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心
​THE
LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE:
FROM THE ORIGINAL WORK OF
DANIEL DEFOE.
A NEW EDITION,
CAREFULLY ADAPTED TO YOUTH.

Illustrated by Engravings.
NEW YORK:
PUBLISHED BY C. WELLS,
No. 56 GOLD STREET.
1836.
Entered according to the Act of Congress, in the year 1835,
By S. G. GOODRICH,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massachusetts.
ADVERTISEMENT.
In this edition of Robinson Crusoe, it is designed to
present the complete story, as originally published by
Defoe, freed from the exceptionable passages which that
contains.
Sir Walter Scott has remarked that this work has
given more pleasure than any other in our language. It
is perhaps more universally read than any other. It is
desirable, therefore, that it should be purified from every
thought and expression which might sully the mind or
manners of youth. The work is full of moral truth
and lessons of virtue; and it is hoped that in its present
shape it may be useful and acceptable to young readers.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
My birth and parentage. I determine to go to sea. Dissuaded
by my parents. Elope with a school-fellow, and go on board
ship. A storm arises, during which I am dreadfully frightened.
Ship founders. Myself and crew saved by a boat, and landed near
Yarmouth. Make a successful trading voyage to Guinea. Sail
another trip. The vengeance of Providence for disobedience to
parents now overtakes me. Taken by a Sallee rover, and all
sold as slaves. Make my escape in an open boat with a Mores-
co boy..
CHAP. II.
9
Make for the southward in hopes of meeting with some European
vessel. See savages along shore. Shoot a large leopard. Am
saved by a merchantman. Arrive at the Brazils, and buy a settle-
Sail on a voyage of adventure to Guinea. Storms. Ship
strikes a sand-bank in unknown land. All lost but myself, who
am driven ashore by the waves..
ment.
CHAP. III.
18
Appearance of the wreck and country the next day. Get a
quantity of stores from the ship. Shoot a bird, which turns out
carrion. Pitch my tent. Erect a cross of wood, to serve as a cal-
endar. My cats and dog.
Reflections on my situation.
29
4
CONTENTS.
CHAP. IV.
My journal. I kill a she-goat, and the kid follows me home.
Part of the roof of my cave falls in. I taine a goat. My substitute
for candles. Barley and rice. A terrible earthquake. Find a bar-
rel, and procure more stores from the wreck. Catch a turtle. My
sickness and recovery. Set out to explore my island. Find abun-
dance of fruit. Build my bower. Increase of my family of cats.
Another visit to my country-seat
A journey that I made.
the continent of America.
of securing my corn field.
►
CHAP. V.
•
40
Discover land, which I suppose to be
Catch a parrot and a kid. My method
I succeed in making earthen-ware.
Think of leaving the island. Make a large canoe, but cannot get
it to the water.
my lot.....
Clothe myself in skins.
Become resigned to
60
CHAP. VI.
I make a smaller boat, and set it afloat.
Set out on a voyage
round the island. I encounter dangers, but return in safety. Meet
my parrot away from home. Catch and tame goats. Description
of my mode of life
CHAP. VII.
70
Description of my figure. Dreadful alarm on seeing the print of
a man's foot on the sea-shore. Take every possible precaution.
The way I contrived to secure my goats
I see a canoe at sea.
cannibals. My fright.
CHAP. VIII.
83
Find on shore the remains of a feast of the
Doubly arm myself. Terribly alarmed by
a singular grotto, of which I form my magazine. My fears on ac-
count of the savages begin to subside
93
CONTENTS
LO
5
CHAP. IX.
Discover nine savages round a fire, on my side of the island.
My horror on finding out the cause of their meeting. A Spanish
ship lost off the island. Go on board the wreck, and procure a va-
riety of articles...
CHAP. X.
..102
Discover five canoes of savages on shore. Observe two misera-
ble wretches dragged from their boats, to be devoured. One of
them escapes, and I save his life. Name him Friday; and he be-
comes a fond and faithful servant..
.111
CHAP. XI.
I show Friday what food is proper to eat. He learns English.
A dialogue. He describes some Spaniards who had come to his
nation, and lived there. Friday refuses to leave me... ....120
CHAP. XII.
Friday and I build a large boat. Savages land. Resolve to at-
tack them. Friday and I fire upon the cannibals, and save the life
of a poor Spaniard. List of the killed and wounded. Discover a
poor Indian, bound, in one of the canoes, who turns out to be Fri-
day's father. I learn from the Spaniard that a number of his coun
trymen are still among the savages. The Spaniard's prudent
advice...
.131
•
CHAP. XIII.
The Spaniard and Friday's father sail for the continent. I dis-
cover an English ship at anchor. Her boat comes on shore with
three prisoners. The crew wander into the woods, and the boat is
left aground. Discover myself to the prisoners, who prove to be
the captain and mate of a vessel, and a passenger. Secure the mu-
tineers
..143
6
CONTENTS.
CHAP. XIV.
The ship makes signals for her boats. On receiving no answer,
she sends another boat on shore. This boat's crew is secured, and
the ship recovered
•
CHAP. XV.
.155
I take leave of the island, and, after a long voyage, arrive in Eng-
land. Find the greater part of my family dead. Go to Lisbon for
information respecting my plantation in the Brazils; find an old
friend there, and get rich. Set out to travel to England through
Spain and France. Meet with wolves on the road. A terrible
battle with an army of them..
.162
·
CHAP. XVI.
Arrive in England, and settle my affairs. Marry, and have a
family. Purchase a farm in the county of Bedford. Death of my
wife. I resolve to revisit my island; and, for that purpose, settle
my affairs in England. Description of the cargo I carried out with
me. Save the crew of a vessel burned at sea. Steer for the
West Indies. Distressing account of a Bristol ship, the crew of
which we save from starving
.176
CHAP. XVII.
Arrive at the island. Friday's joy at discovering it. Meets his
father. Narrative of the occurrences on the island during my
absence..
.188
CHAP. XVIII.
Narrative continued. Insolence of three of the Englishmen to
the Spaniards. They are disarmed and brought to order. Two ad-
verse nations of savages land upon the island. A terrible battle is
fought between them. Several of the vanquished party are seized
by the Spaniards...
198
CONTENTS.
7
CHAP. XIX.
Fresh broils between the turbulent Englishmen and Spaniards.
The English make a voyage to the main land, and return with men
and women. The colony is discovered by the savages, who invade
the island, but are defeated..
CHAP. XX.
..208
The island is invaded by a formidable army of savages. A terri-
ble engagement, in which the cannibals are routed. Thirty-seven
savages, the survivors, are saved. I inform the colony for what
purpose I came, and what I mean to do for them. Distribution
of the stores I brought with me. Preparations for leaving the
island.
230
CHAP. XXI,
Sail from the island for the Brazils. Encounter and destroy a
whole fleet of savages. Death of Friday. Arrival at Brazil. I
send recruits and stores to the island, and take leave of it forever.
Arrival at Madagascar. Dreadful occurrences there..
.241
CHAP. XXII.
I am angry with my nephew, on account of the cruelties prac-
tised at Madagascar. Arrive at Bengal. The seamen refuse to sail,
if I remain on board. I am left on shore. Make an advantageous
trading voyage, in company with an English merchant. Purchase
a ship, which turns out to have been stolen. Make a trading voy-
age in this vessel. Pursued, and escape with difficulty
.252
CHAP. XXIII.
Come to anchor, on a savage coast, to repair our ship. We are
attacked by the natives, who are dispersed by a whimsical contri-
vance. Sail to the northward, and take an old Portuguese pilot on
board. Conversation with him..
.263
8
CONTENTS.
CHAP. XXIV.
Arrive at China in safety. Dispose of the ship. Go to Pekin.
Find an opportunity of returning to Europe
•
.274
CHAP. XXV.
Set out by the caravan. Account of our goods. Description of
the interior of China. Pass the great wall. Attacked by Tartars,
but repel them. I am attacked by robbers, and saved by the old
pilot. Again attacked, but defeat the Tartars
CHAP. XXVI.
..281
We continue our journey. Meet with an idol, which we destroy.
Are pursued in consequence, but are saved by the cunning of a
Cossack
..296
CHAP. XXVII.
Arrive at Tobolsk, where I pass the winter. Set out to return
home in company with an exiled nobleman. Harassed by Cal-
mucs on the road. Arrive at Archangel. Sail from thence, and ar-
rive safely in England
..310
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE OF DANIEL DEFOE......331
Душ
THE
LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
CHAPTER I.
I was born in the city of York, England, in
the year 1632. My father was a foreigner,
being a native of Bremen, and acquired a hand-
some property by mercantile pursuits, in which
he first engaged in Hull. My mother's maiden
name was Robinson, and I was called Robin-
son Kreutznaer, or, by corruption, Crusoe.
We
are now called, nay, we write our name, Crusoe;
and so my companions always called me.
I had two brothers, both older than myself.
The eldest rose to the rank of lieutenant-colo-
10
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
nel in the army, and fell at the head of his
regiment in the battle near Dunkirk, which
was fought against the Spaniards. The fate
of my second brother was never discovered.
It was supposed that, after the loss of two
members of the family, I should be contented
to follow the wishes of my father, and settle
quietly at home, in some peaceful and honora-
ble profession. But, alas! I was bent on going
to sea.
Neither my parents nor relatives were satis-
fied with this idle longing for perilous adven-
ture. My father strongly advised me to relin-
quish my wild projects, and assured me that I
should never go to sea with his consent. In
the kindest manner, he pointed out the dangers
which would threaten me, the hardships 1
should be compelled to undergo, and feelingly
adverted to the fate of my two elder brothers,
the remembrance of which caused the tears to
flow down his venerable cheeks. In contrast
to the dangers of the ocean, he painted the
calm and safe delights of domestic life on
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
11
shore, and ended by conjuring me to follow
his advice, and listen to his reasoning.
The sight of my father in so much trouble,
for a time, dimmed the adventurous fire within
me, and I internally resolved to remain at home,
and comfort the declining years of my excellent
parents. But it was not long before I began
to be weary of the land, and sigh for the
unknown pleasures of the sailor.
To
By means of my mother, I endeavored to
obtain my father's consent to my going on
board some vessel; but he was inflexible.
this day I cannot forget the awful solemnity
with which he said, "That boy might be hap-
ру,
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."
One day, I went by chance to Hull, where
I happened to meet an acquaintance, of about
my own age, who was going to London in one
of his father's vessels. He offered me a pas-
sage, and urged me to accompany him; and,
12
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
without consulting my father or mother, with-
out even letting them know of my intention,
without asking God's blessing on my voyage,
in an evil hour, on the 1st of September, 1651,
I went on board a ship bound for London.
My misfortunes commenced early; for no
sooner had we got out of the Humber, than the
wind began to rise, and we were soon exposed
to the fury of a tempest. I attempted to walk
the deck, but was soon thrown off my feet, and
compelled to cling to a water-cask for safety.
I was dreadfully sea-sick, and believed that
death was near. In the agony of my spirit, I
prayed Almighty God to save my life, and
promised, if my prayer was heard, and I was
permitted once more to set foot on land, that
I would never leave my poor parents again.
But when the storm ceased, and I saw the
wide waters, lately lashed into fury, smiling
before me in blue beauty, I forgot the promises
I made the night before, and plunged at once in-
to the mad revelry of my shipmates. When I
spoke of the storm, they laughed at its terrors, and
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
13
termed it a "mere capful of wind"; and it was,
in fact, nothing to what we soon after encoun-
tered while lying at anchor in Yarmouth roads.
On this occasion, the wind blew in such a
manner, that we were forced to cut away the
masts; and even this was not enough; for, find-
ing the vessel sinking, we had recourse to a
boat, into which we got with great difficulty.
We had not been 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 that I had hardly eyes to look up,
when the seamen told me she was sinking; for,
from the moment they put me into the boat,
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.
But at length we reached the land in safety.
My misfortunes did not cure my passion for
the sea; and so, instead of going home to my
parents, I embraced an offer made me by the
captain of a vessel bound to the western coast
14
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
of Africa, to be his companion in the voyage,
free of expense, and with liberty to traffic with
the natives. My kind friends supplied me with
about £40, which I expended on such toys as
the captain told me would be salable at
Guinea. The voyage proved uncommonly
prosperous; and, on my return, I found myself
the possessor of £300, which so fired my im-
agination, that I determined to continue in the
Guinea trade, doubting not that I should soon
become a rich man.
Alas! these extravagant expectations were
doomed never to be realized. My second voy-
age was disastrous. When near the African
coast, we were attacked by a vessel belonging
to the Moorish pirates of Sallee, and, our ship
being disabled in the fight, three of our men
killed, and eight wounded, we were obliged to
yield, and were all carried prisoners into Sal-
lee, a port belonging to the Moors.
My treatment was not so harsh as I feared
that it might be; for, while my shipmates were
taken into the interior of the country, to labor
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
15
for the emperor, the pirate-chief, pleased with
my youth and activity, kept me to wait upon
himself. Two years were passed in sighing
for my liberty; for I had no means of making
my escape. My master would not take me to
sea with him, and when his ship was in port, I
slept in the cabin, but was closely watched.
However, being once sent in my master's
long-boat, with Ishmael, or Muley, a Moor,
and Xury, a Moresco boy, to catch some fish,
I conceived the hope of making my escape.
This boat had a cabin in the middle, like that
of a barge, with a place to stand behind it to
steer in, 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 was jibbed over the top of the cabin, which
lay very snug and low; it had room in it for my
master 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, together with his bread, rice, and coffee.
On pretence of a prospect of sport, I con-
16
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
veyed guns, powder, and shot, on board, previ-
ously to which I had stowed away a great lump
of beeswax, which weighed above half a hun-
dred weight; with a parcel of twine or thread,
a hatchet, a saw, and a hammer, all of which
were of great use afterwards, especially the
wax, to make candles. Every thing needful
being prepared, we went out of port to fish.
The wind blew from N. N. E., which was
contrary to my desire; for, had it blown south-
erly, I had been sure to have made the coast
of Spain, and at least reached the bay of Ca-
diz; but my resolutions were, blow which way
it might, I would quit that horrid place where
I was, and leave the rest to fate.
After we had fished some time, and caught
nothing,-for, when I had fish on my hook, I
would not pull them up, so that he might see
them,---I said to the Moor, "This will not do;
our master will not thus be served; we must
stand farther off." He, thinking no harm,
agreed, and, being in the head of the boat, set
the sails; and, as I had the helm, I stepped
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
17
forward to where the Moor was, and, pretend-
ing to stoop for something behind him, I seized
him by surprise, and tossed him clear overboard
into the sea.
He rose immediately,―for he swam like a
cork, and called to me, begging to be taken
in, and telling me that he would go all over the
world with me. He swam so strongly after
the boat, that he would have reached me very
quickly, there being but little wind; upon
which I snatched a fowling-piece, and, taking
aim at him, 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'll shoot you through the head; for I
am resolved to have my liberty."
On this, he turned about, and swam for the
shore; and I do not doubt that he reached it
with ease, for he was an excellent swimmer.
I could have been content to have taken this
2
18
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Moor with me, in the place of the boy; but there
was no trusting him. When he was gone, I
turned to the boy, and said to him, "Xury, if
you will be faithful to me, I'll make you a great
man; but if you will not stroke your face to be
true to me,”—that is, swear by Mahomet and
his father's beard," I must throw you into the
sea too." The boy smiled in my face, and
spoke so innocently, that I could not mistrust
him; and he promised to be faithful to me, and
go all over the world with me.
CHAPTER II.
FOR several days, the wind favored our de-
sign of coasting in a southerly direction; and it
was with sincere pleasure that I found myself
far from the emperor of Morocco's dominions.
At length I determined to land, as we were out
of water, and accordingly dropped anchor, one
evening, in a little creek, where I doubted not
we should be able to supply our wants.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
19
We were deterred from landing that evening,
by the hideous roarings of some huge wild
beasts, which plunged into the creek, and
lashed the waves in their terrible gambols, con-
veying an idea of terror which I never shall
forget. One of these monsters swam to the
boat, but, upon my discharging a fowling-piece
at him, turned round, and made for the shore.
All that I saw and heard convinced me that
this was that vast country south of Morocco,
which the negroes had abandoned to the wild
beasts, and which the Moors occasionally enter
in immense bodies, for the sake of hunting.
Having procured water, I again left the coast.
The want of proper nautical instruments was
a serious one; but I entertained the hope of
meeting with some Christian merchant-vessel
on the coast of Africa. There appeared to be
little prospect of the speedy fulfilment of this
hope, and I began to look upon myself as an
outcast, justly punished for quitting the domes-
tic fireside, and neglecting the excellent advice
of the best of parents.
20
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
One day, on approaching the coast, I per-
ceived a huge lion lying on the side of a hill.
"Xury," said I to the boy, "you shall go on
shore and kill him." Xury looked frightened,
and said, “Me kill! he eat me at one mouth!"
one mouthful, he meant: however, I said no
more to the boy, but bade him lie still, while
I took our largest gun, and loaded it with a
good charge of powder, and two slugs, and laid
it down. Then I loaded another gun with two
bullets; and the third,-for we had three pieces,
-I loaded with five smaller bullets.
I took the best aim I could with the first
piece, so as to shoot him in the head; but he lay
with his leg raised a little above his nose, and
the slugs hit his leg above 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 hide-
ous roar that I ever heard.
I was a little surprised that I had not hit him
upon the head; however, I took up the second
piece immediately, and, though he began to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
21
move off, fired again, and shot him through 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 insisted on going
ashore. "Well, go,” said I; so the boy jump-
ed 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, shooting him
through the head a second time, despatched
him.
This was game, indeed, but no food; and I
was very sorry to lose three charges of powder
and shot, upon a creature that was good for
nothing to us. However, thinking that his
skin might be, in one way or other, of some
value to us, Xury and I went to work upon
him; but it took us both the whole day. At
length we got off the hide of him, and, spread-
ing it on the top of our cabin, the sun effectu-
ally dried it in two days' time; and it afterwards
served me to lie upon.
It was some time before we saw any of the
22
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
natives. The first negroes we beheld were
naked and unarmed, and brought us water and
food. I was at a loss how to reward these poor
friendly creatures, until an incident occurred
which enabled me to do them an essential ser-
vice. As they stood upon the shore, a wild
animal from the mountains, in pursuit of an-
other beast, dashed through them, and plunged
into the water.
As he approached rather nearer cur boat than
was agreeable, I fired my fowling-piece at him,
and sent a ball through his brain. His com-
panion escaped. On drawing him out of the
water, he proved to be a large and beautiful
leopard, the skin of which I carefully preserved.
It is impossible to express the astonishment
of the poor negroes at the noise and fire of my
gun: some of them fell upon the sea-beach al-
most lifeless. But when they saw the creature
dead, and sunk in the water, they took heart,
and held up their hands in admiration of the
weapon I had killed the leopard with.
When I was in doubt where I should ever
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
23
behold a Christian face again, the welcome
sight of a sail on the horizon revived all my
hopes. But doubt soon mingled with my hope.
The vessel might be an enemy-might not be
coming to meet us. Joy! joy! she nears!
She descries us! We can see them lower a
boat. Yes; we were rescued from our perilous
solitude by a Portuguese merchant-ship, bound
for the Brazils!
The captain behaved with great generosity
towards me. He purchased my boat, and such
articles as I was willing to sell, and even in-
duced me to part with the boy Xury. I was
very loath to sell the poor boy's liberty, when
he had assisted me in gaining my own; but 1
stipulated that the captain should agree to free
him in ten years, on condition of his turning
Christian.
When, shortly afterwards, I settled in the
Brazils, and commenced raising sugar-canes
and tobacco, I found, more than ever, that 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.
24
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
However, I went on with my plantation,
gradually accumulating property, but too rash
and too ambitious to be satisfied with the ordi-
nary means of gaining wealth. I had been dis-
contented with my early home; I was discon-
tented now, and must go and leave the happy
prospect 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, as will
be seen, I cast myself down into the deepest
gulf of human misery that ever man fell into,
or that is consistent with life and a state of
health, in this world.
It happened that three merchants came to
me one morning, to make, as they said, a secret
proposal to me. They told me that they had a
mind to fit out a ship to go to Guinea; that
they all had plantations as well as I, and were
straitened for nothing so much as servants. As
negroes could not be sold publicly, they desired
me to make but one voyage, to bring the ne-
groes on shore privately, and divide them
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
25
among our own plantations; and, in a word,
the question was, whether I would go as their
supercargo in the ship, to manage the trading
part upon the coast of Guinea; and they
offered to give me an equal share of the negroes,
without providing any part of the stock.
I, that was born to be my own destroyer,
could no more resist the guilty offer, than I
could restrain my first rambling designs, when
my father's good counsel was lost upon me.
I went on board, in an evil hour, on the
1st of September, 1659, being the same day,
eight years, that I went from my father and
mother, at Hull, in order to act the rebel to
their authority, and the fool to my interest.
Our ship carried about one hundred and
twenty tons burthen, mounted six guns, and
carried fourteen men, besides the master, his
boy, and myself. We had on board no cargo
of goods, except such toys as were fit for
our trade with the negroes, as beads, bits of
glass, shells, and odd trifles, especially little
looking-glasses, knives, scissors, hatchets, and
the like.
26
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
After passing the line, being in about 7 de-
grees 22 minutes north latitude, a violent tor-
nado or hurricane, which settled into a regular
nor'easter, took us quite out of our knowledge,
and drove us along for twelve days. Finding
out, at length, something about our position, the
master and I concluded that it was most pru-
dent to steer for Barbadoes, which we judged
to be the nearest land.
But, being in latitude 12 degrees 18 minutes,
another storm came upon us, and drove us west-
ward, out of the track of commerce. In this
distress, we discovered land; and soon after, the
ship struck upon a sand-bank. With great dif-
ficulty, we launched our only boat, got into it,
and, shoving off from the vessel, committed our
souls to God in the most earnest manner; and, the
wind driving us towards the shore, we hastened
our destruction with our own hands, pulling, as
well as we could, towards the land.
As we made nearer and nearer the shore, the
land looked more frightful than the sea. After
we had driven about ten miles, as we reckoned
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
27
it, a raging wave took us with such fury, that
it overset the boat at once; and, separating us
from one another, gave us not time even to
utter a prayer, for we were swallowed by the
waves in a moment.
I was, myself, cast at length upon the rocks
by a tremendous wave, and there I clung fast,
that I might avoid being drowned. After a
little time, I found that the waves were not as
high as at first, and being near land, I held
on till they abated. I then took a run, which
brought me so near the shore, that the next
wave, though it went over me, did not carry
me away; and the next run I took brought me
near the main land, where, to my great comfort,
I clambered up the cliffs of the shore, and was
out of the reach of the water.
I now knelt down upon the grass, and, look-
ing upward, thanked my gracious God for pre-
serving my life, when, but a few minutes before,
there appeared to be no hope. I believe it is
impossible to express what the ecstasies and
transports of the soul are, when it is so saved,
as I may say, out of the very grave. I do not

ROBINSON CRUSOE.
29
wonder now, that, when a malefactor, who
has the halter about his neck, and is just going
to be hurled into eternity, if he has a re-
prieve brought him-I do not wonder that they
bring a surgeon to bleed him the moment he
is informed of it, that the surprise may not drive
the life from his heart;
For sudden joys, like griefs, confound at first.
I now cast my eyes toward the stranded
vessel, but the breach and froth of the sea were
so great, that I could hardly see it in the dis-
tance, and could not but wonder how I could
have got to the land.
CHAPTER III.
HAVING Secured myself in the branches of a
tree, I enjoyed a comfortable night's rest, and
awoke the next day much refreshed. I found
that the vessel had been stranded within about
a mile of the shore, and saw that, had we re-
30
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
mained on board, all of us would have been
saved. But, alas! none but myself was left. I
swam to the vessel, and found that, although
there was a great deal of water in her, the pro-
visions were dry; and I made a hearty meal on
biscuit.
I built a raft of spare yards and planks, and
the first article that I committed to it, was a
carpenter's chest of tools. My next care was
to get ammunition and arms. There were two
very good fowling-pieces in the great cabin, and
two pistols these I secured, with 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 found them, two
of them dry and good, the third wet.
I got
them into my boat, with the arms.
I had three encouragements in getting them
on shore: 1. A smooth, calm sea. 2. The
tide rising and setting in to the shore. 3. What
little wind there was blew favorably for me.
I fortunately found two or three broken oars
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
31
belonging to the boat, 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 sea. For about a mile, my raft went very
well, only I found it drive a little way from
the place where I intended to land; by this I
perceived that there was some current in the
water, and I hoped to find a creek or river, in
which I could land my cargo with safety.
I soon saw 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 keep
the middle of the stream. But now I almost
suffered shipwreck, by running on a shoal, from
which the rising tide finally lifted me off. I was
carried on shore in a little creek, and the turn
of the tide left my cargo high upon the land.
The next thing I did was to view the coun-
try, and seek some spot whereon to build a
dwelling, to shelter my goods. Ascending a
high hill, about a mile from the creek, I ascer-
tained that I was on an island, which appeared
barren, and was probably inhabited only by
wild beasts.
32
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Though I saw many birds, I could not tell
whether they were fit to eat or not. On coming
back, I shot a large bird in 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, than, from all parts of the wood,
there arose an innumerable number of fowls, of
various kinds, making a confused screaming.
They were all unknown to me; and the flesh
of the bird I shot was like carrion.
I built a temporary hut with the articles that
composed my cargo, and lay down to sleep, but
not without fear of wild beasts. The second
voyage I made to the ship, I brought away
three bags full of nails and spikes, a great
screw-jack, a dozen or two of hatchets, and,
above all, that most useful thing, called a grind-
stone. All these I secured, together with sev-
eral things belonging to the gunner, particularly
two or three iron crow-bars, two barrels of
musket bullets, seven muskets, and anoth-
er fowling-piece, with an additional quantity
of powder, and a large bag full of small shot.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
33
I found also a great roll of sheet lead, but this
was so heavy that 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 foretop-
sail, a hammock, and some bedding; and with
these I loaded my second raft, and brought them
all safe on shore, to my very great comfort.
I was under some apprehensions, during my
absence from the land, that, at least, my pro-
visions might be devoured on shore; but, when
I came, I found no sign of a visitor, except a
creature, like a wild-cat, that sat on one of the
chests. She did not appear to be afraid of me,
nor did she attempt to harm me; so I threw her
a bit of biscuit, which she ate with satisfaction.
She looked as if she should like more; but I
showed her, that I could spare no more; so she
marched off.
My next care was to build a tent with sail-
cloth and some poles that I had cut; and intò
this I conveyed those articles that I feared
might be injured by the sun and rain. I then
3
34
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
piled up all the empty chests and casks in a
circle round the tent, to fortify it against any
sudden attempt, either of 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 upon end without; and, spread-
ing one of the beds upon the ground, laying
my two pistols just at my head, and my gun
by my side, I went to bed for the first time.
I slept very quietly all night, for I was very
weary, and the night before, I had slept little,
and had labored very hard all day, as well to
bring all the things from the ship, as to get
them on shore.
I had now the largest magazine, of all kinds,
that was ever laid up for one man; but I was
not satisfied still; for, while the ship sat upright,
I thought I would get every thing out of her
that I could. So every day, at low water, I
went on board and brought away something.
Having got every thing out of the vessel that
I thought would be of any service to me, I
began to think it necessary to secure myself
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
35
against savages, or wild beasts, should any ap-
pear.
I found the place I was in was not fit for a
settlement, as I was upon a low, marshy ground,
near the sea, and I believed the spot would not
be healthy, particularly since there was no
fresh water near it; so I resolved to look for a
more healthy and convenient spot of ground.
At length, I found a little plain at the foot of
a rising hill; the front of this hill, toward the
plain, was steep as a house-side, so that nothing
could come down upon me from the top. On
the side of this, there was a rock with 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, the ground descended
irregularly every way down into the low lands
by the sea-side. It was on the north-west side
of the hill, so that I was sheltered from the heat
36
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
every day, till it came to a west-by-south sun,
which, in those countries, is near the setting.
Before I pitched my tent, I drew a half-
circle before the hollow place, in which I plant-
ed two rows of strong stakes, driving them into
the ground till they stood very firm, like piles;
the biggest end being about five feet and a half
out of the ground, and sharpened at the top.
The two rows did not stand above six inches
from each other.
I next took the pieces of cable, which I had
cut in the ship, and laid them one upon another,
within the circle between the two rows of
stakes, up to the top; then placing other stakes
in the inside, leaning against them, about two
feet and a half high, like a spur to a post. This
fence was so strong that neither man nor beast
could get into it, or over it.
It cost me a
great deal of time and labor, especially the
cutting and driving in of the piles.
The entrance into this place was not by a
door, but by a short ladder, to go over the top;
which ladder, when I was in, I lifted down
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
37
after me; so that I was completely fenced in,
and fortified, as I thought, from the world;
and, consequently, slept secure in the night,
which, otherwise, I could not have done.
I succeeded in excavating the rock, and
making a cave just behind my tent, which
served me as a cellar. The first day I went
out shooting, I discovered that there were
many wild goats on the island. After I had
resided on the island some ten or twelve days,
it occurred to me that I should lose my reckon-
ing, for want of books, pen and ink, and should
even be unable to distinguish the Sabbath from
the working-days; so, to prevent this, I erect-
ed a great cross upon the sea-shore, and in-
scribed upon it with my pen-knife, "I came on
shore here on the 30th of September, 1659."
Upon the sides of this 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,
or monthly, and yearly reckoning of time.

ROBINSON CRUSOE.
39
I forgot to mention, that I brought out of the
ship, pens, ink, and paper, several parcels in the
captain's, mate's, and carpenter's keeping, three
or four compasses, some mathematical instru-
ments, dials, perspectives, charts, and books of
navigation; all of which I huddled together,
uncertain whether I might want them, or no.
I also found three very good Bibles, some
Portuguese books, and among them two or
three prayer-books, beside several other books;
all of which I carefully secured. I must not
forget to mention, that we had on board the
ship, two cats and a dog. I carried the cats on
shore the dog swam to land the day after the
wreck, and was a trusty servant to me for many
years. I wanted nothing that he could bring
me, nor any company that he had the power
to furnish. I only wanted to have him talk to
me; but that he could not do.
I was in want of a spade, pick-axe, and shov-
el, needles, pins, and thread; and it was a long
time before I got my other things to rights.
But I made a table, and chair, and shelves, and
40
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
then set to work to keep my journal. I had
reason to be thankful that I was alive-that
there was no prospect of my starving—that I
was cast upon an island where there were
neither savages nor wild beasts to trouble me—
and that God had wonderfully sent the ship in
near enough to the shore, to enable me to get
necessaries to supply my immediate wants,
and provide for myself as long as I lived.
Although singled out and separated from all
the world, I was also singled out from all the
ship's crew, to be spared from death.
CHAPTER IV.
I KEPT my journal as long as my writing ma-
terials lasted. I shall not copy the whole of
this, because it will only be repeating what the
reader already knows. My first entry in my
journal was the following:-
September 30, 1659. I, poor, miserable
Robinson Crusoe, being shipwrecked, during a
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
41
dreadful storm, 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.
The 31st, in the morning, I went out into
the island, with my gun, and killed a she-goat:
her poor kid followed me home. The little
thing refused to eat, and I was forced to kill
it also.
December 10. I began to think the cave, or
vault, in the rear of my tent, finished, when, on
a sudden (it seems I had made it too large), a
great quantity of earth fell down from the top, on
one side, terrifying me greatly. It would have
killed me had I been in at the time. Accord-
ingly, this day I commenced erecting posts to
secure my cave, and made shelves across be-
tween them, and drove nails into them to hang
up things upon.
December 27. Killed one young goat, and
lamed another, so that I caught it, and led it
home by a string. When I reached home, I

ROBINSON CRUSOE.
43
found that his leg was broken, and so set to
work, and splintered it. I took such care of it
that it lived, and the leg grew as strong as
ever; but, by nursing it so long, I had tamed
it completely, and it refused to leave me, feed-
ing on the green before my door. This was
the first time I thought of breeding tame crea-
tures to serve me for food, when I had fired
away all my powder and shot.
From January to April, I kept hard at work
upon my dwelling and wall, though my work
was often interrupted by the rain, which, in the
wet season, falls almost incessantly. Among
other things, of which I stood in need, and
could not make, was a hooped cask. I
also wanted candles, and, to supply myself,
made use of the following contrivance. When
I killed a goat, I saved the tallow, and put
it in little dishes of baked clay, to which I
made wicks of oakum; and these gave me a
pretty bright, but an unsteady kind of light.
Happening to find a little bag, which had
once contained corn, that had been eaten by the
44
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
ship rats, I threw out the dust that remained
at the bottom, just before the rainy season,
when, to my great surprise, about a month af
terwards, ten or twelve ears of English barley
sprung forth.
I gathered these, with some
stalks of rice; and they afterwards yielded me
abundant harvests.
April 17. There happened a most terrible
earthquake, that shook the earth from the top
of my cave, and cracked two of the posts, for-
cing me to plant my ladder, and fly over the
wall, in fears for my life. I had no sooner
reached the ground without, than I perceived
that it swelled frightfully, like the surge of the
sea, and made me giddy by its motion.
A huge
rock, about a mile off, was shaken from its base,
and the ocean boiled and roared like the waters
of a vast caldron.
The earthquake was followed by a heavy
rain. The dreadful scene I had just witnessed
made me think that it would be necessary to
remove my tent to some securer place; but I
concluded to stay where I was, till I found a
spot that suited me.

46
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
May 1. In the morning, looking towards the
sea-side, the tide being low, I saw something
lying on the shore, which, on my coming up
to it, turned out to be a small barrel from the
wreck. Finding the wreck much broken up, I
determined to get what I could from it.
June 15. This day I ceased laboring to pro-
cure articles from the wreck, having obtained a
vast store of necessaries.
June 16. Going down to the sea-side, 1
found a large tortoise, or turtle. This was the
first I had seen, which, it seems, was my mis-
fortune, and not a defect of the place, or scarci-
ty. The next day I spent in cooking the turtle.
The flesh was the most agreeable I ever tasted
in my life, and formed a pleasant change from
that of the goats and pigeons I had been eating
all along.
June 18. This day brought the commence-
ment of an attack of fever and ague, which last-
ed, with a few intervals, until July 3, when
the fits left me, but left me so weak that I did
not recover my strength for some weeks after.
In all this time, I used tobacco, in various
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
47
ways, as medicine; but I doubt if it was any
advantage to me.
While I was gathering strength, my mind
dwelt upon the passage in Scripture, "Call on
me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver
thee, and thou shalt glorify me." I began to
think that I did not feel the gratitude I ought.
I was forced to ask myself these questions, viz.
Had I not been delivered, and wonderfully
too, from sickness from the most distressing
condition that could be? and what notice had
I taken of it! Had I done my part? God had
delivered me, but I had not glorified him; that
is to say, I had not owned and been thankful
for the deliverance; and how could I expect a
greater?
These reflections touched my heart very much,
and I immediately kneeled down, and gave God
thanks aloud for my recovery from sickness.
From the fourth of July to the fourteenth, I
was chiefly employed in walking about, with
my gun in my hand, a little and a little at a
time, as is necessary to one that is gathering
48
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
his strength after a fit of sickness; and it can
hardly be imagined to what weakness I was
reduced. In one of my brief expeditions, I en-
countered two seals upon the sea-shore; but,
the moment they espied me, they made off, with
clumsy haste; and I was too weak and spirit-
less to give them chase. I now learned, by ex-
perience, that being abroad in the rainy season
was most pernicious to my health.
I had now been in the Island of Despair more
than ten months, and saw no possibility of an
escape from it; but I had secured my habita-
tion fully to my mind, and had a great desire
to make a fuller survey of the island, and see
what productions I might find, that might be
useful to me.
On the 15th of July, I began my particular
survey of the island. I first went up the creek,
where I brought my rafts on shore, and 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

50
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
season, there was hardly any water in some
parts of it; at least, not enough to run into a
regular stream.
On the banks of this brook, I found many
pleasant savannas, or meadows, plain, smooth,
and covered with grass; and, on the rising parts
of them, next to the higher grounds, where the
water never overflowed, I found a great deal of
tobacco. There were, also, many other plants,
but I did not know their names. I searched in
vain for the cassava root, of which the Indians
make their bread. I saw large plants of aloes,
although I did not then know them, and sever-
al sugar-canes, in a wild state.
On the 16th of July, I went up the same
way again; and, after going something farther
than I had done the day before, I found that
the brook and savannas ceased, and the coun-
try became more closely covered with trees.
In this part of the country, I found different
fruits-melons lying on the ground in abun-
dance, and grapes growing upon vines, which
hung in beautiful festoons from tree to tree.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
51
These rich and abundant clusters of grapes
were now just ripe.
I knew, by experience, that it was imprudent
to eat freely of them from the vine, but I made
them useful by drying them in the sun; thus
securing a supply of excellent raisins for the
season when fruit was scarce.
In the night, I slept in a tree, and the next
morning pursued my course of discovery, travel-
ling about four miles, keeping to the north, with
a ridge of hills on the south and north side of me.
At the end of my march, I came to an opening,
where the country seemed to descend to the
west; and a little spring of fresh water, which
issued out of the side of the hill by me, ran the
other way, that is, to the east.
The country
appeared so fresh, so green, so flourishing, every
thing being in constant verdure, and in the bloom
of spring, that it seemed like a fairy garden.
I descended a little on the side of that deli-
cious valley, surveying it with a secret kind of
pleasure, to think that this was all my own-that
1 was king and lord of all this country, and
52
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
had an indisputable right to it. I saw here abun-
dance of cocoa-trees, orange, and lemon, and cit-
ron-trees, but all wild, and few bearing any fruit ;
at least, not then; however, the green limes that
I gathered were not only pleasant to eat, but
very wholesome; and I mixed their juice after-
wards with water, which made it very whole-
some, and very cool and refreshing.
I now resolved to lay up a store of grapes,
limes, and lemons, to furnish myself for the wet
season, which I knew was approaching. In
order to do this, I gathered a great heap of
grapes in one place, and a smaller heap in an-
other place, and a great parcel of limes and lem-
ons 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
journey, I came home (so I must now call my
tent and cave); but, before I got thither, the
grapes were spoiled: the richness of the fruit,
and the weight of the juice, having broken and
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
53
bruised them, they were good for little or noth-
ing. 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 abroad, trodden to pieces, and
dragged about, some here, some there, and
abundance eaten and devoured. By this, I con-
cluded that there were some wild creatures
thereabouts; 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 de-
stroyed, and the other way they would be
crushed with their own weight, I took another
course; I gathered a large quantity of the
grapes, and hung them upon the outer branches
of the trees, that they might cure and dry in
the sun; and, as for the limes and lemons, I car-
ried as many back as I could well walk under.
54
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
When I came home from this journey, I con-
sidered, with pleasure, the fruitfulness of the
valley, and the pleasantness of the situation; the
security from storms on that side of the water,
and the wood; and concluded that I had pitched
upon the very worst part of the country for my
abode. Upon the whole, I began to think of
removing my situation, and looking out for a
safe dwelling-place in that pleasant, fruitful part
of the island.
I thought on this subject for a long time,
the pleasantness of the place tempting me; but
when I came to a nearer view of it, and con-
sidered that I was now near the sea-side, where
it was, at least, possible that something might
happen to my advantage, and that the same ill
fate that brought me hither might bring some
unhappy wretches to the same place; and though
it was scarcely probable that any such thing
should ever happen, yet to enclose myself
among the hills and woods, in the centre of
the island, was to ensure my bondage, and to
render my release not only improbable, but
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
55
impossible; I thought, therefore, I ought not, by
any means, to remove.
However, I was so charmed with this place,
that I spent much of my time there for the
whole remaining part of the month of July; and
though I resolved not to remove, yet I built me
a little kind of 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; and here I lay
very secure, sometimes two or three days to-
gether, always going over the fence by a ladder,
as before; so that I now congratulated myself
on having a country house and a sea-coast house.
This work occupied the beginning of August.
As soon as my fence was finished, I thought
I should enjoy the fruit of my labor, when the
rains came on, and made me keep to my first
habitation; for, though I had made me a tent,
like the other, with a piece of a sail, and spread
it very well, yet I had not the shelter of a hill
to keep me from storms, nor a cave behind me.
to retreat into during extraordinary rains.
56
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
About the beginning of August, as I said, I had
finished my bower, and began to enjoy myself.
The third of August, I found that the grapes
I had hung up were perfectly dry, and were,
in fact, excellent raisins. So I began to take
them down from the trees; and it was very
lucky that I did so, for I had more than two
hundred large bunches of them; and no sooner
had I taken them all down, and carried most of
them to my cave, than it began to rain. From
that time (the 15th 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.
One of my cats, that had been missing for some
time, came back again with a troop of kittens
at her heels; and, as they soon grew up, I began
to be afraid that the little cats would eat me
out of house and home; so I found myself oblig-
ed to clear them out without much ceremony.
From the 14th of August to the 26th, there
was incessant rain, so that I could not stir out.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
57
In this confinement, I began to be straitened for
food; but, venturing out twice, I one day killed
a goat, and the last day, which was the 26th,
found a very large turtle, which was a treat
to me. My food was regulated thus:-1 ate
a bunch of raisins for my breakfast, a piece of
the goat's flesh, or turtle, broiled, for my din-
ner, and two or three of the turtle's eggs for
supper.
During my confinement, 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.
September 30. I had now reached the un-
happy anniversary of my landing. I added
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 for religious exercises, prostrating my-
self on the ground with the most serious humil-
iation, confessing myself to God, acknowledg-
58
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
ing the righteousness of his judgment upon
me, and praying him to have mercy upon me,
through Jesus Christ. I did not taste any food
until the going down of the sun, when I ate a
biscuit-cake and a bunch of grapes, and went
to bed, finishing the day as I had begun it.
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 there for some months, 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 off some
trees that grew thereabouts, had shot out into
long branches, like willows.
I was pleased to see the young trees grow;
and in three years they formed a delightful
grove, which afforded a charming shade and
pleasant lodging-place, during the dry season.
I found, now, that the seasons of the year
might generally be divided, not into summer
and winter, as in Europe and North America,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
59
but into the rainy seasons and the dry seasons,
as follows:-
Half February,
March,
Half April,
Half April,
May,
Rainy.
June,
Dry.
July,
Half August,
Half August,
September, Rainy.
Half October,
Half October,
November,
December,
Dry.
January,
Half February,
I spent a great deal of time in basket-mak-
ing, for I had found good materials, and soon
grew very expert at the business. I employed
myself in this wicker-work, and in planting my
second rows of stakes, all the summer, or dry
60
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
season, when another business took up more
time than it could be imagined I could spare.
CHAPTER V.
HAVING resolved to go across my island, I
set out with plenty of powder and shot, some
biscuit and raisins in my pouch, with my gun
and hatchet, and my faithful dog as a compan-
ion. I passed from my bower until I saw the
sea to the west; and, as it was a clear day, dis-
covered land, stretching from the westward to
west-south-west.
I had very little doubt that this was the con-
tinent of South America, but supposed it was
that portion inhabited by savages, who are canni-
bals, and dreaded by the Spaniards. How much
reason, then, had I to be thankful that I had not
been thrown upon their inhospitable shore!
I found this side of the island much pleas-
anter than the one on which I had settled ;
there being abundance of fruit, birds, a kind of
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
61
hare, and foxes, and plenty of turtles. I must
not forget to mention that I succeeded in knock-
ing down a young parrot with a stick, and carri-
ed him home with me; but it was some years
before I could teach him to pronounce my name.
I travelled along the shore to the east, about
twelve miles, when I set up a pole to mark the
spot, intending, at some future time, to travel
from my dwelling towards the east, till I should
reach this post. On returning, I got lost among
the woods and valleys; and when I finally
reached my habitation, I was so overjoyed, that
I resolved not to quit it, for some time, at least.
In this journey I caught a young kid, which I
succeeded in taming.
My crops of corn, from which I had hoped so
much, and which I had carefully enclosed, to
keep off beasts, were destroyed by birds, until
I shot some of the offenders, and hung them up
in my cornfield; after which I was no more
plundered.
The want of earthen-ware induced me to
try my hand at the potter's trade. Two
62
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months' labor produced me a pair of the ugliest
jars that ever I set my eyes on. I soon got to
making smaller things quite handily; but, as they
were only baked in the sun, they would not hold
water and beer. I wanted an earthen pot that
would do both.
It happened, after some time, when I went
to put out a large fire that I had made, I found
a broken piece of one of my earthen-ware vessels
in the fire, burnt as hard as a stone, and red as
a tile. I was agrecably surprised to see it, and
said to myself that, certainly, they might be
made to burn whole, if they would burn broken.
I placed three large pipkins and two or three
pots in a pile, one upon the other, and placed
my fire-wood all round it, with a great heap of
embers under them. I kept supplying 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 for about five or six hours, till
I found one of them, though it did not crack,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
63
about to melt; for the sand which was mixed
with the clay melted with 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 lose their red color. I watch-
ed them all night, that I might not let the fire
die away too fast, and in the morning found I
had three very good-I will not say very hand-
some-pipkins, and two other earthen pots, as
hard burnt as could be desired. One of them
was perfectly glazed with the running of the
sand.
The care with which I cultivated my corn
and rice, was repaid by abundant harvests, till,
at length, I raised forty bushels of barley and
rice a year, which, I calculated, was full enough
to supply my wants. My corn I beat with a
pestle of iron-wood, in a huge wooden mortar.
I succeeded so well with my pottery, that I was
at no loss for the means of baking.
When I had arranged all my things comforta-
bly, I began to think seriously about leaving the
island, and I wondered how I should be able to
64
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
accomplish it. If I had had my boy Xury and
the long boat with the shoulder-of-mutton sail,
we could have left the island in a twinkling, and
skimmed the waters like a sea-bird-but it was
vain to think of these!
I worked away a long while upon our ship's
boat, that was cast upon the shore in the storm;
but all my labor was thrown away, for I could
not refit her. At length I determined to make
a canoe in the woods.
I went to work upon this boat like a man
who had none of his senses about him. To be
sure, the difficulty of launching my boat often
came into my mind, but I put a stop to my own
inquiries with this foolish answer, "Let me
first make it-I warrant I'll find some way or
other to get it along, when it is done."
This was a most preposterous method; but
the eagerness of my fancy prevailed, and to
work I went, and felled a cedar tree: I question
much whether Solomon ever had such an one
for the building of the temple of Jerusalem. It
was five feet ten inches in diameter, at the lower
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
65
part next the stump, and four feet eleven inches
in diameter at the end of twenty-two feet,
after which it diminished for a while, and then
parted into branches.
It was not without infinite labor that I felled
this tree. I was twenty days hacking and hew-
ing at it at the bottom; I was fourteen more
getting the branches and limbs, and the vast
spreading head of it, cut off, which I hacked and
hewed through with my axe and hatchet with
inexpressible labor.
After this, it cost me a month to shape it,
and cut it to proportion, and to something like
the bottom of a boat, that it might swim up-
right, as it ought to do. It cost me nearly
three months more to clear the inside, and work
it out so as to make an exact boat of it. This
I did by mere mallet and chisel, and by dint of
hard labor, till I had brought it to be a very
handsome periagua, large enough to carry six-
and-twenty men.
When I had gone through with this work, I
was delighted with it, and, entering it, surveyed
5

ROBINSON CRUSOE.
67
it in triumph.
The boat was really much larg-
er than I ever saw a canoe or periagua that
was made out of one tree in my life. Many a
weary stroke it had cost, you may be sure; and
now there remained nothing to do but to get it
into the water. If I could have got it into the
water, I should have begun the maddest voyage
that was ever undertaken.
But all my plans for getting it into the water
failed, though they cost me infinite labor. It
lay about one hundred yards from the water,
and not more; but the first inconvenience was,
it was uphill towards the creek. With prodi-
gious pains I dug away the surface of the earth,
so as to make a descent from the canoe; but 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
water up to the canoe, seeing that I could not
bring the canoe to the water. Well, I began
this work, and when I began to enter into it,
and calculated how deep it was to be dug-
68
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
how broad-how the stuff was to be thrown
out-I found it must have been ten or twelve
years before I should have gone through with
it; for the shore lay high, so that, at the upper
end, it must have been, at least, twenty feet
deep. At length, with great reluctance, I gave
over this attempt. This grieved me sadly;
and now I saw the folly of beginning a work,
before we count the cost, or know our own
strength.
In the middle of this work, I finished my
fourth year in this place, and kept my anniver-
sary with the same devotion, and with as much
comfort, as before. I had now been here so
long, that many things which I had brought
from the wreck, were either gone or nearly
spent. My ink was almost gone:-but what
troubled me most, my clothes had decayed.
I do not know that I have mentioned, that I
had saved the skins of all the creatures I had
killed, and dried them in the sun. The first
thing I made of these was a great cap for the
head, with the hair on the outside to shed the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
69
rain. I afterwards made a whole suit of clothes
from these skins; that is to say, a waistcoat
and breeches, open at the knees, both loose,
and badly enough made, for I was a very indif-
ferent tailor.
Lastly, I made an umbrella, and covered it
with skins, so that it served to keep off both
sun and rain. When I had no use for it, I could
close it and carry it under my arm
Thus I lived comfortably, and resigned my-
self to the will of God, throwing myself wholly
upon the disposal of his providence. This
made my life better than sociable; for, when I
began to regret the want of conversation, I
would ask myself, whether thus conversing with
my own thoughts, and, as I hope I may say,
even with my Maker, in my prayers, was not
better than the utmost enjoyment of human
society in the world.
70
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
CHAPTER VI.
FOR about five years, nothing extraordinary
happened to me, but I lived along in the old
way. Besides my yearly labor of planting my
barley and rice, and curing my raisins, and my
daily sporting with my gun, I went to work to
make me a canoe. I kept hard at it till I had
finished it, when, by digging a little canal, I
fairly got it afloat.
As for the large canoe, it was of no use to
me, and so I let it stay where it was, to remind
me to avoid undertaking any thing again before
I had calculated my means for finishing it. My
little periagua, being finished in two years, was,
as I have just said, fairly afloat.
Yet the size of it would not permit me
to cross to terra firma, and so I gave up all
thoughts of doing so; but I resolved to sail
round my island. For this purpose, I fitted up
a little mast to my boat, and made a sail to it
out of some of the pieces of the ship's sails that
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
71
I had saved. Having tried the boat, and found
that she sailed very well, I made little lockers
or boxes at each end of the boat, to put provis-
ions, necessaries, ammunition, &c. into, to be
kept dry. I cut a little hollow place in the in-
side 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 I make my first little trip in comfort.
At last, being eager to sail round my little
kingdom, I resolved upon my tour, and, accord-
ingly, victualled my ship for the voyage, putting
in two dozen of my loaves of barley-bread, an
earthen pot full of parched rice, of which I was
very fond, half a goat, powder and shot for kill-
ing more, and two large watch-coats, which I
had formerly got out of the seamens' 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

ROBINSON CRUSOE.
73
year of my reign, or my captivity, whichever
you please, that I set out on this voyage, and
it was 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 reaching about two leagues into
the sea, some above water, some under it; and
beyond this, a shoal of sand, lying dry half a
league more; so that I was obliged to go a
great way out to sea to double that point.
When I first discovered these rocks, I was
going to give up my enterprise, and return, not
knowing how far I might be obliged to put to
sea, and, above all, not knowing how I could
get back again. So I came to an anchor, took
my gun, went on shore, climbed up a hill, and,
having satisfied myself about the length of the
point, resolved to keep on.
In viewing the sea from the hill where 1
stood, I perceived a furious current which ran to
the east, and came close to the point; and I took
particular notice of it, because I knew, if I got
into it, I might be carried out to sea, and not
74
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
be able to make the island again. There was
the same current on the other side of the island,
only it set off at a greater distance; and I saw
that there was a strong eddy under the shore;
so that I had nothing to do but to get out of
the first current, and I should presently be in
the eddy.
I lay here, however, two days, because the
wind blew pretty fresh, and the surf rolled upon
the shore; so that it was unsafe to keep close
to the beach, on account of the surf, and dan-
gerous to keep farther out, on account of the
stream. The third day, in the morning, the
wind having abated over night, the sea was calm,
and I ventured; but no sooner had I reach-
ed the point, and was only a boat's length
from the shore, than I found myself in deep
water, and in a current like the sluice of a mill.
It carried my boat along with such violence,
that all I 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 eddy, which
was on the left hand. There was no wind
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
75
stirring to help me, and I could do nothing with
my paddles. And now I began to give myself
up for lost, for, as the current was on both
sides of the island, I knew the currents must
soon join, and then I should be lost. I had the
dreadful prospect of perishing, not by the sea,
for that was calm, but by hunger. I had in-
deed found a turtle on the shore, and tossed it
into the boat, and I had a pot of fresh water;
but what was this to being driven into the vast
ocean, where there was no shore, no main land
or island, for a thousand leagues, at least!
And now I even desired to be placed in my
former condition, miserable as I then thought it.
I looked back on my desolate, solitary island,
as the pleasantest place in the world, and
the greatest wish of my heart was to be there
again. I stretched out my hands towards it
with eager wishes. "Oh, happy desert!" said
I, "I shall never see thee more!'
وو
Then I reproached myself with my unthank-
ful temper, because I had repined at my solita-
ry condition and now, what would I not give
76
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
to be on shore there again! I found it true,
that we do not know how to value any thing
till we lose it. It is scarcely possible to im-
agine my consternation on being driven from
my beloved island into the wide ocean, almost
two leagues. I almost despaired of ever being
able to return to it again.
However, I exerted myself to the utmost,
and until I was nearly exhausted, to keep my
boat as much to the northward as I possibly
could. About noon, as the sun passed the me-
ridian, I thought I felt a little breeze of wind
in my face, springing up from the south-south-
east. This cheered me up a little, especially
when, in about half an hour, it blew a gentle
gale.
By this time, I was a great way from the
island; and, if it had been cloudy, I should have
lost all hope of finding it again, for I had no
compass, and should not have known which
way to point the head of the boat. But, the
weather continuing fine, I put up my mast
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
77
again, sailed away to the north, and endeavored
to get clear of the current.
Just as I had set my mast and sail, and the
boat began to move forward, I saw, by the
clearness of the water, that some alteration of
the current was near; for, where the current
was very strong, the water was foul. I found
that some rocks caused the current to part: the
largest part of it ran to the south, leaving the
rocks to the north-east; and the other part, re-
turned by the repulse of the rock, made a
strong eddy, which ran back again to the north-
west, with a very sharp stream. Gladly I
spread my sail, and ran cheerfully before the
wind, with a strong tide in my favor.
This eddy carried me about a league in my
way back again directly towards the island,
but about two leagues more to the northward;
so that, when I came near the island, I found
myself on the northern shore, opposite to the
place at which I had set out.
About four o'clock in the evening, being then
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
within about a league of the island, I found that
the point of rocks, stretching out, as I have
described before, to the southward, and casting
off the current more southwardly, had of course
made another eddy to the north; and this I
found very strong. However, with a fresh gale,
I stretched across this eddy, slanting north-
west, and, in about an hour, came within a mile
of the shore; and, as it was smooth water, I
soon got to land.
When I was on shore, I fell on my knees,
and gave God thanks for my deliverance, re-
solving to lay aside all thoughts of escaping by
my boat. I refreshed myself with what things
I had with me, brought my boat into a little
cove under the trees, and lay down to sleep,
quite worn out with the labor of the voyage.
The next day, being resolved not again to
encounter the perils of the sea, I determined to
find a harbor for my boat, which I did, and
stowed it away in a safe place. I then went
on shore to see in what part of the island I
was.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
79
I soon found that I was near the place where
I had been before, during my journey on foot;
so, taking nothing out of my boat but my
gun and my umbrella,-for it was exceedingly
hot,—I began my march homeward. I reached
my old bower in the evening, where I found
every thing standing in good order, just as I
had left it.
I got over the fence, and lay down in the
shade to rest my limbs, for I was weary, and
soon fell asleep. Judge of my surprise, when I
was awakened from my sleep by a voice call-
ing me by name several times-" Robin, Robin,
Robin Crusoe! poor Robin Crusoe! Where
are you, Robin Crusoe? Where have you
been?"
I started up in the utmost terror; but no
sooner were my eyes fairly open, than I saw
my Pol, sitting on the hedge, and knew that it
was he that had been calling me, in that mel-
ancholy language I had taught him. He would
frequently sit upon my finger, and lay his bill
close to my face, and cry, "Poor Robin Crusoe,
80
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
where are you? Where have you been? How
came you here?"
I wondered how the creature came there,
and why he should keep about the place. How-
ever, as I was well satisfied it could be nobody
but honest Pol, I held out my hand, and called
him by name; and the sociable creature came
to me, and sat upon my thumb, as he used to
do, and continued saying to me, "Poor Robin
Crusoe, how did you come here? and where
have you been?" just as if he had been over-
joyed to see me again. So I carried him along
with me, and we reached our home in safety.
Being now in the eleventh year of my resi-
dence, and my ammunition growing low, I
began to devise some plan by which I might
trap and snare the goats, and keep them alive.
I accordingly made pitfalls, and succeeded both
in catching and taming them. In about a year
and a half, I had a flock of about twelve goats,
kids and all; and in two years more, I had
forty-three, besides several that I took and kill-
ed for my food. After that, I enclosed five
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
81
pieces of ground to feed them in, with little
pens to drive them into, and gates leading from
one pen to another.
But this was not all; for now I not only had
goat's flesh to feed on when I pleased, but
plenty of milk; a thing which, in the beginning,
I had not thought of. I soon learned to milk
my goats, and had sometimes a gallon or two
of milk in a day. After a great many attempts,
I made butter and cheese, which were a great
addition to my comforts.
How merciful is God! How can he sweet-
en the bitterest misfortunes, and give us cause
to praise him in dungeons and prisons! What
a table was here spread for me in the wilder-
ness, where, at first, I expected only to perish
with hunger!
It would have made the gravest of men smile,
to have seen me, and my little family, sit down
to dinner. There was myself, the prince and
lord of the whole island. I had the lives of all
my subjects at absolute command; to give life
6

ROBINSON CRUSOE.
83
and liberty, or take them away, as I pleased;
and I had no rebels among all my subjects.
Then to see how like a king I dined, too;
all alone, and attended by my servants! Pol,
as if he were my favorite, was the only person
permitted to talk to me: my dog, now grown
very old and crazy, sat at my right hand; and
two cats were placed, one on one side of the
table, and one on the other, expecting now and
then a bit from my hand, as an especial favor.
With this attendance, and in this manner, I
took my meals. When I passed my threshold,
and crossed my wall, I found new attendants
in my goats, which would often surround me
on my return from the chase, as if to welcome
me home.
CHAPTER VII.
I Now resolved to go down to the point
where my boat lay; but, surely, never before
did man travel in such a dress. My appear-
}
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
85
ance would have drawn a crowd of boys to my
heels, in any civilized country. I had a great,
high, shapeless cap, made of goat skin, with a
flap hanging down behind, to keep the sun and
rain from my neck. I had a short jacket of
goat's skin, the skirts coming down to about
the middle of my thighs; and a pair of open-
kneed breeches of the same stuff. Instead of
stockings and shoes, I had a pair of huge boots
or buskins, that flapped over my legs, and
were laced at the sides, like gaiters.
I had on a broad belt of dried goat's skin,
in which hung a sword and hatchet, one on
each side. Another belt, slung over my shoul-
der, supported two goat-skin pouches, which
contained my powder and shot. At my back
I carried my basket-on my shoulder my gun-
and over my head I held a great, clumsy, ugly
goat-skin umbrella; but which, after all, was
the most necessary thing I had about me, next
to my gun. My beard was short, with the ex-
ception of a pair of very formidable mustachios
on my upper lip.
86
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
So much for my looks-about which I was
not at all particular, as there was no soul to
see me. I first ascended a hill, so that I could
overlook the point of rocks I was to double
with my boat, and was surprised to find the
sea perfectly calm, without any more motion
or current than in other places. I was soon
convinced, from observation, that the current
was owing to the ebbing and flowing of the
tide.
One day, towards noon, as I was going to
my boat, I saw the print of a man's naked foot
upon the shore. This filled me with horror
and astonishment. I stared wildly around me,
expecting to see a furious savage, or, perhaps,
a dozen of them, every moment. Every stump
and bush took the shape of a man; and I fled
home, as if half a hundred cannibals were hard
upon my heels. For weeks and months my
fears continued.
One morning, early, as I was lying in my
bed, and filled with dread at the thought of
meeting the savages, the words of Scripture
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
87
came into my mind, "Call upon me in the day
of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou
shalt glorify me."
Upon this, rising cheerfully, I not only felt
comforted, but encouraged to pray earnestly to
my God for my deliverance. When I had done
praying, I took up my Bible, and, opening it,
saw these words: "Wait on the Lord, and be
of good cheer, and he shall strengthen thy
heart. Wait, I say, on the Lord." It is im-
possible to express the comfort this gave me.
My cheerfulness did not soon abate; for 1
began to flatter myself that the print of the
foot which I had seen was no other than my
own, and that I had absolutely been frightened
to death at nothing at all; so I took courage,
and ventured to go abroad again once more.
had not stirred out of my castle for three days
and nights; so that I began to be in want of
provisions, having little or nothing within doors,
but some barley cakes and water.
I
I knew, too, that my goats wanted to be
milked. This was, usually, my evening's
88
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
amusement; and the poor creatures now must
be sadly in want of my help. Therefore,
strengthening myself in the belief that what I
had seen was nothing but the print of my own
foot, I took courage, and went abroad again;
travelled to my country-house, and milked my
flock. But, to tell the truth, I went along with
fear and trembling, looking anxiously about me,
and starting at the rustling of every leaf.
However, as I went out two or three days
without seeing any thing, I grew bolder, and
determined to go to the place where I had seen
the print of the foot, and measure it by my
own, to discover whether or no I had cause for
alarm. I found that my foot did not half fill
the print on the sand; and I was again filled
with consternation. I thought that the island
might be inhabited, and that I was not safe a
moment.
My fears did not suffer me to sleep that
night; and I passed the hours of darkness in
thinking what I could do to avoid an attack of
the savages. I thought, at first, that I would
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
89
tear down all my fences, destroy my barley,
and drive my goats into the woods, so that the
savages should find nothing to keep them on
the island, or induce them to repeat their visit.
Then I thought I would tear down my tent and
bower, and destroy every thing which might lead
them to think that the island was inhabited.
In the morning I fell asleep, and awoke rath-
er refreshed and comforted. I now laid aside
the foolish thoughts of the night. I concluded
that this island, which was so fruitful, pleasant,
and near to the main land, was not wholly de-
serted, but that, though it was not regularly
inhabited, yet boats might often come off from
the shore, either by design, or driven by con-
trary winds.
I had lived here fifteen years now, and had
not met with a single being; so I concluded
that, if any men were driven on the island at
times, they probably went away again, with-
out remaining long. All I had to do, was to
look out for some safe retreat, in case the sav
ages should land near me.
90
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Upon consideration, 1 resolved to make a
second fortification, in a half-circle, at a dis-
tance from my wall, just where I had planted a
double row of trees, about twelve years before.
These trees had been planted so thick, that
there wanted only a few piles to be driven be-
tween them to make a thick and strong wall.
This was soon done, and I was very well satis-
fied with my work.
I now had a double wall. The outer wall
was thickened with pieces of timber, old cables,
and every thing I could think of, to make it
strong. In this I cut seven holes, large enough
for me to put my arm through. Inside, I piled
up dirt, and stamped it down; so that the foot
of the wall was about ten feet thick. Through
the seven holes I planted the seven muskets
that I got out of the ship. I fitted them into
frames, like gun-carriages, so that I could work
them handily, and fire the seven guns in two
minutes. I planted nearly twenty thousand
stakes of a tree like the willow, that grew easi-
ly in front of my wall, leaving a space between
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91
them and my wall. Thus, in two years, I had
a thick grove, and in five years, a wood before
my dwelling, so thick and strong, that it was
really impossible to pass through it. Thus I
took all the measures human prudence could
suggest, for my own preservation.
While I was thus employed, I did not forget
my goats. They were of very great use to
me: indeed, the loss of them would have been
felt severely. They supplied me with milk ;
and it is well known that goat's milk is the
nicest in the world; and I made abundance of
butter and cheese from it. When I wanted
meat, I killed a goat; and this saved my pow-
der and shot, of which I had good reason to be
very careful.
I could think of but two ways to preserve
my goats: one was, to find another convenient
place to dig a cave under ground, and 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 1
could, that I might keep about half a dozen
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young goats in each place; so that, if any acci-
dent happened to the flock in general, I might
be able to bring some up again with little
trouble.
It was now my object to find some nice, re-
tired spots, suitable for my purpose. I pitched
upon one, which was as private as my heart
could wish; for it was a little, damp piece of
ground, in the middle of the hollow and thick
woods, where I almost lost myself once before.
Here I found a clear patch of land, contain-
ing about three acres, so surrounded by woods
that it appeared enclosed by nature. At least,
it did not want nearly so much labor to make
it so, as the other pieces of ground I had work-
ed so hard at.
I immediately went to work with this piece
of ground, and, in less than a month, I had so
fenced it round, that my flock or herd, which
had lost much of their wildness, were well
enough secured in it. I then removed some
goats into it.
All this labor was in conse-
quence of seeing the print of a man's foot.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
93
CHAPTER VIII.
I
I HAD now lived two years in fear of the
cannibals. After I had secured part of my live
stock, I went about the island to try to dis-
cover another place of equal security, where I
might place the rest. One day, wandering
more to the west point of the island than I had
ever done before, and looking out to sea, I
thought I saw a boat at a great distance.
had found one or two spy-glasses in a sea-chest,
which I had saved out of the ship; but I had
neither of them with me. I gazed and gazed
upon the boat, which seemed like a speck upon
the sea, till my eyes fairly ached; but it was
too far off for me to make any thing out of it ;
so I thought I would come down the hill, re-
solving not to go out again without a spy-glass.
When I came down the hill to the shore,
being the south-west point of the island, I was
perfectly confounded and amazed; for I saw the
shore spread with skulls, hands, feet, and other
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bones of human bodies. I also observed a
place where there had been a fire made, and a
circle dug in the earth, where I supposed the
savage wretches had been feasting on the
bodies of their unhappy brethren.
I gazed and gazed at the dreadful spectacle,
without any thought of my own danger. I was
filled with horror and astonishment at the sight.
To think of men so brutal, so cruel, as to mur-
der their fellow-creatures, and then cook and
eat them! It made the blood run cold with-
in me.
Then I became very sick and faint,
and crawled away from that dreadful place as
fast as I was able.
As soon as I had recovered, I lifted up my
eyes to heaven, and gave God thanks that I
was set apart from these miserable wretches,
and that I had been comforted with the knowl-
edge of himself, and the hope of his blessing,
which was a happiness that made up for all the
misery I had suffered, or could suffer. I also
felt relieved by the thought, that I had been
here eighteen years without seeing any canni-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
95
bals; and it might be as long before they saw
me, unless I chose to show myself to them,
which I thought I might easily avoid doing.
Yet I felt such an abhorrence of the savage
beings that I have been speaking of, and of
their wicked, inhuman custom of eating one
another up, that I continued pensive and sad,
and kept close within my own circle for almost
two years after this. When I say my own
circle, I mean by it my three plantations,
namely, my castle, my country-seat, or bower,
and my enclosure in the woods.
All this time, I did not go to look after my
boat; and thought of building myself another,
for I did not wish to go round the island to get
it, for fear of meeting some of the inhuman
wretches, who, I did not doubt, would devour
me, if I fell into their hands. Time, however,
began to wear off my uneasiness about them;
and I lived much in the same manner as be-
fore, except that I was cautious, and kept con-
stantly on the lookout. I was particularly care-
ful about firing my gun, lest it should be heard
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
on the island. It was, therefore, fortunate that
I had furnished myself with a tame breed of
goats, as I was now under no necessity of
hunting.
For two years after this, I believe, I did not
once fire a gun, though I never went out with-
out one; and, if you add to my former descrip-
tion of myself, the particular of a brace of pis-
tols, and a naked broadsword, hanging in a belt,
you must allow that I was now a most formida-
ble person.
I found a place in the side of a hill, where I
was satisfied I could securely watch for the
cannibals' boats. In that case, before they
were ready to come on shore, I formed a plan
of removing to a thicket of trees, in one of
which there was a hollow large enough to con-
ceal me entirely. Here I might sit and ob-
serve all the bloody doings of these wretches,
and take my full aim at their heads, when they
were so close together, that it was next to im-
possible that I should fail of wounding three or
four of them at the first shot.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
97
In this place, 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. The fowling-piece I loaded with nearly
a handful of swan-shot, of the largest size. I
also loaded my pistols with about four bullets
each; and thus, well provided with ammunition
for a second and third charge, I set out on my
expedition.
After I had thus laid my plans, I continually
made my tour, every morning, up to the top of
the hill, which was about three miles from my
house, to see if I could observe any boats upon
the sea, coming towards the island; but I al-
ways came back without making any discovery,
though I kept strict watch for three months.
But my feelings gradually changed with re-
gard to the savages, by a train of serious reflec-
tion. I considered that, although the actions
of the cannibals were doubtless very wicked,
yet I had no right to punish them myself; and
to fire upon them would be an act little short
7
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
of murder, and guilty in the sight of Almighty
God. Besides, by interfering with them, I
might bring destruction on myself; and thus
no one good purpose would be gained.
In this disposition I continued nearly a year;
and so far was I from desiring an opportunity
of falling upon these wretches, that, during all
this time, I never went up the hill to ascertain
whether any of them had been on shore or not.
I removed my boat, which was on the other
side of the island, and carried it down to the
eastern shore, where I put it into a little cove,
which I found under some high rocks, where I
knew the savages would not venture with their
boats.
My fears, as to my safety, now almost put a
stop to my contrivance and inventions. I could
not drive a nail or chop a stick of wood, but with
fear that the noise should be heard; and I was
very unwilling to make any fire, lest the smoke,
which is seen from a great distance in the day,
should betray me. For this reason, I removed
that part of my business which required fire,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
99
such as burning of pots and pipes, &c., into my
new apartment in the wood, where, after I had
been some time, I found, to my unspeakable
consolation, a natural cave, which was very
deep, and extended some distance into the
earth.
I
The mouth of this hollow was at the bottom of
a great rock, where I had cut some thick branches
of trees, to make charcoal. Before I proceed,
I must tell you why I made this charcoal.
was afraid of making a smoke about my habi-
tation, as I said before; and yet I could not live
without baking my bread, cooking my meat,
&c. So I contrived to burn some wood here
under the turf, till it became chark, or dry coal;
and then, putting the fire out, I preserved the
coal to carry home with me.
While I was cutting some wood here, I es-
pied a hollow place behind some low brush-
wood. I was curious to look into it; and,
crawling with difficulty into the mouth of
it, I found it large enough for me to stand up-
right in. But I must confess that I made more
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
haste to get out than I did to get in; for, on
looking farther into the place, which was per-
fectly dark, I saw what I thought shining
eyes, which twinkled like two stars.
After some time, I recovered myself, and,
laughing at my fears, seized a flaming brand,
and dashed into the cave again. But I sud-
denly stopped, on hearing a deep sigh, which
made my blood run cold. However, there was
no backing out; and, screwing up my courage
to the sticking point, I went forward, and saw,
lying on the ground, a frightful old he-goat, just
dying of old age.
I now looked around me, and found that the
cave was quite small, but so dark, that I put off
my examination till the next day. The next
day, I went, provided with several large candles,
and, passing through the outer chamber of the
cave, crawled through a narrow passage on my
hands and knees. When I got through this, I
found that the roof rose higher than twenty
feet; and a more glorious sight than the sides
and ceiling of the vault presented I have never
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
101
seen.
A hundred thousand brilliant spars re-
flected the light of my candles; and it seemed
as if I had suddenly stepped into an east-
ern palace, which had been decked out for a
banquet.
It was, indeed, a most delightful grotto,
though quite dark. The floor was dry and
level, and covered with loose gravel. I re-
joiced at this discovery, and resolved, without
delay, to take some of those things which I
was most anxious about to this place; par-
ticularly my magazine of powder, and all my
spare arms.
At my castle I kept five muskets,
which stood ready mounted, like cannon, and
were ready, also, for me to take out on any
expedition.
When I removed my ammunition, I was
obliged to open the barrel of powder, which I
took up out of the sea, and which had been
wet. I found that the water had penetrated
three or four inches into the powder on every
side; which, caking and growing hard, had
preserved the inside, like a kernel in a shell;
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
so that I had nearly sixty pounds of very good
This was a
So I carried
powder in the centre of the cask.
pleasant discovery, at that time.
all away to my grotto. I also carried thither
all the lead I had left, for bullets.
I fancied that I was now like one of the an-
cient giants, who were said to live in caves and
holes of the rocks, where no one could get at
them; for I persuaded myself, that, if five hun-
dred savages were to hunt for me, they could
never find me; or, if they did, would not ven-
ture to attack me. The old goat, that I found
expiring, died in the mouth of the cave the
next day after I made this discovery; and, dig-
ging him a grave, I interred him with great
solemnity.
CHAPTER IX.
It was now the twenty-third year of my
residence in the island; and I was so natural-
ized to the place, and the manner of living,
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103
that, could I have enjoyed the certainty that no
savages could come to the place to disturb me,
I could have been content to have remained,
until, like the old goat in the grotto, I lay down
and died of old age.
On
It was now the month of December.
going out, early one morning, I was surprised
at seeing a fire-light upon the sea-shore, about
two miles off.
I went back to my castle, pulled my ladder
after me, and made all things look as wild and
natural as I could. Then I prepared myself
within, loading my cannon, or muskets and pis-
tols; all the time praying that I might be deliv-
ered from the hands of the barbarians. I staid
there about two hours, when, getting impatient,
I planted my ladder on the side of the hill,
where there was a flat place, and then, pulling
the ladder up after me, I set it up again, and
mounted to the top of the hill. Pulling out
iny spy-glass, I lay down flat on my face, and
began to look out for the savages.
I soon found that there were no less than
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nine naked men sitting round a small fire.
They had two canoes with them, which they
had hauled upon the shore; and, as it was then
ebb tide, they seemed to await the return of the
flood, to go away again. As soon as the tide
made to the westward, I saw them all take to
their canoes and paddle away.
On going down to the shore, I could see the
marks of the dismal work they had been about—
the blood, the bones, and part of the flesh of
human bodies, which had been devoured by
those wretches with merriment and sport. I
was so filled with anger at the sight, that I be-
gan to meditate the destruction of the next I
saw there, no matter who, or how many they
were. It was a year and three months before
I saw any more of the savages.
On the 16th of May, there was a terrible
storm, and, through the noise of the midnight
thunder, I heard the report of the guns of a ves-
sel in distress. So I brought together all the
dry wood I could get, and made a great fire on
the hill, which I supplied with fuel, and kept
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105
alive till morning, when I saw something, but
what, I could not tell, stationary, at a great
distance from the shore.
I went towards the south-east side of the
island, and, the weather being perfectly clear,
I could plainly see, to my great grief, the wreck
of a ship, cast away in the night upon those
concealed rocks, which I had found out in my
boat.
Some days after, the corpse of a boy washed
on shore at the end of the island which was next
the ship. He had on no clothes but a seaman's
jacket, a pair of open-kneed linen drawers, and
a blue linen shirt; but nothing which could give
me an idea of his name or nation.
It was now calm, and I had a great mind to
venture out in my boat to this wreck, thinking
that I should find something useful on board.
So I hastened back to my castle, prepared every
thing for my voyage, took a quantity of bread,
a great pot for fresh water, a compass to steer
by, and a basket of raisins; and, thus loading
myself with every thing necessary, I went down

ROBINSON CRUSOE.
107
to my boat, got her afloat, and put my cargo
into her.
Then I went home for more. My second
cargo was a great bag full of rice, an umbrella,
to set up over my head for a shade, another
large pot full of fresh water, and about two
dozen of my small loaves or barley-cakes, with
a bottle of goat's milk, and a cheese. I prayed
God to direct my voyage, and set out, paddling
the canoe along the shore, until I came to the
north-east point of the island.
And now I prepared to launch out into the
ocean. I looked on the rapid currents which
ran constantly on both sides of the island, and
which were very terrible to me, from the recol-
lection of my former danger. My heart began
to fail me; for I foresaw that if I was driven into
either of these currents, I should be carried a
great way out to sea, and, perhaps, out of the
reach or sight of the island; where, as my boat
was small, if the wind should rise, I should in-
evitably be lost.
These thoughts so oppressed my mind, that I
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
was beginning to relinquish my voyage, when,
as I was musing, I perceived that the tide had
turned; so I resolved to set out the next morn-
ing with the ebb tide. I slept, that night, in
the canoe, and the next morning set out, and in
less than two hours reached the wreck.
The ship,
It was a dismal sight to look at.
which, by its build, was Spanish, stuck fast,
Jammed in between two rocks. All her stern
and quarter were beaten to pieces with the sea ;
and, as her forecastle had run upon the rocks
with great violence, her mainmast and foremast
were broken short off, but her bowsprit was
sound, and the head and bow appeared firm.
When I approached, a dog came running
along the wreck, yelping, and sprang into the
sea. I took the poor creature into the boat, and
fed him, for he was almost dead with hunger.
I then gave him some fresh water; and he would
have drank enough to have killed him, if I had
not prevented him.
After this, I went on board. The first sight
I met with, was two men drowned in the cook-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
109
room, or forecastle of the ship, with their arms
clasped about one another. I concluded that,
when the ship struck, the sea broke so contin-
ually over her, that the men were suffocated by
the constant rushing of the water. Besides
the dog, there was nothing left in the ship, nor
any goods, that I could see, but what were
spoiled by the water. I found, however, sev-
eral chests, which I got into the boat.
I took a powder-horn, a fire-shovel and tongs,
two little brass kettles, a copper pot, and a
gridiron; and, with this cargo, and the dog, 1
came away, the tide beginning to make home
again. The same evening, I reached the island
again; but I was so tired and sleepy, that I
passed the night in the boat.
The next morning, I began to examine my
cargo. I found some sweetmeats, some shirts
and pocket-handkerchiefs. Besides these, I
found bags which held about eleven hundred
pieces of money; and, in one of them, wrapped
up in paper, there were six doubloons of gold,
and some small bars or wedges of gold. I
suppose they all weighed nearly a pound.
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
In the other chest, I found some clothes, and
a few pounds of glazed powder. On the whole,
I got but little by this voyage. As for the
money, it was of no use; I would have given
it all for three or four pairs of English shoes
and stockings.
Having brought all my things on shore, and
secured them, I went back to my boat, and
paddled her along shore to her old harbor,
where I laid her up, and made the best of my
way to my old habitation, where I found every
thing safe and quiet. So I began to repose
myself, live in my old way, and take care of
my family affairs. For a time, I lived easily
enough, only I was more watchful than I used
to be, and did not go abroad so often. The
only place to which I ever went freely, was the
eastern part of the island, where, I was satis-
fied, the savages never came, and where I could
go without loading myself with arms and ammu-
nition, which I was obliged to carry, if I went
the other way.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
111
CHAPTER X.
I LIVED in this condition nearly two years
more, occupying myself, during the whole time,
in forming plans to escape from my island.
One morning, early, I was surprised to see five
canoes on shore together; but the people who
belonged to them were out of my sight. I
climbed to the top of my hill, and observed, by
the help of my spy-glass, thirty savages. They
had kindled a fire to cook meat, and were
dancing round it with many barbarous gestures.
While I was looking on, two miserable
wretches were dragged from the boats, in the
bottom of which they had been lying, and were
now brought out for slaughter. One of them
was knocked down, instantly, with a club, and
two or three others seized on him at once,
cutting him up, to prepare him for the cook-
cry. The other victim was left standing by
himself. Seizing the opportunity, he started,
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
and ran, for his life, directly towards my part
of the coast.
I was terrified, when I saw the poor wretch
run this way, but I soon found that only three
followed him; and he ran with such surprising
swiftness, that I was almost sure that he would
give his enemies the slip. The party now ar-
rived at the creek, which was between them
and my castle. The flying savage dashed in,
and crossed it with a few brave strokes. Two
of his pursuers took the water, and followed
close behind; but the third, after pausing a
moment on the brink, turned, and went slowly
back.
I now resolved to save the life of a fellow-
creature, if possible. So I came speedily down
the hill, and placed myself between the pursu-
ers and the pursued, hallooing to him who fled,
and beckoning him to come back. In the mean
time, I slowly advanced towards the two that
followed; then, rushing at once upon the fore-
most, I knocked him down with the stock of
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
113
my piece. Seeing what had befallen this fellow,
the other pursuer stopped, as if he had been
frightened; but, as I came nearer, I saw he
was taking aim at me with an arrow; so I lev-
elled my gun at him, and shot him dead.
The poor savage who had fled, now stopped,
when he saw both his enemies vanquished; but
he was so frightened with the fire and noise of
my piece, that he stood quite still. I made signs
to him to come forward, which he readily under-
stood, and came a little way, then stopped again,
then came a little farther, and stopped. I then
saw that he was trembling violently.
I beckoned him again to come to me, and
gave him all the encouraging signs that I could
think of. He came nearer and nearer, kneeling
down, every ten or twelve steps, in token of
acknowledgment for my having saved his life.
I smiled at him, and beckoned him to come still
nearer. At length, he came close to me, and
then he kneeled down again, and, taking hold of
my foot, placed it upon his head. By this, he
8

ROBINSON CRUSOE.
115
*
meant that he would serve me and be my slave
forever.
I took him up, and encouraged him all I could.
But there was more work to do yet; for the sav-
age whom I had knocked down was only stun-
ned, and was now coming to himself. I pointed
to him, and showed him the savage. Upon this,
he spoke some words to me, and though I could
not understand their meaning, yet they were
very pleasant to hear, for they were the first
sounds of a man's voice that I had heard, my
own excepted, for more than twenty 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 he motioned me to lend him the sword that
hung by my side; and, when I gave it to him,
he ran and cut off his enemy's head, and
brought it, with many signs of triumph, and laid
it at my feet.
He was astonished at the manner in which
I had killed the other savage. He turned the
116
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
body over and over, until he had found the
bullet-hole, at which he gazed with great at-
tention. He then made signs that he would
bury the bodies, that none of the other savages
might find them. His hands supplied the place
of spades, and, in about a quarter of an hour,
they were both buried. I then took my new
companion to my cave.
Here I gave him water and a bunch of raisins,
and, having made sigus for him to lie down
upon a bunch of rice-straw and a blanket, he
soon fell fast asleep. He was a good-looking
fellow, about twenty-six years of age, of a
tawny color, with a pleasant countenance, good
features, and bright, sparkling eyes.
After he had slept about half an hour, he
waked again, and came out to me as I was
milking the goats. Ile came running to me,
and lay down on the ground, making every sign
of a thankful disposition, and giving me to un-
derstand that he would serve me as long as he
lived. I understood him in many things, and
let him know that I was very well pleased with
him.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
117
In a little while, I began to speak to him,
and teach him to speak to me; and, first, I
taught him that his name was Friday, which
was the day on which I saved his life. I like-
wise taught him to say Master, and let him
know that was to be my name. I taught him
to say Yes, and No, and told him what they
meant. I gave him some milk in an earthen
pot, and showed him how to sop his bread in
it, which he did, making signs that he liked it.
The next day, I went with Friday to the
place where he had buried the two savages.
He signified that he would dig them up, and
eat them; but I showed my disgust at it, and
made him come away. We then ascended the
hill, and, looking all round, we found that the
savages had gone.
I then went to the place where the cannibals
had held their feast, and found it covered with
human bones and bits of human flesh, and dyed
with blood. I saw three skulls, five hands, the
bones of three or four legs, with other parts of
bodies. Friday, by his signs, made me under-
stand that they had brought over four prison-
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
ers to feast upon, and that he and the rest had
been lately taken in a great battle. The sad
remains of the feast I made Friday burn.
When he had done this, we came back to
our castle; and there I fell to work on Friday,
dressing him in a pair of linen drawers, a coat
of goat's skin, and a fashionable cap of hare's
skin. At first, these things made him look
awkwardly, and he complained of their hurting
him; but he soon got used to them, and liked
them.
The next day, I began to consider where I
should lodge him. That I might be perfectly
secure, I made a little tent for him, in a vacant
place, between my two fortifications, in the
inside of the last and the outside of the first.
As there was a door, or entrance, there, into my
cave, I made a framed door-case, and door of
boards, and set it up in the passage, a little
within the entrance.
I caused the door to open on the inside, and
barred it up at night, taking in my ladders too;
so that Friday could not get at me without
making noise enough, in climbing the wall, to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
119
awaken me; and as for weapons, I took them
all into my side of the house every night.
But I needed none of these precautions, for
never had man a more faithful, loving, sincere
servant than Friday was to me:-without pas-
sion, ill-temper, or art, perfectly obliging and
engaging, his affections were tied to me, like
those of a child to a father; and I dare say he
would have sacrificed his life to save mine upon
any occasion.
I was greatly delighted with him, and made
it my business to teach him every thing that
was proper to make him useful and handy; but
especially to make him speak, and understand
me when I spoke to him. He was so merry, so
constantly diligent, and so pleased, when he
could understand me, or make me understand
him, that it was very pleasant to me to talk to
him. And now my life began to be so easy,
that I said to myself, "If I were only free
from the fear of the savages, I care not if I
were never to go away from this island, which
now appears so pleasant."
120
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
CHAPTER XI.
I NOW thought it my duty to cure Friday of
his love for human flesh. So I one day point-
ed out a kid to him, and shot it dead. I brought
home the kid, and, the same evening, took off
the skin, and boiled a piece of the meat, which
I made him eat; and he appeared to relish it
very well. The next day, I fed him with roast
kid; and hoped by these means to show him
that animal flesh alone was proper for food.
He soon learned to work very readily for me,
assisting me in beating and sifting my corn, and
in enclosing a larger space for raising it in larger
quantities; because, as I had now two mouths,
instead of one, to feed, I thought it necessary
to increase my harvests. The company of
Friday, who was both intelligent and honest,
made this year the pleasantest one that I had
passed in the island.
One day, I wanted to try whether Friday
wished to see his own country again; and, as
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121
he now spoke English quite well, I asked him
if the nation he belonged to always conquered
in battle. At this, he smiled, and said, "Yes,
yes-we always fight the better;" that is, "we
always get the better in the fight." “ You al-
ways get the better!" said I; "how came you
to be taken prisoner, then, Friday?"
Friday. My nation beat much, for all that.
Master. How beat?
How beat? If your nation beat
them, how came you to be taken prisoner?
Friday. They more than my nation in the
place where me was: they take one, two,
three, and me. My nation over-beat them in
the yonder place, where me no was there my
nation take one, two great thousand.
Master. But why did'nt 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
earry them away, and eat them, as these did?
122
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 else place.
Master. Have you been here with them?
Friday. Yes, I been here. [Points to the
north-west side of the island, which, it seems,
was their side.]
I thought that our island lay in the mouth of
the great river Orinoco, and that the land I saw
to the west and north-west, was the great island
of Trinidad, on the north point of the mouth
of the river. I asked Friday a thousand ques-
tions about the country, the inhabitants, the sea,
the coast, and what nations were near.
told me all he knew, without any hesitation.
He
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 understood
that these were the Caribbees, which our maps
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
123
place on that part of America which reaches
from the mouth of the river Orinoco to Guiana,
and onwards to St. Martha.
Friday told me that, up a great way beyond
the moon, he meant beyond the setting of the
moon,-which must be west from their coun-
try, there dwelt white, bearded men, like me,
and pointed to my whiskers-that they had
killed much mans (many men); by which I un-
derstood him to mean the Spaniards, whose
cruelties in America had been spread over all
its parts, and were remembered by all nations.
I inquired if he could tell me how I could
leave my island, and come among these white
men; and he answered, very eagerly, "Oh!
yes! you might go in two canoe." I did not
know what he meant by two canoes; but, at
last, I found that he meant a boat as large as
two canoes.
I instructed Friday in his religious duties,
and had soon reason to be pleased with the in-
telligence and piety he showed. The conver-
sation between Friday and me was so pleasant,
124
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
that, for three years, we lived together as hap-
pily as men can in this earthly state.
After Friday and I became more intimately
acquainted, and he could understand almost all I
said to him, and speak to me readily, though in
broken English, I showed him how to use pow-
der and ball, and gave him a knife and a hatchet
to put in his belt.
I then told him my story, and described to
him the countries of Europe, and particularly
England, from which I came-how we lived,
how we worshipped God, and how we traded,
in ships, to all parts of the world. I showed
him the boat in which I escaped from the wreck,
which was decayed and useless. Upon seeing
this boat, Friday stood a good while without
saying any thing. I asked him what he was
thinking of.
At last, he said, "Me see such
boat come to place at my nation."
Friday described the boat very well, and
added, "We saved the white mans from
drown."
I asked him if there were many white mans,

126
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
as he called them, in the boat. "Yes," he
said, "the boat full of white mans." I asked
him how many, and he counted, on his fingers,
seventeen. I asked him what became of them,
and he said, "They live, they dwell at my
nation." This story made me think that they
were the crew of the vessel that had been cast
away on my shore.
I again asked what had become of them; and
Friday assured me that they still lived among
his nation, and had been supplied with victuals
for four years. I asked him how it happened
that his nation had not killed and eaten them.
"Oh!" said he, "they make brother" (make
peace with them); and then he added, " they
eat no mans, but when they make the war
fight;" that is to say, they never eat any men
but such as come to fight with them, and are
taken in battle.
66
Some time after this, as we were on the top of
a hill on the eastern side of the island, on a fair
day, Friday looked earnestly towards the main
land, and then began to jump and dance about,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
127
shouting to me, who was at some distance from
him. "What is the matter, Friday?" said I;
"what has got into you?" "O, joy!" said
he, "O, glad! there see my country! there my
nation!" "How strong," thought I, "is this
poor savage's love of country! and yet he would
not desert me for the world."
One day, walking up the same hill, when
the weather was so hazy that we could not see
the continent, I said to Friday,
"Don't you
wish yourself in your own country, among your
own nation ?”
"Yes," answered Friday, "I be much glad
to be at my own nation.”
"What would you do there?" asked I;
"would you turn wild again, eat men's flesh
again, and be a savage, as you were before?"
Friday looked very serious, 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
eat man
again."
(6
Why, then," said I to him, "they will kill
you."
128
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Friday looked very serious, and then said,
"No, they no kill me; they willing, love to
learn." He added, that they learned much of
the bearded mans that came in the boat. Then
I asked him if he would go back to them. He
smiled, and said he could not swim so far.
I told him I would make a canoe for him.
He told me he would go, if I would go with
him. “I go!” said I, "why, they will eat me
if I come there." "No, no," said he; "me
make them no eat you--me make them much
love you." He meant he would tell them how
I had killed his enemies, and saved his life, and
so make them love me.
After some days, I took Friday to the other
side of the island, and showed him my boat,
which I kept sunk under water. He was very
dexterous at managing it, being able to make it
go almost as fast again as I could. When we
were in it, I said, "Now, Friday, we will go to
your country." Upon this, he looked very dull,
and I found it was because he thought it was not
large enough. I then took him to see the first
boat which I had made; but as I had taken no
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
129
care of it, and allowed it to lie in the sun for
twenty-two years, it was quite decayed. Fri-
day told me such a boat would do very well,
and would carry "much enough vittle, drink,
bread: "that was his way of expressing himself.
Upon the whole, I was now bent on going
over with him to the continent; and I told him
we would go and make a boat twice as big as
that, and that he should go home in it.
made no answer, but looked very sad.
him what was the matter with him.
He
I asked
"Why," said he, "why you angry, mad with
Friday? what me done?”
"I don't know what you mean," said I; "I
an not angry with you.
""
"No angry! no angry!" said he, repeating
my words several times; "then why send
Friday home away to my nation?"
(6
Why,” said I, “Friday, you said you wish-
ed we were both there.'
و,
Yes, yes," said he, "wish we both there:
no wish Friday there, no Master there. Mas-
ter go too."
9
130
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
"I go there, Friday!" said I; "what should
I do there?"
66
"You do great deal much good," said he:
you teach wild mans be good, sober, tame
mans; you tell them know God-pray God-
lead new life."
66
Ah, Friday!" said 1, "you don't know
what you're saying. I'm only a poor, ignorant
man myself."
"Yes, yes," said Friday, "you teach me
good—you teach me good."
"No, no, Friday," said I, "you shall go
without me leave me here to live by myself,
as I did before.”
He looked dreadfully distressed at this, and,
snatching up a hatchet, gave it to me. "What
must I do with this?" asked I.
"You take and kill Friday," answered. he.
"What must I kill you for?" said I.
"
"What you send Friday away for? Take
kill Friday, kill Friday,―no send Friday away."
The tears stood in his eyes, and he brought out
the words with pain. To reward his affections,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
131
I told him that he should never leave me, unless
he wished it; and then he was as much pleas-
ed as he was grieved before, and capered and
danced round me, with a thousand comical signs
of joy.
CHAPTER XII.
As Friday assured me that the bearded men
who came to his country were treated very
well by his people, I felt a strong desire to
go over to the continent and see them; justly
considering, if I could make some friends
there, that there would be a better chance of
my escaping to some civilized country than if I
remained, unaided, on my island. I therefore
went to work with Friday, to find out a tree fit
to cut down and make a periagua, or canoe, of.
At last, Friday pitched upon a tree, which was
the tree that we call fustic, having much the
same color and smell as nicaragua-wood. Fri-
day wanted to burn out the middle of this with
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
fire; but I showed him how to work with my
tools; and, after laboring hard for a month, we
cut it out handsomely, and shaped it like a boat.
It was a tedious piece of business to get it
to the water; but we put great rollers under it,
and shoved it along, inch by inch, little by lit-
tle, till we got it afloat. To my great joy, it
swam like a duck; and Friday darted into it,
and paddled about with the greatest dexterity.
But of sails he had no idea. These I resolved
to rig out.
I was nearly two months in rigging and fitting
my mast and sails; for I made them very com-
plete. I fixed a rudder to the stern, which
worked very well; and then, having all things
in order, I taught my man Friday how to navi-
gate my sail-boat. He learned in a short time,
and became a very expert sailor.
I had now entered on the twenty-seventh
year of my residence in this place, and kept
the anniversary of my arrival with my usual
attention. I blessed God for his various mer-
cies to me, and rejoiced in the prospect of a
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
133
speedy deliverance. However, I went on with
my farming-digging, planting, and enclosing,
as usual. I gathered and cured my grapes, and
did every thing necessary, as before. And now,
to prepare for the rainy season, I dug a dock
for my boat, and Friday and I built a cover
for it.
With the return of fair weather, I daily pre-
pared for my voyage. The first thing I did
was to lay up a certain quantity of provision,
intending, in a week or fortnight, to open the
dock and launch our boat. One morning, I
sent Friday to the sea-shore, to see if he could
find a turtle. Friday, however, soon came back,
flying over the wall, and cried out to me, "O
Master! O Master! O sorrow! O bad!"
"What's the matter, Friday?" said I.
"O! yonder, there!" said he; "one, two,
three canoe! one, two, three!"
Can you
"Well, Friday," said I, "don't be frighten-
ed; you must fight them, like me.
fight, Friday?"
134
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
"Me shoot," said he; "but there be grea
many much wild mans.”
"No matter," I rejoined; "our guns will
kill half, and frighten the rest. Now, my man,
will you stand by me, fight like a lion, and do
as I bid you?"
"Me die when you bid die," said the faith-
ful Friday. My preparations were soon made.
We took the two fowling-pieces, and four mus-
kets, loaded with slugs and bullets. I also
charged my pistols, and belted on my sword. I
gave Friday his hatchet.
Having made these preparations, I took my
spy-glass, and went up the hill, to look out for
the enemy. I found there were twenty-three
savages, three prisoners, and three canoes; and
their whole business seemed to be a triumphant
banquet upon these three human bodies-a
most barbarous feast!
I observed that they had landed near my
creek, and were in a place near some brush-
wood, which would afford good concealment.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
135
I came down to Friday, and gave him a pistol
and three guns, with a bag of powder and ball.
I took another pistol and the remaining three
guns myself. I charged Friday not to speak a
word, and to do just as I bid him.
While I was marching to the shelter of the
wood, I considered whether it was proper for
me to constitute myself the executioner of these
savages, and dip my hands in their blood. As
for Friday, he was their declared enemy; but I
had no such excuse. On the whole, I resolved
to post myself in a convenient place, and act as
circumstances should warrant.
Having entered the wood, I sent Friday to a
tree, at the corner of it, and told him to look
out, and bring me word what the savages were
doing. He came back, and told me that he
could see them very plainly-that they were
about the fire, eating the flesh of one of the
prisoners, and that another was lying bound on
the sand, ready to be devoured. The last, he
said, was one of the white, bearded men that
came to his country in the boat.
136
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
This filled me with rage. I went to the tree,
and saw plainly, by the glass, a white man,
who lay upon the sea-beach, dressed in Euro-
pean clothes, and bound hand and foot with
flags. There was another tree, and a little
thicket beyond it, about fifty yards nearer to
the savages than the spot where I stood; and
Friday and I, by going round a little, came to
this shelter.
There was not a moment to lose; for nine-
teen of the savages were huddled together on
the ground, and had just sent the other two
to murder the poor Christian, and bring him,
perhaps, limb by limb, to their fire. They had
stooped down to unbind his feet. "Now, Fri-
day," said I, "do exactly as you see me." So
I laid one of the muskets and the fowling-piece
on the ground, and Friday did the same. Both
of us then took aim. "Fire!" cried I; and
both pieces exploded at the same instant.
Friday killed two and wounded three, while
The savages
I killed one and wounded one.
were thrown into a dreadful fright, and sprang
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
137
up in consternation. Friday and I now caught
up our fowling-pieces, and fired with a steady
aim. So many were wounded, that they ran
about like mad creatures, yelling and screaming,
and the blood dripping from their wounds.
" and
"Now, Friday," said I, "follow me ;
we rushed together from the wood, shouting
with all our might. I ran directly towards the
poor victim; the other savages having fled, and
sprang into the canoe, where Friday fired upon
them. They dropped down; for he had killed
one and wounded the other. I now cut the
bonds of the poor prisoner, and gave him drink
and food. He said he was Espagnole (a Span-
iard). As soon as he had recovered, I put a
sword into his hand, and assisted him to rise.
"Senor," said I, with as much Spanish as I
could muster, “this is no time to talk: if you
have any strength left, take this pistol and
sword, and lay about you.
" As soon as he
received the arms, he flew upon his murderers.
like a fury, and cut two of them to pieces in
an instant. I kept my piece in my hand, and

ROBINSON CRUSOE.
139
told Friday to run up to the tree from which
we first fired, and bring the arms which he had
left there. Giving him my musket, I sat down
to reload all the rest.
Meanwhile, there was a fearful battle be-
tween the brave Spaniard and a stout Indian.
The Spaniard struck a blow at his enemy,
but the Indian threw him down, and was
wrenching the sword out of his hand, when the
Spaniard pulled out his pistol and shot him
through the head. The huge savage rolled
over in the sand, struggled for an instant, and
then grew suddenly stiff and cold as marble.
Friday and the Spaniard continued to fight
as long as a single savage remained. The ac-
count of the loss of the savages is as follows:
Three were killed at one shot from the wood:
two were killed at the next shot: one was
killed by Friday in the boat : two more of those
first wounded were killed by Friday; and one
he killed in the wood: three were killed by the
Spaniard: four dropped of their wounds and
died, and four escaped in the boat.
140
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
As one of the canoes was deserted, Friday
and I sprang in, to pursue the savages by sea,
when we were surprised to find a poor savage,
bound, in the bottom of the boat. As soon as
Friday saw him, he embraced him, hugged him,
cried, laughed, hallooed, jumped about, danced,
sung, and acted as if he was crazy. The mo-
ment he found breath, he informed me that the
poor prisoner was his father.
After feeding the Spaniard, and Friday's fa-
ther, Friday and I carried them, on a litter, to
my castle, where, as we could not take them
over the wall, we raised a tent formed of old
sails, and made two good beds of blankets and
bundles of rice-straw. After supper, I sent
Friday to bring back the arms from the field of
battle, and to bury the dead bodies and the re-
mains of the savage feast.
I understood, from the Spaniard, that there
were sixteen more Spaniards and Portuguese,
who had escaped from a wreck, and lived
among the savages, but found it difficult to
get the necessaries of life. I asked him if he
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
141
thought his countrymen would treat me well, it
I brought them over to my island, and procured
the means of our escaping to New Spain. He
told me that he thought their present situation
was so miserable, that they would not treat any
one unkindly who should rescue them. He of-
fered to go to them, and make them sign an
agreement to be true to me, and to acknowl-
edge me as their commander.
Upon these assurances, I resolved to venture
to relieve them, if possible, and to send the old
savage and this Spaniard over to them, to talk
the affair over with them. But, when all things
were in readiness for starting, the Spaniard
raised an objection, which had so much pru-
dence and sincerity in it, that, by his advice, I
put off the deliverance of his comrades for, at
least, six months. The case, as stated by the
Spaniard, was this:-
He had been with us now about a month; du-
ring which time, I had let him see in what man-
ner, with the assistance of Providence, I provi-
ded for my support; and he saw, plainly, what
142
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
stock of barley and rice I had laid up. This
was more than enough for myself, but it was
not sufficient for my family, now that it was
increased to four.
If it was not enough for four, how could we
get along if fourteen Spaniards were added to
my family? We should not have enough to
victual a vessel, if we built one, for a voyage to
one of the Christian colonies of America. So
he told me, he thought it would be more ad-
visable to let him, and the other two, dig and
cultivate some more land, as much as I could
spare seed to sow, and then wait till another
harvest should supply us with corn for his coun-
trymen when they should come; as want might
tempt them to quarrel, and they might see
themselves delivered from one difficulty only to
fall into another. "You know," said he, "that
the children of Israel, though they rejoiced, at
first, at their being delivered out of Egypt, re-
belled even against God himself, when they
came to want bread in the wilderness."
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
143
CHAPTER XIII.
I WAS very well pleased with the prudent
proposal of the Spaniard; so we all four began
to dig as well as the tools we had would allow.
In a month, we had so much land prepared,
that we sowed twenty-two bushels of barley,
and sixteen jars of rice, which was all the seed
I had.
We felled trees, and made, with infinite labor,
about a dozen good oak planks, nearly two feet
broad, thirty-five feet long, and from two to
four inches thick. At the same time, I contriv-
ed to increase my flock of tame goats as much
as I could; and, whenever we shot she-goats,
we kept their kids, and added them to the tame
flock.
But, above all, the season for grapes coming
on, I caused a prodigious quantity to be hung
up in the sun. It was now harvest-time, and
our crop was in good order. We had two hun-
dred and twenty bushels of barley, and enough
144
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
food to have victualled a ship to go to any part
of America. Thus, having a full supply of food
for all the guests expected, I gave the Spaniard
leave to go over to the main land, to see what
he could do for those he had left behind him
there.
I gave him a strict charge, in writing, not to
bring any man with him who would not first
swear, in the presence of himself and of the old
savage, that he would no way injure, fight with,
or attack, the person he should find on the
island, who was so kind as to send for them, in
order to deliver them; but that they would
stand by and defend him against all such at-
tempts, and, wherever they went, be entirely
under, and subjected to, his command; and that
this should be put in writing, and signed by
their hands. How we were to have this done,
when I knew they had neither pen nor ink, was
a question that we never asked.
Under these instructions, the Spaniard and
Friday's father went away in one of the canoes.
gave them each a musket, with about eight
I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
145
charges of powder and ball, charging them to
be sparing of them. I had now hopes of my
deliverance, which I had never before felt
during the twenty-seven years of my captiv-
ity. I gave them provisions sufficient to last
them and the Spaniards eight days, and wished
them a prosperous voyage, having agreed that
they should hang out a signal, by which I might
know them on their return.
When I had waited for them eight days, a
strange and unforeseen accident occurred. I
was fast asleep, one morning, when my man
Friday came running in to me, and called out-
"Master! Master! they are come, they are
come!"
sprang up, and dressed myself, and ran
through my little grove unarmed.
I was
surprised, when I turned my eyes on the
ocean, to see a sail-boat, about five miles off,
standing in to the shore, with a pretty fair
breeze. I also observed, that it came from
the southerly end of the island. Upon this, I
called Friday in, and told him to keep close,
10
146
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
for these were not the people we looked for;
and I did not know whether they were friends
or enemies.
I then sought my spy-glass, to see what I
could make of them, and climbed, by the help
of the ladder, to the top of the hill. I had
hardly set foot on the hill, when I saw a ship
lying at anchor, at about two leagues and a
half distance from me, south-south-east, by not
more than a league and a half. It clearly ap-
peared to be an English ship, and the boat an
English long-boat.
I saw the boat draw near the shore, as if
they were looking for a creek to land in. How-
ever, they landed on the beach, about a half a
mile from me. When they were on the shore,
I was fully satisfied that they were English-
men. Their number was eleven-all armed
but three, who appeared to be prisoners, and
were taken out of the boat by the first four or
five who leaped on shore. The three unarmed
men often lifted up their hands, as if in great
distress of mind.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
147
66
I was perfectly confounded at the sight, and
knew not what to make of it. Friday called
out to me in English, as well as he could, “O
Master! you see English mans eat prisoners
as well as savage mans." Why," said 1,
"Friday, do you think they are going to eat
them, then?" "Yes," said Friday, "they will
eat them." “No, no, Friday," said I; "I am
afraid that they will murder them, indeed; but
you may be sure they will not eat them."
All this time, I expected to see the poor pris-
oners killed every moment. Once I saw a vil-
lain raise a cutlass over one of the poor men;
but he let it fall again without doing him any
injury. Yet it was very evident that the in-
tentions of the stronger party were far from
friendly.
As there were no fire-arms among them, I
thought that, if the Spaniard had been with
me, I should have been able to save the prison-
ers. And, even now, I had some hopes of
rescuing them. The seamen scattered them-
selves about the country, and left the three at
148
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
liberty. But they did not incline to walk about,
and sat down, sadly, upon the ground. It was
high water when the party came on shore; and
now the tide had ebbed considerably, and left
their boat aground. Two men had been left
in the boat; but they were drunk, and had
fallen asleep.
I now resolved to prepare myself for battle,
still keeping within my fortifications. I order-
ed Friday to load himself with arms; I myself
took two fowling-pieces, and gave him two
muskets. My figure was truly fierce; for I had
my formidable goat-skin coat on, with my huge.
cap, a drawn sword, a gun upon each shoulder,
and a brace of pistols in my belt.
I intended not to make any attempt before
dark; but I found that the seamen had all
strolled into the woods, and were probably
asleep. The three poor, distressed men were
sitting in the shade of a great tree, about a mile
from me, and, as I thought, out of sight of the
rest. I therefore resolved to discover myself to
them.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
149
I marched off, looking like a spectre, with
Friday behind me, accoutred in a proper man-
ner, as the squire of so formidable a knight.
I came close to them without their seeing
me, and said, in Spanish, "Who are ye, gen-
tlemen ?”
They started up at the noise, but were ten
times more confounded when they saw me.
They were first preparing to fly, when I spoke
to them in English. "Gentlemen," said I,
"do not be surprised to see me; perhaps you
may have a friend near you, when you do not
expect it." "He must be sent directly from
heaven, then," said one of them, very gravely,
and pulling off his hat to me, "for our condition
is past the help of man.” "All help is from
heaven, sir," said I; "but how can you put a
stranger in the way to help you? You seem
to be in great distress. I saw you when you
landed; and, when you seemed to beg mercy
of the brutes that were with you, I saw one of
them lift up his sword to strike you.”
The poor man trembled, and, with tears run-
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ning down his face, said, “Am I talking to a
real man, or an angel?" "Be in no fear about
that, sir," said I; "if God had sent an angel
to relieve you, it would have been in a far dif-
ferent form from the one now before you. Pray
lay aside your fears. I am a man,―an English-
man, and disposed to assist you. You see I
have only one servant. We have arms and
ammunition. Tell us freely, can we serve
you? What is your case?"
“Our case, sir,” said he, "is too long to tell
you, while our murderers are so near. But, in
short, sir, I was commander of that ship. My
men, having mutinied against me, have been
prevailed on to set me on shore in this desolate
place, with these two companions,-one my
mate, the other a passenger,-where we expect-
ed to perish, believing the place to be unin-
habited."
"Where are your brutal enemies?" asked
I. "Do you know where they are gone?"
"There they are, sir," said he, pointing to a
thicket of trees; "my heart trembles for fear
ROBINSON CRUSOE."
151
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 an-
swered, "They have only two pieces, and one
which they left in the boat." "Well, then,"
I see they are
said I, "leave the rest to me.
all asleep. It is an easy thing to kill them all;
but shall we not rather take them prisoners?"
He told me there were two desperate villains
among them, whom it would hardly be safe to
spare; but, if they were secured, he thought
the rest would return to their duty. He said
that he could not describe them at this distance,
but would obey me in any thing I would direct.
"Well," said I, "let us retreat out of their
hearing, for fear of their waking; and we will
talk further about this matter."
When we had got into the woods, I asked,
if, in case of my delivering him, he was willing
to do as I wished him. He said that he would
place both himself and the ship at my disposal.
"Well," said I, "my conditions are but two :-
1. That, while you stay on this island with me,
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
you will not pretend to any authority here; and,
if I put arms into your hands, you will, upon all
occasions, give them up to me, and do no harm
to me or mine, upon this island, and, in the
mean time, be governed by my orders.
"2. That if the ship is, or may be, recover-
ed, you will carry me and my man to England,
passage-free." He gave all the assurances that
a reasonable man could desire, that he would
comply with these my just demands.
Well, then," said I, "here are three mus-
kets for you, with powder and ball: tell me,
next, what you think is proper to be done."
He wished only to take the lives of the two
ringleaders; because he thought that, if this
was done, the others would prove willing to
submit. We accordingly advanced upon the mu-
tineers, and shot the two villains. The others,
finding it useless to resist, threw themselves
upon their knees, and begged for mercy. The
captain spared their lives; but I thought myself
obliged to keep them bound, hand and foot,
while they remained upon the island. I then

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sent Friday and the captain's mate to secure
the boat, which they did.
I told the captain my whole history, and
showed him my house. The captain admired
my fortification and my trees; but his anxiety
about his own affairs induced him to return
speedily to them. There were still twenty-six
hands on board his ship, who had entered into
the conspiracy, and knew that their lives would
be lost as soon as they touched English ground;
therefore they were desperate, and it would be
very dangerous to attack them.
I thought that we might lay a snare for them,
when they should come on shore to see what
had become of their comrades; therefore I
advised him to stave the boat, that they might
not carry her off, after we had taken every
thing out of her which was of any value. I had
strong hopes, now, of being able to recover
the ship.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
155
CHAPTER XIV.
THE next day, we heard a gun fired from the
ship, which was a signal for the boat to come
off the shore. At last, when several guns
failed to procure the return of the boat, we saw,
by our glasses, another boat lowered to the
water, and shoved off from the vessel. As they
approached, the captain recognized them. There
were ten men in the boat, and these were fur-
nished with fire-arms. Three of them, the
captain said, were honest fellows, and, doubt-
less, had been forced to join the mutineers; but
the boatswain, and the remaining six, were the
worst fellows in the ship.
I cheered the captain, and told him that we
should certainly succeed; and my confidence
imboldened the rest of our party. Two of our
prisoners were permitted to join us, on their
promising solemnly to stand by us.
As soon
as the second boat's crew landed, they hauled
their boat up on the beach, and ran to examine
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
the other boat. They appeared very much as-
tonished at finding it turned bottom upwards,
and a hole knocked in the bottom. They shout-
ed for their companions, and fired volleys of
muskets, but received no answer but the
echoes.
Three men were left in the boat, while the
rest went to search the island. The men in the
boat shoved her a little way off shore, and then
came to anchor. The men on the island soon
became so frightened, that they ran down tow-
ards the shore, and would have gone off in their
boat, had I not sent Friday and the captain's
mate towards the place where the savages had
landed, to halloo to the sailors, and draw them
as far into the woods as possible.
As soon as they heard Friday and the mate,
they went in the direction of their voices, but
were soon stopped by the creek. Then they
drew the boat up the creek, crossed it, fastened
the boat to a stump, and left only two men in
her. Leaving Friday and the captain's mate,
I, with the remainder of our men, surprised the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
157
men in the boat; and they not only yielded,
but were persuaded to join us.
Their companions had been led so complete-
ly astray by Friday and the mate, that it was
quite dark when they came to the creek, where
they found the boat aground (for the tide had
ebbed), and the two men gone. I formed an
ambush, 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 possible,
before they offered to fire.
They had not been long in that posture, be-
fore the boatswain, who was the principal ring-
leader of the conspiracy, came walking towards
them with two more of the crew. When they
came near, the captain and Friday, starting to
their feet, fired upon them. The boatswain
was killed upon the spot; the next man was
mortally wounded, and the third man ran away.
At the noise of the firing, I immediately ad-
vanced with my whole army, which consisted
of eight; viz. myself, generalissimo; Friday,
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
my lieutenant-general; the captain and his two
men; and the three prisoners of war, whom he
had trusted with arms.
We came upon them in the dark, so that
they could not know our strength; and I made
one of the men, whom we had surprised in the
boat, call out, "Tom Smith! Tom Smith !"
Tom Smith answered immediately, "Who's
that? Robinson?" for, it seems, he knew his
voice. The other answered, " Ay, ay-for
God's sake, Tom Smith, throw down your
arms and yield, or you are all dead men this
moment."
"Who must we yield to? Where are they?"
said Smith again. "Here they are,” answer-
ed Robinson: "here is our captain, and fifty
men with him, have been hunting you these
two hours; the boatswain is killed, Will Frye
is wounded, and I am a prisoner; and if you
do not yield, you are all lost."
"Will they give us quarter, then," said Tom
Smith, "if we will yield?" "I'll go and ask,
if you promise to yield," said Robinson.
So
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
159
he asked the captain; and the captain himself
called out, "You, Smith, you know my voice:
if you lay down your arms immediately, and
submit, you shall have your lives, all but Will
Atkins."
On this, Will Atkins cried out, "For God's
sake, captain, give me quarter. I am not so bad
as you think me." The captain told him he
must lay down his arms at discretion, and trust
to the governor's mercy-meaning me. In short,
they all begged their lives, and appeared very
penitent. Atkins, and the worst of the mu-
tineers, were pinioned and imprisoned in my
cave the rest were confined in my bower.
When I had formed my plan for seizing the
ship, I made use of the assistance of five of the
mutineers: three prisoners, becoming hostages,
were answerable for the conduct of the five. I
was to remain on shore. The captain furnished
his two boats, and manned them: five men went
in one of them, and he himself, his mate, and
five more, went in the other.
As soon as they came within call of the ship,
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
the captain made Robinson hail them, and tell
them that he had brought off the men and the
boat; and he kept them in conversation till they
came to the ship's side. The captain and mate
entered first, and, after a short, but severe skir-
mish, the ship was secured. The captain then or-
dered seven guns to be fired-a signal which he
had agreed upon, to convey to me the news of his
success. The next morning, the captain brought
me, besides refreshments, six clean shirts, six
very good neckcloths, a pair of shoes, a hat, a
pair of stockings, and a very good suit of clothes.
We next began to consider what we should
do with our prisoners. Five of them were such
incorrigible rascals, that the captain was afraid
to take them with him, and concluded that it
was best to leave them upon the island. They
themselves were glad to stay, for they expected
to be punished for their crimes with death.
When they had all declared their willingness
to stay, I told them I would tell them my story,
and put them into the way of making it easy for
them to live on the island comfortably, as I had
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
161
done. 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, plant-
ed my corn, cured my grapes: in a word, I gave
them all the information necessary to make
them easy. I told them the story of the sixteen
Spaniards, that were expected; for whom I left
a letter, and made them promise to treat them
well, in all respects.
I left them my fire-arms-five muskets, three
fowling-pieces, and some swords. I had about
a barrel of powder left; for, after the first year,
I had used but little. I gave them a description
of the way I managed the goats, with directions
how to milk and fatten them; also, how to make
both butter and cheese.
In short, I gave them every part of my own.
story, and I told them that I would prevail on the
captain to leave them two barrels of gunpowder,
and some garden-seed. 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 anchor that night. The next morning,
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
early, two of the five men came swimming to the
ship's side, making a piteous complaint of the
other three. They begged to be taken into the
ship, and made solemn promises of amendment.
The captain, at length, consented to take them
on board, and they afterwards proved very quiet,
orderly fellows.
Some time after this, I went on shore with the
articles I had promised to the men; to which
the captain added their chests and clothes. I
encouraged them by telling them that, if it ever
was in my power to send a vessel to take them
away, I would not forget them.
CHAPTER XV.
WHEN I took leave of my island, I carried on
board, for relics, the great goat-skin cap I had
made, my umbrella, and one of my parrots; and,
also, a sum of money, which I found in the
wreck. This had laid so long useless, that the
silver and gold had grown rusty and tarnished,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
163
and required a great deal of rubbing and polish-
ing to make it look at all like money. And thus
I left the island on the nineteenth of December,
as I found, by the ship's account, in the year
1686, after I had lived upon it twenty-eight
years, two months, and nineteen days.
sent.
After a long voyage, I arrived in England,
June 11, 1687, having been thirty-five years ab-
When I came to England, I was as per-
fect a stranger to all the world as if I had never
been known there. I went down into Yorkshire;
but I found my parents dead, although I found
there two sisters and two nephews. But I had,
long ago, been given over for dead, and no pro-
vision had been made for me, so that I found
nothing to relieve or assist me ; and what money
I had, was not enough to enable me to settle in
the world.
The captain, however, did me a kindness, out
of gratitude, which I certainly did not expect,
and which I was very thankful for. It was this :
He gave the owners of the ship a flattering ac-
count of the way in which I had saved their
164
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
rep-
property, and the lives of the crew; and he
resented my conduct in so favorable a light, that
they called a meeting, complimented me very
highly, and made me a present of nearly two
hundred pounds sterling.
Yet, even with this, I had not enough to set
me up in business; so I thought I would go to
Lisbon, to see if I could not find out something
about my plantation in the Brazils, and learn
what had become of my partner, although I was
very much afraid I should hear that he was dead.
My faithful man Friday accompanied me to Lis-
bon, where I found the captain of the ship that
first took me up, at sea, on the coast of Africa.
He had now grown old, and retired from the
service; his son being in command of his ship,
and in the Brazil trade.
The old man received me with delight, as
soon as he knew who I was. He told me he had
not been in the Brazils for nine years, but that,
when he was last there, my partner was living.
He told me that the procurator-fiscal had ap-
propriated my plantation, in case I never came
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
165
to claim it—one third to the king, and two thirds
to the monastery of St. Augustine, to be ex-
pended for the benefit of the poor, and for the
conversion of the Indians to the Catholic faith;
but, in case I appeared to claim it, it was to be
restored to me.
66
But," said the old man, "I have one piece
of news to tell you, which, perhaps, may not be
so acceptable to you as the rest; and that is,
that, believing you dead, your partner and trus-
tees offered to account to me, as your executor,
for six or eight of the first years of profit, which
I received. But, as there had been some heavy
expenses, in the way of building, and buying
slaves, the amount was not very great; but I
will give you a true account of what I received,
and the manner in which I disposed of it."
He brought me an account of the first six
years' income of my plantation, signed by my
partner and the merchants' trustees. I found
that my old friend owed four hundred and sev-
enty moidores of gold, besides sixty chests of
sugar, and fifteen double rolls of tobacco, which
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
were lost in his vessel, when he was shipwreck-
ed, on his return 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 himself a share in a new ship. "However,
my friend," said he, "you shall not want a
supply, in your necessity; and, as soon as my
son comes home, your claims shall be fully
satisfied."
Upon this, he pulled out an old pouch, and
gave me two hundred Portugal moidores in gold;
and, giving me his writings of his title to the
ship, in which his son had gone to the Brazils, of
which he owned one fourth, and his son another
fourth, he put them into my hands as security
for the payment of the remainder of the debt.
I was too much affected by the honesty and
kindness of the good old man, to be able to bear
all this; and, remembering what he had done
for me,-how he had taken me up at sea, and
how good he had been to me on every occasion,-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
167
I could not help shedding tears; and I asked
him if he was able to spare so much money at
that time. He said that it would put him to
some inconvenience, but he had rather want it
himself than that I should want it.
I could not bear to deprive him of so large a
sum; and so I called for pen and ink, to give him
a receipt for one hundred moidores only. Then I
returned him the rest, and told him that if ever
I had the plantation, I would return him all, and
that I would not take the bill of sale of the part
of his son's ship that belonged to him.
I told the old man that I thought of going
over to the Brazils to prefer my claim to my
plantation; but he said there was no need of
doing so, because I could enter my claim to it at
Lisbon, and send to the trustees for the money.
I did so, and received a fair account from the
trustees, and an affectionate letter from my part-
ner, who congratulated me on my escape from
my sufferings, and on the success of my planta-
tion. He wanted me to come over and take

1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
169
possession of it, but offered to send my effects
to me, if I preferred it.
I might now well say, that the latter end of
Job was better than the beginning. I cannot tell
you how my heart beat, when I looked over
these letters, and cast my eyes upon my wealth;
for, as the Brazil ships all came in fleets, the
same ships that brought my letters brought my
goods; and the effects were safe in the Tagus
before the letter came to hand. I turned pale,
from the revulsion of my feelings; but my good
old friend, the captain, brought me a cordial,
and saved me from fainting.
I was now master of more than fifty thousand
pounds sterling, and my estate in the Brazils
was worth, certainly, one thousand pounds a
year. I now discharged my debt of gratitude
to my good old friend. I released him from the
obligation to return the money he had borrowed
of me-I returned what I had taken-I empow-
ered him to receive the profits of my plantation-
and I settled a hundred moidores a year on him
170
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
for life, and fifty a year on his son, when my
kind friend should be no more.
I now prepared to go to England with all my
wealth; so I sold my cargo, and turned the
profits into bills of exchange. I had such a
dread of the sea, from the many misfortunes that
had happened to me upon it, that I resolved to
go to England by land, when I should only
have to make the short passage of the Straits of
Dover.
To render the journey pleasant, I contrived
to make up a party, being joined by a young
Englishman, the son of a merchant of Lisbon,
two other English merchants, and two Portu-
guese gentlemen, who were going as far as
Paris. We had five servants, two of which were
mine, for I had hired an English sailor, as a
servant, to assist Friday, whose entire ignorance
of the manners of civilized countries made him
almost useless on a journey.
When we got to Navarre, we were sorry to
hear that a great deal of snow had fallen on the
French side of the Pyrenees; so much, indeed,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
171
that a great many travellers had turned back,
for fear of being buried in it. They told us that
the snow did not freeze hard on the top, as it
did in colder countries, making it very danger-
ous to travel over it, when it was deep.
At Pampeluna, we staid twenty days; and
it snowed almost the whole time. Friday hardly
knew what to make of the snow, or the cold,
for he had never known either before. When
he went out into the snow-banks, he cried out,
"Master! Master!
Master! me burn!" for the ex-
tremes of heat and cold seemed to him alike.
I had determined to go to Fontarabia, and
there take shipping for Bordeaux, when some
travellers arrived with a guide, who had led them
hither from the French side of the Pyrenees. I
asked this man if he thought he could conduct
us into France. He said there was no danger
about the snow, for the surface of it was frozen
very hard; but he said there were a great many
hungry wolves at the foot of the mountains, and
that they often attacked travellers at this sea-
son of the year. "No matter,” said I, we are
66
172
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
well mounted and armed; and I, that have faced
cannibals, am not to be scared out of my wits
by a parcel of wolves."
Therefore, we set out, trusting to our guide,
whom we found a very skilful one.
As we ad-
vanced to the north, the snow began to deepen,
and it stormed frequently. As we were journey-
ing along, about two hours before night, when
our guide was a little way before us, three
wolves and a bear rushed out of a hollow. Two
of the wolves flew upon our guide: one fastened
upon the horse, and the other attacked the man
so fiercely, that he had not presence of mind
enough to draw a pistol, but shouted for help.
I told Friday to ride hard, and see what was the
matter. Friday put spurs to his horse, and gal-
loped up to the guide, when, seeing what had
happened, he put his pistol to the wolf's head,
and shot him dead. The poor guide had been
bitten twice.
The noise of the pistols was answered by
the howlings of innumerable wolves, whose hid-
eous cries struck a cold chill to our hearts.
Af-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
173
ter tormenting the bear in every way, chasing
him about, and hopping from tree to tree, like
a monkey, Friday killed him. He seemed to
enjoy the sport highly.
We were still in a wild, frightful place, and
the cries of the wolves sounded on every side
of us.
The ground was covered with snow,
although it was neither so deep nor so dangerous
as on the mountains. We had one bad place
to pass, where, the guide told us, we should be
sure to find wolves, if there were any in the
country. This was a plain, which we entered
after riding through a wood. On this plain,
we encountered a large body of these ravenous
animals; but, on our firing sharply among them,
they retreated, with hideous howlings, into the
woods, which we were obliged to go through,
after crossing the plain.
We reloaded our pieces, and rode on, at a
sharp trot, hearing, all the time, the barking,
growling, and snapping, of thousands of wolves.
On a sudden, at an opening in the wood, we
heard the report of a gun; and, presently, out
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
darted a horse, saddled and bridled, flying like
the wind, with sixteen or seventeen wolves
after him at full speed.
Riding up to the place from which the horse
came, we saw a sight that filled us with horror.
There lay the carcass of a horse, and the bodies
of two men, half devoured: a gun lay near one
of them, evidently just discharged. This filled
us with horror; but we had no time to deliber-
ate, for three hundred or more wolves speedily
gathered around us. At the entrance of the
wood, there lay some felled trees, among which
I drew up my little troop. We alighted, and
We
formed a triangle, or three fronts, with our
horses in the centre.
The wolves rushed on, with low growls, fu-
rious at seeing the horses secured, and sprang
up on our fortification of trees. Then I ordered
my men to fire. Many wolves were killed at
the first discharge, and the rest retreated; but
we kept loading and firing, and they kept re-
treating, and again attacking with redoubled
fury.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
175
I then gave Friday my powder-horn, and told
him to lay a large train along one of the pieces
of timber. This he did expertly; and the mo-
ment he had done it, the wolves rushed upon
the timber, when I snapped my pistol among
the powder, and it instantly blazed up.
Six or
seven wolves fell over upon us, scorched to the
bone, and the main body retreated, on our giv-
ing a terrible shout, and discharging our pistols.
We rushed out, immediately, upon nearly
twenty, which were lamed and struggling on
the ground, and cut them to pieces with our
swords. I suppose we killed about sixty, in
all. We then mounted, and rode off, for we
had nearly three miles to go to the town where
we were to pass the night. The wolves did
not attack us again, but we heard them howling
all night. We arrived safely at the inn, but
were obliged to leave the guide there, in con-
sequence of the severe wounds he had received.
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
CHAPTER XVI.
I MET with no adventures in France, at least
none worth mentioning, and arrived safely in
London. I
I gave orders to my agent, in Lis-
bon, to sell my estate in the Brazils, and then,
having met with a lady that I liked, I married.
We had three children, two sons and a daughter.
I had been so active all my life, and had
wandered about so much, that I was hardly
satisfied with the quiet of domestic life, and
was strongly prompted to go to my island,
and see how the Spaniards and the English-
men made out there. However, I was per-
suaded by my wife to stay in England; so
I purchased a little farm in the county of
Bedford.
I removed thither, for there was a convenient
house upon the estate, and much room for im-
provement, so that I was kept busy, planting,
digging, pruning, &c. Being my own land, I
could pull up and plant what I pleased; and I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
177
lived so much to my satisfaction, that I gave up
all thoughts of going abroad again. But, in
the midst of my happiness, an unexpected blow
came upon me. I lost my wife. When she
was gone, the world seemed desolate and lonely,
and I felt as sad as I did when I was first cast,
by the storm, upon my island.
I resolved to leave off house-keeping; so I
gave up my farm, and went to London. But
here I had no friend, and no employment, and
wandered about the crowded streets of that
great city a forlorn creature.
It was now the beginning of the year 1693,
when my nephew, who was captain of a ship,
told me that some merchants had been propo-
sing to him to go, for them, to the East Indies
and China, on a private trading voyage.
now, uncle," said he, "if you will go to sea
with me, I'll engage to land you upon your old
island, for we are to touch at the Brazils."
"And
I told my nephew that I should go no farther
than my island, but he answered, that it would
be impossible for him to touch at the island, on
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178
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
his homeward voyage, because he should be
richly laden, and it would consume too much
time. Then we concluded to take out some
carpenters with us, and the frame of a sloop,
so that, when I chose to return again, I might.
I left my children in the care of an old
widow, who had always taken a great interest
in my affairs, and settled my estate in such a
way, that it would be secured to my children,
and pay for their education, while the good old
lady herself was not forgotten, but rewarded
with a liberal allowance.
My nephew was ready to sail about the be-
ginning of January, 1694-5, and I, with my
man Friday, went on board on the 8th; having,
besides the frame of the sloop, a very large
cargo of all things necessary for the colony on
the island, which I resolved to furnish with all
the necessaries of life.
I carried with me some servants, whom I
proposed to set to work for me while I staid,
and then to leave them there, or bring them
away, whichever they desired, when I returned.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
179
He
I carried two carpenters, a smith, and an inge-
nious fellow, who was a general mechanic.
was handy at making wheels, and hand-mills
to grind corn, beside being a good turner, and
a good pot-maker. He was also good at work-
ing in earth and wood, and deserved the name
we gave him, of our Jack-of-all-trades.
With these I carried a tailor, who had offer-
ed to go, as passenger, to the East Indies with
my brother, but who had afterwards consented
to remain on our plantation. My cargo, as
nearly as I can recollect, consisted of linen,
thin clothing-stuffs, gloves, hats, shoes and
stockings, beds, bedding, and household stuff:
pots, kettles, pewter and brass pans; iron-work,
nails, tools of every kind; staples, hooks, and
hinges, and every thing necessary that I could
think of.
I carried, also, a hundred spare arms,-mus-
kets and fusees,-some pistols, a considerable
quantity of shot, of all sizes, three or four tons
of lead, and four pieces of brass cannon.
carried a hundred barrels of powder, besides
I
180
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I
swords, cutlasses, and spear-heads; so that we
had a large magazine of all sorts of stores.
made my nephew carry two small quarter-
deck guns more than he wanted, that he might
leave them at the island, if occasion required.
Although my voyage was not, on the whole,
unlucky, yet we met with a good many cross
accidents. Contrary winds first drove us to
the northward; and we were obliged to put into
Galway, in Ireland, where we lay, wind-bound,
thirty-two days. But, finding provisions cheap
here, we were not obliged to touch the ship's
stores; but, on the contrary, we added to them.
Here I took several hogs, two cows and calves,
for my plantation.
We set out from Ireland on the 5th of Feb-
ruary. Late in the evening of the twentieth,
we heard the signal guns of a ship in distress,
when we knew we were five hundred leagues
from land. Suddenly, a light appeared through
the hazy air; and, when the weather became
clear, we saw a ship on fire.
We fired guns, to let the poor sufferers know
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
181
that help was near, that they might endeavor
to save themselves by their boats; but this was
of no avail, as they could not see what di-
rection we were in. A fire at sea is a terrible
thing, but the sight is awfully grand. We could
see the fire run up the ropes and masts, like
flaming serpents-then the flames rushed up-
wards, and the red-hot cannon flashed forth
flames-and then the fire reached the magazine,
and then the ship blew up-and all was dark
and silent.
About eight o'clock in the morning, we dis-
covered the ship's boats, two in number, and
crowded with people. In little more than half
an hour, we came up with them, and took every
soul on board-sixty-four men, women, and chil-
dren. It was a French vessel, homeward bound
from Quebec, in Canada, North America.
The captain gave a long and interesting ac-
count of the disaster which happened, and which
began in the steerage. On the alarm being
given, the fire was put out, as he thought; but
it broke out again with fury; and there was
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nothing to be done but to take to the boats. As
they rowed away, they gazed backwards on
the blazing ship, which had, so lately, been
their home. Their joy at being relieved was
very great.
We agreed to go to Newfoundland with the
rescued people, where they found a bark, which
they hired to take them and their effects to
France. Among them was a young Catholic
priest, who, hearing that we were bound for the
East Indies, desired to make the voyage with
us, and to be set down on the coast of Coro-
mandel. I readily agreed to this. Four sea-
men, also, entered themselves in our ship, and
proved very useful assistants. From hence, we
directed our course for the West Indies, steer-
ing away south and south-east for twenty days
together, and, sometimes, with very little wind.
It was in north latitude 27 degrees 5 min-
utes, on the 19th day of March, 1694-5, that
we discovered a sail; our course being south-
east and by south. We perceived, on coming
near, that she was a large vessel, and had lost

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her maintopmast, foremast, and bowsprit. We
soon heard her fire a gun of distress, and it was
not long before we spoke her.
We found that she was a Bristol ship, bound
home from Barbadoes, which had encountered
a terrible hurricane, while the captain and first
mate were on shore.
on shore. They had been nine
weeks at sea, and had gone quite out of their
reckoning. The worst of all was, that they
were almost starved, for want of provisions.
Their bread and meat was all gone, and they
had had none for eleven days. They had, how-
ever, water, half a barrel of flour, some sugar,
and seven casks of rum.
Among the passengers were a boy, his mother,
and maid-servant, who had come on board just
before the hurricane, expecting their provisions
the next day. The ship being blown out of the
harbor, they were obliged to depend for food
upon the ship's company, who, being badly off
themselves, could not do much for them. This
I found out by going on board the vessel, which
was under the command of the second mate.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
185
We relieved the crew as well as we were
able. But now they were in a new danger;
for they were afraid of eating too much, even
of the little that we gave them. The mate and
commander brought six men with him in his
boat; but the poor wretches looked like skele-
tons, and were so weak that they could hardly
work their oars. The mate himself was half
starved, and very ill; for, in their misery, they
had all shared alike.
I kept the mate, whom we called the captain,
on board of our ship, to refresh himself and his
men, and carried bread and meat on board the
other ship, to relieve the crew.
The misery
of the poor passengers in the cabin was far
greater than that of the rest. For six or seven
days, it might be said, that they had nothing to
eat at all.
The poor mother had spared all she could
get to support her son, and was sitting upon
the floor when we went in, with her head sunk
between her shoulders, looking like a corpse.
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
My mate said all he could to encourage her,
and put a spoon with some broth to her lips.
She attempted to speak, but could not, and sig-
nified, by signs, that help came too late for her;
but she pointed to her boy, as if to beg us to
take care of him. She died that night.
The boy, and the servant-girl, had a little
strength left, and, as soon as they took nour-
ishment, revived. We lay by, at the request
of the captain, to assist him to refit his vessel;
and then, having given him five barrels of beef
and pork, two hogsheads of biscuit, and a pro-
portion of peas, flour, and whatever else we
could spare, we left them, taking on board with
us, at their own earnest request, the youth and
the servant-girl, and all their goods.
The young lad was about seventeen years of
age-pretty, modest, and well-bred. He was
greatly dejected at the loss of his mother; and,
it seems, he had lost his father but a few months
before, in Barbadoes. He said the crew had
murdered his poor mother; and, indeed, they

Whit
188
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
might have spared a little food, to have kept
her alive. But hunger knows no friend-no
relative-no justice-no right; and is, therefore,
capable of no compassion.
CHAPTER XVII.
I was now in latitude 19 deg. 32 min., and
had had a tolerable voyage; although, at first,
the wind was against me. I arrived at my old
dwelling, the island, on the 10th of April, 1695.
It was with no small difficulty that I found
the place. The ship was brought to anchor in
the little creek, where my habitation stood.
As soon as I saw the place, I called for Fri-
day, and asked him if he knew where he was.
He looked about a little, and then, clapping his
hands, exclaimed, "O! yes! O! there! O!
yes! O! there!" pointing to our old castle-and
then began to dance and caper like a crazy fel-
low. In short, I had great difficulty to keep
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
189
him from jumping into the water to swim
ashore.
"Well, Friday," said I, "do you think we
shall find any body here, or no? and do you
think we shall see your father?" The poor
creature stood stock still for a little while; and
then the tears flowed down his cheeks.
"What is the matter, Friday?" said I: "are
you troubled because you may see your father?"
"No, no," said he, shaking his head sadly;
"no see him more- no see him ever more again."
Why so, Friday?" said I; "how do you
know that?"
((
"O! no!-O! no!" said Friday; "he long
ago die;-long ago: he much old man."
"Well, well, Friday," said I, "don't grieve
till we find out what has become of him."
When Friday told me that he saw people on
shore, I caused the English flag to be spread,
and fired three guns, to let them know that we
were friends. About a quarter of an hour after
this, we saw a smoke rising from the creek.
I ordered out a boat; and, taking a white flag,
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or flag of truce, entered it with Friday, the
young priest, of whom I have spoken, and about
sixteen men, well armed, to guard against
surprise.
As we went on shore at high water, we row-
ed into the creek; and the first man I saw
was the Spaniard whose life I had saved. I
intended landing, at first, alone; but it was im-
possible to keep Friday in the boat, for he saw
his father at a distance, and darted off, at full
speed, to join him. He embraced his father,
danced round him, shouted and sang, and dis-
played his affection and delight by a thousand
antic gestures.
To return to my landing. It would be end-
less to describe the ceremonies and civilities with
which the Spaniards received me. The first
Spaniard whose life I had saved, came towards
the boat, attended by another, carrying a flag
of truce. He did not know me, at first. "Se-
ñor," said I to him, in Portuguese, "do you not
know me?" At this, he spoke not a word;
but, giving his musket to the man that was with
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
191
him, with a cry of joy, he came forward and
embraced me; then, beckoning to his comrade,
he told him to go and call the rest.
He then asked me if I would walk to my old
habitation, where, he said, I should find but
few improvements. So I walked along with
him; but, alas! I could no more have found the
place again, than if I had never been there; for
they had planted so many trees, and placed
them so close to each other, that it was almost
impossible to find my old dwelling.
I asked them why they had made all these
fortifications. He told me that I should agree
that there were none too many, when I had
heard their story. He said that he rejoiced at
my good fortune, when he heard that I had
gone away, in a good ship; but he was very
sorry, and much disappointed, when he came
back, not to see me.
As to the three barbarians (as he called the
Englishmen), that were left behind, he said he
had a long story to tell me. "I hope, sir,"
said he, "that you will not feel angry with us
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for having disarmed them, out of regard for our
own safety; because they were not content
with being our masters, but wished to become
our murderers."
I told him I was afraid of it, when I left the
island-that I was glad they had disarmed them,
for they were a parcel of refractory, ungovern-
able villains, fit for nothing but the halter.
While I was speaking, the messenger, whom
the Spaniard had sent, came back with eleven
men more, who gave me a thousand thanks for
the benefits I had conferred upon them.
And now I shall briefly relate what happened
after I went away from the island; beginning,
however, with the sending away of the Span-
iard, and Friday's father, to the main land.
They made their voyage in safety, and found
the Spaniards very willing to come over to the
island. The main difficulty was, how they
should get canoes. In this, they were obliged
to trespass on the friendly savages, and to bor-
row two large canoes, or periaguas, on pretence
of going out on a fishing expedition.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
193
In these they came away, next morning; for,
it seems, they wanted no time to get them-
selves ready, for they had no baggage, clothes,
or provisions, or any thing in the world, but
what they had on, and a few roots to eat, of
which they made bread. They were, in all,
three weeks absent; during which time, I had
the opportunity of making my escape from the
island. I left behind me three of the greatest
rascals that ever tormented honest men, to vex
the poor Spaniards, when they arrived on the
island.
The only just thing that the rogues did, was
to give the Spaniards the letter and the pro-
visions that I left for them. They also gave
them the long paper of directions, which con-
tained the account of my particular method of
managing every thing on my island; 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, every thing I did.
All this, being written down, they gave to
the Spaniards; two of whom were very well
13
194
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
acquainted with English. Nor did the Eng-
lishmen refuse to accommodate the Spaniards
with any thing; and they agreed very well for
some time. They gave them an equal admis-
sion into the house, or cave, and they began to
live very sociably. The head Spaniard, who
had seen a good deal of my management, and
Friday's father, managed all the affairs; for, as
to the Englishmen, they did nothing but ramble
about the island, shoot parrots, and catch tur-
tles; and, when they came home at night, the
Spaniards provided suppers for them.
The Spaniards would have been satisfied
with this, had the Englishmen let them alone;
which, however, they could not find it in their
hearts to do long. Their differences, at first,
were but trifling, and not worth relating; but
at last, it broke out into open war, which was
carried on with all the rudeness and insolence
that can be imagined-without reason-without
provocation-contrary to nature, and, indeed,
to common sense; though it is true, that the
first account of the quarrel came from the Span-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
195
iards themselves; yet, when I questioned the
mutineers, they did not pretend to deny it.
I must relate what I forgot to do in the prop-
er place, that, just before the ship sailed with
me from the island, two men quarrelled, and,
being threatened with punishment for that and
former seditious conduct, escaped to the shore
with a couple of muskets, and were not recov-
ered. These two men made the number of the
Englishmen five; but the other three villains
were so much more wicked than these, that,
after they had been two or three days together,
they turned out the new comers to shift for
themselves, and, for a long time, refused to
give them food. This was before the Spaniards
came.
When the Spaniards came, they tried to per-
suade the three English brutes to take in their
countrymen again, that they might all be one
family; but this they would not listen to. So
the two poor fellows lived by themselves;
and, finding that nothing but industry and ap-
plication would make them live comfortably,
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they pitched their tents on the north-west side
of the island, to be out of reach of the savages,
who always landed on the eastern parts of the
island.
Here they built two huts, one to lodge in,
and the other to lay up magazines and stores
in; and, the Spaniards having given them some
corn, for seed, and some peas, which I left
them, they dug, and planted, and enclosed,
after the pattern I had set for them all, and be-
gan to live pretty well. Their first crop of corn
was on the ground, and they had enough to fur-
nish themselves with eatables; and one of the
men, who had been the cook's mate of the ship,
was very ready at making soup, puddings, and
other preparations, for which the rice, milk, and
flesh, they got, furnished them the means.
They were going on in a thriving way, when
the three unnatural rogues, their countrymen,
for the purpose of insulting them, came and bul-
lied them, and told them that the island was
theirs, and given to them by the governor,
meaning me; that they had possession of it,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
197
and that nobody should build houses upon their
land without paying them rent.
The two men, thinking, at first, that they
were jesting, asked them to walk in and sit
down, and see what fine houses they had been
building, and tell them what rent they asked,
and how much they would allow for the im-
provements they had made. One of the three
answered, with an oath, that he was not jesting;
and, seizing a fire-brand, set fire to the hut,
which began to burn, and was only saved with
great exertion.
This injury brought on a scuffle, in which
the foremost villain was knocked down with the
stock of a musket; and his companions, finding
that the two persecuted men stood their ground
bravely, were glad to draw off.
na
I do not wish to crowd my pages with an ac-
count of the wrongs which the two poor men
received-such as the treading down of their
corn, and the shooting of their tame goats.
They were plagued, night and day; and, at
length, came to the resolution of fighting their
198
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
tormentors on the first fair opportunity. In
order to do this, they resolved to go to the
castle, as they called it, where the Spaniards
and the three Englishmen lived, intending to
have a fair battle, and to make the Spaniards
judges. Before daylight, they came to the
place, called the Englishmen by their names,
and told a Spaniard, who answered, that they
wanted to speak to them.
CHAPTER XVIII.
IT happened that, the day before, two of the
Spaniards, having been in the woods, had seen
one of the two Englishmen, whom, for distinc-
tion, I call the honest men. This man made a
sad complaint to the Spaniards of the barbarous
treatment they had met with from their coun-
trymen, who had ruined their plantation, de-
stroyed their corn, and killed the milch-goat,
and the three kids, which they had provided for
their sustenance. He added that, if the Span-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
199
iards did not assist them, they should be
starved.
When the Spaniards came home at night, and
they were all at supper, he took the freedom to
reprove the three Englishmen, though in gentle
terms, and asked them how they could be so
cruel, when their countrymen were harmless,
inoffensive fellows, putting themselves in a way
to live without assistance, and taking great
pains to bring things to perfection. One of the
Englishmen answered, "What right have these
fellows there? They came on shore without
leave, and they shall not plant or build upon
the island they have no right whatever
there."
66
Why," answered the Spaniard, very calmly,
"Señor Inglese, they must not starve!"
The Englishman replied, like a true, rough-
hewn tarpaulin, "They may starve and be
hanged :—they shall not plant or build in that
place.”
"But what can they do, then, señor?" asked
the Spaniard.
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
"Hang them!" replied another of the Eng-
lishmen; "they ought to be our servants, and
work for us."
"How can you expect that of them? They
are not bought with your money. How can
you think you have a right to make them ser-
vants?"
"The island," said the Englishman, "is
ours-given
-given to us by the governor; and no one
shall build upon it but ourselves. If they build
new huts, I declare, I will go and burn them
to the ground."
(C
Why, señor," said the Spaniard, “by the
same rule, we must be your servants too.”
(6
Ay," answered the bold rogue, "and so
you shall, before we have done with you."
The Spaniard only smiled at this.
"Come, Jack," cried Will Atkins, starting
up, "let us go and have a brush with them
we'll pull their huts about their ears, I'll war-
rant ye; and they shall build no more in our
dominions."
On this, they seized their arms, and marched
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
201
off. They slept, that night, at my bower, by
which they avoided the two men who came to
seek them at the castle. In the morning, when
they came to the huts, they found the poor
men gone; and they at once began the work of
destruction. They pulled down the houses,
tore all the household stuff to pieces, broke
down the enclosures and the young trees, and
plundered every thing completely.
When they came back to the Spaniards, they
told what they had done; and one of them, step-
ping up to one of the Spaniards, took hold of
his hat, twirled it round upon his head, and
said, “And you, Señor Jack Spaniard, shall
have some sauce, if you do not mind your man-
ners." The Spaniard, who was a mild, civil
man, quietly knocked him down; on which a
scuffle ensued, and one of the Englishmen fired
a pistol at the Spaniards. The three English-
men were then seized and disarmed. They
then went off in a very ill humor. After they
were gone, the two men came with their tale of
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
distress, and were well received by the Span-
iards, with whom they lived for a few days.
In about five days, the three vagrants, tired
of wandering, and almost starved with hun-
ger, came back to the grove; and, finding my
Spaniard, who was the governor, walking by
the side of the creek, they came up, in a very
humble manner, and begged to be received
again into the family.
The Spaniards used them civilly, but told
them they had acted so unnaturally by their
countrymen, and treated them (the Spaniards) so
ill, that they could not come to any conclusion
without consulting the two Englishmen, and
the rest.
After half an hour's consultation, they were
called in, and a long debate ensued; their two
countrymen charging them with the ruin of their
labor, and a design to murder them. On the
whole, the Spaniards acted as moderators be-
tween them, and obliged the three to go and
rebuild the huts-one to be of the same dimen-
sions, and the other, larger than before; also, to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
203
fence the ground again, where they had pulled
up the 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,
make every thing as they found it, as nearly as
they could.
Well, they submitted to all this; and, as they
had plenty of provisions given them all the time,
they became very orderly; and the whole socie-
ty began to live pleasantly and agreeably togeth-
er again, only that these three fellows could not
be persuaded to work for themselves, except
now and then a little, just as they pleased.
However, the Spaniards told them plainly, that,
if they would live in a friendly way together,
and study the good of the plantation, they were
willing to work for them, and let them walk
about as idly as they pleased. After having
lived pretty well together for a month or two,
the Spaniards gave them their arms again, and
liberty to go abroad with them, as before.
A week after they had their arms, and went
about at large, these ungrateful wretches began
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
to be as insolent as ever; and there is no know-
ing what would have happened but for an acci-
dent, that made the colonists lay aside all their
petty feuds, and look to the preservation of
their lives.
It happened, one night, that the Spanish
governor was very restless, sleeping only by
snatches; and when he did close his eyes, he
was visited with dreadful dreams. After having
tossed and tumbled about, for a long time, on
his goat-skin couch, he got up, thinking that
would make him feel more easy.
He then lay
down and got up several times, all the while
having a secret feeling that something dreadful
was going to happen. Another Spaniard, who
awoke, shared the fears of the governor.
They went out together to the top of the hill,
to look out, when, as they were going quietly
through the grove, they were surprised by see-
ing a light at a little distance from them, and
by hearing many voices in conversation. The
governor, and the man with him, ran back, and
roused the other Spaniards, who all ran out to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
205
watch the savages, as they clustered, in parties,
on the beach, their figures lighted up by the
strong glare of their large fires. They resolved
to despatch three men, before it was light, to
drive all the goats to the great valley, where
the cave was, and, if there was need of it, to
drive them into the cave itself.
Friday's father, who was sent out as a spy,
after he had been gone an hour or two, brought
back word that the savages belonged to two
different nations, at war with each other, who
had come to the island at the same time, by
accident—their intention being to devour their
prisoners. Friday's father thought that they
would fight together, as soon as it was fairly
daylight. While he was yet speaking, the
noise of the battle commenced.
Friday's father tried to persuade the Span-
iards and Englishmen to lie close, and not show
themselves; but the Englishmen were so eager
to see the fight, that they stationed themselves
in a convenient vicinity to the battle-ground,
though, as they thought, they were out of
206
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
sight. It turned out, afterwards, that they were
seen.
The Englishmen said the battle was fought
with great bravery; and it was nearly two
hours before they could tell which party had
gained the victory. At length, the party that
stood nearest to the castle began to give way.
This terrified the Englishmen, who thought that
some of the savages would take refuge in the
grove, and thus discover the settlement. They
therefore determined to sally forth, and kill any
fugitives, with their swords, that they might
not discover them to the rest.
It happened as they expected. Three of the
vanquished army fled for life, and, crossing the
creek, ran directly into the place, not the least
knowing whither they went, but thinking they
were running into a thick wood. The scout
that was abroad, on the lookout, gave notice of
this, with the intelligence that the conquerors
were not pursuing the fugitives.
The Spanish governor, who was a man of
humanity, would not suffer them to kill the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
207
three fugitives, but, sending three men out by
the top of the hill, ordered them to go round,
and come behind them, surprise, and take them
prisoners, which was done. The remainder of
the conquered people fled to their canoes, and
got off to sea: the conquerors retired, and made
no pursuit. Then, collecting together in a
body, they gave two loud yells, by way of
triumph; and so the fight ended. The same
day, about three o'clock in the afternoon,
they took to their canoes and departed. Thus
the Spaniards had their island again free
to themselves, and saw no savages for years
after.
When they were all gone, the Spaniards
came out to view the field of battle; on which
they found thirty-two bodies. Some had been
killed with long arrows, but most of them had
been killed with their great wooden swords,
sixteen or seventeen of which were found on
the field of battle, and as many bows, with a
multitude of arrows.
The swords were great,
clumsy things, and must have required great
strength to wield them.
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
*
Several of the men that were killed had their
brains dashed out, and their arms and legs
broken, so that the fight had evidently been
conducted with the greatest fury. There was
not one wounded man on the field, for the sav-
ages either beat the wounded to death with
their huge wooden swords, or else they carried
those that were not quite dead away with
them.
CHAPTER XIX.
THEIR deliverance from the danger of falling
into the hands of the blood-thirsty savages,
tamed even the fierce spirit of the Englishmen ;
and, for some time after the battle, they were
very tractable, and went about the common
business of the whole society well enough.
They planted, sowed, reaped, and began to be
naturalized to the country. But, some time
after this, they again got themselves into
trouble.
They had taken three prisoners, as I have
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
209
observed; and, these three being stout young
men, the Englishmen taught them how to work,
and they worked like slaves. But they did not
begin with them as I did with my man Friday,
instructing them in the rational principles of
life and of religion, civilizing and taming them
by kind usage; but, thinking it sufficient to
give them food, they made them work very
hard, and never attempted to conciliate them
by good usage.
But to return to the family of colonists.
They now lived very happily together; but
began to consider whether, as the savages
haunted their side of the island, it would not
be better to remove their habitation to the
more remote parts of the country, which were
equally favorable for their mode of life, and
where their cattle and corn would be secure
from pillage.
After a long debate, it was thought best
not to remove their habitation, for fear that
I might come, or send some one to them, and
that, finding their dwelling demolished, I might
14
210
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
suppose that the savages had killed them all,
and so go away again without seeing them.
But, as to their corn and cattle, they agreed
to remove them into the valley, where my cave
stood, where the land was suitable, and where
there was plenty of it. However, upon second
thoughts, they resolved only to remove part of
their cattle thither, and plant part of their corn
there; that, if one part was destroyed, the
other might be saved. They used one pre-
caution-they never told the three savages,
that they had made prisoners, any thing about
the plantation in the valley, the cattle, or the
In this last place they stowed
away the two barrels of powder that I left
them.
secret cave.
But, though they resolved not to change
their abode, yet they set to work to conceal it
as much as possible, and planted so many trees,
that there was a thick wood between the grove
that I had set out, and the creek where I had
first landed. In the part that I had planted,
the trees had grown very large, and were so
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
211
close together, that a little dog could hardly get
between them.
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; and the only way that they
themselves got out, was by a ladder which they
placed to the side of the hill. When this lad-
der was taken down, no creature could get at
them. They lived two years after this unmo-
lested by the savages. But, though they were
free from the attacks of barbarians, they had
fresh quarrels with the unruly Englishmen.
One of the Englishmen, getting angry with
one of the three savages, aimed a blow at him
with a hatchet, which struck his shoulder, and
wounded him severely. A Spaniard, resenting
this brutality, knocked the villain down, An-
other Englishman, taking part with his com-
rade, felled the Spaniard at a blow; and then
two more Spaniards and the third Englishman
joined in the scuffle.
None of them had fire-arms, or any weapons
but hatchets, and other tools, except the third
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Englishman, who had one of my old rusty cut-
lasses, with which he attacked the two Span-
iards, who interfered the last, and wounded
them both. This affray set the whole family
in an uproar; and, more help coming in, the
three Englishmen were made prisoners.
The next question was, what should be done
with them. They had been so often mutinous,
and were so furious, so desperate, and so idle,
that they knew not what course to take with
them. They were mischievous and dangerous
in the highest degree, so that it was not safe to
live with them.
The Spanish governor told them plainly, that,
if they had been his own countrymen, he would
have hanged them all; but that, as they were
Englishmen, and as he owed his life to the
kindness of an Englishman, he would use them
with forbearance, and leave them to be judged
by their own countrymen.
One of the two honest Englishmen stood up,
and said they did not wish the matter left to
them; "For," said he, "I am sure we ought
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
213
to sentence them to the gallows." And he
then said that Will Atkins had proposed that
the five Englishmen should join together and
murder the Spaniards in their sleep.
(C
How, Señor Atkins," said the Spanish
governor, "would you murder us all? What
have you to say to this?" Atkins answered,
with an oath, that it was true, and that they
would do it before they had done with them.
"What have we done, that you should mur-
der us?" asked the Spanish governor.
"What
would you get by killing us? And what must
we do to prevent your killing us? Must we
kill you, or must you kill us? Why will you
put us to the necessity of this, Señor Atkins ?"
Atkins was so enraged at the calm good-humor
of the Spaniard, that, if he had had arms, he
would have killed him.
After a long debate, it was agreed, first, that
the three Englishmen should be disarmed, and
not be permitted to have any arms or ammuni-
tion, and that they should be turned out of the
society, and left to live where they would, and
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
how they could, by themselves; but that none
of the rest should speak to them, or have any
thing to do with them. It was agreed, fur-
ther, if they offered to burn, or kill, or destroy,
any of the corn, plantings, buildings, fences, or
cattle, belonging to the society, that they should
be shot without mercy, wherever they could be
found.
The governor, a man of great humanity, con-
sidered a little, turning to the two honest Eng-
lishmen, and said, "You must reflect that it will
be long before they can raise corn and cattle of
their own, and they must not starve: we must,
therefore, allow them provisions." So he caused
an agreement to be made, that they should have
corn enough to sow, and to last them, as food,
for eight months; six milch-goats, four he-goats,
and six kids; six hatchets, an axe, and a saw;
but these supplies were given them only on
their swearing that they would not use their
tools to do injury to any of the Spaniards, or
their fellow-Englishmen.
They went away sullenly and very unwilling-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
215
ly. In a few days, they came back for some
victuals, and told the governor that they had
pitched their tents in a very convenient place,
in the north-east of the island, very near the
place where I landed on my first voyage, in my
canoe, when I attempted to sail round the
island.
Here they built themselves two handsome
huts, and contrived them in a manner like my
first habitation, being close to the side of a hill,
which had trees growing already on three of its
sides. They asked for some dry goat-skins for
beds and covering, which were given them;
and, upon their giving their words that they
would not disturb the rest, or any of their plan-
tations, they gave them hatchets, and whatever
tools they could spare; some peas, barley, and
rice; and, in short, every thing they wanted, but
arms and ammunition.
They lived in this separate condition about
six months, and had got in their first harvest,
which was small, as they had planted but little.
As to making boards, pots, and such things,
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they knew nothing about it; and when the
rainy season came on, they could not keep their
grain dry, for want of a cave in the earth; and,
therefore, it was in great danger of spoiling
So they came and begged the Spaniards to help
them, which they did cheerfully, and in four
days dug a hole in the side of the hill, large
enough to keep their corn and other things from
the rain.
About three quarters of a year after this sep-
aration, these rogues engaged in another affair,
which, together with the former villany they
had committed, brought mischief enough upon
them, and was very near being the ruin of the
colony. The three new associates began, it
seems, to be weary of the laborious life they
led, and that without hope of bettering their
condition. They thought that they would
make a voyage to the continent, from whence
the savages came, and would try if they could
not seize on some prisoners among the natives
there, and bring them home, so as to make them
do the laborious part of their work for them.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
217
The three fellows came to the Spaniards one
morning, and, in a very humble manner, desired
to be admitted to speak with them. The Span-
iards very readily heard what they had to say,
which was this:—that they were tired of living
in the manner they did-that they were not
handy enough to make the necessaries they
wanted—and that, having no help, they feared
they should be starved. But if the Spaniards
would give them leave to take one of the ca-
noes which they came over in, and would give
them arms, they would leave the island, and
seek their fortune upon the continent.
The Spaniards, though glad to get rid of them,
told them that they would certainly be murder-
ed or starved, if they went over to the conti-
nent; but, as the rascals persisted in their de-
mand, they gave them a plentiful supply of
bread, and let them have two muskets, a pistol,
and a cutlass. They took as much goat's flesh
as they could eat, a great hamper full of dried
grapes, a pot of fresh water, and a young kid
to kill, and boldly set forth in a canoe, with a
218
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
fair breeze, to cross the sea, where it was, at
least, forty miles broad.
During the twenty-two days that they were
absent, the Spaniards and the two honest Eng-
lishmen remarked how pleasantly the time
passed. They were very much astonished,
when, one morning, they were informed of their
return. When the Spaniards saw them, they
inquired where they had been, and what they
had been doing. Their story was as follows:--
They reached the land in two days, or some-
thing less; but, finding the people alarmed at
their coming, and preparing bows and arrows
to fight them, they dared 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 continent, but merely an
island.
Entering that opening of the sea, they saw
another island on the right hand, to the north,
and several more west. Being resolved to land
somewhere, they put over to one of the islands
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
219
that lay west, and went boldly on shore. They
found that the people were courteous and friend-
ly to them, and gave them several roots, and
some dried fish, and appeared very sociable.
The women, as well as the men, were very for-
ward to supply them with any thing they could
get for them to eat, and brought it to them, a
great way, upon their heads
They continued here four days, and inquired,
by signs, what were the neighboring nations.
They were told of several fierce and terrible
people, who, as they made known by signs to
them, used to eat men; but, as for themselves,
they said that they never ate men and women,
except only such as were taken in the wars, and
then they made a great feast, and ate their
prisoners.
The Englishmen inquired when they had
had a feast of that kind, and were told, two
moons ago. They said their king had two hun-
dred prisoners now, that they were feeding for
the next feast. The Englishmen appeared de-
sirous of seeing these prisoners, and the savages,
220
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
mistaking them, thought they wanted to have
some to carry away, for their own eating. Ac-
cordingly, the next morning, at sunrise, they
brought down five women and eleven men, and
gave them to the Englishmen to carry with
them on their voyage, just as we should bring
so many cows and oxen down to a seaport town,
to victual a ship.
The Englishmen were disgusted at this, but
were afraid to refuse all the prisoners; so, in re-
turn, they gave the savages one of their hatchets,
an old key, a knife, and six or seven bullets.
The savages seemed very well pleased, and,
tying the poor creatures' hands behind them,
dragged them into the boat, and the English-
men sailed away with them.
In their voyage, they endeavored to have
some communication with their prisoners; but it
was impossible to make them understand any
thing. Nothing that they could say to them,
or give them, or do for them, but was looked
upon as a preparation for murder. They, first
of all, unbound them; but the poor creatures
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
221
screamed at that, especially the women, as if
they had just felt the knife at their throats;
for they immediately concluded that they were
unbound on purpose to be killed.
If they gave them any thing to eat, it was
the same thing-they concluded it was to fat-
ten them for slaughter. Nay, after they had
brought them quite over, and began to use them
kindly, and treat them well, they appeared to
expect, every day, to make a dinner or supper
for their new masters.
When the three wanderers had given this
strange history of their proceedings, the Span-
iards asked them where their family was. They
were told that they had put them into their
huts, and had come to beg victuals for them.
The Spaniards went down to look at them.
They found them bound, hand and foot, with
very few clothes upon them.
The first thing they did, was to send Friday's
father into the hut, and he satisfied them that
they had fallen into the hands of Christians,
and that they would not be killed and eaten.
222
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
He contrived to make them understand this,
by means of one of the women, though they did
not belong to his nation, and spoke a different
language. There were three men and five
women.
These men, on being asked, by signs, if they
would work, expressed great joy, and seized
upon various tools, to show that they were
willing to do so. The next thing was, to find
out what to do with the women. The five
Englishmen expressed themselves willing to
marry the five savages. They placed the five
women by themselves in one of the huts, and
they all went into the other hut, and drew lots
among them who should choose first.
Then he that was to choose first, went into
the hut where the women were, and brought
out her he liked. When the poor women saw
themselves in a row, and brought out, one by
one, they firmly believed they were going to be
devoured accordingly, when the English sailor
came in, and brought out one of them, the rest
set up a piteous cry, and hung about her, and

224
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
took leave of her, with such affection, that even
the hard hearts of the Englishmen were moved.
They sent for Friday's father, who made them
understand that they were in no danger. They
then all went to work, and the Spaniards came
and helped them, and, in a short time, every one
built himself a new hut, or tent, for his lodging.
As to the three reprobates, as I justly call
them, though they were much civilized by their
new settlement, compared to what they were
before, and were not so quarrelsome, yet they
were still idle, and unwilling to work. 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 sloth-
ful, and it was overgrown with thorns;" for,
when the Spaniards came to view their crop, it
was so overgrown with weeds, that they could
hardly see any thing else. The hedge had
several gaps in it, where the wild goats had
got in, and eaten the corn: perhaps, here and
there, a dead bush was crammed in to keep
them out for the present; but this was only
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
225
"shutting the stable door after the steed was
stolen."
When the Spaniards looked on the colony of
the other two, they found proofs of industry in
all they saw. 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, verined
the words of Solomon in another place- 'T
diligent hand maketh rich;" for every thing
grew and thrived, and they had plenty with
and without.
Early one morning, five or six canoes of
savages came on shore, doubtless, for the uni
purpose of keeping their feasts on hu
human vie-
tims. During their stay, the Spaniards and
Englishmen lay concealed; but, as soon as they
were gone, some of them came to the sim
where they had been seen, and found turne
savages asleep, probably glutted with the quan
tity of food they had eaten. The Samards
were at a loss what to do with them, and the
Spanish governor was very much troubled at
the circumstance.
15
•
226
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
They finally determined to awaken them,
and make them prisoners. The poor fellows
were strangely frightened when they were
seized upon and bound, and were afraid, like
the women, that they should be murdered and
eaten; for it seems, that they think all the world
do as they do in respect to food. But they
were soon made easy on this head, and carried
away. The colonists were negligent about
guarding them, and one of the savages escaped,
and went off with some of his countrymen, who
came on shore to feed on prisoners.
About two months after his escape, six ca-
noes of savages, with about eight or ten men in
a canoe, came rowing along the north side of
the island, where they were not accustomed to
come, and landed about a mile from the habita-
tion of the two Englishmen. They were seen
for more than an hour before they landed.
The first thing the Englishmen did, was to
bind the slaves that were left, and intrust
them and their wives to the care of the three
faithful Indians, who led them into a place of
security.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
227
The two poor men then seized their arms
and ammunition, and hastened to the Spaniards,
to warn them of the danger, and get their as-
sistance. They had not goue far, when they
perceived their huts in flames, and the savages
spreading themselves over the country, in every
direction. They retreated a little farther, and
posted themselves in a wood; and, soon after,
three savages came up.
While they were thus waiting, they plainly
saw that one of them was the runaway savage
that had escaped from them; they both knew
him distinctly, and resolved, if possible, that he
should not escape.
The first Englishman fired,
and hit two of the savages: one was wounded,
and the second, who was the runaway Indian,
was shot through the head. The third Indian
was more frightened than hurt. Five more sav-
ages, that were a little behind, were a good deal
frightened, but still came up. Having an ex-
cellent place to fire from, the two Englishmen
wounded and killed all of their enemies but one,
whose life they spared, binding him securely.
228
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
They then resolved to go to the place where
they had sent their wives, and see what had
become of them. They found the savages had
been in the wood, and very near the place, but
had not found it; for it was almost inaccessible,
as the trees stood so very thick. Every thing
was safe, but the
the women were terribly
frightened.
While they were here, seven Spaniards came
to their assistance; the other ten, with their
servants, and old Friday,-I mean Friday's fa-
ther, having gone, in a body, to defend their
bower, and the corn and cattle that were kept
there, in case the savages should have roved
over to that side of the country. But they did
not stray so far. The Spaniards brought two
prisoners along with them. These were sent
to my old grotto in the valley, bound hand and
foot, where they were fed, by order of the
Spanish governor.
When the Spaniards came, the two English-
men were so encouraged, that they went, with
five of the Spaniards, in search of the savages.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
229
They were unable, however, to find them, till
they came to a rising eminence, in sight of the
sea-shore, when they plainly saw them embark
in their canoes, and paddle away.
The poor Englishmen had now been twice
ruined; but the rest agreed to come and help
them to rebuild their houses and do all in their
power to assist them. The three Englishmen,
who did not hear of the disaster for some time,
showed great kindness to their unfortunate
countrymen, and worked several days for them.
About two days after this, they had the fur-
ther satisfaction of seeing three of the savages'
canoes come driving on shore, and, at some dis-
tance from them, two drowned men. From
this it appeared that they had met with a storm
at sea, which had upset some of them. How-
ever, it was probable that enough escaped to
tell what had been done; and it appeared, af-
terwards, that the savages resolved to make
another attempt, with superior force.
230
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
CHAPTER XX.
FOR six or seven months, they heard nothing
of the savages, and began to hope that they
should hear nothing, when, one evening, twenty-
eight canoes of armed Indians touched the most
easterly part of the island. This threw our
men into consternation. Concluding that their
best way was to remain concealed, as before,
they drove off the goats, and took the huts of
the two Englishmen away, so that every thing
might look as wild as possible.
Our men were twenty-nine in number, in-
cluding slaves; but all of them had not muskets,
several being armed with halberts, or long
staves, tipped with iron spikes. Two of the
women, who insisted on fighting, were armed
with bows and arrows, and hatchets. The
whole were stationed at the plantation of the
two men, the Spanish governor being the com-
mander-in-chief, and Will Atkins the second in
command.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
231
Will Atkins was posted under cover of thick
trees, with six men. They were to fire on the
enemy, and then retreat through the wood,
behind the Spaniards, who were well posted.
The enemy came on, in confusion, and Atkins,
after having suffered about fifty to pass him,
ordered three of his men to fire. The dis-
charge of their pieces threw the enemy into
consternation, and, before they recovered them-
selves, Atkins and the remainder of his men
fired; and the three first soon charged their
pieces again, and fired another volley.
The Indians were now dreadfully frightened;
they thought that the gods were killing them
with thunder and lightning, and, if Atkins had
been able to retreat secretly, they would prob-
ably have fled. But Atkins and his men were
discovered, and the Indians assailed them furi-
ously, killing one Englishman and wounding
Atkins with their arrows. One of the Span-
iards and one of the slaves were afterwards
killed.
The Indians fought with fury; and, though
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
they had fifty killed, and more wounded, they
rushed like wild beasts through the shot and
steel of our men, who were forced to retreat,
leaving the Indians in possession of the field at
the end of the first day's battle. The night
which followed was a fine moonlight one;
and, as the Spanish governor found the savages
in great confusion over their wounded and dead,
he ordered another attack to be made upon
them, which was done with such bravery and
prudence, that a vast number of the Indians
were killed, swelling their total loss to one
hundred and eighty men.
Our men now found an opportunity of de-
stroying the canoes of the savages. This they
did, because they knew that, if they returned
to their country, and told of what they had
seen, they should then have to deal, not with a
hundred enemies, but with a hundred nations
of them. The Indians, whose retreat was
thus cut off, fled into the woods, whence they
occasionally sallied, and did great damage;
but they were hunted down like wild beasts,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
233
and their numbers thinned, so that, finally, there
were only thirty-seven of them; and these the
governor thought might be secured alive.
The poor wretches, being given to understand
that a part of the island would be allotted them
to live in, agreed with the proposals of the
governor at once, and begged for some food.
Twelve Spaniards, and two Englishmen, well
armed, three Indian slaves, and old Friday,
marched to the place where they were.
The
three Indian slaves carried them a large quantity
of bread, some rice, boiled up to cakes, and
dried in the sun, and three live goats. They
were ordered to go to the side of a hill, where
they sat down and ate the provisions thankfully.
They were faithful to their promises; and, ex-
cept when they came for victuals and directions,
they never came out of their bounds, but lived
in their territory, where I visited them, when I
returned to the island.
The Spaniards had taught them to plant corn,
make bread, breed tame goats and milk them.
They were confined to a neck of land nearly
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
surrounded with high rocks, but having a plain
before them on the south-eastern corner of the
island. Their land was very fertile, and was a
mile and a half broad, and three or four miles
long. They were then taught to make wicker-
work, or baskets, and they soon outdid their
masters, for they made many most ingenious
things, such as baskets, sieves, bird-cages, cup-
boards, chairs, stools, beds, couches, &c.
Will Atkins, who had grown very industri-
ous by the time I revisited the island, had built
himself a tent of basket-work, which was very
ingenious and beautiful. He had also made
himself a forge, and made hooks, staples, spikes,
bolts, and hinges.
I must now relate what I did for the colony
on the island, and the condition in which I left
them the second time. It was their opinion,
and my own too, that they would be troubled
no more with the savages; or, if they were,
that they would be able to cut them off, if they
were twice as many as before. Then I had a
serious talk with the Spanish governor about
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
235
their stay in the island; for I had not come to
take any away, as it would be unjust to carry
some off and leave the others behind.
On the contrary, I told them I came to es-
tablish them, not to remove them; and then
I let them know that I had brought with me
relief, of sundry kinds, for them, and that I had
laid out a great deal of money to supply them
with all things necessary, as well for their con-
venience as for their defence, and that I brought
mechanics with me, to assist them, and to teach
them various arts.
They were all together when I talked in this
way to them; and before I delivered to them
the stores I had brought, I asked them, one by
one, if they had entirely forgotten and buried
the first animosities that there had been among
them, and could shake hands with one another,
and engage in a strict friendship and union of
interest, so that there might be no more mis-
understandings and jealousies.
Both the Spaniards and English assured me
that they were on good terms with one another,
236
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
and saw that it was for the best to continue so.
After frank and open declarations of friendship,
we appointed the next day to dine all together;
and, indeed, we made a splendid feast. I made
the ship's cook and his mate come on shore to
dress our dinner, and the old cook's mate, that
we had on shore, assisted. We took six pieces
of good beef, and four pieces of pork, out of the
ship's provisions, ten bottles of French claret,
and ten bottles of English beer.
The Spaniards added to our feast five whole
kids, which the cooks roasted; and three of
them were sent on board of our ship to the sail-
ors, that they might feast on fresh meat from
the shore, as we did on their salt meat from
the ship.
After this feast, at which we were very
merry, I brought out my cargo of goods, and,
that there might be no disputing, showed them
that there was enough for all.
I wished them all to have an equal quantity
of goods. At first, I distributed linen sufficient
to make every one of them four shirts, which,

238
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
at the Spaniard's request, I afterwards increased
to six. These were very comfortable to them,
as it was long since they had worn them.
I divided the thin English stuffs so as to
make every one a light frock coat, and ordered
that, when these were decayed, they should
have more.
I divided the pumps, shoes, stock-
ings, hats, &c. I cannot express the pleasure
and satisfaction that sat upon the countenances
of these poor men, when they saw the care I
had taken of them, and how well I had furnish-
ed them. They said that I was a father to
them, and they all voluntarily engaged not to
leave the island without my consent.
Then I presented to them the people I had
brought with me, particularly the tailor, the
smith, the two carpenters, and my Jack-of-all-
trades. The carpenters went to work and
made convenient tables, stools, bedsteads, cup-
boards, lockers, shelves, and every thing of that
kind that was wanted.
Then I brought them out all my store of
tools, and gave every man a spade, a shovel,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
239
and a rake, and left 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
out of the general stores that I left behind.
Nails, staples, hinges, hammers, chisels, knives,
scissors, and all sorts of tools and iron-work,
they had as they required. For the use of the
smith, I left two tons of unwrought iron.
The magazine of powder and arms that I
brought them was so complete, that they could
not help rejoicing; for now they could march,
as I used to do, with a musket on each shoul-
der, if there was occasion, and could fight a
thousand savages in time of need.
I carried on shore with me the girl, and
young man, whose mother had died; and they
obtained my permission to remain on the island,
and be entered among my family, as they call-
ed it. The girl, whose name was Susan, af-
terwards married the Jack-of-all-trades, whom I
brought to the island.
nounced the marriage
The Catholic priest pro-
benediction, and went
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through that ceremony with the Englishmen
and their Indian mates. The good priest in-
troduced a form of Christian worship among the
settlers, and was happy in finding the Sabbath
properly observed.
Let me observe here, that, for many reasons,
I did not think fit to let our people know any
thing of the sloop I had framed, and which I
thought of setting up among them; for I found,
at least at my first coming, such seeds of di-
vision among them, that I saw plainly, had I
set up the sloop, and left it among them, they
would, on slight grounds, have separated, or,
perhaps, have turned pirates, and made the
island a den of thieves, instead of the plantation
of sober and religious people that I intended it
to be.
For the same reason, I did not leave the two
pieces of brass cannon that I had on board, or
the two quarter-deck guns, which I persuaded
my nephew to take. I thought they had arms
enough to qualify them for defensive war against
any that should venture to attack them; but I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
241
determined not to prepare them for an offensive
war, or to encourage them to go abroad to at-
tack others, which, in the end, would only bring
ruin and destruction upon them and all their
undertakings. I reserved the sloop, therefore,
and the guns, for another occasion. And now,
preparing to leave the island, I had the satisfac-
tion of having done every thing in my power
for its inhabitants, and felt that their affairs
were in a very good train.
CHAPTER XXI.
I HAVE now done with the island. I left
them all in good circumstances, and in a flour-
ishing condition, and went on board my ship
again May 5th, having been twenty-five days
among them.
As they were all resolved to stay
upon the island till I came to remove them, I
promised to send them some further relief from
the Brazils, if I could possibly find an opportu-
nity. I particularly promised to send some
16
242
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cattle, such as sheep, hogs, and cows; for the
two cows and calves, which I brought from
England, we had been obliged, owing to the
length of our voyage, to kill at sea, for want
of hay to feed them upon.
The next day, giving them a salute of five
guns, at parting, we set sail, and arrived at the
Bay of All Saints, in the Brazils, in about
twenty-two days. The third day, towards
evening, the sea being smooth, and the weather
calm, we discovered that the sea, near the land,
was covered with something black.
"It is an
army," said the mate-" a fleet,-for I believe
there are a thousand canoes, full of men; and
they are paddling towards us." He was right:
and we came to anchor.
They came boldly up to us, although they
appeared astonished at the size of our vessel,
and were about to row round us; but we called
to our men in the boats not to let them come
too near. This very order brought us to an
engagement with them; for five or six of their
large canoes came too near our long-boat, and
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
243
our men motioned them to keep back. They
understood this well enough, and retreated, but
sent a flight of five hundred arrows, one of
which wounded a man in the long-boat.
I saw that they were savages of the kind
that I had been used to engage with; and, in
about half an hour, they came up, in a body,
astern of us, and darted towards us with ama-
zing swiftness. I sent Friday on deck, to see
what they were going to do. Friday cried out
that they were going to shoot; and, unhappily
for him, poor fellow, they let fly about three
hundred of their arrows, and, to my great grief,
killed poor Friday, no other man being in sight.
The poor fellow was shot with no less than
three arrows; and about three more fell near
him.
I was so enraged at the murder of my old
servant, the companion of my sorrows and my
solitude, that I immediately ordered a broadside
to be fired at the savages. They were not half
a cable's length off when we fired; and our gun-
244
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
ners took their aim so well, that three or four of
their canoes were upset by one shot. There
were thirteen or fourteen of their canoes upset,
in all, and the men plunged into the water :
the rest were frightened out of their wits. Hav-
ing destroyed the fleet, we set sail again.
Poor Friday! well wert thou revenged! Poor,
honest Friday! The tears that flow as I write
thy name are a tribute to thy fidelity and worth.
We buried him with great solemnity, placing
him in a coffin, which was lowered into the sea.
Eleven guns were fired over him; and thus I
parted from the most grateful, faithful, honest
and affectionate servant that man ever had.
We now went away, with a fair wind, for
Brazil, and, in about fourteen days after, an-
chored off the Bay of All Saints. I went on
shore, had an interview with my old partner,
and gave him the presents which I brought him.
He was overjoyed to see me.
He sent me
on board fresh provisions, wine, sweetmeats, and
tobacco. He agreed to finish the sloop which I
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
245
had brought with me from England, for the use
of my colony, in order that he might send re-
freshments to my plantation.
Accordingly, he had the sloop finished in a
very few days,—for it was already framed,—and
gave the captain such instructions, that he could
not, and did not, miss the place. A Brazil
planter, his daughter, and three Portuguese wo-
men, with some other passengers, were sent to
swell the numbers of the colonists, which, when
they received this addition, amounted to between
sixty and seventy people, besides children.
We sent them materials for planting sugar-
canes, besides three milch-cows and five calves,
about twenty-two hogs, three sows, two mares,
and a horse.
From the Brazils, we sailed away over the
Atlantic Ocean, to the Cape of Good Hope, and
had a tolerably good voyage, our course, gener-
ally, lying south-east. Now and then we had a
storm, and met with some contrary winds. But
my disasters at sea were over: my future mis-
fortunes were to happen on shore. We staid at
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the cape no longer than was necessary to take
in fresh water, and made the best of our way
to the coast of Coromandel. We touched, first,
at the island of Madagascar, where, though the
people are fierce and treacherous, and well arm-
ed with lances and bows, we fared very well
for a time. For some trifles we gave them,
such as knives, scissors, &c., they brought us
eleven good fat bullocks, which we took in, part-
ly for fresh provisions for our present use, and
the rest to salt for stores.
One night, some of our people, that were on
shore, had a quarrel with the natives, and a
battle ensued, in which several of our men were
wounded. One of them, Thomas Jeffrys, was
carried off, and, on search being made, was
found shockingly mangled.
mangled. This filled our
sailors with such indignation, that they rushed
among the houses of the natives, set them on fire,
and then massacred men, women, and children.
My nephew, with a large portion of the crew,
having gone against the natives, I followed, with
a few men. We were guided by the flames
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
247
and the cries of the people. I must confess I
never was at the sacking of a city, or at the
taking of a town by storm. I have 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 Magde-
bourg, and cutting the throats of 22,000 of both
sexes; but I never had an idea of the thing be-
fore, nor is it possible to describe it.
We went on, and, at length, we came to the
town, though the fire prevented our entering the
streets. The first object that met our eyes,
was the ruins of a house, or hut, before which
lay four men and three women, killed; and, as
we thought, one or two more lay in the heap
among the fire. In short, these were such in-
stances of a rage altogether barbarous, and of a
fury something more than human, that we
thought it impossible that our men could be
guilty of it. If they were the authors of it, we
thought that every one of them ought to be put
to death. We found the fire increase as we
went forward.
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We advanced a little farther, and beheld, to
our astonishment, three women and sixteen or
seventeen men, shrieking and flying from three
of our English butchers,-for I can call them
no better,—who, when they found they could
not overtake them, fired in among them, and
killed one, who fell down before us. When
the rest saw us, they believed us to be more
enemies, and set up a dreadful cry; one of the
women falling down from fright
My very soul sank within me, and the blood
ran cold in my veins, when I saw this; and
I believe, if the three English sailors had come
nearer, I should have ordered my men to kill
them. However, we gave the poor natives to
understand that we would not harm them;
and they immediately came up, and, kneeling
with lifted hands and piteous moans, conjured
us to save them. We assured them of our good
will, and they all huddled behind us for pro-
tection.
I left my men drawn up together, and charg-
ed them to hurt nobody, but, if possible, to get
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
249
at some of our people, and try to find out what
possessed them, and what they intended to do.
We told them to assure them that, if they staid
till daylight, they would have a hundred thou-
sand men about their ears. I then went among
the flying people, taking two of our men with
me. We saw a lamentable sight. Some of
the natives had their feet terribly burnt, by
trampling and running among the flames, while
others had their hands burnt, in endeavoring
to save their property. One of the women had
fallen down in the fire, and was almost burnt
to death before she could get up again: two or
three of the men had cuts in their backs and
thighs from our men pursuing, and another was
shot through the body, and died while I was
there.
I did not then know the cause of all this, and
I tried to learn it from the natives; but the poor
creatures appeared to be as ignorant of it as I
was. I could not understand their language,
but they explained themselves by signs. I was
so terrified at this outrageous proceeding, that I
250
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could not stay there, but went directly back to
my own men. I told them my resolution, and
commanded them to follow me, when, at the
very instant, four of our men, with the boat-
swain at their head, came running over the
heaps of bodies they had killed, all covered with
blood and dust, as if they wanted more savages
to massacre, when our men hallooed to them,
as loud as they could halloo, and, with great
difficulty, made them hear. When they knew
who we were, they came up to us.
The boatswain then arrived, and set up a
halloo like a shout of triumph, having, as he
thought, more men come to his assistance. He
did not even wait to hear me, but boisterously
broke forth with, "Captain! noble captain! I
am right glad you are come. We have not half
done yet! Villains! inhuman dogs! I will
kill as many of them as there are hairs upon
poor Tom's head:-we have sworn to spare
none of them—we will root out the very name
of them from the earth!" And thus he ran on,
and would not give me leave to speak a word.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
251
At last, raising my voice, I exclaimed, "Bar-
barous dog! what are you doing? I won't
have one more creature touched, 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."
(C
Why, sir," said 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 poor Jeffrys, hang-
ing upon a tree, with his throat cut. This was,
indeed, a terrible sight, and a great provocation;
but I thought they had carried their rage too
far, and remembered Jacob's words to his sons
Levi and Simeon; "Cursed be their anger, for
it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel."
I had great difficulty in restraining the men
with me, for they were almost crazed with
anger at the sight, and burned to wreak further
vengeance upon the natives.
252
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
CHAPTER XXII.
WHILE I was endeavoring to restrain the
men with me, my nephew came up and told
me that he thought the natives ought to be
punished, and that his only fear was that our
men would be overpowered by numbers. Thus
excited, the men dashed off to continue their
bloody work, and I walked off with the super-
cargo and two men, and went on board the
pinnace. It was broad daylight as I ascended
the ship. I sent back the pinnace, because I
thought it might be of service. Our men, hav-
ing burnt all the houses, and had their fill of
blood, straggled, in groups, to the sea shore,
and, by degrees, all came on board the vessel.
I was very angry with my nephew for ex-
citing the men, and with the men for giving
themselves up to their evil passions. I therefore
took every opportunity of rebuking them for the
massacre of Madagascar, which made me very
unpopular among them; and, as I had no au-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
253
thority, being only a passenger, they were not
afraid to show their dislike to me.
We were bound to the Gulf of Persia, thence
to the coast of Coromandel, touching at Surat;
but the supercargo's chief business lay at the
Bay of Bengal, where if he failed, he was to
go up to China, and return to the coast as he
came home. When we were in the harbor of
Bengal, I went on shore with the supercargo,
in the ship's boat, to amuse myself. Towards
evening, I was preparing to go on board, when
one of them came to me, and told me he would
not have me trouble myself to come down to
the boat, for they had orders not to take me
on board
I was surprised at this insolent message; and
I asked the man who sent him with such an
errand. He answered that it was the cockswain.
I told him to let them know that he had deliv-
ered the message, and that I gave no answer.
I immediately went to the supercargo, told him
the story, told him my fears that there would
be a mutiny, and begged him to go on board
254
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
the ship, and inform the captain of what was
going on
shore, the mat-
The boatswain,
I might have spared this intelligence, for,
before I had spoken to him on
ter had been effected on board.
the gunner, the carpenter, and all the inferior
officers, as soon as I had gone off in the boat,
came up to the quarter-deck, and desired to
speak with the captain. The boatswain, who
was the spokesman, told the captain that they
were glad I had gone on shore peaceably; but
added that, if the captain would not sail with-
out me, they would ALL quit the ship :-" One
and ALL! one and ALL!" shouted the seamen.
My nephew did every thing to make them
change their resolution-used threats, persua-
sions, and entreaties-but they were inflexible.
When he found he could do nothing with them,
he came on shore, and told me every thing that
had passed. I saw that the only way to save
the ship, was for me to remain on shore; so I
made up my mind to do so, and only desired
that my nephew would take care and send me
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
255
all my necessary things, and leave me a suffi-
cient sum of money: I would then find my
way to England as well as I could.
This was a severe affliction to my nephew,
but there was no help for it. So he went on
board the ship again, and satisfied the men that
his uncle had yielded to their importunity, and
had sent for his goods from on board the ship.
So here the matter ended: the men returned to
their duty, and I began to consider what course
I should steer.
Το
I was now alone in the remotest part of the
world,—as I think I may call it,-for I was near-
ly three thousand leagues, by sea, farther off
from England than I was at my island.
return home, I must travel, by land, over the
Great Mogul's country, to Surat; from thence
I must go to Bassora, by sea, up the Persian
Gulf, and from thence cross, by caravans, over
the deserts of Arabia to Aleppo and Scan-
deroon; and from thence, by sea again, to Italy,
and then, by land, to France.
I had another way before me, which was to
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
wait for some English ships, which were com-
ing to Bengal from Achin, on the island of
Sumatra, and get passage on board of them
for England; but as I came hither without any
concern with the English East India Company,
so it would be difficult to go hence without
their leave, except by the politeness of the cap-
tains of the ships, to all of whom I was an entire
stranger.
My nephew sailed, but he left me two ser-
vants, or, rather, one companion and one ser-
vant. The first was clerk to the purser, and
the last was his own servant. I took lodgings
at the house of an Englishman, where several
merchants lodged—some French, two Jews, and
one Englishman. I remained here nine months,
because I wished to deliberate well before 1
took any further steps.
I had some valuable English goods with me,
and a considerable sum of money. I quickly
disposed of my goods at a good profit; and, as
I originally intended, I bought some fine dia-
monds, that I might be able to carry my prop-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
257
erty in a small compass. After a long stay, my
fellow-lodger, the English merchant, came to
me, one morning, and said, "I have a project
to communicate to you, which, as it suits me,
may, for aught I know, suit you too, when you
have thoroughly considered it.
“Here we are placed, you by accident, and
I by choice, in a country far from our own; but
it is a country where a great deal of money is
to be got, by those who understand trade and
business. If you will put a thousand pounds to
my thousand pounds, we will hire a ship here,
of which you shall be captain, and I merchant,
and we will go a trading voyage to China; for
why should we stand still?"
I liked this proposal very well, and the more
so, because it was expressed with so much good
will, and was done in such a friendly manner.
It was some time before we could get a ship to
our mind; and, when we got one, it was a dif-
ficult thing to get English sailors. After some
time, we got an English mate, boatswain, and
gunner, a Dutch carpenter, and three Portu-
17
258
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
guese foremast-men. With these, we found
we could do well enough, having several Indian
seamen.
I shall not give you a detailed account of my
voyage. It is enough for me to tell you, that we
made the voyage to Achin, in Sumatra, first, and
from thence to Siam, where we exchanged some
of our wares for opium, and some for arrack: the
first is a commodity which commands a very high
price with the Chinese. We went up to Susham,
and were absent eight months, when we returned
to Bengal, much pleased with the trip.
I got so much money by this first adventure,
and such an insight into the method of getting
more, that, had I been twenty years younger,
I should have staid here, and made my fortune.
But what was all this to me, being sixty years
of age, and quite rich enough
My friend, who was always looking out for
business, proposed a new voyage to me, viz. a
trip to the spice islands, to bring home a load of
We made this voyage
cloves from the Manillas. We made this
verv successfully, touching at Borneo, and sev-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
259
eral islands whose names I do not recollect,
and came home in about five months. We sold
our spice, which was chiefly cloves and some
nutmegs, to the Persian merchants, and really
made a great deal of money.
A little while after this, a Dutch ship arrived
from Batavia. She was a coaster, not a Eu-
ropean trader, and of about two hundred tons
burden. The men having been sick, the cap-
tain had not enough to work the ship: he there-
fore lay by at Bengal, and gave public notice
that he would sell his ship. This came to my
ears before my new partner heard of it, and 1
had a great mind to buy the vessel.
So I went home and told him. He consid-
ered awhile, and, after some time, replied,
"She is a little too large, but I think we will
purchase her." Accordingly, we bought the
ship, and paid the captain. A few days after-
wards, the captain and crew were missing; and
we were, at length, told that they had all gone
together, by land, to Agra, the great city of
the Mogul's residence; and from thence were
260
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
to travel to Surat, and so, by sea, to the Per-
sian Gulf.
In a few days, we found out their real his-
tory. It seems that the man they called the
captain, was the gunner only, and not the
commander; that they had been a trading
voyage, in which they were attacked, on shore,
by some of the Malays, who had killed the cap-
tain and three of his men; and that, after the
captain was killed, these men, eleven in num-
ber, had resolved to run away with the ship,
which they did; and had brought her in at the
Bay of Bengal, leaving the mate and five more
men on shore.
We made a trading voyage in this ship, and
put into the river of Gambodia. There we
were warned of danger by a countryman, and
sailed away, but were pursued by long-boats.
belonging to an English armed vessel, from
which we escaped with difficulty. It seems
that two of the seamen, belonging to the ship
we had bought, had gone to Batavia, and as-
serted that the fellow who had run away with
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
261
the ship, had sold her, at Bengal, to a set
of pirates, who had gone a cruising in her, and
had already taken an English ship, and two
Dutch ships, very richly laden. This false ac-
cusation, of course, stirred up the English and
Dutch against us; and we were thus in the
greatest danger.
I told my partner, that I thought it would be
very dangerous for us to attempt to return to
Bengal, for that we were on the wrong side of
the Straits of Malacca, and that, if the alarm
was given, we should surely be waylaid on
every side, as well by the Dutch of Batavia as
by the English elsewhere. If we should be
taken, as it were, running away, we should
even condemn ourselves, and no more evidence
would be wanting to destroy us.
This aspect of things startled my partner,
and all the ship's company; and we immedi-
ately resolved to go to the coast of Tonquin,
and so on to China. If we could find some
way to dispose of our ship, we would then get
262
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
back in some of the vessels of the country.
This was thought the best way to secure our
safety; and, accordingly, we steered away
north-north-east, keeping about fifty leagues to
the eastward of the ordinary course.
As we were short of provisions, and as the
wind proved contrary, we resolved to put in on
the coast of Cochin-China, or the Bay of Ton-
quin, intending to go, afterwards, to Macao.
We came within sight of the coast very early
in the morning, and put into a small river. This
happy step proved our deliverance; for, though
we did not immediately see any European ships
come into the neighboring Bay of Tonquin, yet,
the next morning, two Dutch ships came into
the bay, and a third, which we believed to be
a Dutchman, passed by, at about two leagues
distance, steering for the coast of China. In
the afternoon, two English ships went by, steer-
ing the same course. The place we were in
was wild and barbarous; the people thieves by
occupation and profession; and, though it is
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
263
true we had little to do with them, except in
getting provisions, we narrowly escaped being
insulted and injured by them.
CHAPTER XXIII.
We were now in a small river of this coun-
try, within a few leagues of its utmost northerly
limits, and, by our boat, we coasted north-east,
and near a point of land which opens into the
great Bay of Tonquin. It was in beating up
along the shore, that we discovered that we
were surrounded with enemies. Our ship hav-
ing proved leaky, we thought we would lay
her on shore, and try to find out where the
leaks were.
Accordingly, having lightened the ship, and
brought all our guns, and movable things, on
one side, we tried to bring her down, that we
might get at the bottom, for we did not wish
to lay her dry aground. The inhabitants came
down to the shore in amazement, and, seeing
264
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the ship lie on one side in such a manner, and
not observing our men, who were at work on
her bottom, on stages and in boats, on the far-
ther side, they concluded that the ship was cast
away. Therefore they came, in two or three
hours, with ten or twelve large boats, well
manned, intending, no doubt, to plunder the
ship, and take us prisoners.
When they came to the ship, and began to
row round her, they discovered us hard at
work, washing, graving, and stopping. While
they remained gazing at us, we handed our
arms into the boats, and prepared to repel any
attack. The natives, concluding that the ves-
sel was really a wreck, and that we were try-
ing to save our lives and goods, came directly
upon our men. I ordered the men on the
staging to cast it loose, and climb into the ship;
and those in the boats were told to row up, and
come on board; but neither order could be
executed before the Cochin-Chinese boarded
our long-boat, and began to seize our men as
prisoners.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
265
The first man they laid hold of was an Eng-
lish seaman, a stout, strong fellow,-who, hav-
ing a musket in his hand, did not offer to fire
it, but laid it down in the boat. But he under-
stood his business better than I did, for he
grappled the pagan, and dragged him, by main
force, out of their boat into ours, where, taking
him by the two ears, he beat his head so against
the boat's gunnel, as to kill him immediately.
In the mean time, 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 those who attempted to enter the
boat. But this was little towards repelling
thirty or forty men, who were fearless, be-
cause they were ignorant of their danger. But
a mere accident gave our men a complete
victory.
Our carpenter, being prepared to grave the
outside of the ship, had just had two kettles
lowered into the boat, one filled with boiling
pitch, and the other with rosin, tallow, oil, and
such stuff as the shipwrights use for that work.
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The man that waited on the carpenter, had a
great iron ladle in his hand, with which he sup-
plied the men that were at work with these hot
materials. Two of the enemy's men entered
the boat just where this fellow stood, and he
immediately welcomed them with a ladle full
of the stuff, boiling hot, which so burned and
scalded them, that they roared out like two
bulls, and jumped into the sea.
"Well done, Jack!" cried the carpenter;
"let's give them 'ere Chinamen some more
sarse;" and, stepping forward, he took one of
the mops, and dipped it in the pitch-pot, and
he and his mate threw it about so very vigor-
ously among the men in the three boats, that
every one was soon scalded and burned. This
completely sickened the rascals; and they gave
over their enterprise in great trepidation.
Thus we got clear of this fight; and, as we
had taken some roots and bread, with about
sixteen hogs, on board, a few days ago, we set
sail. We kept on north-east, towards the Isle
of Formosa, as much afraid of being seen by a
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267
is
Dutch or English merchantman, as a Dutch or
English merchantman, in the Mediterranean,
afraid of meeting an Algerine pirate.
We came to anchor at the Isle of Formosa,
where we were supplied with fresh provisions
by the inhabitants, who were courteous and
friendly. Hence we sailed north, and, having
arrived at latitude 30 degrees, resolved to put
into the first trading-port we should come at.
Standing in for the shore, a boat came off two
leagues to us, with an old Portuguese pilot on
board, who, knowing us for Europeans, came
on board to offer his services, and dismissed his
boat, as soon as we had accepted them.
I now thought we could make the pilot carry
us as far as we pleased; so I began to talk with
him about carrying us to the Gulf of Nanquin,
which is the most northerly on the coast of
China. The old man said he knew the Gulf of
Nanquin very well, but asked us what we would
do there.
I told him we would sell our cargo, and pur-
chase China wares, calicoes, raw silks, tea,
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wrought silks, &c., and so would return by the
same course we came. He told us we had
better have put in at Macao, where we could
not fail of finding a market for our opium, and
might have purchased all sorts of China goods
as cheap as we could at Nanquin.
r
I told the old man that we were gentlemen
as well as merchants, and that we wished to
see the great city of Pekin, and the famous
court of the monarch of China. "Then," said
the old man, “you should go to Ningpo, where,
by the river that runs 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 all that great empire
of China, crosses all the rivers, passes some
considerable hills by the help of sluices and
gates, and goes up to the city of Pekin; being
in length nearly two hundred and seventy
leagues."
"Well," said I, "seignior Portuguese, that
is not our business now. The great business
is, to find out if you can carry us up to the city
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269
of Nanquin, from which we can travel to Pekin
afterwards." He said he could do so very well,
and said that a great Dutch ship had gone up
that way, just before. This gave me a shock,
for a Dutch ship was now our terror.
The old man found me a little confused when
he named a Dutch ship, and said to me, "Sir,
you need be under no apprehension of the
Dutch. I suppose they are not now at war with
your nation."
"No," answered I, "that's true, but I know
not what liberties men may take, when they
are out of reach of the laws of their nation."
"Why," said he, "you are no pirates: what
need you fear? They will not meddle with
peaceable merchants, sure."
I was greatly confused at the mention of pi-
rates, and the old pilot perceived it. "Sir,"
said he, "I find you are rather troubled at
what I say. Pray be pleased to go which way
you think fit, and, depend upon it, I'll do you
all the service I can."
66
Why, seignior," said I, "it is true that I
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am a little unsettled in my resolution, at this
time, as to which way to go; and I am some-
thing more so for what you said about pirates.
I hope there are no pirates in these seas; we
are but in ill condition to meet them, for you
see we have but a small force, and are but very
weakly armed."
66
O, sir,” replied he, "do not be alarmed ; I
do not know that there have been any pirates
in these seas for fifteen years, except one, which
was seen, as I hear, iu the Bay of Siam, about
a month since; but you may be assured that
she has gone to the southward; nor was she a
ship of any great force, or fit for the work, for
she was built for a privateer, but was run away
with by a reprobate crew that were on board,
after the captain and some of his men had been
murdered by the Malays, 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 do not understand that
they murdered him; but, as they afterwards
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
271
ran away with the ship, it is generally believed
that they betrayed him into the hands of the
Malays, who did murder him, and, perhaps,
were hired by them to do it."
66
Why, then," said I, "they deserved death
as much as if they had done it themselves."
"Yes," said the old man, "they do deserve
it, and they certainly will have it, if they light
upon any English or Dutch ship; for they
have all agreed together, that, if they meet the
rogue, they will give him no quarter.”
66
>>
But," said I, "you say the pirate is gone
out of these seas; how, then, can they meet
him ?"
66
Why, it is true," replied the pilot, "that
they say so; but he was, I tell you, in the Bay
of Siam, in the river Cambodia, and was dis-
covered there by some Dutchmen, who belong-
ed to the ship, and were left on shore when
they ran away with her; and, some English and
Dutch traders being in the river, they were
within an ace of taking him. But he, finding
only two boats within reach of him, tacked
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about, and fired at these two, and disabled them
before the others came up; and then, standing
off to sea, the others were not able to follow
him, and so he got away. But they have all so
exact a description of the ship, that they will
be sure to know him; and, wherever they find
him, they have vowed to give no quarter, either
to the captain or the seamen, but to hang them
all up at the yard-arm."
"What!" cried I, "will they execute them,
right or wrong?-hang them first, and judge
them afterwards?"
"O, sir," said the old pilot, "there's no
need to make a formal business of it with such
rogues as these.
Let them tie them back to
back, and set them a diving; it is no more than
they richly deserve.”
I knew I had my old man fast aboard, and
that he could do us no harm: so I turned short
sn
upon him. "Well, seignior," said I, "and this
is the very reason why I would have you carry
us to Nanquin, and not put back to Macao, or
to any other part of the country where the
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273
English and Dutch ships come; for, be it
known to you, seignior, those captains of the
English and Dutch ships are a parcel of rash,
proud, insolent fellows, that neither know what
belongs to justice, nor how to behave them-
selves as the laws of God and nature direct ;
but, being proud of their offices, and not under-
standing their power, 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 call some of them to an account for
it, where they may be taught how justice is to
be executed, and that no man ought to be
treated as a criminal, till evidence is brought
against him, and he is proved to be the man."
I then told him that this was the very ship
that had been attacked by boats. I told him
the whole story of our buying the ship, and how
the Dutchmen had served us. I told him the
reasons I had for believing that this story of
the murder of the master by the Malays was
The old man was amazed at this re-
not true.
18
274
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lation, and told us that we did perfectly right
in going to the north. He told me that I
should meet plenty of customers for the ship
at Nanquin, and that a Chinese junk would
serve me very well to go back again: he also
gave his word that he would procure me peo-
ple both to buy the one and sell the other.
CHAPTER XXIV.
WE sailed forward, on our way to Nanquin,
and, in about fourteen days, came to anchor at
the south-west point of the great Gulf of Nan-
quin, where we learned that the Dutch ships
had gone before me, and that there was danger
of my falling into their hands. I asked the
pilot if there was no place that we could run
into, and transact our business with the Chi-
nese, without being in any danger.
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 mis-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
275
sion usually landed, from Macao, on their way
to teach the Christian religion to the Chinese,
and where no European ships ever put in. He
confessed that it was not a place for merchants,
except at certain seasons, when there was a
fair, at which time the merchants of Japan
came over thither to buy Chinese merchandise.
When
As we were unanimous in our resolutions to
go to this place, we weighed anchor the next
day; but, as the winds were contrary, we did
not arrive there until we had been out five days.
We went on shore in good spirits, being reliev-
ed from the most pressing of our fears.
we landed, our old friend, the pilot, got us a
lodging, and a warehouse for our goods. These
were a little hut, and a large house adjoining,
built of canes, and surrounded by a fence, of
the same materials, to keep off the thieves.
The magistrates allowed us a little guard;
and we had a soldier, with a kind of halbert,
or half-pike, who stood sentinel at our door, to
whom we gave a pint of rice, and a little piece
of money, which was about the value of three
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
cents, daily; so that our goods were kept very
safe. The fair had been over some time; but
we found three or four junks in the river, and
two Japanners-I mean ships from Japan-with
goods which they had bought in China.
We found here some Portuguese missionaries,
or Roman Catholic priests, who were endeav-
oring to convert the heathen to Christianity.
The pilot made us acquainted with them; and
we found one of them, whose name was Father
Simon, to be a jolly, sociable fellow. This
French priest was appointed, it seems, by the
mission, to go up to Pekin, the seat of the Chi-
nese emperor, and was only waiting for another
priest to come from Macao, and join him. He
wished, very much, to have my partner and my-
self go with him; "for," said he, "Pekin beats
Paris and London all hollow."
It seems as if Providence now began to clear
our way a little; for our old Portuguese pilot
brought a Japan merchant to us, who began to
inquire what goods we had. In the first place,
he bought all our opium, and gave us a very
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
277
good price for it, paying us in gold, by the
weight, some in small pieces of Japanese coin,
and some in small wedges, of about ten or
eleven ounces each.
The young man whom my nephew left with
me, was hired, by the Japan merchant, to make
a voyage for him, with our ship and crew, which
turned out a very prosperous one. We relin-
quished the ship to him, he paying us something,
if he was successful. He proved to be so, and,
about eight years afterwards, became very rich,
and went to England.
We were now on shore, in China. If I
thought myself banished, and remote from my
own country, in Bengal, where I had many ways
to get home, for my money, what could I think
of myself now, when I was a thousand leagues
farther from home, and perfectly destitute of
all means of returning!
We knew that there was to be another fair
at the place where we were, in about four
months; and then we might be able to purchase
some of the manufactures of the country, and
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might, possibly, find some Chinese junks, or
vessels, from Nanquin, that we might buy; and
then we could carry our goods wherever we
pleased. This plan I liked very well, and re-
solved to wait till the fair.
I had a great wish to see the city of Pekin,
of which I had heard so much; and Father
Simon importuned me, daily, to do it. At
length, his time of going away being fixed,
and the other missionary having arrived, it
was necessary that we should determine either
to go, or not to go; so I referred him to my
partner, and left it wholly to his choice. He
said he would go, and we prepared for the
journey. We travelled in the retinue of a man-
darin-a kind of viceroy, or principal magis-
trate in the province where he resides.
We were twenty-five days travelling to Pe-
kin, through a country thickly inhabited, but
poorly cultivated. The pride of the people
here is only surpassed by their poverty. My
friend Father Simon and I used to amuse our-
selves at their expense. For instance, coming
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
279
by the house of a country gentleman, as Father
Simon called him, about ten miles off from the
city of Nanquin, we had the honor to ride with
the master of the house about two miles. The
state he rode in was like that of Don Quixote—
a mixture of pomp and poverty.
The dress of this Don would have served for
a Merry-Andrew, being a dirty calico, full of
tawdry trappings, such as hanging-sleeves, taffe-
ta, and cuts and slashes on every side. Under
this was a rich taffeta vest, loaded with grease
and dirt.
His horse was a poor, lean, starved, hobbling
creature, which would not have sold for dog's
meat in England; and two slaves followed, with
whips, to drive the beast on. The rider had a
club, with which he attempted to excite the an-
imal; but the united efforts of the three could
produce nothing better than a miserable shuffle.
At length we arrived in Pekin. I had no one
with me but my nephew, the captain's servant;
and my partner had but one servant with him.
As for the Portuguese pilot, as he was anxious
260
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to see the country, we paid his expenses; and he
amply repaid us by his services as an interpreter.
In a few days, he came to inform us that
there was a great caravan of Muscovy and Polish
merchants in the city, who were going to set out,
by land, for Muscovy, in about five weeks, and
he thought that we should take the opportunity
to go with them, and leave him to go back
alone.
"Are you sure this is true?" asked I, over-
joyed.
"Yes," he said; "I met this morning, in the
street, an old acquaintance of mine,-an Arme-
nian, or, as you would call him, a Greek,-
who is of their number. He came, last, from
Astrachan, and was designing to go to Tonquin,
where I formerly knew him; but he has altered
his mind, and is now resolved to go back with
the caravan to Moscow, and so down the river
Wolga to Astrachan."
I consulted with my partner, who expressed
himself willing to join the caravan, as his effects
at Bengal were in good hands; and, after reach-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
281
ing England, he could sail for the East Indies
in one of the Company's ships. I was delight-
ed with the course marked out; for my love of
adventure was almost as strong as ever.
1
CHAPTER XXV.
HAVING resolved upon joining the caravan,
we proposed to pay the expenses of the old Por-
tuguese pilot to Moscow, or to England, if he
liked; and he was much pleased at the idea of
going with us. As he was a most serviceable
man, on all occasions, we agreed to give him a
quantity of coined gold, which, perhaps, amount-
ed to about one hundred and seventy-five pounds
sterling, between us, and to find him a horse.
It was the same with us as with other mer-
chants—we had a great many things to do; and,
instead of being ready in five weeks, it was four
months and some odd days, before all things
were got together. It was the beginning of
February when we set out from Pekin. My
282
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
partner and the old pilot had gone back to the
port where we had first put in, to dispose of
some goods which we had left there; and I,
with a Chinese merchant, with whom I became
acquainted at Nanquin, and who came to Pekin
on business of his own, went to Nanquin, where
I bought ninety pieces of fine damasks, with
about two hundred pieces of fine silks, of several
sorts, some mixed with gold, all of which I
brought to Pekin, against my partner's return.
Besides this, we bought a very large quantity
of raw silk, and some other goods; our cargo
amounting, in these goods only, to about three
thousand five hundred pounds sterling, which,
together with tea, some fine calicoes, and three
camel loads of nutmegs and cloves, loaded, in
all, eighteen camels, for our share, besides those
we rode upon, with the addition of two or three
spare horses, and two horses loaded with pro-
visions. Our retinue consisted of twenty-six
camels and horses.
The company was very large, and, as near as
I can remember, made between three and four
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
283
hundred horses and camels, and upwards of one
hundred and twenty men, well armed, and pre-
pared for any event; for, as the eastern cara-
vans are liable to be attacked by the Arabs,
these are, in the same way, exposed to be pil-
laged by the Tartars; but they are not altogeth-
er so dangerous as the Arabs, nor so barbarous
to the conquered.
The company consisted of people of several
nations, but chiefly of Russians. About sixty
of them were merchants or inhabitants of Mos-
cow, though some of them were Livonians, and,
to our great satisfaction, five of them were
Scots, and appeared to be men of very great
experience in business.
When we had travelled one day's journey,
the guides, who were five in number, called all
the gentlemen and merchants, that is to say,
all the passengers, except the servants, to a
great council, as they termed it.
At this great
council, every one deposited a certain sum of
money, in a common stock, for the necessary
expenses of buying forage on the way, where it
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was not otherwise to be had, for satisfying the
guides, getting horses, &c.
And here they constituted the journey, as
they called it; that is, they named captains and
officers to draw us all up, and give the com-
mand, in case of attack; and each one was to
have his turn of command.
The country through which we first travelled.
was thickly inhabited by the potters, that is,
those who prepared the porcelain clay, of which
the finest china is made. The Portuguese pilot
told me he would show me a house built of
china. "Well," said I, "such a thing may be.
How large is it? Can we carry it, in a box,
upon a camel? If we can, we will buy it.'
"Upon a camel!" cried the old pilot, holding
up both his hands, "why, sir, there are thirty
people live in it!
""
""
I was very curious to see it; and, when I
came to it, I found it was a timber house, or a
house built of lath and plaster; only the plas-
tering was really china ware; that is to say, it
was plastered with the earth that makes china
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
285
ware. The outside, upon which the sun shone
hot, was glazed, and perfectly white, painted
with blue figures, as the large china ware in
England is painted.
In the inside, all the walls were lined with
hardened and painted tiles, all made of the finest
china, with fine figures, of a variety of colors,
mixed with gold. Many tiles made one figure;
but they were so ingeniously joined with china.
cement, that it was impossible to tell where
they met. The floors of the rooms were of the
same composition, and perfectly hard. The
outside of the roof was covered with china tiles,
of a deep, shining black.
This was a china-ware house indeed; and, if
I had not been on a journey, I should have staid
some days, and examined it particularly. They
told me there were fountains and fish-ponds in
the gardens, all paved at the bottom and sides
with the same, and fine statues, set up in rows
along the walks, formed entirely of porcelain
earth.
They told me incredible things of their per-
286
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formances in crockery-ware, which quite put to
the shame my exploits, in that line, when I was
on my island. I was told of a workman that
made a ship, with all its tackle and masts, and
sails, in earthen-ware, large enough to carry
fifty men. But I believe he did not launch it,
or make a voyage in it.
In two days more, we passed the great Chi-
nese wall, made to fortify the Chinese against
the Tartars. It is a very great work, going
over hills and mountains, in an endless track,
where the rocks are impassable, and the preci-
pices such as no enemy could possibly enter, or
climb up. They told us that its length is near-
ly a thousand miles.
Looking at this wall, I said to the Portuguese
pilot, "Seignior, do you think it would stand
an army of our countrymen, with a good train
of artillery, or our engineers, with two compa-
nies of miners? Would they not batter it
down in ten days, that an army might enter in
battalia, or blow up the airy foundation, so that
there should be no sign of it left?"
"Yes,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
287
yes," replied the pilot, "they could do it."
Our Chinese guide wanted very much to know
what I said, and I gave the pilot leave to tell
him, a few days after, when we were out of
his country. When he had heard what I said,
he was dumb all the rest of the way; and we
heard no more of his fine stories about Chinese
power and greatness, while he staid.
After we had passed this mighty wall, we
found the country thinly inhabited, and the
people, for the most part, confined in fortified
towns and cities, because they were subject to
the incursions of the roving Tartars, who rob
in great armies, and, therefore, are not to be
resisted by the naked inhabitants of an open
country.
Here I began to see 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 wonder-
ed how the Chinese could suffer themselves to
be conquered by such contemptible fellows.
They are like a herd of wild cattle, keeping no
288
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
order, knowing no discipline, and having no
regular mode of fighting.
Their horses are lean, starved creatures,
knowing nothing, and fit for nothing. This we
found out the first day we saw them, which was
after we entered the wilder part of the country.
Our leader for the day gave about sixteen of
us leave to go a hunting, though the game was
only sheep. Still, as the creatures are wild
and fleet, they afforded some sport, and occa-
sioned a good deal of hard riding.
While we were pursuing this odd amusement,
we came upon about forty Tartars. Whether
they were in pursuit of mutton or men, I can't
tell; but when they saw us, one of them clap-
ped a horn to his mouth, and blew a blast, not
quite so melodious as that of a rusty tin fish-
horn, but almost as loud as thunder. We all
supposed that this was to call their friends about
them; and so it was, for, in a few moments, we
saw another troop advancing in the distance.
One of the Scotch merchants, who happened
to be with us, told us that we must charge
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
289
them instantly; and, putting his horse to the
gallop, he led on our line. The Tartars stood
irregularly, and, as we came on, sent a flight
of arrows at us, which, however, failed of
effect. We drew in our horses, and answered
their salute by firing a volley of shot, and, fol-
lowing it full gallop, sword in hand, we were
led on by the gallant Scot, a worthy descend-
ant of Sir William Wallace.
The Tartars did not wait for us, but turned
and fled in the greatest confusion, all except
three on the right, with cimeters in their hands,
who beckoned to their comrades to return to
the fight. Our brave commander, without ask-
ing any one to follow him, galloped close up to
them, and, with his gun, knocked one of them
off his horse, killed the second with his pistol,
and forced the third to fly. Thus ended our
fight, which was attended with but one serious
misfortune, viz. that, while we won our laurels,
we lost our mutton, the sheep wisely taking
advantage of the scuffle to run off. We had
not a man killed or hurt; but, as for the Tar-
19
290
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
tars, there were about five of them killed.
How many were wounded, we knew not; but
this we knew, that our enemies were so fright-
ened at the sound of our guns, that they fled,
and did not venture again to attack us.
We were, all this while, in the Chinese do-
minions, and, therefore, the Tartars were not
so bold as they were afterwards; but, in about
five days, we entered a vast and wild desert,
which it took us three days and nights to march
over. Here we were obliged to carry our
water with us in great leather bottles, and to
encamp all night, just as I have heard they do
in the deserts of Arabia.
I asked our guides whose dominions this was
in. They told me it was a kind of border coun-
try, that might be called No-Man's-Land, being
a part of Great Karakathy, or Grand Tartary,
but that it was called part of China. There
was no care taken to preserve it from the in-
roads of thieves, and, therefore, it was reckoned
the worst part of the whole march, though we
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
291
were to go over a much larger desert after-
wards.
In passing this wilderness, which, I confess,
appeared, at first sight, very frightful to me, we
several times saw small parties of Tartars; but
they seemed to be engaged with their own af-
fairs, and to have no design upon us so we
let them go. Once, however, a party of them
advanced and gazed at us some time. Whether
it was to consider if they should attack us or
not, we did not know. When we passed them,
at some distance, we formed a lear-guard, and
were ready to receive them; but they went off,
contenting themselves with letting fly some
arrows, one of which disabled a horse.
A month after this, we were still in the do-
minions of the emperor of China; but the roads
were indifferent, and all the villages upon the
route were fortified, on account of the Tartars.
When we came to one of these towns, about
two and a half days' journey from the city of
Naum, I wanted to buy a camel, of which there
are plenty to be sold, all the way along the
292
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road. The person that I told to get me a
camel, would have gone and brought it for me,
but I foolishly went with him. The place was
about two miles out of the village.
I walked on foot, with my old pilot and a
Chinese. When we came to the place, it was
a low, marshy ground, walled round with a
stone wall, piled up without mortar or earth,
with a small guard of Chinese soldiers at the
doors. Having bought a camel, and agreed
about the price, I came away, and the Chinese
man that was with me, led the camel. Sud-
denly, five mounted Tartars rode up, and two
of them took the camel from the Chinese,
while the other three advanced upon the pilot
and me.
We were nearly unarmed, for I had only my
sword; however, I drew the weapon instantly,
and the foremost Tartar stopped, for they are
a very cowardly race. However, the second
fellow gave me a blow on the head, which laid
me senseless; but the pilot happened to have a
pistol in his pocket, with which he shot the
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293
Tartar, that had maltreated me, through the
head. He then wounded the horse of the
other Tartar, which galloped away, reared, and
fell upon his master.
his master. The Chinese, running up
to the prostrate thief, dashed his brains out with
a pole-axe, that he wore at his belt. The third
Tartar stood still, and faced the pilot, but, the
moment he saw the old man loading his pistol,
galloped off at full speed. Soon after this,
I came to my senses.
We made no great gain,
however, by this victory: though we gained a
horse, we lost a camel. It is a little remarka-
ble that, when we came back to the village, the
man demanded to be paid for the camel. I
disputed it, and it was brought to a hearing be-
fore the Chinese judge of the place; that is to
say, we went before a justice of the peace. To
give him his due, he asked the questions with a
great deal of prudence and impartiality; and,
having heard both sides, he gravely asked the
Chinese that went with me to buy the camel,
whose servant he was. "I am no servant,
said he, "but went with the stranger."
وو
"At
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66
"At the
whose request?" asked the justice.
stranger's request," said he. Why," then,
said the justice, "you were the stranger's ser-
vant for the time; and, the camel being deliv-
ered to his servant, it was delivered to him, and
he must pay for it." This reasoning was so
clear and conclusive, that I paid for the camel,
which I never received, with the best grace in
the world. But, as I still wanted a camel, I
took care to send for it, and not to go myself.
The city of Naum is a frontier place of the
Chinese empire. They call it fortified, be-
cause all the Tartars in Great Tartary could
never batter down its walls with their bows and
lances; but it would offer no resistance to a
body of regular troops. We were within about
two days' journey of this city, when messen-
gers were sent express to every part of the
road, to tell all travellers and caravans to halt,
till they had a guard sent to them, because a
large body of Tartars, ten thousand strong, had
appeared about thirty miles beyond the city.
This was bad news to travellers; however,
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1
we were thankful to the governor for giving us
warning, and glad to hear that we were going
to have a guard. Accordingly, two days after,
we had two hundred soldiers sent us from a
Chinese garrison on the left, and three hundred
more from the city of Naum; and, with these,
we marched on boldly. The three hundred
soldiers from Naum marched in front of us; the
two hundred made up our rear: our men walk-
ed on each side of the baggage camels, and the
whole caravan was in the centre. In this order,
and well prepared for battle, we thought our-
selves a match for the whole ten thousand Mo-
gul Tartars, if they appeared; but the next
day, when they did appear, we thought very
differently.
Early in the morning, while marching from
a little town called Changu, we had to cross a
ferry over a river: this would have been a fatal
place to be attacked in; but, luckily, the Tar-
tars did not molest us there. About three
hours after, when we entered a desert, about
fifteen or sixteen miles long, we beheld a great
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cloud of dust, and the Tartars came on, spur-
ring their horses. We thought them ten thou-
sand strong, at least.
A party of them came on first, riding in front
of our line, to view our position. As we found
them within gun-shot, our leader ordered the
two wings to give them a volley, which ap-
peared to sicken them, completely, of their un-
dertaking, for they immediately halted, wheel-
ed, galloped off, and left us.
CHAPTER XXVI.
Two days after this, we came to the city of
Naum, or Naunm. We thanked the governor for
his attention, and recompensed the soldiers who
had guarded us. We staid at Naum one day. We
were now about two thousand miles from Mus-
covy, properly so called. After this, we passed
several great rivers, and two dreadful deserts,
one of which we were sixteen days in crossing.
On the thirteenth of April, we came to the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
297
frontiers of the Muscovite dominions. I think
the first city, or town, or fortress, or whatever
it might be called, that belonged to the czar
of Russia, was called Argun, being on the west
side of the river Argun.
I was very much pleased to find myself once
more in a Christian country, at least, in a
country governed by Christians; for though
the Muscovites or Russians do, in my mind, but
just deserve the name of Christians, yet they
pretend to be so, and are very devout in their
way. It would occur to any man, who travels
through the world, as I have done, to reflect
what a blessing it is, to be brought into the
world where the name of God, and of a
Redeemer, is known, worshiped, and adored.
Every city or town we passed through had its
pagods and idols; and its temples were crowd-
ed with ignorant people, worshiping the works
of their own hands.
Now we had arrived at a place where, at
least, there was an appearance of Christian
worship; where the knee was bowed to Jesus,
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and where, whether ignorantly or not, the true
Christian religion was owned, and the name of
the true God was called upon and adored; and
it made the very recesses of my soul rejoice to
see it. Taking the brave Scotch merchant by
the hand, I said to him, "Blessed be God, we
are once more among Christians." He smiled,
gravely, and answered, "Do not rejoice too
soon, sir: these Muscovites are an odd sort of
Christians, and, but for the name of it, you
may see very little of the substance, for some
time farther on our journey."
66
"Well, "said I, "but still it is better than
paganism, and the worship of idols." Why,
sir," said he, "with the exception of the Rus-
sian garrisons, and a few of the inhabitants of
the cities on the road, the people are the most
ignorant of pagans, and sunk in the grossest
idolatry." I found this statement to be correct.
Some instances of this we met with in the
country between Arguna, where we entered
the Muscovite dominions, and a city of Tartars
and Russians, called Nertzinskay, in which
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
299
space there is an unbroken forest, that we
were twenty days in passing. In a village near
the last of these places, I had the curiosity to
go and examine their way of life, which I found
quite brutal.
I suppose this was a day of sacrifice; for there
stood, upon an old stump of a tree, a wooden
idol, as ugly as it was possible to be. It had a
strange head, with huge ears, and eyes as large
as saucers: the nose was like a crooked ram's
horn, and its huge, misshapen mouth was fur-
nished with teeth. It had on a garment of
sheep-skins, with the wool turned inwards, and
its high Tartar cap was pierced with two huge
horns.
This scarecrow was set up on the outside of
the village, and sixteen or seventeen persons
were lying flat on the ground around it. They
were so motionless, that I took them, at first,
for wooden logs, like their idol; but, as I ap-
proached them, they got up, howled like
wolves, and walked away, apparently not at all
pleased at being disturbed in their devotions.
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At a distance from this monster, at the door
of a tent, formed of sheep-skins and cow-skins,
there stood three men, whom I took, at first, to
be butchers. I found they had long knives in
their hands; and, in the middle of the tent, lay
three sheep and a young bullock, that had just
been slaughtered. These, it seems, were sac-
rifices to that senseless idol, the three men being
priests, and the seventeen prostrate beings, those
that had made the offering.
I was so angry at the brutal folly of these peo-
ple, that I rode up to the image, and, with one
blow of my sword, cut in two the bonnet on its
head, so that it hung by one of the horns. One
of our men, who was with me, took hold of the
sheep-skin that covered it, and pulled it nearly
off, on which a hideous howling ran through the
village, and two or three hundred people rushed
towards us. We then put spurs to our horses,
and galloped off as fast as we could; but I re-
solved to visit them again.
Our caravan rested three nights at the town,
which was about four miles off, in order to get
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301
some horses that they wanted; several of our
horses having broken down, in consequence of
bad roads and hard travelling. I told the Scotch
merchant, of whose bravery I have spoken, what
I had seen in the idolatrous village, and that I
was resolved to go with four or five armed men,
if I could get as many to join me, and destroy
the shapeless image.
The merchant thought my zeal misplaced,
and thought the destruction of the idol would do
no good, because the natives could not be made
to understand why it was done. "Besides,"
added the merchant, "I would have you con-
sider that these people are subjected, by force,
to the emperor of Russia; and if you destroy
their idol, they will go, in thousands, to the
Russian governor of Nertzinskay; and, if he
cannot give them satisfaction, they will rebel,
and there will be a new war with all the Tar-
tars in the country."
This view of the case disconcerted me a little;
but I talked all day about the execution of my
project. I met the Scotch merchant again
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towards evening. "I believe," said he, "I
have
put off
your good design; and I have been
a little sorry, for I hate idols and idolatry as
much as you do."
"You have, indeed," answered 1, "
put off
the execution of my design a little, but you
have not made me give it up altogether; and I
believe, before I leave this place, I shall de-
stroy that image, though I am myself delivered
up to the idolaters to be punished for it."
"No, no," said the Scotchman; "God for-
bid that they should deliver you up to such a
crew of monsters! They shall not do that—
that would be murdering you outright."
66
Why," said I, "how would they use me?"
"Use you!" cried the merchant; "I'll tell
you how they served a poor Russian, who in-
sulted them in their worship, just as you have
done. They took him prisoner, after they had
lamed him with an arrow, so that he could not
escape. They then took him, stripped him,
and placed him on the top of the idol; then
they stood round, and shot as many arrows
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
303
into him as could stick in his body. After
that, they burned him alive, with the arrows
sticking in his body, as a sacrifice to the idol."
"And was this the same idol?" asked I.
(6
Yes," said he, "the very same."
"Well," said I, "I will tell you a story."
I then related what our men had done at Mad-
agascar, to avenge the murder of a shipmate.
I told him I thought we ought to do the same
thing to this village.
:
"But," said he, "you are very much mis-
taken the Russian was not killed here, but
at a village almost a hundred miles from this
place. The idol is the same, though, for they
carry him in procession all over the country."
"Well, then," said I, "the idol ought to be
punished for it; and it shall be destroyed, if I
live, this very night."
Finding me resolute, and not himself dislik-
ing the design, the merchant told me that he
would go with me; but said he would first
bring to me a Captain Richardson, a country-
man of his, who was very brave, and hated
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idolatry as much as I did. When the cap-
tain came, and heard me give an account of
what I had seen, he told me he would go with
me, if it cost him his life. Therefore, we three
and my man-servant, prepared to put the plan
in execution.
We resolved to wait till the night before we
started, that we might all be soon out of reach
of the enraged natives. The Scotch merchant
brought us Tartar dresses; so that, when the
people saw us, they might not be able to tell
who we were. We mixed up some combusti-
ble matter with brandy, gunpowder, and such
materials as we could get, and, having a quan-
tity of tar in a pot, started on our expedition
about an hour after night-fall.
We came to the place about eleven o'clock
at night, and found that the people suspected
nothing of the design against their idol. The
night was cloudy; but, by the dim light of the
moon, struggling through the clouds, we found
that the image stood in its former place. The
people seemed to be all at rest, but we saw a
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
305
light in the hut where I had found the priests;
and, going up to the door, we distinctly heard
five or six people talking inside. This was
rather unfortunate, because we knew, the mo-
ment we set fire to the idol, the blaze would
alarm these people, and they would rush out
and rescue their image.
We tried to move the idol, but could not
start it. Captain Richardson proposed setting
fire to the hut, and knocking the people on the
head as they fled from the flames. This I
would not listen to; but the Scotch merchant
proposed that we should take them prisoners,
bind them, and force them to stand still, and
witness the destruction of their idol.
We knocked at the door of the hut, and se-
cured the inmates, as they came to it, one by
one, bound them securely, and laid them down
around their idol. We then fell to work upon
the image. First of all, we daubed him all
over with tar and tallow, mixed with brimstone,
filling his eyes, ears, and mouth, full of gunpow-
der. We then bound straw and other com-
20
306
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
bustibles all over him. Next, we untied the
feet of the prisoners, and, making them stand
up before it, applied fire to their idol.
We staid till the powder blew up, and the
whole was consumed, when we returned to the
caravan, unsuspected. But the affair did not
end quietly; for, the next day, an immense
multitude of people came to the town-gates, and
insolently demanded satisfaction of the Russian
governor, for insulting their priests, and burn-
ing their great Cham-Chi-Thaungu, the almost
unpronounceable name of their nondescript
idol.
The Russian governor sent out messengers,
to try to pacify them. He assured them that
he knew nothing of the matter, and that not a
soul of his garrison, or the town's people, had
been abroad. He said if they would let him
know who the offender was, he should be se-
verely punished. They replied, haughtily, that
all the country reverenced the great Cham-
Chi-Thaungu, who dwelt in the sun, and no
mortal would have dared to injure his image,
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307
except the Christian miscreants, as they called
them they therefore denounced war against
him, and all the Russians, who, they said, were
Christians and miscreants.
The governor, unwilling to come to a breach
with them, still treated them civilly, and finally
told them that a caravan had gone towards
Russia, that morning, and that, perhaps, it was
some one of the members that had injured the
idol. He said, if they would be satisfied, he
would send after them, and inquire about it.
He accordingly sent after us, and told us how
things stood, hinting that, if any of us had
burned the idol, we had better escape speedily,
and that, at any rate, it would be best for the
caravan to push on as fast as possible.
We took the kind advice of the governor,
and travelled rapidly, for several days; but,
when we were two days' journey from the vil-
lage of Plothus, we saw clouds of dust behind
us, and perceived that we were pursued. We
had entered the desert, and had passed by a
great lake, called Schauks Osier, when we per-
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
ceived a very large body of horse, on the other
side of the lake, to the north of us.
We observed that they went in the same di-
rection that we did, supposing that we should
have taken the other side of the lake.
In two
days more, we lost sight of them; for they,
thinking that we were still before them, pushed
on, till they came to the river Adda, which is
very broad, farther north, but, at this place, is
narrow and fordable.
On the third day, they either found out their
mistake, or had intelligence of us; for they
came pouring in upon us, in the dusk of the
evening. Luckily, we had pitched our camp
at a convenient place, at the commencement of
a desert, which was five hundred miles long.
The desert, however, had a few woods in it on
this side, and many little rivers, which all flow-
ed into the Adda. It was in a narrow pass
between two small, but thick woods, that we
pitched our little camp for the night, expecting
constantly to be attacked.
The enemy was upon us before we had com-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
309
pleted our defences. They did not come like
thieves, but sent three messengers to us to de-
mand the men, who had abused their priests,
and burned their god Cham-Chi-Thaungu,
that they might burn them with fire. If the
men were given up, they said they would go
away; otherwise, they would burn us all.
Our men looked very blank, at this message,
and began to stare at each other, to see who
had the most guilt in their faces; but "nobody "
was the word-nobody did it. The leader of
the caravan sent word he was well assured
that it was not done by any of our camp; that
we were travelling merchants, who, as we in-
jured no one, had a right to expect that no one
would injure us. But, at the same time, he
let them know that we were prepared to repel
violence.
A large
This answer did not satisfy them.
body came down upon us by daybreak, but,
finding us well fortified, contented themselves
with sending a harmless flight of arrows, and
galloping off. Some time after this, we saw
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ROBINSON CRUSOE.
them move a little to the right. We now ex-
pected them upon our rear, but we were saved
by the ingenuity of a Cossack of Tarawena.
This fellow told the captain of the caravan.
that he would send the Tartars to Sibeilka, a
city four or five days' journey behind us. So he
took his bow and arrows, and rode away in our
rear; then, taking a wide sweep, he came up
to the Tartars, and told them that he was an
express, sent from Nertzinskay, to tell them
that the people that burnt the great Cham-
Chi-Thaungu had gone to Sibeilka with a car-
avan of miscreants. He thus imposed upon
the Tartars, and away they went to Sibeilka,
and we never heard from them again.
CHAPTER XXVII.
We went on, in safety, to the city of Tara-
wena, which was garrisoned by Russians.
Here we rested five days; for the caravan
were greatly fatigued by the journey. After
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
311
leaving this city, we were twenty-three days
in crossing a dreadful desert. Then we came
into a well-inhabited country, where I saw
some of the Tonguses, who are reduced to a
state of great wretchedness. They are dress-
ed in the skins of beasts, and their houses.
are built of the same. In winter, they live
under ground, in vaults which are connected
together. They are very idolatrous, and wor-
ship the stars, the sun, the water, and the
snow.
At length, we came to Tanezay, a Rus-
sian city on the river Tanezay, which is
the eastern boundary of the ancient Siberia.
From this river to the great river Oby, we
crossed a wild and uncultivated country.
have nothing material to say, till I came to
Tobolsk, the capital of Siberia, where I contin-
ued some time.
I
We had now been almost seven months on
our journey, and winter was coming on. My
partner and I thought it proper, as we were
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going to England, and not to Moscow, to de-
termine how we should continue to travel.
They told us that we might use sledges drawn
by reindeer, on which the Russians travel rap-
idly, in winter, over the frozen snow, which
covers the hills, the rivers, and the lakes. But
I was bound for England, and I must choose
one of two ways-either to go to Jarislaw, and
then west to Narva, and the Gulf of Finland,
and so, by sea or land, to Dantzic; or else to
leave the caravan at a little town on the Dwi-
na, and thence go by water. to Archangel, from
which I could get a passage to England.
But I thought it my best way to let the car-
avan go, and make provision to winter where I
was, viz. at Tobolsk, in Siberia, in the latitude
of sixty degrees, where I was sure of three
things—a cold winter, a warm house, and good
company. This being the country to which
the state criminals of Russia are banished, the
city was full of nobility and gentry, soldiers and
courtiers. Here were the famous prince Gal-
}
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313
liffkin, or Galoffkin, and his son; the old gen-
eral Robostisky, and several other persons of
note.
By means of the Scotch merchant, with
whom, however, I parted here, I made an ac-
quaintance with several of these gentlemen,
some of whom were of the first rank; and from
these, in the long winter nights, I received sev-
eral agreeable visits.
I was one evening with a certain prince, one
of the banished ministers of state. He had
been talking very eloquently of the greatness,
the magnificence, the extent of territory, and
the absolute power of the emperor of Russia.
I interrupted him, and told him that I was a
greater and more powerful prince than ever the
czar of Russia was, though my dominions were
not so large, nor my subjects so numerous.
The Russian grandee looked a little surprised,
and fixed his keen eyes on my countenance, as
if to read my meaning.
I told him his wonder would cease, when I
had explained myself. First, I told him that I
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had the absolute disposal of the lives and for-
tunes of all my subjects; that, notwithstanding
my absolute power, there was not one person
disaffected to my government, or my person, in
all my dominions. He shook his head at that,
and said that I indeed surpassed, in that re-
spect, at least, the czar of Russia. I told him
that all the lands in my kingdom were my own,
and all my subjects not only my tenants, but
voluntary tenants; that they would all fight to
death for me; and that never tyrant-for such
I acknowledged myself to be--was ever so uni-
versally beloved, and yet so horribly feared, by
his subjects.
After amusing them with these riddles in
government, for a short time, I opened my case,
and told them the story of my living on the
island, and how I managed both myself and the
people that were under me. They were all
very much pleased with my story. The Rus-
sian prince told me, with a sigh, that the
true greatness of life was, to be master of
ourselves; that he would not have changed
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
315
such a life as mine for the diadem of the auto-
crat, and that he enjoyed more happiness in
the retirement to which he was now banished,
than he ever had done in the highest authority
he had held at the court of his master.
He said that the height of human wisdom
was, to bring our tempers down to our circum-
stances, and to make a calm within, whatever
storm might rage without. He said that,
when he first came to Siberia, he used to tear
his hair, and rend his clothes, as others had
done before him; but a little time and consid-
eration made him look about him, and see
things in a true light.
The world, he said, had little to do with
real happiness. Air to breathe in, food to sus-
tain life, clothes for warmth, and liberty for
healthy exercise, completed, in his opinion, all
that the world could do for us. Though the
greatness, the authority, the riches, and the
pleasures, which some enjoyed in this world,
and of which he had enjoyed his share, had
much in them that was agreeable to us, yet he
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observed, that all these things chiefly flattered
the coarsest of our sentiments, our ambition, our
pride, our avarice, our vanity, and our passions.
He was now convinced, that virtue alone makes
a man truly wise, rich, and great, and preserves
him, in this way, for a superior happiness in
a future state. He ceased; but the glow of
truth and animation continued to brighten his
fine features long after he had done speaking.
I had now been here eight months, and I
thought the winter dark and dreadful. The
cold was so intense, that I could not so much
as look abroad without being wrapped in furs,
with a mask of fur before my face, or rather a
hood, with one hole for breath, and two for
sight. The little daylight we had, was, as we
reckoned, not more than five hours a day, or
six, at most, for the space of three months.
But, as the snow lay on the ground all the
time, and the weather was clear, it was never
quite dark. Our horses lived, or rather starv-
ed, under ground; and, as for our servants,—for
we hired servants here, to look after our horses
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
317
and ourselves, we had, every now and then,
their fingers to thaw and take care of, to pre-
vent their mortifying and falling off.
It is true that we were warm within doors,
because the houses were close, the walls thick,
the lights small, and the glass all double. Our
food was chiefly venison, cured and dried in
the proper season; very good bread, baked in
the form of biscuits; dried fish, of several sorts;
and some mutton and buffalo beef, which is
very good. All the provisions for the winter
are laid up in the summer, and well cured.
We drank mead, which we found pleasant and
healthy.
The hunters, who ventured abroad in all
weathers, brought us fine, fat, fresh venison, and
sometimes bear's meat, which many are very
fond of, but which I dislike. We had a good
stock of tea, with which we regaled our friends;
and, on the whole, passed the winter very com-
fortably.
It was now March: the days had grown.
considerably longer, and the weather had mod-
318
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erated a great deal. Other travellers began to
prepare sledges to carry them over the snow,
and to get ready for a start: but, as I had de-
termined to go to Archangel, and not to the
Baltic, I made no move, 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 were to get there by the beginning of Au-
gust, it would be as soon as any of the ships
would be ready to go away. Therefore, I
made no haste to be gone, as others did, and
saw a great many people, nay, all the travel-
lers, go away before me.
It seems they go, every year, from thence to
Moscow, to carry furs and buy necessaries with
them, which they bring back to furnish their
shops. Others, also, went on the same errand
to Archangel; but these last, as they had eight
hundred miles to go, had all set out before me.
About the latter end of May, I began to
make all ready to pack up. As I was doing
this, it occurred to me that, as all the banished
people who were here, had full liberty to go
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
319
wherever they pleased, it was very singular
that none of them attempted to escape. But
my wonder was over, when I spoke on the sub-
ject to the person I have mentioned, who an-
swered, "We are surrounded here with strong-
er things than bolts or bars. On the north
side is an unnavigable ocean, where ship never
sailed, and boat never swam; neither, if we
had both, should we know whither to go with
them. Every other way, we have a thousand
miles to pass through the czar's own dominions,
and, by every way, utterly impassable, except
by the government roads, and through towns
garrisoned by imperial troops. Therefore, we
could neither pass, undiscovered, by the road,
nor subsist in any other way; so that it is in
vain to attempt it."
I was silenced indeed; for I perceived that
the poor exiles are as well secured here as if
they had been lodged within the four stone
walls of the prison of Moscow. But it occur-
red to me that I might aid this excellent per-
son to escape, because there was no guard over
320
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
him; and, as I was going to Archangel, and
could encamp wherever I chose, we might passt
on uninterruptedly, and I could get him on
board an English or Dutch ship, and carry him
off safely. I proposed this to him.
My friend heard me attentively; but I could
see that he was violently agitated. His color
went and came; his breath was drawn quick;
the perspiration dropped from his forehead, and
his eyes sparkled with unusual brightness. At
length he embraced me, and said, "How un-
happy are we, misguided creatures that we
are, that even our greatest acts of friendship
are made snares to us, and we are made tempt-
ers of one another! My dear friend, your offer
is so sincere, has such kindness in it, is so dis-
interested of itself, and is so calculated for my
advantage, that I must have very little knowl-
edge of the world, if I did not both wonder at,
and acknowledge, the obligation you have laid
me under. But did you believe I was sincere
in what I have so often said to you of my con-
tempt of the world? Did you believe I spoke
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
321
my very soul to you? and that I really main-
tained that degree of happiness here, which had
placed me above all that the world could give
me, or do for me?
"Did you believe I was sincere, when I told
you I would not go back, even if I was recalled
to be all that I once was, in the court, when I
stood high in the favor of my imperial master?
Here I am free from the temptation of return-
ing to my former miserable greatness; there I
am not sure but that all the seeds of pride, am-
bition, avarice, and luxury, which I know re-
main in my nature, may revive and take root,
and, in a word, again overwhelm me. There
the happy prisoner, whom you now see master
of his soul's liberty, will be the miserable slave
of his own senses, while in the full possession
of all personal liberty! Dear sir, let me re
main in this blessed confinement, banished from
the crimes of life, rather than purchase a show
of freedom, at the expense of the liberty of my
reason, and at the expense of the future hap-
21
322
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
piness, which I have now in view, but which I
shall then quickly lose sight of.
I was very much surprised at his agitation,
as well as struck with admiration at the senti-
ments which he uttered. However, I told him
I would give him a short time to think of my
proposal. After he had reconsidered it a little
while, he came to me, and told me, that, deeply
as he felt the kindness of my offer, he did not
think he could accept it.
I had nothing to do but to acquiesce, and
assure him that I only sought to do him a ser-
vice in making the offer. He embraced me
very warmly, and assured me that he was sen-
sible of that, and should always acknowledge
it.
With that, he offered me a very fine pres-
ent of sables, too much, indeed, for me to ac-
cept from a man in his circumstances; and I
would have declined them, but he would take
no refusal.
The next morning, I sent my servant to his
lordship with a small present of tea, two pieces
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
323
of China damask, and four little wedges of
Japan gold, which did not weigh, in all, more
than six ounces, but fell far short of the value
of his sables, which were valued, in England,
at two hundred pounds. He accepted the tea,
and one piece of gold, which had a fine stamp
upon it of the Japan coinage, but would take
no more, and sent word, by my servant, that
he desired to speak with me.
When I came to him, he told me that, with
regard to what had passed between us, he ho-
ped I would urge him no more, but that, since I
had made him so generous an offer, he asked
me if I had kindness enough to offer the same
to another person, in whom he felt deeply in-
terested. I told him that I did not feel incli-
ned to do the same by another person, that I
would by him; but if he would name the per-
son, I would give him an answer. He then
told me that it was his son, whom I had not
seen, but who was in the same condition with
himself, more than two hundred miles from
324
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
him, on the other side of the Oby: if I con-
sented, he would send for him.
I readily gave my consent; and, the next
day, he sent for his son, who came back, in
about twenty days, with the messenger, bring-
ing six or seven horses, loaded with very rich
furs, which were very valuable. I bought
many furs, which, with that part of my cargo
that I did not dispose of in Siberia, I sold very
well in Archangel.
It was the beginning of June when I started.
Our caravan was now small, being only thirty-
two horses and camels in all. They passed
for mine, though my new companion was the
proprietor. The young lord passed for my
steward. He had with him a faithful Siberian
servant, who was well acquainted with the
country, and conducted us along, by safe roads,
avoiding the principal towns and cities on the
great road.
We had just entered Europe, having passed
the river Kama; and the first city, on the Eu-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
325
ropean side, was called Soloy Kamaskoy, which
means the Great City on the Kama. In a vast
forest, remote from human habitation, being
pursued by some Calmuc Tartars, we fortified
ourselves by cutting down branches of trees, so
as to make a kind of fence all round our en-
campment. About two hours before night,
they came directly down upon us.
They advanced till they were within half
musket shot of our little wood, when we fired
a musket, loaded only with powder, and
called to them, in the Russian language, to
know what they wanted, and told them to
keep off. But, as if they knew nothing of
what we said, they came up with fury, and
were enraged to find us so well fenced in.
Our old pilot was our captain, and desired us
not to fire till they came within pistol-shot;
and, when we did fire, to take good aim.
When we were ready for them, he gave the
word of command, and we aimed so true, that
we killed fourteen of them at the first volley,
and wounded several others, as well as several
326
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
of their horses.
This forced them to retreat;
but, about an hour after, they made a motion
to attack us again, and rode round our little
wood, to find where they could break in; but,
finding us ready to face, they went off again ;
and we resolved not to stir from the place that
night. Their numbers soon swelled to three
hundred, and they pitched their tents, for the
night, about a mile from us.
The Siberian, who was servant to the young
Russian nobleman, told us that, if we wished
to avoid a fight with the Tartars, he would
take us, in the night, by a path that went
towards the river Peteaz, by which way he
thought we might escape. The young lord was
of the opinion of the pilot, that we could resist
the enemy in our present position; but I thought
it too great a risk to match seventeen or eighteen
men against several hundred; and so I persua-
ded the young Russian to order his servant to
guide us away from the danger.
And first, as soon as it was dark, we kindled
a fire in our camp, which we kept burning, and
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
327
prepared so that it would last all night, that the
Tartars might conclude we were still there; but,
as soon as it was dark, that is to say, as soon as
we could see the stars,-for our guide would not
stir before that time, we followed him. He
steered his course by the Pole, or North Star,
the country being level for some distance.
After we had travelled very fast for two
hours, it began to be lighter still; not that it
was quite dark all night, but the moon began to
rise; so that, in fact, it was rather lighter than
we wished it to be. But, by six o'clock the
next morning, we had got forty miles; for, to
tell the truth, we had not spared our horses.
We now rested at a Russian village, named
Kermazinskoy, and heard nothing of the Cal-
muc Tartars that day. About two hours before
night, we set out again, and travelled till eight
the next morning, though not so fast as the night
before. About seven o'clock, we passed a little
river, named Kirtza, and came to a populous
Russian town, called Ozomys. There we heard
that several troops or herds of Calmucs, had
328
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
been abroad upon the desert, but that we were
now out of danger of them. This intelligence
delighted us, you may be sure.
Here we were obliged to get some fresh
horses; and, having need enough of rest, we
staid five days; and my partner and I agreed to
pay the honest Siberian, who had conducted us
hither, liberally.
In five days more, we came to Veussima, up-
on the river Witzogda, which empties into the
Dwina, where we were, happily, near the end
of our travels. We came to Lawrenskoy, where
the river joins, on the third of July, and provi-
ded ourselves with two baggage-boats, and a
barge for our convenience. We embarked on
the seventh, and arrived safe at Archangel on
the eighteenth, having been a year, five months
and three days on our journey, including our
stay of eight months and odd days at Tobolsk.
We were obliged to stay at this place for the
arrival of ships; and must have staid longer,
had not a Hamburgh vessel come in a month
sooner than any of the English ships. Think-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
329
ing that Hamburgh might be as good a market
for our goods as London, we all took freight
with the captain; and, having put my goods on
board, it was natural to send my steward on
board to take care of them, by which means,
the young lord had an opportunity to conceal
himself. He never came on shore again while
we staid there. This he did for fear of the
Moscow merchants, who might have seen him
in the city, and discovered him.
We sailed from Archangel on the twentieth
of August of the same year, and arrived in the
Elbe on the thirteenth of September. Here
my partner and I found a very good sale for our
China goods, as well as those of Siberia; and,
dividing the profits of our effects, my share
amounted to 34751. 17s. 3d., notwithstanding
the losses we had sustained, and the heavy ex-
penses we had been at.
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 was resolved to seek protec-
tion, and where he could correspond with those
330
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
of his father's friends who were left alive. He
did not part without all the testimonies he could
give of gratitude for the service I had done him,
and his sense of my kindness to the prince, his
father.
To conclude, having staid nearly four months.
in Hamburgh, I went over land to the Hague,
where I went on board a packet, and arrived in
London January 10, 1705, having been gone
from England ten years and nine months.
And now I have given up my worldly wan-
derings, for I am an old man ; and, having pass-
ed seventy-two years of a varied life, must now
prepare for a long and momentous journey, and
seek to end my days in peace.
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE
OF
DANIEL DEFOE.
DANIEL DEFOE, the author of Robinson
Crusoe, was born in London, in the year 1663.
His father's name was James Foe, and he was
a butcher. Our author's reasons for prefixing
a De to his family name, were never known.
His family, as well as himself, were dissenters;
that is, they dissented or differed from the es-
tablished church of England. Defoe's educa-
tion was limited, being nothing more than that
afforded by an ordinary school, or academy.
During a short period, in his youth, he was en-
gaged in business as a hosier.
332
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE
In 1685, being then in his 22d year, he took
up arms in the cause of the Duke of Monmouth,
but escaped punishment, when the rebellion
of that unfortunate nobleman was suppressed.
When the revolution placed William of Orange
on the throne of England, Defoe wrote a great
deal in support of him; yet he never received
much patronage from the court.
When Anne ascended the throne, Defoe's
previous political course made him very obnox-
ious his political sins were mustered against
him, and a tremendous catalogue they made.
He had been the supporter of William; he had
fought for Monmouth, and opposed James; he
had vindicated the revolution, and defended the
rights of the people; he had bantered, insult-
ed, and offended, all the tory leaders of the
Commons; and, after all, could not be quiet,
but must republish his most offensive produc-
tions.
His "Shortest Way with the Dissenters"
produced a proclamation offering a reward for
OF DANIEL DEFOE.
333
his apprehension. He was caught, fined, pillo-
ried, and imprisoned. Yet he bore up under
his misfortunes, wrote an Ode to the Pillory,
and commenced his Review in Newgate.
About the end of 1704, when, as our author
tells us, he lay, ruined and friendless, in New-
gate, Sir Robert Harley, then secretary of state,
offered to assist him, and, in fact, prevailed with
the queen to liberate and befriend him. In
1706, he was sent to Scotland, to promote the
great measure of the union of that country with
England. As the measure was unpopular, the
agent could not fail to be so; and he was even
exposed to danger in the discharge of his
duty.
In 1715, the situation of Defoe was deplo-
rable. He had been neglected by the public
characters whom he had served and befriend-
ed; he had been imprisoned and punished; and
now he was reviled and deserted. Defoe
sunk under his misfortunes; and an attack of
apoplexy seemed about to terminate his trou-
334
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICE
bled life. But his health revived, and he wisely
determined to abandon politics for literature.
The adventures of Alexander Selkirk, a
mariner, who passed a few years upon a deso-
late island, suggested to Defoe the idea of
Robinson Crusoe. No sooner did this enchant-
ing book appear, than it was received into pop-
ular favor. But, as the author had many ene-
mies, his literary reputation was attacked, and
he was accused of having stolen the papers of
Selkirk, and incorporated them in his work.
It is needless to say, that this accusation is
totally false. Selkirk's whole story was in-
cluded in a few pages, printed in Woodes
Rogers's Voyage round the World, and bears
but a faint resemblance to Robinson Crusoe.
Defoe is the favorite author of school-boys;
and there are few persons, of any age, who do
not recollect reading the record of Crusoe's life
in his happy island, with a delight that few
other books impart. The book has gone
through innumerable editions, and continues to
enjoy high favor with the public.
OF DANIEL DEFOE.
335
After the publication of the Life and Adven-
tures of Robinson Crusoe, Defoe appears to
have devoted himself to literature till the time
of his death, which occurred in 1731, when he
was 68 years old.