CRUSOE ON THE RAFT.
P- 33
THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE
BV DANIEL DEFOE
'SOUtb illustrations, ©rinteb in Colours
FROM ORIGINAL DESIGNS
LONDON
FREDERICK WARNE AND CO.
AND NEW YORK
PREFACE,
ANIEL DE FOE, the author of " Robinson Crusoe,' was
born in London, in 1661. At the age of fourteen he was
sent to school, to the Rev. Charles Morton, at Newington
Green, where he got a first-rate education. He was a
Dissenter and a devoted partizan of William III. De Foe was in
trade, it is believed, as a hosier, and about the year 1692 would have
failed for 17,000/., but that his creditors, convinced of his integrity,
allowed him to trade on his own security. However, in the year 1703,
when he had lost his royal friend and patron, King William, he was
totally ruined, and had to pay a fine of 3000/. to the Government,
for libel. From that period he became a political writer. For these
writings he underwent much persecution ; he had to stand in the
pillory and to pay fines, which twice ruined him, and he was thirteen
months in Newgate jail. The story of his release is this :—Harley,
the great minister, wrote to ask De Foe what he could do for him.
He replied, " Lord, that I may receive my sight." Queen Anne was
couched by the prayer ; he was released, and she afterwards treated
him kindly.
When nearly sixty years of age, he wrote his famous romance,
" Robinson Crusoe"—being his hundred and sixty-seventh work—
suggested, it has been supposed, by the real adventures of Alexander
iv PREFACE.
Selkirk, We are sorry to add that che ingratitude ol his own son
embittered the last hours of the life of the man who has been so pre-
eminently the friend of boys, and that he died, as he had lived, in
trouble and sorrow. But he has left the legacy of many a happy
hour to the young, in his charming story; and we believe that the
boys of Britain will give their old friend "Robinson Crusoe'' the
warmer welcome since he appears in an edition which may be slipt
into a pocket and carried forth to be read under the greenwood trees-
or lying on the hearthrug by the winter fire.
THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES
OF
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 relations were named Robinson, a very good family
in that country, and from whom I was called Robinson Kreutznaer ;
but, by the usual corruption of words in England, we are now called,
—nay we call ourselves, and write our name, Crusoe ; and so my
companions always called me.
I had two elder brothers, one of whom was lieutenant-colonel to
an English regiment of foot in Flanders, formerly commanded by the
famous Colonel Lockhart, and was killed at the battle near Dunkirk
against the Spaniards. What became of my second brother I never
knew, any more than my father and mother knew 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 law ; 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 befal me.
2 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
My father,. a wise and grave man, gave me serious and excellent
-counsel against what he foresaw was my design. He called me one
morning into his chamber, where he was confined by the gout, and
expostulated very warmly with me upon this subject: he asked me
what reasons, more than a mere wandering inclination, I had for
leaving my father's house and my native country, where I might be
well introduced, and had a prospect of raising my fortune by applica-
tion 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 ; and these things were all either too far
above me, or too far below' me ; that mine was the middle state, or
Ivhat might be called the upper station of low life, which he had
found, by long experience, was the best state in the world, the most
suited to human happiness, not exposed to the miseries and hard-
ships, the labour and sufferings of the mechanic part of mankind,
and not embarrassed with the pride, luxury, ambition, and envy of
the upper part of mankind. He told mg, I might judge of the hap-
piness of this state by this one thing, viz. that this was the state of
life which all other people envied ; that kings have frequently lamented
the miserable consequence of being born to great things, and wished
they had been placed in the middle of the two extremes, between the
mean and the great; that the wise man gave his testimony to this,
as the standard of felicity, when he prayed to have neither poverty
Ji or riches.
After this, he pressed me earnestly, and in the most affectionate
manner, not to play the young man, nor to precipitate myself into
miseries which nature, and the station of life I was born in, seemed
to have provided against ; that I was under no necessity of seeking
my bread ; that he would do well for me, and endeavour to enter me
fairly into the station of life which he had been recommending to
me ; and that if I was not very easy and happy in the world, it must
be my mere fate or fault that must hinder it; and that he should have
nothing to answer for, having thus discharged his duty in warning
me against measures which he knew would be to my hurt ; and to
close all, he told me I had my elder brother for an example, to
whom he had used the same persuasions to keep him from going
to the Low Country wars, but could not prevail, his young desires
prompting him to run into the army, where he was killed ; arid
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 should have leisure hereafter to reflect upon having
ROBINSON WISHES TO GO TO SEA.
3
neglected his counsel, when there might be none to assist in my
recovery.
I observed in this last part of his discourse, which was truly pro-
phetic, though I suppose my father did not know it to be so himself;
I gay, I observed 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, and, 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 more pleasant 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 but one voyage abroad, if
I came home again, and did not like it, I would go no more ; and f
would promise, by a double diligence, to recover that time I had lost.
This put my mother into a great passion ; she told me she knew it
would be to no purpose to speak to my father upon any such subject;
that if I would ruin myself, there was no help for me ; but I might
depend I should never have their consent to it; that for her part,
she would not have so much hand in my destruction ; and I should
never have it to say that my mother was willing when my father was
not. Though my mother refused to move it to my father, yet as I
have heard afterwards, she reported all the discourse to him, and
that my father, after showing a great concern at it, said to her, with
a sigh ; '' That boy might be happy if he would stay at home ; but
if he goes abroad, he will be the miserablest wretch that ever was
born : I can give no consent to it."
It was not till almost a year after this that I broke loose, though,
in the mean time, I continued obstinately deaf to all proposals of
settling to business, and frequently expostulated with my father and
mother about their being so .positively determined aoninst what they
4
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
knew my inclinations prompted me to. But being one day at Hull,
where I went casually, and without any purpose of making an elope-
merit at that time ; but, I say, being there, and one of my com-
panions being about to sail to London in his father's ship, and
prompting me to go with them with the common allurement of sea-
faring men, viz., that it should cost me nothing for my passage, I
consulted neither father nor mother any more, nor so much as sent
them word of it; but leaving them to hear of it as they might, with-
out asking God's blessing or my father's, without any consideration
of circumstances or consequences, and in an ill hour God knows, on
the ist of September, 1651,1 went on board a ship bound for London :
never any young adventurer's misfortunes, I believe, began sooner, or
continued longer, than mine. The ship was no sooner gotten out of
the Humber, but the wind began to blow and the waves to rise in a
most frightful manner; and, as I had never been at sea before, I
was most inexpressibly sick in body, and terrified in mind. I' began
now seriously to reflect upon what I had done, and how justly I was
overtaken by the judgment of Heaven for my wicked leaving my
father's house, and abandoning my duty ; all the good counsels of
my parents, my father's tears and my mother's entreaties, came now
fresh into my mind, and my conscience, which was not yet come to
the pitch of hardness to which it has been since, reproached me
with the breach of my duty to God and my father.
All this while the storm increased, and the sea, which I had never
been upon before, went very high, though nothing like what I have
seen many times since ; no, nor what I saw a few days after : but 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, 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 ; that I would
take his advice, and never run myself into such miseries as these any
more. Now I saw plainly the goodness of his observations about
the middle station of life, how easy, how comfortably he had lived
all his days, and never had been exposed to tempests at sea, or
troubles on shore ; and I resolved that I would, like a true repenting
prodigal, go home to my father.
These wise and sober thoughts continued 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 little inured to
THE EFFECTS OF DISOBEDIENCE.
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, clapping 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'you 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?" To make short this sad part of my
story, we went the old 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. In a word, 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. I found, indeed, some
intervals of reflection ; and the serious thoughts did, as it were,
endeavour to return again sometimes ; but I shook them off, and
roused myself from them, and applying myself to drink and com-
pany, soon mastered the return of those fits—for so I called them ;
and I had in five or six days got as complete a victory over 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 Roads ;
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 continuing contrary, viz., at south-
west, for seven or eight days, during which time a great many ships
from Newcastle came into the same roads, as the common harbour
where the ships might wait for a wind for the river.
6
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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. However, 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 rode
forecastle in, shipped several seas, and we thought once or twice our
anchor had come home; upon which our master ordered out the
sheet-anchor ; so that we rode with two anchors ahead, and the
cables veered out to the better end.
By this time it blew a terrible storm indeed ; and now I began to
see terror and amazement in the faces even of the seamen themselves.
The master, though vigilant in the business 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, 1' Lord, be merciful to us ! we shall be
all lost ; we shall be all undone ! " and the like. During these first
hurries I was stupid, lying still in my cabin, which was in the
steerage, and cannot describe my temper: I could ill resume the first
penitence which I had so apparently trampled upon, and hardened
myself against : I thought the bitterness of death had been past;
and that this would be nothing like the first. But when the master
himself came by me, as I said just now, 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 went 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 rode near us, we found, had cut their masts by the board, being
deep laden ; and our men cried out, that a ship which rode about a
mile ahead of us was foundered. Two more ships, being driven
from their anchors, were run out of the Roads to sea, at all adven-
tures, and that with not 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
But before the wind.
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 sh/»ok the
A TERRIBLE STORM.
7
ship so much, they were obliged to cut her away also, and make a
clear deck.
Any one may judge what a condition I must be in at all this, who
was but a young sailor, and who had been in such a fright before at
but a little. But if I can express at this distance the thoughts I had
about me at that time, I was in tenfold more horror of mind upon
account of my former convictions, and the having returned from
them to the resolutions I had wickedly taken at first, than I was at
death itself; and these, added to the terror of the storm, put me
into such a condition, that I can by no words describe it. But the
worst was not come yet ; the storm continued with such fury, that
the seamen themselves acknowledged they Jjad never known a worse.
We had a good ship, but she was deep laden, and wallowed in the
sea, 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 vio-
lent, 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 when the ship would go to the bottom.
In the middle of i,he night, and under all the rest of our distresses,
one of the men that had been down on purpose to see, cried out we
had sprung a leak; another said, there was four foot water in the hold.
Then all hands were called to the pump. At that word, my heart, as
I thought, died within me, and I fell backwards upon the side of
my bed where I sat, into the cabin. However, 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 to fire a gun as a signal of distress. I, who knew nothing
what that meant, thought the ship had broke, 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 everybody had his own life to think of, no-
body minded me, or what was become of me ; but another man
stepped up to the pump, and thrusting me aside with his foot, let
me lie, thinking I had been dead ; and it was a great while before I
came to myself.
We worked on, but the water increasing in the hold, it was appa-
rent that the ship would founder ; and though the storm began to
abate a little, yet as it was not possible she could swim till we might
run into a port; so the master continued firing guns for help ; and a
light ship, who had rid it out just ahead of us, ventured a boat out
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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
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 great labour and hazard, took hold of, and we
hauled them close under our stern, and got all into their boat. It
was to no purpose for them or us, after we were in the boat, to think
of reaching 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 good to their master : so partly rowing, and partly driving,
our boat went away tp the northward, sloping towards the shore al-
most as far as Winterton Ness.
We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of our ship
before we saw her sink, and then I understood for the first time what
was meant by a ship foundering in the sea. I must acknowledge I
had hardly eyes to look up when the seamen told me she was sinking;
for from that moment they rather put me into the boat, than that I
might be said to go in, my heart was as it were dead within me,
partly with fright, partly with horror of mind, and the thoughts of
what was yet before me.
While we were in this condition, the men yet labouring at the oar
to bring the boat near the shore, we could see (when, our boat
mounting the waves, we were able to see the shore) a great many
people running along the strand, to assist us when we should come
near, but we made but slow way towards the shore, nor were we able
to reach it, till, being past the lighthouse at Winterton, the shore
falls off to the westward towards Cromer, and so the land broke off
a little the violence of the wind : here we got in, and, though not
without much difficulty, got all safe on shore, and walked afterwards
on foot to Yarmouth, where, as unfortunate men, we were used with
great humanity, as well by the magistrates of the town, who assigned
us good quarters, as by particular merchants and owners of ships,
and had money given us sufficient to carry us either to London or
back to Hull, as we thought fit.
Had I now had the sense to have gone home, I had been happy,
and my father, an emblem of our blessed Saviour's parable, had
even killed the fatted calf for me ; for hearing the ship I went away
in was cast away in Yarmouth Road, it was a great while before he
had any assurances that I was not drowned.
But my ill fate pushed me 011 now with an obstinacy that nothing
>ould resist ; and though I had several times loud calls from my
ANGER OF THE SHIP'S CAPTAIN.
9
reason, and my more composed judgment, to go home, yet I did not
obey them.
My comrade, who had helped to harden me before, and who was
the master's son, was now less forward than I; the first time he
spoke to me after we were at Yarmouth, which was not till two or
three days, for we were separated in the town to several quarters ; 1
say, the first time he saw me, it appeared his tone was altered ; and,
looking very melancholy, and shaking his head, he asked me how I
did, and telling his father who I was, and how I had come this
voyage only for a trial, in order to go farther abroad ; his father
turning to me with a very grave and concerned tone, " Young man,"
■ says he, '' 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 sea-
faring man." " Why, sir," said I, " will you go to sea no more?"
"That is another. case," said he; "it is my calling, and therefore
my duty ; but as you made this voyage for a trial, you see what a
taste Heaven has given you of what you are to expect if y6u persist;
perhaps this has all befallen us on your account, like Jonah in the
ship of Tarshish. Pray," continued he, "what are you; and on
what account did you go to sea?" Upon that I told him some of
my story ; at the end of which he burst out with a strange kind of
passion; "What had I done," says hev "that such an unhappy
wretch should come into my ship ! I wou'ld not set my foot in the
same ship with thee again for a thousand pounds." This indeed
was, as I said, an excursion of his spirits, which were yet agitated
by the sense of his loss, and was farther than he could have autho-
rity to go. However, he afterwards talked very gravely to me, ex-
horted me to go back to my father, and not tempt Providence to
my ruin ; told me I might see a visible hand of Heaven against
me; "and, young man," said he, " depend upon it, if you do noi'
go back, wherever you go, you will meet with nothing but disasters
and disappointments, till your father's words are fulfilled upon you."
We parted soon after ; for I made him little answer, and I saw
him no more ; which way he went I know not. Having some money
in my pocket, I travelled to London by land ; and there, as well
as on the road, had many struggles with myself, what course of life
I should take, 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 ; from
whence I have since often observed, how incongruous and irrational
the common temper of mankind is, especially of youth, to that
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
reason which ought to guide them in such cases, viz., that they are
not ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to repent; not ashamed of
the action for which they ought justly to be esteemed fools, but are
ashamed of the returning, which only can make them be esteemed
wise men.
In this state of life, however, I remained some time, uncertain
what measures to take, and what course of life to lead. An irresis-
tible reluctance continued to going home ; and as I stayed awhile,
the remembrance of the distress I had been in wore off; and as that
abated, the little motion I had in my desires to a return wore off
with it, till at last I quite laid aside the thoughts of it, and looked
out for a voyage.
It was my lot first of all to fall into pretty good company in
London, which does not always happen to such loose and misguided
young fellows as I then was ; the devil generally not omitting to lay
some snare for them very early ; but it was not so with me. 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 re-
solved to go again; and who taking a fancy to my conversation,
which was not at all disagreeable 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 believe, got my father, or at least my mother, to contribute so
much as that to my first adventure.
This was the only voyage which I may say was successful in all my
adventures, and which I owe to the integrity and honesty of my
friend the captain ; under whom also I got a competent knowledge
of the mathematics and the rules of navigation, learned how to keep an
account of the ship's course, take an observation, and, in short, to
understand some things that were needful to be understood by a
sailor; for, as he took delight to instruct me, I took delight to learn •
and, in a word, this voyage made me both a sailor and a merchant ;
for I brought home 5 pounds 9 ounces of gold-dust for my adventure,'
CRUSOE MADE A SLA VE.
n
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 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 unhappiest 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 ; and 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 have got 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 return-
ing our fire, and pouring in also his small shot from near two hundred
men whic'.i he had on board. However, we had not a man touched,
all our men keeping close. He prepared to attack us again, and we
to defend ourselves ; but laying us on board the next time upon our
other quarter, he entered sixty men upon our decks, who immedi-
ately fell to cutting and hacking the decks and rigging. We plied
them with small shot, half-pikes, powder-chests, and such like, and
cleared our deck of them twice. However, to cut short this me-
Idncholy part of our story, 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 belonging to the Moors,
" The usage I had there was not so dreadful as at first I apprehended,
nor was I carried up the country to the emperor's court, as the rest
of our men were, but was kept by the captain of the rover as hi?
proper prize, and made his slave, being young and nimble, and fit
for his business. At this surprising change of my circumstances,
from a merchant to a miserable slave, I was perfectly overwhelmed ;
and now 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 pass, that I could not be
12
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
worse ; that now the hand of Heaven had overtaken me, and I was
URdone without redemption. But, alas ! this was but a taste of the
misery I was to go through, as will appear in the sequel of the story.
As my new patron, or 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.
Here I meditated nothing but my escape, and what method I
might take to effect it, but found no way that had the least proba-
bility in it; nothing presented to make the supposition of it rational;
for I had nobody to communicate it to that would embark with me ;
no fellow-slave, no Englishman, Irishman, or Scotchman, there but
myself; so that for two years, though I often pleased myself with the
imagination, yet I never had the least 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, which, as I heard, was for want of money, he used,
constantly, once or twice a week, sometimes oftener, if the weather
was fair, to take the ship's pinnace, and go out into the-road a-fishing;
and, as he always took me and a young Maresco with him to row the
boat, we made him very merry, and I proved very dexterous in
catching fish \ insomuch that sometimes he would send me with a
Moor, one of his kinsmen, and the youth, the Maresco, as they
called him, to catch a dish of fish for him.
It happened one time, that going a-fishing in a stark calm morn-
sng, 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 off to sea instead of
pulling in for the shore ; and that we were at least two leagues from
the shore ; however, we got well in again, though with a great deal
of labour, and some danger ; for the wind began to blow pretty fresh
In the morning ; but particularly we were all very hungry.
But our patron, warned by this disaster, resolved to take more
care of himself for the future ; and having lying by him the long-
boat of our English ship he had taken, he resolved he would not go
a-fishing any more without a compass and some provision ; so he
HIS PLANS TO EFFECT HIS ESCAPE. 13
ordered the carpenter of his ship, who also was an English slave, 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
hale home the main-sheet; and room before for a hand or two to
stand and work the sails ; she sailed with what we call a shoulder-
of-mutton sail; and the boom gibed over the top of the cabin, which
lay very snug and low, and had in it room for him to lie, with a slave
or two, and a table to eat on, with some small lockers to put in some
bottles of such liquor as he thought fit to drink; particularly his.
bread, rice, and coffee.
We went frequently out with this boat a-fishing ; and as I was
most dexterous to catch fish for him, he never went without me. It
happened that he had appointed to go out in this boat, either for
pleasure or for fish, with two or three Moors of some distinction in
that place, and for whom he had provided extraordinarily ; and had
therefore sent on board the boat over-night a larger store of provi-
sions than ordinary; and had ordered me to get ready three fusees
with powder and shot, which were on board his ship ; for that they
designed some sport of fowling as well as fishing.
I- got all things ready as he had directed, and waited the next
morning with the boat washed clean, her ensign and pendents out,
and everything to accommodate his guests ; when by-and-by my
patron came on board alone, and told me his guests had put off
going, 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 got some fish I should bring it home to his house ;
all which I prepared to do.
This moment, my former notions of deliverance darted into my
thoughts, for now I found I was like to have a little ship at my com-
mand ; 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, whither I should steer; for anywhere to
get out of that place was my desire.
My first contrivance was to make a pretence to speak to this
'Moor, to get something for our subsistence on board ; for I told
him we must not presume to eat of our patron's bread ; he said that
was true ; so he brought a large basket of rusk or biscuit of thin?
kind, and three jars of fresh water, into the boat. I knew where my
patron's case of bottles stood, which it was evident by the make,,
were taken out of some English prize, and I conveyed them into the-
boat while the Moor was on shore, as if they had been there before
for our master ; I conveyed also a great lump of bees-wax into the
H
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
boat, which weighed above half a hundred-weight, 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 not get 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." "Yes," says he,
"I'll bring some and accordingly he brought a great leather pouch,
which held a pound and a half of powder, or rather more; 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, which was almost empty ; pouring what was in
it into another: and thus furnished with everything needful, we
sailed out of the port to fish. The castle, which is at the entrance
of the port, knew who we were, and took no notice of us ; and we
were not above a mile out of the port before we hauled in our sail,
and set us down to fish ; the wind blew from the N.N.E., which was
contrary to my desire ; for had it blown southerly, I had been sure
to have made the coast of Spain, and at least reached to' the bay of
Cadiz; but my resolutions were, blow which way it would, I would
be gone from that horrid place where I was, and leave the rest to fate.
After we had fished some time and catched nothing, for when I
had fish on my hook, I would not pull them up, that he might not
see them, I said to the Moor, " This will not do; our master will
not be thus served; we must stand farther off;" he, thinking no
harm, agreed, and, being in the head of the boat, set the sails ; and,
as I had the helm, I run the boat out near a league farther, and
then brought her to, as if I would fish, 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 surprise with my
arm under his twist, and tossed him clear overboard into the sea.
He rose immediately, for he swam like a cork, and calling to me,
begged 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
me very quickly, there being but little wind ; upon which I stepped
into the cabin, and fetching one of the fowling-pieces, I presented it
at him, and told him I had done him no hurt, and if he would be
quiet I would do him none : " But," said I, "you swim well enough
to reach to the shore, and the sea is calm ; make the best of your
way to shore, and I will do you no harm ; but if you come near the
THE ESCAPE.—XURY.
*5
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.
I could have been content to have taken this Moor with me, and
have drowned the boy, but there was no venturing to trust him.
When he was gone, I turned to the boy, whom they called Xury,
and said to him, "Xurv, if you will be faithful to me, I'll make you
a great man ; but if you will not stroke your face to be true to me, '
that is, swear by Mahomet and his father's beard, " I must throw
you into the sea too." The boy smiled in my face, and spoke so
innocently, that I could not distrust him, and swore to be faithful to
me, and go all over the world with me.
While I was in view of the Moor that was swimming, I stood out'
directly to sea with the boat, rather stretching to windward, that
they might think me gone towards the Straits' mouth (as indeed any
one that had been in their wits must have been supposed to do): for
who would have supposed we were sailed on to the southward, to the
truly Barbarian coast, where whole nations of Negroes were sure to
surround us with their canoes, and destroy us ; where we could 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, bending my course a little
towards the east, that I might keep in with the shore : and having a
fair, fresh gale of wind, and a smooth, quiet sea, I made such sail
that I believe by the next day at three o'clock in the afternoon, when
I first made the land, I could not be less than 150 miles south of
Sallee : quite beyond the Emperor of Morocco's dominions, or indeed
of any other king thereabouts, for we saw no people.
Yet such was the fright I had taken of the Moors, and the dreadful
apprehensions I had of falling into their hands, that I would not
stop, or go on shore, or come to an anchor ; the wind continuing
fair till I had sailed in that manner five days ; and then the wind
shifting to the southward, I concluded also that if any of our vessels
were in chase of me, they also would now give over ; so I ventured
to make to the coast, and came to an anchor in the mouth of a little
river, I knew not what, nor where ; neither what latitude, what
country, what nation, or what river. I neither saw, nor desired to
see any people ; the principal thing I wanted was fresh water. We
came into this creek in the evening, resolving to swim on shore as
soon as it was dark, and discover the country; but as soon as it was
quite dark, we heard such dreadful noises of the barking, roaring,
16
ROB/NSON CRUSOE.
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, Xuiy," said I, '' then I won't; but it may be
that we may see men by day, who will be as bad to us as those lions."
" Then we give them the shoot gun," says Xuiy, laughing, "make
them run wey." Such English Xury spoke by conversing among us
slaves. However, I was glad to see the boy so cheerful, and I gave
him a dram (out of our patron's case of bottles) to cheer him up;
after all, Xury's advice was good, and I took it; we dropped our
little anchor and lay still all night; I say still, for we slept none ; for
in two or three hours we saw vast great creatures (we knew not what
to call them) of many sorts, come down to the sea-shore, and run
into the water, wallowing and washing themselves for the pleasure of
cooling themselves ; and they made such hideous howlings and yell-
ings, that I never indeed heard the like.
Xury was dreadfully frighted, and indeed so was I too ; but we
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 monstrous huge and furious
beast. Xury said it was a lion, and it might be so for aught I know;
but poor Xury cried to me to weigh the anchor and row away:
" No," 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 (whatever it was) within two oars'
length, which something surprised me; however, I immediately
stepped to the cabin-door, and taking up my gun, fired at him, upon
which he immediately turned about, and swam towards the shore
again
But it is impossible to describe the horrid noises, and hideous cries
and howlings, that were raised, as well upon the edge of the shore as
higher within the country, upon the noise or report of the gun; a
thing I have some reason to believe those creatures had never heard
before : 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 the lions
and tigers ; at least we were equally apprehensive of the danger of it.
Be that as it would, we were obliged to go on shore somewhere or
other for water, for we had not a pint left in the boat; when and
where to get to it was the point. Xury said, if I would let him go
on shore with one of the jars, he would find if there was any water,
and bring some to me. I asked him why he would go? why I
should not go, and he stay in the boat? The boy answered with sf
XURY'S LOVE FOR HIS A/ASTER.
17
much affection, as made me love him ever after. Says he, " 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 I gave Xury a piece of rusk bread to
eat, and a dram out of our patron's case of bottles which I mentioned
before ; and we hauled the boat in as near the shore as we thought
was proper, 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 sa\tf
him come running towards me. I thought he was pursued by some
savage, or frighted with some wild beast, and I ran forwards towards
him to help him ; but when I came nearer to him, I saw something
hanging over his shoulders, which was a creature that he had shot,
like a hare, but different in colour, and longer legs : however, we
were very glad of it, and it was very good meat; but the great joy
that poor Xury came with, was to tell me he had found good water,
and seen no wild mans.
But we found afterwards that we need not take such pains for
water, for a little higher up the creek where we were we found the
water fresh when the tide was out, which flowed but a little way up ;
so we filled our jars, and feasted on the hare we had killed, and pre-
pared to go on our way, having seen no footsteps of any human
creature in that part of the country.
As I had been one voyage to this coast before, I knew very well
that the islands of the Canaries and the Cape de Verd islands also,
lay not far off from the coast. But as I had no instruments to take an
observation to know what latitude we were in, and not exactly know-
ing, or at least remembering, what latitude they were in, I knew not
where to look for them, or when to stand off to sea towards them ;
otherwise I might now easily have found some of these islands. 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 upon
their usual design of trade, that would relieve and take us in.
By the best of my calculation, that place where I now was must
be that country which, lying between the Emperor of Morocco's
dominions and the Negroes, lies waste and uninhabited ; the Negroes
having abandoned it, and gone farther south, for fear of the Moors;
and the Moors not thinking it worth inhabiting, by reason of its
barrenness ; and, indeed, both forsaking it because of the prodigious
numbers of tigers, lions, leopards, and other furious creatures which
harbour there '.so that the Moors use it for their hunting onlv. where
c
i8
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
they go like an army, two or three thousand men at a time: and,
indeed, for near a hundred miles together upon this coast, we saw
nothing but a waste uninhabited country by day, and heard nothing
but howlings and roarings of wild beasts by night.
Once or twice in the day-time, I thought I saw the Pico of Tene-
riffe, being the high top of the Mountain Teneriffe in the Canaries;
and had a great mind to venture out, in hopes of reaching thither;
but having tried twice, I was forced in again by contrary winds, the
sea also going too high for my little vessel; so I resolved to pursue
my first design, and keep along the shore.
Several times I was obliged to land for fresh water, after we had
left this place ; and once in particular, being early in the morning,
we came to an anchor under a little point of land, which was pretty
high ; and the tide beginning to flow, we lay still to go farther in.
Xury, whose eyes were more about him than it seems mine were, calls
softly to me, and tells me that we had best go farther off the shore ;
"for," says he, " look, yonder lies a dreadful monster on the side of
that hillock, fast asleep." I looked where he pointed, and saw a
dreadful monster indeed, for it was a terrible great lion that lay on
the side of the shore, under the shade of a piece of the hill that hung
as it were a little over him. *' Xury," says I, '' you shall go on shore
and kill him." Xury looked frighted, and said, "Me kill! he eat
me at one mouth;" one mouthful he meant. However, I said no
more to the boy, but bade him lie still, and took our biggest gun,
which was almost musket bore, and loaded it with a good charge of
powder, and with two slugs, and laid it down; then I loaded another
gun with two bullets; and the third (for we had three pieces) I loaded
with five smaller bullets. I took die best aim I could with the first
piece to have shot him into the head, but he lay so with his leg raised
a little above his nose that the slugs hit his leg about the knee, and
broke the bone. He started up, growling at first, but finding his
leg broken, fell down again ; and then got up upon three legs, and
gave the most hideous roar that ever I heard. I was a little surprised
that I had not hit him on the head ; however, I took up the second
piece immediately, and though he began to move off, fired again, and
shot him into the head, and had the pleasure to see him drop and
make but little noise, but lay struggling for life. Then Xury took
heart, and would have me let him go onshore. "Well, go, "said
I: so the boy jumped into the water, and taking a little gun in one
hand, swam to shore with the other hand, and coming close to the
creature, put the muzzle of the piece to his ear, and shot him in the
head again, which despatched him quite.
This was game indeed to us, but this was no food ; and I was
CUTTING OFF THE LIONS FOOT.
19
very sorry to lose three charges of powder and shot upon a creature
that was good for nothing to us. However, Xury said he would
have some of him ; so he comes on board, and asked me to give him
the hatchet. " For what, Xury ?" said I. " Me cut off his head,"
said he. However, Xury could not cut off his head, but he cut off a
foot, and brought it with him, and it was a monstrous great one.
I bethought myself, however, that perhaps the skin of him might
be of some value to us ; and I resolved to take off his skin if I could.
So Xury and I went to work with him ; but Xury was much the
better workman at it, for I knew very ill how to do it. Indeed, it
took us both up the whole day, but at last we got off the hide of
him, and spreading it on the top of our cabin, the sun effectually
dried it in two days' time, and it afterwards served me to lie upon.
After this stop, we made on to the southward continually for ten
or twelve days, living very sparingly on our provisions, which began
to abate very much, and going no oftener to the shore than we were
obliged to for fresh water. My design in this was, to make the
River Gambia or Senegal, that is to say, anywhere about the Cape
de Verd, where I was in hopes to meet with some European ship ;
and if I did not, I knew not what course I had to take, but to seek
for the islands, or perish there among the Negroes. I knew that all
the ships from Europe, which sailed either to the Coast of Guinea or
to Brazil, or to the East Indies, made this Cape, or those islands ;
and, in a word, I put the whole of my fortune upon this single point,
either that I must meet with some ship, or must perish.
When I had pursued this resolution about ten days longer, as I
have said, I began to see that the land was inhabited ; and in two or
three places, as we sailed by, we saw people stand upon the shore to
look at us ; we could also perceive they were quite black, and
naked. I was once inclined to have gone on shore to them ; but
Xury was my better counsellor, and said to me, "No go, no go."
However, I hauled in nearer the shore that I might talk to them,
and I found they ran along the shore by me a good way : 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 dried flesh and some corn, such as is the produce
of their country ; but we neither knew what the one nor the other was ;
c 2
20
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
however, we were willing to accept it, but how to come at it was our
next dispute, for I was not for venturing on shore to them, and they
were as much afraid of us ; but they took a safe way for us all, for they
brought it to the shore and laid it down, and went and stood a great
way off till we fetched it on board, and then came close to us again.
We made signs of thanks to them, for we had nothing to make
them amends ; but an opportunity offered that very instant to oblige
them wonderfully : for while we were lying by the shore, came two
mighty creatures, one pursuing the other (as we took it) with great
fury from the mountains towards the sea ; whether it was the male pur-
suing the female, or whether they were in sport or in rage, we could
not tell, any more than we could tell whether it was usual or strange,
but I believe it was the latter; because, in the first place, those
ravenous creatures seldom appear but in the night; and, in the
second place, we found the people terribly frighted, especially the
women. The man that had the lance or dart did not fly from them,
but the rest did ; however, as the two creatures ran directly into the
water, they did not 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 : immediately he sank down into the
water, but rose instantly, and plunged up and down, as if he was
struggling for life, and so indeed he was : he immediately made to
the shore ; but between the wound, which was his mortal hurt, and
the strangling of the water, he died just before he reached the shore.
It is impossible to express the astonishment of these poor creatures
at the noise and fire of my gun ; some of them were even ready to
die for fear, and fell down as dead with the very terror. But when
they saw the creature dead, and sunk in the water, and that I made
signs to them to come to the shore, they took heart and came, and
began to search for the creature. I found him by his blood staining
the wafer : and by the help of a rope, which I slung round him, and
gave the Negroes to haul, they dragged him on shore, and found
that it was a most curious leopard, spotted, and fine to an admirable
degree ; and the Negroes held up their hands with admiration, to
think what it was I had killed him with.
The other creature, frighted with the flash of fire and the noise of
the gun, swam on shore, and ran up directly to the mountains from
whence they came ; nor could I, at that distance, know what it was.
I found quickly the Negroes were for eating the flesh of this creature,
THE KINDLY NEGROES.
21
so I was willing to have them take it as a favour from me ; which,
when I made signs to them that they might take him, they were very
thankful for. Immediately they fell to work with him ; and though
they had no knife, yet, with a sharpened piece of wood, they took
off his skin as readily, and much more readily, than we could
have done with a knife. They offered me some of the flesh, which
I declined, making as if I would give it them ; but made signs for
the skin, which they gave me very freely, and brought me a great
deal more of their provisions, which, though I did not understand,
yet I accepted ; then I 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 made of earth, and burnt, as I supposed, in
the sun ; this they set down for me, as before, and I sent Xury on
shore with my jars, and filled them all three.
I was now furnished with roots and corn, such as it was, and
water ; and leaving my friendly Negroes, I made forward for about
eleven days more, without offering to go near the shore, till I saw
the land run out a great length into the sea, at about a distance of
four or five leagues before me ; and the sea being very calm, I kept
a large offing to make this point: at length, doubling the point, at
about two leagues from the land, I saw plainly land on the other
side, to seaward : then I concluded, as it was most certain indeed,
that this was the Cape de Verd, and those the islands called, from
thence, Cape de Verd Islands. However, they were at a great dis-
tance, and I could not well tell what I had best to do ; for if I should
be taken 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, thinking it must needs be some of his
master's ships sent to pursue us, but I knew we were gotten far
enough out of their reach. I jumped out of the cabin, and imme-
diately saw, not only the ship, but what she was, viz., a Portuguese
ship ; and, as I thought, was bound to the Coast of Guinea, for Ne-
groes. But, when I observed the course she steered, I was soon
convinced they were bound some other way, and did not design to
come any nearer to the shore : upon which I stretched out to sea as
much as I could, resolving to speak with them if possible.
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 before I could make
any signal to them. But after I had crowded to the utmost, and
22
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
began to despair, they, it seems, saw me by the help of their perspec-
tive glasses, and that it was some European boat, which, as they
supposed, must belong to some ship that was lost; so they shortened
sail to let me come up. I was encouraged with this, and as I had my
patron's ancient on board, I made a waft of it to them, for a signal
of distress, and fired a gun, both which they saw ; for they told me
they saw the smoke, though they did not hear the gun. Upon these
signals they very kindly brought to, and lay by for me ; and in about
three hours' time I came up with them.
They asked me what I was, in Portuguese, and in Spanish, and in
French, but I understood none of them ; but, at last, a 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 any one would believe, that
I was thus delivered, as I esteemed it, from such a miserable and
almost hopeless condition as I was in, and I immediately offered all
I had to the captain of the ship, as a return for my deliverance ; but
he generously told me, he would take nothing from me, but that all
I had should be delivered safe to me, when I came to the Brazils.
" For," says he, " I have saved your life on no other terms than I
would be glad to be saved myself; and it may, one time or other, be
my lot to be taken up in the same condition. Besides," said he,
"when I carry you to the Brazils, so great a way from your own
country, if I should take from you what you have, you will be starved
there, and then I only take away that life I have given. No, no,"
says he, " Seignor Inglese" (Mr. Englishman), "I will cany you
thither in charity, and those things will help to buy your subsistence
there, and your passage home again."
As he was charitable in this proposal, so he was just in the per-
formance to a tittle ; for he ordered the seamen, that none should
touch anything that I had: then he took everything into his own
possession, and gave me back an exact inventory of them, that I
might have them, even so much as my three earthen jars.
As to my boat, it was a very good one, and that he saw, and told
me he would buy it of me for his ship's use, and asked me what I
would have for it? I told him, he had been so generous to me in
everything, that I could not offer to make any price of the boat, but
left it entirely to him ; upon which he told me he would give me a note
of hand to pay me 80 pieces of eight for it at Brazil; and when it
came there, if any one offered to give more, he would make it up.
He offered me also 60 pieces of eight more for my boy Xury, which
THE GENEROUS CAPTAIN.
23
I was loth to take ; not that I was unwilling to let the captain
have him, but I was very loth 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 me this
medium, that he would give the boy an obligation to set him free in
ten years, if he turned Christian. Upon this, and Xury saying he
was willing to go to him, I let the captain have him.
We had a very good voyage to the Brazils, and I arrived in the
Bay de Todos los Santos, or All Saints' Bay, in about twenty-two
days after. And now I was once more delivered from the most
miserable of all conditions 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 me for my passage, gave me
twenty ducats for the leopard's skin, and forty for the lion's skin,
which I had in my boat, and caused everything I had in the ship to
be punctually delivered to me ; and what I was willing to sell he
bought of me, such as the case of bottles, two of my guns, and a
piece of the lump of bees-wax—for I had made candles of the rest:
in a word, I made about 220 pieces of eight of all my cargo : and
with this stock, I went on shore in the Brazils.
I had not been long here, before I was recommended to the house
of a good, honest man, like himself, who had an itigenio, as they call
it (that is, a plantation and a sugar-house). I lived with him some
time, and acquainted myself, by that means, with the manner of
planting and 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, I would turn planter among them, resolving,
jn the meantime, to find out some way to get my money, which I
}ad left in London, remitted to me. To this purpose, getting a
kind of letter of naturalization, I purchased as much land that was
uncured as my money would reach, and formed a plan for my plan-
tation and settlement; such a one as might be 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. I call him my neighbour, because his plantation lay next to
mine, and we went on very sociably together. My stock was but
low, as well as his ; and we rather planted for food thati anything
else, for about 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;
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
and now I found, more than before, I had done wrong in parting
with my boy Xury.
But, alas ! for me to do wrong that never did right, was no great
wonder. I had no remedy but to go on : I had got into an employ-
ment 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 was, in some degree, settled in my measures for carrying on the
plantation, before my kind friend, the captain of the ship that took
me up at sea, went back ; for the ship remained there, lading, and
preparing for his voyage, nearly three months ; when, telling him what
little stock I had left behind me in London, he gave me this friendly
and sincere advice:—"Seignor Inglese," says he (for so he always
called me), "if you will give me letters, and a procuration here in form
to me, with orders to the person who has your money in London, to
send your effects to Lisbon, to such persons as I shall direct, and in
such goods as are proper for this country, I will bring you the pro-
duce of them, God willing, at my return ; but, since human affairs
are all subject to changes and disasters, 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 accordingly 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 adven-
tures—my slavery, escape, and how I had met with the Portuguese
captain at sea, the humanity of his behaviour, and what condition I
was now in, with all other necessary directions for my supply ; and
when this honest captain came to Lisbon, he found means, by some
of the English merchants there, to send over, not the order only, but
a full account of my story to a merchant at London, who represented
it effectually to her ; whereupon she not only delivered the money,
but, out of her own pocket, sent the Portugal captain a very hand-
some present for his humanity and charity to me.
The merchant in London, vesting this hundred pounds in English
goods, such as the captain had written for, sent them directly to him
at Lisbon, and he brought them all safe to me to the Brazils ; among
which, without my direction (for I was too young in my business to think
of them), he had taken care to have all sorts of tools, iron work, and
utensils, necessary for my plantation, and which were of great use to me.
CRUSOE BECOMES A PLANTER.
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 my own produce.
Neither was this all: for my goods being all English manufacture,
such as cloths, stuffs, baize, and things particularly valuable and
desirable in the country, I found means to sell them to a very great
advantage ; so that I might say, I had more than four times the
value of my first cargo, and was now infinitely beyond my poor neigh-
bour—I mean in the advancement of my plantation ; for the first thing
I did, I bought me a negro slave, and an European servant also—I
mean another besides that which the captain brought me from Lisbon,
To come by the just degrees, to the particulars of this part of my
story :—Having now lived almost four years in the Brazils, and be-
ginning to thrive and prosper very well upon my plantation, 1 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 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 a?
beads, toys, knives, scissors, hatchets, bits of glass, and the like, not
only gold dust, Guinea grains, elephants' teeth, &c., but Negroes, for
the service of the Brazils, in great numbers.
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 Assientos, or 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 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 secresy, they told me that they had a mind to fit out a ship to go to
Guinea ; that they had all plantations as well as I, and were straitened
for nothing so much as servants ; that 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 nrivately, and divide them among their
26
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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-o^
the Negroes, without providing any part of the stock.
This was a fair proposal, it must be confessed, 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 con-
siderable, 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, and
with that little addition, could scarce have failed of being worth three
or four thousand pounds sterling, and that increasing too ; for me to
think of such a voyage was the most preposterous thing that ever
man in such circumstances could be guilty of.
But I, that was born to be my own destroyer, could no more resist
the offer than I could restrain my first rambling designs when my
father's good counsel was lost upon me. In a word, I told them I
would go with all my heart, if they would undertake to look after my
plantation in my absence, and would dispose of it to such as I should
direct, if I miscarried. This they all engaged to do, and entered into
writings or covenants to do so ; and I made a formal will disposing of
my plantation and effects in case of my death, making the captain of
the ship that had saved my life, as before, my universal heir, but ob-
liging him to dispose of my effects as I had directed in my will, one-half
of the produce being to himself, and the other to beshipped to England.
In short, I took all possible caution to preserve my effects, and to
keep up my plantation ; had I used half as much prudence to have
looked into my own interest, and have made a judgment of what I
ought to have done and not to have done, I had certainly never gone
away from so prosperous an undertaking, and gone upon a voyage
to sea, Attended with all its hazards.
But I was hurried on, and obeyed blindly the dictates of my fancy
rather than my reason ; and, accordingly, the ship being fitted out,
and the cargo furnished, and all things done, as by agreement, by
my partners in the voyage, I went on board in an evil hour, the ist
of September, 1659, being the same day eight years that I went from
my father and mother at Hull.
Our ship was about 120 tons burden, carried 6 guns, and 14 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, espe-
Cially little looking-glasses, knives, scissors, hatchets and the like.
THE VOYAGE TO GUINEA.
2 7
The same day I went on board we set sail, standing away to the
northward upon our own coast, with design to stretch over for the
African coast when we came about ten or twelve degrees of northern
latitude, which, it seems, was the manner of their course in those
days. We had very good weather, only excessively hot, all the way
upon our own coast, till we came to the height of Cape St. Augus-
tino ; from whence, keeping further off at sea, we lost sight of land,
and steered as if we were bound for the isle Fernando de Noronha,
holding our course N.E. by N., and leaving those isles on the east.
In this course we passed the line in about twelve days' time, and
were, by our last observation, in 7 degrees 22' northern latitude,
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 to-
gether 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 over-
board. About the twelfth day, the weather abating a little, the
master made an observation as well as he could, and found that he
was in about n° north latitude, but that he was 220 of longitude
difference west from Cape St. Augustino ; so that he found he was
upon the coast of Guiana, or the north part of Brazil, beyond the
river Amazon, towards that of the river Oroonoque, commonly
called the Great River ; and began to consult with me what course
he should take, for the ship was leaky, and very much disabled, and
he was going directly back to the coast of Brazil.
I was positively against that ; and looking over the charts of the
sea-coasts of America with him, we concluded there was no in-
habited country for us to have recourse to, till we came within the
circle of the Caribbee Islands, and therefore resolved to stand away
for Barbadoes, which, by keeping off at sea, to avoid the indraft of
the Bay or Gulf of Mexico, we might easily perform, as we hoped,
in about fifteen days' sail; whereas we could not possibly make our
voyage to the coast of Africa without some assistance both ■ to our
ship and to ourselves.
With this design we changed our course, and steered away N.W.
by W., in order to reach some of our English islands, where I hoped
for relief ; but our voyage was otherwise determined ; for, being in
the latitude of 12 deg. 18 min. a second storm came upon us, which
carried us away with the same impetuosity westward, and drove us
so out of the very way of all human commerce, that, had all our
lives been saved as to the sea, we were rather in danger of beirnz
devoured by savages than ever returning to our countnc
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 ran
out of the cabin to look out, in hopes of seeing whereabouts in the
world we were, than the ship struck upon a sand, and in a moment,
her motion being so stopped, the sea broke over her in such a man-
ner, that we expected we should all have perished immediately ; 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 any one who has not been in the like condition
to describe or conceive the consternation of men in such circum-
stances : we knew nothing where we were, or upon what land it
was we were driven, whether an island or the main, whether in-
habited or not inhabited ; and as the rage of the wind was still
great, though rather less than at first, we could not so much as hope
to have the ship hold many minutes without breaking in pieces,
unless the winds, by a kind of miracle, should turn immediately
about. In a word, we sat looking upon one another, and expecting
■death every moment, and every man, acting accordingly, as pre-
paring for another world ; for there was little or nothing more for
us to do in this ; that which was our present comfort, and all the
comfort we had, was that, contrary to our expectation, the ship did
not break yet, and that the master said the wind began to abate.
Now, though we thought that the wind did a little abate, yet the
ship having thus struck upon the sand, and sticking too fast for us
to expect her getting off, we were in a 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
piace, 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 eveiy minute, and some told us she was actually broken
already.
In this distress, the mate of our vessel lays hold of the boat, and
with the help of the rest of the men, they got her slung over the
ship's side ; and getting all into her, let go, and committed ourselves,
being eleven in number, to God's mercy and the wild sea ; for though
the storm was abated considerably, yet the sea went dreadfully high
upon the shore, and might be well called den wild zee, as the Dutch
call the sea in a storm.
And now our caee was very dismal indeed ; for we all saw plainly,
that the sea went so high that the boat could not live, and that we
THE SHIPWRECK.
29
should be inevitably drowned. As to making sail, we had none, nor,
if we had, could we have done anything with it; so we worked at She
oar towards the land, though with heavy hearts, like men going to
execution ; 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 destruc-
tion with our own hands, pulling as well as we could towards land.
What the shore was, whether rock or sand, whether steep or shoal,
we knew not; the only hope that could rationally give us the least
shadow of expectation, was, if we might find some bay or gulf, or the
mouth of some river, where by great chance we might have run our
boat in, or got under the lee of the land, and perhaps made smooth
water. But there was nothing of this appeared ; but as we made nearer
and nearer the shore, the land looked more frightful than the sea.
After we had rowed or rather driven about a league and a half, as
we reckoned it, a raging wave, mountaiit-like, came rolling astern of
us, and plainly bade us expect the coup de grace. In a word, it took
us with such a 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 sunk 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 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 endeavoured
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 impos-
sible 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 20 or 30
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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
might. I was ready to burst with holding my breath, when, as I felt
myself rising up, so, to my immediate relief, I found my head and
hands shoot out above the surface of the water ; and though it was
not two seconds of time that I could keep myself so, yet it relieved me
greatly, gave me breath and new courage. I was covered again with
water a good while, but not so long but I held it out; and, finding the
water had spent itself and began to return, I struck forward against
the return of the waves, and felt ground again with my feet. I stood
still a few moments to recover breath and till the waters went from
me, and then took to my heels and ran, with what strength I had,
further 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 carried forwards as before, the
shore being very flat.
The last time of these two had well-near 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 it left me
senseless, and indeed helpless, as to my own deliverance; for the blow
taking my side and breast, beat the breath, as it were, quite out of
my body ; and had it returned again immediately, I must have been
strangled in the water ; but I recovered a little before the return of
the waves, and seeing I should 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 afterwards, or any sign of them, except three of their hats, one
esp, and two shoes that were not fellows.
A STRANGE RESTING-PLACE. 31
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 con-
dition, 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, in a word, I had a dreadful deliverance: for I was wet, had
no clothes to shift me, nor anything either to eat or drink to comfort
me ; neither did I see any prospect before me, but that of perishing
with hunger, or being devoured by wild beasts ; and that which was
particularly afflicting to me was, that I had no weapon, either to hunt
and kill any creature for my sustenance, or to defend myself against
any other creature that might desire to kill me for theirs; in a word, I
had nothing about me but a knife, a tobacco-pipe, and a little tobacco
in a box ; this was all my provisions ; and this threw me into terrible
agonies of mind, that for a while, I ran about like a madman. Night
coming upon me, I began, with a heavy heart, to consider what would
be my lot if there were any ravenous beasts in that country, 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, 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 drank, and
put a little tobacco in my mouth to prevent hunger, I went to the
tree, and getting up into it, endeavoured to place myself so that if I
should sleep I might not fall; and having cut me a short stick, like
a truncheon, for my defence, I took up my lodging, and having been
excessively fatigued, I fell fast asleep, and slept as comfortably as, I
believe, few could have done in my condition, and found myself th<f.
most refreshed with it that 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 rage 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 which I at first mentioned, where
I had been so bruised by the dashing me against it. This being
within about a mile from the shore where I was, and the ship seeming
to stand upright still, I wished myself on board, that at least I might
save some necessary things for my use.
When I came down from my apartment in the tree, I looked about
me again, and the first thing I found was the boat, which lay as the
32
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
wind and the sea had tossed her, up upon the land, about two miles
on my right hand ; I walked as far as I could upon the shore to have
got to her ; but found a neck or inlet of water between me and the
boat which was about half a mile broad; so I came back for the
present, being more intent upon getting at the ship, where I hoped
to find something for my present subsistence.
A little after noon, I found the sea very calm, and the tide ebbed
so far out that I could come within a quarter of a mile of the ship;
and here I found a fresh renewing of my grief; for I saw evidently,
that if we had kept on board, we had been all safe, that is to say, we
had all got safe on shore, and I had not been so miserable as to be
left entirely destitute of all comfort and company as I now was ; this
forced tears to my eyes again ; but as there was little relief in that, I
resolved, if possible, to get to the ship; so I pulled off my clothes, for
the weather was hot to extremity, and took the water; but when I
came to the ship, my difficulty was still greater to know how to get
on board, for, as she lay aground, and high ofit of the water, there
was nothing within my reach to lay hold of. I swam round her twice,
and the second time I spied a small piece of rope, which I wondered
I did not see at first, hang down by the fore-chains so low, as that
with great difficulty I got hold of it, and by the help of that rope got
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, or rather earth, that her stern
lay lifted up upon the bank, and her head 'aw, almost to the watev;
by this means all her quarter was free, and all that was in that part
was dry; for you may be sure my first work was to search, and to see
what was spoiled and what was free ; and first, I found that all the
ship's provisions were dry and untouched by the water, and being
very well disposed to eat, I went to the bread-room and filled my
pockets with biscuit, and eat it as I went about other things, for I had
no time to lose. I also found some rum in the great cabin, of which
I took a large dram, and which I had, indeed, need enough of to
spirit me for what was before me. Now I wanted nothing but a boat
to furnish myself with many things which I foresaw would be very
necessary to me.
It was in vain to sit still and wish for what was not to be had ; and
this extremity roused my application. We had several spare yards,
and two or three large spars of wood, and a spare 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 everyx
one with a rope, that they might not drive away. When this was
Bone, I went down the ship's side, and pulling them to me, I tied
CRUSOE MAKES A RAFT.
33
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 a 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 b
laid upon it from the surf of the sea : but I was not long considering
this, I first laid all the planks or boards upon it that I could get, and
having considered well what I most wanted, I first 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 provisions,
viz., bread, rice, three Dutch cheeses, five pieces of dried goat's flesh
(which we lived much upon), and a little remainder of European
corn), which had been laid by for some fowls which we brought to
sea with us, but the fowls were killed ; there had been some barley
and wheat together, but, to my great disappointment, I found after-
wards that the rats had eaten or spoiled it all; as for liquors, I found
several cases of bottles belonging to our skipper, in which were some
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 no room for them. While I was doing this, I found the
tide began to flow, though very calm ; and I had the mortification to
see my coat, shirt, and waistcoat, which I had left on the shore, upon
the sand, swim away ; as for my breeches, which were only linen, and
open-knee'd, I swam on board in them and my stockings ; however,
this set me on rummaging for clothes, of which I found enough, but
took no more than I wanted for present use, for I had other things
which my eye was more upon—as, first, tools to work with on shore ;
and it was after long searching that I found out the carpenter's chest,
which was, indeed, a very useful prize to me, and much more valu-
able than a ship-load 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. I knew there were three barrels of powder in
the ship, but knew not where our gunner had stowed them ; but
D
34
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
with much search I found them, two of them dry and good, the
third had taken water ; 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, nor
rudder; and the least cap-full of wind would have overset all my
navigation.
I had three encouragements : ist, 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 having found two or three broken
oars belonging to the boat—and, besides the tools which were in the
•chest, I found 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 open-
ing 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 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,
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 of tide running up. I looked on both
sides for a proper place to get to shore, for I was not willing to be
driven too high up the river, hoping, in time, to see some ship at sea,
and therefore resolved to place myself as near the coast as I could.
At length I spied a little cove on the right shore of the creek, to
which, with great pain and difficulty, I guided my raft, and at last
got so near, as that, reaching ground with my oar, I could thrust her
directly in ; but here I had liked to have dipped all my cargo into
the sea again ; for that shore lying pretty steep, that is to say,
sloping, there was no place to land, but where one end of my float)
CRUSOE CHOOSES A PLACE FOR HIS HOUSE. 35
if it ran on shore, would lie so high, and the other sink lower, as
before, that it would endanger my cargo again ; all that I could do,
was to wait till the tide was at the highest, keeping the raft with my
oar like an anchor, to hold the side of it fast to the shore, near a flat
piece of ground, which I expected the water would flow over ; and
so it did. As soon as I found water enough, for my raft drew about
a foot of water, I thrust her on upon that flat piece of ground, and
there fastened or moored her, by sticking my two broken oars into
the ground, one on one side, near one end, and one on the other
side, near the other end ; and thus I lay till the water ebbed away,
and left my raft and all my cargo safe on shore.
My next work was to view the country, and seek a proper place
for my habitation, and where to stow my goods to secure them from
whatever might happen ; where I was, I yet knew not; whether on
the continent or on an island ; whether inhabited or not inhabited ;
whether in danger of wild beasts or not. There was a hill not above
a mile from me, which rose up very steep and high, and which
seemed to overtop some other hills, which lay as in a ridge from it,
northward; I took out one of the fowling-pieces, and one of the
pistols, and a horn of powder, and thus armed, I travelled for dis-
covery up to the top of that hill, where, after I had with great labour
and difficulty got to the top, I saw my fate, to my great affliction ;
viz., that I was in an island environed every way with 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, as I saw
good reason to believe, uninhabited except by wild beasts, of whom,
however, I saw none ; yet I saw abundance of fowls, but knew not
their kinds ; neither when I killed them could I tell what was fit for
food, and what not. At my coming back, I shot at a great bird which
I saw sitting upon a tree on the side of a great wood ; I believe it
was the first gun that had been fired there since the creation of the
world. - I had no sooner fired, than from all parts of the wood there
arose an innumerable number of fowls of many sorts, making a con-
fused screaming and crying, and every one according to his usual
note, but not one of them of any kind that I knew ; as for the crea-
ture I killed, I took it to be a kind of hawk, its colour and beak re-
sembling 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 c'argo 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
rx <a
36
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
some wild beast might devour me, though, as I afterwards found,
there was really no need for those fears. However, as well as I
could, I 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, ex-
cept 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 possi-
ble ; 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: then I called a
council—that is to say, in my thoughts—whether I should take back
the raft; but this appeared impracticable: so I resolved to go as
before, when the tide was down, and I did so, only that I stripped
before I went from my hut, having nothing on but a chequered shirt,
a pair of linen drawers, and a pair of pumps on my feet.
I got on board the ship as before, and prepared a second raft;
and, having had experience of the first, I neither made this so un-
wieldy, nor loaded it so hard, but yet I brought away several 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 grind-
stone ; all these I secured, together with several things belonging to
the gunner, particularly two or three iron crows, and two barrels oi
musket bullets, seven muskets, another fowling-piece, with some
small quantity of powder more ; a large bag full of small shot, and
a great roll of sheet-lead ; but this last was so heavy, I could not hoist
it up to get it over the ship's side.
Besides these things, I took all the men's clothes that I could find,
and a spare fore-top sail, 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 apprehensions 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 com-
posed and unconcerned, and looked full in my face, as if she had a
mind to be acquainted with me ; I presented my gun at her, but, as
she did not understand it, she was perfectly unconcerned at it, nor
THE TENT AND ITS CONTENTS.
37
did she offer to stir away ; upon which I tossed her a bit of biscuit,
though, by the way, I was not very free of it, for my store was not
great: however, I spared her a bit, I say, and she went to it, smelled
at it, and 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 fain to open
the barrels of powder, and bring them by parcels (for they were too
heavy, being large casks), I went to work to make me a little tent,
with the sail, and some poles which I cut for that purpose ; and into
this tent I brought everything that I knew would spoil either with
rain or sun, and I piled all the empty chests and casks up in a circle
round the tent, to fortify it from any sudden attempt, either from
man or beast.
When I had done this, I blocked up the door of the tent with
some boards within, and an empty chest set up on end without ; and
spreading one of the beds upon the ground, laying my two pistols just
at my head, and my gun at length by me, I went to bed for the first
time, and slept very quietly all night, for I was very weary and heavy ;
for the night before I had slept little, and had laboured very hard all
day, as well to fetch all those things from the ship, and to get them
on shore.
I had the biggest magazine of all kinds now that ever was laid up,
I believe, for one man : but I was not satisfied still, for while the ship
sat i/pright in that posture, I thought I ought to get everything out of
her that I could : so every day at low water I went on board, and
brought away something or other ; but particularly the third time I
went, I brought away as much of the rigging as I could, as also 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 : in a word, I brought away all the sails first and last;
only that I was fain to cut them in pieces, and bring as much at a
time as I could, for they were no more useful to be sails, but as mere
canvas only.
But that which comforted me more still, was, that last of all, after I
had made five or six such voyages as these, and thought I had nothing
more to expect from the ship that was worth my meddling with ; I say,
after all this, I found a great hogshead of bread, three large runlets
of rum, or spirits, and a box of sugar, and a barrel of fine flour : this
was surprising to me, because I had given over expecting any more
provisions, except what was spoiled by the water ; I soon emptied the
hogshead of that bread, and wrapped it up, parcel by parcel, in pieces
of the sails, which I cut out ; and, in a word, I got all this safe oil
shore also.
38
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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; and 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 had
entered the little cove where I had landed the rest of my goods, not
being able to guide it so handily as I did the other, it overset, and
threw me and all my cargo into the water. As for myself, it was no
great harm, for I was near the shore ; but as to my cargo, it was a
great part of it lost, especially the iron, which I expected would have
been of great use to me : however, when the tide was out, I got most
of the pieces of cable ashore, and some of the iron, though with infi-
nite labour; for I was fain to dip for it into the water, a work which
fatigued me very much. After this, I went every day on board, and
brought away what I could get.
I had been now 13 days on shore, and had been 11 times on board
the ship, in which time I had hrought away all that one pair of hands
could well be supposed capable to bring ; though I believe verily, had
the calm weather held, I should have brought away the whole ship,
piece by piece ; but preparing the twelfth time to go on board, I found
the wind began to rise : however, at low water I went on board, and
though I thought I had rummaged the cabin so effectually, as that
nothing more could be found, yet I discovered a locker with drawers
in it, in one of which I found two or three razors, and one pair of
large scissors, with some ten or a dozen of good knives and forks :
in another I found about thirty-six pounds 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 thee—even remain where thou art, and go
to the bottom, as a creature whose life is not worth saving." However,
upon second thoughts, I took it away, and, wrapping all this in a
piece of canvas, I began to think of making another raft ; but while
I was preparing this, I found the sky overcast, and the wind began
to rise, and in a quarter of an hour it blew a fresh gale from the shore.
It occurred to me, that it was in vain to pretend to make a raft with
the wind off shore ; and that it was my business to begone before the
tide of flood began, otherwise I might not be able to reach the shore
USELESS RICHES.
39-
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 the roughness of the water; for the wind rose
very hastily, and before it was quite high water it blew a storm.
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 ! I was a little surprised, but recovered myself with the satis-
factory reflection, viz., that I had lost no time, nor abated any dili-
gence, to get everything out of her that could be ueoful to me ; and
that, indeed, there was little left in her that I was able to bring away,
if I had had more time.
I now gave over any more thoughts of the ship, or of anything out
of her, except what might drive on shore from her wreck; as, indeed,
divers pieces of her afterwards did; but those things were of small
use to me.
My thoughts were now wholly employed about securing myself
against either savages (if any should appear), or wild beasts, if any
were in the island ; and I had many thoughts of the method how to
do this, and what kind of dwelling to make ; whether I should make
me a cave in the earth, or a tent upon the earth ; and, in short, I re-
solved upon both, of the manner and description of which, it may not
be improper to give an account.
I soon found the place I was in was not for my settlement, because
it was upon a low, moorish ground, near the sea, and 1 believed
would not be wholesome, and more particularly because there was
no fresh water near it; so I resolved to find a more healthy and
convenient spot of ground.
I consulted several things in my situation, which I found would be
proper for me : ist, health and fresh water, I just now mentioned;
2ndly, shelter from the heat of the sun; 3rdly, security from ravenous
creatures, whether man or beast; 4thly, a view to the sea, that if God
sent any ship in sight, I might not lose any advantage for my delive-
ranee, of which I was not willing to banish all my expectation yet.
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 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 hundred yards broad, and
*o
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 grounds
by the sec-side. It was on the N.N. W. side of the hill, so that I
was sheltered from the heat every day, till it came to a W. and by S.
sun, or thereabouts, which, in those countries, is near the setting.
Before I set up my tent I drew a half-circle before the hollow place,
which took in about ten yards in its semi-diameter, from the rock, and
twenty yards in its diameter, irom its beginning and ending.
In this half-circle I pitched two rows of strong stakes, driving them
into the ground till they stood very firm like piles, the biggest end being
out of the ground above five feet and a half, and sharpened on the top;
,'he two rows did not stand above six inches from one another.
Then I took the pieces of cable which 1 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 them, about two feet and a half high, like a spur to a
post; and this fence was so strong, that neither man nor beast could
get into it 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, 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 consequently slept secure in the
night, which otherwise I could not have done; though, as it appeared
afterwards, there was no need of all this caution 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, 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 was indeed a very
good one, and belonged to the mate of the ship.
Into this tent I brought all my provisions, and everything that
would spoil by the wet; and having thus enclosed all my goods, 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
CRUSOE BEGINS MAKING A CAVE.
4i
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 afcer that, a great
clap of thunder, as is naturally the effect of it. I was not so much
surprised with the lightning, as I was with a thought which darted
into my mind as swift as the lightning itself—O my powder! my
very heart sank within me when I thought that, at one blast, all my
powder might be destroyed ; on which, not my defence only, but the
providing my food, as I thought, entirely depended : I was nothing
near so anxious about my own danger, though had the powder took
fire, I had never known who had hurt me.
Such impression did this make upon me, that after the storm was
over, I laid aside all my works, my building and fortifying, and
applied myself to make bags and boxes, to separate the powder, and
to keep it a little and a little in a parcel, in the 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 240 pounds weight, was divided in .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 most difficult thing in the world to come at them ; but I
was not discouraged at this, not doubting but I might now and then
shoot one, as it soon happened ; for after I had found their haunts a
little, I laid wait in this manner for them : I observed if they saw me
in the valleys, though they were upon the rocks, they would run
away as in a terrible fright; but if they were feeding in the valleys,
42
J? OB INS ON CRUSOE.
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 frequently a fair
martc. 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 eat 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 burn ; and what I did
for that, and also how I enlarged my cave, and what conveniences I
made, I shall give a full account of in its place.
And now being to enter into a melancholy relation of a scene of
silent life, such, perhaps, as was never heard of in the world before,
I shall take it from its beginning, and continue it in its order. It
was, by my account, the 30th of September, when, in the manner as
above said, I first set foot upon this horrid island, when the sun,
being to us in its autumnal equinox, was almost just over my head :
for I reckoned myself, by observation, to be in the latitude 9 deg. 22
min. north of the line.
After I had been there about ten or twelve days, it came into my
thoughts that I should be losing 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 lqng 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
which I brought out of the ship, in the several voyages which, as
above mentioned, I made to it, I got several things of less value, but
not at all less useful to me, which I omitted setting down before ; as,
in particular, pens, ink, and paper; several parcels in the captain's,
CRUSOE SETS UP A CROSS ON THE SEASHORE. 43
mate's, gunner's, and carpenter's keeping ; three or four compasses,
some mathematical instruments, dials, perspectives, 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 Portuguese books also; and, among them, two or
three Popish prayer-books, and several other books, all which I
carefully secured. And I must not forget, that we had in the ship a
dog, and two cats, of whose eminent history I may have occasion to
say something in its place ; for I carried both the cats with me ; and
as for the dog, he jumped out of the ship 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 me.
I only wanted to have him talk to me, but that would not do. As I
observed before, I found pens, ink, and paper, and I husbanded
them to the utmost; and I shall show that while my ink lasted, I
kept things very exact, but after that was gone I could not, for I
could not make any ink by any means that I could devise.
And this put me in mind that I wanted many things, notwith-
standing 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 bringing home ; so that I spent some-
times two days in cutting and bringing home one of those posts, and
a third day in driving it into the ground ; for which purpose, I got
a heavy piece of wood at first, but at last bethought myself of one
of the iron crows ; which, however, though I found 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 employ-
ment, if that had been over, at least that I could foresee, except the
ranging the island to seek for food, which I did, more or less, every day.
I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the circum-
stances I was reduced to; and I drew up the state of my affairs
in writing, not so much to leave them to any that were to come after
me, for I was likely to have but few heirs, as to deliver my thoughts
from daily poring upon them, and afflicting my mind: and as my
44
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
reason began now to master my despondency, I began to comfort
myself as well as I could, and to set the good against the evil, that
I might have something to distinguish my case from worse ; and I
stated very impartially, like debtor and creditor, the comforts I
enjoyed against the miseries I suffered, thus :—
Evil. Good.
I am cast upon a horrible, de- But I am alive; and not
solate island, void of all hope of drowned, as all my ship's com-
recovery. pany were.
I am singled out and separated, But I am singled out, too, from
as it were, from all the world, to all the ship's crew, to be spared
le miserable. from death ; and He that mira-
culously saved me from death,
cati deliver me from thiscondition.
I am divided from mankind— But I am not starved, and
■a solitaire; one banished from perishing on a barren place, af-
human society. fording no sustenance.
I have not clothes to cover me. But I am hi a hot climate,
where, if I had clothes, I could
hardly wear them.
I am without any defence, or But I am cast on an island
means to resist any violence of where I see no wild beasts to hurt
man or beast. 'me, as I saw on the coast of
Africa : and what if I had been
shipwrecked there ?
I have no soul to speak to or But God wonderfully sent the
relieve me. ship in near enough to the shore,
that I have got out as many neces-
sary things as will either supply
my wants or enable me to supply
myself, even as long as I live.
Upon the whole, here was an undoubted testimony, that there was
scarce any condition in the world so miserable but there was some-
tiling negative or something 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 say,
giving over these things, 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 post and cables ;
CRUSOE TRIES TO MAKE A CHAIR AND TABLE. 45
but I might now rather call it a wall, for I raised a kind of wall up
against it of turfs, about two feet thick on the outside ; and after
some time (I think it was a year and a half) I raised rafters from it,
leaning to the rock, and thatched or covered it with boughs of trees,
and such things as I could get, to keep out the rain ; which I found!
at some times of the year very violent.
I have already observed how I brought all my goods into this pale,
and into the cave which I had made behind me ; but I must observe;
too, that at first this was a confused heap of goods, which, as they
lay in no order, so they took up all my place, I had no room to turn
myself: so I set myself to enlarge my cave and work farther into
the earth ; for it was a loose sandy rock, which yielded easily to the
labour I bestowed on it; and so 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 outside 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 these I was not able to enjoy the few comforts I had in the
world ; I could not write or eat, or do several things, with so much
pleasure without a table. So I went to work ; and here I must needs
observe, that as reason is the substance and origin of the mathe-
matics, so by stating and squaring everything by reason, and by
making the most rational judgment of things, every man may be, in
time, master of every mechanic art. I had never handled a tool in?
my life ; and yet, in time, by 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
thin as a plank, and then dub it smooth with my adze. It is true,
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, as I observed above, in
the first place ; and this I did out of the short pieces of boards that
46
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
I brought on my raft from the ship; but 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, in a word, to separate every-
thing at large into their places, that I might come easily at them ; I
knocked pieces into the wall of the rock to hang my guns and all
things that would hang up : so that, had my cave been to be seen,
it looked like a general magazine of all necessary things ; and I had
everything so ready at my hand, that it was a great pleasure to me
to see all my goods in such order, and especially to find my stock of
all necessaries so great.
And now it was that I began to keep a journal of every day's
employment; for, indeed, at first, I was in too much hurry, and not
only hurry as to labour, but in too much discomposure of mind ;
and my journal would have been full of many dull things ; for
example, I must have said thus : Sept. 30th.—After I had got to
shore, and had escaped drowning, instead of being thankful to God
for my deliverance, having first vomited, with the great quantity of
salt water which had got into my stomach, and recovering myself a
little, I ran about the shore wringing my hands and beating my
head and face, exclaiming at my misery, and crying out, ' I was
undone, undone !' till, tired and faint, I was forced to lie down on
the ground to repose, but durst not sleep, for fear of being devoured."
Some days after this, and after I had been on board the ship, and
got all that I could out of her, yet I could not forbear getting up to
the top of a little mountain, and look«d out to sea, in hopes of seeing
a ship ; then fancy at a vast distance I spied a sail, please myself with
the hopes of it, and then after looking steadily, till I was almost blind,
lose it quite, and sit" down and weep like a child, and thus increase
my misery by my folly.
But having gotten over these things in some measure, and having
settled my household stuff and habitation, made me a table and a
chair, and all as handsome 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, 1639.—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.
CRUSOE BEGINS HIS JOURNAL.
47
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 i.—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 set 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, bad the men been
saved, we might perhaps have built us a boat, out of the ruins of the
ship, to have carried us to some other part of the world. I spent
great part of this day in perplexing myself on these things ; but, at
length, seeing the ship almost dry, I went upon the sand as near as I
could, and then swam on board. This day also it continued raining,
though with no wind at all.
From the ist of October to the 24th.—All these days entirely spent
in many several voyages to get all I could out of the ship, which I
brought on shore every tide of flood upon rafts. Much rain also in
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 se-
curing 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 a
semicircle for 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 30th, I worked very hard in earning all my goods
43
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
to my new habitation, though some part of the time it rained exceed-
mgly 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.
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 eat 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 employed 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, 4 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 nth was Sunday), I toolc
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, omitting my
mark for them cn my post, I forgot which was which.
Nov. 13.—This day it rained, which refreshed me exceedingly, and
CRUSOE MAKES A SPADE, ETC. 4$
cooled the earth ; but it was accompanied with terrible thunder and
lightning, which frightened me dreadfully, for fear of my powder. As
soon as it was over, I resolved to separate my stock of powder into as
many little parcels as possible, that it might not be in danger.
Nov. 14, 15, 16.—These three days I spent in making little square
chests, or boxes, which might hold about a pound, or two pounds at
most, of powder; and so, putting the powder in, I stowed it in places
as secure and remote from one another as possible. On one of these
three days, 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 conveniency. 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 ; but never was a shovel, I believe, made
after that fashion, or so long a making.
I was still deficient, for I wanted a basket, or a wheelbarrow. 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 gave 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 1 made
in vain to make a wheelbarrow, took me up no less than four days
R
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
—I mean always excepting my morning walk with my gun, which I
seldom failed, and very seldom failed also bringing home something
-fit to eat.
Nov. 23.—My other work having now stood still, because of my
making these tools, when they were finished I went on, and working
every day, as my strength and time allowed, I spent eighteen days
entirely in widening and deepening my cave, that it might hold my
goods 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 now to think my cave or vault finished,
when on a sudden (it seems I had made it too large) a great quantity
of earth fell down from the top and one side ; so much that, in short,
it 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, and got two 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. 25.—Rain all day.
Dec. 26.—No rain, and the earth much cooler than before and
pleasanter.
Dec. 27.—Killed a young goat, and lamed another so that I caught
it and led it home in a string ; when I had it at home, I bound and
splintered up its leg, which was broke. N.B.—I took such care of it
that it lived, and the leg grew well and as strong as ever ; but, by my
CRUSOE SHOOTS GOA TS AND WILD PIGEONS. 51
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 enter-
tained a thought of breeding up some tame creatures, that I might
have food when my powder and shot was all spent.
Dec. 28, 29, 30, 31.—Great heats, and no breeze, so that there was
no stirring abroad, except in the evening, for food ; this time I spent
in putting all my things in order within doors.
January 1.—Very hot still: but I went abroad early and late with
my gun, and lay still in the middle of the day. This evening, going
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, 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 na
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 scarce 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 bigger than I need to have done.
When this wall was finished, and the outside doubly-fenced, with
a turf wall raised up close to it, I peisuaded myself that if any people
were to come on shore there, they would not perceive anything like a
habitation ; and it was very well I did so, as may be observed here-
after, upon a very remarkable occasion.
During this time I made my rounds in the woods for game every
day when the rain permitted me, and made frequent discoveries in
these walks of something or other to my advantage ; 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
E 2
52
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 house-
hold 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 could never make a cask to be hooped ;
I had a small runlet or two, as I observed before ; but I could never
arrive at the capacity of making one by them, though I spent many
weeks about it; I could neither put in the heads, 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 none of
that now ; the only remedy I had was, that when I had killed a goat
I saved the tallow, and with a little dish made of clay, which I baked
in the sun, to which I added a wick of some oakum, I made me a
lamp ; and this gave me light, though not a clear steady light like a
candle. In the middle of all my labours it happened that, rummag-
ing my things, I found a little bag, which had been filled with
corn for the feeding of poultry, not for this voyage, but before, as
I suppose, when the ship came from Lisbon. The little remainder
of corn that had been in the bag was all devoured by the rats,
and I saw nothing in it but husks and dust; and being willing to
have the bag for some other use (T think it was to put powder in,
when I divided it for fear of the lightning, or some such 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 remem-
bering that I had thrown anything there, when, about a month after,
or thereabouts, I saw some few stalks of something green shooting
out of the ground, which I fancied might be some plant I had not
seen ; but I was perfectly astonished, when, after a little longer
time, I saw about ten or twelve ears come out, which were perfect
green barley, of the same kind as our English barley.
It is impossible to express the astonishment and confusion of my
thoughts on this occasion. I had hitherto acted upon no religious
foundation at all; indeed, I had very few notions of religion in my
head, nor had entertained any sense-of anything that had befallen
me, otherwise than as chance, or, 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
CRUSOE FINDS THE EARS OF BARLEY.
55
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 chicken's 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 Providence 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 1 should throw it out in that
particular place, where, it being in the shade of a high rock, it sprang
up immediately; whereas, if I had thrown it 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 their
season, which was about the end of June ; and, laying up every corn,
I resolved to sow them all again, hoping, in time, to have some
quantity, sufficient to supply me with bread. But it was not till the
fourth year that I could allow myself the least grain of 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, or
to the same purpose—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 excessive hard these three or four months to e-et my wall
54
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
done, and the 14th of April I closed it up, contriving 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 enclosure to me ; for within I had' room enough,
and nothing could come at me from without, unless it could first
mount my wall.
The very next day after this wall was finished, I had almost 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 en-
trance into my cave, I was terribly frighted with a most dreadful sur-
prising thing indeed; for, all on a sudden, I found the earth come
crumbling down from the roof of my cave, and from the edge of the
hill over my head, and two of the posts I had set up in the cave
cracked in a frightful manner: I was heartily scared, but thought
nothing of what was really the cause, only 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 was no sooner
stepped down upon the firm ground, but I plainly saw it was a
terrible earthquake, for the ground I stood on shook three times at
about eight minutes' distance, with three such shocks as would have
overturned 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 any one that had, that I was like one dead
or stupefied ; and the motion of the earth made my stomach sick,
like one that was tossed at sea; but the noise of the failing of the
rock awaked me, and rousing me from the stupefied condition I
was in, filled me with horror ; and I thought of nothing 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'
THE EARTHQUAKE AND STORM. 55
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 foam 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 ; 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 persuade me, I went in and sat
down in my tent. But the rain was so violent, that my tent was ready
to be beaten down with it; and I was forced to go into my cave,
though very much afraid lest 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 earthquake follow, I began to
be more composed. And now, to support my spirits, which indeed
wanted it very much, I went to my little store, and took a small 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 subject 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 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 swallowed 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
everything was put in order, how pleasantly concealed I was, and
56
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
.how safe from danger, it made me very loth to remove. In the
mean time, it occurred to me that it would require a vast deal of
-.time for me to do this, and 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 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 (for we carried the
hatchets for traffic with the Indians) ; but with much chopping and
cutting knotty hard wood, they were all full of notches, and dull; and
though I had a grindstone, I could not turn it and grind my tools too.
This cost me as much thought as a statesman would have bestowed
upon a grand point of politics, or a judge upon the life and death of
a man. At length, I contrived a wheel with a string, to turn it with
my foot, that I might have both my hands at liberty.
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-cake 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.
J examined the barrel which was driven on shore, and soon found it
was a barrel of gunpowder; but it had taken water, and the powder
was caked as hard as a stone : however, I rolled it farther on shore
for the present, and went on upon the sands, as near as I could to
fiie wreck of the ship, to look for more.
When I came down to the ship, I found it strangely removed ; the
forecastle, which lay before buried in sand, was heaved up at least
six feet, and the stern, which was broke in pieces and parted 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
CRUSOE CATCHES A DOLPHIN.
57
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 formerly, so many things
came daily on shore which the sea had loosened, and which the winds
ancl water rolled by degrees to the land.
This wholly diverted my thoughts from the design of removing my
habitation, and I busied myself mightily, that day especially, in
searching whether I could make any way into the ship ; but I found
nothing was to be expected of that kind, for all the inside of the ship
was choked up with sand. However, as I had learned not to despair
of anything, I resolved to pull everything to pieces that I could of the
ship, concluding that everything I could get from her would be of
some use or other to me.
May 3.—I began with my saw, and cut a piece of a beam through,
which I thought held some of the upper part or quarter-deck together,
and when I had cut it through, I cleared away the sand as well as I
could from the side which lay highest; but the tide coming in, I was
obliged to give over for that time.
May 4.—I went a-fishing, but caught not one fish that I durst eat
of, till I was weary of my sport; when, just going to leave off, I
caught a young dolphin. I had made me a long line of some rope-
yarn, but I had no hooks; yet I frequently caught fish enough, as much
as I cared to eat; all which I dried in the sun, and ate them dry.
May 5.—Worked on the wreck, cut another beam asunder, and
brought three great fir planks off from the decks, which I tied together,
and made 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, but not with an intent to work,
but found the weight of the week had broke itself down, the beams
being cut; that several pieces of the ship seemed to lie loose, and the
inside of the hold lay so open that I could see into it, but almost full
of water and 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 day.
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 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
53
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
pieces of timber, and boards, or plank, and two or three hundred-
weight of iron.
May 15.—I carried two hatchets, to try if I could not cut a piece
off the roll of lead, by placing the edge of one hatchet, and driving
it with the other ; but as it lay about a foot and a half in the water,
I could not make any blow to drjve 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 head, but too heavy for me to bring away.
May 24.—Every day, 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
that day but pieces of timber, and a hogshead, which had some Brazil
pork in it; but the salt water and the sand had spoiled it. I continued
this work every day to the 15th of June, except the time necessary to
get food, which I always appointed, during this part of my employ-
ment, to be when the tide was up, that I might be ready when it was
ebbed out; and by this time I had got timber and plank and iron-
Work enough to have built a good boat, if I had known how; and
jfso I got, at several times and in several pieces, near 100 weight of
the sheet-lead.
June 16.—Going down to the sea-side, I found a large tortoise, or
turtle ; this was the first I had seen, which, it seems, was only my
misfortune, not any defect of the place, or scarcity; for had I happened
to be on the other side of the island, I might have had hundreds of
them every day, as I found afterwards ; but perhaps had paid dear
enough for them.
June 17.—I spent in cooking the turtle. I found in her threescore
eggs ; and her flesh was to me, at that time, the most savoury and
pleasant that ever I tasted in my life, having had no flesh, but of goats
and fowls, since I landed in this horrid place.
June 18.—Rained all day, and I stayed within. I thought, at this
time, the rain felt cold, and I was something chilly; which I knew
was not usual in that latitude.
June 19.—Very ill, and shivering, as if the weather had been cold.
June 20.—No rest all night; violent pains in my head, and feverish.
June 21.—Very ill; frighted almost to death with the appre-
hensions of my sad condition—to be sick, and no help. Prayed to
CRUSOE'S TERRIBLE DREAM.
59
God, for the first time since the storm off Hull, but scarce knew what
I said, or why, my thoughts being all confused.
June 22.—A little better, but under dreadful apprehensions of
sickness.
June 23.—Very bad again, cold and shivering, and then a violent
headache.
June 24.—Much better.
June 25.—An ague very violent : the fit held me seven hours; cold
fit, and hot, with faint sweats after it.
June 26.—Better; and having no victuals to eat, took my gun,
but found myself very weak. However, I killed a she-goat, and with
much difficulty got it home, and broiled some of it, and ate. I would
fain have stewed it, and made some broth, but had no pot.
JunO 27.—The ague again so violent that I lay a-bed all day, and
neither ate nor drank. I was ready to perish for thirst; but so weak,
I had not strength to stand up, or to get myself any water to drink.
Prayed to God again, but was light-headed ; and when I was not, I
was so ignorant that I knew not what to say ; only I lay and cried,
" Lord, look upon me ! Lord, pity me ! Lord have mercy upon me !"
I suppose I did nothing else for two or three hours ; till, the fit
wearing off, I fell asleep, and did not wake till far in the night,
When I awoke, I found myself much refreshed, but weak, and ex-
ceeding thirsty. However, as I had no water in my habitation, I was
forced to lie till morning, and went to sleep again. In this second
sleep, I had this terrible dream :—I though^ that I was sitting on the
ground, on the outside of my wall, where I sat when the storm blew
after the earthquake, and that I saw a man descend from a great
black cloud, in a bright flame of fire, and light upon the ground.
He was all over as bright as a flame, so that I could but just bear to
look towards him ; his countenance was most inexpressibly dreadful,
impossible for words to describe. When he stepped upon the ground
with his feet, I thought the earth trembled, just as it had done before
in the earthquake, and all the air looked, to my apprehension, as if
it had been filled with flashes of fire. He was no sooner landed upon
the earth, but he moved forward towards me, with a long spear or
weapon in his hand, to kill me ; and when he came to a rising ground,
at some distance, he spoke to me—or I heard a voice so terrible thai
it is impossible to express the terror of it. All that I can say I un-
derstood, was this "Seeing all these things have not brought thee
to repentance, now thou shalt die —at which words, I thought he
lifted up the spear that was in his hand to kill me.
No one that shall ever read this account will expect that I should
be able to describe the horrors of my soul at this terrible
6o.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Nor is it any more possible to describe the impression that remained
upon my mind when I awaked, and found it was but a dream.
I had, alas! no divine knowledge. What I had received by the
good instruction of my father was then worn out by an uninterrupted
.series, for eight years, of seafaring wickedness, and a constant con-
versation with none but such as were, like myself, wicked and profane
to the last degree. In the relating what is already past of my story,
this will be the more easily believed, when I shall add, that through
all the variety of miseries that had to this day befallen me, I never
had so much as one thought of it being the hand of God, or that it
was a just punishment for my sin ; my rebellious behaviour against
my father—or my present sins, which were great—or so much as a
punishment for the general course of my wicked life. When I was
on the desperate expedition on the desert shores of Africa, 1 never
had so much as one thought of what would become of me, or one
wish to God to direct me whither I should go, or to keep me from
the danger which apparently surrounded me, as well from voracious
creatures as cruel savages. But I was merely thoughtless of a God
or a Providence, acted like a mere brute, from the principles of nature,
and by the dictates of common sense only, and, indeed, hardly that.
When I was delivered and taken up at sea by the Portugal captain, well
used, and dealt justly and honourably with, as well as charitably, I
had not the least thankfulness in my thoughts. When, again, I was
shipwrecked, ruined, and in danger of drowning, on this island, I
was as far from remorse, or looking on it as a judgment. I only
said to myself often, that I was an unfortunate dog, and born to be
always miserable. But now, when I began to be sick, and a leisurely
view of the miseries of death came to place itself before me; when
my spirits began to sink under the burden of a strong distemper, and
nature was exhausted with the violence of the fever ; conscience, that
had slept so long, began to awake, and I began to reproach myself
with my past life. "Now," said I aloud, "my dear father's words
are come to pass ; God's justice has overtaken me, and I have none
to help or hear me. I rejected the voice of Providence, which had
mercifully put me in a posture or station of life wherein I might have
been happy and easy ; but I would neither see it myself, nor learn to
know the blessing of it from my parents. I left them to mourn over
my folly, and now I am left to mourn under the consequences of it.
I refused their help and assistance, who would have lifted me in the
world, and would have made everything easy to me ; and now 1 have
difficulties to struggle with, too great for even nature itself to support,
and no assistance, no help, no comfort, no advice." Then I cried
out, " Lord, be my help, for I am in great distress." This was the
CRUSOE'S ILLNESS.
61
first prayer, if I may call it so, that I had made for many years. But
I return to my Journal :—
June, 28.—Having been somewhat refreshed with the sleep I had
had, and the fit being entirely off, I got up ; and though the fright
and terror of my dream was very great, yet I considered that the fit
of the ague would return again the next day, and now was my time
to get something to refresh and support myself when I should be ill ;
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 water, I put about a quarter of a pint of
rum into it, and mixed them together. Then I got me a piece of the
goat's flesh, and broiled it on the coals, but could eat very little. I
walked about, but was very weak, and withal very sad and heavy-
hearted 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 eat, as we call
it, in the shell, and this was the first bit of meat I had ever asked
God's blessing to, even as 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 the gun (for I never went out without that); so I went
but a little way, and sat down upon the ground looking out upon the
sea, which was just before me, and very calm and smooth. As I sat
here some such thoughts as these occurred to me :—What is this earth
and sea, of which I have seen so much ? Whence is it produced ?
And what am I, and all the other creatures, wild and tame, human
and brutal ? Whence are we ? Sure we are all made by some secret
power, who formed the earth and sea, the air and sky ; and who is
that ? Then it followed most naturally, it is God that has made all.
Well, but then, it came on strangely, if God has made all these
things, He guides and governs them all, and all things that concern
them ; for the power that could make all things must certainly have
power to guide and direct them. If so, nothing can happen in the great
circuit of His works, either without His knowledge or appointment.
And if nothing happens without His knowledge, He knows that I
am here, and am in this dreadful condition ; and if nothing happens
without His appointment, He has appointed all this to befal me.
Immediately it followed,—Why has God done this to me? My con-
science presently checked me in that inquiry, as if I had blasphemed,
and methought it spoke to me like a voice—" Wretch ! dost thou ask
what thou hast done ? Look back upon a dreadful misspent life, and
ask thyself what thou hast not done ? Ask, why is it that thou wert not
long ago destroyed ? Why wert thou not drowned in Yarmouth Roads;
killed in the fight when the shin was taken by the Sallee man-of-war;
62
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
devoured by the wild beasts on the coast of Africa ; or drowned HERE,
when all the crew perished but thyself? Dost thou ask, What have I
done ?" 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 disturbed,
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 ;
I say, I took it out, and brought both that and the tobacco with me
to the table. What use to make of the tobacco I knew not, in my
distemper, or whether it was good for it or no : but I tried several
experiments with it, as if I 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 stupefied my brain, the tobacco being green and strong,
and that I had not been much used to it; then I took some and
steeped it an hour or two in some rum, and resolved to take a dose
of it when I lay down ; and, lastly, I burnt some upon a pan of coals,
and held my nose, close over the smoke of it as long as I could bear
it, as well for the heat as the virtue of it, and I held almost to suffo-
cation. 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,
" Call on me in the day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou
shalt glorify me." The 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 things, 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 wilderness ? " so I began
to say, "Can God himself deliver me from this place ? " And as it
tvas not for many years that any hopes appeared, this prevailed very
CRUSOE PRAYS.
63
often upon my thoughts ; but, however, the words made a very great
impression upon me, and I mused upon them very often. It grew now
late, and the tobacco had, as I said, dozed my head so much that I
inclined to sleep ; so I left my lamp burning in the cave, lest I should
want anything in the night, and went to bed ; but before I lay down, I
did what I never had done in all my life—I kneeled down, and prayed
to God to fulfil the promise to me, that if I called upon him in the
day of trouble, he would deliver me. After my broken and imper-
feet 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, and I
found presently it flew up into my head violently ; but I fell into a
sound sleep, and waked no more till, by the sun, it must necessarily
be near three o'clock in the afternoon the next day ; nay, to this
hour I am partly of opinion that I slept all the next day and night,
and till almost three the day after ; for otherwise, I know not how
I should lose a day out of my reckoning in the days of the week,
as it appeared some years after I had done ; for if I had lost it by
crossing and recrossing the Line, I should have lost more than a day ;
but in my account it was lost, and I never knew which way. Be
that, however, one way or other, when I awaked I found myself
exceedingly refreshed, and my spirits lively and cheerful. When I
got up I was stronger than I was the day before, and my stomach
better, for I was hungry ; and, in short, I had no fit the next day,
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 eat some more of the turtle's eggs,,
which were very good. This evening I renewed the medicine, which
I had supposed did me good the day before, viz., the tobacco steeped
in rum ; only I did not take so much as before, nor did I chew any
of the leaf, or hold my head over the smoke ; however, I was not so
well the next day, which was the first of July, as I hoped I should
have been ; fori 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
.64 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
I pored so much upon my deliverance from the main affliction, that
^ 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 dis-
tressed 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.
yuly 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 a while every morning and every night; not tying
myself to the number of chapters, but long as my thoughts should
engage me ; it was not long after I set seriously to this work, but I
found my heart more deeply and sincerely affected with the wicked-
ness of my past life ; the impression of my dream revived ; and the
words, "All these things have not brought thee to repentance," ran
seriously in my thoughts. I was earnestly begging of God" to give
me repentance, when it happened providentially, the very 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 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.
But 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 any one to practise, by this experiment: and though
it did carry off the fit, yet it rather contributed to weakening me; for
I had frequent convulsions in my nerves and limbs for some time., I
teamed from it also this, in particular, that being abroad in the rainy
season was the most pernicious thing to my health that could be.
CRUSOE EXPLORES HIS ISLAND. 63
I had been now in this unhappy island above ten months ; all pos-
sibility of deliverance from this condition seemed to be entirely taken
from me; and I firmly believed that no human shape had ever set
foot upon that place. Having now secured my habitation, as I
thought, fully to my mind, I had a great desire to make a more
perfect discovery of the island, and to see what other productions I
might find, which I yet knew nothing of.
It was on the 15th of July that I began to take a more particular
survey of the island itself. I went up the creek first, where, as I
hinted, I brought my rafts on shore. I found, after I came about
two miles up, that the tide did not flow any higher, and that it was
no more than a little brook of running water, very fresh and good;
but this being the dry season, there was hardly any water in some
parts of it—at least, not enough to run in any stream, so as it could
be perceived. On the banks of this brook, I found many pleasant
savannahs or meadows, plain, smooth, and covered with grass ; and
on the rising parts of them, next to the higher grounds, where the
water, as 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 other 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, im-
perfect. I contented myself with these discoveries for this time, and
came back, musing with myself what course I might take to know
the virtue and goodness of any of the fruits or plants which I should
discover, but could bring it to no conclusion; for, in short, I had
made so little observation while I was in the Brazils, that I knew
little of the plants in the field ; at least, very little that might serve
me to any purpose now in my distress.
The next day, the 16th, I went up the same way again ; and, after
going something farther than I had gone the day before, I found the
brook and savannahs began to cease, and the country become more
woody than before. In this part, I found different fruits, and par-
ticularly I found melons upon the ground, in great abundance, and
grapes upon the trees ; the vines had spread, indeed, over the trees,
and the clusters of grapes were just now in their prime, very ripe ancl
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 Englishmen, who were slaves there, by throwing
66
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
them into fevers ; but I found an excellent use for these grapes ; that
was, to cure or dry them in the sun, and keep them as dried grapes
or raisins are kept, which I thought would be, as indeed they were,
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 first contrivance, and got up in 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, keeping 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, that is, due east; and the country appeared
so fresh, so green, so flourishing, everything being in a constant
verdure or flourish of spring, that it looked like a planted garden. I
descended a little on the side of that delicious vale, surveying it with
a secret kind of pleasure (though mixed with my other afflicting
thoughts) to think that this was all my own ; that I was king and
lord of all this country indefeasibly, and had a right of possession ;
and, if I could convey it, I might have it in inheritance as completely
as any lord of a manor in England. I saw here abundance of cocoa-
trees, orange, and lemon, and citron-trees ; but all wild, and very few
bearing any fruit, at least not then. However, the green limes that
I gathered were not only pleasant to eat, but very wholesome ; and 1
mixed their juice afterwards with water, which made it very whole-
some, and very cool and refreshing. I found now I had business
enough, to gather .and carry home ; and I resolved to lay up
a store as well of grapes as limes and lemons, to furnish myself
for the wet season, which I knew was approaching. In order
to 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 homewards ; resolving 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 wert
good, but I could bring but a few.
The next day, being the 19th, I went back, having made me two
"nnall bags to bring home my harvest. But I was surprised, when
CR USOE'S CO UNTR Y HO USE. 67
coming to my heap of grapes, which were so rich and fine when I
gathered them, to find 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 lemons,
I carried as many back as I could well stand under.
When I came home from this journey, I contemplated with great
pleasure the fruitfulness of that valley, and the pleasantness of the
situation ; the security from storms on that side, the water, and the
wood : and concluded that I had pitched upon a place to fix my
abode, which was by far the worst part of the country. Upon the
whole, I began to consider of removing my habitation, and looking
out for a place equally safe as where now I was situated, if possible,
in that pleasant, fruitful part of the island.
This thought ran long in my head, and I was exceeding fond of it
for some time, the pleasantness of the place tempting me ; but when
I came to a nearer view of it, I considered that I was now by the sea-
side, where it was at least possible that something might happen to
my advantage, and, that the same ill-fate that brought me hither,
might bring some other unhappy 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 enamoured 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 brush-
wood ; and here I lay very secure, sometimes two or three nights
together; always going over it with a ladder as before ; so that I
fancied now I had my country 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,
but the rains came on, and made me stick close to my first habitation ;
for though I made me a tent like the other, with a piece of a sail, and
f 2
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 excellent raisins of the sun ;
s© 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
er less, every day till the middle of October ; and sometimes so vio-
lently, that I could not stir out of.my cave for several days.
In this season, I was much surprised with the increase of my family;
I had been concerned for the loss of one of my cats, who ran away
from me, or, as I thought, had been dead, and I heard no more
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 quite a different kind from our European cats ;
yet the young cats were the same kind of house-breed as the old one ;
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 to be much wet. In this con-
finement, 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 re-
gulated 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, to my
great misfortune, I had no vessel to boil or stew anything), and two
or three of the turtle's eggs for my supper.
During this confinement in my cover by the rain, I worked daily
two or three hours at enlarging my cave, and by degrees worked it
en 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 in-
closure ; whereas now, I thought I lay exposed ; and yet I could not
perceive that there was any living thing to fear, the biggest creature
that I had yet seen upon the island being a goat.
ANNIVERSARY OF HIS SHIPWRECK. 6?
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, setting it apart for religious exercise, prostrating myself
on the ground with the most serious humiliation, confessing my sins
to God, acknowledging his righteous judgments upon me, and pray-
ing to him to have mercy on me through Jesus Christ; and not having
tasted the least refreshment for twelve hours, even till the going down
of the sun, I then eat a biscuit-cake and a bunch of grapes, and went
to bed, finishing the day as I began it. I had all this time observed
no Sabbath-day; for as at first I had no sense of religion upon my
mind, I had, after some time, omitted to distinguish the weeks, by
making a longer notch than ordinary for the Sabbath-day, and so did
not really know what any of the days were ; but now, having cast up
the days as above, I found I had been there a year; so I divided it
into weeks, and set apart every seventh day for a Sabbath ; though
I found at the end of my account, I had lest a day or two in my
reckoning. A little after this, my ink began to fail me, and so I con-
tented myself to use it more sparingly, and to write down only the
most remarkable events of my life.
The rainy season and the dry season began now to appear regular
to me, and I learned to divide them so as to provide for them accor-
dingly; but I bought all my experience before I had it, and this I ara
going to relate was one of the most discouraging experiments that I
made.
I have mentioned that I had saved the few ears of barley and rice,
which I had so surprisingly found spring up, as I thought, of them-
selves, 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 afterwards 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
70
ROB/NSON CRUSOE.
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 above half a peck of each kind. But
by this experiment I was made master of my business, and knew
exactly when the proper 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, 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
double hedge that I had made was not only firm and entire, but the
stakes which I had cut out of some trees that grew thereabouts, were
all shot out and grown with long branches, as much as a willow-tree
usually shoots the first year after lopping its head. I could not tell
what tree to call it that these stakes were cut from. I was surprised,
and yet very well pleased, to see the young trees grow: and I pruned
them, and led them up to grow as much alike as I could. It is scarce
credible how beautiful a figure they grew into in three years ; so that
though the hedge made a circle of about twenty-five yards in diameter,
yet the trees, for such I might now call them, soon covered it, and it
was a complete shade, sufficient to lodge under all the dry season.
This made me resolve to cut some more stakes, and make me a
hedge like this, in a semicircle round my wall (I mean that of my first
dwelling), which I did; and placing the trees or stakes in a double
row, at about eight yards distance from my first fence, they grew
presently, and were at first a fine cover to my habitation, and after-
wards 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 equinox.—The half of April,
the whole of May, Tune, 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, De-
cember, and January, and the half of Februaiy—dry, the sun being
then to the south of the Line.—The rainy season sometimes held
jonger or shorter as the winds happened to blow, but this was ffcfr
BASKE T-MAKING.
71
general observation I made. After I had found, by experience, the
ill consequences of being abroad in the rain, I took care to furnish
myself with provisions beforehand, that I might not be obliged to go
out, and I sat within doors as much as possible during the wet
months. In 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 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 tho9e
things, and sometimes lending a hand, I had by these means so full
knowledge of the methods of it, that I wanted nothing but the mate-
rials, when it came into my mind that the twigs of that tree from
whence I cut my stakes that grew, might possibly be as tough as the
sallows, willows, and osiers in England, and I resolved to try. Ac-
cordingly, 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 earth or to carry
or 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, afterwards, I took care never to be without
them; and as my wicker-ware 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 vessels 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 water, spirits, &c. I had not so much as a pot to
boil anything, except a great kettle, which I saved out of the ship,
and which was too big for such, uses as I desired it for, viz., 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 me to
72
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
make one ; however, I found a contrivance for that, too, at last. 1
employed myself in planting my second rows of stakes or piles, and in
this wicker-working all the summer or dry season, when another busi-
ness took me up more time than it could be imagined I could spare.
I mentioned before that I had a great mind to see the whole island,
and that I had travelled up the brook, and 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, whether an island or continent I
could not tell; but it lay very high, extending from the W. to the
W.S.W. at a very great distance ; by my guess, it could not be less
than fifteen or twenty leagues off.
I could not tell what part of the world this might be, otherwise
than that I knew it must be part of America, and, as I concluded,
by all my observations, must be near the Swinish dominions. After
some thought, I considered that if this land was the Spanish coast, I
should certainly, one time or other, see some vessel pass or repass
one way or other ; but if not, then it was the savage coast between
the Spanish country and Brazils, where are found the worst of
savages ; for they are cannibals, or men-eaters, and fail not to mur-
der and devour all the human bodies that fall into their hands.
With these considerations, I walked very leisurely forward. I
found that side of the island where I now was much pleasanter than
mine, the open or 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
recovered it, I brought it home; but it was some years before I
could make him speak. However, at last, I taught him to call me
by my name very familiarly ; but the 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 1 thought them to be) and foxes ; but they differed
greatly from all the other kinds I had met with, nor could I satisfy
myself to eat them, though I killed several; but I had no need to be
venturous ; for I had no want of food, and of that which was verr
good, too, especially these three sorts, viz., goats, pigeons, and
CRUSOE FINDS GREA T NUMBERS OF TURTLES. 73
turtle, or tortoise, which, added to my grapes, Leadenhall-market'
could not have furnished a table better than I, in proportion to the
company : and though my case was deplorable enough, yet I had
great cause for thankfulness that I was not driven to any extremities
for food ; but had rather plenty, even to dainties.
I never travelled in this journey above two miles outright in a day,
or thereabouts ; but I took so many turns and returns to see what
discoveries I could make, that I came weary enough to the place
where I resolved to sit down all night ; and then either reposed
myself in a tree, or surrounded myself with a row of stakes set
upright in the ground, either from one tree to another, or so as no
wild creature could come at me without waking me.
As soon as I came to the 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 cf fowls of many kinds, some which I had not seen
before, and many of them very good meat, but such as I knew not
the names of, except those called penguins. I could have shot as
many as I pleased, but was very sparing of my powder and shot, and
therefore had more mind to kill a she-goat, if I could, which I could
better feed on ; 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 hills.
I confess this side of the country was much pleasanter than mine r
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. How-
ever, 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 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 ; of which in its place.
I took another way-to come back than that I went, thinking P
could easily keep all the island so much in my view, that I could not
miss finding my first dwelling by viewing the country ; but I found
myself mistaken, for, being come about two or three miles, I found
myself descended into a very large valley, but so surrounded with
hills, and those hills covered with wood, that I could not see which
was my way by any direction but that of the sun, nor even then,
unless I knew very well the positkm of the sun at that time of the day.
It happened, to my further misfortune, that the weather proved
74
HOB INS ON CRUSOE.
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 as I went : and then, by easy journeys, I turned
homeward, the weather being exceeding hot, and my gun, ammuni-
tion, 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 1 always carried about 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, from
whence I had been absent above a month.
I cannot express what a satisfaction it was to me to come
into my old hutch, and lie down in my hammock-bed ; this little
wandering journey, without a settled place of abode, had been so
unpleasant to me, that my own house, as I called it to myself, was a
perfect settlement to me compared to that; and it rendered every-
thing 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 ; accord-
ingly I went, and found it where I left it, for indeed it could not get
out, but was almost starved for want of food. I went and cut
boughs of trees, and branches of such 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
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.
CRUSOE'S FEELINGS OF DESOLATION.
75
It was now that I began sensibly to feel how much more happy
this life I now led was, with all its miserable circumstances, than the
wicked life I led all the past part of my days ; my very desires
altered, my affections changed their gusts, and my delights were per-
fectly new from what they were at my first coming, or, indeed, for
the two years past.
Before, as I walked about, either on my hunting, or for viewing
the country, the anguish of my soul at my condition would break out
upon me on a sudden, and my very heart would die within me, to
think of the woods, the mountains, the deserts I was in, and how I
was a prisoner, locked up with the eternal bars and bolts of the ocean,
in an uninhabited wilderness, without redemption. In the midst of
the greatest composure of my mind, this would break out upon me
like a storm, and make me wring my hands and weep like a child.
Sometimes it would take me in the middle of my work, and I would
immediately sit down and sigh, and look upon the ground for an
hour or two together ; and this was still worse to me, for if I could
burst out into tears, or vent myself by words, it would go off, and
the grief, having exhausted itself, would abate.
But now I began to exercise myself with new thoughts : I daily
read the word of God, and applied all the comforts of it to my present
state ; and 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 state in the
world ; and with this thought I was going to give thanks to God for
bringing me to this place. I know not what it was, but something
shocked my mind at that thought, and I durst not speak the words.
" How canst thou become such a hypocrite," said I, even audibly,
"to pretend 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 whatever afflicting provi-
dences, 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 assisting me afterwards to save it out of the wreck of the
ship.
Thus, and in this disposition of mind, I began my third year ; and
though 1 have not given the reader the trouble of so particular an
account of my works this year as the first; yet in general it may be
observed, that I was very seldom idle, but having regularly divided
76
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 sup-
posed to work in, with this exception, that sometimes I changed my
hours of hunting and working, and went to work in the morning, and
abroad with my gun in the afternoon.
To this short time allowed for labour, I desire 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 inexpressible hacking and hewing, I reduced both the
sides of it into chips till it began to be light enough to move ; then 1
turned it, and made one side of it smooth and flat as a board from
end to end ; then, turning that side downward, cut the other side till
I brought the plank to be about three inches thick, and smooth on
both sides. Any one may judge the labour of my hands in such a
piece of work ; but labour and patience carried me through that, and
tnany other things. I only observe this in particular, to show the
teason why so much of my time went away with so little work, viz.,
That what might be a little to be done with help and tools, was a vast
;abour and required a prodigious time to do alone, and by hand.
But notwithstanding this, with patience and labour I got through
everything that my circumstances made necessary to me to do.
I was now, in the months of November and December, expecting
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, for I had lost one whole crop by
sowing in the dry season ; but now my crop promised very well, when
on a sudden I found I was in danger of losing it all again by enemies
of several sorts, which it was scarcely possible to keep from it; as,
CRUSOE'S CROP OF BARLEY SPRINGS UP. 77
first, the goats, and wild creatures which I called hares, which, tasting
the sweetness of the blade, lay in it night and day, as soon as it came
up, and eat it so close, that it could get no time to shoot up into stalk.
This I saw no remedy for but by making an inclosure about it with
a hedge ; which I did with a great deal of toil, and the more, because
it required a great deal of speed, as the creatures daily spoiled my
corn. 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 ear ;
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, which
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 never be able to raise a
crop at all; and what to do I could not tell: however, I' resolved not
to lose my corn, if possible, though I should watch it night and day.
In the first place, I went among it, to see what damage was already"
done, and found they had spoiled a good deal of it; but that as it
was yet too green for them, the loss was not so great but that the
remainder was likely to be a good crop, if it could be saved.
I stayed by it to load my gun, and then coming away, I could
easily see the thieves sitting upon all the trees about me, as if they
only waited till I was gone away, and the 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 down one by one into the corn again. I
was so provoked, that I could not have patience to stay till more
came on, knowing that every grain that they eat 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, viz., 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 forsook
all that part of the island, and I could never see a bird near the place
as long as my scarecrows hung there. This I was "ery glad of, you
78
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
may be sure, 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
broadswords, or cutlasses, which I saved among the arms out of the
ship. However, as my crop was but small, I had no great difficulty
to cut it down ; in short, I reaped it my way, for I cut nothing off
but the ears, and carried it away in a great basket which I had made,
and so rubbed it out with my hands ; and at the end of all my har-
vesting, I found that out of my half-peck of seed I had near two
bushels of rice, and above two bushels and a half of barley; that is to
say, by my guess, for I had no measure at that time.
However, this was a great encouragement to me, and I foresaw
that, in time, it would please God to supply me with bread ; and yet
here I was perplexed again, for I neither knew how to grind, or make
meal of my corn, or indeed, how to clean it and part it; nor, if made
into meal, how to make bread of it; and if how to make it, yet I
knew not how to bake it. These things being added to my desire of
having a good quantity for store, and to secure a constant supply, I
resolved not to taste any of this crop, but to preserve it all for seed
against the next season,- and, in the mean time, to employ all my
study and hours of working to accomplish this great work of pro-
viding myself with corn and bread.
It might be truly said, that now I worked for my bread. It is a
little wonderful, and what I believe few people have thought much
upon ; viz., the strange multitude of little things necessary in tire
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, even after I had got the first handful of seed-corn,
which, as I have said, came up unexpectedly, and indeed to a surprise.
First, I had no plough to turn up the earth—no spade or shovel to
dig it. Well, this I conquered by making 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 performance. When the corn was sowed, 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 the earth, as it may be called, rather than
rake or harrow it. When it was growing, and grown, I have ob-
served already how many things I wanted to fence it, secure it, mow
HE SOWS THE SEED AGAIN.
79
or reap it, cure and carry it home, thresh it, 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 ; and yet the corn was an inestimable comfort
and advantage to me too; but this made everything laborious and
tedious to me ; but that there was no help for ; neither was my time
so much loss to me, because, as I had divided it, a certain part of it
was every day appointed to these works ; and as I resolved to use none
of the corn for bread till I had a greater quantity by me, I had the
next six months to apply myself wholly, by labour and invention, to
furnish myself with utensils proper for the performing all the opera-
tions necessary for the 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 me 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 went through that, and sowed my seed in
two large flat pieces of ground, as near my house as I could find
them to my mind, and fenced them in with a good hedge, the stakes
of which were all cut off that wood which I had set before, which I
knew it would grow; so that, in a year's time, I knew I should have
a quick or living hedge, that would want but little repair. This work
was not so little as to take me up less than three months, because a
great part of that time was the wet season, when I could not go
abroad. Within-doors, that is, when it rained, and I Could not go
out, I found employment on the following occasions—always ob-
serving, that all the while I was at work, I diverted myself with
talking to my parrot, and teaching him to speak; and I quickly
taught him to know his own name, and at last to speak it out pretty
loud, " Poll," which was the first word I ever heard spoken in the
island by any mouth but my own. This, therefore, was not my work,
but an assistant to my work ; for now, as I said, I had a great em-
ployment upon my hands, as follows: I had long studied, by some
means or other, to make myself some earthen vessels, which, indeed,
I wanted sorely, but knew not where to come at them ; however,
considering the heat of the climate, I did not doubt but if I could
find out any such clay, I might botch up some such pot as 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 upon, 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
8o
ROB/NSON CRUSOE.
how many awkward ways I took to raise this paste, what odd, mis-
ehapen, 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 to 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 it home,
and work it, I 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 always dry, I thought would hold my dry corn,
and perhaps the meal, when the corn was bruised.
Though I miscarried so much in my design for large pots, yet I
made several smaller things with better success ; such as little round
pots, flat dishes, pitchers, and pipkins, and anything my hand turned
to; and the heat of the sun baked them strangely hard. But all this
would not answer my end, which 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 cooking
my meat, when I went to put it out after I had done with it, I found
a broken piece of one of my earthenware vessels in the fire, burnt as
hard as a stone, and red as a tile. I was agreeably surprised to 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
upon 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 observed that they did not crack at all: when I
saw them clear red, I let them stand in that heat about five or six
hours, till I found one of them, though it did not crack, did melt or
run; for the sand which was mixed with the clay melted by the
violence of the heat, and would have run into glass if I had gone on;
so I slacked my fire gradually till the pots began to abate of the red
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
D1FFICUL TIES IN THE WA Y OF BREAD-MAKING. 81
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 any one may suppose, when I had no
way of making them but as the children make dirt pies, or as a
woman would make pies that never learned to raise paste.
No joy at a thing of so mean a nature was ever equal to mine,
when I found I had made an earthen pot that would bear the fire;
and I had hardly patience to stay till they were cold, before I set one
on the fire again, with some water in it, to boil me some meat, which
it did admirably well; and with a piece of a kid I made some very
good broth, though I wanted oatmeal,*and several other ingredient?
requisite to make it so good as I would have had it.
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, when I proposed to myself to grind, or rather pound, my
corn or meal, to make my bread.
My next difficulty was to make a sieve, orsearce, to dress my meal,
and 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
to think on, for to be sure I had nothing like the necessary thing to
make it with ; I mean no fine thin canvas or stuff to searce 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;
G
S2
HOB IN SON CRUSOE.
I had goats'-hair, but neither knew how to weave it or spin it; ana
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 remember I had, among
the seamen's clothes which were saved out of the ship, some neck-
cloths 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 the hearth,
which I had paved with some square tiles, of my own baking and
burning also ; but I should not call them square.
When the firewood was burned pretty much into embers, or live
coals, 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 my loaf or 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 little time, a good pastrycook into the bargain;
for I made myself several cakes and puddings of the rice ; indeed I
made no pies, neither had I anything to put into them, supposing I
had, except the flesh either of fowls or goats.
It need not be wondered at if all these things took me up most
part of the third year of my abode here ; for, it is to be observed,
that in the intervals of these things I had my new harvest and hus-
bandry 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.
And now, indeed, my stock of corn increasing, I really wanted to
build my barns bigger; I wanted a place to lay it up in, for the 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
•hat now I resolved to begin to use it freely; for my bread had been
quite gone a great while ; also I resolved to see what quantity would
Vie sufficient for me a whole year, and to sow but once a year. Upon
CRUSOE ENDEA VOURS TO RIGHT THE BOA T. 83
the whole, I found that the forty bushels of barley and rice were much
more than I could consume in a year; so I resolved to sow just the
same quantity every year that I sowed the last, in hopes that such a
quantity would fully provide me with bread, &c.
All the while these things were doing, you maybe sure my thoughts
ran many times upon the prospect of land which I had seen from the
other side of the island ; and I was not without secret wishes that I
was on shore there, fancying that, seeing the main-land, and an in-
habited country, I might find some way or other to 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, as I have said, 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, but not quite ; and was
turned, by the force of the waves and the winds, almost bottom up-
wards against the high ridge of a beachy, rough sand, but no water
about her as before. If I had had hands to have refitted her, and to
have launched her into the water, the boat would have done well
enough, and I might have gone back into the Brazils with her easy
enough ; but I might have easily foreseen that I could no more turn
her and set her upright upon her bottom, than I could remove the
island ; however, I went to the woods, and cut levers and rollers, and
brought them tov the boat, resolving to try what I could do ; sug-
gesting to myself, that if I could but turn her down, I might easily
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, indeed, in this piece of fruitless toil, and spent,
I think, 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 forwards towards the water ; so I was forced to give it over ; and
yet, though I gave over the hopes of the boat, my desire to venture
over for the main increased, rather than decreased, as the means for
it seemed impossible.
This at length set 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, or, as I might say, without hands,
of the trunk of a great tree. This I not only thought possible, but
easy, and pleased myself extremely with my thoughts of making it,
G a
24 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
and with my having much more convenience for it than any of the
Negroes or Indians ; but not at all considering the particular incon-
veniences which I lay under more than the Indians did, viz., want of
hands to move it, when it was made, into the water—a difficulty much
harder for me to surmount than all the consequences of want of tools
could be to them ; for what was it to me, that when I had chosen a
vast tree in the woods, I might with much trouble cut it down, if
after I might be 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 make it
hollow, so as to make a boat of it, if after all this, I must leave it just
there where I found it, and was not 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
liead ; but I put a stop to my inquiries into it, by this foolish answer,
which I gave myself: '' Let me first make it; I warrant I will find
some way or other to get it along when it is done."
This was a most preposterous method ; but the eagerness of my
fancy prevailed, and to work I went and felled a cedar-tree ; I question
much whether Solomon ever had such a one for the building of the
Temple of Jerusalem ; 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; after which it lessened for a while, and then parted-
into branches. 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, and the vast spreading
head of it cut off, which I hacked and hewed through with my axe
and hatchet, with inexpressible labour: after this it cost me a month
to shape it and dub it to a proportion, and to something like the
bottom of a boat, that it might swim upright as it ought to do. It
cost me near three months more to clear the inside, and work it out
so as to make an exact boat of it; this I did, indeed, without fire, by
mere mallet and chisel, and by the dint of hard labour, till I had
brought it to be a very handsome 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 delighted
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 performed, that ever was undertaken.
CRUSOE LEARNS CONTENT.
83
But all my devices to get it into the water failed me ; though they
cost me infinite labour too ; it lay about one hundred yards from the
water, and not more ; but the first inconvenience was, it was up hill
towards the creek. Well, to take away this discouragement, 1
resolved to dig into the surface of the earth, and so make a declivity :
this I began, and it cost me a prodigious deal of pains, but who
grudge pains that have their deliverance in view ? But when this was
worked through, and this difficulty managed, it was still much at
one, 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, seeing I could not bring
•the canoe down to the water. Well, I began this work, and when I
began to enter into it, and 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 should, have gone through with it; fol
the shore lay high ; so that at thu upper end it must have been at
least twenty feet deep ; so at length, though with great reluctancy, I
gave this attempt over also.
This grieved me heartily; and now I saw, though too late, the
folly of beginning a work before we count the cost, and before we
judge rightly of our own strength to go through with it.
In the middle of this work, I finished my fourth year in this place,
and kept my anniversary with the same devotion, and with as much
comfort as ever before ; for, by a constant study and serious appli-
cation to the Word of God, and by the assistance of His grace, I
gained a different knowledge from what I had before ; I entertained
different notions of things.
I had now brought my state of life to be much easier in itself than
it was at first, and much easier to my mind, as well as to my body.
I frequently sat down to meat with thankfulness, and admired the
hand of God's providence, which had thus spread my table in the
wilderness. I learned to look more upon the bright side of my con-
dition, and less upon the dark side, and to consider what I enjoyed
rather than what I wanted ; and this gave me sometimes such secret
comforts, that I cannot express them ; and which I take notice of
here, to put those discontented people in mind of it, who cannot
enjoy comfortably what God has given them, because they see and
covet something that he has not given them. All our discontents
about what we want appeared to me to spring from the want of
thankfulness for what we have.
I had now been here so long, that many things which I had brought
on shore for my help were either quite gone, or very much wasted
86
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
and near spent. My ink, as I observed, had been gone some time,
all but a very little, which I eked out with water, a little and a little,
till it was so pale, it scarce left any appearance of black upon the
paper : as long as it lasted I made use of it to minute down the days
of the 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 befel 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 Sallee man-of-war, and made
a slave. The same day of the year that I escaped out of the wreck of
the ship in Yarmouth Roads, that same day year afterwards I made
my escape from Sallee. 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's being wasted, was that of my bread—
I mean the biscuit which I had 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 ; and great reason I had to be
thankful that I had any at all, the getting it being, as has been already
observed, next to miraculous.
My clothes, too, began to decay mightily ; as to linen I had none
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; and it was
a very great help to me that I had, among all the men's clothes of
the ship, almost three dozen of shirts. There were also several thick
watch-coats of the seamen which were left indeed, but they were too
hot to wear; and though it is true that the weather was so vio-
Iently hot that there was no need of clothes, yet I could not go quite
naked—no, though I had been inclined to it, which I was not;—nor
could I abide the thought of it, though I was all alone. The reason
tvhy I could not go naked was, I could not bear the heat of the sun
so well when quite naked as with some clothes on ; nay, the very
heat frequently blistered my skin ; whereas, with a shirt on, the air
itself made some motion, and whistling under the shirt, was twofold
cooler than without it; no more could I ever bring myself to go out
in the heat of the sun without a cap or a hat; the heat of the sun,
CRUSOE MAKES HIMSELF SOME CLOTHES. 87
beating with such violence as it does in that place, would give me
the head-ache presently, by darting so directly on my head, without
a cap or a hat on, so that I could not bear it; whereas, if I put on
my hat, it would presently go away.
Upon these views I began to consider about putting the few rags
I had, which I called clothes, into some order ; I had worn out all the
waistcoats 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, a-tailoring, or
rather, indeed, a-botching, for I made most piteous work of it. How-
ever, 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 1 saved the skins of all the creatures that I
had killed, 1 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, it seems,
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 this I made me a suit of clothes
wholly of these skins ; that is to say, a waistcoat, and breeches open
at the knees, and both loose, for they were rather wanted to keep me
cool, than to keep me warm. I must not omit to acknowledge that
they were wretchedly made ; for if I was .a bad carpenter, I was a
worse tailor; however, they were such as I made very good shift
with, and when I wag abroad, if it happened to rain, the hair of my
waistcoat and cap being outermost, I was kept very dry.
After this I spent a great deal of time and pains to make an um-
brella ; I was indeed in great want of one, and had a great mind to
make one ; I had seen them made in the Brazils, where they are very
useful in the great heats which are 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 at it,
and was a great while before I could make anything likely to hold :
nay, after I thought I had hit the way, I spoiled two or three before
I made one to my mind ; but at last I made one that answered indif-
ferently well; the main difficulty I found was to make it let down.
I could make it to spread ; but if it did not let down too, and draw
in, it would not be portable for me any way but just over my head,
which would not do. However, at last, as I said, I made one to
answer ; I covered it with skins, the hair upwards, so that it cast off
the rain like a pent-house, and kept off the sun so effectually, that I
S3
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
could walk out in the hottest of the weather with greater advantage
than I could before in the coolest ; and when I had no need of it,
could close it, and carry it under my arm.
I cannot say that, after this, for five years, any extraordinary thing
happened to me ; I lived on in the same course 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 provisions beforehand;
I say, besides this yearly labour, and my daily labour of going out with
my gun, I had 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 a mile. As for the first, which was so
vastly big, as I made it without considering beforehand, as I ought
to have done, how I should be able to launch it, so, never being able
to bring it into the water, or bring the water to it, I was obliged to
let it lie where it was as a memorandum to teach me to be wiser next
time: indeed, the next time, though I could not get a tree proper
for it, and was in a place where I could not get the water to it at
any less distance than, as I have said, near half a mile, yet, as I saw
it was practicable at last, I never gave it over; and though I was
pear two years about it, yet I never grudged my labour, in hopes of
fiaving a boat to go off to sea at last.
However, though my little periagua was finished, yet the size of it
was not at all answerable to the design which I had in view when I
made the first; I mean of venturing over to the terra firma, where
it was above forty miles broad; accordingly, the smallness of my
boat assisted to put an end to that design, and now I thought no
more of it: but as I had a boat, my next design was to make a
cruise round the island ; for as I had been on the other side in one
place, crossing, as I have already described it, over the land, so the
discoveries I made in that little journey made me very eager to see
other parts of the coast; and now I had a boat, I thought of nothing
but sailing round the island.
For this purpose, that I might do everything with discretion and
consideration, I fitted up a little mast in my boat, and made a sail to
it out of some of the pieces of the ship's sail which lay in store, and
of which I had a great stock by me. Having fitted my mast and
sail, and tried the boat, I found she would sail very well: then I
made little lockers, or boxes, at either end of my boat, to put pro-
visions, necessaries, and ammunition, &c., into, to be kept dry,
either from rain or the spray of the sea ; and a little, long, hollow
place I cut in the inside of the boat, where I could lay my gun, mak-
ing a flap to hang down over it, to keep it dry.
CRUSOE PROJECTS A TRIP BY SEA.
£9.
I fixed my umbrella also in a step at the stern, like a mast, to
.stand over my head, and keep the heat of the sun off me, like an.
awning; and thus I every now and then took a little voyage upon,
the sea, but never went far out, nor far from the little creek ; but, at
last, being eager to view the circumference of my little kingdom, L
resolved upon my tour, and accordingly I victualled my ship for the
voyage, putting in two dozen of loaves (cakes I should rather call
them) of barley bread, an earthen pot full of parched rice (a food I
ate a great deal of), a little bottle of rum, half a goat, and powder
and shot for killing more, and two large watch-coats, of those which,,
as I mentioned before, I had saved out of the seamen's chests ; these
I took, one to lie upon, and the other to cover me in the night.
It was the 6th of November, in the sixth year of my reign, or my
captivity, 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, some above water, some under it;
and beyond, 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 enter-
prise, and come back again, not knowing how far it might oblige me
to go out to sea: and, above all, doubting how I should get back
again : so I came to an anchor ; for I had made a kind of an anchor
with a piece of a broken grappling which I got out of the ship.
Having secured my boat, I took my gun and went on shore,
climbing, up a hill, which seemed to overlook that point, where I saw
the full extent of it, and resolved to venture.
In my viewing the sea from that hill, I perceived a strong and
most furious current, which ran to the east, and even came close to
the point; I took the more notice of it, because I saw there might
be some danger, that when I came into it, I might be carried out to
sea by the strength of it, and not be able to make the island again :
and, indeed, had I not got first up upon this hill, I believe it would
have been so ; for there was the same current en the other side the
island, only that it set off at a farther distance, and I saw there was
a strong eddy under the shore ; so I had nothing to do but to get
out of the first current, and I should presently be in an eddy.
I lay here, however, two days, because the wind blowing pretty
fresh at E.S.E., and that being just contrary to the said current,
made a great breach of the sea upon the point ; so that it was not
safe for me to keep too close to the shore for the breach, nor to go
too far off, because of the stream.
The third day, in the morning, the wind having abated overnight,
9°
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
the sea was calm, and 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 ; nor did I see any possibility of avoid-
ing it ; 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 boat; and I had a great jar of fresh
water, that is to say, one of my earthen pots ; but what was all this
to being driven into the vast ocean, where, to be sure, there was no
shore, no 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. I stretched out my hands to it, with eager wishes :
"O happy desert!" said I, "I shall never see thee more. O
miserable creature ! whither am I going ! " Then I reproached
myself with my unthankful temper, and that I had repined at my
solitary condition ; and now what would I give to be on shore there
again ! Thus, we never see the true state of our condition till it is
illustrated to us by its contraries, nor know how to value what we
■enjoy, but by the want of it. It is scarcely possible to imagine the
consternation I was now in, being driven from my beloved island (for
so it appeared to me now to be) into the wide ocean, almost two
leagues, and in the utmost despair of ever recovering it again. How-
■ever, I worked hard till indeed my strength was almost exhausted,
and kept my boat as much to the northward, that is, towards the side
■of the current which the eddy lay on, as possibly I could ; when
about noon, as the sun passed the meridian, -I thought I felt a little
breeze of wind in my face, springing up from S.S.E. This cheered
my heart a little, and especially when, in about half an hour more,
it blew a pretty small 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
AT SEA WITHOUT A COMPASS.
9i
had no compass on board, and should never have known how to
have steered towards the island, if I had but once lost sight of it ;
but the weather continuing clear, I applied myself to get up my mast
again, and spread my sail, standing away to the north as much as
possible, to get out of the current.
Just as I had set my mast and sail, and the boat began to stretch
away, I saw even by the clearness of the water some alteration of thp
current was near ; for where the current was so strong the water was
foul; but perceiving the water clear, I found the current abate, and
presently I found to the east, at about half a mile, a breach of the
sea upon some rocks : these rocks I found caused the current to part
again, and as the main stress of it ran away more southerly, leaving
the rocks to the north-east, so the other returned by the repulse of
the rocks, and made a strong eddy, which ran back again to the
north-west, with a very sharp stream.
They who know what it is to have a reprieve brough? to them upon
the ladder, or to be rescued from thieves just going to murder them,
or who have been in such like extremities, may guess what my pre-
sent surprise of joy was, and how gladly I put my boat into the
stream of this eddy, and the wind also freshening, how gladly I
spread my sail to it, running cheerfully before the wind, and with a
strong tide or eddy under foot. This eddy carried me about a
league in my way back again directly towards the island, but about
two leagues more to the northward than the current which carried
me away at first; so that when I came near the island, I found
myself open to the northern shore of it, that is to say, the other end
of the island, opposite to that which I went out from.
When I had made something more than a league of way by the
help of this current or eddy, I found it was spent, and served me no
farther. However.. I found that being between two great currents,
viz., that on the south side, which had hurried me away, and that on
the north, whfcn lay about a league on the other side ; I say, between
these two, in the wake of the island, I found the water at least still,
and running no way ; and having still a breeze of wind fair for me,
I kept on steering directly for the island, though not making such
fresh way as I did before.
About four o'clock in the evening, being then within a league of
the island, I found the point of the rocks which occasioned this
disaster, stretching out, as is described before, to the southward, and
casting* off the current more southerly, had of course made another
eddy to the north, and this I found very strong, but not directly
setting the way my course lay, which was due west, but almost full
north. However, having a fresh gale, I stretched across this eddy,
92
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
slanting north-west ; and in about an hour came within about a mile
of the shore, where it being smooth water, I soon got to land.
When I was on shore, I fell on my knees, and gave God thanks
for my deliverance, 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; and what might be at the
other side (I mean the west side) I knew not, nor had I any mind to
run any more ventures : so I only resolved in the morning to make
my way westward along the shore, and 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, or thereabout, coasting the
shore, 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 exceed-
ingly 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 left it; for I
always kept it in good order, being, as I said before, my country-
house. I got over the fence, and laid me down in the shade to rest
my limbs, for I was very weary, and fell asleep ; but judge you, if
you can, that read my story, what a surprise I must be in when I
was awaked out of my sleep by a voice, calling me by my name
several times, '' Robin, Robin, Robin Crusoe : poor Robin Crusoe !
Where are ycru, Robin Crusoe ? Where are you ? Where have you
been ?" I was so dead asleep at first, being fatigued with rowing, or
paddling as it is called, the first part of the day, and with walking
the latter part, that I did not wake thoroughly ; but dozing between
sleeping and waking, thought I dreamed that somebody spoke to
me ; but as the voice continued to repeat, '' Robin Crusoe, Robin
Crusoe," at last I began to wake more perfectly, and was at first
dreadfully frightened, and started up in the utmost consternation;
but no sooner were my eyes open, but I saw my Poll sitting on the
top of the hedge ; and immediately knew that it was he that spoke
CRUSOE STARTLED BY HIS PARROT.
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 be nobody but honest Poll, I got
over it; and holding out my hand, and calling him by his name,
"Poll," the sociable creature came to me, and sat upon my thumb,
as he used to do, and continued talking to me, '' Poor Robin
Crusoe ! and how did I come here? and where had I been? " just
as if he had been overjoyed to see me again ; and so I carried him
home along with me.
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 ; but I knew not how it was practi-
cable to get it about; so 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 this government
of my temper, I remained near a year, and lived a very 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 all things, except that of society.
I improved myself in this time in all the mechanic exercises which
my necessities put me upon applying myself to ; and I believe I
should, upon occasion, have made a very good carpenter, especially
considering how few tools I had.
Besides this, I arrived at an unexpected perfection in my earthen-
ware, and contrived well enough to make them with a wheel, which
I found infinitely easier and better t because I made things round
and shapeable which before were filthy things 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 make a
tobacco-pipe. And though it was a very ugly, clumsy thing when it
was done, and only burned red, like other earthenware, yet as it was
hard and firm, and would draw the smoke, I was exceedingly com-
forted with it; for I had been always used to smoke ; and there were
pipes in the ship, but I forgot them at first, not knowing that there
94
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
was tobacco in the island ; and afterwards, when I searched the ship
again, I could not come at any pipes at all.
In my wickerware, also, I improved much, and made abundance
of necessary baskets, as well as my invention showed me; though
not very handsome, yet they were such as were very handy and con-
venient for laying things up in, or fetching things home in. For
example, if I killed a goat abroad, I could hang it up in a tree, flay
it, dress it, and cut it in pieces, and bring it home in a basket; and
the like by a turtle, I could cut it up, take out the eggs, and a piece
or two of the flesh, which was enough for me, and bring them home
in a basket, and leave the rest behind me. Also, large deep baskets
were the receivers for 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 my powder abated considerably, and this
was a want which it was impossible for me to supply, and I began
seriously to consider what I must do when I should have no more
powder; that is to say, how I should kill any goats. I had, as is
observed in the third year of my being here, kept a young kid, and
bred her up tame, and I was in hopes of getting a he-goat : but I
could not by any means bring it to pass, till my kid grew an old
goat; and I could never find in my heart to kill her, till she died at
last of mere age.
But being now in the eleventh year of my residence, and, as I have
said, my ammunition growing low, I set myself to study some art to
trap and snare the goats, to see whether I could not catch some of
them alive ; and particularly, I wanted a she-goat and her young.
To this purpose I made snares to hamper them ; and I do believe
they were more than once taken in them, but my tackle was not
good, for I had no wire, and I always found them broken, and my
bait devoured. At length, I resolved to try a pitfall, so I dug several
large pits in the earth, in places where I had observed the goats used
to feed, and over those pits I placed hurdles of my own making too,
with a great weight upon them ; and several times I put ears of
barley and dry rice, without setting the trap, and I could easily 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 discouraging; however, 1
altered my traps, and, not to trouble you with particulars, going one
morning to see my traps, I found in one of them a large old he-goat,
and in one of the others, three kids, a male and two females.
As to the old one, I knew not what to do with him ; he was so
fierce, I durst not go into the pit to him ; that is to say, to bring him
THE KIDS CA UGHT IN A TRAP.
away alive, which was what I wanted. I could have killed him, but
that was not my business, nor would it answer my end. So I even
let him out, and he ran away as if he had been frighted out of his
wits : but I had forgot then what I learned afterwards, that hunger
will tame a lion. If I had let him stay there three or four days
without food, and then have carried him some water to drink, and
then a little corn, he would have been as tame as one of the kids, for
they are mighty sagacious, tractable creatures, where they are well
used. However, for the present I let him go, knowing no better at
that time: then I went to the three kids, and, taking them one by
one, I tied them with strings together, and with some difficulty
brought them all home.
It was a gopd 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, I might have them about my house like ai
flock of sheep. But, then, it occurred to me that I must keep the
tame from the wild, or else they would always run wild when they
grew up ; and the only way for this was to have some inclosed piece
of ground, well fenced either with hedge or pale, to keep them in so.
effectually, 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, viz., where there was likely to be
herbage for them to eat, water for them to drink, and cover to keep
them from the sun.
Those who understand such inclosures will think I had very little
contrivance, when I pitched upon a place very proper for all these,
being a plain open piece of meadow land, or savannah (as our people
call it in the western colonies) which had two or three rills of fresh
water in it, and at one end was very woody : I say, they will smile at
my forecast, when I shall tell them I began by inclosing 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 then 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,
%)& ROB/NSON CRUSOE.
and for the first beginning, I resolved to inclose a piece of about 150
yards in length, and 100 yards in breadth, which, as it would main-
tain as many as I should have in any reasonable time, so, as my flock
increased, I could add more ground to my inclosure.
This was acting with some prudence, and I went to work with
courage. I was about three months hedging in the first piece, and,
till I had done it, I tethered the three kids in the best part of it, and
used them to feed as near me as possible to make them familiar;
and very often I would go and carry them some ears of barley, or a
handful of rice, and feed them out of my hand ; so that, after my
inclosure 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 three-and-forty, besides several that I took and killed for my
food. After that, I inclosed five several pieces of ground to feed
them in, with little pens to drive them into, to take them as I wanted,
and gates out of one piece of ground into another.
But this was not all; for now I not only had goat's flesh to feed on
when I pleased, but milk too, a thing which, indeed, in the begin-
ning, I did not so much as think of, and which, when it came into
my thoughts, was really an agreeable surprise. For now I set up
my dairy, and had sometimes a gallon or two of milk in a day.
And as nature, who gives supplies of food to every creature, dictates
even naturally how to make use of it; so I, that had never milked a
cow, much less a goat, or seen butter or cheese made, very readily
and handily, though after a great many essays and miscarriages,
made both butter and cheese at last, and never wanted it afterwards.
How mercifully can our Creator treat His creatures, even in those
conditions in which they seemed to be overwhelmed in destruction!
How can He sweeten the bitterest providences, and give us cause to
praise Him for dungeons and prisons! What a table was here
spread for me in the wilderness, where I saw nothing at first but to
perish for hunger.
It would have made a Stoic smile to have seen me and my little
family sit dovrii to dinner; there was my majesty, the prince and
lord of the whole island ; I had the lives of all my subjects at my
absolute command. I could hang, draw, give liberty, and take it
away, and no rebels among all my subjects. 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 old and crazy, sat always at my right
hand; and two cats, one on one side of the table, and one on the
CRUSOE'S DRESS.
97
other, expecting now and then a bit from my hand, as a mark of
especial 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 interred near my
habitation by my own hand ; but these were two which I had pre-
served tame ; whereas the rest run wild in the woods, and became
indeed troublesome to me at last, for they would often come into my
house, and plunder me too, till at last I was obliged to shoot them,
and did kill a great many ; at length they left me. With this atten-
dance, and in this plentiful manner I lived ; neither could I be said to
want anything but society ; and of that, some time after this, I was
like to have too much.
I was something impatient, as I have observed, to have the use of
my boat, though very loth to run any more hazards ; and therefore
sometimes I sat contriving ways to get her about the island, and at
other times I sat myself down contented enough without her. But I
had a strange uneasiness in my mind to go down to the point of the
island, where, as I have said, in my last ramble, I went up the hill to
see how the shore lay, and how the current set, that I might see what
I had to do : this inclination increased upon me every day, and at
length I resolved to travel thither by land, following the edge of the
shore. I did so ; but had any one in England met such a man as I
was, it must either have frighted him, or raised a great deal of laugh-
ter; and as I frequently stood still to look at myself, I could not but
smile at the notion of my travelling through Yorkshire with such an
equipage, and in such a dress. Be pleased to take a sketch of my
figure, as follows :—
I had a great high shapeless cap, made of a goat's skin, with a
flap hanging down behind, as well to keep the sun from me as to
shoot the rain off from running into my neck, nothing being so hurt-
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 my thighs, and a pair of open-kneed breeches of the same;
the breeches were made of the skin of an old he-goat, whose hair
hung down such a length on either side, that, like pantaloons, it
reached to the middle of my legs ; stockings and shoes I had none,
but had made me a pair of somethings, I scarce know what to call
them, like buskins, to flap over my legs, and lace on either side like
spatterdashes ; but of a most barbarous shape, as indeed were all the
rest of my clothes.
I had on a broad belt of goat's skin dried, which I drew together
with two thongs of the same instead of buckles, and in a kind of a
frog on either side of this. Instead of a sword and dagger, hung a
H
98
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
little saw and a hatchet, one on one side, 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, 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 nineteen 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 Sallee, for the Moors did not 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 monstrous enough, and such as in England
would have passed for frightful.
But all this is by the bye ; for, as to my figure, I had so few to
observe me, that it was no manner of consequence. In this kind of
figure 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 the points of the rocks
which layout, and which I was obliged to double with my boat, I was
surprised to see the sea all smooth and quiet, no rippling, no motion,
30 current, any more there than in any other places. I was at a
strange loss to understand this, and resolved to spend some time in the
observing it, to see if nothing from the sets of the tide had occasioned
it; but I was presently convinced how it was, viz., that the tide of
ebb setting from the west, and joining with the current of waters
from some great river on the shore, must be the occasion of this cur-
rent, and that, according as the wind blew more forcibly from the
west or from the north, this current came near or went farther from
the shore ; for, waiting thereabouts till evening, I went up to the
rock again, and then the tide of ebb being made, I plainly saw the
current again as before, only that it ran farther off, being near half a
league from the shore ; whereas in my case it set close upon the
shore, and hurried me and my canoe along with it, which at another
time it would not have done.
This observation convinced me that I had nothing to do but to
THE HOME AND THE COUNTRY SEAT.
observe the ebbing and flowing of the tide, and I might very easily
bring my boat about the island again ; but when I began to think of
putting it in practice, I had such terror upon.my spirits at the
remembrance of the danger I had been in, that I could not think of
it again with any patience, but, on the contrary, I took up another
resolution, which was more safe, though more laborious—and this
was, that I would build, or rather make, me another periagua or
canoe, and so have one for one side of the island, and one for the
other.
You are to understand, that now I had, as I may call it, two planta-
tions in the island ; one my little fortification or tent, with the wall
about it, under the rock, with the cave behind me, which by this
time I had enlarged into several apartments, or caves, one within
another. One of these, which was the driest and largest, and had a
door out beyond my wall or fortification, that is to say, beyond where
my wall joined to the rock, was all filled up with the large earthen
pots, of which I have given an account, and with fourteen or fifteen,
great baskets, which would hold five or six bushels each, where I
laid up my stores of provision, especially my corn, some in the ear,
cut off short from the straw, and the other rubbed out with my hand.
As for my wall, made as before, with long stakes or piles, those
piles grew all like trees, and were by this tine grown so big, and
spread so very much, that there was not the least appearance, to any
one's view, of any habitation behind them.
Near this dwelling of mine, but a little farther within the land, and
upon lower ground, lay my two pieces of corn land, which I kept
duly cultivated and sowed, and which duly yielded me their harvest
in its season; and whenever I had occasion for more corn, I had
more land adjoining as fit as that.
Besides this, I had my country seat, and I had now a tolerable
plantation there also ; for, first, I had my little bower, as I called it,
which I kept in repair ; that is to say, I kept the hedge, which
encircled it in, constantly fitted up to its usual height, the ladder
standing always in the inside ; I kept the trees, which at first were
no mora than stakes, but were now grown very firm and tall, always,
cut, so that they might spread and grow thick and wild, and make
the more agreeable shade, which they did effectually to my mind.
In the middle of this I had my tent always standing, being a piece
of a sail spread over poles, set up for that purpose, and which never
wanted any repair or renewing ; and under this I had made me a
squab or couch, with the skins of the creatures I had killed, and
with other soft things, and a blanket laid on them, such as belonged
to our sea-bedding, which I had saved; and a great watch-coat to
H 2
TOO
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
cover me; and here, whenever I had occasion to be absent from my
seat, I took up my country habitation.
Adjoining to this, I had my inclosures for my cattle, that is to say,
my goats ; and as I had taken an inconceivable deal of pains to fence
and inclose this ground, so I was so uneasy to see it kept entire,
lest the goats should break through, that I never left off till, with
infinite labour, I had stuck the outside of the hedge so full of small
stakes, and so near to one another, that it was rather a pale than a
hedge, and there was scarce room to put a hand through between
them, which afterwards, when those stakes grew, as they all did in the
next rainy season, made the inclosure strong like a wall, indeed stronger
than any wall. This will testify for me that I was not idle, and that
I spared no pains to bring to pass whatever appeared necessary for
my comfortable support.
In this place also I had my grapes growing, which I principally
depended on for my winter store of raisins, and which I never failed
to preserve very carefully, as the best arid most agreeable dainty of
my whole diet; and indeed they were not agreeable only, but medi-
cinal, wholesome, nourishing, and refreshing to the last degree.
As this was also about half-way between my other habitation
and the place where I had laid up my boat, I generally staid and
lay here in my way thither ; for I used frequently to visit my boat,
and I kept all things about, or belonging to her, in very good order;
sometimes I went out in her to divert myself, but no more hazardous
voyages would I go, scarcely ever above a stone's cast or two from the
shore, I was so apprehensive of being hurried out of my knowledge
again by the currents or winds, or any other 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, 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 per-
fectly confused and out of myself, I came home to my fortification,
not reeling, as we say, the ground I went on, but terrified to the last
degree, looking behind me at every two or three steps, mistaking every
THE FOOTPRINT ON THE SAND.
p. IOO
THE FOOTPRINT ON THE SAND.
bush and tree, and fancying every stump at a distance to be a
man ; nor is it possible to describe how many various shapes
affrighted imagination represented things to me in ; how many wild
ideas were found every moment in my fancy, and what strange-,,
unaccountable whimseys came into my thoughts by the way.
When I came to my castle (for so I think I called it after this), 1
fled into it like one pursued ; whether I went over by the ladder, as-
first contrived, or went in at the hole in the rock, which I had
called a door, I cannot remember ; no, nor could I remember the
next morning ; for never frightened hare fled to cover, or fox to
earth, with more terror of mind than I to this retreat.
I slept none that night; the farther I was from the occasion of my
fright, the greater my apprehensions were ; which is something con*
trary to the nature of such things, and especially to the usual prac-
tice of all creatures in fear ; but I was so embarrassed with my own
frightful ideas of the thing, that I formed nothing but dismal imagr-
nations to myself, even though I was now a great way off it. Some1-
times 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 pos-
sible a man should come there? But then, to think that Satan
should take human shape upon him in such a place, where there-
could be no manner of occasion for it, but to leave the print of his
foot behind him, and that even for no purpose too, for he could not
be sure I should see it; this was an amusement the other way; I
considered that the devil might have found out abundance of other
ways to have terrified me than this of the single print of a foot.
That as I lived quite on the other side of the island, he would never
have been so simple as to leave a mark in a place where it was ten
thousand to one whether I should ever see it or not, and in the sand!,
too, which the first surge of the sea, upon a high wind, would have
defaced entirely : all this seemed inconsistent with the thing itself, and
with all the notions we usually entertain of the subtilty of 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 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 here; 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
102
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
inclosure, 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 con-
fidence 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 enjoying the crop that was upon the ground ; and this I thought
so just a reproof, that I resolved for the future to have two or three
years' corn beforehand ; so that, whatever might come, I might not
perish for want of bread.
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 de-
liver 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 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.
In the middle of these cogitations, apprehensions, and reflections,
it came into my thoughts one day, that all this might be a mere
chimera of my own, and that this foot might be the print of my own
foot, when I came on shore from my boat: this cheered me up a
little, too, and I began to persuade myself it was all a delusion; that
it was nothing else but my own foot; and why might I not come that
way from the boat, as well as I was going that way to the boat ?
Again I considered also, that I could by no means tell, for certain,
where I had trod, and where I had not; and that if, at last, this was
only the print of my own foot, I had played the part of those fools
who strive 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 provision; 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
IS THE FOOTPRINT CRUSOE'S?
of it; and, indeed, it almost spoiled some of them, and almost dried
up their milk. Heartening myself, therefore, with the belief that
this was nothing but the print of one of my ovyn 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 weni forward, how often I looked behind me, how
I was ready, every now and then, to lay down my basket, and run
for my life, it would have made any one have thought I was haunted
with an evil conscience, or that I had been lately most terribly fright-
ened; 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 thereabout. Secondly, when I came
to measure the mark with my own foot, I found my foot not so large
by a great deal; both these things filled my head with new imagina-
tions, and gave me the 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 surprised before
I was aware ; and what course to take for my security I knew not.
These were the subjects of the first night's cogitation 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 I began to think sedately; and, upon the utmost
debate with myself, I concluded that this island (which was so ex-
ceedingly 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 awain as soon as ever they could, seeing
104
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
they had never thought fit to fix here upon any occasion to this time.
That the most I could suggest any danger from was, from any casual
accidental landing of straggling people from the main, who, as it was
likely, if they were driven hither, were here against their wills; so
they made no stay here, but went off again with all possible speed,
seldom staying one night on shore, lest they should not have the help
of the tides and daylight back again; and that, therefore, I had
nothing to do but to consider of some safe retreat, in case I should
see any savages land upon the spot.
Now I began sorely to repent that I had dug my cave so large as
to bring a door through again, which 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 fortifica-
tion, in the manner of a semicircle, at a distance from my wall, just
where I had planted a double row of trees about twelve years before,
of which I made mention : these trees having been planted so thick
before, they wanted but few piles to be driven between them, that
. they might be thicker and stronger, and my wall would be soon
finished. So that I had now a double wall; and my outer wall was
thickened with pieces of timber, old cables, and everything I could
think of, to make it strong; having in it seven little holes, about as
big as I might put my arm out at. In the inside of this, I thickened
my wall to about ten feet thick, with continually bringing earth out
of my cave, and laying it at the foot of the wall, and 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 allthe 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 ; inso-
much, that I believe I might set in near twenty thousand of them,
leaving a pretty large space between them and my wall, that I might
have room to see an enemy, and they might have no shelter from the
young trees, if they attempted to approach my outer wall.
Thus, in two years' time, I had a thick grove, and in five or six
years' time I had a wood before my dwelling, growing so 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 habitation. As for the way which I proposed
to myself to go in and out (for I left no avenue), it was by setting two
THE NEIV GOA T-PEN.
ladders, one to a part of the rock which was low, and them broke in,
and left room to place another ladder upon that; so when the two
ladders were taken down, no man living could come down to me
without doing himself mischief and if they had come down, they
were still on the outside of my outer wall. Thus I took all the
measures human prudence could suggest for my own preservation ;
and it will be seen, at length, that they were not altogether without
just reason; though I foresaw nothing at 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 r
they were not only a ready supply to me on every occasion, and began
to be sufficient for me, without the expense of powder and shot, bu'j
also without the fatigue of hunting after the wild ones ; and I was
loth to lose the advantage of them, and'to have them all to nurse up
over again. To this purpose, after consideration, I could think of but
two ways to preserve them : one was, to find another convenient place
to dig a cave under ground, and to drive them into it every night; anc>
the other was to enclose two or three little bits of land, remote from
one another, and as much concealed as I could, where I might keep
about half a dozen young goats in each; so that if any disaster-
happened to the flock, 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 private, indeed,
as my heart could wish for ; it was a little damp piece of ground, in?
the middle of the hollow and thick woods, where, as is observed, I
almost lost myself once before, 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, or herd,
call it which you please, which were not so wild now as at first they
might be supposed to be, were well enough secured in it. So, with*,
out 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 sectire as the other, which, however*
I did at more leisure, and it took me up more time by a great dealt
All this labour I was at the expense of, purely from my apprehensions
on account of the print of a man's foot which I had seen; for, as yet>,
$o6
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
I never saw any human creature come near the island, and I had
mow lived two years under these uneasinesses, which, indeed, made
my life much less comfortable than it was before; as may be well
3 imagined by any who know what it is to live in the constant snare of
ithe fear of man.
But to go on : after I had thus secured one part of my little living
stock, I went about the whole island, searching for another private
place to make such another deposit ; when, wandering more to the
west point of the island than I had ever done yet, and looking out to
sea, I thought I saw a boat upon the sea, at a great distance ; I had
found a perspective glass or two in one of the seamen's chests, which
I saved out of our ship, but I had it not about me ; and this was so
remote that I could not tell what to make of it, though I looked at
dt till my eyes were not able to hold to look any longer : whether it
was a boat or not, I do not know, but as I descended from the hill I
could see no more of it, so I gave it over ; only I resolved to go no
more out without a perspective glass in my pocket. When I was
come down the hill to the end of the island, where, indeed, I had
never been before, I was presently convinced that the seeing the
print of a man's foot was not such a strange thing in the island as I
imagined ; and but that it was a special providence that I was cast
•upon the side of the island where the savages never came, I should
easily have known that nothing was more frequent than for the
canoes from the main, when they happened to be a little too far out
at sea, to shoot over to that side of the island for harbour : likewise,
as they often met and fought in their canoes, the victors, having
itaken any prisoners, would bring them over to this shore, where, ac-
cording to their dreadful customs, being all cannibals, they would
kill and eat them ; of which hereafter. •
When I was come down the hill to the shore, as I said above, be-
ing the S.W. point of the island, 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 particularly, I observed a place where there
had been a fire made, and a circle dug in the earth, like a cockpit,
where I supposed the savage wretches had sat down to their inhuman
feastings upon the bodies of their fellow-creatures.
I was so astonished with the sight of these things, that I enter-
tained 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 i in short" I turned awav nur face from
CRUSOES 'HORROR OF THE CANNIBALS. 107
the horrid spectacle ; my stomach grew sick, and I was just at the
point of fainting, when nature discharged the disorder from my sto-
mach ; a*nd having vomited with uncommon violence, I was a little
relieved, but could not bear to stay in the place a moment; so I gat
me up the hill again with all the speed I could, and walked on to-
wards 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: and this, above all,
that I had, even in this miserable condition, been comforted with the
knowledge of Himself, and the hope of His blessing, which was a
felicity more than sufficiently equivalent to all the misery which I had
suffered, or could suffer.
In this frame of thankfulness, I went home to my castle, and began
to be much easier now, as to the safety of my circumstances, than
ever I was before : for I observed that these wretches never came to
this island in search of what they could get; perhaps not seeking,
not wanting, or not expecting, anything here ; and having often, no
doubt, been up the covered, woody part of it, without finding any-
thing to their purpose. I knew I had been here now almost eighteen
years, and never saw the least footsteps of human creature there be-
fore ; 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 crea-
tures 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 : when I
say my own circle, I mean by it my three plantations, viz. my castle,
my country-seat (which I called my bower), and my inclosure in the
woods : nor did. I look after this for any other use than as an inclo-
sure for my goats ; for the aversion which nature gave me to these
hellish wretches was such, that I was as fearful of seeing them as of
seeing the devil himself. I did not so much as go to look after my
boat all this time, but began rather to think of making another; for
I could not think of ever making any more attempts to bring the
io8
HOB IN SON CRUSOE.
other boat round the island to me, lest I should meet with some of
these creatures at sea; in which case if I had happened to have
fallen into their hands, I knew what would have been my lot.
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 than I did before, lest I should happen
to be seen by any of them ; and I was more cautious of firing my gun,
lest any of them, being on the island, should happen to hear it; it was,
therefore, a good providence to me that I had furnished myself with
a tame breed of goats, and that I needed not to hunt any more about
the woods, or shoot at them ; and if I did catch any of them after this,
it was by traps and snares, as I had done before ; so that for two years
after this, I believe I never fired my gun once off, though I never
went out without it; and which 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 particular of two pistols, and a great broadsword
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 upon, and that was to try if I could not make
some of my barley into malt, and then to try and 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 preserve 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 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. But my invention now ran quite
CRUSOE PREPARES FOR THE SA VAGES. 109
another way ; for, night and day, I could think of nothing but how
I might destroy some of these monsters in their cruel, bloody enter-
tainment; and, if possible, save the victim they should bring hither
to destroy.
At length I found a place in the side of the hill, where I was satis-
fied I might securely wait till I saw any of their boats coming ; and
might then, even before they would be ready to come on shore,
convey myself unseen into some thickets of trees, in one of which
there was a hollow large enough to conceal me entirely ; and there
I might sit and observe all their bloody doings, and take my full aim
at their heads, when they were so close together as that it would be
next to impossible that I should miss my shot, or that I could fail
wounding three or four of them at the first shot. In this place, then,
I resolved to fulfil my design ; and accordingly, I prepared two
muskets and my ordinary fowling-piece. The two muskets I loaded
with a brace of slugs each, and four or five smaller bullets, about
the size of pistol bullets ; and the fowling-piece I loaded with near a
handful of swan-shot of the largest size ; I also loaded my pistols
with about four bullets each; and, in this posture, well provided
with ammunition for a second and third charge, I prepared myself
for my expedition.
After I had thus laid the scheme of my design, and in my imagi-
nation put it into practice, I continually made my tour every morning
to the top of the hill, which was from my castle, as I called it, about
three miles, or more, to see if I could observe any boats upon the
sea, coming near the island, or standing over towards it; but I began
to tire of this hard duty, after I had for two or three months con-
stantly kept my watch, but came always back without any discovery ;
there having not, in all that time, been the least appearance, not
only on or near the shore, but on the whole ocean, so far as my eyes
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 frame for so outrageous an execution as the
killing twenty or thirty naked savages, for an offence which I had
not at all entered into any discussion of in my thoughts, any farther
than my passions were at first fired by the horror I conceived at the
unnatural custom of the people of that country, who, it seems, had
been suffered by Providence, in His wise disposition of the world, to
have no other guide than that of their own abominable and vitiated
passions ; and, consequently, were left, and perhaps had been so
for many ages, to act such horrid things, and receive such dreadful
customs, as nothing but nature, entirely abandoned by Heaven, and
no
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
actuated by some hellish degeneracy, could have run them into.
But now, when, as I have said, I began to be weary of the fruitless
excursion which I had made so long and so far every morning in
vain, so my opinion of the action itself began to alter ; and I began,
with cooler and calmer thoughts, to consider what I was going to
engage in ; what authority or call I had to pretend to be judge and
executioner upon these men as criminals, whom Heaven had thought
fit, for so many ages, to suffer, unpunished, to go on, and to be, as
it were, the executioners of His judgments one upon another ; how
far these people were offenders against me, and what right I had to
engage in the quarrel of that blood which they shed 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 murderers, 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 frequently, 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 con-
elude 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 there 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
not, come with their boats upon any account whatever. With my
boat I carried away everything'that I had left there belonging to her,
though not necessary for the bare going thither, viz., a mast and sail
which I had made for her, and a thing like an anchor, but which
indeed could not be called either anchor or grapnel; however, it was
the best I could make of its kind : all these I removed, that there
might not be the least shadow for discovery, or appearance of any
CRUSOE MAKES CHARCOAL.
IIS
boat, or of any human habitation upon the island. Besides this, I
kept myself, as I said, more retired than ever, and seldom went from
my cell 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 ; for certain it is that
these savage people, who sometimes haunted this island, never came
with any thoughts of finding anything here, and consequently never
wandered off from the coast, and I doubt not but they might have
been several times on shore after my apprehensions of them had made
me cautious, as well as before. Indeed, I looked back with some
horror upon the thoughts of what my condition would have been, if
I had chopped upon them and been discovered before that, when,
naked, and unarmed, except with one gun, and that loaded often*
only with small shot, I walked everywhere, peeping and peering;
about the island to see what I could get; what a surprise should 1
have been in, if, when I discovered the print of a man's foot, I had,
instead of that, seen fifteen or twenty savages, and found them pur-
suing me, and, by the swiftness of their running, no possibility of my
escaping them.
I had the care of my safety more now upon my hands than that of
my food,. I dared 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 intolerably un-
easy at making any fire, lest the smoke, which is visible at a great
distance in the day, should betray me. For this reason, I removed
that part of my business which required fire, such as burning of pots*,
and pipes, &c. into my new apartment in the woods ; where, after I
had been some time, I found to my unspeakable consolation a mere
natural cave in the earth, which went in a vast way, and where, I
dare say, no savage, had he been at the mouth of it, would be so
hardy as to venture in; nor, indeed, would any man else, but one
who, like me, wanted nothing so much as a safe retreat.
The mouth of this hollow was at the bottom of a great rock, where,
by mere accident (I would say, if I did not see abundant reason to
ascribe all such things now to 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 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
SI2
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
«f smoke. But this is by the bye. While I was cutting down some
" wood here, I perceived that, behind a very thick branch of low brush-
•wood or underwood, there was a kind of hollow place : I was curious
to look into it; and getting with difficulty into the mouth of it, I
found it was pretty large, that is to say, sufficient for me to stand
upright in it, and perhaps another with me ; but I must confess to
you that I made more haste out than I did in, when looking farther
into the place, and which was perfectly dark, I saw two broad shin-
ang 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
tell myself that he that was afraid to see the devil, was not fit to live
twenty years in an island all alone ; and that I durst to believe there
was nothing in this cave that was more frightful than myself; upon
this, plucking up my courage, I took up a firebrand, and in I rushed
again, with the stick flaming in my hand : I had not gone three steps
in, before I was almost as much frighted as I was before ; for I heard
a very loud sigh, like that of a man in some pain, and it was followed
■by a broken noise, as of words half expressed, and then a deep sigh
again. I stepped back, and was indeed struck with such a surprise
ghat it put me into a cold sweat, and if I had had a hat on my head,
I will not answer for it that my hair might not have lifted it off. But
still plucking up my spirits as well as I could, and encouraging my-
.self 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 could get him out,
and he essayed to get up, but was not able to raise himself; and I
thought with myself he might even lie there ; for if he had frighted
me, so he would certainly fright any of the savages, if any of them
-Should be so hardy as to come in there while he had any life in him.
I was now recovered from my surprise, and began to look round
me, when I found the cave was but very small, that is to say, it
might be about twelve feet over, but in no manner of shape, neither
round nor square, no hands having ever been employed in making it
ibut 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 re-
quired me to creep upon my hands and knees to go into it, and
whither it went I knew not; so, having no candle, I gave it over for
<hat time, but resolved to go again the next day provided with can-
THE CA VE OF THE GO A T.
"3
dies 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 goat's
tallow ; and going into this low place I was obliged to creep upon
all-fours, as I have said, almost ten yards ; which 1 thought was
a venture bold enough, considering that I knew not how far it
might go, nor what was beyond it. When I was 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 walls reflected 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, of its kind, 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 discovery, and resolved, without any delay,
to bring some of those things which I was most anxious about to
this place ; particularly, I resolved to bring hither my magazine of
powder, and all my spare arms, viz., two fowling-pieces, for I had
three in all; and three muskets, for of them I had eight in all; so I
kept 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 which I took up out of the
sea, and which had been wet, and I found that the water had pene-
trated about three or four inches into the powder on every side,
which caking and growing hard, had preserved the inside like a
kernel in the shell, so that I had near sixty pounds of very good
powder in the centre of the cask. This was a very agreeable dis-
covery to me at that time ; so I carried all away thither, never keep-
ing 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
"4
ROB INS ON CRUSOE.
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, to prevent offence to my nose.
I was now in the twenty-third year of my residence in this island,
and was so naturalized to the place and the manner of living, that,
could I but have enjoyed the certainty that no savages would come
to the place to disturb me, I could have been content to have capitu-
lated for spending the rest of my time there, even to the last moment,
till I had laid me down and died, like the old goat in the cave. I
had also arrived to some little diversions and amusements, which
made the time pass a great deal more pleasantly with me than it did
before ; as first, I had taught my Poll, as I noted before, to speak ;
and he did it so familiarly, and talked so articulately and plain, that
it was very pleasant to me ; and he lived with me no less than six-
and-twenty years ; how long he might have lived afterwards I know
not, though I know they have a notion in the Brazils that they live a
hundred years. My dog was a very pleasant and loving companion
to me for no less than sixteen years of my time, and then died of
mere old age ; as for my cats, they multiplied, as I have observed,
to that degree, that I was obliged to shoot several of them at first, to
keep them from devouring me and all I had ; but, at length, when
the two old ones I brought with me were gone, and after some time
continually driving them from me, and letting them have no provision
with me, they all ran wild into the woods, except two or three
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 always kept two or three household kids about me, whom I taught
to feed out of my hand ; and I had two more parrots, which talked
pretty well, and would all call " Robin Crusoe," but none like my
first; nor, indeed, did I take the pains with any of them that I had
done with him. I had falso several tame sea-fowls, whose name I
knew not, that I caught upon the shore, and cut their wings ; and
the little stakes which I had planted before my castle-wall being now
grown up to a good thick grove, these fowls all lived among these
low trees, and Bred there, which was very agreeable to me ; so that,
as I said above, I began to be very well contented with the life I led,
if I could have been secured from the dread of the savages. But it
was otherwise directed ; and it may not be amiss for all people who
shall meet with my story to make this just observation from it
How frequently, in the course of our lives, the evil which in itself we
seek most to shun, and which, when we are fallen into it is the most
A FIRE UPON THE SHORE.
"5
dreadful to us, is oftentimes the -very means or door of our delive-
ranee, by which alone we can be raised again from the affliction we
are fallen into. I could give many examples of this in the course of
my unaccountable life ; but in nothing was it more particularly re-
markable than in the circumstances of my last years of solitary resi-
dence in this island.
It was now the month of December, as I said above, in my
twenty-third year ; and this, being the southern solstice, for winter I
cannot call it, was the particular time of my harvest, and required
my being 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, toward that part of the island where I had
observed some savages had been ; and not, as before, 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 improvements, they would
immediately conclude that there were people in the place, and
would then never give over till they had found me out. In this ex-
tremity 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 posture of de-
fence ; I loaded all my cannon, as I called them ; that is to say,
my muskets, which were mounted upon my new fortification, and all
my pistols, and resolved to defend myself to the last gasp, not for-
getting seriously to commend myself to the Divine protection, and
earnestly to pray to God to deliver me out of the hands of the bar-
barians. In this posture I continued 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 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 flat place, as I
observed before, and then pulling the ladder up after me, I set it up
again and mounted the top of the hill; and pulling out my perspec-
tive glass, which I had taken on purpose, I laid me down flat 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
I 2
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
their barbarous diet of human flesh which they had brought with
them, whether alive or dead I could not tell.
They had two canoes with them, which they had hauled up upon
the shore ; and as it was then tide of ebb, they seemed to me to wait
for the return of the flood to go away again; it is not easy to imagine
what confusion this sight put me into, especially seeing them come
on my side of the island, and so near me too ; but when I observed
their coming must be always with the current of the ebb, I began
afterwards to be more sedate in my mind, being satisfied that I might
go abroad with safety all the time of the tide of flood, if they were
not on shore before : and having made this observation, I went
abroad about my harvest work with the more composure.
As I expected, so it proved ; for, as soon as the tide made to the
westward, I saw them all take boat, and row (or paddle, as we call it)
all 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 ; I could not perceive, by my
nicest observation, but that they were stark naked, and had not the
least covering upon them ; but whether they were men or women I
could not distinguish.
As soon as I saw them shipped and gone, I took two guns upon
my shoulders, and two pistols at my girdle, and my great sword by
my side without a scabbard, and with all the speed I was able to
make I went away to the hill where I had discovered the first ap-
pearance of all; and as soon as I got thither, which was not in less
than two hours (for I could not go quickly, being so loaded with
arms as I was), 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 be-
hind it, viz., the blood, the bones, and part of the flesh of human
bodies eaten and devoured by those wretches with merriment and
sport: I was so filled with indignation at the sight, that I now began
to premeditate the destruction of the next that I saw there, let them
be who 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 foot-
steps or signals of them in all that time ; for as to the rainy seasons,
then they are sure not to come abroad, at least not so far ; yet all
this while I lived uncomfortably, by reason of the constant appre-
hensions I was in of their coming upon me by surprise : from whence
THE GUN AT SEA.
ii 7
I observe, that the expectation of evil is more bitter than the suffer-
kig, especially if there is no room to shake off that expectation, or
those apprehensions.
I spent my days now in great perplexity and anxiety of mind, ex-
pecting that I should one day or other fall into the hands of these
merciless creatures ; and if I did at any time venture abroad, it was
not without looking around 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 hqve 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 year and three
months more before I ever saw any more of the savages, and then I
found them again, as I shall soon observe. It is true they might
have been there once or twice ; but either they made no stay, or at
least I did not see them; but in the month of May, as near as I could
calculate, and in my four-and-twentieth year, I had a very strange
encounter with them ; of which in its place.
The perturbation of my mind, during this fifteen or sixteen months"
interval was very great ; I slept unquietly, dreamed always frightful
dreams, and often started out of my sleep in the night. In the day,
great troubles overwhelmed my mind ; and in the night, I dreamed
often of killing the savages, and of the reasons why I might justify
doing it ; but to waive all this for a while.—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; I say,
if was on the sixteenth of May that it blew a very great storm of wind
all day, with a great deal of lightning and thunder, and a very foul
night it was after it. I know 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 the 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 where I was driven down the cur-
rent in my boat. I immediately oonsidered that this must be some ship
Ii8
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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
handsome pile, I set it on fire upon the hill. The wood was dry, and
blazed freely; and, though the wind blew very hard, yet it burned
fairly out; 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 day
broke; and when it was broad day, and the air cleared up, I saw
something at a great distance at sea, full east of the island, whether
a sail or a hull I could not distinguish, no, not with my glasses, 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 ;
£nd 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
night upon those concealed rocks which I found when I was out in
my boat; and which rocks, as they checked the violence of the stream,
and made a kind of counter-stream, or eddy, were the occasion of my
recovering from the most desperate hopeless condition that ever I
had been in in all my life. Thus, what is one man's safety is another
man's destruction ; for it seems these men, whoever they were, being
out of their knowledge, and the rocks being wholly under water, had
been driven upon them in the night, the wind blowing hard at E.N.E.
Had. they seen the island, as I must necessarily suppose they did not,
they must, as I thought, have endeavoured to have saved themselves
on shore by the help of their boat; but their firing off guns for help,
especially when they savy 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 have been cast
away ; other times, I imagined that they might have lost their boat
before, as might be the case many ways ; as particularly, by the
breaking of the sea upon their ship, which many times obliges men
to stave, or take in pieces their boat, and sometimes to throw it over-
board with their own hands ; other times, I imagined they had some
THE WRECK.
"9
other ship or ships in company, who, upon the signals of distress they
made, had taken them up, and carried them off; other whiles, 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, perhaps, they might by this time think of starving, and of
being in a condition to eat one another.
As all -these were but conjectures at bast, so, in the condition I
was in, I could do no more than look on upon the misery of the poor
men, and pity them, which had still this good effect upon my side,
that it gave me more and more cause to give thanks to God, who
had so happily and comfortably provided for me in my desolate con-
dition ; and that of two ships' companies who were now cast away
upon this part of the world, not one life should be spared but mine ;
I learned here again to observe, that it is very rare that the provi-
dence of God casts us into any condition so .low, or any misery so
great, but we may see something or other to be thankful for, and
may see others in worse circumstances than our own.
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 on
no clothes but a seaman's waistcoat, a pair of open-kneed linen
drawers, and a blue linen shirt; he had nothing in his pockets but
two pieces of eight and a tobacco-pipe ; the last was to me of ten
times more value than the first.
It was now calm, and I had a great mind to venture out in my
boat to this wreck ; not doubting but I might find something on
board that might be useful to me ; but that did not altogether press
me so much as the possibility that there might be yet some living
creature on board, whose life I might not only save, but might, by
saving that life, comfort my own to the last degree ; and this thought
clung so to my heart that I could not be quiet night or day, but I
must venture out in my boat on board this wreck ; and committing
the rest to God's providence, I thought the impression was so strong
upon my mind 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 full of
raisins ; and thus, loading myself with everything necessary, I went
down to my boat, got the water out of her and got her afloat,
120
ROBINSON CRUSOE
loaded all my cargo in her, and then went home again for more.
My second cargo was a great bagful of rice, the umbrella to set up
over my head for shade, another large pot full of fresh water, and
about two dozen of my small loaves, or barley cakes, more than
before, with a bottle of goat's milk, and a cheese : all which with
great labour and sweat I brought to my boat; and praying to God
to direct my voyage, I put out, and rowing or paddling the canoe
along the shore, I came at last to the utmost point of the island on
that side N.E. And now I was to launch out into the ocean, and
either to venture or not to venture. I looked on the rapid currents
which ran constantly on both sides of the island at a distance, and
which were very terrible to me, from the remembrance of the
hazard I had been in before, and my heart began to fail me ; for I
foresaw that if I was driven into either of those currents, I should be
carried a great way out to sea, and perhaps out of sight of the
island again ; and that then, as my boat was but small, if any
little gale of wind should rise, I should be inevitably lost.
These thoughts so oppressed my mind, that I began to give over
my enterprise ; and having haled my boat into a little creek on the
shore, I stepped out, and sat down upon a rising bit of ground,
very pensive and anxious, between fear and desire about my
voyage ; when, as I was musing, I could perceive that the tide was
turned, and the flood come on ; upon which, my going was for so
many hours impracticable. Upon this, presently it occurred to
me, that I should go up to the highest piece of ground I could
find, and observe, if I could, how the sets of the tide or currents
lay when the flood came in, that I might judge whether if I was
driven one way out, I might not expect to be driven another way
home, with the same rapidness of the currents ; this thought was
no sooner in my head than I cast my eye upon a little hill, which
sufficiently overlooked the sea both ways, and from whence I had
a clear view of the currents or sets of the tide, and which way I
was to guide myself in my return ; here I found that as the current
of the ebb set out close by the south point of the island, so the
current of the flood set in close by the shore of the north side, and
that I had nothing to do but to keep to the north side of the island
in my return, and I should do well enough.
Encouraged with this observation, I resolved, the next morning,
to set out with the first of the tide; and, reposing myself for the
night in the canoe, under the great watch-coat I mentioned, I
launched out ; I made first a little out to sea, full north, till I began
to i'eel the benefit of the current, which set eastward, and which
carried me at a great rate, and yet did not so hurry me as the cur-
CRUSOE VISITS THE SPANISH WRECK. kte
rent on the south side had done before, so as to take from me all
government of the boat; but having a strong steerage with my
paddle, I went, at a great rate, directly for the wreck, and in le3s-
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 was beaten
to pieces with the sea; and as her forecastle which stuck in the
rocks, had run on with great violence, her mainmast and foremast
were brought by the board ; that is to say, broken short off; but
her bowsprit was sound, and the head and bow appeared firrrr;
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, and 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 eat it like a ravenous wolf, that had been starving at
fortnight in the snow ; I then gave the poor creature some fresh
water, with which, if I would have let him, he would have bur3t
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 : I concluded, as is indeed
probable, that when the ship struck, it being in a storm, the sea
broke so high and so continually over her, that the men were not
able to bear it, and y/ere strangled with the constant rushing in of
the water, as much as if they had been under water. Besides the
dog, there was nothing left in the ship that had life ; nor any goods,
that I could see, but what were spoiled by the water. There were
some casks of liquor, whether wine or brandy I knew not, which
lay lower in the hold, and which, the water being ebbed out, I could
see ; but they were too big to meddle with : I saw several chests,
which, I believe, belonged to some of the seamen ; and I got two of
them into the boat, without examining what was in them. Had the
stern of the ship been fixed, and the forepart broken off, I am per-
suaded I might have made a good voyage ; for, by what I found in
these two chests, I had room to suppose the ship had a great deal
of wealth on board ; and if I may guess from the course she steered,
she must have been b®und from Buenos Ayres, or the Rio 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 ; and what became of her people I then knew not.
I found, besides these chests, a little cask full of liquor, of about
twenty gallons, which I got into my boat with much difficulty;
there were several muskets in the cabin, and a great powder-horn,
122
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
with about four pounds of powder in it : as for the muskets, I had
no occasion for them, so I left them, but took the powder-horn ; I
took a fire-shovel and tongs, which I wanted extremely ; as also two
little brass kettles, a copper pot to make chocolate, and a gridiron ;
and with this cargo and the dog, I came away, the tide beginning to
make home again: and the same evening, about an hour within
night, I reached the island again, weary and fatigued to the last
degree. I reposed that night in the boat; and in the mgrning I
resolved to harbour what I had gotten in my new cave, not carry it
home to my castle. After refreshing myself, I got all my cargo on
shore, and began to examine the particulars: the cask of liquor I
found to be a kind of rum, but not such as we had at the Brazils ;
and, in a word, not at all good ; but when I came to open the
chests, I found several things of great use to me : for example, I
found in one a fine case of bottles, of an extraordinary kind, and
filled with cordial waters, fine and very good ; the bottles held about
three pints each, and were tipped with silver ; I found two pots of
very good succades, or sweetmeats, so fastened also on the top that
the salt-water had not hurt them ; and two more of the same, which
the water had spoiled ; I found some very good shirts, which were
very welcome to me, and about a dozen and a half of linen white
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 doub-
loons of gold, and some small bars or wedges of gold; I suppose
they might all weigh near a pound. The other chest I found had
some clothes in it, 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
flasks, kept, I suppose, for charging their fowling-pieces on occa-
sion ; 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 not had on my feet
for many years ; I had, indeed, gotten two pair of shoes now, which
I took off the feet of the two drowned men whom I saw in the
wreck, and I found two pair more in 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,
MONEY OF NO USE TO CRUSOE.
123
but no gold: I suppose this belonged to a poorer man than the
other, 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 brought from our own ship ;
but it was 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, which if I had ever escaped
to England, would have lain here safe enough till I might have
come again and fetched it.
Having now brought all my things on shore, and secured them, I
went back to my boat, and rowed or paddled her along the shore to
her old harbour, where I laid her up, and made the best of my way to
my old habitation, where I found everything safe and quiet; so I began
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 oftener, 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 pre-
cautions, and such a load of arms and ammunition as I always carried
with me if I went the other way.
I am now to be supposed retired in my castle, after my late voyage
to the wreck, my frigate laid up and secured under water, and my
condition restored to what it was before : I had more wealth than I
had before, but was not at all the richer ; for I had no more use for
it than the Indians of Peru had before the Spaniards came there.
It was one of the nights in the rainy season in March, the four-and-
twentieth year of my first setting foot in this island of solitariness ; I
was lying in my bed or hammock, awake, very well in health, had
no pain, no distemper, no uneasiness of body, nor any uneasiness of
mind more than ordinary, but could by no means close my eyes ;
that is, so as to sleep ; no, not a wink all night long. It is impossi-
ble 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.
When these thoughts were over, my head was for some time taken
up in considering the nature of those wretched creatures, the savages,
and how it came to pass in the world, that the wise Governor of all
things should give up any of his creatures to such inhumanity—nay,
to something so much below even brutality itself—as to devour its
own kind : but as this ended in some (at that time) fruitless specula-
124
J? OB INS ON CRUSOE.
tions, it occurred to me to inquire, what part of the world these
wretches lived in ? how far off the coast was from whence they came?
what they ventured over so far from home for? what kind of boats
they had ? and why I might not order myself and my business so,
that I might be able to go over thither, as they were to come to me ?
I never so much as troubled myself to consider what I should do
with myself when I went thither ; what would become of me If I fell
into the hands of these savages ; or how I should escape them if they
attacked me ; no, nor so much as how it was possible for me to reach
the coast, and not be attacked by some or other of them, without any
possibility of delivering myself: and if I should not fall into their
hands, what I should do for provision, or whither I should bend my
course : none of these thoughts, I say, so much as came in my way ;
but my mind was wholly bent upon the notion of my passing over in
my boat to the main land. I looked upon my present condition as
the most miserable that could possibly be ; that I was not able to
throw myself into anything but death, that could be called worse ;
and if I reached the shore of the main, I might perhaps meet with
relief, or I might coast along, as I did on the African shore, till I
came to some inhabited country, and where I might find some relief;
and, after all, 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. Pray note, all
this was the fruit of a disturbed mind, an impatient temper, made
desperate, as it were, by the long continuance of my troubles, and
the disappointments I had met in the wreck I had been on board of,
and where I had been so near obtaining what I so earnestly longed
for—somebody to speak to, and to learn some knowledge from them
of.the place where I was, and; of the probable means of my delive-
ranee. I was agitated wholly by these thoughts ; all my calm of
mind, in my resignation to Providence, and waiting the issue of the
dispositions of Heaven, seemed to be suspended ; and I had, as it
were, no power to turn my thoughts to anything but to the project of
a voyage to the main, which came upon me with such force, and such
an impetuosity of desire, that it was not to be resisted.
When this had agitated my thoughts for two hours or more, with
such violence that it set my very blood into a ferment, and my pulse
beat as if I had been in a fever, merely with the extraordinary 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 any-
thing 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
CRUSOE'S SINGULAR DREAM. 125
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 him-
self; and that I, seeing him alone, and not perceiving that the others
sought him that way, showed myself to him, and smiling upon him, en-
couraged him : that he kneeled down, to me, seeming to pray me tc
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 gotten this man, I said to myself, " Now I may cer-
tainly venture to the main land, for this fellow will serve me as a
pilot, and will tell me what to do, r»nd whither to go for provisions,
and whither not to go for fear of being devoured ; what places to
venture into, and what to escape." I waked with this thought; and
was under such inexpressible impressions of joy at the prospect of
my escape in my dream, that the disappointments which I felt upon
coming to myself, and finding that it was no more than a dream,
were equally extravagant the other way, and threw me into a very
great dejection of spirit.
Upon this, however, I made this conclusion : that my only way to
go about to attempt an escape was, to endeavour to get a savage
into my possession ; and, if possible, it should be one of their pri-
soners, whom they had condemned to be eaten, and should bring
hither to kill. But these thoughts still were attended with this diffi-
culty : 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 me ; and my heart trem-
bled at the thoughts of shedding so much blood, though it was for
my deliverance. I need not repeat the arguments which occurred to
me against this, they being the same mentioned before ; but though
I had other reasons to offer now, viz., that those men were enemies
to my life, and would devour me if they could ; that it was self-
preservation, in the highest degree, to deliver myself from this death
of a life, and was acting in my own defence as much as if they were
actually assaulting me, and the like ; I say, though these things
argued for it, yet the thoughts of shedding human blood for my de-
liverance were very terrible to me, and such as I could by no means
reconcile myself to for a great while. However, at last, after many
secret disputes with myself, and after great perplexities about it (for
all these arguments, one way and another, struggled in my head a
long time), the eager prevailing desire of deliverance at length
126 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 could pitch upon no probable means for it, so I resolved to
put myself upon the watch, to see them when they came on shore,
and leave the rest to the event, taking such measures as the oppor-
tunity should present, let what would be.
With these resolutions in my thoughts, I set myself upon the
scout as often as possible, and indeed so often, that I was heartily
tired of it ; for it was above a year and a half that I waited, and for
great part of that time went out to the west end, and to the south-
west corner of the island almost every day, to look for canoes, but
none appeared. This was very discouraging, and began to trouble
me much, though I cannot say that it did in this case wear off the
edge of my desire to the thing ; but the longer it seemed to be de-
layed, 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 hsdf after I had entertained these notions, and by
long musing had, as it were, resolved them all into nothing, for want of
an occasion to put them into execution, I was surprised one morning
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 some-
times more in a boat, I could not tell what to think of it, or how to
take my measures to attack twenty or thirty men single-handed ; so
lay still in my castle, perplexed and discomforted; however, I put
myself into all the same postures for an attack that I had formerly
provided, and was just as 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
FRIDA Y'S ESCAPE FROM THE CANNIBALS. 127
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, 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, 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 frighted,
I must acknowledge, when I perceived him run my way ; and espe-
cially when, as I thought, I saw him pursued by the whole body ;
and now I expected that part of my dream was coming to pass, and
that he would certainly take shelter in my grove : but I could not
depend, by any means, upon my dream for the rest, viz., 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
exceedingly 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 men-
tioned often at 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 swift-
ness ; when the three pursuers 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 ; which, as it happened, was very well for
him in the end. I observed that the two who swam were yet more
than twice as long swimming over the creek as the fellow was that
fled from them. It came now very warmly upon my thoughts, and
indeed irresistibly, that now was the time to get me a servant, and
perhaps a companion or assistant; and that I was plainly called by
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Providence to save this poor creature's life; I immediately ran down
the ladders with all possible expedition, fetched my two guns, for
ihey were both at the foot of the ladders, as I observed before, and
getting up again with the same haste to the top of the hill, I crossed
towards the sea; and having a veiy short cut, and all down hill,
•clapped myself in the way between the pursuers and the pursued,
hallooing aloud to him that fled, who, looking back, was at first per-
haps as much frighted at me as at them ; but I beckoned with my
hand to him to come back ; and, in the mean time, I slowly advanced
towards the two that followed ; then rushing at once upon the fore-
most, I knocked him down with the stock of my piece ; I was loth to
fire because I would not have the rest hear; though, at that distance,
it would not have been easily heard, and being out of sight of
the smoke, too, they would not have 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 necessitated 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 stood stock still, and neither
came forward nor went backward, though he seemed rather in-
clined 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 my 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 by the foot, set my foot upon his head ; this, it seems, was
in token of swearing to be my slavefor ever. I took hint 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 understand them, yet I thought they were pleasant to
CRUSOE DELIVERS FRIDAY,
p. 128
FRIDAY BEHEADS THE SAVAGE.
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 ; so I did. He no
sooner had it, but he runs to his enemy, and at one blow cut off his
head as 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 laugh-
ing 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 tc
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, turned 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 co him that more might come after them.
Upon this he made signs to me that he should bury them with sand,
that they might not be seen by the rest, if they followed; and so I made
signs to him again to do so. He fell to work; and in an instant he had
scraped a hole in the sand with his hands, big enough to bury the first
in, and then dragged him into it, and covered him ; and did so by
the other also ; I believe he had buried them both in a quarter of an
hour. Then calling him away, I carried him, not to my castle, but
quite away to my cave, on the farther part of the island : so I did
not let my dream come to pass in that part, 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 dis-
bress for, from his running : and having refreshed him, I made signs
for him to go and lie down to sleep, showing him a place where I
had laid some rice-straw, and a blanket upon it, which I used to
K.
130
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 counte-
nance, 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 the skin was not quite black, but very tawny ;
and yet not an ugly, yellow, nauseour 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,
rather than slept, about half an hour, he awoke again, and came out
of the cave to me ; for I had been milking my goats, which I had in
the inclosure just by : when he espied me, he came running to me,
laying himself down again upon the ground, with all the possible
signs of an humble, thankful disposition, making a great many antic
gestures to show it; at last he lays his head flat upon the ground,
close to my foot, and sets my other foot upon his head, as he had
done before ; and after this, made all the signs to me of subjection,
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
Ms life: I called him so for the memory of the time ; I likewise
' aught him to say Master; and then let him know that was to be my
name : I likewise taught him to say Yes and No, and to know the
meaning of them ; I gave him some milk in an earthen pot, and let
him see me drink it before him, and sop my bread in it ; and I 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 edk,
THE CANNIBAL FEAST.
them. At this, I appeared very angry, expressed my abhorrence of
it, made as if I would vomit at the thoughts of it, and beckoned with
my hand to him to come away, which he did immediately, with great
submission. I then led him up to the top of the hill, to see if his
enemies were gone ; and pulling out my glass, I looked, and saw
plainly the place where they had been, but no appearance of them or
their canoes ; so that it was plain they were gone, and had left their
two comrades behind them, without any search after them.
But I was not content with this discovery ; but having now more
courage, and consequently more curiosity, I took my man Friday
with me, giving him the sword in his hand, with the bow and arrows
at his back, which I found he could use very dexterously, making
him carry one gun for me, and I two for myself; and away we
marched to the place where these creatures had been ; for I had a
mind now to get some fuller intelligence of them. When I came to
the place, my 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 trium-
phant 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 numbef
of prisoners, all which were carried to several places, by those who
lad taken them in the fight, in order to feast upon 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 discovered so much abhorrence at the very
thoughts of it, and at the least appearance 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
ti'Of linen drawer?, which T had out of the poor gunner's chest I men-
«32
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
tioned, which I found in the wreck, and which, with a little altera-
tion, fitted him very well; then I made him a jerkin of goat's skin,
as well as my skill would allow, and I was'now grown a tolerably
good tailor ; and I gave him a cap which I had made of a hare's
akin, very convenient, 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 fiist: wearing the drawers was
very awkward to him, and the sleeves of the waistcoat galled his
shoulders and the inside of his arms ; but a little easing them where
he complained they hurt him, and using himself to them, at length
he took to them 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; and as there was a door or entrance
there into my cave, I made a formal framed door-case, and a door
to it of boards, and set it up in the passage, a little within the en-
trance ; 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 innermost wall, without making so
much noise in getting over that it must needs awaken me ; for my
first wall had now a complete roof over it of long poles, covering all
my tent, and leaning up to the side of the hill; which was again
laid across with smaller sticks, instead of laths, and then thatched
over a great thickness with the rice-straw, which was strong, like
reeds ; and at the hole or place which was left to go in or out by
.the ladder, I had placed a kind of trap-door, which, if it had been
attempted on the outside, would not have opened at all, but would
have fallen down and made a great noise ; and as to weapons, I
took them all into my side every night. But I needed none of all
this precaution : for never man had a more faithful, loving, sincere
servant than Friday was to me ; without passions, sullenness, or de-
signs, perfectly obliging and engaging ; his very affections were tied
to me like those of a child to a father; and I dare say he would
have sacrificed his life to save mine, upon any occasion 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 his 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
FRIDA YS ALARM AT THE GUN.
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 hiih 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 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 had 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 wondering, and looking to see how*
the creature was killed, I loaded my gun again, and 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, pointing 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 hp
saw the parrot fall ; he stood like one frightened again, notwith-
standing 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; anch
*34
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 would speak to it
and talk to it, as if it had answered him, when he was by himself;
which, as I afterwards learned of him, was to desire it not to kill
him. Well: after his 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 for that
purpose, I boiled or stewed some of the flesh, and made some very
good broth ; and 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 mouth, he seemed to nauseate it, and would spit and sputter at
it, washing his mouth with fresh water after it : on the other hand, I
took some meat into my mouth without salt, and I pretended to spit
and sputter for want of salt, as fast as he had done at the salt;
but it would not do ; he would never care for salt with 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 the top, and tying the string to the cross stick, letting
the meat turn continually.- This Friday admired very much; but
when he came to taste the flesh, he took so many ways to tell me
how well he liked it, that I could not but understand him : and at
last he told me, as well as he could, he would never 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
FRIDAY LEARNS ENGLISH.
*35
and in a little time, Friday was able to do all the work for me, as
well as I could do it myself.
I began now to consider, that having two mouths to feed instead
of one, I must provide more ground for my harvest, and plant a
larger quantity of corn than I used to do ; so I marked out a larger
piece of land, and began the fence in the same manner as before, in
which Friday worked not only very willingly and very hard, but did
it very cheerfully : and I told him what it was for ; that it was for
corn to make more bread, because he was now with me, and that I
might have enough for him and myself too. He appeared very sen-
sible 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 well, and understand the names of almost
everything I had occasion to call for, and of every place I had to
send him to, and talk 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, that is to say, about speech. Besides
the pleasure of talking to him, I had a singular satisfaction in the
fellow himself: his simple, unfeigned honesty appeared to me more
and more every day, and I began really to love the creature ; and
on his side, I believe he loved me more than it was possible for him
ever to love anything before.
I had a mind once to try if he had any inclination for his own
country again ; and having learned him English so well that he could
answer me almost any questions, 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 dis-
course. You always fight the better, said I; how came you to be
taken prisoner, then, Friday?
Friday.—My nation beat much for all that.
Master.—How beat ? If your nation beat them, how came you to
be taken ?
Friday.—They more many than my nation, in the place where me
was ; they take one, two, three, and me :»my nation 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 erf
your enemies then ?
Friday.—They run, one, two, three, and me, and make go in thft
canoe; my nation have no canoe that time.
R03/JVS0N CRUSOE.
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 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 that 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 ; that
jrfter 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 Oronooko ; in the mouth or gulf of which
river, as I found afterwards, our island lay; and this land which I
perceived to be W. and N.W. was the great island 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
Ihe river Oronooko to Guinea, 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,
which I mentioned before; and that they had killed much mans,
that was his word : by all which I understood he meant the Spaniards,
FRIDAY INSTRUCTED IN RELIGION.
*3?
whose cruelties in America had been spread over the whole country,
and were remembered by all the nations from father to son.
I inquired if he could tell me how I might go from this island, and
get among those white men : he told me, '' Yes, yes, you may go in
two canoe." I could not understand what he meant, or make him
describe to me what he meant by two canoe, till at last with great
difficulty, I found he meant it must be in a large boat, as big as two.
canoes. This part of Friday's discourse 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 to do it.
During the long time that Friday had now been with me, and that
he began to speak to me, and understand me, I was not wanting to-
lay a foundation of religious knowledge in his mind ; particularly I
asked him one time, who made him ? The poor creature did not
understand me at all, but thought I had asked who was his father
but I took"it 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 old 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, than the moon
or the stars." I asked him then,'if this old person had made alk
things, why did not all things worship him ? He looked very grave,
and, with a perfect look of innocence, said, " All things say O to-
him." I asked him, if the people who die in his country went away
anywhere? He said "Yes, they all went to Benamuckee." Then L
asked him whether those they eat up went thither too. He said '' Yes."
From these things, I began to instruct him in the knowledge of the
true God: I told him that the great Maker of all things lived up-
there, pointing up towards heaven : that he governs the world by the
same power and providence by which He made it; that he was om-
nipotent, and could do everything for us, give everything to us, take
everything from us ; and thus, by degrees, I opened his eyes. He
listened with great attention, and received with pleasure the notion)
of Jesus Christ being sent to redeem us, and of the manner of making
our prayers to God, and His being able to hear us, even in heaven.
He told me one day, that if our God could hear us, up beyond the
sun, he must needs be a greater God than their Benamuckee, who.
lived but a little way off, and yet could not hear till they went up to
the great mountains where he dwelt to speak to him. I asked him.
if ever he went thither to speak to him ? He said, " No ; they neveE
went that were young men ; none went thither but the old men,"
whom he called their Oowokakee, that is, as I made him explain it to
*38
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
me, their religious, or clergy; and that they went to say 0 (so he
called saying prayers), and then came back and told them what
Benamuckee said.
I endeavoured to clear up this fraud to my man Friday ; and told
him that the pretence of their old men going up to the mountains to
say O to their god Benamuckee was a cheat; and their bringing
word from thence what he said was much more so ; {hat if they met
with any answer, or spake with any one there, it must be with an
evil spirit, and then I entered into a long discourse with him about
the devil, the origin of him, his rebellion against God, his enmity to
man, the reason of it, his setting himself up in the dark parts of the
world to be worshipped instead of God, and as God, and the many
stratagems he made use of to delude mankind to their ruin ; how he
had a secret access to our passions and to our affections, and to adapt
his snares to our inclinations, so as to cause us even to be our own
tempters, and run upon our own destruction by our own choice.
I had, God knows, more sincerity than knowledge in all the
methods I took for this poor creature's instruction, and must acknow-
ledge, 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 know, 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 com-
fortable 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 myself to look up to heaven, ancfto seek the hand that had
Brought me there, 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, and bring him to the true knowledge of religion, and of the
Christian doctrine, that he might know Christ Jesus, to know whom
is life eternal; I say, when I reflected upon all these things, a secret joy
ran through every part of my soul, and I frequently rejoiced that ever
I was brought to this place, which I had so often thought the most
dreadful of all afflictions that could possibly have befallen me.
In this thankful frame I continued all the remainder of my time;
and the conversation which employed the hours between Friday antf
me was such as made the three years which we lived there togethej
perfectly and completely happy, if any such thing as complete happi*
Bess can be found in a sublunary state. The savage was now?
EUROPEANS ARE NEAR.
139
good Christian, a much better than I; though I have reason to hope,
and bless God for it, that we were equally penitent, and comforted,
restored penitents.
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 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
delighted with ; and I made him a belt, with a frog hanging to it,
such as in England we wear hangers in ; and in the frog, instead of
a hanger, I gave him a hatchet, which was not only as good a
weapon in some cases, but much more useful upon other occasions.
I described to him the countries of Europe, particularly England,
which I came from ; how we lived, how we worshipped God, how we
behaved to one another, and how we traded in ships to all parts of
the world. I gave him an account of the wreck which I had been
on board of, and showed him, as near as I could, the place where
she lay ; but she was all beaten in pieces before, and gone. I showed
him the ruins of our boat, which we lost when we escaped, and which
I could not stir with my whole strength then ; but was now fallen
almost all to 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 for 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 upon the country where he
lived : that is, as he explained it, was driven thither by stress of
weather. I presently imagined that some European ship must have
been cast away upon their coast, and the boat might get loose and
drive ashore ; but was so dull that I never once thought of men
making their escape from a wreck thither, much less whence they
might come : so I only inquired after a description of the boat.
Friday described the boat to me well enough ; but brought me
better to understand him when he added with some warmth, '' We
save the white mans from drown." Then I presently asked 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
in the sight of my island, as I now called it; and who after the ship
was struck on the rock and they saw her inevitably lost, had saved
themselves in their boat, and were landed upon that wild shore among
the savages. Upon this I inquired of him more critically what
was become of them. He assured me they lived still there ; that
they had been there about four years; that the savages 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 them that is, as I understood him, a truce;
and then he added, '' They no eat mans but when make the war
fightthat is to say, they never eat any 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, whence, as I have said, I
had, in a clear day, discovered the main or continent of America,
Friday, the weather being very serene, looks very 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 ; " O glad ! there see
my country, there my nation !" I observed an extraordinary sense
of pleasure appeared in his face, and his eyes sparkled, and his
countenance discovered a strange eagerness, as if he had a mind to
be in his own country again ; and 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 obligations 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 certainly wrong too; the
honest, grateful creature having no thought about it, but what con-
sisted with the best principles, both as a religious Christian, and as a
grateful friend ; as appeared afterwards to my full satisfaction.
Whilst 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
THOUGHTS OF LEAVING THE ISLAND. 141
me at last entirely his own again ; nor did he in the least perceive
that I was uneasy ; and therefore I could not suspect him of deceit.
One day, walking up the same hill, but the weather being hazy at
sea, so that we could not see the continent, I called to him, and
said, " Friday, do not you wish yourself in your own country, your
own nation ?" '' Yes," he said, " I be much O glad to be at r.iJF
own nation." "What would you do there?" said I : "would yov
turn wild again, eat men's flesh again, and be a savage, as you were
before ?" He looked full of concern, and shaking his head, said,
" No, no, Friday tell them to live good ; tell them to pray God ;
tell them to eat corn-bread, cattle-flesh, milk ; no eat man again."—
" Why then," said I to him, " they will kill you." He looked grave
at that, and then said, "No, 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." He meant, he would tell them how I had
killed his enemies, and saved his life, and so he would make them
love me. Then he told me, as well as he could, how kind they were
to seventeen white men, or bearded men, as he called them, who
came on shore there in distress.
From this time, I confess, I had a mind to venture over, and see
if I could possibly join with those bearded men, who I made no
doubt were Spaniards and Portuguese ; not doubting but, if I could,
we might find some method 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 dexterous fellow at managing
it, and woujd 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 was too small to go so far. I then told
him I had a bigger ; so the next day I went to the place where the
first boat lay which I had made, but which I could not get into the
142
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 —this was his way of talking.
Upon the whole, I was by this time so fixed upon my design of
going over with him to the continent, that I told him we would go
and make one as big as that, and he should go home in it. He
answered not one word, but looked very grave and sad. I asked
him what was the matter with 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, repeating the words several times; "why send
Friday home away to my nation?" "Why,"says I, "Friday, did
not you say you wished you were there?" "Yes, yes," says he,
"wish we both there ; no wish Friday there, no master there." In
a word, he would not think of going there without 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,
"thouknowest not what thou sayest; I am but an ignorant man
myself." "Yes, yes," says he, "you teachee me good, you teachee
them good." " No, no, Friday," says I, "you shall go without me ;
leave me here to live by myself, as I did before." He looked con-
fused again at that word ; and running to one of the hatchets which
he used to wear, he takes it up hastily, and gives it to me. '' What
must I do with this?" says I to him. "You take kill Friday," says
he. "What must I kill you for?" said I again. He returns very
quick—"What you send Friday away for? Take kill Friday, no
send Friday away." This he spoke so earnestly that I saw tears
stand in his eyes. In a word, I so plainly discovered the utmost
affection in him to me, and a firm resolution in him, that I told him
then, and often after, that I would never send him away from me,
if he was willing to stay with me.
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 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 intention, or desire of undertaking it; but still I found a
strong inclination to attempting my escape as above founded on the
supposition gathered from the former discourse, that there were
CRUSOE AND FRIDAY BUILD A CANOE. i4?
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, not oi
periaguas or canoes, but even of good large vessels; but the main
thing I looked at was, to get one so near the water that we might
launch it when it was made, to avoid the mistake I committed at first.
At last, Friday pitched upon a tree; for I found he knew much
better than I what kind of wood was fittest for it; nor can I tell, to
this day, what wood to call the tree we cut down, except that it was
very like the tree we call fustic, or between that and the Nicaragua
wood, for it was much of the same colour and smell. Friday was
for burning the hollow or cavity of this tree out, to make it into a
boat; but I showed him how to cut it with tools, which, after I had
showed him how to use, he did very handily; and in about a month's
hard 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, how-
ever, it cost us near a fortnight's time to get her along, as it were
inch by inch, upon great rollers into the water; but when she was in,
she would have carried twenty men with great ease.
When she was in the water, and though she was so big, 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 go, and if we might venture over in her. "Yes," he said,
"we venture over in her very well, though great blow wind." How-
ever, I had a further design that he knew nothing of, and that was,
to make a mast and a sail, and to fit her with an anchor and cable.
As to a mast, that was easy enough to get; so I pitched upon a
straight young cedar-tree, which I found near the place, and which
there were great plenty of in the island; and I set Friday to work to
cut it down, and gave him directions how to shape and order it; but
as to the sail, that was my particular care; I knew I had old sails, or
rather pieces of old sails, enough; but as I had had them now six-
and-twenty years by me, and had 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 fatten; 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 Eng-
land 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
*44
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
with, and such as I best knew how to manage; because it was such
a one as I had to the boat in which I made my escape from Barbary,
as related in the first part of my story.
I was near two months performing this last work, viz., 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, which was more than all, I fixed a rudder to
the stern of her to steer with; and though I was but a bungling ship-
wright, yet as I knew the usefulness, and even necessity of such a
thing, I applied myself with so much pains to do it, that at last
I brought it to pass; though, considering the many dull contrivances
I had for it that failed, I think it cost me almost as much labour as
making the boat.
After all this was done, I had my man Friday to teach as to what
belonged to the navigation of my boat; for, though he knew very
■well how to paddle a canoe, he knew nothing of what belonged to a
sail and a rudder, and was the more amazed when he saw me work
the boat to and again in the sea by the rudder, and how the sail gibbed,
and filled this way or that way, as the course we sailed changed; I say,
when he saw this, he stood like one astonished and amazed; how-
ever, with a little use, I made all these things familiar to him, and he
became an expert sailor, except that as to the compass I could make
"him understand very little of that; on the other hand, as there was
very little cloudy weather, and seldom or never any fogs in those parts,
there was the less occasion for a compass, seeing the stars were
always to be seen by night, and the shore by day; except in the rainy
season, and then nobody cared to stir abroad either by land or sea.
I was now entered on the seven-and-twentieth year of my captivity
in this place; though the three last years that I had this creature
with me ought rather to be left out of the account, my habitation
being quite of another kind than in all the rest of my 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 for acknow-
ledgment at first, I had much more so now, having such additional
testimonies of the care of Providence over me, and the great hopes I
had of being effectually and speedily delivered; for I had an invin-
cible impression upon my thoughts that my deliverance was at hand,
and that I should not be another year in this place. I went on, how-
ever, 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 mean time, upon me, when I kept
more within doors than at other times. We had stowed our new
THE RE TURN OF THE SAVAGES.
vessel as secure as we could, bringing her up into the creek, where,
as I said in the beginning, I landed my rafts from the ship; and
hauling her up to the shore at high-water mark, I made my man
Friday dig a little dock, just big enough to hold her, and just deep
enough to give her water enough to float in; and then, when the
tide was out, we made a strong dam across the end of it, to keep the
water out; and so she lay dry as to the tide from the sea; and to
keep the rain off, we laid a great many boughs of trees, so thick that
she was as well thatched as a house; and thus we waited for the
months of November and December, 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 store 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, foi
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 frighted." So I heartened him up as well
as I could. However, I saw the poor fellow was most terribly scared
for nothing ran in his head but that they were come to look for him,
and would cut him in pieces and eat him ; and the poor fellow trem-
bled so that I scarcely knew what to do with him : I comforted him
as well as I could, and told him I was in as much danger as he, and
that they would eat me as well as him. "But," says I, "Friday,
we must resolve to fight them. Can you fight, Friday?" "Me
shoot," says he, '' but there come many great number." "No matter
for that," said I again ; " our guns will fright them that we do nof
kill." So I asked him whether, if I resolved to defend him, he would
defend me, and stand by me, and do just as I bid him. He said,
" Me die, when you bid die, master." So I went and fetched a good
dram of rum and gave him ; for I had been so good a husband oi
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 load
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
them with large swan-shot, as big as small pistol-bullets; then.I
took four muskets, and loaded them with two slugs, and five small
bullets each; and my two pistols I loaded with a brace of bullets
each : I hung my great sword, as usual, naked by my side, and gave
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 ; a barbarous feast, indeed, but nothing
more than, as I had observed, was usual with them. 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 came about, filled
me with such indignation that I came down again to Friday, and
told him I was resolved to go down to them, and kill them all; and
asked him if he would stand by me. He had now got over his
fright, and his spirits being a little raised with the dram I had given
him, he was very cheerful, and told me, as before, he would die when
I bid die.
In this fit of fury I divided the arms which I had charged, as
before, between us ; I gave Friday one pistol to stick in his girdle,
and three guns upon his shoulder, and I took one pistol and the
other three guns myself; and in this posture we marched out. I
took a small bottle of rum in my pocket, and gave Friday a large
bag with more powder and bullets ; and as to orders, I charged him
to keep close behind me, and not to stir, or shoot, or do anything
till I bid him, and in the mean time not to speak a word ; in this
posture I fetched a compass to my right hand of near a mile, as well
to get over the creek as to get into the wood, so that I could come
within shot of them before I should be discovered, which I had seen
by my glass it was easy to do.
While I was making this march, my former thoughts returning,
I began to abate my resolution : I do not mean that I entertained
any fear of their number, for, as they were naked, unarmed wretches,
it is certain I was superior to them ; nay, though I had been alone.
But it occurred to my thoughts, what call, what occasion, much less
what necessity, I was in to go and dip my hands in blood, to attack
people who had neither done nor intended me any wrong? 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
A EUROPEAN VICTIM.
i4 7
then as God should direct; but that unless something offered that was
more a call to me than yet I knew of, I would not meddle with them.
With this resolution I entered the wood, and, with all possible
wariness and silence, Friday following close at my heels, I marched
till I came to the skirt of the wood on the side which was next to
them, only that one corner of the wood lay between me and them.
Here I called softly to Friday, and showing him a great tree which
was just at the corner of the wood, I bade him go to the tree,
and bring me word if he could see there plainly what they were
doing. He did so, and came immediately back to me, and told me
they might be plainly viewed there—that they were all about their
fire eating the flesh of one of their prisoners, and that another lay
bound upon the sand a little from them, 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 men he 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 with flags, or things like
rushes, and that he was an European, a.:d 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 dreadful
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,"
Jaid 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," 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
L 2
348
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
•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 de-
it ruction came. Friday kept his eyes close upon me, that, as I had
bid him, he might observe what I did ; so, as soon as the first shot
■was made, I threw down the piece, and took up the fowling-piece,
and Friday did the like ; he saw me cock and present; he did the
-same again. "Are you ready, Friday?" said I. "Yes," says he.
■" Let fly, then," says I, "in the name of God !" and with that I fired
again among the amazed wretches, and so did Friday ; and as our
pieces were now loaded with what I 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 that they saw me, I shouted as loud as I could, and bade
Friday do so to, and running as fast as I could, which by the way
was not very fast, being loaded with arms as I was, I made directly
towards the poor victim, who was, as I said, lying upon the beach
or shore, between the place where they sat and the sea ; the two
butchers who were just going to work with him had left him at the
surprise of our first fire, and fled in a terrible fright to the sea-side,
and had jumped into a canoe, and three more of the rest made the
same way. I turned to Friday, and bade him step forwards and fire
at them ; he understood me immediately, and running about forty
yards, to be nearer them, he shot at them ; and I thought he had
killed them all, for I saw them all fall of a heap into the boat, though
I saw two of them up again quickly ; however, he killed two of them,
and wounded the third, so that he lay down in the bottom of the
boat as if he had been dead.
While my man Friday fired at them, I pulled out my knife and cut
fiie flags that bound the poor victim ; and loosing his hands and feet,
L lifted him up, and asked him in the Portuguese tongue, what he
Was. He answered in Latin, " Christianus ;" but was so weak and
faint that he could scarce stand or speak. I took my bottle out of
my pocket, and gave it him, making signs that he should drink,
tvhich he did ; and I gave him a piece of bread, which he ate ; then
lasked him what countryman he was; and he said "Espagnole;" and
ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SAVAGES.
being a little recovered, let me know, by all the signs he could pos<-
sibly 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 about you." He took
them very thankfully ; and no sooner had he the. arms 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 in-
stant; for the truth is, as the whole was a surprise to them, so the
poor creatures were so much frightened with the noise of our pieces
that they fell down for mere amazement and fear, and had no more
power to attempt their own escape, than their flesh had to resist our
shot : and that was the case of those five that Friday shot at in the
boat; for as three of them fell with the hurt they received, so the
other two fell with the fright.
I kept my piece in my hand still without firing, being willing to
keep my charge ready, because I had given the Spaniard my pistol
and sword : so I called to Friday, and bade him run up to the tree
from whence we first fired, and fetch the arms which lay there that
had been discharged, 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 afierce 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 him.
Friday, being now left to his liberty, pursued the flying wretches,
with no weapon in his hand but his hatchet; and with that he de-
spatched those three who, as I said before, were wounded at first,
and fallen, and all the rest he could come up with : and the Spaniard
coming to me for a gun, I gave him one of the fowling-pieces, with
which he pursued two of the savages, and wounded them both ; but,
as he was not able to run, they both got from him into the wood,
where Friday pursued them, and killed one of them, but the other
was too nimble for him ; and though he was wounded, yet plunged
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 gun-shot,
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 look up
over the side of the boat, he was tied so hard neck and heels, and
\ad been tied so long, that he had really but little life in him.
I immediately cut the twisted flags or rushes, which they had
bound him with, and would have helped him up ; but he could not
stand or speak, but groaned most piteously, believing, it seems, still,
that he was only unbound in order to be killed. When Friday
came to him, I bade him speak to him, and tell him of his delive-
ranee ; and pulling out my bottle, made him give the poor wretch
a dram ; which, with the news of his being delivered, revived him,
and he sat up in the boat. But when Friday came to hear him
speak, and look in his face, it would have moved any one to tears to
have seen how Friday kissed him, embraced him, hugged him,
cried, laughed, hallooed, jumped about, danced, sung ; then cried
again, wrung his hands, beat his own face and head ; and then sung
and jumped about again like a distracted creature. It was a good
while before I could make him speak to me, 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
ecstacy and filial affection had worked in this poor savage at the
sight of his father, and of his being delivered from death ; nor.
FRIDA Y FINDS HIS FA THER.
indeed-,-eari I describe half the extravagances of his affection after
thK {-'for he went intothe boat, and out of the boat, a great many
times : ttfien 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 action put an end to our pursuit of the canoe with the other
savages, who were now almost out of sight ; and it was happy for
us that we did not, for it blew so hard within two hours after, and
before they could be got a quarter of their way, and continued
blowing sohard all the night, and that from the north-west, which was
against them, that I could not suppose their boat could live, or that
they ever reached their own coast.
But to return to Friday ; he was so busy about his father, that I
could not find in my heart to take him off for some time : but after
I thought he could leave him a little, I called him to me, and he
came jumping and laughing, and pleased to the highest extreme :
then I asked him if he had given his father any bread. He shook
his head, and said, " None ; ugly dog eat all up self." So I 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 also two or three
bunches of raisins, so I gave him a handful 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 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 because he had something in his hand.
When he came up to me, I found he had been quite home for an
earthen jug or pot, to bring his father some fresh water, and that
he had got two more cakes or loaves of bread. The bread he gave
me, but the water he carried to his father; however, as I was very
thirsty too, I took a little of it ; this .water revived his father more
than all 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 bade him give it to the pool
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 imposing himself upon a green place
under the shade of a tree ; and whose limbs were also very stiff, and
very much swelled with the rude bandage he had been tied with :
when I saw that upon Friday's coming to him with the water, he
sat up and drank, and took the bread and began to 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, notwithstanding he had so
exerted himself in the fight, that he could not stand upon his feet:
he tried to do it two or three times, but was really not able, his
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, or
perhaps less, all the while he was here, turn his head about, to see
if his father was in the same place and posture as he left him sitting;
and at last he found he was not to be seen ; at which he started up,
and, without 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 young fellow, took the
Spaniard upon his back, and carried him away to the boat, and set
him down softly upon the side or gunnel of the canoe, with his feet
in the inside of it; and then lifting him quite in, he set 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, though the
wind blew pretty hard too ; so he brought them both safe into our
creek, and leaving them in the boat, ran away to fetch the other
canoe. As he passed me I spoke to him, and asked him whither he
went: he told me, "Go fetch more boatso away he went like
the wind, for sure never man or horse ran like him ; and he had the
other canoe in the creek almost as soon as I got to it by land ; so he
wafted me over, and then went to help our new guests out of the
boat, which he did; but they were neither of them able to walk ;
so that poor Friday knew not what to do.
To remedy this, I went to work in my 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
WELCOME TO HIS NEW SUBJECTS. 153
carried them both up together upon it between us; but when we got
them to the outside of our wall, or fortification, we were at a worse-
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 two beds of
such things as I had; viz., of good rice-straw, with blankets laid upon
it to lie on, and another to cover them, on each bed.
My island was now peopled, and I thought myself very rich irs
subjects; and it was a merry reflection, which I frequently made, how:
like a king I looked. First of all, the whole country was my own
property, so that I had an undoubted right of dominion; secondly,,
my people were perfectly subjected; I was absolute lord and law-
giver; they all owed their lives to me, and were ready to lay dowrp
their lives, if there had been occasion for it, for me; it was remark-
able, too, I had but three subjects, and they were of three different?
religions. My man Friday was a Protestant, his father was a Pagan
and a cannibal, and the Spaniard was a Papist. However, I allowed
liberty of conscience throughout my dominions:—But this is by the
way.
As soon as I had secured my two weak rescued prisoners, andi
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, .*
ordered Friday to take a yearling goat, bewixt a kid and a goat, out
«f my particular flock, to be killed ; when I cut off the hinder-quarter,-
and chopping it into small pieces, I set Friday to work to boiling and
stewing, and made them a very good dish, I assure you, of flesh and
broth, (having put some barley and rice also into the broth,) and as
I cooked it without doors, (for I made no fire within my inner wall,)i
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, cheere 1 them and encouraged them, Friday being my inter-
'prefer, especially to his father, and, indeed, to the Spaniard too; for
She Spaniard spoke the language of the savages pretty well.
After we had dined, or rather supped, I ordered Friday to take one
of the canoes, and go and fetch our muskets and other fire-arms,
which, for want of time, we had left upon the place of battle; and,
the next day, I ordered him to go and bury the dead bodies of the
savages, which lay open to the sun, and would presently be offensive;
and I also ordered him to bury the horrid remains of their barbarous
feast, which I could not think of doing myself; nay, I could not beasr
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
to see them, - if I went that way; all which he punctually performed,
and defaced the very appearances 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
anight expect a return of them, with 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,
be drowned; or driven south to those other shores, where they were
as sure to be devoured as they were to be drowned if they were cast
away; but, as to what they would do if they came safe on shore, he
said he knew not; but, it was his opinion, that they were so dread-
fully frighted 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, coma 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 gver 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 good usage from their
nation, on his account, if I would go. But my thoughts were a little
auspended 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 hin
CONSUL TA T10N WITH THE SPANIARD. 155
alt the particulars of their voyage, and found they were a Spanish ship,
bound from the Rio 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 Portuguese seamen on board, whom they tookout of another
wreck ; that five of their own men were drowned when first the ship
was lost, and that these escaped through infinite dangers and hazards,
and arrived, almost starved, on the cannibal coast, -where they ex-
pected 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 first landing, to pro-
vide themselves with 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 ad-
vantages they Expected. I told him it w ould be very hard that I
should be the instrument of their deliverance, and that they should
afterwards make me their prisoner in New Spain, where an English-
man was certain to be made a sacrifice, what necessity, or what acci-
dent soever brought him thither ; and that I had rather be delivered*
up to the savages, and be devoured alive, than fall into the merciless
claws of the priests, and be carried into the Inquisition. I added
that, otherwise, I was persuaded, if they were all here, we might,
with so many hands, build a barque large enough to carry us all
away, either to the Brazils southward, or to the islands or Spanish
coast northward ; but that if, in requital, they should, when I had
put weapons into their hands, carry me by force among their own
people, I might be ill used for my kindness to them, and make my
case worse than 'J was before.
He answered, with a great deal of candour and ingenuousness,
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
156
ROBINSON CRUSOE
with them about it, and return again, and bring me their answer;
that he would make conditions with them upon their solemn oath,
that they should be absolutely under my direction, as their com-
mander and captain ; and they should swear upon the holy sacra-
ments 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 contract from them, under
their hands, for that purpose. Then he told me he would first swear
to me himself, that he would never stir from me as long as he lived,
till I gave him order; 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 imaginable,
having neither weapons nor clothes, nor any food, but at the mercy
and discretion of the savages ; out of all hopes of ever returning to
their own country; and that he was sure, if I would undertake their
relief, they would live and die by me.
Upon these assurances, I resolved to venture to relieve them, if
possible, and to send the old savage and this 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
was thus : he had been with us now about a month, during which
time I had let him see in what manner I had provided, with the
assistance of Providence, for my support; and he saw evidently what
stock of corn and rice I had laid up ; which, though it was more
than sufficient for myself, yet it was not sufficient, without good
husbandry, for my family, now it was increased to four ; but much
less would it be sufficient if his countrymen, who were, as he said,
sixteen, still alive, should come over; and, least of all, would it be
sufficient to victual our vessel, if we should build one, for a voyage to
any of the Christian colonies of America. So he told me he thought
it would be more advisable to let him and the other two dig and cul-
tivate some more land, as much as I could spare seed to 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
could not but be very well pleased at his proposal, as well as I vva
PREPA R A TIONS FOR ESCAPE.
157
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, in
short, all the seed we had to spare ; nor indeed did we leave our-
selves barely sufficient for our own food for the six months that we
had to expect our crop ; that is to say, reckoning from the time we
set our seed aside for sowing ; for it is not to be supposed it is six
months in the ground in that country.
Having now society enough, and our number being sufficient to
put us out of fear of the savages, if they had come, unless their num-
ber had been very great, we went freely all over the island, when-
ever we found occasion ; and as we had our escape or deliverance
upon our thoughts, it was impossible, at least for me, to have the
means of it out of mine ; to 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 im-
parted my thoughts on that affair, to oversee and direct their work ;
I showed them with what indefatigable pains I had hewed a large
tree into single planks, and I caused them to do the like, till they
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, any one may imagine.
At the same time, I contrived to increase my little flock of tame
goats as much as I could ; and for this purpose I made Friday and
the Spaniard go out one day, and myself with Friday the next day,
(for we took our turns,) and by this means we got about twenty
young kids to breed up with the rest; for whenever we shot the dam,
we saved the kids, and added them to our flock ; but, above all, the
season for curing the grapes coming on, I caused such a prodigious
quantity to be hung up in the sun, that, I believe, had we been at
Alicant, where the raisins of the sun are cured, we could have filled
sixty or eighty barrels ; and these, with our bread, was a great part
of our food—very good living, too, I assure you, for it is exceedingly
nourishing 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, however, it was
enough to answer our end ; for, from twenty-two bushels of barley,
we brought in and thrashed 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
a voyage, it would very plentifully have victualled our ship to have
carried us to any part of the world, that is to say, of America.
When we had thus housed and secured our magazine of corn, we
fell to work to make more wicker-ware, viz., great baskets, in which
we kept it ; and the Spaniard was very handy and dexterous at this
part, and often blamed me that I did not make some things for
defence of this,kind of work ; but I saw no need of it. And now,
having a full supply of food for all the guests I 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 himastrict charge in writing
not to bring any man who would not first swear, in the presence of
himself and the old savage, that he would in 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, 'VTOuld be entirely under and subjected to his command ;
and that this should be put in writing, and signed with their hands :
how we were to have this done, when I knew they had neither pen
nor ink, was a question which we never asked. Under these instruc-
tions, the Spaniard and the old savage, the father of Friday, went
away in one of the canoes which they might be said to have come in,
or rather were brought in, when they came as prisoners to be de-
voured by the savages. I gave each of them a musket, with a fire-
lock 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 vas a cheerful work, being the first measures used by me, in
view of my deliverance, for now 27 years and some days. I gave
them provisions of bread, and of dried grapes, sufficient for them-
selves for many days, and sufficient for all the Spaniards for about
eight days' time ; and wishing them a good voyage, I saw them go,
agreeing with them about a signal they should hang out at their
return, by which I should know them again, when they came back,
at a distance, before they came on shore. They went away, with a
fair gale, on the day that the moon was af full, by my account in
the month of October ; but as for an exact reckoning of days, after
I had once lost it, I could never recover it again ; nor had I kept
even the number of years so punctually as to be sure I was right;
though, as ft proved, when I afterwards examined my account, I
found I had kept a true reckoning of years.
It was no'less than eight days I waited for them, when a strange
and unforeseen accident intervened, of which the like has not, per-
haps, been heard of in history. I was fast asleep in my hutch one
THE ENGLISH SHIP.
*59
morning, when my man Friday came running in to me, and called
aloud, " Master, master, they are come, they are come 1" I jumped
up, and, regardless of danger, I went as soon as I could get my
clothes on, through my little grove, which, by the way, was by this,
time grown to be a very thick wood ; I say, regardless of danger, I
went without my arms, which was not my custom to do : but I was-
surprised, when, turning my eyes to the sea, I presently saw a boat
at about a league and a half distance, standing in for the shore, with,
a shoulder-of-mutton sail, as they call it, and the wind blowing pretty
fair to bring them in : also I observed presently, that they did not
come from that side which the shore lay on, but from the southernmost
end of the island. Upon this I called Friday in, and bade him lie
close, for these were not the people we looked for, and that we might
not know yet whether they were friends or enemies. In the next
place, I went in to fetch my perspective glass, to see what I could
make of them ; and, having taken the ladder out, I climbed up to>
the top of the hill, as I used to do when I was apprehensive of any-
thing, 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 anchor, at about two leagues and a half distance from
me, S.S.E., but not above a league and a half from the shore. By
my observation, it appeared plainly to be an English ship, and the
boat appeared to be an English long-boat.
I cannot express the confusion I was in, though the joy of seeing
a ship, and one that I had reason to believe was manned by my own
countrymen, and consequently friends, was such as I cannot de-
scribe ; but yet I had some secret doubts hung about me—I cannot
tell from whence they came—bidding me keep upon my guard. Ira
the first place, it occurred to me to consider what business an Eviglish
ship could have in that part of the world, since it was not the way to.
or from any part of the world where the English had any traffic ;
and I knew there had been no storms to drive them in there, in dis-
tress ; 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.
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 ran their boat on shoreupon 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 were jumped on shore,
they took those three out of the boat, as prisoners. One of the three
I could perceive using the most passionate gestures of entreaty,
-affliction, and despair, even to a kind of extravagance ; the other two,
I could perceive, lifted up their hands sometimes, and appeared con-
.cerned indeed, but not to such a degree as the first. I was perfectly
-confounded at the sight, and knew not what the meaning of it should
■be. Friday called out to me in English, as well as he could, "O
■master ! you see English mans eat prisoner as well as savage mans."
"Why," said I, " Friday, do you think they are going to eat them,
ithen?"—"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, expecting every moment
when the three prisoners should be killed ; nay, once I saw one of
■the villains lift up his arm with a great cutlass, as the seamen call it,
or sword; to strike one of the poor men ; and I expected to see him
■fall every moment; at which all the blood in my body seemed to run
chill in my veins. I wished heartily now for the Spaniard, and tne
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 no fire-arms they had among them ; but it fell
out to my mind another way. After I had observed the outrageous
usage of the three men by the insolent seamen, I observed the fellows
run scattering about the island, as if they wanted to see the country.
I observed that the three other men had liberty to go also where they
pleased ; but they sat down all three upon the ground, very pensive,
and looked like men in despair.
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 stayed 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 fast 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, the boat being very heavy, and the
shore on that side being a soft oozy sand, almost like a quicksand.
CRUSOE SPEARS TO THE ENGLISH CAPTAIN. 16x
In this condition, like true seamen, who are, perhaps, the least of all
mankind given to forethought, they gave it over, and away they
strolled about the country again ; and I heard one of them say aloud
to another, calling them ort from the boat, "Why, let her alone,
jack, can't you ? she'll float next tide by which I was fully con-
firmed in the main inquiry or 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 ta
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, in-
deed, was very fierce ; I had my formidable goat-skin coat on, with the
great cap I have mentioned, a naked sword by my side, two pistols
in my belt, and a gun upon each shoulder.
It was my design, as I said above, not to have made any attempt
till it was dark; but about two o'clock, being the heat of the day,
I found that they were all gone straggling into the woods, and,
as I thought, laid down to sleep ; the three poor distressed men, too
anxious for their condition to get any sleep, were, however, sat down
under the shelter of a great tree, at about a quarter of a mile from
me, and, as I thought, out of sight of any of the rest. Upon this I
resolved to discover myself to them, and learn something of their
condition. Immediately I marched as above, my man Friday at a
good distance behind me, as formidable for his arms as I, but not
making quite so spectre-like figure as I did. I came as near then*
undiscovered as I could, and then, before any of them saw me, Fi
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
ine, when I 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." "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
M
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
distress. I saw you when you landed ; and when you seemed to
make application to the brutes that came with you, I saw one of
them lift up his sword to kill you."
The poor man, with tears running down his face, and trembling,
looking 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 in ; pray lay aside your fears ; I am a man, an Englishman,
and disposed to assist you ; you see I have one servant only; we
have arms and ammunition ; tell us freely, can we serve you?
What is your case?" " Our case, 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 expected to perish,
believing the place to be uninhabited, and know not what to think
of it." "Where are those brutes, your enemies," said I; "do you
know where they are gone?" "There they are, sir," said he,
pointing to a thicket of trees ; '' my heart trembles for fear 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 dis-
taij-ce distinguish them, but he would obey my orders in everything
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 wil-
lingly went back with me, till the woods covered us from them.
" Look you, sir," said I, "if I venture upon your deliverance, are
you willing to make two conditions with me?" He anticipated my
proposals by telling me that both he and the ship, if recovered,
should be wholly directed and 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
THE CAPTAIN ATTACKS THE MUTINEERS. 163
all occasions, give them up to me, and do no prejudice to me or mine
upon this island, and in the mean time be governed by my orders;
secondly,—that if the ship is or may be recovered, you will carry me
and my man to England passage free."
He gave me all. the assurance that the invention or faith of man
could devise, that he would comply with these most reasonable de-
mands, and besides, would owe his life to me, and acknowledge it
upon all occasions as long as he lived. "Well, then," said I, "here
are three muskets for you, with powder and ball; tell me next what
you think 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, wa
might save them, and so put it wholly upon God's providence to
direct the shot. He said, very modestly, that he was loth to kill
them, if he could help it; but that those two were incorrigible villains,
and had been the authors of all the mutiny in the ship, and if they
escaped, we should be undone still, for they would go on board and
bring the whole ship's company, and destroy us all. " Well, then,"
says I, "necessity legitimates my advice, for it is the only way to
save our lives." However, seeing him still cautious of shedding
blood, I told him they 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 if either
of them were the men who he had said were the heads of the
mutiny? He said, "No." "Well, then," said I, "you may let
them escape; and Providence seems to have awakened them on pur-
pose to save themselves. Now," says I, "if the rest escape you, it is
your fault." Animated with this, he took the musket I had given
him in his hand, and a pistol in his belt, and his two comrades with
him, with each a piece in his hand; the two men who were with him
going first made some noise, at which one of the seamen, who was
awake, turned about, and seeing them coming, cried out to the rest;
but it was too late then, for the moment he cried out they fired, I
mean the two men, the captain wisely reserving his own piece: they
had so well aimed their shot at the men they knew, that one of them
was killed on the spot, and the other very much wounded ; but not
being dead, he started up on his feet, and called eagerly for help to
the other; but the captain stepping up to him, told him it was too
fate to cry for help, he should call upon God to forgive his villany,
and with that word knocked him down with the stock of his musket.
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
£0 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 abhorrence of the
treachery they had been guilty of, and would swear to be faithful to
him in recovering the ship, and afterwards in carrying her back to
Jamaica, from whence they came. They gave him all the protesta-
dons of their sincerity that could be desired; and he was willing to
believe them, and spare their lives, which I was not against; only
that I obliged him to keep them bound hand and foot while they
were upon 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 sail,
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 his-
tory, which he heard with an attention even- to amazement, and par-
ticularly at the wonderful manner of my being furnished with provi-
sions and ammunition ; and, indeed, as my story is a whole collec-
lion 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 where I came out, viz., at the top of the house; where I re-
freshed 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 fortifications ; and how perfectly
I had concealed my retreat with a grove of trees, which, having been
now planted nearly twenty years, and the trees growing much faster
than in England, was become a little wood, and so thick that it was
Impassable in any part of it but at that one side where I had reserved
my little winding passage into it: this I told him was my castle and
my residence ; but that I had a seat in the country, as most princes
have, whither I could retreat upon occasion, and I would show him
that too another time ; but at present our business was to consider
how to recover the ship. He agreed with me as to that, but told me
THEY ST A VE IN THE MUTINEERS' BOAT. 165
He was perfectly at a loss what measures to take, for that there were
still six-and-twenty hands on board, who, having entered into a
cursed conspiracy, by which they had 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 ta
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 re-
solved on speedily, as well to draw the men on board into some
snare for their surprise, as to prevent their landing upon us, and
destroying us : upon this, it presently occurred to me that in a little
while the ship's crew, wondering what was become of their comrades
and of the boat, would certainly come on shore in their other boat to
look for them, and that then, perhaps, they might come armed, and
be too strong for us : this he allowed *0 be rational. Upon this, I
..old 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 (the sugar
was five or six pounds) ; 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 (the oars, mast„
sail, and rudder of the boat were carried before), 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 besides, had broken
a hole in her bottom too big to be quickly stopped, and were sat
down musing what we should do, we heard the ship fire a gun, and
make a waft with her ancient 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
e66
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
proved fruitless, and they found the boat did not stir, we saw them,
by the help of my glasses, hoist another boat out, and row towards
the shore; and we found, as they approached, that there were no
less than ten men in her, 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 ; be-
cause the tide having set them a little to the east of the other boat,
they rode up under shore, to come to the same place where the other
had landed, and where the boat lay. By this means, I say, we had
a full view of them, and the captain knew the persons and characters
of all the men in the boat, of whom, he said, there were three very
honest fellows, who, he was sure, were led into this conspiracy by
the rest, being overpowered and frighted. But that as for the boat-
swain, who it seems was the chief officer among them, and all the
rest, they were as outrageous as aTiy of the ship's crew, and were no
doubt made desperate in their new enterprise ; and terribly appre-
hensive 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 ; that seeing almost every condition that could be
was better than that which we were supposed to be in, we ought
to expect that the consequence, whether death or life, would
be sure to be a deliverance. I asked him what he thought of
the circumstance of my life, and whether a deliverance were not
worth venturing for? "And where, sir," said I, "is your belief of
my being preserved here on purpose to save your life, which ele-
vated 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?" says he. "Why," said I, "it is that, as you say, there
are thiee or four honest fellows among them, which should be
Jpared ; 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
ishore 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. had, indeed,
secured them effectually.
Two of them, of whom the captain was less assured than ordi-
nary, I sent with Friday, and one of the three delivered men, to
my cave, where they were remote enough, and out of danger of
being heard or discovered, or of finding their way out of the woods,
if they could have delivered themselves ; here they left them bound.
ANOTHER BOAT FROM THE SHIP.
167
but, gave them provisions, and promised them, if they continued
there quietly, to give them their liberty in a day or two ; but that if
they attempted their escape, they should be put to death without
mercy. They promised faithfully to bear their confinement with
patience, and were very thankful that they had such good usage as
to have provisions and light left them ; for Friday gave them can-
dies (such as we made ourselves) for their comfort; and they did
not know but that he stood sentinel over them at the entrance.
The other prisoners had better usage ; two of them were kept
pinioned, indeed, because the captain was not able to trust them ;
but the other two were taken into my service, upon the captain's
recommendation, and upon their solemnly engaging to live and die
with us ; so with them and the three honest men we were seven men,
well armed ; and 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
their 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 volley
of their small arms, which, indeed, we heard, and the echoes made
the woods ring : but it was all one; those in the cave, we were
sure, could not hear ; and those in our keeping, though they heard
it well enough, yet durst give no answer to them. They were so
astonished at the surprise of this, that, as they told us afterwards,
they resolved to go all 011 board again to their ship, and let them
know that the men were all murdered, and the long-boat staved ;
accordingly, they immediately launched their boat again, and got all
of them on board.
The captain was terribly amazed, and even confounded, at this,'
believing they would go on board the ship again, and set sail, giving
their comrades over for lost, and so he should still lose the ship,
which he was in hopes we should have recovered ; but he was quickly
as much frighted the other way.
They had not been long put off with the boat, when we perceived
i68
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
them all coming on shore again ; but with this new measure in their
conduct, which it seems they consulted together upon, viz,, to leave
three men in the boat, and the rest to go on shore, and go up into
the country to look for their fellows. This was a great disappoint-
ment 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, which lay towards the north-east part, and where
the island lay lowest, they shouted and hallooed till they were
weary : and not caring, it seems, to venture far from the shore, nor
far from one another, they sat down together, under a tree to con-
sider it: had they thought fit to have gone to sleep there, as the
other part of them had done, they had done the job for us; but
they were too full of apprehensions of danger to venture to go to
sleep, though they could not tell what the danger was they had to
fear neither.
The captain made a very just proposal to me upon this consul-
tation 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 yield, and we should have them without
bloodshed. I liked the proposal, provided it was done while we
were near enough to come up to them before they coufd 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
♦hem 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
CRUSOE TAKES THE SECOND BOAT. \6<$
uneasy, when, after a long consultation, we saw them all start up„
and march down towards the sea : it seems they had such dreadful
apprehensions of the danger of the place, that they resolved to ga>
on board the ship again, give their companions over for lost, and so-
go on with their intended voyage with the ship.
As soon as I perceived them go towards the shore, I imagined it
to be as it really was, that they had given over their search, and
were going back again ; and the captain, as soon as I told him my
thoughts, was ready to sink at the apprehensions of it: but I presently
thought of a stratagem to fetch them back again, and which answered
my end to a 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 return it again ; and then, keeping out of sight,,
take a round, always answering when the others hallooed, to draw
them as far into the island and among the woods as possible, and
then wheel about again to me by such ways as I directed them.
They were just going into the boat when Friday and the mate
hallooed ; and they presently heard them, and, answering, 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, in-
deed, I expected. When they had set themselves over, I observed that,
the boat being gone a good way into the creek, and, as it were, in a
harbour within the land, they took one of the three men out of her,,
to go along with them, and left only two in the boat, having fastened
her to the stump of a little tree on the shore. This was what I
wished for ; and immediately leaving Friday and the captain's mate
to their business, I took the rest with me ; and, crossing the creek
out of their sight, we surprised the two men before they were aware—
one of them lying on the shore, and the other being in the boat; the
fellow on shore was between sleeping and waking, and going to start
up ; the captain, who was foremost, ran in upon him, and knocked
him down ; and then called out to him in the boat to yield, or he
was a dead man. There needed very few arguments to persuade at
single man to yield, when he saw five men upon him, and his com-
rade knocked down ; besides, this was, it seems, one of the three
who were not so hearty in the mutiny as the rest of the crew, and
therefore was easily persuaded not only to yield, but afterwards to
join very sincerely with us. In the mean time Friday and the cap-
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
tain'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 go 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 aground in the creek, the tide
ebbed out, and their two men gone ; we could hear them call one to
.another in the most lamentable manner, telling one another they
were got into an enchanted island ; that either there were inhabitants
an it, and they should all be murdered, or else there were devils and
•spirits in it, and they should be all carried away and devoured. They
hallooed again, and called their two comrades by their names a great
many times ; but no 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 would go and sit down in the boat
to rest themselves, then come ashore again, and walk about again,
and so the same thing over again. My men would fain have had me
give them leave to fall upon them at once in the dark ; but I was
willing to take them at some advantage, so as to spare them, and
kill as few of them as I could ; • and especially I was unwilling to
hazard the killing of 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 dis-
covered, and get as near them as they could possibly, before they
•offered to fire.
They had not been long in that posture, when the boatswain, 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: hut when they came nearer, the cap*
THE MUTINEERS SURRENDER.
tail* and Friday, starting up on their feet, let fly at them. The boat-
swain 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 ad-
vanced 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 must we yield to? Where are
they?" says Smith again. " Here they are," says he ; "here's our
captain and fifty men with him, have been hunting you these two
hours ; the boatswain is killed, Will Fiy 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 Robinson : so he asked the
captain; and the captain himself then calls out, "You, Smith, you
know my voice ; if you lay down your arms immediately, and submit,
you shall have your lives, all but Will Atkins."
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 in-
jurious 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
172
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
him, and at length upon the further wickedness of their design, and
how certainly it must bring them to misery and distress in the end,
and perhaps to the gallows, They all appeared very penitent, and
begged hard for their lives. As for that, he told them they were 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 re-
quired, except Atkins, whom he was commanded by the governor to
advise to prepare for death; for that he would be hanged in the
morning.
Though this was all but a fiction of his own, yet it had its desired
effect; Atkins fell upon his knees, to beg the captain to intercede
with the governor for his life; and all the rest begged of him, for
God's sake, that they might not be sent to England.
It now occurred to me, that the time of our deliverance was come,
and that it would be a most easy thing to bring these fellows in to
be hearty in getting possession of the ship; so I retired in the dark
from them, that they might not see what kind of a governor they
had, and called the captain to me; when I called, as at a good dis-
tance, one of the men was ordered to speak again, and say to the
captain, "Captain, the commander calls for you;" and presently
the captain replied, "Tell his Excellency I am just a-coming."
This more perfectly amused them, and they all believed that the
commander was just by, with his fifty men. Upon the captain com-
ing 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 morn-
ing. 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, as I called it, of which I have given a full
description; and as it was fenced in, and they pinioned, the place
was secure enough, considering they were upon their 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 condi-
CRUSOE'S PLAN FOR TAKING THE SHIP. 173
■Jon 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, to be sure 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.
Any one may guess how readily such a proposal would be accepted
by men in their condition; they fell down on their knees to the cap-
tain, and promised, with the deepest imprecations, 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 be-
lieved they would be faithful. However, that we might be very
secure, I told him he should go back again and choose out five of
them, and tell them, they might see he did not want men, that he
would take out five of them to be his assistants, and that the governor
would keep the other two and the three that were sent prisoners to
the castle (my cave), as hostages for the fidelity of those five; and
that if they proved unfaithful in the execution, the five hostages
should be hanged in chains alive upon the shore. This looked severe,
and convinced 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 persuade the other five
to do their duty.
Our strength was now thus ordered for the expedition : 1, the
captain, his mate, and passenger : 2, the two prisoners of the first
gang, to whom, having their character from the captain, I had given
their liberty, and trusted them with arms : 3, the other two that I
had kept till now in my apartment pinioned, but, on the captain's
motion, had now released : 4, the single man taken in the boat:
5, these five released at last ; so that there were 13 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 cany provisions to a
certain distance, where Friday was to take them.
When I showed myself to the two hostages, it was with tha
174
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 had now no difficulty before him, but to furnish his
two boats, stop the breach of one, and man them. He made his
passenger captain of one, with four of the men ; and himself, his
mate, and five more, went in the other; and they contrived their
business very well, for they came up to the ship about midnight.
As soon as they came within call of the ship, he made Robinson
hail them, and tell them he 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 chat till they came to the ship's side ; when
the captain and 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 the forechains, secured
the forecastle of the ship, and the scuttle which went down into the
cook-room, making three men they found there prisoners. When
this was done, and all safe upon deck, the captain ordered the mate,
with three men, to break into the round-house, where the new rebel
captain lay, who, having taken the alarm, had got up, and with two
men and a boy had got firearms in their hands ; and when the mate,
with a crow, split open the door, the new captain and his men fired
boldly among them, and wounded the mate with a musket ball,
which broke his arm, and wounded two more of the men, but killed
nobody. The mate, calling for help, rushed, however, into the
round-house, wounded as he was, and, with his pistol, shot the new
captain through the head, the bullet entering at his mouth, and
came out again behind one of his ears, so that he never spoke a
word more: upon which the rest yielded, and the ship was taken
effectually, without any more lives being 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 nearly two
of the clock in the morning. Having thus heard the signal plainly,
I laid me down ; and it having been a day of great fatigue to me, I
A PROSPECT OF DELIVERANCE. 175,
slept very sound, till I was surprised with the noise of a gun ; and
presently starting up, I heard a man call me by the name '' Governor !
Governor !" and presently I knew the captain's voice ; when, climb-
ing to the top of the hill, there he stood, and, pointing to the ship,
he embraced 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 had 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 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 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 by Heaven to deliver me, and
that the whole transaction seemed to be a chain of wonders ; that
such things as these were the testimonies we had of a secret hand of
Providence governing the world, and an evidence that the eye of am
infinite Power could search into the remotest corner of the world,,
and send help to the miserable whenever He pleased. I forgot not
to lift up my heart in thankfulness to Heaven ; and what heart
could forbear to bless Him, who had not only in a miraculous mai>-
ner provided for me in such a wilderness, and in such a desolate con-
dition, but from whom every deliverance must always be acknow-
ieclged to proceed ?
When we had talked a while, the captain told me he had brought
me some some little refreshments such as the ship afforded, and such
as the wretches that had been so long his masters had not plundered!
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
ihim 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, not that I was to be carried along with
them, but as if I had been to dwell upon the island still, and they
were to go without me. First, he had brought me a case of bottles
full of excellent cordial waters, six large bottles of Madeira wine (the
bottles held two quarts apiece), two pounds of excellent good
tobacco, twelve good pieces of the ship's beef, and six pieces of pork,
with a bag of peas, and about a hundredweight of biscuit. He
brought me also a box of sugar, a box of flour, a bag full of lemons,
and two bottles of lime-juice, and abundance of other things : but
besides these, and what was a thousand times more useful to me, he
brought me six new clean shirts, six very good neckcloths, two pair
of gloves, one pair of shoes, a hat, and one pair of stockings, with a
very good suit of clothes of his own, which had been worn but very
little : in a word, he clothed me from head to foot. It was a very
kind and agreeable present, as any one may imagine, 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 putting on.
After these ceremonies then past, and after all his good things were
brought into my little apartment, we began to consult what was to
be done with the prisoners we had ; for it was worth considering whe-
fher we might venture to take them away with us or no, especially two
of them, whom we knew to be incorrigible and refractory to the last
degree ; and the captain said he knew they were such rogues that
there was no obliging them, and if he did carry them away, it must
be in irons, as malefactors, to be delivered over to justice at the first
English colony he could come at; and I found that the captain
himself was very anxious about it. Upon this, I told him that, if he
desired it, I durst undertake to bring the two men he spoke of to
make it their own request that he should leave them upon the island.
"I should be very glad of that," says the captain, "with all my
heart." "Well," says I, "I will send for them up, and talk with
them for you." So I caused Friday and the two hostages, for they
were now discharged, their comrades having performed their promise ;
I say, I caused them to go to the cave, and bring up the five men,
pinioned as they were, to the bower, and keep them there till I came.
After some time, I came thither dressed in my new habit; and now
I was called governor again. Being all met, and the captain with
ane, I caused all the men to be brought before me, and I told them
I had got a full account of their villanous behaviour to the captain,
and how they had run away with the ship, and were preparing to
NEGOTIATIONS WITH THE MUTINEERS. 177
commit farther robberies ; but that Providence had ensnared them in
their own ways, and that they were fallen into the pit which they had
dug for others. I let them know that by my direction the ship had
been seized, that she lay now in the road ; and they might see by-
and-by that their new captain had received the reward of his villany ;
for 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 I had authority to do.
One of them answered in the name of the rest, that they had
nothing to say but this, that when they were taken, the captain
promised them their lives, and they humbly implored my mercy : but
I told them I knew not what mercy to show them ; for as for myself,
I had resolved to quit the island with all my men, and had taken
passage with the captain to go for England ; and as for the captain,
he could not carry them to England, other than as prisoners in irons,
to be tried for mutiny, and running away with the ship ; the conse-
quence 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, I did not care,
as I had liberty to leave it ; I had some inclination to give them their
lives, if they thought they could shift on shore. They seemed very
thankful for it, and said they would much rather venture to stay there
than 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 they were my prisoners, not his ; and
that seeing I had offered them so much favour, I would be a 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
f would leave them some fire-arms, some ammunition, 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
N
178
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
circumstances. I told them I thought they had made a right choice,
that if the captain had carried them away, they would certainly be
hanged. I showed them the new captain hanging at the yard-arm
of the ship, and told them they had nothing less to expect.
When they had all declared their willingness to stay, I then told
them I would let them into the story of my living there, and put
them into the way of making it easy to them : accordingly, I gave
them the whole history of the place, and of my coming to it; showed
them my fortifications, the way I made my bread, planted my corn,
cured my grapes ; and, in a word, all that was necessary to make
them easy. I told them the story also of the sixteen Spaniards that
were to be expected, for whom I left a letter, and made them promise
to treat them in common with themselves.
I left them my fire-arms, viz. five muskets, three fowling-pieces,
and three swords. I had above a barrel and a half of powder left;
for after the first year or two I used but little, and wasted none. I
gave them a description of the way I managed the goats, and direc-
tions 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 peas which
the captain had brought me to eat, and bade them to 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 murdered, 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 difficulty, and
after solemn promises of amendment, they were taken on board, and
were, some time after, soundly whipped and pickled; after which
they proved very honest and quiet fellows.
Some time after this, the boat was ordered on shore, the tide being
up, with the things promised to the men ; to which the captain, at
my intercession, caused their chests and clothes to be added, which
they took, and were very thankful for ; I also encouraged them, by
telling them that if it lay in my power to send any vessel to take
them in, I would not forget them.
When I took leave of this island, I carried on board, for reliques,
the great goat-skin cap I had made, my umbrella, and my parrot;
crusoe's farewell to the island.
p. 179
CRUSOE LEA VES THE ISLAND.
179
also, I forgot not to take the money I formerly mentioned, which
had lain by me so long useless, that it was grown rusty or tarnished,
and could hardly pass for silver till it had been a little rubbed and
handled, as also the money I found in the wreck of the Spanish ship.
And thus I left the island, the 19th of December, as I found by
the ship's account, in the year 1686, after I had been upon it eight-
and-twenty years, two months, and nineteen days; being delivered
from this second captivity the same day of the month that I first
made my escape in the long-boat from among the Moors of Sallee.
In this vessel, after a long voyage, I arrived in England the nth 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 benefactor and faith-
ful steward, whom I had left in trust with my money, was alive, but
had had great misfortunes in the world ; was become a widow the
second time, and very low in the world. I made her very easy as to
what she owed me, assuring her I would give her no trouble ; but,
on the contrary, in gratitude to 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 for her : but I assured her I
would never forget her former kindness to me ; nor did I forget her
when I had sufficient to help her, as shall be observed in its proper
place. I went down afterwards into Yorkshire ; but my father was
dead, and my mother and all the family extinct; except that I found
two sisters, and two of the children of one of my brothers : and as I
had been long ago given over for dead, there had been no provision
made for me, so that, in a word, I found nothing to relieve or assist
me ; and that little money I had would not do much for me as to
settling in the world.
I met with one piece of gratitude, indeed, which I did not expect;
and this was, that the master of the ship, whom I had so happily
delivered, and by the same means saved the ship and cargo, having
given a very handsome account to the owners, of the manner how I
had saved the lives of the men, and the ship, they invited me to meet
them and some other, merchants concerned, and all together made
me a very handsome compliment upon the subject, and a present of
almost 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
N 2
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
shipping for Lisbon, where I arrived in April following ; my man
Friday accompanying me very honestly in all these ramblings, and
proving a most faithful servant upon all occasions. When I came
to Lisbon, I found out, by inquiry, and to my 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 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 be-
lieved I would have a very good account of the improvement of the
plantation; for that, upon the general belief of my being cast away
and drowned, my trustees had given in the account of the produce of
my part of the plantation to the procurator-fiscal, who had appro-
priated it, in case I never came to claim it, one-third to the king, and
two-thirds to the monastery of St. Augustine, tofbe expended for the
benefit of the poor, and for the conversion of the Indians to the
Catholic faith: but that, if I appeared, or any one for me, to claim
the inheritance, it would be restored; only that the 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 provedore, or steward of the monastery, had
taken great care all along that the incumbent, that is to say, my
partner, gave every year a faithful account of the produce, of which
they had duly received my moiety. I asked him if he knew to what
height of improvement he had brought the plantation, and whether
he thought it might be worth looking after; or whether, on my going
thither, I should meet with any obstruction to my possessing my.just
right in the moiety. * He told me he could not tell exactly to what
degree the "plantation was improved; but this he knew, that my
partner was grown exceeding rich upon the enjoying his part of it;
and that, to the best of his remembrance, he had heard that the
king's third of my part, which was, it seems, granted away to
some other monastery or religious house, amounted to above two
hundred moidores a year; that as to my being restored to a quiet
possession of it, there was no question to be made of that, my partner
being alive to witness my title, and my name being also enrolled in
CRUSOE FINDS A FAITHFUL FRIEND. i8x
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 1 would not only have their assistance for putting me in pos-
session, but would find a very considerable sum of money in their
hands for my account, being the produce of the farm while their
fathers held the trust, and before it was given up, as above; which,
as he remembered, was for about twelve years.
I showed myself a little concerned and uneasy at this account, and
inquired of the old captain how it came to pass that the trustees
should thus dispose of my effects, when he knew that I had made
my will, and had made him, the Portuguese captain, my universal
heir, &c.
He told me that was true; but that as there was no proof of my being;
dead, he could not act as executor, until some certain account should
come of my death; and, besides, he was not willing to intermeddle
with a thing so remote; that it was true he had registered my will,
and put in his claim; and could he have given any account of mj
being dead or alive, he would have acted by procuration, and taken
possession of the ingenio (so they call the sugar-house), and have-
given his son, who was now at the Brazils, orders to do it.
After a few days' further 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 de-
livered in goods, viz., tobacco in roll, and sugar in chests, besides,
rum, molasses, &c., which is the consequence of a sugar-work; and
I found by this account, that every year the income considerably in-
creased; but; as above, the disbursements being large, the sum at
first was small: however, the old man let me see that he was debtor
to me four hundred and seventy moidores of gold, besides sixty
chests of sugar, and fifteen double rolls of tobacco, which were lost
in his ship; he having been shipwrecked coming home to Lisbon,
about eleven years after my leaving the place. The good man then
began to complain of his misfortunes, and how he had been obliged
to make use of my money to recover his losses, and buy him a share
in a new ship. "However, my old friend," says he, "you shall
not want a supply in your necessity; and as soon as my son returns,
you shall be fully satisfied." Upon this he pulls out an old pouch,
and gives me two hundred Portugal moidores in gold; and giving me
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 put 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 hun-
dred 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 mentis; but that
if I wanted the money, I found he was honest enough to pay me; and
if I did not, but came to receive what he gave me reason to expect,
I would never have a penny more from him.
When this was past, the old man asked me if he should put me
into a method to make my claim to my plantation. I told him I
thought to go over to it myself. He said I might do so if I pleased;
but that, if I did not, there were ways enough to secure my right,
and immediately to 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 received a large
packet from the survivors of my trustees, the merchants, for whose
account I went to sea, in which were the following particular letters
and papers enclosed.
First, there was the account-current of the produce of my farm or
plantation, from the year when their fathers had balanced with my
old Portugal captain, being for six years ; the balance appeared to be
one thousand one hundred and seventy-four moidores in my 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
CRUSOE IS ILL FROM JOY.
the plantation increasing, amounted to nineteen thousand four
hundred and forty-six crusadoes, being about three thousand two
hundred and forty moidores.
Thirdly, there was the Prior of St. Augustine's account, who had
received the profits for above fourteen years ; but not being to ac-
count for what was disposed of by the hospital, very honestly de-
clared he had eight hundred and seventy-two moidores not distri-
buted, 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 affec-
tionately 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 pf squares or acres that it contained, how planted, how
many slaves there were upon it : and making two-and-twenty crosses
for blessings, told me he had said so many Ave Marias to thank
the Blessed Virgin that I was alive ; inviting me very passionately to
come over and take possession of my own ; and, in the 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 friendship,
and that of his family ; and sent me as a present, seven fine leopards'
skins, which he had, it seems, received from Africa, by some other
ship that he had sent thither, and which, it seems, had made a
better voyage than I. He sent me also five chests of excellent sweet-
meats, and a hundred pieces of gold uncoined, not quite so large as
moidores. By the same fleet my two merchant-trustees shipped me
1200 chests of sugar, 800 rolls of tobacco, and the rest of the whole
account in gold.
I might well say now, indeed, that the latter end of J ob was bettei
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 Tapes
before the letters came to my hand. In a word, I turned pale, and
grew sick ; and, had not the old man run and fetched me a cordial,
I believe the sudden surprise of joy had overset nature, and I had
died upon the spot. Nay, after that, I continued very ill, and was
so some hours, till" a physician being sent for, and something of the
real cause of my illness being known, he ordered me to be let blood,
after which I had relief, and grew well: but I verily believe, if I had
not been eased by a vent given in that manner to the spirits, I should
have died.
I was now master, all on a sudden, of above 5000 pounds sterling
in money, and had an estate, as I might well call it, in the Brazils,
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
of above a thousand pounds a year, as sure as an estate of lands in
England : and, in a word, I was in a condition which I scarce knew
how to understand, or how to compose myself for the enjoyment of
it. The first thing I did was to recompense my original benefactor,
my good old captain, who had been first charitable to me in my
distress, kind to me in my beginning, and honest to me at the end.
I showed him all that was sent to me ; I told him that, next to the
providence of Heaven, which disposed all things, it was owing to
him ; and that it now lay on me to reward him, which I would do
a hundred-fold. So I first returned to him the hundred moidores I
had received of him ; then I sent for a notary, and caused him to
draw up a general release or discharge from the four hundred and
seventy moidores, which he had acknowledged he owed me, in the
fullest and firmest manner possible ; after which I caused a procu-
ration to be drawn, empowering him to be my receiver of the annual
profits of my plantation ; and appointing my partner to account to
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 100 moidores a year to
him during his life, out of the effects, and 50 moidores a year to his
son after him, for his life. And thus I requited my old man.
I was now to consider which way to steer my course next, and
what to do with the estate that Providence had thus put into my
hands ; and indeed I had more care upon my head now than I had
in my silent state of life in the island, where I wanted nothing but
what I had, and had nothing but what I wanted ; whereas 1 had now
a great charge upon me, and my business was how to secure it. I
determined 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 satis-
faction, 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 find her out,
and carry her, in money, a hundred pounds from me, and to talk
with her, and comfort her in her poverty, by telling her she should,
if I lived, have a further supply. At the same time, I sent my two
sisters in the country a hundred pounds each, they being, though
not in want, yet not in very good circumstances; one having been mar-
ried 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
CRUSOE IS GRATEFUL IN HIS PROSPERITY. 185,
vny stock, that I might go away to the Brazils, and leave things safe
behind me ; and this greatly perplexed me.
In order to prepare things for my going home, I first (the Brazil
fleet being just going away) resolved to give answers suitable to the
just and faithful account of things I had from thence ; and, first, to-
the Prior of St. Augustine I wrote a letter full of thanks for 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 hun-
dred to the monastery, and three hundred and seventy-two to the
poox, as the prior should direct; desiring the good padre's prayers,
for me, and the like. I wrote next a letter of thanks to my two
trustees, with all the acknowledgment that so much' justice and
honesty called for: as for sending them any present, they were far
above having any occasion for. it. . Lastly, I wrote to my partner,,
acknowledging his industry in the improving' the plantation, and his.
integrity in increasing the stock of the works; giving him instruc-
tions 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 what-
ever became due to me, till he should hear from me more particu-
larly; assuring him that it was my intention not only to come to him,
but to settle myself there for the remainder of my life. To this I
added a very handsome present of some Italian silks for his wife and
two daughters, for such the captain's son informed me he had ; with,
two pieces of fine English broad cloth, the best I could get in Lis-
bon, five pieces of black baize, and some Flanders lace of good value.
Having thus settled my affairs, sold my cargo, and turned all my
effects into good bills of exchange, my next difficulty was which way
to go to England : I had been accustomed enough to the sea, and .
yet I had a strange aversion to go to England by sea at that time ;
and though I could give no reason for it, yet the difficulty increased,
upon me so much, that though I had once shipped my baggage iir
order to go, yet I altered my mind, and that not once, but two or
three times.
It is true I had been very unfortunate by sea, and this might be
one of the reasons ; but let no man slight the strong impulses of his
own thoughts in cases of such moment : two of the ships which I
had singled out to go" in, I mean more particularly singled out than,
any other, having put my things on board one of them, and in the
other having agreed with the captain ; I say two of these ships mis-
carried ; viz. one was Jaken 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 ;
and in which most it is hard to say.
i86
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Having been thus harassed in my thoughts, my old pilot, to whomj
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 Rochelle, from whence it was but an easy and safe journey
by land to Paris, and so to Calais and Dover ; or to go up to
Madrid, and so all the way by land through France.- In a word, I
was so prepossessed against my going by sea at all, except from
Calais to Dover, that I resolved to travel all the way by land, which,
as I was not in haste, and did not value the charge, was by much
the pleasanter way : and to make it more so, my old captain brought
an English gentleman, the son of a merchant in Lisbon, who was
willing to travel with me ; after which we picked up two more English
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 ;
the two merchants and the two Portuguese contenting themselves
with one servant between two, to save the charge ; and as for me, I
got an English sailor to travel with me as a servant, besides my man
Friday, who was too much a stranger to be capable of supplying the
place of a servant on the road.
In this manner I set out from Lisbon ; and our company being
very well mounted and armed, we made a little troop, whereof they
did me the honour to call me captain, as well because I was the
oldest man, as because I had two servants, and, indeed, was the
original of the whole journey.
As I have troubled you with none of my sea journals, so I shall
trouble you now with none of my land journal; but some adventures
that happened to us in this tedious and 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 hastened away, and set out from Madrid about the middle of
October; but when we came to the edge of Navarre, we were
alarmed, at several towns on the way, with the account that so much
snow was fallen on the French side of the mountains, that several
travellers were obliged to come back to Pampeluna, after having
attempted at an extreme hazard to pass on.
When we came to Pampeluna itself, we found it so indeed ; and
to me, that had been always used to a hot climate, and to countries
where 1 could scarce bear any clothes on, the cold was insufferable :
nor, indeed, was it more painful than, surprising, to come but ten
days before out of Old Castile, where the weather was not only warm,
but very hot, and immediately to feel * wind from the Pyrenean
FRIDA Y FRIGHTENED A T SIGHT OF SNO W. 187
Mountains so very keen, so severely cold, as to be intolerable, and
to endanger benumbing and perishing of our fingers and toes.
Poor Friday was really frighted when he saw, the mountains all
covered with snow, and felt cold weather, which he had never seen
or felt before in his life. To mend the matter, when we came to
Pampeluna, it continued 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, in a
word, Jhe snow lay in some places too thick for us to travel, and
being not hard frozen, as is the case in the northern countries, there
was no going without being in danger of being buried alive every
step. We stayed no less than twenty days at 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 Fon-
tarabia, and there take shipping for Bordeaux, which was a very
little voyage. But, while we were 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, found out a guide,
who, traversing the country near the head of. Languedoc, had
brought them over the mountains by such ways that they were not
much incommoded with the snow ; and where they met with snow
in any quantity, they said it was frozen hard enough to bear them
and their horses. We sent for this guide, who told us he would
undertake to carry us the same way, with no hazard from the snow,
provided we were armed sufficiently to protect ourselves from wild
beasts ; for, he said, 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 thev
were, if he would insure us from a kind of two-legged wolves, which,
we were told, we were in most danger from, especially on the French
side of the mountains. He satisfied us that there was no danger of.
that kind in thj,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
15th of November; and, indeed, I was surprised, when, instead of
going forward, he came directly back with us on the same road that we
came from Madrid, about twenty miles; when, having passed two
rivers, and come into the plain country, we found ourselves in a warm
climate again, where the country was pleasant, and no snow to be
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
seen ; but, on a sudden, turning to his left, he approached the moun-
tains another 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 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 some-
thing 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 flew upon the guide, and had he
been half a mile before us, he would have been devoured before we
could have helped him ; one of them fastened upon his horse, and
the other attacked the man with such violence, that he had not time
or presence of mind enough to draw his pistol; but hallooed and
cried out most lustily. My man Friday being next 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 other, " O master !
O master !" but like a bold fellow, rode directly up to the poor man,
and with his pistol shot the wolf that attacked him in the head.
It was happy for the poor man that it was my man 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 us would have fired at a farther distance, and have per-
haps 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 howlings of wolves ;
and the noise redoubled by the echo of the mountains, appeared to
us as if there had been a prodigious multitude of them ; and perhaps
indeed there was not such a few as that we had no cause for appre-
hensions. However, as Friday had killed this wolf, the other that had
fastened upon the horse left him immediately, and fled, having hap-
pily fastened upon his head, where the bosses of the bridle had stuck
in his teeth, so that he had not done him much hurt; the man, in-
deed, 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 he
FRIDA Y'S JOKE WITH A BEAR. 189
was just as it were tumbling down by the disorder of the horse,
when Friday came up and shot the wolf.'
It is easy to suppose that at the noise of Friday's pistol we all
mended our pace, and rode up as fast as the way, which was very
difficult, would give us leave, to see what was the matter. As soon
as we came clear of the trees,' which blinded us before, we saw
clearly what had been the case, and how Friday had disengaged the
poor guide; though we did not presently discern what kind of
creature it was he had killed.
But never was a fight managed so hardily, and in such a surprising
manner, as that which followed between Friday and the bear, which
gave us all (though at first we were surprised and afraid for him) the
greatest diversion imaginable; as the bear is a heavy, clumsy crea-
ture, and does not gallop as the wolf does, who is swift and light, so
he has two particular qualities, which generally are the rule of his
actions; first, as to men, who are not his proper prey (he does not
usually attempt them, except they first attack him, unless he be ex-
cessively hungry, which it is probable might now be the case, the
ground being covered with snow), if you do not meddle with him, he
will not meddle with you; but then you must take care to be very
civil to him, and give him the road, for he is a very nice gentleman ;
he will not go a step out of his way for a prince; nay, if you are really
afraid, your best way is to look another way and keep going on; for
sometimes if you stop, and stand still, and look steadfastly at him,
he takes it for an affront; but if you throw or toss anything at him,
and it hits him, though it were but a bit of stick as big as your
finger, he thinks himself abused, and sets all other business aside to
pursue his revenge, and will have satisfaction in point of honour;—
that 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 till 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
frighted, when on a sudden we espied the bear coming out of the
wood, and a monstrous one it was, the biggest by far that ever I
saw. We were all a little surprised when we saw him ; but when
Friday saw him, it was easy to see joy and courage in the fellow's
countenance: " O, O, O!" says Friday, three times, pointing to
him; "O.master! you give me te leave, me shakee te hand with
him; me makee you good laugh."
I was surprised to see the fellow so well pleased: '' You fool," says
I, "he will eat you up."—" Eatee me up! eatee me up!" says
Friday, twice aver again: " me eatee him up: me make you good
igo ROBINSON CRUSOE.
laugh; you all stay here, me show you good laugh." So down he
sits, and gets off his boots in a moment, and puts on a pair of pumps
(as we call the flat shoes they wear), and which he had in his pocket,
gives my other servant his horse, and with his gun away he flew
swift like the wind.
The bear was walking softly on, and offered to meddle yvith no-
body, till Friday coming pretty near, calls to him, as if the bear
could understand him, "Hark ye, hark ye," says Friday, "me
speakee wit you." We followed at a distance, for now being down
on the Gascony side of the mountains, we were entering a vast forest,
where the country was plain and pretty open, though it had many
trees in it scattered here and there. Friday, who had, as we say,
the heels of the bear, came up with him quickly, and takes up a
great stone, and throws it at him, and hit him just on the head; but
did him no more harm than if he had thrown it against a wall; but
it answered Friday's end, for the rogue was so void of fear that he
did it purely to make the bear follow him, and show us some laugh,
as he called it. As soon as the bear felt the blow, and saw him, he
turns about, and comes after him, taking very long strides, and
shuffling on at a strange rate, so as he would put a horse at a mid-
dling 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, '' You dog ! is this
your making us laugh ? Come away, and take your horse, that we
may shoot the creature." He hears me, and cries out, " No shoot,
no shoot; stand still, 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 seeing a great oak tree fit for his purpose, he
beckoned to 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, he stopped at
the gun, smelled to it, but let it lie, and up he scrambles into the
free, climbing like a.cat, though so monstrous heavy. I was amazed
at the folly, as I thought it, of my man, and could not for my life
see anything to laugh at yet, till seeing the bear get up the tree, we
all rode near to him. ■ ;
When we came to the tree, there was Friday got out to the small
end of a large branch, and the bear got about half way to him, As
soon as the bear got out to that part where the limb of the tjree was
FRIDAY TEACHES THE BEAR TO DANCE. 193
iVeaker,—" Ha !" says he to us, " now you see me teachee the bear
dance so he falls a 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 further? pray
you come further so he left jumping and shaking the tree ; and
the bear, just as if he understood what he said, did come a little
further ; then he fell a 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 he
cried out earnestly, " O pray ! O pray ! no shoot, me shoot by and
Mien :" he would have said by-and-by. However, to shorten the
tory, Friday danced so much, and the bear stood so ticklish, that
,Ve had laughing enough, but still could not imagine what the fellow
A'ould do : for first we thought he depended upon shaking the bear
iff; and we found the bear was too cunning for that too; for lie
tvould 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 further, me go, me go;
you no come to me, me come to you and upon this he goes out to
the smallest end of the bough, where it would bend with his weight,
and gently lets himself down by it, sliding down the bough till he
came near enough to jump down on his feet, and away he ran to his-
gun, takes it up, and stands still. "Well," said I to him, " Friday*
what will you do now ? Why don't you shoot him ? "—" No shoot,,"
says Friday, "no yet ; me shoot now, me no kill; me stay, give yon
one more laugh and, indeed, so he did ; for when the bear saw
his enemy gone, he comes back from the bough where he stood, but
did it mighty leisurely, looking behind him every step, and coming
backward till he got into the body of the tree ; then, with the same
hinder end foremost, he came down the tree, grasping it with his
claws, and moving one foot at a time, very leisurely; at this juncture,
and just before he could set his hind foot on the ground, Friday
stepped up close to him, clapped the muzzle of his piece into his
ear, and shot him as dead as a stone. 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 kills bear in my
country," says Friday. "So you kill them ?" says I; "why, you
*92 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
ihave no guns."—"No," says he, "no gun, but shoot great much
long arrow." This was a good diversion to us ; but we were still
an 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, of which
I have said something already, I never heard anything that filled
me with so much horror.
These things, and the approach of night, called us off, or else, as
Friday would have had us, we should certainly have taken the skin
of this monstrous creature off which was worth saving ; but we had
.near three leagues to go, and our guide hastened us ; so we left him,
and went forward on our journey.
The ground was still covered with snow, though not so deep and
dangerous as on the mountains, and the ravenous creatures, as we
-heard afterwards, were come down into the forest and plain country,
-pressed by hunger, to seek for food, and had done a great deal of
•mischief in the villages, where they surprised the country people,
killed a great many of their sheep and horses, and some people too.
We had one dangerous place to pass, 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 sunset 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
iof 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 occasion enough to look about us. The first object
-we met with was a dead horse ; that is to say, a poor horse which
■the wolves had killed, and at least a dozen of them at work; we
icould not say eating him, but picking his bones rather; for they had
eaten up all the flesh before. We did not think fit to disturb them
At their feast, neither did they take much notice of us. Friday .would
ihave .let fly at them, but I would not suffer him by any means ; fot
I found we were iike to have more business upon our hands than w®
THE ATTACK OF THE WOLVES.
were aware of. We were not half gone over the plain, but we began
to hear the wolves howl in the woods on our left "in a frightful
manner ; and presently after we saw about a hundred coming 011
directly towards us, all in a body, and most of them in a line, as
regularly towards us as an army drawn up by experienced 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 mo-
ment; but that we might not have too much interval, I ordered that
only every other man should fire, and that the others, who had not
fired, should stand ready to give them a second volley immediately,
if they continued to advance upon us ; and then that those who had
fired at first, should not pretend to load their fusils 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 they
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
we 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 hellish creatures ;
and, on a sudden, we perceived three troops of wolves, one on our
left, one behind us, and one in our front, so that we seemed to be
surrounded with them : however, as they did not fall upon us, we
kept our way forward, as fast as we could make our horses go, which,
the way being very rough, was only a good hard trot ; and 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
o
T94
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
looking that way, out rushed a horse, with a saddle and a bridle on
him, flying like the wind, and sixteen or seventeen wolves after him
full speed : indeed, the horse had the heels of them ; but as we sup-
posed 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.
Here we had a most horrible sight; for, riding up to the entrance
where the horse came out, we found the carcases 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 suppose lay there for carriage ;
I drew my little troop in among those trees, and placing ourselves
in a line behind one long tree, I advised them all to alight, and
keeping that tree before us for a breastwork, to stand in a triangle,
or three fronts, inclosing our horses in the centre. We did so, and
it was well we did ; for never was a more furious charge than the
creatures made upon us in this place ; they came on us 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, which was the prey they aimed
at: I ordered our men to fire as before, every other man : and they
took their 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 fusils, 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 loth to spend our shot too hastily; so
I called my servant, not my man Friday, for he was better employed,
for, with the greatest dexterity imaginable, he had charged my
fusil 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
ESCAPE FROM THE WOLVES.
to it, and some got upon it, when I, snapping an uncharged pistol
close to the powder, set it on fire; and 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 de-
spatched 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 a little. Upon which I ordered our
last pistols to be fired off in one volley, and after that we gave a
shout; upon this the wolves turned tail, and we sallied immediately
upon near twenty lame ones that we found struggling on the ground,
and fell to cutting them with our swords, which answered our expec-
tation, for the crying and howling they made were better understood
by their fellows ; so that they all fled and left us.
We had, first and last, killed about threescore of them, and had
it been daylight, we had killed many more. The field of battle
being thus cleared, we made forward again, for we had still near a
league to go ; we heard the ravenous creatures howl and yell in the
woods as we went several times, and sometimes we fancied we saw
some of them ; but the snow dazzling our eyes, we were not certain ;
so in about an hour more we came to the town where we were to
lodge, which we found in a terrible fright and all in arms; for it
seems that the night before, the wolves and some bears had broke
into the village, and put them in a terrible fright, and 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
Toulouse, 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 Toulouse, they told us it was nothing but what
was ordinary in the great forest at the foot of the mountaims, espe-
cially when the snow lay on the ground ; but they inquired much
what kind of guide we had got, that 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 they
being excessive hungry, and raging on that account, the eagerness
to come at the horses had made them senseless of danger: and
that if we had not by the continued fire, and at last by the stratagem
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 horses, they would have been so
eager to have devoured them, that we might have come off safe,
especially having our firearms in our hands, being so many in
number. For my part, I was never so sensible of danger in my life ;
for, seefhg 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 a week.
I have nothing uncommon to take notice of in my passage through
France ; nothing but what other travellers have given an account of
with much more advantage than I can. I travelled from Toulouse
to Paris, and without any considerable stay came to Calais, and
landed safe at Dover the 14th of January, after having had 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 ex-
change which I brought with me having been very currently paid.
My principal guide and privy-counsellor was my good ancient
widow, who, in gratitude for the money I had sent her, thought no
pains too much nor care too great to employ for me; and I trusted
her so entirely with everything, that I was perfectly easy as to the
security of my effects; and, indeed, I was very happy from the
beginning, and now to the end, in the unspotted integrity of this
good gentlewoman.
And now I resolved to stay at home, and if I could find means for
it, to dispose of my plantation. To this purpose I wrote to my old
friend at Lisbon, who in return gave me notice that he could easily
dispose of it there, but that if I thought fit to give him leave to offer
it in my name to the two merchants, the survivors of my trustees,
who lived in Brazil, he did not doubt but I should make 4000 or 5000
pieces-of-eight the more of it. Accordingly I agreed, gave him orders
to offer it to them, and he did so ; and in about eight months more,
the ship being then returned, he sent me an account that they had
accepted the offer, and had remitted 33,000 pieces-of-eight to Lisbon,
to pay for it.
In return, I signed the instrument of sale in the form which they
sent from Lisbon, and sent it to my old man, who sent me the bills
ROBINSON A T HOME. 197
of exchange for thirty-two thousand eight hundred pieces-of-eight
for the estate, reserving the payment of one hundred moijlores a year
to him (the old man) during his life, and fifty moidores afterwards to
his son for his life, which I had promised them, and which the plan-
tation was to make good as a rent-charge. And thus I have given
the first part of a life of fortune and adventure,—a life of Providence's
chequer-work, and of a variety which the world will be seldom
able to show the like of;—beginning foolishly, but closing much 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 wander-
ing life, had no family, nor many relations ; nor, however rich, had I
contracted fresh 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. 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 settlement of some addi-
tion to his estate after my decease. The other I placed with the cap-
tain of a ship; and after five years, finding him a sensible, bold,
enterprising young fellow, I put him into a good ship, and sent him
to sea ; and this young fellow afterwards drew me in, as old as I was,
to further adventures myself.
In the meantime, I in part settled myself here ; for, first of all, I
married, and that not either to my disadvantage or dissatisfaction,
and had three children, two sons and one daughter; but my wife
dying, and my nephew coming home with good success from a
voyage to Spain, my inclination to go abroad, and his importunity,
prevailed, and engaged me to go in his ship as a private trader to the
East Indies ; this was in the year 1694.
In this voyage I visited my new colony in the island,—saw my sue-
cessors 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 accidents as my own part,—particularly, also, as to their
battles with the Caribbeans, who landed several times upon the island,
198
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
and as to the improvement they made upon the island itself,—and how
five of them made an attempt upon the mainland, 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 neces-
sary things, and particularly of arms, powder, shot, clothes, tools,
and two workmen, which I had brought from England with me,—
viz., a carpenter and a smith.
Besides this, I shared the lands into parts with them, reserved to
myself the property of the whole, but gave them such parts respec-
tively 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 would take them. As to
the Englishmen, I promised to send them some women from England,
with a good cargo of necessaries, if they would apply themselves to
planting,—which I afterwards performed." 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,
some sheep, and some hogs, which when I came again were con
iderably increased.
But all these things, with an account how three hundred Caribbees
came and invaded them, and ruined their plantations, 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 may, perhaps, give a
further account of hereafter
PART II.
HAT homely proverb, used on so many occasions in Eng-
land, viz. "That what is bred in the bone will not go out
of the flesh," was never more verified than in the story of
my Life. Any one would think that after 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 was most adapted to
make a man completely happy ; I say, after all this, any one would
have thought that the native propensity to rambling, which I gave an
account of in my first setting out in the world to have been so pre-
dominant in my thoughts, should be worn out, and I might, at
sixty-one years of age, have been a little inclined to stay at home,
and have done venturing life and fortune any more.
I had nothing, indeed, to do but to sit still, and fully enjoy what I
had got, and see it increase daily upon my hands. Yet this had no
effect upon me, or at least not enough to resist the strong inclination
I had to go abroad again, which hung about me like a chronical
distemper ; particularly the desire of seeing my new plantation in
the island, and the colony I left there, ran in my head continually.
I dreamed of it all night, and my imagination run upon it all day :
it was uppermost in all my thoughts ; and my fancy worked so
steadily and strongly upon it, that I talked of it in my sleep; in short,
nothing could remove it out of my mind : it even broke so violently
into all my discourses, that it made my conversation tiresome ; for I
could talk of nothing else, all my discourse ran into it, even to im-
pertinence, and I saw it myself.
In this kind of temper I lived some years ; I had no enjoyment of
my life, no pleasant hours, no agreeable diversion, but what had
something or other of this in it.
I was like a ship without a pilot, that could only run afore the
wind ; my thoughts ran all away again into the old affair : my head
zoo
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
was quite turned with the whimseys of foreign adventures; and all
the pleasant, innocent amusements of my farm, my garden, mycattle,
and my family, were nothing to me, had no relish, and were like
music to one that has no ear, or food to one that has no taste. In a
word, I resolved to leave off housekeeping, let my farm, and return
to London ; and in a few months after I did so.
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
now, uncle," says he, " if you will go to sea with me, I will engage
to land you upon your old habitation in the island ; for we are to
touch at the Brazils."
My nephew knew nothing how far my distemper of wandering was
returned upon me, and I knew nothing of what he had in his thought
to say, when that very morning, before he came to me, I had, in a
great deal of confusion of thought, and revolving every part of my
circumstances in my mind, come to this resolution, that I would go
to Lisbon, and consult with my old sea-captain; and if it was rational
and practicable, I would go and see the island again, and see what
was become of my people there. I had pleased myself with the
thoughts of peopling the place, and carrying inhabitants from hence,
getting a patent for the possession, and I know not what; when, in
the middle of all this, in comes my nephew, as I have said, with his
project of carrying me thither in his way to the East Indies.
I paused awhile at his words, and looking steadily at him, " What
devil," said I, "sent you on this unlucky errand?" My nephew
stared as if he had been frightened at first; but perceiving that I
was not much displeased with the proposal, he recovered himself.
" I hope it may not be an unlucky proposal, sir," says he. "I dare
say you would be pleased to see your new colony there, where you
once reigned with more felicity than most of your brother monarchs
in the world." In a word, the scheme hit so exactly with my temper,
that is to say, the prepossession I was under, that I told him, in a
few words, if he agreed with the merchants, I would go with him ;
but I told him I would not promise to go any further than my own
island. '' Why, sir," says he, '' you don't want to be left there again,
I hope?" " But," said I, " can you not take me up again on your
return?'' He told me it could not be possible, that the merchants
would never allow him to come that way with a loaded ship of such
value, it being a month's sail out of his way, and might be three or
ROBINSON UNDERTAKES A NEW VOYAGE. 201
four. " Besides, sir, if I should miscarry," said he, " and not return
at all, then you would be just reduced to the condition you were in
before."
This was very rational; but we both found out a remedy forMt,
which was, to carry a framed sloop on board the ship, which being
taken in pieces, and shipped on board the ship, might, by the help
of some carpenters, whom we agreed to carry with us, be set up
again in the island ; and finished, fit to go to sea, in a few days. I
was not long resolving ; for, indeed, the importunities of my nephew
joined so effectually with my inclination, that nothing could oppose me;
on the other hand, my wife being dead, I had nobody who concerned
themselves so much for me as to persuade me to one way or other,
except my ancient good friend the widow, who earnestly struggled
with me to consider my years, my easy circumstances, and the need-
less 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 uncommon
in the impressions I had upon my mind for the voyage, that it would
be a kind of resisting Providence if I should attempt to stay at home ;
after which she ceased her expostulations, and joined with me, not
only in making provision for my voyage, but also in settling my family
affairs in my absence, and-providing for the education of my children.
In order to this, I made my will, and settled the estate I had in such
a manner for my children, and placed in such hands, that I was per-
fectly easy and satisfied they would have justice done them, whatever
might befall me.
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 that sloop which I mentioned above, a very
considerable cargo of all kinds of necessary things for my colony,
which, if I did not find in good condition, I resolved to leave so.
I carried with me some servants whom I purposed to place there
as inhabitants, or at least to set on work there upon my own account,
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 proved a
most necessary handy fellow as could be desired, in many other
businesses besides that of this trade.
My cargo, as near as I can recollect, for I have not kept account
of the particulars, consisted of a sufficient quantity of linen, and
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
some English thin stuffs, for clothing the Spaniards that I expected
to find there, and enough of them, as by my calculation, might
comfortably supply them for seven years : if I remember right, the
materials I carried for clothing them, with gloves, hats, shoes, stock-
ings, and all such things as they could want for wearing, amounted
to above two hundred pounds, including some beds, bedding, and
household stuff, particularly kitchen utensils, with pots, kettles,
pewter, brass, &c. ; and near a hundred pounds more in iron-work,
nails, tools of every kind, staples, hooks, hinges, and every necessary
thing I could think of.
I carried also a hundred spare arms, muskets, and fusees; besides
some pistols, a considerable quantity of shot of all sizes, three or
four tons of lead, and two pieces of brass cannon; and, because I
knew not what time and what extremities I was providing for, I
carried a hundred barrels of powder, besides swords, cutlasses, and the
iron part of some pikes and halberts; so that, in short, we had a large
magazine of all sorts of stores ; and I made my nephew cany two
small quarter-deck guns more than he wanted for his ship, to leave
behind if there was occasion; so that when we came there, we might
build a fort, and man it against all sorts of enemies.
We set out on the 5th of February from Ireland, and had a very
fair gale of wind for some days. As I remember, it might be about
the 20th of February in the evening late, when the mate, having the
watch, came into the round-house, and told us he saw a flash of fire,
and heard a gun fired ; and while he was telling us of it, a boy came
in, and told us the boatswain heard another. This made us all run
out upon the quarter-deck, where for a while we heard nothing ; but
in a few minutes we saw a very great light, and found that there was
some very terrible fire at a distance ; immediately we had recourse
to our reckonings, in which we all agreed that there could be no land
that way in which the fire showed itself, no, not for five hundred
leagues, for it appeared at W.N.W. Upon this, we concluded it
must be some ship on fire at sea ; and as, by our hearing the noise
of guns just before, we concluded that it could not be far off, we
stood directly towards it, and were presently satisfied we should dis-
cover it, because the further we sailed, the greater the light appeared;
though the weather being hazy, we could not perceive anything but
the light for a while. In about half an hour's sailing, the wind
being fair for us, though not much of it, and the weather clearing up
a little, we could plainly discern that it was a great ship on fire in
the middle of the sea.
I immediately ordered that five guns should be fired, one soon
after another, that, if possible, we might give notice to them that
THE BURNING SHIP.
203
there was help for them at hand, and that they might endeavour to
save themselves in their boat ; for though we could see the flames of
the ship, yet they, it being night, could see nothing of us.
We lay by some time upon this, only driving as the burning ship
drove, waiting for daylight; when, on a sudden, to our great terror,
though we had reason to expect it, the ship blew up in the air ; and
in a few minutes all the fire was out, that is to say, the rest of the
ship sunk ; this was a terrible, and indeed an afflicting sight, for the
sake of the poor men, who, I concluded, must be either all destroyed
in the ship, or be in the utmost distress in their boat, in the middle
of the ocean ; which, at present, as it was dark, I could not see;
however, to direct them as well as I could, I caused lights to be
hung out in all the parts of the ship where we could, and which we
had lanterns for, and kept firing guns all the night long ; letting
them know by this that there was a ship not far off.
About eight o'clock in the morning we discovered the ship's boats
by the help of our perspective glasses, and found there were two of
them, both thronged with people, and deep in the water. We per-
ceived they rowed, the wind being against them ; that they saw our
ship, and did their utmost to make us see them. We immediately
spread our ancient, to let them know we saw them, and hung a waft
out, as a signal for them to come on board, and then made more
sail, standing directly to them. In little more than half an hour,
we came up with them, and in a word took them all in, being no
less than sixty-four men, women, and children ; for there were a
great many passengers.
Upon the whole we found it was a French merchant ship of 300
tons, home-bound from Quebec, in the river of Canada. The master
gave us a long account of the distress of his ship, how the fire began
in the steerage, by the negligence of the steersman ; which, on his
crying out for help, was, as everybody thought, entirely put out ; but
they soon found that some sparks of the first fire had got into some
part of the ship so difficult to come at that they could not effectually
quench it; and afterwards gettingin between the timbers, and within
the ceiling of the ship, it proceeded into the hold, and mastered all
the skill and all the application they were able to exert.
They had no more to do then but to get into their boats, which,
to their great comfort, were pretty large ; being their long-boat, and
a great shallop, besides a small skiff, which was of no great service
to them, other than to get some fresh water and provisions into her,
after they had secured their lives from the fire. They had, indeed,
small hopes of their lives by getting into these boats at that distance
from any land ; only, as they said, that they thus escaped from the
204
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
fire, and there was a possibility that some ship might happen to be
at sea, and might take them in.
In the midst of their consternation, every one being hopeless and
ready to despair, the captain, with tears in his eyes, told me they
were on a sudden surprised with the joy of hearing a gun fire, and
after that four more : these were the five guns which I caused to be
•fired at first seeing the light: this revived their hearts, and gave
them the notice, which, as above, I desired it should, that there was
a ship at hand for their help. It was upon the hearing of these guns
that they took down their masts and sails : the sound coming from
the windward, they resolved to lie by till morning. Some time after
this, hearing no more guns, they fired three muskets, one a consider-
able while after another ; but these, the wind being contrary, we
never heard. Some time after that again, they were still more
agreeably surprised with seeing our lights, and hearing the guns
which, as I have said, I caused to be fired all the rest of the night;
this set them to work with their oars, to keep their boats ahead, at
least, that we might the sooner come up with them ; and, at last, to
their inexpressible joy, they found we saw them.
There were two priests among them : one an old man, and the
other a young man. The captain and one of these priests came to
me the next day, and desiring to speak with me and my nephew, the
commander, began to consult with us what should be done with
them ; and, first, they told us we had saved their lives, so all they
bad was little enough for a return to us for that kindness received.
The captain said they had saved some money and some things of
value in their boats, caught hastily out of the flames ; and if we
would accept it, they were ordered to make an offer of it all to us;
they only desired to be set on shore somewhere in our way, where,
if possible, they might get a passage to France. My nephew was
for accepting their money at first word, and to consider what to do
with them afterwards ; but I overruled him in that part, for I knew
what it was to be set on shore in a strange country ; and if the Por-
tugal captain that took me up at sea had served me so, and taken
all I had for my deliverance, I must have starved, or have been as
much a slave at the Brazils as I had been at Barbary, the mere being
sold to a Mahometan only excepted ; and perhaps a Portuguese is
not a much better master than a Turk, if not, in some cases, much
worse.
I therefore told the French captain that we had taken them up in
their distress, it was true, but that it was our duty to do so, as we
were fellow-creatures, and we would desire to be so delivered, if we
were in the like or any other extremity ; that we had done nothing
THE FRENCH PUT ON SHORE. 205
for them but what we believed they would have done for us, if we
had been in their case, and they in ours : but that we took them up
to serve them, not to plunder them ; and it would be a most barbarous
thing to take that little from them which they had saved out of the
fire, and then set them on shore and leave them ; that this would be
first to save them from death, and then kill them ourselves ; save
them from drowning, and abandon them to starving ; and, there-
fore, I would not let the least thing be taken from them. As to.
setting them on shore, I told them, indeed, that was an exceeding
difficulty to us, for that the ship was bound to the East Indies ; and
though we were driven out of our course to the westward a very great
way, and perhaps were directed by Heaven on purpose for their de-
liverance, yet it was impossible for us wilfully to change our voyage
on their particular account; nor could my nephew, the captain,
answer it to the freighters, with whom he was under charter-party to
pursue his voyage by way of Brazil; and all I knew we could do for
them was, to put ourselves in the way of meeting with other ships,
homeward bound from the West Indies, and get them a passage, if
possible, to England or France.
The first part of the proposal was so generous and kind, they could
not but be very thankful for it; but they were in a great consterna-
tion, especially the passengers, at the notion of being carried away
to the East Indies ; they then entreated me, that as I was driven
so far to the westward before I met with them, I would, at least, keep
on the same course to the Banks of Newfoundland, where it was pro-
bable I might meet with some ship or sloop that they might hire to
carry them back to Canada.
I thought this was but a reasonable request c/n their part, and there-
fore I inclined to agree to it; for, indeed, I considered that to carry
this whole company to the East Indies, would not only be an intole-
Table severity upon the poor people, but would be ruining our whole
voyage, by devouring all our provisions ; so I thought it no breach
of charter-party, but what an unforeseen accident made absolutely
necessary to us, and in which no one could say we were to blame ;
so I consented that we would carry them to Newfoundland, if wind
and weather would permit; and if not, that I would carry them to.
Martinico, in the West Indies.
It was about a week after this that we made the Banks of New-
foundland ; where, to shorten my story, we put all our French people-
on board a bark, which they hired at sea there, to put them on shore,
and afterwards to carry them to France, if they could get provisions
to victual themselves with. When I say all the French went on
shore, I should remember, that the young priest, hearing we were
2o6
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
bound to the East Indies, desired to go the voyage with us, and to
be set on shore on the coast of Goromandel. I readily agreed to
that, for I wonderfully liked the man ; also four of the seamen en-
tered themselves on our ship, and proved veiy useful fellows.
It was in the latitude of 27 degrees 5 minutes north, on the 19th
day of March, 1694-5, when we spied a sail, our course S.E. and
by S. We soon perceived it was a large vessel, and that she bore
up to us, but could not at first know what to make of her, till, after
coming a little nearer, we found she had lost her maintopmast, fore-
mast, and bowsprit; and presently she fired a gun as a signal of
distress. The weather was pretty good, wind at N.N.W. a fresh
gale, and we soon came to speak with her. We found her a ship of
Bristol, bound home from Barbadoes, but had been blown out of
the road at Barbadoes a few days before she was ready to sail, by a
terrible hurricane, while the captain and chief mate were both gone
on shore ; so that, besides the terror of the storm, they were in an
indifferent case for good mariners to bring the ship home : they had
been already nine weeks at sea, and had met with another terrible
storm, after the hurricane was over, which had blown them quite out
of their knowledge to the westward, and in which they lost their
masts ; they told us they expected to have seen the Bahama Islands,
but were then driven away again to the south-east, by a strong gale
of wind at N.N.W., the same that blew now." and having no sails
to work the ship with but a main course, and a kind of square sail
upon a jury foremast, which they had set up, they could not lie
near the wind, but were endeavouring to stand away for the
Canaries.
But that which was worst of all was, that they were almost starved
for want of provisions, besides the fatigues they had undergone: their
bread and flesh were quite, gone, they had not an ounce left in the
ship, and had had none for eleven days : the second mate, who upon
this occasion commanded the ship, came on board our ship; and
he told me indeed that they had three passengers in the great cabin,
that were in a deplorable condition: "Nay," says he, " I believe
they are dead, for I have heard nothing of them for above two days ;
and I was afraid to inquire after them," said he, " for I had nothing
to relieve them with." We immediately applied ourselves to give
them what relief we could spare ; and, indeed, I had so far overruled
things with my nephew, that I would have victualled them, though
we had gone away to Virginia, or any other part of the coast of
America, to have supplied ourselves ; but there was no necessity
for that.
But now they were in a new danger; for they were afraid of eating
THE FAMINE-STRICKEN CREW.
207
too much, even of that little we gave them ; the mate, or com-
mander, brought six men with him in his boat, but these poor
wretches looked like skeletons, and were so weak that they could
hardly sit to their oars; the mate himself was very ill, and half-
starved ; for he declared he had reserved nothing from the men, and
went share and share alike with them in every bit they ale. I cau-
tioned him to eat sparingly, and set meat before him immediately,
but he had not eaten three mouthfuls before he began to be sick and
out of order ; so he stopped awhile, and our surgeon mixed him up
something with some broth, which he said would be to him both food
and physic, and after he had taken it he grew better.
All the while the mate was relating to me the miserable condition
of the ship's company, I could not put out of my thought the story
he had told me of the three poor creatures in the great cabin, viz.
the mother, her son, and the maid-servant, whom he had heard
nothing of for two or three days, and whom, he seemed to confess,
they had wholly neglected, their own extremities being so great; by
which I understood that they had really given them no food at all,
and that therefore they must be perished, and be all lying dead,
perhaps on the floor or deck of the cabin.
As I therefore kept the mate, whom we then called captain, on
board with his men, to refresh them, so I also forgot not the starving
crew that were left on board, but ordered my own boat to go 011
board the ship, and, with my mate and twelve men, to carry them a
sack of bread, and four or five pieces of beef to boil. Our surgeon
charged the men to cause the meat to be boiled while they stayed,
and to keep guard in the cook-room, to prevent the men taking it to
eat raw, or taking it out of the pot before it was well boiled, and
then to give every man but a very little at a time: and by this cau-
tion he preserved the men, who would otherwise have killed them-
selves with that very food that was given them on purpose to save
their lives. I found the poor men on board almost in a tumult, to
get the victuals out of the boiler before it was ready : but my mate
observed his orders, and kept a good guard at the cook-room door ;
and the man he placed there, after using all possible persuasion to
have patience, kept them off by force ; however, he caused some
biscuit cakes to be dipped in the pot, and softened with the liquor
of the meat, which they call brewis, and gave them every one some,
to stay their stomachs, and told them it was for their own safety that
he was obliged to give them but little at a time. But it was all in
vain ; and had I not come on board, and their own commander ana
officers with me, and with good words, and some threats also of
giving them no more, I believe they would have broken into the
208
ROBINSON CRUSOB.
cook-room by force, and torn the meat out of the furnace; however,
we pacified them, and fed them gradually and cautiously.
But the misery of the poor passengers in the cabin was of another
nature, and far beyond the rest. The poor mother, who, as the men
reported, was a woman of sense and good breeding, had spared all
she could so affectionately for her son, that at last she entirely sunk
under it ; help came too late, and she died the same night.
The youth, who was preserved at the price of his most affectionate
mother's life, was not so far gone ; yet he lay in a cabin bed, as one
stretched out, with hardly any life left in him ; he had a piece of an
old glove in his mouth, having eaten up the rest of it; -however,
being young, and having more strength than his mother, the mate
got something down his throat, and he began sensibly to revive.
But the next care was the poor maid : she lay all along upon the
deck, hard by her mistress, and just like one that had fallen down in
a fit of apoplexy, and struggled for life. The poor creature was not
only starved with hunger, and terrified with the thoughts of death,
but, as the men told us afterwards, was broken-hearted for her mis-
tress, whom she saw dying for two or three days before, and whom
she loved most tenderly.
Our business was to relieve this distressed ship's crew, but not lie
by for them ; and though they were willing to steer the same course
with us for some days, yet we could cany no sail to keep pace with
a ship that had no masts ; however, as their captain begged of us to
help him to set up a main-topmast, and a kind of a topmast to his
jury-foremast, we did, as it were, lie by him for three or four days ;
and then, having given him five barrels of beef, a barrel of pork,
two hogsheads of biscuit, and a proportion of peas, flour, and what
other things we could spare; and taking three casks of sugar, some
rum, and some pieces-of-eight from them for satisfaction, we left
them, taking on board with us, at their own earnest request, the
youth and the maid, and all their goods.
The young lad was about seventeen years of age, a pretty, well-
bred, modest, and sensible youth, greatly dejected with the loss of
his mother, and also at having lost his father but a few months before,
at Barbadoes. He begged of the surgeon to speak to me to take him
out of the ship. The surgeon told him how far we were going, and
that it would carry him away from all his friends, and put him, per-
haps, in as bad circumstances almost as those we found him in, that
is to say, starving in the wo rid. He said it mattered not whither he
went; that the captain (by which he meant me, for he could know
nothing of my nephew) had saved his life, and he was sure would not
hurt him ; and as for the maid, he was sure, if she came to herself.
CRUSOE REACHES THE ISLAND.
she would be very thankful for it, let us carry them where wq would.
The surgeon represented the case so affectionately to me that I
yielded, and we took them both on board, with aH their goods.
I was now in the latitude of 190 32', and had hitherto a tolerable
voyage as to weather, though, at first, the winds had been contrary.
I shall trouble nobody with the little incidents of wind, weather,
currents, &c., on the rest of our voyage ; but, to shorten my story,
shall observe that I came to my old habitation, the island, on the
10th of April, 1693. As soon as I saw the place, I called for Friday,
and asked him if he knew where he was ? He looked about a little,
and presently clapping his hands, cried, '' O yes, O there, O yes, O
there !" pointing to our old habitation, and fell a dancing and caper-
ing like a mad fellow ; and I had much ado to keep hini from
jumping into the sea, to swim ashore to the place.
"Well, Friday," said I, " do you think we shall find anybody
here or no? and what do you think, shall we see your father?" The
fellow stood mute as a stock a good while ; but, when I named his
father, the poor affectionate creature looked dejected, and I could
see the tears run down his face very plentifully. "What is the
matter, Friday?" said I, "are you troubled because you may see
your father?"—-"No, no," says he, shaking his head, " no see him
more: no, ever more see 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," said I,
"Friday, you don't know; but shall we see anyone 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, " Me see, me see, yes, yes, me see much man there,
and there, and there." I looked, but I saw nobody, no, not with a
perspective glass ; which was, I suppose, because I could not hit the
place ; for the fellow was right, as I found upon inquiry the next
day, and there were five or six men all together, who stood to look at
the ship, npt knowing what to think of us.
As soon as Friday told me he saw people, I caused the English
ancient to be spread, and fired three guns, to give them notice we
were friends ; and in about a quarter of an hour after we perceived
a smoke arise from the side of the creek ; so I immediately ordered
the boat out, taking Friday with me, and, hanging out a white flag,
or a flag of truce, I went directly on shore, taking with me the young
friar I mentioned, to whom I had told the whole story of my living
there, and the manner of it and every particular, both of myself and
those I left there, and who was, on that account, extremely desirous
to go with me. We had, brides, about sixteen men very well
210
ROBINSON CR USOE.
armed, if we had found any new guests there which we did not know
of; but we had no need of weapons.
As :\ve went on shore upon the tide of flood, near high water, we
rowed directly into the creek ; and the first man I fixed my eye upon
was the Spaniard whose life I had saved, and. whom I knew by his
face perfectly well: as to his habit, I shall describe it afterwards. I
ordered' nobody to go on shore at first but myself; bujt there was no
keeping Friday in the boat • for the affectionate creature had spied
his father at a distance, a good way off the Spaniards, where, indeed,
I saw nothing of him ; and if they had not let him go ashore, he
would have jumped into the sea. He was no sooner on shore, but
he flew away to his father, like an arrow out of a bow. It would
have made any man shed tears, in spite of the firmest resolution, to
have seen the first transports of this poor fellow's joy when he came
to his father; how he 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, and then got
up again, and stared at him ; one would have thought the fellow
bewitched: but it would have made a dog laugh to see how the
next day his passion run 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 pastures and gestures ; and all the while he did
this, he would be talking to him, and telling him one story or another
of his travels, and of what had happened to him abroad, to divert
him. In short, if the same filial affection was to be found in
Christians to their parents, in our part of the world, one would be
tempted to say there would hardly have been any need of the fifth
commandment.
But this is a digression: I return to my landing. It would be
needless to take notice of all the ceremonies and civilities that the
Spaniards received me with. The first Spaniard, whom, as I said, I
knew very well, was he whose life I had saved : he came towards the
boat, attended by one more, carrying a flag of truce, also; and he
not only did not know me at first, but he had no thoughts, no notion
of its being me that was come, till I spoke to him. "Seignior,"'
said L in Portuguese, "do you not know me ?" At which he spoke
CRUSOE AND THE SPANIARD.
not a word, but, giving his musket to the man that was with him,
threw his arms abroad, and saying something in Spanish that I did
not perfectly hear, came forward and embraced me, telling me he
was inexcusable not to know that face again that he had once seen,
as of an angel from Heaven, sent to save his life : he said abundance
of very handsome things, as a well-bred Spaniard always knows how,
and then, beckoning to the person that attended him, bade him go
and call out his comrades. He then asked me if I would walk to
my old habitation, where he would give me possession of my own
house again, and where I should see they had made but mean im-
provements. 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, in ten years' time they were grown so big,
that, in short, the place was inaccessible, except by such windings
and blind ways as they themselves only, who made them, could
find.
I asked them what put them upon all these fortifications ? He told
me I would say there was need enough of it, when they had given
me an account how they had passed their time since their arriving
m 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 afflicting to him at first, as the disap-
pointment 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 and with that he
crossed himself on the breast. " But sir," says he, "I hope you will
not be displeased when I shall tell you how, forced by necessity, we
were obliged, for our own preservation, to disarm them, and make
them our subjects, who would not be content with being moderately
our masters, but would be our murderers." I answered, I was afraid
of it when I left them there, and nothing troubled me at my parting
from the island but that they were not come back, that I might have
put them in possession of everything first, and left the others in a
state of subjection, as they deserved ; but if they had reduced them
to it I was very glad, and should be very far from finding any fault
212
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
with it: for I knew they were a parcel of refractory, ungovernable
villains, and were fit for any manner of mischief.
While I was thus saying this, came the man 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
monarch or great conqueror : their behaviour was, to the last degree,
obliging and courteous, and yet mixed with a manly, majestic gravity,
which very well became them ; and, in short, they had so much
more manners than I, that I scarce knew how to receive their
civilities, much less how to return them in kind.
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 (it
seems he was the principal man among them, the captain of the
vessel they had been shipwrecked in having been dead some time) :
they were, he said, the more surprised to see him, because they knew
Jiat he was fallen into the hands of the savages, who, they were
satisfied, would devour him, as they did all the rest of their prisoners ;
that when he told them the story of his deliverance, and in what
manner he was furnished for carrying them away, it was like a dream
to them, and their astonishment, he said, was somewhat like that of
Joseph's brethren when he told them who he was, and told them the
story of his exaltation in Pharaoh's court; but when he showed th'em
the arms, the powder, the ball, the provisions, that he brought them
for their journey or voyage, they were restored to themselves, took a
just share of the joy of their deliverance, and immediately prepared
to come away with him.
Their first business was to get canoes ; and in this they were
obliged not to stick so much upon the honest part of it, but to tres-
pass upon their friendly savages, and to borrow two large canoes, or
periaguas, on pretence of going out a fishing, or for pleasure. In
these they came away the next morning : it seems they wanted no
fime to get themselves ready : for they had neither clothes, nor pro-
visions, nor anything in the world but what they had on them, and a
THE SPANIARD'S STORY.
213
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 im-
pudent, hardened, ungoverned, disagreeable villains behind me, that
any man could desire to meet with, to the poor Spaniards' great grief
and disappointment.
The only just thing the rogues did was, that when the Spaniards
came on shore, they gave my letter to them, and gave them provi-
sions, anct other relief, as I had ordered them to do ; also they gave
them the long paper of directions which I had left with them, con-
taining th«. -^articular methods which I took for managing every part
of my life there; the way I baked my bread, bred up tame goats,
and planted my corn ; how I cured my grapes, made my pots, and,
in a word, everything I did : all this being written down, they gave
to the Spaniards (two of whom understood English well enough) :
nor did they refuse to accommodate the Spaniards with anything else,
for they agreed very well for some time : they gave them an equal
admission into the house, or cave, and they began to live very
sociably ; and the head Spaniard, who had seen pretty much of my
methods, together with Friday's father, 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 left them alone, which, however, they could not find in theii
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 re
lating, but at last it broke out into open war, and it began with all
the rudeness and insolence that can be imagined, without reason,
without provocation, contrary to nature, and, indeed, to common
sense ; and though, it is true, the first relation of it came from the
Spaniards themselves, whom I may call the accusers, yet when I
came to examine the fellows, they could not deny a word of it.
But before I come to the particulars of t^is part, I must supply a
defect in my former relation; and this was, I forgot to set down,
among the rest, that just as we were weighing the anchor to set sail,
there happened a little quarrel on board of our ship, which I was once
afraid would have turned to a second mutiny; nor was it appeased till
the captain, rousing up his courage, and taking us all to his assis-
tance, parted them by force, and making two of the most refractory
fellows prisoners, he laid them in irons: and as they had been active
214
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
in the former disorders, and let fall some ugly, dangerous words the
second time, he threatened to carry them in irons to England, and
have them hanged there for mutiny, and running away with the ship.
This, it seems, though the captain did not intend to do it; frightened
some other men in the ship ; and some of them had put it into the
head of the rest, that the captain only gave them good words for the
present, till they should come to some English port, and that then
they should be all put into 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 v ent,
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 calm next morning, we found that our two men,
who had been laid in irons, had stolen each of them r. musket, and
some other weapons (what powder or shot they had we knew not),
and had taken the ship's pinnace, which was not yet hauled up, and
run away with her to their companions in roguery on shore. As soon
as we found this, I ordered the long-boat on shore with twelve men
and the mate, and away they went to seek the rogues ; but they
could neither find them nor any of the rest, for they all fled into the
woods when they saw the boat coming on shore. The mate having
no orders, left everything as he found it, and, bringing the pinnace
away, came on board without them. These two men made their
number five ; but the other three villains were so much more wicked
than they, that after they had been two or three days together, they
turned the two new-comers out of doors to shift for themselves, and
would have nothing to do with them ; nor could they, for a good
while, be persuaded to give them any food : as for the Spaniards,
they were not yet come.
The Spaniards would have persuaded the three English brutes to
have taken in their countrymen again, that, as they said, they might
be all one family ; but they would not hear of it, so the two poor
fellows lived by themselves ; and finding nothing but industry and
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 two huts, one to lodge in, and
the other to lay up their magazines and stores in ; and the Spaniards
THE ENGLISH QUARREL AMONG THEMSELVES. 215
having given them some com for seed, and some of the peas which I
had left them, they dug, planted, and enclosed, after the pattern I
had set for them all, and began to live pretty well. Their first crop
of com 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 eat-
ables ; and one of the fellows being the cook's mate of the ship,,
was very ready at making soup, puddings, and such other prepara-
tions as the rice and the milk, and such little flesh as they got, fur,
nished him to do.
They were going on in this little thriving posture when the three
unnatural rogues, their own countrymen too, in mere humour, and
to insult them, came and bullied them, and told them the island was
theirs : that the governor, meaning me, had given them the pos-
session of it, and nobody else had any right to it ; and that they
should build no houses upon their ground, unless they would pay
rent for them. The two men thought they had jested, at first, and
asked them to come in and sit down, and see what fine houses they
were that they had built, and to tell them what rent they demanded ;
and one of them merrily told them, if they were the ground-landlords,
he hoped, if they built tenements upon their land, and made improve-
ments, they would, according to the custom of landlords, grant a
long lease : and desired they would get a scrivener to draw the writ-
ings. One of the three, cursing and raging, told them they should
see they were not in jest; and going to a little place at a distance,
where the honest men had made a fire to dress their victuals, he
takes a firebrand, and claps it to the outside of their hut, and v&ry
fairly set it on fire : indeed, 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 thrusting 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 off.
The others had fire-arms with them too ; but one of the two honest
216 ROBWSON CRUSOE.
men, bolder than his comrade, and made desperate by his danger,
told them, if they offered to move hand or foot, they were dead men,
and boldly commanded them to lay down their arms. They did not,
indeed, lay down their arms, but seeing him so resolute, it brought
them to a parley, and they consented to take their wounded man
with them and be gone: and, indeed, it seems the fellow was wounded
sufficiently with the blow ; however, they were much in the wrong,
since they had the advantage, that they did not disarm them effec-
tually, 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 with which they plagued them continually night and
day* 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 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 English-
men by their names,, telling a Spaniard that answered, that they
wanted to speak with them.
It happened that the day before, two of the Spaniards, having
been in the woods, had seen one of the two Englishmen, 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 suste-
nance ; 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 was none of their
ground." "Why," says the Spaniard very calmly, "Seignior
THE WICKEDNESS OF WILL A TK1NS.
Inglese, they must not starve." The Englishman replied, like a
rough-hewn tarpauling, " They might starve ; they should not 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 servants, and work for them." " But how can you expect
that of them?" says the Spaniard; " they are not bought with your
money ; you have no right to make them servants." The English-
man answered, " The island was theirs ; the governor had given it
to them, and no man had anything to do there but themselvesand
with that he swore that he 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." '' Ay,"
returned 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 discourse 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 demolish their
castle, I'll warrant you ; they shall plant no colony in our dominions."
Upon this they were all trooping away, with every man a gun, a
pistol, and a sword, and muttered some insolent things among them-
selves, of what they would do to the Spaniards too, when opportunity
offered ; but the Spaniards, it seems, did not so perfectly understand
them as to know all the particulars, only that, in general, they
threatened them hard for taking the two Englishmen's part. Whither
they went, or how they bestowed their time that evening, the
Spaniards said they did not know ; but it seems they wandered about
the country part of the night, and then lying down in the place which
I used to call my bower, they were weary and overslept themselves.
The case was this : they had resolved to stay till midnight, and so 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 : and as malice seldom sleeps very sound, it was very strange
they should not have been kept waking. However, as the two men
had also a design upon them, as I have said, though a much fairer
one than 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 forwardest man, called out to his comrade, '' Ha,
Jack, here's the nest, but the birds are flown." They mused awhile,
to think what should be the occasion of their being gone abroad so
218
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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, not leaving the least stick standing,
or scarce any sign on the ground where they stood ; they tore all
their little 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 from their habitation. When they had done this,
they pulled up all the young trees which the poor men had planted ;
broke down the inclosure they had made to secure their cattle and
their corn ; and, in a word, sacked and plundered everything as com-
pletely as a horde of Tartars would have done.
The two men were, at this juncture, gone to find them out, and
had resolved to fight them wherever they had been, though they were
but two to three ; so that, had they met, there certainly would have
been bloodshed among them, for they were all very stout, resolute
fellows, to give them their due.
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 couple of boys at play, take*
hold of his hat as it was upon his head, and giving it a twirl about,
fleering in his face, says he 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 as a
man could be desired to be, and, withal, a strong, well-made man,
looked steadily at him for a good while, and then, having no weapon
in his hand, stepped gravely up to him, and, with one blow of his
fist, knocked him down, as an ox is felled with a pole-axe, at which
one of the rogues, as insolent as the first, fired his pistol at the
Spaniard immediately: he missed his body, indeed, for the bullets
went through his hair, but one of them touched the tip of his ear,
and he bled pretty much. The blood made the Spaniard believe he
tvas more hurt than he really was, and that put him into some heat,
for before he acted all in a perfect calm ; but now resolving to go through
with his work, he stooped, and taking the fellow's musket whom
he had knocked down, was just going to shoot the man who 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.
THE SPANIARDS DISARM THE ENGLISHMEN. 219
"When they were thus disarmed, and found they had made all the
Spaniards their enemies, as well as their own countrymen, 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 would be
the best method they could take to keep them from killing one
another, told them they would do them no harm ; and if they would
live peaceably, they would be very willing to assist and associate
with them as they did before ; but that they could not think of giving
them their arms again, while they appeared so resolved to do mischief
with them to their own countrymen, and had even threatened them
all to make them their servants.
The rogues were now no more capable to hear reason than to act
reason ; and being refused their arms, they went raving away and rag-
ing 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. As soon as they were gone, came back the two men, in
passion and rage enough also, though of another kind ; for having
been at their plantation, and finding it all demolished and destroyed,
as above mentioned, 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 threatenings ; but the two Eng-
lishmen 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 defence."
The two Englishmen yielded to this very awkwardly, and with great
320
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 vagrants, tired with wandering, and
almost starved with hunger, having chiefly lived on turtles'eggs all that
while, came back to the grove ; and, finding my Spaniard, who, as I
have said, was the governor, and two more with him, walking by the
side of the 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 by
their countrymen, and so very grossly by them (the Spaniards), that
they could not come to any conclusion without consulting the two
Englishmen and the rest; but, however, they would go to them and
discourse about it, and they should know in half an hour. It may
be guessed that they were very hard put to it; for, as they wfere to
wait this half-hour for an answer, they begged they would send them
out some bread in the meantime, which they did, and sent them,
at the same time, a large piece of goat's flesh, and a boiled parrot,
which they ate very eagerly, for they were hungry indeed.
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 ; ajl which they owned
before, and therefore could not deny now; upon the whole, the
Spaniards acted the moderators 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 ; also to fence their ground again,
plant trees in the room of those pulled up, dig up the land again for
planting corn, and, in a word, to restore everything to the same state
as they found it, that is, as near as they could.
Well, they submitted to all this ; and as they had plenty of pro-
visions 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, I
mean, not 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 plgased ; and thus, having
lived pretty well together for a month or two, the Spaniards let them
have 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*
A PRESENTIMENT.
221
before the ungrateful creatures began to be as insolent and trouble-
some as before : however, an accident happened presently upon this,
which endangered the safety of them all, and they were obliged to
lay by all private resentments, and look to the preservation of their
lives.
It happened one night that the governor, the Spaniard whose life
I had saved, who was now the governor of the rest, found himself
very uneasy in the night, and could by no means get any sleep : he
was perfectly well in body, as he told me the story, only found his
thoughts tumultuous ; his mind ran upon men fighting and killing
one another, but was broad awake, and could not by any means get
any sleep ; he resolved to rise. Being got up, he looked out; but,
being dark, he could see little or nothing, but that it was a clear star-
light night; and, hearing no noise, he returned and lay down again ;
but it was all one, he could not sleep ; his thoughts were to the lasf
degree uneasy, and he knew not for what. Having made some noise
with rising and walking about, going out and coming in, another of
them waked, and asked who it was that was up. The governor told
him how it had been with him. "Say you so?" says the other
Spaniard ; '' such things are not to be slighted, I assure you ; there
is certainly some mischief working near us and presently he asked
him, "Where are the Englishmen ?"—"They are all in their huts,"
says he, "safe enough." It seems the Spaniards had kept possession
of the main apartment, and had made a place for the three English-
men, who, since their last mutiny, were always quartered by them-
selves, and could not come at the rest. "Well," says the Spaniard,
"there is something in it, I am persuaded, from my own experience ;
I am satisfied our spirits embodied have a converse with, and receive
intelligence from, the spirits unembodied, and inhabiting the invisible
world ; and this friendly notice is given for our advantage, if we
know how to make use of it. Come," says he, " let us go and look
abroad ; and if we find nothing at all in it to justify the trouble, I'll
tell you a story to the purpose, that shall convince you of the justice
of my proposing it."
In a word, they went out to go to the top of the hill, where I used
.o go, when they were surprised with seeing a light as of fire, a very
.little way off from them, and hearing the voices of men, not of one
or two, but of a great number.
We need not doubt but that the governor and the man with him,
surprised with this sight, ran back immediately and raised their
fellows, giving them an account of the imminent danger they were all
in, and they again as readily took the alarm, but it was impossible to
persuade them to stay close within where they were, but they must all
222
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
run out to see how things stood. While it was dark, indeed, they
were safe, and they had opportunity enough, for some hours, to view
the savages, for it was they, by the light of three fires, they had made
at a distance from one another.
The Spaniards were in no small consternation ; and, as they found
that the fellows went 'straggling all over the shore, they made no
doubt but, first or last, some of them would chop in upon their habi-
tation, or upon some other place where they would see the tokens 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 be destroyed; so the first thing they resolved upon
was to despatch three men away before it was light—viz.,, two
Spaniards and one Englishman—to drive all the goats away to the
great valley where the cave was, and, if need were, to drive them into
the very cave itself. Could, they have seen the savages altogether in
one body, and at a distance from their canoes, they resolved, if there
had been a hundred of them, to have attacked them ; but that could
not be obtained, for they were some of them two miles off from the
other; and, as it appeared afterwards, were of two different nations.
After having mused a great while on the course they should take,
they resolved, at last, while it was dark, to send the old savage,
Friday'sfather, out as a spy, to learn, if possible, something concerning
them, as what they came for, what they intended to do, and the like;
the old man readily undertook it; and stripping himself quite naked,
as most of the savages were, away he went; after he had been
gone an hour or two, he brings word that he had been among them
undiscovered, that he found they were two parties, and of two several
nations, who had war with one another, and had a great battle in
their own country ; and that both sides having had several prisoners
taken in the fight, they were, by mere chance, landed all on the same
island, for the devouring their prisoners and making merry; but their
coming so by chance to the same place had spoiled all their mirth ;
that they were in a great rage at one another, and were so near, that
he believed they would fight again as soon as daylight began to
appear; but he did not perceive that they had any notion of anybody
being on the island but themselves. He had hardly made an end of
telling his story, when they could perceive, by the unusual noise they
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 con-
sisted 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
THE BATTLE OF THE SAVAGES.
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—viz., 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 the savages
did see them, as we shall find hereafter.
The battle was very fierce ; and, if I might believe the Englishmen,
one of them said he could perceive that some of them were men of
great bravery, of invincible spirits, and of great policy in guiding the
fight. The battle, they said, held two hours before they could guess
which party would be beaten ; but then that party which was nearest
our people's habitation began to appear weakest, and after some time
more, some of them began to fly ; and this put our men again into a
great consternation, lest any one of those that fled should run into
the grove before their dwelling for shelter, and thereby involuntarily
discover the place; and that, by consequence, the pursuers would
also do the like in search of them. Upon this, they resolved that
they would stand armed within the wall, and whoever came into the
grove, they resolved to sally out over the wall and kill them, so that,
if possible, not one should return to give an account of it; they
ordered also that it should be done with their swords, or by knocking
them down with the stocks of their muskets, but not by shooting
them, for fear of raising an alarm by the noise.
As they expected, it fell out; three of the routed army fled for life,
and crossing the creek, ran directly into the place, 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 comforting addition, that the conquerors had not pursued
them, or seen which way they were gone. Upon this, the Spaniard
governor, a man of humanity, would not suffer them to kill the three
fugitives, but sending three men out by the top of the hill, ordered
them to go round, come in behind them, and surprise and take them
prisoners, which was done ; the residue of the conquered people fled
to their canoes, and got oft to sea ; the victors retired, made no pur-
suit, or very little ; but drawing themselves into a body together,
gave two great screaming shouts, which they supposed were by way o>:
triumph, and so the fight ended : the same day, abouf three o'clock
in the afternoon,, they also marched to their canoes.
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 long arrows, which were found
Sticking in their bodies; but most of them were killed with great
224
I? OB INS ON CRUSOE.
wooden swords, sixteen or seventeen of which they round in the field
of battle, and as many bows, with a great many arrows; these
swords were strange, unwieldy things, and they must be very strong
men that used them; most of those that were killed with them had
their heads mashed to pieces, as we may say, or, as we call it in
English, their brains knocked out, and several their arms and legs
broken ; so that it is evident they fight with inexpressible rage and
fury ; they found not one wounded man that was not stone dead; for
either they stay by their enemy till they have quite killed him, 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 filled 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 them as enemies, but for food, as we kill our cattle ; and
they professed to me that the thoughts of being eaten up like beef
and 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
stonaachs, made them sick when they thought of it, and filled their
minds with unusual terror, that they were not themselves for some
weeks after. 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 1 had observed; and these
three being lusty stout young fellows, they made them servants, and
taught them to work for them ; and as slaves they did well enough ;
but they did not take their measures 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, civilizing and reducing them by kind usage and affec-
tionate arguings ; 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.
Being all now good friends (for common danger, as I said above,
had effectually reconciled them) they began to consider their general
circumstances ; and the first thing that came under their considera-
tion was whether, seeing the savages particularly haunted that side
of the island, and that there were more remote and retired parts of it
equally adapted to their way of living, and manifestly to their ad van-
tage, they should not rather move their habitation, and plant in
CRUELTY OF THE MUTINEERS. 225".
some more proper place for their safety, and especially for the
security of their cattle and corn.
Upon this, after long debate, it was conceived that they should not
remove their habitation; because some time 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 resolu-
tion too, and resolved only to remove part of their cattle thither, and
plant part of their corn there ; so that if one part was destroyed, the
other might be saved : and one part of prudence they luckily used :
they never trusted those three savages which they had taken prisoners,
with knowing anything of the plantation they had made in that
valley, or of any cattle they had there ; much less of the cave at that
place, which they kept, in case of necessity, as a safe retreat; and
thither they carried also the two barrels of powder, which I had left
them at my coming away. However, they resolved not to change
their habitation ; yet, as I had carefully covered it first with a wall or
fortification, and then with a grove of trees, and as they were now
fully convinced their safety consisted entirely in their being concealed,
they set to work to cover and conceal the place yet more effectually
than before: to this purpose, as I had planted trees, (or rather thrust
in stakes, which in time all grew up to be trees), for some good dis-
tance before the entrance into my apartments, they went on in the
same manner, and filled up the rest of that whole space of ground
from the trees I had set quite down to the side of the creek, where as
I said I landed my floats, and even into the very ooze where the tide
flowed, not so much as leaving any place to land, or any sign that
there had been any landing thereabout; these stakes also being of a
wood very forward to grow, they took care to have them generally
much larger and taller than those which I had planted.
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
captive slaves, because the fellow had not done something right
which he bid him do, and seemed a little untractable in his showing
him, drew a hatchet out of a frog-belt, in which he wore it by his
side, and fell upon the poor savage, not to correct him, but to ki*ll
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
Q
226 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 (for they were
all working in the field about their corn land) knocked the brute
down : another of the Englishmen, running up at the same time to
help his comrade, knocked the Spaniard down ; and then two Spa-
niards more came in to help their man, and a third Englishman fell in
upon them. They had none of them any fire-arms or any other
weapons but hatchets and other tools, except this third 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 be done with them?
They had been so often mutinous, and were so very furious, so des-
perate, and so idle withal, they knew not what course to take with
them, for, in short, it was not safe to live with them.
The Spaniard who was governor told them, 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 dan-
gerous 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 country-
men. One 6f 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 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," says he, " will you murder us all? What
have you to say to that?" That 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
GENEROSITY OF THE SPANIARD.
227
-Spaniard very calmly, and smiling. Seignior Atkins was in such a
rage at the Spaniard's making a jest of it, that, had he not been
held by three men, and withal had no weapons with 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 .particularly it should be he that had twice attempted to
eommit murder with his hatchet ; and indeed, there was some
reason to believe he had done it, for the poor savage was in such a
miserable condition with the wound he had received, that it was
thought he could not live.. But the governor Spaniard still said no ;
it was an Englishman that had saved all their lives, and he would
never consent to put an Englishman to death, though he had mur-
dered 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.
After a long debate, it was agreed 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 could, by themselves; but that
none of the rest, either Spaniards or English, should hold any kind
of converse 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 belonging to the society, that they should die
without mercy, and 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 provisions." 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 subsis-
tence as for a store ; and that they should have tools given them for
O 2
228
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
their work in the fields, but they should have none of these tools or
provisions, unless they would swear solemnly that they would not
hurt or injure any of the Spaniards with them, or 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, in my foolish
attempt to sail round the island.
Here they built themselves two handsome huts, and contrived
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 plantations, they gave them hatchets, and what other tools
they could spare; some peas, barley, and rice, for sowingand, in
a word, anything they wanted, except arms and ammunition.
They lived in this separate condition about six months, and had
got in their first harvest, though the quantity was but small, the
parcel of land they had planted being but little ; for indeed, having
all their plantation to form, they had a great deal of work upon
thdr 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 ilde 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 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, a new frolic
took these rogues, which, together with the former villany they had
THE MUTINEERS PUT TO SEA.
22J
committed, brought mischief enough upon them, and had very
near been the ruin of the whole colony; the three new associates
began, it seems, to be weary of the laborious life they led, and that
without hope of bettering their circumstances : and a whim took
them that they would make a voyage to the continent, from whenci
the savages came, and would try if they could seize upon somi
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 further.
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 morning, 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 ammu-
nition proportioned to their defence, they would go over to the main,
and seek their fortunes, and so deliver them from the trouble of sup-
plying them with any other provisions.
The Spaniards were glad enough to get rid of them ; but yet very
honestly represented to them the certain destruction they were
running into ; told them they had suffered such hardships upon that
very spot, that they could, without any spirit of prophecy, tell them
they would be starved or murdered, and bade them consider of it.
The men replied audaciously, they should be starved if they stayed
here, for they could not work, and would not work.
The Spaniards told them, with great kindness, that if they were
resolved to go, they should not go like naked men, and be in no con-
dition to defend themselves ; and that though they could ill spare
fire-arms, not having enough for themselves, yet they would let them
have two muskets, a pistol, and a cutlass, and each man a hatchet,
which they thought was sufficient for them. In a woid, they accepted
the offer ; and, having baked bread enough to serve them a month
given them, and as much goat's flesh as they could eat while it was
sweet, with a great basket of dried 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, indeed,
was a large one, and would have very well carried fifteen or twenty
men, and therefore was rather too big for them to manage : but aj
they had a fair breeze and flood-tide with them, they did well
230 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 veyajo and no man ever thought of seeing them anymore.
The Spaniards were often saying to one another, and to the two
honest Englishmen who remained behind, how quietly ,ahd com-
fortably they lived, now these three turbulent fellows were gone : as
for their ever coming again, that was the remotest thing from their
thoughts that could be imagined; when, behold, after two-and-
twenty days' absence, one of the Englishmen, being abroad upon his
planting-work, sees three strange men coming towards him at a
distance, two of them with guns upon their shoulders.
Away runs the Englishman, as if he was bewitched, frightened and
amazed, to the governor Spaniard, and tells him they were all un-
done, for there were strangers upon the island, but he could not tell
who : the Spaniard, pausing awhile, says to him, " How do you
mean—you cannot tell who ? They are the savages, to be sure."—
"No, no," says the Englishmen ; "they are men in clothes, with
arms." "Nay, then," says the Spaniard, "why are you so con-
cerned ? 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 up the three English-
men, and, standing without the wood, which was new planted,
halloed 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 again ?
It was not long before they brought the men in, and inquiring where
they had been, and what they had been doing, they gave them a full
account of their voyage in a few words, viz. : that they reached the
land in less than two days, but finding the people alarmed at their
coming, and preparing with bows and arrows to fight them, they
durst not go on shore, but sailed on to the northward six or seven hours,
till they came to a great opening, by which they perceived that the
land they saw from our island was not the main, but an island ; that
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 here courteous and
friendly to them ; and they gave them several roots and some dried
fish, and appeared very sociable ; and that the women, as well as the
men, were veiy forward to supply them with anything they could get
for them to eat, and brought h to them a great way upon their heads.
THE CANNIBALS GIFT. 231
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 inquired when they had a feast of that kind ; and
they told them about two moons ago, pointing to the moon and to-
two fingers; and that their great king had two hundred prisoners
now, which he had taken in his war, and they were feeding them to
make them fat for the next feast. The Englishmen seemed mighty
desirous of seeing those prisoners ; but the others mistaking them,
thought they were desirous to have some of them to carry away for
their own eating. So they beckoned to them, pointing to the 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, accord-
ingly, 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, upon some debate, they resolved to accept of
them ; and, in return, they gave the savages that brought them one
of their hatchets, an old key, a knife, and six or seven of their bullets,
which, though they did not understand, they seemed particularly
pleased with : and then tying the poor creatures' hands behind them,
they (the people) dragged the prisoners into the boat for our men.
The Englishmen were obliged to come away as soon as they had
henri, or else they that gave them this noble present would certainly
have expected that they should have gone to work with them, have
killed two or three of them the next morning, and, perhaps, have in-
vited thedonors to dinner. But having taken their leave, with all there-
spects and thanks that could wellpass between people, where, on either
side, they understood not one word they could say, they put off with
their boat, and came back towards the first island ; where, when they
arrived, they set eight of their prisoners at liberty, there being too
many of them for their occasion. In their voyage, they endeavoured
to have some communication with their prisoners : but it was impos-
Sible to make them understand anything ; nothing they could say to
232 ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 un-
bound 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, still they expected every day to make a dinner or
supper for their new masters.
When the three wanderers had given this unaccountable history or
journal of their voyage, the Spaniard asked them where their new
family was; and being told that they had brought them on shore,
and put them into one of their huts, and were come up to beg some
victuals for them, they (ine Spaniards) and the other two Englishmen,
that is to say, the whole colony, resolved to go all down to the place
and see them; and did so, and Friday's father with them. 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 : first, there were three comely fellows, well shaped, with
straight limbs, about thirty to thirty-five years of age; and five
women, whereof two might be from thirty to forty, two more about
four or five-and-twenty ; and the fifth, a tall, comely maiden, about
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 handsome women, even in.
London itself, having pleasant countenances, and of a very modest
behaviour ; especially when they came afterwards to be clothed and
Iressed, though that dress was very indifferent, it must be confessed.
The first thing they did was to cause the old Indian, Friday's
father, to go in, and see first if he knew any of them, and then if he
understood any of their speech. As soon as the old man came in,
he looked seriously at them, but knew none of them : neither could
any of them understand a word he said, or a sign he could make, ex-
cept one of the women. However, this was enough to answer the
end, which was to satisfy them that the men into whose hands they
were fallen were Christians; that they abhorred eating men or women;
and that they might be sure they would not be killed ; as soon as they
were assured of this, they discovered such a joy, and by such awkward
scslures, several ways- as hard to describe ; for it seems they were
ENGLISHMEN MA KE WIVES OF NATIVE WOMEN. 233
of several nations. The woman, who was their interpreter, was bid,
in the next place, to ask them if they were willing to be servants, and
to work for the men who had brought them away, to save their lives;
at which they all fell a dancing; and presently one fell to taking
up this, and another that, anything that lay next, to carry on their
shoulders, to intimate they were willing to work.
The governor asked the men what they intended to do with these
women, and how they intended to use them, whether as servants or
wives ? One of the Englishmen answered, very boldly and readily,
lhat they would use them as both.
Then the Englishmen 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. On the other hand, the five Englishmen
took them everyone a wife, and set up a new form of living : for the
Spaniards and Friday's father lived in my old habitation, which they
had enlarged exceedingly within. The three servants which were
taken in the last battle of the savages lived with them ; and these
carried on the main part of the colony, supplied all the rest with food,
and assisted them in anything as they could.
But I now come to a scene different from all that had happened
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
or savages, call them which you please, and there is no room to
doubt they came upon the old errand of feeding upon their slaves.
After the canoes with the savages were gone off, the Spaniards
peeped abroad again ; and some of them had the curiosity to go to
the place where they had been, to see what they had been doing.
Here, to their great surprise, they found three savages left behind,
and lying fast asleep upon the ground ; it was supposed they had
either been so gorged with their inhuman feast, that they were fallen
asleep, and would not stir when the others went, or they had wan-
dered into the woods, and did not come back in time to be taken in.
The Spaniards were greatly surprised at this sight, and perfectly
at a loss what to do; the Spaniard 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 of them inclined to do that: the Spaniard
governor told me, they could not think of shedding innocent blood ;
for as to them, the poor creatures had done them no wrong, invaded
none of their property, and they thought they had no just quarrel
against them, to take away their lives. And here I must, in justice
to these Spaniards, observe, that let the accounts of Spanish cruelty
234
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
in Mexico and Peru be what they will, I never met with seventeen
men of any nation whatsoever, in any foreign country, who were so
universally modest, temperate, virtuous, so very good-humoured, and
so courteous, as these Spaniards. 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 re-
collected that the three savages had no boat ; and if they were left to
rove about the island, they would certainly discover that there were
inhabitants in it; and so they should be undone that way. Upon
this, they went back again, and there lay the fellows fast asleep still,
and so they resolved to 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 : for it seems, those people think all
the world does as they do, in eating men's flesh ; but they were soon
made easy as to that, and away they carried them.
It was very happy for them that they did not carry them home to
the castle, I mean to my palace under the hill ; but they carried them
first to the bower, where was the chief of their country work, such as
the keeping the goats, the planting the corn, &c. ; and afterward
they carried them to the habitation of the two Englishmen. -Here
they were set to work, though it was not much they had for them to
do ; and whether it was by negligence in guarding them, or that they
thought the fellows could not mend themselves, I know not, bu t 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 boats or canoes of savages who came on
shore three or four weeks afterwards, and who, carrying on their
revels as usual, went off in two days' time; this thought terrified them
exceedingly ; for they concluded, and that not without good cause in-
deed, that if this fellow came home safe among his comrades, he
would certainly give them an account that there were people in the
island, and also how few and weak they were ; for this savage, as ob-
served before, had never been told, and it was very happy he had
not, how many they were, or where they lived ; nor had he ever seen
or heard the fire of any of their guns, much less had they shown him
any of their other retired places ; such as the cave in the valley, or
the new retreat which the two Englishmen had made, and the like.
The first testimony they had that this fellow had given intelligence
of them was, that about two months after this, six canoes of savages,
with about seven, eight, or ten men in a canoe, came rowing along
the north side of the island, where they never used to come before,
«nd landed, an hour after sunrise, at a convenient place, about a mile
DANGER OF THE TWO HONEST ENGLISHMEN. 235
from the habitation of the two Englishmen, where this escaped man
had been kept. As the chief Spaniard said, had they 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 huts, it was some
time before they could come at them. Now, having great reason to
believe that they were betrayed, the first thing they did was to bind
the two slaves which were left, and cause two of the three men whom
they brought with the women (who, it seems, proved very faithful to
them), to lead them, with their two wives, and whatever they could
carry away with them, to their retired places in the woods, which I
have spoken of above, and there to bind the two fellows hand and
foot, till they heard further. In the next place, seeing the savages
were all come on shore, and that they had bent their course directly
that way, they opened the fences where their milch goats were kept,
and drove them all out; leaving their kids to straggle in the woods,
whither they pleased, that the savages might think they were all bred
wild ; but the rogue who came with them was too cunning for that,
and gave them an account of it all, for they went directly to the place.
When the two poor frightened men had secured their wives and
goods, they sent the other slave they had of the three, who came with
the women, and who was at their place by accident, away to the
Spaniards with all speed, to give them the alarm, and desire speedy
help; and, in the meantime, they took their arms, and what ammuni-
tion 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 the little army of
their enemies come on directly to their habitation, and, in a moment
more, could see all their huts and household stuff flaming up together,
to their great grief and mortification ; for this was a great loss to
ihem, irretrievable, indeed, for some time. They kept their station
for a while, till they found the savages, like wild beasts, spread them-
selves 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, as it was likely some of the wild people might
come that way, so they might come too many together, thought it
proper to make another retreat about half a mile further; believing,
as it afterwards happened, that the further tfiev strolled, the fewer
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
would be together. The 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 very large ; and in this tree they both
took their standing, resolving to see there what might offer. They
had not stood there long before two of the savages appeared running
directly that way, as if they already had notice where they stood,
and were coming up to attack them; and a little way further they
espied three more coming after them, and five more beyond them,
all coming the same way; besides which, they saw seven or eight
more at a distance, running another way ; for, in a word, they ran
every way, like sportsmen beating for their game.
The poor men were now in great perplexity whether they should
stand and keep their posture, or fly; but, after a very short debate
with themselves, they considered, that if the savages ranged the
country thus before help came, they might perhaps find out their
retreat in the woods, and then all would be lost; so they resolved to
stand them there, and if they were too many to deal with, then they
would get up to the top of the tree, from whence they doubted not
to defend themselves, fire excepted, as long as their 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 followed would ba
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 resolution, by turning a
little from them towards another part of the wood ; but the three,
and the five after them, came forward directly to the tree, as if they
had known the Englishmen were there. Seeing them come so
straight 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 *newhim distinctly, and resolved
that, if possible, he should not escape, though they should both fire :
so the other stood ready with his piece, that if they did not drop at
the first shot, he should be sure to have a second. But the first was
THE SAVAGES SHOT'.
*37
too good a marksman to miss his aim ; for as the savages kept near
one another, a little behind in a line, he fired, and hit two of them
directly ; the foremost was killed outright, being shot in the head ;
the second, which was the runaway Indian, was shot through the
body, and fell, but was not quite dead ; and the third had a little
scratch in the shoulder, perhaps by the same ball that went through
the body of the second ; and being dreadfully frightened, though not
so much hurt, sat down upon the ground, screaming and yelling in a
hideous manner.
The five that were behind, more frightened with the noise than
sensible of the danger, stood still at first; for the woods made the
sound a thousand times bigger than it really was, the echoes rattling
from one side to another, and the fowls rising from all parts, scream-
ing, and every sort making a different noise, according to their kind ;
just as it was when I fired the first gun that perhaps was ever shot off
in the island.
However, all being silent again, and they not knowing what the
matter was, came on unconcerned, till they came to the place where
their companions lay in a condition miserable enough ; and here the
poor ignorant creatures, not sensible that they were within reach of
the same mischief, stood altogether over the wounded man, talking,
and, as may be supposed, inquiring of him, how he came to be hurt:
and who, it is very rational to believe, told them, that a flash of fire
first, and immediately after that thunder from their gods, had killed
those two and wounded him.
Our two men, though as they confessed to me, it grieved them to
be obliged to kill so many poor creatures, who had no notion of their
danger; yet, having them all thus in their power, and the first having
loaded his piece again, resolved to let fly both together among them;
and singling out, by agreement, which to aim at, they shot together,
and killed, or very much wounded, four of them ; the fifth, frighted
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 gun% 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 mis-
chief, 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.
238
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 for him to sit down, at the foot of a tree there by; and one of
the Englishmen, with a piece of rope-yam, which, he had by great
chance in his pocket, tied his feet fast together and his 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 their way to their covered place in the
woods, where their wives, and the few goods they had left, lay : they
came once in sight of the two men, but it was at a great distance;
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 comrades, 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 country-
men, yet they were most terribly afraid of them, and perhaps the
more for the knowledge they had of them. When they came thither,
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 were not; they found, therefore,
everything very safe, only the women in a terrible fright; while they
were here, they had the comfort to have seven of the Spaniards
coming to their assistance; the other ten, with their servants, and
Friday's father, were gone in a body to defend their bower, and the
corn and cattle that were kept there, in case the savages should have
roved over to that side of the country, but they did not spread so far.
With the seven Spaniards came one of the three savages, who, as I
said, were their prisoners formerly; and with them also came the
savage whom the 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 began now to be a burden to them ; and they were
so afraid of their escaping, that they were once resolving to kill them
THE SAVAGES QUIT THE ISLAND. 239
all, believing they were under an absolute necessity to do so for
their own preservation; however, the Spaniard governor would not
consent to it, but ordered, for the present, that, they should be sent
out of the way, to my old cave in the valley, and be kept there, with
two Spaniards to guard them, and have food for their subsistence,
which was done; and they were bound there hand and foot for that
night.
When the Spaniards came, the two Englishmen were so encouraged,
that they could not satisfy themselves to stay any longer there; but
taking five of the Spaniards, and themselves, with four muskets and
a pistol among them, and two stout quarter-staves, away they went
in quest of the savages ; and first they came to the tree where the
men lay that had been killed; but it was easy to see that some more
of the savages had been there, for they had attempted to carry their
dead men away, and had dragged two of them a good way, but had
given it over; from thence they advanced to the first rising ground,
where they had stood and seen their camp destroyed, and where they
had the mortification still to see some of the smoke: but neither
could they here see any of the savages ; they then res Ved, though
with all possible caution, to go forward towards their n 'ned planta-
tion; but, a little before they came thither, coming in sjght 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 im-
provements 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 (for they, living remote east-
ward, knew nothing of the matter till all was over), came and offered
their help and assistance, and did, very friendly, work for several
days to restore their habitation, and make necessaries for them. And
thus in a little time they were set upon their legs again.
About two days after this they had the further satisfaction of seeing
three of the savages' canoes come driving on shore, and, at some
distance from them, two drowned men, by which they had reason to
believe that they had met with a storm at sea, which had overset
some of them, for it had blown very hard the night after they went
off. However, as some might miscarry, so, on the other hand,
enough of them escaped to inform the rest, as well of what they had
done as of what had happened to them ; and to whet them on td
another enterprise of the same nature.
240
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
It was five or six months after this before they heard any more of
the savages, in which time our men were in hopes they had either
forgot their former bad luck, or had given over hopes of better; when,
on a sudden, they were invaded with a most formidable fleet ©f 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 easternmost 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 much more be so now, while
the number of their enemies was so great, they 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 eft as little appearance of inhabitants anywhere as was
pos'sible ; ar J the next morning early they posted themselves, with
all their fo> ce, at the plantation of the two men, to wait for their
coming. As they guessed, so it happened : 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 theit
number. The whole account, it seems, stood thus : first, as to men,
seventeen Spaniards, five Englishmen, old Friday, the three slaves
taken with the women, who proved very faithful, and three othel
slaves, who lived with the Spaniards. To arm these, they had eleven
muskets, five pistols, three fowling-pieces, five muskets, or fowling-
pieces, which were taken by me from the mutinous seamen whom I
reduced, two swords, and three old 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 hatchets. 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 the first action happened, where
the Indians fought with one another; and the women had
hatchets too.
COMBAT WITH THE SAVAGES.
241
The chief Spaniard, whom I described so often, commanded the
whole ; and Will Atkins, who, though a dreadful fellow for wicked-
ness, was a most daring, bold fellow, commanded under him. The
savages came forward like lions ; and our men, which was the worst
of their fate, had no advantage in their situation ; only that Will
Atkins, who now proved a most useful fellow, with six men, way
planted just behind a small thicket of bushes, as an advanced guard,
with orders to let the first of them pass by, and then fire into th*
middle of them, and, as soon as he had fired, to make his retreat as
nimbly as he could round a part of the wood, and so come in behind,
the Spaniards, where they stood, having a thicket of trees before them.
When the savages came on, they ran straggling about every way
in heaps, out of all manner of order, and Will Atkins let about fifty
of them pass by him; then seeing the rest come in a very thick throng,
he orders three of his men to fire, having loaded their muskets with
six or seven bullets apiece, about as big as large pistol bullets. How
many they killed or wounded they knew not, but the consternation
and surprise was inexpressible among the savages; they were
frightened to the last degree to hear such a dreadful noise, and see
their men killed and others hurt, but see nobody that did it; when, in
the middle of their fright, Will Atkins and his other three let fly
again among the thickest of them ; and in less than a minute, the first
three being loaded again, gave them a third volley.
Had Will Atkins and his men retired immediately, as soon as they
had fired, as they were ordered to do, or had the rest of the body
been at hand, to have poured in their shot continually, the savages
had been effectually routed ; for the terror that was among them
came principally from this, viz., that they were killed by the gods
with thunder and lightning, and could see nobody that hurt them ;
but Will Atkins, staying to load again, discovered the cheat : some
of the savages who were at a distance spying them, came upon them
behind ; and though Atkins and his men fired at them also, two or
three times, and killed above twenty, retiring as fast as they could,
yet they wounded Atkins himself, and killed one of his fellow English -
men with their arrows, as they did afterwards one Spaniard, and one ol
the Indian slaves who came with the women ; this slave was a most gal-
lant fellow, and fought most desperately, killing five of them with his
own hand, having no weapon but one of the armed staves and a hatchet.
Our men being thus hard laid at, Atkins wounded, and two other
men killed, retreated to a rising ground in the wood ; and the
Spaniards, after firing three volleys upon them, retreated also ; for
their number was so great, and they were so desperate, that though
above fifty of them were killed, and more than so many wounded,
P- '
•242
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
yet they came on in the teeth of our men, fearless of danger, and shot
their arrows like a cloud ; and it was observed that their wounded
men, who were not quite disabled, were made outrageous by their
wounds, and fought like madmen.
When our men retreated, they left the^paniard and the English-
man 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, lggs, and heads, with their clubs and wooden swords,
like true savages. But finding our men were gone, they did not
seem inclined to pursue them, but drew themselves up in a kind of
ting, 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 these 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 tilk morning:" so they waited.
But as it was a clear moonlight night,' and they found the savages
in great disorder about their dead and wounded men, and a great noise
and hurry among them where they lay, they afterwards resolved to
fall upon them in the night, especially if they could come to give
fhem but one volley before they were discovered. This they had a
fair opportunity to do; for one of the two 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 among them, and did dreadful
execution upon them ; in half a minute more, eight others fired after
them, pouring in their small shot in such 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 that
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
THE SAVAGES DEFEATED.
243
desperately. They divided the fire-arms equally in each party, as
well as the halberts and staves. They would have had the women
keep back, but they said they were resolved to die with their hus-
bands. 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 dangerously. But our men gave them no time, but running up to
them, fired among them three ways, and then fell in with the butt ends
of their muskets, their swords, armed staves, and hatchets, and laid
about them so well, that, in a word, they set up a dismal screaming
and howling, flying to save their lives which way soever they could.
Our men were tired with the execution, and killed or mortally
wounded in the two fights about one hundred and eighty of them ;
the rest, being frighted out of their wits, scoured through the woods
and over the hills, with all the speed that 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. 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.
At length they came in view of the place where the more considerable
remains of the savages' army lay, where there appeared about 100
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 their 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 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
R 2
244
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
imaginable ; and as our men advanced swiftly towards them, they
all ran screaming 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 occasion of their coming again in
such multitudes as not to be resisted, or, at least, to come so many
and so often, as would quite desolate the island, and starve them.
Will Atkins, therefore, who, notwithstanding his wound, kept 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 theii
boats, so they must destroy the men, or be all of them destroyed
themselves. In a word, he showed them the necessity of it so plainly,
that they all came into it; so they went to work immediately with the
boats, and getting some dry wood together from a dead tree, they
tried to set some of them on fire, but they were so wet that they
would not burn ; however, the fire so burned the upper part, that it
soon made them unfit for swimming in the sea as boats.
When the Indians saw what they were about, some of them came
running out of the woods, and COming as near as they could to oui
men, kneeled down anci cried, "Oa, Oa, Waromokoa," and some
other words of thdir 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
Uiat they would be gone, and never come there again. But our met
were now satisfied that they had no way to preserve themselves, ort<
save their colony, but effectually to prevent any of these people fror
ever going home again : depending upon this, that if even so muc!
as one of them got back into their country to tell the story, the color,;-
was undone ; so that, letting them know that they should not hav<
any mercy, they fell to work with their canoes, and destroyed ever
one that the storm had not destroyed before ; at the sight of which,
the savages raised a hideous cry in the woods, which our people
TREATY WITH THE SAVAGES.
245
heard plainly enough, after which they ran about the island like dis-
tracted men, so that, in a word, our men did not really know what at
first 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 plan-
tations ; for though it is true, they had driven away their cattle, and
th#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 planta-
tion 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 occasions, 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 people when they
found them single, so our men durst not go abroad single, for fear
of being surrounded with their numbers ; the best was, they had no
weapons; for though they had bows, they had no arrows left, nor
any materials to make any; nor had they any edge-tool weapon
among them.
It was some while before any of them could be taken ; but being
«veak and half-starved, one of them was at last surprised and made a
prisoner. He was sullen at first, and would neither eat nor drink ;
but finding himself kindly used, and victuals given to him, and no
violence offered him, he at last grew tractable, and came to himself.
They often 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 should 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 hear 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 go to the side of a hill, v here they sat down, ate theif
246
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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 were confined to a neck of land, sS|-
rounded with high rocks behind them, and lying plain towards flfe
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 subjected, 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, unnatural feasts ; but as they were of
several nations, and perhaps had never heard of those that came
before, or the reason of it, they did not make any search or inquiry
after their countrymen ; and if they had, it would have been very
hard to have found them out.
My coming was a particular relief to these people, because we
furnished them with knives, scissors, spades, shovels, pickaxes, and
all things of that kind which they could want. With the help of
those tools, they were so very handy that they came at last to build
up their huts or houses, very handsomely, raddling or working it up
like basket-work all the way round, which was a very extraordinary
piece of ingenuity, and looked very odd, but was an exceeding good
fence, as well against heat as against all sorts of vermin ; and our
men were so taken with it, that they got the Indians to come and do the
like for them ; so that when I came to see the two Englishmen's colo-
nies, they looked, at a distance, as if they all lived like bees in a hive.
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 con-
dition 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 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 punch-
bowl, and materials to fill it; and, in particular, I gave them ten
bottles of French claret, and ten bottles of English beer; things
that neither the Spaniards nor the English had tasted for many
ROBINSON AND THE COLONISTS HA VE A FEAST. 24}
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 gn equal quantity, when made up,,
of the goods that were for wearing. As, first 1 distributed linen:
sufficient to make every one of them four shirts, and, at the
Spaniard's request, afterwards made them up six ; these were ex-
ceeding comfortable to them, having been what they had long sihce-
forgot the use of, or what it was to wear them. I allotted the thin
English stuffs, which I mentioned before, to make every one a light
coat, like a frock, which I judged fittest for the heat of the season,
cool and loose ; and ordered that whenever they decayed, they
should make more, as they thought fit ; the like for pumps, shoes,
stockings, hats, &c. I cannot express what pleasure 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
tome not to leave the place without my consent.
Then I presented to them the people I had brought with me, par-
ticularly 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 to them ;
and the tailor, to show his concern for them, went to work imme-
diately, and, with my leave, made them every one a shirt, the first
thing he did ; and, what was still more, he taught the women nof
only how to sew and stitch, and use the needle, but made them assist
to make the shirts for their husbands, and for all the rest. As to the
carpenters, I scarce need mention how useful they were ; for they
took to pieces all my clumsy, unhandy things, and made clever con-
venient tables, stools, bedsteads, cupboards, lockers, shelves, and
everything they wanted of that kind.
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 wot7J out, they should be supplied without grudging, out of the
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
: general stores that I left behind. Nails, staples, hinges, hammers,
chisels, knives, scissors, and all sorts of iron-work, they had with-
• out 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
no.w 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 from the wreck and the
maid also : she was a sober, well educated, religious young woman,
and behaved so inoffensively-that everyone 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
risland, and considering that they had neither business nor acquain-
tance 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, and be entered among my family, as they called it. I
agreed to this readily ; and they had a little plot of ground allotted
to them, where they had three tents or houses set up, surrounded
with a basket-work, palisadoed like Atkins', adjoining to his planta-
tion. 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 and the first servants, at my old habitation under the
hill, which was, in a word, the capital city, and where they had so
enlarged and extended their works, as well under as on the outside
of the hill, that they lived, though perfectly concealed, yet full at
large. Never was there such a little city in a wood, and so hid, in
any part of the world ; for I verily believe 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.
The other colony was that of Will Atkins, where there were four
families of Englishmen, I mean those I had left there, with their
wives and children, three savages that were slaves, the widow and
Che children of the Englishman that wa3 killed, the young man and
MARRIAGES ON THE ISLAND. 249
the maid, and, by the way, we made a wife of her before we went
away. There were besides the two carpenters and the tailor, whom
I brought with me for them : also the smith, who was a very neces,
saiy man to them, especially as a gunsmith, to take care of their arms ;
and my other man, whom I called Jack-of-all-trades, who was in himself
as good almost as twenty men ; for he was not only a very ingenious
fellow, but a very merry fellow, and before I went away we married him
to the honest maid that came with the youth in the ship I mentioned
before; for having brought the affairs of the island to a narrow com-
pass, 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,
so I began to persuade him not to do anything of that kind rashly.
He interrupted me, smiling, and told me that he meant my Jack-of-
all-trades and his maid Susan. We married them the same day.
Being now sealed in a kind of commonwealth among themselves,
and having much business in hand, it was odd to have seven-
and-thirty Indians live in a nook of the island, independent. I
proposed, therefore, to the governor Spaniard, that he should go to
them, with Friday's father, and propose to them to remove, and either
plant for themselves, or be taken into their several families as ser-
vants, to be maintained for their labour, but without being absolute
slaves ; for I would not permit them to make them slaves by force,
by any means: because they had their liberty given them by capita-
lation, as it were articles of surrender, which they ought not to
break.
They most wi'Iingly embraced the proposal: so we allotted them
land and plantations, which three or four accepted of, the rest chose
to be employed as servants in the several families we had selected.
Amongst all the needful things I had to leave with them, I had
not left them a Bible, in which I showed myself less considering for
them than my good friend the widow was for me when she sent me
the cargo of 100 pounds from Lisbon, where she packed up three Bibles
and a Prayer-book. However, the good woman's charity had a
greater extent than ever she imagined, for they were reserved for the
comfort and instruction of those that made much better use of them
than I had done, {'or I gave them to the colonists before I left.
I have now done with the Island. I left them all in good circum-
stances, and in a flourishing condition, and went on board my ship
25°
J? OB IN SON CRUSOE.
again on the 6th of May, having been about twenty-five days among
them: and as they were all resolved to stay upon the island till I came to
remove them, I promised to send them further relief from the Brazils, if
I could possibly find an opportunity. I particularly promised to send
them some cattle, such as sheep, hogs, and cows : as to the two cows
and calves which I brought from England, we had been obliged, by
the length of our voyage, to kill them at sea, for want of hay to
feed 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., running, as it were, into a
bay, or gulf on the land side, we were driven something out of our
course, and once or twice our men cried out, "Land to the east-
ward !" but whether it was the continent or islands we could not tell
by any means. But the third day, towards evening, the sea smooth,
and the weather calm, we saw the sea, as it were, covered towards
the land with something very black ; not being able to discover what
it was till after some time, our chief mate, going up the main-shrouds
a little way, and looking at them with a perspective, cried out it was
an army. I could not imagine what he meant by an army, and spoke
a little hastily, calling the fellow a fool, or some such word. " Nay,
sir," said he, " do not 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 times, we should all be de-
voured. I must confess, considering we were becalmed, and the
current set strong towards the shore, I liked it the worse; howevew
I bade him not be afraid, but bring the ship to an anchor as soon dP
we came so near as to know that we must engage them. The
weather continued calm, and they came on apace towards us, so I
gave orders to come to an anchor, and furl all our sails. As for th?
savages, I told them they had nothing to fear from them but fire;
and therefore they should get their boats out, and fasten them, one
close by the head, and the other by the stern, and man them both
well, and wait the issue in that posture : this I did, that the men in
the boats might be ready with sheets and buckets to put out any fire
these savages might endeavour to fix to the outside of the ship.
In this posture we by for them, and in a little while they cams
DEATH OF FRIDAY.
p. J51
FRIDA Y KILLED.
251
up with us ; but never was such horrid sight seen by Christians.
Though my mate was much mistaken in his calculation of their num-
ber, yet when they came up we reckoned about a hundred and
twenty-six canoes ; 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 en-
gagement 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 retreat about 50 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 carpenter
presently set up a kind of fence, like waste boards, to cover them
from the arrows of the savages, if they should shoot again.
About half an hour afterwards they all came up in a body astern
of us, and so near that we could easily discern what they were,
though we could not tell their design. I easily found they were
some of my old friends, the same sort of savages that I had been used
to engage with, and in a little time more they rowed further out to
sea, till they came directly broadside with us, and then rowed down
straight upon us, till they came so near that they could hear us
speak. Upon this I ordered all my men to keep close, lest they
should shoot any more arrows, and made all our guns ready; but
being so near as to be within hearing, I made Friday go out upon
the deck, and call out alqud to them in his language, to know
what they meant, which accordingly he did. Whether they understood
him or not, that I know not; but as soon as he had called to them,
six of them, who were in the foremost or nighest boat to us, turned
their canoes from us, and, stooping down, showed us their naked
backs; whether this was a defiance or challenge we knew not, or
whether it was done in mere contempt, or as a signal to the rest: but
Immediately Friday cried out that they were going to shoot, and, unhap-
pily for him, poor fellow, they let fly about 300 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.
252
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
I was so annoyed at the loss of my old servant, the companion of all
my sorrows and solitudes, 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 dozen cables 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. I had only resolved to
have fired four or five guns at them with powder only, which I knew
would frighten them sufficiently ; but when they shot at us directly,
with all the fury they were capable of, and especially as they had killed
my poor Friday, whom I so entirely loved and valued, and who,
indeed, so well deserved it, I thought myself not only justifiable
before God and man, but would have been very glad if I could have
overset every canoe there, and drowned every one of them.
I can neither tell how many we killed nor how many we wounded
at this broadside, but sure such a fright and hurry never were seen
among such a multitude; there were thirteen or fourteen of their
canoes split and overset in all, and the men all set a-swimming : the
rest, frightened out of their wits, scoured away as fast as they could,
taking but little care to save those whose boats were split or spoiled
with our shot; so I suppose that many of them were lost; and our
men took up one poor fellow swimming for his life, above an hour
after they were all gone. The small shot from our cannon must
needs kill and wound a great many; but, in short, we never knew
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 were now under sail again, but I was the most disconsolate
creature alive for want, of my man Friday, and would have been very
glad to have gone back to the island, to have taken one of the rest
from thence for my occasion, but it could not be: so we went on.
We had one prisoner, but it was a long time before we could make
him understand anything; but, in time, our men taught him some
English, and he began to be a little tractable. Afterwards, we
inquired what country he came from, but could make nothing of
what he said ; for his speech was so odd, all gutturals, and he spoke
in the throat in such a hollow, odd manner, that we could never form
a word after him ; and we were all of opinion that they might speak
that language as well if they were gagged as otherwise; nor could we
perceive that they had any occasion either for teeth, tongue, lips, or
palate, but formed their words iust as a hunting-horn forms a tuna
IRIDA Y IS BURIED A T SEA.
253
with an open throat. He told us, however, some time after, when
we had taught him to speak a little English, that they were going
with their kings to fight a great battle. When he said kings, we
asked him how many kings ? He said they were five nation (we could
not make him understand the plural s), and that they all joined to go
against two nation. We asked him what made them come up to us ?
He said, "To makee te great wonder look." Here it is to be
observed, that all those natives, as also those of Africa, when they
learn English, always add two e's at the end of the words where we
use one ; and they place the accent upon them, as makfe, takee, and
the like; nay, I could hardly make Friday leave it off, though at last
he did.
And now I name the poor fellow once more, I must take my last
leave of him. Poor honest Friday ! We buried him with all the
decency and solemnity possible, by putting him into a coffin, and
throwing him into the sea; and I caused them to fire eleven guns
for him. So ended the life of the most grateful, faithful, honest, and
most affectionate servant that ever man had.
We went now away with a fair wind for Brazil; and in about
twelve days' time we "made land, in the latitude of five degrees south
of the line, being the north-easternmost land of all that part of
America. We kept on S. by E., in sight of the shore four days, whers
we made Cape St. Augustine, and in three days came to an anchor
off the bay of All Saints, the old place of my deliverance, from
whence came both my good and evil fate. Never ship came to this
port that had less business than I had, and yet it was with great
difficulty that we were admitted to hold the least correspondence oa
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.
My partner, however, 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 monaster}', 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 sea-
men, to come on shore, and no more ; and this upon condition,
absolutely capitulated for, that we should not offer to land any goods
out of the ship, or to carry any person away without licence. They
were so strict with us, as to landing any goods, that it was with
extreme difficulty that I got on shore three bales of English goods,
such as fine broadcloths, stuffs, and some linen, which I had brought
for a present to my partner.
He was a very generous, broad-hearted man. though (l'ke me)
254
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
came from little at first; and though he knew not that I had the
least desig;n of giving him anything, he sent me on board a present of
fresh provisions, wine, and sweetmeats, worth above thirty moidores,
including some tobacco, and three or four fine medals in gold : but
I was even with him in my present, which, as I have said, consisted
of fine broadcloth, English stuffs, lace, and fine holland. 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, as I have said, 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 miss 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 suffi-
cient quantity of land for a plantation, and on my giving him some
clothes and tools for his planting work, which he said he understood,
having been an old planter at Maryland, and a bucaneer into the
bargain. I encouraged the fellow by granting all he desired ; and,
as an addition, I gave him the savage whom we had taken prisoner
of war, to be his slave, and ordered the governor Spaniard to give
him his share of everything he wanted with the rest.
I have now done with the island, and all manner of discourse
about it: and whoever reads the rest of my memorandums 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 disappointments—not satisfied with prosperity beyond
expectation, nor made cautious by afflictions and distress beyond
imitation.
From the Brazils we made directly over the Atlantic Sea to the
Cape of Good Hope, and had a tolerably good voyage, our course
generally south-east, now and then a storm, and some contrary
winds : but my disasters at sea were at an end—my future rubs and
cross events were to befall me on shore, that it might' appear the
land was as well prepared to be our scourge as the sea.
Our ship was on a trading voyage, and had a supercargo on board,
who was to direct all her motions after she arrived at the Cape, only
being limited to a certain number of days for stay, by charter-party,
at tbe several ports she was to go to. We stayed at the Cape no
A D VENTURES A T MAD A GAS CAR. 255
longer than was needful to take in fresh water, but made the best of
our way for the coast of Coromandel.
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 awhile ; 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 furnished
ourselves with provisions ; and I, who was always too curious to look
into every nook of the world wherever I came, 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 us at a
distance ; but as we had traded freely with them, < and had been'
kindly used, we thought ourselves in no danger ; but when we saw
the people, we cut three boughs out of a tree, and stuck them up at
a distance from us ; which, it seems, is a mark in that country, not
only of a truce and friendship, but when it is accepted, the other side
set up three poles or boughs, which is a signal that they accept the
truce too ; but then this is a known condition of the truce, that you
are not to pass beyond their three poles towards them, nor they to
come past your three poles, or boughs, towards you ; so that you are
perfectly secure within the three poles, and all the space between
your poles and theirs is allowed like a market for free converse,
traffic, and commerce. When you go there, y vu 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 un armed ;
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, bit
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;
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
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
ihe branches of the trees all night in the boat.
About two o'clock in the morning we heard one of our men make
a terrible noise on the shore, calling out, for God's sake, to bring the
boat in and come and help them, for they were all like to be
murdered ; at the same time, I heard the fire of five muskets, which
was the number of guns they had, and that three times over; for, it
seems, the natives here were not so easily frightened with guns as the
savages were in America, where I had to do with them. All this
while I knew not what was the matter, but rousing immediately from
sleep with the noise, I caused the boat to be thrust in, and resolved,
with three fusees we had on board, to land and assist our men. We
got the boat soon to the shore, but our men were in too much haste ;
for being come to the shore, they plunged into the water, to get to the
boat with all the expedition they could, being pursued by between
three and four hundred men. Our men were tut 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 very ill wounded ; and that which was still worse
was, that while we stood in the boat to take our men in, we were in
as much danger as they were in on shore ; for they poured their
arrows in upon us so thick that we were glad to barricade the side of
the boat up with the benches, and two or three loose boards, which,
to our great satisfaction, we had by mere accident in the boat. And
yet, had it been daylight, they are, it seems, such exact marksmen,
that if they could have seen but the least part of any 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 we 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 perceiving the "posture we lay in, and that
we fired towards the shore, pretty well understood us ; and weighing
anchor with all speed, he stood as near the shore as he durst with
THE CAUSE OF THE SAVAGES ANGER. 257
the ship, and then sent another boat, with ten hands in her, to assist
us; but we called to them not to come too near, 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 our 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 just by them, and poured in a broadside among
them, loaded with pieces of iron and lead, small bullets, and such
stuff, besides the great shot, which made a terrible havoc 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 fhe old
woman (whether she was mother to the young woman or no they
could not tell) was selling us the milk, one of our men offered some
rudeness to the girl that was with her. The old woman made a
great noise ; 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 brutality, 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 made signals
for him, 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, if I could by any means,
what mischief we had done, and how the game stood on the Indians'
side. I was careful to do it in the dark, lest we should be attacked
%fgain : but I ought, indeed, to have been sure that the men I went
S
258
1MB IN SON CRUSOE.
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 mid-
night, at the same place where the Indians stood drawn up in the
evening before.
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.
At first we could see nothing, it being very dark ; till by-and-by our
boatswain, who led the first party, stumbled and fell over a dead
body. This made them halt awhile ; for knowing by the circum-
stances that they were at the place where the Indians had stood,
they waited for my coming up there. Here we cor^luded 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 was for going on board
again ; but the boatswain and his party sent me word that they were
resolved to make a visit to the Indian town, where these dogs, as
they called them, dwelt, and asked me to go along with them ; and
if they could find them, as they still fancied they should, thcv 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.
Had they sent to ask my leave to go, I knew well enough what
Inswer to have given them ; but as they sent me word they were re-
iolved to go, and only asked me and my company to go along with
them, I positively refused it, and rose up, for I was sitting on the
ground, in order to go to the boat. One or two of the men began
to importune me to go ; and when I refused, began to grumble, and
say they were not under my command, and they would go. In a
word, they all left me but one, whom I persuaded to stay; so the
supercargo and I, with one man, went back to the boat, where I
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 run the fate of
Tom Jeffry.
They told me, like seamen, they would warrant it they would come
off again, and they would take care, &c, ; so away they went.
TOM JEPFRY FOUND.
259
When fhey came to the few Indian houses which they thought had
been the town, which was not above half a mile off, they were under
great disappointment, for there were not above twelve or thirteen
nouses; and where the town was, or how big, they knew not.
Just as they had discovered these houses, three of them, who
were a little before the rest, called out aloud to them, and told them,
that they had found Tom Jeffry : they all ran up to the place, where
they found the poor fellow hanging up naked by one arm, and his
throat cut. There was an Indian house just by the tree, where
they found sixteen or seventeen of the principal 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 that they would be revenged, and that not
an Indian that came into their hands should have any quarter ; and
to work they went immediately, and yet not so madly as might be
expected from the rage and fury they were in. Their first care was
to get something that would soon take fire, but, after a little search,
they found that would be to no purpose; for most of the houses
were low, and thatched with flags and rushes, of which the country
is full; so they presently made some wildfire, as we call it, by wetting
a little powder in the palm of their hands, and in a quarter of an
hour they set the houses on fire in four or five places, and particularly
that house where the Indians were not gone to bed.
While this was doing, I must confess I was very uneasy, and
especially when I saw the flames, which, it being night, seemed to
be close by me. My nephew, the captain, Who was roused by his
tnen, seeing such a fire, was very uneasy, not knowing what the
matter was, or what danger I was in, especially hearing the guns too,
for by this time they began to use their fire-arms ; a thousand
thoughts oppressed his mind concerning me and the supercargo,
what would become of us ; and at last, though he could ill spare any
more men, yet not knowing what exigence we might be in, he
took another boat, and with thirteen men and himself came ashore
to me.
He was surprised to see me and the supercargo in the boat with no
more than two men ; and though he was glad that we were well,
yet he was in the same impatience with us to know what was doing;
for the noise continued, and the flame increased ; in short, it was
next to an impossibility for any men in the world to restrain their
curiosity to know what had happened, or their concern for the safety
s a
26o
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
of the men : in a word, the captain told me he would go and help
his men, let what would come.
I was no more able to stay behind now, than I was to persuade
them not to go ; so the captain ordered two men to row back the
pinnace, and fetch twelve men more, leaving the long boat at an
anchor ; and that, when they came back, six men should keep the
two boats, and six more come after us ; so that he left only sixteen
men in the ship ; for the whole ship's company consisted of sixty-five
men, whereof two were lost in the late quarrel which brought this
mischief on.
Being now on the march, we felt little of the ground we trod on;
and being guided by the fire, we kept no path, but went directly to
the place of the flame. If the noise of the guns was surprising to us
before, the cries of the poor people were now quite of another nature,
and filled us with horror. We advanced a little way further, and
behold, to our astonishment, three naked women, and crying in a
most dreadful manner, came flying as if they had wings, and after
them sixteen or seventeen men, natives, in the same terror and con-
sternation, with three of our English butchers in the rear, who,
when they could not overtake them, fired in among them, and one
that was killed by their shot fell down in our sight. When the rest
saw us, believing us to be their enemies, and that we would murder
them as well as those that pursued them, they set up a most dread-
ful shriek, especially the women ; and two of them fell down, as if
already dead, with the fright.
My very soul shrunk within me, and my blood ran chill in my
veins, when I saw this ; and, I believe, had the three English sailors
that pursued them come on, I had made our men kill them all ; how-
ever, we took some means to let the poor flying creatures know that
we would not hurt them ; and immediately they came up to us, and
kneeling down, with their hands lifted up, made piteous lamentation
to us to save them, which we let them know we would ; whereupon
they crept all together in a huddle close behind us, as for protection
I could not understand one word they said ; but I was so terrified
that I could not stay there, but went back to my own men, and re-
solved to go through the fire, or whatever might be in the way, and
put an end to it, cost what it would ; accordingly, as I came back
to my men, I told them my resolution, and commanded them to
follow me, when, at the very moment, came four of our men, with
the boatswain at their head.
As soon as the boatswain saw us, he set up a halloo like a shout of
triumph, for having, as he thought, more help come ; and, without
waiting to hear me, "Captain," says he, "noble Captain! I am
MASSACRE OF THE NATIVES.
glad you are come ; we have not half done yet. I'll kill as many of
them as poor Tom has hairs upon his head: we have sworn to spare
none of them ; we'll root out the very nation of them from the earth
and thus he ran on, out of breath, too, with action, and would not
give us leave to speak a word. At last, raising my voice, that I
might silence Mm a little, "Barbarous dog !" said I, "what are you
doing? I wont have one creature touched more, upon pain of death :
I charge you, upon your life, to stop your hands, and stand still here,
or you are a dead man this minute."—"Why, sir," says he, "do
you know what you do, or what they have done ? If you want a
reason for what we have done, come hitherand with that he showed
me the poor fellow ha.iging, with his throat cut.
I confess I was urged then myself, and at another time would have
been forward enough : but I thought they had carried their rage too
far. But I had now a new task upon my hands ; for when the men
I carried with me saw the sight, as I had done, I had as much to do
to restrain them as I should have had with the others ; nay, my
nephew himself fell in with them, and told me, in their hearing, that
he was only concerned for fear of the men being overpowered ; and
as to the people, he thought not one of them ought to live ; for thev
had all glutted themselves with the murder of the poor man, and
that they ought to be used like murderers. Upon these words, away
ran eight of my men with the boatswain and his crew, to complete
their bloody work ; and I seeing it quite out of my power to restrain
them, came away pensive and sad ; for I could not bear the sight,
• much less the horrible noise and cries of the poor wretches that fell
into their hands.
The boatswain defended this quarrel when we were afterwards on
board. He said it was true that we seemed to break the truce, but
really had not: and that the war was begun the night before by the
natives themselves, who had shot at us, and killed one of our men
without any just provocation ; so that as we were in a capacity to
fight them now, we might also be in a capacity to do ourselves justice
upon them in an extraordinary manner; and that they did nothing
but what was just and what the laws of God allowed to be done tc
murderers. One would think this should have been enough to have
warned us against going on shore amongst heathens and barbarians ;
but it is impossible to make mankind wise but at their own expense,
and their experience seems to be always of most use to them when it
is dearest bought.
We were now bound to the Gulf of Persia, and from thence to the
coast of Coromandel, only to touch at Surat; but the chief of the
supercargo's design lay at the Bay of Bengal; where*if he missed his
262
FOB INS ON CRUSOE.
business outward-bound, he was to go out to China, and return to
the coast as he came home. The first disaster that befel us was in
the Gulf of Persia, where five of our man, venturing on shore on the
Arabian side of the Gulf, were surrounded by the Arabians, and
either all killed, or carried away into slavery; the rest of the boat's
crew were not able to rescue them, and had but just time to get off
their boat. I began to upbraid them with the just retribution of
Heaven in this case ; but our men could not hear the word massacre
with any patience.
At last we reached the road at Bengal; and being willing 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 hf ve
me trouble myself to come down to the boat, for they had orders not
to carry me on board any more. Any one may guess what a surprise
I was in at so insolent a message ; and I asked the man, who bade
him deliver that message to me. He told me the coxswain.
I immediately found out the supercargo, and told him the story,
adding, that I foresaw there would be a mutiny in the ship ; and ei»
treated him to go immediately on board in an Indian boat, a-na
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, 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 then the boatswain, making a long harangue, told the
captain that as I was 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 hi£ command, they would perform it well and faith-
fully ; but if I would not quit the ship, or the captain oblige me to
quit it, they would all leave the ship, and sail no further with him ;
and at that word all, he turned his face towards the mainmast, which
was, it seems, a signal agreed on, when 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, yet he told them calmly that
he would consider of the matter ; but that he could do nothing in it
till he had spoken to me about it. He used some arguments with
them, to show them the unreasonableness and injustice of the thing
-—but it was all in vain ; they swore and shook hands round before
his face, that they would all go on shore, unless he would engage
to them not to suffer me to come any more on board the ship.
A MUTINOUS CREW.
This was hard upon him, who knew his obligation to me, and dla
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
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, and the voyage too, than disoblige
ne so much : so they might do as they pleased. However, he
Would go on shore and talk with me, and invited the boatswain to go
With him, and perhaps they might accommodate the matter with me.
But they all rejected the proposal, and said they would have nothing
to do with me any more ; and if I came on board, they would all go
onshore. " Well," said the captain, " if you are all of this mind,
let me go on shore and talk with him." So away he came to me
with this account, a little after the message had been brought to me
from the 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 ; in short, I had
been in a worse case than when I was alone in the island. But they
had not come to that length ; 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 but to comply; so, in short, he went on board the ship
again, and satisfied the men that his uncle had yielded to their im-
portunity, 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 a most remote part of the world, for I was near
three thousand leagues by sea further 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 Bassoraby
sea, up the Gulf of Persia, and take the way of the caravans, over
the Desert of Arabia, to Aleppo and Scanderoon; from thence by sea
again to Italy, and so overland into France. I had another way
before me, which was to. wait for some 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 cam3 hither without
264
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
any concern with the East India Company, so it would be difficult to
go from hence without their licence, unless with great favour of the
captains of the ships, or the company's factors ; and to both I was an
utter stranger.
Here I had the mortification to see the ship set sail without 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 then took a
good lodging in the house of an Englishwoman, where several mer-
chants lodged. Here I stayed above nine months, considering what
course to take. I had some English goods with me of value, and a
considerable sum of money ; my nephew furnishing me with a thou-
sand 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 had 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, many proposals were made for my return to
England, but none falling out to my mind, the English merchant who
lodged with me, and whom I had contracted an intimate acquain-
tance with, came to me one morning, saying : '* Countryman, I have
a project to communicate, 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 my
own choice, in a part of the world very remote from our own country;
but it is in a country where, by us, who understand trade and busi-
Mess, 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 here, the first
we can get to our minds. You shall be captain, I'll be merchant,
and we'll go a trading voyage to China ; for what should we stand
still for? The whole world is in motion ; why should we be idle?"
I liked this proposal very well; and the more so because it seemed
to be expressed with so much good will. 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 a mate, a
boatswain, and a gunner, English ; a Dutch carpenter, and three
Portuguese foremast 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 from
Saence to Siam, where we exchanged some of our wares for opium
THE GUNNER'S MATE WARNS CRUSOE. 265
and some arrack ; the first a commodity which bears a great price
among the Chinese, and which at that time was much wanted there;
then we went up to Susham, were eight months out, and on our return
to Bengal I was yery well satisfied with my adventure.
A little while after this there came in a Dutch ship from Batavia;
she was a coaster, not an European trader, of about two hundred
tons burden; the men, as they pretended, having been so sickly that
the captain had not hands enough to go to sea with, so 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 told him
of it. He considered awhile, for he was no rash man neither; and
at last replied, "She is a little too big—however, we will have her."
Accordingly, we bought the ship, and agreeing 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 business; 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 great city of the Mogul's residence, to proceed from thence
to Surat, and then go by sea to the Gulf of Persia.
We picked up some more English sailors here after this, and some
Dutch ; and now we resolved on a second voyage to the south-east
for cloves, &c.; that is to say, 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 island:,
we were no sooner got clear of those difficult seas, than we found oui
ship had sprung a leak, but could not discover 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 Cam-
bodia; for I had made the English mate, one Mr. Thompson, captain,
not being willing to take the charge of the ship upon myself. This
river lies on the north side of the great bay or gulf which goes up to
Siam. While we were here, and going often on shore for refresh-
ment, there comes to me one day an Englishman, a gunner's mate on
board an English East-India ship, then riding in the same river.
" Sir," says he, addressing me, "you are a stranger to me, and I to
you; but I have something to tell you that very nearly concerns you.
I am moved by the imminent danger you are in, and, for aught I see,
you have no knowledge of it."—" I know no danger I am in," said
266
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
I, " but that my ship is leaky, and I cannot find it out; but I intend
to lay her aground to-morrow, to see if I can find it."—" But, sir,"
says he, '' leaky or not leaky, you will be wiser than to lay your
ship on shore to-morrow, when you hear what I have to say to
you. Do you know, sir," said he, "the town of Cambodia lies about
fifteen leagues up the river; and there are two large English ships
about five leagues on this side, and three Dutch " Well," said If
"and what is that to me?"—"Why, sir," said he, "is it for a mai*
that is upon such adventures as you are, to come into a port, and not
examine first what ships there are there, and whether he is able to
deal with them ? I suppose you do not think you are a match for
them?" I could not conceive what he meant; and I turned short
upon him and said : " I wish you would explain yourself; I cannot
imagine what reason I have to be afraid of any of the Company's
ships or Dutch ships. I am no interloper. What can they have to
say to me?" "Well, sir," says he, with a smile, "if you think your-
self secure, you must take your chance; but, take my advice, if you
do not put to sea immediately, you will the very next tide be attacked
by five long-boats full of men, and perhaps, if you are taken, you
will be hanged for a pirate, and the particulars be examined after-
wards." "But, sir," said I, " I am ignorant of the cause of all this.
Can you give me no further light into it?"
" I can tell you but part of the story, sir," says he; "but I have a
Dutch seaman here with me, and I believe I could persuade him to
tell you the rest; but there is .scarce time for it. But the short of the
story is this—the first part of which I suppose you know well enough
■—that you were with this ship at Sumatra; that there your captain
was murdered by the Malays, with three of his men ; and that you,
or some of those that were on board with you, ran away with the
ship, and are since turned pirates. This is the sum of the story, and
you will all be seized as pirates, I can assure you, and executed with very
little ceremony; for you know merchant ships show but little law to
pirates, if they get them into their power."—" Now you speak plain
English," said I, "and I thank you ; and though I know nothing
that we have done like what you talk of, for I am sure we came
honestly and' fairly by the ship, yet seeing such a work is doing, as
you say, and that'you seem to mean honestly, I will be upon my
guard."—"Nay, sir," says he, "do not talk of being upon your
guard ; the best defence is to be out of danger. If you have any regard
for your life, and the lives of all your men, put to sea without fail at
high water; and as you have a whole tide before you, you will be
gone too far out before they can come down : for they will come
aw iv at high water, and as they have twenty miles to come, you will
CRUSOE PURSUED AS A PIRA TE. 267
get near two hours of them by the difference of the tide, not reckoning
the length of the way : besides, as they are only boats, and not ships,
they will not venture to follow you far out to sea, especially if it
blows."—"Well," said I, "you have been very kind in this: what
shall I do to make you amends ?"—" Sir," says he, "you may not be
willing to make me any amends, because you may not be convinced of
the truth of it. I will make an offer to you : I have nineteen months'
pay due to me on board the ship , which I came out of Eng-
land in ; and the Dutchman that is with me has seven months' pay
due to him. If you will make good our pay to us, we will go along
with you ; if you find nothing more in it, we will desire no more ;
but if we do convince you that we have saved your lives, and the ship,
and the lives of all the men in her, we will leave the rest to you."
I consented to this readily, and went immediately on board, and
the two men with me. As soon as I came to the ship's side, my
partner, who was on board, came out on the quarter-deck, and called
to me, with a great deal of joy, "We have stopped the leak—we have
stopped the leak !"—" Say you so," said I ; "thank God ! but weigh
anchor, then, immediately."—" Weigh !" says he; " what do you
mean by that? What is the matter?"—"Ask no questions," said I;
"but set all hands to work, and weigh without losing a minute." He
was surprised; however, he called the captain, and he immediately
ordered the anchor to be got up ; and though the tide was not quite
down, yet a little land-breeze blowing, we stood out to sea. Then I
called him into the cabin, and told him the story ; and we called in
the men, and they told us the rest of it; but as it took up a great
deal of time before we had done, a seaman came to the cabin door,
and called out to us that the captain bade him tell us we were chased
by five sloops, or boats, full of men.—"Very well," said I, "then it
is apparent there is something in it." I then 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 resolved we would, and that to the last drop. He said readily,
that the way was to keep them off with our great shot as long as we
could, and then to use 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, for perhaps they had not materials to break
open our bulkheads, 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
268
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
musket-bullets and small pieces of old iron, and what came next to
hand. 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 those boats (which by our glasses we could see were
English) outsailed the rest, were near two leagues ahead of them,
and gained upon us considerably, so that we found they would come
up with us ; upon which we fired a gun without ball, to intimate that
they should bring to: and we put out a flag of truce, as a signal for
parley: but they came crowding after us, till within shot, when we
took in our white flag, they having made no answer to it, and hung
out a red flag, and fired at them with a shot. Notwithstanding this,
they came on till they were near enough to call to them with a speak-
ing-trumpet, bidding them keep off at their peril.
It was all one ; they crowded after us, and endeavoured to come
under our stern, so as to board us on our quarter; upon which,
seeing they were resolute for mischief, and depended 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 hindermost boat, and we then forced them to take down
their sail, and to run all to the head of the boat, to keep her from
sinking; so she lay by, and had enough of it; but seeing the fore-
most boat crowd on after us, we made ready to fire at her in par-
ticular. While this was doing, one of the three boats that followed
made up to the boat which we had disabled, to relieve her, and we
could see her take out the men. And now we crowded all the sail
we could make, and stood further out to sea; and we found that
when the other boats came up to the first, they gave over their chase.
Being delivered from this danger, we stood out to sea eastward,
quite out of the course of all European ships, whether they were
bound to China or anywhere else, within the commerce of the Euro-
pean nations.
We kept on N.E., as if we would go to the Manillas or the Philip-
pine Islands ; and then we steered north, till we came to the latitude
of 220 30' by which means we made the island of Formosa directly,
where we came to an anchor, in order to get water and fresh pro-
visions, which the people there supplied us with willingly, and dealt
very fairly and punctually with us in all their agreements and bar-
gains.
From thence we sailed still north, keeping the coast of China at an
equal distance, till we knew we were beyond all the ports of China
where our European ships usually come: being resolved, if possible,
THE PORTUGUESE PILOT COMES ON BOARD. 269
not to fall into any of their hands, especially in this country, where,
as our circumstances were, we could not fail of being entirely ruined.
Being now come to the latitude of 30 degrees, we resolved to put
into the first trading port we should come at; and standing in for
the shore, a boat came off two leagues to us with an old Portuguese
pilot on board, who, knowing us to be an European ship, came to
offer his service, which indeed we were glad of, and took him on
board; upon which, without asking us whither we would go, he
dismissed the boat he came in, and sent it back.
I told him we were gentlemen as well as merchants, and that we
had a mind to go and see the great city of Pekin, and the famous
court of the monarch of China. "Why, then," says the old man,
"youshould go to Ningpo, where, by the river which runs into the
sea there, you may go up within five leagues of the great canal.
This canal is a navigable stream, which goes through the heart of
that vast empire of China, crosses all the rivers, passes some con-
siderable hills by the help of sluices and gates, and goes up to the
city of Pekin, being in length near two hundred and seventy leagues.
"Well," said I, " Seignior Portuguese, but that is not our business
now; the great question is, if you can carry us up to the city of
Nankin, from whence we can travel to Pekin afterwards? " He said
he could do so very well, and that there was a great Dutch ship gone
up that way just before. This gave me a little shock, for a Dutch
ship was now our terror.
The old man found me a little confused, and under some concern
when he named a Dutch ship, and said to me, '' Sir, you need be
under no apprehensions of the Dutch; I suppose they are not now
at war with your nation?" "No," said I, " that's true ; but I know
not what liberties men may take when they are out of the reach of
the laws of their own country." "Why," says he, "you are no
pirates ; what need you fear? They will not meddle with peaceable
merchants, sure." These words put me into the greatest disorder
and confusion imaginable ; nor was it possible for me to conceal it
so but the old man easily perceived it.
'' Sir," says he, "I find you are in some disorder in your thoughts
at my talk; pray be pleased to go which way you think fit, and
depend upon it, I'll do you all the service I can." Upon this we
fell into further discourse, in which, to my alarm and amazement, he
spoke of the villainous doings of a certain pirate ship that had long
been the talk of mariners in those seas; noj other, in a word, than the
very ship he was now on board of, and which we had so unluckily
purchased. I presently saw there was no help for it but to tell him
the plain truth, and explain all the danger and trouble we had suf-
270
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
fered through this misadventure, and, in particular, our earnest wish
to be speedily quit of the ship altogether : for which reason we had
resolved to carry her up to Nankin.
The old man was amazed at this relation, and told us we were in
the right to go away to the north ; and that, if he might advise us,
it should be to sell the ship in China, which we might well do, and
buy or build another in the country ; adding, that I should meet with
customers enough for the ship at Nankin, that a Chinese junk would
serve me very well to go back again; and that he would procure me
people both to buy one and sell the other. "Well, but, seignior,"
said I, "as you say they know the ship so well, I may, perhaps, if I
follow your measures, be instrumental to bring some honest, innocent
men into a terrible broil ; for wherever they find the ship they will
prove the guilt upon the men, by proving this was the ship."—
" Why," says the old man, " I'll find out a way to prevent that; for
as I know all those commanders you speak of very well, and shall see
them all as they pass by, I will be sure to set them to rights in the
thing, and let them know that they had been so much in the wrong;
that though the people who were on board at first might run away
with the ship, yet it was not true that they had turned pirates ; and
that, in particular, these were not the men that first went off with the
ship, but innocently bought her for their trade ; and I am persuaded
they will so far believe me, as at least to act more cautiously for the
time to come."
In about thirteen days' sail we came to an anchor at the south-
west point of the great Gulf of Nankin ; where I learned by accident
that two Dutch ships were gone the length before me, and that I
should certainly fall into their hands. I consulted my partner again
in this exigency, and he was as much at a loss as I was. I then
asked the old pilot if there was no creek or harbour which I might'
put into and pursue my business with the Chinese privately, and be in
no danger of the enemy. He told me if I would sail to the south-
ward about forty-two leagues, there was a little port called Quin-
chang, where the fathers of the mission usually landed from Macao,
on their progress to teach the Christian religion to the Chinese, and
where no European ships ever put in ; and if I thought to put in
there, I might consider what further course to take when I was on
shore. As we were unanimous in our resolution to go to this place,
ive weighed the next day, having only gone twice on shore where we
were, to get fresh water ; on both which occasions the people of the
country were very civil, and brought abundance of provisions to sell
to us : but nothing without money.
We did not come to the other port (the wind being contrary) for
THE FA THERS OF THE MISSION-.
271
five days; but it was very much to our .satisfaction, and I was thank-
ful, when I set my foot on shore, resolving, and my partner too, that
if it was possible to dispose of ourselves and effects any other way,
though not profitably, we would never more set foot on board that
unhappy vessel.
The old pilot, who was now our friend, got us a lodging, together
with a warehouse for our goods; it was a little hut, with a largei
house adjoining to it, built and also palisadoed round with canes, to
keep out pilferers, of which there were not a few in that country :
however, the magistrates allowed us a little guard, and we had a
soldier with a kind of half-pike, who stood sentinel at our door ; to
whom we allowed a pint of rice, and a piece of money, about the
value of three-pence per day, so that our goods were kept very safe.
The fair, or mart, usually kept at 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, and who had been there some time converting the people to
Christianity; but we thought they made but poor work of it, and
made them but sorry Christians when they had done. One of these
was a Frenchman, whom they called Father Simon ; another was a
Portuguese ; and the third a Genoese. Father Simon was courteous,
and very agreeable company; but the other two were more reserved,
seemed rigid and austere, and applied seriously to the work they
came about, viz., to talk with and insinuate themselves among the
inhabitants, wherever they had opportunity.
Father Simon was appointed, it seems, by order of the chief of the
mission, to go up to Pekin, and waited only for another priest, who
was ordered to come to him from Macao, to go along with him; and
we scarce ever met together but he was inviting me to go that journey
with him ; telling me how he would show me all the glorious things
of that mighty empire, and, among the rest, Pekin, the greatest city
in the world.
Providence began here to clear up our way a little ; and the first
thing that offered was, that our old Portuguese piiot brought a
Japan merchant to us, who inquired what goods we had ; and in-the
first place he bought all our opium, and gave us a very good price for
it, paying us in gold by weight, some in small pieces of their own
coin, and some in small wedges, of about ten or twelve ounces each.
While we were dealing with him for our opium, it came into my head
272
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
that he might perhaps deal for the ship too, and I ordered the
interpreter to propose it to him. He shrunk up his shoulders at it,
when it was first proposed to him ; but in a few days after he came
to me, with one of the missionary priests for his interpreter, and told
me he had a proposal to make to me, which was this: he had bought
a great quantity of our goods, when he had no thoughts of proposals
made to him of buying the ship ; and that, therefore, he had not
money to pay for the ship; but if I would let the same men who were
in the ship navigate her, he would hire the ship to go to Japan ; and
would send them from thence to the Philippine Islands with another
loading, which he would pay the freight of before they went from
Japan : and that at their return he would buy the ship. I began to
listen to his proposal, and so eager did my head still run upon ram-
bling, that I could not but begin to entertain a notion of going myself
with him, and so to set sail from the Philippine Islands away to the
South Seas ; accordingly, I asked the Japanese merchant if he would
not hire us to the Philippine Islands and discharge us there. He
said no, he could not do that, for then he could not have the return
of his cargo ; but he would discharge us in Japan, at the ship's
return. Well, still I was for taking him at that proposal, and going
myself; but my partner, wiser than myself, persuaded me from it,
representing the dangers, as well of the seas as of the Japanese, who
are a false, cruel, and treacherous people; likewise those of the
Spaniards at the Philippines, more false, cruel, and treacherous than
they.
But to bring this long turn of our affairs to a conclusion; the first
thing we had to do was, to consult with the captain of the ship, and
with his men, and know if they were willing to go to Japan. While
I was doing this, the young man whom my nephew had left with me
as my companion came up, and told me that he thought that voyage
promised very fair, and that there was a great prospect of advantage,
and he would be very glad if I undertook it; but that if I would not,
and would give him leave, he would go as a merchant, or as 1
pleased to order him ; that if ever he came to England, and I was
there and alive, he would render me a faithful account of his success,
which should be as much mine as I pleased. I was loth to part with
him ; but considering the prospect of advantage, which really was
considerable, and that he was a young fellow likely to do well in it, I
inclined to let him go ; but I told him I would consult my partner,
and give him an answer the next day. I discoursed about it with
my partner, who thereupon made a most generous offer: "Youknow
it has been an unlucky ship," said he, "and we both resolve not to
go to sea in it again ; if your steward (so he called my man) will
CRUSOE REWARDS THE MEN.
venture the voyage, I will leave my share of the vessel to him, an 1 let
him make the best of it; and if we live to meet in England, and he
meets with success abroad, he shall account for one half of the profits
of the ship's freight to us; the other shall be his own."
If my partner, who was no way concerned with my young man,
made him such an offer, I could not do less than offer him the same;
and all the ship's company being willing to go with him, we made
over half the ship to him in property, and took a writing from him,
obliging him to account for the other, and away he went to Japan.
But, to return to our particular affairs : being now to part with
the ship and ship's company, it came before us, of course, to con-
sider what recompense we should give to the two men that gave us
such timely notice of the design against us in the river Cambodia. I
first ordered the money to be paid them which they said was due to
them on board their respective ships : over and above that, I gave
each of them a small sum of money in gold, which contented them
very well. I then made the Englishman gunner in the ship, the
gunner being now made second mate and purser ; the Dutchman I
made boatswain ; so they were both very well pleased, and proved
very serviceable, being both able seamen, and very stout fellows.
I was now, as near as I can compute, in the heart of China,
about thirty degrees north of the line. -I had, indeed, a mind to see
the city of Pekin, which I had heard so much of, and Father Simon
importuned me daily to do it. At length, his time of going away
being set, and the other missionary who was to go with him being
arrived from Macao, it was necessary that we should resolve either to
go, or not; so I referred it to my partner, and left it wholly to his
choice, who at length resolved it in the affirmative, and we prepared
for our journey. We set out with very good advantage, as to find-
ing the way ; for we got leave to travel in the retinue of one of their
mandarins, a kind of viceroy or principal magistrate in the province
where they reside, and who take great state upon them, travelling
with great attendance, and great homage from the people.
We were twenty-five days travelling to Pekin, through a country
exceeding populous, but I think badly cultivated ; the husbandry,
the economy, and the way of living miserable, though they boast
so much of the industry of the people ; I say miserable, if com-
pared with our own, but not so to these poor wretches, who know no
other.
At length we arrived at Pekin. I had nobody with me but the
youth whom my nephew had given me to attend me as a servant,
and who proved very trusty and diligent; and my partner had
nobody with him but one servant, who was a kinsman. As for the
,T
274
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
Portuguese pilot, he being desirous to see the court, we bore his
charges for his company, and for our use of him as an interpreter,
for he understood the language of the country, and spoke good
French and a little English. Indeed, this old man was most useful
to us everywhere ; for we had not been above a week at Pekin, when
he came laughing. '' Ah, Seignior Inglese," says he, "I have some-
thing to tell will make your heart glad."—"My heart glad," says
I ; " what can that be? I don't know anything in this country can
either give me joy or'grief to any great degree." "Yes, yes," said
the old man in broken English, "make you glad, me sorry."—
"Why," said I, "will it make you sorry?"—"Because," said he,
'' you have brought me here twenty-five days' journey, and will leave
me to go back alone ; and which way shall I get to my port after-
wards, without a ship, without a horse, without pecune ?"—so he
called money, being his broken Latin, of which he had abundance
to make us merry with. In short, he told us there was a great
caravan of Muscovite and Polish merchants in the city, preparing to
set out on their journey by land to 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, and had
scarce power to speak to him for some time, but at last I said to
him, "How do you know this? are you sure it is true?"—"Yes,"
says he ; "I met this morning in the street an old acquaintance of
mine, an Armenian, who is among them. He came last from
Astracan, and was designing to go to Tonquin, where I formerly
knew him, but has altered his mind, and is now resolved to go with
the caravan to Moscow, and so down the river Wolga to Astragan."
—"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, together what was to be done ; and I asked my partner
what he thought of the pilot's news, and whether it would suit with
his affairs ? He told me he would do just as I would; for he had
settled all his affairs so well at Bengal, and left his effects in such
good hands, that as we had made a good voyage, if he could invest
it in China silks, wrought and raw, he would be content to go to
England, and then make his voyage back to Bengal by the Com-
pany's ships.
Having resolved upon this, 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 further, the
CRUSOE REWARDS THE FAITHFUL PILOT. 275
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, 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 computed it, was worth 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 between ourselves, we called him to let him know what we had
resolved. I told him he had complained of our being willing to let
him go back alone, and I was now about to tell him we designed he
should not go back at all. That as we had resolved to go to Europe
with the caravan, we were very willing he 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 fecune to carry him
thither, or to subsist himself when he came there. We told him we
believed it was so, and therefore we had resolved to do something
for him that should let him see how sensible we were of the service
he had done us, and also how agreeable he was to us : and then I
told him what we had resolved to give him here, which he might lav
out as we would do our own ; and that as for his charges, if he
would go with us we would set him safe on shore (life and casualties
excepted), either in Muscovy or England, as he would choose, at
our own charge, except only the carriage of his goods. He received
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, however, the beginning of February, New 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.
When we had travelled one day's journey, the guides, who Were
five in number, called all the passengers, except the servants, to a
great council, as they called it. At this council, every one deposited
a certain quantity of money to a common stock, for the necessary
expense of buying forage on the way, where it was not otherwise to be
had, and for satisfying the guides, getting horses, and the like.
Here, too, they constituted the journey, as they call it, viz. : they
Darned captains and officers to draw us all up, and give the word of
276
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
command in case of an attack, and give every one their turn of
command ; nor was this forming us into order any more than what
we afterwards found needful on the way.
In a few days we passed the great China Wall, made for a fortifi-
cation against the Tartars: and a very great work it is, going over hills
and mountains in an endless track, where the rocks are impassable,
and the precipices such as no enemy could possibly enter, or indeed
climb up, or where, if they did, no wall could hinder them.
After we passed this mighty wall, something likejthe Picts' wall, so
famous in Northumberland, built by the Romans, we began to find
the country thinly inhabited, and the people rather confined to live
in fortified towns, as being subject to the inroads and depredations of
the Tartars, who rob in great armies, and therefore are not to be
resisted by the naked inhabitants'of an open country.
In about five days we entered a vast wild desert, which held us
three days and nights' march : and we were obliged to carry our
water with us in great leathern bottles, and to encamp all night, just
as I have heard they do in the desert of Arabia. I asked our guides
whose dominion this was in : and they told me this was a kind of
border, that might be called no man's land, being a part of Great
Karakathy, or Grand Tartary : that, however, it was all reckoned as
belonging to China, but that there was no care taken here to preserve
it from the inroads of thieves, and therefore it was reckoned the
worst desert of the whole march, though we were to go over some
much larger.
In passing this frightful wilderness, we saw, two or three times,
little parties of the Tartars, but they seemed to be upon their own
affairs, and to have no design upon us ; and so, like the man who
m*t the devil, if they had nothing to say to us, we had nothing to say
to them ; we let them go. Once, however, a party of them came so
near as to stand and gaze at us. Whether it was to consider if they
should attack us or not, we knew not: but when we had passed at
some distance by them, we made a rear-guard of forty men, and
stood ready for them, letting the caravan pass half a mile or there
abouts before us. After a while they marched off, but they salulec
us with five arrows at parting, which wounded a horse so that it
disabled him, and we left him the next day, poor creature, in great
need of a good farrier. We saw no more arrows or Tartars that time.
We travelled near a month after this, the ways not being so good
as at first, though still in the dominions of the Emperor of China,
but lay for the most part in the villages, some of which were fortified,
because of the incursions of the Tartars.
The city of Naum, which we were approaching, is a frontier of the
ATTACK OF THE TARTARS.
277
Chinese empire, and is fortified in their fashion. We wanted above
two days' journey of this city, when messengers were sent express
to every part of the road to *ell all travellers and caravans to
halt till they had a guard sent for them ; for that an unusual body of
Tartars making ten thousand in all, had appeared in the way, about
thirty miles beyond the city.
This was very bad news to travellers : however, it was carefully
done of the governor, and we were very glad to hear we should have
a guard. Accordingly, two days after, we had two hundred soldiers
sent us from a garrison of the Chinese on our left, and three hundred
more from the city of Naum, and with these we advanced 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 prepared 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 from a 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, we knew, by a cloud of dust they raised,
that the enemy was at hand, and presently they came on upon the
spur.
An innumerable company they were ; how many we could not tell,
but ten thousand, we thought, at 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
ivitli their shot, which was done ; and they then went off, I suppose
to give an account of the reception they were like to meet with ; in-
deed, 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.
Two days after, we came to the city of Naun, or Naum ; we
thanked the governor for his care of us, and collected to the value of
a hundred crowns, or thereabouts, which we gave to the soldiers 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, on the 13th of April, we came to the
frontiers of the Muscovite dominions. I think the first town o>-
278
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
fortress, whichever it may be called, that belonged to the Czar, was
called Arguna, being on the west side of the river Arguna.
We advanced from the river Arguna by easy and moderate
journeys, and were very visibly obliged to the care the Czar has
taken to have cities and towns built in as many places as it is pos-
sible to place them, where his soldiers keep garrison, something like
the stationary soldiers placed by the Romans in the remotest coun-
tries of their empire ; some of which I had read of were placed in
Britain, for the security of commerce, and for the lodging of
travellers. Some instances of this we met with in the country
between Arguna where we enter the Muscovite dominions, and a
city of Tartars and Russians together, called Nortziousky, in which
is a continued desert or forest, which cost us twenty days to travel
over. We went safely on to Jarawena, where there was a Russian
garrison, and there we rested five days.
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 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 appeared,
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 were all Tartars of Mogul Tartary, of which this
country is a part; and they frequently attack small caravans, but we
saw no numbers of them together.
After we had passed this desert, we came into a country pretty
well inhabited ; that is to say, we found towns and castles settled by
die Czar, with garrisons of stationary soldiers, to protect the caravans
and defend the country against the Tartars, who would otherwise
make it very dangerous travelling; and his czarish majesty has
given such strict orders for the well guarding the caravans, 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. Thus the governor of Adinskoy, whom I had an opportunity
to make a visit to, offered us a guard of fifty men, if we thought there
was any danger, to the next station. 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.
All the country between the river Oby and the river Janezay is as
RUSSIAN MODE OF TRAVELLING. 279
entirely pagan, and the people as barbarous, as the remotest of the
Tartars. From the Janezay to the Oby we crossed a wild unculti-
vated country, barren of people and good management, otherwise it
is in itself a pleasant, fruitful, and agreeable country. What inhabi-
tants we found in it are all pagans, except such as are sent among
them from Russia ; for this is the country—I mean on both sides the
river Oby—whither the Muscovite criminals that are not put to death
are banished, and from whence it is next fo 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
continued some time.
We had now been almost seven months on our journey, and winter
began to come on apace ; whereupon my partner and I called a
council about our particular affairs, in which we found it proper, as
we were bound for England, to" consider how to dispose of ourselves.
They told us of sledges and reindeer, to carry us over the snow in the
winter time, by which means, indeed, 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 Jarislaw, 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 advan-
tage ; or I must leave the caravan at a little town on the Dwina,
from whence I had but six days by water to Archangel, and from
thence might be sure of shipping either to England, Holland, or
Hamburgh.
Now, to go any of these journeys in the winter would have been
preposterous ; for as to Dantzic, the Baltic would have been frozen
up, and I could not get passage; and to go by land in those countries
was far less safe than among the Mogul Tartars : likewise, as to
Archangel, in October, all the ships would be gone from thence; and
even the merchants who dwell there in the 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, 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
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
wear out a cold winter with—viz., plenty of provisions, such as the
country afforded, a warm house, with fuel enough, and excellent
company.
I was now in quite a different climate from my beloved island,
where I never felt cold, except when I had my ague ; on the contrary,
I had much to do to bear any clothes on my back, and never made
any fire but without doors, which was necessary for dressing my
food, &c. Now I had three good vests, with large robes or gowns
over them, to hang down to the feet, and button close to the wrists;
and all these lined with furs, to make them sufficiently warm. As to
a warm house, I must confess I greatly dislike our way in England
of making fires in every room in the house in open chimneys, which,
when the fire was out, always keeps the air in the room cold as the
climate. So I took an apartment in a good house in the town, and
ordered a chimney to be b"ilt like a furnace, in the centre of six
several rooms, like a stove ; the funnel to carry smoke went up one
way, the door to come at the fire went in another, and all the rooms
were kept equally warm, but no fire seen, just as they heat baths in
England. By this means we had always the same climate in all the
rooms, and an equal heat was preserved ; and yet we saw no fire, nor
were ever incommoded with smoke.
The most wonderful thing of all was, that it should be possible to
meet with good company here, in a country so barbarous as this—
one of the most northernly parts of Europe. But this being the
country where the state criminals of Muscovy, as I observed before,
are all banished, this city was full of Russian noblemen, gentlemen,
soldiers, and courtiers. Here was the famous Prince Galitzin, the
old German Robostiski, and several other persons of note, and some
ladies. By means of my Scotch merchant whom, nevertheless, I
parted with here, I made an acquaintance with several of these
gentlemen ; and from these, in the long winter nights in which I
stayed here, I received several very agreeable visits.
It was talking one night with a certain Prince, one of the banished
ministers of state belonging to the Czar, that the discourse of my
particular case began. He had been telling me abundance of fine
things of the greatness, the magnificence, the dominions, and the
absolute power of the Emperor of the Russians : I interrupted him,
and told him I was a greater and more powerful prince than ever
the Czar was, though my dominions were not so large, or my people
so many. The Russian grandee looked a little sirptised, and, fixing
his eyes steadily upon me, began to wonder what [ meant. I said
his wonder would cease when I had explained myself, and told him
the story at large of my living in the island, and then how I managed
THE EXILES OF SIBERIA.
281
both myself and the people that were wilder me, just as 1 have since
minuted it down. They were exceedingly taken with the story, and
especially the prince, who told me, with a sigh, that the true great-
ness of life was to be masters of ourselves ; that he would not have
exchanged such a state of life as mine, to be Czar of Muscovy ; and
that he found more felicity in the retirement he seemed to be banished
to there, than ever he found in the highest authority he enjoyed in
the court of his master the Czar ; that the height of human wisdom
was to bring our tempers down to our circumstances, and to make a
calm within, under the weight of the greatest storms without. When
he came first hither, he said, he used to tear the hair from his head,
and the clothes from his back, as others had done before him ; but a
little time and consideration had made him look into himself, as well
as round him, to things without : that he found the mind of man, if
it was but once brought, to reflect upon the state of universal life,
and how little this world was concerned in its true felicity, was
perfectly capable of making a felicity for itself, fully satisfying to
itself, and suitable to its own best ends and desires, with but very
little assistance from the world. That being now deprived of all the
fancy felicity which he enjoyed in the full exercise of worldly plea-
sures, he said he was at leisure to look upon the dark side of them,
where he found all manner of deformity; and was now convinced that
virtue only makes a man truly wise, rich, and great, and preserves him
in'the way to a superior happiness in a future state; and in this, he
said, they were more happy in their banishment than all their enemies
were, who had the full possession of all the wealth and power they had
left behind them. " Nor, sir," says he, "do I bring my mind to this
politically, from the necessity of my circumstances, which some call
miserable ; but if I know anything of myself, I would not now go
back, though the Czar, my master, should call me, and reinstate me
in all my former grandeur."
He spoke thus with so much warmth in his temper, so much
earnestness and motion of his spirits, that it was evident it was the
true sense of his soul; there was no room to doubt his sincerity.
I told him I once thought myself a kind of monarch in my old
station of which I had given him an account; but that I thought he
was not only a monarch, but a great conqueror ; for he that had got
a victory over his own exorbitant desires, and the absolute dominion
over himself, he whose reason entirely governs his will, is certainly
greater than he that conquers a city.
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 kind of mask of fut
282
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
before my face, with only a hole for breath, and two for sight: the
little daylight we had was 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 ground ; and as for
our servants, whom we hired here to look after ourselves and horses,
we had, every now and then, their fingers and toes to thaw and take
care of, lest they should mortify and fall off.
It is true, within doors we were warm, the houses being close, the
walls thick, the windows small, and the glass all double. Our food
was chiefly the flesh of deer, dried and cured in the season ; bread
good enough, but baked as biscuits ; dried fish of several sorts, and
some flesh of mutton, and of buffaloes, which is pretty good meat.
All the stores of provisions for the winter are laid up in the summer,
and well cured, our drink was water, mixed with aqua-vitae instead of
brandy ; and for a treat, mead instead of wine, which, however, they
have very good. The hunters, who venture abroad all weathers, fre-
quently brought us in fine venison, and sometimes bear's flesh, but
we did not much care for the last. We had a good stock of tea, with
which we treated our friends, and we lived cheerfully and well, all
things considered.
It was now March, the days grown considerably longer, and the
weather at least tolerable ; so the other travellers began to prepare
sledges to carry them over the snow, and to get things ready to be
going ; but my measures being fixed, as I have said, for Archangel,
and not for Muscovy or the Baltic, I made no motion ; knowing very
well that the ships from the south do not setout 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 sail. Therefore
I made no haste to be gone, as others did : in a word, I saw a great
many people, nay, all the travellers, go away before me. It seems
■very 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.
I had bought a considerable quantity of sables, black fox-skins, fine
ermines, and such other furs as are very rich, in that city, in exchange
for some of the goods I had brought from China; in particular for the
cloves and nutmegs, of which I sold the greatest part here, and the
rest afterwards at Archangel, for a much better price than I could have
got at London; and my partner, who was sensible of the profit, and
whose business, more particularly than mine, was merchandise, was
mightily pleased with our stay, on account of the traffic we made
here.
CRUSOE PREPARES FOR HIS LAST JOURNEY. p. 283
CRUSOE J OUR NIE S HOMEWARDS. s»?3
It was the beginning of June when I left this remote place. We
were now reduced to a very small caravan, having only thirty-two
horses and camels in all. 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 un-
even in others ; the best we had to say for it was, that we thought we
had no troops of Tartars or robbers to fear, as they never came on
this side of the river Oby, or at least very seldom.
We at length 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 Kamaskoy, that
is, the great city on the river Kama ; and here we thought to see
some evident alteration in the people ; but we were mistaken ; for as
we had a vast desert to pass, which is near seven hundred miles
long in some places, but not above two hundred miles over where we
passed it, so, till we came past that horrible place, we found very
little difference between that country and Mogul Tartary. The
people are mostly Pagans ; 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.
We came at last to Veussima upon the river Witzogda, 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, providing ourselves with two luggage boats, and a
barge for our own convenience, we embarked the 7th, and arrived
all safe at Archangel the 18th ; having been a year, five months, and
three days on the journey, including our stay of about eight months
at Tobolski.
We were obliged to stay at this place six weeks for the arrival of
the ships, and must have tarried longer, had not a Hamburgher come
in above a month sooner than any of the English ships ; when, after
some consideration that the city of Hamburgh might happen to be
as good a market for our goods as London, we all took freight with
him.
We set sail from Archangel the 20th of August, the same year ;
and, after no extraordinary bad voyage, arrived safe in the Elbe the
18th of September. Here my partner and I found a very good sale
for our gobds, as well those of China, as the sables, &c., of Siberia ;
and, dividing the produce, my share amounted to 3475/- 17J. 3d.,
including about six hundred pounds' worth of diamonds, which I
purchased at Bengal.
To conclude : having stayed near four months in Hamburgh, I
284
ROBINSON CRUSOE.
came from 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"
resolving to harass myself no more, I am preparing for a longer
journey than all these, having lived seventy-two years a life of infinite
variety, and learned sufficiently to know the value of retirement, and
the blessing of ending our days in peace.