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1
THE
LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE,
WITH A
BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT OF DEFOE,
ILLUSTRATED WITH
SIXTEEN CHARACTERISTIC ENGRAVINGS
NEW EDITION, COMPLETE.
LEE AND
BOSTON:
SHEPARD,
(SUCCESSORS TO PHILLIPS, SAMPSON & Co.)
CONCORD, N. H.: E. C. EASTMAN.
1864.
CONTENTS
BUGRAT KIUAZ SKETCH OF Daniel DEFOR
SECTION I.
BOBINSON'S FAMILY, ETC. HIS ELOPEMENT FROM HIS PARENTS
SECTION II.
FIRST ADVENTURES AT SEA, AND EXPERIENCE OF A MARITIME
LIFE-VOYAGE TO GUINEA
SECTION III.
ROBINSON'S CAPTIVITY AT SALLEE ESCAPE WITH XURY - ARRIVAL
AT THE BRAZILS.
Gra
SECTION IV.
HE SETTLES IN THE BRAZILS AS A PLANTER-MAKES ANOTHER
VOYAGE, AND IS SHIPWRECKED
SECTION V.
W
ROBINSON FINDS HIMSELF IN A DESOLATE ISLAND — PROCURES A
STOCK OF ARTICLES FROM THE WRECK · · CONSTRUCTS HIS HAB-
ITATION
SECTION Vil
ROBINSON'S MODE OF RECKONING TIME - DIFFICULTIES ARISING
FROM WANT OF TOOLS HE ARRANGES HIS HABITATION
C
SECTION VIII.
19
24
35
52
SECTION VI.
CARRIES ALL HIS RICHES, PROVISIONS, ETC. INTO HIS HARITA-
TION-DREARINESS OF SOLITUDE-CONSOLATORY REFLECTIONS . 80
67
85
ROBINSON'S 、OURNAL DETAILS OF HIS DOMESTIC ECONOMY AND
CONTRIV. ICES - SHOCK OF AN EARTHQUAKE
. 91
CONTENTS.
SECTION IX.
ROBINSON OBTAINS MORE ARTICLES FROM THE WRECK
NESS AND AFFLICTION
HE
SECTION X.
HIS RECOVERY HIS COMFORT IN READING THE SCRIPTURES
MAKES AN EXCURSION INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE ISLAND
FORMS HIS BOWER
(6
SUCCESS
M
BREAD.
>>
RETURNS TO HIS CAVE
•
SECTION XI.
ROBINSON MAKES A TOUR TO EXPLORE HIS ISLAND EMPLOYEK
IN BASKET-MAKING
SECTION XII.
SECTION XIII.
S
SECTION XIV.
HIS MANUFACTURE OF POTTERY, AND CONTRIVANCE FOR BAKING
P
MEDITATES HIS ESCAPE FROM THE ISLAND BUILDS A CANOE
FAILURE OF HIS SCHEME RESIGNATION TO HIS CONDITION
MAKES HIMSELF A NEW DRESS
HIS AGRICULTURAL LABORS AND
M
SECTION XVI.
#
Categ
HIS ILL-
SECTION XV.
HE MAKES A SMALLER CANOE, IN WHICH HE ATTEMPTS TO CRUISE
ROUND THE ISLAND HIS PERILOUS SITUATION AT SEA HE
RETURNS HOME
SECTION
• B
G
•
•
XVIII.
M
HE REARS A FLOCK OF GOATS HIS DAIRY HIS DOMESTIC HABITS
AND STYLE OF LIVING INCREASING PROSPERITY
www.
•
•
•
•
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST SURPRISE-ROBINSON DISCOVERS THAT HIS
ISLAND HAS BEEN VISITED BY CANNIBALS.
•
PAR
SECTION XIX.
ROBINSON DISCOVERS A CAVE, WHICH SERVES HIM AS A RETREAT
AGAINST THE SAVAGES
106
SECTION XVII.
UNEXPECTED ALARM AND CAUSE FOR APPREHENSION HE FORTI-
FIES HIS ABODE.
. 182
110
130
136
141
150
162
172
192
203
CONTENTS.
5
SECTION XX.
ANOTHER VISIT OF THE SAVAGES-ROBINSON SEES THEM DANCING -
PERCEIVES THE WRECK OF A VESSEL
SECTION
XXI.
HE VISITS THE WRECK AND OBTAINS MANY STORES FROM IT
AGAIN THINKS OF QUITTING THE ISLAND - HAS A REMARKABLE
DREAM.
SECTION XXII.
ROBINSON RESCUES ONE OF THEIR CAPTIVES FROM THE SAVAGES,
WHOM HE NAMES FRIDAY, AND MAKES HIS SERVANT .
SECTION XXIII.
ROBINSON INSTRUCTS AND CIVILIZES HIS MAN FRIDAY - ENDEAV-
ORS TO GIVE HIM AN IDEA OF CHRISTIANITY
▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
SECTION XXIV.
ROBINSON AND FRIDAY BUILD A CANOE TO CARRY THEM TO FRI-
DAY'S COUNTRY-THEIR SCHEME PREVENTED BY THE ARRIVAL
OF A PARTY OF SAVAGES
·
SECTION XXV.
C
ROBINSON RELEASES A SPANIARD FRIDAY DISCOVERS HIS FA-
THER ACCOMMODATION PROVIDED FOR THESE NEW GUESTS ·
WHO ARE AFTERWARDS SENT TO LIBERATE THE OTHER SPAN-
IARDS ARRIVAL OF AN ENGLISH VESSEL
Greg
•
M
•
SECTION XXIX.
FRIDAY'S ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR-ROBINSON AND HIS
LOW TRAVELLERS ATTACKED BY A FLOCK OF WOLVES
ARRANGEMENT OF HIS AFFAIRS, AND MARRIAGE AFTER
RETURN TO ENGLAND
•
SECTION XXVII.
ATKINS ENTREATS THE CAPTAIN TO SPARE HIS. LIFE THE LAT-
TER RECOVERS HIS VESSEL FROM THE MUTINEERS AND ROBIN-
SON LEAVES THE ISLAND.
G. DE
•
FEL-
HIS
HIS
Page
211
SECTION XXVI.
ROBINSON DISCOVERS HIMSELF TO THE ENGLISH CAPTAIN-ASSISTS
HIM IN REDUCING HIS MUTINOUS CREW, WHO SUBMIT TO HIM. 281
218
232
242
248
261
SECTION XXVIII.
ROBINSON GOES TO LISBON, WHERE HE FINDS THE PORTUGUESE
CAPTAIN, WHO RENDERS HIM AN ACCOUNT OF HIS PROPERTY IN
THE BRAZILS-SETS OUT ON HIS RETURN TO ENGLAND BY LAND 308
297
327
CONTENTS.
SECTION XXX.
LOJES
HE IS SEIZED WITH A DESIRE TO REVISIT HIS ISLAND
HIS WIFE IS TEMPTED TO GO TO SEA AGAIN TAKES OUT
CARGO FOR HIS COLONY
. 337
Ma
ROBINSON'S SHIP RELIEVES
THAT HAD CAUGHT FIRE
M
-
S
SECTION XXXI.
Magda
•
SECTION XXXII.
RELIEVES THE CREW OF A BRISTOL SHIP, WHO ARE STARVING —
ARRIVES AT HIS ISLAND
357
THE CREW OF A FRENCH VESSEL
SECTION XXXIII.
ROBINSON AND FRIDAY GO ASHORE — THE
THE LATTER MEETS WITH
HIS FATHER ACCOUNT OF WHAT passed on thE ISLAND AFTER
ROBINSON'S QUITTING IT.
SECTION XXXIV.
THE ACCOUNT CONTINUED - QUARRELS BETWEEN THE ENGLISH-
MEN- A BATTLE BETWEEN TWO PARTIES OF SAVAGES WHO
VISIT THE ISLAND FRESH MUTINY AMONG THE SETTLERS . . 377
M
A
SECTION XXXV.
THE MUTINOUS ENGLISHMEN ARE DISMISSED FROM THE ISLAND
RETURN WITH SEVERAL CAPTIVE SAVAGES TAKE THE FEMALES
AS WIVES ARRIVAL OF SAVAGES
J
W
SECTION XXXVII.
ROBINSON LEARNS FROM THE SPANIARDS THE DIFFICULTIES THEY
HAD TO ENCOUNTER HE FURNISHES THE PEOPLE WITH TOOLS,
ETC. THE FRENCH ECCLESIASTIC
ENCOUNTER
SECTION XXXVIII.
•
12
ROBINSON'S DISCOURSE WITH THE
DUCING MARRIAGES AMONG THE PEOPLE
FORMED--ATKINS CONVERTS HIS WIFE
•
SECTION XXXVI.
SEVERAL SAVAGES KILLED; THE REMAINDER LEAVE THE ISLAND
---- AFLEET OF THEM AFTERWARDS ARRIVE- A GENERAL BATTLE
-THE SAVAGES ARE OVERCOME, AND TRANQUILLITY RESTORED. 416
•
Sat
Page
•
$48
SECTION XXXIX.
ATKINS RELATES HIS CONVERSATION WITH HIS WIFE-THE LAT-
TER BAPTIZED BY THE PRIEST-ACCOUNT OF THE STARVING
STATE OF THOSE ON BOARD THE RESCUED VESSEL- ROBINSON'S
DEPARTURE FROM THF ISLAND.
ECCLESIASTIC AS TO INTRO-
MARRIAGES PER-
. 451
•
367
401
437
47
CONTENTS.
1
SECTION XL.
ENCOUNTER WITH SAVAGES AT SEA
SON FINDS HIS FORMER PARTNER IN THE BRAZILS
THE EAST INDIES
<
K
SECTION XLI.
THE VESSEL TOUCHES AT MADAGASCAR AFFRAY WITH THE NA-
TIVES, WHO ARE MASSACRED BY THE CREW THE SAILORS
AFTERWARD, REFUSE TO SAIL WITH ROBINSON, WHO IS LEFT
BY HIS NEPHEW THE CAPTAIN, IN BENGAL
S
FRIDAY'S DEATH- ROBIN-
SAILS FOR
APPREHENSIONS
-
P
Hom
•
SECTION XLII.
MEETS WITH AN ENGLISH MERCHANT WITH WHOM HE MAKES
SOME TRADING VOYAGES — THEY ARE MISTAKEN FOR PIRATES —
VANQUISH THEIR PURSUERS VOYAGE TO CHINA-RENCONTRE
WITH THE COCHIN CHINESE ISLAND OF FORMOSA · GULF OF
NANQUIN
OF FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF
THE DUTCH .
532
SECTION XLIII.
¿OURNEY TO PEKING ROBINSON JOINS AARAVAN PROCEEDING
TO MOSCOW-RENCONTRES WITH THE TAR ARS
A
SECTION XLIV.
ROUTE THROUGH MUSCOVY — ROBINSON AND A SCOTS MERCHANT
DESTROY AN IDOL — THE WHOLE CARAVAN IN GREAT PEKIL
FROM THE PURSUIT OF THE PAGANS TOBOLSKI MUSCOVITE
EXILES DEPARTURE FROM TOBOLSKI ENCOUNTER WITH A
TROOP OF ROBBERS IN THE DESERT ROBINSON REACHES
ARCHANGEL, and fiNALLY ARRIVES IN ENGLAND.
•
Wala
Page
508
511
574
594
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH
OF
DANIEL DEFOE.
THE author of Robinson Crusoe would be entitled to a prominent place in
the history of our literature, even had he never given to the world that
truly admirable production; and yet we may reasonably question whether
the name of Defoe would not long ago have sunk into oblivion, or at least
have been known, like those of most of his contemporaries, only to the
curious student, were it not attached to a work whose popularity has been
rarely equalled-never, perhaps, excelled. Even as it is, the reputation
due to the writer has been nearly altogether absorbed in that of his hero.
and in the all-engrossing interest of his adventures: thousands who have
read Robinson Crusoe with delight, and derived from it a satisfaction in
no wise diminished by repeated perusal, have never bestowed a thought on
its author, or, indeed, regarded it in the light of a literary performance.
While its fascination has been universally felt, the genius that conceived
it, the talent that perfected it, have been generally overlooked, merely
because it is so full of nature and reality as to exhibit no invention or
exertion on the part of the author, inasmuch as he appears simply to have
recorded what actually happened, and consequently only to have commit-
ted to paper plain matter of fact, without study or embellishment.
We
wonder at and are struck with admiration by the powers of Shakspeare or
Cervantes; with regard to Defoe we experience no similar feelings; it is
not the skill of the artist that enchants us, but the perfect naturalness
of the picture, which is such that we mistake it for a mirror; so that every
reader persuades himself that he could write as well, perhaps better, were
he but furnished with the materials for an equally interesting narrative.
There are many circumstances in Defoe's own history that would recom-
mend it to the notice of the biographer, independently of his claims as
the author of Robinson: among which are the variety and extraordinary
number of his literary performances, amounting to no fewer than two
hundred and nine different publications; and the no less singular fact
that the masterpiece of his genius was not only his first essay in that
species of composition, but was not produced till he was far advanced in
years, he having then arrived at a period of life when the generality of
authors close their literary career, and when the powers of imagination
either lose much of their vigor, or become altogether torpid. Nor will
our surprise at Defoe's industry, and the almost unprecedented fertility of
his pen, be at all diminished by considering that he was not a recluse
student or professed scholar, but was engaged in trade and various other
speculations. In one respect, however, his mercantile occupations con-
tributed to lay the foundation of his excellence as a novel-writer, since
12
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
as may well be imagined, was he afterwards an unconcerned spectator o
the Revolution, whose progress he had minutely watched, and whose
anniversary he continued yearly to celebrate as a day marked by the
deliverance of His country from political and religious tyranny. His
attachment to the new sovereign was confirmed by the personal notice
shown him both by that prince and his consort; for the "butcher's son
had the honor of an early introduction to the royal presence.
"
At this period Defoe resided at Tooting in Surrey, and he had now
launched out into more extensive commercial speculations, having embarked
in the Spanish and Portuguese trade, so that he might fairly claim the
title of merchant. The precise time of his going to Spain, whether before
or after the Revolution, cannot be ascertained; but he not only made a
voyage thither, but stayed some time in the country, and acquired a
knowledge of the language. Sincere as was his attachment to the purer
tenets of Protestantism, it did not degenerate into blind prejudice, nor
prevent him from doing justice to Catholics: he has accordingly, in
his Robinson Crusoe, represented the Spanish character under its most
amiable traits, and in a tone that may almost pass for panegyric. This
voyage, as we have already remarked, doubtlessly contributed to store his
observant mind with many materials for those descriptions of the perils
and adventures common to a seafaring life, that so strongly excite the
sympathy of those who follow his hero across the trackless deep. Nor
was he without some experience of shipwreck, if not actually in his own
person, by the loss of a vessel in which he was a shareholder, and which
was wrecked in a violent storm off the coast of Biscay. It was about this
period also that he traded with Holland; probably for civet, as one of his
enemies has sneeringly styled him a "civet-cat merchant. "Besides this
he visited some other parts of the continent, particularly Germany: he
did not, however, relinquish his hose-agency business in consequence of
his other engagements. But commercial enterprise did not prove for him
the road to wealth: on the contrary, his speculations involved him in such
embarrassments, that, in 1692, he was obliged to abscond from his creditors.
A commission of bankruptcy was taken out against him, yet it was after-
wards superseded, those to whom he was most in debt agreeing to accept
a composition on his own bond; and he not only punctually discharged
these claims, but, after he had somewhat retrieved his circumstances,
voluntarily repaid the remainder. This is so much the more to his honor,
since so far from having met with many precedents of similar probity in
others, his misfortunes had been in some degree occasioned by the knavery
of unprincipled men, who, availing themselves of the impunity held out
to them by the supineness or the impotency of the law, were then accus-
tomed to set their creditors at defiance in the most barefaced manner.
It was Defoe himself who first called the attention of the legislature to
the intolerable abuses which arose from those sanctuaries, as they were
termed, for criminals and debtors, which then existed in the metropolis;
and to him, consequently, may we be said to be indebted for the abatement
of a nuisance as disgraceful to the national character, as it was injurious
o the industrious and honest portion of the community.
With a view of assisting him in his distress, some of his friends now
came forward and offered to settle him as a factor at Cadiz: yet, advanta-
geous as the proposal was, he declined it, preferring to endeavor to retrieve
his finances by his pen. The country being then engaged in an expensive
war with France, Defoe proposed a scheme to assist the government in
raising "the ways and means; and some time afterwards he received
the appointment of accountant to the commissioners of the glass duty;
out it proved only a temporary one, as the duty was repealed in August,
1699. Probably it was also about the same period that he became secretary
to the tile-works at Tilbury, in which concern he embarked some money,
and was again a sufferer. His "" Essay on Projects," published in Jan
>>
DANIEL DEFOE.
13
}
P
cary, 1696-7, shows him to have been, if not a very successful speculator
himself, at least a very ingenious and fertile deviser of theoretical plans,
most of which must be allowed to have the welfare of society in view; nor.
have they been without influence in leading to many improvements of
later times: among those which have been practically adopted, we may
mention his scheme for Friendly Societies and Savings Banks. Were
any testimony required in favor of this work, it would be sufficent to
quote that of the celebrated Franklin, who confesses that the impressions
he received from it gave a strong bias to his own pursuits.
If not invariably employed in the active defence of public morals,
Defoe's pen was too honest to betray their interests on any occasion: it
was not always that his topics called for. or even admitted, any direct
inculcations of virtue, but whenever they did, he displayed his earnestness
in its behalf. His publication entitled "The Poor Man's Plea" is a very
keen piece of satire, with a considerable touch of humor, levelled against
the vices of the upper classes of society, in which he urges them to dis-
countenance by their own conduct the immorality they deem so reprehen-
sible in the vulgar. The stage too did not escape his castigation; and
really its transgressions were at that period so barefaced and audacious, so
offensive even to common decency, that, whatever infamy there may have
been in either tolerating or in attempting to defend such a system of
.lewdness, there could be no great triumph in exposing that which did not
even attempt to conceal itself.
We have now to notice our author in a somewhat different character
namely, as a candidate for poetical fame. His satire, entitled the "True
born Englishman," which was written for the purpose of averting from
the king the abusive reflections cast upon him as a foreigner, had indeed a
very great run at the time-more, however, on account of the matter
than of the manner since both that and all Defoe's other attempts of
the kind convince us, that, like the great Roman orator, he was an intol-
erably bad poet, and not even a decent versifier. Yet could gratitude and
enthusiastic devotion to his prince have supplied the inspiration which
the muses denied him, Defoe's poetry would have been of first-rate exceì
lence, so sincere was his admiration of, so zealous was his devotion to,
William III. The various effusions in rhyme, and the numerous political
pamphlets and tracts which he published at this interval, we must pass by.
and come directly to an event that obtained for our author a rather
unenviable species of distinction. The reign of Anne commenced with
much violence and with cabals between the respective church parties,
leading to controversies that rather fanned than allayed the public fer-
ment. On such an occasion, it was not to be expected that Defoe would
remain passive: assuming the furious tone of the high-churchmen of the
day against the dissenters, he published a small pamphlet, which was iz
reality a satire upon the writings which that party had issued from the
press; but the irony was so fine, and the imitation so exact, that while it
was supposed by them to utter the real sentiments of the writer, it was
also interpreted by those whom it was intended to serve as coming from a
such was its
violent enemy. The "Shortest Way with the Dissenters "
title-created an amazing sensation; and on its real object being exposed,
the high-church party became as fierce in their indignation, as they had
before been warm in their applause. The author was detected, a reward
offered for his apprehension, and he himself sentenced to be imprisoned in
Newgate, and to stand in the pillory; but the attendance of his friends,
and the enthusiasm of the populace in favor of the champion of religious
liberty, converted an ignominious punishment into a triumph, so that his
enemies had as little reason to exult in their victory, as to be proud of the
sagacity they had displayed. If, however, this event rather increased
than diminished Defoe's reputation, it had a different effect upon his
pecuniary affairs: his confinement in Newgate prevented his attending
T
2
Vee
14
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
any longer to his concern at Tilbury, the consequence of which was that
it was obliged to be given up; and thus Defoe saw himself deprived at
once of what had been the source of a handsome income, for before this
affair he was in such thriving circumstances as to be able to keep his
coach. According to his own statement, he lost three thousand five
hundred pounds, a far more considerable sum at that period than it would
De now. There was indeed one way of both speedily and safely repairing his
finances, namely, by accepting the overtures made him by the ministry,
who would gladly have enlisted in their own cause that pen which had
proved so powerful against them: but Defoe was too independent of soul,
and too high-principled, to purchase his release upon terms that would
inflict upon him the disgrace the pillory had failed to effect.
Although a prison is not the most congenial place for literary pursuits,
our author availed himself of the time which the loss of his liberty afforded
him, of occupying his unwelcome leisure from all other business in writing
both in verse and prose. It was here that he published his poem on the
"Reformation of Manners," a sufficiently copious theme in every age,
and afterwards continued the subject in another, entitled "More Reforma-
tion;" in which he alludes to his own situation in the following nervous
ines, describing himself as
"A modern tool,
To wit, to parties and himself a fool;
Embroil'd with states to do himself no good,
And by his friends themselves misunderstood;
Misconstrued first in every word he said,
By these unpitied, and by those unpaid.”
Here we may truly say facit indignatio versus, for the caustic tone and
antithesis are not unworthy of Pope himself. The political controversial
pieces which he sent forth to the world from his "place of durance vile
were too numerous for us to specify them: we therefore prefer speaking
of a work of more permanent interest, one in which he may be regarded
as the immediate predecessor of two of the most popular and admired of
our classic writers in the days of Anne-namely, Steele and Addison.
Defoe's "Review," which commenced Feb. 19, 1704, deserves to be
considered as the prototype of our Tatlers and Spectators; and may earn
for its author the appellation of the Father of English Essayists: since
notwithstanding that political intelligence and discussion constituted a
great portion of its contents, it touched upon a variety of other topics
bearing upon literature, manners, and morals; while it was itself hardly
in any degree indebted for this part of its plan to proceeding or contem-
porary publications. Uniformily assailing vice, or exposing to just ridicule
the follies and foibles of society, Defoe varied his mode of attack, at one
time employing grave reasoning and serious remonstrance; at another,
substituting sarcasm, humor, wit, and pleasantry, for monitory reproof
To a modern reader, indeed, many of the topics might seem to lack
invention, and to be rather common-place, merely because they have been
so repeatedly handled by later writers, that both the wit and argument
displayed in them. have lost their freshness. This circumstance, however,
does not detract from Defoe's intrinsic merit, or from the praise due to
him as an originator: on the contrary, he, in this respect, only shares the
fate common to all those who open a new path in literature or art, inviting
imitators whose numbers oppress, if they do not overwhelm them: that
Defoe has not since been surpassed in this species of writing is far more
than we can venture to assert; yet it should be recollected that it is the
first navigator of the Atlantic, not those who cross it in a modern steam-
boat, who claims the homage of our admiration.
Those who are unacquainted with Defoe the essayist, as well as Defoe
the novelist, will not be able to appreciate the extent of our author's
!
1
事
​DANIEL DEFOE.
13
>
powers, and the variety of his information. But we .ave already dwelt
upon the "Review" at greater length than is consistent with the brevity
we must perforce observe: it is time, therefore, to proceed with our rar-
rative. Mr. Harley, afterwards earl of Oxford, happened, by a change in
the ministry, to come into power, after Defoe had been about two years in
confinement, and being able to appreciate his abilities perhaps anxious
to secure them in his own support, he represented his case to the queen,
who generously sent a sum of money to his wife and family, and another
to discharge his fine and prison expenses. Immediately upon his libera-
tion, Defoe refired to Bury St. Edmund's. It was there that he wrote his
masterly treatise, entitled "Giving Alms no Charity," in which he displays
great practical knowledge, with enlarged and sound views on the causes of
poverty, and on the employment of the poor. In the intervals of these
and other occupations, for it should be observed that he had been sent in
1705 by Harley on a secret mission to the continent, the express object of
which has not transpired, - he found leisure to employ his pen on other
subjects, and anticipating his future character of a romance writer, he
invented the "true narrative" of Mrs. Veal's apparition, which was pre-
fixed to a translation of Drelincourt on Death. The supposed stranger
from the other world is made to recommend that performance; and, as
Buch supernatural testimony was irresistible, the whole impression, which
had before lain on the bookseller's shelves, was quickly sold, and was
succeeded by many others, the work having since passed through forty
different editions. This stratagem certainly does honor to Defoe's in-
genuity and penetration; yet whether it be entirely justifiable, considering
the tendency of the deception, may be doubted.
Leaving for a while the account of his literary career, we must now
briefly notice a very important national subject, namely, the Union with
Scotland, in which, besides warmly advocating the measure with his pen,
Defoe was personally employed. At the recommendation of Harley and
Lord Godolphin, by whom he had been recommended to the queen, he
was sent on a mission to Edinburgh, in which city he arrived in October,
1706. Here, it should seem, he was chiefly employed in making calcula-
tions relating to trade and taxes, for the information of the committees of
parliament; he also occupied himself in collecting those documents rela-
tive to the Union which he afterwards published. Besides this, he
proposed several plans for encouraging the manufactures, and for pro-
moting the trade, wealth, and maritime resources of Scotland. After an
absence of about sixteen months, he returned to England in 1708, when
his services obtained for him, from the ministry, an appointment with a
fixed salary; and as it does not appear what was the nature of the office
he held, we may conclude it to have been merely a sinecure. Almost
immediately afterwards, his patron Harley was dismissed from office,
through the persevering intrigues of the duchess of Marlborough,
whom he had supplanted in the queen's favor, an event that suddenly
overclouded Defoe's political prospects. Without compromising his
principles, however, he espoused the interest of the succeeding ministry;
but although Godolphin treated him with consideration, he suffered his
pension to fall into arrears, perhaps in consequence of Defoe's long
absence in Scotland, whither he was again despatched a few months after-
wards, upon some secret business. In the following year, 1709, Defoè
published a work which, to use the words of an eminent living critic,
places him amongst the soundest historians of the day; " and which.
according to the testimony of another, would have handed down his name
to posterity, even had he not immortalized himself by Robinson Crusoe.
This was his History of the Union," which is as interesting for the
minute descriptions it gives of the actors and incidents in that important
vent, as for the documents it furnishes.
Still engaged in politics, Defoe's continued and severe attacks agains
gambar
1
16
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF
the Tories and high-church party so exasperated them, that they attempted
to suppress his writings, and even threatened him with prosecutions:
their animosity, however, did not procure for him, from those whose cause
he defended, a degree of favor and support at all commensurate with his
long and able services. He had also to contend with fresh pecuniary
losses in some concern in which he was engaged (1712) with Mr. Wood, a
mercer of Coleshill in Warwickshire, and with the personal abuse with
which his character was assailed by writers who reflected upon him as
being a knavish bankrupt. But his political career was now drawing to
its close having carried on his "Review "for more than nine years, ho
finally relinquished it in May, 1713, when he was again a prisoner in
Newgate upon an indictment preferred against him by his friends the
Whigs, as the author of three treasonable Jacobitical pamphlets; whereas
the publications in question were of a directly opposite tendency. The
queen once more bestowed a free pardon on him, and the malice of his
numerous enemies was defeated. From this time he employed his pen
only occasionally on political subjects. By the accession of George I. to
the throne, Defoe gained nothing, although his writings had strenuously
pleaded the cause of the House of Hanover during the late reign; and
although he had superior claims upon public gratitude for the zeal with
which, during nearly thirty years, he had not only advocated religious and
political independence, but endeavored to call attention to subjects of
paramount importance to the national prosperity. That this neglect
should, in spite of all his philosophy, have occasioned him considerable
mortification, is not much to be wondered at; and to the effect it had
upon his health was attributed an apoplectic attack in the year 1715, from
which he continued to suffer for six months.
After so serious a blow to his constitution, and at his advanced period
of life, it might have been expected that he would now lay aside his pen,
at least remit in his exertions. Yet it was subsequently to this apparently
cloudy epoch of his career that the brightest and most durable of his
literary wreaths was won. Great versatility of talent is not often accom-
panied by an equal degree of vigor and raciness of intellect: when, how-
ever, such does happen to be the case, it should seem that the former is
rather beneficial than otherwise to its possessor, and that change of sub-
ject serves to recruit the mental energies. Defoe at least may be quoted
as an extraordinary instance of rejuvenescency of mind in the decline of
years. We do not here allude to his "Family Instructor," although that
performance is one of the most valuable and useful systems of practical
morality in our language, and has, doubtless, been far more beneficial to
society than many works of even splendid celebrity. It is the series of
novels which now appear in quick succession from his pen, that have won
for him an imperishable reputation among the worthies of English litera-
ture: nor will his claims upon our admiration be diminished by considering
the extravagant, unnatural system of romance-writing which had till then
prevailed, where everything was either so artificial or so shadowy, that
not a glimpse of real life was to be discerned. In Defoe's narratives, on
the contrary, there is such an air of downright matter-of-fact and un-
adorned truth, as to amount to actual deception; thereby preventing us
from crediting the author with any merit on, the score of imagination,
contrivance, or invention. Of this the reader will be amply convinced by
the perusal of the present work, on which it is not necessary that we
should expatiate, and we shall therefore merely advert to the circum-
stances connected with its origin and publication. The history of Robinson
Crusoe was first published in the year 1719, and its popularity may be
said to have been established immediately, since four editions were called
for in about as many months, a circumstance at that time almost unpre-
cedented in the annals of literature. It rarely happens that an author's
pectations are surpassed by the success of his work, however astonishing
DANIEL DEFOE.
197
t may seem to others: yet perhaps even Defoe himself did not vei tare to
look forward to such a welcome on the part of the public, after the repul
ses he had experienced on that of the booksellers; for incredible as it now
*ppears, the manuscript of the work had been offered to, and rejected by,
every one in the trade, in which respect its destiny was not only similar to
that of Paradise Lost, but two of the most celebrated literary productions of
the present day, namely, Waverly and Childe Harold; the former of which
remained in manuscript ten years, without any probability of ever seeing
the light, although its fame has since extended itself wherever the Eng-
lish language is known-nay more, has even penetrated the wilds of
Siberia.
Astonishing as was the success of Defoe's romance, it did not deter the
envious from attempting to disparage it. The materials, it was said, were
either furnished by, or surreptitiously obtained from, Alexander Selkirk,
a mariner who had resided for four years in the desert island of Juan
Fernandez, and returned to England in 1711. Very probably, his story,
which then excited considerable interest and attention, did suggest to
Defoe the idea of writing his romance; but all the details and incidents
are entirely his own. Most certainly Defoe had obtained no papers or
written documents from Selkirk, as the latter had none to communicate.
So far, however, have others been from taxing our author with plagiarism,
that they have, on the contrary, charged him with putting on paper a
heap of chimeras, to impose upon public credulity. Thus these two
contradictory charges reciprocally destroy each other. An attempt has
also been made to rob him entirely of the brightest jewel in his literary
crown, by denying him to have been the author of Robinson Crusoe,
which has been ascribed, by some, to Arbuthnot; by others, to Defoe's
patron, the first earl of Oxford. Those who have wished to gain credit
for the latter opinion, assert that it was composed by that nobleman
during his imprisonment in the Tower, in 1715, on a charge of high
treason; and they have urged that the whole tone of the work, especially
of that part towards the conclusion where an account is given of the
exiled nobles of Muscovy, is what would naturally be suggested by the
solitude of a prison. Yet as far as internal evidence is concerned, that is,
indisputably, much stronger in favor of Defoe; for he had not only been
familiar with imprisonment, but was also by his acquaintance with foreign
countries, and his experience in business and traffic, much better qualified
to produce a work which displays so much practical knowledge of things,
as well as of man. Indeed, nothing short of the most conclusive and
undeniable testimony of facts to the contrary can at all invalidate his
claims to be considered as the real author. Had Robinson Crusoe been
the only production of the kind that proceeded from his pen, there might
be better reason for doubting whether he wrote it; but the various other
novels, or rather pieces of fictitious biography, which he produced, form
an additional reason for attributing it to him.
>>
·
Of these latter we must here speak far more briefly than they deserve:
the "History of Moll Flanders," which was published in 1721, is an
admirably drawn picture of life, and contains an excellent moral lesson,
although many of the scenes it necessarily discloses are coarse and revolt-
"Life of Colonel Jaque
ing. The
contains almost as much able
delineation of real life; and in that part of the narrative which gives an
account of the hero's residence in Virginia, Defoe has humanely advocated
the cause of the negro slaves. His "Memoirs of a Cavalier," which
work is supposed to have been written about the same time, is rather
history attired in the form of an imaginary piece of biography, than a
romance. Indeed, all the details are so circumstantial and accurate, that
't has been mistaken for a genuine narrative of the events of the civil
wars in England and Germany; and it was actually recommended as the
ery best account of them by the great Lord Chatham, with whom it was
18
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF DANIEL DEFOE
1
:
a favorite book. In like manner our author's "History of the Flague"
imposed upon Dr. Mead, and since upon others, who have referred to it as
an authentic document, and a true recital of that great national calamity.
Here he is the rival of Thucydides and Boccaccio; and depicts the horrors
of pestilence as vividly and as masterly as Poussin. It may, however, be
imagined by some that this is rather suspicious praise, and that the work
of fiction which can pass as true history must be cold, matter-of-fact, and
tame-repulsive and dry. It is not, however, in the formal gravity of
etyle that these works resemble history; but they imitate and reflect the
features of the past in their most interesting, if not their most engaging
aspect.
Besides the preceding, and one or two other productions of a similar
cast, Defoe produced that very excellent and popular work entitled
"Religious Courtship," which was first published in 1722, and afterwards
went through numerous editions. This and his "Family Instructor aro
replete with lessons of the soundest practical wisdom, and place their
author among the most extensively useful of our English moralists.
""
Here, however, we must terminate our sketch, having barely left our-
selves room to mention a few particulars relative to the close of his life.
Although the profits accruing from his publications had of late been
considerable, and he had been able to give a portion to his daughter
Sophia, who married Mr. Baker, the celebrated natural philosopher, in
1729, yet he was still doomed to contend with misfortune. In addition to
the affliction of bodily infirmity and severe pain, he again fell into great
pecuniary difficulties, and was even arrested. He appears, however, to
have recovered his liberty within a short time; but the unnatural conduct
of his son, who refused to give up the property that had been entrusted to
him, with the view of securing a provision to his mother and two unmar-
ried sisters, was a heavier blow than any he had before experienced; and
the mental anguish it occasioned doubtless accelerated his death, which
occured on the 24th of April, 1731. Since that period more than a century
has elapsed; and in that intervål many names of considerable eminence
in their day have sunk into irretrievable oblivion; Defoe, also, has lost
some portion of the celebrity he enjoyed with his contemporarics: yet,
after deduction, enough remains to entitle him to a place among the
Worthies of English literature, for should all his other productions be
Forgotten, his Robinson Crusoe must remain imperishable.
1
ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE.
SECTION 1.
ROBINSON'S FAMILY, ETC.-HIS ELOPEMENT FROM HIS PARENTS
I was born in the year 1632, in the city of York, of a gocd
family, though not of that country, my father being a foreigner
of Bremen, named Kreutznaer, 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 mar-
ried my mother, whose relations were named Robinson, a
very good family in that country, and after whom I was so
called, that is to say, Robinson 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 lieutenant-
colonel, to an English regiment of foot in Flanders, formerly
commanded by the famous Colonel Lockhart, and was killed
at the battle near Dunkirk against the Spaniards. What
became of my second brother, I never knew, any more than
my father and mother did know what was become of me.
Being the third son of the family, and not bred to any
trade, my head began to be filled very early with rambling.
thoughts. My father, who was very aged, had given me
a competent share of learning, as far as house education
and a country free school generally go, and designed me for
the law; but I would be satisfied with nothing but going to
•
20
ADVENTURES OF
sea; and my inclination to this led 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 seemed to be something fatal in that
propension of nature, tending directly to the life of misery
which was to befall me.
My father, a wise and grave man, gave me serious 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 subject: he asked me what reasons, more than
a mere wandering inclination, I had for leaving his 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 one hand, or of superior
fortunes, on the other, who went abroad upon adventures,
aspiring to rise by enterprise, and make themselves famous
in undertakings of a nature out of the common road; that
these things were all either too far above me, or too far
below me; that mine was the middle state, 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 happiness; not exposed to the mis-
eries and hardships, the labor 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 happiness of this state by one thing,
viz., that this was the state of life which all other people
envied; that kings have frequently lamented the miserable.
consequences of being born to great things, and wished they
had been placed in the middle of 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."
-་
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
21
He bade me observe it, and I should always find, tha 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
subjected to so many distempers and uneasinesses, either of
body or mind, as those were, who, by vicious living, luxury,
and extravagancies, on one hand, or by hard labor, want of
necessaries, and mean and insufficient diet, on the other
hand, bring distempers upon themselves by the natural con-
sequences of their way of living that the middle station of
life was calculated for all kind of virtues, and all kind of
enjoyments; that peace and plenty were the handmaids of a
middle fortune; that temperance, moderation, quietness,
health, society, all agreeable 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 labors of the hands or of the head, not sold to the life of
slavery for daily bread, or harassed with perplexed circum-
stances, which rob the soul of peace, and the body of rest;
not enraged with the passion of envy, or secret burning lust
of ambition for great things; but, in easy circumstances,
sliding gently through the world, and sensibly tasting the
sweets of living, without the bitter; feeling that they are
happy, and learning by every day's experience, to know it
more sensibly.
After this he pressed me earnestly, and in the most affec-
tionate manner, not to play the young man, nor to precipitate
myself into miseries which nature and the station of life I
was born in, seemed to have provided against; that I was
under no necessity of secking my bread; that he would do
well for me, and endeavor to enter me fairly into the station
of life which he had been just recommending to me; and
that if I was not very easy and happy in the world, it must
22
ADVENTURES OF
be my mere fate, or fault, that must hinder it; and that he
should have nothing to answer for, having thus discharged
his duty in warning me against measures which ne 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 di-
rected; 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 my elder brother for an example, to
whom he had used the same earnest persuasions to keep him.
from going into the Low Country wars; but could not pre-
vail, his young desires prompting him to run into the army,
where he was killed; and though, he said, he would not
cease to pray for me, yet he would venture to say to me,
that if I did take this foolish step, God would not bless me ;
and I would have leisure, hereafter, to reflect upon having
neglected his counsel, when there might be none to assist in
my recovery.
I observed, in the last part of his discourse, which was
truly prophetic, though, I suppose, my father did not know
to be so himself; I say, I observed the tears run down his
ace very plentifully, especially when he spoke of my brother
vho was killed; and that, when he spoke of my having
eisure to repent, and none to assist me, he was so moved
that he broke off the discourse, and told me his heart was so
full, he could say no more to me.
I was sincerely affected with this discourse, as indeed who
could be otherwise? and I resolved not to think of going
abroad any more, but to settle at home, according to my
father's desire. 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 neither, as my first heat of
resolution prompted, but I took my mother at a time when
I thought her a little pleasanter than ordinary, and told her,
that my thoughts were so entirely bent upon seeing the world,
<l
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
23
:
:
that I should never settle to anything with resolution enough
to go through with it, and my father had better give me his
consent, than force me to go without it; that I was now
eighteen years old, which was too late to go apprentice to a
trade, or clerk to an attorney; that I was sure, if I did, I
should never serve out my time, and I should certainly run
away from my master before my time was out, and go to sea;
and if she would speak to my father to let me make but one
voyage abroad, if I came home again, and did not like it, 1
would go no more, and I would promise, by a double dili-
gence, to recover 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
upon any such a subject; that he knew 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, after 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 father, 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 boy might be happy, if he would
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."
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 inclinations prompted
24
ADVENTURES OF
me to. But being one day at Hull, whither I went casually,
and without any purpose of making an elopement at that
time, and one of my companions then going to London by
sea in his father's ship, and prompting me to go with them
by the common allurement of seafaring men, viz., that it
should cost me nothing for my passage, I consulted neither
father nor mother any more, nor so much as sent them word
of it; but left them to hear of it as they might, without
asking God's blessing, or my father's, without any consider-
ation of circumstances or consequences, and in an ill hour,
God knows.
售
​SECTION II.
FIRST ADVENTURES AT SEA, AND EXPERIENCE OF A MARITIME LIFE-
VOYAGE TO GUINEA.
ON the 1st of September, 1651, I went on board a ship
bound for London. Never any young adventurer's misfor-
tunes, I believe, began younger, or continued longer than
mine. The ship had no sooner got out of the Humber,
than the wind began to blow, and the waves to rise, in a
most frightful manner; and as I had never been at sea
before, I was most inexpressibly sick in body, and terrified
in mind: I began now seriously to reflect upon what I had
done, and how justly I was overtaken by the judgment of
Heaven, for wickedly leaving my father's house. All the
good counsels 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, reproached me with the contempt
of advice, and the abandonment of my duty.
!
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
25
All this while the storm increased, and the sea, which I
had never been upon before, went very high, though nothing
like what I have seen many times since; no, nor what I saw
a few days after; but, such as 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, into the trough or hollow of the sea, we should
never rise more; and in this agony of mind I made many
vows and resolutions, that if it would please God to spare
my
life this voyage, if ever I got my foot once on dry land,
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 plainly the goodness of his observations about
the middle 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 I resolved that I
would, like a true repenting prodigal, go home to my father.
These wise and sober thoughts continued during the
storm, and indeed some time after; but the next day, as the
wind was abated, and the sea calmer, I began to be a little
inured to it. However, I was very grave 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 I ever saw.
I had slept well in the night, and was now no more sea-
sick, but very cheerful, looking with wonder upon the sea
that was so rough and terrible the day before, and could be
so calm and pleasant in a little time after.
And now, lest my good resolution should continue, my
companion, who had indeed enticed me away, came to me,
2
26
ADVENTURES OF
and said, Well, Bob, clapping me on the shoulder, how do
you do after it? I warrant you you were frightened, wa'n't
you, last night, when it blew but a cap-full of wind? - A
cap-full, do you call it? said I; 'twas a terrible storm.
A storm, you fool! 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 you are but a fresh-water sailor, Bob; come, let us
make a bowl of punch, and we'll forget all that. D'ye see
what charming weather 'tis now? To make short this sad
part of my story, we went the way of all sailors; the punch
was made, and I was made 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 abate-
ment of the storm, so the hurry of my thoughts being over,
my fears and apprehensions of being swallowed up by the
sea forgotten, and the current of my former desires
returned, I entirely forgot the vows and promises I had
made in my distress. I found, indeed, some intervals of
reflection; and serious thoughts did, as it were, endeavor to
return again sometimes; but I shook them off and roused
myself from them, as it were from a distemper, and, apply-
ing myself to drink and company, soon mastered the return
of those fits for so I called them; and had in five or six
days got as complete a victory over conscience as any young
sinner, 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 generally it 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 hardened wretch among us would confess both the
danger and the mercy of. The sixth day of our being at
sea we came into Yarmouth Roads; the wind having been
-
9
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
27
contrary and the weather calm, we had made but little way
since the storm. Here we were obliged to come to an
anchor, and here we lay, the wind continuing 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 harbor where the ships might wait for a wind
for the river Thames. We had not, however, rid here so
long, but we should have tided 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 harbor, the anchorage good, and our ground
tackle very strong, our men were unconcerned, and not in
the least apprehensive of danger, but spent the time in rest
and mirth, after the manner of the sea. But the eighth day,
in the morning, the wind increased, and we had all hands at
work to strike our topmasts, and make everything snug and
close, that the ship might ride as easy as possible. By noon
the sea went very high indeed, and our ship rode forecastle
in, shipped several `seas, and we thought, once or twice, our
anchor had come home; upon which our master ordered out
the sheet anchor; so that we rode with two anchors ahead,
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 of even the
seamen themselves. The master was vigilant in the business
of preserving the ship; but, as he went in and out of his
cabin by me, I could hear him softly say to himself several
times, Lord, be merciful to us! we shall be all lost; we
shall be all undone and the like. During these first hurries
I was stupid, lying still in ray cabin, which was in the steer-
age, and cannot describe my temper. I could ill reassume
the first penitence, which I had so apparently trampled upon,
and hardened myself against; I thought that the bitterness
of death had been past, and that this would be nothing too,
like the first: but when the master himself came by me, as
28
ADVENTURES OF
¡
I said just now, and said we should be all lost, I was dreal
fully frightened. I got up out of my cabin, and looked out;
but such a dismal sight I never saw; the sea went mountains
high, and broke upon us every three or four minutes. When
I could look about, I could see nothing but distress around
us; two ships, that rid near us, we found had cut their
masts by the board, being deeply laden; and our men cried
out that a ship, which rid about a mile ahead of us, was
foundered. Two more ships being driven from their anchors,
were run out of the roads to sea, at all adventures, and that
with not a mast standing. The light ships fared the best,
as not so much laboring in the sea; but two or three of
them drove, and came close to us, running away, with only
their spritsails out, before the wind. Toward evening, the
mate and boatswain begged the master of our ship to let
them cut away the foremast, which he was very loath to do;
but the boatswain protesting to him, that if he did not, the
ship would founder, he consented; and when they had cu
away the foremast, the mainmast 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 condition I must be in at all
this, who was but a young sailor, and who had been in such
a fright before at but a little. But if I can express, at this
distance, the thoughts I had about me at that time, I was in
tenfold more horror of mind upon account of my former
convictions, and the having returned from them to the res-
olutions I had wickedly taken at first, than I was at death
itself; and these, added to the terror of the storm, put me
into such a condition, that I can by no words describe it;
but the worst was not come yet; the storm continued with
such fury, that the seamen themselves acknowledged they
had never known a worse. We had a good ship, but she
was deep laden, and so swallowed in the sea, that the sea-
nen every now and then cried out she would founder. It
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
25
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 sensible than the rest,
at their prayers, and expecting every moment the ship would
go to the bottom. In the middle of the night, 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
neart, as I thought, died within me, and I fell backwards
upon the side of my bed, where I sat in the cabin. How-
ever, the men roused me, and told me that I, who was able
to do nothing before, was as well able to pump as another :
at which I stirred up and went to the pump, and worked
very heartily. While this was doing, the master seeing
some light colliers, who, not able to ride out the storm, were
obliged to slip and run away to sea, and would not come
near us, ordered us to fire a gun, as a signal of distress. I,
who knew nothing what that meant, was so surprised, that
I thought the ship had broke, or some dreadful thing had
nappened. In a word, I was so surprised, that I fell down
in a swoon. As this was a time when everybody had his
own life to think of, no one minded me, or what was become
of me; but another man stepped up to the pump, and
thrusting me aside with his foot, let me lie, thinking I
had been dead; and it was a great while before I came to
myself.
We worked on; but the water increasing in the hold, it
was apparent that the ship would founder; and though the
storm began to abate a little, yet as it was not possible she
could swim till we might run into a port, so the master
continued firing guns for help; and a light ship, who had
rid it out just ahead of us, ventured a boat out to help us
It was with the utmost hazard that the boat came near us.
30
ADVENTURES OF
but it was impossible for us to get on board, or for the boa.
to lie near the ship's side; till at last the men rowing very
heartily, and venturing their lives to save ours, our men
cast them a rope over the stern with a buoy to it, and ther
veered it out a great length, which they, after great labor
and hazard, took hold of, and we hauled them close under
our stern, and got all into their boat. It was to no purpose
for them or us, after we were in the boat, to think of reach-
ing their own ship; so all agreed to let her drive, and only
to pull her towards shore as much as we could: and our
master promised them, that if the boat was staved upon
shore, he would make it good to their master; so partly
rowing, and partly driving, our boat went away to the
northward, sloping towards the shore almost as far as
Winterton-Ness.
We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out
of our ship when we saw her sink; and then I understood,
for the first time, what was meant by a ship foundering in
the sea.
I must acknowledge, I had hardly eyes to look up.
when the seamen told me she was sinking; for, from that
moment, they rather put me into the boat, than 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
thoughts of what was yet before me.
While we were in this condition, the men yet laboring 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 people running along the strand, to
assist us when we should come near; but we made slow
way towards the shore; nor were we able to reach it, till,
being past the lighthouse at Winterton, the shore falls off to
the westward, towards Cromer, and so the land broke off a
little the violence of the wind. Here we got in, and, though
not without much difficulty, got all safe on shore, and walked
afterwards on foot to Yarmouth; where, as unfortunate men,
ROBINSON CRUSOE
31
we were used with great humanity, as well by the magis-
trates of the town, who assigned us good quarters, as by the
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 parable, had even killed
the fatted calf for me: for, hearing the ship I went 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 with an obstinacy that
nothing could resist; and though I had several times loud
calls from 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 hurries us on to be the instruments of our own
destruction, even though it be before us, and that we rush
upon it with our eyes open. Certainly, nothing but some
such decreed unavoidable misery attending, and which it
was impossible for me to escape, could have pushed me for-
ward against the calm reasonings and persuasions of my
most retired thoughts, and against two such visible instruc-
tions as I had met with in my first attempt.
My comrade, who had helped to harden me before, and
who was the master's son, was now less forward than I: the
first time he spoke to me after we were at Yarmouth, which
was not till two or three days, for we were seperated in the
town to several quarters; I say, the first time he saw me, it
appeared his tone was altered, and, looking very melancholy,
and shaking his head, he asked me how I did; telling his
father who I was, and how I had come this voyage only for
a trial, in order to go farther abroad. His father, turning to
me, with a grave and concerned tone, Young man, says he,
you ought never to go to sea any more; you ought to take
32
ADVENTURES OF
:
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 calling, and
therefore my duty; but as you made this voyage for a trial,
you see what a taste Heaven has given you of what you are
to expect if you persist. Perhaps this has all befallen us on
your account, like Jonah in the ship of the Tarshish.
Pray, continues he, what are you, and on what account did
you go to sea? Upon that I told him some of my story; at
the end of which he burst out with a strange kind of pas-
sion. What had I done, said he, that such an unhappy
wretch should have come into my ship? I would not set
my foot in the same ship with thee again for a thousand
pounds. This indeed was, as I said, an excursion 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; exhorted me to go
back to my father, and not tempt Providence to my ruin ;
told me, I might see a visible hand of Heaven against me;
and, young man, said he, depend upon it, if you do not go
back, wherever you go, you will meet with nothing but dis-
asters and disappointments, till your father's words are
fulfilled upon you.
·
We parted soon after, for I made him little answer, and I
saw him no more: which way he went, I know not: as for
me, having some money in my pocket, I travelled to London
by land; and there, as well as on the road, had many strug-
gles with myself what course of life I should take, and
whether I should go home or go to sea. As to going home,
shame opposed the best motions that offered to my thoughts;
and it immediately occurred to me how I should be laughed
at among the neighbors, and should be ashamed to see, not
my father and mother only, but even everybody else. From
whence I have often since observed, how incongruous and
irrrational the common temper of mankind is, especially of
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
3:
youth, to that reason which ought to guide them in such
cases, viz., that they are not ashamed to sin, and yet are
ashamed to repent; not ashamed of the action, for which
they ought justly to be esteemed fools; but are ashamed of
the returning, which only can make them be esteemed wise
men.
In this state of life, however, 1 remained some time, uncer-
tain what measures to take, and what course of life to lead.
An irresistible reluctance continued to going home; and as
I stayed awhile, the remembrance of the distress I had been
in wore off; and as that abated, the little motion I had in
my desires to a 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, that hurried me into the wild and indigested
notion of raising my fortune, and that impressed those con
ceits so forcibly upon me, as to make me deaf to all gooc
advice, and to the entreaties, and even the commands of my
father; I say, the same influence, whatever it was, presented
the most unfortunate of all enterprises to my view; and I
went on board a vessel bound to the coast of Africa; or, as
our sailors vulgarly call it, a voyage to Guinea.
It was my great misfortune, that in all these adventures 1
did not ship myself as a sailor; whereby, though I might
indeed have worked a little harder than ordinary, yet, at the
same time, I had learned the duty and office of a foremast-
man, and in time might have qualified myself for a mate or
lieutenant, if not a master: but as it was always my fate to
choose for the worse, so I did here; for having money in my
pocket, and good clothes upon my back, I would always go
on board in the habit of a gentleman; and so I neither had
any business in the ship, nor learned to do any. It was my
lot, first of all, to fall into pretty good company in London;
which does not always happen to such loose and misguided
young fellows as I then was; the devil, generally, not omit-
84
ADVENTURES OF
ting to lay some snare for them very carly. But it was not
30 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 resolved to go again. He,
taking a fancy to my conversation, which was not at all
disagreeable at that time, and hearing me say I had a mind
to see the world, told me, that if I would go the voyage
with him, I should be at no expense; I should be his mess-
mate and his companion; and if I could carry anything
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 and
plain-dealing man, I went the voyage with him, and carried
a small adventure with me; which, by the disinterested
honesty of my friend the captain, I increased very considera-
bly; for I carried about forty pounds in such toys and trifles
as the captain directed me to buy. This forty pounds I had
mustered together by the assistance of some of my relations
whom I corresponded with: and who, I believe, got my
father, or, at least, my mother, to contribute so much as that
to my first adventure. This was the only voyage which 1
may say was successful in all my adventures, and which I
owe to the integrity and honesty of my friend the captain;
under whom I also got a competent knowledge of mathe-
matics and the rules of navigation, learned how to keep an
account of the ship's course, take an observation, and, in
short, to understand some things that were needful to be
understood by a sailor; for, as he took delight to instruct
me, I took delight to learn; and, in a word, this voyage
made me both a sailor and a merchant: for I brought home
five pounds nine ounces of gold dust for my adventure, which
yielded me in London, at my return, almost three hundred
pounds, and this filled me with those aspiring thoughts
which have since so completed my ruin. Yet even in this
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
35
voyage I had my misfortunes too; particularly, that I was
ontinually sick, being thrown into a violent calenture by
the excessive heat of the climate; our principal trading
being upon the coast, from the latidude of fifteen degrees
north, even to the Line itself.
SECTION III.
A
ROBINSON'S CAPTIVITY AT SALLEE-ESCAPE WITH XURY-ARRIVAL
AT THE BRAZILS.
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 again; and I embarked in the same
vessel with one who was his mate in the former voyage, and
had now got the command of the ship. This was the un-
happiest voyage that ever man made; for though I did not
carry quite a hundred pounds of my new-gained wealth, so
that I had two hundred pounds 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, 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
Turkish rover, of Sallee, who gave chase to us with all the
sail she could make. We crowded also as much canvas as
our yards would spread, or our masts carry, to get 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 rover eighteen. About
three in the afternoon he came up with us; and bringing
to, by mistake, just athwart our quarter, instead of athwart
30
ADVENTURES OF
our stern, as he intended, we brought eight of our guns to
bear on that side, and poured in a broadside upon him,
which made him sheer off again, after returning our fire,
and pouring in also his small shot from near two hundred
men which he had on board. However, we had not a man
touched, all our men keeping close. He prepared to attack
us again, and we to defend ourselves; but laying us on
board the next time upon our other quarter, he entered sixty
men upon our decks, who immediately fell to cutting and
hacking the sails and rigging. We plied them with small
shot, half-pikes, powder-chests, and such like, and cleared
our deck of them twice. However, to cut short this melan-
choly part of our story, our ship being disabled, and three
of our men killed and eight wounded, we were obliged tc
yield, and were carried all 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 his business. At
this surprising change of my circumstances, from a merchant
to a miserable slave, I was perfectly overwhelmed; and now
looked back upon my father's prophetic discourse to me,
that I should be miserable, and have none to relieve ine;
which I thought was now so effectually brought to pass, that
it could not be worse; that now the hand of Heaven had
overtaken me, and I was undone, without redemption. But,
alas! this was but a taste of the misery I was to 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 he would take me with him when
ne went to sea again, believing that it would, some time or
other, be his fate to be taken by a Spanish or Portuguese
man of war, and that then I should be set at liberty. But
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
37
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 his house; and
when he came home again from his cruise, he ordered me to
lie in the cahin, 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, Nothing presented to make
the supposition of it rational; for I had nobody to com-
municate it to that would embark with me; no fellow-slave,
no Englishman, Irishman, or Scotchman there but myself;
so that for two years, though I often pleased myself with
the imagination, yet I never had the least encouraging pros-
pect of putting it in practice.
After about two years, an odd circumstance presented
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, without fitting out his ship, which, as I
heard, was for want of money, he used constantly, once or
twice a week, sometimes oftener, if the weather was fair, to
take the ship's pinnacle, and go out into the road a fishing;
and as he always took me and a young Moresco with him to
row the boat, we made him very merry, and I proved very
dexterous in catching fish, insomuch that sometimes he
would send me with a Moor, one of his kinsmen, and the
youth, the Moresco, as they called him, to catch a dish of
fish for him.
It happened one time, that going a fishing in a stark calm
morning, a fog rose so thick, that though we were not half a
league from the shore, we lost sight of it; and rowing, we
knew not whither, or which way, we labored 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 the shore: how-
ever, we got well in again, though with a great deal of
4
88
ADVENTURES OF
labor, 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, resolved to take
more care of himself for the future; and having lying by
him the longboat of our English ship he had taken, he
resolved he would not go a fishing any more without a com-
pass and some provision; so he ordered the carpenter of the
ship, who was an English slave, to build a little state-room
or cabin in the middle of the longboat, like that of a barge,
with a place to stand behind it, to steer and haul home the
main sheet, and room before for a hand or two to stand and
work the sails. She sailed with what we call a shoulder-of-
mutton sail, and the boom jibbed over the top of the cabin,
which lay very snug and low, and had in it room for him to
lie, with a slave or two, and a table to eat on, with some
small lockers to put in some bottles of such liquor as he
thought fit to drink, and particularly his bread, rice, and
coffee.
We went frequently out with this boat a fishing, and as I
was most dexterous to catch fish for him, he never went
without me. It happened that he had appointed to go out
in this boat, either for pleasure or for fish, with two or three
Moors of some distinction in that place, and for whom he
had provided extraordinarily, and had therefore sent on
board the boat, overnight, a larger store of provisions than
ordinary, and had ordered me to get ready three fusees, with
powder and shot, which were on board his ship, for that
they designed some sport of fowling as well as fishing.
I got all things ready as he directed, and waited the next
morning with the boat washed clean, her ensign 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 a man and boy, as usual, to go out
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
39
L
with the boat, and catch them some fish, for that his friends
were to sup at his house; and commanded, 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 a fishing business, but for a voyage;
though I knew not, neither did I so much as consider,
whither I should 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 subsistence on board;
for I told him we must not presume to eat of our patron's
bread: he said that was true; so he brought a large basket
of rusk or biscuit, of their kind, and three jars with fresh
water, into the boat. I knew where my patron's case of
bottles stood, which it was evident, by the make, were taken
out of some English prize, and I conveyed them into the
boat while the Moor was on shore, as if they had been there
before for our master. I conveyed also a great lump of bees-
wax into the boat, which weighed above half a hundred
weight, with a parcel of twine or thread, a hatchet, a saw,
and a hammer, all which were 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 call Muley, or Moley: so I called to
him; Moley, said I, our patron's guns are on board the
boat, can you not get a little powder and shot? it may be
we may kill some alcamies (fowls like our curlews) for our-
selves, for I know he keeps the gunner's stores in the ship.
Yes, says he, I will bring some; and accordingly he brought
a great leather pouch, which held about a pound and a half
of powder, or rather more, and another of shot, that had
five or six pounds, with some bullets, and put all into the
40
ADVENTURES OF
>
2
boat at the same time I found some powder of my master's
in the great cabin, with which I filled one of the large bot-
tles in the case, which was almost empty, pouring what was
in it into another; and thus furnished with everything
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 set us down to fish.
The wind blew from from NN. 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 last reached the bay of
Cadiz: but my resolutions were, blow which way it would, 1
would be gone from the horrid place where I was, and leave
the rest to fate.
After we had fished some time and catched nothing, for
when I had fish on my hook I would not pull them up, that
he might not see them, I said to the Moor, This will not do ;
our master will not be thus served; we must stand farther
off. He, thinking no harm, agreed; and being at the head
of the boat, set the sails; and as I had the helm, I run the
boat near a league farther, and then brought to, as if I would
Then giving the boy the helm, I stepped forward to
where the Moor was, and I took him by surprise, with my
arm under his waist, 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, and told me he would
go all the world over 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: But, 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 will shoot you through the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
4
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 content to have taken this Moor with
me, and have 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 will make you a great man; but if
but if you will
not stroke your face to be true to me (that is, swear by Ma-
homet and his father's beard), I must throw you into the sea
too. The boy smiled in my face, and spoke so innocently,
that I could not mistrust 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 swimming, 1
stood out directly to sea with the boat, rather stretching to
windward, that they might think me gone towards the
Strait's mouth (as indeed any one that had been in their
wits must have been supposed to do); for who would have
supposed we were sailing on to the southward, to the truly
Barbarian coast, where whole nations of negroes were sure
to surround us with their canoes, and destroy us; where we
could never once go on shore but we should be devoured by
savage beasts, or more merciless savages of human kind?
But as soon as it grew dusk in the evening, I changed my
course, and steered directly south and by east, bending my
course a little towards 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'clock in the afternoon, when I made the
land, I could not be less than one hundred and fifty miles
south of Sallee, quite beyond the Emperor of Morocco's do-
minions, or indeed of any other king thereabout; for we saw
no people.
Yec such was the fright I had taken at the Moors, and the
३
4*
42
ADVENTURES OF
S
•
•
dreadful apprehensions I had of falling into 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 that manner five
days; and then the wind shifting to the southward, I con-
cluded also 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 came to an anchor in the mouth of a little
river; I knew not what or where, neither what latitude,
what country, what nation, or what river. I neither saw,
nor desired to see, any people; the principal thing I wanted
was fresh water. We came into this creek in the evening,
resolving to swim on shore as soon as it was dark, and dis-
cover the country: but as soon as it was quite dark, we
heard such dreadful noises of the barking, 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 will
not; but it may be, we may see men by day, who will be as
bad to us as those lions. Then we may give them the shoot-
gun, says Xury, laughing; make them run away. Such
English Xury spoke by conversing among us slaves. How-
ever, 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 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 I
Gever indeed heard the like.
Xury was dreadfully frightened, and indeed so was I too;
but we were both more frightened when we heard one of
these mighty creatures swimming towards our boat: we
could not see him, but we might hear him, by his blowing
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
43
to be a monstrous, huge, and furious beast. Xury said it
was a lion, and it might be so, for aught I know; but poot
Xury cried to me to weigh the anchor and row away. No,
says I, Xury; we can slip our cable with a buoy to it, and
go off to sea they cannot follow us far. I had no sooner
said so, but I perceived the creature (whatever it was) within
two oars' length, which something surprised me; however, I
immediately stepped to the cabin door, and taking up my
gun, fired at him; upon which he immediately turned about,
and swam to the shore again.
But it is impossible to describe the horrible noises, and
hideous cries and howlings that were raised, as well upon
the edge of the shore as higher within the country, upon
the noise or report of the gun; a thing, I believe, those
creatures had never heard before. This convinced me there
was no going on shore for us in the night upon that coast:
and how to venture on shore in the day, was another ques-
tion 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 apprehensive 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 left in
the boat; when and 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 so much affection, that
he made me love him ever after. Says he, if wild mans
come, they eat me, 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 bote.
les, which I mentioned before; and we hauled in the boat
a near the shore as we thought was proper, and so waded
.
14
ADVENTURES OF
to 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 by
some wild beast, and I therefore ran forwards to help him;
but when I came nearer to him, I saw something hanging
over his shoulders, which was a creature that he had shot,
like a hare, but different in color, 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 he had
found good water, and seen no wild mans.
But we found afterwards that we need not take such pains
for water; for a little higher up the creek where we were,
we found the water fresh when the tide was out, which
flowed but a little way up; so we filled our jars, and having
a fire, feasted on the hare we had killed; and prepared to
go on our way, having seen no footsteps of any human crea-
ture 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 from the coast. But as I had
no instruments to take an observation, to find what latitude
we were in; and did not exactly know, or at least remem-
ber, what latitude they were in, I knew not where to look
for them, or when to stand off to sea towards them, other-
wise I might now have easily found some of these islands.
But my hope was, that if I stood along this coast till I came
to the part where the English traded, I should find some of
their vessels upon their usual design of trade, that would
relieve and take us in.
By the best of my calculation, the place where I now was,
must be that country which, lying between the Emperor of
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
45
Morocco's dominions and the Negroes, lies waste, and unin-
habited, except by wild beasts; the Negroes having aban
doned it, and gone farther south, for fear of the Moors, and
the Moors not thinking it worth inhabiting, by reason of
its barrenness; and, indeed both forsaking it because of the
prodigious numbers of tigers, lions, leopards and other
furious creatures which harbor there so that the Moors use
it for their hunting only, where they go like an army, two or
three thousand men at a time: and, indeed, for near a hun-
dred miles together upon this coast, we saw nothing but a
waste, uninhabited country by day, and heard nothing but
howlings and roaring of wild beasts by night.
Once or twice, in the day-time, I thought I saw the Pico
of Teneriffe, being the top of the mountain Teneriffe, in the
Canaries, and had a great mind to venture out, in hopes of
reaching thither; but having tried twice, I was forced in
again by contrary winds; the sea also going too high for my
little vessel; so I resolved to pursue my first design, and
keep along the shore.
*
Several times I was 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
land which was pretty high; and the tide beginning to flow,
we lay still, to go farther in. Xury, whose eyes were more
about him than, it seems, mine were, calls softly to me, and
tells me, that we had best go further off the shore; for, says
he, Look, 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
ay on the side of the shore, under the shade of a piece of
the hill, that hung, as it were, over him. Xury, says 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
bim be still; and I took our biggest gun, which was almost
16
ADVENTURES OF
musket bore, and loaded it with a good charge of powder,
and with two slugs, and laid it down; then I loaded another
gun with two bullets: and a third, for we had three pieces,
I loaded with five smaller bullets. I took the best aim I
could with the first piece, to have shot him in the head; but
ne lay so, with his leg raised a little above his nose, that the
slugs hit his leg about the knee, and broke the bone: he
started up, growling at first, but finding his leg broke, fell
down again and then got up 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
however, I took up the
second piece immediately, and though he began to move off,
fired again, and shot him in the head, and had the pleasure
to see him drop, and make but little noise, but lie struggling
for life. Then Xury took heart, and would have me let him
go on shore, Well, go, said I; so the boy jumped into the
water, and taking a little gun in one hand, swam to shore
with the other hand, and coming close to the creature, put
the muzzle of the piece to his ear, and shot him in the head
again, which despatched him quite.
This was game, indeed, to us, but it was no food; and I
was very sorry to loose 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 asked me to give him the hatchet: for what,
Xury? said I. Me cut off his head, said he. However,
Xury could not cut off his head; but he cut off a foot, and
brought it with him, and it was a monstrous great one. I
bethought myself, however, that perhaps the skin of him
might, one way or other, be of some value 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 both up the whole day; but at last we got off the
hide of him, and spreading it on the top of our cabin, the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
47
sun effectually dried it in two days' time, and it afterwards
served me to lie upon.
After this stop we made on to the southward continually,
for ten or twelve days, living very sparingly on our provis-
ions, which began to abate very much, and going no oftener
into the shore than we were obliged to for fresh water. My
design in this, was to make the river Gambia, or Senegal :
that is to say, anywhere about the Cape de Verd, where I
was in hopes to meet with some European ship; and if I
did not, I knew not what course I had to take, but to seek
for the islands or perish among the Negroes. I knew that
all the ships from Europe, which sailed either to the coast of
Guinea, or to Brazil, or to the East Indies, made this Cape,
or those islands and in a word I put the whole of my for-
tune upon this single point, either that I must meet with
some ship, or must 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 the shore, that I might talk to them; and I
found they ran along the shore by me a good way.
observed they had no weapons in their hands, except one,
who had a long slender stick, which Xury said was a lance,
and that they would throw them a great way with good aim;
so I kept at a distance, but talked to them by signs, as
well as I could, and particularly made signs for something to
eat. They beckoned to me to stop my boat, and they would
fetch me some meat: upon this I lowered the top of my
sail, and lay by, and two of them ran up into the country;
and in less than half an hour came back, and brought with
them two pieces of dry flesh and some corn, such as the
48
ADVENTURES OF
produce of their country; but we neither knew what the
one or the other was; however, we were willing to accept
14. But how to come at it was our next dispute, for I was
not for venturing on shore to them, and they were as much
afraid of us: but they took a safe way for us all, for they
brought it to the shore, and laid it down, and went and
stood a great way off till we fetched it on board, and then
came close to us again.
We made signs of thanks to them, for we had nothing to
make them amends; but an opportunity offered that very
instant to oblige them wonderfully; for while we were lying
by the shore, came two mighty creatures, one pursuing the
other (as we took it) with great fury, from the mountains
towards 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 ravenous creatures seldom appear but
in the night; and, in the second place, we found the
people terribly 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 any
of the Negroes, but plunged themselves into the sea, and
swam about, as if they had come for their diversion; at last,
one of them began to come nearer our boat than I at first
expected; but I lay ready for him, for I had loaded my gun
with all possible expedition, and bade Xury load both the
others. As soon as he came fairly within my reach, I fired,
and shot him directly in the head: immediately he sunk
down into the water, but rose instantly, and plunged up and
own, as if he was struggling for life, and so indeed he was:
he immediately made to the shore; but between the wound
which was his mortal hurt, and the strangling of the water,
he died just before he reached the shore.
T
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
49
It is impossible to express the astonishment of these poor
creatures, at the noise and fire of my gun; some of them
were even ready to die for fear, and fell down as dead with
the very terror; but when they saw the creature dead, and
sunk in the water, and that I made signs to 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 slung round
him, and gave the Negroes to haul, they dragged him on
shore, and found that 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 had
killed him with.
The other creature, frightened with the flash of fire, and
the noise of the gun, swam on 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 eating the flesh of this creature, so I was willing to
have them take it as a favor 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, and much more
readily, than we could have done with a knife. They offered
me some of the flesh, which I declined, making as if I would
give it them, but made signs for the skin, which they gave
me very freely, and brought me a great deal more of their
provisions, which, though I did not understand, yet I ac-
cepted. I then made signs to them for some water, and held
out one of my jars to them, turning it bottom upwards, to
show that it was empty, and that I wanted to have it filled.
They called immediately to some of their friends, and there
came two women, and brought a great vessel made of earth,
and burnt, as I suppose, in the sun; this they set down to
me, as hefore, and I sent Xury on shore with my jars, and
ĥ
50
ADVENTURES OF
1
filled them all three. The women were as stark naked an
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 tɔ
go near the shore, till I saw the land run out a great length
into the sea, at about the distance of four or five leagues
before me; and the sea being very calm, I kept a large
offing, to make this point. At length, doubling the point,
at about two leagues from the land, I saw plainly land on
the other side, to seaward: then I concluded, as it was most
certain indeed, that this was the Cape de Verd, and those
the islands, called, from thence, Cape de 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 taken
with a gale of wind, I might neither reach one
other.
nor the
In this dilemma, as I was very pensive, I stepped into the
cabin, and sat me down, Xury having the helm; when, on a
sudden, the boy cried out, Master, master, a ship with a sail!
and the foolish boy was frightened out of his wits, thinking
it must needs be some of his master's ships sent to pursue
us, when I knew we were gotten far enough out of their
reach. I jumped out of the cabin, and immediately saw, not
only the ship, but what she was, viz., that it was a Portu-
guese ship, and, as I thought, was bound to the coast of
Guinea, for Negroes. But, when I observed the course she
steered, I was soon convinced they were bound some other
way, and did not design to come any nearer to the shore;
upon which, 1 stretched out to sea as much as I could, re-
solving to speak with them, if possible.
With all the sail I could make, I found I should not bo
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,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
51
saw me, by the help of their perspective glasses, and that 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 encouraged with this, and as I had my
patron's ensign on board, I made a waft of it to them, for a
signal of distress, and fired a gun, both 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 an-
swered him, and told him I was an Englishman, that I had
made my escape out of slavery from the Moors, at Sallee :
they then bade me come on board, and very kindly took me
in, and all my goods.
It was an inexpressible joy to me, which any one will
believe, that I was thus delivered, as I esteemed it, from
such a miserable, and almost hopeless, condition as I was in;
and I immediately offered all I had to the captain of the ship,
as a return for my deliverance; but he generously told me, he
would take nothing from me, but that all I had should be
delivered safe to me, when I came to the Brazils. For, says
he, I have saved your life on no other terms than I would be
glad to be saved myself; and it may, one time or other, be
my lot to be taken up in the same condition. Besides, said
ne, when I carry you to the Brazils, so great a way from
your own country, if I should take from you what you have,
you will be starved there, and then I only take away that
life I had given. No, no, Senhor Ingles (Mr. Englishman),
says he, I will carry you thither in charity, and these things
will help to buy your subsistence there, and your passage
home again.
ADVENTURES OF
SECTION IV
MU
MY SETTLES IN THE BRAZILS AS A PLANTER-MAKES ANOTHER VOYAGE
AND IS SHIPWRECKED.
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 offer to touch anything I had: then he took
everything into his own possession, and gave me back an
exact inventory of them, that I might have them, even so
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 everything, 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 eighty pieces of eight for it at Brazil; and when it
came there, if any one offered to give more, he would make
it up. He offered me also sixty pieces of eight more for my boy
Xury, which I was loath to take; not that I was not willing
to let the captain have him, but I was very loath to sell the
poor boy's liberty, who had assisted me so faithfully in pro-
curing my own. However, when I let him know 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, and Xury saying
he was willing to go with 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 abou:
twenty-two days after. And now I was once more delivered
Com the most miserable of all conditions of life; and what
to do next with myself, I was now to consider.
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
53
The generous treatment the captain gave me, I can never
enough remember: he would take nothing of me for my
passage, gave me twenty ducats for the leopard's skin, and
forty for the lion's skin, which I had in my boat, and caused
everything I had in the ship to be punctually delivered to
me; and what I was willing to sell, he bought of me; such
as the case of bottles, two of my guns, and a piece of the
lump of beeswax, for I had made candles of the rest: in
a word, I made about two hundred and twenty pieces of
eight of all my cargo; and with this stock, I went on shore
in the Brazils.
I had not been long here, before I was recommended to
the house of a good honest man, like himself, who had an
ingenio as they call it (that is, a plantation and a sugar-
house). I lived with him some time, and acquainted myself,
by that means, with the manner of planting and of making
sugar; and seeing how well the planters lived, and how
they got rich suddenly, I resolved, if I could get a license to
settle there, I would turn planter among them: endeavoring,
in the meantime, to find out some way to get my money,
which I had left in London, remitted to me.
To this pur“
pose, 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; such a
one as might be suitable to the stock which I proposed to
myself to receive from England.
I had a neighbor, a Portuguese of Lisbon, but born of
English parents, whose name was Wells, and in much such
circumstances as I was. I call him my neighbor, because
his plantation lay next to mine, and we went on very socia-
bly together. My stock was but low, as well as his; and
we rather planted for food than anything else, for about twe
years. However, we began to increase, and our land began
to come in order; so that the third year we planted some
tobacco, and made each of us a large piece of ground ready
¡
5*
54
ADVENTURES OF
f
·
for planting canes in the year to come; but we both waned
help; and now I found 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
got into an employment quite remote to my genius, and di-
rectly contrary to the life I delighted in, and for which I
forsook my father's house, and broke through all his good.
advice nay, I was coming into the very middle station, 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 have fatigued myself in
the world, as I had done: and I used often to say to myself,
I could have done this as well in England, among my friends,
as to have gone five thousand miles off to do it among
strangers and savages, in a wilderness, and at such a dis-
tance as never to hear from any part of the world that had
the least knowledge of me.
:
In this manner, I used to look upon my condition with
the utmost regret. I had nobody to converse with, but now
and then this neighbor; no work to be done, but by the
labor of my hands and I used to say, I lived just like a
man cast away upon some desolate island, that had nobody
there but himself. But how just has it been! and how
should all men reflect, that when they compare their present
conditions 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 which I then led, in which,
had I continued, I had, in all probability, been exceeding
prosperous and rich!
S
h
I was, in some degree, settled in my measures for carrying
on the plantation, before my kind friend, the captain of the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
55
ship that took me up at sea, went back; for the ship re-
mained there, in providing his lading, and preparing for his
voyage, near three months; when telling him what little
stock I had left behind me in London, he gave me this
friendly and sincere advice: Senhor Inglez, says he (for so
he always called me), if you will give me letters, and a pro-
curation 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 for this country, I will bring you the produce of
them, God willing, at my return: but since human affairs
are all subject to changes and disasters, I would have you
give orders for but one hundred pounds sterling, which, you
say, is half your stock, and let the hazard be run for the
first, so that if it come safe, you may order the rest the same
way; and, if it miscarry, you may have the other half to
have recourse to for your supply. This was so wholesome
advice, and looked so friendly, that I could not but be con-
vinced it was the best course I could take; so I accordinglv
prepared letters to the gentlewoman with whom I left m
money, and a procuration to the Portuguese captain, as he
desired me.
I wrote the English captain's widow a full account of all
my adventures; my slavery, escape, and how I had met with
the Portuguese captain at sea, the humanity of his behavior,
and what condition I was now in, with all other necessary
directions for my supply; and when this honest captain
came to Lisbon, he found means, by some of the English
merchants there, to send over, not the order only, but a full
account of my story to a merchant at London, who repre-
sented it effectually to her whereupon she not only deliv
ered the money, but, out of her own pocket, sent the Portu-
guese captain a very handsome present for his humanity and
charity to me.
:
The merchant in London, vesting this hundred pounds in
56
ADVENTURES OF
1
English goods, such as the captain had wrote for, sent them
directly to him at Lisbon, and he brought them all safe to
me at the Brazils: among which, without my direction (for
I was too young in my business to think of them), he had
taken care to have all sorts of tools, iron work, and utensils,
necessary for my plantation, and which were of great use to
me. When this cargo arrived, I thought my fortune made,
for I was surprised with joy of it; and my good steward,
the captain, had laid out the five pounds, which my friend
had sent him as a present for himself, to purchase and bring
me over a servant, under 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 English manu-
factures, such as cloths, stuffs, baize, and things particularly
valuable and desirable in the country, I found means to sell
them to a very great advantage; so that I might say, I had
more than four times the value of my first cargo, and was
now infinitely beyond my poor neighbor, I mean in the ad-
ancement of my plantation: for the first thing I did, I
Dought 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 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 neighbors and these
fifty rolls, being each of above one hundred pounds weight,
were well cured, and laid by against the return of the fleet
from Lisbon: and now, increasing in business and in wealth,
my head began to be full of projects and undertakings be-
yond my reach; such as are, indeed, often the ruin of the
best heads in business. Had I continued in the station I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
57
was new 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 described
the middle station of life to be full of: but other things at-
tended 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 sor-
rows I should have leisure to make, all these miscarriages
were procured by my apparent obstinate adhering to my
foolish inclination, of wandering about, and pursuing that
inclination, in contradiction to the clearest views of doing
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 plantation, 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
human misery that ever man fell into, or perhaps could be
consistent with life, and a state of health in the world.
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 beginning to
thrive and prosper very well upon my plantation, I had not
only learned the language, but had contracted an acquaint-
ance and friendship among my fellow-planters, as well as
among the merchants of St. Salvador, which was our port:
and that, in my discourses among them, I had frequently
given them an account of my two voyages to the coast of
Guinea, the manner of trading with the Negroes there, and
how easy it was to purchase on the coast for trifles such
rs beads, toys, knives, scissors, batchets, bits of glass, and
}
58
ADVENTURES OF
A
the like not only gold dust, Guinca grains, elephants
teeth, &c., but Negroes, for the service of the Brazils, in
great numbers.
Ma
They listened always very attentively to my discourses on
these heads, but especially to that part which related to the
buying Negroes; which was a trade, at that time, not only
not far entered into, but, as far as it was, had been carried
on by the assientos, or permission of the kings of Spain and
Portugal, and engrossed from the public; so that few
Negroes were bought, and those excessively dear.
It happened, being in company with some merchants and
planters of my acquaintance, and talking of those things
very earnestly, three of them came to me the next morning,
and told me they had been musing very much upon what I
had discoursed with them of the last night, and they came
to make a secret proposal to me: and, after enjoining me to
secrecy, they told me that they had a mind to fit out a ship
to go to Guinea; that they had all plantations as well as I,
and were straitened for nothing so much as servants; that 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 planta-
tions; and, in a word, the question was, whether I would
go 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, without providing any
part of the stock.
I
This was a fair proposal, it must be confessed, had it been
made to any one that had not a settlement and plantation of
his own to look after, which was in a fair way of coming to
be very considerable, and with a good stock upon it. But
for me, that was thus entered and established, and had no-
thing to do but go or as I had begun, for three or four years
more, and to have sent for the other hundred pounds from
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
59
England; and who, in that time and with that little addı-
tion, could scarce have failed of being worth three or four
thousand pounds 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 restrain my first rambling
designs, when my father's good counsel was lost upon me.
In a word, I told them I would go with all my heart, if they
would undertake to look after my plantation in my absence,
and would dispose of it to such as I should direct, if I mis-
carried. This they all engaged to do, and entered into
writings or covenants to do so and I made a formal will,
disposing of my plantation and effects, in case of my death;
making the captain of the ship that had saved my life, as
before, my universal heir; but obliging him to dispose of my
effects as I had directed in my will; one-half of the produce
being to himself, and the other to be shipped to England.
In short, I took all possible caution to preserve my effects,
and to keep up my plantation: had I used half as much
prudence to have looked into my own interest, and have
made a judgment of what I ought to have done, and not to
have done, I had certainly never gone away from so prosper-
ous an undertaking, leaving all the probable views of a
thriving circumstance, and gone a voyage to sea, attended
with all its common hazards, to say nothing of the reasons
I had to expect particular misfortunes to myself.
But I was hurried on, and obeyed blindly the dictates of
my fancy, rather than my reason: and accordingly, the ship,
being fitted out, and the cargo furnished, and all things done
as by agreement, by my partners in the voyage, I went on
~ board in an evil hour again, the first of September, 1659,
being the same day eight years that I went from my parents
at Hfull, in order to act the rebel to their authority, and the
fool to my own interest.
60
ADVENTURES OF
Our ship was about one hundred and twenty, tons burden,
carried six guns and fourteen men, besides the master, his
boy, and myself; we had on board no large cargo of goods,
except of such toys as were fit for our trade with the Ne-
groes, such as beads, bits of glass, shells, and odd trifles,
especially little looking-glasses, knives, scissors, hatchets,
and the like.
The very same day I went on board we set sail, standing
away to the northward upon our own coast, with design to
stretch over for the African coast. When they came about
ten or twelve degrees of northern latitude, which, it seems,
was the manner of their course in those days, we had very
good weather, only excessively hot all the way upon our own
coast, till we came to the height of Cape St. Augustino;
from whence, keeping farther off at sea, we lost sight of
land, and steered as if we were bound for the isle Fernando
de Noronha, holding our course N.E. by N. and leaving
those isles on the east. In this course we passed the Line
in about twelve days' time, and were, by our last observa-
tion, in seven degrees twenty-two minutes northern latitude,
when a violent tornado, or hurricane, took us quite out of
our knowledge: it began from the south-east, came about to
the north-west, and then settled in 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 whithersoever 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, indeed, 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 a
boy washed overboard. About the twelfth day, the weather
abating a Kttle, the master made an observation as well as
he could, and found that he was in about eleven degrees
north latitude, but that he was twenty-two degrees of longi
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
61
tude difference, west from Cape St. Augustino; so that he
found he was got upon the coast of Guiana, or the north
part of Brazil, beyond the river Amazons, toward that of the
river Oronoco, commonly called the Great River; and began
to consult with me what course he should take, for the ship
was leaky and very much disabled, and he was for going di-
rectly 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 Carribee islands, and there-
fore resolved to stand away for Barbadoes; which by keeping
off to sea, to avoid the indraft of the bay or gulf of Mexico,
we might easily perform, as we hoped, in about fifteen days'
sail; whereas we could not possibly make our voyage to the
coast of Africa 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 other-
wise determined; for being in the latitude of twelve degrees
eighteen 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 all
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.
露
​In this distress, the wind still blowing very hard, one of
our men early in the 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, than the ship struck upon
a sand, and in a moment, 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 immedi-
6
62
ADVENTURES OF
ately driven into our close quarters, to shelter us from the
very foam and spray of the sea.
It is not casy for any one who has not been in the like
condition to describe or conceive the consternation 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 inhabited 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 immediately turn about.
In a
word we sat looking upon one another, and expecting death
every moment, and every man acting accordingly, as pre-
paring for another world; for there was little or nothing
more for us to do in this: that which was our present com-
fort, and all the comfort we had, was, that, contrary to our
expectation, the ship did not break yet, and that the master
aid the wind began to abate.
Now, though we thought that the wind did a little abate,
yet the ship having thus struck upon the sand, and sticking
too fast for us to expect her getting off, we were in a dread-
ful condition indeed, and had nothing to do, but to think of
saving our lives as well as we could. We had a boat at our
stern just before the storm, but she was first staved by dash-
ing against the ship's rudder, and, in the next place, she
broke away, and either sunk, or was driven off to sea; so
there was no hope from her: we had another boat on board,
but how to get her off into the sea was a doubtful thing;
however, there was no room to debate, for we fancied the
ship would break in pieces every minute, and some told us
she was actually broken already.
In this distress, the mate of our vessel laid 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, we let
her go, and committed ourselves, being eleven in number, to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
63
God's mercy, and the wild sca: for though the storm was
abated considerably, yet the sea went dreadfully high upon
the shore, and might be well called den wild zee, 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
live, and that we should be inevitably 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 nearer to the shore,
she would be dashed in a thousand pieces by the breach of
the sca.
However, we committed our souls to God in the
most carnest manner; and the wind driving us towards the
shore, we hastened our destruction with our own hands,
pulling as well as we could towards land.
What the shore was whether rock or sand, whether
steep or shoal we knew not; the only hope that could
rationally give us the least shadow of expectation, was, if
we might happen 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 nothing of this appeared; and 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 plainly bade us expect the coup de
grace. In a word, it took us with such fury, that it overset
the boat at once; and separating us, as well from the boat
as from one another, gave us not time hardly to say, "O
God!" for we were all swallowed up in a moment.
M
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
}
64
ADVENTURES OF
draw my breath, till that wave having driven me, or rather
carried me, a vast way on towards the shore, and having
spent itself, went back, and left me upon the land almost
dry, but half dead with the water I took in. I had so much
presence of mind, as well as breath left, that seeing myself
nearer the main land than I expected, I got upon my feet,
and endeavored 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 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 and hands shoot out above the surface of the water;
and though it was not two seconds of time that I could
keep myself so, yet it relieved me greatly, 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 took to my heels, and
ran with what strength I had farther towards the shore.
1

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Page 65.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
65
1
But neither would this deliver me from the fury of the sea,
which came pouring in after me again; and twice more I
was lifted up by the waves and carried forwards as before,
the shore being very flat.
The last time of these two had well nigh been fatal to
me; for the sea, having hurried me along, as before, landed
me, or rather dashed me, against a piece of a rock, and that
with such force, that it left me senseless, and indeed helpless,
as to my own deliverance; 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 before the return
of the waves, and, seeing I should again be covered 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 the first, being nearer
land, I held my hold till the wave abated, and then fetched
another run, which brought me so near the shore, that the
next wave, though it went over me, yet did not so swallow
me up as to carry me away; and the next run I took, I got
to the 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 were, some minutes before, scarcely any room to hope.
I believe it is impossible to express, to the life, what the
ecstacies and transports of the soul are, when it is so saved,
as I may say, out of the grave: and I did not wonder now
at the custom, viz., that when a malefactor, who has the
halter about his neck, is tied up, and just going to be turned
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
hat very moment they tell him of it, that the surprise may
6*
66
ADVENTURES OF
not drive the animal spirits from the heart, and overwhelm
him.
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, wrapped up in the contemplation
of my deliverance; making a thousand gestures and motions,
which I cannot describe; reflecting upon my comrades that
were drowned, and that there should not be one soul saved
but myself; for, as for them, I never saw them afterwards,
or any sign 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 1
could get on shore?
:
After I had solaced my mind with the comfortable part
of my condition, I began to look around me, to see what
kind of a 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 a dreadful deliverance: for I was wet, had no
lothes to shift me, nor anything either to eat or drink, to
comfort me; neither did I see any prospect before me, but
that of perishing with hunger, or 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 such 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 th re were any ravenous beasts in that country, seeing
at night they always come abroad for their prey.
ROBINSON CRUSOR.
67
All the remedy that offered to my thoughts, at that time,
was, to get up into a thick bushy tree, like a fir, but thorny
which grew near me, and where I resolved to sit all night
and consider the next day what death I should die, for as
yet I saw no prospect of life. I walked about a furlong
from the shore, to see if I could find ny fresh water tc
drink, which I did, to my great joy; and having drank, and
put a little tobacco into my mouth to prevent hunger, I wen
to the tree, and getting up into it, endeavored to place my-
self so as that, if I should fall asleep, 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
most refreshed with it that I think I ever was on such an
occasion.
SECTION V.
1
ROBINSON FINDS HIMSELF IN A DESOLATE ISLAND-PROCURES A STOCK
OF ARTICLES FROM THE WRECK-CONSTRUCTS HIS HABITATION
WHEN I waked it was broad day, the weather clear, and the
storm abated, so that the sea did not rage and swell as be-
fore; 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 at first mentioned, where I had been so
bruised by the wave 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.
་
68
ADVENTURES OF
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 the sea had tossed her up,
upon the land, about two miles on my right hand. I walked
as far as I could upon the shore to 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 if we had kept on board, we
had been all safe; that is to say, we had all got safe on
shore, and I had not been so miserabie 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 this, 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 diffi-
culty was still greater to know how to get on board; for as
she lay aground, and high out of the water, there was nothing
within my reach to lay hold of. I swam round her twice,
and the second time I spied a small piece of rope, which I
wondered I did not see at first, hang down by the fore-chains
so low, as that with great difficulty I got hold of it, and by
the help of that rope got 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 lifted up
upon the bank, and her head low, almost to the water. By
this means all her quarter was free, and all that was in that
part was dry; 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 provisiors were dry and un-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
69
otched by the water: and, being very well disposed to eat, I
went to the bread-room, and filled my pockets with biscuit,
and ate 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 drain, and which I had indeed need enough of,
to spirit me for what was before me. Now I wanted no-
thing but a boat, to furnish myself with many things which
I foresaw would be very necessary to me.
It was in vain to sit still and wish for what was not to be
had, and this extremity roused my application: we had
several spare yards, and two or three large spars of wood,
and a spare topmast or two in the ship; I resolved to fall to
work with these, and flung as many 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 to 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, crossways, I found I could walk upon it very
well, but that it was not able to bear any great weight, the
pieces being too light; so I went to work, and with the
carpenter's saw I cut a spare topmast into three lengths, and
added them to my raft, with a great deal of labor and pains.
But the hope of furnishing myself with necessaries, encour-
aged me to go beyond what I should have been able to have
done upon another occasion.
My raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable
weight. My next care was what to load it with, and how
to preserve what I laid upon it from the surf 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 got three of the seamen's chests,
which I had broken open and emptied, and lowered them
down upon my raft; these I filled with provisions, viz.,
bread, rice, three Dutch cheeses, five pieces of dried goats'
į
70
ADVENTURES OF
flesh (which we lived much upon), and a little remainder of
European corn, which had been laid by for some fowls which
we had 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 afterwards 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 cor-
dial waters; and, in all, about five or six gallons of rack.
These I stowed by themselves, there being no need to put
them into the chests, nor any room for them. While I was
doing this, I found the tide began to flow, though very calm;
and I had the mortification to sce my coat, shirt, and waist-
coat, which I had left on shore, upon the sand, swim away;
as for my breeches, which were only linen, and open-kneed,
I swam on board in them, and my stockings. However,
this put me upon rummaging for clothes, of which I found
enough, but took no more than I wanted for present use, for
I had other things which my eye was more upon as, first,
tools to work with on shore: and it was after long searching
that I found the carpenter's chest, which was indeed a very
useful prize to me, and much more valuable than a ship-
lading 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
and a small bag of shot, and two old rusty swords. I knew
there were three barrels of powder in the ship, but knew not
where our gunner had stowed them; but with much search I
fourd them, two of them dry and good, the third had taken
water.
And
Those two I got to my raft, with the arms.
now I thought myself pretty well freighted, and began to
think how I should get to shore with them, having neither
·
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Page 71.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
71
}
Bail, oar, nor rudder; and the least capful of wind would
have overset all my navigation.
♦
BL
I had three encouragements: 1st, A smooth, calm sea:
2dly, The tide rising, and setting in to the shore; 3dly
What little wind there was blew me towards the land. And
thus, having found two or three broken oars belonging to the
Loat, and besides the tools which were in the chest, I found
two saws, an axe, and a hammer; and with this cargo I put
to sca. For a mile, or thereabouts, my raft went very well,
only that I found it drive a little distant from the place
where I had landed before; by which I perceived that there
was some indraft of the water, and consequently I hoped to
find some creek or river there, which, I might make use of
as a port to get to land with my cargo.
*
As I imagined, so it was there appeared before me a
little opening of the land, and I found a strong current of
the tide set into it; so I guided my raft, as well as I could,
to get into the middle of the stream. But here I had like
to have suffered a second shipwreck, which, if I had, I think
it verily would have broken my heart; for, knowing nothing
of the coast, my raft ran aground at one end of it upon a
shoal, and, not being aground at the other end, it wanted
but a little that all my cargo had slipped off towards that
end that was afloat, and so fallen into the water. I did my
utmost, by setting my back against the chests, to keep them
in their places, but could not thrust off the raft with all my
strength; neither durst I stir from the posture I was in, but
holding up the chests with all my might, I stood in that
manner near half an hour, in which time the rising of the
water brought me a little more upon a level; and a little
after, the water still rising, my raft floated again, and I thrust
her off with the oar I had into the channel, and then driving
up higher, I at length found myself in the mouth of a little
river, with land on both sides, and a strong current or tide
·
C
+
72
ADVENTURES OF
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
resolved to place myself as near the coast as I could.
At length I spied a little cove on the right shore of the
creek, to which, with great pain and difficulty, I guided my
raft, and at last got so near, as that, reaching ground with
my oar, I could thrust her directly in; but here I had like
to have dipped all my cargo into the sea again; for that
shore lying pretty steep, that is to say, sloping, there was no
place to land, but where one end of my float, if it ran on
shore, would lie so high, and the other sink lower, as before,
that it would endanger my cargo again. All that I could do
was to wait till the tide was at the highest, keeping the raft
with my oar like an anchor, to hold the side of it fast to the
shore, near a flat piece of ground, which I expected the
water would flow over; and so it did. As soon as I found
water enough, for my raft drew about a foot of water, I
thrust her upon that flat piece of ground, and there fastened
or moored her, by sticking my two broken oars into the
ground, one on one side, near one end, and one on the other
side, near the other end: and thus I 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 se-
cure them from whatever might happen. 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 labor and difficulty, got up to the top
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
73
5%
I saw my fate, to my great affliction, viz., that I was in an
island, environed every way with the sca, no land to be seen,
except some rocks, which lay a great way off, and two small
islands, less than this, which lay about three leagues to the
west.
I found also that the island I was in was barren, and, as I
saw good reason to believe, uninhabited, except by wild
beasts, of whom, however, I saw none; yet I saw abundance
of fowls, but knew not their kinds; neither, when I killed
them, could I tell what was fit for food, and what not. At
my coming back, I shot at a great bird, which I saw sitting
upon a tree, on the side of a great wood. I believe it was
the first gun that had been fired there since the creation of
the world: I had no sooner fired, but from all the parts of
the wood there arose an innumerable 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 the creature I killed, I took it to
be a kind of a hawk, its color 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 my cargo on shore, which took me
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
devour me; though, as I afterwards found, there was really
no need for those fears. However, as well as I could, I barri-
cadoed myself round with 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
bares, run out of the wood where I 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
3
7
74
ADVENTURES OF
1
particularly some of the rigging and sails, and such othe
things as might come to land; and I resolved to make
another voyage on board the vessel, if possible. And as 1
knew that the first storm that blew must necessarily break
her all in pieces, I resolved to set all other things apart, till
I got everything out of the ship that I could get. Then I
called a council, 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 before I went from my hut;
having nothing on but a chequered 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 car-
penter's stores, I found two or three bags 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 belonging to
the gunner; particularly, two or three iron crows, and two
barrels of musket bullets, seven muskets, and another
fowling-picce, with some small quantity of powder 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 men's
clothes that I could find, and a spare fore-topsail, a ham-
mock, and some bedding; and with this I loaded my second
raft, and brought them all safe on shore, to my very great
comfort.
I was under'some apprehensions lest, during my absence
from the land, 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 a little distance,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
75
and then stood still. She sat very composed and uncon-
cerned, and looked full in my face, as if she had a mind to
be acquainted with me. I presented my gun to her, but, as
she did not understand it, she was perfectly unconcerned at
it, nor did she offer to stir away; upon which I tossed her a
bit of biscuit, though, by the way, I was not very free of it,
for my store was not great; however, I spared her a bit, I
say, and she went to it, smelled of it, and ate it, and looked
(as pleased) for more; but I thanked her, and could spare
no more: so she marched off.
Having got my second cargo on shore-though I was fair
to open the barrels of powder, and bring them by parcels,
for they were too heavy, being large casks—I went to work
to make me a little tent, with the sail, and some poles,
which I cut for that purpose; and into this tent I brought
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 sudden attempt either
from man or beast.
When I had done this, I blocked up the door of the tent
with some boards within, and an empty chest set up on end
without; and spreading one of the beds upon the ground,
laying my two pistols just at my head, and my gun at
length by me, I went to bed for the first time, and slept
very quietly all night, for I was very weary and heavy; for
the night before I had slept little, and had labored very
hard all day, as well to fetch all those things from the ship
as to get them on shore.
I had the biggest 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 everything 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
:
76
ADVENTURES OF
all the small ropes and rope-twine I could get, with a piece
of spare canvas, which was to mend the sails upon occa-
sion, and the barrel of wet gunpowder. In a word, I
brought away all the sails first and last; only that I was
fain to cut them in pieces, and bring as much at a time as I
could; for they were no more useful to be sails, but as mere
canvas only.
But that which comforted me still more was, that, last of
all, after I had made five or six such voyages as these, and
thought I had nothing more to expect from the ship that
was worth my meddling with; I say, after all this, I found
a great hogshead of bread, and three large runlets of rum
or spirits, and a box of sugar, and a barrel of fine flour;
this was surprising to me, because I had given over expect-
ing any more provisions, except what was spoiled by the
water. I soon emptied the hogshead of that bread, and
wrapped it up, parcel by parcel, in pieces of the sails, which
I cut out; and, in a word, I got all this safe on shore also.
The next day I made another voyage, and now having
plundered the ship of what was portable and fit to hand out,
1 began with the cables, and cutting the great cable into
pieces such as I could move, I got two cables and a hawscr
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 now
to leave me; for this raft was so unwieldy, and so overladen,
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 a 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 the
fa
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
77
iron, though with infinite labor; for I was fain to dip for it
into the water, a work which fatigued me very much. After
this I went every day on board, and brought away what I
could get.
I had been now thirteen days ashore, and had been eleven
times on board the ship; in which time 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 rummaged the cabin so
effectually, as that nothing could be found, yet I discovered
a locker with drawers in it, in one of which I found two or
three razors, and one pair of large scissors, with some ten or
a dozen of good knives and forks; in another I found about
thirty-six pounds in money, some European coin, some Bra-
zil, some pieces of eight, some gold, and some silver.
I smiled to myself at the sight of this money; O drug!
I exclaimed, what art thou good for? Thou art not worth
ío me, no, not the taking off the ground; one of those
knives is worth all this heap: I have no manner of use for
thee; e'en 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 canvas, I began to think of making another raft;
but while I was preparing this, I found the sky overcast,
and the wind began to rise, and in a quarter of an hour it
blew a fresh gale from the shore. It presently occurred to
me, that it was in vain to pretend to make a raft with the
wind off shore; and that it was my business to be gone
before the tide or flood began, or 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
ay between the ship and the sands, and even that with
**
78
ADVENTURES OF
!
difficulty enough, partly with the weight of the things I Lad
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 got 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 ship was to be seen! I was a little surprised, but
recovered myself with this satisfactory reflection, viz., that I
had lost no time, nor abated no diligence, to get everything
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 more time.
I now gave over any more thoughts of the ship, or of
anything out of her, except what might drive on shore, from
her wreck; as indeed, divers pieces of her afterwards did;
but those things were of small use to me.
My thoughts were now wholly employed about securing
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 me a cave in the earth, or a
tent upon the earth; and, in short, I resolved upon both;
the manner and description of which, it may not be improper
to give an account of.
I soon found the place I was in was not for my settlement,
particularly because it was upon a low, moorish ground, near
the sea, and I believed it would not be wholesome; and
more particularly because there was no fresh water near it:
so I resolved to find a more healthy and more convenient
spot of ground.
I consulted several things in my situation, which 1 found
would be proper for me; first, air and fresh water, I just
now mentioned: secondly, shelter from the heat of the sun :
thirdly, security from ravenous creatures, whether men or
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
77
beasts: fourthly, a view to the sea, that if God sent any
hip in sight, I might not lose any advantage for my
deliverance, of which I was not willing to banish all my
expectation yet.
In search 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 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 not really any
cave, or way into the rock, at all.
On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place, I
resolved to pitch my tent. This 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 of it, descended
irregularly every way down into the low ground by the sea-
side. It was on the N.N.W. side of the hill; so that it
was sheltered from the heat every day, till it came to a W.
and by S. sun, or thereabouts, which, in those countries, is
near the setting.
Before I set up my tent, I drew a half-circle before the
hollow place, which took in about ten yards in its semi-
diameter from the rock, and twenty yards in its diameter,
from its beginning and ending.
In this half-circle I pitched two rows of strong stakes,
driving them into the ground till they stood very firm like
piles, the biggest end being out of the ground, about five
feet and a half, and sharpened on the top. The two rows
did not stand above six inches from one another.
Then I took the pieces of cable which I cut in the ship.
and laid them in rows, one upon another, within the circle,
between these two rows of stakes, up to the top, placing
other stakes in the inside, leaning against them, about two
feet and a half high, like a spur to a post; and this fence
was so strong; that neither man nor beast could get into it
80
ADVENTURES OF
or over it. This cost me a great deal of time and labor,
especially to cut the piles in the woods, bring them to the
place, and drive them into the earth.
•
The entrance into this place I made to be not by a door,
nut by a short ladder to go 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 against the
enemies that I apprehended danger from.
SECTION VI
CARRIES ALL HIS RICHES, PROVISIONS, ETC. INTO HIS HABITATION
DREARINESS OF SOLITUDE-CONSOLATORY REFLECTIONS.
INTO this fence, or fortress, with infinite labor, I carried all
my riches, all my provisions, ammunition, and stores, of
which you have the account above; and I made a large tent,
which, to preserve me from the rains, that in one part of the
year are very violent there, I made double, viz., one smaller
tent within, and one larger tent above it, and covered the
uppermost with a large tarpaulin, which I had saved among
the sails.
And now I lay no more for a while in the bed which I had
brought on shore, but in a hammock, which was indeed a
very good one, and belonged to the mate of the ship.
Into this tent I brought all my provisions, and everything
that would spoil by the wet; and having thus enclosed all
my goods, 1 made up the entrance, which till now I had left
C
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
81
open, and so passed and repassed, as I said, by a short
ladder.
When I had done this, I began to work my way into the
rock, and bringing all the earth and stones that I dug down
out through my tent, I laid them up within my fence in the
nature of a 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 me like a cellar to my house. It cost
me much labor and many days, before all these things were
brought to perfection; and therefore I must go back to some
other things which took up some of my thoughts. At the
same time it happened, after I had laid my scheme for the
setting up my tent, and making the cave, that a storm of
rain falling from a thick, dark cloud, a sudden flash of light-
ning happened, and after that, a great clap of thunder, as is
naturally the effect of it. I was not so much surprised with
the lightning, as I was with a thought, which darted into
my mind as swift as the lightning itself: O my powder!
My very heart sank within me when I thought, that at one
blast, all my powder might be destroyed; on which, not my
defence only, but the providing me food, as I thought, en-
tirely depended. I was nothing near so anxious about my
own danger, though, had the powder taken fire, I should
never have known who had hurt me.
Such impression did this make upon me, .that after the
storm was over, I laid aside all my works, my building and
fortifying, and applied myself to make bags and boxes, to
separate the powder, and to keep it a little and a little in a
parcel, in hope 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 another. I finished this
work in about a fortnight; and I think my powder, which
in all was about two hundred and forty pounds weight, was
divided into not less than a hundred parcels. As to the
barrel that had been wet, I did not apprehend any danger
}
82
ADVENTURES OF
from that; so I placed it in my new cave, which, in my
fancy, I called my kitchen, and the rest I hid up and down
in holes among the rocks, so that no wet might come to it,
marking very carefully where I laid it.
In the interval of time while this was doing, I went out
at least once every day with my gun, as well to divert my-
self, as to see if I could kill anything fit for food; and, as
near as I could, to acquaint myself with what the island
produced. The first time I went out, I presently discovered.
that there were goats upon the island, which was a great
satisfaction to me; but then it was attended with this mis-
fortune to me, viz., that they were so shy, so subtle, and so
swift of foot, that it was the most difficult thing in the world
to come at them: but I was not discouraged at this, not
doubting but 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; I observed, if they saw me in
the valleys, though they were upon the rocks, they would
run away as in a terrible fright; but if they were feeding in
the valleys, and I was upon the rocks, they took no notice
of me; from whence I concluded, that by the position of
their optics, their sight was so directed downward, that they
did not readily see objects that were above them: so after-
wards, I took this method -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 killed a she-
goat, which had a little kid by her, which she gave suck to,
which grieved me heartily; but when the old one fell, the
kid stood stock still by her, till I came and took her up;
and not only so, but when I carried the old one with me,
upon my shoulders, the kid followed me quite to my en-
closure; 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
83
p
great while, for I eat sparingly, and preserved my
provisions (my bread especially) as much as possibly I
could.
Having now 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 proper place: but I must first give some
little account of myself, and of my thoughts about living,
which, it may well be supposed, 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 consider it as a determination of
Heaven, that in this desolate place, and in this desolate
manner, I should end my life. The tears would run plenti-
fully down my face when I made these reflections; and
sometimes I would expostulate with myself why Providence.
should thus completely ruin its creatures, and render them
so absolutely miserable; so abandoned without help, so
entirely depressed, that it could hardly be rational to be
thankful for such a life.
T
*
But something always returned swift upon me to check
these thoughts, and to reprove me; and particularly, one
day walking with my gun in my hand, by the seaside, I
was very pensive upon the subject of my present condition,
when reason, as it were, expostulated with me the other
way, thus: Well, you are in a desolate condition it is true;
but, pray remember, where are the rest of you? Did not
you come eleven of you into the boat? Where are the ten?
Why were not they saved, and you lost? Why were you
singled out? Is it better to be here or there? And then
pointed to the sea. All evils are to be considered with
*
84
ADVENTURES OF
the good that is in them, and with what worse attends
them.
Then it occurred to me again, how well I was furnished
for my subsistence, and what would have been my case if it
had not happened (which was a 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 these things out of her; what would have been my case,
if I had been to have lived in the condition in which I at
first came on shore, without necessaries of life, or necessaries
to supply and procure them? Particularly, said I aloud
(though to myself), what should I have done without a gun,
without ammunition, without any tools to make anything,
or to work with, without clothes, bedding, a tent, or any
manner of covering? and that now I had all these to a suf-
ficient quantity, and was in a fair way to provide myself in
such a manner as to live without my gun, when my ammu-
nition was spent: so that I had a tolerable view of subsist-
ng, without any want, as long as I lived; for I considered,
from the beginning, how I would provide for the accidents
hat might happen, and for the time that was to come, not
only after my ammunition should be spent, but even after
my health or strength should decay.
I confess, I had not entertained any notion of my ammu-
nition 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 relation 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 con-
tinue it in its order. It was, by my account, the 30th of
September when, in the manner as above said, I first set
foot upon this horrid island; when the sun being to
*
;
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
85
}
as in its autumnal equinox, was almost just over my
head: for I reckoned myself, by observation, to be in the
latitude of nine degrees twenty-two minutes north of the
Line.
SECTION VII.
ROBINSON'S MODE OF RECKONING TIME-DIFFICULTIES ARISING FROM
WANT OF TOOLS-HE ARRANGES HIS HABITATION.
AFTER I had been there about ten or twelve days, it came
into my thoughts that I should lose my reckoning of time
for want of books, and pen and ink, and should even forget
the sabbath days from the working days: but, to prevent
this, I cut it with my knife upon a large post, in capital
letters; and making it into a great cross, I set it up on the
shore where I first landed, viz., "I came on shore here on
the 30th of September, 1659." Upon the sides of this
square-post I cut every day a notch 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 that long one: and
thus I kept my calendar, or weekly, monthly, and yearly
reckoning of time.
But it happened, that among the many things which I
brought out of the ship, in the several 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 found, some
time after, in rummaging the chests: as, in particular, pens,
ink, and paper; several parcels in the captain's, mate's,
gunner's, and carpenter's keeping; three or four compasses,
some mathematical instruments, dials, perspectives, charts,
and books of navigation; all of which I huddled together,
8
86
ADVENTURES OF
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 Portu-
gese books also, and, among them, two or three popish
prayer-books, and several other books, all which I carefully.
secured. 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
for 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 would not do. As
I observed before, I found pens, ink, and paper, and I
husbanded them to the utmost; and I shall show that while
my ink lasted, I kept things very exact, but after that was
gone, I could not; for I could not make any ink, by any
means that I could devise.
And this put me in mind that I wanted many things,
notwithstanding all that I had amassed together; and of
these, this of ink was one; as also a spade, pickaxe, 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 my habitation. The piles or
stakes, which were as heavy as I could well lift, were a long
time in cutting and preparing in the woods, and more by
far, in bringing home; so that I spent sometimes two days
in cutting and bringing home one of those posts, and a third
day in driving it into the ground; for which purpose, I got
a heavy piece of wood at first, but at last bethought myself
of one of the iron crows; which, however, though I found
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
81
it answer, made driving these posts or piles very laborious
and tedious work. But what need I have been concerned
at the tediousness of anything I had to do; seeing I had
time enough to do it in? nor had I any other employment,
if that had been over, at least that I could foresee, except
the ranging the island to seek for food; which I did, more
or less, every day.
EVIL.
I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the
circumstance 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 afflicting my mind: and as my reason began now
to master 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 very impartially, like debtor and creditor, the comforts
I enjoyed against the miseries I suffered, thus:
I am cast upon a horrible, desolate
island, void of all hope of recovery.
I am singled out and separated,
as it were, from all the world, to be
miserable.
I am divided from mankind, a
solitaire; one banished from human
ociety.
I have no clothes to cover me.
I am without any defence, or
GOOD.
But I am alive; and not drowned,
as all my ship's company were.
But 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 perish-
ing in a barren place, affording no
sustenance.
But I am in a hot climate, where
if I had clothes, I could hardly
wear them.
But I am cast on an island where
38
ADVENTURES OF
means to resist any violence of man
or beast.
I have no soul to speak to, or
relieve me.
I see no wild beasts to hurt me, as 3
saw on the coast of Africa: uỏ
what if I had been shipwrecked
there?
But God wonderfully sent the
ship in near enough to the shore,
that I have got out so many neces-
sary things, as will either supply
my wants, or enable me to supply
myself, even as long as I live.
Upon the whole, here was an unbounded testimony, that
there was scarce any 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 most miserable of all conditions in
this world, that we may always find in it something to com-
fort 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 condi-
tion, and given over looking out to sea, to see if I could
spy a ship; I say, given 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 now rather call it a wall, for
I raised a kind of wall against it of turfs, about two fect
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 tock
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
89
ap all my place; I had no room to turn myself: so I set
myself to enlarge my cave, and work farther into the earth;
for it was a loose sandy rock which yielded easily to the
labor I bestowed on it: and 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 out in the
outside of my pale or fortification.
This gave me not only egress and regress, as it were, a
back way 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, particularly a chair and a
table; for without these I was not able to enjoy the few
comforts I had in the world; I could not write, or eat, or do
several things with so much pleasure, without a table: so I
went to work. And here I must needs observe, that as
reason is the substance and original of the mathematics, so
by stating and squaring everything by reason, and by making
the most rational judgment of things, every man may be, in
time, master of every mechanic art. I had never handled a
tool in my life; and yet, in time, by labor, application, and
contrivance I found at last, that I wanted nothing but I could
have made, especially if I had had tools. However, I made
abundance of things, even without 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 labor.
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. I'
is true, by this method, I could make but one board of a
whole tree; but this I had no remedy for but patience, any
more than I had for a prodigious deal of time and labor
which it took me up to make a plank or board: but my time
8*
90
ADVENTURES OF
L
or labor 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 observed
above, in the first place; and this I did out of the short
pieces of boards that I brought on my raft from the ship.
But when I wrought out some boards, as above, I made
large shelves, of the breadth of a foot and a half, one over
another, all along one side of my cave, to lay all my tools,
nails, and iron work on; and in a word, to separate every-
thing at large in their places, that I might easily come at
them. 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 seen, it looked like a general magazine of all
necessary things; and I had everything so ready at my hand,
that it was a great pleasure to me to see all my goods in
such order, and especially to find my stock of all necessarics
so great.
“Sept.
And now it was that I began to keep a journal of every
day's employment; for, indeed, at first, I was in too much.
hurry, and not only as to labor, but in much discomposure of
mind; and my journal would, too, have been full of many
dull things: for example, I must have said thus
30th. After I had got to shore, and had escaped drowning,
instead of being thankful to God for my deliverance, having
first vomited, with the great quantity of salt water which
was gotten into my stomach, and recovering myself a little,
I ran about the shore, wringing my hands, and beating my
head and face, exclaiming at my misery, and crying out I
was undone, 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 I had been on board the
ship, and got all that I could out of her, I could not forbear
getting up to the top of a little mountain, and looking out
to sca, in hopes of seeing a ship: then fancy that, at a vast
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
91
distance, I spied a sail, please myself with the hopes of it,
and, after looking steadily, till I was almost blind, lose it
quite, and sit down and weep like a child, and thus increase
my misery by my folly.
But, having gotten over these things in some measure, and
having settled my household stuff and habitation, made me
a table and a chair, and all as handsome stuff about me as I
could, I began to keep my journal of which I shall here.
give you the copy (though in it will be told all these partic-
ulars over again) as long as it lasted; for, having no more
ink, I was forced to leave it off.
:
A
SECTION VIII.
ROBINSON'S JOURNAL DETAILS OF HIS DOMESTIC ECONOMY AND CON
TRIVANCES -SHOCK OF AN EARTHQUAKE.
THE JOURNAL.
SEPTEMBER 30th, 1659. I, poor miserable Robinson Crusoe,
being shipwrecked, during a dreadful storm, in the offing,
came on shore on this dismal unfortunate 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 that day I spent in afflicting myself at the
dismal circumstances I was brought to, viz., I had neither
food, house, clothes, weapon, nor place to fly to and in
despair of any relief, saw nothing but death before me: that
I should either be devoured by wild beasts, murdered 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;
but slept soundly, though it rained all night.
12
ADVENTURES OF
OCTOBER 1. In the morning I saw, to my great 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 (for seeing her sit upright, and not
broken in pieces, I hoped, if the wind abated, I might get
on board, and get some food and necessaries out of her for
my relief), so, on the other hand, it renewed my grief at the
loss of my comrades, who, I imagined, if we had all staid
on board, might have saved the ship, or, at least, that they
would not have been all drowned, as they were: and that,
had the men been saved, we might perhaps have built us a
boat, out of the ruins of the ship, to have carried us to some
other part of the world. I spent great part of this day in
perplexing myself on these things; but, at length, seeing
the ship almost dry, I went upon the sand as near as I could,
and then swam on board. This day also it continued rain-
ing, though with no wind at all.
From the 1st of October to the 24th. All these days
entirely spent in many several voyages to get all I could out
of the ship; which I brought on shore, every tide of flood,
upon rafts. Much rain also in these days, though with some
intervals of fair weather; but, it seems, this was the rainy
season.
OCT. 20. I overset my raft, and all the goods I had
got upon it; but being in shoal water, and the things
being chiefly heavy I recovered many of them when the tide
was out.
Ocт. 25. It rained all night and all day, with some
gusts of wind; during which time the ship broke in pieces.
(the wind blowing a little harder than before) and was no
more to be seen, except the wreck of her, and that only at
low water. I spent this day in covering and securing the
goode which I had saved, that the rain might not spoi
them.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
95
Ce.. 26. I walked about the shore almost all day, to
find out a place to fix my habitation; greatly concerned
to secure myself from any attack in the night, either from
wild beasts or men. Towards night I fixed upon a proper
place, under a rock, and marked out a semicircle for my
campinent; which I resolved to strengthen with a work,
wall, or fortification, made of double piles lined within with
cables, 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
'ime it rained exceedingly hard.
The 31st, in the morning, I went out into the island with
my gun, to seek for some food, and discover the country;
when I killed a she-goat, and her kid followed me home,
which I afterwards killed also, because it would not feed.
NOVEMBER 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 round 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
ike ducks, which were very good food. In the afternoon I
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 to work till about eleven o'clock; then ate what I
had to live on; and from twelve to two I lay down to sleep,
the weather being excessive hot; and then, in the evening,
to work again. The working part of this day and the next
was wholly employed in making my table, for I was yet but
•
94
ADVENTURES OF
a very sorry workman: though time and necessity made me
a complete natural mechanic soon after, as I believe they
would any one else.
Nov. 5. This day went abroad with my gun and dog,
and killed a wild cat; her skin pretty soft, but her flesh
good for nothing: of every creature that I killed I took off
the skins, and preserved them. Coming back by the sea-
shore, I saw many sorts of sea-fowl which I did not under-
stand: but was surprised, and almost frightened, with two
or three seals; which while I was gazing at them (not well
knowing what they were) got into the sea, and escaped me
for that time.
C
Nov. 6. After my morning walk, I went to work with
my table again, and finished it, though not to my liking:
nor was it long before I learned to mend it.
Nov. 7. Now it began to be settled fair weather. The
7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and part of the 12th (for the 11th was
Sunday, according to my reckoning), I took wholly up to
make me a chair, and with much ado brought it to a tolera-
ble shape, but never to please me; and, even in the making,
I pulled it to pieces several times.
NOTE. I soon neglected my keeping 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 accompanied
with terrible thunder and lightning, which frightened me
dreadfully, for fear of my powder. As soon as it was over,
I resolved to separate my stock of powder into as many little
parcels as possible, that it might not be in danger.
Nov. 14, 15, 16. These three days I spent in making
little square chests or boxes, which might hold about a
pound, or two pounds at most, of powder; and so, putting
the powder in, I stowed it in places as secure and as remote
from one another as possible. On one of these three days 1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
95
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 farther convenience.
NOTE. Three things I wanted exceedingly for this work,
viz., a pickaxe, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow, or basket; so
I desisted from my work, and began to consider how te
supply these wants, and make me some tools. As for a
pickaxe, 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, indeed, I
could do nothing 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, from its exceeding hardness: of this, with
great labor, and almost spoiling my axe, I cut a piece; and
brought it home, too, with difficulty enough, for it was
exceeding heavy. The excessive hardness of the wood, and
my having no other way, made me a long while upon this
machine: for 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 the broad part
having no iron shod upon it at bottom, it would not last me
so long: however, it served well enough for the uses which
I had occasion to put it to; but never was a shovel, ]
believe, made after that fashion, or so long in making.
I was still deficient; for I wanted a basket or a wheel-
barrow. A basket I could not make by any means, having
no such things as twigs that would bend to make wicker
ware; at least, none yet found out: and as to the wheel-
barrow, I fancied I could make all but the wheel, but that I
had no notion of; neither did I know how to get about it:
besides, I had no possible way to make iron gudgeons for
the e spindle or axis of the wheel to run in; so I gave it over
96
ADVENTURES OF
and, for carrying away the earth which I dug out of the
cave, I made me a thing like a hod, which the laborers carry
mortar in for the bricklayers. This was not so difficult for
me as the making the shovel: and yet this and the shovel,
and the attempt which I made in vain to make a wheelbar-
10w, took me up no less than four days: I mean, always
excepting my morning walk with my gun, which I seldom
omitted, and very seldom failed also bringing home some-
thing fit to eat.
Nov. 23. My other work having now stood still, because
of my making these tools, when they were finished I went
on; and working every day, as my strength and time
allowed, I spent eighteen days entirely in widening and
deepening my cave, that it might hold my goods com-
modiously.
NOTE. During all this time, I worked to make this
room or cave, spacious enough to accommodate me as a
warehouse, or magazine, a kitchen, a dining-room, and a
cellar. As for a lodging, I kept the tent: cxcept that some-
times, in the wet season of the year, it rained so hard that
I could not keep myself dry; which caused me afterwards
to cover all my place within my pale with long poles, and in
the form of rafters, leaning against the rock, and load them
with flags and large leaves of trees, like a thatch.
DECEMBER 10. I began now to think my cave or vault
finished; when on a sudden (it seems I had made it too
large) 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
never have wanted a grave-digger. Upon this disaster, I
had a great deal of work to do over again, for I had the
loose 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.
G
DEC. 11. This day I went to work with it accordingly:
:
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
97
4
and got two shores or posts pitched upright to the top, with
two pieces of board 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. 17. From this day to the 30th, I placed shelves,
and knocked up nails on the posts, to hang everything up
that could be hung up: and now I began to be in some order
within doors.
DEC. 20. I carried everything into the cave, and began
to furnish my house, and set up some pieces of boards, like
a dresser, to order my victuals upon; but boards began to
be very scarce with me: also I made me another table.
DEC. 24. Much rain all night and all day: no stirring
out.
DEC. 25. Rain all day.
DEC. 26. No rain; and the earth much 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: when I had
it home, I bound and splintered up 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 entertained a thought of breeding up some tame
creatures, that I might have food when my powder and shot
was all spent.
DEC. 28, 29, 30, 31. 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 my things in order within
doors.
JANUARY 1. Very hot still; but I went abroad early
and late with my gun, and lay still in tac middle of the day.
9
98
ADVENTURES OF
This evening, going further into the valleys which lay
towards the centre of the island, I found there was plenty
of goats, though exceeding shy, and hard to come at; how
ever, I resolved to try if I could not bring my dog to hunt
them down. Accordingly, the next day, I went out with
my dog, and set him upon the goats; but I was mistaken,
for they all faced about upon the dog: and he knew his
danger too well, for he would not come near them.
JAN. 3. I began my fence or wall; which, being still
jealous of my being attacked by somebody, I resolved to
make very thick and strong.
N. B. This wall being described before, I purposely
omit what was said in the journal; it is sufficient to observe
that I was no less time than from the 3d of January to the
14th of April, working, finishing, and perfecting this wall;
though it was no more than about twenty-five yards in length,
being a half circle, from one place in the rock to another
place, about twelve yards from it, the door of the cave being
in the centre, behind it.
All this time I worked very hard; the rains hindering me
many days, nay, sometimes weeks together: but I thought I
should never be perfectly secure till this wall was finished;
and it is scarce credible what inexpressible labor everything
was done with, especially the bringing of piles out of the
woods, and driving them into the ground; for I made 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 persuaded
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
very remarkable occasion.
During this time, I made my rounds in the woods for
game every day, when the rain permitted me, and made fre-
quent discoveries, in these walks, of something or other to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
99
my advantage; particularly, I found a kind of wild pigeons,
who build, not as wood-pigeons, in a tree, but rather as
nousc-pigeons, in the holes of the rocks: and, taking some
young ones, I endeavored to breed them up tame, and did
so; but when they grew older, they flew all 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 in many things, which I thought at first it
was impossible for me to make; as indeed, as to some of
them, it was for instance, I could never make a cask to be
hooped. I had a small runlet or two, as I observed before;
but I could never arrive at the capacity of making one by
them, though I spent many weeks about it: I could neither
put in the heads, nor join the staves so true to one another
as to make them hold water; so I gave that also over. In
the next place, I was at a great loss for candle; so that as
soon as it was dark, which was generally by seven o'clock, I
was obliged to go to bed. I remember the lump of beeswax
with which I made candles in my African adventure; but I
had none of that now: the only remedy I had was, that
when I had killed a goat, I saved the tallow; and with a
little dish made of clay, which I baked in the sun, to which
I added a wick of some oakum, I made me a lamp; and this
gave me light, though not a clear steady light like a candle.
In the middle of all my labors it happened, that in rummag-
ing my things, I found a little bag; which, as I hinted be-
fore, 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 corn had been
in the bag was all devoured by the rats, and I saw nothing
in the bag but husks and dust and being willing to have
the bag for some other use (I think it was to put powder in,
when I divided it for fear of the lightning, or some such
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100
ADVENTURES OF
use), 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 rain just now mentioned,
that I threw this stuff away; taking no notice of anything,
and not so much as remembering that I had thrown any-
thing there: when, about a month after, I saw some few
stalks of something green, shooting out of 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 perfect green barley, of the same kind as our European,
nay, as our 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
things that had befallen me, otherwise than as chance, or, as
we lightly say, what pleases, God: without so much as in-
quiring 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 as I knew not how it came there, it
startled me strangely; and I began to suggest, that God had
miraculously caused this grain to grow without any help of
seed sown, and that it was so directed purely for my susten-
ince, on that wild miserable place.
This touched my heart a little, and brought tears out of
my eyes; and I began to bless myself that such a prodigy of
nature should happen upon my account: and this was the
more strange to me, because I saw near it still, all along by
the side of the rock, some other straggling stalks, which
proved to be stalks of rice, and which I knew, because I had
seen it grow in Africa, when I was ashore there.
I not only thought these the pure productions of Providence
for my support, but, not doubting that there was more in the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
101
place, I went over all that part of the island where I had
been before, searching in every corner, and under every rock,
for more of it; but I could not find any. At last it occurred
to my thoughts, that I had shook out a bag of chicken's-meat
in that place, and then the wonder began to cease; and I
must confess, my religious thankfulness to God's providence
began to abate too, upon the discovering that all this was
nothing but what was common; though I ought to have
been as thankful for so strange and unforeseen a providence,
as if it had been miraculous; for it was really the work of
Providence, as to me, that should order or appoint that ten
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 would have been burned up and
destroyed.
I carefully saved 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 quantity sufficient to supply me with
bread. But it was not till the fourth year that I could allow
myself the least grain of corn to eat, and even then but
sparingly, as I shall show afterwards in its order; for I lost
all that I sowed the first season, by not observing the proper
time; as I sowed just before the dry season, so that it never
came up at all, at least not as it would have done; of which
in its place.
Besides this barley, there were, as above, twenty or thirty
stalks of rice, which I preserved with the same care; and
whose use was of the same kind, or to the same purpose, viz.,
to make me bread, or rather food; for I found ways to cook
it up without baking, though I did that also after some time
But to return to my Journal,
9*
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ADVENTURES OF
I worked excessively hard these three or four months, to
get my wall done; and the 14th of April I closed it up; con-
triving to get into it, not by a door, but over the 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 the
ladder to the top, and then pulled it up after me, and let it
down in 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 all my labor overthrown at once, and myself killed;
the case was thus: 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 come
crumbling down from the roof of my cave, and from the
edge of the hill over my head, and two of the posts I had
set up in the cave cracked in a frightful manner. I was
heartily scared; but thought nothing of what really was the
cause, only thinking that the top of my cave was falling in,
as some of it had done before; and for fear I should be
buried in it, I ran forward to my ladder, and not thinking
myself safe there neither, I got over my wall for fear of the
pieces of the hill which I expected might roll down upon me.
I had no sooner stepped down upon the firm ground, than I
plainly saw it was a terrible earthquake: for the ground I
stod on shook three times at about eight minutes' distance,
with three such shocks as would have overturned the strong-
est building that could be supposed to have stood on the
earth; and a great piece of the top of a rock, which stood
about a 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-
"eived also that the very sea was put into a violent motion
W
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
103
by it; and I believe the shocks were stronger under the
water than on the island.
I was so much amazed with the thing itself (having neve:
felt the like, nor discoursed with any one that had) that I
was like one dead or stupified; 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 awaked me, as it were;
and rousing me from the stupified condition I was in, filled
me with horror, and I thought of nothing but the hill falling
upon my tent and my household goods, and burying all at
once; this sunk my very soul within me a second time.
After the third shock was over, and I felt no more for
some time, I began to take courage; yet I had not heart
enough to go over my wall again, for fear of being buried
alive; but sat still upon the ground greatly cast down, and
disconsolate, not knowing what to do. All this while I had
not the least serious 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 grow cloudy,
as if it would rain; and soon after the wind rose by a little
and little, so that in less than half an hour, it blew a most
dreadful hurricane: the sea was, all on a sudden, covered
with foam and froth; the shore was covered with a breach of
the water; the trees were torn up by the roots; and a terri-
ble storm it was. This held about three hours, and then
began to abate; and in two hours more it was quite calm,
and began to rain very hard. All this while I sat upon the
ground, very much terrified and dejected: vhen, 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
lso helping to persuade me, I went in, and sat down in my
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ADVENTURES OF
tent; but the rain was so violent, that my tent was ready to
be beaten down with it; and I was forced to get into my
cave, though very much afraid and uneasy, 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,
to let the water go out, which would else have drowned my
cave. After I had been in my cave for some time, and found
no more shocks of the earthquake follow, I began to be more
composed. And now, to support my spirits, which indeed
wanted it very much, I went to my little store, and took a
small cup of rum; which, however, I did then, and always,
very sparingly, knowing I could have no more when that was
gone.
It continued raining all that night and great part of
the next day, so that I could not stir abroad: but my mind
being more composed, I began to think of what I had best
do; concluding, that if the island was subject to these
earthquakes, there would be no living for me in a cave, but
I must consider of building me some little hut in an open
place, which I might surround with a wall, as I had done
here, and so make myself secure from wild beasts or men:
for if I staid where I was, I should certainly, one time or
other, be buried alive.
With these thoughts, I resolved to remove my tent from
the place where it now stood, being just under the hanging
precipice of the hill, and which, if it should be shaken
again, would certainly fall upon my tent. 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 alive affected me so, that I never slept in quiet;
and yet the apprehension of lying abroad, without any fence,
was almost equal to it: but still, when I looked about, and
saw how everything was put in order, how pleasantly I was
concealed, and how safe from danger, it made me very loath
to remove. In the mean time, it occurred to me that it
would require a vast deal of time for me to do this; and
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
105
hat I must be contented to run the risk where I was, till I
had formed a convenient camp, and secured it so as to
remove to it. With this conclusion I composed myself fo.
a time; and resolved that I would go to work with all speed
to build me a wall with piles and cables, &c., in a circle as
before, and set up my tent in it when it was finished; but
that I would venture to stay where I was till it was ready,
and fit to remove to. This was the 21st.
APRIL 22. The next morning I began to consider of
means to put this measure into execution; but I was at a
great loss about the tools. I had three large axes, and
abundance of hatchets (for we carried the hatchets for traffic
with the Indians); but with much chopping and cutting
knotty hard wood, they were all full of notches, and dull :
and though I had a grindstone, I could not turn it and grind
my tools too. This caused me as much thought as a states-
man would have bestowed upon a grand point of politics, or
a judge upon the life and death of a man. 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 never seen any such thing in England, or
at least not to take notice how it was done, though since I
have observed it is very common there: besides that, my
grindstone was very large and heavy. 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 my tools, my machine for turning my grindstone
performing very well.
APRIL 30. Having perceived that my bread had been
low a great while, I now took a survey of it, and reduced
myself to one biscuit-cake a day, which made my heart very
heavy.
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ADVENTURES OF
SECTION IX.
ROBINSON OBTAINS MORE ARTICLES FROM THE WRECK-HIS ILI NESS
AND AFFLICTION.
MAY 1. In the morning, looking towards the seaside, the
tide being low, I saw something lie on the 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, which were driven on shore by the late hurri-
cane; and looking towards the wreck itself, I thought it
seemed to lie higher out of the water than it used to do. I
examined the barrel that was driven on shore, and soon
found it was a barrel of gunpowder; but it had taken water,
and the powder was caked as hard as a stone: however, I
rolled it farther on the shore for the present, and went on
upon the sands, as near as I could to the wreck of the ship,
to look for more.
When I came down to the ship, I found it strangely
removed. The forecastle, which lay before buried in the
sand, was heaved up at least six feet; and the stern (which
was broke to pieces, and parted from the rest, by the force
of the sea, soon after I had left rummaging of her) was
tosséd, as it were, up, and cast on one side: and the sand
was thrown so high on that side next her stern, that I could
now walk quite up to her when the tide was out; whereas
there was a great piece of water before, so that I could not
come within a quarter of a mile of the wreck without swim-
ming. I was surprised 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 the land.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
107
This wholly diverted my thoughts from the design of
removing my habitation; and I busied myself mightily, that
day especially, in searching whether I could make any way
into the ship: but I found nothing was to be expected of
that kind, for all the inside of the ship was choked up with
sand. However, as I had learned not to despair of any-
thing, I resolved to pull everything to pieces that I could
out of the ship, concluding that everything I could get from
her would be of some use or other to me.
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 for that time.
MAY 4. I went a fishing, but caught not one fish that
I durst eat of, till I was weary of my sport; when, just
going to leave off, I caught a young dolphin. I had made
me a long line of some rope-yarn, but I had no hooks; yet
I frequently caught fish enough, as much as I cared to eat;
all which I dried in the sun, and ate them 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 on 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: worked very
hard, and came home very much tired, and had thoughts of
giving it over.
MAY 7. Went to the wreck again, but not with an intent
to work; but found the weight of the wreck had broke
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
■and.
108
ADVENTURES OF
f
MAY 8. Went to the wreck, and carried an iron crow
to wrench up the deck, which lay now quite clear of the
water and sand. I wrenched up two planks, and brought
them on shore also with the tide. I left the iron crow in
the wreck for next day.
MAY 9. Went to the wreck, and with the crow made
way into the body of the wreck, and felt several casks, and
locsened them with the crow, but could not break them up.
I felt also a roll of English lead, and could stir it; but it
was too heavy to remove.
MAY 10 to 14. Went every day to the wreck, and got a
great many pieces of timber, and boards, or plank, and two
or three hundred weight 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 had blown hard in the night, and the wreck
appeared more broken by the force of the water; but I
stayed so long in the woods, to get pigeons for food, that
the tide 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 resolved to see
what they were, and found it was a piece of the head, but
too heavy for me to bring away.
MAY 24. Every day, to this day, I worked on the wreck;
and with hard labor I loosened some things so much, with
the crow, that the first blowing tide several casks floated
out, and two of the seamen's chests: out the wind blowing
from the shore, nothing came to land that day but pieces of
timber, and a hogshead, which had some Brazil pork in it;
but the salt water and the sand had spoiled it. I continued
this work every day to the 15th of June, except the time
necessary to get food; which I always appointed, during
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
109
this part of my employment, to be when the tide was up.
that I might be ready when it was ebbed out; and by this
time I had gotten timber, and plank, and iron work, enough
to have built a good boat, if I had known how: and I also
got, at several times, and in several places, near one hundred
weight of the sheet-lead.
JUNE 16. Going down to the seaside, I found a large
tortoise, or turtle. This was the first I had seen; which, it
seems, was only my misfortune, not any defect of the place,
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 dear enough
for them.
JUNE 17. I spent in cooking the turtle. I found in her
three-score eggs: and her flesh was to me, at that time, the
most savory and pleasant that I ever tasted in my life:
having had no flesh, but of goats and fowls, since I landed
in this horrid place.
JUNE 18. Rained all that day, and I stayed within. I
thought, at this time, the rain felt cold, and I was somewhat
chilly; which I knew was not unusual in that latitude.
JUNE 19. Very ill, and shivering, as if the weather had
been cold.
JUNE 20. No rest all night; 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 apprehen-
sions of sickness.
}
JUNE 23. Very bad again; cold and shivering, and then
a violent headache.
JUNE 24. Much better.
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ADVENTURES OF
JUNE 25. An ague very violent: the fit held me seven
hours; cold fit, and hot, with faint sweats after it.
JUNE 26. Better
Better; and having no victuals to eat, took
my gun, but found myself very weak: however, I killed a
she-goat, and with much difficulty got it home, and broiled
some of it, and ate. I would fain have stewed it, and made
some broth, but had no pot.
JUNE 27. The ague again so violent that I lay a-bed all
day, and neither ate nor drank. I was ready to perish for
thirst; but so weak, I had not strength to stand up, or to
get myself any water to drink. 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 lay and cried, Lord, 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 til far in the
night. When I awoke, I found myself much refreshed, but
weak, and exceeding thirsty: however, as I had no water in
my whole habitation, I was forced to lie till morning, and
went to sleep again. In this second sleep I had this 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 upon the
ground: he was all over as bright as a flame, so that I could
but just bear to look towards him his countenance was in-
expressibly dreadful, impossible for words to describe: when
he stepped upon the ground with his feet, I thought the
earth trembled, just as it had done before in the earthquake;
and all the air looked, to my apprehension, as if it had been
filled with flashes of fire. He had 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
:
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
111
error of it; all that I can say I understood, 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 expect that
I should be able to describe the horrors of my soul at this
terrible vision; I mean, that even while it was a dream, I
even dreamed of those horrors; nor is it any more possible
to describe the impression that remained upon my mind when
I awaked, and found it was but a dream.
•
I had, alas! no divine knowledge: what I had received
by the good instruction of my father was then worn out, by
an uninterrupted series, for eight years, of seafaring wick-
edness, 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
that so much as tended either to looking upward towards
God, or inward towards a reflection upon my own ways; but
a certain stupidity of soul, without desire of good, or con-
sciousness 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 danger,
or of thankfulness to him, in deliverances.
In the relating what is already part of my story, this will
be the 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 sin; either my
rebellious behaviour against my father, or my present sins,
which were great; or even as punishment for the general
course of my wicked life. When I was on the desperate
expedition on the desert shores of Africa, I never had so
much as one thought of what would become of me; or one
wish to God to direct me, whither I should go, or to keep
i
112
ADVENTURES OF
me from the danger which apparently surrounded me, as well
from voracious creatures as cruel savages: but I was quite
thoughtless of a God or a Providence; 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 Portuguese captain,
well used, and dealt with justly, and honorably, 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, or look-
ing on it as a judgment; I only said to myself often, that I
was an unfortunate dog, and born to be always miserable.
It is true, when I first got on shore here, and found all my
ship's crew drowned, and myself spared, I was surprised.
with a kind of ecstacy, and some transports 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 com-
mon flight of joy: or, as I may say, being glad I was alive,
without the least reflection upon the distinguished goodness.
of the hand which had preserved me, and had singled me
out to be preserved when all the rest were destroyed, or any
inquiry why Providence had been thus merciful to me : just
the same common sort of joy which seamen generally have,
after they are got safe ashore from a shipwreck; which they
drown all in the next bowl of punch, and forget almost as
soon as it is over and all the rest of my life was like it.
Even when I was, afterwards, on due consideration, made
sensible of my condition, how I was cast on this dreadful
place, out of the reach of human kind, out of all hope of
relief, or prospect of redemption, as soon as I saw but a
prospect 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 preservation and supply, and was far enough from
being afflicted at my condition, as a judgment from Heaven,
}

CRUSOE AT PRAYER.
Page 113.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
113
·
or as the hand of God against me; these were thoughts
which very seldom entered into my head.
The growing up of the corn, as is hinted in my Journal,
had, at first, some little influence upon me, and began to
affect me with seriousness, as long as I thought it had some-
thing miraculous in it; but as soon as that part of the
thought was removed, all the impression which was raised
from it wore off also, as I have noted already. Even the
earthquake, though nothing could be more terrible in its
nature, or more immediately directing to the invisible Power
which alone directs such things, yet no sooner was the fright
over, but the impression it had made went off also. I had
no more sense of God, or his judgments, much less of the
present affliction of my circumstances being from his hand,
than if I had been in the most prosperous condition of life.
But now, when I began to be sick, and a leisure view of the
miseries of death came to place itself before me; when my .
spirits began to sink under the burden of a strong distemper,
and nature was exhausted with the violence of the fever;
conscience, that had slept so long, began to awake; and I
reproached myself with my past life, in which I had so
evidently, by uncommon wickedness, provoked the justice
of God to lay me under uncommon strokes, and to deal with
me in so vindictive a manner. These reflections oppressed
me for 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 from me some words like praying
to God: though I cannot say it was a prayer attended either
with desires or with hopes; it was rather the voice of mere
fright and distress. My thoughts were confused; the con-
victions great upon my mind; and the horror of dying in
such a miserable condition, raised vapors in my head with
the mere apprehension: and, in these hurries of my soul, I
knew not what my tongue might express; but it was rather
exclamation, such as, Lord, what a miserable creature am I!
4
10*
114
ADVENTURES OF
If I should be sick, I shall certainly die for want of help;
and what will become of me? Then the tears burst out cf
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 should have leisure hereafter to
reflect upon having neglected his counsel, when there might
be none to assist in my recovery. Now, said I, aloud, my
dear father's words are come to pass: God's justice has
overtaken me, and I have none to help or hear me. I
rejected the voice of Providence, which had mercifully put
me in a station of life wherein I might have been happy and
easy; but I would neither see it myself, nor learn from my
parents to know the blessing of it. I left them to mourn
over my folly; and now I am left to mourn under the con-
sequences of it: I refused their help and assistance, who
would have pushed me in the world, aud would have made
everything easy to me; and now I have difficulties to
struggle with, too great for even nature itself to support;
and no assistance, 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 may call it so, that I had made for many
years. But I return to my Journal.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
115
BOWER."
SECTION X.
HIS RECOVERY - HIS COMFORT IN READING THE SCRIPTURES — MAKES
AN EXCURSION INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE ISLAND FORMS
((
S
JUNE 28. Having been somewhat refreshed with the sleep
I had had, and the fit being entirely off, I got up; and
though the fright and terror of my dream was very great,
yet I considered that the fit of the ague would return again
the next day, and now was my time to get something to
refresh and support myself when I should be ill. The first
thing I did was to fill a large square case-bottle with water,
and set it upon my table, in reach of my bed: and to take
off the chill or agueish disposition 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 walked about; but
was very weak, and withal very sad and heavy-hearted in
the sense of my miserable condition, 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
ate, as we call it, in the shell: and this was the first bit of
meat I had ever asked God's blessing to, as I could remem-
ber, in my whole life. After I had eaten, I tried to walk;
but found myself so weak, that I could hardly carry the gun
(for I never went out without that); so I went but a little
way, and sat down upon the ground, looking out upon the
sea, which was just before me, and very calm and smooth.
As I sat here, some such thoughts as these occurred to
me: What is this earth and sea, of which I have seen so
much? Whence is it produced? And what am I, and all
the other creatures, wild and tame, human and brutal ?
ا
ADVENTURES OF
116
{
Whence are we? Surely, we are all made by some secret
power, who formed the earth and sea, the air and sky. And
who is that? Then it followed most naturally, It is God
that has made all. Well, but then, it came on, if God has
made all these things, he guides and governs them all, and
all things that concern them; for the power that could make
all things, must certainly have power to guide and direct
them: if so, nothing can happen in the great circuit of
his works, either without his knowledge or appointment.
And if nothing happens without his knowledge, he knows
that I am here, and am in this dreadful condition: and if
nothing happens without his appointment, he has appointed
all this to befal me. Nothing occurred to my thought, to
contradict any of these conclusions; and therefore it rested
upon me with the greatest force, that it must needs be that
God had appointed all this to befal me; that I was brought
to this miserable circumstance by his direction, he having
the sole power, not of me only, but of everything that hap-
pens in the world. Immediately it followed, Why has God
done this to me? What have I done to be thus used? My
conscience presently checked me in that inquiry, as if I had
blasphemed and methought it spoke to me like a voice!
Wretch, dost thou ask what thou hast done? Look back
upon a dreadful misspent life, and ask thyself what thou hast
not done? Ask, why is it that thou wert not long ago
destroyed? Why wert thou not drowned in Yarmouth
Roads; killed in the fight when the ship was taken by the
Sallee man-of-war; devoured by the wild beasts on the coast
of Africa; or drowned here, when all the crew perished but
thyself? Dost thou ask what thou hast done? I was struck
dumb with these reflections, as one astonished, and had not
a word to say; no, not to answer to myself; and, rising up
pensive and sad, walked back to my retreat, and went 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
$
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
117
I sat down in the chair, and lighted my lamp, for it began
to be dark. Now, as the apprehension of the return of my
distemper terrified me very much, it occurred to my thought,
that the Brazilians take no physic but their tobacco for
almost all distempers; and I had a piece of a roll of tobacco
in one of the chests, which was quite cured; and some also
that was green, and not quite cured.
I went, directed by Heaven, no doubt; for in this chest I
found a cure both for soul and body. I opened the chest,
and found what I looked for, viz., the tobacco; and as the
few books I had saved lay there too, I took out one of the
Bibles which I mentioned before, and which, to this time, I
had not found leisure or so much as inclination, to look into.
I say, I took it out, and brought both that and the tobacco
with me to the table. What use to make of the tobacco I
knew not, as to my distemper, nor whether it was good for
it or not; but I tried several experiments with it, as if I was
resolved it should hit one way or other. I first took a piece
of the leaf, and chewed it in my mouth; which, indeed, at
first, almost stupified my .brain; the tobacco being green
and strong, and such as I had not been much used to. Then
I took some and steeped it an hour or two in some 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 almost for suffocation. In the interval of this
operation, I took up the Bible, and began to read; but my
head was too much disturbed by 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 thec, and thou
shalt glorify me." These words were very apt to my case:
and made some impression upon my thoughts 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
118
ADVENTURES OF
say, to me; the thing was so remote, so impossible in my
apprehension of things, that, as the children of Israel said
when they were promised flesh to eat, "Can God spread a
table in the wilderness?" so I began to say, Can even God
himself deliver me from this place? And as it was not for
many years that any hopes appeared, this prevailed very
often upon my thoughts: but, however, the words made a
great impression upon me, and I mused upon them very
often. It now grew late: and the tobacco had, as I said,
dozed my head so much, that I inclined to sleep: so I left
my lamp burning in the 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. I found
presently the rum 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 know 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
never knew which way. Be that, however, one way or the
other, when I awaked 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 my stomach better
for I was hungry: and, in short, I had no fit the next day
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
119
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 ate
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, as
I hoped I should have been; for I had a little of the cold fit,
but it was not much.
JULY 2. I renewed the medicine all the three ways; and
dosed 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 Scripture, "I will deliver thee;
I will deliver thee;" and the impos-
sibility of my deliverance lay much upon my mind, in bar of
my ever expecting it: but as I was dicouraging myself with
such thoughts, it occurred to my mind that I pored so much
upon my deliverance from the main affliction, that I dis-
regarded the deliverance I had received; and I was, as it
were, made to ask myself such questions as these, viz.,
Have I not been delivered, and wonderfully, too, from sick-
ness ; from the most distressed condition that could be
and that was so frightful to me? and what notice have I
taken of it? Have I done my part? God has delivered
me, but I have not glorified him; that is to say, I have not
owned and been thankful for that as a deliverance: ana
how can I expect a greater deliverance? This touched my
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ADVENTURES OF
heart very much; and immediately I knelt down, and gave
God thanks aloud for my recovery from my sickness.
JVLY 4. In the morning I took the Bible: and begin-
ning at the New Testament, I began seriously to read it;
and imposed upon myself to read a while every morning and
every night; not binding myself to the number of chapters,
but as long as my thoughts should engage me. It was not
long after I set seriously to this work, that I found my
heart more deeply and sincerely affected with the wicked-
ness of my past life. The impression of my dream revived;
and the words, All these things have not brought thee to
repentance, ran seriously in my thoughts. I was earnestly
begging of God to give me repentance, when it happened
providentially, the very same day, that, reading the scrip-
ture, I came to these words, "He is exalted a Prince and a
Saviour; to give repentance and to give remission." I
threw down the book; and with my heart as well as my
hands lifted up to heaven, in a kind of ecstasy of joy, I
cried out aloud, Jesus, thou son of David! Jesus, thou
exalted Prince and Saviour! give me repentance! This was
the first time in all my life I could say, in the true sense of
the words, that I prayed; 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 anything being called deliverance, but my being delivered
from the captivity I was in; for though I was indeed at
large in the place, yet the island was certainly a prison to
me, and that in the worst sense in the world. But now I
learned to take it in another sense; now I looked back upon
my past life with such horror, and my sins appeared so0
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
121
*
1
dreadful, that my soul sought nothing of God but deliver-
ance from the load of guilt that bore down all my comfort
As for my solitary life, it was nothing; I did not so much
as pray to be delivered from it, or think of it; it was all of
no consideration, in comparison with 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.
My condition began now to be, though not less miserable
as to my way of living, yet much easier to my mind and
my thoughts being directed, by constantly reading the
scripture and praying to God, to things of a higher nature, I
had a great deal of comfort within, which, till now, I knew
nothing of; also, as my health and strength returned, I
bestirred me to furnish 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
in walking about with my gun in my hand, a little and a
little at a time, as a man that was gathering up his strength
after a fit of sickness; for it is hardly to be imagined how
low I was, and to what weakness I was reduced. The
application which I made use of was perfectly new,
and
perhaps what had never cured an ague before: neither can I
recommend it to any one to practise, by this experiment;
and though it did carry off the fit, yet it rather contributed
to weakening me; for I had frequent convulsions in my
nerves and limbs for some time I learned from it also this,
in particular; that being abroad in the rainy season was the
most pernicious thing to my health that could be, especially
in those rains which came attended with storms and hurri-
canes of wind; for as the rain which came in the dry season
was almost always accompanied with such storms, so I found
that this rain was much more dangerous than the rain which
fell in September and October.
:
A
(
122
#
ADVENTURES OF
I had now been in this unhappy island above ten months
all possibility of deliverance from this condition seemed t
be entirely taken from me; and I firmly believed that no
human shape had ever set foot upon that place. Having
secured my habitation, as I thought, fully to my mind, I had
a great desire to make a more perfect discovery of the island,
and to see what other productions I might find, which I yet
knew nothing of.
}
>
It was on the 15th of July that I began to take a more
particular survey of the island itself. I went up the creek
first, where, as I hinted, I brought my rafts on shore. I
found, after I came 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, very fresh and good: but this being the
dry season, there was hardly any water in some parts of it;
at least, not any stream. 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 very great and strong stalk: and
there were divers other plants, which I had no knowledge of,
or understanding about, and that might, perhaps, have
virtues of their own, which I could not find out. I searched
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 understand them. I saw several
sugar-canes, but wild; and, for want of cultivation, imper-
fect. I contented myself with these discoveries for this
time; and came back, musing with myself what course I
might take to know the virtue and goodness of any of the
fruits or plants which I should discover; but could bring it
to no conclusion; for, in short, I had made so little observa-
tion while I was in the Brazils, that I knew little of the
1
.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
123
plants in the field; at least, very little that might serve me
to any purpose now in my distress.
The next day, the 16th, I went up the same way again;
and after going something farther than I had gone the day
before, I found the brook and the savannahs begin to cease,
and the country became more woody than before. In this
part I found different fruits; and particularly I found melons
upon the ground in great abundance, and grapes upon the
trees; the vines, indeed, had spread over the trees, and
the clusters of grapes were now just in their prime, very
ripe and rich. This was a surprising discovery, and I was
exceedingly glad of them, but I was warned by my experi-
ence to eat sparingly of them; remembering that when I
was ashore in Barbary, the eating of grapes killed several of
our Englishmen, who were slaves there, by throwing them
into fluxes and fevers. I found, however, an excellent use
for these grapes; and that was to cure or dry them in the
sun, and keep them as dried grapes or raisins are kept;
which I thought would be (as indeed they were) as whole-
some and as agreeable to eat, when no grapes were to be
had.
I spent all that evening there, and went not back to my
habitation; which, by the way, was the first night, as I
might say, I had lain from home. At night, I took my first
contrivance, and got up into a tree, where I slept well; and
the next morning proceeded on my discovery, travelling near
four miles, as I might judge by the length of the valley;
keeping still due north, with a ridge of hills on the south
and north sides 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 at
the side of the hill by me, ran the other way, that is, due
east; and the country appeared so fresh, so green, so
flourishing, everything being in a constant verdure, or
124
ADVENTURES OF
L
flourish of spring, that it looked like a planted garden. I
descended a little on the side of that delicious vale, survey.
ing it with a secret kind of pleasure (though mixed with
other afflicting thoughts), to think that this was all my own;
that I was king and lord of all this country indefeasibly,
and had a right of possession; and, if I could convey it,
I might have it in inheritance as completely as any lord of a
manor in England. I saw here abundance of cocoa-trees,
and orange, lemon, and citron trees, but all wild, and very
few bearing any fruit; at least not then. However, the
green limes that I gathered were not only pleasant to eat,
but very wholesome; and I mixed their juice afterwards
with water, which made it very wholesome, and very cool
and refreshing. I found now I had business enough, to
gather and carry home; and I resolved to lay up a store, as
well of grapes as limes and lemons, to furnish myself for the
wet season, which I knew was approaching. In order to
this, I gathered a great heap of grapes in one place, a lesser
heap in another place; and a great parcel of limes and
lemons in another place; and taking a few of each with me,
I travelled homeward; and resolved to come again, and
bring a bag or sack, or what I could make, to carry the rest
home. Accordingly, having spent three days in this jour-
ney, I came home (so I must now call my tent and my cave):
but before I got thither, the grapes were spoiled; the rich-
ness of the fruits, and the weight of the juice, having
broken and bruised them, they were good for little or
nothing: as to the limes, they were good, but I could bring
only a few.
The next day being the 19th, I went back, having made
me two small bags to bring home my harvest; but I was
surprised, when coming to my heap of grapes, which were
so rich and fine when I gathered them, I found them all
spread about, trod to pieces, and dragged about, some here,
some there, and abundance eaten and devoured. By this I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
128
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 in heaps, and no
carrying them away in a sack; but that one way they would
be destroyed, and the other way they would be crushed
with their own weight; I took another course: I then
gathered a large quantity of the grapes, and hung them upon
the out-branches of the trees, that they might cure and dry
in the sun; and as for the limes and lemons, I carried as
many back as I could well stand under.
When I came home from this journey, I contemplated
with great pleasure the fruitfulness of that valley, and the
pleasantness of the situation; the security from storms on
that side; the water and the wood; and concluded that I
had pitched upon a place to fix my abode in, 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 was now situate; if possible,
in that pleasant fruitful part of the island.
This thought ran long in my head; and I was exceeding
fond of it for some time, the pleasantness of the place
tempting me: but when I came to a nearer view of it, I
considered that I was now by the seaside, where it was at
least possible that something might happen to my advantage,
and, by the same ill-fate that brought me hither, might
bring some other unhappy 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 enamored of 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, as above stated, not to remove
11*
126
ADVENTURES OF
yet I built me a little kind of a bower, and surrounded it at
a distance with a strong fence, being a double hedge, as
high as I could reach, well staked, and filled between with
brushwood. Here I lay very secure sometimes two or three
nights together: always going over it with a ladder, as before;
so that I fancied now I had my country and my sea-coast
house. This work took me up till the beginning of August.
I had but newly finished my fence, and began to enjoy
my labor, when the rains came on, and made me stick close
to my first habitation: for though I had made a tert like
the other, with a piece of sail, and spread it very well, yet I
had not the shelter of a hill to keep me from storms, nor
a cave behind me to retreat into when the rains were extra
ordinary.
About the beginning of August, as I said, I had finished
my bower, and began to enjoy myself. The 3d of August,
I found the grapes I had hung up were perfectly dried, and
indeed were excellent good raisins of the sun; so I began
to take them down from the trees; and it was very happy
that I did so, as the rains which followed would have spoiled
them, and I should have lost the best part of my winter
food; for I had above two hundred large bunches of them.
No sooner had I taken them all down, and carried most of
them home to my cave, 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 increase of
my family. I had been concerned for the loss of one of my
cats, who ran away from me, or, as I thought, had been
dead; and I heard no more of her, till, to my astonishment,
she came home with three kittens. This was the more
strange to me, because, about the end of August, though I
had killed a wild cat, as I called it, with my gun, yet I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
127
thought it was quite a different kind from our European
cats yet the young cats were the same kind of house-breed
as the old one; and both of my cats being females, I thought
it very strange. But from these three, 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 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 careful not to be
much 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 24th, found a very
large tortoise, which was a treat to me. My food was
now regulated thus; I ate a bunch of raisins for my break-
fast; a piece of the goat's flesh, or of the turtle, broiled, for
my dinner (for, to my great misfortune, I had no vessel to
boil or stew anything); and two or three of the turtle's eggs
for my supper.
During this confinement in my cover from 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 as yet seen upon the island
being a goat.
SEPTEMBER 30. I was now come to the unhappy anni-
versary of my landing; I cast up the notches on my post,
and found I had been on shore three hundred and sixty-five
days. I kept this day as a solemn fast! setting it apart fʊ:
religious exercise, prostrating myself on the ground with
the most serious humiliation, confessing my sins to God,
ܘ ܠ ܕ ܚ
128
ADVENTURES OF
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 ate a biscuit
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 upon my mind, I
had, after some time, omitted to distinguish the weeks, by
making a longer notch than ordinary for the sabbath-day,
and so did not really know what any of the days were: but
now having cast up the days, as above, I found I had been
there a year; so I divided it into weeks, and set apart every
seventh day for a sabbath; though I found, at the end of
my account, I had lost a day or two in my reckoning. A
little after this, my ink beginning to fail me, I contented
myself to use it more sparingly; and to write down only
the most remarkable events of my life, without continuing a
daily memorandum of other things.
The rainy season and the dry season began now to appear
regular to me, and I learned to divide them so as to provide
for them accordingly; but I bought all my experience before
I had it; and what I am going to relate, was one of the
most discouraging experiments that I had made at all.
I have mentioned that I had saved a few ears of barley,
and rice, which I had so suprisingly found sprung up, as I
thought, of themselves. I believe there were about thirty
stalks of rice, and about twenty of barley; and now I
thought it a proper time to sow it after the rains; the sun
being in its southern position, going from me. Accordingly
I dug a piece of ground, as well as I could, with my wooden.
spade; and dividing it into two parts, I sowed my grain;
but as I was sowing, it casually occurred to my thoughts
that I would not sow it all at first, because I did not
know when was the proper time for it; so I sowed about
two-thirds of the seed, leaving about a handful of each;
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
129
and it was a great comfort for me afterwards that I did se,
for not one grain of what I sowed this time came to any-
thing; for the dry month following, and the earth having
thus had no rain after the seed was sown, it had no moisture
to assist its growth, and never came up at all till the wet
season had come again, and then it grew as if it had been
but newly sown. Finding my first seed did not grow, which
I easily imagined was from the drought, I sought for a moister
piece of ground to make another trial in; and I dug up a
picce of ground near my new bower, and sowed the rest of
my seed in February, a little before the vernal equinox.
This having the rainy months of March and April to water
it, sprung up very pleasantly, and yielded a very good crop;
but having only part of the seed left, and not daring to sow
all that I had, I got but a small quantity at last, my whole
crop not amounting to above half a peck of each kind.
But by this experiment I was made master of my business,
and knew exactly when was the proper time to sow; and
that I might expect two seed-times, and two harvests, every
year.
33
While this corn was growing, I made a little discovery,
which was of use to me afterwards. As soon as the rains
were over, and the weather began to settle, which was about
the month of November, I made a visit up the country to
my bower; where, though I had not been for some months,
yet I found all things just as I had left them. The circle or
double hedge that I had made was not only firm and entire,
but the stakes which I had cut out of some trees that grew
thereabouts, were all shot out and grown with long branches,
as much as a willow-tree usually shoots the first year after
lopping its head; but 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 to grow as much alike as I could;
and it is scarce credible how beautiful a figure they grew
22.
130
ADVENTURES OF
I
nto in three years; so that, though the hedge made a circle
of about twenty-five yards in diameter, yet the trees, for
such I might now call them, soon covered it, and it was a
complete shade, sufficient to lodge under all the dry season.
This made me resolve to cut some more stakes, and make
me a hedge like this, in a 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
listance from my first fence, they grew presently; and
vere at first a fine cover to my habitation, and afterwards
erved for a defence also; as I shall observe in its order.
SECTION X1
ROBINSON MAKES A TOUR TO EXPLORE HIS ISLAND - EMPLOYED IN
BASKET-MAKING.
I FOUND now that the seasons of the year might generally
be divided, not into summer and winter as in Europe, but
into the rainy seasons and the dry seasons, which were
generally thus: From the middle of February to the middle
of April, rainy; the sun being then on or near the equinox.
From the middle of April till the middle of August, dry;
the sun being then north of the Line. From the middle of
August till the middle of October, rainy; the sun being
then come back to the Line. From the middle of October
to the middle of February, dry; the sun being then to the
south of the Line.
1
The rainy seasons held sometimes longer and sometimes
shorter, as the winds happened to blow; but this was the
general observation I made. After I had found, by ex-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
131
perience, the ill consequences 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 sat within
doors as much as possible during the wet months. This
time I found much employment, and very suitable also to
the time; for I found great occasion for many things whicl
I had no way to furnish myself with but by hard labor and
constant application; particularly, 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 basket
maker's in the town where my father lived, to see them
make their wicker-ware; and being, as boys usually are,
very officious to help, and a great observer of the manner
how they worked those things, and sometimes lending a
hand, I had by these means full knowledge of the methods
of it, so 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, willows, and osiers, in England; and I resolved to
try. Accordingly, the next day, I went to my country-
house, as I called it; and cutting some of the smaller twigs,
I found them to my purpose as much as I could desire ;
whereupon I came the next time prepared with a hatchet to
cut down a quantity, which I soon found, for there was
plenty of them. These I set up 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, several baskets; both
to carry earth, or to carry or lay up anything as I had occa-
sion for. Though I did not finish them very handsomely,
yet I made them sufficiently serviceable for my purpose:
and thus, afterwards I took care never to be without them;
and as my wicker-ware decayed, I made more; especially
CACAORDIN
132
ADVENTURES OF
strong deep baskets, to place my corn in, instead of sacks,
when I should come to have any quantity of it.
Having mastered this difficulty, and employed a world of
time about it, I bestirred myself to see, if possible, how to
supply two other wants. I had no vessel to hold anything
that was liquid, except two runlets, which were almost full
of rum; and some glass bottles, some of the common size,
and others (which were case bottles) square, for the holding
of waters, spirits, &c. I had not so much as a pot to boil
anything; except a great kettle which I saved out of the
ship, and which was too big for such use as I desired it, viz.,
to make broth, and stew a bit of meat by itself. The second
thing I would fain have had, was a tobacco pipe; but it was
impossible for me to make one; however, I found a con-
trivance for that too at last. I employed myself in planting
my second row of stakes or piles, and also in this wicker-
working all the summer or dry season; when another busi-
ness took me up more time than it could be imagined I
could spare.
I mentioned before that I had a great mind to see the
whole island; and that I had travelled up the brook, and 80
on to where I had built my bower, and where I had an
opening quite to the sea, on the other side of the island. I
now resolved to travel quite across to the seashore, 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 within view of the
sea, to the west; and it being a very clear day, I fairly
descried land, whether an island or continent I could not
tell; but it lay very high, extending from W. to W.S.W. at
a very great distance; by my guess, it could not be less
than fifteen or twenty leagues off.
I could not tell what part of the world this might be;
ROBINSON CRUSOE
133
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. I therefore acquiesced
in the dispositions of Providence, which I began now to
own and to believe ordered everything for the best; I say,
I quieted my mind with this, and left off afflicting myself
with fruitless wishes of being there. Besides, after some
pause upon this affair, I considered that if this land was the
Spanish coast, I should certainly, one time or other, see
some vessel pass or repass one way or other; but if not,
then it was the savage coast between the Spanish country
and. the Brazils, whose inhabitants are indeed the worst of
savages; for they are cannibals, or men-eaters, and fail not
to murder and devour all human beings that fall into their
nands.
"
With these considerations, walking very leisurely forward,
I found this side of the island, where I now was, much
pleasanter than mine; the open or savannah fields sweetly
adorned with flowers and grass, and full of very fine woods.
I saw abundance of parrots; and fain would have caught
one, if possible, to have kept it to be tame, and taught it to
speak to me. I did, after taking some pains, catch a young
parrot; for I knocked it down with a stick, and, having
recovered it, I brought it home; but it was some years
before I could make him speak; however, at last I taught
him to call me by my name very familiarly. But the acci-
dent that followed, though it be a trifle, will be very divert
ing in its place.
I was exceedingly amused 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
MA
12
134
ADVENTURES OF
want of food, and of that which was very good too; espe-
cially these three sorts, viz., goats, pigeons, and turtle, or
tortoise. With these, added to my grapes, Leadenhall-
market could not have furnished a table better than I, in
proportion to the company; and though my case was
deplorable enough, yet I had great cause for thankfulness;
as I was not driven to any extremities for food, but had
rather plenty, even to dainties.
I never travelled on this journey above two miles outright
in a day, or thereabout; 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 resolved 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 seashore, 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 in-
numerable turtles; whereas, on the other side, I had found
but three in a year and a half. Here was also an infinite
number of fowls of many kinds; some of which I had
seen, and some of which I had not seen before, and many
of them very good meat; but such as I knew not the
names of, except those, called penguins.
I could have shot as many as I pleased, but was very
sparing of my powder and shot; and therefore had more
mind to kill a she-goat, if I could, which I could better
feed on.
But, though there were many goats here, more
than on my side of the island, yet it was with much
more difficulty that I could come near them; the country
being flat and even, and they saw me much sooner than
when I was upon a hill.
I confess this side of the country was much pleasanter
than mine; yet I had not the least inclination to remove;
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
133
or as I was fixed in my habitation, it became natural to
me, and I seemed all the while I was here to be as it
were upon a journey, and from home. However,
travelled along the seashore towards the east, I suppose
about twelve miles; and then setting up a great pole upon
the shore for a mark, I concluded I would go home again;
and that the next journey I took should be on the other
side of the island, east from my dwelling, and so round til!
I came to my post again : of which in its place.
I took another way to come back than that I went,
thinking I could easily keep so much of the island in my
view, that I could not miss my first dwelling by viewing
the country: but I found myself mistaken; for being come
about two or three miles, I found myself descended into a
very large valley, but so surrounded with hills, and those
hills covered with wood, 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. And it happened to my farther misfortune, that
the weather proved hazy for three or four days while I was
in this valley; and not being able to see the sun, I wandered
about very uncomfortable, and at last was obliged to find
out the seaside, look for my post, and come back the same
way I went; and then by easy journeys I turned homeward,
the weather being exceeding hot, and my gun, ammunition,
hatchet, and other things very heavy.
136
ADVENTURES OF
SECTION XII.
HE RETUNS TO HIS CAVE-HIS AGRICULTURAL LABORS AND SUCCESS.
IN this journey, my dog surprised a young kid, and seized
upon it: and running to take hold of it, I caught it, and
saved it alive from the dog. I had a great mind to bring it
home if I could; for I had often been musing whether it
might not be possible to get a kid or two, and so raise a
breed of tame goats, which might supply me when my
powder and shot should be all spent. I made a collar for
this little creature, and with a string which I had made of
some rope-yarn, which I always carried about me, I led him
along, though with some difficulty, till I came to my bower,
and there I enclosed him and left him; for I was very
impatient to be at home, from whence I had been absent
above a month.
I cannot express what a satisfaction it was to me to come
into my old hutch, and lie down in my hammock bed. This
little wandering journey, without a settled place of abode,
had been so unpleasant to me, that my own house, as I
called it to myself, was a perfect settlement to me, compared
to that; and it rendered everything about me so comfortable,
that I resolved I would never go a great way from it again,
while it should be my lot to stay on the island.
I reposed myself here a week, to rest and regale myself
after my long journey; during which, most of the time was
taken up in the weighty affair of making a cage for my
Poll, who began now to be more domestic, and to be mighty
well acquainted with me. Then I began to think of the
poor kid which I had penned within my little circle, and
resolved to fetch it home, or give it some food; accordingly
I went, and found it where I left it (for indeed it could no
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
137
get out), but was almost starved for want of food.
I went
and cut boughs of trees, and branches of such shrubs as 1
could find, and threw it over, and having fed it, I tied it as
I did before, to lead it away; but it was so tame with being
hungry, that I had no need to have tied it, for it followed
me like a dog and as I continually fed it, the creature
became so loving, so gentle, and so fond, that it was from
that time one of my domestics also, and would never leave
me afterwards.
The rainy season of the autumnal equinox was now come,
and I kept the 30th of September in the same solemn man-
ner 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 the first day I came there.
I spent the whole day in humble and thankful acknowledg-
ments for 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 to God for having been pleased to discover to
me, that it was possible I might be more happy even in this
solitary condition, than I should have been in the enjoyment
of society, and 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: supporting,
comforting, and encouraging me to depend upon his
providence here, and to hope for his eternal presence here-
after.
It was now that I began sensibly to feel how much moré
happy the life I now led was, with all its miserable circum-
stances, than the wicked, cursed, abominable life I led all
the past part of my days: and now I changed both my sor-
rows and my joys: my very desires altered, my affections
changed their gusts, and my delights were perfectly new
from what they were at my first coming, or indeed for the
12*
138
ADVENTURES OF
two years past. 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 sudden,
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 eternal bars and bolts of the
ocean, in an uninhabited 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 snd weep like a child: sometimes it would take
me in the middle of my work, and I would immediately sit
down and sigh, and look upon the ground for an hour or
two together: this was still worse to me; but if I could
burst into tears, or give vent to my feelings by words, it
would go off; and my grief being exhausted would abate.
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. One morning, being very sad, I
opened the Bible upon these words, "I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee: " immediately it occurred that these
words were to me; why else should they be directed in
such a manner, just at the moment when I was mourning
over my condition, as one forsaken of God and man? Well
then, said I, if God does not forsake me, of what ill con-
sequence can it be, or what matters it, though the world
should forsake me; seeing on the other hand, if I had all
the world, and should lose the favor and blessing of God,
there would be no comparison in the loss?
From this moment I began to conclude in my mind that
it was possible for me to be more happy in this forsaken,
solitary condition, than it was probable I should ever have
been in any other particular state of the world; and with
this thought I was going to give thanks to God for bringing
me to this place. I know not what it was, but something
shocked my mind at that thought, and I durst not speak the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
133
wo ds. How canst thou be such a hypocrite, said I, even
audibly, to pretend to be thankful for a condition, which,
however thou mayest endeavor to be contented with, thou
wouldest rather pray heartily to be delivered from? Here I
stopped; but though I could not say I thanked God for
being here, yet I sincerely gave thanks to God for opening
my eyes, by whatever afflicting providences, to see the former
condition of my life, and to mourn for my wickedness, and
repent. I never opened the Bible, or shut it, but my very
soul within me blessed God for directing my friend in Eng-
land, 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.
Thus, and in this disposition of mind, I began my third
year; and though I have not given the reader the trouble of
so particular an account of my works this year as the first,
yet in general it may be observed, that I was very seldom
idle; but having regularly divided my time, according to
the several daily employments that were before me; such as,
first, My duty to God, and the reading the Scriptures, which
I constantly set apart some time for, thrice every day :
secondly, Going abroad with my gun for food, which gen-
erally took me up three hours every morning, when it did
not rain: thirdly, Ordering, curing, preserving, and cooking
what I had killed or catched for my supply; these took up
great part of the day; also it is to be considered, that in
the middle of the day, when the sun was in the zenith, the
violence of the heat was too great to stir out; so that about.
four hours in the evening was all the time I could be sup-
posed to work in; with this exception, that sometimes I
changed my hours of hunting and working, and went to
work in the morning, and abroad with my gun in the after
**
noon.
To this short time allowed for labor, I desire may be
added the exceeding laboriousness of my work; the many
...
¿
140
ADVENTURES OF
hours which, for want of tools, want of help, and want of
skill, everything I did took up out of my time: for example,
I was full two and forty days making me a board for a long
shelf, which I wanted in my cave; whereas, two sawyers,
with their tools and a saw-pit, would have cut six of them
out of the same tree in half a day.
น
My case was this; it was a large tree that was to be cut
down, because my board was to be a broad one. This tree
I was three days cutting down, and two more in cutting off
the boughs, and reducing it to a log, or piece of timber.
With inexpressible hacking and hewing, I reduced both the
sides of it into chips, till it was 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 labor of my hands in such a piece of work; but labor
and patience carried me through that, and many other
things; I only observe this in particular, to show 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 labor, and required a prodigious time to
do alone, and by hand. Notwithstanding this, with patience.
and labor I went through many things; and, indeed, every-
thing that my circumstances made necessary for me to do
as will appear by what follows.
I was now in the months of November and December
expecting my crop of barely 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, having 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 scarce possible to
keep from it; as, first, the goats, and wild creatures which 1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
141
called hares, who, tasting the sweetness of the blade, lay
in it night and day, as soon as it came up, and ate it so
close, that it could get no time to shoot up into stalk.
I saw no remedy for this, but by making an enclosure
about it with a hedge, which I did with a great deal of
toil; and the more, because it required speed. However, as
my arable land was but small, suited to my crop, I got it
tolerably well fenced in about three weeks' time; and shoot-
ing some of the creatures in the daytime, I set my dog to
guard it in the night, tying him up to a stake at the gate,
where he would stand and bark all night long; so in a
little time the enemies forsook the place, and the corn grew
very strong and well, and began to ripen apace.
But as the beasts ruined me before, while my corn was
in the blade, so the birds were as likely to ruin me now,
when it was in the ear; for going along by the place to
see how it throve, I saw my little crop surrounded with fowls,
I know not of how many sorts, who stood, as it were,
watching till I should be gone. I immediately let fly
among them (for I always had my gun with me); I had
no sooner shot, but there rose up a little cloud of fowls,
which I had not seen at all, from among the corn itself.
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 however, I resolved not to lose my corn, if
possible, though I should watch it night and day. In the
first place, I went among it, to see what damage was already
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 staid by it to load my gun, and then coming away, I
could easily see the thieves sitting upon all the trees about
me, as if they only waited till I was gone away; and the
142
ADVENTURES OF
A
event proved it to be so; for as I walked off, as if gone, i
was no sooner out of their sight, than they dropped down,
one by one, into the corn again. I was so provoked, that I
could not have patience to stay till more came on, knowing
that every grain they ate now was, as it might be said, a
peck loaf to me in the consequence; so 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, for terror to others. It is impossible to imagine that
this should have such an effect as it had; for the fowls not
only never came to the corn, but, in short, they forsook all
that part of the island, and I could never see a bird near the
place as long as my scarecrows hung there. This I was
very glad of, you may be sure; and about the latter end of
December, which was our second harvest of the year, I
reaped my corn.
measure.
I was sadly put to it for a scythe or sickle to cut it down :
and all I could do was to make one as well as I could, out
of one of the broad-swords, or cutlasses, which I saved
among the arms out of the ship. However, as my first crop
was but small, I had no great difficulty to cut it down: in
short, I reaped it my way, for I cut nothing off but the ears,
and carried it away in a great basket which I had made, and
so rubbed it out with my hands; and at the end of all my
harvesting, I found that out of my half peck of seed I had
near two bushels of rice, and above two bushels and a half
of barley; that is to say, by my guess, for I had no
However, this was great encouragement to me; and I
foresaw that, in time, it would please God to supply me
with bread; and yet here I was perplexed again; for I
neither knew how to grind, or make meal of my corn, or
indeed how to clean it and part it; nor if made into meal,
how to make bread of it; and if how to make it, yet I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
143
knew not how to bake it: these things being added to my
desire of 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 for seed against the next season; and, in the
mean time, 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 a little wonderful, and what I believe few people have
thought much upon, viz., the strange multitude of little
things necessary in the providing, producing, curing, dres-
sing, making, and finishing this one article of bread. I,
that was reduced to a mere state of nature, found this to my
daily discouragement, and was made 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
indeed to a surprise.
First, I had no plough to turn up 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 work in but a
wooden manner; and though it cost me a great many days
to make it, yet, for want of iron, it not only wore out the
sooner, but made my work the harder, and performed it
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 har-
row, but was forced to go over it myself, and drag a great
heavy bough of a tree over it, to scratch it, as it may be
called, rather than rake or harrow it. When it was growing
and grown, I have observed already how many things I
wanted to fence it, secure it, mow or reap it, cure and carry
it home, thresh, part it from the chaff, and save it; then 1
wanted a mill to grind it, sieves to dress it: yeast and salt
tu make it into bread, and an oven to bake it; and yet all
these things I did without, as shall be observed; and the
A
144
ADVENTURES OF
?
*
corn was an inestimable comfort and advantage to me: all
this, as I said, made everything laborious 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
resolved to use none of the corn for bread till I had a greater
quantity by me, I had the next six months to apply myself
wholly, by labor and invention, to furnish myself with
utensils proper for the performing all the operations neces-
sary for making corn fit for my use.
SECTION XIII.
HIS MANUFACTURE OF POTTERY, AND CONTRIVANCE FOR BAKING
BREAD.
But now I was to prepare more land; for I had seed
enough to sow above an acre of ground. Before I did this,
I had a week's work at least to make me a spade; which,
when it was done, was but a sorry one indeed, and very
heavy, and required double labor 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 off that wood which I had set before,
and knew it would grow; so that, in one year's time, I
knew I should have a quick or living hedge, that would
want but little repair. This work took me up full three
months; because a great part of the time was in the wet
season, when I could not go abroad. Within doors, that is,
when it rained, and I could not go out, I found employment
on the following occasions; always observing, that while I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
145
was at work, I divirted myself with talking to my parrot,
and teaching him to speak; and I quickly taught him to
know his own name, and at last to speak it out 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, as I said, I
had a great employment upon my hands, as follows: I had
long studied, by some means or other, to make myself some
earthen vessels, which indeed I wanted much, but knew not
where to come at them: however, considering the heat of
the climate, I did not doubt but if I could find out any
clay, I might botch up some such pot as might, being dried
in the sun, be hard and strong enough to bear handling,
and to hold anything that was dry, and required to be kept
so; and as this was necessary in the preparing corn, meal,
&c., which was the thing I was upon, I resolved to make
some as large as I could, and fit only to stand like jars,
‘o hold what should be put into them.
It would make the reader pity me, or rather laugh at me,
to tell how many awkward ways I took to raise this pastil;
what odd, misshapen, 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
over violent heat of the sun, being set out too hastily; and
how many fell in pieces with only removing, as well before
as after they were dried; and, in a word, how, after having
labored hard to find the clay, to dig it, to temper it, to
bring it home, and work it, I could not make above two
large earthen ugly things (I cannot call them jars) in about
two months' labor.
However, as the sun baked these two very dry and hard,
I lifted them very gently up, and set them down again in
two great wicker baskets, which I had made on purpose
for them, that they might not break; and as between the
pot and the basket there was a little room to spare, I stuffed
13
146
ADVENTURES OF
it full of the rice and barley straw; and these two pots
being to stand always dry, I thought would hold my dry
corn, and perhaps the meal, when the corn was bruised.
Though I miscarried so much in my design for large pots,
yet I made several smaller things with better success; such
as little round pots, flat dishes, pitchers, and pipkins, and
anything my hand turned to; and the heat of the sun baked
them very hard.
But all this would not answer my end, which was to get
an earthen pot to hold liquids, and bear the fire, which none
of these could do. It happened some time after, making a
pretty large fire for cooking my meat, when I went to put it
out after I had done with it, I found a broken piece of one
of my earthenware vessels in the fire, burnt as hard as a
stone, and red as a tile. I was agreeably surprised to sce
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 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, one upon another, and
placed my fire-wood all round it, with a great heap of
embers under them. I plied the fire with fresh fuel round
the outside, and upon the top, till I saw the pots in the
inside red-hot quite through, and observed that they did not
crack at all: when I saw them clear red, I let them stand in
that heat about five or six hours, till I found one of them,
though it did not crack, did melt or run; for the sand which
was mixed with the clay melted by the violence of the heat,
and would have run into glass, if I had gone on;
so I
slacked my fire gradually, till the pots began to abate of the
red color; and watching them all night, that I might not let
the fire abate too fast, in the morning I had three very good,
I will not say handsome, pipkins, and two other earthen
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
147
pots, as hard burnt as could be desired; and one of them
perfectly glazed with the running of the sand.
After this experiment, I need not say that I wanted no
sort of earthenware for my use: but I must needs say, as to
the shapes of them, they were very indifferent, as any one
may suppose, as I had no way of making them but as the
children make dirt pies, or as a woman would make pies that
never learned to raise paste. No joy at a thing of so mean
a nature was ever equal to mine, when I found I had mado
an earthen pot that would bear the fire; and I had hardly
patience to stay till they were cold, before I set one on the
fire again, with some water in it, to boil me some meat,
which it did admirably well; and with a piece of a kid I
made some very good broth; though I wanted oatmeal, and
several other ingredients requisite to make it so good as I
would have had it been.
My next concern was to get a stone mortar to stamp or
beat some corn it; for as to the mill, there was no thought
of arriving to that perfection of art with one pair of hands.
To supply this want I was at a great loss; for, of all trades
in the world, I was as perfectly unqualified for a stonecutter
as for any whatever; neither had 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; but 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 sufficient hardness, as they were
all of a sandy crumbling stone, which would neither bear
the weight of a heavy pestle, nor would break the corn
without filling it with sand; so, after a great deal of time
lost in searching for 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 axɛ
and hatchet; and then, with the help of the fire, and infinits
#
148
ADVENTURES OF
I
F
!
labor, made a hollow place in it, as the Indians in Brazi.
make their canoes. After this, I made a great heavy pestle,
or beater, of the wood, called iron-wood: and this pre-
pared 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, or search, to dress
my meal, and to part it from the bran and the husk, without
which I did not see it possible I could have any bread.
This was a most difficult thing, even but to think on; for I
had nothing like the necessary thing to make it; I mean
fine thin canvass or stuff, to search the meal through. 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 goats' hair, but neither knew how to weave it nor
spin it; and had I known how, here were no tools to work
it with all the remedy I found for this was, at last recol-
lecting I had, among the seamen's clothes which were saved
out of the ship, some neckcloths of calico or muslin, with
some pieces of these I make three small sieves, proper
enough for the work; and thus I made shift for some years:
how I did afterwards, I shall show in its place.
}
·
The baking part was the next thing to be considered, and
how I should make bread when I came to have corn: for,
first, I had no yeast; as to that part, there was no supply-
ing the want, so I did not concern myself much about it;
but for an oven I was indeed puzzled. At length I found
out 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 diameter, and not above nine inches
deep: these I burned in the fire, as I had done the other,
and laid them by; and when I wanted to bake, I made a
great fire upon my hearth, which I had paved with some
square tiles, of my own making and burning also; but I
should not call them square. When the firewood was
A
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
149
1
burned into embers, or live coals, I drew the forward upon
the hearth, so as to cover it all over, and there let them lie
till the hearth was very hot; then sweeping away all the
embers, I set down my loaf, or loaves, and covering them
with the earthen pɔt, drew the embers all round the outside
of the pot, to keep in and add to the heat; and thus, as
well as in the best oven in the world, I baked my barley
loaves, and became, in a little time, a good pastry-cook
into the bargain; for I made myself several cakes and
puddings of the rice; but made no pies, as I had nothing to
put into them except the flesh of fowls on goats.
It need not be wondered at, if all these things took me
up most part of the third year of my abode here; for, it is
to be observed, in the intervals of these things, I had my
new harvest and husbandry to manage: I reaped my corn
in its season, and carried it home as well as I could, and
laid it up in the ear, in my large baskets, till I had time to
rub it out; for I had no floor to thresh it on, or instrument
to thresh it with.
And now, indeed, my stock of corn increasing, I really
wanted to build my barns bigger: I wanted a place to lay
it up in; for the increase of the corn now yielded me so
much, that I had of the barley about twenty bushels, and of
rice as much, or more, insomuch that now I resolved to begin
to use it freely; for my bread had been quite gone a great
while I resolved also to see what quantity would be suf-
ficient for me a whole year, and to sow but once a year.
:
Upon the whole, I found that the forty bushels of barley
and rice were much more than I could consume in a year;
so I resolved to sow just the same quantity every year that
I sowed the last, in hopes that such a quantity would fully
provide me with bread, &c.
13*
150
ADVENTURES OF
*
SECTION XIV.
MEDITATES
FAILURE OF HIS SCHEME
MAKES HIMSELF A NEW DRESS.
HIS ESCAPE FROM
FROM THE ISLAND
Klappnande
BUILDS A CANOE
RESIGNATION TO HIS
S
CONDITION --
ALL the while these things were doing, you may be sure my
thoughts ran many times upon the prospect of land which I
had seen from the other side of the island; and I was not
without some secret wishes that I was on shore there;
fancying, that seeing the main land, and an inhabited coun-
try, I might find some way or other to convey myself farther,
and perhaps at last find some means of escape.
But all this while I made no allowance for the dangers of
such a condition, and that I might fall into the hands of
savages, and perhaps such as I might have reason to think
far worse than the lions and tigers of Africa; that if I once
came in their power, I should run a hazard of more than a
thousand to one of being killed, and perhaps of being eaten;
for I had heard that the people of the Carribean coast were
cannibals, or man-eaters; and I knew, by the latitude, that
I could not be far off from that shore. Then supposing they
were not cannibals, yet that they might kill me, as they had
many Europeans who had fallen into their hands, even when
they have been ten or twenty together; much more I, who
was but one, and could make little or no defence; all these
things, I say, which I ought to have considered well of, and
did cast up in my thoughts afterwards, took up none of my
apprehensions at first; yet my head ran mightily upon the
thought of getting over to the shore.
Now I wished for my boy Xury, and the long-boat with
the shoulder-of-mutton sail, with which I sailed above a
thousand miles on the coast of Africa: but this was in vain·
-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
151
hen I thought I would go and look at our ship's boat,
which, as I have said, was blown up upon the shore a great
way, in the storm, when we were first cast away.
She lay
nearly where she did at first, but not quite; having turned,
by the force of the waves and the winds, almost bottom
upward, against a high ridge of beachy rough sand; but no
water about her, as before. If I had had hands to have
refitted her, and to have launched her into the water, the
boat would have done very well, and I might have gone
back into the Brazils with her easily enough; but I might
have foreseen that I could no more turn her and set her
upright upon her bottom, than I could remove the island:
however, I went to the woods, and cut levers and rollers,
and brought them to the boat, resolving to try what I could
do; suggesting to myself, that if I could but turn her down,
and repair the damage she had received, she would be a very
good boat, and I might venture to sea in her.
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 her up with my little strength,
I fell to digging away the sand, to undermine her, and so as
to make her fall down, setting pieces of wood to thrust and
guide her right in the fall. But when I had done this, I
was unable to stir her up again, or to get under her, much
less to move her forward towards the water; so I was forced
to give it over: and yet, though I gave over the hopes of
the boat, my desire to venture over the main increased,
rather than diminished, as the means for it seemed impossi-
ble.
At length, I began to think whether it was not possible
to make myself a canoe, or periagua, such as the natives of
these climates make, even without tools, or, as I might say,
without hands, of the trunk of a great tree. This I not only
thought possible, but easy, and pleased myself extremely
with the idea of making it, and with my having much more
ARDA
152
ADVENTURES OF
convenience for it than any of the Negroes or Indians; but
not at all considering the particular inconveniences which I
lay under more than the Indians did, viz., the want of hands
to move it into the water when it was made, a difficulty
much harder for me to surmount than all the consequences of
want of tools could be to them: for what could it avail me,
if, after I had chosen my tree, and with much trouble cut it
down, and might be able with my tools to hew and dub the
outside into the proper shape of a boat, and burn or cut the
inside to make it hollow, so as to make a boat of it if,
after all this, I must leave it just where I found it, and was
not able to launch it into the water?
One would imagine, if I had had the least reflection upon
my mind of my circumstances while I was making this boat,
I should have immediately thought how I was to get it into
the sea but my thoughts were so intent upon my voyage in
it, that I never once considered how I should get it off
the land; and it was really, in its own nature, more easy
for me to guide it over forty-five miles of sea, than the
forty-five fathoms of land, where it lay, to set it afloat in
the water.
I went to work upon this boat the most like a fool
that ever man did, who had any of his senses awake. I
pleased myself with the design, without determining
whether I was able to undertake it; not but that the
difficulty of launching my boat came often into my head;
but I put a stop to my own inquiries into it, by this
foolish answer: Let us first make it; I warrant I will
find some way or other to get it along when it is done.
This was a most preposterous method; but the eager-
ness of my fancy prevailed, and to work I went. I felled
a cedar tree, and I question much whether Solomon
ever had such a one for the building of the Temple at
Jerusalem; it was five feet ten inches diameter at the
lower part next the stump, and four feet cleven inches
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
153
diameter at the end of twenty two feet, where it lessened
and then parted into branches. It was not without infi-
nite labor that I felled this tree; I was twenty days
hacking and hewing at the bottom, and fourteen more
getting the branches and limbs, and the vast spreading head
of it, cut off: after this, it cost me a month to shape it and
dub it to a proportion, and to something 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 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 labor, till I had brought it to be a very handsome peri-
agua, 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 extremely
delighted with it. The boat was really much bigger than
ever I saw a canoe or a periagua that was made of one tree,
in my life. Many a weary stroke it had cost, you may be
sure; and there remained nothing but to get it into the
water; which, had I accomplished, I make no question but I
should have begun the maddest voyage, and the most unlikely
to be performed, that ever was undertaken.
But all my devices to get it into the water failed me;
though they cost me inexpressible labor too. It lay about.
one hundred yards from the water, and not more; but the
first inconvenience was, it was up hill towards the creek.
Well, 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 their deliverance in view?) when this
was worked through, and this difficulty managed, it was still
much the same, for I could no more stir the canoe than I
could the other boat. Then I measured the distance of
ground, and resolved to cut a dock, or canal, to bring the
154
ADVENTURES OF
water up to the canoe, seeing I could not bring the canue
down to the water. Well, I began this work; and when I
began to enter upon it, and calculate how deep it was to be
dug, how broad, how the stuff was to be thrown out, I found
by the number of hands I had, having none but my cwn,
that it must have been ten or twelve years before I could
have gone through with it; for the shore lay so high, that
at the upper end it must have been at least twenty feet deep;
this attempt, though with great reluctancy, I was at length
obliged to give over also.
This grieved me heartily; and now I 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 before; for, by a constant
study and serious application to the word of God, and by the
assistance of his grace, I gained a different knowledge from
what I had before; I entertained different notions of things;
I looked upon the world as a thing remote, which I had
nothing to do with, no expectation from, and, indeed, no
desires about; in a word, I had nothing to do with it, nor
was ever likely to have; 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; and well might I say, as Father
Abraham to Dives, "Between me and thee is a great gulf
fixed."
In the first place, I was here removed from all the wicked-
ness of the world; 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 that I was now capable of enjoying; I
was lord of the whole manor; or, if I pleased, I might call
myself king or emperor over the whole country which I had
possession of there were no rivals; I had no competitor.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
155
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 tortoise or turtle enough, but now and then one was
as much as I could put to any use; I had timber enough to
have built a fleet of ships; and I had grapes enough to have
made wine, or to have cured into raisins, to have loaded that
fleet when it had been built.
But all I could make use of was all that was valuable: I
had enough to eat and supply my wants, and what was the
rest to me? If I killed more flesh than I could eat, the dog
must eat it, or vermin; if I sowed more corn than I could
eat, it must be spoiled; the trees that I cut down were lying
to rot on the ground; I could make no use of them than for
fuel, and that I had no other occasion for but to dress my
food.
In a word, the nature and experience of things dictated to
me, upon just reflection, that all the good things of this
world are of no farther good to us than for our use; and
that whatever we may heap up to give others, we enjoy only
as much as we can use, and no more. The most covetous
griping miser in the world would have been cured of the
vice of covetousness, if he had been in my case; for I
for I pos-
sessed infinitely more than I knew what to do with. I had
no room for desire, except it was for things which I had
not, and they were comparatively but trifles, though indeed
of great use to me. I had, as I hinted before, a parcel of
money, as well gold as silver, about thirty-six pounds ster-
ling. 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 from England, or for a handful of peas and
beans, and a bottle of ink. As it was, I had not the least
156
ADVENTURES OF
advantage by it, or benefit from it; but there it lay in a
drawer, and grew mouldy with the damp of the cave in the
wet seasons; and if I had had the drawer full of diamonds,
it had been the same case, they would have been of no
manner of value to me because of no use.
I had now brought my state of life to be much more
comfortable in itself than it was at first, and much easier to
my mind, as well as to my body. I frequently sat down to
meat with thankfulness, and admired the hand of God's
providence, which had thus spread my table in the wilder-
ness: I learned to look more upon the bright side of my
condition, and less upon the dark side, and to consider what
I enjoyed, rather than what I wanted: and this gave me
sometimes such secret comforts, that I cannot express them;
and which I take notice of here, to put those discontented
people in mind of it, who cannot enjoy comfortably what
God has given them, because they see and covet something
that he has not given them. All our discontents about what
we want appeared to me to spring from the want of thank-
fulness for what we have.
Another reflection was of great use to me, and doubtless
would be so to any one that should fall into such distress as
mine was; and this was, to compare my present condition
with what I at first expected it would be: nay, with what it
would certainly have been, if the good providence of God
had not wonderfully ordered the ship to be cast up near to
the shore, where I not only could come at her, but could
bring what I got out of her to the shore, for my relief and
comfort; without which, I had wanted for tools to work,
weapons for defence, and gunpowder and shot for getting
my food.
I spent whole hours, I may say whole days, in represent-
ing to myself, in the most lively colors, how I must have
acted if I had got nothing out of the ship. I could not
have so much as got any food, except fish and turtles; and
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
157
that, as it was long before I found any of them, I must have
perished; that I should have lived, if I had not perished,
like a mere savage; that if I had killed a goat or a fowl, by
any contrivance, I had no way to flay or open it, or part the
flesh from the skin and the bowels, or to cut it up, but must
gnaw it with my teeth, and pull it with my claws, like a
beast.
These reflections made me very sensible of the goodness
of Providence to me, and very thankful for my present con-
dition, with all its hardships and misfortunes; and this part
also I cannot but recommend to the reflection of those who
are apt, in their misery, to say, Is any affliction like mine?
Let them consider how much worse the cases of some people
are, and their case might have been, if Providence had
thought fit.
I had another reflection, which assisted me also to comfort
my mind with hopes; and this was, comparing my present
condition with what I had deserved, and had therefore
reason to expect from the hand of Providence. I had lived
a dreadful life, perfectly destitute of the knowledge and fear
of God. I had been well instructed by my father and
mother; neither had they been wanting to me, in their
endeavors to infuse an early religious awe of God into my
mind, a sense of my duty, and what the nature and end of
my being required of me. But, alas! falling early into the
seafaring life, which, of all lives, is the most destitute of the
fear of God, though his terrors are always before them; I
say, falling early into the seafaring life, and into seafaring
company, all that little sense of religion which I had enter-
tained was laughed out of me by my messmates; by a
hardened despising of dangers, and the views of death,
which grew habitual to me; by my long absence from all
manner of opportunities to converse with anything but what
was like myself, or to hear anything that was good, or tend-
ng towards it.
14
;
+
158
ADVENTURES OF
So void was I of everything that was good, or of the least
sense of what I was, or was to be, that in the greatest
deliverances I enjoyed (such as my escape from Sallee, my
being taken up by the Portugese master of a ship, my being
planted so well in the Brazils, my receiving the cargo from
England, and the like) I never had once the words, Thank
God, so much as on my mind, or in my mouth; nor in the
greatest distress had I so much as a thought to pray to him,
or so much as to say, Lord, have mercy upon me! no, nor
to mention the name of God, unless it was to swear by, and
blaspheme it.
I had terrible reflections upon my mind for many months,
as I have already observed, on account of my wicked and
hardened life past; and when I looked about me, and con-
sidered what particular providences had attended me since
my coming into this place, and how God had dealt bountifully
with me, had not only punished me less than my iniquity
had deserved, but had so plentifully provided for me, this
gave me great hopes that my repentance was accepted, and
that God had yet mercies in store for me.
With these reflections I worked my mind up, not only to
a resignation to the will of God in the present disposition of
my circumstances, but even to a sincere thankfulness for my
condition; and that I, who was yet a living man, ought not
to complain, seeing I had not the due punishment of my
sins; that I enjoyed so many mercies which I had no reason
to have expected in that place, that I ought never more to
repine at my condition, but to rejoice, and to give daily
thanks for that daily bread, which nothing but a crowd of
wonders could have brought; that I ought to consider I had
been fed by a miracle, even as great as that of feeding Elijah
by ravens; nay, by a long series of miracles; and that I
could hardly have named a place in the uninhabitable part
of the world where I could have been cast more to my
advantage; a place where, as I had no society, which was
A
B
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE
159
my affliction on one hand, so I found no ravenous beasts, no
furious wolves or tigers, to threaten my life; no venomous
or poisonous creatures, which I might feed on to my hurt;
no savages, to murder and devour me. In a word, as my
life was a life of sorrow one way, so it was a life of mercy
another; and I wanted nothing to make it a life of comfort,
but to make myself sensible of God's goodness to me, and
care over me in this condition; and after I did make a just
improvement of these things, I went away, and was no more
sad.
I had now been here so long, that many things which I
brought on shore for my help were either quite gone, or very
much wasted, and near spent.
My ink, as I observed, had been gone for some time, all
but a very little, which I eked out with water, a little and a
Little, till it was so pale, it scarce left any appearance of
black upon the paper. As long as it lasted, I made use of
it to minute down the days of the 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 befell me, and
which, if I had been superstitiously inclined to observe days
as fatal or fortunate, I might have had reason to have looked
upon with a great deal of curiosity.
First, I had observed, that the same day that I broke away
from my father and my friends, and ran away to Hull, in
order to go to sea, the same day afterwards I was taken by
the Sallee man-of-war, and made a slave; the same day of
the year that I escaped out of the wreck of the ship in Yar-
mouth Roads, that same day, years afterwards, I made my
escape from Sallee in the boat: and the same day of the
year I was born on, viz., the 30th of September, that same
day I had my life so miraculously saved twenty-six years
after, when I was cast on shore in this island: so that my
wicked life and my solitary life began both on one day.
'
160
ADVENTURES OF
The next thing to my ink being wasted, was that of iny
bread, I mean the biscuit which I brought out of the ship:
this I had husbanded to the last degree, allowing myself but
one cake of bread a day for above a year; and yet I was
quite without bread for near a year before I got any corn of
ny own; and great reason I had to be thankful that I had
any at all, the getting it being, as has been already observed,
next to miraculous.
My clothes, too, began to decay mightily: as to linen, I
had none for a great while, except some checkered shirts
which I found in the chests of the other seamen, and which
I carefully preserved, because many times I could bear no
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, indeed, several thick
watchcoats of the seamen's which were left, but they were
too hot to wear: and though it is true that the weather was
so violently hot that there was no need of clothes, yet I
could not go quite naked, no, though I had been inclined to
it, which I was not, nor could I abide the thought of it,
though I was all alone. The reason why I could not go
quite naked was, I could not bear the heat of the sun so
well when quite naked 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 whistling
under the shirt, was two-fold cooler than without it. No
more could I ever bring myself to go out in the heat of the
sun without a cap or hat; the heat of the sun beating with
such violence as it does in that place, would give me the
headache presently, by darting so directly upon my head,
without a cap or hat on, so that I could not bear it; whereas,
if I put on my hat, it would presently go away.
Upon these views, I began to consider about putting the
few rags I had, which I called clothes, into some order. I
ha! worn out all the waistcoats I had, and my business was
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE
161
1
now to try if I could not make jackets out of the great
watchcoats that 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 a very sorry shift indeed, till after-
wards.
1
I have mentioned that I saved the skins of all the crea-
tures that I killed, I mean four-footed ones; and I had trung
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 I found very useful. The first thing
I made of these was a great cap for my head, with the hair
on the outside, to shoot off the rain; and this I performed
so well, that after this I made me a suit of clothes wholly of
the skins, that is to say, a waistcoat, and breeches, open at
the knees, and both loose; for they were rather wanting to
keep me cool than warm. I must not omit to acknowledge
that they were wretchedly made; for if I was a bad car-
penter, I was a worse tailor. However, they were such as I
made very good shift with; and when I was abroad, if it
happened to rain, the hair of my waistcoat and cap being
appermost, I was kept very dry.
After this, I spent a great deal of time and pains to make
me an umbrella: I was indeed in great want of one, and
had a great mind to make one: I had seen them made in
the Brazils, where they were very useful in the great heats
which are there; and I felt the heat every jot 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 took a world of pains
at it, and was a great while before I could make anything
likely to hold; nay, after I thought I had hit the way, I
poiled two or three before I made one to my mind; but at
1
T
14*
62
ADVENTURES OF
ast I made one that answered indifferently well; the main
difficulty I found was to make it to let down: I could make
it spread, but if it did not let down too, and draw in, it was
not purtable for me any way but just over my head, which
would not do. However, at iast, as I said, I made one to
answer, and covered it with skins, the hair upwards, so that
it cast off the rain like a pent-house, 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
coolest; and when I had no need of it, could close it and
carry it under ny arm.
Thus I lived mighty comfortably, my mind being entirely
composed by resigning to the war of God, and throwing
myself wholly upon the disposal on 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 mutually with my own thoughts, and, as I
hope I may say, with even God himself, by ejaculations,
was not better than the utmost enjoyment of human society
in the world?
SECTION XV.
HE MAKES L SMALLER CANOE, IN WHICH HE ATTEMPTS TO CRUISE
ROUND THE ISLAND HIS PERILOUS SITUATION AT SEA-HE
HE RE-
TURNS HOME.
-
I CANNOT say that after this, for five years, any extraordi-
nary thing happened to me, but I lived on in the same
course, in the same posture and place, just as before; the
chief things I was employed in, besides my yearly labor of
planting my barley and rice, and curing my raisins, of both
which I always kept up just enough to have sufficient stock
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
163
of one year's provision beforehand: I say, besides this yearly
labor, and my daily pursuit of going out with my gun, I had
one labor, to make me a canoe, which at last I finished; so
that by digging a canal to it of six feet wide, and four fee.
deep, I brought it into the creek, almost half a mile. As
for the first, which was so vastly big, as I made it without
considering beforehand, as I ought to do, how I should be
able to launch it, so, never being able to bring it into 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 the
next time indeed, the next time, though I could not get a
tree proper for it, and was in a place where I could not get
the water to it at any less distance than, as I have said, near
half a mile, yet as I saw it was practicable at last, I never
gave it over; and though I was near two years about it, yet
I never grudged my labor, in hopes of having a boat to go
off to sea at last.
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 above forty miles
broad; accordingly, the smallness of my boat assisted to put
an end to that design, and now I thought no more of it.
As I had a boat, my next design was to make a cruise 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 little journey made me very eager
to see other parts of the coast; and now I had a boat, I
thought of nothing but sailing round the island.
For this purpose, that I might do everything with dis
cretion and consideration, I fitted up a little mast`in 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
TO
f
164
ADVENTURES OF
lockers, or boxes, at each end of my boat, to put provisions,
necessaries, ammunition, &c., into,- to be kept dry, either
from rain or the spray of the sea; and a little long hollow
place I cut in the inside of the boat, where I could lay my
gun, making a flap to hang down over it, to keep it dry.
I fixed my umbrella also in a step at the stern, like a
mast, to stand over my head, and keep the heat of the sun
off me, like an awning; and thus every now and then took
a little voyage upon the sea, but never went far out, nor far
from the little creek. At last, being eager to view the cir-
cumference of my little kingdom, I resolved upon my cruise;
and accordingly, I victualled my ship for the voyage, putting
in two dozen of loaves (cakes I should rather call them) of
barley bread, an earthen pot full of parched rice (a food I
ate a great deal of), a little bottle of rum, half a goat, and
powder and shot for killing more, and two large watchcoats,
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 sixth of November, in the sixth year of my
reign, or my captivity, which you please, that I set out on
this voyage, and I found it much longer than I expected;
for though the island itself was not very large, yet when I
came to the east side of it, I found a great ledge of rocks lic
about 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 the point.
When first I discovered them, I was going to give over
my enterprise, and come back again, not knowing how far it
might oblige me to go out to sea, and above all, doubting
how I should get back again; so I came to an anchor; for I
had made me a kind of anchor with a piece of a broken
grappling which I got out of the ship.
Having secured my boat, I took my gun and went on
M
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
164
shure, climbing up on a hill, which seemed to overlook tha
puint, where I saw the full extent of it, and resolved to
venture.
In my viewing the sea from that hill where I stood, I
perceived a strong, and indeed a most furious current, which
ran to the east, and even came close to the point; and I
took the more notice of it, because I saw there might 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 I not got first upon this hill,
I believe it would have been so; for there was the same
current on the other side the island, only that it set off at a
farther distance, and I saw there was a strong eddy under
the shore: so I had nothing to do but to get out of the first
current, and I should presently 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 great breach of 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 I am a
warning-piece again to all rash and ignorant pilots: for no
sooner was I come to the point, when I was not even 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 1
could do could not keep her so much as on the edge of it;
but I found it hurried me farther and farther out from the
cddy, which was on my left hand. There was no wind stir-
ring to help me, and all I could do with my paddles signified
nothing: and now I began to give myself over for lost; for
as the current was on both sides 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
166
ADVENTURES OF
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 1
had a great jar of fresh water, that is to say, one of my
earthen pots; but what was all this to being driven into the
vast ocean, where, to be sure, there was no shore, no maiņ
land or island, for a thousand leagues at least?
And now I saw how easy it was for the providence of God
to make even the most miserable condition of mankind
worse. Now I looked back upon my desolate, solitary
island as the most pleasant place in the world; and all the
happiness my heart could wish for was to be but there again.
I stretched out my hands to it, with eager wishes: O happy
desert! said I, I shall never see thee more. O miserable
creature! whither am I going! Then I reproached myself
with my, unthankful temper, and how I had repined at my
solitary condition; and now what would I give to be on
shore there again! Thus we never see the true state of our
condition till it is illustrated to us by its contraries, nor
know how to value what we enjoy, but by the want of it.
It is scarce possible to imagine the consternation I was now
in, being driven from my beloved island (for so it appeared
to me now to be) into the wide ocean, almost two leagues,
and in the utmost despair of ever recovering it again. How-
ever, 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 current which the eddy lay on, as
possibly I could; when about noon, as the sun passed the
meridian, I thought I felt a little breeze of wind in my face,
springing up from S.S.E. This cheered my heart a little,
and especially when, in about half an hour more, it blew a
pretty gentle gale. By this time I was got at a frightful
distance from the island, and had the least cloudy or hazy
weather intervened, I had been undone another way too
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
167
i
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 possible, to get
out of the current.
Just as I had set my mast and sail, and the boat began to
stretch away, I saw even by the clearness of the water some
alteration of the current was near; for where the current
was so strong, the water was foul; but perceiving the water
clear, I found the current abate; and presently I found to
the east, at about half a mile, a breach of the sea upon some
rocks these rocks I found caused the current to part again,
and as the main stress of it ran away more southerly, leaving
the rocks to the north-east, so the other returned by the
repulse of the 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 t
them upon the ladder, or to be rescued from thieves just
going to murder them, or who have been in such-like
extremities, may guess what my present surprise of joy was,
and how gladly I put my boat into the stream of this eddy;
and the wind also freshening, how gladly I spread my sail
to it, running 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 northward than the current 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 something more than a league of way
by the help of this current or eddy, I found it was spent,
and served me no farther. However, I found that being
168
ADVENTURES OF
F
between two great currents, viz., that on the south side,
which had hurried me away, and that on the north, which
lay about a league on the other side; I say, between these
two, in the wake of the island, I found the water at least
still, and running no way; and having still a breeze of wind
fair to me, I kept on steering directly for the island, though
not making such fresh way as I did before.
About four o'clock in the evening, being then within a
league of the island, I found the point of the rocks which
occasioned this disaster stretching out, as is described before,
to the southward, and casting off the current more southerly,
had, of course, made another eddy to the north; and this I
found very strong, but not directly setting the way my course
lay, which was due west, but almost full north. However,
naving a fresh gale I stretched across this eddy, slanting
north-west; and, in about an hour, came within about a
mile of the shore, where, it being smooth, I soon got to land.
When I was on shore, I fell on my knees, and gave God
thanks for my deliverance, resolving to lay aside all thoughts of
my deliverance by my boat; and refreshing myself with such
things as I had, I brought my boat close to the shore, in a
little cove that I had spied under some trees, and laid me
down to sleep, being quite spent with the labor 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 of 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 resolved in the morning to make my way westward
along the shore, and see if there was no creek where I might
ay up my frigate in safety, so as to have her again, if I
wanted her. In about three miles, or thereabout, coasting
the shore, I came to a very good inlet or bay, about a mile
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
169
over, which narrowed till it came to a very little rivulet or
brook, where I found a very convenient harbor for my boat,
and where she lay as if she had been in a little dock male
on purpose for her. Here I put in, and having stowed my
boat very safe, I went on shore, to look about me, and see
where I was.
I soon found I had but a little passed by the place where
I had been before when I travelled on foot to that shore; so
taking nothing out of my boat but my gun and umbrella,
for it was exceeding hot, I began my march. The way was
comfortable enough after such a voyage as I had been upon,
and I reached my old bower in the evening, where I found
everything standing as I had left it; for I always kept
it in good order, being, as I said before, my country house.
I got over the fence, and laid me down in the shade to
rest my limbs, for I was very weary, and fell asleep: but
judge you, if you can, that read my story, what a 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?
Where are you? Where have you been?
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 wake thoroughly; but
dozing between sleeping and waking, thought I dreamed
that somebody spoke to me; but as the voice continued to
repeat Robin Crusoe, Robin Crusoe, at last I began to wake
more perfectly, and was at first dreadfully frightened, and
started up in the utmost consternation; but no sooner were
my eyes open, but I saw my Poll sitting on the top of the
hedge; and immediately knew it was he that spoke to me:
for just in such bemoaning language I had used to talk to
him, and teach him; and he had learned it so perfectly, that
he would sit upon my finger, and lay his bill close to my face,
+44
15
:
ہوتی
ADVENTURES OF
44
170
and cry, Poor Robin Crusoe; Where are you? Whe
How came you here? and such things as I
have you been?
had taught him.
However, even though I knew it was the parrot, and that
indeed it could be nobody else, it was a good while before I
could compose myself. First, I was amazed how the crea-
ture got thither; and then how he should just keep about
the place, and nowhere 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, Poll, the sociable
creature came to me, and sat upon my thumb, as he used to
do, and continued talking to me, Poor Robin Crusoe! and
how did I come here? and where had I been? just as if he
had been overjoyed to see me again: and so I carried him
home along with me.
1
I now had enough of rambling to sea for some time, and
had enough to do for many days to sit still, and to reflect
upon the danger I had been in. I would have been very
glad to have had my boat again on my side of the island;
but I knew not how it was practicable to get it about.
A8
to the east side of the island, which I had gone round, I.
knew well enough there was no venturing that way; my
very heart would shrink, and my very blood run chill, but
to think of it; and as to the other side of the island, I did
hot 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 any boat, though
it had been the product of so many months' labor to make
it, and of so many more to get it into the sea.
In this government of my temper I remained near a year,
lived a very sedate, retired life, as you may well suppose;
and my thoughts being very much composed, as to my con
#
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
17.
•
dition, and fully comforted in resigning myself to the dis-
positions of Providence, I though I lived really very happily
in all things except that of society.
W
I improved myself in this time in all the mechanic ex-
ercises which my necessities put me upon applying myself
to; and I believe I could upon occasion, have made a very
good carpenter, especially considering how few tools I had.
Besides this, I arrived at an unexpected perfection in my
carthen-ware, 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 upon. But I think I was never more
vain of my own performance, or more joyful for anything I
found out, than for my being able to make a tobacco-pipe;
and though it was a very ugly clumsy thing when it was
done, and only burned red, like other earthenware, yet as it
was hard and firm, and would draw the smoke, I was
exceedingly comforted with it, for I had been always used
to smoke: and there were pipes in the ship, but I forgot
them at first, not thinking that there was tobacco in the
island; and afterwards, when I searched the ship again, I
could not come at any pipes at all.
In my wicker-ware also I improved 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. For example, if I killed a goat
abroad, I could hang it up in a tree, flay it, dress it, and cut
it in pieces, and bring it home in a basket; and the like by
a turtle; I could cut it up, take out the eggs, and a piece or
two of the flesh, which was enough for me, and bring them
home in a basket, and leave the rest behind me.
Also large
deep baskets for the receivers of my corn, which I always
rubbed out as soon as it was dry, and cured, and kept it in
great baskets.
72
ADVENTURES OF
I began now to perceive my powder abated considerably,
his was a want which it was impossible for me to supply,
and I began seriously to consider 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 is observed, in the third
year of my being here, kept a young kid, and bred her up
tame, and I was in hopes of getting a he-goat: but I could
not by any means bring it to pass, till my kid grew an old
goat; and as I could never find in my heart to kill her, she
died at last of mere age.
SECTION XVI.
HE REARS A FLOCK OF GOATS
GOATS HIS DAIRY HIS DOMESTIC HABITS
AND STYLE OF LIVING INCREASING PROSPERITY.
gogikdag
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 particularly, I wanted a
she-goat great with young. For 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, and I always found them broken, and my bait devoured.
At length I resolved to try a pitfall: so I dug several large
pits in the earth, in places where I had observed the goats
used to feed, and over those pits I placed hurdles, of my 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
178
the next morning, I found them all standing, and y t the
bait eaten and gone. This was very discouraging: how-
ever, I altered my traps; and, not to trouble you with
particulars, going one morning to see my traps, I found in
one of them a large old he-goat, and in one of the others
three kids, a male and two females.
As to the old one, I knew not what to do with him; he
was so fierce, I durst not go into the pit to him; that is to
say, to go about 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 frightened out of
his wits. But
But I had forgot then, what I had learned after-
wards, 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 mighty
sagacious, tractable creatures, where they are well used.
However, for the present I let him go, knowing no better at
that time: then I went to the three kids, and taking them
one by one, I tied them with strings together, and with some
difficulty brought them all home.
It was a good while before they would feed; but throwing
them some sweet corn, it tempted them, and they began to
be tame. And now I found that if I expected to supply
myself with goat's flesh when I had no powder or shot left,
brecding some up tame was my only way; when, perhaps, I
might have them about my house like a flock of sheep. But
then it occurred to me, that I must keep the tame from the
wild, or else they would always run wild when they grew
up; and the only way for this was, to have some enclosed
piece of ground, well fenced, either with hedge or pale, to
keep them in so effectually, that those within might not
greak out, or those without break in.
This was a great undertaking for one pair of hands; yes
174
ADVENTURES OF
i
as I saw there was an absolute necessity for doing it, my
first work was to find out a proper piece of ground, where
there was likely to be herbage for them to eat, water for
them to drink, and cover to keep them from the sun.
Those who understand such inclosures will think I had
very little contrivance, when I pitched upon a place very
proper for all these (being a plain open piece of meadow
land, cr savannah, as our people call it in the western colo-
nies) which had two or three little drills of fresh water in it,
and at one end was very woody; I say, they will smile at
my forecast, when I shall tell them, I began my enclosing
this piece of ground in such a manner, that my hedge or
pale must have been at least two miles about. Nor was the
madness of it so great as to the compass, for if it was ten
miles about, I was like to have time enough to do it in; but
I did not consider that my goats would be as wild in so
much compass as if they had had the whole island, and I
should have so much room to chase them in, that I should
never catch them.
My hedge was begun and carried on, I believe about fifty
yards, when this thought occurred to me; so I presently
stopped short, and, for the first beginning, I resolved to
enclose a piece of about 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 stock 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 them to feed as near me as
possible, to make them familiar; and very often I would go
and carry them some ears of barley, or a handful of rice
and feed them out of my hand: so that after my enclosure
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
175
was finished, and I let them loose, they would follow me up
and down, bleating after me for a handful of corn.
This answered my end; and in about a year and a half 1
had a flock of about twelve goats, kids and all; and in two
years more, I had three and forty, beside several that I took
and killed for my food. 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, and gates out of one
piece of ground into another.
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 agree-
able 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 had never milked
a cow, much less a goat, or seen butter or cheese made,
only when I was a boy, after a great many essays and mis-
carriages, made me both butter and cheese at last, and also
salt (though I found it partly made to my hand by the heat
of the sun upon some of the rocks of the sea), and never
wanted it afterwards. How mercifully can our Creator treat
his creatures, even in those conditions in which they seemed
to be overwhelmed in destruction! How can he sweeten
the bitterest providences, and give us cause to praise him
for dungeons and prisons! What a table was here spread
for me in a wilderness, wnere I saw nothing, at first, but
to perish for hunger!
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 absolute command; I could hang.
draw, give liberty, and take it away; and no rebels among
all my subjects.
$
176
ADVENTURES OF
Then to see how like a king I dined too, all alone, attended
by my servants: Poll, as if he had been my favorite, was
the only person permitted to talk to me. My dog, who was
now grown very old and crazy, and had found no species to
multiply his kind upon, sat always at my right hand; and
two cats, one on one side of the table, and one on the other,
expecting now and then a bit from my hand, as a mark of
special favor.
But these were not the two cats which I brought on shore.
at first, for they were both of them dead, and had been
interred near my habitation by my own hand; but one of
them having multiplied by I know not what kind of creature,
these were two which I had preserved tame; whereas the rest
ran wild in the woods, and became indeed troublesome to
me at last; for they would often come into my house, and
plunder me too, till at last I was obliged to shoot them, and
did kill a great many; at length they left me.—With this
attendance, and in this plentiful manner, I lived: neither
could I be said to want anything but society; and of that,
some time after this, I was like to have too much.
I was something impatient, as I have observed, to have
the use of my boat, though very loath to run any more
hazards; and therefore sometimes I sat contriving ways to
get her about the island, and at other times I sat myself
down contented enough without her. But I had a strange
uneasiness in my mind to go down to the point of the island,
where, as I have said, in my last ramble, I went up the hill
to see how the shore lay, and how the current set, that I
might see what I had to do: this inclination increased upon
me every day, and at length I resolved to travel thither by
land, following the edge of the shore. I did so; but had
any one in England been to meet such a man as I was, it
must either have frightened him, or raised a great deal of
laughter; and as I frequently stood still to look at myself, I
could not but smile at the notion of my travelling through
-ו.
ROBINSON CRUSOE
177
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 my neck;
nothing being so hurtful in these climates as the rain upon
the flesh, under the clothes.
I had a short jacket of goat's skin, the skirts coming down
to about the middle of the thighs, and a pair of open-kneed
breeches of the same; the breeches were made of the skin
of an old he-goat, whose hair hung down such a length on
either side, that, like pantaloons, it reached to the middle of
my legs; stockings and shoes I had none, but had made me
a pair of somethings, I scarce know what to call them, like
buskins, to flap over my legs, and lace on either side like
spatterdashes, but of a most barbarous shape, as indeed were
all the rest of my clothes.
I had on a broad belt of goat's skin dried, which I drew
together with two thongs of the same, instead of buckles;
and in a kind of a frog on either side of this, instead of a
sword and dagger, hung a little saw and a hatchet; one on
one side, and one on the other. I had another belt, not so
broad, and fastened in the same manner, which hung over
my shoulder; and at the end of it, under my left arm, hung
two pouches, both made of goat's skin too: in one of which
hung my powder, in the other my shot. At my back I car-
ried my basket, and on my shoulder my gun; and over my
head a great clumsy ugly goat's skin umbrella, but which,
after all, was the most necessary thing I had about me, next
to my gun. As for my face, the color of it was really not
30 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 both scissors
and razors sufficient, I had cut it pretty short, except what
178
ADVENTURES OF
!
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; for the Moors did not wear such,
though the Turks did: of these mustachios or whiskers, I
will not say they were long enough to hang my hat upon
them, but they were of a length and shape monstrous
enough, and such as, in England, would have passed for
frightful.
But all this is by the bye; for, as to my figure, I had so
few to observe me that it was of no manner of consequence;
SO I say no more to that part. In this kind of figure I went
my new journey, and was out five or six days. I travelled
first along the seashore, directly to the place where I first
brought my boat to an anchor, to get upon the rocks; and
having no boat now to take care of, I went over the land, a
nearer way, to the same height that I was upon before;
when looking forward to the point of the rocks which lay
out, and which I was obliged to double with my boat, as is
said above, I was surprised to see the sea all smooth and
quiet; no rippling, no motion, no current, any more than in
any other places. I was at a strange loss to understand
this, and resolved to spend some time in the 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 with the current
of waters from some great river on the shore; must be the
occasion of this current; and that according as the wind
blew more forcibly from the west, or from the north, this
current came nearer, or went farther from the shore: for
waiting thereabouts till evening, I went up the rock again,
and then the tide of ebb being made, I plainly saw the
current again as before. only that it ran farther off, being
near half a league from the shore: whereas, in my case, it
set close upon the shore, and hurried me and my canoo
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
179
along with it, which, at another time, it would not have
done.
This observation convinced me, that I had nothing to do
but to observe the ebbing and the flowing of the tide, and I
might 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 1
had been in, that I could not think of it again with any
patience; but, on the contrary, I took up another resolution,
which was more safe, though more laborious; and this was,
that I would build, or rather make me another periagua or
canoe; and so have one for one side of the island, and one
for the other.
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, that is to say, beyond where my
wall joined to the rock, was all filled up with large earthen
pots, of which I have given an account, and with fourteen or
fifteen great baskets, which would hold five or six bushels
each, where I laid up my stores of provision, especially my
corn, some in the ear, cut off short from the straw, and the
other rubbed out with my 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 noi
the least appearance, to any one's view, of any habitation
behind them.
Near this dwelling of mine, but a little farther within the
land, and upon lower ground, lay ny two pieces of corn land,
which I kept duly cultivated an sowed, and which duly
180
ADVENTURES OF
yielded me their harvest in its season; and whenever I had
occasion for more corn, I had more land adjoining as fit ar
that.
Besides this, I had my country seat; and. I had 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 encircled 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 my stakes,
but were now grown very firm and tall, always cut so, 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 always standing, being
a piece of a sail spread over poles, set up for that purpose,
and. which never wanted any repair or renewing; and under
this I had made me a squab or couch, with the skins of the
creatures I had killed, and with other soft things; and a
blanket laid on them, such as belonged to, our sea bedding,
which I had saved, and a great 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 my cattle, that
is to say, my goats; and as I had taken an inconceivable
deal of pains to fence and enclose this ground, I was so
anxious to see it kept entire, lest the goats should break
through, that I never left off, till, with infinite labor, I had
stuck the outside of the hedge 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 afterwards, when those stakes grew, as they all
did the next rainy season, made the enclosure strong like a
wall, indeed, stronger than any wall.
This will testify for me that I was not idle, and that I spared
no pains to bring to pass hatever appeared necessary for my
comfortable support; for I considered the keeping up a breed
My g
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
181
of tame creatures thus at my hand would be a living maga-
ine 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
keeping them in my reach depended entirely upon my per-
fecting my enclosures to such a degree, that I might be sure
of keeping them together; which, by this method, indeed, I
80 effectually secured, that when these little stakes began to
grow, I had planted them so very thick, that I was forced to
pull some of them up again.
In this place also I had my grapes growing, which I prin-
cipally depended on for my winter store of raisins, and which
I never failed to preserve very carefully, as the best and
most agreeable dainty of my whole diet: and, indeed, they
were not only agreeable, but medicinal, wholesome, nourish-
ing, and refreshing to the last degree.
As this was also about half-way between my other
nabitation and the place where I had laid up my boat, I
generally stayed and lay here in my way thither: for I used
frequently to visit my boat; and I kept all things about or
belonging to her, in very good order: sometimes I went out
in her to divert myself, but no more hazardous voyages
would I go, nor scarce ever above a stone's cast or two from
the shore, I was so apprehensive of being hurried out of my
knowledge again by the currents or winds, or any other
cident. But now I come to a new scene of my life.
16
182
ADVENTURES OF
SECTION XVII.
UNEXPECTED ALARM AND CAUSE FOR APPREHENSION HE 1ORTIFIES
HIS ABODE.
Ir happened one day, about noon, going towards my boat, I
was exceedingly 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 thunderstruck, or as if I had seen an
apparition: I listened, I looked round me, but I could hear
nothing, nor see anything; I went up to a rising ground, to
look farther; I went up the shore and down the shore, but
it was all one; I could see no other impression but that ore.
I went to it again to see if there were any more, and to
observe if it might not be my fancy; but there was no room
for that, for there was exactly the print of a foot, toes,
heel, and every part of a foot: how it came thither, I knew
not, nor could I in the least imagine; but, after innumerable
fluttering thoughts, like a man perfectly confused and out of
myself, 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 at every two or three steps, mistaking
every bush and tree, and fancying every stump at a distance
to be a man. Nor is it possible to describe how many
various shapes my affrighted imagination represented things
to me in, how many wild ideas were found every moment in
my fancy, and what strange unaccountable whimsies came
into my thoughts by the way.
When I came to my castle (for so I think I called it ever
after this), 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 had called a door, I cannot remember;
no, ncr could I remember the next morning; for never

THE FOOT PRINT ON THE AND
Page Joa
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
183
frightened hare fled to cover, or fox to earth with more ter
ror of mind than I to this retreat.
I slept none that night: the farther I was from the occa-
sion of my fright, the greater my apprehensions were; which
is something contrary to the nature of such things, and
especially to the usual practice of all creatures in fear; but
I was so embarrassed with my own frightful ideas of the
thing, that I formed nothing but dismal imaginations to
myself, even though I was now a great way off it. Sometimes
I fancied it must be the Devil, and reason joined in with me
upon this supposition; for how should any other thing in
human shape come into the place? Where was the vessel
that brought them? What marks were there of any other
footsteps? And how was it possible a man should come there?
But then to think that Satan should take human shape upon
him in such a place, where there could be no manner of
occasion for it, but to leave the print of his foot behind him,
and that even for no purpose too, for he could not be sure
I should see it, this was an amusement the other way.
I considered that the Devil might have found out abundance
of other ways to have terrified me than this of the single
print of a foot; that as I lived quite on the other side of the
island, he would never have been so simple as to leave a
mark in a place where it was ten thousand to one whether I
should ever see it or not, and in the sand too, which the
first surge of the sea, upon a high wind, would have defaced
entirely all this seemed inconsistent with the thing itself,
and with all the notions we usually entertain of the subtlety
of the Devil.
•
Abundance of such things as these assisted to argue me
out of all apprehensions of its being the Devil; and I
presently concluded, then, that it must be some more danger-
ous creature, viz., that it must be some of the savages of the
main land over against me, who had wandered out to sea in
heir canoe³, and, either driven by the currents or by contrary
184
ADVENTURES OF
winds, had made the island, and had been on shore, but were
gone away again to sea; being as loth, perhaps, to have
stayed in this desolate island as I would have been to have
had them.
While these reflections were rolling upon my mind, I was
very thankful in my thoughts that I was so happy as not to
be 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 farther 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: that if it should happen
so that they should not find me, yet they would find my
enclosure, destroy all my corn, and 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, 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 with my laziness, that would
not sow any more corn one year than would just serve me
till the next season, as if no accident would intervene to
prevent my enjoying the crop that was upon the ground;
and this I thought so just a reproof, that I resolved for the
future to have two or three years' corn beforehand, so that,
whatever might come, I might not perish for want of bread.
How strange a checker-work of Providence is the life of
man! and by what secret different springs are the affections
hurried about, as different circumstances present! To-day
we love what to-morrow we hate; to-day we seek what
to-morrow we shun; to-day we desire what to-morrow we
fear, nay, even tremble at the apprehensions of; this was
exemplified in me, at this time, in the most lively manner
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
185
.
imaginable; for I, whose only affliction was that I seemed
banished from human society, that I was alone, circumscribed
by the boundless ocean, cut off from mankind, and con·
demned to what I called silent life; that I was as one whom
Heaven thought not worthy to be numbered among the
living, or to appear among the rest of his creatures; that to
have seen one of my own species would have seemed to me
a raising me from death to life, and the greatest blessing that
Heaven itself, next to the supreme blessing of salvation,
could bestow; I say, that I should now tremble at the very
apprehensions of seeing a man, and was ready to sink into
the ground at but the shadow or silent appearance of a
man's having set his foot in the island.
Such is the uneven state of human life; and it afforded
me a great many curious speculations afterwards, when I
had a little recovered my first surprise. I considered that
this was the station of life the infinitely wise and good
providence of God had determined for me; that as I could
not foresee what the ends of divine wisdom might be in all
this, so I was not to dispute his sovereignty, who, as I was
his creature, had an undoubted right, by creation, to govern
and dispose of me absolutely as he thought fit; and who, as
I was a creature that had offended him, had likewise a
udicial right to condemn me to what punishment he thought
fit; and that it was my part to submit to bear his indigna-
tion, because I had sinned against him. I then reflected,
that as God, who was not only righteous, but omnipotent,
had thought fit thus to punish and afflict me, so he was able
to deliver me; that if he did not think fit to do so, it was my
unquestioned duty to resign myself absolutely and entirely
to his will; and, on the other hand, it was my duty also to
hope in him, pray to him, and quietly to attend the dictates
and directions of his daily providence.
These thoughts took me up many hours, days, nay, I may
say, weeks and months; and one particular effect of my
16*
186
ADVENTURES OF
cogitations on this occasion I cannot omit. One morning
early, lying in my bed, and filled with thoughts about my
danger from the appearances of savages, I found it discom-
posed me very much; upon which these words of the Scrip-
ture came into my thoughts: "Call upon 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 I 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 that presented to me were, "Wait on the Lord, and
be of good cheer, and he shall strengthen thy heart; wait, 1
say, on the Lord." It is impossible to express the comfor
this gave me. In answer, I thankfully laid down the book,
and was no more sad, at least 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 I not 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 try to make stories of spectres
and apparitions, and then are frightened at them more than
anybody.
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 provisions; for I had
little or nothing within doors but some barley cakes and
water: then I knew that my goats wanted to be milked too,
which usually was my evening diversion; and the poor
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
187
creatures were in great pain and inconvenience for want of
it: and, indeed, it almost spoiled some of them, and almost
dried up their milk. Encouraging myself, therefore, with
the belief that this was nothing but the print of one of my
own feet, and that I might be truly said to start at my own
shadow, 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, how I was ready,
every now and then, to lay down my basket, and run for my
life, it would have made any one think I was haunted with
an evil conscience, or that I had been lately most terribly
frightened; and so, indeed, I had. However, as I went
down thus two or three days, and having seen nothing, I
began to be a little bolder, and to think there was really
nothing in it but my own imagination; but I could not
persuade myself fully of 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, first, it appeared evidently to me, that when I laid
up my boat, I could not possibly be on shore anywhere
thereabout: secondly, when I came to measure the mark
with my own foot, I found my foot not so large by a great
deal. Both these things filled my head with new imagina-
tions, and gave me the vapors again to the highest degree,
so that I shook with cold like one in an ague; and I went
home again, filled with the belief that some 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 for my security I knew not.
O, what ridiculous resolutions men take when possessed
with fear! It deprives them of the use of those means
which reason offers for their relief. The first thing I pro-
posed to myself was, to throw down my enclosures, and turn
all my tame cattle wild into the woods, lest the enemy
188
ADVENTURES OF
should find them, and then frequent the island in prospect
of the same or the like booty: then to the simple thing of
digging up my two cornfields, lest they should find such a
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 be prompted to look
800
farther, in order to find out the persons inhabiting.
These were the subject of the first night's cogitations after
I was come home again, while the apprehensions which had
so overrun my mind were fresh upon me, and my head was
full of vapors, as above. Thus fear of danger is ten thou-
sand times more terrifying than danger itself when apparent
to the eyes; and we find the burden of anxiety greater, by
much, than the evil which we are anxious about: and, which
was 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
Lim; for I did not now take due ways to compose my mind,
by crying to God in my distress, and resting upon his
providence, as I had done before, for my defence and
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.
This confusion of my thoughts kept me awake all night;
but in the morning I fell asleep; and having, by the amuse-
ment of my mind, been as it were tired, and my spirits
exhausted, I slept very soundly, and waked 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,
fruitful, and no farther from the main land than as I had
seen, was not so entirely abandoned as I might imagine;
hat although there were no stated inhabitants who lived on
the spct, yet that there might sometimes come boats off from
-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
189
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 here fifteen years now, and had not
met with the least shadow or figure of any people yet; and
that if at any time they should be driven here, it was
probable they went away again as soon as ever they could,
secing they had never thought fit to fix here upon any
occasion; that the most I could suggest any danger from,
was from any casual accidental landing of straggling people
from the main, who, as it was likely, if they were driven
hither, were here against their wills, so they made no stay
here, but went off again with all possible speed; seldom
staying one night on shore, lest they should not have the
help of the tides and daylight back again; and that, there-
fore, I had nothing to do but to consider of some safe
retreat, in case I should see any savages land upon the spot.
Now I began sorely to repent that I had dug my cave so
large as to bring a door through again, which docr, as I
said, came out beyond where my fortification joined to the
rock upon maturely considering this, therefore, I resolved
to draw me a second fortification, in the same manner of a
semicircle, at a distance from my wall, just where I had
planted a double row of trees about twelve years before, of
which I made mention: these trees having been planted so
thick before, they wanted but few piles to be driven between
them, that they might be thicker and stronger, and my wall
would be soon finished: so that I had now a double wall:
and my outer wall was thickened with pieces of timber, old
cables, and everything I could think of, to make it strong,
having in it seven little holes, about as big as I might put
my arm out at. In the inside of this, I thickened my wall
to about ten feet thick, with continually bringing earth out
of my cave, and laying it at the foot of the wall, and walk-
ing upon it; and through the seven holes I contrived to
plant the muskets, of which I took notice that I had got
+
190
ADVENTURES OF
f
¿
seven on shore out of the ship: these I planted like my
cannon, and fitted them into frames, that held them like a
carriage, so that 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.
When this was done, I stuck all the ground without my
wall, for a great length every way, as full with stakes, or
sticks, of the osier-like wood, which I found so apt to grow,
as they could well stand; insomuch, that I believe I migh:
set in near twenty thousand of them, leaving a pretty large
space between them and my wall, that I might have room to
see an enemy, and they might have no shelter from the
young trees, if they attempted to approach my outer wall.
Thus, in two years' time, I had a thick grove; and in five
or six years' time I had a wood before my dwelling, growing
so monstrous thick and strong, that it was indeed perfectly
impassable; and no men, of what kind soever, would ever
imagine that there was anything beyond it, much less a
habitation. As for the way which 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 then
broke in, and left room to place another ladder upon that:
so when the two ladders were taken down, no man living
could come down to me without doing himself mischief;
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 without just reason,
though I foresaw nothing at tha. time more than my mere
fear suggested to me.
While this was doing, I was not altogether careless of my
other affairs for I had a great concern upon me for my
little herd of goats; they were not only a ready supply to
me on every occasion, and began to be sufficient for me,
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
191
without the expense of powder and shot, but also witnout
the fatigue of hunting after the wild ones; and I was loth
to lose the advantage of them, and to have them all to nurse
up over again.
For this purpose, after long consideration, I could think
of but two ways to preserve them: one was, to find another
convenien 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 I could, where I might keep about half a
dozen young goats in each place; so that if any disaster
happened to the flock in general, I might be able to raise
them again with little trouble and time; and this, though it
would require a great deal of time and labor, I thought was
the most rational 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, indeed, 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, endeavoring to come back that way from the eastern
part of the island. Here I found a clear piece of land, near
three acres, so surrounded with woods, that it was almost
in enclosure by nature; at least, it did not want near so
much labor to make it so as the other pieces of ground I had
worked so hard at.
192
ADVENTURES OF
SECTION XVIII.
PRECAUTIONS AGAINST SURPRISE ROBINSON DISCOVERS THAT HIA
ISLAND HAS BEEN VISITED BY CANNIBALS.
J
I IMMEDIATELY went to work with this piece of ground,
and in less than a month's time I had so fenced it round,
that my flock, or herd, call it which you please, who were
not so wild now as at first they might be supposed to be,
were well enough secured in it; so, without any further
delay, I removed ten young she-goats and two he-goats to
this piece; and when they were there, I continued to perfect
the fence, till I had made it as secure as the other, which,
however, I did at more leisure, and it took me up more time
by a great deal. All this labor I was at the expense of
purely from my apprehensions on the account of the print
of a man's foot which I had seen; for, as yet, I never saw
any human creature come near the island; and I had now
lived two years under this uneasiness, which, indeed, made
my life much less comfortable than it was before, as may be
well imagined by any who knows what it is to live in the
constant snare of the fear of man. And this I must observe,
with grief too, that the discomposure of my mind had too
great impressions also upon the religious part of my thoughts;
for the dread and terror of falling into the hands of savages
and cannibals lay so upon my spirits, that I seldom found
myself in a due temper for application to my Maker, at least
not with the sedate calmness and resignation of soul which
I was wont to do: I rather prayed to God as under great
affliction and pressure of mind, surrounded with danger, and
in expectation every night of being murdered and devoured
before morning; and I must testify from my experience, that
a temper of peace, thankfulness, love and affection, is much.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
193
the more proper frame for prayer than that of terror and
discomposure; and that under the dread of mischief impend-
ing, a man is no more fit for a comforting performance of the
duty of praying to God, than he is for a 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 to God being properly an act of the
mind, not of the body.
But to go on after I had thus secured one part of my
ittle 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
perspective glass or two in one of the seamen's chests, which
I saved out of our ship, but I had it not about me; and this
was so remote, that I could not tell what to make of it,
though I looked at it till my eyes were not able to hold to
look any longer: whether it was a boat or not, I do 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 out
without a perspective glass in my pocket. When I was
come down the hill to the end of the island, where, indeed,
I had never been before, I was presently convinced that the
seeing the print of a man's foot was not such a strange thing
in the island as I imagined: and, but that it was a special
providence 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 be a little too far out at sea,
to shoot over to that side of the island for harbor; likewise.
as they often met and fought in their canoes, the victors,
having taken any prisoners, would bring them over to this
shore, where, according, to their dreadful customs, being
17
194
ADVENTURES OF
all cannibals, they would kill and eat them; of which here
after.
When I was come down the hill to the shore, as I said
above, being the south-west point of the island, I was per-
fectly confounded and amazed; nor is it possible for me to
express the horror of my mind, at seeing the shore spread
wi.h skulls, hands, feet, and other bones of human bodies;
ard, particularly, I observed a place where there had been a
fire made, and a circle dug in the earth, like a cockpit, where
I supposed the savage wretches had sat down to their inhu-
man feastings upon 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 myself from it for a
long while: all my apprehensions were buried in the thoughts
of such a pitch of inhuman, hellish brutality, and the horror
of the degeneracy of human nature, which, though I had
heard of it often, yet I never had so near a view of before :
in short, I turned away my face from the horrid spectacle;
my stomach grew sick, and I was just at the point of faint-
ing, 'when nature discharged the disorder from my stomach;
and having vomited with uncommon violence, I was a little
relieved, but could not bear to stay in the place a moment;
so I got me up the hill again with all the speed I could, 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 cyes, gave God thanks, that had cast
my first lot in a part of the world where I was distinguished
from such dreadful creatures as these; and that, though I
had esteemed my present condition very miserable, had yet
given me so many comforts in it, that I had still more to
give thanks for than to complain of; and this, above all,
that 1 had, even in this miserable condition, been comforted
with the knowledge of Himself, and the hope of His bles
↑
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
195
I
1
4
ing, 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; perhaps not seeking, 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
eighteen years, and never saw the least footsteps of human
creature there before; and I might be eighteen years more
as entirely concealed as I was now, if I did not discover
myself to them, which I had no manner of occasion to do;
it being my only business to keep myself entirely concealed
where I was, unless I found a better sort of creatures than
cannibals to make myself known to. Yet I entertained
such an abhorrence of the savage wretches that I have been
speaking of, and of the wretched inhuman custom of their
devouring and eating one another up, that I continued pen-
sive 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 plantations, 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 which nature gave me to
these hellish wretches was such, that I was as fearful of see-
ing them as of seeing the Devil himself. I did not so much
as go to look after my boat all this time, but began rather
to think of making me another; for I could not think of
ever making any more attempts to bring the other boat
round the island to me, lest I should meet with some of
these creatures at sea; in which if I had happened to have
fallen into their hands, I knew what would have been my
bt.
196
ADVENTURES OF
'
A
Time, however, and the satisfaction I had that I was in
ao 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 of
firing my gun, lest any of them being on the island should
happen to hear it. It was therefore a very good providence
to me that I had furnished myself with a tame breed of
goats, and that I had no need to hunt any more about 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 off, though I never went out without it; and, which
was more, as I had saved three pistols out of the ship, 1
always carried them out with me, or at least two of them,
sticking them in my goat's-skin belt. I also furbished up
one of the great cutlasses that I had out of the ship, and
made me a belt to hang it on 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 myself, the particular
of two pistols, and a great broadsword hanging at my side
in a belt, but without a scabbard.
Things going on thus, as I have said, for some time, I
seemed, excepting these cautions, to be reduced to my
former calm sedate way of living. All these things tended
to show 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 with
those that were worse, in order to be thankful, than be
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
191
always comparing them with those which are better, to
Assist their murmurings and complainings.
As in 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
too much upon, and that was, to try if I could not make
some of my barley into malt, and then try to brew myself
some beer. This was really a whimsical thought, and
reproved myself often for the simplicity of it; for I presently
saw there would be the want of several things necessary to
the making my beer, that it would be impossible for me to
supply; as, first, casks to preserve it in, which was a thing
that, as I had observed already, I could never compass; no,
though I spent not only many days, but weeks, nay, months,
in attempting it, but to no purpose. In the next place, I
had no hops to make it keep, no yeast to make it work, no
copper or kettle to make it boil; and yet, with all these
things wanting, I verily believe, had not the frights and ter-
rors I was in about the savages intervened, I had undertaken
it, and perhaps brought it to pass too; for I seldom gave
anything over without accomplishing it, when once I had it
in my head 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, bloody entertainment, and, if possible, save the victim
they should bring hither to destroy. It would take up a
larger volume than this whole work is intended to be, to set
down all the contrivances I hatched, or rather brooded upon,
in my thoughts, for the destroying these creatures, or at
least frightening them so as to prevent their coming hither
any more; but all this was abortive; nothing could be pos
17*
198
ADVENTURES OF
+
sible to take effect, unless I was to be there to do it myself;
and what could one man do among them, when perhaps
there might be twenty or thirty of them together, with their
uarts, or their bows and arrows, with which they could shoot
as true to a mark as I could with my gun?
Sometimes I thought of digging a hole under the place
where they made their fire, and putting in five or six pounds.
of gunpowder, which, when they kindled their fire, would.
consequently take fire, and blow up all that was near it;
but as, in the first place, I should be unwilling to waste so
much powder upon them, my store being now within the
quantity of one barrel, so neither could I be sure of its going
off at any 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 sufficient to make
them forsake the place; so I laid it aside; and then pro-
posed that I would place myself in ambush in some con-
venient 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.
This fancy pleased my
thoughts for some weeks; and I was so full of it, that I
often dreamed of it, and sometimes that I was just going to
let fly at them in my sleep. I went so far with it in my
imagination, that I employed myself several days to find out.
proper places to put myself in ambuscade, as I said, to watch.
for them; and I went frequently to the place itself, which
was now grown more familiar to me: but while my mind was
thus filled with thoughts of revenge, and a bloody putting
twenty or thirty of them to the sword, as I may call it, the
horror I had at the place, and at the signals of the bar-
barous wretches devouring one another, abetted my malice.
Well, at length, I found a place in the side of the hill, where
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
199
I was satisfied I might securely wait till I saw any of their
boats coming; and might then, even before they would be
ready to come on shore, convey myself, unseen, into some
thickets of trees, in one of which there was a hollow large
enough to conceal me entirely; and there I might sit and
observe all their bloody doings, and take my full aim at their
heads, when they were so close together, as that it would be
next to impossible that I should miss my shot, or that I
could fail wounding three or four of them at the first shot.
In this place, then, I resolved to fix my design; and,
accordingly, I prepared two muskets and my ordinary
fowling-piece. The two muskets I loaded with a brace of
slugs each, and four or five smaller bullets, about the size
of pistol-bullets; and the fowling-piece I loaded with near
a handful of swan-shot, of the 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 prepared myself for my expedition.
After I had thus laid the scheme of my design, and, in my
imagination, put it in practice, 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, constantly kept
my watch, but came always back without any discovery:
there having not in all that time, been the least appear-
ance, not only on and near the shore, but on the whole
ocean, so far as my eyes or glasses could reach every
way.
As long as I kept my daily tour to the hill to look out, so
long also I kept up the vigor of my design, and my spirits
seemed to be all the while in a suitable form for so out-
rageous an execution as the killing twenty or thirty naked
avages, for an offence, which I had not at all entered into
200
ADVENTURES OF
$
-1
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 abomi-
nable and vitiated passions; and, consequently, were left, and
perhaps had been so for some ages, to act such horrid things,
and receive such dreadful customs, as nothing but nature,
entirely abandoned by Heaven, and actuated by some hellish
degeneracy, could have run them into. But now, when, as
I have said, I began to be weary of the fruitless excursion,
which I had made so long and so far every morning in vain,
so my opinion of the action itself began to alter; and I
began, with cooler and calmer thoughts, to consider what I
was going to engage in: what authority or call I had to
pretend to be judge and executioner upon these men as
criminals, whom Heaven had thought fit, for so many ages,
to suffer, unpunished, to go on, and to be, as it were, the
executioners of his judgments one upon another. How far
these people were offenders against me, and what right I had
to engage in the quarrel of that blood which they shed pro-
miscuously 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 con-
sciences reproving, or their light reproaching them; they do
not know it to be an offence, and then commit it in defiance
of divine justice, as we do in almost all the sins we commit.
They think it no more a crime to kill a captive taken in war.
than we do to kill an ox; nor to eat human flesh, than we
do to eat mutton.
$5
M
When I 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 mir-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
201
derers 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. In the next place,
it occurred to me, that although the usage they gave one
another was thus brutish and inhuman, yet it was really
nothing to me; these people had done me no injury: that
if they attempted me, or I saw it necessary, for my immediate
preservation, to fall upon them, something might be said for
it; but that I was yet out of their power, and they really
had no knowledge of me, and consequently no design upon
me; and therefore it could not be just for me to fall upon
them that this would justify the conduct of the Spaniards
in all their barbarities practised in America, where they
destroyed millions of these people who, however they were
idolaters and barbarians, and had several bloody and barbar-
ous rites in their customs, such as sacrificing human bodies
to their idols, were yet, as to the Spaniards, very innocent
people; and that the rooting them out of the country is
spoken of with the utmost abhorrence and detestation by
even the Spaniards themselves at this time, and by all other
Christian nations in Europe, as a mere butchery, a bloody
and unnatural piece of cruelty, unjustificable either to God
or man, and for which the very name of a Spaniard is
reckoned to be frightful and terrible to all people of human-
ity, or of Christian compassion, as if the kingdom of
Spain were particularly eminent for the produce of a race of
men who were without principles of tenderness, or the com-
mon bowels of pity to the miserable, which is reckoned to
be a mark of generous temper in the mind.
These considerations really put me to a pause, and to a
kind of a full stop; and I began, by little and little, to be
off my design, and to conclude I had taken wrong measures
in my resolutions to attack the savages; and that it was not
my business to meddle with them, unless they first attacked
11
202
ADVENTURES OF
me; and that it was my business, if possible, to prevent;
but that if I were discovered and attacked by them, I knew
my duty. On the other hand, I argued with myself, that this
really was the way not to deliver myself, but entirely to ruin
and destroy myself; for unless I was sure to kill every one
that not only should be on shore at that 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 again by thousands 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 principle
nor in 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 creatures
upon the island, I mean of human shape. Religion joined
in with this prudential resolution, and I was convinced now,
many ways, that I was perfectly out of my duty when I
was laying all my bloody schemes for the destruction of
innocent creatures, I mean innocent 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, by national punishments, to make
a just retribution for national offences, and to bring public
judgments upon 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 had thus delivered
me from blood-guiltiness; beseeching him to grant me the
protection of his providence, that I might not fall into the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
203
hands of the barbarians, or that I might not lay my hands
on them, unless I had a more clear call from Heaven to
it, in defence of my own life.
SECTION XIX.
BOBINSON DISCOVERS A CAVE, WHICH SERVES
AGAINST THE SAVAGES.
SERVES HIM AS A RETREAT
In this disposition I continued for near a year after this; and
so far was I from desiring an occasion for falling upon these
wretches, that in all that time I never once went up the hill
to see whether there were any of them in sight, or to know
whether any of them had been on shore there or not, that I
might not be tempted to renew any of my contrivances against
them, or be provoked, by any advantage which might present
itself, to fall upon them: only this I did, I went and removed
my boat, which I had on the other side of the island, and
carrried 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 currents, the
savages durst not, at least would not, come with their boats,
upon any account whatever. With my boat I carried away
everything that I had left there belonging to her, though not
necessary for the bare going thither, viz., a mast and sail
which I had made for her, and a thing like an anchor, but
which, indeed, could not be called either anchor or grapnel;
however, it was the best I could make of its kind: all these
I removed, that there might not be the least shadow of any
discovery, or any appearance of any boat, or of any human
habitation, upon the island. Besides this, I kept myself, as
I said, more retired than ever, and seldom went from my cell,
204
ADVENTURES OF
other than upon my constant employment, viz., to milk my
she-goats, and manage my little flock in the wood, which as
it was quite on the other part of the island, was quite out
of danger; for certain it is, that these savage people, who
sometimes haunted this island, never came with any thoughts
of finding anything here, and consequently never wandered
off from the coast; and I doubt not but they might have
been several times on shore after my apprehensions of them
had made me cautious, as well as before. Indeed, I looked
back with some horror upon the thoughts of what my
condition would have been if I had popped upon them and
been discovered before that, 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 should I
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 very soul within me, and dis-
tressed my mind so much, that I could not soon recover it,
to think what I should have done, and how I should not
only have been unable to resist them, but even should not
have had presence of mind enough to do what I might have
done, much less what now, after so much consideration and
preparation, I might be able to do. Indeed, after serious
thinking on these things, I would be very melancholy, and
sometimes it would last a great while; but I resolved it all,
at last, into thankfulness to that Providence which had deliv-
ered me from so many unseen dangers, and had kept from
me those mischiefs which I could have no way been the
agent in delivering myself from, because I had not the least
notion of any such thing depending, or the least supposition
of its being possible. This renewed a contemplation which
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
205
1
often had come to my thoughts in former time when first I
began to see the merciful dispositions of Heaven, in the
dangers we run through in this life; how wonderfully we are
delivered when we know nothing of it; how, when we are
in (a quandary, as we call it) as doubt or hesitation, whether
to go
this way, or that way, a secret hint shall 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. Upon these, and many
like reflections, I afterwards made it a certain rule with me,
that whenever I found those secret hints or pressings of
mind, to doing or not doing any thing that presented, or
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, or such a hint hung upon my mind. I could
give many examples of the success of this conduct in the
course of my life, but more especially in the latter part of
my inhabiting this unhappy island; besides many occasions
which it is very likely I might have taken notice of, if I had
seen with the same eyes then that I see with now. But it
is never too late to be wise; and I cannot but advise all
considering men, whose lives are attended with such extra-
ordinary incidents as mine, or even though not so extraor-
dinary, not to slight such secret intimations 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
a secret communication between those embodied and those
"nembodied, and such a proof as can never be withstood; of
18
206
<
ADVENTURES OF
"
which I shall have occasion to give some very remarkable
.nstances in the remainder of my solitary residence in this
dismal place.
I believe the reader of this will not think it strange if I
confess that these anxieties, these constant dangers I lived
in, and the concern that was now upon me, put an end to all
invention, and to all the contrivances that I had laid for my
future accommodations and conveniences. I had the care of
that of my food.
my safety more now upon my hands than
I cared not to drive a nail, or chop a stick of wood now, for
fear the noise I might make should be heard; much less
would I fire a gun, for the same reason: and, above all,
was intolerably uneasy at making any fire, lest the smoke,
which is visible at a great distance in the day, should betray
me. 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 in a vast way,
and where, I dare say, no savage, had he been at the mouth
of it, would be so hardy as to venture in: nor, indeed, would
any man else, but one who, like me, wanted nothing so much
as a safe retreat.
The mouth of this hollow was at the bottom of a great
rock, where by mere accident (I would say, if I did not see
abundant reason to ascribe all such things now to Provi-
dence) 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 i
became chark, or dry coal; and then putting the fire out, 1
preserved the coal to carry home, and perform the other
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
201
services for which fire was wanting, without danger of smoke.
But this is by the by. While I was cutting down some
wood here, I perceived that behind a very thick branch oi
low brushwood, or underwood, there was a kind of hollow
place: I was curious to look in it, and getting with difficulty
into the mouth of it, I found it was pretty large: that is to
say, sufficient for me to stand upright in it, and perhaps
another with me: but I must confess to you that I made
more haste out than I did in, when, looking farther into the
place, and 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. How-
ever, after some pause, I recovered myself, and began to call
myself a thousand fools, and to think, that he that was
afraid to see the devil was not fit to live twenty years in an
island all alone; and that I might well think there was
nothing in this cave that was more frightful than myself.
Upon this, plucking up my courage, I took up a firebrand.
and in I rushed again, with the stick flaming in my hand:
I had not gone three steps in, but I was almost as much
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
broken noise, as of words half expressed, and then a deep
sigh again. I stepped back, and was indeed struck with
such a surprise, that it put me into a cold sweat; and if 1
had had a hat on my head, I will not answer for it, that my
hair might not have lifted it off. But still plucking up my
spirits as well as I could, and encouraging myself a little
with considering that the power and presence of God was
every where, and was able to protect me, upon this I stepped
forward again, and by the light of the firebrand, holding.
up a little over my head, I saw lying on the ground a most
monstrous, frightful, old he-goat, just making his will, as
we say and gasping for life, and dying, indeed, of mere old
208
ADVENTURES OF
age. I stirred him a little to see if I could get him out and
he essayed to get up, but was not able to raise himself; and
I thought with myself he might even lie there; for if he had
frightened me, so he would certainly fright any of the
savages, if any of them should be so hardy as to come in
there while he had any life in him.
I was now recovered from my surprise, and began to look
round me, when I found the cave was but very small, that is
to say, it might be about twelve feet over, but in no manner
of shape, neither round nor square, no hands having ever
been employed in making it but those of mere Nature. I
observed also that there was a place at the farther side of it
hat went in further, but was so low that it required me to
reep 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, pro-
vided with candles and a tinder-box, which I had made of
the lock of one of the muskets, with some wild-fire 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 goat's tallow, but was hard set for candle-wick, using
sometimes rags or rope-yarn, and sometimes the dried rind
of a weed like nettles); 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,
nor what was beyond it. When I had got through the
strait, I found the roof rose higher up, I believe near twenty
fect; 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 wall reflected a hundred thousand lights
to me from my two candles. What it was in the rock,
whether diamonds, or any other precious stcnes, or gold,
which I rather supposed it to be, I knew not. The place ]
ļ
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
209
was in was a most delightful cavity or grotto of its kind, as
could be expected, though perfectly 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 creature to be seen,
neither was there any damp or wet on the sides or roof: the
only difficulty in it was the entrance; which, however, 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 resolved, without any delay, to bring
some of those things which I was most anxious about to this
place; particularly, I resolved to bring hither my magazine
of powder, and all my spare arms, viz., two fowling-pieces,
for I had three in all, and three muskets, for of them I had
eight in all; so I kept at my castle only five, which stood
ready mounted like pieces of cannon, on my outmost fence,
and were ready also to take out upon any expedition. Upon
this occasion of removing my, ammunition, I happened to
open
the barrel of powder which I took up out of the sea,
and which had been wet; and I found that the water had
penetrated about three or four inches into the powder on
every side, which caking and growing hard, had preserved
the inside like a kernel in the shell; so that I had near
sixty pounds of very good powder in the centre of the cask:
this was a very agreeable discovery to me at that time; so I
carried all away thither, never keeping 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 the rocks, where non-
could come at them: for I persuaded myself, while I was
here, that if five hundred savages were to hunt me, they
could never find me out; or, if they did, they would not
venture to attack me here. The old goat, whom I found
xpiring, died in the mouth of the cave the next day after 1
1
18*
210
ADVENTURES OF
માં
1
made this discovery: and I found it much easier to dig a
great hole there, and throw him in and cover him with earth
than to drag him out; so I interred him there, to prevent
offence to my nose.
I was now in the twenty-third year of my residence in
this island; and was so naturalized to the place, and the
manner of living, that could I have but enjoyed the certainty
that no savages would come to the place to disturb me, I
could have been content 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 amusements,
which made the time pass a great deal more pleasantly with
me than 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 articulately and plain, that it was very pleasant to
me: for I believe no bird ever spoke plainer; and he lived
with me no less than six-and-twenty years; how long he
might have lived afterwards I know not, though I know
they have a notion in the Brazils that they live a hundred
years. 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 1
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 favorites, which I kept tame, and whose young, when
they had any, I always drowned; and these were part of my
family. Besides these, I always kept two or three house-
hold kids about me, whom I taught to feed out of my hand;
and I had two more parrots, which talked pretty well, and
would all call Robin Crusoe, but none like my first; ner
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
211
indeed, did I take the pains with any of them that I had
done with him. I had also several tame sea-fowls, whose
names I knew not, that I 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,
these fowls all lived among these low trees, and bred there,
which was very agreeable to me: so that, as I said above, I
began to be very well contented with the life I led, if I
could have been secured from the dread of the savages. But
it was otherwise directed; and it may not be amiss for all
people who shall meet with my story, to make this just
observation from it, viz., How frequently, in the course of
our lives, the evil which in itself we seek most to shun, and
which, when we are fallen into, is the most dreadful to us,
is oftentimes the very means or door of our deliverance, by
which alone we can be raised again from the affliction we
are fallen into. I could give many examples of this in the
course of my unaccountable life, but in nothing was it more
particularly remarkable than in the circumstances of my last
years of solitary residence in this island.
SECTION XX.
ANOTHER VISIT OF THE SAVAGES ROBINSON SEES THEM DANCING -
PERCEIVES THE WRECK OF A VESSEL.
P
It was now the month of December, as I said above, in my
wenty-third year; and this being the southern soltice (for
winter I cannot call it), was the particular time of my har-
vest, and required my being pretty much abroad in the
fields; when going out pretty early in the morning, even
before it was thorough daylight, I was surprised with seeing
JUST
212
ADVENTURES OF
*
==
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, as before; and not on
the other side, but, 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
apprchensions I had that if these savages, in rambling over
the island, should find my corn standing or cut, or any of
my works and improvements, they would immediately con-
clude that there were people in the place, and would then
never give over till they had found me out. In this extrem-
ity, I went back directly to my castle, pulled up the ladder
after me, and made all things without look as wild and
natural as I could.
Then I prepared myself within, putting myself in a pos-
ture 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 pistols, and resolved to defend
myself to the last gasp; not forgetting seriously to com-
mend myself to the divine protection, and earnestly to pray
to God to deliver me out of the hands of the barbarians. I
continued in this posture about two hours; and began to be
mighty impatient for intelligence abroad, for I had no spics
to send out. After sitting awhile longer, and musing what
I should do in this, I was not able to bear sitting in igno-
rance 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 per-
spective glass, which I had taken on purpose, I aid me down
flat on my belly on the ground, and began to look for the
place. I presently found there was no less than nine naked
savages, sitting round a small fire they had made, not to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
213
warm them, for 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 tell.
They had two canoes with them, which they had hauled
up upon the shore; and as it was then the tide of ebb, they
seemed to me to wait for the return of the flood to go away
again. It is not easy to imagine what confusion this sight
put me into, especially seeing them come on my side of the
island, and so near me too; but when I considered 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 of the tide
of flood, if they were not on shore 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 (or
paddle, as we call it) away. I should have observed, that
for an hour or more before they went off, they went a
Jancing; and I could easily discern their postures and
gestures by my glass. I could not perceive, by my nicest
observation, but that they were stark naked, and had not
the least covering upon them; but whether they were men
or women, I could not distinguish.
As soon as I saw them shipped and gone, I took two guns
upon my shoulders, and two pistols in my girdle, and my
great sword by my side, without a scabbard, and with all
the speed I was able to make, went away to the hill where I
had discovered the first appearance of all; and as soon as
I got thither which was not in less than two hours (for I
could not go apace, being so loaden with arms as I was), 1
perceived there had been three canoes more of savages at
that place; and looking out farther, I saw they were all at
sea together, making over for the main. This was a dread-
214
ADVENTURES OF
ful sight to me, especially as, going down to the shore, 1
could see the marks of horror, which the dismal work they
had been about had left behind it, viz., the blood, the 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 now began to
premeditate the destruction of the next that I saw there, let
them be whom or how many soever. It seemed evident to
me that the visits which they made thus 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
neither saw them, nor any footsteps or signals of them, in
all that time; for, as to the rainy seasons, then they are
sure not to come abroad, at least not so far: yet all this
while I lived uncomfortably, by reason of the constant
apprehensions of their coming upon me by surprise: from
whence I observe, that the expectation of evil is more bitter
than the suffering, especially if there is no room to shake off
that expectation, or those apprehensions.
During all this time I was in the murdering humor, and
took up most of my hours, which should have been better
employed, in contriving how to circumvent and fall upon
them, the very next time I should see them; especially 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 weck, or
month, to kill another, and so another, even ad infinitum.
till I should be at length no less a murderer than they were
in being man-eaters, and perhaps much more so. I spent
my days now in great perplexity and anxiety of mind,
expecting that I should, one day or other fall into the hands
of these merciless creatures; and if I did at any time ven-
ture abroad, it was not without looking round me with the
greatest care and caution imaginable. And now I found, to
my great comfort, how happy it was that I provided for a
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
214
tame flock or herd of goats: for I durst not, upon any
account, fire my gun, especially near that side of the island,
where they usually came, lest I should alarm the savages;
and if they had fled from me now, I was sure to have them
come again, with perhaps two or three hundred canoes with
them, in a few days, and then I knew what to expects
However, I wore out a year and three months more before I
ever saw any more of the savages, and then I found them
again, as I shall soon observe. It is true, they might have
been there once or twice, but either they made no stay, or at
least I did not see them: 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 six-
teen months' interval, was very great; I slept unquiet,
dreamed always frightful dreams, and often started out of
my sleep in the night: in the day, great troubles over-
whelmed my mind; and in the night, I dreamed often of
killing the savages, and of the reasons why I might justify
the doing of it. But to waive all this for a while. It was
in the middle of May, on the sixteenth day, I think, as well
1s my poor wooden calendar would reckon, for I marked all
upon the post still; I say, it was on the sixteenth of May
that it blew a very great storm of wind all day, with a great
deal of lightning and thunder, and a very foul night it was
after it. I knew not what was the particular occasion of it,
but as I was reading in the Bible, and taken up with very
serious thoughts about my present condition, I was surprised
with the noise of a gun, as I thought, fired at sea. This
was, to be sure, a surprise quite of a different nature from
any I had met with before; for the notions this put into my
thoughts were quite of another kind. I started up in the
greatest haste imaginable, and, in a trice, clapped my ladder
o the middle place of the rock, and pulled it after me; and
!
216
ADVENTURES OF
3
mounting it the second time, got to the top of the hill the
very moment that a flash of fire bid mc listen for a second
gun, which accordingly, in about half a minute, I heard;
and, by the sound, knew that it was from that part of the
sca where I was driven down the current in my boat. I
immediately considered that this must be some ship in dis-
tress, 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 the presence of mind, at that minute,
to think that though I could not help them, it might be they
might help me so I brought together all the dry wood I
could get at hand, and making a good handsome pile, I set
it on fire upon the hill. The wood was dry, and blazed
freely; and though the wind blew very hard, yet it burnt
fairly out so that I was certain, if there was any such thing
as a ship, they must needs see it; and no doubt they did;
for as soon as ever my fire blazed up I heard another gun, and
after that several others, all from the same quarter. I plied
my fire all night long, till daybreak; and when it was broad
day, and the air cleared up, I saw something at a great
distance at sea, full east of the island, whether a sail or a
hull I could not distinguish, no, not with my glass; the
distance was so great, and the weather still something hazy
also; at least it was so out at sea.
I looked frequently at it all that day, and soon perceived
that it did not move; so I presently concluded 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 side of the island, to the rocks where I had formerly
been 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 those 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.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
217
or eddy, were the occasion of my recovering from the most
desperate, hopeless condition that ever I had been in, in all
my life. 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, had been driven upon them in the night, the
wind blowing hard at E.N.E. Had they seen the island, as
I must necessarily suppose they did not, they must, as I
thought, have endeavored to have saved themselves on shore
by the help of their boat; but their firing off guns for help,
especially when they saw, as I imagined, my fire, filled me
with many thoughts: First, I imagined that upon seeing my
light, they might have put themselves into their boat, and
endeavored to make the shore; but that 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
sometimes to throw it overboard with their own hands :
other times I imagined they had some other ship or ships in
company, who, upon the signals of distress they had made,
had taken them up and carried them off: other times I
fancied they were all gone off to sea in their boat, and being
hurried away by the current that I had been formerly in,
were carried out into the great ocean, where there was
nothing but inisery and perishing; and that perhaps, they
might by this time be starving, and in a condition to think
of eating one another.
As all these were but conjectures at best, so, in the con-
dition I was in, I could do no more than look on upon the
misery of the poor men, and pity them; which had still this
good effect on tny side, that it gave me more and more cause
to give thanks to God, who had so happily and comfortably
provided for in in my desolate conditior; and that of two
+
19
218
ADVENTURES OF
*
ship's companies who were now cast away upon this part of
the world, not one life should be spared bu mine. I learned
here again to observe, that it is very rare that the providence.
of God casts us into any condition of life so low, or any
misery so great, but we may see something or other to be
thankful for, and may see others in worse circumstances than
our own." 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 taken up by
another ship in company; and this was but mere pos-
sibility indeed, for I saw not the least sign, or appearance
of any such thing. I cannot explain, by any possible energy
of words, what a strange longing or hankering of desires I
felt in my soul upon this sight, breaking out sometimes
thus O that there had been but one or two, nay, or t:
one soul saved out of this ship; to have escaped to me, thi
I might but have had one companion, one fellow-creature t
have spoken to me, and to have conversed with! In all the
time of my solitary life, I never felt so earnest, so strong a
desire after the society of my fellow-creatures, or so deep a
regret at the want of it
SECTION XXI.
HE VISITS THE WRECK AND OBTAINS MANY STITES FROM IT-
THINKS OF QUITTING THE ISLAND HAS A REMARKABLE DREAM.
AGAIN
THERE are some secret moving springs in the affections,
which, when they are set a going by some object in view
or, though not in view, yet rendered present to the mind by
the power of imagination, that motion carries out the soul
$
-
זיייי
}

THE DROWNED COY.
}).
Page 219.
ROBINSON CRUSOE
219
by its impetuosity, to such violent, eager embracings of the
object, that the absence of it is insupportable. Such wero
these earnest wishings that but one man had been saved. 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 clinch together,
and my fingers would press the palms of my hands so, that
if I had had any soft thing in my hand it would have crushed
it involuntarily; and the teeth in my head would strike
together, and set against one another so strong, that for
some time I could not part them again. Let the naturalists
explain these things, and the reason and manner of them:
all I can say to them is, to describe the fact, which was even
surprising to me, when I found it, though I knew not from
whence it proceeded: it was doubtless the effect of ardent
wishes, and of strong ideas formed in my mind, realising 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 on this island, I never knew whether any were saved
out of that ship or no; and had only the affliction, some
days after, to see the corpse of a drowned boy come on
shore at the end of the island which was next the ship-
wreck. He had no clothes on but a seaman's waistcoat, a
pair of open-kneed linen drawers, and a blue linen shirt;
but nothing to direct me so much as to guess what nation
he was of: he had nothing in his pockets but two pieces-of-
eight and a tobacco-pipe: the last was to me of ten times
more value than the first.
It was now calm, and I had a great mind to venture out
in my boat to this wreck, not doubting but I might find
something on board that might be useful to me: but that
did not altogether press me so much, as the possibility that
there might be yet some living creature on board, whose life
I might not only save, but might, by saving that life, comfort
220
ALVENTURES OF
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 commit-
ting 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 everything for my voyage, 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 tha
left), and a basket of raisins; and thus loading myself wita
everything necessary, I went down to my boat, got the
water out of her, put her afloat, loaded all my cargo in her.
and then went home again for more. My second cargo was
a great bag of rice, the umbrella to set up over my head for
a shade, another large pot 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 labor and sweat, I carried to my boat; and praying to
God to direct my voyage, I put out; and rowing, or pad-
dling, the canoe along the shore, came at last to the utmost
point of the island on the north-east side. And now I was
to launch out into the ocean, and either to venture or not to
venture. I looked on the rapid currents which ran con-
stantly on both sides of the island at a distance, and which
were very terrible to me, from the remembrance of the
nazard I had been in before, and my heart began to fail me;
for I foresaw that if I was driven into either of those cur-
rents, I should be carried a great way out to sea, and perhaps
out of my reach, or sight of the island again; and that,
then, as my boat was but small, if any little gale of wind
should rise, I should be inevitably lost.
These thoughts so oppressed my mind, that I began to
give over my enterprise; and having hauled my boat into a
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
221
little creek on the shore, I stepped out, and sat me down
upon a rising bit of 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 come on; upon which my going was impracticable for
so many hours. Upon this, presently, it 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 flood came in, that I might judge whether, if I was
driven one way out, I might not expect to be driven another
way home, with the same rapidness of the currents. This
thought was no sooner in my head than I cast my eye upon
a little hill, which sufficiently overlooked the sea both ways,
and from whence I had a clear view of the currents, or sets
of the tide, and which way I was to guide myself in my
.eturn. Here I found, that as the current of the ebb set
ut close by the south point of the island, so the current of
Aloud set in close by the shore of the north side; and that I
had nothing to do but to keep to the north side 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 of the tide; and reposing
myself for the night in my canoe, under the great watchcoat
I mentioned, I launched out. I first made 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 current on the south side
had done before, so as to take from me all government of
the boat; but having a strong steerage with my paddle, I
went at a great rate 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, whìch, by its building, was Spanish, stuck fast,
jammed in between two rocks; all the stern and quarter of
her were beaten to pieces with the sea; and as her fore-
castle, which stuck in the rocks, had ruu on with great
19*
222
ADVENTURES OF
violence, her mainmast and foremast 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, who, seeing me
coming, yelped, and cried; and as soon as I called him,
iumped into the sea to come to me. I took him into the
boat, but found him almost dead with hunger and thirst. 1
gave him a cake of my bread, and he devoured it like a
ravenous wolf that had been starving a fortnight in the
snow. I then gave the poor creature some fresh water, with
which, if I would have let him, he would have burst him-
self. After this, I went on board; but the first sight I met
with was two men drowned in the cook room, or forecastle
of the ship, with their arms fast about one another. I con-
cluded, 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 in of the water, as much
as if they had been under water. Besides the dog, there
was nothing left in the ship that had life; nor any goods,
that I could see, but what were spoiled by the water. There
were some casks of liquor, whether wine or brandy I knew
not, which lay lower in the hold, and which, the water being
ebbed out, I could see; but they were too big to meddle
with. I saw several chests, which I believed belonged to
some of the seamen; and I got two of them into the boat,
without examining what was in them. Had the stern of the
ship been fixed, and the forepart broken off, I am persuaded
I might have made a good voyage: for, by what I found in
these two chests, I had room to suppose the ship had a great
deal of wealth on board; and, if I may guess from 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 Havanna, in the Gulf of Mexico,
and so perhaps to Spain. She had, no doubt, a great
xx
A
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
228
treasure in her, but of no use, at that tune, to anybody;
and what became of her crew, I then knew not.
I found, besides these chests, a little cask full of liquor,
of about twenty gallons, which I got into my boat with
much difficulty. There were several muskets in the 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 gridiron :
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 reached the island again,
weary and fatigued to the last degree. I reposed that night
in the boat; and in the morning I resolved to harbor what I
had got in my new cave, and not carry it home to my castle.
After refreshing myself, I got all my cargo on shore, and
began to examine the particulars. 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 of great use to
me for example, I found in one a fine case of bottles, of an
extraordinary kind, and filled with cordial waters, fine and
very good; the bottles held about three pints each, and
were tipped with silver. I found two pots of very good
succades or sweetmeats, so fastened also on the top, that the
salt water had not hurt them; and two more of the same
which the water had spoiled. I found some very good
shirts, which were very welcome to me; and about a dozen
and a half of white linen handkerchiefs and colored neck-
cloths; the former were also very welcome, being exceeding
refreshing to wipe my face in a hot day. Besides this, when
I came to the till in the chest, I found there three great bags
of pieces-of-eight, which held about eleven hundred picces
in all; and in one of them, wrapped up in a paper, six
224
ADVENTURES OF
doubloons of gold and some small bars or wedges of gold;
I suppose they might all weigh near a pound. In the other
chests were some clothes, but of little value; but, by the
circumstances, it must have belonged to the gunner's mate;
though there was no powder in it, except two pounds of fine
glazed 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 any 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 stock-
ings, which were things I greatly wanted, but had none on
my feet for many years. I had indeed got two pair of shoes
now, which I took off the feet of the two drowned men
whom I saw in the wreck, and I found two pair more in onc
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 rials, but no
gold; I suppose this belonged to a poorer man than the
other, which seemed to belong to some officer. Well, how-
ever, I lugged this money home to my cave, and laid it up,
as I had done that before which I brought from our own
ship but it was a great pity, as I said, that the other part
of this ship had not come to my share; for I am satisfied I
might have loaded my canoe several times over with money;
and, thought I, if I ever escape to England, it might lie
here safe enough till I may come again and fetch 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 old harbor, where I laid her up, and
made the best of my way to my old habitation, where I found
everything safe and quiet. I began now to repose myself,
live after my old fashion, and take care of my family affairs;
and, for a while, I lived easy enough, only that I was more
•
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
228
vigilant than I used to be, looked out oftener, and did not go
abroad so much; and if at any time I did stir with any free-
dom, it was always to the east part of the island, where 1
was pretty well satisfied the savages never came, and where
I could go without so many precautions, and such a load o
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, I might
get away from this island: for sometimes I was for making
another voyage to the wreck, though my reason told me that
there was nothing left there worth the hazard of my voyage;
sometimes for a ramble one way, sometimes another; and 1
believe verily, if I had had the boat that I went from Sallee
in, I should have ventured to sea, bound anywhere, I knew
not whither. I have been, in all my circumstances, a memcnto
to those who are touched with the general plague of man-
kind, whence, for aught I know, one-half of their miseries
flow; I mean that of not being satisfied with the station
wherein God and nature hath placed them: for, not to look
back upon my primitive condition, and the excellent advice of
my father, the opposition to which was, as I may call it, my
original sin, my subsequent mistakes of the same kind had
been the means of my coming into this miserable condition ;
for had that Providence, which had so happily seated me at
the Brazils as a planter, blessed me with confined desires,
end I could have been contented 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
th Brazils; nay, I am persuaded, that by the improvements
ad made in that little time I lived there, and the increase
I should probably have made if I remained, I might have
on worth a hundred thousand moidores. And what
iness had I to leave a settled fortune, a well-stocked
*
翠
​226
1
ADVENTURES OF
plantation, improving and increasing, to turn supercargo to
Guinea to fetch negroes, when patience and time would have
so increased our stock at home, that we could have bought
them at our own door from those whose business it was to
fetch them; and though it had cost us something more, yet
the difference of that price was by no means worth saving at
so great a hazard? But as this is usually the fate of young
heads, so reflection upon the folly of it is as commonly the
excercise of more years, or of the dear-bought experience of
time so it was with me now; and yet so deep had the
mistake taken root in my temper, that I could not satisfy
myself in my station, but was continually poring upon the
means and possibility of my escape from this place. And
that I may with the greater pleasure of the reader, bring on
the remaining part of my story, it may not be improper to
give some account of my first conceptions on the subject of
this foolish scheme for my escape, and how, and upon what
foundation, I acted.
I am now to be supposed retired into my castle, after my
late voyage to the wreck, my frigate laid up and secured
under water, as usual, and my condition 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 Indians of Peru had before the Spaniards came there.
It was one of the nights in the rainy season in March, the
four-and-twentieth year of my first setting foot in this island
of solitude, I was lying in my bed, or hammock, awake;
very well in health, had no pain, no distemper, no uneasiness
of body, nor any uneasiness of mind, more than ordinary,
but could by no means close my eyes, that is, so as to sleep;
no, not a wink all night long, otherwise than as follows:
It is impossible to set down the innumerable crowd of
thoughts that whirled through that great thoroughfare of the
brain, the memory, in this night's time: I ran over the
whole history of my life in miniature, or by abridgment, as
38 de
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
227
I may call it, to my coming to this island, and also of that
nart of my life since I came to this island. In my reflec-
ions upon the state of my case since I came on shore on
this island, I was comparing the happy posture of my affairs
in the first years of my habitation here, compared to the life
uf anxiety, fear, and care which I had lived in, ever since 1
had seen the print of a foot in the sand: not that I did not
believe the savages had frequented the island even all the
while, and might have been several hundreds of them at
times on shore there; but I had never known it, and was
incapable of any apprehensious about it; my satisfaction
was perfect, though my danger was the same, and I was as
happy in not knowing my danger, as if I had never really
been exposed to it. This furnished my thoughts with many
very profitable reflections, and particularly this one: How
infinitely good that Providence is, which has provided, in its
government of mankind, such narrow bounds to his sight
and knowledge of things; and though he walks in the
midst of so many thousand dangers, the sight of which, if
discovered to him, would distract his mind and sink his
spirits, he is kept serene and calm, by having the events of
things hid from his eyes, and knowing nothing of the dangers
which surround him.
After these thoughts had for some time entertained me, I
came to reflect seriously upon the real danger I had been in
for so many years in this very island, and how I had walked
about in the greatest security, and with all possible tranquil-
ity, even when perhaps nothing but the brow of a hill, a
great tree, or the casual approach of night, had been between
me and the worst kind of destruction, viz., that of falling
into the hands of cannibals and savages, who would have
seized on me with the same view as I would on a goat or
a turtle, and have thought it no more a crime to kill and
devour me, than I did a pigeon or a curlew. I would un-
ustly slander myself, if I should say I was not sincerely
228
ADVENTURES OF
thankful to my great Preserver, to whose singular protection
I acknowledged, with great humility, all these unknown
deliverances were due, and without which I must inevitably
have fallen into their merciless hands.
When these thoughts were over, my head was for some
time taken up in considering the nature of these wretched
creatures, I mean the savages, and how it came to pass in
the world, that the wise Governor of all things should give
up any of his creatures to such inhumanity, nay, to some-
thing so much below even brutality itself, as to devour its
own kind; but as this ended in some (at that time) fruitless
speculations, it occurred to me to inquire what part of the
world these wretches lived in? how far off the coast was from
whence they came? what they ventured over so far from home
for? what kind of boats they had? and why I might not
order myself and my business so, that I might be as able to
go over thither as they were to come to me.
I never so much as troubled myself to consider what I
should do with myself when I went thither, what would
become of me, if I fell into the hands of the savages; or
how I should escape from them, if they attacked me: no,
nor so much as how it was possible for me to reach the
coast, and not be attacked by some or other of them, with-
out any possibility of delivering myself; and if I should not
fall into their hands, what I should do for provision, or
whither I should bend my course: none of these thoughts, I
say, so much as came in my way; but my mind was wholly
bent upon the notion of my passing over in my boat to the
main land. I looked upon my present condition as the most
miserable that could possibly be; that I was not able to
throw myself into anything, but death, that could be called
worse; and if I reached the shore of the main, I might
perhaps meet with relief, or I might coast along, as I did on
the African shore, till I came to some inhabited country, and
where I might find some relief; and after all percaps, i
ROBINSON CRUSOK.
279
might fall in with some Christain ship that might take me
n; and if the worst came to the worst, I could but die,
which would put an end to all these miseries at once. Pray
note, all this was the fruit of a disturbed mind, an impatient
temper, made desperate, as it were, by the long continuance of
my troubles, and the disappointments I had met in the wreck
I had been on board of, and where I had been so near ob-
taining what I so earnestly longed for, viz., somebody to
speak to, and to learn some knowledge from them of the
place where I was, and of the probable means of my
deliverance. I was agitated wholly by these thoughts: all
my calm of mind, in my resignation to Providence, and
waiting the issue in the dispositions of Heaven, seemed to
be suspended; and I had as it were, no power to turn my
thoughts to anything but to the project of a voyage to the
main, which came upon me with such force, and such an
impetuosity of desire, that it was not to be resisted.
When this had agitated my thoughts for two hours or
more, with such violence that it set my very blood into a
ferment, and my pulse beat as if I had been in a fever,
merely with the extraordinary fervor of my mind about it,
nature, as if I had been fatigued and exhausted with the
very thought of it, threw me into a sound ´sleep. One
would have thought I should have dreamed of it, but I did
not, nor of anything relating to it: but I dreamed 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 jumped
away, and ran for his life; and I thought, in my sleep, that
he came running into my little thick grove before my fortifi-
cation, to hide himself; and that I, seeing him alone, and
and not perceiving that the others sought him that way,
showed myself to him, and smiling upon him, encouraged
20
230
ADVENTURES OF
nim: that he kneeled down to me, seeming to pray me t
assist him; upon which I showed him my ladder, made him
go up, 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 certainly venture to the main land; for
this fellow will serve me as a pilot, and will tell me what to
do, and whither to go for provisions, and whither not to go
for fear of being devoured; what places to venture into, and
what to shun. I waked with this thought; and was under
such inexpressible impressions of joy at the prospect of my
escape in my dream, that the disappointments which I felt
upon coming to myself, and finding that it was no more
than a dream, were equally extravagant the other way, and
threw me into a very great dejection of spirits.
Upon this, however, I made this conclusion: that my
only way to go about to attempt an escape was, if possible,
to get a savage into 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
desperate attempt, and might miscarry but, on the other
hand, I had greatly scrupled the lawfulness of it to myself,
and my heart trembled at the thought of shedding so much
blood, though it was for my deliverance. I need not repeat
the arguments which occurred to me against this, they being
the same mentioned before: but though I had other reasons
to offer now, viz., that those men were enemies to my life,
and would devour me if they could; that it was self-
preservation, in the highest degree, to deliver myself from
this death of a life, and was acting in my own defence as
mach as if they were actually assaulting me, and the like;
I say, though these things argued for it, yet the thoughts of
shedding hurnan blood for my deliverance were very terrible
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
231
to me, and such as I could by no means reconcile myself to
for a great while. However, at last, after many secret
disputes with myself, and after great perplexities about it
(for all these arguments, one way and another, struggled
in my
head a long time), the eager prevailing desire of
deliverance at length mastered all the rest; and I resolved
if possible, to get one of those savages into my hands, cost
what it would. My next thing 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 ent, taking such
measures as the opportunity should present, let what would
be.
With these resolutions in my thoughts, I set myself upon
the scout as often as possible, and indeed so often, that I
was heartily tired of it; for it was above a year and a half
that I waited; and for great part of that time went out to
the west end, and to the south-west corner of the island,
almost every day, to look for canoes, but none appeared.
This was very discouraging, and began to trouble me much,
though I cannot say that it did in this case (as it had done
some time before) 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 so careful to
shun the sight of these savages, and avoid being seen by
them, as I was now eager to be upon them. Besides, I
fancied myself able to manage one, nay, two or three
eavages, if I had them, so as to make them entirely slaves to
me, to do whatever 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 no-
thing still presented; all my fancies and schemes came to
othing, for no savages came near me for a great while.
+
-
232
ADVENTURES OF
SECTION XXII.
ROEINSON RESCUES ONE OF THEIR CAPTIVES FROM THE
THE SAVAO WI
WHOM HE NAMES FRIDAY, AND MAKES HIS SERVANT.
ABOUT a year and a half after I entertained these notion.
(and by long musing had, as it were, resolved them all into
nothing, for want of an occasion to put them into execution),
I was surprised, one morning early, with seeing no less than
five canoes all on shore together on my side the island, and
the people who belonged to them all landed, and out of my
sight. The number of them broke all my measures; for see-
ing so many, and knowing that they always came four or six,
or sometimes more, in a boat, I could not tell what to think
of it, or how to take my measures, to attack twenty or thirty
men single-handed; so lay still in my castle, perplexed and
discomforted: however, I put myself into all the same pos-
tures 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, however, that my
head did not appear above the hill, so that they could not
perceive me by any means. Here I 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 nad
meat dressed. How they had cooked it I knew not, or wnat
it was; but they were all dancing, in I know not how many
barbarous gestures and figures, their own way, round the
fire.
While I was thus looking on them, I perceived, by my
perspective, two miserable wretches dragged from the Doats
KOBINSON CRUSOE.
237
here, it seems, they were laid by, and were now brought
ut for the slaughter. I perceived one of them immediately
all, being knocked down, I suppose, with a club or wooden
sword, for that was their way, and two or three others were
at work immediately, 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, and unbound, 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 frightened, I
must acknowledge, when I perceived him run my way, and
especially when, as I thought, I saw him pursued by the
whole body and now I expected that part of my dream
was coming to pass, and that he would certainly take shelter
in my grove; but I could not depend, by any means, upon
my dream for the rest of it, viz., that the other savages
would not pursue him thither, and find him there. How-
ever, I kept my station, and my spirits began to recover,
when I found that there was not above three men that fol-
lowed him; and still more was I encouraged when I found
that he outstripped them exceedingly in running, and gained
ground of them, so that if he could but hold it for half an
hour, I saw easily he would fairly get away from them all.
:
:
There was between them and my castle, the creek, which
I mentioned often in the first part of my story, where I
anded my cargoes out of the ship; and this I saw plainly
he must necessarily swim over, or the poor wretch would be
aken there but when the savage escaping came thither, he
nade nothing of it, though the tide was then up; but
lunging in, swam through in about thirty strokes, or there-
aboute, landed, and ran on with exceeding strength and
switness. When the three persons came to the creek, I
found that two of them could swim, but the third could not,
20*
184
ADVENTURES OF
and that, standing on the other side, he looked at the others,
but went no farther, and soon after went softly back agair:
which, as it happened, was very well for him in the end. I
observed, that the two who swam were yet more than twice
as long swimming over the creek as the fellow was that fled
from them. It came now very warmly upon my thoughts,
and indeed irresistibly, that now was the time to get me a
servant, and perhaps a companion or assistant, and that I
was called plainly by Providence to save this poor creature's
life. I immediately ran down the ladders with all possible
expedition, fetched my two guns, for they were both at the
foot of the ladders, as I observed above, and getting up
again, with the same haste, to the top of the hill, I crossed
toward the sea, and having a very short cut, and all down-
hill, placed myself in the way between the pursuers and the
pursued, hallooing aloud to him that fled, who, looking back,
was at first, perhaps, as much frightened at me as at them;
but I beckoned with my hand to him to come back; and, in
the meantime, I slowly advanced towards the two that fol-
lowed: then rushing at once upon the foremost, I knocked
him down with the stock of my piece. I was loth to fire,
because I would not have the rest 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 easily known
what to make of it. Having knocked this fellow down, the
other who pursued 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
kim 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
frightened with the fire and noise of my piece, that he stood
stock still, and neither came forward nor went backward,
hough he seemed rather inclined still to fly than to come
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
23.
n. I hallooed again to him, and made signs to come for
ward, which he easily understood, and came a little way;
shen stopped again, and then a little farther, and stopped
again; and I could then perceive that he stood trembling,
s if he had been taken prisoner, and had just been to b
killed, as his two enemies were. I beckoned to him agair
to come to me, and gave him all the signs of encouragement
that I could think of; and he came nearer and nearer, kneel-
ing down every ten or twelve steps, in token of acknowledg-
ment 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 knecled down
again, kissed the ground, and laid his head upon the ground,
and taking me by the foot, set my foot upon his head: this,
it seems, was in token of swearing to be my slave for ever.
I took him up, and made much of him, and encouraged him
all I could. But there was more work to do yet; for 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, and showed him the savage, that he was not
dead upon this he spoke some words to me, and though I
could not understand them, yet I thought they were pleasant
to hear; for they were the first sound of a man's voice that
I had heard, my own excepted, for above twenty-five years.
But there was no time for such reflections now; the savage
who was knocked down recovered himself so far as to sit up
upon the ground, and I perceived that my savage began to
be afraid; but when I saw that, I presented my other picce
at the man, as if I would shoot him: upon this my savage,
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, which I did.
He no sooner had it, but he runs to his enemy, and, at one
blow, cut off his head so cleverly, no executioner in Ger-
many could have done it sooner or better; which I thought
very strange for one who, I had reason to believe, never saw
236
ADVENTURES OF
a sword in his life before, except their own wooden swords:
however, it seems, as I learned afterwards, they make their
wooden swords so sharp, so heavy, and the wood is so hard,
that they will cut off heads even with them, aye and arms,
and that at one blow too. When he had done this, he comes
laughing to me, in sign of triumph, and brought me the
sword again, and with abundance of gestures, which I did
not understand, laid it down, with the head of the savage
that he had killed, just before me. But that which aston-
ished him most was to know how I killed the other Indian
so far off: so pointing to him, he made signs to me to let him
go to him; so I bade him go, as well as I could. When he
came to him, he stood like one amazed, looking at him, turn-
ing him first on one side, then on the other, looked at the
wound the bullet had made, which it seems, was just in his
breast where it had made a hole, and no great quantity of
blood had followed, but he had bled inwardly, for he was quite
dead. He took up his bow and arrows, and came back; so I
turned to go away, and beckoned him to follow me, making
signs to him that more might come after them. Upon this, he
made signs to me that he should bury them with sand, that
they might not be seen by the rest, if they followed; and so
I made signs to him again to do so. He fell to work; and, in
an instant, he had scraped a hole in the sand with his hands,
big enough to bury the first in, and then dragged him into it,
and covered him; and did so by the other also; I believe he
had buried them both in a quarter of an hour. Then calling
him away, I carried him, not to my castle, but quite away, to
my cave, on the farther part of the island; so I did not let my
dream come to pass in that part, viz., that he came into my
grove for shelter.
Here I gave him bread and a bunch of
raisins to cat, and a draught of water, which I found he was in-
deed in great distress for, by his running; and having refreshed
him. I made signs for him to go and lie down to sleep, showing
•
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
237
aim a place where I had laid some rice straw, and a blanket
upon it, which I used to sleep upon myself sometimes; so
the poor creature lay down, and went to sleep.
·
He was a comely, handsome fellow, perfectly well made,
with straight, strong limbs, not too large, tall, and well-
shaped, and, as I reckon, about twenty-six years of age.
He had a very good countenance, not a fierce and surly
aspect; but seeemed to have something very manly in his
face; and yet he had all the sweetness and softness of an
European in his countenance too, especially when he smiled.
His hair was long and black, not curled like wool; his fore-
head very high and large; and a great vivacity and sparkling
sharpness in his eyes. The color of his skin was not quite
black, but very tawny; and yet not an ugly, yellow, nause-
ous tawny, as the Brazilians and Virginians, and other
natives of America are, but of a bright kind of a dun olive-
color, that had in it something very agreeable, though not
very easy to deseribe. His face was round and plump; his
nose small, not flat like the Negroes; a very good mouth,
thin lips, and his fine teeth well set, and as white as ivory.
After he had slumbered, rather than slept, about half an
hour he awoke again, and came out of the cave to me, for I
had been milking my goats, which I had in the enclosure
just by; when he espied me, he came running to me, laying,
himself down again upon the ground, with all the possible
signs of an humble, thankful disposition, making a great
many antic gestures to show it. At last, he lays his head
flat upon the ground, close to my foot, and sets my foot upon
his head, as he had done before; and after this made all the
signs to me of subjection, servitude, and submission imagi-
nable, to let me know he would serve me as long as he lived.
I understood him in many things, and let him know I was
very well pleased with him. In a little time I began to
speak to him and teach him to speak to me; and, first, I let
him know his name should be FRIDAY, which was the day I
+38
ADVENTURES OF
fr
:
aved his life I called him so for the memory of the time.
likewise taught him to say Master; and then let him know
that was to be my name: I likewise taught him to say Yes and
No, and to know the meaning of them. I gave him some
milk in an earthen pot, and let him see me drink it before
him, and sop my bread in it; and gave him a cake of bread
to do the like, which he quickly complied with, 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 beckoned to him
to come with me, and let him know I would give him some
clothes at which he seemed very glad, for he was stark
naked. As we went by the place where he had buried the
two men, he pointed exactly to the place, and showed me
the marks that he had made to find them again, making
signs to me that we should dig them up again, and eat them.
At this I appeared very angry, expressed my abhorrence of
it, made as if I would vomit at the thoughts of it, and
beckoned with my hand to him to come away, which he did
immediately, with great submission. I then led him up to
the top of the hill, to see if his enemies 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 that it was plain that they were gone, and had
left their two comrades behind them, without any search
after them.
But I was not content with this discovery; but having
now more courage, and consequently more curiosity, I 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
use very dexterously, making him carry one gun for me, and
I two for myself; and away we marched to the place where
these creatures had been, for I had a mind now to get som
fuller intelligence of them. When I came to the place, m、
very blood ran chill in my veins, and my heart sunk within
me, at the horror of the spectacle: indeed it was a dreadful
I
I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
239
sight, at least it was so to me, though Friday made nothing on
it. The place was covered with human bones, the ground
dyed with their blood, and great pieces of flesh, left her
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
abundance 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 up,
and that he, pointing to himself, was the fourth; that there
nad been a great battle between 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 which were car-
ried to several places by those who had taken them in the
ight, in order to feast upon them, as was done here by these
wretches upon those they brought hither.
I caused Friday to gather up all the skulls, bones, flesh,
nd whatever remained, and lay them together in a heap,
nd make a great fire upon it, and burn them all to ashes.
found Friday had still a hankering stomach after some of
the flesh, and was still a cannibal in his nature; but I
discovered so much abhorrence, at the very thoughts of it,
and at the least appearance of it, that he durst not discover
't; for I had, by some means, let him know that I would
kill him if he offered it.
When he had done this, we came back to our castle; and
.here I fell to work for my man Friday: and, first of all, I
gave him a pair of linen drawers, which I had out of the
poor gunner's chest I mentioned which I found in the wreck;
and which, with a little alteration, fitted him very well, and
then I made him a jerkin of goat's skin, as well as my skill
would allow (for I was now grown a tolerable good tailor);
and I gave him a cap, which I made of hare's skin, very
onvenient and shionable enough; and thus he was clothed
240
ADVENTURES OF
¿
for the present, tolerably well, and was mighty well pleased
to see himself almost as well clothed as his master. It is
true, he went awkwardly in those clothes at first; wearing
the drawers was very awkward to him, and the sleeves of
the waistcoat galled his shoulders, and the inside of his
arms; but after a little easing them where he complained
they hurt him, and using himself to them, he took to them
at length very well.
The next day after I came home to my hutch with him, I
began to consider where I should lodge him; and that I
might do well for him, and yet be perfectly easy myself,
made a little tent for him in the vacant place between my
two fortifications, in the inside of the last and in the outside
of the first. As there was a door or entrance there into my
cave, I made a formal framed doorcase, 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 waken 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 smaller sticks, instead of laths, and then
thatched over a great 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: as to weapons, I took them all
into my side every night. But I needed none of all this
precaution; for never man had a more faithful, loving, sin-
cere servant than Friday was to me; without passions,
sullenness, or designs, perfectly obliged and engaged - his
very affections were tied to me, like those of a child to a
:
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
241
father; and I dare say, he would have sacrificed his life for the
saving mine upon any occasion whatsoever: the many testi-
monies he gave me of this put it out of doubt, and soon
convinced me that I needed to use no precautions, as to my
safety on his account.
This frequently gave me occasion to observe, and that
with wonder, that however it had pleased God, in his provi-
dence, 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 faculties and the powers of their
souls are adapted, yet that he has bestowed upon them the
same powers, the same reason, the same affections, the same
scntiments of kindness and obligation, the same passions
and resentments of wrongs, the same sense of gratitude,
sincerity, fidelity, and all the capacities of doing good, and
receiving good, that he has given to us; and that when he
pleases to offer 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. This made me
very melancholy sometimes, in reflecting, as the several
occasions presented, how mean a use we make of all these,
even though we have these powers enlightened by the great
lamp of instruction, the Spirit of God, and by the knowledge
of his word added to our understanding; and why it has
pleased God to hide the like saving knowledge from so many
millions of souls, who, if I might judge by this poor savage,
would make a much better use of it than we did. From
hence, I sometimes was led too far, to invade the 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 shut it up, and checked my thoughts
with this conclusion; first, That we did not know by what
light and law these should be condemned: but that as God
was necessarily, and, by the nature of his being, infinitely
į.
21
.242
J
ADVENTURES OF
{
noly and just, so it could not be, but if these creatures were
all sentenced to absence from himseif, 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 discovered to us; and, secondly, That still, as we all are
the 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 greatly
delighted with him, and made it my business to teach him
everything that was proper to make him useful, handy, and
helpful; but especially to make him speak, and understand
me when I spoke; and he was the aptest scholar that ever
was; and particularly was so merry, so constantly diligent,
and so pleased when he could but understand me, or make
me understand him, that it was very pleasant to me to talk
to him. Now my life began to be so easy, that I began to
say to myself, that could I but have been safe from more
savages, I cared not if I was never to remove from the place
where I lived.
SECTION XXIII.
ROBINSON INSTRUCTS AND CIVILIZES HIS MAN FRIDAY. ENDEAVORS
TO GIVE HIM AN IDEA OF CHRISTIANITY.
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 morning to the woods. I went, indeed, intending to
Kill a kid out of my own flock, and bring it home and dress
, but as I was going, I saw a she-goat lying down in the
$
LOBINSON CRUSOE.
246
shade, and two young kids sitting by her. I catched hold
of Friday; Hold, said I; stand still; and made signs to
him not to stir : immediately I presented my piece, shot, and
killed one of the kids. The poor creature, who had, at a
distance, indeed, seen me kill the savage, his enemy, but did
not know, nor could imagine, how it was done, was sensibly
surprised, trembled and shook, and looked so amazed, that I
thought he would have sunk down. He did not see the kid
I shot at, or perceive I had killed it, but ripped up his
waistcoat to feel whether he was not wounded, and, as I
found presently, thought I was resolved to kill him: for he
came and kneeled down to me, and embracing my knees,
said a great many things I did not understand; but I could
easily see the 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 which I had killed, beckoned to him
to run and fetch it, which he did; and while he was wonder-
ing, and looking to see how the creature was killed, I loaded
my gun again. By and by, I saw a great fowl, like a hawk,
sitting upon a tree, within shot; so, to let Friday under-
stand a little what I would do, I called him to me again,
pointed at the fowl, which was indeed a parrot, though I
thought 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 it fall, I made him understand that I
would shoot and kill that bird: accordingly, 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 the more amazed, because
he did not see me put anything into the gun, but thought
that there must be some wonderful fund of death and de-
struction in that thing, able to kill man, beast, or bird, or
anything near or far off; and the astonishment this created
in him was such, as could not wear off for a long time; and
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ADVENTURES OF
I believe, if I would have let him, he woul I have worshipped
me and my gun. As for the gun itself, he would not so
much as touch it for several days atter; but he would
speak to it, and talk to it, as if it had answered him, when
he was by himself; which, as I afterwards learned of him,
was to desire it not to kill him. Well, after his astonish-
ment was a little over at this, I pointed to him to run and
fetch the bird I had shot, which he did, but stayed some
time; for the parrot, not being quite dead, had fluttered
away a good distance from the place where she fell however,
he found her, took her up, and brought her to me; and as I
had perceived his ignorance about the gun before, I took this
advantage to charge the gun again, and not to let him see.
me do it, that I might be ready for any other mark that
might present; but nothing more offered at that time; so I
brought home the kid, and the same evening I took the skin
off, and cut it out as well as I could; and having a pot fit
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
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 into my mouth without salt,
and I pretended to spit and sputter for want of salt, as fast
as he had done at the salt; but it would not do; he would
never care for salt with his meat or in his broth; at least,
not for a great while, and then but very little.
Having thus fed him with boiled meat and broth, I was
resolved to feast him the next day with roasting a piece of
the kid: this I did, by hanging it before the fire on a string,
as I had seen many people do in England, setting two poles
ep, one on each side of the fire, and one across on the top,

In man
MITE
FRIDAY AND THE MO˜KLT.
Page 21
ROBINSON CRUSOE
245-
aud tying the string to the cross-stick, letting the meat turn
continually. This, Friday admired very much but when
he came to taste the flesh, he took so many ways to tell me
how well he liked it, that I could not but understand him;
and at last he told me, as well as he could, he would never
at man's flesh any more, 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, as I observed
before; and he soon understood how to do it as well as I,
especially after he had seen what the meaning of it was,
and
that it was to make bread of it: 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 before, in which Friday worked not only
very willingly and very hard, but did it very cheerfully and
I told him what it was for; that 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 thought I had
much more labor upon me on his account than I had for
myself; and 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 understand
the names of almost everything I had occasion to call for,
and of every place I had to send him to, and talked a great
deal to me; so that, in short, I now began to have some use
for my tongue again, which, indeed, I had very little occasion
for before, that is to say, about speech. Besides the pleasure
of talking to him, I had a singular satisfaction in the fellow
1
246
ADVENTURES OF
e;
himself: his simple, unfeigned honesty appeared to me more
and more every day, and I began really to love the creature
and, on his side, I believe he loved me more than it was pos
sible for him ever to love anything before.
I had a mind once to try if he had any hankering inclina-
tion to his own country again; and having taught him
English so well that he could answer me almost any
question, I asked him whether the nation that he belonged
to, never conquered in battle? At which he smiled, and
said, Yes, yes, we always fight the better: that is, ne meant,
always get the better in fight; and so we began the follow-
ing discourse
MASTER. You always fight the better? how came you to
be taken prisoner then, Friday?
FRIDAY. My nation beat much, for all that.
MASTER. How beat? If your nation beat them, how
came you to be taken?
FRIDAY. They more many than my nation in the place
where me was; they take one, two, three, and me; my
nation overbeat them in the yonder place, where me no was ;
there my nation take one, two, great thousand.
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 canoe; my nation have no canoe that time.
MASTER. Well, Friday, and what does your nation do
with the men they take? Do they carry them away and
eat them, as these did?
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?
FRIDAY. Yes, yes, they come hither; come other elsa
place.
MASTER. Have you been here with them?
2
ROBINSON CRUSOE
247
FRIDAY. Yes, I have 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 used to come on shore on the
farther part of the island, on the same man-eating occasions
he was now brought for: and some time after, when I took
the courage to carry him to that side, being the same I for-
merly mentioned, he presently knew the place, and told me
he was there once when they eat up twenty men, two women,
and one child: he could not tell twenty in English, but he
numbered them, by laying so many stones in a row, and
pointing to me to tell them over.
I have told this passage, because it introduces what fol-
lows; that after I had this discourse with him, I asked him
how far it was from our island to the shore, and whether the
canoes were not often lost. He told me there was no
danger, no canoes ever lost; but that, after a little way out
to sea, there was a current and wind, always one way in the
morning, the other in the afternoon. This I understood to
be no more than the sets of the tide, as going out or coming
in; but I afterwards understood it was occasioned by the
great draft and reflux of the mighty river Oroonoko, in the
mouth or gulf of which river, as I found 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 asked Friday a thousand
questions about the country, the inhabitants, the sea, the
coast, and what nations were near he told me all he knew,
with the greatest openness imaginable. I asked him the
names of the several nations of his sort of people, but could
get no other name than Caribs: from whence I easily under-
stood, that these were the Caribbees, which our maps place
one part of America which reaches from the mouth of the
uve Oroonoko to Guiana, and onwards to St. Martha. He
me that up a great way beyond the moon, that was,
/
248
ADVENTURES OF
}
•
beyond the setting of 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 understood, he meant the Spaniards, whose
cruelties in America had been spread over the whole country
and were remembered by all the nations, from father to
son.
•
I inquired if he could tell me how I might go from this
island and get among those white men he told me, Yes,
yes, you may go in two canoe. I could not understand what
he meant, or make him describe to me what he meant by
two canoe; till, at last, with great difficulty, I found he
meant it must be in 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 entertained some hopes that, one
time or other, I might find an opportunity to make my escape
from this place, and that this poor savage might be a means
to help me.
SECTION XXIV.
ROBINSON AND FRIDAY BUILD A CANOE TO CARRY THEM TO FRIDAY'S
COUNTRY — THEIR SCHEME PREVENTED BY THE ARRIVAL OF A PARTY
OF SAVAGES.
AFTER Friday and I became more intimately acquainted, and
that he could understand almost all I said to him, and speak
pretty fluently, though in broken English, to me, I acquainted
him with my own history, or at least so much of it as re-
lated to my coming to this place; how I had lived here, and
how long: I let him into the mystery, for such it was to
him, of gunpowder and bullet, and taught him how to shoot.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
249
I gave nim a knife, which he was wonderfully delighte
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, which was not only as
good a weapon, in some cases, but much more useful upon
other occasions.
I described to him the country of Europe, particularly
England, which I came from; how we lived, how we wor-
shipped 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 which I had been on board of, and
showed him, as near as I could, the place where she lay;
but she was all beaten in pieces before, and gone. I showed
him the ruins of our boat, which we lost when we escaped,
and which I could not stir with my whole strength then ;
but was now fallen almost all to picces. Upon seeing this
boat, Friday stood musing a great while, and said nothing.
I asked him what it was he studied upon? At last, says
he, Me see such boat like come to place at my nation. I
did not understand him a good while; but, at last, when
I had examined farther into it, I understood by him, that a
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 description of the boat.
Friday described the boat to me well enough; but
brought me better to understand him when he added, with
some warmth, We save the white mans from drown. Then
I presently asked him, if there were any white mans, as he
called them, in the boat? Yes, he said; the boat full of
white mans. I asked him how many? He told upon his
250
ADVENTURES OF
fingers seventeen. I asked him then what became of them
He told me, They live, they dwell at my nation.
This put new thoughts into my head; for I presently
imagined that these might be the men belonging to the ship
that was cast away in the sight of my island, as I now called
it: and who, after the ship was struck on the rock, and they
saw her inevitably lost, had saved themselves in their boat,
and were landed upon that wild shore among the savages.
Upon this, I inquired of him more critically what was
become of them; he assured me they lived still there; that
they had been there about four years; that the savages let
them alone, and gave them victuals to live on. I asked him
how it came to pass they did not kill them, and eat them?
He said, No, they make brother with them; that is, as I
understood him, a truce; and then he added, They no eat
mans but when the war fight; that is to say, they never cat
any men but such as come to fight with them, and are taker.
in battle.
It was after this some considerable time, that, being upon
the top of the hill, at the east side of the island, from
whence, as I have said, I had, in a 'clear day, discovered the
main or continent of America, Friday, the weather being
very serene, looks very carnestly towards the main land,
and, in a kind of surprise, falls a jumping and dancing, and
calls out to me, for I was at some distance from him. I
asked him what was the matter? O joy! says he; O glad!
there see my country, there my nation! I observed an
extraordinary sense of pleasure appeared in his face, and his
eyes sparkled, and his countenance discovered a strange
eagerness, as if he had a mind to be in his own country
again. This observation 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
251
to me, and would be forward enough to give his countrymer
an account of me, and come back perhaps with a hundred or
two of them, and make a feast upon me, at which he might
be as merry as he used to be with those of his enemies,
when they were taken in war. But I wronged the poor
honest creature very much, for which I was very sorry after-
wards. However, as my jealousy increased, and held me
some weeks, I was a little more circumspect, and not so
famil ar and kind to him as before; in which I was certainly
in the wrong too; the honest, grateful creature having no
thought about it, but what consisted with the best princi-
ples, both as a religious Christian, and as a grateful friend,
as appeared afterwards to my full satisfaction.
While my jealousy of him lasted, you may be sure 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 so honest and so innocent,
that I could find nothing to nourish my suspicion; and, in
spite of all my uneasiness, he made me at last entirely his
own again; nor did he, in the least, perceive that I was
uncasy, and therefore I could not suspect him of deceit.
One day, walking up the same hill, but the weather being
hazy at sea, so that we could not see the continent, I called
to him, and said, Friday, do not you wish yourself in your
own country, your own nation? - Yes, he said, I be much
O glad to be at my own nation. What would you do
there? said I would you turn wild again, eat men's flesh
again, and be a savage, as you were before? He looked full
of concern, and shaking his head, said, No, no; Friday tell
them to live good, tell them to pray God, tell them to eat
corn-bread, cattle-flesh, milk; no eat man again. Why
then, said I to him, they will kill you.
He looked grave at
that, and then said, No, 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
M
252
ADVENTURES OF
that came in the boat. Then I asked him if he would gu
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?
says I; why, they will eat me, if I come there. No, no,
says he; me make them no eat you; me make them much
love you.
He meant, he would tell them how I had killed
his enemies, and saved his life, and so he would make them
love me.
Then he told me, as well as he could, how kind
they were to seventeen white men. or bearded men, as he
called them, who came on shore there in distress.
From this time, I confess I had a mind to venture over,
and sce if I could possibly join with those bearded men,
who, I made no doubt, were Spaniards and Portuguese: not
doubting but if I could, we might find some method tc
escape from thence, being upon 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
days, I took Friday to work again, by way of discourse;
and told him I would give him a boat to go back to his own
aation; and accordingly I carried him to my frigate, which
lay on the other side of the island, and having cleared it of
water (for I always kept it sunk in water) I brought it out,
showed it him, and we both went into it. I found he was
a most dexterous fellow at managing it, and would make it
go almost as swift again as I could. So when he was in, I
said to him, Well, now, Friday, shall we go to your nation'
He looked very dull at my saying so; which, it, seems, was
because he thought the boat too small to go so far; I then
told him I had a bigger; so the next day I went to the
place where the first boat lay which I had made, but which
I could not get into the water. He said that was big enough ·
but then, 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 such
1
Manga
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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253
1
boat would do very well, and would carry much enouga
vittle, drink, 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 Lim?
He asked me again, Why you angry mad with Friday?
What me done? I asked him what he meant? I told him
I was not angry with him at all. No angry? says he,
repeating the words several times; Why send Friday home
away to my nation? Why, says I, Friday, did not you say
you wished you were there?—Yes, yes, says he, wish be
both there; no wish Friday there, no master there.
In a
word, he would not think of going there without me.
there, Friday! says I; what shall I do there? He returned
very quick upon me at this: You do great deal much good,
says he
he; you teach wild mans be good, sober, tame mans
you tell them know God, pray God, and live new life.
Alas! Friday, says I, thou knowest not what thou sayest;
I am but an ignorant man myself. Yes, yes, says he, you
teachee me good, you teachee them good. —No, no, Friday,
says I, you shall go without me, leave me here to live by
myself, as I did before. He looked confused again at that
word; and running to one of the hatchets which he used to
wear, he takes it up hastily, and gives it to me. What
must I do with this? says I to him. You take kill Friday,
says he. What must I kill you for? said I again. He
returns very quick, What you send Friday away for? Take
kill Friday, no send Friday away. This he spoke so
earnestly, that I saw tears stand in his eyes: in a word, I
so plainly discovered the utmost affection in him to me, and
a firm resolution in him, that I told him then, and often
after, that I would never send him away from me, if he was
willing to stay with me.
Star
1 gu
22
254
ADVENTURES OF
་
Upon the whole, as I found, by all his discourse, a settled
affection to me, and that nothing should part him from me,
so I found 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 potion of myself, so I had not the least thought, or in-
tention, or desire, of undertaking it But still I found a
strong inclination to my attempting an escape, as above,
founded on the supposition gathered from the discourse, viz.,
that there were seventeen bearded men there; and, there-
fore, 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, to undertake the voyage. There were
trees enough in the island to have built a little fleet, not of
periaguas, or canoes, but even of good large vessels; but
the main thing I looked at was, to get one so near the water
that we might launch it when it was made, to avoid the
mistake I committed at first. At last, Friday pitched upon
a tree; for I found he knew much better than I what kind
of wood was fittest for it; nor can I tell, to this day, what
wood to call the tree we cut down, except that it was very
like the tree we call fustic, or between that and the Nicara-
gua wood, for it was much of the same color and smell.
Friday was for burning the hollow or cavity of this tree out,
to make it for a boat, but I showed him how to cut it with
tools; which, after I had showed him how to use, he did
very handily and in about a month's hard labor 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, how-
ever, 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
great ease.
When she was in the water, and though she was so big,
*
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
255
t mazed me to see with what dexterity, and how swift my
man Friday would manage her, turn her, and paddle het
along. So I asked him if he would, and if we might, ven-
ture over in her. Yes, he said; we venture over in her
very well, though great blow wind. However, I had a
further design, 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 a 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 were great 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 old sails,
or rather pieces of old sails, enough: but as I had had them
now six-and-twenty years by me, and not been very careful
to preserve them, not imagining that I should ever have this
kind of use for them, I did not doubt but they were all
rotten, and, indeed, most of them were so. However, I
found two pieces, which appeared pretty good, and with
these I went to work; and with a great deal of pains, and
awkward stitching, you may be sure, for want of needles, I,
at length, made a three-cornered ugly thing, like what we
call in England a shoulder-of-mutton sail, to go with a boom
at bottom, and a little short sprit at the top, such as usually
our ship's long-boats sail with, and such as I best knew how
to manage, as it was such a one I had to the boat in which
I made my escape from Barbary, as related in the first part
of my story.
I was near two months performing this last work, viz.,
igging and fitting my mast and sails; for I finished them
very complete, making a small stay, and a sail, or foresail,
to it, to assist, if we should turn to windward; and, which
was more than all, I fixed a rudder to the stern of her to
steer with. I was but a bungling shipwright, yet, as I
new the usefulness, and even necessity of such a thing, I
#P
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ADVENTURES OF
applied myself with so much pains to do it, that at last
I brought it to pass; though, considering the many dull
contrivances I had for it that failed, I think it cost me almost
as much labor as making the boat.
After all this was done, I had my man Friday to teach as
to what belonged to the navigation of my boat; for, though
ne knew very well how to paddle a canoe, he knew nothing
what belonged to a sail and a rudder; and was the most
amazed when he saw me work the boat to and again in the
sea by the rudder, and how the sail gibbed, 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 expert sailor, except that, as to
the compass I could make him understand very little of that.
On the other hand, as there was very little cloudy weather,
and seldom or never any fogs in those parts, there was the
less occasion for a compass, seeing the stars were always to
be seen by night, and the shore by day, except in the rainy
seasons, and then nobody cared to stir abroad, either by land
or sea.
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
all the rest of the time. I kept the anniversary of my land-
ing 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
testimonies of the care of Providence over me, and the great
hopes I had of being effectually and speedly 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. I went on, however, with my husbandry;
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
257
ba
digging, planting, and fencing, as usual. I ga hered and
cured my grapes, and did every necessary thing as before.
The rainy season was, in the mean time, upon me, when
I kept more within doors than at other times. We had
stowed our own vessel as secure as we could, bringing her
up into the creek, where, as I said in the beginning, I landed
my rafts from the ship; and hauling her up to the shore, at
high-water mark, I made my man Friday dig a little dock,
just big enough to hold her, and just deep enough to give
her water enough to float in; and then, when the tide was
out, we made a strong dam across the end of it, to keep the
water out; and so she lay dry, as to the tide, from the sea:
and to keep the rain off, we laid a great many boughs of
trees, so thick, that she was as well thatched as a house;
and thus we waited for the months of November and Decem-
ber, in which I designed to make my adventure.
When the settled season began to come in, as the thought
of my design returned with the fair weather, I was preparing
daily for the voyage, and the first thing I did was to lay by
a certain quantity of provisions, being the stores for our
voyage; and 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 bid him go to the sea-shore, and see if he could
find a turtle, or tortoise, a thing which we generally got
once a week, for the sake of the eggs as well as the flesh.
Friday nad not been long gone, when he came running back,
and flew over my outer wall, or fence, like one that felt not
the ground, or the steps he set his feet on; and before I had
time to speak to him, he cries out to me, O master! O
master! O sorrow! O bad! What's the matter, Friday?
says I.
O yonder, there, says he, one, two, three canoe;
one, two, three! By this way of speaking, I concluded
there were six; but, on inquiry, I found it was but three.
I
22*
258
ADVENTURES OF
Well, Friday, says 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 bu
that they were come to look for him, and would cut him in
pieces, and eat him; and the poor fellow trembled so, that
I 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. But, says
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
fright 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 bid him. He said, Me die, when
you bid die, master. So I went and fetched a good dram of
rum and gave him; for I had been so good a husband of my
rum, that I had a great deal left. When he drank it,
made him take the two fowling-pieces, which we always
carried, and loaded them with large swan-shot, as big as
small pistol-bullets; then I took four muskets, and loaded
them with two slugs, and five small bullets 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 Fri-
day his hatchet. When I had thus prepared myself, I took
my perspective 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 was one-and-twenty savages, three prisoners, and
three canoes; and that their whole business seemed to be
the triumphant banquet upon these three human bodies; a
barbarous feast indeed! but nothing more than, as I had
observed, was usual with them. I observed also, that 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 almost close down to the
This, with the abhorrence of the inhuman errand these
Bea.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
258
wretches came about, filled me with such indignation, that I
came down again 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 got 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 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 guns myself; and in
this posture we marched out. I took a small bottle of rum
in my pocket, and gave Friday a large bag with more powder
and bullets; and, as to orders, I charged him to keep close
behind me, and not to stir, or shoot, or do anything, till I
bid 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 might come within shot of them before I should be
discovered, which I had seen, by my glass, it was easy to do.
While I was making this march, my former thoughts
returning, I began to abate my resolution: I do not mean
that I entertained any fear of their number; for, as they
were naked, unarmed wretches, it is certain I was superior
to them; nay, though I had been alone. But it occurred to
my thoughts, what call, what occasion, much less what
necessity I was in, to go and dip my hands in blood, to
attack people who had neither done nor intended me any
wrong? Who, as to me, were innocent, and whose bar-
barous customs were their own disaster; being, in them, a
token indeed of God's having left them, with the other
nations of that part of the world, to such stupidity, and te
such inhuman courses; but did not call me to take upőn me
to be a judge of their actions, much less an executioner of
Lis justice; that, whenever he thought fit, he would take
·
260
ADVENTURES OF
the cause into his own hands, and, by national vengeance,
punish them, as a people, for national crimes; but that, in
the mean time, it was none of my business; that, it was
true, Friday might justify it, because he was a declared
enemy, and in a state of war with those very particular
people, and it was lawful for him to attack them; but I
could not say the same with respect to myself. These things
were so warmly pressed upon my thoughts all the way as I
went, that I resolved I would only go and place myself near
them, that I might observe their barbarous feast, and that I
would act then as God should direct: but that, unless some-
thing offered that was more a call to me than yet I knew of,
I would not meddle with them.
With this resolution I entered the wood; and, with all
possible wariness and silence, Friday following close at my
heels, I 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 their fire, eating the flesh of one of their prisoners,
and that another lay bound upon the sand, a little from
them, which, he said, they would kill next, and which fired
all the very soul within me. He told me it was not one of
their nation, but one of the bearded men 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 beach of the sea, with his hands and his
feet tied with flags, or things like rushes, and that he was
an European, and had clothes on.
There was another tree, and a little thicket beyond it
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
261
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, though I was indeed
enraged to the highest degree; 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 came to a little rising
ground, which gave me a full view of them, at the distance
of about eighty yards.
SECTION XXV.
ROBINSON RELEASES A SPANIARD - FRIDAY DISCOVERS HIS FATHER
ACCOMMODATION PROVIDED FOR THESE NEW GUESTS WHO ARE
AFTERWARDS SENT TO LIBERATE THE OTHER SPANIARDS
OF AN ENGLISH VESSEL.
ARRIVAL
I HAD now not a moment to lose, for nineteen of the dread-
ful wretches sat upon the ground, all close-huddled together,
and had just sent the other two to butcher the poor Christian,
and bring him, perhaps limb by limb, to their fire; and they
were stooping 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, says I, do exactly as you see
me do; fail in nothing. So I set down one of the muskets
and the fowling-piece upon the ground, and Friday did the
like by his; and with my other musket I took my aim at
the savages, bidding him to 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 that he shot, he killed two of them, and wounded
three more; and on my side, I killed one, and wounded
262
ADVENTURES OF
two. They were, you may be sure, in a dreadful consterna-
tion; and all of them who were not hurt jumped upon their
feet, but did not immediately know which way to run, or
which way to look, for they knew not from whence their
destruction came. Friday kept his eyes close upon me that,
as I had 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 saw me
cock and present; he did the same again. Are you ready,
Friday? said I. Yes, says he. Let fly, then, says I, in the
name of God! And with that, I fired again among the
amazed wretches, and so did Friday; and as our pieces were
now loaded with what I called 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 most miserably wounded, whereof three
more fell quickly after, though not quite dead.
Now, Friday, says I, laying down the discharged pieces,
and taking up the musket which was yet loaded, follow me;
which he did, with a great deal of courage; upon which I
rushed out of the wood, and showed myself, and Friday
close at my foot. As soon as I perceived they saw me, I
shouted as loud as I could, and bade Friday do so too; and
running as fast as I could, which, by the way, was not very
fast, being loaded with arms as I was, I made directly
towards the poor victim, who was, as I said, lying upon the
beach, or shore, between the place where they sat and the
sea. The two butchers, who were just going to work with
him, had left him at the surprise of our first fire, and fled in
a terrible fright to the sea-side, and had jumped into a canoe,
and three more of the rest made the same way. I turned
to Friday, and 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 of a heap into the
ఎ
KOBINSON CRUSOE.
261
boat, though I saw two of them up again quickly: however,
he killed two of them, and wounded the third, so that he
lay down in the bottom of the boat as if he had been
dead.
While my man Friday fired at them, I pulled out my
knife, and cut the flags that bound the poor victim; and
loosing his hands and feet, I lifted him up, and asked him in
the Portuguese tongue, what he was. He answerd in Latin,
Christianus; but was so weak and faint that he could scarce
stand or 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, Espag-
niole; 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. Signor, said I, with as much Spanish
as I could make up, we will talk afterwards, but we must
fight now if you have any strength left, take this pistol
and sword, and lay about you. He took them very thank-
fully; and no sooner had he the arms in his hands, but, as
if they had put new vigor into him, he flew upon his
murderers like a fury, and had cut two of them in picces
in an instant; for the truth is, as the whole was a surprise
to them, so the poor creatures were so much frightened
with the noise of our pieces, that they fell down for
mere amazement and fear, and had no more power to attempt
their own escape, than their flesh had to resist our shot:
and that was the case of those five that Friday shot at in
the boat; for as three of them fell with the hurt they
received, so the other two fell with the fright.
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,
}
264
ADVENTURES OF
1
which he did with great swiftness; and then giving him my
musket, I sat down myself to load all the rest again, and
bade them come to me when they wanted. While I was
loading these pieces, there happened a fierce engagement
between the Spaniard and one of the savages, who made at
him with one of their great wooden swords, the same-like
weapon that was to have killed him before, if I had not
prevented it. The Spaniard, who was as bold and brave as
could be imagined, though weak, had fought this Indian a
good while, and had cut him two good wounds
on his head;
but the savage being a stout, lusty fellow, closing in with
him, had thrown him down, being faint, and was wringing
my sword out of his hand; when the Spaniard though
undermost wisely quitting the sword, drew the pistol from
his girdle, shot the savage through the body, and killed him
upon the spot, before I, who was running to help him, could
come near him.
Friday being now left to his liberty, pursued the flying
wretches, with no weapon in his hand but his hatchet; and
with that he dispatched those three, who, as I said before,
were wounded at first, and fallen, and all the rest he could
come up with and the Spaniard coming to me for a gun, I
gave him one of the fowling-pieces, with which he pursued
two of the savages, and wounded them both; but, as he was
not able to run, they both got from him into the wood,
where Friday pursued them, and killed one of them, but the
other was too nimble for him; and though he was wounded,
yet had plunged himself into the sea, and swam, with all
his might, off to those two who were left in the canoe, which
three in the canoe, with one wounded, that we knew not
whether he died or no, were all that escaped our hands of
one-and-twenty. The account of the whole is as follows:
three killed at our first shot from the tree; two killed at the
next shot; two killed by Friday in the boat; two killed by
Friday of those at first wounded; one killed by Friday in
I

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RESCUE OF THE SPANIARD.
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ROBINSON CRUSU
265
the wood; three killed by the Spaniard; four killed, being
found dropped here and there of their wounds, or killed by
Friday in his chase of them; four escaped in the boat
whereof one wounded, if not dead. Twenty-one in all.
Those that were in their canoe worked hard to get out of
gunshot, and though Friday made two or three shots at them,
I did not find that he hit any of them. Friday would fain
have had me take one of there 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 perhaps with two or three hundred of the canoes, and
devour us by mere multitude; so I consented to pursue 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 greature lie there, bound hand
and foot, as the Spaniard was, for the slaughter, and almost
dead with fear, not knowing what was the matter; for he
had not been able to look over the side of the boat, he was
tied so hard neck and heels, and had been tied so long, that
he had really but little life in him.
I immediately cut the twisted flags or rushes, which they
had bound him with, and would have helped him up; but
he could not stand or speak, but groaned most piteously,
believing, it seems, still, that he was only unbound in order
to be killed. When Friday came to him, I bade him speak
to him, and tell him of his deliverance; and, pulling out my
bottle, made him give the poor wretch a dram; which, with
the news of his being delivered, revived him, and he sat up
in the boat. But when Friday came to hear him speak, and
look in his face, it would have moved any one into 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 dis-
*racted creature. It was a good while before I could make
Satyaj
23
266
ADVENTURES OF
him speak to me, or tell me what was the matter; bu
when he came a little to himself, he told me that it was his
father.
It is not easy for me to express how it moved me to see
what ecstacy and filial affection had worked in this poor
savage at the sight of his father, and on his being delivered
from death; nor, indeed, can I describe half the extravagan-
cies 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 for many minutes
together, to nourish it; then he took his arms and ancles,
which were numbed and stiff with the binding, 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.
i
This affair put an end to our pursuit of the canoe with
the other savages, who were got now 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 got 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 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 jumping and laughing, and pleased
to the highest extreme; 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. I then 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 two or three bunches of
A
་
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
267
raisins, so I gave him a handful of them for his father. He
nad 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 on his feet 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 out too, after him, it was all
one way, away he went; and in a quarter of an hour I saw
him come back again, though not so fast as he went; and as
he came nearer, I found his pace slacker, because he had
something in his hand. When he came up to me, I found
he had been quite home for an earthen jug, or pot, to bring
his father some fresh water, and that he had 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 just
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 in as much want of it
as his father: and I sent one of the cakes that Friday
brought to the Spaniard too, who was indeed very weak,
and was reposing himself upon a green place under the
shade of a tree; and whose limbs were also very stiff, and
very much swelled with the rude bandage he had been tied
with. When I saw that, upon Friday's coming to him with
the water, he sat up and drank, and took the bread, and
began to cat, I went to him and gave him a handful of rai-
sins: he looked up in my face with all the tokens of grati-
tude 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 upon his feet; he tried
to do it two or three times, but was really not able, his
268
ADVENTURES OF
ankles were so swelled and so painful to him; so I bade
him sit still, and caused Friday to rub his ancles, 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, turn his
head about to see if his father was in the same place and
posture as he left him sitting; and at last he found he was
not to be seen; at which he started up, and, without speak-
ing 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 only found he had lain himself down to
ease his limbs, so Friday came back to me presently; and
then I spoke to the Spaniard to let Friday help him up, if
he could, and lead him to the boat, and then he should carry
him to our dwelling, where I would take care of him: but
Friday, a lusty strong fellow, took the Spaniard quite upon
his back, and carried him away to the boat, and set him
down softly upon the side or gunnel of the canoe, with his
feet in the inside of it; and then, lifting him quite in, he
set himself close to his father; and presently stepping out
again, launched the boat off, and paddled it along the shore
faster than I could walk, though the wind blew pretty hard
too; so he brought them both 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.
To remedy this, I went to work in my thoughts, and call-
ing to Friday to bid them sit down on the bank while he
C hand harrow to lay
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
269
!
them on, and Friday and I carried them both up together
upon it, between us. But when we got them to the outside
of our wall, or fortification, we were at a worse lcss 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 hard-
some 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 rich in
subjects: and it was a merry reflection, which I frequently
made, how like a king I looked. First of all, the whole
country was my own mere property, so that I had an un-
doubted right of dominion. Secondly, my people were
perfectly subjected; I was absolutely 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
remarkable, too, I had but three subjects, and they were of
three different religions: my man Friday was a Protestant,
his father was a Pagan and a cannibal, and the Spaniard
was a Papist: however, I allowed liberty of conscience
throughout my dominions.—But this is by the way.
As soon as I had secured my two weak rescued prisoners,
and given them shelter, and a place to rest them 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; when I cut off the hinder quarter, and chopping it
into small pieces, I set Friday to work to boiling and stew-
ing, and made them a very good dish, I assure you, of flesh
and broth, having put some barley and rice also into the
broth; and as I cooked it without doors, for I made no fire
M
23 *
270
ADVENTURES OF
within my inner wall, so I carried it all into the new ten',
and having set a table there for them, I sat down, and ate
my dinner also with them, and, as well as I could, cheered
them, and encouraged them. Friday was my interpreter,
especially to his father, and, indeed, to the Spaniard too;
for the Spaniard spoke the language of the savages pretty
well.
After we had dined, or rather supped, I ordered Friday to
take one of the canoes, and go and fetch our muskets and
other fire arms, which, for want of time, we had left upon
the place of battle: and, the next day, I ordered him to go
and bury the dead bodies of the savages, which lay open to
the sun, and would presently be offensive. I also ordered
him to bury the horrid remains of their barbarous feast,
which I knew were pretty much, and which I could not
think of doing myself; nay, I could not bear to see them,
if I went that way; all which he punctually performed, and
effaced the very appearance of the savages being there; so
that when I went again, I could scarce know where it was,
otherwise than by the corner of the wood pointing to the
place.
I then began to enter into a little conversation with my
two new subjects: and, first, I set Friday to inquire of his
father what he thought of the escape of the savages in that
canoe, and whether we might expect a return of them, with
a power too great for us to resist. His first opinion was,
that the savages in the boat could never live out the storm.
which blew that night they went off, but must of necessity
be drowned, or driven south to those other shores, where
they were as sure to be devoured as they were to be
drowned, if they were cast away; but, as to what they
would do, if they came safe on shore, he said he knew not;
but it was his opinion, that they were so dreadfully
frightened with the manner of their being attacked, the
noise and the fire, that he believed they would tell the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
271
people they were all killed by thunder and lightning, not by
the hand of man; and that the two which appeared, viz.,
Friday and I, were two heavenly spirits, or furies, come
down to destroy them, and not men with weapons. This,
he said, he knew; because he heard them all cry out so, in
their language one to another; for it was impossible for
them to conceive that a man could dart fire, and speak
thunder, and kill at a distance, without lifting up the hand,
as was done now: and this old savage was in the right;
for, as I understood since, by other hands, the savages never
attempted to go over to the island afterwards, they were so
terrified with the accounts given by those four men (for, it
seems, they did escape the sea), that they believed whoever
went to that enchanted island would be destroyed by fire
from the gods. This, however, I knew not; and therefore
was under continual apprehensions for a good while, and
kept always upon my guard, with all my army; for, as there
were now four of us, I would have ventured upon a hundred
of them, fairly in the open field, at any time.
In a little time, however, no more canoes appearing, the
fear of their coming wore off; and I began to take my
former thoughts of a voyage to the main into consideration;
being likewise assured, by Friday's father, that I might
depend upon good usage from their nation, on his account,
if I would go.
But 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 country-
men and Portugese,.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 Havana, being directed to leave
their loading there, which was chiefly hides and silver, and
bring back what European goods they could meet with
272
ADVENTURES OF
there; that they had five Portugese seamen on board, whom
they took out of another wreck; that five of their own men
were drowned, when first the ship was lost, and that these
escaped through infinite dangers and hazards, and arrived,
almost starved, on the cannibal coast, where they expected_
to have been devoured every moment. He told me they
had some arms with them, but they were perfectly useless,
for that they had neither powder nor ball, the washing of
the sea having spoiled all their powder, but a little, which
they used at their first landing, 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 any
escape. He said they had many consultations about it; but
that having neither vessel, nor tools to build one, nor pro-
visions of any kind, their councils always ended in tears and
despair. I asked him how he thought they would receive a
proposal from me, which might tend towards an escape; and
whether, if they were all here, it might not be done. I told
him, with freedom, I feared mostly their treachery and ill-
usage of me, if I put my life in their hands, for that grati-
tude was no inherent virtue in the nature of man, nor did
men always square their dealings by the obligations they
had received, so much as they did by the advantages they
expected. I told him it would be very hard that I should
be the instrument of their deliverance, and that they should
afterwards make me their prisoner in New Spain, where an
Englishman was certain to be made a sacrifice, what neces-
sity, or what accident soever brought him thither; and that
I had rather be delivered up to savages, and be devoured
alive, than fall into the merciless claws of the priests, and le
carried into the Inquisition. I added, that otherwise I was
persuaded, if they were all here, we might, with so many
pands, build a bark large enough to carry us all away, either
to the Brazils, southward, or to the islands, or Spanish coast
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
273
northward; but that if, in requital, they should, when I had
put weapons into their hands, carry me by force among their
own people, I might be ill used for my kindness to them
and make my case worse than it was before.
He answered with a great deal of candor and ingenuous-
ness, that their condition was so miserable, and they were
so sensible of it, that he believed they would abhor the
thought of using any man unkindly that should contribute
to their deliverance; and that, if I pleased, he would go to
them with the old man, and discourse with them about it,
and return again, and bring me their answer; that he would
make conditions with them upon their solemn oath, that they
should be absolutely under my leading, as their commander
and captain; and that they should swear upon the holy
sacraments and gospel, to be true to me, and go to such
Christain country as I should agree to, and no other, and to
be directed wholly and absolutely by my orders, till they
were landed safely in such country as I intended; and that
he would bring a contract from them, under their hands, for
that purpose. Then he told me he would first swear to me
himself, that he would never stir from me as long as he lived,
till I gave him orders; and that he would take my side to
the last drop of his blood, if there should happen the least
breach of faith among his countrymen. He told me they
were all very civil, honest men, and they were under the
greatest distress imaginable, having neither weapons, nor
clothes, nor any food, but at the mercy and discretion of the
savages; out of all hopes of ever returning to their own
country; and that he was sure, if I would undertake their
relief, they would live and die by me.
Upon these assurances, I resolved to venture to relieve
them, if possible, and to send the old savage and this Span-
iard over to them to treat. But when we got all things in
readiness to go, the Spaniard himself started an objection,
which had so much prudence in it, on one hand, and so much
Į
274
ADVENTURES OF
sincerity, on the other hand, that I could not but be very
well satisfied in it; and, by his advice, put off the deliver-
ance 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 evidently what stock of corn and rice I had laid up;
which, though it was more than sufficient for myself, yet it
was not sufficient, without good husbandry, for my family,
now it was increased to four; but much less would it be
sufficient if his countrymen, who were, as he said, sixteen,
still alive, should come over; and least of all would it be
sufficient to victual our vessel, if we should build one, for a
voyage to any of the Christain colonies of America; so he
told me he thought it would be more advisable to let him
and the other two dig and cultivate more land, as much as I
could spare seed to sow, and that we should wait another
harvest, that we should have a supply of corn for his
countrymen, when they should come; for want might be a
temptation to them to disagree, or not to think themselves
delivered, otherwise than out of one difficulty into another.
You know, says he, the children of Israel, though they
rejoiced at first for their being delivered out of Egypt, yet
rebelled even against God himself, that delivered them, when
they came to want bread in the Wilderness.
His caution was so seasonable, and his voice so good, that
I could not but be very well pleased with his proposal, as
well as I was satisfied with his fidelity; so we fell to digging
all four of us, as well as the wooden tools permitted; and
in about a month's time, by the end of which it was seed-
time, we had got as much land cured and trimmed up as we
sowed two and twenty bushels of barley on, and sixteen jars
of rice; which was, in short, all the seed we had to spare;
nor, indeed, did we leave ourselves barley sufficient for our
own food, for the six months that we had to expect our crop;
ROBINSON CRUSOE:
275
that is to say, reckoning from the time we set our seed aside
for sowing; for it is not to be supposed it is six months in
the ground in that country.
Having now society enough, and our number being
sufficient to put us out of fear of the savages if they
had come, unless their number had been very great, we
went freely all over the island, whenever we found occa-
sion and as here we had our escape or deliverance upon
our thoughts, it was impossible, at least for me, to have the
means of it out of mine. For this purpose, I 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 whom I imparted my thought on
that affair, 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
inches to four inches thick: what prodigious labor it took
up, any one may imagine.
At the same time, I contrived to increase my little flock of
tame goats as much as I could; and, for 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 prodigious
quantity to be hung up in the sun, that, I believe, had we
been at Alicant, where the raisins of the sun are cured, we
could have filled sixty or eighty barrels; and these, with
our bread, was a great part of our food, and was a very good
living, too, I assure you, for it is exceedingly nourishing.
It was now harvest, and our crop in good order: it was
not the most plentiful increase I had seen in the island, but
*
276
ADVENTURES OF
however, it was enough to answer our end; for from 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 sixteen 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, any part of America.
When we had thus housed and secured our magazine of
corn, we fell to work to make more wickerware, viz., great
baskets, in which we kept it; and the Spaniard was very
handy and dexterous at this part, and often blamed me that
I did not make some things for defence of this kind of work;
but I saw no need of it.
And now, having a full supply of food for all the guests I
¿xpected, I gave the Spaniard leave to go over to the main, to
ee what he could do with those he had left behind him there.
▲ gave him a 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 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 him, and defend him against all such
attempts, and wherever they went, would be entirely under
and subjected to his command; and that this should be put
in writing, and signed with their hands. How they were to
have done this, when I knew they had neither pen nor ink,
was a question which we never asked. Under these instruc-
tions, the Spaniard and the old savage, the father of Friday,
went away in one of the canoes which they might be said to
come. in, or rather were brought in, when they came as
prisoners to be devoured by the savages. I gave each of
them a musket, with a firelock on it, and about eight
tharges of powder and ball, charging them to be very good
į
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
277
husbands of both, and not to use either of them but upon
urgent occasions.
This was a cheerful work, being the first measures used by
me, in view of my deliverance, for now twenty-seven years
and some days. I gave them provisions of bread, and of
dried grapes, sufficient for themselves for many days, and
sufficient for all the Spaniards for about eight days' time;
and wishing them a good voyage, I saw them go; agreeing
with them about a signal that 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 full, by my account in the month of October; but as for
an exact reckoning of days, after I had once lost it, I could
never recover it again; nor had I kept even the number of
years so punctually as to be sure I was right; though, as it
proved, when I afterwards examined my account, I found I
had kept a true reckoning of years.
It was no less than eight days I had waited for them
when a strange and unforseen accident intervened, of which
the like has not perhaps been heard of in history. I was
fast asleep in my hutch, one morning, 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, I went out as soon as I could get my clothes on,
through my little grove, which by the way, was by this time
grown to be a very thick wood; I say, regardless of danger,
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
presently saw a boat about a league and a half distance,
standing 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 presently, that they did not come from
that side which the shore lay on, but from the southernmost
24
278
ADVENTURES OF
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 might 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
having taken the ladder out, I climbed to the top of the
hill, as I used to do when I was apprehensive of anything,
and to take my view the plainer without being discovered.
I had scarce set my foot upon the hill, when my eye plainly
discovered a ship lying at an anchor, at about two leagues and
a half distance from me, S.S.E., but not above a league
and a half from the shore. By my observation, it appeared
plainly to be an English ship, and the boat appeared to be
an English long-boat.
I cannot express the confusion I was in; though the joy
of seeing a ship, and one that 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 hang about me - I cannot tell from whence they
came, bidding me keep upon my guard. In the first place
it occurred to me to consider what business an English ship
could have in that part of the world, since it was not the
way to or from any part of the world where the English
had any traffic; and I knew there had been no storms to
drive them in there, as in distress; and that if they were
really English, it was most probable that they were here
upon no good design; and that I had better continue as I
was, than fall into the hands of thieves and murderers.
Let no man despise the secret hints and notices of danger,
which sometimes are given him when he may think there is
no possibility of its being real. That such hints and
notices are 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
}
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
279
be to warn us of danger, why should we not suppose they
are from some friendly agent (whether supreme or inferior
and subordinate, is not the question), and that they are
given for our good?
The present question abundantly confirms me in the
justice of this reasoning; for had I not been made cautious
by this secret admonition, come it from whence it will, I had
been undone inevitably, and in a far worse condition than
before, as you will see presently. I had not .kept myself
long in this posture, but 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 formerly
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
at my door, as I may say, 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 1
thought were Dutch, but it did not prove so; there were in
all eleven men, whereof three of them I found were unarmed,
and, as I thought, bound; and when the first four or five
of them were jumped on shore, they took those three out of
the boat as prisoners; one of the three I could perceive
using the most passionate gestures of entreaty, affliction,
and despair, even to a kind of extravagance; the other
two I could perceive, lifted up their hands sometimes, and
appeared concerned, indeed, but not to such a degree 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 master! you
.ee English mans eat prisoner as well as savage mans.
Why, Friday, says I, do you think they are going to eat
them then?—Yes, says Friday, they will eat them. —No,
›
है
280
ADVENTURES OF
uo, says I, Friday; I am afraid they will murder them,
indeed, but you may be sure they will not eat them.
All this while I had no thought of what the matter really
was, but stood trembling with the horror of the sight,
expecting every moment when the three prisoners should be
killed; nay, once I saw one of the villains lift up his arm
with a great cutlass, as the seamen call it, or sword, to
strike one of the poor men; and I expected to see him fall
every moment; at which all the blood in my body seemed to
run chill in my veins. I wished heartily now for my
Spaniard, and the savage that was gone with him, or that I
had any way to have come undiscovered within shot of them,
that I might have rescued the three men, for I saw no fire-
arms they had among them; but it fell out to my mind
another way.
After I had observed the outrageous usage of
the three men by the insolent seamen, I observed the fellows
run scattering about the island, as if they wanted to see the
country. I observed that the three other men had liberty
to go also where they pleased; but they sat down all three
upon the ground, very pensive, and looked like men in
despair. This put me in mind of the first time when I came
on shore, and began to look about me: how I gave myself
over for lost; how wildly I looked around me; what dread-
ful apprehensions I had; and how I lodged in the tree all
night, for fear of being devoured by wild beasts. As I
knew nothing that night of the supply I was to receive by
the providential driving of the ship nearer the land by the
storms and tide, by which I have since been so long
nourished and supported; so these three poor desolate men
knew nothing how certain of deliverance and supply they
were, how near it was to them, and how effectually and
really they were in a condition of safety, at the same time
that they thought themselves lost, and their case desperate.
So little do we see before us in the world, and so much
reason have we to depend cheerfully upon the great Make-
ROBINSON CRUSOE
281
of the world, that he does not leave his creatures so abso-
lately destitute, but that, in the worst circumstances, they
have always something to be thankful for, and sometimes.
are nearer their deliverance than they imagine; nay, are
even brought to their deliverance by the means by which
they seem to be brought to their destruction.
-
SECTION XXVI.
1
ROBINSON DISCOVERS HIMSELF TO THE ENGLISH CAPTAIN — ASSISTS
HIM IN REDUCING HIS MUTINOUS CREW, WHO SUBMIT TO HIM.
Ir was just at the top of high water when these people
came on shore; and partly while they rambled about to see
what kind of a place they were in, they had carelessly stayed
till the tide was spent, and the water was ebbed considera-
bly away, leaving their boat aground. They had left two
men in the boat, who, as I found afterwards, having drunk a
little too much brandy, fell asleep; however, one of them
waking a little sooner than the other, and finding the boat
too fast aground for him to stir it, hallooed out to 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 condi-
tion, 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 then off from the boat,
Why, let her alone, Jack, can't you? she'll float next tide:
by which I was fully confirmed in the main inquiry of what
countrymen they were. All this while I kept mysel vari
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i
close, not once daring to stir out of my castle, any farther
than to my place of observation, near the top of the hill;
and very glad I was to think how well it was fortified. I
knew it was no less than ten hours before the boat could
float again, and by that time it would be dark, and I might
be at more liberty to see their motions, and to hear their
discourse, if they had any. In the mean time, I fitted
myself up for a battle, as before, though with more caution,
knowing I had to do with another kind of enemy than I
had at first. I ordered Friday also, whom I had made an
excellent marksman with his gun, to load himself with
arms. I took myself two fowling-pieces, and I gave him
three muskets. My figure, indeed, was very fierce; I had
my formidable goats' skin coat on, with the great cap I have
mentioned, a naked sword by my side, two pistols in my
belt, and a gun upon each shoulder.
It was my design, as I said above, not to have made any
attempt till it was dark but about two o'clock, being the
heat of the day, I found that, in short, they were all gone
straggling into the woods, and as I thought, laid down to
sleep. The three poor distressed men, too anxious for their
condition to get any sleep, were, however, sat down under
the shelter of a great tree, at about a quarter of a mile from
me, and, as I thought, out of sight of any of the rest. Upon
this I resolved to discover myself to them, and learn some-
thing of their condition; immediately Í marched in the
figure as above, my man Friday at a good distance behind
me, as formidable for his arms as I, but not making quite so
staring a spectre-like figure as I did. 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, gentle-
men? They started up at the noise; but were ten times
more confounded when they saw me, and the uncouth figure
that I made. They made no answer at all, but I thought I
perceived them just going to fly from me, when I spoke to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
282
G
hem in English: Gentlemen, said I, do not be surprised at
me; perhaps you may have a friend near, when you did not
expect it. - He must be sent directly from Heaven then,
said one of them very gravely to me, and pulling off his hat
at the same time to me; for our condition is past the help
All help is from Heaven, sir, said I: but can
you put & stranger in the way how to help you? for you
seem to be in some great distress. I saw you when you
landed; and when you seemed to make supplication to the
brutes that came with you, I saw one of them lift up his
sword to kill you.
of man.
The poor man, with tears running down his face, and
trembling, looking like one astonished, returned, Am I talk-
ing to God or man? 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; I am a man, an Englishman, and disposed to assist
you: you see I have one servant only; we have arms and
ammunition; tell us freely, can we serve you? What is
your case?
Our case, said he, sir, is too long to tell you,
while our murderers are so near us, but, in short, sir, I was
commander of that ship, my men have mutinied against
me; they have been hardly prevailed on not to murder me;
and at last have set me on shore in this desolate place, with
these two men with me, one my mate, the other a passenger,
where we expected to perish, believing the place to be
uninhabited, and know not yet what to think of it. - Where
are these brutes, your enemies? said I: do you know where
they are gone? There they lie, 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 certainly
murder us all. Have they any fire-arms? said I. He
answered they had only two pieces, one of which they left
in the boat. Well, then, said I, leave the rest to me; I
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ADVENTURES OF
NAME
see they are all asleep, it is an easy thing to kill them all:
sut shall we rather take them prisoners? He told me there
were two desperate villains among them, that it was scarco
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 distinguish them, but he would obey my orders in
anything I would direct. Well, says I, let us retreat out of
their view or hearing, lest they awake, and we will resolve
further. So they willingly 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 recovered, should be wholly directed and com-
manded by me in everything; and, if the ship was not
recovered, he would live and die with me in what part of the
world soever I would send him; and the two other men
said the same. Well, says I, my conditions are but two:
first, That while you stay in 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 or faith
of man could devise, that he would comply with these most
reasonable 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 proper to be
done. He showed me all the testimonies of his gratitude
that he was able, but offered to be wholly guided by me. I
told him I thought it was hard venturing anything; but the

ال
CRUSOE and the CAPTAIN.
ENDED TO CONTENT ON
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
285
}
at method I could think of was to fire upon them at once,
a they lay, and if any was 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 incorrigible 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, says I, necessity legitimates my advice, for it is the
only way to save our lives. However, seeing him still cau-
tious of shedding blood, I told him they should go them-
selves 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 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, says 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, with each 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 they fired; I mean
the two men, the captain wisely reserving his own piece
They had so well aimed their shot at the men they knew,
that one of them was killed on the spot, and the other very
much wounded; but not being dead, he started up on his
feet, and called eagerly for help to the others; but the
captain stepping to him, told him it was too late to cry for
nelp, he should call upon God to forgive his villany; and
vith that word knocked him down with the stock of his
musket, so that he never spoke more; there were thres
sɔ
e
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ADVENTURES OF
more in the company, and one of them was also slightly
wounded. By this time I was come; and when they saw
their danger, and that it was in vain to resist, they begged
for mercy. The captain told them he would spare their lives,
if they would give him any assurance of their abhorrence
of the treachery they had been guilty of, and would swear
to be faithful to him in recovering the ship, and afterwards in
carrying her back to Jamaica, from whence they came. They
gave him all the protestations of their sincerity that could
be desired, and he was willing to believe them, and spare
their lives, which I was not against, only that I obliged
him to keep them bound hand and foot while they were on
the island.
While this was doing, I sent Friday with the captain's
mate to the boat, with orders to secure her, and bring away
the oars and sails, which they did and by and by three
straggling men, that were (happily for them) parted from the
rest, came back upon hearing the guns fired, and seeing the
captain, who before was their prisoner, now their conqueror,
they submitted to be bound also; and so our victory was
complete.
It now remained that the captain and I should inquire
into 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
upon himself, 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 communi-
cation was at an end, I carried him and his two men into my
apartment, leading them in just where I came out, viz., at
the top of the house, where I refreshed them with such
-
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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1
provisions as I had, and showed them all the contrivances ▾
Lad made, during my long, long inhabiting that place.
All I showed them, all I said to them, was perfectly
amazing; but, above all, the captain admired my fortification,
and how perfectly I had concealed my retreat with a grove
of trees, which, having now been planted near twenty years,
and the trees growing much faster than in England, was
become a little 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. I told him this was my
castle and my residence, but that I had a seat in the country,
as most princes have, whither I could retreat upon occasion,
and I would 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 entered into a cursed
conspiracy, by which they had forfeited their lives to the
law, would be hardened in it now by desperation, and would
carry it on, knowing that, if they were subdued, they would
be brought to the gallows, as soon as they came to England,
or to any of the English colonies; and that, therefore, there
ould be no attacking them with so small a number as we were.-
I mused for some time upon what he had said, and found
it was a very rational conclusion, and that, therefore, some-
thing was to be resolved on speedily, as well to draw the
men on board into some snare for their surprise, as to prevent
their landing upon us, and destroying us. Upon this, it
presently occurred to me, that in a little while the ship's
crew, wondering what was become of their comrades, and
of the boat, would certainly come on shore in their other
boat to look for them; and that then, perhaps, they might
come armed, and be too strong for us: this he allowed to be
rational. Upon this, I told him the first thing we had to de
"
{
<
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ADVENTURES OF
was to stave the boat, which lay upon the beach, so that
they might not carry her off; and taking everything out of
her, leave her so far useless as not to be fit to swim: accord-
ingly 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 biscuit-
cakes, a horn of powder, and a great lump of sugar in a
piece of canvas (the sugar was five or six pounds); all
which was very welcome to me, especially the brandy and
sugar, of which I had none left for many years.
When we had carried all these things on shore (the oars,
mast, sail and rudder of the boat was carried away before, as
above), 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 able to recover the ship; but my view was,
that if they went away without the boat, I did not much
question to make her fit again to carry us to the Leeward
Islands, and call upon our friends the Spaniards in my way;
for I had them still in my thoughts.
While we were thus preparing our designs, and had first,
by main strength, heaved the boat upon the beach so high,
that the tide would not float her off at high-water mark, and
besides, had broke a hole in her bottom too big to be quickly
stopped, and were set down musing what we should do, we
heard the ship fire a gun, and saw her make a waft with her
ensign as a signal for the boat to come on board: but no
boat stirred; and they fired several times, making other
signals for the boat. At last, when all their signals and
firing proved fruitless, and they found the boat did not stir,
we saw them, by the help of my glasses, hoist another boat
out, and row towards the shore; and we found, as they
approached, that there were no less than ten men in her, ana
that they had fire-arms with them.
As the ship lay almost two leagues from the shore, we
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
289
had a full view of them as they came, and a plain sight
even of their faces; because the tide having set them a
little to the east of the other boat, they rowed up under
shore, to come to the same place where the other had
landed, and where the boat lay; by this means, I say, we
had a full view of them, and the captain knew the persons
and characters of all the men in the boat, of whom, he said,
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
scems, was the chief officer among them, and all the rest,
they were as outrageous as any of the ships's crew, and
were no doubt made desperate in their new enterprise; and
terribly apprehensive he was that they would be too power-
ful for us. I smiled at him, and told him that men in our
circumstances were past the operation of fear; that seeing
almost every condition that could be was better than that
which we were supposed to be in, we ought to expect
that the consequence, whether death or life, would be sure
to be a deliverance. I asked him what he thought of the
circumstances of my life, and whether a deliverance were
not worth venturing for? And where, sir, said I, is your
belief of my being preserved here on purpose to save your
life, which elevated you a little while ago; for my part,
said I, there seems to me but one thing amiss in all the
prospect of it. What is that? says he. Why, says I,
it is, that as you say there are three or four honest fellows
among them, which should be spared, had they been all of
the wicked part of the crew, I should have thought God's
providence had singled them out to deliver them into your
hands; for, depend upon it, every man that comes ashore
are our own, and shall die or live as they behave to us. As
I spoke this with a raised voice and cheerful countenance, I
found it greatly encouraged him; so we set vigorously to
our business.
25
290
ADVENTURES OF
We had, upon the first appearance of the boat's coming
from the ship, considered of separating our prisoners; and
we had, indeed, secured them effectually. Two of them,
of whom the captain was less assured than ordinary, I sent
with Friday, and one of the three delivered 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 if they could have delivered themselves: here
they left them bound, but gave them provisions; and
promised them if they continued there quietly, to give them
their liberty in a day or two: but that if they attempted
their escape, they should be put to death without mercy.
They promised faithfully to bear their confinement with
patience, and were very thankful that they had such good
usage as to have provisions and light left them; for Friday
gave them candles (such as we made ourselves) for their
comfort; and they did not know but that he stood sentinel
over them at the entrance.
The other prisoners had better usage: two of them were
kept pinioned, indeed, because the captain was not free to
trust them; but the other two were taken into my service,
upon the captain's recommendation, and upon their solemnly
engaging to live and die with us; so with them and the
three honest men we were seven men well armed; and 1
made no doubt we should be able to deal well enough with
the ten that were coming, considering that the captain had
said that there were three or four honest men among them
also. As soon as they got to the place where their other
boat lay, they ran their boat into the beach, and came on
shore, hauling the boat up after them, which I was glad to see;
for I was afraid they would rather have left the boat at an
anchor, some distance from the shore, with some hands in
her to guard her, and so we should not be able to seize the
boat. Being on shore, the first thing they did, they ran all
to their other boat; and it was easy to see they were under
#
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
29%
a great surprise to find her stripped, as above, of all that
was in her, and a great hole in her bottom. After they had
mused awhile upon this, they set up two or three great
shouts, hallooing with all their might, to try if they could
make their companions hear; but all was to no purpose:
hen they came all closein 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
we were sure could not hear; and those in our keeping,
though they heard it well enough, yet durst give no answer
to them. They were so astonished at the surprise of this,
that, as they told afterwards, they resolved to go all on
board again to their ship, and let them know that the men
were all murdered, and the long-boat staved; accordingly,
they immediately launched their boat again, and got all of
them on board.
The captain was terribly amazed and even confounded at
this, believing they would go on board the ship again, and
set sail, giving their comrades over 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; but with this
new measure in their conduct, which it seems they consulted
together upon, .viz., to leave three men in the boat, and the
rest to go on shore, and go up into the country to look for
their fellows. This was a great disappointment to us, for
now we were at a loss what to do; as 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 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
292
ADVENTURES OF
*
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 it 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. We could have been
very glad they would have come nearer to us, so that we
might have fired at them, or that they would have gone
farther off, that we might have come abroad. But 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 and hallooed till they were weary; and not
caring, it seems, to venture far from the shore, nor far from
one another, they sat down together under a tree, to consider
of it. Had they thought fit to have gone to sleep there, as
the other part of them had done, they had done the job for
us; but they were too full of apprehensions of danger to
venture to go to sicep, though they could not tell what the
danger was they had to fear neither.
The captain made a very just proposal to me upon this
consultation of theirs, viz., that perhaps they would all fire
a volley again, to endeavor 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 this proposal, provided it was done while we were
near enough to come up to them before they conld load
their pieces again; but this even did not happen; and we
lay still a long time, very irresolute what course to take.
At length I told them that there would be nothing done, in
my opinion, till night; and then, if they did not return to
the boat, perhaps we might find a way to get between them
and the shɔre, and so might use some stratagem with them
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
293
In the boat to get them on shore. We waited a grea
while, though very impatient for their removing; and were
very uneasy, when, after long consultations, we saw them
all start up and march down towards the sea; it seems they
had such dreadful apprehensions upon them of the danger
of the place, that they resolved to go on board the ship
again, give their companions over for lost, and so go on
with their intended voyage with the ship.
As soon as I perceived them to go towards the shore, I
imagined it to be, as it really was, that they had given over
their search, and were for going back again; and the
captain, as soon as I told him my thoughts, was ready to
sink at the apprehensions of it: but I presently thought of
a stratagem to fetch them back again, and which answered
my end to a title. I ordered Friday and the captain's mate
to go over the little creek westward, towards the place where
the savages came on shore when Friday was rescued, and as
they came to a little rising ground, at about a half mile
distance, I bade them halloo out, as loud as they could,
and wait till they found the seamen heard them; that as
soon as they heard the seamen answer them, they should
return it again; and then keeping out of sight, take a
round, always answering when the others hallooed, to draw
them as far into the island, and among the woods, as
possible, and then wheel about again to me, by such ways
as I directed them.
They were just going into the boat when Friday and
the mate hallooed: and they presently heard them, and
answering, run along the shore westward, towards the
voice they heard, when they were presently stopped by the
creek, where the water being up, they could not get over,
and called for the boat to come up and set them over; as,
indeed, I expected. When they had set themselves over, I
observed that the boat being gone a good way into the
treek, and, as it were, in a harbor within the land, they
25*
294
ADVENTURES OF
ì
took one of the three men out of her, to go along with them,
and left only two in the boat, having fastened her to the
stump of a little tree on the shore. This was what I wished
for; and immediately leaving Friday and the captain's mate
to their business, I took the rest with me, and crossing the
creek out of their sight, we surprised the two men before
they were aware; one of them lying on the shore, and the
other being in the boat. The fellow on shore was between
sleeping and waking, and going to start up; the captain,
who was foremost, ran in upon him, and knocked him
down; and then called out 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 who were not so hearty in the
mutiny as the rest of the crew, and therefore, was easily
persuaded not only to yield, but afterwards 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 oue
hill to another, and from one wood to another, till they not
only heartily tired them, but left them where they were very
sure they could not reach back to the boat before it was
dark; and, indeed, they were heartily tired themselves also,
by the time they came back to us.
We had nothing now to do but to watch for them in
the dark, and to fall upon them, so as to make sure work
with them. It was several hours after Friday came back to
me before they 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 also 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
mpossible to express their confusion when they found the
}
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
293
answer.
boat fast aground in the creek, the tide ebbed out, and theL
two men gone.
We could hear them call to one another in
a most lamentable manner, telling one another they were
got into an enchanted island: that either there were inhab-
itants in it, and they should all be murdered, or else there
were devils and spirits in it, and they should be all carried
away and devoured. They hallooed again, and called their
two comrades by their names a great many times; but no
After some time, we could see them, by the little
light there was, run about, wringing their hands like men in
despair; and that sometimes they would go and sit down in
the boat, to rest themselves; then come ashore again, and
walk about again, and so the same thing over again. My
men would fain have had me give them leave to fall upon
them at once in the dark; but I was willing to take them
at some advantage, so to spare them, and kill as few of
them as I could; and especially I was unwilling to hazard
the killing any of our men, knowing the others were very
well armed. I resolved to wait, to see if they did not sepa-
rate; and, therefore, to make sure of them, I drew my
ambuscade nearer, and ordered Friday and the captain to
creep upon their hands and feet, as close to the ground as
they could, that they might not be discovered, and get as
near them as they could possibly, before they offered to fire.
They had not been long in that posture, when the boat-
swain, who was the principal ringleader of the mutiny, and
had now shown himself the most dejected and dispirited of
all the rest, came walking towards them, with two more of
the crew the captain was so eager at having this principal
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
they 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 upon the spot; the
next man was shot in the body, and fell just by him, though
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ADVENTURES OF
he did not die till an hour or two after; and the third an
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
and his two men, and the three prisoners of war, whom we
had trusted with arms. We came upon them, indeed, in
the dark, so that they could not see our number; and 1
made the man they had left in the boat, who was now one
of us, to call them by name, to try if I could bring them to
a parley, and so might perhaps reduce them to terms; which
fell out just as we desired: for, indeed, it was easy to think,
as their condition then was, they would be willing to capitu-
late. So he calls out, as loud as he could, to one of them,
Tom Smith! Tom Smith! Tom Smith answered immedi-
ately, Is that Robinson? For it seems, he knew the voice.
The other answered, Ay, ay; for God's sake, Tom Smith,
throw down your arms and yield, or you are all dead men this
moment. Who must we yield to? Where are they? says
Smith again. Here they are, says he; here's our captain
and fifty men with him, have been hunting you these two
hours the boatswain is killed, Will Fry is wounded, and I
am a prisoner; and if you do not yield, you are all lost.
Will they give us quarter then? says Tom Smith, and we
will yield.—I will go ask, if you promise to yield, says
Robinson so he asked the captain; and the captain himselt
then calls out, You, Smith, you know my voice; if you lay
down your arms immediately, and submit, you shall have
your lives, all but Will Atkins.
:
AL
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
291
SECTION XXVII.
S
THE LATTEE
ATKINS ENTREATS THE CAPTAIN TO SPARE HIS LIFE
RECOVERS HIS VESSEL FROM THE MUTINEERS AND ROBINSON
LEAVES THE ISLAND.
UPON this Will Atkins cried out, For God's sake, captain,
give me quarter; what have I done? They have all been
as bad as I: which, by the way, was not true neither; for,
it seems, this Will Atkins was the first man that laid hold
of the captain when they first mutinied, and used him bar-
barously, in tying his hands, and giving him injurious.
language. 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 all called me
governor, In a word, they all laid down their arms, and
begged their lives; and I sent the man that had parlied
with them, and two more, who bound them all; and then
my great army of fifty men, which particularly with those
three, were in all but eight, came up and seized upon them,
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 think of seizing
the ship and as for the captain, now he had leisure to par-
ley with them, he expostulated with them upon the villany
of their practices with him, and at length upon the further
wickedness of their design, and how certainly it must bring
them to misery and distress in the end, and perhaps to the
gallows. They all appeared very penitent, and begged hard
for their lives. As for that, he told them they were none
of his prisoners, but the commander's of the island; that
they thought they had set him on shore on a barren, unin-
habited island; but it had pleased God so to direct them,
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ADVENTURES OF
that it was inhabited, and that the governor was an English-
man; that he might hang them all there, if he pleased; but
as he had given them all quarter, he supposed he would
send them to England, to be dealt with there as justice
required, except Atkins, whom he was commanded by the
governor to advise to prepare for death, for that he would be
hanged in the morning.
Though all this was but a fiction of his own, yet it had
its desired effect: Atkins fell upon his knees, to beg the
captain to intercede with the governor for his life; and all
the rest begged of him, for God's sake, that they might not
be sent to England.
It now occurred to me that the time of our deliverance
was come, and that it would be a most easy thing to bring
these fellows in 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 governor 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 presently the
captain replied, Tell his excellency I am just a-coming.
This more perfectly amused them, and they all believed that
the commander was just by with his fifty men.
Upon the
captain's coming to me, I told him my project for seizing
the ship, which he liked wonderfully well, and resolved to
put it in execution' the next morning. But, in order to
execute it with more heart, and to be secure 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 pinioned to the cave where the others lay. This
was committed to Friday and the two men who came on
shore with the captain. They conveyed them to the cave as
to a prison and it was, indeed, a dismal place, especially to
men in their condition. The others I ordered to my bower
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
299
as I called it, of which I have given a full description: and
as it was fenced in, and they pinioned, the place was secure
enough, considering they were upon their behavior.
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, to be sure ;
but that if they would join in so just an attempt as to recover
the ship, he would have the governor's engagement for their
pardon.
Any one may guess how readily such a proposal would be
accepted by men in their condition; they fell down on their
knees to the captain, and promised, with the deepest impre-
cations, that they would be faithful to him to the last drop,
and that they should owe their lives to him, and would go
with him all over the world; that they would own him as a
father as long as they lived. Well, says the captain, I must
go and tell the governor what you say, and see what I can´
do to bring him to consent to it. So he brought me an
account of the temper he found them in, and that he verily
believed they would be faithful. However, that we might be
very secure, I told him he should go back again and choose
out those five, and tell them, that they might see he did not
want men, that he would take out those five to be his
assistants, and that the governor would keep the other two,
and the three that were sent prisoners to the castle (my
cave) as hostages for the fidelity of those five; and that if
they proved unfaithful in the execution, the five hostages
should be hanged in chains alive on the shore. This looked
severe, and convinced them that the governor was in earnest:
↓
300
ADVENTURES OF
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, the two
prisoners of the first gang, to whom, having their character
from the captain, I had given their liberty, and trusted them
with arms: third, the other two that I had kept till now in
my bower pinioned, but, on the captain's motion, had now
released: fourth, these five released at last; so that they
were twelve in all, besides five we kept prisoners in the cave
for hostages.
I asked the captain if he was willing to venture with
these hands on board the ship: but as for me and my man
Friday, I did not think it was proper for us to stir, having
even 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 in twice a day to them, to supply them with
necessaries; and I made the other two carry provisions to a
certain distance, where Friday was to take it.
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 gover-
nor's pleasure they should not stir any where but by my
direction; that if they did, they would be fetched into the
castle, and be laid in irons: so that as we never suffered
them to see me as a governor, I now appeared as another
person, and spoke of the governor, the garrison, the castle,
and the like, upon all occasions.
The captain now had no difficulty 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 of the men;
and himself, his mate, and five more, went in the other; and
they contrived thei kusiness very well, for they came up to
*
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
301
the ship about midnight. As soon as they came within call
of the ship, he made Robinson hail them, and tell them
they had brought off the men and the boat, but that it was
a long time before they had found them, and the like, hold-
ing them in a chat till they came to the ship's side; when the
captain and the mate entering first, with their arms, im-
mediately knocked down the second mate and carpenter with
the buttend of their muskets, being very faithfully seconded
by their men; they secured all the rest that were upon the
main and quarter decks, and began to fasten the hatches, to
keep them down that 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, who having taken the
alarm, had got up, and with two men and a boy had got fire
arms in their hands; and when the mate, with a crow, split
open the door, the new captain and his men fired boldly
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 behind
one of his ears, so that he never spoke a word more: 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 very glad to hear, having sat watching upon the
shore for it till near two o'clock in the morning. Having
thus heard the signal plainly, I laid me down; and it having
26
302
ADVENTURES OF
been a day of great fatigue to me, I slept very sound, till 1
was something surprised at the noise of a gun; and presently
starting up, I heard a man call me by the name of Governor,
Governor, and presently I knew the captain's voice; when
climbing up to the top of the hill, there he stood, and point-
ing to the ship, he embraced nfe 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 belong to her.
I cast my
eyes to the ship, and there she rode within little more than
half a mile of the shore; for they had weighed her anchor
as soon as they were masters of her, and the weather being
fair, had brought her to anchor just against the mouth of
the little creek; and the tide being up, the captain had
brought the pinnace in near the place where I at first
landed my rafts, and so landed just at my door. I was at
first ready to sink down with the surprise; for I saw my
deliverance, indeed, visibly put into my hands, all things
easy, and a large ship just ready to carry me away whither 1
pleased to go. At first, for some time, I was not able to
answer him one word; but as he had taken me in his arms,
I held fast by him, or I should have fallen to the ground.
He perceived the surprise, and immediately pulls a bottle
out of his pocket, and gave me a dram of cordial, which he
had brought on purpose for me. After I had drank it, I sat
down upon the ground; and though it brought me to myself,
yet it was a good while before I could speak a word to him.
All this time the poor man was in as great an ecstasy as I,
only not under any surprise, as I was; and he said a
thousand kind and tender things to me, to compose and
bring me to myself: but such was the flood of joy in my
breast, that it put all my spirits into confusion; at last it
broke out into tears; and in a little while after I recovered
my speech. I then took my turn, and embraced him as my
deliverer, and we rejoiced together. I told him I looked
}
KOBINSON CRUSOE.
303
upon him as a man sent from Heaven to deliver me, and
that the whole transaction seemed to be a chain of wonders;
that such things as these were the testimonies we had of a
secret hand of Providence governing the world, and an
evidence that the eye of an infinite power could search into
the remotest corner of the world, and send help to the mis-
erable whenever he pleased. I forgot not to lift up my heart
in thankfulness to Heaven: and what heart could forbear to
bless him, who had not only in a miraculous manner provided
for me in such a wilderness, and in such a desolate condition,
but from whom every deliverance must always be acknowl-
edged to proceed?
When we had talked a while, the captain told me he had
brought me some little refreshment, such as the ship afforded,
and such as the wretches that had been so long his masters
had not plundered him of. Upon this he called aloud to the
boat, and bade his men bring the things ashore that were for
the governor; and, indeed, it was a present as if I had been
one that was not to be carried away with them, but as if I
had been to dwell upon the island still. First, he had
brought me a case of bottles full of excellent cordial waters,
six large bottles of Maderia wine (the bottles held two
quarts each), two pounds of excellent good tobacco, twelve
good pieces of the ship's beef, and six pieces of pork, with a
bag of peas, and about a hundred weight of biscuit: he also
brought me a box of sugar, a box of flour, a bag full of
lemons, and two bottles of lime juice, and abundance of
other things. But, besides these, and what was a thousand
times more useful to me, he brought me six new clean shirts,
six very good neckcloths, two pair of gloves, one pair of
shoes, a hat, and one pair of stockings, with a very good.
suit of clothes of his own, which had been worn but very
little; in a word, he clothed me from head to foot. It was
a very kind and agreeable present, as any one may imagine,
304
ADVENTURES OF
2
to one in my circumstances; but never was anyth ng in the
world of that kind so unpleasant, awkward, and uneasy, as
it was to me to wear such clothes at first.
After these ceremonies were past, and after all his good
things were brought into my little apartment, we began to
consult, what was to be done with the prisoners we had; for
it was worth considering 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 knew 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; and I
found that the captain himself was very anxious about it.
Upon this I told him, that if he desired it, I would under-
take to bring the two men he spoke of to make it their own
request that he should leave them upon the island. I should
be very glad of that, says the captain, with all my heart.
Well, says I, I will send for them up, and talk with them
for you. So I caused Friday and the two hostages, for they
were now discharged, their comrades having performed their
promise; I say, I caused them to go to the cave, and bring
up the five men, pinioned as they were, to the bower, and
keep them there till I came. After some time I came thither
dressed in my new habit; and now I was called governor
again. Being all met, and the captain with me, I caused
the men to be brought before me, and I told them I had got
a full account of their villainous behavior to the captain,
and how they had run away with the ship, and were pre-
paring to commit farther robberies, but that Providence had
ensnared them in their own ways, and that they were fallen
into the pit which they had dug for others. I let them know
that by my direction the ship had been seized; that she lay
now in the road; and. they might see, by and by, that their
new captain hail received the reward of his villainy, and tha
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
305
they would see him hanging at the yard-arm: that as to
them, I wanted to know what they had to say why I should
not execute them as pirates, taken in the fact, as by my
commission they could not doubt but I had authority so to
do.
One of them answered in the name of the rest, that they
had nothing to say but this, that when they were taken, the
captain promised them their lives, and they humbly implored
my mercy. But I told them I knew not what mercy to
show them for as for myself, I had resolved to quit the
island with all my men, and had taken passage with the
captain to go for England; and as for the captain, he could
not carry them to England other than as prisoners, in irons,
to be tried for mutiny, and running away with the ship; the
consequence of which, they must needs know, would be the
gallows; so that I could not tell what was best for them,
unless they had a mind to take their fate in the island ;
if they desired that, as I had liberty to leave the island,
I had some inclination to give them their lives, if they
thought they could shift on shore. They seemed very
thankful for it, and said they would much rather venture to
stay there than to be carried to England to be hanged: so I
left it on that issue.
However, the captain seemed to make some difficulty of
it, as if he durst not leave them there. Upon this I seemed
a little angry with the captain, and told him that they were
my prisoners, not his; and seeing that I had offered them so
much favor, I would be as good as my word: and that if he
did not think fit to consent to it, I would set them at
liberty, as I found them; and if he did not like it, he might
take them again if he could catch them. Upon this they
appeared very thankful, and I accordingly set them at liberty,
and bade them retire into the woods from whence they came,
and I would leave them some fire-arms, some ammunition,
and some directions how they should live very well, if they
26*
806
ADVENTURES OF
thought fit. Upon this I prepared to go on board the ship;
but told the captain I would stay that night to prepare my
things, and desired him to go on board, in the mean time,
and keep all right in the ship, and send the boat on shore
next day for me; ordering him, at all events, to cause the
new captain, who was killed, to be hanged at the yard-arm,
that these men might see him.
When the captain was gone, I sent for the men up to me
to my apartment, and entered seriously into discourse with
them on their circumstances. I told them I thought they
had made a right choice; that if the captain had carried
them away, they would certainly be hanged. I showed them
the new captain hanging at the yard-arm of the ship, and
told them they had nothing less to expect.
When they had all declared their willingness to stay, I
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:
accordingly, 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 also of the seventeen Spaniards that were tc
be expected, for whom I left a letter, and made them promise
to treat them in common with themselves. Here it may be
noted, that the captain had ink on board, who was greatly
surprised that I never hit upon a way of making ink of
charcoal and water, or of something else, as I had done
things much more difficult.
I left them my fire-arms, viz., five muskets, three fowling-
pieces, and three swords. I had above a barrel and a half
of powder left; for after the first year or two I used but
little, and wasted none. I gave them a description of the
way I managed the goats, and directions to milk and fatten
them, and to make both butter and cheese: in a word, I
gave them every part of my own story, and told them I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
307
should 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 the bag
of peas which the captain had brought me to eat, and bade
them be sure to sow and increase them.
Having done all this, I left them the next day, and went
on board the ship. We prepared immediately to sail, but
did not weigh that night. The next morning early, two of
the five men came swimming to the ship's side, and making
a most lamentable complaint of the other three, begged to
be taken into the ship, for God's sake, for they should be
murdered, and begged the captain to take them on board,
though he hanged them immediately. Upon this, the captain
pretended to have no power without me; but after some
difficulty, and after their solemn promises of amendment,
they were taken on board, and were some time after soundly
whipped and pickled; after which they proved very honest.
and quiet fellows.
Some time after this, the boat was ordered on shore, the
tide being up, with the things promised to the men; to
which the captain, at my intercession, caused their chests
and clothes to be added, which they took, and were very
thankful for. I also encouraged them, by telling them that
if it lay in my power to send any vessel to take them in, I
would not forget them.
When I took leave of this island, I carried on board, for
reliques, the great goat-skin cap I had made, my umbrella,
and one of my parrots; also I forgot not to take the money
I formerly mentioned, which had laid by me so long useless,
that it was grown rusty or tarnished, and could hardly pass
for silver, till it had been a little rubbed and handled; as
also the money I found in the wreck of the Spanish ship.
And thus I left the island, the 19th of December, as I found
by the ship's account, in the year 1686, after I had been
upon it eight-and-twenty years, two months, and nineteen
308
ADVENTURES OF
days; being delivered from this second captivity the same
day of the month that I first made my escape in the long-
boat, from among the Moors of Sallee. 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.
SECTION XXVIII.
OBINSON GOES TO LISBON, WHERE HE FINDS THE PORTUGUESE CAP-
TAIN, WHO RENDERS HIM AN ACCOUNT OF HIS PROPERTY IN THE
BRAZILS SETS OUT ON HIS RETURN TO ENGLAND BY LAND.
WHEN I came to England, I was as perfect a stranger to all
the world as if I had never been known there. My bene-
factor and faithful steward, whom I had left my money in
trust with, was alive, but had had great misfortunes in the
world; was become a widow the second time, and very low
in the world. I made her very easy as to what she owed
me, assuring her I would give her no trouble; but on the
contrary, in gratitude for former care and faithfulness to me,
I relieved her 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, as shall be observed in its proper place. I went down
afterwards into Yorkshire; but my father and mother were
dead, and all the family extinct, except that I found two
sisters, and two of the children of one of my brothers; and
as I had been long ago given over for dead, there had been
no provision made for me: so that, in a word, I found
nothing to relieve or assist me; and that the little money I
had would not do much for me as to settling in the world.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
373
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, and by the same means saved the
ship and cargo, 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 merchants concerned, and all together made me a very
handsome compliment upon the subject, and a present of
almost two hundred pounds sterling.
But after making several reflections upon the circumstances
of my life, and how little way this would go towards set-
tling me in the world, I resolved to go to Lisbon, and see if
I might not come by some information of the state of my
plantation in the Brazils, and of what was become of my
partner, who, I had reason to suppose, had some years past
given me over for dead. With this view I took shipping for
Lisbon, where I arrived in April following; my man Friday
accompanying 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 particu-
lar satisfaction, my old friend the captain of the ship who
first took me up at sea off the shore of Africa. He was
now grown old, and had left off going to sea, having put his
son, who was far from a young man, into his ship, and who
still used the Brazil trade. The old man did not know me;
and, indeed, I hardly knew him; but I soon brought him to
my remembrance, and as soon brought myself to his remem-
orance, when I told him who I was.
After some passionate expressions of the old acquaintance
tetween us, I inquired, you may be sure, 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 the
trustees, whom I had joined with him to take cognizance of
my part, were both dead: that, however, he believed I
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ADVENTURES OF
would have a very good account of the improvement of the
plantation; for that upon 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 procurator-
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 conversion of the Indians to the Catholic faith ;
but that if I appeared, or any one for me, to claim the
inheritance, it would be restored; only that the improve-
ment, or annual production, being distributed to charitable
uses, could not be restored: but he assured me that the
steward of the king's revenue from lands, and the proviedore,
or steward of the monastery, had taken great care all along
that the incumbent, that is to say, my partner, gave every
year a faithful account of the produce, of which they had
duly received my moiety. I asked him if he knew to what
height of improvement he had brought the plantation, and
whether he thought it might be worth looking after; or
whether, on my going thither, I should meet with any
obstruction to my possessing my just right in the moiety.
He told me he could not tell exactly to what degree the
plantation was improved, but this he knew, that my partner
was grown exceeding rich upon the enjoying his part of it;
and that, to the best of his remembrance, he had heard that
the king's third of my part, which was, it seems, granted
away to some other monastery or religious house, amounted
to above two hundred moidores a-year: that as to my being
restored to a quiet possession of it, there was no question to
be made of that, my partner being alive to witness my title,
and my name being also cnrolled in the register of the
country: also he told me, that the survivors of my two
trustees were very fair honest people, and very wealthy;
and he believed I would not only have their assistance for
utting me in possession, but would find a very considerable
}
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
31!
sum of money in their hands for my account, being the
produce of the farm while their fathers held the trust, and
before it was given up, as above; which, as he remembered,
was for about twelve years.
I showed myself a little concerned and uneasy at this
account, and inquired of the old captain how it came to pass
that the trustees should thus dispose of my effects, when he
knew that I had made my will, and had made him, the
Portuguese captain, my universal heir, &c.
He told me that was true; but that as there was no proof
of my being dead he could not act as executor, until some
certain account should come of my death; and, besides, he
was not willing to intermeddle with a thing so remote: that
it was true he had registered my will, and put in his claim;
and could he have given any account of my being dead or
alive, he would have acted by procuration, and taken posses
sion of the ingenio (so they called the sugar-house), and
have given his son, who was now at the Brazils, orders to
do it. But, says the old man, I have one piece of news to
tell you, which, perhaps, may not be so acceptable to you as
the rest; and that is, believing you were lost, and all the
world believing so also, your partner and trustees did offer
to account with me, in your name, for six or eight of the
first years' profits, which I received. There being at that
time great disbursements for increasing the works, building
an ingenio, and buying slaves, it did not amount to near so
much as afterwards it produced: however, says the old man,
I shall give you a true account of what I have received, in
all, and how I have disposed of it.
After a few days' further conference with this ancient
friend, he brought me an account of the first six years' in-
come of plantation, signed by my partner and the merchant
trustees, being always delivered in goods, viz., tobacco in
roll, and sugar in chests, besides rum, molasses, &c., which
is the consequence of a sugar-work; and I found, by this
812
ADVENTURES OF
!
1
account, that every year the income considerably increased;
but, as above, the disbursements being large, the sum at
first was small: however, the old man let me see that he
was debtor to me four hundred and seventy moidores of
gold, besides sixty chests of sugar, and fifteen double rolls
of tobacco, which were lost in his ship; he having been
shipwrecked coming home to Lisbon, about eleven years.
after my leaving the place. The good man then began to
complain of his misfortunes; and how he had been obliged
to make use of my money to recover his losses, and buy
him a share in a new ship. However, my old friend, says
he, you shall not want a supply in your necessity; and as
soon as my son returns, you shall be fully satisfied. Upon
this, he pulls out an old pouch and gives me one hundred
and sixty Portugal moidores in gold; and giving the
writings of his title to the ship, which his son was gone to
the Brazils in, of which he was a quarter part owner, and
his son, another, he puts them both into my hands, for
security of the rest.
I was too much moved with the honesty and kindness of
the poor man to be able to bear this; and remembering what
he had done for me, how he had taken me up at sea, and
how generously he had used me on all occasions, and
particularly how sincere a friend he was now to me, I could
hardly refrain weeping at what he had said to me; therefore
I asked him if his circumstances admitted him to spare so
much money at that time, and if it would not straiten
him? He told me he could not say but it might straiten him
a little; but, however, it was my money, and I might want
it more than he.
•
Everything the good man said was full of affection, and I
could hardly refrain from tears while he spoke; in short, I
took one hundred of the moidores, and called for a pen
and ink to give him a receipt for them: then I returned him
the rest, and told him if ever I had possession of the
1
'
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
318
교
​plantation, I would return the other to him also (as, indeed,
I afterwards did); and that as to the bill of sale of his
part in his son's ship, I would not take it by any means:
but that if I wanted the money, I found he was honest
enough to pay me; and if I did not, but came to receive
what he gave me reason to expect, I would never have a
penny more from him.
When this was past, the old man asked me if he should
put me into 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 immediately to appro-
priate the profits to my use: and as there were ships in the
river of Lisbon just ready to go away to Brazil, 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 person who took up the land for the planting the said
plantation at first. This being 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 acquaint-
ance at the place; and then proposed my staying with him
till an account came of the return.
Never was anything more honorable 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, in which
were the following particular letters and papers enclosed.
First, There was the account-current of the produce of
my farm or plantation, from the year when their fathers had
balanced with my old Portugal captain, being for six years:
the balance appeared to be one thousand one hundred and
seventy-four moidores in my favor.
Secondly, There was the account of four years more,
while they kept the effects in their hands, before the govern-
ment claimed the administration, as being the effects of a
27
$14
ADVENTURES OF
!
person not to be found, which they called civil death; and
the balance of this, the value of the plantation increasing,
amounted to nineteen thousand four hundred and forty-six
crusadoes, being about three thousand two hundred and
forty moidores.
Thirdly, There was the prior of Augustine's account, who
had received the profits for above fourteen years; but not
being to account for what was disposed of by the hospital,
very honestly declared he had eight hundred and seventy-
two moidores not distributed, which he acknowledged to my
account as to the king's part, that refunded nothing.
There was a letter of my partner's, congratulating me
very affectionately upon my being alive, giving me an
account how the estate was improved, and what it produced
a year: with a particular of the number of squares or
acres that it contained, how planted, how many slaves there
were upon it, and making two and twenty crosses for
blessings, told me he had said so many Ave Marias to
thank the blessed Virgin that I was alive; inviting me very
passionately to come over and take possession of my own;
and, in the mean time, to give him orders to whom he
should deliver my effects, if I did not come myself; con-
cluding with a hearty tender of his friendship, and that of
his family; and sent me, as a present, seven fine leopards'
skins, which he had, it seems, received from Africa, by some
other ship that he had sent thither, and who, it seems, had
made a better voyage than I. He sent me also five chests
of excellent sweetmeats, and a hundred pieces of gold
uncoined, not quite so large as moidores. By the same
fleet, my two merchant trustees shipped me one thousand
two hundred chests of sugar, eight hundred rolls of tobacco,
and the rest of the whole account in gold.
I might well say now, indeed, that the latter end of Job
was better than the beginning. It is impossible to express
the flutterings of my very heart, when I found all my wealth
LOBINSON CRUSOE.
314
about me; for as the Brazil ships come all in fleets, the
same ships which brought my letters brought my goods:
and the effects were safe in the river before the letters came
to my hand. In a word, I turned pale and grew sick; and
had not the old man run and fetched me a cordial, I believe
the sudden surprise of joy had overset nature, and I had
died upon the spot: nay, after that, I continued very ill.
and was so some hours, till a physician being sent for, and
something of the real cause of my illness being known, he
ordered me to be let blood; after which I had relief, and
grew well: but I verily believe, if I had been eased by a
vent given in that manner to the spirits, I should have died.
I was now master, all on a sudden, of above five thousand
pounds sterling in money, and had an estate, as I might well
call it, in the Brazils, of above a thousand pounds a year, as
sure as an estate of lands in England; and, in a word, I was
in a condition which I scarce knew how to understand, or
how to compose myself for the enjoyment of it. 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 my beginning, and honest to me at
the end. I showed him all that was sent to me; I told him,
that next to the providence of Heaven, which disposed all
things, it was owing to him; and that it now lay on me to
reward him, which I would do a hundred-fold: so I first
returned to him the hundred moidores I had received of
him; then I sent for a notary, and caused him to draw up a
general release or discharge from the four hundred and
seventy moidores, which he had acknowledged he owed me,
in the fullest and firmest manner possible. After which I
caused a procuration to be drawn, empowering him to be my
receiver of the annual profits of my plantation, and appoint-
ing my partner to account with 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
316
ADVENTURES OF
during his life, out of the effects, and fifty moidores a year
to his son after him, for his life: and thus I requited my old
man.
I was now to consider which way to steer my course next
and what to do with the estate that Providence had thus pu
into my hands; and, indeed, I had more care upon my head
now than I had in my silent state of life in the island,
where I wanted nothing but what I had, and had nothing
but what I wanted; whereas I had now a great charge upon
me, and my business was how to secure it. I had never
a cave now to hide my money in, or a place where it might
lie without a lock or key, till it grew mouldy and tarnished,
before any body would meddle with it; on the contrary, I
knew not 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, and left my effects in some safe hands behind me.
At first I thought of my old friend the widow, who I knew
was honest, and would be just to me; but 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.
It 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 benefactor, and she, while it was in her power,
my faithful steward and instructor. So the first thing I did,
I get a merchant in Lisbon to write to his correspondent in
London, not only to pay a bill, but to go find her out, and
carry her in money a hundred pounds for 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
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
317
Lent my two sisters in the country a hundred pounds tach,
they being, though not in want, yet not in very good
circumstances; one having been married and left a widow;
and the other having a husband not so kind to her as he
should be. But among all my relations or acquaintances, I
could not yet pitch upon one to whom I durst commit the
gross of my stock, that I might go away to the Brazils, and
leave things safe behind me; and this greatly perplexed me.
I had once a mind to have gone to the Brazils, and have
settled myself there; for I was, as it were, naturalized to
the place; but I had some little scruple in my mind about
religion, which insensibly drew me back. However, it was
not religion which kept me from going there for the present;
and as I had made no scruple of being openly of the
religion of the country all the while I was among them, so
neither did I yet; only that, now and then, having of late
thought more of it than formerly, when I began to think of
living and dying among them, I began to regret my having
professed myself a papist, and thought it might not be the
best religion to die with.
But, as I have said, this was not the main thing that kept
me from going to the Brazils, but that really I did not know
with whom to leave my effects behind me; so I resolved, at
last, to go to England with it, where, if I arrived, I con-
cluded I should make some acquaintance, or find some
relations that would be faithful to me; and accordingly, I
prepared to go to England with all my wealth.
In order to prepare things for my going home, I first,
the Brazil fleet being just going away, resolved to give
answers suitable to the just and faithful account of things I
had from thence; and, first, to the prior of St. Augustine I
wrote a letter full of thanks for their just dealings, and the
offer of the eight hundred and seventy-two moidores which
were undisposed of, which I desired might be given, five
Dundred to the monastery, and three hundred and seventy-twe
27*
318
ADVENTURES OF
to the poor, as the prior should direct; desiring the good
padre's prayers for me, and the like. I wrote next a letter
of thanks to my two trustees, with all the acknowledgment
that so much justice and honesty called for; as for sending
them any present, they were far above having any occasion
for it. Lastly, I wrote to my partner, acknc wledging his
industry in the improving the plantation, and his integrity
in increasing the stock of the works; giving him instructions.
for his future government of my part, according to the powers
I had left with my old patron, to whom I desired him to
send whatever became due to me, till he should hear from
me more particularly; assuring him that it was my intention
not only to come to him, but to settle myself there for the
remainder of my life. To this I added a very handsome
present of some Italian silks for his wife and two daughters,
for such the captain's son informed me he had; with two
pieces of fine English broadcloth, the best I could get in
Lisbon, five pieces of black baize, and some Flanders lace of
a good value.
Having thus settled my affairs, sold my cargo, and turned
all my effects into good bills of exchange, my next difficulty
was, which way to go to England: I had been accustomed
enough to the sea, and yet I had a strange aversion to go to
England by sea at that time; and though I could give no
reason for it, yet the difficulty increased upon me so much,
that though I had once shipped 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 this
might be some of the reasons; but let no man slight the
strong impulses of his own thoughts in cases of such
moment two of the ships which I had singled out to go in,
I mean more particularly singled out than any other, having
put my things on board one of them, and in the other to
have agreed with the captain; I say, two of these ships
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
313
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 ves-
sels I had been made miserable.
Having been thus harrassed 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
(Corunna), and cross over the Bay of Biscay to Rochelle,
from whence it was but an easy and safe journey by land to
Paris, and so to Calais and Dover; or to go up to Madrid,
and so all the way by land through France. In a word, I
was so prepossessed against my going by sea at all, except
from Calais to Dover, that I resolved to travel all the way
by land; which, as I was not in haste, and did not value
the charge, was by much the pleasanter way: and to make
it more so, my old captain brought an English gentleman,
the son of a merchant in Lisbon, who was willing to travel
with me; after which we picked up two more English mer-
chants also, and two young Portuguese gentlemen, the last
going to Paris only; so that in all there were six of us, and
five servants; the two merchants and the two Portuguese
contenting themselves with one servant between two, to save
the charge; and as for me, I got an English sailor to travel
with me as a servant, besides my man Friday, who was too
much a stranger to be capable of supplying the place of a
servant on the road.
In this manner I set out from Lisbon; and our company
being very well mounted and armed, we made a little troop,
whereof they did me the honor 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.
As I have troubled you with none of my sea journals, so
I shall trouble you now with none of my land journal; but
some adventures that happened to us in this tedious and
lifficult journey I must not omit.
1
320
ADVENTURES OF
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 several
travellers were obliged to come back to Pampeluna, after
having attempted, at an extreme hazard, to pass on.
When we came to Pampeluna itself, we found it so, in-
deed; and to me, that had been always used to a hot climate,
and to countries where I could scarce bear any clothes on,
the cold was insufferable; nor, indeed, was it more painful
than surprising, to come but ten days before out of Old
Castile, where the weather was not only warm, but very
not, and immediately to feel a wind from the Pyrenean
mountains, so very keen, so severely cold, as to be intolera-
ble, and to endanger the benumbing and perishing of our
fingers and toes.
Poor Friday was really frightened when he saw the
mountains all covered with snow, and felt cold weather,
which he had never seen or felt before in his life. To mend
the matter, when we came to Pampeluna, it continued snow-
ing 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; for, in a word,
the snow lay in some places too thick for us to travel, and
being not 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 Pam-
peluna; when seeing the winter coming on, and no likelihood
of its being better, for it was the severest winter all over Eu-
rope that had been known in the memory of man, I proposed
that we should all go away to Fontarabia, and there take ship-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
321
But
ping for Bourdeaux, which was a very little voyage.
while I was considering this, there came in four French
gentlemen, who having been stopped on the French side of
the passes, as we were on the Spanish, had found out a
guide, who traversing the country near the head of Langue-
doc, had brought them over the mountains by such ways,
that they were not much incommoded with the snow; for
where they met with snow in any quantity, they said it was
frozen hard enough to bear them and their horses. We sent
for this guide, who told us he would undertake to carry us
the same way with no hazard from the snow, provided we
were armed sufficiently to protect ourselves from wild beasts;
for, he said, upon these great snows it was 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 they were, if he would insure
us from a kind of two-legged wolves, which, we were told,
we were in most danger from, especially on the French side
of the mountains. He satisfied us that there was no danger
of that kind in the way that we were to go: so we readily
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.
43
-
•
Accordingly, we 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, about
twenty miles; when having passed two rivers, and came
into the plain country, we found ourselves in a warm climate
gain, where the country was pleasant, and no snow to be
seen; but on a sudden turning to his left, he approached
the mountains another way; and though it is true the hills
and precipices looked dreadful, yet he made so many tours,
322
ADVENTURES OF
)
such meanders, and led us by such winding ways, that we
insensibly passed the height of the mountains without being
much encumbered with the snow; and, all on a sudden, he
showed us the pleasant fruitful provinces of Languedoc and
Gascony, all green and flourishing, though, indeed, at a
great distance, and we had some rough way to pass still.
We were a a little uneasy, however when we found it
snowed one whole day and a night so fast, that we could
not travel; but he bid us be easy; 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, depend-
ing upon our guide, we went on.
1,
ENGLAND.
SECTION XXIX.
FRIDAY'S ENCOUNTER WITH A BEAR
A BEAR-ROBINSON AND HIS FELLOW
TRAVELLERS ATTACKED BY A FLOCK OF WOLVES HIS ARRANGE-
MENT OF HIS AFFAIRS, AND MARRIAGE AFTER HIS RETURN
Jag
TC
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 them a bear, out of a hollow
way, adjoining to a thick wood; two of the wolves made at
the guide, and had he been far before us, he would have
been devoured before we could have helped him; one of
them fastened upon his horse, and the other attacked the
man with that violence, that he had not time, or presence of
mind enough, to draw his pistol, but hallooed and cried out
to me 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 out as loud
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
323
as the other, O master! O master! but, like a bold fellow,
rode directly up to the poor man, and with his pistol shot
the wolf, that attacked him, in the head.
It was happy for the poor man that it was my man Fri-
day; for he having been used to such creatures in his
country, he had no fear respecting them, but went close up
to him and shot him, as above; whereas any other of us
would have fired at a greater 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, indeed, it alarmed all our company, when, with the
noise of Friday's pistol, we heard on both sides the most
dismal howling of wolves; and the noise, redoubled by the
echo of the mountains, appeared to us as if there had been
a prodigious number of them; and, perhaps, there was not
such a few as that we had no cause of apprehensions: how-
ever, as Friday had killed this wolf, the other that had
fastened upon the horse left him immediately, and filed,
without doing him any damage, having happily fastened
upon his head, where the bosses of the bridle had stuck in
his teeth. But the man was most hurt; for the raging
creature had bit him twice, once in the arm, and the other
time a little above his knee; and though he had made some
defence, he was just as it were tumbling down by the dis-
order 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 clearly what had been the
case, and how Friday had disengaged the poor guide, though
we did not presently discern what kind of creature it was he
had killed.
But never was a fight managed so hardily, and in such a
surprising manner, as that which followed, between Friday
324
ADVENTURES OF
and the bear, which gave us all, though at first we wers
surprised and afraid for him, the greatest diversion imagina-
ble. As the bear is a heavy, clumsy creature, and does not
gallop as the wolf does, who is swift and light, so he has
two particular qualities, which generally are the rule of his
actions: first, as to men, who are not his proper prey (he
does not usually attempt them, except they first attack him,
unless he be excessively hungry, which it is probable might
now be the case, the ground being covered with snow), if
you do not meddle with him, he will not meddle with you:
but then you must take care to be very civil to him, and
give him the road, for he is a very nice gentleman; he will
not go a step out of his way for a prince; nay, if you are
really afraid, your best way is to look another way, and
keep going on; for sometimes if you stop, and stand still,
and look steadfastly at him, he takes it for an affront; but
if you throw or toss anything at him, and it hits him, though
it were but a bit of stick as big as your finger, he thinks
himself abused, and sets all other business aside to pursue
his revenge, and will have satisfaction in point of honor;
this is his first quality: the next is, if he be once affronted,
ne will never leave you, night nor day, till he has his
revenge, but follows, at a good round rate, till he overtakes
you.
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, when, on a sudden,
we espied the bear come out of the wood, and a vast, mon-
strous 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 countenence; 0, 0, 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 well pleased: You
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
325
fool, says I, he will eat you up. Eatee me up! eatɛe me
up! says Friday, twice over again; me eatee him up; me
makee you good laugh: you all stay here, me show you
good laugh. So down he sits, and gets off his boots in a
moment, and puts on a pair of pumps (as we call the flat
shoes they wear, and which he had in his pocket), gives my
other servant his horse, and with his gun away he flew, 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 speakee with you. We followed at distance; for
now being come down on the Gascony side of the mountains,
we were entered a vast great forest, where the country was
plain and pretty open, though it had 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 blow, and saw him, he turns about,
and comes after him, taking devilish long strides, and shuf-
fling on at a strange rate, such as would have put a horse to
a middling gallop; away runs Friday, and takes his course
as if he run 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 another way;
and especially I was angry that he had turned the bear upon
us, and then run away; and I called out, You dog, is this
your making us laugh? Come away, and take your horse,
that we may shoot the ereature. He heard me, and cried
out, No shoot, no shoot; stand still, and you get much
28
326
ADVENTURES OF
:
laugh; and as the nimble creature ran two feet for the bear'
one, he turned on a sudden, on one side of us, and seeing a
great oak tree fit for his purpose, he beckoned to us to
follow; and doubling his pace, he gets nimbly up the tree,
laying his gun down upon 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 to it, but let it lie, and
up he scrambles into the tree, climbing like a cat, though so
monstrous 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 bear get up the tree, we all rode
near to him.
-When we came to the tree, there was Friday got out to
the small end of a large branch, 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 dance: so he falls a jumping an
shaking the bough, at which the bear began to totter, but
stood still, and began 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 sceing
him stand still, he calls out to him again, as if he had sup-
posed the bear could speak English, What, you come no
farther? pray you come farther: so he left jumping and
shaking the tree; and the bear, just as if he understood what
he said, did come a little farther; 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 called to Friday
to stand still, and we would shoot the bear: but he cried
out earnestly, O pray! O pray! no shoot, me shoot by and
then; he would have said by and by. However, to shorten
the story, Friday danced so much, and the bear stood so
ticklish, that we had laughing enough, but still could no:
imagine what the fellow would do: for first we thought he
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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depended upon shaking the bear off; and we found the bear
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 what the jest would be at last.
But Friday puts us out of doubt quickly for seeing the bear
cling fast to the bough, and that he would not be persuaded
to come any farther, Well, well, says Friday, you no come
farther, me go; you no come to me, me come to you: and
upon this, he goes out to the smaller 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 runs to his gun,
takes it up, and stands still. Well, said I to him, Friday,
what will you do now? Why don't you shoot him?—No
shoot, says Friday, no yet: me no shoot now, me no kill;
me stay, give you one more laugh; and, indeed, so he did,
as you will see presently: for when the bear saw his enemy
gone, he comes back from the bough where he stood, but did
it mighty cautiously, 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 before he could
set his hind-foot on the ground, Friday stepped up close to
him, clapped the muzzle of his piece into his ear, and shot
him dead. 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? says I: why you
have no guns.
No, says he, no gun, but shoot great much
long arrow. This was 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 run
much in my head; and, indeed, except the noise I once
Cop
1
1
328
ADVENTURES OF
heard on the shore 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 creature off, which was
worth saving; but we had near three leagues to go, and our
guide hastened us, so we left him, and went forward on our
journey.
The ground was still covered with snow, though not so
deep and dangerous as on the mountains; and the ravenous
creatures, as we heard afterwards, were come down into the
forest and plain country, pressed by hunger, to seek for food,
and had done a great deal of mischief in the villages, where
they surprised the country people, killed a great many of
their sheep and horses, and some people too. We had one
dangerous place to pass, of which our guide told us, if there
were 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
the village where we were to lodge. It was within a half
n hour of sunset when we entered the first wood, and a
little after sunset when 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
another, as if they had been in chase of some prey, and had
it in view; they took no notice of us, and were gone out of
sight in a few moments. Upon this our guide, who, by the
way, was but a faint-hearted fellow, bid 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 wo
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
$29
came into the plain, we had occasion enough to look about
us the first object 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 of his bones rather: for they had eaten up all the
flesh before. We did not think fit to disturb 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, when we began to hear the wolves howl
in the wood on our left in a frightful manner, and presently
after we saw about a hundred coming on directly towards us,
all in a body, and most of them in a line, as regularly as an
army drawn up by an experienced officer. I scarce knew
in what manner to receive 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
ordered that only every other man should fire, and that the
others who had not fired should stand ready to give them a
second volley immediately, if they continued to advance.
upon us; and then that those who had fired at first should
not pretend to load their fusees again, but stand ready
every one with a pistol, for we were all armed with a fusee
and a pair of pistols each man; so we were, by this method,
able to fire six volleys, half of us at a time. However, at
present we had no necessity for upon firing the first volley,
the enemy made a full stop, being terrified as well with the
noise as with the fire; four of them, being shot in the head,
dropped; several others were wounded, and went bleeding
off, as we could see by the snow. I found they stopped, but
did not immediately retreat; whereupon, remembering that
I had been told that the fiercest creatures were terrified at
the voice of a man, I caused all the company to halloo as
cud as we could; and I found the notion not altogether
:
28*
330
ADVENTURES OF
{
mistaken; for upon our shout, they began to retire and
turn about. I then 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
we had but little more than loaded our fusees, and put our-
selves in readiness, when we heard a terrible noise in the
same wood, on our left, only that it was farther onward, the
same way we were to go.
The night was coming on, and the light began to be
dusky, which made it worse on our side; but the noise
increasing, we could easily perceive that it was the howling
and yelling of those hellish 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, so that we seemed to
be surrounded with them: however, as they did not fall
upon us, we kept our way forward, as fast as we could make
our horses go, which, the way being very rough, was only a
good hard trot. In this manner we came in view of the
entrance of the wood, through which we were to pass, at
the farther side of the plain; but we were greatly surprised,
when, coming nearer the lane or pass, we saw a confused
number of wolves standing just at the entrance.
On a
sudden, at another opening of a wood, we heard the noise of
a gun, and looking that way out rushed a horse, with a
saddle and bridle on him, flying like the wind, and sixteen
or seventeen wolves after him, full speed; indeed, the horse
had the heels of them, but as we supposed that he could not
hold it at that rate, we doubted not but they would get up
with him at last; no question but they did.
But here we had a most horrible sight; for riding up to
the entrance where the horse came out, we found the
carcasses of another horse and of two men, devoured by the
averous creatures; and one of the men was no doubt the
same whom we heard fire the gun, for there lay a gun just
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
33.
by him fired off; but as to the man, his head and the uppe
part of his body were eaten up. This filled us with horror,
and we knew not what course to take; but the creatures
resolved us soon, for they gathered about us presently, in
hopes of prey; and I verily believe there were three
hundred of them. It happened very much to our advantage,
that at the entrance into the wood, but a little way from it,
there lay some large timber trees, which had been cut down
the summer before, and I suppose lay there for carriage. I
drew my little troop in among those trees, and placing
ourselves in.a line behind one long tree, I advised them all
to alight, and keeping that tree before us for a breastwork,
to stand in a triangle or three fronts enclosing our horses ir
the centre. We did so, and it was well we did; for never
was a more furious charge than the creatures made upon us
in this place. They came on with a growling kind of noise,
and mounted the piece of timber, which, as I said, was our
breastwork, 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. I ordered our men to
fire as before, every other man: and they took their aims so
sure, that they killed several of the wolves at the first
volley 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 a second volley of our fusees, we
thought they stopped a little, and I hoped they would have
gone off; but it was but a moment, for others came forward
again: so we fired two volleys of our pistols; and I believe
in these four firings we had killed seventeen or eighteen of
them, and lamed twice as many, yet they came on again. 1
was loth to spend our shot too hastily: so I called my
servant, not my man Friday, for he was better employed,
for, with the greatest dexterity imaginable, he had charged
my fusee and his own while we were engaged; but as I said
332
ADVENTURES OF
←
I called my other man, and giving him a horn of powder,
I bade 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 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 dispatched these in an instant, and the rest were so
frightened with the light, which the night, for it was now
very dark, made more terrible, 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 immediately upon near twenty
lame ones, that we found struggling on the ground, and fell
a cutting them with our swords, which answered our
expectation for the crying and howling they made was
better understood by their fellows; 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, severa!
times, and sometimes we fancied we saw some of them, but
the snow dazzling our eyes, we were not certain: 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
it seems, the night before, the wolves and some bears had
broke into the village, and put them in such terror, that
they were obliged to keep guard night and day, but
especially in the night, to preserve their cattle, and, indeed
their people.
The next morning our guide was so ill, and his limbs
welled so much with the rankling of his two wounds, that
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
833
1
aid go no farther; so we were obliged to take >
he guide here, and go to Thoulouse, where we found a
warm climate, a fruitful, pleasant country, and no snow, no
wolves, nor anything like them; but when we told our
story at Thoulouse, they told us it was nothing but what
was ordinary in the great forest at the foot of the mountains,
especially when the snow lay on the ground; but they
inquired much what kind of a guide we had got, who would
venture to bring us that way in such a severe season; and
told us it was surprising we were not all devoured. When
we told them how we placed ourselves, and the horses in
the middle, they blamed us exceedingly, and told us it was
fifty to one but we had been all destroyed; for it was the
sight of the horses which made the wolves so furious, seeing
their prey and that, at other times, they are really afraid of
a gun; but being excessive hungry, and raging on that
account, the eagerness to come at the horses had made
them senseless of danger; and that if we had not, by the
continued fire, and at last by the stratagem of the train of
powder, mastered them, it had been great odds but that we
had been torn to pieces: that whereas, had we been content to
have sat still on horseback, and fired as horsemen, they would
not have taken the horses so much for their own, when men
were on their backs, as otherwise; and withal they told us,
that, at last, if we had stood altogether, and left our horses,
they would have been so eager to have devoured them, that
we might have come off safe, especially having our fire-arms
in our hands, and being so many in number. For my part,
I was never so sensible of danger in my life; for seeing above
three hundred devils come roaring and open-mouthed to de-
vour us, and having nothing to shelter us, or retreat to, I gave
myself over for lost; and, as it was, I believe I shall never
care to cross those mountains again: I think I would much
rather go a thousand leagues by sea, though I was sure to
mee', with a storm once a week.
I
وان ور و اون لاين
834
ADVENTURES OF
I have nothing uncommon to take notice of in my passage
through France, nothing but what other travellers have
given an account of, with much more advantage than I can.
I travelled from Thoulouse to Paris, and without any
considerable stay came to Calais, and landed safe at Dover,
the 14th of January, after having 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 brought with me having been very
currently paid.
My principal guide and privy counsellor was my good
ancient widow; who, in gratitude for the money I had sent
her, thought no pains too much, nor care too great, to
employ for me; and I trusted her so entirely with every-
thing, that I was perfectly easy as to the security of my
effects and, indeed, I was very happy from the beginning,
and now to the end, in the unspotted integrity of this
good gentlewoman.
I now resolved to dispose of my plantation in the Brazils,
if I could find means. For this purpose, I wrote to my old
friend at Lisbon, who having offered it to the two merchants,
the survivors of my trustees, who lived in the Brazils, they
accepted the offer, and remitted thirty-three thousand pieces
of eight to a correspondent of theirs at Lisbon, to pay for it.
Having signed the instrument of sale, and sent it to my old
friend, he remitted me bills of exchange for thirty-two
thousand eight hundred pieces of eight for the estate,
reserving the payment of a hundred moidores a year to
himself during his life, and fifty moidores afterwards to his
son for life, which I had promised them.
Though I had sold my estate in the Brazils, yet I could
not keep the country out of my head; nor could I resist the
strong inclination I had to see my island.
the widow, earnestly dissuaded me from
My true friend,
it, aud so far
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
335
prevailed with me, that for almost seven years, she pre-
vented my running abroad; during which time I took my
two nephews, the children of one of my brothers, into my
care: the eldest having something of his own, I bred up as
a gentleman, 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 into a
good ship, and sent him to sea: and this young fellow after-
wards 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 that not either to my disadvantage
or dissatisfaction, 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 engaged me
to go in his ship as a private trader to the East Indies: this
was in the year 1694.
But these things, with some very surprising incidents in
some new adventures of my own, for ten years more, I shall
give a further account of.
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 five years'
affliction, and a variety of unhappy circumstances, which
few men, if any, ever went through before, and after near
seven years of peace and enjoyment in the fullness 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 know which was most 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 in the world to have beer
$36
ADVENTURES OF
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
nothing to seek: if I had gained ten thousand pounds, I
had been no richer; for I had already sufficient for me, and
for those I had to leave it to; and that I had was visibly
increasing; for having no great family, I could not spend
the income of what I had, unless I would set up for an
expensive way of living, such as a great family, servants,
equipage, gaiety, and the like, which were things I had no
notion of, or inclination to; so that I had nothing indeed to
do but to sit still, and fully enjoy what I had got, and see it
increase daily upon my hands. Yet all these things had no
effect upon me, or at least not enough to resist the strong
inclination I had to go abroad again, which hung about me
like a chronical distemper. In particular, the desire of
seeing my new plantation in the island, and the colony I
left there, ran in my head continually. I dreamed of it all
night, and my imagination ran upon it all day; it was
uppermost in all my thoughts; and my fancy worked so
steadily and strongly upon it, that I talked of it in my
sleep in short, nothing could remove it out of my mind:
it even broke so violently into all my discourses, that
it made my conversation tiresome, for I could talk of
nothing else: all my discourse ran into it, even to imper
tinence; and I saw it in myself.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
33"
SECTION XXX..
HE IS SEIZED WITH A DESIRE TO REVISIT HIS ISLAND LOSES HIS
WIFE - IS TEMPTED TO GO TO SEA AGAIN TAKES OUT A CARGO
FOR HIS COLONY.
W
S
I HAVE often heard persons of good judgment say, that all
the stir people make in the world about ghosts and appari-
tions is owing to the strength of imagination, and the
powerful operation of fancy in their minds; that there is no
such thing as a spirit appearing, or a ghost walking, and
the like that people's poring affectionately upon the past
conversation of their deceased friends, so realizes it to them,
that they are capable of fancying, upon some extraordinary
circumstances, that they see them, talk to them, and are
answered by them, when, in truth, there is nothing but
shadow and vapor in the thing, and they really know
nothing of the matter.
For my part, I know not to this hour whether there are
any such things as real apparitions, spectres, or walking of
people after they are dead: or whether there is anything in
the stories they tell us of that kind, more than the product
of vapors, sick minds, and wandering fancies; but this I
know, that my imagination worked up to such a height, and
brought me into such excess of vapors, or what else I may
call it, that I actually supposed myself often upon the spot,
at my old castle, behind the trees; saw my old Spaniard,
Friday's father, and the reprobate sailors I left upon the
island; nay, I fancied I talked with them, and looked at
them steadily, though I was broad awake, as at persons just
before me; and this I did till I often frightened myself with
the images my fancy represented to me. One time, in my
sleep, I had the villany of the three pirate sailors so lively
29
838
ADVENTURES OF
"ty
1
related to me by the first Spaniard and Friday's father, that
it was surprising: 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 were never all of them true in fact; but it
was so warm in my imagination, and so realized to me, that,
to the hour I saw them, I could not be persuaded but that it
was, or would be true: also how I resented it, when the
Spaniard complained to me; and how I brought them to
justice, tried them before me, and ordered them all three to
be hanged. What there was really in this shall be seen in
its place for however I came to form such things in my
dream, and what secret converse of spirits injected it, yet
there was, I say, much of it true. I own that this dream
had nothing in it literally and specifically true; but the
general part was so true, the base, villanous behaviour of
these three hardened rogues was such, and had been so
much worse than all I can describe, that the dream had too
much similitude of the fact; and as I would afterwards have
punished them severely, so, if I had hanged them all, I had
been much in the right, and even should have been justified
both by the laws of God and man. But to return to my
story. In this kind of temper I lived some years; I had no
enjoyment of my life, no pleasant hours, no agreeable diver-
sion, but what had something or other of this in it; so that
my wife, who saw my mind wholly bent upon it, told me
very seriously one night, that she believed there was some
secret powerful impulse of Providence upon me, which had
determined me to go thither again; and that she found
nothing hindered my going, but my being engaged to a wife
and children. She told me, that it was true she could not
think of parting with me; but as she was assured, that if
she was dead it would be the first thing I would do, so, as
as it seemed to her that the thing was determined above,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
333
she would not be the only obstruction; for, if I thought fit,
and resolved to go
Here she found me very intent upon
her words, and that I looked very earnestly at her, so that it
a little disordered her, and she stopped. I asked her why
she did not go on, and say out what she was going to say?
But I perceived that her heart was too full, and some tears
**ood in her eyes. Speak out, my dear, said I; are you
willing I should go? No, says she, very affectionately, I am
far from willing; but if you are resolved to go, says she, and
rather than I would be the only hinderance, I will go with
you for though I think it a most preposterous thing for one
of your years, and in your condition, yet if it must be, said
she, again weeping, I would not leave you; for if it be of
Heaven, you must do it; there is no resisting it and if
Heaven make it your duty to go, he will also make it mine
to go with you, or otherwise dispose of me, that I may not
obstruct it.
This affectionate behavior of my wife's brought me a
little out of the vapors, and I began to consider what I was
doing I corrected my wandering fancy, and I began to
argue with myself sedately, what business I had, after three-
score 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 new hazards, and put my-
self upon adventures fit only for youth and poverty to run
into?
With those thoughts I considered my new engagements;
that I had a wife, one child born, and my wife then great
with child of another; that I had all the world could give
me, and had no need to seek hazard for gain; that I was
declining in years, and ought to think rather of leaving
what I had gained, than of seeking to increase it; that as
to what my wife had said of its being an impulse from
Heaven, and that it should be my duty to go, I had no
notion of that; so, after many of these cogitations, I
340
ADVENTURES OF
}
struggled with the power of my imagination, reasoned
inyself out of it, as I believe people may always do in like
cases if they will; and in a word, I conquered it; composed
myself with such arguments as occurred to my thoughts, and
which my present condition furnished me plentifully with 1;
and particularly, as the most effectual method, I resolved to
divert myself with other things, and to engage in some
business that might effectually tie me up from any more
excursions of this kind; for I found that thing return
upon me chiefly when I was idle, and had nothing to do,
nor anything of moment immediately before me. To this
purpose I bought a little farm in the county of Bedford,
and resolved to remove myself thither. I had a little con-
venient house upon it; and the land about it, I found was
capable of great improvement; and it was many ways
suited to my inclination, which delighted in cultivating,
managing, planting, and improving of land; and par-
ticularly, being an inland country, I was removed from
conversing among sailors, and things relating to remote
parts of the world.
In a word, I went down to my farm, settled my family,
bought me ploughs, harrows, a cart, waggon, horses, cows,
and sheep, and setting seriously to work, became, in one
half year, a
mere country gentleman; my thoughts were
entirely taken up in managing my servants, cultivating the
ground, enclosing planting, &c.; and I lived, as I thought,
the most agreeable life that nature was capable of directing,
or that a man always bred to misfortunes was capable of
retreating to.
I farmed upon my own land; I had no rent to pay, was lim-
'ted by no articles: I could pull up or cut down as I pleased
what I planted was for myself, and what I improved was
for my family; and having thus left off the thoughts o.
wandering, I had not the least discomfort in any part of
life as to this world. Now I thought indeed that 1 enjoyed
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
34)
A
the mid lle state of life which my father so earnestly recom-
mended to me, and lived a kind of heavenly life, something
like what is described by the poet, upon the subject of a
country life-
((
Free from vices, 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 incurable, but drove
me, by its consequences, into a deep relapse of the wander-
ing disposition, which, as I may say, being born in my very
blood, soon recovered its hold of me, and, like the returns
of a violent distemper, came on with an irresistible force
upon me.
This blow was the loss of my wife. It is not
my business here to write an elegy upon my wife, give a
character of her particular virtues, and make my court to
the sex by the flattery of a funeral sermon. She was, in a
few words, the stay of all my affairs, the centre of all my
enterprises, the engine that, by her prudence, reduced me to
that happy compass I was in, from the most extravagant and
ruinous project that fluttered in my head, as above, and did
more to guide my rambling genius than a mother's tears, a
father's instructions, a friend's counsel, or all my own rea-
soning powers could do. I was happy in listening to her
tears, and in being moved by her entreaties; and to the
last degree desolate and dislocated in the world by the loss
of her.
me.
When she was gone, the world looked awkwardly round
I was as much a stranger in it, in my thoughts, as I
was in the Brazils, when I first went on shore there; and
as much alone, except as to the assistance of servants, as I
was in my island. I knew neither what to think nor what
o do.
I saw the world busy around me: one part laboring
or bread, another squandering in vile excesses or empty
$
29*
842
ADVENTURES OF
}
I
pleasures, equally miserable, because the end they proposed
still fled from them: for the men of pleasure every day
sufeited of their vice, and heaped up work for sorrow and
repentance; and the men of labor spent their strength in
daily struggling for bread to maintain the vital strength they
labored with so living in a daily circulation on sorrow,
living but to work, and working but to live, as if daily bread
were the only end of wearisome life, and a wearisome life
the only occasion of daily bread.
:
This put me in mind of the life I lived in my kingdom,
the island; where I suffered no more corn to grow, because
I did not want it, and bred no more goats, because I had no
more use for them; where the money lay in the drawer till
it grew mouldy, and had scarce the favor to be looked upon
in twenty years.
All these things, had I improved them as I ought to have
done, and as reason and religion had dictated to me, would
have taught me to search farther than human enjoyments for
a full felicity; and that there was something which certainly
was the reason and end of life, superior to all these things,
and which was either to be possessed, or at least hoped for,
on this side the grave.
But my sage counsellor was gone; I was like a ship with-
out a pilot, that could only run afore the wind: my thoughts
ran all away again into the old affair; my head was quite
turned with the whimsies of foreign adventures; and all the
pleasant, innocent amusements of my farm, my garden, my
cattle, and my family, which before entirely possessed me,
were nothing to me, had no relish, and were like music to
one that has no car, or food to one that has no taste 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.
When I came to London, I was still as uneasy as I was
Defore; I had no relish for the place, no employment in it,
nothing to do but to saunter about like an idle person, of
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
343
whom it may be said he is perfectly useless in God's crea-
tion, and it is not one farthing's matter to the rest of his
kind whether he be dead or alive. This also was the thing
which, of all other circumstances of life, was the most my
aversion, who had been all my days used to an active life ;
and I would often say to myself: A state of idleness is the
very dregs of life; and indeed I thought I was much more
suitably employed when I was twenty-six days making me a
deal board.
It was now the beginning of the year 1693, when my
nephew, whom, as I have observed before, I had brought up
to the sea, and had made him commander of a ship, was
come home from a short voyage to Bilboa, being the first he
had made. He came to me, and told me that some mer-
chants of his acquaintance had been proposing to him to go
a voyage for them to the East Indies and to China, as private
traders. And now, uncle, says he, if you will go to sea
with me, I will engage to land you upon your old habitation
in the island; for we are to touch at the Brazils.
1
Nothing can be a greater demonstration of a future state,
and of the existence of an invisible world, than the concur-
rence of second causes with the ideas of things which we
form in our minds, perfectly reserved, and not communicated
to any in the world.
My nephew knew nothing how far my distemper of
wandering was returned upon me, and I knew nothing of
what he had in his thoughts to say, when the very morning,
before he came to me, I had, in a great deal of confusion
of thought, and revolving every part of my circumstances in
my mind, come to this resolution, viz., that I would go to
Lisbon, and consult with my old sea-captain; and so, if it
was rational and practicable, I would go and see the island
again, and see what was become of my people there. I had
pleased myself with the thoughts of peopling the place, and
carrying inhabitants from hence, getting a patent for the pos
4
S
344
ADVENTURES OF
$
session, and I knew not what; when, in the middle of ali
this, in comes my nephew, as I have said, with his project
of carrying me thither in his way to the East Indies.
I paused awhile at his words, and, looking steadily at
him, What devil, said I, sent you on this unlucky errand?
My nephew stared, as if he had been frightened, at first; but
perceiving that I was not so much displeased with the pro-
posal, he recovered himself. I hope it may not be an
unlucky proposal, sir, says he; I dare say you would be
pleased to see your new colony there, where you once
reigned with more felicity than most of your brother-
monarchs in the world.
In a word, the scheme hit so exactly with my temper, that
is to say, the prepossession I was under, and of which I
have said so much, that I told him, in a few words, if he
agreed with the merchants I would go with him; but I told
him I would not promise to go any farther than my own
island. Why, sir, says he, you don't want to be left there
again, I hope? Why, said I, can you not take me up again
on your return? He told me it would not be possible to do
so; that the merchants would never allow him to come that
way with a laden 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 reduced to the condition you were in before.
80
This was very rational; but we both found out a remedy
for it; which was to carry a framed sloop on board the ship,
which being taken in pieces, and shipped on board the ship,
might by the help of some carpenters, whom we agreed to
carry with us, be set up again in the island, and finished, fit
to go to sca, in a few days.
I was not long resolving; for indeed the importunities of
my nephew joined so effectually with my inclination, that
nothing could oppose me: on the other hand, my wife being
Dead, I had nobody concerning themselves so much for me
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
345
as to persuade me to one way or the other, except my
ancient good friend the widow, who earnestly struggled
with me to consider my years, my easy circumstances, and
the needless hazards of a long voyage; and, above all, my
young children.
But it was all to no purpose; — I had an
irresistible desire to the voyage; and I told her I thought
there was something so uncommon in the impression I had
upon my mind for the voyage, that it would be a kind of
resisting Providence if I should attempt to stay at home:
after which she ceased her expostulations, and joined with
me, not only in making provision for my voyage, but also in
settling my family affairs for my absence, and providing for
the education of my children.
In order to this, I made my will, and settled the estate I
had in such a manner for my children, and placed in such
hands, that I was perfectly easy and satisfied they would
have justice done them, whatever might befall me; and for
their education, I left it wholly to the widow, with a suf-
ficient maintenance to herself for her care: all which she
richly deserved, for no mother could have taken more care
in their education, or understood it better; and as she lived
till I came home, I also lived to thank her for it.
My nephew was ready to sail about the beginning of Jan-
uary 1694-5; and I, with my man Friday, went on board
in the Downs the 8th; having, besides that sloop which I
mentioned above, a very considerable cargo of all kinds of
necessary things for my colony; which, if I did not find in
good condition, I resolved to leave so.
-
1
First, I carried with me some servants, whom I proposed
to place there as inhabitants, or at least to set on work there,
upon my account, while I stayed, and either to leave them
there, or carry them forward, as they would appear willing:
particularly, I carried two carpenters, a smith, and a very
handy, ingenious fellow, who was a cooper by trade, and
was also a general mechanic; for he was dexterous at making
346
ADVENTURES OF
!
wheels, and hand-mills to grind corn, was a good turner,
and a good pot-maker; he also made anything that was
proper to make of earth, or of wood; in a word, we called
him our Jack of all trades. With these I carried a tailor,
who had offered himself to go a 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: for, as I observed formerly, necessity arms
us for all employments.
My cargo, as near as I can recollect, for I had not kept
account of the particulars, consisted of a sufficient quantity
of linen, and some English thin stuffs, for clothing the
Spaniards that I expected to find there; and enough of
them, as, by my calculation, might comfortably supply them
for seven years: if I remember right, the materials 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., and near a hundred pounds more
in iron work, nails, tools of every kind, staples, hooks,
hinges, and every necessary thing I could think of.
I carried also a hundred spare arms, muskets, and fusees;
besides some pistols, a considerable quantity of shot of all
sizes, three or four tons of lead, and two pieces of brass
cannon and because I knew not what time and what ex-
tremities I was providing for, I carried a hundred barrels of
powder, besides swords, cutlasses, and the iron part of some
pikes and halberds: so that, in short, we had a large maga-
zine of all sorts of stores: and I made my nephew carry
Avo 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
sorts of enemies; and, indeed, I at first thought there would
MO
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
347
be need enough for all, and much more, if we hoped to
maintain our possession of the island; as shall be seen in
the course of that story.
I had not such bad luck in this voyage as I had been
used to meet with; and therefore shall have the less occa-
sion to interrupt the reader, who perhaps may be impatient.
to hear how matters went with my colony: yet some old
accidents, cross winds, and bad weather, happened on this
first setting out, which made the voyage longer than I
expected it at first: and I, who had never made but one
voyage, viz., my first voyage to Guinea, in which I might be
said to come back again as the voyage was at first designed,
began to think the same ill fate attended me; and that I
was born to be never contented with being on shore, and yet
to be always unfortunate at sea.
Contrary winds first put us to the northward, and we
were obliged to put in at Galway in Ireland, where we lay
wind-bound two-and-twenty days; but we had this satisfac-
tion with the disaster, that provisions were here exceeding
cheap, and in the utmost plenty; so that while we lay here,
we never touched the ship's stores, but rather added to them.
Here, also, I took in several live hogs, and two cows, with
their calves; which I resolved, if I had a good passage, to
put on shore in my island; but we found occasion to dispose
otherwise of them.
348
ADVENTURES OF
SECTION XXXI.
ROBINSON 8 SHIP RELIEVES THE CREW OF A FRENCH VESSEL THAT
HAD CAUGHT FIRE.
WE set out on the 5th of February from Ireland, and had a
very fair gale of wind for some days. As I remember, it
might be about the 20th of February, in the evening late,
when the mate, having the watch, came into the round-
house, and told us he saw a flash of fire, and heard a gun
fiică; and while he was telling us of it, a boy came in, and
told us the boatswain heard another. This made us all run
out upon the quarter-deck, where, for a while, we heard
nothing; but in a few minutes we saw a very great light,
and found that there was some very terrible fire at a distance;
immediately we had recourse to our reckonings, in which we
all agreed that there could be no land that way in which the
fire showed itself, no, not for five hundred 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 that it could not be far
off, we stood directly towards it, and were presently satisfied
we should discover it, because, the farther we sailed, the
greater the light appeared; though, the weather being hazy,
we could not perceive anything 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 plainly discern that it was a great ship on fire, in
the middle 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 in what
Bondition I was in, when taken up by the Portuguese

*
globalean zegany
poljak se me must p
Band
M
THE SHIP ON FIRE.
Luky w
Page 345.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
349
}
captain; and how much more deplorable the circumstances
of the poor creatures belonging to that ship must be, if they
had no other ship in company with them. Upon this, I
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 endeavor to save themselves in their boat; for though
we could see the flames of the ship, yet they, it being night,
could see nothing of us.
We lay by for some time upon this, only driving as the
burning ship drove, waiting for daylight; when, on a sudden,
to our great terror, though we had reason to expect it, the
ship blew up in the air; and immediately, that is to say, in
a few minutes, all the fire was out, that is to say, the rest of
the ship sunk. This was a terrible and indeed an afflicting
sight, for the sake of the poor men; who I concluded, must
be either all destroyed in the ship, or oe in the utmost dis-
tress in their boat, 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 aid of our perspective glasses; 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 let 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 little more than half an hour we came up with
them; and, in a word, took them all in, being no less than
30
850
ADVENTURES OF
sixty-four men, women, and children; for there were a great
many passengers.
Upon the whole, we found it was a French merchant-ship
of three hundred tons, home-bound from Quebec, in the
river of Canada. The master gave us a long account of the
distress of his ship; how the fire began in the steerage, by
the negligence of the steersman; but on his crying out for
help, was as every body thought, entirely put out; 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 applica-
tion 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 their 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 their lives from the fire. They had, indeed, small
hope of their lives by getting into these boats, at that dis-
tance from any land; only, as they said well, that they were
escaped from the fire, and a possibility that some ship might
happen to be at sea, and might take them in. They had
sails, oars, and a compass; and were preparing to make the
best of their way back to Newfoundland, the wind blowing
pretty fair, for it blew an casy gale at S.E. by E. They
had as much provision and water as, with sparing it so as tc
be next door to starving, might support them about twelvc
days; in which, if they had no bad weather, and no contrary
winds, the captain said he hoped he might get to the Banks
of Newfoundland, and might perhaps take some fish, to
sustain them till they might go on shore. But there were
so many chances against them in all these cases,
such as
storms, to overset and founder them; rains and cold, to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
35!
Denumb and perish their limbs; contrary winds, to keep
them out and starve them; that it must have been next to
miraculous if they had escaped.
In the midst of their consternation, every one being hope-
less and ready to despair, the captain, with tears in his eyes,
told me they were on a sudden surprised with the joy of
hearing a gun fire, and after that four more; these were the
five guns which I caused to be fired at first seeing the light.
This revived their hearts, and gave them the notice, which,
as above, I desired it should, viz., that there was a ship at
hand for their help. It was upon the hearing of these guns
that they took down their masts and sails: the sound coming
from the windward, they resolved to lie by till morning.
Some time after this, hearing no more guns, they fired three
muskets, one a considerable while after another; but these,
the wind being contrary, we never heard.
Some time after that again, they were still more agreeably
surprised with seeing our lights, and hearing the guns which,
as I have said, I caused to be fired all the rest of the night:
this set them to work with their oars, to keep their boats
ahead, at least, that we might the sooner come up with
them; and, at last, to their inexpressible joy, they found
we saw them.
It is impossible for me to express the several gestures, the
strange ecstasies, the variety of postures, which these poor
delivered people ran into, to express the joy of their souls
at so unexpected a deliverance. Grief and fear are easily
described; sighs, tears, groans, and very few motions of the
head and hands, make up the sum of its variety; but an
excess of joy, a surprise of joy, has a thousand extravagancies
in it: there were some in tears; some raging 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 wringing
their hands; some were dancing, some singing, some laughing,
352
ADVENTURES OF
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 crossing themselves, and giving God.
thanks.
I would not wrong them neither; there might be many
that were thankful afterwards, but the passion was too strong
for them at first, and they were not able to master it: they
were thrown into ecstasies, and a kind of frenzy; and it was
but a very few that were composed and serious in their joy.
Perhaps, also, the case may have some addition to it from
the particular circumstance of that nation they belonged to:
I mean the French, whose temper is allowed to be more
volatile, more passionate, and more sprightly, and their spirits.
more fluid, than in other nations. I am not philosopher
enough to determine the cause; but nothing I had ever seen
before came up to it. The ecstasies poor Friday, my trusty
savage, was in, when he found his father in the boat, came
the nearest to it; and the surprise of the master and his
two companions, whom I delivered from the villains that set
them on shore in the island, came a little way towards it ;
but nothing was to compare to this, either that I saw in
Friday, or anywhere else in my life.
It is further observable, that these extravagances did not
show themselves, in that different manner I have mentioned,
in different persons only; but all the variety would appear, in
a short sucession of moments, in one and the same person.
A man that we saw this minute dumb, and as it were stupid
and confounded, would the next minute be dancing and
hallooing like an antic; and the next moment be tearing his
hair or pulling his clothes to pieces, and stamping them under
his feet, like a madman; in a few moments after that, we
would have him all in tears, then sick, swooning, and, had
not immediate help been had, he would in a few moments
have been dead; and thus it was, not with one or two, or
ten or twenty, but with the greatest part of them: and if I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
353
remember right, our surgeon was obliged to let blood of
about thirty of them.
There were two priests among them, one an old man, and
the other a young man; and that which was strangest was,
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 perceived in him: our surgeon immediately applied
proper remedies to recover him, and was the only man in the
ship that believed he was not dead. At length he opened a
vein in his arm, having first chafed and rubbed the part, so
as to warm it as much as possible: upon this blood, which
only dropped at first, flowing freely, in three minutes after
the man opened his eyes; and a quarter 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 this, they came running into the
cabin to the surgeon, who was bleeding a French woman
that had fainted, and told him the priest was gone stark
mad. It seems he had begun to revolve the change of his
circumstances in his mind, and again this put him into an
ecstacy 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 creature that ever was
in it: the surgeon would not bleed him again in that condi-
tion, but gave him something to doze 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 with great command of his
passions, and was really an example of a serious, well
governed mind: at his first coming on board the ship, he
throw himself flat on his face, prostrating himself in thank-
fulness for his deliverance, in which I unhappily and
30*
354
ADVENTURES OF
unseasonably disturbed hini, really thinking he had been in
a swoon, but he spoke calmly, thanked me, told me he was
giving God thanks for his deliverance; begged me to leave
him a few moments, and that, next to his Maker, he would
give me thanks also.
I was heartily sorry that I disturbed him, and not only
left him, but kept others from interrupting him also. He
continued in that posture about three minutes, or little more,
after I left him; then came to me, as he had said he would,
and, with a great deal of seriousness and affection, but with
tears in his eyes, thanked me, that had, under God, given
him, and so many 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 added, 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 instruments of his mercy to so many of his
creatures.
After this, the young priest applied himself to his country-
folks; labored to compose them; persuaded, entreated
argued, reasoned with them; and did his utmost to keep
them within the exercise of their reason; and with same
he had success, though others were for a time out of all
government of themselves.
I cannot help committing this to writing, as perhaps it
may be useful to these into whose hands it may fall, for the
guiding themselves in all the extravagances of their passions;
for if an excess of joy can carry men out to such a length
beyond the reach of their reason, what will not the extrava-
gances of anger, rage, and a provoked mind, carry us to?
And, indeed, here I saw reason for keeping an exceeding
watch over our passions of every kind, as well those of joy
and satisfaction, as those of sorrow and anger.
We were something disordered, by these extravagances
A
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
355
among our new guests, for the first day; but when they had
been retired, lodgings provided for them as well as our ship
would allow, and they had slept heartily — as most of
them did, being fatigued and frightened they were quite
another sort of people the next day.
Nothing of good manners, or civil acknowledgments for
the kindness shown them, was wanting; the French, it is
known, are naturally apt enough to exceed that way. The
captain and one of the priests, came to me the next day, and
desired 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 we had saved their lives, so all
they had was little enough for a return to us for that
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 ordered to make an offer of it all to us: they only
desired to be set on shore somewhere in our way, where, if
possible, they might get a passage to France. My nephew
was for accepting their money at first word, and to consider
what to do with them afterwards; but I overruled him in
that part, for I knew what it was to be set on shore in a
strange country; and if the Portuguese captain that took
me up at sea had served me so, and took all I had for my
deliverance, I must have starved, or have been as much a
slave at the Brazils as I had been at Barbary, the mere
being sold to a Mahometan excepted; and perhaps a
Portuguese is not a much better master than a Turk,
if not, in some cases, much worse.
-
、
'I therefore 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 we would
desire to be so delivered, if we were in the like, or any
other extremity; that we had done nothing for them but
what we believed they would have done for us, if we had
356
ADVENTURES OF
been in their case, and they in ours; but that we cook then
up to save them, not to plunder them; and it would be a
most barbarous thing to take that little from them which
they had saved out of the fire, and then set them on shore
and leave them; that this would be first to save them from
death, and then kill them ourselves; save them from
drowning, and abandon them to starving; and therefore I
would not let the least thing be taken from them. As to
setting them on shore, I told them, indeed, that was an
exceeding difficulty to us, for that the ship was bound
to the East Indies; and though we were driven out of our
course to the westward a very great way, and perhaps were
directed by Heaven on purpose for their deliverance, yet it
was impossible for us wilfully to change our voyage on their
particular account; nor could my nephew, the captain,
answer it to the freighters, with whom he was under charter-
party to pursue his voyage by the way of Brazil: and all I
knew we could do for them, was to put ourselves in the way
of meeting with other ships homeward 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 very great consternation, especially the passengers, at the
notion of being carried away to the East Indies: they then
entreated me, that seeing I was driven so far to the wesward
before I met with them, I would at least keep on the same
course to the banks of Newfoundand, where it was probable
I might meet with some ship or sloop that they might hire
to carry them back to Canada, from whence they came.
❤
I thought this was but a reasonable request on their part,
and therefore I inclined to agree to it; for, indeed, I con-
sidered, that to carry this whole company to the East Indies,
would not only be an intolerable severity upon the poor
people, but would be ruining our whole voyage, by devour
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
357
ing all our provisions; so I thought it no breach of charter-
party, but what an unforeseen accident made absolutely
necessary to us, and in which no one could say we were to
blame for the laws of God and nature would have forbid
that we would refuse to take up two boats' full of people in
such a distressed condition; and the nature of the thing, as
well respecting ourselves as the poor people, obliged us to
set them on shore somewhere or other for their deliverance:
so I consented that we would carry them to Newfoundland,
if wind and weather would permit; and if not, that I would
carry them to Martinico, in the West Indies.
SECTION XXXII.
RELIEVES THE CREW OF A BRISTOL SHIP, WHO ARE STARVING
ARRIVES AT HIS ISLAND.
THE wind continued fresh easterly, but the weather pretty
good; and as the winds had continued in the points between
N.E. and S.E. a long time, we missed several opportunities
of sending them to France; for we met several ships bound
to Europe, whereof two were French, from St. Christo-
pher's; but they had been so long beating up against the
wind, that they durst take in no passengers, for fear of
wanting provisions for the voyage, as well for themselves as
for those they should take in; so we were obliged to go on.
It was about a week after this that we made the Banks of
Newfoundland; where, to shorten my story, we put all our
French people on board a bark, which they hired at sea
there, to put them on shore, and afterwards to carry them to
France, if they could get provisions to victual themselves
with. When I say all the French went on shore, I should
++
358
ADVENTURES OF
•
+
remember, that the young priest I spoke of, hearing ve
were bound to the East Indies, desired to go
the voyage with
us, and to be set on shore on the coast of Coromandel;
which I readily agreed to, for I wonderfully liked the man,
and had very good reason, as will appear afterwards: also
four of the seamen entered themselves on our ship, and
proved very useful fellows.
From hence we directed our course to the West Indies,
steering away S. and S. by E. for about twenty days
together, sometimes little or no wind at all; when we met
with another subject for our humanity to work upon, almost
as deplorable as that before.
*
It was in the latitude of twenty-seven degrees five
minutes north, on the 19th day of March, 1694-5, when we
spied a sail, our course S.E. and by S.: we soon perceived
it was a large vessel, and that she bore up to us, but could
not at first know what to make of her, till, after coming
a little nearer, we found she had lost her main topmast
foremast, and bowsprit; and presently she fired a gun, as
a signal of distress: the weather was pretty good, wind at
N.N.W., a fresh galc, and we soon came to speak
with her.
We found her a ship of Bristol, bound home from Bar-
badoes, but had been blown out of the road at Barbadoes a
few days before she was ready to sail, by a terrible hurri-
cane, while the captain and chief mate were both gone on
shore; so that, besides the terror of the storm, they were
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 west-
ward, and in which they lost their masts, as above. They
told us they expected to have seen the Bahama islands, but
were then driven away again to the south-east, by a strong
gale of wind at N.N.W., the same that blew now: and
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
359
having no sails to work the ship with but a maincɔurse, and
a kind of square sail upon a jury foremast, which they had
set up, they could not lie near the wind, but were endeavor-
ing to stand away for the Canaries.
But that which was worst of all was, that they were
almost starved for want of provisions, besides the fatigues
they had undergone their bread and flesh were quite gone;
they had not one ounce left in the ship, and had none for
eleven days. The only relief they had was, their water was
not all spent, and they had about half a barrel of flour left:
they had sugar enough: some succades, or sweetmeats, they
had at first, but they were devoured; and they had seven
casks of rum.
There were a youth and his mother, and a maid-servant,
on board, who were going passengers, and thinking the ship
was ready to sail, unhappily came on board the evening
before the hurricane began; and having no provisions of
their own left, they were in a more deplorable condition
than the rest for the seamen, being reduced to such an
extreme necessity themselves, had no compassion, we may
be sure, for the poor passengers: and they were, indeed, in
a condition, that their misery is very hard to describe.
I had perhaps not known this part, if my curiosity had
not led me (the weather being fair, and the wind abated) to
go on board the ship. The second mate, who, upon this
occasion, commanded the ship, had been on board our ship,
and he told me, indeed, they had three passengers in the
great cabin, that 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 enquire after
them, said he, for I had nothing to relieve them with.
We immediately applied ourselves to give them what
relief we could spare; and, indeed, I had so far overruled
things with my nephew, that I would have victualled them,
though we had gone away to Virginia, or any other part o
860
ADVENTURES OF
"
Į
the coast of America, to have supplied ourselves; but there
was no necessity for that.
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 commander 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 ate.
I cautioned him to eat sparingly, but set meat before him
immediately; and 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 ate it :
they were so exceedingly hungry, that they were in a kind
ravenous, and had no command of themselves; and two of
them ate with so much greediness, that they were in danger
of their lives the next morning.
The sight of these people's distress was very moving to
me, and brought to mind what I had a terrible prospect ci
at my first coming on shore in my island, where I had never
the least mouthful of food, or any prospect of procuring
any; besides the hourly apprehensions I had of being made.
the food of other creatures. But all the while the mate was
thus relating to me the miserable condition of the ship's
company, I could not put out of my thought the story he
had told me of the three poor creatures in the great cabin,
viz., the mother, her son, and the maid-servant, whom he
had heard nothing of for two or three days, and whom, he
seemed to confess, they had wholly neglected, their own
extremities being so great: by which I understood that they
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
361
had really given them no food at all, and that therefore they
must be perished, and be all lying dead, perhaps, on the
floor or deck of the cabin.
As I therefore kept the mate, whom we then called
captain, on board with his men to refresh them, so I also
forgot not the starving crew that were left on board; but
ordered my own boat to go on board the ship, and with my
mate and twelve men, to carry them a sack of bread, and
four or five pieces of beef to boil. Our surgeon charged the
men to cause the meat to be boiled while they stayed, and
to keep guard in the cook-room to prevent the 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 very little at a
time and by this caution he preserved the men, who would
otherwise have killed themselves with that very food that
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 comfort them, and give them what
refreshment was proper: and the surgeon gave him a large
pitcher, with some of the prepared broth which he had
given 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 above,
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 on board almost in a tumult, to get
the victuals out of the boiler before it was ready; but my
mate observed his orders, and kept a good guard at the cook-
room door; and the man he placed there, after using all
possible persuasion to have patience, kept them off by
force: however he caused some biscuit-cakes to be dipped
31.
L
***
?
362
ADVENTURES OF
+
1
in the pot, and softened with the liquor of the meat, which
they called brewis, and gave them every one some, to stay
their stomachs, and told them it was for their own safety
that he was obliged to give them but little at a time. But
it was all in vain; and had I not come on board, and their
own commander and officers with me, and with good words,
and some threats also of giving them no more, I believe
they would have broken into the cook-room by force, and
torn the meat out of the furnace; for words are indeed of
very small force to a hungry belly: however, we pacified
them, and fed them gradually and. cautiously for the first,
and the next time gave them more, and at last we 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 the ship's
company had so little for themselves, it was but too true
that they had at first kept them very low, and at last totally
neglected them; so that for six or seven days it might be
said they had really no food at all, and for several days
before very little. The poor mother, who, as the men re-
ported, was a woman of sense and good breeding, had spared
all she could so affectionately for her son, that at last she
entirely sunk under it; and when the mate of our ship went
in, she sat upon the floor or deck, with her back up against
the sides, between two chairs, which were lashed fast, and
her head sunk between her shoulders, like a corpse, though
not quite dead. My mate said all he could to revive and
encourage her, and with a spoon put some broth into her
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, endeavored to get some
of the broth into her mouth, and, as he said, got two or
!
•
18
12
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
363
three spoonfuls down; though I question whether he could
be sure of it or not: but it was too late, and 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
› cabin-bed, as one stretched out, with hardly any life left
o him. He had a piece of an old glove in his mouth,
aving eaten up the rest of it: however, being young, and
aving more strength than his mother, the mate got some-
hing down his throat, and he began sensibly to revive;
hough by giving him, some time åfter, but two or three
poonfuls extraordinary, he was very sick, and brought it up
gain.
1
But the next care was the poor maid: she lay all 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 agonies of death, and yet she was alive too.
The poor creature was not only starved with hunger, and
terrified with the thoughts of death, but, as the men told us
afterwards, was broken-hearted for her mistress, whom she
saw dying for 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
little less than distracted for a considerable time after, as
shall appear presently.
Whoever shall read these memorandums must be desired
to consider, that visits at sea are not like a journey into the
*
}
364
ADVENTURES OF
country, where sometimes people stay a week or a fortnigh
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 kind of topmast to his jury foremast,
we did, as it were, lie by him for three or four days; and
then having given him five barrels of beef, a barrel of pork,
two hogsheads of biscuit, and a proportion of peas, flour,
and what other things we could spare; and taking three
casks of sugar, some rum, and some pieces of eight from
them for satisfaction, we left them; taking on board with
us, at their own earnest request, the youth and the maid,
and all their goods.
▼
Wh
The young lad was about seventeen years of age; a
pretty, well bred, modest, and sensible youth, greatly de
jected with the loss of his mother, and, as it seems, had los
his father but a few months before, at Barbadoes: he begged
of the surgeon to speak to me to take him out of the ship;
for he said the cruel fellews had murdered his mother; and,
indeed, so they had, that is to say passively; for they might
have spared a small sustenance to the poor helpless widow.
that might have preserved her life, though it had been but
just enough to keep her alive: but hunger knows no friend,
no relation, no justice, no right; and therefore is remorse-
less, and capable of no compassion.
The surgeon told him how far we were going, and that it
would carry him away from all his friends, and put him per-
haps in as bad circumstances almost as those we found him
-in, that is to say, starving in the world. He said it mattered
not whither he went, if he was but delivered from the terri-
ble crew that he was among; that the captain (by which he
meant me, for he could know nothing of my nephew) had
saved his life, and he was sure would not hurt him; and as
*
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
365
for the maid, he was sure, if she came to herself, she would
be very thankful for it, let us carry them where we would.
The surgeon represented the case so affectionately to me,
that I yielded, and we took them both on board, with all
their goods, except eleven hogsheads of sugar, which could
not be removed or come at; and as the youth had a bill of
lading for them, I made his commander sign a writing,
obliging himself to go, as soon as he came to Bristol, to one
Mr. Rogers, a merchant there, to whom the youth said he
was related, and to deliver a letter which I wrote to him,
and all the goods he had belonging to the deceased widow;
which I suppose was not done, for I could never learn that
the ship came to Bristol, but was, as it is most probable,
lost at sea; being in so disabled a condition, and so far
from any land, that I am of opinion the first storm she
met with afterwards she might founder in the sea; for
she was leaky and had damage in her hold, when we met
with her.
I was now in the latitude of nineteen degrees thirty-two
minutes, and had hitherto a tolerable voyage as to weather,
though, at first, the winds had been contrary. I shall
trouble nobody with the little incidents of wind, weather,
currents, &c., on the rest of our voyage; but to shorten my
story, for the sake of what is to follow, shall observe, that I
came to my old habitation, the island, on the 10th of April,
1695. It was with no small difficulty that I found the
place; for as I came to it, and went from it, before, on the
south and east side of the island, as coming from the Bra-
zils, so now, coming in between the main and the island,
and having no chart for the coast, nor any landmark, 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 Oronoco, but
none for my purpose; only this I learned by my coasting.
31*
366
ADVENTURES OF
the shore, that I was under one great mistake before, viz.,
that the continent which I thought I saw from the island I
lived in, was really not continent, but a long island, or
rather a ridge of islands, reaching from one to the other
side of the extended mouth of that great river; 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 kind, who inhabited something nearer to our
side than the rest.
In short, I visited several of these islands to no purpose;
some I found were inhabited, and some were not: on one of
them I found some Spaniards, and thought they had lived
there; but speaking with them, found they had a sloop lay
in a small creek hard by, and came thither to make salt and
to catch some pearl muscles, if they could; but that they
belonged to the Isle de Trinidad, which lay farther north, in
the latitude of ten and eleven degrees.
Thus coasting from one island to another, sometimes with
the ship, sometimes with the Frenchman's shallop, which we
had found a convenient boat, and therefore kept her with
their very good will, at length I came fair on the south side
of my island, and presently knew the very countenance of
the place so I brought the ship safe to an anchor, broadside
with the little creek where my old habitation was.
}
•
{
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
367
シ
​SECTION XXXIII.
ROBINSON AND FRIDAY GO ASHORE - THE LATTER MEETS WITH HIS
FATHER -ACCOUNT OF WHAT PASSED ON THE ISLAND AFTER ROBIN-
SON'S QUITTING IT.
As soon as I saw the place, I called for Friday, and asked
him if he knew where he was; he looked about a little, and
presently clapping his hands, cried, O yes, O there, O yes,
O there, pointing to our old habitation, and fell dancing and
capering like a mad fellow; and I had much ado to keep
him from jumping into the sea, to swim ashore to the place.
Well, Friday, says I, do you think we shall find any body
here or no? and do you think we shall 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? says I; are you
troubled because you may see your father! No, no, says hc,
shaking his head, no see him more: no, never more see him
again. Why so, said I, Friday? how do you know that?
O no, O no, says Friday; he long ago die, long ago; he
much old man. Well, well, says I, Friday, you don't know;
but shall we see any one else, then? The fellow, it seems,
had better eyes than I, and he points to the hill just above
my old house; and though we lay half a league off, he cries
out, We sec, we see, yes, yes, we. see much man there, and
there, and there. I looked, but I saw nobody, no, not with
a perspective glass, which was, I suppose, because I could
not hit the place; for the fellow was right, as I found upon
inquiry the next day; and there were five or six men all
together, who stood to look at the ship, not knowing what
to think of us.
1
368
ADVENTURES OF
;
As soon as Friday told us he saw people, I caused the
English ancient to be spread, and fired three guns, to give
them notice we were friends; and in about half a quarter
of an hour after, we perceived a smoke arise from the side
of the creek; so I immediately ordered the boat out, taking
Friday with me; and hanging out a white flag, or a flag of
truce, I went directly on shore, taking with me the young
friar I mentioned, to whom I had told the story of my living
there, and the manner of it, and every particular both of
myself and those I left there; and who was, on that ac-
count, extremely desirous to go with me. We had besides
about sixteen men 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: as to his habit,
I shall describe it afterwards. I ordered nobody to go on
shore at first but myself; but there was no keeping Friday
in the boat, for the affectionate creature had spied his father
at a distance, a good way off the Spaniards, where indeed I
saw nothing of him; and if they had not let him go ashore,
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 em-
braced 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 on 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. But it would have made a

M728
vu.
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Contrai
Mimes.
ر امیریه تهرانی
FRIDAY AND HIS FATHER
سیاست کرنے کی
M.
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Mirr
Page 30
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
369
1
dog laugh the next day to see how his passion ran out
another way; in the morning he walked along the shore,
to and again, with his father several hours, always leading
him by the hand, as if he had been a lady; and every now
and then he would come to the boat to fetch something or
other for him, either a lump of sugar, a dram, a biscuit-
cake, or something or other that was good. In the afternoon
his frolics ran another way; for then he would set the old
man down upon the ground and dance about him, and make
a thousand antic postures and gestures; and all the while
he did this, he would be talking to him, and telling him one
story or other of his travels, and of what had happened to
him abroad, to divert him. In short, if the same filial affec-
tion was to be found in Christians to their parents in our
part 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. It
would be needless to take notice of all the ceremonies and
civilities that the Spaniards received me with. The first
Spaniard, who, 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 thoughts, no notion of
its being me that was come, till I spoke to him. Senhor,
said I, in Portuguese, do you not know me? At which he
spoke not a word, but giving his musket to the man that
was with him, threw his arms abroad, 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 if 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 that 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
4
570
ADVENTURES OF
me possession of my own house again, and where I should
see they had made but mean improvements: so I walked
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 pasture, 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 windings and blind ways as they themselves
only, who made them, could find.
I asked them what put them upon all these fortifications
he told me I would say there was need enough of it, when
they had given me an account how they had passed their
time since their arriving in the island, especially after they
had the misfortune to find that I was gone. He told me
he could not but have some satisfaction in my good fortune,
when he heard that I was gone in a good ship, and to my
satisfaction; and that he had oftentimes a strong persuasion.
that, one time or other, he should see me again; but nothing
that ever befel him in his life, he said, was so surprising and
afflicting to him at first, as the disappointment he was under
when he came back to the island and found I was not there.
:
As to the three barbarians (so he called them) that were
left behind, and of whom, he said, he had a long story to
tell me, the Spaniards all thought themselves much better
among the savages, only that their number was so small;
and, says he, had they been strong enough, we had been
long ago in purgatory; and with that he crossed himself on
the breast. But, sir, says he, I hope you will not be dis-
pleased when I shall tell you how, forced by necessity, we
were obliged, for our own preservation, to disarm them, and
make them our subjects, who would not be content with
being moderately our masters, but would be our murderers.
I answered I was heartily afraid of it when I left them
here, and nothing troubled me at my parting from the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
371
band but that they were not come back, that I might have
put them in possession of everything first, and left the others
in a state of subjection, as they deserved; but if they had
reduced them to it, I was very glad, and should be very far
from finding any fault with it; for I knew they were a parcel
of refractory, ungoverned villains, and were fit for any man-
ner of mischief.
While I was thus saying this, the man came 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 me. First
e turned to me, and pointing to them, said, These, sir, are
ome of the gentlemen who owe their lives to you; and
hen turning to them, and pointing to me, he let them know
vho I was; upon which they all came up, one by one, not
as if they had been sailors and ordinary fellows, and the
like, but really as if they had been ambassadors of noble-
men, and I a monarch or great conqueror: their behavior
was to the last degree obliging and courteous, and yet mixed
with a manly, majestic gravity, which very well became
them; and, in short, they had so much more manners than
I, that I scarce knew how to receive their civilities, much
less how to return them in kind.
The history of their coming to, and conduct in, the island,
after my going away, is so very 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 the account I have already given, that I cannot but
commit them, with great delight to the reading of those that
come after me.
I shall no longer trouble the story with a relation in the
first person, which will put me to the expense of ten thou-
Band said I's, and said he's, and he told me's, and I told
him's, and the like; but I shall collect the facts historically,
ì
372
ADVENTURES OF
7
as near as I can gather them out of my memory, from what
they related to me, and from what I met with in my con-
versing with them and with the place.
In order to do this succinctly, and as intelligibly as I can,
I must go back to the circumstances in which I left the
island, and in' which the persons were of whom I am to
speak. And first, it is necessary to repeat, that I had sent
away Friday's father and the Spaniard (the two whose lives.
I had rescued from the savages) in a large canoe, to the
main,. as I then thonght it, to fetch over the Spaniard's
companions that he left behind him, in order to save them
from the like calamity that he had been in, and in order
to succor them for the present; and that, if possible,
we might together find some way for our deliverance after-
wards.
When I sent 'them away, I had no visible appearance of,
or the least room to hope for, my own deliverance, any more
than I had twenty years before; much less had I any fore-
knowledge of what afterwards happened, I mean, of an
English ship coming on shore there to fetch me off; and it
could not but be a very great surprise to them, when they
came back, not only to find that I was gone, but to find
three strangers left on the spot, possessed of all that I
had left behind me, which would otherwise have been their
own,
The first thing, however, that I inquired into, that I might
begin where I left off, was of their own part; and I desired
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,
having had very calm weather and a smooth sea. As for
his countrymen, it could not be doubted, he said, but that
they were overjoyed to see him (it seems he was the prin-
cipal man among them, the captain of the vessel they had
1
l
*
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
373
been shipwrecked 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 the savages, who,
they were satisfied, would devour him, as they did all the
rest of their prisoners; that when he told them the story of
his deliverance, and in what manner he was furnished for
carrying them away, it was like a dream to them, and their
astonishment, he said, was somewhat like that of Joseph'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 provisions,
that he brought them for their journey or voyage, they were
restored to themselves, took a just share of 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 honest part of
it, but to trespass upon their friendly savages, and to borrow
two large canoes, or periaguas, on pretence 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 provis-.
ions, 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 my other part, and to get off from the
island, leaving three of the most impudent, hardened ungov-
erned, disagreeable villains behind me, that any man could
desire to meet with; to the poor Spaniards' great grief and
disappointment, you may be sure.
The only just thing the rogues did was, that when the
Spaniards came ashore, they gave my letter to them, and
gave them provisions, and other relief, as I had ordered them
+
32
374
ADVENTURES OF
to do; also they gave them the long paper of directions which
I had left with them, containing the particular methods
which I tock for managing every part of my life there; the
way how 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, everything I did; all this being written
down, they gave to the Spaniards (two of them understood
English well enough): nor did they refuse to accommodate
the Spaniards with anything else, for they agreed very well
for some time. They gave them an equal admission into the
house, 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: but
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 sup-
pers for them.
The Spaniards would have been satisfied with this, had
the others but let them alone; which, however, they could
not find in their hearts to do long, but, like the dog in the
manger, they would not eat themselves, neither would they
let the others eat. The differences, nevertheless, were at
first but trivial, and such as are not worth relating, but 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, 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 of our ship, which I was once afraid would have
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
97.
turned to a second mutiny; nor was it appeased till the
captain, rousing up his courage, and taking us all to his
assistance, parted them by force, and making two of the
most 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, though the captain did not intend to do it, frightened
some other men in the ship; and some of them had put it
into the heads of the rest that the captain only gave them
good words for the present, till they should come to some
English port, and that then they should be all put into 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 honor's word
to them, they appeared easy, and the more so when I caused
the two men that were in irons to be released and forgiven.
•
But this mutiny had brought us to an anchor for that
night; the wind also 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 pin-
nace, 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 neither find them or any of the rest, for they
all fled into the woods when they saw the boat coming on
shore. The mate was once resolved, in justice to their
roguery to have destroyed their plantations, burned all their
376
ADVENTURES OF
household stuff and furniture, and left them to shift without
it, but having no orders, he let it all alone, left everything
as he found it, and bringing the pinnace away, came on
board without them. These two men made their number
five; but the other three villains were so much more wicked
than they, that after they had been two or three days
together, they turned the two 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 Spaniards, they were not yet
come.
When the Spaniards came first on shore, the business
began to go forward: the Spaniards would have persuaded
the three English brutes to have taken in their two country-
men 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 finding nothing but industry and appli-
cation would make them live comfortably, they pitched their
tents on the north shore of the island, but a little more to
the west, to be out of danger of the savages, who always
landed on the east parts of the island.
Here they built them two huts, one to lodge in, and the
other to lay up their magazines and stores in; and the
Spaniards having given them some corn for seed, and
especially some of the peas which I had left them, they dug,
planted, and enclosed, after the pattern I had set for them
all, and began to live pretty well. Their first crop of corn
was on the ground; and though it was but a little bit of
land which they had dug up at first, having had but a little
time, yet it was enough to relieve them, and find them with
bread and other eatables; and one of the fellows, being the
cook's mate of the ship, was very ready at making soup,
puddings, and such other preparations as the rice and the
milk, and such little flesh as they got, furnished him to do.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
87
SECTION XXXIV.
THE ACOUNT CONTINUED QUARRELS BETWEEN THE ENGLISHMEN
A BATTLE BETWEEN TWO PARTIES OF SAVAGES WHO VISIT THI
ISLAND-FRESH MUTINY AMONG THE SETTLERS.
–
THEY were going on in this little thriving posture, when
the three unnatural rogues, their own countrymen too, in
mere humor, and to insult them, came and bullied them,
and told them the island was theirs; that the governor,
meaning me, had given them the possession of it, and
nobody else had any right to it; and that they should build
no houses upon their ground, unless they would pay rent for
them.
The two men, thinking they were jesting at first, asked
them to come in and sit down, and see what fine houses
they were that they had built, and to tell them what rent
they demanded; and one of them merrily said, if they were
the ground-landlords, he hoped, if they built tenements.
upon their land, and made improvements, they would,
according to the custom of landlords, grant a long lease;
and desired they would get a scrivener to draw the writings.
One of the three, cursing and raging, told them they should
see they were not in jest; 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 claps it to the out-
side of their hut, and very fairly set it on fire; and it would
have been burned all 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 that not without some diffi-
culty too.
The follow was in such a rage at the honest man's thrust-
ing him away, that he returned upon him, with a pole he
32*
378
ADVENTURES OF
i
had in his hand, and had not the man avoided 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 came both out with their
muskets, and the man that was first struck at with the pole
knocked the fellow down that had begun 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 presenting the other ends of their
pieces to 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 des-
perate by his danger, told them, if they offered to move
hand or foot they were dead men, and boldly commanded
them to lay down their arms. They did not, indeed, lay
down their arms, but seeing 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. However,
they were much in the wrong, since they had the advantage,
that they did not disarm them effectually, as they might
have done, and have gone immediately to the Spaniards, and
given them an account how the rogues had treated them;
for the three villains studied nothing but revenge, and every
day gave them some intimation that they did so.
But not to crowd this part with an account of the lesser
part of the 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 opportu-
nity. In order to this, they resolved to go to the castle, as
they called it (that was my old dwelling), where the three
rogues and the Spaniards all lived together at that time,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
379
intending to have a fair battle, and the Spaniards should
stand by to see fair play: so they got up in the morning
before day, and came to the place, and called the English-
men by their names, telling a Spaniard that answered that
they wanted to speak with them.
It happened that the day before, two of the Spaniards,
having been in the woods, had seen one of the two English-
men, whom for distinction, I called 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, and
how they had ruined their plantation, and destroyed their
corn that they had labored so hard to bring forward, and
killed the milch goat and their three kids, which was all they
had provided for their sustenance; and that if he and his
friends, meaning the Spaniards, did not assist them again,
they should be starved. When the Spaniards came home
at night, and they were all at supper, one of them took the
freedom to reprove the three Englishmen, though in very
gentle and mannerly terms, and asked them how they could
be so cruel, they being harmless, inoffensive fellows; that
they were putting themselves in a way to subsist by their
labor, and that it had cost them a great deal of pains to
bring things to such perfection as they were then in.
One of the Englishmen returned very briskly, what had
they to do there? that they came on shore without leave;
and that they should not plant or build upon the island; it
was none of their ground. Why, says the Spaniard, very
calmly, Senhor Inglese, they must not starve. The English-
man replied, like a rough-hewn tarpauling, they might
starve and be d-d; they should not plant nor build in
that place. But what must they do then, senhor? said the
Spaniard. Another of the brutes returned, Do? d
them, they should be servants, and work for them. But
how can you expect that of them? says the Spaniard; they
are no bought with your money: you have no right toa
3
880
ADVENTURES OF
make them servants. The Englishman answered, the islana
was theirs; the governor had given it to them, and no man
had anything to do there but themselves; and with that
swore by his Maker that they would go and burn all their
new huts; they should build none upon their land. Why,
senhor, says the Spaniard, by the same rule, we must be
your servants too. Ay, says the bold dog, and so you shall
too, before we have done with you; (mixing two or three
G-d d-n me's in the proper intervals of his speech.)
The Spaniard only smiled at that, and made him no answer.
However, this little discourse had heated them; and, start-
ing up, one says to the other, I think it was he they called
Will Atkins, Come, Jack, let's go, and have t'other brush
with 'em; we'll demolish their castle, I'll warrant you;
they shall plant no colony in our dominions.
Upon this they went all trooping away, with every man a
gun, a pistol, and a sword, and muttered some insolent
things among themselves, of what they would do to the
Spaniards too, when opportunity offered; but the Spaniards,
it seems, did not so perfectly understand them as to know
all the particulars, only that, in general, they threatened
them hard for taking the two Englishmen's part.
Whither they went, or how they bestowed their time that
evening, the Spaniards said they did not know; but it
scems they wandered about the country part of the night,
and then lying down in the place which I used to call my
bower, they were weary, and overslept themselves. The
case was this; they had resolved to stay till midnight, and
so take the poor men when they were asleep, and, as they
acknowledged afterwards, intended to set fire to their huts
while they were in them, and either burn them there, or
murder them as they came out; as malice seldom sleeps
very sound, it was very strange they should not have been
kept awake.
However, as the two men had also a design upon them,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
381
as I have said, though a much fairer one than that of turn
ing and murdering, it happened, and very luckily for them
all, that they were up, and gone abroad, before the bloody-
minded rogues came to their huts.
When they came there, and found the men gone, Atkins,
vho, it seems, was the forwardest man, called out to his
omrade, Ha, Jack, here's the nest, but, d -n them, the
sirds 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; and with that they shook hands, and swore to
one another 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 anything, but they pulled down both their houses,
and pulled them so limb from limb, that they left not the
least stick standing, or scarce any sign on the ground where
they stood; they tore all their little collected household-
stuff in pieces, and threw everything about in such a
manner, that the poor men afterwards found some of their
things a mile off their habitation. When they had done
this, they pulled up all the young trees which the poor men
nad planted; pulled up an enclosure they had made to
secure their cattle and their corn; and, in a word, sacked
and plundered everything as completely as a horde of
Tartars would have done.
The two men were, at this juncture, gone to find them
out, and had resolved to fight them wherever they had
been, though they were but two to three; so, that, had they
met, there certainly would have been bloodshed among
them; for they were all very stout, resolute fellows, to give
them their due..
But Providence took more care to keep them asunder
than they themselves could do to meet for as if they had
dogged one another, when the three were gone thither, the
382
ADVENTURES OF
1
two were here; and afterwards, when the two went back to
find them, the three were come to the old habitation again :
we shall see their different conduct presently. 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 Spaniards, and told them what they had
lone, 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 giving it a twirl about, fleering in his face,
says to him, and you, Senhor 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 à
man as could be, and withal a strong, well-made man, looked
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, as an ox is felled with a pole-axe;
at which one of the rogues, as insolent as the first, fired his
pistol 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 car, 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 all 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 had 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 coun-
trymen, they began to cool, and, giving the Spaniards better
words, would have their arms again; but the Spaniards,
considering the feud that was between them and the other
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
383
ST
two Englishmen, and that it would be the best method they
could take to keep them from killing one another, told them
they would do them no harm, and if they would live peacea、
bly, they would be very willing to assist and associate with
them as they did before; but that they could not think of
giving them their arms again, while they appeared so
resolved to do mischief with them to their own countrymen,
and had even threatened them all to make them their servants.
The rogues were now no more capable to hear reason than
to act with reason; but 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 they should take care
how they offered any injury to their plantation or cattle, for
if they did, they would shoot them as they would ravenous
beasts, wherever they found them; and if they fell into
their hands alive, they should certainly be hanged. How-
ever, this was far from cooling them, but away they went,
raging and swearing like furies of hell. As soon as they
were gone, the two men came back, in passion and rage
enough also, though of another kind; for having been at
their plantation, and finding it all demolished and destroyed,
as above, it will easily be supposed that they had provoca-
tion enough. They could scarce have room to tell their
tale, the Spaniards were so eager to tell theirs; and it was
strange enough to find that three men should thus bully
nineteen, and receive no punishment at all.
The Spaniards, indeed, despised them, and especially,
having thus disarmed them, made light of their threaten-
ings; 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 had disarmed them, 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
out.
884
ADVENTURES OF
their governor, we will endeavor to make them do you
justice, if you will leave it to us; for there is no doubt but
they will come to us again, when their passion is over, being
not able to subsist without our assistance: we promise you
to make no peace with them, without having a full satisfac-
tion for you; and upon this condition we hope you will
promise to use no violence with them, other than in your
own defence. The two Englishmen yielded to this very
awkwardly, and with great reluctance; but the Spaniards
protested that they did it only to keep them from blood-
shed, and to make all easy at last. For, said they, we are
not so many of us; here is room enough for us all, and it is
a great pity we should not be all good friends. At length
they did consent, and waited for the issue of the thing,
living for some days with the Spaniards; for their own
habitation was destroyed.
In about five days' time the three vagrants, tired with
wandering, and almost starved with hunger, having chiefly
lived on turtles' 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
creck, they came up in a very submissive, humble manner, and
begged to be received again into the family. The Spaniards
used them civilly, but told them they had acted so un-
naturally by their countrymen, and so very grossly by
them (the Spaniards), that they could not come to any
conclusion without consulting the two Englishmen and the
rest; but, however, they would go to them, and discourse
about it, and they should know in half an hour. It may be
guessed that they were very hard put to it: for, it seems, as
they were to wait this half-hour for an answer, they begged
they would send them out some bread in the mean time,
which they did; sending, at the same time, a large picce of
goats's flesh, and a boiled parrot, which they ate very
neartily, for they were hungry enough.
ĐỀ
i
{
A
}
}
385
After half an hour's consultation, they were called in, and
a long debate ensued; their two countrymen charging them
with the ruin of all their labor, and a design to murder
them; all which they owned before, and therefore could not
deny now.. Upon the whole, the Spaniards acted the
moderator between them; and as they had obliged the two
Englishmen not to hurt the three while they were naked and
unarmed, so they now obliged the three to go and rebuild
their fellows' two huts, one to be of the same, and the other
of larger dimensions, than they were before; to fence their
ground again where they had pulled up their fences, plant
trees in the room of those pulled up, dig up the land again
for planting corn where they had spoiled it, and, in a word,
to restore everything in the same state as they found it, as
near as they could; for entirely it could not be, the season
for the corn, and the growth of the trees and hedges, not
being possible to be recovered.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Well, they submitted to all this; and as they had plenty
of provisions given them all the while, they grew very order-
ly, 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 little, just as they pleased: however,
the Spaniards told them plainly, that if they would but live
sociably and friendly together, and study the good of the
whole 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 about a month or
two, the Spaniards gave them 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 as
insolent and troublesome as before: but, however, an acci-
dent happened presently upon this, which endangered the
safety of them all; and they were obliged to lay by all
}
33
***
886
ADVENTURES OF
1
private resentments, and look to the preservation of their
lives.
:
It happened one night that the Spanish 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 of one another, but
he 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. As they lay, being so
many of them, upon goats' skins laid thick upon such couches
and pads as they had made for themselves, and not in ham-
mocks and ship beds, as I did, who was but one, so they had
little to do, when they were willing to rise, but to get up
upon their feet, and perhaps put on a coat, such as it was,
and their pumps, and they were ready for going any way
that their thoughts guided them. Being thus got up, he
looked out but, being dark, he could see little or nothing;
and besides, the trees which I had planted, as in my former
account is described, and which were now grown tall, inter-
cepted his sight, so that he could only look up, and see that
it was a clear starlight night, 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 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? says the other Span-
iard; such things are not to be slighted, I assure you; there
is certainly some mischief working near us; and presently
he asked him, Where are the Englishmen? They are all
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
38.
in their huts, says he, safe enough. It seems the Spaniards
had kept possession of the main apartment, and had made a
place for the three Englishmen, who, since their last mutiny,
were always quartered by themselves, and could not come at
the rest. Well, says the Spaniard, there is something in it,
I am persuaded, from my own experience. I am satisfied
our spirits embodied have a converse with, and receive intel-
ligence from, the spirits unembodied, and inhabiting the
invisible world; and this friendly notice is given for our
advantage, if we knew how to make use of it. Come, says
he, let us go and look abroad; and if we find nothing
at all in it to justify the trouble, I'll tell you a story to the
purpose, that shall convince you of the justice of my pro-
posing it.
In a word, they went out, to go up to the top of the hill
where I used to go; but they being strong, and a good
company, not alone, as I was, used none of my cautions, tc
go up by the ladder, and pulling it up after them, to go up
a second stage to the top, but were going round through the
grove, unconcerned and unwary, when they were surprised
with seeing a light as of fire, a very little way off from them,
and hearing the voices of men, not one or two, but of a great
number.
In all the discoveries I had made of the savages landing
on the island, it was my constant care to prevent them making
the least discovery of there being any inhabitant upon the
place; and when by any occasion they came to know it,
they felt it so effectually, that they that got away were scarce
able to give any account of it; for we disappeared as soon
as possible; nor did ever any that had seen me, escape
to tell any one else, except it was the three savages in
our last encounter, who jumped into the boat; of whom
I mentioned, I was afraid they should go home and bring
more help. Whether it was the consequence of the escape
of those men that so great a number came now together, of
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ADVENTURES OF
whether they came ignorantly, and by accident, on theu
usual bloody crrand, the Spaniards could not, it seems,
understand; but whatever it was, it had been their business
either to have concealed themselves, or not to have seen
them at all, much less to have let the savages have seen that
there were any inhabitants in the place; or to have fallen
upon them so effectually, as that not a man of them should
have escaped, which could only have been by getting in
between them and their boats; but this presence of mind
was wanting to them, which was the ruin of their tran-
quility for a great while.
We need not doubt but that the governor and the man
with him, surprised with this sight, ran back immediately,
and raised their fellows, giving them an account of the
imminent danger, they were all in, and they again as readily
took the alarm; but it was impossible to persuade them
to stay close within, where they were, but they must all
run out to see how things stood.
While it was dark, indeed, they were well enough, and
they had opportunity enough for some hours, to view them
by the light of three fires they had made at a distance from
one another; what they were doing they knew not, and
what to do themselves they knew not. For, first, the
enemy were too many; and, secondly, they did not keep
together, but were divided into several parties, and were on
shore in several places.
The Spaniards were in no small consternation at this sight;
and when they found that the fellows ran straggling all over
the shore, they made no doubt but, first or last, some of
them would chop in upon their habitation, or upon some
other place where they would see the token of inhabitants
and they were in great perplexity also for fear of their flock
of goats, which would have been little less than starving
them, if they should have been destroyed: so the first thing
they resolved upon was to despatch three men away before
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
389
It was light, two Spaniards and one Englishman, to drive all
the goats away to the great valley where the cave was, and,
if need were, to drive them into the very cave itself. Could
they have seen the savages all together in one body, and at
a distance from their canoes, they resolved, if there had
been a hundred of them, to have attacked them; but that
could not be obtained; for they were some of them two
miles off from the other; and, as it appeared afterwards,
were of two different nations.
After having mused a great while on the course they
should take, and beating their brains in considering their
present circumstances, they resolved, at last, while it was
still dark, to send the old savage, Friday's father, out as a
spy, to learn, if possible, something concerning them; as
what they came for, what they intended to do, and the like.
The old man readily undertook it; and stripping himself
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 undiscovered; that he found they
were two parties, and of two several nations, who had war
with one another, and had a great battle in their own
country; and that both sides having had several prisoners
taken in the fight, they were, by mere chance, landed all on
the same island, for the devouring their prisoners and
making merry, but their coming so by chance 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: but
he did not perceive that they had any notion of any body
being on the island but themselves. He had hardly made
an end of telling his story, when they could perceive, by the
unusual noise they inade, that the two little armies were
engaged in a bloody fight.
Friday's father used all the arguments he could to
persuade our people to lie close, and not be seen: he told
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ADVENTURES OF
K
them their safety consisted in it, and that they had nothing
to do but lie still, and the savages would kill one another to
their hands, and then the rest would go away; and it was
so to a tittle. But it was impossible to prevail, especially
upon the Englishmen; their curiosity was so importunate.
upon their prudentials, that they must run out and see the
battle: however, they used some caution too, viz., they did
not go openly, just by their own dwelling, but went farther
into the woods, and placed themselves to advantage, where
they might securely see them manage the fight, and, as they
thought, not be seen by them; but it seems the savages did
see them, as we shall find hereafter.
The battle was very fierce; and, if I might believe the
Englishmen, one of them said he could perceive that some
of them were men of great bravery, of invincible spirits,
and of great policy in guiding the fight. The battle, they
said, 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 again into a great consternation, lest any one 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 would do the like in
search of them. Upon this they resolved that they would.
stand armed within the wall, and whoever came into the
grove, they resolved to sally out over the wall and kill
them so that, if possible, not one should return to give an
account of it, they ordered also that it should be done with
their swords, or by knocking them down with the stocks of
their muskets, but not by shooting them, for fear of raising
an alarm by the noise.
As they expected, it fell out: three of the routed army
ded for life, and crossing the creek, ran directly into the
plare, not in the least knowing whether they went, but
A
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
391
"unning as into a thick wood for shelter. The scout they
kept to look abroad gave notice of this within, with this
addition, to our men's great satisfaction, viz., that the con--
querors had not pursued them, or seen which way they were
gone; upon this, the Spaniard 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, come in behind them, and 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, made no pursuit, or very little, but drawing them-
selves into a body together, gave two screaming shouts,
which they supposed was by way of triumph, and so the
fight ended and 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 in several years
after.
-
After they were all gone, the Spaniards came out of their
den, and viewing the field of battle, they found about two-
and-thirty men dead on the spot: some were killed with
great long arrows, some of which were found sticking in
their bodies; but most of them were killed with great
wooden swords, sixteen or seventeen of which they found on
the field of battle, and as many bows, with a great many
arrows. These swords were strange, great, unwieldy things,
and they must be very strong men that used them: most of
those men that were killed with them had their heads
mashed to pieces, as we may say, or, as we call it in Eng-
lish, their brains knocked out, and several their arms and
legs broken; so that it is evident they fight with inex-
pressible rage and fury. We found not one man that wa
not stone dead, for either they stay by their enemy till they
have quite killed him, or they carry all the wounded men
hat are not quite dead away with them
MA
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ADVENTURES OF
This deliverance tamed our Englishmen for a great while;
the sight had filled them with horror, and the consequences
appeared terrible to the last degree, especially upon sup-
posing that some time or other they should fall into the
hands of those creatures, who would not only kill them as
enemies, but kill them for food, as we kill our cattle; and
hey professed to me, that the thoughts of being eaten up
ike beef or mutton, though it was supposed it was not to
oe till they were dead, had something in it so horrible, that
t nauseated their very stomachs, made them sick when they
hought of it, and filled their minds with such unusual
terror, they were not themselves for some weeks after.
This, as I said, tamed even the three English brutes I have
been speaking of, and, for a great while after, they were
ractable, and went about the common business of the whole
ociety, well enough; planted, sowed, reaped, and began to
be all naturalised to the country. But some time after this,
they fell into such simple measures again, as brought them
into a great deal of trouble.
3
They had taken three prisoners, as I observed; and these
three being lusty, stout young fellows, they made them
servants, and taught them to work for them; and, as slaves,
they did well enough; but they did not take their measures
with them as I did by my man Friday, viz., to begin
with them upon the principle of having saved their lives,
and then instruct them upon the rational principles of life;
much less of religion, civilizing, and reducing them by kind
usage and affectionate arguings; but as they gave them their
food every day, so they gave them their work too, and kept
htem fully employed in drudgery enough; but they failed in
this by it, that they never had them to assist them, and
fight for them, as I had my man Friday, who was as true
to me as the very flesh upon my bones.
But to come to the family part. Being all row good
friends, for common danger, as I said above, had effectually
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
393
reconciled them, they began to consider their general circum-
stances; and the first thing that came under their considera-
tion, was, whether, seeing the savages particularly haunted
that side of the island, and that there were more remote and
retired parts of it equally adapted to their way of living and
manifestly to their advantage, they should not rather move
their habitation, and plant in some more properplace for their
safety, and especially for the security of their cattle and corn.
Upon this, after long debate, it was concluded that they
would not remove their habitation; because that, some time
or other, they thought they might hear from their governor
again, meaning me; and if I should send any one to seck
them, I should be sure to direct them to that side; where,
if they should find the place demolished, they would con-
clude the savages had killed us all, and we were gone; and
so our supply would go too. But as to their corn and
cattle, they agreed to remove them into the valley where my
cave was, where the land was as proper for both, and where,
indeed, there was land enough: however, upon second
thoughts, they altered one part of their resolution too, and
resolved only to remove part of their cattle thither, and
plant part of their corn there; and so if one part was
destroyed, the other might be saved. And one part c
prudence they used, which it was very well they did, viz
that they never trusted those three savages, which they had
prisoners, with knowing anything of the plantation they had
made in that valley, or of any cattle they had there, much less
of the cave there, which they kept, in case of necessity, as a
safe retreat; and thither they carried also the two barrels of
powder which I had sent them at my coming away. But how-
ever they resolved not to change their habitation, yet they
agreed, that as I had carefully covered it first with a wall or
fortification, and then with a grove of trees, so seeing their
safety consisted entirely in their being concealed, of which
they were now fully convinced, they set to work to cover and
i
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ADVENTURES OF
For this
conceal the place yet more effectually than before.
purpose, as I planted trees, or rather thrust in stakes, which in
time all grew up to be trees, for some good distance before
the entrance into my apartments, they went on in the same
manner, and filled up the rest of that whole space of
ground, from the trees I had set, quite down to the side of
the creek, where, as I said, I landed my floats, and even
into the very ooze where the tide flowed, not so much as
leaving any place to land, or any sign that there had been
any landing thereabout: these stakes also being of a wood
very forward to grow, as I have noted formerly, they took
care to have them generally much larger and taller than
those which I had planted; and as they grew apace, so they
planted them so very thick and close together, that when
they had been three or four years grown, there was no
piercing with the eye any considerable way into the planta-
tion: and, as for that part which I had planted, the trees
were grown as thick as a man's thigh, and among them they
placed so many other short ones, and so thick, that, in a
word, it stood like a palisade a quarter of a mile thick, and
it was next to impossible to penetrate it, but with a little
army to cut it all down; for a little dog could hardly get
between the trees, they stood so close.
But this was not all; for they did the same by all the
ground to the right hand and to the left, and round even to
the top of the hill, leaving no way, not so much as for them-
selves to come out, but by the ladder placed up to the side
of the hill, and then lifted up, and placed again from the
first stage up to the top, and when the ladder was taken
down, nothing but what had wings or witchcraft to assist it,
could come at them. This was excellently well contrived;
nor was it less than what they afterwards found occasion for;
which served to convince me, that as human prudence has
the authority of Providence to justify it, so it has doubtless
the direction of Providence to set it to work; and if we
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
395
hstened carefully to the voice of it, I am persuaded we
might prevent many of the disasters which our lives are
now, by our own negligence, subjected to: but this by the
way.
I return to the story. They lived two years after this in
perfect retirement, and had no more visits from the savages.
They had indeed an alarm given them one morning, which
put them into a great consternation; for some of the
Spaniards being out early one morning on the west side, or
rather end, of the island (which was that end where I never
went, for fear of being discovered), they were surprised with
seeing above twenty canoes of Indians just coming on
shore. They made the best of their way home, in hurry
enough; and giving the alarm to their comrades, they kept
close all that day and the next, going out only at night to
make their observation: but they had the good luck to be
mistaken; for wherever the savages went, they did not land
that time on the island, but pursued some other design.
And now they had another broil with the three English-
men, one of whom, a most turbulent fellow, being in a rage
at one of the three slaves, which I mentioned they had
taken, because the fellow had not done something which he
bid 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 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 shoulders, 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,
placed himself 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
/
396
ADVENTURES OF
A
{
}
·
had in his hand) for they were all working in the field about
their corn-land) knocked the brute down. Another of the
Englishmen running at the same time to help his comrade,
knocked the Spaniard down; and then two Spaniards more
came in to help their man, and a third Englishman fell in
upon them. They had none of them any fire-arms, or any
other weapons but hatchets and other tools, except this third
Englishmen; he had one of my rusty cutlasses, with which
he made at the two 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 very furious, so
very desperate, and so idle withal, 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, in so many
words, that if they had been of his country, he would have
hanged them; for all laws and all governors were to pre-
serve society, and those who were dangerous to the society
ought to be expelled out of it; but as they were English-
men, and that it was to the generous kindness of an
Englishman that they all owed their preservation and
deliverance, he would use them with all possible lenity, and
would leave them to the judgment of the other two English-
men, 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.
•
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
397
When the Spanish governor heard this, he calls to Will
Atkins, How, Senhor Atkins, would you murder us all
What have you to say to that? The hardened villain was
so far from denying it, that he said it was true; and, G-c
d-n him, they would do it still, before they had done with
them. Well, but Senhor Atkins, says the Spaniard, what
have we done to you, that you will kill us? And what
would you get by killing us? And what must we do to
prevent your killing us? Must we kill you, or you kill us?
Why will you put us to the necessity of this, Senhor
Atkins? says the Spaniard very calmly and smiling.
Senhor Atkins was in such a rage at the Spaniard's making
a jest of it, that, had he not been held by three men, and
withal had no weapon near him, it was thought he would
have attempted to have killed the Spaniard in the middle
of all the company. This hairbrain carriage obliged them
to consider seriously what was to be done: the two English-
men, and the Spaniard who saved the poor savage, were
of the opinion that they should hang one of the three, for
an example to the rest; and that particularly it should be
he that had twice attempted to commit murder with his
hatchet; and, indeed, there was some reason to believe he
had done it, for the poor savage was in such a miserable
condition with the wound he had received, that it was
thought he could not live. But the governor Spaniard still
said no; it was an Englishman that had saved all their lives,
and he would never consent to put an Englishman to death,
though he had murdered half of them; nay, he said, if he
had been killed himself by an Englishman, and had time
left to speak, it should be that they should pardon him.
This was so positively insisted on by the governor Span-
iard, that there was no gainsaying it; and as merciful coun-
sels are most apt to prevail, where they are so earnestly
pressed, so they all came into it: but then it was to be
considered what should be done to keep them from doing
34
398
ADVENTURES OF
-A.
the mischief they designed; for all agreed, governor and all
that means were to be used for preserving the society fron
danger. After a long debate, it was agreed, first, that they
should be disarmed, and not permitted to have either gun,
powder, shot, sword or any weapon; and should be turned
out of the society, and left to live where they would, and
how they would, by themselves; but that none of the rest,
either Spaniards or English, should converse with them.
speak 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 if they offered to com-
mit any disorder, so as to spoil, burn, kill, or destroy any
of the corn, plantings, buildings, fences, or cattle belonging
to the society, they should die without mercy, and they
would shoot them wherever they could find them.
The governor, a man of great humanity, musing upon the
sentence, considered a little upon it; and turning to the two
honest Englishmen, said, Hold; you must reflect that it will
be long ere they can raise corn and cattle of their own, and
they must not starve; we must therefore allow them pro-
visions so he caused to be added, that they should have a
proportion of corn given them to last them eight months.
and for sced to sow, by which they might be supposed to
raise some of their own; that they should have six milch-
goats, four he-goats, and six kids given them, as well for
present subsistence as for a store; and that they should
have tools given them for their work in the fields, such as
six hatchets, an adze, a saw, and the like; but they should
have none of these tools or provisions, unless they would
swear solemnly that they would not hurt or injure any of
the Spaniards with them, or of their fellow Englishmen.
Thus they dismissed them the society, and turned them
out to shift for themselves. They went away sullen and
refractory, as neither content to go away nor to stay; but
as there was no remedy, they went, pretending to go and
J
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
399
choose a place where they would settle 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 habitatior.
and plantation; and it was a very convenient place, indeed,
on the remotest part of the island, N.E., much about the
place where I providentially landed in my first voyage,
when I was driven out to sea, the Lord alone knows whither,
in my foolish attempt to sail round the island.
Here they built themselves two handsome huts, and con-
trived them in a manner like my first habitation, being close
under the side of a hill, having some trees growing already
on three sides of it, so that by planting others, it would be
very easily covered from the sight, unless narrowly searched
for. They desired some dried goat's-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 wanted, except
arms and ammunition.
They lived in this separate condition about six months,
and had got in their first harvest, though the quantity was
but. small, the parcel of land they had planted being but
little; for, indeed, having all their plantation to form, they
had a great deal of work upon their hands; and when they
came to make boards and pots, and such things, they were
quite out of their element, and could make nothing of it:
and when the rainy season, came on, for want of a cave in
the earth, they could not keep their grain dry, and it was in
great danger of spoiling; and this humbled them much; so
they came and begged the Spaniards to help them, which
they very readily did; and in four days worked a great hole
in the side of the hill for them, big enough to secure their
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ADVENTURES OF
corn and other things from the rain: but it was but a poor
place, at best,' compared to mine, and especially as mine wast
then, for the Spaniards had greatly enlarged it, and madẹ
several new apartments in it.
About three-quarters of a year after this separation, a new
frolic took these rogues, which, together with the former
villany they had committed, brought mischief enough upon
them, and had very near been the ruin of the whole colony.
The three new associates began, it seems, to be weary of the
laborious life they led, and that without hope of bettering
their circumstances: and a whim took them, that they would
make a voyage to the continent, from whence the savages
came, and would try if they could seize upon some prisoners
among the natives there, and bring them home, so to make
them do the laborious part of their work for them.
The project was not so preposterous, if they had gone no
farther; but they did nothing, and proposed nothing, but
had either mischief in the design, or mischief in the event;
and, if I may give my opinion, they seemed to be under a
blast from Heaven; for if we will not allow a visible curse
to pursue visible crimes, how shall we reconcile the events
of things with the divine justice? It was certainly an
apparent vengeance on their crime of mutiny and piracy that
brought them to the state they were in; and they showed
not the least remorse for the crime, but added new villanies
to it, such as the piece of monstrous cruelty of wounding a-
poor slave, because he did not, or perhaps could not, under-
stand to do what he was directed, and to wound him in such
a manner as made him a cripple all his life, and in a place
where no surgeon or medicine could be had for his cure;
and what was still worse, the murderous intent, or, to do
justice to the crime, the intentional murder, for such to be
sure it was, as was afterwards the formed design they all
laid, to murder the Spaniards in cold blood, and in their
sleep
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
401
S
SECTION XXXV
IE MUTINOUS ENGLISHMEN ARE
ARE DISMISSED FROM THE ISLAND –
REURN WITH SEVERAL CAPTIVE SAVAGES TAKE THE FEMALES AS
WI、 ES ARRIVAL OF SAVAGES.
M
Bur I leave observing, and return to the story. The three
fellows came down to the Spaniards one morning, and ir
very humble terms desired to be admitted to speak with
them; the Spaniards very readily heard what they had to
say, which was this: That they were tired of living in
the manner they did; and 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 Span-
iards would give them leave to take one of the canoes which
they came over in, and give them arms and ammunition
proportioned to their defence, they would go over to the
main and seek their fortunes, and so deliver them from the
trouble of supplying them with any other provisions.
The Spaniards were glad enough to get rid of them, but
very honestly represented to them the certain destruction
they were running into; told them they had suffered such
hardships upon that very spot, that they could, without any
spirit of prophecy, tell them they would be starved, or mur-
dered, and bade them consider of it.
Są
The men replied audaciously, they should be starved if
they stayed here, for they could not work, and would not
work, and they could but be starved abroad; and if they
were murdered, there was an end of them; they had no
wives or children to cry after them: and, in short, insisted
mportunately upon their demand; declaring they would go,
whether they would give them any arms or no.
The Spaniards told them, with great kindness, that if they
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ADVENTURES OF
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were resolved to go, they should not go like naked men, and
be in no condition to defend themselves: and that though
they could ill spare their fire-arms, having not enough for
themselves, yet they would let them have two muskets, a
pistol and a cutlass, and each man a hatchet, which they
thought was sufficient for them. In a word, they accepted
the offer; and having baked them bread enough to serve
them a month, and given them as much goat's flesh as they
could eat while it was sweet, and a great basket of dried
grapes, and a pot of fresh water, and a young kid alive, they
boldly set out in the canoe for a voyage over the sea, wherc
it was at least forty miles broad.
The boat, indeed, was a large one, and would very well
have carried fifteen or twenty men, and therefore was rather
too big for them to manage; but as they had a fair breeze,
and flood tide with them, they did well enough. They had
made a mast of a long pole, and a sail of four large goats'-
skins dried, which they had sewed or laced together; and
away they went merrily enough the Spaniards called after
them, Buen viage; and no man ever thought of seeing them.
any more.
:
The Spaniards were often saying to one another, and to
the two honest Englishmen who remained behind, how
quietly and comfortably they had lived, now these three
turbulent fellows were gone: as for their coming again,
that was the remotest thing from their thoughts that could
be imagined; when, behold, after two-and-twenty days'
absence, one of the Englishmen, being abroad upon his
planting work, sees three strange men coming towards him
at a distance, with guns upon their shoulders.
Away runs the Englishman, as if he was bewitched, comes
frightened and amazed to the governor Spaniard, and tells
him they were all undone, for there were strangers landed
apon the island, but could not tell who. The Spaniard,
pausing a while, says to him, How do you mean, you cannot
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
403
•
tell who? They are the savages, to be sure. — No, no, says
the Englishmen; 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 English-
men, 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 back again ?
It was not long before 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; but finding the people alarmed at their
coming, and preparing with bows and arrows to fight them,
they durst not go on shore, but sailed on to the northward
six or seven hours, till they came to a great opening, by
which they perceived that the land they saw from our island
was not the main, but an island; upon entering that opening
of the sea, they saw another island on the right hand, north,
and several more west; and being resolved to land some-
where, they put over to one of the islands which lay west,
and went boldly on shore: that they found the people very
courteous and friendly to them; and that 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 anything 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
404
ADVENTURES OF
દ
people that lived almost every way, who, as they made
known by signs to them, used to eat men; but as for them.-
selves, they said they never ate men or women, except only
such as they took in the wars; and then, they owned, they
made a great feast, and ate their prisoners.
The Englishmen inquired when they had had a feast of that
kind; and they told them about two moons ago, pointing to
the moon, and to two fingers; and that their great king had
two hundred prisoners now, which he had taken in his war,
and they were feeding them to make them fat for the next
feast. The Englishmen seemed mighty desirous of seeing
those prisoners; but the others mistaking them, thought they
were desirous to have some of them to carry away for their
own eating: so they beckoned to them, pointing to the set-
ting of the sun, and then to the rising; which was to
signify that the next morning at sun-rising they would
bring some for them; and, accordingly, the next morning,
they brought down five women, and eleven men, and gave
them to the Englishmen, to carry with them on their voyage,
just as we would bring so many cows and oxen down to a
seaport town to victual a ship.
As brutish and barbarous as these fellows were at home,
their stomachs turned at this sight, and they did not know
what to do. To refuse the prisoners would have been the
highest affront to the savage gentry that could be offered
them, and what to do with them they knew not. However,
after some debate, they resolved to accept of them; and, in
return, they gave the savages that brought them one of their
hatchets, an old key, a knife, and six or seven of their
bullets; which, though they did not understand their use,
they seemed particularly pleased with; and then tying the
poor creatures' hands behind them, they dragged the pris-
oners into the boat for our men.
The Englishmen were obliged to come away as soon as
they had them, or else they that gave them this noble present
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
405
+
would certainly have expected that they should have gone
to work with them, have killed two or three of them the
next morning, and perhaps have invited the donors to din-
ner. But having taken their leave, with all the respect and
thanks that could well pass between people, where, on either
side, they understood not one word they could say, they put
off with their boat, and came back towards the first island;
where, when they arrived, they set eight of their pris-
oners at liberty, there being too many of them for their
occasion.
In their voyage, they endeavored to have some communi-
cation with their prisoners; but it was impossible to make
them understand anything; nothing they could say to them,
or give them, or do for them, but was looked upon as going
to murder them. They first of all unbound them; but the
poor creatures screamed at that, especially the women, as it
they had just felt the knife at their throats; for they imme-
diately concluded they were unbound on purpose to be
killed. If they gave them anything to eat, it was the same
thing; they then concluded it was for fear they should sink
in flesh, and so not be fat enough to kill. If they looked
at one of them more particularly, the party presently con-
cluded it was to see whether he or she was fattest, and
fittest to kill first; nay, after they had brought them quite
over, and begun to use them kindly, and treat them well,
still they expected every day to make a dinner or supper for
their new masters.
When the three wanderers had given this unaccountable
history or journal of their voyage, the Spaniard 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 up to beg some victuals for them, they (the
Spaniards) and the other two Englishmen, that is to say,
the whole colony, resolved to go all down to the place and
see them; and did so, and Friday's father with them.
406
ADVENTURES OF
When they came into the hut, there they sat all bound
for when they had brought them on shore, they bound their
hands, that they might not take the boat and make their
escape; there, I say, they sat, 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 four or five-and-twenty;
and the fifth, a tall comely maiden, about sixteen or seven-
teen.
The women were well-favored, agreeable persons,
both in shape and features, only tawny; and two of them,
had they been perfect white, would have passed for very
handsome women, even in London itself, having pleasant
agreeable countenances, and of a very modest behavior:
especially when they came afterwards to be clothed and
dressed, as they called it, though that dress was very indif-
ferent, it must be confessed; of which hereafter.
-
The sight, you may be sure, was something uncouth to
our Spaniards, who were, to give them a just character, men
of the best behavior, of the most calm, sedate tempers, and
perfect good humor, that ever I met with; and, in particular,
of the most modest, as will presently appear: I say, the
sight was very uncouth, to see three naked men and five
naked women, all together bound, and in the most miserable
circumstances that human nature could be supposed to be,
viz., to be expecting every moment to be dragged out, and
have their brains knocked out, and then to be eaten up like
a calf that is killed for a dainty.
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 knew none of them, neither could any of them under-
stand a word he said, or a sign he could make, except one
of the women. However, this was enough to answer the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
40.
•
end, which was to satisfy them that the men into whose
hands they were fallen were Christians; that they abhorred
eating men or women; and that, that they might be sure
they would not be killed. As soon as they were assured of
this, they discovered such a joy, and by such awkward ges-
tures, several ways, as is hard to describe; for, it seems,
they were of several nations.
The woman who was their interpreter was bid, in the
next place, to ask them if they were willing to be servants,
and to work for the men who had brought them away, to
save their lives; at which they all fell a dancing; and pres-
sently one fell to taking up this, and another that, anything
that lay next, to carry on their shoulders, to intimate that
they were willing to work.
The governor, who found that the having women 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 intended to use them, whether as scrvants or
as women? One of the Englishmen answered very boldy
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 disorders and quarrels among you, and I
desire it of you for that reason only, viz., that you will all
engage, that if any of you take any of these women, as a
woman or wife, that he shall take but one: and that having
taken one, none else shall touch her; for though we cannot
marry any one of you, yet it is but reasonable that while
you stay here, the woman any of you takes 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.
Then the Englishmen asked the Spaniards if they de
408
ADVENTURES OF
signed to take any of them? But every one of them an
swered no: some of them said they had wives in Spain, and
the others did not like women that were not Christians:
and all together declared that they would not touch one of
them: which was an instance of such virtue as I have not
met with in all my travels. On the other hand, to be short,
the five Englishmen took them every one a wife, that is to
eay, a temporary wife; and so they set up a new form of
living; for the Spaniards and Friday's father lived in my
old habitation, which they had' enlarged exceedingly within.
The three servants which were taken in the late battle of
the savages lived with them; and these carried on the main
part of the colony, supplied all the rest with food, and
assisted them in anything as they could, or as they found
necessity required.
But the wonder of the story was, how five such refractory,
ill-matched fellows should agree about these women, and
that two of them should not pitch upon the same woman,
especially secing two or three of them were, without com-
parison, more agreeable than the others: but they took a
good way enough to prevent quarrelling among themselves:
for they set the five women by themselves in one of their
huts, and they went all into the other hut, and drew lots
among them who should choose first,
He that drew to choose first went away by himself to the
hut where the poor naked creatures were, and fetched out
her he chose; and it was worth observing, that he that
chose first took her that was reckoned the homeliest and
oldest of the five, which made mirth enough among the
rest; and even the Spaniards laughed at it: but the fellow
considered better than any of them, that it was application
and business they were to expect assistance in, as much as
in anything else; and she proved the best wife of all the
parcel.
When the poor women saw themselves set in a row
✔

ROBINSON CRUSOE.
409
and fetched out one by one, the terrors of their condition
returned upon them again, and they firmly believed they
were now going to be devoured. Accordingly, when the
English sailor came in and fetched out one of them, the rest
set up a most lamentable cry, and hung about her, and took
their leave of her with such agonies and affection, as would
have grieved the hardest heart in the world; nor was it
possible for the Englishmen to satisfy them that they were
not to be immediately murdered, till they fetched the old
man, Friday's father, who immediately let them know that
the five men, who had fetched them out one by one, had
chosen them for their wives.
When they had done, and the fright the women were in
was a little over, the men went to work, and the Spaniards
came and helped them; and in a few hours they had built
them every one a new hut or tent for their lodging apart;
for those they had already were crowded with their tools,
household stuff, and provisions. The three wicked ones
had pitched farthest off, and the two honest ones nearer,
but both on the north shore of the island, so that they
continued separated as before; and thus my island was
peopled in three places; and, as I might say, three towns
were begun to be built.
And here it is very well worth observing, that, as it ofter
happens in the world (what the wise ends of God's provi-
dence are, in such a disposition of things, I cannot say), the
two honest fellows had the two worst wives; and the three
reprobates, that were scarce worth hanging, that were fit for
nothing, and neither seemed born to do themselves good,
nor any one else, had three clever, diligent, careful, and
ingenious wives: not that the first two were bad wives, as
to their temper and humor, for all the five were most willing,
quiet, passive, and subjected creatures, rather like slaves
than wives; but my meaning is, they were not alike, capa-
ble, ingenions, or industrious, or alike cleanly and neat.
35
410
ADVENTURES OF
Another observation I must make, to the honor of a dili
gent application, on one hand, and to the disgrace of a sloth-
ful, negligent, idle temper, on the other, that when I came
to the place, and viewed the several improvements, plant-
ings, and management of the several little colonies, the two
men had so far outgone the three, that there was no com-
parison. They had, indeed, both of them as much ground
laid out for corn as they wanted, and the reason was, be-
cause, according to my rule, nature dictated that it was to no
purpose to sow more corn than they wanted; but the differ-
ence of the cultivation, of the planting, of the fences, and,
indeed, of everything else, was easy to be seen at first
view.
The two men had innumerable young trees planted about
their huts, so that when you came to the place, nothing was
to be seen but wood: and though they had twice had their
plantation demolished, once by their own countrymen, and
once by the enemy, as shall be shown in its place, yet they
had restored all again, and everything was thriving and
flourishing about them: they had grapes planted in order,
and managed like a vineyard, though they had themselves
never seen anything of that kind; and by their good order-
ing their vines, their grapes were as good again as any of
the others. They had also found themselves out a retreat
in the thickest part of the woods; where, though there was
not a natural cave, as I had found, yet they made one with
incessant labor of their hands, and where, when the mischief
which followed happened, they secured their wives and
children, so as they could never be found; they having, by
sticking innumerable stakes and poles of the wood which, as
I said, grew so readily, made the grove unpassable, except in
some places where they climbed up to get over the outside
part, and then went on by ways of their own leaving.
As to the three reprobates, as I justly call them, though
they were much civilized by their settlement, compared to
{
?
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
41
what they were before, and were not so quarrelsome, having
not the same opportunity; yet one of the certain com-
panions of a profligate mind never left them, and that was
their idleness. It is true, they planted corn, and made
fences; but Solomon's words were never better verified
than in them, "I went by the vineyard of the slothful, and
it was all overgrown with thorns;" for when the Spaniards
came to view their crop, they could not see it in some
places for weeds, the hedge had several gaps in it, where the
wild goats had got in and eaten up the corn; perhaps here
and there a dead bush, was crammed in, to stop them out
for the present, but it was only shutting the stable-door
after the steed was stolen: whereas, when they looked on
the colony of the other two, there was the very face of in-
dustry and success upon all they did: there was not a weed
to be seen in all their corn, or a gap in any of their hedges;
and they, on the other hand, verified Solomen's words in
another place, "that the diligent hand maketh rich;" for
everything grew and thrived, and they had plenty within
and without; they had more tame cattle than the others,
more utensils and necessaries within doors, and yet more
pleasure and diversion too.
It is true, the wives of the three were very handy and
cleanly within doors, and having learned the English ways
of dressing and cooking from one of the other Englishmen,
who, as I said, was a cook's mate on board the ship, they
dressed their husbands' victuals very nicely and well;
whereas the others could not be brought to understand it:
but then the husband, who, as I say, had been cook's mate
did it himself. But as for the husbands of the three wives,
they loitered about, fetched turtles' eggs, and caught fish:
and birds; in a word, anything but labor, and they fared
accordingly. The diligent lived well and comfortably; and
the slothful lived hard and beggarly; and so, I believe,
generally speaking it is all over the world.
.
412
ADVENTURES OF
But I now come to a scene different from all that had hap
pened before either to them or to me; and the original o
the story was this: Early one morning, there came on shore
five or six canoes of Indians or savages, call them which you
please, and there is no room to doubt they came upon the
old errand of feeding upon their slaves; but that part was
now so familiar to the Spaniards, and to our men too, that
they did not concern themselves about it, as I did; but
having been made sensible by their experience, that their
only business was to lie concealed, and that if they were not
seen by any of the savages, they would go off again quietly,
when their business was done, having, as yet, not the least
notion of there being any inhabitants in the island; I say,
having been made sensible of this, they had nothing to do
but 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 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 either been so gorged with their
inhuman feast, that, like beasts, they were fallen asleep, and
would not stir when the others went, or they had wandered
into the woods, and did not come back in time to be
taken in.
The Spaniards were greatly
perfectly at a loss what to do.
happened, was with them, and
;
surprised at this sight, and
The Spanish governor, as i
his advice was asked, but he
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
411
professed he knew not what to do. As for slaves, they had
encugh already; and as to killing them, they were none of
them inclined to that: the Spanish governor told me, they
could not think of shedding innocent blood: for as to them,
the poor creatures had done them no wrong, invaded none of
their property, and they thought they had no just quarrel
against them, to take away their lives. And here I must, in
justice to these Spaniards, observe, that let the accounts of
Spanish cruelty in Mexico and Peru be what they will, I
never met with seventeen men of any nation whatsoever, in
any foreign country, who were so universally modest, tem-
perate, virtuous, so very good-humored, and so courteous,
as these Spaniards; and as to cruelty, they had nothing
of it in their very nature: no inhumanity, no barbarity, no
outrageous passions; and yet all of them men of great
courage and spirit. Their temper and calmness had ap-
peared in their bearing the insufferable usage of the three
Englishmen; and their justice and humanity appeared now
in the case of the savages, as above. After some consulta-
tion, they resolved upon this: that they would lie still a
while longer, till, if possible, these three men might be gone.
But then the governor Spaniard recollected, that the three
savages had no boat; and if they were left to rove about
the island, they would certainly discover that there were
inhabitants in it; and so they should be undone that way.
Upon this they went back again, and there lay the fellows
fast asleep still, and so they resolved to waken them, and
take them prisoners; and they did so. The poor fellows
were strangely frightened when they were seized upon and
bound; and afraid, like the women, that they should be
murdered and eaten for it seems those people think all the
world does as they do, eating men's flesh; but they were
soon made easy as to that, and away they carried them.
It was very happy for them that they did not carry them
home to their castle, I mean to my palace under the hill
35*
114
ADVENTURES OF
but they carried them first to the bower, where was the chief
of their country work, such as the keeping the goats, the
planting the corn, &c.; and afterwards they carried them to
the habitation of the two Englishmen.
Here they were set to work, though it was not much they
had for them to do; and whether it was by negligence in
guarding them, or that they thought the fellows could not
mend themselves, I know not, but one of them run away,
and taking to the woods, they could never hear of him any
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 days time. This
thought terrified them exceedingly; for they concluded, and
that not without good cause indeed, that if this fellow came
home safe among his comrades, he would certainly give
them an account that there were people in the island, and
also how few and weak they were: for this savage, as I
observed before, had never been told, and it was very happy
he had not, how many there were, or where they lived; nor
had he ever seen or heard the fire of any of their guns,
much less had they shown him any of their other retired
places; such as the cave in the valley, or the new retreat
which the two Englishmen had made, and the like.
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, 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 sunrise, 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 sc
much, for not a man of them would have escaped: but the
:
!
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
415
case differed now very much, for two men to fifty was too
ruch odds. The two men had the happiness to discover
them about a league off, so that it was above an hour before
they landed; and as they landed a mile from their huts, it
was some time before they could come at them. Now,
having great reason to believe that they were betrayed, the
first thing they did was to bind the two slaves which were
left, and caused 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 with them, to their retired places in
the woods, which I have spoken of above, and there to bind
the two fellows hand and foot, till they heard further.
In the next place, seeing the savages were all come on
shore, and that they had bent their course directly that way.
they opened the fences where the milch goats were kept,
and drove them all out; leaving their goats to straggle in
the woods, whither they pleased, that the savages might
think they were all bred wild; but the rogue who came
with them was too cunning for that, and gave them an
account of it all, for they went directly to the place.
When the two poor frightened 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 desire 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 heir
wives were sent; keeping at a distance, yet so that they
might see, if possible, which way the savages took.
They had not gone far, but that from a rising ground they
could see the little army of their enemies 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; for they had a very great loss
A
·
416
ADVENTURES OF
to them irretrievable, at least for some time. They kepʻ
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
of prey; and in particular for the people, of whom, now, it
plainly appeared they had intelligence.
The two Englishmen seeing this, thinking themselves not
secure where they stood, because it was likely some of the
wild people might come that way, and they might come too
many together, thought it proper to make another retreat
about half a mile farther; believing, as it afterwards hap-
pened, that the farther they strolled the fewer would be
together.
SECTION XXXVI.
SEVERAL SAVAGES KILLED; THE REMAINDER LEAVE THE ISLAND —- A
FLEET OF THEM AFTERWARDS ARRIVE-A GENELAL BATTLE - THE
SAVAGES ARE ÖVERCOME, AND TRANQUILLITY RESTORED.
THEIR 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, before two of the
savages appeared running directly that way, as if they
already had notice where they stood, and were coming up to
attack them; and a little way farther they espied three more
coming after them, and five more beyond them, all coming
the same way; besides which, they saw seven or eight more
at a distance, running another way; for, in a word, they ran
every way, like sportsmen beating for their game.
The poor men were now in great perplexity whether they

الله
Wit
thus
Anne
ATTACK ON THE SAVAGES.
Page 417.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
ܐ41
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 they were too many to deal with, then they would
get up to the top of the tree, from whence they doubted not
to defend themselves, fire excepted, as long as their ammu-
nition lasted, though all the savages that were landed, which
was 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 con-
firmed them also in this resolution, by turning a little from
them towards another part of the wood; but the three, and
the five after them, came forward directly to the tree, as if
they had known the Englishmen were there. Seeing them
come so straight toward 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; for
which purpose, the man who was to fire put three or four
small bullets into his piece; and having a fair loophole, as
it were, from a broken hole in the tree, he took a sure aim,
without being seen, waiting till they were within about
thirty yards of the tree, so that he could not miss.
While they were thus waiting, and the savages came on,
they plainly saw that one of the three was the runaway
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 to
418
ADVENTURES OF
}
good a marksman to miss his aim; for as the savages kept
near one another, a little behind, in a line, he fired, and hit
two of them directly: the foremost was killed 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 so
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 the 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 every sort
making a different noise, according to their kind; just as it
was when I fired the first gun that perhaps was ever shot off
in the island.
However, all being silent again, and they not knowing
what the matter was, came on unconcerned, till they came
to the place where their companions lay, in a condition.
miserable enough; and here the poor ignorant creatures
not sensible that they were within reach of the same mis-
chief, stood all of a huddle over the wounded man, talking,
and, as may be supposed, inquiring of him how he came to
be hurt; and who, it is very rational to believe, told them,
that a flash of fire first, and immediately after that thunder
from their gods, had killed those two and wounded him;
this, I say, is rational; for nothing is more certain than that,
as they saw no man near them, so they had never heard a
gun in all their lives, nor so much as heard of a gun;
neither knew they anything of killing and wounding at a
distance with fire and bullets: if they had, one might
"easonably believe they would not have stood so uncon
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
419
terned in viewing the fate of their fellows, without some
apprehensions of their own.
Our two men, though, as they confessed to me, it grieved
them to be obliged to kill so many poor creatures, who, at
the same time, had no notion of their danger; yet, having
them all thus in their power, and the first having loaded his
piece again, resolved to let fly both together among them;
and singling out, by agreement, which to aim 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.
:
The belief that the savages were all killed, made our two
men come boldly out from the tree before they had charged
their guns, which was a wrong step; and they were under some
surprise when they came to the place, and found no less than
four of them 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
Bavage, that had been the cause of all the mischief, and of
another that was hurt in the knee, and put them out of their
pain then the man that was hurt not at all came and kneeled
down to them, with his two 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. How-
ever, they made signs to him to sit down at the foot of a tree
hard by; and one of the Englishmen, with a piece of rope
twined, which he had by great chance in his pocket, tied his
two hands behind him, and there they left him: and with
what speed they could made after the other two, which were
gone before, fearing they, or any more of them, should find
the way to their covered place in the woods, where their
wives, and the few goods they had left, lay. They came once
in sight of the two men, but it was at a great distance; how-
420
ADVENTURES OF
ever, they had the satisfaction to see them cross over a valley
towards the sea, quite the contrary way from that which led
to their retreat, which they were afraid of; and being satis-
fied of that, they went back to the tree where they left their
prisoner, who, as they supposed, was delivered by his com-
rades, for he was gone, and the two pieces of rope-yarn, with
which they had bound him, lay just at the foot of the tree.
They were now in as great concern as before, not knowing
what course to take, or how near the enemy might be, or in
what numbers: so they resolved to go away to the place
where their wives were, to see if all was well there, and to
make them easy, who were in fright enough, to be sure; for
though the savages were their own countryfolk, yet they were
most terribly afraid of them, and perhaps the more for the
knowledge they had of them.
When they came there, they found the savages had been in
the wood, and very near that place, but had not found it: for
it was indeed inaccessible, by the trees standing so thick, as
before, unless the persons seeking it had been directed by
those that knew it, which these did not: they found, there-
fore, everything very safe, only the women in a terrible fright.
While they were here, they had the comfort to have seven of
the Spaniards come to their assistance: the other ten, wita
their servants, and old Friday, I mean Friday's father, were
gone in a body to defend their bower, and the corn and cat-
tle that was kept there, in case the savages should have roved
over to that side 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
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 the two others
who were left when the third ran away.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
421
L
The prisoners now began to be a burthen to them; and
they were so afraid of their escaping, that they were once
resolving to kill them all, believing they were under an abso-
lute necessity to do so for their own preservation. However,
the Spaniard governor would not consent to it; but ordered,
for the present, that they should be sent out of the way, to
my old cave in the valley, and be kept there, with two Span-
iards to guard them, and give them food for their subsistence,
which was done; and they were bound there hand and foot
for that night.
When the Spaniards came, the two Englishmen were so
encouraged, that they could not satisfy themselves to stay any
longer there; but taking five of the Spaniards and them-
selves, with four muskets and a pistol among them, and two
stout quarter-staves, away they went in quest of the savages.
And first they came to the tree where the men lay that had
been killed; but it was easy to see that some more of the
savages had been there, for they had attempted to carry their
dead men away, and had dragged two of them a good way,
but had given it over. From thence they advanced to the
first rising ground, where they had stood and seen their camp
destroyed, and where they had the mortification still to see
some of the smoke: but neither could they here see any of
the savages. They then resolved, though with all possible
caution, to go forward, towards their ruined plantation; but
a little before they came thither, coming in sight of the sea-
shore, they saw plainly the savages all embarked again in
their canoes, in order to be gone. They seemed sorry, at
first, that there was no way to come at them, to give them a
parting blow; but, upon the whole, they were very well
satisfied to be rid of them.
The poor Englishmen being now twice ruined, and all
their improvements destroyed, the rest all agreed to come and
help them to rebuild, and to assist them with needful sup-
plies. Their three countrymen, who were not yet noted for
36
422
ADVENTURES OF
naving the least inclination to do any good, yet as soon
as they heard of it (for they living remote eastward,
knew nothing of the matter till all was over), came and
offered their help and assistance, and did, very friendly, work
for several days, to restore their habitation, and make neces-
saries for them. And thus, in a little time, they were set
upon their legs again.
About two days after this, they had the further satisfaction
of seeing three of the savages' canoes come driving on shore,
and, at some distance from them, two drowned men; by
which they had reason to believe that they had met with a
storm at sea, which had overset some of them; for it had
blown very hard the night after they went off.
However, as some might miscarry, so, on the other hand,
enough of them escaped to inform the rest, as well of what
they had done as of what had happened to them, and to
whet them on to another enterprise of the same nature;
which they, it seems, resolved to attempt, with sufficient
force to carry all before them; for except what the first man
had told them of inhabitants, they could say little of it of
their own knowledge, for they never saw one man; and the
fellow being killed that had affirmed it, they had no other
witness to confirm it to them.
It was five or six months after this, before they heard any
more of the savages, in which time our men were in hopes
they had either forgot their former bad luck, or given over
hopes of better; when, on a sudden, they were invaded
with a most formidable fleet of no less than eight-and-twenty
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, in short, it put
all our people into the utmost consternation.
As they came on shore in the evening, and at the eastern-
most side of the island, our men had that night to consult
and consider what to do; and, in the first place, knowing
t
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
423
that their being entirely concealed was their only safety
before, and would be much more so now, while the number
of their enemies was so great, they therefore resolved, first
of all, to take down the huts which were built for the two
Englishmen, and drive away their goats to the old cave;
Decause they supposed the savages would go directly thither,
as soon as it was day, to play the old game over again,
though they did not now land within two leagues of it. In
the next place, they drove away all the flocks of goats they
had at the old bower, as I called it, which belonged to the
Spaniards; and, in short, left as little appearance of inhabitants
any where as was possible; and the next morning early they
posted themselves, with all their force, at the plantation of the
two men, to wait for their coming. As they guessed, so it hap-
pened; these new invaders leaving their canoes at the east
end of the island, came ranging along the shore, directly
towards the place, to the number of two hundred and fifty,
as near as our men could judge. Our army was but small,
indeed; but that which was worse, they had not arms for
all their number neither. The whole account, it seems,
stood thus; first, as to men, seventeen Spaniards, five
Englishmen, old Friday, or Friday's father, the three slaves
taken with the women, who proved very faithful, and three
other slaves, who lived with the Spaniards. To arm these,
they had eleven muskets, five pistols, three fowling-pieces,
five muskets or fowling-pieces which were taken by me from
the mutinous seamen whom I reduced, two swords, and three
old halberds.
To their slaves they did not give either musket or fusee,
but they had every one a halberd, or a long staff, like a
quarter-staff, with a great spike of iron fastened into each
end of it. and by his side a hatchet; also every one of our
men had a hatchet. Two of the women could not be pre-
vailed upon but they would come into the fight, and they
had bows and arrows, which the Spaniards had taken from
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ADVENTURES OF
the savages when the first action happened, which I have
spoken of, where the Indians fought with one another; and
the women had hatchets too.
The Spaniard governor, whom I described so often, com-
manded the whole and Will Atkins, who, though a dread-
ful fellow for wickedness, was a most daring, bold fellow,
commanded 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 retreat as nimble as he could round a part of the
wood, and so come in behind the Spaniards, where they
stood, having a thicket of trees before them.
When the savages came on, they ran straggling about
every way in heaps, out of all manner of order, and Will
Atkins let about fifty of them pass by him; then seeing the
rest come in a very thick throng, he orders three of his men
to fire, having loaded their muskets with six or seven bullets
a piece, about as big as large pistol-bullets. How many
they killed or wounded they knew not, but the consterna-
tion and surprise was inexpressible among the savages; they
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 middle of their fright, Will
Atkins and his other three let fly again 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 immediately, as
soon as they had fired, as they were ordered to do, or had
the rest of the body been at hand, to have poured in their
shot continually, the savages had been effectually routed;
for the terror that was among them came principally from
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
42.
-
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, discovered the cheat;
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 above
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.
Our men being thus hard laid at, Atkins wounded, and
two other men killed, retreated to a rising ground in the
wood; and the Spaniards, after 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 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, were made
outrageous by their wounds, and fought like madmen.
When our men retreated, they left the Spaniard and the
Englishman that were killed behind them; and the savages,
when they came up to them, killed them over again in a
wretched manner, breaking their arms, legs, and heads, with
their clubs and wooden swords, like true savages; but find-
ing our men were gone, they did not seem to pursue them,
but drew themselves up in a ring, which is, it seems, their
custom, and shouted twice, in token of their victory; after
which, they had the mortification to see several of their
wounded men fall, dying with the mere loss of blood.
The Spaniard governor having drawn his little body up
together upon a rising ground, Atkins, though he was
36*
126
ADVENTURES OF
1
wounded, would have had them march and charge again a.
together at once: but the Spaniard replied, Senhor Atkins,
you see how their wounded men fight; let them alone till
morning; all the wounded men will be stiff and sore with
their wounds, and faint with the loss of blood; and so we
shall have the fewer to engage. This advice was good; but
Will Atkins replied merrily, That is true, senhor, and so
shall I too; and that is the reason I would go on while I
am warm. Well, Senhor Atkins, says the Spaniard, you
have behaved gallantly, and done your part: we will fight
for you, if you cannot come on; but I think it best to stay
till morning; so they waited.
But as it was a clear moonlight night, and they found
the savages in great disorder about their dead and wounded
men, and a great noise and hurry among them where they
lay, they afterwards resolved to fall upon them in the night;
especially if they could come to give them but one volley
before they were discovered, which they had a fair opportu-
nity to do; for one of the Englishmen, in whose quarter
it was where the fight began, led them around between the
woods and the seaside westward, and then 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 execution upon them; in
half a minute more, eight others fired after them, pouring in
their small shot in such quantity, that abundance were killed
and wounded; and all this while they were not able to see
who hurt them, or which way to fly.
The Spaniards charged again with the utmost expedition,
and then divided themselves in three bodies, and resolved to
fall in among them all together. They had in each body
eight persons, that is to say, twenty-two and the two
women, who, by the way, fought desperately. They divided
the fire-arms equally in each party, and so the halberds and
staves. They would have had the women kept back, but
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
427
they said they were resolved to die with the husbands.
Having thus formed their little army, they marched out from
among the trees, and came up to the teeth of the enemy, shout-
ing and hallooing as loud as they could: the savages stood
altogether, but were in the utmost confusion, hearing the
noise of our men shouting from three quarters together :
they would have fought if they had seen us; for 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 among them three ways, and then fell in with the butt-
ends of their muskets, their swords, armed staves, and
hatchets, and laid about them so well, that in a word, they
set up a dismal screaming and howling, flying to save their
lives which way soever they could.
Our men were tired with the execution, and killed or
mortally 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 fear and nimble feet could help them to: and as we
did not trouble ourselves much to pursue them, they got all
together to the seaside where they landed, and where their
canoes lay. But their disasters were not at an end yet; for
it blew a terrible storm of wind that evening from the sea,
so that it was impossible for them to go off; nay, the storm
continuing all night, when the tide came up, their canoes
were most of them driven by the surge of the sea so high
upon the shore, that it required infinite toil to get them off;
and some of them were even dashed to pieces against the
beach, or against one another.
Our men, though glad of their victory, yet got little rest
that night; but having refreshed themselves as well as they
could, they resolved to march to that part of the island,
where the savages were fled, and see what posture they were
in. This necessarily led them over the place where the
428
ADVENTURES OF
fight had been, and where they found several of the poor
creatures not quite dead, and yet past recovering life; a
sight disagreeable enough to generous minds; for a truly
great man, though obliged by the law of battle to destroy
his enemy, takes no delight in his misery. However, there
was no need to give any orders in this case; for their own
savages, who were their servants, dispatched these poor
creatures with their hatchets.
At length, they came in view of the place where the more
miserable remains of the savages' army lay, where there
appeared about a hundred still: their posture was generally
sitting upon the ground, with their knees up towards their
mouth, and the head put between the two hands, leaning
down upon the knees.
When our men 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 still in heart to fight, or were so heartily beaten
as to be dispirited and discouraged, and so he might manage
accordingly. This stratagem took; for as soon as the
savages heard the first gun and saw the flash of the second,
they started up upon their feet in the greatest consternation
imaginable and as our men advanced swiftly toward them,
they all ran screaming and yelling away, with a kind of
howling noise, which our men did not understand, and had
had never heard before: and thus they ran up the hills into
the country.
:
At first our men had much rather the weather had been
calm, and they had all gone away to sea; but they did not
then consider that this might probably have been the occa-
sion of their coming again in such multitudes as not to be
resisted, or, at least, to come so many, and so often, as
would quite desolate the island, and starve them. Will
Atkins therefore, who, notwithstanding his wound, kept
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
420
always with them, proved the best counseller in this case:
his advice was, to take the advantage that offered, and clap
in between them and their boats, and so deprive them of the
capacity of ever returning any more to plague the island.
They consulted long about this; and some were against.
it, for fear of making the wretches fly to the woods and live
there desperate, and so they should have them to hunt like
wild beasts, be afraid to stir out about their business, and
have their plantation continually rifled, all their tame goats
destroyed, and, in short, be reduced to a life of continual
distress.
Will Atkins told them they had better have to do with a
hundred men than with a hundred nations: that as they
must destroy their boats, so they must destroy the men, or
be all of them destroyed themselves. In a word, he showed
them the necessity of it so plainly, that they all came into
it 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 running out of the woods, and coming as near
as they could to our men, kneeled down and cried, "Oa,
Oa, Waramokoa," and some other words of their language,
which none of the others understood anything of; but as
they made pitiful gestures and strange noises, it was easy to
understand they begged to have their boats spared, and that
they would be gone, and never come there again. But our
men were now satisfied that they had no way to preserve
themselves, or to save their colony, but effectually to prevent
any of these people from ever going home again: depending
upon this, that if even so much as one of them got back
into their country to tell the story, the colony was undone:
so that, letting them know that they should not have any
430
ADVENTURES OF
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, in a
word, our men did not really know at first what to do with
them. Nor did the Spaniards, with all their prudence, con-
sider, that while they made those people thus desperate,
they ought to have kept a good guard at the same time upon
their plantations; for though, it is true, they had driven
away their cattle, and the Indians did not find out their
main retreat, I mean my old castle at the hill, nor the cave
in the valley, yet they found out my plantation at the bower,
and pulled it all to pieces, and all the fences and planting
about it; trod all the corn under foot, tore up the vines and
grapes, being just then almost ripe, and did our men an
inestimable damage, though to themselves not one farthing's
worth of service.
Though our men were able to fight them upon all occa-
sions, yet they were in no condition to pursue them, or
hunt them up and down; for as they were too nimble of
foot for our men, when they found them single, so our men
durst not go abroad single for fear of being surrounded with
their numbers. The best was, they had no weapons; for
though they had bows, they had no arrows left, nor any ma-
terials to make any; nor had they any edge tool or weapon
among them.
The extremity and distress they were reduced to was
great and indeed deplorable; but, at the same time, our
men were also brought to very bad circumstances by them: for
though their retreats were preserved, yet their provision was
destroyed, and their harvest spoiled; and what to do, or which
way to turn themselves, they knew not. The only refuge
they had now was, the stock of cattle they had in the valley
by the cave, and some little corn which grew there, and the
I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
421
plantation of the three Englishmen, Will Atkins and his
comrades, who were now reduced to two; one of them
being killed by an arrow, which struck him on the side of
his head, just under the temples, so that he never spoke
more and it was very remarkable, that this was the same
barbarous fellow that cut the poor savage slave with his
hatchet, and who afterwards intended to have murdered the
Spaniards.
I looked upon their case to have been worse at this time
than mine was at any time, after I first discovered the grains
of barley and rice, and got into the manner of planting and
raising my corn, and my tame cattle for now they had, as I
may say, a hundred wolves upon the island, which would
devour everything they could come at, yet could be hardly
come at themselves.
:
When they saw what their circumstances were, the first
thing they concluded was, that they would if possible, drive
them up to the farther part of the island, south-west, that if
any more savages came on shore they might not find one
another then they would daily hunt and harass them, and
kill as many of them as they could come at, till they had
reduced their number; and if they could at last tame them,
and bring them to anything, they would give them corn, and
teach them how to plant, and live upon their daily labor.
In order to do this, they so followed them, and so terrified
them with their guns, that in a few days, if any of them
fired a gun at an Indian, if he did not hit him, yet he would
fall down for fear; and so dreadfully frightened they were,
that they kept out of sight farther and farther; till, at last,
our men following them, and almost every day killing or
wounding some of them, they kept up in the woods or hol-
low places so much, that it reduced them to the utmost
misery for want of food; and many were afterwards found dead
in the woods, without any hurt, absolutely starved to death.
When our men found this, it made their hearts relent, and
!
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ADVENTURES OF
;
pity moved them, especially the Spanish governor, who
was the most gentleman-like, generous-minded man that I
ever met with in 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 go
among them, and see if they might be brought to some con-
ditions that might be depended upon, to save their lives and
do us no harm.
It was some while 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
part of the island to live in, provided they would give satis-
faction that they would keep in their own bounds and not
come beyond it to injure or prejudice others; and that 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, 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,
with three Indian slaves and old Friday, marched to the
place where they were. The three Indians slaves carried
them a large quantity of bread, 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
433
their provisions 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 directions, they never
came out of their bounds: and there they lived when I came
to the island, and I went to see them.
They had taught them both to plant corn, make bread,
breed tame goats, and milk them: they wanted nothing but
wives, and they soon would have been a nation. They were
confined to a neck of land, surrounded with high rocks
behind them, and lying plain towards the sea before them,
on the south-east corner of the island. They had land
enough, and it was very good and fruitful; about a mile and
a half broad, and three or four miles in length.
Our men taught them to make wooden spades, such as I
made for myself, and gave among them twelve hatchets and
three or four knives; and there they lived, the most sub-
jected innocent creatures that ever were heard of.
After this, the colony enjoyed a perfect tranquillity with
respect to the savages till I came ovisit them, which was
about two years after; not but that, now and then, some
canoes of savages came on shore for their triumphal, un-
natural feasts; but as they were of several nations, and
perhaps had never heard of those that came before, or the
reason of it, they did not make any search or inquiry after
their countrymen; and if they had, it would have been very
hard to have found them out.
gi
Thus, i think, I have given a full account of all that hap-
pened to them till my return, at least, that was worth notice.
The Indians or savages were wonderfully civilized by them,
and they frequently went among them; but forbade, on
pain of death, any one of the Indians coming to them,
because they would not have their settlement betrayed
again. One thing was very remarkable, viz., that they
taught the savages to make wicker-work, or baskets, but
they soon outdid their masters; for they made abundance of
37
434
ADVENTURES OF
must ingenious things in wicker-work, particularly all sorts
of baskets, sieves, bird-cages, cupboards, &c.; as also chairs
to sit on, stools, beds, couches, and abundance of other
things, being very ingenious at such work, when they were
once put in the way of it.
My coming was a particular relief to these peopie, because
we furnished them with knives, scissors, spades, shovels,
pick-axes, and all things of that kind which they could
want. With the help of those tools they were so very
handy, that they came at last to build up their huts, or
houses, very handsomely, raddling or working it up like
basket-work all the way round: which was a very extraor-
dinary piece of ingenuity, and looked very odd, but was an
exceeding good fence, as well against heat as against all
sorts of vermin; and our men were so taken with it, that
they got the wild savages to come and do the like for them;
so that when I came to see the two Englishmen's colonies,
they looked, at a distance, as if they all lived like bees in a
hive. As for Will Atkins, who was now become a very
industrious, useful, and sober fellow, he had made himself
such a tent of basket-work as, I believe, was never seen it
was one hundred and twenty paces round on the outside, as
I measured by my steps; the walls were as close worked as
a basket, in panels or squares of thirty-two in number, and
very strong, standing about seven feet high; in the middle
was another not above twenty-two paces round, but built
stronger, being octagon in its form, and in the eight corners
stood eight very strong posts; round the top of which he
laid strong pieces, pinned together with wooden pins, from
which he raised a pyramid for a roof of eight rafters, very
handsome, I assure you, and joined together very well,
though he had no nails, and only a few iron spikes, which
he made himself too, out of the old iron that I left there;
and, indeed, this fellow showed abundance of ingenuity in
several things which he had no knowledge of: he made hin
象
​;
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
435
a forge, with a pair of wooden bellows to olow the fire; ne
made himself charcoal for his work; and he formed out of
the iron crows a middling good anvil to hammer upon: in
this manner he made many things, but especially hooks,
staples and spikes, bolts and hinges.-But, to return to the
house. After he had pitched the roof of his innermost tent,
he worked it up between the rafters with basket-work, so
firm, and thatched that over again so ingeniously with rice-
straw, and over that a large leaf of a tree, which covered
the top, that his house was as dry as if it had been entiled
or slated. Indeed, he owned that the savages had made the
basket-work for him. The outer circuit was covered as a
lean-to, all round this inner apartment, and long rafters lay
from the thirty-two angles to the top posts of the inner
house, being about twenty feet distant; so that there was a
space like a walk within the outer wicker wall and without
the inner, near twenty feet wide.
The inner place he partitioned off with the same wicker-
work, but much fairer, and divided into six apartments, so
that he had six rooms on a floor, and out of every one of
these there was a door; first into the entry, or coming into
the main tent, another door into the main tent, and another
door into the space or walk that was round it; so that walk
was also divided into six equal parts, which served not only
for a retreat, but to store up any necessaries which the family
had occasion for. These six spaces not taking up the whole
circumference, what other apartments the outer circle had
were thus ordered:
As soon as you were in at the door of
the outer circle, you had a short passage straight before you
to the door of the inner house; but on either side was a
wicker partition, and a door in it, by which you went first
into a large room or storehouse, twenty feet wide, and about
thirty feet long, and through that into another, not quite so
long so that in the outer circle were ten handsome rooms,
six of which were only to be come at through the apart
J
136
ADVENTURES OF
$
1
ments of the inner tent, and served as closets or retiring
rooms to the respective chambers of the inner circle; and
four large warehouses, or barns, or what you please to cal.
them, which went through one another, two on either hand
of the passage that led through the outer door to the inner
tent.
Such a piece of basket-work, I believe, was never seen in
the world, nor a house or tent so neatly contrived, much less
so built. In this great bee-hive lived the three families, that
is to say, Will Atkins and his companion; the third was
killed, but his wife remained, with three children, for she
was, it seems, big with child when he died; and the other
two were not at all backward to give the widow her full
share of every thing, I mean as to their corn, milk, grapes,
&c., and when they killed a kid, or found a turtle on the
shore; so that they all lived well enough; though, it was
true, they were not so industrious as the other two, as has
been observed already.
One thing, however, cannot be omitted, viz., that, as for
religion, I do not know that there was anything of that
kind among them: they often, indeed, put one another in
mind that there was a God, by the very common method of
scamen, viz., swearing by his name; nor were their poor
ignorant savage wives much better for having been married
to Christians, as we must call them; for as they knew very
little of God themselves, so they were utterly incapable of
entering into any discourse with their wives about a God, or
to talk anything to them concerning religion.
The utmost of all the improvement which I can say the
wives had made from them was, that they had taught them
to speak English pretty well; and most of their children,
which were near twenty in all, were taught to speak English
too, from their first learning to speak, though they at first
spoke it in a very broken manner, like their mothers. There
was none of these child n above six years old when I came
I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
437
thitner, for it was not much above seven years tha they had
fetched these five savage ladies over; but they had all been
pretty fruitful, for they had all children, more or less; I
think the cook's mate's wife was big of her sixth child; and
the mothers were all a good sort of well-governed, quict,
laborious women, modest and decent, helpful to one another,
mighty observant and subject to their masters (I cannot call
them husbands), and wanted nothing but to be well instructed
in the Christian religion, and to be legally married; both
which were happily brought about afterwards by my means
or, at least, in consequence of my coming among them.
S
SECTION XXXVII.
ROBINSON LEARNS FROM THE SPANIARDS THE DIFFICULTIES THEY HAD
TO ENCOUNTER HE FURNISHES THE PEOPLE WITH TOOLS, ETC.-
THE FRENCH ECCLESIASTIC.
HAVING thus given an account of the colony in general,
and pretty much of my runagate English, I must say some-
thing of the Spaniards, who were the main body of the
family, and in whose story there are some incidents also
remarkable enough.
I had a great many discourses with them about their cir-
cumstances when they were among the savages. They told
me readily that they had no instances to give of their appli-
cation or ingenuity in that country; that they were a poor,
miserable, dejected handful of people; that if means had
been put into their hands, yet they had so abandoned them-
selves to despair, and so sunk under the weight of their
misfortunes, that they thought of nothing but starving
One of them, a grave and sensible man, told me he was con-
37*
138
ADVENTURES OF
vinced they were in the wrong; that it was not the part o
wise men to give themselves up to their misery, but always
o take hold of the helps which reason offered, as well for
present support as for future deliverance: he told me that
grief was the most senseless insignificant passion in the
world, for that it regarded only things past, which were
generally impossible to be recalled, or to be remedied, but
had no views of things to come, and had no share in any-
thing that looked like deliverance, but rather added to the
affliction than proposed a remedy; and upon this he repeated
a Spanish proverb, which though I cannot repeat in just the
same words that he spoke it in, yet I remember I made it
into an English proverb of my own, thus:
In trouble to be troubled,
Is to have your trouble doubled.
He ran on then in remarks upon all the little improve-
ments I had made in my solitude; my unwearied applica-
tion, as he called it; and how I had made a condition which
in its circumstances was at first much worse than theirs, a
thousand times more happy than theirs was, even now when
they were all together. He told me it was remarkable that
Englishmen had a greater presence of mind, in their dis-
tress, than any people that he ever met with: that their un-
happy nation and the Portuguese were, the worst men in the
world to struggle with misfortunes; for that their first step
in dangers, after the common efforts were over, was to
despair, lie down under it, and die, without rousing their
thoughts up to proper remedies for escape.
I told him their case and mine differed exceedingly; that
they were cast upon the shore without necessaries, without
supply of food, or present sustenance till they could provide
it; that, it was true, I had this disadvantage and discom-
fort, that I was alone; but then the supplies I had provi
dentially thrown into my hands, by the unexpected driving
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
439
of the ship on shore, was such a help as would have en-
couraged any creature in the world to have applied himself
as I had done. Senhor, says the Spaniard, had we poor
Spaniards been in your case, we should never have got half
those things out of the ship, as you did: nay, says he, we
should never have found means to have got a raft to carry
them, or to have got the raft on shore without boat or sail
and how much less should we have done if any of us had
been alone! Well, I desired him to abate his compliment,
and go on with the history of their coming on shore, where
they landed. He told me they unhappily landed at a place
where there were people without provisions; whereas, had
they had the common sense to have put off to sea again,
and gone to another island a little farther, they had found
provisions, though without people; there being an island
that way, as they had been told, where there were provisions,
though no people; that is to say, that the Spaniards of
Trinidad had frequently been there, and had filled the island
with goats and hogs at several times, where they had bred
in such multitudes, and where turtle and seafowls were in
such plenty, that they could have been in no want of flesh,
though they had found no bread; whereas here, they were
only sustained with a few roots and herbs, which they un-
derstood not, and which had no substance in them, and
which the inhabitants gave them sparingly enough: and
who could treat them no better, unless they would turn
cannibals, and eat men's flesh, which was the great dainty of
their country.
They gave me an account how many ways they strove to
vilize the savages they were with, and to teach them
rational customs in the ordinary way of living, but in vain;
and how they retorted it upon them, as unjust, that they,
who came there for assistance and support, should attempt
to set up for instructors of those that gave them food;
intimating, it seems, that none should set up for the
i
2.
440
ADVENTURES OF
C
instructors of others but those who could live withou
them.
They gave me dismal accounts of the extremities they
were driven to; how sometimes they were many days with-
out any food at all, the island they were upon being in-
habited by a sort of savages that lived more indolent, and
for that reason were less supplied with the necessaries of
life, than they had reason to believe others were in the same
part of the world; and yet they found that these savages
were less ravenous and voracious than those who had better
supplies of food. Also they added, they could not but sce
with what demonstrations of wisdom and goodness the gov-
erning providence of God directs the events of things in the
world; which, they said, appeared in their circumstances;
for if, pressed by the hardships they were under, and the
barrenness of the country where they were, they had
searched after a better to live in, they had then been out of
the way of the relief that happened to them by my means.
They then gave me an account how the savages whom
they lived among expected them to go out with them into
their wars; and, it was true, that as they had fire arms with
them, had they not had the disaster to lose their ammuni-
tion, they should have been serviceable not only to their
friends, but have made themselves terrible both to friends
and enemies; but being without powder and shot, and yet
in a condition that they could not in reason deny to go out
with their landlords to their wars, so when they came into
the field of battle, they were in a worse condition than the
savages themselves: for they had neither bows nor arrows,
nor could they use those the savages gave them; so they
could do nothing but stand still, and be wounded with
arrows, till they came up to the teeth of their enemy; and
then indeed, the three halberds they had were of use to
them; and they would often drive a whole little army before
them with those halberds, and sharpened sticks put into the
B
-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
441
1
muzzles of their muskets: but that, for all this, they were
sometimes surrounded with multitudes, and in great danger
from their arrows, till at last they found the way to make
themselves large targets of wood, which they covered with
skins of wild beasts, whose names they knew not, and
these covered them from the arrows of the savages: yet,
notwithstanding these, they were sometimes in great dan-
ger; and five of them were once knocked down together
with the clubs of the savages, which was the time when one
of them was taken prisoner, that is to say, the Spaniard
whom I had relieved: that at first they thought he had been
killed; but when they afterwards heard he was taken pris-
oner, they were under the greatest grief imaginable, and
would willingly have all ventured their lives to have rescued
him.
They told me that when they were so knocked down, the
rest of their company rescued them, and stood over them
fighting till they were come to themselves, all but him who
they thought had been dead; and then they made their way
with their halberds and pieces, standing close together in a&
line, through a body of above a thousand savages, beating
down all that came in their way, got the victory over their
enemies, but to their great sorrow, because it was with the
loss of their friend, whom the other party, finding him alive.
carried off, with some others, as I gave an account before.
They described most affectionately how, they were sur-
prised with joy at the return of their friend and companion
in misery, who, they thought, had been devoured by wild
beasts of the worst kind, viz., by wild men; and yet how
more and more they were surprised with the account he gave
them of his errand, and that there was a Christian in any
place near, much more one that was able, and had humanity
enough, to contribute to their deliverance.
They described how they were astonished at the sight of
the relief I sent them, and at the appearance of loaves of
$
$42
ADVENTURES OF
bread, things they had not seen since their coming to that
miserable place: how often they crossed it and blessed it as
bread sent from Heaven; and what a reviving cordial it was
to their spirits to taste it, as also the other things I had sent
for their supply; and, after all, they would have told me
something of the joy they were in at the sight of a boat
and pilots, to carry them away to the person and place from
whence all these new comforts came, but it was impossible to
express it by words, for their excessive joy naturally driving
them to unbecoming extravagances, they had no way to
describe them, but by telling me they bordered upon lunacy,
having no way to give vent to their passions suitable to the
sense that was upon them; that in some it worked one way,
and in some another; and that some of them, through a
surprise of joy, would burst into tears, others be stark mad,
and others immediately faint. This discourse extremely
affected me, and called to my mind Friday's ecstasy when
he met his father, and the poor people's ecstacy when I took
them up at sea after their ship was on fire; the joy of the
mate of the ship when he found himself delivered in the
place where he expected to perish; and my own joy, when,
after twenty-eight years' captivity, I found a good ship
ready to carry me to my own country. All these things
made me more sensible of the relation of these poor men,
and more affected with it.
Having thus given a view of the state of things as I
found them, I must relate the heads of what I did for these
people, and the condition in which I left them. It was their
opinion, and mine, too, that they would be troubled no more
with the savages, or, if they were, they would be able to
cut them off, if they were twice as many as before; so they
had no concern about that. Then I entered into a serious
discourse with the Spaniard, whom I call 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
J
leave others, who, perhaps, would be unwilling to stay if
their strength was diminished. On the other hand, I told
them I came to establish them there, not to remove them:
and then I let them know that I had brought with me relief
of sundry kinds for them; that I had been at a great charge
to supply them with all things 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 in want.
They were all together when I talked thus to them; and
before I delivered to them the stores I had brought, I asked
them, one by one, if they had entirely forgot and buried the
first animosities that had been among them, and would shake
nands with one another, and engage in a strict friendship
and union of interest, that so there might be no more mis-
understandings and jealousies
Will Atkins, with abundance of frankness and good-humor,
said, they had met with affliction enough to make them all
sober, and enemies enough to make them all friends; that,
for his part, he would live and die with them; and was so
far from designing anything against the Spaniards, that he
owned they had done nothing to him but what his own mad
humor made necessary, and what he would have done, and
perhaps worse, in their case; and that he would ask them
pardon, if I desired it, for the foolish and brutish things he
had done to them, and was very willing and desirous of
living in terms of entire friendship and union with them,
and would do anything that lay in his power to convince
them of it: and as for going to England, he cared not if he
did not go thither these twenty years.
The Spaniards said they had, indeed, at first disarmed and
excluded Will Atkins and his two countrymen for their ill
conduct, as they had let me know, and they appealed to me
444
ADVENTURES OF
for the necessity they were under to do so; but that Will
Atkins had behaved 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 concerned 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 they had testified their satisfaction in him, by commit-
ting the command to him, next to the governor himself; and
as they had entire confidence in him, and all his country-
men, 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 embraced the occasion
of giving me this assurance, that they would never have any
interest separate from one another.
2
Upon these frank and open declarations of friendship, we
appointed the next day to dine all together; and, indeed,
we made a splendid feast. I caused the ship's cook and his
mate to come on shore and dress our dinner, and the old
cook's mate we had on shore assisted. We brought on shore
six pieces of good beef, and four pieces of pork, out of the
ship's provision, with our punchbowl, and materials to fill
it; and, in particular, I gave them ten bottles of French
claret, and ten bottles of English beer: things that neither
the Spaniards nor the English had tasted for many years, and
which, it may be supposed, they were very glad of. The
Spaniards added to our feast five whole kids, which the cooke
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, at which we were very innocently merry,
I brought out my cargo of goods: wherein that there might
be no dispute about dividing, I showed them that there was
a sufficiency for them all, desiring that they might all take
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
445
an equal quantity of the goods that were for wearing that
is to say, equal when made up. As, first, I distributed linen
sufficient to make every one of them four shirts, and, at the
Spaniard's request, afterwards made them 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 English thin stuffs, which I men-
tioned 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: the like for 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. They told me I was a father to them; and that hav-
ing such a correspondent as I was in so remote a part of the
world, it would make them forget that they were left in a
desolate place; and they all voluntarily engaged to me not
to leave the place without my consent.
Then I presented to them the people I had brought with
me, particularly the tailor, the smith, and the two carpen-
ters, all of them most necessary people; but, above all, my
general artificer, than whom they could not name anything
that was more useful to them: and the tailor, to show his
concern for them, went to work immediately, and, with my
leave, made them every one a shirt, the first thing he did;
and, which was still more, he taught the women not only
how to sew and stitch, and use the needle, but made them
assist to make the shirts for their husbands, and for all the rest.
As to the carpenters, I scarce need mention how useful
they were; for they took to peices all my clumsy, unhandy
things, and made them clever convenient tables, stools, bed-
steads, cupboards, lockers, shelves, and everything they
wanted of that kind. But, to let them see how nature made
¿
38
446
ADVENTURES OF
artificers at first, I carried the carpenter to see Will Atkins's
basket-house, as I called it: and they both owned they
never saw an instance of such natural ingenuity before, nor
anything so regular and so handily built, at least of its kind:
and one of them, when he saw it, after musing a good while,
turning about to me, I am sure, says he, that man has no
need of us; you need do nothing but give him tools.
Then I brought them out all my store cf 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 broken or worn out, they should
be supplied, without grudging, out of the general stores that
I left behind. Nails, staples, hinges, hammers, chisels,
knives, scissors, and all sorts of iron-work, they had with-
ɔut tale, as they required: for no man would take more than
ne wanted, and he must be a fool that would waste or spoil
them on any account whatever; and, for the use of the
smith, I left two tons of unwrought iron for a supply.
My magazine of powder and arms which I brought them
was such, even to profusion, that they could not but rejoice.
at them for now they could march as I used to do, with a
musket upon each shoulder, if there was occasion; and were
able to fight a thousand savages, if they had but some little
advantages of situation, which also they could not miss, it
they had occasion.
I carried on shore with me the young man whose mother
was starved to death, and the maid also; she was a sober,
well educated, religious young woman, and behaved so inof-
fensively, that every one gave her a good word; she had,
indeed, an unhappy life with us, there being no woman in
the ship but herself, but she bore it with patience. 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
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
447
for taking so long a voyage; I say, considering all this, both
of them came to me, and desired I would give them leave t
remain on the island, and be entered among my family, as
they called it. I agreed to this readily; and they had a
little plot of ground allotted to them, where they had three
tents or houses set up, surrounded with a basket-work, pal-
lisadoed like Atkins's, adjoining to his plantation. Their
tents were contrived so that they had each of them a room
apart to lodge in, and a middle tent, like a great store-house,
to lay their goods in, and to eat and drink in. And now the
other two Englishmen removed their habitation to the same
place; and so the island was divided into three colonies, and
no more, viz., the Spaniards, with old Friday, and the first
servants, at my old habitation under the hill, which was, in
a word, the capital city; and where they had so enlarged
and extended their works, as well under as on the outside of
the hill, that they lived, though perfectly concealed, yet full
at large. Never was there such a little city in a wood, and
so hid, in any part of the world: for I verily believe a
thousand men might have ranged the island a month, and, if
they had not known there was such a thing, and looked on
purpose for it, they would not have found it; for the trees
stood so thick and so close, and grew so fast-woven one into
another, that nothing but cutting them down first could dis-
cover the place, except the only two narrow entrances where
they went in and out could be found, which was not very
easy: one of them was close down at the water's edge, on
the side of the creek, and it was afterwards above two hun-
dred yards to the place; and the other was up a ladder at
twice, as I have already formally described it; and they had
also a large wood thick-planted on the top of the hill, con-
taining above an acre, which grew apace, and concealed the
place from all discovery there, with only one narrow place be-
tween two trees, not easily to be discovered, to enter or
that side.
;L
448
ADVENTURES OF
The other colony was that of Will Atkins, where there
were four families of Englishmen, I mean those I had left
there, with their wives and children; three savages that
were slaves; the widow and the children of the Englishman
that was killed; the young man and the maid; and, by the
way, we made a wife of her before we went away. There
was also the two carpenters and the tailor, whom I brought
with me for them; also the smith, who was a very necessary
man to them, especially as a gunsmith, to take care of their
arms; and my other man, whom I called Jack-of-all-trades,
who was in himself as good almost as twenty men; for he
was not only a very ingenious fellow, but a very merry
fellow; and before I went away we married him to the
nonest maid that came with the youth in the ship I men-
tioned before.
And now I speak of marrying, it brings me naturally to
say something of the French ecclesiastic that I had brought
with me out of the ship's crew whom I took up at sea. It
is true, this man was a Roman, and perhaps it may give
offence to some hereafter, if I leave anything extraordinary
upon record of a man whom, before I begin, I must (to set
him out in just colors) represent in terms very much to his dis-
advantage, in the account of Protestants: as, first, that he
was a Papist; secondly, a Popish priest; and thirdly, a
French Popish priest. But justice demands of me to give
him a due character; and I must say, he was a grave, sober,
pious, and most religious person; exact in his life, extensive
in his charity, and exemplary in almost everything he did.
What then can any one say against being very sensible of.
the value of such a man, notwithstanding his profession?
though it may be my opinion, perhaps, as well as the opinion
of others who shall read this, that he was mistaken.
The first hour that. I began to converse with him after he
had agreed to go with me to the East Indies, I found reason
to delight exceedingly in his conversation; and he first began
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
449
with me about religion in the most obliging manner imagina-
ble. Sir, says he, you have not only under God (and at that
ne crossed his breast) saved my life, but you have admitted
me to go this voyage in your ship, and by your obliging
civility have taken me into your family, giving me an opportu-
nity of free conversation. Now, sir, you see by my habit what
my profession is, and I guess by your nation what yours is;
I may think it is my duty, and doubtless it is so, to use my
utmost endeavors, on all occasions, to bring all the souls I
can to the knowledge of the truth, and to embrace the Cath-
olic doctrine; but as I am here under your permission, and
in your family, I am bound, in justice to your kindness, as
well as in decency and good manners, to be under your gov-
ernment; and therefore I shall not, without your leave, enter
into any debate on the points of religion in which we may
not agree, farther than you shall give me leave.
I told him his carriage was so modest, that I could not
but acknowledge it; that it was true, we were such people as
they called heretics, but that he was not the first Catholic I
nad conversed with without falling into inconveniences, or
carrying the questions to any height in debate; that he
should not find himself the worse used for being of a different
opinion from us; and if we did not converse without any
dislike on either side, it should be his fault, not ours.
He replied, that he thought all our conversation might be
easily separated from disputes; that it was not his business
to cap principles with every man he conversed with; and
that he rather desired me to converse with him as a gentle-
man than as a religionist; and that, if I would give him leave
at any time to discourse upon religious subjects, he would
readily comply with it, and that he did not doubt but I
would allow him also to defend his own opinions as well as
he could; but that, without my leave, he would not break
in upon me with any such thing. He told me farther, that
he would not cease to do all that became him, in his office
38*
450
ADVENTURES OF
as a priest as well as a private Christian, to procure the goog
of the ship, and the safety of all that was in her; and though,
perhaps, we would not join with him, and he could not pray
with us, he hoped he might pray for us, which he would do
upon all occasions.
In this manner we conversed; and, as
he was of the most obliging, gentleman-like behavior, so he
was, if I may be allowed to say so, a man of good sense,
and, as I believe, of great learning.
He gave me a most diverting account of his life, and of
the many extraordinary events of it; of many adventures
which had befallen him in the few years that he had been
abroad in the world; and particularly this was very remark-
able, viz., that in the voyage he was now engaged in, he had
the misfortune to be five times shipped and unshipped, and
never to go to the place whither any of the ships he was in
were at first designed. That his first intent was to have
gone to Martinico, and that he went on board a ship bound
thither at St. Malo; but, being forced into Lisbon by bad
weather, the ship received some damage by running aground
in the mouth of the river Tagus, and was obliged to unload
her cargo there; but finding a Portuguese ship there bound
to the Madeiras, and ready to sail, and supposing he should
easily meet with a vessel there bound to Martinico, he went
on board, in order to sail to the Madeiras; but the master
of the Portuguese ship, being but an indifferent mariner,
had been out of his reckoning, and they drove to Fayal;
where, however, he happened to find a very good market for
his cargo, which was corn, and therefore resolved not to go
to the Madeiras, but to load salt at the isle of May, and to
go away to Newfoundland. He had no remedy in this
exigence but to go with the ship, and had a pretty good
voyage as far as the Banks (so they call the place where
they catch the fish); where, meeting with a French ship
bound from France to Quebec, in the river of Canada, and
from thence to Martinico, to carry provisions, he thought he
k
ROBINSON CRUSOE
451
should have an opportunity to complete his first design; but
when he came to Quebec the master of the ship died, and
the vessel proceeded no farther so the next voyage he
shipped himself for France, in the ship that was burned
when we took them up at sea; and then shipped with us
for the East Indies, as I have already said. Thus he had
been disappointed in five voyages, all, as I may call it, in
one voyage, besides what I shall have occasion to mention
farther of the same person.
But I shall not make digression into other men's stories,
which have no relation to my own: I return to what con-
cerns our affairs in the island.
SECTION XXXVIII.
ROBINSON'S DISCOURSE WITH THE ECCLESIASTIC AS TO INTRODUCING
MARRIAGES AMONG THE PEOPLE-MARRIAGES PERFORMED — ATKINS
CONVERTS HIS WIFE.
He came to me one morning, for he lodged among us all
the while we were upon the island, and it happened to be
just when I was going to visit the Englishmen's colony, at
the farthest part of the island; I say, he came to me, and
told me with a very grave countenance, that he had for two
or three days desired an opportunity of some discourse with
me, which he hoped would not be displeasing to me, because
he thought it might in some measure correspond with my
general design, which was, the prosperity of my new colony,
and perhaps might put it, at least more than he thought it
was, in the way of God's blessing.
I looked a little surprised at the last part of his discourse,
and turning a little short, How, sir, said I, can it be said
452
ADVENTURES OF
·
that we are not in the way of God's blessing, after such
visible assistances and wonderful deliverances as we have
seen here, and of which I have given you a large account?
- If you had pleased, sir, said he, with a world of modesty,
and yet with great readiness, to have heard me, you would
have found no room to be displeased, much less to think so
hard of me, that I should suggest that you have not had
wonderful assistances and deliverances; and I hope, on your
behalf, that you are in the way of God's blessing, as your
design is exceeding good, and will prosper: but, sir, though
it were more so than is even possible to you, yet there may
be some among you that are not equally right in their
actions; and you know, that in the story of the children of
Israel, one Achan in the camp removed God's blessing from
them, and turned his hand so against them, that six-and-
thirty of them, though not concerned in the crinte, were the
objects of divine vengeance, and bore the weight of that
punishment.
I was sensibly touched with his discourse, and told him
his inference was so just, and the whole design seemed so
sincere, and was really so religious in its own nature, that I
was very sorry I had interrupted him, and begged him to go
on and in the mean time, because it seemed that what we
had both to say might take up some time, I told him I was
going to the Englishmen's plantations, and asked him to go
with me, and we might discourse of it by the way. He
told me he would the more willingly wait on me thither,
because there partly the thing was acted which he desired to
speak to me about; so we walked on, and I pressed him to
be free and plain with me in what he had to say.
Why then, sir, says he, be pleased to give me leave to lay
down a few propositions, as the foundation to what I have
to say, that we may not differ in the general principles,
though we may be of some differing opinions in the practice
of particulars. First, sir, though we differ in some of the
G
}
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
463
doctrinal articles of religion, and it is very unhappy it is so,
especially in the case before us, as I shall show afterwards,
yet there are some general principles in which we both agree,
viz., that there is a God; and that this God having given us
some stated general rules for our service and obedience, we
ought not willingly and knowingly to offend him, either by
neglecting to do what he has commanded, or by doing what
he has expressly forbidden; and let our different religions.
be what they will, this general principle is readily owned by
all, that the blessing of God does not ordinarily follow pre-
sumptuous sinning against his command; and every good
Christian will be affectionately concerned to prevent any that
are under his care living in a total neglect of God and his
commands. It is not your men being Protestants, whatever
my opinion may be of such, that discharges me from being
concerned for their souls, and from endeavoring, if it lies.
before me, that they should live in as little distance from
enmity with their Maker as possible, especially if you give
me leave to meddle so far in your circuit.
I could not yet imagine what he aimed at, and told him
I granted all he had said, and thanked him that he would
so far concern himself for us; and begged he would explain
the particulars of what he had observed, that, like Joshua,
to take his own parable, I might put away the accursed thing
from us.
Why then, sir, says he, I will take the liberty you give
me; and there are three things, which, if I am right, must
stand in the way of God's blessing upon your endeavors
here, and which I should rejoice, for your sake, and their
own, to see removed: and, sir, I promise myself that you
will fully agree with me in them all, as soon as I name
them; especially because I shall convince you that every
one of them may, with great ease, and very much to your
satisfaction, be remedied. First, sir, says he, you have here
our Englishmen, who have fetched women from among the
454
ADVENTURES OF
savages, and have taken them as their wives, and have had
many children by them all, and yet are not married to them
after any stated, legal manner, as the laws of God and man
require; and therefore are yet, in the sense of both, no lese
than fornicators, if not living in adultery. To this, sir, 1
know you will object that there was no clergyman or priest
of any kind, or of any profession, to perform the ceremony;
nor any pen and ink, or paper, to write down a contract of
marriage, and have it signed between them: and I know
also, sir, what the Spaniard governor has told you, I mean,
of the agreement that he obliged them to make when they
took those women, viz., that they should choose them out
by consent, and keep separately to them, which, by the way,
is nothing of a marriage, no agreement with the women, as
wives, but only an agreement among themselves, to keep
them from quarrelling. But, sir, the essence of the sacra-
ment of matrimony (so he called it, being a Roman) consists
not only in the mutual consent of the parties to take one
another as man and wife, but in the formal and legal obliga-
tion that there is in the contract, to compel the man and
woman, at all times to own and acknowledge each other;
obliging the man to abstain from all other women, to engage
in no other contract while these subsist, and, on all occa-
sions, as ability allows, to provide honestly for them and
their children; and to oblige the women to the same, or like
conditions, mutatis mutandis, on their side. Now, sir, says
he, these men may when they please or when occasion pre-
sents, abandon these women, disown their children, leave
them to perish, and take other women, and marry them
while these are living and here he added, with some
warmth, How, sir, is God honored in this unlawful liberty?
and how shall a blessing succeed your endeavors in this
place, however good in themselves, and however sincere in
your design, while these men, who at present are your sub-
:
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
455
jects, under your absolute government and dominion, are
allowed by you to live in open adultery?
I confess I was struck with the thing itself, but muci
more with the convincing arguments he supported it with;
for it was certainly true, that though they had no clergyman
upon the spot, yet a formal contract on both sides, made
before witnesses and confirmed by any token which they had
all agreed to be bound by, though it had been but breaking
a stick between them, engaging the men to own these women
for their wives upon all occasions, and never to abandon
them or their children, and the women to the same with
their husbands, had been an effectual lawful marriage in the
sight of God; and it was a great neglect that it was not
done. But I thought to have got off my young priest by
telling him that all that part was done when I was not here;
and they had lived so many years with them now, that if it
was adultery, it was past remedy; they could do nothing in
it now.
Sir, says he, asking your pardon for such freedom, you
are right in this, that, it being done in your absence, you
could not be charged with that part of the crime; but, I
beseech you, flatter not yourself that you are not therefore
under an obligation to do your utmost now to put an end to
it. How can you think but that, let the time past lie on
whom it will, all the guilt, for the future, will lie entirely
upon you? because it is certainly in your power now to
put an end to it, and in nobody's power but yours.
I was so dull still, that I did not take him right; but I
imagined that, by putting an end to it, he meant that I'
should part them, and not suffer them to live together any
longer; and I said to him I could not do that, by any
means, for that it would put the whole island into confusion.
He seemed surprised that I should so far mistake him. No,
sir, says he, I do not mean that you should now separate
1
456
ADVENTURES OF
them, but legally and effectually marry them now; and as,
sir, my way of marrying them may not be easy to reconcile
them to, though it will be effectual, even by your own laws,
so your way may be as well before God, and as valid among
men; I mean, by a written contract signed by both man and
woman, and by all the witnesses present, which all the laws
of Europe would decree to be valid.
<
I was amazed to see so much true piety, and so much sin-
cerity of zeal, besides the unusual impartiality in his discourse
as to his own party or church, and such true warmth for
preserving the people that he had no knowledge of or re-
lation to; I say, for preserving them from transgressing the
laws of God, the like of which I had indeed not met with
any where but, recollecting what he had said of marrying
them by a written contract, which I knew he would stand
to, I returned it back upon him, and told him, I granted all
that he had said to be just, and on his part very kind; that
I would discourse with the men upon the point now, when I
came to them; and I knew no reason why they should scru-
ple to let him marry them all, which I knew well enough
would be granted to be as authentic and valid in England as
if they were married by one of our own clergymen. What
was afterwards done in this matter I shall speak of by it-
self.
<
I then pressed him to tell me what was the second com-
plaint which he had to make, acknowledging that I was very
much his debtor for the first, and thanked him heartily for
it. He told me he would use the same freedom and plain-
ness in the second, and hoped I would take it as well; and
this was, that notwithstanding these English subjects of
mine, as he called them, had lived with those women for
almost seven years, had taught them to speak English, and
even to read it, and that they were, as he perceived, women
of tolerable understanding, and capable of instruction, yet
they had not, to this hour, taught them anything of the
✓
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
457
Christian religion, no, not so much as to know that there
was a God, or a worship, or in what manner God was to be
served; or that their own idolatry, and worshipping they
knew not whom, was false and absurd. This, he said, was
an unaccountable neglect, and what God would certainly call
them to account for, and perhaps, at last, take the work out
of their hands he spoke this very affectionately and
warmly. I am persuaded, says he, had those men lived in
the savage country whence their wives came, the savages
would have taken more pains to have brought them to be
idolaters, and to worship the devil, than any of these men,
so far as I can see, have taken with them to teach them the
knowledge of the true God. Now, sir, said he, though I do
not acknowledge your religion, or you mine, yet we would
be glad to see the devil's servants, and the subjects of his
kingdom, taught to know the general principles of the
Christian religion: that they might, at least, hear of God,
and a Redeemer, and of the resurrection, and of a future
state, things which we all believe; they would have, at
least, been so much nearer coming into the bosom of the
true church than they are now, in the public profession of
idolatry and devil-worship.
Middle
I could hold no longer; I took him in my arms, and
embraced him with an excess of passion. How far, said I
to him, have I been from understanding the most essential
part of a Christian? viz., to love the interest of the Christian
church, and the good of other men's souls: I scarce have
known what belongs to the being of a Christian. O, sir,
do not say so, replied he; this thing is not your fault.
No, said I; but why did I never lay it to heart as well as
you? — It is not too late yet, said he; be not too forward
to condemn yourself. — But what can be done now? said I;
you see I am going away. Will you give me leave to talk
with these poor men about it? Yes, with all my heart,
said I; and will oblige them to give heed to what you say
39
458
ADVENTURES OF
too. As to that, said he, we must leave them to the mercy
of Christ; but it is your business to assist them, encourage
them, and instruct them; and if you give me leave, and God
his blessing, I do not doubt but the poor ignorant souls shall
be brought home to the great circle of Christianity, if not
into the particular faith we all embrace, and that even while
you stay here. Upon this I said, I shall not only give you
leave, but give you a thousand thanks for it. What fol-
lowed on this account I shall mention also again in its
place.
I now pressed him for the third article in which we were
to blame. Why, really, says he, it is of the same nature;
and I will proceed, asking your leave, with the same plain-
ness as before; it is about your poor savages, 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,, The Christian
knowledge ought to be propagated by all possible means,
and upon all possible occasions. It is on this principle that
our church sends missionaries into Persia, India, 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 barbarians, to teach them
the knowledge of the true God, and to bring them over to
embrace the Christian faith. Now, sir, you have such an
opportunity here to have six or seven and thirty poor sav-
ages brought over from idolatry to the knowledge of God
their Maker and Redeemer, that I wonder how you can pass
such an occasion of doing good, which is really worth the
expense of a man's whole life.
I was now struck dumb, indeed, and had not one word te
say. I had here a spirit of true Christian zeal for God and
religion before me, let his particular principles he of what
kind soever as for me, I had not so much as entertained a
thought of this in my heart before, and I believe I should
Mandela,
th
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
45)
not have thought of it; for I looked upon these savages as
laves, and people whom, had we any work for them to do,
we would have used as such, or would have been glad to
have transported them to any other part of the world: for
our business was to get rid of them; and we would all have
been satisfied if they had been sent to any country, so they
had never seen their own. But to the case; -I
I say, I was
confounded at his discourse, and knew not what answer to
make him.
Ad
He looked earnestly at me, seeing me in some disorder
Sir, says he, I shall be very sorry if what I have said gives
you any offence.
- No, no, said I, I am offended with no-
body but myself; but I am perfectly confounded, not only.
to think that I should never take any notice of this before,
but with reflecting what notice I am able to take of it now.
You know, sir, said I, what circumstances I am in; I am
bound to the East Indies in a ship freighted by merchants,
and to whom it would be an insufferable piece of injustice
to detain their ship here, the men lying all this while at
victuals and wages on the owners' account. It is true, I
agreed to be allowed twelve days here, and if I stay more, I
must pay three pounds sterling per diem demurrage; nor
can I stay upon demurrage above eight days more, and I
have been here thirteen already; so that I am perfectly un-
able to engage in this work, unless I would suffer myself to
be left behind here again; in which case, if this single ship
should miscarry in any part of her voyage, I should be just
in the same condition that I was left in here, at first, and
from which I have been so wonderfully delivered. He
owned the case was very hard upon me, as to my voyage;
but laid it home upon my conscience, whether the blessing
of saving thirty-seven souls was not worth venturing all I
had in the world for. I was not so sensible of that as he
was. I returned upon him thus: Why, sir, it is a valuable
thing, indred, to be an instrument in God's hand to convert
460
ADVENTURES OF
:
thirty-seven heathens to the knowledge of Christ; but as
you are an ecclesiastic, and are given over to the work, so
that it seems so naturally to fall into the way of your pro-
fession, how is it then that you do not rather offer yourself
to undertake it, than press me to do it?
Upon this he faced about just before me, as he walked
along, and putting me to a full stop, made me a very low
bow. I most heartily thank God and you, sir, said 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 under-
take it, I will most readily do it, and think it a happy
reward for all the hazards and difficulties of such a broken,
disappointed voyage as I have met with, that I am dropped
at last into so glorious a work.
I discovered a kind of rapture in his face while he spoke
this to me; his eyes sparkled like fire, his face glowed, and
his color came and went, as if he had been falling into fits;
in a word, he was fired with the joy of being embarked in
such a work. I paused a considerable while before I could
tell what to say to him; for I was really surprised to find a
man of such sincerity and zeal, and carried out in his zeal
beyond the ordinary rate of men, not of his profession only,
but even of any professsion whatsoever. But after I had
considered it awhile, I asked him seriously if he was in
earnest, and that he would venture, on the single considera-
tion 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 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? - 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 con-
*ert these thirty-seven men to the faith of Jesus Christ, it is
•
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
461
not worth my time, though I should never be fetched off the
island again? Nay, is it not infinitely of more worth to
save so many souls than my life is, or the life of twenty
more of the same profession? Yes, sir, says 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 those poor men, though I were never to set my foot
off this island, or see my native country any more. But
since you will honor me with putting me into this work, for
which I will pray for you all the days of my life, I have one
humble petition to you besides. What is that? said I.
Why, says 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 touched at his requesting Friday, because I
could not think of parting with him, and that for many
reasons he had been the companion of my travels; he was
not only faithful to me, but sincerely affectionate to the last
degree; and I had resolved to do something considerable
for him if he outlived me, as it was probable he would.
Then I knew that as I had bred Friday up to be a Protestant,
it would quite confound him to bring him to embrace another
profession; and he would never, while his eyes were open,
believe that his old master was a heretic, and would be
damned; and this might, in the end, ruin the poor fellow's
principles, and so turn him back again to his first idolatry.
However, a sudden thought relieved me in this strait, and it
was this: I told him I could not say that I was willing to
part with Friday on any account whatever, though a work
that to him 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 agree to part with me; and I could not force
aim to it without his consent, without manifest injustice;
462
ADVENTURES OF
because I had promised I would never put him away, and
he had promised and engaged to me that he would never
leave me unless I put him away.
He seemed very much concerned at it, for he had no
rational access to these poor people, seeing 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 I found he also understood, and
he should serve him as an interpreter. So he was much
better satisfied, and nothing could persuade him but he
would stay and endeavor to convert them; but Providence
gave another very happy turn to all this.
I come back now to the first part of his objections. When
we came to the Englishmen, I sent for them altogether, 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 distributed, which they were very sensible of,
and very thankful for, I began to talk to them of the
very scandalous life they led, and gave them a full account
of the notice the clergyman had taken of it; and arguing
how unchristian and irreligious a life it was, I first asked
them if they were married men or bachelors? They soon
explained their conditions to me, and showed that two of
them were widowers, and the other three were single men or
bachelors. I asked them with what conscience they could
take those women, and lie with them as they had done, call
them their wives, and have so many children by them, and
not be lawfully married to them?
They all gave me the answer I expected, viz., that there
was nobody to marry them; that they agreed before the
governor to keep them as their wives, and to maintain them
and own them as their wives; and they thought, as things
stood with them, they were as legally married as if they
had been married by a parson, and with all the formalities
in the world.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
463
I told them that no doubt they were married in the sigh*
of God, and were bound in conscience to keep them as their
wives; but that the laws of men being otherwise, they
might desert the poor women and children hereafter; and
that their wives being poor desolate women, friendless and
moneyless, would have no way to help themselves. I there-
fore told them that, unless I was assured of their honest
intent, I could do nothing for them, but would take care
that what I did should be for the women and children with-
out them; and that, unless they would give me some
assurances that they would marry the women, I could not
think it was convenient they should continue together as
man and wife; for it was both scandalous to men and offen-
sive to God, who they could not think would bless them if
they went on thus.
Maja
All this went on as I expected; and they told me,
especially Will Atkins, who now seemed 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 chil-
dren, as any women could possibly do; and they would not
part with them on any account: and Will Atkins, for his
own particular, added, that if any man would take him
away, and offer to carry him home to England, and make
him captain of the best man-of-war in the navy, he would
not go with him, if he might not carry his wife and children
with him; and if there was a clergyman in the ship, he
would be married to her now with all his heart.
This was just as I would have it: the priest was not with
me at that moment, but was not far of; so, to try him
farther, I told him I had a clergyman with me, and, if he
was sincere, I would have him married next morning, and
bade him consider of it, and talk with the rest. He said,
464
ADVENTURES OF
as for himself, he need not consider of it at all, for he was
very ready to do it, and was glad I had a minister with me,
and he believed they would be all willing also. I then told
him that my friend, the minister, was a Frenchman, and
could not speak English, but I would act the clerk between
them. He never so much as asked me whether he was a
Papist or Protestant, which was indeed what I was afraid
of; so we parted: I went back to my clergyman, and Will
Atkins went in to talk with his companions. I desired the
French gentleman not to say anything to them till the busi-
ness was thorough ripe and I told him what answer the
men had given me.
:
Before I went from their quarter, they all came to me, and
told me they had been considering what I had said; that
they were glad to hear I had a clergyman in my company,
and they were very willing to give me the satisfaction I
desired, and to be formally married as soon as I pleased; for
they were far from desiring to part with their wives, and
that they meant nothing but what was very honest when they
chose them. So I appointed them to meet me the next
morning, and, in the mean time, they should let their wives
know the meaning of the marriage law; and that it was not
only to prevent any scandal, but also to oblige them that
they should not forsake them, whatever might happen.
The women were easily made sensible of the meaning of
the thing, and were very well satisfied with it, as indeed
they had reason to be: so they failed not to attend altogether
at my apartment next morning, where I brought out my
clergyman; 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 vest, something
like a cassock, with a sash round it, he did not look very
unlike a minister; and as for his language, I was his inter-
preter. But the seriousness of his behavior to them, and
the scruples he made of marrying the women because they
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
}
460
were not baptized and professed Christians, gave them an
exceeding reverence for his person: and there was no need,
after that, to inquire whether he was a clergyman or not.
Indeed, I was afraid his scruples would have been carried sc
far, as that he would not have married them at all; nay,
notwithstanding all I was able to say to him, he resisted me,
though modestly, yet very steadily and at last refused abso-
lutely to marry them, unless he had first talked with the
men and the women too; and though I at first was a little
backward to it, yet at last I agreed to it with a good will,
perceiving the sincerity of his design.
When he came to them, he let them know that I had
acquainted him with their circumstances, and with the present.
design; that he was very willing to perform that part of his
function, and marry them, as I had desired; but that, before
he could do it, he must take the liberty to talk with them.
He told them, that in the sight of all indifferent men, and
in the sense of the laws of society, they had lived all this
while in open fornication; and that it was true, that nothing
but the consenting to marry, or effectually separating them
from one another, could now put an end to it; but there
was a difficulty in it too, with respect to the laws of Christiar
matrimony, which he was not fully satisfied about, viz., that
of marrying one that is a professed Christian to a savage, an
idolater and a heathen, one that is not baptized; and yet
that he did not see that there was time left to endeavor to
persuade the women to be baptized, or to profess the name
of Christ, whom they had, he doubted, heard nothing of,
and without which they could not be baptized. He told
them he doubted they were but indifferent Christians them-
selves; that they had but little knowledge of God or of hist
ways, and therefore he could not expect that they had said
much to their wives on that head yet; but that, unless they
would promise him to use their endeavors with their wives
to persuade them to become Christians, and would, as wel
#
466
ADVENTURES OF
as they could, instruct them in the knowledge and belief of
God that made them, and to worship Jesus Christ that
redeemed them, he could not marry them; for he would
have no hand in joining Christians with savages; nor was
it consistent with the principles of the Christian religion,
and was indeed expressly forbidden in God's law.
They heard all this very attentively, and I delivered it very
faithfully to them from his mouth, as near his own words as
I could; only sometimes adding something of my own, to
convince them how just it was, and how I was of his mind:
and I always very faithfully distinguished between what I
said from myself, and what were the clergyman's words.
They told me it was very true what the gentleman said, that
they were very indifferent Christians themselves, and that they
had never talked to their wives about religion. Lord, sir,
says Will Atkins, how should we teach them religion? why,
we know nothing ourselves; and besides, sir, said he, should
we talk to them of God and Jesus Christ, and heaven and
hell, it would make them laugh at us, and ask us what we
believe ourselves. And if we should tell them that we
believe all the things we speak of to them, such as of good
people going to heaven, and wicked people to the devil, they
would ask us where we intend to go ourselves, that believe
all this, and are such wicked fellows as we indeed arc. Why,
sir, 'tis enough to give them a surfeit of religion at first.
hearing; folks must have some religion themselves before
they pretend to teach other people.-Will Atkins, said I to
him, though I am afraid that what you say has too much
truth in it, yet can you not tell your wife that she is in the
wrong; that there is a God, and a religion better than her
own; that her gods are idols; that they can neither hear
nor speak; that there is a great Being that made all things,
and that can destroy all that he has made; that he rewards
the good and punishes the bad; and that we are to be
judged by him at last for all we do here? You are not so
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
467
ignorant, but even nature itself will teach you that all this
is true; and I am satisfied you know it all to be true, and
Delieve it yourself. That is true, sir, said Atkins; but with
what face can I say anything to my wife of all this, when she
will tell me immediately it cannot be true?-Not true! said
I; what do you mean by that? Why, sir, said he, she
will tell me it cannot be true that this God I shall tell her
of can be just, or can punish or reward, since I am not
punished and sent to the devil, that have been such a
wicked creature as she knows I have been, even to her, and
to every body else; and that I should be suffered to live,
that have been always acting so contrary to what I must tell
her is good, and to what I ought to have done. Why,
truly, Atkins, said I, I am afraid thou speakest too much
truth; and with that I informed the clergymen of what
Atkins had said, for he was impatient to know. O, said the
priest, tell him there is one thing will make him the best
minister in the world to his wife, and that is, repentance;
for none teach repentance like true penitents. He wants
nothing but to repent, and then he will be so much the bet-
ter qualified to instruct his wife; he will then be able to tell
her that there is not only a God, and that he is the just re-
warder of good and evil, but that he is a merciful Being, and
with infinite goodness and long-suffering forbears to punish
those that offend; waiting to be gracious, and willing not
the death of a sinner, but rather that he should return and
live that oftentimes he suffers wicked men to go a long
time, and even reserves damnation to the general day of
retribution that it is a clear evidence of God and of a fu-
ture state, that righteous men receive not their reward, or
wicked men their punishment, till they come into another
world; and this will lead him to teach his wife the doctrine
of the resurrection and of the last judgment. Let him but
repent for himself, he will be an excellent preacher of re-
pentance to his wife.
:
:
S
ܝ
468
ADVENTURES OF
{
I repeated all this to Atkins, who looked very serious al.
the while, and who, we could easily perceive, was more than
ordinarily affected with it: when, being eager, and hardly
suffering me to make an end I know all this master, says
he, and a great deal more; but I have not the impudence to
talk thus to my wife, when God and my conscience know,
and my wife will be an undeniable evidence against me, that
I have lived as if I had never heard of a God or a future
state, or anything about it; and to talk of my repenting,
alas! (and with that he fetched a deep sigh, and I could see
that the tears stood in his eyes) 'tis past all that with me.
Past it, Atkins? said I; what dost thou mean by that?
I know well enough what I mean, says he; I mean 'tis too
late, and that is too true.
j
I told the clergyman, word for word, what he said: the
poor zealous priest, I must call him so, for, be his opinion
what it will, he had certainly a most singular affection for
the good of other men's souls, and it would be hard to think
he had not the like for his own?—I say, this affectionate
man could not refrain from tears; but, recovering himself,
said to me, Ask him but one question: Is he easy that it is
too late; or is he troubled, and wishes it were not so? I
put the question fairly to Atkins; and he answered, with a
great deal of passion, How could any man be easy in a
condition that must certainly end in eternal destruction?
that he was far from being easy; but that, on the contrary,
he believed it would, one time or other, ruin him. What do
you mean by that? said I. Why, he said, he believed he
should one time or other cut his throat, to put an end to the
terror of it.
The clergyman shook his head with great concern in his
face, when I told him all this; but turning quick to me
upon it, says, If that be his case, we may assure him it is
not too late; Christ will give him repentance. But pray,
says he, explain this to him; that as no man is saved but
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
469
by Christ, and the merit of his passion procuring divine
mercy for him, how can it be too late for any man to receive
mercy? Does he think he is able to sin beyond the power or
reach of divine mercy? Pray tell him, there may be a time
when provoked mercy will no longer strive, and when God
may refuse to hear, but that it is never too late for men to
ask mercy; and we, that are Christ's servants, are com-
manded to preach mercy at all times, in the name of Jesus
Christ, to all those that sincerely repent: so that it is never
too late to repent.
I told Atkins all this, and he heard me with great earnest-
ness; but it seemed as if he turned off the discourse to the
rest, for he said to me, he would go and have some talk with
his wife; so he went out awhile, and we talked to the rest.
I perceived they were all stupidly ignorant as to matters of
religion, as much as I was when I went rambling away from
my father; and yet there were none of them backward to
hear what had been said: and all of them seriously promised
that they would talk with their wives about it, and do their
endeavors to persuade them to turn Christians.
The clergyman smiled upon me when I reported what
answer they gave, but said nothing a good while'; but at
last, shaking his head, We that are Christ's servants, says
he, can go no farther than to exhort and instruct; and when
men comply, submit to the reproof, and promise what we
ask, 'tis all we can do; we are bound to accept their good
words; but, believe me, sir, said he, whatever you may have
known of the life of that man you call Will Atkins, I believe
he is the only sincere convert among them: I take that man
to be a true penitent; I will not despair of the rest; but
that man is apparently struck with the sense of his past life,
and I doubt not, when he comes to talk of religion to his
wife, he will talk himself effectually into it; for attempting
to teach others is some times. the best way of teaching our-
selves. I know a man, who, having nothing but a summary
*
40
470
ADVENTURES OF
notion of religion himself, and being wicked and profligate
to the last degree in his life, made a thorough reformation in
himself by laboring to convert a Jew. If that poor Atkins
begins but once to talk seriously of Jesus Christ to his wife,
my life for it, he talks himself into a thorough convert,
makes himself a penitent; and who knows what may
follow?
Upon this discourse, however, and their promising, as
above, to endeavor to persuade their wives to embrace
Christianity, he married the other two couple; but Will
Atkins and his wife were not yet come in. After this, my
clergyman waiting awhile, was curious to know where
Atkins was gone: and turning to me, said, I entreat you,
sir, let us walk out of your labyrinth here, and look; I dare
say we shall find this poor man somewhere or other talking
seriously to his wife, and teaching her already something of
religion. I began to be of the same mind; so we went out
together, and I carried him a way which none knew but my-
self, and where the trees were so very thick 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 wife sitting under the
shade of a bush, very cager in discourse: I stopped short
till my clergyman came up to me, and then having showed
him where they were, we stood and looked very steadily at
them a good while. We observed him very earnest with
her, pointing up to the sun, and to every quarter of the
heavens, and then down to the earth, then out to the sea,
then to himself, then to her, to the woods, to the trees.
Now, says the clergyman, you see my words are made good,
the man preaches to her; 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 upon
nis feet fall down on his knees, and lift up both his hands
1

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Page 470
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
471
We supposed he said something, but we could not hear him:
it was too far for that. He did not continue kneeling half a
minute, but comes and sits down by his wife, and talks to
Ler again; we perceived then the woman very attentive, but
whether she said anything to him, we could not tell. While
the poor fellow was upon his knees, I could see the tears run
plentifully down my clergyman's cheeks, and I could hardly
forbear myself; but it was a great affliction to us both that
we were not near enough to hear anything that passed
between them. Well, however, we could come no nearer,
for fear of disturbing them; so we resolved to see an end to
this piece of still conversation, and it spoke loud enough to
us without the help of voice. He sat down again, as I have
said close by her, and talked again earnestly to her, and
two or three times we could see him embrace her most pas-
sionately; another time we saw him take out his handker-
chief and wipe her eyes, and then kiss her again, with a
kind of transport very unusual; and after several of these
things, we saw him on a sudden jump up again, and lend
her his hand to help her up, when immediately leading
her by the hand a step or two, they both kneeled down
together, and continued so about two minutes.
My friend could bear it no longer, but cries out aloud, St.
Paul! St. Paul! behold he prayeth. I was afraid Atkins
would hear him, therefore I entreated him to withhold him-
self awhile, that we might see an end of the scene, which
to me, I must confess, was the most affecting that ever 1
saw in my life. Well, he strove with himself for a while,
but was in such raptures to think that the poor heathen
woman was become a Christian, that he was not able to con-
tain himself; he wept several times, then throwing up his
hands and crossing his breast, said over several things ejacu-
atory, and by way of giving God thanks for so miraculous
a testimony of the success of our endeavors; some he spoke
softly, and I could not well hear others; some in Latin, some
.
Į
472
in French; then two or three times the tears would interrupt
him, that he could not speak at all; but I begged that he
would contain himself, and let us more narrowly and fully
observe what was before us, which he did for a time, the
scene not being near ended yet; for after the poor man and
his wife were risen again from their knees, we observed he
stood talking still eagerly to her, and we observed her
motion, that she was greatly affected with what he said, by
her frequently lifting up her hands, laying her hand to her
breast, and such other postures as express the greatest seri-
ousness and attention: this continued about half a quarter
of an hour, and then they walked away; so we could see no
more of them in that situation. I took this interval to talk
with my clergyman; and first, I was glad to see the partic-
ulars we had both been witnesses to, that, though I was hard
enough of belief in such cases, yet that I began to think it
was all very sincere here, both in the man and his wife,
however ignorant they might both be, and I hoped such a
beginning would yet have a more happy end': And who
knows, said I, but these two may in time, by instruction and
example, work upon some of the others?-Some of them?
said he, turning quick upon me; ay, upon all of them:
depend upon it, if those two savages, for he has been but
little better, as you relate it, should embrace Jesus Christ,
they will never leave it till they work upon all the rest; for
true religion is naturally communicative, and he that is once
made a Christian will never leave a pagan behind him, if he
can help it. I owned it was a most Christian principle to
think so, and a testimony of true zeal, as well as a generous
heart, in him. But, my friend, said I, will you give me
leave to start one difficulty here? I cannot tell how to object
the least thing against that affectionate concern which you
show for the turning the poor people from their paganism to
the Christian religion: but how does this comfort you while
these people are, in your account, out of the pale of the Cath-
ADVENTURES OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
473
olic church, without which you believe there is no salvation?
so that you esteem these but heretics, and for other reasons
as effectually lost as the pagans themselves.
To this he answered, with abundance of candor, thus:
Sir, I am a Catholic of the Roman church, and a priest of
the order of St. Benedict, and I embrace all the principles
of the Roman faith; but yet, if you will believe me, and
that I do not speak in compliment to you, or in respect :0
my circumstances and your civilities; I say, nevertheless, I
do not look upon you who call yourselves reformed, without
some charity: I dare not say (though I know it is our
opinion in general) that you cannot be saved; I will by no
means limit the mercy of Christ so far as to think that he
cannot receive you into the bosom of his church, in a man ·
ner to us unperceivable; and I hope you have the same
charity for us; I pray daily for your being all restored to
Christ's church, by whatsoever method he, who is all-wise,
is pleased to direct. In the mean time, sure you will allow
it consists with me, as a Roman, to distinguish far between
a Protestant and a pagan; between one that calls on Jesus
Christ, though in a way which I do not think is according to
the true faith, and a savage or a barbarian, that knows no
God, no Christ, no Redeemer; and if you are not within the
pale of the Catholic church, we hope you are nearer being
restored to it than those who know nothing of God or of his
church and I rejoice, therefore, when I see this poor man,
who, you say, has been a profligate, and almost a murderer,
kneel down and pray to Jesus Christ, as we suppose he did,
though not fully enlightened; believing that God, from
whom every such work proceeds, will sensibly touch his
heart, and bring him to the further knowledge of that truth
in his own time: and if God shall influence this poor man
to convert and instruct the ignorant savage, his wife, I can
never believe that he shall be cast away himself. And have
I not reason then to rejoice the nearer any are brought to the
!
40%
474
ADVENTURES OF
1
knowledge of Christ, though they may not be brought quite
home into the bosom of the Catholic church just at the time
when I may desire it, leaving it to the goodness of Christ to
perfect his work in his own time, and in his own way Cer-
tainly, I would rejoice if all the savages in America were
brought, like this poor woman, to pray to God, though
they were all to be Protestants at first, rather than they
shou.d continue pagans or heathens; firmly believing, that
he that had bestowed the first light to them would farther
illuminate them with a beam of his heavenly grace, and
bring them into the pale of his church, when he should see
good.
SECTION XXXIX.
ATKINS RELATES HIS CONVERSATION WITH HIS WIFE THE LATTER
BAPTIZED BY THE PRIEST ACCOUNT OF THE
THOSE ON BOARD THE RESCUED VESSEL
FROM THE ISLAND.
S
STARVING STATE OF
ROBINSON'S DEPARTURE
こ
​I was astonished at the sincerity and temper of this pious
papist, as much as I was oppressed by the power of his
reasoning; and it presently occurred to my thoughts, that if
such a temper was universal, we might all be Catholic Chris-
tians, whatever church or particular profession we joined in;
that a spirit of charity would soon work us all up into right
principles; and as he thought that the like charity would
make us all Catholics, so I told him I believed had all the
members of his church the like moderation, they would soon
all be Protestants.-And there we left that part; for we
never disputed at all.
However, I talked to him another way, and taking him by
the hand, My friend, says I, I wish all the clergy of the
辜
​ROBINSON CRUSOE.
475
Romish church were blest with such moderation, and had an
equal share of your charity. I am entirely of your opinion;
but I must tell you, that if you should preach such doctrine
in Spain or Italy, they would put you into the Inquisition.-
It may be so, said he; I know not what they would do in
Spain or Italy; but I will not say they would be the better
Christians for that severity; for I am sure there is no heresy
in abounding with charity.
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 waiting to be called in: observ-
ing this, I asked my clergyman if we should discover to him
that we had seen him under the bush or not; and it was his
opinion we should not, but that we should talk to him first,
and hear what he would say to us; so we called him in
alone, nobody being in the place but ourselves, and I began
with him thus:
Will Atkins, said I, prithee what education had you?
What was your father?
W. A. A better man than ever I shall be: Sir, my father
was a clergyman.
R. C. What education did he give you?
W. A. He would have taught me well, sir; but I des-
pised all education, instruction or correction, like a beast as
I was.
R. C. It is true, Solomon says, He that despises reproof is
brutish.
W. A. Ay, sir, I was brutish indeed, for I murdered my
father: for God's sake, sir, talk no more about that; sir, I
murdered my poor father.
PR. Ha! a murderer!
Here the priest started (for I interpreted every word as he
spoke) and looked pale: it seems he believed that Will had
ally killed his father.
R. C. No, no, sir, I do not understand him so: Will
476
ADVENTURES OF
Atkins, explain yourself; you did not kill your father, did
you, with your own hands?
W. A. No, sir, I did not cut his throat; but I cut the
thread of all his comforts, and shortened his days: I broke
his heart by the most ungrateful, unnatural return, for the
most tender and affectionate treatment that father ever gave,
or child could receive.
R. C. Well, I did not ask you about your father, to extort
this confession: I pray God give you repentance for it, and
forgive that and all your other sins; but I asked you because
I see that though you have not much learning, yet you are
not so ignorant as some are in things that are good; that
you have known more of religion, a great deal, than 、you
have practised.
W. A. Though you, sir, did not extort the confession that
I make about my father, conscience does; and whenever wo
come to look back upon our lives, the sins against our in-
dulgent 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 com-
mit.
R. C. You talk too feelingly and sensibly for me, Atkins;
I cannot 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 this island, is witness to the anguish of my
soul for my ingratitude and bad usage of a good, tender
father; a father much like yours, by your description: and
I murdered my father as well as you, Will Atkins; but I
think, for all that, my repentance is short of yours too, by a
great deal.
I would have said more, if I could have restrained my
passions; but I thought this poor man's repentance was so
much sincerer than mine, that I was going to leave off the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
477
discourse and retire; for I was surprised with what he had
said, and thought that instead of my going about to teach
and instruct him this 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 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 peni-
tent, here will be no need of me; he will make Christians
of all in the island. But having a little composed myself,
I renewed my discourse with Will Atkins. But, Will, said
I, how comes the sense of this matter to touch you just
now?
W. A. Sir, you have set me about a work that has struck
a dart through my very soul; I have been talking about
God and religion to my wife, in order, as you directed me,
to make a Christian of her, and she has preached such a
scrmon to me as I shall never forget while I live.
R. C. No, no, it is not your wife has preached to you;
but when you were moving religious arguments to her, con-
science has flung them back upon you.
W. A. Ay, sir, with such force as is not to be resisted.
R. C. Pray, Will, let us know what passed between you
and your wife; for I know something of it already.
W. A. Sir, it is impossible to give you a full account of
it; I am too full to hold it, and yet have no tongue to ex-
press
but let her have said what she will, and though ỉ
cannot give you an account of it, this I can tell you, that 3
have resolved to amend and reform my life.
it;
R. C. But tell us some of it: how did you begin, Will'
For this has been an extraordinary case, that is certain.
She has preached a sermon, indeed, if she has wrought this
upon you.
W. A. Why, I first told her the nature of our laws about
marriage, and what the reasons were that men and women
•
478
ADVENTURES OF
were obliged to enter into such compacts, as it was neither
in the power of one nor other to break; that otherwise
order and justice could not be maintained, and men would
run from their wives, and abandon their children, mix con-
fusedly with one another, and neither families be kept entire,
nor inheritances be settled by legal descent.
R. C. You talk like a civilian, Will. Could you make
her understand what you meant by inheritance and families?
They know no such things among the savages, but marry
any how, without regard to relation, consanguinity, or fam-
ly; brother and sister, nay, as I have been told, even the
father and the daughter, and the son and the mother.
W. A. I believe, sir, you are misinformed, and my wife
assures me of the contrary, and that they abhor it; perhaps,
for any farther relations, they may not be so exact as we
are; but she tells me they never touch one another in the
near relationship you speak of.
R. C. Well, what did she say to what you told her?
W. A. She said she liked it very well, and it was much
better than in her country.
R. C. But did you tell her what marriage was?
W. A. Ay, ay; there began our dialogue. I asked her
if she would be married to me our way. She asked me
what way that was. I told her marriage was appointed by
God; and here we had a strange talk together, indeed, as
ever man and wife had, I believe.
N. B. This dialogue between Will Atkins and his wife !
took down in writing, just after he had told it me, which
was as follows:
WIFE. Appointed by God! Why, have you a God in
your country?
W. A. Yes, my dear, God is in every country.
WIFE. No your God in my country; my country have
tbe great old Benamuckee God.
W. A. Child, I am very unfit to show you who God is
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
479
God is in heaven, and made the heaven and the earth, the
sea, and all that in them is.
WIFE. No makee de earth; no you God makee all earth.
no makee my country.
Will Atkins laughed a little at her expression of God not
making her country.
WIFE. No laugh; why laugh me? This nothing to
laugh.
He was justly reproved by his wife, for she was more
serious than he at first.
W. A. That's true indeed; I will not laugh any more, my
dear.
WIFE. Why you say you God makee 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,
and there is no God but him; he lives for ever in heaven.
WIFE. Why you no tell me long ago?
W. A. That's true indeed; but I have been a wicked
wretch, and have not only forgotten to acquaint thee with
any thing before, but have lived without God in the world
myself.
WIFE. What have you a great God in your country, you
no know him? No say O to him? No do good thing for
nim? That no possible.
W. A. It is true; though, for all that, we live as if there
was no God in heaven, or that he had no power on earth.
WIFE. But why God let you do so? Why he no makee
you good live?
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, no be
good mans?
W. A. That is true, he might strike me dead; and 1
ought to expect it, for I have been a wicked wretch, that is
480
ADVENTURES OF
true; but God is merciful, and does not deal with us as we
deserve.
WIFE. But then do you not tell God thankee for that
too?
W. A. No, indeed, I have not thanked God for his mercy,
any more than I have feared God for his power.
WIFE. Then you God no God; me no think believe he
be such one, great much power, strong: no makee kill you
though you make him so much angry.
W. A. What, will my wicked life hinder you from believ-
ing in God? What a dreadful creature am I! and what a
sad truth it is, that the horrid lives of Christians hinder the
conversion of heathens!
WIFE. How me think you have great much God up there
(she points up to heaven) and yet no do well, no do good
thing? Can he tell? Sure he no tell what you do?
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 curse, swear, speak de
great damn?
W. A. Yes, yes, hears it all.
WIFE. Where be then the much great power strong?
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 horror, 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 that?
W. A. He is our father and maker, and he pities and
spares us.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
481
1
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 in-
finitely great, and able to punish too; and sometimes, to
show his justice and vengeance, he lets fly his anger to
destroy sinners and make 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 thing, he no be angry at you when he
be angry at other mans.
W. A. No, indeed; my sins are all presumptions upon
his goodness; and he would be infinitely 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? You no tell him thankee for all
that too?
W. A. I am an unthankful, ungrateful dog, that is true.
WIFE, Why he no makee you much good better? you
say he makec you.
W. A. He made me, as he made all the world: it is I
have deformed myself and abused his goodness, and made
myself an abominable wretch.
WIFE. I wish you makee God know me; I no makee him
angry, I no do bad wicked thing.
Here Will Atkins said his heart sunk 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 car-
riage would make most irrational to her to believe; nay.
that already she had told him that she could not believe
in God, because he, that was so wicked, was not de-
stroyed.
W. A. My dear, you mean, you wish I could teach you to
粉
​41
482
ADVENTURES OF
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 will pray to him to teach thee to know him, and for-
give me, that am unworthy to teach thee.
The poor fellow was in such an agony at her desiring him
to make her know God, and her wishing 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 unworthy instrument of instructing her in the principles
of religion; after which he sat down by her again, and their
dialogue went on. This was the time when we saw him
kneel down, and hold up his hands.
What you
WIFE. What you put down the knee for?
hold up the hand for? What you say? Who you speak
to? What is all that?
W. A. My dear, I bow my knees in token of my submis-
sion to him that made me; I said O to him, as you call it;
and as your old men do to their idol Benamuckee; that is, I
prayed to him.
WIFE. What you say O to him for?
W. A. I prayed to him to open your eyes, and your un-
derstanding, that you may know him, and be accepted by
him.
WIFE. Can he do that too?
W. A. Yes, he can; he can do all things.
WIFE. But now he hear what you say ?
W. A. Yes; he has bid us pray to him, and promised to
hear us.
WIFE. Bid you pray? When he bid you? How he bid
you? What, you hear him speak ?
ROBINSON CRUSOE
485
N.
W A. No, we do not hear him. speak; but he has
revealed himself many ways to us.
Here he was at a great loss 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 my book?
W. A. Alas! my poor creature, I have not 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 inex-
pressible grief that he had not a Bible.
WIFE. But how you makee me know that God teachee
them to write that book?
W. A. By the same rule that we know him to be God.
WIFE. What rule! What way you know him?
W. A. Because he teaches and commands nothing but
what is good, righteous, and holy, and tends to make us per-
fectly 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 consequence.
WIFE. That me would understand, that me fain see;
if he teachee all good thing, he makee all good thing, he
give all thing, he hear me when I say O to him, as you do
just now; he makee me good, if I wish to be good; he
spare me, no makee kill me, when I no be good: all this
you say he do, yet he be great God: me take, think, believe
him to be great God; me say O to him with you, my dear.
Here the poor man could forbear no longer, but raised her
up, made her kneel by him, and he prayed to God aloud to
instruct her in the knowlege of himself, by his Spirit; and
that by some good providence, if possible, she might some
484
ADVENTURES OF
.
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.
They had several other discourses, it seems, after this, too
long to be set down here; and particularly she made him
promise, that since he confessed his own life had been a
wicked abominable course of provocations against God, that
he would reform it, and not make God angry any more;
lest
he should make him dead, as he called it, and then she would
be left alone, and never be taught to know this God better;
and lest he should be miserable, as he had told her wicked
men would be, after death.
This was a strange account, and very affecting to us both,
but particularly to the young clergyman; he was indeed
wonderfully surprised with it, but under the greatest afflic
tion imaginable that he could not talk to her, that he could
not speak English, to make her understand him; and as she
spoke but very broken English, he could not understand her;
however, he turned himself to me, and told me that he
believed that there must be more to do with this woman
than to marry her. I did not understand him at first, but
at length he explained himself, viz., that she ought to be
baptized. I agreed with him in that part readily, and was
for going about it presently. No, no; hold, sir, said he;
though I would have her be baptized by all means, yet I must
observe that Will Atkins, her husband, has indeed brought
her, in a wonderful manner, to be willing to embrace a
religious life, and has given her just ideas of the being
of a God; of his power, justice, and mercy: yet I desire to
know of him if he has said anything to her of Jesus Christ,
and of the salvation of sinners; of the nature of faith in
nim, and redemption by him; of the Holy Spirit, the resur-
rection, the last judgment, and a future state.
I called Will Atkins again, and asked him; but the poor
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
485
fellow fell immediately into tears, and told us he had said
something to her of all those things, but that he was him-
self so wicked a creature, and his conscience so reproached
him with his horrid ungodly life, that he trembled at the
apprehensions that her knowlege of him should lessen the
attention she should give to those things, and make her
rather contemn religion than receive it; but he was assured,
he said, that her mind was so disposed to receive due im-
pressions of all those things, and that if I would but dis-
course with her, she would make it appear to my satisfaction
that my labor would not be lost upon her.
. Accordingly, I called her in, and placing myself as inter-
preter between my religious priest and the woman, I
entreated him to begin with her; but sure such a sermon
was never preached by a popish priest in these latter ages of
the world: and as I told him, I thought he had all the zeal,
all the knowledge, all the sincerity of a Christian, without
the error of a Roman Catholic; and that I took him to be
such a clergyman as the Roman bishops were, before the
church of Rome assumed spiritual sovereignty over the con-
sciences of men. In a word, he brought the poor woman to
embrace the knowledge of Christ, and of redemption by him,
not with wonder and astonishment only, as she did the first
notions of a God, but with joy and faith; with an affection,
and a surprising degree of understanding, scarce to be
imagined, much less to be expressed; and, at her own
request, she was baptized.
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 pos-
sible, because of other ill consequences 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 con-
secrated chapel, nor proper things for the office, I should see
ne would do it in a manner that I should not know by it
2
41*
486
ADVENTURES OF
A
that he was a Roman Catholic himself, if I had not known
it before; and so he did; for saying only some words over
to himself in Latin, which I could not understand, he poured
a whole dishful 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 Holy Ghost:" so that none could know anything by
it what religion he was of. He gave the benediction after-
wards in Latin, but either Will Atkins did not know but it
was French, or else did not take notice of it at that time.
As soon as this was over, we married them; and after the
marriage was over, he turned to Will Atkins, and in a very
affectionate manner exhorted him, not only to persevere in
that good disposition he was in, but to support the convic-
tions that were upon him by a resolution to reform his life; told
him it was in vain to say he repented if he did not forsake his
trimes represented to him how God had honored 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 dishonor the grace of God; and that if he did, he
would see the heathen a better Christian than himself; the
savage converted, and the instrument cast away. He said a
great many good things to them both; and then recommend-
ing them to God's goodness, gave them the benediction
again, I repeating everything to them in English; and thus
ended the ceremony. I think it was the most pleasant and
agreeable day to me that ever I passed in my whole life.
But my clergyman had not done yet; his thoughts hung
continually upon the conversion of the thirty-seven savages,
and fain he would have stayed upon the island to have under-
taken it; but I convinced him, first, that his undertaking was
impracticable in itself; and, secondly, that perhaps I would
put it into a way of being done in his absence to his satis-
faction; of which by and by.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
487
Having thus brought the affairs of the island to a narrow
rompass, I was preparing to go on board the ship, when the
young man 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; that he had a match, too, which he
desired might be finished before I went, between two Chris-
tians, which he hoped would not be disagreeable to me.
I knew this must be the young woman who was his
mothers's servant, for there was no other Christian woman
on the island; so I began to persuade him not to do any-
thing of that kind rashly, or because he found himself in
this solitary circumstance. I represented to him that he had
some considerable substance in the world, and good friends,
as I understood by himself, and the maid also; that the
maid was not only poor, and a servant, but was unequal to
him, she being six or seven-and-twenty years old, and he
not being seventeen or eighteen; that he might very
probably, with my assistance, make a remove from this wil-
derness, and come into his own country again; and that
then it would be a thousand to one but he would repent his
choice, and the dislike of that circumstance might be disad-
vantageous to both. I was going to say more, but he inter-
rupted me, smiling, and told me, with a great deal of mod-
esty, that I mistook in my guesses, that he had nothing of
that kind in his thoughts; and he was very glad to hear
that I had an intent of putting them in a way to see their
own country again; and nothing should have put him upon
staying there, but that the voyage I was going was so ex-
ceeding long and hazardous, and would carry him quite out
of the reach of all his friends; that he had nothing to
desire of me, but that I would settle him in some little prop-
erty in the island where he was, give him a servant or two,
and some few necessaries, and he would settle himself here
ike a planter, waiting the good time when, if ever I re-
488
ADVENTURES OF
1
turned to England, I would redeem them; and hoped I
would not be unmindful of him when I came to England;
that he would give me some letters to his friends in London,
to let them know how good I had been to him, and in what
part of the world, and what circumstances I had left him in;
and he promised me that whenever I redeemed him, the
plantation, and all improvements he had made upon it, let
the value be what it would, should be wholly mine.
His discourse was very prettily delivered, considering his
youth, and was the more agreeable to me, because he told
me positively the match was not for himself. I gave him all
possible assurances that if I lived to come safe to England, I
would deliver his letters, and do his business effectually;
and that he might depend I should never forget the circum-
зtances I had left him in: but still I was impatient to know
who was the person to be married: upon which he told me
it was my Jack-of-all-trades and his maid Susan. I was
most agreeably surprised when he named the match; for
indeed I thought it very suitable. The character of
that man I have given already; and as for the maid, she
was a very honest, modest, sober, and religious young
woman n; had a very good share of sense, was agreeable
enough in her person, spoke very handsomely, and to the
purpose, always with decency and good manners, and neither
too backward to speak, when requisite, nor impertinently
forward, when it was not her business: very handy and
housewifely, and an excellent manager; fit, indeed, to have
been governess to the whole island, and she knew very
well how to behave in every respect.
The match being proposed in this manner, we married
them the same day; and as I was father at the altar, as I
may say, and gave her away, so I gave her a portion; for I
appointed her and her husband a handsome large space of
ground for their plantation; and, indeed, this match, and
P
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
489
the proposal the young gentleman made to give him a small
property in the island, put me upon parcelling it out
amongst them, that they might not quarrel afterwards about
their situation.
This sharing out the land to them I left to Will Atkins,
who was now grown a sober, grave, managing fellow, per-
fectly reformed, exceedingly pious and religious, and as far
as I may be allowed to speak positively in such a case, I
verily believe he is a true penitent. He divided things so
justly, and so much to every one's satisfaction, that they
only desired one general writing under my hand for the
whole, which I caused to be drawn up, and signed and
sealed to them, setting out the bounds and situation of
every man's plantation, and testifying that I gave them
thereby severally a right to the whole possession and
inheritance of the respective plantations or farms, with their
improvements, to them and their heirs, reserving all the rest
of the island as my own property, and a certain rent for
every particular plantation after eleven years, if I, or any
one from me, or in my name, came to demand it, producing
an attested copy of the same writing.
As to the government and laws among them, I told them I
was not capable of giving them better rules than they were
able to give themselves; only I made them promise me to
live in love and good neighborhood with one another; and
so I prepared to leave them.
One thing I must not omit, and that is, that being now
settled in a kind of commonwealth among themselves, and
having much business in hand, it was but odd to have seven-
and-thirty Indians live in a nook of the island, independent,
and, indeed, unemployed; for, excepting the providing them-
selves food, which they had difficulty enough to do some-
times, they had no manner of business or property to
manage. I proposed, therefore, to the governor Spaniard
•
490
ADVENTURES OF
that he should go to them, with Friday's father, and
propose to them to remove, and either plant for them-
selves, or take them into their several families as servants,
to be maintained for their labor, but without being absolute
slaves; for I would not admit them to make them slaves by
force, by any means; because they had their liberty given
them by capitulation, as it were articles of surrender,
which they ought not to break.
They most willingly embraced the proposal, and came all
very cheerfully along with him: so we allotted them land,
and plantations, which three or four accepted of, but all the
rest chose to be employed as servants in the several families
we had settled; and thus my colony was in a manner settled,
as follows: The Spaniards possessed my original habita-
tion, which was the capital city, and extended their planta-
tions all along the side of the brook, which made the creek
that I have so often described, as far as my bower; and as
they increased their culture, it went always eastward. The
English lived in the north-east part, where Will Atkins and
his comrades began, and came on southward and south-west,
towards the back part of the Spaniards; and every planta-
tion had a great addition of land to take in, if they found
occasion, so that they need not jostle one another for want
of room.
All the east end of the island was left uninhab-
ited, 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 disturd
them; and no doubt but they were often ashore, and went
away again, for I never heard that the planters were ever
attacked or disturbed any more.
It now came into my thoughts that I had hinted to my
friend the clergyman that the work of converting the savages
might perhaps be set on foot in his absence to his satisfac-
tion, and told him that now I thought it was put in a fair
J
+
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
491
way; for the savages being thus divided among the Chris-
tians, if they would but every one of them do their part
with those which came under their hands, I hoped it might
have a very good effect.
He agreed presently in that, if they did their part. But
how, says he, shall we obtain that of them? I told him we
would call them all together, 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 I to the English, who were all Protestants; and
we recommended it earnestly to them, and made them promise
that they would never make any distinction of papist or
Protestant in their exhorting the savages to turn Christians,
but teach them the general knowledge of the true God, and
of their Savior 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's house (I may call it so, for
such a house, or such a piece of basket-work, I believe, was
not standing in the world again), there I found the young
woman I have mentioned above, and Will Atkins's 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 savage woman was made such a Christian as I
have seldom heard of in all my observation or conversation
in the world.
It came next into my mind, in the morning before I went
to them, that amongst all the needful things I had to leave
with them, I had not left them a Bible, in which I showed
myself less considering for them than my good friend the
widow was for me, when she sent me the cargo of a hundred
pounds from Lisbon, where she packed up three Bibles and
a prayer-book. However, the good woman's charity had a
492
ADVENTURES OF
greater extent than ever she imagined, for they were reserved
for the comfort and instruction of those that made much
better use of them than I had done.
I took one of the Bibles in my pocket, and when I came
to Will Atkins's tent, or house, and found the young woman
and Atkins's baptized wife had been discoursing of religion
together, for Will Atkins told it me with a great deal of joy,
I asked if they were together now, and he said yes; so I
went into the house, and he with me, and we found them
together very earnest in discourse. 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 incapa-
ble 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
into my pocket, and pulled out my Bible; Here, says I to
Atkins, I have brought you an assistant that perhaps you
had not before. The man was so confounded that he was
not able to speak for some time; but recovering himself, he
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? Here's 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 so, 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 be-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
494
lieved God had sent the book upon her husband's perition.
It is true, that providentially it was so, and might be taken
so in a consequent sense; but I believe it would have been
no difficult matter, at that time, to have persuaded the poor
woman to have believed that an express. messenger came
from heaven on purpose to bring that individual book; but
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 upon the new convert, in her first and
more ignorant understanding 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 peti-
tioned for; but we did not expect returns from Heaven in a
miraculous and particular manner, and it is our mercy that it
is not so.
This the young woman did afterwards effectually, so that
there was, I assure you, no priestcraft used here; and I
should have thought it one of the most unjustifiable frauds
in the world to have had it so. But the surprise of joy upon
Will Atkins is really not to be expressed; and there, we
may be sure, was no delusion. Sure no man was ever more
thankful in the world for anything of its kind than he was
for the Bible; nor, I believe, never any man was glad of a
Bible from a better principle; and though he had been a
most profligate creature, headstrong, furious, and desperately
wicked, yet this man is a standing rule to us all for the well
instructing children, viz., that parents should never give over
to teach and instruct, nor ever despair of the success of their
endeavors, let the children be ever so refractory, or, to ap-
pearance, insensible of instruction; for, if ever God, in his
providence, touches the conscience of such, the force of their
¿ducation returns upon them, and the early instruction of
parents is not lost, though it may have been many years laid
asleep, but, some time or other, they may find the benefit of
42
494
ADVENTURES OF
,
it. Thus it was with this poor man: however ignorant he
was of religion and Christian knowledge, he found he had
some to do with now more ignorant than himself, and that
the least part of the instruction of his good father that now
came to his mind was of use to him.
Among the rest it occurred to him, he said, how his father
used to insist so much on the inexpressible value of the
Bible, the privilege and blessing of it to nations, families.
and persons but he never entertained the least notion of
the worth of it till now, when being to talk to heathens,
savages, and barbarians, he wanted the help of the written
oracle for his assistance.
:
The young woman was glad of it also for the present occa-
sion, though she had one, and so had the youth, on board
our ship, among their goods, which were not yet brought on
shore. And now having said so many things of this young
woman, I cannot omit telling one story more of her and
myself, which has something in it very informing and
remarkable.
I have related to what extremity the poor young woman
was reduced, how her mistress was starved to death, and
died on board that unhappy ship we met at sea, and how the
whole ship's company was reduced to the last extremity.
The gentlewoman and her son, and this maid, were first
hardly used, as to provisions, and at last totally neglected
and starved; that is to say, brought to the last extremity
of hunger. — One day, being discoursing with her on the
extremities they suffered, I asked her if she could describe,
by what she had felt, what it was to starve, and how it
appeared? She told me she believed she could, and she
told her tale very distinctly, thus:
First, sir, said she, we had for some days fared exceeding
hard, and suffered very great hunger: but at last we were
wholly without food of any kind, except sugar, and a little
vine and water. The first day, after I had received no food
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
495
at all, I found myself, towards evening, first empty and sick
at the stomach, and nearer night much inclined to yawning
and sleep. I laid down on a couch in the great cabin to
sleep, and slept about three hours, and awaked a little
refreshed, having taken a glass of wine when I lay down :
after being about three hours awake, it being about five
o'clock in the morning, I found myself empty, and my
stomach sickish, and lay down again, but could not sleep at
all, being very faint and ill; and thus I continued all the
second day, with a strange variety, first hungry, then sick
again, with retchings to vomit. The second night, being
obliged to go to bed again without any food, more than a
draught of fresh water, and being asleep, I dreamed I was
at Barbadoes, and that the market was mightily stocked
with provisions; that I bought some for my mistress, and
went and dined very heartily. I thought my stomach was
as full after this as it would have been after a good dinner;
but when I awaked, I was exceedingly sunk in my spirits to
find myself in the extremity of famine. The last glass of
wine we had I drank, and put sugar in it, because of its
having some spirit to supply nourishment; but there being
no substance in the stomach for the digesting office to work
upon, I found the only effect of the wine was, to raise dis-
agreeable fumes from the stomach into the head: and I lay,
as they told me, stupid and senseless, as one drunk, for
some time. The third day, in the morning, after a night o
strange, confused, and inconsistent dreams, and rather dozing
than sleeping, I awaked ravenous and furious with hunger;'
and I question, had not my understanding returned and
conquered it, whether, if I had been a mother, and had had
a little child with me, its life would have been safe or not.
This lasted about three hours; during which time I was
twice raging mad as any creature in Bedlam, as my. young
master told me, and as he can now inform you.
Iu one of these fits of lunacy or distraction I fell down
4
496
ADVENTURES OF
and struck my face against, the corner of a pallet bed, in
which my mistress lay, and, with the blow, the blood gushed
out of my nose; and the cabin-boy bringing me a little
basin, I sat down and bled into it a great deal; and as the
blood came from me, I came to myself, and the violence of
the flame or fever I was in abated, and so did the ravenous
part of the hunger. Then I grew sick, and retched to
vumit, but could not, for I had nothing in my stomach to
bring up.
After I had bled some time, I swooned, and they
ail believed I was dead; but I came to myself soon after,
aud then had a most dreadful pain in my stomach, not to be
described, not like the colic, but a gnawing, eager pain for
food; and towards the night it went off, with a kind of ear-
nest wishing or longing for food, something like, as I sup-
pose, the longing of a woman with child. I took another
draught of water, with sugar in it; but my stomach loathed
the sugar, and brought it all up again: then I took a
draught of water without sugar, and all stayed with me; and
I laid me down upon the bed, praying me most heartily that
it would please God to take me away; and composing my
mind in hopes of it, I slumbered awhile, and then waking,
thought myself dying, being light with vapors from an
empty stomach; I recommended my soul then to God, and
carnestly wished that somebody would throw me into the
sea.
All this while my mistress lay by me, just, as I thought,
expiring, but bore it with much more patience than I;
gave the last bit of bread she had left to her child, my young
master, who would not have taken it, but she obliged him
to eat it; and I believed it saved his life.
Towards the morning I slept again; and when I awoke,
I fell into a violent passion of crying, and after that had a
second fit of violent hunger: I got up ravenous, and in a
most dreadful condition; had my mistress been dead, as
much as I loved her, I am certain I should have eaten a
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
497
*
piece of her flesh with as much relish, and as unconcerned,
as ever I did eat the flesh of any creature appointed for
food; and once or twice I was going to bite my own arm:
at last I saw the basin in which was the blood I had bled at
my nose the day before: I ran to it, and swallowed it with
such haste, and such a greedy appetite, as if I wondered no-
bcdy had taken it before, and afraid it should be taken from
me now. After it was down, though the thoughts of it
filled me with horror, yet it checked the fit of hunger, and I
took another draught of water, and was composed and re
freshed for some hours after. This was the fourth day; and
thus I held it till towards night; when, within the compass
of three hours, I had all the several circumstances over
again, one after another, viz., sick, sleepy, eagerly hungry,
pain in the stomach, then ravenous again, then sick, then
lunatic, then crying, then ravenous again, and so every
quarter of an hour; and my strength wasted exceedingly;
at night I laid me down, having no comfort but in the hope
that I should die before morning.
All this night I had no sleep; but the hunger was now
turned into a disease; and I had a terrible colic and griping,
by wind, instead of food, having found its way into the
bowels; and in this condition I lay till morning, when I
was surprised with the cries and lamentations of my young
master, who called out to me that his mother was dead: I
lifted myself up a little, for I had not strength to rise, but
found she was not dead, though she was able to give very
little signs of life.
I had then such convulsions in my stomach, for want of
some sustenance, that I cannot describe; with such frequent
throes and pangs of appetite, that nothing but the tortures of
death can imitate; and in this condition I was when I heard
the seamen above cry out, A sail! a sail! and halloo and
ump about as if they were distracted.
I was not able to get off from the bed, and my mistress
42*
498
ADVENTURES OF
much less; and my young master was so sick, that I thougn.
he had been expiring; so we could not open the cabin door
or get any account what it was that occasioned such confu-
sion; nor had we any conversation with the ship's company
for two days, they having told us that they had not a mouth-
ful of anything to eat in the ship; and this they told us af-
terwards, they thought we had been dead. It was this
dreadful condition we were in when you were sent to save
our lives; and how you found us, sir, you know as well as I,
and better too.
This was her own relation, and is such a distinct account
of starving to death, as I confess, I never met with, and was
exceeding entertaining to me. I am the rather apt to believe
it to be a true account, because the youth gave me an ac-
count of a good part of it; though, I must own, not so dis-
tinct and so feeling as the maid: and the rather, because it
seems his mother fed him at the price of her own life; but
the poor maid, though her constitution being stronger than
that of her mistress, who was in years, and a weakly woman
too, she might struggle harder with it: I say, the poor maid
might be supposed to feel the extremity something sooner
than her mistress, who might be allowed to keep the last
bit something longer than she parted with any to relieve the
maid. No question, as the case is here related, if our ship,
or some other, had not providentially met them, a few days
more would have ended all their lives, unless they had pre
vented it by eating one another; and that even, as their case
stood, would have served them but a little while, they being
five hundred leagues from any land, or any possibility of
relief, other than in the miraculous manner it happened: but
this is by the way: I return to my disposition of things
among the people.
And, first, it is to be observed here, that for many rea-
sons I did not think fit to let them know anything of the
sloop I had framed, and which I thought of setting up
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
499
among them; for I found, at least at my first coming, such
seeds of divisions among them, that I saw plainly, had I set
up the sloop, and left it among them, they would, upon
every light disgust, have separated, and gone away from one
another, or perhaps have turned pirates, and so made the
island a den of thieves, instead of a plantation of sober and
religious people, as I intended it; nor did I leave the two
pieces of brass cannon that I had on board, or the two
quarter-deck guns that my nephew took extraordinary, for
the same reason: I thought it was enough to qualify them
for a defensive war against any that should invade them, but
not to set them up for an offensive war, or to go abroad to
attack others; which, in the end, would only bring ruin and
destruction upon them: I reserved the sloop, therefore, and
the guns, for their service another way, as I shall observe in
its place.
Having 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 6th of May, having been about
twenty-five days among them; and as they were all resolved
to stay upon the island till I came to remove them, I
promised to send them farther 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; as to the two cows and calves which I brought from
England, we had been obliged, by the length of our voyage,
tɔ kill them at sea, for want of hay to feed them.
500
ADVENTURES OF
SECTION XL.
FRIDAY'S DEATII
ENCOUNTER WITH
SAVAGES AT SEA
FINDS HIS FORMER PARTNER IN THE BRAZILS
EAST INDIES.
A
C
ROBINSON
SAILS FOR THA
THE next day, giving them a sulute 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 remark-
able in our passage but this: that about three days after we
had sailed, being becalmed, and the current setting strong to
the E.N.E., running, as it were, into a bay or gulf on the
land side, we were driven something out of our course, and
once or twice our men cried out, Land to the eastward; but
whether it was the continent or islands we could not tell by
any means. But the third day, towards evening, the sea
smooth, and the weather calm, we saw the sea, as it were,
covered towards the land with something very black; not
being able to discover what it was, till after some time, our
chief mate, going up to the main-shrouds a little way, and
looking at them with a perspective, cried out it was an army.
I could not imagine what he meant. by an army, and thwarted
nim a little hastily. Nay, sir, says he, don't be angry, for
'tis an army, and a fleet too; for I believe there are a thou-
sand canoes, and you may see them paddle along, for they
are coming towards us apace.
I was a little surprised, then, indeed, and so was my
nephew the captain; for he had heard such terrible stories
of them in the island, and having never been in those seas
before, that he could not tell what to think of it, but said,
two or three times, we should all be devoured. I must
confess, considering we were becalmed, and the current set
strong towards the shore, I liked it the worse; however, I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
561
1
bade them not be afraid, but bring the ship to an anchor
as soon as we came so near to know that we must engage
them.
The weather continued calm, and they came on apace
towards us; so I gave order to come to an anchor, and fur
all our sails : as for the savages, I told them they had
nothing to fear but fire, and therefore 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 in 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 would endeavour to fix to the outside 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: though my mate was much mistaken in
his calculation of their number, yet when they came up we
reckoned about a hundred and twenty-six; some of them
had sixteen or seventeen men in them, some more, and the
least six or seven.
When they came nearer to us, they seemed to be struck
with wonder and astonishment, as at a sight which doubtless
they had never seen before; nor could they, at first, as we
afterwards understood, know what to make of us; they
came boldly up, however, very near to 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 the large canoes came so
near our longboat that our men beckoned with their hands
to keep them back, which they understood very well, and
went back, but, at their retreat about fifty arrows came on
board us from those boats, and one of our men in the long-
boat was very much wounded. However, I called to them
not to fire by any means; but we handed down some deal
502
ADVENTURES OF
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.
About half an hour afterwards they all came up in a body
astern of us, and so near, as that we could easily discern
what they were, though we could not tell their design; and
I easily found they were some of my old friends, the same
sort of savages that I had been used to engage with; and in
a short time more they rowed a little farther 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 made all our guns
ready; but being so near as to be within hearing, I made
Friday go out upon the deck, and call out aloud to them in
his language, to know what they meant; which accordingly
he 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 foremost or nighest boat to us, turned their
canoes from us, and stooping down, showed us their naked
forms, accompanied with many indecent jestures and extrava-
gances: whether this was a defiance or challenge we know
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 fellow, they let fly about
three hundred of their arrows, and, to my inexpressible grief,
killed poor Friday, no other man being in their sight. The
poor fellow was shot with no less than three arrows, and
about three more fell very near him; such unlucky marksmen
they were!
I was so enraged at the loss of my old trusty servant and
companion, that I immediately ordered five guns to be loaded
with small shot, and four with great, and gave them such a
broadside as they had never heard in their lives before, to
be sure. They were not above half a cable length off when
ROBINSON CLUSOE.
503
we fired; and our gunners took their aim so well that three
or four of their canoes were overset, as we had reason to be-
lieve, by one shot only.
The ill manners of turning up their bare backsides to us
gave us no great offence; neither did I know for certain
whether that which would pass for the greatest contempt
among us might be understood so by them or not; there-
fore, in return, I had only resolved to have fired four of
five guns at them with powder only, which I knew would
frighten them sufficiently: but when they shot at us directly,
with all the fury they were capable of, and especially as they.
had killed my poor Friday, whom I so entirely loved and
valued, and who, indeed, so well deserved it, I thought my-
self not only justifiable before God and man, but would have
been very glad if I could have overset every canoe there, and
drowned every one of them.
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 multitude; there were thirteen
or fourteen of their canoes split and overset in all, and the
inen all set a-swimming: the rest, frightened out of their
wits, scoured away as fast as they could, taking but little
care to save those whose boats were split or spoiled with our
shot; so I suppose that many of them were lost; and our
men took up one poor fellow swimming for his life, above an
hour after they were all gone.
The small shot from our cannon must needs kill and
wound a great many; but, in short, we never knew anything
how it went with them, for they fled so fast, that in three
hours, or thereabouts, we could not see above three or four
straggling canoes, nor did we ever see the rest any more; for
a breeze of wind springing up the same evening, we weighed,
and set sail for the Brazils.
We had a prisoner, indeed, but the creature was so sullen
hat he would neither eat nor speak, and we all fancied
504
ADVENTURES OF
he would starve himself to death: but I took a way to cure
him; for I made them take him and turn him into the long-
boat, and make him believe they would toss him into the
sea again, and so leave him where they found him, if he
would not speak: nor would that do, but they really did
throw him into the sea, and came away from him, and then
he followed them, for he swam like a cork, and called to
them, in his tongue, though they knew not one word of what
ac said: however, at last they took him in again, and then
he began to be more tractable; nor did I ever design they
should drown him.
We were now under sail again; but I was the most dis-
consolate creature alive for want of my man Friday, and
would have been very glad to haveg one back to the island to
have taken one of the rest from there for my occasion; but it
could not be; so we went on. We had one prisoner, as I have
said, and it was a long time before we could make him un-
derstand anything; but, in time, our men taught him some
English, and he began to be a little tractable. Afterwards,
we inquired what country he came from, but could make
nothing of what he said; for his speech was so odd, all gut-
turals, and he spoke in the throat in such a hollow, odd
manner, that we could never form a word after him; and
we were all of opinion that they might speak that language
as well if they were gagged as otherwise; nor could we per-
ceive that they had any occasion either for teeth, tongue,
lips, or palate, but formed their words just as a hunting horn
forms a tune, with an open throat.
some time after, when we had taught him to speak a little
English, that they were going with their kings to fight a
great battle.
When he said kings, we asked him how many
kings? He said they were five nation (we could not make
him understand the plural s), and that they all joined to go
against two nation. We asked him what made them come
up to us?
He said, "To makee te great wonder look."
He told us,
He told us, however,
I
Mou
Al
Come
DEATH OF FRIDAY
J

Pige 50%
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
505
Here it is to be observed, that all those natives, as also those
of Africa, when they learn English, always add two e's at
the end of the words where we use one; and they place the
accent upon them, as makee, takee, and the like; and we
could not break them of it; nay I couid hardly make Fri-
day leave it off, though at last he did.
And now I name the poor fellow once more, I must take
my last leave of him: Poor honest Friday! We buried
him with all the decency and solemnity possible, by putting
him into a coffin, and 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 affec-
tionate servant, that ever man had.
We went now away with a fair wind for Brazil; and in
about twelve days' time we made land, in the latitude of five
degrees south of the line, being the north-eastermost land of
all that part of America. We kept on S. by E. in sight of
the shore four days, when we made Cape St. Augustine, and
in three days came to an anchor off the bay of All Saints,
the old place of my deliverance, from whence came both my
good and evil fate.
Never ship came to this port that had less business than I
had, and yet it was with great difficulty that we were admit-
ted to hold the least correspondence on shore; not my part-
ner himself, who was alive, and made a great figure among
them, not my two merchant trustees, not the fame of my
wonderful preservation in the island, could obtain me that
favor; but my partner remembering that I had given five
hundred moidores to the priory of the monastery of the Au-
gustines, and two hundred and seventy-two to the poor, went
to the monastery, and obliged the prior that then was, to go
to the governor, and get leave for me personally, with the
captain and one more, besides eight seamen, to come on
shore, and no more; and this upon condition absolutely
capitulated for, that we should not offer to land any goods
43
506
ADVENTURES OF
out of the ship, or to carry any person away without license.
They were so strict with us as to landing and goods, that it
was with extreme difficulty that I got on shore three bales
of English goods, such as fine broad-cloths, stuffs, and some
linen, which I had brought for a present to my partner.
He was a very generous, open-hearted man; though, like
me, he came from little at first; and though he knew not
that I had the least design of giving him anything, he sent
me on board a present of fresh provision, wine, and sweet-
meats, worth above thirty moidores, including some tobacco,
and three or four fine medals of gold: but I was even with
him in my present, which, as I have said, consisted of fine
broad-cloth, English stuffs, lace, and fine hollands: also I
delivered him about the value of one hundred pounds ster-
ling, in the same goods, for other uses; and I obliged him
to set up the sloop, which I had brought with mem Eng
land, as I have said, for the use of my colony, i order to
send the refreshments I intended to my plantation.
Accordingly, he got hands, and finished the loop in a
very few days, for she was already framed; and I gave the
master of her such instructions as that he could not miss the
place; nor did he miss them, as I had an account from my
partner afterwards. I got him soon loaded with the small
cargo I sent them; and one of our seam, that had been
on shore with me there, offered to go with the sloop and
settle there, upon my letter to the governor Spaniard to allot
him a sufficient quantity of land for a plantation, and giving
him some clothes and tools for his planting work, which he
said he understood, having been an old planter at Maryland,
and a buccaneer into the bargair I encouraged the fellow,
by granting all he desired; and, as an addition, I gave him
the savage whom we had taken prisoner of war to be his
slave, and ordered the governor Spaniard to give him his
share of everything he wanted with the rest.
When we came to fit this man out, my old partner told me
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
501
there was a certain very honest fellow, a Brazil planter of
his acquaintance, who had fallen into the displeasure of the
church, I know not what the matter is with him, says he
but on my conscience I think he is a heretic in his heart, and
he has been obliged to conceal himself for fear of the Inqui-
sition; that he 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 planta-
tion, he would give them a small stöck to begin with; for
the officers of the Inqusition had seized all his effects and.
estate, and he had nothing left but a little household stuff,
and two slaves: and, adds he, though I hate his principles,
yet I would not have him fall into their hands, for he will
be assuredly burned alive if he does.
I granted this presently, and joined my Englishman with
them; and we concealed the man, and his wife and
daughters, on board our ship, till the sloop put out to go to
sea; and then, having put all their goods on board some
time before, we put them on board the sloop after she was
got out of the bay.
Our seamen was mightily pleased with this new partner;
and their stocks, indeed, were much alike rich in tools, in
preparations, and a farm; but nothing to begin with, except
as above: however, they carried over with them, which was
worth all the rest, some materials for planting sugarcanes,
with some plants of canes, which he, I mean the Portugal
man, understood very well.
*
Among the rest of the supplies sent to my tenants in the
island, I sent them by the sloop three milch cows and five
calves, about twenty-two hogs among them, three sows big
with pig, two mares, and a stonehorse, For my Spaniards,
according to my promise, I engaged three Portugal women
to go, and recommended it to them to marry them, and use
them kindly, I could have procured more women, but I re
nembered that the poor prosecuted man had two daughters
508
ADVENTURES OF
and that there were but five of the Spaniards that wanted;
the rest had wives of their own, though in another
country.
•
All this cargo arrived safe, and, as you may easily sup-
pose, was 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, of which I shall also take
some notice immediately.
I have now done with the island, and all manner of dis-
course about it; and whoever reads the rest of my memo-
randums would do well to turn his thoughts entirely from it,
and expect to read of the follies of an old man, not warned
by his own harms, much less by those of other men, to be-
ware of the like; not cooled by almost forty years' miseries
and disappointments; not satisfied with prosperity beyond
expectation, nor made cautious by afflictions and distress be-
yond imitation.
I had no more business to go to the East Indies than a
man at full liberty has to go to the turnkey at Newgate, and
desire him to lock him up among the prisoners there, and
starve him. Had I taken a small vessel from England, and
gone directly to the island; had I loaded her, as I did the
other vessel, with all the necessaries for the plantation, and
for my people; taken a patent from the government here to
have secured my property, in subjection only to that of Eng-
land; had I carried over cannon and ammunition, servants,
and people to plant, and taken possession of the place, forti
fied and strengthened it in the name of England, and in-
creased it with peo-le, as I might easily have done; had I
then settled myself there, and sent the ship back laden with
good rice, as I might also have done in six months' time, and
ordered my friends to have fitted her out again for our sup
ply; had I done this, and stayed there myself, I had a
·
@
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
50%
.east acted like a man of common sense; but I was pos⚫
sessed with a wandering spirit, and scorned all advantages:
I pleased myself with being the patron of the people 1
placed there, and doing for them in a kind of haughty, ma
jestic way, like an old patriarchal monarch, providing for
them as if I had been father of the whole family, as well as
of the plantation: but I never so much as pretended to
plant in the name of any government or nation, or to ac-
knowledge any prince, or to call my people subjects to any
one nation more than another: nay, I never so much as gave
the place a name, but left it, as I found it, belonging to no-
body, and the people under no discipline or government but my
own; who, though I had influence over them as a father and
benefactor, had no authority or power to act or command one
way or other, farther than voluntary consent moved them to
comply: yet even this, had I stayed there, would have done
well enough; but as I rambled from them, and came there
no more, the last letters I had from any of them were by my
partner's means, who afterwards sent another sloop to the
place, and who sent me word, though I had not the letter
till I got to London, several years after it was written, that
they went on but poorly, were malcontent with their long
stay there; that Will Atkins was dead; that five of the
Spaniards were come away; and though they had not been
much molested by the savages, yet they had had some skir-
mishes with them; and that they begged of him to write to me
to think of the promise I had made to fetch them away, that
they might see their country again before they died.
But I was gone a wildgoose chase, indeed! and they that
will have any more of me must be content to follow me into
a new variety of follies, hardships, and wild adventures,
wherein the justice of Providence may be duly observed;
and we may see how easily Heaven can gorge us with our
own desires, make the strongest of our wisnes be our afflic-
tion, and punish us most severely with those very things
43*
510
ADVENTURES OF
which we think it would be our utmost happiness to be
allowed in. Whether I had business or no business, away 1
went it is no time now to enlarge upon the reason or absurd-
ity of my own conduct, but to come to the history; I was
embarked for the voyage, and the voyage I went.
:
I shall only add a word or to concerning my honest
popish clergyman: for let their opinion of us, and all other
heretics in general, as they call us, be as uncharitable as it
may, I verily believe this man was very sincere, and wished
the good of all men: yet I believe he was upon the reserve
in many of his expressions to prevent giving me offence;
for I scarce heard him once call on the blessed Virgin, or
mention St. Jago or his guardian angel, though so common
with the rest of them however, I say, I had not the least
doubt of his sincerity and pious intentions on his own part;
and I am firmly of opinion, if the rest of the popish mis-
sionaries were like him, they would strive to visit even the
poor Tartars, and Laplanders, where they had nothing to
give them, as well as covet to flock to India, Persia,
China, &c., the most wealthy of the heathen countries; for
if they expected to bring no gains to their church by it, it
may well be admired how they came to admit the Chinese
Confucius into the calendar of the Christian saints. Bu⭑
this by the by.
A ship being ready to sail for Lisbon, my pious priest
asked me leave to go thither; being still, as he observed,
bound never to finish any voyage he began. How happy
had it been for me if I had gone with him! But it was too
late now: all things Heaven appoints for the best: had I
gone with him, I had never had so many things to be thank-
ful for, and the reader had never heard of the second part
of the travels and adventures of Robinson Crusoe so 1
must here leave exclaiming at myself, and go on with my
voyage. From the Brazils we made directly over the Atlan-
tic Sea to the Cape of Good Hope, and had a tolerable good
M
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
511
voyage, our course generally south-east, now and then a
storm, and some contrary winds, but my disasters at sea
were at an end; my future rubs and cross events were to
befal me on shore, that it might appear the land was as well
prepared to be our scourge as the sea.
Our ship was on a trading voyage, and had a supercargo
on board, who was to direct all her motions after she arrived
at the Cape, only being limited to a certain number of days.
for stay, by charter-party, at the several ports she was to go
This was none of my business, neither did I meddle with
it; my nephew, the captain, and the supercargo, adjusting
all those things between them as they thought fit.
SECTION XLI.
THE VESSEL TOUCHES AT MADAGASCAR — AFFRAY WITH THE NATIVES,
WHO ARE MASSACRED BY THE CREW THE SAILORS AFTERWARDS
REFUSE TO SAIL WITH ROBINSON, WHO IS LEFT BY HIS NEPHEW,
THE CAPTAIN, IN BENGAL.
M
·
We stayed at the Cape no longer than was needful to take
in fresh water, but made the best of our way for the coast
of Coromandel. We were indeed informed that a French
man-of-war of fifty guns, and two large merchant ships, were
gone for the Indies; and as I knew we were at war with
France, I had some apprehensions of them; but they went
their own way, and we heard no more of them.
I shall not pester the reader with a tedious description of
places, journals of our voyages, variations of the compass,
latitudes, trade-winds, &c.; it is enough to name the ports
and places which we touched at, and what occurred to us
upon our passing from one to another. We touched first at
$12
ADVENTURES OF
the is.and of Madagascar, where, though the people are
fierce and treacherous, and very well armed with lances and
bows, which they use with inconceivable dexterity, yet we
fared very well with them a while; they treated us very
civilly; and, for some trifles which we gave them, such as
knives, scissors, &c., they brought us eleven good fat bul-
locks of a middling size, which we took in, partly for fresh
provisions for our present spending, and the rest to salt for
the ship's use.
We were obliged to stay here some time after we had fur-
nished ourselves with provisions; and I, who was always
too curious to look into every nook of the world wherever I
came, was for going on shore as often as I could. It was on
the east side of the island that we went on shore one
evening; and the people, who, by the way, are very numer-
ous, came thronging about us, and stood gazing at us at a
distance; but as we had traded freely with them, and had
been kindly used, we thought ourselves in no danger; but
when we saw the people, we cut three boughs out of a tree,
and stuck them up at a distance from us; which, it seems,
is a mark in that country, not only of truce and friendship,
but when it is accepted, the other side sets up three poles or
boughs, which is a signal that they accept the truce too;
but then this is a known condition of the truce, that you are
not to pass beyond their three poles, towards them, nor they
to come past your three poles, or boughs, towards you; so
that you are perfectly secure within the three poles, and all
the space between your poles and theirs is allowed like a
market for free converse, traffic, and commerce.
When you
go there, you must not carry your weapons with you; and
If they come into that space, they stick up their javelins and
lances all at the first poles, and come on unarmed: but if
any violence is offered them, and the truce thereby broken,
away they run to the poles, and lay hold of their weapons
and the truce is at an end.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
513
It happened one evening when we went on shore, that a
greater number of the people came down than usual, but all
very-friendly and civil; and they brought several kinds of
provisions, for which we satisfied them with such toys as we
had; their women, also, brought us milk and roots, and
several things very acceptable to us, and all was quiet; and
we made us a little tent or hut of some boughs of trees,
and lay 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 riding 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 under the cover of the branches of the trees all night in
the boat.
About two o'clock in the morning we heard one of our
men make a terrible noise on the 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 fire of five muskets, which was the number of the
guns they had, and that three times over; for, it seems, the
natives here were not so easily frightened with guns as the
savages were in America, where I had to do with them.
All this while I knew not what was the matter, but rousing
immediately from sleep with the noise, I caused the boat to
be thrust in, and resolved, with three fusees we had on
board, to land and assist our men.
We got the boat soon to the shore, but our men were in
too much haste; for being come to the shore, they plunged
into the water, to get to the boat with all the expedition
they could, being pursued by between three and four hun-
dred men.
Our men were but nine in all, and only five of
them had fusees with them; the rest had pistols and swords
indeed, but they were of small use to them.
514
ADVENTURES OF
We took up seven of our men, and with difficulty enough
too, three of them being very ill wounded; and that which
was still worse was, that while we stood in the boat to take
our men in, we were in as much danger as they were in on
shore; for they poured their arrows in upon us so thick,
that we were glad to barricade the side of the boat up with
the benches, and two or three loose boards, which, to our
great satisfaction, we had by mere accident 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 us, they would have been sure of us. We had,
by the light of the moon, a little 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, that
we could hear, by the cries of some of them, had wounded
several: however, they stood thus in battle array on the
shore till break of day, which we suppose was that they
might see the better to take their aim at us.
In this condition we lay, and could not tell how to weigh
our anchor or set up our sail, because we must needs stand
up in the boat, and they were 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
perceiving the posture we lay in, and that we fired towards
the shore, pretty well understood us; and weighing anchor
with all speed, he stood as near the shore as he durst with
the ship, and then sent another boat, with ten hands in her,
to assist us; but we called to them not to come too near, tell-
ing 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 one boat between him and the
enemy, so that they could not perfectly see him, swam on
board us, and made fast the line to the boat; upon which
we slipped out a little cable, and leaving our anchor behind,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
515
3
they towed us out of the reach of the arrows; we all the
while lying close behind the barricado we had made.
As soon as we were got from between the ship and the
the shore, that we could lay her side to the shore, she run
along just by them, and poured in a broadside among them
loaded with pieces of iron and lead, small bullets, and such
stuff, besides, the great shot, which made a terrible havoc
"mong 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 often in those parts, put me
apon it; for he said he was sure the inhabitants would not
have touched us after we had made a truce, if we had not done
something to provoke them to it. At length it came out
that an old woman who had come to sell us some milk, had
brought it within our poles, and a young woman with her,
who also brought some roots or herbs; and while the old
woman (whether she was mother to the young woman 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; however, the sea-
man would not quit his prize, but carried her out of the old
woman's sight among the trees, it being almost dark: the
old woman went away without her, and, as we may suppose,
made an outcry among the people she came from, who, upon
notice, raised this great army upon us in three or four hours ;
and it was great odds but we had all been destroyed.
One of our men was killed with a lance thrown at him
just at the beginning of the attack, as he sallied out of the
tent they had made: the rest came off free, all but the fel-
low who was the occasion of all the mischief, who paid dear
enough for his black mistress, for we could not hear what
became of him a great while. We lay upon the shore two
days after, though the wind presented, and made signals for
him, and made our boat sail ap shore and down shore
516
ADVENTURES OF
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
tess.
I could not satisfy myself, however, without venturing or
shore once more, to try if I could learn anything 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's 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
into by it without design.
We took twenty as stout fellows with us as any in the
ship, besides the supercargo and myself, and we landed two
hours before midnight, at the same place where the Indians
stood drawn up in the evening before: I landed here, be-
cause 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 of the mischief we had done them; and I thought if
we could surprise one or two of them, perhaps we might get
our man again, by way of exchange.
We landed without any noise, and divided our men into
two bodies, whereof the boatswain commanded one, and I
the other. We neither saw nor heard anybody stir when we
landed; and we marched up, one body at a distance from
the other, to the place; but at first could see nothing, 1.
being very dark; till by and by our boatswain, who led the
first party, stumbled and fell over a dead body. This made
- them halt awhile; for knowing by the circumstances that
they were at the place where the Indians had stood, they
waited for my coming up there. We concluded to halt till
the moon began to rise, which we knew would be in less
than an hour, when we could easily discern the havoc we
had made among them. We told thirty-two bodies upon
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
517
the ground, whereof two were not quite dead; some had an
arm, and some a leg shot off, and one his hand; those that
were wounded, we suppose, they had carried away.
When we had made, as I thought, a full discovery of all
we could come to the knowledge of, I was resolved for going
on board; but the boatswain and his party sent me word
that they were resolved to make a visit to the Indian town,
where these dogs, as they called them, dwelt, and asked me
to go along with them; and if they could find them, as they
still fancied they should, they did not doubt of getting a
good booty; and it might be they might find Tom Jeffry
there that was the man's name we had lost.
Magda
Had they sent to ask my leave to go, I knew well enough
what answer to have given them: for I should have com-
manded them instantly on board, knowing it was not a hazard
fit for us to run, who had a ship, and ship-loading in our
charge, and a voyage to make which depended very much
upon the lives of the men; but as they sent me word they
were resolved to go, and only asked me and my company to
go along with them, I positively refused it, and rose up, for
I was sitting on the ground, in order to go to the boat. One
or two of the men began to importune me to go; and when
I refused, began to grumble, and say that they were not
under my command, and they would go. Come, Jack, says
one of the men, will you go with me? I'll go for one. Jack
said he would, and then another, and, in a word they
all left me but one, whom I persuaded to stay, and a boy
left in the boat. So the supercargo and I with the third
man, went back to the boat, where we told them we should
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 supposed most of them would run the fate
of Tom Jeffry.
M
They told me, like seamen, they would warrant it they
would come off again, and they would take care, &c.; so
44
518
ADVENTURES OF
away they went.
I entreated them to consider the ship and
the voyage, tnat their lives were not their cwn, and that
they were entrusted with the voyage, in some measure; that
f they miscarried, the ship might be lost for want of their
nelp, and that they could not answer for it to God or man.
But I might as well have talked to the mainmast of the
ship; they were mad upon their journey, only they gave me
good words, and begged I would not be angry; that they did
not doubt but they would be back again in about an hour at
farthest; for the Indian town they said, was not above a half
a mile off, though they found it above two miles before they
got to it.
Well, they all went away; and though the attempt was
desperate, and such as none but madmen would have gone
about, yet, to give them their due, they went about it as
warily as boldly: they were gallantly armed, for they had
every man a fusee or musket, a bayonet, and a pistol; some
of them had broad cutlasses, some of them had hangers, and
the boatswain and two more had poleaxes; besides all which
they had among them thirteen hand-grenadoes: bolder fel-
lows, and better provided, never went about any wicked.
work in the world.
When they went out, their chief desire was plunder, and
they were in nighty hopes of finding gold there; but a cir-
cumstance, which none of them were aware of, set them on
fire with revenge, and made devils of them all. When they
came to the few Indian houses which they thought had been
the town, which was not above half a mile off, they were
under a great disappointment, for there were not above twelve
or thirteen houses; and where the town was, or how big,
they knew not They consulted, therefore, what to do, and
were sometime before they could resolve; for if they fel
upon these, they must cut all their throats, and it was ten to
one but some of them might escape, it being in the night,
though the moon was up; and if one escaped, he would run
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
512
and raise all the town, so they should have a whole army
upon them again, on the other hand, if they went away
and left those untouched, for the people were all asleep, they
could not tell which way to look for the town: however, the
last was the best advice; so they resolved to leave them, and
look for the town as well as they could. They went on a
little way, and found a cow tied to a tree; this, they pres-
ently concluded, would be a good guide to them; for, they
said, the cow certainly belonged to the town before them, or
to the town behind them; and if they untied her, they
should see which way she went: if she went back, they had
nothing to say to her; but, if she went forward, they would
follow her so they cut the cord, which was made of twisted
flags, and the cow went on before them, directly to the town;
which, as they reported, consisted of above two hundred
houses or huts, and in some of these they found several fam-
ilies living together.
Here they found all in silence, as profoundly secure as
sleep could make them; and, first, they called another coun-
cil, to consider what they had to do; and, in a word, they
resolved to divide themselves into three bodies, and so set
three houses on fire in three parts of the town; and as the
men came out, to seize them and bind them (if any resisted,
they need not be asked what to do then), and so to search
the rest of the houses for plunder: but they resolved to
march silently first through the town, and see what dimen-
sions it was of, and 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 an-
other to the work, three of them, who were a little before
the rest, called out aloud to them, and told them that they
had found Tom Jeffry: they all ran up to the place, where
they found the poor fellow hanging up naked 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
520
ADVENTURES OF
Indians, who had been concerned in the fray with us before,
and two or three of them wounded with our shot; and our
men found they were awake, and talking one to another in
that house, but knew not their number.
The sight of their poor mangled comrade so enraged them,
as before, that they swore to one another they would be re-
venged, and that not an Indian that came into their hands
should have any quarter; and to work they went immedi-
ately, and yet not so madly as might be expected from the
rage and fury they were in. Their first care was to get
something that would soon take fire, but, after a little search,
they found that would be to no purpose; for most of the
houses were low, and thatched with flags and rushes, of
which the country is full: so they presently made some wild-
fire, as we call it, by wetting a little powder in the palm 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 frightened
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 killing 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-grenado,
and threw it among them, which at first frightened them,
but, when it burst, made such havoc among them, that they
cried out in a hideous manner. In short, most of the In-
dians who were in the open part of the house were killed or
huit with the grenado, except two or three who pressed to
the door, which the boatswain and two more kept, with their
bayonets on the muzzles of their pieces, and dispatched all
that came in their way but there was another apartment in
the house, where the prince or king, or whatever he was, and
several others were; and these were kept in till the house,
P
-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
52.
Ty
which was by this time all a light flame, fell in upon them,
and they were smothered 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 fre
grew so raging, all the houses being made of light com-
bustible stuff, that they could hardly bear the street between
them; and their business was to follow the fire, for the surer
execution; as fast as the fire either forced the people out of
those houses which were burning, or frightened them out of
others, our people were ready at their doors to knock them
on the head, still calling and hallooing one to another to re-
member Tom Jeffry.
While this was doing, I must confess I was very uneasy,
and especially when I saw the flames of the town, which, it
being night, seemed to be just by me. My nephew, the
captain, who was roused by his men, seeing such a fire was
very uneasy, not knowing what the matter was, or what
danger I was in, especially hearing the guns too, for by this
time they began to use their fire-arms; a thousand thoughts
oppressed his mind concerning me and the supercargo, what
would become of us; and, at last, though he could ill spare
any more men, yet not knowing what exigence we might be
in, he takes another boat, and with thirteen mer 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; and though he was glad
that we were well, yet he was in the same impatience with
us to know what was doing; for the noise continued, and
the flame increased; in short, it was next to an impossibility
for any man in the world to restrain their curiosity to know
what had happened, or their concern for the safety of the
men: in a word, the captain told me he would go and help
44*
522
ADVENTURES OF
nis men, let what would come. I argued with him, as I did
before with the men, the safety of the ship, the danger of
the voyage, the interest of the owners and merchants, &c.,
and told him I and the two men would go, and only see if
we could at a distance learn what was like to be the event,
and come back and tell him. It was all one to talk to my
nephew, as it was to talk to the rest before; he would go,
he said; and he only wished he had left but ten men in the
ship; for he could not think of having his men lost for want
of help; he had rather lose the ship, the voyage, and his life
and all; and away he went.
I was no more able to stay behind now than I was to per-
suade them not to go: so, in short, the captain ordered two
men to row back the pinnace, and fetch twelve men more,
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 consisted of sixty-five men,
whereof two were lost in the late quarrel which brought this
mischief on.
Being now on the march, you may be sure we felt little of
the ground we trod on; 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 surprising to us before, the cries
of the poor people were now quite of another nature, and
filled us with horror. I must confess I was never at the
Backing a city, or at the taking a town by storm. I had
heard of Oliver Cromwell taking Drogheda, in Ireland, and
killing man, woman, and child; and I had read of Count
Tilly sacking the city of Magdeburg, and cutting the throats
of twenty-two thousand of all sexes; but I never had an
idea of the thing itself before, nor is it possible to describe
it, or the horror that was upon our minds at hearing it.
However, we went on, and at length came to the town
though there was no entering the streets of it for the fire.
{"
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
523
The first object we met with was the ruins of a hut op
house, or rather the ashes of it, for the house was consumed;
and just before it, plain enough to be seen by the light of
the fire, lay four men and three women killed, and, as we
thought, one or two more lay in the heap among the fire; in
short, there were such instances of rage altogether barbarous,
and of a fury something beyond what was human, that we
thought it impossible our men could be guilty of it; or if
they were the authors of it, we thought they ought to be
every one of them put to the worst of deaths. But this was
not all: we saw the fire increased forward, and the cry went
on just as the fire went on; so that we were in the utmost
confusion. We advanced a little way farther; and, behold, to
our astonishment, three naked women, and crying in a most
dreadful manner, came flying as if they had wings, and after
them sixteen or seventeen men, natives, in the same terror
and consternation, with three of our English butchers in the
rear; who, when they could not overtake them, fired in
among them, and one that was killed by their shot fell down
in our sight. When the rest saw us, believing us to be their
enemies, and that we would murder them as well as those
that pursued them, they set up a most dreadful shriek,
especially the women, and two of them fell down, as if
already dead, with the fright.
My very soul shrunk within me, and my blood ran chill in
my veins, when I saw this; and I believe, had the three
English sailors that pursued them come on, I had made our
men kill them all: however, we took some ways to let the
poor flying creatures know that we would not hurt them;
and immediately they came up to us, and kneeling down
with their hands lifted up, made piteous lamentation to us to
save them, which we let them know we would; whereupon
they crept all together in a huddle close behind us, as for
protection. I left my men drawn up together, and charging
hem to hurt nobody, but, if possible, to get at some of our
524
ADVENTURES OF
people, and see what devil it was possessed them, and wha
they intended to do, and to command them off, assuring
them that if they stayed till daylight, they would have a
hundred thousand men about their ears: I say, I left them,
and went among those flying people, taking only two of our
men with me; and there was indeed a piteous spectacle
among them; some of them had their feet terribly burned,
with trampling and running through the fire, others their
nands burned; one of the women had fallen down in the
âre, and was very much burned before she could get ou
again; and two or three of the men had cuts in their backs
and thighs, from our men pursuing; and another was sho
through the body, and died while I was there.
I would fain have learned what the occasion of all this
was, but I could not understand one word they said; though,
by signs, I perceived some of them knew not what was the
occasion themselves. I was so terrified, in my thoughts, at
this outrageous attempt, that I could not stay there, but
went back to my own men, and resolved to go into the
middle of the town, through the fire, or whatever might be
in the way, and put an end to it, cost what it would: ac-
cordingly, as I came back to my men, I told them my resolu-
tion, and commanded them to follow me; when at the very
moment came four of our men, with the boatswain at their
head, roving over heaps of bodies they had killed, all covered
with blood and dust, as if they wanted more people to mas-
sacre, when our men hallooed to them as loud as they could
halloo; and with much ado one of them made them hear,
so that they knew who we were, and came up to us.
As soon as the boatswain saw us, he set up a halloo like a
shout of triumph, for having, as he thought, more help come;
and without waiting to hear me, Captain, says he, noble
captain! I am glad you are come; we are not half done yet:
villanous hell-hound dogs! I'll kill as many of them as poor
fem has hairs upon his head: we have sworn to spare nɔne
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
523
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 creature touched more, upon pain of death: I charge
you upon your life, 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? If you
want a reason for what we have done, come hither; and
with that he showed me the poor fellow hanging, with his
throat cut.
I confess I was urged then myself, and at another time
would have been forward enough; but I thought they had
carried their rage too far, and remembered 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 I had
now a new task upon my hands; for 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 concerned for fear of the men
being overpowered; and as to the people, he thought not
one of them ought to live; for they had all glutted them-
selves with the murder of the poor man, and that 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 quite out of my
power to restrain them, came away pensive and sad; for I
could not bear the sight, much less the horrible noise and
cries of the poor wretches that fell into their hands.
I got nobody to come back with me but the supercargo
and two men, and with these walked back to the boat. It
was a very great piece of folly in me, I confess, to venture
back as it were alone; for as it began now to be almost day
526
ADVENTURES OF
and the alarm had run over the country, there stood about
forty men, armed with lances and bows, at the little place
where the twelve or thirteen houses stood mentioned before;
but by accident I missed the place, and came directly to the
seaside; and by the time I got to the seaside it was broad
day; immediately I took the pinnace and went on board,
and sent her back to assist the men in what might happen.
I observed about the time that I came to the boat's side,
that the fire was pretty well out, and the noise abated: but
in about half an hour after I got on board I heard a volley
of our men's fire-arms, and saw a great smoke; this, as I
understood afterwards, was our men falling upon the men
who, as I said, stood at the few houses on the way, of whom
they killed sixteen or seventeen, and set all the houses on
fire, but did not meddle with the women or children.
By the time the men got to the shore again with the
pinnace, our men began to appear; they came dropping in,
not in two bodies as they went, but straggling here and
there in such a manner, that a small force of resolute men
might have cut them all off. But the dread of them was
upon the whole country; and the men were surprised, and
so frightened, that I believe a hundred of them would have
fled at the sight of but five of our men; nor in all this
terrible action was there a man that made any considerable
defence; they were so surprised when the terror of the fire
and the sudden attack of our men in the dark, that they
knew not which way to turn themselves; for if they fled
one way they were met by one party; if back again, by
another; so that they were every where knocked down:
nor did any of our men receive the least hurt, except one
that sprained his foot, and another that had one of his hands
burned.
I was very angry with my nephew, the captain, and, in-
deed, with all the men, in my mind, but with him in partic-
ular, as well for his acting so out of his duty, as commander
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
527
of the ship, and having the charge of the voyage upon him,
as in his prompting, rather than cooling, the rage of his
blind men, in so bloody and cruel an enterprise. My
nephew answered me very respectfully, but told me that
when he saw the body of the poor seaman whom they had
murdered in so cruel and barbarous a manner, he was not
master of himself, neither could he govern his passion: he
owned he should not have done so, as he was commander of
the ship; but as he was a man, and nature moved him, he
could not bear it. As for the rest of the men, they were not
ubject to me at all, and they knew it well enough; so they
.ook no notice of my dislike.
i
The next day we set sail, so we never heard any more of
it. Our men differed in the account of the number they had
killed; but according to the best of their accounts, put alto-
gether, they killed or destroyed about one hundred and fifty
people, men, women and children, and left not a house standing
in the town. As for the poor fellow Tom Jeffry, as he was
quite dead (for his throat was so cut that his head was half
off), it would do no service to bring him away; so they only
took him down from the tree, where he was hanging by one
hand.
However just our men thought this action, I was against
them in it, and I always after that time told them God would
blast the voyage; for I looked upon all the blood they shed
that night to be murder in them; for though it is true that
they had killed Tom Jeffry, yet Jeffry was the aggressor, had
broken the truce, and had violated or debauched a young
women of theirs, who came down to them innocently, and
on the faith of the public capitulation.
The boatswain defended this quarrel when we were after-
wards 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, atd killed one of our men without any just prov
528
ADVENTURES OF
ocation; so that as we were in a capacity to fight them now
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 the wench, he ought not
to have been murdered, and that in such a villanous manner;
and that they did nothing but what was just, and what the
laws of God allowed to be done to murderers.
One would think this should have been enough to have
warned us against going on shore amongst heathens and bar-
barians: but it is impossible to make mankind wise but at their
own expense; and their experience seems to be always of
most use to them when it is dearest bought.
We were now bound to the gulf of Persia, and from thence
to the coast of Coromandel, only to touch at Surat; but the
chief of the supercargo's design lay at the bay of Bengal;
where if he missed his business outward-bound, he was to
go up to China, and return to the coast as he came home.
The first disaster that befel us was in the gulf of Persia,
where five of our men venturiug on shore on the Arabian
side of the gulf, were surrounded by the Arabians, and
either all killed or carried away into slavery: the rest of the
boat's crew were not able to rescue them, and had but just
time to get off their boat. I began to upbraid them with
the just retribuiton of Heaven in this case; but the boat-
swain very warmly told me, he thought I went farther in my
censures than I could show any warrant for in Scripture;
and referred to Luke xiii. 4, where our Saviour intimates
that those men on whom the tower of Siloam fell were not
sinners above all the Galileans; but that which put me to
silence in the case was, that not one of these five men who
were now lost were of those who went on shore to the mas-
sacre of Madagascar, so I always called it, though our men
could not bear to hear the word massacre with any
patience.
But my frequent preaching to them on the subject had
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
529
worse consequences than I expected; and the boatswain who
had been the head of the attempt, came up boldly to me one
time, and told me he found that I brought that affair con-
tinually upon the stage: that I made unjust reflections upon
it, and had used the men very ill on that account, and him-
self in particular; that 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
an account for it when they came to England; and that,
therefore, unless I would resolve to have done with it, and
also not to concern myself any farther 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 confessed I had all along opposed the mas-
sacre of Madagascar, and that I had, on all occasions, spoken
my mind freely about it, though not more upon him than
any of the rest; that as to 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
concerned us all; and what concern I had in the voyage was
none of his business; that I was a considerable owner in
the ship; in that claim, I had conceived I had a right to
speak even farther than I had done, and would not be ac-
countable 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 the affair had been over. We were at
this time in the road at Bengal; and being willing to see
the place, 1 went on shore with the supercargo, in the ship's
ooat to divert myself; and towards evening was preparing to
go on board, when one of the men came to me, and t: ld me
he would not have me trouble myself to come down to the
boat, for they had orders not to carry me on board any more.
Any one may guess what a surprise I was in at so insolent a
*
45
530
ADVENTURES OF
4.
message; and I asked the man who bade him deliver that
message to me? He told me the cocks wain. I said no more
to the fellow, but bade him let them know he had delivered
his message, and that I had given him no answer to it.
I immediately went and found out the supercargo, and
told him the story; adding, which I presently foresaw, that
there would 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
intelligence, for before I had spoken to him on shore the mat-
ter was effected on board. The boatswain, the gunner, the
carpenter, and all the inferior officers, as soon as I was gone
off in the boat, came up, and desired to speak with the cap-
tain; and there the boatswain, making a long harangue, and
epeating all he had said to me, told the captain, in a few
words, that 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
nave 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 well and 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 farther with
him; and at that word all, he turned his face towards the
mainmast, which was, it seems, the signal agreed on between
them, at which all the seamen, being got together there,
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 surprised, you may
be sure at the thing, yet he told them calmly that he would
consider of the matter; but that he could do nothing in it
till he had spoken to me about it. He used some arguments
with them to show them the unreasonableness and injustice
of the thing but it was all in vain; they swore and shook
hands round before his face, that they would all go on shore,
:
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
531
unless he would engage to them not to suffer me to come
any more on board the ship.
This was a hard article upon him, who knew his obliga
tion to me, and did not know how I might take it: so he
began to talk smartly to them; told them that I was a very
considerable owner of the ship, and that, in justice, he could
not put me out of my own house; that this was the next
door to serving me as the famous pirate Kidd had done, whc
made a mutiny in the ship, set the captain on shore on an
uninhabited island, and ran away with the ship; that let
them go into what ship they would, if ever they came to
England again it would cost them very dear; that the ship
was mine, and that he could not put me out of it; and that hẹ
would rather lose the ship and the voyage too than disoblige
me so much; so they might do as they pleased: however,
he would go on shore and talk with me, and invited the
boatswain to go with him, and perhaps they might accommo-
date the matter with me. But they all rejected the proposal.
and said they would have nothing to do with me any more;
and if I came on board, they would all go on shore. Well,
said the captain, if you are all of this mind, let me go on
shore and talk with him. So away he came to me with this
account, a little after the message had been brought to me
from the cocks wain.
I was very glad to see my nephew, I must confess; for I
was not without apprehensions that they would confine him
by violence, set sail, and run away with the ship; and then
I had been stripped naked in a remote country, having noth-
ing to help myself: in short I had been in a worse case than
when I was alone in the island. But they had not come to
that length, it seems, to my satisfaction; and when my
nephew told me what they had said to him, and how they
had sworn and shook hands that they would one and all,
leave the ship if I was suffered to come on board, I told him
he should not be concerned at it at all, for I would stay on
*
532
ADVENTURES OF
shore I only desired he would take care and send me alı
my necessary things on shore, and leave me a sufficient sum
of money, and I would find my way to England as well as 1
could.
This was a heavy piece of news to my nephew, but there
was no way to help it but to comply; so, in short, 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 that the matter was over in a
few hours, the men returned to the duty, and I hegan to
consider what course I should steer.
SECTION XLII.
Gene
MEETS WITH AN ENGLISH MERCHANT WITH WHOM HE MAKES SOME
TRADING VOYAGES · -THEY ARE MISTAKEN FOR PIRATES VANQUISH
THEIR PURSUERO VOYAGE TO CHINA-RENCONTRE WITH THE COCHIN
CHINESE ISLAND OF FORMOSA
OF FORMOSA GULF OF NANQUIN
SIONS OF FALLING INTO THE HANDS OF THE DUTCH.
—
APPREHEN-
S
I was now alone in the most remote part of the world, as I
think I may call it, for I was near three thousand leagues by
sea farther off from England than I was at my island; only,
it is true, I might travel here by land over the great Mogul's
country to Surat, might go from thence to Bassora by sea,
up the gulf of Persia, and take the way of the caravans,
over the Desert of Arabia, to Aleppo and Scanderoon; from
thence by sea again to Italy, and so overland into France;
and this put together might at least be a full diameter of the
globe, or more.
I had another way before me, which was to wait for some
English ships. which were coming to Bengal from Achin, on
!
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
538
.
the island of Sumatra, and get passage on board them for
England. But as I came hither without any concern with
the English East India Company, so it would he difficult te
go from hence without their license, unless with great favor
of the captains of the ships, or the Company's factors, and
to both I was an utter stranger.
Here I had the mortification to see the ship set sail with-
out me; a treatment I think a man in my circumstances
scarce ever met with, except when pirates running away with
the ship, and setting those that would not agree with their
villainy on shore. Indeed, this was next door to it, both
ways; however, my 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 me also a good lodging in the
house of an Englishwoman, where several merchants lodged,
some French, two Italians, or rather Jews, and one English-
man; here I was handsomely 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 fur-
nishing me with a thousand pieces of eight, and a letter of
credit for more, if I had occasion, that I might not be strait-
ened, whatever might happen.
I quickly disposed of my goods to advantage, and, as I
originally intended, I bought here some very good diamonds,
which, of all other things, were the most proper for me, in
my present circumstances; because I could always carry my
whole estate about me.
After a long stay here, and many proposals made for my
return to England, none falling out to my mind, the Eng-
lish merchant who lodged with me, and whom I had con-
tracted an intimate acquaintance with, came to me one morn-
ng. Countrymen, says he, I have a project to communicate
45*
634
ADVENTURES OF
to you, which, as it suits with my thoughts, may, for augh
I know, suit with yours also, when you shall have thoroughly
considered it. Here we are posted, you by accident, and I
by my own choice, in a part of the world very remote from
our own country; but it is in a country where, by us who
understand trade and business, a great deal of money is to
be got. If you will put one thousand ponnds to my one
thousand pounds, we will hire a ship here, the first we can
get to our minds; you shall be captain, I'll be merchant,
and we'll go a trading voyage to China: for what should we
stand still for? The whole world is in motion, rolling round
and round; all the creatures of God, heavenly bodies and
earthly, are busy and diligent: why should we be idle?
There are no drones in the world but men; why should we
be of that number?
I liked this proposal very well, and the more because it
seemed to be expressed with so much good will, and in so
friendly a manner. I will not say but that I might, by my
loose unhinged circumstances, be the fitter to embrace a pro-
posal for trade, or indeed any thing else; whereas, other-
wise, trade was none of my element. However, I might
perhaps say with some truth, that if trade was not my ele-
ment, rambling was, and no proposal for seeing any part of
the world which I had never seen before could possibly come
amiss to me.
It was, however, some time before we could get a ship to
our minds, and when we had got a vessel, it was not easy to
get English sailors; that is to say, so many as were neces-
sary 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 foremastmen. With these we found we could do
well enough, having Indian seamen, such as they were, to
make up.
There are so many travellers who have wrote the history
•
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
53A
of their voyages and travels this way, that it would be very
little diversion to any body to give a long account of the
places we went to, and the people who inhabit there: these
things I leave to others, and refer the reader to those journals
and travels of Englishmen of which many I find are pub-
lished and more promised every day; it is enough for me to
tell you that we made this voyage to Achin, in the island
of Sumatra, and from thence to Siam, where we exchanged
some of our wares for opium and some arrack; the first a
commodity which bears a great price among the Chinese,
and which, at that time, was much wanted there. In a
word, we went up to Suskan, made a very great voyage,
were eight months out, and returned to Bengal; and I was
very well satisfied with my adventure. I observe that our
people in England often admire how officers which the
Company send into India, and the merchants which gen-
erally stay there, get such very great estates as they do, and
sometimes come home worth sixty or seventy thousand
pounds at a time; but it is no wonder, or at least we shall
see so much farther into it, when we consider the innumer-
able ports and places where they have a free commerce, that
it will be none; and much less will it be so when we con-
sider that at those places and ports where the English ships
come, there is such great and constant demands for the
growth of all other countries, that there is a certain vent
for the returns, as well as a market abroad for the goods
carried out.
In short, we made a very good voyage, and I got so much
money by my first adventure, and such an insight into the
method of getting more, that had I been twenty years
younger, I should have been tempted to have stayed here,
and sought no farther for making any fortune: but what
was all this to a man upwards of threescore, that was rich
enough, and came abroad more in obedience to a restless
desire of seeing the world than a covetous desire of gaining
*
636
ADVENTURES OF
by it? And, indeed, I think it is with great justice I now
call it restless desire, for it was so. When I was at home, 1
was restless to go abroad; and when I was abroad, I was
restless to be at home. I say, what was this gain to me? 1
was rich enough already, nor had I any uneasy desires about
getting more money; and therefore the profit of the voyage
to me was of no great force for the prompting me forward to
farther undertakings; hence I thought that by this voyage I
had made no progress at all, because I was come back, as I
might call it, to the place from whence I came, as to home:
whereas my eye, which, like that which Solomon speaks of,
was never satisfied with seeing, was still desirous of wander-
ing and seeing more. I was come into a part of the world
which I was never in before, and that part, in particular,
which I had heard much of, and was resolved to see as much
of it as I could; and then I thought I might say I had seen
all the world that was worth seeing.
But my fellow traveller and I had different notions: I do
not name this to insist on my own, for I acknowledge his
were the most just, and the most suited to the end of a
merchant's life; who, when he is abroad upon adventures, it
is his wisdom to stick to that, as the best thing for him,
which he is like to get the most money by. My new
friend kept himself to the nature of the thing, and would
have been content to have gone like a carrier's horse, always
to the same inn, backward and forward, provided he could,
as he called it, find his account in it. On the other hand,
mine was the notion of a mad rambling boy, that never cares
to see a thing twice over. But this was not all; I had a
kind of impatience upon me to be nearer home, and yet the
most unsettled resolution imaginable which way to go. In
the interval of these consultations, my friend, who was
always upon the search for business, proposed another voyage
to me among the Spice Islands, and to bring home a loading
af cloves from the Manillas, or thereabouts; places, indeed,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
531
where the Dutch trade, but islands belonging party to the
Spaniards; though we went not so far, but to some other
where they have not the whole power, as they have at Bata
via Ceylon, &c.
We were not long in preparing for this voyage; the chief
difficulty was in bringing me to come into it: however, at
last, nothing else offering, and finding that really stirring
about and trading, the profit being so great, and, as I may
say, certain, had more pleasure in it, and had more satisfac-
tion to my mind, than sitting still, which, to me especially,
was the unhappiest part of my life, I resolved on this
voyage too, which we made very successfully, touching at
Borneo, and several islands whose names I do not remember,
and came home in about five months. We sold our spice,
which was chiefly cloves and some nutmegs, to the Persian
merchants, who carried them away to the gulf; and making
near five of one, we really got a great deal of money.
My friend, when we made up this account, smiled at me :
Well, now, said he, with a sort of agreeable insult upon
my indolent temper, is not this better than walking about
here, like a man of nothing to do, and spending our time
in staring at the nonsense and ignorance of the Pagans? -
Why, truly, says I, my friend, I think it is, and I begin to
be a convert to the principles of merchandising; but I must
tell you, said I, by the way, you do rot know what I am
doing; for if I once conquer my backwardness, and embark
heartily, as old as I am, I shall harass you up and down
the world till I tire you; for I shall pursue it so eagerly.
I shall never let you lie still.
But, to be short with my speculations, a little while after
this there came in a Dutch ship from Batavia: she was a
coaster, not an European trader, of about two hundred tons
burthen; the men, as they pretended, having been so sickly,
that the captain had not hands enough to go to sea with, he
lay by at Bengal; and having, it seems, got money enough, or
538
ADVENTURES OF
**_
being willing, for other reasons, to go for Europe, he gave
public notice 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 to him, and told him of it. He con-
sidered 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 posses-
sion. When we had done so, we resolved to entertain the
men, if we could, to join them with those we had, for the
pursuing our business; but on a sudden, they having re-
ceived, not their wages, but their share of the money, as we
afterwards learned, not one of them was to be found; we
inquired much 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 to travel to Surat,
and go by sea to the gulf of Persia.
Nothing had so much troubled me a good while as that I
should miss the opportunity of going with them; for such a
ramble, I thought, and in such company as would both have
guarded and diverted me, would have suited mightily with my
great design and I should have both seen the world and
gone homewards too; but I was much better satisfied a few
days after, when I came to know what sort of fellows they
were; for, in short, their history was, that this man they
called captain was the gunner only, not the commander;
that they had been a trading voyage, in which they had been
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, these men, eleven in number, had resolved to run
away with the ship, which they did, and brought her to
Bengal, leaving the mate and five men more on shore; of
whom hereafter.
Well, let them get the ship how they would, we came
nonestly by her, as we thought, though we did not, I confess
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
539
examine into things so exactly as we ought; for we never
inquired anything of the seamen, who would certainly
have faltered in their account, contradicted one another, and
perhaps contradicted themselves; or one how or other wo
should have had 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
contradict him; and withal, having no suspicion of the thing,
we went through with our bargain.
We picked up some more English sailors here after this,
and some Dutch; and now we resolved for a second voyage
to the south-east for cloves, &c. : that is to say, among the
Philippine and Molucca isles; and, in short, not to fill up
this part of my story with trifles, when what is to come is so
remarkable, I spent from first to last, six years in this coun-
try, trading from port to port, backward and forward, and
with very good success, and was now the last year with my
new partner, going in the ship above mentioned, on a voyage
to China, but designing first to 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 dif-
ficult seas than 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 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 Eng-
lish mate, one Mr. Thompson, captain, not being willing to
take the charge of the ship upon myself. This river lies on
the north side of the great bay or gulf which goes up to
Siam. While we were here, and going often on shore for
refreshment, there comes to me one day an Englishman, and
he was it seems, a gunner's-mate on board an English East
India ship which rode in the same river, at or near the city
540
ADVENTURES OF
;
of Cambodia; what brought him hither we knew not; lu
he comes to me, and speaking English, Sir, says he, you are
a stranger to me, and I to you, but I have something to tell
you that very nearly concerns you.
I looked steadfastly at him a good while, and thought at
first I had known him, but I did not: If it very nearly con-
cerns me, said I, and not yourself, what moves you to tell it
to me?—I am moved, says he, by the imminent danger you
are in, and for aught I see, you have no knowledge of it.
I know no danger I am in, says I, but that my ship is leaky,
and I cannot find it out; but I intend to lay her aground to-
morrow, to see if I can find it. But, sir, says he, leaky or
not leaky, find it or not find it, you will be wiser than to lar
your ship on shore to-morrow, when you hear what I have
to say to you: do you know, sir, said he, the town of Cam-
bodia lies about fifteen leagues up this river? and there are
two large English ships about five leagues on this side, and
three Dutch. Well, said I, and what is that to me?
Why, sir, said he, is it for a man that is upon such adventures
as you are, to come into a port and not examine first what ships
there are there, and whether he is able to deal with them?
I suppose you do not think you are a match for them? I was
amused very much at his discourse, but not amazed at it, for
I could not conceive what he meant; and I turned short
upon him, and said, Sir, I wish you would explain yourself;
I cannot imagine what reason I have to be afraid of any of
the Company's ships, or Dutch ships; I am no interloper;
what can they have to say to me? He looked like a man
half angry and half pleased, and pausing awhile, but smiling,
Well, sir, says he, if you think yourself secure, you must take
your chance; I am sorry your fate should blind you against
good advice: but assure yourself, if you do not put to sea
immediately, you will the very next tide be attacked by five
ongboats full of men, and perhaps, if you are taken, you
will be hanged for a pirate, and the particulars be examined
*
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
541
afterwards. I thought, sir added he, I should have met with
a better reception than this, for doing you a piece of service
of such importance. I can never be ungrateful, said I, for
any service, or to any man that offers me any kindness: but
it is past my comprehension what they should have such
a design upon me for: however, since you say there is no
time to be lost, and that there is some villanous design on
hand against me, I will go on board this minute, and put to
sea immediately, if my men can stop the leak, or if we can
swim without stopping it: but, sir, said I, shall I go away
ignorant of the cause of all this? Can you give me no
further light into it? I can tell you but part of the story,
sir, says he; but I have a Ducth seaman here with me, and
I believe I could persuade him, to tell you the rest; but
there is scarce time for it: but the short of the story is this,
the first part of which, I suppose, you know well enough,
viz., that you was with this 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 are since turned pi-
rates. This is the sum of the story, and you will all be
seized as pirates, I can assure you, and executed with very
little ceremony; for you know merchant ships show but
little law to pirates, if they get them into their power.
Now you speak plain English, said I, and I thank you; and
though I know nothing that we have done like what you
talk of, for I am sure we came honestly and fairly by the
ship; yet seeing such a work is doing, as you say, and that
you seem to mean honestly, I will be upon my guard.
Nay, sir, says he, do not talk about being upon your guard;
the best defence is, to be out of the danger; if you have
any regard for your life, and the lives of all your men, put
to sea, without fail, at high water; and as you have a whole
tide before you, you will be gone too far out before they can
come down; for they will come away at high water, and as
app
M
46
642
ADVENTURES OF
they have twenty miles to come, you will get near two hours
of them by the difference of the tide, not reckoning the
length of the way; besides, as they are only 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 willing to make me any amends,
because you may not be convinced of the truth of it: I will
make an offer to you; I have nineteen months' pay due to
me on board the ship ***, which I came out of England in ;
and the Dutchman that is with me had seven months' pay
done to him; if you will make good our pay to us, we will go
along with you: if you find nothing more in it, we will
desire no more; but if we do convince you that we have
saved your lives, and the ship, and the lives of all the men
in her, we will leave the rest to you.
I consented to this readily, and went immediately on
board, and the two men with me. As soon as I came to the
ship's side, my partner, who was on board, came out on the
quarter-deck, and called to me, with a great deal of joy, O
ho! O ho! we have stopped the leak! we have stopped the
leak! Say you so! said I, thank God; but weigh anchor
then immediately. Weigh! says he: what do you mean
by that? What is the matter? Ask no questions, said I;
but all hands to work, and weigh without losing a minute.
He was surprised, 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 land breeze blow-
ing, we stood out to sea. Then I called him into the cabin,
and told him the story; and we called in the men, and they
told us the rest of it: but as it took up a great deal of time
before we had done a seaman comes to the cabin door, and
called out to us that the captain bade him tell us we were
chased. Chased! says I; by what?-By five sloops, or
boats, says the fellow, full of men. - Very well, said I; then
A
Cop
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
543
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 cne another :
the men answered cheerfully, one and all, that they would
live and die with us. Then I asked the captain what way
he thought best for us to manage a fight with them; for
resist them I was resolved we would, and that to the last
drop. He said readily that the way was to keep them off
with our great shot as long as we could, and then 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 bullets and small pieces of
old iron, and what came next to hand; and thus we made
ready for fight: bnt all this while we kept out to sea, with
wind enough, and could see the boats at a distance, being
five large longboats, following us with all the sail they could
make.
Two of those boats (which by our glasses we could see
were English) outsailed the rest, were near two leagues
ahead of them, and gained upon us considerably, so that we
found they would come up with us; upon which we fired a
gun without ball, to intimate that they should bring to; and
we put out a flag of truce, as a signal for parley; but they
came crowding after us, till they came within shot, when we
took in our white flag, they having made no answer to it,
and hung out a red flag, and fired at them with shot. Not-
withstanding this, they came on till they were near enough
to call to them with a speaking-trumpet which we had on
board; so we called to them, and bade them keep off, &t
their peril.
544
ADVENTURES OF
It was all one; they crowded after us, and endeavored to
come under our stern, so as to board us on our quarter;
upon which, seeing they were resolute for mischief, and de--
pended upon the strength that followed them, I ordered to
bring the ship to, so that they lay upon our broadside; when
immediately we fired five guns at them, one of which had
been levelled so true as to carry away the stern of the hind-
ermost boat, and bringing them to the necessity of taking
down their sail, and running all to the head of the boat to
keep her from sinking; so she lay by, and had enough of it
but seeing the foremost boat crowd on after us, we made
ready to fire at her in particular. While this was doing, one
of the three boats, that was behind, being forwarder than
the other two, made up to the boat which we had disabled,
to relieve her, and we could see her take out the men; we
called again to the foremost boat, and offered a truce, to
parley again, and to know what her business was with us;
but had no answer, only she crowded close under our stern.
Upon this our gunner, who was a very dexterous fellow, run
out his two chase guns, and fired again 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
among them a second time, one shot of which, though it
missed the boat itself, yet fell in among the men, and we
could easily see had done a great deal of mischief among
them; but we took no notice of that, wore the ship again,
and brought our quarter to bear upon them, and firing three
guns more, we found the boat was almost split to pieces; in
particular, her rudder and a piece of her stern was shot
quite away; so they handed her sail immediately, and were
in great disorder. But to complete their misfortune, our
gunner let fly two guns at them again: where he 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 immedi-
afely manned out our pinnace, which we had kept close by
•*.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
545
Dude, with orders to pick up some of the men, if they
coun, and save them from drowning, and immediately come
on board the ship 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 farther out to sea; and we found
that when the other three boats came up to the first, 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
apprehended, I resolved that we should change our course,
and not let any one know whither we were going: so we
stood out to sea eastward, quite out of the course of all Eu-
ropean ships, whether they were bound to China or any
where else within the commerce of the European nations.
When we were at sea, we began to consult with the two
seamen, and inquire what the meaning of all this should be;
and the Dutchman let us into the secret at once, telling us
that the fellow that sold us the ship, as we said, was no
more than a thief that had run away with her. Then he
told us how the captain, whose name too he told us, though
I do not remember it now, was treacherously murdered by
the natives on the coast of Malacca, with three of his men;
and that he, this Dutchman, and four more, got into the
woods, where they wandered about a great while, till at
length he, in particular, in-a miraculous manner, made his
escape, and swam off to a Dutch ship, which, sailing near
the shore in its way from China, had sent their boat on shore
for fresh water; that he durst not come to that part of the
shore where the boat was, but made shift in the night to take
the water farther off, and swimming a great while, at last
the ship's boat took him up.
He then told us that he went to Batavia, where two of the
46*
546
ADVENTURES OF
seamen belonging to the ship arrived, having deserted the
rest in their travels, and gave an account that the fellow who
had run away with the ship sold her at Bengal to a set of
pirates, which were gone a cruising in her; and that they
had already taken an English ship and two Dutch ships very
richly laden.
This latter part was found to concern us directly, though
we knew it to be false; yet as my partner said very justly,
if we had fallen into their hands, and they had had such a
prepossession against us before hand, it had been in vain for
us to have defended ourselves, or to hope for any good quar-
ter at their hands; and especially considering that our
accusers had been our judges, and that we could have ex-
pected nothing from them but what rage would have dictated,
and an ungoverned passion have executed: and therefore it
was his opinion we should go directly back to Bengal, from
whence we came, without putting in at any port whatever;
because there we could give a good account of ourselves,
could prove where we were when the ship put in, of whom
we bought her, and the like; and which was more than all
the rest, if we were put upon the necessity of bringing it be-
fore the proper judges, we should be sure to have some
justice, and not to be hanged first and judged afterwards.
I was some time of my partner's opinion; but after a little
more serious thinking, I told him I thought it was a very
great hazard for us to attempt returning to Bengal, for that
we were on the wrong side of the Straits of Malacca, and
that if the alarm was given, we should be sure to be waylaid
on every side, as well by the Dutch of Batavia as the Eng-
lish elsewhere; that if we should be taken, as it were, run-
ning away, we should even condemn ourselves, and there
would want no more evidence to destroy us. I also asked
the English sailor's opinion, who said he was of my mind,
and that we should certainly be taken. This danger a little
startled my partner, and all the ship's company, and we im
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
547
mediately resolved to go away to the coast of Tonquin, and
so on to the coast of China; and pursuing the first lesign
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 as the best method
for our security; and accordingly we steered away N.N.E.,
keeping above fifty leagues off from the usual course to the
eastward. This, however, put us to some inconvenience; for,
first, the winds, when we came to that distance from the
shore, seemed to be more steadily against us, blowing almost
trade, as we call it, from the E. and E.N.E., so that we
were a long while upon our voyage, and we were but ill pro-
vided with victuals for so long a run; and, which was still
worse, there was some danger 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 vigor.
I must confess, I was now very uneasy, and thought my-
self, including the late escape from the longboats, to have
been in the most dangerous condition that ever I was
through my past life; for whatever ill circumstances I had
been in, I was never pursued for a thief before; nor had I
ever done anything that merited the name of dishonest or
fraudulent, much less thievish; I had chiefly been my own
enemy, or, as I may rightly say, I had been nobody's enemy
but my own; but now I was embarrassed in the worst con-
dition imaginable; for though I was perfectly innocent, I
was in no condition to make that innocence appear; and if
had been taken, it had been under a supposed guilt of the
worst kind. This made me very anxious to make an escape,
though which way to do it I knew not, or what port or place
we could go to. My partner seeing me thus dejected,
though he was the most concerned at first, began to encour-
age me, and describing to me the several ports of that coast,
548
ADVENTURES OF
told me he would put in on the coast of Cochin China, or
the bay of Tonquin, intending to go afterwards to Macao, a
town once in possession of the Portugese, and where still a
great many European families resided; and particularly the
missionary priests' usually went thither, in order to their
going forward to China.
Hither then we resolved to go; and accordingly, though
after a tedious and irregular course, and very much strait-
ened for provisions, we came within sight of the coast very
early in the morning; and upon reflection on the past cir-
cumstances we were in, and the danger if we had not
escaped, we resolved to put into a small river, which, how-
ever, had depth enough of water for us, and to see if we
could, either overland or by the ship's pinnace, come to
know what ships were in any port thereabouts. This happy
step was, indeed, our deliverance; for though we did not
immediately see any European ships in the bay of Tonquin,
yet the next morning there came into the bay two Dutch
ships; and the third, without any colors spread out, but
which we believed to be a Dutchman, passed by at about
two leagues' distance, steering for the coast of China; and
in the afternoon went by two English ships steering the same
course; and thus we thought we saw ourselves beset with
enemies both one way and the other. The place we were
in was wild and barbarous; the people theives, even by
occupation or profession; and though, it is true, we had not
much to seek of them, and, except getting a few provisions,
cared not how little we had to do with them, yet it was with
much difficulty that we kept ourselves from being insulted
by them, several ways. We were in a small river of this
country, within a few leagues of its utmost limits north-
ward; and by our boat we coasted north-east, to the point of
land which opens the great bay of Tonquin; and it was in
this beating up along the shore that we discovered we were
urrounded with enemies. The people we were among were
•
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
519
the most barbarous of all the inhabitants of the coast, hav
ing no correspondence with any other nation, and dealing
only in fish and oil, and such gross commodities; and it may
be particularly seen that they are the most barbarous of any
of the inhabitants. Among other customs, they have thi
one, viz., that if any vessel has the misfortune to be ship-
wrecked upon their coast, they presently make the men all
prisoners or slaves; and it was not long before we found a
piece of their kindness this way, on the occasion following.
I have observed above, that our ship sprung a leak at sea,
and that we could not find it out; and it happened that, as
I have said, it was stopped unexpectedly in the happy minute
of our being to be seized by the Dutch and English ships in
the bay of Siam; yet as we did not find the ship so perfectly
tight and sound as we desired, we resolved, while we were at
this place, to lay her on shore, and take out what heavy
things we had on board, and clean her bottom; and, if pos-
sible, to find out where the leaks were. Accordingly, having
lightened the ship, and brought all our guns and other move-
ables to one side, we tried to bring her down, that we might
come at her bottom; but, on second thoughts, we did not
care to lay her on dry ground, neither could we find a proper
place for it.
1
The inhabitants, who had never been acquainted with
such a sight, came wandering down the shore to look at us;
and seeing the ship lie down on one side in such a manner,
and heeling in 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 lay so 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 have
come on board and plundered the ship; and if they had
fcund us there, to have carried us away for slaves to their
}
550
ADVENTURES OF
king, or whatever they call him, for we knew nothing of
their governor.
When they came up to the ship and began to row round
her, they discovered us all hard at work on the outside of
the ship's bottom and side, washing, and graving, and stop-
ping, 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 consultation, they agreed, it
seems, that the ship was really a wreck; and that we were
all at work endeavoring 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
endeavoring to save some of our goods; upon this they
took it for granted we all belonged to them, and away they
came directly upon our men, as if it had been in a line of
battle.
Our men, seeing so many of them, began to be frightened,
for we lay but in an ill posture to fight, and cried out to us
to know what they should do. I immediately called to the
men that worked upon the stages, to slip them down, and
get up the side into the ship; and bade those in the boat tɔ
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; but, however, neither the
men upon the stages nor those in the boats could do as
they were ordered, before the Cochin Chinese were upon
them; and two of their boats boarded our longboat, and
Degan to lay hold on the men as their prisoners.
The first man they laid hold on was an English seaman, a
tout, strong fellow, who. having a musket in his hand,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
551
never offered to fire it, but laid it down in the boat, like a
fool, as I thought; but he understood his business better
than I could teach him, for he grappled the pagan, and
dragged him by main force out of their boat into ours, where
taking him by the ears, he beat his head so against the boat's
gunnel, that the fellow died in his hands; and, in the mean
tine, a Dutchman, who stood next, took up the musket, and
with the butt-end of it so laid about him, that he knocked
down five of them who attempted to enter the boat. But
this was doing little towards resisting thirty or forty men,
who fearless, because ignorant of their danger, began to
throw themselves into the longboat, where we had but five
men in all to defend it; but the following accident, which
deserved our laughter, gave our men a complete victory.
Our carpenter being prepared to grave the outside of the
ship, as well as to pay the seams where he had calked 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 oil, and such stuff as the shipwrights use for that
work; and the man that attended the carpenter had a great
iron ladle in his hand, with which he supplied the men that
were at work with the hot stuff: two of the enemy's men en-
tered the boat just where this fellow stood, being in the fore-
sheets; he immediately saluted them with a ladleful of the
stuff, boiling hot, which so burned and scalded them, being
half naked, that they roared out like bulls, and enraged
with the fire, leaped both into the sea. The carpenter saw
it, and cried out, Well done Jack! give them some more of
it and stepping forward himself, takes one of the mops, and
dipping it in the pitch-pot, he and his man threw it among
them so plentifully, that, in short, of all the men in the three
boats there was not one that escaped being scalded and
burned with it, in a most frightful, pitiful manner, and made
such a howling and crying, that I never heard a worse noise;
for it is worth observing, that though pain naturally makes
1
552
ADVENTURES OF
all people cry out, yet every nation has a particular way of
exclamation, and makes noises as different from one anotaer
as their speech. I cannot give the noise those creature made
a better name than howling, nor a name more proper to the
tone of it; for I never heard anything more like the noise of
the wolves, which, as I have said, I heard howl in the for-
rest on the frontiers of Languedoc.
I was never better pleased with a victory in my life; not
only as it was a perfect surprise to me, and that our danger
was imminent before, but, as we got this victory without any
bloodshed, except of that man the fellow killed with his
naked hands, and which I was very much concerned at, for I
was sick of killing such poor savage wretches, even though
it was in my own defence, knowing they came on errands
which they thought just and knew no better; and that
though it may be a just thing, because necessary (for there
is no necessary wickedness in nature), yet I thought it was a
sad life, when we must be always obliged to be killing our
fellow-creatures to preserve ourselves; and, indeed, I think
so still, and I would even now suffer a great deal, rather
than I would take away the life even of the worst person
injuring me; and I believe all considering people who know
the value of life would be of my opinion, if they entered
seriously into the consideration of it.
But to return to my story; All the while this was
doing, my partner and I, who managed the rest of the men
on board, had with great dexterity brought the ship almost
to rights, and having got the guns into their places again,
the gunner called to me to bid our boat get out of the way,
for he would let fly among them. I called back again to
him, and bid him not offer to fire, for the carpenter would
do the work without him; but bid him heat another pitch-
kettle, which our cook, who was on board, took care of:
out the enemy was so terrified with what they had met with
in their first attack, that they would not come on again;
Mad
•
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
553
and some of them who were farthest off, seeing the ship
swim, as it were upright, began, as we suppose, 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 about
sixteen hogs, on board, two days before, we resolved to stay
here no longer, but go forward, whatever came of it; for we
made no doubt but we should be surrounded the next day
with rogues enough, perhaps more than our pitch-kettle
would dispose of for us. We therefore got all our things on
board the same evening, and the next morning were ready
to sail : in the mean time, lying at anchor at some distance
from the shore, we were not so much concerned, being now
in a fighting posture, as well as in a sailing posture, if any
enemy had presented. The next day, having finished our
work within board, and finding our ship was perfectly healed
of all her leaks, we set sail. We would have gone into the
bay of Tonquin, for we wanted to inform ourselves of what
was to be known concerning the Dutch ships that had been
there; but we durst not stand in there, because we had seen
several ships go in, as we supposed, but a little before; so
we kept on N.E. towards the island of Formosa, as much
afraid of being seen by a Dutch or English merchant ship,
as 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 if 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, till we came to
the latitude of 22 deg. 30 min., by which means we made
the island Formosa directly, where we came to an anchor, in
order to get water and fresh provisions, which the people
there, who were very courteous and civil in their manners,
supplied us with willingly, and dealt very fairly and punctu
ally with us in all their agreements and bargains, which is
1
47
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ADVENTURES OF
Y
what we did not find among other people, and may be owing
to the remains of Christianity which was once planted here
by a Dutch missionary of Protestants, and is a testimony.
of what. I have often observed, viz., that the Christian
religion always civilizes the people and reforms their man-
ners, where it is received, whether it works saving effects
upon them or no.
From thence we sailed still north, keeping the coast of
China at an equal distance, till we knew we were beyond al¹
the ports of China where our European ships usually come;
being resolved, if possible, not to fall into any of their hands,
especially in this country; where, as our circumstances were,
we could not fail of being entirely ruined.
Being now come to 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 Portuguese pilot on board, who knowing us to be
an European ship, came to offer his service, which, indeed,
we were glad of, and took him on board; upon which, with-
out asking us whither we would go, he dismissed the boat
he came in, and sent it back.
I thought it was now so much in our choice to make the
old man carry us whither we would, that I began to talk to
him about carrying us to the gulf of Nanquin, which is the
most northern part of the coast of China. The old man
said he knew the gulf of Nanquin very well, but smiling,
asked us what we would do there? I told him we would
sell our cargo and purchase China wares, calicoes, raw silks,
tea, wrought silks, &c., and so would return by the same
course we came. He told us our best port had been to
have put in at Macao, where we could not have failed of a
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.
Not being able to put the old man out of his talk, of
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
551
which he was very opinionated or conceited, I told im we
were gentlemen as well as merchants, and that we had a
mind to go and see the great city of Peking, and the famous
court of the monarch of China. Why then, says the old
man, you should go to Ningpo, where, by the river which
rnns into the sea there, you may go up within five leagues
of the great canal. This canal is a navigable stream, which
goes through the heart of that 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 Peking, being
in length near two hundred and seventy leagues.
Well, said I, Senhor Portuguese, but that is not our
business now; the great question is, if you can carry us up
to the city of Nanquin, from whence we can travel to Peking
afterwards? He said he could do so very well, and that
there was a great Dutch ship gone up that way just before.
This gave me a little shock, for a Dutch ship was now our
terror, and we had much rather have met the devil, at least
if he had not come in too frightful a figure; and we
depended upon it that a Dutch ship would be our destruc-
tion, for we were in no condition to fight them; all the
ships they trade with into those parts being of great bur-
den, and of much greater force than we were.
The old man found me a little confused, and under some
concern, when he named a Dutch ship; and said to me, Sir,
you need be under no apprehensions of the Dutch; I sup-
pose they are not now at war with your nation! — No, said
I, that's true; but I know not what liberties men may take
when they are out of the reach of the laws of their own
country. Why, says he, you are no pirates; what need
you fear? They will not meddle with peaceable merchants,
Bure.
If I had any blood in my body that did not fly up into
my face at that word, it was hindered by some stop in the
vessels appointed by nature to circulate it, for it put me
M
556
ADVENTURES OF
·
into the greatest disorder and confusion imaginable; nor
was it possible for me to conceal it so, but the old man
easily perceived it.
?
Sir, says he, I find you are in some disorder in your
thoughts at my talk; pray be pleased to go which way you
think fit, and, depend upon it, I'll do you all the service I
can. Why, senhor, said I, it is true, I am a little unsettled
in my resolution at this time, whither to go in particular;
and I am something more so for what you said about pirates.
I hope there are no pirates in these seas; we are but in an
ill condition to meet with them, for you see we have
but a small force, and are but very weakly manned.
sir, says he, don't be concerned, I do not know that there
have been any pirates in these seas these fifteen years, ex-
cept one, which was seen, as I hear, in the bay of Siam,
about a month since; but you may be assured she is gone to
the 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 was on board, after the
captain and some of his men had been murdered by the Ma-
layans, at or near the island of Sumatra. What! said I,
seeming to know nothing of the matter, did they murder the
captain?—No, said he, I don't 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 hands of
the Malayans, who did murder him; and perhaps they procured
them to do it. — Why then, said I, they deserve death as
if they had done it themselves. Nay, says the old man,
they do deserve it; and they will certainly have it, if they
light upon any English or Dutch ship; for they have all
agreed together, that if they meet that rogue they'll give
him no quarter. - But, said I to him, you say the pirate is
gone out of these seas; how can they meet with him then?
Why, that's true, says he, they do say so; but he was. as
I tell you, in the bay of Siam, in the river Cambodia ; and
+
M
A
M
O,
mye
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
557
was discovered there by some Dutchmen who belonged to
the ship, and who were left on shore when they ran awa,
with her; and some English and Dutch traders being in the
river, they were within a little of taking him: nay, said he,
if the foremost boats had been well seconded by the rest,
they had certainly taken him; but he, finding only two boats
within reach of him, tacked about, and fired at those two,
and disabled them before the others came up, and then stand-
ing off to sea, the others were not able to follow, and so he
got away; but they have all so exact a description of the
ship, that they will be sure to know her; and wherever they
find her they have vowed to give no quarter either to the
captain or seamen, but to hang them all up at the yard-arm.
What! said I, will they execute them right or wrong;
hang them first, and judge them afterwards?
O sir, says
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, 'tis no more than they
deserve.
- I knew I had my old man fast on board, and that he could
do no harm, so that I turned short upon him: Well now,
senhor, said I, this is the very reason why I would have you
carry us up to Nanquin, and not put back to Macao, or to
any other part of the country where the English or Dutch
ships come; for be it known to you, senhor, those captains
of the English and Dutch ships are a parcel of rash, proud,
insolent fellows, that neither know what belongs to justice,
nor how to behave themselves as the laws of God and nature
direct; but being proud of their offices, and not understand-
ing their power, they would act the murderers to punish
robbers; would take upon them to insult men falsely
accused, and determine them guilty without due inquiry:
and perhaps I may live to bring some of them to account for
't, when they may be taught how justice is to be executed;
and that no man ought to be treated as a criminal till
#
47*
558
ADVENTURES OF
Bome
man.
lence may be had of the crime, and that he is the
With this I told him that this was the very ship they
attacked, and gave him a full account of the skirmish we had
with their boats, and how foolishly and cowardly they be-
haved. I told him all the story of our buying the ship, and
how the Dutchman served us. I told him the reasons I had
to believe the story of killing the master by the Malayans
was true, as also the running away with the ship; but it was
all a fiction of their own to suggest that the men had turned
pirates, and they ought to have been sure it was so before
they had ventured to attack us by surprise, and oblige us to
resist them; adding, that they would have the blood of
those men, whom we killed there in just defence, to answer
for.
The old man was amazed at this relation, and told us we
were very much in the right to go away to the north; and
that if he might advise us, it should be to sell the ship in
China, which we might very well do, and buy or build an-
other 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 your goods back 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 custome-
to buy this. He replied, I should meet with customers
enough for the ship at Nanquin, and that a Chinese junk
would serve me very well to go back again; and that he
would procure me people both to buy one and sell the other.
Well but, senhor, said I, as you say they know the ship so
well, I may, perhaps, if I follow your measures, be instru-
mental to bring some honest innocent men into a terrible
broil, and perhaps to be murdered in cold blood; for wher
ever they find the ship, they will prove the guilt upon the
men, by proving this was the ship, and so innocent men may
probably be overpowered and murdered. Why, says the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
559
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, and let them know that
they had been so much in the wrong; that though the
people who were on board at first might run away with the
ship, yet it was not true that they had turned pirates; and
that, in particular, these were not the men that first went off
with the ship, but innocently bought her for the trade; and
I am persuaded they will so far believe me, as at least to act
more cautiously for the time to come.
While these things were passing between us, by way of
discourse, we went forward directly for Nanquin, and in
about thirteen days' sail came to an anchor at the south-west
point of the great gulf of Nanquin; where, by the way, I
came by accident to understand that two Dutch ships were
gone the length before me, and that I should certainly fall
into their hands. I consulted my partner again in this exi-
gency, and he was as much at a loss as I was, and would
very gladly have been safe on shore almost any where: how-
ever, I was not in such perplexity neither, but I asked the
old pilot if there was no creek or harbor which I might 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 forty-two leagues, there was a little
port called Quinchang, where the fathers of the mission
usually landed from Macao, on their progress to teach the
Christian religion to the Chinese, and where no European
ships ever put in; and if I thought to put in there, I might
consider what further course to take when I was on shore.
He confessed, he said, it was not a place for merchants
except that at some certain times they had a kind of a fair
there, when the merchants from Japan came over thither to
buy the Chinese merchandizes.
We all agreed to go back to this place; the name of the
560
ADVENTURES OF
ļ
port, as he called it, I may perhaps spell wrong, for I do not
particularly remember it, having lost this, together with the
names of many other plaees set down in a little pocket
book, which was spoiled by the water by an accident; but
this I remember, that the Chinese or Japanese merchants we
corresponded with called it by a different name from that
which our Portuguese pilot gave it, and pronounced it as
above, Quinchang.
As we were unanimous in our resolution to go to this
place, we weighed the next day, having only gone twice on
shore where we were to get fresh water; on both which oc-
casions the people of the country were very civil to us, and
brought us abundance of things to sell to us, I mean of pro-
visions, plants, roots, tea, rice, and some fowls, but nothing
without money.
We came to the other port (the wind being contrary) not
till five days, but it was very much to our satisfaction; and
I was joyful, and I may say thankful, when I set my foot
on shore, resolving, and my partner too, that if it was pos-
sible to dispose of ourselves and effects any other way,
though not every way to our satisfaction, we would never set
one foot on board that unhappy vessel more; and, indeed, I
must acknowledge, 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 constant fear.
Well does the Scripture say, "The fear of man brings a
snare;" it is a life of death, and the mind is so entirely op-
pressed by it, that it is capable of no relief.
Nor did it fail of its usual operations upon the fancy, by
heightening every danger, representing the English and
Dutch captains to be men incapable of hearing reason, or of
distinguishing between honest men and rogues; or between
a story calculated for our own turn, made out of nothing, on
purpose to deceive, and a true genuine account of our whole
royage, progress, and design; for we might many ways have
X
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
561
tonvinced any reasonable creature that we were not pirates;
the goods we had on board, the course we steered, our
frankly showing ourselves, and entering into such and such
ports; and even our very manner, the force we had, the
number of men, the few arms, little ammunition, short pro-
visions; all these would have served to convince any men
that we were no pirates. The opium and other goods we
had on board would make it appear the ship had been at
Bengal. The Dutchmen, who, it was said, had the names
of all the men that were in the ship, might easily see that we
were a mixture of English, Portuguese, and Indians, and
but two Dutchmen on board. These, and many other par-
ticular circumstances, might have made it evident to the un-
derstanding of any commander, whose hands we might fall
into, that we were no pirates. But fear, that blind, useless
passion, worked another way, and threw us into the vapors;
it bewildered our understandings, and set the imagination at
work to form a thousand terrible things that perhaps might
never happen. We first supposed, as indeed every body else
had related to us, that the seamen on board the English and
Dutch ships, but especially the Dutch, were so enraged at
the name of a pirate, and especially at our beating off their
boats and escaping, that they would not give themselves
leave to inquire whether we were pirates or no; but would
execute us off-hand, as we call it, without giving us any
room for a defence. We reflected that there really was so
much apparent evidence before them, that they would scarce
inquire after any more; as, first, that the ship was certainly
the same, and that some of the seamen among them knew
her, and had been on board her; and, secondly, that when
we had intelligence at the river of Cambodia that they were
coming down to examine us, we fought their boats and fled;
so that we made no doubt but they were as fully satisfied of
Dur being pirates, as we were satisfied of the contrary; and
as I often said, I know not but I should have been apt tu
+
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562
ADVENTURES OF
have taken those circumstances for evidence, if the tables
were turned, and my case was theirs; and have made no
scruple of cutting all the crew to pieces, without believing,
or perhaps considering, what they might have to offer in
their defence.
But let that be how it will, these were our apprehensions;
and both my partner and I scarce slept a night without
dreaming of halters and yard-arms, that is to say, gibbets;
of fighting, and being taken; of killing, and being killed:
and one night I was in such a fury in my dream, fancying
the Dutchmen had boarded us, and I was knocking one of
their seamen down, that I struck my doubled fist against the
side of the cabin I lay in, with such a force, as wounded my
hand grievously, broke my knackles, and cut and bruised the
flesh, so that it awaked me out of my sleep.
Another apprehension I had was, the cruel usage we might
meet with from them if we fell into their hands: then the
story of Amboyna came into my head, and how the Dutch
might perhaps torture us, as they did our countrymen there,
and make some of our men, by extremity of torture, confess
those crimes they never were guilty of, or own themselves
and all of us to be pirates, and so they would put us to
death with a formal appearance of justice; and that they
might be tempted to do this for the gain of our ship and
cargo, which was worth four or five thousand pounds, put all
together.
These things tormented me and my partner too, night and
day; nor did we consider that the captains of ships have no
authority to act thus; and if we had surrendered prisoners
to them, they could not answer the destroying us, or tor-
turing us, but would be accountable for it when they came
to their own country; this, I say, gave me no satisfaction;
for if they were to act thus with us, what advantage would
it be to us that they should be called to an account for it'
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
563
or if we were first to be murdered, what satisfaction would
it be to us to have them punished when they came home?
I cannot refrain taking notice here what reflections I now
had upon the vast variety of my particular circumstances;
how hard I thought it was, that I, who had spent forty years
in a life of continual difficulties, and was at last come, as it
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 my youth, should now come to be
hanged in my old age, and in so remote a place, for a crime
which I was not in the least inclined to, much less guilty
of.
After these thoughts, something of religion would come
in; and I would be considering that this seemed to me to
be a disposition of immediate Providence, and I ought to
look upon it and submit to it as such; that although I was
innocent as to men, I was far from being innocent as to my
Maker; and I ought to look in and examine what other
crimes in my life were most obvious to me, and for which
Providence might justly inflict this punishment as a retribu-
tion; and that I ought to submit to this, just as I would to
a shipwreck, if it had pleased God to have brought such a
disaster upon me.
In its turn, natural courage would sometimes take its
place, and then I would be talking myself up to vigorous
resolutions; that I would not be taken to be barbarously
used by a parcel of merciless wretches in cold blood; that
it were much better to have fallen into the hands of the
savages, though I was sure they would feast upon me when
they had taken me, than 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 gasp, and why should I not do so now, seeing i
564
ADVENTURES OF
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, give them their due, would
not eat a man till he was killed and dead, but that these
men had many arts beyond the cruelty of death. When-
ever these thoughts prevailed, I was sure to put myself into
a kind of fever with the agitation of a supposed fight; my
blood would boil, and my eyes sparkle, as if I was engaged,
and I always resolved to take no quarter at their hands;
but, even at last, if I could resist no longer, I would blow
up the ship and all that was in her, and leave them but little
booty to boast of.
The greater weight the anxieties and perplexities of these
things were to our thoughts while we were at sea, the greater
was our satisfaction when we saw ourselves on shore; and
my partner told me he dreamed he had a very heavy load
upon his back, which he was to carry up a hill, and found
that he was not able to stand longer under it; but that the
Portuguese pilot came and took it off his back, and the hill
disappeared, the ground before him appearing all smooth.
and plain and truly it was so; they were all like men who
had a load taken off their backs. For my part, I had a
weight taken off from my heart that it was not able any
longer to bear; and, as I said above, we resolved to go no
more to sea in that ship. When we came on shore, the old
pilot, who was now our friend, got us a lodging and a ware-
house for our goods, which, by the way, was much the same;
it was a little house, or hut, with a larger house adjoining
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 that country; however, the magistrates
allowed us a little guard, and we had a soldier with a kind
of halberd, or half-pike, who stood sentinel at our door; to
whom we allowed a pint of rice, and a little piece of money,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
565
about the value of three-pence, per day, so that our goods
were kept very safe.
The fair, or mart, usually kept in this place, had been
over some time; however, we found that there were three
or four junks in the river, and two Japaners, I mean ships
from Japan, with goods which they had bought in China,
and were not gone away, having some Japanese merchants
on shore.
The first thing our old Portuguese pilot did for us was,
to get us acquainted with three missionary Romish priests
who were in town, and who had been there some time con-
verting the people to Christianity; but we thought they
made but poor work of it, and made them but sorry Chris-
tians when they had done: however, that was none of our
business. One of these was a Frenchman, whom they called
Father Simon; another was a Portuguese, and the third, a
Genoese but Father Simon was courteous, easy in his
manner, and very agreeable company; the other two were
more reserved, seemed rigid and austere, and applied serious-
ly to the work they came about, viz., to talk with, and
insinuate themselves among, the inhabitants, wherever they
had opportunity. We often ate 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 con-
version required to bring heathen people to the faith of
Christ, that it seems to amount to little mcre than letting
them know the name of Christ, and say some prayers to the
Virgin Mary and her Son, in a tongue which they under-
stand not, and to cross themselves, and the like; yet it must
be confessed that the religionists, whom we call missionaries.
have a firm belief that these people will be saved, and that
they are the instruments of it; and, on this acccunt, they
undergo not only the fatigue of the voyage, and the
hazards of living in such places, but oftentimes death
48
566
ADVENTURES OF
itself, with the most violent tortures, for the sake of this
work.
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 Peking, the royal seat of the Chinese
emperor, and waited only for another priest, who was ordered
to come to him from Macao, to go along with him; and we
scarce ever met together but he was inviting me to go that
journey; telling me how he would show me all the glorious
things of that mighty empire, and, among the rest, the
greatest city in the world; a city, said he, that your London
and our Paris put together, cannot be equal to.
This was
the city of Peking, which, I confess, is very great, and in-
finitely full of people; but as I looked on those things with
different eyes from other men, so I shall give my opinion
of them in a few words, when I come in course of my travels
to speak more particularly of them.
But, first, I come to my friar or missionary. Dining with
him 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, tc
consent. Why, Father Simon, says my partner, should you
desire our company so much? you know we are heretics,
and you do not love us, nor cannot keep us company with
any pleasure. O, says he, you may perhaps be good Cath-
olics in time; my business here is to convert heathens, and
who knows but I may convert you too? — Very well, Father,
said I, so you will preach to us all the way? I will not be
troublesome to you, says he; our religion does not divest us
of good 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. I liked this part
of his discourse very well, and it began to put me in mind
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
567
of my priest that I had left in the Brazils; but this Father
Simon did not come up to his character by a great deal; for
though Father Simon had no appearance of a criminal levity
in him neither, yet he had not that fund of Christian zeal,
strict piety, and sincere affection to religion, that my other
good ecclesiastic had.
But to leave him a little, though he never left us, no
soliciting us to go with him; we had something else.before us
at first, for 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 of Kilam, and the city of Nanquin: but Providence
seemed now more visibly, as I thought, than ever, to concern
itself in our affairs; and I was encouraged, from this very
time, to think I should one way or other get out of this en-
tangled circumstance, and be brought home to my own
country again, though I had not the least view of the man-
ner. Providence, I say, began here to clear up our way a
little; and the first thing that offered was, that our old Por-
tugese pilot brought a Japan merchant to us, who inquired
what goods we had; and, in the first place, he bought all
our opium, and gave us a very good price for it, paying us in
gold by weight, some in small pieces of their own coin, and
some in small wedges, of about ten or eleven ounces each.
While we were dealing with him for our opium, it came into
my head that he might perhaps deal for the ship too, and
ordered the interpreter to propose it to him: he shrugged up
his shoulders at it, when it was first proposed to him; but
in a few days after he came to me, with one of the mission-
ary priests for his interpreter, and told me he had a proposal
to make to me, which was this: he had bought a great
quantity of goods of us, when he had no thoughts of
proposals made to him of buying the ship; and that, there-
fore, he had not money enough to pay for the ship: but if 1
568
ADVENTURES OF
would let the same men who were in the ship navigate her
he would hire the ship to go to Japan; and would send them
from thence to the Philippine islands with another loading,
which he would pay the freight of before they went from
Japan, and that at their return he would buy the ship. I
began to listen to his proposal, and so eager did my head
still run upon rambling, that I could not but begin to enter-
tain a notion of going myself with him, and so to sail from
the Philippine islands away to the South Seas accordingly
I asked the Japanese merchant if he would not hire us to
the Philippine islands, and discharge us there. He said,
No, he could not do that, for then he could not have the
return of his cargo; but he would discharge us in Japan, at
the ship's return. Well, still I was for taking him at that
proposal, and going myself; but my partner, wiser than my-
self, persuaded me from it, representing the dangers, as well
of the seas as of the Japanese, who are a false, cruel, and
treacherous people; likewise those of the Spaniards at the
Philippines, more false, cruel, and treacherous than they.
But to bring this long turn of our affairs to a conclusion;
the first thing we had to do was, to consult with the captain
of the ship, and with his men, and know if they were willing
to go to Japan: and while I was doing this, the young man
whom my nephew had left with me as my companion for my
travels came to me, and told me that he thought that voyage
promised very fair, and that there was a great prospect of
advantage, and he would be very glad if I undertook it; but
that if I would not, and would 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 faithful account of his success, which should be as much
mine as I pleased. I was really loth to part with him; but
considering the prospect of advantage, which was really con-
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 I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
500
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: You know it has been
an unlucky ship said, he, and we both resolve not to go to
sea in it again: if your steward (so he called my man) will
venture the voyage, I will leave my share of the vessel to
him, and let him make the best of it; and if we live to
meet in England, and he 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 my young
man, made him such an offer, I could 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 merchant
proved a very punctual, 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 obtained; paid him his
freight very punctually; sent him to the Philippines, loaded
with Japan and China wares, and a supercargo of their own,
who, trafficking with the Spaniard, brought back European
goods again, and a great quantity of cloves and other spices;
and there he was not only paid his freight very well, and at
a very good price, but not being willing to sell the ship then,
the merchant furnished him with goods on his own account;
and with some money, and some spices of his own which he
brought with him, he went back to the Manillas to the Span-
ards, 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 governor of Manilla hired him to go to Aca-
pulco in America, on the coast of Mexico, and gave him a
license to land there, and to travel to Mexico, and to pass in
any Spanish ship to Europe with all his men. He made the
voyage to Acapulco very happily, and there he sold his ship.
48*
570
ADVENTURES OF
}
!
and having there also obtained allowance to travel by land
to Porto Bello, he found means, somehow or other, to get to
Jamaica, with all his treasure; and about eight years after
came to England exceeding rich, of which I shall take
notice in its place in the mean time, I return to our partic-
ular affairs.
:
Being now to part with the ship and ship's company, it
came before us, of course, to consider what recompense we
should give to the two men that gave us such timely notice
of the design against us in the river Cambodia. The truth
was, they had done us a very considerable service, and de-
served well at our hands; though, by the way, they were a
couple of rogues too: for as they believed the story of our
being pirates, and that we had really run away with the
ship, they came down to us not only to betray the design
that was formed against us, but to go to sea with us as
pirates; and one of them confessed afterwards that nothing
else but the hopes of going a-roguing brought him to do it:
however, the service they did us was not the less; and
therefore, as I had promised to be grateful to them, I first
ordered the money to be paid them which they said was due
to them on board their respective ships; over and above
that, I gave each of them a small sum of money in gold,
which contented them very well; then I made the English-
man gunner in the ship, the gunner being now made second
mate and purser; the Dutchman I made boatswain: so they
were both very well pleased, and proved very serviceable,
being both able seamen, and very stout fellows.
·
We were now on shore in China: if I thought mysel
banished and remote from my own country at Bengal," where
I had many ways to get home for my money, what could I
think of myself now, when I was got about a thousand
leagues farther off from home, and perfectly destitute of all
manner of prospect of return? All we had for it was this,
that in about four months' time there was to be another fai
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
571
¡
at the place where we were, and then we might be able to
purchase all sorts of the manufactures of the country, and
withal might possibly find some Chinese junks or vessels
from Tonquin, that would be to be sold, and would carry us
and our goods whither we pleased. This I liked very well,
and resolved to wait; besides, as our particular persons were
not obnoxious, so if any English or Dutch ships came
thither, perhaps we might have an opportunity to load our
goods, and get passage to some other place in India, nearer
home. Upon these hopes we resolved to continue here; but,
to divert ourselves, we took two or three journeys into the
country. First, we went ten days' journey, to the city of
Nanquin, a city well worth seeing, indeed; they say it has
a million of people in it: it is regularly built, the streets all
exactly straight, and cross one another in direct lines, which
gives the figure of it great advantage. But when I come to
compare the miserable people of these countries with ours,
their fabrics, their manner of living, their government, their
wealth, and their glory, as some call it, I must confess that
I scarcely think it worth my while to mention them here.
It is very observable, that we wonder at the grandeur, the
riches, the pomp, the ceremonies, the government, the man-
ufacturers, the commerce, and conduct of these people; not
that it is to be wondered at, or, indeed, in the least to be
regarded, but because having a true notion of the barbarity
of those countries, the rudeness and the ignorance that pre-
vails there, we do not expect to find any such thing so far
off. Otherwise, what are their buildings to the palaces and
royal buildings of Europe? What their trade to the
universal commerce of England, Holland, France, and
Spain? What are their cities to ours, for wealth, strength,
gaiety of apparel, rich furniture, and infinite variety? What
are their ports, supplied with a few junks and barks, to our
navigation, our merchant fleets, our large and powerful
navies? Our city of London has more trade than half their
572
ADVENTURES OF
"
',
mighty empire: one English, Dutch, or French man-of-war
of eighty guns, would be able to fight almost all the shipping
belonging to China: but the greatness of their wealth, their
trade, the power of their government, and the strength of
their armies, may be a little surprising to us; because, as 1
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 advantage with which
all their greatness and power is represented to us; other-
wise, it is in itself nothing at all: for what I have said of
their ships 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
nothing but ruin the country, and starve themselves, if they
were to besiege a strong town in Flanders, or to fight a dis-
ciplined army. One good line of German cuirassiers, or of
French cavalry, might withstand 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 to be one to twenty in number: nay,
I do not boast if I say that thirty thousand German or Eng-
lish foot, and ten thousand horse, well managed, could
defeat all the forces of China. And so of our fortified
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 an
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 and uncertain in
their going off: and their powder has but little strength.
Their armies are badly disciplined, and want skill to attack,
or temper to retreat; and, therefore, I must confess, it
seemed strange to me, when I came home, and heard our
people say such fine things of the power, glory, magnificence
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
573
.
+4
and trade of the Chinese; because, as far as I saw, they
appeared to be a contemptible herd or crowd of ignorant
sordid slaves, subjected to a government qualified only to
rule such a people and were not its distance inconceivably
great from Muscovy, and the Muscovite empire in a manner
as rude, impotent, and ill governed as they, the Czar of
Muscovy might with ease drive them all out of their country,
and conquer them in one campaign: and had the Czar (who
is now a growing prince) fallen this way, instead of attack-
ing the warlike Swedes, and equally improved himself in the
art of war, as they say he has done; and if none of the
powers of Europe had envied or interrupted him, he might
by this time have been emperor of China, instead of being
beaten by the king of Sweden at Narva, when the latter
was not one to six in number. As their strength and their
grandeur, so their navigation, commerce, and husbandry are
very imperfect, compared to the same things in Europe; also
in their knowledge, their learning, and in their skill in the
sciences, they are either very awkward or defective, though
they have globes and spheres, and a smattering of the math-
ematics, and think they know more than all the world
besides; but they know little of the motions of the heavenly
bodies; and so grossly and absurdly ignorant are their com-
mon people, that when the sun is eclipsed, they think a great
dragon has assaulted it, and is going to run away with it;
and they fall a clattering with all the drums and kettles in
the country, to fright the monster away, just as we do to
hive a swarm of bees.
As this is the only excursion of the kind which I have
made in all the accounts I have given of my travels, I shall
make no more such it is none of my business, nor any
part of my design; but to give an account of my own
adventures through a life of inimitable wanderings, and a
long variety of changes, which, perhaps, few that come after
me will have heard the like of: I shall therefore say very
574
ADVENTURES OF
little of all the mighty places, desert countries, and n.mer.
ɔus people I have yet to pass through, more than relates to
my own story, and which my concern among them will make
necessary.
SECTION XLIII.
JOURNEY TO PEKING ROBINSON JOINS A CARAVAN PROCEEDING TO
MOSCOW RENCONTRES WITH THE TARTARS.
doda
I was now, as near as I can compute, in the heart of China,
about thirty degrees north of the line, for we were returned
from Nanquin: I had, indeed, a mind to see the city of
Peking, which I had heard so much of, and Father Simon
importuned me daily 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 that
we should resolve either to go or not; so I referred it wholly
to my partner, and left it wholly to his choice, who
at length resolved it in the affirmative; and we pre-
pared for our journey. We set out
We set out with very good
advantage as to finding the way, for we got leave to
travel in the retinue of one of their Mandarins, a kind of
viceroy or principal magistrates in the province where they
reside, and who take great state upon them, travelling with
great attendance, and with great homage from the people,
who are sometimes greatly impoverished by them, being
obliged to furnish provisions for them and all their attend-
ants in their journeys. That which I particularly observed,
as to our travelling with his baggage, was this, that though
we received sufficient provisions both for ourselves and our
norses from the country, as belonging to the Mandarin, yeɩ
we were obliged to pay for everything we had after the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
575
market price of the country, and the Mandarin's ateward
collected it duly from us; so that our travelling in the
retinue of the Mandarin, though it was a very great kind-
ness to us, was not such a mighty favor in him, but was a
great advantage to him, considering there were about thirty
other people travelled in the same manner besides us, under
the protection of his retinue; for the country furnished all
the provisions for nothing to him, and yet he took our money
for them.
We were twenty-five days travelling to Peking, through a
country infinitely populous, but I think badly cultivated;
the husbandry, the economy, and the way of living misera-
ble, though they boast so much of the industry of the
people I say miserable, if compared with our own, but
not so to these poor wretches, who know no other. The
pride of the people is infinitely great, and exceeded by
nothing but their poverty, in some parts, which adds to that
which I call their misery; and I must needs think the naked
savages of America live much more happily than the poorest
sort of these, because as they have nothing, so they desire
nothing whereas these are proud and insolent, and in the
main are in many parts mere beggars and drudges; their
ostentation is inexpressible; and, if they can, they love to
keep multitudes of servants or slaves, which is to the last
degree ridiculous, as well as the contempt of all the world
but themselves.
:
I must confess, I travelled more.pleasantly afterwards in
he deserts and vast wildernesses of Grand Tartary than
here; and yet the roads here are well paved and well kept,
and very convenient for travellers; but nothing was more
awkward to me than to see such a haughty, imperious, in-
solent people, in the midst of the grossest simplicity and
ignorance; and my friend Father Simon and I used to be
very merry upon these occasions, to see the beggarly pride
of these people. For example, coming by the house of a
576
ADVENTURES OF
1
country gentleman, as F'ather Simon called him, about ten
leagues off the city of Nanquin, we had first of all the honor
to ride with the master of the house about two miles; the
state he rode in was a perfect Don Quixotism, being a mix-
ture of pomp and poverty. His habit was very proper for a
scaramouch, or merry-andrew, being a dirty calico, with
hanging sleeves, tassels, and cuts and slashes almost on
every side: it covered a taffety vest, as greasy as a butcher's,
and which testified that his honor must be a most exquisite
sloven. His horse was but a poor, starved, hobbling crea-
ture, and he had two slaves followed him on foot to drive
the poor creature along; he had a whip in his hand, and he
belabored 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, going from the city to his country seat,
about half a league before us.
We travelled on gently,
but this figure of a gentleman rode away before us; and as
we stopped at a village about an hour to refresh us, when
we came by the country seat of this great man, we saw him
in a little place before his door, eating his repast. It was a
kind of a garden, but he was very easy to be seen; and we
were given to understand that the more we looked at him
the better he would be pleased. He sat under a tree, some-
thing like the palmetto, which effectually shaded him over
the head, and on the south side; but under the tree was
also placed a large umbrella, which made that part look well
enough. He sat lolling back in a great elbow-chair, being a
heavy corpulent man, and had his meat brought him by two
women slaves; he had two more, one of which fed the squire
with a spoon, and the other held the dish with one hand,
and scraped off what he let fall upon his worship's beard
and taffety vest 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 and monarchs would
▾
•

MARATO
Hol
BADAU WALIO
Le
WHO
WATER CONTINENTE BERA .
DEAL
---
THE CHINESE COUNTRY GENTLEMAN.
I
TESTERE NEL TENTAT
•
ummies
Page 576.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
577
·
rather do than be troubled with the clumsy fingers of their
servants.
I took this time to think what pains men's pride put then
to, and how troublesome a haughty temper, thus ill man-
aged, must be to a man of common sense; and leaving the
poor wretch to please himself with our looking at him, as
if we admired his pomp, though we really pitied and con-
temned him, we pursued our journey; only Father Simon
had the curiosity to stay to inform himself what dainties the
country justice had to feed on in all his state, which he had
the honor to taste of, and which was, I think, a mess of
boiled rice, with a great piece of garlic in it, and a little bag
filled with green pepper, and another plant which they have
there, something like our ginger, but smelling like musk,
and tasting like mustard; all this was put together, and
a small piece of lean mutton boiled in it, and this was his
worship's repast; four or five servants more attended at a
distance, who, we supposed, were to eat of the same after
their master.
As for our Mandarin with whom we travelled, he was
respected as a king, surrounded always with his gentlemen,
and attended in all his appearances with such pomp, that I
saw little of him but at a distance; but this I observed,
that there was not a horse in his retinue but that our car-
rier's pack-horses in England seemed to me to look much
better; though it was hard to judge rightly, for they were
so covered with equipage, mantles, trappings, &c., that we
could scarce see anything but their feet and their heads as
they went along.
I was now light-hearted, and all my trouble and perplexity
that I have given an account of being over, I had no anxious
thought about me, which made this journey the pleasanter
to me; nor had I any ill accident attended me, only in pas
sing or fording a small river my horse fell, and made me
}
49
578
ADVENTURES OF
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
mention 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, not taking due 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 I
touched at in this journey.
At length we arrived at Peking: I had nobody with me.
but the youth whom my nephew the captain had given me to
attend me as a servant, and who proved very trusty and dili-
gent; and my partner had nobody with him, but one servant,
who was a kinsman. As for the Portuguese pilot, he being de-
sirous to see the court, we bore his charges for his company,
and to use him as an interpreter, for he understood the lan-
guage of the country, and spoke good French, and a little
English; and, indeed, this old man was a most useful imple-
ment to us every where: for we had not been above a week
at Peking, when he came laughing, Ah, Senhor Inglese, says
he, I have something to tell you will make your heart glad!
My heart glad! says I; what can that be? I don't know
anything in this country can either give me joy or grief, to
any great degree. Yes, yes, said the old man, in broken
English, make you glad, me sorry. Why, said I, will it
make you sorry? Because, said he, you have brought me
here twenty-five days' journey, and will leave me to go back
alone, and which way shall I get to my port afterwards with-
out a ship, without a horse, without pecune: so he called
money, being his broken Latin, of which he had abundance
to make us merry with In short, he told us there was a
great caravan of Muscovite and Polish merchants in the city,
preparing to set out on their journey by land to Moscovy,
within four or five weeks, and he was sure we would take
the opportunity to go with them, and leave him behind, to
go pack alone.
M
M
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
579
J
I confess I was greatly surprised with this good news, and
had scarce power to speak to him for some time; but at last
I turned to him, How do you know this? said I.
Are you
sure it is true? Yes, says he: I met this morning in the
street an old acquaintance of mine, an Armenian, who is
among them he came last from Astracan, and was designing
to go to Tonquin, where I formerly knew him, but has al-
tered his mind, and is now resolved to go with the caravan to
Moscow, and so down the river Wolga to Astracan.
Well, senhor, says I, do not be uneasy about being left to go
back 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 vest it in China
silks, wrought and raw, such as might be worth the carriage,
he would be content to go to England, and then make his
voyage back to Bengal by the Company's ships.
Having resolved upon this, we agreed that if our Portu-
guese pilot would go with us, we would bear his charges to
Moscow, or to England, if he pleased; nor, indeed, were we
to be esteemed over generous in that neither, if we had not
rewarded him farther, the service he had done us being
really worth more than that: for he had not only been a
pilot to us at sea, but he had been like a broker for us on
shore; and his procuring for us the Japan merchant was
some hundreds of pounds in our pockets. So we consulted
together about it, and being willing to gratify him, which
was but doing him justice, and very willing also to have
him with us besides, for he was a most necessary man on ali
occasions, we agreed to give him a quantity of coined gold,
which, as I compute it, came to about one hundred and
680
ADVENTURES OF
¿
seventy-five pounds sterling, between us, and to bear all his
charges, both for himself and horse, except only a horse to
carry his goods. Having settled this between ourselves, we
called him to let him know what we had resolved. I told
nim he had complained of our being 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 also he should go with us;
and that we called him to know his mind. He shook his
nead, and said, it was a long journey, and he had no pecune
to carry him thither, or to subsist himself when he came
there. 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 also how agreeable he was to us: and then I told him
what we had resolved to give him here, which he might lay
out as we would do our own; and that as for his charges, if
he would go with us we would set him safe on shore (life
and casualties excepted) either in Muscovy or England,
which he would at our own charge, except only the carriage
of his goods. He received the proposal like a man trans-
ported, and told us he would go with us over the whole
world; and so we all prepared for our journey. However,
as it was with us, so it was with the other merchants: they
had many things to do; and instead of being ready in five
weeks, it was four months and some days before all things
were got together.
It was the beginning of February, our style, when we set
out from Peking. My partner and the old pilot had gone
express back to the port where we had first put in, to dis-
pose of some goods which we had left there; and I, with a
Chinese merchant whom I had some knowledge of at Nan-
quin, and who came to Peking on his own affairs, went to
Nanquin, where I bought ninety pieces of fine damasks,
vith about two hundred pieces of other very fine silks of
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
<81
several sorts, some mixed with gold, and had all these
brought to Peking against my partner's return; besides this,
we bought a very large quantity of raw silk, and some
other goods, our cargo amounting, in these goods only, to
about three thousand five hundred pounds sterling; which,
together with tea, and some fine calicoes, and three camels'
loads of nutmegs and cloves, loaded in all eighteen camels
for our share, besides those we rode upon; which, with two
or three spars horses, and two horses loaded with provisions,
made us, in short, twenty-six camels and horses in our re-.
tinue.
The comp ny was very great, and, as near as I can remem-
ber, made between three and four hundred horse, and up-
wards of on: hundred and twenty men, very well armed, and
provided for all events: for as the Eastern caravans are sub-
ject to be attacked by the Arabs, so are these by the Tar-
tars; but they are not altogether so dangerous as the Arabs,
nor so barbarous, when they prevail.
:
The company consisted of people of several nations; but
there were above sixty of them merchants or inhabitants of
Moscow, though of them some were Livonians and to our
particular satisfaction, five of them were Scots, who ap-
peared also to be men of great experience in business, and
of very good substance.
When we had travelled one day's journey, the guides,
who were five in number, called all the gentlemen and mer-
chants, that is to say, all the passengers except the servants,
to a great council as they called it.
At this council every.
one deposited a certain quantity of money to a common
stock, for the necessary expense of buying forage on the
way, where it was not otherwise to be had, and for satisfy-
ing the guides, getting horses, and the like: and here they
constituted the journey, as they called it, viz, they named
captains and officers to draw us all up, and give the word of
tommand, in case of an attack, and give every one their turn
1
49*
582
ADVENTURES OF
of command; nor was this forming us into order any more
than what we found needful upon the way, as shall be ob-
served.
The road all on this side of the country is very popu-
lous, and is full of potters and earth-makers, that is to say,
people that temper the earth for the China-ware; and as I
was coming along, our Portugal pilot, who had always some-
thing or other to say to make us merry, came sneering to
me, and told me he would show me the greatest rarity in all
.the country, and that I should have this to say of China,
after all the ill-humored things I had said of it, that I had
seen one thing which was not to be seen in all the world be-
side. 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, says 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, nọ, says he, I mean it is a house all
made of China-ware, such as 'you call it 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!
says the old pilot, holding up both his hands; why there is
a family of thirty people lives in it.
Ca
M
I was then curious, indeed, to see it; and when I came
to it, it was nothing but this: it was a timber house, or a
house built, as they call it in England, with lath and plas-
ter; but all this plastering 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 burned. As to the in-
side, all the walls instead of wainscot, were lined with hard-
ened and painted tiles, like the little square tiles we call
galley-tiles in England, all made of the finest China, and
a
-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
58z
the figures exceeding fine, indeed, with extraordinary variety
of colors, mixed with gold; many tiles making but one fig-
ure, but joined so artificially, the mor ar 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 earthern floors we have in use in several parts
of England; as hard as stone, and smooth, but not burned
and painted, except some smaller rooms, like closets, which
were all as it were paved with the same tile: the ceiling,
and 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 a journey, I could have stayed
some days to see and examine the particulars of it. They
told me there were fountains and fishponds in the garden,
all paved on the bottom and sides with the same; and fine
statues set up in rows on the walks, 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 very sure they excel in
their accounts of it; for they told me such incredible things
of their performance in crockery-ware, for such it is, that I
care not to relate, as knowing it could not be true. They
told me, in particular, of one workman that made a ship
with all its tackle, and masts and sails, in earthern-ware, big
enough to carry fifty men. If they had told me he launched
it, and made a voyage to Japan in it, I might have said some-
thing to it, indeed; but as it was, I knew the whole of the
story, which was, in short, asking pardon for the word, that
the fellow lied: so I smiled, and said nothing to it.
This odd sight kept me two hours behind the caravan, for
which the leader of it for the day fined me about the value
of three shillings and told me, if it had been three days
journey without the wall, as it was three days' within, he
:
↓
984
ADVENTURES OF
must have fined me four times as much, and made me ask
pardon the next council day: I promised to be more orderly
and, indeed, I found afterwards the orders made for keeping
all together 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 a needless 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 wali
bounds, without measuring the windings and turnings it
takes it is about four fathoms high, and as many thick in
some places.
•
I stood still an hour, or thereabout, without trespassing
our orders (for so long the caravan was in passing the gate),
to look at it on every side, near and far off, I mean that was
within my view; and the guide of our caravan, who had
been extolling it for the wonder of the world, was mighty
eager to hear my opinion of it. I told him it was a most
excellent thing to keep out the Tartars; which he happened
not to understand as I meant it, and so took it for a compli-
ment; but the old pilot laughed: O, Senhor Inglese, says
he, you speak in colors. In colors! said I; what do you
mean by that? Why you speak what looks white this
way, and black that way: gay one way, and dull another.
You tell him it is a good wall to keep out Tartars; you tell
me by that it is good for nothing but to keep out Tartars.
I understand you, Senhor Inglese; I understand you; but
Senhor Chinese understood you his own way.
Well, says
I, senhor, do you think it would stand out an army of our
country people, with a good train of artillery, or our
ngineers, with two companies of miners? Would not they
V
C
"
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
585
Datter it down in ten days, that an army might enter in bat-
talia; or blow it up in the air, foundation and all, that there
should be no sign of it left? Ay, ay, says he, I know that.
The Chinese wanted mightily to know what I said, and I
gave him leave to tell him a few days after, for we were then
almost out of their country, and he was to leave us in a
little time after this; but when he knew what I said, he
was dumb all the rest of the way, and we heard no more of
his fine story of the Chinese power and greatness while he
stayed.
After we passed this mighty nothing, called a wall, some-
thing like the Picts' wall, so famous in Northumberland,
built by the Romans, we began to find the country thinly in-
habited, and the people rather confined to live in fortified
towns and cities, as being subject to the inroads and depre-
dations of the Tartars, who rob in great armies, and there-
fore are not to be resisted by the naked inhabitants of an
open country. And here I began to find the necessity of
keeping together in a caravan as we travelled, for we saw
several troops of Tartars roving about; but when I came to
see them distinctly, I wondered more that the Chinese empire
should be conquered by such contemptible fellows; for they
are a mere horde of wild fellows, keeping no order, and un-
derstanding no discipline or manner of fight. Their horses
are poor lean creatures, taught nothing, and 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 leader
for the day gave leave for about sixteen of us to go a hunt-
ing, as they call it, and what was this but hunting of sheep:
however, it may be called hunting too, for the creatures are
the wildest and swiftest of foot that ever I saw of their
kind; only they will not run a great way, and you are sure
of sport when you begin the chase, for they appear generally
thirty or forty in a flock, and, like true sheep, always keep
together when they fly.
;
586
ADVENTURES OF
J
In pursuit of this odd sort of game, it was our hap to
meet with about forty Tartars; whether they were hunting
mutton as we were, or whether they looked for another kind
of prey, we know not; but as soon as they saw us, one of
them blew a kind of horn very loud, but with a barbarous
sound that I had never heard before, and, by the way, never
care to hear again: we all supposed this was to call their
friends about them, and so it was; for in less than ten min-
utes a troop of forty of fifty more appeared at about a mile
distance; but our work was over first, as it happened.
One of the Scots merchants of Moscow happened to be
amongst us, and as soon as he heard the horn he told us that
we had nothing to do but to charge them immediately, with-
out loss of time; and drawing us up in a line, he asked if
we were resolved. We told him we were ready to follow
him; so he rode directly towards them. They stood gazing
at us like a mere crowd, drawn up in no order, nor showing
the face of any order at all; but as soon as they saw us ad-
vance, they let fly their arrows, which, however, missed us
very happily: it seems they mistook not their aim, but their
distance; for their arrows all fell a little short of us, but
with so true an aim, that had we been about twenty yards
nearer, we must have had several men wounded, if not
killed.
Immediately we halted, and though it was at a great dis-
tance, we fired, and sent them leaden bullets for wooden
arrows, following our shot full gallop, to fall in among them
sword in hand, for so our bold Scot that led us directed. He
was, indeed, but a merchant, but he behaved with such vigor
and bravery on this occasion, and yet with such cool courage
too, that I never saw any man in action fitter for command.
As soon as we came up to them, we fired our pistols in their
faces, and then drew; but they fled in the greatest confusion
imaginable. The only stand any of them made was on our
right, where three of them stood, and, by signs, called the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
587
1
rest to come back to them, having a kind of scimitar in their
hands, and their bows hanging to their backs. Our brave
commander, without asking anybody to follow him, gallops
up close to them, and with his fusee knocks 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 misfor-
tune attending it, that all our mutton we had in chase got
away. We had not a man killed or hurt; but as for the
Tartars, there were about 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 made off, and never made any attempt upon us.
We were all this while in the Chinese dominions, and
therefore the Tartars were not so bold as afterwards: but in
about five days we entered a vast, great, wild desert, which
held us three days and nights' march; and we were obliged
to carry our water with us in great leathern bottles, and to
encamp all night, just as I have heard they do in the desert
of Arabia.
I asked our guides whose dominion this was in; and they
told me this was a kind of border, that might be called no
man's land, being a part of Great Karakathay, or Grand
Tartary; but, however, it was all reckoned as belonging to
China, but, that there was no care taken here to preserve it
from the inroads of thieves, and therefore it was reckoned
the worst desert in the whole march, though we were to gc
over some much larger.
In passing this wilderness, which was at first very fright-
ful 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; and so, like the man who met
the devil, if they had nothing to say to us, we had nothing
to say to them; we let them go. Once, however, a party
of them came so near as to stand and gaze at us; whether
it was to consider if they should attack us or not, we knew
1
588
ADVENTURES OF
•
not; but when we were passed at some distance by them,
we made a rear guard of forty men, and stood ready for them,
letting the caravan pass half a mile or thereabouts before
us: but after a while they marched off; only we found they
saluted us with five arrows at their parting, one of which
wounded a horse, so that it disabled him, and we left him
poor creature, in great need of a good farrier: they might
shoot more arrows, which might fall short of us, but we saw
no more arrows or Tartars that time.
We travelled near a month after this, the ways not being
so good as at first, though still in the dominions of the em-
peror of China, but lay for the most part in villages, some
of which were fortified, because of the incursions of the
Tartars. When we were come to one of these towns (it was
about two days and a half journey before we were to 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
horses also, such as they are, because 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 one
for me; but I, like a fool, must be officious, and go myself
along with him: the place was about two miles out of the
village, where it seems they kept the camels and horses
feeding under a guard.
I walked it on foot, with my old pilot and a Chinese,
being very desirous of a little variety. When we came to
the place, it was a low marshy ground, walled round with a
stone wall, piled up dry, without mortar or earth among it,
like a park, with a little guard of Chinese soldiers at the
door. Having bought a camel, and agreed for the price, I
came away, and the Chinese man that went with me led the
samel, when on a sudden came up five Tartars on horseback;
two of them seized the fellow and took the camel from him,
while the other three stepped up to me and my old pilot,
seeing us, as it were, unarmed, for I had no weapon abou'
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
589
ine but my sword, which could but ill defend me agains
three horseman. The first that came up stopped short upon
my drawing my sword, for they are arrant cowards; but a
second coming upon my left, gave me a blow on the head,
which I never felt till afterwards, and wondered, when I
came to myself, what was the matter, and where I was, for
he laid me flat on the ground; but my never-failing old
pilot, the Portuguese (so Providence, unlooked for, directs
deliverances 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 always boldest when there
is no danger. The old man seeing me down, with a bold
heart stepped up to the fellow that had struck me, and
laying hold of his arm with one hand, and pulling him
down by main force a little towards him with the other,
shot him in the head, and laid him dead upon the spot.
He then immediately stepped up to him who had stopped
us, as I said, and before he could come forward again, made
a blow at him with a scimitar which he always wore, but
missing the man, cut his horse in the side of his head, cut
one of the ears off, by the root, and a great slice down by
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 car-
ried him quite out of the pilot's reach and at some distance,
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, seeing the
Tartar down, and his horse fallen upon him, away he runs
to him, and seizing upon an ugly ill-favored 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
nis Tartarian brains out with it. But my old man had the
50
590
ADVENTURES OF
1
third Tartar to deal with still; and seeing he did no 17,
as he expected, nor come on to fight him, as he apprehen ed,
but stand stock-still, the old man stood still too, and fell
to work with his tackle, to charge his pistol again; but as
soon as the Tartar saw the pistol, away he scoured, and left
my pilot, my champion I called him afterward, a complete.
victory.
By this time I was a little recovered; for I thought when
I first began to wake, that I had been in a sweet sleep; but,
as I said above, I wondered where I was, how I came upon
the ground, and what was the matter. But a few moments
after, as sense returned, I felt pain, though I did not know
where; so I clapped my hand to my head, and took it away
bloody: then I felt my head ache; and then, in a moment,
memory returned, and every thing was present to me again.
I jumped upon my feet instantly, and got hold of my sword,
but no enemies in view: I found a Tartar lie dead, and his
horse standing very quietly by him; and, looking further, I
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 a great deal of joy, being afraid
before that I had been killed; and seeing me bloody, would
see how I was hurt: but it was not much, only what we
call a broken head; neither did I afterwards find any great
inconvenience from the blow, for it was well again in two or
three days.
We made no great gain, however, by this victory, for we
lost a camel and gained a horse; but that which was re-
markable, when we came back to the village, the man do-
manded to be paid for the camel; I disputed it, and it was
brought to a hearing before the Chinese judge of the place.
To give him his due, he acted with a great deal of prudence
and impartiality; and, having heard both sides, he gravely
asked the Chinese man that went with me to buy the camel,
KOBINSON CRUSOE.
591
whose servant he was? I am no servant, says he, but went
vith the stranger. At whose request? says; the justice.
At the stranger's request, says he. Why, then, says the
ustice, you were the stranger's servant for the time; and
he camel being delivered to his servant, it was delivered to
im, and he must pay for it.
I confess the thing was so clear, that I had not a word te
ay: but, admiring to see such just reasoning upon the con-
sequence, and an accurate stating of the case, I paid wil-
ingly for the camel, and sent for another; but, you may
observe, I did not go to fetch it myself any more, for I had
had enough of that.
The city of Naum is a frontier of the Chinese empire:
they call it fortified, and, so it is, as fortifications go there;
for this I will venture to affirm, that all the Tartars in Kara-
kathay, which, I believe, are some millions, could not batter
down the walls with their bows and arrows; but to call it
strong, if it were attacked with cannon, would be to make
those who understand it laugh at you.
We wanted, as I have said, above two days' journey of
this city, when messengers were sent express to every part
of the road to tell all travellers and caravans to halt till they
had a guard sent for them; for that an unusual body of
Tartars, making ten thousand in all, had appeared in the
way, about thirty miles beyond the city.
This was very bad news to travellers; however, it was
carefully done of the governor, and we were very glad to
hear we should have a guard. Accordingly two days after,
we had two hundred soldiers sent us from a garrison of the
Chinese, on our left, and three hundred more from the city
of Naum, and with these we advanced boldy; 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 the
centre in this order, and well prepared for battle, we
592
ADVENTURES OF
thought ourselves a match for the whole ten thousand Mo
gul Tartars, if they had appeared; but the next day, when
they did appear, it was quite another thing.
It was early in the morning, when, marching from a well
situated little town, called Changu, we had a river to pass,
which we were obliged to ferry; and, had the Tartars had
any intelligence, then had been the time to have attacked us,
when the caravan being over, the rear guard was behind;
but they did not appear there. About three hours after,
when we were entered upon a desert of about 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 on the front, who had talked so
big the day before, began to stagger; and the soldiers fre-
quently 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, called out, Senhor Inglese,
says he, those fellows must be encouraged, or they will ruin
us all; for if the Tarters come on, they will never stand it.
I am of your mind, said I; but what must be done?
Done! says 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 this, they will
every man turn his back. Immediately I rode 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 rescue; and so we
marched, leaving the last two hundred men to make a body
by themselves, and to guard the camels; only that, if need
were, they should send a hundred men to assist the last
fifty.
J
In a word, the Tartars came on, and an innumerable com-
pany they were: how many we could not tell, but ten
'housand, we thought, was the least: a party of them came
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
593
on first and viewed our posture, traversing the ground in tac
front of our line; and, as we found them within gun-shot,
our leader ordered the two wings to advance swiftly, and
give them a salvo on each wing with their shot, which was
done; but they went off, and I suppose back, to give an ac-
count of the reception they were likely to meet with; and
indeed, that salute cloyed their stomachs, for they immedi-
ately halted, stood awhile to consider of it, and wheeling off
to the left, they gave over their design, and said no more to
us for that time; which was very agreeable to our circum-
stances, which were but very indifferent for a battle with
such a number.
Two days after we came to the city of Naun, or Naum;
we thanked the governor for his care of us, and collected to
the value of a hundred crowns, or thereabouts, which he
gave to the soldiers sent to guard us; and here 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 frontiers lay nearer to them than they
now do, the Muscovites having abandoned that part of the
country, which lies from this city west for about two hun-
dred miles, as desolate and unfit for use; and more
especially being so very remote, and so difficult to send
troops thither for its defence for we had yet above two
thousand miles to Muscovy, properly so called.
After this we passed several great rivers, and two dreadfu.
aeserts; one of which we were sixteen days passing over,
and which, as I said, was to be called no man's land; and,
on the 13th of April, we came to the frontiers of the Musco.
vite dominions. I think the first town, or fortress, which-
ever it may be called, that belonged to the czar of Mus-
covy, was called Arguna, being on the west side of the river
Arguna.
I could not but discover an infinite satisfaction that I was
ro soon arrived in, as I called it, a Christian country. or. at
50*
594
ADVENTURES OF
least, in a country governed by Christians; for though the
Muscovites do, in my opinion, but just deserve the name of
Christians, yet such they pretend to be, and are very devout
in their way. It would certainly occur to any man who
travels the world as I have done, and who had any power of
reflection, what a blessing it is to be brought into the world
where the name of God and a Redeemer is known, adored and
worshipped; and not where the people, given up by Heaven 、
to strong delusions, worship the devil, and prostrate them-
selves to stocks and stones; worship monsters, elements,
horrid-shaped animals, and statues or images of monsters.
Not a town or city we passed through but had their pagods,
their idols, and their temples, and ignorant people worship-
ping even the works of their own hands. Now we came
where, at least, a face of the Christian worship appeared;
where the knee was bowed to Jesus; and whether igno-
rantly or not, yet the Christian religion was owned, and the
name of the true God was called upon and adored, and it
made my soul rejoice to see it. I saluted the brave Scots
merchant I mentioned above with my first acknowledgment
of this; and taking him by the hand, I said to him, Blessed
be God, we are once again among Christians. He smiled,
and answered, Do not rejoice too soon, countryman; these
Muscovites are but an odd sort of Christians; and but for
the name of it, you may see very little of the substance for
some months farther of our journey. Well, says I, but still
it is better than paganism and worshipping of devils. —
Why, I will tell you, says he, except the Russian soldier in
the garrisons, and a few of the inhabitants of the cities upon
the road, all the rest of this country, for above a thousand
miles farther, is inhabited by the worst and most ignorant of
pagans: and so, indeed, we found it.
.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
595
SECTION XLIV.
—
ROUTE THROUGH MUSCOVY ROBINSON AND A SCOTS MERCHANT
DESTROY AN IDOL THE WHOLE CARAVAN IN GREAT PERIL FROM
THE PURSUIT OF THE PAGANS- TOBOLSK ( MUSCOVITE EXILES
DEPARTURE FROM TOBOLSKI ENCOUNTER WITH A TROOP OF ROB-
BERS IN THE DESERT ROBINSON REACHES ARCHANGEL, AND
FINALLY ARRIVES IN ENGLAND.
g
1
Ang
WE were now launched into the greatest piece of solid
earth, if I understand anything of the surface of the globe,
that is to be found in any part of the world; we had, at
least, twelve thousand miles to the sea, eastward; twe
thousand to the bottom of the Baltic sea, westward; and
above three thousand, if we left that sea and went on west,
to the British and French channels; we had full five thous-
and miles to the Indian or Persian sea, south; and about
eight hundred to the Frozen sea, north. Nay, if some
people may be believed, there might be no sea, northeast,
till we came round the pole, and consequently into the north-
west, and so had a continent of land into America, the Lord
knows where; though I could give some reasons why I be-
lieved that to be a mistake.
As we entered into the Muscovite dominions a good while
before we came to any considerable towns, we had nothing
to observe there but this: first, that all the rivers run to the
east as I understood by the charts, which some in our car-
avan had with them, it was plain all those rivers ran into the
great river Yamour, or Amour; which river, by the natural
course of it, must run into the East sea, or Chinese Ocean.
The story they tell us, that the mouth of this river is choked
ap with bulrushes of a monstrous growth, viz., three feet
about, and twenty or thirty feet high, I must be allowed to
say, I believe nothing of it; but, as its navigation is of no
1
596
ADVENTURES OF
asc, because there is no trade that way, the Tartars, to whom
it alone belongs, dealing in nothing but cattle, so nobody,
that ever I heard of, has been curious enough either to gc
down to the mouth of it in boats, or come up from the
mouth of it in ships, as far as I can find: but this is certain,
that this river running east, in the latitude of about fifty de-
grees, carries a vast concourse of rivers along with it, and
finds an ocean to empty itself in that latitude: so we are
sure of sea there.
Some leagues to the north of this river there are several
considerable rivers, whose streams run as due north as the
Yamour runs east, and these are all found to join their
waters with the great river Tartarus, named so from the
northermost nations of the Mogul Tartars; who, as the Chi-
nese say, were the first Tartars in the world; and who, as
our geographers allege, are the Gog and Magog mentioned
in sacred story. These rivers running all northward, as well
as all the other rivers I am yet to speak of, make it evident
that the northern ocean bounds the land also on that side;
so that it does not seem rational in the least to think that
the land can extend itself to join with America on that side,
or that there is not a communication between the northern
and eastern ocean: but of this I shall say no more; it was
my observation at that time, and therefore I take notice of it
in this place.
We now advanced from the river Arguna by easy and
moderate journeys, and were very visibly obliged 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 that I had read of were placed
in Britain, for the security of commerce, and for the lodging
travellers; and thus it was here: for wherever we came
though at these towns and stations the garrisons and govern-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
597
ors were Russian and professed Christians, yet the inhab-
itants were mere pagans; sacrificing to idols, and worship-
ping the sun, moon, and stars, or all the host of heaven;
and not only so, but were, of all the heathens and
pagans that ever I met with, the most barbarous, except
only that they did not eat men's flesh, as our savages of
America did.
Some instances of this we met within the country between
Arguna, where we enter the Muscovite dominions, and a city
of Tartars and Russians together, called Nertzinskoi, in
which is a continued desert or forest, which cost us twenty
days to travel over. In a village, near the last of these
places, I had the curiosity to go and see their way of living,
which is most brutish and insufferable; they had, I suppose,
a great sacrifice that day; for there stood out, upon an old
stump of a tree, an idol made of wood, frightful as the
devil; at least, as any thing we can think of to represent
the devil can be made: it had a head not so much as re-
sembling any creature that the world ever saw; ears as big
as goats' horns, and as high; eyes as big as a crown piece;
a nose like a crooked ram's-horn, and a mouth extended
four-cornered, like that of a lion, with horrible teeth, hooked
like a parrot's under-bill: it was dressed up in the filthiest
manner that you could suppose: its upper garment was of
sheep-skins, with the 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, nor any other
proportion of parts.
This scarecrow was set up at the outer side of the village;
and, when I came near to it, there were sixteen or seventeen
creatures, whether men or women I could not tell, for they
nade no distinction by their habits, all lying flat upon the
ground round this formidable block of shapeless wood: 1
saw no motion among them any more than if they had been
all logs of wood, like the idol, and at first I really thought
598
ADVENTURES OF
they had been so; but, when I came a little nearer, they
started up upon their feet, and raised a howling cry, as if it
had been so many deep-mouthed hounds, and walked away,
as if they were displeased at our disturbing them. A little
way off from the idol, and at the door of a tent or hut,
made all of sheep-skins and cow-skins 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; the three men were priests be-
longing to it, and the seventeen prostrated wretches were
the people who brought the offering, and were making their
prayers to that stock.
M
I confess, I was more moved at their stupidity and brutish
worship of a hobgoblin than ever I was at anything in my
life; to see God's most glorious and best creature, to whom
he had granted so many advantages, even by creation above
the rest of the works of his hands, vested with a reasonable
soul, and that soul adorned with faculties and capacities
adapted both to honor his Maker, and be honored by him,
sunk and degenerated to a degree so very stupid as to pros-
trate itself to a frightful nothing, a mere imaginary object,
dressed up by themselves, and made terrible to themselves
by their own contrivance, adorned only with clouts and rags;
and that this should be the effect of mere ignorance, wrought
up into hellish devotion by the devil himself; who, envying
to his Maker the homage and adoration of his creatures, had
deluded them into such sordid and brutish things as one
would think should shock nature itself!
But what signified all the astonishment and reflection of
thoughts: thus it was, and I saw it before my eyes, and
there was no room to wonder at it, or think it impossible :
all my admiration turned to rage, and I rode up to the image
ɔr monster, call it what you will, and with my sword made
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
539
stroke at the bonnet that was on its head, and cut it in two;
and one of our men that was with me took hold of the sheep-
skin that covered it, and pulled at it; when, behold, a most
hideous outcry and howling ran through the village, and two
or three hundred people came about my ears, so that I was
glad to scour for it, for we saw some had bows and arrows;
but I resolved from that moment to visit them again.
Our caravan rested three nights at the town, which was
about four miles off, in order to provide some horses which
they wanted, several of the horses having been lamed and
aded with the badness of the way, and long march over the
ast desert; so we had some leisure here to put my design
in execution. I communicated my design to the Scots
merchant of Moscow, of whose courage I had sufficient tes-
timony: I told him what I had seen, and with what indig-
nation I had since thought that human nature could be so
degenerate; I told him, if I could get but four or five men
well armed, to go with me, I was resolved to go and destroy
that vile, abominable idol, and let them see that it had no
power to help itself; and consequently could not be an ob-
ject of worship, or to be prayed to, much less help them
that offered sacrifices to it.
F
He laughed at me: says he, Your zeal may be good
but what do you propose to yourself by it? Propose! said
I; to vindicate the honor of God, which is insulted by this
devil-worship. But how will it vindicate the honor of
God, said he, while the people will not be able to know
what you mean by it, unless you could speak to them, and
tell them so? And then they will fight you, and beat you
too, I'll assure you; for they are desperate fellows, and that
especially in defence of their idolatry. Can we not, said I,
do it in the night, and then leave them the reasons and the
causes in writing in their own language? Writing! said
he; why there is not a man in five nations of them that
knows anything of a letter, or how to read a word any way.
M
App
49
600
ADVENTURES OF
,
Wretched ignorance! said I to him: however, I have a
great mind to do it; perhaps nature may draw inferences
from it to them, to let them see how brutish they are to wor-
ship such horrid things. Look you, sir, said he, if your
zeal prompts you to it so warmly, you must do it; but, in
the next place, I would have you consider, these wild nations
of people are subjected by force to the Czar of Muscovy's
dominion, and you do this, it is ten to one but they will
come by thousands to the governor of Nertzinskoi, and de-
mand satisfaction; and if he cannot give them satisfaction,
it is ten to one but they revolt; and it will occasion a new
war with all the Tartars in the country.
This, I confess, put new thoughts into my hand for awhile,
but I harped upon the same string still; and all that day I
was uneasy to put my project in execution. Towards the
evening the Scots merchant met me by accident in our walk
about the town, and desired to speak with me: I believe,
said he, I have put you off your good design; I have been
a little concerned about it since: for I abhor idolatry as
much as you can do. Truly, said I, you have put it off a
little, as to the execution of it, but you have not put it out
of my thoughts; and I believe I shall do it before I quit
this place, though I were to be delivered up to them for
satisfaction. — No, no, said he, God forbid they should
deliver you up to such a crew of monsters! They shall not
do that neither; that would be murdering you indeed. -
Why, said I, how would they use me? Use you! said he,
I'll tell you how they served a poor Russian, who affronted
them in their worship, just as you did, and whom they took
prisoner, after they had lamed him with an arrow, that he
could not run away: they took him and stripped him stark-
naked, and set him upon the top of the idol-monster, and
stood all round him, and shot as many arrows into him as
would stick over his whole body; and then they burnt him,
and all the arrows sticking in him, as a sacrifice to the idol
de
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
601
-And was this the same idol? said I. Yes, said he, the
very same. - Well, said I, I will tell you a story. So I
related the story of our men at Madagascar, and how they
burnt and sacked the village there, and killed man, woman,
and child, for their murdering one of our men, just as it is
related before; and I added, that I thought we ought to do
so to this village.
He listened very attentively to the story; but when 1
talked of doing so to that village, said he, You mistake very
much; it was not this village, it was almost a hundred miles
from this place; but it was the same idol, for they carry him
about in procession all over the country. Well, said I,
then that idol ought to be punished for it;
said I, if I live this night out.
and it shall,
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 also with us: and one, said he, as famous
for his zeal as you can desire any one to be against such
devilish things as these. In a word, he brought me his
comrade, a Scotsman, whom he called Captain Richardson;
and gave him a full account of what I had seen, and also
what I intended; and he told me readily, he would go with
me if it cost him his life. So we agreed to go, only we
three. I had, indeed, proposed it to my partner, but he
declined it. He said, he was ready to assist me to the
utmost, and upon all occasions, for my defence; but this
was an adventure quite out of his way: so, I say, we
resolved upon our work, only we three and my man-scrvant,
and to put it in execution that night about midnight, with
all the secrecy imaginable.
A
Modular
However, upon second thoughts, we were willing to delay
it till the next night, because, the caravan being to set for-
ward in the morning, we supposed the governor could not
pretend to give them any satisfaction upon us when we were
51
502
ADVENTURES OF
out of his power. The Scots merchant, as steady in his
resolution for the enterprise as bold in executing, brought
me a Tartar's robe or gown of sheep-skins, and a bonnet,
with a bow and arrows, and had provided the same for him-
self and his countryman, that the people, if they saw us,
should not determine who we were.
All the first night we spent in mixing up some combusti-
ble matter with aqua vitæ, gunpowder, and such other
materials as we could get; and, having a good quantity of
tar in a little pot, about an hour after night we set out upon
our expedition.
We came to the place about eleven o'clock at night, and
found that the people had not the least 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 that it did before. The people
seemed to be all at their 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 the door, we heard people talking as if there were five or
six of them; we concluded, therefore, that if we set wildfire
to the idol, these men would come out immediately, and run up
to the place to rescue it from the destruction that we intended
for it; and what to do with them we knew not.
Once we
thought of carrying it away and setting fire to it at a dis
tance, but when we came to handle it, we found it too
bulky for our carriage; so we were at a loss.again. The
second Scotsman 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 were possible to avoid it. Well,
then, said the Scots merchant, I will tell you what we will
do we will try to make them prisoners, tie their hands, and
make them stand and see their idol destroyed.
As it happened, we had twine or pack thread enough abou
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
60.
as, which we used to tie our firelocks altogether witn: 66
we resolved to attack these people first, and with as little
noise as we could. The first thing we did, we knocked a.
the door, when, one of the priests coming to it, we immedi-
ately seized upon him, stopped his mouth, and tied his hands
behind him, and led him to the idol, where we gagged him
that he might not make a noise, 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 till the third man came back to us; and then no-
body coming out, we knocked again gently, and immediately
out came two more, and we served them just in the same
manner, but were obliged to go all with them, and lay them
down by the idol some distance from one another; when,
going back, we found two more were come out to the door,
and a third stood behind them within the door. We seized
the two, and immediately tied them, when the third stepping
back, and crying out, my Scots merchant went in after him
taking out a composition we had made, that would only
smoke and stink, he set fire to it and threw it in among them :
by that time the other Scotsman and my man, taking charge
of the two men already bound, and tied together also by the
arm, led them away to the idol, and left them there to see if
their idol would relieve them, making haste back to us.
When the furze we had thrown in had filled the hut with
so much smoke that they were almost suffocated, we then
threw in a small leather bag of another kind, which flamed
like a candle, and following it in, we found there were but
four people, and, as we supposed, had been about some of
their diabolical sacrifices. They appeared, in short, fright-
ned to death, at least so as to sit trembling and stupid,
and not able to speak neither, for the smoke.
In a word, we took them, bound them as we had done the
others, and all without any noise. I should have said we
{
604
ADVENTURES OF
&
brought them out of the house, or hut, firs; for indeed we
were not able to bear the smoke any more than they were.
When we had done this, we carried them altogether to the
idol 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
brimstone: then we stopped his eyes and ears and mouth
full of gunpowder; then we wrapped up a great piece of
wildfire in his bonnet; and then sticking all the com-
bustibles we had brought with us upon him, we looked
about to see if we could find anything else to help to burn
him; when my Scotsman remembered that by the tent, or
hut, where the men were, there lay a heap of dry forage,
whether straw or rushes I do not remember; away he and
the other Scotsman 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 ungagged their
mouths, and made them stand up, and set them 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 burned into a
mere block or log of wood; and setting dry forage to it, we
found it would be soon quite consumed; so we began to
think of going away: but the Scotsman said, No, we must
not go, for these poor deluded wretches will all throw them-
selves into the fire, and burn themselves with the idol. So
we resolved to stay till the forage was burnt down too, and
then came away and left them.
After the feat was performed, we appeared in the morning
among our fellow travellers, exceeding busy in getting ready
for our journey; nor could any man suggest that we had
been any where but in our beds, as travellers might be
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
405
supposed to be, to fit themselves for the fatigues of the day's
journey.
But the affair did not end so: the next day came a great
number of the country people to the town gates, and in a
most outrageous manner demanded satisfaction of the Rus-
sian governor for the insulting their priests, and burning
their Cham Chi-Thaungu. The people of Nertzinskoi were
at first in a great consternation, for they said the Tartars
were already no less than thirty thousand strong. The Rus-
sian governor sent out messengers to appease them, and gave
them all the good words imaginable; assuring them that he
knew nothing of it, and that there had not a soul in his gar-
rison been abroad, so that it could not be from any body
there; but if they could let him know who did it, they
should be exemplarily punished. They returned haughtily,
that all the country reverenced the great Cham Chi-Thaun-
gu, who dwelt in the sun, and no mortal would have dared
to offer violence to his image but some Christian miscreant;
and they therefore resolved to denounce war against him
and all the Russians, who, they said, were miscreants and
Christians.
The governor, still patient, and unwilling to make a
breach, or to have any cause of war alleged to be given by
him, the Czar having strictly charged them to treat the con-
quered country with gentleness and civility, gave them still
all the good words he could. At last he told them there was
a caravan gone towards Russia that morning, and perhaps it
was some of them who had done them this injury; and that
if they would be satisfied with that, he would send after
them to inquire into it. This seemed to appease them a
little; and accordingly the governor sent after us, and gave
us a particular account how the thing was; intimating
withal, that if any in our caravan had done it, they should
make their escape; but that, whether we had done it or no,
51*
506
ADVENTURES OF
we should make all the haste forward that was possible; and
that, in the mean time, he would keep them in play as long
as he could.
This was very friendly in the governor: however, when it
came to the caravan, there was nobody knew anything of the
matter; and as for us that were guilty, we were least of all
suspected. However, the captain of the caravan for the
time took the hint that the governor gave us, and we trav-
elled 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. But upon the second day's
march from Plothus, by the clouds of dust behind us at a
great distance, some of our people began to be sensible we
were pursued. We had entered a great desert, and had
passed by a great lake called Schaks Oser, when we per-
ceived a very great body of horse appear on the other side of
We observed
the lake, to the north, we travelling west.
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 they disappeared
again: for they, believing we were still before them, pushed
on till they came to the river Udda, a very great river when
it passes farther north, but when we came to it we found it
narrow and fordable.
•
The third day, they had either found their mistake, or had
intelligence of us, and came pouring in upon us towards the
dusk of the evening. We had, to our great satisfaction,
just pitched upon a place for our camp, which was very con-
venient for the night; for as we were upon a desert, though
but at the beginning of it, that was above five hundred miles
over, we had no towns to lodge at, and, indeed, expected
none but the city Jarawena, which we had yet two days'
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
601
march to the desert, however, had some few woods in n
on this side, and little rivers, which ran all into the great
river Udda; it was in a narrow strait, between little but
very thick woods, that we pitched our little camp for that
night, expecting to be attacked before morning.
Nobody knew but ourselves what we were pursued for:
but as it was usual for the Mogul Tartars to go about in
troops in that desert, so the caravans always fortify them-
selves every night against them, as against armies of rob-
bers; and it was therefore no new thing to be pursued.
But we had this night, of all the nights of our travels, a
most advantageous camp; for we lay between two woods,
with a little rivulet running just before our front, so that we
could not be surrounded, or attacked any way but in our
front or rear.
We took care also to make our front as strong
as we could, by placing our packs, with our camels and
horses, all in a line on the inside of the river, and felling
some trees in our rear.
In this posture we encamped for the night; but the enemy
was upon us before we had finished our situation. They
did not come 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 with fire, 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 destroy us
all. Our men looked very blank at this message, and began
to stare at one another, to see who looked with the most
guilt in their faces; but, nobody was the word; nobody did
it. The leader of the caravan sent word he was well as-
sured that it was not done by any of our camp; that we
were peaceable merchants, travelling on our business; that
we had done no harm to them or to any one else; and that,
therefore, they must look farther for their enemies who had
608
ADVENTURES OF
injured them, for we were not the people so desired
them not to disturb us, for, if they did, we should defend
ourselves.
They were far from being satisfied with this for an answer;
and a great crowd of them came running down in the morn-
ing by break of day, to our camp; but seeing us in such an
unaccountable situation, they durst come no farther than the
brook in our front, where they stood, and sŁowed us such a
number that indeed terrified us very much for those that
spoke least of them spoke of ten thousand. Here they
stood and looked at us awhile, and then setting up a great
howl, they let fly a crowd of arrows among us; but we were
well enough fortified for that, for we sheltered under our
baggage, and I do not remeinber that one of us was hurt.
Some time after this, we saw them move a little to our
right, and expected them on the rear; when a cunning fel-
low, a Cossack of Jarawena, in the pay of the Muscovites,
calling to the leader of the caravan, said to him, I'll go send
all these people away to Siheilka: this was a city four or
five days' journey at least to the right, and rather behind
us. So he takes his bow and arrows, and getting on horse-
back, he rides away from our rear directly, as it were back
to Nertzinskoi; after this, he takes a great circuit about,
and comes directly on the army of the Tartars,
as if
he had been sent express to tell them a long story, that the
people who had burned the Cham Chi-Thaungu were gone
to Siheilka, with a caravan of miscreants, as he called them,
that is to say, Christians; and that they had resolved to
burn the god Schal-Isar, belonging to the Tongueses.
As this fellow was himself a mere Tartar, and perfectly
spoke their language, he counterfeited so well, that they all
took it from him, and away they drove in a most violent
burry to Siheilka, which, it seems, was five days journey to
the north; and in less than three hours they were entirely
out of our sight, and we never heard any more of them, nor
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
609
whether they went to Siheilka or no. So we passed away
afely on to Jarawena, where there was a garrison of Musco-
vites, and there we rested five days, the caravan being ex-
ceedingly fatigued with the last day's hard march, and with
want of rest in the night.
From this city we had a frighful desert, which held us
twenty-three days' march. We furnished ourselves with
some tents here, for the better accommodating ourselves in
the night; and the leader of the caravan procured sixteen
carriages, or waggons of the country, for carrying our water
or provisions; and these carriages were our defence, every
night, round our little camp; so that had the Tartars ap-
peared, unless they had been very numerous indeed, they
would not have been able to hurt us.
We may well be supposed to want rest again after this
long journey for in this desert we neither saw house nor
tree, and scarce a bush; though we saw abundance of the
sable-hunters, who are all Tartars of the Mogul Tartary, of
which this country is a part; and they frequently attack
small caravans, but we saw no numbers of them together.
After we had passed this desert, we came into a country
pretty well inhabited; that is to say, we found our towns
and castles, settled by the czar of Muscovy, with garrisons
of stationary soldiers, to protect the caravans, and defend
the country against the Tartars, who would otherwise make
it very dangerous travelling; and his czarish majesty has
given such strict orders for the well guarding the caravans
and merchants, that if there are any Tartars heard of in the
country, detachments of the garrisons are always sent to see
the travellers safe from station to station. And thus the
governor of Adinskoy, whom I had an opportunity to make
a visit to, by means of the Scots merchant, who was ac-
quainted with him, offered us a guard of fifty men, if we
thought there was any danger, to the next station.
I thought, long before this, that as we came nearer to
610
ADVENTURES OF
Europe we should find the country better inhabited, and tas
people more civilized; but I found myself mistaken in both:
for we had yet the nation of the Tongueses to pass through,
where we saw the same tokens of paganism and barbarity as
before; only as they were conquered by the Muscovites,
they were not so dangerous; but for rudeness of manners,
and idolatry, no people in the world ever went beyond them:
they are clothed all in skins of beasts, and their houses are
built of the same; you know not a man from a woman,
neither by the ruggedness of their countenances nor their
clothes; and in the winter, when the ground is covered with
snow, they live underground in vaults, which have cavi-
ties going from one to another.
If the Tartars had their Cham Chi-Thengu for a whole
village or country, these had idols in every hut and every
cave, besides, they worship the stars, the sun, the water, the
snow, and, in a word, every thing they do not understand,
and they understand but very little; so that every element,
every uncommon thing, sets them a sacrificing. I met with
nothing peculiar to myself in all this country, which I reckon
was, from the desert I spoke of last, at least four hundred
miles, half of it being another desert, which took us up
twelve days' severe travelling, without house or tree; and
we were obliged again to carry our own provisions, as well
water as bread. After we were out of this desert, and
had travelled two days, we came to Janezay, a Musco-
vite city or station on the great river Janezay (Yenisey),
which, they told us there, parted Europe from Asia.
Here I observed ignorance and paganism still prevailed,
except in the Muscovite garrisons; all the country between
the river Oby and the river Janezay is as entirely pagan, and
the people as barbarous, as the remotest of the Tartars;
nay, as any nation, for aught I know, in Asia or America. I
also found, which I observed to the Muscovite governors
whom I had an opportunity to converse with, that the poor
!
+
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
611
pagans are not much wiser, or near Christianity, for being
under the Muscovite government; which they acknowledged
was true enough: but that, as they said, was none of their
business; that if the czar expected to convert his Siberian,
Tonguese, or Tartar subjects, it should be done by sending
clergyman among them, not soldiers: and, they added, with
more sincerity than I expeed, that they found it was not
so much the concern of their monarch to make the people
Christians as it was to make them subjects.
From this river to the great river Oby, we crossed a wild
uncultivated country, barren of people and good manage
ment; otherwise it is in itself a most pleasant, fruitful, and
agreable country. What inhabitants we found in it are all
pagans, except such as are sent among them from Russia:
for this is the country, I mean on both sides the river Oby,
whither the Muscovite criminals that are not put to death
are banished, and from whence it is next to impossible they
should ever come away.
I have nothing to say of my particular affairs till I came
to Tobolski, the capital city of Siberia, where I continued
some time on the following occasion.
We had now been almost seven months on our journey,
and winter began to come on apace; whereupon my partner
and I called a council about our particular affairs, in which,
we found it proper, as we were bound for England, and not
for Moscow, to consider how to dispose of ourselves. They
told us of sledges and reindeer to carry us over the snow in
the winter time; and, indeed, they have such things that it
would be incredible to relate the particulars of, by which
means the Russians travel more in the winter than they can
in summer, as 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, vales, rivers, and lakes are all
smooth and hard as a stone, and they run upon the surface
without any regard to what is underneath.
612
ADVENTURES OF
But I had no occasion to push at a winter journey of this
kind; I was bound to England, not to Moscow, and my
route lay two ways: either I must go on as the caravan
went, till I came to Jaroslaw, and then go off west for Narva,
and the gulf of Finland, and so to Dantzic, where I migh
possibly sell my China cargo to good advantage; or I must
leave the caravan at a little town on the Dwina, from whence
I had but six days by water to Archangel, and from thence
might be sure of shipping either to England, Holland, or
Hamburgh.
Now, to go any of these journeys in the winter would
have been preposterous: for as to Dantzic, the Baltic would
have been frozen up, and I could not get passage; and to go
by land in those countries was far less safe than among the
Mogul Tartars: likewise, to go to Archangel in October, all
the ships would be gone from thence, and even the merchants
who dwell there in summer retire south to Moscow in the
winter, when the ships are gone; so that I could have
nothing but extremity of cold to encounter, with a scarcity
of provisions, and must lie in an empty town all the winter:
so that, upon the whole, I thought it much my better way
to let the caravan go, and make provision to winter where
I was, at Tobolski, in Siberia, in the latitude of about sixty
degrees, where I was sure of three things to wear out a cold
winter with, viz., plenty of provisions, such as the country.
afforded, a warm house, with fuel enough, and excellent
company.
I 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 any clothes on
my back, and never made any fire but without doors, which
was necessary for dressing my food, &c. Now I made
me three good vests, with large robes or gown over them,
to hang down to the feet, and button close to the wrists.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
612
and all these lined with furs, to make them sufficiently
warm.
As to a warm house, I must confess I greatly disliked
our way in England of making fires in every room in the
house in open chimneys, which, when the fire was out,
always kept the air in the room cold as the climate; but
taking an apartment in a good house in the town, I ordered
a chimney to be built like a furnace, in the centre of six
several rooms, like a stove; the funnel to carry the smoke
went up one way, the door to come at the fire went in
another, and all the rooms were kept equally warm, but no
fire 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 without, it was always warm within: and yet we saw
no fire, nor were ever incommoded with smoke.
The most wonderful thing of all was, that it should be
possible to meet with good company here, in a country sc
barbarous as that of the most northerly parts of Europe,
near the frozen ocean, within but a very few degrees of Nova
Zembla. But this being the country where the state crim-
inals of Muscovy, as I observed before, are all banished,
this city was full of noblemen, gentlemen, soldiers, and
courtiers of Muscovy. Here was the famous prince Gal-
litzen, the old general Robostiski, and several other persons
of note, and some ladies. By means of my Scots merchant,
whom, nevertheless, I parted with here, I made an acquaint-
ance with several of these gentlemen; and from these, in
the long winter nights in which I stayed here, I received
several very agreeable visits.
It was talking one night with Prince
one of the
banished ministers of state belonging to the czar of Mus-
covy, that the discourse of my particular case began. He
nad been telling me abundance of fine things of the great-
52
614
ADVENTURES OF
ress, the magnificence, the dominions, and the absolute
power of the emperor of the Russians: I interrupted him,
and told him I was a greater and more powerful prince than
even the czar of Muscovy was, though my dominions were
not so large, or my people so many. The Russian grandee
looked a little surprised, and fixing his eyes steadily upon.
me, began to wonder what I meant. I told him his wonder
would cease when I had explained myself. First, I told him
I had absolute disposal of the lives and fortunes of all my
subjects; that, notwithstanding my absolute power, I had
not one person disaffected to my government, or to my per-
son, in all dominions. He shook his head at that, and said,
There, indeed, I outdid the czar of Muscovy. I told him
that all the lands in my kingdom were my own, and all my
subjects were not only my tenants, but tenants at will; that
they would all fight for me to the last drop; and that never
tyrant, for such I acknowledged myself to be, was ever so
universally beloved, and yet so horribly feared by his sub-
jects.
After amusing him with these riddles in government for a
while, I opened the case, and told him the story at large of
my living in the island; and how I managed both myself.
and the people that were under me, just as I have since
minuted it down. They were exceedingly taken with the
story, and especially the prince, who told me with a sigh,
that the true greatness of life was to be masters of our selves;
that he would not have exchanged such a state of life as
mine to be czar of Muscovy; and that he found more felicity
in the retirement he seemed to be banished to there, than
ever he found in the highest authority he enjoyed in the
court of his master the czar; that the height of human wis-
dom was to bring our tempers down to our circumstances,
and to make a calm within, under the weight of the greatest
storms without. When he came first hither, he said he used
to tear the hair from his head, and the clothes from his
ROBINSON CARUSOE
217
back, as others had done before him; but erhaps, o fiscated,
consideration had made him look into halies left you here
round him, to things without that he founds of life.
man, if it was but once brought to reflect upon a lord, or a
universal life, and how little this world was conceito consider
true felicity, was perfectly capable of making a felicity 10.1
itself, fully satisfying to itself, and suitable to its own best
ends and desires, with but very little assistance from the
world: the air to breathe in, food to sustain life, clothes for
warmth, and liberty for exercise, in order to health, com-
pleted, in his opinion, all that the world could do for us;
and though the greatness, the authority, the riches, and the
pleasures which some enjoyed in the world, had much in them
that was agreeable to us, yet all those things chiefly gratified
the coarsest of our affections, such as our ambition, our
particular pride, avarice, vanity, and sensuality; all which,
being the mere product of the worst part of man, were in
themselves crimes, and had in them the seeds of all manner
of crimes; but neither were related to, nor concerned with,
any of those virtues that constituted us wise men, or of
those graces that distinguished us as Christians; that being
now deprived of all the fancied felicity which he enjoyed in
the full exercise of all those vices, he said he was at leisure
to look upon the dark side of them, where he found all man-
ner of deformity, and was now convinced that virtue only
makes a man truly wise, rich, and great, and preserves him
in the way to a superior happiness in a future state; and in
this, he said, they were more happy in their banishment than
all their enemies were, who had the full possession of all
the wealth and power they had left behind them. Nor, sir,
says he, do I bring my mind to this politically, by the neces-
sity of my circumstances, which some call miserable; but,
if I know any thing of myself, I would not now go back,
though the czar my master should call me, and reinstate me
in all my former grandeur; I say, I would no more go back
614
ADVENTURES OF
ress, the magnife my soul, when it shall be delivered from
power of the er body, and has had a taste of the glorious
and told him .Ife, would come back to the gaol of flesh and
even the cow enclosed in, and leave heaven, to deal in the
not so lacrime of human affairs.
He spoke this with so much warmth in his temper, so
much earnestness and motion of his spirits, that it was
evident it was the true sense of his soul; there was no
room to doubt his sincerity. I told him I once thought
myself a kind of monarch in my old station, of which I had
given him an account; but that I thought he was not only
a monarch, but a great conqueror; for that he that has got
a victory over his own exorbitant desires, and the absolute
dominion over himself, whose reason entirely governs his
will, is certainly greater than he that conquers a city. But,
my lord, said I, shall I take the liberty to ask you a ques-
tion? With all my heart, says he. If the door of your
liberty was opened, said I, would you not take hold of it to
deliver you from this exile? Hold, said he, your question
is subtle, and requires some serious, just distinctions, to give
it a sincere answer; and I will give it you from the bottom
of my heart. Nothing that I know of in this world, would
move me to deliver myself from this state of banishment,
except these two; first, the enjoyment of my relations;
and, secondly, a little warmer climate: but I protest to you
that to go back to the pomp of the court, the glory, the
power, the hurry of a minister of state; the wealth, the
gaiety, and the pleasures of a courtier; if my master should
send me word, this moment that he restores to me all he
banished me from, I protest, if I know myself at all, I
would not leave this wilderness, these deserts, and these
frozen lakes, for the palace at Moscow. But, my lord,
said I, perhaps you not only are banished from the pleasures
of the court, and from the power, authority, and wealth you
enjoyed before, but you may be absent too from some of
Ma
A
ROBINSON CRUSOE
ບ 17
!
the conveniences of life; your estate, perhaps, & fiscated,
and your effects plundered; and the supplies left you here
may not be suitable to the ordinary demands of life.
Ay, says he, that is as you suppose me to be a lord, or a
prince, &c.; so, indeed, I am; but you are now to consider
me only as a man, a human creature, not at all distinguished
from another; and so I can suffer no want, unless I should
be visited with sickness and distempers. However, to put
the question out of dispute, you see our manner: we are,
in this place, five persons of rank; we live perfectly retired,
as suited to a state of banishment; we have something
rescued from the shipwreck of our fortunes, which keeps us
from the mere necessity of hunting for food; but the poor
soldiers, who are here without that help, live in as much
plenty as we, who go into the woods and catch sables and
foxes the laboring of a month will maintain them a year;
and, as the way of living is not expensive, so it is not
hard to get sufficient to ourselves. So that objection is out
of doors.
:
+
I have not room to give a full account of the most agree-
able conversation I had with this truly 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 had expressed, and that 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, dreadful win
ter I thought it; the cold so intense that I could not so
much as look abroad without being wrapped in furs, and a
mask of fur before my face, or rather a hood, with only a
hole for breath, and two for sight: the little daylight wo
had was, as we reckoned, for three months, not above five
hours a day, and six at most; only that snow lying on the
ground continually, and the weather clear, it was never quite
52*
18
ADVENTURES OF
dark. Our horses were kept, or rather starved, underground,
and as for our servants, whom we hired here to look after
ourselves and horses, we had, every now and then, their
fingers and toes to thaw and take care of, lest they should
mortify and fall off.
It is true, within doors we were warm, the houses being
close, the walls thick, the lights small, and the glass all
double. Our food was chiefly the flesh of deer, dried and
cured in the season; bread good enough, but baked as bis-
cuits; dried fish of several sorts, and some flesh of mutton
and of the buffaloes, which is pretty good meat. All the
stores of provisions for the winter are laid up in the summer,
and well cured: our drink was water, mixed with aqua-vitæ
instead of brandy; and for a treat, mead instead of wine,
which, however, they have excellent good. The hunters,
who venture abroad all weathers, frequently brought us in
fine venison, 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, as above, and we lived very
cheerfully and well, all things considered.
It was now March, the days grown considerably longer,
and the weather at least tolerable; so the other travellers
began to prepare sledges to carry them over the snow, and to
get things ready to be going: but my measures being fixed,
as I have said, for Archangel, and not for Muscovy or the
Baltic, I made no motion; knowing very well that the ships
from the south do not set out for that part of the world till
May or June, and that if I was there by the beginning of
August, it would be as soon as any ships would be ready to
go away; and therefore 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 Muscovy for trade, viz., to carry furs,
and buy necessaries, which they bring back with them to
furnish their shops: also others went on the same errand to
:
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
616
Archangel; but then they all being to come back agair
above eight hundred miles, went all out before me.
In the month of May I began to make all ready to pack
up; and, as I was doing this, it occurred to me that, seeing
all these people were banished by the Czar of Muscovy to
Siberia, and yet, when they came there, were left at liberty
to go whither they would, why they did not then 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
upon that subject with the person I have mentioned, who
answered me thus: Consider, first, sir, said he, the place
where we are; and, secondly, the condition we are in;
especially the generality of the people who are banished
hither. We are surrounded with stronger things than bars
or bolts on the north side an unnavigable ocean, where
ship never sailed, and boat never swam; every other way,
we have above a thousand miles to pass through the czar's
own dominions, and by ways utterly impassable, except by
the roads made by the government, and through the towns
garrisoned by his troops; so that we could neither pass un-
discovered 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 a prison every jot as secure as if they had been locked up
in the castle at Moscow: however, it came into my thoughts
that I might certainly be made an instrument to procure the
escape of this excellent person; and that, whatever hazard I
ran, I would certainly try if I could carry him off. Upon
this I took an occasion, one evening, to tell him ny
thoughts. I represented to him that it was very easy for me
to carry him away, there being no guard over him in the
country; and as I was not going to Moscow, but to Arch-
angel, and that I went in the retinue of a caravan, by. which
› was not obliged to lie in the stationary towns in the desert
620
ADVENTURES OF
but could encamp every night where I would, we might
easily pass uninterrupted to Archangel, where I would im-
mediately secure him on board an English ship, and carry
him safe along with me; and as to his subsistence, and
other particulars, it should be my care, till he could better
supply himself.
He heard me very attentively, and looked earnestly on me
all the while I spoke; nay, I could see in his very face that
what I said put his spirits into an exceeding ferment: his
color 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 hesitated what he would say to it: but after he
had paused a little, he embraced me, and said, How unhappy
are we, unguarded creatures as we are, that even our greatest
acts of friendship are made snares unto us, and we are made
tempters of one another! My dear friend, said he, your
offer is so sincere, has such kindness in it, is so disinterested
in itself, and is so calculated for my advantage, that I must
have very little knowledge of the world if I did not both
wonder at it, and acknowledge the obligation I have upon.
me to you for it. But did you believe I was sincere in what
I have often said to you of my contempt of the world? Did
you believe I spoke my very soul to you, and that I had
really obtained that degree of felicity here that had placed
me above all that the world could give me? Did you be-
lieve I was sincere when I told you I would not go back, if
I was recalled even to be all that I once was in the court,
with the favor of the czar my master? Did you believe me,
my friend, to be an honest man; or did you believe me to
be a boasting hypocrite? Here he stopped, as if he would
hear what I would say; but, indeed, I soon after perceived
that he stopped because his spirits were in motion, his great
heart was full of struggles, and he could not go on.
1 was,
I confess, astonished at the thing as well as at the man, and
!
ROBINSON CHUSOE.
62.
I used some arguments with him to urge him to set himself
free;
that he ought to look upon this as a door opened by
Heaven for his deliverance, and a summons by Providence
who has the care and disposition of all events, to do himsel.
good, and to render himself useful in the world.
He had by this time recovered himself: How do you
know, sir, says he, warmly, but that, instead of a summons
from Heaven, it may be a feint of another instrument; re-
presenting in alluring colors to me the show of felicity as a
deliverance, which may in itself be my snare, and tend
directly to my ruin? Here I am free from the temptation
of returning to my former miserable greatness; there I am
not sure but that all the seeds of pride, ambition, avarice,
and luxury, which I know remain in 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, in
the full of all personal liberty. Dear sir, let me remain in
this blessed confinement, banished from the crimes of life,
rather than purchase a show of freedom at the expense of
the liberty of my reason, and at the future happiness which
I now have in my view, but shall then, I fear, quickly lose
sight of: for I am but flesh; a man, a mere man; have
passions and affections as likely to possess and overthrow
me as any man: O be not my friend and tempter both
together!
saw.
If I was surprised before, I was quite dumb now, and
stood silent, looking at him, and, indeed, admiring what I
The struggle in his soul was so great, that though the
weather was extremely cold, it put him into a most violent
sweat, and I found he wanted to give vent to his mind; so
I said a word or two, that I would leave him to consider of
it, and wait on him again, and then I withdrew to my cwo
apartment.
About two hours after, I heard somebody at or nes th
622
ADVENTURES OF
door of my room, and I was going to open the door, but ne
had opened it and came in. My dear friend, says he, you
had almost overset me, but I am recovered. Do not take it
ill that I do not close with your offer; I assure you it is not
for want of sense or the kindness of it in you; and I came
to make the most sincere acknowledgment of it to you; but
I hope I have got the victory over myself. My lord, said
I, I hope you are fully satisfied that you do not resist the
call of Heaven. Sir, said he, if it had been from Heaven,
the same power would have influenced me to have accepted
it but I hope, and am fully satisfied, that it is from Heaven
that I declined it; and I have infinite satisfaction in the
parting, that you shall leave me an honest man still, though
not a free man.
I had nothing to do but to acquiesce, and make profes-
sions to him of my having no end in it but a sincere desire
to serve him. He embraced me very passionately, and as-
sured me he was sensible of that, and should alway s acknow-
ledge it; and with that he offered me a very fine present of
sables, too much, indeed, for me to accept from a man in his
circumstance, and I would have avoided them, but he would
not be refused.
The next morning I sent my servant to his lordship with
a small present of tea, and two pieces of China damask, and
four little wedges of Japan gold, which did not all weigh
above six ounces or thereabout, but were far short of the
value of his sables, which, when I came to England, I found
worth near two hundred pounds. He accepted the tea, and
one piece of the damask, and one of the pieces 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 I knew what had passed
between us, and hoped I would not move him any more in
}
¿
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
623
that affair; but that, since I had made such a generous offer
to him, he asked me if I had kindness enough to offer the
same to another person that he would name to me, in whom
he had a great share of concern. I told him that I could
not say I inclined to do so much for any but himself, for
whom I had a particular value, and should have been glad to
have been the instrument of his deliverance; however, if he
would please to name the person to me, I would give him
any answer. He told me it was his only son: who, though
I had not seen him, yet he was in the same condition with
himself, and above two hundred miles from him, on the
other side the Oby; but that, if I consented, he would send
for him.
I made no hesitation, but told him I would do it. I made
some ceremony in letting him understand that it was wholly
on his account; and that seeing I could not prevail on him,
I would show my respect to him by my concern for his son:
but these things are too tedious to repeat here. 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. 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
the manner of our travelling, and everything proper for the
journey.
I had bought a considerable quantity of sables, black fox-
skins, fine ermines, and such other furs as are very rich, in
that city, in exchange for some of the goods I had brought
from China in particular for the cloves and nutmegs, of
which I sold the greatest part here, and the rest afterward at
Archangel, for a much better price than I could have got at
London; and my partner, who was sensible of the profit,
and whose business more particularly than mine was mer-
}
624
ADVENTURES OF
The
chandise, was mightily pleased with our stay, on account of
the traffick we made here.
It was the beginning of June when I left this remote
place, a city, I believe little heard of in the world; and,
indeed, it is so far out of the road of commerce, that I know
not how it should be much talked of. We were now reduced
to a very small caravan, having only thirty-two horses and
camels in all, and all of them passed for mine, though my
new guest was proprietor of eleven of them: it was most
natural also that I should take more servants with me than
I had before; and the young lord passed for my steward;
what great man I passed for myself I know not, neither did
it concern me to inquire. We had here the worst and the
largest desert to pass over that we met with in our whole
journey: I call it the worst, because the way was very deep
in some places, and very uneven in others; the best we had
to say for it was, that we thought we had no troops of Tar-
tars or robbers to fear, and that they never came on this side
the river Oby, or at least but very seldom; but we found it
otherwise.
My young lord had a faithful Muscovite, or rather a Sibe-
rian servant, who was perfectly acquainted with the country,
and led us by private roads, so that we avoided coming into
the principal towns and cities upon the great road, such as
Tumen, Soloy Kamskoi, and several others; because 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
o several cities on the way, but lay abroad himself, with his
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
625
servant, in the woods, and met us always at the appointed
places.
We were just entered 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 called
Soloy Kamskoi, which is as much as to say, the great city
on the river Kana; and here we thought to see some evident
alteration in the people; but we were mistaken for as we
had a vast desert to pass, which is near seven hundred miles
long in some places, but not above two hundred miles.
over where we passed it, so, till we came past that horrible
place, we found very little difference between that country
and the Mogul Tartary: the people are mostly pagans, and
little better than the savages of America; their houses and
towns full of idols, and their way of living wholly barbarous,
except in the cities, as above, and the villages near them,
where they are Christians, as they call themselves, of the
Greek church; but have their religion mingled with so many
relics of superstition, that it is scarce to be known in some
places from mere sorcery and witchcraft.
In passing this forest, I thought, indeed, we must (after
all our dangers were to our imagination escaped, as before)
have been plundered and robbed, and perhaps murdered, by
a troop of thieves: of what country they were 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 to be within two musket
shots, and asking no questions, surrounded us with their
horses, and looked very earnestly upon us twice: at length
they placed themselves just in our way; upon which we
drew up in a little line, before our camels, being not above
sixteen men in all; and being drawn up thus, we halted,
and sent out the Siberian servant, who attended his lord, to
see who they were: his master was the more willing to let
him go, because he was not a little apprehensive that they
3
CREATE A TE
53
626
ADVENTURES OF
were a Siberian troop sent out 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 dialects of
languages rather, he could not understand a word they said:
however, after some signs to him not to come nearer to
them, at his peril, the fellow came back no wiser than he
went; only that by their dress, he said, he believed them
to be some Tartars of Kalmuck, or of the Circassian hordes,
and that there must be more of them upon the great desert,
though he had never heard that any of them were scen so
far north before.
About an hour after, they again made a motion to attack
us, and rode round our little wood to see where they
might break in; but finding us always ready to face them,
they went off again; and we resolved not to stir for that night.
This was small comfort to us; however, we had no rem-
edy: there was on our left hand, at about a quarter of a
mile distance, a little grove, and very near the road; I
immediately resolved we should advance to those trees, and
fortify ourselves as well as we could there; for, first, I
considered that the trees would in a great measure cover
us from their arrows; and, in the next place, they could
not come to charge us in a body: it was, indeed, my old
Portuguese pilot who proposed it, and who had this ex-
cellency attending him, that he was always readiest and
most apt to direct and encourage us in cases of the most
danger. We advanced immediately, with what speed we
could, and gained that little wood; the Tartars, or thieves,
for we knew not what to call them, keeping their stand,
and not attempting to hinder us. When we came thither,
we found to our great satisfaction, that it was a swampy
piece of ground, and on the one side a very great spring
of water, which running out in a little brook, was a little
farther, joined by another of the like size; and was, in
hort, the source of a considerable river, called afterwards
2
!
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
52,
e Wirtska: the trees which grew about this spring were
not above two hundred, but very large, and stood pretty
thick, so that as soon as we got in we saw ourselves
perfectly safe from the enemy, unless they attacked us on
foot.
While we stayed here waiting the motion of the enemy
some hours, without perceiving they made any movement,
our Portuguese, with some help, cut several arms of trees
half off, and laid them hanging across from one tree to
another, and in a manner fenced us in. About two hours
before night, they came down directly upon us; and though
we had not perceived it, we found they had been joined by
some more of the same, so that they were near fourscore
horse; whereof, however, we fancied some were women.
They came on till they were within half shot of our little
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 they came on with a double fury
up to the wood side, not imagining we were so barricaded
that they could not easily break in. Our old pilot was our
captain, as well as 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 let fly
We aimed so true that we killed fourteen of them, and
wounded several others, as also several of their horses; for
we had all of us loaded our pieces with two or three bulleta
at least.
They were terribly surprised with our fire, and retreated
immediately about one hundred rods from us, in which
time we loaded our pieces again, and seeing them keep
that distance, we sallied out, and catched four or five of
their horses, whose riders we supposed were killed; and
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628
ADVENTURES OF
1
coming up to the dead, we judged they were Tartars, bu
knew not how they came to make an excursion of such ar
unusual length.
We slept little, you may be sure, but spent the most par
of the night in strengthening our situation, and barricading
the entrances into 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 enemy, who we thought
were discouraged with the reception they met with, were
now greatly increased, and had set up eleven or twelve huts
or tents, as if they were resolved to besiege us: and this
little camp they had pitched upon the open plain, about
three quarters of a mile from us. We were, indeed, sur-
prised at this discovery; 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 very considerable, as the thoughts
of falling into the hands of such barbarians, at the latter
end of my journey, after so many difficulties and hazards as
I had gone through, and even in sight of our port, where
we expected safety and deliverance. As to my partner, he
was raging, and declared that to lose his goods would be his
ruin, and that he would rather die than be starved; and he
was for fighting to the last drop.
The young lord, as gallant as ever flesh showed itself, was
for fighting to the last also; and my old pilot was of the
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, and we did not know
but by the morning they might be a still greater number;
so I began to enquire of those people we had brought from
Tobolski, if there were no private ways, by which we might
avoid them in the night, and perhaps retreat to some town,
or get help to guard us over the desert. The Siberian, who
was servant to the young lord, told us, if we designed to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
625
avoid them, and not fight, he would engage to carry us off
in the night, to a way that went north, towards the river
Petrou, by which he made no question but we might get
away, and the Tartars never the wiser; but, he said, his
lord had told him he would not retreat, but would rather
choose to fight. I told him he mistook his lord; for that he
was too wise a man to love fighting for the sake of it; and
that I knew his lord was brave enough, by what he had
showed already; but that his lord knew better than to desire
seventeen or eighteen men to fight five hundred, unless an
unavoidable necessity forced them to it; and that, if he
thought it possible for us to escape in the night, we had
nothing else to do but to attempt it. He answered, if his
lordship gave him such orders he would lose his life if he
did not perform it: we soon brought his lord to give that
order, though privately, and we immediately prepared for
the putting it in practice.
And, first, as soon as it began to be dark, we kindled a
fire in our little camp, which we kept burning, and prepared
so as to make it burn all night, that the Tartars might con-
clude we were still there; but as soon as it was dark, and
we could see the stars (for our guide would not stir before),
having all our horses and camels ready loaded, we followed
our new guide, who I soon found steered himself by the
north star.
After we had travelled two hours very hard, it began to
be lighter still; 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 the next morn-
ing we were got above thirty miles, having almost spoiled.
our horses. Here we found a Russian vilage, named Ker-
mazinskoy, where we rested, and heard nothing of the
Kalmuck Tartars that day. About two hours before night
we set out again, and travelled till eight the next morning,
though not quite so hard as before; and about seven o'clock
$30
ADVENTURES OF
we passed a little river, called Kirtza, and came to a good
large town inhabited by Russians, called Ozomoys: there
we heard that several troops of Kalmucks had been abroad
upon the desert, but that we were now completely out of
danger of them, which was to our great satisfaction. Here
we were obliged to get some fresh horses; and having need
enough of rest, we stayed five days; and my partner and I
agreed to give the honest Siberian who brought us thither
the value of ten pistoles.
In five days more we came to Veuslima, upon the river
Wirtzogda, and running into the Dwina: we were there,
very happily, near the end of our travels by land, that river
being navigable, in seven days' passage, to Archangel.
From hence we came to Lawrenskoy the 3d of July; and
providing ourselves with two luggage boats, and a barge for
our own convenience, we embarked the 7th, and arrived all
safe at Archangel the 18th; having been a year, five months,
and three days on the journey, including our stay of eight
months 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 of the English ships: when, after some considera-
tion that the city of Hamburgh might happen to 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 most nat-
ural 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 coming 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 mer-
chants would certainly have seen and discovered him.
We then set sail from Archangel the 20th of August, the
same year; and after no extraordinary bad voyage, arrived
safe in the Elbe the 18th of September. Here my partner
and I found a very good sale for our goods, as well those o
}
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
631
China as the sables, &c., of Siberia; and dividing the pro-
duce, my share amounted to three thousand four hundred
and seventy-five pounds seventeen shillings and threepence,
including about six hundred pounds' worth of diamonds.
which I purchased at Bengal.
Here the young lord took his leave of us, and went up
the Elbe, in order to go to the court of Vienna, where he
resolved to seek protection, and could correspond with
those of his father's friends who were left alive. He did
not part without testimonies of gratitude for the service I
had done him, and sense of my kindness to the prince his
father.
To conclude, having staid near four months in Hamburgh,
I came from thence by land to the Hague, where I em-
barked in the packet, and arrived in London the 10th of
January, 1705, having been absent from England ten years
and nine months. And here I resolved to prepare for a
longer journey than all these, having lived a life of infinite
variety seventy-two years, and learned sufficiently to know
the value of retirement, and the blessing of ending our days
in peace.
THE END.

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