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Hubbard
Imag. Voy.
PT
1832
C&
R73
1988
v.3,4
Master George.
Linden
The left if
W
Scatchard
March 127.
1829.
WS Barber
·
!
AL
AN
J Bewie
NEW ROBINSON CRUSOE;
THE
AN INSTRUCTIVE AND ENTERTAINING
HISTORY,
FOR THE USE OF
CHILDREN OF BOTH SEXES.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH.
Embelliſhed with Thirty-two beautiful Cuts.
VOL 'III.
LONDON:
Printed for JOHN STOCKDALE, oppofite Burlington
Houfe, Piccadilly.
M DCC LXXXVIII.
Entered at Stationery Hall,
Res.
Regent L. R. Tabtand
970
11-4-1924-
THE
NEW ROBINSON CRUSOE.
FOURTEENTH EVENING.
MR. BILL. Yefterday I gave you the
particulars of Robinſon's manner of li-
ving. Three years paffed away, and it was
ftill the fame. In all that time, and with
fuch perfevering conftancy in labour, how
far do ye think was he advanced in the
making of his canoe ? Alas! he had ſcarcely
cut through half the trunk of the tree, and
it now feemed a matter of doubt to him
whether he could cut down the tree in lefs
A 3
than
4
THE NEW
than three or four years more, though he
were to work with the fame conſtant regu-
larity as before,
In the mean time he never flackened the
work. What elſe, indeed, could he have
undertaken? And, then, he was neither
willing not able to remain idle.. One day
the thought ftruck him, that as long as he
had lived in this ifland, he had ſeen but a
very ſmall part of it. He was angry with
himſelf for his own weakneſs, when he reflected
that fear was the cauſe which had prevented
him from traverfing the whole of it. “Per-
haps," ſaid he," had I been lefs afraid,
I might have difcovered many things
which would at prefent be very ufeful to
me.”
This confideration determined him to fet
out the very next morning by day-break in
order to talse a'view' of the whale iſland.
Edw. How large might this iſland be ?
Mr. Bill. Perhaps much about the ex-
tent of the county of Middleſex. The
fame day he made every requifite. preparaz
tion
ROBINSON
'5
CRUSOE.
tion for his departure; and the next morn-
ing, having loaded one of his lamas with
provifions for four days, having armed and
accoutered himſelf, and prayed for the di-
vine protection, he fet out on his journey
with confidence. His defign was to keep
as much as poffible to the fea-fide, and to
avoid forefts, that he might be lefs liable to
meet with wild beaſts.
His firft day's journey was remarkable
for no extraordinary accident.
He tra-
velled about twenty miles. The farther
he went the plainer he could perceive that
the fituation of his dwelling-place was in
the barreneſt part of the iſland. In many
parts he found trees, fuch as he had never
feen before, which appeared to bear fruits
capable of furniſhing him with a nouriſh-
ment as wholefome as it was agreeable. It
was not until fome time after that he knew
the uſefulneſs of them, and learned their
names.
Amongſt theſe trees was one called the
A 4
paper
6
NEW
THE
paper mulberry tree, the bark of which is
wrought into a fine fort of paper by the
people of Japan, and makes a handfome
fummer ftuff for the inhabitants of Ota-
heité. I will fhew you a piece of it, which
I received as a prefent from a gentleman
who had been with Captain Cook. Ro-
binfon flept the firft night in a tree, that
he might be the more fecure from wild
beafts, and at the firft dawn of day he fet
out again.
He had not travelled far before he found
himſelf at the Southern extremity of the
ifland. In fome places the foil was fandy.
He had a mind to walk out upon a neck
of land which extended pretty far into the
fea, but fuddenly ftarting back, he grew as
pale as death. He looked round him all
in a tremble, and then, hanging his head,
ftood ſtock ſtill and incapable of motion, as
if he had been ftruck by a thunderbolt.-
[See the frontispiece to this volume.]
Rich. What was the matter with him?
Mr.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 7.
Mr. Bill. His eyes difcovered what he
never expected to find there, the tracks of
men's feet imprinted in the fand.
Edw. What! does that frighten him?-
I think he fhould rejoice at the fight.
Mr.. Bill. I will explain to you the rea-
fon of his fright. Upon his firft beholding
theſe tracks, he did not reprefent to himſelf
the men, whofe fteps had left the impref-
fions he ſaw, as civilized, humane, com-
paffionate beings, ever ready to affist their.
fellow creatures according to their power;
but he imagined them to be barbarous,
cruel, ferocious, ready, if they met him, to
fall upon him, cut his throat, and devour
him: in a word, he did not fuppofe that
civilized Europeans had been upon the ſpot,
but favages and cannibals; that is, as I be-
fore explained it to you, and which you
could not hear, without being ſhocked, men
whofe horrible cuftom it was to feed upon,
human fleſh.
4
Rich. That idea is enough, indeed, to
fhock one.
A 5
Mr.
8
NE
THE
Mr. Bill. It would have been better for
Robinfon, had he been accustomed from
his childhood not to give way to the im
pulfe of terror, even in the greateft dan-
gers, and had he, at this moment, preſerved
more coolnefs and prefence of mind. We
can all bring ourſelves to it, if we will but
pay an early and conftant attention to the
rendering of our bodies, as well as our minds,
found and vigorous.
1
Rich. But I do not rightly underſtand
how we can bring ourſelves to this temper.
"
Mr. Bill. By fortifying our bodies with
fobriety, regularity, and exercife, confor-
mably to the intent of nature, and by pre-
ferving our minds free from blemiſh, by a
fteady and enlightened piety. Thus forti-
fied, we fhall be able to bear every change
of fortune, and look upon danger with an
eye of indifference. Thus, my dear chil-
dren, if you will always temperately con-
fine yourſelves to thofe forts of food which
are by fo much the more wholeſome, as
they are more plain and natural than others,
and
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
9
and prepared with lefs luxurious nicety;
if you will abftain more and more every
day from delicacies, thofe poifons in dif-
guife, as pernicious to the health as they
are agreeable to the taſte; if you will avoid
idlenefs, which is equally deftructive to the
body as the foul, if, as far as lies in your
power, you will accuftom your minds to a
habit of attention and reflection,. and
ftrengthen your bodies with a degree of ex-
ercife that inures you to motion without ex-
hauſting you; if ſometimes, on purpoſe, and
of your own free choice, you will abſtain
from a thing which would be very agree-
able to you, which you even defire, and
which it is perfectly in your own power to
procure yourſelves; if, upon other occafions,
you contentedly bear with things that
feem difagreeable, though you could avoid
doing fo; if, farther, you contract the habit.
of not having recourſe to others, but, of
the contrary, of finding in yourſelves a re-
fource for all your wants, thus, as far as lies
in your power, doing without the affiſtance
Į
A 6
of
10
THE NEW
of other hands, and ufing your own judg-
ments in order to receive from your own fa-
culties advice and affiftance in every trou-
ble and difficulty; if, laftly, you labour with
care to acquire and preferve to yourſelves
the precious treaſure of a confcience free
from reproach, which affures you of the
protection and favour of the Almighty:
then, my dear children, you will gain, and
-you will feel yourſelves poffeffed of, all the
ftrength of body and mind that you are ca
.pable of poffeffing. The moft whimſical
and moft undeferved changes of fortune will
not trouble nor difcompofe your fouls. The
moſt difagreeable events, may cauſe you
fome furpriſe, but will not have, power to
fhake your fortitude, nor to alter the fere-
nity of your minds; perfuaded that, under
the government of a Providence as wife as
powerful, nothing can poffibly happen which
will not turn to your greatest advantage.
Robinſon, as you fee, had not yet reach-
ed, by his progrefs in true piety, that de-
gree of fortitude forneceffary to his happi-
.༤
nefs
ROBINSON CRUSOE. L
་
nefs and repoſe. This may be imputed to
the life which he had led for fome years, ſo
tranquil and fo unexpofed to dangers.. In-
a ſtate of conftant tranquillity, (mark well
this truth, my dear children,) in a fituation
of perfect fecurity, man never acquires all
the energy nor all the courage of which his
mind is ſuſceptible. Does it fo happen that
he is fuddenly placed in circumſtances unu,
fual and terrifying? He is weak, timid,
and overpowered with terror. Nay, too
much eaſe ſometimes ferves no other pur
poſe than to render a man vicious. We
ought, therefore, to receive as bleffings
thofe trials which Heaven fends us from
time to time, be they ever fo fevere, fince
they are the means of knowing, of exer-
çifing, and ftrengthening; our courage by
experience.
You remember into what a confternation
the unexpected fight of fome tracks of men's
feet threw the poor affrighted Robinſon.,
He looks round to every quarter; at the
noife of every leaf he feels fresh terror. In
the
{
1
$12
THE NE W
JA
the confufion of his fpirits, he knows not what
to refolve on at laft, mußtering up all his
ſtrength, he takes to flight, with the utmoſt
precipitation, like a man who is purſued ;
and fo great is his terror, that he dares not,
even once, look back. But fuddenly he
tops; his fear is changed into horror.
What an object ftrikes his eye! Ah! my
dear children, prepare yourſelves for the moſt
hocking fpectacle in nature; the horrible
confequences of man's depraved ſtate when
totally abandoned to himſelf, and deprived
of all education. He Taw a round hole, in
the middle of which was a fpace whereon
a fire feemed to have been kindled, though
it was then out. All round this hole-I
fhudder while I relate ithe perceived
hands and feet, fculls, and other human
bones, ſcattered about, which préfented the
horrible remains of an unnatural feaft, where
a human body had been devoured
1
The Children. How fhocking! What, by
men ?
Mr. Bill. Can they be called men? They
have
ROBINSON
CRUSOE. I
have only the outſide of men: without edu-
cation, degraded, rendered brutal, and like
the moſt ravenous animals, neither the loath-
ing which fach an action would naturally
producé, nor the compaffionate feelings of
humanity, prevent them from following the
abominable cuſtom of murdering their fel
low-creatures to feed on them. Theſe were
their prifoners of war, on whom, after they
had cut their throats and roafted them;
they made a horrible feaft, in which their
favage joy manifefted itſelf by dances and
fongs, or rather the howlings of gorged can-
nibals.
•
Charlotte. Oh! the deteftable creatures!
Mr. Bill. Let us, my dear Charlotte, de-
teft their atrocious manners, and not their
perfons: they have received no education,
no inſtruction. If you had been fo unfor
tunate as to have received your birth
amongſt theſe favage people, you would,
like them, run about naked in the woods,
without the leaſt ſhame, ftupid and fierce
as a brute beaft: you would paint your bo-
dy
14
NE W
THE
1
}
dy and your face with various colours, partie
cularly red: you would make holes in your
nofe and ears, and be very proud to carry in
them, for ornament,. birds feathers, fea
fhells, and other trifles you would, then,
make one at the abominable feafts of your
depraved relations, and there take your
share with as much pleaſure as you do now
at our beſt dinners. Rejoice, therefore, all
of you, and blefs God that you belong to
parents who were born and bred up in po-
lifhed fociety, where they have learned, from
their infancy, to be humane, civil, polite, and:
friendly, and not to neglect any thing thats
may render you alſo mild, agreeable, .com-
paffionate, and fufceptible, of every virtue.
Pity the unhappy.lot of thofe men who, be
ing left to themſelves, ftill lead a favage
life like that of wild beafts in the woods..
:
Henry. And are there any fuch ſtill:? :
· Rich. Far off, very far off from. hence,
in an inland called New Zealand. Papa.
read us fomething about it laft winter in
Captain Cook's Voyages: The natives of
:
that
ROBINSON CR USO E. 15
that island eat human fleſh; but, it is to be
hoped, their intercourfe with our people
will,, by degrees, bring them to leave off ſo
barbarous a cuſtom.
Henry. That would be well done.
Mr. Bill. Robinſon turned his eyes away
from the hideous fpectacle; it made him
quite fick, and he would, in all likelihood,
have fainted, if nature had not relieved her-
ſelf, by forcing him to throw up whatever
was upon his ſtomach. As foon as he was
a little recovered, he fled away again with
fo much precipitation, that his lama could
fcarely keep up with him; for this faithful
animal followed clofe at his heels wherever
he went. Fear had fo taken poffeffion of
Robinſon's faculties, that he quite forgot
his lama, and, hearing its fteps cloſe by
him, as he ran, had not the least doubt but
there was a cannibal behind in cloſe purfuis
of him. Filled with this notion, he fled with
redoubled fpeed, to efcape from the imagi
nary favage at his heels, and, in order to be
lefs encumbered and lighter in his flight, he
threw
16
THE NEW
{
threw away his fpear, his bow, his arrows,
and his hatchet. This might have been the
moment to make ufe of them, but he never
once thought of doing fo; in flight alone
he placed all his dependence. But, in his
flight, he forgets whither he is running; he
regards not which way he takes the openeft
ground is that which he prefers, let it lead
him where it will. Thus, after he had run
for near an hour, it happened that he made
a circuit, which brought him back to the
very fpot from whence he had ſet out.
Here was new terror! new perplexity!
He forgot the place; he had no idea that it
was the fame which he had feen before; he
takes it for a fecond proof of the horrible
cruelty, the fight of which he was endea-
vouring to avoid. He turns away, there-
fore, from the spot, and continues his flight
as long as he has ftrength to carry him.
At length, quite exhaufted, he falls down
without fenfe or motion. Here his lama,
having overtaken him, lies down befide
him, spent with fatigue. By mere chance
it
ROBINSON
CRUS O E. 17
it was the very fpot where Robinfon had
thrown away his arms; and thefe were
the first objects that ftruck his eyes the mo-
ment he opened them. Seeing his arms
fcattered about on the grafs, he imagined
himfelf in a dream, and that whatever had
paffed was no more. He could not con-
ceive by what means they were convey-
ed there, nor how he came there himfelf; fo
much had his fright difturbed all the facul
ties of his mind..
He rofe now to leave the place, but his
confufion being fomewhat abated, he was
not fo imprudent as to forget his arms: he
gathered them up, and firmly refolved to
part no more with the only means of his de
fence. He was fo weakened, that it was
impoffible for him now to make fo much
hafte as before, though equally urged by
fear. He had no appetite for the remain-
der of the day, and he never ftopped but
once, which was only for a moment, at a
spring to quench his thirſt.
He hoped to be able to get home that
fame
F&
THE NEW
fame day, but found it impoffible.
At
For
night-fall he was within a couple of miles of
his own dwelling, at a place which he called
his country feat. It was a pretty large en-
cloſure, which he had chofen as a kind of
park for one part of his flock, becauſe the
grafs was better there. than in the neigh
bourhood of his cave.. The year before,
he had lain there ſeveral nights in the fum-
mer time, being grievously, tormented with
mufkitoes at his old dwelling-place.
this reafon he called the fpot his country
feat. His ftrength being quite gone, he
was not able to go any farther. Whatever
danger'there might be in paffing the night
in fo unfafe a place, neceffity obliged him to
stop there. Quite worn out with fatigue,
and his mind ſtill agitated with fear, he lay
down to take fome repofe, but fearcely was
he half aſleep,, when a fresh fubject of terror
had nearly deprived him of his fenfes once
more.
Rich. Poor fellow! to what alarms he is
expofed!
}
Edw.
酱
​ROBINSON CRUSOE.
19
Edw. What was the matter, then?
Mr. Bill. He heard a voice in the air,
which very diſtinctly uttered theſe words,
"Robinſon, poor Robinfon! where have
you been? How came you here ?”
+
Rich. Blefs me! what could it be?
Mrs Bill. Robinſon ſtarted up, all in a
tremble, not knowing what to think. He
hears the fame words repeated; he ventures
to turn his eyes towards the quarter from
which the voice came, and finds-what
think ye?
{
f
The Children. Nay, we can't tell.
*
1
: Mr. Bill. He found, what a coward, if
he would take the pains to examine before
he gave way to his fears, would, almoſt al-
ways find that he had no reaſon to be
alarmed; he found that it was no voice in
the air, but the voice of his own parrot,
which was perched upon the branch of a
tree close by.
The Children. Ha! ha ha! that is droll
enough.
Mr..Bill. No doubt the bird. was tired
·· of
29
+
مجھے
NEW
THE
of being left alone-in the cave, and as it had
many a time before followed its master to
the place where he now was, it came thi
ther to ſeek him, and pronounced the fame
words which Robinfan had repeated to it
hundreds of times.
His fright was now turned to joy at hav-
ing found out the caufe of the falfe alarm.
Robinson ftretches out his hand and calls
"Pall!" The 'bird flies, to him, and wel-
comes him with a hundred fond careffes, all
the while crying, "Robinfon! poor Robin-
fon! where have you been ?”
ง
Still reftlefs and apprehenfive, Robinson
fcaree cloſed his eyes the whole night. He
had for ever before him the horrid fpot
which firft occafioned his fright. He ftrove,
but in vain, to banish it from his imagina-
tion; all his endeavours were to no purpoſe.
When once the imagination receives a vio-
lent fhock, to what extremities does it caufe
a. man's thoughts to wander? What a
cloud of darkneſs does paffion fpread over
his reafon? Robinfon thought of a thou-
fand
{
ROBINSON
CRUSOE. 21
fand plans for his future fecurity, every one
more extravagant than the other. Amongst
the reft would you believe it?-he had
formed the refolution of deftroying, as
foon as it was day-light, all the works that
he had made, and not to leave a trace
remaining of all that had coft him ſo much
labour, The 'copfe in which he now lay,
and the hedge enclofing the whole park,
were to be deſtroyed; his lamas turned
loofe; his dwelling place at the cave, and
the willow row, to be all demolished; his
garden and trees to be grubbed up; in
fhort, every thing was to be facrificed to
his fafety. He would not have the ſmalleſt
appearance remaining of any thing that
might ſeem to be the work of man's hands.
Rich. For what reafon?
Mr. Bill. That, if the favages fhould
chance to pay a vifit to this fide of the iſland,
they might not perceive, nor even ſuſpect,
that there was a man there.
Let us now leave him to his apprehen
fions, as we can be of no affiſtance to him;
and
22
THE NEW
and while we go to reft, fheltered from the
danger to which he thinks himſelf expofed,
let us be fenfible of our own happineſs. Let
us return thanks to the Supreme Being, that
we were born in a country, where, living
amongſt men who are civilized, and willing
to afford us friendſhip and affiftance, we
may compoſe ourſelves to reft without hav-
ing any thing to fear from the barbarity of
inhuman favages,
The Children. Good night, papa; much
obliged to you. How agreeable has this
evening's entertainment been !
:
FIFTEENH EVENING.
M
Y dear children, it is a good proverb
which adviſes us to confult our pillow
before we take any important reſolution.
Robinfon
ROBINSON
CRUSOE. 23
Robinfon found the advantage of comform-
ing to this advice.
You remember the ftrange refolutions
which his exceffive fear made him form.
He was very happy that he put off the per-
formance of them until the next day. Scarce
had the mild light of morning difperfed the
fhades of night, when he faw things in quite
a different view. What he before judged
prudent and neceffary, appears to him a
ſenſeleſs and extravagant project. In a
word, he rejects all the haſty ſchemes that
fear had put in his head, and he forms other
plans which his fober judgment approves.
Let his example teach you, that, in affairs
which may
be put off, you ſhould not pafs
from refolving immediately to performing;
defer this latter till the next day, as often
as you conveniently can.
Robinſon now faw and acknowledged
that his fright, the day before, had been car-
ried to an extravagant pitch. "I have
been here," faid he, "a long time, and no
favage has ever yet come near my habi-
cation,
VOL. III.
B
24
THE NEW
tation, which is proof enough that they are
not fettled in this ifland. It is most likely
that they are inhabitants of another ifland,
from whence fome of them come here now
and then, to celebrate their victories by a
horrible feaſt; and probably they never land
but at the Southern point of the iſland, and
return to their own country without having
the curiofity to come any farther. It is,
therefore, by the particular direction of
Heaven that I have been thrown on this
part of the coaft, the leaft fertile in the
whole ifland. This very difadvantage is
now the cauſe of my fecurity.
'
Why should I not hope that the fame
good Providence will continue to protect
me againſt all dangers, fince I have hither-
to been fo remarkably preferved from the
greateſt?" He then reproached himſelf
bitterly for having the night before fhewn
fo little confidence in his heavenly Father.
Filled with forrow and repentance, he threw
himſelf proftrate on the ground, to implore
pardon for this new fault. Having now re-
covered
ROBINSON
CRUSOE. 25
covered his ſtrength, he walked towards his
cave to put in execution the new deſigns
which he had juſt formed.
Rich. What did he propofe to do?
Mr. Bill. He intended to take fome pro-
per meaſures for his greater fecurity, which
was very reaſonable for although it be our
duty to depend on Providence, being per-
fuaded, that, while we conform our lives to
the divine precepts, we ſhall not be forfaken
in time of need, yet, on our fides, we
ſhould neglect nothing that may contri-
bute to our happineſs or fecurity; for we
certainly were never endowed with reafon,
nor our minds, nor even our bodies, en-
riched with fuch various faculties and pow-
ers, for any other purpoſe, but that we
fhould, as far as in us lies, make them all
unite towards rendering us more fecurely
happy.
The first thing that he did, was to plant,
without fide, at a ſmall diftance from the
trees which enclofed the front fpace before
his cave, a thick wood which might cover
:
B 2
it
26
THE NEW
it at a diftance, and hinder it from being
feen.
With this defign, he planted, one after
another, near two thouſand flips of that fort
of willow which he had before obferved to
}
take root and grow up in fo fhort a time.
He took good care not to plant them in
rows on the contrary, he avoided all regu-
larity, on purpoſe to give the whole the ap-
pearance of a natural growth rather than of
artificial arrangement. He refolved next
to dig a fubterraneous paffage from the bot-
tom of his cave to the other fide of the hill,
that, in a cafe of extremity, as, for inftance,
when the enemy ſhould have ſcaled his bar-
ricade, he might have a back-way to efcape
by. This was alſo a troubleſome and tedi-
ous taſk; and you muſt underſtand, that, in
order to have leifure for it, he was obliged.
to give up the making of the canoe for a
while.
In opening this fubterraneous paffage, he
began exactly as miners do, who firſt dig a
pit, and then a gallery.
Geo.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 27
Geo. What fort of a gallery?
Rich. Do you forget? I can tell you.
The miners, in making a mine, firft dig in-
to the earth ftraight down, as thofe do who
are digging a well; and this perpendicular?
opening they call a pit. When they are
come to a certain depth, they begin to hol-
low it out horizontally; and this paffage
they call a gallery. Thus they go on from
pits to galleries, and from galleries to pits,
until they come to the vein or bed of metal
which they are feeking.
Ob
Mr. Bill. Very well explained.
ferve, that, when they dig thus fideways, or
horizontally, the earth which is over their
heads would foon crumble down, if they'
did not take care, as they went on, to keep it
up this they do by means of crofs planks,
which reach from one fide of the paffage to
the other, and reſt upon uprights. Robin-
fon took the fame precaution.
Whatever earth he cleared out of it, he
carried clofe to the hedge, and took care to
level it. Thus, by degrees, he raiſed a ter-
B 3
race,
1
28
THE NEW
race, about ten feet high, and almoſt eight
thick. At convenient diftances, he had left
openings, or port-holes, that he might fee
the out-country. He had, befides, made
fteps to go up to the top of the terrace, in
cafe he fhould, one day or other, be obliged
to defend his little fort from the top of his
rampart.
He ſeemed now fufficiently fecured.
againſt a ſudden or fhort attack. But, then,
if the enemy fhould be obſtinate, and block
him up for fome time, what are to be his
refources?
This blocking up was not a vain fancy:
it was by no means impoffible that fuch a
thing might happen fome day or other. He
thought it, therefore, neceffary to provide
alfo againſt ſuch an event, and to contrive
means whereby he might avoid the neceffity
of furrendering for want of proviſions, or
elfe dying of hunger. To prevent any
fuch extremity, he refolved to keep con-
ſtantly within the encloſure, at leaſt, one of
his lamas that gave milk, and to have, by
L
way
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
29
way of reſerve for the ſupport of this animal,
a fmall rick of hay, which was not to be
touched unleſs in cafe of neceffity. He
was moreover refolved to lay up a ſtock of
cheeſe, fruits, and oysters, and recruit it
from day to day, according as the one or
the other became unfit to keep.
He
He had thought of another defign, but
was obliged to give it up, foreſeeing that it
would be too tedious in the execution.
was defirous that the water of the neigh-
bouring ſpring, which formed a ſmall rivulet,
might be conveyed, if poffible, to the very
door of his cave, that, in cafe of a fiege, he
might not be deprived of fo neceffary a con-
veniency. To effect this, he would have
been obliged to cut through a fmall hill,
which, however, was large enough to re-
quire a very confiderable time before the la-
bour of a fingle man could complete fuch a
cut. He thought it, therefore, better to
give up the idea, and return to the making,
of his canoe.
鲁
​For fome years there happened nothing:
B 4
worth
30
THE NEW
worth relating. I haften now to an event
which had more influence on the lot of Ro-
binſon, than all that had happened to him
in his inland as yet.
One fine clear morning, as he was work-
ing at his canoe, he perceived a very thick
fmoke rifing at a diſtance. The terror with
which he was at firft feized upon fight of this,
gave way to curiofity. He haftened to the
top
of his little hillock to difcover the true
cauſe of the fmoke. Scarcely was he ar-
rived there, when he was ftruck with con-
fternation at the fight of five or fix canoes
drawn up on the beach, and a ſcore or two of
favages dancing round a great fire, with the
moſt fantaſlic motions and 'horrid cries
imaginable.
Though Robinſon ought to have expect-
ed fuch a fight one time or other, yet here
again he was near falling into a fwoon with
terror. However, this time he quickly re-
covered his fpirits, by placing his confidence
in his Maker. He ran down the hill to put
himſelf in a poſture of defence, took his
arms,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
31
arms, implored the affiftance of Heaven, and
firmly refolved to defend his life to the laſt
extremity. Fortified in this refolution by
his piety, he found himſelf maſter of fuffi-
cient courage and prefence of mind to go
up again by his ladder of ropes to the top
of the hill, from whence he was defirous of
viewing all the enemy's motions.
Preſently his indignation and horror was
raiſed to the higheſt pitch, when he beheld
them drag two unfortunate wretches from
the canoes towards the place where the fire
was. He fufpected, at firſt fight, that they
were going to diſpatch them; and he very
foon found that he was not miſtaken. Some
of theſe monſters kill one of the captives,
and two others fall upon him, no doubt, in
order to cut him into pieces, and prepare
their abominable feaſt. During this ſhock-
ing execution, the other prifoner fat a me-
lancholy ſpectator of what was doing, in the
expectation of very foon receiving the fame
treatment in his turn.
But while theſe bar-
taken up with the
B 5
barians were bufily
butchery
32
THE NEW
butchery of his. companion, he watches a
moment when no body had an eye upon
him, and, with the hope of efcaping death,
he ſuddenly ſtarts away, and flies with afto-
niſhing ſwiftnefs directly towards Robin-
fon's dwelling-place.
Joy, hope, fear, and horror, alternately
feized on Robinfan's heart; they appeared
fucceffively in his countenance, which was.
pale and red by turns. He felt a joy min-
gled with hope, when he obferved the pri-
foner to gain ground confiderably on his
purfuers he was filled with fear and horror
when he faw both parties coming as ftraight
as poffible towards his habitation. They
were ſeparated from it only by a ſmall creek,
which the favage, who fled, muft crofs, by
fwimming, to avoid falling into the enemy's
hands. As foon as he came to the bank of it,,
he threw himſelf in without hefitation, and
croffed it with the fwiftnefs that he had exerted
in running. Two of thofe who were nearest
to him threw themſelves in after him,, and
all the reft returned to their abominable
N
feaft.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
33*
feaft. Robinſon perceived, with much fa-
tisfaction, that theſe two laft were not, by a
great deal, fuch expert fwimmers as he
whom they purfued. He was landed be-
fore they had half croffed the creek. At
this moment, Robinfon was animated with
a courage and zeal, fuch as he had never
felt before his eyes fparkled; his heart
throbbed, and ſeemed to urge him to the
affiſtance of the weaker party. He takes
his fpear, and, without hefitating, runs down
from the top of the hillock. In the twink-
ling of an eye he paffes through the grove,.
aud, coming out on the other fide, finds him-
felf juft between the purfuers and the pur-
fuéd. He cries to the latter, Stop! ftop!"
but he, turning about, is terrified at the
looks of Robinfon dreft up in fkins; he
takes him for fome fuperior being, and he-
fitates whether to fall at his feet or run away
from him. Robinfon, ftretching out his
hand, gives him to underſtand, by figns,,
that he was his friend, and then, turning
about, marches towards the enemy. When
B 6.
within
34
THE NEW
1
within reach of the foremoſt favage, he
throws his fpear at him, and ftrikes him to
the ground. The other favage, being about
one hundred yards behind, ftops, quite fur-
priſed, fixes an arrow to his bow, and dif-
charges it at Robinſon, who was coming up
to him. The arrow ftruck him on the left
breaſt, where the heart lies; but luckily it
came with no great force, and the ſkins kept
it off as well as a coat of armour could have
done. The arrow fell at Robinſon's feet,
and he felt not the fmalleft hurt from it.
Our hero does not give his enemy time to
fhoot a ſecond arrow; he rufhes upon him,
and, before the favage can draw the bow-
string, Robinſon lays him lifeless in the
duft.
He now turns towards him whom he had
protected, and fees him ftill on the fame
fpot motionleſs, betwixt hope and fear,
doubting whether the action that he had
juſt been witness to, was meant for his pre-
fervation, or whether he himſelf muft fall,
in his turn, beneath the mighty blows of this
unknown
85
J. Bewick del 25 Sc?
-
.....་་..་་་་་་་པ་་་་“ས་་བས་སྐབ་་ནས་བས་་་
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
35
unknown being. The conqueror calls him;
.makes him underſtand, by ſigns, that he is
to come nearer. He at first obeys, then
ftops, walks on a little way, ftops again,
advances flowly with evident marks of fear,
and in the attitude of a fuppliant. Robin-
fon makes him every fign of friendſhip poſ
fible, and invites him to come cloſe up to
him. The favage approaches; but at every
ten ſteps proftrates himfelf on the ground,.
at the fame time to thank him and to teſtify
his fubmiffion to him..
Robinfon takes off his mafk, and looks at
him with a mild; humane, and friendly air..
At this fight the favage hefitates no more,
but flies towards his deliverer, proftrates
himſelf, kiffes the ground, takes one of Ro-
binſon's feet and puts it on his neck,. to fig-
nify that he was his flave. But our hero,
who knew that he had more occafion for a
friend than a flave, quickly held out his
hand to him in a friendly manner, raiſed
him up, and endeavoured, by all the means
imaginable, to convince him that he fhould
be
36
THE NEW
be well uſed. However, there ftill remain-
ed fomething to be done.
The first favage was wounded, but not
killed. Being now come to himfelf, he was
gathering herbs and applying them to his
wound to stop the blood. Robinſon made
the favage, who ftood near him, obſerve
this, who immediately fpoke fome words in
return. Though Robinſon did not under-
ſtand them, yet they pleafed his ear by their
novelty, being the firſt found of the human
voice that he had heard for many years.
The Indian, fixing his eyes alternately upon
Robinſon and his hatchet, pointing to it
with his finger, and then drawing his hand
back again fhily, gave him to underſtand
that he defired this weapon to diſpatch the
enemy. Our hero, though loth to fhed
human blood, yet fenfible of the neceffity
of killing the wounded favage, gives his
hatchet, and turns his eyes from ſeeing the
bloody uſe that is going to be made of it.
The Indian runs up to his adverſary, ſtrikes
off his head at a blow, and returns with the
cruel
↑
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
37
Then,
cruel fimile of gratified revenge.
making a thouſand wry faces, and throwing
Himfelf into a thouſand odd poftures, he lays
at Robinſon's feet, by way of a trophy, the
hatchet, together with the bleeding head of
the favage he had killed.
Robinſon made figns to him to gather
up the bows and arrows of the ſlain, and
to follow him. The Indian, in return,
gave him to underſtand, by figns, that, be-
fore they went away, it would be pro-
per to bury the two dead favages in the
fand, that, if their companions ſhould after-
wards come to ſeek them, they might not
find any remains of them.
Robinſon having fignified that he ap-
proved this precaution, the Indian fell to
work with the affiſtance only of his hands,
but with ſo much activity and diſpatch,
that in lefs than a quarter of an hour the
two bodies were buried. They then ſet
out together towards Robinſon's abode, and
went up to the top of the hillock.
Charlotte.
38
THE NEW
Charlotte But, papa, was not Robinfor
guilty of murder?
Henry. Oh! thoſe that he had killed were
favages; there was no harm in killing
them.
Charlotte. Yet ſtill they were men.
Mr. Bill. Certainly they were men, my
dear Henry; favages or civilized is not the
point. The question is, Had Robinſon a
right to take away their lives?
Rich. I think he did very right.
Mr. Bill. And why?
Rich. Becauſe they were inhuman crea-
tures, and would have murdered a poor
wretch who perhaps had never done them
any harm.
Mr. Bill. How did Robinfon know that?
Might not the favage who was pursued have
deferved death? The others were, perhaps,
officers of juſtice, acting under the authority
of their fuperiors. Befides, who had made
Robinſon judge between them?
Edw. If he had not killed them, they
would
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
39
would have diſcovered his retreat, and have
told all their companions of it.
Geo. And they would all have come in a
body, and have murdered our poor Ro-
binfon.
Henry. And devoured his body.
Mr. Bill. Why that is a pretty good
reafon. You are not far wrong: he had a
right to do it for his fecurity. But, am I
excufable in taking away another man's
life that I may preſerve my own?
The Children. Yes, certainly.
Mr. Bill. Why fo?
Rich. Becauſe it is the will of our Ma-
ker that we preferve our lives as long as it
is in our power: whenever, therefore, any
one goes about to deprive us of life, it muſt
certainly be juſt to prevent him by taking
away his, if there be no other means.
Mr. Bill. Without doubt, my dear chil-
dren, fuch a forced defence of ourſelves is.
allowable by all laws divine and human;
provided, however, that we have abſolutely
no other means of faving our lives, than by
de-
40
THE NEW
depriving the unjuft aggreffor of his. But
if, on the other hand, we deſtroy our ene-
my, when we have it in our power to pre-
ferve ourſelves without doing fo, either by
flight, or by the protection of others, or,
laftly, by putting it out of his power to hurt
us, we are then guilty of murder, and ame-
nable to the law.
Remember, my dear children, to thank
God that you were born in a country where
the government has taken fuch proper fteps
for the fecurity of our perfons, that there is
fcarcely one in one hundred thoufand un-
der the diſagreeable neceffity of ufing fuch
a legal defence for the prefervation of his
life.
This is enough for to-day. When we
affemble to-morrow evening, I fhall, per-
haps, find ſomething more to relate to you.
SIX-
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 41
SIXTEENTH EVENING.
MR. BILL. What ſhall I read to you
this evening?
The Children. The New Robinſon Cru-
foe!
Mr. Bill. Robinſon's lot, my dear chil-
dren, in which we are all fo deeply con-
cerned, is ftill very uncertain. He went
up, as I told you yeſterday evening, along
with the favage whom he had juſt delivered,
to the top of the hill behind his dwelling,
being both of them exceedingly uneafy as
to what might still befal them. The pof
ture of their affairs was dangerous and ci-
tical; for, was it not very likely, that the
favages, after their horrible feaft, would fet
out to feek their two companions who were
miffing, as well as the victim that had ef-
caped from them? In fuch a cafe, it could
not be doubted but they would difcover
Ro-
42
THE NEW
Robinſon's habitation, and, uniting all their
forces, have broken into it, and maſſacred
him, together with his new companion.
All theſe thoughts came into his mind,
while from the top of a hillock and ſhel-
tered by a tree he took a view of the fa-
vages, who, by their extravagant dances
and horrid howlings, expreffed the joy that
they felt after their barbarous feaſt. He
deliberated how he fhould act; whether to
fly, or ſhut himſelf up in his fort. His
thoughts rifing to the Almighty Protector
of Innocence, he found in himſelf courage
and refolution enough to chooſe the latter
determination. In order not to be per-
ceived, he flipped behind the buſhes, crept
to his ladder of ropes, made a fign to his
companion to follow him and do as he did,
and very foon they were both at the bot-
tom.
The Indian, feeing the commodious ar-
rangement of every thing in his deliverer's
dwelling-place, was feized with furpriſe. His
eyes had never beheld any thing ſo well laid
out.
i
>
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 43
out. He felt the fame fort of admiration
which a huſbandman would, who, from the
wildeft part of the country, fhould find him-
ſelf all of a ſudden in the midſt of a palace.
Robinfon endeavoured by figns to make
him underſtand what they had to fear from
the favages, if united, and that, in cafe they
ſhould come to attack him, he was refolved
to defend himſelf to the laſt extremity, and
even to death. The Indian underſtood him,
and immediately, with a refolute air, bran-
diſhes the hatchet, which he ftill held, feve-
ral times over his head, looks with a threat-
ening countenance towards the enemy as if
challenging them to combat, and thus en-
deavours to affure his deliverer that he was
ready to defend himſelf courageouſly. Ro-
binſon applauded theſe marks of intrepidity,
armed the Indian with a ſpear, a bow and
arrows, and placed him fentinel at a kind
of port-hole which he had made in his ter-
race, that he might have a view of whatever
paffed in the empty space between that and
the wood which he had planted.
VOL. III.
C
About
44
THE NEW
About an hour afterwards, they heard, all
at once, ftrange and dreadful cries at a dif
tance, which feemed to come from many
favages together. They both prepared for
combat, and, by their looks, mútually en-
couraged each other to make the moſt vi-
gorous defence.
The cries ceafed-pre-
fently they began again, louder and nearer
-they are fucceeded by a deep filence.-
Quite near at hand—
Charlotte. Oh! papa, if they come I
fhall run away.
Henry. What nonfenfe!
Geo. Do not be uneafy, Charlotte; Ro-
binfon will contrive to defend himfelf. I
am not in pain for him.
Charlotte. You will fee; they are go-
ing to murder him.
Rich. Pfhaw, hold your tongue.
Mr. Bill. Quite near at hand fhouted a
terrible hoarſe voice, which was repeated
by the echo of the hillock. Already our
two champions were in a pofture of defence;
already their bows were bent: the firft fa-
vage
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 45
vage that fhewed himſelf muft infallibly have
received a mortal wound. Their eyes, all
-attention and ſparkling with courage, were
fixed on that quarter of the wood from
whence the voice had been heard. Here I
·Hop.
The Children. But what is the reafon of
this long filence? Why does not papa go
on with the ſtory?
Mr. Bill. To furnish you with a freſh
opportunity of exercifing yourſelves in the
art of conquering your defires. You are
all impatient to know the fuccefs of the
bloody fight in which Robinfon feems
on the point of engaging. If you abſo-
lutely defire it, I am ready to fatisfy your
curiofity. But let me fee, fuppofe you
were, of your own accord, to fufpend it for
to-day; ſuppoſe you were freely to give up
the gratification of your curiofity until to-
morrow? However, you are at perfect li- \
berty to do as you pleafe, and decide ei-
ther way. Speak; do
do you confent or not?
•
The Children. Yes, papa, we agree to it.
C 2
-We
46
THE NEW
-We ſhall be in fome pain about Robinfon
-but never mind, to-morrow evening will
make amends-Heaven preferve poor Ro-
binſon!
Mr. Bill. Your compliance, my dear
children, fills me with joy. Amuſe your-
felves, for the remainder of the evening, in
whatever way is moſt agreeable to you. I
am never apprehenſive that your time will
hang heavy on your hands; on the con-
trary, I rather ſuppoſe that you will think
the call for fupper too early.
SEVENTEENTH EVENING.
MR. BILL. We laſt night left Robin-
fon and his companion on the watch,
to obferve whatever might be going for-
ward on the outſide of the barricade. They
continued on guard till it was almoſt night;
but
ROBINSON
CRUSOE. 47
but having perceived no enemy, nor heard
any voice for ſome hours, it feemed very
probable, that the favages, difappointed in
their fearch, had returned to their canoes,
and were gone back to their own ifland.
They laid down their arms, therefore, and
Robinſon brought out fomething for fup-
per.
As this day, fo particularly remarkable
in the adventures of our hero, happened to
be a Friday, he refolved, in fome meaſure,
to perpetuate the remembrance both of the
day and the events which diftinguiſhed it,
by giving to the favage, whofe life he had
faved, the name of Friday.
Till now, Robinſon had ſcarce time to
look at him with attention. He was a
well-made young man, about twenty years
of age; his complexion was fwarthy, his
hair black and long, not woolly like that of
the negroes; his noſe was ſhort, though not
very flat, his lips fmall, and his teeth as
white as ivory. In his ears he wore va-
rious feathers and fhells, an ornament on
which
C 3
48
THE NEW
which he feemed to lay no fmall value; in`
other refpects he was naked.
Robinſon, who had a proper regard for
decency, would not go to fupper, though
hunger called him preffingly, until he had
fitted a fkin for his new gueft, which ferved
him by way of apron. He then made figns.
to him to fit down befide him and eat his
fupper. Friday, as we fhall now call him,
approaches Robinſon with all the tokens
imaginable of refpect and gratitude; he
falls down on his face before him, and places,
the foot of his deliverer on his own neck, as
he had done before.
Robinſon, whofe heart could ſearce contain
his joy on having found at length a compa-
nion and a friend, which he had fo long and
earnestly wished for, would have been glad
to exprefs it by a thousand marks of kind-
nefs; but, not knowing the character of his
new guest, he thought it prudent, for his
own fecurity, to keep him in a ſtate of re-
ſpectful fubjection, to receive his homage as
due to him, and, in a word, to act as his
Love-
3
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
49
fovereign for fome time. He made him,
therefore, underſtand by figns that he would
take him under his protection, but on con-
dition of perfect obedience; that he fhould
perform whatever he was ordered, and abſtain
from every thing which he, his lord and
mafter, fhould, of his good will and pleaſure,
forbid him. While he inftructed him thus
by figns, he pronounced the word Cacique.
Fortunately he remembered to have once
heard that the favages of South America call
their chiefs and princes by that name.
By this word Friday understood, much
better than by the figns which accompanied
it, what his mafter meant; and, to fhew
that he accepted the condition of obeying,
he repeated the word Cacique feveral times.
with a loud voice, intimating that he ap
plied it to Robinſon, and fell down proftrate
at his feet once more. To fignify what re-
fpect he bore to the royal authority, he put a
ſpear into Robinſon's hands, and fixed the
point againſt his own breaft, fhewing and
acknowledging thereby that his maſter had
C 4
the
50
THE NEW
the power of life and death over him. Ro-
binſon, with the dignity of a monarch, held
out his hand to him, affuring him of his pro-
tection, and ordered him again to fit down
befide him and eat his fupper. Friday, out
of reſpect, fat down on the ground, while
Robinſon was placed on a feat of turf.
*
Here, my dears, you may fee an example
of the first beginning of kingly power in the
world. Men, who excelled others in wif-
dom, ftrength, and courage, were the first
kings. Weak men implored the protection
and help of the ftronger, either to defend
them from the danger of wild beafts, which
were, in early times, more numerous than at
prefent, or to fecure themſelves against the
injuftice of violent men. In return, they
promiſed to ſubmit entirely to them, and to
pay them every year a certain part of their
fruits and flocks, that. the protectors, not
having to provide for their own fubfiftençe,
might be wholly at leifure to defend their
fubjects. This yearly payment, which the
fubjects obliged themfelves to make good to
their
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
51
their king, was called by the name of tribute,
impoft, public taxes, and the like. Such is
the origin both of the power and riches which
all the different forts of rulers in the world
enjoy, and of the duty and fubmiffion which
their fubjects pay them.
Robinſon was now, therefore, in effect a
king. The island was his kingdom, his la-
mas and his fruits were his treaſure, and Fri-
day his fubject; his only one, it is true, but
a valuable one. His parrot was the only
courtier that he had, and almoft ufelefs in
that character. Nevertheless, his majeſty of
the iſland vouchfafed to defcend even to his
vaffal as far as his dignity would permit
him..
Henry. What is a vaffal?
Mr. Bill. The fame as a flave.-After
fupper, it pleafed his majefty very graciously
to give orders concerning every thing that he
choſe to have obferved in the ceremony of
going to bed. It was not prudent that Fris
day,
who had been fo lately advanced to the
ftations of his fubje&t and prime miniſter, his
C 5
com.
52
THE NEW
commander in chief and his whole army, his
master of the horſe and ſteward of the boufe-
hold, his chamberlain and groom of the ftole;
it was not prudent, I fay, that this new fer-
vant fhould ſo foon repoſe in the fame cham-
ber with his majefty. He, therefore, judged
it proper that he ſhould paſs the night, not in
the cave, but in the cellar. How could he
refolve to truft his life, and the fecret of the
fubterraneous paffage, to a ftranger, whofe
fidelity, having not been yet fufficiently tried,
was far from being eſtabliſhed? He there-
fore ordered Friday to make up a bed of
bay for himſelf in the cellar, whilft his ma-
jefty took the wife precaution to carry, with
his own hands, all the weapons into his bed-
chamber.
{
Afterwards he was not afhamed to appear
publicly, before all his people, in the moſt
humble and ruftic employment poffible.
This action, perhaps the only one of its
kind, will no doubt furpriſe you, and you
would hardly believe it, if I did not affure
you that it is found in clear and exprefs
terms
-34003-76#*སམས་པ་མ:*******
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 53
terins in the annals of Robinſon's reign,
which have been made public to the whole
world many years ago. Robinfon Crafoe,
king of a whole iſland, abfolute maſter of
the life and death of all his fubjects, did not
bluſh, in the leaft, to defcend, in the pre-
fence of Friday, to a fervile office. He went
to the lamas that were kept in his encloſure,
and with his own kingly hands began to
milk them. It was meant for the inftruc-.
tion of his prime minifter, and to fhew him
how to do the fame, as he intended, for the
future, to commit the care of this buſineſs
to him.
Friday, with all his attention, could not
underſtand what his maſter was doing; for
neither he nor his ftupid countrymen had
ever ſuſpected that the milk of animals
might be proper food for man, and as whole
fome as it was nourishing. He had never
taſted any, and was agreeably furpriſed at
the ſweetneſs of it, when Robinfon per-
fuaded him to put fome to his lips for a
trial.
After
1
54
THE NEW
After the fatigues which they had fuf
fered during the day, they both found them-
felves in want of repofe. Robinſon, there-
fore, ordered his flave to go to the place.
of reſt which he had pointed out to him,
and lay down himſelf, bleffing Heaven for
having, in one day, preferved him from fo
many dangers, and given him one of his
fellow-creatures to be his companion, and,
perhaps, his friend.
EIGHTEENTH EVENING.
RICHARD. I am curious to know what
Robinſon will undertake now with his
man Friday.
Edw. Now that he has affiftance, he
will be able to perform many things which
he could not before.
Mr. Bill
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
55
Mr. Bill. My dear children, you will fee
every day more clearly what great advan-
tages man derives from fociety, and what
reaſon we have to thank Heaven for hav-
ing fo deeply engraven on our hearts the
inclination that leads us to feek the com-
pany and friendſhip of our fellow-crea-
tures.
The first thing that Robinfon did the
next morning, was to go with Friday and
examine the ſpot where the favages had
held their abominable feaſt the day before.
In their walk, they came to the place where
the two Indians were buried, whom they
had flain the day before. Friday pointed
it out to his mafter, and plainly hinted that
he was defirous of digging up the dead bo-
dies and fatisfying his unnatural appetite upon
them. Robinſon, with a look of deteftation
and horror, fhewed him how much he dif
liked fuch an inclination, and, lifting up his
fpear in a threatening manner, fignified
to him that he would run it through
his body if ever he touched them. Friday
under-
56
THE NEW
underſtood his master's threatening, and
fubmitted without heſitation to his orders;
yet he could not conceive why he was for-
bidden to taſte a fort of food, of which,
from his earlieft youth, he had always
been extremely fond:
They foon arrived at the place of the
feaft. What a fight! The ground ftain-
ed with blood! Bones fcattered about!
Robinſon turns his eyes away from it, and
ordered Friday immediately to make a hole,
and bury theſe loathſome remains of barba-
rous voracity.
While Friday was at work, according to
his orders, Robinſon was carefully ftirring
the aſhes backwards and forwards, in the
hopes of finding fome fire itill amongſt
them but to no purpofe; the whole was
extinguifhed, much to Robinfon's diffatis-
faction, who, next to the valuable gift which
Heaven had lately made him in his compa-
nion, had now ſcarce any thing left to wiſh for,
except a fire. While he hung his head and
looked forrowfully upon theſe aſhes, the re-
mains.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 57
mains of fire totally extinguiſhed, Friday,
ſeeing him fo melancholy, made ſeveral
figns which Robinfon did not at all com→
prehend, then he fnatches up the hatchet,
flies off like lightning, darts into the wood,
and leaves Robinſon, who knew not his de-
fign, in the greateſt aſtoniſhment poffible.
Having followed him with his eyes as
long as he could, "What can this mean?"
faid he; "Can the ungrateful fellow intend to
forfake me? Can he be treacherous enough
to take poffeffion of my dwelling-place,
and keep me out of it by force? Or would
he have the barbarity to deliver me up by
ftratagem to his favage countrymen ?"-
Horrid thought!-Tranfported with rage,
he feizes his fpear, and fets out in purſuit of
the ungrateful traitor, at once to puniſh
and prevent his bafe attempts. Already he
was running full ſpeed, when, fuddenly, he
perceived Friday returning as faft. Robinfon
ftops in a ſurpriſe; he fees, to his no ſmall
aftoniſhment, the imaginary traitor holding
up in the air a fmall bundle of dried grafs,
which
58
THE NEW
which firſt appeared to ſmoke, and then to
be on fire. Friday throws it down, and
haftily gathers round it other grafs and dried.
branches, and kindles a bright clear fire,
which fills Robinſon with joy and aftoniſh-:
ment. He then underſtood the reaſon of
Friday's fudden abfence. Not able to con-
tain his joy, he flies, with tranſport, to Fri-
day, embraces him with ardour and affec-
tion, and, in his own mind, afks him par-.
don, a thouſand times, for the injurious. fuf
picions that he had entertained of him.
Edw. But where could Friday have found.
fire ?
Mr. Bill. He had haftened into the
wood on purpofe to cut two dry branches.
Thefe he had rubbed together with fuch.
dexterity and diſpatch, that they took fire.
quickly. He them wrapped them up in.
dry grafs, and, running fwiftly with this
bundle held up in the air, the fire foon
kindled the grafs, and broke out in a blaze.
Mr. Mered. Here, again, Robinſon ap-
pears to me to be very much to blame.
Rich.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 59
Rich. In what reſpect, pray?
Mr. Mered. In this; that, without hav-
of Frid
ing any
he forms, in an inftant, the
isa olim. How is it poffible to be
De A
Rich. what he feared might very well
be true; fo that he had a right to be upon
his guard against Friday.
Mr. Mered. Underftand me right, my
dear little friend. I do not blame him ei-
thes for thinking it poffible that he was be-.
trayed by Friday, or for running after him.
to prevent the fatal defigns that he might
have formed. This precaution was allow-
able, nay neceffary, with respect to a perfon
totally unknown to him. But what I am
angry with him for, is, that he never
of his ockin
Oustra
hat he fuffered himself
be tranſported with rage; that he was fo
wholly mastered by this paffion, as never
even once to think that Friday's intentions
might be
6. Now, nu…
of
ther
60
THE NEW
otherca loud never gel in me as that,.
unjet
of their:
In a dombed.
icc
us fee the
mothe
-till then
lev
1:01.
vir. Dui. A good maxim. Attend to it,
my dear children, that you may put it in
practice hereafter.
Robinſon, as I told you: was tranfported
with joy to find his i
of an
elf once more in poffeffion of
fire, of which he had been fo long deprived,
and which he had fo long and fo earneſtly
wifhed for. He delights to behold the
waving motion of the flames. At laft he
fnatches up a burning branch, and haftens
with Friday to the cave.
He next
He inftantly lights up a large fire, and
Places potatoes round it to roaſt.
runs to his flock, chufes out a young lama,
kills it, and, having ſkinned and cut it up,
puts a quarter of it on the fpit, which he
inftructs Friday how to turn.
While he is thus employed, Robinſon
cuts
ROBINSON
CRUSOE.
cuts off a piece from the breaſt of the lama.
He then peels a few potatoes, bruifes and
grinds fome maize between two flat ſtones
to make flour of it, and puts the whole into
one of his pots, which, after he had pour-
ed in a fufficient quantity of water, not for-
getting falt, he fets over the fire.
Geo. I know what he was going to make
-fome broth.
Mr. Bill. The very thing.
taſted any for eight years paft.
He had not
You may
guefs how much he longed for fome.
Friday looked on while all theſe prepa-
rations were making, but did not under-
ſtand to what purpoſe they were made. He
was acquainted, indeed, with the cuſtom of
roafting meat; but, as to all the reſt of Ro-
binſon's cookery, he was entirely in the
dark. He knew not even the effect which
fire would produce on a veffel full of wa-
ter. The pot began to boil juſt as Robin-
fon went into the cave upon fome occafion
or other. Friday, furpriſed at this odd ap-
pearance, had no idea what could thus put
the
62
NEW
THE
1
the water in motion.
But when he faw it
bubble up and boil over the fides, he ima-
gined, in the fimplicity of his heart, that
there must be fome living creature at the
bottom of the pot, which occafioned this
tumult in the water; and, therefore, left it
fhould boil away entirely, he put his hand
in to feize the creature, whatever it was;
but, inftead of finding that, he felt fome-
thing which made him roar loud enough to
hake the whole hillock.
}
Robinſon was startled; on hearing him
cry out. His first notion was that the fa-
vages had ſurpriſed them, and that Friday
was already taken. Fear, and the natural
inſtinct of felf-preſervation, urged him to
eſcape, and fave his life by the fecret paf-
fage under ground; but he quickly re-
jected this idea, confidering how bafe it
would be thus to abandon his ſubject, or ra-
ther friend. Without heſitating, therefore,
he fallied forth from the cave, firmly refolv-
ed to ſhed the laſt drop of his blood, if 'ne-
ceffary,
B
'
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 63
ceffary, in refcuing Friday, once more, from
the hands of his barbarous enemies.
Mr. Mered. Now I like you, my friend
Robinſon.
Mr. Bill. He ſprings out, with his ſpear
in his hand; but, to his utter aftonifhment,
finds Friday all alone, crying, twisting him-
ſelf about, and making a thouſand wry
faces. Robinſon ſtood motionleſs, not
knowing what to think; at length he found,
after a few figns, by way of explanation,
that all this outcry was occafioned by poor
Friday's fcalding his hand.
Robinſon had no finall difficulty in quiet-
ing him. But that you may know, what
Robinfon did not learn until a year after,
when they were both able to underſtand
each other; that you may know, I fay, why
Friday had made fuch a noife and fo
much ado, I muſt firſt inform you what no-
tions ignorant people, in fome countries,
who have had no inftruction in their child-
hood, commonly entertain when an accident
VOL. III.
D
hap-
64
THE NEW
happens to them of which they know not
the reafon.
Theſe poor people imagine that fome
inviſible being, or ſome ſpirit, is the cauſe of
every thing for which they cannot affign a
reaſon. According to them, this fpirit never
does any thing but by the orders of a perfon
to whoſe ſervice it is bound. They diftin-
guifh, by a particular name, thoſe whom
they ſuppoſe to poffefs fuch a power over
one or more ſpirits if it be a man, they
call him a conjurer; if a woman, a witch.
For instance, in-fome places,if an ignorant
countryman has either of his cattle fall fud-
denly ill, and cannot gueſs its diſorder, he,
perhaps, will be weak enough to think that
fome old perfon in the neighbourhood has
bewitched the beaft; that is, made it fall
fick by means of an evil ſpirit.
Charlotte. Yes, papa; juft fo Nanny,
our dairy-maid, faid the other day, when
one of the cows went dry all of a fudden.
Mr. Bill. My dear Charlotte, you ſhould
try
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
65
try to convince the poor girl of her error; it
will certainly be better for her to be unde-
ceived.
If, on the one hand, ignorant people give
credit to theſe filly notions, there are not
wanting, on the other, impoftors who turn
fuch credulity to their own advantage, and
cunningly trick thofe out of their money
who are fo weak as to believe in witchcraft,
or conjuring: for, by pretending to the
art, they confirm the others in the notion
that there is really fuch a thing.
Under
>
the name of conjurers and fortune-tellers,
they promiſe, with an air of confident gra-
vity, to break the charm, and force the evil
ſpirit to looſe its hold; but they always de-
mand, for their trouble, a certain recom-
penſe, which is to be paid them before-
hand. In return for this, they amuſe their
employers with empty words, ridiculous
grimaces, unmeaning geftures, and nonfen-
fical mummery.
If the beaft's illneſs
ceafes of its own accord, the fortune-teller
triumphs, and the credulous man, whom he
D 2
has
66.
THE NEW
has deceived, is diſpoſed, more than ever, to
be the dupe of fuch impofture. On the con-
trary, if the ſickneſs gets the better, and the
beaft dies, the conjurer will, by his evafions
and unintelligible cant, impofe on the igno-
rant owner, who will afterwards be as rea-
dy as ever to confult a fortune-teller upon
the fame occafion.
In proportion as men's underſtandings are
narrowed by prejudice and darkened by ig-
norance, the more they are inclined to this
ridiculous fuperftition: you may imagine,
therefore, that it is pretty generally received
amongſt ſavage nations. Whatever croſs
accidents happen to them, of which their
weak reaſon cannot point out the cauſe, they
attribute them to evil ſpirits; and this was
exactly Friday's cafe.
He had never heard it faid, nor diſcovered
by his own experience, that water could be
made to boil; nor had he ever felt the ef-
fect of it in that ſtate, by putting his hand
into it; ſo that he could not conceive whence
that acute and fudden pain proceeded, which
he
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 67
}
he felt on touching the boiling water, and,
therefore, firmly believed that there was
enchantment in it, and that Robinſon was
a conjurer.
I am going to put you on your guard,
my dear children, that you may not be de-
ceived in theſe matters. You will often,
in the courſe of your lives, have occafion to
fee effects of which you will not be able to
diſcover the cauſes. You will meet with
jugglers, perfons who deal in flight of
hand, who will frequently furpriſe you with
the ingenious tricks and devices that they
fhew, but oftener by the dexterity with
which they perform them. For inſtance,
they will change, to all appearance, a bird
into a mouſe; they will cut a bird's head off,
and afterwards fhew it to you alive and
well; in fhort, they will perform ſeveral
tricks of the fame nature, and you fhall ne-
ver be able, with the greateſt attention, to
find out the manner of performing them.
If, on fuch occafions, you ſhould be tempted
to believe that there is witchcraft in the
D3-
matter,
1
68
THE NE W
matter, remember Friday, and be affured
that you are in the fame error with him,
and take that for fupernatural, which, when
explained, appears perfectly natural and ea-
fy. But, to give you a proper idea of this
fubject, we will, at fome convenient oppor-
tunity, fhew you one or two of theſe tricks,
and, at the fame time, explain to you how
they are performed, that you may be able
to form a judgment of all others of the
fame nature.
Robinfon, as I told you before, did not
eafily fucceed in comforting Friday, and
perfuading him to take his place again at
the fpit. He confented to it, however, at
laſt, but could not help looking ftill at the
pot with a mixture of curiofity and horror.
As to Robinſon, whom he took for a ſuper-
natural being, he could not lift his eyes to-
wards him without fhewing the moſt timo-
rous refpect. What confirmed him in his
opinion was his mafter's ruddy complexion
and long beard, which gave him an appear-
ance
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 69
ance fo different from that of Friday and his
tawny, beardlefs countrymen.
Edw. Have the favages of South Ame-
rica no beard?
Mr. Bill. No; and it has been long
thought that they were beardleſs by nature.
But fome pretend lately to have obſerved
that the reafon of their feeming to have no
beard, is their taking the greateſt care ima-
ginable to pluck it up as it grows.
£
But the broth, the potatoes, and the roaft
meat, were now ready. As they had no
fpoons, Robinfon poured out the broth in
two pipkins, but nothing could induce Fri-
day fo much as to tafte it; he had not the
leaft doubt of its being an enchanted liquor.
It made him ſhudder to ſee Robinſon fup it
with ſo much appearance of fatisfaction; but
he helped himſelf to the roaft meat and po-
tatoes, which made him amends.
*
You may eafily imagine how delicious.
theſe nouriſhing victuals, dreſt properly on
the fire, muft feem to Robinſon. They
made him forget all his paſt troubles and
hard-
D 4
70
THE NEW
1
hardships. He imagined himſelf not in a
defert island, but tranfported to fome popu
7
lous country. Thus Providence, in an in-
ftant, by a flow of unexpected happiness,
cures thofe wounds which have been made
in our hearts, and which, though intended
for our good, the fenfe of prefent pain makes
us ever regard as the moſt incurable evils.
I hardly need tell you, that Robinſon, in
that happy moment, remembered the G-
ver of all good Things, and thanked him
from the bottom of his heart.
{ The meal being finifhed, Robinfon re-
tired to meditate feriouſly on the happy
change of his fituation. Every thing round
him wore a more fmiling face. He was
no longer folitary; he had a companion,.
with whom, it is true, he was not able to
-converſe as yet; but the very company of
this man was fome fatisfaction to him, and
promifed to afford him the moft valuable
affittance. Beſides, being no longer. de-
prived of fire, he might enjoy as wholeſome
and agreeable victuals as he could wifh.
What
ROBINSON
CRUSOE. 71
"What is there to hinder you now," ſaid he,
"from living contented and happy? En-
joy in peace the many benefits which you
have received from Heaven. You have
fruits in abundance, and a numerous flock,
which will always be more than fufficient.
to furniſh your table with whatever you de-
fire. Make amends to yourſelf now, by
eafe and good cheer, for the fatigues you have
fuffered, and the fcantinefs of your provi-
fions for theſe feveral years paft. Let Fri-
day, who is young and ftout, work for you.
His fervices you have a right to claim, as
you have faved his life at the riſk of your
own."
Here an idea occurred to him which total-
ly changed the complexion of his thoughts.
"But," faid he to himfelf, "what, if you
were very foon to fee an end of all this prof
perity? If Friday were to die? If your
fire were to go out again?" This reflection
made his blood curdle with horror.
"And if, moreover, by being accuſtom-
ed to an eaſy, delicate, inactive life, you
•
D 5
were
72
THE NEW
were to render yourſelf incapable of fupport-
ing a hard, folitary, and laborious way of
living, fuch as you have already experien-
ced? If you fhould be forced to return to
it ?" He fighed heavily.
"To what, then, are you principally in-
debted for getting rid of the many faults
and weakneffes which once difgraced you?
Is it not to the fober and laborious life which
circumſtances forced you to purfue? And
now, by indulging yourſelf in fenfuality and
idleneſs, you would run the riſk of loſing
that health and ſtrength of body and mind
which temperance and exerçife have pro-
cured you.
Heaven forbid !"With
theſe words, he roſe haftily, and walked
about in a thoughtful mode before the
mouth of his cave. Mean time, Friday put
away the remains of the dinner, and, by his
maſter's order, went to milk the lamas.
Robinſon continued to reafon with him-
felf.
"If you were to renounce labour
and temperance, you would foon forget
both the adverfity which you furmounted,
and
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
73:
and the friendly hand which aſſiſted you.
Very foon you would become ungrateful,
prefumptuous, and, perhaps, impious."
Horrid idea! and falling on his face to the
ground, he prayed to be preferved from fo
dreadful a ſtate of depravation. This ledi
him to take a refolution as prudent as it was
unalterable.
σ
"I will," faid he, partake of the gifts-
of Heaven, but always with the greateſt
temperance. The moft fimple victuals
fhall be my favourite food, let my provi-
fions be ever fo abundant and various. I
will perfevere in my labours with the fame:
affiduity, though they will no longer be fo
neceffary to me as formerly. One day in
each week. I will live on the fame cold vic-
tuals with which I have hitherto fubfifted
myſelf; and the last day of each month I
will confine myſelf to the fame folitude as I
have experienced ever fince I have been on
this ifland. I will fend Friday to my coun
try feat, and he ſhall pafs that day there."
Having formed theſe refolutions of felf-
denial, he felt the pleaſing and pure fatisfac-
D 6
tion
74
THE NEW
tion which ever accompanies the efforts
that we make to attain a higher degree of
perfection. He forefaw the happy conſe-
quences of thefe voluntary facrifices; his
countenance, therefore, becoming more fe-
rene, ſpoke the pleafing fentiments of a
heart overflowing with joy. But he was
fufficiently acquainted, from experience,
with the inconftancy of the human heart,
not to be on his guard againſt the fickle-
nefs of his own. He thought it beſt to
make fome viſible mark, which, frequently
meeting his eyes, might make him recollect
his laudable refolutions every day. For
this purpofe, he engraved, with his hatchet,
in the rock over the entrance of his cave,
theſe words-Labour and Temperance.
My dear children, I give you until to-
morrow to reflect upon thefe inftructive
particulars in the life of our friend Robin-
fon. Try if you cannot find ſome amongſt
them, which you would do well to imitate.
You will communicate your thoughts to me,
and I will alfo acquaint you with mine.
NINE-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 75
NINETEENTH EVEN ING.
•
ROBINSON had never been in fo happy
a fituation fince his arrival on the
ifland as he was now. The only thing
that remained: to trouble him, was his ap-
prehenfion left the favages fhould return to
feek for their two countrymen, in which
cafe he might probably be expofed to the
neceffity of ſhedding blood. He fhuddered
at the thought of being reduced, once more,
to the dreadful choice of either deſtroying
his fellow-creatures or perifhing cruelly
himſelf.
Things being, therefore, in this fituation,
it was incumbent on him to labour for his
fecurity, and put himſelf into a ſtate of
defence. He had long been defirous of for-
tifying his habitation ftill more; but, while
he was alone, the execution of this deſign
appeared impoffible. Now, with the af
fiftance
76:
THE NEW
*
fiftance of a companion, he thought himſelf
capable of undertaking it. He mounts,
therefore, to the top of his hillock, to form
a plan of further fortification, which he
very foon did, as his fituation enabled him
to have the whole ground under his eyes at
one view. He refolved, therefore, on the out-
fide of the barricade of trees which enclofed
his habitation, to dig a broad deep trench,
the inner bank of which ſhould be defended
with a ſtrong row of paling.
He, moreover, conceived the defign of
dividing the neighbouring rivulet into two
branches, one of which fhould run in this
trench, and the other through the middle
of the encloſed ſpace before his cave, that,
in cafe of a fiege, he might not be in want of
water.
It was not eaſy to make Friday compre-
hend, by figns, the whole of this plan; but
as foon as he had fome idea of it, he ran to
the fea-fide, and came back loaded with
great ſhells, and with flat and ſharp ftones,
fit to ferve for digging. They both, there-
fore, fell to work immediately.
I dare
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 77
I dare fay you can eaſily imagine that
this was no flight undertaking. The trench,
to be of any uſe, muſt be, at leaſt, fix feet
deep and eight broad; the length might be
about four ſcore or one hundred yards.
To execute fuch an undertaking as this
without any inftrument of iron-no pickaxe
-no fhovel-think what a difficulty it muft
be. Befides, it required little leſs than four
hundred pales; to cut theſe and ſhape them
with only one hatchet of ſtone, was a labo-
rious taſk. Laftly, in order to turn the ri
vulet into this trench, there was a neceffity
of digging a canal, which, in one place,,
muft cross a rifing ground; and this, to crown
the difficulty of the work, it was abfolutely
neceffary to cut through.
All theſe obftacles did not difcourage our
friend Robinſon, who had taken a refolution.
that was not to be fhaken. By leading a
life of temperance and continual labour, he
was, in the execution of difficult undertak-
ings, maſter of a degree of courage which is
not poffeffed by men brought up in idle-
neſs,
78
THE NEW
nefs, uſed to delicate living, and enervated
by effeminacy. With God's help, and with
perfeverance, was his motto, in beginning a
work of labour and time; and, you know,
when once he was determined on a matter,
he never refted until he had completely
finiſhed it.
He was the fame on this occafion. Fri
day and he worked every day with equal plea-
fure and earneſtneſs, from ſunriſe to ſunſet; fo
that, in fpite of the awkwardness of their in-
ftruments, they advanced the work every day
furprisingly. Fortunately, during two whole:
months the favages never appeared; a con-
trary wind hindered them from coming over
to Robinſon's ifland. All this time he was
able to work without being obliged to take:
any precautions against the fear of an at-
tack.
Robinſon, who was earnestly defirous of
being able to converſe with Friday, took the
opportunity to teach hin a few words of
Engliſh every day, while they were both em-
ployed at work; and Friday, on his part,
.
was
1
ROBINSON CRUS O E. 79
was fo attentive, that in a fhort time he made
a confiderable progrefs. Robinſon took the
moft natural and eafy way to communicate
the language to him: whenever it could
conveniently be done, he placed the object
before his eyes,and then pronounced the name
of it diftinctly; but when it was neceffary
to communicate the names of things which
could not be made perceptible in this manner,
Robinfon accompanied the name with gef
tures and figns fo expreffive that Friday could
not poffibly miſunderſtand. And, by theſe
means, in leſs than fix months he was able
to explain himself tolerably well in Eng-
gliſh..
;
}
This was a fresh addition to Robinſon's
happineſs. Hitherto Friday had been no
better than a dumb man to him; now they
are able to communicate their thoughts to.
each other as friends. How frivolous did
the pleaſure ſeem which Robinſon uſed to
enjoy in the ſenſeleſs chatter of his parrot, in
compariſon to the real. fatisfaction which het
felt at preſent !
The
A
80
THE NEW
The more he knew Friday the more he
liked him. The young man was frank and
good-natured, and had the greatest affection
poffible for his maſter ſo that Robinſon
grew fonder of him every day, and made him
take ſhare of his cave, that they might pafs
the nights together.
In less than two months they finiſhed the
trench; and now they faw themſelves capable
of defying the favages, or even of beating
them off ſhould they venture to attack them; for
before any one of them could crofs the trench
and the paling, it was an eaſy matter for the
two befieged to fend an arrow or a spear
through his body. They looked upon them-
felves, therefore, as fufficiently guarded against
all danger of this fort.
Robinſon and Friday, being one day near
the fea-fide, upon a rifing ground, from
whence they had an extenfive profpect all
over the fea, perceived, at a diſtance, ſome
iſlands, which appeared like fmall clouds.
Friday fixed his eyes attentively on, that quar-
ter. All of a fudden he ftarts up, falls a
dancing,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 81
dancing, and throws himſelf into ſo many
extravagant attitudes, that Robinſon thought
he was feized with a fudden frenzy. "Good!
good!" cried he, ftill continuing to fkip
about. Robinſon afked him the cauſe of this
extraordinary tranſport. "Yonder is my
:
country!" anſwered he, almoft breathleſs with
joy; "that is where my people live!" His.
countenance, his eyes, his geftures, all ex-
preffed the love which he bore his country,
and his defire to ſee it once more. Robin-
fon was not at all pleafed with this difpofition
of Friday's it was certainly a laudable one,
as it fhewed that he loved his country, his
friends, and his relations; nevertheleſs, Ro-
binſon feared left he ſhould leave him fome
day or other, and return to his own ifland.
In order to be certified on this head, he re-
folved to found his intentions, and, therefore,
began the following converfation, which will
fhew you the excellent difpofition of Fri
day.
Robinson. Would you be glad, then, to
return.
82
THE NEW
return to your countrymen, and live amongft
them?
Friday. Oh, yes; I fhould be very glad
to ſee them again.
Rob. Perhaps you long to eat man's flesh
with them again?
Frid. No, certainly. I would teach them
not to be favages, but to live on milk and
the flesh of animals, and, above all, to abſtain
from eating men.
Rob. But, perhaps, they would eat your-
felf?
Frid. No, they will never do fo.
Rob. And yet they have devoured many
men, and will many more ftill.
Frid. Ay, but only their enemies.
Rob. Could you make a canoe that would
carry you to them?
Frid.. Yes, certainly..
Rob. Well, then, make one, and fet out
when you pleaſe.-How! you look down!
What is the matter with you? Why do you
look fo forrowful?
:
Frid.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 83
Frid. Becaufe my dear maſter is angry
with me.
Rob. Angry! What makes you think fo?
Frid. Becauſe he wants to fend me away.
Rob. Well, but did not you wiſh juſt now
to be in your own country?
Frid. Yes; but if my mafter does not go
there, I will not go-no-no more.
Rob. Your people would take me for an
enemy and eat me, fo that you muſt go by
yourſelf.-But, what is the meaning of this?
Why do you draw the hatchet from my fide,
and put it into my hand? Why do you lay
down your head, and ftretch out your neck?
What would you have me do?
Frid. Kill me: I would rather die than
be ſent away from you.
Saying theſe words he fhed a flood of
tears.
Robinſon was melted with tenderneſs, and
embraced him. Be comforted, my dear Fri-
day; I love you too well to wiſh a ſepara-
tion from you: what I faid was only to try
you, and to know if your friendship was
equal ·
84.
THE NEW
equal to mine. Theſe tears of joy and af-
fection which you fee me fhed, are pledges.
of my fincerity. Come to my arms once
more. Let us dry up our tears, and never
part.
I
To diffipate the forrowful ideas that he
had excited in Friday's mind, he spoke to
him again of a canoe, and afked him feveral
queſtions upon that fubject. Being ſatisfied
with his anfwers, he took him by the hand,
and led him to fee the canoe that he had
begun fome years ago. Friday, on examin-
ing it, laughed heartily to find the work fo
little advanced for the time. The tree was
ſcarce cut into the third part of its thickneſs.
Robinſon afked him what fault he found in
the work. Friday anfwered, that he could
ſee a vaſt deal of time had been loft, and la-
bour thrown away, which might have been
fpared; for that a tree like this could be hol-
lowed in a few days with fire, and that much
better than by any other means whatfoever.
At theſe words Robinſon was tranfported with
joy: he fancied the canoe already finished;
he
:
1
!
ROBINSON CRUSO E.
85
he fancied himfelf already failing in it on
the open ſea; already, after a happy voyage,
he fancied himſelf landed on the continent,
and converfing with Europeans. How de-
lightful were all the fe ideas! He refolved
that the work fhould be begun the very
next morning by break of day.
Geo. Ah! then, our amuſement will foon
be at an end.
Mr. Bill. How fo?
Geo. When he has a boat he will foon
fet fail, and then, when he comes home,
papa will have nothing more to tell us about
Robinfon.
Mr. Bill. And would you not give up
that amuſement for Robinſon's fake? Would
you not freely procure him, at that ſmall
price, relief from the hardships he labours
under in his defert ifle?
Geo. Why, yes-very true-I did not
think of that.
Mr. Bill. Befides, who knows what may
happen? Whether he may not be obliged
to put off the working at the canoe, or his
VOL. III.
E-
own
86
THE NEW
own departure? The future is very uncer-
tain; it brings with it fo many changes,
that, for the moft part, it deceives our ex-
pectations. We often ſee our beſt founded
hopes diſappointed, and it is the part of
wiſdom to expect and be prepared for theſe
viciffitudes.
Robinſon, who had experienced them fe-
veral times already, returned home, per-
fectly refigned to whatever a good and wife
Providence fhould order with reſpect to the
accompliſhment of his wifh, being perfua-
ded that his heavenly Father knew better
than he what was for his real intereft ; and
fuch, I hope, would be our way of thinking
in fimilar circumftances.
TWEN-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 87
¿
TWENTIETH EVENING.
MR. BILL. My dear children, I men-
tioned to you last night, that, in the
affairs of life, the beft founded hopes
frequently vaniſh and end in diſappoint-
ment. The adventures of Robinſon Crufoe
have furniſhed you with frequent inſtances
of this truth, and you have learned, I
hope, from them, and the inftructions that
I have given you, to bear calmly whatever
events may happen contrary to your expec-
tations. But I have fomething farther to
propofe to you, while we are upon the ſub-
ject of felf-denial, as proper to accompany
the practice of that virtue. It is an exer-
cife of the greateft utility, and, with your
confent, I will mention it.
The Children. Oh, yes, papa! yes, papa!
Mr. Bill. If, then, you defire in the fu-
ture part of your lives to labour in ftrength-
E 2
ening
88
THE NEW
ening your bodies, and exalting the powers
of your minds, to the end that you may be-
come diſtinguiſhed characters, and capable
of contributing effectually to the happineſs
your fellow-creatures, and thereby to en-
hance your own, I offer to you, for that
purpoſe, the following plan..
of
I will, on my fide, read to you, for your
inftruction, the writings of the ancient phi-
lofophers who were preceptors to the illuf-
trious perſons whom you fo much admired
when I went over the ancient history with
you. Thefe writings contain the precepts
which fuch philofophers gave to their ſcho-
lars, and by the obfervance of which their
fcholars became great men. Every week I
will write down one of thefe precepts upon
a table covered with white paper; I will
explain it to you, and fhew you how, in
the courſe of the week, you may acquire,
in an eaſy and agreeable manner, the prac-
tice of it. Yet, you must not expect
that this can be done without fometimes
cofting you a facrifice: you muft, at one
time,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
89
time, refolve to deprive yourſelf of a fa-
vourite amuſement; at another, to bear
with things very difagreeable. This is the
true way to acquire that mafculine courage
which is to affift us in conquering our ir-
regular inclinations, and in preferving a
prùdent equanimity upon all occafions of
lofs, diſappointment, and danger. As to
us who are advanced in life, we ſhall not
be contented with merely pointing out
the path to you, we will walk in it our-
felves, and be your guides: in fhort, we
fhall adviſe you to nothing of which we fhall
not at the fame time fhew you the example.
What fay you, my dear children, to this
propofal?
The Children. We agree to it; we agree
to it.
Mr. Bill. Very well, then we fhall begin
the firſt convenient day. It is now time
to return to Robinſon. What I hinted to
you yeſterday merely as poffible, did, how-
ever, happen in reality.
The Children. What was that, papa?
E 3
Mr.
90.
THE NEW
Mr. Bill. I faid, that, whatever reaſon
Robinſon might have to hope for a proba-
ble and ſpeedy departure from his iſland,
there might, nevertheleſs, happen fome un-
foreſeen obftacle which would caufe him to
remain on it longer. This obftacle appear
ed the very next day.
On that day the rains began, and fet in with
great violence. Robinſon, during his ſtay
on the iſland, had remarked that they take
place regularly twice a year, and always
about the time of the equinoxes. During
this rainy ſeaſon, which generally lafted a
month or two, it was impoffible to do any
work in the open air, it rained ſo hard and
fo inceffantly. He had alfo experienced,
that nothing was more prejudicial to the
health than to go much out of doors, or
to get wet during this feafon. What was
he to do now? He found it abfolutely
neceffary to put off the building of the boat,
and to find fome employment without go-
ing out of his cave.
What a happiness for Robinſon, during
thefe
ROBINSON CRUSOE. GI
thefe wet days and the long dark evenings
of this feaſon, to have fire and light, befides
the company of a friend, with whom, while
they were both at work together, he might
converſe familiarly, and fill up the weari-
fome hours with agreeable employment!
Formerly, he uſed to paſs theſe dull evenings
all alone, in the dark, and without any thing
to do; whereas, now, fitting with Friday
before a good fire, and cheared with the
light of a lamp, he converfès with a fellow
creature, and is not afraid of time hanging
heavy upon his hands.
He learned from Friday all the methods
which the favages have for procuring them-
felves any conveniency, and Robinſon, in
his turn, taught him a thouſand things of
which favages have not the leaft idea. Thus
they both enlarged the extent of their know-
ledge and induſtry. By mutual affiftance,
each exerting his particular talent, they fuc-
ceeded in making ſeveral ſmall pieces of work
which would have been impoffible to either
of them fingly and this convinced them
>
£ 4
how
92
THE NEW
how infinitely advantageous it is for men
to be united by fociety, and held together,
as it were, by the bonds of focial affection
and love of their fellow-creatures, in com-
parifon to being difperfed, and wandering
on the earth, each by himſelf, like brute
beafts.
Of the bark of trees Friday could make
mats of a texture fufficiently fine and firm at
the fame time to make a ſort of ſtuff pro-
per for cloathing. Robinſon, having learned
the manner of this work, made, in conjunc-
tion with Friday, a ftock fufficient for
cloathing them both. And it was no
fmall fatisfaction to him that he was now
able to quit thofe inconvenient garments
made of hard raw hides, which he had hi-
therto been obliged to wear.
Friday had alfo the art of making cord-
age out of the ftringy covering of the co-
coa-nut and the bark of plants refembling
fax; and this cordage was far fuperior to
any that Robinſon could make. He had,"
alfo, a particular method of making nets-
with
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
93
with thread; an occupation which feemed
to render many an evening fhort that would
otherwiſe have been infupportably tedious.
During theſe fedentary employments,
Robinſon took pains to clear up the dark-
nefs of his friend's underſtanding. He en-
deavoured, particularly, to give him juſt
ideas of the Supreme Being. You will ea-
fily judge how great was Friday's ignorance
and how grofs his errors upon the article of
religion, from the following dialogue be-
tween Robinſon and him.
Robinſon. Tell me, Friday, do you know
who made the fea, the land, yourſelf, and
all living creatures?
Friday. Oh, yes, very well. Toupan made
every thing.
Rob. Who is Toupan?
Frid. He that makes the thunder.
Rob. Well, then, who is he that makes
the thunder?
Frid. It is a very, very old man, that lived
before any thing elſe in the world, and he
makes the thunder. He is older than thei
E S
fun,,
94
THE NEW
''
7
fun, moon, or ſtars; and all the creatures
in the world ſay O to him (that is, accord-
ing to Friday's meaning, worfhip him).
Rob. Where do your countrymen go
when they die?
Frid. They go to Toupan.
Rob. And where is Toupan?.
Frid. He lives upon the high moun-
tains.
Rob. Has any man ever feen him upon
thefe high mountains?
·
Frid. None but the Owokakeys (that is,
the prieſts) are allowed to go up to him.
They fay O to him, and then they bring us
word what he fays to them.
Rob. Do thofe enjoy any happineſs who
go to him after they die?
Frid. Oh, certainly, if they have killed
and eaten a great many of their enemies.
Robinfon fhuddered at this diſcovery
of an opinion as erroneous as it was
barbarous, and from that moment he la
boured ferioufly to give him jufter no-
tions both of the Supreme Being and of
a future
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
95
a future ftate. He taught him that God
is an invifible being, almighty, infinitely
wiſe and good; that he created all things,.
governs and upholds all things; that he
himſelf is without beginning, is every where
préfent, knows all our thoughts, hears our
words, and fees all our actions; that he de--
lights in good and abhors evil, and that he
will make happy in this life, and in that
which is to come, thoſe who endeavour,
with all their heart, and with all their ftrength,,
to become better and better every day.
Friday heard thefe fublime and comfort.
ing doctrines with a refpectful attention,
and lodged them deeply in his memory..
As the zeal of the mafter to inftruct was
equal to the fcholar's defire to learn, the
latter was very foon clearly convinced of
the principal truths of religion, at leaft as far
as the former was capable of, explaining
them to him. From that moment Eriday,
eſteemed himſelf infinitely happy in having
been tranſported from his own country to
this iſland; nor did the reflection efcape
E 6.
him,
?
96
THE NEW
him, that the intentions of Providence to-
wards him were favourable in fuffering him
to fall into the hands of his enemies, fince,
had it not been for that event, he ſhould
never have known Robinſon. "Thus," add-
ed he, "I ſhould always have lived in ig-
norance of the Being who is all-good and
all-powerful."
Ever afterwards Robinfon accuſtomed
himſelf to pray in Friday's prefence; and it
would have been an affecting fight to fee with
what joy and devotion mixed the poor
Indian repeated the words of his master's
prayers. They were now both of them as
happy, in their way of life, as two men can
be who are totally feparated from the reft of
the human fpecies.
The dull, rainy feafon paffed away with-
out appearing heavy to them. The fky
now cleared up, the winds abated, the
ſtormy clouds were difperfed; Robinſon
and his companion once more breathed the
mild and temperate air of fpring, and felt
their fpirits enlivened afresh: they now,
:
there-
>
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 97
7
therefore, joyfully fet about the important
work which they had defigned before the
rains came on.
Friday, as being head carpenter in this
bufinefs, hollowed the trunk of the tree by
means of fire.
This method was fo effec-
tual and expeditious, that Robinſon could
not help blaming his own ftupidity for ne-
ver having thought of it. But he fatis-
fied himfelf by faying, "Yet, if I had
thought of it, I could not have made ufe
of it, as I had no fire."
You will excufe me from defcribing to
you the daily progrefs that they made in
this work, as an account fo particular would
have nothing in it either entertaining or in-
ftructive. I fhall only tell you, that the
boat, which Robinſon alone would ſcarce
have finiſhed in feveral years, was entirely
completed, with the affiftance of Friday, in
two months. Nothing was wanting now
but a fail, which Friday undertook to pro-
vide, and oars, which Robinſon promiſed to
furniſh.
Rieb,
98
THE NEW
Rich. Ay ! how could he make a fail?
He fhould have cloth for that.
Mr. Bill. He certainly did not know
how to make cloth; nor had he a loom ; but,
as I told you before, he could make mats
of the bark of trees, and this matting the fa
vages ufe for fails.
They both finifhed their taſks nearly at
the fame time; Robinfon. the oars, and
Friday the fail. But now, though the ca-
noe was finished, it was ftill to be launch-
ed.
Henry. What is that, papa?
Mr. Bill. Were not you with your uncle
once to ſee a ſhip launched at Deptford ?
Henry. Oh! yes; I remember.
Mr. Bill. Then you muſt have obſerved,
that the ſhip reſts upon a hollow frame of
wood-work, which is called the ftocks.
When they ſtrike away the fide ſtays that
keep the veffél from moving, it flides along
the frame (which is now called the ftan-
chions) into the water, and this is termed
launching a ſhip.
Unfor
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
99
Unfortunately, the place where they had
made the boat was more than half a mile
from the fea-fide. How were they to get it
thither? Muft they carry it, or drag it, or
roll it along? Each of thefe ways feemed
equally impracticable; the canoe was too
heavy to be fo managed. What are they
to do? Here they were at a full ſtop: how
were they to get over it?
Edw. Why, Robinſon need only have
made a couple of levers, like that with
which he rolled two great pieces of rock
out of his cave when he was all alone.
Mr. Bill. He had not forgot the uſe
that might be made of fo fimple an inſtru-
ment; in fact, he had recourſe to it upon
this occafion; but the method was fo tedi-
ous, that Robinſon expected to be a month
before he ſhould convey the canoe to the
fea-fide. Fortunately, he thought of ano-
ther method, to the full as fimple, which
is uſed by carpenters and other tradeſmen
in Europe, for carrying the heaviest bur-
thens. They ufe rollers for the purpoſe.
Henry,
100
THE NEW
A
Henry. What are rollers?
Mr. Bill. They are pieces of wood made
long and round, fomething like a rolling-
ſtone. They are placed under the loads
which are to be conveyed from one place
to another. A man pufhes the load at one
end, which yields without much refiftance,
and moves on towards the place whither
it is to be conveyed, the rollers turning
under it all the while, as if of themselves.
Robinſon no fooner made trial of this.
method, but he was highly pleafed to fee
with what eafe and difpatch the boat could,
be moved along, and in two days time
it was launched in the fea. His joy was:
doubled when he faw that it failed with the
greateſt ſteadineſs.
It only remained now to make prepara-
tions for their departure; that is, to lay in a
ftock of proviſions, as much as the boat
could carry, and then to fet fail, both being
}
equally eager to begin the voyage. But
where were they to go? Friday's wifhes.
were to return to his native iſland; Robin-
fon,
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 101
fon, for his part, would have been glad to
land on the continent of South America,
where he hoped to meet either with Spani-
ards or other Europeans. Friday's inland
was only about four miles off, and the con-
tinent was more than a dozen or fourteen.
If they landed firft on his ifland, they went
fome miles farther off from the continent,
and, by fo doing, encreafed the dan-
ger of failing thither afterwards. Friday
knew nothing of the fea thereabouts, but
barely to fail towards his own ifland; he
was quite unacquainted with the paffage to
the continent, and Robinfon knew it no
better, having never failed upon theſe ſeas.
เ
At length Robinfon's uncertainty gave
place to a fixed defire of feeking to land on
fome civilized country. In fpite of all Fri-
day's objections, and whatever he could urge,
it was determined that they fhould prepare
to depart the next morning, and ſet fail, un-"
der God's protection, with the first favour-
able wind, for that quarter where Friday
expected
!
102
NEW
THE
*
expected the neareft part of the continent
lay.
But this is enough for to-day. It is time
for us to make our preparations for retiring
to reſt.
TWENTY-FIRST EVENING.
MR. Bill. Robinfon and Friday have now
put all their provifions on board the
canoe, and the wind is favourable to them;
fo that, my dear children, you have now to
bid them farewell, perhaps, for ever. Who
knows if we ſhall ever fee them again, or,
more properly ſpeaking, whether we ſhall
ever hear of them more?
The Children. Oh! how forry we are that
they are going away!
Mr. Bill. Such is the lot of men. They
cannot
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 103
cannot flatter themſelves that they fhall al-
ways live with thoſe who are moft dear to
them. They muft, perhaps, more than
once, endure the torments of inevitable fepa-
ration. It is, therefore, wife to prepare one's
felf beforehand for theſe partings, which are
as painful as they are, at times, indifpen-
fable.
Robinſon, on coming out of his cave for
the laſt time, ſtopped upon the top of the
hillock to indulge meditation for a moment,
and fuffered his companion to go on before
him. He reviewed, in his own mind, the
various fituations in which he had been
during his folitary ſtay on this iſland; and
when he recollected the fingular care with
which Providence had fupported him in a
moſt extraordinary manner, his heart was
moved with gratitude. He ſhed tears of
joy, and, lifting up his hands and eyes to
Heaven, he addreffed the Almighty with
the moſt fervent devotion.
"Oh! heavenly Father, how fhall I fuf-
ficiently thank thee for all that thou haft
hitherto
104
THE NEW
Unable as I am to
hitherto done for me!
whole ardor of my
exprefs in words the
thoughts, fuffer me to manifeft them alfo
by the lowly poſture of adoration. On my
knees, or proftrate with my face to the
ground, or rolling in the duft, let me, as
it were, fink into nothing before thee.
But every thing is open to thy eyes; thou
readeft my heart; thou feeft it filled with in-
expreffible ſentiments of the livelieft grati-
tude. This heart, which thou haft vouch-
fafed to amend, and which breathes but
for thee; this heart, fo often filled with for-
row, and fo often comforted by thee; this
heart, Oh Lord! is all that I can offer thee
in return for thy innumerable kindneſſes:
accept it, therefore, accept it whole, and
finiſh the work which thou haft begun in it.
Oh! heavenly Father, receive me in thy arms,
to which I commit myfelf with confidence,
and difpofe of me according to thy fatherly
mercy. May I never forfake the road of
virtue in which thy goodness has placed
me! Suffer me not, Oh Lord! to abandon
it.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 105
it. In this hope I yield myſelf up to thee;
govern me according to thy wife and good
pleaſure; I will go wherever thou fhalt con-
duct me. I go, with equal tranquillity and
confidence in thee, to expoſe myſelf, per-
haps, to freſh dangers. Vouchſafe ſtill to
accompany me, and grant me thy invifible,
but effectual fafeguard! Watch over my
immortal foul, and ftrengthen it in the trials.
to which it may be expofed! Preferve my
heart from weakneſs, impatience, and ingra-
titude towards thee! Oh, heavenly and eter-
nal object of my foul's love, my Creator,
my Preferver, my all, my God!"
Here the power of utterance yielded in
Robinſon to the force of his feelings: with his
face to the ground, he had only ftrength to
weep. Encouraged, however, at length, by
fecret confolations from above, he rofe up
and caft his eyes once more upon the coun-
try which he was going to leave, and which
feemed, on that account, to become more
dear to him. Like a man who is quitting his
native land without hopes of ever feeing it
again,
106
THE NEW
}
again, his moiſt and forrowful eyes wander-
ed ſtill with affection over every tree which
had once afforded him fhelter or an agree-
able fhade, and over every one of thoſe
works which owed their being to the labour
of his hands and the fweat of his brow."
All theſe objects feemed like ſo many
friends from whom he was going to be fe-
parated. What were his feelings, when he
perceived his lamas feeding at the foot of
the hillock! If he had not quickly turned
his eyes from theſe dear animals, his reſo-
lution to depart would have been fhaken.
the
However, at length, his fortitude got
better of his tenderneſs; he recovered his
courage. With his arms open and ſtretch-
ed out towards the country, as if he would
have embraced it, together with all the ob-
jects that it contained, "Farewell," cried
he, with a loud voice, " farewell, ye wit-
neffes of my paft fufferings; for the laft
time farewell!" But this laft farewell was
loft in fobs. Lifting, once more, his eyes
to Heaven, he went on without farther he-
fitation
VOL. III.
F
Chudi
ROBINSON
CRUSO E. 107
fitation towards the fea fide. As he went
along, he perceived his faithful Poll, who ac-
companied him, flying befide him from
tree to tree. He felt an irreſiſtible defire of
taking Poll with him: he, therefore, held
out his hand, and calls the parrot by its
name. Poll comes flying to him as fwift
as an arrow, lights upon his hand, runs
ſwiftly up his arm, and refts upon his ſhoul-
der. Robinfon now overtook Friday, who
was waiting for him with impatience; and
they both went aboard without farther de-
lay.
گر
It was the 30th of November, at eight
o'clock in the morning, the ninth year
of Robinſon's ſtay upon this defert ifland,
that they fet fail, with clear weather and
a freſh and favourable breeze. They had
hardly got a few miles out to fea before
they met with a reef of rocks.
-
Harriet. Oh! dear, let us know firſt what
a reef of rocks is.
Mr. Bill. Seamen give this name to a
number of rocks joined together, and
F 2
either
1
108
THEN E W.
either entirely covered with water, or, in
fome places, rifing above it. This reef
or chain of rocks reached from a pro-
montory of the island more than four
A
leagues out into the fea. It ſeemed dan-
gerous to fail over theſe rocks: they, there-
fore, tacked; that is, placed their fail in ano-
ther pofition, that, by taking a fweep round,
they might get on the outſide of the reef.
Edw. But if the water covered this reef,
how could they know how far it reached
into the fea?
Mr. Bill. They could judge of that by
the waves which they faw break over it;
for in places where there are hidden rocks
under the water, the waves rife higher, and
appear whiter with foam, becauſe theſe
rocks, in ſtopping them, make them rife
and break them.
Scarce had they gained the outmoſt
point of the reef, when, all at once, their
canoe was carried away with as much ra-
pidity as if they had many fails fet and
went before a ſtrong gale of wind. They
were
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
109
were both terrified, and made hafte to furl
their fail, becauſe they thought they had
been furpriſed by a ſmart breeze. But
this was in vain; for the canoe was carried
over the billows no lefs rapidly than before;
and from thence they concluded that they
were in the middle of a ſtrong current,
which forced them along.
Henry. What! are there currents in the
fea?
Mr. Bill. The bottom of the fea is no
lefs rugged and uneven than the furface of
the land; and under the water there are
mountains, hills, and vallies, as well as
upon land. Now, the water naturally runs
with more fwiftneſs towards the parts that
are lower; whence it comes to pass, that
there are currents in the fea as large as the
Thames, and often exceedingly rapid. It
is very dangerous for fmall boats to fall in-
to theſe currents, becauſe they find it diffi-
cult, not to fay impoffible, to get out of
them again; fo that they are frequently car-
ried a hundred leagues out of their courſe.
Rich.
F 3
110
THE NEW
Rich. Ah! poor Robinſon, what is to
become of you now?
Harriet. Why did he not ftay in his
iſland? I thought fomething would happen
to him.
Mr. Bill. In undertaking this voyage,
he cannot be accuſed either of levity or
rafhneſs. He was moved to it by reafons.
of the greateſt prudence, and moft mature-
ly weighed. Whatever happens to him
look upon as a decree of Pro-
vidence, and to that he refigns himſelf en-
tirely.
now, he may
They tried, in vain, to force themſelves
out of the current by rowing: an irreſiſti-
ble power carried them along with the ſwift-
nefs of an arrow; and they were now fo
far out at fea as to have loft fight of the
coaft of their iſland. Their deftruction
appeared inevitable; for, in lefs than
half an hour more, they would lofe fight of
the tops of the higheſt hills upon the iſland:
after that, let the impetuofity of the cur-
rent ceafe fooner or later, it was all over
44
with
ROBINSON CRUSOE. III
with them; for they could not poſſibly re-
cover the iſland, having no compaſs to di-
rect their courſe.
Henry. What fort of compafs?
Mr. Bill. A mariner's compaſs. Edward,
who has made choice of a fea life, will tell
you what it is?
Edw. (laughing) I wish I knew every
thing that a good failor fhould know as well
as I do that. A compafs, Henry, is a mag-
netic needle in a round box.
Henry. But what is a magnetic needle?
Edw. It is a long thin piece of ſteel that
has been touched and rubbed with a fort of
ftone called a magnet, or loadſtone; from
which rubbing it acquires this furpriſing
property, that, if balanced upon a copper pi-
vot, one end of it will turn conſtantly to-
wards the North. By means of this com-
pafs navigators can fteer their proper
courfe, even when they fee nothing but the
fky and the fea; otherwife they would foon
lofe themſelves, and not know which way
to fail.
F4
Mr.
112
THE NEW
Mr. Bill. Do you underſtand, Henry ?
Henry. Pretty well. But to return to the
boat in danger.
Mr. Bill. Robinfon, having no.com-
pafs, could not poffibly. recover the ifland,
if once he loft fight of it. What a dreadful
fituation was he threatened with! 'To be
rolled and toffed about upon a vaſt ocean,
in a flight fkiff, with provifions only for a few
days! Can any thing be imagined. more
hopeleſs of fafety? It then appeared clear-
ly that a true piety and a confcience void of
reproach are an ineftimable treaſure in time
of diftrefs. Without this valuable reſource,
how could Robinſon have fupported the
weight of defpair which threatened to over-
whelm him? He would have acted as a
perfon deftitute of hope, and, perhaps, de-
prived himſelf of life, to avoid the dread-
ful alternative of perishing with hunger.
His companion, whofe piety was neither
fo firmly established, nor fo well tried by the
`number and duration of his diſtreſſes, as that
of his maſter, was in the height of deſpair.
Una-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
1-3
Unable to work, and abfolutely bereft of all
courage, he reſts his oar, looks at his maf
ter with a hopeleſs, difconfolate air, and
afks him whether they fhall plunge them-
felves into the ſea, to prevent, at once, by
a ſpeedy death, the cruel terrors of that lin-
gering one which feemed inevitably to
await them. Robinſon, at firft, fpoke to
him affectionately, and endeavoured to re-
animate his courage: he, then, mildly re-
proached him for not putting his truft in
the wiſdom of Providence, which difpofes
of every thing for the beſt; and briefly re-
minded him of all that he had already
taught him upon this fubject.
"Is it only
upon land," ſaid he, " that we are in the
hands of the Almighty? Is he not alfo
maſter of the ocean? If he thinks right,
can he not order theſe waves, which are now
fo dangerous to us, to carry us to a place:
of fafety? Do you think, that, by throw-
ing yourſelf into the fea, you could efcape
from the lot to which, he has deſtined you?
Learn, inconfiderate young man, that your:
immortal
F 5
}
*
114
1
THE NEW
immortal foul will, during eternity, be un-
der the boundlefs empire of the Almighty,
and that it cannot hope for happineſs, if, re-
bellious to its fovereign, it counteracts his
orders, by confenting violently to break the
bonds which unite it to the body.
Friday was fenfibly affected with the
truth of theſe wholeſome exhortations, and
bluſhed for his own weaknefs.
He imme-
diately took up his oar again, and they both
continued to row, although they had not
the fmalleft hope that all their efforts could
fave them.
Robinſon faid, "We are but
doing our duty; for while we have a
fpark of life remaining, we are bound to do
every thing in our power to fave it. If we
fail, we die with the comfortable affurance
that fuch is the will of the Supreme Being;
and his will, my dear friend," added he,
raifing his voice to a tone of generous ani-
mation," his will is ever wife, even when
we, miferable worms, cannot interpret it.":
The rapidity of the current continued ſtill
the fame: they could now fee no more of the
inland
}
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 115
iſland than the tops of the hills; and now,
even of them, they could difcover but one,
the very higheſt, and that was leffening to
their view very faft: in fhort, all hope of
being faved was vaniſhed.
But when all human affiſtance fails, when
the diftrefs of the unfortunate is at its height,
then, my dear children, then comes in aid
the powerful hand of Him who governs all
things; and the man who was on the point
of periſhing, is placed wholly out of danger,
by means which he never would have fore-
feen. This appeared in the preſent critical
moment. Robinfon had loft all hope of
avoiding a ſpeedy death; but, at the very
moment when, exhauſted with fatigue, he
was obliged to ceafe rowing, he perceived
that the ſwiftnefs of the boat's motion aba-
ted all at once: he obſerved alſo, that the wa-
ter did not appear fo muddy as before; and,
caſting his eyes over the furface of the fea,
he farther remarked that the current parted
into two unequal branches, the largeſt of
which ran violently towards the North,
F 6
while
116
THE NOE WA
while the other, lefs rapid, turned fhort to
the South; and in this latter the canoe hap
pened to take its courfe.
1
}
Tranfported with joy, he addreffes him-
felf to his companion, who was half dead
with fear. "Courage, Friday! It is the will
of Heaven that we fhall ftill be preferved!"
And immediately he pointed out to him the
circumſtances upon which he founded his
hope. They both, therefore, took up their
oars again, which fatigue had made them
let go. Re-animated with the ſweet and
unexpected hope of efcaping from death,
they exerted their laft efforts to get out of
the current, and faw, with infinite fatisfaction,
that, for once, their labour was not ineffec-
tual. Robinfon, who, from a long feries
of diſappointments, was accuſtomed to let
nothing flip his attention, obferved, at this
moment, that the wind would be of fervice
to them, he, therefore, quickly unfurled the
fail, which, catching the breeze, helped, to-
gether with their redoubled exertions in row-
?
ing
ROBINSON
CARUSO E. 117
*
ing, to carry them very foon out of the cur
rent into a ſmooth ſea.
¡
Friday was ready to jump for joy; he
rofe up to embrace his mafter, who, how-
ever, begged him to fufpend his tranfports
for a moment, as there remained a good
deal ſtill to be done before they could think
thimſelves completely out of danger. In
fact, they had been carried out to fea fo
far, that they could barely perceive their
iſland, like a very fmall cloud in the far-
theft extremity of the horizon..
Henry. Horizon? What is that?
Mr. Bill. When you are in an open
country, does not the ſky feem, like a great
arch, to touch the ground before you,
which way foever you turn ?...
Henry. Yes, it does.
Mr. Bill. Well, then, the circle which
thus bounds our view on all fides, where the
earth feems to end and the ſky to begin, is
called the horizon. You will foon learn
more about this.
Our two intrepid failors rowed with fo
12
much
118
THE NEW
much perſeverance, and a profperous breeze
puſhed them on fo favourably towards the
Eaſtern coaſt of the ifland, for which they
were making, that they very foon began to
ſee the mountains again. "Come, my
friend," ſaid Robinfon to Friday, who fat
toward the head of the boat, with his back
to the iſland," come, Friday, we are near
the end of our toil." He had fcarce finish-
ed thefe words before the canoe received
fo violent a fhock, that the two rowers were
thrown from their feats, and fell down at
their length in the bottom of the boat,
which now ftuck faft, and was foon covered
with waves that broke over it.
Mrs. Bill. Well, my dear children, I
would give up my fupper, and, I fuppofe,
you would do the fame, to fave our poor
friend; but it is all over with him.
fupper is ready in the next room.
has been twice to tell me fo.
Come,
Nanny
}
TWENTY-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. HE
TWENTY-SECOND EVENING.
SEVERAL of the Children at once. Well,
papa, let us know quick what is be-
come of poor Robinſon.
Mr. Bill. You remember, that, at the ve-
ry moment when he thought himfelf free
from every danger, he fell into a freſh one,
of a much more threatening nature than
that from which he had juft eſcaped. The
canoe ſtuck faſt all at once, and the waves
broke over it. If it has ftruck upon a rock,
there is no more to be faid-our friends are
loft.
Robinſon made hafte to feel all round
the canoe with his oar, and finding no more
than about two feet depth of water, and a
tolerably hard bottom, he jumped, without
more ado, into the fea. Friday did the
fame, and they both recovered their ſpirits,
on finding that the canoe had ftruck upon a
bank
1
120
THENE W
1
bank of fand, and not upon a rock. They
united their ſtrength to free the boat from
the fand, by puſhing it towards that fide
where the water was deepeft. They fuc-
ceeded, and when it was afloat they got
into it again.
Harriet. But poor Robinſon will catch
cold-he has wetted his feet.
Mr. Bill. My dear, when a man has
ftrengthened his conftitution by a fimple
and laborious life, as Robinſon had, he does.
not ſo eaſily catch cold; fo do not be un-
eafy on that account.
Rich. We ourſelves do not fo eafily
catch cold as formerly.
How often had
we our feet wet laft winter, without feel-
ing the leaſt inconvenience from it?
Mr. Bill. A proof that your manner of
living has already ftrengthened you a little.
2
After they had emptied the boat of the
water that was in it, ufing for that purpoſe
their oars and the hollow of their hands, as
well as they could, they refolved to be more
careful, and to uſe only their oars without a
fail,
ዘዞ
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 121
fail, that they might be better able to guide
the boat at their pleaſure. They rowed,
therefore, to clear the fand bank, keeping
cloſe by the fide of it, in hopes of ſoon com-
ing to its end. This, however, they did not
reach till after four hours rowing, to fuch a
length the bank extended from North to
South. Robinſon remarked that it reached
to the very ſpot where he was ſhipwrecked
nine years before, and, indeed, that this
bank was really the fame upon which the
fhip had ftruck.
Henry. Struck, how?
Rich. Oh! you are always interrupting.
Mr. Bill. He does right in wiſhing to
be informed, and you are wrong, my dear
Richard, to take his queſtions amifs. Do
fo no more. A ſhip ſtrikes, Henry, when
it comes full againſt a fand bank, or a rock,
from which it cannot diſengage itſelf.
Henry. Thank you, papa, for the expla
nation.
Mr. Bill. At length, as they were come
into a part of the ſea that was open and na-
vigable,
122
THE NEW
vigable, they rowed with all their strength
to arrive at the iſland, which they now faw
pretty near them. They came up to it
juft as the fun was fetting, and his beams
only to be feen upon the tops of the hills;
and they landed, quite fpent with fatigue,
but infinitely pleaſed to be out of danger.
They had neither of them taken any
food the whole day; therefore, without wait-
ing until they ſhould arrive at the cave for
a refreſhment fo abfolutely neceffary to
them, they fat down upon the beach, and
ate heartily of the provifions that they had
put into the boat. When their meal was
ended, they drew up the boat into a creek.
You know, I fuppofe, what that is?
Rich. Oh, yes it is a ſmall opening, as
it were, in the fhore, fomewhat refembling
the shape of a bay or gulf.
Mr. Bill. Yes, but with this difference,
that a bay is much larger, and a gulf ſtill
more fo.-They drew up their canoe in a
creek, and fet out for their habitation, carry-
ing
ROBINSON
123
CRUSOE.
ing back every thing that they had before
put aboard the boat.
Edw. Come, the ſtory is not quite fi-
niſhed yet.
Mr. Bill. Robinſon and Friday are gone
to bed. Friday is by this time faſt aſleep;
Robinſon, after returning God hearty thanks
for this freſh inſtance of prefervation, is pre-
paring alfo to compofe himſelf to reſt. We
might very well do the fame, but as it is
not late, I will tell you what happened
the next day.
Robinſon, at breakfaſt time, ſpoke to his
companion thus: "Well, Friday, do you
find yourſelf diſpoſed to make a fecond at-
tempt with me to-day, like that which we
made yeſterday?”
Frid. Heaven forbid!
Rob. Then you are determined to ſpend
your days with me in this ifland?
us !
Frid. Ah! if my father was here with
Rob. Then your father is ſtill alive?
Frid. Unlefs he has died fince I left him.
Here
124
THE NEW
Here Friday, who was deeply affected,
let fall the potatoe that he held in his hand,
and, fitting motionlefs, he fhed a flood of
tears. Nor could Robinſon contain his,
when he thought of his parents. Loft in
the tender recollection of former fcenes,
they both maintained a long and deep fi-
lence.
Rob. Be comforted, Friday; your father
is probably ftill alive. We will go and find
him out the firft convenient day, and
bring him hither.
This was joyful news for Friday; it put
him almoſt beſide himſelf: his exclama-
tions, his attitudes, were fuch as expreffed
the tranfports of his joy: he falls at Ro-
binſon's feet to thank him, but, in the ful-
nefs of his heart, he is not able to utter a
word.
Mrs. Bill. Ah, my dear children, what
an admirable pattern is this of filial love in
a favage, who has received no education,
no inftruction from his father; who is in-
debted to him for nothing but barely life,
and
ROBINSON 125
CRUSOECRUSOE.
.
and even that a life which is really miſe-
rable.
Mr. Bill. So true it is that God has en-
graven in the hearts of all men principles
of affection and gratitude to their parents.
Alas! what a horrible monſter muft that
man be, if it were poffible for fuch to exift
amongſt us civilized beings, who ſhould
ftifle in his heart theſe firſt workings of na-
ture, who ſhould feel no more than indif-
ference for his parents, and who ſhould
knowingly give them caufe of forrow and
vexation! If ever you meet with fuch a
monſter, my dear children, remain not with
him under the fame roof; avoid him, he
is the peft of fociety; he is capable of the
moft dreadful crimes, and will not fail to
experience the terrible effects of heavenly
vengeance.
When the tranfports of Friday's joy were
a little calmed, Robinfon afked him if he
knew the paffage over to his father's iſland
fo well as to be certain, that, if they under-
took it, they ſhould not be expoſed to dan-
་་
gers
1
126
THE NEW
gers like thoſe which they had experienced
the day before. Friday affured him that
he knew the paffage perfectly, and would
undertake it with confidence even by night;
that he had failed it feveral times with his
countrymen, when they came to this iſland
to feaft after their victories.
Rob. Then you were amongſt them when
they killed men and ate them?
Fri. Certainly.
:
Rob. And you took your ſhare with them
too?
· Fri. Alas! I knew not that there was
any harm in it.
Rob. On which fide of the iſland did you
generally land?
f
Fri. Always on the South fide, as being
neareft to our iſland, and alſo becauſe co-
coa-nuts are to be found there in plenty.
This was an additional proof to Robin-
fon that he had good caufe to thank God
for having fuffered him to be fhipwrecked
rather upon the Northern coaft than the
Southern, as, in this latter cafe, he would
*
foon
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 127
foon have fallen a prey to the favages. He
then repeated his promiſe to Friday that he
would ſhortly croſs over with him to his
ifland, and endeavour to find his father.
He made him fenfible, however, that this
was not to be done immediately, as the pre-
fent feaſon was precifely the ſeaſon for
working in the garden, and this important
buſineſs would by no means permit them
to be abſent.
They, therefore, fet about this work with-
out delay. Robinſon and Friday ftrove to
ſurpaſs each other in the art of digging.
During the intervals of reft, they employed
themſelves in finding out means to improve
their gardening tools. Robinſon, whofe
patience and invention were equally inex-
hauftible, fucceeded in making a rakę,
though he had no more than a fharp-point-
ed ſtone to make the holes which were to
receive the teeth: from the nature of the
inſtrument that he uſed, one may gueſs how
long he was in making them. Friday, for
his part, contrived with a fharp ftone to
VOL. III.
G
make
}
128
THE NEW
!.
make two fpades of fo very hard a wood,
that they were nearly of the fame ftrength
and effect as if they had been made of iron.
Robinſon was not content with providing
merely for his wants; he thought of making
fome improvements about his habitation,
and, by degrees, of ornamenting it. Such,
my dear children, has ever been the natural
confequence of the progrefs of the arts.
While men were obliged to think of nothing
but the means of providing for their fub-
fiftence and fecurity, they had not the leaſt
idea of cultivating thofe arts which ferve
merely to adorn the objects that furround
them, or to procure them pleaſures more
refined than thofe which they enjoy in com-
mon with other animals; but no fooner were
they affured of their ſubſiſtence and ſafety,
than they fought to unite the agreeable
with the neceffary, the beautiful with the
ufeful. Hence arofe, and were gradually
brought to perfection, architecture, fculp-
ture, painting, and all the other arts known
by the general denomination of the fine arts.
Robinſon
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
129
1
Robinſon began by improving and orna-
menting his garden. He divided it regu-
larly into different quarters by pretty broad
walks, which he marked out with a line.
He planted hedge-rows, and made fummer-
houfes and dark walks. One quarter wis
defigned for a flower garden, another for
a kitchen garden, and the third for an or-
chard. This laft he enriched with all the
beft of the young lemon-trees that he found
fcattered over the iſland, befides a variety
of other young trees, which he grafted with
fcions from the bread-tree. I had forgot
to tell you, that in one of his walks he had
difcovered a ſecond tree of this fpecies.
Friday, who was prefent at the operation of
grafting, could not fufficiently expreſs his
furpriſe; he had no idea of the intent of it,
and would have doubted its fuccefs, had any
other perfon but Robinſon mentioned it to
him.
They planted potatoes and fowed maize,
both in. great quantities; and, as the foil
had probably lain fallow fince the creation
of the world, whatever they fowed ſprung
·G. 2.
up
130
THE NEW
up as favourably as they could wifh, and
brought them a plentiful crop.
At times they went a fifhing with the
nets which Friday had made during the
rainy ſeaſon, and always caught more of the
finny tribe than they could confume: they,
therefore, releaſed thoſe which they thought
fuperfluous, throwing them back into their
own element. "It is abufing God's gifts,"
Robinſon fenfibly obferved, "to graſp at
more than is neceffary to fatisfy our wants;
and it is an odious cruelty to take away the
lives of harmlefs animals, when we are
about to uſe them for our nouriſhment."
After fishing they generally bathed. Ro-
binſon could not fufficiently admire Friday's
cleverness in fwimming and diving. He
commonly chofe fome fteep, rock againſt
which the waves broke. He would caft
himfelf headlong from the top of this
rock into the fea, remain fome minutes.
under water, and by the time that Ro-
binſon was become uneafy about him, he
would pop his head up all at once, and then
throw himſelf into a thouſand different po-
fitions :
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 131
fitions: now ftretched on his back, he let the
waves roll him about; at another time-
'but, were I to tell you the particulars of his
performance, it would almoft appear incredi-
ble to you. On thefe occafions Robinfon
reflected with admiration upon the ſurpriſing
diverſity of men's natural difpofitions, capa-
ble, in a manner, of arriving at any perfec-
tion, if rightly exerciſed from their infancy.
Sometimes they went a fowling or hunt-
ing. Friday was no leſs ſkilled in ufing the
bow and arrow than in making them. They
`killed birds and young lamas, but never
more than were requifite for their table.
Robinſon, I obferved before, confidered as a
very blameable degree of cruelty the odious
paffion of killing any animal whatſoever for
mere amuſement, and without a view to
conveniency.
Whatever fuperiority Robinfon might
have over. Friday with reſpect to underſtand-
ing and induſtry, the latter, in his turn, was
poffeffed of much ſkill and dexterity, to
which his maſter had hitherto been a ftran-
G 3
ger,
132
THE NEW
?
ger, but which, however, were of infinite-
fervice to them. He had the art of making,
out of bones, fhells, ftones, &c. all forts of
tools, which he uſed very dexterously in carv-
ing wood, the work of which feemed almoſt
as well executed as if it had been cut with.
iron. For inftance, having found a long.
-bone, he made a chifel of it; of a branch of
coral he made a raſp; a knife he made out
of a fhell, and a file of a fifh's fkin. With.
thefe tools he provided for their apart-
ment many little pieces of furniture, which
contributed to render their fituation much
more commodious.
The art of reducing the fruit of the bread-
tree into a kind of paſte or dough, was of
the greateſt importance. This paſte was as
nourishing as our bread, and had nearly the
fame tafte. The favages ufe this paſte raw,
but Robinſon gave it a little toafting on the
fire, which made it eat as agreeable as any
bread.
He learned, alfo, from Friday, the uſe of
the chocolate-nuts, which having formerly
found:
ROBINSON
CRUSOE, 133
found in one of his excurfions, he had
brought home a ſmall ſtock of them for trial..
When they were roaſted before the fire, they
afforded a food very agreeable to the taſte,
and as wholeſome as it was nouriſhing.
Robinſon, who was fond of making expe-
riments, pounded a few handfuls of theſe
nuts between two flat ftones, and, having
reduced them to powder, he boiled them
with milk. What an agreeable ſurpriſe!
The moment he tafted it he knew it to be
chocolate.
Henry, Ay!
Mr. Bill. Yes, like our chocolate in every
respect, but that he had no fugar with it.
Thus every day Robinſon found new re-
fources to fupply his wants and gratify his
palate. But I muſt ſay, to his praife, that
he perfevered nevertheleſs in his refolution:
and habit of living temperately, and of con-
fining himself to the plaineft forts of food..
From this time they began to undertake:
longer and more frequent excurfions all
over the iſland, particularly when they ob-
ferved!
134
น
THE NEW
*
ferved that the wind was unfavourable for
the favages to come over.
In theſe excur-
fions they made feveral difcoveries which
they eaſily turned to their advantage.
When their work in the garden was finiſh-
ed, they fixed upon a day to go in queft of
Friday's father; but the nearer the time
approached, the more Robinſon's anxiety
encreaſed. "What if theſe ſavages," ſaid
he to himſelf, "fhould treat you as an
enemy? What if they ſhould pay no regard
to any thing that Friday could fay? In
fhort, what if you ſhould fall a prey to their
monftrous appetites ?" He could not help
communicating all thefe apprehenfions to
his friend. Friday protefted to him, by
every thing the moſt facred, that theſe fears
were ill-founded; that he knew his country-
men well enough to affure him that they
were incapable of ufing thofe ill who were
not their enemies. Robinfon was convin-
ced that Friday would by no means fpeak fo
pofitively, if there was the ſmalleſt room
for doubt. He, therefore, baniſhed all fear
and
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
135
and fufpicion, depended upon Friday's good
faith, and refolved to fet fail the very next
day.
With this intention they again floated their
canoe, which had been drawn up on the
beach, and moored it to a ſtake fixed in the
ground. The fame evening they roaſted a
quantity of potatoes, and prepared other
provifions, intending to lay in a ſtock for at
leaft eight days. Friday fhewed upon this
occafion that he was not ignorant in the art
of cookery. As they had juſt killed a young
lama, he propoſed to his mafter a method
of roafting it whole in lefs time than they
could on the ſpit, and he engaged that its
fleſh ſhould eat more tender and juicy when
dreft after this manner. He went to work
thus.
He dug a hole in the ground about two
feet deep; this he filled with feveral layers.
alternately of dry wood and flat ftones.
民
​Here he made the fire, over which he held the
lama, to finge it, or burn its hair entirely
off: he then fcraped it with a fhell, and
made
136
THE NE W
made it as clean as if it had been fcalded in
boiling water. With the fame ſhell he cut
it open, and then took out the bowels. In
the mean time the wood was burnt to char-
coal, the hole was completely heated, and
the ſtones red hot. He took out the wood
and the ftones as faft as poffible, only leav-
ing as many of the latter as were fufficient
to cover the bottom of the hole. On theſe
ftones he ſpread a layer of leaves of the cocoa-
nut-tree, and on thefe leaves placed the la-
ma, which he covered again with other leaves;
and, laftly, over thefe he laid what remain-
ed of the hot ftones. The whole was co-
vered with earth.,
When they took up the lama after it had
lain there fome hours, Robinſon was cu-
rious to tafte it, which he did, and found
that the meat of it was really more tender,
more juicy, and more favoury than if it
had been roaſted on the fpit. From that
time, therefore, he conftantly uſed this me-
thod.
}
Rich.
ROBINSON, CRUSOE. 137
Rich. It is exactly the fame way that the
people of Otaheité bake their dogs.
Mr. Bill. Very true.
Geo. Their dogs? Do they eat their
dogs?
Rich. Certainly. We read of them laft
winter. Captain Cook's people tafted fome
of the flesh of their dogs dreft in this man-
ner, and found it excellent.
Harriet. Excellent indeed!
Mr. Bill. You know, I fuppofe, that theſe
dogs do not feed as ours; they do not eat
fleſh, but fruits; fo that the meat of them
may tafte quite different from the flesh of
our dogs.
Well, children, all the preparations for
the voyage are made. Let our two voya
gers reft for this night, and to-morrow even-
ing we ſhall ſee what may have happened
to them.
END OF THE THIRD VOLUME,
Master George. Surinder
the guftrif
Peatsherd
March 19
1829.
W.S Barber
You
*
THE
NEW ROBINSON CRUSOE;
AN INSTRUCTIVE AND ENTERTAINING
HISTORY,
FOR THE USE OF
CHILDREN OF BOTH SEXES.
TRANSLATED FROM THE FRENCH.
Embellished with Thirty-two beautiful Cuts.
VOL IV.
LONDON:
Printed for JOHN STOCKDALE, oppofite Burlington
Houfe, Piccadilly.
M DCC LXXXVIIĮ.
[Price 6s, fewed in four volumes, or 7s. bound in two.]
Entered at Stationers Wall,
THE
NEW ROBINSON CRUSOE.
TWENTY-THIRD. EVENING.
ROBINSON and Friday might have
been afleep about half an hour, when
the former was fuddenly awakened by a
violent ſtorm, which began and was at the
height almoft in the fame inftant. The
roaring of the wind was dreadful, and the
earth fhook with repeated claps of thunder.
"Do you hear this?" faid Robinſon to Fri-
day, awaking him. "Heavens!" replied
he," what would have become of us if we
A 3
had
ร
4
THE NEW
1
had been ſurpriſed at fea in fuch weather?"
Juft at that moment they heard the report
of a gun at a great diſtance.
Friday thought it was thunder; Robin-
fon was firmly perfuaded that a gun had
been fired, and this belief filled him with
joy. He ftarts up from bed, runs to the
fire-place, bids Friday follow him, fnatches
up a burning piece of wood, and mounts.
his ladder of ropes. Friday followed his
maſter's example, without knowing what his
intentions were.
·
Robinſon made hafte to kindle a large
fire upon the top of the hillock, to fignify
to the people at fea in diftrefs that they
would find a fafe refuge upon that iſland
for he had not the leaſt doubt that there.
was ſome ſhip in diftreſs near at hand, and
that the report of the gun which he had
heard was a fignal of their danger. But
ſcarce had the fire begun to blaze up before
there came fuch a ſhower of rain as put it
out in a moment. Robinfon and Friday
were obliged to haften to the cave, for fear
of
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
5
of being carried away by the water, which
ran in floods. The whiſtling of the wind,
the roaring of the waves, the loud burfts of
thunder, all found with redoubled tumult;
and though, in the midft of this tremendous
agitation of the elements, Robinſon thought
he could diſtinguiſh now and then fome re-
ports of cannon, yet he doubted whether
they might not be the bursting of thunder
at a diſtance. However, notwithſtanding
his doubts, he indulged himſelf with the flat-
tering thought that there might be a ſhip
near at hand, the captain of which, if he
efcaped the danger of this dreadful ftorm,
might take him and his faithful Friday on
board, and carry them to Europe. Ten
times he attempted to light the fire, and
ten times the rain put it out. All that re-
mained in his power to do for the unfor-
tunate people who were ftruggling against
fhipwreck and death, he did: he prayed
for them with the greateſt devotion.
Rich. He was not afraid, then, of the
ftorm, as formerly?
A 4
Mr.
6
THEN E W
1
Mr. Bill. No; you fee him now per-
fectly cured of that fenfelefs fear. But how
was this cure wrought?
Rich. By his having a clear conſcience,
which reproached him with no crime.
Mr. Bill. Right; and, moreover, by a
firm perfuafion that the Almighty is a being
of the pureft benevolence, and that, confe-
quently, nothing happens to thoſe who are
endowed with true piety and virtue but what
conduces finally to their greateſt happineſs.
-It was day-break before the ſtorm ceaſed.
As foon as it was clear, Robinſon, fufpended
between hope and fear, went to the fea-fide,
accompanied by Friday, to afcertain whe-
ther his conjectures were well or ill founded.
But the firſt diſcovery that they made filled
Robinſon with grief, and aloft plunged
Friday into defpair. The wind had driven
their boat out to fea. It would have melted
any one with compaffion to be witneſs of
Friday's exceffive grief, when he ſaw him-
felf diſappointed in the pleaſing hope of
foon returning to his father. His natural
com-
ROBINSON CR U S O E. 7
complexion forfook his face, and was fuc-
ceeded by a ghaftly paleneſs: he could not
utter a fingle word; his eyes were mourn-
fully fixed upon the ground; his whole bo-
dy was agitated as if his foul were ſtriving
to part from it, and to break the bonds
which held them united. Suddenly his
grief burfts forth in a flood of tears, and
he beats his breaſt and tears his hair, fob-
bing all the while as if his heart would
break.
Robinfon had learned, from his own mif-
fortunes, to feel for thofe of others, and
particularly to calm and footh the forrows
of the afflicted. He was touched with
Friday's excefs of grief; he felt for his fi-
tuation, and endeavoured to comfort him.
by exhortations full of tenderneſs and good
fenfe. "Who knows," faid he, " whether
the lofs of our canoe may not be for our
advantage? Or who can tell of what fer-
vice this ftorm, which has carried away our
boat, may be in its confequences either to
us or to others ?" "What fervice!" faid
A 5
Friday
8
THE NE W
Friday tartly; it has deprived us of our
canoe, that is all."
"Then becauſe neither you nor I, narrow-
minded, ſhort-fighted beings as we are, can
perceive any other effect of the ſtorm than
the lofs of our canoe, do you fuppofe that
God, whoſe wiſdom is unbounded, had no
other purpoſe in view when he ſtirred up
this tempeft? How can thy feeble under-
ſtanding dare to judge of and limit the
immenfe deſigns of Omnipotence!" "That
is right," faid Friday, " in a general view;
but, as to us in particular, of what fervice
can the ftorm be to us ?" "You muſt not
afk me that queftion. Nothing less than
omniscience can comprehend the bound-
lefs plans of that Being who rules the Uni-
verfe. I may, indeed, exhauft myſelf in
conjectures, but who will fatisfy me whe-
ther they are juſt or not? Perhaps there
might have been raifed or gathered over
our inland fo great a quantity of dangerous
exhalations, that nothing lefs than fuch a
ftorm could difperfe them, and thus pre-
ferve
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
9
ferve us either from fome violent diftemper
or even from death itſelf. Perhaps this
boat, the lofs of which grieves us fo much,
might only have ferved to convey us to
our ruin. Perhaps-But why all theſe per-
hapfes? Is it not fufficient for us to know
that it is God who raifes and lays the tem-
peft at his will, and that in him all crea-
tures have a wife and tender father ?"
Friday, recovering his compofure, was
afhamed of his error, repented of his mur..
murs, and fubmitted to the decree of Pro-
vidence. In the mean time, Robinfon did
not ceaſe to caft his eyes round to every
part of the vaft ocean that was open to his
view; he could not help looking out for
fome veffel; but there was not the fmalleft
appearance of one. He concluded, there-
fore, that he had been mistaken, and that
what he had ſuppoſed to be the report of guns
had certainly been thunder. Grieved at
the thought of giving up fo. agreeable a
hope, he returned forrowfully towards his
habitation.
A 6
But
ΙΟ
NEW
THE
}
:
But even here he was not at eafe: his
fancy ftill ran upon a veffel at anchor near
the iſland. He went up, therefore, to
the top of the hillock, from whence there
was a full view of all the Weſtern coaft, but
he could difcern nothing that flattered his
hopes. Still vexed and uneafy, he went to
a very high hill, from the top of which he
could view the Eaſtern coaft, and climbing
with all ſpeed up to the fummit, he cafts his
eyes round the fea-But heavens! what
is his joy when he difcovers that he has
not been miſtaken !
The Children. Oh dear!
Mr. Bill. He fees a fhip, and, notwith-
ſtanding the diſtance, he fees it fo diftinctly
as to be convinced that it is one, and of
pretty large burthen. You will excufe me,
my dears, if I forbear attempting to de-
ſcribe the exceffive tranſports of his joy.
He flies like lightning to his cave, and ar-
rives quite out of breath. He fnatches
up his arms, without which he never went
to any great diſtance, and unable to ſay
any.
ROBINSON CRUS O E. FI
any more to Friday, who was aftonifhed to
fee him in fuch a hurry, than theſe words,
"There they are! quick! quick!" he
remounts the ladder of ropes, and ſets off
again with the utmoſt precipitation.-
[See the Frontispiece to this volume.]
From his maſter's hurry and confuſion,
and the few words that he spoke, Fri-
day ſuppoſed the favages to be at hand;
taking up his arms, therefore, he followed
him with all ſpeed.
They had at leaft twelve miles to go be-
fore they came to that part of the fhore off
which the veffel feemed to lie at anchor;
nor did Friday learn the cauſe of his maf-
ter's hurry until he arrived at this fpot.
Robinſon fhewed him the ſhip at a diſtance.
Friday could not conceal his aitoniſhment;
for, notwithſtanding the diſtance, he gueffed
it muſt be at leaſt a hundred times bigger
than any thing which he had ever feen of
the kind.
Robinſon expreffed his joy in a thouſand
different ways; ſometimes he danced, fome-
times
12
NEW
THE
times he halloo'd, and ſometimes he em-
braced Friday with tears in his eyes, and
congratulated the good fortune of both.
Now, indeed, they fhould fet off for Eu-
rope, and come to England! Now Friday
ſhould ſee how the people live in that
country! what houfes they inhabit, and how
they pafs their time in peace, enjoying all
the conveniencies and pleaſures of life! Thus
he ran on without ſtopping, and would
perhaps have talked for an hour, had he
not recollected, that to lofe the precious
time in uſeleſs words was now particularly
unreaſonable, and that he ought, by every
method in his power, to endeavour to make
himſelf viſible to the people in the fhip.
But how was this to be done? Here was
what puzzled him.
He endeavoured to make them hear him,
but to no purpoſe, though the wind had
changed during the ftorm, and blew, at
prefent, off the inland towards the fhip.
He then begged his friend to make a fire
directly, which might be feen by the peo-
ple
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 13
ple on board.
This was quickly done;
and they kindled a blaze that rofe as high
as the tops of the trees. He had his eyes
conftantly fixed upon the fhip, expecting
every moment to fee them lower a boat,
and fend it towards the fhore. But his ex-
pectations were all in vain.
..
At laft, as the fire had been lighted now
more than an hour without any appearance
of a boat, Friday offered to fwim to the
ſhip, notwithſtanding its diſtance, and in-
vite the crew to come on fhore. Robinſon
joyfully confented to this, on condition,
however, that he fhould take care not to
expoſe himſelf rafhly, nor neglect any thing
for the preſervation of his life. Imme-
diately Friday ftrips off his cloaths of
matting, cuts a branch, and, holding it
between his teeth, fprings boldly into the
waves. Robinſon accompanied him with
his eyes and moſt friendly wiſhes.
Charlotte. But why the branch, papa ?
Mr. Bill. A green branch is, among the
favages, a fign of peace.
He who ap-
proaches
14.
7
THE NEW
proaches them with a bough in his hand,
has nothing to fear from them. It was for
his fecurity, therefore, that Friday took this
precaution.
He arrived fafe at the veffel, and fwam
round it twice or thrice, calling the people,
but nobody anſwered. Perceiving the lad-
der at the ſhip's fide, he went up by it, hold-
ing the branch in his hand.
When he was high enough to fee all over
the deck, he was frightened at the fight of
an animal, fuch as he had never ſeen in his
life; it was covered with black woolly hair,
and as foon as it faw Friday, it uttered
fuch noiſes as perfectly ſurpriſed him. How-
ever, it foon ceaſed crying out, and appear-
ed fo mild and fo engaging, that Friday was
now no longer afraid of it: the creature ap-
proached in a manner fo humble, and crept
along wagging its tail and whining fo plain-
tively, that Friday ſuppoſed it to be entreat-
ing his help and protection. When it had
crept cloſe up to him, and ſtopped, Friday
ventured to pat it, and the creature ſeemed
tranf-
KOBINSON CRUSOE. IS
¡
tranfported with joy. Friday walked all
over the deck, calling the people, but no-
body appeared. While he was loft in ad-
miration of the many ſurpriſing objects that
he faw on the deck, and was ſtanding with
his back to the hatch-way, he received, all
of a fudden, fo violent a blow behind, that
he fell flat on his face. Getting up in a
great fright, he looks round him, and ſtands
petrified with confternation, on beholding a
creature of a pretty large fize, with crooked
horns, and a long bushy beard, rearing it-
felf upon its hind legs, and preparing, with
a threatening air, to make a fecond attack
upon him. Friday roared out as loud as he
was able, and jumped into the fea. -
The firſt of theſe animals, which was
black, and which I need not name, as, no
doubt, you know what it is, from the de-
fcription that I have given you of it
Rich. Oh! it was a water spaniel.
Mr. Bill. You have gueffed it. The
fpaniel, in imitation of Friday, jumps alfo
into the water, and fwims after him. Fri-
day,
?
16.
THE NEW
day, hearing the noiſe of ſomething that fell
into the water behind him, imagined the
horned monſter to be purfuing him. He
was fo terrified at the thought, that he was
ſcarce able to ſwim, and ran great danger of
drowning a fresh inftance from which
we ſee how hurtful the paffion of fear is,
fince it hurries us into dangers to which we
fhould never be expofed, if we did not fuf-
fer ourſelves to be overpowered by it.
He did not even dare to look behind
him however, after he had a little recover-
ed from his fright, he fwam fo faſt that the
fpaniel could fcarcely keep up with him.
When he reached the fhore, being unable
to fpeak, he fell down quite fpent at Ro-
binſon's feet. The ſpaniel landed a few
minutes after.
Robinſon fpared no pains to bring his
faithful companion to himſelf. He rubbed
his temples, fhook him, and called him
aloud by his name. But it was ſome time
before Friday opened his eyes and ſpoke.
As foon as he was able, he began to relate
·
the
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 17
the terrible adventure that had happened to
him; how the ſhip appeared to him a great
mountain of wood, on which ſtood up three
large trees (meaning the mafts); how the
black creature had fhewn him a thoufand
marks of fondneſs; and how the monfter
with the beard and horns had attempted to
kill him: laſtly, he added, that he believ-
ed the monſter to be mafter of the floating
mountain of wood, as he faw no man on it.
Robinſon liſtened to him with a good deal
of furpriſe. The horned monfter he fuppo-
fed to be a goat. As to the fhip, he conclu
ded that it was faſt upon a rock or ſand bank,
and that the crew, fearing to be wrecked,
had quitted it, and taken to their boats for
fafety, but he could not conceive what was
become of them. If they had reached the
ifland, the fpot where he then ſtood with
Friday was the moſt likely place for their
landing; but he could perceive no traces of
them. If they had periſhed, yet either their
bodies or their boats, or both, would, in
all probability, have been thrown upon
fome
}
18
THE NEW
}
fome part of the fhore. However, at
length, he recollected that the wind had
changed during the ftorm, and, from an
Eafterly gale, had fhifted fuddenly to the
Weft. This circumftance feemed to explain
to him what he found fo much difficulty
in comprehending at firſt..
"Certainly," ſaid he to himſelf," the
people who took to their boats muſt have
been driven back by the Wefterly gale from
reaching this fhore; the wind must have
carried them Eaſtward; fo that, perhaps, they
have perished in the open fea; perhaps
they were carried away by ſome current; or,
perhaps, before the fhifting of the wind,
they might have touched on one of the
iflands to the Weftward. Heaven grant
that this laft conjecture be true!" cried he,
with a figh. And he communicated his
opinion to Friday, who thought it not im
probable.
1
"But what are we to do?" faid Robin-
fon.
"Whether the crew have perished,
or are only toffed about by the winds, in ei-
ther
ROBINSON
CRUSOE. 19
ther cafe we can do nothing better than un-
load the fhip of whatever effects we can
move. But how are we to attempt this
now that we have no canoe?" At that mo-
ment he felt for the lofs of his canoe almoſt
as much as Friday had a few hours before;
he thought of every method poffible either
to replace it, or to fubftitute fomething elſe
in its room; but he was a long time without
hitting upon any thing that would anſwer.
To build another canoe, would take up
too much time. To fwim to the ſhip, was
an attempt that he durft not undertake on
account of the diftance. Befides, what
could he expect to fave by doing fo?
}
Rich. I know very well what I would
have done.
Mr. Bill. Well, what would you have
done?
Rich. I would have made a raft.
Mr. Bill. That was precifely the idea
that ftruck Robinfon at laft. "A raft,"
faid he to himself, "will be fooneft made."
Henry. Now, what is a raft?
Rich.
.20
THE NEW
Rich. A raft is a number of beams tied
cloſe together, ſo that one can walk upon
them, and this will carry you upon the wa-
ter as well as a boat.
Mr. Bill. You are very right; and juſt
fuch a raft did Robinfon intend to make to
carry him to the fhip, that he might fave
whatever goods he could bring away. It
was refolved that one of them fhould go to
the cave and bring back provifions for a
day, as well as all the cordage and tools that
he fhould find. As Friday was the more
active of the two, he was charged with this
buſineſs; and while he performed it, Robin-
fon cut down trees proper for the raft.
:
1
Friday could not be back before night-
fall in the mean time Robinſon was much
delighted with the fpaniel, for which he felt
a kind regard as coming from Europe.
The ſpaniel, for its part, feemed perfectly
happy in meeting with fo good a maſter,
and played a number of amufing tricks be-
fore Robinfon. At Friday's return, Robin-
fon gave the fpaniel part of his fupper,
though,
{
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
21
>
though this was the first food that he had taft-
ed himſelf the whole day. Luckily it happen-
ed to be a moon-light night; they both,
therefore, worked without ceafing till near
midnight, when they found themſelves fo
overpowered with fleep, that they could no
longer refift its approaches.
Edw. I do not wonder at that; they had
not flept the whole night before.
A
Geo. Befides, they had been ſtirring about
fo much all the day, especially Friday.
Mr. Bill. They lay down upon the grafs,
and the fpaniel at their feet, as their guard.
Thus, till the return of the dawn, they re-
freſhed their bodies, and gathered new
ftrength in found and undisturbed repoſe.
TWENTY-
22
THE NEW
}
TWENTY-FOURTH EVENING.
MR. Bill. Scarce had the ruddy morning
begun to appear in the Eaftern part of the
horizon, when the wakeful Robinſon rouſed
his companion to go on with the work which
they had begun the day before. They work-
ed ſo inceffantly the whole day, that the raft
was finiſhed that very evening.
Thy had joined a double row of trunks of
trees together in fuch a manner with cords
and willow twigs, that it formed, as it were,
a folid floor, fit to lie even on the water, and
about twenty feet long, with nearly the fame
breadth. They had alſo been careful to con-
ſtruct this raft upon rollers cloſe to the
beach, that they might the more eafily fet
it afloat without loſs of time.
Fortunately, the tide was on the ebb about
break of day. They did not, delay a mo
ment in launching their raft, that they might
•have
AI TOA
1
!
4
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
23
have the advantage of the ebb, which, like a
current, would carry them out towards the
ſhip. They puſh off, are now upon the open
fea, and in leſs than half an hour come along-
fide of the ſhip.
What were Robinſon's feelings when he
approached this European veffel! He would
have kiffed it, and glued his lips to every
part of it if poffible! That it came from
Europe, was built, manned, and conveyed
thither by Europeans, were circumstances
which could not fail to render it dear to him.
But, alas! thefe Europeans themſelves had
diſappeared-perhaps had been ſwallowed up
by the waves; an afflicting furmife to Robin-
fon, who would chearfully have facrificed
half of the days that he had ftill to live, on
condition of finding the crew, and ſetting fail
with them for Europe. But as he was o-
bliged to give up this hope, it only remained
for him now to fave as much of the goods out
of the ſhip as he could for his own uſe.
Geo. But could he take poffeffion of goods
that did not belong to him?
B 2
Mr.
24
THE NEW
Mr. Bill. What think you, Richard,
could he do fo?
Rich. He might, to be fure, take them
out of the fhip, and carry them afhore; but
if the owners appeared, he was obliged to re-
ftore them.
Mr. Bill. Thus juftice decrees certainly.
If he did not take out the goods, they would
be fpoiled by degrees in the fea-water; he
had, therefore, fome right to the uſe of them ;
he might, without any fcruple, take to him-
felf whatever he found moft neceffary, and
keep it, looking upon it as a recompenfe,
which the owners, if ever they appeared,
could not justly refufe him for the trouble
that he had taken in faving the remainder of
the cargo.
i
As to what concerns fhipwrecks in gene-
ral, the following cuftoms are obſerved in
fome civilized ftates. The shipwrecked
goods are generally divided into three parts;
the firft for the owners, if living, or, if not,
for their heirs; the fecond is given to thoſe
who
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 25
who have faved the goods; and the laft be-
longs to the fovereign of the country.
Edw. The fovereign! Why has he a
fhare?
Mr. Bill. That is a queftion to which I
cannot, at prefent, give you a very fatisfactory
anfwer; however, I will inform you of every
thing on the ſubject that is within your com-
prehenfion. The prince or fovereign of the
country, by whatever title he is ftyled, main-
tains upon his coafts a number of perfons
who are obliged, by their ftation, to look
after ſhipwrecked goods, that none of them be
carried off, but that whatever is faved may be
lodged in a place of fecurity. Without this
precaution, the merchant, to whom the cargo
belongs, would feldom recover any part of
it, becauſe the goods would always be either
ftolen or fpoiled. Now, as the fovereign is
at the charge of maintaining theſe people, it
is but juft that he ſhould be indemnified by
thoſe who reap the advantage of fo expenfive
an eſtabliſhment. For this reaſon, it has
been regulated in fome countries, that the
third
B 3
26
THE NEW
P%
third part of fhipwrecked goods fhould be-
long to the fovereign of the place.
Confequently, Robinſon was authorized to
appropriate to himfelf two-thirds of the
goods that he might be able to recover out of
the fhip, and to apply them to whatever uſe
fhould ſeem beft to him, as being his lawful
property.
· Rich. Two-thirds?
Mr. Bill. Yes; one-third for his pains
and trouble, and the other, as being the only
lawful fovereign of the iſland near which the
veffel had been wrecked.
Edw. But who made him fovereign of
the ifland?
Mr. Bill. Common fenfe. A country,
like any thing elſe, which has no owner, na-
turally belongs to him who firſt takes pof-
feffion of it; and fuch was exactly the caſe
here.
A
When Robinſon was a little recovered
from the excefs of joy which he felt at the
fight of an European fhip, his firſt wiſh was
that it might not prove to be damaged, but
capable
t
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
27
capable of being fet afloat. In this cafe he
was refolved to embark in it with Friday, and
fet fail, if not for Europe, at leaft for fome
European colony in South America, or the
Weſt Indies, notwithſtanding the danger of
being on the open fea in a fhip without fuffi-
cient hands to work it, and without having
the knowledge of navigation which a fea-
voyage requires. He failed round the ſhip
-on his raft, and examined the depth of wa-
ter about it, but had the mortification to be
convinced that he must never expect to fee it
afloat again.
1
*
The ftorm had lodged it between two
rocks, where it was jammed in ſo faſt, that
there was not the leaft poffibility of moving
it one way or the other, and it was likely to
remain in its prefent fituation until the force
of the waves ſhould difengage it by daſhing
it in pieces. Difappointed in all his hopes
for the prefervation of the fhip, Robinfon
haftened aboard to examine the cargo, and
fee whether that was damaged. Friday ftill
remembered his fright fo ftrongly, that he
B 4
$
could
28
THE NEW
could fcarce perfuade himſelf to accompany
his mafter upon deck. He ventured, how-
ever, at laſt, though not without trembling,
as the first object that met his eyes was the
terrible horned monſter.
But he was no longer fo fierce as before:
he was lain down, and feemed exceedingly
weak and hardly able to rife. The fact was,
that, for three days paft, nobody being at
hand to give him his uſual food, he had receiv
ed little or no nouriſhment. Robinſon,who fuf-
pected this to be the cafe the moment he faw
the animal's enfeebled ftate, made it his first
care to feek for fomething to appeaſe its hun-
ger. As he was very well acquainted with
the infide of a fhip, he was not long in find-
ing what he fought, and had the pleaſure to
fee the goat devour with the greateſt eagerness
what he brought it; while Friday, for his
part, could never fufficiently admire the odd
figure of the animal, as he thought it, hav
ing never-feen any thing like it before.
Robinſon began next to take a ſurvey of
the fhip; he went from deck to deck, and
from
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 29.
from cabin to cabin, and found every where
a thouſand things, which, in Europe, one-
would ſcarce think worth looking at, but
which to him were of infinite importance.
In one part was a ſtock of biſcuit, rice, flour,
corn, wine, gunpowder, balls, fhot; in ano-
ther place were ſhip cannon, muſkets, piſ-
tols, fwords; hangers, and cutlaffes; elfe-
where there were hatchets, faws, pincers,
gimlets, rafps, planes, hammers, iron bars,
nails, knives, fciffars, needles, and pins.
Farther on, he fees pots, porringers, plates,
fpoons, tongs, bellows, fire-fhovels, and
other kitchen utenfils, fome of wood, others
of iron, tin, and copper. Laftly, he finds
cheſts full of cloaths, linen, ftockings, ſhoes,
1
boots, and a number of other things, for any
fingle one of which, if it had been offered to
him for ſale, Robinſon would freely have gi-
ven his lump of gold, which he had long
fince forgotten.
Friday was loft in amaze at the fight of fo
many objects, all equally unknown to him,
and the uſes of which he could no fo much:
)
B 5
23
30.
THE NEW
as guefs.
Robinfon, on the other hand,
could not contain himself; he wept for joy:
like a child, he touched every thing, fnatch-
ed up every thing, but laid it down as foon
as he faw any thing elfe that he liked better.
He was going, at laft, down to the hold, but
found a confiderable quantity of water in it
a proof that there was a leak in the fhip's
bottom.
He confidered what he had beft carry afhore
in this his first trip, and found fome diffi-
culty in making his choice. Now he thought
one thing moft indifpenfably neceffary, now
another, and frequently rejects what he had
juft preferred, and makes it give place to ano-
ther, which is alſo rejected in its turn. At
length, however, his choice was fixed upon
the following objects, as being to him the
moft valuable of any that he could carry
away: 1ft. two barrels, one of gunpowder,
the other of fhot; 2d. two, mufkets, two
brace of piftols, two hangers, and two cut-
laffes; 3d. two fuits of cloaths, complete,
for himſelf and Friday 4th. two dozen of
fhirts
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 31
1
fhirts; 5th. two hatchets, two faws, two
planes, two iron bars, fome hammers, and
feveral other iron tools; 6th. fome books,
paper, pens, and ink; 7th. a tinder box,
with matches, flint, and fteel; 8th. a hogf-
head of bifcuit; 9th. fome pieces of fail
cloth; 10th. and laſt, the goat.
Henry. The goat ? Oh! he could have
done without the goat.
Mr. Bill. That is very true, Henry;
but the goat could not fo well have done
without him. Robinfon was too compaf-
fionate to leave the poor creature expoſed to
the danger of perifhing with the fhip, which
might be funk before he came back. Be-
fides, there was room for her (for it was a
the goat) on the raft after it had been load-
ed with every thing that feemed to claim
his greatest regard. No! he did not
forget the poor goat-he carried her with
him.
But he difdained to take many articles
which in Europe would have been eagerly
feized the first of all. A barrel of gold
B 6
duft,
32
THE NEW
duft, and a cafket of the moſt valuable dia-
monds, he found amongſt the captain's ef
fects, but was in no wife tempted to take
them away, as they could not poffibly be
of any ſervice to him.;
He had employed fo much time in exa-
mining the fhip, in opening and emptying
the chefts,, in indulging his joy and admi-
ration, in chufing and placing upon the raft
what he had a mind to carry away, that,
when all was done, he had only an hour to
fpare before the tide would begin to flow
again. They were obliged to take the ad
vantage of it; for, without the flow of the
tide, they would hardly be able to gain the
fhore. Robinſon ſpent this hour in dining
after the European faſhion, which he had
not done for a long time before.
He brought out, therefore, a piece of
hung beef, a few herrings, fome bifcuit,
butter, cheeſe, and a bottle of wine, and
laid the whole upon a table in the cabin.
Friday and he fat down upon chairs. The
very circumftance of dining at a table, fit-
ting
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
33
ting upon chairs, having plates, helping
themſelves with knives and forks; in fhort,
of making a meal with the advantage of fo
many European conveniencies, gave Robin-
fon a pleaſure that it would be impoffible
to exprefs: not to mention the victuals,
particularly the bread, which had been fo
often in vain the object of his wifhes. You
cannot imagine how delicious they tafted
to his palate. One ſhould, like him, be
deprived for nine years fucceffively of all
thofe forts of food, and all thoſe conve
niencies, in order to conceive, in its full ex-
tent, the luxury that he enjoyed.
Friday, who knew nothing of the Euro-
pean manner of eating, was very much puz-
zled in handling his knife, and ſtill more his
fork. Robinſon fhewed him how to uſe
them; but Friday, endeavouring to imitate
him, and to put a bit of meat into his mouth.
with the fork, from pure habit lifted up his
hand with the handle of the fork to his lips,
while the piece of meat went off towards his
Robinſon having made Friday taſte
ear.
the
J
34
THE NEW
the wine, he firmly refuſed to drink any of
it: accuſtomed, as he was, to fpring wa-
ter, his palate could not bear the fiery
ftrength of a fermented liquor. The bif-
cuit, on the other hand, was quite to his
taſte.
The tide now beginning to flow, they get
upon the raft, pufh off, and are carried
gently towards the iſland. In a fhort time
they come to fhore, and haften to land the
goods with which the raft was loaded.
Friday was very curious to know the
meaning of all thofe things and their uſes.
To fatisfy his curiofity, Robinfon goes out
of fight behind a bush, and dreffes himſelf in
a fhirt, stockings, and fhoes, together with
an officer's uniform complete; then, put-
ting a laced hat upon his head, and a ſword
by his fide, he comes, all at once, and fhews.
himſelf to Friday. Seized with aftonifh-
ment, Friday ftarts back a few paces, doubt-
ing, at first fight, whether it were really his
mafter, or ſome being above the human
fpecies. Robinfon could not help laughing
at
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
35
at his amazement; he held his hand out to
him in a friendly manner, affuring him that
he was ſtill the fame, ftill his friend Robin-
fon, though he had undergone a change of
drefs, and, in fome meaſure, of fortune.
He gave him a fuit of failor's cloaths, fhew-
ed him the uſe of each part, and defired him
alfo to retire behind the thicket and change
his drefs.
Friday went accordingly; but, how long
was he dreffing! and how many trials did he
make! He put on each part of the drefs
wrong for inftance, he put his two legs
through the fleeves of the fhirt, ran his
two arms into the breeches, covered his
head with the feat of them, and tried
to button the jacket behind. What awk-
ward attempts at dreffing! However, he
was fortunate enough to correct all his mif
takes, and, at length, dreffed himſelf pro-
perly at all points.
He jumped for joy, like a child, when he
faw how well he was clothed, how conve-
nient and eafy this dreſs was to the body,
and
36
THE NE. W
and how proper to defend him from the
ftings of mufkitoes. The fhoes alone were
difagreeable to him; he thought them in-
convenient and ufelefs. He begged leave,
therefore, to put them off, and Robinſon
gave him full permiffion to do in that re-
ſpect whatever he pleaſed.
He alfo fhewed him the ufe of the hatch-
ets and ſeveral other tools, with which he
was quite delighted. They began to make
immediate uſe of them, in cutting a maſt
for their raft, that, with the help of a fail,
they might, for the future, be able to go to
and from the ſhip without being obliged to
wait for the ebb and flow of the tide. Ro-
binſon undertook this taſk alone, and ſent
Friday to his dwelling-place to milk the
lamas, which they had neglected for two
days paſt.
་
During his abfence, Robinſon loaded one
of the muſkets. He propoſed to have the
pleaſure of furprifing his friend with the
aftoniſhing effects of gunpowder. As Fri-
day, at his return, was admiring the dif
patch
RIO BNSON CRUSOE. 37
patch with which Robinſon had finiſhed his
work, the latter perceived a fea-gull flying
away with a fish that he had feized out of the
water. He fnatches up his muſket, and
fays to Friday, "Do you fee that fea-gull?
He ſhall fall this moment." And fo fay-
ing, he levels at the bird, draws the trigger,
and fires. The fea-gull falls.
Imagine, if you can, Friday's terror and fur-
prife. He fell down as if it were himſelf that
had been fhot. Immediately his old fuper-
ftition revived concerning Toupan, who pro
duces the thunder. Aſtoniſhed and con-
fufed as he was, he took his maſter for Fou-
pan. He raiſed himself up on his knees,
and held out his hands, in a trembling and
fuppliant manner, towards Robinfon, with
out being able to utter a fingle word.
Robinſon was far from making a joke of
any thing that concerned religion, though
ever fo erroneous.. The moment, there-
fore, that he fufpected Friday's fuperftitious
notions, he was vexed that he had not pre-
viouſly informed him of what he was going
to
38
THE NEW
to do when he fired, and, therefore, haften-
ed to clear up his mistake. He raiſed him
in a friendly manner, embraced him af-
fectionately, bid him take courage and
ceaſe trembling; and added, that he would
teach him, in a moment, how to make the
fame thunder and lightning; for there was
nothing but what was perfectly natural in
every thing he had feen and heard. He ex-
plained to him the nature and effects of
-gunpowder; fhewed him the conſtruction of
the gun; and, loading it in his prefence,
-gave it to him, that he might fire it off.
But Friday was ftill in too great a fright,
and begged Robinfon to try the experiment
in his ſtead. He, therefore, fet up a mark
about a hundred yards off, and fired, while
Friday ftood by his fide.
He was very near falling a fecond time,
fo terrible did what he faw and heard ap
pear to him. There were ſeveral grains of
ſhot in the mark, which had entered pretty
deeply into the wood. Robinſon, having re-
marked this to him, made him perceive
A
how
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 39
:
how fecure they muſt be for the future a-
gainſt all attacks of the favages, while they
had this artificial thunder and lightning in
their power. What he was now witneſs to,
and what he had feen in the fhip, infpired
him with fo profound a veneration for Eu-
ropeans in general and Robinſon in parti-
cular, that for fome days he could not re-
cover that air of familiarity which he had
ufually kept up with his friend.
Night
coming on put an end to the agreeable la-
bours of this happy day.
TWENTY-FIFTH EVENIN G.
MR. BILL. I fuppofe it will be agree-
able to you, my dear children, if I
begin directly, and without any preface,
upon our friend Robinſon's affairs.
He
4:0
THE NEW
He had not ever fince his coming to the
inland enjoyed a more agreeable night's
reft than the laft, becauſe he had not
ſeen himſelf ſo happy as at prefent; and
never was man more touched with love and
gratitude towards his Supreme Benefactor,
to whom he was indebted for this happineſs,
How often, when alone, did he offer up
his thanks, in the moſt reſpectful poſture,
to the Heavenly Difpofer of all Things, for
the bleffings that he had vouchfafed him!
Nor was he content with feeling theſe fen
timents of gratitude himſelf, he endeavoured
alſo to communicate them to Friday. With.
this view, he taught him, before they went
to reſt, a prayer of thankſgiving, which they
both repeated with foftened and grateful
hearts, to the praiſe of the Supreme Being,
the Univerſal Father of Nature.
The next morning they rofe pretty early,
and carried all their goods into a coppice,
where they covered them with boughs of
trees to fecure them from the rain if it
fhould.
ROBINSON
41
CRUSOE.
fhould fall, and then ſet off with the firſt ebb
to return to the wreck.
I forgot to tell you that they had provi-
ded themſelves with oars, fo that this trip
was made in much leſs time than the for-
mer, and to the full as fortunately. They
took care, in the first place, to lower down
upon their raft all the planks that they could.
find in the fhip, with which they might
cover the raft as it were with another floor,
and ſo keep the goods much drier than
thoſe which they had carried away the day
before.
Robinſon examined the cargo afreſh, to
chufe whatever he fhould think preferable
in fo great a quantity of goods, which he
could not carry away all at once. He was
not, indeed, ſo much puzzled this time, as
he had already fecured the moſt neceffary
articles; however, he chofe nothing with-
out fully weighing the value of it.
Amongſt other things he refolved to
carry away one of the fix fmall carriage
guns that were in the fhip.
Rich.
42
THE NEW
Rich. A gun! I think he might have
carried away fomething more uſeful.
Mr. Bill. Yes, fo we may think who
fee things at a diſtance. Robinſon, on the
contrary, who judged of his fituation from
a nearer view of it, thought this gun a very
neceffary article, were it only for his cafe
and fecurity.
Rich. How fo?
Mr. Bill. The part of the fhore, where
he was obliged for the preſent to lodge
what goods he had brought out of the ſhip,
was open on every ſide, and, unfortunately,
at no great diſtance from the fpot where the
favages uſed to land. He might, indeed,
depend with tolerable fecurity upon the uſe
of his guns and piftols, in cafe of an attack,
but the idea that he fhould be thereby re-
duced to the cruel neceffity of killing ſome
of thoſe unhappy favages, made him ſhud-
der whenever he thought of it. His de-
fign was, therefore, in having a piece of
cannon on the fhore, to fire a ball over
their heads when they approached the iſland
in
1
ROBINSON CRU S O E. 43
in their canoes, and fo terrify them, and
make them perhaps fheer off and return to
their own country.
H
You fee now, my dear Richard, how
liable we are to be miſtaken, when we take
upon us to give an opinion concerning the
behaviour of other perfons. We very fel-
dom know all the motives that induce a
man to act; how can we, therefore, be fo
prefumptuous as to fet up for judges of his
actions? A wife man thinks that he can
never be too circumfpect in the judgment
which he paffes upon the conduct of other
perfons; he even forbears to give an opi-
nion unleſs he be obliged; he is fenfible that
he has enough to do to look to himself and
his own affairs; and thus, my dear chil-
dren, we will endeavour to act for the fu-
ture.
>
Befides the piece of cannon, they placed
alſo upon the raft the following articles:
ift. three ſmall bags, one of rye, another
of barley, and the laft of peafe; 2d. a
cheft
1
44
THE NEW
cheft of nails and fcrews; 3d. a dozen of
hatchets; 4th. a barrel of gunpowder,
with balls and fhot; 5th. a fail; 6th. a
grindstone.
Rich. Why that?
Mr. Bill. To fharpen knives, hatchets,
and other tools, when they required it.
Rich. Were there no ftones upon the
inland ?
Mr. Bill. Yes, plenty; but none fit for
fharpening their inftruments. Have not
you obferved, that thofe ftones which are
uſed for that purpoſe are of a particular,
fort, and much fofter than moſt others?
Rich. Yes, I have.
Mr. Bill. Well, Robinſon had never yet
found upon his ifland any of that fort of
ftone, which has lefs hardneſs than ſtone in
general, and feems compofed of grains of
fand. But a grindſtone is not only exceed-
ingly uſeful, but indifpenfably neceffary to
thoſe who make ufe of fharp iron tools.
He preferred it, therefore, without heſita-
tion,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 45
tion to the gold-duft and diamonds, which
he had valued fo little before, and had left
behind him in his firft trip to the veffel.
Before he fet off to return, Robinſon ex-
amined the condition of the fhip. He
found that the leak was gaining ground,
and that the rubbing of her fides againſt
the rock, occafioned by the motion of the
waves, had already looſened and ſtarted ſe-
veral planks. He forefaw, therefore, that
the firſt gust of wind would daſh the ſhip
to pieces, and concluded that he muſt be
expeditious if he wished to fave much more
of the cargo.
?
As the wind blew then towards fhore,
they were able to reach it folely by the af-
fiftance of their fail and oars, though the ebb,
which had fcarce run half down, was againſt
them. In their way to the fhore, Robinſon
blamed himſelf much for one thing. His
way of thinking here proves him to have
been a perfect lover of juſtice.
Edw. For what did he blame himſelf,
papa?
VOL. IV.
C
Mr.
46
THEN E. W
Mr. Bill. For not carrying away the
gold-duft and diamonds.
Edw. What would he have done with
them?
Mr. Bill. He had no view of ufing theſe
things himſelf, but he reaſoned thus: "It
is not abfolutely impoffible," faid he, “ that
the captain of the veffel may be ſtill a-
live, and come fome day or other to exa-
mine whether he cannot fave part of the
cargo. If a gale of wind were to rife and
dafh the ſhip to pieces before you could
go back to it, and thus the diamonds and
gold-duft were to be loft, how could you
juſtify yourſelf to the owner and to your own
confcience, for having thought merely of fa-
ving what might be of ufe to yourſelf, without
paying the leaft attention to his intereft by
faving the goods that would be moſt valu-
able to him? Perhaps his fortune, and that
of many other perfons, depend on this
flight inftance of attention which you have
neglected to pay them. Robinſon! Ro-
binſon!" cried he, highly diffatisfied with
himſelf,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
47
}
himſelf," how far art thou ftill from being
as juſt as thou oughteſt to be!"
He was on the point of puſhing back a-
gain before he landed, his confcience was
fo touched at his neglecting a duty which
he with reafon looked upon as facred.
In the mean time they approached the
ſhore, and, juſt as they were about to land,
they ran the riſk of feeing all their goods loft
in the fea; for, as it continued ſtill to ebb,
and the depth of the water leffened every
moment, the headmoft part of the raft was
ſoon upon the dry fand, and, confequently,
higher than the fternmoft, which was fup-
ported by the water, that was falling every
inftant. Luckily Robinfon and Friday
were both aftern, and, therefore, able to
ſtop the goods which were flipping off, and
to keep them from rolling into the fea.
After they had made all things fteady,
they were obliged to walk in the water and
mud up to the knees before they could get
them afhore. By their care and precaution
in this buſineſs, nothing was either loft or da
C 2
maged,
48
THE NEW
maged, and they were ready to put to fea
again before the return of the tide..
· Robinſon was no fooner aboard the ſhip
but he haftened to convey upon the raft the
barrel of gold-duft and the cafket of jewels;
and, having thus relieved his confcience of
a load which lay upon it, he thought he had
now a right to think of himſelf.
In this trip he carried away, among other
articles, fome wheel-barrows which happened:
to be aboard, I know not for what ufe; at
great quantity of cloaths and linen; a num-
ber of tools and pieces of furniture; a lan-
tern, and all the papers that were in the
captain's cabin. As the tide was now flow-
ing up, they fet fail, and, having the ad-
vantage of wind and tide, they were quickly
afhore.
•
1
•
Robinſon ſpent the rest of the day in
taking a precaution which he thought in-
difpenfably neceffary. He trembled at the
idea, that, were a heavy fhower to come on,
he fhould be difabled from ufing what he
counted the moſt valuable of all his effects,
namely,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 49
+
namely, his gunpowder. To prevent fuch
an accident, he refolved that very day to
make a tent of a large failcloth which he
had faved, and to lodge his treaſure under
it, where it would be fafely fheltered from
the rain.
!
As he was now provided with fciffars and
with needle and thread, this work was foon
finished, and Friday was not long before
he knew enough of it to be able to affſiſt
him. He could not fufficiently admire the
admirable invention of the needle and feif-
fars; and frequently declared, that, in com-
parifon of the induftrious Europeans, he
and his countrymen were no better than
poor idiots.
They finiſhed the tent before fun-fet, and
Robinfon had ftill time to fhew Friday the
effect of a great gun. He charged it with
a ball, and pointed the muzzle towards the
fea, that the ball might fkim the furface of
the water, and Friday might fee diftinctly
how far the gun would carry. Robinſon
put fire to the touch-hole, and though Fri-
C 3
day
50
THE NEW
day was already in fome meaſure prepared
for it by two fhots from the muſket, yet
the exploſion being now much louder, terri-
fied him fo much, that he trembled from
head to foot. The ball marked its courfe
on the furface of the water by lightly dip-
ping and rebounding until it was out of
fight. Friday affirmed, that a ſingle ſhot
like this would be fufficient to turn his
whole nation of countrymen to fudden flight,
if they were even approaching by thou-
fands; becauſe they would not have a doubt
that he who could produce fuch thunder
muſt certainly be Toupan.
After night-fall, Robinſon put a light in
his lantern to caft an eye over the papers
that he had faved, in order to difcover the
fhip's deſtination, and to whom the belong-
ed: but, unfortunately, all theſe papers, as
well as the books, were written in a lan-
guage that he did not understand. Here,
therefore, he had freſh occafion to be forry
for having neglected the ſtudy of foreign
languages when he might have learnt them.
་
But
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
51
But this forrow, coming too late, was of no
ufe.
Two circumſtances, however, which he
obſerved, gave him fome information con-
cerning the fhip's deftination, and the ob-
ject of her voyage. He found, amongſt
others, fome letters for perfons in Barba-
does, an iſland in the Weft Indies, where
there is a great traffic for flaves.
Henry. Traffic for flaves, papa?
Mr. Bill. I will explain it to you. In
Africa-you remember, I fuppofe, which
way that quarter of the world lies?
Henry. Oh, yes; towards the South.
Mr. Bill. In Africa, which is the coun-
try of the negroes, men, in ignorance
and ftupidity, do not feem to differ much
from the brutes. Their chiefs or kings,
who are as favage as themſelves, treat them
accordingly. If any Europeans arrive on
their coafts, whole crowds of blacks are of--
fered to them for fale, as we felt cattle here
in a market.
children, and
Even fathers bring their
exchange them for trifles.
C. 4
Thus
5.2
THE NEW
Thus the Europeans every year purchaſe à
great number of negroes, and carry them to
the Weft Indies, where they are forced to
work at the hardeſt labour, and are treated
in every reſpect with a great deal of feve-
rity. The lot of fuch a flave (for fo theſe
unfortunate people are called by their pur-
chafers) is truly wretched, nor can we won-
der that many have even preferred death to
it.
- Rich. It is not well done to ufe human
beings in that manner.
Mr. Bill. Certainly it is very unjuſt; and
we have hopes that in time this iniquitous.
traffic of flaves will be abolished.
Robinfon found alfo, among the papers,
an account from which he gathered that the
ſhip was bound for Barbadoes, and had a
hundred flaves aboard. Having communi-
cated this circumftance to Friday, he added,
"Who knows if thefe poor wretches are
not indebted for their liberty to the ftorm
which occafioned the fhip to ftrike? Who
knows whether they have not faved them-
felves
}
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 53
felves by the boats, and landed on fome
ifland, where, their tyrants having no lon-
ger any power over them, they now live
after their faſhion, happy and contented ?"
Friday agreed that this conjecture was not
wholly improbable. "Well then, my
friend," replied Robinfon, with fome warmth,
"could you now repeat the queſtion that
you lately afked me?"
Frid. What queftion?
Rob. You afked me, of what ufe could
the ftorm be that carried away our canoe?
Friday looked down, quite afhamed and
confounded?
"Oh! Friday," faid Robinfon, animated
with pious zeal, "acknowledge, here, the
hand of an all-powerful and all-wife God,
which has appeared fenfibly in this affair.
Confider what the ftorm has given us, in
return for the little that it has taken away.
Caft
your eyes on all thefe different articles;
they are fuch as render life commodious
and happy. Whence fhould we have had
them were it not for the ftorm? It is, in-
C 6.
deed,
21
54
THE NEW
deed, an unpleaſant thing to owe one's
happineſs to the misfortunes of another;
yet, the greateſt number of thoſe who were
in the fhip are now, perhaps, better off than
before fhe ſtruck. As this fuppofition is
not wholly void of probability, what think
you how of the
ow of the power which governs the
world
"I think," anfwered Friday," the wif
dom and goodnefs of that power are inex-
preffible, and I was a fenfelefs idiot in fay
ing what I did." At the fame time, he
lifted up his hands and eyes towards Hea-
ven, and implored pardon for the fault which
he had committed through ftupidity.
Robinſon took as much care of the pa-
pers which he had been looking over, as of
the diamonds and gold-duft, that, if ever
he returned to Europe, he might, by means
of them, diſcover the perfons to whom he
fhould reftore the treaſure that he had faved
out of the fhip.
For fix days fucceffively they made two
or three trips a day to the wreck, and brought
to
هو
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
55
to land every thing that they could poffibly
convey away. A thouſand little matters
which we would fcarcely think it worth
while to pick up, becauſe we have never
felt how diſagreeable the lofs of them is,
were of infinite value to them, and, there-
fore, they did not neglect to take them
away. One part of the cargo confifted of
elephants teeth; thofe they did not touch,
becauſe they could make no uſe of them.
They alſo left behind ſeveral hogſheads of
coffee; as Robinſon was determined not to
fall again into the habit of ufing pernicious:
fuperfluities though ever-fo agreeable: but
they tore up and carried away as many of
the ſhip's planks as they could, becauſe they
feemed likely to be uſeful, and, confe-
quently, valuable. They took away even
the remaining five pieces of cannon, toge-
ther with all the iron that they either found
loofe or could loofen from the fhip's works.
After they had made eighteen trips, all with
good fuccefs, they obferved, as they were on
board the nineteenth time, that a ftorm was
rifing
56
THE NEW
rifing very faſt. They made hafte, there
fore, to load the raft and push off, hoping
to gain the fhore by rowing before the ſtorm
fhould gather ftrength. But in vain; they
were foarce half way towards the ſhore when
a violent gale of wind, accompanied with
thunder, lightning, and rain, fwelled and
agitated the fea in fuch a manner, that the
waves, rolling over the raft, carried off all
the goods that were upon it. As to them-
felves, they held pretty clofe for fome time
to the maſt, ſo that the waves could not
wash them away, though at times they went
clean over their heads.
At length, the flightness of the raft be-
gan to give way to the fury of the waves.
The cordage and ofier bindings, which held
the pieces of it together, being loofened, all
the beams of which it confifted quickly came
afunder.
1
Harriet. Heavens ! what will become of
'poor Robinſon?
The Children. Softly have patience!
Mr. Bill. Friday fought to fave himſelf
by
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
57
by fwimming, and Robinfon feized a piece
of wood, with which he was fometimes
plunged into the deep, and fometimes rode
upon the ridge of the waves. But, being
longer under water than above, he had loft
his breath, and could neither fee nor hear.
His ftrength now forfook him, and he was
almoſt infenfible; he utters a weak cry, and
finks down, oppreffed by a huge wave, which
carries away the beam that ſupported him.
Happily his faithful Friday was not far
from him, though he might have faved him-
ſelf and gained the fhore fooner if he had
chofen to do fo. When he faw him fank,
he, without heſitating a moment, dived down,
feized him with his left hand, and by means
of his right rofe with him again to the furface
of the water. He then exerted himſelf with
fo much fuccefs, that, in a few minutes, he
reached the fhore with his maſter's body..
The Children. Ah! his body!
1
Mr. Bill. You all feem to be alarmed. I
uſe the word body becauſe Robinſon thewed
no figns of life.
Friday
58
THE NEW
=
Friday, who was diftracted at his maſter's
prefent condition, carried him a little farther
up on the beach, hung over him, called
him with a loud voice, fhook him, rubbed
him, and joined his lips to his mouth to
communicate breath to him if poffible. At
length he had the inexpreffible fatisfaction
to perceive figns of life in him; he, there-
fore, continued his exertions, and Robinſon
quickly recovered the ufe of his faculties.
Opening his eyes, he aſked, in a weak
and trembling voice, "Where am I?" "Im
my arms, my dear mafter !" anfwered Friday,
with tears in his eyes. An affecting fcene
now took place between them. Robinſon
thanked Friday a thousand times, and called
him his faviour: Friday, for his part, thro
Joy at ſeeing him reftored to himſelf, was al-
moſt ready to run wild.
My dear children, we cannot finish the
account of that day's adventures with any
circumſtance more interefting than this.
Enough, therefore, for the prefent time..
TWENTY-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 59
TWENTY-SIXTH EVENING.
MR. BILL. Well, my dear children,¨
our friend Robinſon is reſtored to life
once more. A good night's fleep in his
tent, upon a bed that he had faved from the
wreck, recovered him fo well, that he was
up at day-break; he felt himſelf poffeffed
of his uſual ſtrength, and returned thanks to
God for having preferved both his life and
health. The ſtorm had continued the
whole night, and he waited, with impa-
tience, until it was broad day-light, to ſee -
what was become of the fhip.
The fun was now above the horizon,
and Robinſon faw, to his grief, that the
fhip had diſappeared. Planks and tim-
bers, fcattered here and there upon the
beach, were fufficient tokens that the ſtorm.
had dafhed it to pieces. This being the
caſe,
60
1
THE
NEW
cafe, he found fome reafon to applaud his
own forefight in faving every part of the
cargo that he could. Happy the man whofe
prudence and caution always regulate his
conduct, and who, in all the accidents
which deprive him of any advantage, can
fay to himſelf, with truth, as Robinſon
could upon this occafion, that it was not his
fault! How much this inward fatisfaction
will lighten the misfortunes, which, with-
out it, would be accompanied with the
greateſt vexation!
Robinſon and Friday were particularly
careful to gather all the remains of the
wreck together on one fpot of the beach.
They forefaw that every plank and every
fplinter might be of uſe another time. When
they had finifhed every thing that concerned
the wreck, they formed a regular plan of
the employments which were to take place
next.
The object was, at prefent, to convey all
thefe goods to their dwelling-place; but
they thought it dangerous, while they car-
ried
BY
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
61
ried one parcel, to be at fo great a distance
from the reſt. Robinfon fettled- it, there-
fore, that they ſhould carry the goods and
tand guard alternately, the one in the
morning, the other in the afternoon. He
loaded the carriage guns, ranged them
beſide each other, like a battery, and point-
ed them towards the fea. They kindled a
fore, which he who ftood fentinel was to
take care to keep up; and they placed a
match befide the guns, that they might be
ready to fire whenever the caſe required it.
Robinfon made the firſt journey to carry
the goods, home. In order to fpare his beſt
cloaths, he had dreft himſelf like a failor
and, inſtead of the weapons that he formerly
wore, he had now a cutlafs by his fide, and
two loaded piſtols in his girdle. He began
by loading his wheel-barrow with fome
cafks of gunpowder and other articles
which were moft in danger from the rain.
The water-ſpaniel, which had never quitted
him, was, by no means, a ufelefs compa-
nion on this journey. Robinſon harneſſed
him
62
THE NEW
}
:
him to the wheel-barrow, and the dog was
of confiderable ſervice to him in conveying
the burthen forward. As thefe fpaniels are
very docile, and capable of being taught
many things, this dog was foon trained to
his new employment, and acquitted himſelf
in it as well as any beaft accuſtomed to the
draught. He carried alfo a parcel in his
mouth, which he had been taught to do by
thoſe to whom he formerly belonged,
At his return, Robinſon brought all his
lamas, ready harneffed for carrying burthens,
in order to uſe them for that purpoſe. As
there were ſeven of them, and each of them
was able to carry one hundred and fifty
pounds weight, you may eaſily calculate the
weight of goods which they, all together,
conveyed home every journey.
So many articles could not all be ftowed
in Robinſon's cellar. He haftened, there-
fore, to pitch another large tent in the en-
clofed ground before his cave. This was
meant as a ſtore-tent for the prefent, until
other means fhould be contrived for fecu-
ring
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 63
ring the things. In eight days the whole
was carried home, except a number of
boards and timbers which they ſheltered as
well as they could with thickets and bruſh-
wood.
Harriet. But, papa, you have not told us
any thing more about the goat.
Mr. Bill. Ah! very true; I had nearly
forgot her. Well, the goat, as you may
fuppofe, was brought home alſo, and put
into a little park along with the tame la-
mas, and fhe agreed very well with them.
What agreeable employments have Ro
binſon and Friday now before them! They
fcarce know where to begin. However,
Robinſon, who had contracted a tafte for
regularity, as well as the habit of it, quickly
diſtinguiſhed the more neceffary labours
from thoſe which were lefs fo, and did not
hefrtate in giving the preference to the for-
mer. The moſt important of all was the
building of a fhed, or ftorehouſe, to fhelter
the goods, which could not be put into the
cellar, more fecurely than they were under
the
64
THE NEW
the tent. Here it was neceffary to do the
buſineſs of a houfe-carpenter, to which they
had neither of them ferved an apprentice-
ſhip.
But what could be difficult to the induf-
trious and perſevering Robinſon now that
he was provided with all forts of tools?
The moſt troublefome pieces of work, and
thofe in which he had the leaft experience,
were no more than a play to him who had
happily fucceeded in fo many others with-
out affiftance or proper tools. The cut-
ting down and hewing out of the trees, the
fquaring of the beams and rafters, the join-
ing and fitting of them, building of brick
walls, making of a double roof, one of
boards, and the other of the leaves of the
cocoa-nut tree-were all executed with fur-
prifing diſpatch.
The little building, when finiſhed, was
not much unlike one of our country cot-
tages. Robinſon had taken care to bring
away with him the fhip's cabin windows;
they ſerved to give light to the building,
without
A
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 65
without the inconveniency of holes that
would let in the wind. The glaſs was an
object of particular admiration to Friday;
he had never ſeen any before, and he learnt,
by experience, the commodious purpoſes
that it ferves.
When all was put under cover and in
proper order, Robinſon thought of contri-
ving for himſelf a convenient way of enter-
ing his fortress without weakening it. The
moſt fecure method for the purpoſe was by
means of a common gate and a drawbridge.
Being provided with every neceffary for this
undertaking, as nails, chains, hinges, locks,
and iron work of all forts, he immediately
began upon it. They firft made the gate.
and the drawbridge; and, afterwards, they
made an opening in the terrace and pali-
fade fufficient for the width of the gate,
which they next reared up in its place;
then they laid down the bridge in fuch a
manner, that, when railed, it might lie.
againſt the gate, and cover it. Laftly, they
loaded the guns, and placed them upon the
VOL. IV.
terrace,
D.
66
THE NEW
1
terrace, in ſuch pofitions, that two of them
ſhould defend the right flank, two the left,
and two the front of their fortification:
fo that henceforward they might be quite at
their eaſe as to the attacks of the favages,
and had, befides, the advantage of an eaſy
and convenient way for going in and out.
When harveſt time was come, Robinſon
made uſe of an old hanger, inſtead of a
fickle, to cut down his maize, and his wood-
en ſpade ſerved him for digging his pota-
toes. How eafily was the work performed
with fuch inftruments! It would have been
a pleaſure to ſee them gather their harveſt,
and ſtill more to affift them.
Henry. Oh! I wish I had been there!
How I would have worked!
1
Edw. Nay, you have no occaſion to go
fo far as Robinfon Crufoe's inland for work.
Papa will find you plenty, if you are fond
of it. There is wood to be fawed, to
be ſplit, and to be carried; there are plats
in the garden to be dug up; there is weed-
ing and watering of the flowers; and, in
fhort, you will always find enough to do.
Mr.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
67
Mr. Bill. Why do I fet you to work at
theſe different employments?
:
Rich. To accuftom us never to be idle,
to ſtrengthen our bodies, and preſerve us
in good health.
Geo. For my part, I like it, and you ſhall
always find me, papa, as diligent and induf-
trious as Robinfon himſelf.
Mr. Bill. Well, we fhall fee that. We
are very fenfible that Robinſon was the bet-
ter for it, and every one of us alfo experi-
ences more and more the happy effects of
an active way of life.
When the harveft was gathered, Robinfon
made two flails. Friday foon learned the
uſe of them, and in one day they thrashed
all their maize. It filled two facks which
might contain about fix bufhels. They
had a ftock of bifcuits which would laſt
fome months; but as it muſt, of courſe,
leffen every day, Robinſon refolved to fup-
ply its place occafionally with bread, which
he intended to make himſelf.
He had brought a hand-mill from the
D 2
fhip,
گم
68
THE NEW
fhip, and wanted nothing but a fieve to bolt
the flour, and an oven for baking the bread.
He found expedients for both. Some fine
muflin, of which there was a whole piece
amongſt the goods faved from the ſhip,
ferved him to make the bottom of his.
fieve; and the building of the oven gave
him very little trouble; fo that the whole
was finifhed before the rainy feafon came
on.
•
He made, by way of trial, two forts of
bread, one of rye flour, and the other of
maize. The rye bread was by far the bet-
ter taſted of the two, which determined
Robinſon to give it the preference. He
propoſed to fow the greateſt part of his land
with rye, inſtead of maize, that he might
always have a ſtock of grain fufficient to
fupply them with bread; nor did this ſeem
an undertaking beyond his power to accom-
pliſh, affifted as he was by his man Friday,
fince in this ifland they might have two
crops in the courfe of the year.
There was one article that would have
been
}
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
69
Been exceedingly uſeful to them; but, unfor-
tunately, they could find nothing of the fort
amongſt the goods in the ſhip; and that was
an iron fpade. It is true, Friday had made
one of hard wood that might ferve upon
occafion, but ſtill they found room to wifh
for a better; for it is certain, that an iron
fpade is, after all, more handy and effective
for breaking up the ground, than a wooden
one can poffibly be. Robinſon, therefore,
who determined, for the future, to make
agriculture his principal employment, as
being, of all forts of labour, the moſt agree-
able and moſt ufeful, conceived the defign
of fixing up a forge to make fpades him-
felf, and, poffibly, other inftruments be--
fides.
This defign was not fo extravagant as
perhaps you may think it; for every thing
neceffary for a forge was to be found in his
ftorehouſe. There was a fmall anvil, fe-
veral pair of pincers, a pretty large pair of
bellows, and ſuch a ſtock of iron, both
wrought and in bars, as would probably be
D 3.
fufficient
70
}
THE NEW
n
fufficient to keep him in work all his life
time. This plan was, therefore, immedi-
ately put in execution.
By means of a large boarded roof, which
they put over the kitchen, it was fo extended
that they were able to fix up a forge in
if, and to work at it even during the rainy
feaſon. Part of this feafon, therefore, they
ſpent in working fmiths work; and if they
fucceeded upon the whole, it was not with-
out fome difappointments, and unfucceſsful
trials. When the ſpades were finiſhed, Robin-
fon had a mind to go a little farther, and to
try his abilities at making a plough; and in
this alfo, to his inexpreffible joy, he perfectly
fucceeded.
This plough was, you may fuppofe, very
different from ours. It confifted of a fin
gle branch of a tree; one end of which,
bending down, refted on the ground, and
was furniſhed with a fock, and alſo a handle,
by means of which the perfon who ploughed
might guide it at pleafure: at the other
end they were to harness their oxen, or
horfes;
>
ROBINSON CRUSO E. 71
horfes; but as they had none, they were
obliged themſelves to fupply their places,
In a word, this plough was exactly like
that in uſe amongſt the ancient Greeks, at
their firſt undertaking the practice of agri-
culture. I can give you a ſketch of it here.
Henry. Really, it is a very curious
plough.
Geo. Had it no wheels?
Mr. Bill. No: you fee it had not. All
inftruments were at firft as fimple in their
make as this plough. By degrees men
made additions for greater convenience:
fo by altering and improving they encrea-
fed the utility and commodioufnefs of the
tools neceffary for their different labours.
In the mean time, Robinfon had every
reafon, to be proud of this invention; it was
D 4
wholly
72
THE NEW
wholly his own, for he had never ſeen a plan
of it. By all that we can learn from hiſtory,
many ages of the world elapfed before men
arrived at the invention even of fo fimple a
machine as this plough; and the inventors
of it were looked upon by pofterity as men of
fuch exalted wiſdom, that, after their death,
they were paid divine honours. Richard,
you remember the name of him to whom
the Egyptians attribute the invention of the
plough,
Rich. Yes, it was Ofiris, whom, for that
reaſon, they afterwards worshipped as a god.
Mr. Bill. The Phoenicians afcribed this
uſeful invention to one Dagon, whom they
alfo regarded as a being of fuperior order,
and called the Son of Heaven..
Edw. But could not Robinſon make the
lamas draw the plough ?.
Mr. Bill. At firſt he doubted whether
they were fit for this work, as they feemed
rather beafts of burthen than of draught;
however, he determined to make a trial of
them, and the fuccefs of it exceeded his
hopes.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 73
hopes. They became gradually accuftom-
ed to the work, which, at length, they per-
formed in every refpect as perfectly as if
Robinſon and Friday had been brought up
ploughmen, and the lamas had been trained
like our beafts of draught.
To fow their field according to all the
rules of art, there wanted but one inftru-
ment, which they could fcarcely do with-
out, and which they had not found in the
ſhip.
Henry. I can guess what that was.
Mr. Bill. What do you think?
Henry. A harrow.
Mr. Bill. You are right. Without it
tillage would be imperfect. By means of
it we break the clods, throw the grains of
corn into the furrows, and cover them,
without which they would never fpring up,
but be devoured by the birds.
In the first place, Robinſon made as ma-
ny iron teeth as he thought would be ne-
ceffary for the harrow. After fome unfitc-
ceſsful attempts, he, at length, fucceeded in
making the wooden frame: in which thefe
iron
D: 5
74
THE NEW
iron teeth were to be fixed.
Laftly, he
made as many holes in the frame as it was
to contain teeth, and when he had driven
them in, and clinched them, the harrow
was finifhed.
The rainy feafon being over, he fowed
two bushels of rye, one of barley, and half a
bufhel of peafe; and, at the end of five
months, he had the fatisfaction to gather a
crop of twelve times as much feed as he had
fown, namely, twenty-four bushels of rye,
twelve of barley, and fix of peafe; a ſtock
more than fufficient to laft them fix months.
But, like a prudent oeconomift, he was will-
ing to have a fuperabundance of every
thing, becauſe there might come on a fea-
fon of fcarcity; befides, hail or other acci-
dents might deſtroy his crops. He refolv
ed, therefore, to have a barn, which, being
filled every half year, might always contain
a fufficient ſtock, in cafe a crop fhould hap-
pen to fail.
With this intentio, when the weather
was fettled fair, they unroofed the ſtore,
houſe, in order to add
another ſtory to it,
which
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
75
which might ferve as a granary. The build-
ing of this required more fkill and labour
than that of the ground floor; but their
indefatigable perfeverance triumphed over
all difficulties, and the work was foon hap-
pily completed.
During thefe tranfactions, the goat yean-
ed two young ones; fo that the fpecies
might now be multiplied and kept up on
the ifland. The fpaniel ferved as a guard
by night, and Poll, the parrot,, amufed
them at table, and pretty often alfö when
they were at work. On the other hand, the
lamas were become more valuable to them?
than ever; as, befides affording milk, but-
ter, and cheeſe,, they affifted in tilling the
ground. In order, therefore, to be per-
fectly happy, Robinſon wanted nothing
now but gueſs.
Į
Rich. To be with his father and mo
ther..
Mr. Bill.. And to have fome more com--
panions. Being only two upon the iſland,,
they muſt expect, fooner or later, one of them
D. 62
too
76.
THEN E W
to die before the other, who would then
remain a poor hermit, feparated from all
the reft of mankind. Yet Robinfon looked
upon it as a blameable weakneſs to make
one's life miferable by the dread of evils
that are poffible, but ftill concealed in fu-
turity.
The fame power," thought he,
"who has hitherto provided for me in all
things with fuch unexampled bounty, will
ftill continue to exert it in my favour."
Thus his life paffed in tranquillity and con-
tent. He enjoyed inwardly peace of mind;
and, without, every thing promiſed him the
moſt perfect ſecurity. Happy ftate! May
God grant you all to enjoy the fame!
"Amen," ſaid Mrs. Billingfley; and the
company ſeparated.
TWENTY-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 77
2
TWENTY-SEVENTH EVENING.
MR. Bill. Well, my dear children, L
have a great number of things to re-
late to you this evening.
The Children. Oh! ſo much the better!
that is charming!
Mr. Bill. Provided only that I find my-
felf able to do it.
The Children. Oh! dear papa, we ſhall
take care not to interrupt you, fo that you
will certainly be able to get through it.
Mr. Bill. Well, I fhall try; but prepare
yourſelves for a freſh ſcene of horror, the
event of which cannot be foreſeen-By your
motions I can nearly perceive what your
conjectures are; the fequel will fhew whe-
ther they are just.
If I were to go on now enumerating to
you all that Robinſon performed every day
by the help of the tools with which he was
provided,
+
78
THE NEW
provided, the recital would not amufe your
very much.
Rich. It might be agreeable enough;
but we can eafily imagine all that.
Mr. Bill. I fhall only inform you, that
they fucceffively attempted many different
arts, and imitated moft forts of tradefinen
-the baker, the blackfmith, the taylor,
the fhoemaker, the carpenter, the joiner,
the wheelwright, the potter, the gardener,
the butcher, the fiſherman, and ſeveral
others; they imitated them, I fay, with fo
much fuccefs, that they were foon able to.
make up a hundred things, for which we in-
dolent Europeans require as many diffe-
rent workmen. Their ftrength encreaſed
in proportion as they exerted it, and their
minds, being in a ſtate of conftant activity,
and always in fearch of fome uſeful object,
were improved every day more and more.
May not this be regarded as a proof that
we were created for the fame activity, fince
health, virtue, and happinefs, are the necef-
fary confequences of it?
Six
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
79
Six months paffed away in theſe agreeable
employments, during all which time Fri-
day durft not revive the ſcheme of taking a
voyage to his own country; but frequently,
after finiſhing his talk of work, he would
go up the hill from whence he could fee
his native ifland, and there, buried in
profound thoughtfulneſs, he lamented the
misfortune of being ſeparated from his fa→
ther, perhaps for ever. Robinfon, for his
part, had avoided fpeaking on the ſubject,
becauſe it was not in his power to comply
with his friend's wish while the neceffary ar-
rangements, which their new way of living
required, were ftill unfiniſhed.
At prefent the most indifpenfable parts
of the buſineſs were completed, and Robin-
fon was the firſt to propofe the building of
another boat, to go and feek Friday's father.
At this propofal, the young man's joy was.
as great as formerly on the fame occafion,
and his thankfulneſs to Robinfon appeared
in the fame manner. The work was begun
the very next day, and, with the help of
good.
80
THE NEW
good hatchets, was finiſhed, as you may ea-
fily imagine, much better and much fooner
than the first time.
One morning that Robinfon was engaged
in the ordinary cares of his habitation, he
fent Friday to the fea-fide for fome turtle,
which was now become a rarity to them.
After a fhort abfence, he came back run-
ning at full ſpeed. Out of breath with run-
ning and with fright together, he could
but juſt ſtammer out thefe words," Here
they are here they are !":
Robinfon, in a fright, afked him hastily
whom he meant. "Oh! maſter! maſter!"
anſwered Friday, "one, two, three-fix ca-
noes!" In his furry he could ſcarcely bring
out the number fix.
Robinſon ran haftily up to the top of the
hillock, and faw, not without fhuddering,
that Friday had counted right. He perceiv-
ed fix canoes full of favages, juft ready to
land. Coming down immediately, he bid
Friday be of good courage, who stood
trembling all the while; and he aſked him,
whether,
'
}
i
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
81
whether, if they ſhould come to an engage
ment with the enemy, he would ſtand by
him faithfully, to the beſt of his power.
"
"Yes," anſwered he, "to the laſt drop
of my blood;" for, having had time to re-
cover himſelf, he felt his courage mount by
degrees to its ufual pitch. Well," faid
Robinfon, "Tet us endeavour to prevent
theſe monſters from executing their horrible
defigns. I will explain my intention to you
as we go along; this is not the time to
talk-we must act."
With theſe words, he wheeled down one
of the carriage guns, took fix muſkets, two
brace of piftols, and two hangers. Each of
them put a brace of piftols in his girdle,
a hanger by his fide, and three muſkers on
his fhoulder, and when they had taken a
fufficient quantity of powder and ball,
they harneffed themſelves to the gun, and
with a firm countenance took the field under
all that formidable and warlike apparatus.
Having paffed the drawbridge, they
halted. Friday went back into the fort to
raife
1
82
THE NEW
raiſe the bridge and ſhut the gate, and then,
by means of the ladder of ropes, which always
hung to the rock, he came out again, and
joined his general. Robinfon thought this
precaution neceffary, that, in cafe their under-
taking ſhould not fucceed, the enemy might
not be able to get poffeffion of his fortrefs.
Here. Robinſon explained to Friday the
plan that he had formed. "We will go round
the hillock," faid he, " and walk through
the thickeſt part of the wood, that we may
not be perceived by the enemy; and, then,
croffing amongſt the thickets, which extend
almoft to the fea-fide, we fhall approach the
favages without being perceived by them.
-When within reach of them, we will fire the
great gun, and the ball paffing over their
heads, no doubt, will terrify the barbarians,
make them abandon their prey, and take to
Alight in their canoes."
Friday thought the plan not impractica
ble. "Thus," continued Robinſon, "we
ſhall have the fatisfaction of faving the un-
fortunate wretches whom they intend to
devour,
&
*
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 83
devour, without ſhedding a drop of blood.
But if, contrary to our expectations, they
fhould be encouraged by their numbers,
1
and not take to flight, then, my dear Fri-
day, we muſt fhew that we are men, by
bravely facing the danger to which we ſhall
expoſe ourſelves from the moft lauda-
ble intentions. He, from whom nothing
is hid, fees what induces us to endanger
our lives; he will preferve them if it be
for our advantage: therefore, his will be
done."
And fo faying, he gave his hand to his
companion, and they mutually promiſed
to affift each other to the laſt drop of their
blood.
Having arrived without noife almoſt at
the laſt of the thickets, they there made a
halt. Robinſon, in a low voice, deſired
Friday to fteal with all poffible circumfpec-
tion behind a large tree which he fhewed
him, and then to come back and inform
him whether he could diſcover the enemy
from that ſpot. He brought word back
that
84
THE NEW
that they were eaſily to be ſeen fitting round
a large fire, and picking the bones of
one prifoner whom they had already dif-
patched; that, not far from them, he faw
another lying on the ground, and tied hand
and foot, who ſeemed to be a white man,
and had the appearance of a beard; and
that, in all probability, he was going ſoon to
ſhare the fame fate.
Robinſon was ſtartled at this report, ef-
pecially when he heard mention of a white
man. Having a profpect glaſs about him
which he had found aboard the fhip, he
went to the tree himfelf, and from thence,
by the help of this inftrument, could difco-
ver that Friday's account was perfectly
true. He faw about fifty favages fitting
round a fire, and could clearly diftinguish
the prifoner to be an European.
He could ſcarcely contain himself; his
heart throbbed, his blood boiled. If he
were to yield to the fury of his firft paffion,
and fall upon thefe barbarians at once, it
would be the way to fhed much blood.
But,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 85
}
But, as the blind inftinct of paffion fhould
never get the better of reafon, he reſtrains
his tranfports in order to avoid that un-
pleafing neceffity.
As there was a ſpot farther on equally
fheltered with thickets, he went behind a
buſh pretty near the favages, and which had
an opening in the middle of it large enough
to ſee through, though not to be remarked
at a diſtance; there he points his cannon in
ſuch a manner that the ball would pass over
the heads of the favages high enough not
to hurt them. Then he told Friday, in a
low voice, to imitate exactly what he ſhould
fee him do.
He lays down two of his muſkets on the
ground, and holds the third in his hand;
Friday does the fame: he then applies a
lighted match to the touch-hole of the can-
non, and fires it off.
At the noife of the report, the favages
fell backwards on the grafs as if they had
been all ſhot at once. Robinſon and Fri-
day, on their fide, attentive to what paffed,
and
86
THE NEW
and uncertain what might be the event,
prepared for engaging if that fhould hap-
pen to be neceffary. In lefs than a mi-
nute the favages rife off the ground, reco-
vering from their aſtoniſhment; the moſt
fearful run to their canoes, but the boldeft
take up their arms.
They had been frightened merely by the
noife of the cannon; unfortunately, they
did not perceive the fire, nor hear the whift-
ling of the ball. The fright was, therefore,
not near fo great as had been expected.
After looking round on every fide without
diſcovering any thing that could terrify
them again, they gathered courage, and
thoſe who were running away prefently re-
turned. They all fet up a dreadful yell,
and began their war dance, fhaking their
weapons with furious looks and geftures.
Robinſon was undetermined what to do;
bat obferving with furprife, that, when the
dance was ended, the whole company of the
favages not only took their places again,
but ſent two of their number to feize the
un-
+
ROBINSON CRUS O E.
87
unfortunate European, he could not con-
tain himſelf any longer. He looks at Fri-
day, and fays to him, in a low voice, " You
take the right, I the left, and Heaven be
our defence !" So faying, he prefents and
fires; Friday does the fame.
The man took much better aim than the
maſter; for on the enemy's left there fell
five, and on the right only three of theſe
eight three were killed, the reft wounded.
The confternation with which thofe who
were not hurt took to flight, cannot be de-
fcribed. Some ran one way, fome ano-
ther, all of them yelling in the moſt hi-
deous manner. Robinſon was going to
fally out from behind the buſhes, fword
in hand, in order to take advantage of their
rout, and deliver the unfortunate Euro-
pean, who lay bound hand and foot; but
he faw, with aſtoniſhment, a party of the
runaways rally all of a fudden, and ſtand
upon their defence. He made hafte to
take up a fecond muſket, and Friday do-
ing the fame, they both fired at once.
VOL. IV.
E
At
88
THE NEW
*
At this diſcharge there fell only two of the
enemy; but ſeveral of them being wound-
ed, fome more, fome lefs dangerouſly, be-
gan to run away, howling dreadfully: pre-
fently, three of them fell down, but ftill
with ſome remains of life.
Robinſon, when he laid down the gun
that he had juſt fired, to take up the third,
which was ftill loaded, faid to Friday in a
loud voice, "Now let us fhew ourſelves:"
at the fame inftant, they both ſtart from
their concealment, and appear before the
favages. Robinſon flies to the unfortunate
prifoner, to fhew him that relief was at
hand; but as he approaches him, perceives
that fome of the favages, who before were
running away, now that they diſcovered
their enemy, ſtopped fhort, and rallied
to prepare for combat. He noticed this
to Friday, who perfectly underſtood his
maſter's meaning, advanced a little way,
fired, and faw one of the Indians fall.
In the mean time, Robinſon, with his
knife, cut the bulrufhes with which the
prifoner's
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
89
priſoner's hands and feet were tied, and aſk→
ing him in Engliſh and Latin who he was,
the man anſwered in Latin, Chriftianus,
Hifpanus; that is, a Chriftian and a Spa-
niard. His exceffive weakneſs hindered
him from faying any more. Fortunately,
Robinſon had taken care to provide a bot-
tle of wine, in cafe of being wounded. He
gave the Spaniard a little, which revived
him exceedingly, fo that he foon began to
recover his ſtrength. Robinfon then fur-
niſhed him with a hanger and a piſtol, that
he might help them to complete the defeat
of the favages, and, mean time, Friday was
ordered to bring all the muſkets, that they
might be loaded afreſh.
The moment the Spaniard was armed
with a hanger and a piftol, he fell furiouſly
upon his enemies, and diſpatched two of
them in the twinkling of an eye. Friday,
with the fixth mufket, which had not been
fired yet, advanced to fupport him, while
Robinſon was haftening to load the other
five. The two champions found ſome re-
fiitance
E 2
+90
THE NEW
A
fiftance at first, and were foon feparated;
for the Spaniard came to cloſe engage-
ment with a very ftout Indian, and Friday,
on the other hand, after firing his laſt muſ
ket, purſued, ſword in hand, a whole party
of runaways, fome of whom fell beneath
his arm, others jumped into the fea to ſwim.
to their canoes, and the reſt filed and hid
themſelves amongſt the buſhes.
But the Spaniard was now hard put to
it. He had, it is true, at firſt, notwith-
ſtanding his weakneſs, attacked the Indian
with great impetuofity, and given him two
wounds in the head with his hanger: but this
ſo enraged the favage, that with his heavy
ftone falchion he was near cutting the Spa-
niard down, who found it as much as he
could do to parry off his blows: nor, indeed,
could he at length prevent the furious In-
dian from feizing him by the middle, throw-
ing him to the ground, and twiſting the
hanger out of his hand; but in the very
moment that he was going to cut off his
head, Robinſon, perceiving the Spaniard's
danger,
KOBINSON
CRUSOE. 91
danger, fired at the favage, and killed him
on the ſpot.
Scarce was the Spaniard raiſed from the
ground' before he feized a loaded mufket,
and went with Friday in purfuit of the fa-
vages who had fled into the coppice. As
they were few in number, and for the moſt
part wounded, Robinſon thought it beſt to
remain on the field of battle, and obferve
the motions of thofe who had escaped to
their canoes. His two friends were not long
before they joined him again, with the af
furance that there were no more of the enemy
in the wood.
They were both about to enter one of
the canoes which the favages had left, and
to purſue thoſe who were rowing off to fea;
but Robinſon ſtopped them. "My friends,'
faid he, "it is enough; we have, perhaps,
fhed more blood than we ought. Let us
»
fuffer thofe to live who have no longer the
intention or the power to hurt us."
"But if we fuffer them to efcape," re-
E 3
plied
92
THE NEW
plied Friday," they will, perhaps, return
and attack us in greater numbers."
"Well," anſwered Robinfon, clapping him
on the fhoulder in a friendly manner, and
pointing to the Spaniard, " is not our army
alfo ftronger now by one-third than it was
in the morning? Thus reinforced, we ſhall be
able at any time to cope with an army of
theſe miferable enemies, eſpecially if we
ftay for them behind our entrenchments."
Harriet. That was well done of Robin-
fon, to fpare the remainder of the favages.
Mr. Bill. It was certainly acting with
prudence and humanity. It would have
been too cruel to kill, without neceffity, a
fingle one of theſe unfortunate wretches,
who had not the leaft fufpicion that there was
any harm in what they were doing, and who,
on the contrary, embraced, as the cleareſt
truth, that deplorable error, which taught
them that to kill and eat a great number of
their enemies was a very meritorious action,
Edw. Yet, I think, they ought to have
known that it was not right to do ſo.
++++
Mr.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 93
Mr. Bill. My dear friend, how could
they have known it?
Edw. Hey-day! Why any little child
knows that it is not right to kill a man and
then eat him.
Mr. Bill. But how does the little child
know this? Is it not by being early fo in-
ſtructed?
Edw. Yes, certainly.
Mr. Bill. And if he had never been in-
ftructed on the ſubject; if his father, his mo-
ther, and all thofe whom he ought to love
and reſpect, had always told him that it is
a very laudable action to kill one's enemy,
and eat his body?
Edw. Nay, why-to be fure-then-
Mr. Bill. Why, then, a child would ne-
ver fufpect the contrary. He would rather
partake, as foon as he was of age, in the
killing and the feafting. This was the cafe
with thofe poor favages. Let us thank God
that we were not born amongst them, but
had civilized parents,who early inſtructed us
E 4
in
94
THE N´E W
in the difference between good and evil,
juſtice and injuſtice.
Our hero, the friend of human kind, fhed
tears of compaffion when he traverfed the
field of battle to affift thoſe who were ftill
alive. It was all over with the greateſt part
of them, and the reft expired in his arms
while he poured wine upon their wounds,
and endeavoured to recover them. The
favages loft one and twenty men, and the
victorious army, far from having loft any,
had only one wounded; the Spaniard,
when he was thrown down, had received a
fevere bruife.
Harriet. But how came this Spaniard
amongst the favages, papa?
Mr. Bill. That is more than Robinfom
himſelf has yet had time to be informed of;
therefore, let us reftrain our curiofity until
to-morrow.
The Children. Oh! then, we muſt ſtop
here.
1
TWENTY-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 95
TWENTY-EIGHTH EVENING,
HARRIET. Well, papa, now for the
Spaniard ; what brought him amongſt
the favages?
Mr. Bill. Have a little patience, and you'
fhall hear. Some incidents happened in the
mean time which I muſt firſt relate to you.
Rich. Indeed! well, that roufes my cu-
riofity.
Mr. Bill. Robinſon, having a mind to ex-
amine one of the two canoes which the favages
had left behind them, went towards it, and, to
his great aſtoniſhment, he found in it ano-
ther unfortunate creature, tied hand and foot
as the Spaniard had been, and looking more
dead than alive.
Robinſon made hafte to cut his cords, and
would have lifted him up, but he was not
able either to ſtand or ſpeak. He lay groan-
ES.
ing,
96
NE W
THE
ing, no doubt, under the apprehenfion that
they were going to put him to death.
As he was an Indian, not an European,
Robinſon called Friday, who was then bufy in
burying the dead bodies, to fpeak to him in
his native tongue. Scarce had he caft eyes
on the prifoner before Robinfon and the
Spaniard faw a fcene take place which drew
from them tears of benevolent fympathy.
Friday, all of a fudden, like a man befide
himſelf, flies to the priſoner, embraces him,
locks him in his arms, cries, laughs, jumps,
dances, roars, clafps his hands, ftrikes himſelf
on the face and breaft, cries out again, and
in fhort, acts like one that is delirious. It
was fome time before Robinſon, who quef-
tioned and urged him repeatedly, could draw
from him this ſhort answer, "It is my
fa-
ther!"
It would be difficult to defcribe all the
marks of filial love and affection which this
excellent young man fhewed upon this oc-
cafion. Twenty times he jumped out of the
canoe upon land, and from the land into
the
༑
ROBIN SON CRUSOE.
97
the canoe again. Some times, fitting down,
he opened his jacket, and preffed his father's
head to his bofom to warm it; at o
thers, he rubbed the joints of his arms and
legs, which were numbed by having been fo
tightly bound; and now he embraced him
again, and covered him with kiffes. Ro-
binſon, who had ftill fome wine in his bot-
tle, gave it to him to waſh his father's limbs,
which were grievously fwelled. He then
ſtepped afide to let Friday indulge his joy
with more freedom.
Returning after fome time, he aſked him
if he had made his father take any nouriſh-
ment. "The glutton," anfwered he, point-
ing to himſelf, "had before eaten up all." Ro-
binſon gave him his breakfaft, which he had
not touched, and Friday gave it to his father.
Scarce had he received it when his fon ftarted
out of the canoe in a hurry, and went off fo
quick, that before Robinſon had time to ſay
Where are you going, Friday was already out
of fight.
He foon appeared again, but did not come
back
98
THE NEW
}
back with quite fuch expedition. When he
was pretty near, they could fee that he had
a pitcher of water in one hand, and fome
victuals in the other. He gave the water
to his father, and the victuals to his mafter
in return for the breakfaft which he had
received from him. The cold water afforded
viſible refreſhment to the old man, who was
ready to faint with thirft.
-
Robinſon then turned towards, the Spa-
niard, who, exhaufted with fatigue, was ly-
ing ſtretched upon the grafs. He made Fri-
day help him alfo to fome refreſhment. The
Spaniard, by his looks, endeavoured to exprefs
his gratitude. He ftrove to rife, but was not
able, being prevented by the pain that he
felt in the joints of his hands and feet, which
were fwelled from having been bound fo
very tightly. Friday was ordered to fit
down befide him, to bathe his arms and
legs with wine, and to take the ſame care of
him as he had of his father.
It was truly moving to behold this affec-
tionate fon, who, while he attended the
Spaniard,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 99
At
Spaniard, turned his head every moment
towards his father to fee how he was.
one time, when the old man, in order to
repofe himſelf, lay down at full length, Fri-
day, quite uneafy, flew to him without
fpeaking a word; but when he faw that
his father had only lain down to be more
at his eafe, he returned in a moment, and
continued his attention to the Spaniard.
Robinſon now had a mind to try whether
he could not, with Friday's affiftance, con-
vey the Spaniard to the canoe; but Friday,
who was young and ftrong, took that taſk
upon himſelf alone, and carried him with
eaſe upon his fhoulders. When they had
placed in the other canoe, not only the
cannon and the mufkets, but alſo all the
arms of the conquered Indians, Friday
quickly entered the firſt, and, though the
wind began to freſhen, and was rather a-
gainst him, yet he made fuch ſpeed, by
dint of rowing, that Robinſon, who ran on
foot along the fea-fide, could by no means
equal the ſwiftneſs of the canoe. He was
fcarce
100
THE NEW
fcarce half way home when he faw Friday
returning, who paffed by him in his way to
fetch the other canoe; and before Robinfom
could get up to the first, where the Spa-
niard and Friday's father were, Friday was
there with the fecond: with fuch remarkable
fwiftnefs did he row..
靠
​They were now oppofite their dwelling--
place. Robinfon haftened 'thither for fome:
planks and poles, which he put together in
the form of a litter or bier, to convey the
difabled men to his habitation with more?
eafe. He and Friday carried them up, one:
after the other. What a treafure was here
for Robinſon, who longed for nothing fo
much as the happineſs of enlarging his
company! His heart beat with joy when
he reflected, that, for the future, he need
not apprehend being forced to lead a life
of folitude again. His fatisfaction was
complete. As the two invalids' feemed to
have occafion for nothing fo much as reft,.
Robinſon prefently warmed föme wine to
bathe their bruifed limbs, while Friday made
them:
>
KOBINSON CRUSOE. 101
them
up a bed, on which, when ready, they
delayed not to repofe themſelves.
The two hofts then prepared a good
fupper. Friday was ordered to go to the
park, and bring home a young lama;
Robinſon undertook all the rest. He
could not help fmiling frequently at the
thought that he fhould now reſemble a
king ftill more than ever. The whole
iſland was under his dominion; all his fub-
jects were indebted to him for their lives,
acknowledged his will as their fupreme
law, and were bound to expoſe themſelves
in his cauſe to the greateſt dangers if ne-
ceffary. One circumftance was remark-
able, that he counted in his dominions as
many different fects of religion as he had
fubjects. Friday had adopted his maſter's
religion, which was the Proteſtant; the Spa-
niard was a Roman Catholic, and Friday's.
father was an idolater.
"What is to be done in this matter ?"
faid Robinfun to himfelf: "have I not a
right to oblige them all to embrace the be-
lief
102
THE NEW
lief which I think beft ?" He was fome
time reflecting on this fubject, becauſe it
was one that had never engaged his thoughts
before.
What anſwer think ye, my dear children,
fhould found reafon have given to this quef-
tion? Ought he to force his fubjects to re-
ceive his particular religion, or ought he
not?
The Children. He fhould not conſtrain
them in any reſpect.
Mr. Bill. Why not?
Rich. Becauſe a man's belief, or way of
thinking, is independent of all the world,
provided he behaves himſelf inoffenfively in
other refpects.
Mr. Bill. But if a mafter fees clearly
that his fubject is in an error, may he not
lawfully force him to renounce it?
Rich. What would be the confequence?
When a man is forced to believe, he be-
comes neither the honefter nor the wiſer
for it.
Mr. Bill. That is true, for violence can
never
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 103
never convince him that he was in an error
before; and of what uſe can profeffing be,
when it does not proceed from conviction.
Befides, how is a man certain that he whom
he would force to embrace his belief, is
really in an error? May he not be miſta-
ken himſelf?
Henry. Certainly, that might be the cafe.
Mr. Bill. How fo?
Henry. Becauſe every man is liable to be
deceived.
Mr. Bill. Confequently, no man has a
right to advance his opinions as inconteſta-
ble truths.
In fine, my dear children, it belongs to
God alone to be the infallible judge of our
belief: he alone can decide on the truth
or falfehood of our opinions: none but he
can know perfectly whether our ſearch af-
ter the truth has been earnest and fincere, or
flight and negligent; nor is there any but he
who can judge how far our errors are to be
imputed to us.
Robinſon ſaw this matter nearly in the
fame
104
THE NEW
fame light. "Far from me," faid he, "be
the indifcreet zeal which endeavours to
force men into its belief! Far from me be
the blind frenzy of perfecuting and torturing.
fellow-creatures, merely becauſe they have
the misfortune to be deceived, or the virtue
to refuſe profeffing publicly that of which
they are not convinced inwardly. In my
ifland, at leaſt, fuch injuftice fhall never
find a place. I will do every thing in my
power to enlighten my new fubjects; but
if I am not happy enough to convince them
of their errors, or of the truth of my reli
gion, then I fhall leave them to believe
what they can believe, and to give an ac-
count of their faith, not to me, who am
their equal, and liable to error, but to God
alone, the unerring judge of all.
*
He, therefore, refolved, that all, without
diſtinction, ſhould enjoy the free exerciſe of
their religion, if it fhould fo happen, that,
notwithstanding previous inftruction, they
could not agree amongst themſelves upon
one fingle form of religious worſhip.
Friday
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 105
Friday being now returned, they forth-
with proceeded to get ready the fupper.
"Let us celebrate this day," ſaid Robinſon,
"as a double feftival: on the one hand,
we have reſcued two fellow-creatures from
the voracity of thofe monſters in human
ſhape; on the other hand, you have found
your father."
1
Friday had no occaſion to be exhorted to
rejoice; indeed, his heart had never expe-
rienced fuch joy before, and he ſhewed it
continually, by finging, jumping, and laugh-
ing, all the while that he performed what he
had to do with equal diligence and exact-
nefs. Chearfulneſs and gaiety, far from
being a fault, is ever an amiable quality,
when, inſtead of making us abfent and neg-
lectful, it chears us in our labours.
.
The two gueſts now awoke. Although
they still felt fome pain, yet they found
themſelves confiderably relieved, and able,
with the affiftance of Robinfon and Friday,
to rife and fit at table. The old Indian
feemed as much ſtruck and aſtoniſhed at
every
106
THE NE W
every thing that he beheld as his fon had for-
merly been on his firft feeing the effects of
European induftry.
Friday acted as interpreter in the conver-
fation that his mafter had with the old man
and the Spaniard.
Geo. Did Friday underſtand Spanish?
Mr. Bill. No; but the Spaniard, who
had been fix months amongst the favages,
could fpeak the language of Friday's coun-
try tolerably well, fo that he could under-
ſtand him. The following is the fubftance
of his account:
"Our fhip was bound to the Coaſt of A-
frica for flaves. We were returning from
thence, having exchanged all our goods for
gold duft, elephants teeth, and negroes.
We had taken a hundred flaves on board,
and were carrying them to Barbadoes to fell
them: twenty of them died on account of
our ftowing them too cloſe one upon another.
A violent gale of wind, which laſted ſeveral
days, drove us out of our courſe, and carried
us towards the Coaft of Brafil. Our fhip
ſprung
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 107
ſprung a leak, ſo that we durft not truft our-
ſelves out to ſea again, but coafted along the
main land. Suddenly we were attacked by
another gale from the Weft, that carried us
off the coaſt, and, in the night, we ſtruck
upon fome rocks not far from an ifland.
We fired ſeveral guns, and made other fig-
nals of diſtreſs, being refolved not to quit the
ſhip until the laft extremity. We fet the
blacks free, that they might affift us in
pumping, as the ſhip leaked in more places
than one; but the moment they faw themfelves
at liberty, they, with one accord, feized our
boats, being determined, by means of them,
to fave their lives, and efcape from their mal-
ters.
f
What could we do? It was impoffible
for us to have recourfe to force; we were but
fifteen againſt four fcore, and, befides, the
greateſt part of them were armed. On the
other hand, how could we think of remain-
ing on board a wreck without a ſingle boat?
This would have been expofing ourſelves
to certain death. We remonſtrated with
them
108
THE NEW
them, and even entreated them; we endea-
voured, by our fupplications, to prevail on
thofe, who had lately been our flaves, either
to remain with us or take us with them.
Here I cannot help ſpeaking in the higheſt
terms of the humanity and generoſity of
theſe blacks. Though they had received the
moſt rigorous treatment from us, yet they
were moved with compaffion, and ſuffered
us to get into the boats, on condition that we
gave up our arms. We jumped in, there-
fore, difarmed, and the boats were fo over-
loaded that we expected to fink every mo-
ment.
ers.
However, we did every thing in our
power to reach the iſland, but fuddenly the
wind changed, and carried us out to fea in
fpite of the laborious exertions of the row-
Our deſtruction now appeared no
longer a matter of doubt: nevertheless,
the boats, though overloaded and toſt about
by the moſt violent waves, ftill had the good
fortune to live; and, contrary to all expec-
tation, without loling a fingle man, we were
carried
ROBINSON
CRUSOE. 109
carried to an ifland perfectly unknown to
us, where the inhabitants, fimple and hu-
mane, received us with the moſt hoſpitable
benevolence.
We have lived with them ever fince, in
the beſt manner we could, but ftill very
indifferently. Theſe poor favages have no-
thing themſelves to fubfift on but fishing,
and a few fruits which the iſland produces
fpontaneoufly. They fhared their little ftock
of provifions with us chearfully, and fhewed
us their manner of fishing, that we might
ourſelves provide a part of our fubfiftence.
The negroes were not fo ill off as we, both
becauſe they were accuſtomed nearly to the
fame way of living, and alſo becauſe they
had recovered their freedom.
Some days ago, this island was in-
vaded by a nation of neighbouring In-
dians. Every one took up arms, and we
fhould have thought ourſelves wanting in
the moſt effential duty of fociety if we had
not affifted people from whom we had re-
VOL. IV.
ceived
F
110
THE NEW
?
ceived fuch friendly entertainment. I fought
´by the fide of this brave old man, who,
like an enraged lion, threw himſelf into the
hotteft of the combat. I faw him fur-
rounded, and would have reſcued him, but
had the misfortune to be made priſoner
along with him.
In this dreadful captivity we paffed two
days and two nights, bound hand and foot,
without receiving any nouriſhment. They
now and then threw us pieces of ftinking
fiſh, ſuch as the fea left dead on the beach;
and theſe they caft to us with as much dif
dain as if we had been the vileft of animals.
This morning, at break of day, we were
dragged to the canoes in order to be con-
veyed to the place where thefe barbarians
were accuſtomed to devour their victims.
Providence brought you to our affiſtance;
generous men! you delivered us; fo that we
have received more at your hands than ever
we fhall be able to repay you.
Here the Spaniard was filent; being pe-
netrated
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE. III
netrated with gratitude, he ſhed abundance
of tears. Robinfon, for his part, was de-
lighted to find that his former conjectures
were amply confirmed, and Friday joined
him in admiring the wiſdom and goodneſs
of Providence.
The Spaniard, on being aſked who owned
the fhip's cargo, anſwered, that the veffel
had been fitted out by two merchants of
Cadiz; that one of them had given an or-
der for the purchaſe of flaves, but the other,
deteſting this traffic, defired to have gold-
duft in return for his goods.
Upon this, Robinſon took the Spaniard
by the hand, led him to his cellar, then to
the ſtorehouſe, and fhewed him the moſt
valuable effects of the wreck fafely ſtowed
in both places. Friday took upon him
to recite the particulars concerning them,
and the Spaniard was fo ftruck with afto-
niſhment that he could fcarce utter a word.
Robinfon enquired alfo in refpect to the
owner of the diamonds and the officer's
drefs. He was told that they were both part
F 2
of
112
THE NEW
of the effects of an Engliſh officer, who, hav-
ing refided many years in the Eaſt Indies,
was returning to England, but, falling fick
on his way home, he defired to be fet afhore
on the coast of Africa, where he died, and
his effects were put on board the Spaniſh
flip to be conveyed to Barbadoes, whence
they were afterwards to be fent to England.
Robinſon fhewed him alfo the papers
that he had taken out of the fhip; by means
of which the Spaniard learnt the name of the
merchant to whom the gold-duft belonged,
and alſo that of the officer's widow to whom
the diamonds and cloaths fhould be reftored.
From that moment Robinfon looked upon
the gold-duft, the diamonds, and the pa-
pers, as a facred depofit entruſted to his
care.
Night approaching, all parties found
themſelves fo exhauſted by the fatigues and
dangers of the day, that each one had
occafion to retire earlier than ufual to feek
refreſhment in fleep. They did, there-
fore, what we fhall alfo do as foon as
we
普
​ROBINSON CRUSOE. #13
we have returned thanks to God for having
this day permitted us to enjoy uninterrupted
happineſs and tranquillity.
TWENTY-NINTH EVENING.
•
MR. BILL. The next morning Robin
fon affembled all the ftrength of his
empire, in order to perform an office which
required this junction, and which could not
be put off. There was reafon to fear that
the ſtench of the dead bodies of the Indians
flain the day before might have a dange-
rous effect upon the air: they provided
themſelves, therefore, each with a hatchet,
and repaired to this fcene of horror.
Henry. With hatchets ?
Mr. Bill. Yes; not to dig graves: if
that had been the defign, they would have
provided themſelves with fhovels, fpades,
F 3
and
114
THE NEW
and pickaxes; but they intended to cut down
wood, and make a pile to burn all the bo-
dies to alhes.
Rich. That was the cuftom of the Ro-
mans.
Mr. Bill. And many other nations be-
fides. Robinfon did not chufe to imitate
the imprudence of his countrymen, who, at
that time, buried their dead in the midſt of
towns, and even within their churches, where
confequently the living muft breathe an air
infected by the diſorders of the dead.
pa.
Harriet. Hey! why they do fo ftill, pa-
Mr. Bill. Yes, unfortunately, they do fo.
Let this example make you fenfible how
difficult it is for men to aboliſh ancient cuf-
toms, though univerfally acknowledged to
be pernicious: wherefore, I adviſe you, by
early application, to acquire wisdom and
virtue. If once we adopt error and vice, if
unfortunately we become familiar to them,
how difficult is it to get rid of them, even
when we are fenfible of their danger!
Every
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 115
Every body knows in this age that the
ftench of dead bodies is poifon to the living;
and yet nobody ſcruples to depofit them in
burying-grounds in the midſt of cities, or
even in the vaults of churches, where they
are not fo much as covered with earth.
Another century and more will elapfe before
people will think feriously of abolishing fo
pernicious a cuſtom.
Henry. I wish I were a perfon in authority!
I ſhould fettle that matter.
Mr. Bill. This, my dear, is one of the
principal motives that fhould induce you
to acquire all the good qualities and all the
merit poffible: then, diftinguiſhed by your
countrymen, they will honour you with their
confidence, and confer on you dignities which-
will authorize you to reform dangerous a-
buſes, and to introduce wholefome cuſtoms.
Heaven feems to intend each of you to be
one day of the number of thoſe who are en-
trufted with the power of promoting your
country's happineſs. Every thing that is
neceffary for your attaining fo exalted a
F 4
truſt
116
THE NEW
truft the goodneſs of Providence has be-
ftowed upon you. You are born of en-
lightened and virtuous parents, who enjoy the
confidence and love of their country; you
are endowed with the happieſt qualifications
of body and mind, which have never yet
been ſpoiled; and, I may venture to affirm,
that you are receiving an education which
few men have the happineſs to receive. It
would be a diſgrace to any of you to fruf-
trate the good intentions of Providence,
which has done every thing to enable you
to become men of a fuperior clafs, and ca-
pable of the greateſt things. Your beha-
viour affords not the ſmalleſt doubt in that
refpect. If, as I hope, you fhould fulfil
your honourable deſtiny, if you ſhould ar-
rive one day or other at the rank of thoſe
powerful men whofe actions affect the hap-
pineſs of fo many thoufands, make uſe of
the authority entruſted to you to leffen the
evils and promote the good of your fellow-
creatures; ſcatter round you joy, proſperity,
and happineſs. Remember then, alſo, what
has
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 117
has now given rife to this paternal exhor-
tation, and, if poffible, prevail upon your
countrymen to bury the dead in places
where the ſtench of their bodies may not
injure the health of the living.
Edw. Have patience! Let me try
what
I can do. When I go to town, I will ſpeak
of it to my grandpapa and my uncles; they
will take care to manage it.
Mr. Bill. Do, my dear.--Robinfon
and his companions, having burned the
dead bodies, returned to the dwelling-place.
In the mean time, Friday informed his fa-
ther of the horror wherewith civilized na-
tions look upon the eating of human flesh;
which appeared very ftrange to the old
man. But Friday, having repeated to
him all that he had himſelf learned from
his maſter on the fubject, gave him at length
a diſguſt to the barbarous cuſtom. As the
fon was called Friday, Robinſon gave the
father the name of Thursday, and thus we
fhall call him for the future.
Robinfon fummoned them all to council,
F 5
where
· 118
THE NEW
where Friday ftill ferved as interpreter, and
his maſter, as chief, opened the affembly
with the following ſhort ſpeech:
"My dear friends, all who are prefent
fee themſelves now in poffeffion of what-
ever can contribute to render their lives
peaceable and commodious: nevertheleſs, I
feel, that, in the enjoyment of theſe good
things, my heart will never find fatisfaction
while I know that there are perfons who
have a greater right to them than I have,
and yet languiſh in the want of them. I
fpeak of your countrymen, my dear friend,
my dear European; I fpeak of the Spaniards
who are now amongft the favages. I wifh
that each of you would communicate to me
his advice and opinion concerning the pro-
pereft means for bringing thofe unfortunate
people hither, and making them fhare the
fame lot with us."
'
After he had finiſhed, each gave his opi❤
nion in his turn. The Spaniard firſt offered
to go for them, all alone, in one of the ca-
noes that they had taken from the Indians.
Thurf
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 119/
Thurſday declared that he was ready to
undertake the fame expedition. Friday was
of opinion, that his father, on account of
his age, fhould remain on the iſland, and
that he himſelf, who was fitter for the en-
terprize, fhould accompany the Spaniard.
A generous conteft aroſe between the father
and fon, which of them fhould expofe his
life; and Robinſon was obliged to interpofe,.
and terminate it by a decifion to which they
fubmitted without murmuring. He pro-
nounced, that Thurſday and the Spaniard
ſhould make the projected attempt, and
that Friday ſhould remain with him.
Charlotte. But why did not he ſend Fri--
day, papa, rather than the poor old man?
+
A
Mr. Bill. His affectionate friendſhip for:
Friday would not permit him to expofe
him to a danger which he himſelf.did not
fhare with him. Befides, the Father knew
the fea, and could navigate it, better
than the fon. As to the Spaniard, there
was a neceffity that he ſhould go, becauſe,.
F 6
if's
120
THE NEW
if he did not, his countrymen would, per-
haps, not accept Robinſon's invitation.
It was, therefore, agreed, that they ſhould
fet fail together as foon as they all four had
finished ploughing and fowing a field at
leaft ten times larger than that which they
cultivated before, becauſe the encreaſe of
the colony would neceffarily occafion a
greater confumption of food.
Each of them, therefore, turned plough-
man for fome weeks, and as they all la-
boured with a good will, the work was both
very well and very ſpeedily performed. At
the end of a fortnight they were ready to
prepare for the voyage.
Before their departure, the Spaniard gave
a proof not only of his honefty and grati-
tude towards Robinſon, but alſo of his pru-
dence and circumfpection. He reprefented,
that the other Spaniards were, like him-
felf, no more than common failors, and, con-
fequently, people without education; that he
did not know them fufficiently to anſwer for
their
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
121
养
​་
their behaviour; and that, therefore, he was
of opinion, that Robinſon, as maſter of the
ifland, ſhould draw out an agreement, ex-
preffing the conditions upon which they
ſhould be received, and that none ſhould be
admitted without previouſly accepting his
terms.
Robinſon, delighted with this proof of
his new fubject's fidelity, immediately pur-
fued his advice. The agreement which
he drew up in confequence of it, was
worded as follows:
·
"All perfons who are defirous of refi-
ding in Robinſon Crufoe's ifland, and of
enjoying there the conveniencies of life
which they are invited to fhare, muft con-
fent,
"In the first place, to conform in every
thing to the will of the lawful maſter of
the iſland, and to fubmit chearfully to
whatſoever laws and regulations the faid
mafter ſhall judge neceffary for the good of
the territory.
"Secondly,
122
THE NEW
"Secondly, to be active, fober, and vir-
tuous; for no idle, drunken, vicious per-
fon will be tolerated in this ifland..
"Thirdly, to abftain from all quarrels,
and, in cafe of receiving offence, by no
means to become judges in their own cauſe,.
but to carry their complaints before the
maſter of the iſland, or the perſon to whom
he ſhall delegate the office of judge.
"Fourthly, to join, without murmuring,.
in all the labours which the good of the
community ſhall require,. and, in cafe of
neceffity, to affift the mafter of the island.
at the hazard of their lives..'
"Fifthly, fhould any perfon prefume to
oppofe any one of thefe juft laws, all the
other members of the community ſhall be
bound to unite againſt him, either to oblige-
him to return to his duty, or to banish him:
for ever from the iſland.
Every one is adviſed to confider thefe
articles maturely, and not to fign them(which
would be equal to the obligation of an oath),
unlefs
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 123
unleſs he is firmly refolved to abide by the
conditions of them.
Signed
ROBINSON CRUSOE."
It was ſettled that the Spaniard fhould
tranflate this agreement into his native lan
guage, and take pen and ink with him, that
his countrymen might fign it before they
embarked.
They next choſe the beſt of the canoes,
and prepared for their departure.
Geo. But was there room in one canoe-
for all the Spaniards 2
Mr. Bill. No: they only wanted this ca-
noe to fail to the other ifland: for their re-
turn they could uſe the boats belonging to
the Spaniſh ſhip, which, as the Spaniard de-
clared, were ſtill in very good condition.
When their provifions were laid in, the
wind being favourable, the two deputies fet
fail, after taking a friendly, leave of Robin,
fon and Friday. The latter was fo affected
at the feparation, that even the day before
his forrow had caufed him to fhed tears for
hours
124
THE NEW
hours together, and took from him all de-
fire of nourishment. At the moment of
his father's departure he became inconfola-
ble. Every now and then he embraced
him, and bedewed him with his tears. It
was not without fome difficulty that the old
man could eſcape from him to enter
the canoe, and, even after they had puſhed
off from ſhore, Friday threw himſelf into
the fea, and fwam to the fide of the boat, to
fhake hands with his father once more, and
give him his laft farewell, which was almoft
ftifled with fobs. On his return afhore he
fat down upon a rifing ground, where he re-
mained fighing and fhedding tears with his
eyes fixed upon the canoe, which fcudded
before the wind until he had entirely loſt
fight of it.
Robinſon, to amufe him, ſpent the reſt
of the day with him in fhooting game, and
traverſing the hills. They had not gone
very far, when the ſpaniel, that accompa
nied them, ſtopped at the foot of a rock all
overgrown with buſhes, and fell a barking.
They
ROBINSON CRUS 0 E. 125
They went up to him, and obſerved a hole
in the rock, which a man could not enter
without creeping.
Robinſon, who loved minutely to examine
every thing that drew his attention, defired
Friday to try if he could get into the hole,
who, in making the trial, had ſcarce put his
head withinfide, before he drew it out again
in a hurry, uttered a dreadful roar, and ran
away with the greateſt terror and precipita-
tion, never once liftening to Robinſon's
voice, who called him back repeatedly. At
length, overtaking him, Robinſon aſked,
with much ſurpriſe, why he had run away.
"Ah!" replied he, fcarce able to ſpeak,
"ah! my dear mafter, let us run, let us
fave ourſelves with the utmoſt ſpeed. In
that cave is a moft terrible monfter; his
eyes are like burning fire, and his throat fo
wide that he could fwallow us both at
once."
"A monftrous throat indeed!" faid Ro-
binfon: "I ſhould be curious to fee it."
"Ah!"
126
THE NEW
"Ah!" cried Friday, falling on his
knees, "for Heaven's fake do no fuch thing.
The monſter would infallibly devour you,
and then poor Friday would have no maſter."
"Has it devoured you?" faid Robinſon,
fmiling. Here Friday heſitated to anſwer.
His mafter, therefore, defired him to haften
to the dwelling-place, and fetch a lantern.
In the mean time, he went back to the
rock, and ſtood fentinel before the hole,
with his mufket in his hand.
Robinſon faid to himſelf, "What could
Friday have ſeen to terrify him fo? Was it
a wild beaft? a lion? a tiger? a panther?
or any fuch animal? In that cafe it would
certainly be raſh of me to enter the hole.
But if there were fuch animals in this iſland,
I ſhould have ſeen ſome of them long before
now. Befides, if it had been one, Friday
could not have eſcaped its claws. No, no;
it is no fuch thing. His fearfulneſs has.
deceived him, and made him fancy he faw
what really was not there to be feen. I will
know
-
-
---
J. Bowick det. &5 50
85
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 127
know what it is, were it only to cure this
good young man of his childiſh aptneſs to
be frightened.
Friday now arrives with the lantern
lighted. He endeavoured once more, with
tears in his eyes, to diffuade his maſter from
expoſing himſelf to a danger which he ſaid.
was fo evident, and in which he would ine-
vitably meet his ruin. Robinſon was a
ftranger to fear; when he had once deter-
mined upon a ſtep from mature reflection,
he was afterwards immoveable: exhorting
Friday, therefore, to take courage, he ad-
vanced boldly towards the cavern, with a
lantern in one hand, and a loaded piſtol
in the other.
His head was ſcarce withinfide of the hole,
when, by the feeble light of the lantern, he
perceived an object which really made him
fhudder; nevertheleſs, he did not run away.
Holding his lantern farther in, the better to
diſcover this unknown monfter, he found
it to be a lama that was dying of old-
age. Looking round, and perceiving no
other
128
THE NEW
other animal but this harmleſs lama, he
crept entirely into the cavern, and bid Fri-
day follow him.
The poor fellow was all of a tremble,
yet he could not think of abandoning his
mafter; he, therefore, made a noble effort
to overcome his fear, and, in ſhort, had the
courage to creep into the hole after him,
where he faw with aſtoniſhment how much
his fright had deceived him with regard to
the great fiery eyes and huge throat of the
animal.
As he entered, Robinfon faid to him,
fmiling, "Well, Friday, you fee what fear
can make us believe. Now, where are the
great blazing eyes? Where is that prodigious
throat that you ſaw?”
Frid. And yet I really thought I faw
them; nay, I could have fworn it.
Rob. That you thought fo I have not
the leaft doubt; but you ought to have
known how deceitful fear is, and that its de-
lufions make us feem to fee a thouſand things
which never exifted. Believe me, Friday,
it
ROBINSON
CRUSOE. 129
it is the foundation of all ſtories concerning
ghofts, and I know not what idle fancies
of the fame fort. The firft tellers of theſe
abfurd tales were fearful old women, or
cowardly men of the fame ftamp. They
imagined, like you, that they faw fome-
thing which they did not fee; and,
like you too, juſt now, they would have
fworn that they faw what they did not fee.
Be a man, Friday; for the future always
look twice; and baniſh from your breaſt
this fearfulneſs, which would be fcarce ex-
cufable in a girl. Friday promiſed to do
his beſt.
·
While they were talking, the old lama
expired. Robinſon and Friday dragged it
out of the hole, in order to bury it. They
next more attentively examined the ſpot
where they were, and found it to be a
very ſpacious and agreeable cave, which
they might in future turn to advanta-
geous ufes. It appeared as if hewn out
by defign: it was cool without the leaſt
dampneſs; and the walls, which ſeemed to
be
$
130
THE NEW
be of cryſtal, reflected the light from all
fides with as much fplendour as if it had
been a drawing-room brilliantly lighted up.
Robinſon refolved to convert it into an
agreeable retreat, where he might enjoy a
refreſhing coolnefs during the hotter part
of the day, and alfo lodge any of his pro-
vifions that were liable to be ſpoiled by the
heat. Luckily it was no more than a ſhort
mile from the dwelling-place, whither Fri-
day preſently repaired, and brought back
tools, with which they both fell to work
to enlarge the entrance. They intended to
make a door, and this talk employed them
agreeably during the abfence of their two
deputies.
}
THIRTIETH
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 131
THIRTIETH EVENIN G.
EDWARD. Every time now that pa-
pa fits down to continue the ſtory I
feel a dread over me.
Mr. Bill. What are you afraid of, my
dear?
Edw. That it will be the laſt evening.
Geo. If I were papa, I would make it
laft fo long-that it ſhould not finiſh at all.
Mr. Bill. My dear children, all our plea-
fures here below are bounded: this muſt alſo
have an end, and you will do well to prepare
yourſelves before-hand for the conclufion
of Robinſon's adventures. However, even
now a ſtorm is rifing, as you will foon fee;
I cannot answer for the confequences of it;
be on your guard.
A week was now elapfed without any
appearance of the deputies.
to be uneaſy about them.
VOL. IV.
G
They began
Friday ran
twenty
138
THE NEW
twenty times a day to the top of the hillock
or the fea-fide, and wearied his eyes to no
purpoſe in looking out for them. One
day when Robinſon was bufy at the dwelling-
place, Friday came towards him full ſpeed,
finging, jumping, and bawling like a mad-
man, while he was ftill as far off as he
could ſee his maſter," They are coming!
-they are coming!"
At theſe agreeable tidings Robinſon took
his profpect glafs, and haftened to the top
of the hillock. With his naked eye he
could perceive at a distance a boat making
fail towards his ifland; but when he put the
profpect glafs to his eye, the joy that was
in his countenance difappeared, and he faid
to Friday, haking his head, "I doubt
whether thoſe are the people that we wish
for." Friday at theſe words turned pale.
Robinſon looked at the object a fecond
time, and his doubt was now changed into
uneafinefs. At laft, being convinced that
they were not his friends who were in the
boat, he communicated his alarms to Fri-
7
day,
del: 8º Sculpt
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 133
day, who was already much difquieted.
"My friend," ſaid he, "they are neither the
Spaniards nor your father; it is an English
boat, with Engliſh failors in it." Friday
began to tremble from head to foot. "Fol-
low me," ſaid Robinſon, taking the road
to an eminence from whence they could
better difcover the Northern coaft: Scarce
had they reached it and looked out to fea,
when they were ftruck notionlefs, and, as it
were, petrified with aſtoniſhment. They
perceived, at the diſtance of about a couple
of leagues, a large Englifh fhip lying at an
1
chor.
1
Surpriſe, fear, and joy, feized Robinſon's
breaft by turns: joy, at the fight of a' fhip
which might perhaps carry him to his own
country; ſurpriſe and fear, becauſe he could
not conceive what had brought an English
fhip upon theſe coafts. It could not be à
ftorm; the weather had been quite calm for
fome weeks. Nor could the fhip's courſe
have occafioned her to come that way.
What reafon could the captain have for
failing
G 3
·⋅13·4
THE NEW
?
failing towards parts of the world where the
Engliſh have neither fettlements nor trade?
He apprehended, therefore, that they might
be pirates.
Henry. What are they?
Mr. Bill. There are men to be found, who
have been fo ill inftructed in their earlier
years as not even to know that theft isod
crime. Thefe wretches make no féruplé
of taking away other people's property, éi
ther by fraud or violence. If they do this
on land, they are called thieves, or robbers ;
if on fea, they are called pirates, freeboot-
ers, and the like.
Edw. But theſe were Engliſhmen.
Mr. Bill. So they appeared to be, it is
true; but it was poffible that they might
be outlaws and pirates, who, having feized
upon an Engliſh fhips had dreffed them-
felves in English cloathing. Befides, Eng-
land has at all times produced as many
thieves and robbers as other countries:
During the first years of his folitary fojourn-
ing in this ifland, deprived of all manner
of
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 135
of help and fociety, Robinfon would have
thought himſelf happy, had he fallen intó
the hands of pirates, been carried away
a flave, and thus réftored once more to
the fociety of men; but now that his fi
tuation was much more agreeable, he
trembled at the idea of being carried away
by fuch marauders. He imparted his ap-
prehenfions to Friday, and they retired in
order to obferve, at a distance, thofe who
were coming in the boat, and endeavour to
diſcover their defigni
Robinſon and Friday poffed themfelves
on a rifing ground that was covered with
trees and underwood; from whence, with
out being perceived, they
eye upon whatever paffed.
hoat, with eleven men in it,
could have an
They faw the
come to land at
a part of the fhore that was fmooth and
fandy, and about a mile from the place where
they were. The ftrangers landed; eight of
them were armed, and the other three tied
neck and heels. Theſe they unbound as
foon as they were upon the beach.
G. 4:
·
By
the
136
THE NEW
the countenance and actions of one of them
in particular, they judged that he was foli-
citing the compaffion of thoſe who were
armed: he fell at their feet in the poſture
of a fuppliant. The other two now and
then lifted up their hands to Heaven, as
if to implore fuccour and deliverance.
Robinſon, fhocked and grieved at this
fight, knew not what to refolve on: mean-
time, Friday approached him with an air of
triumph, and whiſpered, "Well, I find,
mafter, your countrymen eat their priſoners
too." "Pfhaw!" faid Robinſon, a little out
of humour, "they will do no fuch thing:"
and he continued to obferve them with his
proſpect glaſs.
It was not without fhuddering that he
faw ſome of thoſe who were armed lift up
their hangers feveral times over the head of
him who was on his knees before them,
At laſt, he obſerved that the priſoners were
left alone, while the others difperfed them-
felves in the woods.
All
ROBINSON
CRUSOE.
CRUSOE. 137.
All three fat down with forrowful and
deſponding hearts on the ſpot where the re
left them.
This fight reminded Robinſon of his own
deplorable fituation the day he was caft aſhore
upon the iſland, and it inſpired him with the
reſolution of riſking every thing for the pre-
fervation of theſe unfortunate people, if they
ſhould prove deferving of it. Having thus
determined, he fent Friday home with orders
to bring as many guns, piftols, hangers, and
as much ammunition, as he could carry..
Harriet. What is ammunition?
Mr. Bill. Powder and ball. Robinfon
thought proper to ftay upon the spot and
obferve what paffed. Friday having per-
formed his errand, and all the fire-arms
being charged, they obferved with fatisfac
tion that the failors, being feattered about,.
were lain down in the fhade, here and therej
to fleep, during the violent heat of the noon-
day. Robinſon, having waited a quarter of
an hour, advanced confidently towards the
three prifoners, who were ftill fitting in the
fame
G, 5
!
+38
THE NEW
fame ſpot with their backs to him. When
Robinſon, approaching them, called out
fuddenly, "Who are you?" they were all
three thunder-ftruck.)
They started up, and were going to run
away; but Robinſon bade them fear nothing,
for he was come to affift them. "You are,
then, fent from Heaven," ſaid one of them,
taking off his hat refpectfully, and furvey-
ing him with the greateft aftonishment.
"All-affiftance comes from Heaven," re-
plied Robinfon; "but, not to lofe time,
tell me in what confifts: your diſtreſs, and
how I can relieve you." "I am captain
of that ſhip," ſaid one of them; then point-
ing to his companions, "this," continued
he," was my mate, and that gentleman a
paffenger. My failors mutinied and ſeized
the fhip; their intention at firſt was to kill
me, and thefe my two companions, for find-
ing fault with their behaviour: however,
they have at length yielded to our entreaties,
and spared our lives; but this boon is al-
moſt as bad as death itſelf. They expofe
7
Us
ROBINSON CRUˆSO E. 139
us on this defert ifland, where, being in want
of every thing, we are fure to perifh mife-
rably.”
"On two conditions," faid Robinſon,
"I will riſk my blood and my life to relieve
you from this extremity."
"Generous man! let us but know what
they are," ſaid the captain.
<<
They are thefe: While you remain
upon this iſland, you fhall conform in every
thing to my will; and, if I fucceed in re-
covering for you the poffeffion of your ſhip,
you ſhall give me and my companion a free
paffage to England." "We, the fhip,
and all that it contains, fhall be wholly at
your difpofal," replied the captain.
I
“Very well,” fáid Robinſon.. "I put a
mufket and a ſword into each of your hands;
on condition that you fhall not uſe them
until I think proper. Your affaffins are
now afleep and difperfed one from the
other: come; let us try and mafter them
without fpilling any blood.".
They fet forward. Friday carried with
G 6.
him.
140
THENE W
1
him the cords which had been taken off the
three prifoners. The firft failor that they
came up to lay with his face to the ground,
and flept fo foundly that they feized him by
the hands and feet, and crammed a hand-
kerchief into his mouth, before he was well
awake. They tied his hands behind his
back, and commanded him to remain on
the ſpot without ſtirring an inch, or making
the leaft noiſe, on pain of being put to
death that moment. They made him
turn his head towards the fea, that he might
not obſerve what was paffing amongſt his
comrades.
The fecond met with the fame treatment;
he was tied hand and foot, turned, and
threatened in the fame manner. Fortune,
or, more properly ſpeaking, Providence ap-
peared on this occafion the protector of in-
nocence and avenger of villainy. Six of
them were now tied, but the two laft
awoke, ftarted up, and took their arms.
"Wretches!” cried Robinſon to them, "fee
where your companions lie; be affured we
are'
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 141
A
are fuperior to you in force; lay down your
arms this very inſtant; the leaſt delay may
coft you your lives!"
They threw down their arms, and, in
their turn, fell upon their knees to entreat
their captain's pardon. Their hands being
tied in the fame manner as thofe of the reft,
they were all conducted to the cavern which
had been lately difcovered, there to be con-
fined. They were then informed that the
guard who was to have the care of them
would ſhoot the first man through the head
who ſhould attempt to come out at the
door. It was alfo thought expedient to take
their knives away.
After this, Robinſon and Friday, with
their new friends, went down to the boat:
they drew it up on the beach, and bored
holes in its bottom to render it for the pre-
fent unfit for ufe.
Henry. Why did they do fo?
Mr. Bill. They forefaw, that, when the
firſt boat did not return, the people aboard
would fend a fecond. They chofe, there-
•
fore,
14+27
THE NEW
fore, to put it out of their power to take
back the firft..
What they expected happened accord→
ingly. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon,
the ship fired a gun for the failors who were
on ſhore to return. This fignal not being
obeyed, though thrice repeated, they faw
another boat put off from the fhip, towards
the iſland. Robinſon, with his companions,;
retired to a rifing ground, in order from:
thence to obferve what meaſures circum:
ftances might require them to purſuë,
1
The boat having come to land, the men
jumped out and ran. to the firſt, but were
not a little furpriſed to fee it drawn up a
good way on the beach, and with holes in
its bottom. They looked all round, and
called their companions by their names, but
nobody anſwered. They were ten in num-
ber, all well armed.
•
Robinſon, being informed by the captain,.
that, amongſt thoſe whom they had made
priſoners, there were three who from fear
alone had joined in the mutiny, fent Fri--
day
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
143
cr
day and the mate for them immediately.
On their appearance, the captain, to whom
Robinſon had communicated his defign,
after reproaching them a little for their be
haviour, aſked them, whether, if he ſhould
pardon them, they would remain faithful to
him for the future." To the laſt moment of
our lives," they ſaid, trembling, and falling
on their knees. "Before this mutiny,"
continued the captain, "I always took you
for honeſt men, and am willing to believe
that you were forced to take a part in it. I
hope, however, you will make amends for
the paſt by being fteady and faithful in
future." The three failors, heartily re-
penting of their folly, fhed tears of joy on
being forgiven. The captain gave them back
their arms, and defired them to yield a punc-
tual obedience to their common chief.
In the mean time, the people of the fe-
cond boat were continually calling out, and
now and then firing their guns, with the ex-
pectation that their fcattered comrades
•
would
144
THE NEW
1
would hear and join them. At laft, find
ing all their reſearches ufelefs, and the day
now drawing to a cloſe, they began to fear
for themſelves; they put off, therefore, in-
tending to lie at anchor about a hundred.
yards from the fhore. The captain and
Robinſon were apprehenfive left they ſhould
go back to the fhip, and the crew fhould
take the refolution of fetting fail and going
off with the veſſel, and not wait longer to
fearch for their ftrayed companions. This
apprehenfion filled Robinſon and the reft
with much anxiety..
Luckily a thought ftruck him, from
which they promiſed themſelves great fuc-
cefs. He ordered Friday and one of the
failors to go behind the thickets,. about a
mile from the boat, and anſwer the men
whenever they called; then, as foon as they
perceived that the others heard them, they
were to go farther in by degrees amongſt
the underwood, in order to draw the failors
after them to as great a diftance as poffible
from
ROBINSON CRUSO E. 145
from fhore; and, having done this, Friday
and the failor were to return as quick as they
could by another way.
This ftratagem fucceeded completely.
No fooner did the failors in the boat hear
a voice anſwer them, than they haſtened to
land again, and, taking their muſkets, ran
towards that quarter from whence they
heard the voice. Two were left to guard
the boat.
Friday and his companion performed
their part admirably. They drew the failors
after them amongſt the thickets about three
miles from the ſhore, and then they haften-
ed back with all fpeed to join their com-
manders. In the mean time, Robinſon
had unfolded to the captain his whole plan
for maſtering theſe people without blood-
fhed.
Night now came on, and it grew by de
grees darker and darker. Robinfon and
his companions advanced filently towards the
boat, till within about twenty yards of it,
unperceived by the two failors who guarded
it:
146
NEW
THE
{
it; then they all fhewed themſelves at once,
and, with much noife and clattering of their
arms, threatened the two men with inftant
death if they dared to ftir a ftep. They
begged for quarter, upon which Robins
fon's party went up to them, and tied their
hands. This done, they made hafte to
draw up the boat to a confiderable distance
from the water, led away their two prifo
ners, and concealed themfelves, behind the
bufhes, to wait for the return of the other
failors. They came back ftraggling one
after: another, and all exceedingly fatigued
with their unſucceſsful expedition. Their
aſtoniſhment and vexation at not finding
the boat is impoffible to be expreffed. As
foon as there were five of them together,.
one of thoſe who had been pardoned was
fent to them to afk whether they choſe to
lay down their arms and furrender that mo-
ment without murmuring; adding, that,
in cafe of their refuſal, the governor of the
island had posted a detachment of fifty
mhen not thirty yards off, whofe fire could
not
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
147
not poffibly, mifs them though it was dark;
that the governor's people had already ta-
ken their boats, and made all the rest of
their companions prifoners; fo that there
was no choice left them but either to furren-
der or die.
At the fame time Robinſon and his com-
pany, made a clattering, with their arms,
to confirm the failor's account of their num
ber.
Can we hope for pardon?” faid one
of them. The captain, who was unſeen, an-
fwered," Thomas Smith, you know my
voice; lay down your arms inftantly, and
you ſhall all be fpared your lives, except
Atkins." He, it feems,, was the principal
ringleader of the mutiny..
They all immediately threw down their
arms. Atkins begged for mercy, entreated
the captain's compaffion, and reprefented to
him that he was not more guilty than the
reft. The captain anſwered him, that all
he could do was to intercede for him with
the governor, and he must wait the ef-
fect of that interceffion. Then Friday and
the
148
THE NEW
the three failors were fent to tie their hands;
and the other three mutineers returning at
the fame time from their ramble among the
thickets, they were informed of what had
paffed, and, dropping all thoughts of re-
ſiſtance, ſubmitted to be tied with the reft.
Upon this, Robinfon, as one of the go-
vernor's officers, came forward to the pri-
foners. The captain, who accompanied
him, chofe out thoſe whom he thought ca-
pable of a fincere repentance: theſe were
fent to be lodged near the entrance of the
dwelling-place; the others were put into the
cavern. Amongſt thoſe who had been put
there before, there were two whom the cap-
tain thought to be equally difpofed to re-
turn faithfully to their duty, and thefe were
ordered to be brought to him.
To-morrow evening, my dear children,
you ſhall have the ſequel of this adventure.
"
THIRTY-
ROBINSON CRUSO E. 149
THIRTY-FIRST, EVENING.
MR. BILL. My dear children, we now
draw near the conclufion: Robinſon's
lot will foon be decided: a few hours
more and our friend will know whether he
is fentenced to remain in his ifland without
hopes of quitting it, or whether he fhall be
able to gratify his moſt earneſt wiſh of again
feeing his parents.
This depends on the captain's fuccefs.
Will he, or will he not, with the affiftance
of the failors who have returned to their du-
ty, be able to make himſelf mafter of the ſhip?
If he can, all our friend's anxiety will be at an
end; if not, things will remain as they are,
and he muſt not think of leaving the inland.
Thoſe whofe lives had been promifed them,
were lodged, as before mentioned, near the en-
trance of the dwelling-place; they were ten
in number. Robinfon informed them, as
from the governor, that, their offence being
mutiny,
150
THE NEW !
mutiny, they ſhould not receive a full par-
don, but on the condition of affifting
their lawful commander to recover pof-
feffion of his ſhip. They all proteſted
that they would perform this condition
with the greateſt chearfulneſs and fidelity.
Robinſon added, that, if they acquitted
themſelves properly of this juft and reaſon-
able duty, they would not only exempt
themſelves from all manner of puniſhment,
but alſo fave the lives of their comrades in
priſon, who, if the ſhip was not recovered
that very night, were all to be hanged the
next morning at break of day.
This was alfo told to the prifoners: they
were then left together for a while, that, in
this interview, the criminals threatened
with ſpeedy death might confirm the others
in their fidelity, which was the only poffi-
ble means that could fave their lives.
->
In the mean time, the fhip's carpenter
was ordered immediately to repair the boat
that had been ſcuttled; and, as foon as this
was done, they launched them both. It
was agreed, that the captain ſhould com-
mand
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 15Ì
mand one, and the mate the other, the
crew being equally divided between them.
Every man was provided with arms and am-
munition. Robinſon took the captain by
the hand, and wifhed him good fuccefs.
The two boats now fet fail.
•
Edw. I wonder that Robinſon did not go
with them.
Mr. Bill. It was not for want of cou-
rage; but prudence did not permit him to
go upon this expedition. The priſoners in
his abfence might efcape, and make them-
felves maſters of his dwelling-place. This,
being his only retreat in cafe of danger, and
containing all his refources, was of too
much confequence to him that he ſhould
imprudently run the rifk of lofing it. The
captain himſelf faw the propriety of this con-
fideration, and was of opinion that Robinſon
and Friday ſhould ſtay and guard their lit-
tle fortrefs.
Robinſon, whoſe deſtiny was now going
to be decided, felt an anxiety and agitation
of mind that did not ſuffer him to reft.
Sometimes he fat down in the cave,
fome-
}
152
THE NEW
fometimes he walked about upon the ter-
race, and ſometimes he went up the ladder
of ropes to the top of the hillock, to take
advantage of the filence of the night, and
liften whether any thing was to be heard
from that quarter where the fhip lay.
Though he had fcarce taken any nouriſh-
ment the whole day, he could not prevail
upon himſelf to do it now.
His anxiety
was continually encreafing, becauſe he ex-
pected the fignal that had been agreed up-
on between them: three guns were to be
the token of the captain's fuccefs, and it
was already midnight. He at length re-
flected, that he was wrong to fluctuate be-
tween hope and fear, fo tremblingly alive to
both; and he ſeaſonably recollected a max-
im with which he had, not long ago, en-
deavoured to fortify his man Friday.
"In a doubtful cafe," faid he, " always
expect the worst. If this worſt does not
happen, ſo much the better for you; if it
does, you are prepared for it, and have al
ready deſtroyed half its power to hurt."
Confequently, Robinfon confidered as in-
dubitable
•
KOBINSON CRUSOE.
153
dubitable the ill fuccefs of the expedition.
He mustered up all his fortitude and refig-
nation to Providence, to enable him to fup-
port this misfortune. He now gave up
all hope-when, fuddenly, the deep and
diſtant found of a gun was heard. As if
he had been rouſed out of his fleep, he lif
tensa fecond report--then a third!
There is no longer any room for doubt:
the captain has recovered the fhip, and
will very ſpeedily ſet fail for Europe.
Intoxicated with joy, he flies, he flides
down the ladder, throws his hands round
Friday's neck, who lay afleep upon the
graffy flope of the terrace; he preffes him
to his bofom, and bedews him with his
tears, unable to utter a fingle word. "What
is the matter, my dear mafter?" faid Fri-
day, opening his eyes, and terrified at all
this hurry and fudden overflow of affection.
"Ah! Friday!" was all the anſwer that
Robinſon, in the fulneſs of his joy, could
return.
Heaven have compaffion on my poor
mafter's
VOL. IV.
H
154
THE NEW
maſter's head!" faid Friday to himſelf,
imagining him to have loft his fenfes.
"You must go to bed, my dear maſter;
and at the fame time he was taking him by
the arm to lead him to the cave. Robin,
fon, in a tone of voice which expreffed his
transport, cried, "Me! me to bed! Fri-
day, at the very moment when Heaven is
crowning the only with that my heart has
cheriſhed fo long! Did you not hear the
three guns? Know you not that they are
happily maſters of the fhip?"
Friday, on being informed of this for-
tunate event, rejoiced, it is true, but more
on his maſter's account than his own. The
thoughts of foon quitting his native cli-
mate for ever, damped the fatisfaction
which he would otherwiſe have enjoyed in
going with Robinfon and his father to a
country from whence fo many wonderful
things had already been prefented to his
view, and where he expected to fee others
ftill more marvellous.
Robinſon was never fo affected with the
tranſports
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
155
tranfports of joy before.
Sometimes he
went up to the top of the hillock, threw
himſelf on his face, lifted up his eyes to-
wards the starry vault, and returned God
thanks for having at length procured him
the means of departing from this defert
ifland; preſently he would go down
again, ſhake his dear Friday by the hand,
talk of nothing but Plymouth and Exeter,
and begin to pack up the goods. In this
agitation he paffed the night without once
thinking of repoſe.
At the first peep of dawn his eyes were
turned towards that quarter where the fhip
lay at anchor. He waited with impatience
for the moment when broad day-light ſhould
give him a full view of the inftrument of
his deliverance. The moment comes
Heaven! is it poffible?-Dreadful idea!---
He fees, without the fmalleft room for
doubt that the hip is no longer there.
He fhrieks, and falls down in a fwoon.
Friday ran to him, but was a long time
before he could comprehend what was the
H 2
matter
156
THE NEW
At length, Ro-
matter with his maſter.
binſon, ſtretching his trembling hand to
wards the fea, "Look there!" faid he,
with a feeble and almoft inarticulate voice.
Friday no fooner turned his head that way
than he diſcovered the cauſe of his mafter's
grief.
I fee, my dear children, you know not
which fentiment to indulge. You are di-
vided between joy and compaffion. You
hope that this incident will prolong the
ſtory; but our friend's melancholy fituation
moderates and reftrains the livelinefs of
your fatisfaction. You all maintain a pro-
found filence; I will take advantage of it,
and go on.
•
}
Robinfon fhews us here, by his example,
how careful even the beft men fhould be
not to fuffer their paffions to get the better
of them. If he had not at firft indulged an
immoderate joy, he would not afterwards
have fallen into an exceffive degree of for-
row, which entirely darkened his reafon
he would have been fenfible that he ought to
fupport
;
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 157
fupport the fhock with refignation, though
it deſtroyed his deareft hopes; he would
have reflected that Providence has means to
reſcue us from diſtreſs, even when we think
it impoffible. This reflection would have
contributed to restore him to tranquillity.
Once more, my dear children, you ſee how
much remains to be amended even in per-
fons the moſt forward in the path of virtue.
While Robinfon was defponding, and
Friday endeavouring to comfort him, they
fuddenly heard a noife at the back of the
hillock as of feveral people walking. They
rife in a hurry, and looking on that fide
from whence the noife came, they were
agreeably ſurpriſed to behold the captain
coming up the hillock, accompanied by
fome of his people. Robinfon fprung for-
ward to take him by the hand, and happen-
ing to turn himfelf that way he perceived
the ſhip at anchor in a creek on the Weſtern
fide of the island. Judge whether his grief
was baniſhed in a moment. This fight
informed him at once that the captain had
changed
}
H 3
158
THE NEW
changed his ſtation before the break of day,
and moored the fhip in that fafe and com-
modious harbour.
Robinſon was fo overjoyed that he could
not quit the captain, who on his fide was no
lefs delighted. They thanked and congra
tulated each other a thouſand times. The
captain related the manner of his becoming
mafter of the fhip without killing or wound-
ing a fingle perfon. The night was ſo dark
fo
that the mutineers never faw him, and fo made
not the leaft difficulty in receiving thoſe on
board who accompanied him. The moft
refractory were going, it is true, to ſtand
upon their defence, but their refiftance
would have been vain; they would imme-
diately have been overpowered and laid in
irons. When he had finiſhed his recital,
he indulged his feelings of gratitude to
his deliverer. "It is you," ſaid he, with
tears in his eyes, "it is you, generous man!
who by your compaffion and prudence
have faved me and reftored my fhip. It
is now yours; you fhall difpofe both of that
and
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 159
and me at your pleaſure." He then order-
ed the men to lay on the table fome refreſh-
ments that he had brought from the ſhip,
and the whole company, with hearts full of
joy, fat down to an excellent breakfaſt.
In the mean time, Robinfon related his
ftrange adventures, which more than once
excited the captain's higheft admiration.
The latter entreated Robinfon to tell him
what he ſhould do for him. "Befides what
I ftipulated yeſterday," anfwered he, "in
return for the affiftance that I afforded you,
I have three things more to defire of you.
In the first place, I request you to wait the
return of the Spaniards and my man Fri-
day's father; 2dly, to receive aboard
your ſhip, not only me and my people,
but alſo all the Spaniards, whom you will
land in their own country, failing to Cadiz
for that purpoſe: laftly, to pardon the prin-
cipal mutineers, and to puniſh them no
otherwife than by letting them remain here
on my iſland, as I am perfuaded that it will
be the beſt way to reform them.”
H 4
The
160
THE NEW
The captain, having affured him that
thefe articles ſhould be punctually perform-
ed, fent for the prifoners, picked out the
moft guilty, and told them their fentence,
which they heard with a degree of fatis-
faction, very well knowing that by law they
were liable to be put to death. Robinſon,
ever full of humanity, gave them inftructions
concerning the manner of procuring them-
felves fubfiftence, and promiſed to leave
them what was his beſt treaſure in the island,
namely his tools, his furniture, and his cat
tle. At the fame time he recommended
to them, over and over, to put their truſt
in Heaven, to agree together, and to be in-
duftrious, affuring them that the practice of
thefe virtues would not a little contribute
towards rendering their confinement in this
inland agreeable.
He was ftill fpeaking, when Friday, out
of breath, brought the pleafing news that
his father was coming with the Spaniards, and
that they were that moment landing. All
the company prepared to go and meet them.
Friday
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 161
Friday flew to the fea-fide, and embraced
his father again and again, before the reft
came up.
Robinſon faw with furpriſe, that, amongſt
thoſe who came in the boats, there were two
women. He queftioned Thurſday concern-
ing them, who told him that they were na-
tives whom the two Spaniards had married.
As foon as theſe two Spaniards learned that
Robinſon was going away, and intended to
leave fome failors behind him upon the
inland, they requeſted permiffion to remain
there alfo with their wives, alledging, that,
after the accounts which they had heard of
this ifland, they could not defire a better
eſtabliſhment.
Robinſon, charmed at their requeſt, moſt
readily confented to it. He was well
pleafed that two men fhould remain upon
his iſland, of whom all their comrades.
gave the moſt excellent character, as it was
poffible that they might bring back the mu-
tineers, with whom they were left, to a re-
gular and peaceable life. With this view
H 5
he
162
NEW
THE
he refolved to give the Spaniards a degree
of authority over them.
Thoſe who were to be left on the iſland
were fix Engliſhmen, and two Spaniards
with their wives. Robinfon called the whole
together, and declared his will to them in
the following words:
"I hope none of you will difpute my
right to do as I pleaſe with the property of
this ifland and all that belongs to it. I
wifh equal happinefs to all of you who re-
main here after ime. To fecure it, there
muſt be a certain order and fubordination
amongſt you, which it belongs only to me
to preſcribe. I declare, therefore, that I ap-
point the two Spaniards as fubftitutes in my
place, and that they fhall for the future be
the lawful mafters of the island. You fhail
all pay them the ftricteft obedience; they
alone fhall have poffeffion of the little fort
and live there; they alone fhall have under
their care all the arms, ammunition, and
tools, but which they will lend you, when-
ever you have occafion for them, provided
you
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 163
you be quiet and peaceable. In all dangers
you fhall unite for the common defence.
1
Your labours both in the garden and the
field ſhall be performed in common, and
every crop be equally divided amongſt you
all. Perhaps one day or other I may have
an opportunity of hearing from you. Per--.
haps I may even refolve to come and finiſh
my days in this ifland,, fuch an affection do
I feel for it even at this moment. Then
woe be to him, who fhall have infringed my
regulations! He fhall be fhewed no com-
paffion,, but fet adrift in a flight boat, to
take his chance upon the open fea, let the
weather be ever ſo unfavourable.
>>
They all agreed to theſe regulations, and.
promiſed the moft perfect obedience.
Robinson then took an inventory of the
few goods that he intended to carry away with
him, and which were to be immediately put
on board. the ſhip. They were, Ift, the
drefs of fkins that he had made for himfelf,
together with the umbrella and the maſk::
2dly, the fpear, the bow and arrows, andł
HQ
ป
the
164
THE NEW
the ftone hatchet, which were alfo his own
workmanſhip: 3dly, Poll, the ſpaniel, and
twolamas: 4thly, feveral utenfils and pieces of
furniture, which he had made while he was
alone: 5thly, the gold-duft and diamonds:
and, laſtly, the lump of gold which was his
own property.
!
All thefe articles being carried aboard,
and the wind favourable, their departure.
was fixed for the next day. Robinſon and
Friday prepared a dinner, by way of enter
tainment before their departure, for the cap-
tain and thoſe who were to compoſe the fu-
ture colony on the island. They ferved up
the beft of every thing that was amongſt
their provifions, and the victuals were fo
well prepared, that the captain could not
fufficiently admire Robinfor's fkill in enter-
taining his company. The captain, to imi-
tate the generofity of his hoft, and to con-
tribute in fome meaſure to the welfare of
the new inhabitants of the iſland, ordered a
quantity of provifions to be brought from
the fhip, together with gunpowder, iron,
and
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 165
·
and working tools, all which he beſtowed
as a prefent on the colony.
Towards evening, Robinſon made his
excufes, and begged permiffion to be alone
for an hour, alledging that there remained
fome important bufinefs which he wifhed
to ſettle before his departure. Every one
withdrawing, he went to the top of the
hillock; there he revolved in his mind the
ſeries of events that had happened during
his abode upon the iſland, and his heart, full
of the livelieft filial gratitude, opened itſelf
in thankſgiving to his Supreme Benefactor.
How fhall I exprefs his pious acknowledge-
ments? But hearts like his will find in their
own feelings the expreffion of thoſe fenti-
ments which I want words to interpret.
►
The time of their departure being arrived,
Robinfon affectionately exhorted the co-
lony to be unanimous, induftrious, and,
above all, religious; and, bearing in his
breaſt a regard for the welfare of the whole,
he recommends them as his brothers to that
divine protection which he had always
won-
166
THE NEW
wonderfully experienced. He looks round
once more with inward fatisfaction: again
he thanks Heaven both for preferving
him hitherto, and for delivering him at pre-
fent by a miracle of goodnefs and wiſdom:
for the last time,,he bids farewell to the in-
habitants whom he leaves in. the iſland, but
in a voice. fcarcely to be heard, At length
he goes aboard, accompanied by Thurſday
and Friday.
Some of the Children. Now the ftory is
ended.
Rich. Pray, have patience; who knows
whether fome obftacle may, not yet happen
to hinder his departure?
"
Mr. Bill. The wind was freſh,, and blew
ſo favourably that the iſland feemed to with-
draw from them very faft.. As long as it was
in fight, Robinſon, ftanding upon the deck
in mournful: filance, kept his eyes fixed up-
on the fpot, which, from. his, having lived
upon it for 12 years, and experienced and
furmounted many diftreffes there, was become
almoſt as dear o him as his own native
country..
་་
བ་་་་་་་་་
10.
1
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 167
1
country. At length, having loft fight of
the ifland, and the top of its higheſt hill, he
retired into the cabin with Thurſday and
Friday, in order to relieve the oppreffion of
his thoughts in the amuſement of friendly
converfation.
They had a very fine voyage, and in
twenty-four days caft anchor in the harbour
of Cadiz, where they landed all their Spa-
nifh paffengers. Robinfon went into the
town to enquire for the merchant to whom the
barrel of gold-duft belonged which he had
faved from the wreck. He was fortunate
enough to find him, and to learn that the
honeft merchant, by recovering this gold,
would be extricated from the greateſt diffi-
culties. The lofs of his fhip had been fol-
lowed by the moſt difagreeable confe-
quences: it had thrown his affairs into fuch
confufion that he failed.
Henry. Failed? how?
Mr. Bill. When a man owes more than
he can pay, he gives up whatever property
he has remaining to be divided proportion-
ably
168
THE NEW
{
ably amongſt his creditors, who thus lofe
each of them more or lefs; and in this cafe
a man is faid to become bankrupt, or to
fail.
The barrel of gold-duft was more than
fufficient to pay off the merchant's debts.
Penetrated with gratitude, he wished to be-
ſtow the remainder upon his benefactor.
Robinſon, far from accepting it, declared
that he was already too well rewarded in the
fatisfaction of having prevented the ruin of
an honeft merchant.
From Cadiz they fet fail for England.
In this part of the voyage a melancholy
event happened. Thurfday fell fuddenly
ill; all the affiftance that could be given
him was of no fervice. You may imagine
what Friday ſuffered, and what was his ex-
cefs of grief on the death of a father whom
he loved beyond expreffion. The two lamas,
alfo, being no longer able to endure the
voyage and the ſea air, died foon after.
The fhip arrived without any accident at
Portſmouth.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 169
Portfmouth. Robinſon hoped to find there
the widow to whom he was to restore the
diamonds. He found her, indeed, according
to the direction that he had received for her,
but in very low circumftances. Having re-
ceived neither remittances nor even tidings
from India for two years, the and her children
were reduced to very great diſtreſs; in ſhort,
they were almoſt in rags, and poverty was
painted in the countenance of each perfon of
the family. Robinſon, therefore, once more
experienced the fatisfaction, ſo delightful to
every man of benevolence, of being an in-
ftrument in the hands of Providence to dry
up the tears of the unfortunate, and put an
end to their diftreffes. He gave her the dia-
monds; and as a plant that is almoſt parched
in ſtalk and branches recovers its ftrength and
verdure after a kindly and refreſhing ſhower,
he faw this family, through returning plenty,
and the fatisfaction naturally accompanying
it, lift up their heads once more, make a pro-
per figure in fociety, and enjoy a happines
arifing
(170
THE NEW
arifing from independence which they had
long fince deſpaired of attaining.
As Robinſon found here a fmall veffel
going to Plymouth immediately, he took
leave of his captain, not chufing to go by
land, and haſtened with Friday aboard the
Plymouth veffel, which fet fail that fame
evening.
This fhort paffage was foon performed.
They were already in fight of the Eddiftone
light-houfe, when all of a fudden a violent
ftorm arofe, which carried the veffel to the
Weftward. All that ſkill and activity could
do was put in practice to tack and keep out
to fea, but to no purpoſe: a furious guft of
wind rendered all their exertions uſeleſs; it
forced the fhip upon a fand-bank with fuch
violence that the bulged.
The water came pouring in ſo faſt that
they had not a thought of faving her: in fact,
the people had fcarce time to take to their
boats, which was the only refource they had
to preſerve their lives.
They
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 171
They fortunately reached thore at a place
not far from Plymouth. Robinſon and the
fhip's crew immediately fteered their courſe
thither; he, like a poor traveller, now twice
ſhipwrecked, and faving out of all his effects
nothing but his faithful ſpaniel, who ſwam
after the boat, and Poll, his parrot, which
flew upon his fhoulder the moment fhe faw
him leave the fhip. He ftopped in Ply-
mouth that night, and the next day learned,
that, amongſt the goods faved from the
wreck, were his umbrella and ſuit of cloaths
made of fkins. Thefe, being of no ufe to the
finder, were reſtored to him by a fiſherman
for a trifling gratuity. As to his great
wedge of gold, it was loft irrecoverably.
Rich. Poor Robinſon!
1
Mr. Bill. He is now exactly as rich as
when he formerly fet fail from Plymouth.
Perhaps Providence permitted this lofs, to
prevent any raſh young perfon from being
dazzled by Robinfon's example, and tra-
verfing the world, like him, in the hope
of returning with a treaſure found by
chance.
172
THE NEW
chance. As to Robinſon, the lofs gave him
very little concern. Propofing, as he did, to
live, all the reſt of his days, as foberly and
with the fame perfeverance in labour, as he
had whilſt upon his iſland, he found a lump
of gold to be quite unneceffary in the pro-
fecution of fuch a plan.
He now took the coach for his native city
Exeter. He had already learned at Portf-
mouth that his mother was dead, that affec-
tionate and tender mother, and he had bitterly
lamented her lofs. Buried in melancholy on
account of this event, he attended very little
to the accidents of the road, and paſſed
through the towns of Brent, Afhburton, and
Chudleigh, without taking the ſmalleſt notice
of them. At length he ftops in Exeter: his
heart beating with joy, he fprings out of the
coach, and if it had not been for the num-
bers of people in the ftreet, whoſe preſence
ſomewhat abaſhed him, he would have fallen
on his face to kiſs the ground of his native city.
Going into the inn at which the carriage
ftopped, he chofe to fend to his father, in
order
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 173
order to prepare him by degrees for the un-
expected return of his fon. The man who
was charged with this meffage had orders to
tell the old gentleman, at firft, that a perfon
defired to ſpeak with him, who brought him
agreeable news from his fon: he was, after
fome time, to add, that his fon was coming
to Exeter; and, laftly, to declare that the
bearer of theſe agreeable tidings was his fon
himſelf. Without this preparation, the good;
old man might have been ſeized with ſuch an
excefs of joy as would have coft him his life.
After this precaution, Robinfon, who ſtill
knew the ſtreets perfectly well, flies to his
father's houfe. As foon as he arrived there, in
a tranfport of inexpreffible extacy he throws
himſelf into his father's arms, who trembled
all over. “Oh, my father !"-" My dear
fon!"-was all that they could fay. Throb-
bing and ſpeechlefs, they remained fome
time locked in each other's arms; at length,
a feaſonable flood of tears relieved both their
breafts, which were almoft fuffocated with
joy.
Friday,
£74
THEN E W
Friday, whom the multitude of different
objects that he ſaw, filled with furprife, was
ftaring about in filence. His eyes could
never have enough. The first day he faw
nothing, I may fay: he was dazzled, con-
founded, and could fix on no object.
In the mean time, the noife of Robinſon
Crufoe's return and his ſurpriſing adventures
was ſpread rapidly through the city of Exeter.
He was the fole fubject of converſation, and
every body crouded to fee him, every body
defired to hear him relate his adventures him-
felf. His father's houſe was for ever full of
people, and Robinfon was employed in re-
lating his ſtory from morning to evening;
in the courſe of which he never forgot to ad-
drefs to the fathers and mothers who heard
him the following exhortation," If
· If you
love your children, I pray you, teach them,
in their early years, to be godly, fober, and
laborious:" and if there happened to be
young perfons prefent, he was careful to give
them this wholefome advice, "My dear
children, obey your parents and your teach-
ers;
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 175
ers; learn diligently whatever you have a
capacity to learn; fear God, and be careful
-oh, be careful to avoid idleness! It is the
mother of every vice."
Robinſon's father was by profeffion a
broker, and he wished to fee his fon apply
to his own buſineſs, in order to take it up
after his death; but Robinſon, long accuf-
tomed to the pleaſure of manual labour, beg-
ged his permiffion to learn the trade of a car-
penter, and his father not oppofing his incli-
nation, he put himſelf, together with Friday,
apprentice to that bufinefs, in which they
made fuch proficiency, that, before the end
of the year, they could work with as much
neatneſs and diſpatch as any of the trade in
Exeter.
After fome time, they opened the buſineſs
in partnerſhip, and during their whole lives.
remained faithful friends and infeparable com-
panions. Induſtry and fobriety were ſo much
a fecond nature to them, that they could not
have paffed even half a day in idleness or
looſe living. In remembrance of their for-
VOL. IV.
I
mer
176
THE NEW
t
mer folitary way of life, they pitched upon,
one day in the week to live in the fame man-
ner as they uſed in their ifland, as far as that
could be done. Concord between them-
felves, indulgence for the faults of others,
beneficence towards those whom they knew,
and humanity to all men, were virtues fo
habitual to them, that they could not conceive
how any one who neglected the practice of
them could be happy. They were particularly
diftinguiſhed by a pure, fincere, and active pie-
ty. Joy and love were feen to ſparkle in their
eyes, whenever they pronounced the name of
the Supreme Being; and they were in pain.
whenever they heard this facred name uttered
in vain and from mere levity. Therefore,
the bleffing of Heaven vifibly crowned all
their endeavours. Being always actively
employed about fomething uſeful, they reach-
ed a very advanced age in health and peace;
and the remoteft pofterity will reſpect the
memory of two men, who, by their example,
have fhewn to the world in what manner we
may beſt work out our temporal welfare in
this
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
177..
this life, and our eternal happineſs in the
next.
Here Mr. Billingfley was filent; the
children continued fitting fome little time
longer, in deep reflection, until this thought,
I will endeavour to do the fame, which reſulted
as a moral from what they had heard, took root
in the breaft of each, and acquired the force
of an immoveable reſolution.
FIN FS.
The following Books, for the Inftruction and Entertain-
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Piccadilly.
1. THE
A
HE New Robinſon Crufoe; an inftructive and
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both Sexes. Tranflated from the French. Embelliſh-
ed with thirty-two beautiful Cuts, each Cut the Size of
the Page. In four Volumes 12mo. Price only 6s.
2. A Sketch of Univerſal Hiſtory; to which is added,
a Brief Chronology of the moft remarkable Events in
the Hiftory of England. Embellished with thirty-fix
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3. The Hiftory of Three Brothers; to which are added,
Gray's Elegy in a Country Churchyard, Pope's Uni-
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4. The Hiftory of a Schoolboy, with other Pieces.
Price rs, bound.
5. The Hiftory of Little Jack
accident and nurfed by a Goat).
Sandford and Merton.
(who was found by
By the Author of
See Fortune's fcorn, but Nature's darling child,
Rock'd by the tempeft, nurtur'd on the wild!
With mind unfoften'd,, and an active frame,
No toils can daunt him, and no danger tame !
Though winds and waves impede his daring courſe,
He fteers right onward, and defies their force.
Neatly printed in a ſmall Volume, and ornamented with
twenty-two beautiful Cuts, Price only is. bound.
6. The Children's Mifcellany, in one Volume, illuf
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7.
Select Stories, for the Inftruction and Entertainment
of Children. By M. Berquin. Infcribed to Mr. Raikes.
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New Books printed for John Stockdale.
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12. Sandford et Merton, Traduction libre de l' An-
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13. The Adventures of Numa
King of Rome. In two Volumes.
In two Volumes.
Pompilius, fecond
Price 6s. in boards.
14. Captain Cook's third and lat Voyage to the
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13
to
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J
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-
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