct them in the
r. Pºinciples of life, much less of religion, civilising and
as ...; then by kind usage and affectionate arguings; but,
wº. gave them their food every day, so they gave them their
failed 'ºnd kept them fully employed in drudgery. But they
fight H. this by it, that they never had them to assist them and
as in * then, as I had my man Friday, who was as true to me
'''. Very flesh upon my bones.
dan ut to return. Being all now good friends (for common
**.* I said above, had effectually reconciled them), they
j i. consider their general circumstances; and the first
the i. . “ame under their consideration was, whether, seeing
there . Particularly haunted that side of the island, and that
to their more, remote and retired parts of it equally adapted
should º of living, and manifestly to their advantage, they
more pro rather remove their habitation, and plant it in some
Curit !. Place, for their security, and especially for the se-
. of their cattle and corn. * -
P” this, after long debate, it was concluded, that they

228 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT, II.
would not remove their habitation; because that some time or
other they thought they might hear from their governor again,
meaning me: and if I should send any one to seek them, I
should be sure to direct them on that side, where, if they should
find the place demolished, they would conclude the savages had
killed them all.
One piece of prudence they used, which it was very well they
did ; namely, that they never trusted those three savages, whom
they had made prisoners, with knowing any thing of the planta-
tion they had made in that valley, or of any cattle they had there;
much less of the cave there, which they kept in case of necessity,
as a safe retreat; and whither they carried also the two barrels
of powder which I had sent them at my coming away.
But, having resolved not to change their habitation, they &
agreed that, as I had carefully covered it, first with a wall or for
tification, and then with a grove of trees; so, seeing their safety
consisted entirely in their being concealed, they set to work to
conceal the place yet more effectually than before. To this pur.
pose, as I had planted trees for some good distance before the
entrance into my apartment, they went on in the same mann'ſ
and filled up the rest of that whole space of ground, from ".
trees I had set, quite down to the side of the creek where I lande
my floats, and even into the very ooze where the tide flowed, "";
so much as leaving any place to land, or any sign that there."
been any landing thereabout. These stakes also being of a W
very forward to grow, as I had noted formerly, they took car."
have them generally very much larger and taller than those which
I had planted; and as they grew apace, so they planted them *
very thick and close together, that when they had been three."
four years grown, there was no piercing with the eye any *.
derable way into the plantation. As for that part which ha
planted, the trees were grown as thick as a man's thigh; *
among them they placed so many other short ones, and 50 thick,
that in a word it stood like a palisado a quarter of a mile º: ;
and it was next to impossible to penetrate it; for a little d08
could hardly get between the trees, they stood so close. d to
They did the same by all the ground to the right hand {{Il s
the left, and round even to the top of the hill; leaving ".
(not so much as for themselves to come out), but by the la
placed up to the side of the hill, and then lifted up, and pla it
again from the first stage up to the top : which ladder; when
was taken down, nothing but what had wings or witch"
assist it could come at them. hat
This was excellently well contrived, nor was it less than .
they afterwards found occasion for; which served to cony.
me, that as human prudence has the authority of Provideº.
justify it, so it has doubtless the direction of Providence to S
it to work; and, would we listen carefully to its voice,
CH. II, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 229
fully persuaded we might prevent many of the disasters which
our lives are now, by our own negligence, subjected to.
They lived two years after this in perfect retirement, and had
no more visits from the savages. They had indeed an alarm given
them one morning, which put them into a great consternation;
for some of the Spaniards being out early one morning, on the
west side, or rather the end of the island which was that part
where I never went for fear of being discovered, they were sur-
º with seeing above twenty canoes of Indians just coming
UH1 Słl () re.
They made the best of their way home, in hurry enough;
and giving the alarm to their comrades, they kept close all that
day and the next, going out only at night, to make observation.
But they had the good luck to be mistaken ; for wherever the
savages went, they did not land that time on the island, but pur-
sued some other design.
And now they had another broil with the three Englishmen;
one of whom, a most turbulent fellow, being in a rage with one
of the three slaves, because the fellow had not done something
fight which he bid him do, drew a hatchet out of a belt which
!!! wore by his side, and fell upon the poor savage, not to correct
him, but to kill him. One of the Spaniards, who was by, seeing
him give the fellow a barbarous cut with the hatchet, which he
*ined at his head, but struck into his shoulder, so that he thought
he had cut the poor creature's arm off, ran to him, and entreating
him not to murder the poor man, stepped in between him and the
**ge, to prevent the mischief.
S The fellow, being the more enraged at this, struck at the
'Pºniard with his hatchet, and swore he would serve him as
he intended to serve the savage; which the Spaniard perceiving,
º the blow, and with a shovel, which he had in his hand
. they were all working in the field about their corn-land),
hocked the brute down; another of the Englishmen, running
. the same time to help his comrade, knocked the Spaniard
"Y"; and then two Spaniards more came to help their man,
. * third Englishman fell in upon them. They had none of
. any fire-arms, or any other, weapons but hatchets and
º tools, except this third Englishman; he had one of my old
...” cutlasses, with which he made at the two last Spaniards,
Ulpr wounded them both. This fray set the whole family in an
º 3, and more help coming in, they took the three English-
with ºrs. The next question was, what should be done
€Spe º * , They had been so often mutinous, and were so
ta . . and so idle withal, that they knew not what course to
and sº º ; for they were mischievous to the highest lº.
it w * nºt what hurt they did to any man; so that, in short,
inºt safe to live with them.
* Spaniard, who was governor, told them in so many
X.
230 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES Pt. 17.
words, that if they had been his own countrymen he would have
hanged down; for all laws and all governors were to preserve
society, and those who were dangerous to the society ought to be
expelled out of it. But as they were Englishmen, and as it was
to the generous kindness of an Englishman that they all owed
their preservation and deliverance, he would use them with all
possible lenity, and would leave them to the judgment of the
other two Englishmen, who were their countrymen.
One of the two honest Englishmen stood up, and said they
desired it might not be left to them; for, says he, “I am sure
we ought to sentence them to the gallows.” And with that he
gave an account how Will Atkins, one of the three, had proposed
to have all the five Englishmen join together and murder all the
Spaniards when they were in their sleep.
When the Spanish governor heard this, he called to Atkins,
“How, Signor Atkins,” says he, “would you murder us all!
What have you to say to that ?” The hardened villain was sº
far from denying it, that he said it was true, and that they would
do it still before they had done with them. “Well but, Signor
Atkins,” said the Spaniard, “what have we done to you, that you
will kill us? and what must we do to prevent you killing us!
Must we kill you, or you will kill us? Why will you put us to
the necessity of this, Signor Atkins ?” *
Atkins was in such a rage at the Spaniard's making a jest ºf
it, that, had he not been held by three men, and withal had nº
weapons near him, it was thought he would have attempted"
have killed the Spaniard in the middle of all the company.
This hair-brained carriage obliged them to consider serios',
what was to be done. The two Englishmen and the Spaniard
who saved the poor savage were of opinion they should hang,0".
of the three for an example to the rest, and that particularly."
should be he that had twice attempted to commit murder with
his hatchet; and, indeed, there was some reason to believe he
had done it, for the poor savage was in such a miserable,9%.
dition with the wound he had received, that it was thought he
could not live.
This, however, was positively gainsayed by the governor
Spaniard; and as merciful ºf are most apt to prº
where they are so earnestly pressed, so they all came into it. ut
then it was to be considered what should be done to keep thº'
from doing the mischief they designed; for all agreed, gove”
and all, that means were to be used for preserving the society
from danger. After a long debate, it was agreed, first, that they
should be disarmed, and not permitted to have either gun, ".
powder, or shot, or sword, or any weapon, and should be turne.
out of the society, and left to live where they would and how the
would by themselves; but that none of the rest, either Span" .
or English, should converse with them, or have any thing"
CH. II, OF ROBINSON CRU SOE, 231
with them; that they should be forbid to come within a certain
distance of the place where the rest dwelt; and that if they offered
to commit any disorder, so as to spoil, burn, kill, or destroy any
of the corn, plantings, buildings, fences, or cattle belonging to
the society, they should die without mercy.
The governor, a man of great humanity, musing upon the
sentence, considered a little upon it; and turning to the two
honest Englishmen, said, “Hold you must reflect that it will be
long ere they can raise corn and cattle of their own; and they
must not starve; we must, therefore, allow them provisions.”
So he caused to be added, that they should have a proportion of
Çorn given them to last them eight months, and for seed to sow,
by which time they might be supposed to raise some of their
own; that they should have six milch-goats, four he-goats, and
six kids given them, as well for present subsistence as for a store;
and that they should have tools given them for their work in the
field, such as six hatchets, an axe, a saw, and the like. But they
should have none of these tools or provisions, unless they would
Wear solemnly that they would not hurt or injure any of the
Spaniards with them, or their fellow Englishmen.
...Thus they dismissed them the society, and turned them out to
shift for themselves. They went away sullen and refractory, as
neither contented to go away nor to stay ; but as there was no
ºnedy, they went, pretending to go and choose a place where
º should settle themselves, to plant and live by themselves;
**ome provisions were given them, but no weapons.
...About four or five days after, they came again for some
Yºuals, and told the governor where they had pitched their
**, and marked themselves out a habitation and plantation ;
and it Was a very convenient place indeed, on the remotest part
* the island, N.E., much about the place where I landed in m
first Yºyage, when I was driven out to sea in my attempt to sail
round the island.
Here they built themselves two handsome huts, and contrived
* º ºn a manner like my first habitation, being close under the
. of a hill, having some trees growing already to the three
CO . º t; so that by planting others, it would be very easily
si º from the sight, unless narrowly searched for. They de-
.*.*ºme dried goat-skins for beds and covering, which were
i.º and upon giving their word that they would not
º the rest, or injure any of their plantations, they had
rice º: . other tools given them; some peas, barley, and
munition. ing; and, in a word, every thing but arms and am-
h They lived in this separate condition about six months, and
the #. * their first harvest, though the quantity was but small,
thei *nd they had planted being but little; for, indeed, having all
* Plantation to form, they had a great deal of work upon
#
232 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II,
their hands; and when they came to make boards, and pots, and
such things, they were quite out of their element, and could make
nothing of it. And now, when the rainy season came on, for
want of a cave in the earth they could not keep their grain dry,
and it was in great danger of spoiling; and this humbled them
much. . So they came and begged the Spaniards to help them;
which they very readily did, and in four days worked a great hole
in the side of the hill for them, big enough to secure their corn
and other things from the rain. But it was but a poor place at
best compared to mine, and especially as mine was then, for the
Spaniards had greatly enlarged it, and made several new apart-
ments in it,
About three quarters of a year after this separation, a new
frolic took these rogues, which, together with the former villany
they had committed, brought mischief enough among them, and
had very near been the ruin of the whole colony. The three new
associates began, it seems, to be weary of the laborious life they
led, and that without hope of bettering their circumstances; and a
whim took them, that they would make a voyage to the continent
from whence the savages came, and would try if they could not
seize upon some prisoners among the natives there, and bring
them home, and make them do the laborious part of the work
for them. . .
The project was not so preposterous, if they had gone no far-
ther; but they did nothing and proposed nothing, but had either
mischief in the design or mischief in the event. . . *
The three fellows came down to the Spaniards one morniſ;
and, in very humble terms, desired to be admitted to speak with
them. The Spaniards very readily heard what they had to sº;
which was this, that they were tired of living in the manner thº
did, that they were not handy enough to make the necessºr.
they wanted, and that having no help, they found they should
starved; but if the Spaniards would give them leave to take .
of the canoes which they came over in, and give them arms."
ammunition proportioned for their defence, they would go ".
to the main and seek their fortune, and so deliver them from *
trouble of supplying them with any other provisions. ret
The Spaniards were glad enough to be rid of them : º:
very honestly represented to them the certain destruction §
were running into ; told them they had suffered such hards º
upon that very spot, that they could, without any spirit of pr
phecy, tell them that they would be starved or murdered; *
bade them consider of it. ed if
The men replied audaciously, that they should be stº" n
they stayed here, for they could not and would not work, a
they could but be starved abroad; and if they were mur º
there was an end of them; they had no wives or childre.” e-
after them; and, in short, insisted importunately upon tºº"
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 233
mand, declaring that they would go, whether they would give
them arms or no.
The Spaniards told them, with great kindness, that if they
were resolved to go, they should not go like naked men, and be in
no condition to defend themselves; and that though they could ill
spare their fire-arms, having not enough for themselves, yet they
would let them have two muskets, a pistol, and a cutlass, and
each man a hatchet; which they thought sufficient for them.
They accepted the offer; and having baked for them bread
enough to serve them a month, and given them as much goat's
flesh as they could eat while it was sweet, and a great basket
full of dried grapes, a pot full of fresh water, and a young kid
alive to kill, they boldly set out in a canoe for a voyage over the
sea, where it was at least forty miles broad.
The boat was indeed a large one, and would have very well
Carried fifteen or twenty men, and therefore was rather too big
for them to manage; but as they had a fair breeze and the flood-
title with them, they did well enough. They had made a mast
ºf a long pole, and a sail of four large goat-skins dried, which
they had sewed or laced together; and away they went merrily
enough. The Spaniards called after them, “Bon veyajo!” and
no lºan ever thought of seeing them any more.
The Spaniards would often say to one another and the two
honest Englishmen who remained behind, how quietly and com-
fortably they lived, now those three turbulent fellows were gone.
As for their ever coming again, that was the remotest thing from
their thoughts that could be imagined; when, behold, after
twenty-two days' absence, one of the Englishmen being abroad
|ºn his planting-work, saw three strange men coming towards
him at a distance, two of them with guns upon their shoulders.
Away ran the Englishman as if he was bewitched to the go-
Yºlor, Spaniard, and told him they were all undone, for there
.*.*trangers landed upon the island, they could not tell who.
he Spaniard, pausing awhile, said, “How do you mean, you
annot tell wh9? They are the savages, to be sure.” “No, no,”
* the Englishman. “ they are men in clothes, with arms.”
t .*. then,” says the Spaniard, “why are you concerned? If
#: not savages, they must be friends; for there is no
ºn nation upon earth but will do us good rather than
* *y were debating thus, the three Englishmen came,
to theº '# without the wood which was new planted, hallooed
der of that º presently knew their voices, and so all the won:
upon º ind ceased. But now the astonishment was turned
what * question, namely, what could be the matter, and
* made them come back again?
** not long before they brought the men in ; and inquiring
where they had been and what they had been doing, they gave
x 2
234 I,IFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
them a full account of their voyage in a few words, namely, that
they reached the land in two days, or something less; but finding
the people alarmed at their coming, and preparing with bows
and arrows to fight them, they durst not go on shore, but sailed
on to the northward six or seven hours till they came to a great
opening, by which they perceived that the land they saw from
our island was not the main, but an island; that entering that
opening of the sea they saw another island on the right hand
north, and several more west; and being resolved to land some-
where, they put over to one of the islands which lay west, and
went boldly on shore; that they found the people very courteous
and friendly to them, and they gave them several roots and some
dried fish, and appeared very sociable; and the women, as well
as the men, were very forward to supply them with any thing
they could get for them to eat, and brought it to them a great
way upon their heads.
They continued here four days, and inquired, as well as they
could of them by signs, what nations were this way and that way;
and were told of several fierce and terrible people that lived
almost every way, who, as they made signs to them, used to eat
men. But as for themselves, they said that they never eat men
or women, except only such as they took in the wars; and
then they owned that they made a great feast, and eat their pri-
SOIlêI’S.
The Englishmen inquired when they had a feast of that kind;
and they told them about two moons ago, pointing to the moon,
and then to two fingers; and that their great king had two hun-
dred prisoners now, which he had taken in his war; and they
were feeding them to make them fat for the next feast. The
Englishmen seemed very desirous to see those prisoners; but the
other mistaking them, thought they were desirous to have some
of them to carry away for their own eating. So they beckoned
to them, pointing to the setting of the sun, and then to the rising;
which was to signify, that the next morning, at sun-rising, they
would bring some for them; and accordingly, the next morning,
they brought down five women and eleven men, and gave them
to the Englishmen to carry with them on their voyage, just as We
would bring so many cows and oxen down to a sea-port town to
victual a ship. &
As brutish and barbarous as these fellows were at home, their
stomachs turned at this sight, and they did not know what to dº;
to refuse the prisoners would have been the highest affront to the
savage gentry that offered them ; and what to do with them they
knew not: however, upon some debate, they resolved to accept
of them; and, in return, they gave the savages that brought them
one of their hatchets, an old key, a knife, and six or seven 9
their bullets, which, though they did not understand, they seemed
extremely pleased with; and then, tying the poor creature”
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 235
hands behind them, they (the people) dragged the poor prisoners
into the boat for our men.
The Englishmen were obliged to come away as soon as they
had them, or else they that gave them this noble present would
certainly have expected that they should have killed two or three
of them the next morning, and perhaps have invited the donors
to dinner.
But, having taken their leave with all the respects and thanks
that could well pass between people, where, on either side, they
understood not one word they could say, they put off with their
boat, and came back towards the first island, where, when they
arrived, they set eight of their prisoners at liberty, there being
too many of them for their occasion.
In their voyage they endeavoured to have some communi-
cation with their prisoners, but it was impossible to make them
understand any thing; nothing they could say to them, or give
them, or do for them, but was looked upon as going about to
murder them. They first of all unbound them; but the poor
greatures screamed at that, especially the women, as if they had
just felt the knife at their throats; for they immediately con-
cluded they were unbound on purpose to be killed.
When the three wanderers had given this unaccountable his-
tory or journal of their voyage, the Spaniard asked them, where
their new family was 2 And being told that they had brought
them on shore, and put them into one of their huts, and were
come up to beg some victuals for them; they (the Spaniards)
and the other two Englishmen, that is to say, the whole colony,
esolved to go down to the place and see them, and did so, and
Fridav's #: with them.
When they came into the hut, there they sat all bound (for
When the Englishmen had brought them on shore, they bound
their hands, that they might not take the boat and make their
escape); first, there were three men, lusty, comely fellows, well-
shaped, with straight and fair limbs, about thirty to thirty-five
years of age, and five women, whereof two might be from thirty to
forty, two more not above four or five and twenty, and the fifth,
* tall, comely maiden, about sixteen or seventeen: the women
Were well-favoured agreeable persons, both in shape and features,
only tawny; and two of them, had they been perfectly white,
Yould have passed for very handsome women even in London
itself, having very pleasant agreeable countenances, and being of
* Very modest behaviour.
.The first thing the Spaniards did, was to cause the old Indian,
‘riday’s father, to go in, and see, first, if he knew any of the cap-
ºves; and then, if he understood any of their speech. As soon as
the ºld man came in, he looked seriously at them, but knew none
of them; neither could any of them understand what he said,
*xcept two of the women.
236 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT, II.
However, this was enough to answer the end, which was, to
satisfy them that the men into whose hands they were fallen
were Christians; that they abhorred eating of men or women,
and that they might be sure they would not be killed. As soon
as they were assured of this, they discovered such a joy, and by
such awkward and several ways, as is hard to describe; for it
seems they were of several nations.
The woman, who was their interpreter, was bid, in the next
place, to ask them if they were willing to be servants, and to
work for the men who had brought them away, to save their
lives?'. At which they all fell a dancing; and presently one fell
to taking up this, and another that, and any thing that lay next,
to carry on their shoulders, to intimate that they were willing
to work.
The governor now asked the three men, what they intended to
do with these women, and how they intended to behave to them,
whether as servants, or as wives? One of the Englishmen an-
swered very boldly and readily, that they would treat them as
both. To which the governor said, “I am not going to restrain
you from it; you are your own masters as to that ; but this I
think is but just, for avoiding disorders and quarrels among yol;
and I desire it of you for that reason only, namely, that you will
all engage, that if any of you take any of these women, that hº
shall take but one; for though we cannot rightly marry any of
you, yet it is but reasonable, that while you stay here, the woman
any of you takes should be maintained by the man that take
her, and should be his wife.” All this appeared so just, that
every one agreed to it without any difficulty. d
Then the Englishmen asked the Spaniards, if they designed tº
take any of them? But every one of them answered, “No.;
some of them said they had wives in Spain; and the others,"
not like women that were not Christians. On the other hand, to
be short, the five Englishmen took them every one a wife; and sº
they set up a new form of living; for the Spaniards and Friday.”
father lived in my old habitation, which they had enlarged 9.
ceedingly within; the three servants, that they had taken."
the late intº of the savages lived with them; and these gaºl.
on the main part of the colony, supplying all the rest with food,
and assisting them in any thing as they could, or as they foun
necessity required.
But the wonder of this story was, how five such refraçº.
ill-matched fellows should agrée about these women, and º:
two of them should not pitch upon the same woman, especially
seeing two or three of them were, without comparison, º:
agreeable than the others. But they took a good enough.” 10-
prevent quarrelling among themselves; for they set the five *
men by themselves in one of their huts, and they went all j
the other hut, and drew lots among them who should choose.”
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 237
He that drew to choose first, went away by himself to the
hut, where the poor creatures were, and fetched out her he
choose. And it was worth observing, that he that chose first,
took her that was reckoned the homeliest, and the oldest of the
five; which made mirth enough among the rest, and even the
Spaniards laughed at it; but the fellow considered better than
any of them, that it was application and business, that they were
to expect assistance in, as much as any thing else; and she
proved the best wife of all the parcel.
When the poor women saw themselves set in a row thus, and
fetched out one by one, the terrors of their condition returned
upon them again, and they firmly believed that they were now
going to be devoured. Accordingly, when the English sailor
came in and fetched out one of them, the rest set up a most
lamentable cry, and hung about her, and took their leave of her
with such agonies and such affection as would have grieved the
hardest heart in the world; nor was it possible for the English-
Imen to satisfy them that they were not to be immediately mur-
dered, till they fetched the old man, Friday's father, who in-
stantly let them know, that the five men who had fetched them
Out one by one, had chosen them for their wives.
..When they had done, and the fright the women were in was
à little over, the men went to work, and the Spaniards came and
helped them; and in a few hours, they had built them every one
*, new hut or tent for their lodging apart; for those they had
already were crowded with their tools, household stuff, and pro-
Visions. The three wicked ones had pitched farthest off; and the
two honest ones nearer, but both on the north shore of the island,
* that they continued separated as before. And thus my island
Was Peopled in three places, and, as I might say, three towns
Were begun to be planted.
And here it is very well worth observing that, as it often hap-
Pºlls in the world (what the wise ends of GoD's providence are in
such a disposition of things, I cannot say), the two honest fellows
had the two worst wives; and the three reprobates, that were .
*ce worth hanging, that were fit for nothing, and neither seemed
9 ºn to do themselves good or any one else, had three clever,
diligent, Careful, and ingenious wives. Not that the two first
were ill wives as to their temper or humour; for all the five were
most willing, quiet, passive, and subjected creatures, rather like
lºves than wives; but my meaning is, they were not alike capa-
**genious, or industrious, or alike cleanly and meat.
8. flººr observation I must make, to the honour of a diligent
*ion on one hand, and to the disgrace of a slothful, negli-
#.º temper on the other: that when I came to the place, and
the the several improvements, planting, and management of
*Yºral little colonies, the two men had so far outgone the
, that there was no comparison. They had indeed both of
238 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
them as much ground laid out for corn as they wanted; and the
reason was, because, according to my rule, nature dictated that
it was to no purpose to sow more corn than their wants required;
but the difference of the cultivation, of the planting, of the fences,
and indeed of every thing else, was easy to be seen at first view.
The two men had innumerable young trees planted about
their huts, so that when you came to the place nothing was to be
seen but a wood; and though they had twice had their plantation
demolished, once by their own countrymen, and once by the
enemy, as shall be shewn in its place, yet they had restored all
again, and every thing was thriving and flourishing about them.
They had grapes planted in order, and managed like a vineyard,
though they had themselves never seen any thing of that kind;
and by their good ordering their vines, their grapes were as good
again as any of the others. They had also found themselves
out a retreat in the thickest part of the woods, where, though
there was not a natural cave, as I had discovered, yet they made
one with incessant labour of their hands, and where, when the
mischief which followed happened, they secured their wives and
children, so as they could never be found; they having, by
sticking innumerable stakes and poles of the wood, which, as I
said, grew so easily, made the wood impassable, except in on
place, where they climbed up to get over the outside part, and
then went in by ways of their own leaving.
As to the three reprobates, as I justly call them, though they
were much civilised by their new settlement compared to what
they were before, and were not so quarrelsome (having not the
same opportunity), yet one of the certain companions of a profii.
gate mind never left them, and that was their idleness. It is true
they planted corn, and made fences; but Solomon’s words wer.
never better verified than in them: “I went by the vineyard 9
the slothful—it was all overgrown with thorns;” for when tº
Spaniards came to view their crop, they could not see it in solº
places for weeds; the hedge had several gaps in it, where .
wild goats had got in and eaten up the corn; perhaps here *
there a dead bush was crammed in, to stop them out for the pº.
sent, but it was only shutting the stable-door after the steed Yº
stolen. Whereas, when they looked on the colony of the other
two, there was the very face of industry and success upon."
they did : there was not a weed to be seen in all their corn, 9 °
gap in any of their hedges; and they, on the other hand, ".
fied Solomon’s words in another place, that “the hand ºf ".
diligent maketh rich;” for every thing grew and thrived,
they had plenty within and without; they had more tame *.
than the others, more utensils and necessaries within doors, *
yet more pleasure and diversion too. ly
It is true, the wives of the three were very handy and cleanl
within doors; and having learned the English ways of d
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 239
and cooking from one of the Englishmen, who had been cook's
mate on board the ship, they dressed their husbands' victuals
very nicely and well. But as for the husbands of the three wives,
they loitered about, fetched turtles' eggs, and caught fish and
birds; in a word, did anything but labour; and they fared accord-
ingly. The diligent lived well and comfortable; and the slothful
lived hard and beggarly; and so I believe, generally speaking,
it is all over the world.
But I now come to a scene different from all that had hap-
pened before, either to them or me; and the original of the story
was this.
Early one morning there came on shore five or six canoes of
savages; and there is no room to doubt they came upon the old
errand of feeding upon their slaves. But that part was now so
familiar to the Spaniards, and to our men too, that they did not
concern themselves about it, as I did; and having been made sen-
sible by their experience, that their only business was to lie con-
cealed while the savages stayed on the island, they had nothing
to do but to give notice to the people in all the three plantations
to keep within doors, and not to shew themselves; only placing
a scout in a proper place, to give notice when the boats went to
868 again.
This was, without doubt, very right; but a disaster spoiled
all these measures, and made it known among the savages, that
there were inhabitants there; which was, in the end, the deso-
lation of almost the whole colony. After the canoes with the
*avages were gone off, the Spaniards peeped abroad again; and
some of them had the curiosity to go to the place where they
had been, to see what they had been doing. ‘Here, to their
§reat surprise, they found three savages left behind, and lying
*t asleep upon the ground. It was supposed they had either
en 80 gorged with their inhuman feast, that, like beasts, they
*ſe asleep, and would not stir when the others went; or they
ad wandered into the woods, and did not come back in time
to be taken in.
The Spaniards were greatly surprised at this sight, and per-
fectly at a loss what to do. . The Spaniard governor, as it hap-
!”, was with them, and his advice was asked ; but he pro-
*sed he knew not what to do: as for slaves, they had enough
§*y; and as to killing them, they were none of them in-
i. tº that. The Spaniard governor told me they could not
t * ºf shedding innocent blood; for as to them the poor crea-
"res had done them no wrong, invaded none of their property;
and they thought they had no just quarrel against them to take
*way their lives.
let §." here I must, injustice to these Spaniards, observe that,
ti §§§cºunts of Spanish cruelty in Mexico and Peru be what
*} will, I never met with seventeen men of any nation what-
240 -- LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT, II,
soever, in any foreign country, who were so universally modest,
temperate, virtuous, so very good-humoured, and so courteous,
as these Spaniards: and as to cruelty, they had nothing of it in
their very nature; no inhumanity, no barbarity, no outrageous
passions; and yet all of them were men of great courage and spirit.
Their temper and calmness had appeared in their bearing the
insufferable usage of the three Englishmen; and their justice
and humanity appeared now in the case of the savages as above.
After some consultation, they resolved that they would lie still a
while longer, till, if possible, these three men might be gone;
but then the governor Spaniard recollected that the three savages
had no boat; and that if they were left to rove about the island,
they would certainly discover that there were inhabitants in it,
and so they should be undone that way. Upon this they went
back again, and there lay the fellows fast asleep still. So they
resolved to waken them, and take them prisoners; and they did
so. The poor fellows were strangely frightened when they were
seized upon and bound, and afraid, like the women, that they
should be murdered and eaten; for, it seems, those people think
all the world does as they do, eating men's flesh; but they were
soon made easy as to that; and away they carried them.
It was very happy for them that they did not carry, thºm
home to their castle. I mean, to my palace under the hillº,"
they carried them first to the bower, where was the chief of thºr
country work, such as the keeping the goats, the planting tº
corn, &c.; and afterwards they carried them to the habitation of
the two Englishmen,
Here they were set to work, though it was not much they had
for them to do: and whether it was by negligence in guar";
them, or that they thought the fellows could not mend themselvº,
I know not, but one of them ran away, and, taking to the woods,
they could never hear of him more. †
They had good reason to believe he got home again *
after in some other boats or canoes of savages who came ""
shore three or four weeks afterwards, and who, carry"; on
their revels as usual, went off again in two-days time. *
thought terrified them exceedingly; for they concluded, and t º
not without good cause indeed, that if this fellow got safe lº.
among his comrades, he would certainly give them an º
that there were people in the island, as also how weak *. º
they were; for this savage, as I observed before, had never º:
told, and it was very happy he had not, how many they wº.
where they lived, nor had he ever seen or heard the fire of º
of their guns, much less had they shewn him any of the ot
retired places, such as the cave in the valley, or the new retre
which the two Englishmen had made, and the like. . . . . ; tel-
The first testimony they had, that this fellow had give”. Jes
ligence of them, was, that about two months after this, **
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 241
of savages, with about seven or eight or ten men in a canoe,
came rowing along the north side of the island, where they never
used to come before, and landed about an hour after sun-rise, at
a convenient place, about a mile from the habitation of the two
2nglishmen, where this escaped man had been kept. As the Spa-
niard governor said, had they been all there, the damage would
not have been so much, for not a man of them would have
escaped : but the case differed now very much ; for two men to
fifty was too much odds. The two men had the happiness to
discover them about a league off, so that it was above an hour
before they landed; and as they landed a mile from their huts, it
was some time before they could come at them. Now, having
great reason to believe that they were betrayed, the first thing
they did was to bind the two slaves which were left, and cause
two of the three men, whom they brought with the women, who,
it seeins, proved very faithful to them, to lead them with their two
Wives, and whatever they could carry away with them, to their re-
tired place in the woods, which I have spoken of above, and there
to bind the two fellows hand and foot till they heard farther.
Jn the next place, seeing the savages were all come on shore,
ind that they bent their course directly that way, they opened
the fences where their milch-goats were kept, and drove them all
°ºt, leaving their goats to straggle into the woods, whither the
leased, that the savages might think they were all bred wild.
But the rogue who came with them was too cunning for that, and
gºve them an account of it all; for they went directly to the
Place. When the two poor frightened men had secured their
"Yes and goods, they sent the other slave they had, of the three
who came with the women, and who was at their place by acci-
* away to the Spaniards with all speed, to give them the
alarm, and desire speedy help ; and, in the mean time, they took
their ºrms, and what ammunition they had, and retreated towards
the place in the wood where their wives were sent, keeping at a
'stance ; yet so that they might see, if possible, which way the
Savages took.
º had not gone far, when from a rising ground they
thei hº little army of their enemies come on directly to
. 'i abitation, and in a moment more could see all their huts
Inorti ºld tuff flaming up together, to their great grief and
able :* for they had a very great loss, to them irretriev-
ti i. º: for sometime. They kept their station for awhile,
all º: tº the savages, like wild beasts, spread themselves
could thi . place, rummaging every way, and every place they
eople . wº in search for Fº and, in particular, for the
|.e. m it now plainly appeared they had had intel-
º .. Englishmen seeing this, and thinking themselves not
Where they stood, as it was likely some of the wild people
Y
242 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II,
might come that way, so they might come too many together,
thought it proper to make another retreat about half a mile far-
ther, believing, as it afterwards happened, that the farther they
strolled, the fewer would be together.
The next halt was at the entrance into a very thick-grown
part of the woods, and where an old trunk of a tree stood, which
was hollow and vastly large; and in this tree they both took their
stand, resolving to wait and see what might offer.
They had not stood there long, before two of the savages
appeared, running directly that way, as if they had already had
notice where they stood, and were coming up to attack them;
and a little way farther they spied three more coming after them,
and five more beyond them, all coming the same way; besides
which, they saw seven or eight more at a distance running another
way; for, in a word, they ran every way, like sportsmen beating
for their game.
The poor men were now in great perplexity, whether they
should stand and keep their posture, or fly; but after a very
short debate with themselves, they considered, that if the savages
ºf . the country thus, before help came, they might, perhaps,
find out their retreat in the woods, and then all would be lost;
so they resolved to withstand them there; and if there were too
many to deal with, then they would get to the top of the tree,
from whence they doubted not to defend themselves as long.”
their ammunition lasted, though all the savages that were landed
(nearly fifty in number) were to attack them.
Having resolved upon this, they next considered whether tº
should fire at the first two, or wait for the three, and so take the
middle party; by which the two and the five that followed woºl"
be separated ; and they resolved to let the first two pass.”
unless they should spy them in the tree, and come to, tº
them. The first two savages also confirmed them in this de-
termination, by turning a little from them towards another part
of the wood; but the three, and the five after them, canº. 19.
wards directly to the tree, as if they had known the Englishmen
were there.
Seeing them come so straight towards them, they resolved to
take them in a line as they came; and as they resolved tº .
but one at a time, perhaps the first shot might hit them.”
three; to which purpose, the man who was to fire put thº
four small bullets into his piece, and having a fair loophole, º:
were, from a broken hole in the tree, he took a sure ºim, ...
out being seen, waiting till they were within about thirty Y”
of the tree, so that he could not miss. Il
While they were thus waiting, and the savages canº º
they plainly saw that one of the three was the runaway º
that had escaped from them, and they both knew him i.s
and resolved that, if possible, he should not escape, though they
Cff, II, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 243
should both fire; so the other stood ready with his piece, that
if he did not drop at the first shot, he should be sure to have a
second.
But the first was too good a marksman to miss his aim; for
as the savages kept near one another, a little behind in a line, he
fired, and hit two of them directly: the foremost was killed out-
right, being shot in the head; the second, which was the run-
away Indian, was shot through the body, and fell, but was not
quite dead: and the third had a little scratch on the shoulder,
perhaps by the same ball that went through the body of the
second ; and being dreadfully frightened, though not much hurt,
sat down upon the ground, screaming and i. in a hideous
IIlanner.
The five that were behind, more frightened with the noise
than sensible of the danger, stood still at first; for the woods
made the sound a thousand times greater than it really was; the
echoes rattling from one side to another, and the fowls rising
from all parts, screaming, and making every sort a several kind
ºf noise, according to their kind; just as it was when I fired the
first gun that, perhaps, was ever shot off in that place since it was
an island.
However, all being silent again, and they not knowing what
the matter was, came on unconcerned till they came to the place
where their companions lay, and here the poor creatures, not
*"sible, that they were within reach of the same mischief, stood
all of a huddle over the wounded man, talking, and as may be
ºpposed, inquiring of him how he came to be hurt; and who,
*Very rational to believe, told them that a flash of fire first,
and immediately after that, thunder from their gods, had killed
those two and wounded him. This, I say, is rational; for nothing
... ºore certain than that, as they saw no man near them, so they
ad never, heard a gun in all their lives, or so much as heard of
. neither knew they any thing of killing or wounding at a
stance, with fire and bullets; if they had, one might reason-
ably believe, that they would not have stood so unconcerned, in
...ºng the fate of their fellows, without some apprehension of
their own. 2
* two men, though, as they confessed to me, it grieved
j i. be obliged to kill so many poor creatures, who at the
th. º had no notion of their danger; yet, having them all
resol **heir power, and the first having loaded his piece again,
olved to let fly both together among them; and singling out
º which to aim at, they shot together, and killed, or
deat lº. wounded, four of them: the fifth, frightened even to
ing the. | i. hurt, fell with the rest; so that our men, see-
he beli ; together, thought the had killed them all.
Corne bol. ief that the savages were all killed, made our two men
y out from the tree before they had charged their guns
244 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II,
again, which was a wrong step ; and they were under some sur-
prise, when they came to the place, and found no less than four
of the men alive, and of them, two very little hurt, and one not
at all: this obliged them to fall upon them with the stocks of
their muskets; and first, they made sure of the runaway savage,
who had been the cause of all the mischief; and of another that
was hurt in his knee, and put them out of their pain. Then the
man that was not hurt at all came and kneeled down to them,
with his hands held up, and made piteous moans to them, by
gestures and signs, for his life.
They signed to him to sit down at the foot of a tree close by:
and one of the Englishmen, with a piece of rope-twine which he
had in his pocket, tied his feet fast together, and his hands be-
hind him, and there they left him ; and, with what speed they
could, made after the other two, who were gone before, fear-
ing lest they, or any more of them, should find the way to
their covered place in the woods, where their wives and the
few goods they had left lay. They came once in sight of the
two men, but it was at a great distance ; however, they had
the satisfaction to see them cross over a valley, towards the sea,
the quite contrary way from that which led to their retreat;
and, being satisfied with that, they went back to the tree where
they left their prisoner, who, as they supposed, was delivered
by his comrades; for he was gone, and the two pieces of rope-
yarn, with which they had bound him, lay just at the foot of the
tree.
They were now in as great concern as before, not knowing
what course to take, or how near the enemy might be, or in
what numbers; so they resolved to go away to the place where
their wives were, to see if all was well there, and to make then
easy, who were in fright enough to be sure; for though the
savages were their own country folk, yet they were most terribly
afraid of them, and perhaps the more from the knowledge they
had of them. g
When they came there, they found the savages had been "
the wood, and near that place, but had not found it; for it Wº.
indeed, inaccessible, by the trees standing so thick, as aforº",
had not the persons seeking it been directed by those that knº"
it, which these did not : they found, therefore, every thing Yº!
safe, only the women in a terrible fright. While they were he’.
they had the comfort to have seven of the Spaniards, coſmº to
their assistance; the other ten, with their servants, and old F.
day, I mean Friday's father, were gone in a body to defend tº.
bower, and the corn and cattle that was kept there, in case .
savages should have roved over to that side of the country. W.
the seven Spaniards came one of the three savages, who, as Isaid,
were their prisoners formerly, and with them also came the sº
that the Englishman had left bound hand and foot at the *
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 245
for it seems they came that way, saw the slaughter of the seven
men, and unbound the eighth, and brought him along with them,
where, however, they were obliged to bind him again, as they
had the two others who were left when the third ran away.
The prisoners began now to be a burden to them ; and they
were so afraid of their escaping, that they were near resolving to
kill them all, believing they were under an absolute necessity to
do so, for their own preservation. However, the Spaniard go-
vernor would not consent to it; but ordered, for the present, that
they should be sent out of the way to my old cave in the valley,
and be kept there, with two Spaniards to guard them, and give
them food for their subsistence: which was done, and they were
bound there hand and foot for that night.
When the Spaniards came, the two Englishmen were so en-
couraged that they could not satisfy themselves to stay any
longer there; but taking five of the Spaniards, and themselves,
with four muskets and a pistol among them, and two stout quar-
ter-staves, away they went in quest of the savages. First, they
came to the tree where the men lay that had been killed ; and it
was easy to see that some more of the savages had been there;
for they had attempted to carry their dead men away, and had
dragged two of them a good way, but had given it over. From
thence they advanced to the first rising ground, where they had
stood and seen their camp destroyed, and where they had the
mortification still to see some of the smoke; but neither could
they here see any of the savages. They then resolved, though
With all possible caution, to go forward towards their ruined
Plantation; but a little before they came thither, coming in sight
of the sea-shore, they saw plainly the savages all embarking
again in their canoes.
They seemed sorry at first; and there was no way to come at
them, to give them a parting blow ; but, upon the whole, they
Were very well satisfied to be rid of them.
The poor Englishmen being now twice ruined, and all their
*Provements destroyed, the rest all agreed to come and help
them to rebuild, and to assist them with needful supplies. Their
* countrymen, who were not yet noted for having the least
inclination to do any good, yet, as soon as they heard of it (for
they, living remote eastward, knew nothing of the matter till
| Was, over), came and offered their help and assistance, and
. Work very friendly for several days, to restore their habita-
...; and thus, in a little time, they were set upon their legs
again. 2 -
tan It was five or six months after this, before our men heard
º *ore of the savages; when, on a sudden, they were invaded
Cano * mºst formidable fleet, of no less than eight and twenty
W. full of savages, armed with bows and arrows, great clubs,
* Swords, and such like engines of war; and they brought
Y 2
246 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
such numbers with them, that, in short, it put all our people into
the utmost consternation.
As they came on shore in the evening, and at the easternmost
side of the island, our men had that night to consult and consider
what to do; and in the first place, knowing that their being
entirely concealed was their only safety before, and would much
more be so now, while the number of their enemies was so
great, they therefore resolved first of all, to take down the huts
which were built for the two Englishmen, and drive away their
goats to the old cave; because they supposed the savages would
go directly thither, as soon as it was day, to play the old game
over again, though they did not now land within two leagues
of it.
In the next place, they drove away all the flock of goats they
had at the old bower, as I called it, which belonged to the Spani-
ards; and, in short, left as little appearance of inhabitants any
where as was possible. The next morning early they posted
themselves with all their force at the plantation of the two men,
and waited for their coming. As they guessed, so it happened;
these new invaders, leaving their canoes at the east end of the
island, came ranging along the shore, directly towards the place,
to the number of two j. and fifty, as near as our men could
judge. Our army was but small indeed; but, that which was
worse, they had not arms for all their number. The whole at-
count stood thus:
First as to men, Seventeen Spaniards, five Englishmen, ºld
Friday, the three slaves taken with the women, and three other
slaves who lived with the Spaniards.
To arm these they had eleven muskets, five pistols, th”
fowling-pieces, five muskets or fowling-pieces which were taken
by me from the mutinous seamen whom I reduced, two swords,
and three old halberts.
To their slaves they did not give either musket or fusee, but
they had every one a halbert, or a long staff, like a quarter-sº
with a great spike of iron fastened into each end of it, and by li
side a hatchet ; also every one of our men had hatchets: Two
of the women could not be prevailed upon but they would.”
into the fight; and they had bows and arrows, which the SP".
ards had taken from the savages, when the first action happº".
which I have spoken of, where the Indians fought with one ano-
ther; and the women had hatchets too. *
The Spaniard governor commanded the whole; and Atkin'
who, though a wicked fellow, was most daring and bºld,"
manded under him. The savages came forward like lions,
our men had no advantage in their situation; only tºº. .
Atkins, with six men, was planted just behind a small i.
bushes as an advanced guard, with orders to let the first of º
pass by, and then fire into the middle of them; and, as *
CH, II, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 2.47
he had fired, to make his retreat as nimbly as he could, round a
part of the wood, and so come in behind the Spaniards where
they stood, having a thicket of trees also before them.
When the savages came on, they ran straggling about every
way in crowds, out of all manner of order; and Atkins let about
fifty of them pass by him; then, seeing the rest come in a very
thick throng, he ordered three of his men to fire, having loaded
their muskets with six or seven bullets a-piece, about as big as
large pistol-bullets. How many they killed or wounded, they
knew not; but the consternation and surprise was inexpressible
among the savages, to hear such a dreadful noise, and see some
of their countrymen killed, and others hurt, yet be unable to
See any body that did it. In the middle of their fright, Atkins,
and the other three, let fly again among the thickest of them;
and in less than a minute, the other three being loaded again,
gave them a third volley.
Had Atkins and his men retired immediately, as soon as they
had fired, as they were ordered to do; or had the rest of the body
been at hand to have poured in their shot continually, the savages
had been effectually routed; for the terror that was among them
"ame principally from this notion, namely, that they were killed
by the gods with thunder and lightning, and could see nobody
that hurt them; but Atkins staying to load again, discovered
the cheat: somé of the savages, who were at a distance, spying
them, came upon them behind; and though Atkins and his men
fired at them also, two or three times, and killed about twenty,
ºring as fast as they could, yet they wounded Atkins himself,
* killed one of his fellow Englishmen with their arrows, as they
did afterwards one Spaniard, and one of the Indian slaves who
Came with the women.
Our men being thus hard laid at, Atkins wounded, and two
other men killed, retreated to a rising ground in the wood ; and
the Spaniards, after firin g three volleys upon them, retreated also;
for the number of the savages was so great, and they were so
desperate, that though above fifty of them were killed, and more
than as many wounded, yet they came on in the teeth of our
*", fearless of danger, and shot their arrows like a cloud; and
| * observed, that their wounded men, who were not quite
ºbled, were made outrageous by their wounds, and fought
like madmen. o
º our men retreated, they left the Spaniard and the
whe 1S º that were killed, behind them; and the savages,
m. t ‘. came up to them, killed them over again in a shocking
and ... breaking their arms, legs, and heads, with their clubs
"...len swords, like true savages. But, finding our men
Selve 8°ne; they did not seem to pursue them, but drew them-
and º in a kind of a ring, which is, it seems, their custom;
*outed twice, in token of their victory; after which, they
248 I. IFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
had the mortification to see several of their wounded men fall,
dying with the mere loss of blood.
The Spaniard governor having drawn his little body up to-
gether upon a rising ground, Atkins, though he was wounded,
would have marched, and charged them again all together at
once; but the Spaniard replied, “Signor Atkins, you see how
their wounded men fight; let them alone till morning; all these
wounded men will be stiff and sore with their wounds, and
faint with the loss of blood ; and so we shall have the fewer to
engage.”
The advice was good ; but Atkins replied merrily, “That is
true, Signor, and so shall I too; and that is the reason I would
go on while I am warm.” “Well, Signor Atkins,” says the
Spaniard, “you have behaved gallantly, and done your part;
we will fight for you, if you cannot come on ; but I think it best
to stay till morning.” So they waited.
But as it was a clear moonlight night, and they found the
savages in great disorder about their dead and wounded men,
and a great hurry and noise among them where they lay, they
afterwards resolved to fall upon them in the night, especially if
they could come to give them but one volley before they were
discovered; which they had a fair opportunity to do ; for Onº
of the two Englishmen, in whose quarter it was where the fight
began, led them round between the woods and the sea-side, West:
ward, and then turning short south, they came so near where.”
thickest of them lay, that before they were seen or heard, eigh'
of them fired in among them, and did dreadful execution; "
half a minute more eight others fired after them, pouringin,th",
small shot in such aduantity, that abundance were killed,"
wounded; and all this time they were not able to see who hurt
them, or which way to fly. * , º
The Spaniards charged again, with the utmost expedit.”
and then divided themselves into three bodies, and resolved |
fall in among them all together; they had in each body *
persons, that is to say, twenty-four, whereof twenty-two Were
men, and two women, who, by the way, fought desperately. f
They divided the fire-arms equally in each party, and º 0
the halberts and staves. They would have had the women º
back; but they said, they were resolved to die with their .
bands. Having thus formed their little army, they marched on
from among the trees, and came up to the teeth of the *.
shouting and hallooing as loud as they could. The savages. ise
all together, but were in the utmost confusion, hearing the .
of our men shouting from three quarters together. They .
have fought if they had seen them; and, as soon as they º: º
enough to be seen, some arrows were shot, and poor old ºº
was wounded, though not dangerously. But our men gº ayS,
no time; but running up to them, fired among them thrº way
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 249
and then fell in with the butt-ends of their muskets, their swords,
armed staves and hatchets; and laid about them so well, that, in
a word, they set up a dismal screaming and howling, flying to
save their lives which way soever they could.
Our men were tired with the execution; and killed, or mor-
tally wounded, in the two fights, about 180 of them ; the rest
being scared out of their wits, scoured through the woods, and
over the hills, with all the speed fear and nimble feet could help
them to do ; and as our people did not care much to pur-
sue them, they got all together to the sea-side, where they landed,
and where their canoes lay. But their disaster was not at an
end yet; for it blew a terrible storm of wind that evening from
the seaward; so that it was impossible for them to go off; nay,
the storm continuing all night, when the tide came up, their
canoes were most of them driven by the surge of the sea so high
upon the shore that it required infinite toil to get them off; and
some of them were even dashed to pieces against the beach or
against one another.
. Our men, though glad of their victory, yet got little rest that
night; but having refreshed themselves as well as they could,
they resolved to march to that part of the island where the
savages were fled, and see what posture they were in. This
necessarily led them over the place where the fight had been,
ºnd, where they found several of the poor creatures not quite
dead, and yet past recovering life; a sight disagreeable enough
tº generous minds; for a truly great man, though obliged by
. law of battle to destroy his enemy, takes no delight in his
usery.
. At length they came in view of the place where the more
ºiserable remains of the savages' army lay. Here there appeared
about one hundred still ; their posture was generally sitting upon
the ground, with their knees up towards their imouth, and the
head Put between the two hands, leaning down upon the knees.
S When our men came within two musket-shot of them, the
*P*niard governor ordered two muskets to be fired without ball,
**larm them; this he did that by their countenance he might
. what to expect, viz. whether they were still in heart to
**, or were so heartily beaten as to be dispirited and discou-
*gºd, and so he might manage accordingly.
This Stratagem took ; for, as soon as the savages heard the
...; º: and saw the flash of the second, they started up upon
º . in the greatest consternation imaginable; and, 8.8 OUlt
ye i. vanced swiftly towards them, they all ran screaming and
Ilot u #. with a kind of howling noise, which our men did
up th ‘...tand, and had never heard before; and thus they ran
P the hills into the country.
and th * our men had much rather the weather had been calm,
*y had all gone away to sea; but they did not then con-
250 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
sider that this might probably have been the occasion of their
coming again in such multitudes as not to be resisted, or, at
least, to come so many and so often as would quite desolate the
island, and starve them. Will Atkins, therefore, who, notwith-
standing his wound, kept always with them, proved the best
counsellor in this case; his advice was, to take the advantage
that offered, and clap in between them and their boats, and so
deprive them of the capacity of ever returning any more to plague
the island.
They consulted long about this, and some were against it, for
fear of making the wretches fly into the woods, and live there
desperate; and so they should have them to hunt like wild
beasts, be afraid to stir out about their business, and have their
plantations continually rifled, all their tame goats destroyed, and,
in short, be reduced to a life of continual distress. $
Atkins told them, however, they had better have to do with
100 men than with 100 nations; that as they must destroy their
boats, so they must destroy the men, or be all of them destrºyed
themselves. In a word, he shewed them the necessity of it sº
plainly, that they all came into it. So they went to work ill-
mediately with the boats, and, getting some dry wood together
from a dead tree, they tried to set some of them on fire; "
they were so wet that they would not burn. However, the fire
so burned the upper part that it soon made them unfit for swim.
ming in the sea as boats. When the Indians saw what thº,
were about, some of them came running out of the woods, and
coming as near as they could to our men, kneeled down; *.
cried, “Oa, Oa, Waramokoa,” and some other words of their
language, which none of the others understood any thing of: but
as they made pitiful gestures and strange noises, it was eº."
understand they begged to have their boats spared, and that they
would be gone, and never come there again.
But our men were now satisfied that they had no way to P.
serve themselves, or to save thair colony, but effectually to pre-
vent any of these people from ever going home againiº.
ing upon this, that if even so much as one of them got back |
their country to tell the story, the colony was undone. Sº .
letting them know that they should not have any mercy." ;
fell to work with their canoes, and destroyed them evº,'.
that the storm had not destroyed before: at the sight of" .
the savages raised a hideous cry in the woods, which Qur º
heard plain enough; after which they ran about the island like
distracted men; so that, in a word, our men did not real
at first what to do with them. * hat
Nor did the Spaniards, with all their prudence, conside. i º
while they made those people thus desperate, they ought tº '.
kept good guard at the same time upon their plantatiº. tle
though it is true they had driven away their cattle, and the
ly know
CH, II, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 251
dians did not find out their main retreat, I mean my old castle
at the hill, nor the cave in the valley, yet they found out my
plantation at the bower, and pulled it all to pieces, and all the
fences and planting about it, trod all the corn under foot, tore
up the vines and grapes, being just then almost ripe, and did to
our men an inestimable damage, though to themselves not one
farthing's worth of service.
Though our people were able to fight them upon all occasions,
yet they were in no condition to pursue them, or hunt them up
and down; for as they were too nimble of foot for our men when
they found them single, so our men durst not go about single,
for fear of being surrounded with their numbers. The best was,
they had no weapons; for though they had bows, they had no
arrows left, nor any materials to make any, nor had they any
edged tool or weapon among them.
The extremity and distress they were reduced to was great,
and indeed deplorable; but at the same time our men were also
brought to very bad circumstances by them ; for though their
ºtreats were preserved, yet their provision was destroyed, and
their harvest spoiled; and what to do, or which way to turn
themselves, they knew not. The only refuge they had now was
the stock of cattle they had in the valley by the cave, and some
little, corn which grew there, and the plantation of the three
Englishmen, Will Atkins and his comrades, who were now re-
!ced to two, one of them being killed by an arrow, which struck
him on the side of his head, just under the temples, so that he
*** spoke more: and it was very remarkable that this was the
... barbarous fellow who cut the poor savage slave with his
hatchet, and who afterwards intended to have murdered all the
Spaniards. -
, I looked upon their case to have been worse at this time than
* Was at any time after I first discovered the grains of barley
and rice, and got into the manner of planting and raising my
.."; and my tame cattle; for now they had, as I may say, a
||rºl Wolves upon the island, which would devour every
#. they could come at, yet could very hardly be come at
emselves.
wº first thing they concluded, when they saw what their cir-
up º, Were, was, that they would, if possible, drive them
Savage ° farther part of the island, south-west, that if any more
i. ame ºn, shore, they might not find one another; then,
€n] º ould daily hunt and harass them, and kill as many of
and ifth ey could come at, till they had reduced their number;
they wº°ould at last tame them, and bring them to any thing,
ive give them corn, and teach them how to plant, and
"Pon their daily labour. -
with." to this, they so followed them, and so terrified them
* 8"ns, that in a few days, if any of them fired a gun at
252 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
an Indian, if he did not hit him, yet he would fall down for fear;
and so dreadfully frightened they were, that they kept out of
sight, farther and farther, till at last our men, following them,
and every day almost killing or wounding some of them, they
kept up in the woods and hollow places so much, that it reduced
them to the utmost misery for want of food; and many were
afterwards found dead in the woods, without any hurt, but merely
starved to death.
When our men found this, it made their hearts relent, and
pity moved them; especially the Spaniard governor; and he
proposed, if possible, to take one of them alive, and bring him to
understand what they meant, so far as to be able to act as inter-
preter, and to go among them, and see if they might be brought
to some conditions, that might be depended upon, to save their
lives, and to do their masters no injury.
It was some while before any of them could be taken; but
being weak and half-starved, one of them was at last surprisºl,
and made a prisoner. He was sullen at first, and would neither
eat nor drink; but finding himself kindly used, and victººls
given him, and no violence offered him, he at last grew tractable,
and came to himself. * , , , º
They brought old Friday to him, who talked often with him.
and told him how kind the others would be to them all; that tº
would not only saye their lives, but would give them a. part of
the island to live in, provided they would give satisfaction that
they would keep in their own bounds, and not come beyond them
to injure or prejudice others; and that they should have ""
given them to plant and make it grow for their bread, and sº."
bread given them for their present subsistence. And old Friday
bade the fellow go and talk with the rest of his countrymen."
see what they said to it; assuring them, that if they did not **
immediately, they should be all destroyed. g
The poor wretches, thoroughly humbled, and reduced in º:
ber to about thirty-seven, closed with the proposal at the fir,
offer, and begged to have some food given them. Up?" whit
twelve Spaniards and two Englishmen, well armed, with º:
Indian slaves and old Friday, marched to the place wher."
were. The three Indian slaves carried them a large quantity."
bread, some rice boiled up to cakes and dried in the * an
three live goats; and they were ordered to go to the side. of a º
where they sat down, eat the provisions very thankful.
were the most faithful fellows to their word that could be lº.
of; for, except when they came to beg victuals and direct. º
they never came out of their bounds: and there they lived w
I came to the island, and I went to see them. breed
They had been taught both to plant care, make bread: j
tame goats, and milk them. They were confined tº * * laim
land, surrounded with high rocks behind them, and ly"; p
CH. II. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 253
towards the sea before them, on the south-east corner of the
island. They had land enough, and it was very good and fruit-
ful; about a mile and a half broad, and three or four miles in
length.
%. men taught them to make wooden spades, such as I made
for myself, and gave them twelve hatchets and three or four
knives; and there they lived the most subjected innocent crea-
tures that ever were heard of.
The colony enjoyed a perfect tranquillity with respect to
the savages till I came to revisit them, which was above two
years after; not but that now and then some canoes of savages
came on shore for their triumphal unnatural feasts. But as they
were of several nations, and, perhaps, had never heard of those
that came before, or the reason of it, they did not make any
search or inquiry after their countrymen; and if they had, it
would have been very hard to have found them out.

of all that happened in the island till my re-
turn ;-all, at least, that was worth notice.
The Indians, or savages, were wonderfully
civilised, and our people frequently went
among them ; but forbade, on pain of death,
any one of the Indians coming to them, be:
cause they would not have their settlement
betrayed again.
One thing was very remarkable, namely,
- that they taught the savages to make wicker.
work, or baskets; but these soon outdid their masters, for they
made abundance of most ingenious things in wicker-work, Pº".
ticularly all sorts of baskets, sieves, bird-cages, cupboards, *:
as also chairs to sit on, stools, beds, couches, and abunda”
of other things.
My coming was a particular relief to these people, because."
furnished them with knives, scissors, spades, shovels, pick-a".
and all things of that kind which they could want.
With the help of these tools they were so very handy; that
they came at last to build up their huts, or houses, very h".
somely, raddling or working like basket-work all the way 9”;
which was a very extraordinary piece of ingenuity, and 19% t
very odd, but was an exceeding good fence, as well agains' hea
as against all sorts of vermin; and our men were 82.” i.
with it, that they got the savages to come and do the like ſo
them. So that when I came to see the two Englishmen's colonies,


CH. III, ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 255
they looked, at a distance, as if they lived all like bees in a hive;
and as for Will Atkins, who was now become a very industrious
and sober fellow, he had made himself such a tent of basket-work
as, I believe, was never seen. It was 120 paces round in the out-
side; the walls were as close worked as a basket, in pannels or
squares thirty-two in number, very strong, and standing about
seven feet high. In the middle was another, not above twenty-
two paces round, but built stronger, being eight-sided in its
form; and in the eight corners stood eight very strong posts,
round the top of which he laid strong pieces, pinned together
with wooden pins, from which he raised a pyramid for a roof of
eight rafters, very handsome, and joined together very well, though
he had no nails, and only a few iron spikes, which he made him-
self, too, out of the old iron that I had left there. Indeed, this
fellow, shewed abundance of ingenuity in several things which
he had no knowledge of. He made him a forge, with a pair of
Wooden bellows to blow the fire; he made himself charcoal for
his work 3. and he formed out of one of the iron crows a middling
gºod anvil to hammer upon. In this manner he made many
things, but especially hooks, staples and spikes, bolts and hinges.
But to return to the house. After he had pitched the roof of his
"nºrmost tent, he worked it up between the rafters with basket-
Work so firm, and thatched that over again so ingeniously with
* Straw; and over that a large leaf of a tree, which covered the
}P, that his house was as dry as if it had been tiled or slated.
i m owned, however, that the savages made the basket-work for
. The outer circuit was covered, as a lean-to, all round this
* apartment, and long rafters lay from the two and thirty
* to the top posts of the inner house, being about twenty
* distant; so that there was a space like a walk within the
*...wicker-wall, and without the inner, near twenty feet wide.
b º: inner place he partitioned off with the same wicker-work,
i ºuch fairer, and divided it into six apartments, so that he
º **ºoms on a floor, and out of every one of these there was
i. . into the entry or coming into the main tent, and
walk e door into the space or walk that was round it; so that
for . also divided into six equal parts, which served not only
Occasi rº: but to store up any necessaries which the family had
. º These six spaces not taking up the whole circum-
tirran . at other apartments the Outer circle had were thus
you }. • As soon as you were in at the door of the outer circle,
inner ho 8. short passage straight before you to the door of the
oor in º8 but on either side was a wicker partition, and a
QūSe º ºy which you went, first, into a large room or store-
that into enty feet wide and about thirty feet ſong, and through
*nother not quite so long. So that in the outer circle
Were º e
ten handsome rooms, six of which were only to be come at
256 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
through the apartments of the inner tent, and served as closets or
retiring rooms to the respective chambers of the inner circle; and
four large warehouses or barns, which went in through one ano-
ther, two on either hand of the passage that led through the outer
door to the inner tent.
Such a piece of basket-work, I believe, was never seen in the
world; nor a house or tent so neatly contrived, much less so
built. In this great bee-hive lived the three families; that is to
say, Will Atkins and his companion. The third was killed, but
his wife remained with three children; and the other two were
not at all backward to give the widow her full share of every
thing; I mean as to their corn, milk, grapes, &c., and when they
killed a kid, or found a turtle on the shore. So that they all
lived well enough, though it was true they were not so industrious
as the other two, as has been observed already. *
One thing, however, cannot be omitted, viz. that as for reli-
gion. I don’t know that there was any thing of that kind among
them ; they pretty often, indeed, put one another in mind, that
there was a GoD, by the very common method of seamen, viz.
swearing by His Name; nor were their poor, ignorant savage
wives much the better for having been married to Christians, as
we must call them; for as they knew very little of God then-
selves, so they were utterly incapable of entering into any diº
course with their wives about a GoD, or of talking any thing"
them concerning religion. †
The utmost of all the improvement which I can say the Wi".
had made from them was, that they had taught them tº speak
English very well; and all the children they had, which Mº
near twenty in all, were taught to speak English too, from their
first learning to speak; though they at first spoke it in º.
broken manner, like their mothers. There were none of thº.
children above six years old when I came thither; for it W* not
much above seven years that they had fetched these five *
ladies over; but they had all had children, more or les. The
mothers were all a good sort of well-governed, quiet, laboriº
women, modest and decent, helpful to one another, mightſ."
servant and subject to their masters, I cannot call them *.
bands; and wanted nothing but to be well instructed in ".
Christian religion, and to be legally married; both which *:
happily brought about afterwards by my means, or, at least, 1
consequence of my coming among them. d
Having thus given an account of the colony in gº.
of my five runagate Englishmen, I must say something 9
Spaniards, who were the main body of the family; and in "
story there are some incidents also remarkable enough..... gir.
had a great many discourses with them about thºſ .
cumstances when they were among the savages. They tol tion
readily, that they had no instances to give of their applica
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 257
or ingenuity in that country; that they were a poor, miserable,
dejected handful of people; that if means had been put into
their hands, they had yet so abandoned themselves to despair,
and so sunk under the weight of their misfortunes, that they
thought of nothing but starving. One of them, a grave and
very sensible man, told me, he was convinced they were in the
wrong; that it was not the part of wise men to give up them-
selves to their misery, but always to take hold of the helps which
reason offered, as well for present support as for future deliver-
till Cé.
He ran on then in remarks upon all the little improvements
I had made in my solitude, my unwearied application, as he
called it, and how I had made a condition which in its circum-
stances was at first much worse than theirs, a thousand times
more happy than theirs was even now, when they were all
together.
I told him, their case and mine differed exceedingly; that
they were cast upon the shore without necessaries, without Sup-
!y ºf food, or of present sustenance, till they could provide it;
that it is true, I had this disadvantage and discomfort, that I was
alone; but then the supplies which were providentially thrown
"to my hands, by the unexpected driving of the ship on shore,
***, such a help as would have encouraged any creature in the
Wºrld to have applied himself as I had done.’ “Signor,” said
* Spaniard, “had we been in your case, we should never have
* half those things out of the ship that you did; nay, we
*hould never have found means to have gotten a raft to carry
them, or to have gotten the raft on shore without boat or sail;.
*!" how much less should we have done, if any of us had been
alone?” | desired him to abate his compliment, and go on
With the history of their coming on shore where they landed.
He told º, they unhappily landed at a place where there were
People without provisions; whereas, had they had the common
i. * have put off to sea again, and gone to another island a
º i. fºrther, they had found provisions, though without people.
wii h". they were only sustained with a few roots and herbs,
8. It| § understood not, and which had no substance in them,
coul. ich the inhabitants gave them sparingly enough, and who
€at *...them no better, unless they would turn cannibals, and
ºën's flesh, which was the great dainty of their country.
civiliº,tº: me an account how many ways they strove to
Custom ... ººges they were with, and to teach them rational
thew º the ordinary way of living ; but in vain; and how
. it upon them as unjust, that they who came there
tors . and support, should attempt to set up for instruc-
none sh . that gave them bread; intimating, it seems, that
could live wi *t up for the instructors of others, but those who
We without them. -
z 2
25S LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
They gave me dismal accounts of the extremities they were
driven to ; how, sometimes, they were many days without any
food at all; the island they were upon being inhabited by a sort
of Savages that lived more indolently, and, for that reason, were
less supplied with the necessaries of life, than they had reason to
believe others were in the same part of the world; and yet they
found that these savages were less ravenous and voracious than
those who had better supplies of food.
Also they added, that they could not but see with what de-
monstrations of wisdom and goodness the governing providence
of GoD directs the events of things in the world; which, they
said, appeared in their circumstances; for if, pressed by the
hardships they were under, and the barrenness of the country
where they were, they had searched after a better place to live
in, they had then been out of the way of the relief that happened
to them by my means. g
They then gave me an account, how the savages they lived
among expected them to go out with them to their wars; and,
it was true, that, as they had fire-arms with them, had they not
had the disaster to lose their ammunition, they should not have
been serviceable only to their friends, but have made themselves
terrible both to friends and enemies; but being without powder
and shot, and yet in a condition that they could not in reason
refuse to go out with their landlords to their wars, so when they
came into the field of battle, they were in a worse condition than
the savages themselves; for they neither had bows or arrº",
nor could they use those the savages gave them; so that they
could do nothing but stand still, and be wounded with arº,
till they came up to the teeth of their enemy. Then, indeed, the
three halberts they had were of use to them ; and º would
often drive a whole little army before them with those lalberts
and sharpened sticks put into the muzzles of their muskets; but
that, for all this, they were sometimes surrounded with multi-
tudes, and in great danger from their arrows; till, at lºst, º
found the way to make themselves large targets of woºd, which
they covered with skins of wild beasts, whose names they º
not ; and these protected them from the arrows of the Savº.
that, notwithstanding these, they were sometimes in great º:
ger, and were once five of them knocked down togeth:...'.
the clubs of the savages, which was the time when one of them
was taken prisoner; namely, the Spaniard whom I had º: º
That at first they thought he had been killed; but when," the
wards they heard he was taken prisoner, they were undº.
greatest grief imaginable, and would willingly have all ve"
their lives to have rescued him. the
They told me, that when they were so knocked dº ht-
rest of their company rescued them, and stood over them i.
ing, till they were come to themselves, all but him who" “”
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 259
thought had been dead; and then they made their way with
their halberts and pieces, standing close together in a line,
through a body of above a thousand savages, and beating down
all that came in their way, got the victory over their enemies;
but to their great sorrow, because it was with the loss of their
friend; whom the other party, finding him alive, carried off with
some others, as I gave an account in my former part.
They described most affectionately, how they were surprised
with jº at the return of their friend and companion in misery,
who, they thought, had been devoured by wild beasts of the
worst kind, viz. by wild men; and yet, how more and more
they were surprised with the account he gave them of his errand,
and that there was a Christian in any place, near, much more
one that was able and had humanity enough to contribute to
their deliverance.
They described how they were astonished at the sight of the
relief I sent them, and at the appearance of loaves of bread,
things they had not seen since their coming to that miserable
Place; how often they crossed it and blessed it, as bread sent
from Heaven; and what a reviving cordial it was to their spirits
to º it; as also of the other things I had sent for their
supply.
. And, after all, they would have told me something of the
joy they were in at the sight of a boat and pilots to carry them
*Way to the person and place from whence all these new com-
forts came ; but they º me, it was impossible to express it
y words; for their excessive joy, naturally driving them to un-
becoming extravagances, they had no way to describe them, but
by telling me, that they bordered upon lunacy, having no way
º give vent to their passion suitable to the sense that was upon
them ; that in some it worked one way, and in some another;
and that some of them, through a surprise of joy, would burst
‘...into, tears; others would be stark mad, and others imme-
diately faint. This discourse extremely affected me, and called
* my mind Friday's ecstacy when he met his father, and the
ºr People's ecstacy when I took them up at sea, after their
lip Wilson fire; the mate of the ship's joy, when he found him-
* delivered from a place where he expected to perish; and
...?" joy when, after twenty-eight years' captivity, I found a
89%, hip ready to carry me to my own country.
All these things made me more sensible of the relation of
* P90r men, and more affected with it.
them º thus given a view of the state of things as I found
the to d. relate the heads of what I did for these people, and
mine . ition in which I left them. It was their opinion, and
or that 9, that they would be troubled no more with the savages;
at if they were, they would be able to cut them off, if they
W * :-
** twice as many as before; so they had no concern about
260 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
that. Then I entered into a serious discourse with the Spaniard
whom I called governor, about their stay in the island; for as I
was not come to carry all of them off, so it would not be just
to carry off some, and leave others, who perhaps would be un-
willing to stay if their strength was diminished.
On the other hand, I told them, I came to establish them
there, not to remove them ; and then I let them know, that I
had brought with me relief of sundry kinds for them. That I
had been at a great charge to supply them with all things neces-
sary as well for their convenience as their defence; and that I
had such and such particular persons with me, as well to in-
crease and recruit their number, as by the particular necessary
employments which they were bred to, being artificers, to assist
them in those things in which, at present, they were to seek.
They were all together when I talked thus to them ; and be-
fore I delivered to them the stores I had brought, I asked them,
one by one, if they had entirely forgot and buried the first ani-
mosities that had been among them, and would shake hands
with one another, and engage in a strict friendship and union
of interests, that so there might be no more misunderstandings or
jealousies.
Will Atkins, with abundance of frankness and good humour,
said, “They had met with afflictions enough to make them all
sober, and enemies enough to make them all friends. That, for
his part, he would live and die with them ; and was so far from
designing any thing against the Spaniards, that he owned they
had done nothing to him but what his own mad humour made
necessary, and what he would have done, and perhaps much
worse, in their case; and that he would ask them pardon,
I desired it, for the foolish and brutish things he had done tº
them ; and was very willing and desirous of living on terms. of
entire friendship and union with them; and would do any thing
that lay in his power to convince them of it: and as for go!";
to England, he cared not if he did not go thither for twenty
ears.”
y The Spaniards said, they had indeed, at first, disarmed and
excluded Will Atkins and his two countrymen for their ill-ºº:
duct, as they had let me know. And they appealed to me. for
the necessity they were under to do so; but that Will A.
had behaved himself so bravely in the great fight they had ""
the savages, and on several occasions since, and had shº
himself so faithful to, and concerned for, the general interes' .
them all, that they had forgotten all that was past, and th9*.
he merited as much to be trusted with arms, and supplied .
necessaries, as any of them; and that they had testified º:
satisfaction in him, by committing the command to him; nº in
the governor himself; and as they had an entire confiden".
him and all his countrymen, so they acknowledged, they
CH, III. :; OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 261
merited that confidence, by all the methods that honest men
could merit, to be valued and trusted : and they most heartily
embraced the occasion of giving me this assurance, that they
would never have any interest separate from one another.
Upon these frank and open declarations of friendship, we
appointed the next day to dine all together; and, indeed, we
made a splendid feast. I caused the ship's cook and his mate
to come on shore, and dress our dinner; and the old cook’s
mate we had on shore assisted. We brought on shore six pieces
of good beef, and four pieces of pork, out of the ship's provi-
sion, with our punch-bowl, and materials to fill it; and, in par-
ticular, I gave them ten bottles of French claret, and ten bottles
of English beer, —things that neither the Spaniards nor the
Englishmen had tasted for many years, and which, it may be
supposed, they were exceedingly glad of. -
he Spaniards added to our feast five whole kids, which the
cooks roasted; and three of them were sent, covered up close,
on board the ship to the seamen, that they might feast on fresh
. from on shore, as we did with their salt meat from on
#TO.
After this feast, at which we were very innocently merry, I
brought out my cargo of goods, wherein, that there might be no
dispute about dividing, I shewed them that there was sufficient
fºr them all; desired that they might all take an equal quantity
of the goods that were for wearing; that is to say, equal when
made up. As, first, I distributed linen sufficient to make every
%le of them six shirts; these were exceedingly comfortable to
them, being what, as I may say, they had long since forgot the
"se of, or what it was to wear them.
I allotted the thin English stuffs, which I mentioned before,
$2 make every one a light coat, like a frock, which I judged
º for the heat of the season, cool and loose; and ordered,
i. whenever they decayed, they should make more, as they
*ght fit. The like for pumps, shoes, stockings, hats, &c.
Il ſcannot express what pleasure sat upon the countenances of
***hºse poor men, when they saw the care I had taken of them
i. how well I had furnished them. They told me, I was a
* to them; and that, having such a correspondent as I
.*.*.so, remote a part of the world, it would make them for-
* they were left in a desolate place; and they all volun-
l †, *gaged not to leave the place without my consent.
partic i. | presented to them the people I had brought with me;
t º arly the tailor, the smith, and the two carpenters, all of
ficer * necessary persons; but above all, my general arti-
useful º Mººn they could not name any thing that was more
went to them. And the tailor, to shew his concern for them,
eve York, immediately, and, with my leave, made them
*y one a shirt the first thing he did ; and, what was still
262 l,IFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
more, he taught the women not only how to sew and stitch and
use the needle, but made them assist to make the shirts for their
husbands, and for all the rest.
As to the carpenters, I scarce need mention how useful they
were ; for they took in pieces all my clumsy, unhandy things,
and made them clever, convenient tables, stools, bedsteads, cup-
* lockers, shelves, and every thing they wanted of that
1I]Cl,
Then I brought them out all my store of tools, and gave
every man a digging spade, a shovel, and a rake, for we had
no harrows or ploughs; and, to every separate place, a pick-
axe, a crow, a broad-axe, and a saw ; always appointing, that
as often as any was broken, or worn-out, they should be sup-
§: without grudging, out of the general stores that I left
ehind.
All sorts of tools and iron-work they had without tale, as
they required; for no man would care to take more than he
wanted; and he must be a fool that would waste or spoil them,
on any account whatever. And for the use of the smith I left
two tons of unwrought iron for a supply.
My magazine of powder and arms, which I brought them,
was such, even to profusion, that they could not but rejoice, at
them; for now they could march as I used to do, with a musket
upon each shoulder, if there was occasion; and were able to
fight one thousand savages, if they had but some little advan-
tage of situation; which also they could not miss of, if they had
OCC8 SIOI!.
I carried on shore with me the young man whose mother Wº
starved to death, and the maid also ; she was a sober, well-edu:
cated, religious young woman, and behaved so inoffensively that
every one gave her a good word. She had, indeed, an unhapp.
life with us, there being no woman in the ship but herself; but
she bore it with patience. After a while, seeing things sº .
ordered, and in so fine a way of thriving upon my island, *
considering that they had neither business nor acquaintinº. ".
the East Indies, nor reason for taking so long a voyage, both 0
them came to me, and desired I would give them leave *.
. on the island, and be entered among my family, * they
called it.
I agreed to it readily; and they had a little plat of ground
allotted to them, where they had three tents or houses sº.
surrounded with a basket-work, palisadoed like Atkins's, adjoin
ing to his plantation. Their tents were contrived so, that t ;
had each of them a room, a part to lodge in, and a middle º
like a great store-house, to lay all their goods in, and to eat *eir
drink in. And now the other two Englishmen removed º,
habitation to the same place; and so the island was divided .
three colonies, and no more; viz. first, the one just named, "
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 263
that of the Spaniards, with old Friday, and the first servants,
at my old habitation under the hill, which was, in a word, the
capital city, and where they had so enlarged and extended their
works, as well under as on the outside of the hill, that they lived,
though perfectly concealed, yet full at large.
The other colony was that of Atkins, where there were four
families of Englishmen, I mean those I had left there, with their
wives and children; three Savages that were slaves, the widow
and children of the Englishman that was killed, the young man,
and the maid-servant. There were also the two carpenters, and
the tailor, whom I brought with me for them ; also the Smith,
who was a very necessary man to them, especially as a gunsmith;
to take care of their arms; and my other man, whom I called
Jack-of-all-trades; who was in himself as good almost as twenty
men, for he was not only a very ingenious but a very merry
fellow; and, before I went away, we married him to the honest
maid that came with the youth in the ship. -
And now I speak of marrying, it º me naturally to say
something of the French ecclesiastic that I had brought with me
out of the ship's crew.
He was a grave, sober, pious, and most religious person;
exact in life, extensive in his charity, and exemplary in almost
every thing he did.
The first hour that I began to converse with him, after he had
agreed to go with me to the East Indies, I found reason to delight
exceedingly in his conversation. And he first began with me about
religion, in the most obli ging manner imaginable.
“Sir,” says he, “you have not only, under GoD (and at that
he crossed his breast) saved my life, but you have admitted me to
gº this voyage in your ship, and by your obliging civility have
taken me into your family, giving mean opportunity of free con-
Yersation. Now, sir, you see by my habit what my profession
*; and I guess, by your nation, what yours is: I may think it
18 º duty, and doubtless it is so, to use my utmost endeavours,
ºn all occasions, to bring all the souls I can to the knowledge of
the truth, and to embrace the Catholic faith; but, as I am here
*der your permission, and in your family, I am bound, in
Jºtice to your kindness, as well as in decency and good man-
* to be under your government; and therefore I shall not,
without your leave, enter into any debates on the point of re-
ºn, in which we may not agree, farther than you shall give
me leave.”
* added, that he thought all our conversation might be
Ca W. Pºrated from disputes; that it was not his business to
*lººp. with every man he discoursed with ; that if I
subi give him leave, at any time, to discourse upon religious
i. he would readily comply with it; and that he did not
* but I would allow him then also to defend his own opinions
264 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
as well as he could : but that, without my leave, he would not
break in upon me with any such thing.
He told me farther, that he would not cease to do all that
became him in his office as a priest, as well as a private Chris-
tian, to procure the good of the ship, and the safety of all that
was in her; and though, perhaps, we would not join with him,
and he could not pray with us, he hoped he might pray for us,
which he would do upon all occasions. In this manner we con-
versed; and as he was of a most obliging gentlemanlike beha-
viour, so he was, if I may be allowed to say so, a man of good
sense, and, as I believe, of great learning.
He gave me a most diverting account of his life, and of the
many extraordinary events of it; of many adventures which had
befallen him in the few years that he had been abroad in the
world ; but I shall not make digressions into other men's stories,
which have no relation to my own. I return to what concerns
our affair in the island. He came to me one morning, just when
I was going to visit the Englishmen’s colony, at the farthest part
of the island, and said, with a very grave countenance, that he
had, for two or three days, desired an opportunity of some diº
course with me, which, he hoped, would not be displeasing tº
me, because he thought it might, in some measure, correspond
with my general design, which was the prosperity of º Inew
colony; and, perhaps, might put it, at least more than he Yeº
thought it was, in the way of GoD's blessing. §
I looked a little surprised at the last part of his discour*
and turning a little short, “How, sir,” said I, “can it be Sãº
that we are not in the way of God’s blessing, after such visibl;
assistances and wonderful deliverances as we have seen here, *
of which I have given you a large account?”
“If you had pleased, sir,” said he, with a world of modes.
and yet with great readiness, “to have heard me, you W9. k
have found no room to have been displeased, much less tº tº
so hard of me, that I should suggest that you have not had j.
derful assistances and deliverances. And I hope, on your behall,
that you are in the way of GoD's blessing, and Yº.. design is
exceeding good and will prosper. But, sir, º it were º:
so than is even possible to you, yet there may be some *
you that are not equally right in their actions. And you k".
that in the story of the children of Israel, one Achaº.” the
camp, removed GoD's blessing from them, and turned His ha.
so against them, that six and thirty of them, though not COſl
cerned in the crime, were the object of divine vengeance, *
bore the weight of that punishment.” im his
I was sensibly touched with his discourse; and told him. re
inference was so just, and the whole design seemed so *.
and was really so .#. in its own nature, that I wº X.
sorry I had interrupted him; and begged him to go on. y
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 265
in the mean time, because it seemed that what we had both to
say might take up some time, I told him I was going to the
Englishmen’s plantations, and asked him to go with me, and we
might discourse of it by the way. He told me, he would more
willingly wait on me thither, because there, partly, the thing
was acted, which he desired to speak to me about. So we
walked on, and I pressed him to be free and plain with me in
what he had to say.
“Why, then, sir,” says he, “be pleased to give me leave to
lay down a few propositions, as the foundation of what I have to
say, that we may not differ in the general principles, though we
inay be of some differing opinions in the practice of particulars.
First, sir, though we differ in some of the doctrinal articles of
religion,-and it is very unhappy that it is so,-yet there are
general principles in wº. we both agree; namely, first, that
there is a GoD, and that this GoD, having given us some stated
general rules for our service and obedience, we ought not wil-
lingly and knowingly to offend Him, either by neglecting to do
what He has commanded, or by doing what He has expressly
fºrbidden. And let our different religions be what they will,
this general principle is readily owned by us all: that the bless-
ing of GoD does not ordinarily follow a presumptuous sinning
*gainst His command; and every good Christian will be affec-
tionately concerned to prevent any that are under his care living
in a total neglect of GöI and His commands.”
I could not yet imagine what he aimed at, and told him I
granted all he had said; and thanked him that he should so far
'ºncern himself for us, and begged he would explain the par-
*ulars of what he had observed that, like Joshua (to take his
* Parable). I might put away the accursed thing from us.
... “Why, then, sir,” says he, “I will take the liberty you
*** me; , and there are three things, which, if I am right,
*st stand in the way of God’s blessing upon your endeavours
“” and which I should rejoice, for your sake, and their own,
to see removed. And, sir, I promise myself that you will
ully gree with me in them all, as soon as I name them; es-
Pºcially, because I shall convince you, that every one of them
j” great ease, and very much to your satisfaction, be re-
On H. #. me no time to put in any more civilities, but went
who h irst, sir,” says he, “you have here four Englishmen,
tº, i. fetched women from among the savages, and have
are n t * * their wives, and have had many children, and yet
To § *arried to them, as the laws of Gop and man require.
Iſlan ... sº I know you will object, that there was no clergy-
cerem : Pºst of any kind or of any profession, to perform the
tract #. 3 nor any pen and ink, or paper, to write down a con-
- **arriage, and have it signed between them. And I
A A. -

266 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES PT. II,
know also, sir, what the Spaniard governor has told you; I
mean of the agreement that he obliged them to make when
they took these women.
“But, sir, the essence of matrimony consists not only in the
mutual consent of the parties to take one another as man and
wife, but in the formal and legal obligation that there is in the
contract to compel the man and woman, at all times, to own
and acknowledge each other, and to provide for their children.
Now, sir,” he continued, “these men may, when they please,
or when occasion presents, abandon these women, disown their
children, leave them to perish, and take other women and marry
them whilst these are living.” And here he added, with some
warmth, “How, sir, is God honoured in this unlawful liberty'
And how shall a blessing succeed your endeavours in this place,
when it is certainly in your power to put an end to it?”
1 confess I was struck at the thing itself, but much more with
the convincing arguments he supported it with. I granted all
that he had said to be just, and, on his part, very kind; that I
would discourse with the men upon the point now, when I came
to them. And I knew no reason why they should scruple to let
him marry them all; which I knew well enough would be granted
to be authentic and valid in England. *
I then pressed him to tell me what was the second complaint
which he had to make; acknowledging that I was very intº
his debtor for the first; and thanked him heartily for it. He
told me he would use the same freedom and plainness in the
second; and hoped I would take it as well; and this was tº
notwithstanding these English subjects of mine, as he calle
them, had lived with those women for almost seven year, had
taught them to speak English, and even to read it; and that
they were, as he perceived, women of tolerable understanding,
and capable of instruction; yet they had not to this hour taught
them any thing of the Christian religion, no, not so much as to
know that there was a God or a worship, or in what mº"
GoD was to be served ; or that their own idolatry, and worship.
Pinhº knew not whom, was false and absurd. GoD
his, he said, was an unaccountable neglect, and what *
would certainly call them to account for; and, perhaps, at 188
take the work out of their hands. He spoke this very .
tionately and warmly. “I am persuaded,” said he, “ had t *
men lived in the savage country whence their wives, Caº to
savages would have taken more pains to have brought tºº". en
be idolaters, and to worship the devil, than any of thº. " e
have taken with them to teach them the knowledge of the .
GoD. Now, sir, though we may differ on some things, #.
surely we should be glad to see the devil's servants, * |es 0
subjects of his kingdom, taught to know the great prinº' 0.
the Christian religion ; that they might hear of GoD, *
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 267
RRDEEMER, and of the Resurrection, and of a future state, -
things which we all believe.”
I could hold no longer; I took him in my arms, and embraced
him with an excess of passion. “How far,” said I to him, “ havo
I been from understanding the most essential part of a Chris-
tian, namely, to love the interest of the Christian faith, and the
good of other men’s souls . . I scarce have known what belongs
to being a Christian.” “Oh, sir, do not say so,” replied he :
“this thing is not your fault.” “No,” said I, “but why did I
never lay it to heart as well as you?” “”Tis not too late yet,”
said he ; “be not too forward to condemn yourself.” “But
what can be done now 7” said I; “you see I am going away.”
“Will you give me leave,” said he, “to talk with these poor
men about it?” “Yes, with all my heart,” said I; “and will
oblige them to give heed to what you say too.” “As to that,”
said he, “we must leave them to the mercy of CHRIST : but 'tis
our business to assist them, encourage them, and instruct them ;
and if you will give me leave, and God His blessing, I do not
doubt but the poor ignorant souls may be instructed; and that
even while you stay here.” Upon this, I said, “I shall not only
give you leave, but give you a thousand thanks for it.”
I now pressed him for the third article in which we were to
blame. “Why, really,” says he, “’tis of the same nature, and I
Will proceed with the same plainness as before. It is about your
* savages, who are (as I may say) your conquered subjects.
* is a maxim, sir, that is, or ought to be, received among all
Christians, that the Christian knowledge ought to be propagated
y all possible means, and on all possible occasions. It is on
. principle that the church sends missionaries into Persia,
"dia, and China; and that our clergy, even of the superior
* Willingly engage in the most hazardous voyages, and the
* dangerous residence among murderers and barbarians, to
º them the knowledge of the true GoD, and to bring them
§In ...tº embrace the Christian faith. Now, sir, you have such
i. ºrtunity here, to have six or seven-and-thirty poor savages
and t over from idolatry to the knowledge of God, their Maker
*EMER, that I wonder how you can pass such an occa-

§ºg good; which is really worth the expense of a mán's
I ..". now struck dumb indeed, and had not one word to say.
before *re & Spirit of true Christian zeal for GoD and religion
tho h".f but as for me, I had not so much as entertained a
i. of this in my heart before, and, I believe, should not
and º of it; for I looked upon these savages as slaves,
...” © *: had we any work for them to do, we would have
to an º: 2 or would have been glad to have transported them
º º: Part of the world; for our business was to get rid of
*** we would all have been satisfied if they had been sent
268 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II,
to any country, so they had never seen their own. I say, I was
confounded at his discourse, and knew not what answer to make
him. He looked earnestly at me, seeing me in some disorder.
“Sir,” said he, “I shall be very sorry if what I have said gives
§. any offence.” “No, no,” said I, “I am offended with no-
ody but myself; but I am perfectly confounded, not only to
think that I should never take any notice of this before, but with
reflecting what notice I am able to take of it now. You know,
sir, what circumstances I am in. I am bound to the East In-
dies, in a ship freighted by merchants, and to whom it would
be an insufferable piece of injustice to detain their ship here, the
men lying all this while at victuals and wages upon the owners'
account. It is true I agreed to be allowed twelve days here; and
if I stay more, I must pay three pounds sterling per diem demur-
rage. Nor can I stay upon demurrage above eight days more,
and I have been here thirteen days already; so that I am per-
fectly unable to engage in this work, unless I would suffer my-
self to be left behind here again. In which case, if this single
ship should miscarry in any part of her voyage, I should be just
in the same condition that I was left in here at first, and from
which I have been so wonderfully delivered.”
He owned the case was very hard upon me as to my voyage;
but laid it home upon my conscience, whether the blessing of
saving seven and thirty souls was not worth my venturing all I
had in the world for? I was not so sensible of that as he was, and
I returned upon him thus: “Why, sir, it is a valuable thing
indeed to be an instrument in GoD's hand to convert seven an
thirty heathens to the knowledge of CHRIST : but as you are an
ecclesiastic, and are given over to the work, so that it seems natu-
rally to fall into the way of your profession, how is it that you do
not rather offer yourself to undertake it than press me to it?”
Upon this he faced about, just before me, as we walked along;
and putting me to a full stop, made me a very low bow, “ſ
most heartily thank GoD and you, sir,” said he, “for giving m.
so evident a call to so blessed a work; and if you think yourse
discharged from it, and desire me to undertake it, I will mos;
readily do it, and think it a happy reward for all the hazards an
difficulties of such a broken, disappointed voyage as I have, m*
with, that I may be dropped at last into so glorious a work”.
I discovered a kind of rapture in his face while he spoke this
to me; his eyes sparkled like fire, his face glowed, and his colour
came and went, as if he had been falling into fits. I pausºlº
considerable while before I could tell what to say to him; for I
was really surprised to find a man of such sincerity and zeal, *.
carried out in his zeal beyond the ordinary rate of men, not of his
profession only, but even of any profession whatsoever. , Pº
after a while, I asked him seriously if he was in earnest,
would venture, on the single consideration of an attempº "

CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 269
those poor people, to be locked up in an unplanted island for,
jerhaps, his life; and, at last, might not know whether he should
|. able to do them any good or not?
He turned short upon me, and asked me what I called a ven-
ture? “Pray, sir,” said he, “what do you think I consented to
in your ship to the East Indies for?” “Nay,” said I, “that
i. not, unless it was to preach to the Indians.” “ Doubtless
it was,” said he. “And do you think, if I can convert these
seven and thirty men to the faith of CHRIST, it is not worth my
time, though I should never be fetched off the island again? Nay,
is it not infinitely of more worth to save so many souls than my
life is, or the life of twenty more of the same profession? But
since you will honour me,” continued he, “with putting me into
this work (for which I will pray for you all the days of my life), I
have one humble petition to you besides.” “What is that?”
said I. “Why,” said he, “it is, that you will leave your man
Friday with me to be my interpreter to them, and to assist me;
for, without some help, I cannot speak to them or they to me.”
I was sensibly troubled at his requesting Friday, because I
ºuld not think of parting with him, and that for many reasons.
He had been the companion of my travels; he was not only faith-
ful to ine, but sincerely affectionate to the last degree; and I had
resolved to do something considerable for him if he outlived me,
as it was probable he would.
However, a sudden thought relieved me in this strait, and it
** this: I told him I could not say that I was willing to part
With Friday on any account whatever, though a work that to him
* of more value than his life ought to be to me of much more
*lue than the keeping or parting with a servant. But, on the
*her hand, I was persuaded that Friday would by no means con-
*nt to part with me, and I could not force him to it without his
$ºnt, without manifest injustice, because I had promised I
would never put him away; and he had promised and engaged
** that he would never leave me, unless I put him away.
He seemed very much concerned at it; for he had no means
of instructing these poor people, seeing he did not understand
.*."ord of their language, nor they one word of his. To re-
§. this difficulty, I told him Friday's father had learned
Panish, which I found he also understood; and he should serve
ºn for an interpreter.
Ca I come back now to the first part of his objections. When we
. tº the Englishmen, I sent for them all together; and after
Whi : *ount given them of what I had done for them, namely,
W. ...y things. I had provided for them, and how they
k t º, which they were very thankful for, I began to
the º °ºn of the life they led, and gave them a full account of
h ce the clergyman had already taken of it.
°y all gave me the answer that I expected, namely, that
iº
A A 2
270 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES PT, II,
there was nobody to marry them; that they agreed before the
governor to keep these women as their wives; and they thought,
as things stood with them, they were as legally married as if they
had been married by a parson, and with all the formalities in the
world.
I told them that no doubt they were married in the sight of
GoD, and were bound in conscience to keep them as their wives;
but that the laws of men being otherwise, they might pretend
they were not married, and so desert the poor women and children
hereafter. I therefore told them, that unless I was assured of
their honest intent, I could do nothing for them, but would take
care that what I did should be for the women and their children
without them; and that unless they would give some assurances
that they would marry the women, I could not think it was fitting
that they should continue together as man and wife; for that it
was both scandalous to men and offensive to GoD, who they
could not think would bless them if they went on thus.
All this went on as I expected ; and they told me, especially
Will Atkins, who seemed now to speak for the rest, that they
loved their wives as well as if they had been born in their own
native country, and would not leave them upon any account
whatever; and they did verily believe their wives were as virtu-
ous and as modest, and did, to the utmost of their skill, as much
for them and for their children as any women could possibly ſlº
and they would not part with them on any account. And Will
Atkins, for his own particular, added, if any man would take him
away, and offer to carry him home to England, and make him
captain of the best man-of-war in the navy, he would not go with
him if he might not carry his wife and children with him; and if
there was a clergyman in the ship, he would be married to her
now with all his heart. *
This was just as I would have it; the priest was not with mº
at that moment, but was not far off. So, to try him farther, I
told him I had a clergyman with me, and, if he was sincere; I
would have him married the next morning; and bade him conside;
of it, and talk with the rest. He said, as for himself, he ne
not consider of it at all, for he was very ready to do it, and "*
glad I had a minister with me; and he believed they would be
all willing also. I then told him that my friend the minister.”
a Frenchman, and could not speak English; but that I would”
the clerk between them. So we parted. I went back to "J
clergyman, and Will Atkins went in to talk with his companiº.
I desired the French gentleman not to say any thing to them."
the business was thoroughly ripe, and I told him what an”
the men had given me. d
Before I went from their quarter they all came to me, .
told me they had been considering what I had said; that they
were very glad to hear I had a clergyman in my company; *
#
CII, III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. . 271
they were very willing to give me the satisfaction I desired, and
to be formally married as soon as I pleased. So I appointed
them to meet me the next morning, and directed that, in the
mean time, they should let their wives know the meaning of the
marriage-law; and that it was not only to prevent any scandal,
but also to oblige them, that they should not forsake them,
whatever might ñº.
The women were easily made sensible of the meaning of the
thing, and were very well satisfied with it, as, indeed, they had
reason to be. So they failed not to attend all together at my
apartment the next morning, where I brought out my clergyman;
and though he had not on the habit of a priest, yet having a
black vest, something like a cassock, with a sash round it, he did
not look very unlike a clergyman; and as for his language, I
was his interpreter.
But the seriousness of his behaviour to them, and the scruples
he made of marrying the women, because they were not baptised
and professed Christians, gave them an exceeding reverence for
his person; and there was no need after that to inquire whether
he was a clergyman or not.
When he came to them, he let them know that I had ac-
quainted him with their circumstances, and with the present de-
sign; that he was very willing to perform that part of his function,
and marry them, as I had desired. But that there was a diffi-
culty in it, too, with respect to the laws of Christian matrimony,
which he was not fully satisfied about, namely, that of marrying
One that is a professed Christian to an idolater, one that is not
baptised; and yet that he did not see that there was time left
2 endeavour to persuade the women to be baptised, or to pro-
tº the Name of Christ, whom they had, he doubted, heard
nothing of, and without which they could not be baptised.
He told them he feared they were but indifferent Christians
themselves, that they had but little knowledge of GoD or of His
.*.*.*nd therefore he could not expect that they had said much
tº their wives on that head yet; but that unless they would pro-
. ºn to use their endeavour with their wives to persuade
8tº º become Christians, and would as well as they could in-
and º them in the knowledge and belief of GoD that made them,
IIlār O .." JESUS CHRIST that redeemed them, he could not
º them; for he would have no hand in joining Christians
§.”g.nor was it consistent with the principles of the
ºtian religion.
mº º all this very attentively, and I delivered it very
could º them, from his mouth, as near his own words as I
em” . sometimes adding something of my own to convince
very fai #. it was, and how I was of his mind; and I always
º ºthfully distinguished between what I said from myself
and what were the clergyman’s words. They told me it was very
272 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
true what the gentleman had said, that they were but very indif.
ferent Christians themselves, and that they had never talked to
their wives about religion. “Sir,” says Will Atkins, “how
should we teach them religion ? Why, we know nothing our-
selves; and besides, sir, should we go to talk with them of God
and JESUS CHRIST, and heaven and hell, it would be to make
them laugh at us, and ask us what we believe ourselves. And if
we should tell them we believe all the things that we speak of to
them, such as of good people going to heaven and wicked people
to the devil, they would ask us where we intend to go ourselves
that believe all this, and are such wicked fellows as we indeed
are. Why, sir, it is enough to give them a surfeit of religion at
first hearing : folks must have some religion themselves before
they pretend to teach other people.” “Will Atkins,” said I,
“ though I am afraid what you say has too much truth in it, yet
can you not tell your wife that she is in the wrong; that there is
a GoD and a religion better than her own; that her gods are
idols, that they can neither hear or speak; that there is a great
Being that made all things, and that can destroy all that He has
made; that He rewards the good and punishes the bad; and that
we are to be judged by Him at last for all we do here 7. You are
not so ignorant but even nature itself will teach you that all this
is true; and I am satisfied you know it all to be true, and be:
lieve it yourself.”
“That is true, sir,” said Atkins; “but with what face can I
say any thing to my wife of all this, when she will tell me imme-
diately it cannot be true?” r
“Not true !” said I; “what do you mean by that?” “Why,
sir,” said he, “she will tell me it cannot be true, that this Gon
(I shall tell her of) can be just, or can punish or reward, sinº
I am not punished, that have been such a wicked creature as she
knows I have been, even to her, and to every body else; and that
I should be suffered to live, that have been always acting $0.99".
trary to what I must tell her is good, and to what I ought °
have done.”
“Why truly, Atkins,” said I, “I am afraid thou speakest
too much truth;” and with that I told the clergyman whº
Atkins had said; for he was impatient to know. “Oh!” said the
priest, “tell him there is one thing will make him the best minº.
ter in the world to his wife, and that is repentance; for nº
teach repentance like true penitents. He wants nothing but ".
repent, and then he will be so much the better qualified to inst".
his wife; he will be then able to tell her, that there is not only
a God, and that He is the just rewarder of good and evil."
that He is a merciful Being, and, with infinite goodness and long-
suffering, forbears to punish those that offend ; waiting,”
gracious, and willing not the death of a sinner, but rather thº.
should return and live; that oftentimes He suffers wicked mº" to
CH, III, OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 273
go on for a long time, and even reserves damnation to the general
day of retribution; that it is a clear evidence of GoD, and of a
future state, that righteous men receive not their reward, or
wicked men their punishment, till they come into another world;
and this will lead him to teach his wife the doctrine of the resur-
rection, and of the last judgment. Let him but repent for himself,
he will be an excellent preacher of repentance to his wife.”
I repeated all this to Atkins, who looked very serious all the
while, and who, we could easily perceive, was more than ordi-
marily affected with it; when, being eager, and hardly suffering
me to make an end—“I know all this, master,” says he, “and a
great deal more; but I have not the impudence to talk thus to
my wife: when GoD and my own conscience know, and my
wife will be an undeniable evidence against me, that I have lived
as if I had never heard of a GoD, or future state, or any thing
about it; and to talk of my repenting, alas!” and with that he
fetched a º sigh; and I could see that tears stood in his eyes,
it is past all that with me.” “Past it! Atkins,” said I; “what
dost thou mean by that?” “I know well enough what I mean,”
sayshe: “I mean 'tis too late; and that is too true.”
I told my clergyman word for word what he said. And this
*alous, affectionate man could not refrain tears also. But re-
$overing himself, he said to me, “Ask him but one question. Is
he easy that it is too late, or is he troubled, and wishes it were not
* I put the question fairly to Atkins; and he answered with
* great deal of passion, “How could any man be easy in a condi-
"on that certainly must end in eternaſ destruction?” That he
* far from being easy; but that, on the contrary, he believed
it wºuld one time or other ruin him.
a. * What do you mean by that?” said I. “Why,” he replied,
I believe I shall one day or other cut my throat, to put an end
to the terror of it.”
The .#. shook his head, with great concern in his face,
* I told im all this; but, turning quick to me upon it, said,
C f that be his case, you may assure him it is not too late:
lº will give him repentance. But pray, explain this to
#. that as no man is saved but by CHRIST, and the merits of
i. assion, procuring divine mercy for him, how can it be too
si tº: any man to receive mercy Does he think he is able to
.*Wond the power or reach of divine mercy? Pray tell him,
. § be a time when provoked mercy will no longer strive,
Or m en GoD may refuse to hear; but that it is never too late
ºn. i: ask mercy; and we that are CHRIST's servants are
HRI º ed to preach mercy at all times, in the Name of Jesus
late.” to all those that sincerely repent: so that 'tis never too
wºº Atkins all this, and he heard me with great earnestness;
*ned as if he turned off the discourse to the rest; for hē
274 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
said to me, he would go and have some talk to his wife. So he
went out awhile, and we talked to the rest. I perceived they
were all stupidly ignorant as to matters of religion ; much as
I was when I went rambling away from my father: and yet that
there were none of them backward to hear what had been said;
and all of them seriously promised, that they would talk with
their wives about it, and do their endeavour to persuade them to
turn Christians. -
The clergyman smiled upon me, when I reported what answer
they gave, but said nothing a good while ; but at last, shaking his
head, observed, “We that are CHRIST's servants, can go no farther
than to exhort and instruct; and when men comply, submit to
the reproof, and promise what we ask, 'tis all we can do; we are
bound to accept their good words; but, believe me, sir, whatever
}. º know of the life of that man you call Will Atkins, I
lieve he is the only sincere convert among them; I will not
despair of the rest; but that man is apparently struck with the
sense of his past life; and I doubt not, but when he comes to
talk of religion to his wife, he will talk himself effectually into it;
for attempting to teach others is sometimes the best way of teach-
ing ourselves.”
Upon this discourse, however, and their promising, as above,
to endeavour to persuade their wives to embrace Christianity, he
married the other three couple. But Will Atkins and his wife
were not yet come in. After this, my clergyman, waiting *
while, was curious to know where Atkins was gone; and turn-
ing to me, said, “I entreat you, sir, let us walk out of your
labyrinth here, and look; I dare say we shall find this poor man
somewhere or other, talking seriously to his wife, and teaching
her already something of religion.” I began to be of the sºlº
mind; so we went out together; and I carried him a way which
none knew but myself, and where the trees were so thick Seº
that it was not easy to see through the thicket of leaves, and º
harder to see in than to see out; when coming to the edge.”
the wood, I saw Atkins and his wife, sitting under the shade of"
bush, very eager in discourse. I stopped short, till my clergy-
man came up to me; and then, having shewed him where.”
were, we stood and looked very steadily at them a good whº,
We observed him very earnest with her, pointing up tº º
sun and to every quarter of the heavens; then down to the * º
then out to the sea, then to himself, then to her, to the woods. "
the trees. “Now,” says my clergyman, “you see my words º:
made good; the man preaches to her; mark him; nºw *.
telling her that our God has made him, and her, and the heaven;
the earth, the sea, the woods, the trees, &c.” “I believe he º,
said I. Immediately we perceived Will Atkins start up uPº"
feet, fall down on his knees, and lift up both his hands; W. ".
posed he said something, but could not hear him; it wº to 0
CHI, III. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 275
for that; he did not continue kneeling half a minute, but comes
and sits down again by his wife, and talks to her again. We
perceived then the woman very attentive; but whether she said
any thing or not, we could not tell. While the poor fellow was
upon his knees, I could see the tears run plentifully down my
clergyman’s cheeks; and I could hardly forbear myself; but it
was a great affliction to us both, that we were not near enough to
hear any thing that passed between them.
However, we could come no nearer, for fear of disturbing
them; so we resolved to see an end of this piece of still conver-
sation; and it spoke loud enough to us, without the help of voice.
He sat down again, as I have said, close by her, and talked again
earnestly to her; and two or three times we could see him em-
brace her most passionately; another time we saw him take out
his handkerchief and wipe her eyes, and then kiss her again,
with a kind of transport very unusual; and after several of these
things, we saw him on a sudden jump up again, and lend her his
hand to help her up; when immediately leading her by the hand
a step or two, they both kneeled down together, and continued
80 about two minutes.
My friend could bear it no longer, but cries out aloud, “St.
Paul, St. Paul behold he prayeth " 'I was afraid Atkins would
hear him; therefore I entreated him to withhold himself a while,
that we might see an end of the scene, which to me, I must con-
fess, Was the most affecting, and yet the most agreeable, that ever
I saw in my life. Well, he strove with himself, and contained
himself for a while, but was in such raptures of joy to think that
the poor heathen woman was become a Christian, that he was
*9table to contain himself; he wept several times; then throw-
ing | his hands, and crossing his breast, said over several things
**ulatory, and by way of giving God thanks for so miraculous
***timony of the success of our endeavours; some he spoke
*oftly, and I could not well hear; others audibly; some in Latin,
* in French; then two or three times the tears of joy would
*rrupt him, that he could not speak at all. But I begged that
* Would compose himself, and let us more narrowly and fully
observe what was before 'us ; which he did for a time. The
*** was not ended there yet; for after the poor man and his
. Yère risen again from their knees, we observed he stood talk-
# *till eagerly to her; and we observed by her motion that she
was greatly affected with what he said, by her frequent lifting up
º hands, laying her hand to her breast, and such other postures
...Y express the greatest seriousness and attention. This
B *ed about half a quarter of an hour, and then they walked
"Yºi, so that we could see no more of them in that situation.
* Will Atkins and his wife were gone, our business there
*Y* 3.so we went back our own way; and when we came
• ** found them waiting to be called in. Observing this, I
WRs
ack
276 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
asked my clergyman if we should discover to him that we had
seen them or not ; and it was his opinion we should not; but that
we should talk to him first, and hear what he would say to us.
So we called him in alone, nobody being in the place but our-
selves; and I began with him thus:
“Will Atkins,” said I, “prithee what education had you?
What was your father ?”
W. A. A better man than ever I shall be. Sir, my father
was a clergyman. -
R. C. What education did he give you?
W. A. He would have taught me well, sir; but I despised
all education, instruction, or correction, like a beast as I was,
R. C. It's true, Solomon says, “He that despises reproof is
brutish.”
W. A. Ay, sir, I was brutish indeed ; I murdered my fa-
ther. For GoD's sake, sir, talk no more about that, sir; I mur-
dered my poor father.
Priest. Ha! a murderer?
Here the priest started (for I interpreted every word as he
spoke it) and looked pale. It seems he believed that Will had
really killed his own father.
R. C. No, no, sir, I do not understand him so. Will Atkins,
explain yourself; you did not kill your father, did you, with
your own hands?
W. A. No, sir, I did not cut his throat; but I cut the
thread of all his comforts, and shortened his days; I broke his
heart by the most ungrateful unnatural return for the most ten:
der affectionate treatment that ever father gave, or child could
reCel Ve.
R. C. Well, I did not ask you about your father, to extort
this confession; I pray GoD give you repentance for it, and
forgive you that, and all your other sins; but I asked you,
because I see that though you have not much learning, yet you
are not so ignorant as some are in things that are good; that
you have known more of religion a great deal than you have
practised.
W. A. Though you, sir, did not extort the confession that I
make about my father, conscience does; and whenever we come
to look back upon our lives, the sins against our indulgent Pº
rents are certainly the first that touch us; the wounds they make
lie deepest; and the weight they leave will lie heaviest upon the
mind, of all the sins we can commit. &
R. C. You talk too feelingly and sensibly for me, Atkins;
I cannot bear it. º
W. A. You bear it, master! I dare say you know nothing
of it.
R. C. Yes, Atkins; every shore, every hill, nay, I ſº
say, every tree in this island, is witness to the anguish of my
CH. III. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 277
soul, for my ingratitude and base usage of a good tender father;
a father much like yours, b Yº description ; and I murdered
my father as well as you, Will Atkins; but I think, for all that,
my repentance is short of yours too, by a great deal.
I would have said more, if I could have restrained my pas-
sions; but º." this poor man’s repentance was so much
sincerer thanºmine, that I was going to leave off the discourse,
and retire, for I was surprised with what he said ; and thought
that instead of my going about to teach and instruct him, the
man was made a teacher and instructor to me, in a most surpris-
ing and unexpected manner.
I laid all this before the young clergyman, who was greatly
affected with it. And then, having a little composed myself, I
renewed my discourse with Will Atkins.
“But Will,” said I, “how comes the sense of this matter to
touch you just now 7"
W. A. Sir, you have set me about a work that has struck a
dart through my very soul; I have been talking about GoD and
religion to my wife, in order, as you directed me, to make a
Christian of her; and she has not only consented to become so,
| preached such a sermon to me as I shall never forget while
1W e. .
R. C. No, no; it is not your wife has preached to you; but
When you were moving religious arguments to her, conscience
has flung them back upon you.
W. A. Ay, sir, with such a force as is not to be resisted.
R. C. Pray, Will, let us know what passed between you and
you...wife; for I know something of it already.
W. 4. Sir, it is impossible to give you a full account of it: I
in too full to hold it, and yet have no tongue to express; but let
her have said what she will, and though I cannot give you an
*ount of it, this I can tell you ofit, that I resolve to amend and
reform my life.
. This was strange news, and very affecting to us both, but par-
"...hºly to the young clergyman, who was under the greatest
ºffliction that he could not talk to her, that he could not speak
English to make her understand him ; and as she spoke but very
roken English, he could not understand her. However, he
*ned himself to me, and told me, that he believed there must
‘ "ore to do with this woman than to marry her. I did not
...lestand him at first; but at length he explained himself,
*ly, that she ought to be baptised.
abo * with him in that part readily, and was for going
W.d presently. “No, no; hold, sir,” said he, “ though I
Will A . her be baptised by all means, yet I must observe, that
6 tkins, her husband, has, indeed, brought her, in a won:
... i.e., tº be willing to embrace a religious life; yet I
* to know of him, if he has said anything to her of Jesus
R B -
278 LIFE AND Adventures PT. II.
CHRIST, and of the salvation of sinners; of the nature of faith
in Him, and redemption by Him; of the Holy SPIRIT, the re-
surrection, the last judgment, and a future state.
I called Will Atkins again, and asked him; but the poor
fellow fell immediately into tears, and told us, he had said some-
thing to her of all those things, but that he was him ºf so wicked
a creature, and his own conscience so reproachedºſim with his
ungodly life, that he trembled at the apprehensions, that her
knowledge of him should lessen the attention she should give to
those things, and make her rather contemn religion than receive
it; but he was assured, he said, that her mind was so disposed
to receive due impressions of all those things, that if I would but
discourse with her, she would make it appear, to my satisfaction,
that my labour would not be lost upon her.
Accordingly I called her in, and placing myself as interpre-
ter, between my religious priest and the woman, I entreated him
to begin with her; and sure a better sermon was never preached
in these latter ages of the world.
In a word, he brought the poor woman to embrace the know:
ledge of Christ, and of redemption by Him, not with wonder and
astonishment only, but with joy and faith, with an affection, and
a surprising degree of understanding, scarcely to be imagined,
much less to be expressed; and at her own request she was bap-
tised.
As soon as this was over, we married them ; and after the
marriage was over, the priest turned himself to Will Atkins, and
in a very affectionate manner exhorted him not only to perse-
vere in that good disposition he was in, but to support the ºn-
victions that were upon him, by a resolution to reform his life:
told him, it was in vain to say he repented, if he did not forsakº
his crimes; represented to him, how God had honoured him
with being the instrument of bringing his wife to the knowledg:
of the Christian religion; and that he should be careful he did
not dishonour the grace of GoD ; and that if he did, he would
see the heathen a better Christian than himself; the savage Coº"
verted, and the instrument cast away.
He said a great many good things to them both, and then
recommending them, in a few words, to GoD's goodness, #.
them the benediction, I repeating everything to them in Engliº
And thus ended the ceremony. Ithink it was the most pleasa",
agreeable day to me that ever I passed in my whole life.
But my clergyman had not done yet. His thoughts hung%'.
tinually upon the conversion of the seven-and-thirty savages; *...
he would fain have stayed upon the island to have undertaken it;
but I convinced him, first, that his undertaking was imp.
cable in itself; and, secondly, that perhaps I would put it into
way of being done, in his absence, to his satisfaction. W
Having thus brought the affairs of the island to a n”
CH. III, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 279
compass, I was Fº to go on board the ship, when the
young man that I had taken out of the famished ship's company
came to me, and told me, he understood I had a clergyman
with me, and that I had caused the Englishmen to be married
to the savages, whom they called wives; that he had a match
too, which he desired might be finished before I went, be-
tween two Christians; which he hoped would not be disagreeable
to me.
I knew this must be the young woman who was his mother's
servant, for there was no other Christian woman on the island ;
so I began to persuade him not to do anything of that kind
rashly, or because he found himself in these solitary circumstances.
I represented to him, that he had some considerable substance in
the world, and good friends, as I understood by himself and by
his maid also ; that the maid was not only poor, and a servant,
but was unequal to him, she being six or seven-and-twenty years
old, and he not above seventeen or eighteen; that he might very
Probably, with my assistance, remove from this wilderness, and
come into his own country again; and that then it would be a
thousand to one but he would repent his choice; and the dislike
of that circumstance might be disadvantageous to both. I was
going to say more, but he interrupted me, smiling; and told
* With a great deal of modesty, that I mistook in my guesses;
that he had nothing of that kind in his thoughts, his present cir-
°umstances being melancholy and disconsolate enough ; and he
Was Very glad to hear, that I had thoughts of putting them in a
May to see their country again; and nothing should have put
* upon staying there, but that the voyage I was going was so
*Ceeding long and hazardous, and would carry him quite out of
the reach of all his friends; that he had nothing to desire of me
* that I would settle him in some little property in the island
Where he was; give him a servant or two, and some few neces-
***, and he would settle himself like a planter, waiting the
90d time when, if ever I returned to England, I would redeem
* and hoped I would not be unmindful of him when I came
ºntº England; that he would give me some letters to his friends
: Lºndon, to let them know how good I had been to him, and
in what part of the world, and what circumstances I had left
t *ºn; that whenever I redeemed him, the plantation, and all
‘....'Pºovements he had made upon it, let the value be what it
"old, should be wholly mine.
His discourse was very prettily delivered, considering his
79"th; and was the more agreeable to me, because he told me
É. the match was not for himself. I gave him all pos-
i. . that if I lived to come safe to England, I would
mi j * letters, and do his business effectually; and that he
in g B epend I would never forget the circumstances I left him
• **till I was impatient to know who was the person to be
280 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
married; upon which, he told me it was my Jack-of-all-trades
and his maid Susan.
I was most agreeably surprised when he named the match;
for, indeed, I thought it very suitable. The character of that
man I have given already ; and as for the maid, she was a very
honest, modest, sober, and religious young woman ; had a very
good share of sense; was agreeable enough in her person; spoke
Very handsomely, and to the purpose ; was very handy and
housewifely in any thing that was before her; an excellent man-
ager, and fit indeed to have been governess to the whole island;
she knew very well how to behave to all kinds of folk she had
about her, and to better, if she had found any there.
The match being proposed in this manner, we married them
the same day; and, as I was father at the altar, as I may say,
and gave her away, so I gave her a portion; for I appointed her
and her husband a handsome large space of ground for their
plantation. And indeed this match, and the proposal the young
gentleman made, to give him a small property in the island, put
me upon parcelling it out amongst them, that they might not
quarrel afterwards about their situation.
This sharing out the land to them I left to Will Atkins, who,
indeed, was now grown a most sober, grave, managing fellow,
perfectly reformed, and, as far as I may be allowed to speak
j, in such a case, a sincere penitent. *
He divided things so justly, and so much to every one's satis-
faction, that they only desired one general writing under my
hand for the whole. This I caused to be drawn up, and signed
and sealed to them, setting out the bounds and situation of every
man's plantation, and testifying that I gave them thereby, sever
rally, a right to the whole possession and the inheritance of the
respective plantations or farms, with their improvements, tº
them and their heirs; reserving all the rest of the island as my
own property, and a certain rent for every particular plantation,
after eleven years, if I, or any one from me, or in my name,
came to demand it, producing an attested copy of the Sain"
writing. -
As to the government and laws among them, I told thº'
I was not capable of giving them better rules than they were *
to give themselves. I only made them promise me to live "
love and good neighbourhood with one another; and so I Pº
pared to leave them. -
One thing I must not omit; and this is, that being now set-
tled in a kind of commonwealth among themselves, and hº
much business in hand, it was but odd to have seven-and-thirty
Indians live in a nook of the island, independent, and, indeed,
unemployed; for, excepting the providing themselves food, whº,
they had difficulty enough in too sometimes, they had no .
ner of business or property to manage. I proposed thereº
CH. III, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 281
the governor Spaniard that he should go to them with Friday's
father, and propose to them to remove, and either plant for
themselves or take them into their several families as servants,
: be maintained for their labour, but without being absolute
BlàWę8.
They most willingly embraced the proposal, and came all
very cheerfully along with him ; so we allotted them land and
plantations, which three or four accepted of, but all the rest
chose to be employed as servants. And thus my colony was in
a manner settled as follows: the Spaniards possessed my original
habitation, which was the capital city, and extended their planta-
tions all along the side of the brook, which made the creek that
I have so often described, as far as my bower; and as they in-
greased their culture, it went always eastward; the English lived
in the north-east part, where Will Atkins and his comrades be-
gan, and came on southward and south-west towards the back
part of the Spaniards; and every plantation had a great addi-
tion of land to take in, if they found occasion, so that they need
not jostle one another for want of room. • .
All the east end of the island was left uninhabited, that if any
of the º should come on shore there, only for their usual
ºustomary barbarities, they might come and go; if they disturbed
nobody, nobody would disturb them. And no doubt but they
Yere often ashore, and went away again; for I never heard that
the planters were ever attacked or disturbed any more.
* now came into my thoughts, that I had hinted to my friend
the clergyman, that the work of converting the savages might,
Perhaps, be set on foot in his absence, to his satisfaction; and I
told him, that now I thought it was put in a fair way; for the
*ges being thus divided among the Christians, if they would
**Very one of them do their part with those which came under
their hands, I hoped it might have a very good effect.
He agreed presently in that. “If,” said he, “they will do
their Part; but how shall we obtain that of them?” I told him,
.* Would call them all together, and leave it in charge with
º, ºr go to them one by one, which he thought best. So we
divided it; he to speak to the Spaniards, and I to the English ;
and we recommended it earnestly to them, and made them pro-
‘...that, in their exhorting the savages to turn Christians, they
Yould teach them the knowledge of the true GoD, and of their
Saviour Jesus Cºrsº.
thi * ºne next into my mind, that amongst all the needful
. I had to leave with them, I had not left them a Bible; in
fri . I shewed myself less considering for them, than my good
H. the widow was for me when she sent me the cargo of an
and *:: Pounds from Lisbon, where she packed up three Bibles
* Prayer-book, However the good woman’s charity had a
* extent than ever she imagined; for they were reserved
B B 2
282 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
for the comfort and instruction of those that made much better
use of them than I had done. §
I took one of the Bibles in my pocket, and walked to Will
Atkins's tent, or house; where I found that the young woman I
have mentioned above and Atkins’s baptised wife had become
intimate, and had been discoursing of religion together; for Will
Atkins told it me with a great deal of joy. I asked if they were
together now And he said “Yes.” So I went into the house,
and he with me, and we found them together, very earnest in
discourse. “Oh, sir!” says Will Atkins, “when GoD has sinners
to reconcile to Himself, and aliens to bring home, He never wants
a messenger. My wife has got a new instructor; I knew I was
unworthy, as I was incapable of that work; that young woman
has been sent hither from Heaven; she is enough to convert a
whole island of savages.” The young woman blushed, and rose
up to go away, but I desired her to sit still ; I told her, she
º: a good work upon her hands, and I hoped God would bless
er in it.
We talked a little, and I did not perceive they had any book
among them, though I did not ask; but I put my hand in my
pocket, and pulled out my Bible. “Here,” says I to Atkins,
“I have brought you an assistant, that, perhaps, you had not
before.” The man was so confounded, that he was not able to
speak for some time; but recovering himself, he took it with bºth
his hands, and turning to his wife, “Here, my dear,” says, he,
“did not I tell you, our God, though He lives above, could hear
what we said Here's the book we have wished and prayed for;
now God has heard us and sent it.” When he had said thus, the
man fell into such transports of a passionate joy, that between
the joy of having it, and giving God thanks for it, the tears ran
down his face like a child. *
The woman was surprised, and had like to have run into *
mistake, that none of us were aware of; for she firmly believed
God had sent the book by an express messenger from heaveſ;
upon her husband's petition. So I turned to the maid-servanº
and told her we did not desire to impose upon the new conſe",
in her first and more ignorant understanding of things; and beg:
ged her to explain to her, that GoD may be very Fº said
to answer our petitions, when, in the course of His provideº
such things are, in a particular manner, brought to pass,” ".
petitioned for; and that we do not expect returns from Hea"*
in a miraculous and particular manner.
Surely no man was ever more thankful in the world for *.
thing of its kind, than Atkins was for this Bible; nor I believe Y.
any man ever glad of a Bible from a better ... and thoug
he had been a most profligate creature, desperate, headstrong, out-
rageous, furious, and wicked to a great degree, yet this mºn 18 8.
standing rule to us all for the well instructing children, namº


CH. III, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 283
*
that parents should never give over to teach and instruct, or ever
despair of the success of their endeavours, let their children be ever
so obstinate, refractory, or, to appearance, insensible of instruc-
tion; for if ever GoD in His providence touches the consciences
of such, the force of their education returns upon them, and the
early instruction of parents is not lost, though it may have been
many years laid asleep; but some time or other they may find
the benefit of it.
Thus it was with this poor man. However ignorant he was,
or divested of religion and Christian knowledge, he found he had
Some to do with now more ignorant than himself; and that the
least part of the instruction of his good father, that could now
come to his mind, was of use to him.
. But to return to my disposition of things among the people.
First, it is to be observed, that, for many reasons, I did not
think fit to let them know any thing of the sloop I had framed,
and which I thought of setting up among them; for I found, at
least at my first coming, such seeds of division among them, that
I saw plainly, had I set up the sloop, and left it among them,
they would, upon very light disgust, have separated, and gone
away from one another; or perhaps have turned pirates, and so
made the island a den of thieves, instead of a plantation of sober
and religious people. Nor did I leave the two pieces of brass can-
non, that I had on board, or the two quarter-deck guns that my
nephew took extraordinarily, for the same reason. I thought there
Yas enough to qualify them for a defensive war, against any that
should invade them; but not to set them up for an offensive war,
9 to encourage them to go abroad to attack others, which, in the
ºl, would only bring ruin and destruction upon themselves and
all their undertaking. I reserved the sloop, therefore, and the
; for their service another way; as I shall observe in its
€.

HAVE now done with the island. I left
them all in good circumstances and in a
flourishing condition, and went on board
my ship again, having been five-and-twenty
days among them; and as they were all
t resolved to stay upon the island till I came
to remove them, I promised to send some further relief
from the Brazils, if I could possibly find an opportunity;
and particularly I promised to send them some cattle,
such as sheep, hogs, and cows; for as to the two cows
and calves which I brought from England, we had been
obliged, by the length of our voyage, to kill them at Sea,
for want of hay to feed them.
The next day, giving them a salute of five guns at part-
ing, we set sail, and arrived at the Bay of All Saints, in the
Brazils, in about twenty-two days; meeting nothing, re-
markable in our passage but this—that about three days
after we sailed, being becalmed, and the current setting
strong to the E.N.E., running as it were into a bay or gulf,
on the land-side, we were driven something out of our
course; and once or twice our men cried land, to the east:
ward; but whether it was the continent or islands, we could
not tell. dº
But the third day, towards evening, the sea smooth and
the weather calm, we saw the sea, as it were, covered, tºr
wards the land, with something very black, not being able
to discover what it was; till, after some time, our chie
mate going up the main shrouds a little way, and looking
at them with a glass, cried out it was an army. I coul
d not



CH. IV. ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 285
imagine what he meant by an army, and spoke a little hastily,
calling the fellow a fool, or some such word. “Nay, sir,” says
he, “do not be angry ; for it is an army and a fleet too; for
I believe there are a thousand canoes, and you may see them
paddle along, and they are coming towards us too, apace.”
I was a little surprised then, indeed, and so was my nephew
the captain; for he had heard such terrible stories of them in
the island, and having never been in those seas before, that he
could not tell what to think of it, but said two or three times,
we shall all be devoured. I must confess, considering we were
becalmed, and the current set strong towards the shore, I liked
it the worse: however, I bade him not be afraid, but bring the
ship to an anchor, as soon as we came so near as to know that
we must engage them. -
In a little while they came up with us; but never was such a
horrid sight seen by Christians. My mate, however, was mistaken
in his calculation of their number, I mean of a thousand canoes;
the most we could make of them when they came up, being
about a hundred and twenty; some of them had sixteen or seven-
teen men in them, and some more, and the least six or seven.
When they came nearer to us, they seemed to be struck with
Wonder and astonishment, as at a sight which they had, doubt-
**, never seen before; nor could they, at first, as we afterwards
ºnderstood, know what to make of us. They came boldly up
however, very near to us, and seemed to design to row round us;
but we called to our men in the boats not to let them come too
near them.
... This very order brought us to an engagement with them,
without our intending; for five or six of their large canoes came
*9 near our long-boat, that our men beckoned with their hands
to them to keep back; which they understood very well, and
Went back; but at their retreat about fifty arrows came on board
us from those boats ; and one of our men in the long-boat was
Very much wounded.
However, I called to them not to fire by any means; but we
handed down some deal boards into the boat, and the carpenter
Presently set up a kind of fence, like waste-boards, to cover
. from the arrows of the savages, if they should shoot
gain.
About half an hour afterwards they came all up in a body
*stern of us, and pretty near us; so near that we could easily
discern what they were, though we could not tell their design.
And I easily found they were some of my old friends, the same
*} of savages that I had been used to engage with ; and in a
little time more they rowed a little farther out to sea, till they
Sºme directly broadside with us, and then rowed down straight
*** **, till they came so near that they could hear us speak.
Pon this, Friday immediately cried out, they were going. to
286 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
shoot ; and unhappily for him (poor fellow !) they let fly about
800 of their arrows; and, to my inexpressible grief, killed poor
Friday, no other man being in their sight. The poor fellow was
shot with no less than three arrows, and about three more ſell
very near him: such unlucky marksmen they were:
I was so enraged at the loss of my old servant, the companion
of all my sorrows and solitudes, that I immediately ordered five
guns to be loaded with small shot, and four with great; and gave
them such a broadside as they had never heard in their lives be-
fore. They were not above half a cable's length off when we fired:
and our gunners took their aim so well, that three or four of
their canoes were overset, as we had reason to believe, by one
shot only.
I can neither tell how many we killed, or how many we
wounded, at this broadside; but such a fright and hurry never
was seen among such a multitude. There were thirteen or four-
teen of their canoes split, and overset, in all ; and the men all set
a swimming. The rest, frightened out of their wits, scoured
away as fast as they could, taking but little care to save those
whose boats were split or spoiled with our shot; so I support
that they were many of them lost; and our men took up on
poor fellow swimming for his life, a full hour after they were all
OIlê.
g The same evening we weighed and set sail again; but I "
the most disconsolate creature alive, for want of my man Friday
and would have been very glad to have gone back to the island,
to have taken one of the rest from thence for my occasion, but "
could not be; so we went on. We had one prisoner, as I hº
said; and it was a long while before we could make him uſ.
stand any thing; but, in time, our men taught him some Eng.
lish, and he began to be a little tractable. Afterwards,” º,
quired what country he came from, but could make nothing .
what he said; for his speech was so odd, that we could º:
form a word after him, and we were all of opinion that º
might speak that language as well if they were gagged” .
wise; nor could we perceive that they had anyº.
for teeth, tongue, lips, or palate; but formed their wºrds !. º,
a hunting-horn forms a tune, with an open throat. He to s
however, some time after, when we had taught him to ''.
little English, that they were going with their kings; ” †
reat battle. When he said kings, we asked him, hº .ed
ings? He said there were five nation, and that they ºme
to go against two nation. We asked him, what made tº:
up to us? He said, “To makee te great wonder look. f A fia,
it is to be observed, that all those natives, as also th9* º
when they learn English, always add two e's at the ‘. i. º
words where we use one, and place the accent upon.” ºit;
makes takes, and the like; and we could not break tº"
CH. IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 287
º I could hardly make Friday leave it off, though at last he
did.
And now I name the poor fellow once more, I must take my
last leave of him; poor honest Friday ! We buried him with all
the decency and solemnity possible, by putting him into a coffin,
and committing him to the sea; and I caused them to fire eleven
guns for him; and so ended the career of the most grateful,
faithful, honest, and affectionate servant that ever man had.
We went now away with a fair wind for Brazil, and in about
twelve days’ time we made land in the latitude of five degrees
south of the line, being the north-easternmost land of all that part
of America. We kept on s. by E. in sight of the shore four days,
when we made the Cape S. Augustine; and in three days came
to an anchor off the Bay of All Saints, the old place of my
deliverance,
Never did a ship come to this part that had less business than
I had; and yet it was with great difficulty that we were admitted
!” hold the least correspondence on shore; and this upon condi-
tion absolutely capitulated for, that we should not offer to land
º out of the ship, or to carry any person away without
They were so strict with us, as to landing any goods, that it
. with extreme difficulty that I got on shore three bales of
*glish goods, such as fine broad cloths, stuffs, and some linen,
which I had brought for a present to my partner.
intº * very generous man, though (like me) he came from
of i. *3 and though he knew not that I had the least design
. him any thing, he sent me on board a present of fresh
p . Wine, and sweetmeats, worth above thirty moidores,
including some tobacco, and three or four fine medals in gold.
. `... With him in my present above mentioned; and
º elivered him about the value of 100i. sterling, in the
.*. for other uses; and obliged him to set up the sloop
colonv. i *d brought with me from England, for the use of my
*W* * order to send the refreshments I intended to my plan-
tation. y p
f Accordingly he got hands, and finished the sloop in a very
ew days, for sh
er such". She was already framed ; and I gave the master of
800m lo..".º as he could not miss the place. I got him
seamen, th the small cargo I sent them; and one of our
the slog t º been on shore with me there, offered to go with
niard ... . there, upon my letter to the governor Spa-
and givi **in a sufficient quantity of land for a plantation,
º *..." ſº Glothes, and tools for his planting work,
Marylan d, and a i. .. having been an old planter in
encouraged th neer into the bargain. Q
as an j I e fellow by granting all he desired; and,
* * gave him the savage whom we had taken
288 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II,
prisoner of war, to be his servant, and ordered the governor
Spaniard to give him his share of every thing he wanted, with
the rest.
Among the rest of the supplies sent my tenants in the island,
I sent them, by this sloop, three milch cows and five calves,
about twenty-two hogs among them, three sows, two mares, and
a horse.
All this cargo arrived safe, and, as you may easily suppose,
was very welcome to my old inhabitants, who were now (with
this addition) between sixty and seventy people, besides little
children.
I had no more business to go to the East Indies than a man
at full liberty, and having committed no crime, has to go to the
turnkey at Newgate, and desire him to lock him up among the
prisoners there, and starve him. Had I taken a small vessel
from England, and gone directly to the island ; had I loaded
her, as I did the other vessel, with all the necessaries for the
plantation, and for my people; taken a patent from the govern-
ment here, to have secured my property, in subjection only to
that of England; had I carried over cannon and ammunition,
servants, and people to plant, and, taking possession of the place,
fortified and strengthened it in the name of England, and in-
creased it with people, as I might easily have done; had I then
settled myself there, and sent the ship back, laden with good
rice, as I might also have done in six months' time, and ordered
my friends to have fitted her out again for our supply;-ºld
I done this, and stayed there myself, I had at least acted likº
a man of common sense. All this I neglected to do. Alas! I
was possessed with a wandering spirit, scorned all advantagº;
pleased myself with being the patron of those people I hº
placed there, and doing for them in a kind of haughty majestic
way, like an old patriarchal monarch; providing for then, tº
I had been father of the whole family, as well as of the plant*
tion. But I never so much as pretended to plant in the namº.
any government or nation, or to acknowledge any prince, 9 to
call my people subjects to any one nation more than another;
nay, I never so much as gave the island a name; but left "...".
I found it, belonging to nobody; and the people under nº dis.
cipline or government but my own; who, though I had "...
fluence over them as a father and benefactor, had 110 authority
or power to act or command one way or other, farther than
voluntary consent moved them to comply. Even this, hº
had I stayed there, would have done weſi enough ; but as 'ſº
bled from them, and came there no more, the last letters! .
from any of them was by my partner's means, who afte"
sent another sloop to the place; and who sent me word; º
I had not the letter till five years after it was written, that..."
Atkins was dead; that five of the Spaniards were come away 5
CH. I.W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 280
and that though they had not been much molested by the
savages, yet they had had some skirmishes with them ; and that
they begged of him to write to me, to think of the promise I
had made to fetch them away, that they might see their own
country again before they died.
But I was gone a wild-goose chase indeed; and they that will
have any more of me, must be content to follow me through a
new variety of hardships and adventures; wherein the justice of
Providence may be duly observed, and we may see how easily
Heaven can gorge us with our own desires, make the strongest
of our wishes be our affliction, and punish us most severely with
those Yº things which we think it would be our utmost hap-
piness to be allowed in.
I should only add, that my honest and truly pious clergy-
man left me here. A ship being ready to go to Lisbon, he asked
me leave to go thither; being still, as he observed, bound never
tº finish any voyage he began. How happy had it been for me,
if I had gone with him
But it was now too late; all things Heaven appoints are best
Had I gone with him, I had never had so many things to be
thankful for; and you had never heard of the second part of the
Travels and Adventures of Robin Crusoe. So I must leave the
fruitless exclaiming at myself, and go on with my voyage.
From the Brazils, we made directly away over the Atlantic
sea to the Cape of Good Hope; and had a tolerably good voy-
*gº our course generally south-east; now and then a storm,
and some contrary winds. But my disasters at sea were at an
“nd; Iny future rubs and cross events were to befall me on
shore; that it might appear the land is as well prepared to be
* Scourge as the sea, when Heaven, who directs the circum-
*ges of things, pleases to appoint it to be so.
Our ship was on a trading voyage, and had a supercargo on
board, who was to direct aii her motions after she arrived at the
*Pe; only being limited to a certain number of days for stay, by
**r-party, at the several ports she was to go to. .
We made no stay at the Cape, longer than was needful to
** in fresh water, but made the best of our way for the coast
of Coromandel. We were, indeed, informed that a French man-
of-war of fifty guns, and two large merchant-ships, were gone
for the Indies; and, as I knew we were at war with France, I
*! some apprehensions of them; but they went their own way,
*nd we heard no more of them.
O . not pester my account, or the reader, with descriptions
i * Journals of our voyage, variations of the compass,
the | º, meridian distances, trade-wind, situation of ports, and
tºd. º it is enough to name the ports and places which we
One . * and what occurred to us, upon our passing from
*nother. We touched first at the island of Madagascar,
G C
290 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
where, though the people are fierce and treacherous, and, in
particular, very well armed with lances and bows, which they
use with inconceivable dexterity, yet we fared very well with
them a while; they treated us very civilly; and for some trifles
which we gave them, such as knives, scissors, &c. they brought
us eleven good fat bullocks, middling in size, but very good in
flesh, which we took in, partly for fresh provisions for our pre-
sent eating, and the rest to salt for the ship’s use.
We were obliged to stay here some time, after we had fur-
nished ourselves with provisions; and I was for going on shore
as often as I could. It was on the east side of the island that
we went on shore one evening; and the people, who, by the
way, were very numerous, came thronging about us, and stood
gazing at us from a distance; but as we had traded freely with
them, and had been kindly used, we thought ourselves in no
danger: but when we saw the people, we cut three boughs out
of a tree, and stuck them at a distance from us, which, it seems,
is a mark in the country, not only of truce and friendship, but
when it is accepted, the other side sets up three poles or boughs;
which is a signal that they accept the truce too; but then this is
a known condition of the truce, that you are not to pass beyond
their three poles towards them, nor they come past your three
poles or boughs towards you; so that you are perfectly secure
within the three poles; and all the space between your three
poles and theirs is allowed like a market, for free converse,
traffic, and commerce. When you go there, you must not carry
your weapons with you; and if they come into that space, they
stick up their javelins and lances all at the first poles, and come
on unarmed ; but if any violence is offered them, and the truce
thereby broken, away they run to the poles, and lay hold of
their weapons, and then the truce is at an end.
It happened one evening, when we went on shore, that .
greater number of their people came down than usual; but all
was very friendly and civil, and they brought in several kinds
of provisions, for which we satisfied them with such toys as Wº
had: their women also brought us milk and roots, and sever."
things very acceptable to us, and all was quiet; and we made
us a little tent, or hut, of some boughs of trees, and stayed 9”
shore all night.
I know not what was the occasion, but I was not so well
satisfied to remain on shore as the rest; and the boat riding
at anchor about a stone-cast frciu the land, with two men II]
her to take care of her, I made one of them come on shore. **
getting some boughs of trees to cover us also in the boat, I SP.
the sail on the bottom of the boat, and lay under the cover of *
branches of trees all night in the boat. -
About two o'clock in the morning we heard one of our *
make a terrible noise on shore, calling out to us to bring *
CH. IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 291
boat in, and come and help them, for they were all like to be
murdered ; at the same time I heard the fire of five muskets,
which was the number of the guns they had, and that three
times over; for, it seems, the natives here were not so easily
frightened with guns as the savages were in America, where I
had to do with them.
All this while I knew not what was the matter; but rousing
immediately from sleep with the noise, I caused the boat to be
thrust in, and resolved to land and assist our men.
We got the boat soon to the shore; but our men were in too
much haste; for, being come to the land, they plunged into the
water, to get to the boat with all the expedition, they could,
being pursued by between three and four hundred men. Our
men were but nine in all, and only five of them had fusees with
them ; the rest had indeed pistols and swords, but they were of
small use to them.
We took up seven of our men, and with difficulty enough
toº, three of them being very ill wounded; and that which was
still worse, was, that while we stood in the boat to take our men
in, we were in as much danger as they were in on shore; for
they poured their arrows in upon us so thick, that we were fain
tº barricade the side of the boat with the benches, and two or
three loose boards, which, to our great satisfaction, we had, by
mere accident, or providence, in the boat.
And yet, had it been daylight, they are, it seems, such exact
marksmen, that if they could have seen the least part of any of
**, they would have been sure of us: but we had, by the light of
the moon, a little sight of them, as they stood peſting us from
the shore with darts and arrows; so, having got ready our fire-
*ºns, we gave them a volley: and we could hear by the cries
"f some of them, that we had wounded several. However, they
Wºod thus in battle array on the shore till break of day, which
sºppose was, that they might see the better to take their aim
8.
In this condition we lay, and could not tell how to weigh our
*hor, or set up our saiſ, because we must needs stand up in
the bºat, and they were as sure to hit us, as we were to hit a
bird in a tree with small shot. We made signals of distress to
the ship, which, though a league off, yet the captain, hearing
i. firing, and perceiving the posture we lay in, and that we
fired towards the shore, pretty well understood us; and, weigh-
º: ºf with all speed, he stood as near the shore as he durst
: the ship, and then sent another boat, with ten hands in her,
ta **t, us. They stood in nearer to us, and one of the men,
. the end of a tow-line in his hand, and keeping our boat
.. him and the enemy, so that they could not perfectly
.."...am on board us, and made the line fast to the boat;
Pon which we slipt our little cable, and leaving our anchor
292 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
behind, they towed us out of the reach of the arrows; we all the
while lying close behind the barricade we had made.
As soon as we were got from between the ship and the shore,
so that she could lay her side to the shore, she ran along just by
them, and poured in a broadside among them, loaded with pieces
of iron and lead, small bullets and such stuff, besides the great
shot, which made a terrible havoc amongst them.
When we were got on board and out of danger, we had time
to examine into the occasion of this fray; and, indeed, our super-
cargo, who had been, often in those parts, put me upon it; for
he said he was sure the inhabitants would not have touched us
after we had made a truce, if we had not done something to
provoke them to it. At length it came out; namely, that an
old woman, who had come to sell us some milk, had brought it
within our poles, accompanied by a young woman, who also
brought some roots or herbs; and while the old woman (whether
she was mother to the young woman or not, they could not tell)
was selling us the milk, one of our men offered some rudeness
to the girl that was with her; at which the old woman made
a great noise. However, the seaman would not quit his prize,
but carried her out of the old woman’s sight, it being almost
dark: the old woman went away without her; and, as we sup-
pose, made an outcry among the people she came from, who,
upon notice, raised this great army upon us in three or four
hours; and it was great odds but we had all been destroyed.
One of our men was killed with a lance that was thrown at
him, just at the beginning of the attack, as he sallied out of the
tent they had made; the rest came off free, all but the fellow
who was the occasion of all the mischief, who paid dear enough
for his bad behaviour, for we could not hear what became of him
a great while. We lay upon the shore two days after, though
the wind presented, and made signals for him; made our boat
sail up shore and down shore several leagues, but in vain ; SQ
we were obliged to give him over: and if he alone had suffered
for it, the loss had been the less.
I could not satisfy myself, however, without venturing on
shore once more, to try if I could learn any thing of him or
them. It was the third night after the action, that I had a
great mind to learn, if I could by any means, what mischief we
had done, and how the game stood on the Indians’ side. I was
careful to do it in the dark, lest we should be attacked again,;
but I ought indeed to have been sure that the men I went with
had been under my command, before I engaged in a thing S0
hazardous and mischievous as I was brought into by it, without
my knowledge or desire. *
We took twenty stout fellows with us as any in the ship,
besides the supercargo and myself; and we landed two hour;
before midnight, at the same place where the Indians stood
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 293
drawn up the evening before. I landed here, because my de-
sign, as I have said, was chiefly to see if they had quitted the
field, and if they had left any marks behind them, or of the
mischief we had done them ; and I thought, if we could sur-
prise one or two of them, perhaps we might get our man again,
by way of exchange.
We landed without any noise, and divided our men into two
bodies, whereof the boatswain commanded one, and I the other.
We neither saw nor heard any body stir when we landed ; and
we marched up, one body at a distance from the other, to the
place, but at first could see nothing, it being very dark; till by
and by, our boatswain, that led the first party, stumbled and
fell over a dead body. This made them halt awhile; for, know-
ing by the circumstances that they were at the place where the
Indians had stood, they waited for my coming up here; we con-
cluded to halt till the moon began to rise, which we knew would
be in less than an hour, when we could easily discern the havoc
we had made among them. We told two and thirty bodies upon
the ground, whereof two were not quite dead. Some had an
arm, and some a leg, shot off; and one his head. Those that
were not mortally wounded, we supposed they had carried away.
When we had made, as I thought, a full discovery of all we
could come at the knowledge of, I was resolved for going on
board ; but the boatswain and his party sent me word, that
they were resolved to make a visit to the Indian town, where
these dogs, as they called them, dwelt, and asked me to go
along with them; and if they could find them, as still they fan-
Sied they should, they did not doubt getting a good booty; and
It * be, they might find Tom Jeffrys there (the man we had
OSt).
Had they sent to ask my leave to go, I should have com:
manded them instantly on board, knowing it was not a hazard
fit for us to run, who had a ship and ship-loading in our charge,
and a voyage to make, which depended very much upon the
lives of the men; but as they sent me word they were resolved
tº go, and only asked me and my company to go along with
them, I positively refused it, and rose up in order to return to the
boat. One or two of the men began to importune me to go;
and when I refused positively, began to grumble, and say they
Were not under my command, and they would go. “Come,
Jack,” says one of the men, “will you go with me? I will go
for one.” Jack said he would ; and another followed; and then
another; and, in a word, they all left me but one, whom I per-
suaded to stay; so the supercargo and I, with the third man,
Went back to the boat, where we told them we would stay for
them, and be ready to take in as many of them as should be
left; for it was a mad thing they were going about, and we sup-
Posed most of them would run the fate of Tom Jeffrys. :
C C 2
294 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT, II,
Well, they all went away; and though the attempt was des.
perate, and such as none but madmen would have gone about,
yet, to give them their due, they went about it as warily as
boldly. . It is true they were gallantly armed, for they had every
man a fusee, or musket, a bayonet, and a pistol; some of them
had broad cutlasses, some of them hangers ; and the boatswain,
and two more, had pole-axes: besides all which, they had among
them thirteen hand-grenades. Bolder fellows, and better pro-
vided, never went about any wicked work in the world.
When they went out, their chief design was plunder; and
they were in great hopes of finding gold there; but a circum-
stance, which none of them were aware of, set them on fire
with revenge, and made demons of them all. When they came
to the few Indian houses, which they thought had been the town,
which was not above half a mile off, they were under a great
disappointment; for there were not above twelve or thirteen
houses; and where the town was, or how big, they knew not.
They consulted therefore what to do, and were some time before
they could resolve: for if they fell upon these, they must cut
all their throats; and it was ten to one but some of them might
escape, it being in the night, though the moon was up ; and if ºne
escaped, he would run away, and raise all the town, and so they
should have a whole army upon them. Again, on the other
hand, if they went away, and left those untouched (for tº
people were all asleep) they could not tell which way to look
for the town. 4.
However, the last was the best advice ; so they resolved to
leave them, and look for the town as well as they could: . They
went on a little way, and found a cow tied to a tree; this they
presently concluded would be a good guide to them ; for tly
said the cow certainly belonged to the town before them, or the
town behind them; and if they untied her, they should see which
way she went: if she went back, they had nothing to say tº her;
but if she went forward, they had nothing to do but to follow
her. So they cut the cord, which was made of twisted flags,"
the cow went on before them. In a word, the cow led them
directly to the town, which, as they reported, consisted of above
200 houses, or huts; and in some of these there were Se'"
families living together.
Here they found all in silence, as profoundly secure * º
and a country that had never seen an enemy of that kind . r
make them. And first they called another council, to º:
what they had to do; and, in a word, they resolved to º:
themselves into three bodies, and to set three houses on *.
three parts of the town ; and as the men came out, to sº.” º:
bind them, (if any resisted, they need not be asked what * ut
then,) and so to search the rest of the houses for plunder.
they resolved first to march silently through the town; *
CH, IV, OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 295.
what dimensions it was of, and if they might venture upon it
or not. 4.
They did so, and desperately resolved that they would ven-
ture upon them. But while they were animating one another to
the work, three of them, that were a little before the rest, called
out aloud, and told them they had found Tom Jeffrys. They all
ran up to the place; and so it was indeed, for there they found
the poor fellow hanged up naked by one arm, and his throat
cut. There was an Indian house just by the tree, where they
discovered sixteen or seventeen of the principal Indians, who
had been concerned in the fray with us before, and two or three
of them wounded with our shot; and our men found they were
awake, and talking one to another in that house, but knew not
their number.
The sight of their poor mangled comrade so enraged them,
that they swore to one another they would be revenged, and
that not an Indian that came into their hands should have any
quarter. And to work they went immediately; and yet not
so madly as by the rage and fury they were in might be ex-
Peeted. Their first care was to get something that would soon
take fire; but after a little search, they found that would be to
no purpose; for most of the houses were low, and thatched with
ags or rushes, of which the country is full; so they presently
made some wild-fire, as we call it, by wetting a little powder in
the palms of their hands; and in a quarter of an hour they set the
tºwn on fire in four or five places; and particularly that house
Where the Indians were not gone to bed. As soon as the fire
*gan to blaze, the poor creatures rushed out to save their
lives; but met with their fate in the attempt, and especially at
the door, where they drove them back, the boatswain himself
killing one or two with his pole-axe. The house being large, and
**ny in it, he did not care to go in, but called for a hand-gren-
ade, and threw it among them, which at first frightened them ;
but when it burst, made such havoc among them, that they cried
out in a hideous manner.
In short, most of the Indians who were in the open part of the
house were killed or hurt with the grenade, except two or three
**, who pressed to the door, which the boatswain and two
. kept, with the bayonets in the muzzles of their pieces, and
*Patched all that came that way. But there was another apart-
º the house, where the prince, or king, and several others,
i. 3. hº they kept in, till the house, which was by this
**ll ºf a light flame, fell in upon them, and they were all
smothered or burnt together.
wº i. while they fired not a gun, because they would not
fire be e.people faster than they could master them; but the
to k * 9 waken them fast enough, and our fellows were glad
*P* little together in bodies; for the fire grew so raging,
296 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II,
all the houses being made of light combustible stuff, that they
could hardly bear the heat between them ; and their business
was to follow the fire for the surer execution. As fast as the fire
either forced the people out of those houses which were burning,
or frightened them out of others, our people were ready at their
doors to knock them on the head, still calling and hallooing to
one another to remember Tom Jeffrys.
While this was doing, I must confess I was very uneasy, and
especially when I saw the flames of the town, which, it being
night, seemed to be just by me.
My nephew too, who was roused by his men, seeing such
a fire, was very uncomfortable, not knowing what the matter
was, or what danger I was in ; especially hearing the guns; for
by this time they began to use their fire-arms. A thousand
thoughts oppressed his mind concerning me and the supercargo,
as to what would become of us; and at last, though he could ill
spare any more men, yet, not knowing what exigence we might
be in, he took another boat, and with thirteen men came on shore
to me.
He was surprised to see me and the supercargo in the boat,
with no more than two men; and though he was glad that we
were well, yet he was in the same impatience with us to know
what was doing; for the noise continued, and the flames increased.
In short it was next to an impossibility for any men in the world
to restrain their curiosity to know what had happened, or their
concern for the safety of the men. In a word, the captain toll
me he would go and help his men, let what would come...
argued with him, as I did before with the men, and told him
I would go, and the two men, and only see if we could at a dis;
tance learn what was like to be the event, and come back an
tell him.
It was all one to talk to my nephew as it was to talk to."
rest before; he would go, he said, and he only wished he hº
left but ten men in the ship; for he could not think of having
his men lost for want of help : he would rather lose the ship,
the voyage, and his life and all. And away went he.
In a word, I was no more able to stay behind now than | Wº
to persuade them not to go; so, in short, the captain ordered two
men to row back the pinnace, and fetch twelve men more, leº
the long-boat at an anchor; and that when they came back º
men should keep the two boats, and six more come atter.us., ...
that he left only sixteen men in the ship; for the whole, ship.
company consisted of sixty-five men, whereof two were los' "
the late quarrel which brought this mischief on. sº f
Being now on the march, you may be sure we felt little .
the ground we trod on; and being guided by the fire, We kep
no path, but went directly to the place of the conflagration, 6
the noise of the guns was surprising to us before, the cries 9
CH, IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 297
poor people were now of quite another nature, and filled us with
horror.
However, we went on, and at length came to the town, though
there was no entering the streets of it for the fire. The first ob-
ject we met with was the ruins of a hut or house, or rather the
ashes of it, for the house was consumed; and just before it, plain
now to be seen by the light of the fire, lay four men and three
women killed ; and, as we thought, one or two more lay in the
heap among the fire. In short, there were such instances of a
rage altogether barbarous, and of a fury something beyond what
was human, that we thought it impossible our men could be
guilty of it; or if they were the authors of it, we thought they
ought to be every one of them put to the worst of deaths. But
this was not all; we saw the fire increased forward, and the cry
went on, just as the fire went on; so that we were in the utmost
confusion. We advanced a little way farther; and beheld, to our
astonishment, three women crying in a most dreadful manner,
come flying, as if they had indeed had wings, and after them
Sixteen or seventeen men, natives, in the same terror and con-
sternation, with three of our English butchers (for I can call them
no better) in their rear; who, when they could not overtake
them, fired in among them, and one that was killed by their shot
fºll down in our sight. When the rest saw us, believing us to be
their enemies, and that we would murder them, as well as those
that pursued them, they set up a most dreadful shriek, especiall
the Women; and two of them fell down as if already dead wit
the fright.
My very soul shrunk within me, and my blood ran chill in
"Y Veins, when I saw this ; and I believe, had the three English
*ilors that pursued them come on, I had made our men kill them
* However, we took some ways to let the poor flying crea-
*res know that we would not hurt them; and immediately they
* up to us, and kneeling down, with their hands lifted up,
*de piteous lamentation to us to save them, which we let them
* We would : whereupon they crept all together in a huddle,
* behind us, as for protection. I'left myºmen drawn up to:
i. and charged them to hurt nobody, but, if possible, to get
j. of our people, and see what devil it was possessed them,
off: what they intended to do; and, in a word, to command them
{lJ.; them, that if they stayed till day-light, they would
and * undred thousand men about their ears; Isay, Ileft them,
wit . *nong those flying people, taking only two of our men
Some º º there was, indeed, a piteous spectacle among them:
mi. . had their feet terribly burnt with trampling and
the º, rough the fire; others, their hands burnt; one of
burnt . had fallen down in the fire, and was very much
ºre she could get out again; two or three of the men
*uts in their backs and thighs, from our men pursuing ;
298 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT, II,
. another was shot through the body, and died while I was
there.
I would fain have learned what the occasion of all this was,
but I could not understand one word they said, though by signs
I perceived that some of them knew not what was the occasion
themselves. I was so terrified in my thoughts at this outrageous
attempt, that I could not stay there, but went back to my own
men, and resolved to go into the middle of the town through the
fire, or whatever might be in the way, and put an end to it, cost
what it would. Accordingly, as soon as I came back to my men,
I told them my resolution, and commanded them to follow me;
when in the very moment came four of our men, with the boat-
swain at their head, roving over the heaps of bodies they had
killed, all covered with blood and dust, as if they wanted more
people to massacre. Our party hallooed to them as loud as they
could halloo; and with much ado, one of them made them hear;
so that they knew who we were, and came up to us.
As soon as the boatswain saw us, he set up a halloo like a
shout of triumph, for having, as he thought, more help come;
and without waiting to hear me, “Captain,” says he, “noble
captain, I am glad you are come; we have not half done yet.
Villanous dogs! I will kill as many of them as poor Tom has
hairs upon his head. We have sworn to spare none of them; We
will root out the very nation of them from the earth!” and thus
he ran on, out of breath too with action, and would not give us
leave to speak a word. te
At last, raising my voice that I might silence him a little,
“Barbarous dog P’ said I, “what are you doing? I will not have
one creature touched more, upon pain of death. I charge you,
upon your life, to stop your hands, and stand still here, or Y9"
are a dead man this minute.”
“Why, sir,” says he, “do you know what you do, or whº
they have done? § you want a reason for what we have donº
come hither;” and with that he shewed me the poor fellow hang-
ing upon a tree, with his throat cut. © ld
I confess I was urged then myself, and at another time shoul
have been forward enough ; but I thought they had carried their
rage too far, and thought of Jacob's words to his sons Simeon .
Levi, “Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wº".
for it was cruel.” But I had now a new task upon my hands;
for when the men I carried with me saw the sight, as I had dº.
I had as much to do to restrain them as I should have had "!
the other; nay, my nephew himself fell in with them, and ſº
me, in their hearing, that he was only concerned for fear 9 t .
men being overpowered; for, as to the people, he thought 1.
one of them ought to live; for they had all glutted theº.
with the murder of the poor man, and that they ought tº be us€ll
like murderers. Upon these words, away ran eight of "y"
CH. I.W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 299
with the boatswain and his crew, to complete their bloody work.
And I, seeing it quite out of my power to restrain them, came
away pensive and sad; for I could not bear the sight, much less
the horrible noise and cries of the poor wretches that fell into
their hands.
I got nobody to come back with me but the supercargo and
two men, and with these I walked back to the boats. It was a
very great piece of folly in me, I confess, to venture back as it
were alone; for as it began now to be almost day, and the alarm
had run over the country, there stood about forty men, armed
with lances and bows, at the little place where the twelve or thir-
teen houses stood, mentioned before ; but by accident I missed
the place, and came directly to the sea-side; and by the time I
got to the sea-side, it was broad day. Immediately I took the
pinnace, and went aboard, and sent her back to assist the men in
what might happen.
By the time the men got to the shore with the pinnace, our
men began to appear. They came dropping in, some and some ;
not in two bodies and in form, as they went, but all in heaps,
Straggling here and there in such a manner that a small force
of resolute men might have cut them all off.
But the dread of them was upon the whole country. And
the natives were amazed and surprised, and so frightened, that,
I believe, a hundred of them would have fled at the sight of but
We of our men. Nor in all this terrible action was there a man
that made any considerable defence; they were so surprised
between the terror of the fire and the sudden attack of our men
* the dark, that they knew not which way to turn themselves;
for if they fled one way, they were met by one party, if back
*śain; by another; so that they were every where knocked down.
*.did any of our men receive the least hurt, except one that
*ined his foot, and another that had one of his hands burnt.
..! was very angry with my nephew the captain, and indeed
with all the men, but with him in particular, as well for his
*ng so out of his duty, as commander of the ship, and having
i. charge of the voyage upon him, as in his prompting, rather
* cooling, the rage of his men in so bloody and cruel an
ºPrise. My nephew answered me very respectfully ; but
. me that when he saw the body of the poor seaman whom
°y had murdered in such a cruel and barbarous manner, he
Yùs not master of himself, neither could he govern his passion.
th. º he should not have done so, as he was commander of
Ilot . but as he was a man, and nature moved him, he could
to * it. As for the rest of the men, they were not subject
** all, and they knew it well enough; so they took no
notice of my dislike. &
* next day we set sail; so we never heard any more of it.
*n differed in the account of the number they killed; some
300 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES PT. II,
said one thing, some another. But according to the best of their
accounts put together, they killed or destroyed about a hundred
and fifty people, men, women, and children, and left not a house
standing in the town. -
However just our men thought this action, I was against
them in it; and I always, after that time, told them GoD would
blast the voyage ; for I looked upon all the blood they shed that
night to be murder in them. For though it is true that they had
killed Tom Jeffrys, yet it was as true that Jeffrys was the aggres-
sor, had broken the truce, and had ill-treated a young woman
of theirs who came down to them innocently, and on the faith of
their public capitulation. - &
We were now bound to the gulf of Persia, and from thence
to the coast of Coromandel, only to touch at Surat; but the
chief of the supercargo's design lay at the bay of Bengal, where
if he missed of his business outward-bound, he was to go up to
China, and return to the coast as he came home.
The first disaster that befell us was in the gulf of Persia, where
five of our men, venturing on shore on the Arabian side of the
gulf, were surrounded by the Arabians, and either all killed or
carried away into slavery ; the rest of the boat's crew were not
able to rescue them, and had but just time to get off their boat.
I began to upbraid them with the just retribution of Heaven in
this case; but the boatswain very warmly told me that none of
those five men who were now lost were of the number of those
who went on shore to the massacre of Madagascar (so I alway.
called it, though our men could not bear the word “massacre"
with any patience); and indeed this circumstance put me to
silence for the present.
But my frequent preaching to them on this subject had Wors”
consequences than I expected; and the boatswain, who had be".
the head of the attempt, came up boldly to me one time, all
told me he found that I continually brought that affair upon tº
stage; that I made unjust reflections upon it, and had used tº
men very ill on that account, and himself in particular; that *
I was but a passenger, and had no command in the ship, or ºn.
cern in the voyage, they were not obliged to bear it; that º
did not know but I might have some ill design in my head, "
perhaps would call them to an account for it when they ".
to England; and that therefore unless I would resolve, to hº
done with it, and also not to concern myself any farther wif
him or any of his affairs, he would leave the ship, for he did "
think it was safe to sail with me among them. d
I heard him ...'. enough tili he had done; and then tº
him that I did confess that I had all along opposed the mºsº.
of Madagascar, for such I would always call it, and that I had."
all occasions spoken my mind freely about it, though not mº
of him than of any of the rest. That as to my having no “”
CH, IV. OF ROBIN SON CRU SOE. 301
mand in the ship, that was true, nor did I exercise any autho-
rity, but only took my liberty of speaking my mind in things
which publicly concerned us all; and what concern I had in the
voyage, that was none of his business; that I was a considerable
owner of the ship, and in that claim I conceived I had a right
to speak, even farther than I had yet done, and would not be
accountable to him or any one else; and began to be a little
warm with him. He made but little reply to me at that time,
and I thought that affair had been over. e were at this time
in the road to Bengal; and being willing to see the place, I went
on shore with the supercargo, in the ship's boat to divert my-
self, and towards evening was preparing to go on board, when
one of the men came to me, and told me he would not have me
trouble myself to come down to the boat, for they had orders
not to carry me on board any more. Any one may guess what
a surprise I was in at so insolent a message; and I asked the
man who bade him deliver that errand to me ! He told me the
cockswain. I said no more to the fellow, but bade him let them
know he had delivered his message, and that I had given him
no answer to it.
I immediately went and found out the supercargo, and told
him the story, adding (what I presently foresaw, viz.) that there
would certainly be a mutiny in the ship, and entreated him to
go immediately on board the ship in an Indian boat, and ac-
quaint the captain of it. But I might have spared this intelli-
gence; for, before I had spoken to him on shore, the matter was
effected on board. The boatswain, the gunner, the carpenter,
find, in a word, all the inferior officers, as soon as I was gone off
in the boat, came up to the quarter-deck, and desired to speak
with the captain; and there the boatswain making a long ha-
rangue (for the fellow talked very well), and repeating all he
ad said to me, told the captain in few words, that as I was now
gºne peaceably on shore, they were loath to use any violence
with me, which, if I had not gone on shore, they would other-
Wise have done, to oblige me to have gone. They therefore
thought fit to tell him, that as they shipped themselves to serve
*...the ship under his command, they would perform it well and
faithfully; but if I would not quit the ship, or the captain oblige
* to quit it, they would all leave the ship, and sail no farther
With him ; and at that word “all,” he turned his face about to-
Wºrds the main-mast, which was, it seems, the signal agreed on
between them, at which all the seamen being got together there,
°ried out, “One and all, One and all!”
My nephew, the captain, was a man of spirit, and of great
Pºnce of mind; and though he was surprised, yet he told them
calmly he would consider of the thing, but that he could do
nothing in it till he had spoken to me about it. He used some
**nents with them, to shew them the unreasonableness and
D D
302 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
injustice of their conduct; but it was all in vain; they swore and
shook hands round, before his face, that they would go all on
shore, unless he would engage to them not to suffer me to come
any more on board the ship.
This was a hard article upon him, who knew his obligation
to me, and did not know how I might take it. So he began to
talk cavalierly to them; told them that I was a very considerable
owner of the ship, and that in justice he could not put me out
of my own house; that let them go into what ship they would,
if ever they came to England again it would cost them dear;
that the ship was mine, and that he could not put me out of it;
and that he would rather lose the ship and the voyage too than
disoblige me so much ; so they might do as they pleased. How-
ever he would go on shore and talk with me ; and invited the
boatswain to go with him, and perhaps they might accommodate
the matter with me.
But they all rejected the proposal, and said they would have
nothing to do with me any more, either on board or on shore,
and if I came on board, they would all go on shore. “Well,”
said the captain, “if you are all of this mind, let me go on shore
and talk with him.” So away he came to me with this account,
a little after the message had been brought to me from the cock-
SWąIIł.
I was very glad to see my nephew, I must confess; for I
was not without apprehensions that they would confine him by
violence, set sail and run away with the ship; and then I had
been stripped naked, in a remote country, and nothing to help
myself; in short I had been in a worse case than when I was
all alone in the island.
But they had not come that length, it seems, to my great
satisfaction; and when my nephew told me what they had said
to him, and how they had sworn and shook hands that they
would one and all leave the ship if I was suffered to come on
board, I told him he should not be concerned at it at all, for I
would stay on shore; I only desired he would take care and
send me all my necessary things on shore, and leave me a suffi-
cient sum of money, and I would find my way to England as
well as I could.
This was a heavy piece of news to my nephew; but there was
no way to help it but to comply with it. So, in short, he went
on board the ship again, and satisfied the men that his uncle had
ielded to their importunity, and had sent for his goods from on
ł. the ship. So the matter was over in a very few hours, the
men returned to their duty, and I began to consider what course
I should steer.
I was now alone in the remotest part of the world; for I was
near three thousand leagues by sea farther off from England than
I was at my island; only, it is true, I might travel here by land
CH. IV. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 303
over the Great Mogul’s country to Surat, might go from thence
to Bassora by sea up the gulf of Persia, and from thence might
take the way of the caravans over the desert of Arabia to Aleppo
and Scanderoon; from thence by sea again to Italy, and so over-
land into France. And this put together might be, at least, a full
diameter of the globe; but if it were to be measured, I suppose
it would appear to be a great deal more.
I had another way before me, which was to wait for some
English ships which were coming to Bengal from Achin, on the
island of Sumatra, and get a passage on board them for England.
My nephew left me two servants, or rather one companion
and one servant; the first was clerk to the purser whom he en-
gaged to go with me, and the other was his own servant. I took
me also a good lodging in the house of an Englishwoman, where
Several merchants lodged, some French, two Italians or rather
Jews, and one Englishman. Here I was handsomely enough
entertained; and, that I might not be thought to run rashly
upon any thing, I stayed above nine months, considering what
course to take and how to manage myself. I had some English
goods with me of value, and a considerable sum of money; my
nephew furnishing me with a thousand pieces of eight, and a
letter of credit for more if I had occasion, that I might not be
straitened whatever might happen.
I quickly and advantageously disposed of my goods; and, as
I originally intended, bought here some very good diamonds,
which, of all other things, were the most proper for me in my
present circumstances, because I might always carry my whole
estate about me.
After a long stay here, and many proposals made for my re-
turn to England, but none falling out to my mind, the English
merchant who lodged with me, and with whom I had contracted
an intimate acquaintance, came to me one morning : “Country-
man,” says he, “I have a project to communicate to you which,
as it suits with my thoughts, may, for aught I know, suit with
yours also when you shall have thoroughly considered it.
“Here we are posted,” he continued, “ you by accident and
I by my own choice, in a part of the world very remote from our
own country; but it is in a country where, by us who understand
trade and business, a great deal of money is to be got. If you
will put a thousand pounds to my thousand pounds, we will hire
a ship here, the first we can get to our minds; you shall be cap-
tain, I will be merchant, and we will go a trading voyage to
China. For what should we stand still for 7 The whole world is
in motion, rolling round and round; all the creatures of GoD,
heavenly bodies and earthly, are busy and diligent: why should
We be idle 2 There are no drones in the world but men: why
should we be of that number?”
I liked his proposal very well; and the more because it
304 ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. PT. II.
seemed to be expressed with so much good-will, and in so
friendly a manner. It was, however, some time before we could
get a ship to our minds ; and when we got a vessel, it was not
easy to get so many English sailors as were necessary to govern
the voyage, and manage the sailors we should pick up. After
some time we got a mate, a boatswain, and a gunner, English ;
a Dutch carpenter, and three Portuguese foremast-men. With
these we found we could do well enough, having Indian seamen,
such as they were, to make up.
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(O many travellers havewritten Jºº
the history of their voyages
and travels this way, that it would be very
little diversion to any body to give a long
account of the places we went to, and the
people who inhabit there. It is enough
for me to tell you that I made this voy-
age to Achin, in the island of Sumatra,
and from thence to Siam, where we ex-
changed some of our wares for opium and
some arrack; the first, a commodity which
bears a great price among the Chinese, and
which at that time was in great request
among them. *
In short, we made a very good voyage,
* and I got so much money, and such an in-
sight into the method of getting more, that had I been twenty
years younger, I should have been tempted to have stayed here,
and sought no farther for making my fortune. But what was all
this to a man on the wrong side of threescore, that was rich
enough, and came abroad more in obedience to a restless desire
of seeing the world, than a covetous desire of gaining by it? I
was rich enough, nor had I any uneasy desires about getting more
money; and therefore the profits of the voyage to me were things
of no great force for the prompting me forward to further under-
takings, and I thought that by this voyage I had made no pro-




D D 2
306 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
gress at all, because I was come back, as I might call it, to the
place from whence I came, as to a home; whereas my eye, which,
like that which Solomon speaks of, was “never satisfied with
seeing,” was still more desirous of wandering and seeing. I was
come into a part of the world which I was never in before, and
that part in particular which I had heard much of, and was re-
solved to see as much of as I could ; and then I thought I might
say, I had seen all the world that was worth beholding.
But my fellow-traveller and I had different notions. His was
the more just, and the more suited to the end of a merchant's life,
He kept himself to the nature of the thing, and would have been
content to have gone, like a carrier’s horse, always to the same
inn, backward and forward, provided he could, as he called it,
“find his account in it.” On the other hand, mine was the
notion of a heedless rambling boy, that never cares to see a thing
twice over.
But this was not all. I had a kind of impatience upon me to
be nearer home, and yet the most unsettled resolution imagin-
able which way to go. In the interval of these consultations my
friend, who was always upon the search for business, proposed
another voyage to me among the Spice Islands, and to bring
home a loading of cloves from the Manillas, or thereabouts. We
were not long in preparing for this voyage; the chief difficulty
was in bringing me to come in to it. However, at last, nothing
else offering, and finding that stirring about and trading, the
profit being so great, and, as I may say, certain, had more plea:
sure in it and more satisfaction to the mind than sitting still, I
resolved on this voyage too; which we made very successfully,
touching at Borneo, and several islands whose names I do not
remember, and came home in about five months. We sold Qur
spice, which was chiefly cloves and some nutmegs, to the Persian
merchants, who carried them away for the gulf; and making
near five of one, we really got a great deal of money.
My friend, when we made up this account, smiled at me.
“Well, now,” said he, playing upon my indolent temper, “is
not this better than walking about here like a man of nothing to
do, and spending our time in staring at the nonsense and igno;
rance of the Pagans?” “Why, truly,” replied I, “my friend,
think it is; and I begin to be a convert to the principles of mer-
chandising. But I must tell you, by the way, you do not know
what you are doing; for if once I conquer my backwardness, and
embark heartily, as old as I am, I shall harass you up and down
the world till I tire you; for I shall pursue it so eagerly, I shall
never let you lie still.” sº
But to be short with my speculations: a little while after thi,
there came in a Dutch ship from Batavia; she was a coaster, and
of about two hundred tons burthen; the men, as they pretended,
having been so sickly that the captain had not men enough to gº
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 307
to sea with, he lay-by at Bengal; and having, it seems, got money
enough, or being willing, for other reasons, to go for Europe, he
gave public notice that he would sell his ship. This came to my
ears before my new partner heard of it, and I had a great mind
to buy it. So I went and told him of it: he considered a while,
but at last replied, “She is a little too big ; but, however, we
will have her.” Accordingly we bought the ship; and agreeing
with the master, we paid for her, and took possession. When we
had done so, we resolved to entertain the men, if we could, to join
them with those we had, for the pursuing our business; but on a
sudden, they having received not their wages, but their share of
the money, not one of them was to be found. We inquired much
about them, and at length were told that they were all gone to-
gether by land to Agra, the great city of the Mogul’s residence;
and from thence were to travel to Surat, and so by sea to the gulf
of Persia.
Nothing had so heartily troubled me a good while, as that I
missed the opportunity of going with them ; for such a ramble I
thought, and in such company as would both have guarded me
and diverted me, would have suited mightily with my great de-
sign, and I should both have seen the world and gone homewards
too. But I was much better satisfied a few days after, when I
came to know what sort of fellows they were ; for, in short, their
history was, that this man they called captain was the gunner
only, not the commander; that they had been a trading voyage,
in which they were attacked on shore by some of the Malaccans,
who had killed the captain and three of his men; and that after
the captain was killed, these men, eleven in number, had resolved
to run away with the ship, which they did, and had brought her
in at the bay of Bengal, leaving the mate and five men more on
shore; of whom we shall hear farther.
Well, let them come by the ship how they would, we came
honestly by her, as we thought; though we did not, I confess,
search into things so exactly as we ought; for we never inquired
any thing of the seamen, who, if we had examined them, would
certainly have faltered in their account, contradicted one another,
and, perhaps, have contradicted themselves; or, one how or
ºther, we should have seen reason to have suspected them. But
the man shewed us a bill of sale for the ship to one Emanuel
Qlostershoven, or some such name (for I suppose it was all a
forgery), and called himself by that name, and we could not con-
tradict him ; and being withal a little too unwary, or, at least,
aving no suspicion of the thing, we completed the bargain.
We picked up some more English seamen here after this, and
some Dutch ; and now we resolved on a second voyage to the
*outh-east for cloves, &c., that is to say, among the Philippine
and Molucca isles; and, in short, not to fill this part of my story
with trifles, when what is yet to come is so remarkable, I spent,
308 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
from first to last, six years in this country, trading from port to
port, backward and forward, and with very good success; and
was now the last year with my new partner, going in the ship
above mentioned on a voyage to China, but designing first to go
to Siam to buy rice.
In this voyage, being º contrary winds obliged to beat up
and down a great while in the straits of Malacca and among the
islands, we were no sooner got clear of those difficult seas but we
found our ship had sprung a leak, and we were not able, by all
our industry, to find out where it was. This forced us to make
for some port; and my partner, who knew the country better
than I did, directed the captain (for I had made the English
mate, one Mr. Thompson, captain, not being willing to take the
charge of the ship upon myself) to put into the river of Cam-
bodia, which lies on the north side of the great bay or gulf which
goes up to Siam.
While we were here, and going often on shore for refresh-
ment, there came to me one day an Englishman, a gunner’s mate
on board an English East India ship which rode in the same
river, near the city of Cambodia. “Sir,” said he, “you are a
stranger to me, and I to you; but I have something to tell you
that very nearly concerns you.”
I looked steadily at him a good while, and thought at first I
had known him, but did not. “If it very nearly concerns me,”
said I, “ and not yourself, what moves you to tell it me?” “I
am moved,” says he, “by the imminent danger you are in, and,
for aught I see, you have no knowledge of it.” “I know no
danger I am in,” said I, “but that my ship is leaky, and I
cannot find it out; but I purpose to lay her aground to-morrow
to see if I can find it.” “But, sir,” says he, “leaky or not
leaky, find it or not find it, you will be wiser than to lay your
ship on shore to-morrow, when you hear what I have to say to
you. Do you know, sir, the town of Cambodia lies about fifteen
leagues up this river ? And there are two large English ships
about five leagues on this side, and three Dutch.” “Well,” said
I, “ and what is that to me?” “Why, sir,” says he, “is it for
a man that is upon such adventures as you are to come into &
port, and not examine first what ships there are there, and
whether he is able to deal with them? I suppose you do not
think you are a match for them 7” I was amused very much at
his discourse, but not amazed at it, for I could not conceive what
he meant; and I turned short upon him, and said, “Sir, I wish
ou would explain yourself; I cannot imagine what reason I
łº, be afraid of any Company’s ships or Dutch ships; I am
no interloper; what can they have to say to me?”
He looked like a man half angry, half pleased ; and, pausing
awhile, but smiling, said, “Well, sir, if you think yourself secure;
you must take your chance; I am sorry your fate should blind
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 309.
you against good advice ; but assure yourself, if you do not put
to sea immediately, you will the very next tide be attacked by five
long-boats full of men; and, perhaps, if you are taken, you will
be hanged for a pirate, and the particulars be examined after-
wards. I thought, sir,” added he, “I should have met with a
better reception than this, for doing you a piece of service of such
importance.” “I can never be ungrateful,” said I, “for any
service, or to any man that offers me any kindness; but it is past
my comprehension, what they should have such a design upon
me for. However, since you say there is no time to be lost, and
that there is some villanous design in hand against me, I will go
on board this minute, and put to sea immediately, if my men can
stop the leak, or if we can float without stopping it. But, sir,
shall I go away ignorant of the reason of all this? Can you give
me no farther light into it?”
“I can tell you but part of the story, sir,” says he ; “but I
have a Dutch seaman here with me, and, I believe, I could per-
suade him to tell you the rest; but there is scarcely time for it.
But the short of the story is this, the first part of which, I sup-
pose, you know well enough; namely, that you were with this
ship at Sumatra; that there your captain was murdered by the
Malaccans, with three of his men; and that you, or some of those
that were on board with you, ran away with the ship, and are
since turned pirates. This is the sum of the story; and you will
all be seized as pirates, I can assure you, and executed with very
little ceremony; for you know merchants' ships shew but little
law to pirates, if they get them into their power.”
“Now you speak plain English,” said I, “and I thank you;
and though I know nothing that we have done like what you
talk of, but am sure that we came honestly and fairly by the
ship; yet seeing such work is a-doing, as you say, and that you
seem to mean honestly, I will be upon my guard.” “Nay, sir,”
says he, “do not talk of being upon your guard; the best defence
is to be out of the danger. If you have any regard for your life,
and the life of all your men, put out to sea without fail at high-
Water; and as you have a whole tide before you, you will be gone
too far out .. they can come down; for they came away at
high-water; and as they have twenty miles to come, you get
nearly two hours of them by the difference of the tide, not reck-
oning the length of the way; besides, as they are only boats, and
not ships, they will not venture to follow you out far to sea,
especially if it blows.”
Well,” said I, “ you have been very kind in this: what
hall I do for you to make you amends?” “Sir,” answered he,
“you may not be so willing to make me any amends, because
you may not be convinced of the truth of it. I will make an offer
to you ; I have nineteen months' pay due to me on board the ship
-, which I came out of England in; and the Dutchman
310. LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
that is with me has seven months’ pay due to him; if you will
make good our pay to us, we will go along with you. If you find
nothing more in it, we will desire no more; but if we do convince
you that we have saved your lives, and the ship, and the lives of
all the men in her, we will leave the rest to you.”
I consented to this readily ; and went immediately on board,
and the two men with me. As soon as I came to the ship's side,
my partner, who was on board, came on the quarter-deck, and
called to me with a great deal of joy, “O ho! O ho! we have
stopped the leak 1 we have stopped the leak º’ “Say you so?”
said I, “thank GoD ; but weigh the anchor, then, immediately.”
“Weigh ſ” says he, “what do you mean by that ? What is the
matter?” “Ask no questions,” said I, “but all hands to work,
and weigh without losing a minute.” He was surprised ; how-
ever, he called the captain, who immediately ordered the anchor
to be got up ; and though the tide was not quite done, yet a little
land-breeze blowing, we stood out to sea. Then I called him into
the cabin, and told him the story I had heard; and we called in
the men, and they told us the rest of it: but as it took up a great
deal of time, before we had done a seaman came to the cabin-
door, and called out to us, that the captain bade him tell us, we
were chased. -
“Chased ?” said I, “by what?” “By five sloops, or boats,”
said the fellow, “full of men.” “Very well,” said I, “then
it is apparent there is something in it.” In the next place, I
ordered all our men to be called up ; and told them, that there
was a design to seize the ship, and to take us for pirates; and
asked them, if they would stand by us and by one another? Thº
men answered, cheerfully, that one and all, they would live and
die with us... Then I asked the captain, what way he thought best
for us to manage a fight with them; for resist them I was re-
solved we would, and that to the last drop. He said, readily,
that the way was, to keep them off with our great shot as long as
we could, and then to fire at them with our small-arms; but when
neither of these would do any longer, we should retire to ourciº
quarters; perhaps they had not materials to break open our bulk-
heads, or get in upon us. -
The gunner had, in the mean time, orders to bring two gun.
to bear fore and aft, out of the steerage, to clear the deck, and
load them with musket-bullets, and small pieces of old iron, and
what came next to hand. And thus we made ready for fight; but
all this while kept out to sea, with wind enough, and could sº
the boats at a distance, being five large long-boats, following tº
with all the sail they could make.
Two of these boats, which, by our glasses, we could see Weſ.
English, out-sailed the rest, were near two leagues a-head of
them, and gained upon us considerably; so that we found they
would come up with us: upon which we fired a gun without *
CH. W. of ROBINSoN CRUsoe. 311
shot, to intimate that they should bring to ; and we put out a
flag of truce, as a signal for parley; but they kept crowding after
us, till they came within shot; upon this we took in our white
flag, they having made no answer to it, hung out the red flag,
and fired at them with a shot. Notwithstanding this, they came
on till they were near enough for us to call to them with a speaking
trumpet, which we had on board; so we called to them, and bade
them keep off, at their peril.
It was all one; they crowded after us, and endeavoured to come
under our stern, so as to board us on our quarter. Upon which,
seeing they were resolute for mischief, and depended upon the
strength that followed them, I ordered to bring the ship to, so
that they lay upon our broadside, when immediately we fired
five guns at them. One of them had been levelled so true, as to
carry away the stern of the hindermost boat, and bring them to
the necessity of taking down their sail, and running all to the
head of the boat to keep her from sinking; so she lay by, and
had enough of it; but seeing the foremost boat crowd on after
us, we made ready to fire at her in turn.
While this was doing, one of the three boats that was behind,
being forwarder than the other two; made up to the boat which
we had disabled, to relieve her, and we could afterwards see her
take out the men. We called again to the foremost boat, and
offered a truce to parley again, and to know what was her busi-
ness with us; but had no answer: only she crowded close under
Qur stern. Upon this our gunner, who was a very dexterous
fellow, ran out his two chase-guns, and fired again at her. The
shot missing, the men in the boat shouted, waved their caps,
and came on ; but the gunner, getting quickly ready again, fired
among them the second time; one shot of which, though it
missed the boat itself, yet fell in among the men, and we could
easily see had done a great deal of mischief among them. But
We, taking no notice of that, wore the ship again, and brought
Qur quarter to bear upon them; and, firing three guns more,
found the boat was split almost to pieces; in particular, her
ſudder, and a piece of her stern, was shot quite away ; so they
owered their sail immediately, and were in great disorder. To
complete their misfortune, our gunner let fly two guns at them
*gain; where he hit them we could not tell, but we found the
9at was sinking, and some of the men already in the water.
Pon this I immediately manned out our pinnace, which we had
*pt close by our side, with orders to pick up some of the men,
if they could, and save them from drowning, and immediately to
Éet on board with them; because we saw the rest of the boats
began to come up. Our men in the pinnace followed their orders,
*nd took up three men; one of whom was just drowning, and it
Was a good while before we could recover him. As soon as they
"ºre on board, we crowded all the sail we could make, and stood

312 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT, II,
farther out to sea; and we found that when the other three boats
came up to the first two, they gave over their chase.
Being thus delivered from a danger, which though I knew not
the reason of it, yet seemed to be much greater than I appre-
hended, I took care that we should change our course, and not
let any one imagine whither we were going. So we stood out
to sea eastward, quite out of the course of all European ships,
whether they were bound to China, or any where else within the
commerce of the European nations.
When we were now at sea, we began to consult with the two
seamen, and inquire first, what the meaning of all this should be 2
And the Dutchman let us into the secret of it at once; telling us,
that the fellow that sold us the ship was no more than a thief that
had run away with her. Then he told us how the captain was
treacherously murdered by the natives on the coast of Malacca,
with three of his men; and that he, this Dutchman, and four
more, got into the woods, where they wandered about a great
while ; till at length, he, in particular, in a miraculous manner,
made his escape, and swam off to a Dutch ship, which, sailing
near the shore, in its way to China, had sent their boat on shore
for fresh water; that he durst not come to that part of the shore
where the boat was, but made shift in the night to take the
water farther off, and the ship's boat took him up.
He then told us, that he went to Batavia, where two of the
seamen belonging to the ship arrived, having deserted the rest
in their traveſ; and gave an account, that the fellow who had
run away with the ship, sold her at Bengal to a set of pirates,
which were gone a cruising in her; and that they had already
taken an English ship, and two Dutch ships, very richly laden.
This latter part we found to concern us directly; and though
we knew it to be false, yet, as my partner said very well, if we
had fallen into their hands, and they had had such a preposses-
sion against us beforehand, it had been in vain for us to have
defended ourselves, or to hope for any good quarter at their
hands; and especially considering that our accusers had been
our judges, and that we could have expected nothing from them
but what rage would have dictated, and an ungoverned passion
have executed: and therefore it was his opinion, we should gº
directly back to Bengal, from whence we came, without putting
in at any port whatever; because there we could give a gººd
account of ourselves, could prove where we were when the ship
put in, how we bought her, and the like; and, which was moº
than all the rest, if we were put to the necessity of bringing "
before the proper judges, we should be sure to have some justice;
and not be hanged first, and judged afterwards. *
I was some time of my partner's opinion; but after a little
more serious thinking, I told him, I thought it was a very great
hazard for us to attempt returning to Bengal, for that we W*
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 313
on the Wrong side of the Straits of Malacca ; and that if the
alarm was given, we should be sure to be waylaid on every side,
as well by the Dutch of Batavia as the English elsewhere; that
if we should be taken, as it were, running away, we should even
condemn ourselves, and there would want no more evidence to
destroy us, I also asked the English sailor's opinion, who said
he was of my mind, and that we should certainly be taken.
This danger a little startled my partner, and all the ship's
% Pany.; and we immediately resolved to go away to the coast
gf Tonquin, and so on to the coast of China; and pursuing the
first design as to trade, find some way or other to dispose of the
ship, and come back in some of the vessels of the country, such
* We could get. This was approved of as the best method for
9" security; and accordingly we steered away N.N.E., keep-
ºbove fifty leagues off from the usual course to the east-
Ward.
My partner described to me the several ports of that coast;
and told me he would put in on the coast of Cochin China, or
the bay of Tonquin; intending to go afterwards to Macao, a
ºwn once in the possession of the Portuguese, and where still
* great many European families resided, and particularly the
ºsionary priests usually went thither, in order to their going
forward to Čhina.
Hither, then, we resolved to go; and accordingly, though after
a tedious and irregular course, and very much straitened for
Provisions, we came within sight of the coast very early in the
*ºng; and, upon reflection on the past circumstances we had
been in, and the danger we had just escaped, we resolved to
P" intº a small river, which, however, had depth enough of
X* for us, and to see if we could, either overland, or by the
ship's Pinnace, come to know what ships were in any port there-
... This happy step was, indeed, our deliverance; for
though we did not immediately see any European ships in the
ay 9|Tonquin, et the next morning there came into the bay
two Dutch ships; and a third, without any colours spread, but
which we believed to be a Dutchman, passed by at about tWO
eagues distance, steering for the coast of China; and in the
afternoon by went two English ships, steering the same course;
and thus, wº thought, we saw ourselves beset with enemies both
}. Wºy and the other. The place we were in was wild and bar-
arous; the people thieves, even by occupation or profession;
and though, it is true, we had not much to seek of them, and,
except getting a few provisions, cared not how little we had to
do with them, yet it was with much difficulty that we kept our-
Selves from being insulted by them several ways.
i."º were in a small river of this country, within a few leagues
of its *most limits northward; and by our boat we coasted north-
east to the point of land which opens the great bay of Tonquin;
JE E #
314 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES PT. II.
and it was in this beating up along the shore, that we discovered
as above, that, in a word, we were surrounded with enemies,
The people we were among were the most barbarous of all the
inhabitants of the coast; having no correspondence with any
other nation, and dealing only in fish, and oil, and such com-
modities. Among other customs, they have this one, that if
any vessels have the misfortune to be shipwrecked upon their
coast, they presently make the men all prisoners or slaves. And
it was not long before we found a spice of their kindness in this
WaW.
'ſhave observed above, that our ship sprang a leak at sea,
and that we could not find it out; and, however, it happened,
that it was stopped unexpectedly, in the happy minute of our
being to be seized by the }. and English ships in the bay of
Siam ; yet as we did not find the ship so perfectly fit and sound
as we desired, we resolved, while we were in this place, to º
her on shore, take out what heavy things we had on board, which
were not many, and wash and clean her bottom; so as, if possi-
ble, to find out where the leaks were.
Accordingly, having lightened the ship, and brought all our
guns, and other moveable things, to one side, we tried to bring
her down, that we might come at her bottom ; but, on second
thoughts, we did not care to lay her dry on ground, neither could
we find out a proper place for it.
The inhabitants, who had never been acquainted with such "
sight, came wondering down to the shore to look at us; and
seeing the ship lie down on one side in such a manner, and
heeling towards the shore, and not seeing our men, who were
at j. on her bottom, with stages, and with their boats on the
off side, they presently concluded that the ship was cast away,
and lay fast on the ground.
On this supposition, they came all about us in two or three
hours' time, with ten or º large boats, having some of them
eight, some ten men in a boat, intending, no doubt, to have Comº
on board and plundered the ship; and if they found us there, tº
have carried us away for slaves to their king, or whatever they
call him,-for we knew nothing who was their governor.
When they came up to the ship, and began to row round,hº
they discovered us all hard at work on the outside of the ship.
bottom and side, washing, and graving, and stopping, as */
seafaring man knows how. ittl
They stood for a while gazing at us, and we, who were alſº
surprised, could not imagine what their design was ; but being
willing to be sure, we took this opportunity to get some. of us
into the ship, and others to hand down arms and ammunitº to
those that were at work to defend themselves with, if there shou
be occasion. And it was no more than need; for, in less .8.
quarter of an hour's consultation, they agreed, it seems, that the
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 315
ship was really a wreck; that we were all at work, endeavouring
to save her, or to save our lives by the help of our boats; and
when we handed our arms into the boats, they concluded, by that
motion, that we were endeavouring to save some of our goods.
Upon this they took it for granted we all belonged to them ; and
away they came down upon our men, as if it had been in a line
of battle.
Our men, seeing so many of them, began to be frightened ;
for we lay but in an ill posture to fight, and cried out to us to
know what they should do. I immediately called to the men
who worked upon the stages, to slip them down, and get up the
side into the ship ; and bade those in the boat to row round and
come on board. Those few of us who were on board, worked
with all the strength and hands we had to bring the ship to
rights; but, however, neither the men upon the stage, nor
those in the boats, could do as they were ordered, before the
Cochin Chinese were upon them ; and with two of their boats
boarded our long-boat, and began to lay hold of the men as their
prisoners.
The first man they laid hold of was an English seaman, a
stout strong fellow, who, having a musket in his hand, never
offered to fire it, but laid it down in the boat, —like a fool, as
I thought. But he understood his business better than I could
teach him; for he grappled the pagan, and dragged him by
main force out of their boat into ours; where, taking him by
the two ears, he beat his head so against the boat's gunnel, that
the fellow died instantly in his hands; and, in the mean time,
* Dutchman, who stood next, took up the musket, and with the
butt-end of it, so laid about him, that he knocked down five of
them who attempted to enter the boat. But this was doing
little towards resisting thirty or forty men, who, being fearless,
because ignorant of their †. began to throw themselves
into the long-boat, where we had but five men in all to defend
it. One accident, however, gave our men a complete victory,
which deserved our laughter rather than any thing else; and
that was this: -
. Our carpenter being preparing to grave the outside of the
ship, as well as to pay the seams where he had caulked her,
had got two kettles just let down into the boat; one filled with
boiling pitch, and the other with rosin, tallow, and oil, and
*ch stuff as the shipwrights use for that work; and the man
that tended the carpenter had a great iron ladle in his hand,
With which he supplied the men that were at work with that
hot stuff. Two of º: enemy's men entered the boat just where
this fellow stood, being in the fore-sheets ; he immediately
saluted them with a ladleful of the stuff, boiling hot; which so
burnt and scalded them, being half-naked, that they roared
out like two bulls, and, enraged with the fire, leaped both into
316 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
the sea. The carpenter saw it, and cried out, “Well done,
Jack; give them some more of it !” and stepping forward him-
self, took one of their mops, and dipping it into the pitch-pot,
he and his man threw it among them so plentifully, that, in
short, of all the men in the three boats, there was not one that
was not scalded and burned with it in a most pitiful manner,
and made such a howling and crying, that I never heard a
worse noise, and, indeed, nothing like it; for I never heard an
thing more like the noise of the wolves, which, as I have º,
I heard howl in the forest on the frontiers of Languedoc.
I was never better pleased with a victory in my life; not
only as it was a perfect surprise to me, and that our danger
was imminent before, but as we had obtained it without any
bloodshed, except of that man whom the fellow killed with his
naked hands, and which I was very much concerned at: for I was
sick of killing such poor savage wretches, even though it was
in my own defence, knowing they came on errands which they
thought just, and knew no better; and that though it may be a
just thing, because necessary, (for there is no necessary wicked-
ness in nature,) yet I thought it was a sad life which we must
be always obliged to be slaying our fellow-creatures to preserve;
and, indeed, I think so still ; and I would, even now, suffer a
great deal, rather than I would take away the life even of that
person injuring me. And I believe all considering people, who
know the value of life, would be of my opinion; at all events,
if they entered seriously into the consideration of it.
But to return to my story: all the while this was doing, my
partner and I, who managed the rest of the men on board, had
with great dexterity brought the ship almost to rights; and,
having got the guns into their places again, the gunner called
to me, to bid our boat get out of the way, for he would let fly
among them. I called back again to him, and bid him not
offer to fire, for the carpenter would do the work without him ;
but bade him heat another pitch-kettle; which our cook, whº
was on board, took care of But the enemy was so terrified
with what they had met with in their first attack, that they
would not come on again; and some of them, that were farthest
off, seeing the ship swim, as it were, upright, began, as we sup-
posed, to see their mistake, and º over the enterprise, finding
it was not as they expected. Thus we got clear of this fight;
and, having gotten some rice, and some roots and bread, wit
about sixteen good big hogs, on board, two days before, we re-
solved to stay here no longer, but go forward, whatever came
of it; for we made no ; but we should be surrounded the
next day with rogues enough, perhaps more than our pitch-
kettle would dispose of for us. g
We therefore got all our things on board the same evening,
and the next morning were ready to sail. In the mean time,
C.H. V. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 317
lying at an anchor at Some distance, we were not so much con-
cerned, being now in a fighting as well as in a sailing posture,
if any enemy had presented. The next day, having finished
our work within board, and finding our ship was perfectly cured
of all her leaks, we set sail, We would have gone into the bay
of Tonquin, for we wanted to inform ourselves of what was to
be known concerning the Dutch ships that had been there; but
we durst not stand in there, because we had seen several ships
go in, as we supposed, but a little before; so we kept on N.E.
towards the isle of Formosa; as much afraid of being seen by a
Dutch or English merchant-ship, as a Dutch or English mer-
chant-ship in the Mediterranean is of meeting an Algerine man-
of-war.
Being now come to the latitude of thirty degrees, we resolved
to put into the first trading port we should arrive at ; and stand-
ing in for the shore, a boat came off two leagues to us, with an
old Portuguese pilot on board, who, knowing us to be an Euro-
pean ship, came to offer his service, which, indeed, we were very
glad of, and took him on board. Upon which, without asking
us whither we would go, he dismissed the boat he came in, and
sent it back.
I thought it was now so much in our choice to make the old
man carry us whither we would, that I began to talk with him
about carrying us to the gulf of Nanquin, which is the most
northern part of the coast of China. The old man said he knew
the gulf of Nanquin very well; but smiling, asked us what we
would do there 2 I told him we would sell our cargo, and pur-
chase china wares, calicoes, raw silks, tea, wrought silks, &c.;
and so would return by the same course we came. He told us
our best port had been to have put in at Macao, where we could
not have failed of a satisfactory market for our opium; and
might, for our money, have purchased all sorts of China goods
as cheap as we could at Nanquin. º
Not being able to put the old man out of his talk, of which he
was very opiniated or conceited, I told him we were gentlemen
as well as merchants, and that we had a mind to go and see the
great city of Pekin, and the famous court of the monarch of
China. “Why, then,” says the old man, “you should go to
Ningpo, where, by the river which runs into the sea there, you
may go up within five leagues of the great canal. This canal is
a navigable river, which goes through the heart of that vast em-
ire of China, crosses i the rivers, passes some considerable
ills by the help of sluices and gates, and goes up to the city of
Pekin, being in length near 270 leagues.”
“Well,” said I, “Signor Portuguese, but that is not our
business now: the great question is, can you carry, us up to
the city of Nan uin, from whence we can travel to Pekin after-
wards?” Yes, he said, he could do so very well; and that there
E E 2
3.18 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
was a great Dutch ship gone up that way just before. This gave
me a little shock. A Dutch ship was now our terror, and we
depended upon it that a Dutch ship would be our destruction;
for we were in no condition to fight them, all the ships they
trade with in those parts being of great burthen, and of much
greater force than we were.
The old man found me a little confused and under some con-
cern when he named a Dutch ship ; and said to me, “Sir, you
need be under no apprehension of the Dutch ; I suppose they are
not now at war with your nation.” “No,” said I, “that's true;
but I know not what liberties men may take when they are out
of the reach of the laws of their country.” “Why,” said he,
“ you are no pirates; what need you fear? They will not med-
dle with peaceable merchants, sure.”
If I had any blood in my body that did not fly up into my
face at that word, it was hindered by some stop in the vessels
appointed by nature to prevent it; for it put me into the greatest
disorder and confusion imaginable, nor was it possible for me to
conceal it so but that the old man easily perceived it.
“Sir,” said he, “I find you are in some disorder in your
thoughts at my talk; pray be pleased to go which way you
think fit, and depend upon it I will do you all the service I can.”
“Why, signor,” said I, “it is true I am a little unsettled in
my resolution at this time whither to go in particular, and I am
something more so for what you said about pirates. I hope
there are no pirates in these seas; we are but in an ill condition
to meet with them ; for, you see, we have but a small force, and
but very weakly manned.”
“O sir,” said he, “do not be concerned; I do not know that
there have been any pirates in these seas these fifteen years, ex-
cept one which was seen, as I hear, in the bay of Siam, about a
month since; but you may be assured she is gone to the south-
ward. Nor was she a ship of any great force, or fit for the work;
she was not built for a privateer, but was run away with by a
reprobate crew that were on board, after the captain and some of
his men had been murdered by the Malaccans, at or near the
island of Sumatra.”
“What ſ” said I, seeming to know nothing of the matter,
“ did they murder the captain 7” “No,” said he, “I do not
understand that they murdered him ; but as they afterwards ran
away with the ship, it is generally believed they betrayed him
into the hands of the Malaccans, who did murder him ; and,
perhaps, they instigated them to do it.” “Why, then,” said I,
“they deserved death as much as if they had done it themselves.”
“Nay,” said the old man, “they do deserve it, and they will
certainly have it if they light upon any English or Dutch ship;
for they have all agreed together, that if they meet that rogue,
they will give him no quarter.’ 2. -
CH. W., OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 319
“But,” answered I, “you say the pirate is gone out of these
seas; how can they meet with him, then 2° “Why, that is true,”
said he, “ they do say so; but he was, as I tell you, in the bay
of Siam, in the river Cambodia, and was discovered there b
some Dutchmen who belonged to the ship, and who were left
on shore when they ran away with her; and some English and
Dutch traders being in the river, they were within a little of
taking him. Nay, if the foremost boats had been well seconded
by the rest, they had certainly done so; but he, finding only two
boats within reach of him, tacked about and fired at these two,
and disabled them before the others came up ; and then standing
off to sea, the others were not able to follow him, and so he É.
away. But they have all so exact a description of the ship, that
they will be sure to know him ; and wherever they find him, they
have vowed to give no quarter to either the captain or seamen,
but to hang them all up at the yard-arm.”
“What l” said I, “will they execute them right or wrong;
hang them first, and judge them afterwards?” “O, sir,” said
the old pilot, “there is no need of making a formal business of
it with such rogues as those; let them tie them back to back and
set them a diving ; it is no more than they richly deserve.”
I knew I had my old man fast aboard, and that he could do
me no harm; so I turned short upon him : “Well, now, signor,”
said I, “this is the very reason why I would have you carry us
up to Nanquin, and not to put back to Macao, or to any other
part of the country, where the English or Dutch ships come ; for
be it known to you, signor, those captains of the English and
Dutch ships are a parcel of rash, proud, insolent fellows, that
neither know what belongs to justice, nor how to behave them-
selves as the laws of God and nature direct; but being proud
of their offices, and not understanding their power, they would
act the murderers to punish robbers, would take upon them to
insult men falsely accused, and determine them guilty without
due inquiry; . perhaps, I may live to call some of them to
an account for it, where they may be taught how justice is to
be executed, and that no man ought to be treated as a criminal
till some evidence may be had of the crime, and that he is the
Iman.”
With this I told him that this was the very ship they attacked,
and gave him a full account of the skirmish we had with their
boats, and how foolishly and coward-like they behaved... I told
him all the story of our buying the ship, and how the Dutchmen
served us. I told him the reasons I had to believe that this story
of killing the master by the Malaccans was true, as also the run-
ning away with the ship; but that it was all a fiction of their
own to suggest that the men were turned pirates. And they
ought to have been sure it was so, before they had ventured tº
attack us by surprise, and oblige us to resist them; adding, that
320 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
they would have the blood of those men killed there in our just
defence to answer for.
The old man was amazed at this relation, and told us we were
very much in the right to go away to the north ; and that if he
might advise us, it should be to sell the ship in China, which we
might very well do, and buy or build another in the country.
“And,” said he, “though you will not get so good a ship, yet
ou may get one able enough to carry you and all your goods
ack again to Bengal, or any where else.”
I told him I would take his advice, when I came to any port
where I could find a ship for my turn, or get any customer to
buy this. He replied, I should meet with customers enough for
the ship at Nanquin, and that a Chinese junk would serve me
very well to go back again ; and that he would procure me
people both to buy one and sell the other.
We now went forward directly for Nanquin, and, in about
thirteen days’ sail, came to an anchor at the south-west point of
the great gulf of Nanquin; where, by the way, I came by acci-
dent to understand that two Dutch ships were gone that length
before me, and that I should certainly fall into their hands. I
consulted my partner again in this exigency, and he was as much
at a loss as I was, and would very gladly have been safe on shore
almost any where. However, I was not in such perplexity nei-
ther, but I asked the old pilot if there was no creek or harbour
which I might put into, and pursue my business with the Chinese
privately, and i. in no danger of the enemy He told me, if I
would sail to the southward about two and forty leagues, there
was a little port called Quinchang, where the fathers of the
mission usually landed from Macao, on their progress to teach
the Christian religion to the Chinese, and where no European
ships ever put in ; and if I thought to put in there, I might con-
sider what farthér course to take when I was on shore. He
confessed, he said, it was not a place for merchants, except that
at some certain times they had a kind of a fair there, when the
merchants from Japan came over thither to buy the Chinese
merchandises.
We all agreed to go back to this place, and weighed the next
day, having only gone twice on shore, where we were to get fresh
water. On both these occasions the people of the country were
very civil to us, and brought us abundance of provisions, as
plants, roots, tea, rice, and fowls; but nothing without money.
We camé to the other port (the wind being contrary) not til
five days; but it was very much to our satisfaction; and I Was
joyful, and, I may say, thankful, when I set my foot safe on
shore; resolving, and my partner too, that if it was possible tº
dispose of ourselves and effects any other way, though not alto,
gether to our satisfaction, we would never set one foot on boar
that unhappy vessel more. And indeed, I must acknowledge thº
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 3.21.
of all the circumstances of life that ever I had any experience of,
nothing makes mankind so completely miserable as that of being
in constant fear. It is a life of death; and the mind is so entirely
oppressed by it, that it is capable of no relief; the animal spirits
sink, and all the vigour of nature, which usually supports men
under other afflictions, and is present to them in the greatest
exigencies, fails them here.
Both my partner and I scarcely slept a night without dream-
ing of halters and gibbets, of fighting and being taken, of killing
and being killed; and one night especially, Ijwas in such a fury
in my dream, fancying the Dutchmen had boarded us, and I was
knocking one of their seamen down, that I struck my double
fist against the side of the cabin I lay in with such a force as
wounded my hand most grievously, broke my knuckles, and cut
and bruised the flesh, so that it not only waked me out of my
sleep, but I was once afraid I should have lost two of my fingers.
Another apprehension I had, was, of the cruel usage we might
meet with from them, if we fell into their hands; how they
might, perhaps, torture us; and make some of our men, by ex-
tremity of suffering, confess those crimes they never were guilty
of-own themselves, and all of us, to be pirates; and so they
would put us to death, with a formal appearance of justice; and
that they might be tempted to do this for the gain of our ship
and cargo, which was worth four or five thousand pounds.
. Whenever these thoughts prevailed, I was sure to put myself
in a kind of fever, with the agitations of a supposed fight; my
blood would boil, and my eyes sparkle, as if I was engaged; and
always resolved that I would take no quarter at their hand;
but even at last, if I could resist no longer, I would blow up the
Ship and all that was in her, and leave them but little booty to
Oast of.
By how much the greater burden the anxieties of these things
were to our thoughts while we were at sea, by so much the
greater was our satisfaction when we saw ourselves on shore;
and my partner told me, he dreamed that he had a very heavy
load upon his back, which he was to carry up a hill, and found
that he was not able to stand long under it; but that the Portu-
guese pilot came, and took it off his back, and the hill disap-
Peared, the ground before him shewing all smooth and plain.
And truly it was so; we were all like men who had a load taken
off their backs. For my part, I had a weight taken off from
my heart, that it was not able any longer to bear ; and, as I said
above, we resolved to go no more to sea in that ship. When we
Şame on shore, the old pilot, who was now our friend, got us a
odging, and awarehouse for our goods, which, by the way, was
ºugh the same. It was a little house or hut, with a large house
Joining it, all built with canes, and palisadoed round with large
“anes to keep out thieves, of which, it seems, there were not a
322 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
few in the country. However, the magistrates allowed us also a
little guard, and we had a sentinel with a kind of halbert, or half
º who stood sentinel at our door; so that our goods were
ept very safe.
The fair or mart, usually kept in this place, had been over
some time ; however, we found that there were three or four
junks in the river, and two ships from Japan, with goods which
they had bought in China, and were not gone away, having
some Japanese merchants on shore.
We began now to be very doubtful what we should do, for we
were in a place of very little business; and once I was about to
venture to sail for the river of Kilam, and the city of Nanquin;
but Providence seemed here to begin to clear up our way a
little; and the first thing that offered was, that our old Portu-
guese pilot brought a Japan merchant to us, who began to in-
quire what goods we had ; and, in the first place, he bought all
our opium, and gave us a very good price for it, paying us in gold
by weight, some in small pieces of their own coin, and some in
small wedges, of about ten or eleven ounces each. While we
were dealing with him for our opium, it came into my head that
he might perhaps deal with us for the ship too; and I ordered the
interpreter to propose it to him. He shrugged up his shoulders
at it, when it was first proposed to him; but in a few days after,
he came to me, with one of the missionary priests for his inter-
preter, and told me, he had a proposal to make to me, and that
was this. He had bought a great quantity of goods of us when
he had no thoughts (or proposals made to him) of buying the
ship, and that therefore he had not money enough to pay for the
ship; but if I would let the same men who were in the ship
navigate her, he would hire the ship to go to Japan, and would
send them from thence to the Philippine islands with another
loading, which he would pay the freight of before they went
from Japan; and that, at their return, he would buy the ship.,.
The first thing we had to do, before we could consent to this
Fº was to consult with the captain of the ship, and with
is men, and know if they were willing to go to Japan; and,
while I was doing this, the young man, who, as I related, my
mephew had left with me as my companion for my travels, came
to me and said, that he thought that voyage promised very fair;
and that there was a great prospect of advantage, and he should
be very glad if I would undertake it; but that if I would not;
and would give him leave, he would go as a merchant, or how
pleased to order him; that if ever he came to England, and
was there and alive, he would render me a faithful account 9
his success, and it should be as much mine as I pleased.
I was really loath to part with him; but considering the prº-
spect of advantage, which was really considerable, and that he
was a young fellow as likely to do well in it as any I knew, I
CH. W. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 323
inclined to let him go ; but first I told him I would consult
my partner, and give him an answer the next day. My part-
ner and I discoursed about it ; and the former made a most
generous offer. “You know,” said he, “it has been an unlucky
ship, and we both resolve not to go to sea in it again: if your
steward,” so he called my man, “will venture the voyage, I will
leave my share of the vessel to him, and let him make the best of
it; and if we live to meet in England, and he has success abroad,
he shall account for one half of the profits of the ship's freight to
us, and the other shall be his own.”
If my partner, who was no way concerned with my young
man, made him such an offer, I could do no less than offer him
the same. And all the ship's company being willing to go with
him, we made over half the ship to him in property, and took
a writing from him, obliging him to account for the other; and
away he went to Japan. The j apan merchant proved a very
punctual honest man to him, protected him at Japan, and got
him license to come on shore; paid him his freight very punc-
tually, sent him to the Philippines, loaded with Japan and China
wares, and a supercargo of their own, who trafficking with the
Spaniards brought back European goods again, and a great
quantity of cloves and other spice; and there he was not only
paid his freight very well, and at a very good price, but being
not willing to sell the ship then, the merchant furnished him
with goods on his own account; that, for some money, and
some spices of his own, which he brought with him, he went
back to the Manillas, to the Spaniards, where he sold his cargo
very well. Here, having obtained a good acquaintance at Ma:
nilla, he got his ship made a free ship; and the governor of
Manilla hired him to go to Acapulco in America, on the coast
of Mexico; and gave him a license to land there, and travel tº
Mexico; and to pass in any Spanish ship to Europe, with all
his men.
He made the voyage to Acapulco very happily, and there
sold his ship; and having there also obtained allowance to travel
by land to Porto Bello, he found means to get to Jamaica with
all his treasure; and about eight years after came to England,
exceedingly rich.

EING now to part with the
ship and the ship's company, it Yº
came before us, of course, to con-
sider what recompense we should
ižº give to the two men that gave us such
timely notice of the design against us
in the river of Cambodia. . The truth was, they had done us a
considerable service, and deserved well at our hands; though,
by the way, they were a couple of rogues too; for, as they be-
lieved the story of our being pirates, and that we had really run
away with the ship, they came down to us, not only to betray the
design that was formed against us, but to go to sea with us as
irates; and one of them confessed afterwards, that nothing else
É. the hopes of going a roguing brought him to do it. However,
the service they did us was not the less; and therefore, as I had
promised to be grateful to them, I first ordered the money to be
paid them which they said was due to them on board their re-
spective ships; and over and above that, I gave each of them a
small sum of money in gold, and which contented them very
well; then I made the Englishman gunner in the ship, the gun:
ner being now made second mate and purser; the Dutchman I
made boatswain. So they were both very well pleased, and proved
very serviceable, being both able seamen and very stout fellows:
We were now on shore in China. If I thought myself ban;
ished and remote from my own country at Bengal, where I had
many ways to get home for my money, what could I think, 9
myself now, when I had got about a thousand leagues farth;
off from home, and destitute of all manner of prospect of return






C.H. VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 325
All we had for it was this, that in about four months' time
there was to be another fair at the place where we were, and then
we might be able to purchase all sorts of the manufactures of the
country, and withal might possibly find some Chinese junks or
vessels from Tonquin, that would be to be sold, and would carr
us and our goods whither we pleased. This I liked very well,
and resolved to wait : besides, as our particular persons were not
obnoxious, so if any English or Dutch ships came thither, per-
haps we might have an opportunity to load our goods, and get
passage to some other place in India nearer home.
Upon these hopes we resolved to continue here; but, to divert
ourselves, we took two or three journeys into the country. First,
we went ten days’ journey to see the city of Nanquin; and a city
it is well worth seeing indeed ; they say it has a million of people
in it; which, however, I do not believe. It is regularly built, the
streets all exactly straight, and crossing one another in direct
lines, which gives the figure of it great advantage. º
On our return from Nanquin, I had a curiosity to see the city
of Pekin, which I had heard so much of. I referred it to my part-
ner, and left it wholly to his choice; who, at length, resolved in
the affirinative; and we prepared for our journey. We set out
with very good advantage as to finding the way; for we got leave
to travel in the retinue of a mandarin, one of the viceroys or
principal magistrates, and who take great state upon them, tra-
velling with great attendance, and with much homage from the
people, who are sometimes greatly impoverished by, them, be-
cause all the countries they pass through are obliged to furnish
provisions for them and all their attendants. ©
We were five-and-twenty days travelling to Pekin, through a
country infinitely populous, but wretchedly cultivated; the hus:
bandry, the economy, and the way of living, miserable; thºugh
they boast so much of the industry of the people. The pride of
these people is exceeded by nothing but their poverty; which
adds to that which I call their misery. And I must needs think
the naked savages of America live much more happy, because,
as they have nothing, so they desire nothing; whereas these are
proud and insolent, and, in the main, are mere beggars, and
drudges. Their ostentation is inexpressible, and is chiefly shewn.
in their clothes and buildings, and in the keeping multitudes of
servants or slaves, and, which is to the last degree ridiculous, their
contempt of all the world but themselves. º
I must confess, I travelled more pleasantly afterwards in the
deserts and vast Wildernesses of Grand Tartary than here; and
yet the roads here are well paved and well kept, and Very Coºr
Yenient for travellers. But nothing was more awkward to me,
than to see such a haughty, imperious, insolent people, in the
midst of the grossest simplicity and ignorance; for all their
famed ingenuity is no moré, And I used to be very merry "P"
F tº
326 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
these occasions, to see the beggarly pride of these people. For
example, coming by the house of a country gentleman, as he was
called, about ten leagues from the city of Nanquin, we had, first
of all, the honour to ride with the master of the house about two
miles; the state he rode in was a perfect Don Quixotism, being
a mixture of pomp and poverty.
The habit of this greasy Don was very proper for a scara-
mouch or merry-andrew, being a dirty calico, with all the taw-
dry and trapping of a fool's coat, such as hanging sleeves, tas-
sels, and cuts and slashes almost on every side; it covered a
taffety vest as greasy as a butcher's, and which testified that his
honour must needs be a most exquisite sloven.
His horse was a poor, lean, starved, hobbling creature, such
as in England might sell for about thirty or forty shillings; and
he had two slaves following him on foot, to drive the poor crea-
ture along : he had a whip in his hand, and he belaboured the
beast as fast about the head as his slaves did about the tail. And
thus he rode by us with about ten or twelve servants; and We
were told he was going from the city to his country seat, about
half a league before us. We travelled on gently, but this figure
of a gentleman rode away before us; and as we stopped at a
village about an hour to refresh us, when we came by the country
seat of this great man, we saw him in a little place before his
door, eating his repast; it was a kind of garden, but he was easy
to be seen ; and we were given to understand, that the more We
looked on him, the better he would be pleased. sº
He sat under a tree, something like the palmetto-tree, which
effectually shaded him over the head and on the south side; but
under the tree also was placed a large umbrella, which made that
part look well enough. He sat lolling back in a great elbow.
chair, being a heavy corpulent man, and his meat being broug":
him by two women slaves; he had two more, whose office,
think, few gentlemen in Europe would accept of their service in
namely, one fed the squire with a spoon, and the other held tº
dish with one hand, and scraped off what he let fall upon his wor-
ship's beard and taffety vest; while his fat master thought "
below him to employ his own hands in any of those familiar ºffiº.
which kings and monarchs would rather do than be troubled with
the clumsy assistance of their servants.
As for our mandarin with whom we travelled, he was ".
spected like a king; surrounded always with his gentlemen.”
attended in all his appearances with such pomp, that I saw little
of him but at a distance: but this I observed, that there was.”
a horse in his retinue but that our carriers' pack-horses in Eng-
land seemed to me to look much better; but they were so covetº
with equipage, mantles, and trappings, we could see scarcely */
thing of them but their feet and their heads. .: # ty
I was now light-hearted, and all my trouble and perplexity
CH, VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 327
that I have given an account of being over, I had no anxious
thoughts about me, which made this journey the pleasanter; nor
did any ill accident attend me, only in the passing or fording a
small river, my horse fell, and made me free of the country, as
they call it ; that is to say, threw me in. The place was not
deep, but it wetted me all over.
At length we arrived at Pekin. I had nobody with me but
the youth, whom my nephew the captain had given me to attend
me as a servant, and who proved very trusty and diligent; and
my partner had nobody with him but one servant, who was a
kinsman. As for the Portuguese pilot, he being desirous to see
the court, we gave him his passage (that is to say, bore his
charges for his company), and used him as an interpreter, for he
understood the language of the country, and spoke good French
and a little English ; and, indeed, this old man was a most useful
companion to us every where ; for we had not been above a week
at Pekin, when he came laughing: “Ah, Signor Inglese,” said
he, “I have something to tell you, will make your heart glad.”
“My heart glad 7” said I; “what can that be 7 I do not think
any thing in this country can either give me joy or grief, to any
great degree.” “Yes, yes,” said the old man, in broken English;
“make you glad, me sorrow ;” (sorry he would have said). This
made me more inquisitive. “Why,” said I, “will it make you
sorry?” “Because,” said he, “you have brought me here
twenty-five days’ journey, and will leave me to go back alone;
and which way shall I get to my port afterwards, without a ship,
Without a horse, without pecune?” so he called money; being
his ºken Latin, of which he had abundance to make us merry
W1th.
In short, he told us there was a great caravan of Muscovite
and Polish merchants in the city, who were preparing to set out
on their journey by land to Muscovy within four or five weeks,
*nd he was sure we would take the opportunity to go with
them, and leave him behind to go back all alone. I confess I
Was surprised with his news; a secret joy spread itself over my
whole Soul which I cannot describe, and never felt before or
since; and I had no power for a good while to speak a word to
the old man; but at last I turned to him, and inquired, “How
lo you know this? Are you sure it is true?” “Yes,” said he;
‘I met this morning in the street an old acquaintance of mine,
* Armenian, who is among them; he came last from Astracan,
*nd was designing to go to Tonquin, where I formerly knew him,
but has altered his mind, and is now resolved to go with the
ºyan to Moscow, and so down the river Wolga to Astracan.”
‘Well, signor,” said I, “do not be uneasy about being left to
#9 back alone; if this be a method for my return to England,
; shall be your fault if you go back to Macao at all.”. We
then consulted together what was to be done; and I asked my
328 LIFE AND ADV ENTURES PT. II.
partner what he thought of the pilot’s news, and whether it
would suit with his affairs. He told me he would do just as I
would ; for he had settled all his affairs so well at Bengal, and
left his effects in such good hands, that as we had made a good
voyage here, if he could vest it in China silks, wrought and raw,
such as might be worth the carriage, he would be content to go
to England, and then make his voyage back to Bengal by the
company's ships.
Having resolved upon this, we agreed, that if our Portugal
pilot would go with us, we would bear his charges to Moscow, or
to England, if he pleased. Nor, indeed, were we to be esteemed
over-generous in that part neither, if we had not rewarded him
farther; for the service he had really done us was worth all that
and more ; for he had not only been a pilot to us at sea, but he
had been like a broker for us on shore; and his procuring for us
the Japan merchant was some hundreds of pounds in our pockets.
So we consulted together about it; and being willing to gratify
him, which was, indeed, but doing him justice, and very willing
also to have him with us besides, we agreed to give him a quantity
of coined gold, which, as I compute it, came to about 175 pounds
sterling between us, and to bear all his charges both for himself
and horse, except only a horse to carry his goods.
Having settled this among ourselves, we called him to let him
know what we had resolved. He received the proposal like a
man transported, and told us he would go with us over the whole
world; and so, in short, we all prepared ourselves for the journey.
However, as it was with us, so it was with the other merchants,
they had many things to do; and instead of being ready in five
weeks, it was four months and some odd days before all things
were got together.
It was the beginning of February when we set out from
Pekin. My partner and the old pilot had gone express back to
the port where we had first put in, to dispose of some goods
which we had left there ; and I, with a Chinese merchant, whom
I had some knowledge of at Nanquin, and who came to Pekin on
his own affairs, went to Nanquin, where I bought ninety pieces
of fine damasks, with about two hundred pieces of other very fine
silks of several sorts, some mixed with gold, and had all these
brought to Pekin against my partner's return. Besides this,
we bought a very large quantity of raw silk and some other
goods, our cargo amounting in these goods alone to about three
thousand five hundred pounds sterling; which, together with tea
and some fine calicoes, and three camel-loads of nutmegs and
cloves, loaded in all eighteen camels for our share, besides those
we rode upon; which, with two or three spare horses, and two
horses laden with provisions, made us, in short, twenty-six
camels and horses in our retinue.
The company was very great, and, as near as I can remember,
*-
CH. VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 329
made between three and four hundred horse, and upwards of a
hundred and twenty men, very well armed and provided for all
events; for as the eastern caravans are subject to be attacked by
the Arabs, so are these by the Tartars; but they are not alto.
gether, so dangerous as the Arabs, nor so barbarous when they
prevail.
The company consisted of people of several nations, but of
Muscovites chiefly, for there were above sixty of them who were
merchants or inhabitants of Moscow, though of them some were
Livonians; and, to our particular satisfaction, five of them were
Scots, who appeared also to be men of great experience in busi-
ness, and men of very good substance.
When we had travelled one day’s journey, the guides, who
were five in number, called all the gentlemen and merchants,
that is to say, all the passengers except the servants, to a great
council, as they called it. At this great council every one de-
posited a certain quantity of money to a common stock, for the
necessary expense of buying forage on the way where it was not
otherwise to be had, and for satisfying the guides, getting horses,
and the like ; and here they constituted the journey, as they
called it, that is, they named captains and officers to draw us all
up, and give the command in case of an attack; and gave every
One their turn of command.
The road all on this side of the country is very populous, and
is full of potters and earth-makers, that is to say, people who
tempered the earth for the china ware; and, as I was coming
along, our Portuguese pilot, who had always something to say to
make us merry, came sneering to me, and told me he would shew
the greatest rarity in all the country, and that I should have
this to say of China, that I had seen one thing which was not to
be seen in all the world beside. I was very importunate to know
what it was; at last he told me it was a gentleman's house built
all with china ware. “Well,” says I, “are not the materials
of their building the product of their own country; and sº it is
all china ware, is it not 7” “No, no,” says he, : I mean it is a
house all made of china ware, such as you call it.in,Bingland;
or, as it is called in our country, porcelain.” “Well,” says I,
“such a thing may be. How big is it? Can we carry, it in a
box upon a camel? If we can, we will buy it.” “Upon a
camel ſº says the old pilot, holding up both his hands, “ why,
there is a family of thirty people lives in it!” #
. I was then curious indeed to see it; and when I came to it,
it was nothing but this: it was a timber house, or a house built,
as we call it in England, with lath and plaster, but all the plas-
tering was really china ware, that is to say, it was plastered with
the earth that makes china ware. -
The outside, which the sun shone hot upon, W.
looked very well, perfectly white, and painted wit
was glazed, and
ith blue figures
F F 2
330 LIFE AND . ADVENTURES PT. II.
as the large china ware in England is painted, and hard as if
it had been burnt. As to the inside, all the walls, instead of
wainscot, were lined up with hardened and painted tiles, all
made of the finest china, and the figures exceedingly fine indeed,
with extraordinary variety of colours mixed with gold, many
tiles making but one figure, but joined so artificially, the mortar
being made of the same earth, that it was very hard to see where
the tiles met. The floors of the rooms were of the same compo-
sition, and as hard as the earthen floors we have in use in several
parts of England, as hard as stone, and smooth, but not burnt,
and painted, except some smaller rooms, like closets, which were
all, as it were, paved with the same tile; the ceilings, and, in a
word, all the plastering-work in the whole house, were of the
same earth ; and, after all, the roof was covered with tiles of the
same, but of a deep shining black.
This was a china warehouse indeed, truly and literally to be
called so; and had I not been upon the journey, I could have
stayed some days to see and examine the particulars of it. They
told me there were fountains and fish-ponds in the garden, all
paved at the bottom and sides with the same; and fine statues
set up in rows on the walks, entirely formed of the porcelain
earth, and burnt whole.
As this is one of the singularities of the Chinese, so they may
be allowed to excel in it; but I am very sure they excel in their
accounts of it; for they told me such incredible things of their
performance in crockery ware, for such it is, that I care not to
relate, as knowing it could not be true. They told me, in par.
ticular, of one workman that made a ship, with all its tackle, and
masts, and sails in earthenware, big enough to carry fifty men.
If he had told me he launched it, and made a voyage to Japan iſ
it, I might have said something to it indeed; but as it was
knew the whole of the story, which was, in short, asking pardon
for the word, that the fellow lied; so I smiled, and said nothing
to it.
This odd sight kept me two hours behind the caravan; for
which the leader of it for the day fined me about the value of
three shillings; and told me, if it had been three days’ journey
without the wall as it was three days' within, he must have fined
me four times as much, and made me ask pardon the next council-
day: so I promised to be more orderly. Indeed, I found afteſ:
wards the orders made for keeping all together were absolutely
necessary for our common safety.
In two days more we passed the great Chinese wall, made for
a fortification against the Tartars; and a very great work it.”
going over hills and mountains in a needless track, where tº
rocks are impassable, and the precipices such as no enemy coul
lossibly enter, or, indeed, climb up; or where, if they did, ""
wall could hinder them. They tell'us its length is near a th9"
CH. VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 331
sand English miles ; but that the country is five hundred, in a
straight measured line, which the wall bounds, without measur-
ing the windings and turnings it takes. It is about four fathoms
high, and as many thick in some places.
I stood still an hour, or thereabouts, without trespassing on
our orders (for so long the caravan was in passing the gate), to
look at it on every side, near and far off-I mean what was within
my view ; and the guide of our caravan, who had been extolling
it for the wonder of the world, was mighty eager to hear my
opinion of it. I told him it was a most excellent thing to keep
off the Tartars, which he happened not to understand as I meant
it, and so took it for a compliment; but the old pilot laughed.
“O, Signor Inglese,” says he, “you speak in colours.” “In
colours P’ said I, “what do you mean by that 7” “Why, you
speak what looks white this way, and black that way; gay one
way, and dull another way; you tell him it is a good wall to
keep out Tartars : you tell me, by that, it is good for nothing
but to keep out Tartars, or will keep out none but Tartars. I
understand you, Signor Inglese, I understand you; but Signor
Chinese understood you his own way.”
“Well,” said I, “signor, do you think it would stand out
an army of our country people, with a good train of artillery; or
our engineers, with two companies of miners ? Would not they
batter it down in ten days, that an army might enter in battalia,
or blow it up in the air, foundation and all, that there should be
no sign of it left 7” “Ay, ay,” says he, “I know that.” The
Chinese wanted greatly to know what I said, and I gave him
leave to tell him a few days after, for we were then almost out of
their country, and he was to leave us in a little time afterward ;
but when he knew what I had said, he was dumb all the rest of
the way, and we heard no more of his fine story of the Chinese
power and greatness while he stayed.
After we had passed this mighty wall (something like the
Picts' wall, so famous in Northumberland, and built by the Ro-
mans), we began to find the country thinly inhabited, and the
people rather confined to live in fortified towns and cities, as
being subject to the inroads and depredations of the Tartars, who
rob in great armies, and therefore are not to be resisted by the
naked inhabitants of an open country.
And here I began to find the necessity of keeping together in
a caravan as we travelled, for we saw several troops of Tartars
roving about; but when I came to see them distinctly, I won-
dered more that the Chinese empire could be conquered by such
$ºntemptible foes; for they are a mere horde or crowd of wild
fellows, keeping no order, and understanding no discipline or
manner of fight. &
Their horses are poor, lean, starved creatures, taught nothing
and fit for nothing; and this we said the first day we saw them,
332 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
which was after we entered the wilder part of the country. Our
leader for the day gave leave for about sixteen of us to go a
hunting, as they call it; and what was this but hunting of
sheep ! However, it may be called hunting too, for the creatures
are the wildest and swiftest of foot that ever I saw of their kind,
only they will not run a great way, and you are sure of sport
when you begin the chase; for they appear generally thirty or
* in a flock, and, like true sheep, always keep together when
they fly.
In pursuit of this odd sort of game, it was our hap to meet
with about forty Tartars. Whether they were hunting mutton,
as we were, or whether they looked for another kind of prey, I
know not; but as soon as they saw us, one of them blew a kind
of horn very loud, but with a barbarous sound that I had never
heard before, and, by the way, never care to hear again. We all
supposed this was to call their friends about them ; and so it was,
for in less than half a quarter of an hour a troop of forty or fifty
more appeared at about a mile distance ; but our work was over
first, as it happened.
One of the Scotch merchants of Moscow happened to be
amongst us ; and as soon as he heard the horn, he told us, in
short, that we had nothing to do but to charge them immediately,
without loss of time; and, drawing us up in a line, he asked if
we were resolved 2 We told him we were ready to follow him;
so he rode directly up to them. They stood gazing at us, like a
mere crowd, drawn up in no order, nor shewing the face of any
order at all ; but as soon as they saw us advance, they let fly
their arrows, which, however, missed us very happily. It seems
they mistook not their aim, but their distance; for their arrows
all fell a little short of us, but with so true an aim, that had we
been about twenty yards nearer, we must have had several men
wounded, if not killed.
Immediately we halted; and though it was at a great dis-
tance, we fired, and sent them leaden bullets for wooden arrows,
following our shot full gallop, to fall in among them sword in
hand ; for so our bold Scot that led us directed. He was,
indeed, but a merchant, but he behaved with such vigour and
bravery on this occasion, and yet with such a cool courage too,
that I never saw any man in action fitter for command. As
soon as we came up to them, we fired our pistols in their faces,
and then drew our swords; but they fled in the greatest con-
fusion imaginable. The only stand any of them made was on
our right, where three of them halted, and, by signs, called
the rest to come back to them, having a kind of simitar in
their hands, and their bows hanging at their backs. Our brave
commander, without asking any body to follow him, galloped
up close to them, and with his fusee knocked one of them o
his horse, killing the second with his pistol. The third ran
C.H. VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 333
away. And thus ended our fight; but we had this misfortune
attending it, namely, that all our mutton that we had in chase
escaped. We had not a man killed or hurt; but as for the
Tartars, there were about five of them killed, how many wounded
we knew not ; but this we knew, that the other party was so
frightened with the noise of our guns, that they made off, and
never made any attempt upon us.
We were all this while in the Chinese dominions, and there-
fore the Tartars were not so bold as afterwards. But in about
five days, we entered a vast desert, which held us three days'
and nights’ march ; and we were obliged to carry our water with
us in great leathern bottles, and to encamp all night, just as I
have heard they do in the desert of Arabia.
I asked whose dominion this was in 7 And they told me this
was a kind of border, that might be called no man's land ;
being a part of the Great Karakathy, or Grand Tartary ; that,
however, it was all reckoned to China; but that there was
no care taken here to preserve it from the inroads of thieves;
and therefore it was reckoned the worst desert in the whole
world, though we were to go over some much larger.
In passing this wilderness, which, I confess, was at the first
very frightful to me, we saw two or three times little parties
of the Tartars, but they seemed to be upon their own affairs,
and to have no design upon us; so, as they had nothing to say
to us, we had nothing to say to them, and let them go.
Once, however, a party of them came so near as to stand
and gazé at us. Whether it was to consider what they should
do, whether attack us, or not attack us, that we knew not;
but when we were passed at some distance by them, we made
a rear-guard of forty men, and stood ready for them, letting
the caravan pass half a mile, or thereabouts, before us. But
after a while they marched off, only we found, they saluted us
with five arrows at their parting; one of which wounded a
horse, so that it disabled him ; and we left him the next day,
poor creature, in great need of a good farrier... We ºu!!!”
they might shoot more arrows, which might fall short of us ;
but we saw no more arrows or Tartars at that time. *
We travelled near a month after this, the ways being not so
good as at first, though still in the dominions of the Emperor
of China; but lay, for the most part, in village; some of which
were fortified, because of the incursions of the Tartars. When
we came to one of these towns (it was about two days and a
alf journey before we were to come to the city Naum), ld
wanted to buy a camel, of which there are plenty tº be so
all the way upon that road, and of horses also, such as they
are, because so many caravans coming that way, they "...Y.
often wanted. The person that I spoke to to get me.”.”
would have gone and fetched it for me; but I, like a fool, must
334 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
be officious, and go myself along with him. The place was
about two miles out of the village, where, it seems, they kept
the camels and horses feeding under a guard.
I walked it on foot with my old pilot, being very desirous,
forsooth, of a little variety. When we came to the place, it
was a low marshy ground, walled round with a stone wall,
piled up dry, without mortar or earth among it, like a park,
with a little guard of Chinese soldiers at the door. Having
chosen a camel, and agreed for the price, I came away, and
the Chinese man that went with me led the camel ; when on a
sudden came up five Tartars on horseback ; two of them seized
the fellow, and took the camel from him, while the other three
stepped up to me and my old pilot; seeing us, as it were, un-
armed, for I had no weapon about me but my sword, which
could but ill defend me against three horsemen. The first that
came up stopped short upon my drawing my sword (for they
are arrant cowards); but a second coming up on my left, gave
me a blow on the head, which I never felt till afterwards, and
wondered, when I came to myself, what was the matter with
me, and where I was, for he laid me flat on the ground ; but
my never-failing old pilot, the Portuguese (so Providence, un-
looked for, directs deliverances from dangers which to us are
unforeseen,) had a pistol in his pocket, which I knew nothing
of, nor the Tartars either; if they had, I suppose they would
not have attacked us; but cowards are always boldest when
there is no danger.
The old man, seeing me down, with a bold heart stepped up
to the fellow that had struck me, and laying hold of his arm
with one hand, and pulling him down by main force a little
towards him with the other, he shot him in the head, and laid
him dead upon the spot. He then immediately stepped up to
him who had stopped us, as I said, and before he could come
forward again (for it was all done as it were in a moment)
made a blow at him with a simitar, which he always wore,
but missing the man, cut one of his horse's ears off, and 4
great slice down the side of his face. The poor beast, enraged
with the wound, was no more to be governed by his rider;
though the fellow sat well enough too : but away he flew, and
carried him quite out of the pilot's reach ; and at some dis’
tance, rising up upon his hind legs, threw down the Tartar,
and fell upon him.
In this interval, the poor Chinese, who had lost the camel,
came in, but he had no weapon; however, seeing the Tarta;
down, and his horse fallen upon him, he ran to him, and
seizing upon an ugly ill-favoured weapon he had by his side,
something like a pole-axe, he wrenched it from him, and made
shift to knock his Tartarian brains out with it. But my old man
had the third Tartar to deal with still ; and seeing he did not fly,
CH. VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 335
as he expected, nor come on to fight him, as he apprehended,
but stood stock-still, the old man stood still too, and fell to
work with his tackle to charge his pistol again: but as soon
as the Tartar saw the pistol, whether he supposed it to be
the same, or another, I know not ; away he scoured, and left
my pilot, (my champion I called him afterwards,) a complete
victor.
By this time I was a little recovered; for I thought, when
I first began to awake, that I had been in a sweet sleep ; but,
as I said above, I wondered where I was, how I came upon the
ground, and what was the matter: in a word, a few moments
after, as sense returned, I felt pain, though I did not know
where ; I put my hand to my head, and took it away bloody ;
then I felt my head ache ; and then, in another moment, me-
mory returned, and every thing was present to me again.
I jumped up upon my feet instantly, and got hold of my
sword; but no enemies were in view. I found a Tartar lying
dead, and his horse standing very quietly by him ; and looking
farther, I saw my deliverer, who had been to see what the
Chinese had done, coming back with his hanger in his hand;
The old man, seeing me on my feet, came running to me, and
embraced me with a great deal of joy, being afraid, before that,
I had been killed ; and seeing me bloody, would examine how
I was hurt; but it was not much, only what we call a broken
head ; neither did I afterwards find any great inconvenience
from the blow.
We made no great gain, however, by this victory; for we
lost a camel, and gained a horse. When we came back. to the
village, the man demanded to be paid for the camel; I disputed
it, and it was brought to a hearing before the Chinese judg:
of the place. To give him his due, he acted with a great deal
of prudence and impartiality; and having heard both sides, he
gravely asked the Chinese-man that went with me to buy the
camel, whose servant he was: “I am no servant,” said he,
“but went with the stranger.” “At whose request 2” said
the justice. “At the stranger's request,” said he. “ Why,
then,” said the justice, “you were the stranger's servant for
the time; and the camel being delivered to his servant, it was
delivered to him, and he must pay for it.”
I contess the thing was so clear, that I had not a word to
say ; but paid willingly for the camel, and sent for another :
ut you may observe, I sent for it; I did not go to fetch it
myself any more; I had had enough of that: . $
The city of Naum is a frontier of the Chinese empire: they
call it fortified, and so it is, as fortifications go theº; for this
I will venture to affirm, that all the Tartars in Karakathy,
which, I believe, are some millions, could not batter down the
walls with their bows and arrows; but to call it strong, if it
336 LIFE AND A DVENTURES PT. II,
were attacked with cannon, would be to make those who un-
derstand it laugh at you.
We wanted, as I have said, above two days’ journey of this
city, when messengers were sent express to every part of the
road, to tell all travellers and caravans to halt, till they had
a guard sent for them ; for that an unusual body of Tartars,
making ten thousand in all, had appeared in the way, about
thirty miles beyond the city.
This was very bad news to travellers; however, it was care-
fully done of the governor, and we were very glad to hear we
should have a guard. Accordingly, two days after, we had 200
soldiers sent us from a garrison of the Chinese on our left, and
300 more from the city of Naum, and with those we advanced
boldly. The 300 soldiers from Naum marched in our front,
the 200 in our rear, and our men on each side of our camels
with our baggage, and the whole caravan in the centre. In this
order, and well prepared for battle, we thought ourselves a
match for the whole 10,000 Mogul Tartars, if they had ap-
peared ; the next day, however, when they did appear, it was
Quite another thing.
It was early in the morning, when marching from a little
town called Changu, we had a river to pass, which we were
obliged to ferry; and had the Tartars had any intelligence, then
had been the time to have attacked us, when, the caravan being
over, the rear-guard was behind : but they did not appear.
About three hours after, when we were entered upon a desert
of about fifteen or sixteen miles over, we saw, by a cloud of dust
they raised, that an enemy was at hand; and they were at hand
indeed, for they came on upon the spur.
The Chinese, our guard on the front, who had talked so big
the day before, began to stagger, and the soldiers frequently
looked behind them ; which is a certain sign in a soldier, that
he is just ready to run away. My old pilot was of my mind;
and being near me, he called out; “Signor Inglese, those
fellows must be encouraged, or they will ruin us all; for if
the Tartars come on, they will never stand it.” “I am of
your opinion,” said I : * but what course must be taken º'
“Why,” said he: “ let fifty of our men advance, and flank
them on each wing, and encourage them, and they will fight
like brave fellows in brave company : but without, they wil
every man turn his back.” Immediately I rode up to our
leader, and told him. He was exactly of our mind; and ac-
cordingly fifty of us marched to the right wing, and fifty to
the left, and the rest made a line of rescue; and so we marched,
leaving the last 200 men to make another body by themselves;
and to guard the camels; only that, if need were, they shoul
send 100 men to assist the last fifty.
In a word, the Tartars came on, and an innumerable coni"
CII. VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSO E. 337
pany they were ; how many we could not tell, but 10,000 we
thought was the least. A party of them first approached, and
viewed our posture, traversing the ground in the front of our
line; and as we found them within gun-shot, our leader ordered
the two wings to advance swiftly, and give them a salvo on
each wing with their shot, which was done; but they retreated,
and I suppose went back to give an account of the reception they
were like to meet with. And, indeed, that salute clogged their
stomachs; for they immediately halted, stood awhile to con-
sider of it, and, wheeling off to the left, gave over the design,
and said no more to us for that time; which was very agree-
able to our circumstances, which were but very indifferent for
a battle with such a number.
Two days after this we came to the city of Naun, or Naum.
We thanked the governor for his care for us, and collected to
the value of 100 crowns, or thereabouts, which we gave to the
soldiers sent to guard us; and here we rested one day. This was
a garrison indeed, for there were nine hundred soldiers kept
here; but the reason of it was, that formerly the Muscovite
frontiers lay nearer to them than they do now, the Muscovites
having abandoned that part of the country (which lies from
this city west, for about 200 miles), as desolate and unfit for
use; and more especially, being so very remote, and so difficult
to send troops thither for its defence; for we had yet above 2000
miles to Muscovy properly so called.
After this we passed several great rivers, and two dreadful
deserts, one of which we were sixteen days passing over, and
which, as I said, was to be called no man's land ; and on the
13th of April, we came to the frontiers of the Muscovite domi.
nions. I think the first city, or town, or fortress; whatever it
might be called, that belonged to the Czar of Muscovy, was
called Argun, being on the west side of the river Argun;
I could not but experience an infinite satisfaction that I was
so soon arrived in, as I called it, a Christian country; or, ºt
least, in a country governed by Christians. It would certainly
occur to any man who travels the world as I have done, and
who had any power of reflection, to consider what a blessing it
is to be brought into a part of the world where the name of
GoD and of a REDEEMER is known, worshipped, and adored—
and not where the people, given up to strong delusiºns, Woº.
ship the devil, and prostrate themselves to stocks and stones;
worship monsters, elements, and horrible-shaped animals, and
statues, or images of monsters. Not a town or city. We passed
through but had their pagods, their idols, and, their temples;
..º.orant people worshipping even the works of their own
and S s
Now we came where, at least, a face of the Christian worship
G G
338 * LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
appeared, where the knee was bowed to JESUs; and whether
ignorantly or not, yet the Christian religion was owned, and
the name of the true GoD was called upon and adored ; and it
made the very recesses of my soul rejoice to see it. I saluted
the brave Scotch merchant I mentioned above, with my first
acknowledgment of this; and, taking him by the hand, I said
to him, “Blessed be GoD, we are once again come among
Christians!” He smiled, and answered, “Do not rejoice too
soon, countryman; these Muscovites are but an odd sort of
Christians; and but for the name of it, you may see very little
of the substance for some months farther of our journey.”
“Well,” said I, “but still it is better than paganism and
worshipping of devils.” “Why, I’ll tell you,” says he ; “except
the Russian soldiers in garrisons, and a few of the inhabitants of
the cities upon the road, all the rest of this country, for above a
thousand miles farther, is inhabited by the worst and most ignor-
ant of pagans.” And so, indeed, we found it.
We now advanced by easy and moderate journeys, and were
very visibly obliged to the care the Czar of Muscovy had taken
to have cities and towns built in as many places as it is possible to
place them, where his soldiers kept garrison, something like the
stationary soldiers placed by the Romans in the remotest countries
of their empire for the security of commerce, and for the lodging
travellers. Wherever we came, though at these towns and
stations the garrisons and governor were Russians and professed
Christians, yet the inhabitants of the country were mere pagans,
sacrificing to idols, and worshipping the sun, moon, and stars, or
all the host of heaven; and not only so, but were, of all the
heathens and pagans that ever I met with, the most barbarous,
except only that they did not eat man’s flesh, like our savages of
America.
Some instances of this we met with in the country between
Arguna, where we entered the Muscovite dominions; in which
is a continued desert or forest, which cost us twenty days to
travel over it. In a village, near a city of Tartars and Russians
together, called Nertzinskay, I had the curiosity to go and see
their way of living; which is most brutish and insufferable,
They had, I suppose, a great sacrifice that day; for there stood
out upon an old stump of a tree an idol made of wood, frightful
as the devil; at least, as any thing we can think of to represent
the devil can be made. It had a head certainly not so much as
resembling any creature that the world ever saw ; ears as big as
goats' horns, and as high ; eyes as big as a crown piece ; a nose
like a crooked ram’s horn; and a mouth extended four-cornered,
like that of a lion, with horrible teeth, hooked like a parrot's
under-bill. It was dressed up in the filthiest manner that you
could suppose; its upper garment was of sheep-skins, with the
C.H. VI. OF ROBIN SON CRU SOE. 339
wool outward ; a great Tartar bonnet on the head, with two
horns growing through it: it was about eight feet high, yet had
no feet or legs, or any other proportion of parts.
This scarecrow was set up at the outer side of the village;
and when I came near to it, there were sixteen or seventeen
creatures, whether men or women I could not tell, for they make
no distinction by their dress, either of body or head; these lay
all flat on the ground, round this formidable block of shapeless
wood. ... I saw no motion among them, any more than if they had
been all logs of wood like the idol; and at first I really thought
they had been so; but when I came a little nearer, they started
up upon their feet; and raised a howling cry, as if it had been so
many deep-mouthed hounds, and walked away as if they were
displeased at our disturbing them. A little way off from the
island, and at the door of that tent or hut, made all of sheep-
skins and cow-skins dried, stood three butchers. They had long
knives in their hands, and in the middle of the tent appeared
three sheep killed, and one young bullock, or steer. These, it
seems, were sacrifices to that senseless log of an idol; and these
three men priests belonging to it; and the seventeen prostrated
wretches were the people who brought the offering, and were
making their prayers to that stock.
I confess I was more moved at their stupidity and brutish
Worship of a hobgoblin than ever I was at any thing in my life;
To see God's most glorious and best creature—to whom He had
granted so many advantages, even by creation, above the rest of
the works of His hands, vested with a reasonable soul, and that
soul adorned with faculties and capacities adapted both to honour
his Maker, and to be honoured by Him —sunk and degenerated
to a degree so more than stupid as to prostrate itself before a
frightful nothing, a mere imaginary object dressed up by them-
selves, and made terrible to themselves by their own contriyance.
adorned only with rags; and that this should be the effect of
mere ignorance, wrought up into hellish devotion by the devil.
himself, who, envying his Maker the homage and adoration of
His creatures, had deluded them into such gross, sordid, and
brutish things, as one would think should shock nature itself. .
But what signified all the astonishment and reflection of
thoughts? Thus it was, and I saw it before my eyes; and there
was no room to wonder at it, or think it impossible. All my
admiration turned to rage; and I rode up to the image or mon-
ster, call it what you will, and with my sword cut the bonnet
that was on its head in two in the middle, so that it hung down
by one of the horns; and one of our men that was...with me
took hold of the sheep-skin that covered it, and pulled at it,
when, behold, a most hideous outcry and howling ran, through
the village, and two or three hundred people came about my
ears, so that I was glad to run for it; for we saw some had bows
340 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES PT. II.
*
and arrows. But I resolved from that moment to visit them
again.
Our caravan rested three nights at the town, which was about
four miles off, in order to provide some horses, which they
wanted, several of the horses having been lamed and jaded with
the badness of the way, and the long march over the last desert.
So we had some leisure here to put my design in execution. I
communicated my project to the Scotch merchant of Moscow, of
whose courage I had had sufficient testimony before. I told him
what I had seen, and with what indignation I had since thought
that human nature could be so degenerate. I told him, I was
resolved, if I could get but four or five men well armed to go
with me, to go and destroy that vile abominable idol; and let
them see that it had no power to help itself, and consequently
could not be an object of worship, or be prayed to, much less
help them that offered sacrifices to it.
He laughed at me, and said, “Your zeal may be good ; but
what do you propose to yourself by it !” “Propose !” said I,
“to vindicate the honour of GoD, which is insulted by this devil-
worship.” “But how will it vindicate the honour of God,” said
he, “while the people will not be able to know what you mean by
it, unless you could speak to them, and tell them so 7 and then
they will fight you and beat you too, I will assure you ; for they
are desperate fellows, and that especially in defence of their
idolatry.” “Can we not,” said I, “do it in the night, and then
leave them the reasons and causes, in writing, in their own
language?” “Writing !” said he, “why there is not a man in
five nations of them that knows any thing of a letter, or how to
read a word in any language, or in their own.” “Wretched
ignorance l’” said I to him ; “however, I have a great mind to
do it; perhaps nature may draw inferences from it to them, to
let them see how brutish they are to worship such horrid things.”
“Look you, sir,” said he ; “if your zeal prompts you to it so
warmly, you must do it; but in the next place, I would have you
consider that these wild nations of people are subjected by force
to the Czar of Muscovy’s dominions; and if you do this, it is ten
to one but they will come by thousands to the governor of Ner-
tzinskay, and complain, and demand satisfaction; and if he can-
not give them satisfaction, it is ten to one but they revolt; and
it will occasion a new war with all the Tartars in the country.”
This, I confess, put new thoughts into my head for a while ;
but I harped upon the same string still ; and all that day I was
uneasy to put my project in execution. Towards the evening,
the Scotch merchant met me by accident in our walk about the
town, and desired to speak with me. “I believe,” said he, “I
have put you off your good design. I have been a little con-
cerned about it since ; for I abhor the idol and the idolatry as
much as you can do.” “Truly,” said I, “you have put it off a
C.H. VI. OF ROBIN SON CRUSO E. 341
little as to the execution of it, but you have not put it at all out
of my, thoughts; and, I believe, I shall do it still before I quit
this place, though I were to be delivered up to them for satis-
faction.” “No, no,” says he, “God forbid they should deliver
you up to such a crew of monsters; they shall not do that neither;
that would be murdering you indeed.” “Why,” said I, “how
would they use me?” “Use you!” replied he; “I will tell you
how they served a poor Russian, who affronted them in their
worship just as you did, and whom they took prisoner, after they
had lamed him with an arrow, that he could not run away. They
took him and stripped him stark naked, and set him upon the
top of the idol monster, and stood all round him, and shot as
many arrows into him as would stick over his whole body; and
then they burnt him and all the arrows sticking in him, as a
sacrifice to the idol.” “And was this the same idol '!” “Yes,”
said he, “ the very same. It was not this village, it was almost
a hundred miles from this place; but it was the same idol, for
they carry him about in procession all over the country.” “Well,
then,” said I, “that idol ought to be punished for it; and so it
shall, if I live this night out.”
Finding me resolute, he liked the design, and told me, I
should not go alone, but he would go with me; and bring a
stout fellow, one of his countrymen, to accompany us; “And
one,” says he, “as famous for his zeal as you can desire any
one to be against such devilish things as these.” In a word, he
brought me his comrade, a Scotchman, whom he called Captain
Richardson; and I gave him a full account of what I had seen,
and of what I intended ; and he told me readily, he would go
with me if it cost him his life. So we agreed to go, only we
three and my man-servant, and put it in execution that night,
about midnight, with all the secrecy imaginable. &
However, upon second thoughts, we were willing to delay it
till the next night, because the caravan being to set forward in
the morning, we supposed the governor could not pretend to
give them any satisfaction upon us when we were out of his
power. The Scotch merchant, as steady in his resolution for the
enterprise as bold in executing it, brought me a Tartar's robe or
gown of the sheep-skins, and a bonnet, with a bow and arrows,
and had provided the same for himself and his countryman; that
the people, if they saw us, should not be able to determine who
WG Were. º
All the first night we spent in mixing up some combustible
matter with aquavitae, gunpowder, and such other materials as
we could get; and, having a good quantity of tar in a little Pot,
about an hour after night we set out upon our expedition.
We came to the place about eleven o'clock at night, and
found that the people had not the least fear of danger attending
their idol. The night was cloudy, yet the moon gave us light
G G 2
342 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
enough to see that the idol stood just in the same posture and
place that it did before. The people seemed to be all at their
rest; only that in the great hut, or tent, where we saw the three
priests whom we mistook for butchers, we saw a light, and going
up to the door, we heard people talking, as if there were five or six
of them. We concluded, therefore, that if we set the wild-fire to
the idol, these men would come out immediately, and run up to
the place to rescue it from the destruction that we intended for
it; and what to do with them we knew not. Once we thought of
carrying it away, and setting fire to it at a distance; but when
we came to handle it, we found it too bulky; so we were at a loss
again. The second Scotchman was for setting fire to the tent or
hut, and knocking the creatures that were there on the head,
when they came out; but I could not join with that; I was
against killing them, if it was possible to be avoided. “Well,
then,” said the Scotch merchant, “I will tell you what we will
do ; we will try to take them prisoners, tie their hands behind
them, and make them stand still and see their idol destroyed.”
As it happened, we had twine or pack thread enough about
us, which was used to tie our fire-works together with ; so we
resolved to attack these people first, and with as little noise as
we could. The first thing we did was to knock at the door. It
was opened by one of their idol priests, whom we immediately
seized. We stopped his mouth, tied his hands behind him, and
led him to the idol, where we gagged him that he might not
make .. noise ; tied his feet also together, and left him on the
I'OUII) Ol.
g Two of us then waited at the door, expecting that another
would come out to see what was the matter; but we waited so
long that the third man came back to us, and then, nobody
coming out, we knocked again gently, and immediately out came
two more, and we served them just in the same manner, but were
all obliged to go with them, and lay them down by the idol
some distance from one another; when, going back, we found
two more were come out to the door, and a third stood behind
them within the door. We seized the two, and immediately tied
them ; when the third stepping back, and crying out, my Scotch
merchant went in after him, and taking out a composition we
had made, that would only smoke and stink, he set fire to it, and
threw it in among them : by that time the other Scotchman and
my man taking charge of the two men who were already bound,
and tied together also by the arm, led them away to the idol, and
left them there, to see if their idol would relieve them, making
haste back to us.
When the fuzee we had thrown in had filled the hut with so
much smoke that they were almost suffocated, we then threw in
a small leather bag of another kind, which flamed like a candle,
and following it in, we found there were but four people left,
#
CH. VI. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 343
who, it seems, were two men and two women; and, as we sup-
posed, had been about some of their diabolic sacrifices. They
appeared, in short, frightened to death, at least so as to sit trem-
bling and stupid, and not able to speak either for the smoke.
In a word, we took them, bound them as we had the others,
and all without any noise. I should have said, we brought them
out of the house or hut first ; for, indeed, we were not able to
bear the smoke any more than they were. When we had done
this, we carried them all together to the idol; when we came there,
we fell to work with him. First we daubed him all over, and
his robes also, with tar, and such other stuff as we had, which
was tallow mixed with brimstone; then we stopped his eyes,
and ears, and mouth full of gunpowder; then we wrapped up a
great piece of wild-fire in his bonnet ; and then sticking all the
combustibles we had brought with us upon him, we looked about
to see if we could find any thing else to help to burn him ; when
my man remembered, that by the tent, or hut, where the men
were, there lay a heap of dry forage, whether straw or rushes
I do not remember: away he and one of the Scotchmen ran,
and fetched their arms § of that. When we had done this, we
took all our prisoners, and brought them, having untied their
feet, and ungagged their mouths, and made them stand up, and
set them just before their monstrous idol, and then set fire to the
whole.
We stayed by it a quarter of an hour, or thereabouts, till the
powder in the eyes, and mouth, and ears of the idol blew up,
and, we could perceive, had split and deformed the shape; and,
in a word, till we saw it burnt into a mere block or log of wood:
and then setting the dry forage to it, we found it would be quite
consumed. We now began to think of coming away; but the
Scotchman said, “No, we must not go yet; for these poor de-
luded wretches will all throw themselves into the fire, and burn
themselves with the idol.” We therefore resolved to stay till
the forage was burnt down too, and then we came away and left
them.
In the morning we appeared among our fellow-travellers,
exceedingly busy in getting ready for our journey; nor tould
any man suspect that we had been any where, but in our beds,
as travellers might be supposed to be, to fit themselves for the
fatigues of the following day. ſº
But it did not end so; the next day came a great multitude
of the country people, not only of this village, but of a hundred
more, to the town-gates; and in a most outrageous manner de-
manded satisfaction of the Russian governor, for the insulting
their priests, and burning their great Cham-Chi-Thaungº such
a hard name they gave the monstrous creature they worshipped.
The Russian governor sent out messengers to appease them,
and gave them all the good words imaginable. He assured
344 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
*
them he knew nothing of it, and that there had not a soul of his
garrison been abroad; that it could not be from any body there;
and if they would let him know who it was, they should be ex-
emplarily punished. They returned haughtily: That all the
country reverenced the great Cham-Chi-Thaungu, who dwelt in
the sun, and no mortal would have dared to offer violence to
his image but some Christian miscreant ; and they therefore
denounced war against him, and all the Russians; who, they
said, were miscreants and Christians.
The governor, still patient, and unwilling to make a breach,
or to have any cause of war alleged to be given by him, the
Czar having straitly charged them to treat the conquered country
with gentleness and civility, gave them still all the good words
he could ; at last told them, there was a caravan gone towards
Russia that morning, and perhaps it was some of them who
had done them this injury; and that, if they would be satis-
fied with that, he would send after them, to inquire into it. This
seemed to appease them a little; and accordingly the governor
sent after us, and gave us a particular account how the thing
was; intimating withal, that if any in our caravan had done it,
they should i. their escape; but that, whether they had done
it or no, we should make all the haste forward that was possible;
and that in the mean time, he would keep them in play as long
as he could.
This was very friendly in the governor. However, when it
came to the caravan, there was nobody knew any thing of the
matter; and, as for us that were guilty, we were the least of all
suspected; none so much as asked us the question. However,
the captain of the caravan, for the time, took the hint that the
governor gave us, and we marched or travelled two days and
two nights without any considerable stop, and then we lay at a
village called Plothus ; nor did we make any long stay here, but
hastened on towards Jarawena, another of the Czar of Muscovy's
colonies, and where we expected we should be safe. But it is to
be observed, that here we began, for two or three days’ march,
to enter upon the vast nameless desert, of which I shall say more
in its place; and which, if we had now been upon, it is more
than probable we had been all destroyed. It was the second
day’s march from Plothus, that by the clouds of dust behind us
at a great distance, some of our people began to be sensible we
were pursued. We had entered the desert, and had passed by a
great lake, called Schanks Osier, when we perceived a very great
body of horse appear on the other side of the lake to the north,
we travelling west. We observed they went away west, as We
did; but had supposed we would have taken that side of the
lake, whereas we very happily took the south side; and in twº
days more we saw them not, for they, believing we were stil
before them, pushed on, till they came to the river Udda. This
C.H. VI. & OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 345
is a very great river when it passes farther north; but where we
came to it, we found it narrow and fordable.
The third day they either found their mistake, or had intel-
ligence of us, and came pouring in upon us, towards the dusk
of the evening. We had, to our great satisfaction, just pitched
upon a place for our camp, which was very convenient for the
night; for as we were upon a desert, though but at the beginning
of it, that was above five hundred miles over, we had no towns
to lodge at, and, indeed, expected none but the city Jarawena,
which we had yet two days’ march to ; the desert, however, had
Some few woods in it on this side, and little rivers, which ran all
into the great river Udda. It was in a narrow strait, between
two little but very thick woods, that we pitched our camp for
that night, expecting to be attacked in the night.
Nobody knew but ourselves what we were pursued for; but
as it was usual for the Mongul Tartars to go about in troops in
that desert, so the caravans always fortify themselves every night
against them, as against armies of robbers; and it was therefore
no new thing to be pursued.
But we had this night a most advantageous camp; for we lay
between two woods, with a little rivulet running just before our
front ; so that we could not be surrounded or attacked any way
but in our front or rear. We took care also to make our front as
strong as we could, by placing our packs with our camels and
horses all in a line on the inside of the river, and felling some
trees in our rear.
In this posture we encamped for the night; but the enemy
was upon us before we had finished our situation. They did not
come like thieves, as we expected, but sent three messengers to us,
to demand the men to be delivered to them that had abused their
priests, and burnt their god Cham-Chi-Thaungu, that they might
burn them; and, upon this, they said they would go away, and
do us no farther harm, otherwise they would burn us all. Our
men looked very blank at this message, and began to stºre at
one another, to see who looked with most guilt in their faces;
but, nobody was the word, nobody did it. The leader, of the
caravan sent word, he was well assured it was not done by any
of our camp; that we were peaceable merchants, travelling on
our business; that we had done no harm to them, or to any one
else; and that therefore they must look farther for their ene-
mies, who had injured them, for we were not the people, so
desired them not to disturb us; for if they did, we should de-
fend ourselves. º
They were far from being satisfied with this answer; sº."
great crowd of them came down in the morning, by break of day,
tº our camp ; but seeing us in such an unaccountable situation,
they durst come no farther than the brook in our frºnt, where
they stood, and shewed us such a number as indeed terrified
346 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES PT. II.
us very much ; for those that spoke least of them spoke of ten
thousand. Here they stood, and looked at us awhile, and then
setting up a great howl, they let fly a cloud of arrows among us ;
but we were well enough fortified for that, for we sheltered under
}. baggage, and I do not remember that one man of us was
hurt.
Some time after this, we saw them move a little to our right,
and expected them on the rear, when a cunning fellow, a Cossack,
in the pay of the Muscovites, calling to the leader of the caravan,
said to him, “I will go send all these people away to Sibeilka.”
This was a city at least four or five days’ journey to the south,
and rather behind us. So he takes his bow and arrows, and,
getting on horseback, he rides away from our rear, directly, as
it were, back to Nertzinskay; after this he takes a great circuit
about, and comes to the army of the Tartars, as if he had been
sent express to tell them a long story, that the people who had
burnt their Cham-Chi-Thaungu were gone to Sibeilka, with a
caravan of Christians; and that they had resolved to burn the
god Scal Isarg, belonging to the Tongueses.
As this fellow was himself a mere Tartar, and spoke their
language perfectly, he counterfeited so well, that they all took
it from him, and away they drove, in a most violent hurry, to
Sibeilka, which, it seems, was five days’ journey from where
we were; and in less than three hours they were entirely out of
our sight, and we never heard any more of them.
So we passed safely on to the city of Jarawena, where there
was a garrison of Muscovites; and there we rested five days,
the caravan being exceedingly fatigued with the last day’s hard
march, and from want of rest in the night.
From this city we had a frightful desert, which held us three-
and-twenty days’ march. We furnished ourselves with some
tents here, for the better accommodating ourselves in the night;
and the leader of the caravan procured sixteen carriages, or
waggons, of the country, for carrying our water and provisions.
These carriages served also for our defence every night round our
little camp; so that had the Tartars appeared, unless they had
been very numerous indeed, they would not have been able to
hurt us.
After we had passed this desert, we came into a country pretty
well inhabited ; that is to say, we found there towns and castles
settled by the Czar of Muscovy, having garrisons of stationary
soldiers to protect the caravans, and defend the country against
the Tartars, who would otherwise make it very dangerous tra-
velling ; and his czarish majesty has given such strict orders for
the well-guarding of the caravans and merchants, that if there
are any Tartars heard of in the country, detachments of the
garrisons are always sent to see the travellers safe from station
to station.
CH, VI, OF ROBINSON CRUSOR. 347
I thought long before this, that as we came nearer to Europe,
we should find the country better peopled, and the people moré
civilised; but I found myself mistaken in both, for we had yet
the nation of the Tongueses to pass through ; where we saw the
same tokens of paganism and barbarity, or worse than before;
only as they were conquered by the Muscovites, and entirely re-
duced, they were not so dangerous; but for rudeness of manners
and idolatry, no people in the world ever went beyond them.
They all are clothed in skins of beasts, and their houses are built
of the same. You know not a man from a woman, neither by
the ruggedness of their countenances nor their clothes; and in the
winter, when the ground is covered with snow, they live under
ground, in houses like vaults, which have cavities going from one
to another.
If the Tartars had their Cham-Chi-Thaungu for a whole vil-
lage, or country, these had idols in every hut and in every cave;
besides, they worshipped the stars, the sun, the water, the snow,
and, in a word, every thing that they do not understand; and
they understand but very little—so that almost every element,
every uncommon thing, sets them a sacrificing.
I met with nothing peculiar to myself in all this country,
which, I reckon, was, from the desert which I spoke of last, at
least four hundred miles, half of it being another desert, which
took us up twelve days’ severe travelling, without house, or tree,
or bush; but we were obliged again to carry our own provisions,
as well water as bread. After we were out of this desert, and
had travelled two days, we came to Janezay, a Muscovite city or
station, on the great river Jamezay. This river is the eastern
boundary of the ancient Siberia, which now makes up a province
only of the vast Muscovite empire, but is itself equal in bigness
to the whole empire of Germany.
And yet here I observed ignorance and paganism still pre-
vailed, except in the Muscovite garrisons. All the country be-
tween the river Oby and the river Janezay is as entirely pagan,
and the people as barbarous, as the remotest of the Tartars; nay,
as any nation, for aught I know, in Asia or America. I also
found, which I observed to the Muscovite governors, whom I
had opportunity to converse with, that the poor pagans are not
much the wiser, or the nearer Christianity, for being under the
Muscovite government. This they acknowledged to be true
enough, but, as they said, was none of their business; that if the
Czar expected to convert his Siberian, or Tonguese, or Tartar
subjects, it should be done by sending clergymen among them,
not soldiers; and they added, with more sincerity than I ex-
pected, that they found it was not so much the concern of their
monarch to make the people Christians, as it was to make them
subjects. w *
From this river to the great river Oby, we crossed a wild
348. ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. PT. II.
uncultivated country : I cannot say it is a barren soil; it is only
barren of people and good management; otherwise it is in it-
self most pleasant, fruitful, and agreeable. What inhabitants we
found in it were all pagans, except such as are sent among them
from Russia; for this is the country, I mean on both sides the
river Oby, whither the Muscovite criminals, that are not put to
death, are banished; and from whence it is next to impossible
they should ever come away.

&ºe= ..?. •jº.
º
# Ch.7. §
. . . . . . º' Fº,
-º-º-º-V |\
HAVE nothing material to say of my par-
ticular affairs till I cane to Tobolski, the
capital city of Siberia, where I continued
*Tº some time, on the following occasion.
e We had been now almost seven months on our
Journey, and winter began to come on apace; whereupon my
Pºrtner and I called a council about our particular affairs; in
which we found it proper, considering that we were bound for
England, and not for Moscow, to consider how to dispose of our-
selves. They told us of sledges and rein-deer to carry us over
the snow in the winter-time; and, indeed, they have such things,
that it would be incredible to relate the particulars of, by which
means the Russians travel more in the winter than they can in
Summer; because in these sledges they are able to run night and
day. The snow being frozen, is one universal covering to na-
ture, by which the hills, the vales, the rivers, the lakes, are. all
Smooth, and hard as a stone; and they run upon the surface, with-
Out any regard to what is underneath. *
. But I had no occasion to push at a winter journey of this
kind; I was bound to England, not to Moscow, and my route
lay two ways; either I must go on as the caravan went, till I
cºme to Jarislaw, and then go off west for Narva and the gulf
of Finland, and so either by sea or land to Dantzic, where I
might possibly sell my China cargo to good advantage; or I
must leave the caravān at a little town on the Dwina, from
H H









350 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT. II.
whence I had but six days by water to Archangel, and from
thence might be sure of shipping, either to England, Holland,
or Hamburgh.
Now to go any of these journeys in the winter would have
been preposterous; for as to Dantzic, the Baltic would be frozen
up, and I could not get passage; and to go by land in those
countries was far less safe than among the Mongul Tartars; like-
wise to go to Archangel, in October all the ships would be gone
from thence ; and even the merchants, who dwell there in Sun-
mer, retire south to Moscow in the winter, when the ships are
gone ; so that I should have nothing but extremity of cold to en-
counter, with a scarcity of provisions, and must lie there in an
empty town all the winter. So that, upon the whole, I thought
it much my better way to let the caravan go, and to make pro-
vision to winter where I was, namely at Tobolski, in Siberia, in
the latitude of sixty degrees, where I was sure of three things to
wear out a cold winter with, namely plenty of provisions such
as the country afforded, a warm house with fuel enough, and
excellent company.
I was now in quite a different climate from my beloved island,
where I never felt cold except when I had my ague ; on the con-
trary, I had much to do to bear any clothes on my back, and
never made any fire but without doors, and for my necessity in
dressing my food, &c. Now I made me three good vests, with
large robes or gowns over them to hang down to the feet, and
button close to the wrists; and all these lined with furs to make
them sufficiently warm. -
As to a warm house, I must confess I greatly disliked our
way in England, of making fires in every room in the house in
open chimneys, which, when the fire was out, always kept the air
in the room as cold as the climate. But taking an apartment in
a good house in the town, I ordered a chimney to be built like a
furnace, in the centre of six several rooms, like a stove; the
funnel to carry the smoke went up one way, the door to come at
the fire went in another, and all the rooms were kept equally
warm, but no fire was visible.
By this means we had always the same climate in all the
rooms, and an equal heat was preserved ; and how cold soever
it was without, it was always warm within ; and yet we saw no
fire, nor were ever incommoded by any smoke.
The most wonderful thing of all was, that it should be possible
to meet with good company here, in a country so barbarous as
that of the most northerly parts of Europe, near the frozen ocean,
and within but a very few degrees of Nova Zembla.
But this being the country where the state criminals of Mus-
covy, as I observed before, are all banished, this city was full of
noblemen, princes, gentlemen, colonels, and, in short, all degrees
of the nobility, gentry, soldiery, and courtiers of Muscovy.
C.H. VII. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 351
By means of my Scotch merchant, whom, nevertheless, I
parted with here, I made an acquaintance with several of these
gentlemen, and some of them of the first rank : and from these,
in the long winter nights in which I stayed here, I received
Several very agreeable visits. It was in conversation one night
with Prince , one of the banished ministers of state belong-
ing to the Czar of Muscovy, that my talk of my particular case
began. He had been telling me abundance of fine things, of the
greatness, the magnificence, the dominions, and the absolute
power of the Emperor of the Russians. I interrupted him, and
told him I was a greater and more powerful prince than ever the
Czar of Muscovy was, though my dominions were not so large,
or my people so many. The Russian grandec looked a little sur-
prised, and fixing his eyes steadily upon me, began to wonder
what I meant.
I told him his wonder would cease when I had explained
myself. First, I remarked, I had the absolute disposal of the
lives and fortunes of all my subjects; that, notwithstanding my
absolute power, I had not one person disaffected to my govern-
ment or to my person in all my dominions. He shook his head
at that, and said, there, indeed, I outdid the Czar of Muscovy.
I told him, that all the lands in my kingdom were my own, and
all my subjects were not only my tenants, but tenants at will;
that they would all fight for me to the last drop ; and that never
tyrant (for such I acknowledged myself to be) was ever so uni-
versally beloved, and yet so greatly feared by his subjects.
After amusing him with these riddles in government for a
while, I told him the story at large of my living in the island,
and how I managed both myself and the people there that were
under me, just as I have since minuted it down. He was exceed-
ingly taken with the story, and told me, with a sigh, that the
true greatness of life was to be master of ourselves; that he
would not have exchanged such a state of life as mine to have
been Czar of Muscovy; and that he found more felicity in the
retirement he seemed to be banished to there, than ever he found
in the highest authority he enjoyed in the court of his royal
master; that the height of human wisdom was to bring our
tempers down to our circumstances, and to make a galm, within,
under the weight of the greatest scorns without. When he canº
first hither, he said, he used to tear the hair from his head and
the clothes from his back, as others had done before him; but a
little time and consideration had made him look into himself; a
well as round him to things without ; that he found the mind of
man, if it was but once brought to reflect upon the state of U1111-
versal life, and how little this world was concerned in its tºle
felicity, was perfectly capable of making a felicity for º fully
satisfying to itself and suitable to its own best ends and º:
with but very little assistance from the world; that air to breathe
352 LIFE AND ADVENTURES I'T. II.
in, food to sustain life, clothes for warmth, and liberty for exer-
cise in order to health, completed, in his opinion, all that the
world could do for us; and though the greatness, the authority,
the riches, and the pleasures, which some enjoyed in this world,
and which he had enjoyed his share of, had much in them that
was agreeable to us; yet, he observed, that all those things
chiefly gratified the coarsest of our affections, such as our am-
bition, our selfishness, our pride, our avarice, our vanity, and
our sensuality: all which were, indeed, the mere product of the
worst part of man, were in themselves crimes, and had in them
the seeds of all manner of crime; but neither were related to or
concerned with any of those virtues that constituted us wise men,
or of those graces which distinguished us as Christians; that
being now deprived of all the fancied felicity which he enjoyed
in the full exercise of all those vices, he said he was at leisure to
look upon the dark side of them, where he found all manner of
deformity; and was now convinced that virtue only makes a man
truly wise, rich, and great, and preserves him in the way to a
superior happiness in a future state ; and in this, he said, they
were more happy in their banishment than all their enemies were,
who had the full possession of all the wealth and power that they
(the banished) had left behind them.
“ Nor, sir,” said he, “do I bring my mind to this politically,
by the necessity of my circumstances, which some call miserable;
but, if I know any thing of myself, I would not now go back,
though the Czar, my master, should call me, and reinstate me in
all my former grandeur; I say, I would no more go back to it
than I believe my soul, when it shall be delivered from this prison
of the body, and has had a taste of the glorious state beyond life,
would come back to the gaol of flesh and blood it is now enclosed
in, and leave heaven to deal in the dirt and crime of human
affairs.”
He spoke this with so much warmth in his temper, so much
earnestness and motion of his spirits, which were apparent in his
countenance, that it was evident it was the true sense of his soul;
there was no room to doubt his sincerity.
I told him, I once thought myself a kind of a monarch in
my old station, of which I had given him an account; but that I
thought he was not a monarch only, but a great conqueror; for
that he that has got a victory over his own exorbitant desires, and
has the absolute dominion over himself, whose reason entirely
governs his will, is certainly greater than he that conquers a city.
“But, my lord,” said I, “shall I take the liberty to ask you
a question ?” “With all my heart,” says he. “If the door of
your liberty was opened,” said I, “would you not take hold of it
to deliver yourself from this exile?”
“Hold'ſ" answered he ; “your question is subtle, and requires
some serious just distinctions to give it a sincere answer; and I
C.H. VII. O F ROBINSON CRUSOE, 353
will give it you from the bottom of my heart. Nothing that I
know of in this world would move me to deliver myself from this
state of banishment, except these two : first, the enjoyment of my
relations; and, secondly, a little warmer climate. But I protest
to you, that to go back to the pomp of the court, the glory, the
power, the hurry of a minister of state ; the wealth, the gaiety,
and the pleasures, that is to say, follies of a courtier; if my master
should send me word this moment, that he restores me to all he
banished me from, I protest, if I know myself at all, I would not
leave this wilderness, these deserts, and these frozen lakes, for
the palace of Moscow.”
“But, my lord,” said I, “perhaps you not only are banished
from the pleasures of the court, and from the power and autho-
rity and wealth you enjoyed before, but you may be absent, too,
from some of the conveniences of life; your estate, perhaps, con-
fiscated, and your effects plundered; and the supplies left you here
may not be suitable to the ordinary demands of life.”
“Ay,” said he, “that is as you suppose me to be, a lord, or a
prince, &c. So, indeed, I am ; but you are now to consider me
only as a man, a human creature, not at all distinguished from
another; and so I can suffer no want, unless I should be visited
with sickness and distempers. However, to put the question out
of dispute, you see our manner; we are in this place five persons
of rank; we live perfectly retired, as suited to a state of banish-
ment; we have something rescued from the shipwreck of our
fortunes, which keeps us from the mere necessity of hunting for
our food ; but the poor soldiers who are here without that help,
who go into the woods and catch sables and foxes, live in as
much plenty as we. The labour of a month will maintain them
a year; and as the way of living is not expensive, so it.” not
hard to get sufficient for ourselves. So that that objection is out
of doors.”
I have not room to give a full account of the most agreeable
conversation I had with this truly great man; in, all which he
shewed that his mind was so inspired with a superior knowledge
of things, so supported by religion, as well as by a vast . of
wisdom, that his contempt of the world was really as º {AS
he had expressed, and that he was º same to the last,
as will appear in the story I am going to tell. wº
I hº '. here sº months, and a dark dreadful winter I
thought it to be; the cold was so intense that I could not º
much as look abrºad without being wrapped in fur; *.* º:
of fur before my face, or rather a hood, with only º hole *
breath, and two for sight. The little daylight we la º wº
we reckoned, for three months, not above five hours a- º
six at most; only that the snow lying on the ground º º
and the weather being clear, it was never quite dark. f "... Ser's
were kept (or rather starved) under ground; and as for o
Th H &
354; LIFE AND A DVENTURES IPT. II,
vants (for we hired three servants here to look after our horses
and selves), we had every now and then their fingers and toes
to thaw and take care of, lest they should mortify and fall off.
It is true, within doors we were warm, the houses being close,
the walls thick, the lights small, and the glass all double. Our
food was chiefly the flesh of deer, dried and cured in the season,
good bread enough, but baked as biscuits, dried fish of several
sorts, and some flesh of mutton, and of the buffaloes, which is
pretty good beef. All the stores of provisions for the winter are
laid up in the summer, and well cured ; our drink was water
mixed with aquavitae instead of brandy, and, for a treat, mead
instead of wine, which, however, they have extremely good. The
hunters, who venture abroad all weathers, frequently brought us
in fresh venison, very fat and good, and sometimes bears' flesh,
but we did not much care for the last. We had a good stock
of tea, with which we treated our friends; and, in a word, we
lived very cheerfully and well, all things considered.
It was now March, and the days had grown considerably
longer, and the weather at least tolerable; so the other travellers
began to prepare sledges to carry them over the snow, and to
get things ready to be going. But my measures being fixed, as
I have said, for Archangel, and not for Muscovy or the Baltic,
I made no movement, knowing very well that the ships from
the south do not set out for that part of the world till May or
June, and that if I was there by the beginning of August it would
be as soon as any ships would be ready to go away; and there-
fore I saw a great many people, nay, all the travellers, go away
before me. It seems that every year they go from thence to Mos-
cow for trade, viz. to carry furs, and buy necessaries with them,
which they bring back to furnish their shops. Also others went
on the same errand to Archangel ; , but then they also being to
come back again above eight hundred miles, went all out be-
fore me.
In short, about the latter end of May I began to make all
ready to pack up ; and as I was doing this, it occurred to me,
that seeing all these people were banished by the Czar of Mus-
covy to Siberia, and yet when they came there were left at
liberty to go whither they would, why did they not then go away
to any part of the world wherever they thought fit? And I be-
gan to examine what should hinder them from making such an
attempt.
But my wonder was over when I entered upon that subject
with the person I have mentioned, who answered me thus:
“Consider, first, sir,” said he, “the place where we are ; and,
secondly, the condition we are in, especially the generality of
the people who are banished hither. We are surrounded with
stronger things than bars and bolts; on the north side an un-
navigable ocean, where ship never sailed and boat never swam;
CH. VII. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE, 355
neither, if we had both, could we know where to go with them.
Every other way we have above a thousand miles to pass through
the Czar's own dominions, and by ways utterly impassable, ex-
cept by the roads made by the governor, and by the towns gar-
risoned by his troops; so that we could neither pass undiscovered
by the road, or subsist any other way. Therefore it is in vain
to attempt it.”
I was silenced, indeed, at once ; and found that they were in
a prison every jot as secure as if they had been locked up in the
castle at Moscow. However, it came into my thoughts that I
might certainly be made an instrument to procure the escape of
this excellent person ; and that whatever hazard I ran, I would
certainly try if I could carry him off. Upon this I took an
occasion one evening to tell him my thoughts: I represented to
him that it was very easy for me to carry him away, there being
no guard over him in the country; and as I was not going to
Moscow, but to Archangel, and that I went in the fashion of
a caravan, by which I was not obliged to lie in the stationary
towns in the desert, but could encamp every night where
would, we might easily pass uninterrupted to Archangel, where
I would immediately secure him on board an English or Dutch
ship, and carry him off safe along with me. And as to his sub-
sistence, and other particulars, it should be my care, till he could
better supply himself.
He heard me very attentively, and looked earnestly on me,all
the while I spoke; nay, I could see in his very face, that what
I said put his spirits into an exceeding ferment; his cºlour fre-
quently changed, his eyes looked red, and his heart fluttered,
that it might be even perceived in his countenance. Nor could
he in mediately answer me when I had done, and, as it were,
expected what he would say to it; but after he had paused a
little, he embraced me, and said, “How unhappy are we, un-
guarded creatures as we are, that even our greatest acts of ºl,
ship are made snares to us, and we made tempter; of one another!
My dear friend, your offer is so sincere, has ºugh kindness in it,
is so disinterested in itself, and is so calculated for my advantage,
that I must have very little knowledge of the world if I did not
both wonder at it, and acknowledge the obligation I have upon
me to you for it. But did you believe I was sincere in what
id t of my contempt of the world ! Did
I have so often said to you tº. º and that I had really
rou believe I spoke my very soul to y
$º that lº of felicity here, that had placed me sº
all that the world could give me, or do for me ! Did . †
lieve i was sincere, when I told you I would not,8° back, i d
was recalled, even to be all that once || Wº..." the court, an
with the favour of the Czar my master? Did you believe i.
my friend, to be an honest man, or did you º: II16 1. lº
boasting hypocrite?”—Here he paused, as if he wou
356 LIFE AND ADVENTURES PT, II,
what I would say; but, indeed, I soon after perceived, that he
stopped because his spirits were in motion ; his heart was full
of struggles, and he could not go on. I was, I confess, as-
tonished at the thing, as well as at the man, and I used some
arguments with him to urge him to set himself free; that he
ought to look upon this as a door opened by Heaven for his
deliverance, and a summons by Providence, who has the care
and disposition of all events, to do himself good, and to render
himself useful in the world.
He had by this time recovered himself. “How do you know,
sir,” said he, warmly, “that, instead of a summons from Heaven,
it may not be a feint of another instrument, representing to me,
in all its alluring colours, the show of felicity as a deliverance,
which may in itself be my snare, and tend directly to my ruin 2
Here I am free from the temptation of returning to my former
miserable greatness; there I am not sure but that all the seeds
of pride, ambition, avarice, and luxury, which I know remain in
my nature, may revive and take root, and in a word, again over-
whelm me; and then the happy prisoner, whom you see now
master of his soul’s liberty, shall be the miserable slave of his
own senses, in the full enjoyment of all personal liberty. Let me
remain in this blessed confinement, banished from the crimes of
life, rather than purchase a show of freedom at the expense of
the liberty of my reason, and at the expense of the future hap-
piness which now I have in my view, but shall then, I fear,
quickly lose sight of ; for I am but flesh—a man, a mere man,
and have passions and affections as likely to possess and over-
throw me as any man. Oh, be not my friend and my tempter
both together l’’ r
If I was surprised before, I was quite dumb now, and stood
silent, looking at him ; and, indeed, lost in admiration at what
I saw. The struggle in his soul was so great, that though the
weather was extremely cold, it put him into a most violent
sweat, and I found he wanted to give vent to his mind; so I
said a word or two, that I would leave him to consider of it,
and wait on him again ; and then withdrew to my own apart-
Iment.
About two hours after, I heard somebody at or near the
door of my room, and was going to open the door; but he had
opened it, and came in. “My dear friend,” says he, “you had
almost overset me, but I am recovered : do not take it ill that I
do not close with your offer; I assure you, it is not for want of
a sense of the kindness of it in you ; and I came to make the
most sincere acknowledgment of it to you ; but, I hope, I have
got the victory over myself.”
“My lord,” said I, “I hope you are fully satisfied, that
you do not resist the call of Heaven.” “Sir,” said he, “if it
had been from Heaven, the same power would have influenced
C.H. VII. 6 F ROBINSON CRUSOE. 357
gº
me to accept it; but I hope, and am fully satisfied, that it is from
Heaven that I decline it; and I have infinite satisfaction in the
parting, that you shall leave me an honest man still, though not
a free man.”
I had nothing to do but to acquiesce, and make professions to
him of my having no end in it but a sincere desire to serve him.
He embraced me very passionately, and assured me he was
sensible of that, and should always acknowledge it; and with
that he offered me a very fine present of sables—too much, in-
deed, for me to accept from a man in his circumstances; and I
would have avoided them, but he would not be refused.
The next morning, I sent my servant to his lordship with a
small present of tea, and two pieces of China damask, and four
little wedges of Japan gold, which did not all weigh above six
ounces, or thereabout, and were far short of the value of his
sables, which, indeed, when I came to England, I found worth
near 200l. He accepted the tea, and one piece of the damask;
also one of the pieces of gold, which had a fine stamp upon it.9f
the Japan coinage, and which I found he took for the rarity of it;
but would not take any more; and he sent word by my servant,
that he desired to speak with me.
when I came to him, he told me I knew what had passed
between us, and hoped I would not move him any mºre in that
affair; but that, since I had made such a generºus offer to him,
he asked me, if I had kindness enough to offer, the same, to
another person that he would name to me, in whom he had a
great share of concern. I told him, that I could not say I in-
£ined to do so much for any one but himself, for whom I had a
particular value, and should have been glad to have been the
instrument of his deliverance. However, if he would please to
name the person to me, I would give him my answer; and
hoped he would not be displeased with me, if he was with my
answer. He told me it was only his son, Who, though I had not
seen, yet was in the same condition with himself, and above two
hundred miles from him, on the other side the Oby ; but that, if
I consented, he would send for him... iº
I made no hesitation, but told him I would do it. I made
some ceremony in letting him understand that it was wholly .
his account; and that seeing I could not prevail on him, ſ *
shew my respect to him by my concern for his son, But these
things are too tedious to repeat here in detail. He sent º:
the next day for his son; and in about twenty days he . º:
with the messenger, bringing six or seven horses loade *
very rich furs, and which, in the whole, amounted to a very gre"
value. * ſt th
ſº ght the horses into the town, but left the
His servants broug ht, when he came incognito into
oung lord at a distance till nig *
. º and his father presented him to * In short,
358 LIFE AND ADv ENTURES PT. II.
we concerted there the manner of our travelling, and every thing
proper for the journey.
I had bought a considerable quantity of sables (black fox-
skins, fine ermines, and such other furs as are very rich) in that
city, in exchange for some of the goods I brought from China; in
particular, for the cloves and nutmegs, of which I sold the great-
est part here, and the rest afterwards at Archangel, for a much
better price than I could have done at London; and my partner,
who was sensible of the profit, and whose business, more particu-
larly than mine, was merchandise, was mightily pleased with our
stay, on account of the traffic we made here.
It was the beginning of June when I left this remote place; a
city, I believe, little heard of in the world, and, indeed, it is so
far out of the road of commerce, that I know not how it should be
much talked of. We were now reduced to a very small caravan,
being only thirty-two horses and camels in all, and all of them
passed for mine, though my new guest was proprietor of eleven
of them. It was most natural, also, that I should take more
servants with me than I had before, and the young lord passed
for my steward. What great man I passed for myself I know not,
neither did it concern me to inquire. We had there the worst
and the largest desert to pass over that we met with in all the
journey; indeed, I call it the worst, because the way was very
deep in some places, and very uneven in others. The best we had
to say for it was, that we thought we had no troops of Tartars
and robbers to fear, and that they never came on this side the
river Oby, or at least but very seldom; but we found it other-
WISG.
My young lord had with him a faithful Siberian servant, who
was perfectly acquainted with the country, and led us by private
roads, so that we avoided coming into the principal towns and
cities upon the great road, because the Muscovite garrisons which
are kept there are very curious and strict in their observation upon
travellers, and in searching lest any of the banished persons of
note should make their escape that way into Muscovy. By this
means, as we were kept out of the cities, so our whole journey
was a desert, and we were obliged to encamp and lie in our tents,
when we might have had very good accommodation in the cities
on the way. This the young lord was so sensible of, that he
would not allow us to lie abroad when we came to several cities
on the way; but remained himself, with his servant, in the woods,
and met us always at the appointed places.
We had just entered Europe, having passed the river Kama,
which, in these parts, is the boundary between Europe and Asia ;
and here we thought to have seen some evident alteration in
the people, but we were mistaken; for as we had a vast desert
to pass, which, by relation, is near seven hundred miles long in
some places, but not above two hundred miles over where We
C.H. VII. OF ROBIN SON CRUSO E. 359
#
passed it. So, till we came past that horrible place, we found very
little difference between that country and the Mongul Tartary;
the people mostly pagans, and little better than the savages of
America ; their houses and towns full of idols, and their way of
living wholly barbarous, except in the cities and the villages near
them, where they are Christians of the Greek church.
In passing this forest, I thought, indeed, we must (after all
our dangers were, in our imagination, escaped, as before,) have
been plundered and robbed, and perhaps murdered by a troop
of thieves. Of what country they were, whether the roving
bands of the Ostiachi, a kind of Tartars, or wild people on the
bank of the Oby, had ranged thus far; or whether they were
the sable-hunters of Siberia, I am yet at a loss to know ; but
they were all on horseback, carried bows and arrows, and were
at first about five-and-forty in number. They came so near to
us as within about two musket-shot; and, asking no questions,
they surrounded us with their horse, and looked very earnestly
upon us twice. At length they placed themselves just in our
way; upon which we drew up in a little line before our camels,
being not above sixteen men in all; and being drawn up thus,
We halted, and sent out the Siberian servant who attended his
lord, to see who they were: his master was the more willing to
let him go, because he was not a little apprehensive that they
were a Siberian troop sent out after him. The man came up
near them with a flag of truce, and called them ; but though he
spoke several of their languages, he could not understand a word
they said: however, after some signs to him not to come nearer
to them at his peril, (so, he said, he understood them to mean, )
offering to shoot at him if he advanced, the fellow came back no
wiser than he went; only that by their dress, he said, he believed
them to be some Tartars of Kalmuck, or of the Circassian hordes;
and that there must be more of them upon the great desert, though
he never heard that any of them ever were seen so far north
before. . -
This was small comfort to us; however, we had no remedy.
There was on our left hand, at about a quarter of a mile's distance,
a little grove or clump of trees, which stood close together, and
very near the road. I immediately resolved we would advance
to those trees, and fortify ourselves as well as we could there ;
for, first, I considered that the trees would in a great measure
cover us from their arrows; and in the next place, they could
not come to charge us in a body. . It was, indeed, my old Por-
tuguese pilot who proposed it; and who had this excellence at-
tending him, namely, that he was always readiest and most apt
to direct and encourage us in cases of the most danger. We
advanced immediately with what speed ‘we could, and gained
that little wood, the Tartars, or thieves, for we knew not what
to call them, keeping their stand, and not attempting to hinder
360 LIFE AND ADV ENTURES PT. II.
us. When we came thither, we found, to our great satisfaction,
that it was a swampy springy piece of ground; and, on the one
side, a very great spring of water, which, running out in a little
rill or brook, was a little farther joined by another of the like
bigness, and was, in short, the head or source of a considerable
river, called afterwards, the Wirtska. The trees which grew
about this spring were not in all above two hundred, but were
very large and stood pretty thick; so that as soon as we got
in, we saw ourselves perfectly safe from the enemy, unless they
alighted and attacked us on foot.
But to make this more difficult, our Portuguese, with inde-
fatigable application, cut down great arms of the trees, and laid
them hanging, not cut quite off, from one tree to another; so
that he made a continued fence almost round us.
We stayed here, waiting the movements of the enemy some
hours, without perceiving they made any motion ; when, about
two hours before night, they came down directly upon us; and
though we had not perceived it, we found they had been joined
by some more of the same, so that they were near fourscore horse,
whereof, however, we famſcied some were women. They came on
till they were within half shot of our little wood, when we fired
a musket without ball, and called to them in the Russian tongue,
to know what they wanted, and bid them"keep off. But as if they
knew nothing of what we said, they came on with a double fury
directly up to the wood-side, not imagining we were so barri-
caded that they could not break in. Our old pilot was our cap-
tain, as well as he had been our engineer, and desired us not to
fire upon them till they came within pistol-shot; and that when
we did fire, we should be sure to take good aim. We bade him
give the word of command, which he delayed so long, that º
were, some of them, within two pikes' length of us when we fired:
We aimed so true (or Providence directed our shot so sure)
that we killed fourteen of them, and wounded several others, tº
also several of their horses; for we had all of us loaded our
-pieces with two or three bullets at least. *
They were terribly surprised with our fire, and retreated in:
mediately about one hundred rods from us; in which time wº
loaded our pieces again, and seeing them keep that distance; Wº
sallied out, and caught four or five of their horses, whose ride;
we suppose, were killed; and coming up to the dead, we coºl
easily perceive they were Tartars, but knew not from whº
country, or how they came to make an excursion such an *
usual length. - tº
About an hour after, they attempted to attack us again, and
rode round our little wood, to see where else they might brº
in; but finding us always ready to face them, they went off ag”
So we resolved not to stir-from the place for that night. . , , ;
We slept little, but spent the greatest part of the night in
CH, VII. OF ROBINSON CRUSOE. 361
strengthening our situation, and barricading the entrances into
the wood ; and, keeping a strict watch, we waited for daylight,
which, when it came, gave us a very unwelcome discovery in.
deed; for the enemy, who we thought were discouraged with the
reception they had met with, were now increased to no less than
three hundred, and had set up eleven or twelve huts and tents,
as if they were resolved to besiege us; and this little camp they
had pitched upon the open plain, at about three quarters of a
mile from us. We were indeed surprised at this discovery ; and
now, I confess, I gave myself over for lost, and all that I had.
The loss of my effects (though they were very considerable) did
not lie so near me as the thoughts of falling into the hands of
such barbarians at the latter end of my journey, after so many
difficulties and hazards as I had gone through; and even in sight
of our port, where we expected safety and deliverance. As for
my partner, he was raging; he declared, that to lose his goods
would be his ruin; and he would rather die than be starved ;
and he was for fighting to the last drop.
The young lord i. was for fighting to the last; and my
old pilot was of opinion that we were able to resist them all, in
the situation we then were in. We spent the day in debates of
what we should do; but towards evening, we found that the
number of our enemies still increased—(perhaps, as they were
abroad in several parties for prey, the first had sent out scouts to .
call for help, and to acquaint them of the º; and we did not
know but § the morning they might be a still greater number.
So I n to inquire of those people we had brought from To-
bolski, if there were no other or more private ways by which we
might avoid them in the night, and, perhaps, either retreat- to
some town, or get help to guard us over the desert.
The Siberian who was servant to the young lord told us,
if we designed to avoid them, and not fight, he would en
to carry us off in the night to a way that went north towards
the Petraz, by which he made no question but we might get
away, and the Tartars never the wiser; but he said, his lord
had told him he would not retreat, but would rather choose to
fight. I told him, he mistook his lord; for that he was too wise
a man to love fighting for the sake of it; that I knew his master
was brave enough by what he had shewed already; but that he
knew better than to desire to have seventeen or eighteen men
fight five hundred, unless an unavoidable necessity forced them
to it. And that if he thought it possible for us to escape in the
night, we had nothing else to do but to attempt it.
The young lord 'º. to this º: as soon as it
began to be dark we kindled a fire in our little ºf which we
kept burning, and prepared so as to make it burn all night, that
the Tartars might conclude we were still there; but when it was
dark, that is to say, so as we could see the stars (for the Siberian




I I
362 LIFE AND AIDVENTURES PT. II,
would not stir before), having all our horses and camels ready
laden, we followed our new guide, who, I soon found, steered
himself by the north star, all the country being level for a long
way.
By six o'clock the next morning we were gotten nearly forty
miles, though we almost spoiled our horses. Here we found a
Russian village, named Kirmazinskoy, where we rested, and heard
nothing of the Kalmuck Tartars that day. About two hours
before night we set out again, and travelled till eight the next
morning, though not quite so hard as before; and about seven
o'clock we passed a little river, called Kirtza, and came to a
good large town, inhabited by Russians and very populous, called
Ozomys. Here we were obliged to get some fresh horses, and
having need enough of rest, we stayed five days; and my partner
and I agreed to give the honest Siberian, who brought us thither,
the value of ten pistoles for his conducting us.
In five days more we came to Veussima, upon the river Wit-
zogda, and running into the Dwina, we were there very happily
near the end of our travels by land, that river being navigable,
in seven days’ passage, to Archangel: from hence we came to
Lawrenskoy, the third of July; and providing ourselves with
two luggage-boats, and a barge for our own convenience, We
embarked on the seventh, and arrived all safe at Archangel the
eighteenth; having been a year and five months and three days
on the journey, including our stay of eight months and odd days
at Tobolski. -
We were obliged to stay at this place six weeks for the ar-
rival of the ships; and must have tarried longer, had not a Ham-
burgher come in above a month sooner than any of the English
ships; when, after some consideration that the city of Hamburgh
might happen to be as good a market for our goods as Lºndo,
we all took freight with him; and having put my goods on º
it was most natural for me to put my steward on board 2*
care of them, by which means my young lord had a sufficient
opportunity to conceal himself. º
"We sailed from Archangel the twentieth of August the *:
ear; and, after no extraordinarily bad voyage, arrived.” t .
#. the thirteenth of September. Here my partner and I ſº
a very good sale for our goods, as well those of China ; tº
sables, &c. of Siberia; and dividing the produce of our *.
my share amounted to 3475l. 17s. 8d., notwithstanding 39 *:
losses we had sustained and charges we had been at 3.9% {di:
membering that I had included in this about 600l. worth of dia
monds which I had purchased at Bengal. the
Here the young lord took his leave of us, and went ºed
Elbe, in order to go to the court of Vienna, where º, . of
to seek protection, and where he could correspond with t i.Out
his father's friends who were left alive. He did not Part "
("If . VII. UF ROBINSON CRUSOR, 363
all the testimonies he could give me of gratitude for the service
I had done him, and his sense of my kindness to the prince his
father.
To conclude: having stayed near four months in Hamburgh,
I came from thence overland to the Hague, where I embarked
in the packet, and arrived in London the tenth of January 1705,
having been gone from England ten years and nine months.
And here, resolving to harass myself no more, I am prepar-
ing for a longer journey than all these, having lived seventy-two
years a life of infinite variety, and learned sufficiently to know
the value of retirement, and the blessing of ending our days in
peace.

AQIo 3&obinson Crusoe.
CŞ.
Lost to thy busy species, lonely man,
Thou hadst an empire in thy little isle;
A smiling scene—but what should make thee smile,
Whose world was compass'd in that narrow span P
In youth, misled by Fiction's spells, methought
Thine was an almost-to-be-envied lot;
Though all thy range confin'd to one small spot,
And oft thy breast with lurking terrors fraught.
But Time has since unmask"d the fond mistake :
For perils, hardships, sufferings, such as thine,
Nor fame, nor fabled El Dorado's mine,
Should make me now my lowly home forsake;
No restless spirit now should lead me on,
Like thee, to seek strange lands, and live an age alone.
LONDON :
PRINTrio BY Robson, LEvrr, AND PRANKLYN .
Great New Street, Fetter Lane.