FRONTISPIECE.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
THE
:
LIFE
AND
ADVENTURES
ΘΕ
Robinſon Crufoe.
Written by Himſelf.
EMBELLISHED WITH. CUTS.
BALTIMORE:
Sold by George Keating, Bookfeller,
Bookbinder and Stationer,
Second Street—1794-
THE
LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
WITH permifion, reader, I
relate to you the par-
ticulars of my life, and as but few
perfons, I fancy, ever experienced
more difficulties, it will probably
be in my power to entertain you.
I was born in the year 1632, at
York; my father, Mr. Crufoe,
having acquired a very confider-
able fortune as a merchant, chofe
that City to ſpend the refidue of
his life comfortably in; but alas,
how imperfect is worldly happi-
nefs! when we fancy ourſelves at
the very eve of poffeffion, up starts
6
The Life and Adventures
an unexpected fomething, which
embitters the whole; for good
foul, he had, with the higheſt re-
putation to himſelf, furmounted all
the difficulties in trade. Happy
to fee me growing up promiffing-
ly, when on a fudden, over all was
fpread the most horrid gloominess;
he diſcovered my refolution of go-
ing to fea. One morning he cal-
led me into his chamber, and with
tears in his eyes, expoftulated with
me very freely on the fubject,
"What can poffefs thee, my child,
faid he, for wiſhing to leave thy
native Kingdom, depend on it,
travel where you will, by land or
by water, never will you put foot
into any country where the blef
fings of life are more generouily
diſperſed among all ranks of peo-
of Robinson Crusoe.
7
ple, and their lives and liberties
more preferved; or into a climate
more adapted to thy conftitution,
than is enjoyed in the very coun-
try you live fo unhappily in, and
which you now acknowledge to
me you have refolved upon leav
ing. If the advice of a father,
faid he, is in your opinion worth
following, by all meansbanihfrom
your mind fuch a foolish fcheme;
you muſt be laughed at for it by
the whole world, as a lad wanting
capacity; nay, yourfelf muft con-
fefs the idea preposterous; fuch a
refolution is madnefs in you, which
poffibly might be prudence in ano-
ther lad; for iftance, was you
the ſon of a poor man, and had got
into bad company wherein your
character had fuffered, in that in-
8 The Life and Adventures
ſtance the refolution of going into
ſtrange countries, with the intent
of retrieving your character and
fortune would be commendable;
butas you are by my induſtry, plac-
ed above the probability of want,
and I am convinced you are as much
reſpected by your acquaintance as
ever boy was, what can poffefs
thee to think of leaving fuch hap-
pineſs; and take my word, child,
if you perfift in the refolution, It
will bring on you many an aching
heart, which words I had too much
reafon to remember: However, I
was obftinate, and the firft flip that
failed from Hull carried me to I on-
don. I was then about nineteen
years of age, and being in compa-
ny with fome captains, I faid in
converfation, it was my defire to
of Robinson Crusoe.
9
fee the World; one of them an-
fwered he would take me with
him, paffage free, if I choſe to go
his voyage, which was to Guinea;
I readily accepted the offer, and
in about feven days the fhip failed.
We had very boisterous weather
from the time we left the Downs,
and at laft was taken prifoner by a
Moorish Rover, who carried us in-
to Sallee; the cruelty I experi-
enced in this country made me re-
folve to attempt an eſcape the firſt
opportunity, but it was full three
years before I had the leaft chance
of effecting it. About that time
our governor coming into the cells
one morning, faid, he wanted fome
fifh for a great entertainment, and
if either of the European flaves
underſtood the art of fishing, he
10 The Life and Adventures
fhould have the liberty of going
with the negro and his boy, in a
pinnace; now, as it was always
my favourite diverfion, I aníwer-
ed, if he would fuffer me to go, I
had no doubt of bringing home
double the quantity of fifh he want.
ed. He confented, and while the
negro and his lad were getting the
boat ready, I was bufy in carrying
in provifions, thinking this no bad
opportunity for me to efcape.
The boat was prefently got rea-
dy, away we failed, and at the
diftance of two leagues from the
fhore, the old negro prepared to
fith, and ſtooping over the fide of
the pinnace to place the net pro-
perly, I fuddenly took hold of his
legs and' threw him headlong into
the fea; then taking up one of the
of Robinson Crufoe. II
mufkets (which were always kept
loaded in the boat) I levelled it at
his head, and vowed that unleſs
he immediately turned round and
fwam towards the fhore (for he
was attempting to get into the
boat again) I would blow hisbrams
out, and as he was a excellent
fwimmer, I knew it was in hispow-
12 The Life and Adventures
er to reach it. The negro find-
ing me refolute, turned towards
the fhore, and inmediately I turn-
ed to the boy that was fteering the
boat, and told him, that if he would
obey my orders, he fhould fare as
I did, which he agreed to, and we
now ftood out to fea. As there
was a very briſk wind, I prefently
found myſelf out of the Emperor
of Morocco's dominions. Next
day as the boat was failing under
the fhore of fome Country I was
a ſtranger to, ofa fudden we heard
a dreadful howling near us, I muſt
confefs I was much frightened, but
more fo on ſeeing a monftrous
beaſt daſh himfelf into the water,
and fwim towards us; when he
was within about ten yards of the
boat, I levelled my gun at his head
of Robinfon Crufoe.
13
and fired, whit muſt I think ve-
ry near have killed him, as he was
a confiderable time in returning to
the chore.
The negro boy adviſed me to
turn the boat and follow him, but
as we had fo providentially eſcap-
ed being devoured, I thought it
not proper to run into more danger
than was neceffary, fo I ordered
him to keep his courfe, and I di
rectly loaded my gun again, for
there was plenty of ammunition
in the boat; we now feltthe want
of nothing but freſh water, and
that article we were horridly dif
treffed for, I was exceedingly
pleaſed with the lad, for he chear-
fully offered to go on fhore with
a great pitcher, and try to find
fome, but by no means would I
14 The Life and Adventures
fuffer that till we had made the
boat faſt and I was ready to go
along with my two guns; we tra-
velled full a mile up the country,
and at laſt was fortunate enough
to meet with an excellent ſpring;
we were filling the pitcher, when
on a fudden the lad cried, fee, maf-
fer, fee, I turned round, and at a-
bout fifty yards diftance, under a
tree, fat the greateft lion my eyes
ever beheld, juit on the point of
darting at us; my guns I had laid
onthe grafs, but inſtantly ſnatched
up the neareſt, fired, and found I
had wounded him. It was lucky
I had two guns with me, elſe I
had never lived to have related
theſe ſtrange adventures, for in-
tead of the Lion running away,
after I wounded him, he jumped
of Robinſon Crafoe.
15
from the tree in the greateſt an-
ger, towards us, and I had but juft
time to level thefecond gun, which
difpatched him.
I was very
my wonderful efcape, and having
found what we came on fhore for,
intended to make the utinoft hafte
to the boat, but the lad pointing
thankful to God for
16 The Life and Adventures
to the Lion's coat, and to my bo-
dy, put it in my head to fkin him,
which we did in two hours, and
got fafe on board the boat. I
found the kin, when dry, exceed-
ing warm and comfortable, it laft-
ed me many years, indeed in the
moment I am writing theſe adven-
tures, part of that very Lion's
fkin, my waistcoat is made of. We
now kept failing on, quite ignorant
where going to, till the moſt dread-
ful storm furrounded us, furely,
which ever man beheld; in a few
minutes the ſky turned black as
night, though half an hour before
the fun told me it was noon, the fea
rolled mountains high, every in-
ftant we expected to be our laſt,
one moment we were lifted on the
top of a wave five times higher
of Robinson Crujoe.
17
than St. Paul's, and the next
plunged as low. At laft the poor
boy, quite exhauſted with fatigue,
was washed overboard and loft. I
was too much agitated myſelf to
admit a thought refpecting him,
for in a few minutes afterwards
the boat went to the bottom. The
first thing I recollect was lying on
the thore, and feeing the water
roll towards me, and taking me
about a mile into the fea; another
wave would bring me on fhore,
and leave me there a minute or
two; then another took me out
to ſea again; in this manner was
I fufpended between lifeand death,
till a very large wave driving into
fhore, carried me fo far on the
fands, that the next did not touch
me, and the ſtorm abating, there
18 The Life and Adventures
was I left, till by degrees I reco-
vered the uſe of my reaſon, and
the first act I applyed to it, was to
thank God my life was faved, in a
cafe wherein there was fome mi-
nutes before ſcarce any room to
hope.
Tho' I had fo wonderfully ef-
caped the dangers of the ocean, I
now had the fear of wild beaſts be-
fore me, a proof this life is intend-
ed only as a life of trouble; for I
am fully perfuaded, one living,
let their fortunes, friends, health,
&c. be ever fo extenfive and valu-
able, can truly affert they are now
perfectly happy.
When I had recovered ſtrength
to rife, I walked into the country,
and had gotabout three miles from
the fea, without feeing any thing
of Robinson Crusoe.
19
but goats, hares, and an inimenſe
number of wild fowls, when reach-
ing a very high hill, I there had
the opportunity of viewing the
I found it to be an I-
country.
fland about ten miles long, five
broad, and very woody; a hun-
dred gloomyideas prefented them-
felves at this inftant, I began to
fancy Providence preferved me
from the dangers of the water,on-
ly to torture me with a more
cruel and tedious death; but this
reflection I was angry at, fo I
jumped from the ground, and with
a thought full of induſtry, ſaid,
God has done fuch wonderful
kindneſſes for me, it is infamous
and ungrateful in me to complain;
here are fowls, goats, and hares
in abundance, and it is ftrange if
20 The Life and Adventures
I cannot hunt for food; all I have
to pray for is, that
for is, that it is not inha-
bited by wild creatures, who will
devour me, which thank God was
not the cafe.
No human creature but my-
felf was on the Ifland, or any of-
fenfive animal to moleft me. On
this Iſland I lived fifteen years,fub-
fifting the whole time on milk (for
I had caught fome young goats and
brought 'em up tame) and what
fowls I took in the woods by lay-
ing fprings and traps in the night.
One day about noon, going into
the woods after fome of my bird
traps, I thought I fhould have
funk to the ground through fear,
every joint of me trembled at the
fight, it was the print of a man's
foot, Good God! O! what did I
of Robinson Crufoe.
21
fee, I was confident it was not the
mark of my own, for befides it be-
ing a deal larger, I had not been
in that part for a month, and that
print was quite freíh, I ran like
lightning to my home, which was
a kind of a cave, overgrown with
trees, and threw myſelf down on
a parcel of dry leaves, that for
fome years had ferved ine as a bed,
there I lay three days and nights,
without a morfel of food or fleep,
ſo diſtreſſed at difcovering there
was on the Iſland, more human
creatures than myſelf, who I fear-
ed would murder me; hunger at
laft obliged me to look for food,
and furely never poor creature
ventured out of his hiding place,
fo fearfully as me out of my cave.
22
The Life and Adventures
I was terrified at every leaf
that moved, but having no farther
reafon to fancy my fears well
grounded, I concluded the mark
was from my own foot, fo was to-
lerably eaſy: but foon afterwards
I was thoroughly convinced of the
contrary, for ranging through the
woods as was my ufual cuftom,
for food, I diſcovered one day five
canoes full of favages, within half
a league of the fhore, and making
to it as faſt as they poffibly could.
I fecreted myfelf near enongh to
diſcover what they were about,
and found the canoes landed all
the Indians, but two of them were
chained together, who cried pite-
oufly; they preſently made a
large fire, cut the throat of one of
the two, broiled his flesh on the
of Robinson Crusoe.
23
fire, and eat it; never did I be-
hold a fight which fllled me with
horror equal to this, however
fhocked as I was, prudence kept.
me quiet. When they had eat as
much of the poor creature as they
chofe, they were preparing to dif-
patch the other, but juft as they
had unbound him, and going to
give the finiſhing ſtroke, by the
greateſt agility I ever beheld, he
flipped under their arms, and ran
into the woods; he made towards
the place where I lay concealed,
and on that account I was alarm-
ed for my own fafety; three of
the favages I faw follow him, and
as I knew nothing but a ftout re-
fiftance on my part could be of fer
vice, I took pains to cut a good
cudgel, and have it in my hand
24 The Life and Adventures
to receive them; prefently the
favage who was to have been
roafted, came running quite out
of breath, he was ready to die at
the fight of me, thinking he had
only run from one danger to ano-
ther, fo endeavoured to avoid me,
but that I prevented; he then fell
on the ground, and taking hold
of one of my feet put his head to
the earth and my foot upon it.
This I confidered as a token of
his with to be my fervant; it tur-
ned out fo, and a more faithful
diligent fellow never lived; his
purfuers foon gave him up, and
returned to their own country.
Ever fince I left England, eve-
ry day I had made a notch in a
piece of wood to act as my alma-
mack, by that means I was infor-
f Robinson Crusoe. 25
med, even in this melancholy I-
fland, which was the Sabbath, and
moſt part of that day on my knees
I ſpent in prayer. This wooden
almanac now told me it was Fri-
day the favages came, fo having
no other name at hand, I chrif-
tened my new fervant Friday, I
foon taught him to nnderſtand me,
and as he was a very induſtrious
fellow, I now lived with lefs trou-
ble than before I had him, for he
eafily killed game enough for us
both. In this ftate five years paf-
fed without having another viſit
from the Barbarians; at that time
we difcovered ſeveral canoes mak-
ing towards our fhore, Friday faid
he was fure they were on the
fame bufinefs again, fo I ordered
him to fetch two of the touteft
26 The Life aud Adventures
clubs from my cave, and faid,
"now Friday will you ftand by
me and help to prevent thofe hor-
rid favages from accomplishing
their cruel purpofe," he quickly
anfwered, "Yes indeed, Maffer,
yes, indeed, Maffer, me will, me
will." As I knew the man to
be honest, I could depend npon
him, fo I refolved to do all in my
power to prevent the fcene they
were going to exhibit. When
Friday returned, the favages were
got out of their canoes, fo I found
no time was to be loft; away we
ran, each having an excellent cud-
gel, and placed ourfelves behind a
very large tree, entirely unfeen,
and at the diſtance of about fifty
yards, five priſoners were chained,
and eight favages pullin~ :
of Robinfon Crufoe. 27
of the canoes, and placing them
in a row, I faw the fire kindling,
"now, faid I, Friday, do your beft
and ſupport me," and then rufthed
upon them with the courage and
ftrength of lions; in leſs than five
minutes fix of the wretches lay
dead upon the fands, and the other
two leaping into the fea, no doubt
were drowned. I then turned to
the five poor fouls who ftood trem-
bling, and expected me to ferve
them as I had the others; but pre-
fently I convinced them of mỹ
friend hip. I now thought poor
Friday was really diftra&ted, till I
learned his joy was occafioned by
the fight of his father, who was
one of the five we happily faved.
28 The Life and Adventures
The other four were Spaniards,
all priſoners taken in war a few
days before by the favage nation,
and their practice was to eat all
thofe who fell into their hands.
We were now feven in number,
and very fortunately an English
Merchant fhip, homeward bound,
was by contrary winds drove near
of Robinson Crusoe.
29
our Ifland; we made a large fire
in the woods one night to con-
vince the crew of the thip the I-
fland was inhabited; next morning
twenty failors came on fhorewell
armed, we foon convinced them
of our friendſhip, and treated them
with the beſt the Iſland produced;
in return they generouſly took us
on board to Liverpool, from
thence I went to York, but was
greatly fhocked at the news I re-
ceived; my rambling difpofition
I found had brought my dear fa-
ther and mother to their graves;
they both died foon after I left
Hull.
I cannot exprefs the agony it
caufed in me; I confidered myfelf
entirely as the author of their
deaths; and though property fuf-
30 The Life and Adventures, &c.
ficient is left for me to live like a
gentleman, I cannot have peace
to enjoy it; and at this moment I
really believe myſelf the moſt mi-
ferable object living, and heartily
I repent giving way to the reſtlefs
difpofition which made me leave
my parents; as, from that hour I
date all the fubfequent misfor-
tunes of my life.
THE END
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