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Robinson Crusoe
LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
I was born in the year 1632, in the city of York, of a good
family, though not of that country, my father being a foreigner
of Bremen, who settled first at Hull : he got a good estate
by merchandise, and leaving off his trade, lived afterwards at
York ; from whence he had married my mother, whose re-
lations were named Eobinson, a very good family in that
country, and from whom I was called Eobinson Kreutznaer ;
but, by the usual corruption of words in England, we are
now called — nay, we call ourselves, and write our name —
Crusoe ; and so my companions always called me.
I had two elder brothers, one of whom was lieutenant-
colonel to an English regiment of foot in Flanders, formerly
commanded by the famous Colonel Lockhart, and was killed
at the battle near Dunkirk against the Spaniards. What be-
came of my second brother I never knew, any more than my
father or mother did know what was become of me.
Being the third son of the family, and not bred to any
trade, my head began to be filled very early with rambling
thoughts ; my father, who was very ancient, had given me a
competent share of learning, as far as house education and a
country free-school generally go, and designed me for the
(aw ; but I would be satisfied with nothing but going to sea ;
and my inclination to this led me so strongly against the will,
nay, the commands of my father, and against all the entreaties
and persuasions of my mother and other friends, that there
seemed to be something fatal in that propensity of nature,
tending directly to the life of misery which was to befall me.
My father, a wise and grave man, gave me serious and ex-
10 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
cellent counsel against what he foresaw was my design. He
called me one morning into his chamber, where he was con-
fined by the gout, and expostulated ve.'y warmly with me
upon this subject : he asked me what reasons, more than a
mere wandering inclination, I had for leaving my father's
house and my native country, where I might be well intro-
duced, and had a prospect of raising my fortune by appli-
cation and industry, with a life of ease and pleasure. He
told me it was men of desperate fortunes on one hand, or of
aspiring, superior fortunes on the other, who went abroad
upon adventures, to rise by enterprise, and make themselves
famous in undertakings of a nature out of the common road ;
that these things were all either too far above me, or too far
below me ; that mine was the middle state, or what might be
called the upper station of low life, which he had found, by
long experience, was the best state in the world, and the
most suited to human happiness ; that the middle station of
life was calculated for all kind of virtues and all kind of en-
joyments ; that peace and plenty were the handmaids of a
middle fortune; that temperance, moderation, quietness, health,
society, all agreeable diversions, and all desirable pleasures,
were the blessings attending the middle station of life ; that
this way men went silently and smoothly through the world,
and comfortably out of it, not embarrassed with the labours
of the hands or of the head, not sold to a life of slavery for
daily bread, or harassed with perplexed circumstances, which
rob the soul of peace, and the body of rest.
After this, he pressed me earnestly, and in the most affec-
tionate manner, not to play the young man, nor to precipitate
myself into miseries which nature, and the station of life I
was born in, seemed to have provided against ; that as he
would do very kind things for me if I would stay and settle
at home as he directed, so he would not have so much hand
in my misfortunes, as to give me any encouragement to go
away : and to close all, he told me I had an elder brother for
an example, to whom he had used the same earnest persuasions
to keep him from going into the Low Country wars, but could
not prevail, his young desires prompting him to run into the
army, where he was killed ; and though he said he would not
cease to pray for me, yet he would venture to say to me, that
if I did take this foolish step, God would not bless me, and I
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 1]
should have leisure hereafter to reflect upon having neglected
his counsel, when there might be none to assist in my re-
covery.
I observed in this last part of his discourse, which was
truly prophetic, though I suppose my father did not know it
to be so himself, the tears run down his face very plentifully,
especially when he spoke of my brother who was killed ; and
that when he spoke of my having leisure to repent, and none
to assist me, he was so moved that he broke off the discourse,
and told me his heart was so full he could say no more to me.
I was sincerely affected with this discourse, as indeed who
could be otherwise ? and I resolved not to think of going
abroad any more, but to settle at home according to my
father's desire. But, alas! a few days wore it all off; and,
in short, to prevent any of my father's further importunities,
in a few weeks after, I resolved to run quite away from him.
However, I did not act quite so hastily as the first heat of my
resolution prompted, but I took my mother, at a time when I
thought her a little pleasanter than ordinary, and told her
that my thoughts were so entirely bent upon seeing the
world, that I should never settle to anything with resolution
enough to go through with it, and my father had better give
me his consent than force me to go without it ; that I was
now eighteen years old, which was too late to go apprentice
to a trade, or clerk to an attorney ; that I was sure, if I did,
I should never serve out my time, but I should certainly run
away from my master before my time was out, and go to sea ;
and if she would speak to my father to let me go one voyage
abroad, if I came home again, and did not like it, I would go
no more ; and I would promise, by a double diligence, to re-
cover the time that I had lost.
This put my mother into a great passion ; she told me she
knew it would be to no purpose to speak to my father upon
any such subject ; and that, if I would ruin myself, there was
no help for me ; but I might depend I should never have their
consent to it ; and I should never have it to say that my
mother was willing when my father was not.
Though my mother refused to name it to my father, yet I
heard afterwards that she reported all the discourse to him,
and that my father, after showing a great concern at it, said
to her, with a sigh, " That boy might be happy if he would
12 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
stay at home ; but if he goes abroad, he will be the most
miserable wretch that ever was born ; I can give no consent
to it."
It was not till almost a year after this that I broke loose,
though, in the meantime, I continued obstinately deaf to all
proposals of settling to business, and frequently expostulated
with my father and mother about their being so positively de-
termined against what they knew my inclinations prompted
me to. But being one day at Hull, whither I went casually,
and without any purpose of making an elopement at that
time, and one of my companions going by sea to London in
his father's ship, and prompting me to go with them, with the
common allurement of a seafaring man, that it should cost me
nothing for my passage, I consulted neither father nor mother
any more, nor so much as sent them word of it ; but leaving
them to hear of it as they might, without asking God's bless-
ing or my father's, without any consideration of circumstances
or consequences, and in an ill hour, God knows, on the 1st of
September, 1651, I went on board a ship bound for London.
The ship was no sooner got out of the Humber, than the wind
began to blow and the sea to rise in a most frightful manner ;
and, as I had never been at sea before, I was most inex-
pressibly sick in body, and terrified in mind. I began now
seriously to reflect upon what I had done, and how justly I
was overtaken by the judgment of Heaven for my wicked
leaving rr\y father's house, and abandoning my duty.
All thi i while the storm increased, and the sea went very
high, 1L0 igh nothing like what I have seen many times since;
no, nor what I saw a few days after ; but it was enough to
affect me then, who was but a young sailor, and had never
known anything of the matter. I expected every wave would
have swallowed us up, and that every time the ship fell down,
as I thought it did, in the trough or hollow of the sea, we
should never rise more : in this agony of mind, I made many
vows and resolutions, that if it would please God to spare my
life in this one voyage, if ever I got once my foot upon dry
land again, I would go directly home to my father, and never
set it into a ship again while I lived.
These wise and sober thoughts continued all the while the
storm lasted, and indeed some time after ; but the next day
the wind was abated, and the sea calmer, and I began to be a
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 13
little inured to it; however, I was very grave for all that day,
being also a little sea-sick still ; but towards night the weather
cleared up, the wind was quite over, and a charming fine
evening followed ; the sun went down perfectly clear, and
rose so the next morning ; and having little or no wind, and
a smooth sea, the sun shining upon it, the sight was, as I
thought, the most delightful that ever I saw.
I had slept well in the night, and was now no more sea-
sick, but very cheerful, looking with wonder upon the sea that
was so rough and terrible the day before, and could be so
calm and so pleasant in so little a time after. And now, lest
my good resolutions should continue, my companion, who had
enticed me away, comes to me : " Well, Bob," says he, clap-
ping me upon the shoulder, " how do you do after it ? I
warrant you were frighted, wer'n't you, last night, when it
blew but a capful of wind ?" — " A capful, d'yc-u call it ?"
said I ; " 'twas a terrible storm." — " A storm, you fool you,"
replies he ; " do you call that a storm ? Why, it was nothing
at all ; give us but a good ship and sea-room, and we think
nothing of such a squall of wind as that ; but you're but a
fresh-water sailor, Bob. Come, let us make a bowl of punch,
and we'll forget all that ; d'ye see what charming weather 'tis
now 1" To make short this sad part of my story, we went
the way of all sailors ; the punch was made, and I was made
half-drunk with it ; and in that one night's wickedness I
drowned all my repentance, all my reflections upon my past
conduct, all my resolutions for the future. As the sea was
returned to its smoothness of surface and settled calmness by
the abatement of that storm, so the hurry of my thoughts
being over, my fears and apprehensions of being swallowed
up by the sea being forgotten, and the current of my former
desires returned, I entirely forgot the vows and promises that
I made in my distress ; and I had, in five or six days, got as
complete a victory over my conscience as any young fellow
that resolved not to be troubled with it could desire. But I
was to have another trial for it still.
The sixth day of our being at sea we came into Yarmouth
Eoads ; the wind having been contrary, and the weather calm,
we had made but little way since the storm. Here we were
obliged to come to an anchor, and here we lay, the wind con-
tinuing contrary, viz., at south-west, for seven or eight days,
14 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
during which time a great many ships from Newcastle came
into the same roads, as the common harbour where the ships
might wait for a wind for the river.
We had not, however, rid here so long, but we should have
tided it up the river, but that the wind blew too fresh, and,
after we had lain four or five days, blew very hard. How-
ever, the roads being reckoned as good as a harbour, the
anchorage good, and our ground-tackle very strong, our men
were unconcerned, and not in the least apprehensive of danger,
but spent the time in rest and mirth, after the manner of the
sea ; but the eighth day, in the morning, the wind increased,
and we had all hands at work to strike our top-masts, and
make everything snug and close, that the ship might ride as
easy as possible. By noon the sea went very high indeed,
and our ship rid forecastle in, shipped several seas, and we
thought once or twice our anchor had come home ; upon
which our master ordered out the sheet-anchor, so that we
rode with two anchors a-head, and the cables veered out to
the better end.
By this time it blew a terrible storm indeed ; and now I
began to see terror and amazement in the faces even of the
seamen themselves. The master, though vigilant in the busi-
ness of preserving the ship, yet, as he went in and out of his
cabin by me, I could hear him softly to himself say several
times, " Lord, be merciful to us ! we shall be all lost ; we
shall be all undone I" and the like. During these first hurries
I was lying still in my cabin ; but when the master himself
came by me, and said we should be all lost, I was dreadfully
frighted. I got up out of my cabin and looked out ; but
such a dismal sight I never saw : the sea ran mountains high,
and broke upon us every three or four minutes ; when I could
look about, I could see nothing but distress round us ; two
ships that rid near us, we found, had cut their masts by the
board, being deep laden ; and our men cried out, that a ship
which rid about a mile a-head of us was foundered. Two
more ships, being driven from their anchors, were run out of
the road3 to sea, at all adventures, and that not with a mast
standing. The light ships fared the best, as not so much
labouring in the sea; but two or three of them drove, and
came close by us, running away with only their spritsail out
before the wind.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 15
Towards evening the mate and boatswain begged the master
of our ship to let them cut away the fore-mast, which he was
very unwilling to do ; but the boatswain protesting to him,
that if he did not, the ship would founder, he consented; and
when they had cut away the fore-mast, the main-mast stood
so loose, and shook the ship so much, they were obliged to
cut that away also, and make a clear deck.
Any one must judge what a condition I must be in at all
this, who was but a young sailor, and who had been in such
a fright before at but a little. But the worst was not come
yet ; the storm continued with such fury, that the seamen
themselves acknowledged they had never seen a worse. We
had a good ship, but she was deep laden, and wallowed in
the sea, so that the seamen every now and then cried out she
would founder. It was my advantage in one respect that I
did not know what they meant by founder, till I inquired.
However, the storm was so violent, that I saw, what is not
often seen, the master, the boatswain, and some others more
sensible than the rest, at their prayers, and expecting every
moment that the ship would go to the bottom. In the-middle
of the night, and under all the rest of our distresses, one of
the men that had been down to see, cried out we had sprung
a leak ; another said, there was four feet water in the hold.
Then all hands ^ere called to the pump. At that word, my
heart, as I thought, died within me ; and I fell backwards
upon the side of the bed where I sat, into the cabin. How-
ever, the men roused me, and told me, that I, that was able
to do nothing before, was as well able to pump as another ;
at which I stirred up, and went to the pump, and worked
very heartily. While this was doing, the master seeing some
light colliers, who, not able to ride out the storm, were obliged
to slip, and run away to the sea, and would come near us,
ordered a gun to be fired as a signal of distress. I, who
knew nothing what they meant, thought the ship had broken,
or some dreadful thing happened. In a word, I was so surprised
that I fell down in a swoon. As this was a time when every-
body had his own life to think of, nobody minded me, or
what was become of me ; but another man stepped up to the
pump, and thrusting me aside with his foot, let me lie, thinking
I had been dead ; and it was a great while before I came to
myself. '
16
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
We worked on ; but the water increasing in the hold, it
was apparent that the ship would founder ; and though the
storm began to abate a little, yet as it was not possible she
could swim till we might run into any port, so the master
continued firing guns for help ; and a light ship, who had rid
it out just a-head of us, ventured a boat out to help us. It
was with the utmost hazard the boat came near us, but it was
impossible for us to get on board, or for the boat to lie near
the ship's side, till at last the men rowing very heartily, and
EOBINSOX CIIUSOE.
17
venturing their lives to save ours, our men cast them a rope
over the stern with a buoy to it, and then veered it out a
great length, which they, after much labour and hazard, took
hold of, and wo hauled them close under our stern, and "-ot
Paje 40.
all into their boat. It was to no purpose for them or us, after
we were in the boat, to think of reaching to their own ship ;
so all agreed to let her drive, and only to pull her in towards
shore as much as we could ; and our master promised them
that if the boat was staved upon shore, he would make it
IS? nouiNsox citusoi:.
good to their master : so partly rowing, and partly driving,
our boat went away to the northward, sloping towards the
shore almost as far a3 Winterton Ness.
We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of
our ship till we saw her sink, and then I understood for the
first time what was meant by a ship foundering in the sea. I
must acknowledge I had hardly eyes to look up when the
seamen told me she was sinking ; for from the moment that
they rather put me into the boat, than that I might be said to
go in, my heart was, as it were, dead within me, partly with
fright, partly with horror of mind, and the thoughts of what
was yet before me.
While we were in this condition — the men yet labouring at
the oar to bring the boat near the snore — we could see (when,
our boat mounting the waves, we were able to see the shore)
a great many people running along the strand to assist us
when we should come near ; but tve made but slow way to-
wards the shore ; nor were we able to reach the shore, till,
being past the lighthouse at Winterton, the shore falls off to
the westward towards Cromer, and so the land broke off a
little the violence of the wind. Here we got in, and, though
not without much difficulty, got all safe on shore, and walked
afterwards on foot to Yarmouth, where, as «nfortunate men,
we were used with great humanity, as well by the magistrates
of the town, who assigned ns good quarters, as by particular
merchants and "owners of ships, and bad money given us
sufficient to carry us either to London or back to Hull, as we
thought fit.
^But my ill fate pushed me on now with an obstinacy that
nothing could resist ; and though I had several times loud
calls from my reason, and my more composed judgment, to
go home, yet I had no power to do it.
My comrade, who had helped to harden me before, and
who was the master's son, was now less forward than I. The
first time ho spoke to me after we were at Yarmouth, winch
•was not till two or three days, for we were separated in the
town to several quarters, his tone was altered ; and, looking
very melancholy, and shaking his head, he asked me how I
did ; and, telling' his father who I was, and how I had come
this voyage only for a trial, in order to go farther al'ivr.-l ;
his father turning to mo, with a very grave and concerned
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 19
tone, " Young man," says lie, " you ought never to go to sea
any more ; you ought to take this for a plain and visible
token that you are not to be a seafaring man." "Why, sir,"
said I, "will you go to sea no more?" "That is another
case," said he ; "it is my colling, and therefore my duty ; but
as you made this voyage for a trial, you see what a taste
Heaven has given you of what you are to expect if you
persist. Perhaps this has all befallen us on your account,
like Jonah in the ship of Tarshish. Pray," continues he,
" what are you ; and on what account did you go -to sea ?"
Upon that I told him some of my story; at the end of which
he burst out into a strange kind of passion. " What had I
done," says he, "that such an unhappy wretch should come
into my ship ? I would not set my foot in the same ship with
thee again for a thousand pounds." However, he afterwards
talked very gravely to me, exhorting me to go back to my
father, and not tempt Providence to my ruin ; telling me I
might see a visible hand of Heaven against me. " And,
young man," said he, " depend upon it, if you do not go
back, wherever you go, you will meet with nothing but dis-
asters and disappointments, till your father's words are ful-
filled upon you."
We parted soon after ; for I made him little answer, and I
saw him no more ; which way he went 1 • knew not. As for
me, having some money in my pocket, I travelled to London
by land ; and there, as well as on the road, had many strug-
gles with myself, what course of life I should take, and whether
I should go home or go to sea.
As to going home, shame opposed the best motions that
offered to my thoughts ; and it immediately occurred to me
how I should be laughed at among the neighbours, and should
be ashamed to see, not my father and mother only, but even
everybody else.
In this state of life, I remained some time, uncertain what
measures to take, and what course of life to lead. An irre-
sistible reluctance continued to going home; and as I stayed
awhile, the remembrance of the distress I had been in wore
off; and as that abated, the little motion I had in my desires
to return wore off with it, till at last I quite laid aside the
thoughts of it, and looked out for a voyage.
That evil influence which carried me first away from my
20 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
father's house, whatever it was, presented the most unfor-
tunate of all enterprises to my view ; and I went on board a
vessel bound to the coast of Africa ; or, as our sailors vul-
garly called it, a voyage to Guinea.
It was my great misfortune that in all these adventures I
did not ship myself as a sailor ; when, though I might indeed
have worked a little harder than ordinary, yet at the same
time I should have learnt the duty and office of a fore-mast
man ; and in time might have qualified myself for a mate or
lieutenant, if not for a master. But as it was always my fate
to choose for the worse, so I did here ; for having money in
my pocket, and good clothes upon my back, I would always
go on board in the habit of a gentleman ; and so I neither
had any business in the ship, nor learned to do any.
It was my lot first of all to fall into pretty good company in
London. I first got acquainted with the master of a ship who
had been on the coast of Guinea: and who, having had very
good success there, was resolved to go again : this captain
taking a fancy to my conversation, which was not at all dis-
agreeable at that time, hearing me say I had a mind to see
the world, told me if I would go the voyage with him I should
be at no expense ; I should be his messmate and his com-
panion ; and if I could carry anything with me, I should
have all the advantage of it that the trade would admit ; and
perhaps I might meet with some encouragement.
I embraced the offer ; and entering into a strict friendship
with this captain, who was an honest, plain-dealing man, I
went the voyage with him, and carried a small adventure
with me, which, by the disinterested honesty of my friend
the captain, I increased very considerably ; for I carried about
£40 in such toys and trifles as the captain directed me to buy.
This £40 I had mustered together by the assistance of some
of my relations whom I corresponded with ; and who, I be-
lieve, got my father, or at least my mother, to contribute so
much as that to my first adventure.
This was the only voyage which I may say was successful;
for I brought home five pounds nine ounces of gold-dust for
my adventure, which yielded me in London, at my return,
almost £300, and this filled me with those aspiring thoughts
which have since so completed my ruin.
I was now set up for a Guinea trader ; and my friend, to
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 21
my great misfortune, dying soon after his arrival, I resolved
to go the same voyage again, and I embarked in the same
vessel with one who was his mate in the former voyage, and
had now got the command of the ship. This was the unhap-
piest voyage that ever man made ; for though I did not carry
quite £100 of my new-gained wealth, so that I had £200 left,
which I had lodged with my friend's widow, who was very
just to me, yet I fell into terrible misfortunes ; the first was
this — our ship making her course towards the Canary Islands,
or rather between those Islands and the African shore, was
surprised in the grey of the morning by a Turkish rover of
Sallee, who gave chase to us with all the sail she could make.
We crowded also as much canvas as our yards would spread,
or our masts carry to get clear ; but, finding the pirate gained
upon us, and would certainly come up with us in a few hours,
we prepared to fight ; our ship having twelve guns, and the
rogue eighteen. About three in the afternoon he came up
with us, and bringing to, by mistake, just athwart our quarter,
instead of athwart our stern, as he intended, we brought eight
of our guns to bear on that side, and poured in a broadside
upon him, which made him sheer off' again, after returning
our fire, and pouring in also his small shot from near two
hundred men which he had on board. However, we had not
a man touched, all our men keeping close. He prepared to
attack us again, and we to defend ourselves ; but laying us
on board the next time upon our other quarter, ho entered
sixty men upon our decks, who immediately fell to cutting
and hacking the sails and rigging. We plied them with small
shot, half pikes, powder chests, and such like, and cleared our
deck of them twice ; but our ship being disabled, and three
of our men killed and eight wounded, we were obliged to
yield, and were carried all prisoners into Sallee, a port be-
longing to the Moors. ;
The usage I had there was not so dreadful as at first I appre-
hended ; I was kept by the captain of the rover as his proper
prize, and made his slave, being young and nimble, and fit for
his business. At this surprising change of my circumstances,
from a merchant to a miserable slave, I was perfectly over-
whelmed ; and now I looked back upon my father's prophetic
discourse to me, that I should be miserable and have none to
relieve me, which I thought was now so effectually brought to
22 Ronixsox chusoe.
pass, that I could not be worse; but, alas! this was but a
taste of the misery I was to go through, as will appear in the
sequel of this story.
As my master had taken me home to his house, so I was in
hopes that he would take me with him when he went to sea
again, believing that it would some time or other be his fate
to be taken by a Spanish or Portugal man-of-war ; and that
then I should be set at liberty. But this hope of mine was
soon taken away ; for when he went to sea, he left me on
shore to look after his little garden, and do the common
drudgery of slaves about his house ; and when he came home
again from his cruise, he ordered me to lie in the cabin to
look after the ship.
Hero I meditated nothing but my escape, and what method
I might take to effect it, but found no way that had the least
probability in it ; so that for two years, though I often pleased
myself with the imagination, yet I never had the least en-
couraging prospect of putting it in practice.
After about two years, an odd circumstance presented
itself, which put the old thought of making some attempt for
my liberty again in my head. My patron lying at home
longer than usual without fitting out his ship, he used, con-
stantly, once or twice a week, sometimes oftener, if the weather
was fair, to take the ship's pinnace, and go out into the road
a-fishing ; and, as he always took me and young Maresco with
him to row tha boat, we made him very merry, and I proved
very dexterous in catching fish ; insomuch that sometimes
he would send me with a Moor, one of his kinsmen, and the
youth — the Maresco, as they called him, to catch a dish of
!;■.!) for him.
It happened one time, that going a-fishing in a calm morn-
ing, a fog rose so thick that, though we were not half a league
from the shore, we lost sight of it ; and rowing we knew not
whither or which way, we laboured all day, and all the next
night, and when the morning came, we found we had pulled
oft' to sea instead of pulling in for the shore ; and that we
were at least two leagues from the shore. However, wo got
well in again, though with a great deal of labour and some
danger.
But our patron, warned by this disaster, resolved to take
more care of himself for the future; and having lying by him
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 23
the long-boat of our English ship that he had taken, he re-
solved he would not go a-fishing any more without a compass
and some provision ; so he ordered the carpenter of his ship
to build a little state-room, or cabin, in the middle of the
long-boat, like that of a barge, with a place to stand behind
it to steer, and haul home the main-sheet ; and room before
for a hand or two to stand and work the sails. The cabin
lay very snug and low, and had in it room for him to lie, with
a slave or two, and a table to eat on, wich some small lockers
to put in some bottles of liquor, and his bread, rice, and
coffee.
We went frequently out with this boat a-fishing, and as I
was most dexterous to catch fish for him, he never went with-
out me. It happened that he had appointed to go out in this
boat with two or three Moors of some distinction in that
place, and for whom he had provided extraordinai'ily. and had
therefore sent on board the boat over-night a larger store of
provisions than ordinary ; and had ordered me to get ready
three fusees with powder and shot, which wore on board his
ship, for that they designed some sport of fowling as well as
fishing.
I got all things ready as he had directed, and waited the
next morning ; when by-and-by my patron came on board
alone, and told me his guests had put off going, from some
business that fell out, and ordered me, with the man and boy,
as usual, to go out with the boat and catch them some fish,
for that his friends were to sup at his house ; and commanded
that as soon as I o;ot some fish I should brinsf it home to his
house : all which I prepared to do.
This moment, my former notions of deliverance darted into
tnv thoughts, for now I found I was likely to have a little
ship at my command : and my master being gone, I prepared
to furnish myself, not for fishing business, but for a voyage;
though I knew not, neither did I so much as consider, whuher
T. should steer — anywhere to get out of that place was my
desire.
My first contrivance was to speak to this Moor, to get
something f Jr our subsistence on board ; so he brought a
large basket of rusk or biscuit, and three jars of fresh water,
into the boat. I knew where my patron's case of bottles
tsooi.1. and I conveyed them into the boat while the Moor
24
ROEINSON CRUSOE.
was on shore, as if they had been there before for our master.
I conveyed also a great lump of bees-wax into the boat, which
weighed above half a hundredweight, with a parcel of twine
or thread, a hatchet, a saw, and a hammer, all of which were
of great use to us afterwards, especially the wax to make
candles. Another trick I tried upon him, which he innocently
came into also : his name was Ismael, which they call Muley,
Or Moely; so I called to him: — "Moely," said I, "our
patron's guns are on board the boat; can you notget a
little powder and shot? It may be we may kill some
alcamies (a fowl like our curlews) for ourselves, for I know he
keeps the gunner's stores in the ship." Accordingly he brought
a great leather pouch, which held a pound and a half of pow-
der, and another with shot, that had five or six pounds, with
some bullets, and put all into the boat. At the same time, I
had found some powder of my master's in the great cabin,
with which I filled one of the large bottles in the case ; and
thus furnished with everything needful, we sailed out of the
port to fish*.
After we had fished some time and caught nothing, for
when I had fish on my hook I would not pull them up, that
he might not see them, I said to the Moor, "This will not
do ; our master will not be thus served ; we must stand
farther off." He, thinking no harm, agreed, and set the sails ;
and, as I had the helm, I run the boat out near a league
farther, and then brought her to ; when, giving the boy the
helm, I stepped forward to where the Moor was, and making
as if I stooped for something behind him, I took him by sur-
prise with my arm under his waist, and tossed him clear over-
board into the sea. He rose immediately, for he swam like a
cork, and begging to be taken in, told me he would go all
over the world with me. He swam so strong after the boat,
that he would have reached mo very quickly, upon which I
stepped into the cabin, and fetching one of the fowling-pieces,
I presented it at him, and told him I had done him no hurt,
and if he would be quiet I would do him none. " But," said
I, " if you come near the boat, I'll shoot you through the
head, for I am resolved to have my liberty ;" so he turned
himself about, and swam for the shore, and I make no doubt
but he reached it with ease, for he was an excellent swimmer.
When he was gone, I turned to the boy, whom they called
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Xury, and said to him, " Xury, if you will be fuithful to me,
I'll make you a great man ; but if you will not stroke your
face to be true to me," that is, swear by Mahomet and his
father's beard, " I must throw you into the sea too." The
Pago 42.
boy smiled in my face, and spoke so innocently, that I could
not distrust him, and swore to be faithful to mo, and go all
over the world with me.
While the Moor was swimming, I stood out directly to sea
with the boat, rather stretching to windward, that they might
2C i;oi;iXaON cgusoe.
think me gone towards the Straits' mouth (as indeed anyone
that had been in their wits must have been supposed to. do) ;
for who would have supposed we were sailed on to the south-
ward, where whole nations of negroes were sure to surround
us with their canoes, and destroy us ; where we could not go
on shore but we should be devoured by savage beasts, or more
merciless savages of human kind?
But as soon as it grew dusk in the evening, I changed my
course, and steered directly south and by east ; and having a
fresh gale of wind, and a smooth sea, I made such sail that I
believe by the next day at three o'clock in the afternoon,
when I first made the laud, I could not be less than one hun-
dred and fifty miles south of Sallee.
The wind continued fair till I had sailed in that manner
five days ; and then the wind shifting to the southward, I
concluded also that if any of our vessels were in chase of me,
they would now give over ; so I ventured to make to the
coast, and came to an anchor in the mouth of a little river, I
knew not what, or where ; I neither saw, or desired to see,
any people ; the principal thing I wanted was fresh water.
We came into this creek in the evening, resolving to swim on
shore as soon as it was dark, and discover the country ; but
as soon as it was quite dark, we heard such dreadful noises of
the barking, roaring, and howling of wild creatures, of we
knew not what kinds, that the poor boy was ready to die
with fear, and begged of me not to go on shore till day.
"'Well, Xury," said I, "then I won't ; but it may be we may see
men by day who will be as bad to us as those lions." — " Then
w r e give them the shoot gun," says Xury, laughing, " make
them run wey." I was glad to see the boy so cheerful, and
I gave him a dram to cheer him up ; and we dropped our
little anchor, and lay still all night ; I say still, for we slept
none ; for in two or three hours we saw vast great creatures,
of many sorts, come down to the sea-shore and run into the
w r ater, wallowing and washing for the pleasure of cooling
themselves ; and they made such hideous howlings and yell-
ings, that I never indeed heard the like.
Xury was dreadfully frighted, and indeed so was I too ; but
wo were both more frighted when we heard one of these
mighty creatures come swimming towards our boat; we could
not see him, but we might hear him by his blowing to be a
EOBINSON CKUSOE. 2.1
monstrous huge and furious beast. Xury said it was a lion,
and cried to me to weigh anchor and row away : "~Ko," says
I, " Xury ; we can slip our cable, with the buoy to it, and go
off to sea ; they cannot follow us far." I had no sooner said
so, but I perceived the creature within two oars' length ; how-
ever, I immediately fired at him, upon which he turned about,
and swam towards the shore again.
But it is impossible to describe the horrid noises, and hide-
ous cries and bowlings, that were raised upon the report of
the gun. This convinced me that there was no going on
shore for us in the night on that coast, and how to venture on
shore in the day was another question too ; for to have fallen
into the hands of any of the savages had been as bad as to
have fallen into the hands of lions and tigers.
Be that as it would, we were obliged to go on shore some-
•where or other for water, for we had not a pint left in the
boat. Xury said, if I would let him go on shore with one of
the jars, he would find if there was any water, ami bring-
some to me. I asked him why he would go ? The boy
answered with so much affection as made me love him ever
after. " If wild mans come, they eat me, you go wey." — •
" Well, Xury," said I, " we will both go, and if the wild
mans come, we will kill them, they shall eat neither of
us." So we hauled the boat in near the shore, and waded
on shore, carrying nothing but our arms, and two jars for
water.
I did not care to go out of sight of the boat, fearing the
coming of canoes with savages down the river ; but the boy
seeing a low place about a mile up the country, rambled to it,
and by-and-by I saw him come running towards me. I
thought he was pursued by some savage, or frighted with
some wild beast, and I ran forwards to help him ; but when
I came nearer to him, I saw something hanging over his
shoulders, which was a creature that he had shot, like a hare ;
it was very good meat ; but the great joy that poor Xury
came with, was to tell me he had found good water, and seen
no wild mans.
But we found afterwards that we need not take such pains
for water, for a little higher up the creek we found the water
fie.:!) when the tide was out, so we filled our jars, and feasted
on the hare we had killed, and prepared to go on our way,
28 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
having seen no footsteps of any human creature in that part
of the country.
I had no instruments to take an observation to know what
latitude we were in ; but my hope was, that if I stood along
this coast till I came to that part where the English traded, I
should find some of their vessels that would relieve and take
us in.
We made on to the southward continually for ten or twelve
days, living very sparingly on our provisions, which began to
abate very much, and going no oftener to the shore than we
were obliged for fresh water. My design in this was, to make
the Kiver Gambia or Senegal, that is to say, anywhere about
the Cape de Verd, where I was in hopes to meet with some
European ship.
When I had pursued this resolution about ten days longer,
I began to see that the land was inhabited ; and, in two or
three places, as we sailed by, we saw people stand upon the
shore to look at us ; we could also perceive they were quite
black, and naked. I was once inclined to have gone on shore
to them ; but Xury said to me, " No go, no go." However,
I hauled in nearer the shore that I might talk to them, and I
found they ran along the shore by me a good way : I observed
they had no weapons in their hands, except one, who had a
long slender stick, which Xury said was a lance, and that
they could throw them a great way with good aim ; so I kept
at a distance, but talked with them by signs as well as I
could ; and particularly made signs for something to eat ; they
beckoned to me to stop my boat, and they would fetch me
some meat. Upon this, I lowered the top of my sail, and lay
by, and two of them ran up into the country, and in less than
half an hour came back, and brought with them two pieces of
dry flesh and some corn. We were willing to accept it ; but
how to come at it was our next dispute, for I would not ven-
ture on shore to them, and they were as much afraid of us :
but they took a safe way for us all, for they brought it to the
shore and laid it down, and went and stood a great way off
till we fetched it on board, and then came close to us again.
We made signs of thanks to them, for we had nothing to
make them amends; but an opportunity offered that very in-
stant to oblige them wonderfully : for while we were lying
by the shore, came two mighty creatures with great fury from
KOEINSON CUTJSOE. 29
the mountains towards the sea. The man that had the lance
or dart did not fly from them, but the rest did ; however, as
tlie two creatures ran directly into the water, they did not
offer to fall upon any of the negroes, but plunged themselves
into the sea, and swam about, as if they had come for their
diversion : at last one of them began to come nearer our boat
than at first I expected ; but I lay ready for him, for I had
loaded my gun with all possible expedition, and bade Xury
load both the others. As soon as he came fairly within my
reach, I fired, and shot him directly in the head : he imme-
diately made to the shore, but died just before he reached it.
It is impossible to express the astonishment of these poor
creatures at the noise and fire of my gun ; some of them
were ready to die for fear, and fell down as dead with the
very terror ; but when they saw the creature dead, and that
I made signs to them to come to the shore, they took heart
and came, and began to search for the creature. By the help
of a rope, which I slung round him, and gave the negroes to
haul, they dragged him on shore, and found that it was a
most curious leopard, spotted, and fine to an admirable degree.
The other creature, frighted with the noise of the gun,
swam on shore, and ran up directly to the mountains whence
they came. I found quickly the negroes wished to eat the
flesh of this creature, so I was willing to have them take it as
a favour from me. They offered me some of the flesh, which
I declined, pointing out that I would give it them ; but made
signs for the skin, which they gave me very freely, and
brought me a great deal more of their provisions. I then
made signs to them for some water, and held out one of my
jars to them, turning it bottom upward, to show that it was
empty, and that I wanted to have it filled. They called im-
mediately to some of their friends, and there came two women,
and brought a great vessel ; this they set down to me, as
before, and I sent Xury on shore with my jars, and filled
them all three.
I was now furnished with roots, corn, and water; and
leaving my friendly negroes, I made forward for about eleven
days more, without offering to go near the shore. At length,
doubling the point, I saw plainly land on the other side, to
seaward : then I concluded that this w r as the Cape de Verd,
and those the islands, called, from thence, Cape de Verd
CO ROBISSON CRUSOE.
Islamic. However, tl;ey were at a great distance, and I could
not tell well what I had best to do ; for if I should be t.ktu
with a fresh of wind, I might neither reach one or other.
In this dilemma, as I was very pensive, I stepped into the
cabin, and sat down, Xury having the helm ; when, on a
sudden, the boy cried out, "Master, master, a ship with a
sail !" and the foolish boy was frighted out of his wits, think-
ing it must be some of his master's ships sent to pursue us,
but I knew we were far enough out of their reach. Ijumped
out of the cabin, and immediately saw that it was a Portu-
guese ship.
With all the sail I could make, I found I should not be able
to come in their way, but that they would be gone by before
I could make any signal to them ; but after I had crowded to
the utmost, and began to despair, they, it seems, saw, by the
help of their glasses, that it was some European boat ; so
they shortened sail to let me come up. I was encouraged
with this, and made them a signal of distress, and fired a gun,
both which they saw. Upon these signals they very kindly
brought to, and lay by for me • and in about three hours'
time I came up with them.
They asked me what I was, in Portuguese, and in Spanish,
and in French, but I understood none of them ; but, at la*t,
a Scots sailor, who was on board, called to me ; and I answered
him, and told him I was an Englishman, that I had made my
escape out of slavery from the Moors, at Sallee ; they then
bade me come on board, and very kindly took me in, and all
my goods.
It was an inexpressible joy to me that I was thus delivered
from such a miserable and almost hopeless condition ; and I
immediately offered all I had to the captain of the ship, as a
return for my deliverance ; but he generously told me he
would take nothing from me, but that all I had should bo de-
livered safe to me, when I came to the Brazils. " Xo, no,"
says he, " Seignor Inglese, I will carry you thither in charity,
and those things will help to buy your subsistence there, and
your passage home again."
In this proposal he was just in the performance to a tittle ;
for he ordered the seamen, that none should touch anything
that I had : then he took everything into his own possesion,
and -gave me back an exact inventory of them.
HOEIXSOX CfiUSCE. CI
My boat was a very good one ; and ho told mo he would
buy it. I- told him, he had been \o generous to me that I
could not offer to make any price of the boat, but left it
entirely to him : upon which he told me he would live me a
note of hand to pay me eighty pieces of eight for it. He
offered me also sixty pieces of eight more for my boy Xury ;
but I was very loath to sell the poor boy's liberty, who had
assisted me so faithfully in procuring my own. However,
when I let him know my reason, he owned it to be just, and
offered that he would set him free in ten years, if he turned
Christian : upon this, and Xury saying he was willing to go
to him, I let the captain have him.
We had a very good voyage to the Brazils, and I arrived in
All Saints' Bay, in about twenty-two days after. And now
I was once more delivered from the most miserable of all con-
ditions of life; and what to do next with myself I was to
consider.
The generous treatment the captain gave me I can never
enough remember : he would take nothing of mo for my
passage, gave me twenty ducats for the leopard's skin, and
forty for the lion's skin, and caused everything I had in the
ship to be punctually delivered to me ; and what I was will-
ing to sell he bought of me : in a word, I made about two
hundred and twenty pieces of eight of all my cargo ; and
with this stock I went on shore in the Brazils.
I had not been long here before I was recommended to the
house of a good honest man, who had a plantation and suga.'-
bouse. I lived with him some time, and acquainted myself
with the manner of planting and making of sugar; and seeing
how well the planters lived, and how they got rich suddenly,
I resolved, if I could get a licence to settle there, 1 would
turn planter : resolving, in the meantime, to find out some
way to got my money, which I had left in London, remitted
to me. To this purpose, getting a letter of naturalization, 1
purchased as much land as my money would reach, and formed-
a plan for my plantation and settlement suitable to the stock
which I proposed to myself to receive from England.
I had a neighbour, a Portuguese, of Lisbon, but born of
English parents, whose name was Wells, and in much such
circumstances as I was. My stock was low, as well as his ;
and v. - e rather planted for food than anything else, for about
*j2 KOEINSON CRUSOE.
two years. However, we began to increase, and our land
began to come into order ; so that the third year we planted
some tobacco, and made each of us a large piece of ground
ready for planting canes in the year to come : but we both
wanted help ; and now I found I had done wrong in parting
with Xury.
But I had no remedy but to go on : I had got into an em-
ployment quite remote to my genius, and directly contrary to
the life I delighted in, and for which I forsook my father's
house, and broke through all his good advice.
I had nobocby to converse with, but now and then this
neighbour ; no work to be done, but by the labour of my
hands ; and I used to say, I lived just like a man cast away
upon some desolate island, that had nobody there but himself.
I was, in some degree, settled in my measures for carrying
on the plantation, before my kind friend the captain went
back ; for the ship remained there nearly three months ; when,
telling him what little stock I had left behind me in London,
ho gave me this friendly and sincere advice : — " Seignor In-
glese," says he (for so lie always called me), " if you Mill
give me letters to the person who has your money in London,
to send your effects to Lisbon, to such persons as I shall direct,
and in such goods as are proper for this country, I will bring
you the produce of them : but I would have you give orders
but for one hundred pounds sterling, which, you say, is half
your stock, and let the hazard be run for the first ; so that if
it come safe, you may order the rest the same way ; and, if it
miscarry, you may have the other half to have recourse to for
your supply."
This was so wholesome advice, and looked so friendly, that
I could not but be convinced it was the best course I could
take ; so I prepared letters to the gentlewoman with whom I
had left my money, and a procuration to the Portuguese
captain, as he desired.
I wrote the English captain's widow a full account of all
my adventures, and what condition I was now in, with all
other necessary directions for my supply ; and when this
honest captain came to Lisbon, he found means to send over,
not the order only, but a full account of my story to a mer-
chant at London, who represented it effectually to her : where-
upon she not only delivered the money, but, out of her own
HOBINSON CRUSOE. S3
pocket, sent the Portugal captain a very handsome present
ior his humanity and charity.
Page 41.
The merchant in London, vesting this hundred pounds in
English goods, such as the captain had written for, sent then?
3
34 KOBINSON CRUSOE.
directly to him at Lisbon, and he brought them all safe to me
to the Brazils : among which he had taken care to have all
sorts of tools, iron work, and utensils, necessary for m*.- plan-
tation, and which were of great use to me.
When this cargo arrived, I thought my fortunes made, for
I was surprised with the joy of it ; and my good steward, the
captain, had laid out the five pounds, which my friend had
sent him for a present for himself, to purchase and bring me
over a servant, under bond for six years' service, and would
not accept of any consideration, except a little tobacco, which
I would have him accept, being of my own produce.
Neither was this all ; for my goods being all English manu-
facture, particularly valuable in the country, I found means to
sell them to a very great advantage ; so that I had more than
four times the value of my first cargo, and was now infinitely
beyond my poor neighbour in the advancement of my plan-
tation ; for the first thing I did I bought a negro slave, and
a European servant also, besides that which the captain
brought me from Lisbon.
I went on the next year with great success in my planta-
tion; I raised fifty great rolls of tobacco on my own ground,
more than I had disposed of for necessaries among my neigh-
bours , and these fifty rolls, being each of above a hundred
weight, were well cured, and laid by against the return of the
fleet from Lisbon; and now increasing in business and in
wealth, my head began to be full of projects and undertakings
beyond my reach.
To come, then, by the just degrees, to the particulars oi
this part of my story : — You may suppose that having now
lived almost four years in the Brazils, and beginning to thrive
and prosper very well upon my plantation, I had not only
learned the language, but had contracted acquaintance and
friendship among my fellow-planters, as well as among the
merchants at St. Salvador, which was our port ; and that, in
my discourses among them, I had frequently given them an
account of my two voyages to the coast of Guinea ; the
manner of trading with the negroes there, and how easy it
was to purchase upon the coast for trifles — such as beads,
toys, knives, scissors, hatchets, bits of glass, and the like —
not only gold dust, Guinea grains, elephants' teeth, S:c, but
negroes, for the service of the Brazils, in great numbers.
EOBINSON CRUSOE. So
They listened always very attentively to my discourses on
these heads, but especially to that part which related to the
buying negroes ; which was a trade, at that time, not only
not far entered into, but, as far as it was, had been carried on
by the permission of the Kings of Spain and Portugal, and
engrossed in the public stock ; so that few negroes were
bought, and those excessively dear.
It happened, being in company with some merchants and
planters of my acquaintance, and talking of those things very
earnestly, three of them came to me the next morning, and
told me they had been musing very much upon what I had
discoursed with them of the last night, and they came to
make a secret proposal to me ; and, after enjoining me secrecy,
they told me that they had a mind to fit out a ship to Guinea;
that they had all plantations as well as I, and were straitened
for nothing so much as servants ; that as it was a trade that
could not be carried on, because they could not publicly sell
the negroes when they came home, so they desired to make
but one voyage, to bring the negroes on shore privately, and
divide them among their own plantations ; and, in a word,
the question was, whether I would go their supercargo in the
ship, to manage the trading part upon the coast of Guinea ;
and they offered me that I should have my equal share of the
negroes, without providing any part of the stock.
This was a fair proposal, had it been made to any one that
had not had a settlement and a plantation of his own to look
after, which was in a fair way of coming to be very consider-
able, and with a good stock upon it. But for me, that was
thus entered and established, and had nothing to do but to
go on as I had begun, for three or four years more, and to
have sent for the other hundred pounds from England ; and
who in that time could scarce have failed of being worth three
or four thousand pounds sterling, and that increasing too —
for me to think of such a voyage was the most preposterous
thing that ever man in such circumstances could be guilty of.
But I, that was born to be my own destroyer, could no
more resist the offer than I could restrain my first rambling
designs. In a word, I told them I would go with all my
heart, if they would undertake to look after my plantation in
my absence, and would dispose of it to such as I should direct,
if I miscarried. This they all entered into covenants to do ;
36 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
and I made a formal will, disposing of my plantation and
effects, in case of my death, making the captain of the ship
that had saved my life my heir, but obliging him to dispose
of my effects ; one-half of the produce being to himself, and
the other to be shipped in England.
In short, I took all possible caution to preserve my effects,
and to keep up my plantation : had I used half as much pru-
dence to have looked into my own interest, I had certainly
never gone away from so prosperous an undertaking, upon a
voyage to sea, attended with all its common hazards, to say
nothing of particular misfortunes to myself.
But I was hurried on, and obeyed blindly the dictates of
my fancy rather than my reason ; and accordingly, the ship
being fitted out, the cargo furnished, and all things done, as
by agreement, by my partners in the voyage, I went on board
in an evil hour, the 1st of September, 1659, being the same
day eight years that I went from my father and mother at
Hull.
Our ship was about one hundred and twenty tons burden,
carried six guns and fourteen men, besides the master, his
boy, and myself ; we had on board no large cargo of goods,
except of such toys as were fit for our trade with the negroes,
such as beads, bits of glass, shells, and other trifles, especially
little looking-glasses, knives, scissors, hatchets, and the like.
The same day I went on board we set sail, standing away
to the northward upon our own coast, with a design to stretch
over for the African coast. We had very good weather till
we came to the height of Cape St. Augustino ; whence, keep-
ing farther off at sea, we lost eight of land, and steered as if
we were bound for the isle Fernando de Noronha. In this
course we passed the line in about twelve days' time, when a
violent tornado, or hurricane, took us quite out of our know-
ledge. It blew in such a terrible manner, that for twelve
days together we could do nothing but drive, and, scudding
away before it, let it carry us whither ever fate and the fury
of the winds directed.
In this distress we had, besides the terror of the storm, one
of our men die of the calenture, and one man and the boy
washed overboard. About the twelfth day, the weather
abating a little, the master made an observation as well as he
could, and found that he was upon the coast of Guiana, and
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 37
began to consult with me what course he should take, for the
ship was leaky, and very much disabled, and he was going
directly back to the coast of Brazil.
I was positively against that ; and looking over the charts
of the sea-coast of America with him, we concluded there
was no inhabited country for us to have recourse to, till we
came within the circle of the Carribbee Islands, and therefore
resolved to stand away for Barbadoes ; which, by keeping off
at sea, to avoid the in-draft of the bay or gulf of Mexico, we
might easily perform, as we hoped, in about fifteen days' sail ;
whereas we could not possibly make our voyage to the coast
of Africa without some assistance both to our ship and to
ourselves.
With this design, we changed our course, in order to reach
some of our English islands, where I hoped for relief; but
our voyage was otherwise determined ; for a second storm
came upon us, which carried us away with the same impetu-
osity westward, and drove us so out of the way of all human
commerce, that had all our lives been saved as to the sea, we
were rather in danger of being devoured by savages, than
ever returning to our own country.
In this distress, the wind still blowing very hard, one of our
men early in the morning cried out, " Land !" and we had no
sooner run out of the cabin to look out, in hopes of seeing
whereabouts in the world we were, than the ship struck upon
a sand, and in a moment the sea broke over in such a manner
that we expected we should all have perished ; and we were
immediately driven into our close quarters, to shelter us from
the very foam and spray of the sea.
It is not easy for anyone who has not been in the like con-
dition to describe or conceive the consternation of men in
such circumstances. We knew not where we were, or upon
what land we were driven ; and as the rage of the wind was
still great, we could not hope to have the ship hold many
minutes without breaking into pieces, unless the winds, by a
kind of miracle, should turn immediately about. In a word,
we sat looking upon one another, and expecting death every
moment, every man preparing for another world ; for there
was little or nothing more for us to do in this ; but, contrary
to our expectation, the ship did not break yet, and the master
said the wind began to abate.
38 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Nov/, though we thought that the wind did a little abate,
yet the ship having thus struck upon the sand, and sticking
too fast for us to expect her getting oft', we were in a dreadful
condition indeed, and had nothing to do but to think of
saving our lives as well as we could. We had a boat at our
stern just before the storm, but she was first staved by dashing
against the ship's rudder, and, in the next place, she broke
away, and either sunk or was driven off to sea ; so there was
no hope from her. We had another boat on board, but how
to get her off into the sea was a doubtful thing ; however, there
was no time to debate, for we fancied the ship would break
in pieces every minute, and some told us she was actually
broken already.
In this distress, the mate of our vessel Laid hold of the
boat, and with the help of the rest of the men, got her slung
over the ship's side ; and getting all into her, let go, and com-
mitted ourselves, being eleven in number, to God's mercy
and the wild sea.
And now our case was very dismal indeed ; for we all saw
plainly, that the sea went so high, that the boat could not
live, and that we should be inevitably drowned. As to
making sail, we had none ; so we worked at the oar towards
the land, though with heavy hearts, like men going to execu-
tion ; for we all knew that when the boat came nearer the
shore, she would be dashed in a thousand pieces by the breach
of the sea. However, we committed our souls to God in the
most earnest manner ; and the wind driving us towards the
shore, we hastened our destruction with our own hands, pull-
ing as well as we could towards land.
After we had rowed or rather driven about a league and a
half, as we reckoned it, a raging wave, mountain-like, came
rolling astern of us with such fury, that it overset the boat at
once ; and separating us, as well from the boat as from one
another, gave us not time to say, <■' O God!" for we were all
swallowed up in a moment.
Nothing can describe the confusion of thought which I felt,
when I sank into the water : for though I swam very well,
yet I could not deliver myself from the waves so as to draw
breath, till that wave having driven me, or rather carried me,
a vast way on towards the shore, and having spent itself,
went back, and left me upon the land almost dry, but half
ROBIXSOX CRUSOE. 39
dead with the water I took in. i had so much presence of
mind, as well as breath left, that seeing myself nearer the
main land than I expected, I got upon my feet, and endea-
voured to make on towards the land as fast as I could, before
another wave should return and take me up again : but I soon
found it was impossible to avoid it; for I saw the sea come
after me as high as a great hill, and as furious as an
enemy, which I had no means or strength to contend with :
my business was to hold my breath, and raise myself upon
the water, if I could : and so, by swimming, to preserve my
breathing and pilot myself towards the shore, if possible, my
greatest concern now being, that the sea, as it would carry
me a great way towards the shore when it came on, might not
carry me back again with it when it gave back towards the sea.
The wave that came upon me again, buried me at once
twenty or thirty feet deep in its own body, and I could feel
myself carried with a mighty force and swiftness towards the
shore a very great way ; but I held my breath, and assisted
myself to swim still forward with all my might. I was ready
to burst with holding my breath, when, as I felt myself raising
up, so, to my immediate relief, I found my head and hands
shoot out above the surface of the water ; and though it was
not two seconds of time that I could keep myself so, yet it
relieved greatly, gave me breath and new courage. I was
covered again with water a good while, but not so long but I
held it out ; and finding the water had spent itself, and began
to return, I struck forward against the return of the waves,
and felt ground again with my feet. I stood still a few mo-
ments, to recover breath, and till the waters went from me,
and then took to my heels and ran, with what strength I had,
farther towards the shore. But neither would this deliver
me from the fury of the sea, which came pouring in after me
again ; and twice more I was lifted up by the waves and car-
ried forwards as before, the shore being very fiat.
The last time of those two had well nigh been fatal to me ;
for the sea having hurried me along, as before, landed me, or
rather dashed me, against a piece of a rock, and that with
such force, as left me senseless, and indeed helpless, as to my
own deliverance ; for the blow taking my side and breast,
beat the breath, as it were, quite out of my body ; and had it
returned again immediatclv, I must have been strangled in
40 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
the water : but I recovered a little before the return of the
waves, and seeing I should be covered again with the water,
I resolved to hold fast by a piece of the rock, and so to hold
my breath, if possible, till the wave went back. Now, as the
waves were not so high as at first, being nearer land, I held
my hold till the wave abated, and then fetched another run,
which brought me so near the shore, that the next wave,
though it went over me, yet did not so swallow me up as
to carry me away ; and the next run I took, I got to the
main land ; where, to my great comfort, I clambered up the
cliffs of the shore, and sat me down upon the grass, free from
danger, and quite out of the reach of the water.
I was now landed, and safe on shore, and began to look up
and thank God that my life was saved, in a case wherein
there was, some minutes before, scarce any room to hope. I
believe it is impossible to express, to the life, what the ecstasies
and transports of the soul are, when it is so saved, as I may
say, out of the very grave.
I walked about on the shore, lifting up my hands ; and my
whole being, as I may say, wrapt up in a contemplation of
my deliverance ; making a thousand gestures and motions,
which I cannot describe ; reflecting upon all my comrades
that were drowned, and that there should not be one soul
saved but myself ; for, as for them, I never saw them after-
wards, or any sign of them, except three of their hats, one
cap, and two shoes that w r ere not fellows.
I cast my eyes to the stranded vessel, when, the breach and
froth of the sea being so big, I could hardly see it, it lay
so far off ; and considered, Lord ! how was it possible I could
get on shore ?
After I had solaced my mind with the comfortable part of
my condition, I began to look round me, to see what kind of
place I was in, and what was next to be done : and I soon
found my comforts abate, and that I had a dreadful de-
liverance : for I was wet, had no clothes to shift me, nor any-
thing either to eat or drink ; neither did I see any prospect
before me, but that of perishing with hunger, or being de-
voured by wild beasts : and that which was particularly
afflicting to me was, that I had no weapon, either to hunt
and kill any creature for my sustenance, or to defend myself
against any other creature that might desire to kill me for
EOB1NSON CRUSOE. 41
theirs. In a word, I had nothing about mo but a knife, a
tobacco-pipe, and a little tobacco in a box. This was all _ my
provision ; and this threw me into terrible agonies of mind,
that, for a while, I ran about like a madman. Night coming
page 54.
upon me, I began, with a heavy heart, to consider what would
be my lot if there were any ravenous beasts in that couritry,
as at night they always come abroad for their prey.
All the remedy that offered to my thoughts, at that time,
was to get up into a thick bushy tree, like a fir, but thorny,
42 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
which grew near me, and where I resolved to sit all night, and
consider the next day what death I should die, for as yet I
saw no prospect of life. I walked about a furlong from the
shore, to see if I could find any fresh water to drink, which I
did to my great joy; and having drunk, and put a little to-
bacco in my mouth to prevent hunger, I went to the tree, and
getting up into it, endeavoured to place myself so as that, if
I should sleep, I might not fall. And having cut a short
stick, like a truncheon, for my defence, I took up my lodging ;
and having been excessively fatigued, I fell fast asleep, and
slept as comfortably as, I believe, few could have done in my
condition, and found myself more refreshed with it than I
think I ever was on such an occasion.
When I waked it was broad day, the weather clear, and
the storm abated, so that the sea did not rago and swell as
before ; but that which surprised me most was, that the ship
was lifted off in the night from the sand where she lay, by
the swelling of the tide, and was driven up almost as far as
the rock, where I had been so bruised by the wave dashing
me against it. This being within about a mile from the shore
where I was, and the ship seeming to stand upright still, I
wished myself on board, that at least I might save some neces-
sary things for my use.
When I came down from the tree, I looked about me again,
and the first thing I found was the boat, which lay, as the
wind and sea had tossed her up, upon the land, about two
miles on my right hand. I walked as far as I could upon the
shore to have got to her ; but found a neck, or inlet, of water
between me and the boat, which was about half a mile broad ;
so I came back for the present, being more intent upon getting
at the ship, where I hoped to find something for my present
subsistence.
A little after noon I found the sea very calm, and the tide
ebbed so far out, that I could come within a quarter of a mile
of the ship. And here I found a fresh renewing of my grief,
for I saw that if we had kept on board, we had been all safe :
that is to say, Ave had all got safe on shore, and I had not
been so miserable as to be left entirely destitute of all comfort
and company, as I now was. This forced tears to my eyes
again; but I resolved, if possible, to get to the ship ; so I
pulled off my clothes, and took the water. But when I came
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 43
to the ship, ray difficulty was still greater to know how to get
on board ; for, as she lay aground, and high out of the water,
there was nothing within my reach to lay hold of. I swam
round her twice, and the second time I spied a small piece of
rope, which hung down by the fore-chains so low, that with
great difficulty I got hold of it, and by the help of that rope
I got up into the forecastle of the ship. Here I found that
the ship was bulged, and had a great deal of water in her
hold ; but that she lay so on the side of a bank of hard sand,
that her stern lay lifted up upon the bank, and her head low,
almost to the water. By this means all her quarter was free,
and all that was in that part was dry. First, I found that all
the ship's provisions were untouched by the water. I also
found some rum in the great cabin, Now I wanted nothing
but a boat, to furnish myself with many things which I fore-
saw would be very necessary to me.
Wo had several spare yards, and two or three large spars of
wood, and a spare top-mast or two in the ship : I resolved to
fall to work with these, and I flung as many of them overboard
as I could manage for their weight, tying every one with a
rope, that they might not drive away. When this was done,
I went down the ship's side and pulling them to me, I tied
four of them together at both ends, as well as I could, in the
form of a raft, and laying two or three short pieces of plank
upon them, cross-ways, I found I could walk upon it very well,
but that it was not able to bear any great weight, the pieces
being too light. So I went to work, and with the carpenter's
saw I cut a spare top-mast into three lengths, and added them
to my raft, with a great deal of labour and pains. But the
hope of furnishing myself with necessaries, encouraged me to
go beyond what I should have been able to have done upon
another occasion.
My raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable weight.
My next care was what to load it with, and how to preserve
what I laid upon it from the surf of the sea : but I was not
long considering this. I first laid all the plank or boards upon
it that I could get, and having considered well what I most
wanted, I got three of the seamen's chests, which I had broken
open and emptied, and lowered them down upon my raft ; the
first of these I filled with bread, rice, three Dutch cheeses, five
pieces of dried goat's flesh, and a little European corn. As
44 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
for liquors, I found several cases of bottles belonging to our
skipper, in which were some cordial waters ; and, in all, about
five or six gallons of rack. These I stowed by themselves,
there being no need to put them into the chest, nor any room
for them. It was after long searching that I found out the
carpenter's chest, which was indeed a very useful prize to me,
and much more valuable than a ship-lading of gold would have
been at that time. I got it down to my raft, whole as it was,
without losing time to look into it, for I knew in general
what it contained.
My next care was for some ammunition and arms. There
were two very good fowling-pieces in the great cabin, and two
pistols. These I secured first, with some powder-horns and a
small bag of shot, and two old rusty swords. There were
three barrels of powder in the ship, but I knew not where our
gunner had stowed them ; but with much search I found two
of them dry and good. Those two I got to my raft, with the
arms. And now I thought myself pretty well freighted, and
began to think how I should get to shore with them, having
neither sail, oar, or rudder ; and the least cap-full of wind
would have overset all my navigation.
I had three encouragements : 1st, a smooth, calm sea ;
2ndly, the tide rising and setting in to the shore ; 3rdly, what
little wind there was blew me towards the land. And thus,
having found two or three broken oars belonging to the boat,
and besides the tools which were in the chest, two saws, an
axe, and a hammer ; with this cargo I put to sea. For a mile,
or thereabouts, my raft went very well, only that I found it
drive a little distant from the place where I had landed before ;
by which I perceived that there was some indraft of the water,
and consequently, I hoped to find some creek or river there,
■which I might make use of as a port to get to land with my cargo.
As I imagined, so it was. There appeared before me a
little opening of the land, and I found a strong current of the
tide set into it ; so I guided my raft, as well as I could, to
keep in the middle of the stream.
But here I had like to have suffered a second shipwreck,
which, if I had, I think, verily, would have broke my heart ;
for, knowing nothing of the coast, my raft ran aground at one
end of it upon a shoal, and not being aground at the other end,
it wanted but a little that all my cargo had slipped off towards
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 45
the end that was afloat, and so fallen into the water. I did
my utmost, by setting my back against the chests, to keep
them in their places, but could not thrust off the raft with all
my strength ; neither durst I stir from the posture I was in :
but holding up the chests with all my might, I stood in that
manner near half an hour, in which time the rising of the water
brought me a little more upon a level ; and, a little after, the
water still rising, my raft floated again, and I thrust her off
with the oar I had into the channel, and then driving up
higher, I at length found myself in the mouth of a little river,
with land on both sides, and a strong current running up. I
looked on both sides for a proper place to get to shore, resolved
to place myself as near the coast as I could.
At length I spied a little cove on the right shore of the creek,
to which, with great pain and difficulty, I guided my raft, and
at last got so near, that reaching ground with my oar, I could
thrust her directly in. But here I had like to have dipped all
my cargo into the sea again ; for that shore lying pretty steep
— there was no place to land, but where one end of my float,
if it ran on shore, would lie so high, and the other sink lower,
as before, that it would endanger my cargo again. All that I
could do, was to wait till the tide was at the highest, keeping
the raft with my oar like an anchor, to hold the side of it fast
to the shore, near a flat piece of ground, which I expected
the water would flow over ; and so it did. As soon as I found
water enough, I thrust her on upon that flat piece of ground,
and there moored her, by sticking my two broken oars into
the ground, — one on one side, near one end, and one on the
other side, near the other end ; and thus I lay till the water
ebbed away, and left my raft and all my cargo safe on shore.
My next work was to view the country, and seek a proper
place for my habitation, and where to stow my goods, to secure
them from whatever might happen. Where I was, I yet knew
not : whether on the continent or an island ; whether inhabited
or not inhabited ; whether in danger of wild beasts or not.
There was a hill not above a mile from me, which rose up very
steep and high, and which seemed to overtop some other hills,
which lay as in a ridge from it, northward. I took out one
of the fowling-pieces, and one of the pistols, and a horn of
powder ; and thus armed, I travelled for discovery up to the
top of that hill, where, after I had with great labour and
46 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
difficulty got to the top, I saw my fato, to my great affliction,
viz., that I was in an island environo 1 on every side by the
sea : no land to be seen except some rocks, which lay a great
way off, and two small islands, less than this, which lay about
three leagues to the west.
I found also that the island I was in was barren, and
uninhabited. Yet I saw abundance of fowls, but knew not
their kinds, neither, when I killed them, could I tell what was
fit for food, and what not. At my coming back I shot at a
great bird, which I saw sitting upon a tree, on the side of a
wood. I believe it was the first gun that had been fired there
since, the creation of the world. I had no sooner fired, than
from all parts of the wood there arose an innumerable number
of fowls, of many sorts, making a confused screaming and
crying, every one according to his usual note, but not one of
them of any kind that I knew. As for the creature I killed,
I took it to be a kind of a hawk, its colour and beak resembling
it, but it had no talons or claws more than common. Its flesh
was carrion, and fit for nothing.
Contented with this discovery, I came back to my raft, and
fell to work to bring my cargo on shore, which took me up the
rest of that day : what to do with myself at night I knew not,
nor indeed where to rest, for I was afraid to lie down on the
ground, not knowing but some wild beast might devour me.
However, as well as I could, I barricaded myself round with
the chests and boards that I had brought on shore, and made
a kind of hut for that night's lodging. As for food, I yet saw
not which way to supply myself, except that I had seen two
or three creatures, like hares, run out of the wood where I shot
the fowl.
I now began to consider that I might yet get a great many
things out of the ship, which would be useful to me, and
particularly some of the rigging and sails, and such other things
as might come to land ; and I resolved to make another voyage
on board the vessel, if possible. And as I knew that the first
storm that blew must necessarily break her all in pieces, I
resolved to set all other things apart, till I had got everything
out of the ship that I could get.
I got on board the ship as before, and prepared a second
raft ; and, having had experience of the first, I neither made
this so unwieldy, nor loaded it so hard, I brought away several
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 47
things very useful to me ; as, first, in the carpenter's stores,
I found two or three bags full of nails and spikes, a great screw-
jack, a dozen or two of hatchets, and, above all, that most
useful thing called a grindstone. All these I secured, together
with several things belonging to the gunner; particularly two
or three iron crows, and two barrels of musket bullets, seven
muskets, and another fowling-piece, with some small quantity
of powder more ; a large bagful of small shot, and a great roll
of sheet-lead ; but this last was so heavy I could not hoist it
up to get it over the ship's side.
Besides these things, I took all the men's clothes that I could
find, and a spare fore-top sail, a hammock, and some bedding ;
and with this I loaded my second raft, and brought them all
safe on shore, to my very great comfort.
I was under some apprehension during my absence from the
land, that at least my provisions might be devoured on shore:
but when I came back, I found no sign of any visitor; only
there sat a creature like a wild cat, upon one of the chests,
which, when I came towards it, ran away a little distance, and
then stood still. She sat very composed and unconcerned, and
looked full in my face, as if she had a mind to be acquainted
with me. I presented my gun to her, but, as she did not
nunderstad it, she was perfectly unconcerned at it, nor did she
offer to stir away ; upon which I tossed her a bit of biscuit,
though, by the way, I was not very free of it : however, I
spared her a bit, and she ate it, and looked (as if pleased) for
more ; but I thanked her, and could spare no more : so she
marched off.
Having got my second cargo on shore — though I was
obliged to open the barrels of powder, and bring them by
parcels, for they were too heavy, being large casks — I went
to work to make me a little tent, with the sail, and some poles
which I cut for that purpose : and into this tent I brought
everything that I knew would spoil either with rain or sun ;
and I piled all the empty chests and casks up in a circle round
the tent, to fortify it from any sudden attempt, either from
man or beast.
When I had done this, I blocked up the door of the tent
with some boards within, and an empty chest set up on end
without ; and spreading one of the beds upon the ground,
laying my two pistols just at my head, and my gun at length
48 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
by me, I went to bed for the first time, and slept very quietly
all night, for I was very weary and heavy.
I had the bi^est magazine of all kinds now that ever was
laid up, I believe, for one man ; for while the ship sat upright,
I got everything out of her that I could : so every day, at
low water, I went on board, and brought away something or
other ; but particularly the third time I went, I brought away
as much of the rigging as I could, as also all the small ropes
and rope twine I could get, with a piece of spare canvas,
which was to mend the sails upon occasion, and the barrel of
wet gunpowder.
But that which comforted me more still, was, last of all,
after I had made five or six voyages, and thou^it I had no-
thing more to expect from the ship that was worth my med-
dling with, I found a great hogshead of bread, three large
runlets of rum, or spirits, a box of sugar, and a barrel of fine
flour. I soon emptied the hogshead of the bread, and wrapped
it up, parcel by parcel, in pieces of the sails, which I cut out,
and got all this safe on shore also.
The next day I made another voyage, and now, having
plundered the ship of what was portable and fit to hand out,
I began with the cables, cutting the great cable into pieces,
such as I could move, I got two cables and a hawser on shore,
with all the iron-work I could get ; and having cut down the
spritsail-yard, and the mizen-yard, and everything I could, to
make a large raft, I loaded it with all these heavy goods, and
came away ; but my good luck began now to leave me ; for
this raft was so unwieldy, and so overladen, that after I was
entered the little cove, where I had landed the rest of my
goods, not being able to guide it so handily as I did the other,
it overset, and threw me and all my cargo into the water ; my
cargo was a great part of it lost, especially the iron, which I
expected would have been of great use to me : however, when
the tide was out, I got most of the pieces of cable ashore, and
some of the iron, though with infinite labour. After this, I
went every day on board, and brought away what I could get.
I had been now thirteen days on shore, and had been eleven
times on board the ship ; but preparing the twelfth time to go
on board, I found the wind began to rise : however, at low
water I went on board, and though I thought I had rum-
maged the cabin so effectually that nothing more could be
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
49
found, yet I discovered a locker with drawers in it, in one of
■which I found two or three razors, and one pair of large
scissors, with some ten or a dozen of good knives and forks ;
in another I found about thirty-six pounds value in money —
some European coin, some Brazil, some pieces of eight, some
gold, and some silver.
I smiled to myself at the sight of this money : " O drug !"
said I aloud, " what art thou good for ? Thou art not worth
to me — no, not the taking off the ground : one of those
knives is worth all this heap : I have no manner of use for
4
50 ROBIN'SON CRUSOE.
thee ; e'en remain where thou art, and go to the bottom, as a
creature whoso life is not worth saving'." However, upon
second thoughts, T took it away ; and wrapping all in a piece
of canvas, I began to think of making another raft : but
while I was preparing this, I found the sky overcast, and the
•wind began to rise, and in a quarter of an hour it blew a
fresh gaie from the shore. It presently occurred to me, that
it wasin vain to pretend to make a raft with the wind off
shore ; and that it was my business to be gone before the tide
of flood began, otherwise I might not be able to reach the
shore at all. Accordingly, I let myself down into the water,
and swam across the channel which lay between the ship and
the sands, and even that with difficulty enough, partly with
the weight of the things I had about me, and partly from the
roughness of the water.
But I had got home to my little tent, where I lay, with all
my wealth about me very secure. It blew very hard all that
night, and in the morning, when I looked out, behold no more
ship was to be seen !
My thoughts were now wholly employed about securing
myself against either savages, if any should appear, or wild
beasts, if any were in the island ; and I had many thoughts
of the method how to do this, and what kind of dwelling to
make — whether I should make me a cave in or a tent upon
the earth ; and, in short, I resolved upon both ; the manner
and description of which, it may not be improper to give an
account of.
I soon found the place I was in was not fit for my settle-
ment, because it was upon a low, moorish ground, near the
sea, and I believed it would not be wholesome, and more par-
ticularly because there was no fresh water near it ; so I re-
solved to find a more healthy and more convenient spot of
ground.
I consulted several things in my situation : ] st, health and
fresh water ; 2ndly, shelter from the heat of the sun ; 3rdly,
security from ravenous creatures, whether men or beasts ;
4thly, a view to the sea, that if Grod sent any ship in sight, I
might not lose any advantage for my deliverance.
In search of a place proper for this, I found a little plain
on the side of a rising hill, whose front towards this little
plain was steep as a house-side, so that nothing could come
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 51
down upon me from the top. On the side of the rock there
was a hollow place, worn a little way in, like the entrance or
door of a cave ; but there was not really any cave, or way
into the rock, at all.
On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place,
I resolved to pitch my tent. This plain was not above a hun-
dred yards broad, and about twice as long, and lay like a
green before my door ; and, at the end of it, descended
irregularly every way down into the low ground by the sea-
side. It was on the>N.N.W side of the hill ; so that it was shel-
tered from the heat every day, till it came to a W and by S. sun,
or thereabouts, which, in those countries, is near the setting.
Before I set up my tent, I drew a half-circle before the
hollow place, which took in about ten yards in its semi-diameter,
from the rock, and twenty yards in its diameter from its
beginning and ending.
In this half-circle I pitched two rows of strong stakes,
driving them into the ground till they stood very firm like piles,
the bia^est end beins out of the around above five feet and
a half, and sharpened on the top. The two rows did not stand
above six inches from one another.
Then I took the pieces of cable which I had cut in the ship,
and laid them in rows, one upon another, within the circle,
between these two rows of stakes, up to the top, placing other
stakes in the inside, leaning against thcin, about two feet and
a half high, like a spur to a post ; and this fence was so strong,
that neither man nor beast could get into it or over it. This
cost me a great deal of time and labour, especially to cut the
piles in the woods, bring them to the place, and drive them
into the earth.
The entrance into this place I made to be, 1 not by a door, but
by a short ladder to go over the top ; which ladder, when I
was in, I lifted over after me ; and so I was completely fenced
in and fortified, as I thought, from all the world, and con-
sequently slept secure in the night, which otherwise I could
not have done ; though, as it appeared afterwards, there was
no need of all this caution from the enemies that I apprehended
danger from.
Into this fence, or fortress, with infinite labour, I carried all
my riches, all my provisions, ammunition, and stores, of which
you have the account above ; and I made a large tent, which,
OZ ROBINSON CRUSOE.
to preserve me from the rains, that in one part of the year are
very violent there, I made double, one smaller tent within,^ and
one larger tent above it; and covered the uppermost with a
large tarpaulin, which I had saved among the sails.
And now I lay no more for a while in the bed which I had
brought on shore, but in a hammock, which had belonged to
the mate of the ship.
Into this tent I brought all my provisions, and everything
that would spoil by the wet ; and having thus enclosed all my
goods, I made up the entrance, which till now I had left open,
and so passed and repassed, as I said, by a short ladder.
When I had done this, I began to work my way into the
rock, and bringing all the earth and stones that I dug down
out through my tent, I laid them up within my fence, in the
nature of a terrace, so that it raised the ground within about a
foot and a half ; and thus I made me a cave, just behind my
tent, which served me like a cellar to my house.
It cost me much labour and many days before all these
things were brought to perfection ; and therefore I must go
back to some other things which took up some of my thoughts.
At the same time it happened, after I had laid my scheme for
the setting up my tent, and making the cave, that a storm of
rain falling from a thick, dark cloud, a sudden flash of lightning
happened, and after that, a great clap of thunder, as is
naturally the effect of it. I was not so much surprised with
the lightning, as I was with a thought which darted into my
mind as swift as the lightning itself : my powder ! My very
heart sank within me when I thought that, at one blast, all my
powder might be destroyed ; on which, not my defence only,
but the providing me food, as I thought, entirely depended.
I was nothing near so anxious about my own danger, though,
had the powder took fire, I should never have known who had
hurt me.
Such impression did this make npon me, that after the storm
was over, I laid aside all my works, my building and fortifying,
and applied myself to make bags and boxes, to separate the
powder, and to keep it a little and a little in a parcel, in hope
that whatever might come, it might not all take fire at once ;
and to keep it so apart, that it should not be possible to make
one part fire another. I finished this work in about a fortnight;
and I think my powder, which in all was about two hundred
ROBINSON CRUSOE. Oo
and forty pounds weight, was divided into not less than a
hundred parcels. As to the barrel that had been wet, I did
not apprehend any danger from that ; so I placed it in my new
cave, which, in my fancy, I called my kitchen ; and the rest I
hid up and down in holes among the rocks, so that no wet
might come to it, marking very carefully where I laid it.
In the interval of time while this was doing, I went out
once at least every day with my gun, as well to divert myself,
as to see if I could kill anything fit for food ; and as near as I
could, to acquaint myself with what the island produced.
The first time I went out, I presently discovered that there
were goats in the island, which was a great satisfaction to me ;
but then it was attended with this misfortune to me, viz., that
they were so shy, so subtle, and so swift of foot, that it was
the difficultest thing in the world to come at them ; but I was
not discouraged at this, not doubting but I might now and
then shoot one, as it soon happened ; for after I had found
their haunts a little, I laid wait in this manner for them : I
observed that if they saw me in the valleys, though they were
upon the rocks, they would run away, as in a terrible fright ;
but if they were feeding in the valleys, and I was upon the
rocks, they took no notice of me ; from whence I concluded,
that by the position of their optics, their sight was so directed
downward, that they did not readily see objects that were
above them ; so afterwards, I took this method — I always
climbed the rocks first, to get above them, and then had fre-
quently a fair mark.
The first shot I made among these creatures, I killed a she-
goat, which had a little kid by her, which she gave suck to,
which grieved me heartily ; for, when the old one fell, the kid
stood stock still by her, till I came and took her up ; and not
only so, but when I carried the old one with me, upon my
shoulders, the kid followed me quite to my enclosure ; upon
which, I laid down the dam, and took the kid in my arms, and
carried it over my pale, in hopes to have bred it up tame ; but
it would not eat ; so I was forced to kill it, and ate it myself.
These two supplied me with flesh a great while, for I ate
sparingly, and saved my provisions, my bread especially, as
much as possibly I could.
Having now fixed my habitation, I found it absolutely
necessary to provide a place to make a fire in, and fuel to
54 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
burn ; and what I did for that, as also how I enlarged my cave,
and what conveniences I made, I shall give a full account of
in its place; but I must now give some little account of myself,
and of my thoughts about living, which, it may well be supposed,
were not a few.
And now being about to enter into a melancholy relation of a
scene of silent life, such, perhaps, as was never heard of in the
world before, I shall take it from its beginning, and continue
it in its order. It was, by my account, the 30th of September,
when I first set foot upon this horrid island ; when the sun
being to us in its autumnal equinox, was almost just over my
head : for I reckoned myself by observation, to be in the
latitude of nine degrees twenty-two minutes north of the line.
After I had been there about ten or twelve days, it came
into my thoughts that I should lose my reckoning of time for
want of books, and pen and ink, and should even forget the
Sabbath days; but to prevent this, I cut with my knife upon
a large post, in capital letters; and making it into a great
cross, I set up on the shore where I first landed, " I came
on shore here on the 30th of September, 1659."
Upon the sides of this square post I cut every day a notch
with my knife, and every seventh notch was as long again as
the rest, and every first day of the month as long again as that
long one; and thus I kept my calendar, or weekly, monthly,
and yearly reckoning of time.
In the next place we are to observe that among the many
things I brought out of the ship, I got several things of less
value, but not at all less useful to me, which I omitted setting
down before, as pens, ink, and paper; several parcels in the
captain's, mate's, gunner's, and carpenter's keeping; three or
four compasses, some mathematical instruments, dials, perspec-
tives, charts, and books of navigation ; all which I huddled
together, whether I might want them or no ; also I found three
very good Bibles, which came to me in my cargo from England,
and which I had packed up among my things ; some Portu-
guese books also; and several other books, all which I care-
fully secured. And I must not forgot, that we had in the ship
a dog, and two cats, of whose eminent history I may have
occasion to say something in its place ; for I carried both the
cats with me; and as for the dog, he jumped out of the ship
ROBIXSON CRUSOE. 55
of himself, and swam on shore to me the day after I went on
shore with my first cargo, and was a trusty servant to me
many years ; I wanted nothing that he could fetch me, nor any
company that he could make up to mc ; I only wanted to have
him talk to me, but that would not do. My pens, ink, and
paper I husbanded to the utmost ; and while my ink lasted,
I kept things very exact, but after that was gone I could not.
for I could not make ink by any means that I could devise.
And this put me in mind that I wanted many things, not-
withstanding all that I had amassed together ; and of these,
ink was one ; as also a spade, pick-axe, and shovel, to dig or
remove the earth ; needles, pins, and thread : as for linen, I
soon learned to want that without much difficulty.
This want of tools made every work I did go on heavily;
and it was near a whole year before I had entirely finished my
little pale, or surrounded my habitation. The piles or stakes,
which were as heavy as I could well lift, were a long time in
cutting and preparing in the woods, and more, by far, in bring-
ing home ; so that I spent sometimes two clays in cutting and
bringing home one of these posts, and a third day in driving-
it into the ground ; for which purpose, I got a heavy piece of
wood at first, but at last bethought myself of one of the iron
crows ; which, however, though I found it, made driving those
posts or piles very laborious and tedious work. But what need
I have been concerned at the tediousness of anything I had to
do, seeing I had time enough to do it in ? nor had I any other
employment, if that had been over, at least that I could foresee,
except the ranging the island to sock for food, which I did,
more or less every day.
I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the
circumstances I was reduced to; and I drew up the state of
my affairs in writing, not so much to leave them to any that
should come after me, for I was likely to have but few heirs,
as to deliver my thoughts from daily poring upon them, and
afilic-ting my mind : and as my reason began now to master
my despondency, I began to comfort myself as well as I could,
and to set the good against the evil, that I might have some-
thing to distinguish my case from worse; and I stated very
impartially, like debtor and creditor, the comforts I enjoyed
against the miseries I suffered, thus : —
56
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Evil.
I am cast upon a horrible,
desolate island, void of all
hope of recovery.
I am singled out and sepa-
rated, as it were, from all the
world, to be miserable.
I am divided from mankind
— a solitaire ; one banished
from human society.
I have not clothes to cover
me.
I am without any defence,
or means to resist any vio-
lence of man or beast.
I have no soul to speak to,
or relieve me.
Good.
But I am alive, and not
drowned, as all my ship's com-
pany were.
But I am singled out, too,
from all the ship's crew, to be
spared from death; and He
that miraculously saved me
from death, can deliver me
from this condition.
But I am not starved, and
perishing on a barren place,
affording no sustenance.
But I am in a hot climate,
where, if I had clothes, I could
hardly wear them.
But I am cast on an island
where I see no wild beasts to
hurt me, as I saw on the coast
of Africa ; and what if I had
been shipwrecked there ?
But God wonderfully sent
the ship in near enough to the
shore, that I have got out as
many necessary things as will
either supply my wanrs or
enable me to supply myself,
even as long as I live.
Upon the whole, here was an undoubted testimony, that
there was scarce any condition in the world so miserable, but
there was something negative or positive to be thankful for
in it.
Having now brought my mind a little to relish my condition,
and given over looking out to sea, to see if I could spy a ship,
— I began to apply myself to arrange my way of living, and to
make things as easy to me as I could.
I have already described my habitation, which was a tent
under the side of a rock, surrounded with a strong pale of
posts and cables ; but I might now rather call it a wall, for I
raised a kind of Avail up against it of turfs, about two feet
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 57
thick on the outside : and after some time (I think it was a
year and a half) I raised rafters from it, leaning to the rock,
and thatched or covered it with boughs of trees, and such
things as I could get, to keep out the rain ; which I found at
some times of the year very violent.
V^a "-i.
I have already observed how I brought all my goods into
the cave which I had made behind me. But I must observe*
too, that at first this was a confused heap of goods, which as
they lay in no order, so they took up all my place ; I had no
room to turn myself; so I set myself to enlarge my cave, and
58 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
work farther into the earth ; and when I found I was pretty
safe as to beasts of prey, I worked sideways, to the right hand
into the rock ; and then turning to the right again, worked
quite out and made me a door to come out on the side of my
pale or fortification.
This gave me not only egress and regress, as it was a back-
way to my tent and to my storehouse, but gave me room to
store my goods.
And now I began to apply myself to make such necessary
things as I found I most wanted, particularly a chair and a
table ; for without those I was not able to enjoy the few
comforts I had in the world ; I could not write, or eat, or do
several things with so much pleasure, without a table : so I
went to work. And here I must needs observe, that as reason
is the substance and origin of the mathematics, so by stating
and squaring everything by reason, and by making the most
rational judgment of things, every man may be, in time, master
of every mccnamc art. I had never handled a tool in my life ;
and yet, in time, by labour, application, and contrivance, I
found, at last, that I wanted nothing but I could have made
it, especially if I had had tools. However I made abundance
of things, even without tools ; and some with no more tools
than an adze and a hatchet, which perhaps were never made
that way before, and that with infinite labour. For example,
if I wanted a board, I had no other way but to cut down a tree,
set it on an edge before me, and hew it flat on either side
with my axe, till I had brought it to be as thin as a plank, and
then dub it smooth with my adze. It is true that by this
method I could make but one board out of a whole tree ; but
this I had no remedy for but patience, any more than I
had for the prodigious deal of time and labour which it took
me up to make a plank or board : but my time or labour was
little worth, and so it was as well employed one way as
another.
However, I made me a table and a chair, in the first place;
and this I did out of the short pieces of boards that I brought
on my raft from the ship, lint when I had wrought out some
boards as above, I made large shelves, of the breadth of a foot
and a half, one over another all along one side of my cave, to
lay all my tools, nails, and iron-work on ; and, to separate
everything into their places, that I might come easily at them.
ROBIXSON CRUSOE. 59
. I knocked pieces into the wall of the rock to hang my guns
and all things that would hang up : so that my cave looked
like a general magazine of all necessary things ; and I had
everything so ready at my hand, that it was a great pleasure
to me to see all my goods in such order, and especially to find
my stock of all necessaries so great.
Having settled my household stuff and habitation, made me
a table and a chair, and all as handsome about me as I could,
I began to keep my journal ; of which I shall here give you
the copy (though in it will be told all these particulars over
again) as long as it lasted ; for having no more ink, I was
forced to leave it off.
THE JOURNAL.
September 30, 1659. — I, poor, miserable Robinson Crusoe,
being shipwrecked during a dreadful storm, in the offing,
came on shore on this dismal, unfortunate island, which I
called " The Island of Despair;" all the rest of the ship's
company being drowned, and myself almost dead.
All the rest of the day I spent in afflicting myself at the
dismal circumstances I was brought to, viz., I had neither food,
house, clothes, weapon, nor place to fly to : and, in despair of
any relief, saw nothing but death before me : either that I
should be devoured by wild beasts, murdered by savages, or
starved to death for want of food. At the approach of night
I slept in a tree for fear of wild creatures ; but slept soundly,
though it rained all night.
October 1. — In the morning I saw, to my great surprise, the
ship had floated with the high tide, and was driven on shore
again, much nearer the island ; which as it was some comfort,
on one hand, for seeing her sit upright, and not broken to
pieces, I hoped if the wind abated, I might get on board, and
get some food and necessaries out of her for my relief; so, on
the other hand, it renewed my grief at the loss of my comrades,
who, I imagined, if we had all stayed on board, might have
saved the ship, or, at least, that they would not have been all
drowned, as they were; and that, had the men been saved, we
might perhaps have built us a boat, out of the ruins of the
ship, to have carried us to some other part of the world. I
spent great part of this day in perplexing myself on these
things ; but, at length, seeing the ship almost dry, I went upon
60 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
the sand as near as I could, and then swam on board. This
day also it continued raining, though with no wind at all.
From the 1st of October to the 24th. — All these days en-
tirely spent in several voyages to get all I could out of the
ship, which I brought on shore, every tide of flood, upon rafts.
Much rain also in the days, though with some intervals of fair
weather; but it seems this was the rainy season.
Oct. 20. — I overset my raft, and all the goods I had got
upon it; but being in shoal water, and the things being
chiefly heavy, I recovered many of them when the tide was
out.
Oct. 25. — It rained all night and all day, with some gusts
of wind ; during which time the ship broke in pieces, the wind
blowing a little harder than before, and was no more to be
seen, except the wreck of her, and that only at low water. I
spent this day in covering and securing the goods which I had
saved, that the rain might not spoil them.
Oct. 26. — I walked about the shore almost all day, to find
out a place to fix my habitation, greatly concerned to secure
myself from any attack in the night, either from wild beasts
or men. Towards night, I fixed upon a proper place, under a
rock, and marked out my encampment ; which I resolved to
strengthen with a work, wall, or fortification, made of double
piles, lined within with cables, and without with turf.
From the 26th to the 30th, I worked very hard in carrying
all my goods to my new habitation, though some part of the
time it rained exceedingly hard.
The 31st in the morning, I went out into the island with my
gun, to see for some food, and discover the country ; when I
killed a she-goat, and her kid followed me home, which I
afterwards killed also because it would not feed.
November 1. — I set up my tent under a rock, and lay there
for the first night ; making it as large as I could, with stakes
driven in to swing my hammock upon.
Nov. 2. — I set up all my chests and boards, and the pieces
of timber which made my rafts, and with them formed a fence
round me, a little within the place I had marked out for my
fortification.
Nov. 3. — I went out with my gun, and killed two fowls like
ducks, which were very good food. In the afternoon went to
work to make me a table.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 61
Nov. 4. — This morning I began to order my times of work,
of going out with my gun, time of sleep, and time of diversion ;
viz., every morning I walked out with my gun for two or three
hours, if it did not rain ; then employed myself to work till
about eleven o'clock ; then ate what I had to live on ; and
from twelve till two I lay down to sleep, the weather being
excessively hot ; and then, in the evening to work again. The
working part of this day and of the next were wholly em-
ployed in making my table, for I was yet but a very sorry
workman, though time and necessity made me a complete
natural mechanic soon after, as I believe they would do any
one else.
Nov. 5. — This day, went abroad with my gun and my dog,
and killed a wild cat ; her skin pretty soft, but her flesh good
for nothing ; every creature that I killed I took off the skins
and preserved them. Coming back by the sea-shore, I saw
many sorts of sea-fowls, which I did not understand ; but was
surprised, and almost frightened, with two or three seals, which,
while I was gazing at, not well knowing what they were, got
into the sea, and escaped me for that time.
Nov. 6. — After my morning walk, I went to work with my
table again, and finished it, though not to my liking ; nor was
it long before I learned to mend it.
Nov. 7. — Now it began to be settled fair weather. The
7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, and part of the 12th (for the 11th was
Sunday), I took wholly up to make me a chair, and with
much ado brought it to a tolerable shape, but never to
please me ; and even in the making I pulled it in pieces
several times.
Note. — I soon neglected my keeping Sundays ; for, omit-
ting my mark for them on my post, I forgot which was which.
Nov. 13. — This day it rained, which refreshed me exceed-
ingly, and cooled the earth ; but it was accompanied with
terrible thunder and lightning, which frighted me dreadfully,
for fear of my powder. As soon as it was over, I resolved
to separate my stock of powder into as many little parcels as
possible, that it might not be in danger.
Nov. 14, 15, 16. — These three days I spent in making little
square chests, or boxes, which might hold about a pound, or
two pounds at most, of powder; and so, putting the powder
in, I stowed it in places as secure and remote from one
C2 ROBINSOX CRUSOE.
another as possible. On one of these three clays, I killed a
large bird that was good to eat, but I knew not what to
call it.
Nov. 17. — This day I began to dig behind my tent into the
rock, to make room for my further convenience.
Note. — Three things I wanted exceedingly for this work,
viz., a pickaxe, a shovel, and a wheelbarrow, or basket ; so I
desisted from my work, and began to consider how to supply
that want, and make me some tools. As for the pickaxe, I
made use of the iron crows, which were proper enough,
though heavy ; but the next thing was a shovel or spade ;
this was so absolutely necessary, that, indeed, I could do
nothing effectually without it ; but what kind of one to make
I knew not.
Nov. 18. — The next day, in searching the woods, I found a
tree of that wood, or like it, which, in the Brazils, they call
the iron-tree, for its exceeding hardness ; of this, with great
labour, and almost spoiling my axe, I cut a piece, and brought
it home, too, with difficulty enough, for it was exceeding
heavy. The excessive hardness of the wood, and my having
no other way, made me a long while upon this machine, for I
•worked it effectually, by little and little, into the form of a
shovel or spade ; the handle exactly shaped like ours in
England, only that the board part having no iron shod upon
it at bottom, it would not last me so long ; however, it
served well enough for the uses which I had occasion to put
it to.
I was still deficient, for I wanted a basket, or a wheel-
barrow. A basket I could not make by any means, having
no such things as twigs that would bend to make wicker-ware
— at least, none yet found out ; and as to a wheelbarrow, I
fancied I could make all but the wheel ; but that I had no
notion of; neither did I know how to go about it ; besides, I
had no possible way to make the iron gudgeons for the spindle
or axis of the wheel to run in ; so I pave it over, and so, for
carrying away the earth which I dug out of the cave, I made
me a thing like a hod, which the labourers carry mortar in,
when they serve the bricklayers. This was not so difficult to
me as the making the shovel ; and yet this and the shovel, and
the attempt which I made in vain to make a wheelbarrow, took
me up no less than four days.
ROBIXSON CRUSOE. 63
Nov. 23. — My other work having now stood still, because
of my making these tools, when they were finished I went on,
and working every day, as my strength and time allowed, I
spent eighteen days entirely in widening and deepening my
cave, that it might hold my goods commodiously.
Note. — During all this time, I worked to make this room, or
cave, spacious enough to accommodate me as a warehouse, or
magazine, a kitchen, a dining-room, and a cellar. As for my
lodging, I kept to the tent ; except that sometimes, in the wet
season of the year, it rained so hard, that I could not keep
myself dry, which caused me afterwards to cover all my place
within my pale with long poles, in the form of rafters, leaning
against the rock, and load them with flags and large leaves of
trees, like a thatch.
December 10. — I began to think my cave or vault finished,
when on a sudden (it seems I had made it too largo) a great
quantity of earth fell down from the top and one side; so
much that it frighted me, and not without reason, too ; for if
I had been under it, I had never wanted a grave-digger. I
had now a great deal of work to do over again, for I had the
loose earth to carry out : and, which was of more importance,
I had the ceiling to prop up, so that I might be sure no more
would come down.
Dec. 11. — This day I went to work with it accordingly, and
got tw-o shores or posts pitched upright to the top, with two
pieces of boards across over each post ; this I finished the next
day ; and setting more posts up with boards, in about a week
more I had the roof secured ; and the posts, standing in rows,
served me for partitions to part off the house.
Dec. 17. — From this day to the 20th I placed shelves, and
knocked up nails on the posts, to hang everything up that
could be hung up ; and now I began to be in some order within
doors.
Dec 20. — Now I carried everything into the cave, and
began to furnish my house, and set up some pieces of boards
like a dresser, to order my victuals upon , but boards began
to be very scarce with me : also I made me another table.
Dec. 24. — Much rain all night and all day : no stirring out.
Dec. 2.1. — Bain all day.
Dec. 20. — No rain, and the earth much cooler than before,
and pleasanter.
C4 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Dec. 27. — Killed a young goat, and lamed another so that
I caught it, and led it home in a string ; when I had it at
home, I bound and splintered up its leg, which was broken.
N.B.— I took such care of it that it lived, and the leg grew
well and as strong as ever : but by nursing it so long it grew
tame, and fed upon the little green at my door, and would not
go away. This was the first time that I entertained a thought
of breeding up some tame creatures, that I might have food
when my powder and shot was all spent.
x Dec. 28, 29, 30, 31 Great heats, and no breeze, so that
there was no stirring abroad, except in the evening, for
fc-/d ; this time I spent in putting all my things in order
within doors.
January 1. — Very hot still ; but I went abroad early and
late with my gun, and lay still in the middle of the day. This
evening, goin^ farther into the valleys which lay towards the
centre of the island, I found there were plenty of goats, though
exceedingly shy, and hard to come at ; however, I resolved to
try if I could not bring my dog to hunt them down.
Jan. 2. — Accordingly, the next day I went out with my
dog, and set him upon the goats ; but I was mistaken, for they
all faced about upon the dog, and he knew his danger too well,
for he would not come near them.
Jan. 3. — I began my fence, or wall; which, being still
jealous of my being attacked by somebody, I resolved to make
very thick and strong.
N.B. — This wall being described before, I purposely omit
what was said in the journal ; it is sufficient to observe that I
was no less time than from the 3rd of January to the 14th of
April working, finishing, and perfecting this wall, though it
was no more than about twenty-four yards in length, being a
half-circle, from one place in the rock to another place, about
eight yards from it, the door of the cave being in the centre
behind it.
All this time I worked very hard, the rains hindering me
many days, nay, sometimes weeks, together ; but I thought I
should never be perfectly secure till this wall was finished ; and
it is scarcely credible what inexpressible labour everything was
done with, especially the bringing piles out of the woods, and
driving them into the ground ; for I made them much bi^er
than I needed to have done.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
65
"When this wall was finished, and the outside double-fenced,
with a turf wall raised up close to it, I persuaded myself that
if any people were to come on shore there they would not
perceive anything like a habitation ; and it was very well I did
PAGE 102
so, as may be observed hereafter, upon a very remarkable occa-
sion.
Daring this time I made my rounds in the woods for game
every day, when the rain permitted me, and made frequent
discoveries in these walks of something or other to my advan-
5
66 EOBINSON CRUSOE.
iagc; particularly I found a kind of wild pigeons, which
build, not as wood-pigeons in a tree, but rather as house-
pigeons, in the holes of the rocks ; and taking some young
ones, I endeavoured to breed them up tame, and did so ; but
when they grew older they flew away, which perhaps was at
first for want of feeding them, for I had nothing to give them ;
however, I frequently found their nests, and got their young
ones, which were very good meat. And now, in the managing
my household affairs, I found myself wanting in many things,
which I thought at first it was impossible for me to make ; as,
indeed, with some of them it was : for instance, I couM. never
make a cask to be hooped. I had a small runlet or two, as I
observed before, but I could never arrive at the capacity of
making one by them, though I spent many weeks about it ; I
could neither put in the heads, or join the staves so true to
one another as to make them hold water ; so I gave that also
over. In the next place, I was at a great loss for candles ; so
that as soon as ever it was dark, which was generally by seven
o'clock, I was obliged to go to bed. I remembered the lump of
bees'-wax with which I made candles in my African adventure ;
but I had non& of that now ; the only remedy I had was, that
when I had killed a goat I saved the tallow, and with., a little
dish made of clay, which I baked in the sun, to which.! added
a wick of some oakum, I made me a lamp ; and this gave me
light, though not a clear steady light like- a candle. In the
middle of all my labours it happened that, rummaging my
things, I found a little bag, which had been filled with corn
for the feeding of poultry. The little remainder of corn that
had been in the bag was all devoured with the rats, and I saw
nothing in the bag but husks send dust ; and being willing to
have the bag for some other use, I shook the husks of corn out
of it on one side of my fortification, under the rock.
It was a little before the great rains just now mentioned
that I threw this stuff away, taking no notice, and not so much
as remembering that I had thrown anything there, when about
a month after, or thereabouts, I saw some few stalks of some-
thing green shooting out of the ground, which I fancied might
bo some plant I had not seen ; but I was surprised, and per-
fectly astonished, when, after a little longer time, I saw about
ten or twelve ears come out, which were perfect green barley,
of the same kind as our English barley.
ROBINSON CIIUSOS. 67
It is impossible to express the astonishment and confusion
of my thoughts on this occasion ; I had hitherto acted upon
no religious foundation at all ; indeed, I had very few notions
of religion in my head, nor had entertained any sense of any-
thing that had befallen me, otherwise than as chance, oi', as
we lightly say, what pleases God, without so much as inquiring
into the end of Providence in these things, or His order in
governing events for the world. But after I saw barley grow
there, in a climate which I knew was not proper for corn, and
especially that I knew not how it came there, it startled me
strangely, and I began to suggest that God had miraculously
caused His grain to grow without any help of seed sown, and
that it was so directed purely for my sustenance on that wild,
miserable place.
This touched my heart a little, and brought tears out of my
eyes, and I began to bless myself that such a prodigy of
nature should happen upon my account ; and this was the
more strange to me, because I saw near it still, all along by
the side of the rock, some other straggling stalks, which proved
to be stalks of rice, and which I knew, because I had seen it
grow in Africa, when I was ashore there.
I not only thought these the pure productions of Providence
for my support, but not doubting that there was more in the
place, I went all over that part of the island where I had been
before, peering in every corner, and under every rock, to see
for more of it, but I could not find any. At last it occurred
to my thoughts, that I shook a bag of chickens' meat out in
that place, and then the wonder began to cease ; and I must
confess, my religious thankfulness to God's providence began
to abate, too, upon the discovering that all this was nothing
but what was common ; though I ought to have been as
thankful for so strange and unforeseen a providence, as if it
had been miraculous ; for it was really the work of Provi-
dence to me, that should order or appoint that ten or twelve
grains of corn should remain unspoiled, when the rats had
destroyed all the rest, as if it had been dropped from heaven ;
as also, that I should throw it out in that particular place,
where, it being in the shade of a high rock, it sprang up im-
mediately ; whereas, if I had thrown it anywhere else, at that
time, it had been burnt up and destroyed.
I carefully saved the ears of this corn, you may be sure, in
C8 ROBINSON CUU.SOE.
their season, which was about the end of June ; and, laying
up every corn, I resolved to sow them all again, hoping, m
time, to have some quantity, sufficient to supply me with,
bread. But it was not till the fourth year that I could allow
myself the least grain of this corn to eat, and even then but
sparingly, as I shall say afterwards, in its order ; for I lost all
that I sowed the first season, by not observing the proper
time ; for I sowed it just before the dry season, so that it
never came up at all, at least not as it would have done: of
which in its place.
Besides this barley, there were, as above, twenty or thirty
stalks of rice, which I preserved with the same care and for
the same use, to make me bread, or rather food ; for I found
ways to cook it without baking, though I did that also after
some time.
But to return to my Journal :
I worked excessively hard these three or four months, to get
my wall done ; and the 14th of April, I closed it up, contriv-
ing to go into it, not by a door, but over the wall, by a ladder,
that there might be no sign on the outside of my habitation.
April 16. — I finished the ladder ; so I went up the ladder
to the top, and then pulled it up after me, and let it down in
the inside : this was a complete inclosure to me ; for within I
had room enough, and nothing could come at me from with-
out, unless it could first mount my wall.
The very next day after this wall was finished, I had almost
had all my labour overthrown at once, and myself killed ; the
case was thus : — As I was busy in the inside, behind my tent,
just at the entrance into my cave, I was terribly frighted with
a most dreadful surprising thing indeed : for, all on a sudden,
I found the earth come crumbling down from the roof of my
cave, and from the edge of the hill over my head, and two of
the posts I had set up in the cave cracked in a frightful man-
ner. I was heartily scared ; thinking that the top of my cave
was fallen in, as some of it had done before : and for fear I
should be buried in it, I ran forward to my ladder, and not
thinking myself safe there neither, I got over my wall for fear
of the pieces of the hill, which I expected might roll down
upon me. I had no sooner stepped down upon the firm
ground, than I plainly saw it was a terrible earthquake ; for
the ground I stood on shook three times at about ei°bt
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 69
Tninutes' distance, with three such shocks as would have over-
turned the strongest building that could be supposed to have
stood on the earth, and a great piece of the top of a rock,
which stood about half a mile from me, next the sea, fell
down, with such a terrible noise as I never heard in all my
life. I perceived also the very sea was put into violent motion
by it ; and I believe the shocks were stronger under the water
than on the island.
I was so much amazed with the thing itself, having never felt
the like, nor discoursed with anyone that had, that I was like
one dead or stupified; and the motion of the earth made my
stomach sick, like one that was tossed at sea; but the noise of
the falling of the rock awaked me, as it were, and rousing me
from the stupified condition I was in, filled me with horror,
and I thought of nothing then but the hill falling upon my
tent and all my household goods, and burying all at once ; and
this sunk my very soul within me a second time.
After the third shock was over, and I felt no more for some
time, I began to take courage; and yet I had not heart enough
to go over my wall again, for fear of being buried alive, but sat
still upon the ground greatly cast down and disconsolate, not
knowing what to do. All this while, I had not the least
serious religious thought, nothing but the common "Lord have
mercy upon me!" and when it was over, that went away too.
While I sat thus, I found the air overcast, and grow cloudy, ,
as if it would rain ; soon after that, the wind arose by little and '.
little, so that in less than half an hour it blew a most dreadful > >
hurricane: the sea was, all on a sudden, covered over with foamf
and froth ; the shore was covered with the breach of the water ;
the trees were torn up by the roots; and a terrible storm it
was. This held about three hours, and then began to abate;
and in two hours more it was quite calm, and began to rain
very hard. All this while I sat upon the ground, very much
terrified and dejected ; when on a sudden it came into my
thoughts, that these winds and rain being the consequences of
the earthquake, the earthquake itself was spent and over,
and I might venture into my cave again. With this thought,
my spirits began to revive ; and the rain also helping to per-
suade me, I went in and sat down in my tent ; but the rain
was so violent, that my tent was ready to bo beaten down with
it ; and I was forced to go into my cave, though very much
70 ROBINSOX CRUSOE.
afraid and uneasy, for fear it should fall on my head. This
violent rain forced me to a new work, viz., to cut a hole through
my new fortification, like a sink, to let the water go out, which
would else have flooded my cave. After I had been in my
cave for some time, and found still no more shocks of the earth-
quake follow, I began to be more composed. And now to
support my spirits, which indeed wanted it very much, I went
to my little store and took a small sup of rum ; which, however,
I did then and always very sparingly, knowing I could have
no more when that was gone. It continued raining all that
night, and great part of the next day, so that I could not stir
abroad; but my mind being more composed, I began to think
of what I had best do : concluding, that if the island was sub-
ject to these earthquakes, there would be no living for me in a
cave, but I must consider of building a little hut in an open
place, which I might surround with a wall, as I had done here,
and so make myself secure from wild beasts or men ; for I
concluded if I stayed where I was, I should certainly, one time
or other, be buried alive.
With these thoughts I resolved to remove my tent from the
place where it now stood, which was just under the hanging
precipice of the hill; and which if it should be shaken again,
would certainly fall upon my tent : and I spent the two next
days, being the 19th and 20th of April, in contriving where
and how to remove my habitation. The fear of being swal-
lowed up alive made me that I never slept in quiet ; and yet
the apprehension of lying abroad without any fence was almost
equal to it : but still, when I looked about, and saw how every-
thing was put in order, how pleasantly concealed I was, and
how safe from danger, it made me very loath to remove. In
the meantime, it occurred to me that it would require a vast
deal of time for me to do this, and that I must be contented to
venture where I was, till I had formed a camp for myself, and
had secured it so as to remove to it. So with this resolution
I composed myself for a time ; and resolved that I would go
to work with all speed to build me a wall with piles and cables,
&c, in a circle, as before, and set my tent up in it, when it
was finished ; but that I would venture to stay where I was till
it was finished and fit to remove. This was the 21st.
April 22. — The next morning I began to consider of means
HOBINSON CRUSOE. 71
to put this resolve into execution ; but I was at a great loss
about my tools. I had three large axes, and abundance of
hatchets, but with much chopping and cutting knotty hard
wood, they were all full of notches, and dull, and though I had
a grindstone, I could not turn it and grind my tools too.
This cost me as much thought as a statesman would have be-
stowed upon a grand point of politics, or a judge upon the life
and death of a man. At length I contrived a wheel with a
string to turn it with my foot, that I might have both my hands
at liberty.
April 28, 29. — These two whole days I took up in grinding
my tools, my machine for turning my grindstone performing
very well.
April 30. — Having perceived my bread had been low a
great while, now I took a survey of it, and reduced myself to
one biscuit a day, which made my heart very heavy.
May 1. — In the morning, looking towards the sea side, the
tide being low, I saw something lie on the shore bigger than
ordinary, and it looked like a cask ; when I came to it, I found
a small barrel, and two or three pieces of the wreck of the ship,
which were driven on shore by the late hurricane ; and looking
towards the wreck itself, I thought it seemed to lie higher out
of the water than it used to do. I examined the barrel which
was driven on shore, and soon found it was a barrel of gun-
powder, but it had taken water, and the powder was caked as
hard as a stone ; however, I rolled it farther on shore for the
present, and went on upon the sands , as near as I could to the
wreck of the ship to look for more.
When I came down to the ship, I found it strangely re-
moved. The forecastle, which lay before buried in sand, was
heaved up at least six feet, and the stern, which was broke in
pieces and purtde from the rest by the force of the sea, soon
after I had left rummaging her, was tossed, as it were, up, and
cast on one side ; and the sand was thrown so high on that
side next her stern, that whereas there was a great place of
water before, so that I could not come within a quarter of a
mile of the wreck without swimming, I could now walk quite
up to her when the tide was out. I was surprised with this
at first, but soon concluded it must be done by the earthquake;
and as by this violence the ship was more broke open than
72 KOBINSON CRUSOE.
formerly, so many things came daily on shore, which the sea
had loosened, and which the winds and water rolled by degrees
to the land.
This wholly diverted my thoughts from the design of re-
moving my habitation, and I busied myself mightily, that day
especially, in searching whether I could make any way into
the ship; but I found nothing was to be expected of that kind,
for all the inside of the ship was choked up with sand. How-
ever, as I had learned not to despair of anything, I resolved to
pull everything to pieces that I could of the ship, con-
cluding that everything I could get from her would be of some
use or other to me.
May 3. — I began with my saw, and cut a piece of a beam
through, which I thought held some of the upper part or
quarter deck together, and when I had cut it through, I
cleared away the sand as well as I could from the side which
lay highest : but the tide coming in, I was obliged to give
over for that time.
May 4. — I went a fishing, but caught not one fish that I
durst eat of, till I was weary of my sport; when, just going to
leave off, I caught a young dolphin. I had made me a long
line of some rope-yarn, but I had no hooks ; yet I frequently
caught fish enough, as much as I cared to eat; all which I dried
in the sun, and ate them dry.
May 5. — Worked on the wreck; cut another beam asunder,
and brought three great fir-planks off from the decks, which I
tied together, and made to float on shore when the tide of flood
came on.
May 6. — Worked on the wreck ; got several iron bolts out
of her, and other pieces of iron-work ; worked very hard and
came home very much tired, and had thoughts of giving it over.
May 7. — Went to the wreck again, not with an intent to
work, but found the weight of the wreck had broke itself
down, the beams being cut; that several pieces of the ship
seemed to lie loose, and the inside of the hold lay so open that
I could see into it, but it was almost full of water and sand.
May 8. — Went to the wreck, and carried an iron crow to
wrench up the deck, which lay now quite clear of the water
or sand. I wrenched open two planks, and brought them on
shore also with the tide. I left the iron crow in the wreck for
next clay.
EOBINSON CRUSOE.
73
May 9. — Went to the wreck, and with the crow made way
into the body of the wreck, and felt several casks, and loosened
them with the crow, but could not break them up. I felt also
\ POT s^
l'AQE 1C7.
a roll of English lead, and could stir it, but it was too heavy
to remove.
May 10 — 14. — Went every day to the wreck; and got a
great many pieces of timber and boards or plank, and two
or three hundredweight of iron.
May 15. — I carried two hatchets, to try if I could not cut a
<4 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
piece off the roll of lead, by placing the edge of one hatchet,
and driving it with the other; but as it lay about a foot and
a half in the water, I could not make any blow to drive the
hatchet.
May 16. — It had blown hard in the night, and the wreck
appeared more broken by the force of the water; but I stayed
so long in the woods, to get pigeons for food, that the tide
prevented my going to the wreck that day.
May 17. — I saw some pieces of the wreck blown on shore,
at a great distance, near two miles off me, but resolved to see
what they were, and found it was a piece of the lead, but too
heavy for me to bring away.
May 24. — Every clay, to this day, I worked on the wreck;
and with hard labour I loosened some things so much with
the crow, that the first blowing tide several casks floated out,
and two of the seamen's chests ; but the wind blowing from
the shore, nothing came to land ihat day but pieces of timber,
and a hogshead, wtt&i Ibai same Brazil pork in it, but the salt
water and the sandiraflspiHeflit. I continued this work every
day to the 15th of J^me, except lire USsme necessary to get food,
which I always agapainited, during ibis jp»rt of my employment,
to be when the fflfenEEs up, thait I anight be ready when it
ebbed out; and by iMs time I had got timber and plank, and
iron-work, enough *to have built a good boat, if I had known
how; and also I got at several times, and in severaljieces, near
one hundred-wsigbt of the sheet-lead.
June 16. — fit being entirely off, I got up ; and though
the fright and terror of my dream was very great, yet I con-
sidered that the fit of the ague would return again the next
day, and now was my time to get something to refresh and
support myself when I should be ill ; and the first thing I did,
I filled a large square case-bottle with water, and set it upon
my table, in reach of my bed ; and to take off the chill or
aguish disposition of the Avater, I put about a quarter of a.
pint of rum into it, and mixed them together. Then I got
me a piece of the goat's flesh, and broiled it on the coals, but
could eat very little. I walked about, but was very weak,,
and withal very sad and heavy-hearted under a sense of my
miserable condition, dreading the return of my distemper the
next day. At night, I made my supper of three of the turtle's
eggs, which I roasted in the ashes, and ate in the shell, and
this was the first bit of meat I had ever asked God's blessing:
to, that I could remember, in my whole life. After I had
eaten, I tried to walk, but found myself so weak, that I could
hardly carry a gun, for I never went out without that, so I
went but a little way, and sat down upon the ground, looking
out upon the sea, which was just before me, and very calm
and smooth. Some such thoughts as these occurred to me :
God knows that I am here, and am in this dreadful condition ;
and if nothing happens without His appointment, He has ap-
pointed all this to befall me. Nothing occurred to my thought
to contradict any of these conclusions, and therefore it rested
upon me with the greater force, that it must needs be that
God had appointed all this to befall me ; that I was brought
into this miserable circumstance by His direction, He having
the sole power, not of me only, but of everything that hap-
78 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
pened in the world. Immediately it followed — Why has Grod
done this to me ? What have I done to be thus used ? My
conscience presently checked me in that inquiry, as if I had
blasphemed, and methought it spoke to me like a voice,
" Wretch ! dost thou ask what thou hast done ? Look back
upon a dreadful misspent life, and ask thyself, what thou hast
not done ? Ask, why is it that thou wert not long ago de-
stroyed ? Why wert thou not drowned in Yarmouth Eoads ;
killed in the fight when the ship was taken by the Sallee man-
of-war ; devoured by the wild beasts on the coast of Africa ;
or drowned here, when all the crew perished but thyself?
Dost thou aslc, what have I done 2" I was struck dumb with
these reflections, as one astonished, and had not a word to say
— no, not to answer to myself, but rose up pensive and sad,
walked back to my retreat, and went up over my wall, as if I
had been going to bed ; but my thoughts were sadly dis-
turbed, and I had no inclination to sleep : so I sat down in
my chair, and lighted my lamp, for it began to be dark. Now,
as the apprehension of the return of my distemper terrified
me very much, it occurred to my thought, that the Brazilians
take no physic but their tobacco for almost all distempers, and
I had a piece of a roll of tobacco in one of the chests, which
was quite cured, and some also that was green, and not quite
cured.
I went, directed by Heaven no doubt, for in this chest I
found a cure both for soul and body. I opened the chest, and
found what I looked for, the tobacco : and as the few books I
had saved lay there too, I took out one of the Bibles which I
mentioned before, and which to this time I had not found
leisure, or inclination, to look into. What use to make of the
tobacco I knew not, in my distemper, or whether it was good
for it or no ; but I tried several experiments with it, as if I was
resolved it should hit one way or other. I first took a piece
of leaf, and chewed it in my mouth, which, indeed, at first,
almost stupified my brain, the tobacco being green and strong,
and that I had not been much used to. Then I took some
and steeped it an hour or two in some rum, and resolved to
take a dose of it when I L'y down ; and, lastly, I burnt some
upon a pan of coals, and held my nose close over the smoke of
it as long as I could bear it, as well for the heat, as almost for
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 79
suffocation. In the interval of this operation, I took up the
Bible and began to read, but my head was too much disturbed
with the tobacco to bear reading, at least at that time:
only, having opened the book casually, the first words that
occurred to me were these, " Gall on me in the day of trouble,
and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me." These
words were very apt to my case, and made some impression
upon my thoughts at the time of reading them, though not so
much as they did afterwards ; for, as for being delivered, the
word had no sound, as I may say, to me ; the thing was so
remote, so impossible in my apprehension of tilings, that I
began to say as the children of Israel did when they were
promised flesh to eat, " Can God spread a table in the wilder-
ness 1" so I began to say, " Can God Himself deliver me from this
place?" And as it was not for many years that any hopes ap-
peared, this prevailed very often upon my thoughts; but however,
the words made a great impression upon me, and I mused upon
them very often. It grew now late, and the tobacco had dozed
my head so much that I inclined to sleep ; so I left my lamp
burning in the cave, lest I should want anything in the night,
and went to bed. But before I lay down, I did what I never
had done in all my life ; I kneeled down, and prayed to God,
to fulfil the promise to me, that if I called upon Him in the
day of trouble, He would deliver me. After my broken and
imperfect prayer was over, I drank the rum in which I had
steeped the tobacco; which was so strong and rank of the
tobacco, that I could scarcely get it down ; immediately upon
this I went to bed. I found presently it flew up into my head
violently ; but I fell into a sound sleep, and wuked no more
till, by the sun, it must necessarily be near three o'clock in
the afternoon the next clay ; nay, to this hour I am partly of
opinion, that I slept all the next day and night, and till almost
three the day after : for otherwise, I know not how I should
lose a day out of my reckoning in the days of the week, as it
appeared some years after I had done ; for if I had lost it by
crossing and recrossing the Line, I should have lost more than
one day ; but certainly I lost a day in my account, and never
knew which way. Be that, however, one way or the other,
when I awaked I found myself exceedingly refreshed, and my
spirits lively and cheerful ; when I got up, I was stronger than
80 EOBINSON CRUSOE.
I was the day before, and my stomach better, for I was hungry ;
and, in short, I had no fit the next day, but continued much
altered for the better. This was the 29th.
The 30th was my well day, of course, and I went abroad
with my gun, but did not care to travel too far. I killed a
sea-fowl or two, something like a brand goose, and brought
them home ; but was not very forward to eat them ; so I ate
some more of the turtle's eggs, which were very good. This
evening I renewed the medicine, which I had supposed did
me good the day before, the tobacco steeped in rum ; only I
did not take so much as before, nor did I chew any of the leaf,
or hold my head over the smoke ; however, I was not so well
the next day, which was the 1st of July, as I hoped I should
have been ; for I had a little spice of the cold fit, but it was
not much.
July 2. — I renewed the medicine all the three ways ; and
dosed myself with it as at first, and doubled the quantity
which I drank.
July 3. — I missed the fit for good and all, though I did
not recover my full strength for some weeks after. While I
was thus gathering strength, my thoughts ran exceedingly upon
this scripture, "I will deliver thee;" and the impossibility of
my deliverance lay much upon my mind, in bar of my ever
expecting it; but as I was discouraging myself with such
thoughts, it occurred to my mind that I pored so much upon
my deliverance from the main affliction, that I disregarded the
deliverance I had received ; and I was, as it were, made to ask
myself such questions as these, viz : Have I not been delivered,
and wonderfully too, from sickness? from the most distressed
condition that could be, and that was so frightful to me ? and
what notice had I taken of it ? Had I done my part ? God
had delivered me, but I had not glorified Him ; that is to say,
I had not owned and been thankful for that as a deliverance :
and how could I expect greater deliverance ? This touched
my heart very much ; and immediately I knelt down, and
gave God thanks aloud for my recovery from my sickness.
July 4. — In the morning, I took the Bible ; and beginning
at the New Testament, I began seriously to read it, and
imposed upon myself to read awhile every morning and every
night ; not tying myself to the number of chapters, but as long
a3 my -thoughts should engage me. It was not long after I set
EOBINSON CEUSOE.
81
seriously to this work, till I found my heart more deeply and
sincerely affected with the wickedness of my past life. The
FAQE 120.
impression of my dream revived ; and the words, " All these
things have not brought thee to repentance," ran seriously in
my thoughts. I was earnnsHv w.-v;..~ ~* Q 0< X to give rue
82 BOBINSON CRUSOE.
repentance, when it happened providentially, the very day
that, reading the Scripture, I came to these words, " He is
exalted a Prince and a Saviour, to give repentance and to give
remission." I threw down the book; and with my heart as
well as my hands lifted up to heaven, in a kind of ecstasy of
'joy, I cried out aloud, " Jesus, thou son of David ! Jesus, thou
exalted Prince and Saviour! give me repentance !" This was
the first time I could say, in the true sense of the words, that
I prayed in all my life ; for now I prayed with a sense of my
condition, and with a true scripture view of hope, founded on
the encouragement of the word of God; and from this time, I
may say, I began to have hope that God would hear me.
Now I began to construe the words mentioned above, " Call
on Me, and I will deliver thee," in a different slnsc from what
I had ever done before ; for then I had no notion of anything
being called deliverance, but my being delivered from the cap-
tivity I was in : for though I was indeed at large in the place,
yet the island was certainly a prison to me, and that in the
worst sense in the world. But now I learned to take it in
another sense : now I looked back upon my past life with such
horror, and my sins appeared so dreadful, that my soul sought
nothing of God but deliverance from the load of guilt that
bore down all my comfort. As for my solitary life, it was
nothing ; I did not so much as pray to be delivered from it,
or think of it ; it was all of no consideration in comparison
to this. And I add this part here, to hint to whoever shall
read it, that whenever they come to a true sense of things, they
will find deliverance from sin a, much greater blessing than
deliverance from affliction.
But, leaving this part, I return to my Journal : —
From the 4th of July to the 14th, I was chiefly employed
in walking about with my gun in my hand, a little and a little
at a time, as a man that was gathering up his strength after a
fit of sickness : for it is hardly to be imagined how low I was,
and to what weakness I was reduced. The application which
I made use of was perfectly new, and perhaps which had never
cured an ague before ; neither can I recommend it to anyone
to practise by this experiment : and though it did carry off
the fit, yet it rather contributed to weakening me; for I had
frequent convulsions in my nerves and limbs for some time ; I
learned from it also this, in particular, that being abroad in the
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 83
rainy season was the most pernicious thing to my health that
could be, especially in those rains which came attended with
storms and hurricanes of wind ; for as the rain which came
the dry season was almost always accompanied with such storms,
so I found that rain was much more dangerous than the fain
which fell in September and October.
I had now been in this unhappy island above ten mouths :
all possibility of deliverance from this condition seemed t be
entirely taken from me ; and I firmly believed that no hu lan
shape had ever set foot upon that place. Having now secured
my habitation, as I thought, fully to my mind, I had a gre t
desire to make a more perfect discovery of the island, and to
see what otheftproductions I might find, which I yet knew
nothing of.
It was on th-3 15th of July that I began to take a more
particular survey of the island itself. I went up the creek
first, where I brought my rafts on shore. I found, after I
came about two miles up, that the tide did not flow any higher ;
and that it was no more than a little brook of running water,
very fresh and good ; but this being the dry season, there was
hardly any water in some parts of it. On the banks of this
brook, I found many pleasaut savannahs or meadows, plain,
smooth, and covered with grass: and on the rising parts of
them, next to the higher grounds, where the water, as might
be supposed, never overflowed, I found a great deal of tobacco,
green, and growing to a great and very strong stalk ; there
were divers otli€r plants, which I had no notion of or under-
standing about, that might perhaps, have virtues of their own,
which I could not find out. I searched for the cassava root,
which the Indians, in all that climate, make their bread of, but
I could find none. I saw large plants of aloes, but did not
understand them. I saw several sugar-canes, but wild, and
for want of cultivation, imperfect. I contented myself with
these discoveries for this time, and came back, musing with
myself what course I might take to know the virtue and good-
ness of any of the fruits or plants which I should discover ;
but could bring it to no conclusion ; for, in short, I had made
so little observation while I was in the Brazils, that I knew
little of the plants in the field, that might serve me to any
purpose now in my distress.
The next day, the 16th, I went up the same way again ; and
84: BOBINSON CHUSOE.
after going something farther than I had gone the day before,
I found the brook and savannahs cease, and the country-
became more woody. In this part, I found different fruits, and
particularly melons upon the ground, in great abundance, and
grapes upon the trees ; the vines had spread over the trees,,
and the clusters of grapes were just now in their prime, very
ripe and rich. This was a surprising discovery, and I was
exceeding glad of them ; but I was warned by my experience
to eat sparingly of them, remembering that when I was ashore
in Barbary, the eating of grapes killed several of our English-
men, who were slaves there, by throwing them into fluxes and
fevers. But I found an excellent use for these grapes ; and
that was, to cure or dry them in the sun, andr*keep them as
dried grapes or raisins are kept, which I thought would be
"wholesome and agreeable to eat, when no grapes could be
had.
I spent all that evening there, and went not back to my
habitation, which, by the way, was the first night, as I might
say, I had lain from home. In the night, I took my fir^t con-
trivance, and got up into a tree, where I slept well ; and the
next morning, proceeded upon my discovery, travelling nearly
four miles, as I might judge by the length of the valley, keep-
ing still due north, with a ridge of hills on the south and north
side of me. At the end of this march, I came to an opening,
where the country seemed to descend to the west ; and a
little spring of fresh water, which issued out of the side of the
hill by me, ran the other way ; and the country appeared so
fresh, so green, so flourishing, everything being in a constant
verdure, that it looked like a planted garden. I descended a
little on the side of that delicious vale, surveying it with a
kind of secret pleasure, though mixed with my other afflicting
thoughts, that this was all my own ; that I was king and lord
of all this country indefeasibly, and had a right of possession;
and, if I could convey it, I might have it in inheritance as com-
pletely as any lord of a manor in England. I saw here
abundance of cocoa trees, orange and lemon, and citron trees;
but all wild, and very few bearing any fruit. However, the
green limes that I gathered were not only pleasant to eat,
but very wholesome; and I mixed their juice afterwards with
"water, which made it very wholesome, and very cool and re-
freshing. I found now I had business enough, to gather and
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 8i>
carry home; and I resolved to lay up a store, as well of
grapes as limes and lemons, to furnish myself for the wet season,
which I knew was approaching. In order to do this, I
gathered a great heap of grapes in one place, a lesser heap in
another place, and a great parcel of limes and lemons in another
place ; and taking a few of each with me, I travelled home-
wards : and resolved to come again, and bring a bag or sack,,
or what I could make, to carry the rest home. Accordingly,
having spent three days in this journey, I came home (so I
must now call my tent and my cave), but before I got thither
the grapes were spoiled ; the richness of the fruit, and the
weight of the juice, having broken them and bruised them,
they were good for little or nothing : as to the limes, they
were good, but I could bring but a few.
The next day being the 19th, I went back, having made me
two small bags to bring home my harvest ; but I was surprised,
when coming to my heap of grapes, which were so rich and
fine when I gathered them, I found them all spread about, trod
to pieces, and dragged about, some here, some there, and
abundance eaten and devoured. By this, I concluded there
were some wild creatures thereabouts, which had done this ;
but what they were, I knew not. However, as I found there
was no laying them up on heaps, and no carrying them away
in a sack, but that one way they would be destroyed, and the
other way they would be crushed with their own weight, I took
another course ; for I gathered a large quantity of the grapes,
and hung them upon the out branches of the trees, that they
might cure and dry in the sun ; and as for the limes and the
lemons, I carried as many back as I could well stand under.
When I came home from this journey, I contemplated with
great pleasure the fruitfulness of that valley, and the pleasant-
ness of the situation ; the security from storms on that side
the water, and the wood : and concluded that I had pitched
upon a place to fix my abode, which was by far the worst part
of the country. Upon the whole, I began to consider of re-
moving my habitation ; and looking out for a place equally
safe as where now I was situate, if possible, in that pleasant,
fruitful part of the island.
This thought ran long in my head, and I was exceeding
fond of it for some time, the pleasantness of the place tempting
me ; but when I came to a nearer view of it, I considered that
86 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
I was now by the sea side, where it was at least possible that
something might happen to my advantage ; and, by the same
ill fate that brouerht mo hither, might brino; some other un-
happy wretches to the same place; and though it was scarce
probable that any such thing should ever happen, yet to inclose
myself among the hills and woods in the centre of the island,
was to anticipate my bondage, and to render such an affair
not only improbable, but impossible; and that therefore I
ought not by any means to remove. However, I was so en-
amoured of this place, that I spent much of my time there for
the whole of the remaining part of the month of July, and
though, upon second thoughts, I resolved not to remove, yet I
built me a little kind of a bower, and surrounded it at a
distance with a strong fence, being a double hedge, as high as
I could reach, well staked, and filled between with brushwood ;
and here I lay very secure, sometimes two or three nights
together ; always going over it with a ladder ; so that I fancied
now I had my country house and my sea-coast house ; and this
work took me up to the beginning of August.
I had but newly finished my fence, and began to enjoy my
labour, when the rains came on, and made me stick close to my
first habitation ; for though I had made me a tent like the
other, with a piece of a sail, and spread it very well, yet I had
not the shelter of a hill to keep me from storms, nor a cave
behind me to retreat into when the rains were extraordinary.
About the beginning of August, as I said, I had finished my
bower and began to enjoy myself. The 3rd of August, I found
the grapes I had hung up perfectly dried, and indeed were
excellent good raisins ; so I began to take them down from the
trees, and it was very happy that I did so, for the rains which
followed would have spoiled them, and I had lost the best part
of my winter food; for I had above two hundred large bunches
of them. No sooner had I taken them all down, and carried
most of them home to my cave, but it began to rain ; and
from hence, which was the 14th of August, it rained, more or
less, every day till the middle of October ; and sometimes so
violently, that I could not stir out of my cave for several
days.
In this season, I was much surprised with the increase of
my family : I had been concerned for the loss of one of my cats,
•who ran away from me, or, as I thought, had been dead, and
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 87
I heard no more tidings of her, till to my astonishment, she
came home about the end of August, with three kittens. This
was the more strange to me, because, though I had killed a
■wild cat, as I called it, with my gun, yet I thought it was a
quite different kind from our European cats ; but the young
cats were the same kind of house-breed as the old one ; and
both my cats being females, I thought it very strange. But
from these three cats, I afterwards came to be so pestered with
cats, that I was forced to kill them like vermin, or wild beasts,
and to drive them from my house as much as possible.
From the 14th of August to the 26th, incessant rain, so
that I could not stir, and was now very careful not ro be much
wet. In this confinement, I began to be straitened for food :
but venturing out twice, I one day killed a goat ; and the last
day, which was the 26th, found a very large tortoise, which
was a treat to me, and my food was regulated thus : — I ate a
bunch of raisins for my breakfast ; a piece of the goat's flesh, or
of the turtle, for my dinner, broiled, for I had no vessel to boil
or stew anything ; and two or three of the turtle's eggs for
my supper.
During this confinement in my cover by the rain, I worked
daily two or three hours at enlarging my cave, and by degrees
worked it on towards one side, till I came to the outside of
the hill, and made a door or way out, which came beyond
my fence or wall ; and so I came in and out this way. But I
was not perfectly easy at lying so open ; for, as I had managed
myself before, I was in a perfect enclosure ; whereas now, I
thought I lay exposed, and open for anything to come in upon
me; and yet I could not perceive that there was any living
thing to fear, the biggest creature that I had yet seen upon the
island being a goat.
Sept. 30. — I was now come to the unhappy anniversary of
my landing. I cast up the notches on my post, and found I
had been on shore three hundred and sixty-five days. I kept
this day as a solemn fast, even till the going down of the sun;
I then ate a biscuit-cake and a bunch of grapes, and went to
bed , finishing the day as I began it, with religious exercise.
I had all this time observed uo Sabbath-day ; for as at first I
had no sense of religion upon my mind, I had, after some time,
omitted to distinguish the weeks, by making a longer notch
than ordinary for the Sabbath-day, and so did not really know
88 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
what any of the days were ; but now, having cast up the days
as above, I found I had been there a year, so I divided it into
weeks, and set apart every seventh day for a Sabbath ; though
I found at the end of my account, I had lost a day or two in
my reckoning. A little after this, my ink began to fail me,
and so I contented myself to use it more sparingly, and to
write down only the most remarkable events of my life, without
continuing a daily memorandum of other things.
The rainy season and the dry season now began to appear
regular to me, and I learned to divide them so as to provide
for them accordingly ; but I bought all my experience before
I had it, and this I am going to relate was one of the most
discouraging experiments that I made.
I have mentioned that I had saved the few cars of barley
and rice, which I had so surprisingly found spring up, as I
thought of themselves, and I believe there were about thirty
stalks of rice, and about twenty of barley ; and now I thought
it a proper time to sow it, after the rains, the sun being in its
southern position, going from me. Accordingly, I dug up a
piece of ground as well as I could with my wooden spade, and
dividing it into two parts, I sowed my grain ; but as I was
sowing, it casually occurred to my thoughts that I would not
sow it all at first, because I did not know when was the proper
time for it, so I sowed about two-thirds of the seed, leaving
about a handful of each. It was a great comfort to me after-
wards that I did so, for not one grain of what I sowed this
time came to anything ; for the dry months following, the earth
having had no rain after the seed was sown, it had no moisture
to assist its growth, and never came up at all till the wet season
had come again, and then it grew as if it had been but newly
sown. Finding my first seed did not grow, which I easily
imagined was by the drought, I sought for a moister piece of
ground to make another trial in, and I dug up a piece of
ground near my new bower, and sowed the rest of my seed in
February, a little before the vernal equinox ; and this having the
rainy months of March and April to water it, sprung up very
pleasantly, and yielded a very good crop; but having part of
the seed left only, and not daring to sow all that I had, I had
but a small quantity at last, my whole crop not amounting to
half a peck of each kind. But by this experiment T was made
master of my business, and knew exactly when the proper
o
EOBINSON CRUSOE.
89
season was to sow, and that I might expect two seed-times
and two harvests every year.
While this corn was growing, I made a little discovery, which
was of use to me afterwards. As soon as the rains were over,
r.iGii l-'-l.
and the weather began to settle, which was about the month
of November, I made a visit up the country to my bower,
where, though I had not been some months, yet I found all
things just as I left them. The circle or double hedge
that I had made was not only firm and entire, but the stakes
which I had cut out of some trees that grew thereabouts, were
90 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
all shot out and grown with long branches, as much as a willow-
tree usually shoots the first year after lopping its head. I
was surprised, and yet very well pleased, to see the young
trees grow ; and I pruned them, and led them up to grow as
much alike as I could ; and it is scarce credible how beautiful
a figure they grew into in three years ; so that though the
edge made a circle of about twenty-five yards in diameter, yet
the trees soon covered it, and it was a complete shade, sufficient
to lodge under all the dry season. This made me resolve to
cut some more stakes, and make me a hedge like this, in a
semi-circle round the wall of my first dwelling, which I did ;
and placing the trees or stakes in a double row, at about eight
yards distance from my first fence, they grew presently, and
were at first a fine cover to my habitation, and afterwards
served for a defence also, as I shall observe in its order.
I found now that the seasons of the year might generally
be divided, not into summer and winter, as in Europe, but
into the rainy seasons and the dry seasons, which were
generally thus : —
The half of February, the whole of March, and the
half of April — rainy, the sun being then on or near the
equinpx.
The half of April, the whole of May, June, and July, and
the half of August — dry, the sun being then to the north of
the Line.
The half of August, the whole of September, and the half
of October — rainy, the sun being then come back.
The half of October, the whole of November, December, and
January, and the half of February — dry, the sun being then
to the south of the Line.
The rainy seasons sometimes held longer or shorter, as the
winds happened to blow, but this was the general observation
I made. After I had found, by experience, the ill conse-
quences of being abroad in the rain, I took care to furnish
myself with provisions beforehand, that I might not be obliged
to go out, and I sat within doors as much as possible during
the wet months. This time I found much employment, and
very suitable also to the time, for I found great occasion for
many things which I had no way to furnish myself with but
by hard labour and constant application ; particularly I tried
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 91
many ways to make myself a basket, but all the twigs I could
get for the purpose proved so brittle that they would do
nothing. It proved of excellent advantage to me now, that
when I was a boy, I used to take great delight in standing at
a basket-maker's, in the town where my father lived, to see
them make their wicker-ware ; and being, as boys usually are,
very officious to help, and a great observer of the manner in
which they worked those things, and sometimes lending a hand, I
had by these means full knowledge of the methods of it, and I
wanted nothing but the materials, when it came into my mind
that the twigs of that tree whence I cut my stakes that grew
might possibly be as tough as the sallows, willows, and osiers
in England, asd I resolved to try. Accordingly, the next day
I went to my country-house, as I called it, and cutting some
of the smaller twigs, I found them to my purpose as much as
I could desire; whereupon I came the next time prepared
with a hatchet to cut down a quantity, which I soon found, for
there was great plenty of them. These I set up to dry within
my circle or hedge, and when they were fit for use, I carried
them to my cave ; and here, during the next season, I employed
myself in making, as well as I could, a great many baskets,
both to carry or to lay up anything, as I had occasion ; and
though I did not finish them very handsomely, yet I made
them sufficiently serviceable for my purpose ; and thus, after-
wards, I took care never to be without them; and as my
wicker-Avare decayed, I made more, especially strong deep
baskets to place my corn in, instead of sacks, when I should
come to have any quantity of it.
Having mastered this difficulty, and employed a world of
time about it, I bestirred myself to see, if possible, how to
supply two wants. I had no vessel to hold anything that was
liquid, except two runlets, which were almost full of rum, and
some glass bottles — some of the common size, and others, which
were case-bottles, square, for the holding of waters, spirits,
&c. I had not so much as a pot to boil anything, except a
great kettle, which I saved out of the ship, and which was too
big to make broth, and stew a bit of meat by itself. The
second thing I fain would have had was a tobacco-pipe, but it
was impossible to make one; however, I found a contrivance
for that, too, at last. I employed myself in planting my
92 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
second rows of stakes or piles and in this wicker-working all
the summer or dry season, when another business took me up
more time than it could be imagined I could spare.
I mentioned before that I had a great mind to see the whole
island, and that I had travelled up the brook, and so on to
where I built my bower, and where I had an opening quite to
the sea, on the other side of the island. I now resolved to
travel quite across to the sea-shore on that side ; so, taking
my gun, a hatchet, and my dog, and a larger quantity of
powder and shot than usual, with two biscuit-cakes and a great
bunch of raisins in my pouch for my store, I began my journey.
"When I had passed the vale where my bower stood, as above,
I came within view of the sea to the west, and it being a very
clear day, I fairly descried land, at a very great distance ;
by my guess, it could not be less than fifteen or twenty
leagues off.
I could not tell what part of the world this might be, other-
wise than that I knew it must be part of America, and, as I con-
cluded, by all my observations, must be near the Spanish
dominions.
After some thought upon this affair, I considered that if
this land was the Spanish coast, I should certainty, one time
or other, see some vessel pass or repass one way or other ; but
if not, then it was the savage coast between the Spanish
country and Brazils, where are found the worst of savages.
With these considerations, I walked very leisurely forward ;
I found that side of the island where I now was much plea-
santer than mine — the savannah fields sweet, adorned with
flowers and grass, and full of very fine woods. I saw
abundance of parrots, and fain I would have caught one, if
possible, to have kept it to be tame, and taught it to speak
to me. I did, after some painstaking, catch a young
parrot, for I knocked it down with a stick, and having re-
covered it, I brought it home ; but it was some years before I
could make him speak ; however, at last, I taught him to call
me by my name very familiarly. But the accident that followed,
though it be a trifle, will be very diverting in its place.
I was exceedingly diverted with this journey. I found in
the low grounds hares (as I thought them to be) and foxes?
but they differed greatly from all the other kinds I had met
with, nor could I satisfy myself to eat them, though I killed
ROBIXSON CUUSOE. OO
several. But I had no need to be venturous, for I had no want
of food, and of that which was very good, too, especially these
three sorts, viz., goats, pigeons, and turtle, or tortoise, which,
added to my grapes, Leadenhall-market could not have fur-
nished a table better than I, in proportion to the company.
I never travelled in this journey above two miles outright
in a day, or thereabouts ; but I took so many turns to see
what discoveries I could make, that I came weary enough to
the place where I resolved to sit down all night ; and then I
either reposed myself in a tree, or surrounded myself with a
row of stakes set upright in the ground, from one tree
to another, so as no wild creature could come at me without
waking me.
As soon as I came to the sea-shore, I was surprised to see
that I had taken up my lot on the worst side of the island,
for here, indeed, the shore was covered with innumerable turtles,
whereas, on the other side I had found but three in a year and
a half. Here was also an infinite number of fowls of many
kinds, some I had seen, and some I had not seen before, and
many of them very good meat, but such as I knew not the
names of, except those called penguins.
I could have shot as many as I pleased, but was very sparing
of my powder and shot, and therefore had more mind to kill
a she-goat, if I could, which I could better feed on ; and
though there were many goats here, more than on my side the
island, yet it was with much more difficulty that I could come
near them, the country being flat and even, and they saw me
much sooner than when I was on the hill.
I confess this side of the country was much pleasanter than
mine : but yet I had not the least inclination to remove, for as
I was fixed in my habitation it became natural to me, and I
seemed all the while I was here to be as it were upon a journey,
and from home. However, I travelled along the shore of the
sea towards the east, I suppose about twelve miles, and then
setting up a great pole upon the shore for a mark, I concluded
I would go home again, and that the next journey I took
should be on the other side of the island east from my dwelling,
and so round till I came to my post again.
I took another way to come back than that I went, thinking
I could easily keep all the island so much in my view, that I
could not miss finding my dwelling by viewing the country;
94: ROBINSON CRUSOE.
but I found myself mistaken, for, being come about two or,
three miles, I found myself descended into a very large valley,
but so surrounded with hills, and those hills covered with wood
that I could not see which was my way by any direction but
that of the sun, nor even then, unless I knew very well the
position of the sun at that time of the day. It happened, to
my further misfortune, that the weather proved hazy for three
or four days while I was in the valley, and not being able to
see the sun, I wandered about very uncomfortably, and at last
was obliged to find the sea-side, look for my post, and come
back the same way I went; and then by easy journeys I turned
homeward, the weather being exceeding hot, and my gun,
ammunition, hatchet, and other things, very heavy.
In this journey my dog surprised a young kid, and seized
upon it, and I, running in to take hold of it, caught it, and
saved it alive from the dog. I had a great mind to bring it
home if I could, for I had often been musing whether it might
not be possible to get a kid or two, and so raise a breed of tame
goats, which might supply me when my powder and shot should
be all spent. I made a collar for this little creature, and with
a string, which. I made of some rope-yarn, which I always
carried about with me, I led him along, though with some
difficulty, till I came to my bower, and there I inclosed him
and left him, for I was very impatient to be at home, whence
I had been absent above a month.
I cannot express what a satisfaction it was to me to come
into my old hutch, and lie down in my hammock-bed. This
little wandering journey, without settled place of abode, had
been so unpleasant to me, that my own house, as I called it to
myself, was a perfect settlement to me compared to that; and
it rendered everything about me so comfortable, that I resolved
I would never go a great way from it again, while it should be
my lot to stay on the island.
I reposed myself here a week, to rest and regale myself
after my long journey ; during which, most of the time was
taken up in the weighty affair of making a cage for my Poll,
who began now to be a mere domestic, and to be well
acquainted with me. Then I began to think of the poor kid
which I had penned in within my little circle, and resolved to
go and fetch it home, or give it some food; accordingly I went,
and found it where I left it, almost starved for want of food.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 95
I went and cut boughs of trees, and branches of suclf'shrubs
as I could find, and threw it over, and having fed it, I tied it
as I did before, to lead it away; but it was so tame with being
hungry, that I had no need to have tied it, for it followed me
like a dog; and as I continually fed it, the creature became so
loving, so gentle, and so fond, that it became from that
time one of my domestics also, and would never leave me
afterwards.
The rainy season of the autumnal equinox was now come,
and I kept the 30th of September in the same solemn manner
as before, being the anniversary of my landing on the island,
having now been there two years, and no more prospect of
being delivered than the first day I came there.
It was now that I began sensibly to feel how much more
happy this life I now led was, with all its miserable circum-
stances, than the wicked, cursed, abominable life I led all the
past part of my days ; and now I changed both my sorrows
and my joys; my very desires altered, my affections changed
their gusts, and my delights were perfectly new from what they
were at my first coming, or, indeed, for the two years past.
I began to exercise myself with new thoughts; I daily read
the word of God, and applied all the comforts of it to my
present state. One morning, being very sad, I opened the
Bible upon these words, "I will never, never leave thee, nor
forsake thee;" immediately it occurred that these words were
to me ; why else should they be directed in such a manner,
just at the moment when I was mourning over my condition,
as one forsaken of God and man? "Well then," said I, "if
God does not forsake me, of what ill consequence can it be,
or what matters it, though the world should all forsake me,
seeing on the other hand, if I had all the world, and should
lose the favour and blessing of God, there would be no
comparison in the loss."
From this moment I began to conclude in my mind, that it
was possible for me to be more happy in this forsaken, solitary
condition, than it was probable I should ever have been in any
other particular state in the world; and with this thought I
was going to give thanks to God f iv bringing me to this place.
I know not what it was, but something shocked my mind at
that thought, and I durst not speak the words. " How canst
thou become such a hypocrite," said I, even audibly, " to pre-
9C ROBINSON CRUSOE.
tend to be thankful for a condition, which, however thou
mayest endeavour to be contented with, thou wouldst rather
pray heartily to be delivered from ?" So I stopped there, but
though I could not say I thanked God for being there, yet I
sincerely gave thanks to God for opening my eyes, by what-
ever afflicting providences, to see the former condition of my
life, and to mourn for my wickedness, and repent. I never
opened the Bible, or shut it, but my very soul within me
blessed God for directing my friend in England, without any
order of mine, to pack it up among my goods, and for assist-
ing me afterwards to save it out of the wreck of the ship.
In this disposition of mind, I began my third year ; and
though I have not given the reader the trouble of so parti-
cular an account of my works this year as the first; yet in
general it may be observed, that I was very seldom idle, but
having regularly divided my time according to the several
daily employments that were before me, such as, first, my duty
to God, and the reading the Scriptures, which I constantly set
apart some time for, thrice every day; secondly, the going
abroad with my gun for food, which generally took me up three
hours in every morning, when it did not rain : thirdly, the
ordering, cutting, preserving, and cooking, what I had killed
or caught for my supply : these took up great part of the day;
also, it is to be considered, that in the middle of the day, when
the sun was in the zenith, the violence of the heat was too
great to stir out ; so that about four hours in the evening was
all the time I could be supposed to work in, with this
exception, that sometimes I changed my hours of hunting and
working, and went to work in the morning, and abroad with
my gun in the afternoon.
To this short time for labour, may be added the exceeding
laboriousness of my work ; the many hours which for want of
tools, want of help, and want of skill, everything I did took up
out of my time : for example, I was full two and forty days in
making a board for a long shelf, which I wanted in my cave ;
whereas, two sawyers, with their tools and a saw-pit, would
have cut six of them out of the same tree in half a day.
My case was this : it was to be a large tree which was to be
cut down, because my board was to be a broad one. This tree
I was three days in cutting down, and two more cutting off
the boughs, and reducing it to a log, or piece of timber. With
ROKIXSON CRUSOE. 97
inexpressible Lacking and hewing, I reduced both the sides of
it into chip3 till it began to be light enough to move; then I
turned it, and made one side of it smooth and flat as a board
from end to end ; then turning that side downward, cut the
other side, till I brought the plank to be about three inches
thick, and smooth on both sides. Anyone may judge the
labour in such a piece of work, but labour and patience carried
me through that, and many other things, as will appear by
what follows.
1 was now, in the months of November and December, ex-
7
98 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
pccting my crop of barley and rice. The ground I had
manured and dug up for them was not great ; for, as I observed
my seed of each was not above the quantity of half a peck, but
now my crop promised very well, when on a sudden I found I
was in danger of losing it all again by enemies of several sorts,
which it was scarcely possible to keep from it; as, first the
goats, and wild creatures which I called hares, who, tasting
the sweetness of the blade, lay in it night and day, as soon as
it came up, and ate it so close, that it could get no time to
shoot up into stalk.
This I saw no remedy for, but by making an enclosure about
it with a hedge ; which I did with a great deal of toil, and the
more, because it required speed. However, as my arable land
was but small, suited to my crop, I got it totally well fenced
in about three weeks' time ; and shooting some of the creatures
in the day-time, I set my dog to guard it in the night, tying
him up to a stake at the gate, where he would stand and bark
all night long; so in a little time, the enemies forsook the
place, and the corn grew very strong and well, and began to
ripen apace.
But as the beasts ruined me before, while my corn was in
the blade, so the birds were as likely to ruin me now, when it
was in the car ; for going along by the place to see how it throve,
I saw my little crop surrounded with fowls, of I know not how
many sorts, who stood, as it were, watching till I should be
gone. I immediately let fly among them, for I always had my
gun with me. I had no sooner shot, but there rose up a little
cloud of fowls, which I had not seen at all, from among the
corn itself.
This touched me sensibly, for I foresaw that in a few days
they would devour all my hopes ; that I should be starved, and
never be able to raise a crop at all, and what to do I could not
tell; however, I resolved not to lose my corn, if possible,
though I should watch it night and day. In the first place, I
went among it, to see what damage was already done, and
found they had spoiled a good deal of it ; but that as it was yet
too green for them, the loss was not so great, but that the
remainder was likely to bo a good crop, if it could be saved.
I stayed by it to load my gun, and then coming away, I
couhl easily see the thieves sitting upon all the trees about me,
ROEIXSON CRUSOE. 99
as if they only waited till I was gone away, and the event
proved it to be so ; for as I walked off, as if I was gone, I was
no sooner out of their sight, than they dropped clown one by
one into the corn again. I was so provoked, that I could not
have patience to stay till more came on, knowing that every
grain that they ate now was, as it might be said, a peck-loaf
to me in the consequence ; but coming up to the hedge I fired
again, and killed three of them. This was what I wished for ;
so I took them up, and served them as we serve notorious
thieves in England — hanged them in chains, for a terror to
others. It is impossible to imagine that this should have such
an effect as it had, for the fowls would not only not come at
the corn, but, inshort, theyforsook all that part of the island, and
I could never see a bird near the place as long as my scare-
crows hung there. This I was very glad of, and about the
latter end of December, which was our second harvest of the
year, I reaped my corn.
I was sadly put to it for a scythe or sickle to cut it down,
and all I could do was to make one, as well as I could, out of
one of the broad-swords, or cutlasses, which I saved among
the arms out of the ship. However, as my first crop was but
small, I had no great difficulty to cut it down; in short, I
reaped it my way, for I cut nothing off but the cars, and
carried it away in a great basket which I had made, and so
rubbed it out with my hands ; and at the end of my harvesting,
I found that out of my half-peck of seed I had near two bushels
of rice, and about two bushels and a half of barley ; that is to
say, by my guess, for I had no measure at that time.
However, this was a great encouragement to me, and I fore-
saw that, in time, it would please God to supply me with bread:
and yet, here I was perplexed again, for I neither knew how
to grind or make meal of my corn, or, indeed, how to clean it
and part it ; nor, if made into meal, how to make broad of it :
and if how to make it, yet I knew not how to bake it ; I re-
solved not to taste any of this crop, but to preserve it all for
seed against the next season ; and, in the meantime, to employ
all my study and hours of working to accomplish this great
work of providing myself with corn and bread.
It might be truly said, that now I worked for my bread. I
believe few people have thought much upon the strange multi-
100 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
iude of little tilings necessary in the providing, producing,
curing, dressing, making, and finishing this one article of
bread.
I, that was reduced to a mere state of nature, found this to
my daily discouragement, and was made more sensible of it
every hour.
First, I had no plough to turn up the earth ; no spade or
shovel to dig it. Well, this I conquered by making me a
wooden spade, as I observed before, but this did my work but
in a wooden manner, and though it cost me a great many days
to make it, yet for want of iron, it not only wore out soon, but
made my work the harder, and made it be performed much
worse. However, this I bore with, and was content to work
it out with patience, and bear with the badness of the per-
formance. When the corn was sown, I had no harrow, but
was forced to go over it myself, and drag a great heavy bough
of a tree over it, to scratch it, as it may be called, rather than
rake or harrow it. When it was growing, and grown, I have
observed already how many things I wanted to fence it, secure
it, mow or reap it, cure and carry it home, thrash, part it from
the chaff, and save it. Then I wanted a mill to grind it, sieves
to dress it, yeast and salt to make it into bread, and an oven
to bake it, but all these things I did without, as shall be ob-
served ; and yet the corn was an inestimable comfort am
advantage to me, too. All this made everything laborious an
tedious to me, but that there was no help for; neither was my
time so much loss to me, because, as I had divided it, a certain
part of it was every day appointed to these works ; and as I had
resolved to use none of the corn for bread till I had a greater
quantity by me, I had the next six months to apply myself
wholly, by labour and invention, to furnish myself with utensils
proper for the performing all the operations necessary for
making the corn, when I had it, fit for my use.
But first I was to prepare more land, for I had now seed
enough to sow above an acre of ground. Before I did this, I
had a week's work at least to make mo a spade, which, when it
was done, was but a sorry one indeed, and very heavy, and
required double labour to work with it. However, I got
through that, and sowed my seed in two large flat pieces of
ground, as near my house as i could find them to my mind,
and fenced them in with a good hedg 1 ', the stakes of which
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 10L
were all cut of that wood which I had set before, and knew it
would grow ; so that, in one year's time, I knew I should have
a quick or living hedge, that would want but little repair.
This work did not take mo up less than three months, because
a great part of that time was the wet season, when I could not
go abroad. Within doors I found employment in the following
-occupations — always observing, that all the while I was at
work, I diverted myself with talking to my parrot, and teaching
liim to speak; and I quickly taught him to know his own name,
and at last to speak it out pretty loud, Poll, which was the first
word I ever heard spoken in the island by any mouth but my
own. This, therefore, was not my work, but an assistance to
my work, for now, as I said, I had a great employment upon,
my hands, as follows: I had long studied to make, by some
means or other, some earthen vessels, which, indeed, I wanted
sorely, but knew not where to come at them. However, con-
sidering the heat of the climate, I did not doubt but if I could
find out any clay, I might make some pots that might, being
dried in the sun, be hard enough and strong enough to bear
handling, and to hold anything that was dry, and required to
be kept so ; and as this was necessary in the preparing corn,
meal, &c, which was the thing I was doing, I resolved to make
some as large as I could, and fit only to stand like jars, to hold
what should be put into them.
It would make the reader pity me, or rather laugh at me,
to tell how many awkward ways I took to raise this paste ;
what odd, misshapen, ugly things I made; how many of them
fell in, and how many fell out, the clay not being stiff enough
to bear its own weight; how many cracked by the over-violent
heat of the sun, being set out too hastily ; and how many fell
in pieces with only removing, as well before as after they were
dried ; and, in a word, how, after having laboured hard to find
the clay — to dig it, to temper it, to bring ic home, and work
it — 1 could not make above two large earthen ugly things (I
cannot call them jars) in about two months' labour.
However, as the sun baked these two very dry and hard, I
lifted them very gently up, and set them down again in two
great wicker baskets, which I had made on purpose for them,
that they might not break ; and as between the pot and the
basket there was a little room to spare, I stuffed it full of the
rice and barley straw; and these two pots being to stand
102 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
always dry, I thought would hold my dry corn, and perhaps*
the meal, when the corn was bruised.
Though I miscarried so much in my design for large pots,
yet I made several smaller things with better success ; such as-
little round pots, flat dishes, pitchers, and pipkins, and any
things my hand turned to; and the heat of the sun baked
them quite hard.
But my end was to get an earthen pot to hold what was
liquid, and bear the fire ; which none of these could do. It
happened after some time, making a pretty large fire for cook-
ing my meat, when I went to put it out after I had done with
it, I found a broken piece of one of my earthenware vessels in
the fire burnt as hard as a stone, and red as a tile. I was
agreeably surprised to see it, and said to myself, that certainly
they might be made to burn whole, if they would burn
broken.
This set me to study how to order my fire, so as to make it
burn some pots. I had no notion of a kiln, such as the potters
burn in, or of glazing them with lead, though I had some lead
to do it with ; but I placed three large pipkins, and two or
three pots, in a pile, one xipon another, and placed my firewood
all round it with a great heap of embers under them. I plied
the fire with fresh fuel round the outside, and upon the top,
till I saw the pots in the inside red-hot quite through, and ob-
served that they did not crack at all ; when I saw them clear
red, I let them stand in that heat about five or six hours, till I
found one of them, though it did not crack, did melt or run ;
for the sand which was mixed with the clay melted by the
violence of the heat, and would have run into glass if I had
gone on ; so I slacked my fire gradually till the pots began
to abate of the red colour, and watching them all night,
that I might not let the fire abate too fast, in the morning I
had three very good (I will not say handsome) pipkins, and
two other earthen pots, as hard burnt as could be desired,
and one of them perfectly glazed with the running of the
sand.
After this experiment, I need not say that I wanted no sort
of earthenware for my use ; but as to the shapes of them, they
were very indifferent, as anyone may suppose.
No joy at a tiling of so mean a nature was over equal to
mine, when I found I had made an earthen pot that would
3
ROBINSON CRLEOE. 103
bear the fire ; and I had hardly patience to stay till they were
cold, before I set one on the fire again, with some water in it,
to boil me some meat, which it did admirably well ; and with
a piece of a kid I made some very good broth, though I wanted
oatmeal, and several other ingredients requisite to make it as
good as I would have had it been.
My next concern was to get me a stone mortar to stamp or
beat some corn in ; for as to the mill, there was no thought of
arriving at that perfection of art with one pair of hands. To
supply this want, I was at a great loss ; for, of all the trades
in the world, I was as perfectly unqualified for a stone-cutter,
as for any whatever ; neither had I any tools to go about it
with. I spent many a day to find out a great stone big
enough to cut hollow, and make fit for a mortar, and could
find none at all, except what was in the solid rock, and which
I had no way to dig or cut out ; nor indeed were the rocks
in the island of hardness sufficient, but were all of a sandy
crumbling stone, which neither would bear the weight of a
heavy pestle, nor would break the corn, without filling it with
sand ; so, after a great deal of time lost in searching for a
stone, I gave it over, and resolved to look out for a great
block of hard wood, which I found indeed much easier ; and
getting one as big as I had strength to stir, I rounded it, and
formed it on the outside with my axe and hatchet, and then,
with the help of fire, and infinite labour, made a hollow place
in it, as the Indians in Brazil make their canoes. After this,
I made a great heavy pestle, or beater, of the wood called the
iron-wood ; and this I prepared and laid by against I had my
next crop of corn, which I proposed to myself to grind, or
rather pound, into meal, to make bread.
My next difficulty was to make a sieve, to dress my meal,
and to part it from the bran and the husk ; without which I
did not see it possible I could have any bread. This was a
most difficult thing, even to think on, for to be sure I had
nothing like the necessary thing to make it; I mean fine thin
canvas, or stuff, to scarce the meal through. And here I was
at a full stop for many months ; nor did I really know what
to do. Linen I had none left, but what was mere rags ; I had
goats'-hair, but neither knew how to weave it or spin it ; and
had I known how, here were no tools to work it with. All
the remedy that I found for this was, that at last I did re-
104 HOBINSON CRUSOE.
member I had, among the seamen's clothes which were saved
out of the ship, some neckcloths of calico or muslin ; and with
some pieces of these I made three small sieves, proper enough
for the work ; and thus I made shift for some years : how
I did afterwards, I shall show in its place.
The baking part was the next thing to be considered, and
how I should make bread when I came to have corn ; for,
first, I had no yeast; as to that part, there was no supplying
the want, so I did not concern myself much about it. But
for an oven, I was indeed in great pain. At length, I found
out an experiment for that also, which was this : I made some
earthen vessels very broad, but not deep, that is to say, about
two feet diameter, and not above nine inches deep ; these I
burned in the fire, as I had done the other, and laid them by ;
and when I wanted to bake, I made a great fire upon my
hearth, which I had paved with some square tiles, of my own
baking and burning also.
When the fire-wood was burned pretty much into embers,
I drew them forward upon this hearth, so as to cover it all over,
and there I let them lie till the hearth was very hot; then
sweeping away all the embers, I set down loaves, and whelming
down the earthen pot upon them, drew the embers all round
the outside of the pot, to keep in and add to the heat; and
thus, as well as in the best oven in the world, I baked my
barley loaves, and became, in a little time, a good pastry-cook
into the bargain ; for I made myself several cakes and puddings
of the rice; but I made no pies, neither had I anything to put
into them, except the flesh either of fowls or goats.
All these things took me up most part of the third year of
my abode here ; for. it is to be observed, that in the intervals
of these things, I had my new harvest and husbandry to
manage ; for I reaped my corn in its season, and carried it
home as well as I could, and laid it up in the ear, in my large
baskets, till I had time to rub it out, for I had no floor to
thrash it on, or instrument to thrash it with.
A.nd now, my stock of corn increasing, I wanted to build
my barns bigger ; I wanted a place to lay it up in, for the in-
crease of the corn now yielded me so much, that I had of the
barley about twenty bushels, and of the rice as much, or more,
insomuch that now I resolved to begin to u.->c it freely ; for
my bread had been quite gone a great while ; also I resolved
EOBINSON CRUSOE.
105
to see what quantity would be sufficient for me a whole year,
and to sow but once a-ycar.
Upon the whole, I found that the forty bushels of barley
and rice were much more than I could consume in a year ; so
I resolved to sow just the same quantity every year that I
so'.vcJ the hut, in hopes that such a quantity would fully pro-
viso me with bread, &c.
All the while these things were doing, my thoughts ran
many times upon the prospect of land which I had seen from
'the other side of the island ; and I was not without secret
wishes that I were on shore there, fancying I might find some
106 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
way or otherto convey myself farther, and perhaps at last find
some means of escape.
Now I wished for my boy Xury, and the long-boat with the
shoulder-of-mutton sail, with which I sailed above a thousand
miles on the coast of Africa ; but this was in vain : then I
thought I would go and look at our ship's boat, which was
blown up upon the shore a great way, in the storm, when we
were first cast away. She lay almost where she did at first ;
and was turned, by the force of the waves and the winds,
almost bottom upward, but no water about her. If I had had
hands to have refitted her, and to have launched her into the
water, the boat would have done well enough, and I might
have gone back into the Brazils with her easily ; but I might
have foreseen that I could no more turn her and set her up-
right upon her bottom, than I could remove the island ; how-
ever, I went to the woods, and cut levers and rollers, and
brought them to the boat, resolving to try what I could do ;
suggesting to myself, that if 1 could but turn her down, I
might repair the damage she had received, and she would be
a very good boat, and I might go to sea in her very easily.
I spared no pains in tin's piece of fruitless toil, and spent
three or four weeks about it ; at last, finding it impossible to
heave it up with my little strength, I fell to digging away the
sand, to undermine it, and so to make it fall down, setting
pieces of wood to thrust and guide it right in the fall.
But when I had done this, I was unable to stir it up again,
or to get under it, much less to move it forward towards the
water ; so I was forced to give it over.
This at length put me upon thinking whether it was not
possible to make myself a canoe, or periagua, such as the
natives of those climates make, even without tools, of the trunk
of a great tree. This I not only thought possible, but easy,
and pleased myself extremely with the thoughts of making it,
and with my having much more convenience for it than any
of the negroes or Indians ; but not at all considering the par-
ticular inconveniences which I lay under more than the Indians
did, viz., want of hands to move it, when it was made, into
the water ; for what was it to me, if when I had chosen a vast
tree in the woods, and with much trouble cut it down, if I
had been able with my tools to hew and dub the outside into
the proper shape of a boat, and burn or cut out the inside to
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 107'
make it hollow, so as to make a boat of it — if, after all this, I
must leave it just where I found it, and not be able to launch
it into the water ?
I went to work upon this boat the most like a fool that ever
man did, who had any of his senses awake. I pleased myself
with the design, without determining whether I was ever able
to undertake it ; not but that the difficulty of launching my
boat came often into my head ; but I put a st. >p to my in-
quiries into it, by this foolish answer : " Let me first make it ;
I warrant I will find some way or other to get it along when
it is done."
I felled a cedar-tree, and I question much whether Solomon
ever had such a one for the building of the Temple of Jeru-
salem •, it was five feet ten inches diameter at the lower part
next the stump, and four feet eleven inches diameter at the end
of twenty-two feet. It was not without infinite labour that I
felled this tree ; I was twenty days hacking and hewing at it
at the bottom ; I was fourteen more getting the branches and
limbs cut oft', which I hacked and hewed through with axe and
hatchet, with inexpressible labour: after this, it cost me a
month to shape it and dub it to a proportion, and to some-
thing like the bottom of a boat, that it might swim upright as
it ought to do. It cost me near three months more to clear
the inside, and work it out so as to make an exact boat of it ;
this I did, without fire, by mere mallet and chisel, and by the
dint of hard labour, till I had brought it to be a very hand-
some periagua, and big enough to have carried six and twenty
men, and consequently big enough to have carried me and all
my cargo.
When I had gone through this work, I was extremely de-
lighted with it. The boat was really much bigger than ever I
saw a canoe or periagua, that was made of one tree, in my life.
Many a weary stroke it had cost, you may be sure : and had
I gotten it into the water I make no question but I should have
begun the maddest voyage, and the most unlikely to be per-
formed, that ever was undertaken.
But all my devices to get it into the water failed me. It
lay about one hundred yards from the water ; but the first in-
convenience was, it was up hill towards the creek. To take
away this discouragement, I resolved to dig into the surface
of the earth, and so make a declivity : this I began : but when
108 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
this was worked through, and this difficulty managed, it was
still much the same, for I could no more stir the canoe than I
could the other boat. Then I measured the distance of
ground, and resolved to cut a dock or canal, to bring the water
up to the canoe. Well, I began this work ; and when I began
to calculate how deep it was to be dug, how broad, how the
stuff was to be thrown out, I found that, by the number of
hands I had, being none but my own, it must have been ten
or twelve years before I could have gone through with it ; for
the shore lay so high, that at the upper end it must have been
at least twenty feet deep ; so, with great reluctancy, I gave
this attempt over also.
I had now been here so lono; that manv things which I
brought on shore for my help were either quite gone, or very
much wasted, and near spent.
My ink had been gone some time, all but a very little, which
I eked out with water, till it was so pale, it scarce left any ap-
pearance of black upon the paper. As long as it lasted, I made
use of it to minute down the days of the month on which any
remarkable thing happened to me : and, first, by casting up
times past, I remembered that there was a strange concurrence
of days in the various providences which befell me, and which,
if I had been superstitiously inclined to observe days as fatal
or fortunate, I might have had reason to have looked upon with
a great deal of curiosity.
First, I had observed, that the same day that I broke away
from my father and friends, and ran away to Hull, in order to
go to sea, the same day afterwards I was taken by the Salleo
man-of-war, and made a slave ; the same day of the year that
I escaped out of the wreck of that ship in Yarmouth Eoads,
that same day-year afterwards I made my escape from Sallee
in a boat ; the same day of the year I was born on, viz., the
30th of September, that same day I had my life so miraculously
saved twenty-six years after, when I was cast on shore in this
island ; so that my wicked life and my solitary life began both
on a day.
The next thing to my ink being wasted, was the biscuit
which I brought out of the ship ; this I had husbanded to the
last degree, allowing myself but one cake of bread a day for
above a year; and yet I was quite without bread for near a
year before I got any corn of my own.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 109
My clothes, too, began to decay ; as to linen, I had had none
a good while, except some chequered shirts which I found in
the chests of the other seamen, and which I carefully preserved ;
because many times I could bear no other clothes on but a
shirt.
Upon these views, I began to consider about putting the
few rags I had into some order ; I had worn out all the waist-
coats I had, and my business was now to try if I could not
make jackets out of the great watch-coats which I had by me,
and with such other materials as I had ; so I set to work,
tailoring, or rather, indeed, botching, for I made most piteous
work of it. However, I made shift to make two or three new
waistcoats, which I hoped would serve me a great while ; as
for breeches or drawers, I made but a very sorry shift indeed
till afterwards.
I have mentioned that I saved the skins of all the creatures
that I killed, I mean four-footed ones, and I had them hung-
up stretched out with sticks in the sun, by which means some
of them were so dry and hard that they were fit for little, but
others were very useful. The first thing I made of these was
a great cap for my head, with the hair on the outside, to shoot
off the rain ; and this I performed so well, that after, I made
me a suit of clothes wholly of these skins.
After this, I spent a great deal of time and pains to make
an umbrella ; I was in great want of one ; I had seen them
made in the Brazils, where they are very useful in the great
heats there, and I felt the heats every jot as great here, and
greater too, being nearer the equinox ; besides, as I was
obliged to be much abroad, it was a most useful thing to me,
as well for the rains as the heats. I took a world of pains with
it, and was a great while before I could make anything likely
to hold : nay, after I thought I had hit the way, I spoiled two
or three before I made one to my mind : but at last I made
one that answered indifferently well ; the main difficulty I
found was to make it let down. I could make it spread, but
if it did not let down too, and draw in, it was not portable for
me any way but just over my head. However, at last, I made
one to answer, and covered it with skins, the hair upwards,
so that it cast oft* the rain like a pent-house, and kept off the
sun so eilectually, that I could walk out in the hottest of tho
weather with greater advantage than I could before in the
110 ROBINSOX CRUSO".
coolest, and when I had no need of it, could close it, and
carry it under my arm.
I cannot say, that after this, for five years, any extraordinary
thing happened to me, but I lived on in the same course, in
the same place as before ; the chief things I was employed in,
besides my yearly labour of planting my barley and rice, and
curing my raisins, of both which I always kept up just enough
to have sufficient stock of one year's provision beforehand ; and
my daily pursuit of going out with my gun, I had one labour,
to make a canoe, which at last I finished : so that, by digging
a canal to it of six feet wide and four feet deep, I brought it
into the creek, almost half amile. As for the first, which was
so vastly big, I was obligectvsto let it lie where h was, as a
memorandum to teach me to be wiser the next time ; indeed,
the next time, though I could not get a tree proper for it, and
was in a place where I could not get the water to it at any less
distance than near half a mile, yet, as I saw it was practicable
at last, I never gave it over ; and though I was near two years
about it, yet I never grudged my labour, in hopes of having a
boat to go off to sea at last.
However, though my little periagua was finished, yet the size
of it was not at all answerable to the design which I had in
view when I made the first ; of venturing over to the terra
Jirma, where it was above forty miles broad ; accordingly the
smallness of my boat assisted to put an end to that design, and
now I thought no more of it. My next design was to make a
cruise round the island ; for as I had been on the other side in
one place, crossing over the land, so the discoveries I made in
that little journey made mo very eager to see other parts of the
coast ; and now I had a boat, I thought of nothing but sailing
round the island.
For this purpose, I fitted up a little mast in my boat, and
made a sail too out of some of the pieces of the ship's sails
which lay in store. Having fitted my mast and sail, and tried
the boat, I found she would sail very well : then I made little
lockers, at each end of my boat, to put provisions, necessaries,
ammunition, &c\, into, to be kept dry, and a little, long, hollow
place I cut in the inside of the boat, where I could lay my gun,
making a flap to hang down over it, to keep it dry.
I fixed my umbrella also in a step at the stern, to stand over
my head, and keep the heat of the sun off me, like an awning;
ROBINSON CRUSOE. Ill
and thus I every now and then took a little voyage upon the
sea : but never went far out, nor far from the little creek. At
last, being eager to view the circumference of my little king-
dom, I resolved upon my cruise ; and accordingly I victualled
my ship for the voyage, putting in two dozen of loaves of
barley bread, an earthen pot full of parched rice, a little bottle
of rum, half a goat, and powder and shot for killing more, and
two large watch coats I had saved out of the seamen's chests ;
these I took, one to lie upon, and the other to cover me in
the night.
It was the 6th of November, in the sixth year of my reign,
or captivity, which you please, that I set out on this voyage,
and I found it much longer than I expected ; for though the
island itself was not very large, yet when I came to the east
side of it, I found a great ledge of rocks lie out about two
leagues into the sea, and beyond that a shoal of sand, lying
dry half a league more, so that I was obliged to go a great way
out to sea to double the point.
When first I discovered them, I was going to give over my
enterprise, and come back again, not knowing how far it might
oblige mo to go out to sea ; and, above all, doubting how I
should get back again : so I came to an anchor ; for I had made
a kind of an anchor, with a piece of a broken grappling which
I got out of the ship.
But the third day, in the morning, I ventured : but I am a
warning to all rash and ignorant pilots ; for no sooner was I
come to the point, when I was not even my boat's length from
the shore, but I found myself in a great depth of water, and a
current like the sluice of a mill: it carried my boat along with
it with such violence that all I could do could not keep her so
much as on the edge of it ; but I found it hurried me farther
and farther out from the eddy, which was on my left hand.
There was no wind stirring to help me, and all I could do with
my paddles signified nothing ; and now I began to give myself
over for lost ; for as the current was on both sides of the island,
I knew in a few leagues' distance they must join again, and
then I was irrecoverably gone ; so that I had no prospect before
me but of perishing, not by the sea, for that was calm enough,
but of starving from hunger. I had, indeed, found a tortoise
on the shore, as big almost as I could lift, and had tossed it
into the I]<>r;t ; and I had a great jar of fresh water; but what
112 KOBIXSON CRUSOE.
was all this to being driven into the vast ocean, where, to be
sure, there was no shore, no main land or island, for a thousand
leagues at least.
And now I saw how easy it was for the providence of God
to make even the most miserable condition of mankind worse.
Now I looked back upon my desolate, solitary island, as the
most pleasant place in the world, and all the happiness my
heart could wish for was to be but there again. It is scarcely
possible to imagine the consternation I was now in, being driven
from my beloved island into the wide ocean, almost two leagues,
and in the utmost despair of ever recovering it again. How-
ever, I worked hard till my strength was almost exhausted,
and kept my boat as much to the northward, that is towards
the side of the current which the eddy lay on, as possibly I
could ; when about noon, as the sun passed the meridian, I
thought I felt a little breeze of wind in my face, springing up
from S.S.E. This cheered my heart a little, and especially
when, in about half an hour more, it blew a pretty gentle gale.
By this time I had got at a frightful distance from the island,
and had the least cloudy or hazy weather intervened, I had
been undone another way, too ; for I had no compass on board,
and should never have known how to have steered towards the
island, if I had but once lost sight of it ; but the weather con-
tinuing clear, I applied myself to get up my mast again, and
spread my sail, standing away to the north as much as possible,
to get out of the current.
Just as I had set my mast and sail, and the boat began to
stretch away, I saw by the clearness of the water some alter-
ation of the current was near ; and presently I found to the
cast, at about half a mile, a breach of the sea upon some rocks :
these rocks caused the current to part again, and as the main
stress of it ran away more southerly, leaving the rocks to the.
north-cast, so the other returned by the repulse of the rocks,'
and made a strong eddy, which ran back again to the north-
west, with a very sharp stream.
They who know what it is to have a reprieve brought to
them upon the ladder, or to be rescued from thieves just going
to murder them, or who have been in such extremities, may
guess what my present surprise of jov was, and how gladly I
put my boat into tlie stream of this eddy; and the wind also
freshening, how gladly I spread my sail to it, running cheer-
EOBINSON CKUSOE. 113
fully before the wind, and with a strong tide or eddy under
foot.
This eddy carried me about, a league in my way back again,
directly towards the island, but about two leagues more to the
PACE 146.
northward than the current winch carried me away at first; so
that when I came near the island, I found mvsolf open to the
northern shore of it, that is to say, the other end of the island,
opposite to that which I went out from.
When I had made something more than a league of way bv
Mio help of this eddy, I found it was spent, and served me no
o
Hi- ROBINSON CRUSOE.
farther. However, being between two great currents in the
wake of the island, I found the water at least still, and running
no way ; and having still a breeze of wind fair for me, I kept
on steering directly for the island, and in about an hour came
within about a mile of the shore, where, it being smooth water,
J soon got to land.
When I was on shore, I fell on my knees, and gave God
thanks for my deliverance, resolving to lay aside all thoughts
of my deliverance by my boat; and refreshing myself with such
things as I had, I brought my boat close to the shore, in a
little cove that I had spied under some trees, and laid me down
to sleep, being quite spent with the labour and fatigue of the
voyage.
I was now at a great loss which way to get home with my
boat ; I had run so much hazard, and knew too much of the
case, to think of attempting it by the way I went out ; so I
resolved on the next morning to make my way westward along
the shore, and to see if there was no creek where I might lay
up my frigate in safety, so as to have her again, if I wanted her.
In about three miles, I came to a very good inlet or bay, about
a mile over, which narrowed till it came to a very little rivulet
or brook, where I found a very convenient harbour for my
boat, and where she lay as if she had been in a little dock
made on purpose for her. Here I put in, and having stowed
my boat very safe, I went on shore to look about me, and see
where I was.
I soon found I had but a little passed by the place where I
had been before, when I travelled on foot to that shore ; so
taking nothing out of my boat but my gun and umbrella, for
it was exceedingly hot, I began my march. The way was
comfortable enough after such a voyage as I had been upon,
and I reached my old bower in the evening, where I found
everything standing as I had left it.
I got over the fence, and laid me down in the shade to rest
my limbs, for I was very weary, and fell asleep ; but judge
you, if you can, that read my story, what a surprise I must be
in, when I was awaked out of my sleep by a voice, calling me
by my name several times, "Hoi, in, Robin, Eobin Crusoe;
poor Robin Crusoe! Where are you, Robin Crusoe? Where
are you ? Where have you been ?' 1 was so dead asleep at first,
being fatigued with rowing the first part of the dav, and with
ROBINSON CEUSOE. 115
walking the latter part, that I did not wake thoroughly; but
dozing between sleeping and waking, thought I dreamed that
somebody spoke to me ; but as the voice continued to repeat
" Robin Crusoe, Eobin Crusoe," at last I began to wake more
perfectly, and was at first dreadfully frightened, and started
up in the utmost consternation ; but no sooner were my eye3
open, but I saw my Poll sitting on the top of the hedge ; and
immediately knew that it was he that spoke to me; for just
in such bemoaning language I had used to talk to him, and
teach him : and he had learned it so perfectly that he would
sit upon my finger, and lay his bill close to my face, and cry,
"Poor Robin Crusoe! Where are you? Where have you
been? How came you here?" and such things as I had taught
him.
However, even though I knew it was the parrot, and that
indeed it could be nobody else, it was a good while before I
could compose myself. First, I was amazed how the creature
got thither ; and then, how he should just keep about the
place, and nowhere else ; but as I was well satisfied it could
bo nobody but honest Poll, I got over it ; and holding out my
hand, and calling him by his name, "Poll," the sociable crea-
ture came to me, and sat upon my thumb, as he used to do,
and continued talking to me, "Poor Robin Crusoe! and how
did I come here ? and where had I been V just as if he had
been overjoyed to see me again ; and so I carried him home
along with me.
I had now had enough of rambling to sea for some time, and
had enough to do for many days, to sit still, and reflect upon
the danger I had been in. I would have been very glad to
have had my boat again on my side of the island ; butl knew
not how it was practicable to get it about. I contented myself
to be without any boat, though it had been the product of so
many months' labour to make it, and of so many more to get it
into the sea.
In tins government of my temper, I remained near a year;
and lived a vow sedate, retired life, as you may well suppose ;
and my thoughts being very much composed as to my condition,
and fully comforted in resigning myself to the dispositions of
Providence, I thought I lived really very happily in ail tilings,
except that of society.
1 unproved myself in this time in all the mechanic exercises
116 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
■which my necessities put mo upon applying myself to ; and I
believe I should, upon occasion, have made a very good car-
penter, especially considering how few tools I had.
Besides this, I arrived at an unexpected perfection in my
earthenware, and contrived well enough to make them with a
wheel, which I found infinitely easier and better ; because I
made things round and shaped, which before were filthy thing*
indeed to look on. But I think I was never more vain of my
own performance, or more joyful for anything I found out, than
for my being able to made a tobacco-pipe ; and though it was
a very ugly, clumsy thing when it was done, and only burned
red, like other earthenware, yet as it was hard and firm, and
would draw the smoke, I was exceedingly comforted with it,
for I had been always used to smoke ; and there were pipes in
the ship, but I forgot them at first, not thinking that there was
tobacco in the island ; and afterwards, when I searched the-
ship again, I could not come at any pipes.
In my wiekerware, also, I improved much, and made abun-
dance of necessary baskets, as well as my invention showed
mie'; though not very handsome, yet they were such as were-
Tory handy and convenient for laying things up in, er fetching
things home. Also, large deep baskets were the receivers of
my corn, which I always rubbed out as soon as it was dry, and
cured, and kept it in great baskets.
I began now to perceive that my powder abated considerably:
this was a want which it was impossible for me to supplv, and
I began seriously to consider what I must do when I should
have no more powder ; that is to say, how I should kill any
goats. I had, in the third year of my being here, kept a
young kid, and bred her up tame, and I was in hopes of getting
a he-goat: but I could not by any means bring it to pass, till
my kid grew an old goat ; and as I could never find in my
heart to kill her, she died at Lost of mere age.
But being now in the eleventh year of my residence, and my
ammunition growing low, I sot myself to studv some art to
trap and snare the goats, to see whether I couhfnot catch some-
of them alive ; and particularly, I wanted a she-goat great
with young. For this purpose, I made snares to hamper them;
but my tackle was not good, for I had no wire, and I always
found them broken, and my bait devoured. At length, I re-
solved to try a pitfall: s\> i dug several large pits in the earth,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 117
in plaees where I had observed the goats used to feed, and over
those pits I placed hurdles, of my own making too, with a
great weight upon them ; and several times I put ears of barley
and dry rice, without setting the trap ; and I could easily per-
ceive that the goats had gone in and eaten up the corn, for I
could see the marks of their feet. At length, I set three traps
in one night, and going the next morning, I found them all
standing, and yet the bait eaten and gone: this was very dis-
couraging. However, I altered my traps : and, not to trouble
you with particulars, going one morning to see my traps, I
found in one of them a large old he-goat ; and in one of the
others, three kids, a male and two females.
As to the old one, I knew not what to do with him ; ho was
so fierce, I durst not go into the pit to him, to bring him
away alive, which was what I wanted ° so I even let him out,
and he ran away as if he had been frightened out of his wits.
But I did not then know what I afterwards learned, that
hunger will tame a lion. If I had let him stay there three or
four clays without food, and then have carried him some water
to drink, and then a little corn, he would have been as tame as
one of the kids ; for they are mighty sagacious, tractable crea-
tures, where they are well used.
However, for the present I let him go, knowing no better at
that time: then I went to the three kids, and, taking them one
by one, I tied them with strings together, and with somo
diinculty brought them all home.
It was a good while before they would feed ; but throwing
them some sweet corn, it tempted them, and they began to be
tame. And now I found that if I expected to supply myself
with goats' flesh, when I had no powder or shot left, breeding
some up tame was my only way, when, perhaps, 1 might have
them about my house like a flock of sheep. But, then, it
occurred to me that I must keep the tamo from the wild, or
else they would ahvays^un wild when they grew up; and the
only way for this was to have somo enclosed piece of ground,
-well fenced either with hedge or pale, to keep them in so effect-
ually, that those within might not break out, or those without
break in.
This was a great undertaking for one pair of hands ; yet, as I
saw there was an absolute necessity for doing it, my first work was
to find out a proper piece of ground, where there was likely to
118 eobisson ci;u.s.)i:.
be herbage for them to eat, water for them to drink, and cover
to keep them from the sun.
Those who understand such enclosures will think I had very
little contrivance, when I pitched upon a place very proper for
all these, which had two or three little drills of fresh water in
it, and at one end was very woody, — they will smile at my
forecast, when I shall tell them I began by enclosing this piece
of ground in such a manner, that my hedge or pale must have
been at least two miles about. Nor was the madness of it so
great as to the compass, for if it was ten miles about, I was like
to have time enough to do it in ; but I did not consider that
my goats would be as wild in so much compass as if they had
had the whole island, and I should have so much room to chase
them in that I should never catch them.
My hedge was begun and carried on, I believe, about fifty
yards when this thought occurred to me ; so I presently stopped
short, and, for the beginning, I resolved to enclose a piece of
about one hundred and fifty yards in length, and one hundred
yards in breadth, which, as it would maintain as many as I
should have in any reasonable time, so, as my stock increased,
I could add more ground to my enclosure.
This was acting with some prudence, and I went to work
with courage. I was about three months hedging in the first
piece; and, till I had done it, I tethered the three kids in the
best part of it, and used them to feed as near me as possible,
to make them familiar ; and very often I would go and carry
them some ears of barley and corn, or a handful of rice, and
feed them out of my hand ; so that, after my enclosure was
finished, and I let them loose, they would follow me up and
down, bleating after me for a handful of corn.
This answered my end, and in about a year and a half I had
a flock of about twelve goats, kids and all; and in two years
more I had thrce-and-forty, besides several that I took and
killed for my food. After that, I enaJpsed five -everal pieces
of ground to feed them in, with little pens to drive them into,
to take them as I wanted, and gates out of one piece of
ground into another.
But this was not all ; for now I not only had goats' flesh to
feed on when I pleased, but milk too, a thin-- which, indeed,
in the beginning, I did not so much as thin!; of. and which,
when it came into my thoughts, was really an a.reeable sur-
K03INS0N CKU30E. 119
prise, for now I set up my dairy, and had sometimes a gallon
or two of milk in a day. And as Nature, who gives supplies
of food to every creature, dictates even naturally how to make
use of it, so I, that had never milked a cow, much less a goat,
or seen butter or cheese made only when I was a boy, after a
great many essays and miscarriages, made both butter and
cheese at last, also salt (though I found it partly made to my
hand by the heat of the sun upon some of the rocks of the
sea), and never wanted it afterwards.
It would have made a stoic smile to have seen me and my
little family sit down to dinner. There was my majesty, the
prince and lord of the whole island ; I had the lives of all my
subjects at my absolute command ; I could hang, draw, give
liberty, and take it away, and no rebels among my subjects.
Then, to see how like a king I dined, too, all alone, attended
by my servants! Poll, as if he had been my favourite, was the
only person permitted to talk to me. My dog, who was now
grown very old and crazy, and had found no species to mul-
tiply his kind upon, sat always at my right hand, and two cats,
one on one side of the table, and one on the other, expecting
now and then a bit from my hand, as a mark of my special
favour.
But these were not the two cats which I brought on shore
at first, for they were both of them dead, and had been in-
terred near my habitation by my own hand ; but one of them
having multiplied by I know not what kind of creature, these
were two which I had preserved tame. With this attendance
and in this plentiful manner I lived ; neither could I be said to
want anything but society.
I was something impatient to have the use of my bo at,
though very loath to run any more hazards ; and therefore
sometimes I sat contriving ways to get her about the island,
and at other times I sat myself down contented enough with-
out her. But I had a strange uneasiness in my mind to go
down to the point of the island, where, in my last ramble, I
went up the hill to see how the shore lay ; this inclination in-
creased upon me every day, and at length I resolved to travel
thither by land, following the edge of the shore. I did so ;
but had anyone in England met such a man as I was, it must
either have fiightened him, or raised a great deal of laughter ;
and as I frequently stood still to look at myself, I could not
120 eocinson cnusoi:.
but smile at the notion of my travelling through Yorkshin
with such an equipage, and in such a dress. Be pleased t>
take a sketch of my figure as follows : —
I had, a high shapeless cap, made of a goat's skin, with a flaj:
hanging down behind, as well to keep the sun from me as tc
shoot the rain off from running into my neck, nothing being sc
hui^ful in these climates as the rain upon the- flesh under the
clothes.
I had a short jacket of goat's skin, the skirts coming down
to about the middle of the thighs, and a pair of open-kneed
breeches of the same ; the breeches were made of the skin oi
an old he-goat, whose hair hung down such a length on either
side, that, like pantaloons, it reached to the middle of my|
legs ; stockings and shoes I had none, but had made mo a pair
of somethings, I scarce know what to call them, like buskins,
to flap over my legs, and lace on either side like spatterdashes,
but of a most barbarous shape, as indeed were all the rest of
my clothes.
I had on a broad belt of goat's skin dried, which I drew
together with two thongs of the same instead of buckles, and
in a kind of a frog on either side of this, instead of a sword
and dagger, hung a little saw and a hatchet, one on one side,
and one on the other. I had another belt not so broad, and
fastened in the same manner, which hung over my shoulder,
and at the end of it, under my left arm, hung two pouches,
both made of goat's skin too, in one of which hung my powder,
in the other my shot. At my back I carried my basket, and
on my shoulder my gun, and over my head a great clumsy,
ugly, goat's skin umbrella, but which, after all, was the most
necessary thing I had about me next to my gun. As for my
face, the colour of it was really not so mulatto-like as one might
expect from a man not at all careful of it, and living within
nine or ten degrees of the equinox. My beard I had once
suffered to grow till it was about a quarter of a yard long ;
but as I had both scissors and razors sufficient, I had cut it
pretty short, except what grew on my upper lip, which I had
trimmed into a large pair of Mahometan whiskers, such as I had
seen worn by some Turks at Sallce, for the Moors did net
wear such, though the Turks did ; of these moustachios, or
whiskers, I will not say they were long enough to hang my
hat upon them, but they were of a length and shape mon-
EOBINSON CKUSOE.
121
strous enough, and such as in England would have passed for
frightful.
But all this is by the bye ; for, as to my figure, I had so few
to observe me, that it was of no manner of consequence, so I
l'AQE 156.
say no more of that. In this kind of dress I went my new
journey, and was out five or six days. I travelled first along
the sea-shore, directly to the place where I first brought my
boat to an anchor to get upon the rocks ; and having no boat
now to take care of, I went over the land a nearer way to the
same height that I was upon before, when, looking forward to
124
KOBINSOlf CRUSOE.
hensive of being hurried out of my knowledge again by the
currents or winds, or any other accident. But now I come to
a new scene of my life.
It happened one day, about noon, going towards my boat, I
was exceedingly surprised with the print of a man's naked foot
on the shore, which was very plain to be seen on the sand. I
stood like one thunderstruck, or as if I had seen an apparition.
I listened, I looked round me, but I could hear nothing nor
see anything ; I went up to a rising ground, to look farther;
I went up the shore, and down the shore, but it was all one:
I could see no other impression but that one. I went to it
again to see if there were any more, and to observe if it might
not be my fancy ; but there was no room for that, for there
was exactly the print of a foot — toes, heel, and every part of
a foot. How it came thither I knew not, nor could I in the
least imagine ; but after innumerable fluttering thoughts, like
a man perfectly confused and out of myself, I came to my for-
tification, not feeling, as Ave say, the ground I went on, but
terrified to the last degree, looking behind me at every two
or three steps, mistaking every bush and tree, and fancying
every stump at a distance to be a man.
When I came to my castle (for so I think I called it ever
after this), I fled into it like one pursued.
I slept none that night ; the farther I was from the occasion
of my fright, the greater my apprehensions were. Sometimes
I fancied it must be the devil, and reason joined in with me in
this supposition, for how should any other thing in human
shape come into the place ? Where was the vessel that brought
them ? What marks were there of any other footstep ? And
how was it possible a man should come there ? I considered
that the devil might have found out abundance of other ways
to have terrified me than this of the single print of a foot ; that
as I lived quite on the other side of the island, he would never
have been so simple as to leave a mark in a place where it was
ten thousand to one whether I should ever see it or not, and
in the sand too, which the first surge of the sea, upon a high
wind, would have defaced entirely. All this seemed incon-
sistent with the thing itself, and with all the notions we usually
entertain of the subtilty ot the devil.
While these reflections were rolling in my mind, I was very
thankful in my thoughts, that I was so happy as not to be
KOEIXSOX CKUSOE. 125'
thereabouts at that time, or that they did not see my boat, by
which they would have concluded that some inhabitants had
been in the place, and perhaps have searched farther for me.
Then terrible thoughts racked my imagination about their
having found out my boat, and that there were people herej
and that, if so, I should certainly have them come again in
greater numbers, and devour me ; that if it should happen that
they should not find me, yet they would find my enclosure,
destroy all my corn, and carry away all my flock of tame
goats, and I should perish at last for mere want.
Thus my fear banished all my religious hope, all that former
confidence in God, which was founded upon such wonderful
experience as I had had of His goodness ; as if He that had
fed me by miracle hitherto could not preserve, by His power,
the provision which He had made for me by His goodness. I
reproached myself with my laziness, that would not sow any
more corn one year than would just serve me till the next
season, as if no accident could intervene to prevent my enjoy-
ing the crop that was upon the ground ; and this I thought so-
just a reproof, that I l-esolved for the future to have two or
three years' corn beforehand ; so that, whatever might come, I
might not perish for want of bread.
One morning early, lying in my bed, and filled with thoughts,
about my danger from the appearances of savages, I found it
discomposed me very much ; upon which these words of the
Scripture came into my thoughts " Call upon me in the day
of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me."
Upon this, rising cheerfully out of my bed, my heart was not
only comforted, but I was guided and encouraged to pray
earnestly to God for deliverance : when I had done praying,
I took up my Bible, and opening it to read, the first words
that presented to me were, " Wait on the Lord, and be of good
cheer, and he shall strengthen thy heart ; wait, I say, on the
Lord." It is impossible to express the comfort this gave me.
In answer, I thankfully laid down the book, and was no more
sad, at least on that occasion.
In the middle of these cogitations, apprehensions, and re-
flection?, it came into my thoughts one day, that all this might
be a mere chimera of my own, and that this foot might be the
print of my own foot, when I came on shore from my boat;
this cheered me up a little, too, and I began to persuade my-
126 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Self it was all a delusion ; that it was nothing else but my own
foot ; and why might I not come that way from the boat, as
well as I was going that way to the boat ? Again I considered
also, that I could by no means tell, for certain, where I had
trod, and where I had not ; and that if, at last, this was only
the print of my own foot, I had played the part of those fools
who try to make stories of spectres and apparitions, and then
are frightened at them more than anybody.
Now I began to take courage, and to peep abroad again, for
I had not stirred out of my castle for three days and nights,
so that I began to starve for provisions ; for I had little or
nothing within doors but some barley-cakes and water : then
I knew that my goats wanted to be milked too, which usually
was my evening diversion ; and the poor creatures were in great
pain and inconvenience for want of it ; and, indeed, it almost
spoiled some of them, and almost dried up their milk. En-
couraging myself, therefore, with the belief that this Avas
nothing but the print of one of my own feet, and that I might
be truly said to start at my own shadow, I began to go abroad
again, and went to my country-house to milk my flock : but
to see with what fear I went forward, how often I looked
behind me, how I was ready, every now and then, to lay down
my basket and run for my life, it would have made anyone
have thought I was haunted with an evil conscience, or that
I had been lately most terribly frightened ; and so, indeed, I
had. However, I went down thus two or three days, and
having seen nothing, I began to be a little bolder, and to think
there was really nothing in it but my own imagination ; but I
could not persuade myself fully of this till I should go down
to the shore again, and see this print of a foot, and measure it
by my own, and see if there was any similitude or fitness, that
I might be assured it was my own foot : but when I came to
the place — first, it appeared evidently to me, that when I laid
up my boat, I could not possibly be on shore anywhere there-
abouts : secondly, when I came to measure the mark with my
own foot, I found my foot not so large by a great deal. Both
these things filled my head with new imaginations, and gave
me the vapours again to the highest degree, so that I shook
with cold like one in an ague ; and I went home again, filled
with the belief that some man or men, had been on shore there;
or, in short, that the island was inhabited, and I might be
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 12/
surprised before I was aware ; and what course to take for my
security I knew not.
The first thing I proposed to myself was, to throw down my
enclosures, and turn all my tame cattle wild into the woods,
lest the enemy should find thera, and then frequent the island
in prospect of the same or the like booty : then the simple
thing of digging up my two corn fields, lest they should find
such a grain there, and still be prompted to frequent the island:
then to demolish my bower and tent, that they might not see
any vestiges of habitation, and be prompted to look farther, in
order to find out the persons inhabiting.
These were the subjects of the first night's cogitations after
I was come home again, while the apprehensions which had so
overrun my mind were fresh upon me, and my head was full
of vapours.
This confusion of my thoughts kept me awake all night ; but
in the morning I fell asleep ; and having, by the amusement of
my mind, been, as it were, tired, and my spirits exhausted, I
slept very soundly, and waked much better composed than I
had ever been before. And now T began to think sedately;
and, upon debate with myself, I concluded that this island
(which was so exceedingly pleasant, fruitful, and no farther
from the main land than as I had seen) was not so entirely
abandoned as I might imagine ; that although there were no
stated inhabitants who lived on the spot, yet that there might
sometimes come boats off from the shore, who, either with
design, or perhaps never but when they were driven by cross
winds, might come to this place ; that I had lived here fifteen
years now, and had not met with the least shadow or figure of
any people yet ; and that, if at any time they should be driven
here, it was probable they went away again as soon as ever
they could, seeing they had never thought fit to fix here upon any
occasion ; that the most I could suggest any danger from was,
from any casual accidental landing of straggling people from
the main, who, as it was likely, if they were driven hither, were
here against their wills, so they made no stay here, but went
off again with all possible speed; seldom staying one night on
shore, lest they should not have the help of the tides and day-
light back again ; and that, therefore, I had nothing to do but
to consider of some safe retreat, in case I should see any savages
land upon the spot.
128
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Now I began sorely to repent that I had dug my cave so
large as to bring a door through again, which door, as I said,
came out beyond where my fortification joined to the rock :
upon maturely considering this, therefore, I resolved to draw
me a second fortification, in the same manner of a semicircle,
at a distance from my wall, just where I had planted a double
row of trees about twelve years before, of which I made
mention: these trees having been planted so thick before, they
wanted but few pile3 to be driven between them, that they
might be thicker and stronger, and my wall would be soon
finished. So that I now had a double wall ; and my outer
wall was thickened with pieces of timber, old cables, and every-
thing I could think of, to make it strong ; having in it seven
little holes, about as big as I might put my arm out at. In the
inside of this, I thickened my wall to about ten feet thick, with
continually bringing earth out of my cave, and laying it at the
foot of the wall, and walking upon it; and through the seven
holes I contrived to plant the muskets, of which I took notice
that I had got seven on shore out of the ship ; these I planted
like my cannon, and fitted them into frames, that held them like
a carriage, so that I could fire all the seven guns in two minutes'
time; this wall I was many a weary month in finishing, and
yet never thought myself safe till it was done.
When this was done, I stuck all the ground without my wall,
for a great length every way, as full with stakes or sticks of the
osier-like wood, which I found so apt to grow, as they could
well stand ; insomuch, that I believe I might set in near twenty
thonsand of them, leaving a pretty large space between them
and my wall, that I might have room to see an enemy, and they
might have no shelter from the young trees, if they attempted
to approach my outer wall.
Thus, in two years' time, I had a thick grove; and in five
or six years' time I had a wood before my dwelling, growing
so monstrously thick and strong that it was indeed perfectly
impassable : and no men, of what kind soever, could ever
imagine that there was anything beyond it, much less a habita-
tion. As for the way which I proposed to myself to go in and
out (for I left no avenue), it was by setting two ladders, one to
apart of the rock which was low, and then broke in, and left
room to place another ladder upon that; so when the two
ladders were taken down, no man living could come down to
ROBrXSON CRUSOE.
129
jae without doing himself mischief; and if they had come downs
thoy were still on the outside of my outer wall.
Thus I took all the measures human prudence could sugget,
for ray own preservation ; and it will he seen, at length, that
Vage 153
they were not altogether without just reason ; though I foresaw
nothing at that time more than my mere fear suggested to
me.
While this was doing, I was not altogether careless of my
other affairs ; for I had a great concern upon me for my little
herd of goats : they were not only a ready supply to me on
9
130 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
every occasion, and began to be sufficient for me, ■without the
expense of powder and shot, but also without the fatigue of
hunting after the -wild ones ; and I was loath to lose the ad-
vantage of them, and to have them all to nurse up over again.
For this purpose, after long consideration, I could think of
but two ways to preserve them ; one was, to find another con-
venient place to dig a cave under ground, and to drive them
into it every night ; and the other was to inclose two or three
little bits of land, remote from one another, and as much con-
cealed as I could, where I might keep about half a dozen young
goats in each place ; so that if any disaster happened to the
flock in general, I might be able to raise them again with little
trouble and time : and this, though it would require a good
deal of time and labour, I thought was the most rational
design.
Accordingly, I spent some time to find out the most retired
parts of the island ; and I pitched upon one, which was as
j>rivate, indeed, as my heart could wish lor : it was a little damp
piece of ground, in the middle of the hollow and thick woods,
where I almost lost myself once before, endeavouring to come
back that way from the eastern part of the island. Here I
found a clear piece of land, near three acres, so surrounded
with woods, that it was almost an inclosure by nature ; at least,
it did not want near so much labour to make it so, as the other
piece of ground I had worked so hard at.
I immediately went to work with this piece of ground ; and,
in less than a month's time, I had so fenced it round that my
flock were well enough secured in it ; so, without any further
delay, I removed ten young she-goats, and two he-goats, to
this piece ; and, when they were there, I continued to perfect
the fence, till I had made it as secure as the other ; which,
however, I did at more leisure, and it took me up more time
by a great deal. All this labour I was at the expense of,
purely from my apprehensions on the account of the print of a
man's foot ; for, as yet, I had never seen any human creature
come near the island ; and I had now lived two years under
this uneasiness, which, indeed, made my life much less comfortable
than it was before, as may be well imagined by any who
know what it is to live in the constant snare of the fear of.
man.
ROBINSON CRUGOE. 131
After I had thus secured one part of my little living stocks
I went about the -whole island, searching for another private
place to make such another deposit ; when, wandering more
to the v.-est point of the island than I had ever done yet, and
looking out to sea, I thought I saw a boat upon the sea, at a
great distance. I had found a perspective glass or two in one
of the seamen's chests, which I saved out of our ship, but I had
it not about me ; and this was so remote that I could not tell
what to make of it, though I looked at it till my eyes were not
able to hold to look any longer ; whether it was a boat or nor,
I do not know, but as T descended from the hill I could see no
more of it, so I gave it over ; only I resolved to go no more
out without a perspective glass in my pocket. Yv hen I was
come down the hill to the end of the island, where, indeed, I
had never been before, I was presently convinced that the seeing
the print of a man's foot was not such a strange tiling in the
island as I imagined : but that it was a special providence
that I was cast upon the side of the island where the savages
never came, I should easily have known that nothing was more
frequent than for the canoes from the main, when they hap-
pened to be a little too far out at sea, to shoot over to that side
of the island for harbour : likewise, as they often mot and
fought in their canoes, the victors, having taken any prisoners,
would bring them over to this shore, where, according to their
dreadful customs, being all cannibals, they would kill and eat
them.
When I was come down the hill to the shore, I was perfectly
confounded and amazed ; nor is it possible for me to express
the horror of my mind, at seeing the shore spread with skulls,
hands, feet, and other bones of human bodies ; and particu-
larly, I observed a place where there had been a fire made, and
a circle dug in the earth, like a cockpit, where I supposed the
savage wretches had sat down to their inhuman feastings upon
the bodies of their fellow-creatures.
I was so astonished with the sight of these things, that I
entertained no notions of any danger to myself from it for a
long while ; all my apprehensions were buried in the thoughts
of such a pitch of inhuman, hellish brutality, and the horror
of the degeneracy of human nature, which, though I had heard
of it often, yet I never had so near a view of before ; in
loZ ROBINSON CRUSOE.
short, I turned away my face from the horrid spectacle, and
with all the speed" I could, walked on towards my own
habitation.
When I came a little out of that part of the island, I stood
still awhile, as amazed, and then recovering myself, I looked
up with the utmost affection of my soul, and, with a flood of
tears in my eyes, gave God thanks, that had cast my first lot
in a part of the world where I was distinguished from such
dreadful creatures as these ; and that, though I had esteemed
my present condition very miserable, had yet given me so many
comforts in it that I had still more to give thanks for than to
complain of.
In this frame of thankfulness, I went home to my castle, and
began to be much easier now, as to the safety of my circum-
stances, than ever I was before : for I observed that these
wretches never came to this island in search of what they could
get ; perhaps not seeking, wanting, or expecting, anything
here; and having often, no doubt, been up in the covered,
■woody part of it, without finding anything to their purpose.
I knew I had been here now almost eighteen years, and never
saw the least footsteps of human creature there before ; and I
might be eighteen years more as entirely concealed as I was
now, if I did not discover myself to them, which I had no
manner of occasion to do ; it being my only business to keep
myself entirely concealed where I was, unless I found a better
sort of creatures than cannibals to make myself known to.
Yet I entertained such an abhorrence of the savage wretches
that I have been speaking of, and of the wretched, inhuman
custom of their devouring and eating one another up, that I
continued pensive and sad, and kept close within my own circle,
for almost two years after this. I did not so much as go to
look after my boat all this time, but began rather to think of
making another ; for I could not think of ever making
any more attempts to bring the other boat round the island to
me, lest I should meet with some of these creatures at sea.
Time, however, and the satisfaction I had that I was in no
danger of being discovered by these people, began to wear off
my uneasiness about them ; and I began to live just in the same
composed manner as before, only with this difference, that I
used more caution, and kept my eyes more about me, lest I should
happen to be seen by any of them ; and particularly, I was
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 133
more cautious of firing my gun, lest any of them, being on the
island, should happen to hear it. It was, therefore, a very good
providence to me that I had furnished myself with a tame breed
of goats, and that I had no need to hunt any more about the
■woods, or shoot at them ; and if I did catch any of them after
this, it was by snares and traps, as I had done before : so that
for two years after this, I believe I never fired my gun once off,
though I never went out without it ; and, what was more, as
I had saved three pistols out of the ship, I always carried them
out with me, or at least two of them, sticking them in my goat-
skin belt. I also furbished up one of the great cutlasses that I
had out of the ship, and made me a belt to hang it on also ; so
that I was now a most formidable fellow to look at when I went
abroad, if you add to the former description of myself, the par-
ticular of two pistols, and a great broad-sword hanging at my
side in a belt, but without a scabbard.
As in my present condition there were not really many
things which I wanted, so, indeed, I thought that the frights
I had been in about these savage wretches, and the concern I
had been in for my own preservation, had taken off the edge of
my invention for my own conveniences ; and I had dropped a
good design, which I had once bent my thoughts too much
upon, and that was to try if I could not make some of my barley
into malt, and then try to brew myself some beer. This was
really a whimsical thought, and I reproved myself often for the
simplicity of it: for I presently saw there would be the want
of several things necessary to the making my beer, that it
would be impossible for me to supply ; as, first, casks to pre-
serve it in, which was a thing that, as I have observed already,
I could never compass : no, though I spent not only many days,
but weeks, nay months, in attempting it, but to no purpose.
In the next place, I had no hops to make it keep, no yeast to
make it work, no copper or kettle to make it boil ; and yet
1 with all these things wanting, I verily believe, had not the
frights and terrors I was in about the savages intervened, I had
undertaken it, and perhaps brought it to pass, too ; for I seldom
gave anything over without accomplishing it, when once I had
it in my head to begin it. Eut my invention now ran quite
another way ; for, night and day, 1 could think of nothing but
how I might destroy some of these monsters in their cruel,
bloody entertainment j and ? if possible, gave the victim they
131 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
should bring hither to destroy. But what could one man do
among them, when perhaps there might be twenty or thirty of
them together, with their darts, or their bows and arrows,
with which they could shoot as true to a mark as I could with
my gun ?
While my mind was thus filled with thoughts of revenge and
a bloody putting twenty or thirty of them to the sword, as I
may call it, the horror I had at the place, and at the signals of
the barbarous wretches devouring one another, abetted my
malice. Well, at length I found a place in the side of the hill,
where I was satisfied I might securely wait till I saw any of
their boats coming ; and might then, even before they would
be ready to come on shore, convey myself unseen into some
thickets of trees, in one of which there was a hollow large
enough to conceal me entirely ; and there I might sit and ob-
serve all their bloody doings, and take my full aim at their
heads, when they were so close together as that it would be
next to impossible that I should miss my shot, or that I could
fail wounding three or four of them at the first shot. In this
place then, I resolved to fulOl my design ; and accordingly, I
prepared two muskets and my ordinary fowling-piece. The
two muskets I loaded with a brace of slugs each, and four or
five smaller bullets, about the size of pistol bullets ; and the
fowling-piece I loaded with near a handful of swan-shot of the
largest size; I also loaded my pistols with about four bullets
each ; and, in this posture, well provided with ammunition for
a second and third charge, I prepared myself for my expedition.
After I had thus laid the scheme of my design, I made my tour
every morning to the top of the hill, to see if I could observe
any boats upon the sea, coming near the island, or standing
over towards it ; but I began to tire of this hard duty, after I
had for two or three months constantly kept my watch, but
came always back without any discovery ; there having not, in
all that time, been the least appearance, not only ©n or near
the shore, but on the whole ocean, so far as my eye* or glass
could reach every way.
As long as I kept my daily tour to the hill to look out, so
long also I kept up the vigour of my design, and my spirits
seemed to be all the while in a suitable form for so outrageous
an execution as the killing twenty or thirty naked savages, for
au offence which I had not at all entered into any discussion
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 135
of in my thoughts, any farther than my passions were at first
fired by the horror I conceived at the unnatural customs of the
people of that country. But now, when I began to bo weary
of the fruitless excursion which I had made so long and so far
every morning in vain, so my opinion of the action itself began
to alter; and I began, with cooler and calmer thoughts, to
consider what I was going to engage in ; what authority or
call I had to pretend to be judge and executioner upon these
men as criminals, whom Heaven had thought fit, for so many
ages, to suffer to go on unpunished, and to be, as it were, the
executioners of His judgments one upon another; how far these
people were offenders against me, and what right I had to en-
gage in the quarrel of that blood which they shed promiscuously
upon one another.
When I considered this a. little, it followed necessarily that
I was certainly in the wrong ; that these people were not mur-
derers in the sense that I had before condemned them in my
thoughts, any more than those Christians were murderers who
often put to death the prisoners taken in battle; or more fre-
quently, upon many occasions, put whole troops of men to the
sword, without giving quarter, though they threw down their
arms and submitted.
These considerations really put me to a pause, and to a kind
of a full stop ; and I began, by little and little, to be off my
design, and to conclude I had taken wrong measures in my
resolution to attack the savages ; and that it was not my
business to meddle with them, unless they first attacked me ;
and this it was my business, if possible, to prevent : but that, if
I were discovered and attacked by them, I knew my duty.
In this disposition I continued for near a year after this;
and so far was I from desiring an occasion for falling upon
these wretches, that in all that time I never once went up the
hill to see whether there were any of them in sight, or to know
whether any of them had been on shore or not, that I might
not be tempted to renew any of my contrivances against them,
or be provoked by any advantage that might present itself, to
fall upon them: only this I did; I went and removed my boat»
which I had on the other side of the island, and carried it down
to the east end of the whole island, where I ran it into a little
cove, which I found under some high rocks, and where I knew,
by reason of the currents, the savages durst not, at least would
136 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
not, come with their boats on any account whatever. With
my boat I carried away everything that I had left there be-
longing to her, though not necessary for the bare going thither,
viz., a mast and sail which I had made for her, and a thing like
an anchor, but which indeed could not be called either anchor
or grapnel; however, it was the best I could make of its kind;
all these I removed, that there might not be the least shadow
for discovery, or appearance of any boat, or of any human
habitation upon the island. Besides this, I kept myself more
retired than ever, and seldom went from my cell except upon
my constant employment, to milk my she-goats, and manage
my little flock in the wood, which, as it was quite on the other
part of the island, was out of danger.
I believe the reader of this will not think it strange, if I con-
fess, that these anxieties, these constant dangers I lived in,
and the concern that was now upon me, put an end to all in-
vention, and to all the contrivances that I had laid for my
future accommodations and conveniences. I had the care of
my safety more now upon my hands than that of r.iy food. I
cared not to drive a nail, or chop a stick of wood now, for fear
the noise I might make should be heard : much less would I
fire a gun for the same reason : and, above all, I was intoler-
ably uneasy at making any fire, lest the smoke, which is visible
at a great distance in the day, should betray me. For this
reason, I removed that part of my business which required fire,
such as burning of pots and pipes, &c, into my new apartment
in the woods; where, after I had been some time, I found to
my unspeakable consolation, a mere natural cave in the earth,
which went in a vast way, and where, I dare say, no savage,
had he been at the mouth of it, would be so hardy as to
venture in.
The mouth of this hollow was at the bottom of a great
rock, where, by mere accident (I would say, if I did not see
abundant reason to ascribe all such things now to Providence),
I was cutting down some thick branches of trees to make
charcoal ; and before I go on I must observe the reason of
my making this charcoal, which was thus : I was afraid of
making a smoke about my habitation, as I said before : and
yet I could not live there without baking my bread, cooking
my meat, &c, so I contrived to burn some wood here, as I
had seen done in England, under turf, till it became chark or
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
137
dry coal : and then putting the fire out, I preserved the coal
to carry home, and perform the other services for which fire
was wanting, without danger of smoke. But this is by the
bye. While I was cutting down some wood here, I perceived
Page 160.
that, behind a very thick branch of low brushwood or under-
wood, there was a kind of hollow place : I was curious to look
in it, and getting with difficulty into the mouth of it, I found
it was sufficient for me to stand upright in it, and perhaps
another with me ; but I must confess to you that I made more
haste out than I did in, when, looking farther into the place,
138 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
and which was perfectly dark, I saw two broad shining eyes
of some creature, whether devil or man I knew not, which
twinkled like two stars ; the dim light from the cave's mouth
shining directly in, and making the reflection. However,
after some pause, I recovered myself, and began to call myself
a thousand fools, and to think that he that was afraid to see
the devil, was not fit to live twenty years in an island all
alone ; and that I might well think there was nothing in this
cave that was more frightful than myself. Upon this, plucking
up my courage, I took tip a firebrand, and in I rushed again,
with the stick flaming in ray hand : I had not gone three steps
in, before I was almost as much frightened as before ; for I
heard a very loud sigh, like that of a man in some pain, and
it was followed by a broken noise, as of words half expressed,
and then a deep sigh again. I stepped back, and was indeed
struck with such a surprise that it put me into a cold sweat,
and if I had had a hat on my head, I will not answer for if
that my hair might not have lifted it off. But still plucking
up my spirits as well as I could, and encouraging myself a
little with considering that the power and presence of God
was everywhere, and was able to protect me, I stepped forward
again, and by the light of the firebrand, holding it up a little
over my head, I saw lying on the ground a monstrous,
frightful, old he-goat, just making his will, as we say, and
gasping for life, and dying, indeed, of mere old age. I stirred
him a little to see if I eould get him out, and he essayed to
get up, but was not able to raise himself ; and I thought with
myself he might even lie there, — for if he had frightened me,
so he would certainly fright any of the savages, if any one of
them should be so hardy as to come in there while he had
any life in him.
I was now recovered from my surprise, and began to look
round me, when I found the cave was but very small, — it
might be about twelve feet over, but in no manner of shape,
neither round nor square, no hands having ever been em-
ployed in making it but those of mere Nature. I observed
also that there was a place at the farther side of it that went
in further, but was so low that it required me to creep upon
my hands and knees to go into it, and whither it went I know
not ; so, having no candle, I gave it over for that time, but
resolved to come again the next day provided with candles
EOBIXSOX CEUoOE. 139
and a tinder-box, which I had made of the lock of one of the
muskets, with some wildfire in the pan.
Accordingly, the next day I came provided with six large
candles of my own making (for I made very good candles now
of goats' tallow, but was hard set for candle-wick, using
sometimes rags or rope-yarn, and sometimes the dried rind of
a weed like nettles) ; and going into this low place I was
obliged to creep upon all-fours, almost ten yards, — which, by
the way, I thought was a venture bold enough, considering
that I knew not how far it might go, nor what was beyond it.
When I had got through the strait, I found the roof rose
higher up, I believe near twenty feet ; but never was such a
glorious sight seen in the island, I dare say, as it was to look
round the sides and roof of this vault or cave — the wall re-
flected a hundred thousand lights to me from my two candles.
What it was in the rock, — whether diamonds or any other
precious stones, or gold, — which I rather supposed it to be,—
I knew not. The place I was in was a most delightful cavity,
or grotto, though perfectly dark ; the floor was dry and level,
and had a sort of a small loose gravel upon it, so that there
was no nauseous or venomous creature to be seen, neither
was there any damp or wet on the sides or roof; the only
difficulty in it was the entrance, — which, however, as it was
a place of security, and such a retreat as I wanted, I thought
was a convenience, — so that I was really rejoiced at the dis-
covery, and resolved, without any delay, to bring some of
those things which I was most anxious about to this place ;
particularly, I resolved to bring hither my magazine of powder,
and all my spare arms, viz., tw r o fowling-pieces — for I had
three in all — and three muskets — for of them I had eight in
all; so I kept in my castle only five, which stood ready
mounted like pieces of cannon on my outmost fence, and were
ready also to take out upon any expedition. Upon this
occasion of removing my ammunition I happened to open the
barrel of powder Avhich I took up out of the sea, and which
had been wet, and I found that the water had penetrated
about three or four inches into the powder on every side.
which caking and growing hard, had preserved the inside
like a kernel in the shell, so that I had near sixty pounds ot
very good powder in the centre of the cask. This was a very
agreeable discovery to mo at that time ; so I carried all awaj
140 .ROBINSON CRUSOE.
thither, never keeping above two or three pounds of powder
with me in my castle, for fear of a surprise of any kind ; I
also carried thither all the lead I had left for bullets.
I fancied myself now like one of the ancient giants who
were said to live in caves and holes in the rocks, where none
could come at them ; for I persuaded myself, while I was
here, that if five hundred savages were to hunt me, they
could never find me out — or if they did, they would not
venture to attack me here. The old goat whom I found
expiring died in the mouth of the cave the next day after I
made this discovery; and I found it much easier to dig a
great hole there, and throw him in and cover him with earth,
than to drag him out ; so I interred him there.
I was now in the twenty-third year of my residence in this
island, and was so naturalized to the place and the manner
of living, that, could I but have enjoyed the certainty that
no savages would come to the place to disturb me, I could
have been content to have capitulated for spending the rest
of my time there, even to the last moment, till I had laid me
down and died, like the old goat in the cave. I had also
arrived to some little diversions and amusement?, which
made the time pass a great deal more pleasantly with me than
it did before; — first, I had taught my Poll, as I named be-
fore, to speak; and he did it so familiarly, and talked so
articulately and plain, that it was very pleasant to me, for I
believe no bird ever spoke plainer, — and he lived with me no
less than six-and-twenty years; how long he might have
lived afterwards I know not, though I know they have a
notion in the Brazils that they live a hundred years. My dog
was a pleasant and loving companion to me for no less than
sixteen years of my time, and then died of mere old age. As
for my cats, they multiplied to that degree, that I was obliged
to shoot several of them at first, to keep them from devour-
ing me and all I had; but, at length, when the two old ones
I brought with me were gone, and after some time continually
driving them from me, and letting them have no provision
with me, they all ran wild into the woods, except two or
three favourites, which I kept tame, and whose young, when
they had any, I always drowned ; and these were part of my
family. Besides these, I also kept two or three household
kids about me, whom I taught to feed out of my hand ; and I
KOBIXSOX CRUSOE. 141
had two more parrots, which talked pretty well, and would
all call <: Kobinson Crusoe," but none like my first; nor, in-
deed, did I take the pains with any of them that I had done
with him. I had also several tame sea-fowls, whose names I
knew not, that I caught upon the shore, and cut their wings;
and the little stakes which I had planted before my castle-
wall being now grown up to a good thick grove, these fowls
all lived among these low trees, and bred there, which was
very agreeable to me, — so that I began to be very well con-
tented with the life I led, if I could have been secured from
the dread of the savages. But it was otherwise directed.
It was now the month of December, in my twenty-third
year ; and this being the southern solstice (for winter I can-
not call it), was the particular time of my harvest, and
required me to be pretty much abroad in the fields, when,
going out early in the morning, even before it was thorough
daylight, I was surprised with seeing a light of some fire
upon the shore, at a distance from me of about two miles,
towards that part of the island where I had observed some
savages had been, as before, and not on the other, side; but,
to my great affliction, it was on my side of the island.
I was indeed terribly surprised at the sight, and stopped
short within my grove, not daring to go out, lest I might be
surprised; and yet I had no more peace within, from the
apprehensions I had that if these savages, in rambling over
the island, should find my corn standing or cut, or any of my
works and improvements, they would immediately conclude
that there were people in the place, and would then never
rest till they had found me out. In this extremity I went
back directly to my castle, pulled up the ladder after me,
and made all things without look as wild and natural as I
could.
Then I prepared myself within, putting myself in a pos-
ture of defence ; I loaded all my muskets, which Avere mounted
upon my new fortification, and all my pistols, and resolved to
defend myself to the last gasp, — not forgetting seriously to
commend myself to the divine protection, and earnestly to
pray to God to deliver me out of the hands of the barbarians.
I continued in this posture about two hours, and began to be
impatient for intelligence abroad, for I had no spies to send
out. After sitting awhile longer, and musing what I should
142 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
do in this case, I was not able to bear sitting in ignorance any
longer; so setting up my ladder to the side of the hill, where
there was a fiat place, and then pulling the ladder after me, I
set it up again, and mounted the top of the hill, and pulling
out my perspective-glass, which I had taken on purpose, I
laid me down fiat on my belly on the ground, and began to
look for the place. I presently found there were no less than
nine naked savages, sitting round a small, fire they had made,
not to warm them, for they had no need of that, the weather
being extremely hot, but, as I supposed, to dress some of
their barbarous diet of human flesh which they had brought
with them.
They had two canoes with them, which they had hauled up
upon the shore ; and it was then ebb of tide, they seemed to
me to wait for the return of the flood to go away again. It
is not easy to imagine what confusion this sight put me into,
especially seeing them come on my side of the island, and so
near to me; but when I considered their coming must be
always with the current of the ebb, I began afterwards to be
more sedate in my mind, being satisfied that I might go
abroad with safety all the time of the flood of tide, if they
were not on shore before ; and having made this observation,
I went abroad about my harvest work with the more com-
posure.
As I expected, so it proved ; for, as soon as the tide made
to the westward, I saw them all take boat and row away. I
should have observed, that for an hour or more before they
went off they were dancing, and I could easily discern their
postures and gestures by my glass.
As soon as I saw them shipped and gone, I took two guns
upon my shoulders, and two pistols in my girdle, and my
great sword by my side without a scabbard, and with all the
speed I was able to make went away to the hill where I had
discovered the first appearance of all ; and as soon as I got
thither, I perceived there had been three canoes more of the
savages at that place ; and looking out farther, I saw they
were all at sea together, making over for the main. This
was a dreadful sight to me, especially as, going down to the
shore, I could see the marks of horror which the dismal work
they had been about had left behind it, I was so filled with
indignation at the sight, that I now began to premeditate the
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 143
destruction of the next that I saw there, let them be whom.
or how many soever. It seemed evident to me that the visits
which they made thus to this island were not very frequent,
for it was above fifteen months before any more of them came
on shore there again — that is to say, I neither saw them nor
any footsteps or signals of them in all that time; yet all this
while I lived uncomfortably, by reason of the constant; appre-
hensions of their coming upon me by surprise.
During all this time I was in the murdering humour, and
spent most of my hours, which should have been better em-
ployed, in contriving how to circumvent and fall upon them
the very next time I should see them — especially if they
should be divided, as they were the last time, into two parties ;
nor did I consider at all that if I killed one party — suppose
ten or a dozen — I was still the next day or week, or month,
to kill another, and so another, even ad infinitum,, till I should
be, at length, no less a murderer than they were in being
man-eaters — and perhaps much more so. I spent my days
now in great perplexity and anxiety of mind, expecting that
I should one day or other fall into the hands ot these merci-
less creatures ; and if I did at any time venture abroad, it
was not without looking round me with the greatest care and
caution imaginable. And now I found, to my great comfort,
how happy it was that I had provided a tame flock or herd
of goats ; for I durst not upon any account fire my gun,
especially near that side of the island where they usually
came, lest I should alarm the savages : and if they had fled
from me now, I was sure to have them come again with
perhaps two or three hundred canoes with them in a few days,
and then I knew what to expect. However, I wore out a
rear and three months more before I ever saw any more of
the savages, and then I found them again, as I shall soon
observe. It is true they might have been there once or
twice ; but either they made no stay, or at least I did not
see them ; but in the month of May, as near as I could cal-
culate, and in my four-and-twentieth year, I had a very strange
encounter with them ;_ of which in its place.
It was in the middle of May, on the sixteenth day, I think,
as well as my poor wooden calendar would reckon — for I
marked all upon the post still — that it blew a very great
storm of wind all day, with a great deal of lightning and
144
KOJ3INSON CRUSOE.
thunder, and a very foul night it was after it. I knew not
what was the particular occasion of it ; but as I was reading
in the Bible, and taken up with very serious thoughts about
my present condition, I was surprised with the noise of a gun,
as I thought, fired at sea. This was, to be sure, a surprise
quite of a different nature from any I had met with before ;
for the notions this put into my thoughts were quite of another
kind. I started up in the greatest haste imaginable ; and, in
a trice, clapped my ladder to the middle place of the rock,
and pulled it after me ; and mounting it the second time, got
to the top of a hill the very moment that a flash of fire bid
me listen for a second gun, which, accordingly, in about half-
a-minute, I heard ; and by the sound, knew that it was from
that part of the sea wheue I was driven down the current in
my boat. 1 immediately considered that this must be some
ship in distress, and that they had some comrade, or some
other ship in company, and fired these for signals of distress,
and to obtain help. I had the presence of mind, at that
minute^ to think, that though I could not help them, it might
be they might help me ; so I brought together all the dry
wood I could get at hand, and, making a good pile, I set it
on fire upon the hill. The wood was dry, and blazed freely;
and, though the wind blew very hard, yet it burned fairly
out, so that I was certain, if there was any such thing as a
ship, they must needs see it, and no doubt they did ; for as
soon as ever my fire blazed up, I heard another gun, and
after that several others, all from the same quarter. I plied
my fire all night long, till daybreak : and when it was broad
day, and the air cleared up, I saw something at a great dis-
tance at sea, full east of the island, whether a sail or a hull I
could not distinguish — no, not with my glass ; the distance
was so great, and the weather still something hazy also ; at
least, it was so out at sea.
I looked frequently at it all that day, and soon perceived
that it did not move ; so I presently concluded that it was a
ship at anchor; and being, eager, you may be sure, to be
satisfied, I took my gun in my hand, and ran towards the
south side of the island, to the rocks where I had formerly
been carried away by the current ; and getting up there, the
weather by this time being perfectly clear, I could plainly
see, to my great sorrow, the wreck of a ship, cast away in the
KOBINSON CRUSOE.
145
night upon those concealed rocks which I found when I was
out in my boat. Had they seen the island, as I must neccs-
TAOE If?,
sarily suppose they did not, they must, as I thought, have
endeavoured to have saved themselves on shore by the help
of their boat ; but their firing off guns for help, especially
146
KU131JNSUN (JliUSUK.
when they saw, as I imagined, my fire, filled me with many
thoughts. First, I imagined that upon seeing my light, they
might have put themselves into their boat, and endeavoured
to make the shore ; but that the sea running very high, they
might ha\;e been cast away. Other times, I imagined that
they might have lost their boat before, as might be the case
many ways ; particularly by the brealdng of the sea upon their
ship, which many times obliged men to stave, or take in
pieces, their boat, and sometimes to throw it overboard with
their own hands. Other times, I imagined they had some
other ship or ships in company, who, upon the signals of dis-
tress they made, had taken them ixp, and carried them off.
Other times, I fancied they were all gone off to sea in their
boat, and being hurried away by the current that I had been
formerly in, were carried out into the great ocean, where
there was nothing but misery and perishing : and that, per-
haps, they might by this time think of starving, and of being
in a condition to eat one another.
There are some secret moving springs in the affections,
which, when they are set a-going by some object in view, or,
though not in view, yet rendered present to the mind by the
power of imagination, that motion carries out the soul, by its
impetuosity, to such violent eager embracings of the object
that the absence of it is insupportable. Such were these
earnest wishings that but one man had been saved. I be-
lieve I repeated the words, " O that it had been but one !"
a thousand times; and my desires were so moved by it, that
when I spoke the words my hands would clinch together, and
my fingers would press the palms of my hands, so that if I
had had any soft thing in my hand, I would have crushed it
involuntarily ; and the teeth in my head would strike to-
gether 3 and set against one another so strong, that for some
time I could not part them again. But it was not to be ;
either their fate or mine, or both, forbade it, for till the
last year of my being on this island, I never knew whether
any were saved out of that ship or no ; and had only the
affliction, some days after, to see the corpse of a drowned boy
come on shore at the end of the island which was next the
shipwreck. He had no clothes on but a seaman's waistcoat,
a pair of open-kneed linen drawers, and a blue linen shirt ;
but nothing to direct me so much as to guess what nation he
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 147
was of. He had nothing in his pockets but two pieces-of-
eight and a tobacco-pipe — the last was to me of ten times
more value than the first.
It was now calm, and I had a great mind to venture out in
my boat to this wreck, not doubting but I might find some-
thing on board that might be useful to me. But that did
not altogether press me so much, as the possibility that there
might be yet some living creature on board, whose life I
might not only save, but might, by saving that life, comfort
my own to the last degree ; and this thought clung so to my
heart that I could not be quiet night nor day, but I must
venture out in my boat on board this wreck ; and committing
the rest to God's providence, I thought the impression was so
strong upon my mind that it could not be resisted, that it
must come from some invisible direction, and that I should.
be wanting to myself if I did not go.
Under the power of this impression, I hastened back to
my castle, prepared everything for my voyage, took a quantity
of bread, a great pot of fresh water, a compass to steer by,
a bottle of rum (for I had still a great deal of that left), and
a basket of raisins; and thus, loading myself with everything
necessary, I went down to my boat, got the water out of her,
got her afloat, loaded all my cargo in her, and then went
home again for more. My second cargo was a great bag of
xice, the umbrella to set up over my head for a shade, another
large pot of fresh water, and about two dozen of small loaves,
or barley-cakes, more than before, with a bottle of goat's
milk, and a cheese : all which, with great labour and sweat,
I carried to my boat ; and praying to God to direct my
voyage, I put out, and rowing' the canoe along the shore,
came at last to the utmost point of the island on the north-
east side, and hauled my boat into a little creek on the
shore.
^ I resolved, the next morning, to set out with the first of the
tide; and, reposing myself for the night in my canoe, under
the great watch-coat I mentioned, I launched out, and having
a strong steerage with my paddle, I went, at a great rate,
directly for the wreck, and in less than two hours I came up
to it.^ It was a dismal sight to look at: the ship, which, by its
building, was Spanish, stuck fast, jammed in between two
rocks , all the stern and quarter of her v.'ere'beaten to pieces
148 EOBINSON CRUSOE.
by the sea ; and as her forecastle, which stuck in the rocks,
had run on with great violence, her mainmast and foremast
were broken short off; but her bowsprit was sound, and the
head and bow appeared firm. When I came close to her, a
dog appeared upon her, who seeing me coming, yelped and
cried ; and, as soon as I called him, jumped into the sea to
come to me : I took him into the boat, but found him almost
dead with hunger and thirst. I gave him a cake of my bread,
and he devoured it like a ravenous wolf that had been starving
a fortnight in the snow : I then gave the poor creature spme
fresh water, with which, if I would have let him, he would
have burst himself. After this I went on board; but the first
sight I met with was two men drowned in the cook-room, or
forecastle of the ship, with their arms fast about one another.
[ concluded, as is indeed probable, that when the ship struck,
it being in a storm, the sea broke so high, and so continually
Dver her, that the men were not able to bear it, and were
strangled with the constant rushing in of the water, as much
is if they had been under water. Besides the dog, there was
nothing left in the ship that had life ; nor any goods, that I
:ould see, but what were spoiled by the water. There were
some casks of liquer, whether wine or brandy I knew not,
which lay lower in the hold, and which, the water being ebbed
3ut, I could see ; but they were too big to meddle with. I
saw several chests, which I believe belonged to some of the
seamen ; and I got two of them into the boat, without ex-
imining what was in them. Had the stern of the ship been
fixed, and the forepart broken off, I am persuaded I might
have made a good voyage ; for, by what I found in these two-
chests, I had reason to suppose the ship had a great deal of
wealth on board ; and, if I may guess from the course she
steered, she must have been bound from Buenos Ayres, or
the Eio de la Plata, in the south part of America, beyond the
Brazils to the Havannah, in the Gulf of Mexico, and so
perhaps to Spain. She had, no doubt, a great treasure in
her, but of no use, at that time, to anybody ; but what became
of the crew I then knew not.
I found, besides these chests, a little cask full of liquor, of
ibout twenty gallons, which I got into my' boat with much
difficulty. There were several muskets in the cabin, and a
great powder-horn, with about four pounds of powder in it:
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 149
as for the muskets, I had no occasion for them, so I left them,
but took the powder-horn. I took a fire-shovel and tongs,
which I wanted extremely ; as also two little brass kettles, a
copper pot to make chocolate, and a gridiron ; and with this
cargo, and the, dog, I came away, the tide beginning to make
home again : and the same evening, about an hour within
night, I reached the island again, weary and fatigued to the
last degree. I reposed that night in the boat ; and in the
morning I resolved to harbour what I had got in my new
•cave, and not carry it home to my castle. After refreshing
myself, I got all my cargo on shore, and began to examine
the particulars. The cask of liquor I found to be a kind of
rum, but not such as we had at the Brazils ; and, in a word,
not at all good ; but when I came to open the chests, I found
several things of great use to me : for example, I found in
one a fine case of bottles, of an extraordinary kind, and filled
with cordial waters, fine and very good; the bottles held
about three pints each, and were tipped with silver. I found
two pots of very good succades, or sweetmeats, so fastened
also on the top that the salt water had not hurt them ; and
two more ot the same, which the water had spoiled. I found
some very good shirts, which were very welcome to me ; and
•about a dozen and a half of white linen handkerchiefs, and
•coloured neckcloths ; the former were also very welcome,
being exceedingly refreshing to wipe my face in a hot day.
Besides this, when I came to the till in the chest, I found
there three great bags of pieces-of-eight, which held about
eleven hundred pieces in all ; and in one of them, wrapped
up in a paper, six doubloons of gold, and some small bars of
gold ; I suppose they might all weigh near a pound. In the
other chest were some clothes, but of little value; but, by
the circumstances, it must have belonged to the gunner's
mate; though there was no powder in it except two pounds
of fine glazed powder, in three small flasks, kept, I suppose,
for charging their fowling pieces on occasion. Upon the
■whole, I got very little by this voyage that was of any use to
me ; for, as to the money, I had no manner of occasion for it ;
it was to me as the dirt under my feet, and I would have
given it all for three or four pair of English shoes and
stockings, which were things I greatly wanted, but had none
on my feet for many years. I had, indeed, got two pair of
150 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
shoes now, which I took off the feet of the two drowned men
whom I saw in the wreck, and I found two pair more in one
of the chests, which were very welcome to me ; but they were
not like our English shoes, either for ease or service, being
rather what we call pumps than shoes. I found in this
seaman's chest about fifty pieces-of-eight, in rials, but no-
gold : I suppose this belonged to a poorer man than the other r
which seemed to belong to some officer. Well, however, I
lugged this money home to my cave, and laid it up, as I had
done that before which I had brought from our own ship ;
but it was a great pity, as I said, that the other part of this
ship had not come to my share ; for I am satisfied I might
have loaded my canoe several times over with money ; and,
thought I, if I ever escape to England, it might lie here safe
enough till I come again and fetch it.
Having now brought all my things on shore, and secured
them, I went back to my boat, and rowed her along the shore
to her old harbour, where I laid her up, and made the best
of my way to my old habitation, where I found everything
safe and quiet. I began now to repose myself, live after my
old fashion, and take care of my family affairs ; and for a
while I lived easy enough, only that I was more vigilant than
I used to be, looked out often er, and did not go abroad so
much ; and if, at any time, I did stir with any freedom, it was
always to the east part of the island, where I was pretty well
satisfied the savages never came, and where I could go without
so many precautions, and such a load of arms and ammunition
as I always carried with me if I went the other way. I lived
in this condition near two years more ; but my unlucky head,.
that was always to let me know it was born to make my body
miserable, was all these two years filled with projects and
designs, how, if it were possible, I might get away from this
island ; for, sometimes I was for making another voyage to
the wreck, though my reason told me that there was nothing
left there worth the hazard of my voyage ; sometimes, for a
ramble one way, sometimes another : and I believe verily, if
I had had the boat that I went from Sallee in, I should have
ventured to sea, bound anywhere, I knew not whither.
1 am now supposed to be retired into my castle, after my
late voyage to the wreck, my frigate laid up and secured
under water, as usual, and my condition restored to what it,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 151
was before: I had more wealth, indeed, than what I had
before, but was not at all the richer ; for I had no more use
for it than the Indians of Peru had before the Spaniards
came there.
It was one of the nights in the rainy season in March, the
four-and-twentieth year of my first setting foot in this island
of solitude, I was lying in my hammock, awake, very well in
health, had no pain, no distemper, no uneasiness of body, nor
any uneasiness of mind more than ordinary, but could by no
means close my eyes, that is, so as to sleep ; no, not a wink
all night long, otherwise than as follows : — It is impossible to
set down the innumerable crowd of thoughts that whirled
through that great thoroughfare of the brain — the memory,
in this night's time : I ran over the whole history of my life
in miniature, or by abridgment, as I may call it, to my coming
to this island, and also of that part of my life since I came to
this island. In my reflections upon the state of my case
since I came on shore on this island, I was comparing the
happy posture of my affairs in the first years of my habita-
tion here, with the life of anxiety, fear, and care, which I had
lived in ever since I had seen the print of a foot in the sand;
not that I did not believe the savages had frequented the
island even all the while, and might have been several hun-
dreds of them at times on shore there ; but I had never
known it, and was incapable of any apprehensions about it ;
my satisfaction was perfect, though my danger was the same,
and I was as happy in not knowing my danger as if I had
never really been exposed to it.
I looked upon my present condition as the most miserable
that could possibly be ; that I was not able to throw myself
into anything but death, that could be called worse ; and if I
reached the shore of the main, I might perhaps meet with
relief, or I might coast along, as I did on the African shore,
till I came to some inhabited country, and where I might find
some relief; and, after all, perhaps I might fall in with some
Christian ship that might take me in ; and if the worst came
to the worst, I could but die, which would put an end to all
these miseries at once.
When this had agitated my thoughts for two hours or
more, with such violence that it set my very blood into a fer-
ment, and my pulse beat as if I had been in a fever, merely
152 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
with the extraordinary fervour of my mind about it, nature,
as if I had been fatigued and exhausted with the very
thoughts of it, threw me into a sound sleep. One would
have thought I should have dreamed of it, but I did not, nor
of anything relating to it : but I dreamed that as I was going
out in the morning as usual, from my castle, I saw upon the
shore two canoes and eleven savages, coming to land, and that
they brought with them another savage, whom they were
going to kill, in order to eat him ; when, on a sudden, the
savage that they were going to kill, jumped away, and ran
for his life ; and I thought, in my sleep, that he came running
into my little thick grove before my fortification, to hide
himself; and that I, seeing him alone, and not perceiving
that the others sought him that way, showed myself to him,
and smiling upon him, encouraged him : that he kneeled
down to me, seeming to pray me to assist him ; upon which
I showed him my ladder, made him go up, and carried him
into my cave, and he "became my servant : and that as soon
as I had got this man, I said to myself, " Now I may certainly
venture to the main land, for this fellow will serve me as a
pilot, and will tell me what to do, and whither to go for pro-
visions, and whither not to go for fear of being devoured ;
what places to venture into, and what to shun." I waked
with this thought ; and was under such inexpressible impres-
sions of joy at the prospect of my escape in my dream, that
the disappointments which I felt upon coming to myself, and
finding that it was no more than a dream, were equally ex-
travagant the other way, and threw me into a very great de-
jection of spirits.
Upon this, however, I made this conclusion — that my only
way to go about to attempt an escape was, if possible, to get
a savage into my possession ; and, if possible, it should be
one of their prisoners, whom they had condemned to > be
eaten, and should bring hither to kill. But these thoughts
still were attended with this difficulty, that it was impossible
to effect this without attacking a whole caravan of them, and
killing them all; and this was not only a very desperate
attempt, and might miscarry ; but, on the other hand, I had
greatly scrupled the lawfulness of it to myself; and my heart
trembled at the thoughts of shedding so much blood, though
it was for my deliverance. The eager prevailing desire of
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
153
deliverance at length mastered all the rest ; and I resolved,
if possible, to get one of these savages into my hands, cost
what it would. My next thing was to contrive how to do it,
and this indeed was very difficult to resolve on; but as I
PAGC 183.
could pitch upon no probable mean3 for it, so I resolved to
put myself upon the watch, to see them when they came on
shore, and leave the rest to the event ; taking such measures
as the opportunity should present, let what would be.
With these resolutions in my thoughts, I set myself upon
the scout as often as possible, and indeed so often, that I was
154 EOBINSON CRUSOE.
heartily tired of it ; for it was above a year and a half that
I waited ; and for great part of that time went out to the
west end, and to the south-west corner of the island almost
every day, to look for canoes, but none appeared. This was
very discouraging, and began to trouble me much ; but the
longer it seemed to be delayed, the more eager I was for it :
in a word, I was not at first so careful to shun the sight of these
savages, and avoid being seen by them, as I was now eager
to be upon them. Besides, I fancied myself able to manage
one, nay, two or three savages, if I had them, so as to make
them entirely slaves to me, to do whatever I should direct
them, and to prevent their being able at any time to do me
any hurt. It was a great while that I pleased myself with
this affair ; but nothing still presented itself; all my fancies
and schemes came to nothing, for no savages came near me
for a great while.
About a year and a half after I entertained these notions,
I was surprised one morning by seeing no less than five
canoes all on shore together on my side the island, and the
people who belonged to them all landed and out of my sight.
The number of them broke all my measures ; for seeing so
many, and knowing that they always came four or six, or
sometimes more in a boat, I could not tell what to think of it,
or how to take my measures, to attack twenty or thirty men
single-handed ; so lay still in my castle, perplexed and dis-
comforted. However, I put myself into the same position for
an attack that I had formerly provided, and was just ready
for action, if anything had presented. Having waited a good
while, listening to hear if they made any noise, at length,
being very impatient, I set my guns at the foot of my ladder,
and clambered up to the top of the hill, by my two stages,
as usual ; standing so, however, that my head did not appear
above the hill, so that they could not perceive me by any
means. Here I observed, by the help of my perspective
glass, that they were no less than thirty in number ; that they
had a fire kindled, and that they had meat dressed. How
they had cooked it I knew not, or what it was ; but they were
all dancing, in I know not how many barbarous gestures and
figures, their own way, round the fire.
While I was thus looking on them, I perceived, by my
perspective, two miserable wretches dragged from the boats,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 155-
where, it seems, they were laid by, and were now brought
out for the slaughter. I perceived one of them immediately
fall ; being knocked down, I suppose, with a club or wooden
sword, for that was their way ; and two or three others were
at work immediately, cutting him open for their cookery,.
while the other victim was left standing by himself, till they
should be ready for him. In that very moment, this poor
wretch, seeing himself a little at liberty, and unbound, Nature
inspired him with hopes of life, and he started away from
them, and ran with incredible swiftness along the sands,
directly towards me ; I mean towards that part of the coast
where my habitation was. I was dreadfully frightened, I
must acknowledge, when I perceived him run my way ; and
especially when, as I thought, I saw him pursued by the
whole body ; and now I expected that part of my dream was
coming to pass, and that he would certainly take shelter in
my grove : but I could not depend, by any means, upon my
dream, that the other savages would not pursue him thither,
and find him there. However, I kept my station, and my
spirits began to recover when I found that there was not
above three men that followed him ; and still more was I
encouraged, when I found that he outstripped them exceed-
ingly in running, and gained ground on them ; so that, if he
could but hold out for half an hour, I saw easily he would
fairly get away from them all.
There was between them and my castle, the creek, which
I mentioned often in the first part of my story, where I landed
my cargoes out of the ship ; and this I saw plainly he must
necessarily swim over, or the poor wretch would be taken
there ; but when the savage escaping came thither, he made
nothing of it, though the tide was then up; but, plunging in,
swam through in about thirty strokes, or thereabouts, landed,
and ran with exceeding strength and swiftness. When the
throe persons came to the creek, I found that two of them
could swim, but the third could not, and that, standing on
the other side, he looked at the others, but went no farther,
and soon after went softly back again ; which, as it happened,
was very well for him in the end. I observed that the two
who swam were yet more than twice as long swimming over
the creek as the fellow was that fled from them. It°came
very warmly upon my thoughts, and indeed irresistibly, that
156 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
now was the time to get me a servant, and perhaps a com-
panion or assistant ; and that I was plainly called by Provi-
dence to save this poor creature's life. I immediately ran
down the ladders with all possible expedition, fetched my two
guns, for they were both at the foot of the ladders, as I ob-
served before, and getting up again with the same haste to
the top of the hill, I crossed towards the sea ; and having a
very short cut, and all down hill, placed myself in the way
between the pursuers and the pursued, hallooing aloud to
him that fled, who, looking back, was at first perhaps as much
frightened at me as at them ; but I beckoned with my hand
to him to come back ; and, in the meantime, I slowly ad-
vanced towards the two that followed ; then rushing at once
upon the foremost, I knocked him down with the stock of my
piece. I was loath to fire, because I would not have the rest
hear ; though, at that distance, it would not have been easily
heard, and being out of sight of the smoke, too, they would
not have known what to make of it. Having knocked this
fellow down, the other who pursued him stopped, as if he
had been frightened, and I advanced towards him : but as I
came nearer, I perceived presently he had a bow and arrow,
and was fitting it to shoot at me : so I was then obliged to
shoot at him first, which I did, and killed him at the first
shot. The poor savage who fled, but had stopped, though he
saw both his enemies fallen and killed, as he thought, yet was
so frightened with the fire and noise of my piece, that he
rtood stock still, and neither came forward, nor went back-
ward, though he seemed rather inclined still to fly than to
come on. I hallooed again to him, and made signs to come
forward, which he easily understood, and came a little way ;
then stopped again, and then a little farther, and stopped
again ; and I could then perceive that he stood trembling, as
if he had been taken prisoner, and had just been to be killed,
as his two enemies were. I beckoned to him again to come
to me, and gave him all the signs of encouragement that I
could think of; and he came nearer and nearer, kneeling
down every ten or twelve steps, in token of acknowledgment
for saving his life. I smiled at him, and looked pleasantly,
and beckoned to him to come still nearer : at length, he came
close to me; and then he kneeled down again, kissed the
ground, and laid his head upon the ground, and, taking me
EOBINSOX CRUSOE. 157
by the foot, set my foot upon his head ; this, it seems, was in
token of swearing to be my slave for ever. I took him up,
and made much of him, and encouraged him all I could. But
there was more work to do yet ; for I perceived the savage
whom I had knocked down was not killed, but stunned with
the blow, and began to come to himself : so I pointed to him,
and showed him the savage, that he was not dead ; upon this
he spoke some words to me, and though I could not under-
stand them, yet I thought they were pleasant to hear ; for
they were the first sound of a man's voice that I had heard,
my own excepted, for above twenty-five years. But there
was no time for such reflections now ; the savage who was
knocked down recovered himself so far as to sit up upon the
ground, and I perceived that my savage began to be afraid ;
but when I saw that, I presented my other piece at the man,
as if I would shoot him : upon this, my savage, for so I call
him now, made a motion to me to lend him my sword, which
hung naked in a belt by my side, which I did. He no sooner
had it, but he runs to his enemy, and at one blow, cut oiF his
head so cleverly, no executioner in Germany could have done
it sooner or better; which I thought very strange for one
who, I had reason to believe, never saw a sword in his life
before, except their own wooden swords: however, it seems,
as I learned afterwards, they make their wooden swords so
sharp, so heavy, and the wood is so hard, that they will even
cut off heads with them, ay, and arms, and that at one blow
too. When he had done this, he comes laughing to me in
sign of triumph, and brought me the sword again, and with
abundance of gestures which I did not understand, laid it
down, with the head of the savage that he had killed, just
before me. But that which astonished him most, was to
know how I killed the other Indian so far off; so pointing to
him, he made signs to me to let him go to him ; and I bade
him go, as well as I could. When he came to him, he stood
like one amazed, looking at him, turning him first on one
side, then on the other; looked at the wound the bullet had
made, which it seems was just in his breast, where it had
made a hole, and no great quantity of blood had followed ;
but he had bled inwardly, for he was quite dead. He took
up his bow and arrows, and came back ; so I turned to go
away, and beckoned him to follow me, making signs to him
158 EOBINSON CRUSOE.
that more might come after them. Upon this, he made signs
to me that he should bury them with sand, that they might
not be seen by the rest, if they followed ; and so I made signs
to him again to do so. He fell to work, and in an instant he
had scraped a hole in the sand with his hands, big enough to
bury the first in, and then dragged him into it, and covered
him ; and did so by the other also ; I believe he had buried
them both in a quarter of an hour. Then calling him away,
J carried him, not to my castle, but quite away to my cave,
on the farther part of the island : so I did not let my dream
•come to pass in that part, that he came into my grove for
shelter. Here I gave him bread and a bunch of raisins to
eat, and a draught of water, which I found he was indeed in
great distress for, from his running : and having refreshed
him, I made signs for him to go and lie down to sleep, show-
ing him a place where I had laid some rice-straw, and a
blanket upon it, which I used to sleep upon myself sometimes ;
so the poor creature lay down, and went to sleep.
He was a comely, handsome fellow, perfectly well made,
with straight strong limbs, not too large, tall and well shaped ;
and, as I reckon, about twenty-six years of age. He had a
very good countenance, not a fierce and surly aspect, but
seemed to have something very manly in his face ; and yet
he had all the sweetness and softness of a European in his
countenance too, especially when he smiled. His hair was
long and black, not curled like wool; his forehead very high
and large ; and a great vivacity and sparkling sharpness in
his eyes. The colour of his skin was not quite black, but
very tawny : and yet not an ugly, yellow, nauseous tawny, as
the Brazilians and Virginians, and other natives of America
are, but of a bright kind of a dun olive-colour, that had in it
something very agreeable, though not very easy to describe.
His face was round and plump ; his nose small, not flat like
the negroes ; a very good mouth, thin lips, and his fine teeth
well set, and as white as ivory.
After he had slumbered about half an hour, he awoke
again, and came out of the cave to me ; for I had been milking
my goats, which I had in the enclosure just by : when he
espied me, he came running to me, laying himself down agaia
upon the ground, with all the possible signs of an humble,
thankful disposition, making a great many antic gestures to
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 159
show it. At last he lays his head flat upon the ground, close
to my foot, and sets my other foot upon his head, as he had
done before ; and after this, made all the signs to me of sub-
jection, servitude, and submission, imaginable, to let me know
how he would serve me so long as he lived. I understood
him in many things, and let him know I was very well pleased
with him. In a little time, I began to speak to him, and
teach him to speak to me ; and, first, I let him know his name
should be Friday, which was the day I saved his life : I
called him so for the memory of the time. I likewise taught
him to say Master ; and then let him know that was to be my
name : I likewise taught him to say Yes or No, and to know
the meaning of them. I gave him some milk in an earthen
pot, and let him see me drink it before him, and sop my
oread in it ; and gave him a cake of bread to do the like,
which he quickly complied with, and made signs that it was
very good for him. I kept there with him all night ; but, as
soon as it was day, I beckoned to him to come with me, and
let him know I would give him some clothes ; at which he
seemed very glad, for he was stark naked. As we went by
the place where he had buried the two men, he pointed
exactly to the place, and showed me the marks that he had
made to find them again, making signs to me that we should
dig them up again and eat them. At this, I appeared very
angry, expressed my abhorrence of it, made as if I would
vomit at the thoughts of it, and beckoned with my hand to
him to come away, which he did immediately, with great sub-
mission. I then led him up to the top of the hill, to see if
his enemies were gone ; and, pulling out my glass, I looked,
and saw plainly the place where they had been, but no
appearance of them or their canoes; so that it was plain
they were gone, and had left their two comrades behind
ihem, without any search after them.
But I was not content with this discovery ; but having now
more courage, and consequently more curiosity, I took my
man Friday with me, giving him the sword in his hand, with
the bow and arrows at his back, which I found he could use
very dexterously, making him carry one gun for me, and I
two for myself; and away we marched to the place where
these creatures had been ; for I had a mind now to get some
fuller intelligence of them. When I came to the place, my
160 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
very blood ran chill in my veins, and my heart sunk within
me, at the horror of the spectacle ; indeed, it was a dreadful
sight, at least it was so to me, though Friday made nothing
of it. The place was covered with human bones, the ground
dyed with their blood, and great pieces of flesh left here and
there, half-eaten, mangled, and scorched; and, in short, all
the tokens of the triumphant feast they had been making
there, after a victory over their enemies. I saw three skulls,
five hands, and the bones of three or four legs and feet, and
abundance of other parts of the bodies ; and Friday, by his
signs, made me understand that they brought over four
prisoners to feast upon ; that three of them were eaten up,
and that he, pointing to himself, was the fourth ; that there
had been a great battle between them and their next king,
of whose subjects, it seems, he had been one, and that they
had taken a great number of prisoners ; all of which were
carried to several places, by those who had taken them in the
fight, in order to feast xipon them, as was done here by these
wretches upon those they brought hither.
I caused Friday to gather all the skulls, bones, flesh, and
whatever remained, and lay them together in a heap, and
make a great fire upon it, and burn them all to ashes. I
found Friday had still a hankering stomach after some of the
flesh, and was still a cannibal in his nature ; but I showed so
much abhorrence at the very thoughts of it, that he durst
not discover it : for I had, by some means, let him know that
I would kill him if he offered it.
When he had done this, we came back to our castle ; and
there I fell to work for my man Friday ; and first of all, I
gave him a pair of linen drawers, which I had out of the
poor gunner's chest I mentioned, which I found in the wreck,
and which, with a little alteration, fitted him very well ; and
then I made him a jerkin of goat's skin, as well as my skill
would allow (for I was now grown a tolerably good tailor) ;
and I gave him a cap which I made of hare's skin, very con-
venient and fashionable enough : and thus he was clothed,
for the present, tolerably well, and was mighty well pleased
to see himself almost as well clothed as his master. It is
true, he went awkwardly in these clothes at first : wearing
the drawers was very awkward to lrim, and the sleeves of the
waistcoat galled his shoulders and the in-ide of his arms;
ROBINSON CBUSOE.
161
but a little easing them where he complained they hurt
him, and using himself to them, he took to them at length
very well.
The next day, after I came home to my hutch with him, I
began to consider where I should lodge him ; and, that I
might do well for him and yet be perfectly easy myself, I
made a little tent for him in the vacant place between my
two fortifications, in the inside of the last, and in the outside
of the first. As there was a door or entrance there into my
cave, I made a formal framed door-case, and a door to it of
1 1
1G2 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
boards, and set it up in the passage, a little within the
entrance ; and, causing the door to open in the inside, I
barred it up in the. night, taking in my ladders too ; so that
Friday could no way come at me in the inside of my inner-
most wall, without making so much noise in getting over that
it must needs awaken me ; for my first wall had now a com-
plete roof over it of long poles, covering all my tent, and
leaning up to the side of the hill, which was again laid across
with smaller sticks, instead of laths, and then thatched over
a great thickness with the rice-straw, which was strong, like
reeds, and at the hole which was left to go in or out by the
ladder, I had placed a kind of trap-door, which, if it had
been attempted on the outside, would not have opened at all,
but would have fallen down and made a great noise : as to
weapons, I took them all into my side every night. But
I Deeded none of all this precaution; for never man had a
more faithful, loving, sincere servant than Friday was to me;
without passions, sullenness, or designs, perfectly obliged and
engaged ; his very affections were tied to me, like those of a
child to a father; and I cUire say he would have sacrificed
his life to save mine, upon any occasion whatsoever : the
many testimonies he gave me of this, put it out of doubt,
and soon convinced me that I needed to use no precautions
for my safety on this account.
I was greatly delighted with him, and made it my business
to teach him everything that was proper to make him useful,
handy, and helpful ; but especially to make him speak, and
understand me when I spoke : and he was the aptest scholar
that ever was ; and particularly was so merry, so constantly
diligent, and so pleased when he could but understand me, or
make me understand him, that it was very pleasant to me to
talk to him. Now my life began to be so easy that I began
to say to myself, that could I but have been safe from more
savages, I cared not if I was never to remove from the place
where I lived.
After I had been two or three days returned to my castle,
I thought that, in order to bring Friday off from his horrid
way of feeding, and from the relish of a cannibal's stomach,
I ought to let him taste other flesh ; so I took him out with
me one morning to the woods. I went, indeed, intending to
kill a kid out of my own flock, and bring it home and dress
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 163
It ; but as I was going, I saw a she-goat lying down in the
shade, and two young kids sitting by her. I catched hold of
Friday — "Hold!" said I, "stand still;" and made signs to
him not to stir : immediately, I presented my piece, shot, and
killed one of the kids. The poor creature, who had, at a
distance, indeed, seen me kill the savage, his enemy, but did
not know, nor could imagine, how it was done, was sensibly
surprised ; trembled, and shook, and looked so amazed that
I thought he would have sunk down. He did not see the
kid I shot at, or perceive I had killed it, but ripped up his
waistcoat, to feel whether he was not wounded; and, as I
found presently, thought I was resolved to kill him : for he
came and kneeled down to me, and embracing my knees,
said a great many things I did not understand ; but I could
easily see the meaning was, to pray me not to kill him.
I soon found a way to convince him that I would do him
no harm ; and taking him up by the hand, laughed at him,
and pointing to the kid which I had killed, beckoned to him
to run and fetch it, which he did : and while he was wonder-
ing, and looking to see how the creature was killed, I loaded
my gun again. By-and-by, I saw a great fowl, like a hawk,
sitting upon a tree within shot ; so, to let Friday understand
a little what I would do, I called him to me again, pointed at
the fowl, which was indeed a parrot., though I thought it had
been a hawk ; I say, pointing to the parrot, and to my gun,
and to the ground under the parrot, to let him see I would
make it fall, I made him understand that I would shoot and
kill that bird ; accordingly, I fired, and bade him look, and
immediately he saw the parrot fall. He stood like one
frightened again, notwithstanding all I had said to him ; and
I found he was the more amazed, because he did not see me
put anything into the gun, but thought that there must be
some wonderful fund of death and destruction in that thing,
able to kill man, beast, bird, or anything near or far off; and
the astonishment this created in him was such as could not
wear off for a long time ; and, I believe, if I would have let
him, he would have worshipped me and my gun. As for the
gun itself, he would not so much as touch it for several days
after ; but he would speak to it and talk to it, as if it had
answered him, when he was by himself; which, as I after-
wards learned of him, was to desire it not to kill him. Well,
164 ItOBINSON CKtJSOE.
after his astonishment was a little over at this, I pointed to
him to run and fetch the bird I had shot, which he did, but!
stayed some time ; for the parrot, not being quite dead, had
fluttered away a good distance from the place where she fell :
however, he found her, took her up, and brought her to me ;
and as I had perceived his ignorance about the gun before, I
took this advantage to charge the gun again, and not to let
him see me do it, that I might be ready for any other mark
that might present ; but nothing more offered at that time :
so I brought home the kid, and the same evening I took the-
skin off, and cut it out as well as I could ; and having a pot
fit for that purpose, I boiled or stewed some of the flesh, and
made some very good broth. After I had begun to eat some,
I gave some to my man, who seemed very glad of it, and
liked it very well ; but that which was strangest to him was
to see me eat salt with it. He made a sign to me that the
salt was not good to eat ; and putting a little into his own
moiith, he seemed to nauseate it, and would spit and sputter
at it, washing his mouth with fresh water after it : on the
other hand, I took some meat into my mouth without salt,
and I pretended to spit and sputter for want of salt, as much
as he had done at the salt ; but it would not do ; he would
never care for salt with his meat or in his broth, at least not
for a great while, and then but a very little.
Having thus fed him with boiled meat and broth, I was
resolved to feast him the next day by roasting a piece of the
kid : this I did by hanging it before the fire on a string, as I
had seen many people do in England, setting two poles up,
one on each side of the fire, and one across on the top, and
tying the string to the cross stick, letting the meat turn con-
tinually. This Friday admired very much ; but when he
came to taste the flesh, he took so many ways to tell me how
well he liked it, that I could not but understand him : and at
last he told me, as well as he could, he would never eat man's-
flesh any more, which I was very glad to hear.
The next day, I set him to work to beating some corn out,
and sifting it in the manner I used to do, as I observed
before ; and he soon understood how to do it as well as I,
especially after he had seen what the meaning of it was, and
that it was to make bread of; for after that, I let him see me'
make my bread, and bake it too ; and in a little time, Friday
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 165
■was able to do all the work for me as well as I could do it
■myself.
I began now to consider, that having two mouths to feed
instead of one, I must provide more ground for my harvest,
and plant a larger quantity of corn than I used to do ; so I
marked out a larger piece of land, and began the fence in the
same manner as before, in which Friday worked not only very
•willingly and very hard, but did it very cheerfully : and I
told him what it was for — that it was for corn to make more
bread, because he was now with me, and that I might have
enough for him and myself too. He appeared very sensible
of that part, and let me know that he thought I had much
more labour upon me on his account than I had for myself;
and that he would work the harder for me, if I would tell him
what to do.
This was the pleasantest year of all the life I led in this
place. Friday began to talk pretty Avell, and understand the
names of almost everything I had occasion to call for, and of
every place I had to send him to, and talked a great deal to
me ; so that, in short, I began now to have some use for my
tongue again, which, indeed, I had very little occasion for
before. Besides the pleasure of talking to him, I had a sin-
gular satisfaction in the fellow himself: his simple, unfeigned
honesty appeared to me more and more every day, and I be-
gan really to love the creature ; and on his side, I believe he
loved me more than it was possible for him ever to love any-
thing before.
I had a mind once to try if he had any inclination for his
own country again ; and having taught him English so well
that he could answer me almost any question, I asked him
whether the nation that he belonged to never conquered in
battle ? At which he smiled, and said, " Yes, yes, we always
fight the better ;" that is, he meant, always get the better in.
fight ; and so we began the following discourse : —
Master. — You always fight the better ; how come you t®
be taken prisoner then, Friday ?
Friday. — My nation beat much for all that.
Master. — How beat ? If your nation beat them, how came
you to be taken ?
Friday. — They more many than my nation, in the place
166 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
where me was ; tliey take one, two three, and me : my nation
over-beat them in the yonder place, where me no was ; there
my nation take one, two, great thousand.
Master. — But why did not your side recover you from the
hands of your enemies, then ?
Friday. — They run, one, two, three, and me, and make go
in the canoe ; my nation have no canoe that time.
Master. — Well, Friday, and what does your nation do
with the men they take ? Do they carry them away and eat
them, as these did ?
Friday. — Yes, my nation eat mans too : eat all up.
Master. — Where do they carry them?
Friday. — Go to other place, where they think.
Master. — Do they come hither?
Friday. — Yes, yes, they come hither ; come other else
place.
Master. — Have you been here with them ?
Friday. — Yes, I have been here (points to the N.W- side
of the island, which, it seems, was their side).
By this, I understood that my man Friday had formerly
been among the savages who used to come on shore on the
farther part of the island, on the same man-eating occasions
he was now brought for : and, some time after, when I took
the courage to carry him to that side, being the same I
formerly mentioned, he presently knew the place, and told
me he was there once, when they eat up twenty men, two
women, and one child : he could not tell twenty in English,
but he numbered them, by laying so many stones in a row,
and pointing to me to tell them over.
I have told this passage, because it introduces what follows.
After this discourse I had with him, I asked him how far it
was from our island to the shore, and whether the canoes
were not often lost. He told me there was no danger, no
canoes ever lost ; but that after a little way out to sea, there
was a current and wind, always one way in the morning, the
other in the afternoon. This I understood to be no more
than the sets of the tide, as going out or coming in; but I
afterwards understood it was occasioned by the great draft
and reflux of the mighty river Oroonoko, in the mouth or
gulph of which river, as I found afterwards, our island lay ;
KOBINSOK CRUSOE. 167
and that this land which I perceived to the W and N.W.
was the great island of Trinidad, on the north point of the
mouth of the river. I asked Friday a thousand questions
about the country, the inhabitants, the sea, the coast, and
what nations were near : he told me all he knew, with the
greatest openness imaginable. I asked him the names of the
several nations of his sort of people, but could get no other
name than Caribs: from whence I easily understood that
these were the Caribbees, which our maps place on the part of
America which reaches from the mouth of the river Oroonoko
to Guiana, and onwards to St. Martha. He told me, that up
a great way beyond the moon, that was, beyond the setting
of the moon, which must be west from their country, there
dwelt white-bearded men, like me, and pointed to my
great whiskers ; and that they had killed much mans, that
was his word: by all which I understood he meant the
Spaniards, whose cruelties in America had been spread over
the whole country, and were remembered by all the nations
from father to son.
I inquired if he coitld tell me how I might go from this
island and get among those white men: he told me, "Yes,
yes, you may go in two canoe." I could not understand
what he meant, or make him describe to me what he meant
by two canoe, till at last, with great difficulty, I found he
meant it must be in a large boat, as big as two canoes. This
part of Friday's discourse I began to relish very well ; and
from this time I entertained some hopes that, one time or
other, I might find an opportunity to make my escape from
this place, and that this poor savage might be a means to
help me.
During the long time that Friday had now been with me, and
that he began to speak to and understand me, I was wanting to
lay a foundation of religious knowledge in his mind ; particu-
larly I asked him one time, who made him. The poor creature
did not understand me at all, but thought I had asked him
who was his father : but I took it up by another handle, and
asked him, who made the sea, the ground we walked on, and
the hills and woods. He told me, " It was one Benamuckee,
that lived beyond all;" he could describe nothing of this
great person, but that he was very old, " much older," he
said, " than the sea or the land, the moon or the stars." I
1G8 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
asked him then, if this old person had made all things, why
did not all things worship him ? He looked very grave, and,
with a perfect look of innocence, said, " All things say to
him." I asked him, if the people who die in his country
went anywhere ? He said, " Yes, they all went up to Bena-
muckee." Then I asked him whether those they eat up went
thither too ? He said, " Yes."
Frpm these things, I began to instruct him in the know-
ledge of the true God : I told him that the great Maker of
all things lived up there, pointing up towards heaven ; that
He governed the world by the same power and providence
by which He made it ; that He was omnipotent, and could do
everything for us, give everything to us — take everything
from us ; and thus, by degrees, I opened his eyes.
I had, God knows, more sincerity than knowledge in all
the methods I took for this poor creature's instruction, and
must acknowledge, what I believe all that act upon the same
principle will find, that in laying things open to him, I really
informed and instructed myself in many things that either I
did not knoAV, or had not fully considered before, but which
occurred naturally to my mind upon searching into them, for
the information of this poor savage ; and I had more affection
in my inquiry after things upon this occasion than ever I felt
before : so that, whether this poor wild wretch was the better
for me or no, I had great reason to be thankful that ever he
came to me ; my grief sat lighter upon me ; my habitation
grew comfortable to me beyond measure : and when I reflected
that in this solitary life which I had been confined to, I had
not only been moved to look up to heaven myself, and to seek
the hand that had brought me here, but was now to be made
an instrument, under Providence, to save the life, and, for
aught I knew, the soul of a poor savage.
I continued in this thankful frame all the remainder of my
time; and the conversation which employed the hours be-
tween Friday and me was such as made the three years which
we lived there together perfectly and completely happy.
After Friday and I became more intimately acquainted,
and that he could understand almost all I said to him, and
speak pretty fluently, though in broken English, to me, I
acquainted him with my own history, or at least so much of
it as related to my coming to this place ; how I had lived
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
169
there, and how long : I let him into the mystery, for such it
■was to him, of gunpowder and bullet, and taught him how to
shoot. I gave him a knife, which he was wonderfully de-
lighted with ; and I made him a belt, with a frog hanging to
TAGE 268.
it ; and in the frog, instead of a hanger, I gave him a hatchet,
which was not only as good a weapon in some cases, but much
more useful upon other occasions.
I described to him the country of Europe, particularly
England, which I came from ; how we lived, how we wor-
shipped God, how we behaved to one another, and how we
170 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
traded in ships to all parts of the world. I gave him an
account of the wreck which I had been on board of, and
showed him, as near as I could, the place where she lay : but
she was all beaten in pieces before, and gone. I showed him
the ruins of our boat, which we lost when we escaped, and
which I could not stir with my whole strength then; but was
now fallen almost all to pieces. Upon seeing this boat, Friday
stood musing a great while, and said nothing. I asked him
what it was he studied upon. At last, says he, " Me see such
boat like come to place at my nation." I did not understand
him a good while ; but, at last, when I had examined further
into it, I understood by him, that a boat, such as that had
been, came on shore iipon the country where he lived. I
presently imagined that some European ship must have been
cast away upon their coast, and the boat might get loose and
drive ashore ; but was so dull that I never once thought of
men making their escape from, a wreck thither, much less
whence they might come ; so I only inquired after a descrip-
tion of the boat.
Friday described the boat to me well enough ; but brought
me better to understand him when he added with some
warmth, " We save the white mans from drown." Then I
presently asked if there were any white mans, as he called
them, in the boat. "Yes," he said ; " the boat full of white
mans." I asked him how many. He told upon his fingers
seventeen. I asked him then what became of them ? He
told me, "They live, they dwell at my nation."
This put new thoughts into my head ; for I presently
imagined that these might be the men belonging to the ship
that was cast away in the sight of my island, and who, after
the ship was struck on the rock, and they saw her inevitably
lost, had saved themselves in their boat, and were landed
upon that wild shore among the savages. Upon this I in-
quired of him more critically what was become of them. He
assured me they still lived there ; that they had been there
about four years ; that the savages left them alone, and gave
them victuals to live on. I asked him how it came to pass
they did not kill them and eat them. He said, " No, they
make brother with thein ;" that is, as I understood him, a
truce ; and then he added, " They no eat mans but when
make the war fight;" that is to say, they never eat any
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 171
men but such as come to fight with them, and are taken in
battle.
It was after this some considerable time, that being upon
the top of the hill, at the east side of the island, from whence,
I had, in a clear day, discovered the continent of America,
the weather being very serene, Friday looks very earnestly
towards the main land, and, in a kind of surprise, falls a
jumping and dancing, and calls out to me, for I was at some
distance from him. I asked him what was the matter. " O
joy!" says he; "Oglad! there see my country, there my
nation !" I observed an extraordinary sense of pleasure
appeared in his face, and his eyes sparkled, and his counte-
nance discovered a strange eagerness, as if he had a mind to
be in his own country again. This observation of mine put
a great many thoughts into me, which made me, at first, not
so easy about my new man Friday as I was before ; and I
made no doubt but that, if Friday could get back to his own
nation again, he would not only forget all his religion, but all
his obligation to me, and would be forward enough to give
his countrymen an account of me, and come back, perhaps,
with a hundred or two of them, and make a feast upon me,
at which he might be as merry as he used to be with those
of his enemies, when they were taken in war. But I wronged
the poor, honest creature very much, for which I was very
sorry afterwards. However, as my jealousy increased, and.
held me some weeks, I was a little more circumspect, and not
so familiar and kind to him as before: in which I was cer-
tainly in the wrong too ; the honest, grateful creature having
no thought about it, but what consisted with the bes; prin-
ciples, both as a religious Christian and as a grateful friend;
as appeared afterwards to my full satisfaction.
While my jealousy of him lasted, you may be sure I was
every day pumping him, to see if he would discover any of
the new thoughts which I suspected were in him ; but I found
everything he said was so honest and so innocent, that I
could find nothing to nourish my suspicion ; and, in spite of
all my uneasiness, he made me at last entirely his own again;
nor did he in the least perceive that I was uneasy, and there-
fore I could not suspect him of deceit.
One clay, walking up the same hill, but the weather being
hazy at sea, so that we could not see the continent, I culled
172 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
to him, and said, "Friday, do not you wish yourself in your
own country, your own nation?" "Yes," he said, " I be
much O glad to be at my own nation." " What would you
do there ?" said I : " would you turn wild again, eat men's
flesh, and be a savage, as you were before ?" He looked full
of concern, and shaking his head, said, " No, no, Friday tell
them to live good; tell them to pray God; tell them to eat
•corn-bread, cattle-flesh, milk ; no eat man again." " Why,
then," said I to him, "they will kill you." He looked grave
at that, and then said, " No, no, they no kill me, they willing
love learn." He meant by this, they would be willing to
learn. He added, they learned much of the bearded mans
that came in the boat. Then I asked him if he would go
back to them. He smiled at that, and told me that he could
not swim so far. I told him I would make a canoe for him.
He told me he would go, if I would go with him. " I go !''
says I ; " why they will eat me if I come there." " No, no,"
says he, " me make they no eat you ; me make they much
love you." Then he told me, as well as he could, how kind
they were to seventeen white men, who came on shore there
in distress.
From this time, I confess, I had a mind to venture over,
and see if I could possibly join with those bearded men, who,
I made no doubt, were Spaniards and Portuguese ; not doubt-
ing, but, if I could, we might find some method to escape
from thence, being upon the continent, and a good company
together, better than I could from an island forty miles off
the shore, alone, and without help. So, after some days, I
took Friday to work again, by way of discourse, and told him
I would give him a boat to go back to his own nation; and,
accordingly, I carried him to my frigate, which lay on the
other side of the island, and having cleared it of water (for I
always kept it sunk in water), I brought it out, showed it
him, and we both went into it. I found he was a most dex-
terous fellow at managing it, and would make it go almost
as swift again as I could. So when he was in, I said to him,
"Well, now, Friday, shall we go to your nation?" He looked
very dull at my saying so ; which it seems was because he
thought the boat too small to go so far. I then told him I
had a bigger : so the next day I went to the place where the
first boat lay which I had made, but which I could not get
E0B1NS0X CRUSOE. 173
into the water. He said that was big enough : but-then, as
I had taken no care of it, and it had lain two or three and
twenty years there, the sun had split and dried it, that it was
rotten. Friday told me such a boat would do very well, and
would carry "much enough vittle, drink, bread."
Upon the whole, I was by this time so fixed upon my de-
sign of going over with him to the continent, that I told him
we would go and make one as big as that, and he should go
home in it. He answered not one word, but looked very
grave and sad. I asked him what was the matter with him.
He asked me again, " Why you angry mad with Friday ? —
what me done?" I asked him what he meant. I told him I
was not angry with him at all. " No angry !" says he, re-
peating the words several times, " why send Friday home
away to my nation?" "Why," says I, "Friday, did not
you say you wished you were there?" "Yes, yes," says-
he, " wish we both there ; no wish Friday there, no master
there." In a word, he would not think of going there with-
out me. "I go there, Friday?" says I, "what shall I do
there ?" He turned very quick upon me at this. " You do
great deal much good," says he ; " you teach wild mans be-
good, sober, tame mans ; you tell them know God, pray God,
and live new life." "Alas, Friday !" says I, "thou knowest
not what thou sayest ; I am but an ignorant man myself." —
" Yes, yes," says he, " you teachee me good, you teachee
them good." " No, no, Friday," says I, " you shall go with-
out me ; leave me here to live by myself as I did before."
He looked confused again at that word ; and running to one of
the hatchets which he used to wear, he takes it up hastily, and
gives it to me. " What must I do with this ?" says I to him.
" You take kill Friday," says he. " What must I kill you
for ?" said I again. He returns very quick — " What do you
send Friday away for ? Take kill Friday, no send Friday
away." This he spoke so earnestly that I saw tears stand in
his eyes. In a word, I so plainly discovered the utmost
affection in him to me, and a firm resolution in him, that I
told him then, and often after, that I would never send him
away from me, if he was willing to stay with me.
Upon the whole, as I found by all his discourse a settled
affection to me, and that nothing could part him from me,
so I found all the foundation of his desire to go to his own.
174 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
country was laid in his ardent affection to the people, and
his hopes of my doing them good; a thing -which, as I had
no notion of myself, so I had not the least thought or inten-
tion, or desire of undertaking it. But still I found a strong
inclination to attempting my escape, founded on the suppo-
sition gathered from the discourse, that there were seventeen
bearded men there ; and therefore, without any more delay,
I went to work with Friday to find out a great tree proper to
fell, and make a large periagua, or canoe, to undertake the
"voyage. There were trees enough in the island to have
built a little fleet of good large vessels ; but the main thing
I looked at was, to get one so near the water that Ave might
launch it when it was made, to avoid the mistake I committed
at first. At last, Friday pitched upon a tree ; for I found that
he knew much better than I what kind of food was fittest for
it. Friday wished to burn the hollow or cavity of this tree
out, to make it for a boat, but I showed him how to cut it
with tools ; which, after I had showed how to use, he did
very handily; and in about a month's hard labour, we
finished it and made it very handsome ; especially, when,
with our axes, which I showed him how to handle, we cut
and hewed the outside into the true shape of a boat. After
this, however, it cost us near a fortnight's time to get her
along, as it were, inch by inch, upon great rollers into the
water : but when she was in, she would have carried twenty
men with great ease.
When she was in the water, though she was so big, it
amazed me to see with what dexterity, and how swift my
man Friday could manage her, turn her, and paddle her
along. So I asked him if he would, and if we might, venture
over in her. "Yes," he said, "we venture over in her very
well, it-hough great blow wind." However, I had a farther
design that he knew nothing of, and that was to make a mast
and a sail, and to fit her with an anchor and a cable. As to
a mast, that was easy enough to get ; so I pitched upon a
straight young cedar tree, which I found near the place, and
which there were great plenty of in the island, and I set
Friday to work to cut it down, and gave him directions how
to shape and order it. But as to the sail, that was my parti-
cular care. I knew I had pieces of old sails enough ; but as
I had had them now six-and-twenty years by me, and had
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 175
not been very careful to preserve them, not imagining that I
should ever have this kind of use for them, I did not doubt
but they were all rotten ; and, indeed, most of them were so.
However, I found two pieces, which appeared pretty good,
and with these I went to work ; and with a great deal of
pains and awkward stitching, you may be sure, for want of
needles, 'I at length made a three-cornered ugly thing, like
what we call in England a shoulder of mutton sail, to go
with a boom at bottom, and a little short sprit at the top,
such as usually our ships' long-boats sail with, and such as I
best knew how to manage, as it was such a one as I had to
the boat in which I made my escape from Barbary.
I was near two months performing this last work, viz.,
rigging and fitting my mast and sails ; for I finished them
very complete, making a small stay, and a sail, or foresail to
it, to assist if we should turn to windward ; and what was
more than all, I fixed a rudder to the stern of her to steer
with.
After all this was done, I had my man Friday to teach as
to what belonged to the navigation of my boat ; for, though
he knew very well how to paddle a canoe, he knew nothing
of what belonged to a sail and a rudder ; and was the most
amazed when he saw me work the boat to and again in th e
sea by the rudder, and how the sail gibbed, and filled this
way or that way, as the course we sailed changed ; I say,
■when he saw this, he stood like one astonished and amazed.
However, with a little use, I made all these things familiar to
him, and he became an expert sailor — except that of the com-
pass, I could make him understand very little. On the other
hand, as there was very little cloudy weather, and seldom or
never any fogs in those parts, there was the less occasion for
a compass, seeing the stars were always to be seen by night,
and the shore by day, except in the rainy seasons, and then
nobody cared to stir abroad either by land or sea.
I was now entered on the seven-and-twentieth year of my
captivity in this place ; though the last three years that I had
this creature with me ought rather to be left out of the
account, my habitation being quite of another kind than in
all the rest of the time. I kept the anniversary of my landing
here with the same thankfulness to God for his mercies as at
first : and if I had such cause of acknowledgment at first, I
17G ROBINSON CRUSOE.
had much more so now, having such additional testimonies
of the care of Providence over me, and the great hopes I had
of being effectually and speedily delivered ; for I had an in-
vincible impression upon my thoughts that my deliverance
was at hand, and that I should not be another year in this
place. I went on, however, with my husbandry ; digging,
planting, and fencing, as usual. I gathered and cured my
grapes, and did every necessary thing as before.
The rainy season was, in the meantime, upon me, when I
kept more within doors than at other times. We had stowed
our new vessel as secure as we could, bringing her up into
the creek, where I landed my rafts from the ship ; and hauling
her up to the shore at high-water mark, I made my man
Friday dig a little dock, just big enough to hold her, and just
deep enough to give her water to float in ; and then, when
the tide was out, we made a strong dam across the end of it,
to keep the water out ; and so she lay dry as to the tide from
the sea : and to keep the rain off, we laid a great many boughs
of trees, so thick that she was as well thatched as a house ;
and thus we waited for the months of November and Decem-
ber, in which I designed to make my adventure.
When the settled season began to come in, as the thought
of my design returned with the fair weather, I was preparing
daily for the voyage. And the first thing I did was to lay
by a certain quantity of provisions, being the stores for our
voyage ; and intended, in a week or a fortnight's time, to open
the dock, and launch out our boat. I was busy one morning
upon something of this kind, when I called to Friday, and
bid him to go to the sea-shore, and see if he could find a turtle
or tortoise, a thing which we generally got once a-week, for
the sake of the eggs as well as the flesh. Friday had not
been long gone when he came running back, and flew over
my outer wall or fence, like one that felt not the ground, or
the steps he set his feet on ; and before I had time to speak
to him, he cries out to me, " O master ! O master ! O sorrow !
O bad ! " — " What's the matter, Friday ?" says I. " O yonder
there," says he, "one, two, three canoes; one, two, three!"
By this way of speaking I concluded there were six ; but on
inquiry, I found there were but three. " Well, Friday," says
I, " do not be frightened." So I heartened him up as well
as I could. However, I saw the poor fellow was most terribly
EOBINSON CRUSOE.
177
scared, for nothing ran in his head but that they were
come to look for him, and -would cut him in pieces and eat
him ; and the poor fellow trembled so that I scarcely knew
what to do with him. I comforted him as well as I could,
Page 23
and told him I was in as much danger as he, and that they
would eat me as well as him. " But," says I, " Friday, we
must resolve to fight them. Can you fight, Friday?" "Me
shoot," says he, " but there come many great number." " No
matter for that," said I again ; " our guns will fright those
that we do not kill." So I asked him whether, if I resolved
178 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
to defend him, he would defend me, and stand by me, and
do just as I bid him. He said, " Me die, when you bid die,
master." So I went and fetched a good dram of rum and
gave him ; for I had been so good a husband of my rum, that
I had a great deal left. When he had drunk it, I made him
take the two fowling-pieces, which we always carried, and
loaded them with large swan-shot, as big as small pistol-
bullets. Then I took four muskets, and loaded them with
two slugs, and rive small bullets each ; and my two pistols I
loaded with a brace of bullets each. I hung my great sword,
as usual, naked by my side, and gave Friday his hatchet.
When I had thus prepared myself, I took my perspective-
glass, and went up to the side of the hill, to see what I could
discover ; and I found quickly by my glass, that there were
one-and-twenty savages, three prisoners, and three canoes ;
and that their whole business seemed to be the triumphant
banquet upon these three human bodies. I observed also,
that they had landed, not where they had done when Friday
made his escape, but nearer to my creek, where the shore
was low, and where a thick wood came almost close down to
the sea. This, with the abhorrence of the inhuman errand
these wretches eame about, filled me with such indignation
that I came down again to Friday, and told him I was re-
solved to go down to them, and kill them all ; and asked him
if he would stand by me. He had now got over his fright,
and his spirits being a little raised with the dram I had given
him, he was very cheerful, and told me, as before, he would
die when I bid die.
In this fit of fury I divided the arms which 1 had charged,
as before, between us ; I gave Friday one pistol to stick in
his girdle, and three guns upon his shoulder, and I took one
pistol and the other three guns myself; and in this posture
we marched out. I took a small bottle of rum in my pocket,
and gave Friday a large bag with more powder and bullets;
and as to orders, I charged him to keep close behind me, and
not to stir, or shoot, or do anything till I bid him, and in the
meantime not to speak a word. In this posture I fetched a
compass to my right hand of near a mile, as well to get over
the creek as to get into the wood, so that I could come within
shot of them before I should be discovered, which I had irn
by my glass it was ea*y to do.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 179'
While I was making this march, my former thoughts re-
turning, I began to abate my resolution: I do not mean that
I entertained any fear of their number, for, as they were
naked, unarmed wretches, it is certain I was superior to them
— nay, though I had been alone. But it occurred to my
thoughts, what occasion, much less what necessity, I was in
to go and dip my hands in blood, to attack people who had
neither done or intended me any wrong? who, as to me,
were innocent, and whose barbarous customs were their own
disaster, being in them a token, indeed, of God's having left
them, with the other nations of that part of the world, to such
stupidity, and to such inhuman courses, but did not call me
to take upon me to be a judge of their actions, much less an
executioner of His justice, — that whenever He thought fit He
would take the cause into His own hands, and by national
vengeance punish them as a people for national crimes, but
that, in the meantime, it was none of my business, — that it
was true Friday might justify it, because he was a declared
enemy, and in a state of war with those very particular
people, and it was lawful for him to attack them, — but I
could not say the same with regard to myself. These things
were so warmly pressed upon my thoughts all the way as I
went, that I resolved I would only go and place myself near
them that I might observe their barbarous feast, and that I
would act then as God should direct ; but that unless some-
thing offered that was more a call to me than yet I knew of, I
would not meddle with them.
With this resolution I entered the wood, and with all
possible wariness, Friday following close at my heels. I
marched till I came to the skirt of the wood on the side
which was next to them, only that one corner of the wood
lay between me and them. Here I called softly to Friday,
and showing him a great tree which was just at the corner of
the wood, I bade him go to the tree, and bring me word if he
could see tliere plainly what they were doing. He did so,
and came immediately back to me, and told me they might
be plainly viewed there, — that they were all about their fire
eating the flesh of one of their prisoners, and that another lay
bound upon the sand a little from them, whom he said they
would kill next, and this fired the very soul within me. He
told me it was not one of their nation, but one of the bearded
180 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
men he had told me of, that came to their country in the
boat. I was filled with horror at the very naming of the
white-bearded man ; and going to the. tree, I saw plainly by
my glass a white man, who lay upon the beach of the sea with
his hands and his feet tied, and that he was an European, and
had clothes on.
There was another tree, and a little thicket beyond it,
about fifty yards nearer to them than the place where I was,
which, by going a little way about, I saw I might come at
undiscovered, and that then I should be within half a shot of
them ; so I withheld my passion, though I was indeed enraged
to the highest degree: and going back about twenty paces, I
got behind some bushes, which held all the way till I came
to the other tree, and then came to a little rising ground,
which gave me a full view of them at the distance of about
eighty yards.
I had now not a moment to lose, for nineteen of the dread-
ful wretches sat upon the ground, all close huddled together,
and had just sent the other two to butcher the poor Christian,
and bring him perhaps limb by limb to their fire, and they
were stooping down to untie the bands at his feet. I turned
to Friday : — " Now, Friday," said I, " do as I bid thee."
Friday said he would. " Then, Friday," says I, " do exactly
as you see me do ; fail in nothing." So I set down one of the
muskets and the fowling-piece upon the ground, and Friday
did the like by his, and with the other musket I took my aim
at the savages, bidding him to do the like ; then asking him
if he was ready, he said, " Yes." " Then fire at them," said I ;
and at the same moment I fired also.
Friday took his aim so much better than I, that on the
side that he shot he killed two of them, and wounded three
more ; and on my side I killed one, and wounded two. They
were, you may be sure, in a dreadful consternation ; and all
of them that were not hurt, jumped upon their feet, but did
not immediately know which way to run, or which way to
look, for they knew not from whence their destruction came.
Friday kept his eyes close upon me, that, as I had bid him,
he might observe what I did ; so, as soon as the first shot was
made, I threw down the piece, and took up the fowling-piece,
and Friday did the like ; he saw me cock and present ; he
did the same again. "Ar« vou ready, Friday?" said I.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 181
"Yes," says he. "Let fly, then," says I, "in the name of
God !" and with that I fired again among the amazed wretches,
and so did Friday ; and as our pieces were now loaded with
what I call swan-shot, or small pistol-bullets, we found only
two drop ; but so many were wounded, that they ran about
yelling and screaming like mad creatures, all bloody, and
most of them miserably wounded, whereof three more fell
quickly after, though not quite dead.
" Now, Friday," says I, laying down the discharged pieces,
and taking up the musket which was yet loaded, " follow me,"
which he did with a great deal of courage ; upon which I
rushed out of the wood and showed myself, and Friday close
at my foot. As soon as I perceived they saw me, I shouted
as loud as I could, and bade Friday do so too, and running
as fast as possible towards the poor victim, who was lying
upon the beach between the place where they sat and the sea.
The two butchers, who were just going to work with him, had
left at the surprise of our first fire, and fled in a terrible
fright to the sea-side, and had jumped into a canoe, and three
more of the rest made the same way. I turned to Friday,
and bade him step forwards and fire at them ; he understood
me immediately, and running about forty yards, to be nearer,
he shot ; and I thought he had killed them all, for I saw them
all fall of a heap into the boat, though I saw two of them up
again quickly ; however, he killed two of thorn, and wounded
the third so that he lay down in the bottom of the boat as if
he had been dead.
While my man Friday fired at them, I pulled out my knife
and cut the flags that bound the poor victim ; and loosing his
hands and feet, I lifted him up, and asked him in the Portu-
guese tongue, what he was. He answered in Latin, Christi-
anus ; but was so weak and faint that he could scarce stand
or speak. I took my bottle out of my pocket, and gave it him,
making signs that he should drink, which he did ; and I gave
him a piece of bread, which he ate. Then I asKed him what
countryman he was: and he said Espagniole; and being a
little recovered, let me know, by all the signs he could possibly
make, how much he was in my debt for his deliverance.
" Seignior," said I, with as much Spanish as I could make up,
" we will talk afterwards, but we must fight now : if you
have any strength .left, take this pistol and sword, and lay
182 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
about you." Ho took them very thankfully ; and no sooner
had he the arras in his hands, but, as if they had put new-
vigour into him, he flew upon his murderers like a fury, and
had cut two of them in pieces in an instant; for the truth is,
as the whole was a surprise to them, so the poor creatures
were so much frightened with the noise of our pieces that
they fell down for mere amazement and fear, and had no more
power to attempt their own escape, than their flesh had to
resist our shot: and that was the case of those five that
.Friday shot at in the boat ; for as three of them fell with the
hurt they received, so the other two fell with the fright.
I kept my piece in my hand still without firing, being
willing to keep my charge ready, because I had given tne
Spaniard my pistol and sword: so I called to Friday, and
bade him run up to the tree from whence we first fired, and
fetch the arms which lay there that had been discharged,
which he did with great swiftness: and then giving him my
musket, I sat down myself to load all the rest again, and bade
them come to me when they wanted. While I was loading
these pieces, there happened a fierce engagement between the
Spaniard and one of the savages, who made at him with one
of their great wooden swords, the weapon that was to have
killed him before, if I had not prevented it. The Spaniard,
who was as bold and brave as could be imagined, though weak,
had fought the Indian a good while, and had cut two great
wounds on his head ; but the savage being a stout, lusty
fellow, closing in with him, had thrown him down, being
faint, and was wringing my sword out of his hand ; when the
Spaniard, though undermost, wisely quitting the sword, drew
the pistol from his girdle, shot the savage through the body,
and killed him upon the spot, before I, who was running to
help him, could come near.
Friday, being now left to his liberty, pursued the flying
wretches, with no weapon in his hand but his hatchet; and
with that he despatched those three who, as I said before,
were wounded at first, and fallen, and all the rest he could
come up with : and the Spaniard coming to me for a gun) I
gave him one of the fowling-pieces, with which he pursued
two of the savsges, and wounded them both ; but, as he was
not able to run, they both got from him into the wood, where
Friday pursued them, and killed one of them, but the other
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 183
was too nimble for him; and though he was -wounded, yet
had plunged himself into the sea, and swam with all his might
off to those two who were left in the canoe, which three in
the canoe, with one wounded, that we knew not whether he
died or no, were all that escaped our hands of one-and-twenty.
The account of the whole is as follows : — three killed at our
first shot from the tree ; two killed at the next shot ; two
killed by Friday in the boat ; two killed by Friday, of those
at first wounded ; one killed by Friday in the wood ; three
killed by the Spaniard ; four killed, being found dropped here
and there, of the wounds, or killed by Friday in his chase of
them ; four escaped in the boat, whereof one wounded, if not
dead — twenty-one in all.
Those that were in the canoe worked hard to get out of
gunshot, and though Friday made two or three shots at them,
I did not find that he hit any of them. Friday would fain
have had me take one of their canoes, and pursue them ; and,
indeed, I was very anxious about their escape, lest carrying
the news home to their people, they should come back perhaps
with two or three hundred of the canoes and devour us by
mere multitude ; so I consented to pursue them by sea, and
running to one of their canoes, I jumped in, and bade Friday
follow me : but when I was in the canoe, I was surprised to
find another poor creature lie there, bound hand and foot, as
the Spaniard was, for the slaughter, and almost dead with
fear, not knowing what was the matter ; for he had not been
able to looii up over the side of the boat, he was tied so hard
neck and heels, and had been tied so long, that he had really
but little life in him.
I immediately cut the twisted flags or rushes, which they
had bound him with, and would have helped him up ; but he
could not stand or speak, but groaned most piteously, be-
lieving, it seems, still, that he was only unbound in order to
be killed. When Friday came to him I bade him speak to
him, and tell him of his deliverance ; and pulling out my
bottle, made him give the poor wretch a dram ; which, with
the news of his being delivered, revived him, and he sat up in
the bdat. But when Friday came to hear him speak, and look
in his face, it would have moved any one to tears to have seen
how Friday kissed him, embraced and hugged him, cried,
laughed, hallooed, jumped about, danced, sung ; then cried
184 EOBINSON CRUSOE.
again, wrung his hands, beat his own face and head; and
then sung and jumped about again, like a distracted creature.
It was a good while before I could make him speak or tell me
what was the matter ; but when he came a little to himself,
he told me that it was his father.
It is not easy for me to express how it moved me to see
what ecstasy and filial affection had worked in this poor
savage at the sight of his father, and of his being delivered
from death; nor, indeed, can I describe half tne extrava-
gances of his affection after this ; for he went into the boat,
and out of the boat, a great many times : when he went in to
him, he would sit down by him, open his breast, and hold his
father's head close to his bosom for many minutes together, to
nourish it; then he took his arms and ankles, which were
numbed and stiff with the binding, and chafed and rubbed
them with his hands ; and I, perceiving what the case was,
gave him some rum out of my bottle to rub them with, which
did them a great deal of good.
This affair put an end to our pursuit of the canoe with the
other savages, who were now almost out of sight ; and it was
happy ;or us that we did not, for it blew so hard within two
hours after, and before they could be got a quarter of their
way, and continued blowing so hard all night, and that from
the north-west, which was against them, that I could not sup-
pose their boat could live, or that they ever reached their own
coast.
But to return to Friday ; he was so busy about his father,
that I could not find in my heart to take him off for some
time ; but after I thought he could leave him a little, I called
him to me, and he came jumping and laughing, and pleased to
the highest extreme ; then I asked him if he had given his
father any bread. He shook his head, and said, "None:
ugly dog eat all up self." I then gave him a cake of bread, out
of a little pouch I carried on purpose ; I also gave him a dram
for himself, but he would not taste it, but carried it to his
father. I had in my pocket two or three bunches of raisins,
so I gave him a hnndful of them for his father. He had no
sooner given his father these raisins, but I saw him come out
of the boat, and run away as if he had been bewitched, for
he was the swiftest fellow on his feet that ever I saw : I say,
he ran at such a rate that he was out of sight, as it were, in
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
185
an instant ; and though I called, and hallooed out too, after
him, it was all one — away he went ; and in a quarter of an
hour I saw him come back again, though not so fast as he
went ; and, as he came nearer, I found his pace slacker,
Page 238,
because he had something in his hand. When he came up to
me, I found he had been quite home for an earthen jug, to
bring his father some fresh water, and that he had got two
more loaves of bread : the bread he gave me, but the water
he carried to his father ; however, as I was very thirsty too,
I took a little of it. The water revived his father more than
18G ROBINSON CRUSOE.
ail the rum or spirits I had given him, for he was fainting with
thirst.
When his father had drunk, I called to him to know if there
was any water left : he said " Yes ;" and I bride him give it
to the poor Spaniard, who was in as much want of it as his
father ; and I sent one of the cakes, that Friday brought, to
the Spaniard too, who was indeed very weak, and was repos-
ing himself upon a green place under the shade of a tree ;
and whose limbs were also very stiff, and very much swelled
with the rude bandage he had been tied with. When I saw
that upon Friday's coining to him with the water, he sat up
and drank, and took the bread and began to eat, I went to
him and gave him a handful of raisins : he looked up in my
face with all the tokens of gratitude and thankfulness that
could appear in any countenance ; but was so weak, notwith-
standing he had so exerted himself in the fight, that he could
not stand up upon his feet ; he tried to do it two or three
times, but was really not able, hi* ankles were so swelled and
so painful to him ; so I bade him sit still, and caused Friday
to rub his ankles, and bathe them with rum, as he had done
his father's.
I observed the poor affectionate creature, every two minutes,
turn his head about, to see if his father, was in the same place
and posture as he left him sitting ; and at last he found he
was not to be seen; at which he started up, and, without
speaking a word, flew with that swiftness to him, that one
could scarce perceive his feet to touch the ground as he went:
but when he came he only found he had laid himself down to
ease his limbs, so Friday came back to me presently ; and
then I spoke to the Spaniard to let Friday help him up, if he
could, and lead him to the boat, and then he should carry
him to our dwelling, where I would take care of him. But
Friday, a lusty strong fellow, took the Spaniard upon his
back, and carried him away to the boat, and set him down
softly upon the side of the canoe, with his feet in the inside
of it ; and then lifting him quite in, he set him close to his
father ; and presently stepping out again, launched the boat
off, and paddled it along the shore faster than I could walk:
so he brought them both safe into our creek, and leaving
them in the boat, ran away to fetch the other -canoe. As he
passed me I spoke to him, and asked him whither he went.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 187
He told me, " Go fetch more boat : " so away he went like the
wind ; and he had the other canoe in the creek almost as soon
as I got to it by land ; so ho wafted me over, and then went
to help our new guests out of the boat, which he did ; but
they were neither of them able to walk, so that poor Friday
knew not what to do.
To remedy this, I went to work in my thought, and calling
to Friday to bid them sit down on the bank while he came to
me, I soon made a kind of hand-barrow to lay them on,
and Friday and I carried them both up together upon it
between us.
But when we got them to the outside of our wall, we were
at a worse loss than before, for it was impossible to get them
over, and I was resolved not to break it down, so I set to
work again : and Friday and I, in about two hours' time,
made a very handsome tent, covered with old sails, and above
that with boughs of trees, being in the space without our
outward fence, and between that and the grove of young wood
which I had planted ; and here we made them two beds of
such things as I had, viz., of good riee-straw, with blankets
laid upon it, to lie on, and another to cover them, on each bed.
My island was now peopled, and I thought myself very
rich in subjects ; and it was a merry reflection, which I fre-
quently made, how like a king I looked.
As soon as I had secured my two weak, rescued prisoners,
and given them shelter, and a place to rest them upon, I
began to think of making some provision for them ; and the
first thing I did, I ordered Friday to take a yearling goat,
betwixt a kid and a goat, out of my particular flock, to be
killed; whan I cut off the hinder-quarter, and chopping it
into small pieces, I set Friday to work to boiling and stewing,
and made them a very good dish, I assure you, of flesh and
broth ; and as I cooked it without doors, so I carried it all
into the new tent, and having set a table there for them, I sat
down, and ate my own dinner also with them, and, as well as
I could, cheered and encouraged them.
After we had dined, I ordered Friday to take one of the
canoes, and go and fetch our muskets and other fire-arms,
which, for want of time, we had left upon the place of battle ;
and, the next day, I ordered him to go and bury the dead
bodies of the savages. I also ordered hiin to bury the horrid
188 ROBINSON CRUSOE
remains of their barbarous feast : all which he punctually per-
formed, and effaced the very appearance of the savages being
there ; so that when I went again, I could scarce know where
it was, otherwise than by the corner of the wood pointing to
the place.
I then began to enter into a little conversation with my two
new subjects : and, first, I set Friday to inquire of his father
what he thought of the escape of the savages in that canoe,
and whether we might expect a return of them, witli a power
too great for us to resist. His first opinion was, that the
savages in the boat never could live out the storm which
blew that night they went off, but must, of necessity, bo
drowned, or driven south to those other shores, where they
were as sure to be devoured as they were to be drowned if
they were to be cast away : but, as to what they would do, if
they came safe on shore, he said he knew not ; but it was his
opinion, that they were so dreadfully frightened with the
manner of their being attacked, the noise, and the fire, that
he believed they would tell the people they were all killed by
thunder and lightning, not by the hand of man ; and that the
two which appeared, viz., Friday and I, were two heavenly
spirits, or furies, come down to destroy them, and not men
with weapons. This, he said, he knew ; because he heard
them all cry out so, in their language, one to another; for it
was impossible for them to conceive that a man could dart
fire, and speak thunder, and kill at a distance, without lifting
up the hand, as was done now : and this old savage was in
the right; for, as I understood since, by other hands, the
savages never attempted to go over to the island afterwards,
they were so terrified with the accounts given by those four
men (for it seems they did escape the sea), that they believed
whoever went to that enchanted island would be destroyed
with fire from the gods. This, however, I knew not ; and,
therefore, was under continual apprehensions for a good while,
and kept always upon my guard, with all my army ; for, as
there were now four of us, I would have ventured upon a
hundred of them, fairly in the open field, at any time.
In a little time, however, no more canoes appearing, the
fear of their coming wore off; and I began to take my former
thoughts of a voyage to the main into consideration ; being
likewise assured, by Friday's father, that I might depend upon
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 189
good usage from their nation, on his account, if I would go.
But my thoughts were a little suspended when I had a serious
discourse with the Spaniard, and when I understood that
there were sixteen more of his countrymen and Portuguese,
who having been cast away and made their escape to that
side, lived there at peace, indeed, with the savages, but were
very sore put to it for necessaries, and, indeed, for life. I
asked him all the particulars of their voyage, and found they
were a Spanish ship, bound from the Kio de la Plata to the
Havanna, being directed to leave their loading there, which
was chiefly hides and silver, and to bring back what European
goods they could meet with there ; that they had five Portu-
guese seamen on board, whom they took out of another
wreck ; that five of their own men were drowned, when first
the ship was lost, and that these escaped through infinite
dangers and hazards, and arrived, almost starved, on the can-
nibal coast, where they expected to have been devoured every
moment. He told me they had some arms with them, but
they were perfectly useless, for that they had neither powder
nor ball, the washing of the sea having spoiled all their powder,
but a little, which they used at their first landing, to provide
themselves some food.
I asked him what he thought would become of them there,
and if they had formed any design of making their escape.
He said they had many consultations about it ; but that having
neither vessel, nor tools to build one, nor provisions of any
kind, their councils always ended in tears and despair. I
asked him how he thought they would receive a proposal from
me, which might tend towards an escape ; and whether, if they
were all here, it might not be done. I told him, with freedom,
I feared mostly their treachery and ill usage of me, if I put
my life in their hands ; for that gratitude was no inherent
virtue in the nature of man, nor did men always square their
dealings by the obligations they had received, so much as they
did by the advantages they expected.
He answered, with a great deal of candour and ingenuous-
ness, that their condition was so miserable, and that they were
so sensible of it, that he believed they would abhor the thought
of using any man unkindly that should contribute to their
deliverance ; and that, if I pleased, he would go to them, with
the old man, and discourse with them about it, and return
190
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
again, and bring me their answer; that he would make con-
ditions with them upon their solemn oath, that they should be
absolutely under my direction, as their commander and cap-
tain : and they should swear upon the holy sacraments and
gospel to be true to me, and go to such Christian country as
I should agree to, and no other; and to be directed wholly
and absolutely by my orders, till they were landed safely in
such country as I intended ; and that he would bring a con-
tract from them, under their hands, for that purpose. Then
he told me he would first swear to me himself, that he would
never stir from me as long as he lived, till I gave him orders ;
and that he would take my side to the last drop of his blood,
if there should happen the least breach of faith among his
countrymen. He told me they were all of them very civil,
honest men, and they were under the greatest distress imagi-
nable, having neither weapons or clothes, nor any food, but at
the mercy and discretion of the savages ; out of all hopes of
ever returning to their own country ; and that he was sure,
if I would undertake their relief, they would live and die
by me.
Upon these assurances, I resolved to venture to relieve
them, if possible, and to send the old savage and this Spaniard
over to them to treat. But when we had got all things in
readiness to go, the Spaniard himself started an objection,
which had so much prudence in it on one hand, and so much
sincerity on the other hand, that I could not but be very well
satisfied in it ; and, by his advice, put off the deliverance of
his comrades for at least half a year. The case vas thus : he
had been with us now about a month, during which time I
had let him see in what manner I had provided, with the
assistance of Providence, for my support ; and he saw evi-
dently what stock of corn and rice I had laid up: which,
though it was more than sufficient for myself, yet it was not
sufficient, without good husbandry, for my family, now it was
increased to four ; but much less would it be sufficient if his
countrymen, who were, as he said, sixteen, still alive, should
come over ; and, least of all, would it be sufficient to victual
our vessel, if we should build one, for a voyage to any of the
Christian colonies of America ; so he told me he thought it
would be more advisable to let him and the other two dig and
cultivate some more land, as much as I could spare seed to
EOEIXSON CRUSOE. 191
sow, and that we should wait another harvest that we might
have a supply of corn for his countrymen, when they should
come ; for want might be a temptation to them to disagree,
or not to think themselves delivered, otherwise than out of
one difficulty into another.
His caution was so seasonable, and his advice so good, that
I could not but be very well pleased with his proposal, as u ell
as I was satisfied with his fidelity; so we fell to digging, all
four of us, as well as the wooden tools we were furnished with
permitted; and, in about a month's time, by the end of
which it was seed-time, we had got as much land cured and
trimmed up, as we sowed two-and-twenty bushels of barley
on, and sixteen jars of rice, which was all the seed wo had to
spare : indeed, we left ourselves barely sufficient for our own
food, for the six months that we had to expect our crop,
reckoning from the time we set our seed aside for sowing;
for it is not to be supposed it is six months in the ground in
that country.
Having now society enough, and our number being suffi-
cient to put us out of fear of the savages, if they had come,
unless their number had been very great, we went freely all
over the island, whenever we found occasion; and as we had
our escape or deliverance upon our thoughts, it was impossi-
ble, at least for me, to have the means of it out of mine. For
this purpose, I marked out several trees, which I thought fit
for our work, and I set Friday and his father to cut them
down; and then I caused the Spaniard, to whom I imparted
my thoughts on that affair, to oversee and direct their work.
I showed them with what indefatigable pains I ha'd hewed a
large tree into single planks, and I caused them to do the
like, till they had made about a dozen large planks of good
oak, near two feet broad, thirty-five feet long, and from two
inches to four inches thick : what prodigious labour it took
up, anyone may imagine.
At the same time, I contrived to increase my little flock of
tame goats as much as I could ; and, for this purpose, I madf
Friday and the Spaniard go out one day, and myself with
Friday the next day (for we took our turns), and by this
means we got about twenty young kids to breed up with th<
rest; for whenever we shot the dam, we saved the kids, an'
added them to our flock. But, above all, the season f<
192 IIOBINSON CRUSOE.
curing the grapes coming on, I caused such a prodigious
quantity to be hung up in the sun, that I believe we could
have filled sixty or eighty barrels ; and these, with our bread,
formed a great part of our food.
It was now harvest, and our crop in good order ; it was not
the most plentiful increase I had seen in the island, but, how-
ever, it was enough to answer our end ; for, from twenty-two
bushels of barley, we brought in and threshed out above two
hundred and twenty bushels ; and the like in proportion of
the rice, which was store enough for our food to the next
harvest, though all the sixteen Spaniards had been on shore
with me ; or, if we had been ready for a voyage, it would
very plentifully have victualled our ship to have carried us to
any part of America. When we had thus housed and secured
our magazine of corn, we fell to work to make more great
baskets, in which we kept it; and the Spaniard was very
handy and dexterous at this.
And now, having a full supply of food for all the guests I
expected, I gave the Spaniard leave to go over to the main,
to see what he could do with those he had left behind him
there. I gave him a strict charge not to bring any man with
him who would not first swear, in the presence of himself and
the old savage, that he would no way injure, fight with, or
attack the person he should find in the island, who was so
kind as to send for them in order to their deliverance ; but
that they would stand by him and defend him against all such
attempts, and wherever they went, would be entirely under
and subjected to his command ; and that this should be put
in writing, and signed in their hands. How they were to
have done this when I knew they had neither pen or ink, was
a question we never asked. Under these instructions the
Spaniard and the old savage went away in one of the canoes
which they might be said to come in, or rather were brought
in, when they came as prisoners to be devoured by the
savages. I gave each of them a musket, with a firelock on it,
and about eight charges of powder and ball, charging them
to be very good husbands of both, and not to use either of
them but upon urgent occasions.
This was a cheerful work, being the first measures used by
me, in view of my deliverance, for now twenty-seven years
and some days. I gave them provisions of bread, and of
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
103
dried grapes, sufficient for themselves for many days, and
sufficient for all the Spaniards for about eight days' time ;
rase 21 '
and wishing them a good voyage, I Saw them go, agreeing
■with them "about a signal they should hang out at their re-
turn, by which I should know them acrain vhen they came
134 ItOBINSO.V CRUSOE
back, at a distance, before thoy came on shore. They went
away, with a fair gale, on the day that the moon was at full,
by my account in the month of October.
It was no less than eight days I had waited for them, when
a strange and unforeseen accident intervened, of which the
like has not, perhaps, been heard of in history. I was fast
asleep in my hutch one morning, when my man Friday came
running in to me, and called aloud, " Master, master, they
are come, they are come !" I jumped up, and, regardless ot
danger, I went out as soon as I could get my clothes on,
through my little grove, which, by the way, was by this time
grown to be a very thick wood ; I went •without my arms,
which was not my custom to do : but I was surprised, when,
turning my eyes to the jsea, I presently saw a boat at about a
league and a half distance, standing in for the shore, with a
shoulder-of-*snitt©n sail, and the wind blowing pretty fair. to
bring them in: also I observed, presently, that they did not
come from that fide which the shore lay on, but from the
southernmost end of the island. Upon this I called Friday in,
and bade him lie close, for these were not the people we
looked for, and that we might not know yet whether they
were friends or enemies. In the next plaee, I went in to
fetch nvy perspective glass, to see what I could make of them;
and, having taken the ladder out, I climbed to the top of the
hill, as I used to do when I was apprehensive of anything - ,
and to take my view the plainer, without being discovered. I
had scarce set my foot upon the hill, when my eye plainly
discovered a ship lying at an anchor, at about two leagues and
a half distance from me, S.S.E., but not abonea league and a
half from the shore. By my observation, it appeared plainly
to be an English ship, and the boat appeared to be an Eng-
lish long-boat.
I cannot express the confusion I was in, though the joy of
seeing a »hip, .and one -that I had reason to believe was
manned by my own countrymen, and consequently friends,
was such as I canno£ describe ; but yet I ■ had some secret
doubts hanging about me, bidding me keep upon my guard.
In the first place, it occurred to me to consider what business
an English ship could have in that part of the world, since it
was not the way to or from any part of the world where the
-English had any traffic ; and I knew there had been no storms
kobixso:,' ciiusoe. 195
to drive them in there, in distress ; and that if they were
really English, it was most probable that they were here
upon no good design ; and that I had better continue as I
was, than fall into the hands of thieves and murderers.
Had I not been made cautious, I had been undone inevi-
tably, and in a far worse condition than before, as you will see
presently. I had not kept myself long in this posture, till I
saw the boat draw near the shore, as if they looked for a
creek to thrust in at, for the convenience of landing ; however,
as they did not come quite far enough they did not see the
little inlet where I formerly landed my rafts, but run their
boat on shore upon the beach, at about half a mile from me,
■which was very happy for me ; for otherwise they would have
landed just at my door, as I may say, and would soon have
beaten me out of my castle, and perhaps have plundered me
of all I had. When they were on shore, I was fully satisfied
they were Englishmen, at least most of them ; one or two I
thought were Dutch, but it did not prove so ; there were in
all eleven men, whereof three of them I found were unarmed,
and, as I thought, bound ; and when the first four or five of
them jumped on shore, they took those throe out of the boat,
as prisoners : one of the three I could perceive, using the
most passionate gestures of entreaty, affliction, and despair,
even to a kind of extravagance ; the other two, I could per-
ceive, lifted up their hands sometimes, and appeared concerned,
indeed, but not to such a degree as the first. I was perfectly
confounded at the sight, and knew not what the meaning of
it should be. Friday called out to me in English, as well as
he could, " master ! you see English mans eat prisoner as
well as savage mans." " Why, Friday," says I, " do you
think they are going to eat them then ?" " Yes," says Friday,
" they will eat them." " No, no," says I, " Friday ; I am
afraid they will murder them, indeed ; but you may be sure
they will not eat them."
All this while I had no thought of what the matter really
was, but stood trembling with the horror of the sight, ex-
pecting every moment when the three prisoners should be
killed ; nay, once I saw one of the villains lift up his arms
■with a great cutlass, to strike one of the poor men ; and I
expected to see him fall every moment; at which all the blood
in my body seemed to run chill in my veins. I wished
196 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
heartily now for the Spaniard, and the savage that was gone
with him, or that I had any way to have come undiscovered
within shot of them, that I might have secured the three men,
for I saw they had among them no fire-arms ; but it fell out
to my mind another way. After I had observed the out-
rageous usage of the three men by the insolent seamen, the
fellows ran scattering about the island, as if they wanted to
see the country. I observed that the three other men had
liberty to go also where they pleased ; but they sat down all
three upon the ground, very pensive, and looked like men in
despair.
It was just at high water when these people came on shore ,
and while they rambled about to see what kind of a place
"they were in, they had carelessly staid till the tide was spent,
and the water was ebbed considerably away, leaving their
boat aground. They had left two men in the boat, who, as I
found afterwards, having drunk a little too much brandy, fell
asleep ; however, one of them waking a little sooner than the
other, and finding the boat too far aground for him to stir it,
hallooed out for the rest, who were straggling about ; upon
which they all soon came to the boat : but it was past all
their strength to launch her, being very heavy, and the shore
on that side being a soft oozy sand, almost like a quicksand.
In this condition they gave it over, and away they strolled
about the country again ; and I heard one of them say aloud
to another, calling them off from the boat, " Why, let her
alone, Jack, can't you ? she'll float next tide :" by which I
was fully confirmed in the main inquiry of what countrymen
they were. All this while I kept myself very close, not once
daring to stir out of my castle, any farther than to my place
of observation, near the top of the hill ; and very glad I was
to think how well it was fortified. I knew it was no less than
ten hours before the boat could float again, and by that time
it would be dark, and I might be at more liberty to see their
motions, and to hear their discourse, if they had any. In the
meantime, I fitted myself up for a battle, as before, though
with more caution, knowing I had to do with another kind of
enemy than I had at first. I ordered Friday also, whom I
had made an excellent marksman with his gun, to load himself
with arms. I took myself two fowling-pieces, and I gave him
three muskets. My figure, indeed, was very fierce ; I had my
ROBINSON CUUSOE. 197
formidable goat-skin coat on, with the great cap I have men-
tioned, a naked sword by my side, two pistols in my belt, and
a gun upon each shoulder.
It was my design, as I said above, not to have made any
attempt till it was dark ; but about two o'clock, being the
heat of the day, I found that they were all gone straggling
into the woods, and, as I thought, laid down to sleep. The
three poor distressed men, too anxious for their condition to
get any sleep, had, however, sat clown under the shelter of a
great tree, at about a quarter of a mile from me, and, as I
thought, out of sight of any of the rest. Upon this I resolved
to discover myself to them, and learn something of their con-
dition : immediately I marched, my man Friday at a good
distance behind me, as formidable for his arms as I, but not
making quite so staring a spectre-like figure as I did. I came
as near them undiscovered as I could, and then, before any
of them saw me, I called aloud to them in Spanish, " What
are ye, gentlemen ? " They started up at the noise, but were
ten times more confounded when they saw me, and the uncouth
figure that I made. They made no answer at all, but I thought
I perceived them just going to fly from me, when 1 spoke to
them in English. " Gentlemen," said I, " do not be surprised
at me ; perhaps you may have a friend near when you did
not expect it." " He must be sent directly from Heaven
then," said one of them very gravely to me, and pulling off
his hat at the same time to me ; " for our condition is past the
help of man." li All help is from Heaven, sir," said I : " but
can you put a stranger in the way to help you? for you seem
to be in some great distress. I saw you when you landed ;
and when you seemed to make application to the brutes that
came with vou, I saw one of them lift up his sword to kill
you."
The poor man, with tears running down his face, and
trembling, looked like one astonished, returned, " Am I talking
to God or man ? Is it a real man or an angel ? " " Be in no
fear about that, sir," said I ; "if God had sent an angel to
relieve you, he would have come better clothed, and armed
after another manner than you see me. Pray lay aside your
fears ; I am a man, an Englishman, and disposed to assist you.
You see I have one servant only ; we have arms and ammuni-
tion : tell us freely, can we serve you ? What is your case ? : '
198
EOBINSON CRUSOE.
" Our case, sir," said he, " is too long to tell you, while our
murderers are so near us ; but, in short, sir, I was commander
of that ship ; my men have mutinied against me ; they have
been hardly prevailed on not to murder me, and, at last, have
set me on shore in this desolate place, with these two men
with me — one my mate, the other a passenger, where we ex-
pected to perish, believing the place to be uninhabited, and
know not yet what to think of it." " Where are these brutes,
your enemies ? " said I ; "do you know where they are gone ? "
"There they lie, sir," said he, pointing to a thicket of trees;
"my heart trembles for fear they have seen us, and heard you
speak ; if they have, they will certainly murder us all."
" Have they any fire-arms ? " said I. He answered, " They
had only two pieces, one of which they left in the boat."
" Well, then," said I, " leave the rest to me. I see they are
all asleep ; it is an easy thing to kill them all ; but shall we
rather take them prisoners?" He told me there were two
desperate villains among them that it was scarce safe to show
any mercy to ; but if they were secured, he believed all the
rest would return to their duty. I asked him which they
were ? He told me he could not at that distance distinguish
them, but he would obey my orders in anything I would
direct. " Well," says I, " let us retreat out of their view or
hearing, lest they awake, and we will resolve further." So
they willingly went back with me, till the woods covered us
from them.
" Look you, sir," said I, " if I venture upon your deliver-
ance, are you willing to make two conditions with me?" He
anticipated my proposals by telling me that both he and the
ship, if recovered, should be wholly directed and commanded
by me in everything ; and if the ship was not recovered, he
would live and die with me in what part of the world soever
I would send him ; and the two other men said the same.
"Well," says I, "my conditions are but two; first, — that
while you stay in this island with me, you will not pretend to
any authority here ; and if I put arms in your hands, you
will, upon all occasions, give them up to me, and do no pre-
judice to me or mine upon this island, and in the meantime
b» governed by my orders ; secondly, — that if the ship is
recovered, you will carry me and my man to England passage
free,"
EOBINSOX CRUSOE. 199
He gave me all the assurances that the invention or faith
of man could devise that he would comply with these most
reasonable demands, and besides would owe his life to me v
and acknowledge it upon all occasions as long as he lived.
" Well, then," said I, " here are three muskets for you, with
powder and ball ; tell me next what you think is proper to be
done." He showed all the testimonies of his gratitude that
he was able, but offered to be wholly guided by me. I told
him I thought it was hard venturing anything ; but the best
method I could think of was to fire on them at once as they
lay, and if any were not killed at the first volley, and offered to
submit, we might save them, and so put it wholly upon God's
providence to direct the shot. He said, very modestly, that
he was loath to kill them, if he could help it ; but that those
two were incorrigible villains, and had been the authors of all
the mutiny in the ship, and if they escaped, we should be
undone still, for they would go on board and bring the whole
ship's company, and destroy us all. "Well, then," says I,
l necessity legitimates my advice, for it is the only way to
save our lives." However, seeing him still cautious of shed-
ding blood, I told him ihey should go themselves, and manage
as they found convenient.
In the middle of this discourse we heard some of them
awake, and soon after we saw two of them on their feet. I
asked him if either of them were the heads of tne mutiny ?
He said, " No." " Well, then," said I, " you may let them
escape ; and Providence seems to have awakened them on
purpose to save themselves. Now," says I, " if the rest escape
you, it is your fault." Animated with this, he took the
musket I had given him in his hand, and a pistol in his belt,
and his two comrades with him, with each a piece in his hand;
the two men who were with him going first made some nois,
at which one of the seamen, who was awake, turned about,
and seeing them coming, cried out to the rest ; but it was too
late then, for the moment lie cried out they fired — I mean the
two men, the captain wisely reserving his own piece. They
had so well aimed their shot at the men they knew, that one
of them was killed on the spot, and the other very much
w.Hiuled ; but not being dead, he started up on his feet, and
called eagerly for help to the other; but the captain, stepping
to him, told him it was too late to cry for help, he should call
200 KOBINSON CRUSOE.
upon God to forgive his villany, and with that word knocked
him down with the stock of his musket, so that he never spoke
more: there were three more in the company, and one of
them was slightly wounded. By this time I was come ; and
when they saw their danger, and that it was in vain to resist,
they begged for mercy. The captain told them he would spare
their lives if they would give him an assurance of their abhor-
rence of the treachery they had been guilty of, and would
swear to be faithful to him in recovering the ship, and after-
wards in carrying her back to Jamaica, whence they came.
They gave him all the protestations of their sincerity that
could be desired : and he was willing to believe them, and
spare their Jives, which I was not against, only that I obliged
him to keep them bound hand and foot while they were on
the island.
While this was doing, I sent Friday with the captain's mate
to the boat with orders to secure her, and bring away the
oars and sails, which they did ; and by-and-by three straggling
men, that were (happily for them) parted from the rest, came
back upon hearing the guns fired ; and seeing the captain,
who was before their prisoner, now their conqueror, they
submitted to be bound also ; and so our victory was complete.
It now remained that the captain and I should inquire into
one another's circumstances. I began first, and told him my
■whole history, which he heard with an attention even to
amazement, — and particularly at the wonderful manner of my
being furnished with provisioiJf and ammunition ; and, indeed,
as my story is a whole collection of wonders, it affected him
deeply. But when he reflected from thence upon himself,
and how I seemed to have been preserved there on purpose to
save his life, the tears ran down his face, and he could not
speak a word more. After this communication was at an end,
I carried him and his two men into my apartment, leading
them in just whore I came out, viz., at the top of the house,
where I refreshed him with such provision as I had, and
showed them all the contrivances I had made during my long,
long inhabiting that place.
All I showed them, all I said to them, was perfectly
amazing ; but above all, the captain admired my fortification,
and how perfectly I had concealed my retreat with a grove of
trees, which, having been now planted near twenty years, and
EOBIXSON CRUSOE.
201
littl \2 TOW1 °S ™ U J ?- ter than iQ En 3 land > ™ s become a
little wood, so thick that it was impassable in anv part of it
but at that one skie where I had reserved my little^indrn-
pu^age into it I told him this was mv castle and m S
i™'^1Lnt a r\ in ih ° «"">**«■«■">•* princes
Kt ! r ! eat upon occasion ' and I would show
toln 1 Lvf tlme; , but at P resent our busi »« s ™
to that but S T Ver thG Ship - He a S reed with ™ «•
«o take, for that there were still sk-aml-twenty hands on
202 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
board, who, having entered into a cursed conspiracy, by which
they had all forfeited their lives to the law, would be hardened
in it now by desperation, and would carry it on, knowing that
if they were subdued they would be brought to the gallows as
soon as they came to England, or to any of the English
colonies, and that therefore there would be no attacking them
with so small a number as we were.
I mused for some time upon what he had said, and found
it was a very rational conclusion, and that therefore something
was to be resolved on speedily, as well to draw the men on
board into some snare for their surprise, as to prevent their
landing upon us, and destroying us. Upon this, it presently
occurred to me that -in a little while the ship's crew, wonder-
ing what was become of their comrades and of the boat,
would certainly come on shore in their other boat to look for
them, and that then perhaps they might come armed, and be
too strong for us ; this he allowed to be rational. Upon this,
I told him the first thing we had to do was to stave the boat,
which lay upon the beach, so that they might not carry her
off, and taking everything out of her,, leave her so far useless
as not to be fit to swim ; accordingly, we went on board, took
the arms which were left on board out of her, and whatever
else we found there, — which was a bottle of brandy, and
another of rum, a few biscuit-cakes, a horn of powder, and a
great lump of sugar in a piece of canvas, all which was very
welcome to me, especially the brandy and sugar, of which I
had had none left for many years.
When we had carried all these things on shore, we knocked
a great hole in her bottom, that if they had come strong enough
to master us, yet they could not carry off the boat. Indeed,
it was not much in my thoughts that we could be able to
recover the ship ; but my view was, that if they went away
without the boat, I did not much question to make her again
fit to carry us to the Leeward Islands, and call upon our
friends the Spaniards in my way, for I had them still in my
thoughts.
While we were thus preparing our designs, and had first,
by main strength, heaved the boat upon the beach, so high
that the tide would not float her off at high water mark, and
be31O.es, had broke a hole in her bottom too big to be quickly
stopped, and were set down musing what we should do, we
• EOBINSOX CRUSOE. 203
heard the ship fire a gun, and make a waft with her ensign as
a signal for the boat to come on board : but no boat stirred ;
and they fired several times, making other signals for the
boat. At last, when all their signals and firing proved fruit-
less, and they found the boat did not stir, we saw them, by
the help of my glasses, hoist another boat out, and row to-
wards the shore; and we found, as they approached, that
there were no less than ten men in her, and that they had
fire-arms with them.
As the ship lay almost two leagues from the shore, we had
a full view of them as they came, and a plain sight even of
their faces ; because the tide having set them a little to the
east of the other boat, they rowed up under shore, to come to
the same place where the other had landed, and where the
boat lay ; the captain knew the persons and characters of all
the men in the boat, of whom, he said, there were three very
honest fellows, who, he was sure, were led into this conspi-
racy by the rest, being overpowered and frightened ; but that
as for the boatswain, who it seems was the chief officer among
them, and all the rest, they were as outrageous as any of the
ship's crew, and were no doubt made desperate in their now
enterprise ; and terribly apprehensive he was that they would
be too powerful for us. I smiled at him, and told him that
men in our circumstances were past the operation of fear. I
asked lrim what he thought of the circumstances of my life,
and whether a deliverance were not worth venturing for ?
" And where, sir," said I, " is your belief of my being pre-
served here on purpose to save your life, which elevated you
a little while ago ? For my part," said I, " there seems to be
but one thing amiss in all the prospect of it." " What is
that V says he. " Why," said I, " it is, that as you say there
are three or four honest fellows among them, which should be
spared, had they been all of the wicked part of the crew, I
should have thought God's providence had singled them out
to deliver them into your hands ; for depend upon it every
man that comes ashore is our own, and shall die or live as
they behave to us." As I spoke this with a raised voice and
cheerful countenance, I found it greatly encouraged 'him ; so
we set vigorously to our business.
We had, upon the first appearance of the boats coming
from the ship, considered of separating our prisoners ; and we
204 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
had, indeed, secured them effectually. Two of them, of whom
the captain was less assured, I sent with Friday, and one of
the three delivered men, to my cave, where they were remote
enough, and out of danger of being heard or discovered, or
of finding their way out of the woods if they could have de-
livered themselves : here they left them bound, but gave them
provisions ; and promised them, if they continued there
quietly, to give them their liberty in a day or two ; but that
if they attempted their escape, they should be put to death
"without mercy. They promised faithfully to bear their con-
finement with patience, and were very thankful that they had
such good usage as to have provisions and light left them ;
for Friday gave them candles (such as we made ourselves) for
their comfort; and they did not know but that he stood sen-
tinel over them at the entrance.
The other prisoners had better usage ; two of them were
kept pinioned, because the captain was not able to trust them ;
but the two other were taken into my service, upon the cap-
tain's recommendation, and upon their solemnly engaging to
live and die with us ; so with them and the three honest men
we were seven men, well armed ; and I made no doubt we
should be able to deal well enough with the ten that were
coming, considering that the captain had said there were three
or four honest men among them also. As soon as they got
to the place where their other boat lay, they ran thejr boat
into the beach and came all on shore, hauling the boat up
after them, which I was glad to see, for I was afraid they
would rather have left the boat at an anchor some distance from
the shore, with some hands in her to guard her, and so we should
not be able to seize the boat. Being on shore, the first thing
they did, they ran all to their other boat ; and it was easy to
see they were under a great surprise to find her stripped, as
above, of all that was in her, and a great hole in her bottom.
After they had mused awhile upon this, they set up two or
three great shouts, hallooing with all their might, to try if
they could make their companions hear ; but all was to no
purpose : then they came all close in a ring, and fired a vol-
ley of their small arms, which, indeed, we heard, and the
echoes made the woods ring. They were so astonished at the
surprise of this, that, as they told us afterwards, they resolved
to go all on aboard again to their ship, and let them know
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 205
that the men were all murdered, and the long-boat staved ;
accordingly, they immediately launched their boat again, and
got all of them on board.
The captain was terribly amazed, and even confounded, at
this, believing they would go on board the ship again, and set
sail, giving their comrades over for lost, and so he should still
lose the ship, which he was in hopes we should have re-
covered ; but he was quickly as much frightened the other
way.
They had not been long put off with the boat, when we
perceived them all coming on shore again : but with this new
measure in their conduct, which it seems they consulted to-
gether upon, viz., to leave three men in the boat, and the rest
to go on shore, and go up into the country to look for their
fellows. This was a great disappointment to us, for now we
were at a loss what to do, as our seizing those seven men on
shore would be no advantage to us if we let the boat escape ;
because they would row away to the ship, and then the rest
of them would be sure to weigh and set sail, and so our re-
covering the ship would be lost. However, we had no remedy
but to wait and see what the issue of things might present.
The seven men came on shore, and the three who remained
in the boat put her off to a good distance from the shore, and
came to an anchor to wait for them ; so that it was impossible
for us to come at them in the boat. Those that came on
shore kept close together, marching towards the top of the
little hill under which my habitation lay ; and we could see
them plainly, though they could not perceive us. We should
have been very glad if they would have come nearer to us,
so that we might have fired at them, or that they would have
gone farther off, that we might come abroad. But when they
were come to the brow of the hill, where they could see a
great way into the valleys and woods, they shouted and
hallooed till they were weary ; and not caring, it seems, to
venture far from the shore, nor far from one another, they sat
down together under a tree to consider it.
The captain made a very just proposal to me upon this con-
sultation of theirs— viz., that perhaps they would all fire a
volley again, to endeavour to make their fellows hear, and
that we should all sally upon them just at the juncture when
their pieces were all discharged, and they would certainly
206 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
yield, and we should have them without bloodshed. I liked
this proposal, provided it was done while we were near
enough to come up to them before they could load their
pieces again. But this event did not happen ; and we lay
still a long time, very irresolute what course to take. At
length, I told them there would be nothing done, in my
opinion, till night ; and then • if they did not return to the
boat, perhaps we might find a way to get between them and
the shore, and so might use some stratagem with them in the
boat to get them on shore. We waited a great while, though
very impatient for their removing ; and were very uneasy
when, after long consultation, we saw them all start up, and
march down towards the sea ; it seems they had such dread-
ful apprehensions of the danger of the place, that they re-
solved to go on board again, give their companions over for
lost, and so go on with their intended voyage with the ship.
As soon as I perceived them go towards the shore, I thought
of a stratagem to fetch them back again, and which answered
my end to a tittle. I ordered Friday and the captain's mate
to go over the little creek westward, towards the place where
the savages came on shore when Friday was rescued, and so
soon as they came to a little rising ground, at about half a
mile distance, I bade them halloo out, as loud as they could,
and wait till they found the seamen heard them ; that as soon
as ever they heard the seamen answer them, they should re-
turn it again ; and then, keeping out of sight, take a round,
always answering when the others hallooed to draw them as
far into the island, and among the woods as possible, and
then wheel about again to me by such ways as I directed
them.
They were just going into the boat when Friday and the
mate hallooed : and they presently heard them, and, answer-
ing, ran along the shore westward, towards the voice they
heard, when they were stopped by the creek, where, the
water being up, they could not get over, and called for the
boat to come up and set them over; as, indeed, I expeettvi.
When they had set themselves over, I observed that the boar,
being gone a good way into the creek, they took one of the throe
men out of her to go along with. them, and left only two in
the boat, having fastened her to the stump of a little tree on
the shore. This was what I wished for: and immediately
ROBINSON CRUSOE, 207
leaving Friday and the captain's mate to their business, I
took the rest with me, and crossing the creek out of their
sight, we surprised the two men before they were aware ; one
of them lying on the shore and the other being in the boat.
The fellow on shore was between sleeping and waking, anil
going to start up ; the captain, who was foremost, ran in upon
him and knocked him down ; and then called out to him in
the boat to yield, or he was a dead man. There needed very
few arguments to persuade a single man to yield, when he
saw five men upon him, and his comrade knocked down : be-
sides, this wa3, it seems, one of the three men who were not
so hearty in the mutiny as the rest of the crew ; and, there-
fore, was easily persuaded not only to yield, but afterwards
to join very sincerely with us. In the meantime, Friday and
the captain's mate so well managed their business with the
rest, that they drew them, by hallooing and answering, from
one hill to another, and from one wood to another, till they
not only heartily tired them, but left them where they were
very sure they could not reach back to the boat before it was
dark ; and, indeed, they were heartily tired themselves also,
by the time they came back to us.
We had nothing now to do but to watch for them in the
dark, and to fall upon them, so as to make sure, work with
them. It was several hours after Friday came back to me
before they came back to their boat ; and we could hear the
foremost of them, long before they came quite up, calling to
those behind to come along; and could also hear them
answer, and complain how lame and tired they were, and not
able to come any faster : which was very welcome news to us.
At length they came up to the boat : but it is impossible to
express their confusion when they found the boat fast aground
in the creek, the tide ebbed out, and their two men gone.
We could hear them call to one another in a most lamentable
manner, telling one another they were got into an enchanted
island ; that either there were inhabitants in it, and they
should all be murdered, or else there were devils and spirits
in it, and they should all be carried away and devoured.
They hallooed again, and called their two comrades by their
names a great many times, but no answer. After some time,
we could see them, by the little light there was, run about,
wringing their hands like men in despair, and sometimes they
208 ROBIXSOX CRUSOE.
would go and sit down in the boat to rest themselves : then
come ashore again, and walk about, and so the same thing
over again. My men would fain have had me give them
leave to fall upon them at once in the dark ; but I was willing
to take them at some advantage, so as to spare them, and kill
as few of them as I could ; and especially I was unwilling to
hazard the killing any of our men, knowing the others were
very well armed. I resolved to wait, to see if they did not
separate ; and therefore, to make sure of them, I drew my
ambuscade nearer, and ordered Friday and the captain to
creep upon their hands and feet as close to the ground as they
could, that they might not be discovered, and get as near
them as they could possibly, before they offered to fire.
They had not been long in that posture, when the boat-
swain, who was the principal ringleader of the mutiny, and
had now shown himself the most dejected and dispirited of all
the rest, came walking towards them, with two more of the
crew ; the captain was so eager at having this principal rogue
so much in his power, that he could hardly have patience to
let him come so near as to be sure of him, for they only heard
his tongue before : but when they came nearer, the captain
and Friday, starting up on their feet, let fly at them. The
boatswain was killed upon the spot : the next man was shot
in the body, and fell just by him, though he did not die till
an hour or two after ; and the third ran for it. At the noise
of the fire, I immediately advanced with my whole army,
which was now eight men, viz., myself, generalissimo ; Friday,
my lieutenant-general ; the captain and his two men, and the
three prisoners of war whom we had trusted with arms. We
came upon them, indeed, in the dark, so that they could not
see our number ; and I made the man they had left in the
boat, who was now one of us, to call them by name, to try if
I could bring them to a parley, and so perhaps might reduce
them to terms ; which fell out just as we desired : for indeed
it was easy to think, as their condition then was, they would
be very willing to capitulate. So he calls out as loud as he
could to one of them, " Tom Smith ! Tom Smith !" Tom
Smith answered immediately, "Is that Robinson?" for it
seems he knew the voice. The other answered, " Ay, ay ; for
God's sake, Tom Smith, throw down your arms and yield
or you are all dead men this moment." " Who mu3t we
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
20V
yield to Where are they ?" says Smith again. "Here they
are," says he ; " here's our captain and -fifty men with him,
have been hunting you these two hours; the boatswain is
killed, Will Fry is wounded, and I am a prisoner ; and if you
do not yield, you are all lost." " Will they give us quarter
then ?" says Tom Smith, " and we will yield." " I'll go and
ask, if you promise to yield," said Rooinson : so lie asked the
captain, and the captain himself then calls out, " You, Smith,
you know my voice ; if you lay down your arms imme-
diately, and submit, you shall have your lives, all but Will
Atkins."
14.
210 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Upon this, Will Atkins cried out, " For God's sake, captain,
give me quarter ; what have I done ? They have all been as
bad as I :" which, by the way, was not true ; for, it seems,
this Will Atkins was the first man that laid hold of the captain,
when they first mutinied, and used him barbarously, in tying
his hands, and giving him injurious language. However, the
captain told him he must lay down his arms at discretion, and
trust to the governor's mercy : by which he meant me, for
they all called me governor. In a word, they all laid down
their arms, and begged their lives ; and I sent the man that
had parleyed with them, and two more, who bound them all ;
and then my great army of fifty men, which, with those three,
were in all but eight, came up and seized upon them, and
upon their boat ; only that I kept myself and one more out of
sight for reasons, of state.
Our next work was to repair the boat, and think of seizing
the ship : and as for the captain, now he had leisure to parley
with them, he expostulated with them upon the villany of
their practices with him, and upon the further wickedness of
their design, and how certainly it must bring them to misery
and distress in the end, and perhaps to the gallows. They
all appeared very penitent, and begged hard for their lives.
As for that, he told them they were not his prisoners, but the
commander's of the island ; that they thought they had set
him on shore in a barren uninhabited island; but it had
pleased God so to direct them, that it was inhabited, and that
the governor was an Englishman ; that he might hang them
all there, if he pleased ; but as he had given them all quarter,
he supposed he would send them to England, to be dealt with
there as justice required, except Atkins, whom he was com-
manded by the governor to advise to prepare for death, for
that he would be hanged in the morning.
Though this was all a fiction of his own, yet it had its de-
sired effect ; Atkins fell upon his knees, to beg the captain to
intercede with the governor for his life; and all the rest
begged of him, for God's sake, that they might not be sent to
England.
It now occurred to me, that the time of our deliverance was
come, ^nd that it would be a most easy thing to bring these
fellows in to be hearty in getting possession of the ship ; so I
retired in the dark from them, that they might not see what
ROEIJfSON CRUSOE. 21 1
kind of a governor they had, and called the captain to me ;
when I called, at a good distance, one of the men was ordered
to speak again, and say to the captain, " Captain, the com-
mander calls for you;" and presently the captain replied,
" Tell his Excellency I am just coming." This more perfectly
amazed them, and they all believed that the commander was
just by, with his fifty men. Upon the captain coining to me,
I told, him my project for seizing the ship, which he liked
wonderfully well, and resolved to put it in execution the next
morning. But, in order to execute it with more art, and to
be secure of success, I told him we must divide the prisoners,
and that he should go and take Atkins, and two more of the
worst of them, and send them pinioned to the cave where the
others lay. This was committed to Friday and the two men
who came on shore with the captain. They conveyed them
to the cave as to a prison : and it was, indeed, a dismal place,
especially to men in their condition. The others I ordered
to my bower ; and as it was fenced in, and they pinioned, the
place was secure enough, considering they were upon their
behaviour.
To these in the morning I sent the captain, who was to
enter into a parley with them — in a word, to try them, and
tell me whether he thought they might be trusted or not to
go on board and surprise the ship. He talked to them of the
injury done him, of the condition they were brought to, and
that though the governor had given them quarter for their
lives as to the present action, yet that if they were sent to
England, they would all be hanged in chains ; but that if they
would join in so just an attempt as to recover the ship, he
would have the governor's engagement for their pardon.
Anyone may guess how readily such a proposal would be
accepted by men in their condition : they fell down on their
knees to the captain, and promised with the deepest impreca-
tions, that they would be faithful to him to the last drop, and
that they should owe their lives to him, and would go with
him all over the world ; that they would own him as a father
to them as long as they lived. " Well," says the captain, " I
must go and tell the governor what you say, and see what I
can do to bring him to consent to it." So he brought me an
account of the temper he found them in, and that he verily
believed they would be faithful tt~..^- ,. ;hat we might be
212 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
very secure, I told liim he should go back again and choose
out those five, and tell them, that they might see he did not
want men, that he would take out those five to be his assist-
ants, and that the governor would keep the other two, and
the three that were sent prisoners to the castle (my cave), as
hostages for the fidelity of those five ; and that if they proved
unfaithful in the execution, the five hostages should be hanged
in chains alive on the shore. This looked severe, and con-
vinced them that the governor was in earnest : however, they
had no way left them but to accept it ; and it was now the
business of the prisoners, as much as of the captain, to per-
suade the other five to do their duty.
Our strength was now thus ordered for the expedition :
first, the captain, his mate, and passenger : second, then the
two prisoners of the first gang, to whom, having their cha-
racter from the captain, I had given their liberty, and trusted
them with arms : third, the other two that I had kept till now
in my bower pinioned, but, on the captain's motion, had now
released: fourth, these five released at last; so that they
were twelve in all, besides five we kept prisoners in the cave
for hostages.
I asked the captain if he was willing to venture with these
hands on board the ship ; but as for me and my man Friday,
I did not think it was proper for us to stir, having seven men
left behind ; and it was employment enough for us to keep
them asunder, and supply them with victuals. As to the five
in the cave, I resolved to keep them fast, but Friday went in
twice a day to them, to supply them with necessaries ; and I
made the other two carry provisions to a certain distance,
where Friday was to take it.
When I showed myself to the two hostages, it was with the
captain, who told them I was the person the governor had
ordered to look after them ; and that it was the governor's
pleasure they should not stir anywhere but by my direction ;
that if they did, they would be fetched into the castle, and be
laid in irons : so that as we never suffered them to see me as
governor, I now appeared as another person, and spoke of
the governor, the garrison, the castle, and the like, upon all
occasions.
The captain now had no difficulty before him, but to furnish
Ms two boats, stop the breach of one, and man them. lie
KOBINSON CRUSOE. 213
made his passenger captain of one, with four of the men ; and
himself, his mate, and five more, went in the other ; and they
contrived their business very well, for they came up to the
ship about midnight. As soon as they came within call oi
the ship, he made Robinson hail them, and tell them they
had brought off the men and the boat, but that it was a long
time before they had found them, and the like ; holding them
in a chat till they came to the ship's side ; when the captain
and the mate entering first, with their arms, immediately
knocked down the second mate and carpenter with the butt-
end of their muskets, being very faithfully seconded by their
men ; they secured all the rest that were upon the main and
quarter-decks, and began to fasten the hatches, to keep them
down that were below ; when the other boat and their men,
entering at the fore-chains, secured the forecastle of the ship,
and the scuttle which went down into the cook-room, making
three men they found there prisoners. When this was done,
and all safe upon deck, the captain or-dered the mate, with
three men, to break into the round-house, where the new
rebel captain lay, who, having taken the alarm, had got up,
and with two men and a boy had got fire-arms in their hands;
and when the mate, with a crow, split open the door, the new
captain and his men fired boldly among them, and wounded
the mate with a musket-ball, which broke his arm, and
wotmded two more of the men, but killed nobody. The mate
calling for help, rushed, however, into the round-house,
wounded as he was, and, Avith his pistol, shot the new captain
through the head, the bullet entering at his mouth, and came
out again behind one of his ears, so that he never spoke a
word more : upon which the rest yielded, and the ship was
taken effectually, without any more lives lost.
As soon as the ship was thus secured, the captain ordered
seven guns to be fired, which was the signal agreed upon
with me to give me notice of his success, which, you may be
sure, I was very glad to hear, having sat watching upon the
shore for it till near two o'clock in the morning. Having
thus heard the signal plainly, I laid me down ; and it havinr
been a day of great fatigue to me, I slept very sound, 1i!l 1
was surprised with the noise of a gun ; and presently starting
up, I heard a man call me by the name of " Governor !
Governor !" and presently I knew the captain's voice ; when
214 ItOBINSON C1LU50E.
climbing up to the top of the hill, there he stood, and, point-
ing to the ship, he embiaced me in his arms. " My dear
friend and deliverer," says he, " there's your ship, for she is
all yours, and so are we, and all that belong to her." I cast
my eyes to the ship, and there she rode, -within little more
than half a mile of the shore ; for they had weighed her
anchor as soon as they were masters of her, and, the weather
being fair, had brought her to an anchor just against the
mouth of the little creek ; and, the tide being up, the captain
had brought the pinnace in near the place where I at first
landed my rafts, and so landed just at my door. I was at
first ready to sink down with the surprise; for I saw my
deliverance, indeed, visibly put into my hands, all things
easy, and a large ship just ready to carry me away whither I
pleased to go. At first, for some time, I was not able to
answer him one word ; but as he had taken me in his arms,
I held fast by him, or I should have fallen to the ground.
He perceived the surprise, and immediately pulled a bottle
out of his pocket, and gave me a dram of cordial, which he
-had brought on purpose for me. After I had drank it, I sat
down upon the ground ; and though it brought me to myself,
yet it was a good while before I could speak a word to him.
All this time the poor man was in as great an ecstasy as I,
only not under any surprise as I was ; and he said a thousand
kind, and tender things to me, to compose and bring me to
myself: but such was the flood of joy in my breast, that it
put all my spirits into confusion : at last it broke out into
tears ; and, in a little while after, I recovered my speech. I
then took my turn, and embraced him as my deliverer, and
•we rejoiced together. I told him I looked upon him as a
man sent from Heaven to deliver me, and that the whole
transaction seemed to be a chain of wonders.
When we had talked a while, the captain told me he had
brought me some little refreshment, such as the ship afforded,
and such as the wretches that had been so long his masters
had not plundered him of. Upon this, he called aloud to the
boat, and bade his men bring the things ashore that were for
the governor ; and, indeed, it was a present as if I had been
one that was not to be carried away with them, but as if I
had been to dwell upon the island still. First, he had brought
me a case of bottles full of excellent cordial waters, sis large
ROBINSON CliUSOE. 215
bottles of Madeira wine, two pounds of excellent good tobacco,
twelve good pieces of the ship's beef, and six pieces of pork,
with a bag of pease, and about a hundredweight of biscuit ;
he also brought me a box of sugar, a box of flour, a bag full
of lemons, and two bottles of lime-juice, and abundance of
other things. But besides these, and what was a thousand
times more useful to me, he brought me six new clean shirts,
six very good neckcloths, two pair of gloves, one pair of shoes,
a hat, and one pair of stockings, with a very good suit of
clothes of his own : in a word, he clothed me from head to
foot. It was a very kind and agreeable present, as anyone
may imagine, to one in my circumstances ; but never was
anything in the world of that kind so unpleasant, awkward,
and uneasy as it was to me to wear such clothes at first.
After these ceremonies were passed, nnd after all his good
things were brought into my little apartment, we began to
consult what was to be done with the prisoners we had. I
told him that, if he desired it, I woidd undertake to bring
the worst men he spoke of to make it their own request that
he should leave them upon the island. " I should be very
glad of that," says the captain, " with all my heart." So I
caused Friday and the two hostages, for they were now dis-
charged, to go to the cave, and bring up the five men, pinioned
as they were, to the bower, and keep them there till I came.
After some time, I came thither dressed in my new habit ;
and now I was called governor again. Being all met, and the
captain with me, I caused the men to be brought before me,
and I told them I had got a full account of their villanous
behaviour to the captain, but that Providence had ensnared
them in their own ways, and that they had fallen into the pit
which they had dug for others. I let them know that by my
direction the ship had been seized; that she lay now in the
road ; and they might see, by-and-by, that their new captain
had received the reward of his villany, and that they would
see him hanging at the yard-arm ; that,' as to them, I wanted
to know what they had to say why I should not execute them
as pirates, taken in the fact, as by my commission they could
not doubt but I had authority so to do.
One of them answered in the name of the rest, that they
had nothing to say but this, that when they were taken, the
captain promised them their lives, and they humbly implored
216 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
my mercy. But I told them I knew not what mercy to show
them ; for as for myself, I had resolved to qviit the island
with all my men, and had taken passage with the captain to
go for England ; and, as for the captain, he could not carry
them to England, other than as prisoners, in irons, to be
tried for mutiny, and running away with the ship ; the con-
sequence of which, they must needs know, would be the
gallows ; so that I could not tell what was best for them,
unless they had a mind to take their fate in the island. If
they desired that, as I had liberty to leave the island, I had
some inebriation to give them their lives if they thought
they could shift on shore. They seemed very thankful for
it, and said they would much rather venture to stay there
than be carried to England to be hanged. So I left it on that
issue.
However, the captain seemed to make some difficulty of it,
as if he durst not leave them there. Upon this, I seemed a
little angry with the captain, and told him that they were my
prisoners, not his ; and. that seeing I had offered them so
much favour, I would be as good as my word ; and that if he
did not think fit to consent to it, I would set them at liberty
as I found them ; and if he did not like it, he might take them
again if he could catch them. Upon this, they appeared
very thankful, and I accordingly set them at liberty, and
bade them retire into the woods, to the place whence they
came, and I would leave them some fire-arms, some ammu-
nition, and some directions how they should live very well if
they thought fit. Upon this I prepared to go on board the
ship ; but told the captain I would stay that night to prepare
my things, and desired him to go on board in the meantime,
and keep all right in the ship, and send the boat on shore
next day for me ; ordering him, at all events, to cause the
new captain, who was killed, to be hanged at the yard-arm,
that these men might see him.
When the captain was gone, I sent for the men up to me
to my apartment, and entered seriously into discourse with
them on their circumstances. I told them I thought they
had made a right choice ; that if the captain had carried them
away, they would certainly be hanged. I showed them the
new captain hanging at the yard-arm of the ship, and told
them they had nothing less to expect.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
217
When they had all declared their -willingness to stay, I
then told them I would let them into the story of my living
there, and put them into the way of making it easy to them.
Accordingly, I gave them the whole history of the place,
and of my coming to it ; showed them my fortifications, the
way I made my bread, planted my corn, cured my grapes ;
and, in a word, all that was necessary to make them easy. I
told them the story also of the seventeen Spaniards that were
to be expected, for whom I left a letter, and made them pro-
mise to treat them in common with themselves.
218 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
I left them my fire-arms — viz., five muskets, three fowling-
pieces, and three swords. I had above a barrel and a half
of powder left. I gave them a description of the way I
managed the goats, and directions to milk and fatten them,
and to make both butter and cheese. In a word, I gave
them every part of my own story ; and told them I should
prevail with the captain to leave them two barrels of gun-
powder more, and some garden seeds, which I told them I
would have been very glad of. Also, I gave them the bag of
pease which the captain had brought me to eat, and bade
them be sure to sow and increase them.
Having done all this, I left them the next day, and went
on board the ship. We prepared immediately to sail, but
did not weigh that night. The next morning early, two of
the five men came swimming to the ship's side, and, making
the most lamentable complaint of the other three, begged to
be taken into the ship for God's sake, for they should be mur-
dered, and begged the captain to take them on board, though
he hanged them immediately. Upon this, the captain pre-
tended to have no power without me ; but, after some diffi-
culty, and after their solemn promises of amendment, they
were taken on board, and were, some time after, soundly
whipped and pickled ; after which they proved very honest
and quiet fellows.
Some time after this, the boat was ordered on shore, the
tide being up, with the things promised to the men ; to which
the captain, at my intercession, caused their chests and
clothes to be added, which they took, and were very thank-
ful for. I also encouraged them, by telling them, that if it
lay in my power to send any vessel to take them in, I would
not forget them.
When I took leave of this island, I carried on board, for
relics, the great goat-skin cap I had made, my umbrella, und
one of my parrots ; also I forgot not to take the money I for-
merly mentioned, as also the money I found in the wreck of
the Spanish ship. And thus I left the island, the 19 th of
December, as I found by the ship's account, in the year 1686,
after I had been upon it eight-and-twenty years, two months,
and nineteen days ; being delivered from this second captivity
the same day of the month that I first made my escape ni the
loDg-boat, from among the Moors of Sallee. ' In this vessel,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 219
after a long voyage, I arrived in England the 11th of June,
in the year 1687, having been thirty- five years absent.
When I came to England I was as perfect a stranger to all
the -world as if I had never been known there. My bene-
factor and faithful steward, whom I had left my money in
trust with, was alive, but had had great misfortunes in the
world ; was become a widow the second time, and very low
in the world. I made her very easy as to what she owed me,
assuring her I would give her no trouble ; but, on the con-
trary, in gratitude for her former care and faithfulness to me,
I relieved her as my little stock would afford; which at that
time would, indeed, allow me to do but little : but I assured
her I would never forget her former kindness to me ; nor did
I forget her when I had sufficient, as shall be observed in its
proper place. I went down afterwards into Yorkshire ; but
my father was dead, and my mother and all the family ex-
tinct, except that I found two sisters, and two of the children
of one of my brothers ; and as I had been long ago given
over for dead, there had been no provision made for me ; so
that I found nothing to relieve or assist me ; and that the
little money I had would not do much for me as to settling
in the world.
I met with one piece of gratitude, which I did not expect ;
and this was, that the master of the ship, whom I had so
happily delivered, and by the same means saved the ship and
cargo, having given a very handsome account to the owners
of the manner how I had saved the lives of the men and the
ship, they invited me to meet them and some other merchants
concerned, and all together made me a very handsome com-
pliment upon the subject, and a present of almost £200
sterling.
But after making several reflections upon the circumstances
of my life, and how little way this would go towards settling
me in the world, I resolved to go to Lisbon, and see if I might
not come at some information of the state of my plantation in.
the Brazils, and of what was become of my partner, who, I
had reason to suppose, had some years past given me over for
dead. With this view, I took shipping for Lisbon, where I
arrived in April following ; my man Friday accompanying
me very honestly in all these ramblings, and proving a most
faithful servant. When I came to Lisbon, I found out, by
220 ROBIXSON CRUSOE.
inquiry, and to my particular satisfaction, my old friend, the
captain of the ship, who first took me up at sea off the shore
of Africa. He was now grown old, and had left off going to
sea, having put his son, who was far from a young man, into
his ship, and who still used the Brazil trade. The old man
did not know me; and indeed, I hardly knew him. But I
soon brought him to my remembrance, and as soon brought
myself to his remembrance, when I told him who I was.
After some passionate expressions of the old acquaintance
between us, I inquired, you may be sure, after my plantation
and my partner. The old man told me he had not been in
the Brazils for about nine years ; but that he could assure me,
that when he came away my partner was living ; but the
trustees, whom I had joined with him to take cognizance of
my part, were both dead : that, however, he believed I would
have a very good account of the improvement of the planta-
tion ; for that, upon the general belief of my being cast away
and drowned, my trustees had given in the account of the
produce of my part of the plantation to the procurator-fiscal,
who had appropriated it, in case I never came to claim it,
one-third to the king, and two-thirds to the monastery of
St. Augustine, to be expended for the benefit of the poor,
and for the conversion of the Indians to the Catholic faith :
but that, if I appeared, or any one for me, to claim the in-
heritance, it would be restored ; only that the improvement,
or annual production, being distributed to charitable uses,
could not be restored : but he assured me that the steward
of the king's revenue from lands, and the providore, or steward
of the monastery, had taken great care all along that my
partner gave every year a faithful account of the produce, of
whieh they had duly received my moiety. I asked him if he
knew to what height of improvement he had brought the
plantation, and whether he thought it might be worth looking
after ; or whether, on my going thither, I should meet with
any obstruction to my possessing my just right in the moiety.
He told me he could not tell exactly to what degree the
plantation was improved ; but this he knew, that my partner
was grown exceeding rich upon the enjoying his part of it ;
and that, to the best of his remembrance, he had heard that
the king's third of my part, which was, it seems, granted away
to some other monastery or religious house, amounted to
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 221
above two hundred moidores a year : that as to my being
restored to a quiet possession of it, there was no question to
be made of that, my partner being alive to witness my title,
and my name being also enrolled in the register of the
country; also he told me that the survivors of my two
trustees were very fair, honest people, and very wealthy;
and he believed I would not only have their assistance for
putting me in possession, but would find a very considerable
sum of money in their hands for my account, being the pro-
duce of the farm while their fathers held the trust, and before
it was given up, as above ; which, as he remembered, was for
about twelve years.
I showed myself a little concerned and uneasy at this
account, and inquired of the old captain how it came to pass
that the trustees should thus dispose of my effects, when he
knew that I had made my will, and had made him, the
Portuguese captain, my universal heir, &c.
He told me that was true ; but that as there was no proof
of my being dead, he could not act as executor, until some
certain account should come of my death ; and, besides, he
was not willing to intermeddle with a thing so remote : that
it was true he had registered my will, and put in his claim;
and could he have given any account of my being dead or
alive, he would have acted by procuration, and taken posses-
sion of the ingenio (so they call the sugar-house), and have
given his son, who was now at the Brazils, orders to do it.
" But," says the old man, " I have one piece of news to tell
you, which perhaps may not be so acceptable to you as the
rest ; and that is, believing you were lost, and all the world
believing so also, your partner and trustees did offer to
account with me, in your name, for the first six or eight
years' profits, which I received. There being at that time
great disbursements for increasing the works, building an
ingenio. and buying slaves, it did not amount to near so much
as afterwards it produced : however," says the old man, " I
shall give you a true account of what I have received in all,
and how I have disposed of it."
After a few days' farther conference with this ancient friend,
he brought me an account of the first six years' income of
my plantation, signed by my partner and the merchant-
trustees, being always delivered in goods ; and I found by
222 E0BIX30X CRUSOE.
this account, that every year the income considerably in-
creased; hut the disbursements being large, the sum at first
was small : however, the old man let me see that he was
debtor to me four hundred and seventy moidores of gold,
besides sixty chests of sugar, and fifteen double rolls of to-
bacco, which were lost in his ship : he having been ship-
wrecked coming home to Lisbon, about eleven years after my
leaving the place. The good man then began to complain of
his misfortunes, and how he had been obliged to make use of
my money to recover his losses, and buy him a share in a new
ship. "However, my old friend," says he, "you shall not
want a supply in your necessity; and as soon as my son
returns, you shall be fully satisfied." Upon this he pulls out
an old pouch, and gives me one hundred and sixty Portugal
moidores in gold ; and giving the writings of his title to the
ship, which his son was gone to the Brazils in, of which he
was quarter-part owner, and his son another, he puts them
both into my hands for security of the rest.
I was too much moved with the honesty and kindness of
the poor man to be able to bear this ; and remembering what
he had done for me, how he had taken me up at sea, and how
generously he had used me on all occasions, and particularly
how sincere a friend he was now to me, I could hardly refrain
weeping at what he had said to me ; therefore I asked him if
his circumstances admitted him to spare so much money at
that time, and if it would not straiten him ? He told me he
could not say but it might straiten him a little ; but, however,
it was my money, and I might want it more than he.
Everything the good man said was full of affection, and I
could hardly refrain from tears while he spoke ; in short, I
took one hundred of the moidores, and called for a pen and
ink to give him a receipt for them ; then I returned him the
rest, and told him if ever I had possession of the plantation
I would return the other to him also (as, indeed, I afterwards
did) ; and that as to the bill of sale of his part in his son's
ship, I would not take it by any means ; but that if I wanted
the money, I found he was honest enough to pay me ; and if
I did not, but came to receive what he gave me reason to
expect, I would never have a penny more from him.
When this was passed, the old man asked me if he should
put me into a method to make my claim to mv r>lant; tion.
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 223
I told him I thought to go over to it myself. He said I might
do so if I pleased ; but that, if I did not, there were ways
enough to secure my right, and immediately to appropriate
the profits to my use ; and as there were ships in the river of
Lisbon just ready to go away to Brazil, he made me enter my
name in a public register, with his affidavit, affirming, upon
oath, that I was alive, and that I was the same person who
took up the land for the planting the said plantation at first.
This being regularly attested by a notary, and a procuration
affixed, he directed me to send it, with a letter of his writing,
to a merchant of his acquaintance at the place ; and then
proposed my staying with him till an account came of the
return.
Never was anything more honourable than the proceedings
upon this procuration ; for in less than seven months I re-
ceived a large packet from the survitors of my trustees, the
merchants, for whose account I went to sea, in which were
the following particular letters and papers enclosed.
First, there was the account-current of the produce of my
plantation, from the year when their fathers had balanced
with my old Portugal captain, being for six years ; the
balance appeared to be one thousand one hundred and
seventy-four moidores in my favour.
Secondly, there was the account of four years more, while
they kept the effects in their hands, before the government
claimed the administration, as being the effects of a person
not to be found, which they called civil death ; and the
balance of this, the value of the plantation increasing,
amounted to about three thousand two hundred and forty
moidores.
Thirdly, there was the Prior of St. Augustine's account,
who had received the profits for above fourteen years ; but
not being to account for what was disposed of by the hospital,
very honestly declared he had eight hundred and seventy-
two moidores not distributed, which he acknowledged to my
account : as to the king's part, that refunded nothing.
There was a letter of my partner's, congratulating me very
affectionately upon my being alive, giving me an account how
the estate was improved, and what it produced a year; with
the particulars of the number of acres that it contained, how
planted, how many slaves there were upon it ; and making
224 KOBINSON CRUSOE.
two-and-twenty crosses for blessings, told me he had said so
many Ave Marias to thank the Blessed Virgin that I was
alive ; inviting me very passionately to come over and take
possession of my own; and, in the meantime, to give him
orders to whom he should deliver my effects, if I did not
come myself; concluding with a hearty tender of his friend-
ship, and that of his family ; and sent me, as a presi/nt, seven
fine leopards' skins, which he had, it seems, received from
Africa, by some other ship that he had sent thither, and
which, it seems, had made a better voyage than I. He sent
me also five chests of excellent sweetmeats, ana a hundred
pieces of gold uncoined, not quite so large as moidores. By
the same fleet, my two merchant-trustees shipped me one
thousand two hundred chests of sugar, eight hundred rolls ot
tobacco, and the rest of the whole account in gold.
I might well say now, indeed, that the latter end of Job
was better than the beginning. It is impossible to express
the flutterings of my very heart when I found all my wealth
about me ; for as the Brazil ships come all in fleets, the same
ships which brought my letters brought my goods : and the
effects were safe in the river before my letters came to my
hand.
I was now master, all on a sudden, of above five thousand
pounds sterling in money, and had an estate, as I might well
call it, in the Brazils, of above a thousand pounds a year, as
sure as an estate in England : and, in a word, I was in a con-
dition which I scarce knew how to understand, or how to
compose myself for the enjoyment of it. The first thing I
did was to recompense my origina benefactor, my good old
captain, who had been first charitable to me in my distress,
kind to me in ray beginning, and honest to me at the end.
I showed him all that was sent to me ; I told him that, next
to the providence of Heaven, which disposed all things, it was
owing to him ; and that it now lay on me to reward him,
which I would do a hundredfold : so I first returned to him
the hundred moidores I had received of him ; then I sent for
a notary, and caused him to draw up a general release from
the four hundred and seventy moidores, which he had ac-
knowledged he owed me, in the fullest and firmest manner
possible. After which, I caused a procuration to be drawn,
empowering him t-j be the receiver of the annual profits of
EOBINSON CRUSOE.
225
my plantation; and appointing my partner to account with
him, and make the returns, by the usual fleets, to him in my
name ; and by a clause in the end, made a grant of one hun-
dred moidores a year to him during his life, out of the effects,
and fifty moidores a year to his son after him, for his life :
and thus I requited my old man.
I had now to consider which way to steer my course next,
and what to do with the estate that Providence had thus put
into my hands : and indeed, I had more care upon my head
now than I had in ray. silent state of life in the island, whers
226 ItOBINSON CKUSOE.
I wanted nothing but what I had, and had nothing but what
I wanted ; whereas I had now a great charge upon me, and
my business was how to secure it. I had not a cave now to
hide my money in, or a place where it might lie without lock
or key, till it grew mouldy and tarnished before anybody
would meddle with it ; on the contrary, I knew not where to
put it, or whom to trust with it. My old patron, the captain,
indeed, was honest, and that was the only refuge I had. In
the next place, my interest in the Brazils seemed to summon
me thither ; but now I could not tell how to think of going
thither till I had settled my affairs, and left my effects in
some safe hands behind me. At first I thought of my old
friend the widow, Avho I knew was honest, and would be just
to me ; but then she was in years, and but poor, and, for
aught I knew, might be in debt ; so that, in a word, I had no
way but to go back to England myself, and take my effects
with me.
It was some months, however, before I resolved upon this;
and, therefore, as I had rewarded the old captain fully, and
to his satisfaction, who had been my former benefactor, so I
began to think of the poor widow, whose husband had been
my first benefactor, and she, while it was in her power, my
faithful steward and instructor. So, the first thing I did, I
got a merchant in Lisbon to write to his correspondent in
London, not only to pay a bill, but to go find her out, and carry
her, in money, a hundred pounds from me, and to talk with
her, and conribrt her in her poverty, by telling her she should,
if I lived, have a farther supply : at the same time, I sent
my two. sisters in the country a hundred pounds each, they
being, though not in want, yet not in very good circumstances ;
one hawing been married and left a widow ; and the other
having a husband not so kind to her as he should be. But,
among all my relations or acquaintances, I could not yet
pitch upon one to whom I durst commit the gross of my
stock, that I might go away to the Brazils, and leave things
safe behind me ; and this greatly perplexed me.
I had once a mind to have gone to the Brazils, and have
settled myself there, for I was, as it were, naturalised to the
place ; but I had some little scruple in my mind about reli-
gion, . which insensibly drew me back. However, it was
not religion that kept me from going there for the present;
EOBIXSOX CRUSOE. 227
but that really I did not know with whom to leave my effects
behind me ; so I resolved at last to go to England, where, it
I arrived, I concluded I should make some acquaintance, or
find some relations, that would be faithful to me ; and,
accordingly, I prepared to go to England with all my wealth.
In order to prepare things for my going home, I first re-
solved to give answers suitable to the just and faithful account
of things I had from thence ; and, first, to the Prior of St.
Augustine, I wrote a letter full of thanks for his just dealings,
and the offer of the eight hundred and seventy-two moidores
which were undisposed of, which. I desired might be given,
five hundred to the monastery, and three hundred and
seventy-two to the poor, as the prior should direct; desiring
the good padre's prayers for me, and the like. I wrote next
a letter of thanks to my two trustees, with all the acknow-
ledgment that so much justice and honesty called for: as for
sending them any present, they were far above having any
occasion for it. Lastly, I wrote to my partner, acknowledg-
ing his industry in improving the plantation, and his integrity
in increasing the stock of the works ; giving him instructions
for his future government of my part, according to the powers
I had left with my old patron, to whom I desired him to send
whatever became due to me, till he should hear from me
more particularly ; assuring him that it was my intention not
only to come to him, but to settle myself there for the re-
mainder of my life. To this I added a very handsome pre-
sent of some Italian silks for his wife and two daughters, for
such the captain's son informed me he had ; with two pieces
<>f fine English broad cloth, the best I could get in Lisbon,
five pieces of black baize, and some Flanders lace of a good
value.
Having thus settled my affairs, sold my cargo, and
turned all my effects into good bills of exchange, my next
difficult}- was which way to go to England : I had been
accustomed enough to the sea, and yet I had a strange
aversion to go to England by sea at that time ; and though
I could give no reason for it, yet the difficulty increased
upon me so much, that though I had once shipped mv
baggage in order to go, yet I altered my mind two or three
times.
It is true, I had been very unfortunate by sea, and this
228 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
might be one of the reasons ; but let no man slight the
strong impulses of his own thoughts in cases of such mo-
ment : two of the ships which I had singled out to go in,
having put my things on board one of them, and in the other
to have agreed with the captain, miscarried, one was taken by
the Algerines, and the other was cast away on the Start, near
Torbay, and all the people drowned, except three ; so that
in either of those vessels I had been made miserable.
Having been thus harassed in my thoughts, my old pilot,
to whom I communicated everything, pressed me earnestly
not to go by sea, but either to go by land to the Groyne, and
cross over the Bay of Biscay to Kochelle, from whence it
was but an easy and safe journey by land to Paris, and so
to Calais and Dover; or to go up to Madrid, and so all the
■way by land through France. In a word, I was so prepos-
sessed against my going by sea at all, except from Calais to
Dover, that I resolved to travel all the way by land ; which,
as I was not in haste, and did not value the charge, was by
much the pleasanter way : and to make it more so, my old
captain brought an English gentleman, the son of a mer-
chant in Lisbon, who was willing to travel with me ; after
which we picked up tw r o more English merchants also, and
two young Portuguese gentlemen, the last going to Paris
only ; so that, in all, there were six of us, and five servants ;
and as for me, I got an English sailor to travel with me as
a servant, besides my man Friday, who was too much a
stranger to be capable of supplying the place of a servant on
the road.
In this manner I set out from Lisbon ; and our company
being very well mounted and armed, we made a little troop,
whereof they did me the honour to call me captain, as well
because I was the oldest man, as because I had two ser-
vants, and, indee.d, was the origin of the whole journey.
As I have troubled you with none of my sea journals, so
I shall trouble you now with none of my land journal ; but
some adventures that happened to us in this tedious and
difficult journey I must not omit.
When we came to Madrid, we, being all of us strangers to
Spain, were willing to stay some time to see the court of
Spain, and what was worth observing; but, it being the
latter part of the summer, we luistpnorl n-w-m. anc l se (; 0U (
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 229
from Madrid about the middle of October ; but when we
came to the edge of Navarre, we were alarmed, at several
towns on the way, with an account that so much snow was
fallen on the French side of the mountains, that several
travellers were obliged to come back to Pampeluna, after
having attempted at an extreme hazard to pass on.
When we came to Pampeluna itself, Ave found it so indeed ;
and to me, that had always been used to a hot climate, and to
countries where I could scarce bear any clothes on, the cold
was insufferable : nor. indeed, was it more painful than sur-
prising, to come but ten days before out of Old Castile, where
the weather was not only warm, but very hot, and imme-
diately to feel a wind from the Pyrenean mountains so very
keen, so severely cold, as to be intolerable, and to en-
danger benumbing and perishing of our fingers and toes.
Poor Friday was really frightened when he saw the moun-
tains all covered with snow, and felt cold weather, which
he had never seen or felt before in his life. To mend the
matter, when we came to Pampeluna, it continued snowing
with so much violence and so long, that the people said winter
was come before its time ; and the roads, which were difficult
before, were now quite impassable ; for the snow lay in some
places too thick for us to travel, and being not hard frozen,
as is the case in the northern countries, there was no goino-
without being in danger of being buried alive every step.
We stayed no less than twenty days at Pampeluna ; when
(seeing the winter coming on, and no likelihood of its being
better, for it was the severest winter all over Europe that had
been known in the memory of man), I proposed that we
should go away to Fontarabia, and there take shipping for
Bordeaux, which was a very little voyage. But, while I was
considering this, there came in four French gentlemen, who,
having been stopped on the French side of the passes, as we
were on the Spanish, had found out a guide, who, traversing
the country near the head of Languedoc, bad brought them
over the mountains by such ways that they were not much
incommoded with the snow ; for where they met with snow
in any quantity, they said it was frozen hard enough to bear
them and their horses. We sent for this guide, who told us
he would undertake to carry us the same way, with no hazard
from the snow, provided we w«rp o.rrved sufficiently to pro-
230 ItOBINSON CKUSOE.
tect ourselves from wild beasts : for, lie said, in these great
snows, it was frequent for some wolves to show themselves at
the foot of the mountains, being made ravenous for want of
food, the ground being covered with snow. "We told him we
were well enough prepared for such creatures as they were, if
he would ensure us from a kind of two-legged wolves, which,
we are told, we were in most danger from, especially on the
French side of the mountains. He satisfied us that there
was no danger of that kind in the way that we were to go ;
so we readily agreed to follow him, as did also twelve other
gentlemen, with their servants, some French, some Spanish,
who, as I said, had attempted to go, and were obliged to come
back again.
Accordingly, we set out from Pampeluna with our guide,
on the loth of November ; and I was surprised, when, in-
stead of going forward, he came directly back with us on the
same road that we came from Madrid, about twenty miles ;
when, having passed two rivers, and come into the plain
country, we found ourselves in a warm climate again, where
the country was pleasant, and no snow to be seen ; but, on a
sudden, turning to his left, he approached the mountains an-
other way ; and though it is true the hills and precipices
looked dreadful, yet he made so many tours, such meanders,
and led us by such winding ways, that we insensibly passed
the height of the mountains without being much encumbered
with the snow ; and, all on a sudden, he showed us the
pleasant and fruitful provinces of Languedoc and Gascony.
all green and flourishing, though, indeed, at a great distance,
and we had some rough way to pass still.
We were a little uneasy, however, when we found it snowed
one whole day and a night so fast that we could not travel ;
but he bid us be easy ; we should soon be past it all ; we
found, indeed, that we began to descend every day, and to
come more north than before ; and so, depending upon our
guide, we went on.
It was about two hours before night, when, our guide being
something before us, and not just in sight, out rushed three
monstrous wolves, and after them a bear, from a hollow way
adjoining to a thick wood : two of the wolves made at the
guide, and, had he been far before us, he would have been
devoured- haftvro wp r-nnld lia-c-o l-ielnorl liim • one f them
KOmXSON CRUSOE. 231
fastened upon his horse, and the other attacked the man with
such violence, that he had not time or presence of mind
enough to draw his pistol, but hallooed and cried out to us
most lustily. My man Friday being next to me, I bade him
ride up, and see what was the matter. As soon as Friday
came in sight of the man, he hallooed out as loud as the
oilier, '' master ! O master '." but, like a bold fellow, rode
directly up to the poor man, and with his pistol shot the
■Wolf that attacked him in the head.
It was happy for the poor man that it was my man Friday ;
for, having been used to such creatures in his country, he had
no fear upon him, but went close up to him and shot him ;
whereas any other of lis would have fired at a farther dis-
tance, and have perhaps either missed the wolf, or endangered
shooting the man.
But it was enough to have terrified a bolder man than I ;
and, indeed, it alarmed all our company, when, with the noise,
of Friday's pistol, we heard on both sides the most dismal
howling of wolves ; and the noise, redoubled by the echo of
the mountains, appeared to us as if there had been a pro-
digious number of them ; and perhaps there was not such a
few as that we had no cause of apprehension : however, as
Friday had killed this wolf* the other that had fastened upon
the horse left him immediately, and fled, without doing him
any damage, having happily fastened upon his head, where
the bosses of the bridle had stuck in his teeth. But the man
was most hurt : for the raging creature had bit him twice,
once in the arm, and the other time a little above his knee ;
and though he had made some defence, he was just tumbling
down by the disorder of his horse, when Friday came up and
shot the wolf.
It is easy to suppose that at the noise of Friday's pistol we
all mended our pace, and rode up as fast as the way, which
was very difficult, would give us leave, to see what was the
matter. As soon as we came clear of the trees, which
blinded us before, we saw clearly what had been the case, and
7 ;ow Friday had disengaged the poor guide, though we did
not presently discern what kind of creature it was he had
killed.
But never was a fight managed so hardily, and in such -
surprising manner, as that which follower! between Friday
232 ROBIXSON CRUSOE.
and the bear, which gave us all, though at first we were sur-
prised and afraid for him, the greatest diversion imaginable.
As the bear is a heavy, clumsy creature, and does not gallop
as the wolf does, who is swift and light, so he has two par-
ticular qualities, which generally are the ride of his actions :
first, as to men, who are not his proper prey, if you do not
meddle with him, he will not meddle with you ; but then you
must take care to be very civil to him, and give him the road,
for he is a very nice gentleman ; he will not go a step out of
his way for a prince ; nay, if you are really afraid, your best
way is to look another way and keep going on ; for some-
times if you stop, and stand still, and look steadfastly at him,
he takes it for an affront ; but if you throw or toss anything
at him, and it hits him, though it were but a bit of stick as
big as your finger, he thinks himself abused, and sets all
other business aside to pursue his revenge, and will have
satisfaction in point of honour ; — this is his first quality : the
next is, if he be once affronted, he will never leave you, night
or day, till he has his revenge, but follows at a good round
rate until he overtakes you.
My man Friday had delivered our guide, and when we
came up to him, he was helping him off his horse, for the
man was both hurt and frightened, when on a sudden we
espied the bear come out of the wood, and a monstrous one
it was, the biggest by far that I ever saw. We were all a
little surprised when we saw him ; but when Friday saw him,
it was easy to see joy and courage in the fellow's countenance :
" 0, O, !" says Friday, three times, pointing to him : '' O
master ! you give me te leave, me shakee te hand with him ;
jne makee you good laugh."
I was surprised to see the fellow so well pleased : ' : You
fool," says I, " he will eat you up." " Eatee me up ! eatee
me up !" says Friday, twice over again ; " me eatee him up ;
me make you good laugh ; you all stay here, me show you
good laugh." So down he sits, and gets off his boots in a
moment and puts on a pair of pumps, gives my other ser-
vant his horse, and with his gun away he flew, swift like the
wind.
The bear was walking softly on, and offered to meddle with
nobody, till Friday coming pretty near, calls to him, as if the
bear could understand him, " Hark ye, hark ye," says Friday,
ROBINSO N CRUSOE.
29 f
" me speakee with you." We followed at a distance, for now
being come down on the Oascony side of the mountains, we
were entered a vast forest, where tlio country was plain and
pretty open, though it had many trees in it scattered here
and there. FrMnv WT,« fc»J - -- _ 7j the heels of the
234
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
sear, came up with him quickly, and took up a great stone,
ind threw it at him, and hit him just on the head, but did
aim no more harm than if he had thrown it against a wall ;
but it answered Friday's end, for the rogue was so void of
tear that he did it purely to make the bear follow him, and
show us some laugh, as he called it. As soon as the bear felt
the blow, and saw him, he turns about, and comes after lnm,
taking very long strides, and shuffling on at a strange rate, as
would have put a horse to a middling gallop : away runs
Friday, and takes his course as if he ran towards us for help ;
so we all resolved to fire at once upon the bear, and deliver
my man ; though I was angry at him heartily for bringing
the bear back upon us, when he was going about his own
business another way : and especially I was angry that he had
turned the bear upon us, and then run away ; and I called out,
;t You dog! is this your making us laugh? Come away, and take
your horse, that we may shoot the creature." He heard me,
md cried out, " No shoot, no shoot ; stand still, and you get
much laugh :" and as the nimble creature ran two feet for the
bear's one, he turned on a sudden on one side of us, and see-
ing a great oak tree fit for his purpose, he beckoned us to
follow ; and doubling his pace, he got nimbly up the tree,
laying his gun down upon the ground, at about five or six
yards from the bottom of the tree. The bear soon came to
the tree, and we followed at a distance : the first thing he did,
lie stopped at the gun, smelled at it, but let it he, and up he
scrambles into the tree, climbing like a cat, though so monstrous
heasry. I was amazed at the folly, as I thought it, of my man,
and could not for my life see anything to laugh at yet, till
seeing the bear get up the tree, we all rode near to him.
When we came to the tree, there was Friday got out to the
small end of a large branch, and the bea>r got about half Avay
to him. As soon as the bear got out to that part where the
limb of the tree was weaker, — " Ha !" says he to us, " now
you see me teach ee the beai dance:" so he began jumping
and shaking the bough, at which the bear began to totter, but
stood still, and began to look behind him, to see how he
should get back ; then, indeed, we did laugh heartily. But
Friday had not done with him by a great deal: when seeing
him stand still, he called out to him again, as if he had supposed
the bear could speak English, " What, you come no farther?
KOBIXSON CRUSOE. 235
pray you come farther ;" so lie left jumping and shaking the
tree; and the bear, just as if he understood what he said,
did come a little farther ; then he began jumping again, and
the bear stopped again. We thought now was a good time
to knock him in the head, and called to Friday to stand still,
and we would shoot the bear : but lie cried out earnestly,
" pray, pray! no shoot, me shoot by and then:" he
would have said by-and-by. However, to shorten the story,
Friday danced so much, and the bear stood so ticklish, that
we had lausrhins; cnousrh, but still could not imagine what the
fellow would do : for the first we thought he depended upon
shaking the bear off; and we found the bear was too cunning
for that too ; for he would not go out far enough to be thrown
down, but clung fast with his great broad claws and feet, so
that we could not imagine what would be the end of it, and
what the jest would be at last. But Friday put us out of
doubt quickly : for seeing the bear cling fast to the bough,
and that he would not be persuaded to come any farther,
" Well, well," says Friday, " you no come farther, me go ;
you no come to me, me come to you ;" and upon this he
went to the smaller end of the bough, where it would bend
with his weight, and gently let himself down by it, sliding
down the bough till he came near enough to jump down on
his feet, and away he ran to his gun and took it up. " Well, 1 '
said I to him, " Friday, what will you do now ? Why don't
you shoot him ?" " No shoot," says Friday, " no yet ; me
shoot now, me no kill ; me stay, give you one more laugh :"
and, indeed, so he did ; for when his enemy saw he was gone,
he came back from the bough where he stood, but did it very
cautiously, looking behind him every step, and coming back-
ward till he got into the body of the tree ; then, with the
same hinder end foremost, he came down the tree, grasping
it with his claws, and moving one foot at a time, very
leisurely. At this juncture, and just before he could set his
hind foot on the ground, Friday stepped up close to him,
clapped the muzzle of his piece into his ear, and shot him
dead. Then the rogue turned about to see if we did not
laugh ; and when he saw we were pleased, by our looks, he
began to laugh very loud. " So we kill bear in my country,"
Says Friday. " So you kill them ?" says I ; " why, you have
no guns." " No," says he, " no gun, but shoot great much
236
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
long arrow." This was a good diversion to us ; but wo were
still in a wild place, and our guide very much hurt, and what
to do we hardly knew; the howling of wolves ran much in
my head ; and, indeed, except the noise I once heard on the
shore of Africa, I never heard anything that filled me with
so much horror.
These things, and the approach of night, called us off, or
else, as Friday would have had us, we should certainly have
taken the skin of this monstrous creature off, which was
worth saving; but we had near three leagues to go, and
our guide hastened us ; so we left him, and went forward on
our journey.
The ground was still covered with snow, though not so
deep and dangerous as on the mountains ; and the ravenous
creatures, as we 'heard afterwards, were come down into the
forest and plain country, pressed by hunger to seek for food,
and had done a great deal of mischief in the villages, where
they surprised the country people, killed a great many of their
sheep and horses, and some people too. We had one dan-
gerous place to pass, and our guide told us, if there were more
wolves in the country we should find them there ; and this
was a small plain surrounded with woods on every side, and a
long narrow defile, or lane, which we were to pass to get
through the wood, and then we should come to the village
where we were to lodge. It was within half an hour of sun-
set when we entered the wood, and a little after sunset when
we came into the plain : we met with nothing in the first
wood, except that in a little plain within the wood, which was
not above two furlongs over, we saw five great wolves cross
the road, full speed, one after another, as if they had been
in chase of some prey, and had it in view ; they took no notice
of us, and were gone out of sight in a few moments. Upon
this, our guide, who by the way was but a faint-hearted
fellow, bid us keep in a ready posture, for he believed there
were more wolves a-coming. We kept our arms ready, and
our eyes about us ; but we saw no more wolves till we came
through that wood, which was near half a league, and entered
the plain. As soon as we came into the plain, we had occa-
sion enough to look about us : the first object we met with
was a horse which the wolves had killed, and at least a dozen
of them at work, we could not say eating him, but picking his
ROBINSON CKUSOE. 237
bones rather; for they had eaten up all the flesh before. We
did not think fit to disturb them at their feast, neither did
they take much notice of us. Friday would have let fly at
them, but I would not suffer him by any means; for I found
we were like to have more business upon our hands than we
were aware of. We had not gone half over the plain, when
we began to hear the wolves howl in the wood on our left in
a frightful manner, and presently after we saw about a hundred
coming on directly towards us, all in a body, and most of
them in a line, as regularly as an army drawn up by expe-
rienced officers. I scarce knew in what manner to receive
them, but found to draw ourselves in a close line was the only
way ; so we formed in a moment : but that we might not have
too much interval, I ordered that only every other man should
lire, and that the others, who had not fired, should stand
ready to give them a second volley immediately, if they con-
tinued to advance upon us ; and then that those who had fired
at first, should not pretend to load their fusees again, but stand
ready, every one with a pistol, for we were all armed with a
fusee and a pair of pistols each man ; so we were, by this
method, able to fire six volleys, half of us at a time : however,
at present we had no necessity ; for, upon firing the first
volley, the enemy made a full stop, being terrified as well with
the noise as with the fire ; four of them being shot in the head,
dropped: several others were wounded, and went bleeding
off, as we could see by the snow. I found they stopped, but
did not immediately retreat ; whereupon, remembering that I
had been told that the fiercest creatures were terrified at the
voice of a man, I caused all the company to halloo as loud as
we could ; and I found the notion not altogether mistaken ;
for upon our shout they began to retire and turn about. I
then ordered a second volley to be fired in their rear, which
put them to the gallop, and away they went to the woods.
This gave us leisure to charge our pieces again ; and that we
might lose no time, we kept going ; but Ave had but little
more than loaded our fusees, and put ourselves in readiness,
when we heard a terrible noise in the same wood on our left,
only that it was farther onward, the same way we were to go.
The night was coming on, and the light began to be dusky,
which made it worse on our side ; but the noise increasing, we
could easily perceive that it was the howling and yelling of those
238 nouixsox cuusor..
hellish creatures ; and on a sudden we perceived two or three
troops of wolves, one on our left, one behind us, and one in
our front, so that we seemed to be surrounded with them :
however, as they did not fall upon us, we kept our way
forward, as fast as we could make our horses go, which was
only a good hard trot. In this manner, we came in view of
the entrance of a wood, through which we were to pass, at
the farther side of the plain ; but we were greatly surprised.
when coming nearer the lane or pass, we saw a confused number
of wolves standing just at the entrance. On a sudden, at
another opening of the wood, we heard the noise of a gun,
and looking that way, out rushed a horse, with a saddle and
a bridle on him, flying like the wind, and sixteen or seven-
teen wolves after him full speed : the horse had the advan-
tage of them ; but as we supposed that he could not hold it
at that rate, we doubted not but they would get up with him
at last : no question but they did.
But here we had a most horrible sight ; for riding up to
the entrance where the horse came out, we found the carcasses
of another horse and of two men, devoured by the ravenous
creatures ; and one of the men was no doubt the same whom
we heard fire the gun, for there lay a gun just by him fired
off; but as to the man, his head and the upper part of his
body were eaten up. This filled us with horror, and we knew
not what course to take ; but the creatures resolved us soon,
for they gathered about us presently, in hopes of prey ; and i
verily believe there were three hundred of them. It happened,
very much to our advantage, that at the entrance into the
wood, but a little way from it, there lay some large timber
trees, which had been cut down the summer before, and I sup-
pose lay there for carriage. I drew my little troop in among
those trees, and placing ourselves in a line behind one long
tree, I advised them all to alight, and keeping that tree before
us for a breastwork, to stand in a triangle, or three fronts, in-
closing our horses in the centre. Wc did so, and it was well
we did ; for never was a more furious charge than the crea-
tures made upon us in this place. They came on with a growl-
ing kind of noise, and mounted the piece of timber, which, as
I said, was our breastwork, as if they were only rushing upon
their prey ; and this fury of theirs, it seems, was principally
occasioned by their seeing our horses behind us I ordered our
ROBIXSON CRUSOE. Zot?
men to fire as before, every other man; and they took ther
aim so sure that they killed several of the wolves at the first
volley ; but there was a necessity to keep a continual firing-, for
they came on like devils, those behind pushing on those before.
When we had fired a second volley of our fusees, we thought
they stopped a little, and I hoped they would have gone off,
but it was but a moment, for others came forward again ;
so we fired two volleys of our pistols ; and I believe in these
four firings we had killed seventeen or eighteen of them, and
lamed twice as many, yet they came on again. I was loath to-
spend our shot too hastily ; so I called my servant, not my
man Friday, for he was better employed, for, with the greatest
dexterity imaginable, he had charged my fusee and his own
while we were engaged, — but, as I said, I called my other man,
and giving him a horn of powder, I bade him lay a train all
along the piece of timber, and let it be a large train. He did
so, and had but just time to get away, when the wolves came
up to it, and some got upon it, when I, snapping an uncharged
pistol close to the powder, set it on fire ; those that were upon
the timber were scorched with it, and six or seven of them fell,,
or rather jumped in among us with the force and fright of the
fire: we despatched these in an instant, and the rest were so
frightened with the light, which the night — for it was now
very near dark — made more terrible, that they drew back t
little ; upon which I ordered our last pistols to be fired off in
one volley, and after that we gave a shout ; upon this the
wolves turned tail, and we sallied immediately upon near
twenty lame ones that we found struggling on the ground, and
fell to cutting them with our swords, which answered our ex-
pectation, for the crying and howling they made was better
understood by their fellows ; so that thev all fled and left us.
We had, first and last, killed about tnreo-score of them, and
liad it been daylight we had killed many more. The field of
battle being thus cleared, we came forward again, for we had
still near a league to go. We heard the ravenous creatures
howl and yell in the woods as we went several times, and some-
times wo fancied we saw some of them ; but the snow dazzling-
our eyes, we were not certain. In about an hour more wo
came to the town where we were to lodge, which we found in.
a terrible fright, and all in arms; for, it seems, the night before
the wolves and some bears had broke into the village, and put
■ft
24.0 K01JINS0N CKUSOE.
them in such terror, that they were obliged to keep guard night
and day, but especially in the night, to preserve their cattle,
and indeed their people.
The next morning our guide was so ill, and his limbs swelled
so much with the rankling of his two wounds, that he could go
no farther; so we were obliged to take a new guide here, and
go to Thoulouse, where we found a warm climate, a fruitful,
pleasant country, and no snow, no wolves, nor anything like
them ; but when we told our story at Thoulouse, they told us
it was nothing but what was ordinary in the great forest at
the foot of the mountains, especially when the snow lay on the
ground ; but they inquired much what kind of a guide we had
ot, who would venture to bring us that way in such a severe
season, and told us it was surprising we were not all devoured.
"When we told them how we placed ourselves and the horses
In the middle, they blamed us exceedingly, and told us it was
fifty to one but we had been all destroyed, for it was the sight
of the horses which made the wolves so furious, seeing their
prey, and that at other times they are really afraid of a gun ;
but being excessively hungry, and raging on that account, the
eagerness to come at the horses had made them senseless of
danger, and that if we had not by the continued fire, and at
last by the stratagem of the train of powder, mastered them,
it had been great odds but that we had been torn to pieces;
whereas, had we been content to have sat still on horseback,
and fired as horsemen, they would not have taken the horses
so much for their own, when men were on their backs, as
otherwise; and, withal, they told us that at last, if we had
stood all together, and left our horse?, they would have been
so eager to have devoured them, that we might have come off
safe, especially having our firearms in our hands, and being
so many in number. For my part, I was never so sensible of
danger in my life, for, seeing above three hundred devils
come roaring and open-mouthed to devour us, and having
nothing to shelter us or retreat to, I gave myself over for lost ;
and, as it was, I believe I shall never care to cross those
mountains again ; I think I would much rather go a thousand
leagues by sea, though I was sure to meet with a storm once
ii week.
I have nothing uncommon to take notice of in my passage
through Fiance — nothing but what other travellers have given
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
241
an account of with much more advantage than I can. I tra-
velled from Thoulouse to Paris, and without any considerable
stay came to Calais, and landed safe at Dover the 14th of
January, after having a severe cold season to travel in.
I was now come to the centre of my travels, and had in a
little time all my new-discovered estate safe about me, the bills
of exchange which I brought with me having been very cur-
rently paid.
My principal guide and privy-counsellor was mv good,
16
242 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
ancient widow, who, in gratitude for the money I had sent
her, thought no pains too much nor care too great to employ
for me ; and I trusted her so entirely with everything, that I
was perfectly easy as to the security of my effects ; and, in-
deed, I was very happy from the beginning, and now to the
end, in the unspotted integrity of this good gentlewoman.
And now, having resolved to dispose of my plantation in
the Brazils, I wrote to my old friend at Lisbon, who having
offered it to the two merchants^, the survivors of my trustees,
who lived in the Brazils, they accepted the offer, and remitted
thirty-three thousand pieces-of-eight to a correspondent of
theirs at Lisbon to pay for it.
In return, I signed the instrument, of sale in the form which
they sent from Lisbon, tand sent it to -my old man, who sent
me the bills of exchange for thirty-two thousand eight hun-
dred pieces-of-eight for the estate, reserving the payment of
one hundred moidores .a . year to him (the old man) during his
life, and fifty msidores afterwards to Ms son for his life, whieh
I had promised theavand which the plantation was to make
good as a rent-charge. And thus I have given the first part
of a life of fortune and adventure—*! life of Providence's
chequer-work, and of a variety which the world will seldom
be able to show the like of- — beginning foolishly, but closing
muoh more happily than any part of it ever gave me leave so
much as to hope for.
Any one would think that in this state of complicated good
fortune I was past running any more hazards, and so, indeed,
I had been, if other circumstances had concurred ; but I was
inured to a wandering life, had no family, nor many relations ;
nor, however rich, had I contracted much acquaintance ; and
though I had sold my estate in the Brazils, yet I could not
keep that country out of my head, and had a great mind to be
upon the wing again ; especially I could not resist the strong
inclination I had to see my island, and to know if the poor
Spaniards were in being there. My true friend, the widow,
earnestly dissuaded me from it, and so far prevailed with me,
that for almost seven years she prevented my running abroad,
during which time I took my two nephews, the children of one
of my brothers, into my care : the eldest having something of
his own, I bred up as a gentleman, and gave him a setltenient
of some addition to his estate after my decease. The other I
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 243
placed with the captain of a ship ; and after five years, find-
ing him a sensible, bold, enterprising young fellow, I put him
into a good ship, and sent him to sea ; and this young fellow
afterwards drew me in, as old as I was, to farther adventures
myself.
In the mean time I in part settled myself here ; for, first of
■all, I married, and that not either to my disadvantage or dis-
satisfaction, and had three children, two sons and one
daughter ; but my wife dying, and my nephew coming home
with good success from a voyage to Spain, my inclination to
go abroad and his importunity prevailed, and engaged me to
go in his ship as a private trader to the East Indies ; this was
in the year 1694.
In this voyage I visited my new colony in the island — saw
my successors the Spaniards — had the whole story of their
lives, and of the villains I left there — how at first they insulted
the poor Spaniards — how they afterwards agreed, disagreed,
united, separated, and how at last the Spaniards were obliged
to use violence with them — how they were subjected to the
Spaniards — how honestly the Spaniards used them ; a history,
if it were entered into, as full of variety and wonderful acci-
dents as my own part, particularly, also, as to their battles
with the Caribbeans, who landed several times upon the
island, and as to the improvement they made upon the island
itself, and how five of them made an attempt upon the main-
land, and brought away eleven men and five women prisoners,
by which, at my coming, I found about twenty young children
on the island.
Here I stayed about twenty days — left them supplies of all
necessary things, and particularly of arms, powder, shot,
clothes, tools, and two workmen, which I brought from Eng-
land with me, viz., a carpenter and a smith.
Besides this, I shared the lands into parts with them, re-
served to myself the property of the whole, but gave them
such parts respectively as they agreed on ; and having settled
all things with them, and engaged them not to leave the
place, I left them there.
From thence I touched at the Brazils, from whence I sent
a bark, which I bought there, with more people to the island ;
and in it, besides other supplies, I sent seven women, being
such as I found proper for service, or for wives to such as
244 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
would take thorn. As to the Englishmen, I promised them to
send them some women from England, with a good cargo of
necessaries, if they would apply themselves to planting, which
I afterwards could not perform. The fellows proved very
honest and diligent after they were mastered, and had their
properties set apart for them. I sent them, also, from the
Brazils five cows, three of them being big with calf, some
sheep, and some hogs, which when I came again were con^
siderably increased.
But all these things, with an account how three hundred
Caribbees came and invaded them, and ruined their planta-
tions, and how they fought with that whole number twice, and
were at first defeated, and one of them killed ; but, at last, a
storm destroying their enemies' canoes, they famished or
destroyed almost all the rest, and renewed and recovered the
possession of their plantation, and still lived upon the island.
All these things, with some very surprising incidents in
some new adventures of my own, for ten years more, I shall
give a farther account of in the second part of ray history.
PART II.
That homely proverb, " That what is bred in the bone
•will not go out of the flesh," was never more verified than in
the story of my life. Any one would think that after thirty-
five years' affliction, and a variety of unhappy circumstances,
which few men, if any, ever went through before, and after
near seven years of peace and enjoyment in the fulness of all
things, grown old, and when, if ever, it might be allowed me
to have had experience of every state of middle life, and to
know which wa3 most adapted to make a man completely
happy ; I say, after all this, any one would have thought that
the native propensity to rambling, which I gave an account
of in my first setting out in the world to have been so pre-
dominant in my thoughts, should be worn out, the volatile
part be fully evacuated, or at least condensed, and I might,
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 245
at sixty-one years of age, have been a little inclined to stay
at home, and have done venturing life and fortune any
more.
But when I came home, I was still as uneasy as I was
before; I had no relish for the place, no employment in it,
nothing to do but to saunter about like an idle person. This
also was the thing which, of all circumstances of life, was the
most my aversion, who had been all my days used to an
active life.
It was now the beginning of the year 1693, when my
nephew, whom I had brought up to the sea, and had made
commander of a ship, was come home from a short voyage to
Bilboa, being the first he had made. He came to me, and
told me that some merchants of his acquaintance had been
proposing to him to go a voyage for them to the East Indies
and to China, as private traders. "And noAV, uncle," says
he, " if you will go to sea with me, I will engage to land you
upon your old habitation in the island; for we are to touch
at the Brazils."
I was not long resolving ; for, indeed, the importunities of
my nephew joined so effectually with my inclination, that
nothing could oppose me : on the other hand, my wife being
dead, nobody concerned themselves so much for me as to
persuade me to one way or the other, except my ancient good,
friend the widow, who earnestly struggled with me to consider
my years, my easy circumstances, and the needless hazards of
a long voyage, and, above all, my young children. But it
was all to no purpose. I had an irresistible desire for the
voyage ; and I told her I thought there was something so un-
common in the impressions I had upon my mind, that it would
be a kind of resisting Providence if I should attempt to stay
at home: after which she ceased her expostulations, and
joined with me, not only in making provision for my voyage,
but also in settling my family affairs for my absence, and
providing for the education of my children.
In order to do this, I made my will, and settled the estate
I had in such a manner for my children, and placed in such
hands, that I was perfectly easy and satisfied they would have
justice done them, whatever might befall me : and for their
education, I left it wholly to the widow, with a sufficient
maintenance to herself for her care — all which she richly
246 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
deserved ; for no mother could have taken more care in their
education, or understood it better : and as she lived till I
came home, I also lived to thank her for it.
My nephew was ready to sail about the beginning of
January, 1694-5; and I, with my man Friday, went on
board, in the Downs, the 8th ; having besides a framed sloop,
which was shipped in pieces, a very considerable cargo of all
kinds of necessary things for my colony ; which, if I did not
find in good condition, I resolved to leave so.
First, I carried with me some servants, whom I purposed
to place there as inhabitants, or at least to set on work there,
upon my account, while I stayed, and either to leave them
there or carry them forward, as they should appear willing ;.
particularly I carried two carpenters, a smith, and a very
handy, ingenious fellow, who was a cooper by trade, and was-
also a general mechanic ; for he was dexterous at making
wheels, and hand-mills to grind corn, was a good turner and
a good pot-maker ; he also made anything that was proper
to make of earth or of wood ; in a word, we called him our
Jack-of-all-trades. With these I carried a tailor, who had
offered himself to go a passenger to the East Indies with my
nephew, but afterwards consented to stay on our new plan-
tation ; and who proved a most necessary, handy fellow, as-
could be desired, in many other businesses besides that of his.
trade ; for necessity arms us for all employments.
My cargo, as near as I can recollect, consisted of a sufficient
quantity of linen, and some English thin stuffs, for clothing
the Spaniards that I expected to find there ; and enough as,
by my calculation, might comfortably supply them for seven
years. If I remember right, the materials I carried for
clothing them amounted to above two hundred pounds ; and
near a hundred pounds more in iron-work, nails, tools of every
kind, staples, hooks, hinges, and every necessary thing I could
think of.
I carried also a hundred spare arms, muskets, and fasees ;
besides some pistols, a considerable quantity of shot of all
sizes, three or four tons of lead, and two pieces of brass
cannon ; and, because I knew not what time and what extre-
mities I was providing for, I carried a hundred barrels of
powder, besides swords, cuthiss.s, and the iron part of some,
pikes and halberts ; so that, in short, we had a large maga-
ROBINSON CKUSOE. 247
zine of all sorts of stores : and I made my nephew carry two
small quarter-deck guns more than he wanted for his ship, to
leave behind if there was occasion ; that when we came there,
we might build a fort, and man it against all sorts of enemies :
and, indeed, I at first thought there would be need enough
for all, and much more, if we hoped to maintain our posses-
sion of the island ; as shall be seen in the course of the
story.
We set out on the 5th of February from Ireland ; and, to
shorten my story, I came to my old habitation, the island, on
the 10th of April, 1695.
As soon as I saw the place, I called for Friday, and asked
him if he knew where he was ? He looked about a little, and
presently clapping his hands, cried, " O yes, O there, yes,
O there !" pointing to our old habitation, and fell dancing
and capering like a mad fellow ; and I had much ado to
keep him from jumping into the sea, to swim ashore to the
place.
" Well, Friday," says I, " do you think we shall find any-
body here or no ? and do you think we shall see your father ?"
The fellow stood mute as a stock a good while ; but when I
named his father, the poor affectionate creature looked de-
jected, and I could see the tears run down his face very
plentifully. " What is the matter, Friday ?" says I : " are
you troubled because you may see your father ?" " No, no,"
says he, shaking his head, " no see him more ; no, never
more see him again." "Why so," said I, "Friday? how do
you know that?" "O no, O no," says Friday; "he long
ago die, long ago ; he much old man." " Well, well," says
I, " Friday, you don't know : but shall we see any one else
then ?" The fellow, it seems, had better eyes than I, and he
points to the hill just above my old house ; and though we
lay half a league off, he cries out, " We see, we see, yes, yes,
we see much man there, and there, and there." I looked,
but I saw nobody, no, not with a perspective-glass, which
was, I suppose, because I could not hit the place ; for the
fellow was right, as I found upon inquiry the next clay ; and
there were five or six men all together, who stood to look at
the ship, not knowing what to think of us.
As soon as Friday told me he saw people, I caused the
English ensign to be spread, and fired three guns, to give
248 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
them notice we were friends ; and in about half a quarter of
an hour after, we perceived a smoke arise from the side of
the creek : so I immediately ordered the boat out, taking
Friday with me ; and hanging out a white flag, I went directly
on shore. We had about sixteen men well armed, if we had
found any new guests there which we did not know of: but
we had no need of weapons.
As we went on shore upon the flood tide, near high water,
we rowed directly into the creek ; and the first man I fixed
my eye upon was the Spaniard whose life I had saved, and
whojfia I knew by his face perfectly well. I ordered nobody
to go on shore at first but myself; but there was no keeping
Friday in the boat, for the affectionate creature had spied his
father at a distance, a good way off the Spaniards, where,
indeed, I saw nothing of him ; and if they had not let him go
ashore, he would have jumped into the sea. He was no
sooner on shore, but he flew away to his father, like an arrow
out of a bow. It would have made any man shed tears, to
have seen the first transports of this poor fellow's joy when
he came to his father : how he embraced him, kissed him,
stroked his face, took him up in his arms, set him down upon
a tree, and lay down by him ; then stood and looked at him,
as any one would look at a strange picture, for a quarter of
an hour together ; then lay down on the ground, and stroked
his legs, and kissed them, then got up again, and stared at
him ; one would have thought the fellow bewitched. But it
would have made a dog laugh the next day to see how bis
passion ran out another way : in the morning, he walked
along the shore, with his father, several hours, always leading
him by the hand, as if he had been a lady ; and every now
and then he would come to the boat to fetch something or
other for him, either a lump of sugar, a dram, a biscuit, or
something or other that was good. In the afternoon, his
frolics ran another way ; for then he would set the old man
down upon the ground and dance about him, and make a
thousand antic postures and gestures ; and all the while he
did this, he would be talking to him, and telling him one
story or other of his travels, and of what had happened to
him abroad, to divert hirn.
It would be needless to take notice of all the ceremonies
and civilities that the Spaniards received me with. The first
EOEINSON CRUSOE.
249
Spaniard, whose life I had saved, came towards the boat, at-
tended by one more, carrying a flag of truce also ; and he
not only did not know me at first, but he had no thoughts,
no notion of its being me that was come, till I spoke to him.
" Seignior," said I, in Portuguese, " do you not know me?"
At which he spoke not a word, but giving his musket to the
man that was with him, threw his arms abroad, saying some-
thing in Spanish that I did not perfectly hear, came forward
and embraced me, telling me he was inexcusable not to know
that face a^ain that he had once seen as if an angel from
250 ROBINSON CEDSOE.
Heaven, sent to save his life: he said abundance of very
handsome things, and then beckoning to the person that
attended him, bade him go and call out his comrades. He
then asked me if I would walk to my old habitation, where
he would give me possession of my own house again, and
where I should see they had made but mean improvements :
so I walked along with him ; but, alas ! I could no more find
the place than if I had never been there; for they had
planted so many trees, and placed them in such a position, so
thick and close to one another, and in ten years' time they
were grown so big, that in short, the place was inaccessible,
except by such windings and blind ways as they themselves
only, who made them, could find.
I asked them what put them upon all these fortifications :
he told me- 1 "would say there was need enough of it, when
they had given me an account how they had passed their
time since their arriving in the island^ especially after they
had the misfortune to find that I was gone. He told me he
could not but have some satisfaction in my good fortune,
when he heard that I was gone in a good ship, and that he
had oftentimes a strong- persuasion that one time or other he
should see me again : but nothing that ever befell him in his
life, he said, was so surprising and* affiicting to him at first,
as the disappointment he was under when he came back to
the island and found I was not there.
As to the three barbarians (so he called them) that were
left behind, and of whom, he said, he had a long story to tell
me, the Spaniards all thought themselves much better among
the savages, only that their number was so small : " and,"
says he, " had they been strong enough, we had been all
long ago in purgatory."
While I was thus saying this, the man came whom he had
sent back, and with him eleven more. In the dress they
were in, it was impossible to guess what nation they were of;
but he made all clear, both to them and to me. First he
turned to me, and pointing to them, said, " These, sir, are
some of the gentlemen who owe their lives to you ;" and then
turning to them, and pointing to me, he let them know who
I was ; upon which they all came up, one by one, not as if
they had been sailors, and ordinary fellows, and the like, but
really as if they had been ambassadors or noblemen, and I a
ROBINSON CKUSOE. 251
monarch or great conqueror : their behaviour was, to the last
pegree, obliging and courteous, and yet mixed with a manly,
majestic gravity, which very well became them ; and in short,
they had so much more manners than I, that I scarce knew
how to receive their civilities, much less how to return them.
in kind.
The history of their coming to, and conduct in, the island,
after my going away, is so very remarkable, and has so many
incidents, which the former part of my relation will help tO'
understand, and which will, in most of the particulars, refer
to the account I have already given, that I cannot but commit
them, with great delight, to the reading of those that come
after me.
I shall no longer trouble the story with a relation in the
first person, which will put me to the expense of ten thousand
" said I's," and " said he's," and " he told me's," and " I told
him's," and the like ; but I shall collect the facts historically,.
as near as I can gather them out of my memory, from what
they related to me, and from what I met with in my con-
versing with them, and with the place.
In order to do this succinctly, and as intelligibly as I can,
I must go back to the circumstances in which I left the-
island, and in which the persons were of whom I am to speak.
And first, it is necessary to repeat that I had sent away
Friday's father and the Spaniard to fetch over the Spaniard's
companions that he left behind him.
And I desired the Spaniard would give me a particular
account of his voyage back to his countrymen with the boat,
when I sent him to fetch them over. He told me there was
little variety in that part, for nothing remarkable happened
to them on the way, having had very calm weather, and a
smooth sea. As for his countrymen, it could not be doubted,
he said, but that they were overjoyed to see him ; that when
he told them the story of his deliverance, and in what manner
he was furnished for carrying them away, it was like a dream
to them, and their astonishment, he said, was somewhat like
that of Joseph's brethren, when he told them who he was,
and the story of his exaltation in Pharaoh's court; but when
he showed them the arms, the powder, the ball, and pro-
visions, that he brought them for their voyage, they were
restored to themselves, took a just share of the joy of their
252 IIOBINSON CRUSOE.
deliverance, and immediately prepared to come away with him.
Their first business was to get canoes : and in this they
were obliged not to stick so much upon the honesty of it, but
to trespass upon their friendly savages, and to borrow two
large canoes, on pretence of going out a fishing, or for
pleasure. In these they came away the next morning. It
seems they wanted no time to get themselves ready ; for they
had no baggage, neither clothes, provisions, nor anything in
the world but what they had on them, and a few roots to eat,
of which they used to make their bread.
They were in all three weeks absent ; and in that time,
unluckily for them, I had the occasion offered for my escape,
as I mentioned in the other part, and to get off from the
island, leaving three of the most impudent, hardened, un-
governed, disagreeable villains behind me, that any man
could desire to meet with ; to the poor Spaniards' great grief
and disappointment, you may be sure.
The only just things the rogues did was, that when the
Spaniards came ashore, they gave my letter to them, and
gave them provisions, and other relief, as I had ordered them
to do ; also they gave them the long paper of directions which
I had left with them, containing the particular methods which
I took for managing every part of my life there ; nor did
they refuse to accommodate the Spaniards with anything else,
for they agreed very well for some time. They gave them
an equal admission into the house, or cave, and they, began
to live very sociably ; and the head Spaniard, who had seen
pretty much of my methods, and Friday's father together,
managed all their affairs ; but as for the Englishmen, they
did nothing but ramble about the island, shoot parrots, and
catch tortoises ; and when they came home at night, the
Spaniards provided their suppers for them.
The Spaniards would have been satisfied with this, had the
others but let them alone ; which, however, thev could not
find in their hearts to do long; but, like the dog in the
manger, they would not eat themselves, neither would they
let the others eat. The differences, nevertheless, were at first
but trivial, and such as are not worth relating, but at last it
broke out into open war : and it began with all the rudeness
and insolence that can be imagined, — without reason or pro-
vocation, contrary to nature, and, indeed, to common sense :
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 253
and though, it is true, the first relation of it came from the
Spaniards themselves, whom I may call the accusers, yet
•when I came to examine the fellows, they could not deny a
word of it.
But before I come to the particulars of this part, I must
supply a defect in my former relation : and this was, I forgot
to set down, among the rest, that just as we were weighing
the anchor to set sail, there happened a little quarrel on
board of our ship, which I was once airaid would have turned
to a second mutiny ; nor was it appeased till the captain,
rousing up his courage, and taking us all to his assistance,
parted them by forcoj and, making two of the most refrac-
tory fellows prisoners, he laid them in irons : and as they had
been active in the former disorders, and let fall some danger-
ous words, the second time he threatened to carry them in
irons to England, and have them hanged there for mutiny,
and running away with the ship. This, it seems, though the
captain did not intend to do it, frightened some other men in
the ship ; and some of them had put it into the heads of the
rest, that the captain only gave them good words for the
present, tiil they should come to some English port, and that
then they should be all put into gaol, and tried for their
lives. The mate got intelligence of this, and acquainted us
with it ; upon which it was desired that I, who still passed
for a great man among them, should go down with the mate,
and satisfy the men, and tell them that they might be assured,
if they behaved well the rest of the voyage, all they had
done for the time past should be pardoned. So I went, and
after passing my honour's word to them, they appeared easy,
and the more so when I caused the two men that were in
irons to be released and forgiven.
But this mutiny had brought us to an anchor for that
night ; the wind also falling cairn next morning, we found
that our two men, who had been laid in irons, had stolen
each of them a musket, and some other weapons (what pow-
der or shot they had we knew not), and had taken the
ship's pinnace, which was not yet hauled up, and ran away
with her to their companions in roguery on shore. As soon
as we found this, I ordered the long-boat on shore with twelve
men and the mate, and away they went to seek the rogues ;
but they could neither find them or any of the rest, for they
254 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
all fled into the woods when they saw the boat coming on
shore. The mate was once resolved, in justice to their
roguery, to have destroyed their plantations, burned all their
household stuff and furniture, and left them to shift without
it ; but having no orders, he let it all alone, left everything
as he found it, and, bringing the pinnace away, came on
board without them. These two men made their number
five ; but the other three villains were so much more wicked
than they, that after they had been two or three days toge-
ther, they turned the two new comers out of doors to shift
for themselves, and would have nothing to do with them ;
nor could they, for a good while, be persuaded to give them
any food : as for the Spaniards, they were not yet come.
When the Spaniards came first on shore, the business be-
gan to go forward : the Spaniards would have persuaded the
thrse English brutes to have taken in their countrymen
again, that they might be all one family ; but they would not
hear of it : so the two poor fellows lived by themselves ; and
finding nothing but industry and application would make
them live comfortably, they pitched their tents on the north
shore of the island, but a little more to the west, to be out
of danger of the savages, who always landed on the east
parts of the island.
Here they built them two huts, one to lodge in, and the
other to lay up their magazines and stores in; and the
-Spaniards having given them some corn for seed, and some
of the pease which I had left them, they dug, planted, and
enclosed, after the pattern I had set for them all, and began
to live pretty well. Their first crop of corn was on the
ground ; and though it was but a little bit of land which
they had dug up at first, having had but a little time, yet it
was enough to relieve them, and find them with bread and
other eatables ; and one of the fellows being the cook's mate
of the ship, was very ready at making soup, puddings, and
such other preparations as the rice, and the milk, and such
little flesh as they got, furnished him to do.
They were going on in this little thriving position when
the three unnatural rogues — their own countrymen, too — in
mere humour and to insult them, came and bullied them, and
told them that the island was theirs : that the governor,
meaning me, had given them the possession uf it, and nobody
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 255
else had any right to it ; and that they should build no
houses upon then- ground, unless they would pay rent for
them.
The two men, thinking they were jesting at first, asked
them to come in and sit down, and see what fine houses they
were that they had built, and to tell them what rent they
demanded ; an'd one of them merrily said, if they were the
ground-landlords, he hoped, if they built tenements upon
their land, and made improvements, they would, according
to the custom of landlords, grant a long lease : and desired
they would get a scrivener to draw the writings. One of the
three, cursing and raging, told them they should see they
were not in jest ; and going to a little place at a distance,
where the honest men had made a fire to dress their victuals,
he takes a fire-brand, and claps it to the outside of their hut,
and very fairly sets it on fire ; and it would have been all
burned down in a few minutes, if one of the two had not run
to the fellow, thrust him away, and trod the fire out with his
feet, and that not without some difficulty too.
The fellow was in such a rage at the honest man's thrust-
ing him away, that he returned upon him, with a pole he had
in his hand, and had not the man avoided the blow very
nimbly, and run into the hut, he had ended his days at once.
His comrade, seeing the danger they were both in, ran in
after him, and immediately they came both out with their
muskets, and the man that was first struck at with the pole,
knocked the fellow down that began the quarrel, with the
stock of his musket, and that before the other two could
come to help him ; and then seeing the rest come at them,
they stood together, and presenting the other ends of their
pieces to them, bade them stand oft'.
The others had fire-arms with them too ; but one of the
two honest men, bolder than his comrade, and made despe-
rate by his danger, told them, if they offered to move hand
or foot, they were dead men, and boldly commanded them to
lay down their arms. They did not, indeed, lay down their
arms, but seeing him so resolute, it brought them to a par-
ley, and they consented to take their wounded man with
them and be gone : and, indeed, it seems the fellow was
•wounded sufficiently with the blow. However, they were
much in the wrong, since they had the advantage, that they
256 KOCIXSON CRUSOE.
did not disarm them effectually, as they might have done,
and have gone immediately to the Spaniards, and given them
an account how the rogues had treated them ; for the three
villains studied nothing but revenge, and every day gave
them some intimation that they did so.
But not to crowd this part with an account of the lesser
part of the rogueries, such as treading down their corn ;
shooting three young kids and a she-goat, which the poor
men had got to breed up tame for their store ; and plaguing
them night and day in this manner ; it forced the two men
to such a desperation, that they resolved to fight them all
three, the first time they had a fair opportunity. In order
to do this, they resolved to go to the castle, as they called it
(that was my old dwelling), where the three rogues and the
Spaniards all lived together at that time, intending to have a
fair battle, and the Spaniards should stand by to see fair play:
so they got up in the morning before day, and came to the
place, and called the Englishmen by their names, telling
a Spaniard, that answered, that they wanted to speak with
them.
It happened that the day before, two of the Spaniards,
having been in the woods, had seen one of the two English-
men, whom, for distinction, I called the honest men, and he
had made a sad complaint to the Spaniards of the barbarous
usage they had met with from their three countrymen, and
how they had ruined their plantation, and destroyed their
corn that they had laboured so hard to bring forward, and
killed the milch-goat and their three kids, which was all they
had provided for their sustenance ; and that if he and his
friends, meaning the Spaniards, did not assist them again,
they should be starved. When the Spaniards came home at
night, and they were all at supper, one of them took the
freedom to reprove the three Englishmen, though in very
gentle and mannerly terms, and asked them how they could
be so cruel, they being harmless, inoffensive fellows: that
they were putting themselves in a way to subsist by their
labour, and that it had cost them a great deal of pains to
bring things to such perfection as they were then in.
One of the Englishmen returned very briskly, " What had
they to do there ? that they came on shore without leave ;
and that they should not plant or build upon the island: it
EOBINSON CRUSOE.
257
was none of their ground." "Why," says the Spaniard
very calmly, " Seignior Inglese, they must not starve." The
Englishman replied, like a rough-hewn tarpauling, "They
might starve, they should n^t plant nor build in that place."
"But what must they do, then, seignior?" said the Spaniard.
Another of the brutes returned, " Do ? they should be ser-
vants, and work for them." " But how can you expect that
of them V" says the Spaniard: "they are not bought with
your money: you have no right to make them servants."
The Englishman answered, " The island was theirs ; the
17
258 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
governor had given it to them, and no man had anything to
do there but themselves ;" and with that, swore by his Maker
that they would go and burn all their new huts ; they should
build none upon their land. " Why, seignior," says the
Spaniard, " by the same rule, we must be your servants too."
" Aye," says the bold dog, " and so you shall, too, before we
have done with you ;" mixing two or three oaths in the
proper intervals of his speech. The Spaniard only smiled at
that, and made him no answer. However, this little dis-
course had heated them ; and starting up, one says to the
other (I think it was he they called Will Atkins), " Come,
Jack, let's go, and have t'other brush with them ; we'll de-
molish their castle, I'll warrant you; they shall plant no
colony in our dominions.' 1
Upon this, they went all trooping away, with every man a
gun, a pistol, and a sword, and muttered some insolent things
among themselves, of what they would do to the Spaniards
too, when opportunity offered ; but the Spaniards, it seems,
did not so perfectly understand them as to know all the par-
ticulars, only that, in general, they threatened them hard for
taking the two Englishmen's part.
Whither they w r ent, or how they ibrafeowed their time that
evening, the Spaniards said they did not know ; but it seems
they wandered about fhe country, part of the night, and then
lying down in the plaoe which I used to call my bower, they
were weary, and overslept themselves. The case was this:
they had resolved to stay till midnight, and so to take the
two poor men when they were asleep, and, as they acknow-
ledged afterwards, intended to set fire to their huts while
they were in them, and either burn them there, or murder
them as they came out. As malice seldom sleeps very
sound, it was very strange they should not have been kept
awake.
However, as the two men had also a design upon them, as
I have said, though a much fairer one thaD that of burning
and murdering, it happened, and very luckily for them all,
that they were up and gone abroad, before the bloody-minded
rogues came to their huts.
When they came there, and found the men gone, Atkins,
who, it seems, was the forwarder man, called out to his
comrade, " Ha, Jack, here's the nest, but the birds are flown."
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 259
They mused awhile, to think what should be the occasion of
their being gone abroad so soon, and suggested presently that
the Spaniards had given them notice of it ; and with that
they shook hands, and swore to one another that they would
be revenged of the Spaniards. As soon as they had made
this bloody bargain, they fell to work with the poor men's
habitation ; they did not set fire, indeed, to anything, but
they pulled down both their houses, and pulled them so limb
from limb that they left not the least stick standing, or scarce
any sign on the ground where they stood; they tore all their
little collected household stuff in pieces, and threw everything
about in such a manner, that the poor men afterwards found
some of their things a mile off their habitation. When they
had done this, they pulled up all the young trees which the
poor men had planted ; pulled up an inclosure they had made
to secure their cattle and their corn ; and sacked and plun-
dered everything as completely as a horde of Tartars would
have done.
The two men were, at this juncture, gone to find them out,
and had resolved to fight them wherever they had been,
though they were but two to three ; so that, had they met,
there certainly would have been bloodshed among them ; for
they were all very stout, resolute fellows.
But Providence took more care to keep them asunder than
they themselves could do to meet ; for, as if they had dogged
one another, when the three were gone thither, the two were
here ; and afterwards, when the two went back to find them,
the three were come to the old habitation again : we shall see
their different conduct presently. When the three came back
like furious creatures, flushed with the rage which the work
they had been about had put them into, they came up to the
Spaniards, and told them what they had done, by way of
scoff and bravado ; and one of them stepping up to one of the
Spaniards, as if they had been a eouple of boys at play, takes
hold of his hat as it was upon his head, and giving it a twirl
about, fleering in his face, says to him, " And you, Seignior
Jack Spaniard, shall have the same sauce if you do not mend
your manners." The Spaniard, who, though a quiet, civil
man, was as brave a man as could be, and, withal, a strong,
well-made man, looked at him for a good while, and then,
having no weapon in his hand, stepped gravely up to him,
2C0 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
and, with one blow of his fist, knocked him down, as an ox is
felled with a pole-axe ; at which one of the rogues, as inso-
lent as the first, fired his pistol at the Spaniard immediately :
he missed his body, indeed, for the bullets went through his
hair, but one of them touched the tip of his ear, and he bled
pretty much. The blood made the Spaniard believe he was
more hurt than he really was, and that put him into some
heat, for before he acted all in a perfect calm ; but now re-
solving to go through with his work, he stooped, and took
the fellow's musket whom he had knocked down, and was
just going to shoot the man who had fired at him, when the
rest of the Spaniards, being in the cave, came out, and calling
to him not to shoot, they stepped in, secured the other two,
and took their arms from them.
When they were thus disarmed, and found they had made
all the Spaniards their enemies, as well as their own country-
men, they began to cool, and, giving the Spaniards better
words, would have had their arms again ; but the Spaniards,
considering the feud that was between them and the other
two Englishmen, and that it w r ould be the best method they
could take to keep them from killing one another, told them
they would do them no harm ; and if they would live peace-
ably, they would be very willing to assist and associate with
them as they did before ; but that they could not think of
giving them their arms again, while they appeared so resolved
to do mischief with them to their own countrymen, and had
even threatened them all to make them their servants.
The rogues were now no more capable to hear reason than
to §ct with reason ; but being refused their arms, they went
raving away, and raging like madmen, threatening what they
would do, though they had no fire-arms. But the Spaniards,
despising their threatening, told them they should take care
how they offered any injury to their plantation or cattle, for
if they did, they would shoot them as they would ravenous
beasts, wherever they found them ; and if they fell into their
hands alive, they should certainly be hanged. However, this
was far from cooling them, but away they went, raging and
swearing like furies of hell. As soon as they were gone, the
two men came back, in passion and rage enough also, though
of another kind ; for having been at their plantation, and
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 2G1
finding it all demolished and destroyed, as above, it will
easily be supposed they had provocation enough. They could
scarce have room to tell their tale, the Spaniards were so
eager to tell them theirs ; and it was strange enough to find
that three men should thus bully nineteen, and receive no
punishment at all.
The Spaniards, indeed, despised them, and especially,
having thus disarmed them, made light of their threaten-
ings ; but the two Englishmen resolved to have their remedy
against them, what pains soever it cost to find them out.
But the Spaniards interposed here too, and told them, that
as they had disarmed them, they could not consent that they
(the two) should pursue them with fire-arms, and perhaps
kill them. " But," said the grave Spaniard, who was their
governor, " we will endeavour to make them do you justice,
if you will leave it to us ; for there is no doubt but they will
•come to us again, when their passion is over, being not able
to subsist without our assistance: we promise you to make'
no peace with them, without having a full satisfaction for
you ; and, upon this condition, we hope you will promise to
use no violence with them, other than in your own defence."'
The two Englishmen yielded to this with great reluctance ;
but the Spaniards protested that they did it only to keep them
from bloodshed, and to make them all easy at last.
In about five days' time, the three vagrants, tired with
wandering, and almost starved with hunger, having chiefly
lived on turtles' eggs all that while, came back to the grove ;
and finding my Spaniard, who, as I have said, was the gover-
nor, and two more with him, walking by the side of the
creek, they came up in a very submissive, humble manner,
and begged to be received again into the family. The
Spaniards used them civilly, but told them they had acted
so unnaturally to their countrymen, and so very grossly to
them (the Spaniards), that they could not come to any con-
clusion without consulting the two Englishmen and the rest;
but, however, they would go to them and discourse about it,
and they should know in half an hour. It may be guessed
that they were very hard put to it ; for, it seems, as they
were to wait this half-hour for an answer, they begged they
would send them out some bread in the meantime, which
262 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
they did ; sending, at the same time, a large piece of goat's
flesh, and a boiled parrot, which they ate very heartily, for
they were hungry enough.
After half an hour's consultation, they were called in, and
a long debate ensued ; their two countrymen charging them
with the ruin of all their labour, and a design to murder
them; all which they owned before, and therefore could not
deny now. Upon the whole, the Spaniards acted the mode-
rators between them ; and as they had obliged the two
Englishmen not to hurt the three while they were naked and
unarmed, so they now obliged the three to go and rebuild.
their fellows' two huts, one to be of the same, and the other
of larger, dimensions than they were before; to fence their
ground again where they had pulled up their fences, plant
trees in the room of those pulled up, dig up the land again,
for planting corn, where they had spoiled it, and to restore
everything to the same state as they found it, as near as they
could.
Well, they submitted to all this ; and as they had plenty
of provisions given them all the while, they grew very orderly,,
and the whole society began to live pleasantly and agreeably
together again; only that these three fellows could never be
persuaded to work for themselves, except now and then a,
little, just as they pleased. However, the Spaniards told
them plainly, that if they would but live sociably and friendly
together, and study the good of the whole plantation, they
would be content to work for them, and let them walk about
and be as idle as they pleased : and thus, having lived pretty
well together for a month or two, the Spaniards gave them
arms again, and gave them liberty to go abroad with them
as before.
It was not above a week after they had these arms, and
went abroad, before the ungrateful creatures began to be as
insolent and troublesome as ever; but, however, an accident
happened presently upon this, which endangered the safety
of them ail, and they were obliged to lay by all private re-
sentments, and look to the preservation of their lives.
One night two of the Spaniards went out, to go up to
the top of the hill, where I used to go; and were going
round through the grove, unconcerned and unwary, when
they were surprised with seeing a light of fire a as very
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 203
little way off from them, and hearing the voices of men — not
of one or two, but of a great number.
We need not doubt but that they were surprised with this
sight, ran back immediately and raised their fellows, giving
them an account of the imminent danger they were all in ;
but it was impossible to persuade them to stay close within
where they were, but they must all run out to see how things
stood.
The Spaniards were in no small consternation at this sight ;
and, as they found that the fellows ran straggling all over the
shore, they made no doubt but, first or last, some of them
would chop in upon their habitation, or upon some other
place where they would see the token of inhabitants ; and
they were in great perplexity also for fear of their flock of
goats, which would have been little less than starving them,
if they should have been destroyed ; so the first thing they
resolved upon was to despatch three men away before it was
light, to drive all the goats away to the great valley where
the cave was, and, if need were, to drive them into the very
cave itself. Could they have seen the savages altogether in
one body, at a distance from their canoes, they resolved, if
there had been a hundred of them, to have attacked them;
but that could not be obtained ; for they were some of them
two miles off from the other ; and, as it appeared afterwards,
were of two different nations.
After having mused a great while on the course they
should take, they resolved, at last, while it was still dark, to
send Friday's father out as a spy, to learn, if possible, some-
thing concerning them, what they came for, what they in-
tended to do, and the like. The old man readily undertook
it ; and stripping himself quite naked, as most of the savages
were, away he went. After he had been gone an hour or
two, he brings word that he had been among them undis-
covered, — that he found they were two parties, and of two
several nations, who had war with one another, and had a
great battle in their own country ; and that both sides having
had several prisoners taken in the fight, they were, by mere
chance, landed all on the same island, for the devouring their
prisoners and making merry, but their coming so by chance
to the same place had spoiled all their mirth, — that they
were in a great rage at one another, and were so near, that
2G4 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
he believed they would fight again as soon as daylight began
to appear; but he did not perceive that they had any notion
of anybody being on the island but themselves. He had
hardly made an end of telling his story, when they could per-
ceive, by the unusual noise they made, that the two little
armies were engaged in a bloody fight.
Friday's father used all the arguments he could to persuade
our people to lie close, and not be seen ; he told them their
safety consisted in it, and that they had nothing to do but
lie still, and the savages would kill one another to their
hands, and then the rest would go away ; and it was so to a
tittle. But it was impossible to prevail, especially upon the
Englishmen ; their curiosity was so importunate, that they
must run out and see the battle ; however, they used some
caution, too ; they did not go openly, just by their own
dwelling, but went farther into the woods, and placed them-
selves to advantage, where they might securely see them
manage the fight, and, as they thought, not be seen by them;
but it seems the savages did see them, as we shall find here-
after
The battle was very fierce ; and, if I might believe the
Englishmen, one of them said he could perceive that some of
them were men of great bravery, of invincible spirits, and of
great policy in guiding the fight. The battle, they said, held
two hours before they could guess which party would be
beaten ; but then that party which was nearest our people's
habitation began to appear weakest, and after some time more
some of them began to fly ; and this put our men again into
a great consternation, lest any one of those that fled shoidd
run into the grove before their dwelling for shelter, and
thereby involuntarily discover the place ; and that, by con-
sequence, the pursuers would do the like in search of them.
Upon this, they resolved that they would stand armed within
the Avail, and whoever came into the grove, they resolved to
sally out over the wall and kill them, so that, if possible, not
one should return to give an account of it ; they ordered also
that it should be done with their swords, or by knocking
them down with the stocks of their muskets, out not by
shooting them, for fear of raising an alarm by the noise.
As they expected it fell out; three of the routed army fled
for life, and crossing the creek, ran directly into the place,
EOBINSON CRUSOE.
265
not. in the least knowing whither they went, but running
as into a thick wood for shelter. The scout they kept to
look abroad gave notice of this within, with this addition, to
that the conquerors had
our men's great satisfaction — viz.,
not pursued them, or seen which way they were gone;
upon this, the Spaniard governor would not suffer them to
kill the three fugitives, but sending three men out, ordered
them to go round, come in behind them, and surprise and
take them prisoners ; which was done. The residue of the
oonquered people fled to their canoes, and got off to sea ;
266 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
the victors retired, made no pursuit, or very little, but draw-
ing themselves into a body together, gave two great screaming
shouts, which they supposed was by way of triumph — and so
the fight ended ; and the same day, about three o'clock in
the afternoon, they also marched to their canoes. And thus
the Spaniards had the island again free to themselves, their
fright was over, and they saw no more savages for several
years after.
After they were all gone, the Spaniards came out of their
den, and viewing the field of battle, they found about two-
and-thirty men dead on the spot; some were killed with
great long arrows, some of which, were found sticking iD their
bodies; but most of them were killed with great wooden
swords, sixteen or seventeeniof which they found in the field
of battle, and as many bows,, wiliL a. great many arrows.
These swords were stemge^. great unwieldy things, and they
must be very strong men. that used thenr: most of those men
that were'liilledi with them had! their brains knocked out, and
several their arms and legs broken ; so.tiliafcit is evident they
fight Avith inexpressible rage and; fury;. We found not one
man- that was not stone dead,: — for eiliiar they stay by their
enemy till they- have kiilfid hirm, or they carry all the wounded
men that are not quite dead away with them.
This deliverance tamed our Englishmen for a. great while;
the sight had fillfed them with horror, and the consequences
appeared terrible to the last degree, especially upon supposing
that some time or other they should fall into the hands of
those creatures, who would not only kill 1 them as enemies,
but kill them for food, as we kill que cattle ; and they pro-
fessed to me that the thoughts of being eaten up like beef or
mutton, though it was supposed it was not to be till they were
dead, had something in it so horrible that it nauseated their
very stomachs, made them sick when they thought of it, and
filled their minds with such unusual terror, that they were not
themselves for some weeks after. This, as I said, tamed even
the three English brutes I have been speaking of; and for a
great while after they were tractable, and went about the
common business of the whole society well enough. But
some time after this they fell into such simple measures again,,
as brought them into a great deal of trouble.
They had taken three prisoners, as I observed ; and these
KOBINSON CRUSOE. 267
three being lusty, stout young fellows, they made them servants,
and tanght them to work for them ; and as slaves they did
well enough ; but they did not take their measures with them
as I did by my man Friday — viz., to begin with them upon the-
principle of having saved their lives, and then instruct them
in the rational principles of life, much less of religion, —
civilising and reducing them by kind usage and affectionate
arguments ; but as they gave them their food every day, so
they gave them their work too, and kept them fully employed
in drudgery enough ; but they failed in this by it, that they
never had them to assist them and fight for them as I had my
man Friday, who was as true to me as the very flesh upon
my bones.
But to come to the family part. Being all now good
friends, for common danger, as I said above, had effectually
reconciled them, they began to consider their general cir-
cumstances; and the first thing that came under conside-
ration was whether, seeing the savages particularly haunted
that side of the island, and that there were more remote and
retired parts of it equally adapted to their way of living, and
manifestly to their advantage, they should not rather move
their habitation, and plant in some more proper place for
their safety, and especially for the security of their cattle and
corn.
Upon this, after long debate, it was concluded that they
would not remove their habitation ; because that, sometime
or other, they thought they might hear from their governor
again, meaning me ; and if I should send any one to seek
them, I should be sure to direct them to that side, where, if
they should find the place demolished, they would conclude
the savages had killed us all, and we were gone, and so our
supply would go too. But as to their corn and cattle, they
agreed to remove them into the valley where my cave was,
where the land was as proper for both, and where, indeed,
there was land enough ; however, upon second thoughts,, they
altered one part of their resolution too, and resolved only to
remove part of their cattle thither, and plant part of their
corn there; and so, if one part was destroyed, the other
might be saved. And one part of prudence they used, which
it was very well they did — that they never trusted those
three savages which they had made prisoners with knowing
2'GS KOBINSON CRUSOE.
anything of the plantation they had made in that valley, or
of any cattle they had there, much less of the cave there,
which they kept, in case of necessity, as a safe retreat ; and
thither they carried also the two barrels of powder which I
had sent them at my coming away. But, however, they re-
solved not to change their habitation ; yet they agreed, that
as I had carefully covered it first with a wall or fortification,
and then with a grove of trees, so seeing their safety con-
sisted entirely in their being concealed, of which they were
now fully convinced, they set to work to cover and conceal
the place yet more effectually than before. For this purpose,
as I planted trees, or rather thrust in stakes, which in time
all grew up to be trees, for some good distance before the
entrance into my apartments, they went on in the same
manner, and filled up the rest of that whole space of ground
from the trees I had set quite down to the side of the creek,
where, as I said, I landed my floats, and even into the very
ooze where the tide flowed, not so much as leaving any place
to land, or any sign that there had been any landing there-
abouts, — these stakes also being of a wood forward to grow,
as I have noted formerly, they took care to have them gene-
rally much larger and taller than those which I had planted ;
and as they grew apace, so they planted them so very thick
and close together, that when they had been three or four
years grown, there was no piercing with the eye any con-
siderable way into the plantation ; and as for that part which
I had planted, the trees were grown as thick as a man's thigh,
and among them they placed so many other short ones, and
so thick, that, in a word, it stood like a palisado a quarter of
a mile thick, and it was next to impossible to penetrate it,
but with a little army to cut it all down, — for a little dog
could hardly get between the trees, they stood so close.
But this was not all ; for they did the same by all the
ground to the right hand and to the left, and round even to
the side of the hill, leaving no way, not so much as for them-
selves, to come out but by the ladder placed up to the side
of the hill, and then lifted up, and placed again from the first
stage up to the top ; and when the ladder was taken down,
nothing but what had wings or witchcraft to assist it could
come at them. This was excellently well contrived ; nor was
it less than what they afterwards found occasion for.
KOBINSON CRUSOE. 269
They lived two years after this in perfect retirement, and
had no more visits from the savages. They had, indeed, an
alarm given them one morning, which put them into a great
consternation ; for, some of the Spaniards being out early one
morning on the west side, or rather end, of the island (which
was that end where I never went, for fear of being discovered),
they were surprised with seeing above twenty canoes of
Indians just coming on shore. They made the best of their
way home in hurry enough ; and giving the alarm to their
comrades, they kept close all that day and the next, going
out only at night to make their observation ; but they had
the good luck to be mistaken ; ibr wherever the savages went,
they did not land that time on the island, but pursued some
other design.
And now they had another broil with the three Englishmen ;
one of whom, a most turbulent fellow, being in a rage at one
of the three slaves, whom I mentioned they had taken, because
the fellow had not done something: right which he bid hiru
do, and seemed a little untractable in his showing him, drew
a hatchet out of a frog-belt, in which he wore it by his side,
and fell upon the poor savage, not to correct him, but to kill
him. One of the Spaniards, who was by, seeing him give the
fellow a barbarous cut with the hatchet, which he aimed at his
head, but struck into his shoulder, so that he thought he had
cut the poor creature's arm off, ran to him, and entreating
him not to murder the poor man, placed himself between
him and the savage to prevent the mischief. The fellow,
being enraged the more at this, struck at the Spaniard with
his hatchet, and swore he would serve him as he intended to
serve the savage ; which the Spaniard perceiving, avoided the
blow, and, with a shovel which he had in his hand, knocked
the brute down. Another of the Englishmen, running at the
same time to help his comrade, knocked the Spaniard down ;
and then two Spaniards more came in to help their man, and
a third Englishman fell in upon them. They had none of
them any lire-arms or any other weapons but hatchets and
other tools, except this third Englishman ; he had one of my
rusty cutlasses, with which he made at the two last Spaniards,
and wounded them both. This fray set the whole family in
an uproar, and more help coming in, they took the three
Englishmen prisoners. The next question was, what should
270 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
be done with them ? They had been so often mutinous, and
were so very furious, so desperate, and so idle withal, they
knew not what course to take with them, for they were mis-
chievous to the highest degree, and cared not what hurt they
did to any man ; so that, in short, it was not safe to live with
them.
The Spaniard who was governor told them, in so many
■words, that if they had been of his own country, he would
have hanged them ; for all laws and all governors were to
preserve society, and those who were dangerous to the society
ought to be expelled out of it ; but as they were Englishmen,
and that it was to the generous kindness of an Englishman
that they all owed their preservation and deliverance, he would
use them with all possible lenity, and would leave them to
the judgment of the other two Englishmen who were their
countrymen:
One of the two honest Englishmen stood up, and said they
desired it might not be left to them. " For," says he, " I am
sure we ought to sentence them to the gallows ;" and with
that he gives an account how Will Atkins, one of the three,
had proposed to have all the five Englishmen join together,
and murder all the Spaniards when they were in their sleep.
When the Spanish governor heard this, he calls to Will
Atkins, "How, Seignior Atkins, would you murder us all?
What have you to say to that ?" The hardened villain was
so far from denying it, that he said it was true, and swore
they would do it still before they had done with them.
"Well, but Seignior Atkins," says the Spaniard, "what have
we done to you that you will kill us ? And what would you
get by killing us ? And what must we do to prevent your
killing us ? Must we kill you, or you kill us ? Why will
you put us to the necessity of this, Seignior Atkins ?" says
the Spaniard very calmly, and smiling. Seignior Atkins was
in such a rage at the Spaniard making a jest of it, that had
he not been held by three men, and withal had no weapon
near him, it was thought he would have attempted to have
killed the Spaniard in the middle of all the company. This
hair-brain carriage obliged them to consider seriously what
was to be done ; the two Englishmen, and the Spaniard who
saved the poor savage, were of the opinion that they should
hang one of the three, for an example to the rest, and that
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 271
particularly it should be he that had twice attempted to
commit murder with his hatchet. But the governor Spaniard
still said no ; it was an Englishman that had saved all their
lives, and he would never consent to put an Englishman to
death, though he had murdered half of them — nay, he said
if he had been killed himself by an Englishman, and had
time left to speak, it should be that they should pardon
him.
This was so positively insisted on by the governor Spaniard,
that there was no gainsaying it ; and as merciful counsels are
most apt to prevail, where they are so earnestly pressed, so
they all came into it ; but then it was to be considered what
should be done to keep them from doing the mischief they de-
signed ; for all agreed that means were to be used for pre-
serving the society from danger. After a long debate,' it was
agreed, first, that they should be disarmed, and not permitted
to have either gun, powder, shot, sword, or any weapon ; and
should be turned out of the society, and left to live where
they would, and how they would by themselves: but that
none of the rest, either Spaniards or English, should converse
with them, speak with them, or have anything to do with
them : that they should be forbid to come within a certain
distance of the place where the rest dwelt ; and if they offered
to commit any disorder, so as to spoil, burn, kill, or destroy
any of the corn, plantings, buildings, fences, or cattle, belong-
ing to the society, they should die without mercy, and they
would shoot them wherever they could find them.
The governor, a man of great humanity, musing upon the
sentence, considered a little upon it ; and turning to the two
honest Englishmen, said, " Hold ; you must reflect that it will
be long ere they can raise corn and cattle of their own, and
they must not starve; we must therefore allow them pro-
visions." So he caused to be added, that they should have a
proportion of corn given them to last them eight months, and
for seed to sow, by which time they might be supposed to
raise some of their own ; that they should have six milch-
goats, four he-goats, and six kids given them, as well for
present subsistence as for a store ; and that they should have
tools given them for their work in the fields, such as six
hatchets, an adze, a saw, and the like ; but they should have
none of these tools or provisions, unless they would swear
272 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
solemnly that they would not hurt or injure any of the
Spaniards with them, or of their fellow Englishmen.
Thus they dismissed them the society, and turned them out
to shift for themselves. They went away sullen and refractory,
as neither content to go away nor to stay ; but, as there was
no remedy, they went, pretending to go and choose a place
where they would settle themselves ; and some provisions
were given them, but no weapons.
About four or five days after, they came again for some
victuals, and gave the governor an account where they had
pitched their tents, and marked themselves out a habitation
and plantation ; and it was a very convenient place, indeed,
on the remotest part of the island, N.E., much about the place
where I providentially landed in my first voyage, when I was
driven out to sea, the Lord knows whither, in my foolish
attempt to sail round the island.
Here they built themselves two handsome huts, and con-
trived them in a manner like my first habitation, being close
under the side of a hill, having some trees growing already on
three sides of it, so that by planting others, it would be very
easily covered from the sight, unless narrowly searched for.
They desired some dried goat-skins, for beds and covering,
which were given them ; and upon giving their words that
they would not disturb the rest, or injure any of their planta-
tions, they gave them hatchets, and what other tools they
could spare ; some pease, barley, and rice, for sowing ; and
anything they wanted, except arms and ammunition.
They lived in this separate condition about six months, and
had got in their first harvest, though the quantity was but
small, the parcel of land they had planted being but little;
for having all their plantation to form, they had a great deal
of work upon their hands ; and when they came to make
boards and pots, and such things, they were quite out of their
element, and could make nothing of it : and when the rainy
season came on, for want of a cave in the earth, they could
not keep their grain dry, and it was in great danger of
spoiling ; and this humbled them much : so they came and
begged the Spaniards to help them, which they very readily
did ; and in four days worked a great hole in the side of the
hill for them, big enough to secure their corn and other things
from the rain ; but it was a poor place, at best, compared
ROBINSON CKUSOE.
273
to mine, and especially as mine was then, for the Spaniards
had greatly enlarged it, and made several new apartments
in it.
About three quarters of a year after this separation, these
rogues took a new frolic, which, together with the former
villany they had committed, brought mischief enough upon
them, and had very near been the ruin of the whole colony.
The three new associates began, it seems, to be weary of the
laborious life they led, and that without hope of bettering
their circumstances ; and a whim took them that they would
18
274 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
make a voyage to the continent, from whence the savages
came, and would try if they could seize upon some prisoners
among the natives there, and bring them home, so as to make
them do the laborious part of the work for them.
The project was not so preposterous, if they had gone no
farther. But they did nothing, and proposed nothing, but
had either mischief in the design, or mischief in the event.
The three fellows came down to the Spaniards one morn-
ing, and in very humble terms desired to be admitted to
speak with them. The Spaniards very readily heard what they
had to say, which was this : — that they were tired of living
in the manner they did : and that they were not handy
enough to make the necessaries they wanted, and that having
no help, they found they should be starved ; but if the
Spaniards would give them leave to take one of the canoes
which they came over in, and give them arms and ammuni-
tion proportioned to their defence, they would go over to
the main and seek their fortunes, and so deliver them from
the trouble of supplying them with any other provisions.
The Spaniards were glad enough to get rid of them, but
very honestly represented to them the certain destruction
they were running into ; told them they had suffered such
hardships upon that very spot, they could, without any spirit
of prophecy, tell them they would be starved or murdered ;
and bade them consider of it.
The men replied audaciously, they should be starved if they
stayed here, for they could not and would not work, and they
could but be starved abroad; and if they vrere murdered, there
was an end of them ; they had no wives or children to cry
after them ; and insisted importunately upon their demand ;
declaring they would go, whether they gave them any arms
or no.
The Spaniards told them, with great kindness, that if
they were resolved to go, they should not go like naked
men, and be m no condition to defend themselves, and
that though they could ill spare their fire-arms, having not
enough for themselves, yet they would let them have two
muskets, a pistol, and a cutlass, and each man a hatchet,
which they thought was sufficient for them. They ac-
cepted the offer : and having baked bread enoujrh to serve
them a month, and given them as much goats'-flesh as they
could er.t ::_ ::" '.'. :r: ' ' asket of dried
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 275
grapes, a pot of fresh -water, and a young kid alive, they
boldly set out in the canoe for a voyage over the sea, where it
was at least forty miles broad.
The boat was a large one, and would very well have car-
ried fifteen or twenty men, and therefore was rather too big
for them to manage ; but as they had a fair breeze, and flood-
tide with them, they did well enough. They had made a
mast of a long pole, and a sail of four large goat-skins dried,
which they had sewed or laced together ; and away they
went merrily enough. The Spaniards called after them,
" Bon voyago ;" and no man ever thought of seeing them any
more.
The Spaniards were often saying to one another, and to
the two honest Englishmen who remained behind, how quietly
and comfortably they lived, now these three turbulent fellows
were gone. As for their coming again, that was the remotest
thing from their thoughts that could be imagined ; when, be-
hold, after two-and-twenty days' absence, one of the English-
men, being abroad upon his planting work, sees three strange
men coming towards him from a distance, with guns upon
their shoulders.
Away runs the Englishman, as if he was bewitched, comes
frightened and amazed to the governor Spaniard, and tells
him they were all undone, for there were strangers upon the
island, but could not tell who they were. The Spaniard,
pausing a while, says to him, " How do you mean, you cannot
tell who ? They are the savages, to be sure." " No, no,"
says the Englishman ; " they are men in clothes, with arms."
"Nay, then," says the Spaniard, "why are you so concerned?
If they are not savages, they must be friends ; for there is no
Christian nation upon earth but will do us good rather than
harm."
While they were debating thus, came the three English-
men, and, standing without the wood, which was new planted,
hallooed to them. They presently knew their voices, and so
all the wonder ceased. But now the admiration was turned
upon another question : — what could be the matter, and
what made them come back a sain?
It was not long before they brought the men in, and in-
quiring where they had been, and what they had been doing,
they gave them a full account of their voyage in a few words;
— thpt tUo 1---1 «' • ' • ;;; v „, . ,_., some thing less;
276 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
but finding the people alarmed at their coming, and preparing
with bows and arrows to fight them, they durst not go on
shore, but sailed on to the northward six or seven hours, til
they came to a great opening, by which they perceived that
the land they saw from our island was not the main, but an
island ; upon entering that opening of the sea, they saw
another island on the right hand, north, and several more
west ; and being resolved to land somewhere, they put over
to one of the islands which lay west, and went boldly on
shore : that they found the people very courteous and friendly
to them ; and that they gave several roots and some dried
fish, and appeared very sociable ; and the women, as well as
the men, were very forward to supply them with anything
they could get for them to eat, and brought it to them a great
way upon their heads.
They continued here four days ; and inquired, as well as
they could of them, by signs, what nations were this way, and
that way ; and were told of several fierce and terrible people
that lived almost every way, who, as they made known by
signs to them, used to eat men ; but as for themselves, they
said, they never ate men or women, except only such as they
took in the wars ; and then, they owned, they made a great
feast, and ate their prisoners.
The Englishmen seemed mighty desirous of seeing some of
their prisoners ; but the others mistaking them, thought they
were desirous to have some of them to carry away for their
own eating. So they beckoned to them, pointing to the
setting of the sun, and then to the rising ; which was to
signify that the next morning at sunrising they would bring
some for them; and, accordingly, the next morning they
brought down five women and eleven men, and gave them to
the Englishmen, to carry with them on their voyage, just as
we would bring so many cows and oxen down to a seaport
town to victual a ship.
As brutish and barbarous as these fellows were at home,
their stomachs turned at this sight, and they did not know
what to do. To refuse the prisoners would have been the
highest affront to the savage gentry that could be offered
them, and what to do with them they knew not. However,
after some debate, they resolved to accept of them ; and, in
return, they gave the .savages that brought them one of their
EOKINSON CRUSOE. 277
hatchets, an old key, a knife, and six or seven of their bullets ;
which, though they did not understand their use, they seemed
particularly pleased with ; and then tying the poor creatures'
hands behind them, they dragged the prisoners into the boat
for our men.
In their voyage, they endeavoured to have some com-
munication with their prisoners ; but it was impossible to
make them understand anything. Nothing they could say
to them, or give them, or do for them, but was looked upon
as going to murder them. They first of all unbound them ;
but the poor creatures screamed at that, especially the women,
as if they had just felt the knife at their throats ; for they
immediately concluded they were unbound on purpose to be
killed. If they gave them anything to eat, it was the same
thing ; they then concluded it was for fear they should sink
in flesh, and so not be fat enough to kill. If they looked at
one of them more particularly, the party presently concluded
it was to see whether he or she was fattest, and fittest to kill
first ; nay, after they had brought them quite over, and began
to use them kindly, and treat them well, they expected every
day to make a dinner or supper for their captors.
When these three wanderers had given this unaccountable
history of their voyage, the Spaniard asked them where their
new family was ; and being told that they had brought them
on shore, and put them into one of their huts, and were come
up to beg some victuals for them, the whole colony resolved
to go all down to the place and see them ; and did so, and
Friday's father with them.
When they came into the hut, there they sat, all bound ;
for when they had brought them on shore, they bound their
hands, that they might not take the boat and make their
escape ; there, I say, they sat, all of them stark naked. First,
there were three men, lusty, comely fellows, well shaped,
straight and fair limbs, about thirty to thirty-five years of
age ; and five women, whereof two might be from thirty to
forty ; two more not above four or five-and-twenty ; and the
fifth, a tall, comely maiden, about sixteen or seventeen. The
women were well-favoured, agreeable persons, both in shape
and features, only tawny ; and two of them, had they been
perfect white, would have passed for very handsome women,
even in London itself, having pleasant, agreeable countenances,
278 ROBIXSOX cuusos.
and of a very modest behaviour ; especially when they came
afterwards to be dressed, though that dress was very in-
different, it must be confessed.
The governor, who found that the having women among
them would presently be attended with some inconvenience, and
might occasion some strife, and perhaps blood, asked the three
men what they intended to do with these women, and how
they intended to use them, whether as servants or as wives ?
One of the Englishmen answered very boldly and readily,
that they would use them as both ; to which the governor
said, "I am not going to restrain you from it; you are your
own masters as to that; but this I think is but just, for
avoiding disorders and quarrels among you, and I desire it of
you for that reason only, viz. : — That you will all engage,
that if any of you take any of these women as a wife, that he
shall take but one ; and that having taken one, none else
shall touch her ; for though we cannot marry any one of you,
yet it is but reasonable that, while you stay here, the woman
any of you takes shall be maintained by the man that takes
her, and should be his wife ; I mean," says he. '• while he
continues here, and that none else shall have anything to do
with her." All this appeared so just, that every one agreed
to it without any difficulty.
Then the Englishman asked the Spaniards if they designed
to take any of them ? But every one of them answered
" No :" some of them said they had wives in Spain, and the
others did not like women that were not Christians ; to be
short, the five Englishmen took them every one a wife, and so
they set up a new form of living : for the Spaniards and Fri-
day's father lived in my old habitation, which they had en-
larged exceedingly within. The three servants which were
taken in the last battle of the savages lived with them : and
these carried on the main part of the colony, supplied the
rest with food, and assisted them in anything as they could,
or as they found necessity required.
But the wonder of the story was, how five such refractory,
ill-matched fellows should agree about these women, and that
two of them should not choose the same woman, especially
seeing two or three of them were, without comparison, more
agreeable than the others : but they took a good way enough
to prevent quarrelling among themselves ; for they set the
KOBINSON CRUSOE. 279
five women by themselves in one of their huts, and they went
all into the other hut, and drew lots among them who should
choose first.
He that drew to choose first went away by himself to the
hut where the poor naked creatures were, and fetched out
her he chose : and it was worth observing, that he that chose
first took her that was reckoned the homeliest and oldest of
the five, which made mirth enough among the rest ; and even
the Spaniards laughed at it : but the fellow considered better
than any of them, that it was application and business they
were to expec! assistance in, as much as in anything else :
and she proved the best wife of all the parcel.
When the poor women saw themselves set in a row thus,
and fetched out one by one, the terrors of their condition re-
turned upon them again, and they firmly believed they were
now going to be devoured. Accordingly, when the English
sailor came in and fetched out one of them, the rest set up a
most lamentable cry, and hung about her, and took their
have of her with such agonies and affection as would have
grieved the hardest heart in the world ; nor was it possible
for the Englishmen to satisfy them that they were not to be
immediately murdered, till they fetched the old man, Friday's
father, who immediately let them know that the five men,
who were to fetch them out one by one, had chosen them for
their wives.
When they had done, and the fright the women were in
was a little over, the men went to work, and the Spaniards
came and helped them ; and in a few hours they had built
them every one a new hut or tent for their lodging apart ;
for those they had already were crowded with their tools,
household stuff, and provisions. The three wicked ones had
pitched farthest off, and the two honest ones nearer, but both
on the north shore of the island, so that they continued
separated as before : and thus my island was peopled in three
places : and, as I might say, three towns were begun to be
built.
But I now come to a scene different from all that had hap-
pened before, either to them or to me ; and the origin of the
story was this : — Early one morning, there came on shore five
or six canoes of Indians, and there is no room to doubt they
came upon the old errand of feeding upon their slaves ; but
280 EOBINSON CRUSOE.
that part was now so familiar to the Spaniards, and to our
men too, that they did not concern themselves about it, as I
did : but having been made sensible, by their experience,
that their only business was to lie concealed, and that if they
were not seen by any of the savages, they would go off
again quietly, when their business was done, having, as yet,
not the least notion of there being any inhabitants in the
island ; they had nothing to do but give notice to all the three
plantations to keep within doors, and not show themselves,
only placing a scout in a proper place, to gi,ve notice when
the boats went to sea again.
This was, without doubt, very right ; but a disaster spoiled
all these measures, and made it known among the savages
that there were inhabitants there ; which was, in the end, the
desolation of almost the whole colony. After the canoes with
the savages had gone off, the Spaniards peeped abroad again ;
and some of them had the curiosity to go to the place where
they had been, to see what they had been doing. Here, to
their great surprise, they found three savages left behind, and
lying fast asleep upon the ground.
The Spaniards were greatly surprised at this sight, and
perfectly at a loss what to do. The Spanish governor, as it
happened, was with them, and his advice was asked, but he
professed he knew not what to do. As for slaves, they had
enough already ; and as to killing them, there were none ot
them inclined to do that. After some consultation, they re-
solved upon this ; that they would lie still a while longer,
till, if possible, these three men might be gone. But then
the governor Spaniard recollected that the three savages had
no boat ; and if they were left to rove about the island, they
would certainly discover that there were inhabitants in it ;
and so they would be undone that way. Upon this, they
ivvent back again, and there lay the fellows fast asleep still,
.•and so they resolved to awaken them, and take them prisoners,
.and they did so. The poor fellows were strangely frightened
when they were seized upon and bound ; and afraid, like the
women, that they should be murdered and eaten.
It was very happy for them that they did not carry them
home to their castle ; but they carried them first to the
bower, and afterwards they carried them tu the habitation of
the two Englishmen.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
281
Here they were set to work, though it was not much they
had for them to do ; and whether it was by negligence in
guarding them, or that they thought the fellows could not
mend themselves, I know not, but one of them ran away
and taking to the woods, they could never hear of him any
more.
They had good reason to believe he got home again soon
after in some other canoes of savages who came on shore
three or four weeks afterwards ; and who, carrying on their
282 EOBINSON CEUSOE.
revels as usual, went off in two days' time. This thought
terrified them exceedingly : for they concluded, and that not
without good cause indeed, that if this fellow got home safe
among his comrades, he would certainly give them an account
that there were people in the. island, and also how few and
weak they were ; for this savage, as observed before, had
never been told, and it was very happy he had not, how
many there were, or where they lived ; nor had he ever seen
or heard the fire of any of their guns, much less had they
shown him any of their other retired places ; such as the
cave in the valley, or the new retreat which the two English-
men had made, and the like.
About two months after this, six canoes of savages, with
about ten men in a canoe, came rowing along the north side
of the island, where they never used to come before, and
landed, about an hour after sunrise, at a convenient place,
about a mile from the habitation of the two Englishmen,
where this escaped man had been kept. As the Spaniard
governor said, had ithey been all (there, the damage would
not have been so much, for not a man of them would have
escaped : but the case differed now very much, for two men
to fifty was too much odds. The two men had the happiness
to discover them about a league off, so that it was above an
hour before they landed ; and as they landed a mile from
their brats, it was some time before they could come at them.
Now, having great reason to believe they were betrayed, the
first thing they did was to bind the two slaves which were
left, and cause two of the three men whom they brought
with the women to lead them, with their two wives, and
whatever they could carry away with them, to their retired
places in the woods, and there to bind the two fellows hand
and foot till they heard farther.
In the next place, seeing the savages were all come on
shore, and that they had bent their course directly that way,
they opened the fences where the milch-cows were kept, and
drove them all out ; leaving their goats to straggle in the
woods, whither they pleased, that the savages might think
they were all bred wild ; but the rogue who came with them
was too cunning for that, and he gave them an account of it
all, for they went directly to the place.
When the two poor frightened men had secured their
o
EOEIXSOX CKUSOE. 233
wives and goods, they sent the other slave they had of the
three who came with the women, away to the Spaniards with
all speed, to give them the alarm, and desire speedy help,
and, in the meantime, they took their arms, and what ammu-
nition they had, and retreated towards the .place in the wood
where their wives were sent ; keeping at a distance, yet so
that they might see, if possible, which way the savages took.
They had not gone far, but that from a rising ground they
could see a little army of their enemies come on directly to
their habitation, and, in a moment more, could see all their
huts and household stuff flaming up together, to their great
grief and mortification ; for they had a very great loss, to them
irretrievable, at least for some time. They kept their station
for a while, till they found the savages, like wild beasts, spread
themselves all over the place, rummaging every way, and every
place they could think of, in search of prey ; and in particular
for the people, of whom, now, it plainly appeared they had
intelligence.
The two Englishmen seeing this, thinking themselves not
secure where they stood, because it was likely somo of the wild
people might come that way, and they might come too many
together, thought it proper to make another retreat about half
a mile farther ; believing, as it afterwards happened, that the
farther they strolled, the fewer would be together.
Their next halt was at the entrance into a very thick-grown
part of the woods, and where an old trunk of a tree stood,
which was hollow and vastly large ; and in this tree they both
took their standing, resolving to see there what might offer.
They had not stood there long before two of the savages ap-
peared running directly that way, as if ■ they had already had
notice where they stood, and were coming up to attack them ;
and a little way farther they espied three more coming after
them, and five more beyond them, all coming the same way :
besides which, they saw seven or eight more at a distance,
running another waj\
The poor men were now in great perplexity whether they
should stand or fly ; but, after a very short debate with them-
selves they considered, that if the savages ranged the country
thus before help came, they might perhaps find out their retreat
■in the woods, and then all would be lost ; so they resolved to
stand them there ; and if they were too many to deal with,
284 ROBINSOX CRUSOE.
then they would get up to the top of the tree, whence they
doubted not to defend themselves, fire excepted, as long as
their ammunition lasted, though all the savages that were
landed, which was near fifty, were to attack them.
Having resolved upon this, they next considered whether
they should fire at the first two, or wait for the three, and so
take the middle party, by which the two and the five that fol-
lowed would be separated ; at length they resolved to let the
first two pass by, unless they should spy them in the tree, and
come to attack them. The first two savages confirmed them
also in this regulation, by turning a little from them towards
another part of the wood : but the three, and the five after
them, came forward directly to the tree, as if they had known
the Englishmen were there. Seeing them come so straight
towards them, they resolved to take them in a line as they
came : and as they resolved to fire but one at a time, perhaps
the first shot might hit them all three ; for which purpose
the man who was to fire put three or four small bullets into
his piece; and having a fair loop-hole, as it were, from a
broken hole in the tree, he took a sure aim, without being seen,
waiting till they were within about thirty yards of the tree,
so that he could not miss.
While they were thus waiting, and the savages came on,
they plainly saw that one of the three was the runaway savage
that had escaped from them; and they both knew him dis-
tinctly, and resolved that, if possible, he should not escape,
though they should both fire : so the other stood ready with
his piece, that if he did not drop at the first shot, he should
be sure to have a second. But the first was too good a marks-
man to miss his aim ; for as the savages kept near one another,
a little behind in a line, he fired, and hit two of them directly :
the foremost was killed outright, being shot in the head ; the
second, which was the runaway Indian, was shot through the
body and fell, but was not quite dead ; and the third had a
little scratch in the shoulder, perhaps by the same ball that
went through the body of the second ; and being dreadfully
frightened, though not so much hurt, sat down upon the
ground, screaming and yelling in a hideous manner.
The five that were behind, more frightened with the noise
than sensible of the danger, stood still at first ; for the woods
made a sound a thousand times binder than it lvallv was.
ROBIXSON CRUSOE. 285
However, all being silent again, and they not knowing what
the matter was, came on unconcerned, till they came to the
place where their companions lay in a condition miserable
enough : and here the poor ignorant creatures, not sensible
that they were within reach of the same mischief, stood all
together over the wounded man, talking, and, as may be sup-
posed, inquiring of him, how he came to be hurt : and who,
it is very rational to believe, told them, that a flash of fire first,
and immediately after that thunder from their gods, had killed
those two and wounded him.
Our two men, though, as they confessed to me, it grieved
them to be obliged to kill so many poor creatures, who, at the
same time, had no notion of their danger ; yet, having them
all thus in their power, and the first having loaded his piece
again, resolved to let fly both together among them ; and
singling out, by agreement, which to aim at, they shot toge-
ther, and killed, or very much wounded, four of them ; the
fifth, frightened even to death, though not hurt, fell with the
rest ; so that our men, seeing them all fall together, thought
they had killed them all.
The belief that the savages were all killed, made our two
men come boldly out from the tree before they had charged
their guns, which was a wrong step ; and they were under
some surprise when they came to the place, and found no less
than four of them alive, and of them two very little hurt, and
one not at all : this obliged them to fall upon them with the
stocks of their muskets ; and first they made sure of the
runaway savage, that had been the cause of all the mischief,
and of another that was hurt in the knee, and put them out of
their pain : then the man that was not hurt at all, came and
kneeled down to them, with his two hands held up, and made
piteous moans to them, by gestures and signs, for his life, but
could not say one word to them that they could understand.
However, they made signs to him to sit down at the foot of a
tree hard by ; and one of the Englishmen, with a piece of rope
twined, which he had by great chance in his pocket, tied his
two hands behind him, and there they left him; and with
what speed they could, made after the other two, which were
gone before, fearing they, or any more of them, should find the
way to their covered place in the woods, where their wives,
and the few goods they had left lay. They came once in
28G ROBIKSON CRUSOE.
sight of the two men, but it was at a great distance ; however,
they had the satisfaction to see them cross over a valley
towards the sea, quite the contrary way from that which led to
their retreat, which they were afraid of; and being satisfied
with that, they went back to the tree where they left their
prisoner, who, as they supposed, was delivered by his com-
rades, for he was gone, and the two pieces of rope-yarn, with
which they had bound him, lay just at the foot of the tree.
They were now in as great concern as before, not knowing
what course to take, or how near the enemy might be, or in
what number ; so they resolved to go away to the place where
their wives were, to see if all was well there, and to make them
easy, who were in fright enough to be sure ; for though the
savages were their own countrymen, yet they were most ter-
ribly afraid of them, and perhaps the more for the knowledge
they had of them.
When they came there, they found the savages had been
in the wood, and very near that place, but had not found it ;
for it was indeed inaccessible, from the trees standing so
thick, unless the persons seeking it had been directed by
those that knew it, which these did not ; they found, there-
fore, everything was safe, only the women in a terrible fright.
While they were here, they had the comfort to have seven of
the Spaniards come to their assistance ; the other ten, with
their servants, and old Friday (I mean Friday's father), were
gone in a body to defend their bower, and the corn and
cattle that was kept there, in case the savages should have
roved over to that side of the country ; but they did not
spread so far. With the seven Spaniards came one of the
three savages ; and with them also came the savage whom the
Englishman had left bound hand and foot at the tree ; for it
seems they came that way, saw the slaughter of the seven
men, and unbound the eighth, and brought him along with
them : where, however, they were obliged to bind him again,
as they had the two others who were left when the third ran
away.
The prisoners now began to be a burden to them ; and
they were so afraid of their escaping, that thev were once
resolving to kill them all, believing they were under an abso-
lute necessity to do so for their own preservation. However,
the Spaniard governor would not consent to it ; but ordered,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
237
for the present, that they should be sent out of the way, to
my old cave in the valley, and be kept there, with two
Spaniards to guard them, and give them food for their sub-
sistence, which was done ; and they were bound there hand
and foot for that night.
When the Spaniards came, the two Englishmen were so
encouraged, that they could not satisfy themselves to stay any
longer there ; but taking five of the Spaniards and them-
selves, with four muskets and a pistol among them, and two
stout quarter staves, away they went in quest of the savages.
And first they came to the tree where the men lay that had
been killed ; but it was easy to see that some more of the
savages had been there, for they had attempted to carry their
dead men away, and had dragged two of them a good way,
but had given it over. Thence they advanced to the first
rising ground, where they had stood and s seen their camp
destroyed, and where they had the mortification still to see
some of the smoke ; but neither could they here see any of
the savages. They then resolved, though with all possible
caution, to go forward towards their ruined plantation ; but
a little before they came thither, coming in sight of the sea-
shore, they saw plainly the savages all embarked again in
their canoes, in order to be gone. They seemed sorry at
first, that there was no way to come at them, to give them
a parting blow ; but, upon the whole, they were very well
satisfied to be rid of them.
The poor Englishmen being now twice ruined, and all their
improvements destroyed, the rest all agreed to come and help
them to rebuild, and assist them with needful supplies. Their
three country men, who were not yet noted for having the
least inclination to do any good, yet as soon as they heard of
it, came and offered their help and assistance, and did, very
friendly, work for some days to restore their habitation, and
make necessaries for them. And thus, in a little time, they
were set upon their legs again.
About two days after this, they had the farther satisfaction
of seeing three of the savages' canoes come driving on shore,
and, at some distance from them, two drowned men : by
which they had reason to believe that they had met with a
storm at sea, which had overset some of them ; for it had
blown very hard the night after they went off.
288 KODINSON CRUSOE.
However, as some might miscarry, so, on the othei
hand, enough of them escaped to inform the rest, as well ol
what they had done as what had happened to them, and tc
whet them on to another enterprise of the same nature.
It was five 1 or six months after this before they heard anj
more of the savages, in which time our men had hopes thej
had either forgot their former bad luck, or given over hopes
of better ; when, on a sudden, they were invaded with a most
formidable fleet of no less than eight-and-twenty canoes, full
of savages, armed with bows and arrows, great clubs, wooden
swords, and such like engines of war ; and they brought such
numbers with them, that, in short, it put all our people into
the utmost consternation.
As they came on shore in the evening, and at the eastern-
most side of the island, our men had that night to consult
and consider what to do ; and, in the first place, knowing
that their being entirely concealed was their only safety
before, and would be much more so now, while the number
of their enemies would be so great, they therefore resolved,
first of all, to take down the huts which were built for the
two Englishmen, and drive away their goats to the old cave ;
because they supposed the savages would go directly thither,
as soon as it was day, to play the old game over again, though
they did not now land within two leagues of it. In the next
place, they drove away all the flocks of goats they had at the
old bower, as I called it, which belonged to the Spaniards ;
and, in short, left as little appearance of inhabitants anywhere
as was possible : and the next morning early they posted
themselves, with all their force, at the plantation of the two
men, to wait for their coming. As they guessed, so it hap-
pened. These new invaders, leaving their canoes at the east
end of the island, came ranging along the shore, directly
towards the place, to the number of two hundred and fifty,
as near as our men could judge. Our army was but small,
indeed ; but that which was worse, they had not arms for all
their number neither. The whole account, it seems stood
thus : first, as to men, seventeen Spaniards, five Englishmen,
Friday's father, the three slaves taken with the women, who
proved very faithful, and three other slaves, who lived with
the Spaniards. To arm these, they had eleven muskets,
ItOBINSON CRUSOE.
289
five pistols, eight fowling-pieces, two swords, and three old
halberts.
To their slaves they did not give either musket or fusee,
but they had each a halbert, or a long staff, like a quarter-
staff, with a great spike of iron fastened into each end of it,
and by his side a hatchet : also every one of our men had a
hatchet. Two of the women could not be prevailed upon
but they would come into the fight, and they had bows and
arrows, which the Spaniards had taken from the savages when
19
290 ROBINSON CKUSCE.
the first action happened, which I have spoken of, where tl
Indians fought with one another : and the women had hatche
too.
The Spaniard governor commanded the whole : and W:'
Atkins, who, though a dreadful fellow for wickedness, was
most daring fellow, commanded under him. The savagi
came forward like lions ; and our men, which was the wor
of their fate, had no advantage in their situation ; only thi
Will Atkins, who now proved a most useful fellow, with si
men, was planted just behind a small thicket of bushes, as a
advanced guard, with orders to let the first of them pass b;
and then fire into the middle of them, and, as soon as he ha
fired, to make his retreat as nimbly as he could round a pa:
of the wood, and so come in behind the Spaniards, whei
they stood, having a thicket of trees before them.
When the savages came on, they ran straggling about evei
way in heaps, out of all manner of order, and Will Atkins It
about fifty of them pass by him ; then seeing the rest con:
in a very thick throng, he orders three of his men to fin
having loaded their muskets with six or seven bullets a-piea
about as big as large pistol bullets. How many they kille
or wounded they knew not ; but the consternation and sui
prise was inexpressible among the savages: they wei
frightened to the last degree to hear such a dreadful noisi
and see Aeir men killed, and others hurt, but see nobod
that did4[; when, in the middle of their fright, Will Atkir
and his other three let fly again among the thickest of them
and in less than a minute the first three being loaded agaii
gave them a third Volley.
Had Will Atkins and hia men retired immediately, as soo
as they had fired, as they were ordered to do, or had the res
of the body been at hand, to have poured in their shot con
tinually, the savages had been effectually routed; for th
terror that was among them came principally from this, tha
they were killed by the gods with thunder and lightning, an
could see nobody that hurt them ; but Will Atkins., stayin
to load again, discovered the cheat : some of the savages wh
were at a distance spying them, came upon them behind
and though Atkins and his men fired at them also, two o
three times, and killed above twenty, retiring as fast as the
could, yet they wounded Atkins himself, and killed one c
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 291
his fellow Englishmen with their arrows, as they did after-
wards one Spaniard, and one of the Indian slaves who came
with the women. This slave was a most gallant fellow, and
fought most desperately, killing five of them with his own
hand, having no weapon but one of the armed staves and a
hatchet.
Our men being thus hard laid at, Atkins wounded, and two
other men killed, retreated to a rising ground in the wood ;
and the Spaniards, after firing three volleys upon them, re-
treated also ; for their number was so great, and they were
so desperate, that though above fifty of them were killed, and
more than as many wounded, yet they came on in the teeth
of our men, fearless of danger, and shot their arrows like a
cloud ; and it was observed that their wounded men, who
were not quite disabled, were made outrageous, and fought
like madmen.
When our men retreated, they left the Spaniard and the
Englishman that were killed behind them ; and the savages,
when they came up to them, killed them over again in a
wretched manner, breaking their arms, legs, and heads, with
their clubs and wooden swords, like true savages ; but finding
our men were gone, they did not seem to pursue them, but
drew themselves up in a ring, which is, it seems, their custom,
and shouted twice, in token of their victory ; after which,
they had the mortification to see several of their wounded
men fall, dying with the mere loss of blood.
The Spaniard governor having drawn his little body up
together upon a rising ground, Atkins, though he was
wounded, would have had them march and charge again all
together at once ; but the Spaniard replied, " Seignior Atkins,
you see how their wounded men fight; let them alone till
morning ; all the wounded men will be stiff and sore with
their wounds, and faint with the loss of blood ; and so we
shall have the fewer to engage." This advice was good : but
Will Atkins replied merrily, " That is true, Seignior, and so
shall I too ; and that is the reason I would go on while I am
warm." "Well, Seignior Atkins," says the Spaniard, "you
have behaved gallantly, and done your part ; we will fight
for you if you cannot come on ; but I think it best to stay
till morning ;" so they waited.
But as it was a clear moonlight night, and they found the
292 „.
savages in great disorder about their dead and wounded men,
and a great noise and hurry among them where they lay,
they afterwards resolved to fall upon them in the night;
especially if they could come to give them but one volley
before they were discovered, which they had a fair oppor-
tunity to do : for one of the Englishmen in whose quarter it
was where the fight began, led them round between the woods
and the sea-side westward, and then turning short south, they
came so near where the thickest of them lay, that, before
they were seen or heard, eight of them fired in upon them,
and did dreadful execution upon them ; in half a minute
more, eight others fired after them, pouring in their small
shot in such a quantity, that abundance were killed and
wounded ; and all this while they were not able to see who
hurt them, or which way to fly.
The Spaniards charged again with the utmost expedition,
and then divided themselves into three bodies, and resolved
to fall in among them all together. They had in each body
eight persons, that is to say, twenty-two men, and the two
women, who, by the way, fought desperately. They divided
the fire-arms equally in each party, as well as the halberts
and staves. They would have had the women kept back,
but they said they were resolved to die with their husbands.
Having thus formed their little army, they marched out from
among the trees, and came up to the teeth of the enemy,
shouting and hallooing as loud as they could : the savages
stood all together, but were in the utmost confusion, hearing
the noise of our men shouting from three quarters together :
they would have fought if they had seen us ; for as soon
as we came near enough to be seen, some arrows were
shot, and poor old Friday was wounded, though not dan-
gerously ; but our men gave them no time, but, running up
to them, fired among them three ways, and then fell in with
the butt-ends of their muskets, their swords, armed staves,
and hatchets, and laid about them so well, that, in a word,
they set up a dismal screaming and howling, flying to save
their lives which way soever they could.
Our men were tired with the execution, and killed or
mortally wounded in the two fights about one hutidred and
eighty of them ; the rest, being frightened out of their wits,
scoured through the woods and over the hills, with all the
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 293
speed fear and nimble feet could help them to ; and as we
did not trouble ourselves much to pursue them, they got all
together to the sea-side where they landed, and where their
canoes lay. But their disaster was not at an end yet ; for it
blew a terrible storm of wind that evening from the sea, so
that it was impossible for them to go off; nay, the storm
continuing all night, when the tide came up, their canoes
were most of them driven by the surge of the sea so high
upon the shore that it required infinite toil to get them off;
and some of them were even dashed to pieces against the
beach, or against one another.
Our men, though glad of their victory, yet got little rest
that night ; but having refreshed themselves as well as they
could, they resolved to march to that part of the island where
the savages were fled, and see what posture they were in.
This necessarily led them over the place where the fight had
been, and where they found several of the poor creatures not
quite dead, and yet past recovering life.
At length, they came in view of the place where the more
miserable remains of the savages' army lay, where there
appeared about a hundred still : their posture was generally
sitting upon the ground, with their knees up towards their
mouth, and the head put between the two hands, leaning
down upon the knees.
When our men came within two musket-shots of them, the
Spaniard governor ordered two muskets to be fired, without
ball, to alarm them : this he did, that by their countenance he
might know what to expect, whether they were still in heart
to fight, or were so heartily beaten as to be dispirited and
discouraged, and so he might manage accordingly. This
stratagem took; for as soon as the savages heard the first
gun, and saw the flash of the second, they started up upon
their feet in the greatest consternation imaginable ; and as
our men advanced swiftly towards them, they all ran scream-
ing and yelling away, with a kind of howling noise, which
our men did not understand, and had never heard before ;
and thus they ran up the hills into the country.
At first our men had much rather the weather had been
calm, and they had all gone away to sea ; but they did not
then consider that this might probably have been the occa-
sion of their coming again in such multitudes as not to be
294
XIUBJUXSUIN (JKUSOJS.
resisted, or, at least, to come so many and so often, as would
quite desolate the island, and starve them. Will Atkins,
therefore, who, notwithstanding his wound, kept always with
them, proved the best counsellor in this case: his advice was,
to take the advantage that offered, and step in between them
and their boats, and so deprive them of the capacity of ever
returning any more to plague the island.
They consulted long about this ; and some were against it
for fear of making the wretches fly to the woods and live
there desperate, and so they should have them to hunt like
wild beasts, be afraid to stir out about their business, and
have their plantations continually rifled, all their tame goats
destroyed, and, in short, be reduced to a life of continual
distress.
Will Atkins told them they had better have to do with a
hundred men than with a hundred nations : that as they must
destroy their boats, so they must destroy the men, or be all
of them destroyed themselves. In a word, he showed them
the necessity of it so plainly, that they all came into it ; so
they went to work immediately with the boats, and getting
some dry wood together from an old tree, they tried to set
some of them on fire, but they were so wet that they would
not burn ; however, the fire so burned the upper part, that
it soon made them unfit for swimming in the sea as boats.
When the Indians saw what they were about, some of them
came running out of the woods, and coming as near as they
could to our men, kneeled down and cried, " Oa, Oa, Wara-
moka," and some other words of their language, which none
of the others understood anything of; but as they made
pitiful gestures and strange noises, it was easy to understand
they begged to have their boats spared, and that they would
be gone, and never come there again. But our men were
now satisfied that they had no way to preserve themselves,
or to save their colony, but effectually to prevent any of these
people from ever going home again : depending upon this,
that if even so much as one of them got back into their
country to tell the story, the colony was undone ; so that,
letting them know that they should not have any mercy, they
fell to work with their canoes, and destroyed every one that
the storm had not destroyed before ; at the sight of which
the savages raised a hideous cry in the woods, which our
KOBIXSON CKUSUJi.
295
people heard plain enough, after which they ran about the
island like distracted men ; so that, in a word, our men did
not really know, at first, what to do with them. Nor did
the Spaniards, with all their prudence, consider that while
they made those people thus desperate, they ought to have
kept a good guard at the same time upon their plantations ;
for though it is true they had driven away their cattle, and
the Indians did not find out their main retreat, I mean my
old castle at the hill, nor the cave in the valley, yet they
found out my plantation at the bower, and pulled it all to
pieces, and all the fences and planting about it; trod all the
corn under foot, tore up the vines and grapes, being just then
almost ripe, and did our men an inestimable damage, though
to themselves not one farthing's worth of service.
Though our men were able to fight them upon all occa-
sions, yet they were in no condition to pursue them, or hunt
them up and down : for as they were too nimble of foot for
our men when they found them single, they durst not go
abroad single, for fear of being surrounded with their num-
bers. The best was, they had no weapons; for though
they had bows, they had no arrows left, nor any materials
to make any ; nor had they any edge-tool or weapon among
them.
It was some while before any of them could be taken ; but
being weak and half-starved, one of them was at last sur-
prised and made a prisoner. He was sullen at first, and
would neither eat nor drink; but finding himself kindly
used, and victuals given to him, and no violence offered him,
he at last grew tractable and came to himself. They brought
old Friday to him, who talked often with him, and told him
how kind the others would be to them all ; that they would
not only save their lives, but give them part of the island to
live in, provided they would give satisfaction that they would
keep in their own bounds, and not come beyond it to injure
or prejudice others ; and that they should have corn given
them to plant and make it grow for their bread, and some
bread given them for their present subsistence : and old
Friday bade the fellow go and talk with the rest of his
countrymen, and see what they said to it ; assuring them
that, if they did not agree immediately, they should be all
destroyed.
The poor wretches, thoroughly humbled, and reduced in
number to about thirty-seven, closed with the proposal at
the first offer, and begged to have some food given them ;
upon which, twelve Spaniards and two Englishmen, well
armed, with three Indian slaves and old Friday, marched to
the place where they were. The three Indian slaves carried
them a large quantity of bread, some rice boiled up to cakes
and dried in the sun, and three live goats ; and they were
ordered to go to the side of a hill, where they sat down, ate
their provisions very thankfully, and were the most faithful
fellows to their words that could be thought of; for, except
when they came to beg victuals and directions, they never
came out of their bounds ; and there they lived when I came
to the island, and I went to see them.
They had taught them both to plant corn, make bread,
breed tame goats, and milk them : they wanted nothing but
wives, and would soon have been a nation. They were con-
fined to a neck of land, surrounded with high rocks behind
them, and lying plain towards the sea before them, on the
south-east corner of the island. They had land enough, and
it was very good and fruitful ; about a mile and a half broad,
and three or four miles in length.
Our men taught them to make wooden spades, such as I
made for myself, and gave among them twelve hatchets and
three or four knives ; and there they lived, the most sub-
jected, innocent creatures that ever were heard of.
After this, the colony enjoyed a perfect tranquillity, with
respect to the savages, till I came to revisit them, which was
about two years after; not but that, now and then, some
canoes of savages came on shore for their triumphal, un-
natural feasts ; but as they were of several nations, and per-
haps had never heard of those that came before, or the
reason of it, they did not make any search or inquiry after
their countrymen ; and if they had it would have been very
hard to have found them out.
Having thus given a view of the state of things as I found
them, I must relate the heads of what I did for these people,
and the condition in which I left them.
We appointed a day to dine all together; and, indeed, we
made a splendid feast. I caused the ship's cook and his
mate to come on shore and dress our dinner, and the old
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
297
cook's mate we had on shore assisted. "We brought on shore
six pieces of good beef, and four pieces of pork, out of the
ship's provisions, with our punchbowl, and materials to fill
it; _and, in particular, I gave them ten bottles of French
claret, and ten bottles of English beer : things that neither
298
j.wjLjxi.io^/J.V VsAUQUEs*
the Spaniards nor the English had tasted for many years, and
which it may be supposed they were very glad of. The
Spaniards added to our feast five whole kids, which the cooks
roasted ; and three of them were sent, covered up close, on
board the ship to the seamen, that they might feast on fresh
meat from on shore, as we did with their salt meat from on
board.
After this feast, at which we were very innocently merry,
I brought my cargo of goods ; wherein, that there might be
no dispute about dividing, I showed them that there was a
sufficiency for them all, desiring that they might all take an
equal quantity of the goods that were for wearing — that is
to say, equal when made up. As, first I distributed linen
sufficient to make every one of them four shirts, and, at the
Spaniard's request, afterwards made them up six : these were
exceeding comfortable to them, having been what they had
long since forgot the use of. I allotted the thin English stuffs,
which I mentioned before, to make every one a light coat,
like a frock, wkich I judged fittest for the heat of the season,
cool and loose; and ordered that whenever they decayed,
they should make more, as they thought fit ; the like for
pumps, shoes, stockings, hats, etc.
I cannot express what pleasure and satisfaction sat upon
the countenances of all these poor men, when they saw the
care I had taken of them, and how well I had furnished them.
They told me I was a father to them ; and that having such
a correspondent as I was in so remote a part of the world, it
would make them forget that they were left in a desolate
place ; and they all voluntarily engaged to me not to leave
the place without my consent.
Then I presented to them the people I had brought with
me, particularly the tailor, the smith, and the two carpenters,
all of them most necessary people ; but, above all, my general
artificer, than whom they could not name anything that was
more useful : and the tailor, to show his concern for them,
went to work immediately, and, with my leave, made them
every one a shirt, the first thing he did ; and, what was still
more, he taught the women not only how to sew and stitch,
and use the needle, but made them assist to make the shirts
for their husbands, and for all the rest.
As to the carpenters, I scarce need mention how lueiul
KOBIXSON CRUSOE. 299
they were ; for they took to pieces all my clumsy, unhandy
things, and made clever, convenient tables, stools, bedsteads,
cupboards, lockers, shelves, and everything they wanted of
that kind. But to let them see how nature made artificers at
first, I carried the carpenters to see Will Atkins' basket-
house, as I called it ; and they both owned they never saw
an instance of such natural ingenuity before, nor anything so
regular and so handily built, at least of its kind ; and one of
them, when he saw it, after musing a good while, turning
about to me, " I am sure," says he, " that man has no need
of us ; you need do nothing but give him tools."
Then I brought them out all my store of tools, and gave
every man a digging spade, a shovel, and a rake, for we had
no harrows or plough ; and to every separate place a pickaxe,
a crow, a broad axe, and a saw : always appointing, that as
often as any were broken or worn out, they should be sup-
plied, without grudging, out of the general stores that I left
behind. Nails, staples, hinges, hammers, chisels, knives,
scissors, and all sorts of iron-work, they bad without reserve,
as they required ; for no man would take more than he
wanted, and he must be a fool that would waste or spoil them
on any account whatever ; and for the use of the smith, I left
two tons of unwrought iron for a supply.
My magazine of powder and arms which I brought them
was such, even to profusion, that they could not but rejoice
at them ; for now they could march as I used to do, with a
musket upon each shoulder, if there was occasion ; and were
able to fight a thousand savages, if they had but some little
advantages of situation, which also they could not miss, if
they had occasion.
I carried on shore with me the young man whose mother
was starved to death, and the maid also ; she was a sober,
well educated, religious young woman, and behaved so in-
offensively that every one gave her a good word ; she had,
indeed, an unhappy life with us, there being no woman in
the ship but herself, but she bore it with patience. After a
while, seeing things so well ordered, and in so fine a way of
thriving upon my island, and considering that they had
neither business nor acquaintance in the East Indies, or
reason for taking so long a voyage, both of them came to me,
and desired I would give them leave to remain on the island,
300
_.^ — **i uv/i.1 tAU OKJKim
and be entered among my family, as they called it. I agreed
to this readily ; and they had a little plot of ground allotted
to them, where they had three tents or houses set up, sur-
rounded with a basket-work, pallisadoed like Atkins's, ad-
joining to his plantation. Their tents were contrived so that
they had each of them a room apart to lodge in, and a middle
tent like a great storehouse, to lay their goods in, and to eat
and drink in. And now the other two Englishmen removed
their habitation to the same place; and so the island was
divided into three colonies, and no more, viz., the Spaniards,
with old Friday 'ind the first servants, at my old habitation
under the hill, which was, in a word, the capital city, and
where they had so enlarged and extended their works, as well
under as on the outside of the hill, that they lived, though
perfectly concealed, yet full at large. Never was there such
a little city in a wood, and so hid, in any part of the world ;
for I verily believe that a thousand men might have ranged
the island a month, and, if they had not known there was
such a thing, and looked on purpose for it, they would not
have found it ; for the trees stood so thick and so close, and
grew so fast woven one into another, that nothing but cutting
them down first could discover the place, except the only two
narrow entrances where they went in and out could be found,
which was not very easy ; one of them was close down at the
water's edge, on the side of the creek, and it was afterwards
above two hundred yards to the place : and the other was up
a ladder at twice, as I have already described it ; and they
had also a large wood, thickly planted, on the top of the hill,
containing above an acre, which grew apace, and concealed
the place from all discovery there, with only one narrow place
between two trees, not easily to be discovered, to enter on
that side.
The only colony was that of Will Atkins, where there were
four families of Englishmen, I mean those I had left there,
with their wives and children : three savages that were slaves ;
the widow and the children of the Englishman that was killed ;
the young man and the maid ; and, by the way, we made a
wife of her before we went away. There was also the two
carpenters and the tailor, whom I brought with me for them ;
also the smith, who was a very necessary man to them, espe-
cially as a gunsmith, to take care of their arms ; and my other
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 301
man, whom I called Jack-of-all-trades, who "was in himself as
good almost as twenty men ; for he was not only a very in-
genious fellow, but a very merry fellow ; and before I went
away we married him to the honest maid that came with the
youth in the ship I mentioned before.
Having thus brought the affairs of the island to a narrow
compass, I was preparing to go on board the ship, when the
young man I had taken out of the famished ship's company
came to me, and told me he understood I had a clergyman
with me, and that I had caused the Englishmen to be married
to the savages ; that he had a match, too, which he desired
might be finished before I went, between two Christians,
which he hoped would not be disagreeable to me.
I knew this must be the young woman who was his mother's
servant, for there was no other Christian woman on the island:
so I began to persuade him not to do anything of that kind
rashly, or because he found himself in this solitary circum-
stance. I represented to him that he had some considerable
substance in the world, and good friends, as I understood by
himself, and the maid also : that the maid was not only poor,
and a servant, but was unequal to him, she being six or
seven and twenty years old ; and he not above seventeen or
eighteen ; that he might very probably, with my assistance,
make a remove from this wilderness, and come into his own
country again ; and that then it would be a thousand to one
but he would repent his choice, and the dislike of that cir-
cumstance might be disadvantageous to both. I was going
to say more, but he interrupted me, smiling, and told me,
with a great deal of modesty, that I mistook in my guesses, —
that he had nothing of that kind in his thoughts ; and he was
very glad to hear that I had an intent of putting them in a
way to see their own country again ; and nothing should have
made him think of staying there, but that the voyage I was
going was so exceeding long and hazardous, and would carry
him quite out of the reach of all his friends ; that he had
nothing to desire of me, but that I would settle him in some
little property in the island whese he was, give him a servant
or two, and some few necessaries, and he would live here like
a planter, waiting the good time when, if ever I returned to
England, I would redeem him ; and hoped I would not be
unmindful of him when I came to England : that he would
302
give me some letters to his friends in London, to let them
know how good I had been to him, and in what part of the
world, and what circumstances I had left him in : and he
promised me that whenever I redeemed him, the plantation,
and all the improvements he had made upon it, let the value
be what it would, should be wholly mine.
His discourse was very prettily delivered, considering his
youth, and was the more agreeable to me, because he told
me positively the match was not for himself. I gave him all
possible assurances that if I lived to come safe to England, I
would deliver his letters, and do his business effectually ; and
that he might depend I should never forget the circumstances
I had left him in ; but still I was impatient to know who was
the person to be married : upon which he told me it was my
Jack-of-all-trades and his maid Susan. I was most agreeably
surprised when he named the match ; for, indeed, I thought it
very suitable. The character of that man I have given
already ; and as for the maid, she was a very honest, modest,
sober, and religious young woman ; had a very good share of
sense, was agreeable enough in her person, spoke very hand-
somely and to the purpose, always with decency and good
manners, and was neither too backward to speak when requi-
site, nor impertinently forward when it was not her business ;
very handy and housewifely, and an excellent manager ; fit,
indeed, to have been governess to the whole island ; and she
knew very well how to behave in every respect.
The match being proposed in this manner, we married them
the same day ; and as I was father at the altar, and gave her
away, so I gave her a portion ; for I appointed her and her
husband a handsome large space of ground for their planta-
tion ; and, indeed, this match, and the proposal the young
gentleman made to give him a small property in the island,
put me upon parcelling it out amongst them, that they might
not quarrel afterwards about their situation.
This sharing out the land to them I left to Will Atkins,
who was now grown a sober, grave, managing fellow, per-
fectly reformed, exceedingly pious and religious ; and, as far
as I may be allowed to speak positively in such a case, I verily
believe he was a true penitent. He divided things so justly,
and so much to every one's satisfaction, that they only desired
one general writing under my hand for the whole, which I
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 303
caused to be drawn up, and signed and sealed, setting out the
bounds and situation of every man's plantation, and testifying
that I gave them thereby severally a right to the whole pos-
session and inheritance of the respective plantations or farms,
with their improvements, to them and their heirs, reserving all
the rest of the island as my own property, and a certain rent
for every particular plantation after eleven years, if I, or any
one from me, or in my name, came to demand it, producing
an attested copy of the same writing.
As to the government and laws among them, I told them I
was not capable of giving them better rules than they were
able to give themselves ; only I made them promise me to live
in love and good neighbourhood with one another ; and so I
prepared to leave them.
Having now done with the island, I left them all in good
circumstances, and in a nourishing condition, and went on
board my ship again on the 6th of May, having been about
twenty-five clays among them.
The next day, giving them a salute of five guns at parting,
we set sail, and arrived at the bay of All Saints in the Brazils,
in about twenty-two days, meeting nothing remarkable in our
passage but this : that about three days after we had sailed,
being becalmed, and the current setting strong to the E.N.E.,
into a bay or gulf on the land side, we were driven something
out of our course, and once or twice our men cried out,
"Land to the eastward !" but whether it was the continent or
islands we could not tell by any means. But the third day,
towards evening, the sea smooth, and the weather calm, we
saw the sea covered, towards the land, with something very
black ; not being able to discover what it was, till, after some
time, our chief mate going up the main-shrouds a little waj r ,
and looking at them with a perspective, cried out it was an
army. 1 could not imagine what he meant by an army, and
thwarted him a little hastily. " Nay, sir," says he, " don't be
angry, for 'tis an army, and a fleet too ; for I believe there
are a thousand canoes, and you may see them paddle along,
for they are coming towards us apace."
I was a little surprised then, indeed, and so was my nephew,
the captain ; for he had heard such terrible stories of them in
the island, and having never been in those seas before, that
he could not tell what to think of it, but said, two or three
304 KOI5IN30N CRUSOE.
times, we should all be devoured. I must confess, considering
■we were becalmed, and the current set strong towards the
shore, I liked it the worse; however, I bade them not be
afraid, but bring the ship to an anchor as soon as we came so
near as to know that we must engage them.
The weather continued calm, and they came on apace to-
wards us ; so I gave orders to come to an anchor, and furl all
our sails ; as for the savages, I told them they had nothing to
fear but fire, and therefore they should get their boats out,
and fasten them, one close by the head, and the other by the
stern, and man them both well, and wait the issue in that
posture : this I did, that the men in the boats might be ready
with sheets and buckets to put out any firo these savages
might endeavour to fix to the outside of the ship.
In this posture we lay by for them, and in a little while
they came up with us ; but never was such a horrid sight
seen by Christians : though my mate was much mistaken in
his calculation of their number, yet when they came up we
reckoned about a hundred and twenty-six ; some of them had
sixteen or seventeen men in them, and some more, and the
least six or seven.
When they came nearer to us, they seemed to be struck
with wonder and astonishment, as at a sight which doubtless
they had never seen before ; nor could they at first, as we
afterwards understood, know what to make of us ; they came
boldly up, however, very near to us, and seemed to go about
to row round us : but we called to our men in the boats not
to let them come too near them. This very order brought us
to an engagement with them, without our designing it ; for
five or six of the large canoes came so near our long-boat, that
our men beckoned with their hands to keep them back, which
they understood very well, and went back ; but at their re-
treat about fifty arrows came on board us from those boats,,
and one of our men in the long-boat was very much wounded.
However, I called to them not to fire by any means ; but we
handed down some deal boards into the boat, and the car-
penter presently set up a kind of fence, like waste boards,
to cover them from the arrows of the savages, if they should
shoot again.
About half an hour afterwards they all came up in a body
astern of us, and so near that we could easily discern what
ROBINSON CtlUSOE. 305
they were, though we could not tell their design ; and I found
they were some of my old friends, the same sort of savages
that I had been used to engage with ; and in a short time
more they rowed a little farther out to sea, till they came
directly broadside with, us, and then rowed down straight
upon us, till they came so near that they could hear us speak :
upon this I ordered all my men to keep close, lest they should
shoot any more arrows, and made all our guns ready ; but
being so near as to be within hearing, I made Friday go out
upon the deck, and call aloud to them in his language, to
know what they meant ; which accordingly he did. Whether
they understood him I knew not: but as soon as he had
called to them, six, who were in the foremost or nighest boat
to us, turned their canoes from us, and stooping down, showed
us their naked backs. Whether this was a defiance or chal-
lenge we knew not, or whether it was done in mere contempt,
or as a signal to the rest ; but immediately Friday cried out
they were going to shoot, and, unhappily for him, poor fellow,
they let fly about three hundred of their arrows, and, to my
inexpressible grief, killed poor Friday, no other man being in
their sight. The poor fellow was shot with no less than three
arrows, and about three more fell very near him ; such unlucky
marksmen they were !
I was so enraged at the loss of my old trusty servant and
companion, that I immediately ordered five guns to be loaded
with small shot, and four with great, and gave them such a
broadside as they had never heard in their lives before. They
were not above half a cable's length off when we fired ; and
our gunners took their aim so well, that three or four of their
canoes were overset, as we had reason to believe, by one shot
only.
The ill manners of turning up their bare backs to us gave
us no great offence ; neither did I know for certain whether
that which would pass for the greatest contempt among us
might be understood so by them or not ; therefore, in return,
I had only resolved to have fired four or five guns at them
with powder only, which I knew would frighten them suffi-
ciently : but when they shot at us directly with all the fury
they were capable of, and especially as they had killed my
poor Friday, whom I so entirely loved and valued, and who,
indeed, so well deserved it, I thought myself not only justi-
20
306
>VJV^^ VAVLJO^r.«
fiable before God and man, but would have been very glad if
I could have overset every canoe there, and drowned every
one of them.
I cannot tell how many we killed nor now many we wounded
at this broadside, but sure such a fright and hurry never were
seen anion cr such a multitude. There were thirteen or four-
O
teen of their canoes split and overset in all, and the men set
a-swimming: the rest, frightened out of their wits, scoured
away as fast as they could, taking but little care to save those
whose boats were split or spoiled with our shot ; so I suppose
that many of them were lost ; and our men took up one poor
fellow swimming for his life, above an hour after they were
gone.
The small shot from our cannon must needs kill and wound
a great many ; but, in short, we never knew how it went with
them, for they fled so fast that, in three hours or thereabouts,
we could not see above three or four straggling canoes, nor
did we ever see the rest any more ; for a breeze of wind
springing up the same evening, we weighed, and set sail for
the Brazils.
We went away with a fair wind for Brazil; and in about
twelve days' time we made land, in the latitude of five degrees
south of the line, being the north-easternmost land of all that
part of America. We kept on S. by E., in sight of the shore
four days, when we made Cape St. Augustine, and came to an
anchor off the Bay of All Saints, the old place of my deliver-
ance, whence came both my good and evil fate.
Never came ship to this port that had less business than I
had, and yet it was with great difficulty that we were admitted
to hold the least correspondence on shore : not my partner
himself, who was alive,, and made a great figure among them,
not my two merchant-trustees, not the fame of my wonderful
preservation in the island, could obtain me that favour ; but
my partner, remembering that I had given five hundred
moidores to the Prior of the Monastery of the Augustines,
and two hundred and seventy-two to the poor, went to the
monastery, and obliged the prior that then was to go to the
governor, and get leave for me personally, with the captain
and one more, besides eight seamen, to come on shore, and no
more; and this upon condition that we should not offer to
bad any goods out of the ship, or to carry any person away
i.uiJiJsau.N uituau±..
507
Tliey were so strict with us as to landing
any goods, that it was with extreme difficulty that I got on
shore three bales, such as fine broadcloths, stuffs, and some
linen, which I had brought as a present to my partner.
He was a very generous, open-hearted man ; though, like
me, he began with little at first ; and though he knew not
that I had the least design of giving him anything, he sent
me on board a present of fresh provisions, wine, and sweet-
meats, worth above thirty moidores, including some tobacco,
and three or four fine medals of gold : but I was even with
him in my present, which, as I have said, consisted of fine
broadcloth, English stuffe, lace, and fine Hollands ; also, I
delivered him about the value of one hundred pounds sterling,
in the same goods, for other uses ; and I obliged him to set
up the sloop, which I had brought with me from England, for
the use of my colony, in order to send the refreshments I
intended to my plantation.
Accordingly, he got hands, and finished the sloop in a very
few days, for she was already framed ; and I gave the master
of her such instructions that he could not mis3 the place ; nor
did he, as I had an account from my partner afterwards. I
got him soon loaded with the small cargo I sent them ; and
one of our seamen, that had been on shore with me there,
offered to go with the sloop and settle there, upon my letter
to the governor Spaniard, to allot him a sufficient quantity of
land for a plantation, and giving him some clothes and tools
for his planting work, which he said he understood, having
been an old planter at Maryland, and a buccaneer into the
bargain. I encouraged the fellow by granting all he desired ;
and, as an addition, I gave him the savage whom Ave had
taken prisoner of war, to be his slave, and ordered the gover-
nor Spaniard to give him his share of everything he wanted
with the rest.
"When we came to fit this man out, my old partner told me
there was a certain very honest fellow, a Brazil planter of his
acquaintance who had fallen into the displeasure of the Church.
" I know not what the matter is with him," says he, "but, on
my conscience, I think he is a heretic in his heart, and he has
been obliged to conceal himself for fear of the Inquisition ;"
that he would be very glad of such an opportunity to make
his escape, with his wife and two daughters ; and if I would
308
vjiiu V\S*J»
let them go to my island, and allot them a plantation, he
would give them a small stock to begin with — for the officers
of the Inquisition had seized all his effects and estate, and he
had nothing left but a little household stuff, and two slaves ;
"and," adds he, "though I hate his principles, yet I would
not have him fall into their hands, for he will be assuredly
burned alive if he does."
I granted this presently, and joined my Englishman with
them ; and we concealed the man, and his wife and "daughters,
on board our ship, till the sloop put out to go to sea ; and
then, having put all their goods on board some time before, we
put them on board after she was out of the bay.
Our seaman was mightily pleased with this new partner ;
and their stocks, indeed, were much alike, rich in tools, in
preparations, and a farm — but nothing to begin with, except
as above: however, they carried over with them, what was
worth all the rest, some materials for planting sugar-canes,
with some plants of canes, which he understood very well.
Among the rest of the supplies sent to my tenants in the
island, I sent them by the sloop three milch cows and five
calves, about twenty-two hogs among them, three sows big
with pig, two mares, and a stone-horse. For my Spaniards,
according to my promise, I engaged three Portugal women to
go, and recommended it to them to marry them, and use them
kindly. I could have procured more women, but I remem-
bered that the poor prosecuted man had two daughters, and
that therp were but five of the Spaniards that wanted — the
rest had wives of their own, though in another country.
All this cargo arrived safe, and, as you may easily suppose,
was very welcome to my old inhabitants, who were now, with
this addition, between sixty and seventy people, besides little
children, of which there were a great many. I found letters
at London from them all, by way of Lisbon, when I came
back to England, of which I shall also take some notice imme-
diately.
I have now done with the island, and all manner of dis-
course about it : and whoever reads the rest of my memo-
randums would do well to turn his thoughts entirely from it.
and expect to read of the follies of an old man, not warned
by his own harms, much less by those of other men, to
beware; not cooled by almost forty years' miseries and dis-
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 309.
appointments — not satisfied with prosperity beyond expecta-
tion — nor made cautious by afflictions and distress beyond
imitation.
I had no more business to go to the East Indies than a man
at full liberty has to go to the turnkey at Newgate, and desire
him to lock him up among the prisoners there, and starve him.
Had I taken a small vessel from England, and gone directly
to the island ; had I loaded her, as I did the other vessel, with
all the necessaries for the plantation, and for my people ;
taken a patent from the government here to have secured my
property, in subjection only to that of England ; had I carried
over cannon and ammunition, servants and people to plant,
and taken possession of the place, fortified and strengthened
it in the name of England, and increased it with people, as I
might easily have done ; had I then settled myself there, and
sent the ship back laden with good rice, as I might also have
done in six months' time, and ordered my friends to have
fitted her out again for our supply, — had I done this, and
stayed there myself, I had at least acted like a man of common
sense : but I was possessed of a wandering spirit, and scorned
all advantages : I pleased myself with being the patron of the
people I placed there, and doing for them in a kind of haughty,
majestic way, like an old patriarchal monarch, providing for
them as if I had been father of the whole family, as well as of
the plantation : but I never so much as pretended to plant in
the name of any government or nation, or to acknowledge any
prince, or to call my people subjects to any one nation more
than another : nay, I never so much as gave the place a name,
but left it as I found it, belonging to nobody, and the people
under no discipline or government but my own ; who, though
T had influence over them as a father and benefactor, had no
authority or power to act or command one way or other,
farther than voluntary consent moved them to comply : yet
even this, had I stayed there, would have done well enough ;
but as I rambled from them, and came there no more, the last
letters I had from any of them were by my partner's means,
who afterwards sent another sloop to the place, and who sent
me word, though I had not the letter till I got to London,
several years after it was written, that they went on but
poorly, were discontent with their long stay there : that "Will
Atkins was dead, — that five of the Spaniards were come away,
310 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
— and though they had not been much molested by the savages,
yet they had had some skirmishes with them ; and that they
begged of him to write to me to think of the promise I had
made to fetch them away, that they might see their country
again before they died.
But I was gone a wild-goose chase, indeed ! and they that
will have any more of me, must be content to follow me ir.to
a new variety of follies, hardships, and wild adventures,
wherein the justice of Providence may be duly observed ; and
;we may see how easily Heaven can gorge us with our own
jdesires, make the strongest of 'our wishes be our affliction, and
punish us most severely with those very things which we think
it would be our utmost happiness to be allowed in. Whether
I had business or no business, away I went : it is no time now
to enlarge upon the reason or absurdity of my own conduct,
but to come to the history, — I was embarked for the voyage,
end the voyage I went.
Our ship was on a trading voyage, and had a supercargo
on board, who has to direct all her motions after she arrived
at the Cape, only being limited to a certain number of days
for stay, by charter-party, at the several ports she was to
go to.
We stayed at the Cape no longer than was needful to take
|in fresh water, but made the best of our way for the coast of
Coromandel. We were, indeed, informed that a French man-
;of-war, of fifty guns, and two large merchant ships, were gone
for the Indies ; and as I knew we were at war with France, I
had some apprehensions of them ; but they went their own
way, and we heard no more of them.
We touched first at the Island of Madagascar, where, though
the people are fierce and treacherous, and very well armed
with lances and bows, which they use with inconceivable
dexterity, yet we fared very well with them a while ; they
treated us very civilly ; and for some trifles which we gave
them, such as knives, scissors, &c, they brought us eleven
good fat bullocks, of a middling size, which we took in, partly
for fresh provisions for our present spending, and the rest to
salt for the ship's use.
We were obliged to stay here some time after we had fur-
nished ourselves with provisions ; and I, who was always too
curious to look into every nook cf the world wherever I came,
KOBINSOX CRUSOE.
511
went on shore as often as I could. It was on the east side of
the island that we went on shore one evening : and the people,
who, by the way, are very numerous, came thronging about
us, and stood gazing at a distance : but as we had traded
freely with them, and had been kindly used, we thought our-
selves in no danger ; but when we saw the people, we cut
three boughs out of a tree, and stuck them up at a distance
from us ; which, it seems, is a mark in that country, not only
of a truce and friendship, but when it is accepted, the other
set side up three poles or boughs, which is a signal that they
accept the truce too ; but then this tree is a known condition
of the truce, that you are not to pass beyond their three poles
towards them, nor they to come past your three poles, or
boughs, towards you ; so that you are perfectly secure within
the three poles, and all the space between your poles and
theirs is allowed like a market for free converse, traffic, and
commerce. When you go there, you must not carry your
■weapons with you ; and if they come into that space, they
stick up their javelins and lances all at the first poles, and
come on unarmed ; but if any violence is offered them, and
the truce thereby broken, away they run to the poles, and lay
hold of their weapons, and the truce is at an end.
It happened one evening, when we went on shore, that a
greater number of their people came down than usual, but all
very friendly and civil ; and they brought several kinds of
provisions, for which we satisfied them with such toys as we
had ; the women also brought us milk and roots, and several
things very acceptable to us, and all was quiet ; and we made
us a little tent or hut of some boughs or trees, and lay on
shore all night.
I know not what was the occasion, but I was not so well
satisfied to lie on shore as the rest ; and the boat riding at an
anchor at about a stone's cast from the land, with two men in
her to take care of her, I made one of them come on shore ;
and getting some boughs of trees to cover us also in the boat,
I spread the sail on the bottom of the boat, and lay under the
cover of the branches of the trees in the boat.
About two o'clock in the morning, we heard one of our men
make a terrible noise on the shore, calling out, for God's sake,
to bring the boat in, and come and help them, for they were
all like to be murdered ; at the same time, I heard the fire of
»
512
-— -.^ovyr. ^ItLSOE.
five muskets, which was the number of guns they had, and
that three times over. All this while I knew not what was
the matter, but rousing immediately from sleep with the noise,
I eaused the boat to be thrust in, and resolved, with three
fusees we had on boai'd, to land and assist our men.
We got the boat soon to the shore, but our men were in
too much haste : for being come to the shore, they plunged
into the water, to get to the boat with all the expedition they
could, being pursued by between three and four hundred men.
Our men were but nine in all, and only five of them had
fusees with them ; the rest had pistols and swords, indeed, but
they were of small use to them.
We took up seven of our men, and with difficulty enough
too, three of them being wounded ; and that which was still
worse was, that while we stood in the boat to take our men
in, we were in as much danger as they were in on shore ; for
they poured their arrows in upon us so thick that we were
glad to barricade the side of the boat up with the benches,
and two or three loose boards, which, to our great satisfaction,
we had by mere accident in the boat. And yet, had it been
daylight, they are, it seems, such exact marksmen, that if they
could have seen but the least part of any of us, they would
have been sure of us. We had, by the light of the moon, a
little sight of them, as they stood pelting us from the shore
with darts and arrows ; and having got ready our fire-arms,
we gave them a volley, that we could hear, by the cries of
some of them, had wounded several ; however, they stood
thus in battle array on the shore till break of day, which we
supposed was that they might see the better to take their aim
at us.
In this condition we lay, and could not tell how to weigh
our anchor, or set up our sail, because Ave must needs stand
up in the boat, and they were as sure to hit us as we were to
hit a bird in a tree with small shot. We made signals of
distress to the ship, and though she rode a league off, yet my
nephew, the captain, hearing our firing, and by glasses per-
ceiving the posture we lay in, and that we fired towards the
shore, pretty well understood us : and weighing anchor with
all speed, he stood as near the shore as he durst with the
ship, and then sent another boat, with ten hands in her, to
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
313
assist us ; but we called to them not to come too near, telling
them what condition we were in ; however, they stood in near
to us and one of the men taking the end of a tow-line in his
hand' and keeping one boat between him and the enemy, so
that they could not perfectly see him, swam on board us, and
made fast the line to the boat: upon which we slipped out a
little cable, and leaving our anchor behind, they towed us out
of reach of the arrows ; we all the while lying close behind
the barricado we had made.
As soon as we were got from between the ship and the
shore, that we could lay her side to the shore, she ran along
iust by them, and poured in a broadside among them, loaded
with pieces of iron and lead, small bullets, and such stuff,
besides the great shot, which made a terrible havoc among
them.
When we were got on board, and out of danger, we had
time to examine into the occasion of this fray ; and, indeed,
our supercargo, who had been often in those parts, put me
upon it ; for he said he was sure the inhabitants would not
have touched us after we had made a truce, if we had not done
something to provoke them to it. At length, it came out
that an old woman, who had come to sell us some milk, had
brought it within our poles, and a young woman with her,
who also brought some roots or herbs ; and while the old
woman was selling us the milk, one of our men offered some
rudeness to the wench that was with her, at which the old
woman made a great noise : however, the seaman would not
quit his prize, but carried her out of the old woman's sight
among the trees, it being almost dark : the old woman went
away without her, and as we may suppose, made an outcry
among the people she came from ; who, upon notice, raised
this great army upon us in three or four hours, and it was
great odds but we had all been destroyed.
One of our men was killed with a lance thrown at him just
at the beginning of the attack, as he sallied out of the tent
they had made ; the rest came off free, all but the fellow who
was the occasion of all the mischief, who paid dear enough
for his black mistress, for we could not hear what became of
him for a great while. We lay upon the shore two days
after, though the wind presented, and make signals for him,
314
yuj-nomx URUSOE.
and made our boat sail up shore and down shore several
leagues, but in vain, so we were obliged to give him over ;
and if he alone had suffered for it, the loss had been less.
I 'could not satisfy myself, however, without venturing on
shore once more, to try if I could learn anything of him or
them : it was the third night after the action that I had a
great mind to learn what mischief we had done, and how the
game stood on the Indians' side. I was careful to do it in the
dark, lest Ave should be attacked again ; but I ought, indeed,
to have been sure that the men I went with had been under
my command, before I engaged in a thing so hazardous and
mischievous as I was brought into by it, without design.
We took twenty as stout fellows with us as any in the ship,
besides the supercargo and myself, and we landed two hours
before midnight, at the fime place where the Indians stood
drawn up in the evening before. I landed here, because my
design, as I have said, was chiefly to see if they had quitted
the field, and if they had left any marks behind them of the
mischief we had done them : and I thought if we could sur-
prise one or two of them, perhaps we might get our man
again, by way of exchange.
We landed without any noise, and divided our men into
two bodies, whereof the boatswain commanded one, and I the
other. We neither saw nor heard anybody stir when we
landed ; and we marched up, one body at a distance from the
other, to the place ; but at first could see nothing, it being
very dark ; till by-and-by our boatswain, who led the first
party, fell over a dead body. This made them halt a while,
for knowing by the circumstances that they were at the place
where the Indians had stood, they waited for my coming up
there. We concluded to halt till the moon began to rise,
which we knew would be in less than an hour, when we could
easily discern the havoc we had made among them. We told
thirty-two bodies upon the ground, whereof two were not
quite dead ; some had an arm, and some a leg shot off, and
one his head : those that were wounded, we supposed, they
had carried away.
When we had made, as I thought, a full discovery of all
we could come to the knowledge of, I resolved on going on
board ; but the boatswain and his party sent me word that
they were resolved to make a visit to the Indian town, where
-OSINSOX CRUSOE.
315
these dogs, as they called them, dwelt, and asked me to go
along with them ; and if they could find them, as they still
fancfed they should, they did not doubt of getting a good
booty; and it might be they might find Tom Jeffry there :
that was the man's name we had lost.
I positively refused, and rose up in order to go to the boat.
One or two of the men began to importune me to go ; and
when I refused, began to grumble, and say they were not
under my command, and they would go — in a word, they all
left me but one, whom I persuaded to stay, and a boy left in
the boat. So the supercargo and I, with the third man, went
back to the boat, where we told them we would stay for
them, and take care to take in as many of them as should be
left ; for I told them it was a mad thing they were going
about, and supposed most of them would have the fate of Tom
Jeffry.
They told me, like seamen, they would warrant it they
would come again, and they would take care, &c. ; so away
they went, and though the attempt was desperate, and such as
none but madmen would have gone about, yet, to give them
their due, they went about it as warily as boldly : they were
gallantly armed, for they had every man a fusee or musket, a
bayonet, and a pistol ; some of them had broad cutlasses, some
of them had hangers, and the boatswain and two more had
poleaxes : besides all which, they had among them thirteen
hand grenades: bolder fellows, and better provided, never
went about any wicked work in the world.
When they went out, their chief design was plunder, and
they were in mighty hopes of finding gold there ; but a cir-
cumstance which none of them were aware of set them on fire
with revenge, and made devils of them all. When they came
to the few Indian houses which they thought had been the
town, which was not above half a mile off, they were under a
great disappointment, for there were not above twelve or
thirteen houses ; and where the town was, or how big, they
know not. They consulted, therefore, what to do, and were
some time before they could resolve ; for if they fell upon
these, they must cut all their throats, and it was ten to one
but some of them might escape, it being in the night, though
the moon was up ; and if one escaped, he would run and
raise all the town, so they should have a whole army upon
31G
±vui>ii\S0N CRUSOE.
them ; again, on the other hand, if they went away and left
these untouched, for the people were all asleep, they could not
tell which way to look for the town : however, the last was
the best advice, so they resolved to leave them, and look for
the town as well as they could. They went on for sometime,
when three of them, who were a little before the rest, called
aloud that they had found Tom Jeffry ; they all ran up to
the place, where they found the poor fellow hanging up naked
by one arm, and his throat cut. There was an Indian house
just by the tree, where they found sixteen or seventeen of the
principal Indians, who had been concerned in the fray with
us before, and two or three of them wounded with our shot ;
and our men found they were awake, and talking one to
another in that house, but knew not their number.
The sight of their poor mangled comrade so enraged them,
that they swore to one another they would be revenged, and
that not an Indian that came into their hands should have any
quarter ; this barbarous resolution they carried into effect
immediately, putting all the poor creatures to death that fell
in their way, and setting fire to every hut in the village. Our
men returned early the next morning without receiving any
injury except that one had sprained his foot, and another had
burned one of his hands.
The next day we set sail for the Gulf of Persia, and thence
to the coast of Coromandcl, only to touch at Surat ; but the
chief of the supercargo's design lay at the Bay of Bengal.
The first disaster that befell us was in the Gulf of Persia,
where five of our men, venturing on shore on the Arabian side
of the gulf, were surrounded and either killed or carried away
into slavery; the rest of the boat's crew were not able to
rescue them, and had but just time to get off their boat.
We were at this time in the road at Bengal ; and being will-
ing to see the place, I went on shore with the supercargo, in
the ship's boat, to divert myself; and towards evening was
preparing to go on board, when one of the men came to me,
and told me he would not have me trouble myself to come
down to the boat, for they had orders not to carry me on
board any more. Anyone may guess what a surprise I was in
at so insolent a message ; and I asked the man, who bade him
deliver that message to me ? He told me the coxswain. I
said no more to the fellow, but bade him let them know he
EOBINSON CKUSOE. 317
had delivered his message, and that I had given him no
answer to it.
I immediately went and found out the supercargo, and told
him the story, adding, what I presently foresaw, that there
would be a mutiny in the ship ; and entreated him to go im-
mediately on board the ship in an Indian boat, and acquaint
the captain of it. But I might have spared this intelligence,
for before I had spoken to him on shore, the matter was
effected on board. The boatswain, the gunner, the carpenter,
and all the inferior officers, as soon as I was gone off in the
boat, came up, and desired to speak with the captain ; and
there the boatswain, making a long harangue, told the captain
in a few words, that as I was now gone peaceably on shore,
they were loth to use any violence with me, which, if I had
not gone on shore, they would otherwise have done, to oblige
me to have gone. They therefore thought fit to tell him,
that as they shipped themselves to serve in the ship under his
command, they would perform it well and faithfully ; but if
I would not quit the ship, or the captain oblige me to quit it,
they would all leave, and sail no farther with him ; and at
that word all, he turned his face towards the mainmast, which
was, it seems, the signal agreed on between them, at which,
the seamen, being got together there, cried out, " One and
all ! one and all!"
My nephew, the captain, was a man of spirit, and of great
presence of mind ; and though he was surprised at the thing,
yet he told them calmly that he would consider of the matter ;
but that he could do nothing in it till he had spoken to me.
He used some arguments with them, to show the unreason-
ableness and injustice of the thing; but it was all in vain;
they swore, and shook hands round before his face, that they
would all go on shore, unless he would engage not to suffer
mo to come any more on board the ship.
This was hard upon him, who knew his obligation to me,
and did not know how I might take it ; so he began to talk
smartly to them ; told them that I was a very considerable-
owner of the ship, and that, in justice, he could not put me
out of my own house ; that let them go into what ship they
would, if ever they came to England again, it would cost
them very dear ; that the ship was mine, and that he could
not put me out of it ; and that he would rather lose the ship
318 KOBINSON CRUSOE.
and the voyage too, than disoblige me so much ; so thev
might do as they pleased. However, he would go on shore
and talk with me, and invited the boatswain to go with him,
and perhaps they might accommodate the matter with me.
But they all rejected the proposal, and said they would have
nqtjigog to do with me any more ; and if I came on board,
thdp^rould all go on shore. "Well," said the captain, "if
you' atfe all of this mind, let me go on shore and talk with
him." So away he came to me with this account, a little
after the message had been brought to me from the coxswain.
I was very glad to see my nephew, I must confess ; for I
was not without apprehensions that they would confine him
by violence, set sail, and run away with the ship ; and then
I had been stripped naked in a remote country, having nothing
to help myself. But they had not come to that length, it
seems ; and when my nephew told me what they had said to
him, and how they had sworn and shook hands that they
would, one and all, leave the ship, if I was suffered to come on
board, I told him he should not be concerned at it at all, for
I would stay on shore. I only desired he would take care and
send me all my necessary things on shore, and leave me a
sufficient sum of money, and I would find my way to England
as well as I could.
This was a heavy piece of news to my nephew, but there
was no way to help it ; so, in short, he went on board the
ship again, and satisfied the men that his uncle had yielded
to their importunity, and had sent for his goods from on board
the ship ; so that the matter was over in a few hours, the men
returned to their duty, and I began to consider what course
I should steer.
I was now alone in the most remote part of the world, as
I think I may call it, for I was near three thousand leagues by
sea farther off from England, than I was at my island ; only,
it is true, I might travel here by land over the Great Mogul's
country to Surat, might go from thence to Bassora by sea, up
the Gulf of Persia, and take the way of the caravans, over the
Desert of Arabia, to Aleppo and Scanderoon ; thence by sea
again to Italy, and so overland into France ; and this put
together, might at least be a full diameter of the globe or
more.
I had another way before me, which was to wait for some
ROBINSON CRUSOE. Cl$
English ships, which were coming to Bengal from Achin, on
the Island of Sumatra, and get passage on board them for
England. But as I came hither without any concern with
the East-India Company, so it would be difficult to go hence
without their license, unless with great favour of the captains
of the ships, or the company's factors ; and to both I was an
titter stranger.
Here I had the mortification to see the ship set sail with-
out me ; however, my nephew left me two servants, or rather,
one companion and one servant ; the first was clerk to the
purser, whom he engaged to go with me, and the other was
his own servant. I took also a good lodging in the house of
an Englishwoman, where several merchants lodged. Here
I was handsomely enough entertained ; and that I might not
be said to run rashly upon anything, I stayed here above nine
months, considering what course to take. I had some Eng-
lish goods with me of value, and a considerable sum of money ;
my nephew furnishing me with a thousand pieces-of-eight,
and a letter of credit for more, if I had occasion, that I might
not be straitened, whatever might happen.
I quickly disposed of my goods to advantage ; and, as I
originally intended, I bought here some very good diamonds,
which, of all other things, were the most proper for me in my
present circumstances, because I could always carry my whole
estate about me.
After a long stay here, and many proposals made for my
return to England, the English merchant who lodged with me,
and whom I had contracted an intimate acquaintance with,
came to me one morning : " Countryman," says he, " I have a
project to communicate to you, which, as it suits/ with my
thoughts, may, for aught I know, suit with yours also, when
you shall have thoroughly considered it. Here we are posted,
you by accident, and I by choice, in a part of the world very
remote from our own country ; but it is in a country where,
by us, who understand trade and business, a great deal of
money is to be got. If you will put one thousand pounds to
my one thousand pounds, we will hire a ship, the first we can
get to our minds ; you shall be captain, I'll be merchant, and
we'll co a trading voyage to China ; for what should we stand
still for?"
I liked this proposal very well ; and the more s/< because it
oZU ROBINSON CRUSOE.
seemed to be expressed with so much good will, and in so
friendly a manner.
It was, however, some time before we could get a ship to
our minds, and when we had got a vessel, it was not easy to
get English sailors : that is to say, so many as were necessary
to govern the voyage and manage the sailors which we should
pick up there. After some time we got an English mate, a
boatswain, and a gunner, a Dutch carpenter, and three fore-
mast men. With these we found we could do well enough,
having Indian seamen, such as they were, to make up.
We made the voyage to Achin, in the island of Sumatra,
and thence to Siam, where we exchanged some of our wares
for opium and arrack ; we went up to Suskan, made a very
good voyage, were eight months out, and returned to Bengal ;
and I was very well satisfied with my adventure.
I got so much money by my first adventure, and such an
insight into the method of getting more, that had I been
twenty years younger, I should have been tempted to have
stayed here and sought no farther for making any fortune.
My friend, who was always upon the search for business,
proposed another voyage to me among the Spice Islands, and
to bring home a loading of cloves from the Manillas, or there-
abouts; places, indeed, where the Dutch trade, but islands
belonging partly to the Spaniards ; though we went not so
far, but to some other, where they have not the whole power,
as they have at Batavia, Ceylon, etc.
We were not long in preparing for this voyage ; the chief
difficulty was in bringing me to come into it. However, at
last, nothing else offering, and finding that really stirring
about and trading, the profit being so great, had more plea-
sure in it, and more satisfaction to my mind, than sitting still,
which, to me especially, was the unhappiest part of my life, I
resolved on this voyage too, which we made very successfully,
touching at Borneo, and several islands, and came home in
about five months. We sold our spice, which was chiefly
cloves and nutmegs, to the Persian merchants, who carried
them away to the gulf ; and making near five of one, we really
got a great deal of money.
But, to be short with my speculations, a little while after
this there came in a Dutch ship from Batavia. She was a
coaster, not a European trader, of about two hundred tons
321
burthen. The men, as they pretended, having been so sickly
that the captain had not hands enough to go to sea with, he
lay by at Bengal ; and having, it seems, got money enough,
or being willing, for other reasons, to go for Europe, he gave
public notice he would sell his ship. This came to my ears
before my new partner heard of it, and I had a great mind to
buy it ; so I went to him, and I told him of it. He con-
sidered awhile, for he was no rash man ; but musing some
time, he replied, "She is a little too big; but, however, we
will have her." Accordingly, we bought the ship, and agree-
ing with the master, we paid for her, and took possession.
When we had done so, we resolved to engage the men, if we
could, to join with those we had, for the pursuing our busi-
ness ; but, on a sudden, they having received not their wages,
but their share of the money, as we afterwards learned, not
one of them was to be found. We inquired much about them,
and at length were told that they were all gone together by land
to Agra, the city of the great Mogul's residence, and thence to
travel to Surat, and go by the sea to the Gulf of Persia.
We picked up some Edglish sailors here after this, and some
Dutch ; and now we resolved on a second voyage, for cloves,
among the Philippine and Molucca Isles.
In this voyage, being by contrary winds obliged to beat
up and down a great while in the Straits of Malacca, and
among the islands, we were no sooner get clear of those diffi-
cult seas than we found our ship had sprung a leak, and we
were not able, by all our industry, to find out where it was.
This forced us to make some port, and my partner, who knew
the country better than I did, directed the captain to put into
the river of Cambodia. This river lies on the north side of
the great bay or gulf which goes up to Siam. While we were
here, and going often on shore for refreshment, there came to
me one day an Englishman, a gunner's mate on board an
English East India ship, which rode in the same river near the
city of Cambodia. "Sir," says he, "you are a stranger to
me, and I to you, but I have something to tell you that very
nearly concerns you."
I looked stedfastly at him a good while, and thought at
first I had known him, but I did not. " If it very nearly
concerns me," said I, " and not yourself, what moves you to
tell it to me V "I am moved," savs he, "by the imminent
21
322 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
danger you are in, and, for aught I see, you have no know-
ledge of it." He then went on to say, that we were supposed
to be pirates; and that there were two large English and
three Dutch ships lying up the river about live leagues, and
that with the next tide they intended sending down all their
large boats, and taking our vessel, and then hanging every
one of us.
On hearing this, we immediately ordered the anchor to be
got up ; and though the tide was not quite down, yet a little
land-breeze blowing, we stood out to sea. Before long, a
seaman called out, that we were chased. " Chased !" says I ;
" by what ?" " By five sloops, or boats," says the fellow,
" full of men." " Very well," said I, " then it is apparent
there is something in it." In the next place, I ordered all
our men to be called up, and told them there was a design to
seize the ship, and to take us for pirates, and asked them if
they would stand by us, and by one another: the men
answered cheerfully, one and all, that they would live and die
with us. Then I asked the captain what way he thought best
for us to manage a fight with them ; for resist them I was re-
solved we would, and that to the last drop. He said readily,
that the way was to keep them off with our great shot as long
as we could, and then to fire at them with our small arms, to
keep them from boarding us : but when neither of these would
do any longer, we would retire to our close quarters ; perhaps
they had not materials to break open our bulk-heads, or get
in upon us.
The gunner had, in the meantime, orders to bring two
guns to bear fore and aft, out of the steerage, to clear the
deck, and load them with musket-bullets and small pieces of
old iron, and thus we made ready for fight ; but all this
while we kept out to sea, with wind enough, and could see
the boats at a distance, being five large long boats, following
us with all the sail they could make.
Two of these boats outsailed the rest, and endeavoured to
come under our stern, so as to board us on our quarter ;
upon which, seeing they were resolute for mischief, and de-
pended upon the strength that followed them, I ordered to
bring the ship to, so that they lay upon our broadside ; when
immediately we fired five guns at them, one of which had
been levelled so true as to carry away the stern of the
ROBINSON CRUSOE. 328
hindermost boat, and bring them to the necessity of taking
down their sail, and running all to the head of the boat, to
keep her from sinking ; but the others came up one after the
other, but we succeeded in beating them off and disabling
them all, for that they had to lay by to refit ; we then
crowded all the sail we could, and stood farther out to sea,
and we found that they gave over their chase.
Being thus delivered from this danger, my partner told me
he would put me in on the coast of Cochin China, intending
afterwards to go to Macao. We sailed for a little port called
Quinchang, where the fathers of the mission usually landed
from Macao, and where no European ships ever put in, but
did not come to it for five days. When I set my foot on
shore, I resolved never to set one foot on board that unhappy
vessel more. When we came on shore, the old pilot got us a
lodgiDg and a warehouse for our goods in that country.
The fair, or mart, usually kept in this place, had been over
some time: however, we found that there were three or four
junks in the river, and two ships from Japan, with goods
which they had bought in China, and were not gone away,
having some Japanese merchants on shore.
The first thing our old Portuguese pilot did for us was, to
get us acquainted with three missionary Romish priests who
were in the town. One of these was a Frenchman, whom
they called Father Simon, who was courteous, easy in his
manner, and very agreeable company ; the other two were
more reserved.
This French priest, Father Simon, was appointed to go up
to Pekin, and waited only for another priest, who was ordered
to come to him from Macao ; and we scarce ever met together
but he was inviting me to go the journey with him ; and having,
in course of time, disposed of our merchandise, and also the
vessel to the Japanese merchant, I and my partner, with the
old Portuguese pilot, set out with very good advantage, for
we got leave to travel in the retinue of one of their mandarins.
He was respected as a king, surrounded always with his
gentlemen, and attended in all his appearances with such
pomp, that I saw little of him but at a distance. But this I
observed, that there was not a horse in his retinue but that
our carriers' packhorses in England seemed to me to look
much better; though it was hard to judge rightly, for they
324 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
were so covered with equipage, mantles, trappings, &c, that
we could scarce see anything but their feet and their heads
as they went along.
At length we arrived at Pekin. As for the Portuguese
pilot, he being desirous to see the court, we bore his charges
for his company, and to use him as an interpreter ; indeed,
this old man was most useful to us everywhere, for we had
not been above a week at Pekin, when he came and told us
there was a great caravan of Muscovite and Polish merchants
in the city, preparing to set out on their journey by land to
Muscovy, within four or five weeks, and he was sure we
would take the opportunity to go with them, and leave him
behind, to go back alone.
I confess I was greatly surprised with this good news.
" How do you know this ?" said I : " are you sure it is true ?"
" Yes," says he ; "I met this morning in the street an old
acquaintance of mine, an Armenian, who is among them.
He came last from Astracan, is now going with the caravan
to Moscow, and so down the river Wolga to Astracan."
" Well, Seignior," says I, " do not be uneasy about being left
to go back alone; if this be a method for my return to
England, it shall be your fault if you go back to Macao at
all." We then went to consult what was to be done ; and
we agreed that if our Portuguese pilot would go with us, we
would bear his charges to Moscow, or to England, if he
pleased ; nor, indeed, were we to be esteemed over-generous
in that either, if we had not rewarded him farther, the service
he had done us being really worth more than that ; for he
had not only been a pilot to us at sea, but he had been like
a broker for us on shore ; and his procuring for us the Japan
merchant was some hundreds of pounds in our pockets. So
we consulted together about it, and being willing to gratify
him, which was but doing him justice, and very willing also
to have him with us besides, for he was a most necessary man
on all occasions, we agreed to give him a quantity of coined
gold, which, as I compute it, came to about one hundred and
seventy-five pounds sterling, between us, and to bear all his
charges, both for himself and horse, except only a horse to
carry his goods. Having settled this, we called him to let
him know what we had resolved. I told him he had com-
plained of our being willing to let him go back alone, and I
.UUi>±liOUi\ ^-LXUOUH..
was now about to tell him we were resolved lie should not go
back at all. That as we had resolved to go to Europe with
the caravan, he also should go with us ; and that we called
him to know his mind. He shook his head, and said it was a
long journey, and that he had no pecune to carry him thither,
or to subsist himself when he came there. We told him we
believed it was so, and therefore we had resolved to do some-
thing for him that should let him see how sensible we were
of his services, and how agreeable he was to us ; and then I
told him what we had resolved to give him here, which he
might lay out as we would do our own : and that as for his
charges, if he would go with us we would set him safe on
shore either in Muscovy or England, which he would, at our
own charge, except only the carriage of his goods. He re-
ceived the proposal like a man transported, and told us he
would go with us over the whole world ; and so we all
prepared for our journey.
It was the beginning of February, our style, when we set
out from Pekin. The company was very great, and, as near
as I can remember, made between three and four hundred
horse, and upwards of one hundred and twenty men, very
well armed, and provided for all events ; for as the eastern
caravans are subject to be attacked by the Arabs, so are these
by the Tartars ; but they are not altogether so dangerous as
the Arabs, nor so barbarous when they prevail.
The company consisted of people of several nations ; but
there were above sixty of them merchants or inhabitants of
Moscow, though some of them were Livonians ; and to our
particular satisfaction, five were Scots, who appeared also to
be men of great experience in business, and of very good
substance.
We travelled near a month still in the dominions of the
Emperor of China, but lay for the most part in the villages,
some of which were fortified, because of the incursions of the
Tartars.
We wanted above two days' journey of the city of Naum,
when messengers were sent express to every part of the road
to tell all travellers and caravans to halt till they had a guard
sent for them ; for that an unusual body of Tartars, making
ten thousand in all, had appeared in the way, about thirty
miles beyond the city.
326 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
This was very bad news; however, it was carefully done of
the governor, and we were very glad to hear we should have
a guard. Accordingly, two days after, we had two hundred
soldiers sent us from a garrison of the Chinese, on our left,
and three hundred more from the city of Naum, and with
these we advanced boldly ; the three hundred soldiers from
Naum marched in our front, the two hundred in our rear, and
our men on each side of our camels, with our baggage, and
the whole caravan in the centre ; in this order, and well pre-
pared for battle, we thought ourselves a match for the whole
ten thousand Mogul Tartars, if they had appeared ; but the
next day, when they did appear, it was quite another thing.
It was early in the morning, when, marching fro.m a well-
situated little town, called Changu, we had a river to pass,
which we were obliged to ferry ; and, had the Tartars had
any intelligence, then had been the time to have attacked us,
when the caravan being over, the rear guard was behind ; but
they did not appear there. About three hours after, when
we were entered upon a desert of about fifteen or sixteen
miles over, behold, by a cloud of dust they raised, we saw an
enemy was at hand : and they were at hand indeed, for they
came on upon the spur.
The Chinese, our guard in the front, who had talked so big
the day before, began to stagger ; and the soldiers frequently
looked behind them, which is a certain sign in a soldier that
he is just ready to run away. My old pilot was of my mind;
and being near me, called out, " Seignior Inglese," says he,
" those fellows must be encouraged, or they will ruin us all ;
for if the Tartars come on they will never stand it." " I am
of your mind," said I; "but what must be done?" "Done!"
says he, " let fifty of our men advance, and flank them on
each wing, and encourage them ; and they will fight like
brave fellows in brave company ; but without this, they will
every man turn his back." Immediately, I rode up to our
leader, and told him, who was exactly of our mind ; and ac-
cordingly fifty of us marched to the right wing, and fifty
to the left, and the rest made a line of rescue ; and so wo
marched, leaving the last two hundred men to make a body
by themselves, and to guard the camels ; only that, if need
were, they should send a hundred men to assist the last
fifty.
327
In a word, the Tartars came on, and an innumerable com-
pany they were : how many we could not tell, but ten thou-
sand, we thought, was the least ; a party of them came on first
and viewed our posture, traversing the ground in the front of
our line : and, as we found them within gunshot, our leader
ordered the two wings to advance swiftly, and give them a
salvo on each wing with their shot, which was done ; and they
went off, I suppose, back, to give an account of the reception
they were like to meet with ; and, indeed, that salute cloyed
their stomachs, for they immediately halted, stood awhile to
consider of it, and wheeling off to the left, they gave over
their design, and said no more to us for that time.
Two days after, we came to the city of Naum ; we thanked
the governor for his care of us, and collected to the value of
a hundred crowns, or thereabouts, which we gave to the sol-
diers sent to guard us : and here we rested one day.
After this, we passed several great rivers, and two dreadful
deserts; one of which we were sixteen days passing over,
and which, as I said, was to be called no man's land ; and, on
the 13th of April, we came to the frontiers of the Muscovite
dominions. I think the first town or fortress, whichever it
may be called, that belonged to the Czar of Muscovy, was
called Arguna, being on the west side of the river Arguna.
Some leagues to the north of this river, there are several
considerable rivers, whose streams run as due north as the
Yamour runs east, and these are all found to join their waters
with the great river Tartarus, named so from the northern-
most nations of the Mogul Tartars ; who, as the Chinese say,
were the first Tartars in the world ; and who, as our geo-
graphers allege, are the Gog and Magog mentioned in sacred
history. These rivers running all northward, as well as all
the other rivers I am yet to speak of, make it evident that
the northern ocean bounds the land also on that side ; so that
it does not seem rational in the least to think that the land
can extend itself to join with America on that side, or that
there is not a communication between the northern and
eastern ocean : but of this I shall say no more ; it was my
observation at that time, and therefore I take notice of it in
this place.
We now advanced from the river Arguna by easy and
moderate journeys, and were very visibly obliged to the care
328 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
the Czar of Muscovy has taken to have cities and towns built
in as many places as it is possible to place them, where his
soldiers keep garrison, something like the stationary soldiers
placed by the Romans in the remotest countries of their
empire ; some of which I had read of were placed in Britain,
for the security of commerce, and for the lodging travellers :
and thus it was here ; for wherever we came, though at these
towns and statons the garrisons and governors were Russians
and professed Christians, yet the inhabitants were mere
pagans.
Our caravan rested three nights at the town called Nor-
triousky, in order to provide some horses, several having been
lamed and jaded with the badness of the way and long march
over the last desert.
From this city we had a frightful desert, which held us
twenty-three days' march. "We furnished ourselves with
some tents here, for the better accommodating ourselves in
the night ; and the leader of the caravan procured sixteen
carriages or waggons of the country, for carrying our water
or provisions ; and these carriages were our defence, every
night round our little camp : so that had the Tartars ap-
peared, unless they had been very numerous indeed, they
would not have been able to hurt us.
We may well be supposed to have wanted rest again after
this long journey ; for in this desert we neither saw house
nor tree, and scarce a bush ; though we saw abundance of
the sable hunters, who are all Tartars of the Mogul Tartary,
of which this country is a part ; and they frequently attack
small caravans, but we saw no numbers of them together.
After we had passed this desert, we came into a country
pretty well inhabited ; we found towns and castles, settled by
the Czar of Muscovy, with garrisons of stationary soldiers, to
protect the caravans, and defend the country against the
Tartars, who would otherwise make it very dangerous tra-
velling; and his czarish majesty has given such strict orders
for the well guarding the caravans and merchants, that, if
there are any Tartars heard of in the country, detachments
of the garrison are always sent to see the travellers safe from
station to station. And thus the governor of Adinskoy, whom
I had an opportunity to make a visit to, by means of the
Scots merchant, who was acquainted with him, offered us a
ROBLN'aOl-J CBUoOE. 029
guard of fifty men, if we thought there was any danger, to
the next station.
I thought long before this, that as we came nearer to
Europe, we should find the country better inhabited, and the
people more civilized : but I found myself mistaken in both ;
for we had yet the nation of the Tongueses to pass through,
where we saw the same tokens of paganism and barbarity.
If the Tartars had their Cham Chi-Thaungu for a whole
village or country, these had idols in every hut and every
cave : besides, they worship the stars, the sun, the water, the
snow, and, in a word, everything they do not understand, and
they understand but very little ; so that every element, every
uncommon thing, sets them sacrificing. I met with nothing
peculiar myself in all this country, which I reckon was from
the desert I spoke of last at least four hundred miles, half of
it being another desert, which took us up twelve days' severe
travelling, without house or tree ; and we were obliged again
to carry our own provisions, as well water as bread. After
we were out of this desert, and had travelled two days, we
came to Janezay, a Muscovite city or station on the great
river Janezay, which, they told us there, parted Europe from
Asia.
Here I observed ignorance and paganism still prevailed,
except in the Muscovite garrisons ; all the country between
the river Oby and the river Janezay is as entirely pagan, and
the people as barbarous, as the remotest of the Tartars ; nay,
as any nation, for aught I know, in Asia or America.
From this river to the great river Oby, we crossed a wild
uncultivated country, barren of people and good management,
otherwise it is in itself a most pleasant, fruitful, and agreeable
country. What inhabitants we found in it are all pagans,
except such as are sent among them from Eussia : for this is
the country — I mean on both sides the river Oby — whither
the Muscovite criminals that are not put to death are banished,
and from whence it is next to impossible they should ever
get away.
I have nothing material to say of my particular. affairs till
I came to Tobolski, the capital city of Siberia, where I con-
tinued some time on the following account.
We had now been almost seven months on our journey,
and winter began to come on apace ; whereupon my partner
330 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
and I called a council about our particular affairs, in which
we found it proper, as we were bound for England, and not
for Moscow, to consider how to dispose of ourselves. They
told us of sledges and reindeer to carry us over the snow in
the winter time ; and, indeed, they have such things that it
would be incredible to relate the particulars of, by which
means the Russians travel more in winter than they can in
summer, as in these sledges they are able to run night and
day ; the snow, being frozen, is one universal covering to
nature, by which the hills, vales, rivers, and lakes are all
smooth and hard as a stone, and they run upon the surface,
without any regard to what is underneath.
But I had no occasion to urge a winter journey of this
kind ; I was bound to England, not to Moscow, and my route
lay two ways : either I must go on as the caravan went, till I
came to Jaroslaw, and then go off west for Narva, and the
Gulf of Finland, and so on to Dantzic, where I might possibly
sell my China cargo to good advantage ; or I must leave the
caravan at a little town on the Dwina, from whence I had
but six days by water to Archangel, and from thence might
be sure of shipping either to England, Holland, or Hamburgh.
Now to go any of these journeys in the winter would have
been preposterous ; for as to Dantzic, the Baltic would have
been frozen tip, and I could not get passage ; and to go by
iand in those countries was far less safe than among the
Mogul Tartars ; likewise, to go to Archangel in October, all
the ships would be gone from thence, and even the merchants
who dwell there in summer retire south to Moscow in the
winter, when the ships are gone ; so that I could have nothing
but extremity of cold to encounter, with a scarcity of pro-
visions, and must lie in an empty town all the winter ; so
■that, upon the whole, I thought it much my better way to
let the caravan go, and make provision to winter where I
was, at Tobolski, in Siberia, in the latitude of about sixty
degrees, where I was sure of three things to wear out a cold
winter with, viz., plenty of provisions, such as the country
afforded, a warm house, with fuel enough, and excellent
company.
I had been here eight months, and a dark, dreadful winter
I thought it ; the cold so intense that I could not so much
as look abroad without being wrapped in furs, and a mask of
KUiilJNSUJN (JKUSUE.
331
fur before my face, or rather a hood, with only a hole for
breath, and two for sight : the little daylight we had was, as
we reckoned, for three months not above five hours a day,
and six at most ; only that the snow lying on the ground
continually, and the weather being clear, it was never quite
dark. Our horses were kept, or rather starved, under grounds ;
and as for our servants, whom we hired here to look after
ourselves and horses, we had, every now and then, their
fingers and toes to thaw and take care of, lest they should
mortify and fall off.
It was now March, the days grown considerably longer,
and the weather at least tolerable ; so the other travellers
began to prepare sledges to carry them over the snow, and
to get things ready to be going; but my measures being
fixed for Archangel, and not for Muscovy or the Baltic, I
made no motion ; knowing very well that the ships from the
south do not set out for that part of the world till May or
June, and that if I was there by the beginning of August, it
would be as soon as any ships would be ready to go away ;
and therefore I made no haste to be gone, as others did : in
a word, I saw all the travellers go away before me. It seems
every year they go from thence to Muscovy for trade, to
carry furs, and buy necessaries, which they bring back with
them to furnish their shops : also others went on the same
errand to Archangel ; but then they all being to come back
again above eight hundred miles, went out before me.
It was the beginning of June when I left this remote place ;
a city, I believe, little heard of in the world ; and, indeed,
it is so far out of the road of commerce, that I know not how
it should be much talked of. We were now reduced to a
very small caravan, having only thirty-two horses and camels.
We had here the worst and the largest desert to pass
over that we met with in our whole journey; I call it
the worst, because the way was very deep in some places,
and very uneven in others ; the best we had to say for it
was, that we thought we had no troops of Tartars or robbers
to fear, and that they never came on this side the river Oby,
or at least very seldom ; but we found it otherwise.
We had just entered Europe, having passed the River Kama,
which in these parts is the boundary between Europe and
Asia, and the first city on the European side was called Soloy
332 ROBINSON CRUSOE,
Kamskoi, which is as much as to say, the great city on the
Eiver Kama ; and here we thought" to see some evident alte-
ration in the people ; but we were mistaken ; for as we had
a vast desert to pass, which is near seven hundred miles long
in some places, but not above two hundred miles over where
we passed it, so, till we came past that horrible place, we found
very little difference between that country and the Mogul
Tartary. The people are mostly pagans, and little better than
the savages of America ; their houses and towns full of idols,
and their way of living wholly barbarous, except in the cities,
and the villages near them, where they are Christians of the
Greek Church.
A. few days more we came to Veuslima upon the Eiver
Wirtzogda, and running into the Dwina. We were there,
very happily, near the end of our travels by land, that river
being navigable, in seven days' passage, to Archangel. From
hence, we came to Lawrenskoy, the 3rd of July ; and pro-
viding ourselves with two luggage boats, and a barge for our
own convenience, we embarked the 7th, and arrived all safe
at Archangel the 18th ; having been a year, five months, and
three days on the journey, including our stay of eight months
at Tobolski. We were obliged to stay at this place six weeks
for the arrival of the ships, 'and must have tarried longer, had
not a Hamburgher come in above a month sooner than any of
the English ships.
We then set sail from Archangel the 20th of August, the
same year ; and, after no extraordinary bad voyage, arrived
safe in the Elbe the 18th of September.
To conclude, having stayed near four months in Hamburgh,
I came thence by land to the Hague, where I embarked in the
packet, and arrived in London the 10th of January, 1705,
having been absent from England ten years and nine months.
And here I resolved to prepare for a longer journey than all
these, having lived a life of infinite variety seventy-two years,
and learned sufficiently to know the value of retirement, and
the blessings of ending my days in peace.
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