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GIFT of
REGENTILHUBBARD


Robinson £Rusoe.

TIEEE LIFE
SURPRISING ADVENTURES
OF
ROBINSON GRUSOE,
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.
LONDON :
MIL NE R A ND co M P A N Y,
PATERNOSTER ROW.
*

ſº...
fº-' /2: 27- Žºf
THE LIFE OF DANIEL DE FOE.
THE original author of Robinson Crusoe was Daniel Foe,
which, from caprice, or some other motive, he lengthened
with a prefix, calling himself De Foe. He was a native
of London, born in the year 1660, of humble parentage, his
father, James Foe, exercising the occupation of a butcher,
Daniel De Foe, in the commencement of his career, en-
gaged in trade; from the business of a hosier he passéd to
that of a pantile maker, without any good fortune. Either
from want of prudence, or from dislike to his occupations,
the only reward of his schemes was embarrassment and
distress.
In the speculations of the literary world he was more
fortunate. In 1701, when King William, during the vio-
lence of parties was censured for his attachment to, and
employment of foreigners, De Foe espoused the cause of
his monarch, and ridiculed his enemies in a satirical poem,
called “The True-born Englishman.” This production
was honoured with an enormous sale : and he was encour-
aged to write another satire, entitled, “Reformation of
Manners,” in which he attacked the vices of some persons
of eminent rank. -
. A pamphlet, called “The Shortest Way with the Dissen-
ters,” was so mistaken, or so misrepresented, that it was
declared by the House of Commons to be of a libellous na-
. De Foe, for his offence, was subjected to fine, im-
prisonment, and even the pillory. He did not give his
enemies much reason to exult over his despondence ; for
the subject which he took to amnse his prison hours, was
“A Hymn to the Pillory.” . During his confinement he
also undertook the “Jeeview,” a periodical work of consi-
derable importance in the republic of learning, if, as has
been imagined, it suggested the idea of the Tattler and
Spectator, which have enriched our language with essays
of incomparable beauty.
De Foe was employed in promoting the union of Eng-
land and Scotland, of which event he also wrote the his-
tory. Whatever glory be gained from interfering in the
bitter differences of politics, he gained little solid satisfac-
tion. A second imprisonment, which he suffered, taught
him the fate which he was to expect from the animosity of
political opponents. He began to take a more quiet and
useful path of literature in 1715, and published a religious
work, called “The Family Instructor.” Of the multitude
V.

vi LIFE OF DANIEI, DE FOE.
of his other productions specific notice is scarcely necess
sary. It is sufficient to mention “The History of the
Plague in 1665;”, a novel, entitled, “The History of Co-
lonel Jack,”—“A new Voyage round the World, by a
Company of Merchants,”—“ The History of Rozana,”—
“The Memoirs of a Cavalier,”—“The History of Moll
Flanders,” and a book, entitled “Religious Courtship,”
which has passed through numerous editions.
But De Foe's reputation, in the present day, rests chief-
ly upon his “Robinson Crusoe,” a work which almost every
one has read in his childhood, and the pleasing impres-
sions of which are scarcely obliterated from the memory in
old age. Its simple and perspicuous style is admirably
suited to the capacity of youth ; it possesses enough of the
marvellous to seize and delight the imagination ; and the
sentiments which it inspires are such as need not be re-
nounced or corrected in mature age. Respecting this work
there is a story which it is incumbent to relate, although
it has never been fairly authenticated. It has been affirm-
ed (says the Encyclopaedia Britannica,) that when Cap-
tain Woodes Rogers touched at the island of Juan Fernan-
dez, in the South Sea, he brought away Alexander Selkirk,
a Scottish seaman, who, having been left ashore there, had
lived upon the island in desolate solitude for the space of
four years. When Selkirk returned to England, it is said,
that he wrote a narrative of his adventures, and put the
papers in the hands of De Foe, to digest for publication ;
but that he ungenerously converted the materials into the
celebrated “History of Robinson Crusoe.” Part of thºs
story may be true, and part false. That De Foe might
have had the inspection of Selkirk's journal is very possi-
ble; and by his powers of description, and skill in com-
position, he might have expanded into an entertaining
narrative, what in its original form was a dull and awk-
ward composition. But that he was guilty of any fraud
or injustice towards Selkirk, is a suspicion which his char-
acter of general integrity should induce us to reject. As
there is no credible proof against him, we are bound to
give him an acquittal, both because he is not able to win-
dicate himself, and one who has so entertained the rising
generation, has more than an ordinary right not to be con-
demned upon doubtful accusation.
Daniel De Foe died at Islington, in the year 1731. His
daughter was respectably settled in life, by marrying Henry
Baker, an eminent naturalist.
ROBINSON cRUSOE.
I 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, leaving off his trade, lived afterwards 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 Rob-
$nson Kreutznaer ; but, by the usual corruption of
words in England, we are now called, nay, 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 Col-
onel Lockhart, and was killed at the battle near
I)unkirk against the Spaniards. What became of
my second brother Inever knew, any more than my
father or mother did know what became 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
ancient, had given me a competent share of learn-
ing, as far as house-education and 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 1ed me so strongly
against the will, nay, the commands of my father,
and against all the entreaties and persuasions of
my mother and other friends, that there ºned to

8 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
*
*
be something fatal in that propension of nature,
tending directly to that life of misery which was to
befall me.
My father, a wise and grave man, gave me seri-
ous and excellent counsel against what he foresaw
was my design. He called me one morning into his
chamber, where he was confined by the gout, and
expostulated very warmly with me upon this sub-
ject. He asked me what reasons, more than a mere
wandering inclination, I had for leaving my fa-
ther's house, and my native country; where I
might be well introduced, and had a prospect of
raising my fortune by application and industry,
with a life of ease and pleasure. He told me it was
men of desperate fortunes on the one hand, or of as-
piring to superior fortunes on the other, who went
abroad upon adventures, to rise by enterprise, and
make themselves famous in undertakings of a na-
ture out of the common road; that these things
were all either too far above me, or too far below
me; and that mine was the middle state, or what
might be called the upper station of low life, which
he had found, by long experience, was the best

state in the world, the most suited to human hap-
piness, 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 of
mankind. He told me I might judge of the happi-
ness 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
. 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 standard of true felicity, when he prayed
to have neither poverty nor riches. . .
He bade me observe it, and I should always find
- RoPINSON GRUSOE. . 9
that the calamities of life were shared among the
upper and lower part of mankind: . but that the
'middle station had the fewest disasters; and was
not exposed to so many vicissitudes as the higher
or lower part of mankind; nay, they were not sub-
jected to so many distempers and uneasiness, either
of body or mind, as those were, who, by vicious
living, luxury, and extravagances on one hand, or
oy hard labour, want of necessaries, and mean or
insufficient diet, on the other hand, bring distemp-
ers upon themselves by the natural consequences
of their way of living ; for the middle station of
life was calculated for all kind of virtues, and all
kind of enjoyment; that peace and plenty were the
handmaids of a middle fortune; that temperance,
moderation, quietness, health, Society, all agree-
able diversions, and all desirable pleasures, were
the blessings attending the middle station of life;
that this way men went silently and smoothly
through the world, and comfortably out of it; not
embarrassed with the labours of the hands, or of
the head; not sold to a life of slavery for daily
bread, or harassed with perplexed circumstances,
which rob the soul of peace, and the body of rest;
nor enraged with the passion of envy, or the secret
burning Just of ambition for great things, but in
easy circlimstaces sliding gently through the world,
and sensibly tasting the sweets of living, without
the bitters; feeling that they are happy, and learn-
ing by every day's experience to know it most
sensibly.
After this he pressed me earnestly, and in the
most affectionate manner, not to play the young
man nor to precipitate myself into miseries, which
nature, and the station of life I was born in, seem-
ed 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 just been recom-

10 - IZOEINSON CIRUSOE.
mending to me; and that if I was not very easy
and happy in the world, it must be my mere fate,
or fault, that must hinder it; and that he should
have nothing whatever to answer for, having thus
discharged his duty in warning gainst
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; and
to close all, he told me, I had an 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 de-
sires 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 world venture to say
to me, that if I did take that 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 assistin 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 plentifully, es-
pecially when he spoke of my brother who was
killed; and that when he spoke of my having lei-
sure to repent, and none to assist me, he was so
moved that he broke off the discourse, and told me
his heart was full, he could say no more to me.
I was sincerely affected with this discourse, as
indeed who could be otherwise P And I resolved
not to think of going abroad any more, but to set-
tle at home according to my father's desire. But.
alas! a few days wore it all off; and in short, to
prevent any of my father's farther importunities, in
a few weeks after I resolved to run quite away
from him. However, I did not act so hastily nei-
ther, as the first heat of my resolution prompted;

ROBINSON CRUSOE. 11
but I took my mother at a time when I thought
her a little pleasanter than ordinary, and told her,
that my thoughts were entirely bent upon seeing the
world, that I never should settle to any thing with
resolution enough to go through with it; and my fa-
ther 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, but I should cer-
* tainly 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 one voyage abroad, if I came
home again and did not likeit, I would gono more,
and I would promise by a double diligence to re-
cover the time I had lost. *
This put my mother into a great passion. She
told me, she knew it would be to no purpose to
speak to my father on such a subject; that heknew
too well what was my interest, to give his consent
to anything so much for my hurt ; and that she
wondered how I could think of any such thing, af-
ter the discourse I had had with my father, and
such kind and tender expressions, as she knew my
father had used to me; 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; that, for her part, she would not have so
much hand in my destruction, and I should never
have it to say, that my mother was willing when
my father was not.
Though my mother refused to move it to my fa-
ther, yet I heard afterwards that she reported all
the discourse to him; and that my father, after
showing a great concern at it, said to her, with a
sigh, “That the boy might be happy, if he would
stay stay at home; but if he goes abroad, he will
be the most miserable wretch that ever was born :
I can give no consent to it.”

12 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
&
It was not till almost a year after this that I
broke loose, though in the mean time I continued
obstinately deaf to all proposals of settling to
business, and frequently expostulating with my
father and mother about their being so positively
determined against what they knew my inclination
prompted me to. But being one day at Hull, whi-
ther I went casually, and without any purpose of
making an elopement at that time; but, Isay, being
there, and one of my companions being going by
sea to London, in his father's ship, and prompting
me to go with them, with the common allurement
of a sea-faring man, that it should cost me nothing
for my passage, I consulted neither father nor mo-
ther 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, with-
out any consideration of circumstances or conse-
quences, and in an ill hour, God knows, on the first
of September, 1651, I went on board a ship bound
for London. Never any young adventurer's mis-
fortunes, I believe, began sooner, or continued
longer, than mine. The ship had no sooner got out
of the Humber, but the wind began to blow, and
the sea to rise in a most frightful manner; and, as
I had never seen the sea before, I was most inex-
pressibly sick in body and terrified in mind. I bes
gan now seriously to reflect upon what I had done,
and how justly I was overtaken by the judgment
of heaven, for my wickedly leaving my father's
house, and abandoning 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, which was not yet come to the
pitch of hardness to which it has been since, re-
proached me with the contempt of advice, and the
breach of my duty to God and my father.
this while the storm increased, and the sea
went very high, though nothing like what I have

ROBINSON CEUSOE. 13
seen many times since, nor, 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, as I thought it did, in the trough or hol-
low if the sea, we should never rise more. In this
agony of mind, I made my vows and resolutions,
that if it pleased God to spare my life in this one
voyage, if ever I once got my foot upon dry land
again, I would go directly home to my father, and
never set it into a ship again while I lived; that I
would take his advice, and never run myself into
such miseries as these any more. Now I saw plain-
ly the goodness of his observations about the mid-
dle station of life, how easy, how comfortable, he
had lived all his days, and never had been exposed
to tempests at sea or troubles on shore; and, in
short, I resolved that I would like a true repenting
prodigal, go home to my father.
These wise and sober thoughts continued all the
while the storm continued, and, indeed, some time
after; but the next day the wind was abated, and
the sea calmer, and I began to be a little inured to
it. However, 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 fine evening followed; the sun
went down perfectly clear, and rose so the next
morning, and having little or no wind, and a smooth
Sea, 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 won-
der upon the sea, that was so rough and terrible
the day before, and could be so calm and so plea-
Sant in so little a time after. And now, lest my
good resolutions should continue, my companion,
who had, indeed, enticed me away, came to me—
14 . ROBINSON CRUSOE.
“Well, Bob,” said he, clapping me upon the shoul-
der, “how do you do after it P. I warrant you were
frightened, wern’t you, last night, when it blew but
a capful of wind P’’—“A capful d'you call it?” said
I, “’twas a terrible storm.”—“A storm, you fool,
you!” replies he, “do you call that a storm * Why
it was nothing at all; give us but a good ship and
sea room, and we think nothing of such a squall of
wind as that; but you're but a fresh water sailor,
Bob, Come, let us make a bowl of punch, and
we'll forget all that. D'you see what charming
weather ’tis now P’ To make short this sad part
of my story, we went the way of all sailors; the
punch was made, and I was made half drunk with
it, and in that one night's wickedness I drowned
all my repentance, all my reflections upon my past
conduct, and all my resolutions for the future. In
a word, as the sea was returned to its smoothness
of surface, and settled calmness, by the abatement
of that storm, so the hurry of my thoughts being
over, my fears and apprehensions of my being
swallowed up by the sea forgotten, and the current
of my former desires returned, Ientirely 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 re-
turn again sometimes; but I shook them off, and
roused myself from them, as it were from a distem-
per; and applying myself to drinking and com-
pany, 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 such a one as the worst and most harden-
ed wretch among us would confess both the dan-
ger and the mercy, - -
IROHINSON CEtßOE. - 15
The sixth day of our being at sea, we came into
the Yarmouth Roads, the wind having been con-
trary, and the weather calm, we had made butlit-
tle way since the storm. Here we were obliged to
come to an anchor, and here we lay, the wind con-
tinuing contrary, 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 we
should have tided it up the river, but that the wind
blew too fresh, and, after we had lain four or five
days, 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 riot and mirth, after
he manner at sea; but the eighth day in the
morning the wind increased, and we had all hands
at work to strike our topmasts, and made every
thing snug and close, that the ship might ride as
easy as possible. By noon the sea went very high
indeed, and our shipridforecastlein, 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 indeed, and
now I began to see terror and amazement in the
faces even of the seamen themselves. The master,
though vigilant in the business of preserving the
ship, yet, as he went in and out of his cabin by me,
I could hear him, softly to himself, say several
times, “Lord be merciful to us! We shall be all

lost; we shall be undone?” and the like. During
these first hurries I was stupid, lying still in my
cabin, which was in the steerage, and cannot de-
scribe my temper. I could ill resume the first peni-
16 ROBINSON CRUSOE. 2
tence, which I had so apparently trampled upon,
and hardened myself against. I thought the bit-
terness of death had been past, and that this would
be nothing, too, like the first. But when the mas-
ter himself came by me, as I said just now, and
said we should be all lost, I was dreadfully fright-
ened. 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 around us. Two ships
that rid near us, we found had cut their masts by
the board, being deep 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,
at all adventures, and not a mast standing. The
light ships fared the best, as not so much labour-
ing in the sea; but two or three of them drove, and
came close by us, running away, with only their
sprit-sail out before the wind.
Towards the 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 it away also, and make
a clear deck.
Any one may judge what a conditiou 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 con- +
victions, and the having returned from them to the

resolutions I had wickedly taken at first, when I
was at death itself; and these, added to the ter-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 17
rors 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 seen a worse. We had a goodship,
but she was deep laden, and so wallowed in the
sea, 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 boatswain, and some others, more sen-
sible than the rest, at their prayers, and expecting
every moment that the ship would go to the bot-
tom. In the middle of the Inight, and under all the
rest of our distresses, one of the men that had been
down on purpose to see, cried out we had sprung
a leak, another said there was four feet water in
the hold. Then all hands were called to the pump.
At that very word my heart, as I thought, died
within me, and I fell backwards upon the side of
the bed where I sat, into the cabin. However, the
men roused me, and told me, 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 come near us, or-
dered a gun to be fired as a signal of distress. I,
who knew nothing what that meant, was so sur-
prised that I thought the ship had broke or some
dreadful thing happened. In a word, I was so sur-
prised, that I fell down in a swoon. As this was a
time when every body had his own life to think of,
Inobody minded me, or what was become of me,
but another man stepped up to the pump, and
tiºns me aside with his foot, let me lic, think-
IB

18 RoDINSON GRUSOE.
ing I had been dead; and it was a great while be-
fore 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 swim till we might
run into any port, so the master continued firing
guns for help, and a light ship, which had rid it
out just a-head of us, ventured a boat out to help
us. It was with the utmost hazard that the boat
came near us, but it was impossible for us to get
on board, or for the boat to lie near the ship-side,
till at last the men rowing very heartily, and ven-
turing their lives to save ours, the men cast them
a rope over the stern with a buoy to it, and then
veered it out to a great length, which they, after
much labour and hazard, took hold of, and we haul-
ed 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 to
‘their own ship, so all agreed to let her drive, and
only to pull her in towards the shore as much as we
could; and our master promised them, that if the
boat was staved upon the shore, he would make it
good to their master. So partly rowing and part-
ly driving, our boat went away to the northward,
sloping towards the shore, almost as far as Win-
terton.
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 mo-
ment, they rather put me into the boat, than that
I might be said to go in ; my heart was, as it were,
dead within me, partly with fright, partly with
horror of mind, and the thought of what was yet
before me. . -

flobinson causoe. 16
While we were in this condition, the men yetla-
bouring at the oar to bring the boat near the shore,
we could see (when our boat mounting the waves,
we were able to see the shore) a great many peo-
ple running along the strand to assist us when we
should come near. But we made but slow way to-
wards the shore; nor were we able to reach the
shore, till being past the light-house at Winterton,
the shore falls off to the westward towards Cromer,
and so the land broke a little the violence of the
wind. Here we got in ; and, though not without
much difficulty, got all safe on shore, and walked
afterwards on foot to Yarmouth, where, as unfor-
tunate men, we were used with great humanity, as
well by the magistrates of the town, who assigned
us good quarters, 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 our blessed Saviour's pa-
rable, had even killed the fatted calf for me; for,
hearing the ship I went away in was cast away in
Yarmouth roads, it was a great while before he
had any assurance that I was not drowned.
But my ill fate pushed me on now with an obsti-
nacy that nothing could resist; and though I had
several times loud calls for my reason and my more
composed judgment, to go home, yet I had no power
to do it. I know not what to call this; nor will I
urge, that it is a secret overruling decree, that hur-
ries us on to be the instruments of our own destruc-
tion, even though it be before us, and that we push
upon it with our eyes open, Certainly, nothing
but some such decreed unavoidable misery attend-
ing, and which it was impossible for me to escape,
could have pushed me forward against the c
reasonings and persuasions of my most retired
A:
.* *
20 froßiſtSoft CHUSOf.
thoughts, and against two such visible instructions
as I had met with in my first escape.
My comrade, who had helped to harden me be-
fore, and who was the master's son, was now less
forward than I. The first time he spoke to me af-
ter 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, asked me
how I did; and telling his father who I was, and
how I had come this voyage only for a trial, in or-
der to go farther abroad; 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 seafaring man.”—
“Why, sir,” said I, “will you go to sea no more ?”
—“That is another case,” said he; “it is my call-
ing, 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 per-
Sist: perhaps all this has befallen us on your ac-
count, like Jonah in the ship of Tarshish. Pray,”
continued he, “what are you? and on what ac-
count did you go to sea P’. Upon that I told him
some of my story; at the end of which he burst
out with a strange kind of passion, “What have I
done,” says he, “that such an unhappy wretch
should come into my ship P I would not set my
foot in the same ship with thee again for a thou-
sand pounds !” This, indeed, was, as I said, an ex-
cursion of his spirits, which were yet agitated by
the sense of his loss, and was farther than he could
have authority to go. However, he afterwards
talked very gravely to me, exhorting me to go back
to my father, and not tempt Providence to my
ruin; told me I might see a visible hand of Hea-
ven against me: “and, young man,” said he, “de-
ROBINSON GRUSOE, 21
pend upon it, if you do not go back, wherever you
go, you will meet with nothing but disasters and
disappointments, till your father's words are ful-
filled upon you.”
We parted soon after; for I made him little an-
swer, and I saw him no more ; which way he went,
I know not. As for me, 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 oppressed the best mo-
tions that offered to my thoughts; and it immedi-
ately 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 even every
body else. From whence I have since often ob-
served how incongruous and irrational the common
temper of mankind is, especially of youth, to that
reason that ought to guide them in such cases; viz.,
that they are not ashamed of the action for which
they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are
ashamed of the returning, which can only make
them esteemed wise men.
In this state of life, however, I remained some
time, uncertain what measurses to take, and what
course of life to lead. An irresistible reluctance
continued to going home ; and, as I stayed awhile,
the remembrance of the distress I had been in wore
off ; and as that abated, the little notion I had in
my desires to return wore off with it, till at last I
quite laid aside the thoughts of it, and looked out
for a voyage.
That evil influence which carried me first away
from my father's house, which hurried me into the
wild indigested notion of raising my fortune, and
that impressed those conceits so forcibly upon me
as to make me deaf to all good advice, and to the
entreaties and even the commands of my father; I
22 Ron HMSON GRUSOE.
say, the same influence, whatever it was, present-
ed the most unfortunate of all enterprises to my
view, I went on board a vesselbound 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 ad-
ventures, I did not ship myself as a sailor; where-
by though I might indeed have worked a little
harder than ordinary, yet at the same time I had
learned the duty and office of a foremast man, and
in time might have qualified myself for a mate or
lieutenant, if not for a master. But as it was al-
ways my fate to choose for a worse, so I did here;
for having money in my pocket, and good clothes
on my back, I would always go on board in the ha-
bit of a gentleman, and so I neither had any busi-
ness in the ship, nor learned to do any.
It was my lot first of all to fall into pretty good
company in London, which does not always hap-
pen to such loose and unguided 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 first fell acquainted with the master
of a ship who had been on the coast of Guinea, and
who, having had very good success there, was re-
solved to go again. The captain, taking a fancy to
my conversation, which was not disagreeable at
times, 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 expense ; I should be his messmate
and his companion; and if could carry any thing
with me, I should have all the advantage 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
plain-dealing man, went the voyage with him, and
carried a small adventure with me, which, by the
disinterested honesty of my friend the captain, I
IBOBINSON CRUSOE, 23
increased very considerably; for I carried about
#40 in such toys and trifles as the captain directed
me to buy. This £40 I had mustered together by
the assistance of some of my relations whom I cor-
responded 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 integrity and honesty of my friend the cap-
tain, under whom also I got a competent know-
ledge of the mathematics, and the rules of naviga-
tion ; learned how to keep an account of the ship's
course, take an observation, and, in short, to un-
derstand some things that were needful to be un-
derstood by a sailor; for, as he took a delight to
instruct me, I took a delight to learn ; , and, in a
word, this voyage made me both a sailor and a
merchant ; for I brought home five pounds nine
ounces of gold dust for my adventure, which yield-
ed me in London, at my return, almost £300., and
this filled me with those thoughts which have since
so completed my ruin.
Yet, even in this voyage, I had my misfortunes
too, particularly that I was continually sick, being
thrown into a violent calenture by the excessive
heat of the climate, our principal trading being up-
on the coast, from the latitude of 15 deg. N. even
to the line itself.
I was now set up for a Guinea trader: and my
friend, to my great misfortune, dying soon after
his arrival, I resolved to go the same 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 off quite £100, of my new-
ly-gained wealth, so that I had £200 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; and the first was this, viz. our ship
24 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
making her course towards the Canary Islands,
or rather between those Islands and the African
shore, was surprised in the gray of the morning by
a Moorish rover of Sallee, which gave chase to us
with all the sail she could make. We crowded also
as much canvas as our yards could spread, or our
masts 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 twelve guns, and the rogue eight-
teen. 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 in-
tended, 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 .
two hundred men, which he had on board. How-
ever, we had not a man touched, all our men keep-
ing close. He prepared to attack us again, and
we to defendourselves; but, laying us on board
the next time upon our other quarter, he entered
ninety 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 decks of
them twice. However, to cut short this melan-
choly part of my story the ship being disabled, and
three of our men killed and eight wounded, we
were obliged to yield, and were carried prisoners
into Sallee, a port belonging to the Moors.
The usage I had there was not so dreadful as at
first I apprehended ; 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 business. At this surpris-
ing change of my circumstances, from a merchant
to a miserable slave, I was perfectly overwhelmed,
i

ROBINSON GRUSOE. 25
and now I looked back upon my father's prophetic
discourse to me,, that I should be miserable, and
have none to relieveme, which I thought was now
so effectually brought to pass, that I could not be
worse ; that now the hand of Heaven had over-
taken me, and I was undone without redemption.
But, alas ! this was but a taste of the misery I was
: go through, as will appear in the sequel of this
Story.
As my new patron or 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 be some time or other his fate to be
taken by a Spanish or Portuguese man of war, and
... that then I should be set at liberty. But this hope
of mine was soon taken away ; for when he went
to sea, he left me on shore to look after his little
garden, and do the common drudgery of slaves
about the house ; and when he came home again
from his criuse, 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. No-
thing presented to make the supposition of it ra-
tional, for I had nobody to communicate it to that
would embark with me, no fellow slave, no Eng-
lishman, Irishman, or Scotchman there, but my-
self; so that for two years, though I often pleased
myself with the imagination, yet I never had the
least encouraging prospects of putting it into
practice.
After about two years, an odd circumstance pre-
sented itself, which put the old thought of making
some attempt for my liberty again in my head, My
patron lying at home longer than usual, withou
fitting out his ship, which as I heard was for wan
of money, he used constantly once or twice a week,
} Sometimes oftener if the weather was fair, to take
26 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
--
the ship's pinnace, and go out into the road a fish-
ing; and as he always took me and a young Ma-
resco with him to row the boat, we made him very
merry, and proved very dexterous in catching fish;
insomuch that sometimes he would send me with a
Moor, one of his kinsmen, and the youth the Ma-
resco, as they called him, to catch a dish of fish
for him.
It happened one time, that going a fishing with
him in a calm morning, a fog rose so thick, that
though we were not a half a league from the shore
we lost sight of it ; and, rowing we knew not whi-
ther, or which way, 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. -
But our patron, warned by this disaster, resolv-
ed to take more care of himself for the future; and
having lying by him the long boat of our English
ship which 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 was also 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 haul 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 jibbed over the top of the cabin,
which lay very snug and low, and had in it a room
for, him to lie, with a slave or two, and a table
with some Small lockers to put in some bottles
of such liquor as he thought fit to drink, and par.
ticularly his bread, rice, and coffee.
$30BINSON CRUSOE. 27
We were frequently out with this boat a fishing;
and as I was most dexterous to catch fish for him,
henever went without me. It happened one day
that he had appointed to go out in this boat, either
for pleasure or fish, with two or three Moors of
some distinction, and for whom he had provided
extraordinarily, and had therefore sent on board
the boat over night a larger store of provisions than
usual ; and had ordered me to get ready three fu-
sils 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 as he had directed, and
waited next morning with the boat washed clean,
her ancient and pendants out, and everything 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 the boy, as
usual, to go out with the boat and catch them some
fish, for that his friends were to sup at his house.
He commanded me, too, that as soon as I had got
Some fish, I should bring it home to 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 fishing business, but for a voyage ; though
I knew not, neither did I so much as consider, whi-
ther I would steer, for any where to get out of
that place was my way.
My first contrivance was to make a pretence to
speak to this Moor to get something for our sub-
sistence on board, for I told him we must not pre-
Sume to eat our patron’s bread. He said, that was
true; so he brought a large basket of rusk or bis-
cuit, of their kind, and three jars with fresh wa-
ter, into the boat. I knew where my patron's case
28 IROI8INSON CRUSOE,
of bottles stood, which, it was evident by the make,
were taken out of some English prize, and I con-
veyed them into the boat, while the Moor was on
shore, as if they had been there before for our mas-
ter. I conveyed also a great lump of bees-wax in-
to the boat, which weighed about half a hun-
dred weight, with a parcel of twine or thread, a
hatchet, a saw, and a hammer, all of which was of
great use to us afterwards: , especially the wax to
make candles. Another trick I tried upon him,
which he innocently came into also. His name was
Ismael, whom they called Muley, or Moley: So I

called to him : “Moley,” said I, “our patron's .
guns are all on board the boat; can you not get a
little powder and shot ? it may be we may kill
some alcomies (a fowl like our curlews) for our-
selves, for I know he keeps the gunner's stores in
the ship.” “Yes,” says he, “I’ll bring some.” Ac-
cordingly he brought a great leather pouch, which
held about a pound and a half of powder, or ra-
ther 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 an-
other, and thus finished with every thing needful,
we sailed out of the port to fish. The castle, which
is at the entrance of the port, knew who we were,
and took no notice of us; and we were not above a
mile out of the port, before we hauled in our sail,
and sat 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 begone from that
horrid place where I was, and leave therest to fate.
After we had fished some time, and catched no-
robisson causor. 39
thing (for when I had fish on my hook I would not
pull them up, that he might see them), I said to
the Moor, “This will not do; our master will not
be thus served. We must stand further 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 stepped forward to where the Moor
was, and making as if I stooped for something be-
hind him, I took him by surprise with my arm un-
der his twist, and tossed him clear overboard into
the sea. He rose immediately, for he swam like a
cork, and called to me, begged to be taken in, told
me he would go all over 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 stepped 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. “ hutº
said I, “you swim well enough to reach the shore,
and the 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, for
I am resolved to have my liberty.” 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 contented to have taken this
Moor with me, and drowned the boy, but there was
no venturing to 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.”. The boy smiled in my face,
ind spoke so innocently, that I could not mistrust
g
§
3ö #OHINSoń Cittſsoid.
him, and swore to be faithful to me, and go all over
the world with me.
While I was in view of the Moor that was swim-
ming, I stood out directly to sea with the boat,ra-
ther stretching to windward, that they might think
me going towards the Straits' mouth (as indeed any
one who had been in their wits must have been .
supposed to do); for who would have thought we
were sailing on to the southward, to the truly Bar-
barian coast, where all nations of Negroes were
sure to surround us with their canoes, and de-
stroy us, where we could never go once on shore,
but we should be devoured by savage beasts, or
more merciless savages of human kind P
But as soon as it grew dusk in the even-
ing I changed my course, and steered directly
south and by east, bending my course a little to-
wards the east, that I might keep in with the shore;
and having a fair fresh gale of wind, and a smooth
quiet sea, I made such sail, that I believe by the
next day at three o'clockin 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 dominions, or indeed of any other king
thereabouts, for we saw no people.
Yet such was the fright Ihad taken at the Moors,
and the dreadful apprehensions I had of falling in-
to their hands, that I would not stop or go on shore,
or come to an anchor, the wind continuing fair,
till I had sailed in thatmanner five days; and then
the wind shifted to the southward, I concluded, al-
so, 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 nor where,
neither what latitude, what country, what nation,
or what river. I neither saw nor desired to see
any people; the principle thing I wanted was fresh
water. TWe came into this creek in the evening,

ROBINSON |- - 31
resolving to swim on shore, as soon as it was quite
dark, but we heard such dreadful noises of bark-
ing, roaring, and howling of wild creatures, of we
knew not what kinds, that the poor boy was ready
to die with fear, and begged of me not to go on shore
till day. “Well, Xury,” said I, “then I won’t;
lout we may see men by day, who will be as bad to
us as those lions.” “Then we may give them the
shotgun,” says Xury, laughing, “make them run
away.” Such English Xury spoke by conversing
among us slaves. However, I was glad to see the
boy so cheerful, and I gave him a dram (out of our
patron's case of bottles) 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 vast 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 for the pleasure of cooling
themselves; and they made such hideous howlings
and yellings, that Inever indeed-heard the like.
Xury was dreadfully frightened, and indeed so
was I too; but we were both worse frightened
when we heard one of these mighty creatures come
swimming towards our boat; we could not see him,
but we could hear him by his blowing to be a mon-
strous huge and furious beast. Xury said it was
a lion, and it might be for aught I knew. Poor
Xury cried out to me to weigh anchor and row
away. “No,” says I, “Xury, we can slip our cable
with a buoy to it, and go to sea; they cannot fol-
low us far.” I had no sooner said so, but I perceiv-
ed the creature (whatever it was) within two oars'
length, which somewhat surprised me: however, I
immediately stepped to the cabin door, and taking
up my gunfired at him, upon which he immediately
turned about, and swam towards the shore again.
But it was not possible to describe the horrible
32 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
noises and hideous cries and howlings, that were
raised, as well upon the edge of the shore as high-
er within the country, upon the noise or report of
a gun, a thing that I had some reason to believe
those creatures had never heard before. This con-
vinced me that there was no going on shore for us
in the night upon the coast, and how to venture on
shore in the day was another question too; for, to
have fallen into the hands of any of the savages,
had been as bad as to have fallen into the paws of
lions and tigers; at least we were equally appre-
hensive of the danger of it.
Be that as it would, we were obliged to go on
shore somewhere or other for water, for we had not
a pint in the boat; when or where to get it was the
point. 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, why I should not go, and he
stay in the boat. The boy answered with somuch
affection, that made me love him ever after. Says
he, “If wild mans come, they eat me up; you go
away.” “Well, Xury,” said I, “we will both go;
and if the wild mans come, we will kill them; they
shall eat neither of us.” So I gave Xury a piece of
rusk-bread to eat, and a dram out of our patron's
case of bottles, which I mentioned before, and 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 coming 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 pursued by some savage, or frightened with
some wild beast, and I ran forward towards him
to help him; but when I came nearer to him, I
saw something hanging over his shoulder, which



ROBINSON GRUSOE. - 33
was a creature that he shot, like a hare, but differ-
ent in colour, and longer legs. However, we were
very glad of it, and it was very good meat; but
the great joy that poor Xury came with, was to
tell me that he had found good water, and seen no
wild mans.
Eut we found afterwards that we need not take
such pains for water, for a little higher up the
Sreek where we were, we found the water fresh
when the tide was out, which flows but a little way
up; so we filled our jars, and feasted on the hare
we had killed, and prepared to go on our way, hav-
ing seen no footsteps of any human creature in that
part of the country.
As I had been one voyage to this coast before, I
knew very well that the islands of the Canaries,
and the Cape de Verd islands also, lay not far off
from the coast. But as I had no instruments to
take an observation to know what latitude we were
in, and did not exactly know, or at least, not re-
member what latitude they were in, I knew not
where to look for them, or when to stand off to sea
towards them, otherwise I might 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 English traded, I should find some of
their vessels upon their usual design of trade, that
would relieve and take usin.
By the best of my calculation, that place where
I was now, must be that country which, lying be-
tween the Emperor of Morocco's dominions and the
Negroes, lies waste and uninhabited, except by wild
beasts, the Negroes having abandoned it, and gone
further south, for fear of the Moors; and the
Moors not thinking it worth inhabiting, by reason
of its barrenness, had indeed both forsaken it be-
cause of the prodigious number of tigers, lions,
leopards, and other furious creatures which har-
bour there so that the Moors use it for their hunt-
G
34 ROBINSQN CRUSOE.
ing only, where they go like an army, two or three
thousand men at a time, and, indeed, for near a
hundred miles together upon this coast, we saw
nothing but a waste, uninhabited country by day,
and heard nothing but howling and roaring of
wild beasts by night.
Once or twice in the day time, I thought I saw
the Pico of Teneriffe, being on the high top of the
mountain Teneriffe in the Canaries, and had a good
mind to venture out in hopes of reaching thither ;
but having tried twice, I was forced in again by
contrary winds, the sea also going too high for my
little vessel; so Iresolved to pursue my first de-
sign, and keep along the shore.
Several times we were obliged to land for fresh
water, after we had left this place ; and once in
particular, being early in the morning, we came to
an anchor under a little point of water, which was
pretty high, and the tide beginning to flow, we lay
still to go farther in. Xury, whose eyes were more
about him, it seems, than mine were, calls softly to
me, and tells me that we had best go farther off
the shore, “For,” says he, “lóok, yonder lies a
dreadful monster on the side of that hillock, fast
asleep.” I looked where he pointed, and saw a
dreadful monster indeed, for it was a terrible great
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 !”
one mouthful, he meant. However, I said no more
to the boy, but bade him be still, and took the big-
gest gun, which was almost musket-bore, and two
slugs, and laid it down, then I loaded another gun
with two bullets, and the third (for we had three
pieces) I loaded with five smaller bullets. Itook
the best aim I could with the first piece, to have
shot him into the head; but he lay so with his leg
--


RoBINson CBUsos. - 35
raised a little above his nose that the slug hit his
leg about the knee, and broke the bone. He start-
ed 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; however, I took up the second piece imme-
diately, and, though he began to move off, fired
again, and shot him into the head, and had the
pleasure to see him drop, and making but little
noise, he lay struggling for life. Then Xury took
heart, and would let me have him go on shore.
“Well go,” I said. So the boy jumped into the
water, and taking a little gun in one hand, swam
to shore with the other hand, and coming close to
the creature, put the muzzel of the piece to his ear
and shot him into the head again, which dispatched
him quite.
This was game indeed to us, but this was 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. However Xury said he would
have some of him, so he comes on board, and ask-
ed me to give him the hatchet. “For what,
Xury P’’ said I. “Me cut off his head,” said he.
However, Xury could not cut off his head but cut
off a foot, and brought it with him, and it was a
monstrous one.
Ibethought myself, however, that perhaps the
skin of him might one way or other be of some va-
lue to us, and I resolved to take off his skin if I
could. So Xury and I went to work with him ;
but Xury was much the better workman at it, for
I knew very ill how to do it. Indeed it took us
up both the whole day but at last we got off the
hide of him, and spreading it on the top of our
cabin, the sun effectually dried it in two days, and
it afterwards served me to lie upon.
After this stop, we made on to the southward

36 - RoBINSON CRUSOE.
continually, for ten or twelve days, living very
sparingly on our provisions, which began to abate
very much, and going no oftener into the shore
than we were obliged to for fresh water. My de-
sign in this was to make the river Gambia or Sene-
gal, that is to say, any where about the Cape de
Verd, where I was in hopes to meet with some Eu-
ropean ship ; and if I did not, I knew not what
course to take, but to seek for the islands, or perish
there among the Negroes. I knew that all
the ships from Europe, which sailed to either the
coast of Guinea, or to Brazil, or to the East Indies,
made this cape or those islands, and in a word,
ut the whole of my fortune upon this single point
either that I must meet with some ship or perish.
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 stark 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 to the shore, that I
might talk to them, and Ifound 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,
that they would throw them a great way with
good aim ; so I kept at a distance, but talking
with them by 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 in-
to the country, and in less than half an hour
came back, and brought with them two pieces of
dry flesh and some corn, such as is the produce of
their country, but we neither knew what the one
or the other was ; however, we were willing to ac-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 37
f . *

cept it. But how to come at it was our next dis-
pute, 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 to thank them, for we had no-
thing to make them amends; but an opportunity
offered that instant to oblige them wonderfully;
for while we were lying by the shore, came two
mighty creatures, one pursuing the other (as we
took it) with great fury, from the mountains to-
wards the sea ; whether it was the male pursuing
the female, or whether they were in sport or in
rage, we could not tell any more than we could tell
whether it was usual or strange, but I believe it
was the latter, because, in the first place, those ra-
venous creatures seldom appear but in the night,
and, in the second place, we found the people ter-
ribly frightened, 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 the Negroes, but plunged them-
selves into the sea, and swam about as if they had.
come for their diversion ; and at last one of them
began to come nearer our boat than I at first ex-
pected; 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
through the head. Immediately he sunk down
into the water, but herose instantly, and plunged
up and down as if he was struggling for life,
and so indeed he was. He immediately made to-
wards the shore, but, between the wound, which
was his mortal hurt, and the strangling of the
water, he died just before he had reached the shore.
38 ROBINSON cRUSOE.
It is impossible to express the astonishment of
these poor creatures at the noise and fire of my
gun ; some of them were ready even to die of fear
and fell down as dead with the very terror. But
when they saw the creature dead, and sunk into
the water, and that I made a sign for them to come
to the shore, they took heart and came to the shore
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 flung round him, and gave
the Negroes to haul, they dragged him on shore,
and found it was a most curious leopard, spotted
and fine to an admirable degree; and the Negroes
held up their hands with admiration, to think what
it was I killed him with.
The other creature, frightened with the flash of
fire, and the noise of the gun, swam to the shore,
and ran up directly to the mountains from whence
they came, nor could I at that distance know what
it was, I found quickly the Negroes were for eat-
ing 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 take
him, they were very thankful for. Immediately
they fell to work with him, and though they had
no knife, yet with a sharpened piece of wood they
took off his skin as readily, nay, much more read-
ily, 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 though I did not understand, yet I accept-
ed. Then I made signs to them for some water,
and held out one of my jars to them, turning its
bottom upward, to show that it was empty, and
that I wanted to have it filled. They called imme-
diately to some of their friends, and there came
two women, and brought a great vessel made out
*
x
#
ROBINSON CBUSOE, 39
of earth, and burnt, as I suppose, in the sun; this
they set down for me, as before, and I sent Xury
on shore with my jars, and filled them all three.
The women were as stark naked as the men.
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 islands, called
from thence Cape de Verd islands. However, they
were at a great distance, and I could not well tell
what I had best to do ; for if I should be take]
with a fresh wind, I might neither reach one nor
the other. -
In this dilemma, as I was very pensive, I step-
ped into the cabin, and sat me down, Xury having
the helm, when on a sudden the boy cried out,
“Master, master, a ship was a sail!” and the fool-
ish 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 she was a Portuguese ship, and, as I
thought, was bound to the coast of Guinea for Ne-
groes. But when I observed the course she steer-
ed, I was soon convinced they were bound some
other way, and did not design to go any nearer to
the shore, upon which I stretched out to sea as
much as I could, resolving to speak with them if
possible.
With all the sail I could make, Ifound I should
40 . IROBINSON CBUSOE.
not be able to come in their way, but that they
would be gone by before I could make any signal
to them; but after I had crowded to the utmost,
and began to despair, they, it seems, saw me by
the help of their perspective glasses, and thought it
was some European boat, which they supposed
must belong to some ship that was lost; so they
shortened sail to let me come up. I was encour-
aged with this, and as I had my patron's ancient
on board, I made a waft of it to them as a signal
of distress, and fired a gun, both of which they
saw, for they told me they saw the smoke though
they did not hear the gun. Upon these signals 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, and in
Spanish, and in 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. I
was an Englishman, that I had made my escape
out of slavery from the Moors at Sallee. Then
they bade me come on board, and very kindly took
me in, and all my goods.
It was an inexpressible joy to me, this any one
will believe, that I was thus delivered, as I esteem-
ed it, from such a miserable and almost hopeless
condition as I was in. 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
delivered safe to me when I came to the Brazils.
“For,” says he, “I have saved your life on no other
terms than as 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,” says he,
“when I carry you to Brazils, so great a way from
your own country, if I should take from you what
trifle you have, you will be starved there, and then
I only take away that life I have given. No, no,”

ROBINSON CRUSOE. . 41
says he, “Signor Inglese, (Mr. Englishman,) Iwill
carry you thither in charity, and these things will
help you to buy your subsistence there, and your
passage home again.”
As he was charitable in this proposal, so he was
just in the performance to a tittle; for he ordered
the seamen that none should offerto touch anything
I had ; then he took every thing into his own pos-
session, and gave me back an inventory of them,
that I might have them again, even as much as 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 me what I would have for
it. "I told him he had been so generous to me in
every thing, that I could not offer to make any
price of the boat, but left 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 in Brazil, and
when it came there, if any one offered to give
more, he would make it up. He offered me also
60 pieces of eight 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 faith-
ly in procuring my own. However, when I let
him know my 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, 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 the Bay de todos los Santos, or All
Saints Bay, in about twenty-four days after. And
now I was once more delivered from the most mi-
serable of all conditions of life, and what to do next
with myself, I was to consider.
The generous treatment the captain gave me I
can never enough remember; he would take no-
42 IROBINSON GRUSOE,
thing of me for my passage, gave me 20 ducats for
the leopard's skin, and 40 for the lion's skin, which
I had in the boat, and caused every thing I had in
the ship to be punctually delivered to me; and
what I was willing to sell he bought, such as the
case of bottles, two of my guns, and a piece of the
lump of bees' wax, for I had made candles of the
rest; in a word, I made about 220 pieces of eight
of all my cargo, and with this stock I went on shore
in the Brazils.
I had not been long here, but being recommend-
ed' to the house of a good honest man like myself,
who had an ingenio, as they call it, that is, a plan-
tation 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
they grew rich suddenly, I resolved, if I could get
license to settle there, I would turn planter among
them; resolving, in the mean time, to find out
some way to get my money which I had left in
London remitted to me. To this purpose, getting
a kind of letter of naturalization, I purchased as
much land that was uncured as my money would
reach, and formed a plan for my plantation and
settlement, and such a one 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 English parents, whose name was Wells,
and in much such circumstances as I was. I call
him neighbour, because his plantation lay next to
mine, and we went on 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 increase, and our land be-
gan 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
RoRINSON GRUsor. 43
ear to come, but we both wanted help; and now
#. more than before, I had done wrong in
parting with my boy, Xury.
But, alas! for me to do wrong that never did
right, was no great wonder. I had no remedy but
to go on. I had gotten into an employment quite
remote to my genius, and directly contrary to the
life I delighted in, and for which I forsook my fa-
ther's house, and broke through all his good ad-
vice; nay, I was coming into the very middle sta-
tion, or upper degree of low life, which my father
advised me to before, and which, if I resolved to
go on with, I might as well have staid at home,
and never fatigued myself in the world, as I have
done; 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 the wilderness,
and at such a distance as never to hear from any
part of the world who had any knowledge of me.
In this manner I used to look upon my condi-
tion with the utmost regret. I had nobody to con-
verse 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 on a desolate island, that had nobody there
but himself. But how just has it been, and 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 I say, how just has it been, that the
truly solitary life I reflected on in an island of mere
desolation should be my lot, who had so often un-
justly compared it with the life Ithen led, in which,
ad I continued, I had, in all probability, been ex-
ceedingly prosperous and rich.
was in some degree settled in my measures for
carrying on the plantation, before my kind friend,


44 FOBINSON CRUSOF,
\
the captain of the ship that took me up at sea,
went back, for the ship remained there in provid-
ing her loading, and preparing for her voyage,
near three months; when, telling him what little
stock I had left behind me in London, he gave me
friendly and sincere advice: “Signor Inglese,”
says he, (for so he always called me,) “if you will.
give me letters, and a procuration here in form to
me, with orders to the person who has your money
in London, to send your effects to Lisbon, to such
persons as I shall direct, and in such goods as are
proper in this country, I will bring you the pro-
duce, God willing, at my return ; but, since human
affairs are all subject to changes and disasters, I
would have you give orders for 100l. sterling,
which you say is half your stock, and let the haz-
ard be run for the first, so that if it come safe, you
may order the rest the same way, and if it miscar-
ry, you may have the other half to have recourse
to for your supply.
This was such wholesome advice, and looked so
friendly, that I could not but be convinced it was
the best course I could take ; so I accordingly pre-
F. letters to the gentlewoman with whom ſº.
eft my money, and a procuration for the Portu-
guese captain as he desired.
I wrote the English captain's widow a full ac-
count of all 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 Eng-
lish merchants there, to send over not the order
only, but a full account of my story, to a merchant
at London, who presented it effectually to her;
whereupon she delivered the money, and also out of
her own pocket sent the Portuguese captain a hand-
some present for his humanity and charity to me.
Robinson CRUSOE. 45
~
The merchant in London vested his 100l. in Eng-
lish goods, such as the captain had written for, and
sent them directly to him at Lisbon, and he brought
them safe to me to the Brazils; among which, with-
out my direction (for I was too young in my busi-
ness 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, for I was surprised with the joy of it; and my
good steward, the captain, had laid out the 5l. which
my friend had sent him for a present for himself, to
purchase, and bring me over a servant, under a bond
for six years' service, and would not accept of any
consideration, except a little tobacco, which I would
have him accept, being of my own produce.
Neither was this all; but my goods being all Eng-
lish manufactures, such as cloth, stuff, baize, and
things particularly valuable and desirable in the
country, I found means to sell them to a very great
advantage; so that I may say, I had more than four
times the value of my first cargo, and was now in-
finitely beyond my poor neighbour, I mean in the ad-
vancement of my plantation ; for the first thing I did,
I bought me a negro slave and a European servant
also ; I mean another 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 fiftyrolls
being each of above 100lb. weight, were well cured
and laid by against the return of thefleet from Lisbon.
And now increasing in business and wealth, my head
began to be full of projects and undertakings beyond
my reach, such as areindeed often theruin of the best
heads in business.

46 *OEINSON CRtjSOE.
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 which he had so sensibly de-
scribed the middle station of life to be full of ; but
other things attended me, and I was still to be the
wilful agent of all my own miseries; and particularly
to increase my fault, and double the reflections upon
myself, which in my future sorrows I should have
leisure to make, all these miscarriages were procured
by my apparent obstinate adhering to my foolish in-
clination of wandering abroad, and pursuing that in-
clination in contradiction to the clearest views of do-
ing myself good in a fair and plain pursuit of those
prospects, and those measures of life, which nature
and providence concurred to present me with, and
to make my duty.
As I had once done thus in breaking 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
rich and thriving man in my new plantations, only to
pursue 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 hu-
man misery that any man fell into, or perhaps, could
be consistent with life, and a good state of health.
To come, then, by just degrees to the particulars of
this part of my story; you may suppose that having
now lived almost four years in the Brazils, and be-
ginning to thrive and prosper very well on my plan-
tation, I had not only learned the language, but had
contracted acquaintance and friendship among my
fellow-planters, as well as among the merchants of St.
Salvadore, which was our port, and that, in my dis-
course 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 tri-
fles, such as beads, toys, knives, scissors, hatchets,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. . 47
.bits of glass, and the like, not only gold-dust, Gui-
nea grains, elephants' teeth, &c., but negroes for the
service of the Brazils in great numbers.
They listened always very attentively to my dis-
courses on these heads, but especially to that part
which related to the buying of negroes, which was a
trade at that time not only not far entered into, but,
so far as it was, had been carried on by the assientos,
or permission of the kings of Spain and Portugal,
and engrossed in the public stock, so that few ne-
groes were bought, and those excessive dear. . .
It happened, being in company one day 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
of with them the last night, and they came to make
a secret appeal to me, and, after enjoining my se-
crecy, they told me they had a mind to fit out a shi
to Guinea; that they had all plantations as well as #.
and were straitened for nothing so much as servants;
that as it was a trade that could not be carried 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 an equal share of the negroes, with-
out 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 settle-
ment 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 established, and had nothing to do but go on as
Ihad begun for three or four years more, and to have
sent for the other 100%, from England, and who, in
48 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
that time, and with that little addition, could scarce
have failed of being worth 3 or 4000l. sterling, and
that increasing 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, that was born to be my own destroyer, could
no more resist the offer than I could refrain 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 miscar-
ried. " This they all engaged to do ; 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 universal heir,
but obliging him to dispose of my effects as I had di-
rected in my will; one half of the produce being to
himself, and the other to be shipped to England.
In short, I took all possible caution to preserve my
effects, and keep up my plantation. Had I used half
as much prudence to have looked into my own in-
terest, and have made a judgment of what I ought
to have done, I had certainly never gone away from
so prosperous an undertaking, leaving all the pro-
bable views of a thriving circumstance, and gone on
a voyage to sea, attended with all its common haz-
ards, to say nothing of the reasons I had to expect
particular misfortunes to myself.
But I was hurried on, and obeyed blindly the dic-
tates of my fancy, rather than my reason ; and, ac-
cordingly, 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 in an evil
hour again, the 1st of September, 1659, being the
same day eight years that I went from my father and
mother at Hull, in order to act the rebel to their au-
thority and the fool to my own interest.
Our ship was about 120 tons burden, carried six
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 49
#
guns, and fourteen men, besides the master, his boy,
and myself. We had on board no large cargo of
goods except such toys as were fit for our trade with
the Negroes; such as beads, bits of glass, shells, and
odd trifles, especially little looking-glasses, knives,
scissors, hatchets, and the like. *
The same day I went on board, we set sail, stand-
ing away to the northward upon our own coast, with
design to stretch over for the African coast, when
they came into about ten or twelve degrees of nor-
thern latitude, which, it seems, was the manner of
their course in those days. We had very good wea-
ther, only excessively hot all the way upon our own
coast, till we came to the height of Cape St. Augus-
tino, from whence keeping further off at sea, we lost
sight of land, and steered as if we were bound for
the isle of Fernand de Norouba, holding our course
.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 7 degrees,
22 minutes, northern latitude, when a violenttornado
or hurricane took us quite out of our knowledge; 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 wherever
fate and the fury of the winds directed; and during
these twelve days, I need not say that I expected
every day to be swallowed up, nor did any in the
ship expect to save their lives.
In this distress we had, besides the terror of the
storm, one of our men died of the calenture, and one
man and the boy washed overboard. About the
twelfth day, the weather abating a little, the master
made an observation as well as he could, and found
that he was in about 11 degrees of north latitude,
but that he was 22 degrees of longitude difference
west #." Cape St. Augustino, so that he found he
- T}


S.,
50 ROBINSON CRUSOE.

was got upon the coast of Guinea, or the north part
of Brazil, beyond the river Amazones, towards that
of the river Oroonoque, commonly called the Great
River; and now he 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 Caribbee Islands, and therefore resolved to stand
away for Barbadoes, which, by keeping off at sea, to
avoid the indraught pſ the Bay or Gulf of Mexico,
we might easily perform, as web oped, in about fifteen
days sail; whereas we could not possibly make our
voyage to the coast of Africa without 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 determined; for, being in
the latitude of 12 degrees 18 minutes, 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 distress, the wind still blowing very hard,
one of our men, early one morning, cried out “Land!”
and we had no sooner run out of the cabin to look
out, in hopes of seeing whereabouts in the world we

were, but the ship struck upon sand, and, in a mo-
ment, her motion being so stopped, the sea broke
over her in such a manner that we expected we
should all have perished immediately; and we were
even driven to close quarters, to shelter us from the
very foam and spray of the sea.
*
ROBINSON CRUS.O.E. 51
It is not easy for any one, who has not been in the
like condition, to describe or conceive the consterna-
tion of men in such circumstances. We knew nothing
where we were, or upon what land it was we were
driven, whether an island or the main, whether in-
habited or not inhabited; and as the rage 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 wind,
by a kind of miracle, should turn immdiately again.
In a word, we sat looking upon one another, and ex-
pecting death every 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 comfort
we had, was, that contrary to our expectation the
ship did not break yet, and that the master said the
wind began abate.
Now, though we thought that the wind did a lit-
tle abate, yet the ship having thus struck upon the
sand and sticking too fast to expect her getting off,
we were in a dreadful condition indeed, and had no-
thing to do but to think of saving our lives as well
as we could. We had a boat at our stern just be-
fore the 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 ano-
ther boat on board, but how to get her off into the
sea, was a doubtful thing. However, there was no
room for debate, for we fancied the ship would break
in pieces every minute; and some said that she had
broken already.
In this distress, the mate of our vessel lays hold of
the boat, and with the help of the rest of the men,
they got her flung over the ship's side, and getting
all into her, let go, and committed ourselves, being
eleven in number, to God's mercy, and the wild sea;
for though the storm was abated considerably, yet

52 ROBINSON CHUSOE.
the sea went dreadfully high upon the shore, and
might well be called “Den wild sea,” as the Dutch
call the sea in a storm.
And now our case was very dismal indeed, for we
all saw plainly that the sea went so high, that the
boat could not escape, and that we should be inevi-
tably drowned. As to making sail, we had none;
nor, if we had, could we have done anything 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 near 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 de-
struction with our own hands, pulling, as well as we
could, towards land.
hat the shore was, whether rock or sand, whe-
ther steep or shoal, we knew not ; the only hope
that could rationally give us the least shadow of ex-
pectation, was, if we might get into some bay or gulf
or the mouth of some river, where, by great chance,
we might have run our boat in, or got under the lee
of the land, and perhaps made smooth water. But
there was nothing of this appeared ; 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 rolling astern of us, and plain-
ly bade us expect the “coup de grace.” In a word,
it took us with such a fury, that it overset the boat
at once, and separating us as well from the boat as
from one another, gave us not time hardly to say,
“O God!” for we were swallowed up in a moment.
Nothing can describe the confusion of thought
which I felt when I sunk into the water, for though
I swam very well, yet I could not deliver myself
from the waves so as to draw my breath, till that

ROBINSON CHRUSOE. 53
wave had 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 Ijtook in. I had so much
presence of mind, as well as breath left that seeing
myself nearer the main land 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, 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 wave, as it would carry
me a great way towards the shore when it came on,
might not carry me back again with it, 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 own 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 assisted myself to swim still
forward 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 an
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, 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 against the return of the
waves, 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 I took to my heels,
and ran with what strength. I had further towards
54 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
the shore. But neither would this deliver me from
the fury of the sea, which came pouring in after me
again, and twice more was I lifted up by the waves,
and carried forward as before, the shore being flat.
The last time of these two had well near been fatal
to me; for the sea having hurried me along as be-
fore, landed me, or rather dashed me, against a piece
of rock, and that with such a force as it left 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 returned again immediately, I must have been
strangled in the water ; but I recovered a little be-
fore the return of the waves, and seeing I should be
covered again with the water, 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 it
did not swallow me up as to carry me away; and
the next run I took I got to the main land, where,
to my great comfort, I clambered up the cliffs of the
shore, and sat me down upon the grass, free from
danger, and quite out of the reach of the water.
I was now landed, and safe on shore, and began to
look up and thank God that my life was saved, in a
case wherein there was some minutes before scarce
any room of hope. I believe it is impossible to ex-
press to the life what the ecstasies and transports of
the soul are when it is so saved, as I may say, out of
the very grave ; and I do not wonder now at that
custom, viz., when a malefactor, who has the halter
about his neck, is tied up, and just going to be turn-
ed off, and has a reprieve brought to him; I say, I
do not wonder that they bring a surgeon with it, to
let him blood that very moment they tell him of it,
that the surprise may not drive the animal spirits
from the heart, and overwhelm him :—
ROBINSON. CRUSOE. - 55.
g
“For sudden joys, like griefs, confound at first.”
I walked about on the shore, lifting up my hands,
and my whole being, as I may say, wrapt up in the
contemplation of my deliverance, making a thousand
gestures and motions which I cannot describe, re-
flecting upon all my comrades that were drowned,
and that there should not be one soul saved but my-
self; for, as for them, I never saw them afterwards,
or any signs of them, except three of their hats, one
cap, and two shoes that were not fellows,
I cast my eyes to the stranded vessel, when the
breach and froth of the sea being so big, I could
hardly see it, it lay so far off; and considered, Lord!
how was it possible I could get ashore
After I had solaced my mind with the comfort-
able part 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 a word, I had had a dreadful deliver-
ance; for I was wet, had no clothes to shiftime, nor
any thing either to eat or drink to comfort me, nei-
ther did I see any prospect before me but that of per-
ishing with hunger, or of being devoured by wild
beasts; and that which was particularly afflicting
to me was, that I had no weapon either to hunt and
kill any creature for my sustenance, or to defend
myself against any other creature 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 coming upon me, I
began with a heavy heart, to consider what would be
my lot, if there were any ravenous beasts in that coun-
try, seeing at night they always come 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 re-
solved to sit all night, and consider the next day what
56 TOBINSON CRUISOE.
. |
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 ; and having drank, and put a little
tobacco in my mouth to prevent hunger, I went to
the tree, and getting up into it, endeavoured 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 having
been excessively fatigued, I fell fast asleep, and slept
as comfortably as I believe few could have done in
my condition, and found myself the more refreshed
with it that I think I ever was on board. T
When I wakedit 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
which I first mentioned, where I had been sobruised
by dashing me 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 my apartment in the tree,
I looked about me again; and the first thing I found
was the boat, which lay as the wind and sea had
tossed her upon the land, about two miles on my
right hand. I walked as far as I could upon the
shore to have got to her, but found a neck or inlet of
water between me and the boat, 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
, ROBINSON CRUSOE. - 57.
if we had kept on board we had been all safe, that
is to Bay, we had all got safe on shore, and I had not
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, for the weather was
hot to extremity, and took 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. , Iswam round her twice,
and the second time I espied a small piece of rope,
which I wondered I did not see at first, hang down
by the fore chains, so low as that with great difficul-
ty I got hold of it, and, by the help of that rope, got
up into the forecastle of the ship. Here I found that
the ship was bulged, and 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 lift-
ed 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 ; for you may
be sure my first work was to search and to see what
was spoiled, and what was free; and first I found
that all the ship's provisions were dry and untouch-
ed by the water : and being very well disposed to
eat, I went to the bread-room, and filled my pock-
ets 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 appli-
cation. We had several spare yards, and two or
three large spars of wood, and a spare top-mast or
~.
58 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 they 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
as well as I could, in the form of a raft ; and laying
two or three short pieces of plank upon them cross-
ways, I found that I could walk upon them very.
well, but that it was not able to bear any great
weight, the pieces being too light: so I went to work,
and with a carpenter's saw I cut a spare top-mast
into three lengths, and added them to my raft, with
great labour; but the hope of furnishing myself with
necessaries encouraged me more than I should have
been able to have done upon another occasion.
My raft was now strong enough to bear any rea-
sonable weight. My next care was what to load it
with, and how to preserve what I laid on it from the
serf of the sea : but I was not long considering this,
I first laid all the planks or boards 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 emptied, and lowered
them down upon my raft. The first of these I filled
with provisions, viz. bread, rice, three Dutch cheeses,
pieces of dried goat's flesh, which we lived much on,
and a little remainder of European corn, which had
been laid by for some fowls which we brought to sea
with us, but the fowls were killed. There had been
some barley and wheat together, but, to my great
disappointment, I found afterward, that the rats had
eaten or spoiled it all. As for liquors, I found several
cases of bottles belonging to our skipper, in which


were some cordial waters, and in all about five or six
gallons of arrack ; 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
IROBINSON CRUSOE, 59.
the mortification to see my coat, shirt, and waist-
coat, which I had left on the shore upon the sand,
swim away; as for my breeches, which were only
linen, and open-knee’d, I swam on board in them and
my stockings. However, this put me upon rummag-
ing 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 ; as first,
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, even 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, a small bag of shot, and
two old rusty swords. I knew there were three bar-
rels of powder in the ship, but knew not where our
gunner had stowed them, but with much search I
found them, two of them dry and good, the third had
taken water ; those two I got to my raft, with the
arms. And now I thought myself pretty well freight-
ed, and began to think how I could get to shore
with them, having neither sail, oar, or rudder, and
the least capful of wind would have overset my raft.
I had three encouragements; first, a smooth and
calm sea ; secondly, the tide rising and setting in to
the shore; thirdly, what little wind there was blew
me towards the land. And thus, having found two
or three broken oars belonging to the boat, and be-
sides the tools which were in the chest, I found two
saws, an axe, and a hammer, and 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 there was some indraught of the water,
60 RoBINSON GRUSOE.
*
and consequently I hoped to find some creek or ri-
wer there, which I might make nse of as a port to get
to land with my cargo.
As I imagined, so it was ; there appeared before
me a little opening of the land. I found a strong
current of the 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 ship-
wreck, which, if I had, I think verily would have
broken my heart ; for, knowing nothing of the coast,
my raft run aground, at one end of it, upon a shoal,
not being aground at the other, it wanted but a lit-
tle 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 near
half an hour, in which time the rising of the water
brought me a little 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 my-
self in the mouth of a little river, with land on both
sides, and a strong current of tide running up. I
looked on both sides for a proper place to get to
shore, for I was not willing to be driven too high up
the river, hoping in time to see some ship at Sea, and
therefore placed myself as near the shore as I could.
At length 1 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, as that,
reaching ground with my oar, I could thrust her di-
rectly in ; but here I had liked to have dipped all my
cargo into the sea again, for the shore lying pretty
steep, that is to say, sloping, there was no place to
land, but where one end of the float, if it ran on
shore, would lie so high, and the other sink lower as
i

ROBINSON CIRUSOE. , 61
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 lay till the water ebbed away, and left my raft
and all my cargo safe 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 hap-
pen. Where I was I yet knew not, whether on the
continent or on 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, after I had with great labour and
difficulty got up, I immediately saw my fate, to my
great affliction; viz. that I was on an island, environ-
ed every way with the sea, no land to be seen, except
some rocks, which lay a great way off, and two
smaller 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 saw good reasons to believe, uninhabited,
except by wild beasts, of which, 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 a great bird, which I saw sitting upon a
62 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
tree, on the side of a large wood. I believe it was
the first gun that had been fired there since the crea-
tion of the world. I had no sooner fired, but from
all parts of the wood there arose an extraordinary
number of fowls, of many sorts, making a confused
screaming and crying, every one according to his
usual note; but not one of them of any kind that I
knew. As for that creature I killed, I took it to be
a kind of a hawk, its colour and beak resembling it,
but it had no talons or claws more than common; its
flesh was carrion, and fit for nothing,
Contented with this discovery, I came back to my
raft, and fell to work to bring the rest of my cargo
on shore, which took up the rest of the day. 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 de-
vour me, though I afterwards found there was no
need for those fears.
However, as well as I could, Ibarricaded myself
round with the chests and boards that I had brought
on shore, and made a kind of hut for that night's
lodging ; as for food, I yet saw not which way to
supply myself, except that I had seen two or three
creatures, like hares, run out of the wood where
shot the fowl.
I now began to consider that I might yet get a
great many things out of the ship which would be
useful to me, and particularly some of the rigging
and sails, and such other things as might come to
hand, and I resolved to make another voyage on
board the vessel if possible; and as I know that the
first storm that blew must necessarily break her in
pieces, I resolved to set all other things apart till I
got every thing out of the ship that I could get;
then I called a counsel, that is to say, in my thoughts,
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
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 63
before I went from my hut, having nothing on but a
checkered shirt, a pair of linen drawers, and a pair
of pumps on my feet.
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
hard; but yet I brought away several things very
useful to me; as first, in the carpenter's store 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 grindstone ; all
these I secured, together with several things belong-
ing to the gunner, particularly three iron crows, and
two barrels of musket bullets, seven muskets, and
anotherfowling-piece, with a small quantity of pow-
der more ; a large bag full of small shot, and a great
roll of sheet lead, but this last was so heavy, I could
not hoist it up to get it over the ship's side.
Besides these things, I took all the mens' clothes
that I could find, and a spare fore-topsail, hammock,
and some bedding, and with this Iloaded my second
raft, and brought them also safe on shore.
I was under pprehensions, duringmy absence
from the land, that at least my provisions might be
devoured on shore; but when I came back, I found
no sign of any visitor, only there sat a creature like a
wild cat upon one of the chests, which, when I came
towards it, ran away to a little distance, and then
stood still. She sat very composed and unconcerned,
and looked full in my face, as if she had a mind to be
acquainted with me. I presented my gun at her, but
as she did not understand it, she was perfectly un-
concerned, nor did she offer to stir away; on which
I tossed her a bit of biscuit, though I was not very
free of it, for my store was not great. However, I
gave her a bit; she smelled at it, eat it, and looked
for more; but I thanked her, and could spare no
more, so she marched off.
Having got my second cargo on shore (though I

64 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
was fain 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 a little tent with the
sail and some poles which I cut for that purpose;
and into this tent I brought everything that I knew
would spoil, either with rain or sun; and I piled all
the empty chests and casks up in a circle round the
tent,to fortify it from any attempt 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 an 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 little, and had laboured
hard all day, as well to fetch those things from the
ship, as to get them on shore.
I had the largest magazine of all kinds now that
ever was laid up, I believe, for one man ; but I was
not satisfied still, 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 particularly 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 on occasion, and the barrel of wet gunpowder.
In a word, Ibrought 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 to me for sails, but as mere canvass only.
But that which comforted me more still was, that
at last of all, after I had made five or six such voy-
ages as these, and thought I had nothing more to ex-
pect from the ship that was worth my meddling
with, I say, after all this, I found a great hogshead
of bread, three large runlets of rum or spirits, a box
of sugar, and a barrel of fine flour; this was surpris-
ing to me, because I had given over expecting any
ROBINSON GRUSOE, 65
more provisions, except what was spoiled by the wa-
tér. I soon emptied the hogshead of that bread, and
wrapt it up parcel by parcel, in pieces of the sails
which I cut out; and, in a word, I got this safe on
shore also, though at several times.
The next day I made another voyage ; and now
having plundered the ship of what was portable, and
fit to hand out, I began with the cables; and cutting
the great cable into pieces such as I could move, I
got two cables and a haulser on shore, with all the
iron work I could get ; and having cut down the
spritsail yard, and the mizen-yard, and every thing
I could to make a large raft, I loaded it with all
those heavy goods and came away. But my good
luck began to leave me, for this raft was so unwieldy
and so overloaded, that after I was entered the little
cove where I had landed the rest of my goods, not
being able to guide it so handily as I did the other, it
overset, and threw me and all my cargo into the
water. As for myself, it was no great harm, for I
was near the shore; but as to my cargo, it was great
part of it lost, especially the iron, which I expected
would have been of great use to me. However, when
the tide was out, I got most of the pieces of cable
ashore, and some of theiron, though with infinitela-
bour, for I was fain to dip for it into the water, a
work which fatigued me very much. After this I
went every day, and brought away what I could.
I had now been thirteen days on shore, and had
been eleven times on board the ship, in which times
I had brought away all that one pair of hands could
well be supposed capable to bring, though I believe
verily, had the calm weather held, I should have
brought away the whole ship piece by piece. But
preparing the twelfth time to go on board, I found
the wind began to rise; however, at low water, I
went on board; and though I thought I had rum-
maged the cabin so effectually as that nothing more
gould be found, yet I discovered a locker withdraw-
E.
66 BoBINSON GRUSOE.
ers in it, in one of which I found two or three razors,
and one pair of large scissors, with ten or a dozen
good knives and forks; in another I found about
thirty-six pounds in money, some European coin,
some Brazil, pieces of eight, some gold and silver.
I smiled to myself at the sight of this money, “O
drug,” said I aloud, “what art thou good for P Thou
art Inot worth to me, no, not the taking off the ground.
One of these knives is worth all the 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 this in a piece of
canvass, I began to think of making another raft;
but while I was preparing this, I found the sky over-
cast, and the wind began to rise, and in a quarter of
an hour it blew a fresh gale from the shore; it pre-
sently occurred that it was in vain to pretend to make
a raft with the wind off shore, and that it was my
business to be gone before the tide of flood began,
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 sand, and even that with difficulty
enough, partly with the weight of the things I had
about me, and partly 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, behold no more of the ship was
to be seen. I was a little surprised, but recovered
myself with this satisfactory reflection, viz., that
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 left in her that I
was able to bring away, if I had had more time.
now gave over any more thought of the ship, or of
#OBINSON CBUSOE. 67
anything out of her, except what might drive on
shore from her wreck, as indeed pieces of her after-
wards did ; but those things were little use to me.
My thoughts were now wholly employed about se-
curing myself against either savages, if any should
appear, or wild beasts, if any were in the island; and
I had many thoughts of the method how to do 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; the manner and
description of which I will give an account of.
soon found this place was not for my settlement,
particularly because it was low moorish ground near
the sea, which I thought would not be wholesome,
and more particularly because there was no fresh
water near it; so I resolved to find a more healthy
and convenient spot of ground.
I consulted several things in my situation, which
I found would be proper for me; first, health and
fresh water, as I just now mentioned; secondly,
shelter from the heat of the sum ; thirdly, security
from ravenous creatures, man or beast; fourthly, a
view of the sea, that if God sent any ship in sight,
I might not lose any advantage for my deliverance,
for which I was not willing to banish all hopes.
In seaching for a place proper for this, I found a
little plain on the side of a rising hill, whose front
towards this little plain was as 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, but there was no cave or way into the rock.
On the flat of the green, just before this hollow
place, I resolved to pitch my tent. The plain was
not above a hundred yards broad, and about twice as
long, and lay like a green before my door, and at the
end it descended 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 it was sheltered from the
68 - ROBINSON CRUSOE,
heat every day, till it came to a W. and by S. sun, or
thereabouts, which in those countries is near setting.
Before I set up my tent, I drew a half-circle before
the hollow place, which took in about ten yards in
semi-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 pikes, the biggest end being out of the
ground about five feet and a half, and sharpened on
the top ; the two rows stood about six inches apart.
Then I took the pieces of cable which I had cut
in the ship, and laid them in rows upon one another
within the circle between the 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 a
spur to a post, and this fence was so strong that nei-
ther man nor beast could get into it. This cost me a
great deal of time and labour, especially to cut the
piles, bring them, and drive them into the earth.
The entrance to this place I made to be, not by a
door, but by a ladder over the top; which ladder, when
I was in, I lifted over after me, and so I was com-
pletely fenced in, and fortified, as I thought, from all
the world, and consequently slept secure in the night,
which otherwise I could not have done, though, as it
appeared afterwards, there was no need of all this
caution.
Into this fence, or fortress, with infinite labour, I
carried all my riches, provisions, ammunition, and
stores, and I made a large tent also, which, to pre-
serve me from the rains, that in one part of the year
arevery violent here, I made double, viz., one smaller
tent within, and one large tent above it, and covered
the uppermost with a large tarpaulin, which I had
brought on shore from among the sails.
And now I lay no more for awhile in the bed that
I had brought on shore, but in a hammock, which
was a very good one, and belonged to the mate.
Into this tent I brought my provisions, and every
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 69
thing that would spoil by the wet; and having thus
enclosed all my goods, Imade up the entrance, which
till now was left open, and so passed by a ladder.
When I had done this, I began to work my way
into the rock, and bringing all the earth and stones
out through my tent, I laid them up within the tent
in the nature of a terrace, so that it raised the ground
within about a foot and a half, and thus I made me a
cave just behind my tent, which served for a cellar.
It cost me much labour, and many days, before all
these things were brought to perfection; and, there-
fore, I must go back to some other things which took
up some of my thoughts. At the same time it hap-
pened, after I had laid my scheme for setting up my
tent and making the cave, that a storm of rain fall-
ing from a dark thick cloud, a sudden flash of light-
ning happened, and after that a clap of thunder, as
is naturally the effect of it. I was not so much sur-
prised with the lightning, as with the thought which
darted into my mind:—O, my powder . . My heart
sunk within me, to think that at one blast all my
powder might be destroyed; on which, not my defence
only, but the providing my food, as I thought,entirely
depended; I was nothing near so anxious about my
own danger; though had the powder took fire, I had
never known who had hurt me.
Such impression did this make upon me, that af-
ter the storm was over, I laid aside all my works,
my building and fortifying, and applied myself to
make bags and boxes to separate my powder, and
to keep it a little and a little in a parcel, in hopes,
that whatever might come, it might not all take fire
at once, and to keep it so apart, that it should not
be possible to make one part fire the other. I fin-
ished this work in about a fortnight, and my pow-
der, which in all was about 140lb. weight, was di-
vided into no 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,

70 Robinson CRUSOE.
which in my fancy I called my kitchen, and the rest
I hid in the rocks, that no wet might get to it, care- .
fully marking where I laid it.
In the interval of time while this was doing, I
went out once 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 discovered that there were goats in the
island, which was a great satisfaction to me; but
then it was attended with this misfortune, viz., that
they were so shy, so subtle, and so swift of foot,
that it was the difficultest thing in the world to
come at them, but I was not discouraged at this, not
doubting but I might now and then shoot one, as it
soon happened, for after I had found their haunts a
little, I laid wait in this manner for them: having
observed, if they saw me in the valleys, though they
were upon the rocks, they would run away in a ter-
rible 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 optics, their sight was so directed downward,
that they did not really see objects that were above
them; so I always climbed the rocks first to get
above them, and then had frequently a fair mark.

The first shot I made among these creatures, I kill-
ed a she-goat, which had a little kid by her, 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 upon my shoulders, the kid fol-
lowed 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; but it would not eat, so I was forced to kill
it, and eat it myself. These two supplied me with
flesh a great while; for I ate sparingly, and saved
my provisions (my bread especially) as much as I
possibly could. -

Robissos CRUSOE. - 7) : .
Having fixed my habitation, I found it absolutely
necessary 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
thoughts of living, which were not a few. -
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 violent 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 con-

sider it as a determination of Heaven, that in this
desolate places, and in this desolate manner, I should
end my life. The tears would run plentifully down
my face, when I made these reflections; and some-
times I would expostulate with myself, why provid- . .
ence should thus completely ruin its creatures, and
render them so absolutely miserable, without help,
abandoned, and so entirely depressed, that it could
hardly be rational to be thankful for such a life?
But something always returned swift upon me to
check these thoughts, and to reprove me; and parti-
cularly 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, put
in, expostulating with me the other way, thus:–
ell, you are in a desperate condition, it is true, but
pray remember, where are the rest of you? Did not
you come eleven of you into the boat? where are the
ten P why were not they saved, and you lost? why
were you singled out P is it better to be here or there?
And then I pointed to the sea. All evils are to be
considered with the good that is in them, and with
what worse attended them.
Then it occurred to me again, how well I was fur-
nished for my subsistence, and what would have
been my case, if it had not happened, which was a
72 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
*
hundred thousand to one, that the ship floated from
the place where she first struck, and was driven so
near to the shore, that I had time to get all 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 the necessaries of life,
or any means to supply and procure them P Parti-
cularly, what would I have done without a gun,
without ammunition, without any tools to make any
thing, or to work with ? without clothes, bedding, a
tent, or any manner of covering P. And that now I
had all these to a sufficient quantity, and was in a
fair way to provide myself in 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 consider-
ed from the beginning how I would provide for the
accidents that might happen, and for the time that
was to come, even not only after my ammunition
should be spent, but even after my health or strength
should decay.
I confess I had not then 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 observed just now.
And now, being to enter into a melancholy rela-
tion of a scene of silent life, such, perhaps, as 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, when, in
the manner before-said I first set foot upon this hor-
rid island, when the sun being to us, in its autum-
nal equinox, was almost just over my head ; for I
reckoned myself by observation, to be in the latitude
of 9 degrees 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 reck-
oning of time for want of books, and pen and ink,
BOBINSON GRUSOE. 73
and should even forget the Sabbath days from the .
working days; but to prevent this, I cut it with my
knife upon a large post, in capital letters, and, mak-
ing it into a great cross, I set it up on the shore
where I first landed : viz. I came on shore here the
30th of Sept. 1659. Upon the sides of this square
post I cut every day a notch with my knife, and
every seventh notch was as long again as the rest,
and every first day of the month as long again as
the long one, and thus I kept my calendar, or week-
ly, monthly, and yearly reckoning of time.
In the next place we are to observe that among
many things which I brought off the ship in the se-
veral voyages, which, as above-mentioned, I made
to it, I got several things of less value, but not at
all less useful to me, which I omitted setting down
before, as in particular, pens, ink, and paper, several
parcels from the captain's, mate's, gunner's, and car-
penter's keeping, three or four compasses, some ma-
thematical instruments, dials, prespectives, charts,
and books of navigation, all of which I huddled to-
gether, whether I might want them or no ; 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 Popish prayer-books,
and several other books, all of which I carefully se-
cured. And I must not forget that we had in the
ship a dog and two cats, of whose eminent 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 himself, and swam on
shore to me the day after I went on shore 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, I only
wanted to have him talk to me, but that he could not
do. As I observed before, I found pens, ink, and pa:
per, and I husbanded to the utmost, and I shall
74 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
w
show, that while my inſk lasted, I kept things very
exact ; but after that was gone, I could not ; for I
could not make ink by any means.
And this put me in mind that I wanted many
things; and of these, this of ink was one, as also a
spade, pick-axe, and shovel, to dig or remove the
earth ; needles, pins, and thread; as for linen, I soon
learned to want that without much difficulty.
This want of tools made every work I did go on
heavily, and it was near a whole year before I had
entirely finished my little pale, or surrounded habi-
tation ; the piles, or stakes, which were as heavy as
I could well lift, were a long time cutting and pre-
paring in the woods, and more by far in bringing
home, so that I spent sometimes two days in cutting
and bringing home one of these posts, and a third
day in driving it into the ground ; for which I got a
heavy piece of wood first, but at last bethought my-
self of one of the iron crows, which, however, though
I found it, yet made driving those posts or pales
very laborious and tedious work.
But what need I have been concerned at the tedi-
ousness of anything I had to do, having time enough
to do it in P Nor had I any other employment, that
I could foresee, except seeking food.
I now began to consider seriously my condition,
and the circumstances I was reduced to, and I drew
up the state of my affairs in writing, not so much to
leave them to any that were to come after me, for I
was like to have but few heirs, as to deliver my
thoughts from daily poring upon them, and afflict-
ing my mind; and as my reason began now to mas-
ter my despondency, I began to comfort myself as
well as I could, and to set the good against the evil,
that I might have something to distinguish my case
from worse ; and I stated it very impartially, like
debtor and creditor, the comforts I enjoyed, against
the miseries I suffered, thus :—
EVILs GOOD,
I am cast upon a horrible But I am alive and not
RoBINSON GRUSOE.
75
desolate island, void of all
hope of recovery.
I am singled out, and Se-
parated, as it were, from all
the world, to be miserable.
I am divided from man-
kind, a solitary one, banish-
ed from human society.
I have no clothes to cover
IIle,
I am without any defence
or means to resist any vio-
lence of man or beast.
I have no soul to speak to
Or relieveme.
*
drowned, as all my ship's
company was.
ut I am singled out, too,
from all the ship's crew, to
be spared from death ; and
he that miraculously saved
me from death, can deliver
me from this condition.
But I am not starved, and
perishing on a barren place,
affording no sustenance.
ut I am in a hot climate,
where, if I had clothes, I
could hardly wear them.
But I am cast on an island
where I see no wild beasts,
to hurt me, as I saw on the
coast of Africa; and what if I
had been shipwrecked there?
But God wonderfully sent
the ship near enough to the
shore, that I have gotten out
so many necessary things as
will either supply my wants,
or enable me to supply my-
self, even as long as I live.
Upon the whole, there was an undoubted testi-
mony, that there was scarce a condition in the world
so miserable, but there was something negative, or
something positive, to be thankful for in it ; and let
this stand as a direction from the experience of the
miserable of all conditions in this world, that we
may always find in it something to comfort ourselves
from, and to set, in the description of good and evil,
on the credit side of the account.
Having now brought my mind a little to relish my
condition, and giving over looking out to sea, to see
if I could spy a ship ; I say, giving over these things,
I began to apply myself to accommodate my way of
living, and to make things as easy to me as I could.
I have already described my habitation, which
was a tent under the side of a rock surrounded with
a strong pale of posts and cables, but I might rather
t
76 - ROBINSON’ CRUSOE.
call it a wall, for I raised a kind of wall up against
it of turfs, 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
goods into this pale, and into the cave which I had
made behind me ; but I must observe too, that, at
first, this was a confused heap of goods, which, as
they lay in no order, so they took up all my place; I
had no room to turn myself; So I set myself to en-
large my cave, and worked further 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 the beasts of prey, I worked
sideways to the right hand into the rock, and then
turning to the right again, worked quite out, and
made me a door to come on the outside of my pale.
This gave not only egress and regress, as it was a
backway to my tent, and to my storehouse, but gave
me room to stow my goods.
And now I began to apply myself to make such
necessary things as I found I most wanted, particu-
larly a chair and a table, without these I was not
able to enjoy the few comforts I had in the world, I
could not write or eat, or several things, with so
much pleasure without a table.
So I went to work; and here I must needs ob-
serve, that as reason is the substance and original of
the mathematics, so by stating and squaring every
thing by reason, and by making the most rational
judgment of things, every man may be, in time, mas-
ter of every mechanic art. I had never handled a
tool in my life, and yet, in time, by labour, applica-
tion, and contrivance, I found, at last, that I could
have made any thing, especially if I had had tools;
however, I made abundance of things, even without

ROBINSON CEUSOE, 77
tools, and some with no more tools than an adze and
a hatchet, which, perhaps, were never made that way
before, and that with infinite labour. 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 dub it smooth
with my adze. It is true, that by this method I
could make but one board out of the whole tree ; but
this I had no remedy for but patience, any more than
I had for the prodigious deal of time and labour
which it took me up to make a plank or board ; 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, as I ob-
served above, in the first place, and this I did out of
the short pieces of board that I brought on my raft
from the ship ; but when I had wrought out some
boards, as above, Imade large shelves of the breadth
of a foot and a half, one over another, all along one
side of my cove, to lay all my tools, nails, and iron-
work, and, in a word, to separate everything at large
in their places, that I might easily come at them;
also, I knocked pieces into the wall of the rock to
hang my guns, and all things that would hang up.
So that had my cave been to be seen, it looked like
a general magazine of all necessary things; and I
had every thing so ready to my hand, that it was a
great pleasure to me to see all my goods in such or-
der, and especially to find my stock of all necesaries
So great. -
And now it was when I began to keep a journal
of every day’s employment: for, indeed, at first I was
in too much hurry, and not only hurry as to labour,
but in too much discomposure of mind, and my jour-
nal would have been full of many dull things. For
example, I must have said thus;–Sept, the 30th.
After I got on shore, and had escaped drowning,
instead of being thankful to God for my deliver-

.78 froBINSON CRUSOf.
ance, having first vomited from the great quantity
of salt water which was gotten into my stomach,
and recovering myself a little, Iran about the shore
wringing my hands, and beating my head and face,
exclaiming at my misery, and crying out, I was un-
done ! undone ! till, tired and faint, I was forced to
lie down on the ground to repose, but durst not sleep
for fear of being devoured.
Some days after this, and after having been on
board the ship, and got all I could out of her, yet I
could not forbear getting up to the top of a little
mountain, and looking out to sea, in hopes of seeing
a ship, then fancy, at a vast distance, I spied a sail,
lease myself with the hopes of it, and then, after
ooking steadily till I was almost blind, lose it quite,
and sit down and weep like a child, and thus in-
crease my misery by my folly.
But having got over these things, in some measure,
and having settled my household stuff and habita-
tion, made me a table and a chair, and all as hand-
Some about me as I could, I began, Isay, to keep my
journal, of which I shall here give you the copy
(though in it will be told all these particulars over
again,) as long as it lasted, for at last having no
more ink, I was forced to leave off.
THE JOURNAL,
September 30, 1659.—I poor miserable Robinson
Crusoe, being shipwrecked during a dreadful storm
in the offing, came on shore on this dismal unfor-
tunate island, which I called the Island of Despair,
all the rest of the ship's company being drowned,
and myself almost dead.
All the rest of the day I spent in afflicting myself
at the dismal circumstances I was brought to, viz., I
had neither house, food, clothes, weapon, or place to
fly to, and nothing but death before me, either that
I should be devoured by savages, or starved to death
for want of food. At the approach of night, I slept
in a tree, for fear of wild creatures.



ROBINSON CRUSOE, 79
Oct. 1.-In the morning I saw, to my surprise, the
ship had floated with the high tide, and was driven
on shore again much nearer the island, which, as it
was some comfort on one hand, so, on the other
hand, it renewed my grief at the loss of my com-
rades, who, I imagined, if we had all stayed on
board, might have saved the ship, or at least they
would not all have been 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. See-
ing the ship almost dry, I went upon the sand as
near as I could, and then swam on board. This day
continued rainy, though with no wind at all.
From the 1st. of Oct. to the 24th.—All these days
entirely spent in making several voyages to get all I
could out of the ship, which I brought on shore. Much
rain also in these days, though with some intervals of
fair weather, but it seems, this was the rainy season.
Oct. 24.—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 wheu
the tide was out. -
Oct. 25.—It rained all night, and all day with
some wind, during which time the ship broke in
pieces, 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 a place to fix my habitation, greatly con-
cerned to secure myself from any attackin the night,
either from beasts or men. Towards night I fixed on
a proper place under a rock, and marked out a semi-
circle for my encampment, which I resolved to
strengthen with a fortification, made of double piles,
lined within with cable, and without with turf.
From the 26th to the 30th, I worked very hard in
carrying all my goods to my new habitation, though
some part of the time it rained exceedingly hard.
80 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
The 31st., in the morning, I went out into the island
with my gun to seek for some food, when I killed a
she-goat, and her kid followed me home, which Iaf-
terwards killed, because it would not eat.
ov. 1.-I set up my tent under a rock, and lay
there for the first night, making it as large as I could
with stakes driven in to swing my hammock upon.
Nov. 2.-I set up all my chests and boards, and the
pieces of timber which made my rafts, and with them
formed a fence around me a little within the place I
had marked out for my fortification.
Nov. 3.-I went out with my gun, and killed two
fowls like ducks, which were very good food. In the
afternoon, went to work to make me a table.
Nov. 4.—This morning I began to order my times
of work, of going out with my gun, time of sleep and
time of diversion; viz., every morning I walked out
with my gun, for two or three hours, if it did not
rain ; then employed myself at work till about eleven
o'clock; then eat what I had to live on; and from
twelve to two, Ilay down to sleep, the weather being
excessively hot, and then in the evening to work again.
The working part of this day and the next were
wholly employed in making my table, which I did
not finish.
Nov. 5.--This day I went abroad with my gun and

dog, and killed a wild cat, her skin pretty soft, but
her flesh good for nothing. Every creature I killed,
I took off the skins and preserved them. Coming
back, by the sea-shore, I saw many sorts of sea-
fowls which I did not understand; but was surprised
to see two or three seals, which, while I was gazing
at, got into the sea, and escaped me for that time.
Nov. 6.-After my morning walk, I went to work
with my table again, and finished it, though not to
my liking; and I soon learned to mend it.
ov. 7.--Now it began to be settled fair weather.
The 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and part of the 12th º the
11th was Sunday, according to my reckoning,) I took
* ROBINSON CRUSOE. 81:
wholly up to make a chair, and, with much ado,
brought it to a tolerable shape, but never to please
me; and even in the making I pulled it to pieces se-
veral times. Note.—I soon neglected keeping my
Sundays, for omitting my mark for them on my post,
I forgot which was which.
Nov. 13.—This day it rained, which refreshed me
exceedingly, and cooled the earth; but it was accom-
panied with terrible thunder and lightning, which
made me fearful of my powder. When it was over,
I resolved to separate my powder into as many little
parcels as possible, to prevent danger. -
Nov. 14, 15, 16.—These three days I spent in mak
ing little square chests or boxes, which might hold.
about a pound, or two, of powder; and so putting the
powder in, I stowed it away in places as secure and
remote from one another as possible. On one of these
three days I killed a large bird that was good to eat,
but I knew not what to call it.
Nov. 17.—This day I began to dig behind my tent
into the rock, to make room for my further conve-
niency. Note.—Three things I wanted exceedingly
for this work, viz., a pick-axe, a shovel, and a wheel-
barrow, or basket. As for the pick-axe, I made use
of the iron crows, which were proper enough, though
heavy; but the next thing was a shovel or spade;
this was so absolutely necessary, that I could do no-
thing effectually without it, but what kind of one
to make I knew not.
Nov. 18.—The next day, in searching the woods, I
found a tree of that wood, or like it, which, in the
Brazils, they call the iron-tree, for its exceeding
hardness; off this I cut a piece, and brought it home
with difficulty, for it was exceeding heavy. The ex-
cessive hardness of the wood made me a long while
upon this machine, but I worked it effectually by
little and little, into the form of a shovel or spade.
the handle exactly shaped like ours in England, only
that i. broad part having no iron shod upon it at
Fº - {


82 ROBINSON GRUSOE, K
bottom, would not last me so long; however, it
served well enough for the uses which I had occasion
to put it to. I was still deficient, for I wanted a
basket, or a wheelbarrow; a basket I could not make
by any means, having no such thing as twigs that
would bend to make wicker-ware; and, as to the
wheelbarrow, I fancied I could make all but the
wheel; but that I had no notion of, neither did I
know how to go about it, so I gave it over; and so,
for carrying away the earth which I dug out of the
cave, I made a thing like a hod, which the labourers
carry mortar in to serve the bricklayers. This was
not so difficult to me as making the shovel; and yet
this, and the shovel, and the attempt which I made
in vain to make a wheelbarrow, took me up no less
than four days; I mean, always excepting my morn-
ing walk with my gun, which I seldom failed, and
nearly always brought something home fit to eat.
Nov. 23.—My otherwork having stood still because
of my making these tools, when they were finished I
went on ; and, working every day as my time and
strength allowed. I spent eighteen days entirely in
widening and deepening my cave, that it might hold
my goods commodiously. Note.—During all this
time, I worked to make this room, or cave, spacious
enough to accommodate me as a warehouse or maga-
zine, a kitchen, a dining-room, and a cellar; as for a
lodging, I kept to the tent, except that sometimes
in the wet season of the year it rained so hard, that
I could not keep myself dry; which caused me after-
wards to cover all my place within my pale with long
poles, in the form of rafters, leaning against the rock, .
and load them with flags, and large leaves of trees,
like a thatch.
Dec. 10.—I began now to think my cave or vault
finished, when, on a sudden, a great quantity of earth
fell down from the top and one side, so much that,
in short, it frightened me, and not without reason
too; for if I had been under it, I should not havo.

fiOBINSON GRUSOE. §§
wanted a grave-digger. Upon this disaster, I had a
reat deal of work to do over again ; for I had the
oose earth to carry out, and, which was of more im-
' portance, I had the ceiling to prop up, so that I
might be sure no more would come down.
HDec. 11.—This day I went to work with it accord-
ingly, and got two shores, or posts, pitched upright to
the top, with two pieces of boards across over each
post. This I finished the next day; and setting more
posts up with boards, in about a week more I had the
roof secured ; and the posts, standing in rows, served
me for partitions to part off my house.
Dec. 16.-From this day to the 20th Iplaced shelves
and knocked nails into the posts, to hang everything
up that could be hung up.
Dec. 23.—Now I carried everything into the cave,
and began to furnish my house, and to set up some
pieces of boards like a dresser, to order my victuals
upon; but boards began to be very scarce with me.
Made another table.
Dec. 24, 25.—Much rain both these days, and no
stirring out.
Dec. 26.-No rain, and the earth rather cooler
than before, and pleasanter.
Dec. 27.-Killed a young goat, and lamed another,
so that I catched it, and led it home in a string, and
bound and splintered its leg, which was broke. N.B.
—I took such care of it that it lived, and the leg
grew well, and as strong as ever; but by nursing it
so long it grew tame, and fed upon the little green
at my door, and would not go away. This was the
first time that I had entertained a thought of breed-
ing up some tame creatures, that I might have food
when my powder and shot was all spent.
Dec. 28, 29, 30.—Great heats and no breeze, so
that there was no stirring abroad, except in the
evening for food. This time I spent in putting all
mythings in order within doors.
Jan. 1.-Very hot still, but I went abroad early
84 ROBINSON Cittſ SOE,
and late with my gun, and lay still in the middle of
the day. This evening, going further into the val-
leys, which lay to the centre of the island, I found
there were plenty of goats, though exceedingly shy,
and hard to come at ; however, I resolved to try if I
could not bring my dog to hunt them down.
Jan. 2.--Accordingly the next day I went out with
my dog, and set him upon the goats, but they all
faced about upon the dog, and he knew his danger
too well, for he would not come near them.
Jan. 3.-I begun my fence or wall, which, to pre-
vent attack, I resolved to make thick and strong.
N. B.—This wall being described before, I pur-
posely omit what was said in the journal; it is suffi-
cient to observe, that I was no less than from the
3rd of Jan. to the 14th of April, working, finishing,
and perfecting this 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.
! this time I worked very hard, the rains hin-
dering me many days, nay, sometimes weeks toge-
ther; but I thought I should never be perfectly se-
cure till this wall was finished ; and it is scarce cre-
dible what inexpressible labour everything was done
with, especially bringing piles out of the woods, and
driving them into the ground, for Imade them much
bigger than I needed to have done.
When this wall was finished, and the outside double
fenced, with a turf wall raised up close to it, I per-
Suaded myself, that if any people were to come on
shore there, they would not perceive anything like a
habitation; and it was very well I did so, as may be
observed hereafter, upon a remarkable occasion.
During this time I made my rounds in the woods
for game every day, when the rain permitted me,
and made frequent discoveriesinthese walks of some- .
thing or other to my advantage; particularly Ifound

ROBINSON CRUSOE. 85
a kind of wild pigeons, which built not as wood-pi-
geons in a tree, but rather as house-pigeons, in the
holes of the rocks; and taking some young ones, I
endeavoured to bring them up tame, and did so ; but
when they grew older, they all 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 myself wanting manythings which I thought
at first impossible for me to make, as indeed as to
some of them it was; for instance, I never could
make a cask, to be hooped. I had a small runlet or
two, as I observed before, but I could never arrive
at the capacity of making one by them,though I spent
many weeks about it; I could neither put in the
heads, or join the staves so true to one another, as
to make them hold water, so I gave them also over.
In the next place, I was at a great loss for can-
dles, so that when it was dark, which was generally
By seven o’clock, I was obliged to go to bed. I re-
membered 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 lit-
tle 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 my things, I
found a little bag, which, as I hinted before, had
been filled with corn, for the feeding of poultry, not
for this voyage, but before, as I suppose, when the
ship came from Lisbon; what little remainder of the
corn had been in the bag was all devoured by the
rats, and I saw nothing in the bag but husks and
dust; iind being willing to have the bag for some
other use (I think it was to put powder in, when I
86 - . B.O.INSON CRUSOE,
divided it for fear of the lightning, or some such
purpose,) 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 men-
tioned, that I threw this stuff away, taking no notice
of anything, and not so much as remembering that
I had thrown any there; when, about a month after,
or thereabouts, I saw some stalks of something green
shooting up on the ground, which I fancied might be
some plant, I had not seen ; but I was surprised, and
perfectly astonished, when, after a little longer time,
I saw about ten or twelve ears come out, which were
perfectly green barley, the same as English barley.
It is impossible to express the astonishment and
confusion of my thoughts on this occasion; I had
hitherto acted upon no religious foundation at all ;
indeed, I had very few notions of religion in my head
nor had entertained any sense of any thing that had
befallen me, otherwise than as a chance, or, as we
lightly say, what pleases God; without so much as
inquiring into the end of providence in these things,
or his order in governing events in the world ; but,
after I saw barley grow there, in a climate which I
knew was not proper for corn, and especially that I
knew not how it came there, it startled me strange-
ly, and I began to suggest that God had miraculous-
ly caused this grain to grow, without any help of
seed sown, and that it was so directed purely for m
sustenance in that wild miserable place.
Thus 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 on 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

|ROBINSON CEUSOE, 87
that there was more in the place, I went all over that
part of the island where I had been before, peering
in every corner, and under every rock, to see for more
of it, but I could not find any ; at last it occurred to
my thoughts that I had shaken the bag of chicken's
meat out in the place, and then the wonder began to
cease; and I must confess my religious thankfulness
to God's providence began to abate too, upon my dis-
covering that all this was nothing but what was com-
mon, though I ought to have been as thankful for so
strange and unforeseen providence as if it had been
miraculous; for it was really the work of providence
as to me, that should appoint thatten or twelve grains
of corn should 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 out in that
particular place, where, it being in the shade of a
high rock, it sprang up immediately ; whereas, if I
had thrown it any where else at that time, it had
been burnt up and destroyed. * .
I carefully save the ears, of this corn, you may be
sure, in their season, which was about the end of
June ; and laying up every corn, I resolved to sow
them all again, hoping in time to have some quanti-
ty sufficient to supply me with bread ; but it was not
{ill the fourth year that I would allow myself the
least grain of this corn to eat, and even then but spa-
ringly, for I lost all I sowed the first season by not
observing the proper time, for I sowed just before
the dry season, so that it never came up at all, at
least not as it would have done.
Besides this barley, there was, as before, 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 ra-
ther food : for I found ways to cook it up without
baking, though I did that also, after sometime. But
to return to my journal.
I worked excessively hard three or four months to

88 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
get my wall done; and the 14th of April I closed it
up, contriving to get into it, not by a door, but over
a wall by a ladder, that there might be no sign on
the outside of my habitation. -
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. The case was this ; as I was busy in
the inside of it, behind my tent, just at the entrance
into my cave, I was terribly frightened with a most
dreadful surprising thing indeed, for all on a sudden
I found the earth came tumbling 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
cracked in a frightful manner. I was heartily scared,
but thought nothing of what really was the cause,
and, for fear I should be buried in it, Iran forwards
to my ladder; and, not thinking myself safe there
neither, I got over my wall for fear of the pieces of
the hill, which I expected might roll down upon me.
I was no sooner stepped down upon the firm ground
but I plainly saw it was a terrible earthquake; for
the ground I stood on shook three times, at about
eight minutes distance, with three such shocks as
would have overturned the strongest building that
could be supposed to have stood upon the earth, 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 per-
ceived also the very sea was put into a violent mos
tion by it, and I believe the shocks were stronger
under the water than on the island.
I was so amazed with the thing itself, having never
felt the like, or discoursed with any one that had,

ROBINSON CEUSOE, 89

that I was like one dead or mangled, and the motion
of the earth made my stomach sick, like one that was
tossed at sea ; but the noise of the falling of the rock
awakened me, as it were, and, rousing me from the
stupefied condition I was in, filled me with horror,
and I thought of nothing then but the hill falling on
my tent, and all my household goods, and burying
all at once, and this sunk my soul within me again.
After the third shock was over, and I felt no more
for some time, I began to have courage, and yet I had
not heart enough to get over my wall again, for fear
of being buried alive ; but still sat upon the ground,
greatly cast down, and disconsolate, not knowing
what to do. All this while I had not the least seri-
ous religious thought, nothing but the common
“Lord, have mercy upon me!” and when it was
over, that went away too.
While I sat thus, I found the air overcast, and it
grew cloudy, as if it would rain; and, in less than an
hour, it blew a most dreadful hurricane of wind. The
sea was all on a sudden covered with foam and froth,
the shore was covered with the breach of the water,
the trees were torn up by the roots, and a terrible
storm it was ; this held about three hours, and then
began to abate; and then in two hours more it was
calm, and began to rain very hard.
All this while I sat on the ground, very much ter-
rified and dejected; when, on a sudden, it came into
my thoughts that these winds and rain, being the
consequence of the earthquake, the earthquake itself
was spent and over, and I might venture into my
cave again. With this thought my spirits began to
revive, and the rain helping also to persuade me, I
went in, and sat me down in my tent, but the rain
was so violent, that my tent was ready to be beaten
down by it, I was forced to go into my cave, though
very much afraid, for fear it should fall on my head.
This violent rain forced me to a new work, viz., to
cut a hole through my new fortification like a sink,

90 . nobisson GRUsor,
to let the water go out, which would else have filled
my cave. After I had been in my cave some time,
and found still no more shocks of the earthquake
follow, I began to be more composed ; and now, to
support my spirits, which wanted it much, I went to
my little store, and took a small sup of rum, which
I did very sparingly, knowing I could have no more.
It continued raining all that night, and great part
of the next day, so that I could not stir abroad, but,
any mind being more composed, I began to think
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 build-
ing me a 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, but
concluded, if I staid there, I should be buried alive.
With these thoughts, I resolved to move my tent,
from the place where it stood, which was just under
the hanging precipice of the hill, and which, if it
should be shaken again, would certainly fall on my
tent. And I spent the two next days, being the 19th
and 20th of April, in contriving where and how to
remove my habitation. -
The fear of being swallowed up alive made me
that I never slept in quiet; but still, when I looked
about and saw how everything was put in order,
how pleasantly concealed I was, and how safe from
danger, it made me very loath to remove.
In the meantime 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 venture where
I was, till I had formed a camp for myself, and had
secured it so as to remove to it. So, with this reso-
lution, 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. This was the 21st,
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 91
April 22,-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 largº
axes, and abundance of hatchets, but with much
chopping and cutting knotty wood, they were all
full of notches, and dull; and though I had a grind-
stone, I could not turn it, and grind my tools too.
At length, I contrived a wheel, with a string to turn
it with my foot, that I might have both my hands
at liberty. Note.—I had not seen any such thing in
Eugland, or at least not to take notice how it was
done, though since I have observed, it is very com-
mon there. This machine cost me a full week's work
to bring it to perfection.
April, 28, 29.-These two whole days I took up in
grinding tools ; my machine for turning my grind-
stone performing very well.
April 30,-Having perceived my bread had been
low a great while, I 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, 1 saw something lie on the
sea-shore, bigger than ordinary, and it 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, that
were driven on shore by the hurricane, and looking
towards the wreck itself, I thought it seemed to lie
higher out of the water than it used to do. I ex-
amined 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 further 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 strange- .
ly removed; the forecastle, which lay before buried
in the 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

*
92 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
rummaging of her, was tossed, as it were, up, and
cast on one side; and the sand was thrown so high
on that side next the stern, that I could now walk
quite up to her when the tide was out. I was sur-
prised with this at first, but soon concluded 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 land.
This wholly diverted my thoughts from the design
of removing my habitation; I busied myself might-
ily that day especially, in searching whether I could
get into the ship; but I found nothing was to be ex-
pected of that kind, for all the inside of the ship
was choked up with sand. However, I resolved to
pull every thing to pieces that I could of the ship,
concluding that every thing I could get from her
would be useful.
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-deck, together; and when I
had cut it through, I 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.
May 4.—I went a fishing, but caught not one fish
that I durst eat, till I was weary of my sport, when
just going to leave off, I caught a young dolphin. I
had made a long line of some rope yarn, but had no
hooks; yet Ifrequently caught as much fish as I car-
ed to eat; which I dried in the sun, and eat dry.
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 to
shore when the tide of flood came on.
May 6,-Worked on the wreck, got several iron
bolts out of her, and other pieces of iron work.

May 7.-Went to the wreck again, but with an
intent not to work; but found the weight of the
s
ROBINSON CBUSOE. - 03
*.
wreck had broken itself down, the beams being cut,
that several pieces of the ship seemed to lie loose,
and the inside of the hold lay so open, that I could
see into it; but almost full of water and sand. -
May 8.-Went to the wreck, and carried an iron
crow to wrench up the deck, which now lay quite
clear of the water or sand. I wrenched open two
planks, and brought them on shore with the tide. I
left the iron crow in the wreck for the next day.
May 9.—Went to the wreck, and with the crow
made way into the body of the wreck, and felt seve-
ral casks, and loosened them with the crow ; but
could not break them up. I felt also the roll of Eng-
lish lead, but it was too heavy to move.
May 10, 11, 12, 13, 14.—Went every day to the
wreck and got many pieces of timber and boards, or
planks, and two or three hundredweight of iron.
May 15.—I carried two hatchets, to try if I could
not cut a piece off the roll of lead, by placing the
edge of one hatchet, and driving it with the other ;
but as it lay about a foot and a half in the water, I
could not make any blow to drive the hatchet.
May 16.—It blew 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 get pigeons for food,
that thetide prevented my going to the wreck that day.
May 17.—I saw some pieces of the wreck blown on
shore, at a great distance, two miles off me; but re-
solved to see what they were, and found it was a
piece of the head, but too heavy for me to carry.
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 at the first flowing tide
several casks floated out, and two of the seamen’s
chests; but the wind blowing from the shore, nothing
came to land that day but pieces of timber, and a
hogshead that had some Brazil pork in it, but the
Salt water and the sand had spoiled it.
. I continued this work everyday to the 15th of June,

94 ROf;INSON CRUSGE.
except the time necessary to get food; and, by this
time, I had gotten timber and plank, and iron work
enough to have built a boat, had I known how ; and
I got at several times, and in several pieces, nearly
one hundredweight 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 de-
fect of the place, or scarcity; 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 dearly for them.
June 17,-I spent in cooking the turtle. I found
in her threescore eggs; and her flesh was to me at
that time the most savoury and pleasant that ever I
tasted in my life, having had no flesh but of goats and
fowls, since I landed in this horrible place.
June 18.—Rained all day, and I stayed in. The
rain at this time felt cold, and I was somewhat chilly,
which I knew was not usual in that latitude.
June 19.-Very ill, and shivering, as if the wea-
ther had been cold.
June 20.—No rest all nights; violent pains in my
head, and feverish.
June 21.-Very ill; frightened almost to death with
the apprehensions of my sad condition, to be sick,
and no help. Prayed to God for the first time since
the storm off Hull; but scarce knew what I said, or
why; my thoughts being all confused.
June 22.-A little better; but under dreadful ap-
prehensions of sickness.
June 23.—Very bad again, cold and shivering, and
then a violent head-ache. -
June 24.—Much better.
June 25.—An ague very violent ; the fit held me
seven hours, cold fit and hot, with faint sweats after.
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, and eat it.
#
t
f
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 95
June 27.--The ague again so violent, that I lay in
bed all day, and neither ate nor drank. I was ready
to perish with thirst, but so weak, I had not strength.
to stand up, or get myself any water to drink; prayed
to God again, but was light-headed ; and when I was
not, I was so ignorant, that I knew not what to say;
only I lay, and cried, “Iord, look upon me! Lord,
pity me ! Lord, have mercy upon me!” I suppose
I did nothing else for two or three hours, till the fit
wearing off, I fell asleep, and did not wake till far in
the night. When I awoke, I found myself much
refreshed, but weak, and exceedingly thirsty; how-
ever, as I had no water in my habitation, I was forc-
ed to lie till morning, and went to sleep again. In
this second sleep I had this terrible 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, and that I saw a man descend
from a great black cloud, in a bright flame of fire,
and light on the ground. He was all over as bright
as a flame, so that I could but just bear to look to-
wards him; his countenance was most inexpressibly
dreadful; impossible for words to describe; when he
stepped upon the ground with his feet, Ithought the
earth trembled, just as it had done before the earth-
quake, and all the air looked to my apprehension, as
if it had been filled with flashes of fire.
e was no sooner landed upon the earth, but he
moved forward towards me, with a long spear or
weapon in his hand, to kill me; and when he came
to a rising ground, at some distance, he spoke to me,
or I heard a voice so terrible, that it is impossible to
express the terror of it; all that I can say I under-
stood was this :-‘‘Seeing all these things have not
brought thee to repentance, now thou shalt die.” At
which words, I thought he lifted up the spear that
& was in his hand, to kill me.
No one that shall ever read this account, will ex-
, pect that I should be able to describe the horrors of
96 BoDINso: CRUSOE.
my soul at this terrible vision ; I mean, that even
while it was a dream, I even dreamed of those hor-
rors; nor is it any more possible to describe the im-
pression that remained upon my mind when I wak-
ed, and found it was but a dream.
I had, alas! no Divine knowledge; what I had re-
ceived by the good instruction of my father, was then . .
worn out by an uninterrupted series, for eight years,
of seafaring wickedness, and a constant conversation
with none but such as were like myself, wicked and
profane to the last degree. I do not remember that
I had, in all that time, one thought so much as tended
either to looking upwards towards God, or inwards
towards a reflection upon my own ways; but a cer-
tain stupidity of soul, without desire or good, or con-
science of evil, had entirely overwhelmed me, and I
was all that the most hardened, unthinking, wicked
creature among our common sailors can be supposed
to be, not having the least sense either of the fear of
God in dangers, or of thankfulness in deliverance.
In relating what is already past in my story, this
will be more easily believed, when, I shall add, that
through all the variety of miseries that had to this,
day befallen me, I never had so much as one thought
of its being the hand of God, or that it was a just
punishment for my past sins, my rebellious behaviour
to my father, or my present sins, which were great ;
or so much as a punishment for the general course of
my wicked life. When I was on the desperate ex-
pedition on the desert shores of Africa, I never had
so much as one thought of what would become of
me, or one wish for:God to direct me whither I should
go, or to keep me from the danger which apparently
surrounded me, as well from voracious creatures as
cruel savages; but I was merely thoughtless of God
or a providence; I acted like a mere brute, from the
principles of nature, and by the dictates of common
sense only, and indeed hardly that. -
When I was delivered and taken up at sea by the . .

ROBINSON CRUSOE. 97
y
, - . . \
Portugal captain, well used and dealt justly and hon-
ourably with, as well as charitably, I had not the
least thankfulness in my thoughts, when again, I
was shipwrecked, ruined, and in danger of drowning
on this island, I was as far from remorse on looking
on it as a judgment, I only said to myself often, that
I was an unfortunate dog, and born to be miserable.
. It is true, 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 tran- .
sports of soul, which, had the grace of God assisted,
might have come up to true thankfulness; but it
ended where it began, in a mere common flight of
joy, or, as I may say, being glad I was alive without
the least reflection on the distinguishing goodness of
the hand which had preserved me, and had singled

me out to be preserved, when the rest were destroy-
ed, or an inquiry why Providence had been thus
merciful to me; even just the same common sort of
joy which seamen generally have, after having got
safe ashore from a shipwreck, which they drown in
the next bowl of punch, and forget when it is over.
Even when I was afterward, 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 hopes of relief, or prospect of redemption,
as soon as I saw a probability of living, and that I
should not starve and 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 preserva-
tion and supply, and was far enough from being af-
flicted at my condition ; as a judgment from Hea-
ven or as the hand of God against me, these thoughts
very seldom entered into my head.
The growing up of the corn, 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 part of the thought was removed, all the impres-
sion which was raised from it, wore off also,
102 .
G
98 ROBINSON GRUSOE. * \
Even the earthquake, though nothing could be
more terrible in its nature, or more immediately di-
recting to the invisible power which alone, directs
such things, yet no sooner was the first fright over,
but the impression it made went off also.
But now when I began to be sick, and a leisurely .
view of the miseries of death came to place itself be-
fore me; when my spirits began to sink under the
burden of a strong distemper, and nature was ex-
hausted by the violence of the fever; conscience,
that had slept so long, began to awake, and I began
to reproach myself with my past life.
These reflections oppressed me from the second or
third day of my distemper, and, in the violence as
well of the fever as of the dreadful reproaches of my
conscience, extorted some words from me, like pray-
ing 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 in my head, with the mere
apprehensions; and in these hurries of my soul, I
knew not what my tongue might express, but it was
, rather exclamations, such as “Lord what a misera-
ble creature am I if I should be sick, I shall cer-
tainly 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 at the beginning of this story; viz., That,
if I did take this foolish step, God would not bless
me, and I would have leisure hereafter to reflect on
having neglected his counsel, when there might be
none to assist me 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,
ROntNSON CRUSOE. - 99
which had mercifully put me in a posture or station
of life wherein I might have been happy and easy,
but I would neither see it myself, nor learn to know
the blessing of it from my parents; I left them to
mourn over my folly, and now I am left to mourn
the consequences of it. I refused their help and as-
sistance, who would have lifted me into the world,
and would have made every thing easy to me; 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!”
This was the first prayer, if I might call it so, that
I had made for many years. But to return to my
journal.
June 28.—Having been somewhat refreshed with
the sleep I had had, and the fit being entirely off, I
got up, and the fright aud terror of my disease was
very great, yet I considered that the fit of the ague
would return the next day; and now was my time to
get something to refresh and support myself when I
should be ill; and the first thing I did Ifilled a large
square case bottle with water, and set it upon a table
near my bed, and to take off the chill or aguish dis-
position of the water, I put about a quarter of a pint
of rum into it, and mixed them together; then I got
me a piece of the goat's flesh, and broiled it on the

coals, but could eat very little ; I went about, but
was very weak, and withal, very sad and heavy-
hearted in the sense of my miserable condition, and
dreading the return of my distemper the next day;
at night I made my supper of three of the turtle's
eggs, which I roasted in the ashes, and eat, as we
call it, in the shell; and this was the first bit of meat
I ever asked God's blessing upon.
After I had eaten, I tried to walk, but found my-
Self so weak, that I could hardly carry my gun (for I
never went out without that), so I went but a little
way, and sat down upon the ground, looking out on
- - - *;
.*
..”
- 100 RoBINSON ORUso).
the sea, which was just before me, and very calm and
smooth. As I sat, these thoughts occurred to me.
What is this earth and sea, of which I have seen so
much When was it produced? And what am I, and
all the other creatures, wild and tame, human and
brutal ; whence are we
Such we are 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 strongly—if
God has made these things, he guides and governs
them all, and all things that concerns them ; for the
being that could make all things, must have power
to guide and direct them.
If so nothing can happen in the circuit of his works
without his knowledge or appointment.
And if nothing happens without his knowledge, he
knows that I am here, and am in this dreadful con-
dition; and if nothing happens without his appoint-
ment he has appointed this to befall me.
Nothing occurred to my thoughts to contradict any
of these conclusions ; and therefore it rested on me
with the greater force, that it must needs be, that
God has appointed all this to befall me ; that I was
brought to this miserable circumstance by his direc-
tion; he having the sole power, not of me only, but
of every thing that happened in the world. Imme-
diately it followed—Why has God done this to me P
What have I done to be thus used ?
My conscience presently checked me in that in-
quiry, as if I had blasphemed ; and, methought it
spoke to me like a voice,—Wretch dost thou ask
what thou hast done P Look back upon thy dreadful
mis-spent life, and ask thyself what thou hast done?
Ask why is it that thou wert not long ago destroy-
ed f Why wert thou not drowned in Yarmouth
Roads P. killed in the fight when the ship was taken
by the Sallee man-of-war P devoured by wild beasts
on the coast of Africa. P or, drowned here, when all
the crew perished but myself? Dost thou ask, What
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 101.
have I done? I was struck dumb with these reflec-
tions, as one astonished, and had not a word to say in
answer to myself, but rose up, pensive and sad, walk-
ed 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 in my chair, and lighted my lamp, for it began
to be dark. Now, as the apprehensions of the return
of my distemper terrified me very much, it occurred to
my, thoughts 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 cured, and some green.
I went, directed by Heaven, no doubt, for in this
chest I found a cure for soul and body. I opened the
chest, and found what I looked for, viz., the tobacco,
and as the few books I had saved lay here too, I
took out one of the Bibles, which I had mentioned be-
fore, and which to this time, I had not found leisure,
or so much inclination, to look into, I took it out,
and brought both that and the tobacco to the table.
What use to make of the tobacco I knew not, but
I tried several experiments with it, as if I was re-
solved it should hit one way or other. I first took a
piece of a leaf, and chewed it in my mouth, which,
indeed, at first, stupified my brain; the tobacco being
green and strong, and that I had not been much used
to it ; then I took some, and steeped it an hour or
two in rum, and resolved to take a dose of it when
I lay down ; and lastly, I burnt some upon a pan of
coals, and held my nose close over the smoke of it,
as long as I could bear it, as well for the heat as for
the virtue of it, and I held it almost to suffocation.
In the interval of this operation, Itook up a Bible,
and began to read ; but my head was too much dis-
turbed 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.”
102 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
The words were very apt to my case, and made
some impression on me at the time of reading them,
though not so much as they did afterwards; for, as
for being delivered, the word had no sound, as I may
say, to me, the thing was so remote, so impossible in
my apprehension of things, that I began to say as
the children of Israel did, when they were promised
flesh to eat, “Can God spread a table in the wilder-
ness P’” So I began to say, can God himself deliver
me from this place P But, however, the words made
a great impression on me, and I mused on them very
often. It grew now late, and the tobacco, had as I
said, dozed my head so much, that I felt inclined to
sleep ; so I left my lamp burning in my cave, lest I
should want anything in the night, and went to bed,
but before I lay down, I did what I 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 imperfect prayer was over, I drank the
rum in which I had steeped the tobacco, which was
so strong and rank of the tobacco, that, indeed, 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 must necessarily
be near three o'clock in the afternoon, the next day,
nay, to this hour I am partly of opinion that I slept
all the next day 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 of 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 more than one day; but certainly
I lost a day in my account, and I never knew how.
Be that, however, one way or the other, when I
awoke I found myself exceedingly refreshed, and my
spirits lively and cheerful. When I got up I was
stronger than I was the day before, and mystomach
RoRINSON GRUSOE. . 103
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.
The 30th was my well day, of course, and I went
abroad with my gun, but did not care to travel too
far. I killed a sea-fowl or two, something like a
brand goose, and brought them home, but was not
very forward to eat them, so I eat some more of the
turtle's eggs, which were very good. This evening I
renewed the medicine, which I had supposed did me
good the day before, viz., the tobacco steeped in rum,
only I did not take so much as before, nor did I chew
any of the leaf, or hold my head over the smoke.
However, I was not so well the next day, which was
the 1st of July.
July 2.—Irenewed the medicine all the three ways
and dozed myself with it as at first, and doubled the
quantity which I drank.
July 3.—I missed the fit for good and all, though I
did not recover my full strength for some weeks after.
While I was thus gathering strength, my thoughts
ran exceedingly upon this passage in Scripture, “I.
will deliver thee,” and the impossibility of my deli-
verance lay upon my mind, in bar of my ever expect-
ing 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 ques-
tions as these, viz., Have I not been delivered, and
wonderfully, too, from sickness; from the most dis-
tressed condition that could be, and that was so fright-
ful to me? And what notice had I taken of it P Had
I done my part P. 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. This touched
my heart very much, and immediately I knelt down
: gave God thanks aloud, for my recovery from
810:lº IlêSS, - -
*
104 ROBINSON GRUSOE,
July 4th.—In the morning I took the Bible; and
beginning at the New Testament, I began seriously
to read it, and imposed upon myself to read a while
every morning and every night, not tying myself to
a number of chapters, but as long as my thoughts
should engage me. It was not long after I set seri-
ously to this work, but I found my heart more deeply
and sincerely affected with the sins of my past life.
The impression of my dream revived, and the words
“All these things have not brought thee to repent-
ance,” ran seriously in my thoughts. I was earnestly
begging of God to give me repentance, when it hap-
pened providentially, the very day, that, reading the
Scriptures, I came to the 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 Savi-
our, give me repentance!”
This was the first time that I could say, in the
true sense of the word, 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 captiv-
ity I was in ; for though, indeed, I was at large in
the place, yet the island was certainly a prison to me,
and that in the fullest sense of the word; but now I
learned to take it in another sense. Now I looked
back on 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
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 105
bore down all my comfort. As for my solitary life
it was nothing; I did not so much as pray to be de-
livered from it, or think of it; it was all of no con-
sideration in comparison of this; and I add this part
here, to hint to 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 part, I return to my journal.
My condition began to be, though not less mise-
rable as to my way of living, yet much easier to my
mind, and my thoughts being directed, by a constant
reading of the Scriptures, and praying to God, to
things of a higher nature, I had a great deal of com-
fort within, which till now I knew nothing of. Also,

as my health and strength returned, I began to fur-
nish myself with everything that I wanted, and
make my way of living as regular as I could.
From the 4th of July to the 14th, I was chiefly
employed with walking about with my gun in my
hand, 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 how low I was, and to what weakness
I was reduced. The application I made use of was
perfectly new, and perhaps what had never cured an
ague before, neither can Irecommend the experiment,
for it left me very weak, with frequent convulsions
in my nerves and limbs for some time.
I had now been in this unhappy island above ten
months; all possibility of deliverance from it seemed
to be entirely taken away from me; and Ifirmly be-
lieve that no human shape had ever set foot upon the
place. Having secured my habitation, as I thought,
fully to my mind, I had a desire to make a more per-
fect discovery of the island, and see what other pro-
ductions I might find, which I yet knew not of.
It was on the 15th of July that I began to take a
more particular survey of the island. I went up the
creek first, where I had brought my rafts on shore.
/
I06 , ROBINSON CRUSOE,
I found, after going 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
scarcely any water in some parts of it.
On the banks of this brook I found many pleasant
savannahs or meadows, plain, smooth, and covered
with grass, and on the rising parts of them, next to
the higher grounds, where the water, as it might be
supposed, never overflowed, I found a great deal of

tobacco, green, and growing to a great and strong .
stalk. There were divers other plants, which I did
not understand, and might, perhaps, have virtues of
their own, which I could not find out.
Isearched for the cassava root, which the Indians,
in all that climate, make their bread of, but I could
find none. I saw large plants of aloes, but did not
then understand them. I saw several sugar canes,
but wild, and, for want of cultivation, imperfect. I
contented myself with these discoveries for this time
and came back, musing with myself what course †
might take to know the virtues and goodness of any
of the fruits or plants which I should discover, but
could bring it to no conclusion ; for, in short, I made
so little observation while I was in the Brazils, that
I knew little of the plants of the field.
The next day, the 16th, I went up the same way
again; and, after going somewhat further than I had
gone the day before, I found the brook and the sa-
vannahs began to cease, and the country becamemore
woody than before. In this part I found different
fruits, and particularly melons upon the ground, in
great abundance, and grapes upon the trees; the
vines had spread over the trees, and the clusters of
grapes were now in their prime, very ripe and rich.
This was a surprising discovery, and I was exceeding
glad of them; but I was warned, not by experience,
to eat sparingly of them, remembering that when I
was ashore in Barbary, the eating of grapes killed

ROBINSON CRUSOE. 107
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 in-
deed they were, as wholesome, and as agreeable to .
eat, when no grapes might be had.
I spent all that evening there, and went not back
to my habitation, which was the first night, as Imight
say, I had lain from home. In the night I got up into
a tree, where I slept well, and the next morning
proceeded upon my discovery, travelling near four
miles, 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,
and so flourishing, that it looked like a garden.
I descended a little on the side of that delicious
valley, surveying it with a secret kind of pleasure
(though mixed with other afflicting thoughts,) to
think that this was all my own ; but if I could con-
vey it, I might have it in inheritance, as completely
as any lord of the manor in England. I saw here
abundance of cocoa-trees, orange, lemon, and citron
trees, but all wild, and few bearing fruit. However,
the green limes that I gathered were not only plea-
sant to eat, but very wholesome ; and I mixed their
juice afterwards with water, which made it very
wholesome, and very cool and refreshing. I now
resolved to carry home and lay up a store of grapes,
limes, and lemons, to furnish myself for the wet sea-
son, 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, and a great
parcel of limes and lemons in another place; and,
taking a few of each with me, Itravelled homeward,

108 - ROBINSON CRUSOE.
" ; -
and resolved to come again, and bring a bag or sack,
or what I could make, to carry them home.
Accordingly, having spent three days in this jour-
ney, I came home; but before I got thither, the
grapes were spoiled ; the richness of the fruit, and
the weight of the juice, having broken and bruised
them, they were good for little or nothing; as to the
limes, 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, I found them all spread abroad, trod to pie-
ces, 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, I
took another course; for I gathered a large quantity
of grapes, and hung them upon the out-branches of
the trees, that they might cure and dry in the sun;
but as for the limes and lemons, I carried as many
back as I could well stand under,
hen I came home from this journey, I contem-
plated, with great pleasure, the fruitfulness of that
valley, and the pleasantness of the situation ; and
concluded that I had pitched upon a place to fix my
abode, which was by far the worst part of the country.
Upon the whole, I began to consider of removing my
habitation, and to look out for a place equally safe
as where I now was situate, if possible, in that plea-
sant fruitful part of the land.
This thought ran long in my head, and I was ex-
ceeding 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 an advantage, and that the same ill
fate that brought me hither might bring some un-
RoBINSON GRUSOE, 109
f
happy wretches to the same place; and though it
was scarce 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 anticipate
my bondage, and to render such an affair not only
improbable, but impossible, and that therefore I
ought not by any means to remove,
However, I was so enamoured with this place,
that I spent much of my time there for the whole
remaining part of the month of July; and though,
upon second thoughts, I resolved not to remove, yet
I built a little kind of bower, and surrounded it at a
distance with a strong fence, being a double edge,
as high as I could reach, well staked, and filled be-
tween with brushwood; and here I lay secure, some-
timestwoor three nights together, always going over
it with a ladder, as before, so that I 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 began to
enjoy my labour, when the rains came on, and made
me stick close to my first habitation; for though I
had made 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 storm, nor a cave behind
me to retreat into, when the rains were heavy.
About the beginning of August, as I said, I had
finished my bower, and begun to enjoy myself. The
3rd of August I found the grapes I had hung up were
perfectly dried; so I began to take them down from
the trees, and it was very well that I did so, for the
rains which followed would have spoiled them. No
sooner had I taken them all down, and carried them
to my cave, but it began to rain; and from hence,
which was the 14th of August, it rained more or less
every day till the middle of October, and sometimes
so violently that I could not stir out of my cave for
several days.
In this season I was much surprised with the in-
º
110 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
crease of my family. I had been concerned for the
loss of one of my cats, which ran away from me, or, as
I thought, had been dead; and I heard no more of
her, till, to my astonishment, she came home about
the end of August with three kittens. This was the
more strange to me, because, though I had killed a
wild cat, as I called it, with my gun, yet I thought
it was quite a different kind from our European cats;
yet the young cats were the same kind of house-
bred, like the old one ; and both my cats being fe-
males, I thought it very strange. But from these
three cats I afterwards came to be so pestered with .
cats that I was forced to kill them like vermin, or
wild beasts, and to drive them away from my house
as much as possible.
From the 14th of August to the 26th, incessant
rain, so that I could not stir, and was now very care-
ful not to get wet. In this confinement I began to
be straitened for food; but venturing 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 ate
a bunch of raisins for my breakfast ; a piece of the
goat's flesh, or of the turtle for my dinner; and two
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 perfectly easy at lying so open ; for, as I had
managed myself before, 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 was a goat.
September 30th.-I was now come to the unhappy
anniversary of my landing. I cast up the notches on
my post, and found I had been on shore three hun-

&
T.OBINSON CEUSOE. . 111
dred and sixty-five days. I kept this day as a solemn
fast, setting it apart to religious exercise, prostrating
myself on the ground with the most serious humili-
ation, 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 till the going down of the sun, I then eat a bis-
cuit cake and a bunch of grapes, and went to bed,
finishing the day as I began it.
I had all this time observed no sabbath day, for as
at first I had no sense of religion on my mind, I had
for some time omitted to distinguish the weeks by
cutting a longer notch than ordinary for the Sabbath
day, and so did not know whatany of the days were,
but now having cast up the days as above, I found I
had been there a year, so I divideditinto weeks, and
set apart every seventh day for a Sabbath, though I
found at the end of my account Ihad lost a day or two.
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 making a memorandum of other things.
The rainy season, and the dry season, began now
to appear regular to me, and Ilearned to divide them
so as to provide for them accordingly. But I bought
my experience before I had it; and this I am going
to relate was one of the most discouraging experi-
ments 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 after the rains, the


sun being in its southern position 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, Isowed my grain ; but as I was sowing,
it casually occurred to my thoughts that I would not
112 . ROBINSON CRUSOE.
sow it all at first, because I did not know when was
the propertime for it, so I sowed about two-thirds of
the seed, 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 anything, 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 it never came up at
all, till the wet season had come again, and then it
grew as if it had been but newly sown.
Finding my first seed did not grow, which Ieasily
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 plea-
santly, and yielded a very good crop. ; but having
part of the seed left onyl, and not daring to sow all
that I had yet, I had but a small quantity at last,
my whole crop not amounting to above half a peck.
But, by this experiment, I was made master of my
business, and knew exactly the time to sow, that I
might expect two seed-times and harvests every year.
While this corn was growing Imade a little disco-
very, which was of use to me afterwards. As soon
as the rains were over, and the weather began to set-
tle, which was the month of November, I made a
visit up the country to my bower, where, though I
had not been for 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 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
Robinson CRUSOE. . . . 113
w
up to grow as much alike as I could; and it is scarce
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 shade for the dry season.
This made me resolve to cut some more stakes, and
make me a hedge like this, in a semicircle round my
wall, I mean that of my first dwelling, which I did ;
and, placing the trees or stakes in a double row, at
about eight yards distance from my first fence, they
grew, and were, at first, a fine cover to my habita-
tion, and afterwards served for a defence also, as
shall observe in 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 rainy seasons and dry seasons,
which were generally thus:–
Half February, March, half April—Rainy, the sun
being then or near the equinox.
Half April, May, June, half August–Dry, the sun
being then to the north of the line.
Half August, September, half Octeber—Rain, the
sun being then come back.
Half October, November, December, January,
half February–Dry, the sun being to the south of
the line. The rainy season sometimes held longer or
shorter, as the winds happened to blow, this was the
general observation I made. After I had found, by
experience, the ill consequence of being abroad in the
rain, I took care to furnish myself with provisions
beforehand, that I might not be obliged to go out ;
and I kept in doors during the wet months.
At this time I tried many ways to make myself a
basket, but all the twigs I could get for the purpose
proved so brittle, that they would do nothing. It
proved of excellent advantage to me now, that when
I was a boy, I used to take great delight in standing
at a *maker, in the town where I lived, to
- 38
114 , ROBINSON CRUSOE.
see them make their wicker ware; and being as boys
usually are, very officious to help, and a great ob-
server of the manner how they worked these things,
and sometimes lending a hand, I had, by this means,
so full a knowledge of their methods, that I wanted,
nothing but the materials; when it came into my
mind, that the twigs of that tree, from whence I cut
my stakes that grew might possibly be as tough as
the sallows, and 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 hatchetto cut down a quantity
which I soon found, for there was a great plenty of
them. These I set to dry within my circle or hedge,
and when they were fit for use I carried them to my
cave ; and here, during the next season, I employed
myself in making, as well as I could, a great many
baskets, both to carry earth or to lay up anything,
as I had occasion ; and thus, afterwards, I took care
never to be without them ; and, as my wicker ware
decayed, I made more; especially Imade strong deep
baskets to place my corn in, instead of sacks, when
I should come to have any quantity. .
Having mastered this difficulty, and employed
much time about it, I bestirred myself to see, if pos-
sible, how to supply two wants. I had no vessels to
hold anything that was liquid, except two runlets
which were almost full of rum, and some glass bot-
tles, some of the common size, and others which were
case bottles, square, for the holding of water, spirits,
&c. I had not so much as a pot to boil anything in
except a great kettle which I saved out of the ship,
and which was too big for the uses I desired it for,
viz., to make broth, and stew a bit of meat by itself.
The next thing I would fain have had was a tobacco
pipe; but it was impossible for me to make one ;
however I found a contrivance for that at last.

, ROBINSON CRUSOE. 115
I mentioned before that I had a great mind to see
the whole island, and that I travelled up the brook,
and so on to where I had built my bower, and where
I had an opening made to the sea, on the other side
of the island. l now resolved to travel quite across
to the sea-shore on that side ; so, taking my gun, a
hatchet, 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 in view of
the sea, to the west ; and it being a very clear day, I
fairly descried land, whether an island or a contin-
ent I could not tell; but it lay very high, extending
from the west to the W. S. W. at a great distance ;
by my guess it was fifteen or twenty leagues off.
I could not tell what part of the world this might
be, otherwise than that I knew it must be part of
America ; and, as I concluded by all my observations
must be near the Spanish dominions, 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 disposition
of Providence, which I began to own, and to believe
ordered everything for the best.
Besides, 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 a savage country between the Span-
ish country and Brazils, who were indeed the worst
of Savages, for they were cannibals, or men-eaters,
and devoured all men that fell into their hands.
With these considerations I walked very leisurely
forward. I found the side of the island where I now
was much pleasanter than mine, the open or savan-
nah fields sweet, adorned with flowers and grass,
and full of very fine woods. I saw abundance of par-
rots, and fain would have caught one if possible, to
have kept it to be tame, and taught it to speak to
116 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
me. I did after some pains-taking catch a young
parrot, for I knocked it down with a stick, and I
took it home, but it was some years before I could
make him speak to me. However, at last Itaught
him to call me by my name very familiarly.
I 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 could I satisfy
myself to eat them though I killed several. But I
had no need to be venturous, for I had no want of
food, and of that which was very good too, especial-
ly these three sorts, viz., goats, pigeons, and turtle
or tortoise, which, added to my grapes, Leadenhall
market could not have furnished a table better than
I could, in proportion to the company,
I never travelled in this journey above two miles
in a day, or thereabouts; but I took so many turns
and returns, to see what discoveries I could make,
that I came weary enough to the place where I re-
solved to sit down for the night; and then I either
reposed myself in a tree, or surrounded myself with
a row of stakes set upright in the ground, either from
one tree to another, or so as no wild creature could
come at me without waking me.
As soon as I came to the sea-shore, I was surprised
to see that I had taken up my lot on the worst side
of the island, for here indeed 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 a large number of fowls, of many kinds,
some of which I had seen, and some of which I had
not seen before, and many of them good meat, but I
knew not their names, 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
goats here more than on my side of the island, yet it
ROBINSON CRUSOE. , 117
S.
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.
I confess this side of the country was much plea-
santer than mine, but yet I had not the least inclina-
tion to remove; and I seemed all the while I was
here to be, as it were, on a journey, and from home,
However, I travelled along the sea-shore towards
the east, I suppose, about twelve miles; and then
setting up a great pole upon the shore for a mark, I
concluded to go home again; and that the next jour-
ney 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.
Itook another way to come back 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 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, unfortunately, that the weather prov-
ed hazy for three or four days, while I was in this
valley; ad not being able to see the sun, I wander-
ed abo.L very uncomfortable, and at last was oblig-
ed to .nd 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 ex-
ceeding 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 to take hold of it,
caught it, and saved it alive from the dog. I had a
great mind to bring it home, if I could; for I was
very anxious to raise a breed of tame goats, which

118 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
might supply me when my powder and shot should
be all spent. 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 abode, and lie down in my ham-
mock-bed. This little wandering journey, without
any settled habitation, had been unpleasant to me,
so that my own house, as I called it, was a perfect
settlement, compared to that ; and it rendered every
thing about me so comfortable, that I resolved never
to 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 mak-
ing a cage for my poll, who began now to be a mere
domestic, and to be very well acquainted with me.
Then I began to think of the poor kid, which I had
pentup within my little circle, and resolved to go and
fetch it home, or 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 them over,
and having fed it, I tied it the same as before, to
lead it away, but it was so tame with being hungry,
that I had no need to tie it, for it followed me like a
dog; and became, from that time, one of my domes-
tics also, and would never leave me afterwards.
The rainy season of the autumnal equinox was now
comé, and I kept the 30th of September in the same
solemn manner as before, being the anniversary of
my landing on the island, having now been there two
years, and no more prospect of being delivered than
ROBINSON GRUSOE, 119
z

the first day I came there. I spent the whole day in .
humble and thankful acknowledgments of the many
wonderful mercies which my solitary condition was
attended with, and without which it might have been
infinitely more miserable. I gave humble and hearty
thanks that God had been pleased to discover to me,
even that it was possible I might be more happy in
this solitary condition, than I should have been in
all the pleasures of the world; that he could fully
make up to me the deficiencies of my solitary state,
and the want of human society, by his presence, and
the communications of his grace to my soul, support-
ing, comforting, and encouraging me to depend upon
his providence here, and hope for his eternal presence
hereafter.
Now it was that I began sensibly to feel how much
more happy the life I now led was, with all its mi-
serable circumstances, than the wicked, cursed, abo-
minable life I led all the past part of my days; hav-
ing changed both my sorrows and my joys, from
what they were at my first coming, or indeed for the
two years passed.
Before, as I walked about, either on my hunting
or for viewing the country, the anguish of my soul
at my condition would break out upon me on a sud-
den, and my very heart would die within me, to
think of the woods, the mountains, the deserts I was
in ; and how I was a prisoner locked up with the
eternals bars and bolts of the ocean, in an uninha-
bited wilderness, without redemption. In the midst
of the greatest composures of my mind, this would
break out upon me like a storm, and make me wring
my hands, and weep like a child. Sometimes it would
take me in the middle of my work, and I wouldim-
mediately sit down and sigh, and look on the ground
for an hour or two together, and this was still worse
to me; for if I could burst out into tears, or vent
myself by words, it would go off, and the grief, have
ifig exhausted itself, would abate.
~
120 - ROBINSON CRUSOE,

2
But now I began to exercise myself with new
thoughts. I daily read the word of God, and applied
all the comforts of it to my present state. I never
opened the Bible, or shut it, but my very soul within
me blessed God for directing my friend in England,
without any order of mine, to pack it up among my
goods, and for assisting me afterwards to save it out
of the wreck of the ship.
us, and in this disposition of mind, I began my
third year; having regularly divided my time ac-
cording to the several daily employments that were
before me; such as, first, my duty to God, and read-
ing the Scriptures, which I constantly set apart for

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 catched for my sup-
ply; these took up great part of the day. Also, in
the middle of the day, when the sun was in its zen-
ith, 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 ex-
ception, that sometimes I changed my hours of hunt-
ing and working, and went to work in the morning,
and abrond with my gun in the afternoon.
To this short time allowed for labour 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 a board for along shelf, which I want-
ed in my cave, whereas, two Sawyers, with their
tools and a saw-pit, would have cut six of them out
of the same tree in half a day. r
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. This tree I was three days in cuttting
down, and two more cutting off the bows, and re-
ROBINSON CBUSOE. 121 :
ducing it to a log or piece of timber. With inexpres-
sible hacking and hewing, I reduced both 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 I brought the
plank to be about three inches thick, and smooth on:
both sides. Any one may judge the reason why so
much of my time went away with so 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.
I was now in the months of November and Decem-
ber, expecting 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 promised 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 scarcely 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 stalk. 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 more as it re-
quired 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 enemiesforsook the place, and the corn grew very
strong and well, and began to ripen apace.
ut as the beasts injured me before, while my corn
was in the blade, so the birds were likely to injure

122 - ROBINSON GRUSOE,
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 many sorts, who stood, as
it were, watching till I should be gone. I immedi-
ately let fly among them; and had no sooner shot,
but there rose up a little cloud of fowls, which I had
not seen, from amongst the corn.
This touched me sensibly, for I foresaw that, in a
few days, they would devour all my hopes; that I
should be starved, and never be able to raise a crop
at all, and what to do I could not tell. In the first
place, I went among it to see what damage was al-
ready done, and found they had spoiled a good deal
of it; but that, as it was yet too green for them, the
loss was not so great, but that the remainder was
likely to be a good crop, if it could be saved.
I stayed by it to load my gun, and then coming
away, I could see the thieves sitting upon the trees
about me, as if waiting till I was gone away; and
the event proved it to be 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 had not patience to stay
till more came, knowing that every grain that they
ate now, was, as it might be said, 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, viz., hanged
them in chains as a terror to others. It is impossible
almost to imagine that this should have such an ef-
fect as it had ; for the birds 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; and, about the latter end
of December, which was our second harvest of the
year, I reaped my crop. I was sadly put to it for a
scythe or sickle, to cut it down, and all I could do
ROBINSON GRUSOE. .* 123
was to make one as well as I could, out of one of the
broad-sword, or cutlasses, which I saved among the
arms out of the ship. However, as my crop was but
small, it was no great difficulty to cut it down. In
short, I reaped it in 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. At the end of all my harvesting, Ifound that
out of my half peck of seed, I had near two bushels of
rice, and above two bushels and a half of barley;
that is to say, by my guess, for I had no measure.
However, this was a great encouragement to me,
and I foresaw that in time it would please God to
supply me with bread. And yet here I was perplex-
ed 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 for
having a good quantity for store, and 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 meantime, to employ all my study
and hours of working to accomplish this great work
of providing myself with corn and bread.
It might be truly said, that now I worked for my
bread. It is wonderful what a strange multitude of
little things are necessary in providing, producing,
dressing, and finishing this one article of bread.
I, that was reduced to a merestate of nature, found
this to be my daily discouragement, and was made
more and more sensible of it every hour, even after I
had got the first handful of seed corn, which, as I
have said, came up unexpectedly, and to my surprise.
First, I had no plough to turn the earth, no spade
or shovel to dig it. Well, this I conquered by making
a wooden spade, as I observed before ; but this did
my workin a wooden manner; and though it cost me
a great many days to make it, yet for want of iron,

124 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
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, and was content to work
it out with patience, and bear with the badness of the
performance. When the corn was sown, 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 harrow it.
hen it was growing and grown, I have observed
already how many things I wanted, to fence it, se-
cure it, mow or reap it, cure and carry it home,
thresh, part it from the chaff, and save it. Then I
wanted a mill to grind it, sieves to dressit, yeast and
salt to make it into bread, and an oven to bake it
in , and yet these things I did without, as shall be
observed. All this, as I said, made every thing la-
borious and tedious to me, but that there was no
help for; neither was my time so much loss to me,
because as I had divided it, a certain part of it was
every day appointed to these works; and, as I re-
solved to use none of the corn for bread, till I had a
great quantity by me, I had the next six months to
apply myself, by labour and invention, to furnish
myself with utensils proper for performing all the
operations necessary for making the corn, when I
had it fit for my use.
But first, I had to prepare more land, for I had
now seed enough to sow above an acre of ground.
Before I did this, I had a week's work, at least, to
make a spade, which, when it was done, was but a
sorry one indeed, and very heavy, and required dou-
ble labour to work with it. However, I went
through that, and sowed my seed 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 of that wood
which I set before, which I knew would grow; so
that, in one year's time, I knew I should have a liv-
ing hedge, that would want but little repair. This
nopfsson CRUsoſt. - 125
work took me up three months, but part of that time
was of the wet season, when I could not go abroad.
Within doors, while I was at work, I diverted my-
self with talking to my parrot, and teaching him to
speak; and I quickly learned him to know his own
name, at last to speak it pretty loud, “Poll;” which
was the first word I ever heard spoken in the island
by any mouth but my own. This, therefore, was not
my work, but an assistant to my work; for now, I
had a great employment upon my hands, as follows,
viz., I had long studied, by some means or other, to
make some earthen vessels, which indeed I wanted
sorely, but knew not where to come at them. How-
ever, considering the heat of the climate, I did not
doubt but, if I could find out any such clay I might
botch up some pot, as might, being dried in the sun,
be hard enough, and strong enough, to bear hand-
ling, and to hold any thing that was dry, and requir-
ed to kept so; and as this was necessary in prepar-
ing corn, meal, &c., which was the thing I was upon,
I resolved to make some as large as I could, to stand
like jars to hold what should be put in them.
It would make the reader pity me, or rather laugh
at me, to tell how many ways I took to raise this
paste: what odd, mis-shapen, ugly 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 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, to workit, 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, Ilifted them very gently up, and set them down
in two great wicker-baskets, which I had made on
purpose for them, that they might not break; and as

126 ROBINSON CRtſsofº.
between the pot and the basket there was a little
room to spare; and these two pots, being to stand
always dry, I thought they would hold my dry corn,
and perhaps the meal when the corn was bruised.
Though Imiscarried so much in my design for large
pots, yet I made several smaller things with better
success; such as round pots, flat dishes, pitchers,
and pipkins, and anything my hand turned to, and
the heat of the sun baked them extremely 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 could do. It hap-
pened after some time, making a large fire for cook-
ing my meat, when I put it out, after I had done
with it, I found a broken piece of one of my earth-
enware 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 myself, that certainly they might be made
to burn whole, if they would burn broken.
This set me to study how to order my fire, so as to
make it burn me some pots. I had no notion of a
kiln, such as the potters 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 upon one another, and placed my fire-wood
all round it with a great heap of embers under them.
I piled 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 observed that they did not crack
at all. When I saw them clear red, I let them stand
in that heat 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 slackened my fire gra-
dually, 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
IROBINSON CEUSOE. 127
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 want-
ed no sort of earthenware for my use; but I must
needs say, as to the shapes of them, they were very
indifferent. 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 kid, I made some very good
broth, though I wanted oatmeal, and several other
ingredients requisite to make it as good as I would
have had it.
My 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 the trades in the world, I
was as perfectly unqualified for a stone-cutter, as for
any whatever ; neither had I 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 indeed were the rocks in the island of hardness
sufficient, but were of a sandy crumbling stone, that
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 a
stone, I gave it over, and resolved to look out a great
block of 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 outside with
my axe and hatchet, and then, with the help of fire,
and infinite labour, made a hollow place in it, as
the Indians in Brazil make their canoes. After this
I made a great heavy pestle or beater, of the wood
128 ROBINSON CRt.JSOft.
called the iron-wood, and this I prepared and laid by
against I had my next crop of corn, when I proposed
to myself to grind, or rather pound, my corn into
meal to make my bread.
My next difficulty was to make a sieve to dress my
meal, and to part it from the bran and the husks,
without which I did not see it possible I could have
any bread. This was a most difficult task; for I had
nothing like the necessary thing 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 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 did remember I had, among the seamen’s clothes,
which were saved out of the ship, some neckclothes
of calico or muslin; and with some pieces of these I
made three small sieves.
The baking part was the next thing to be thought
of, 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 pain. At length. I found an
expedient for that also, which was this:—I made
some earthen vessels very broad, but not deep, that
is to say, about two feet in diameter, and not above
nine inches deep ; these I burnt in the fire, as I had
done the other, and laid them by, and when I want-
ed to bake, I made a great fire on my hearth, which
I paved with some square tiles, of my own making
and burning also. -
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,
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 129,
and, whelming down the earthen pot upon them,
drew the embers all around 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-cookin-
to the bargain, having made several cakes of the rice.
It need not be wondered at, if all these things took
up most of the third year of my abode here; for it is
to be observed, that in the interval of these things, .
my new harvest and husbandry had to be managed,
for I reaped my corn in this season, carried it home,
and laid it up in the ear, in my large baskets, till all
opportunity occurred to rub it out ; having no floor
to thresh it on, or instrument to thresh it with.
And now, indeed, my stock of corn increasing, it
became necessary to build my barns bigger. Being
in want of a place to lay it up, for the increase of
corn now yielded me so much, that I had of barley
about twenty bushels, and as much or more of rice,
insomuch that I now resolved to use it freely, for my
bread had been quite gone a great while ; being re-
solved to see what quantity would be sufficient for
me for a whole year, and to sow but once a year.
Upon the whole, finding that the forty bushels of
barley and rice were much more than I could con-
sume in a year; so I resolved to sow just the same
quantity every year as the last.
During the time that these things were doing, m
thoughts ran many times upon the prospect of land,
which I had seen from the other side of the island;
and was not without secret wishes to get on shore,
fancying that seeing the main land, and an inhabited
country, I might find some way or other to convey
myself further, and at last might 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 would
be far worse than the lions and tigers of Africa, that
if I º came into their power, there would be the
I . *

130 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
hazard of more than a thousand to one of being kil-
led, and perhaps of being eaten ; for I knew that the
people of the Caribbean coast were cannibals, or
men-eaters ; I knew by the latitude that I could not
be far off from that shore ; that, suppose they were
not cannibals, yet they might kill me, as many Eu-
ropeans who had fallen into their hands had been
served even when they had been ten or twenty toge-
ther, much more me that was only one. All these
things, I ought to have considered well of, and did
cast up in my thoughts afterwards, yet took up none
of my apprehensions at first ; and my head ran
mightily on the thought of getting over to that shore.
ow I wished for my boy Xury, and the long-
boat, with the shoulder-of-mutton sail, with which
we sailed above a thousand miles on the coast of
Africa, but this was in vain. Then I went to look
at our ship's boat, which was blown up on the shore
a great way in the storm, when we were first cast
away. It lay almost where it did at first, but not
quite, and was turned by the force of the waves and
the winds, almost bottom upwards, against a high
ridge of beachy rough sand, but no water about it.
Had I had hands to have refitted it, and to have
launched it into the water, the boat would have done
well enough to have taken me back into the Brazils,
but I might have easily foreseen that I could no
more turn it, and set it upright upon its bottom,
than I could remove the island. However, I went
to the woods and cut levers and rollers, and brought
them to the boat, resolved to try what could be done,
: suggesting to myself, that if it could be turned down,
the damage it had received might easily be repaired,
and it would be a very good boat, and I might go to
sea in it very easily.
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 digging away the sand to

} . r.
RößINSON CRUSOE. 131.
undermine it, and to make it fall down, setting
pieces of wood to thrust and guide it 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 for-
ward towards the water, so I was forced to give it
over; and yet my desire to venture over for the main
increased, rather than decreased, as the means for it
seemed impossible. This at length set me on think-
ing whether it was not possible to make myself a
a canoe, or periagua, such as the natives of those cli-
mates 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 ; but not
at all considering the inconveniences which I lay un-
der more than the Indians did, viz., want of hands
to move it into the water, when it was made, a diffi-
culty 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, I might with great trouble cut it
down, if after I should be able with my tools to hew
and dub the outside into the proper shape of a boat,
and burn or cut out the inside to make it hollow, so
as to make a boat of it; if, after all this, I must leave
it where I found it, and was not able to launch it in-
to the water P
One would have thought I could not have had the
least reflection upon “my mind of my circumstance
while I was making this boat, but I should have im-
mediately thought how I should get it into the sea ;
but my thoughts were so intent upon my voyage over
the sea in it, that I never once thought how I should
get it off the land ; and it was more easy for me to
guide it over 45 miles of sea than about 45 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 determin-
ing whether I was ever able to undertake it; not
132 Roprison CBUsor.
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, and I’ll find some way or ano-
ther to get it along, when it is done.”
This was a most preposterous method ; but the
eagerness of 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 at Jerusalem ; it was five feet ten inches in
diameter at the lower part next the stump, and four
feet eleven inches diameter at the end of twenty-two
feet ; after which it lessened for a while, and then
parted into branches. . It was not without infinite
labour that I felled this tree. I was twenty days
hacking and hewing 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, and with
inexpressible labour. After this it cost me a month
to shape it, and dub it to a proportion, and to 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 inside, and to 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 a very
handsome periagua, and big enough to have carried
six-and-twenty men, and consequently big enough
to have carried me and all my cargo.
When I had gone through this work, I was ex-
tremely delighted with it. The boat was really big-
ger than ever I saw a canoe, or periagua, that was
made of one tree, in my life; and there remained
nothing but to get it into the water. But all my
devices to get it there failed, though they cost me
infinite labour; the boat lay about a hundred yards
from the water, and not more, but the first inconve-
nience was, it was up-hill towards the creek. Well,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. - 133
to take away this discouragement, I resolved to dig
into the surface of the earth and so make a declivity.
This I began, and it cost me a prodigious deal of
pains but who grudge pains that have deliverance in
view P. When this was worked through, I could no
more stir the canoe than I could the boat.
Then I measured the distance of ground, and re-
solved to cut a dock, or canal, to bring the water up
to the canoe, seeing I could not bring the canoe down
to the water. Well, I began this work, and when I
began to enter it, and calculated how deep it was to
be dug, how broad, how the stuff was to be thrown
out, I found that, by the number of hands I had, be-
ing none but my own, it must have been ten or
twelve years before I should have gone through with
it; for the shore lay high, so that at the upper end
it must have been at least twenty feet deep; so at
length, though with great reluctancy, I gave this at-
tempt over also.
This grieved me heartily ; and I now saw, though
too late, the folly of beginning a work before we
count the cost, and before we judge rightly of our
own strength to go through with it.
In the middle of this work 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 applica-
tion of the word of God, and by the assistance of his
grace, I gained a different knowledge from what I had
before. I looked now upon the world as a thing re-
mote, which I had nothing to do with, no expectation
from, and indeed no desires about ; so I thought it
looked, as we may perhaps look upon it hereafter,
viz., as a place I had lived in, but was come out of it.
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
134, ROBINSON CRUSOE.
manor, or, if I pleased, I might call myself king or
emperor over the whole country which I had pos-
session of. There were no rivals. I had no compe-
titor; 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
plenty, 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, to have loaded
that fleet when they had been built. I had, as 1
hinted before, a parcel of money, as well gold as sil-
ver, about thirty-six pounds sterling. Alas! there
the nasty, sorry, useless stuff lay ; I had no manner
of business for it; and I often thought within myself
that I would have given a handful 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, of
benefit from it, but there it lay in a drawer, and
grew mouldy 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 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.
Myink, as I observed, had been quite 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
scarcely left any appearance of black on the paper.
As long as it lasted, I made use of it to minute down
the day of the month on which any remarkable thing
happened to me; and first, by casting up times past,
... I remember that there was a strange concurrence of
days in the various providences which befellme, and
E0EINSON GRUSOE, 135
which, if I had been superstitiously inclined to ob-,
serve days as fatal or fortunate, I might have had
reason to have looked upon with a deal of curiosity.
First, I had observed that the same day that Ibroke
away from my father and my friends, and ran away
to Hull, in order to go to sea, the same day after-
wards I was taken by the Sallee man of war, and
made a slave. The same day of the year that I es-
caped out of the wreck of the ship in Yarmouth
Roads, that same day of the year afterwards I made
my escape from Sallee in the boat. The same day.
of the year I was born in, viz., the 30th of September,
the same day I had my life so miraculously saved
twenty-six years after, when I was cast on shore on .
this island, so that my wicked life and solitary life
began both on a day.
The next thing to my ink being finished was that
of my bread, I mean the biscuit which I had 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 withoutbread
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 observ-
ed, next to miraculous.
My clothes, too, began to decay mightily. As to
linen, I had had none for a good while, except some.
check 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 thick watch-
coats of the seamen, which were left indeed, but they
were too hot to wear; and although the weather was
so hot, that there was no need of clothes, yet
I could not go quite naked, though I was all alone.
One reason why I could not go quite naked was,
I could not bear the heat of the sun so well when in


136 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
that state, as with some clothes on, nay, the very
heat frequently blistered my skin ; whereas, with a
shirt on, the air itself made some motion, and whist-
ling under the shirt, was twofold cooler than without
it. No more could I ever bring myself to go out in
the heat of the sun without a cap or a hat, the heat
of the sun beating with such violence as it does in
that place, would give me the head-ache presently,
by darting so directly on my head, without a cap or
a hat on, so that I could not bear it ; whereas, if I
put on my hat, it would presently go away.
TJpon these views I began to considerabout putting
the few rags I had, which I called clothes, into some
order. I had worn out all the waistcoats I had, and
my business was now to try if I could not make
jackets out of the great watch-coats which I had by
me, and with such other materials as I had : so I set
to work a tailoring, or rather indeed a botching, for
I made most piteous work of it. However, I made
shift to make two or three new waistcoats, which I
hoped would serve me a great while; as for breeches
or drawers, I made but very sorry shift indeed, till
afterwards.
I have mentioned that I saved the slims of all the
creatures that I killed, I mean the four-footed ones,
and 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 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 fitted so well, that I
made a suit of clothes of those skins ; that is to say
a waistcoat and breeches, open at knees, and both
loose; for they were rather wanting to keep me cool
than to keep me warm. I must not omit to acknow-
ledge that they were wretchedly made; for if I was
a bad carpenter, I was a worse tailor.
After this I spent a great deal of time and pains to
make an umbrella; I was indeed in great want of
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 137
one, and had a great mind to make one. I had seen
them made in the Brazils, where they are very use-
ful in the great heats which are there, and I felt the
heats as great here, and greater too, being nearer
the equinox; besides, as I, was obliged to be much
abroad, it was a most useful thing to me, as well for
the rains as the heats. I was a great while before I
could make any thing likely to hold; nay, after I
thought I had hit the way, I spoiled two or three
before I made one to my mind; but at last I made
one that answered indifferently well. The main
difficulty was to make it let down. I could make it
to spread, but if it did not let down too, and draw
in, it would not be portable for me any way but just
over my head, which would not do. . However, at
last I made one to answer. I covered it with skins,
the hair upwards, so that it cast off the rain like a
penthouse, and kept off the sun so effectually, that
I could walk out in the hottest of the weather, with
greater advantage than I could before in the cool-
est; and when I had no need of it, I could close it,
and carry it under my arm.
Thus I lived very comfortably, my mind being
entirely composed, by resigning to the will of God,
and throwing myself wholly upon the disposal of his
providence. This made my life better than sociable;
for when I began to regret the want of conversation,
I would ask myself, whether thus conversing mutu-
ally with my own thoughts, and, as I hope I may
say, even my Maker, by ejaculations and petitions,
was not better than the utmost enjoyment of human
society in the world?
I cannot say that after this, for five years, any ex-
traordinary thing happened to me, but I lived on in
the same course, and in the same posture and place,
just as before. The chief thing I was employed in,
besides my yearly labour of planting my barley and
rice, and curing my raisins, of both of which I al-
ways kept up just enough to have sufficient stock of
138 - ROBINSON GRUSOE.
one year's provisions beforehand; I say, besides this
yearly labour, and my daily labour of going out with
my gun, I had another task to make a canoe, which
at last I finished. So that by digging a canal to it
six feet wide, and four feet deep, I brought it into
the creek almost half a mile. As for the first, that
was so vastly big, as not being able to bring it to the
water, or bring the water to it, I was obliged to let
it lie where it was, as a memorandum to teach me to
be wiser next time. The making of this latter boat,
and a canal, took me nearly two years.
However, though my little periagua 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, where it
was about forty miles broad: accordingly, the small-
ness 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 make a tour 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 discoveries I made in that journey
made me very eager to see other parts of the coast.
For this purpose, and that I might do everything
with discretion and consideration, Ifitted 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 stock by me.
Having fitted my mast and sail, and tried the boat,
I found she would sail very well. Then I made little
lockers or boxes at either end, to put provisions,
necessaries, and ammunition, &c., into, to be kept,
dry, either from rain, or the spray of the sea, and a
hollow place I cut in the inside of the boat where I
could lay my gun, making a flap to hang down over
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 Ievery now
ROBINSON CRUSOE. ... ºr 139
and then took a little voyage 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 kingdom, I resolved upon my tour, and accord-
ingly Ivictualled my ship for the voyage, putting in
two dozen of my loaves of barley bread, an earthen
ot full of parched rice, a food I eat a great deal of,
a little bottle of rum, half a goat, and powder and
shot for killing more, and two large watch-coats, of
those which, as I mentioned before, 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 6th of November, in the sixth year of
my reign, or my captivity, that I set out on this voy-
age, and I found it much longer than I expected;
for thongh 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 above two leagues into the sea,
some above water, some under it; and beyond that 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 going to
give over my enterprise, and come back, not knowing
bow far it might oblige me to go out to sea, and,above
all, doubting how I should get back again ; so I came
to anchor, for I had made a kind of anchor, with a
piece of 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 over-
look that point, where I saw the full extent of it, and
resolved to venture. Viewing the sea from that hill
where I stood, I perceived a strong and furious cur-
rent, 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 be 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 Inot gotten first upon this hill, I believe
it would have been so, for there was the same current
140 IROBINSON CRUSOE.
upon the other side of the island, only that it set off
at a further distance, and I saw there was a strong
eddy under the shore, so that I had nothing to do but
to get in out of the first current, and I should pre-
sently be in an eddy.
I lay here, however, two days, because the wind,
blowing pretty fresh (at E.S.E., and that being just
contrary to the said current,) made a breach É the
sea upon the point ; so that it was not safe for me to
keep too close to the shore, for the breach, nor to go
too far off because of the stream. -
The third day in the morning, the wind having
abated over night, the sea was calm, and I ventured ;
but no sooner was I come to the point, when even I
was not my boat's length from the shore, but I found
myself in a great depth of water, and a current like
the sluice of a mill. It carried my boat along with
it with such violence, that all I could do could not
keep her as much as on the edge of it; but I found
it hurried me further out from the eddy, which was
on the left hand. There was no wind stirring to help
me, and all I could do with my paddles signified no-
thing; and now I began to give myself up for lost;
for, as the current was on both sides of the island, I
knew in a few leagues distance they must join again,
and then I was irrecoverably 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, but what was all
this to being driven into the vast ocean, where there
was no shore, no main land or island, for a thousand
leagues, at least P
And now I saw how easy it was for the providence
of God to make the most miserable condition that
one might think he was in, worse. Now I looked
on my desolate solitary island as the most pleasant
froßINSON CLUSOE. 141
place in the world; and all the happiness my heart
could wish for, was to be there again. I stretched
out my hand to it with eager wishes. “O, happy
desert,” said I, “I shall never see thee more O,
miserable creature,” said I, “whither am I going?”
Then I reproached myself with my unthankful tem-
per, and how I had repined at my solitary condition,
and now what would I give to be on shore there
again P. Thus we never see the true state of our con-
dition, 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 consterna-
tion I was now in, being driven from my beloved is-
land into the wide ocean, almost two leagues, and
in the utmost despair of ever recovering it again,
However, I worked hard, till indeed my strength
was almost exhausted, and kept my boat as much to
the northward, that is, towards the side of the cur-
rent which the eddy lay on, as I possibly could.
When about noon, as the sun passed the meridian, I
thought I felt a little breeze of wind in my face,
springing 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 was gotten at 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 continuing clear
I applied myself to get up my mast again, and spread
my sail, standing away to the north as much as pos-
sible, 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, some alteration in the current was near,
for where the current was so strong, the water was
foul; but perceiving the water clear, I found the cur-
rent abate, and presently Ifound to the east, at about
142 - - RoßINSON GRUSOE.
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 re-
turned by the repulse of the rocks, 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 the thieves just going to murder them, or who
have been in such like extremities, may guess what
my present surprise was, and how gladly I put my
boat into the stream of this eddy, and the wind also
freshening, how gladly Ispread my sail to it, run-
ning cheerfully before the wind, and with a strong
tide or eddy under foot. This eddy carried me about
a league in my way back again, directly towards the
island, but about two leagues, more to the north-
ward than the current lay, which carried me away
at first ; so that when I came near the island, I
found myself 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 some-
thing more than a league of way, by the help of this
current or eddy, I found it was spent, and served me
no further. 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 ; I
say, between these two, 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 mak-
ing such fresh way as I did before. .”
About four o’clock in the evening, being then with-
in about a league of the island, I found the point of
the rocks which had occasioned this disaster stretch-
ing out, as is described before, to the southward, and
casting off the current more southerly, had of course,

ROBINSON CRUSOE. . 143
made another eddy to the north ; and this I found
very strong, but not directly setting the way the
course lay, which was due west, but almost full
north. However, having a fresh gale, I stretched
across this eddy, slanting north-west, and in about
half an hour came within a mile of the shore, where,
it being smooth water, I soon got to land.
When I was on shore, I fell on my knees and gave
God thanks for my escape, resolving to lay aside all
thoughts of my deliverance by the boat; and re-
freshing myself with such things as I had, I brought
my boat close to the shore, in a little cove that I had
espied under some trees, and laid me down to sleep,
being nearly spent with the labour and fatigue of
the voyage.
I was now at a great loss which way to get home
with my boat. I had run so much hazard, and knew
too much the case, to think of attempting it by the
way I went out; and what might be at the other
side (I mean the west side), I knew not, nor had I
any mind to run any more ventures; so I only re-
solved in the morning to make my way westward
along the shore, and 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, coast-
ing along 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, went on shore to look about me, and see
where I was.
. I soon found I had but 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 umbrella, for it was exceedingly hot, I
began my march. The way was comfortable enough
after such a voyage as I had been on, and I reached
144 ROBINSON GRCSOE.-
my old bower in the evening, where Ifound every
thiug 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 what surprise I must be in, when
I was awaked 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 P Where are you ? Where have you been P”
I was so dead asleep at first, being fatigued with
rowing, or paddling, as it is called, the first part of
the day, and with walking the latter part, that I did
not awake thoroughly, and dozing, between sleeping
and waking, thought that I dreamed that somebody
spoke to me. But as the voice continued to repeat
“Robin Crusoe Robin Crusoe I'' at last I began to
awake more perfectly, and was at first dreadfully
frighted, and started up in the utmost consternation.
But no sooner were my eyes open, but I saw my poll
sitting on the top of a hedge, and immediately knew
it was he that spoke to me; for justin such bemoan-
ing language I used to talk to him, and teach him;
and he had learned it so perfectly, that he would sit
sit upon my finger, and lay his bill close to my face,
cry, “Poor Robin Crusoe . Where are you ? Where
have you been P. How came you here P” and such
things as I taught him.
However, even though I knew it was the parrot,
it was a good while before I could compose myself.
I was first amazed how the creature got thither, and
how he should just keep about the place, and no
where else. But as I was well satisfied it could be
nobody but honest poll, I got over it ; and holding
out my hand, and calling him by his name, “I’oll,”
the sociable creature came to me, and sat upon my
thumb, as he used to do, and continued talking to
me “Poor Robin Crusoe l’’ and how did I come here
and where had I been, just as if he had been over-
joyed to see me again; and I took him home.
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 145
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 would
have been very glad to have my boat again on my
side of the island ; but I knew not how it was prac-
ticable to get it about. As to the east side of the is-
land, which I had gone reund, I knew well enough
there was no venturing that way ; my heart would
shrink, and my blood run chill, but to think of it.
And as to the other side of the island, I did not know
how it might be there ; but supposing the current
ran with the same force against the shore at the east
as it passed by it on the other, I might run the same
risk of being driven down the stream, and carried by
the island, as I had been before of being carried
away from it ; so with these thoughts I contented
: myself to be without my boat.
. In this government of my temper I remained near
a year, lived a very retired life, and my thoughts be-
ing very much composed as to my condition, and
fully comforted in resigning myself to the dispositions
of Providence, I thought I lived very happily in all
things, except that of society.
Iimproved myself at this time in all the mechanic
exercises which my necessities put me upon applying
myself to ; and, I believe, could, upon occasiou have
made a good carpenter considering what 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
shapeable, which before were filthy things indeed to
look on. But I think I never was more vain of my
own performance, or more joyful for any thing I
found out, thau for my being able to make a tobac-
co-pipe, and though it was a very ugly, clumsy
thing, when it was done, and only burnt red like
other earthenware, yet, as it was hard and firm, and
- woulºw the smoke, I was exceedingly comfort-
f - K.
§
*
ſ


146 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
ed with it ; for I had been always used to smoke,
and there were pipes in the ship, but I forgot them
at first, not knowing that there was tobacco in the
island, and afterwards, when I searched the ship
again, could not come at any pipes at all. -
My wicker-ware I also in proved very much, and
made abundance of necessary baskets as well as my
invention showed me, though not very handsome, yet
they were such as were very handy and convenient
for my laying things up in, or fetching things home
in. For example, if I killed a goat abroad, I could
hang it up in a tree, flay it, and dress it, and cut it in
pieces, and bring it home in a basket ; 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 and leave the rest behind me.
I began now to perceive my powder abated con-
siderably, and this was a want which it was impos-
sible for me to supply, and I began seriously to con-
sider what I must do when I should have no more
powder; that is to say, how I should do to kill any
goats. I had, as I observed in the third year of my
being here, kept a young kid, and bred her up tame.
I was in hopes of getting a he-kid; but I could not
by any means bring it to pass, till my kid grew an old
goat, and I could never find in my heart to kill her,
till she died at last of mere age. -
Being now in the eleventh year of my residence,
and as I have said, my ammunition growing low, I
set myself to study some art to trap and snare the
goats, to see whether I could not catch some of them
alive, and I wanted a she-goat great with young.
To this purpose I made snares to hamper them, and
I do believe they were more than once taken in them,
but my tackle was not good, for I had no wire, so I
found them broken, and my bait devoured.
At length I resolved to try a pit-fall; so I dug
several large pits in the earth, in places where I had
observed the goats used to feed, and over these pits
foºtnson Cittſsor. 147
I placed hurdles of Iny own making too, with a great
weight upon them ; and several times I put ears of
barley and dry rice, without setting the trap, and I
could easily perceive that the goats had gone in, and
eaten up the corn, for I could see the marks of their
feet. At length I set three traps in one night, and
going the next morning, I found them all standing,
and the bait eaten This was very discouraging, but
I altered my traps; and, going one morning, I found
a large he-goat, three kids, a male and two females.
As to the old one, I knew not what to do with him,
he was so fierce that I durst not go into the pit to
him, that is to say, to go to bring him away alive,
which was what I wanted. I could have killed him,
but that was not my business, nor would it answer
my end ; so I even let him out, and he ran away as
if he had been frighted out of his wits, but I had
forgot then, what I learned afterwards, that hunger
will tame a lion. If I had let him stay there three
or four days without food, and then have carried him
some water to drink, and then a little corn, he would
have been as tame as one of the kids, for they are
very tractable, 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 difficulty brought them home.
It was some time before they would feed ; but by
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 my 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 al-
ways run wild whom they grew up, and the only way
for this was to have some enclosed piece of ground,
well fenced either with hedge or pale, to keep them
up so effectually that they could not mix together.
148 1:OBINSON CRUSOf.
This was a great undertaking for one pair of hands,
yet, as I saw there was an absolute necessity of doing
it, my first piece of work 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.
The place I pitched upon was a plain open space of
meadow laud, or savannah (as our people call it in
the western colonies), which had two or three little
rills of fresh water in it, and at one end was very
woody. Many will smile at by forecast, when I
shall tell them I began by enclosing this piece of
ground in such a mauner, that my hedge or pale must
have been at least two miles about ; nor was the mad-
ness 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 yards, when this thought occurred to me,
so 1 presently stopped short, and, for the first time,
I resolved to enclose a piece of about one hundred
and fifty yards in length, and one hundred 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 used
to feed them as near me as possible, to make them
familiar; and very often I would go and carry them
Some ears of barley, ora handful of rice, and feed them
out of my hand, so that after my enclosure was finish-
ed, and 1 let them lose, they would follow me up and
down, bleating after me for some corn.
This answered my end, and in about a year and a
A
& ROBINSON GRUSOE, 149
e
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.
But this was not all ; for now I not only had goat's
flesh, to feed on when I pleased, but milk too, a thing
which indeed in the beginning 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 or two of milk
in a day. And as nature, who gives supplies of food
to every creature, dictates even naturally how to
make use of it, so I, that never milked a cow, much
less a goat, or saw butter or cheese made, managed
to make both.
It would have made a Stoic smile to have seen me
and my little family sit down to dinner. There was
my majesty, the prince and lord of the whole island.
I had the lives of all my subjects at my command, I
could hang, draw, give liberty, and take it away, and
no rebels among all my subjects.
Then to see how like a king I dined too, attended
by my servants | Poll, as if he had been the favourite,
was the only one permitted to talk to me; my dog,
who was now grown very old and crazy, sat always
at my right hand; and two cats one on each side.
But these were not the two cats which I brought
on shore at first, for they were both of them dead;
but one of them having multiplied by I know not
what kind of a creature, these were two which I had
preserved tame, when the rest ran wild in the woods,
and became troublesome to me; for they would often
come into my house and plunder me, till at last I was
obliged to shoot them, and kill a great many. And
in this plentiful manner I lived; neither could I be
said to want anything but society, and of that, in
some time after this, I was like to have too much,
150 RoLINSON GRUSOE,
I was impatient, as I before observed, to have the
use of my boat, though loth to run any more hazards,
and therefore sometimes I sat contrivilig 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 sat. 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 met such a
man as I was, I must either have frighted 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 equipage, 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 a 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
iny 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 hang-
ing down to about the middle of my thighs; and a
pair of open-knee'd breeches; the breeches were
made of the skin of an old he-goat, whose hair hung
down such a length on either side, that, like panta-
loons, it reached to the middle of my legs. Stockings
and shoes I had none; but I had made me a pair of
something, I scarce know what to call them, like
buskins, to flap over my legs.
I had on a broad belt of goat's skin dried, which I
drew together with two thongs of the same, instead
of buckles; and, in a kind of frog, on each side of this,
hung a saw and a hatchet. I had another belt not so
broad, fastened in the same manner, which hungover
my shoulder; and at the end of it hung two pouches,
in which I kept my powder and shot. At my back
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 151 .
I carried my basket, on my shoulder my gun, and
over my head a great, clumsy, 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 careful 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 of a yard long ; but as I had scissors and
razors, 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 at Sallee. Of these mustachios or
whiskers, I must say they were monstrous, and
would in England be thought 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 anchor, to get upon the rocks; and, not
having any boat now to take care of, I went over the
land a nearer way, to the same height that I was on .
before, when looking forward to the point of the rocks
which lay out, and which I was to double with my.
boat, as I said above, I was surprised to see the sea
all Smooth and quiet; no rippling, no motion, no cur-
rent, any more there than in other places.
I was at a strange loss to understand this, and re-
solved to spend some time in observing 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 the
current of waters from some great river on the shore,
must be the occasion of this current; and that, ac-
cording as the wind blew more forcibly from the west,
or from the north, this current came near, or went
further from the shore; for, waiting thereabouts till
evening, I went up to the rock again,and then thetide
of ebb being made, I plainly saw the current again as
before, only that it ran further off, being near half a
\
152 RoDINSON CRUSOE,
league from the shore; whereas, in my case, it set
close upon the shore, and hurried me in my canoe
along with it, which it would not do before.
This observation convinced me that I had nothing
to do but to observe the ebbing and flowing of the
tide, and I might very easily bring my boat about the
island again ; but when I began to think of putting
it in practice, I had such a terror upon my spirits at
the remembrance of the danger I had been in, that I
could not think of it again with patience; but on the
contrary, I took up another resolution, which was
more safe, though more laborious, and this was that
I would make another periagua, or canoe, and so
have one on each side of the island.
You are to understand that now I had, as I may
call it, two plantations in the island; one, my little
fortification or tent, with the wall about it under the
rock, with the cave behind me, which by this time I
had enlarged into several apartments or caves, one
within another. One of these, which was the driest
and largest, and had a door out beyond my wall or
fortification, was filled up with large earthen pots,
and with fourteen or fifteen great baskets, which
would hold five or six bushels each, where I laid up
my stores of provisions, especially my corn, some in
the ear cut off short from the straw, and the other
rubbed out with my hand.
As for my wall, made, as before, 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 of any ha-
bitation behind them. Near this dwelling of mine
but a little further within the land, and upon lower
ground, lay my two pieces of corn-ground, which I
kept duly cultivated and sowed, and which always
yielded me their harvest in its season; and whenever
had occasion for more corn, there was more land
adjoining as fit as that.
§: this, I had my country seat, and I had
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 153
now a tolerable plantation there also. For, first, I
had my little bower, as I called it, which I kept in
repair, that is to say, 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 mere stakes,
but were now grown very firm and tall ; I kept them
always so cut, that they might spread and grow thick
and wild, and make the more agreeable shade, which
they did effectually to my mind. In the middle of
this I had my tent 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 I had made a squab or couch, with the skins of
the other creatures I had killed, and with other soft
things, and a blanket laid on them, such as belong-
ed to our sea-bedding, which I had saved, and a great
watch-coat 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 goats;
and as I had taken a deal of pains to fence and en-
close this ground, I was so uneasy lest the goats should
break through, that I never left off, till, with infinite
labour, I had stuck the outside of the hedges so full of
small stakes, and so near to one another, that it was .
rather a pale than a hedge, and there was scarce room
to put a hand through between them, which after-
wards, when those stakes grew, as they all did in the
next rainy season, made the enclosure strong like a
wall, indeed much stronger than my wall.
This will testify for me that I was not idle, and
that I spared no pains to bring to pass whatever ap-
peared necessary for my comfortable support; for I
considered the keeping up a breed of tame creatures
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, if it were to be forty years; and that keep-
ing them within my reach depended entirely upon
154 RoBINSON GRUSOE.
my perfecting my enclosure to such a degree, that I
might be sure of keeping them together, which by
this method was effectually secured, and when these
stakes began to grow, they were planted so thick,
that I was forced to pull some of them up again.
In this place also I had my grapes growing, which
I principally 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 they were physical, wholesome,
nourishing, and refreshing.
As this was also about half way between my other
habitation and the place where I had laid up my boat,
I generally staid and lay here in my way thither, for
I used frequently to visit my boat, and I kept all
things about it in very good order. Sometimes I
went out in it to divert myself, but no more hazardous
voyages would I go, nor scarce ever above a stone's
cast or two from the shore. But now I come to a
new scene of my life.
It happened one day about noon, going towards
my boat, I was greatly surprised with the print of a
man's naked foot on the shore, which was very plain
to be seen in the sand. I stood like one thunder-
struck, or as if I had seen an apparition. I listened
and looked round me, but could hear or see nothing.
I went up to the rising ground to look further. I
went up the shore and down the shore, but it was
all one ; I could see no other impression but that one.
I went to it again to see if it might not be fancy;
but there was no room for that, for there was exact-
ly the print of a foot, toes, heel, and every part of a
foot; how it came thither I knew not, nor could in
the least imagine. But after many thoughts, I came
home to my fortification, not feeling, as we say, the
ground I went on, but terrified to the last degree,
looking behind me every two or three steps, mistak.
ing every bush and tree, and fancying every stump
at a*istance to be a man. Nor is it possible to de-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. löö
}
scribe how many various shapes an affrighted ima-
gination represented things to me in.
When I came to my castle, I fled into it like one
pursued; whether I went over by the ladder, as first
contrived, or went in at the hole in the rock, which
I called a door, I cannot remember; for never fright-
ened hare fled to cover, or fox to earth, with more
terror of mind than I to this retreat.
I had no sleep that night. The further I was from
the occasion of my fright, the greater my apprehen-
sions were ; which is something contrary to the na-
ture of such things, and especially to the usual prac-
tice 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,
êven though I was now a great way off it. Some-
times Ifancied it must be the devil; and reason join-
ed 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 P What
marks were there of any other footsteps ? And how
was it possible a man should come there P But then
to think that Satan should take human shape upon
him in such a place, where there could be no man-
ner of occasion for it, but to leave the print of his
foot behind him, and that even for no purpose, this
was an amazement to me the other way. I consid-
ered that the devil might have found out abundance
of other ways to have terrified me, than 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 the place where it was ten thousand
to one whether I should 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 incon-
sistent with all notions we usually entertain of the
subtlety of the devil. -
Such ideas as these assisted to argue me out of all
apprehensions of its being the devil; and I concluded
156 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
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 had
been on shore, but were gone away again to sea, be-
ing as loath, perhaps, to have staid in this desolate is-
land, as I would have been to have had them.
While these reflections were passing in my mind,
I was very thankful that I was not thereabouts at
that time, or that they did not see my boat, by which
they would have concluded that some inhabitants
had been in the place, and perhaps have searched
further for me. Then terrible thoughts racked my
imagination about their having found my boat, and
that there were people here; and that, if so, I should
certainly have them come again in greater numbers,
and devour me : and that if they should not find me,
yet they would find my enclosure, destroy all my
corn, carry away all my flock of tame goats, and I
should perish at last for mere want.
Thus my fear banished all my religious hope; all
that former confidence in God, which was founded
upon such wonderful experience as I had had of his
goodness, now vanished; as if he that had fed me by
miracle hitherto, could not preserve by his power the
provision which he had made for me by his goodness.
I reproached myself for not sowing more corn one
year than would just serve me till next season, as if
nothing could happen 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 beforehand ; so that
whatever might come, I might not want for bread.
These thoughts took me up many hours, days, may
weeks and months ; and one particular effect of my
cogitations on this occasion I cannot omit, viz., one
morning early, lying in my bed, and filled with
thoughts about my danger from the appearance of
Af
|
TOBINSON CRUSOE. 157
savages, I found it discomposed me very much ; on
which those word of the Scripture came into my
thoughts, “Call on me in the day of trouble, and I
will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”
Upon this, rising cheerfully out of my bed, my
heart was not only comforted, but was guided and
encouraged to pray earnestly to God for deliverance.
When I had done praying, I took up my Bible, and
opening it to read, the first words presented to me
were, “Wait on the Lord, and be of good cheer, and
he shall strengthen thy heart ; wait, I say, on the
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, on that occasion.
In the middle of these cogitations, apprehensions,
and reflections, it came into my thoughts one day,
that all this might be a mere chimera of my own, and
that this foot might be the print of my own foot,
when I came on shore from my boat. This cheered
me up a little too, and I began to persuade myself it
was all a delusion ; that it was nothing else but my
own foot ; and why might not I come that way from
the boat, as well as I was going that way to the boat?
Again, I considered also, that I could by no means
tell for certain where I had trod, and where I had
not; and that if at last this was only the print of my
own foot, I had played the part of those fools, who
strive to make stories of spectres and apparitions,
and then are themselves frightened at them more
than any body else.
Now I began to take courage, and to peep abroad
again ; fºr I had not stirred out of my castle for three
days and nights, so that I began to starve for provi-
sions, for I had little or nothing within doors, but
some barley cakes and water. Then I knew that my
goats wānted to be milked too, which usually was
evening diversion, and the poor creatures were in
great pain and inconvenience for want of it.
Heartening myself therefore with the belief, that
158 Robinson causog.
this was nothing but the print of one of my own
feet, I began to go abroad again, and went to my
country house to milk my flock ; but to see with
what fear I went forward, how often I looked behind
me, and was ready every now and then, to lay down
my basket, and run for my life, it would have made
any one have thought I was haunted with an evil
conscience, or that I had lately been frightened.
However, as I went on thus two or three days, and
had seen nothing, I began to be bolder, and to think .
there was nothing in it but my own imagination; but
I could not persuade myself fully to this, till I should
go down to the shore again, and see this print of a
foot, 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, it
appeared evidently 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 foot, I found my foot not so large by a
great deal; both these things filled my head with new
imaginations, and gave me the vapours again, so that
I shook with cold, like one in an ague, and I went
home again, filled with the belief that some man 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 I knew not.
O what ridiculous resolutions men take, when pos-
sessed with fear ! 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 into
the woods, that the enemy might not find them, and
then frequent the island in prospect of the same, or
the like booty; then the simple thing of digging up
my two corn fields, that they might not find such
grain there, and still be prompted to frequent the
island; then to demolish my bower and tent, that
they might not see any vestiges of habitation, and
foLINSČM Ciºtſ&Of. 169
be tempted to look further, in order to find out the
a persons that were inhabiting it. -
These were the subjects of the first night's cogita-
tion, after I was come home again, while the appre-
hensions, which had so overrun my mind were fresh
upon me, and my head was full of vapours, as above.
Thus fear of danger is ten thousand times more ter-
rifying than danger itself when apparent to the eyes,
and we find the burden of anxiety greater by much,
than the evil which we are nnrious about : but what
is worse than all this, I had not that relief in this
trouble from the resignation I used to practise, that
I hoped to have. I looked, I thought, like Saul, who
complained not only that the Philistines were upon
him, but that God had forsaken him ; for I did not
now take due ways to compose my mind, by crying
to God in my distress, and resting upon his provi-
dence, as I had done before, for my defence and my
deliverance; which if I had done, I had, at least, been '
more cheerfully supported under this new surprise,
and perhaps carried through it with more resolution.
The confusion of my thoughts kept me waking all
night; but, in the morning, I fell asleen and having,
by the amusement of my mind, been as it were, tired,
and my spirits exhausted, I slept very soundly, and
awaked much better composed than I had ever been
before. And now I began to think sedately ; and,
upon the utmost debate with myself, I concluded, that
this island, which was so exceeding pleasant, fruit-
ful, and no further from the main land than as I had
seen, was not so entirely abandoned as I might ima-
gine; that although there were no stated inhabitants
who lived on this snot, yet that there might some-
times come boats off from the shore, who either with
design, or perhaps never but when they were driven
by cross winds, might come to this place; that I had
lived 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 pro-
160 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
bable they went away again as soon as they could,
seeing they had never thought fit to fix here, upon
any occasion, to this time; that the most I could sug-
gest any danger from, was, from any such casual ac-
cidental landing of straggling people from the main;
who were driven here against their will, so that they
made no stay here, but went off again with all pos-
sible speed, seldom staying one night on shore, lest
they should not have the help of the tides and day-
light back again ; and that therefore I had nothing to
do but consider of some 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 bring a door through again, which
door, as I said, came out beyond where my fortifica-
tion joined to the rock. Upon maturely considering
this, therefore, I resolved to draw me a second forti-
fication, in the same manner of a semicircle, at a dis-
tance from the wall, where I had planted a double
row of trees, above twelve years before, of which I
made mention. These treas having been planted so
thick before, there wanted but a few piles to be driven
between them, that they might be much thicker and
stronger, and my wall would be soon finished.
So that I had now a double wall, and my outer one
was thickened with pieces of timber, old cables, and
every thing that I could think of to make it strong:
having in it several little holes, about as big as I could
put my arm out at. In the inside of this I thickened
my wall to about ten feet thick, continually bringing
earth out of my cave, and laying it at the foot of my
wall, and walking upon it; and through the seven
holes I contrived to plant the muskets, of which I.
have mentioned that I got seven on shore out of the
ship ; and these I planted like cannons, and fitted
them into frames that held them like a carriage, that
so I could fire all the seven guns in two minutes time.
This wall I was many a weary month in finishing,
and yet never thought myself safe till it was done,
ROBINSON GRUSOE, 161
When this was done, I stuck all the ground with-
out my wall, for a great space every way, full with
stakes or sticks of the osier-like wood, which I found
so apt to grow, as they could stand, insomuch that I
believe that there must have been set in near twenty
thousand of them, leaving a pretty large space be-
tween them and my wall, that I might have room to
see the enemy, and that they might have no shelter
from the young trees if they approached my wall.
Thus, in two years' time, Ihad a thick grove; and,
in five or six years’ time, I had a wood before my
dwelling grown so monstrous thick and strong that
it was indeed perfectly impassable; and no man, of
what kind soever, would ever imagine that there was
anything beyond it, much less a habitation. As for
the way I proposed to 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 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 they 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 with-
out just reason, though I foresaw nothing at that
time, more than fear suggested to me.
While this was doing, I was not altogether careless
of my other affairs; for I had great concern upon me
for my little herd of goats; they were not only a
present supply to me upon every occasion, and be-
gan to be sufficient for me, without the expense of
powder and shot, but also abated the fatigue of my
hunting after wild ones, and I was loath to lose the
advantage of them, and to have them all to nurse up
again. "
To this purpose, I could think of but two ways to
Prº them; one was to find another convenient
102 L -
162 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
place to dig a cave under ground, and to drive them
into it every night ; and the other was to enclose two.
or three little bits of land, remote from one another,
and as much concealed as could be, where I might
keep about half a dozen young goats in each place,
so that if any disaster happened to the flock in gene-
ral, I might be able to raise them again with little
trouble and time; and though it would require much
time and labour, I thought this was the best design.
Accordingly I spent some time to find out the most
retired parts of the island; and I pitched upon one
which was as private as my heart could wish ; for it
was a little damp piece of ground in the middle of
the hollow and thick woods, where, as is observed, I
almost lost myself once before, endeavouring to come
back that way from the eastern part of the island.
Here I found a clear piece of land, near three acres,
so surroundgd with woods, that it was almost an en-
closure by Iſature.
I immediately went to work at this piece of ground
and, in less than a month's time, I had so fenced it
round, that my flock would be well enough secured
in it. So, without any further delay, I removed ten
she-goats and two he-goats to this place ; and when
they were there, I continued to perfect the fence, till
I had made it as secure as the other.
All this labour 1 was at the trouble of, was purely
from my apprehensions on account of the print of a
man's foot which l had seen, for as yet I never saw
any human creature come near the island ; and I had
now lived two years in this uneasiness, which indeed
made my life much less comfortable than it was be-
fore, and this I must observe, that the discomposure
of my mind had too great impressions also upon the
religious part of my thoughts; for the dread and ter.
ror of falling into the hands of Savages and canni-
bals lay so upon my spirits, that I seldom found my-
self in a due temper for application to my Maker, at
least not with the sedate calmness and resignation of

ROBINSON CRUSOf.. 163
soul which I was wont to do. I rather prayed to
God as under great affliction and pressure of mind,
surrounded by danger, and in expectation every
night of being murdered and devoured before morn-
ing, and I must testify, from my own experience,
that a temper of peace, thankfulness, love and affec-
tion, is much more the proper frame for prayer, than
that of terror and discomposure ; a man is more fit
for a comforting performance of the duty of praying
to God, than he is for repentance on a sick bed, for
these discomposures affect the mind as the others do
the body, and the discomposure of the mind must
necessarily be as great a disability as that of the
body, and much greater, praying being an act of the
mind, not of the body.
But to go on ; 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
point of the island than I had ever done yet, and
looking out to sea, I thought I saw a boat upon the
sea, at a great distance. I had found a prospect glass
or two in one of the seamen’s chests which I had
saved out of our ship, but I had it not about me, and
this was so remote that l could not tell what to make
of it, though I looked at it till my eyes were not able
to hold to look any longer. Whether it was a boat
or not, I did not know ; 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 prospective glass.
When I was come down the hill, to the end of the
island, where I had never been before, I was pre-
sently convinced that the seeing the print of a man's
foot was not such a strange thing in the island as I
imagined ; and, but that it was a special provi-
dence that I was cast upon the side of the island
where the savages never came, I should easily
have known that nothing was more frequent than
for the canoes from the main, when they happened to
164 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
be a little too far out at sea, to shoot over to that
side of the island for harbour; likewise, as they of-
ten met, and fought in their canoes, the victors, hav-
ing taken any prisoners, would bring them over to
this shore, where, according to their dreadful cus-
toms, being all cannibals, they would kill and eat
them. Of which hereafter.
When I was come down the hill to the shore, as I
said above, being the S. W. point of the island, 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 cir-
cle dug in the earth, like a cock-pit, where it is sup-
posed the savage wretches had sat down to their in-
humanfeastingson the bodies of their fellow creatures.
I was so astonished with the sight of these things,
that I entertained no notions of any danger to my-
self from it for a long while ; all my apprehensions
were buried in the thoughts of such a pitch of in-
human, hellish brutality, and the horror of the de-
generacy of human nature, which, though I had
heard of often, yet I never had so near a view of be-
fore ; in short, I turned away my face from the hor-
rid spectacle; my stomach grew sick, and I was just
at the point of fainting, when nature discharged the
disorder from my stomach; and, having vomited, I
was relieved, but could not bear to stay in the place
a moment; so I got up the hill again, with all the
speed, and walked on towards 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 distinguished from such dreadful
creatures as these, and though I had esteemed my
present condition very miserable, had yet given me

ROBINSON GRUSOE. 165
so many comforts in it, that 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
comforted with the knowledge of himself, and the
hope of his blessing, which was a felicity more than
sufficiently 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 never came to
this island in search of what they could get; per-
haps not wanting, or not expecting anything here ;
and having often, no doubt, been up in the covered
woody part of it without finding anything to their
purpose. I knew I had been here now almost eigh-
teen years, and never saw the least footsteps of hu-
man creature here before; and might be here eigh-
teen more as concealed as I was now, if I did not dis-
cover myself to them, which I had no occasion to
do, it being my only business to keep myself conceal-
ed where I was, unless I found better creatures than
cannibals to make myself known to.
Yet I entertained such an abhorrence of the sav-
age wretches, and of the wretched inhuman custom
of their devouring and eating one another up, that
I continued pensive and sad, and kept close within
my own circle for almost two years after this. When
I say my own circle, I mean by it my three planta-
tions, viz., my castle, my country seat, which I called
my bower, and my enclosure in the woods; nor did
I look after this for any other use than as an enclo-
sure for my goats; for the aversion nature gave me
to these hellish wretches was such, that I 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 me
another; for I could not think of making any more
attempts to bring the boat round the island to me,
166 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
lest I should meet with some of those creatures at
sea, into whose hands, if I had happened to have
fallen, 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 just in the same composed manner as
before, only with this difference, that I used more
caution, and kept my eyes more about me than I did
before, lest I should happen to be seen by any of
them; and particularly I was more cautious in firing
my gun, lest any of them being on the island should
happen to hear ; and it was therefore a good provi-
dence to me that I had furnished myself with a tame
breed of goats, that I need not hunt any more in
the woods, or shoot at them ; and if I did catch any
of them after this, it was by traps and snares, as I
had done before ; so that for two years after this I
believe I never fired my gun once off, though Inever
went out without it ; and, which was more, as I had
saved three pistols out of the ship, I always carried
them out with me, or at least two of them, sticking
them in my goat-skin belt ; I likewise polished up
one of the great cutlasses that I had out of the ship .
and made me a belt to put it in also ; so that I was
now a most formidable fellow to look at when I went
abroad, if you add to the former description of my-
self the particular of two pistols, and a great broad-
sword hanging at my side in a belt.
Things going on thus, as I have said, for some time
I semeed, excepting these cautions, to be reduced to
my former calm, sedate way of living. All these
things tended to showing me, more and more, how far
my condition was from being miserable, compared to
some others, nay, to many other particulars of life,
which it might have pleased God to have made 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 167
40 - : . - N
with those that are worse, in order to be thankful,
than be alway comparing them with those which are
better, to assist their murmurings and complainings.
As to my present condition there were not really
many things which I wanted, so indeed I thought
that the frights I had been in about these savage
wretches, and the concern I had been in for my own
preservation, had taken off the edge of my invention
for my own conveniences ; and I had dropped a good
design, which I had once bent my thoughts on, and
that was, to try if I could not make some of my bar-
ley into malt, and then try to brew myself some beer.
This was really a whimsical thought, and Ireproved
myself often for the simplicity of it ; for I presently
saw there would be the want of several things neces-
sary to the making my beer that it would be impos-
sible for me to supply ; as, first, casks to preserve it
in, which was a thing that, as I have observed alrea-
dy, I could never compass, no, though I spent not
many days, but weeks, may months, in attempting
t, but to no purpose. In thenext place Ihad no hope
to make it keep, no yeast, to make it work, and no
copper to make it boil; and yet, had not all these
intervened, I mean the frights and terrors I was in
about the Sevages, I had undertaken it, and perhaps
brought it to pass too ; for I seldom gave over any
thing without accomplishing it, when I once had it
in my head enough to begin it.
But my invention now ran quite another way, for
night and day I could think of nothing but how I
might destroy some of these monsters in their cruel
and bloody entertainments, and, if possible, save the
victim they should bring hither to destroy. It would
take up a larger volume than this whole work is in-
tended to be, to set down all the contrivances I laid
down in my thoughts, for destroying these creatures
or at least frightening them so as to prevent their
coming hither any more, but all was abortive, no-
thing could be possible to take effect, unless I was to

168 . ROBINSON CRUSOE.
- Q
be.there to do it my self; and what could oneman do
among them, when perhaps there might be twenty
or thirty of them together, with their darts, or their
bows and arrows, with which they could shoot as
true to a mark as I could with my gun ?
Sometimes I contemplated to dig a hole under the
place where they made their fire, and put in five or
six pounds of gunpowder, which, when they kindled
their fire, would consequently ignite, and blow up
all that was near it. But, as I had not quite one bar-
rel of powder left, I was loath to spend so much on
them ; neither could I be sure of its going off at one
certain time, when it might surprise them; and at
best that it would do little more than just blow the
fire about their ears, and fright them, but not suffi-
cient to make them forsake the place ; so I laid it
aside, and then proposed that I would place myself
in ambush, in some convenient place, with my three
guns, all double loaded, and, in the middle of their
bloody ceremony, let fly at them, when I should be
sure to kill or wound perhaps two or three at every
'shot, and then falling in upon them with my three
pistols and my sword, I made no doubt but that if
there were twenty, I should kill them all.
I went so far with it in my imagination that I spent
several days to find out proper places to put myself
in ambuscade, to watch for them, and I went fre-
quently to the place itself; but the horror I had at
the place, and at the signals of the barbarous savage
devouring one another, made me shudder.
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 their boats coming, and might then, even be-
fore they would be ready to come on shore, convey
myself unseen into the thickets of the trees, in one of
which there was a hollow large enough to conceal me
entirely, and where I might sit and observe all their
bloody doings, and take aim at their heads, when they
were so close together as that it would be nearly im-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. ~. 169
C.
possible that I should miss them, or that I could fail
wounding three or four at the first shot.
In this place, then, I resolved to fix my design, and
accordingly I prepared two muskets, and my fowl-
ing 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
largest size. I also loaded my pistols with about four
bullets each ; and in this posture, well provided with
ammunition for a second and third charge, I prepar-
ed myself for my expedition.
After I had thus laid the scheme for my design, I
continually made my tour every morning up to the
top of the hill, which was from my castle as I called
it, about three miles or more, to see if I could observe
any boats upon the sea, coming near the island, or
standing over towards it ; but I began to tire of this
hard duty, after I had for two or three months con-
stantly kept my watch, and came alway back with-
out any discovery, there having not in all that time
been the least appearance, not only on or near the
shore, but not on the whole ocean, so far as my eyes
or glasses could reach every way. . As long as I kept
up the daily tour to the hill to look out, so long also
I kept up the vigour of my design ; and my spirits
seemed to be all the while in a suitable frame for so
outrageous an execution as the killing twenty or
thirty naked savages for an offence which I had not
at all entered into a discussion of in my thoughts,
any further than my passions were at first fired by
the horror I conceived at the unnatural custom of
the people of that country, who, it seems, had been
suffered by Providence, in his wise disposition of the
world, to have no other guide than that of their own
abominable and vitiated passions, and consequently
were left, and perhaps had been for ages, to act such
horrid things, and receive such horrid customs, as
nothing but nature, entirely abandoned by Heaven,
170 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
\ ©
could have run them into. But then, after cool re-
flection, I began to consider what it was I was going
to engage in; what authority or call I had to pretend
to be judge and executioner upon these men as cri-
minals, whom Heaven had thought fit, for so many
ages, to suffer, unpunished, to go on, and to be, as it
were, the executioner of his judgments, on one ano-
ther; 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 debated this very often with
myself thus; how do I know what God himself
judges in this particular case ? It is certain these
people do not commit this as a crime, it is not against
their own consciences reproving, or their light re-
proaching them. They do not know it to be an of-
fence, and then commit it in defiance of Divine jus-
tice, as we do in almost all the sins we commit. They
think it no more a crime to kill a captive taken in
war, than we do to kill an ox; or to eat human flesh,
than we do to eat mutton.
When I had considered this a little, it followed
necessarily that I was certainly in the wrong in it ;
that these people were not murderers in the sense
that I had before condemned them in my thoughts,
any more than those Christians were murderers who
often put to death the prisoners taken in battle, 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.
These considerations put me to a pause, and I be-
gan to conclude that I had taken wrong measures
in my resolution to attack the savages; that it was
not my business to meddle with them, unless they
first attacked me, and this it was my business, if pos-
sible, to prevent; but that if I were discovered and
attacked, then I knew my duty. -
On the other hand, I argued with myself that this
really was the way not to deliver myself, but entirely
ROBINSON CEUSOE. - 171
to ruin and destroy myself; for unless I was sure to
kill every one that not only should be on shore atthat
time, but that should ever come on shore afterwards,
if but one of them escaped to tell their country people
what had happened, they would come over by thou-
sands to revenge the death of their fellows, and I
should only bring upon myself a certain destruction,
which at present I had no manner of occasion for.
Upon the whole, I concluded that neither in prin-
ciples or policy I ought, 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 to them to guess by that there
were any living human creatures upon the island.
Peligion joined in with this prudential resolution;
and I was convinced that I was perfectly out of my
duty when I was laying all my bloody schemes for
the destruction of innocent creatures; I mean inno-
cent as to me. As to the crimes they were guilty of
towards one another, I had nothing to do with them;
they were national, and I ought to leave them to
the justice of God, who is the Governor of nations,
and knows how to bring public judgments on those
who offend in a public manner, by such ways as best
please him.
This appeared so clear to me now, that nothing
was a greater satisfaction to me than that I had not
been suffered to do a thing which I now saw so much
reason to believe would have been no less a sin than
that of wilful murder, if I had committed it; and I
gave most humble thanks on my knees to God, that
he had thus delivered me from blood-guiltiness, be-
seeching him to grant me the protection of his pro-
vidence, that I might not lay my hands upon them,
unless I had a more clear call from Heaven to do it,
in defence of my own life.
In this disposition I continued for near a year, and
in all that time I never once went up the hill to see
whether there were any of them in sight, or to know
$.
172 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
whether any of them had been on shore there or not;
only this I did, I went and removed my boat, which
I had on the other side of 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 durst not, at least would not, come
with their boats, upon any account whatever.
With my boat I carried away everything belong-
ing to it, viz., a mast and sail, which I had made for
it, and a thing like an anchor. All these I removed,
that there might not be the least shadow of any dis-
covery, or any appearance of any boat, or any hu-
man habitation upon the island.
Besides this, Ikept myself more retired than ever,
and seldom went from my cell, except 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 the Savages seldom wandered
off from the coast. I looked back with some horror
on the thoughts of what my condition would have
been if I had chopped upon them,and been discovered
beforetime, when naked and unarmed, 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 I
should have been in, if, when I discovered the print
of a man's foot, I had, instead of that, seen fifteen
or twenty Savages, and found them pursuing me,
and by the swiftness of their running, no possibility
of my escaping them.
The thoughts of this sometimes sunk my soul with-
in me, and distressed my mind so much, that I could
not recover it. Indeed, after seriously thinking of
these things, I would be very melancholy, and some-
times it would last a while; but I resolved it at last
into thankfulness to that Providence which had de-
livered me from so many unseen dangers, and had
kept me from those mischiefs which I could no way
*
TOEINSON CRUSOE. 173
have been the agent in delivering myself from ; be-
cause I had not the least notion of any such thing
depending or any supposition of its being possible.
This renewed a contemplation which often had
come to my thoughts in former times, when first I
began to see the merciful dispositions of Heaven, in
the dangers we had run through in this life; how
wonderfully weare delivered, when we know nothing
of it; how, when we are in a doubt or hesitation,
whether to go this way, or that way, a secret hint
should direct us this way, when we intended to go
that way; nay, when sense, our own inclination, and
perhaps business, has called to go the other way, yet
a strange impression upon the mind, from we know
not what springs, and by we know not what power,
shall overrule us to go this way; and it shall after-
wards appear that had we gone that way which we
should have gone, and even to our imagination ought
to have gone, we should have been ruined and lost.
TJpon these and many like reflections, I afterwards
made it a certain rule with me, that whenever I
found these secret hints, or presages of my mind, to
doing or not doing anything that presented, or to
going this way or that way, I never failed to obey
the secret dictate, though I knew no other reason
for it than that such a pressure hung upon my mind.
I cannot but advise all considering men, whose lives
are attended with such extraordinary incidents as
mine, or even though not so extraordinary, not to
slight such secretintimations of providence, let them
come from what invisible intelligence they will, that
I shall not discuss, and perhaps cannot account for;
but certainly they are a proof of the converse of
spirits, and the secret communication between those
embodied and those unembodied, and such a proof
as can never be withstood.
I believe the reader of this will not think it strange
if I confess that these anxieties, these constant dan-
gers I lived in, and the concern that was now upon
174 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
zº
me, put an end to all invention and to all the con-
trivances that I had laid for my future accommoda-
tions 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 would be heard,
much less would I fire a gun for the same reason;
and, above all, I was very 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 pipes, &c., into my
new apartment in the woods, where, after I had been
some time, I found, to my unspeakable consolation,
a mere natural cave in the earth, which went a vast
way, and where, I dare say, no savage, had he been
at the mouth of it, would be so hard 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 abundant reason to ascribe such things
now to providence,) I was cutting down some thick
branches of trees to make charcoal ; and before I go
on, I must observe the reason of my making this
charcoal, which was thus:–I was afraid of making
a smoke about my habitation, as I said before; and
yet I could not live there without baking my bread,
cooking my meat, &c.; so I contrived to burn some
wood here, as I had seen done in England, under turf
till it became chark or dry coal; and then putting the
fire out, I preserved the coal to carry home, and per-
formed the other services which fire was wanting
for at home, without danger of smoke. g
While I was cutting down some wood here, I per-
ceived that, behind a thick branch of low brush-
wood, or underwood, there was a hollow place. I
was curious to look into it, and getting with difficulty
into the mouth of it, I found it was pretty large, that
ROBINSON CEUSOE. 175
is to say, sufficient for me to stand upright in it, and
perhaps another with me; but I must confess to you
I made more haste out than I did in, when looking
further into the place, which was perfectly dark, I
saw two broad shining 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 time, I recovered myself, and
began to call myself a thousand fools, and tell my-
self, that he that was afraid to see the devil, was
not fit to live twenty years in an island all alone,
and that perhaps there was nothing in this cave that
was more frightful than myself. Upon this, pluck-
ing up my courage, I took up a great firebrand, and
in I rushed again, with the stick in my hand. I had
not gone above three steps in, but I was almost as
frightened as I was before, for I heard a very loud
sigh, like that of a man in some pain, and it was
followed by a noise, like words half expressed, and
then a deep sigh again. I stepped back, and was in-
deed struck with such surprise, that it put me into
a cold sweat, and if I had had a hat on my head, I
think my hair would have lifted it off. But still
plucking up my spirits, as well as I could, and en-
couraging myself a little, with considering that the
power and presence of God was every where, and
was able to protect me, I stepped forward again,
and by the light of the firebrand, I saw, lying upon
the ground, a monstrous frightful old he-goat, just
making his will, as we say, gasping for life, and
dying of mere old age.
I stirred him a little, to see if I could get him out,
and he strived to get up, but he was not able to raise
himself, and I thought he should lie there, for if he
had frightened me so, he would certainly frighten
any of the savages, if any of them should be hardy
enough to come in there, while he had life in him.
I was now recovered from my surprise, and began

176 ROBINSON CIRUSOE.
to look round me, when I found the cave was but.
small, that is to say, it might be about twelve feet
over, but in no manner of shape, neither round nor
square, no hands having ever been employed in mak-
ing it but those of nature. I observed also that there
was a place at the far side of it, that went further
in, but was so low that it required me to creep upon
my hands and knees to 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 next day,
provided with candles and a tinder-box, which Imade
of the lock of a musket, with some wildfire in the pan.
Accordingly, the next day, I came provided with
six large candles of my own making, for I made very
good candles now of goats' tallow ; and going into
this low place, I was obliged to creep upon all fours,
as I have said, almost ten yards, which, by the way,
I thought was a venture bold enough, considering
that I knew not how far it might go, or what was
beyond it. When I was got through the strait, I
found the roof rose higher up, I believe 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 of this vault or cave. The walls reflected
a hundred thousand lights to me from my two can-
dles. What it was that was in the rock, whether
diamonds, or any other precious stones, I knew not.
The place I was in was a most delightful cavity, or
grotto, of its kind, as could be expected, though per-
fectly dark ; the floor was dry and level, and had a
sort of a small loose gravel upon it, so that there was
no nauseous or venomous creatures to be seen ; nor
was there any damp or wet on the sides or roof. The
only difficulty in it was the entrance, which, how-
ever, as it was a place of security, and such a retreat
as I wanted, I thought that was a convenience; so
that I was really rejoiced at the discovery, and re-
solved without any delay, to bring some of those
things which I was most anxious about to this place, in
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 177
particular I resolved to bring hither my magazine of
powder, and all my spare arms, viz., two fowling-
pieces, and three muskets; 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 was obliged to open the barrel of powder which I
took up out of the sea, and which had been wet, and
and I found that the water had penetrated about
three or four inches into the powder on every side,
which caking and growing hard, had preserved the
inside like a kernel in a shell, so that I had sixty
pounds of very good powder in the centre of the bar-
rel ; and this was an agreeable discovery to me at
that time; so I carried all away thither, never keep-
ing above two or three pounds of powder with me
in my castle, for fear of a surprise of any kind. I
also carried thither all the lead I had left for bullets.
I fancied myself now like one of the ancient giants
which were said to live in caves and holes in rocks,
where none could come at them; for I persuaded my-
self, while I was here, if five hundred savages were
to hunt me, they would not attack me here.
The old goat, which I found expiring, died in the
mouth of the cave, the next day after I made this
discovery, and I found it much easier to dig a hole
there, and throw him in, and cover him with earth,
than to drag him out, so I intered him there, to pre-
went offence to my nose.
I was now in my twenty-third year of residence in
this island, and was so naturalized to the place, and
to the manner of living, that could I have but en-
joyed the certainty that no savages would come to
the place to disturb me, I could have been content to
to have capitulated for spending the rest of my time
there, even to the last moment, till I had laid me
down and died, like the old goat in the cave. I had
also arrived to some little diversions and amuse-
M
178 ROBINSON CEUSOE.
ments, which made the time pass more pleasantly
with me a great deal then it did before ; as, first, I
had taught my Poll, as I noted before, to speak, and
he did it so familiarly, and talked so articulatelyand
plain, that it was very pleasant to me ; and he lived
with me no less than six-and-twenty years. How
long he might live afterwards I know not; though
I know they have a notion, in the Brazils, that they
live a hundred years. Perhaps poor Poll may be
alive there still, calling for “Poor Robin Crusoe” to
this day. My dog was a very pleasant and loving
companion to me for no less than sixteen years of my
time, and then died of mere old age. As for my cats
they multiplied, as I have observed, to that degree,
that I was obliged to shoot several of 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 drown-
ed; 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
some more parrots, which talked pretty well, and
would all call “Robin Crusoe,” but none like my
first ; for I did not take the pains with them that I
had done with him. I had also several tame sea.
fowls, whose names I knew not, which I had caught
upon the shore, and cut their wings; and the little
stakes which I had planted before my castle wall,
being now grown up to a good thick grove, those
fowls all lived among these low trees, and bred there
which was very agreeable to me ; so that I began to
be very well contented with the life I led, if I might
but have been secured from the dread I had of the
savages. .
But it was otherwise directed; and it may not be

*
#.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 179
amiss for all people who shall meet with my story,
to make this just observation from it; viz., how fre-
quently, 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, this was particularly remarkable in
the circumstances of the last years of my solitary
residence in this island. -
It was now the month of December, in my twenty-
third year, and this being the southern solstice, for
winter I cannot call it, was the particular time of
my harvest, and required my being pretty much
abroad in the fields; when going out pretty early
one 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 where I had observed
some savages had been before, but not on the other
side, no, to my great affliction, it was on my side of
the island.
I was indeed terribly surprised at the sight, and
stopped short within my grove, not daring to go out,
lest I might be surprised; and yet I had no more
peace within, from the apprehensions I had that if
these savages in rambling over the island should find
my corn standing, or cut, or any of my works of im-
provements, they would immediately conclude that
there were people in the place, and would then never
give over till they found me out. In this extremity
I went back directly to my castle, pulled up the lad-
der after me, having made all things without look
as wild and natural as I could.
Then I prepared myself within, putting myself in
a posture of defence. I loaded all my cannon as I
called them, that is to say, my muskets, which were
mounted upon my new fortification, and all my pis-
tols, and resolved to defend myself to the last gasp,


180 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
not forgetting seriously to commend myself to the
Divine protection, and earnestly prayed to God to de-
liver me out of the hands of the barbarians; and in
this posture I continued about two hours, but began
to be mightily impatient for intelligence abroad.
After sitting a while longer, and musing what I
should do in this case, I could not bear sitting in ig-
norance any longer, 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 pulling out my perspective glass, which I
had taken on purpose, I laid me down flat on my
belly on the ground, and began to look for the place.
I presently found there were no less than nine naked
savages sitting round a small fire they had made,
not to warm them, they had no need of that, the
weather being extremely hot, but, as I supposed, to
dress some of their barbarous diet of human flesh,
which they had brought with them, whether alive
or dead, I could not know.
They had two canoes with them, which they had
hauled up upon the shore, and as it was then tide of
ebb, they seemed to wait the return of the flood to
go away again. It is not easy to imagine what con-
fusion this sight put me into, especially seeing them
come on my side of the island, and so near me too:
|but when I observed their coming must be always
with the current of the ebb, I began afterwards to be
more sedate in my mind, being satisfied that I might
go abroad with safety, all the time the tide of flood, if
they were not ashore before; and having made this
observation I went abroad about my harvest work
with the more composure.
As I expected so it proved, for as soon as the tide
made to the westward, I saw them all take boat, and
row away. I should have observed, they were all
quite naked, and, for an hour and more before they
went off, they went to dancing, and I could easily
discern their grotesque postures by my glasses.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 181

As soon as I saw them shipped and gone, I took
two guns upon my shoulders, and two pistols at my
girdle, and my great sword by my side, without a
scabbard, and with all the speed I was able to make,
I went away to the hill where I had discovered the
first appearance of all. As soon as I got thither,
which was not less than two hours, I perceived there
had been three canoes more of savages on that place,
and looking out further, I saw they were all at sea
together, making over for the main.
This was a dreadful sight to me; especially when
going down to the shore, I could see with horror the
dismal work they had been about, viz., the blood and
bones, and part of the flesh of human bodies, eaten
and devoured by those wretches with merriment and
sport. I was so filled with indignation at the sight,
that I began now to premeditate the destruction of
the next that I saw there, let them be who or 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, that is to say, I never
saw them, or any footsteps or signals of them in all
that time; and Ifound they did not come in the rainy
season; yet all this while I lived uncomfortably, by
reason of the constant apprehensions I was in of
their coming upon me by surprise.
During all this time, I was in the murdering hu-
mour, and took up most of my hours, which should
have been better employed, in contriving how to fall
upon them the very next time I should see them, es-
pecially if they should be divided, as they were the
last time, into two parties; nor did I consider at all,
that if I killed one party, suppose ten or a dozen, I
was still the next day, or week, or month, to kill
another, and so another, even ad infinitum, till I
should be no less a murderer than they were in be-
ing man-eaters, and perhaps much more so.


182 ROBINSON CEUSOE.
I spent my days now in great perplexity and an-
xiety of mind, expecting that I should one day or
otherfall into the hands of these merciless creatures.
And now I found to my great comfort, how happy
it was that I had provided a tame flock of goats, for
I durst not, upon any account, fire my gun, especi-
ally near that side of the island, where they usually
came, lest I should alarm the savages; and if they
had fled from me now, they would perhaps have
come back again, with a greater number more, and
then I knew what to expect.
However, I wore out a year and three months
more, before I saw any of the savages ; but in the
month of May, as near as I could calculate, and in
my four-and-twentieth year, I had a very strange
encounter with them, of which in its place.
The perturbation of my mind, during this fifteen
or sixteen months' interval, was very great. In the
day great troubles overwhelmed my mind; in the
night I dreamed often of killing savages, and the
reasons why I might justify the doing of it. But, to
waive all this for a while, it was the middle of May,
on the sixteenth day, I think, that it a blew a very
great storm of wind all day, with a great deal of
lightning and thunder, and a very foul night it was.
I know not what was the particular occasion of it,
but as I was reading the Bible, and taken up with
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 quite a different
nature from any I had met with before, for the no-
tions this put into my thoughts were quite of another
kind... I started up in the greatest haste imaginable,
and, in a trice, clapped up my ladder to the middle
place of the rock, and pulled it after me, and mount-
ing it the second time, got to the top of the hill, that
moment a flash of fire bade me listen for a second
gun, which, accordingly, in about half a minute I
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 183
heard, and, by the sound, knew that it was from that
part of the sea, where I was driven out by the cur-
rent in my boat.
I immediately considered that this must be some
ship in distress, and that they had some comrade, or
some other ship in company, and fired these guns for
signals of distress, and to obtain help. I had this
presence of mind at that minute, as to think, that
though I could not help them, it may be they might
help me: so I brought together all the dry wood I
could get at hand, and making a good sized pile, I
set it on fire upon the hill, the wood was dry, and
blazed freely : and though the wind blew very hard,
yet it burnt fairly out, so that I was certain, if there
was any such a thing as a ship, they must needs see
it, and no doubt they did, for as soon as my fire
blazed up, I heard another gun, and after that se-
veral others, all from the same quarter. I plied my
fire all night long, till day broke, and when it was
broad day, and the air cleared up, I saw something
at a distance, at sea, full east of the island, whether
a sail, or a hull, I could not distinguish, no, not with
my glasses, the distance was so great, and the wea-
ther still being hazy also ; it was so out at sea.
I looked frequently at it all that day, and soon per-
ceived that it did not move ; so I presently conclud-
ed that it was a ship at anchor, and being eager, you
may be sure, to be satisfied, I took my gun in my
hand, and ran towards the south-east side of the is-
land, to the rocks, where I had been formerly carried
away with 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 these concealed rocks,
which I found when I was out in my boat, and
which rocks, as they checked the violence of the
stream, and made a kind of counter-stream, or eddy
were the occasion of my recovering then from the
most desperate, hopeless condition that I had been in.
*.
184 , \ ROBINSON CRUSOE.

Thus, what is one man’s safety is another man's
destruction ; for it seems these men, whoever they
were, being out of their knowledge, and the rocks
being wholly under water, and been driven on them
in the night, the wind blowing hard at E. and E.N.E.
Had they seen the island, as I must necessarily sup-
pose they did not, they must, as I thought, have en-
deavoured to have saved 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, on seeing my light, they might have got into
their boat, and have endeavoured to make to the
shore, but the sea going very high, they might have
been cast away. Other times I imagined that they
might have lost their boat before, as might be the
case many ways; as particularly by the breaking of
the sea upon their ship, which many times obliges
men to stave, or take in pieces their boat, and some-
times to throw it overboard with their own hands.
Other times I imagined they had some other ship or
ships in company, which, on the signals of distress
they had made, had taken them up, and carried them
off. Other times Ifancied they were all gone off to
sea in their boat, and being hurried away by the cur-
rent that I had been formerly in, were carried out
into the great ocean, where there was nothing but
misery and perishing, and that they might by this
time think of starving, and of being in a condition
to eat one another.
As all these were but conjectures at best, so, in the
condition I was in, I could do no more than look on
the misery of the poor men, and pity them, which
had still this good effect on my side, that it gave me
more and more cause to give thanks to God, who had
so happily and comfortably provided for me in my
desolate condition, and that of two ships’ companies,
who were now cast away upon this part of the world,
not one life should be spared but mine. I learnt here

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 185
again to observe that it is very rare the providence
of God casts us into any condition of life so low, or .
any misery so great but we may see something to be
thankful for and may see others worse than ourselves.
Such certainly was the case of these men, of whom
I could not so much as see room to suppose any of
them were saved; 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 ta-
ken up by another ship in company; and this was
but mere possibility indeed; for I saw not the least
signal or appearance of any such thing.
I cannot explain by words, what a strange long-
ing or hankering of desires I felt in my soul on this
sight, breaking out sometimes thus:–“O that there
had been but one or two, may but one soul saved out
of the ship, to have escaped to me, that I might 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, Inever felt so earnest, so
strong a desire, after the society of my fellow-crea-
tures, or so deep a regret at the want of it.
There are some secret moving springs in the af-
fections, which, when they are set a-going by some
object in view, or be it some object, though not in
view, yet rendered present to the mind by the power
of imagination, whose motion carries out the soul by
its impetuosity to such violent eager embracings of
the object, that the absence of it is insupportable.
Such were these earnest wishings, that but one man
had been saved. O that it had been but one ! and I
believe I repeated the words “O that it had been
but one !” a thousand times; and my desires were
so moved by it, that when I spoke the words, my
hands would clench together, and my fingers press
the palms of my hands, that if I had had any thing
soft in my hand it would have crushed it ; and my
teeth in my head would strike together, and set
against one another so strong, that for some time I
could not part them.

186 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
Let the naturalists explain these things, and the
reason and manner of them ; all I can say is, to de-
scribe the fact, which was even surprising to me when
I found it, though I knew not from what it should
proceed; it was, doubtless, the effect of ardent
wishes, and strong ideas formed in my mind, realiz-
ing the comfort which the conversation of one of my
fellow-christians would have been to me.
But it was not to be ; either their fate, or mine, or
both, forbade it; for, till the last year of my being in
this island, I never knew whether any were saved
out of the ship or no; and had only the affliction,
some days after, to see the corpse of a drowned boy
washed on shore, at the end of the island, which was
next the shipwreck. He had on a seaman's waist-
coat, a pair of open knee'd linen drawers, and a blue
linen shirt; but nothing to direct me 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
of more value to me than the first. -
It was now calm, and I had a 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;
and possibly there might be , yet some living crea-
ture on board, whose life I might not only save, but
might, by saving that life, comfort my own to the
last degree; and this thought clung so to my heart,
that I could not be quiet night or day, but I must
venture out in my boat on board this wreck; and
committing the rest to God’s providence, I thought
the impression was so strong upon my mind, that it
could not be resisted, that it must come from some
invisible direction, and that I should be wanting to
myself if I did not go.
Under the power of this impression, I hastened
back to my castle, prepared every thing for my voy-
age, took a quantity of bread, a great pot of fresh
water, a compass to steer by, a bottle of rum (for I
had still a great deal of that left,) a basket full of

ROBINSON CEUSOE, , 187
raisins, and thus loading myself with every thing
necessary, I went down to my boat, got the water
out of her, and got her afloat, loaded all my cargo in
her, and then went home again for more. My second
cargo was a great bag full of rice, the umbrella to
set up over my head for a shade, another pot full of
fresh water, and about two dozen of my small loaves,
or barley cakes, more than before, with a bottle of
goat’s milk, and a cheese ; all which, with great la-
bour and sweat, I brought to my boat, and praying
to God to direct my voyage, I put out; and rowing
or paddling the canoe along the shore, I 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 venture. I looked on
the rapid currents which ran on both sides of the is-
land, 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 fore-
saw, that if I was driven into either of these currents,
I should be carried a vast way out to sea, and perhaps
out of reach, or sight of the island again; and that,
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 Ibegan
to give over my enterprise, and having hauled my
boat into a little creek on the shore, I stepped out,
and sat down upon a little spot of rising ground,
very pensive and anxious, between fear, and desire
about my voyage ; when, as I was musing, I could
perceive that the tide was turned, and the flood came
on, upon which my going was for so many hours im-
practicable. Upon this it presently occurred to 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 floods 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 samerapidness of the currents. This thought
188 ROBINSON CEUSOE,
was no sooner 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 set of the tide, and which way I was to
guide myself in my return. Here I found that as the
current of the ebb set out close by the south point of
the island, so the current of the flood set in close by
the shore of the north side; and that I had nothing
to do but to keep to the north of the island in my
return, and I should do well enough.
Encouraged with this observation, I resolved the
next morning to set out with the first tide; and re-
posing myself for that night in the canoe, under the
great watch-coat I mentioned, Ilaunched out in the
morning. I made first a little out to sea, full north,
till I began to feel the benefit of the current which
set eastward, and which carried me at a great rate,
and yet did not so hurry me as the southern side cur-
rent had done before, and so as to take from me all
government of the boat; but, having a strong steer-
age with my paddle, I went directly for the wreck,
and in less than two hours I came up to it.
It was a dismal sight to look at; the ship, which
by the building was Spanish, stuck fast, jambed in
between two rocks; all the stern and quarter of her
was beaten to pieces with the sea; and as her fore-
castle, which stuck in the rocks, had run on with
great violence, her main-mast and fore-mast were
brought by the board, that is to say, broken short
off; but her bowsprit was sound, and the head and
bow appeared firm. When I came close to her, a
dog appeared upon her, which, seeing 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, and found him almost dead for hunger and
thirst. I gave him a cake of my bread, and he ate
it like a ravenous wolf that had been starving for a
fortnight in the snow. Ithen gave the poor creature
some fresh water, with which, if I would have let
him, he would have burst himself.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. , 189
After this I went on board. 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 probable, 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 strangled
with the constant rushing.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, or 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 got two of them safe 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 she had a great deal of
wealth on board; and, if I may guess by the course
she steered, she must have been bound from Buenos
Ayres, or the Rio de la Plata, in the south part of
America, beyond the Brazils, to the Havannah, in the
gulf of Mexico, and so perhaps to Spain.
I found, besides these chests, a little cask full of
liquor, of about twenty gallons, which I got into my
boat with much difficulty. There were several mus-
kets in a cabin, and a great powder-horn with about
four pounds of powder in it; as for the muskets, I
had no occasion for them, so I left them, but took
the powder-horn. I took a fire shovel and tongs,
which I wanted extremely; as also two little brass
kettles, a copper pot to make chocolate and a grid-
iron; and with this cargo and the dog, I came away,
the tide beginning to make home again, and the
same evening, about an hour within night, I reach-
ed the island again, weary and fatigued to the last.

190 ROBINSON GRUSOE,
I reposed that night in the boat, and in the morn-
ing I resolved to harbour what I had gotten in my
new cave, not to carry it home to my castle. After
refreshing myself, I got all my cargo on shore, and
began to examine it. The cask of liquor I found to
be a kind of rum, but not such as we had at the
Brazils, and in a word not at all good. But when
I came to open the chests, I found several things I
wanted; for example, I found in one a fine case of
bottles, of an extraordinary kind, and filled with
cordial waters, fine, and wery good ; the bottles held
about three pints each, and were tipped with silver.
I found two pots of very good succades, or sweet-
meats, so fastened 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 welcome, being
exceedingly refreshing to wipe my face on a hot
day. Besides this, when I came to the till in the
chest, 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 doub-
loons of gold, and some small bars of gold; I sup-
pose 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 glaz-
ed powder in three small flasks, kept, I suppose, for
charging their fowling-pieces on occasion. Upon
the whole, I got very little by this voyage that was
of much use to me, for, as to the money, I had no
manner of occasion for it, it was to me as the dirt
under my feet, and I would have given it all for
three or four pair of English shoes and stockings,
which were things I greatly wanted, for I had not
had a pair on my feet for many years. I had, in-

ROBINSON CRUSOE. 191
deed, gotten two pair of shoes now, which I took off
the feet of the two men whom I found drowned in
the wreck; and I found two pair more in one of the
chests, which were very welcome to me; but they
were not like our English shoes, either for ease or
service, being rather what we call pumps than shoes.
I found in this seaman's chest about fifty pieces of
eight in royals, but no gold; I suppose this belong-
ed to a poorer man than the other, which seemed to.
belong to some officer.
Well, however, I lugged this money home to my
cave, and laid it up, as I had done that before which
I had brought from my own ship; but it was a great
pity, as Isaid, that the other part of the ship had not
come to my share, for I am satisfied I might have
loaded my canoe several times with money, which, if
I had ever escaped to England, would have lain here
safe enough till I might have come and fetched it.
Having now brought all my things on shore, and
secured them, I went back to my boat, and rowed or
paddled her along the shore to her harbour, where
Ilaid her up, and made the best of my way to my ha-
bitation, where I found everything safe and quiet ;
so I began to reposemyself, live after my oldfashion,
and take care of my family affairs; and for a while I
lived easy enough, only I was more vigilant than I
used to be, looked out oftener, and did not go abroad
so much; and if I did stir with any freedom it was
always to the east part of the 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, that was always to let me know it
was born to make my body miserable, was all these
two years filled with projects and designs, how, if it
were possible, Imight get away from this island; for
sometimes I was for making another voyage to the

192 ROBINSON GRUSOE,
wreck, though my reason told me, that there was
nothing left there worth the hazard of my voyage;
sometimes for a ramble one way, sometimes another;
and I believe if I had got the boat that I went from
Sallee in I should have ventured to sea.
I have been, in all my circumstances, a memento
to those who are touched with that general plague
of mankind, whence, for ought I know, one half of
their miseries flow ; I mean, that of not being satis-
'fied with the station wherein God hath placed them.
For, not to look back upon my primitive condition,
and the excellent advice of my father, the opposi-
tion to which was, as I may call it, my original sin,
my subsequent mistakes of the same kind have been
the means of my coming into this miserable condi-
tion; for had that providence, which so happily had
seated me at the Brazils as a planter, blessed me
with confined desires, and could I have been con-
tented to have gone on gradually, I might have been
by this time, I mean in the time of my being in this
island, one of the most considerable planters in the
Brazils; nay, I am persuaded that, by the improve-
ments I had made in that little time I lived there,
and the increase I should probably have made had Î
staid, I might have been worth a hundred thousand
moidores. And what business had I to leave a set-
tled fortune, a well-stocked plantation, improving
and increasing, to turn supercargoto Guinea to fetch
negroes, when patience and time would have so in-
creased our stock at home, that we could have bought
them at our own doors from those whose business it
was to fetch them, and though it had cost us some-
thing more, yet the difference of that price was by
no means worth saving at so great a hazard.
But as this is ordinarily the fate of young heads,
so reflection upon the folly of it is generally the ex-
ercise of more years, or of the dear-bought experi-
ence of time; and so it is with me now; and yet so
deep had the mistake taken root in my temper, that
RoBINSON GRUSOE, * 193
I could not satisfy myself in my station, but was
continually poring upon the means and possibility
of my escape frum this place. -
I am now to be supposed to beretiredinto my castle,
after my late voyage to the wreck, my frigate laid
up, and secured under water as usual, and my con-
dition restored to what it was before. I had more
wealth, indeed, than I had before, but was not at all
the richer; for I had no more use for it than the In-
dians of Peru had before the Spaniards came thither.
It was one night, in the rainy season in March,
the four-and-twentieth year of my first setting foot
in this land of solitariness, I had the following
dream; viz., that as I was going out in the morning,
as usual from my castle, I saw upon the shore two
canoes, and eleven savages coming to land, and that
they brought with them another savage, whom they
were going to kill, in order to eat him, when on a
sudden the savage that they were going to kill, made
his escape, and ran for his life; and then I thought
in my sleep, that he came running into my little
grove, before my fortification, to hide himself; and
that I seeing him, and not perceiving that the others
sought him that way, showed myself to him, and
encouraged him; that he kneeled down to me, seem-
ing to pray to me to assist him ; upon which I show-
ed my ladder, made him go upon it, and carried him
into my cave, and he became my servant; and that
as soon as I had got this man, I said to myself,
“Now I may venture to the main land, for this fel-
low will serve me as a pilot, and tell me what to do,
and whither to go for provisions, and whither not to
go for fear of being devoured; what places to ven-
ture into, and what to escape.” I awoke with this
thought, and was under such inexpressible impres-
sions of joy at the prospect of my escape in my
dream, that the disappointment I felt on coming to
myself, and finding it was no more than a dream,
was really extravagant the other way, and threw me
in; a véry great dejection of spirits.
102 N .
(94 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
- * * * - . . . " i. <-- - * . . . . . . . . .
Upon this, however, I made this conclusion, that
my only way to go about an attempt for an escăpe
was, to try to get a savage in my possession; and, if
possible, it should be one of their prisoners, whom
they had condemned to be eaten, and should bring
hither to kill; but these thoughts still were attended
with this difficulty, that it was impossible to effect
this without attacking a whole caravan of them, and
killing them all; and this was not only a very des-
perate attempt, and might miscarry, but, on the other
hand, I had scrupled at the lawfulness of it to me, and
my heart trembled at the thought of shedding blood,
though it was for my deliverance.
However, at last, after many secret disputes with
myself, and after great perplexities about it,the eager
desire of deliverance at length mastered all the rest,
and I resolved, if possible, to get one of these savages
into my hands, cost what it would. My next thing
then was to contrive how to do it; and this indeed
was very difficult to resolve on ; but as I could pitch
upon no probable means for it, so I resolved to put
myself upon the watch, to see them when they came


on shore, and leave the rest to the event, taking such
measures as the opportunity should present.
With these resolutions in my thoughts, I set my-
self upon the scout, as often as possible, and indeed
so often, till I was heartily tired of it; for I waited
above a year and a half, and for a great part of that
time went out to the west end, and to the south-west
corner of the island, almost every day, to see for the
canoes, but none appeared. This was very discou-
raging, and began to trouble me much ; though I can-
not say that it did in this case, as it had done some
time before that, viz., wear off the edge of my desire
to the thing; but the longer it seemed to be delayed,
the more eager I was for it. In a word I was not at
first more careful to shun the sight of these savages,
and avoid being seen by them, than I was now eager
to be upon them. .
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 195
. A . . . . . . - - - • * >
Besides, Ifancied myself able to manage one, may,
two or three Savages, if I had them, so as to make
them entirely slaves to me, to do what I should direct
them, and to prevent their being able at any time to
do me any hurt. It was a great while that I pleased
myself with this affair; but nothing still presented;
all my fancies and Schemes came to nothing, for no
savages came near me for a great while.
About a year and a half after I had entertained
these notions, and by long musing had, as it were,
resolved to put them into execution, I was surprised
one morning early with seeing no less than five ca-
noes, all on shore together, on my side of the island,
and the people who belonged to them all landed. The
number of them broke all my measures, for seeing so
many, and knowing that they always came four 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 lay still in
my castle, perplexed and discomforted. However, I
put myself into all the same postures for an attack
that I had formerly provided, and was just ready for
action, if anything had presented. Having waited a
good while, listening to hear if they made any noise,
at length, being very impatient, I set my guns at the
foot of my ladder, and clambered up to the top of the
hill by my two stages, as usual; standing so, how-
ever, that my head did not appear above the hill; so
that they could not perceive me by any means. I
here observed, by the help of my perspective glass,
that they were no less than thirty in number, that
they had a fire kindled, and that they had meat dres-
sed; how they cooked it I know not, or what it was;
but they were all dancing in I know not how many
barbarous gestures and figures, round the fire.
While I was thus looking on them, I perceived, by
my perspective glass, two miserable wretches drag-
ged from the boats, where, it seems, they were laid
by, and were now brought out for the slaughter, I


196 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
perceived one of them immediately fall, being knocked
down, I suppose, with a club, or wooden sword, for
that was their way; and two or three others were at
work, cutting him open for their cookery, while the
other victim was left standing by himself, till they
should be ready for him. In that very moment this
poor wretch seeing himself a little at liberty, nature
inspired him with hopes of life, and he started away
from them, and ran with incredible swiftness along
the sands, directly towards me, I mean towards that
part of the coast where my habitation was.
I was dreadfully frighted (that I must acknow-
ledge,) when I perceived him to run my way, and
especially when, as I thought, I saw him pursued by
the whole body; and I expected that part of my
dream was coming to pass, and that he would take
shelter in my grove; but I could not depend, by any
means, on my dream for the rest of it, viz., that the
savages would not pursue him thither, and find him
there. 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 that he outstripped
them exceedingly in running, and gained ground on
them, so that if he could but hold out for half an
hour, I saw he would fairly get away from them.
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 knew he must necessarily swim over, or the poor
wretch would be taken there ; but when the savage
who was escaping, came thither, he made nothing of
it, though the tide was then up, but plunging in, he
swam through it in about thirty strokes, or there-
abouts, landed, and ran on with exceeding strength
and swiftness. When the three pursuers came to the
creek, I found that two of them could swim, but the
third could not, and that he, standing on the other
side, looked at the others, but went no further, and

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 197
soon after went softly back again, which, as it hap-
pened, was very well for him.
I observed that the two who swam were yet twice
as long swimming over the creek, as the fellow was
that fled from them. . It came now very warmly on
my thoughts, and indeed irresistibly, that now was
my time to get me a servant, and, perhaps, a com-
panion or assistant, and that I was called plainly, by
providence, to save this poor creature's life. I im-
mediately got down the ladders, fetched my two
guns, for they were both at the foot of the ladders,
and getting up again with the same haste to the top
of the hill, I crossed towards the sea ; and, having a
very short cut, and all down hill, clapped myself in
the way between the pursuers and the pursued, hal-
looing aloud to him that fled, who, looking back, was
- at first as much frighted at me, as at them ; but I
beckoned with my hand to him to come back, and,
in the mean time, I slowly advanced towards the two
that followed ; then rushing at once upon the fore-
most, I knocked him down with the stock of my
piece ; I was loath to fire, because I would not have
the rest to hear, though at that distance it would
not have been easily heard, and being out of sight of
the smoke, too, they would not have known what to
make of it. Having knocked this fellow down, the
other who followed him, stopped, as if he had been
frightened, and I advanced apace towards him, but
as I came nearer, I perceived presently he had a bow
and arrow, and was fitting it to shoot at me, so I
was then necessitated to shoot at him first, which I
did, and killed him at the first shot. The poor savage
who fled, but had stopped, though he saw both his .
enemies fallen, and killed (as he thought), yet was
so frighted with the noise and fire of my piece, that
he stood stock-still, and neither came forward nor
went backward, though he seemed rather inclined
to fly still, than to come on.' I hallooed again to him,
and made signs to him to come forward, which he
198 EOPINSON CRUSOE.
easily understood, and came a little way, then stop-
ped again, and then a little further, and stopped
again ; and then he stood trembling, as if he had
been taken prisoner, and had just been to be killed,
as his two enemies were. I beckoned to him again
to come to me, and gave him all the signs of encour-
agement 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 then he kneeled down again, kissed the
ground, and taking my foot, set it 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, I per-
ceived the savage whom I knocked down was not
killed, but stunned with the blow, and began to come
to himself. So I pointed to him, showing him the
savage, that he was not dead; upon this he spoke
some words to me, and though I could not under-
stand 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 about five-and-
twenty years. But there was no time for such re-
flections now. The savage who was knocked down,
recovered himself so far as to sit up on 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 sa-
vage, for so I call him now, made a motion to me to .
lend him my sword, which hung naked in a belt by
my side ; so I did. He no sooner had it than he runs
to his enemy, and, at one blow, cut off his head as
cleverly, no executioner 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,
RoBINSON CRUSOE. . 199
they make their wooden swords so sharp, so heavy,
and the wood is so hard, that they will cut off heads
and arms with them, and that at one blow too. And
when he had done this, he comes laughing to me in
sign of triumph, and brought me the sword again,
and laid it down, with the head of the savage he had
killed just before me.
He was astonished how I had killed the other In-
dian, so far off ; and, going to him, he stood like one
amazed, looking at him, turning him first on one
side, then on the other ; looked at the wound the
bullet had made, which was in the breast, where it
had made a hole, and no great quantity of blood had
followed, but he had bled inwardly, for he was quite
dead. Then he took up his bow and arrows, and
came back, and I beckoned for us to go away, mak-
ing signs 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 ; so I made signs for him to do so; he fell
to work, and had them both buried in the sand in
about a quarter of an hour. I then called him away,
and took him not to my castle, but to my cave, on
the further part of the island; so I did not let my
dream come to pass in that respect, viz., that he came
into my grove for shelter. Here I gave him bread,
and a bunch of raisins to eat, and a draught of wa-
ter, which he was in great distress for, by his run-
ning ; and having refreshed him, I made signs for
him to go to sleep, pointing to a place where I had
laid a great parcel of rice straw, and a blanket on it
which I used to sleep on myself sometimes; so the
poor creature went to sleep. *
e was a comely, handsome fellow, perfectly well -
made, tall, and well shaped, and, as I reckon, about
twenty-six years of age. He had a very good coun-
tenance, not a fierce and surly aspect, but seemed to
have something very manly in his face, and yet he
had all the sweetness and softness of a European,
200 ROBINSON GRUSOE,
in his countenance too, especially when he smiled.
His hair was long and black, not curled like wool,
his forehead very high and large, and a great vivaci-
ty and sparkling sharpness in his eyes. The colour
of his skin was not quite black, but very tawny, and .
yet not of an ugly, yellow, nauseous, tawny, as the
Brazilians, and Virginians, and other natives of Am-
erica are, but of a bright kind of a dun olive colour,
that had in it something very agreeable, though not
very easy to describe. His face was round and
plump, his nose, small, not flat like the Negroes, a
very good mouth, thin lips, and his teeth fine, well
set, and white as ivory. After he had slumbered
about half an hour, he waked, and came out of the
cave to me, for I had been milking the goats in the
enclosure just by. When he espied me, he came run-
ning, and laid himself on the ground again, with
all the possible signs of an humble, thankful disposi-
tion, making many antic gestures to show it. At
last he lays his head flat upon the ground, close to
my foot, and sets my other foot upon his head, as he
riad done before, and after this, made all the signs
to me of subjection, servitude, and submission im-
aginable, to let me know how much he would serve
me as long as he lived. I understood him in many
things, and let him know I was well pleased with
him. In a little time I began to speak to him, and
teach him to speak to me; and first, made him to
know his name should be Friday, which was the day
I saved his life. Ilikewise taught him to say “Mas-
ter,” and then let him know that was to be my name
I also taught him to say, “Yes,” and “No,” and to
know the meaning of them. I gave him some milk
in an earthen pot, and some bread, and let him see
me drink before him, and sop my bread in it, which
he quickly imitated, and made signs that it was very
good for him.
I kept there with him all that night; but as soon -
as it was day, I took him away with me. As we went

RoBINSON GRUSOE. 201
by the place where we had buried the two men, he
pointed exactly to the spot, and showed me the marks
he had made to find them again, making signs to me
that we should dig them up and eat them ; at this I
appeared very angry, expressed my abhorrence of it,
made as if I would vomit at the thoughts of it, and
beckoned with my hand to him to come away, which
he immediately did with great submission. I then
led him to the top of the hill, to see if his enemies
were gone, and pulling out my glass, I looked and
saw plainly the place where they had been, but no
appearance of them or their canoes; so they were
quite gone.
I then took my man Friday with me, giving him .
the sword in his hand, with the bow and arrows at .
his back, which I found he could usevery dexterously,
making him carry one gun, and myself two, away
we marched to the place where these creatures had
been. When I came there, my very blood ran chill
in my veins, and my heart sunk within me at the
horror of the spectacle. Indeed it was a dreadful
sight; the place was covered with human bones, the
ground dyed with blood, great pieces of flesh left
here and there, half eaten, mangled and scorched,
and, in short, all the tokens of the triumphant feast
they had been making there, after a victory over
their enemies. I saw three skulls, five hands, and
the bones of three or four legs and feet, and abun-
dance of other parts of the bodies; and Friday, by
his signs, made me understand that they brought
over four prisoners to feast upon, that three of them
were eaten, and that he, pointing to himself, was the
fourth ; and that there had been a great battle be-
tween them and their next king, whose subjects it
seems he had been one of, and that they had taken a
great number of prisoners, all of which were carried
to different places by those that had taken them in
the fight, in order to feast upon them, as was done
here by these wretches.
202 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
. . . .
I caused Friday to gather all the bones and flesh .
that remained, and lay them together in a heap, and
burn them to ashes. I found that he had still an: -
hankering stomach after the flesh, and was still a
cannibal in his nature, but I displayed such abhor-
rence at the very thoughts of it, that he durst not
discover it; for I let him know that I would kill him
if he offered it.
When we had done this, we came back to our cas-
tle, where I gave Friday first of all a pair of linen
drawers, which I had got out of the gunner's chest
I found in the wreck, and which, with a little altera-
tion, fitted him very well; then I made him a jerkin
of goat's skin, as well as I was able; and I gave him
a cap, which I had made of a hare's skin; and thus
he was dressed, for the present, tolerably well; and . .
mighty well was he pleased to see himself almost as
well clothed as his master. He went awkwardly in
these things at first ; wearing the drawers was very
awkward to him, and the sleeves of the jerkin galled
his shoulders, and the inside of his arms; but he
soon got used to them.
The next day after I came home to my hut with
him, I began to consider where I should lodge him ;
so I made a little tent for him in the vacant place
between the two fortifications, in the inside of the
last, and in the outside of the first ; and as there was
an entrance there to the cave, Imade a formal framed
door-case, and a door to it of boards, and set it up in
the passage, a little within the entrance, and causing
the door to open in the inside, I 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-
most wall, without making so much noise in getting
over, that it must needs awaken me, for my first
wall had now a complete roof over it of long poles,
covering all my tent, and leaning up to the side of
the hill, which was again laid across with small
sticks instead of laths, and then thatched over a great
ROBINSON GRUSOE, 203
thickness with the rice straw, which was strong like
reeds; and at the hole or place which was left to go
in or out by the ladder, I had placed a kind of trap-
door, which, if it had been attempted on the outside
would not have opened at all, but would have fallen
down, and made a great noise. I took care to take
all the weapons into my side every night.
But I needed none of these precautions, for never
was a more faithful, loving, sincere servant than
Triday was to me; without passions, sullenness, or
designs; his very affections were tied to me, like
those of a child to its father, and, I dare say, he
would have sacrificed his life for the saving of my
own, upon any occasion whatever.
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 uses to which their facul-
ties, and the power of their souls are adapted, yet
that he has bestowed upon them the same powers,
the same reason, the same affections, the same senti-
ments of kindness and obligation, the same passions
and resentments of wrong, the same sense of grati-
tude, 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 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 melan-
choly sometimes, in reflecting, as the several occa-
sions 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 under-
standing; 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.

204 ROBINSON CRUSOE. .
From hence I sometimes was led too far to invade
the sovereignty of Providence, and, as it were,arraign
the justice of so 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
checked my thoughts with this conclusion; first,
that we did not know by what light and law these
should be condemned ; but that God was necessarily,
and by the nature of his being, infinitely holy and
just; so it could not be, but that if these creatures
were all sentenced to 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 just, though the foundation was not discover-
ed to us; and secondly, that still, as we are all clay
in the hand of the potter, no vessel could say to him,
“Why hast thou formed me thus?”
But to return to my new companion ; I was great-
ly delighted with him, and made it my business to
teach him every thing that was proper and useful,
and especially to make him speak, and understand
me when I spoke ; and he was a very apt scholar,
and he was so merry, so diligent, and so pleased
when he could understand me, or make me under-
stand him, that was pleasant for me to talk to him.
...And now my life began to be very easy and happy.
After I had been two or three days returned to my
castle, I thought, that in order to bring Friday off
from his horrid way of feeding, and from the relish
of a cannibal's stomach, I ought to let him taste
other flesh. So I took him out with me one morn-
ing to the woods, and I saw a she-goat lying down
in the shade, and two young kids close by her. I
catched hold of Friday; “Hold,” said I : “stand
still ;” and made signs to him not to stir ; immedi-
ately 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 205
not know, nor could imagine, how it was done, was
sensibly surprised, trembled, and shook, and looked
so amazed, that I thought he would have sunk down.
He did not see the kid I had shot at, nor perceive I
had killed it, but ripped up his waistcoat to feel if he
was not wounded ; and, as I found, thought I was
resolved to kill him ; for he came and kneeled down
to me, and embracing my knees, said a great many
things I did not understand, but I could see that his
meaning was to pray me not to kill him.
I soon found a way to convince him that I would
do him no harm ; and, taking him up by the hand,
laughed at him, and pointing to the kid I had killed
beckoned to him to run and fetch it, which he did,
and while he was looking to see how the creature
was killed, I loaded my gun again, and by and by I
saw a great fowl like a hawk, sit upon a tree within
shot; so, to let Friday understand a little what I
would do, I called him to me again, pointing at the
fowl, which was a parrot, though Ithought it had
been a hawk ; I say, pointing to the parrot and to
my gun, and to the ground under the parrot, to let
him see I would make him fall, I made him under-
stand that I would shoot and kill that bird ; accord-
ingly I fired, and bade him look, and immediately
he saw the parrot fall. He stood like one frightened
again, notwithstanding all I had said to him ; and I
found he was more amazed because he did not see
me put anything into the gun ; but thought there
must be some wonderful fund of death and destruc-
tion in that thing, able to kill man, beast, or bird, or
any other thing, near or far off; and I believe, if I
would have let him, he would have worshipped me
and my gun ; as for the gun itself, he would not so
much as touch it for several days after, but would
speak to it, and talk to it, as if it had answered him,
which, as I afterwards learned of him, was to desire
it not to kill him.
Well, after his astonishment was a little over at
206 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
this, I pointed to him to run and fetch the bird I had
shot, which he did, but staid some time for the par-
rot not being quite dead, was fluttered a good way
off from the place where it fell. However, he found
her, and brought her to me; and, as I had perceived
his ignorance about the gun before, I took this ad-
vantage to charge the gun again, and not let him
see me do it, that I might be ready for any other
mark, but nothing offered at that time. So I brought
home the kid, and the same evening took the skin
off, and cut it up 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 it,
but it would not do.
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 over the
fire in a string, as I had seen many people do in Eng-
land, setting two poles up, one on each side of the
fire and one across the top, and tying the string to
the cross stick, letting the meat turn continually.
This Friday admired much ; but when he came to
taste the flesh, he took so many ways to tell me how
he liked it, that I could not but understand him, and
at last he told he would never eat man’s flesh again,
which I was 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 ;
and he soon understood how to do it as well as I, es-
ROBINSON crusoe. s 207
pecially after he had seen what the meaning of it
was, and that it was to make bread of; for after that
I let him see me make my bread and 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.
I began now to consider that having two mouths
to feed instead of one, I must provide more ground
for my harvest, and plant a larger quantity of corn
than I used to do, so I marked out a larger piece of
land, and began the fence in the same manner as be-
fore, in which Friday not only worked very hard,
but very cheerfully; and I told him it was for corn
to make more bread, because he was now with me,
and that I might have enough for him and myself
too. He appeared very sensible of that part, and let
me know that he would work the harder for me if I
would tell him what to do.
This was the pleasantest year of all the life I led
in this place. Friday began to talk pretty well, and
understood the names of almost every thing I had
occasion to call for, and of every place I had occa-
sion to send him to, and talk a great deal to me ; so
that, in short, I began to have some use for my
tongue again. Besides the pleasure of talking to him
I had a singular satisfaction in the fellow himself;
his simple, unfeigned honesty appeared to be more
and more every day, and I began really to love him,
and I believe he loved me as much as possible.
I had a mind once to try if he had any bankering
inclination to his own country; and having learned
him English so well, that he could answer me almost
any questions, I asked him whether the nation that
he belonged to never conquered in battle. At which
he smiled, and said, “Yes, yes; we always get the
better in fight : and so we began the following dis-
course :—“You always fight the better l’” said I :
“how came you to be taken prisoner then, Friday ?”
Friday.—My nation beat much for all that. ,
Master.—How beat P If your nation beat them
how come you to be taken P

208 RoPINSON GRUSOE.
Friday.—They more than my nation in the place
where me was ; they take one, two, three and me.
My nation over beat them in yonder place, where me
no was ; there my nation take one, two, great thou-
sand.
Master.-But why did not your side recover you
from the hands of your enemies then
Friday.—They run one, two, three, and me, and
make go in the canoes; my nation have no canoe
that time.
Master.—Well, Friday, and what does yournation
do with the men they take P Do they carry them
away and eat them, as these did P
Friday.—Yes, my nation eat mans too, eat all up.
Master.—Where do they carry them?
Friday.—Go to other place, where they think.
Master.—Do they come hither P
I'riday.—Yes, yes, they come hither ; come other .
else place.
Master.—Have you been here with them P
Friday.—Yes, I been here. (Points to the N. W. .
side of the island, which it seems was their side.)
By this I understood that my man Friday had
formerly been among the savages, who had used to
come on shore on the further parts of the island, on
the said man-eating occasions that he had been now
brought for; and some time after, when I took cour-
age to carry him to that side he presently knew the
place, and told me he was there once when they eat
up twenty men, two women, and one child.
After I had had this discourse with him, I asked
him how far it was from our island to the shore, whe-
ther the canoes were not often often lost. He told
me that there was no danger, no canoes ever lost ;
but that, after a little way out to sea, there was a
current, and a wind always one way in the morning,
the other in the afternoon.
This I thought to be no more than the sets of the
tide, as going out or coming in ; but I afterwards un-
ROBINSON CEU SOE. 209
derstood it was occasioned by the great draught and
reflux of the mighty river Oronoque ; in the mouth
of which river, as I thought afterwards our island
lay; and that this land, which I perceived to the
W. and N. W., was the great island of Trinidad, on
the north point of the mouth of the river. I aske
Friday a thousand questions about the country, the
inhabitants, the sea, and coast, and what nations
were near : he told me all he knew, with the great-
est openness imaginable. I asked him the names of
the several nations of his sort of people, but could
get uo other name than caribs ; from whence I easi-
ly understood that these were the Caribbees, which
our maps place on that part of America which reaches
from the mouth of the river Oronoque to Guialla,
and onwards to St. Martha. He told me that up a
great way beyond the moon, which must be west
from their country, there dwelt white, bearded men,
like me, and pointed to my great whiskers, which I
mentioned before, and that they had killed “much,
mans,” that was his word. By all which I under-
stood he meant the Spaniards, whose cruelties in
America had been spread over whole countries, and
were remembered by all the nations from father to son.
I inquired if he could tell me how I might come
from this island, and get among those white men P.,
He told me yes, yes, I might go in “two canoe.” I
could not understand what he meant by “two ca-
noe,” till at last, with difficulty, I found he meant
that it must be a large boat, as big as two canoes.
This part of Friday's discourse began to relish with
me very well; and from this time I entertaiued some
hopes that, one time or other, I might find an oppor-
tunity to make my escape from this place, and that
this poor savage might be a means to help me to do it.
was now wanting to lay a foundation of religious
knowledge in Friday's mind; particularly I asked
him one time who made him. The poor creature did
not *and me, but thought I had asked him
* O - .
210 RoBINSON GRUSOE.
who was his father. But I took it another way, and
asked him who made the sea, the ground he walked
on, and the hills and the 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 moou or the stars. I asked him
then, if this person had made all things, why did not
all things worship him. He looked very grave, and
with a perfect look of innocence said, “All things
said O to him.” I asked him if the people who die in
his country went away any where. 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 governed the world by the
same power and providence by which he had made
it; that he is omnipotent, could do every thing for
us, give every thing to us, take every thing from
us; and thus, by degrees, I opened his eyes. He lis-
tened with great attention, and received with plea-
sure the notion of Jesus Christ being sent to redeem
us, and of the manner of making our prayers to God,
and his being able to hear us even in heaven. He
told me one day, that if our God could hear us be-
yond the sun, he must needs be a greater God than
their Benamuckee, who lived but a little way off,
and yet could not hear till they went up to the great
mountains, where he dwelt, to speak to him. I ask-
ed him if he ever went thither to him : he said, no;
they never went that were young men; none went
thither but the old men, whom he called their Oo-
wokakee, that is, as I made him explain it to me,
their religious, or clergy; and that they went to say
O (so he called saying prayers,) and then came back,
and told them what Benamuckee said. By this I ob-
served that there is priestcraft even among the most
blinded ignorant Pagans in the world. -
.*
RoBINSON GRUSOE. 211
I endeavoured to clear up this fraud to my man
Friday, and told him, that the pretence of their old
men going up the mountains to say O ! to their god,
J3enamuckee, was a cheat; and their bringing word
from thence what he said, was much more so ; that
if they met with any answer, or spoke with auy one
there, it must be an evil spirit; and then I entered
into a long discourse with him about the devil, the
original of him, his rebellion against God, his enmity
to man, the reason of it, his setting himself up in the
tark parts of the world to be worshipped instead of
God, and as God, and the many stratagems he made
use of to delude maukind to their ruin; how he had a
secret access to our passions, and to our affections, to
adapt his snares so to our inclinations, as to cause us
even to be our own tempters, and to run upon our
own destruction, by our own choice.
I found it was not so easy to imprint right notions
in his mind about the devil, as it was about the be-
ing of a God. Nature 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; 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, aud to draw
us in to do so too. And the poor creature puzzled
me once in such a manner, by a question merely na-
tural and innocent, 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 dreadful
aversion to sin, his being a consuming fire to the
workers of iniquity; 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
God's enemy in the hearts of men, and used all his
malice and skill to defeat the good designs of Pro-

212 ROBINSON CEUSOE,
vidence, and to ruin the kingdom of Christ in the
world, and the like :—“Well,” says Friday, “but
you say God is so strong, so great, is he not much
strong, much might, as the devil?”—“Yes, yes,”
said I, “Priday, God is stronger than the devil, God'
is above the devil, and therefore we pray to God to
tread him under our feet, and enable us to resist his
temptations, and quench his fiery darts.” “But,”
says he again, “if God much strong, much might, as
the devil, why God not kill the devil, so make him
no more wicked P’’
I was surprised at his question, and after all,
though I was now an old man, I was but a young
doctor, and ill enough qualified for a casuist, or a
solver of difficulties. However, after a pause, I said,
“God will at last punish him severely ; he is reserv.
ed for the judgment, and is to be cast into the bot-
tomless pit, to dwell with everlasting fire.” This did
not satisfy Friday; but he repeats my words, “Re-
serve at last P me no understand. But why not kill
the devil not kill great ago?”—“You may as well
ask me,” said I, “why God does not kill you and
me, when we do wicked things that offend him ; we
are preserved to repent and be pardoned.” He muses
a while at this; “Well, well,” says he, “that well;
so you, I, devil, all wicked, all preserve, repent, God
pardon all.” Here I was run down again by him to
the last degree, and it was a testimony to me, how
the mere notions of nature, though they will guide
reasonable creatures to the knowledge of a God, and .
of a worship or homage due to the supreme being of
God, as the consequence of our nature; yet nothing
but divine revelation can form the knowledge of Je-
sus Christ, and of a redemption purchased for us, of
a Mediator of a new covenant, and of an Intercessor
at the footstool of God’s throne ; and that, therefore,
the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, I
mean the Word of God, and the Spirit of God, pro-
mised for the guide and sanctifier of his people, are
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 213'
.*
the absolutely necessary instructors 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 on some sud-
den occasion of going out, then sending him for some-
thing a great way off, I prayed to God that he would
enable me to instruct 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
speak so to him from the Word of God, as his con-
science might be convinced, his eyes opened, and his
soul saved. When he came again to me, I entered
into a long discourse with him on the subject of the
redemption of man, by the Saviour of the world, and
of the doctrine of the Gospel preached from heaven,
viz., of repentance towards God, and faith in our
blessed Lord Jesus. I then explained to him, as well
as I could, why our blessed Redeemer took not on
him the nature of 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.
I had, God knows, more sincerity than knowledge,
in all the methods I took for this poor creature's in-
struction, and must acknowledge what I believe all
that act upon the same principle will find, that, in
laying things open to him, Ireally informed and in-
structed myself in many things that I either did not
know or had not fully considered before, but which
occurred naturally to my mind, upon my searching
into them for the information of this poor savage;
and I had more affection in my inquiry after things
upon this occasion than ever I felt before; so that
whether this poor wild wretch was the better for me
or no, I had great reason to be thankful that ever he
came to me; my grief sat lighter upon me, my habi-
tation grew comfortable to me beyond measure, and
214 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
when I reflected that, in this solitary life which I
had been confined to, I had not only been moved to
look up to Heaven, and to seek the Hand that brought
me hither, but was now to be made an instrument.
under Providence, to save the life, and for aught I
knew, the soul of a poor savage, and bring him to
the true knowledge of religion. and of the Christian
doctrine, that he might know Christ Jesus, “whom
to know is life eternal.”
In this thankful frame I continued the remainder
of my time, and the conversation which employed
the hours between Friday and me was such as made
the three years, which we lived there together, per-
fectly 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 bet-
ter than I, though I have reason to hope, and bless
God for it, that we were equally penitent, and com-
forted restored penitents. We had here the word of
God to read, and no further off from his Spirit to
instruct, than if we had been in England. I always
applied myself to reading the Scriptures, and to let
him know, as well as I could, the meaning to what
I read.
After Friday and I became more intimately ac-
quainted, and he could understand almost all I said
to him, and speak fluently, though in broken Eng-
lish, to me, I acquainted him with my history. I let
him into the mystery of gunpowder and bullets, 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 frog hanging to it, such as in England
we wear hangers in, and in the frog, instead of a
hanger I gave him a hatchet. -
I described to him the countries of Europe, and
particularly England, which I came from ; how we
lived, how we worshipped God, how we behaved to
one another, and how we traded in ships to all parts
of the world. I gave him an account of the wreck
ionisson causon. . . 215
which I had been onboard of, and showed him as near
as I could the place where she lay; but she had been
all gone long ago. -
I showed him the ruins of our boat, which we lost
when I escaped, and which was now fallen almost to
pieces. Upon seeing the boat, Friday stood musing
some time, and said nothing. I asked him what 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 further into it, I under-
stood by him, that a boat, such as that had been,
came on shore upon the country where he lived ; that
is, as he explained it, was driven thither by stress of
weather. I presently imagined, that some European
ship must have been cast away upon their coast, and
the boat might get loose, and drive ashore; but was
so dull that I never once thought of men making
their escape from a wreck thither, much less whence
they might come, so I only inquired after a descrip-
tion of the boat.
Friday described the boat to me well enough; but
brought me better to understand him when he add-
ed with some warmth, “We save the white mans
from drown.” Then I presently asked him if there
were any white man, as he called them, in the boat,
“Yes,” he said, “the boat full of white mans.” I
asked him, “How many ?” he told me upon his fin-
gers seventeen. I asked him, “What became of
them P''. He told me, “They live, they dwell at my
nation.”
This put new thoughts into my head again, for I
presently imagined that these might be the men be-
longing to the ship that was cast away in sight of
my island, and who, after the ship was struck on
the rock, and they saw her inevitably lost, had saw-
ed themselves in their boat and were landed upon
that wild shore among the savages.
Upon this, I inquired of him more critically, what

216 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
was become of them ; he assured me they still lived
there, that they had been there about four years,
that the savages let them alone, and gave them vic-
tuals to live. I asked him how it came to pass that
they did not kill them and eat them. He said, “No,
they make brother with them,” that is, as I under-
stood 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 after this, some considerable time, that be-
ing on the top of the hill, at the east side of the is-
land, from whence I had, in a clear day, discovered
the main or continent of America, Friday, the wea-
ther being very serene, looks very earnestly towards
the main land, and, in a kind of surprise, falls a
jumping and dancing, and calls out to me; I asked
him what was the matter. “O joy,” says he, “O
glad! There see my country ! there my nation 1"
I observed an extraordinary sense of pleasure ap-
peared in his face, his eyes sparkled, and his counte-
nance discovered a strange eagerness, as if he had a
mind to be in his own country again ; and this obser-
vation of mine put a great many thoughts into me
which made me at first not so easy about my new
man Friday as I was before ; and I made no doubt,
but that if Friday could get back to his own nation
again, he would not only forget all his religion, but
all his obligation to me. ... *
ut I wronged the poor honest creature very much
for which I was sorry afterwards ; however, as my
jealousy increased, and held me some weeks, I was
a little more circumspect, and not so familiar and
kind to him as before, in which I was certainly in
the wrong. -
Whilst my jealousy of him lasted, I was every day
pumping him to see if he would discover any of the
new thoughts, which I suspected were in him ; but
I found everything he said was honest, and so in-
ROBINSON CEUSOE. 217
nocent, that I courd find nothing to nourish my sus-
picion, 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 dcceit.
One day, walking up the same hill, but the wea-
ther 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, “I be much glad to be
at my own nation.”—“What would you do there P’’
said I, “would you turn wild again, eat man’s flesh
again, and be savage as you were before ?” He look-
ed 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 meant by this, they would be willing to
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,” said he, “me
make them no eat you ; me make they much love
ou.” He meant he would tell them how I had kil-
ed his enemies, and saved his life, and so he would
make them much love me. -
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 made no doubt, were Spainards
or Portuguese ; not doubting but, if I could, we
might find some method to escape from thence, be-
ing on the continent, and a good company together,
better than I could from an island, forty miles off
the shore, and alone without help. So after some
218 BoBINSON GRUsos.
days, I took Friday to work again, by way of dis-
courses, and told him, I would give him a boat to go
back to his own nation ; and accordingly carried him
to my frigate, which lay on the other side of the is-
land, and having cleared it of the water, I brought
it out, showed it him, and we both went into it.
I found he was very dexterous at managing it, and
would make it go almost as swift again as I could, so
I said to him, “Well, now, Friday, shall we go to
your nation º’’ He looked very dull at my saying so
which it seems, was because he thought the boat
was too small to go so far. I told him then I had a
bigger; so the next day I went to the place where
the boat lay, which I had made, but which I could
not get into the water. He said that was big enough,
but as I had taken no care of it, and it had lain
two or three and twenty years there, the sun had
split and dried it that it was in a manner rotten.
Friday told me that such a boat would do very well,"
and would carry “ much enough vittle, and bread;”
that was his way of talking.
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 go and 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 mad with Friday 2
what me done P” I asked him what he meant ;
told him I was not angry with him at all. “No
angry ! no angry I’’ says he repeating the words se-
veral times, “why send Friday home away to my
nation ?”—-“Why,” said I, “Friday, did you not say
you wished you were there P’’—“Yes, yes,” says he,
“wished we 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 !” I
said, “what should I do there P’’ He turned very
quick upon me at this—“You do great deal much
RoPINson causor. . ; 219
good,” says he, “you teach wild mans be good, so-
ber, tame man ; you tell them know God, pray God,
and live new life.”—“Alas, Friday,” said I, “thou
knowest not what thou sayest, Iain but an ignorant
man myself.”—“Yes, yes,” says he, “you teachee
me good, you teachee them good.”—“No, no, Fri-
day,” said I, “you shall go without me; leave me
here to live by myself as I did before.” He
looked confused at this, and running to one of the
hatchets which he used to wear, he takes it up hast-
ily, and gives it me. “What must I do with this P”
said I to him. “You take kill Friday,” says he.
“What must I kill you for P’’ said I again. He re-
turns very quick, “What you send Friday away for P
Take kill Friday ; no send Friday away.” As he
spoke, tears stood in his eyes, and I was so affected,
that I said I would never send him away, if he was
willing to stay with me. s
I found that all the foundation of his desire to go
to his own country was laid in his ardent affection to
the people, and his hopes of my doing them good ; a
thing, which as I had no notion of myself, so I had
not the least thought, or intention, or desire of un-
dertaking it. But still I found a strong inclination
to attempting an escape, as above, founded on the
supposition gathered from the former discourse, viz.,
that there were seventeen bearded men there ; and
therefore, without any more delay, I went to work
with Friday, to find out a great tree proper to fell,
and make a large periagua, or canoe, for the voyage.
After searching some time, Friday at last pitched on
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,0r
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
it into a boat, but I showed him how rather to cut
220 BoBINSON GRUSOE.
out with tools, which after I showed him how to use
he did it 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 showed 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 rollers, into the water, but
when she was in, she would have carried twenty men
with ease. -
It amazed me to see with what dexterity, and how
swift my man 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, “me venture over in her very well, though
great blow wind.” However, I had a further de-
sign that he knew nothing of, and that was to make
a mast and a sail, and to fit her with an anchor and
cable. As to the mast, that was easy enough to get,
so I pitched upon a straight young cedar tree, which
I found near the place, and which there was plenty
of in the island; and I set Friday to work to cut it
down, and gave him directions how to shape and
order it; but as to the sail, that was my particular
care. I knew I had pieces of old sails, but as I had
had them now twenty-six years by me, and not being
very careful to preserve them, they were nearly all
rotten. However, I found two pieces which appeared
pretty good, and with a great deal of pains, and
awkward tedious stitching, for want of needles, I at
length made a three-cornered ugly thing, like what
we call in Eugland a shoulder-of-mutton sail, to go
with a boom at bottom, and a little short sprit at the
top, such as usually our ships' long-boats sail with,
and such as I best knew how to manage, because it
was such a one as I used in the boat in which I made
my escape from Barbary. -
I was near two months in rigging and fitting out
my mast and sails, for I fitted them very complete,
RoBINSoN cRUSOE. 221
making a small stay, and a sail, a fore-sail to it, to
assist, if we should turn to windward; and, which
was more than all, I fixed a rudder to the stern to
steer with, and though I was but a bungling ship-
wright, yet as I knew the usefulness and even neces-
sity of such a thing, I applied myself with so much
pains to do it, that at last I brought it to pass.
After all this was done, I had ruy 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 what belonged to a sail
and a rudder, and how the sail jibbed, and filled this
way or that way, as the course we sailed changed ; I
say, when he saw this, he stood like one astonished
and amazed. However, with a little use, I made all
these things familiar to him, and he became an ex-
pert sailor, except as to the compass, I could make
him understand very little of that; but there was not
much occasion for the compass in these parts.
I was 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 the rest of the time.
I kept the anniversary of my landing here with the
same thankfulness to God for his mercies as at first ;
and if I had such cause of acknowledgment at first,
I had much more so now, having such additional tes-
timonies of the care of Providence over me, and the
great hopes I had of being effectually and speedily
delivered ; for I had an invincible impression upon
my thoughts, that my deliverance was at hand, and
that I should not be another year in this place.
However, I went on with my work as usual.
The rainy season was in the mean time upon me,
when I kept more within doors than at other times;
so I had stowed our new vessel as secure as we could,
bringing her up into the creek, where, as I said in
the beginning, Ilanded my rafts from the ship; and .
>
, 222 Robinsos crusoe.
f
thus we waited for the months of November and
December, in which Idesigned to make my adventure.
When the settled season began to come in, the
first thing I did was to lay by a certain quantity of
provisions, being the stores for our voyage; and I
intended 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 bade 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 running back, and flew over my
outward wall, or fence, like one that felt not the
ground ; and before I had time to speak to him, he
cried out to me, “O master O master O sorrow !
ad!”—“What's the matter, Friday?” said I.
“O yonder there,” says he, “one, two, three canoe
one, two, three!” By this way of speaking, I con-
cluded there were six ; but, on inquiry, I found there
were but three. “Well, Friday,” said I, “do not be
frightened;” so I heartened him 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 trem-
bled so, that I scarce 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 as well as him. “Dut,” 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 them that we do not kill.” So I
asked him whether, if I resolved to defend him, he
would defend me, and stand by me, and do just as I
bade him. He said, “Me die when you bid die,
master.” So I gave him a good dram of rum; and
when he had drunk it, I made him take the two
Robinson CBUsor. 223
fowling-pieces, and load them with swan-shot, as
big as small pistol-bullets; then I took four muskets
and loaded them with two slugs and five small bul-
lets each; and my two pistols I loaded with a brace
of bullets each. I hung my great sword, as usual,
naked by my side, and gave Friday his hatchet.
When I had thus prepared myself, I took my per-
spective glass, and went up to the side of the hill to
see what I could discover, and I found quickly by
my glass that there were twenty-one savages, three
prisoners, and three canoes; and that their whole
business seemed to be the triumphant banquet upon
these three human bodies; but nothing more than
I had observed as usual with them.
They were landed, not where they had done when
Friday made his escape, but nearer to my creek,
where the shore was low, and where a thick wood
came close almost down to the sea. This, with the
abhorrence of the inhuman errand these wretches
came about, so filled me with indignation, that I
came down to Friday, and told him I was resolved to
go down to them and kill them all, and asked him if
he would stand by me. He had 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.”
In this fit of fury, I took first and divided the
arms which I had charged, as before, between 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 pow-
der and bullets; and as to orders, I charged him to
keep close behind me, and not to stir, or shoot, or do
any thing till I bade him ; and, in the mean time,
not to speak a word. In this posture I fetched a
compass to my right hand of near a mile, as well to
get over the creek as to get into the wood, so that I
224 Robinson CRusoe.
might come within a shot of them before I should
be discovered, which I had seen was easy to do. .
I entered the wood with all possible wariness and
silence (Friday following close at my heels,) and
marched till I came to the skirt of the wood, on the
side which was next to them ; only that one corner
of the wood lay between me and them. Here I called
softly to Friday, and showing him a great tree, which
was just at the corner of the wood, I bade him go to
the tree, and bring me word if he could see there
plainly what they were doing. He did so, and came
immediately back to me, and told me they might be
plainly 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
the white, bearded man, and, going to the tree, I saw
plainly by my glass a white man, who lay upon the
loeach of the sea, with his hands and feet tied with
flags, or rushes, or things like rushes, 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, by going a little way about, I
saw I might come at undiscovered, and that then I
should be within half a shot of them. So I withheld
my passion, and, going back about twenty paces, I
got behind some bushes, which held 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 not a moment to lose; for nineteen of the
wretches sat upon the ground, all close huddled to-
gether, and had just sent the other two to butcher
the poor Christian, and bring him, perhaps, limb by
A
g =
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 225
limb, to their fire; and were stooped down to untie
the bands at his feet. I turned to Friday; “Now,
Friday,” said I, “do as I bid thee.” Friday said he
would. “Then, 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,
aud Friday did the like by his ; and with tha other
musket I took aim at the savages, bidding him do
the like; then asking him if he was ready, he said,
“Yes.”—“Then fire at them,” said I; and the same
moment I fired also.
Friday took his aim so much better than I, that
on the side he shot he killed two of them, and
wounded three more; and, on my side, I killed one,
and wounded two. They were in a dreadful con-
sternation; and all of them who were not hurt jump-
ed upon their feet immediately, but did not know
which way to run, or which way to look, for they
knew not from whence their destruction came. Fri-
day kept his eyes close upon me, that, as I bid him,
he might observe what I did ; so, as soon as the first
shot was made, I threw down the piece and took up
the fowling-piece, and Friday did the like; he sees
me cock and present; he did the same again. “Are
you ready, Friday P” said I. “Yes,” said he. “Let
fly, then,” said I, “in the name of God;” and with
that I fired again among the amazed wretches, and
so did Friday; and as our guns were loaded with
what I call swan-shot, or small pistol bullets, we
found only two drop; but so many were wounded,
that they ran about yelling and screaming like mad
creatures, all bloody and wounded, most of them;
and three more fell after, but not quite dead.
“Now, Friday,” said I, laying down the discharg-
ed piece and taking up the musket, which was yet
loaded, “follow me,” which he did with a deal of
courage; upou which I rushed out of the wood and
showed myself, and Friday close at my foot. As
won, § I perceived they saw me, I shouted as loud
P
226 BoEINSON CRUSOE. --
as I could, and bade Friday do so too; and running
as fast as I could, which, by the way, was not very
fast, I made towards the poor victim, who was, as I
said, lying on 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 bade him step forwards and
fire at them ; he understood me immediately, and,
running about forty yards to be nearer them, he shot
at them, and I thought he had killed them all, for I
saw them all fall on a heap in the boat, though I saw
two of them up again quickly; however, he killed
two of them, and wounded the third, so that he lay
in the bottom of the boat as if he had been dead.
While 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 ask-
ed him, in the Portuguese tongue, what he was. He
answered, in Latin, “Christianus;” but was so
weak and faint, that he could scarce stand to speak.
I took my bottle out of my pocket and gave it him,
making signs that he should drink, which he did, and
I gave him a piece of bread, which he ate. Then I
asked him what countryman he was, and he said
“Espagnole,” and being a little recovered, let me
know, by all the signs he could possibly make, how
much he was in my debt for his deliverance. I said
in as good Spanish as I could, “we will talk after-
wards, but we must fight now : if you have any
strength left, take the pistol and sword and lay about
you.” He took them very thankfully, and no sooner
had he the arms in his hand, but, as if they put new
vigour into him, he flew upon his murderers like a
fury, and had cut two of theim in pieces in an in-
stant ; for they were so surprised and frightened, that
they could make no resistance, nor attempt to escape.
BOEINSON GRÜSOE, 227
I kept my piece in my hand still, without firing,
being willing 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 quickly
did ; and then giving him my musket, I sat down 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 wooden swords, the same weapon
that was to have killed him before, if I had not pre-
vented it. The Spaniard, who was very bold, though
weak, had fought this Indian a good while, and had
cut him two great wounds on his head ; but the sa-
vage, 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 under-
most, wisely quitted the sword, drew the pistol from
his girdle, and shot him dead on the spot.
Friday, being now left at his liberty, pursued the
flying wretches with no weapon in his hand but his
hatchet ; and with that he dispatched those three
who were wounded at first and fallen, and all the
rest he could come up with ; and the Spaniards com-
ing to me for a gun, I gave him one of the fowling-
pieces, with which he pursued two of the savages,
aud wounded them both ; but as he was not able to
run, they both got from him into the wood, where
Friday pursued them, and killed one cf them ; but
the other was too nimble for him ; and though he
was wounded, yet had plunged into the sea, and
swam with all his might off to those who were left
in the canoe, which three in the canoe, with one
wounded, we know not whether he died or no, were
all that escaped out of one-and-twenty.
Those that were in the canoe worked hard to get
out of gun-shot; and though Friday made two or
228 IROBINSON Crºtºsop.
three shots at them, I did not find that he hit any of
them. Friday would fain have had me take one of
their canoes and pursue them, and indeed I was very
anxious about their escape, lest, carrying the news
home to their people, they should come back, per-
haps, with two or three hundred of their canoes, and
devour us by mere multitude; so I consented to pur-
sue them by sea ; and running to one of their 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 hard, neck and heels, and had
been tied so long, that he had little life in him.
I immediately cut the twisted flags, or rushes, that
bound him, and would have helped him up ; but he
could not stand or speak, but groaned most piteous-
ly, believing, it seems, still, that he was only un-
bound in order to be killed. When Friday came, I
bade him speak to him, and tell him of his deliver-
ance ; and pulling out my bottle, made him give the
poor wretch a dram, which, with the news of his be-
ing delivered, revived him, and he sat up in the boat
but when Friday came to hear him speak, and look-
ed in his face it would have moved any one to tears
to have seen how Friday kissed him, embraced him
hugged him, cried, laughed, hallooed, jumped about
danced, sung, then cried again, wrung his hands,
beat his own face and head, and then sung and
jumped about again, like a 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 to himself, he said that it was his father.
It is not easy for me to express how it moved me,
to see what ecstasy and filial affection had worked in
this poor savage, at the sight of his father, and of his
being delivered from death ; uor indeed can Ide-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 229
scribe half the extravagance of his affection after
this, for he went into the boat and out of the boat, a
great many times. When he went in to him, he
would sit down by him, open his breast, and hold
his father's head close to his bosom half an hour to-
gether, to nourish it ; then he took his arms, and
ancles, which were numbed and stiff with the bind-
ing, and chafed and rubbed them with his hands;
and I perceiving what the case was, gave him some
rum out of my bottle to rub them with, which did
them a great deal of good.
This action put an end to our pursuit of the canoe
with the other savages, who were now gotten almost
out of sight ; and it was happy for us that we did
not, for it blew so hard within two hours after, and
before they could be gotten a quarter of their way,
and continued blowing so hard all night, and that
from the north-west, which was against them, that I
could not suppose their boat could live, or that they
ever reached to their own coast.
But to return to Friday, he was so busy about his
father, that I could not find in my heart to take him
off for some time : but after I thought he could leave
him a little, I called him to me, and he came jump-
ing and laughing, and pleased to the highest ex-
treme. Then I asked him if he had given his father
any bread. He shook his head, and said, “None :
ugly dog eat 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, but 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 of his foot that ever I 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

230 ROBINSON CBUSOE,
too 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 near-
er I found his pace was slacker because he had some-
thing in his hand.
When he came to me, I found he had been 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. The water
revived his father more than all the rum or spirits I
had given him, for he was fainting with thirst.
When his father had drunk, 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 as much in 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 on a green pale, under the shade of a tree,
and whose limbs were also very stiff, and very much
swelled with the bandage he had been tied with.
When I saw that upon Friday's coming up to him
with the water, he sat up and drank, and took the
bread and began to eat, I went up to him and gave
him a handful of raisins. He looked up in my face
with all the tokens of gratitude and thankfulness that
could appear in any countenance ; but was so weak,
notwithstanding he had so exerted himself in the
fight, that he could not stand on his feet; he tried
to do it two or three times, but was really notable,
his ancles were so swelled, and so painful to him; so
Ibade him sit still, and caused Friday to rub his
ankles, and bathe them with rum, as he had done
his father's.
I observed the poor affectionate creature, every
two minutes, or perhaps less, all the while he was
here, turned his head about to see for his father; and
at last he missed him, at which he started up, and,
ROBINSON GRUSOE, 231
without speaking a word, flew with that swiftness to
him, that one could scarce perceive his feet to touch
the ground as he went; but when he came, he found
he had only laid himself down to ease his limbs. So
Friday came back to me presently, and I then told
him to help the Spaniard to the boat; so he took him
upon his back, and carried him beside his father in
the boat, and 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 safe 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. 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, which he did ; but they were neither
of them able to walk, so that poor Friday knew not
what to do.
At last we made a kind of hand-barrow to lay
them on, and Friday and I carried them up both to-
gether 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 a very handsome tent,
covered with old sails, and above that with boughs of
trees, being in the space without our outward fence,
and between that and the grove of young wood which
I had planted ; and here we made them two beds of
such things as I had, viz., 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 in subjects; and it was a merry reflection
which I frequently made, how like a king I looked,
232 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
First of all, the whole country was my own mere pro-
perty, so that I had an undoubted right of dominion.
Secondly, my people were perfectly subjected; I was
the absolute lord and lawgiver; they all owed their
lives to me, and were ready to lay down their lives,
if there had been occasion for it, for me. It was re-
markable, too, I had but three subjects, and they
were of three different religions; Friday was a pro-
testant ; his father was a pagan and a cannibal ; and
the Spaniard was a papist. However, I allowed li-
berty of conscience to all my subjects.
As soon as I had secured my two weak, rescued
prisoners, and given them shelter, and a place to rest
upon, I began to think of making some provision
for them; and the first thing I did, I ordered Friday
to take a yearling goat, betwixt a kid and a goat, out
of my particular flock, to be killed. Then I cut off
the hinder quarter, and chopping it into small pieces,
I set Friday to work to boiling and stewing, and made
them a very good dish of flesh and broth, and we all
enjoyed it, and ate heartily.
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 from 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 ; and I
also ordered him to bury the horrid remains of their
barbarous feast; all of which he performed.
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 could never live out the storm which blew
that night they went off, but must be drowned or
driven south to those other shores, where they were
as sure to be devoured as they were to be drowned,
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 233
if they were cast away; but as to what they would
do, if they came 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
moise and the fire, that he believed they would tell
their people they were allkilled by thunder and light-
ning, and not by the haud of man ; and that the two
which appeared (viz., Friday and I) were two hea-
venly spirits and furies come down to destroy them,
and not with weapons. And this old savage was
right; for though they escaped the sea, they gave
such dreadful accounts in their own country, (as I
heard afterwards,) that they never ventured to that
part of my island again. . -
ut I was under coutinual apprehensions for some
time, and kept upon my guard, I and all my army,
for as we were now four of us, I would have ventured
upon a hundred of them in the open field.
In a little time, however, no more canoes appear-
ing, the fear of their coming wore off, and I began
to take my former thoughts of a voyage to the main
into consideration, being assured by Friday's father
that I might depend upon good usage from their na-
tion, on his account, if I would go.
But my 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 sore
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 Havannah, 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 sea-
men on board, whom they took out of another wreck;
that five of their own men were drowned when first

234 BoBINSON cRUsog.
their ship was lost; and that these escaped through
infinite dangers and hazards, and arrived, almost
starved, on the cannibal coast, where they expected
to be devoured every moment.
He told me, they had some arms with them, but
they were useless, for they had neither powder nor
ball, the washing of the sea having spoiled all their
owder, but a little which they used at their first
anding, to provide themselves some food.
I asked him what he thought would become of them
there; and if they had formed no design of making
an escape. He said they had many consultations
about it, but having neither vessel nor tools to build
one, nor provision of any kind, their counsel always
ended in despair. I asked him how he thought they
would receive a proposal from me, which might tend
toward an escape; and whether, if they were all
here, it might not be done.
He told me they were all under the greatest dis-
tress imaginable, and if I would undertake their re-
lief they would live and die by me.
pon these assurances, I resolved to venture to
relieve them, if possible, and to send the old savage
and the Spaniard over to them to treat. But when
he had gotten all things in readiness to go, the Spa-
niard himself started an objection, which had so
much prudence in it on the one hand, and so much
sincerity on the other hand, that I could not but be
well satisfied in it; and by his advice, put off the de-
liverance of his comrades for at least half a year.
The case was thus:—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 assistance
of Providence, for my support; and he saw evident-
ly what stock of corn and rice I had laid up, which,
as it was more than sufficient for myself, so it was
not sufficient, at least without good husbandry, for
my family, now it was increased to the number of
four, but much less would it be sufficientif his coun-

HOBINSON CRUSOE, 235
trymen, who were, as he said, fourteen, still alive
should come over; and, least of all, would it be suffi- '
cient to victual our vessel, if we should build one,
for a voyage to any of the Christian colonies of Ame-
rica. So he told me he thought it would be more ad-
visable to let him and the two others dig and culti-
vate more land, as much as I could spare seed to sow;
and that we should wait another harvest, that we
might have a supply of corn for his countrymen when
they came; for want might be a temptation to them
to disagree, or not think themselves delivered, other-
wise than out of one difficulty into another.
His caution was so seasonable, and his advice so
good, that I could not but be very well pleased with
his proposals, as well as I was satisfied with his fidel-
ity. So we fell to digging, all four of us, as well as
the wooden tools we were furnished with permitted;
and in about a month's time, by the end of which it
was seed time, we had gotten as much land cured and
trimmed up as we sowed twenty bushels of barley
on, and sixteen jars of rice, which was, in short, all
the seed we had to spare.
Having now society enough, and our number be-
ing sufficient to put us out of fear of savages, if they
had come, unless their numbers had been very great,
we went freely all over the island, wherever we
found occasion; and as we had our escape or deli-
verance upon our thoughts, it was impossible, at
least for me, to have the means out of mine. To this
purpose 1 marked out several trees, which I thought
fit for our work, and I set Friday and his father to
cutting them down ; and then I caused the Spaniard
to oversee and direct their work. I showed them with
what indefatigable pains I had hewed a large tree
into single planks, and I caused them to do the like,
till they had made about a dozen large planks of
good oak, near two feet broad, thirty-five feet long,
and from two to four inches thick. What prodigious
labour it took up, any one may imagine,
236 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
At the same time, I contrived to increase my little
flock of tame goats as much as I could; and to this
purpose I made Friday and the Spaniard go out one
day, and myself with Friday the next day, for we
took our turns; and, by this means, we got about
twenty young kids to breed up with the rest, for
whenever we shot the dam, we saved the kids, and
added them to our flock. But, above all, the season
for curing the grapes coming on, I caused such a
F.". quantity to be hung up in the sun, that I
elieve, had we been at Alicant, where raisins are
cured, we should have filled sixty or eighty barrels;
and these, with our bread, was a great part of our food.
It was now harvest, and our crop in good order.
It was not the most plentiful increase I had seen in
the island, but, however, it was enough to answer
our end, for, from our twenty-two bushels of barley,
we brought in and threshed out above two hundred
and twenty bushels, and the like in proportion of the
rice, which was store enough for our food to the next
harvest, though all the fourteen Spaniards had been
on shore with me ; or, if we had been ready for a
voyage, it would very plentifully have victualled our
ship to have carried us to any part of the world, that
is to say of America. When we had thus housed and
secured our magazine of corn, we fell to work to
make more wicker-work, viz., great baskets in which
we kept it; and the Spaniard was very handy and
dexterous at this part.
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 had left behind him there. I gave him strict
charge not to bring any man with him, who would
not first swear, in the presence of himself and the old
savage, that he would in no way injure, fight with,
or attack the person he should find in the island,
who was so kind as to send for them, in order to their
deliverance ; but that they would stand by and de-
ROBINSON CRtſ's OE, 237
fend him against all such attempts, and wherever they
went they would be entirely under and subjected to
his command; and that this should be put in writ-
ing, and signed with their hands.
Under these instructions, the Spaniard and the old
savage went away in one of the canoes which they
came in, when they were brought as prisoners to be
devoured by the savages. I gave each of them a mus-
ket, and about eight charges of powder and ball,
charging them to be very careful 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, in view of my deliverance, for twenty-
seven years and some days. I gave them provisions
of bread and dried grapes sufficient for themselves
for many days, and sufficient for all their countrymen
for about eight days; and wishing them a good voy-
age, I let them go, agreeing with them about a sig-
nal they should hang out at their return, by which
I should know them again, when they came back, at
a distance, before they came on shore.
They went away, with a fair gale, on the day that
the moon was at the full, by my account, in the
month of October, as near as I could tell.
It was no less than eight days I waited for them,
when a strange and unforeseen occurrence interven-
ed, of which the like has not, perhaps, been heard of
in history. I was fast asleep in my hut one morn-
ing, when my man Friday came running in to me,
and called aloud, “Master, master, they are come,
they are come !” I jumped up, and regardless of
danger, went out, as soon as I could get my clothes
on, through my little grove; I went without my
arms, which it was not my custom to do; but I was
surprised, when, turning my eyes to the sea, I saw
a boat, at about a league and a half's distance, stand-
ing in for the shore, with a shoulder-of-mutton sail,
as they call it, and the wind blowing pretty fair to
bring them in. Also I observed, that they did not
238 foLINsos CRusoe.
come from that side which the shore lay on, but
from the southernmost end of the island. Upon this
I called Friday in, and bade 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 perspective
glass, to see what I could make of them ; and hav-
ing taken the ladder out, I climbed up to the top of
the hill, as I used to do, when I was apprehensive
of any thing, and to take my view plainer, without
being discovered. I had scarce set my foot on the
hill, when my eye plainly discovered a ship lying at
anchor, at about two leagues and a half's distance
from me, S.S.E., but not above a league and a half
from the shore. It appeared to be an English ship,
and the boat an English long-boat.
I cannot express the confusion I was in, though
the joy of seeing a ship, and one which I had reason
to believe was manned by my own countrymen, and
consequently friends, was such as I cannot describe;
but yet I had some secret doubts hung about me, I
cannot tell from whence they came, bidding me to
be on my guard. I began to consider what business
an English ship could have here; 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 storm to drive them in there, as in distress; and
that if they were English really, it was probable they
were here upon no good design, and that I had bet-
ter 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 ma
possibly think there is no danger of its being real.
That such hints and notices are given us, I believe
few, that have made any observations of things, can
deny; that they are certain 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
15:013INSON CRUSOE. 239
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 secretadmonition, I had been undone
inevitably, and in a far worse condition than before.
I had not kept myself long in that 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 I for-
merly landed my rafts, but run 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 Imay say, at my door, and would
soon have beaten me out of my castle, and, perhaps,
have plundered me of all I had.
When they were on shore, I was fully satisfied
they were Englishmen, at least most of them, one or
two I thought were Dutch, but it did not prove so.
They were in all eleven men, whereof three I found
were unarmed, and, (as Ithought) bound; and when
the first four or five of them were jumped on shore,
they took these three out of the boat as prisoners.
One of the three I could perceive using the most
passionate gestures of entreaty, affliction, and des-
pair; the other two lifted up their hands sometimes,
and appeared concerned indeed, but not so much 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 English, as well as he could, “O mas-
ter, you see English mans eat prisoners as well as
savage mans.”—“Why,” said I, “do you think they
are going to eat them then P’’—“Yes,” says Friday,
“ they will eat them.”—“No, no,” said I, “Friday,
I am afraid they will murder them, but you may be
Sure they will not eat them.”
240 foLINSON cRusoe.
All this while I had no thought of what the matter
really was, but expected every moment-the three
prisoners would be killed ; and once I saw one of the
villains lift up his arm, with a great cutlass or sword,
to strike one of the poor men, and I expected to see
him fall every moment. I wished heartily now for
my Spaniard, and the savage that was gone with
him; or that I had any way to have come undiscover-
ed within shot of them, that I might have rescued the
three men, for they had no fire-arms that I saw.
After observing the outrageous usage of the three
men, by the insolent seamen, I saw that the fellows
scattered about the land, as if they wanted to see
the country. I observed also, that the three other
men had liberty to go where they pleased, but that
they all three sat down upon the ground, very pen-
sive, and looked like men in despair.
It was just at the top of high-water when these
people came on shore, and while partly they stood
parleying with the prisoners they brought, and partly
while they rambled about to see what kind of place
they were in, they had carelessly stayed till the tide
was spent, and the water was ebbed considerably
away, leaving the boat aground. They had left two
men in the boat, who, as I found afterwards, having
drunk too much brandy, fell asleep. However, 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 what countrymen they were.
IROBINSON CRUSO.E. 241
All this while I kept myself close, not once daring
to stir out of my castle, any further than to my place
of observation, near the top of the hill. I knew it
would be 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 meantime, 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 to load himself with arms. I
took two fowling-pieces, and gave him three mus-
kets. My figure indeed was very fierce; I had my
formidable goat-skin coat on, with the great cap I
have mentioned, a naked sword by my side, two pis-
tols in my belt, and a gun upon each shoulder.
It was my design, as I said above, not to have made
any attempt until it was dark, but about two o'clock,
being the heat of the day, I found they were all gone
straggling into the woods, and, as I thought, were
all laid down to sleep. The three poor distressed
men, too anxious for their condition to get any sleep,
were sat down under the shelter of a great tree, at
about a quarter of a mile from me, and, as Ithought,
out of sight of any of the rest.
TJpon this I resolved to discover myself to them,
and learn something of their condition. I marched
with my man Friday at a good distance behind me,
as formidable for his arms as I, but not making so
staring a spectre-like figure as me. I came as near
them undiscovered as I could, and then, before any
of them saw me, I called aloud to them, in Spanish,
“What are ye, gentlemen?”
They started up at the noise, but were ten times
more confounded when they saw me, and the uncouth
figure I 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 English:-‘‘ Gentlemen,”
said # . do not be surprised at me; perhaps you may
* Q.
242 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
have a friend near you when you did not expect it.”
—“He must be sent direct from heaven then,” said
one of them very gravely to me, and pulling off his
hat at the same time, “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 be in great distress P. I
saw you when you landed; and when you seemed to
make application to the brutes that came with you,
I saw one lift up his sword to kill you.”
The poor man, with tears running down his face,
and trembling, looking like one astonished, returned,
“Am I talking to God or man P. Is it a real man, or
an angel?”—“Be in no fear about that, sir,” said I,
“if God had sent an angel to relieve you, he would
have come better clothed, and armed after another
manner than you see me. Pray lay aside your fears,
am a man, an Englishman, and disposed to assist
you, you see. I have one servant only ; we have
arms and ammunition. Tell us, can we serve you?
What is your case ?”
“Our case, sir,” said he, “is too long to tell you,
while our murderers are so near; but, in short, sir,
I was commander of that ship, my men have muti-
nied against me, they have been hardly prevailed
upon not to murder me, and, at last, have set me on
shore in this desolate place, with these two men with
me, one my mate, the other a passenger, where we
expected to perish, believing the place to be uninha-
bited, and 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
are, sir,” said he, pointing to a thicket of trees, “my
heart trembles for fear they have seen us, and heard
you speak; if they have, they will murder us all.”
“Have they any firearms?” said I. He answered,
“They have only two pieces, and one which they
left in the boat.”—“Well then,” said I, “leave the
rest to me. I see they are asleep. It is an easy

FOBINSON CIR USOE. - 243
thing to kill them all; but shall we rather take them
prisoners?” He told me there were two desperate
villains among them, that it was scarce safe to show
any mercy to, but if they were secured, he believed
all the rest would return to their duty. I asked him
which they were. He told me he could not, at that
distance, describe them ; but he would obey my or-
ders in any thing I would direct. “Well,” said I,
“let us retreat out of their view or hearing, lest they
awake, and we will resolve further.” So they wil-
lingly went back with me, till the woods covered us
from them. “Look you, sir,” said I, “if I venture
upon your deliverance, are you willing to make two
conditions with me?” He anticipated my proposals,
by telling me, that both he and the ship, if recover-
ed, should be wholly directed and commanded by
me in everything; and if the ship was not recover-
ed, he would live and die with me, in what part of
the world soever I would send him ; and the two
others 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 in 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. Secondly, 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
assurances that the invention and faith of man could
devise, that he would comply with these most rea-
sonable demands, and, besides, would owe his life to
me, and acknowledge it, upon all occasions, as long
as he lived. -
“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 showed all the
testimony of his gratitude that he was able; but
offered to be wholly guided by me. I told him I
244 ROBINSON CRUSOf.
thought it was hard venturing anything, but the best
method I could think of, was to fire upon them at
once, as they lay; and if any were not killed at the
first volley, and offered to submit, we might save
them, and so put it wholly upon God’s providence
to direct the shot.
He said very modestly that he was loath to kill
them, if he could help it, but that those two were in-
corrigible villains, and had been the authors of all
the mutiny in the ship, and if they escaped we should
be undone still, for they would go on board and
bring the whole ship's company, and destroy us all.
“Well then,” said I, “necessity legitimates my ad-
vice; for it is the only way to save our lives.” How-
"ever, seeing him still cautious of shedding blood, I
told him they should go themselves, and manage as
they found convenient.
In the middle of this discourse we heard some of
them awake, and soon after we saw two of them on
their feet. I asked him if either of them were the
men who, he had said, were the heads of the mutiny.
He said, “No.”—“Well, then,” said I, “you may
let them escape ; and providence seems to have
awakened them on purpose to save themselves.
Now,” said I, “if the rest escape you, it is your fault.”
Animated with this, he took the musket I had
given him in his hand, and a pistol in his belt, and
his two comrades with him, each man a piece in his
hand. The two men who were with him, going first,
made some noise, at which one of the seamen, who
was awake, turned about, and seeing them coming,
cried out to the rest; but it was too late then, for
the moment he cried out, the two men fired, the cap-
tain wisely reserving his own piece. They had so
well aimed their shot at the men they knew, that one
of them was shot 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 245
late to cry for help; he should call upon God to for-
give 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 Ja-
maica, from whence they came. They gave him all
the protestations of their sincerity that could be de-
sired, and he was willing to believe them, and spare
their lives, which I was not against; only I obliged
him to keep them bound, hand and foot, while they
were upon the island.
While this was doing, I sent Friday, with the cap-
tain’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 parted
from the rest, came back again upon hearing the
guns fired ; and seeing their captain, who was be-
fore their prisoner, now their conquerer, they sub-
mitted to be bound also.
It now remained that the captain and I should in-
quire into one another's circumstances. I began first,
and told him my whole history, which he heard with
an attention even to amazement, and particularly at
the wonderful manner of my being furnished with
provisions and ammunition; and indeed, as my story
is a whole collection of wonders, it affected him
deeply ; but when he reflected from thence on him-
self, and how I seemed 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.
After this communication was at an end, I carried
him and his two men into my apartment, leading
246 * ROBINSON CEUSOE.
them in just where I came out, viz., at the top of the
house, where I refreshed them with such provisions
as I had, and showed them all the contrivances I had
made during my long inhabiting this place.
All I showed to them, all I said to them, was per-
fectly amazing ; but, above all, the captain admired
my fortification, and how perfectly I had concealed
my retreat with a grove of trees, which having been
now planted near twenty years, and the trees grow-
ing much faster than in England, was become a lit-
tle wood, and so thick that it was impassable in any
part of it but at that one side where I had reserved
my little winding passage into it. This I told him
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 show 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 en-
tered into a cursed conspiracy, by which they had
all forfeited their lives to the law, would be harden-
ed in it now by desperation, and would carry it on,
knowing that if they were reduced they should be
brought to the gallows as soon as they came to Eng-
land, 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 it oc-
curred 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 see for them, and that then, perhaps,
they might come armed, and be too strong for us ;
this, he allowed, was rational.
Upon this, I told him the first thing we had to do
was to stave the boat, which lay upon the beach, so
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 247
\
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 swim. Accordingly we went on board, took
the arms which were left on board out of her, and
whatever else we found there, which was a bottle of
brandy, and another of rum, a few biscuits, a horn of
powder, and a great lump of sugar, in a piece ofcan-
vass ; the sugar was five or six pounds; all which
was very welcome to me, especially the brandy and
sugar, of which I had been without many years.
When we had carried all these things on shore, we
knocked a great hole in her bottom, that if they had
come strong enough to master us, yet they could not
carry off the boat.
Indeed, it was not much in my thoughts that we
could be capable to recover the ship ; but my view
was, that if they went away without a boat, I did
not much question to make her fit again to carry us
away to the Leeward Islands, and call on our friends
the Spaniards in my way.
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, besides, had broken a
hole in her bottom too big to be quickly stopped, 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 stirred, and they fired several
times, giving other signals for the boat.
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
off, 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. The cap-
tain knew the persons and characters of all the men

248 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
in the boat, 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.
Wehad, upon the first appearance of the boat's com-
ing from the ship, considered of separating our pri-
soners, and had indeed secured them effectually. Two
of them, of whom the captain was less assured than or-
dinary, Isent with Friday, and one of the three deliver-
ed men, to my cave, where they were remote enough,
and out of danger of being heard or discovered, or of
finding their way out of the woods. They left them
bound, but gave them provisions, and promised them
if they continued there quietly, to give them their li-
berty 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 con-
finement with patience.
The other prisoners had better usage, two of them
were kept pinioned indeed, because the captain did
not like to trust them, but the other two were taken
into my service, upon their captain's recommenda-
tian, and upon their solemnly engaging to live and
die with us. r
As soon as the new comers got to the place wher
the other boat lay, they ran their boat into the beach,
and came all on shore, hauling the boat after them,
that I was glad to see; for I was afraid they would
rather have left the boat at anchor, some distancefrcm
the shore, with some hands in her to guard her, and
So we should not be able to seize the boat.
Being on shore, they ran all to the other boat; and
it was easy to see they were under a great surprise
to find her stripped, and a great hole in the bottom,
After this, they set up a great shout ; but it was all

º,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. - 249
to no purpose ; then they came all close in a ring,
and fired a volley of their small arms, which indeed
we heard, and the echoes made the woods ring, but
it was all one ; those in the cave we were sure could
not hear, and those in our keeping, though they
heard it well enough, yet durst givenoanswer to them.
They were so surprised at this, as they told us af-
terwards, that they resolved to go all on board again
to their ship, and let them know there that the men
were all murdered, and the long boat staved ; ac-
cordingly, they immediatly launched their boat
again, and got all of them on board.
The captain was terribly amazed, and even con-
founded 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 lose the ship, which
he was in hopes we should have recovered, but he
was quickly as much frightened the other way.
They had not been long put off with the boat, but
we perceived them all coming on shore again ; and
they left three men in the boat, and the rest went 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 those 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 hope of recovering
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 shore, and came to an anchor to
wait for them, so that was impossible for us to come
at them in the boat.
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 perceive us. And


250 ROBINSON CRUSO.E.,
when they were come to the brow of the hill, where
they could see a great way into the valleys and
woods which lay towards the north-east part, and
where the island lay lowest, they shouted till they
were weary, and then they sat down to consider of
it. Had they gone to sleep there, as the other party
did, they had done for us; but they were too full
of apprehensions of danger to venture to go to sleep,
though they could not tell what the danger was.
he captain made a very just proposal to me upon
this consultation of theirs, viz., that perhaps they
would all fire a volley again, to endeavour to make
their fellows hear, and that we should all Sally upon
them just at the juncture when their pieces were all
discharged, and they would certainly yield, and we
should have them without bloodshed. I liked the
proposal, provided it was done while we were near
enough to come up to them before they could load
their pieces again.
But this event did not happen, and we lay still a
long time, very irresolute what course to take; at
length. I told him there would be nothing to be done
in my opinion, till night; and then, if they did not
return to the boat, perhaps wenight usesome strata-
gem with them in the boat to get them on shore.
We waited a great while, and were very uneasy;
when we saw them all start up, and march towards
the sea. It seems they had such dreadful apprehen-
sions upon them of the danger of the place, that they
resolved to go on board the ship again, give their
companions up for lost, and so go on their intended
voyage with the ship.
As soon as I perceived them go towards the shore,
I imagined that they had given over their search,
and were for going back again; and the captain was
ready to sink when I told him my thoughts, 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
ROBINSON GRUSOE, 251
the little creek westward, towards the place where
Friday was rescued, and at about half a mile dis-
tance, I bade them halloo as loud as they could, and
as soon as they heard the seamen answer them, they
should return it again, and then keeping out of sight,
take a round, and wheel about again to me by such
ways as I directed.
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 stop-
ped by the creek, the water being up, they could not
get over, and called for the boat to come and set
them over, as indeed I expected.
When they had set themselves over, Iobserved that
they took one of the three men out of her, and left
only two in the boat, having fastened her to a stump
of a little tree on the shore.
This was what I wished for; and 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 the shore between sleep-
ing and waking, and going to start up, the captain
who was foremost, ran in upon him and knocked
him down, and then called to him in the boat to
yield or he was a dead man.
There needed very few arguments to persuade a
single man to yield, when he saw five men upon him,
and his comrade knocked down; besides, this was, it
seems, one of the three men who were not so hearty
in the mutiny as the rest of the crew, and therefore
was easily persuaded not only to yield, but after-
wards to join very sincerely with us.
In the mean time, Friday and the captain’s mate
so well managed their business with the rest, that
they drew them, by hallooing and answering, from
one wood to another, till they not only heartily tired
them, but left them where they were very sure they
*
252 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
could not reach back before it was dark; and indeed
they were heartily tired themselves also by the time
they came back to us.
It was several hours after Friday came back to me
before they came back to their boat; and we could
hear the foremost of them, long before they came
quite up, calling to those behind to come along, and
could hear them answer, and complain how lame and
tired they were, and not able to come any faster,
which was very welcome news to us.
At length they came up to the boat; but it is im-
possible to express their confusion when they found
the boat fast aground in the creek, and their two
men gone; we could hear them telling one another
they had got on 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 carried away and devoured.
They hallooed again, and called their two com-
rades by their names, but got no answer. After some
time, we could see them by the little light there was,
run about like men in despair; and that sometimes
they would go and sit down in the boat to rest them-
selves, then come on shore again, and walk about,
and so the same thing over again.
My men would have fallen upon them in the dark,
but I was willing to spare them, and kill as few of
them as I could ; being unwilling to hazard the kill-
ing any of our men, knowing the others were well
armed. I resolved to wait and made sure of them,
and drew my ambuscade nearer, and ordered Friday
and the captain to creep on their hands and knees,
and get as near them as they possibly could, before
they offered to fire.
They had not been long in that posture when the
boatswain, who was the principal ringleader, and had
now shown himself the most dispirited of all the rest,
walked towards them with two more of the crew,
The captain was so eager, at having the principle

RÖf{INSON CRtſSOf. 253
rogue so much in his power, that he could hardly
have patience to let him come so near as to be sure
of him, for he only heard his tongue before; but
when they came nearer, the captain and Friday,
starting up on their feet, let fly at them.
The boatswain was killed on the spot, the next
man was shot through 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, generalissimo; Friday, my lieutenant general;
the captain, his two men, and the three prisoners of
war, whom we had trusted with arms.
We came upon them in the dark, so that they
could not see our number ; and Imade the man they
had left in the boat, who was now one of us, to call
them by name, to try if he could bring them to par-
ley, which fell out just as we desired. So he calls
out as loud as he could to one of them, “Tom Smith !
Tom Smith !” Tom Smith answered immediately,
“Who's that, Robinson P’ for it seems he knew his
voice. The other answered, “Aye, aye ; for God's
sake, Tom Smith, throw down your arms and yield,
or you are all dead men this moment l”
“Who must we yield to?—Where are they P’’ says
Tom Smith. “Here they are,” says he. “Here is
our captain, and fifty men with him, have been hunt-
ing you two hours. The boatswain is killed. Will
Trye is wounded, and I am a prisoner; if you do
not yield you are all lost.”
“Will they give us quarter,” says Tom Smith,
“and we will yield.”—“I’ll go and ask, if you pro-
mise to yield,” says Robinson. So he asked the cap-
tain, and the captain himself then called out, “You,
Smith, you know my voice; if you lay down your
arms immediately, and submit, you shall all have
your lives, all but Will Atkins.”
Upon this, Will Atkins cried out, “For God's
254 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
sake, captain, give me quarter! What have I done P
They have all been as bad as Il” which was not true,
for it seems this Will Atkins was the first man that
laid hold of the captain when they first mutinied.
However, the captain told him he must lay down his
arms at discretion, and trust to the governor's mercy,
by which he meant me, for they called me governor,
In a word, they all laid down their arms, and
begged their lives; and I sent the man that had
parleyed with them, and two more, who bound them
all; and then my great army of fifty men, which
particularly with those three, were all but eight,
came up 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 the ship; and as for the captain, now he
had leisure to parley with them, he expostulated with
them upon the villainy of their practices with him,
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 that the
governor was an Englishman ; and that he might
hang them all there if he pleased ; but, as he had
given them quarter, he supposed he would send them
to England, 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 a fiction 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, not to be sent
to England.
It now occurred to me that the time of our deli-
verance was come, and that it would be a most easy
thing to bring these fellowsin, 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-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 255
nor they had, and called the captain to me. When
I called, as at a good distance, one of the men was
ordered to speak again, and say to the captain,
“Captain, the commander calls for you;” and pre-
sently the captain replied, “Tell his excellency I am
just a-coming.” So they all believed the commander
was just by, with his fifty men. -
TJpon the captain's coming to me, I told him my
project for seizing the ship, which pleased him, and
resolved to put it in execution the next morning.
But in order to execute it with more art, and to
be sure of success, I told him we must divide the
prisoners, and that he should go and take Atkins
and two more of the worst of them, and send them
bound to the cave where the others lay. So Friday,
and the two men who came on shore with the cap-
tain, conveyed them to the cave as to a prison. The
other I ordered to my bower, where they were pin-
ioned, and left secure enough.
To these, in the morning I sent the captain, who
was to enter into a parley with them; in a word, to
try them, and tell me whether he thought they might
be trusted or no, to go on board and surprise the ship.
He talked to them of the injury done him, of the
condition they were brought to, and that though the
governor 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 en-
gagement for their pardon.
ny one may guess how readily such a proposal
would be accepted by men in their condition; they
fell down on their knees to the captain, and promised,
with deep imprecations, that they would be faith-
ful 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,” says the cap-
256 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
tain, “Imust 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 very secure,
I told him he should go back again, and choose out
five of them, and tell them that they should see that
they did not want men, but 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 if they proved unfaith-
ful in the execution, the five hostages should be
hanged 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 accept 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 ordered for the expedition :
First, the captain, his mate, and passenger. Second,
then the two prisoners of the first gang, to whom,
having their characters from the captain, I had
given their liberty, and trusted them with arms.
Third, the other two, whom I had kept in my bower
till now pinioned, were now released. Fourth, these
five released, at last ; so that there were twelve in
all besides five we kept in the cave, as hostages for
the fidelity of the others.
I asked the captain if he was willing to venture
with those hands on board the ship ; for as for me
and my man Friday, I did not think it proper for us
to stir, having seven men 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 sup-
ply them with necessaries; and I made the other
two carry provisions to a certain distance, where
Triday was to take it. -
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 257
When I showed myself to the two hostages, it was
with the captain, who told them I was the person
the governor had ordered to look after them, and
that it was the governor's pleasure they should not
stir any where, but by my direction; that if they
did, they should be fetched to the castle and be laid
in irons; so that we never suffered them to see me
as governor, so now I 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 before him, but
to furnish his two boats, stop the breach of one, and
man them. He made his passenger captain of one,
with four other men ; and himself, and his mate,
and five more, went in the other. And they contriv-
ed 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 he 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 chat, till they
came to the ship's side ; when the captain and the
mate, entering first with their arms, immediately
knocked down the second mate and the carpenter
with the butt-end of their muskets, being very faith-
fully seconded by their men. They secured all the
rest that were on the main quarter-deck, 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 scuttle which went down into the cook-room
making three men they found there prisoners. When
this was done, and all safe upon deck, the captain
ordered the mate, with three men, to break into the
round-house, where the new rebel captain lay, and
he having taken the alarm, was gotten up, and with
two men and a boy, had gotten fire-arms in their
hands ; and when the mate, with a crow, split open
the door, the new captain and his men fired boldly
102 R.
258 FOBINSON CRUSOE,
among them, and wounded the mate with a musket-
ball, which broke his arm, and 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 captain through the head, the
bullet entering at his mouth, and came out again be-
hind one of his ears, so that he never spoke a 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 seven
guns to be fired, which was the signal agreed upon
with me, to give me notice of his success, which, you
may be sure, I was glad to hear, having sat watching,
on the shore for it till two o'clock in the morning.
Having heard the signal plainly, I laid me down,
and being very much fatigued, I fell sound asleep,
when shortly I was awoke by the noise of a gun, and
starting up, I heard a man call me by the name of
“Governor,” and presently I knew the captain's
voice, when climbing up to the top of the hill, there
he stood, and pointing to the ship, he embraced me
in his arms. “My dear friend and deliverer,” says
he, “there's your ship ; for she is all yours, and so
are we, and all that belongs to her.” I cast my eyes
to the ship, and there she rode, about half a mile off
the shore, for they had weighed her anchor as soon
as they were inasters of her, and the weather being
fair, had brought her to an anchor just against the
mouth of a little creek, and the tide being up, they
had brought the pinnace in near the place where I
first landed my rafts, and so landed at my door.
I was, at first, ready to sink down with surprise,
for I saw my deliverance indeed visibly put into my
hands, all things easy, and a large ship just ready to
carry me away, whither I pleased to go... He per-
ceived my situation, and immediately pull a bottle
out of his pocket, and gave me a dram of cordial,
which he had brought on purpose for me. After I

ROBINSON CRUSOE. 259
drank it, I sat down upon the ground, and it was a
good while before I could speak to him.
After some time, I came to myself, and then Iem-
braced him in my turn, as my deliverer, and we re-
joiced together. I told him, I looked upon him as a
iman sent from heaven to deliver me, and that the
whole transaction seemed to be a chain of wonders;
that such things as these were the testimonies we
had of a secret hand of Providence governing the
world, and an evidence that the eyes of an infinite
Power could search into the remotest corner of the
world, and send help to the miserable whenever he
pleased : and I forgot not to return thanks to God
for all his mercies.
When we had talked a while, the captain told me
he had brought me some little refreshment, such as
the ship afforded, and such of the wretches, who had
been so long his masters, had not plundered him of.
|Upon this he called aloud to his men, and told them
to bring the things ashore that were for the gover-
nor; and, indeed, it was a splendid present. First,
he had brought me a case of bottles full of cordial
waters, six large bottles of Madeira wine, 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 hundredweight of tobacco. He brought me
also a box of sugar, a box of flour, a bag full of le-
mons, 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 good neckcloths of his own,
which had been worn very little; but the clothes felt
very awkward and uneasy upon me at first.
After all these things were brought into my little
apartment, we began to consult what was to be done
with the prisoners we had, and whether we might
venture to take them away with us or no, especially
two of them, whom we knew to be incorrigible and
refractory to the last degree, and the captain Said he

260 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
knew that they were such rogues, that there was no
obliging them ; and if he did carry them away, it
must be in irons, as malefactors, to be delivered over
to justice, at the first English colony he could come
at. Upon this I told him, I durst undertake to bring
the two men he spoke of to make it their own re-
quest that he should leave them upon the island, of
which the captain said he should be very glad.
accordingly sent for them, and entered seriously in-
to discourse with them upon their circumstances. One
of them answered in the name of the rest, that they
had nothing to say but this, that when they wereta-
ken, the captain promised them their lives, and they
humbly implored my mercy. But I told them that I
knew not what mercy to show to them, for, as for
myself, I had resolved to quit the island with all my
men, and had taken passage with the captainto go to
England, and as for the captain, he would not carry
them to England, but 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 which 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 could shift on shore.
They seemed very thankful for it: and said they
would rather venture to stay there, than to be car-
ried to England to be hanged.
I then told them, I would let them into the story
of my living there, and put them into the way of
making it easy to them. Accrdingly I gave them
the whole history of the place, and of my coming to
it ; showed 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 the story of the Spaniards that were to
loe expected, for whom I left a letter, and made them
promise to treat them in common with themselves.
I left them five muskets, three fowling-pieces, and

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 261
three swords. I had about a barrel and a balf of
powder, which I left them. ... I gave them a descrip-
tion of the way I managed the goats, and directions
to milk and fatten them, to make both butter and
cheese. In a word, I gave them every part of my
own story; and I told them I would prevail with
the captain to leave them two barrels of gunpowder
more, and some garden seeds, which I told them I
would have been very glad of ; also I gave them a
bag of peas which the captain had brought me, and
bade them to be sure to sow and increase them.
Having done all this, I left them the next day, and
went on board the ship. The next morning two of
the five men came swimming to the ship's side, and
making a most lamentable complaint of the other
three, begged to be taken into the ship, for God's
sake, for they should be murdered.
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 shortly after soundly whipped, after that
they proved very honest and quiet fellows.
Some time after this, I went with the boat on shore,
the tide being up, with the things promised to the
men, with which the captain, at my intercession,
sent their chests and clothes, which they took, and
were very thankful for. I also encouraged them, by
telling them that if it lay in my way to send any
vessel to take them in, I would not forget them.
When I quitted the island, I carried on board, for
relics, the great goat-skin cap I had made, my um-
brella, and one of my parrots ; also I forgot not to
take the money I had had laid by me so long useless.
And thus I left the island, the 19th of December,
by the ship's account, in the year 1686, after I had
been upon it twenty-eight years, two months, and
nineteen days; being delivered from the second cap-
tivity the same day of the month that I made my es-
cape from among the Moors at Sallee.
262 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
In this vessel, after a long voyage, I arrived in
England, the 11th of June, in the year 1687, having
been thirty-five years absent,
When I came to England, I was as perfect a stran-
ger as if I had never been known there. My bene-
factor and faithful steward, whom I left in trust with
my money, was alive, but had had great misfortunes
in the world, was become a widow the second time,
and was in very low circumstances. I made her easy
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, Irelieved her
as much as my little stock would afford, which at that
time would indeed allow me to do but little for her;
but I assured her I would never forget her former
kindness to me; nor did I forget her, when I had
sufficient to help her, at a future time.
I went down afterwards into Yorkshire; but my
father was dead, and my mother, and all the family
extinct, except two sisters, and two of the children of
one of my brothers; and as I had long ago been given
over for dead, there had been no provision made for
me, so that in a word, I found nothing to relieve, or
assist me, and the little money 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 not expect; and this was, that the master of the
ship, whom I had so happily delivered, having given
a very handsome account to the owners of the manner
how I had saved the lives of the men and the ship,
they invited me to meet them, and some other mer-
chants concerned, and all together made me a very
handsome compliment upon the subject, and a pre-
sent of almost two hundred pounds sterling.
But, after making several reflections upon the cir-
cumstances 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 could get any information of
the state of my plantation in the Brazils, and what
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 263,
was become of my partner, who, I supposed, had for
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 accom-
panying me very honestly in all these ramblings, and
proving a most faithful servant upon all occasions.
When I came to Lisbon, I found out by inquiry, and
to my particular satisfaction, my old friend, the cap-
tain 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 into the ship, and who
still used the Brazil trade. The old man did not know
me, and I scarcely knew him ; but he soon recollect-
ed me, when I told him who I was.
After some passionate expressions of our old ac-
quaintance, I inquired after my plantation and my
partner. The old man told me he had not been in
the Brazils for about nine years; but that he could
assure me, that when he came away my partner was .
living, but that the trustees, whom I had joined with
him to take cognizance of my part, were both dead;
that, however, he believed that I should have a very
good account of the improvement of the plantation,
for that, in the general belief of my being cast away
and drowned, my trustees had given in the account of
the produce of my part of the plantation to the pro-
curator fiscal, who had appropriated it, in case I
never came to claim it, one-third to the king, and
two-thirds to the monastery of St. Augustine, to be
expended for the benefit of the poor, and for the con-
version of the Indians to the Catholic faith; but that
if I appeared, or any one for me, to claim the inhe-
ritance, it would be restored; only that the improve-
ment, or annual production, being, as he said, dis-
tributed to charitable uses, he thought could not be
restored.
I was 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,
264 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
when they knew that I had made my will, and made
him, the Portuguese captain, my universal heir, &c.
He told me that was true, but as there was no proof
of my being dead, he could not act as executor, until
some certain 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 me being dead oralive, he would
have acted by procuration, and taken possession of
my ingenio (the sugar-house,) and given his son, who
was now in the Brazils, orders to do it.
The old man then asked meif he should put me in
a method to make my claim to my plantation. I
told him 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 ways enough to secure my right, and immedi-
ately to appropriate the profits to my use; and as
there were ships in the river of Lisbon just ready to
go to the Brazils, he made me enter my name in a
public register, with his affidavit, affirming, upon
oath, that I was alive, and that I was the same per-
son who took up the land for planting the said plan-
tation at first. This been regularly attested by a
notary, and a procuration affixed, he directed me to
send it, with a letter of his writing, to a merchant of
his acquaintance at the place, and then proposed my
staying with him till an account came of the return.
Never any thing was more honourable than the
proceedings upon this procuration; for in less than
seven months I received a large packet from the
survivors of my trustees, the merchants for whose
account I went to sea; and as the Brazils ships come
all in fleets, the same ships which brought my letters
brought my goods, and the effects were safe in the
Tagus before the letters came to my hands. By these,
it appeared I was now master, all on a sudden, of
about five hundred pounds sterling in money, and
had an estate, as I might well call it, in the Brazils,

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 265
of about a thousand pounds a year, as sure as an
estate of lands in England; and, in a word, I was in
a condition which I scarce knew how to understand,
or how to compose myself for the enjoyment of.
The first thing I did was to recompense my original
benefactor, my good old captain, who had been first
charitable to me in my distress, kind to me in the
beginning, and honest to me at the end. I showed
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. So I sent for a notary, and caused him
to draw a procuration, empowering him to be my re-
ceiver of the annual profits of my plantation, and
appointing my partner to account to him, and make
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 ef-
fects; and fifty moidores a year to his son after him,
for his life ; and thus I requitted my old man.
I was now to consider which way to steer my
course next, and what to do with the estate that Pro-
vidence 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 on the island, where I wanted no-
thing but what I had, and had nothing but what I
wanted; whereas now I had a great charge upon me,
and my business was how to secure my money. I
knew no where to put it, or whom to trust with it;
my old patron the captain, indeed, was honest, and
that was the only refuge I had. In the next place,
my interest in the Brazils seemed to summon me
thither ; but now I could not tell how to think of
going thither till I had settled my affairs. At first, I
thought of my old friend the widow, who I knew was
honest, and would be just to me; bnt then she was in
years, and but poor, and, for aught I knew, might be
in debt ; so that, in a word, I had no way but to go
back to England myself, and take my effects with me.
266 IROBINSON GRUSOE,
I was some months, however, before I resolved
upon this; and therefore as I had rewarded the old
captain fully, and to his satisfaction, who had been
my former benefactor, so I began to think of my
poor widow, whose husband had been my first bene-
factor, and she, whilst it was in her power, my faith-
ful steward and instructor. So the first thing I did,
I got a merchant in Lisbon to write to his correspon-
dent in London, not only to pay a bill, but to 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 a hundred pounds, they
being, though not in want, yet not in very good cir-
cumstances, one having been married, and left a wi-
dow, and the other having a husband not so kind to
her as he should be. But among my relations or ac-
quaintances, I could not yet pitch upon one to whom
I durst commit the gross of my stock.
I had once a mind to have gone to the Brazils,
and have settled myself there, for I was, as it were,
naturalized to the place, but that I really did not
know with whom to leave my effects behind me ; so
Iresolved at last to go to England with them, where,
if I arrived, I concluded I should make some ac-
quaintance, or find some relations that would be
faithful to me, and accordingly I prepared to go for
England with all my wealth. Having settled my
affairs, sold my cargo, and turned all my effects into
good bills of change, my next difficulty was which
way to go to England. I had been accustomed
enough to the sea, and yet I had a strange aversion
to go to England by sea at that time; and though I
could give no reason for it, yet the difficulty increas-
ed upon me so much, that though I had once ship-
ped my baggage in order to go, yet I altered my
mind, and that not once, but two or three times.
It is true I had been very unfortunate by sea, and
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 267
this might be one of the reasons; but let no man
strike the strong impulses of his ownthoughts in cases
of such moment. Two ships, each of which I had en-
gaged to go in, but again withdrew my agreement,
miscarried, viz., one was taken by the Algerines, and
the other was cast away on the Start, near Torbay,
and all the people drowned, except three ; so that in
either of those vessels I had been made miserable,
and in which most, it was hard to say.
Having been thusharassed in my thoughts, my old
pilot, to whom I communicated everything, pressed
me earnestly not to go by Sea: but either to go by
land to the Groyne, and cross over the Bay of Bis-
cay to Rochelle, from whence it was but an easy and
safe journey by land to Paris, and so to Calais and
Dover; or go up to Madrid, and so all the way by
land through France. . In a word, I was so prepos-
sessed against my going to 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, who were English, and mer-
chants 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 upon the road.
In this manner we 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 original of the whole journey.

268 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
When we came to Madrid, we, being all of us
strangers to Spain, were willing to stay some time
to see the court of Spain, and to see what was worth
observing; but it being the latter part of the summer
we hastened away, and set out from Madrid about
the middle of October. But when we came to the
edge of Navarre, we were alarmed at several towns
on the way, with an account that so much snow was
fallen on the French side of the mountains, that seve-
ral travellers were obliged to come back to Pampe-
luna, after having attempted to pass on.
When we came to Pampeluna itself, we found it
so indeed; and to me, that had been always used to ,
a hot climate, and indeed to countries where we
could scarce bear any clothes on, the cold was in-
sufferable. Nor indeed was it more painful than it
was surprising, to come but ten days before out of
Old Castile, where the weather was not only warm,
but very hot, and immediately to feel a wind from
the Pyrenean mountains, so severely cold, as to be
intolerable, and to endanger benumbing and perish-
ing of our fingers and toes. Poor Friday was really
frightened when he saw the mountains 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 continued 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; and the snow not being
hard frozen, as is the case in the northern countries,
there was no going without being in danger of being
buried alive every step. We stayed no less than
twenty days at Pampeluna, when I proposed that
we should go to Fontarabia, and there take ship-
ping 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

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 269
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.
We sent for this guide, who told us he would un-
dertake to carry us the same way, with no hazard
from the snow, provided we were armed sufficiently
to protect us from wild beasts; for he said, upon
these great snows it was frequent for some wolves to
show 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 them, if he
would ensure 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 way that we were to go. So wereadily agreed to
follow him, as did also twelve other gentlemen, with
their servants, some French, some Spanish, who, as
I said, had attempted to go, and were obliged to
come back again. -
Accordingly we all set out from Pampeluna, with
our guide, on the 15th of November; and indeed I
was surprised, when, instead of going forward, he
came directly back with us, on the same road that
we came from Madrid, above twenty miles; when
having passed two rivers, and come into the plain
country, we found ourselves in a warm climate again,
where the country was pleasant, and no snow was to
be seen; but on a sudden, turning to the left, he
approached the mountains another way ; and though
it is true, the hills and the precipices looked dread-
ful, yet he made so many tours, such meanders, and
led us by such winding ways, we were insensibly
passed the height of the mountains without being
much encumbered with the Snow; and, all on a

270 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
sudden, he showed us the pleasant fruitful provinces
of Languedoc and Gascoigne, all green and flourish-
ing, though indeed they were at a great distance,
and we had some rough way to pass yet.
We were a little uneasy, however, when we found
it snowed one whole day, and at night so fast that
we could not travel; but he bade us be easy, 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 on our guide,
We went on.
It was about two hours before night, when our
guide being something, before us, and not just in
sight, out rushed three monstrous wolves, and after
hem 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
devoured before we could have helped him. One of
them fastened upon his horse, and the other attack-
ed 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 I O master I’” but, like a bold fel-
low, rode up to the man, and with a pistol, shot the
wolf that attacked him in the head.
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 to him, and shot him as above; whereas
any of us would have fired at a further 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 indeedit alarmed all our company, when,
with the noise of Friday's pistol, we heard on both
sides the most dismalhowling of wolves, and thenoise
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 271
%
redoubled by the echo of the mountains, and it was
to us as if there had been a prodigious multitude of
them, and perhaps, indeed, there were not such a
few, as that we had no cause of apprehension.
However, as Friday had killed this wolf, the other,
that had fastened upon the horse, left him immedi-
ately, and fled, having happily fastened on his head,
where the bosses of the bridle had stuck in his teeth,
so that he had not done him much hurt. The man,
indeed, was most hurt; for the raging creature had
bit him twice, once on the arm, and the other time
a little above his knee; and he was just, as it were,
tumbling down by the disorder of his horse, when
Friday came up and shot the wolf.
It is easy to suppose, that at the noise of Friday's
pistol we all mended our pace, and rode up as fast
as the way (which was very difficult) would give us
leave, to see what was the matter. As soon as we
came clear of the trees, which blinded us before, 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.
My man Friday had delivered our guide, and when
we came up to him he was helping him off from his
horse, for the man was both hurt and frightened, and
indeed the last more than the first, when on a sudden
we spied the bear come out of the wood, and a vast
monstrous one it was, the biggest by far that ever I
saw. We were all a little surprised when we saw
him; but when Friday saw him, it was easy to see
joy and courage in the fellow’s countenance. “O !
O! O!” says Friday, three times, pointing to him;
“O, master! you give me te leave, me shakee te
hand with him, me makee you good laugh.”
I was surprised to see the fellow so pleased, “You
fool, you,” said I, “he will eat you up !”—“Eatee
me up ! eatee me up !” says Friday, twice over
again. “Me eatee him up : me show you good
272 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
laugh.” So down he sits, and gets his boots off in a
moment, and put on a pair of pumps, which he had
in his pocket, gives my other servant his horse, and
with his gun away he went, swift like the wind.
The bear was walking softly on, and offered to
meddle with nobody, till Friday, coming pretty near,
calls to him, as if the bear could understand him,
“Hark ye, Hark ye,” says Friday, “me speake wit
you.” We followed at a distance, for now being
come down to the Gascoigne side of the mountains,
we entered a vast great forest, where the country
was plain, aud pretty open, though 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 takes up a great
stone and throws it at him, and hit him just on the
head, but did him no more harm than if he had
thrown it against a wall : but it answered Friday’s
end, for the rogue was so void of fear that he did it
purely to make the bear follow him, and “show us
some laugh,” as he called it.
As soon as the bear felt the stone, and saw him, he
turns about, and comes after him, taking very long
strides, and shuffling along at a strange rate, so as
would put a horse to a middling gallop. Away runs
Friday, and takes 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 about his own business anothèr,
way; and especially I was angry that he had turneå.
the bear upon us, and then run away; and I called
out, “You dog,” said I, “is this your making us;
laugh P Come away, and take your horse, that we
may shoot the creature.” He hears me, and cries
out, “No shoot, no shoot l stand still: you ge
much laugh.” And as the nimble creature ran two
feet for the beast's one, he turned, on a sudden, on is
one side of us, and seeing a great oak tree, fit for his

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 273
purpose, he beckoned us to follow, and doubling his
pace, he gets nimbly up the tree, laying his gun up-
on the ground, at about five or six yards from the
bottom of the tree.
The bear soon came to the tree, and we followed
at a distance. The first thing he did, he stopped at
the gun, smelt at it, but let it lie, and up he scram-
bles into the tree, climbing like a cat, though so
monstrously heavy. I was amazed at the folly, as I
thought it, of my man, and could not for my life see
anything to laugh at yet, till, seeing the beur get up
the tree, we all rode nearer to him.
When we came to the tree, there was Friday got
out to the small end of a large limb of the tree, and
the bear got about half way to him ; as soon as the
bear got out to that part where the limb of the tree
was weaker, “Ha,” says he, to us, “now you see
me teachee the bear to dance ;” so he falls a jump-
ing, and shaking the bough, at which the bear began
to totter, and stood to look behind him, to see how
he should get back ; then, indeed, we did laugh
heartily. But Friday had not done with him by a
great deal; when he sees him stand still, he calls out
to him again, as if he had supposed the bear could
speak English, “What, you no come farther P Pray
you come farther.”. So he left jumping and shaking
the bough, and the bear, just as if he had understood
what he said, did come a little further : then he fell
a jumping again, and the bear stopped again.
We thought now was a good time to knock him
on the head, and I called to Friday to stand still and
we &ould shoot the bear ; but he cried out earnest-
ly, “O pray ! O pray no shoot | Me shoot by and
then.” He would have said, “By and by.” How-
ever, 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, the first we thought he depended
uponºking the bear off, and we found the bear
* S.

27.4 EOBINSON CRUSOE.
was too cunning for that too, for he would not go
out far enough to be thrown down, but clings 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 shortly, for seeing
the bear cling fast to the bough, and that he would
notcome any further, “Well, well,” says Friday, “you
no come further, Ine go, me go ; you no come to me,
me come to you.” And upon this he goes out to the
smallest end of the bough, where it would bend with
his weight, and gently lets himself down by it, sliding
down the bough, till he came near enough to jump
down on his feet, and away he ran to his gun, takes
it up, and stands still.
“Well,” said I to him, “Friday, what will you do
now P Why don’t you shoot him P’—“No shoot,”
says Friday, “no yet, me shoot now, me no kill; me
stay, give you one more laugh.” And so he did; for
when the bear saw his enemy gone, he comes back
from the bough where he stood, but did it mighty
leisurely, looking behind him every step, and coming
backward till he got into the body of the tree. Then
with the same hinder end foremost, he came down the
tree, grasping it with his claws, and moving one foot
at a time very leisurely; at this juncture, and just be-
fore he could set his hind feet upon the ground, Fri-
day stepped close to him, clapped the muzzle of his
piece into his ear, and shot him dead as a 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 laughing himself very loud. “So we
kill bear in my country,” says Friday. “So you kill
them!” said I, “why you have no guns.”—“No,” says
he, “no guns; but shoot great, much, long arrow.”.
This was, indeed, a good diversion to us, but we
were still in a wild place, and our guide very much
hurt, and what to do we hardly knew ; the howling of
wolves ran much in my head; and indeed, except the

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 275
3.
noise I once heard on the shores of Africa, of which I
have said something already, I never heard anything
that filled me with so much horror.
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 crea-
ture 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.
We had one dangerous place to pass, of which our
guide told us, if there were any more wolves in the
country, we should find them there; and this was a
small plain, surrounded with woods on every side,
and a long, narrow defile, or lane, which we were to
pass, to get through the wood, and then we should
come to a village where we were to lodge.
It was within half an hour of sunset when we, en-
tered the first wood ; and a little after sunset, we came
into the plain. We met with nothing in the first
wood, except that, in a little plain, within the wood
which was not above two furlongs over, we saw five
great wolves cross the road, full speed, one after ano-
ther, as if they had been in chase of some prey, and
had it in view. They took no notice of us, and were
gone, and out of our sight in a few moments.
TJpon this, our guide, who, by the way, was a
wretched faint-hearted fellow, bade us keep in a
ready posture, for he believed there were more
wolves a-coming. &
We kept our arms ready, and our eyes about us,
but we saw no more wolves till we came through
that wood, which was near half a league, and entered
the plain. As soon as we came into the plain, we
had occasion enough to look about us. The first ob-
ject we met with was a dead horse; that is to say a
poor horse, which the wolves had killed, and at least
a dozen of them at work, we could not say eating of
him, but picking his bones rather, for they had eaten
up all the flesh before. We did not think fit to dis-

276 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
turb them at their feast, neither did they take much
notice of us. Friday would have let fly at them, but
I would not suffer him by any means, for I found
we were like to have more business upon our hands
than we were aware of. We were not gone half over
the plain, but we began to hear the wolves howl, in
the wood on our left, in a dreadful manner; and, pre-
sently after, we saw about a hundred coming on di-
rectly towards us, all in a body, and most of them
in a line, as regular as an army drawn up by experi-
enced officers. I scarce knew in what manner to re-
ceive them ; but found to draw ourselves in a close
line was the only way. So we formed in a moment.
But that we might not have too much interval, I or-
dered that only every other man should fire, and that
the others, who had not fired, should be ready to
give them a second volley immediately, if they con-
tinued to advance upon us; and that then those who
had fired at first should not pretend to load their
fusils again, but stand ready with every one a pistol,
for we were all armed with a fusil and a pair of pis-
tols 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 them be-
ing shot into the head, dropped; several others were
wounded, and went bleeding off, as we could see by
the suow. I found they stopped, but did not imme-
diately retreat, 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 hal-
loo as loud as we could ; and I found the notion not
altogether mistaken ; for, upon our shout, they began
to retire, and turn about ; then I ordered a second
volley to be fired in their rear, which put them to the
gallop, and away they went to the woods.
This gave us leisure to charge our pieces again,
and that we might lose no time, we kept going ; but
ROBINSON CRUSOE. - 277
we had little more than loaded our fusils, and put
ourselves into readiness, when we heard a terrible
noise in the same wood on our left. -
The night was coming on, and the light began to
be dusky, which made it the worse on our side, but
the noise increasing, we could easily perceive that it
was the howling of those ravenous creatures ; and,
on a sudden, we perceived two or three troops of
wolves, one on our left, one behind us, and one in
our front, and we knew not what course to take, but
the creatures resolved us soon, for they gathered
about us, 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 in-
to the wood, there lay some large timber trees, cut
down, and I drew my little troop in among these
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 breastwork, to stand in a triangle
or three fronts, enclosing our horses in the centre.
We did so ; and it was well we did, for never was a
more furious charge than the creatures made upon
usin this place ; they came on us with a growling
kind of noise, and mounted the piece of timber, as
if they were only rushing upon their prey; and this
fury of theirs, it seems, was principally occasioned
by their seeing our horses behind us which was the
prey they aimed at. I ordered our men to fire as be-
fore, every other man, and they took their aim so
sure, that they killed several wolves at the first vol-
ley ; but there was a necessity to keep a continual
firing, for they came on like devils, those behind
pushing on those before. When we had fired the
second volley of our fusils, we thought they stopped
a little, and I hoped they would have gone off, but it
was but a moment, for others came forwards again
so we fired two volleys of our pistols, and, I believe,
in these four firings, we killed seventeen or eighteen
of them, and lamed twice as many; yet they came
on again. .

278 IROBIN SON CRUSOE,
I was loath to spend our last shot too hastily: so
I called my servant, not Friday, but my other man,
and, giving him a horn of powder, Ibade him lay a
train all along the piece of timber, and let it be a
large train. He did so, and had but just time to get
away, when the wolves came up to it, and some were
got upon it, when I, snapping an uncharged pistol
close to the powder, set it on fire. Those that were
upon the timber were scorched with it, and six or
seven of them fell, or rather jumped, in among us,
with the force and fright of the fire. We despatched
these in an instant, and the rest were so frightened
with the light, that they drew back a little.
Upon which 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 im-
mediately upon near twenty lame ones, whose dread-
ful crying and howling scared the rest, so that they
all fled and left us. -
We had, first and last, killed about threescore of
them, and had it been daylight, we had killed many
more. The field of battle being thus cleared, we
made forward again, for we had still near a league
to go. We heard the ravenous creatures howl and
yell in the woods as we went, 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 vil-
lage, to attack the cattle and even the people.
The next morning our guide was so ill, and his
limbs swelled with the rankling of the two wounds,
that he could go no further, so we were obliged to
take another guide there, and go to Tºulouse, where
we found a warm climate, a fruitful, pleasant coun-
try, and no snow, no wolves, or anything like them.
I have nothing uncommon to take notice of in my

130BINSON CBUSOE, . 279
passage through France; nothing but what other tra-
vellers have given an account of, with much more ad-
vantage than I can. I travelled from Toulouse to
Paris, and, without any considerable stay, came to
Calais, and landed 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 new-discovered estate
safe about me; the bills of exchange which I had
brought with me having been 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.
I began to think of leaving my effects with this
woman, and setting out for Lisbon, and so to the
Brazils. But now another scruple came in my way,
and that was religion ; for as I had entertained some
doubts about the Roman religion, even while I was
abroad, especially in my state of solitude, so I knew
there was no going to the Brazils for me, much less
going to settle there, unless I resolved to embrace
the Catholic religion, without any reserve; except,
on the other hand, I resolved to be a sacrifice to
principles, be a martyr for religion, and die in the
inquisition ; so I resolved to stay at home, and if J
could find means, to dispose of my plantation.
To this purpose I wrote to my old friend at Lis-
bon, who, in return, gave me notice, that he could
easily dispose of it there; but that, if I thought fit
to give him leave to offer it in my name to the two
merchants, the survivors of my trustees, who lived
in the Brazils, who must fully understand the value
of it, who lived just on the spot, and whom I knew
to be very rich, so that he believed they would be
fond of buying it, he did not doubt, but I should
make four or five thousand pieces of eight the more
for it.
Accordingly I agreed, gave him orders to offerit to

280 - ROBINSON CRUSOE,
them, and he did so; and in about eight months
more, the ships being then returned, he sent me an
account, that they had accepted the offer, and had
remitted thirty-three thousand pieces of eight to a
correspondent of theirs at Lisbon to pay for it.
In return, I signed the instrument of sale in the
form which they sent from Lisbon, and sent it to my
old man, who sent me bills of exchange for thirty-
two thousand eight hundred pieces of eight for the
estate, reserving the payment of one hundred moi-
dores a year to him, the old man, during his life, and
fifty moidores afterwards to his son for his life,
which I had promised them, and which the planta-
tion was to make good as a rent charge. And thus
I have given the first part of a life of fortune and
adventure, a life of Providence’s checker-work, and
of a variety which the world will seldom be able to
show the like of. Beginning foolishly, but closing
much more happily than I had ever any reason even
to hope for.
Any one would think that, in this state of compli-
cated good fortune I was past running any more
hazards; but I was inured to a wandering life, had
no family normany relations, nor, however rich, had
I contracted much acquaintance; and though I had
sold my estate in the Brazils, yet I could not keep
that country out of my head, and had a great mind to
be upon the wing again, especially I could not resist
the strong inclination I had to see my island.
My true friend, the widow, earnestly dissuaded me
from it, and so far prevailed with me, that for almost
seven years she prevented my running abroad ; dur-
ing 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 gentle-
man, 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 after five years, finding him a
sensible, bold, enterprising young fellow, I put him
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 281
into a good ship, and sent him to sea. And this
young fellow afterwards drew me in, old as I was,
to further adventures myself.
In the mean time, I in part settled myself here;
for, first of all, I married and had three children,
two sons and one daughter. But my wife dying,
and my nephew coming home, with good success,
from a voyage to Spain, my inclination to go abroad,
and his importunity, prevailed, and I engaged to go
in his ship as a private trader to the East Indies. In
this voyage, I visited my new colony in the island,
saw my successors, the Spaniards; had the whole
story of their coming to, and adventures in the is-
land, after my departure. All these things, with
some very surprising incidents, in some new adven-
tures of my own, for ten years more, I may, per-
haps, give a further account of hereafter.

THE FURTHER, ADVENTURES
OF
R O B INS O N C R U S O E.
—-O00—
THAT homely proverb, used on so many occasions in
England, viz., that “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
other circumstances, which few men, if any, ever
went through before, and after near seven years of
enjoyment in the fulness of all things, grown old,
and when, if ever, it might be allowed me to have
had experience of every state of middle life, and to
which was best adapted to make a man completely
happy; I say, after all this, any one would have
thought that the native propensity to rambling,
which I gave an account of, in my first setting out
282 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
into the world, to have been so predominant in my
thoughts, should be worn out, the volatile part be
fully evacuated, or at least condensed, and I might,
at sixty-one years of age, have been a little inclined
to stay at home, and have done venturing life and
fortune any more. Nay, further, the common motive
of foreign adventures was taken away in me, for I
had no fortune to make ; I had already sufficient for
me, and those I had to leave it to.
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, which hung about me like a
chronic distemper; particularly the desire of seeing
my new plantation in the island, and the colony I
left there, run in my head continually. I dreamed
of it all light, and my imagination ran on it all day,
it was uppermost in my thoughts, and I talked of it
in my sleep. One time, I dreamed that the villany
of the three pirate sailors was related to me, by the
first Spaniard, and Friday's father. They told me
how they barbarously attempted to murder all the
Spaniards, and that they set fire to the provisions
they had laid up, on purpose to distress and starve
them ; things that I had never heard of, and that
indeed never were all of them true. And it was so
warm in my imagination, and so realized me, that,
to that hour I saw them, I could not be persuaded
but that it was, or would be true ; also how I re-
sented it, when the Spaniards complained to me, and
how I brought them to justice, tried them before
me, and ofdered them all three to be hanged.
In this kind of temper I had lived some years. I
had no enjoyment, no agreeable diversion, but what
had some thing 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

ROBINSON OBUSOE. 283
my being engaged to a wife and children. She told
me, it was true she could not think of parting with
me, but she was assured, that if she was dead it
would be the first thing I should do, so it seemed to
her, that if the thing was determined above, she
would not be the only obstruction. For if I thought
fit, and resolved to go–(here she found me very in-
tent upon her words, so that it a little disordered
her, and she stopped). I asked her why she did not
go on, and say what she was going to say. But I
perceived that her heart was too full, and some tears
stood in her eyes. “Speak out, my dear,” said I,
“are you willing I should go P’’—“No,” says she,
very affectionately, “I am far from willing. But if
ou are resolved to go,” says she, “and, rather than
}. be the only hindrance, I will go with you : for
though I think it is a preposterous thing for one of
your years, and in your condition, yet if it must be,”
s said she again, weeping, “I won’t leave you, for if
it be of heaven, you must do it, there is no resisting
it, and if heaven makes it your duty to go, it will be
also mine to go with you, or otherwise dispose of me
that I may not obstruct it.
The affectionate behaviour of my wife brought me
a little out of the vapours, and I began to consider
what I was doing. I corrected my wandering fancy,
and began to argue with myself sedately what busi-
ness I had, after threescore years, and after such a
life of tedious sufferings and disasters, and closed in
so happy and easy a manner ; I say, what business
had I to rush into my hazards, and put myself upon
tºutures fit for only youth and poverty to run in-
to

With these thoughts, I bought a little farm in the
county of Bedford, and removed thither. I had a
little convenient house upon it, and the land about it
I found was capable of improvement. I farmed my
own land ; I had no rent to pay, and what I im-
proved was for my own family. Now I thought
284 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
indeed, that I enjoyed that middle state of life which
my father so earnestly recommended to me, a coun-
try life:
Free from vice, and free from care ;
Age has no pain, and youth no snare.
But in the middle of all this felicity, one blow
from unseen providence unhinged me at once, and
not only made a breach upon me inevitable and in-
curable, but drove me by its consequence, into a
deep relapse of the wandering disposition, which, as
I may say, being born in my very blood, soon reco-
vered its hold of me, and, like the returns of a violent
distemper, came with more impression upon me.
This blow was the loss of my wife.
It is not my business here to write an elegy upon
my wife, to give a character of her particular vir-
tues, and make a funeral sermon. She was in a few
words, the stay of all my affairs, the centre of all my
enterprises; the engine, that by her prudence re-
duced me to that happy compass I was in, from the
most extravagant and ruinous project, that flutter-
ed in my head : and did more to guide my rambling
genius, than a mother's tears, a father's instructions,
a friend's counsel, and all my own reasoniug powers
could do. I was happy in listening to her entreaties,
and being moved by her tears, and to the last degree
desolate by her loss. I was like a ship without a
pilot, that could only run “afore the wind.” My
head was quite turned with the whimsies of foreign
adventures, and all the pleasing amusements of my
farm, and my family, which before entirely posses-
sed me, were nothing to me ; in a word, I resolved
to leave off housekeeping, 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, whom I had brought up to 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 and told me, that some merchants
ROBINSON CRUSOE. , 285
of his acquaintance had been proposing to him to go
a voyage for them to the East Indies and China, as
private traders. “And now uncle,” says he, “if you
will go to sea with me, I’ll engage to land you upon
your old habitation in the island, for we are to touch
at the Brazils.” In a word the scheme hit so ex-
actly with my temper, that I told him, that if he
agreed with the merchants, I would go with him.
But I would not promise to go any further than my
own island. “Why, sir,” says he, “you don't want
to be left there again I hope P” “Why,” said I,
“can you not take me up again in your return ?”
He told me, that it would not be possible to do so :
that the merchants would never allow him to come
that way with a loaded ship 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 re-
duced 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, be set up again in the island, and finish-
ed fit to go to sea in a few days.
In order to this, I made my will, and settled the
estate I had in such a manner for my children, and
placed it in such hands, that I was perfectly easy,
and satisfied they would have justice done them
whatever might befall me ; and as for their educa-
tion, Ileft it wholly to my old friend the widow, with
a sufficient maintenance to herself for her care.
My nephew was ready to sail about the beginning
of January, 1694, and I, with my man Friday, went
on board, in the Downs, the 8th, having a very con-
siderable cargo of all kinds of necessary things for
my colony, which, if I did not find in good condition,
I resolved to leave so. First, I carried with me some
servants, whom I proposed to place there as inhabi-
286 - ROBINSON GRUSOE,
tants, or at least, to set on work there upon my own
account while I stayed; and either to leave them
there, or carry them forward, as they should appear
willing: particularly, I carried two carpenters, a
smith, and a very handy, ingenious fellow, who was
a cooper by trade, but was also a general mechanic ;
for he was dexterous at making wheels and hand-
mills to grind corn ; was a good turner and a good
pot-maker. 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 necessary,
handy fellow, as could be desired, in many other
businesses besides that of his trade.
My cargo consisted of a sufficient quantity of linen,
and some thin English stuffs for clothing the Spani-
ards that I expected to find there, and enough of
them as by my calculation might comfortably sup-
ply them for seven years. If I remember right, the
materials which I carried for clothing them, with
gloves, hats, shoes, stockings, and all such things as
they could want for wearing, amounted to above
two hundred pounds, including some beds, bedding,
and household stuff; particularly kitchen utensils,
with pots, kettles, pewter, brass, &c., besides near
#100 more in iron work, nails, tools of every kind,
staples, hooks, hinges, and every necessary thing I
could think of.
I carred also a hundrcd spare arms, muskets, and
fusils, besides some pistols, a considerable quantity
of shot of all sizes, three or four tons of lead, and
two pieces of brass cannon ; I also carried 100 bar-
rels of powder, besides swords and cutlasses, and the
iron part of some spikes and halberts ; so that, in
short, we had a large magazine of all sorts of stores;
and I made my nephew carry two small quarter-
deck guns more than he wanted for his ship, to leave
behind, if there was occasion, that, when, we came
there, we might build a fort, and man it against all
IROBINSON CEUSOE. - 287
sorts of enemies. And, indeed, I at first thought
there would be need enough for it all, and much
more, if we hoped to maintain our possession of the
island, as shall be plainly seen in the course of this
history.
We set out, and had a very fair gale of wind for
some time. As I remember, it might be about the
20th of February, late in the evening, when the
mate having the watch, came into the round-house,
and told us he saw a flash of fire, and heard a gun
fire; 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 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 in that way in
which the fire showed itself, no, not for five hun-
dred leagues, for it appeared at W.N.W. Upon this,
we concluded it must be some ship on fire at sea;
and as, by our hearing the noise of guns just before,
we concluded it could not be far off, we stood di-
rectly towards it, and were presently satisfied we
should discover it, because the further we sailed the
greater the light appeared, though, the weather be-
ing hazy, we could not perceive any thing but the
light for a while. In about half an hour’s sailing,
the wind being fair for us, though not much of it,
and the weather clearing up a little, we could plain-
ly discern that it was a great ship on fire in the mid-
dle of the sea. I was most sensibly touched with
this disaster, though not at all acquainted with the
persons engaged in it. I presently recollected my
former circumstances, and what condition I was in,
when taken up by the Portuguese captain ; and how
much more deplorable the circumstances of the poor
creatures belonging to this ship must be, if they had
no other ship in company with them. Upou this, I
288 * ROBINSON CRUSOE.
immediately ordered that five guns should be fired,
one soon after another, that, if possible, we might
give notice to them that there was help for them at
hand, and that they might endeavour to save them-
selves in their boat; for though we could see the
flame of the ship, yet they, it being night, and very
dark, could see nothing of us.
We lay by some time upon this, only driving as
the burning ship drove, waiting for daylight, when
on a sudden, to our great terror, though we expect-
ed it, the ship blew up in the air, and in a few min-
utes all the fire was out, that is to say, the rest of
the ship sunk. This was a terrible and afflicting
sight, for the sake of the poor men, who, I conclud-
ed, must be either all destroyed in the ship, or be in
the utmost distress in their boats, in the middle of
the ocean, which at present, by reason it was dark,
I could not see. However, to direct them as well as
I could, I caused lights to be hung out in all 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 sixty-four, men, women, and chil-
dren, for there were a great many passengers.
We found it was a French merchant ship, of three
hundred tons, homeward bound from Quebec. The
master gave us a long account of the distress of his
ship, how the fire began in the steerage by the neg-
ROBINSON CEUSOE, - 289

ligence of the steersman, but, on his crying out for
help, was, as everybody thought, entirely put out.
But they soon found that some sparks of the first
fire had gotten into some part of the ship so difficult
to come at, that they could not effectually quench
it; and afterwards getting in between the timbers,
and within the ceiling of the ship, it proceeded into
the hold, and mastered all the skill, and all the ap-
plication they were able to exert. They had no more
to do then but to get into their boats, 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 and provisions into her, after they
had secured themselves from the fire. They had in-
deed small hopes of their lives by getting into these
boats at that distance from any land, only, as they
said well, that they were escaped from the fire, and
had a possibility that some ship might happen to be
at sea, and might take them in.
It is impossible for me to express the several ges-
tures, the strange ecstasies, the variety of posture,
which these poor delivered people run into, to ex-
press the joy of their souls at so unexpected a deli-
verance. 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 and surprise, has a thousand extrava-
gancies in it. There were some in tears, some rag-
ing and 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 w ringing their
hands; some were dancing, some singing; some
laughing, more crying; many quite dumb, not able
to speak a word; others sick and vomiting ; several
swooning, and ready to faint; and a few were cross-
ing themselves, and giving God thanks. * *
I would not wrong them neither; there might be
- T ~
290 . ROBINSON CRUSOE,
many that were thankful afterward; but the passion
was too strong for them at first, and they were liot
able to master it; they were thrown into ecstasies,
and a kind of frenzy, and so there were very few
who were composed and serious in their joy.
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 least sign of life could be seen
in him. Our surgeon immediately applied remedies
to recover him, and was the only man in the ship
that believed he was not dead; but at length he
opened a vein in his arm, from which in a short time
the blood flowed rather freely; in three minutes af-
ter, the old man opened his eyes; and about a quar-
ter of an hour after that he spoke, grew better, and
in a little time quite well. After the blood was
stopped, he walked about, told us he was perfectly
well, took a dram of cordial which the surgeon gave
him, and was what we called “come to himself.”
About a quarter of an hour after, they came running
into the cabiu to the surgeon, who was bleeding a
French woman that had fainted, and told him the
priest had gone stark mad. It seems he had begun
to revolve the change of his circumstances in his
mind, and this put him into an ecstasy of joy; his
spirits whirled about faster than the vessels could
convey them; the blood grew hot and feverish, and
the man was as fit for Bedlam as any creature that
ever was in it. The surgeon gave him something to
dose and put him to sleep, which, after some time,
operated upon him, and he awoke next morning
perfectly composed and well.
The younger priest behaved himself with great
command of his passion, and was really an example
of a serious; well-governed mind. At his first coming
on board the ship, he threw himself flat on his face,
fió#ISSON CHUSOE. 291
prostrating himself in thankfulness for his deliver-
ance, in which I unhappily and unseasonably disturb-
ed him, really thinking he had been in a swoon; but
he spake 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 mi-
nutes, or a little more, after I had 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 miserable creatures, their lives. I told
him I had no room to move him to thank God for it,
rather than me, for I had seen that he had done that
already. But I said, that it was nothing but what
reason and humanity dictated to all men, and that
we had as much reason as he to give thanks to God,
who had blessed us so far as to make us the instru-
ments of his mercy to so many of his creatures.
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 rea-
son ; and with some he had success, though others
were, for a time, out of all government of themselves.
I commit this to writing, as perhaps it may be use-
ful to those into whose handit may fall, for the guid-
ing themselves in all the extravagances of their pas-
sions; for if an excess of joy can carry men out to
such a length beyond the reach of their reason, what
will not the extravagances of anger, rage, and a pro-
voked mind carry us to ?
The next day, when they had slept soundly, they
were quite another sort of people. Nothing of good
manners, or civil acknowledgments, for the kindness
shown to them, was wanting ; the French, it is well
393 foibrºSON CRUSOż.
known, are naturally apt to exceed that way. The
captain and one of the priests came to me shortly,
and desiring to speak with me and my nephew,
the commander began to consult with us what should
be done with them. And first they told us that as
we had saved their lives, so all they had was little
enough for a return for the kindness received. The
captain said they had saved some money, and some
things of value, in their boats, catched hastily out of
the flames, and if we would accept it, they were or-
dered to make an offer of it all to us: they ouly de-
sired to be set on shore somewhere on our way,
where, if possible, they might get passage to France.
I told the French captain that we had taken them
up in their distress, it was true ; 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 no-
thing 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 that it would be a
most barbarous thing to take that little from them
which they had saved out of the fire, and then to 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 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 ex-
ceeding 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,
which, perhaps, was directed by heaven on purpose-
for their deliverance, yet it was impossible for us
wilfully to change our voyage, on this particular ac-
count; nor could my nephew, the captain, answer
it to the freighters with whom he was under char-
terparty to pursue his voyage by the way of Brazil,
RCBINSON CRUSOE. 293
and all I knew we could do for them was to put our-
selves in the way of meeting with other ships, home-
ward bound from the West Indies, and get them a
passage, if possible, to England or France.
The first part of the proposal was so generous and
kind, they could not but be very thankful for it, but
they were in a great consternation, especially the
passengers, at the notion of being carried away to
the East Indies. They then entreated me, that see-
ing I was driven so far to the westward before I met
with them, I would at least go on the same course to
the banks of Newfoundland, where it was possible
they might meet with some ship or sloop, that they
might hire to carry them to Canada, from whence
they came.
I thought this was but a reasonable requeston their
part, and therefore consented, and in about a week
after we made the banks of Newfoundland, where,
to, shorten my story, we put all our French people
on board a bark, which they hired to carry them to
France. When I say all the French people, I should
remember that the young priest I spoke of, 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. I readily agreed to that ; for I won-
derfully liked the man, and had very good reason,
as will appear afterwards. Also, four of the seamen
entered themselves in our ship, and proved very use-
ful fellows.
From thence we directed our course for the West
Indies, steering away S.S.E. for about twenty days
together, sometimes little or no wind at all, when we
met with another subject for our humanity almost as
deplorable as that before.
It was in the latitude of 27 degrees 5 minutes N.,
and the 19th day of March, 1694, when we spied a
sail, our course, was S.E.S. . We soon perceived it
was a large vessel, and that she bore up to us, but at
first we could not tell what to make of her, till com-
294 RCCKNSON CEU SOE,
'ing a little nearer, we found she had lost her main-
topmast, foremast, and boltsprit, and presently she
fired a gun as a signal of distress. The weather was
pretty good, wind at N. N.W. a fresh gale, and we
soon came to speak with her.
We found her a ship of Bristol, bound home from
Barbadoes, but had been blown out of the road a few
days before she was ready to sail, by a terrible hur-
ricane, while the captain and the chief mate were
both gone on shore, so that, by the terror of the storm
they were but in an indifferent case for good artists
to bring the ship home. They had been already nine
weeks at sea, and had met with another terrible
storm, after the hurricane was over, which had blown
them quite out of their knowledge to the westward,
and in which they lost their masts as above. They
told us they expected to have seen the Bahama Is-
lands, but they were driven away again to the south-
east by a strong gale of wind at N. N. W. the same
that blew now ; and having no sails to work the ship
with, but a main-course, and a kind of 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 what was the worst of all, they were almost
starved for want of provisions, besides the fatigues
they had undergone; their bread and flesh was 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 done, 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 eaten, 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, they were in
a more deplorable condition than the rest; for the

* * ROBINSON CRUSOE. 295
seamen, being reduced to such an extreme necessity
themselves, had no compassion, we may be sure, for
the poor passengers. -
I had, perhaps not known this part, if my curiosi-
ty 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, commanded the ship,
had been on board our ship ; and he told me that
they had three passengers on board, and that they
were in a deplorable condition. “Nay,” says he,
“I believe they are dead, for I have heard nothing
of them for above two days; and I was afraid to in-
quire after them,” said he, “for I had nothing to re-
lieve them with.”
We immediately applied ourselves to give them
what relief we could spare. But now they were in a
new danger, for they were afraid of eating too much,
even of that little we gave them. The mate, or com-.
mander, brought six men with him in his boat, but
these poor wretches looked like skeletons, and were
so weak that they could hardly sit to their oars. The
mate himself was very ill, and half starved, for he
declared he had reserved nothing from the men, and
went share and share alike with them in every bit
they eat.
I cautioned him to eat sparingly, and set meat be-
fore him immediately, but he had not eaten three
mouthfuls before he began to be sick and out of order.
So he stopped awhile, and our surgeon mixed him up
something with some broth, which he said would be
to him both food and physic, and after he had taken
it he grew better. In the mean time, I forgot not the
men ; I ordered victuals to be given them, and the
poor creatures rather devoured than eat it; and two
of them eat with so much greediness, that they were
in danger of their lives the next morning. All the
while the mate was relating to me the miserable con-
dition of the ship's company, I could not put out of
pmy thoughts the story he had told of the three poor
296 ROBINSON GRUSOE,
creatures in the great cabin, viz., the mother, her son,
and the maid-servant, whom he had heard nothing
of for two or three days, and whom he seemed to
confess they had wholly neglected, their own extre-
mities being so great; by which I understood, that
they had really given them no food at all, and that
therefore they must have perished, and be all lying
dead on the floor, or deck of the cabin.
As I, therefore, kept the mate, whom we then call-
ed captain, on board with his men to refresh them,
so I also forgot not the starving crew that were on
board, but ordered my own boat to go on board their
ship, 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 men taking it to eat
raw, or taking it out of the pot before it was well
boiled, and then to give every man but a little at a
time; and, by this caution he preserved the men,
who would otherwise have killed themselves with
that very food which was given them on purpose to
save their lives.
At the same time, I ordered the mate to go into
the great cabin, and see what condition the poor
passengers were in, and, if they were alive to com-
fort them, and give them what refreshment was pro-
per, and the surgeon gave him a large pitcher, with
some of the prepared broth which he had given to
the mate that was on board, and which he did not
question would restore them gradually.
I was not satisfied with this; but, as I said before,
having a great mind to see the scene of misery, which
I knew the ship itself would present me with, in a
more lively manner than I could have it by report, I
took the captain of the ship, as we now called him,
with me, and went myself a little after in their boat.
I found the poor men almost in a tumult to get the
victuals out of the boiler before it was ready. How,
ROIRINSON CRUSOE, - 297
ever we pacified them, and fed them gradually and
cautiously for the first time, and the next time we
gave them more, and at last filled their bellies, and
the men did well enough. But the misery of the
poor passengers in the cabin was of another nature,
and far beyond the rest. For as, first, the ship's
company had so little for themselves, it was but too
true, that they had at first kept them low, and at last
totally neglected them; so that for six or seven days,
it might be said, they had really had no food at all,
and, for several days before, very little. The poor
mother, who, as the mate reported, was a woman of
good sense, and good breeding, had spared , all she
could get affectionately for her son, that at last she
sunk under it. And when the mate of our ship went
in, she sat upon the floor, on deck, with her back up
against the sides, between two chairs, which were
lashed fast, and her head sunk in between her shoul-
ders, like a corpse, though not quite dead. My mate
said all he could do to revive and encourage her, and
with a spoon put some broth into her mouth. She
opened her lips, and lifted up one hand, but could
not 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.
However, the mate, who was exceedingly moved
with the sight, endeavoured to get some of the broth
into her mouth; and, as he said, got two or three
spoonfuls down, though I question whether he could
be sure of it or not. But it was too late, she died
the same night. -
The youth, who was preserved at the price of his
most affectionate mother's life, was not so far gone;
yet he lay in a cabin bed, as one stretched out, with
hardly any life left in him. He had a piece of an
old glove in his mouth, having eaten up the rest.
However, being young, and having more strength
than his mother, the mate got something down his
298 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
throat, and he began sensibly to revive, though by
giving him, some time after, but two or three spoon-
fuls extraordinary, he was very sick, and brought it
up again.
But the next care was the poor maid. She lay ali
along upon the deck, hard by her mistress, and just
like one that had fallen down with an apoplexy, and
struggled for life. Her limbs were distorted, one of
her hands was clasped round the frame of a chair,
and she griped it so hard, that we could not easily
make her let it go, her other arm lay over her head,
and her feet lay both together, set fast against the
frame of the cabin table; in short she lay just like
one in the last agonies of death. The poor creature
was not only starved with hunger, and terrified with
the thoughts of death, but, as the men told us after-
wards, was broken-hearted for her mistress, whom
she saw dying two or three days before, and whom
she loved most tenderly. We knew not what to do
with this poor girl; for when our surgeon, who was
a man of very great knowledge and experience, had,
with great application, recovered her, as to life, he
had her upon his hands, as to her senses, for she
was nearly distracted for a considerable time after.
Whoever shall read these memorandums, must
consider that visits at sea are not like journies into
the country, where sometimes people stay a week or
a fortnight at a place. Our business was to relieve
this distressed ship's crew, but not 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 captain begged of us to help him to set up a
main-topmast, and a kiud of topmast to his jury fore-
mast, we did, as it were, lie by them for three or four
days, and then, having given them five barrels of
beef, and a barrel of pork, two hogsheads of biscuits,
and a proportion of peas, flour, and what other things
we could spare, and taking three casks of sugar,


ROBINSON ORUSC.E. 29%
some rum, and some pieces of eight of them for satis-
faction, 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 seven-
teen years of age, a pretty, well-bred, modest, and
sensible youth, greatly dejected by the loss of his
mother; and, as it seems, had lost his father but a
few months before in the Barbadoes.
I was now in the latitude of 19 degrees, 32 min-
utes, and had hitherto had a tolerable voyage as to
weather, though at first the winds had been contra-
ry. I shall trouble nobody with the little incidents
of wind, weather, currents, &c., on the rest of our
voyage, but, shortening my story, for the sake of
what is to follow, shall observe, that I came to my
old habitation, in the island, on the tenth of April,
1694. It was with no small difficulty that I found
the place, for as I came to it, and went from it be-
fore, on the south and east side of the island, as com-
ing from the Brazils, so now coming in between the
mainland and the island, and having no chart for
coast, nor any land-mark, I did not know it when I
saw it, or know whether I saw it or not.
We beat about a great while, and went on shore
on several islands, in the mouth of the great river
Oroonoque ; and this I learned, by coasting the
shore, that I was under one great mistake before, viz.
that the continent, which I thought I saw from the
island l lived in, was really no continent, but a long
island, or rather a ridge of islands, reaching from one
to the other side of the extended mouth of the ri-
ver, and that the savages who came to my island
were not properly those which we call Caribbees, but
islanders, and other barbarians of the same sort,
who inhabited something nearer to our side than the
rest. I visited several of these islands to no purpose
At length I came fair on the south side of my island,
and I presently knew the very countenance of the
place. So I brought the ship safe to an anchor, on
300 ROBINSON CBUSOE,
a broadside with the little creek, where my old ha-
bitation was.
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 | Othere !” pointing to our
old habitation, and fell a dancing and capering like
a mad fellow, and I had much ado to heep him from
jumping into the sea, to swim ashore to the place.
“Well, Friday,” said I, “do you thiuk we shall find
anybody here or no P 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, “no see him more, no, never more see
again l’”—“Why so,” said I, “Friday, how do you
know that ?”—“O no, no,” says Friday, “he long
ago die, long ago, he much old man.”—“Well, well,”
said I, “Friday, you don’t know. But shall we see
any one else then P” The fellow, it seems, had better
eyes than I, and he points just to the hill above my
old housg, and though we lay half a league off, he
cries out; “Me see me see | yes, yes! me see much
men there, aud there !” I looked, but I could see
nobody, no, not with the perspective glass, which was
I suppose, because I could not hit the place, for the
fellow was right, as I found, upon enquiry, the next
day, and there were five or six men altogether stood
to look at the ship, not knowing what to think of us.
As soon as Friday had told me he saw people, I
caused the English ancient to be spread, and fired
three guns, to give them notice we were friends, and
about a quarter of an hour after we perceived a
smoke rise from the side of the creek. So I imme-
diately ordered a boat out, taking Friday with me,
aud hanging out a white flag, or flag of truce, I went
Robinson CBUsof. 301
‘directly on shore, taking with me the young friar I
mentioned before, to whom I had told the whole
story of my living there, and the manner of it, and
every particular, both of myself, and those that I left
there, and who was, on that account, extremely de-
sirous to go with me. We had, besides, about sixteen
men, very well armed, if we had found any new
guests there which we did not know of ; but we had
no need of weapons.
As we went on shore upon the tide of flood, near
high water, we rowed directly into the creek, and
the first man I fixed my eye upon was the Spaniard,
whose life I had saved, and whom I knew by his
face perfectly well. I ordered nobody to go on shore
but myself, but there was no keeping Friday in the
boat, for the affectionate creature had spied his fa-
ther at a distance, and if they had not let him go on
shore, he would have jumped into the sea. He was
no sooner on shore, but 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 lay down upon the ground, and
stroked his legs, and kissed them, and then got up
again, and stared at him; one would have thought
the fellow bewitched; and all 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 hap-
pened to him abroad, to divert him. In short, if the
same filial affection was to be found in Christians to
their parents in our parts of the world, one would
be tempted to say, there would hardly have been any
need of the Fifth Commandment.
But this is a digression; I return to my landing.
30% #ößINSON Cºtſsoff.
It would be endless to take notice of all the ceremo-
nies and civilities that the Spaniards received me
with. The first Spaniard, whom, as I said, I knew
very well, was he whose life I had saved; he came
towards the boat, attended by one more, carrying a
flag of truce also ; and he not only did not know me
at first, but he had no thought, no notion, of its be-
ing me that was come, till I said, “Seignior, do you
not know me P" At which he spoke not a word, but
giving his musket to the man that was with him,
threw his arms abroad, and saying something in
Spanish that I did not perfectly hear, came forward
and embraced me, telling me he was inexcusable not
to know that face again, that he had once seen, as of
an angel from heaven sent to save his life. He said
abundance of very handsome things, as a well-bred
Spaniard always knows how; and then beckoning to
the person who attended him, bade him go and call
out his comrades. He then asked me, if I would
walk to my old habitation, where he would give me
possession of my own house again, where I should see
there had been but mean improvements. So I walk-
ed along with him ; but, alas ! I could no more find
the place again, than if I had never been there, for
they had planted so many trees, and placed them in
such a posture, so thick and close to one another,
and in ten years’ time they were grown so big, that,
in short, the place was inaccessible, except by such
winding and blind ways, as they themselves only
who made them could find.
I asked 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 misfortune to find I was
gone. He told me, he could not but have some satis-
faction in my good fortune, when he heard that I
was gone in a good ship; and that he had oftentimes
a strong persuasion, that one time or other he should
See me again.
Bobrnson CRUsor. 303
When he was saying this, came the man whom he
had sent back, and with him eleven men more. In
the dress they were in, it was impossible to guess
what nation they were of ; but he made all clear,
both to them and to me. Tirst, he turned to me,
and pointing to them, said, “These, sir, are some of
the gentlemen who owe their lives to you;” and then
turning to them, and pointing to me, he let them
know who I was. Upon which, they all came up,
one by one, not as if they had been sailors, and or-
dinary fellows, and I the like, but really as if they
had been ambassadors or noblemen, and I a monarch
or a great conqueror.
The history of their coming to, and conduct in,
the island, after my going away, is so remarkable,
and has so many incidents which the former part of
my relation will help to understand, and which will,
in most of the particulars, refer to that account I
have already given, that I cannot but commit them
to the reading of those who come after me.
The first thing I did, was to desire that he would
give me a particular account of his voyage back to
his countrymen with the boat, when I sent him to
fetch them over. He told me there was little variety
in that part, for nothing remarkable happened to
them on the way, they having very calm weather,
and a smooth sea. For his countrymen, it would not
be doubted, he said, but that they were overjoyed to
see him. (It seems, he was the principal man among
them, the captain of the vessel they had been ship-
wrecked in having been dead some time.) They
were, he said, the more surprised to see him, because
they knew that he was fallen into the hands of sav-
ages, 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 manner he was furnished for carrying them
away, it was like a dream to them; and their aston-
ishment, they said, was something like that of Jo-
304 RöBINSON cRUsop.
seph's brethren, when he told them who he was, and
told them the story of his exaltation in Pharaoh's
court. But when he showed them the arms, the
powder, the ball, and the provisions that he brought
them for their journey, or voyage, they were restor-
ed to themselves, took a just share in the joy of their
deliverance, and immediately prepared to come away
with him.
Their first business was to get canoes; and in this
they were obliged not to stick so much upon the ho-
nes' part of it, but to trespass upon their friendly
savages, and to borrow two large canoes, on pre-
tence of going out a fishing, or for pleasure.
In these they came away the next morning. . It
seems they wanted no time to get themselves ready ;
for they had no baggage, neither clothes, nor provi-
sions, nor anything 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, unluckily for them, I had the occasion offered
for my escape, as I mentioned in the other part, and
to get away from the island, leaving three of the
most impudent, hardened, ungoverned, disagreeable
villains behind me, that any man could desire to
meet with.
The only just thing the rogues did, was, that
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 left
them, containing the particular methods which I
took for managing every ) art of my life there, the
way I baked my bread, bred up my tame goats, and
planted my corn, how I cured my grapes, made my
pots, and, in a word, every thing I did. Nor did
they refuse to accommodate the Spaniards with any
thing else, for they agreed very well for some time;
they gave them an equal admission into the house,
ROBINSON CBUSOE. 305
or cave, and they began to live very sociably ; and
the head Spaniard, who had seen pretty much of my
methods, and Friday's father together, managed all
their affairs; for, as for the Englishmen, they did
nothing but ramble about the island, shoot parrots,
and catch tortoises, and when they came home at
night, the Spaniards provided their suppers for them.
The Spaniards would have been satisfied with this,
would the others have but let them aloue, which,
however, they could not find in their hearts to do
long, but, like the dog in the manger, they would
not eat themselves, and would not let others eat
neither. At last it broke out into open war, and it
began with all the rudeness and insolence that can
be imagined, without reason, without provocation,
contrary to nature, and, indeed, to common sense;
and though, it is true, the first relation of it came
from the Spaniards themselves, whom I may call the
accusers, yet when I came to examine the fellows,
they could not deny a word of it.
But before I come to the particulars of this part,
I must supply a defect in my former relation; and
this was, that I forgot to set down among the rest,
that, just as we were weighing the anchor to set
sail, there happened a little quarrel on board our
ship, which I was afraid once would turn to a se-
cond mutiny; nor was it appeased, till the captain,
rousing up his courage, and taking us all to his as-
sistance, parted them by force, and making two of
the Iuost refractory fellows prisoners, he laid them
in irons; and as they had been active in the former
disorders, and let fall some ugly, 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,
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 º should come to some English port, and that
U :
306 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
then they should all be put into a goal, 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 caused the two men, who were in
irons, to be released and forgiven.
But this mutiny had brought us to an anchor for
that night, the wind falling calm. Next morning we
found that our two men, who had been laid in irons,
had stole each of them a musket, and some other
weapons; what powder or shot they had we knew
not; and had taken the ship's pinnace, which was
not yet hauled up, and run away with her to their
companions in roguery on 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 rogues; but they could nei-
ther find them nor any of the rest, for they all fled
into the woods when they saw the boat coming.
These two men made their number five ; but the
other three villaius were so much wickeder than
these, that, after they had been two or three days
together, they turned their new-comers out of doors
to shift for themselves, and would have nothing to
do with them, nor could they, for a good while, be
persuaded to give them any food; as for the Spani-
ards, they were not yet come.
When the Spaniards came first on shore, the busi-
ness began to go forward; the Spaniards would have
persuaded the three English brutes to have taken in
their two countrymen again, 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,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 307
finding nothing but industry and application would
make them live comfortably, they pitched their
tents on the north shore of theisland, but a little more
to the west, to be out of the danger of the savages,
who always landed on the east part of the island.
Here they built them two huts, one to lodge it,
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 enclosed, after
the pattern I had set for them all, and began to live
pretty well.
They were going on in this little thriving posture,
when the three unnatural rogues, their own country-
men 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, d- them, 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, and
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 of them merrily
told them, if they were ground landlords, he hoped,
if they built tenements upon the land, and made im.
provements, they would, according to the custom of
all landlords, grant them a long lease, and bade them
go and fetch a scrivener to draw the writings. One
of the three, cursing and raging, told them that
they should see they were not in just; and going to
a little place at a distance, where the honest men
had made a fire to dress their victuals, he takes a
firebrand, and clapt it to the outside of their hut,
and set it on fire; and it would have been burnt
down in a 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 not without some difficulty.
308 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
The fellow was in such a rage at the honest man
thrusting him away, that he turned upon him with a
pole he had in his hand; and had not the man avoid-
ed the blow very nimbly, and run into the hut, he
had ended his days at once. His comrade, seeing
the danger they were both in, ran in after him, and
immediately they both came out with their muskets;
and the man who was first struck at with the pole,
knocked the fellow down who began the quarrel,
with the stock of his musket, and that before the
other two could come to help him ; and then seeing
the rest come at them, they stood together, and pre-
senting the other ends of their pieces of them, bade
them stand off.
The others 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 of-
fered 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 see-
ing him 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.
But not to crowd this part 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, and in a word, plaguing them night and
day in this manner, 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 do 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
that time, intending to have a fair battle, and the
Spaniards should stand by and see fair play. So they
got up in the morning before day, and came to the
place, and called the Englishmen by their names,
IROBINSON CEUSOE, 309
telling a Spaniard that answered, that they wanted
to speak with them.
It happened that the day before two of the Spani-
ards, having been in the woods, had seen one of the
two Englishmen, whom, for distinction, I call the
honest men ; and he had made a sad complaint to
the Spaniards of the barbarous usage they had met
with from their three countrymen. When the Spa-
niards came home at night, and they were all at
supper, they took the freedom to reprove the three
Englishmen, though in gentle and mannerly terms,
at which they took great offence.
The next morning they went all trooping away,
swearing to burn and demolish the habitation of the
other two men, and also muttered some insolent
things among themselves of what they would do to
the Spaniards too, when opportunity offered.
When they came thither, and found the men gone
Atkins, who, it seems, was the forwardest man, call-
led out to his comrades, “Ha ! Jack, here's the nest,
but, d-n them, the birds are flown.” They mused
awhile to think what should be the occasion of their
being gone abroad so soon, and suggested presently
that the Spaniards had given them notice of it ; an
with that they shook hands and swore to one ano-
ther that they would be revenged of the Spaniards.
As soon as they had made this bloody bargain, they
fell to work with the poor men's habitation. They
did not set fire indeed to any thing, but they pulled
down both their houses, and left not the least stick
standing, or scarce any sign on the ground where
they stood ; they also tore in pieces, and squandered
about their little household stuff.
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.
310 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
When the three came back, like furious creatures,
flushed with the rage which the work they had been
about had put them into, they came up to the Spani-
ards and told them what they had done, by way of
scoff and bravado; and one of them stepping up to
one of the Spaniards, as if they had been a couple of
boys at play, takes hold of his hat as it was upon his
head, and gave it a twirl about, fleering in his face,
says to him, “And you, seignior Jack Spaniard,
shall have the same sauce, if you do not mend your
manners.” The Spaniard, who, though a quiet, civil
man, was as brave as a man could be desired to be,
and withal a strong, well-made man, looking stead-
ily at him for a good while, and then, having no
weapon in his hand, stepped gravely up to him, and,
with one blow of his fist knocked him down, at which
one of the rogues, insolent as the first, fired his pis-
tol at the Spaniard immediately. He missed his body
indeed, for the bullets went through his hair; but
one of them touched the tip of his ear, and he bled
pretty much. The blood made the Spaniard believe
he was more hurt than he really was, and that put
him into some heat, for before he acted in a perfect
calm ; but now, resolving to go through with his
work, he stooped, and took the fellow’s musket
whom he had knocked down, and was just going to
shoot the man who fired at him, when the rest of the
Spaniards, being in the cave, came out, and, calling
to him not to shoot, they stepped in, secured the
other two, and took their arms from them.
When they were thus disarmed, and found they
had made all the Spaniards their enemies, as well as
their own countrymen, they began to cool, and giv-
ing the Spaniards better words, would have had
their arms again; but the Spaniards, considering the
feud that was between them and the other two Eng-
lishmen, and that it would be the best method they
could take to keep them from one another, told them
they would do them no harm ; and if they would
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 311
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 mis-
chief with them to their own countrymen, and had
even threatened them all to make them their servants.
The rogues were not more capable to hear reason
than to act reason ; and, being refused their arms,
they went raving away, and raging like madmen,
threatening what they would do, though they had
no fire-arms. But the Spaniards, despising their
threatening, told them that they should take care
how they offered any injury to their plantation and
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
would certainly be hanged. As soon as they were
gone, came back the two men, in passion and rage
enough also, though of another kind ; for having
been at their plantation, and finding it all demolish-
ed and destroyed, as above, it will easily be suppos-
ed that they had provocation enough ; they could
scarce have room to tell their tale, the Spaniards
were so eager to tell them theirs; and it was strange
to find that three men should thus bully so many,
and receive not the least punishment for it.
The Spaniards, indeed, despised them, and especi-
ally, having thus disarmed them, made light of their
threatenings; but the two Englishmen resolved to
have their remedy against them, what pains soever
it cost to find them.
But the Spaniards interposed here too, and told
them, that as they were already disarmed, they could
not consent that they (the two) should pursue them
with fire-arms, and perhaps kill them. “But,” said
the grave Spaniard, who was their governor, “we
will endeavour to make them do you justice, if you
will leave it to us; for as there is no doubt but they
will come to us again when their passion is over, be-
312 - RoBINSON GRUSOE.
ing not able to subsist without our assistance, we
promise you to make no peace with them, without
having a full satisfaction for you ; and, upon this
condition, we hope you will promise to use no vio-
lence with them other then in your own defence.”
The two Englishmen yielded to this very awkward-
ly, and with great reluctance.
In about five day's time, the three vagrants, tired
with wandering, and almost starved with hunger,
having chiefly lived on turtle's eggs all that while,
came back to the grove ; and finding my Spaniard,
who, as I have said was the governor, and two more
with him, walking by the side of the creek, they
came up in a very submissive humble manner, and
begged to be received again into the family. The
Spaniards used them very civilly, but told them that
they could not think of relieving them unless they
would promise to replace, as well as they could, the
things they had destroyed.
... Well, they submitted to this, and as they had plen-
ty of provisions given them all the while, they grew
very orderly, and the whole society began to live
pleasantly and agreeably together again ; only that
these three fellows could never be persuaded to work,
I mean, for themselves, except now and then a lit-
tle, just as they pleased. However, the Spaniards
told them plainly, that if they would but live soci-
ably 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 gave them liberty to go
abroad with them as before.
It was not above a week after they had these arms
and went abroad, but the ungrateful creatures began
to be insolent and troublesome as before. But, how-
ever, an accident happening presently upon this,
which endangered the safety of them all, they were
|BO BINSON CRUSOE. 313
obliged to lay by all private resentments, and look to
the preservation of their lives.
It happened one night that the Spaniard governor,
as I call him, that is to say, the Spaniard whose life
I had saved, who was now the captain, or leader, or
governor, of the rest, found himself very uneasy in
the night, and could by no means get any sleep. He
was perfectly well in body, as he told me the story,
only found his thoughts tumultuous ; his mind ran
upon men fighting and killing one another, but was
broad awake, and could not by any means get any
sleep. In short, he lay a great while, but growing
more and more uneasy, he resolved to rise. Being
gotten up, he looked out ; but, being dark, he could
see little or nothing ; and, hearing no noise, he re-
turned and laid him down again ; but it was all one,
he could not sleep, nor could he compose himself to
anything like rest, but his thoughts were to the last
degree uneasy, and yet he knew not for what.
Having made some noise with rising and walking
about, going out and coming in, another of them
waked, and calling, asked who it was that was up.
The governor told him how it had been with him.
“Say you so P’’ said the other Spaniard. “Such
things are not to be slighted, I assure you ; there is
certainly some mischief working,” says he, “near
us.” “And presently he asked him, “Where are the
Englishmen?” “They are ºil in their huts,” says
he, “safe enough.” It seems the Spaniards had kept
possession of the main apartment, and had made a
place where the three Englishmen, since their last
mutiny, always quartered by themselves, and could
not come at the rest. “Well,” says the Spaniard,
“there is something in it, I am persuaded.”
In a word, they went out to go to the top of the
hill, where I used to go; but when they were going
round their grove, unconcerned and unwary, they
were surprised with seeing a light, as of fire, a very
little way off from them, and hearing the voices of
.*

314 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
men, not of one or two, but of a great number. We
need not doubt, but that the governor and the man
with him, surprised with this sight, ran back imme-
diately, and raised their fellows, giving them an ac-
count of the imminent danger they were all in, and
they again as readily took the alarm; but it was im-
possible to persuade them to stay close within where
they were, but that they must all run out to see how
things stood.
After having mused a great while, they resolved
at last, while it was dark, to send the old savage
(Friday's father) out as a spy, to learn, if they were
savages, something cºncerning them, as what they
came for, and what they intended to do, and the like.
The old man readily undertook it, and stripping him-
self quite naked, as most of the Savages were, away
he went. After he had been gone an hour or two,
he brings word, that he had been among them un-
discovered, that he found there were two parties, and
of two separate nations, who had war with one ano-
ther, and had had a great battle in their own coun-
try, and that both sides having had several prisoners
taken in the fight, they were, by mere chauce, land-
ed in the same island, for the devouring their pri-
soners and making merry; but their coming so by
chauce to the same place had spoiled all their mirth;
that they were in a great rage at one another, and
were so near that he believed they would fight again,
as soon as daylight began to appear; and he did not
perceive that they had any notion of any body’s be-
ing on the island but themselves. He had hardly
made an end of telling his story, when they could
perceive by the unusual noise they made, that the
two little armies were engaged in a bloody fight.
The battle held two hours, before they could guess
which party would be beaten; but then that party
which was nearest our people's habitation began to
appear weakest, and, after some time more, some of
them began to fly; and this put our men in a great
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 315
consternation, lest any of those that fled should run
into the grove before their dwelling for shelter, and
thereby involuntarily discover the place, and that,
by consequence, the pursuers should do the like in
search for them. As they expected, it fell out;
three of the routed army fled for life, and crossing
the creek, ran directly into the place, not in the
least knowing whither they went, but running as
into a thick wood for shelter. Upon this the Spani-
ard governor, a man of humanity, would not suffer
them to kill the three fugitives; but, sending three
men out by the top of the hill, ordered them to go
round, and corne in behind them, surprise, and take
them prisoners, which was done. The residue of the
conquered people fled to their canoes, and got off to
sea; the victors retired, and made no pursuit, or very
little, but drawing themselves into a body together,
gave two great screaming shouts, which they sup-
posed was by way of triumph ; and so the fight
ended. The same day, about three o’clock in the
afternoon, they also marched to their canoes. And
thus the Spaniards had their island again free to
themselves; their fright was over, and they saw no
savages for several years after.
This deliverance tamed even the three English
brutes I have been speaking of, and, for a great while
after, they were tractable, and went about the com-
mon business of the whole society well enough; plant-
ed, sowed, reaped, and began to be quite agreeable;
but some time after this, they fell into such measures
again as brought them into great trouble.
The three Savages, who were took prisoners, were
made servants or slaves; and they were all stout,
lusty fellows. After some time, one of the English-
men, a most turbulent fellow, being in a rage with
one of the slaves, because the fellow had not done
something right which he bade him do, and seemed
a little untractable in his showing him, drew a
hatchet out of a frog belt, in which he wore it by
316 - ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 aimed 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, clapped in between
him and the savage, to prevent the mischief. The
fellow, being enraged the more at this, struck at the
Spaniard with his hatchet, and swore he would serve
him as he intended to serve the savage, which the
Spaniard perceiving, avoided the blow, and, with a
shovel, which he had in his hand (for they were
working in the field, about their corn land,) knocked
the brute down. Another of the Englishmen, run-
ning at the same time to help his comrade, knocked
the Spaniard down ; and then two Spaniards more
came to help their man, and a third Englishman fell
upon them. They had none of them any fire-arms,
or any other weapons, but hatchets and other tools,
except this third Englishman; he had one of my old
rusty cutlasses, with which he made at the last
Spaniards, and wounded them both. This fray set
- the whole family in an uproar, and more help coming
in, they took the three Englishmen prisoners. The
next question was, what should be done with them.
They had been so often mutinous, and were so furi-
ous, so desperate, and Šo idle withal, that they knew
not what course to take with them ; for they were
mischievous to the highest degree, and valued not
what hurt they did to any man, so that, in short, it
was not safe to live with them.
The Spaniard who was governor, told them, that
if they had been his own countrymen, he would have
hanged them all, for all laws, and all governors, were
to preserve society, and those who were dangerous
to society ought to be expelled out of it; but as they
were Englishmen, and that it was to the generous
kindness of all Englishman that they all owed their
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 317
preservation and deliverance, he would use them with
all possible lenity, and would leave them to the judg-
ment 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
gives 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. '...a
When the Spaniard governor heard this, he calls
to Will Atkins, “How, Seignior Atkins,” says he,
“would you murder us all? What have you to say to
that ?” That hardened villain was so far from deny-
ing it, that he said it was true, and they would do it
still before they had done with them. “Well, but
Seignior Atkins,” says the Spaniard, “what have we
done to you that you would kill us P and what would
you get by killing us P and what must we do to pre-
vent you killing us P. We must kill you or you will
kill us. Why will you put us to the necessity of this,
Seignior Atkins P’’ says the Spaniard, very calmly,
and smiling.
Atkins was in a great rage, which obliged them to
consider seriously what was to be done. After a long
debate it was agreed, first, that they should be dis-
armed, and not permitted to have either gun or pow-
der, or any weapon ; and should be turned out of the
society, and left to live where they would, and how
they could, by themselves ; but none of the rest,
either Spaniards or English, should converse with
them, or have anything to do with them ; that they
should be forbid to come within a certain distance of
the place where the rest dwelt ; and that if they of-
fered to commit any disorder, so as to spoil, burn,
kill, or destroy any of the corn, plantings, or build-
ings, fences, or cattle, belonging to the society, that
they should die without mercy, and they should
shoot them wherever they could find them.
3.18 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
They went away sullen and refractory, as neither
contented to go away nor stay ; but as there was no
remedy, they went pretending to go and choose a
place where they would settle themselves to plant
and live by themselves, and some provisions were
given them, but no weapons.
About four or five days after, they came again for
some victuals, and gave the governor an account
where they had pitched their tents, and marked
themselves out a habitation and plantation. Here
they built themselves two handsome huts, and con-
trived them in a manner like my habitation, being
close under the shade of a hill, having some trees
growing already on three sides of it, so that by plant-
ing others it would be very easily covered from the
sight, unless narrowly searched for. They desired
some dried goat-skins for beds and covering, which
were given them : and upon giving their words, that
they would not disturb the rest, or injure any of
their plantations, they gave them hatchets and what
other tools they could spare, some peas, barley, and
rice, for sowing, and, in a word, anything they want-
ed but arms and ammunition.
About three quarters of a year after this separa-
tion, a new frolic took these rogues, which, together
with the former villany they had committed, brought
mischief enough on them, and had very near been
the ruin of the whole colony. The three new associ-
ates 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 na-
tives there, and bring them home, so as to make them
do the laborious part of their work for them.
The three fellows came down to the Spaniards one
morning, and, in very humble terms, desired to be
admitted to speak with them. The Spaniards very

f:0BINSON CRUSOE. 319
readily heard what they had to say, which was this:
that they were tired of living in the manner they
did; that they were not handy enough to make the
necessaries they wanted, and that, having no help,
they found they should be starved ; but if the Spani-
ards would give them leave to take one of the canoes
which they came over in, and gave them arms and
ammunition proportioned for their defence, they
would go over to the main, and seek their fortune,
and so deliver them from the trouble of supplying
them with any other provisions.
The Spaniards told them with great kindness, that
if they were resolved to go, they should not go 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 was
sufficient for them. In a word they accepted the
offer, and having baked them bread sufficient for a
month, and gave 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 offresh 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, indeed was a large one, and would have
very well carried fifteen or twenty men, and, there-
fore, was rather too big for them to manage ; but as
they had a fair breeze, and the flood tide 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, “Bonveyajo,” and no man ever thought
of seeing them any more.
The Spaniards would often say one to another, and
the two honest Englishmen who remained behind,
how quietly and comfortably they lived, now those
320 ROfRINSON CRUSOE.
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 English-
men being abroad upon his planting work, sees three

strange men coming towards him, at a distance, two
of them with guns on their shoulders.
Away runs the Englishman, as if he was bewitch-
ed, and came frighted ald amazed to the governor
Spaniard, and told them they were all undone, for
there were strangers landed upon the island, he could
not tell who. The Spaniard, pausing awhile, says to
him, “ They are savages, to be sure.”—“No, no,”
says the Englishman, “they are men in clothes, with
arms.”—“Nay, then,” says the Spaniard, “why are
you concerned . If they are not savages they must be
friends; for there is no christian nation upon earth
but will do us good, rather than harm.”
While they were debating thus, came the three
Englishmen, and standing without the wood, which
was new planted, hallooed to them. They presently
knew their voices, and so all the wonder of that kind
ceased. But now the admiration was turned upon
another question; viz., what could be the matter, and
what made them come again P. It was not long be-
fore they brought the men in, and inquiring where
they had been, and what they had been doing, they
gave them a full account of their voyage in a few
words; viz., that they reached the land in two days,
or something less, and 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,
ROBINSON CEUSOE. 321
that lived almost every way, who, as they made
known by 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 prisoners.
The Englishmen inquired, when they had a feast
of that kind, and they told them two moons ago,
pointing to the moon, and then to two fingers; and
that their great king had two hundred prisoners now,
and that they were feeding them fatforthenext feast.
The Englishmen seemed desirous to see the prisoners,
but the others mistaking them, thought they were
desirous to have some of them, to take 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 'sunrising,
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.
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 they could offer
to the savage gentry, and what to do with them they
knew not. However, they resolved to accept of
them, and in return, gave the savages that brought
them one of their hatchets, an old key, a knife, and
six or seven of their bullets, which, though they did
not understand, they seemed extremely pleased with,
and then tying the poor creatures' hands behind
them, they dragged the prisoners into the boat for
Olli （1621],
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 gone to work with them, have
kilº, two or three of them the next morning, and,
102 X.

322 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
perhaps have invited the donors to dinner. Having
taken their leave, they put off with their boat, and
came back towards another island, where they set
eight of their prisoners at liberty, there being too
many for their occasion; after which they steered
towards home again.
When the three wanderers had given this unac-
countable history, or journal, of their voyage, the
Spaniards asked them where their new family was ;
and, being told that they had brought them on shore,
and put them into one of their huts, and were come
to beg some victuals for them, the Spaniards, and two
Englishmen, resolved to go down to the place and
see them, and Friday's father went with them.
When they came into the hut, there they sat all
bound; for when they had brought them on shore,
they bound their hands; and all of them stark naked.
First, there were three men, lusty, comely fellows,
well shaped, 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
twenty-four or twenty-five, and the fifth, a tall,come-
ly maiden, about sixteen or seventeen. The first
thing they did was to cause the old Indian, Friday’s
father, to go in, and see first if he knew any of them ;
and then, if he understood any of their speech. As
soon as the old man came in, he looked seriously at
them, but he knew none of them, neither could any
of them understanda word he said, or a sign he could
make, except one of the women.
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 either men or women, and that they might be
sure they would not get killed. As soon as they
were assured of this, they discovered such joy, and
by such awkward ways, as is hard to describe; for
it seems they were of several nations. -
The woman who was the interpreter, was bid, in


IROBINSON CRUSOE. 323
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, any thing that lay next, to
carry, to show they were willing to work,
The governor, who found that the having of wo-
men among them would presently be attended with
some inconvenience, and might occasion some strife,
and perhaps blood, asked the three men what they
intended to do with these women, and how they in-
tended to use them, whether as servants or women.
One of the Englishmen answered very boldly and
readily, that they would use 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 all disorders and
quarrels among you, and I desire it of you for that
reason only, that if you will all engage, if any of you
take any of these women as a woman, or a wife, he
shall take but one, and that, having taken one, none
else shall touch her; for though we cannot marry any
of you, yet it is but reasonable that, while you stay
here, the woman any of you take should be main-
tained by the man that takes her, and should be his
wife; I mean,” says he, “while he continues here,
and that none else shall have anything to do with
her.” All this appeared so just, that every one
agreed to it without any difficulty; and the five Eng-
lishmen (the Spaniards declining the offer) drew lots
for choice, so that each had a wife.
But now I come to a scene different from all that
happened before, either to them or to me, and the
original of the story was this:—
Early one morning there came on shore five or six
canoes of Indians, or savages, and there is no room
to doubt that they came upon the errand of feeding
upon their slaves. But that part was now so familiar
to the Spaniards, and to our men too, that they did
324 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
*
not concern themselves about it as I did; but having
been made sensible, by their experiences, that their
only business was to lie concealed, they had nothing
to do but to give notice to all the three plantations
to keep within doors, and not show themselves, only
placing a scout in a proper place to give notice when
the boats went off to sea 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 desolation of almost the whole
colony. After the canoes with the savages 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 great surprise, they found three savages left
behind, and lying fast asleep upon the ground; it
was supposed they had been so gorged with their
inhuman feast, that, like beasts, they were asleep,
and would not stir when the others went, or they
were wandered into the woods, and did not come
back in time to be taken in.
The Spaniards were greatly surprised at this sight,
and perfectly at a loss what to do. The Spaniard
governor, as it happened, was with them, and his ad-
vice was asked, but he knew not what to do; as for
slaves, they had enough already, and as to killing
them they were none of them inclined to that.
So they resolved to awaken them, and take them
prisoners, and they did so. The poor fellows were
strangely frightened when they were seized upon and
bound, and afraid that they should be murdered and
eaten ; for, it seems, those people think all the world
do 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
them home to their castle, but they carried them first
to the bower, where was the chief of their country
work, such as keeping of the goats, the planting of
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 325
the corn, &c., and afterwards they carried them to
the habitation of the two Englishmen. -
Here they were set to work, though there was not
much for them to do; and, whether it was by negli-
gence in guarding them, or that they thought the
fellows could not mend themselves, I know not, but
one of them ran away, and, taking into the woods,
they could never hear of him more.
They had good reason to believe he got home again
soon after, in some other boats or canoes of savages,
who came on shore three or four weeks afterwards,
and who, carrying on their revels as usual, went off
in two day's time. This thought terrified them ex-
ceedingly; for they concluded, and that not without
good cause indeed, that if this fellow got safe home
among his comrades, he would certainly give them
an account that there were people in the island.
The first testimony they had that this fellow had
given intelligence of them was, that about two
months after this, six canoes 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 Englishmen, where this escaped
man had been kept. As the Spaniard 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 about an hour before they
landed ; and as they landed about 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
, seems proved very faithful to them, to lead them with
their two wives, and whatever they could carry away
326 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
with them, to their retired place in the woods, which
I have spoken of before, and there to bind the two
fellows, hand and foot, till they heard further.
When the poor frighted men had secured their
wives and goods, they sent the other slave they had
of the three who came with the women, and who
was at their place by accident, away to the Spaniards

with all speed, to give them the alarm, and desired
speedy help ; and, in the mean time, they took their
arms, and what ammunition they had, and retreated
towards the place in the wood, where their wives
were sent, keeping at a distance, yet so that they
might see, if possible, which way the savages went.
They had not gone far, but that, from a rising
ground, they could see the little army of their ene-
mies come on directly to their habitation, and, in a
moment more, could see all their huts and household
stuff flaming up together, to their great grief and
mortification. They kept their station for a while,
till they found the savages, like wild beasts, spread
themselves all over the place, rummaging every way
and every place they could think of, in search for
prey ; and, in particular, for the people, of whom it
now plainly appeared they had intelligence.
The two Englishmen, seeing this, thinking them-
selves not secure where they stood, because, as it was
likely some of the wild people might come that way,
so they might come too many together, thought it
proper to make another retreat, about half a mile
further, believing, as it afterwards happened, that
the further 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 standing
resolving to see there what might offer.
They had not stood there long, but two of the sa-
yages appeared running directly that way, as if they
had already had notice where they stood, and were


ROBINSON GRUSOE. 327

coming up to attack them; and, a little way further,
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, whe-
ther they should stand and keep their posture or fly.
But, after a very short debate with themselves, they
considered, that if the savages ranged 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 stand them there ; and if there
were too many to deal with, then they would go up
to the top of the tree, from whence they doubted not
to defend themselves, fire excepted, as long as their
ammunition lasted, though all the savages that were
landed, which were near fifty, were to attack them.
Having resolved upon this, they next considered
whether they 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, would be separated.
At length, they resolved to let the first two pass by,
unless they should spy them in the tree, and come to
attack them. The first two savages also confirmed
them in this resolution, by turning a littlefrom them
towards another part of the wood; but the three and
the five after them, came forwards to the tree, as if
they knew they 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 fire but one at a time, perhaps the
first shot might hit them all three; to which purpose,
the man who was to fire put three or four bullets in-
to his piece, and having a fair loophole, from a bro-
ken hole in the tree, he took a sure aim, without be-
ing seen, waiting till they were within about thirty
yards of the tree, so that he could not miss. x
While they were thus waiting, and the savage
t
328 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
came on, they plainly saw that one of the three was
the run-away savage that had escaped from them ;
and they both knew him distinctly, and resolved that
if possible, he should not escape, though they 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, in a word, he fired, and hit two
of them directly. The foremost was killed outright,
being shot in the head ; the second, which was the
runaway Indian, was shot through the body and fell,
but was not quite dead ; and the third had a little
scratch in 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 yelling in a
hideous manner.
The five that were behind, more frightened with
the noise than sensible of their danger, stood still at
first ; for the woods made the sound a thousand times
bigger than it really was ; the echoes rattling from
one side to another, and the fowls rising from all
parts screaming, and making every sort of noise, just
as it was when I fired the first gun, that perhaps,
was ever shot in that place since it was an island.
However, all being silent again, they not knowing
what the matter was, came on unconcerned, till they
came to that place where their companions lay in a
very miserable condition. And here the poor ignor-
ant creatures not sensible that they were within
reach of the same mischief, stood all in a group over
the wounded men. Our two men resolved to let fly
both together, among them, and, singling out by
agreement which to shoot at, they shot together, and
killed, or very much wounded four of them ; the
fifth, frightened even to death, though not hurt, fell
with the rest: so that our men, seeing them all fall
together, thought they had killed them all.

ROBINSON CEUSOE. - 329
The belief that the savages were all killed, made
our two men come boldly out from the tree before
they had charged their guns again, which was a
wrong step; and they were surprised 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, that 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, but could not say one word to them that they
could understand. .
However, they signed to him to sit down at the foot
of a tree there by, and one of the Englishmen with a
piece of rope-twine which he had by great chance
in his pocket, tied his feet fast together, and his
hands behind him, and there they left him.
They now resolved to go to the place where their
wives were, to see if all was well there; and when
they came thither, they found the Savages had been
in the wood, and very near the place, but had not
found it; for, indeed, it was inaccessible, by the
trees standing so thick, unless the person seeking it
had been directed by those who knew it, which these
were not. They found, therefore, every tying very
safe, only the women in a terrible fright. While
they were here, they had the comfort of seven of the
Spaniards coming to their assistance; the other ten,
with their servants, and Friday's father, were gone
in a body to defend the bower, and the corn and
cattle that were kept there, in case the Savages
should have rowed over to that part of the country,
but they did not spread so far. With the seven
Spaniards came one of the three savages, who, as I
said, were their prisoners formerly, and with them

330 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
also came the savage whom the Englishmen had left
bound hand and foot at the tree; 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 done the two others
who were left when the third ran away. They then
resolved, with great 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, in order to be gone.
The prisoners began now to be a burden to them,
and they were so afraid of their escaping, that they
thought they were under an absolute necessity to
kill them for their own preservation. However, the
Spaniard governor would not consent to it, but order-
ed that they should be sent out of the way to my old
cave in the valley, and be kept there, with two Spa-
niards to guard them, and give them food, and they
were bound there hand and foot for that night.
The poor Englishmen, being now twice ruined,
and all their improvements destroyed, the rest all
agreed to come and help them to rebuild, and to as-
sist them with needful supplies. Their three coun-
trymen, who were not yet noted for having the least
inclination to any good, yet, as soon as they heard
of it (for they living remote eastward, knew nothing
of the matter till all was over,) came and offered
their help and assistance, and did very friendly work,
for several days, to restore their habitations, and
make necessaries for them; and thus, in a little time,
they were set upon their legs again.
It was five or six months after this before they
heard any more of the savages, in which time our
men were in hopes that they had not forgot their
former bad luck, or had given over the hopes of
better, when, on a sudden, they were invaded with a
most formidable fleet of no less than twenty-eight


ROBINSON CRUSOE, 331
canoes full of Savages, armed with bows and arrows,
great clubs, wooden swords, and such like engines of
war; and they brought such numbers with them, that
it put all our people into the utmost consternation.
As they came on shore in the evening, and at the
eastermost part of the island, our men had that night
to consult what to do; and knowing that their being
entirely concealed was their only safety before, and
would be much more so now, when 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.
They then drove away all the flock of goats they
had at the old bower, as I called it, which belonged
to the Spaniards; and, in short, left as little appear-
ance of inhabitants anywhere as possible; and the
next morning early they posted themselves, with all
their force, at the plantation of the two men, waiting
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 di-
rectly towards the place, to the number of two hun-
dred and fifty, as near as our men could judge. Our
army was but small indeed, being but twenty-nine,
slaves and all; but that which was worse, they had
not arms for all their number neither. To their
slaves they did not give either musket or fusil, but
they had every one a halbert, or a long staff, like a
quarter-staff, with a great spike of iron fastened to
each end of it, and by his side a hatchet ; also every
one of our men had hatchets. Two of the women
could not be prevailed upon, but they would come
into the fight, and they had bows and arrows, which
the Spaniards had taken from the savages when the
first action happened, where the Indians fought with
one another; and the women had hatchets too.
332 ROIBINSON GRUSOE,
The Spaniard governor commanded the whole;
and Will Atkins, who, though a dreadful fellow for
wickedness, was a most daring, bold fellow, com-
manded under him. The savages came forward like
lions, and our men, which was the worst of their fate,
had no advantage in their situation; only that Will
Atkins, who now proved a most useful fellow, with
six men, was planted just behind a small thicket of
bushes, as an advanced guard, with orders to let the
first of them pass by, and then fire into the middle
of them, and as soon as he had fired, to make his re-
treat as nimbly as he could, rounda part of the wood,
and so come in behind the Spaniards where they
stood, having a thicket of trees all before them. When
the Savages came on, they ran straggling about every
way all in heaps, out of all manner of order, and Will
Atkins let about fifty of them pass by him; then
seeing the rest come on 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 know not, but the consternation
and surprise was inexpressible among the savages,
who were frightened to the last degree, to hear such
a dreadful noise, and see their men killed, and others
hurt, but see nobody that did it; when, in the mid-
dle of their fright, Will Atkins, and his other three,
let fly among the thickest of them ; and, in less than
a minute, the first three, being loaded again, gave
them a third volley.
Had Will Atkins and his men retired immediate-
ly, 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 came principally from this, viz., that
they were killed by the gods with thunder and
lightning, and could see nobody that hurt them;
but Will Atkins staying to load again, they disco-
wered the cheat.

ROBINSON GRUSOE. 333
Some 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, retiring as fast as they could, yet
they wounded Atkins himself, and 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; this slave was a
most gallant fellow, and fought most desperately,
killing five of them with his own hand, having no
weapon but one of the armed staves and a hatchet.
The men being thus hard laid at, Atkins wound-
ed, and two other men killed, retreated to a rising
ground in the wood: and the Spaniards, after firing
three volleys upon them, retreated also, for their
number was so great, and they were so desperate,
that though above fifty of them were killed, and
more than as many of them wounded, yet they came
on in the teeth of our men, fearless of danger, and
shot their arrows like a cloud ; and it was observed,
that their wounded men, who were not quite disabled,
made outrageous by their wounds, fought like mad,
When the men retreated, they left the Spaniard
and the Englishmen that were killed behind them,
and the savages, when they came up to them, broke
their arms, legs, and heads, with their clubs and
wooden swords, like true savages. But finding our
men were gone, they did not seem to pursue them,
but drew themselves up in a kind of a ring, which is,
it seems, their custom, and shouted twice, in honour
of their victory.
The Spaniard governor having drawn his little
body up together upon a rising ground, Atkins,
though he was wounded, would have had him march,
and charge them altogether, at once. But the Spani-
ard replied, “Seignior 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
334 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
shall have the fewer to engage.” The advice was
good, but Will Atkins replied merrily, “That's frue,
seignior, and so shall I too, and that's the reason I
would go on while I am warm.”—“Well, Seignior
Atkins,” says the Spaniard, “you have behaved gal-
lantly, 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 noise among them
where they lay, they afterwards resolved to fall up-
on them in the night, especially if they could come
to give them but one volley before they were disco-
vered. This they had a fair opportunity to do; for
one of the two Englishmen, in whose quarter it was
where the fight began, led them round, between the
woods, and the sea-side, westward, and, turning
short south, they came so near where the thickest of
them lay, that, before they were seen or heard, eight
of them fired in among them, and did dreadful exe-
cution upon them. In half a minute more, eight
others fired after them, pouring in their small shot
in such a quantity, that many were killed and wound-
ed, and all this while they were not able to see who
hurt them, nor which way to fly.
The Spaniards charged again with the utmost ex-
pedition, and then divided themselves into three
bodies, and resolved to fall in among them all toge-
ther. They had in each body eight persons; that is
to say, twenty-four, whereof were twenty-two men,
and the two women, who fought desperately.
They divided the fire-arms equally in each party,
and so of the halberts and staves. They would have
had the women keep back, but they said they were
resolved to die with their husbands. Having thus
formed their little army, they marched out from the
trees, and came up to the teeth of the enemy, shout-
ing and hallooing as loud as they could. The sa-
ROBINSON CEUSOE, 335
vages stood all together, but were in the utmost con-
fusion, hearing the noise of our men shouting from
three quarters together. They would have fought if
they had seen us, and as soon as we came near
enough to be seen, some arrows were shot, and poor
old Friday was wounded, though not dangerously.
But our men gave them no time, but running up to
them fired on them three ways, and then fell in with
the butt-ends of their muskets, their swords, staves,
and hatchets, and laid about them so well, that they
set up a dismal scream, and flew to save their lives.
Our men were tired with the execution, and killed
or wounded, in the two fights about one hundred and
eighty of them ; the rest, being frightened out of
their wits, scoured through the woods, and over the
hills, with all the speed that fear and nimble feet
could help them to do; and as our men did not trou-
ble themselves much to pursue them, they got alto-
gether to the sea-side, where they landed, and where
their canoes lay. But their disaster was not ended
yet ; for it blew a terrible storm that evening from
the seaward, so that it was impossible for them to
put 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
were even dashed to pieces against the beach, or
against one another. Our men, though glad of their
victory, got little rest that night ; but having re-
freshed themselves as well as they could, they re-
solved to march to that part of the island where the
savages were fled, and see what posture they were
in. When they came within two musket-shots of
them, the Spaniard governor ordered two muskets to
be fired without ball to alarm them ; this he did,
that, by their countenance, he might know what to
expect: viz., whether they were in heart to fight, or
were so heartily beaten as to be dispirited and dis-
couraged, and so he might manage accordingly. This
336 ROBINSON CEUSOE,
stratagem took ; for as soon as the savages heard the
first gun, and saw the flash of the second, they start-
ed up on their feet, in the greatest consternation im-
aginable; and, as our men advanced swiftly towards
them, they all ran screaming and yelling away.
Will Atkins, who notwithstanding his wound, kept
always with them, proved the best counsellor in this
case : his advice was, to take the advantage that of-
fered, and clap in between them and their boats, and
so deprive them of the capacity of ever returning
any more to plague the island.
In a word, he showed them the necessity of it so
plainly, that they all came into it; and so they went
to work immediately with the boats, and, getting
some dry wood together from a dead tree, they tried
to set some of them on fire ; but they were so wet
that they would not burn. However, the fire so
burned the upper part, that it soon made them unfit
for swimming in the sea as boats. When the Indians
saw what they were about, some of them came run-
ning out of the woods, and coming as near as they
could to our men, kneeled down and cried, “Oal Oa:
waramokoa, l’’ and some other words of their lan-
guage, which was understood to mean, that they beg-
ged to have their boats spared, and they would be
gone, and never come thither again. But our men
were now satisfied that they had no way to preserve
themselves, or to save their colony, but effectually
to prevent any of these people from going home
again, depending upon this, that if ever so much as
one of them got back to their country to tell the story
the colony was undone ; so that, letting them know
that they should not have mercy, they fell to work
with their canoes, and destroyed them every one,
that the storm had not destroyed before. At the sight
of which the savages raised a hideous cry in the
woods, which our people heard plain enough ; after
which they ran about the island like distracted men,
so that our men did not really know at first what to
do with them. -

ROBINSON GRUSOE. 337
Nor did the Spaniards with all their prudence, con-
sider, that while they made those people thus des-
perate, they ought at the same time to have kept
good guard upon their plantations; for though it is
true, they had driven away their cattle, and the In-
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 pull-
ed it all to pieces, and all the fences and planting
about it; trod all the corn under foot, tore up the
vines, the grapes being just then almost ripe, and
did our men inestimable damage.
The extremity and distress they were reduced to
for want of food was great, and, indeed, deplorable;
and many were afterwards found dead in the woods,
without any hurt, butmerely starved to death. When
our men found this, it made their hearts relent, and
pity moved them, especially the Spaniard governor,
who was the most gentlemanly, generous-minded
man that ever I met with in all my life. 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 interpreter, and to go among
them and see if they could not be brought to some
conditions, that might be depended upon to save
their lives, and do us no spoil.
It was some time before any of them could be
taken ; but, being weak and half starved, one of
them was at last surprised, and made a prisoner.
He was sullen at first, and would neither eat nor
drink; but, finding himself kindly used, and victuals
given him, and no violence offered him, he at last
grew tractable, and came to himself. They brought
old Friday to him, who talked often with him, and
told him how kind the others would be to them all;
that they would not only save their lives, but would
give them a part of the island to live in, provided
they would keep in their own bounds, and not come
beyond them to injure or prejudice others; and that
* Y
- *;



. . A
338 BoBINSON cRUSOE.
W.
they should have corn given them, to plant and make
it grow for their bread, and some bread given them
for their present subsistence; and old Friday bade
the fellow go and talk with the rest of his country-
men, and see what they said to it, assuring them,
that if they did not agree immediately, they should
be all destroyed. The poor wretches, thoroughly
humbled, and reduced in number to about thirty-
seven, closed with the proposal at the first offer, and
begged to have some food given them ; upon which
twelve Spaniards, and two Englishmen, well armed,
and three Indian slaves, and old Friday, marched to
the place where they were. The three Indian slaves
carried them a large quantity of bread, and some
rice boiled up to cakes, and dried in the Sun, and
three live goats; and they were ordered to go to
the side of a hill, where they sat down, ate the pro-
visions very thankfully, and were the most faithful
fellows to their words that could be thought of ; for,
except when they came to beg victuals and direc-
tions, they never came out of their bounds; and there
they lived when I came to the island, and I went to
see them. .
One thing was very remarkable, viz., that they
taught them to make wicker-work, or baskets, but
they soon outdid their masters, for they made abun-
dance of most ingenious things in wicker-work, par-
ticularly all sorts of baskets, sieves, bird-cages, cup-
board, &c.; as also chairs to sit on, stools, couches,
beds, and abundance of other things, being very in-
genious at such work, when they were once taught.
After this, the colony enjoyed a perfect tranquil-
lity, with respect to the savages, till I came to revi-
sit them, which was about two years.
I now 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 any of
-them off, so it would not be just to carry off some
and leave others, who, perhaps, would be unwilling
to stay, if their strength were diminished.
#
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 339
On the other hand, I told them, I came to estab-
lish 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 necessary, as
well for their convenience as their defence; and that
I had such and such particular persons with me, as
well to increase 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 alltogether when Italked thus to them,
and before I delivered them the stores I had brought,
I asked them, one by one, if they had entirely for-
got and buried the first animosities that had been
among them, and would shake hands with one ano-
ther, and engage in a strict friendship and union of
interest, or that there might be no more misunder-
standings or jealousies. Will Atkins, with great
frankness and good humour, said they had met with
afflictions enough to make them all sober, and ene-
mies plenty 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 their pardon if
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 going to Eng-
land, he cared not if he did not go thither these
twenty years.
The Spaniards said they had, indeed, at first dis-
armed and excluded Will Atkins and his two coun-
trymen for their ill conduct, as they let me know ;
and they all appealed to me for the necessity they
\
340 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
were under to do so. But that Will Atkins had be-
haved himself so bravely in the great fight they had
with the savages, and on several occasions since,
and had showed himself so faithful to, and concern
for, the general interest of them all, that they had
forgotten all that was past, and thought he merited
as much to be trusted with arms, and supplied with
necessaries, as any of them. And as they had entire
confidence in him and all his countrymen, so they
acknowledged they had merited that confidence, by
all the methods that honest men could merit to be
valued and trusted. And they most heartily assured
me, that they would never have any interest sepa-
rate from one another,
TJpon these frank and open declarations of friend-
ship, 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 to dress
our dinner, and the old cook's mate on shore assisted.
We brought on shore six good pieces of beef, and
four pieces of pork, out of the ship’s provision, 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 they were very glad of them.
The 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 meat from on shore,
as we did with their salt meat from on board.
After this feast, I brought out my cargo of goods,
wherein, that there might be no dispute about di-
viding, I showed them there was sufficient for them
all; and desired that they might all take an equal
quantity of the goods that were for wearing ; that is
to say, equal when made up. At first, I distributed
linen sufficient to make every one of them four shirts,
but, at the Spaniard's request, afterwards made them
|
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 341
up six. These were exceedingly comfortable to
them, having been what, as I may say, they had long
since forgot the use of, or what it was to wear them.
I allotted the thin English stuffs, which I mentioned
before, to make every one a light coat, like a frock,
which I judged fittest for the heat of the season, cool
and loose; and ordered that, whenever they decayed,
they should make more, as they thought fit. I also
gave them pumps, shoes, stockings, hats, &c.
I cannot express what pleasure, what satisfaction,
sat upon the countenances of all these poor men,
when they saw the care I had taken of them, and
how well I had furnished them.
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 were 2.
/
broken or worn out, they should be supplied, with-
out grudging, out of the general stores that I left
behind. Nails, staples, hinges, hammers, chisels,
knives, scissors, and all sorts of tools and iron work
they had as they required. And, for the use of the
smith, I left two tons of unwrought iron for a sup-
ply. My magazine of powder and arms, which I
brought them, was such, even to profusion, that they
could not but rejoice at them.
I carried on shore with me the young man, whose
mother had died from want, and the maid also. She
was a sober, well educated, religious young woman,
and behaved so inoffensively, that every one gave
her a good word, . After a while, seeing things so
well ordered, and in so fine a way of thriving upon
my island, and considering that they had neither
business nor acquaintance in the East Indies, or
reason for taking so long a voyage ; I say, consider-
ing all this, both of them came to me, and desired I
would give them leave to remain on the island, and
be entered among my family, as they called it. I
*
i

342 ROBINSON CEUSöE.
agreed to it readily; and they had a little plot of
ground allotted to them, where they had tents or
houses set up.
I now presented to them the people I had brought
with me, viz., the two carpenters and the tailor, also
the smith and my other man, whom I called “Jack
of all trades,” who was almost as good as twenty
men, for he was a very ingenious fellow.
The French ecclesiastic came to me one morning,
as I was on my way to the Englishman's colony, and
told me with a grave countenance, that he had for
two or three days, desired an opportunity of some
discourse with me, which he hoped would not be dis-
pleasing to me, because he thought it might, in some
measure, correspond with my general design, which
was the prosperity of my new colony, and, perhaps,
might put it, at least, more than he yet thought it
was, in the way of God’s blessing. I asked him what
it was that he wished to speak about. “Why, sir,”
says he, “it is about your poor savages yonder, who
are (as I may say) your conquered subjects. It is a
maxim, sir, that is, or ought to be, received among
all Christians, of what church, or pretended church,
soever, viz., that Christian knowledge ought to be
propagated by all possible means, and on all possible
occasions. It is on this principle that our church
sends missionaries into Persia, India, and China, and
that our clergy, even of the superior sort, willingly
engage in the most hazardous voyages, and the most
dangerous residence among murderers and barbar-
ians, to teach them the knowledge of the true God,
and bring them over to embrace the Christian faith.
Now, sir, you have such an opportunity here, to have
six or seven-and-thirty poor savages brought over
from idolatry to a knowledge of God, their Maker
and Redeemer, that I wonder how you can pass such
an occosion of doing good, which is really worth the
expense of a man’s whole life.
“Well, sir,” said I, “it is a valuable thing indeed
'*'.
FOBINSON CRUSOE, 343
to be an instrument in God's hand, to convert seven-
and-thirty heathens to the knowledge of Christ. But
as you are an ecclesiastic, and are given over to that
work, so that it seems naturally to fall into the way
of your profession, how is it, then, that you do not
rather offer yourself to undertake it, than press me
to it P’’ Upon this he faced about just before me, as
we were walking, and putting me to a full stop,
made a very low bow. “I most heartily thank God
and you, sir,” says he, “for giving me so evident a
call to so blessed a work; and if you think yourself
discharged from it, and desire me to undertake it, I
will most readily do it, and think it a happy reward
for all the hazards and difficulties I have met with
that I have dropped at last into so glorious a work.”
He appeared in a kind of rapture as he said this;
and after I had considered it awhile, I asked him
seriously if he was in earnest, and that he would
venture on the single consideration of an attempt on
those poor people, to be locked up in an unplanted
island for, perhaps, his life, and at last might not
know whether he should be able to do them any
good or not. He turned short upon me, and asked
me what I called a venture. “Pray, sir,” said he,
“what do you think I consented to go in your ship
to the East Indies for P” “Nay,” said I, “that I
know 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 of infinitely more worth to save so many
souls, than my life is, or the life of twenty more of
the same profession ? Yes, sir,” said he, “I would
give Christ and the blessed Virgin thanks all my
days, if I could be made the least happy instrument
of saving the souls of these poor men, though I was
never to set my foot off this island, or see my native
country any more. But since you will honour me.”

344 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
says 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,” said he, “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 could not think of parting with him, and
that for many reasons. He had been faithful, kind,
and affectionate to me, to the last degree; and as I
had bred Friday up to be a Protestant, and this priest
being a Catholic, I thought it might spoil all his re-
ligious principles. However, a sudden thought re-
lieved me in this strait, and it was this; I told him
I could not say that I was willing to part with him
on any account whatever; though a work that to
him was of more value than his life, ought to be of
much more value than the keeping or parting with
a servant; but, on the other hand, I was persuaded,
that Friday would by no means consent to part with
me; and then to force him to it, without his con-
sent, would be manifestinjustice, because I had pro-
mised I would never put him away, and he had pro-
mised and engaged to me, that he would never leave
me, unless I put him away.
e seemed much concerned at this, for he did not
understand one word of their language, nor they one
word of his. To remove this difficulty, I told him
Friday’s father had learned Spanish, which he also
understood, and he should be his interpreter; so he
was satisfied, and said he would stay and endeavour
to convert them; but Providence gave another and
very happy turn to all this.
hen we came to the Englishmen, Isent for them
all together, and after some account given them of
what I had done for them, viz., what necessary things
I had provided for them, and how they were distri-
buted, which they were sensible of,and very thankful
RoBINSON GRUSOE. 345
for, I began to talk to them of the life they led, and
asked them with what conscience they could take
these women, as they had done, call them their
wives, and have so many children by them, and not
be married lawfully to them.
They all gave me the answer that I expected, viz., .
that there was nobody to marry them ; that they
all agreed before the governor to take them as their
wives, and to keep them and ownthem as their wives;
and they thought, as things stood with them, they
were as legally married as if married by a parson,
and with all the formalities in the world.
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 virtuous and as modest, and did,
to the utmost of their skill, as much for them and
for their children, as any women could possibly do,
and they would not part with them on any account.
And Will Atkins added, if any man would take him
away, and offer to carry him home to England, and
make him a 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 with all his heart. I told him I had a clergy-
man with me, and if he was sincere, I would have
him married the next morning, and bade him consi-
der of it, and talk with the rest. He said as to him-
self, he need not consider of it at all, for he was ready
to do it, and was glad I had a minister with me, and
he thought they would be all willing also. I then
told him that my friend the minister was a French-
man, and could not speak English, but that I would
act as the clerk between them.
Before I went from their quarter, they all came to
me and told me they had been considering what I

Z
346 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
said; that they were very glad to hear I had a cler-
gyman in my company, and they were very willing
to give me the satisfaction I desired, and to be for-
mally married as soon as I pleased, for they were far
from desiring to part from their wives, and that they
meant nothing but what was honest when they chose
them. So I appointed them to meet me the next
morning, and 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 notforsake them,
whatever might happen. The women were easily
made sensible of the meaning of the thing, and were
very well satisfied with it, as indeed they had rea-
son to be. The next morning Ibrought out my cler-
gyman; and though he had not on a minister's
gown, after the manner of England, or the habit of
a priest, after the manner of France, yet having a
black west, something like a cassock, with a sash
round it, he did not look very unlike a minister;
and as for his language, I was interpreter.
When they arrived, and after promising to endea-
vour to persuade their wives to embrace Christianity,
he married three couples; but Will Atkins and his
wife were not yet come in. After this my clergy-
man, waiting awhile, was curious to know where
Atkins was, and turning to me, says he, “I entreat
you, sir, let us walk out of your labyrinth here, and
look.” So we went out together, and I took him a
way which none knew but myself, and where the
trees were so thick set, as that it was not easy to see
through the thicket of leaves, and far harder to see
in than to see out; when coming to the edge of the
wood, I saw Atkins and his tawny, savage wife, sit-
ting under the shade of a bush, very eager in dis-
course, I stopped short till my clergyman came up
to me, and then having showed him where they
were, we stood and looked at them a good while.
We observed him very earnest with her, pointing
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 347
up to the sun, and to every quarter of the heavens,
then down to the earth, then out to the sea, then to
himself, then to her, then to the woods and trees.
“Now,” says the clergyman, “mark him; now he
is telling her that our God has made him, and her,
and the heavens, the earth, the sea, the woods, the
trees, &c.”—“I believe he is,” said I. Immediately
we perceived Will Atkins start up on his feet, fall
upon his knees, and lift up both his hands. He did
not continue kneeling half a minute, but comes and
sits down by his wife and talks to her again. We
perceived then the woman very attentive, but whe-
ther she said any thing or no, it was impossible for
us to tell.
Well, however, we could come no nearer, for fear
of disturbing them, so we resolved to see an end of
this piece of still conversation. He sat down again,
as I have said, close by her, and talked again very
earnestly to her, and two or three times we could see
him embrace her 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 belp her up, when immediately leading
her by the hand a step or two, they both kneeled
down together, and continued so about five minutes.
My friend could bear it no longer, but cries out
aloud, “Saint Paul I Saint Paul I behold he pray-
eth !” I was afraid Atkins would hear him, therefore
I entreated him to withhold awhile, that we might
see the end of the scene, which to me, I must con-
fess, was the most affecting, and yet the most agree-
able, that ever I saw in my life. Well, he strove
with himself, and contained himself for awhile, but
was in such raptures of joy to think that the poor
heathen woman was become a Christian, that he was
not able to contain himself; he wept several times,
then throwing up his hands, and crossing his breast,
348 - ROBINSON CRUSOE.
said over several things ejaculatory, and by way of
giving God thanks for so miraculous a testimony of
the success of our endeavours. .
When the poor man and his wife were risen again
from their knees, we observed he stood talking still
eagerly to her ; and we observed by their motion
that she was greatly affected with what he said, by
her frequent lifting up of her hands, laying her hand
to her breast, and such other postures as usually ex-
press the greatest seriousness and attention. This
continued about ten minutes.
Well, as Will Atkins and his wife were gone, our
business there was over, so we went back our own
way; and when we came back, we found them wait-
ing to be called in. Observing this, I asked my cler-
gyman if we should discover to him that we had
seen him under the bush, or no ; and it was his opi-
nion we should not, but that we should talk to him
first, and hear what he would say to us. So we cal-
led 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 bet-
terman 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 is true, Solomon says,
“He that despiseth a reproof is brutish.” W. A.—
Aye, sir, I was brutish indeed ; I murdered my fa-
ther; for God’s sake, sir, talk no more about that,
sir ; I murdered my poor father Priest. Ha 1 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 cannot understand him so.
Will Atkins explain yourself : you did not kill your
father, did you, with your own hands P. W. A.—No,
ROBINSON GRUsop. 349
sir ; I did not cut his throat, but I cut the thread of
all his comforts, and shortened his days. Ibroke his
heart by the most ungrateful, unnatural, return for
the most tender, affectionate treatment that ever fa-
ther gave, or child could receive. R. C.—Well, I
did not ask you about your father to extort this con-
fession; I pray to God to give you repentance for it,
and forgive you that and all your other sins; but
asked you because I see that though you had not
much learning, yet you are not so ignorant as some
are in things that are good ; that you have know
more of religion than you have practised. W. A.—
Though you, sir, did not extort the confession that I
make about my father, conscience does ; and when-
ever we come to look back upon our lives, the sins
against our indulgent parents 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 can-
not bear it. W. A.—You bear it, master | I dare
say you know nothing of it. R. C.—Yes, Atkins,
every shore, every hill, nay, I may say, every tree in
the island, is witness to the anguish of my soul, for
my ingratitude and base usage of a good tender fa-
ther : a father much like yours, by your description,
and I murdered my father as well as you, Will At-
kins; I think for ‘all that my repentance is short of
your's too by a great deal.
I would have said more if I could have restrained
my passions ; but I thought this poor man’s repent-
ance was so much more sincere than mine, 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 surprising and unexpected manner.
I laid all this before the young clergyman, who
was greatly affected with it, and said to me, “Did
350 ROBINSON CRUSOF,
~.
I not say, sir, that when this man was converted, he
would preach to us all ! I tell you, sir, if this one man
be made a true penitent, there will be no need of me
- he will make Christians of all in the island.” But
having a little composed myself, Irenewed my dis-
course with Will Atkins.
“IBut, Will,” said I, “how comes the sense of this
matter to touch you just now P' 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 direct-
ed me, to make a Christian of her, and she has
preached such a sermon to me as I shall never forget
while I live. R. C.—Did you tell her what marriage
was P. W. A.—Aye, aye, there began all our dia-
logue. I asked her if she would be married to me our
way. She asked me what way that was. I told her
that marriage was appointed by God ; and here we
had a strange talk together, as ever man and wife had.
N.B.—This dialogue between W. Atkins and his
wife, as I took it down in writing, just after he told
it to me, was as follows:
Wife.—Appointed by your God why, have you a
God in your country P. W. A.—Yes, my dear; God
is in every country. Wife.—No you God in my
country : my country have the great old Bena-
muckee god. W. A.—Child, I am very unfit to show
you who God is; God is in heaven, and made the
heaven and the earth, and all that in them is. Wife.
—No makee de earth ; no makee my country. Will
laughed a little at her expression of God not mak-
ing her country. Wife. No laugh : why laugh me?
This noting to laugh. He was justly reproved by his
wife, for she was a deal more serious than he was
at first. W. A.—That’s true, indeed ; I will not
laugh at you any more, my dear. Wife.—Why, you
say you God made all ! W. A.—Yes, child, our God
made the whole world, and you, and me, and all
things; for he is the only true God: there is no God
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 351
but he. He lives for ever in heaven. Wife.—What,
have you de great God in your country, you no know
him No say O to him PNo do good ting for him P
That no possible. W. A.—It is true enough for all
that. We live as if there were no God in heaven, or
that he had no power on earth. Wife.—But why
Godlet you do so? Why he no makee you good
live P. W. A.—It is all our own fault. Wife.—But
you say me, he is great, much great, have much
great power; can makee kill when he will ; why he
no makee kill when you no serve him No say O
to him P No be good mans ? W. A.—That is true,
he might strike me dead, and I ought to expectit;
for I have been a wicked wretch, that is true; but
God is merciful, and does not deal with us as we de-
serve. Wife.—How me tink you have great much
God up there (she points up to heaven), and yet no
do well, no do good ting ! Can he tell ? Sure he no
tell what you do P. W. A.—Yes, yes, he knows and
sees all things; he hears us speak, sees what we do,
knows what we think, though we do not speak.
Wife.—What he no hear you swear, curse, speak
the great damn? W. A.—Yes, yes, he hears it all.
Wife.—Where then be the muchee great power
strong P. W. A.—He is merciful; that is all we can
say for it ; and this proves him to be the true God :
he is God and not man ; and therefore we are not
consumed.
Here Will Atkins told us, he was struck with hor-
ror to think how he could tell his wife so clearly that
God sees, and hears, and knows the secret thoughts
of the heart, and all that we do; and yet that he had
dared to do all the vile things he had done.
Wife.—Merciful! What you call dat? W. A.—
Eſe is our Father and Maker; and he pities and
spares us. Wife.—So then he never makee kill,
never angry when you do wicked; then he no good
himself, or no great able. W. A.—Yes, yes, my
dear ; he is infinitely good, and infinitely great, and

352 RoBINSON GRUSOE.
able to punish too; and sometimes, to show his jus-
tice and vengeance, he lets fly his anger to destroy
sinners, and makes examples. Many are cut off in
their sins. Wife.—But no makee kill you yet; then
he tell you, may be, that he no makee you kill, so
you makee de bargain with him; you do bad ting,
he not be angry at you, when he be angry at other
mans? W. A.—No, indeed; my sins are all pre-
sumptions upon his goodness; and he would be in-
finitely just if he destroyed me, as he has done other
men. Wife.—Well, and yet no kill, no makee you
dead! What you say to him for that P You no tell
him, tankee for all that too? W. A.—I am an un-
thankful, ungrateful dog, that is true. Wife.—Why
he no makee you much good better? You say he
makee you. W. A.—He made me as he made all the
world; it is I have deformed myself, and abused his
goodness, and have made myself an abominable
wretch. Wife.--I wish you makee God know me; I
no makee him angry; I do no bad wicked ting.
Here Will Atkins said his heart sank within him,
to hear a poor untaught creature desire to be taught
to know God; and he such a wicked wretch, that he
could not say one word to her about God, but what
the reproach of his own carriage would make most
irrationable to her to believe; nay, that already she
had told him that she could not believe in God, be-
cause he that was so wicked was not destroyed. W.
.-My dear, you mean you wish I could teach you
to know God, not God to know you, for he knows
you already, and every thought in your heart. Wife.
—Why then he know what I say to you now; he
know me wish to know him. How shall me know
who makee me? W. A.—Poor creature, he must
teach thee. I cannot teach thee. I’ll pray to him
to teach thee to know him, and to forgive me, that
an unworthy to teach thee.
. The poor fellow was in such an agony at her de-
siring him to make her know God, and her wishing
ROBINSON CRUS.O.E. 353
to know him, that he said he fell down on his knees
before her, and prayed to God to enlighten her mind
with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and to
pardon his sins, and accept of his being the unwor-
thy instrument of instructing her in the principles
of religion; after which he sat down by her again,
and their dialogue went on.
N. B.—This was the time when we saw him kneel
down, and lift up his hands.
Wife.—What you put down the knee for P What
you hold up the hand for P What you say? Who
you speak to P What is all that ? W. A.—My dear,
I bow my knees in token of my submission to him
that made me. I said “O,” to him, as you call it ;
and as you say your old men do to their idol Bena-
muckee, that is, I prayed to him. Wife.—What you
say O to him for P. W. A.—I prayed to him to open
your eyes and your understanding, that you may
know him, and be accepted by him. Wife.-Can he
do that too P. W. A.—Yes, he can ; he can do all
things. Wife. —But he no hear what you say ? IV.
A.—Yes, he has bid us to pray to him, and promis-
ed to hear us. Wife.—Bid you pray ? When he bid
you? How he bid you? What you hear him
speak P W. A.—No, I do not hear him speak; but
he has revealed himself many ways to us.
Here he was at a greatloss to make her understand
that God has revealed himself to us by his word, and
what his word was ; but, at last, he told it her thus:
W. A.—God has spoken to some good men, in
former days, even from heaven, by plain words; and
God has inspired good men by his Spirit, and they
have written all his laws down in a book. Wife.—
Me no understand that. Where is that book P W. A.
—Alas! my poor creature, I have not got this book
but I hope I shall, one time or other, get it for you,
and help you to read it.
Here he embraced her with great affection; but
with tº prºble grief that he had not a Bible.
02 Z,

354 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
Wife. —But how you makee me know that God
teachee them to write that book P W. A.—By the
same rule that we know him to be God. Wife.—
What rule, what way you know P W. A.—Because
he teaches and commands nothing but what is good,
righteous, and holy; and tends to make us perfectly
good, as well as perfectly happy; and because he for-
bids and commands us to avoid all that is wicked,
that is evil in itself, or evil in its consequences.
Wife.<-That me would understand, that me fain see;
if he reward all good thing, punish all wicked thing,
he teachee all good thing, forbid all wicked thing;
he makee all thing, he give all thing; he hear me
when I say O to him, as you go do just now ; he
makee me good, if I wish be good; he spare me, no
makee kill me, when I no be good. All this you say
he do; yes, he be great God; me say O to him too,
with you, my dear, -
Here the poor man said he could forbear no longer,
but raising her up, made her kneel by him, and he
prayed to God alotid, to instructher in the knowledge
of himself by his Spirit, and that, by some good pro-
vidence, if possible, she might, some time or other,
come to have a Bible, that she might read the word
of God, and be taught by it to know him.
This was the time that we saw him lift her up by
the hand, and saw him kneel down by her, as above.
This was a strange account, and very affecting to
us both, but particulariy to the young clergyman.
However, he turned himself to me, and told me, that
he believed there must be more to do with the wo-
man than to marry her. I did not understand him
at first, but at length he explained himself; viz.,
that she sought to be baptized.
I agreed with him to that part readily ; but when
he was preparing to baptize her, I entreated him that
he would perform that office with some caution, that
the man might not perceive he was of the Roman
church, if possible, because of other ill consequences

#obrNson CRUSöE. 355
which might attend a difference among us in that
very religion which we were instructing the other
in. He told me that as he had no consecrated chapel,
no proper things for the office, I should see he would
do it in a manner that I should not know by it that
he was a Roman Catholic myself, if I had not known
it before. And so he did; for saying only some words
over to himself in Latiu, which I could not under-
stand, he poured a dish full of water upon the woman's
head, pronouncing in French, very loud, “Mary,”
which was the name her husband desired me to give
her, for I was her godfather, “I baptize thee in the
name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Hol
Ghost;”, so that none could know any thing by it
what religion he was of.
As soon as this was over, he married them, and after
the marriage was over, he turned himself to Will
Atkins, and, in an affectionate manner, exhorted
him, not only to persevere in that good disposition he
was in, but to support the convictions that were upon
him, by a resolution to inform his life; told him it
was in vain to say he repented, if he did not forsake
his crimes; represented to him how God had hon-
oured him with being the instrument of bringing his
wife to the knowledge of the Christian religion; and
that he should be careful he did not dishonour the
grace of God. And thus ended the ceremony. I
think it was the most pleasant, agreeable day to me
that ever I passed in my whole life.
Having thus brought the affairs of the island to a
narrow compass, I was preparing to go on board the
ship, when the young man whom 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 be-
fore I went, between two Christians, which, as he
hoped, would not be disagreeable to me.

356 fºopf NSON Cittisofº.
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 to this solitary circumstance. He
smiled, and told me I was mistaken in my guess, fog
the persons he wished to be married was my Jack of
all trades, and his maid Susan.
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, and agreeable enough in her person,
very handy and housewifely in anything that was
before her, an excellent manager, and fit, indeed, to
have been governess to the whole island.
The match being proposed in this manner, he mar-
ried them the same day; and as I was father at the
altar, as I may say, gave her away, so I gave her a
portion, for I appointed her and her husband a very
large space of ground for their plantation.
One thing I must not omit; and that is, that being
now settled in a kind of commonwealth among them-
selves, and having much business in hand, it was
odd to have seven-and-thirty Indians live in a nook
of the island, independent, and indeed, unemployed,
excepting providing themselves food, which they
had difficulty enough to do sometimes, they had no
manner of business or property to manage. I pro-
posed, therefore, to 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,
to be maintained for their labour, but without being
absolute slaves; for I would not permit them to
make them slaves by force, by any means.
They most willingly, embraced the proposal, and
came all very cheerfully along with him. So we al-

RODINSON CRUSOE. 357
lotted them land and plantations, which three or
four accepted of, all the rest chose to be employed
as servants in the families we had settled. 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 plantation
all along the side of the brook, which made the creek
I have so often described, as far as my bower, and
as they increased their culture, it went always east-
ward. The English lived in the north-east part,
where Will Atkins and his comrades began, and
came on Southward, and south-west, to the back
part of the Spaniards ; and every plantation had an
addition of land to take in, if they found occasion.
All the west end of the island was uninhabited,
that if any of the savages should come on shore
there, only for their usual customary barbarities,
they might come and go, if they disturbed nobody,
nobody would disturb them.
It now came into my thoughts, that I had hinted
to my friend the clergyman that the work of con-
verting 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
savages being thus divided among the Christians, if
every one would 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,” he said, “ they
will do their part; but how shall we obtain that of
them f* I told him we could call them altogether,
and leave it in charge with them, or go to them one
by one, which he thought best. . So we divided it;
he to speak to the Spaniards who were all Papists,
and me to the English who were all Protestants;
and we recommended it earnestly to them, and made
them promise, that they would never make any dis-
tinction of Papist or Protestant in their exhorting
savages to turn Christians; but teach the general
358 ROTINSON CEUSOE.
knowledge of the true God, and of their Saviour Jesus
Christ; and they likewise promised us that they
would never have any differences or disputes, one.
with another, about religion.
When I came to Will Atkins' house, I found the
young woman I mentioned before, and Atkins' wife,
were become intimates, and this prudent religious
young woman had perfected the work Will Atkins
had begun; and though it was not above four days
after what I have related, yet the new-baptized sav-
age woman was made such a Christian as I have
seldom heard of any like her, in all my observation
or conversation in the world.
It came next into my mind, in the morning before
I went to them, that, among all the needful things
I had to leave with them, I had not left a Bible, in
which I showed myself less considerate for them
than my good friend the widow was for me, when
she sent me one hundred pounds from Lisbon, where
she packed up three Bibles and a Prayer book.
I took one of the Bibles in my pocket, and when I
came to Atkins' tent or house, I found the young
woman and Atkins' baptized wife were discoursing
of religion together. “O, 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 as
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 had a
good work upon her hands, and I hoped God would
bless her 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,” said I to Atkins, “I have brought you an
assistant, that, perhaps, you had not before.” The
ROBINSON CEUSOE. 359
man was so confounded, that he could not speak for
some time; but recovering himself, he takes it with
both his hands, and, turning to his wife, “Here, my
dear,” says he, “did I not tell you our God, though
he lives above, could hear what we said P. Here is
the book I prayed for, when you and I kneeled
down under the bush ; now God has heard us, and
sent it.” When he had said thus, the man fell into
such transports of passionate joy, that between the
joy of having it, and giving God thanks for it, the
tears ran down his face like a child that was crying.
The woman was surprised, and was like to have
run into a mistake that none of us were aware of ;
for she firmly believed God had sent the book upon
her husband's petition. It is true, that providenti-
ally it was so, and might be taken in a consequent
sense; yet it was too serious a matter to suffer any
delusion to take place ; so I turned to the young
woman, and told her, we did not desire to impose on
the new convert in her first and more ignorant un-
derstanding of things, and begged her to explain to
her, that God may be very properly said to answer
our petitions, when, in the course of his providence,
such things are, in a particular manner, brought to
pass, as we petitioned for ; but we do not expect re-
turns from Heaven in a miraculous and particular
manner, and that it is out of mercy that it is not so.
This the young woman did afterwards effectually.
But the surprise and joy upon Will Atkins is really
not to be expressed. Surely no man was ever more
thankful in the world for anything of its kind, than
he was for this Bible; and, I believe, never any man
was glad of a Bible from a better principle ; and
though he had been a most profligate creature, des-
perate, headstrong, outrageous, furious, and wicked
to a great degree, yet this man is a standing rule to
us all for the well-instructing children, viz., that pa-
rents should never give over to teach and instruct,
or ever despair of the success of their endeavours,
360 FOBINSON CRUSOE,
let the children be ever, so obstinate, refractory, or,
to appearance, insensible of instruction.
I did not think fit to let them know anything of
the sloop I had framed, and which I had thought of
setting up among them ; for I was afraid if I left it
some of them might endeavour to make their escape
in it from the island, and thus diminish the strength
of the colony. Neither did I leave the two pieces of
brass cannon that I had on board, or the two quar-
ter-deck guns that my nephew took extraordinary ;
for I thought they had arms sufficient to qualify
them for a defensive war against any that should in-
wade them.
I 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 the 5th of May,
having been five-and-twenty days among them, and,
as they were all resolved to stay upon the island till
I came to remove them, I promised to send some fur-
ther 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.
The next day giving them a salute of five guns at
parting, we set sail, and arrived at the Bay of All
Saints, in the Brazils, in about twenty-two days,
meeting nothing remarkable in our passage, except
on the third day, towards evening, the sea smooth,
and the weather calm, we saw the sea, as it were, co-
vered towards the land with something very black,
not being able to discover what it was, but after
some time, our chief mate, going up to the main
shrouds a little way, and looking at them with a per-
spective glass cried out it was an army, and spoke a
little hastily, calling the fellow a fool, or some such
words. “Nay, sir,” said he, “do not be angry, for
it is an army, and a fleet too ; for I believe there is
a thousand canoes, and you may see them paddle
along, and they are coming towards us, too, apace,
and full of men,
RoBINSON GRUSOE. 361
I was a little surprised then, indeed, and so was
my nephew the captain. However, I bade him not
to be afraid, but bring the ship to an anchor, as soon
as we came so near as to know that we must engage
them. The weather continued calm, and they came
on apace towards us ; so I gave orders to come to an
anchor, and furl all our sails. As for the savages, I
told them they had nothing to fear but fire, and there-
fore they should get their boats out, and fasten them
one close by the head, and the other by the stern,
and man them both well, and wait the issue iu that
posture. This I did that the men in the boats might
be ready, with sheets and buckets, to put out any
fire these savages might endeavour to fix on the out-
side of the ship.
In this posture we lay by for them, and, in a little
while, they came up with us; but never was such a
horrid sight seen by Christians. My mate was much
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-six, and a great many of them had sixteen or
seventeen men in them, some more, and the least six
or seven. They came very near us, and seemed to go
about 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 designing it; for five or six of
their large canoes came so 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 oue 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 them from the arrows of the
savages, if they should shoot again,
362 ROBINSON CBUSOE,
About half an hour afterwards, they came all up
in a body astern of us, and pretty near; but in a lit-
tle time more, they rowed somewhat further out to
sea, till they came directly broadside with us, and
then rowed down straight upon us, till they came so
near that they could hear us speak. Upon this, I
ordered all my men to keep close, lest they should
shoot any more arrows, and make all our guns
ready ; but, being so near as to be within hearing, I
made Friday go out upon the deck, and call aloud
to them in his language to know what they meant,
which he accordingly did. Whether they understood
him or not, that I knew not ; but as soon as he had
called to them, six of them, who were in the fore-
most boat, turned their canoe from us, and stooping
down, showed us their naked backsides, just as if in
English, they bade us kiss —. Whether this was
a defiance, or challenge, we knew not ; or whether
it was done in mere contempt, or as a signal to the
rest; but immediately Friday cried out they were
going to shoot; and unhappily for him, poor fel-
low ! they let fly about three hundred of their ar-
rows, and to my inexpressible grief killed poor Fri-
day, no other man being in their sight. The poor
fellow was shot with no less than three arrows, and
about three more fell very nigh him; such unlucky
marksmen they were. I was so enraged with the
loss of my old servant, the companion of all my sor-
rows 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 never
had in their lives before. 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, nor how
many we wounded, at this broadside; but sure such
a fright and hurry never was seen among such a
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 363
multitude; there were thirteen or fourteen 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 ; and our men
took up one poor fellow swimming for his life, above
an hour after they were all gone. -
In three hours or thereabouts, we could not see
above three or four straggling canoes; nor did we
ever see therestany more, for a breeze of wind spring-
ing up the same evening, we weighed, and set sail
for the Brazils.
The prisoner we had got was so sullen, that for
some time he would neither eat nor speak, and we
all fancied he would pine himself to death. When
he was more tractable, and we had taught him to
speak a little English, he told us that they were go-
ing with their kings to fight a great battle. When
he said kings, we asked him how many kings. He
said there were five nation, and that they all joined
to go against two nation. We asked him what made
them come up to us. He said, “to makee de great
wonder look.” Where it is to be observed, that all
those natives, as also those of Africa, when they
learn English, they always add two e's at the end of
the words where we use one, and place the accent
upon them, as “makee, takep,” and the like; and
we could not break them off it; nay, 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 pos-
sible, by putting him into a coffin, and throwing him
into the sea; and I caused them to fire eleven guns
for him ; and so ended the life of the most grateful,
faithful, honest, and most affectionate servant that
ever man had. -
e now went away with a fair wind for the Bra:
zils, and in about twelve days' time we made land.
I found my old partner alive, and after various con-
364 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
gratulations and presents between us, I got him to
engage men to set up the sloop which I had brought
with me from England, as I have said, for the use of
my colony, in order to send the refreshments I in-
tended to my plantation. When it was finished, I
gave the master of her such instructions as he could
not miss the place; nor did he miss it, as I had an
account from my partner afterwards. One of our
seamed, who had been on shore with me there, offered
to go with the sloop, and settle there, upon my letter
to the Spaniard governor to allot him a sufficient
quantity of land for a plantation; so I granted all
he desired, giving him some clothes, and tools for his
planting-work; I also gave him the savage which we
had taken prisoner of war, to be his slave; and or-
dered the Spaniard governor to give him his share
of every thing he wanted with the rest.
When we were fitting this man out, my old part-
ner told me there was a certain very honest fellow,
a Brazil planter, of his acquaintance, who had fallen
into the displeasure of the church. He said he be-
lieved he was a heretic in his heart; and that he had
been obliged to conceal himself for fear of the In-
quisition. He told me that this man would be very
glad of such an opportunity to make his escape,
with his wife and two daughters, and if I would let
them go to my island, and allot them a plantation,
he would give them a small stock to begin with ; for
the officers of the Inquisition had seized all his ef-
fects and estate, and he had nothing left but a little
household stuff, and two slaves.
I granted this presently, and joined my English-
man with them ; and we concealed the man, and his
wife and daughters, on board the ship, till the sloop
put out to go to sea ; and then (having put all their
goods on board the sloop some time before) we put
them on board the sloop, after she was got out of
the bay.
Among the supplies sent to my tenants in the is-
#OpfnSON CRUSöß. 365
land, by this sloop, were three milch cows and five
calves, and about twenty-two hogs, three sows big
with pig, two mares, and a stone-horse. I also sent
some materials for planting sugar canes, with some
plants of canes. For my Spaniards, according to
promise, I sent three Portuguese women, and re-
commended it to them to marry them, and use them
kindly. I could have procured more women, but I
remembered that the poor persecuted man had two
daughters, and there were but five of the Spaniards
that wanted ; the rest had wives, though in another
country.
All this cargo arrived safe, and as may be suppos-
ed, very welcome to my old inhabitants, who were
now (with this addition) between sixty and seventy
people, besides little children, of which there were a
great many. I found letters at London from them,
all by way of Lisbon, when I came back to England
being sent back to the Brazils by this sloop, of which
I shall take some notice in its place.
I have now done with my island ; and the reader
must expect to read only of the follies of an old man,
not warned by his own harms, much less by those of
other men, to beware of the like : not cooled by al-
most forty years of misery and disappointment : nor
satisfied with the prosperity beyond expectation ;
not made cautious by affliction and distress beyond
imitation.
I should only add here, that my honest and truly
pious clergyman left me here; a ship being ready to
go to Lisbon, he asked my leave to go thither, being
still, as he observed, bound never to finish any voy-
age he began. How happy had it been for me if I
had gone with him.
From the Brazils we made directly away over the
Atlantic Sea, to the Cape of Good Hope. We made
no stay there longer than was needful to take in
fresh water, but made the best of our way for the
eoast of Coromandel. We touched at the island of
366 foLINSON cRtisół. -
Madagascar, 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 that
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 present spending, and the
rest to salt for the ship’s use.
It happened one evening, when we went on shore,
that a greater number of their people came down
than usual, but were all very friendly and civil. They
brought with them several kinds of provisions, for
which we satisfied them with such toys as we had ;
their women also brought us milk and roots, and se-
veral things very acceptible to us, and all was quiet.
The men staid on shore all night.
I know not what was the occasion, but I was not
so well satisfied to lie on shore as the rest ; and the
boat lying at an anchor, about a stone's cast from
the land, with two men in her to take care of her, I
made one of them come on shore, and getting some
boughs of trees to cover us also in the boat, I spread
the sail on the bottom of the boat, and lay on board,
under the cover of the branches of the trees.
About two o'clock in the morning we heard one of
our men making a terrible noise on shore, calling out
for God’s sake, to bring the boat in, and come and
help them, for they were all like to be murdered: at
the same time I heard the firing of five muskets,
which was the number of guns they had, and that
three times over ; for it seems the natives here were
not so easily frighted 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, with
three fusils we had on board, to go and help our men.
Robisson crusof, 367
We got the boat soon to the shore, but our men
were in too much haste; for being come to shore,
they plunged into the water to get to the boat with
all the expedition they could, being pursued by be-
tween three and four hundred men. Our men were
but nine in all, and only five of them had fusils with
them ; the rest indeed had 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 on shore, for they poured
their arrows in upon us so thick, that we were fain
to barricade the side of the boat up with the benches
and two or three loose boards, which to our great sat-
isfaction, we had, by mere accident, or Providence
rather, in the boat. .
And yet, had it been daylight, they are, it seems,
such exact marksmen, that if they could have seen
but the least part of any of us, they would have been
sure of us. We had, by the light of the moon, a lit-
tle sight of them, as they stood pelting us from the
shore with darts and arrows; and having got ready
our fire-arms, we gave them a volley, and we could
hearby the cries of some of them that we had wound-
ed several. However, they stood thus in battle array
on the shore till break of day, which we suppose was
that they may see better to take their aim at us.
In this condition we lay, and could not tell how to
weigh anchor, or set up our sails, 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 she rode a league off, yet my nephew
the captain, hearing our firing, and, by glasses, per-
ceiving the posture we lay in, and that we fired to-
wards the shore, pretty well understood us, and
weighing ancher with all speed, he stood as near the

368 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
shore as he durst with the ship, and then sent ano-
ther boat, with ten hands in her, to assist us; but
we called to them not to come too near, telling them
what condition we were in. However, they stood in
near to us ; and one of the men, taking the end of a
tow-line in his hand, and keeping our boat between
him and the enemy, so that they could not perfectly
see him, swam on board us and made the line fast to
the boat, upon which we slipped our little cable, and
leaving our anchor behind, they towed us out of the
reach of the arrows, we all the while lying close be-
hind the barricade we had made.
As soon as we were got from between the ship and
the shore, that she could lay her side to the shore, we
ran along just by them, and we poured in a broad-
side among them, loaded with pieces of iron and lead,
small bullets, and such stuff, besides the great shot,
which made a terrible havoc among 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 supercargo, who had been of-
ten 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 some-
thing to provoke them to it. At length it came out,
viz., that an old woman, who had come to sell us
some milk, had brought it within our poles, with a
young woman with her, who also brought some roots
or herbs ; and while the old woman (whether she
was mother to the young one or no, they could not
tell) was selling us the milk, one of our men offered
some rudeness to the wench that was with her, at
which the old woman made a great noise. How-
ever, the seaman would not quit his prize, but car-
ried her cut of the old woman's sight, among the trees,
it being almost dark: the old woman went away with-
out her, and, as we suppose, made an outcry among
the people she came from, who, upon notice, raised
this great army against usin three or four hours; and
it was great odds but we had been all destroyed.
|
ROBINSON CEUSOE. 369
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 we had made ; the rest
came off free, all but the fellow who was the occa-
sion of all the mischief, who paid dear enough for
his black mistress, for we could not hear what be-
came of him for 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.
So 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 ven-
turing 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 Indian 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 so hazardous and mischievous as
I was brought to without my knowledge or design.
We took twenty stout fellows with us as any in the
ship, besides the supercargo and myself, we landed
two hours before midnight, at the same place where
the Indians stood drawn up the evening before. I
landed there, because my design, 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 mis-
chief we had done them, and perhaps we might get
our man again. ~ *
We landed without any noise, and divided our
men into two companies, whereof the boatswain
commanded one, and I the other. We neither could
hear nor see any body stir, when we landed, so we
marched up, at a distance from each other, to the
field of battle. At first we could see nothing, it be-
ing Y. dark; but yºnd-by, our boatswain, that
A.
370 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
led the first party, stumbled, and fell over a dead
body. This made them halt awhile; for knowing by
the circumstance, that they were at the place where
the Indians had stood, they waited for my coming
up. Here we concluded to halt till the moon rose,
and then we could discern the havoc we had made
among them. We saw two-and-thirty bodies upon
the ground, whereof two were not dead.
When we had made a full discovery of all we
Gould come at the knowledge of, I was going on
board again; 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 desired me to go along with them,
and if they could find them, as they fancied they
should, they will not doubt, they said, getting a
good booty, and they might find Thomas Jeffrys
there; that was the man's name we had lost.
Had they sent to ask my leave to go, I knew well
enough what answer to have given them, I would
have commanded them instantly on board, knowing
it was not a hazard fit for us to run, who had a ship
and a ship's 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 re-
solved to go, and only asked me and my company to
go along with them, I positively refused it, androse
up from the ground in order to go to the boat.
“Come, Jack,” says one of the men, “will you go
with me? I'll go for one.” Jack said he would, and
another followed, and then another, and, in a word,
they all left me but one, whom, with much difficulty,
I persuaded to stay; so the supercargo and I, with
the third man, went back to the boat, where I told
them we would stay for them, and take care to take
in as many of them as should be left; for I told
them it was a mad thing they were going about, and
#. most of them would share the fate of that
homas Jeffrys.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 371
Well, they went away, and though the attempt
was desperate, yet they went about it warily as
well as boldly. They were well armed, for every one
had a fusil or musket, a bayonet, and a pistol. Some
of them had broad cutlasses, some of them hangers,
and the boatswain, and two more, had poleaxes;
besides which, they had among them thirteen hand-
grenadoes. Bolder fellows, and better provided,
never went about any wicked work in the world.
When they went out, their chief design was plun-
der, and they were in hopes of finding gold there;
but a circumstance, which none of them were aware
of, set them on fire with revenge, and made devils .
of them all. 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 they said the
cow certainly belonged to the town before them, and
if they untied her, they would 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, and the cow went on be-
fore them, and led them directly to the town, which,
as they reported, consisted of above two hundred
houses, or huts. Here they found all silent, as pro-
foundly secure as sleep, and a country that had
never seen an enemy of that kind, could make them.
Upon this they called a council, to consider what
they had to do, and, in a word, they resolved to di-
vide themselves into three bodies, and to set three
houses on fire, in three parts of the town; and as the
men came out, to seize and bind them; if any resist-
ed, they need not be asked what to do then ; and so
search the rest of the houses for plunder ; but they
resolved to march first silently through the town,
and see what dimensions it was of, and consider if
they might venture upon it, or no. They did so, and
desperately resolved that they would venture upon
them ; but while they were animating one another

372 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
to the work, three of them that were a little before
the rest called out aloud, and told them they had
found Thomas Jeffrys. They all ran up to the place,
and so it was indeed, for there they found the poor
fellow hanged up by one arm, and his throat cut.
There was an Indian house just by the tree, where
they found sixteen or seventeen of the principal In-
dians 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.
The sight of their poor mangled comrade so en-
raged them, that they swore to one another they
would be revenged, and that not an Indian who
came into their hands should have quarter; to work
they went immediately. Their first care was to get
something that would soon take fire; they presently
made some wildfire, 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 began to blaze,
the poor frighted creatures began to rush 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 killed one or two with
his poleaxe ; the house being large, and many in it,
he did not care to go in, but called for a hand-gren-
ado, threw it among them, which, at first, frighten-
ed 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
grenado, except two or three, who pressed to the
door, which the boatswain and two more kept with
their bayonets in the muzzles of their pieces, and
‘dispatched all that came that way. But there was
another apartment in the house, where the prince
or king, or whatever he was, and several others were;
and these they kept in till the house, which was, by
RobTNSON CRUSOE. 373
this time, all of a light flame, fell upon them, and
they were smothered or burned together.
All this while they fired not a gun, because they
would not waken the people faster than they could
master them; but the fire began to waken them fast
enough, and our fellows were glad to keep a little
together in bodies, for the fire grew so raging, all the
houses being made of light, combustible stuff, that
they could hardly bear the street between them, and
their business was to follow the fire for its surer exe-
cution. As fast as the fire either forced the people
out of those houses which were burning, or fright-
ened them out of others, the people were ready at
their doors to knock them on the head, still calling
to one another to remember Thomas Jeffrys.
While this was doing, I was very uneasy, and es-
pecially when I saw the flames of the town, which,
it being night, seemed to be just by me. My nephew
the captain, who roused by his men too, seeing such
a fire, was very uneasy, not knowing what the matter
was, or what danger I was in, especially hearing the

guns, for by this time they begantouse their firearms.
At last, though he could ill spare any more men, yet,
not knowing what exigence we might be in, he takes
another boat, and, with thirteen men and himself,
comes on shore to me. He was surprised to see me and
the supercargo in the boat, with no more than two
men, for one had been left to keep the boat, and
though he was glad we were well, yet he was in the
same impatience with us to know what was doing,
for the noise continued and the flame increased.
Nor was I any more able to stay behind now, than
I was to persuade them not to go before; so, in short,
the captain ordered twomen to rowback the pinnace,
and fetch twelve men more from the ship, leaving
the long boat at an anchor, and that, when they
came back, six men should keep the two boats, and
six more come after us, so that he left only sixteen
men in the ship; for the whole ship's company con-
*
374 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
sisted of sixty-five men, whereof two were lost in the
quarrel which brought this mischief on.
Being now on the march, you may be sure we felt
little of the ground we trodon, and being guided by
the fire, we kept no path, but went directly to the
place of the flame. If the noise of the guns was sur-
prising to us before, the cries of the poor people were
now quite of another nature, and filled us with hor-
ror. 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 object we met with was
the ruins of a hut, 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 a 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
that every one of them ought to be put to death.
Presently four of our men came up, with the boat-
swain at their head, running over the heaps of bo-
dies they had killed, all covered with blood and dust,
as if they wanted more people to massacre, when
our men hallooed to them, and they came up to us.
As soon as the boatswain saw us, he set up a shout
of triumph, for having, as he thought, more help
come, and, without bearing to hear me, “Captain,”
says he, “noble captain, I am glad you are come;
we have not half done yet. Willains! hell-hound
dogs! I'll kill as many of them as poor Tom has
hairs upon his head. We have sworn to spare none
of them ; we’ll 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. At last, raising my voice, that I might silence
him a little, “Barbarous dog!” said I, “what are
you doing? I won't have one more creature touch-
ed, upon pain of death. Icharge you, upon your life,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. . 375
to stop your hands, and stand still here, or you are
a dead man this minute.” “Why, sir,” says he, “do
you know what you do, or what they have done?
f you want a reason for what we have done, come
hither ?” and with that he showed me the poor fel-
low hanging up in a tree, with his throat cut.
I confess I was urged then myself, and at another
time should have been forward enough; but Ithought
they had carried their rage too far, and thought of
Jacob’s words to his sons Simeon and Levi, “Cursed
be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath,
for it was cruel ?” But when the men I carried
with me saw the sight, as I had done, I had as much
to do to restrain them, as I should have had with the
others; nay, my nephew himself fell in with them,
and told me, in their hearing, that he was only con-
cerned for fear of the men being overpowered; for,
as to the people, he thought not one of them ought
to live, for they had all glutted themselves with the
murder of the poor man, and they ought to be used
like murderers. Upon these words, away ran eight
of my men, with the boatswain and his crew, to com-
plete their bloody work; and I, seeing it out of my
power to restrain them, came away pensive and sad.
I got nobody to come back with me but the su-
percargo and two men, and with these I walked
back to the boats. Immediately I took the pinnace,
and went aboard, and sent her back to assist the
men in what might happen. By the time that the
men got to the shore again with the pinnace, our
men began to appear, they came dropping in, one
by one, in such a manner that a small force of re-
solute men might have cut them all off.
The next day we set sail, so we never heard any
more of it. Our men differed in the account of the
number they killed, some said one thing, some ano-
ther, but, according to the best of their accounts put
all together, they killed or destroyed about one hun-
dred and fifty people, men, women, and children,
and left not a house standing in the town.
276 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
As for the poor fellow Thomas Jeffrys, they took
him down from the tree where he was hanged by
one hand, and buried him there.
However just our men thought this action to be, I
was against them in it; and I always after that time,
told them God would blast the voyage, for I looked
upon the blood they shed that night to be murder in
them ; for though it is true they killed Thomas Jef-
frys, yet it is true that Jeffrys was the aggressor, had
loroken the truce, and had violated or debauched a
young woman of theirs who came to our camp in-
nocently, and on the faith of their capitulation.
The boatswain defended this quarrel when we were
afterwards on board. He said it was true that we
seemed to break the truce, but really had not, and
that the war was begun the night before, by the
natives themselves, who had shot at us, and killed
one of ourmen without any just provocation; so that
as we were in a capacity to fight them, we might
also be in a capacity to do ourselves justice upon
them in an extraordinary manner; that though the
poor man had taken a little liberty with a wench, he
ought not to have been murdered, and that in such
a villainous manner; and that they did nothing but
what was just, and what the laws of God allowed to
be done to murderers.
But my frequent preaching to them on this subject
had worse consequences than I expected; and the
boatswain came up boldly to me one time, and told
me he found I continually brought that affair upon
the stage; that I made unjust reflections upon it,
and had used the men very ill on that account, and
himself in particular; that as I was but a passenger,
and had no command in the ship, or concern in the
voyage, they were not obliged to bear it; that they
did not know but I might have some ill design in my
head, and, perhaps, to call them to account for it
when they came to England; and that, therefore,
unless I would resolve to have done with it, and also

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 377
not to concern myself any further with him, or any
of his affairs, he would leave the ship; for he did
not think it was safe to sail with me among them.
I heard him patiently enough till he had done, and
then told him, that I did confess I had all along op-
posed the massacre of Madagascar, for such I
would always call it : and that I had, on all occa-
sions, spoken my mind freely about it, though not
more upon him than any of the rest; that as to my
having no command in the ship, that was true, nor
did I exercise any authority, only took the liberty of
speaking my mind in things which publicly concern-
ed us all ; as to what concern I had in the voyage,
that was none of his business: that I was a consider-
able owner in the ship, and in that claim I conceived
I had a right to speak, even further 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. We were at this
time in the road at Bengal; and, being willing to
see the place, I went on shore with the supercargo,
in the ship's boat, to divert myself, 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 one may
guess what surprise I was in at so insolent a mes-
sage : 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, and, 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 acquaint the
captain, of it. But I might have spared this intelli-
378 . ROBINSON CRUSOE,
gence, for, before I had spoken to him on shore, the
matter was effected on board. The boatswain, the
gunner, the carpenter, and, 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
harangue, and repeating all he had said to me, told
the captain, 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
otherwise have done, to oblige me to have gone.
They therefore thought fit to tell him, that as they
shipped themselves to serve in the ship, under his
command, they would perform it faithfully ; but if
I would not quit the ship, or the captain oblige me
to quit it, they would all leave the ship, and sail no
further with him. And at that word, “all,” he
turned his face about towards the mainmast, which
was, it seems, the signal agreed on between them, at
which all the seamen being got together, they cried
out, “One and all ! One and all !”
My nephew the captain, was a man of spirit, and
of great presence of mind, and though he was sur-
prised at the thing, yet he told them calmly, he would
consider the matter, but that we could do nothing in
it till he had spoken to me about it. So away he
came to me with this account, a little after the mes-
sage came to me from the cockswain.
I was very glad to see my nephew, I must confess,
for I was not without apprehension, 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 to. In
short, I had been in a worse case than when I was
all alone in the island. But they had not gone that
length, it seems, to my great satisfaction; and my
nephew told me what they had said to him, and how
they had sworn, and shook hands, that they would
all leave the ship, if I was suffered to come on board

ROBINSON CRUS6).E. - 379
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 all my necessary things on shore, and
leave me a sufficient sum of money, and I would
find my way to England as well as I could.
This was a heavy piece of news for my nephew,
but there was no way, but to comply with it. So he
went on board the ship again, and satisfied the men
that his uncle had yielded to their importunity, and
had sent for his goods from on board the ship. So
the matter was over in a few hours, the men return-
ed to their duty, and I began to consider what course
I should steer.
I was now alone in the remotest part of the world,
as I think I may call it, for I was near three thou-
sand leagues by sea further off from England than
I was at my island; only, it is true, I might travel
here by land over the Great Mogul's country to Su-
rat, 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 deserts of Arabia, to Alep-
po and Scanderoon; from thence by sea to Italy,
and so overland into France; and this, put together,
might be, at least, a full diameter of the globe. .
y nephew left me two servants, or rather, one
companion, and one servant; the first was clerk to
the purser, whom he engaged to go with me, and the
other was his own servant. I took a good lodging
in the house of an Englishwoman, where several
merchants lodged, some French, two Italians, or ra-
ther Jews, and one Englishman. Here I was hand-
somely enough entertained ; and that I might not
be said to run rashly upon anything, I stayed here
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.
º of eight, and a letter of credit for more, if I
ad occasion, that I might not be straitened, what-

380 ROBINSON CEUSOE.
ever might happen. I quickly disposed of my goods,
and to advantage too; and, as I originally intended,
I bought here some very good diamonds, which, of
all other things, was the most proper for me in my
circumstances, because I might always carry my es-
tate about me.
The English merchant, who lodged with me, and
with whom I had contracted an intimate acquaint-
ance, came to me one morning: “Countryman,” said
he, “I have a project to communicate to you, which,
as it suits my thoughts, may, for aught I know, suit
yours also when you shall have considered it.
“Here we are posted,” says he, “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 coun-
try where, by us who understand trade and busi-
ness, 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, the first we can get to our minds;
you shall be captain, I will be merchant, and we
will go a trading voyage to China.”
I liked this proposal very well, and the more be-
cause it 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 mind,
and when we had got a vessel, it was not easy to get
English sailors: that is to say, so many as were me-
cessary to govern the voyage, and manage the sailors
which we should pick up there. After some time we
got a mate, a boatswain, and a gunner, English; a
Dutch carpenter, and three Portuguese foremastmen;
with these we found we could do well enough, hav-
ing Indian seamen, such as they were, to make up.
We made a very good voyage, and I got so much
money by the first adventure, and such an insight
into the method of getting more, that, had I been
fwenty years younger, I should have been tempted
to have stayed here, and sought no furtherfor making
my fortune. But what was all this to a man on the
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 381
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 gain
in it
My friend now proposed another voyage to me,
viz., among the Spice Islands, to bring home a load
of cloves from the Manillas, or thereabouts, places
where, indeed, the Dutch do trade, but the islands
partly belong to the Spaniards; though we went
not so far, but to some other, where they have not
the whole power, as they have at Batavia, Ceylon,
&c. We were not long in preparing for this voyage,
which we made successfully, touching at Borneo,
and several islands whose names I do not remember,
and came home in about five months. We sold our
spice, which was chiefly cloves, and some nutmegs,
to the Persian merchants, who carried them to the
Gulf, and, making near five of one, we really got a
great deal of money.
A little while after this, there came in a Dutch
ship from Batavia; she was a coaster, not a Euro-
pean trader, and of about two hundred tons burden.
The men, as they pretended, having been so sickly, ..
the captain had not men enough to go to sea with,
he lay at Bengal; as if having got money enough,
or being willing, for other reasons, to go to 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
home to him, and told him of it. He considered
awhile, for he was no rash man neither, but, musing
some time, he 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 with these we had, for the pursuing our busi-
ness; but, on a sudden, they having not received
their wages, but their share of the money, as we af-

38.2 ROBINSON CRUSO.E.
terwards learned, not one of them was to be found.
We inquired about them, and, at length, were told
that they were all gone together 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 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 with my great design, and I
should both have seen the world, and gone home-
wards too. But I was much better satisfied a few
days after, when I came to know what sort of men
they were, for, their history was, that this man they
called captain was the gunner only, not the com-
mander; that they had been a trading voyage, in
which they were attacked on shore by some of the
Malays, who had killed the captain, and three of his
men, and that after the captain was killed, the men,
eleven in number, had resolved to run away with
the ship, which they did, and had brought her in at
the bay Bengal, leaving the mate and fivermen more
on shore, of whom we shall hear further.
Well, let them come by the ship how they would,
we came honestly by her, as we thought; though we
did not, I confess, examine into things so exactly as
we ought, for we never inquired of any of the sea-
men, who, if we had examined, would certainly
have faltered in their accounts, contradicted one an-
other, and perhaps contradicted themselves; or one
way or another, we should have seen reason to have
suspected them; but the man showed us a bill of sale
for the ship, to one Emanuel Clostershoven, 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 a little too unwary, or, at
least, having no suspicion of the thing, we went
through with our bargain.


I&OBINSON CRUSOE. - 3S3
However, we picked up some English seamen here
after this, and some Dutch, and we now resolved
for a second voyage to the south-east, for cloves &c,
that is to say, among the Phillipine and Malacca
isles; and, in short, spent, from first to last, six
years in this country, trading from port to port,
backward and forward, and with good success, and
was now the last year, with my partner, going in the
ship above-mentioned on a voyage to China, but de-
signing first to go to Siam to buy rice.
In this voyage, being, by 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
to put into the river of Cambodia, for I had made
the English mate, one Mr. Thompson, captain, not
being willing to take charge of the ship myself. The
river lies on the north side of the bay or gulf which
goes up to Siam.
ile we were here, and going often on shore for
refreshments, there comes to me one day an English-
man, and he was, it seems, a gunner's mate on board
an English East India ship, which rode in the same
river, up at, or near the city of Cambodia; what
brought him hither we knew not, but he comes up to
me, and, speaking in English, Sir,” said he, “you
are a stranger to me, and I to you, but I have some-
thing to tell you that very nearly concerns you. But
the short of the story is this, the first part of which
I suppose you know wellenough, viz. that you were
with the ship at Sumatra ; that there your captain
was murdered by the Malays, with three of his men,
and that you or some of those that were on board
with you, ran away with the ship, and have turned
pirates. This is the sum of the story; assure your-
384 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
self, if you do not put to sea immediately, you will
the very next tide, be attacked by five long boatsfull
of men; and, perhaps, if you are taken, you will be
hanged for a pirate. If you have any regard for your
life, and the lives of your men, put out to sea with-
out fail at high water; and as you will be gone too
far out before they come down; for they will come
away at high water; and as they have twenty miles
to come, you get near two hours start of them by the
difference of the tide, not reckoning the length of
the way; besides, as they are boats and not ships,
they will not venture to follow you far out to sea,
especially if it blows.”
“Well,” said I, “you have been very kind in this:
what shall I do for you, to make you amends?”
“Sir,” says he, “you may not be so willing to make
me amends, because you may not be convinced of
the truth of it. I’ll 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 a Dutchman
that is with me has seven months pay due to him;
if you will make good our pay, we will go along
with you ; if you find nothing more in it we will de-
sire no more; but if we do convince you that we
have your life, 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 out on the quarter deck, and called to me with
joy. “O ho! Oho! we have stopped the leak!”—
“Say you so,” said I; “thank God; but weigh the
anchor immediately.”—“Weigh l’” says he, “what
do you mean by that P what is the matter?” says he.
“Ask no questions,” said I, “but all hands to work,
and weigh without losing a minute.” He was sur-
prised; but, however, he called the captain, and he
.” immediately ordered the anchor to be got up ; and
though the tide was not quite down, yet a little

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 385
,’
land-breeze blowing, we stood out to sea. Then I
called him into the cabin, and told him the story in
general; and we called in the men, and they told us
the rest of it; but as it took up a great deal of time,
so before we had done, a seaman comes to the cabin
door, and calls out to us, that the captain bade him
tell us we were chased. “Chased P’’ said I, “by who
and 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 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. The
men answered cheerfully that, one and all they
would live and die with us. Then I asked the cap-
tain what way he thought best for us to manage a
fight, for resist them I resolved we would, and 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,
to keep them from boarding us; but when neither of
these would do any longer, we should retire to our
close 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 guns to bear fore and aft, out of the steerage,
*
to clear the deck, and load them with musket-bul-
lets 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 see them at a distance, being five long-boats,
following us with all the sail they could make.
Two of those boats, which by our glasses we could
see were English, had outsailed 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 a shot
to intimate that they should bring to, and we put
102 2 B
386 ROBINSON CEUSOE.
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 uo answer to it, hungout thered flag, and fired
at them with shot. Notwithstanding this, they came
till near enough to call to them with a speaking
trumpet which we had on board, we called to them
and bade them keep off at their peril.
It was all one; they crowded after us, and endea-
voured to come under our stern, to board us on our
quarter; upon which, seeing they were resolute for
mischief, and depended upon the strength that fol-
Iowed 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 which had been le-
velled so true as to carry away the stern of the hin-
dermost 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 still on after us, we made ready to fire ather
in particular.
While this was doing, one of the three boats that
were behind, being forwarder than the other two,
made up to the boat which we had disabled, to re-
lieve her, and we could see her take out her men.
We called again to the foremost boat, and offered a
truce to parley again, and to know what was her
business with us, but had no answer, she crowded
close under our stern. Upon this our gunner, who
was a very dexterous fellow, ran out his two chase-
guns, and fired at her; but the shot missing, the men
in the boat shouted, waved their caps, and came on,
but the gunner getting quickly ready again, fired
at them a second time, one shot of which, though it
missed the boat itself, yet it 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, weared the ship again, and brought our quarter
#obrnsON cRösöß. 33%
to bear upon them, and, firing three guns more, we
found the boat was split almost to pieces; in parti-
cular, her rudder and piece of her stern were shot
quite away; so they handed their sail immediately,
and were in great disorder. But to complete their
misfortune, our gunner let fly two guns at them
again; where it hit them we could not tell, but we
found the boat was sinking, and some of the men
already in the water. Upon this I immediately man-
ned out our pinnace, which we had kept close to our
side, with orders to pick up some of the men if they
could, and save them from drowning, and immedi-
ately to come on board with them, because we saw
the rest of the boats began to come up. Our men in
the pinnace followed their orders, and 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 were on board, we crowded all the sail we
could make, and stood further 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 had apprehended, I took care that we
would change our course, and not let one imagine
whither we were going; so we stood out to sea east-
ward, 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,
and resolved to go to the coast of Tonquin, and so on
to China, and from thence, 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 as we could get. This was approved
of the best method for our security; and according-
ly we steered N.N.E., keeping above fifty leagues
off from the usual course to the eastward.
This, however, put us to some inconveniences; for
first, the winds, when we came to that distance from
383 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
the shore, seemed to be more steadily against us,
blowing trade, as we call it, from the east, and E.N.
E., so that we were a long time on our voyage; and
we were but ill provided with victuals for so long a
run ; and, which was still worse, there was some dan-
ger that those English and Dutch ships, whose boats
pursued us, whereof some were bound that way,
might be got in before us, and, if not, some other
ship bound to China might have information of us
from them, and pursue us with the same vigour.
However, after a tedious and irregular course, and
very much straitened for provisions, we came with-
in sight of the coast very early in the morning; and,
upon reflecting on the circumstances we were in, and
the danger, if we had not escaped, we resolved to
put into a small river, which, however, had depth
enough of water for us, and to see if we could, either
over land or by the ship's pinnace, come to know
what ships were in any port thereabouts. The place
we were in was wild and barbarous, and the people
thieves; 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 difficulty we kept ourselves from being
insulted by them. -
I have observed above that our ship sprang a leak
at sea, and that we could not find it out; and, it
happened, that as I have said, it was stopped unex-
pectedly, in the happy minute of our being to be
seized by the Dutch and English ships near the bay
of Siam ; yet as we did not find the ship so perfectly
tight and sound as we desired, we resolved while we
in this place to lay her on shore, take out what hea-
vy things we had on board, which were not many,
and to wash and clean her bottom, and, if possible
to find out where the leaks were.
Accordingly, having lightened the ship, and had
got our guns, and other moveable things, to one side,
we tried to bring her down, that we might come at

, ROBINSON CRUSOE, . 389
her bottom; for on second thoughts we did not think
fit to lay her on dry aground. - -
The inhabitants who had never been acquainted
with such a sight, came wandering down to the side
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 work on her
bottom with stages, and with their boats on the off
side, they presently concluded that the ship was cast
away, and so lay fast on the ground.
On this supposition, they all came about us in two
or three hours' time, with ten or twelve large boats,
having some of them eight, some ten men in a boat,
intending no doubt, to come on board and plunder
the ship, and, if they had found us there, to have
carried us away for slaves to their king, or whatever
they called him, for we knew nothing who was their
governor.
When they came up the ship, and began to row
around her, they discovered us all hard at work on
the outside of the ship's bottom and side, washing
and graving, as every seafaring man knows how.
They stood for a while gazing at us, and we, who
were a little 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 ammunition to those
that were at work, to defend themselves with, if
there should be occasion; and it was no more than
need, for in less than a quarter of an hour's consul-
tation they agreed, it seems, that the 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 en-
deavouring to save some of our goods. Upon this,
they took it for granted that all belonged to them ;
and away they came directly upon our men, as if it
had been in a line of battle,
390 BOBINSON CRUSOE. .
Our men, seeing so many of them, began to be
º for we lay but in an ill posture to fight,
and cried to us to know what they should do. Iim -
mediately called to the men who worked upon the
stage 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; and those few of us who were on
board worked with all the strength and hands we
had to bring the ship to rights. However, neither
the men upon the stage, nor those in the boats,
could do as they were ordered, before the Cochim-
chinese was 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 under-
stood his business much better than I could teach
him, for he grappled the Pagan, and dragged him
by force out of their own boat into ours, where, tak-
ing him by the ears, he beat his head so against the
boat's gunnel that the fellow died instantly in his
hands; and, in the mean time a Dutchman, who
stood next, took up the musket, and with the butt-
end of it so laid about them, that he knocked down
five of them, who attempted to enter the boat; but
this was little towards resisting twenty or thirty
men, who fearless, because ignorant of their danger,
began to throw themselves into the long-boat, where
we had but five men to defend it. But an accident
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 out-
side of the ship, as well as to pay the seams where
he had caulked her to stop the leaks, had got two
kettles just let down into the boat, one filled with
boiling pitch, and the other with rosin, tallow, and
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 391
oil, and such stuff as the shipwrights use for that
work; and the man that attended the carpenter had
a iron ladle in his hand, with which he supplied the
men that were at work with that hot stuff ; two of
the enemy’s men entered the boat just where this
fellow stood, being in the foresheets; he saluted
them with a ladlefull of the stuff, boiling hot, which
so burned and scalded them, being half naked, that
they roared out like two bulls, and, enraged with
the pain, leaped both into the sea. The carpenter
saw it, and said, “Well done, Jack, give them some
more;” when, stepping forward himself, he takes
one of their mops, and, dipping it into the pitch pot,
he and his men threw it about them so plentifully,
that, in short, of all the men in three boats, there
was not one that was not scalded with it in a most
frightful manner, and made such a howling and cry-
ing, that I never heard a worse noise.
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 boats 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 met with in their first at-
tack, 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 supposed, to see
their mistake, and give over the enterprise, finding
it was not as they expected. Thus we got clear of
this merry fight ; and, having got some rice, and
some roots, and bread, with sixteen good hogs on
board two days before, we resolved to stay here no
longer, but go forward, whatever came of it. We.
therefore, got all our things on board the same eve-
392 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
ning, and the next morning were ready to sail. We
would have gone into the bay of Tonquin, for we
wanted to inform ourselves of what was to be known
concerning some Dutch ships that had been there,
but we durst not stand in there, because we saw
several ships go in, a little before. So we kept on
N.E. towards the Isle of Formosa, as much afraid of
been seen by a Dutch or English merchant ship in
the Mediterranean is of an Algerine man of war.
When we were thus got to sea, we kept on N.E.
as we would go to the Manillas, or the Philippine
islands, and this we did that we might not fall into
the way of any of the European ships; and then we
steered north again, till we came to the latitude of
twenty-two degrees twenty minutes, by which we
made the island of Formosa, directly, where we came
to an anchor, in order to get water and fresh provi-
sions, which the people there, who are very courte-
ous and civil in their manners, supplied us with will-
ingly, and dealt fairly and punctually with us in all
their agreements and bargains, which is what we
did not find among other people, and may be owing
to the remains of Christianity, which was once plant-
ed here by a Dutch missionary of Protestants. From
hence we sailed still north, keeping the coast of
China at an equal distance, till we knew we were
beyond all the ports of China where our European
ships usually came, being resolved not to fall into
their hands, especially in this country, where, as our
circumstances were, we could not fail of being en-
tirely ruined.
Being now come into the latitude of thirty degrees,
we resolved to put into the first trading port we
should come at, and, standing in for the shore, a
boat came off two leagues to us, with an old Portu-
guese pilot on board, who, knowing us to be an
European ship, came to offer his service, which, in-
deed we were very glad of, and took him on board.
I began to talk with him about carrying us to the
RoBINSON GRUsoe. ' 393
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 me
what we would do there. -
I told him we would sell our cargo, and purchase
China wares, calicoes, raw silks, tea, wrought silks,
&c., and 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 fail of a market for our
opium to our satisfaction, and might, for our money,
have purchased all sorts of China goods as cheap as
we could at Nanquin. I told the old man we were
gentlemen, as well as merchants, and that we had
a mind to go and see the city of Pekin, and the fam-
ous court of the monarch of China. “Why then,”
says the old man, “you should go to Eingpo, 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 made stream, it goes through
the heart of all the vast empire of China, crosses all
the rivers, passes some considerable hills by the help
of sluices and gates, and goes up to the city of Pekin,
being in length two hundred and seventy leagues.”
“Well,” said I, “Seignior Portuguese, but that is
not our business Inow, the question is, if you can
carry us up to the city of Nauquin, from whence we
can travel to Pekin afterwards.” He said he could
do so very well, and there was a Dutch ship gone
up that way just before. This gave me a little
shock; a Dutch ship was now our terror, for we were
in no condition to fight them; all the ships they
trade with in those parts being of great burden, and
of much greater force than we were.
The old man found me a little confused, and under
concern, 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
394 ROBINSON CHUSOE.
of the reach of the laws of their own country.”—
“Why,” said he, “you are no pirates, what need
you fear? They will not meddle with peaceable
merchants, sure.” I started at the word pirates, and
he, seeing my confusion, said, “Sir, I find you are in
some disorder in your thoughts at my talk; pray be
pleased to go which way you may think fit, and, de-
pend upon it, I’ll do all the service I can.”—“Why,
seignior,” said I, “it is true, I am a little unsettled
in my resolution at this time, whither to go in par-
tioular, 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
for fifteen years, except 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 southward ;
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 mur-
dered by the Malays, at, or near the island of Suma-
tra.” “What!” said I, seeming to know nothing
of the matter, “did they murder the captain P’’
“No,” said he, “I do not understand that they mur-
dered him; but, as they afterwards ran away with
the ship, it is generally believed that they betrayed
him into the hauds of the Malays, who did murder
him, and, perhaps, they procured 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 certain-
ly 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.”
“But..." said I, “you say the pirate is gone out of


TOBINSON OBUSOE, . 396
these seas; how can they meet with him then P"—
“Why, that's 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 by some Dutch-
men who belonged to the ship, and who were left on
shore when they ran away with her; and some Eng-
lish and Dutch traders being in the river, they were
within a litter of taking him. Nay,” said he, “if
the foremost boat had been well seconded by the
rest, they had certainly taken him; but he, finding
only two boats withiu 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 got
away. But they have so exact a description of the
ship, that they will be sure to know him, and, when
they find him, they have vowed to give no quarter
to either the captain or the seamen, but hang them
up at the yard arm.”
“What!” 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 to
make 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 rightly deserve.”
I knew I had my old man fast on board, and that
he could do me no harm, so that I turned short upon
him: “Well, now, seignior,” said I, “and that is the
very reason why I would have you carry me to Nan-
quin, and not to put back into Macao, or to any
part of the country where the English or Dutch ships
come; for, be it known to you, seignior, those cap-
tains of English or Dutch ships are a parcel of rash,
roud, insolent fellows, that neither know what be-
ongs to justice, nor how to behave themselves as
the laws of God or nature direct; but being proud
of their offices, and not understanding their power,
they would act the murderers to pullish robbers,
would take upon them to insult men falsely accused,
396 *OIBINSON CRUSOE,
and determine them guilty without due inquiry; and
perhaps, I may live to call some of them to account
for it, where they may be taught how justice is to be
executed, that no man ought to be treated as a cri-
minal till some evidence may be had of the crime,
and that he is the man.” -
With this I told him, that this was the very ship
they had attacked, and gave him a full account of
the skirmish we had with their boats, and how fool-
ishly and coward-like they behaved. I told him the
story of buying the ship, and how the Dutchmen
served us, I told him the reason I had to believe
this story of killing the master by the Malays was
not true, as also the running away with the ship;
but that it was a fiction of their own, to suggest that
the men turned pirates, that they ought to have been
sure that it was so before they had ventured to at-
tack us by surprise, and oblige us to resist them;
adding that they would have the blood of those men
who were 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 adviseus, 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 you may get one able enough to carry you
and all you goods back 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 Nan-
quin, and that a Chinese junk would serve me to go
back again; and that he would procure me people
both to buy the one and sell the other.
“Well, but, seignior,” says I, “as you say that
they know the ship so well, I may, perhaps, if I
follow your measures, be instrumental in bringing
*.
Robinsoft CRUsof. 397
some honest, innocent men into a terrible broil, and
perhaps, occasion their being murdered in cold
blood; for, wherever they find the ship, they will
prove the guilt of the men by proving this was the
ship, and so innocent men may probably be mur-
dered.”—“Why,” said the old man, “I’ll find out a
way to prevent that also ; for as I know all those
commanders you speak of very well, and shall see
them all as they pass by, I will be sure to set them
to rights in the thing.” We were now at the south-
west point of the great Gulf of Nanquin, and I ask-
ed the old pilot if there was no creek, or harbour I
could put into, and pursue my business with the
Chinese privately, and be 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
Quinchadg, 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 put in there, I
might consider what further course to take when I
was on shore. He confessed it was not a place for
merchants, except that at some certain times, they
had a kind of fair there, when the merchants from
Japan came over there to buy merchandise. So we
agreed to go back to this place.
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 every way to
our satisfation, we would never set foot on board
that vessel any more, and, indeed, I must acknow-
ledge, that of all the circumstances of life that ever
I had any experience of, nothing makes mankind so
completely miserable as that of being in fear.
I cannot refrain taking notice here what reflec-
tions I now had upon the past variety of my parti-
cular circumstances; how hard I thought it was,
that I, who had spent forty years in a life of con-
3.
303 #ópfsson Cfrtisół.
tinued difficulties, and was at last come, as 16 were,
to the port or haven which all men drive at—viz. to
have rest and plenty—should be a volunteer in new
sorrows, by my own unhappy choice; and that I,
who had escaped so many dangers in youth, should
now come to be hanged in my old age, and in so re-
mote a place, for a crime I was not in the least in-
clined to, much less guilty of, and in a place and cir-
cumstance where innocence was not like to be any
protection at all to me.
I was greatly cast down with these thoughts; but
sometimes natural courage would take its place, and
then I would be taking myself up to vigorous reso-
lutions, that I would not be taken to be barbarously
used by a parcel of merciless wretches; that it was
much better to have fallen into the hands of the
savages, who were men eaters, and who, I was sure,
would feast upon me, when they had taken me, than
by those who would, perhaps, glut their rage upon
me by inhuman tortures and barbarities; that, in
the case of the savages, I always resolved to die
fighting to the last grasp, and why should I not do
so now, seeing it was much more dreadful, to me, at
least, to think of falling into these men's hands, than
ever it was to think of being eaten by men? for the
savages, to give them their due, would not eat a man
till he was dead, but that these men had many arts
beyond the cruelty of death. And thus I tormented
myself with various thoughts for some time.
When we had got safe on shore, the old pilot, who
was now our friend, got us lodging, and a ware-
house for our goods; it was a little house or hut,
with a large house joining to it, all built with canes,
and palisadoed round with large canes, to keep out
pilfering thieves, of which it seems, there were not
a few in the country. However, the magistrates
allowed us also a little guard, and we had a soldier,
with a kind of halbert, or half-pike, who stood sen-
tinel at our door, to whom we allowed a pint of rice,
*
f:013INSON Cºtfsóſ. 359
and a little piece of money, about the value of three
pence, per day, so that our goods were kept safe.
he 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 Ja-
panese, I mean ships from Japan, with goods which
they had bought in China, and were not gone away,
having Japanese merchants on shore. The first
thing our old Portuguese pilot did for us, was to
make us acquainted with three missionary Roman
priests, who were in the town, and who had been
some time, converting the people to Christianity. One
was alºrenchman, whom they called Father Simon;
he was a jolly, well-conditioned man, very free in
his conversation, not seeming so serious and grave
as the other two did, one of whom was a Portuguese,
the other a Genoese; but Father Simon was courte-
ous, easy in his manner, and agreeable company;
the other two were more reserved, seemed high and
austere, and applied seriously to the work they came
about, viz., to talk with, and insinuate themselves
among the inhabitants, when they had an opportu-
nity. We often eat and drank with those men, and
though I must confess the conversion, as they call it,
of the Chinese to Christianity, is so far from the
true conversion, required to bring heathen people to
the faith of Christ, that it seems to amount to little
more than letting them know the name of Christ,
say some prayers to the Virgin Mary and her Son,
in a tongue which they understood not, and to cross
themselves, and the like.
But to return to my story; This French priest,
Father Simon, was appointed, it seems, by order of
the chief of the mission, to go up to Pekin, the royal
seat of the Chinese emperor, and waited only for an-
other priest, who was ordered to come to him to
Macao, to go with him; and we scarce ever met to-
gether but he was inviting me to go that journey
with him, telling me how he would show me all the
400 . £OBINSON CIRtſ SOE.
glorious things of that empire, and, among the rest,
the greatest city in the world ; “a city,” said he,
“that your London and our Paris put together can-
not be equal to.” This was the city of Pekin, which
I confess is very great, and full of people.
Dining with the priest one day, and being very
merry together, I showed some little inclination to
go with him, and he pressed me and my partner very
hard, and with a great many persuasions, to consent.
“Why, Father Simon,” says my partner, “why do
you desire our company so much P You know we
are heretics, and you do not love us, nor can you
keep us company with any pleasure.”—“Oh,” says
he, “you may, perhaps, be good Catholics in time;
my business here is to convert heathens, and I may
convertyou too?” “Wery well, father,” said I, “so
you will preach to us all the way.” “I will not be.
troublesome to you,” said he, “our religion does not
divest us of manners; besides, we are here like
countrymen, and so we are compared to the place we
are in ; and if you are Huguenots, and I a catholic,
we may all be Christians at last ; at least we are all
gentlemen, and we may converse so without being
uneasy to one another.” -
We had all this while our ship and our merchan-
dise to dispose of, and we began to be very doubtful
what we should do, for we were now in a place of
very little business; and once I was about to venture
to sail for the river Kilam, and the city of Nanquin,
but Providence seemed now more visibly, I thought,
than ever to concern itself in our affairs, and I was
encouraged from this time to think I should, one
way or other, get out of this tangled circumstance,
and be brought to my own country again, though I
had not the least view of the manner; and when I
began sometimes to think of it, could not imagine
by what method it was to be done. Providence, I
say, began here to clear up our way a little, and the
first thing that offered was, that our old Portuguese

ROBINSON CRUSOE. 401
pilot brought a Japan merchant to us, who began
to inquire 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 opium, it came into
my head that he might, perhaps, deal with us for
the ship too; and I ordered the interpreter to repose
it to him. He shrugged up his shoulders at it, when
it was first proposed to him, but a few days after,
he came to me, with one of the missionary priests
for his interpreter, and told me he had a proposal to
make to me, and that was this ; he had bought a
quantity of goods of us, when he had no thoughts
at all 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 load, 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 was to consult the
captain of the ship, with the men, and know if they
were willing to go to Japan; and while I was doing
this, the young man whom, as I said, my nephew
had left with me as my companion for my travels,
came to me, and told me, that he thought that voy-
age promised very fair, and that there was a great
prospect of advantage, and he would be glad if I
undertook it; but that if I would not, and give him
leave, he would go as a merchant, or how I pleased
to order him; that if ever he came to England, and
I was there, and alive, he would render me a faith-
ful account of his success, and it should be as much
mine as I pleased.
I was really loath to part with him, but consider-
ing * of *ºntage. which was very con-
C
402 RoBINSON GRUsor.
siderable, and that he was a young fellow as likely
to do well in it as any I knew, I inclined to let him
go; but first I told him I would consult my partner,
and give him an answer the next day. My partner
and I discoursed about it, and my partner made a
most generous offer. He told me, “You know it has
been an unluck ship, and we both resolved not to go
to sea in it again; if your steward (so he called my
man) will venture the voyage, I’ll leave my share of
the vessel to him, and let him make the best of it, if
we ever meet in England, and he meets with success
abroad, he shall account for one half of the profits of
the ship's freight to us, the other shall be his own.”
If my partner, who was no way concerned with
the 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 Japan mer-
chant proved a very honest man to him, protected
him at Japan, and got him a license to come on shore,
which the Europeans in general have not lately ob-
tained, paid him his freight very punctually, sent
him to the Philippines loaded with Japan and China.
wares, and a supercargo of their own, who, traffick-
ing with the Spaniards, brought back European
goods again, and a great quantity of cloves and other
spice; and there he has 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 spices of his own, which he brought with him,
he went to the Manillas to the Spaniards, where he
sold his cargo very well. . Here, having got a good
acquaintance at Manilla, he got his ship made a free
ship ; and the govenor 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 Mex-
ROBINSON CEUSOE. 403
ico, and to pass in any Spanish ship to Europe with
all his men.
He made the voyage to Acapulco very happily,
and there he sold his ship; and having there also ob-
tained allowance to travel by land to Porto Bello, he
found means, somehow or other, to go to Jamaica
with all his treasure, and about eight years after he
came to England exceedingly rich.
In about four months, there was to be another fair
at that place, where we were, and then we might be
able to purchase all sorts of the manufactories of the
country, and, withal, might possibly find some Chi-
nese junks, or vessels, from Nanquin, that would be
to be sold, and would carry usandour goods whither
we pleased. This I liked very well, and resolved to
wait ; besides, as our particular persons are not ob-
noxious, so that if any English or Dutch ships came
thither, perhaps we might have an opportunity to
load our goods, and get a passage to some place in
India nearer home.
Upon these hopes we resolved to continue here;
but, to divert ourselves, we took two or three jour-
neys into the country. First we went ten days’ jour-
ney to see the city of Nanquin, a city well worth see-
ing. 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 cross one another in
direct lines, which gives the figure of it very great
advantage.
What are their buildings to the palaces and royal
buildings of Europe P What is their trade to the uni-
versal commerce of England, Holland, France, and
Spain P. What is their cities to ours, for wealth,
gaiety of apparel, rich furniture, and an infinite va-
riety P , What are their ports, supplied with a few
junks, to our navigation, our merchants, fleets, our
arge and powerful navies? Our city of London has
more trade than all their mighty empire. One Eng-
lish, or Dutch, or Frenchman of war, of eighty guns,'
404 T.OBINSON CEUSOE,
would fight with, and destroy all the shipping of
China. But the greatness of their wealth, their
trade, the power of their government, and strength
of their armies, is surprising to us; because, as I
have said, considering them as a barbarous nation of
Pagans, little better than savages, we did not expect
such things among them; and this indeed is the ad-
vantage with which all their greatness and power is
represented to us; otherwise it is in itself nothing at
all; for, as I have said of their ships, so may be said
of their armies and troops; all the forces of their
empire, though they were to bring two millions of
men into the field together, would be able to do no-
thing but ruin the country and starve themselves.
If they were to besiege a strong town in Flanders,
or fight a disciplined army, one line of German cuir-
assiers, or French cavalry, would overthrow all the
horse of China ; a million of their foot could not
stand before one embattled body of our infantry,
posted so as not to be surrounded, though they were
not above a thousand in number; I do not boast if
I say that thirty thousand German or English foot,
and ten thousand French horse, would fairly beat
all the forces of China. And so of ourfortified towns,
and of the art of our engineers in assaulting and de-
fending towns; there is not a fortified town in China
could hold out one month against the batteries and
attacks of a European army; and, at the same time,
all the armies of China could never take such a town
as Dunkirk, provided it was not starved, no, not in a
ten years' siege. They have fire-arms, it is true, but
they are awkward, clumsy, and uncertain in going
off; they have powder, but it is of no strength; they
have neither discipline in the field, exercise to their
arms, skill to attack, nor temper to retreat; there-
fore I must confess it seemed strange to me when I
came home, and heard people say such fine things
of the power, riches, glory, magnificence, and trade
of the Chinese, because I saw and knew that they
IROBINSON CRUSOE. .405
were a contemptible herd, or crowd of ignorant, sor-
did slaves, subjected to a government qualified only
to rule such a people.
I was now, as near as I can compute, in the heart
of China, about the latitude of thirty degrees north
of the line, for we were returned from Nanquin. I
had indeed a mind to see the city of Pekin, which I
had heard so much of, and Father Simon importuned
me to do it. At length his time of going away being
set, and the other missionary, who was to go with
him, being arrived from Macao, it was necessary we
should resolve either to go or not to go; so Ireferred
him to my partner, and left it wholly to his choice,
who at length resolved it in the affirmative, and we
prepared for our journey. *
We were five-and-twenty days travelling to Pekin
through a country infinitely populous, but miserably
cultivated; the husbandry, economy, and the way of
living, all very miserable, though they boast so much
of their industry. The pride of these people is very
great, and exceeded by nothing but their poverty,
which adds to that which I call their misery. The
roads here are well paved, and well kept, and very
convenient for travellers; but nothing was more
awkward to methan to see such a haughty, imperi-
ous, insolent people, in the midst of the grossest sim-
plicity and ignorance, for all their famed ingenuity,
it is no more. My friend, Father Simon, and I used to
be very merry on these occasions, to see the beggar-
ly pride of these people; for example, coming by the
house of a country gentleman, as Father Simon call-
ed him, about ten leagues off the city of Nanquin,
we had, first of all, the honour to ride with the mas-
ter 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 scaramouch, or merry-andrew,
being a dirty calico, with all the tawdry trappings of
a fool's coat, such as hanging sleeves, taffety, and
406 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
cuts and slashes almost on every side. It covered a
rich taffety vest, as greasy as a butcher's, and which
testified that his honour must needs be a most exqui-
site sloven. His horse was a poor, lean, starved,
hobbling creature, such as in England might sell for
about thirty or forty shillings; he had two slaves
followed him on foot to drive the creature along.
IIe 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 be-
fore us. We travelled on gently, but this figure of
a gentleman rode away before us; and as we stop-
ped 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 at him the better he would be pleas-
ed. He sat under a tree, something like a palmetto
tree, which effectually shaded him over the head.
He sat lolling back in a great elbow chair, being a
heavy, corpulent man; his meat being brought him
by two women slaves; he had two more whose of-
fice, I think, few gentlemen in Europe would except
of their service in, viz., one fed the squire with a
spoon, and the other held the dish with one hand,
and scraped off what fell upon his worship's beard
with the other; while the great fat brute thought it
below him to employ his own hands in any of those
familiar offices which kings would rather do than be
troubled with the clumsy fingers of their servants.
Leaving the wretch, to please himself with our look-
ing at him, we pursued our journey.
I was now light-hearted, and all my trouble and
perplexity, that I have given an account of, being
over. I had no anxious thoughts about me, which
made this journey much the pleasanter to me; nor
s
Robinson causoe. 407
$
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. I mentioned it because it spoiled my
pocket-book, wherein I had set down the names of
several people and places which I had occasion to
remember, and which riot taking care of, the leaves
rotted, and the words were never after to be read, to
my great loss as to the names of some places which I
touched at in this voyage.
At length we arrived at Pekin. I had nobody with
me but the youth whom my nephew, the captain,
had given 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 bore his expenses, and, understanding the
language, he acted as interpreter. About a week
after we had arrived here, this old pilot came to us
and told us he had some good news to tell us. I ask-
ed him what it was, but it was some time before we
could get it out of him; at last he told us there was
a great caravan of Muscovite and Polish merchants
in the city, and they were preparing to set out on
their journey, by land, to Muscovy, within four or
five weeks, and he was sure we should take the op-
portunity to go with them, and perhaps leave him
to get back to Macao as he could. I confess I was
overjoyed at this intelligence; and asked him if he
was sure it was true. “Yes,” said he, “I met this
morning, in the street, an old acquaintance of mine,
an Armenian, or one you call a Grecian, who is with
them ; he came last from Astracan, and was design-
ing to go to Tonquin, where I formerly knew him,
but has altered his mind, and is now resolved to go
back with the caravan to Moscow, and so down the
river of Wolga to Astracan.”—“Well, seignior,” {
said, “do not be uneasy about being left to go back
408 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
alone; if this be a method for my return to England
it shall be your fault if you go back to Macao at all.”
We then went to consult together what was to be
done; and I asked my 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 west it in
China silks, wrought and raw, such as might be
worth carriage, he would be content to go to Eng-
land, and then make his voyage back to Bengal by
the Company’s ships.
Having resolved upon this, we agreed that if our
Portuguese pilot would go with us, we would bear
his charges to Moscow, or to England, which he
pleased; nor indeed were we to be esteemed over
generous in that part neither, if we had not reward-
ed him further; for the service he had done us was
worth all that, and more, for he had not only been a
pilot to us at sea, but he had been also like a broker
for us on shore; and his procuring for us the Japan
merchant was some hundreds of pounds in our pock-
ets. 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, for he was a most necessary man on all
occasions, we agreed to give him a quantity of coin-
ed gold, which came to one hundred and seventy-
five pounds sterling between us, and to bear 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. I told
him he had complained of our being like to let him
go back alone, and I was now to tell him we were
resolved he should not go back at all ; that as we
had resolved to go to Europe with the caravan, we
resolved he should go with us, and that we called
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 409
him to know his mind. He shook his head, and said
it was a long journey, and he had no money to carry
him thither, nor to subsist himself when he came
thither. We told him we believed it was so, and
therefore we had resolved to do something for him,
that should let him see how sensible we were of the
service he had done us, and then I told him what
we had resolved to give him here, which he might
lay out as we would our own, and that for his ex-
penses, if he would go with us, we would set him
safe ashore either in Muscovy or England, at our
charge, except the carriage of his goods.
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; but instead of being ready in five
weeks, it was more than four months before all the
things were got together. During this time my part-
ner and I disposed of the goods we had left, and got
in a large stock of Chinese goods, such as damasks,
fine silks, raw silks, fine calicoes, tea, nutmegs, and
cloves, and a quantity of other things, amounting to
four thousand pounds’ worth. With these goods we
loaded eighteen camels, besides those we rode upon,
which, with two or three spare horses, two horses
loaded with provisions, made us in short, twenty-
six camels and horses in our retinue.
We set out from Pekin at the beginning of Febru-
ary. The company was very great, and made be-
tween three and four hundred horses and camels,
and a hundred and twenty men, well armed, and
prepared for the bands of marauding Tartars, if any
of them should attack us. The company consisted
of several nations, such as Muscovites, Livonians,
&c.; and, to our satisfaction, there were five Scotch-
men, who appeared to be men of great experielce in
business, and of very good substance.
When we had travelled one days journey, the
guides, who were five in number called us together,
410 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
except the servants, to a council, at which every one
deposited a certain quantity of money to a common
stock, for the necessary expenses 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 appointed captains and officers
to draw us up, and give command in case of attack;
which we found needful upon the way.
The road on all this side of the country is very po-
pulous, and is full of potters and earth-makers, that
is to say, people that tempered the earth for China-
wares; and, as I was going along, our Portuguese
pilot, who had always something or other to say to
make us merry, came sneering to me, and told me he
would show us the greatest rarity in all the country,
and that I should have this to say of China, after all
the things I had said of it, 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 with
China ware. “Well,” said I, “are not the materials
of their buildings the product of their own country,
and so it is’ all China ware, is it not?”—“No, no,”
says he, “I mean it is a house all made of China
ware, such as you call so in England, 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 !” said the old pilot, “why, there
is a family of thirty people live in it.” I was then
curious to see it; and when I came to it, I found it
was a house built, as we call it in England, with lath
and plaster, but all the plaster 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, was
glazed, and looked very well, perfectly white, and
painted with blue figures, as the large China ware
in England is painted, and hard as if it had been

RoBINSON CRUsos, 411
burned. As to the inside, all the walls, instead of
wainscot, were lined up with hardened and painted
tiles, like the tiles we call galley-tiles in England,
all made of the finest China, and the figures exceed-
ingly fine indeed, with extraordinary variety of col-
ours, mixed with gold, many tiles making but one
figure, but joined so artificially with 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 composition, and as hard as the earthen
floors we have in use in several parts of England;
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
statues set up in rows on the walls, entirely formed
of the porcelain earth, and burned whole.
As this is one of the singularities of China, so they
may be allowed to excel in it; but I am 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 I
knew it could not be true. One told me, in parti-
cular, of a 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 in it, I
might have said something to it indeed; but, as it
was, I knew the whole 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 cara-
van, for which the leader of it for the day fined me

412 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
about the value of three shillings; and told me if it
had been three day's 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, for
indeed I found afterwards the orders made for keep-
ing altogether were absolutely necessary for our
common safety.
In two days more we passed the great China wall,
made for a fortification against the Tartars; and a
very great work it is, going over hills and mountains
in an endless track, where the rocks are impassable,
and the precipices such as no enemy could possibly
enter, or indeed climb up, or where, if they did, no
wall could hinder them. They tell us its length is
near a thousand English miles, but that the country
is five hundred in a straight measured line, which
the wall bounds, without measuring the windings
and turnings it takes; it is about four fathoms high,
and as many.thick in some places.
After we had passed this mighty nothing, called a
wall, 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 the Tartars roving about; but when
I came to see them distinctly, I wondered more that
the Chinese empire could be conquered by such con-
temptible fellows; for they are a mere herd or crowd,
of wild fellows, keeping no order, and understand-
ing no discipline, or manner of fight.
Their horses are poor, lean, starved creatures, and
taught nothing, and are fit for nothing; and this we
found the first day we saw them, which was after
we entered the wilder part of the country. Our
RORINSON CRUSOE, 413
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 eall-
ed hunting, too, for the creatures are the wildest,
and swiftest of foot, I ever saw of their kind, only
they will not run a great way; you are sure of sport
when you begin the chase, they appear about forty
in a flock, and, like true sheep, always keep together
when they fly.
In pursuit of this old 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 horn very
loud, but with a barbarous sound that I had never
heard before, and never care to hear again. We all
supposed this was to call their friends about them;
and so it was, for in less than a quarter of an hour
a troop of forty or fifty more appeared, at about a
mile distant ; 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, 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 resolv-
ed? We told him we were ready to follow him.
They stood gazing at us like a mere crowd, drawn
up in no order; but as soon as they saw us advance,
they let fly their arrows, which, however missed very
happily. It seems they mistook not their aim, but
their distance, for their arrows all fell 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 distance, we fired, and sent them leaden bull-
ets for wooden arrows, following our shot full gal-
lop, resolving to fall in among them sword in hand,
414 fºopTNSON CRUSOE.
for so our bold Scot that led us directed. He was,
indeed, but a merchant, but he behaved with that
vigour and bravery on this occasion, and yet with
a cool courage, too, that I never saw any man better
fitted for his command. As soon as we came up to
them, we fired in their faces, and then with-
drew ; but they fled in the greatest confusion ; the
only stand any of them made was on our right,
where three of them stood, and by signs called the
rest to come back to them, having a kind of scimitar
in their hands, and their bows hanging on theirbacks.
Our brave commander, without asking any one to
follow him, galloped up to them, and with his fusil
knocked one of them off his horse, killed the second
with his pistol, and the third ran away; and thus
ended our fight. But we had this misfortune at-
tending it, viz., that all our mutton that we had in
chase got away. We had not a man killed or hurt,
but as for the Tartars, there were five of them killed,
how many were wounded we knew not; but this we
knew, that the other party were so frightened with
the noise of our guns, that they fled, and never made
any more attempts upon us.
We were all this while in the Chinese dominion,
and therefore the Tartars were not so bold as after-
wards; but in about five days we entered a wild de-
sert, which held us three days and nights march,
and we were obliged to carry our water with us in
great leather bottles, and to encamp all night, just
as I have heard they do in the deserts of Arabia.
In passing this wilderness, which, I confess, was
at the first view 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.
We travelled near a month after this, the ways
being not so good at first, though still in the domi-
nions of the Emperor of China, but lay for the most
part, in villages, some of which were fortified be-

ROBINSON CRUSOE, 415
cause of the incursions of the Tartars. When we
came to one of these towns (it was about two days.
and a half's journey before we come to the city of
Naum), I wanted to buy a camel, of which there are
plenty to be sold all the way upon that road, and of
horses also, such as they are, because of so many
caravans coming that way, they are often wanted.
The person that I spoke to get me a camel would
have gone and fetched it for me, but I, like a fool,
must be officious, and go myself with him. The place
was two miles out of the village, where they kept
the camels and horses feeding under a guard.
I walked it on foot, with my old pilot in company,
and a Chinese, being very desirous, forsooth, of a
little variety. When we came to this 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 bought a camel, and agreed for the
rice, I came away, and the Chinese man that was
with me led the camel, when on a sudden came up
five Tartars on horseback, two of them seized the
fellow, and took the camelfrom him, while the other
three stepped up to me and my old pilot, seeing us,
as it were, unarmed, 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 ar-
rant cowards), but a second coming up on my left,
gave me a blow on my 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 (so Providence, unlooked for, directs deli-
verance from dangers, which to us are unforeseen),
had a pistol in his pocket, which I knew nothing of,
nor the Tartars neither, if they had, I suppose they
would not have attacked us. But cowards are al-
ways boldest when there is no danger.
416 Robinson CRUSOE,
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
on 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 scimitar,
which he always wore, but, missing the man, cut his
horse in the side of the head, cut one of his ears off
by the root, and a 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 upon his hind legs, threw down the
Tartar, and fell upon him.
In this interval the poor Chinese came in who had
lost the camel, but he had no weapon; however, see-
ing the Tartar down, and his horse fallen upon him,
he runs to him, and seizing upon an ugly weapon
he had by his side, something like a pole-axe, but
not a pole-axe neither, 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, and seeing he did not fly, as he expected,
nor come on to fight him, as he apprehended, but
stood still, the old man stood still too, and begun 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 knew not but away he scoured,
and left my pilot a complete victor.
By this time I was a little awake, and I wondered
where I was, how I came upon the ground, and
what was the matter; in a few moments after, as my
senses returned, I felt pain, though I did not know
where; I put my hand to my head, and took it
away all bloody, then I felt my head ache, and then,
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 417
in another moment, memory returned, and every-
thing was present to me again. I jumped upon my
feet instantly, and got hold of my sword, but saw no
enemies. I found a Tartar dead, and his horse'
standing very quietly by him; and looking further
saw my champion and 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
great joy, being afraid before that I had been killed,
and seeing me all bloody would see how I was hurt,
but it was not much, being only what we call a
broken head; neither did I afterwards find any
great inconvenience from the blow.
e made no great gain, however, by this victory,
for we lost a camel and gained a horse; but that
which was remarkable, when we came to the village,
the man demanded to be paid for the camel, for I
did not give him the money when I bought it. I dis-
puted it, and it was brought to a hearing before the
Chinese judge of the place, that is to say, in Eng-
lish, we went before a justice of the peace. He act-
ed with great prudence and impartiality, and, hav-
ing 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 ?” said
the justice. “At the stranger's request,” said he.
“Why then,” said the justice, “you were the stran-
ger’s servant for the time, and the camel being de-
livered to his servant, it was delivered to him, and
he must pay for it.” I confess the thing was so
clear that I had not a word to say, but paid willing-
ly for the camel.
The city of Naum is a frontier of the Chinese em-
pire. They call it fortified, and so it is, as fortifi-
cations go there; for this I will venture to affirm,
that all the Tartars in Karakathay, which, I believe
are some millions, could not batter down the walls
102 2 D
418 ROBINSON CBUSOE.
with their bows and arrows; but to call it strong, if
it were attacked with cannons, would be to make
those who understood it laugh at you.
We wanted, as I have said, above two day's jour-
ney 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 to 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 carefully done of the governor, and we were
very glad to hear we should have a guard. Accord-
ingly, two days after, we had two hundred soldiers
sent us from a garrison of the Chinese on our léft,
and three hundred more of the city of Naum, and
with these we advanced boldly. The three hundred
soldiers from Naum marched in our front, the two
hundred in our rear, and our men on each side of our
camels, with our baggage, and the whole caravan in
our centre. In this order, and well prepared for
battle, we thought ourselves a match for the whole
ten thousand Mogul Tartars, if they had appeared ;
but the next day, when they did appear, it was
quite another thing.
It was early one morning, when marching from a
little well situated town, called Changu, we had a
river to pass, where we were obliged to ferry, and
had the Tartars had any intelligence, then had been
the time to have attacked us, when the caravan be-
ing over, the rear guard was behind; but they did
not appear there.
About three hours after, when we were entered
upon a desert of about fifteen or sixteen miles over,
behold, by a cloud of dust they raised, we saw an
enemy was at hand; and they were at hand indeed,
for they came on upon the spur. The Chinese, our
guard in the front, who had talked so big the day
before, began to stagger, and the Soldiers frequently
&
\
!
§
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 419
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 “ Seignior Inglese,” said he, “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 mind,” said I, “what must be done P”
“Done!” 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 it they will every man turn his back.”
Immediately Irode up to our leader and told him,
who was exactly of our mind; and accordingly fifty
of us marched to the right wing, and fifty to the
left, and the rest made a line of reserve ; and so we
marched, leaving the last two hundred men to make
another body by themselves, and to guard the cam-
els, only that, if need were, they should send a hun-
dred men to assist the last fifty.
In a word, the Tartars came on, and an innumer-
able company they were ; how many we could not
tell, but ten thousand we thought was the least. A
party of them came on first, and viewed our posture,
traversing the ground in front of our line, and as
we found them within gun shot, our leader ordered
two wings to advance Swiftly, and give them a sal-
vo on each wing with their shot, which was done:
but they went off, and I suppose went back to give
an account of the reception they were likely to meet
with ; and indeed that salute clogged their stomachs,
for they immediately halted, stood awhile to con-
sider it, and wheeling off to the left, they gave over
the design, and said no more to us, which was very
agreeable to our circumstances, which was but very
indifferent for a battle with such a number. *.
Two days after this, we came to the city of Naum.
We thanked the governor for his care of us, and
collected to the value of one hundred crowns, which
we gave to the soldiers sent to guard us ; and here



420 RoBINSON GRUSOE.
we rested one day. This is a garrison indeed, and
there were nine hundred soldiers kept here ; but the
reason of it was, that formerly the Muscovite fron-
tiers lay nearer to them than they do now, the Mus-
covites having abandoned that part of the country
(which lies west from the city, for about two hun-
dred miles) as desolate, and unfit for any use, and
more especially, being so very remote, and so diffi-
cult to send troops thither for its defence, for we
had yet above two thousand miles to Muscovy, pro-
perly so called.
After this we passed several great rivers, and two
dreadful deserts, one of which we were sixteen days
passing over, and on the thirteenth of April we
came to the frontiers of the Muscovite dominions. I
think the first city, or town, or fortress, whatever
it might be called, that belonged to the czar of Mus-
covy, was called Argun, being on the west side of
the river Arguna. I could not but discover infinite
satisfaction that I was now arrived in, as I called it,
a Christian country, or, at least, in a country go-
verned by Christians; for though the Muscovites do,
in my opinion, but just deserve the name of Chris-
tians, yet such they pretend to be, and are very de-
vout in their way. It would occur to any man who
travels the world as I have done, and who had any
power of reflection, to reflect what a blessing it is to
be born in a part of the world where the name of
God is known and worshipped.
I saluted the brave Scotch merchant I mentioned
before with my first acknowledgement 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, “I)o 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
further of our journey.
“Well,” said I, “but still it is better than Pagan-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 421
ism, and worshipping of devils.” “Why, I'll tell
you,” said he, “except the Russian soldiers in gar-
risons, and a few of the inhabitants of the cities on
the road, all the rest of this country for above a
thousand miles further, is inhabited by the worst,
and most ignorant of Pagans;” and so we found it.
We were now launched into the greatest piece of
solid earth, if I understand anything of the globe,
that is to be found in any part of the world. We
had, at least, twelve hundred miles to the sea, east-
ward ; we had, at least, two thousand to the bottom
of the Baltic Sea, westward; and almost three thou-
sand miles, if we left that sea, and went on west to
the British and French channels; we had full five
thousand miles to the Indian or Persia sea, south;
and about eight hundred miles to the Frozen Sea,
north. -
We now advanced from the river Arguna by easy
and moderate journeys, and were very visibly ob-
liged to the care, the czar of Muscovy has taken, to
have cities and towns built in as many places as it
is possible to place them, where his soldiers keep
garrison, something like the stationary soldiers
placed by the Romans in the remotest countries of
their empire, some of which, I have read, were par-
ticularly placed in Britain, for the security of com-
merce, and for the lodging of travellers, and thus it
was here; wherever we came, though at these sta-
tions the garrisons and governors were Russians, and
professed Christians, yet the inhabitants were mere
pagans, sacrificing to idols, and worshipping the sun,
moon, and stars, or all the host of heaven.
Some instances of this wenet with in the country
'between Arguna, where we entered Muscovite do-
minions, and a city of Tartars and Russians together,
called Norzinskoy, in which the space is a continued
desert or forest, which cost us twenty days to travel
over it. In a village near the last of those places I
had the curiosity to go and see their way of living,
<
!
422 ROBINSON CRUSOE. }
which is most 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, fright-
ful as the devil, it had a head certainly not so much
as resembling any creature that the world eversaw,
ears as big as goat's 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 un-
der bill. It was dressed up in the filthiest manner
you can suppose; its upper garment was of sheep-
skins, with the 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 proportion of parts. This scarecrow was set
up at the outside of the village, and when I came to
it, there were about seventeen creatures, whether
men or women I could not tell, for they make no
distinction by their habits, either of body or head;
these lay flat on the ground, round this block of
shapeless wood. I saw no motion among them, any
more than if they had been logs of wood, like their
idol. At first I really thought they had been so; but
when I came a little nearer, they started up on 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 this monster, and at the door of a
tent, or hut, made all of sheep-skins, and cowskins,
dried, stood three butchers. I thought they were such;
when I came nearer to them, I found 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 those seventeen prostrated
wretches were the people who brought the offer-
ing, and they were making their prayers to that
idol of wood,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 423
I confess I was more moved at their stupidity, and
this brutish worship of a hobgobling, than ever I
was at anything in my life; to see God’s mostglori-
ous 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 cap-
abilities adapted both to honour his Maker, and be
honoured by him ; I say, to see it sunk and degen-
erated to a degree so stupid, so as to prostrate itself
|before a frightful nothing, and made terrible to
themselves by their contrivances, adorned with clouts
and rags, this should be the effect of mere ignorance,
wrought up into hellish devotion by the devil him-
self, who, envying to his Maker the homage and ado-
ration of his creatures, had deluded them into such
gross surfeiting, sordid, and brutish things, as one
would think should shock nature itself.
In my rage, I rode up to the monster, and with
my sword cut the bonnet that was on its headin 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 it,
when a most hideous cry and howling ran through
the village, and two or three hundred people came
about my ears, so that I was glad to scour for it, for
we saw some had bows and arrows; but I resolved
to visit them again. -
Our caravan rested three nights at the town,
which was about three miles off, in order to provide
some horses which they wanted, some of our horses
being lamed and jaded with the badness of the way,
and our long march over the last desert; so we had
some leisure here to put my plan in execution. I
communicated my design to the Scotch merchant of
Moscow, of whose courage I had had sufficient tes-
timony. Itold him what I had seen, and with what
indignation I had since thought that human nature
had been so degenerate. I told him I was resolved,
424 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
if I could but get four or five men, well armed, to
o with me, to destroy that vile abominable idol, to
et them see that it had no power to help itself, and
consequently could not be an object of worship, or
to be prayed to, much less help them that offered
sacrifices to it.
In a word, finding me resolute, he liked the design
and told me I should not go alone, but he would go
with me; but he would go first, and bring a stout
fellow, one of his countrymen, to go along with us.
So 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 also of what I in-
tended, and he told me really he would go with me,
if it cost him his life. So we three agreed to go,
with my man servant. ... I had indeed proposed it to
my partner but he declined it ; saying he was ready
to assist me to the utmost, and upon all occasions,
for my defence, but this was an adventure quiteout
of his way.
The Scotch merchant brought me a Tartar robe,
or gown of 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 we were. All
the night we spent in mixing up some combustible
matter with aqua vitae, gunpowder, and such other
materials as we could get ; having a good quantity
of tar in a little pot, the next 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
jealousy of danger attending their idol. The night
was cloudy, yet the moon gave us light enough to
see that the idol stood just in the same posture and
place it did before. The people seemed to be at rest,
only that in the great hut, or tent, as we called it,
where we saw the three priests, whom we mistook
for butchers, we saw a light; and going up close to
$.
IROBINSON CEUSOE, 425
the door, we heard people talking, as if there were
five or six of them. We concluded, therefore, that
if we set wild-fire to the idol, these men would come
out immediately, and run up to the place to rescue
it from the destruction 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 bul.
ky for our carriage, 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 pos-
sible to be avoided. “Well, then,” said the Scotch
merchant, “I’ll tell you what we will do; we will try
to take them prisoners, tie their hands, and make.
them stand still and see their idol destroyed.”
As it happened, we had twine or packthread with
us, which we 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, we knocked at the door; when one of the
priests coming to the door, we immediately seized
upon him, stopped his mouth and tied his hands be-
hind him, and led him to the idol, where we gagged
him, that he might not make a noise ; we tied his
feet also together and left him on the ground. -
Two of us then waited at the door, expecting that
another would come out to see what the matter was,
but we waited so long and nobody coming out, we
knocked again gently, and out came two more, and
we served them just in the same manner; 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,
the 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

426 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
among them. By that time the other Scotchman
and my man, taking charge of the two men already
bound, and tied together by the arm, led them to
the idol, and left them, making haste back to us.
When the furze we had thrown in filled the hut
with smoke that they were almost suffocated, we
threw in a small bag of another kind, which flamed
like a candle, and, following it in, we found there
were but four people left, who, it seems, were two
women and two men, and, as we supposed, they
had been about some of their diabolical offerings or
sacrifices.
We took them, bound them as we had the others,
all without any noise. When we had done this, we
carried them to the others. When we came there,
we fell to work with him ; and, first we daubed him
all over, and his robes also, with tar, and such other
stuff as we had, which was tallow mixed with brim-
stone; then we stopped his eyes, and ears, and
mouth, full of gunpowder; then we wrapped up a
piece of wildfire 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 re-
membered that by the tent or hut, where the men
were, there lay a heap of dry forage, whether straw
or rushes I do not know ; away he and one of the
Scotchmen ran, and fetched their arms full of that.
When we had done this, we took all our prisoners,
and brought them, having untied their feet and un-
gagged 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, as
we could perceive, had split and deformed the shape
of it; and, in a word, till we saw it burn into a
block or log of wood, and then setting the dry for-
age to it, we found it would soon be quite consum-


º
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 427
ed, so we began to think of going away; but the
Scotchman said, “No, we must not go; for these
poor deluded wretches will throw themselves into
the fire, and burn themselves with the idol.” So we
resolved to stay till all the forage was burned down
too, and then we came away, and left them.
In the morning we appeared among our fellow-
travellers, exceeding busy in getting ready for our
journey, nor could any man suggest that we had
een any where but in our beds, as travellers might
be supposed to be, to fit themselves for the fatigue
of that day’s journey.
But it did not end so ; for the next day came a
great multitude of the country people, not only of
this village, but of hundreds more, for aught I know,
to the town gates, and, in a most outraged manner,
demanded Satisfaction of the Russian governor, for
the insulting their priests, and burning their great
Cham-Chi-Thaungu, such a hard name they gave
the monstrous creature they worshipped. The peo-
ple of Nortzinskoy were at first in a great conster-
nation, for they said the Tartars were no less than
thirty thousand, and that, in a few days more, they
would be one hundred thousand strong.
The Russian governor sent out messengers to ap-
pease them, and gave them all the good words ima-
ginable. He assured them he knew nothing of it,
and that there had not a soul in 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 exemplarily 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 miscreants, so they called
them; and they therefore denounced war against
him and all the Russians, who, they said, were mis-
creants and Christians. The governor gave them
still all the good words he could; at last he told them
428 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
there was a caravan gone towards Russia that morn-
ing, and, perhaps, it was some of them who had
done them this injury, and if they would be satisfi-
ed with that, he would send after them to inquire
into it. This seemed to appease them a little, and
the governor sent after us, and gave us a particular
account how the thing was, intimating withal, that
if any of our caravan had done it, they should make
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 18iig as he could. -
This was very friendly in the governor. So the
captain of the caravan pushed us on for two days
and two nights, without any considerable stop, and
then we lay at a village called Plothus; nor did we
make any long stop here, but hastened on towards
Jarawena, another of the czar of Muscovy's colonies.
and where we expected we should be safe.
It was the second day’s march from Plothus, that
by the clouds of the dust behind us, at a great dis-
tance, some of our people began to be sensible that
we were pursued. We had entered another desert,
and had passed by a great lake, called Schaks Oser,
when we perceived a 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 still before them, pushed on
till they came to the river where it passes further
north ; but where we came to it, we found it narrow
and fordable.
The third day they either found their mistake, or
had intelligence of us, and came pouring in upon us
towards the dusk of 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
IROBINSON CFU; SOE, 429
were upon a desert, though but at the beginning of
it, that was about five hundred miles over, we had
no towns to lodge at, and indeed expected none but
the city of Jarawena, which we had yet two day's
march to. The desert, however, had some woods
in it on this side, and little rivers, which ran into
the great river Udda. It was in a narrow strait, be-
tween two small, but very thick woods, that we
pitched our camp for that night, expecting to be at-
tacked in the night. We took care to make our
front as strong as we could, by placing our packs,
and our camels and horses, all in a line on the in-
side of the river, and we felled trees in our rear.
The enemy was upon us before we had finished
our situation. They did not come on us 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 burned their god Cham-
Chi-Thaungu, that they might burn them with fire;
and upon this, they said, they would go away, and
do us no further harm, otherwise they would burn
us all with fire. No one knew any thing of what
they accused us, except me and my accomplices, we
kept our secret. 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 they
must look further for their enemies who had injured
them, for we were not the people ; so he desired
them not to disturb us, for if they did, we should
defend ourselves. They were far from being satis-
fied with this, and a great crowd of them came down
in the morning; and, after looking at us for a while,
they set up a great howl, and let fly a cloud of ar-
rows at us ; but we were too well fortified for them
to do any mischief; and I do not remember that one
man of us was hurt.
Some time after this, we saw them move a little

430 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
to our right, and expected them on the rear; when a
cunning fellow, a Cossack, of Jarawena, in the pay
of the Muscovites, calling to the leader of the cara-
van, said to him, “I’ll go send these people away to
Sibeilka.” This was a city four or five day's jour-
ney, at least, to the south, and rather behind us. So
he takes his bow and arrows, and getting on horse,
he rides away from our rear directly, as it were,
back to Nortzinskoy ; after this, he takes a 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 burned their Cham-Chi-
Thaungu were gone to Sibeilka, with a caravan of
miscreants, as he called them, that is to say, Chris-
tians ; and that they were resolved to burn the god
Schal-Izar, belonging to the Tongueses.
As this fellow was a mere Tartar, and spoke their
language, they believed all he said; they drove off
in a great hurry to Sibeilka ; and, in less than three
hours they were entirely out of sight. So we passed
safely on to the city of Jarawena, where there were
a garrison of Muscovites; and there we rested five
days, the caravan being exceedingly fatigued with
the last day’s march, and with want of rest in the
night.
From this city we had a frightful desert, which
was twenty-three day's march. We furnished our-
selves with some tents here, for the better accom-
modating us in the night; and the leader of the
caravan procured sixteen carriages, or waggons, of
the country, for carrying our water and provisions;
and these carriages were our defence at night round
our little camp ; so that had the Tartars appeared,
unless they had been very numerous indeed, they
would not have have been able to hurt us. In this
desert we saw neither house nor tree, nor scarce a
ush. We saw abundance of sable hunters; these
are all Tartars, of the Mogul Tartary, of which this
country is a part, they frequently attack small cara-
vans, but we saw no number of them together.
*
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 431
After we were out of this desert, and travelled
two days, we came to Janezay, a Muscovite city or
station, on the great river Janezay. This river, they
told us, parted Europe from Asia, though our map-
makers, as I am told, do not agree to it. However,
it is certainly the eastern boundary of the ancient
Siberia, which now makes a province only of the
Muscovite empire, but itself equal in bigness to the
whole empire of Germany. And yet here I observed
ignorance and paganism still prevailed, except in
the Muscovite garrisons. The whole country be-
tween the river Oby and the river Janezay is en-
tirely pagan, and the people as barbarous as the re-
motest of the Tartars; nay, as any nation, for ought
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 pagans are
not much wiser, or nearer Christianity, for being
under the Muscovite government; which they said
was true enough; but they said it 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
expected, and they found it was not so much the
concern of their monarch to make the people Chris-
tians, as it was to make them subjects.
From this river to the great river Oby we crossed
a wild, uncultivated country; I cannot say it is a
barren soil; it is only barren of people and good
management. What inhabitants we found in it
were pagans, except such as are sent among them
from Russia ; for this is the country on both sides
the river Oby, whither the Muscovite criminals that
are not put to death are banished, from whence it is
impossible they should ever come away.
We now came to Tobolski, the capital city of Si-
beria. Having been seven months on our journey,
and winter coming on apace, my partner and I call-
432 - ROBINSON CRUSUE.
ed a council about our particular affairs, in which
we found it proper, considering we were bound
for England, and not for Moscow, to consider how
to dispose of ourselves. They told us of sledges and
rein-deer to carry us over the snow in winter time,
by which means the Russians travel more in 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 nature, by which
the hills and vales, and rivers and lakes, are smooth
and hard as a stone; and they run upon the surface
without 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
the route lay two ways; either I must go on as the
caravan went, till I came to Jeroslow, and then go
either by land or sea to Dantzic, where I might pro-
bably sell my China goods to good advantage; or I
must leave the caravan at a town on the Dwina,
from whence I had but six days by water, to Ar-
changel, and from thence might be sure of shipping,
either to England, Holland, or Hamburgh.
... Now to go any of those journeys in the winter
would have been preposterous; for, as to Dantzic,
the Baltic would be frozen up, and I could not get
passage; to go up by land to those countries was
far less safe than among the Mogul Tartars; like-
wise to go to Archangel in October, all the ships
would be gone from thence, and even the merchants
who dwelt there in summer, 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 the better way to let
the caravan go, and to make provision to winter
where I was, viz. at Tolbolski, in Siberia, in the lati-
tude of sixty degrees, where I was sure of three
things to wear out a cold winter with, viz., plenty
*
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 433
of provision, such as the country afforded, a warm
house, with fuel enough, and excellent company.
was now in a quite different climate from my
beloved island, where I never felt cold except when
I had my ague; on the contrary, I had much to do
to bear my clothes on my back, and never made any
fire but out 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 lined
with furs to make them sufficiently warm.
s to a warm house, I must confess I 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 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 about six 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 warm, but no fire seen,
just as they heat the bagnios in England.
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 outside, it was always warm
within; and yet we saw no fire, nor were ever in-
commoded with 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, and
in short, all degrees of the nobility, gentry, soldiery
and courtiers of Muscovy. Here were the famous
prince Galilofken, or Galoffken, and his son; the
old general Robostisky, and several other persons of
uote, and some ladies.
. 2 E
434 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
By means of my Scotch merchant, whom, never-
theless, I parted with here, I made an acquaintance
with several of these gentlemen, and some of them
of the first rank, among whom was a certain prince,
one of the banished ministers of state belonging to
the czar of Muscovy. I have not room to give a full
account of the most agreeable conversation I had
with this great man; in all which he showed that
his mind was so inspired with a superior knowledge
of things, so supported by religion, as well as by a
vast share of wisdom, that his contempt of the world
was really as much as he could express, and he was
always the same to the last, as will appear in the
story I am going to tell.
. I had been here eight months, and a dark, dread-
ful winter I thought it to be; the cold was so in-
tense, that I could not so much as look abroad with-
out being wrapped in furs, and a mask offur before
my face, or rather a hood, with a hole for breath,
and two for sight. The little daylight we had was,
as we reckoned, for three months, not above five
hours a day, or six at most, only that the snow lying
on the ground continually, and the weather clear, it
was never quite dark. Our horses were kept
(or rather starved) under ground; and, as for our
servants (for we hired servants here to look after
our horses and ourselves), we had now and then
their fingers and toes to thaw and take care of, lest
they should mortify, and fall off.
t is true within doors we were warm, the houses
being close, the walls thick, the lights warm, 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 flesh, of several
sorts, and some flesh of mutton, and of the buffaloes,
which is pretty good beef. All the stores of pro-
vision for the winter are laid up in the summer, and
well cured. Our drink was water, mixed with aqua-
witãº, instead of brandy; and, for a treat, mead in-
RoRINSON CRUSOE. 435
stead of wine, which, however, they have excellent
good. The hunters, whoventure abroad all weathers,
frequently brought us in fresh venison, very fat and
good; and sometimes bear's flesh, but we did not
much care for the last. We had a good stock of tea,
with which we treated our friends; and we lived
cheerfully and well, all things considered.
It was now March, and the days grown consider-
ably longer, and the weather at least tolerable; so
the other travellers began to prepare sledges to car-
ry them over the snow, and to get things ready to
be going ; but measures being fixed, as I have said,
for Archangel, and not for Muscovy on the Baltic, I
made no motion, knowing 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 at the begin-
ning of August, it would be as soon as my ships
would be ready to go away; and, I say, I made no
haste to be gone, as others did; in a word, I saw a
great many people, nay, all the travellers, go away
before me. It seems every year they go from thence
to Moscow for trade, viz., to carry furs, and buy
necessaries with them, which, they bring back to
furnish their ships; also othèrs went on the same
errand to Archangel, but then they also, being to
come back again about eight hundred miles, went
all out before me.
In short, about the latter end of May I began to
make ready to pack up ; and as I was doing this, it
occurred to me, that seeing all those people were
banished by the czar of Muscovy to Siberia, and yet
when they came there, were left at liberty to go
whither they would, why did they not go away to
any part of the world wherever they thought fit;
and I began to examine what should hinder them
from making such an attempt.
But my wonder was over when I entered on that
subject with the person I have mentioned, who an-
swered me thus:–" Consider first, sir,” said he


436 ROBINSON CEUSOE.
“the place where we are; and, secondly, the condi-
tion we are in, especially,” said he, “the generality
of the people, who are banished here. We are sur-
rounded,” said he, “with stronger things than bars
and bolts ; on the north is an unnavigable oceau,
where ship never sailed, and boat never swam ; if
we had both, could we know whither to go with
them. Every other way,” said he, “we have above
a thousand miles to pass through the czar's own do-
minions, and by ways utterly impassable, except
by the roads made by the government, and through
the towns garrisoned by its troops; so that we could
neither pass undiscovered by the road, nor subsist
any other way, so that it is in vain to attempt it.
I was silenced indeed at once, and found that they
were in prison, every jot as secure as if they had
been locked up in the castle of 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 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 nature of
a caravan, by which I was not obliged to lie in the
stationary towns in the desert, but could encamp
every night where I would, he might easily pass un-
interupted to Archangel, where I would immedi-
ately secure him on board an English or Dutch ship,
and carry him off along with me; and, as to his sub-
sistence, and other particulars, that should be my
care, till he could better supply himself.
He heard me very attentively, looked earnestly
on me all the while I spoke; I could see in his face
that what I said put his spirits into an exceeding
ferment; his colour frequently changed, his eyes
looked red, and his heart fluttered, that it might be
even perceived in his countenance; nor could he
immediately answer me, when I had done, and, as
it were, expected what he would say to it, and after
ROBINSON GRUSOE. 437
he had paused a little he embraced me, and said,
“How unhappy are we, unguided creatures as we
are, that even our greatest acts of friendship are
made snares to us, and we are made the tempters
of one another My friend,” said he, “your offer
is so sincere, has such kindness in it, so disinterest-
ed 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 on me to you for it. But did you
believe what I have so often said to you of my con-
tempt of the world P Did you believe I spoke my
soul to you, and that I had really attained that de-
gree of felicity here that had placed me above all
that the world could give me, or do for me? Did
you believe I was sincere, when I told you I would
not go back, if I was recalled, to be all that once I
was in the court, and with that favour of the czar
my master P Did you believe me, my friend, to be
an honest man, or did you think me to be a boasting
hypocrite?” Here he stopped, as if he would hear
what I would say ; but indeed I soon after perceiv-
ed that he stopped because his spirits werein motion,
his heart was full of struggles, and he could not go
on. I was, I confess, astonished at the thing, and
at the man, and I used some arguments with 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 good
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, “but that, instead
of a summons from Heaven, it may be a feint of
another instrument, representing in all the alluring
colours to me, the show of felicity as a deliverance,
which may itself be my snare, and tend directly to
my ruin P. Here I am free from the temptation of
returning to my former miserable greatness; there
438 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
I am not sure but that all the seeds of pride, ambi-
tion, avarice, and luxury, which I know remain in
nature, may revive and take root, and, in a word,
again overwhelm 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, enjoying
all personal liberty. Dear sir, let me remain in this
blessed confinement, banished from the crimes of
this life, rather than purchase a show of freedom
at the expense of the liberty of my reason, and at
the expense of the future happiness which I now
have in view, but shall then, I fear, quickly lose sight
of ; for I am but flesh, a mere man; have passions
and affections as likely to possess and overthrow me
as any man. O be not my friend, and my tempter
both together l’”
If I was surprised before, I was quite dumb now,
and stood silent looking at him, and indeed admired
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, I found he wanted
to give vent to his mind; so I said a word or two,
that I would leave him to consider it, and wait on
him again, and then I withdrew to my apartment.
About two hours after, I heard somebody at the
door of my room, and I was going to open the door,
but he had opened it and came in. “I)ear friend,”
said he, “you had almost overset me, but I am re-
covered. 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,
and 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 me to accept it; but I
hope, and am fully satisfied, that it is from Heaven
that I decline it; and I have an infinite satisfaction
ROBINSON GRUSOE, 439
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 passionately, and assured me
he was sensible of that, and should always acknow-
ledge it; and with that he offered me a fine present
of sables, too much indeed 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 lord-
ship, with a small present of tea, two pieces of Chi-
na damask, and four little wedges of Japan gold,
which did not weigh above six ounces; but were
far short the value of his sables, which indeed, when
I came to England, I found worth two hundred
pounds. He accepted the tea, one piece of damask,
and one piece of gold, which had a fine stamp upon
it, of the Japan coinage, 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 that I knew
what had passed between us, and hoped I would not
move him any more in that affair; but since I had
such a generous offer to him, he asked me if I had
kindness 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-
clined 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 deliv-
erance. However if he would name the person to
me, I would give him my answer, and hoped that he
would not be displeased with me, if he was with my
answer. He told me it was his only son, though I
had not seen him, 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,
440 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
he would send for him. I made no hesitation, but
told him I would do it. So he sent away the next
day for his son, and in about twenty days he came
back with the messenger, bringing six or seven horses
loaded with very rich furs, and which in the whole
amounted to a very great value. , s:
His servants brought the horses into the town, but
left the young lord at a distance till night, when he
came incognito into our apartment, and his father
presented him to me; and, in short, we concerted
here the manner of our travelling, and every thing
proper for our journey. I had bought a consider-
able quantity of sables, black fox-skins, fine ermines,
and other furs that are rich, in exchange for some
of the goods I had brought from China ; in parti-
cular for the cloves and nutmegs, of which I sold
the greatest part here, and the rest afterwards at
Archangel, for a much better price than I could get
in London.
It was in the beginning of June when I left this
remote place; a city, I believe, little heard of in the
world, and it is so far out of the road of commerce,
that I know not how it should be much talked of.
We were now a small caravan, being only thirty
horses and camels in all; and all of them passed for
mine, though my 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 here the worst and
largest desert to pass over that we had met with in
all the journey, indeed I call it the worst, because
the way was 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 of the
river Oby, or, at least, but very seldom; we found
it otherwise.
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 441
My young lord had with him a faithful Muscovite
servant, or rather a Siberian servant, who was per-
fectly acquainted with the country, and who led us
by private roads, so that we avoided coming into
the principal towns and cities, upon the great road,
such as Tumen, Soloy-Kamaskoy, and others, be-
cause the Muscovite garrisons which are kept there
are very curious and strict in their observation upon
travellers, and searching lest any of the banished
persons of note should make their escape that way
into Muscovy; but 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 lay
abroad himself with his servants in the woods, and
met us always at the appointed places.
We were just entering Europe, having passed the
river Kama, which, in these parts, is the boundary
between Europe and Asia; and the first city, on the
European side, was Soloy-Kamaskoy, which is as
much as to say, the great city on the river Kama;
and here we thought to have seen some evident al-
teration in the people, their manners, their habits,
religion, and their business; but we were mistaken,
for as we had a vast desert to pass, which, by report,
is near seven hundred miles over where we passed
it ; so, till we came to that horrible place, we found
very little difference between that country and the
Moul Tartary, and the people mostly pagans, and
little better than the Savages of America ; their
houses and towns full of idols, and their way of liv-
ing wholly barbarous, except in the cities, as above,
and the villages near them, where they are Chris-
tians, as they call themselves, of the Greek Church;
but even these have their religion mingled with so
many relics of superstition, that it is scarce known,
in some places, from sorcery and witchcraft.
442 Robinson causoe,
In passing this forest, I thought we should have
been robbed, and perhaps murdered, by a troop of
thieves; of what country they were, whether the
roving bands of the Ostiachy, a kind of Tartars, or
wild people on the bank of the Oby, and ranged thus
far, or whether they were the sable-hunters of Sibe-
ria, I am yet at a loss to know; but they were all
on horseback, carried bows and arrows, and were at
first about forty-five in number; they came so near
to us as within about two musket-shots, and, asking
no questions, they surrounded us with their horses,
and looked very earnestly upon us twice. At length
they placed themselves in our way, when we drew
up a little line before our camels, being not above
sixteen men in all; and sent the Siberian servant,
who attended his lord, to see who they were. His
master was the more willing to let him, because he
was not a little apprehensive that they were a Sibe-
rian troop sent after him. The man came up near
them with a flag of truce, and called to them, but
though he spoke several of their languages, or dia-
lects of languages rather, he could not understand a
word they said. However, after some signs to him
not to come nearer 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 Cir-
cassian hordes, and that there must be more of them
on the great desert, though he never heard that ever
any of them 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 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; first, I considered that the trees would,
in a great measure, cover us from their arrows, and,
FOBINSON CRUSOE. 443
in the next place, they could not come to charge us
in a body. It was indeed my old Portuguese pilot
who proposed it, and who had this excellency 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 wood, the Tar-
tars or thieves, for we knew not what to call them,
keeping their stand, and not attempting to hinder
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 further 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, we cut down, with
much labour, great arms of the trees, and laid them
hanging, not quite cut off, from one tree to another;
so that we made a continued fence almost round us.
We staid here, waiting the motion of the enemy,
some hours, without perceiving they made any offer
to stir, when, about two hours before night, they
came directly upon us; and, though we had not per-
ceived it, we found they had been joined by some
more of the same, so that they were near fourscore
horse, whereof we fancied some were women. The
came on till they were within half a shot of our lit-
tle wood when we fired one musket, without ball,
and called to them in the Russian tongue to know
what they wanted, and bade them keep off; but, as
if they knew nothing of what we said, they cameon
with double fury, up to the wood side, not imagin-
ing we were so barricaded that they could not break


-444 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
in. Our old pilot was our captain, as well as he had
been our engineer, and desired us not to fire upon
them till they came within pistol shot, that we might
be sure to kill; 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
they were, some of them, within two pikes' length
of us when we fired.
We aimed so true (or Providence directed our shot
so true,) that we killed fourteen of them at the first
volley, and wounded several others, as also several
of their horses; for we had all of us loaded our guns
with two or three bullets each, at least.
They were terribly surprised with our fire, and
retreated immediately about one hundred rods from
us, in which time we loaded our guns again, and
seeing them keep at a distance, we sallied out and
caught four or five of their horses, whose riders, we
supposed were killed; and coming up to the dead,
we could perceive they were Tartars, but knew not
from what country, or how they came to make an
excursion of such an unusual length.
About an hour after, they made a motion to at-
tack us again, and rode round our little wood, to see
where else they might break in, but finding us al-
ways ready to face them, they went off again, and
we resolved not to stir from the place that night.
We slept little, but spent the most part of the night
in strengthening our situation, and barricading the
entrance in the wood, and keeping a strict watch,
we waited for daylight; and when it came, it gave
us a very unwelcome discovery indeed ; for the ene-
my, who we thought were discouraged with the re-
ception they had met with, were now increased to
no less than three hundred, and had set up eleven
or twelve huts, as if they were resolved to besiege
us; and this little camp they had pitched was upon
the open plain, at about three quarters of a mile
from us. We were, indeed, surprised at this dis-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 445
covery, and now, I confess, I gave myself over for
lost, and all that I had. The loss of my effects did
not lie so near me (though they were very consider-
able), as the thoughts of my falling into the hands
of such barbarians, at the latter end of my journey,
after so many difficulties 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,
and said he would rather die than be starved; and
he was for fighting to the last drop.
The young lord was for fighting to the last also ;
my old pilot was of an opinion that we were able to
resist them all, in the situation we were then in ;
and thus 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 booty, and we did not know
but by the morning they might still be a greater
number; so I began to inquire of those people we
brought from Tobolski if there was no other private
way, which we might avoid them in the night, and
either retreat to some towns, 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 engage to carry us off in the night by a
way that went north, towards the river Petraz, by
which he made no question but we might get away,
and the Tartars never be 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 lord was brave
enough, by what he had shown already; but his lord
knew better than to desire to have seventeen or
eighteen men fight five hundred, unless an unavoid-
able necessity forced them to it; and if he thought
446 ROBINSON GRUSOE.
it possible for us to escape in the night, we had no-
thing else to do but to attempt it. He answered, if
his lord gave him such an order, he would lose his
life, if he did not perform it. We soon brought his
lord to give that order, though privately, and we
prepared for putting it in practice.
nd, first, as soon as it began to be dark, we made
a fire in our little camp, which we kept burning, and
prepared it so as to make it burn all night, that the
Tartars would conclude we were still there ; but as
soon as it was dark, that is to say, so as we could
see the stars (for our guide 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 pole, or north star, the country being
level for a long way.
After we had travelled two hours very hard, it
began to be lighter, not that it was quite dark all
night, but the moon began to rise, so that, in short,
it was rather lighter than we wished it to be ; but
by six o'clock next morning we were gotten near
forty miles, though the truth is, we almost spoiled
our horses. Here we found a Russian village, nam- .
ed Eirmezinskoy, where we rested, and heard no-
thing of the Kalmuck Tartars that day. About two
hours before night we set out again, and travelled
till eight the next morning, though not so hastily 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
Ozomoys. There we heard, that several troops or
hordes of Kalmucks had been abroad on the desert,
but that we were now completely out of danger of
them, which was to our great satisfaction, you may
be sure. Here we were obliged to get some fresh
horses, and having need of rest, we stayed five days,
and my partner and I had agreed to give the honest
Siberian, who had brought us thither, the value of
ten pistoles, for his conducting us.


f
}
Robinson CRUSOE 447
In five days more we came to Weussima, upon the
river Witzogda, which running into the river 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, where the river joins, the third of
July, and provided ourself with two luggage boats
and a barge for our convenience. We embarked the
seventh, and arrived all safe at Archangel on the
eighteenth, having been a year, 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 arrival
of the ships, and must have tarried longer, had not
a Hamburgher come in above a month sooner than
any English ships; after some consideration that
the city of Hamburgh might be as good a market
for our goods as London, we all took freight with
him; and having put our goods on board, it was
natural for me to put my steward on board, to take
care of them, by which means my young lord had a
sufficient opportunity to conceal himself, never com-
ing on shore again all the time we stayed there, and
this he did, that he might not be seen in the city,
where some of the Moscow merchants would have
seen and discovered him.
We sailed from Archangel the twentieth of Au-
gust in the same year; and, after no extraordinary
bad voyage, arrived in the Elbe, the thirteenth of
September. Here my partner and I found a good
sale for our goods ; as well as those of China, as the
sables, &c. of Siberia; and dividing the produce of
our effects, my share amounted to three thousand
four hundred and seventy-five pounds, seventeen
shillings and threepence, notwithstanding so many
losses we had sustained and charges we had been
at, only remembering that I had included in this
about six hundred pounds' worth of diamonds, which
I had purchased at Bengal.

448 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Here the young lord took leave of us, and went
up the Elbe, in order to go to the court of Vienna,
where he resolved to seek protection, and where he
could correspond with those of his father's friends
who were left alive. He did not part without 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 ar-
rived in London the tenth of January, 1705, having
been gone from England ten years and nine months.
nd here, resolving to harass no more, I am pre-
paring myself for a longer journey than all those,
having lived seventy-two years, a life of infinite va-
riety, and learned to know the value of retirement,
and the blessing of ending my days in peace.
ºf IE END,
MILNER & COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, HALIFAx.

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