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diff --git a/12623-h/12623-h.htm b/12623-h/12623-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..028c7a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/12623-h/12623-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,20537 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe (1808), by Daniel Defoe</title> +<style type="text/css"> + P { margin-top: .75em; + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; } + blockquote {text-align: justify; + margin-left: 15%; + margin-right: 15%;} + div.note { + border-style: dashed; + border-width: 1px; + border-color: #000000; + background-color: #ccffcc; + font-size: 14pt; + margin: 10px; } + IMG { + BORDER-RIGHT: 0px; + BORDER-TOP: 0px; + BORDER-LEFT: 0px; + BORDER-BOTTOM: 0px } + .ctr { TEXT-ALIGN: center } + span.pagenum + {position: absolute; left: 1%; right: 91%; font-size: 8pt;} + + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; } + HR { width: 33%; } + hr.full { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + a:link {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none} + link {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none} + a:visited {color:#0000ff; + text-decoration:none} + a:hover {color:#ff0000} + pre {font-size: 9pt;} +</style> +</head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12623 ***</div> + +<br> +<div class="note"> +<p><span class="smallcaps">Editorial Note:</span><br> +<br> +Daniel Defoe’s tale of Robinson Crusoe was first published in 1719. +Numerous—almost countless—versions were published subsequently. +Several are available in Project Gutenberg’s library, including the following +e-books:<br> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/521">https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/521</a><br> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/561">https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/561</a><br> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5902">https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/5902</a><br> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6328">https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6328</a><br> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6936">https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/6936</a><br> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11239">https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11239</a><br> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11866">https://www.gutenberg.org/etext/11866</a><br> +<br> +Various tales have been included in the different versions, usually under the +names of “The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe,” “The Further Adventures of Robinson +Crusoe,” and “Robinson Crusoe’s Vision of the Angelic World.” Even an account of +the adventures of Alexander Selkirk, who was marooned for four years on an island +in the Pacific Ocean, has been incorporated into some versions of the Robinson +Crusoe stories. This e-book, taken from an 1808 edition, includes “The Adventures +of Robinson Crusoe” and “The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe.”</p><br> +</div> +<br> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<br> +<br> +<br> +<p class="ctr"><img src="images/image.jpg" width="80%" alt=""><br> +<b>I had one labour to make me a Canoe, which at last I +finished.</b></p> +<br> +<h3>THE Life AND</h3> +<h1>Adventures</h1> +<h4>of</h4> +<h1>ROBINSON CRUSOE</h1> +<br> +<h3>LONDON.</h3> +<br> +<h4>1808.</h4> +<br> +<br> +<hr style="width: 35%;"> +<center>[<a href="#page1">1</a>] [<a href="#page10">10</a>] +[<a href="#page20">20</a>] [<a href="#page30">30</a>] [<a href= +"#page40">40</a>] [<a href="#page50">50</a>] [<a href= +"#page60">60</a>] [<a href="#page70">70</a>] [<a href= +"#page80">80</a>] [<a href="#page90">90</a>] [<a href= +"#page100">100</a>]<br> +[<a href="#page110">110</a>] [<a href="#page120">120</a>] [<a href= +"#page130">130</a>] [<a href="#page140">140</a>] [<a href= +"#page150">150</a>] [<a href="#page160">160</a>] [<a href= +"#page170">170</a>] [<a href="#page180">180</a>] [<a href= +"#page190">190</a>] [<a href="#page200">200</a>]<br> +[<a href="#page210">210</a>] [<a href="#page220">220</a>] [<a href= +"#page230">230</a>] [<a href="#page240">240</a>] [<a href= +"#page250">250</a>] [<a href="#page260">260</a>] [<a href= +"#page270">270</a>] [<a href="#page280">280</a>] [<a href= +"#page290">290</a>] [<a href="#page300">300</a>]<br> +[<a href="#page310">310</a>] [<a href="#page320">320</a>] [<a href= +"#page330">330</a>] [<a href="#page340">340</a>] [<a href= +"#page350">350</a>] [<a href="#page360">360</a>] [<a href= +"#page370">370</a>] [<a href="#page380">380</a>] [<a href= +"#page390">390</a>] [<a href="#page400">400</a>]<br> +[<a href="#page410">410</a>] [<a href="#page420">420</a>] [<a href= +"#page430">430</a>] [<a href="#page440">440</a>] [<a href= +"#page450">450</a>] [<a href="#page460">460</a>] [<a href= +"#page470">470</a>] [<a href="#page480">480</a>] [<a href= +"#page490">490</a>] [<a href="#page500">500</a>]<br> +[<a href="#page510">510</a>] [<a href="#page520">520</a>] [<a href= +"#page530">530</a>] [<a href="#page540">540</a>] [<a href= +"#page550">550</a>] [<a href="#page560">560</a>] [<a href= +"#page570">570</a>] [<a href="#page580">580</a>] [<a href= +"#page590">590</a>] [<a href="#page600">600</a>]</center> +<hr style="width: 35%;"> +<br> +<br> +<span class="pagenum">[page i]</span> +<h4>THE</h4> +<h2>LIFE</h2> +<h5>OF</h5> +<h2><i>DE FOE</i>.</h2> +<br> +<p>Daniel De Foe was descended from a respectable family in the +county of Northampton, and born in London, about the year 1663. His +father, James Foe, was a butcher, in the parish of St. Giles’s, +Cripplegate, and a protestant dissenter. Why the subject of this +memoir prefixed the <i>De</i> to his family name cannot now be +ascertained, nor did he at any period of his life think it +necessary to give his reasons to the public. The political +scribblers of the day, however, thought proper to remedy this lack +of information, and accused him of possessing so little of the +<i>amor patriae</i>, as to make the addition in order that he might +not be taken for an Englishman; though this idea could have had no +other foundation than the circumstance of his having, in +consequence of his zeal for King William, attacked the prejudices +of his countrymen in his “True-born Englishman.”</p> +<p>After receiving a good education at an academy at Newington, +young De Foe, before he had attained his twenty-first year, +commenced his career as an author, by writing a pamphlet against a +very prevailing sentiment in favour of the Turks who were at that +time laying siege to Vienna. This production, being very inferior +to those of his maturer years, was very little read, and the +indignant author, despairing of success with his pen, had recourse +to the sword; or, as he termed it, when boasting of the exploit in +his latter years, “displayed his attachment to liberty, and +protestantism,” by joining the ill-advised insurrection under the +Duke of Monmouth, in the west. On the failure of that unfortunate +enterprise, he returned <span class="pagenum">[page ii]</span> +again to the metropolis; and it is not improbable, but that the +circumstance of his being a native of London, and his person not +much known in that part of the kingdom where the rebellion took +place, might facilitate his escape, and be the means of preventing +his being brought to trial for his share in the transaction. With +the professions of a writer and a soldier, Mr. De Foe, in the year +1685, joined that of a trader; he was first engaged as a hosier, in +Cornhill, and afterwards as a maker of bricks and pantiles, near +Tilbury Fort, in Essex; but in consequence of spending those hours +in the hilarity of the tavern which he ought to have employed in +the calculations of the counting-house, his commercial schemes +proved unsuccessful; and in 1694 he was obliged to abscond from his +creditors, not failing to attribute those misfortunes to the war +and the severity of the times, which were doubtless owing to his +own misconduct. It is much to his credit however, that after having +been freed from his debts by composition, and being in prosperous +circumstances from King William’s favour, he voluntarily paid most +of his creditors both the principal and interest of their claims. +This is such an example of honesty as it would be unjust to De Foe +and to the world to conceal. The amount of the sums thus paid must +have been very considerable, as he afterwards feelingly mentions to +Lord Haversham, who had reproached him with covetousness; “With a +numerous family, and no helps but my own industry, I have forced my +way through a sea of misfortunes, and reduced my debts, exclusive +of composition, from seventeen thousand to less than five thousand +pounds.”</p> +<p>At the beginning of the year 1700, Mr. De Foe published a satire +in verse, which excited very considerable attention, called the +“True-born Englishman.” Its purpose was to furnish a reply to those +who were continually abusing King William and some of his friends +as <i>foreigners</i>, by shewing that the present race of +Englishmen was a mixed and heterogeneous brood, scarcely any of +which could lay claim to native purity of blood. The satire was in +many parts <span class="pagenum">[page iii]</span> very severe; and +though it gave high offence, it claimed a considerable share of the +public attention. The reader will perhaps be gratified by a +specimen of this production, wherein he endeavours to account +for—</p> +<blockquote>“What makes this discontented land appear<br> +Less happy now in times of peace, than war;<br> +Why civil feuds disturb the nation more,<br> +Than all our bloody wars had done before:<br> +Fools out of favour grudge at knaves in place,<br> +And men are always honest in disgrace:<br> +The court preferments make men knaves in course,<br> +But they, who would be in them, would be worse.<br> +’Tis not at foreigners that we repine,<br> +Would foreigners their perquisites resign:<br> +The grand contention’s plainly to be seen,<br> +To get some men put out, and some put in.”</blockquote> +<p>It will be immediately perceived that De Foe could have no +pretentious to the character of a <i>poet</i>; but he has, +notwithstanding, some nervous and well-versified lines, and in +choice of subject and moral he is in general excellent. The +True-born Englishman concludes thus:</p> +<blockquote>Could but our ancestors retrieve their fate,<br> +And see their offspring thus degenerate;<br> +How we contend for birth and names unknown,<br> +And build on their past actions, not our own;<br> +They’d cancel records, and their tombs deface,<br> +And openly disown the vile, degenerate race.<br> +For fame of families is all a cheat;<br> +’TIS PERSONAL VIRTUE ONLY MAKES US GREAT.</blockquote> +<p>For this defence of foreigners De Foe was amply rewarded by King +William, who not only ordered him a pension, but as his opponents +denominated it, appointed him <i>pamphlet-writer general to the +court</i>; an office for which he was peculiarly well calculated, +possessing, with a strong mind and a ready wit, that kind of +yielding conscience which allowed him to support the measures of +his benefactors though convinced <span class="pagenum">[page +iv]</span> they were injurious to his country. De Foe now retired +to Newington with his family, and for a short time lived at ease; +but the death of his royal patron deprived him of a generous +protector, and opened a scene of sorrow which probably embittered +his future life.</p> +<p>He had always discovered a great inclination to engage in +religious controversy, and the furious contest, civil and +ecclesiastical, which ensued on the accession of Queen Anne, gave +him an opportunity of gratifying his favourite passion. He +therefore published a tract entitled “The shortest Way with the +Dissenters, or Proposals for the Establishment of the Church,” +which contained an ironical recommendation of persecution, but +written in so serious a strain, that many persons, particularly +Dissenters, at first mistook its real intention. The high church +party however saw, and felt the ridicule, and, by their influence, +a prosecution was commenced against him, and a proclamation +published in the Gazette, offering a reward for his +apprehension<a name="FNanchor1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1">[1]</a>. +When De Foe found with how much rigour himself and his pamphlet +were about to be treated, he at first secreted himself; but his +printer and bookseller being taken into custody, he surrendered, +being resolved, as he expresses it, “to throw himself upon the +favour of government, rather than <span class="pagenum">[page +v]</span> that others should be ruined for his mistakes.” In July, +1703, he was brought to trial, found guilty, and sentenced to be +imprisoned, to stand in the pillory, and to pay a fine of two +hundred marks. He underwent the infamous part of the punishment +with great fortitude, and it seems to have been generally thought +that he was treated with unreasonable severity. So far was he from +being ashamed of his fate himself, that he wrote a hymn to the +pillory, which thus ends, alluding to his accusers:</p> +<blockquote>Tell them, the men that plac’d him here<br> +Are scandals to the times;<br> +Are at a loss to find his guilt,<br> +And can’t commit his crimes.</blockquote> +<p>Pope, who has thought fit to introduce him in his Dunciad +(probably from no other reason than party difference) characterises +him in the following line:</p> +<blockquote>Earless on high stood unabash’d De Foe.</blockquote> +<blockquote><a name="Footnote_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor1">[1]</a> +St. James’s, January 10, 1702-3. “Whereas Daniel De Foe, alias De +Fooe, is charged with writing a scandalous and seditious pamphlet, +entitled ‘The shortest Way with the Dissenters:’ he is a +middle-sized spare man, about 40 years old, of a brown complexion, +and dark-brown coloured hair, but wears a wig, a hooked nose, a +sharp chin, grey eyes, and a large mole near his mouth, was born in +London, and for many years was a hose-factor, in Freeman’s Yard, in +Cornhill, and now is owner of the brick and pantile works near +Tilbury Fort, in Essex; whoever shall discover the said Daniel De +Foe, to one of her Majesty’s Principal Secretaries of State, or any +of her Majesty’s Justices of Peace, so as he may be apprehended, +shall have a reward of 50<i>l</i>. which her Majesty has ordered +immediately to be paid upon such discovery.”<br> +<br> +<i>London Gaz</i>. No. 3679.</blockquote> +<p>This is one of those instances of injustice and malignity which +so frequently occur in the Dunciad, and which reflect more +dishonour on the author than on the parties traduced. De Foe lay +friendless and distressed in Newgate, his family ruined, and +himself without hopes of deliverance, till Sir Robert Harley, who +approved of his principles, and foresaw that during a factious age +such a genius could be converted to many uses, represented his +unmerited sufferings to the Queen, and at length procured his +release. The treasurer, Lord Godolphin, also sent a considerable +sum to his wife and family, and to him money to pay his fine and +the expense of his discharge. Gratitude and fidelity are +inseparable from an honest man; and it was this benevolent act that +prompted De Foe to support Harley, with his able and ingenious pen, +when Anne lay lifeless, and his benefactor in the vicissitude of +party was persecuted by faction, and overpowered, though not +conquered, by violence.</p> +<p>The talents and perseverance of De Foe began now to be properly +estimated, and as a firm supporter <span class="pagenum">[page +vi]</span> of the administration, he was sent by Lord Godolphin to +Scotland, on an errand which, as he says, was far from being unfit +for a sovereign to direct, or an honest man to perform. His +knowledge of commerce and revenue, his powers of insinuation, and +above all, his readiness of pen, were deemed of no small utility, +in promoting the union of the two kingdoms; of which he wrote an +able history, in 1709, with two dedications, one to the Queen, and +another to the Duke of Queensbury. Soon afterwards he unhappily, by +some equivocal writings, rendered himself suspected by both +parties, so that he once more retired to Newington in hopes of +spending the remainder of his days in peace. His pension being +withdrawn, and wearied with politics, he began to compose works of +a different kind.—The year 1715 may therefore be regarded as the +period of De Foe’s political life. Faction henceforth found other +advocates, and parties procured other writers to disseminate their +suggestions, and to propagate their falsehoods.</p> +<p>In 1715 De Foe published the “Family Instructor;” a work +inculcating the domestic duties in a lively manner, by narration +and dialogue, and displaying much knowledge of life in the middle +ranks of society. “Religious Courtship” also appeared soon after, +which, like the “Family Instructor,” is eminently religious and +moral in its tendency, and strongly impresses on the mind that +spirit of sobriety and private devotion for which the dissenters +have generally been distinguished. The most celebrated of all his +works, “The Life and Adventures of Robinson Crusoe,” appeared in +1719. This work has passed through numerous editions, and been +translated into almost all modern languages. The great invention +which is displayed in it, the variety of incidents and +circumstances which it contains, related in the most easy and +natural manner, together with the excellency of the moral and +religious reflections, render it a performance of very superior and +uncommon merit, and one of the most interesting works that ever +appeared. It is strongly recommended by Rosseau as a book admirably +calculated to promote <span class="pagenum">[page vii]</span> the +purposes of natural education; and Dr. Blair says, “No fiction, in +any language, was ever better supported than the Adventures of +Robinson Crusoe. While it is carried on with that appearance of +truth and simplicity, which takes a strong hold of the imagination +of all readers, it suggests, at the same time, very useful +instruction; by shewing how much the native powers of man may be +exerted for surmounting the difficulties of any external +situation.” It has been pretended, that De Foe surreptitiously +appropriated the papers of Alexander Selkirk, a Scotch mariner, who +lived four years alone on the island of Juan Fernandez, and a +sketch of whose story had before appeared in the voyage of Captain +Woodes Rogers. But this charge, though repeatedly and confidently +brought, appears to be totally destitute of any foundation. De Foe +probably took some general hints for his work from the story of +Selkirk, but there exists no proof whatever, nor is it reasonable +to suppose that he possessed any of his papers or memoirs, which +had been published seven years before the appearance of Robinson +Crusoe. As a farther proof of De Foe’s innocence, Captain Rogers’s +Account of Selkirk may be produced, in which it is said that the +latter had neither preserved pen, ink, or paper, and had, in a +great measure, lost his language; consequently De Foe could not +have received any written assistance, and we have only the +assertion of his enemies to prove that he had any verbal.</p> +<p>The great success of Robinson Crusoe induced its author to write +a number of other lives and adventures, some of which were popular +in their times, though at present nearly forgotten. One of his +latest publications was “A Tour through the Island of Great +Britain,” a performance of very inferior merit; but De Foe was now +the garrulous old man, and his spirit (to use the words of an +ingenious biographer) “like a candle struggling in the socket, +blazed and sunk, blazed and sunk, till it disappeared at length in +total darkness.” His laborious and unfortunate life was finished on +the 26th of April, 1731, in the parish of St. Giles’s, +Cripplegate.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page viii]</span> +<p>Daniel De Foe possessed very extraordinary talents; as a +commercial writer, he is fairly entitled to stand in the foremost +rank among his contemporaries, whatever may be their performances +or their fame. His distinguishing characteristics are originality, +spirit, and a profound knowledge of his subject, and in these +particulars he has seldom been surpassed. As the author of Robinson +Crusoe he has a claim, not only to the admiration, but to the +gratitude of his countrymen; and so long as we have a regard for +supereminent merit, and take an interest in the welfare of the +rising generation, that gratitude will not cease to exist. But the +opinion of the learned and ingenious Dr. Beattie will be the best +eulogium that can be pronounced on that celebrated romance: +“Robinson Crusoe,” says the Doctor, “must be allowed by the most +rigid moralist, to be one of those novels which one may read, not +only with pleasure, but also with profit. It breathes throughout a +spirit of piety and benevolence; it sets in a very striking light +the importance of the mechanic arts, which they, who know not what +it is to be without them, are so apt to undervalue; it fixes in the +mind a lively idea of the horrors of solitude, and, consequently, +of the sweets of social life, and of the blessings we derive from +conversation and mutual aid; and it shews, how, by labouring with +one’s own hands, one may secure independence, and open for one’s +self many sources of health and amusement. I agree, therefore, with +Rosseau, that it is one of the best books that can be put into the +hands of children.”</p> +<p>G.D.</p> +<br> +<br> +<hr style="width: 35%;"> +<br> +<br> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page1"></a>[page 1]</span> +<h4>THE</h4> +<h3>LIFE AND ADVENTURES</h3> +<h5>OF</h5> +<h1>ROBINSON CRUSOE,</h1> +<h5><i>&c. &c.</i></h5> +<hr style="width: 25%;"> +<p>I was born in the year 1632, in the city of York, of a good +family, though not of that country, my father being a foreigner of +Bremen, who settled first at Hull: he got a good estate by +merchandise, and leaving off his trade, lived afterwards at York, +from whence he had married my mother, whose 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.</p> +<p>I had two elder brothers, one of which 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 or mother did know what was become of +me.</p> +<p>Being the third son of the family, and not bred to <span class= +"pagenum">[page 2]</span> 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 propension of nature tending directly +to the life of misery which was to befal me.</p> +<p>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 +application and industry, with a life of ease and pleasure. He told +me it was for men of desperate fortunes on one hand, or of aspiring +superior fortunes on the other, who went abroad upon adventures, to +rise by enterprise, and make themselves famous in undertakings of a +nature out of the common road; that these things were all either +too far above me, or too far below me; that mine was the middle +state, or what might be called the upper station of <i>low +life</i>, 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 hardships, 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 +me, I might judge of the happiness 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 consequences of +being born to great <span class="pagenum">[page 3]</span> things, +and wish 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 just standard of true felicity, when he +prayed to have neither poverty nor riches.</p> +<p>He bid me observe it, and I should always find, that the +calamities of life were shared among the upper and lower part of +mankind; but that the middle station had the fewest disasters, and +was not exposed to so many vicissitudes as the higher or lower part +of mankind; nay, they were not subjected to so many distempers and +uneasinesses, either of body or mind, as those were, who by vicious +living, luxury, and extravagances, on one hand, or by hard labour, +want of necessaries, and mean or insufficient diet, on the other +hand, bring distempers upon themselves by the natural consequences +of their way of living; that the middle station of life was +calculated for all kind of virtues and all kind of enjoyments; that +peace and plenty were the handmaids of a middle fortune; that +temperance, moderation, quietness, health, society, all agreeable +diversions, and all desirable pleasures, were the blessings +attending the middle station of life; that this way men went +silently and smoothly through the world, and comfortably out of it, +not embarrassed with the labours of the hands or of the head, not +sold to the life of slavery for daily bread, or harassed with +perplexed circumstances, which rob the soul of peace, and the body +of rest; not enraged with the passion of envy, or secret burning +lust of ambition for great things; but in easy circumstances +sliding gently through the world, and sensibly tasting the sweets +of living, without the bitter, feeling that they are happy, and +learning by every day’s experience to know it more sensibly.</p> +<p>After this, he pressed me earnestly, and in the most +affectionate manner, not to play the young man, not 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 4]</span> my +bread; that he would do well for me, and endeavour to enter me +fairly into the station of life which he had been just 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: +in a word, that as he would do very kind things for me if I would +stay and settle at home as he directed, so he would not have so +much hand in my misfortunes, as to give me any encouragement to go +away: and to close all, he told me I had my elder brother for an +example, to whom he had used the same earnest persuasions to keep +him from going into the Low Country wars, but could not prevail, +his young desires prompting him to run into the army, where he was +killed; and though he said he would not cease to pray for me, yet +he would venture to say to me, that if I did take this foolish +step, God would not bless me, and I would have leisure hereafter to +reflect upon having neglected his counsel when there might be none +to assist in my recovery.</p> +<p>I observed in this last part of his discourse, which was truly +prophetic, though I suppose my father did not know it to be so +himself; I say, I observed the tears run down his face very +plentifully, and 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.</p> +<p>I was sincerely affected with this discourse, as indeed who +could be otherwise? and I resolved not to think of going abroad any +more, but to settle at home according to my father’s desire. But, +alas! a few days wore it all off; and in short, to prevent any of +my father’s farther importunities, in a few weeks after I resolved +to run quite away from him. However, I did not act so hastily +neither as my first heat of resolution <span class="pagenum">[page +5]</span> prompted, but I took my mother, at a time when I thought +her a little pleasanter than ordinary, and told her, that my +thoughts were so entirely bent upon seeing the world, that I should +never settle to any thing 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, and I should +certainly run away from my master before my time was out, and go to +sea; and if she would speak to my father to let me go one voyage +abroad, if I came home again, and did not like it, I would go no +more, and I would promise by a double diligence to recover that +time I had lost.</p> +<p>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 he knew too well what was my interest to give his +consent to any such thing so much for my hurt; and that she +wondered how I could think of any such thing after such a discourse +as I had had with my father, and such kind and tender expressions +as she knew my father had used to me; and that, in short, 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.</p> +<p>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 shewing 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 most miserable wretch that was ever +born; I can give no consent to it.”</p> +<p>It was not till almost a year after this that I broke loose, +though, in the meantime, I continued obstinately deaf to all +proposals of settling to business, and <span class="pagenum">[page +6]</span> frequently expostulating with my father and mother about +their being so positively determined against what they knew my +inclinations prompted me to. But being one day at Hull, where I +went casually, and without any purpose of making an elopement that +time; but I say, being there, and one of my companions being going +by sea to London, in his father’s ship, and prompting me to go with +them, with the common allurement of seafaring men, viz. that it +should cost me nothing for my passage, I consulted neither father +or mother any more, not so much as sent them word of it; but +leaving them to hear of it as they might, without asking God’s +blessing, or my father’s, without any consideration of +circumstances or consequences, and in an ill hour, God knows, on +the first of September, 1651, I 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 +counsel 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 contempt of advice, and the breach of +my duty to God and my father.</p> +<p>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 like 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 any thing of the matter. I expected +every wave would have swallowed us up, and that every time the ship +fell down, as I thought, <span class="pagenum">[page 7]</span> in +the trough or hollow of the sea, we should never rise more; and in +this agony of mind I made many vows and resolutions, that if it +would please God here to spare my life 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.</p> +<p>These wise and sober thoughts continued all the while the storm +continued, 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 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.</p> +<p>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 time after. And now, lest my good resolutions should +continue, my companion, who had indeed 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, wa’n’t you, last +night, when it blew but a capful of wind?”—“A capful do you call +it?” said I; “it was a terrible storm.”—“A storm you fool you,” +replied 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 8]</span> 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; do you see what charming weather +it is 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 drunk +with it; and in that one night’s wickedness I drowned all my +repentance, all my reflections upon my past conduct, and all my +resolutions for my 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 as it were from a distemper, and applying +myself to drinking and company, 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; and Providence, as in such cases +generally it does, resolved to leave me entirely without excuse: +for if I would not take this for a deliverance, the next was to be +such a one as the worst and most hardened wretch among us would +confess both the danger and the mercy.</p> +<p>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 +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.</p> +<p>We had not, however, rid here so long, but should <span class= +"pagenum">[page 9]</span> 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 topmasts, and make every thing snug and +close, that the ship might ride as easy as possible. By noon the +sea went very high indeed, and our ship rid <i>forecastle in</i>, +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.</p> +<p>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, “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 reassume 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 rid near +us, we found, had cut their masts by the board, being deep loaden; +and our men <span class="pagenum"><a name="page10"></a>[page +10]</span> cried out, that a ship which rid 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 adventures, 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 sprit-sail out before the +wind.</p> +<p>Towards evening the mate and boatswain begged the master of our +ship to let them cut away the fore-mast, which he was very +unwilling to do: but the boatswain protesting to him, that if he +did not, the ship would founder, he consented; and when they had +cut away the fore-mast, the main-mast stood so loose, and shook the +ship so much, they were obliged to cut her away also, and make a +clear deck.</p> +<p>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 in 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 had never known a worse. We +had a good ship, but she was deep loaden, 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 +violent, that I saw what is not often seen, the master, the +boatswain, and some others more sensible than the rest, at their +prayers, and expecting every moment when the ship would go to the +bottom. In the middle of the night, and under all the rest of our +distresses, one of the men that had been down on purpose to see, +cried out, we <span class="pagenum">[page 11]</span> had sprang a +leak; another said, there was four foot water in the hold. Then all +hands were called to the pump. At that very 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 sea, and would come near us, +ordered to fire a gun as a signal of distress. I, who knew nothing +what that meant, was so surprised, that I 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 +every body had his own life to think of, nobody minded me, or what +was become of me; but another man stept 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.</p> +<p>We worked on; but the water increasing in the hold, it was +apparent that the ship would founder; and though the storm began to +abate a little; yet as it was not possible she could swim till we +might run into 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 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 to their own ship; so +<span class="pagenum">[page 12]</span> 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 to the northward, sloping towards the +shore almost as far as Winterton-Ness.</p> +<p>We were not much more than a quarter of an hour out of our ship +but 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.</p> +<p>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 shore to assist us when we should come +near; but we made but slow way towards the shore, nor were we able +to reach the shore, till being past the light-house 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.</p> +<p>Had I now had the sense to have gone back to Hull, and 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 13]</span> I went away +in was cast away in Yarmouth Roads, it was a great while before he +had any assurance that I was not drowned.</p> +<p>But my ill fate pushed me on now with an obstinacy that nothing +could resist; and though I had several times loud calls from my +reason and my more composed judgment to go home, yet I had no power +to do it. I know not what to call this, nor will I urge that it is +a secret over-ruling decree that hurries us on to be the +instruments of our own destruction, even though it be before us, +and that we push upon it with our eyes open. Certainly nothing but +some such decreed unavoidable misery attending, and which it was +impossible for me to escape, could have pushed me forward against +the calm reasonings and persuasions of my most retired thoughts, +and against two such visible instructions as I had met with in my +first attempt.</p> +<p>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; I say, +the first time he saw me, it appeared his tone was altered, and +looking very melancholy, and shaking his head, 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 seafaring +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 you persist: +perhaps this is all befallen us on your account, like Jonah in the +ship of Tarshish. Pray,” continues he, “what are you? and on what +account did you go to sea?” Upon <span class="pagenum">[page +14]</span> 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 +he, “that such an unhappy wretch should come into my ship? I would +not set my foot in the same ship with thee again for a thousand +pounds.” 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 authority to go. However, he afterwards talked +very gravely to me, exhorted 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 not go back, wherever you go, you will meet with nothing but +disasters and disappointments, till your father’s words are +fulfilled upon you.”</p> +<p>We parted soon after; for I made him little answer, and I saw +him no more: which way he went, I know not. As for me, having some +money in my pocket, I travelled to London by land; and there, as +well as on the road, had many struggles with myself, what course of +life I should take, and whether I should go home, or go to sea.</p> +<p>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 every body else; from whence I +have since often observed, how incongruous and irrational the +common temper of mankind is, especially of youth, to that reason +which ought to guide them in such cases, viz. that they are not +ashamed to sin, and yet are ashamed to repent; nor 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.</p> +<p>In this state of life however I remained some time, uncertain +what measures to take, and what course of life to lead. An +irresistible reluctance continued to going home; and as I stayed a +while, the remembrance <span class="pagenum">[page 15]</span> 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.</p> +<p>That evil influence which carried me first away from my father’s +house, that hurried me into the wild and indigested notion of +raising my fortune; and that impressed those conceits so forcibly +upon me, as to make me deaf to all good advice, and to the +entreaties and even the command of my father: I say, the same +influence, whatever it was, presented the most unfortunate of all +enterprises to my view; and I went on board a vessel bound to the +coast of Africa; or, as our sailors vulgarly call it, a voyage to +Guinea.</p> +<p>It was my great misfortune that in all these adventures I did +not ship myself as a sailor; whereby, though I might indeed have +worked a little harder than ordinary, yet at the same time I had +learnt the duty and office of a foremastman; and in time might have +qualified myself for a mate or lieutenant, if not for a master. But +as it was always my fate to choose for the worse, so I did here; +for having money in my pocket, and good clothes upon my back, I +would always go on board in the habit of a gentleman; and so I +neither had any business in the ship, or learnt to do any.</p> +<p>It was my lot first of all to fall into pretty good company in +London, which does not always happen to such loose and unguided +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 fell acquainted with the master of a ship who had been on the +coast of Guinea; and who, having had very good success there, was +resolved to go again; 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 +companion; and if I could carry any thing with me, I should have +all the <span class="pagenum">[page 16]</span> advantage of it that +the trade would admit; and perhaps I might meet with some +encouragement.</p> +<p>I embraced the offer; and entering into a strict friendship with +this captain, who was an honest and 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<i>l</i>. in such toys and +trifles as the captain directed me to buy. This 40<i>l</i>. 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.</p> +<p>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, learnt 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 five pounds nine ounces of gold-dust +for my adventure, which yielded me in London at my return almost +300<i>l</i>. and this filled me with those aspiring thoughts which +have so completed my ruin.</p> +<p>Yet even in this voyage I had my misfortunes too; particularly, +that I was continually sick, being thrown into a violent calenture +by the excessive heat of the climate; our principal trading being +upon the coast, from the latitude of 15 degrees north even to the +line itself.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page +17]</span> that ever man made; for though I did not carry quite +100<i>l</i>. of my new-gained wealth, so that I had 200<i>l</i>. +left, and which I lodged with my friend’s widow, who was very just +to me, yet I fell into terrible misfortunes in this voyage; and the +first was this, viz. 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 canvass 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 returning +our fire, and pouring in also his small-shot from near 200 men +which he had on board. However, we had not a man touched, all our +men keeping close. He prepared to attack us again, and we to defend +ourselves; but laying us on board the next time upon our other +quarter, he entered sixty men upon our decks, who immediately fell +to cutting and hacking the decks and rigging. We plied them with +small-shot, half-pikes, powder-cheats, and such like, and cleared +our deck of them twice. However, to cut short this melancholy 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.</p> +<p>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 his proper prize, and made his slave, being young and +nimble, and fit for his business. At this surprising change of +<span class="pagenum">[page 18]</span> 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 worse; +that now the hand of Heaven had overtaken me, and I was undone +without redemption: but, alas! this was but a taste of the misery I +was to go through, as will appear in the sequel of this story.</p> +<p>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 sometime 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 be in the +cabin to look after the ship.</p> +<p>Here I meditated nothing but my escape, and what method I might +take to effect it, but found no way that had the least probability +in it: 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 Scotsman there but +myself; so that for two years, though I often pleased myself with +the imagination, yet I never had the least encouraging prospect of +putting it in practice.</p> +<p>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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 19]</span> 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.</p> +<p>It happened one time, that going a-fishing in a stark calm +morning, 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.</p> +<p>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 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 that 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.</p> +<p>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 <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page20"></a>[page 20]</span> larger store of +provisions than ordinary; and had ordered me to get ready three +fuzees with powder and shot, which were on board his ship; for that +they designed some sport of fowling as well as fishing.</p> +<p>I got all things ready as he had directed, and waited the next +morning with the boat washed clean, her ancient and pendants out, +and every thing to accommodate his guests; when by and by my patron +came on board alone, and told me his guests had put off going, upon +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.</p> +<p>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 +command; and my master being gone, I prepared to furnish myself, +not for fishing business, but for a voyage; though I knew not, +neither did I so much as consider, whither I should steer; for any +where to get out of that place was my way.</p> +<p>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 bisket of their kind, +and three jars with 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 +boat, which weighed above half a hundred weight, with a parcel of +twine or thread, a hatchet, a saw, and a hammer, all 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 21]</span> was Ismael, whom +they call Muly or Moley; so I called to him: “Moley,” 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 about 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 every thing 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 haled 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 last 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.</p> +<p>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 ran 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 called to me, begged to +<span class="pagenum">[page 22]</span> 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 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.</p> +<p>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, “Xury, if you will be faithful to me I’ll make you a great +man; but if you will not stroke your face to be true to me,” that +is, swear by Mahomet and his father’s beard, “I must throw you into +the sea too.” The boy smiled in my face, and spoke so innocently, +that I could not mistrust him; and swore to be faithful to me, and +go all over the world with me.</p> +<p>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 the canoes, and destroy us; where we could never +once go on shore but we should be devoured by savage beasts, or +more merciless savages of human kind?</p> +<p>But as soon as it grew dusk in the evening, I <span class= +"pagenum">[page 23]</span> changed my course, and steered directly +south and by east, bending my course a little toward 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.</p> +<p>Yet such was the fright I had taken at 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 come to an anchor in +the mouth of a little river, I knew not what, or where; neither +what latitude, what country, what nation, or what river: I neither +saw, or desired to see any people; the principal thing I wanted was +fresh water. We came into this creek in the evening, resolving to +swim on shore as soon as it was dark, and discover the country; but +as soon as it was quite dark, we heard, such dreadful noises of the +barking, roaring, and howling of wild creatures, of we knew not +what kinds that the poor boy was ready to die with fear, and begged +of me not to go on shore till day. “Well, Xury,” said I, “then I +won’t; but it may be we may see men by day, who will be as bad to +us as those lions.”—“Then we give them the shoot gun,” says Xury, +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 <span class="pagenum">[page 24]</span> 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 yellings, that I never indeed heard the like.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>But it is impossible to describe the horrible 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 upon that coast, and how to venture on +shore in the day was another question too; for to have fallen into +the hands of any of the savages, had been as bad as to have fallen +into the hands of lions and tigers; at least we were equally +apprehensive of the danger of it.</p> +<p>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 or +where to get 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? <span class="pagenum">[page 25]</span> +The boy answered with so much affection, that 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 haled 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.</p> +<p>I did not care to go out of sight of the boat, fearing the +coming of canoes with savages down the river; but the boy seeing a +low place about a mile up the country, rambled to it; and by and by +I saw him come running towards me. I thought he was pursued by some +savage, or frighted with some wild beast, and I run forward 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 that he had found good +water, and seen no wild mans.</p> +<p>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 flows but a little way up; +so we filled our jars, and feasted on the hare we had killed, and +prepared to go on our way, having seen no footsteps of any human +creature in that part of the country.</p> +<p>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 knowing, or at least remembering what latitude they were +in, and knew not where to look for <span class="pagenum">[page +26]</span> 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.</p> +<p>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, except by +wild beasts; 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 only, where they go like an army, two or +three thousand men at a time; and indeed for near an hundred miles +together upon this coast, we saw nothing but a waste uninhabited +country by day, and heard nothing but howlings and roaring of wild +beasts by night.</p> +<p>Once or twice in the daytime. I thought I saw the Pico of +Teneriffe, 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.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 27]</span> 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 had him lie still, and I 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 the 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 broke 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 +look 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 he struggling for +life. Then Xury took Heart, and would have me let him go on shore: +“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 into the head again, which dispatched him +quite.</p> +<p>This was game indeed to us, but this was no food; and I was very +sorry to lose three charges of powder and shot upon a creature that +was good for nothing to us. However, 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 28]</span> not cut off his +head, but he cut off a foot, and brought it with him, and it was a +monstrous great one.</p> +<p>I bethought myself however, that perhaps the skin of him might +one way or other 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 up both 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.</p> +<p>After this stop, we made on to the southward continually for ten +or twelve days, living very sparing on our provisions, which began +to abate very much, and going no oftener into 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, any where 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 +Brasil, 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.</p> +<p>When I had passed 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 that they were quite +black, and stark 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 run 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 +would throw, them a great way with good aim; so I kept at a +distance, but talked with them by signs as well as I could; and +particularly made signs for something to eat; they beckoned to me +to stop my boat, and they would fetch me some meat. Upon this I +lowered the top of my sail, and lay by, and two of them ran up into +the country, and in less than half an hour came back, and brought +with them two pieces of dry flesh and some corn, such as is the +produce of their country; but we neither knew what the one nor the +other was: however, we were willing to accept it, but how +<span class="pagenum">[page 29]</span> 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.</p> +<p>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 +pursuing 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 seem to 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 +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page30"></a>[page 30]</span> +expedition, and had Xury load both the others: as soon as he came +fairly within my reach I fired, and shot him directly into the +head; immediately he sunk 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.</p> +<p>It is impossible to express the astonishment of these poor +creatures at the noise and the 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 to the shore, and began to search for the creature. I +found him by his blood staining the water, and by the help of a +rope, which I slung round him, and gave the Negroes to hale, 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.</p> +<p>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, 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 provision, which, though I did not +understand, yet I accepted; then I <span class="pagenum">[page +31]</span> made signs to them for some water, and held out one of +my jars to them, turning it bottom upward, to shew that it was +empty, and that I wanted to have it filled. They called immediately +to some of their friends, and there came two women, and brought a +great vessel made of earth, and burnt, as I suppose, 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. The women were as stark naked +as the men.</p> +<p>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 the 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 +<i>islands</i>, called from thence Cape de Verd Islands. However, +they were at a great distance, 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 nor the other.</p> +<p>In this dilemma, as I was very pensive, I stepped into the cabin +and sat me 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, when I knew we were gotten +far enough out of their reach. I jumped out of the cabin, and +immediately saw not only the ship, but what she was, viz. that it +was a Portuguese ship, and, as I thought, was bound to the coast of +Guinea for Negroes. 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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 32]</span> out to sea as much as I +could, resolving to speak with them if possible.</p> +<p>With all the sail I could muster, I found I should not be able +to come in their way, but that they would be gone by before I could +make any signal to them; but after I had crowded to the utmost, and +began to despair, they, it seems, saw me by the help of their +perspective-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.</p> +<p>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. Then they had me come on board, and very +kindly took me in, and all my goods.</p> +<p>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 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 Brasils; “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 Brasils, 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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 33]</span> have given. No, no, Seignor Inglese,” +says he, “Mr. Englishman, I will carry you thither in charity, and +those things will help you to buy your subsistence there, and your +passage home again.”</p> +<p>As he was charitable in his proposal, so he was just in the +performance to a tittle; for he ordered the seamen, that none +should offer to touch any thing I had: then he took every thing +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.</p> +<p>As to my boat, it was a very good one, and that he saw, and told +me he would buy it of me for the 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 his hand to pay me eighty pieces of eight for it at +Brasil; and when it came there, if any one offered to give more, he +would make it up: he offered me also sixty pieces of eight more for +my boy Xury, which I was loath to take; not that I was not willing +to let the captain have him, but I was very loath to sell the poor +boy’s liberty, who had assisted me so faithfully in procuring my +own. However, when I let him know my reason, he owned it to be +just, and offered 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.</p> +<p>We had a very good voyage to the Brasils, and 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 now +to consider.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 34]</span> +leopard’s skin, and forty for the lion’s skin which I had in my +boat, and caused every thing I had in the ship to be punctually +delivered me; and what I was willing to sell he bought, 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 two hundred and twenty pieces of eight of all my cargo; and +with this stock I went on shore in the Brasils.</p> +<p>I had not been long here, but being recommended to the house of +a good honest man like himself, who had an <i>ingeino</i> as they +call it; that is, a plantation and a sugarhouse; I lived with him +some time, and acquainted myself by that means with the manner of +their planting and making of sugar; and seeing how well the +planters lived, and how they grew rich suddenly, I resolved, if I +could get license to settle there, I would turn planter among them, +resolving, in the mean time, to find out some way to get my money, +which I had left in London, remitted to me. To this purpose, +getting a kind of a letter of naturalization, I purchased as much +land that was uncured as my money would reach, and formed a plan +for my plantation and settlement, and such a one as might be +suitable to the stock which I proposed to myself to receive from +England.</p> +<p>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 neighbour, because his plantation lay next to mine, +and we went on very sociable together. My stock was but low, as +well as his: and we rather planted for food, than any thing 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; and +now I found, more than before, I had done wrong in parting with my +boy Xury.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 35]</span> +<p>But, alas! for me to do wrong, that never did right, was no +great wonder: I had no remedy but to go on; I was gotten into an +employment 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; nay, I was coming into the very +middle station, or upper degree of low life, which my father +advised me to before; and which if I resolved to go on with, I +might as well have staid at home, and never have fatigued myself in +the world as I had done; and I used often to say to myself, I could +have done this as well in England among my friends, as have gone +five thousand miles off to do it, among strangers and savages in a +wilderness, and at such distance, as never to hear from any part of +the world that had the least knowledge of me.</p> +<p>In this manner I used to look upon my condition with the utmost +regret. I had nobody to converse with, but now and then this +neighbour; no work to be done, but by the labour of my hands; and I +used to say, I lived just like a man cast away upon some desolate +island, that had nobody there but himself. But how just has it +been, and how should all men reflect, that, when they compare their +present conditions with others that are worse, Heaven may oblige +them to make the exchange, and be convinced of their former +felicity, by their experience; I say, how just has it been, that +the truly solitary life I reflected on in, an island of mere +desolation should be my lot, who had so often unjustly compared it +with the life which I then led, in which had I continued, I had in +all probability been exceeding prosperous and rich.</p> +<p>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, in +providing his loading, and preparing for his voyage, near 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 36]</span> +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 produce 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.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>I wrote the English captain’s widow a full account of all my +adventures, my slavery, escape, and how I had met with the Portugal +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 handsome present for his humanity and charity to +me.</p> +<p>The merchant in London vesting this hundred pounds in English +goods, such as the captain had writ for, sent them directly to him +at Lisbon, and he brought them all safe to me to the Brasils; among +which, without my direction (for I was too young in my business to +think of them) he had taken care to have all sort of tools, iron +work, and utensils necessary for my plantation, and which were of +great use to me.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 37]</span> +<p>When this cargo arrived, I thought my fortune made, for I was +surprised with joy of it; and my good steward the captain had laid +out the five pounds which my friend had sent him for a present for +himself, to purchase, and bring me over a servant under bond for +six years service, and would not accept of any consideration, +except a little tobacco, which I would have him accept, being of my +own produce.</p> +<p>Neither was this all; but my goods being all English +manufactures, such as cloth, 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 may say, I had more than four +times the value of my first cargo, and was now infinitely beyond my +poor neighbour, 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.</p> +<p>But as abused prosperity is oftentimes made the very means of +our greatest adversity, so was it with me. I went on the next year +with great success in my plantation: I raised fifty great rolls of +tobacco on my own ground, more than I had disposed of for +necessaries among my neighbours; and these fifty rolls, being each +of above a hundred weight, were well cured and laid by against the +return of the fleet from Lisbon. And now, increasing in business +and in wealth, my head began to be full of projects and +undertakings beyond my reach; such as are indeed often the ruin of +the best heads in business.</p> +<p>Had I continued in the station I was now in, I had room for all +the happy things to have yet befallen me, for which my father so +earnestly recommended a quiet retired life, and of which he had so +sensibly described the middle station of life to be full; but other +things attended me, and I was still to be the wilful agent of all +my own miseries; and particularly to increase my fault, and double +the reflections upon myself, <span class="pagenum">[page 38]</span> +which in my future sorrows I should have leisure to make; all these +miscarriages were procured by my apparent obstinate adhering to my +foolish inclination of wandering abroad, and pursuing that +inclination, in contradiction to the clearest views of doing myself +good in a fair and plain pursuit of those prospects and those +measures of life, which nature and Providence concurred to present +me with, and to make my duty.</p> +<p>As I had done thus in my breaking away from my parents, so I +could not be content now, but I must go and leave the happy view I +had of being a rich and thriving man in my new plantation, only to +pursue a rash and immoderate desire of rising faster than the +nature of the thing admitted; and thus I cast myself down again +into the deepest gulf of human misery that ever man fell into, or +perhaps could be consistent with life and a state of health in the +world.</p> +<p>To come then by just degrees to the particulars of this part of +my story; you may suppose, that having now lived almost four years +in the Brasils, and beginning to thrive and prosper very well upon +my plantation, I had not only learnt the language, but had +contracted acquaintance and friendship among my fellow-planters, as +well as among the merchants at St. Salvadore, which was our port; +and that in my discourse among them, I had frequently given them an +account of my two voyages to the coast of Guinea, the manner of +trading with the Negroes there, and how easy it was to purchase +upon the coast, for trifles, such as beads, toys, knives, scissars, +hatchets, bits of glass, and the like, not only gold-dust, Guinea +grains, elephants teeth, &c. but Negroes for the service of the +Brasils in great numbers.</p> +<p>They listened always very attentively to my discourses on these +heads, but especially to that part which related to the buying +Negroes, which was a trade at that time not only not far entered +into, but, as far as it was, had been carried on by the Assientos +<span class="pagenum">[page 39]</span> for permission of the kings +of Spain and Portugal, and engrossed in the public, so that few +Negroes were brought, and those excessive dear.</p> +<p>It happened, being in company with some merchants and planters +of my acquaintance, and talking of those things very earnestly, +three of them came to me the next morning, and told me they had +been musing very much upon what I had discoursed with them of, the +last night, and they came to make a secret proposal to me; and +after enjoining me to secrecy, 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 could not be carried on, because they could not +publicly sell the Negroes when they came home, so they desired to +make but one voyage, to bring the Negroes on shore privately, and +divide them among their own plantations; and in a word, the +question was, whether I would go their supercargo in the ship, to +manage the trading part upon the coast of Guinea? and they offered +me that I should have my equal share of the Negroes, without +providing any part of the stock.</p> +<p>This was a fair proposal, it must be confessed, had it been made +to any one that had not had a settlement and plantation of his own +to look after, which was in a fair way of coming to be very +considerable, and with a good stock upon it. But for me, that was +thus entered and established, and had nothing to do but 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.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page40"></a>[page 40]</span> 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 obliging 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 be shipped to England.</p> +<p>In short, I took all possible caution to preserve my effects, +and 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, leaving all the +probable views of a thriving circumstance, and gone upon a voyage +to sea, attended with all its common hazards; to say nothing of the +reasons I had to expect particular misfortunes to myself.</p> +<p>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 +1st of September, 1650, being the same day eight years that I went +from my father and mother at Hull, in order to act the rebel to +their authority, and the fool to my own interest.</p> +<p>Our ship was about one hundred and twenty ton burden, carrying +six guns, and fourteen men, besides the master, his boy, and +myself; we had on board no large cargo of goods, except of such +toys as were fit for our trade with the Negroes, such as beads, +bits of glass, shells, and odd trifles, especially little +looking-glasses, knives, scissars, hatchets, and the like.</p> +<p>The same day I went on board we set sail, standing away to the +northward upon our own coast, with <span class="pagenum">[page +41]</span> design to stretch over for the African coast; when they +came about 10 or 12 degrees of northern latitude, which it seems +was the manner of their course in those days. We had very good +weather, only excessive hot, all the way upon our own coast, till +we made the height of Cape St. Augustino, from whence keeping +farther off at sea we lost sight of land, and steered as if we were +bound for the isle Fernand 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 min. northern latitude, when a violent +tornado or hurricane took us quite out of our knowledge; it began +from the south-east, came about to the north-west, and then settled +into the north-east, from whence it blew in such a terrible manner, +that for twelve days together we could do nothing but drive; and +scudding away before it, let it carry us whither ever fate and the +fury of the winds directed; and during these twelve days, I need +not say that I expected every day to be swallowed up, nor indeed +did any in the ship expect to save their lives.</p> +<p>In this distress, we had, besides the terror of the storm, one +of our men die of the calenture, and one man and the boy washed +overboard; about the twelfth day the weather abating a little, the +master made an observation as well as he could, and found that he +was in about 11 degrees north latitude, but that he was 22 degrees +of longitude difference west from Cape St. Augustino; so that he +found he was gotten upon the coast of Guinea, or the north part of +Brasil, beyond the river Amazones, toward that of the river +Oronoque, 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 +Brasil.</p> +<p>I was positively against that, and looking over the charts of +the sea coasts of America with him we concluded there was no +inhabited country for us to have recourse to, till we came within +the circle of the <span class="pagenum">[page 42]</span> 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.</p> +<p>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 being +devoured by savages than ever returning to our own country.</p> +<p>In this distress, the wind still blowing very hard, one of our +men early in the morning cried out, <i>Land!</i> and we had no +sooner run out of the cabin to look out in hopes of seeing +whereabouts in the world we were, but the ship struck upon a sand, +and in a moment, her motion being so stopped, the sea broke over +her in such a manner, 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.</p> +<p>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 +circumstances; we knew nothing where we were, or upon what land it +was we were driven, whether an island or the main, whether +inhabited 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 one upon another, and expecting +death every moment, and every man acting <span class= +"pagenum">[page 43]</span> accordingly, as preparing 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.</p> +<p>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 place she broke away, and either sunk or was driven off to +sea; so there was no hope from her. We had another boat on board, +but how to get her off into the sea was a doubtful thing; however, +there was no room to debate, for we fancied the ship would break in +pieces every minute, and some told us she was actually broken +already.</p> +<p>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 +dreadful high upon the shore, and might well be called <i>den wild +zee</i>, as the Dutch call the sea in a storm.</p> +<p>And now our case was very dismal indeed; for we all saw plainly, +that the sea went so high, that the boat could not live, and that +we should be inevitably drowned. As to making sail, we had none, +nor, if we had, could we have done any thing with it; so we worked +at the 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 into 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 <span class="pagenum">[page +44]</span> towards the shore, we hastened our destruction with our +own hands, pulling as well as we could towards land.</p> +<p>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 happen into 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.</p> +<p>After we had rowed, or rather driven about a league and a half, +as we reckoned it, a raging wave, mountain-like, came rolling +astern of us, and plainly had us expect the <i>coup-de-grace</i>. +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 hardly to say O God! for we were all swallowed up +in a moment.</p> +<p>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 impossible to avoid it; for I saw the sea come after me as +high as a great hill, and as furious as an enemy which I had no +means or strength to contend with; my business was to hold my +breath, and raise myself upon the water, if I could; and so by +swimming to preserve my breathing, and pilot myself towards the +shore, if possible; my greatest <span class="pagenum">[page +45]</span> 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.</p> +<p>The wave that came upon me again, buried me at once twenty or +thirty foot deep in its own body; and I could feel myself carried +with a mighty force and swiftness towards the shore a very great +way; but I held my breath, and assisted myself to swim still +forward with all my might. I was ready to burst with holding my +breath, when, as I felt myself 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 water went from me, and then took to +my heels, and ran with what strength I had farther towards the +shore. But neither would this deliver me from the fury of the sea, +which came pouring in after me again; and twice more I was lifted +up by the waves and carried forwards as before, the shore being +very flat.</p> +<p>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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 46]</span> first, being near 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 clifts of the shore, and sat me down +upon the grass, free from danger, and quite out of the reach of the +water.</p> +<p>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; +and I do not wonder now at that custom, viz. that when a +malefactor, who has the halter about his neck, is tied up, and just +going to be turned off, and has a reprieve brought to him: I say, I +do not wonder that they bring a surgeon with it, to let him blood +that very moment they tell him of it, that the surprise may not +drive the animal spirits from the heart, and overwhelm him:</p> +<blockquote>For sudden joys, like griefs, confound at +first.</blockquote> +<p>I walked about on the shore, lifting up my hands and my whole +being, as I may say, wrapt up in the 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 cap, and two shoes that were not +fellows.</p> +<p>I cast my eyes to the stranded vessel, when the breach and troth +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!</p> +<p>After I had solaced my mind with the comfortable <span class= +"pagenum">[page 47]</span> part of my condition, I began to look +round me, to see what kind of place I was in, and what was next to +be done; and I soon found my comforts abate, and that in a word I +had a dreadful deliverance; for I was wet, had no clothes to shift +me, nor any thing 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 provision, 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, seeing at night they always come abroad for their +prey.</p> +<p>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, as 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 the most refreshed with it +that I think I ever was on such an occasion.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 48]</span> 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 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.</p> +<p>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 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.</p> +<p>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 from 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 out of the water, there was nothing +within my reach to lay hold of. I swam round her twice, and the +second time I spied a small piece of a 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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 49]</span> lay so on the side of a bank +of hard sand, or rather earth, and her stern lay lifted up upon the +bank, and her head low almost to the water: by this means all her +quarter was free, and all that was in that part was dry; 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 bisket, +and ate 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 +drain, 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.</p> +<p>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 topmast or +two in the ship; I resolved to fall to work with these, and flung +as many of them overboard as I could manage of their weight, tying +every one with a rope, that they might not drive away. When this +was done I went down the ship’s side, and pulling them to me, I +tied four of them fast 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 crossways, I found I could walk upon it very well, but +that it was not able to bear any great weight, the pieces being too +light; so I went to work, and with the carpenter’s saw I cut a +spare topmast into three lengths, and added them to my raft, with a +great deal of labour and pains; but hope of furnishing myself with +necessaries encouraged me to go beyond what I should have been able +to have done upon another occasion.</p> +<p>My raft was now strong enough to bear any reasonable weight; my +next care was what to load it with, and how to preserve what I laid +upon it from the surf <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page50"></a>[page 50]</span> 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 afterwards 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 above 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 shore upon the sand, swim +away; as for my breeches, which were only linen, and open-kneed, I +swam on board in them and my stockings: however, this put me upon +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 valuable than a +ship-loading of gold would have been at that time: I got it down to +my raft, even whole as it was, without losing time to look into it, +for I knew in general what it contained.</p> +<p>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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 51]</span> powder in the ship, but knew +not where our gunner had stowed them; but with much search I found +them, two of them dry and good, the third 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, or rudder, and the least +capful of wind would have overset all my navigation.</p> +<p>I had three encouragements: 1. A smooth, calm sea; 2. The tide +rising and setting in to the shore; 3. What little wind there was +blew me towards the land: and thus, having found two or three +broken oars belonging to the boat, and besides the tools which were +in the chest, I found two saws, an axe, and a hammer; and 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.</p> +<p>As I imagined, so it was: there appeared before me a little +opening of the land, and I found a strong current of the tide set +into it, so I guided my raft as well as I could to keep in the +middle of the stream; but here I had like to have suffered a second +shipwreck, which, if I had, I think verily would have broke my +heart; for knowing nothing of the coast, my raft run 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 that +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 <span class="pagenum">[page +52]</span> 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 or 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.</p> +<p>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 like to have dipped all my +cargo in 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 +the float, if it run 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.</p> +<p>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, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 53]</span> and one of the pistols, and an horn of +powder, and thus armed I travelled for discovery up to the top of +that hill, where, after I had with great labour and difficulty got +to the top, I saw my fates 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.</p> +<p>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, but from +all parts of the wood there arose an innumerable number of fowls of +many sorts, making a confused screaming, and crying every one +according to his usual note; but not one of them of any kind that I +knew. As for the creature I killed, I took it to be a kind of a +hawk, its colour and beak resembling it, but had no talons or claws +more than common; its flesh was carrion, and fit for nothing.</p> +<p>Contented with this discovery, I came back to my raft, and fell +to work to bring my cargo on shore, which took me up the rest of +that day; and what to do with myself at night I knew not, nor +indeed where to rest; for I was afraid to lie down on the ground, +not knowing but some wild beast might devour me; though, as I +afterwards found, there was really no need for those fears.</p> +<p>However, as well as I could, I barricadoed myself round with the +chests and boards that I had brought on shore, and made a kind of a +hut for that night’s lodging. As for food, I yet saw not which way +to supply myself, except that I had seen two or three <span class= +"pagenum">[page 54]</span> creatures like hares run out of the wood +where I shot the fowl.</p> +<p>I now began to consider, that I might yet get a great many +things out of the ship, which would be useful to me, and +particularly some of the rigging and sails, and such other things +as might come to land, and I resolved to make another voyage on +board the vessel, if possible; and as I knew that the first storm +that blew must necessarily break her all in pieces, I resolved to +set all other things apart, till I got every thing 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 checked shirt and a pair of linen trowsers, +and a pair of pumps on my feet.</p> +<p>I got on board the ship, as before, and prepared a second raft; +and having had experience of the first, I neither made this so +unwieldy, nor loaded it so hard, 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 grindstone; all these I secured, together +with several things belonging to the gunner, particularly two or +three iron crows, and two barrels of musket-bullets, seven muskets, +and another fowling-piece, with some small quantity of powder more; +a large 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.</p> +<p>Besides these things, I took all the men’s clothes that I could +find, and a spare fore-topsail, hammock, and some bedding; and with +this I loaded my second raft, and brought them all safe on shore, +to my very great comfort.</p> +<p>I was under some apprehensions during my absence from the land, +that at least my provisions might be <span class="pagenum">[page +55]</span> devoured on shore; but when I came back, I found no sign +of any visitor, only there sat a creature like a wild cat upon one +of the chests, which, when I came towards it, ran away a little +distance, and then stood still; she sat very composed and +unconcerned, and looked full in my face, as if she had a mind to be +acquainted with me; I presented my gun at her, but as she did not +understand it, she was perfectly unconcerned at it, nor did she +offer to stir away; upon which I tossed her a bit of biscuit, +though by the way I was not very free of it, for my store was not +great: however, I spared her a bit, I say, and she went to it, +smelled of it, and ate it, and looked, as pleased, for more; but I +thanked her, and could spare no more; so she marched off.</p> +<p>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 every thing 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.</p> +<p>When I had done this, I blocked up the door of the tent with +some boards within; and an empty chest set up an 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, as the night before I had slept little, and had laboured +very hard all day, as well to fetch all those things from the ship +as to get them on shore.</p> +<p>I had the biggest magazine of all kinds now that ever were laid +up, I believe, for one man; but I was not satisfied still; for +while the ship sat upright in that posture, I thought I ought to +get every thing out of her that I could; so every day at low water +I went <span class="pagenum">[page 56]</span> 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 +canvass, 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 canvass only.</p> +<p>But that which comforted me more still, was, that at 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, and three large runlets of rum or spirits, and a box of +sugar, and a barrel of fine flower; 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 on shore +also.</p> +<p>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 every thing I could to make a large raft, I +loaded it with all those 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 great part of it lost, especially +the iron, which I expected would have been of <span class= +"pagenum">[page 57]</span> great use to me: however, when the tide +was out, I got most of the pieces of cable ashore, and some of the +iron, though with infinite labour; 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.</p> +<p>I had been now thirteen days on shore, and had been eleven times +on board the ship; in which time I had brought 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 scissars, 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 Brasil, some pieces +of eight, some gold, some silver.</p> +<p>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 of 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 canvass, 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 presently 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 be gone before the tide of flood began, +otherwise I might not be able to reach the shore at all; +accordingly I let myself down into the water, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 58]</span> and swam cross the channel which lay +between the ship and the sands, and even that with difficulty +enough, partly with the weight of 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.</p> +<p>But I was gotten 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 this +satisfactory reflection, viz. that I had lost no time, nor abated +no diligence to get every thing out of her that could be useful to +me, and that indeed there was little left in her that I was able to +bring away, if I had had more time.</p> +<p>I now gave over any more thoughts of the ship, or of any thing +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.</p> +<p>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 resolved upon both, the manner and description of which it +may not be improper to give an account of.</p> +<p>I soon found the place I was in was not for my settlement, +particularly because it was upon a low moorish ground near the sea, +and I 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 more convenient spot of ground.</p> +<p>I consulted several things in my situation which I found would +be proper for me: 1st, Health, and fresh water, I just now +mentioned, 2dly, Shelter from the heat of the sun. 3dly, Security +from ravenous creatures, <span class="pagenum">[page 59]</span> +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 +deliverance, of which I was not willing to banish all my +expectation yet.</p> +<p>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 this 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.</p> +<p>On the flat of the green, just before this hollow place, I +resolved to pitch my tent: this plain was not above an hundred +yards broad, and about twice as long, and lay like a green before +my door, and at the end of it descended irregularly every way down +into the low grounds by the sea-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.</p> +<p>Before I set up my tent, I drew a half-circle before the hollow +place, which took in about ten yards in its semi-diameter from the +rock, and twenty yards in its diameter, from its beginning and +ending.</p> +<p>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 about five foot and a half, and +sharpened on the top; the two rows did not stand above six inches +from one another.</p> +<p>Then I took the pieces of cable which I had cut in the ship, and +laid them in rows one upon another, within the circle between these +two rows of stakes, up to the top, placing other stakes in the +inside, leaning against them, about two foot and a half high, like +a spur to a post; and this fence was so strong, that neither man or +beast could get into it or over it: this cost me a great deal of +time and labour, especially to cut <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page60"></a>[page 60]</span> the piles in the woods, bring them to +the place, and drive them into the earth.</p> +<p>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 afterward, there was no need of all this caution +from the enemies that I apprehended danger from.</p> +<p>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 me a large tent, which, to +preserve me from the rains, that in one part of the year are very +violent there, I made double, viz. 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.</p> +<p>And now I lay no more for awhile 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.</p> +<p>Into this tent I brought all my provisions, and every thing 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.</p> +<p>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, +that so 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.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 61]</span> +some of my thoughts. At the same time it happened, after I had laid +my scheme for the setting up my tent, and making the cave, that a +storm of rain falling from a thick dark cloud, a sudden flash of +lightning happened, and after that a great clap of thunder, as is +naturally the effect of it. I was not so much surprised with the +lightning, as I was with a thought which darted into my mind as +swift as the lightning itself; O my powder! my very heart sunk +within me, when I thought, that at one blast all my powder might be +destroyed; on which, not my defence only, but the providing me +food, as I thought, entirely depended; I was nothing near so +anxious about my own danger; though, had the powder took fire, I +had never known who had hurt me.</p> +<p>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 hope, that, +whatever might come, it might not all take fire at once, and to +keep it so apart, that it should not be possible to make one part +fire another. I finished this work in about a fortnight; and I +think my powder, which in all was about two hundred and forty +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.</p> +<p>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 any thing 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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 62]</span> 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 vallies, though they were upon the +rocks, they would run away as in a terrible fright; but if they +were feeding in the vallies, 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 afterward I took +this method; I always climbed the rocks first, to get above them, +and then had frequently a fair mark. The first shot I made among +these creatures killed a she-goat, which had a little kid by her +which she gave suck to, which grieved me heartily; but 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.</p> +<p>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, as also how I enlarged my cave, and what +conveniencies I made, I shall give a full account of in its place; +but I must first give some little account of myself, and of my +thoughts about living, which it may well be supposed were not a +few.</p> +<p>I had a dismal prospect of my condition; for as I was not cast +away upon that island without being driven, as is said, by a +violent storm quite out of the <span class="pagenum">[page +63]</span> course of our intended voyage, and a great way, viz. +some hundreds of leagues out of the ordinary course of the trade of +mankind, I had great reason to consider it as a determination of +Heaven, that in this desolate place, and in this desolate manner, I +should end my life. The tears would run plentifully down my face +when I made these reflections; and sometimes I would expostulate +with myself, why Providence should thus completely ruin his +creatures, and render them so absolutely miserable, so without help +abandoned, so entirely depressed, that it could hardly be rational +to be thankful for such a life.</p> +<p>But something always returned swift upon me to check these +thoughts, and to reprove me; and particularly one day, walking with +my gun in my hand by the sea-side, I was very pensive upon the +subject of my present condition, when reason, as it were, +expostulating with the t’other way, thus: “Well, you are in a +desolate condition, ’tis true, but pray remember, where are the +rest of you? Did not you come eleven of you into the boat? Where +are the ten? Why were they not saved and you lost? Why were you +singled out? Is it better to be here or there?” And then I pointed +to the sea. All evils are to be considered with the good that is in +them, and with what worse attended them.</p> +<p>Then it occurred to me again, how well I was furnished for my +subsistence, and what would have been my ease if it had not +happened, which was an hundred thousand to one, that the ship +floated from the place where she first struck, and was driven so +near the shore that I had time to get all these things out of her. +What would have been my case, if I had been to have lived in the +condition in which I at first came on shore, without necessaries of +life, or necessaries to supply and procure them? “particularly,” +said I, loud (though to myself), “what should I have done without a +gun, without ammunition, without any tools to make any thing, or to +work with; without clothes, bedding, a tent, or any manner of +covering?” and <span class="pagenum">[page 64]</span> that now I +had all these to a sufficient quantity, and was in a fair way to +provide myself in such a manner, as to live without my gun when my +ammunition was spent; so that I had a tolerable view of subsisting, +without any want, as long as I lived; for I considered from the +beginning how I should provide for the accidents that might happen, +and for the time that was to come, even not only after my +ammunition should be spent, but even after my health or strength +should decay.</p> +<p>I confess I had not entertained any notion of my ammunition +being destroyed at one blast, I mean my powder being blown up by +lightning; and this made the thoughts of it so surprising to me +when it lightned and thundered, as I observed just now.</p> +<p>And now, being about to enter into a melancholy relation of a +scene of silent life, such perhaps as was never heard of in the +world before, I shall take it from its beginning, and continue it +in its order. It was, by my account, the 30th of September, when, +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 of 9 degrees 22 minutes north of the line.</p> +<p>After I had been there about ten or twelve days, it came into my +thoughts, that I should lose my reckoning of time for want of +books, and pen and ink, and should even forget the sabbath days +from the working days; but to prevent this, I cut it with my knife +upon a large post, in capital letters, and making it into a great +cross, I set it up on the shore where I first landed, viz. “I came +on shore here on the 30th of September 1659.” Upon the sides of +this square post, I cut every day a notch with my knife, and every +seventh notch was as long again as the rest, and every first day of +the month as long again as that long one; and thus I kept my +calendar, or weekly, monthly, and yearly reckoning of time.</p> +<p>In the next place we are to observe, that among <span class= +"pagenum">[page 65]</span> 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 all less useful +to me, which I omitted setting down before; as in particular, pens, +ink, and paper, several parcels in the captain’s, mate’s, gunner’s, +and carpenter’s keeping, three or four compasses, some mathematical +instruments, dials, 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 it’s 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 he could not do. As I observed before, I found pen, +ink, and paper, and I husbanded them to the utmost; and I shall +shew, 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.</p> +<p>And this put me in mind that I wanted many things, +notwithstanding all that I had amassed together; and of these, this +of ink was one, as also spade, pickaxe, and shovel, to dig or +remove the earth; needles, pins, and thread. As for linen, I soon +learnt to want that without much difficulty.</p> +<p>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 habitation: the piles or stakes, which were as heavy +as I <span class="pagenum">[page 66]</span> 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 sometimes 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, yet it made driving those posts or +piles very laborious and tedious work.</p> +<p>But what need I have been concerned at the tediousness of any +thing I had to do, seeing I had time enough to do it in? Nor had I +any other employment if that had been over, at least that I could +foresee, except the ranging the island to seek for food, which I +did more or less every day.</p> +<p>I now began to consider seriously my condition, and the +circumstance 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 like to have but few heirs, as to deliver +my thoughts from daily poring upon them, and afflicting my mind; +and as my reason began now to master my despondency, I began to +comfort myself as well as I could, and to set the good against the +evil, that I might have something to distinguish my case from +worse; and I stated it very impartially, like debtor and creditor, +the comforts I enjoyed against the miseries I suffered, thus:</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 67]</span> +<blockquote> +<table width="60%" summary=""> +<tr align="left"> +<th><i>Evil</i>.</th> +<th><i>Good</i>.</th> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>I am cast upon a horrible</td> +<td>But I am alive, and</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>desolate island, void</td> +<td>not drowned, as all my</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>of all hope of recovery.</td> +<td>ship’s company was.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>I am singled out and</td> +<td>But I am singled out</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>separated, as it were,</td> +<td>too from all the ship’s</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>from all the world to be</td> +<td>crew to be spared from</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>miserable.</td> +<td>death; and He that</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>miraculously saved me from</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>death, can deliver me</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>from this condition.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>I am divided from</td> +<td>But I am not starved</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>mankind, a solitaire, one</td> +<td>and perishing on a barren</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>banished from human society.</td> +<td>place, affording no sustenance.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>I have not clothes to</td> +<td>But I am in a hot climate,</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>cover me.</td> +<td>where if I had</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>clothes I could hardly wear</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>them.</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>I am without any defence</td> +<td>But I am cast on an</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>or means to resist</td> +<td>island, where I see no</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>any violence of man or</td> +<td>wild beasts to hurt me,</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>beast.</td> +<td>as I saw on the coast of</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>Africa: and what if I</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>had been shipwrecked</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>there?</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>I have no soul to speak</td> +<td>But God wonderfully</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>to, or relieve me.</td> +<td>sent the ship in near</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>enough to the shore, that</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>I have gotten out so many</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>necessary things as will</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>either supply my wants,</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>or enable me to supply</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>myself even as long as I</td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td>live.</td> +</tr> +</table> +</blockquote> +<p>Upon the whole, here was an undoubted testimony, that there was +scarce any condition in the world so miserable, but there was +something <i>negative</i> or something <i>positive</i> to be +thankful for in it; and let this stand as a direction from the +experience of the most miserable of all conditions in this world, +that we may always find in it something to comfort ourselves from, +and to set, in the description of good and evil, on the credit side +of the account.</p> +<p>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 accommodate my +way of living, and to make things as easy to me as I could.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 68]</span> +<p>I have already described my habitation, which was a tent under +the side of a rock, surrounded with a strong pale of posts and +cables; but I might now rather call it a wall, for I raised a kind +of wall up against it of turfs, about two foot thick on the +outside; and after some time, I think it was a year and 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>This gave me not only egress and regress, as it were a back-way +to my tent and to my storehouse, but gave me room to stow my +goods.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>So I went to work; and here I must needs observe, that as reason +is the substance and original of the mathematics, so by stating and +squaring every thing 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 69]</span> +have made it, especially if I had had tools; however, I made +abundance of things, even without tools, and some with no more +tools than an adze and a hatchet, which perhaps were never made +that way before, and that with infinite labour: for example, if I +wanted a board, I had no other way but to cut down a tree, set it +on an edge before me, and hew it flat on either side with my axe, +till I had brought it to be as thin as a plank, and then dub it +smooth with my adze. It is true, 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.</p> +<p>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 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, and in a word, to separate +every thing at large in 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.</p> +<p>So that, had my cave been to be seen, it looked like a general +magazine of all necessary things; and I had every thing 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.</p> +<p>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 a 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. the 30th, after I got to shore, and had +escaped drowning, <span class="pagenum"><a name="page70"></a>[page +70]</span> instead of being thankful to God for my deliverance, +having first vomited with the great quantity of salt water which +was gotten 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.</p> +<p>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 looking 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.</p> +<p>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 those particulars over again) as long as it lasted; for +having no more ink, I was forced to leave it off.</p> +<hr style="width: 25%;"> +<br> +<h2>THE JOURNAL.</h2> +<h3><i>September 30, 1659</i>.</h3> +<br> +<p>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.</p> +<p>All the rest of that day I spent in afflicting myself at the +dismal circumstances I was brought to, viz. I <span class= +"pagenum">[page 71]</span> had neither food, house, clothes, +weapon, or 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.</p> +<p>October 1. In the morning I saw, to my great surprise, the ship +had floated with the high tide, and was driven on shore again much +nearer the island; which as it was some comfort on one hand, for +seeing her sit upright, and not broken to pieces, I hoped, if the +wind abated, I might get on board, and get some food and +necessaries out of her for my relief; so on the other hand, it +renewed my grief at the loss of my comrades, who I imagined, if we +had all staid on board, might have saved the ship, or at least that +they would not have been all drowned, as they were; and that, had +the men been saved, we might perhaps have built us a boat out of +the ruins of the ship, to have carried us to some other part of the +world. I spent great part of this day in perplexing myself on these +things; but at length, seeing the ship almost dry, I went upon the +sand as near as I could, and then swam on board. This day also it +continued raining, though with no wind at all.</p> +<p>From the 1st 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 these days, though with some intervals of fair +weather: but, it seems, this was the rainy season.</p> +<p>Oct. 20. I overset my raft, and all the goods I had got up upon +it; but being in shoal water, and the things being chiefly heavy, I +recovered many of them when the tide was out.</p> +<p>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, <span class="pagenum">[page 72]</span> and that only +at low water. I spent this day in covering and securing the goods +which I had saved, that rain might not spoil them.</p> +<p>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 cable, and without with turf.</p> +<p>From the 26th to the 30th I worked very hard in carrying all my +goods to my new habitation, though some part of the time it rained +exceeding hard.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>Nov. 4. This morning I began to order my times of work, of going +out with my gun, time of sleep, and time of diversion; viz. every +morning I walked out with my gun for two or three hours, if it did +not rain, then employed myself to work till about eleven o’clock, +then ate what I had to live on, and from twelve to two I lay down +to sleep, the weather being excessive hot, and then in the evening +to work again: the working part of this day and of the next were +<span class="pagenum">[page 73]</span> wholly employed in making my +table, for I was yet but a very sorry workman, though time and +necessity make me a complete natural mechanic soon after, as I +believe it would do any one else.</p> +<p>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 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 frighted 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.</p> +<p>Nov. 6. After my morning walk I went to work with my table +again, and finished it, though not to my liking, nor was it long +before I learnt to mend it.</p> +<p>Nov. 7. Now it began to be settled fair weather. The 7th, 8th, +9th, 10th, and part of the 12th (for the 11th was Sunday), I took +wholly up to make me a chair, and with much ado brought it to a +tolerable shape, but never to please me; and even in the making I +pulled it in pieces several times. <i>Note</i>, I soon neglected my +keeping Sundays, for omitting my mark for them on my post, I forgot +which was which.</p> +<p>Nov. 13. This day it rained, which refreshed me exceedingly, and +cooled the earth, but it was accompanied with terrible thunder and +lightning, which frighted me dreadfully for fear of my powder: as +soon as it was over I resolved to separate my stock of powder into +as many little parcels as possible, that it might not be in +danger.</p> +<p>Nov. 14, 15, 16. These three days I spent in making little +square chests or boxes, which might hold a pound, or two pound, 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.</p> +<p>Nov. 17. This day I began to dig behind my tent <span class= +"pagenum">[page 74]</span> into the rock, to make room for my +farther conveniency. <i>Note</i>, Three things I wanted exceedingly +for this work, viz. a pickaxe, a shovel, and a wheel-barrow or +basket; so I desisted from my work, and began to consider how to +supply that want, and make me some tools: as for a 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.</p> +<p>Nov. 18. The next day in searching the woods I found a tree of +that wood, or like it, which in the Brasils 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.</p> +<p>The excessive hardness of the wood, and 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 broad 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.</p> +<p>I was still deficient, for I wanted a basket or a wheel-barrow; +a basket I could not make by any means, having no such things as +twigs that would bend to make wicker-ware, at least none yet found +out; and as to a wheel-barrow, 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.</p> +<p>This was not so difficult to me as the making the <span class= +"pagenum">[page 75]</span> shovel; and yet this, and the shovel, +and the attempt which I made in vain to make a wheel-barrow, took +me up no less than four days, I mean always excepting my morning +walk with my gun, which I seldom failed; and very seldom failed +also bringing home something to eat.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p><i>Note</i>, 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.</p> +<p>Dec. 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 gravedigger. Upon this disaster I had 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.</p> +<p>Dec. 11. This day I went to work with it accordingly, 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 my house.</p> +<p>Dec. 17. From this day to the twentieth I placed <span class= +"pagenum">[page 76]</span> shelves, and knocked up nails on the +posts to hang every thing up that could be hung up: and now I began +to be in some order within doors.</p> +<p>Dec. 20. Now I carried every thing 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.</p> +<p>Dec. 24. Much rain all night and all day; no stirring out.</p> +<p>Dec. 25. Rain all day.</p> +<p>Dec. 26. No rain, and the earth much cooler than before and +pleasanter.</p> +<p>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 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 nursing it so long it grew tame, and fed upon the little green +at my door, and would not go away. This was the first time that I +entertained a thought of breeding up some tame creatures, that I +might have food when my powder and shot was all spent.</p> +<p>Dec. 28, 29, 30. 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.</p> +<p>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 vallies which lay towards the centre of the +island, I found there was plenty of goats, though exceeding shy and +hard to come at; however, I resolved to try if I could not bring my +dog to hunt them down.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>Jan. 3. I began my fence or wall; which, being <span class= +"pagenum">[page 77]</span> still jealous of my being attacked by +somebody, I resolved to make very thick and strong.</p> +<blockquote>N.B. This wall being described before, I purposely omit +what was said, in the Journal; it is sufficient to observe, that I +was no less time than from the 3d of January to the 14th of April, +working, finishing, and perfecting this wall, though it was no more +than about twenty-four yards in length, being a half-circle from +one place in the rock to another place about eight yards from it, +the door of the cave being in the centre behind it.</blockquote> +<p>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 until this wall was finished; and it is scarce +credible what inexpressible labour every thing 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.</p> +<p>When this wall was finished, and the outside double fenced with +a turf wall raised up close to it, I persuaded myself that if any +people were to come on shore there, they would not perceive any +thing like a habitation; and it was very well I did so, as may be +observed hereafter upon a very remarkable occasion.</p> +<p>During this time I made my rounds in the woods for game every +day, when the rain admitted me, and made frequent discoveries in +these walks of something or other to my advantage; particularly I +found a kind of wild pigeons, who built not as wood pigeons in a +tree, but rather as house pigeons, in the holes of the rocks; and +taking some young ones, I endeavoured to breed them up tame, and +did so; but when they grew older they flew away, which perhaps was +at first for want of feeding them, for I had nothing to give them; +however, I frequently found their nests, and got their young ones, +which were very good meat.</p> +<p>And now, in the managing my household affairs, I found myself +wanting in many things, which I <span class="pagenum">[page +78]</span> thought at first it was impossible for me to make, as +indeed as to 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 to the capacity of making one by +them, though I spent many weeks about it; I could neither put in +the heads, or joint the staves so true to one another as to make +them hold water: so I gave that also over.</p> +<p>In the next place, I was at a great loss for candle; 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, +rummaging my things, I found a little bag, which, as I hinted +before, 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; what little remainder of corn had been in the bag, was all +devoured with the rats, and I saw nothing in the bag but husks and +dust; and being willing to have the bag for some other use, I 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.</p> +<p>It was a little before the great rains, just now mentioned, that +I threw this stuff away, taking no notice of any thing, and not so +much as remembering that I had thrown any thing there; when about a +month after, or thereabout, 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 surprised and perfectly astonished, +when after a little <span class="pagenum">[page 79]</span> longer +time I saw about ten or twelve ears come out, which were perfect +green barley of the same kind as our European, nay, as our English +barley.</p> +<p>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, or had entertained any sense of any thing that had befallen +me, otherwise than as a 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 in the world: but +after I saw barley grow there, in a climate which I knew was not +proper for corn, and especially that I knew not how it came there, +it startled me strangely, and I began to suggest, that God had +miraculously caused this grain to grow without any help of seed +sown, and that it was so directed purely for my sustenance on that +wild miserable place.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>I not only thought these the pure productions of Providence for +my support, but not doubting but that there was more in the place, +I went all over that part of the island, where I had been before, +peeping 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 thought, that I +had 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 +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; <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page80"></a>[page 80]</span> for it was really +the work of Providence as to me, that should order or appoint ten +or twelve grains of corn to remain unspoiled, when the rats had +destroyed all the rest, as if it had been dropped from heaven: as +also, that I should throw it out in that particular place, where, +it being in the shade of a high rock, it sprang up immediately; +whereas if I had thrown it any were else at that time, it had been +burnt up and destroyed.</p> +<p>I carefully saved the ears of 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.</p> +<p>Besides this barley there were, as above, twenty or thirty +stalks of rice, which I preserved with the same care, and whose use +was of the same kind or to the same purpose, viz. to make me bread, +or rather food; for I found ways to cook it up without baking, +though I did that also after some time. But to return to my +journal.</p> +<p>I worked excessive hard these three or four months to get my +wall 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 in the outside of my habitation.</p> +<p>April 16. I finished the ladder; so I went up with the ladder to +the top, and then pulled it up after me, and let it down on 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.</p> +<p>The very next day after this wall was finished, I <span class= +"pagenum">[page 81]</span> had almost had all my labour overthrown +at once, and myself killed; the case was thus: As I was busy in the +inside of it behind my tent, just in the entrance into my cave, I +was terribly frighted with a most dreadful surprising thing indeed; +for 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 falling 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 stept +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.</p> +<p>I was so amazed with the thing itself, having never felt the +like, or discoursed with any one that had, that I was like one dead +or stupified; and the motion of the earth made my stomach sick, +like one that was tossed at sea; but the noise of the falling of +the rock awaked me, as it were, and rousing me from the stupified +condition I was in, filled me with horror, and I thought of nothing +then but the hill falling upon my tent and all my household goods, +and burying all at once; and this sunk my very soul within me a +second time.</p> +<p>After the third shock was over, and I felt no more <span class= +"pagenum">[page 82]</span> for some time, I began to take courage, +and yet I had not heart enough to get over my wall again, for fear +of being buried alive, but sat still upon the ground, greatly cast +down and disconsolate, not knowing what to do. All this while I had +not the least serious religious thought, nothing but the common +“Lord have mercy upon me!” and when it was over, that went away +too.</p> +<p>While I sat thus, I found the air overcast, and grow cloudy, as +if it would rain; soon after that the wind rose 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; and +this held about three hours, and then began to abate, and in two +hours more it was stark calm, and began to rain very hard.</p> +<p>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 consequence 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 and uneasy, for fear it should fall on my +head.</p> +<p>This violent rain forced me to a new work, viz. to cut a hole +through my new fortification like a sink, to let water go out, +which would else have drowned my cave. After I had been in my cave +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.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 83]</span> +<p>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 me some +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: +but concluded, if I staid where I was, I should certainly, one time +or other, be buried alive.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 every thing was put in order, how pleasantly concealed I +was, and how safe from danger, it made me very loth to remove.</p> +<p>In the meantime it occurred to me that it would require a vast +deal of time for me to do this, and that I must be contented to run +the 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 to. This was the 21st.</p> +<p>April 22. The next morning I began to consider of means to put +this resolve in 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 84]</span> +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. +<i>Note</i>, I had never seen any such thing in England, or at +least not to take notice how it was done, though since I have +observed it is very common there; besides that, my grindstone was +very large and heavy. This machine cost me a full week’s work to +bring it to perfection.</p> +<p>April 28, 29. These two whole days I took up in grinding my +tools, my machine for turning my grindstone performing very +well.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>May 1. In the morning, looking towards the sea-side, the tide +being low, I saw something lie on the shore bigger than ordinary; +and it looked like a cask; when I came to it, I found a small +barrel, and two or three pieces of the wreck of the ship, which +were driven on shore by the late hurricane; and looking towards the +wreck itself, I thought it seemed to lie higher out of the water +than it used to do. I examined the barrel which was driven on +shore, and soon found it was a barrel of 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 the wreck of the ship, to look for +more.</p> +<p>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 foot; and the stern, which was broke to pieces, and parted from +the rest by the force of the sea, soon after I had left rummaging +<span class="pagenum">[page 85]</span> her, was tossed, as it were, +up, and cast on one side, and the sand was thrown so high on that +side next her stern, that whereas there was a great place of water +before, so that I could not come within a quarter of a mile of the +wreck without swimming, I could now walk quite up to her when the +tide was out. I was surprised with this at first, but soon +concluded it must be done by the earthquake: and as by this +violence the ship was more broken open than formerly, so many +things came daily on shore, which the sea had loosened, and which +the winds and water rolled by degrees to the land.</p> +<p>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 that all the inside of +the ship was choked up with sand: however, as I had learnt not to +despair of any thing, I resolved to pull every thing to pieces that +I could of the ship, concluding, that every thing I could get from +her would be of some use or other to me.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>Way 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.</p> +<p>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 swim on shore when the tide of flood came +on.</p> +<p>May 6. Worked on the wreck, got several iron <span class= +"pagenum">[page 86]</span> 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.</p> +<p>May 7. Went to the wreck again, but with an intent not to work, +but found the weight of the wreck had broke itself down, the beams +being cut, that several pieces of the ship seemed to lie loose, and +the inside of the hold lay so open, that I could see into it, but +almost full of water and sand.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 the roll of +English lead, and could stir it, but it was too heavy to +remove.</p> +<p>May 10, 11, 12, 13, 14. Went every day to the wreck, and got a +great many pieces of timber, and boards, or plank, and two or three +hundred weight of iron.</p> +<p>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 drive the hatchet.</p> +<p>May 16. It had blown hard in the night, and the wreck appeared +more broken by the force of the water; but I staid so long in the +woods to get pigeons for food, that the tide prevented me going to +the wreck that day.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 flowing tide <span class="pagenum">[page 87]</span> 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 Brasil pork in it, but the +salt water and the sand had spoiled it.</p> +<p>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 employment, to be when the tide was up, that I might be +ready when it was ebbed out; and by this time I had gotten timber, +and plank, and iron-work enough to have built a good boat, if I had +known how; and also I got at several times, and in several pieces, +near one hundred weight of the sheet-lead.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 +savory 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>June 19. Very ill, and shivering, as if the weather had been +cold.</p> +<p>June 20. No rest all night, violent pains in my head, and +feverish.</p> +<p>June 21. Very ill, frighted almost to death with the +apprehensions of my sad condition, to be sick, and no help. Prayed +to God for the first time since the storm off Hull, but scarce knew +what I said, or why; my thoughts being all confused.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 88]</span> +<p>June 22. A little better, but under dreadful apprehensions of +sickness.</p> +<p>June 23. Very bad again, cold and shivering, and then a violent +headach.</p> +<p>June 24. Much better.</p> +<p>June 25. An ague very violent; the fit held me seven hours, cold +fit and hot, with faint sweats after it.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>June 27. The ague again so violent, that I lay abed all day, and +neither ate or 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 waked, I found myself much refreshed, but weak, and +exceeding thirsty: however, as I had no water in my whole +habitation, I was forced to lie till morning, and went to sleep +again. In this second sleep I had this terrible dream.</p> +<p>I thought 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.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 89]</span> +<p>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, that it is impossible to express +the terror of it; all that I can say I understood was this, “Seeing +all these things have not brought thee to repentance, now thou +shall die:” at which words I thought he lifted up the spear that +was in his hand to kill me.</p> +<p>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 +vision; I mean, that even while it was a dream, I even dreamed of +those horrors; 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.</p> +<p>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 +conversation with nothing but such as were, like myself, wicked and +profane to the last degree. I do not remember that I had in all +that time one thought that so much as tended either to looking +upwards toward God, or inwards towards a reflection upon my own +ways. But a certain stupidity of soul, without desire of good, or +conscience of evil, had entirely overwhelmed me, and I was all that +the most hardened, unthinking, wicked creature among our common +sailors can be supposed to be, not having the least sense, either +of the fear of God in danger, or of thankfulness to God in +deliverances.</p> +<p>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 <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page90"></a>[page 90]</span> 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, I +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.</p> +<p>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 on 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 <i>an unfortunate +dog</i>, and born to be always miserable.</p> +<p>It is true, when I got on shore first here, and found all my +ship’s crew drowned, and myself spared, I was surprised with a kind +of ecstasy, and some transports of soul, which, had the grace of +God assisted, might have come up to true thankfulness; but it ended +where it begun, in a mere common flight of joy, or, as I may say, +<i>being glad I was alive</i>, without the least reflection upon +the distinguishing goodness of the Hand which had preserved me, and +had singled me out to be preserved, when all the rest were +destroyed; or an inquiry why Providence had been thus merciful to +me; even just the same common sort of joy which seamen generally +have, after they have got safe on shore from a shipwreck, which +they drown all in the next bowl of punch, and forget almost as soon +as it is over; and all the rest of my life was like it.</p> +<p>Even when I was afterwards, on due consideration, made sensible +of my condition, how I was cast on this dreadful place, out of the +reach of human kind, out of all hope of relief, or prospect of +redemption, as soon <span class="pagenum">[page 91]</span> as I saw +but a prospect of living, and that I should not starve and perish +for hunger, all the sense of my affliction wore off, and I began to +be very easy, applied myself to the works proper for my +preservation and supply, and was far enough from being afflicted at +my condition, as a judgment from Heaven, or as the hand of God +against me: these were thoughts which very seldom entered into my +head.</p> +<p>The growing up of the corn, as is hinted in my Journal, had at +first some little influence upon me, and began to affect me with +seriousness, as long as I thought it had something miraculous in +it; but as soon as ever that part of thought was removed, all the +impression which was raised from it wore off also, as I have noted +already.</p> +<p>Even the earthquake, though nothing could be more terrible in +its nature, or more immediately directing to the invisible Power +which alone directs such things; yet no sooner was the first fright +over, but the impression it had made went off also. I had no more +sense of God, or his judgments, much less of the present affliction +of my circumstances being from his hand, than if I had been in the +most prosperous condition of life.</p> +<p>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, in which I had so evidently, by uncommon wickedness, +provoked the justice of God to lay me under uncommon strokes, and +to deal with me in so vindictive a manner.</p> +<p>These reflections oppressed me from the second or third day of +my distemper, and in the violence, as well of the fever as of the +dreadful reproaches of my conscience, extorted some words from me, +like praying to God, though I cannot say they were either a prayer +attended with desires, or with hopes; it was <span class= +"pagenum">[page 93]</span> rather the voice of mere fright and +distress; my thoughts were confused, the convictions great upon my +mind, and the horror of dying in such a miserable condition, raised +vapours into my head with the mere apprehensions; and, in these +hurries of my soul, I knew not what my tongue might express: but it +was rather exclamation, such as, “Lord! what a miserable creature +am I! If I should be sick, I shall certainly die for want of help, +and what will become of me!” Then the tears burst out of my eyes, +and I could say no more for a good while.</p> +<p>In this interval, the good advice of my father came to my mind; +and presently his prediction, which I mentioned in the beginning of +this story, viz. that if I did take this foolish step, God would +not bless me, and I would have leisure hereafter to reflect upon +having neglected his counsel, when there might be none to assist in +my recovery. “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 into +the world, and would have made every thing easy to me; and now I +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!”</p> +<p>This was the first prayer, if I might call it so, that I had +made for many years. But I return to my journal.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 93]</span> 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 ate, 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.</p> +<p>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:</p> +<p>What is the 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?</p> +<p>Sure we are all made by some secret Power, who formed the earth +and sea, the air and sky; and who is that?</p> +<p>Then it followed, most naturally: it is God that has made it +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 Being that could make all things, must certainly have +power to guide and direct them.</p> +<p>If so, nothing can happen in the great circuit of his works, +either without his knowledge or appointment.</p> +<p>And if nothing happens without his knowledge, he <span class= +"pagenum">[page 94]</span> knows that I am here, and am in a +dreadful condition; and if nothing happens without his appointment, +he has appointed all this to befal me.</p> +<p>Nothing occurred to my thoughts to contradict any of these +conclusions; and therefore it rested upon me with the greater +force, that it must needs be, that God had appointed all this to +befal me; that I was brought to this miserable circumstance by his +direction, he having the sole power, not of me only, but of every +thing that happened in the world. Immediately it followed,</p> +<p>Why has God done this to me? What have I done to be thus +used?</p> +<p>My conscience presently checked me in that inquiry, as if I had +blasphemed; and methought it spoke to me, like a voice; “Wretch! +dost thou ask what thou hast done? look back upon a dreadful +misspent life, and ask thyself what thou hast not done? ask, why is +it that thou wert not long ago destroyed? why wert thou not drowned +in Yarmouth Roads? killed in the fight when the ship was taken by +the Sallee man of war? devoured by the wild beasts on the coast of +Africa? or, drowned here, when all the crew perished but thyself? +Dost thou ask, What have I done?”</p> +<p>I was struck 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 apprehensions +of the return of my distemper terrified me very much, it occurred +to my thought, that the Brasilians 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.</p> +<p>I went, directed by Heaven, no doubt; for in this chest I found +a cure both for soul and body. I opened <span class="pagenum">[page +95]</span> the chest, and found what I looked for, viz. 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 so much as inclination, to look +into; I say I took it out, and brought both that and the tobacco +with me to the table.</p> +<p>What use to make of the tobacco I knew not, as to my distemper, +or whether it was good for it or no; but I tried several +experiments with it, as if I was resolved it should hit one way or +other: I first took a piece of a leaf, and chewed it in my mouth, +which indeed at first almost stupified my brain, the tobacco being +green and strong, and that I had not been much used to 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 suffocation.</p> +<p>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, and thou shalt +glorify me.”</p> +<p>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 was not for many +years that any hope appeared, this prevailed very often upon my +thoughts: but, however, the words made a very great impression upon +me, and I <span class="pagenum">[page 96]</span> 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 that I left my lamp +burning in the cave, lest I should want any thing in the night, and +went to bed; but before I lay down, I did what I never had done in +all my life: I kneeled down, and prayed to God to fulfil the +promise to me, that if I called upon him in the day of trouble, he +would deliver me. After my broken and imperfect prayer was over, I +drank the rum in which I had steeped the tobacco, which was so +strong and rank of the tobacco, that indeed I could scarce 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 the opinion, that I slept all the next day and night, and +till almost three the day after; for otherwise I knew 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>The 30th was my well day of course, and I went abroad with my +gun, but did not care to travel too far: I killed a sea-fowl or +two, something like a brand goose, and brought them home, but was +not very forward to eat them: so I ate some more of the turtle’s +eggs, which were very good. This evening I renewed the medicine +which I had supposed did me good the day before, viz. the tobacco +steeped in rum; <span class="pagenum">[page 97]</span> only I did +not take so much as before, nor did I chew any of the leaf, or hold +my head over the smoke; however, I was not so well the next day, +which was the 1st of July, as I hoped I should have been; for I had +a little spice of the cold fit, but it was not much.</p> +<p>July 2. I renewed the medicine all the three ways, and dozed +myself with it at first, and doubled the quantity which I +drank.</p> +<p>July 3. I missed the fit for good and all, though I did not +recover my full strength for some weeks after. While I was thus +gathering strength, my thoughts ran exceedingly upon this +scripture, “I will deliver thee;” and the impossibility of my +deliverance lay much upon my mind, in bar of my ever expecting it: +but as I was discouraging myself with such thoughts, it occurred to +my mind, that I pored so much upon my deliverance from the main +affliction, that I disregarded the deliverance I had received; and +I was, as it were, made to ask myself such questions as these; viz. +Have I not been delivered, and wonderfully too, from sickness? from +the most distressed condition that could be, and that was so +frightful to me? and what notice had I taken of it? had I done my +part? <i>God had delivered me;</i> but <i>I had not glorified +him</i>: that is to say, I had not owned and been thankful for that +as a deliverance; and how could I expect greater deliverance?</p> +<p>This touched my heart very much, and immediately I kneeled down, +and gave God thanks aloud, for my recovery from my sickness.</p> +<p>July 4. In the morning I took the Bible; and, beginning at the +New Testament, I began seriously to read it, and imposed upon +myself to read a while every morning and every night, not tying +myself to the number of chapters, but as 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 +wickedness of my past life; the impression of my dream revived, and +the <span class="pagenum">[page 98]</span> 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 hand 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!”</p> +<p>This was the first time that I could say, in the true sense of +the words, that I prayed in all my life; for now I prayed with a +sense of my condition, and with a true Scripture view of hope, +founded on the encouragement of the word of God; and from this +time, I may say, I began to have hope that God would hear me.</p> +<p>Now I began to construe the words mentioned above, “Call on me, +and I will deliver thee,” in a different sense from what I had ever +done before; for then I had no notion of any thing being called +deliverance, but my being delivered from the captivity I was in; +for though I was indeed at large in the place, yet the island was +certainly a prison to me, and that in the worst sense in the world; +but now I learnt to take it in another sense. Now I looked back +upon my past life with such horror, and my sins appeared so +dreadful, that my soul sought nothing of God, but deliverance from +the load of guilt that bore down all my comfort. As for my solitary +life, it was nothing; I did not so much as pray to be delivered +from it, or think of it; it was all of no consideration in +comparison of this; and I added this part here, to hint to whoever +shall read it, that whenever they come to a true sense of things, +they will find deliverance from sin a much greater blessing than +deliverance from affliction.</p> +<p>But, leaving this part, I return to my journal. My condition +began now to be, though not less miserable as to my way of living, +yet much easier to <span class="pagenum">[page 99]</span> my mind; +and my thoughts being directed, by a constant reading the +Scripture, and praying to God, to things of a higher nature, I had +a great deal of comfort within, which till now I knew nothing of; +also as my health and strength returned, I bestirred myself to +furnish myself with every thing that I wanted, and make my way of +living as regular as I could.</p> +<p>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 what 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 weaken me; for I had frequent convulsions in my +nerves and limbs for some time.</p> +<p>I learnt from it also this in particular, that being abroad in +the rainy season was the most pernicious thing to my health that +could be, especially in those rains which came attended with storms +and hurricanes of wind; for as the rain which came in a dry season +was always most accompanied with such storms, so I found this rain +was much more dangerous than the rain which fell in September and +October.</p> +<p>I had been now in this unhappy island above ten months; all +possibility 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 yet I knew nothing of.</p> +<p>It was 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 <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page100"></a>[page 100]</span> the tide did not flow any higher, +and that it was no more than a little brook of running water, and +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 +into any stream, so as it could be perceived.</p> +<p>On the bank of this brook I found many pleasant savannas or +meadows, plain, smooth, and covered with grass; and on the rising +parts of them next to the higher grounds, where the water, as it +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 understanding +about; and might perhaps have virtues of their own, which I could +not find out.</p> +<p>I searched for the cassave 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 then understand them: I saw several +sugar-canes, but wild, and, for want of cultivation, imperfect. I +contented myself with these discoveries for this time, and came +back, musing with myself what course I might take to know the +virtue and 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 Brasils, that I knew +little of the plants of the field, at least very little that might +serve me to any purpose now in my distress.</p> +<p>The next day, the 16th, I went up the same way again; and, after +going something farther than I had done the day before, I found the +brook and the savannas began to cease, and the country became more +woody than before. In this part I found different fruits, and +particularly 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 +and rich. This was a surprising discovery, and I was exceeding glad +of them; but I was warned by my experience to eat sparingly of +them, remembering, that <span class="pagenum">[page 101]</span> +when I was ashore in Barbary, the eating of grapes killed several +of our Englishmen who were slaves there, by throwing them into +fluxes and fevers: but I found an excellent use for these grapes, +and that was to cure or dry them in the sun, and keep them as dried +grapes or raisins are kept, which I thought would be, as indeed +they were, as wholesome, and as agreeable to eat, when no grapes +might be had.</p> +<p>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 into a tree, where I slept well, and the next morning +proceeded upon my discovery, travelling near 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.</p> +<p>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, every thing being in a constant verdure or flourish of +spring, that it looked like a planted garden.</p> +<p>I descended a little on the side of that delicious valley, +surveying it with a secret kind of pleasure (though mixed with +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 few bearing any fruit; at least, not then: +however, the green limes that I gathered were not only pleasant to +eat, but very wholesome; and I mixed their juice afterwards with +water, which made it very wholesome, and very cool and +refreshing.</p> +<p>I found now I had business enough to gather and carry home; and +resolved to lay up a store, as well of <span class="pagenum">[page +102]</span> grapes as limes and lemons, to furnish myself for the +wet season, which I knew was approaching.</p> +<p>In order to do this I gathered a great heap of grapes in one +place, and 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 homeward, and resolved to come again, and bring a +bag or sack, or what I could make, to carry the rest home.</p> +<p>Accordingly, having spent three days in this journey, I came +home (so I must now call my tent, and my cave;) but before I got +thither, the grapes were spoiled; the richness of the fruit, and +the weight of the juice, having broken them, and bruised them, they +were good for little or nothing: as to the limes, they were good, +but I could bring but a few.</p> +<p>The next day, being the 19th, I went back, having made me two +small bags to bring home my harvest. But I was surprised, when +coming to my heap of grapes, which were so rich and fine when I +gathered them, I found them all spread abroad, 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>When I came home from this journey, I contemplated with great +pleasure on the fruitfulness of that valley, and the pleasantness +of the situation, the security from storms on that side of the +water, and the wood; and concluded that I had pitched upon a place +to fix my abode, which was by far the worst part of the country. +Upon the whole, I began to consider <span class="pagenum">[page +103]</span> of removing my habitation, and to look out for a place +equally safe as where I now was situated, if possible, in that +pleasant fruitful part of the island.</p> +<p>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, and to consider 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 enclose 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.</p> +<p>However, I was so enamoured with this place, that I spent much +of my time there for the whole remaining part of the month of July; +and though, upon second thoughts, I resolved as above, not to +remove, yet I built me a little kind of a bower, and surrounded it +at a distance with a strong fence, being a double hedge, as high as +I could reach, well staked and filled between with brushwood; and +here I lay very secure, sometimes two or three nights together, +always going over it with a ladder, as before; so that I fancied +now I had my country house, and my sea-coast house: and this work +took me up the beginning of August.</p> +<p>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 had made me a tent like the other, with a +piece of a sail, and spread it very well, yet I had not the shelter +of a hill to keep me from storms, nor a cave behind me to retreat +into when the rains were extraordinary.</p> +<p>About the beginning of August, as I said, I had finished my +bower, and began to enjoy myself. The 3d of August I found the +grapes I had hung up were perfectly dried, and indeed were +excellent good raisins <span class="pagenum">[page 104]</span> of +the sun; so I began to take them down from the trees, and it was +very happy that I did so; for the rains which followed would have +spoiled them, and I had lost the best part of my winter food; for I +had above two hundred large bunches of them. No sooner had I taken +them all down, and carried most of them home to my cave, but it +began to rain; and from thence, which was the 14th of August, it +rained more or less every day, till the middle of October; and +sometimes so violently, that I could not stir out of my cave for +several days.</p> +<p>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 tale or tidings of her, till to my astonishment she came home +about the end of August, with three kittens. This was the more +strange to me, because though I had killed a wild cat, as I called +it, with my gun, yet I thought it was a quite different kind from +our European cats; yet the young cats were the same kind of house +breed like the old one; and both my cats being females, I thought +it very strange: but from these three cats I afterwards came to be +so pestered with cats, that I was forced to kill them like vermin, +or wild beasts, and to drive them from my house as much as +possible.</p> +<p>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 confinement I began to be straitened for food; but venturing +out twice, I one day killed a goat: and the last day, which was the +26th, found a very large tortoise, which was a treat to me, and my +food was regulated thus: I ate a bunch of raisins for my breakfast, +a piece of the goat’s flesh, or of the turtle, for my dinner, +broiled (for, to my great misfortune, I had no vessel to boil or +stew any thing;) and two or three of the turtle’s eggs for supper. +During this confinement in my cover by the rain, I worked daily two +or three hours at enlarging my <span class="pagenum">[page +105]</span> cave; and, by degrees, worked it on towards one side, +till I came to the outside of the hill, and made a door or way out, +which came beyond my fence or wall; and so I came in and out this +way: but I was not perfectly easy at lying so open; for as I had +managed myself before, I was in a perfect enclosure, whereas now I +thought I lay exposed; and yet I could not perceive that there was +any living thing to fear, the biggest creature that I had seen upon +the island being a goat.</p> +<p>September the 30th. 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 to a religious exercise, prostrating +myself to the ground with the most serious humiliation, confessing +myself to God, acknowledging his righteous judgment upon me, and +praying to him to have mercy on me, through Jesus Christ; and +having not tasted the least refreshment for twelve hours, even till +the going down of the sun, I then ate a biscuit-cake and a bunch of +grapes, and went to bed, finishing the day as I began it.</p> +<p>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 before, I +found I had been there a year; so I divided it into weeks, and set +apart every seventh day for a sabbath; though I found at the end of +my account I had lost a day or two of my reckoning.</p> +<p>A little after this my ink began to fail me, and so I contented +myself to use it more sparingly, and to write down only the most +remarkable events of my life, without continuing a daily memorandum +of other things.</p> +<p>The rainy season, and the dry season, began now to <span class= +"pagenum">[page 106]</span> appear regular to me, and I learnt to +divide them so as to provide for them accordingly. But I bought all +my experience before I had it; and this I am going to relate, was +one of the most discouraging experiments that I made at all. 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 themselves, +and 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.</p> +<p>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 thought, 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 seeds, +leaving about a handful of each.</p> +<p>It was a great comfort to me afterwards that I did so; for not +one grain of that I sowed this time came to any thing; 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 newly sown.</p> +<p>Finding my first seed did not grow, which I easily imagined was +by the drought, I sought for a moister piece of ground to make +another trial in; and I dug up a piece of ground near my new bower, +and sowed the rest of my seed in February, a little before the +vernal equinox; and this, having the rainy months of March and +April to water it, sprung up very pleasantly, and yielded a very +good crop; but having part of the seed left only, and not daring to +sow all that I had yet, I had but a small quantity at last, my +whole crop not amounting to above half a peck of each kind.</p> +<p>But by this experience I was made master of my business, and +knew exactly when the proper season <span class="pagenum">[page +107]</span> was to sow; and that I might expect two seed-times, and +two harvests, every year.</p> +<p>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 +circle or double hedge that I had made, was not only firm and +entire, but the stakes which I had cut off 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; and 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.</p> +<p>This made me resolve to cut some more stakes, and make me an +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 above eight yards distance from my first fence, they +grew presently, and were at first a fine cover to my habitation, +and afterwards served for a defence also, as I shall observe in its +order.</p> +<p>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:</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 108]</span> +<blockquote> +<table summary=""> +<tr align="right"> +<td>Half February,}</td> +<td> Rainy, the sun being then on, or near, the equinox.</td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>March,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>Half April,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>Half April,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>May,}</td> +<td> Dry, the sun being then to the north of the line.</td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>June,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>July,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>Half August,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>Half August,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>September,}</td> +<td>Rain, the sun being then come back.</td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>Half October,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td> </td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>Half October,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>November,}</td> +<td>Dry, the sun being then to the south of the line.</td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>December,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr align="right"> +<td>January,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +<tr> +<td>Half February,}</td> +<td> </td> +</tr> +</table> +</blockquote> +<p>The rainy season sometimes held longer or shorter, as the winds +happened to blow; but this was the general observation I made. +After I had found, by experience, the ill consequence of being +abroad in the rain, I took care to furnish myself with provision +beforehand, that I might not be obliged to go out; and I sat within +doors as much as possible during the wet months.</p> +<p>In this time I found much employment, (and very suitable also to +the time) for I found great occasion of 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 how they worked those things, and sometimes lent an hand, I +had by this means so full knowledge of the methods of it, that I +wanted nothing but the materials; 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 109]</span> +sallows, and willows, and osiers, in England; and I resolved to +try.</p> +<p>Accordingly the next day I went to my country-house, as I called +it, and cutting some of the smaller twigs, I found them to my +purpose as much as I could desire; whereupon I came the next time +prepared with an hatchet to cut down a quantity, which I soon +found, for there was a great plenty of them: these I set up to dry +within my circle or hedges; 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 any thing, 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 I made strong deep baskets to place my corn in, +instead of sacks, when I should come to have any quantity of +it.</p> +<p>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 any thing that was liquid, except +two rundlets, which were almost full of rum, and some glass +bottles, some of the common size, and others which were +case-bottles square, for the holding of waters, spirits, &c. I +had not so much as a pot to boil any thing in, 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 would fain have had, was a +tobacco-pipe, but it was impossible for me to make one; however, I +found a contrivance for that too at last.</p> +<p>I employed myself in planting my second rows of stakes of piles, +and in this wicker-work, all the summer, or dry season; when +another business took me up more time than it could be imagined I +could spare.</p> +<p>I mentioned before, that I had a great mind to <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page110"></a>[page 110]</span> 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 and 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 west to the W.S.W. at a very great distance; by +my guess it could not be less than fifteen or twenty leagues +off.</p> +<p>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 Spanish dominions, and +perhaps was all inhabited by savages, where if I should have +landed, I had been in a worse condition than I was now; and +therefore I acquiesced in the dispositions of Providence, which I +began now to own, and to believe, ordered every thing for the best; +I say, I quieted my mind with this, and left afflicting myself with +fruitless wishes of being there.</p> +<p>Besides, after some pause upon this affair, I considered, that +if this land was the Spanish coast, I should certainly, one time or +other, see some vessels pass or repass one way or other; but if +not, then it was the savage coast between the Spanish country and +Brasil, which were indeed the worst of savages; for they are +cannibals, or men-eaters, and fail not to murder 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 savanna +fields sweet, adorned with flowers and grass, and full of very fine +woods. I saw abundance of parrots, and <span class="pagenum">[page +111]</span> fain would I 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.</p> +<p>I was exceedingly diverted with this journey: I found in the low +grounds, hares, as I thought them to be, and foxes, but they +differed greatly from all the other kinds I had met with; nor could +I satisfy myself to eat them, though I killed several: but I had no +need to be venturous; for I had no want of food, and of that which +was very good too; especially these three sorts, viz. goats, +pigeons, and turtle or tortoise; which added to my grapes. +Leadenhall-market could not have furnished a better table 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 rather plenty, even to +dainties.</p> +<p>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 for 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.</p> +<p>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 an half. Here +was also an infinite number of fowls of many kinds, some of which I +had not seen before, and many of <span class="pagenum">[page +112]</span> them very good meat; but such as I knew not the names +of except those called penguins.</p> +<p>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 the other side of 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.</p> +<p>I confess this side of the country was much pleasanter than +mine, but yet I had not the least inclination to remove; for as I +was fixed in my habitation, it became natural to me, and I seemed +all the while I was here to be, as it were, upon a journey, and +from home: however, I travelled along the shore of the sea towards +the east, I suppose, about twelve miles; and then setting up a +great pole upon the shore for a mark, I concluded I would go home +again; and 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.</p> +<p>I took another way to come back than that I went, thinking I +could easily keep all the island so much in my view, that I could +not miss finding my 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 woods, that I could not +see which was my way by any direction but that of the sun; nor even +then, unless I knew very well the position of the sun at that time +of the day.</p> +<p>It happened, to my farther misfortune, that the weather proved +hazy for three or four days, while I was in this valley; and not +being able to see the sun, I wandered about very uncomfortably, and +at last was obliged to find out the sea-side, look for my post, and +<span class="pagenum">[page 113]</span> come back the same way I +went; and then by easy journies I turned homeward, the weather +being exceeding hot; and my gun, ammunition, hatchet, and other +things, very heavy.</p> +<p>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 spent.</p> +<p>I made a collar for this little creature, and with a string +which I made of some rope-yarn, which I always carried about me, I +led him along, though with some difficulty, till I came to my +bower, and there I enclosed him, and left him; for I was very +impatient to be at home, from whence I had been absent above a +month.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 Pol, who began now to be a +mere domestic, and to be mighty well acquainted with me. Then I +began to think of the poor kid, which I had pent in within my +little circle, and resolved to go and fetch it home, and give it +some food; accordingly 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 <span class="pagenum">[page +114]</span> having fed it, I tied it as I did before to lead it +away; but it was so tame with being hungry, that I had no need to +have tied it; for it followed me like a dog; and as I continually +fed it, the creature became so loving, so gentle, and so fond, that +it became from that time one of my domestics also, and would never +leave me afterwards.</p> +<p>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. I spent the whole day in humble and +thankful acknowledgments of the many wonderful mercies which my +solitary condition was attended with, and without which it might +have been infinitely more miserable. I gave humble and hearty +thanks, that God had been pleased to discover to me even that it +was possible I might be more happy in this solitary condition than +I should have been in a liberty of society, and in all the +pleasures of the world: that he could fully make up to me the +deficiencies of my solitary state, and the want of human society, +by his presence, and the communication of his grace to my soul, +supporting, comforting, and encouraging me to depend upon his +providence here, and hope for his eternal presence hereafter.</p> +<p>It was now that I began sensibly to feel how much more happy the +life I now led was, with all its miserable circumstances, than the +wicked, cursed, abominable life I led all the past part of my days; +and now, having changed both my sorrows and my joys, my very +desires altered, my affections changed their gust, and my delights +were perfectly new from what they were at first coming, or indeed +for the two years past.</p> +<p>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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 115]</span> 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 composures of my mind, this would break out upon me like a +storm, and made 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.</p> +<p>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. One morning being very sad, I opened the Bible upon +these words, “I will never, never leave thee, nor forsake thee!” +Immediately it occurred, that these words were to me, why else +should they be directed in such a manner, just at the moment when I +was mourning over my condition, as one forsaken of God and man? +“Well then,” said I, “if God does not forsake me, of what ill +consequence can it be, or what matters it, though the world should +all forsake me; seeing, on the other hand, if I had all the world, +and should lose the favour and blessing of God, there would be no +comparison in the loss?”</p> +<p>From this moment I began to conclude in my mind, that it was +possible for me to be more happy in this forsaken, solitary +condition, than it was probable I should have ever been in any +other particular state in the world; and with this thought I was +going to give thanks to God for bringing me to this place.</p> +<p>I know not what it was, but something shocked my mind at that +thought, and I durst not speak the words, “How canst thou be such +an hypocrite,” said I, even audibly, “to pretend to be thankful for +a condition, which, however thou mayst endeavour to be contented +with, thou wouldst rather pray heartily to be delivered from?” So I +stopped there; but though I could <span class="pagenum">[page +116]</span> not say I thanked God for being there, yet I sincerely +gave thanks to God for opening my eyes, by whatever afflicting +providences, to see the former condition, of my life, and to mourn +for my wickedness, and repent. I never opened the Bible, or shut +it, but my very soul within me blessed God for directing my friend +in England, without any order of mine, to pack it up among my +goods; and for assisting me afterwards to save it out of the wreck +of the ship.</p> +<p>Thus, and in this disposition of mind, I began my third year; +and though I have not given the reader the trouble of so particular +an account of my works this year as at the first, yet in general it +may be observed, that I was very seldom idle; having regularly +divided my time, according to the several daily employments that +were before me; such as, first, my duty to God, and 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 every morning when it did not +rain: thirdly, the ordering, curing, preserving, and cooking what I +had killed or catched for my supply; these took up great part of +the day: also it is to be considered, that in the middle of the +day, when the sun was in the zenith, the violence of the heat was +too great to stir out; so that about four hours in the evening was +all the time I could be supposed to work in; with this exception, +that sometimes I changed my hours of hunting and working, and went +to work in the morning, and abroad with my gun in the +afternoon.</p> +<p>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, every thing that I did, +took up out of my time: for example, I was full two-and-forty days +making me a board for a long shelf, which I wanted in my cave; +whereas two sawyers, with their tools and saw-pit, would have cut +six of them out of the same tree in half a day.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 117]</span> +<p>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. The tree I was three +days a 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 I turned it, and made one +side of it smooth and flat, as a board, from end to end: then +turning that side downward, cut the other side till I brought the +plank to be about three inches thick, and smooth on both sides. Any +one may judge the labour of my hands in such a piece of work; but +labour and patience carried me through that and many other things; +I only observe this in particular, to shew the reason 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 labour, and +required a prodigious time to do alone, and by hand.</p> +<p>But notwithstanding this, with patience and labour, I went +through many things, and indeed ever thing that my circumstances +made necessary for me to do, as will appear by what follows.</p> +<p>I was now in the months of November and December, expecting my +crop of barley and rice. The ground I had manured or 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 scarce possible to keep from +it; as 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 ate it so close, that it could get no +time to shoot up into stalks.</p> +<p>This I saw no remedy for, but by making an enclosure about it +with a hedge, which I did with a great deal of toil; and the more, +because it required a great <span class="pagenum">[page 118]</span> +deal of speed; the creatures daily spoiling 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.</p> +<p>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 arose up a little cloud of fowls, +which I had not seen at all, from among the corn itself.</p> +<p>This touched me sensibly; for I foresaw, that in a few days they +would devour all my hopes; that I should be starved, and never be +able to raise a crop at all; and what to do I could not tell: +however, I resolved not to lose my corn, if possible, though I +should watch it night and day. In the first place, I went among it +to see what damage was already done, and found they had spoiled a +good deal of it; but that, as it was yet too green for them, the +loss was not so great, but the remainder was like to be a good +crop, if it could be saved.</p> +<p>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, but 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 ate now was, as it +might be said, a peck loaf to me in the consequence; but coming up +<span class="pagenum">[page 119]</span> 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 almost, that this should have such an effect +as it had; for the fowls would not only not come at the corn, but +in short they forsook all that part of the island, and I could +never see a bird near the place as long as my scarecrows hung +there.</p> +<p>This I was very glad of, you may be sure; and about the latter +end of December, which was our second harvest of the year, I reaped +my corn.</p> +<p>I was sadly put to it for a scythe or a sickle to cut it down, +and all I could do was to make one as well as I could out of one of +the broad-swords, or cutlasses, which I saved among the arms out of +the ship. However, as my 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 harvesting 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.</p> +<p>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 +meantime to employ all my study and hours of working to accomplish +this great work of providing myself with corn and bread.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page120"></a>[page 120]</span> +<p>It might be truly said, that I now 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 the +providing, producing, curing, dressing, making, and finishing this +one article of bread.</p> +<p>I, that was reduced to a mere state of nature, found this to be +my daily discouragement, and was made more and more sensible of it +every hour, even after I 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 the earth, no spade or shovel to dig +it. Well, this I conquered by making 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 the sooner, but made my work the harder, and made it +be performed much worse.</p> +<p>However, this I bore with too, 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.</p> +<p>When it was growing or grown, I have observed already how many +things I wanted, to fence it, secure it, mow or reap it, cure or +carry it home, thresh, 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 in; and all these things +I did without, as shall be observed; and yet the corn was an +inestimable comfort and advantage to me too; but all this, as I +said, made every thing laborious and tedious to me, but that there +was no help for; neither was my time so much loss to me, because 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 121]</span> +quantity by me, I had the next six months to apply myself wholly by +labour and invention, to furnish myself with utensils proper for +the performing all the operations necessary for the making the +corn, when I had it, fit for my use.</p> +<p>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 a +very sorry one indeed, and very heavy, and required double labour +to work with it; however, I went through that, and sowed my seeds +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 would grow; so that in one year’s time I knew I should +have a quick or living hedge, that would want but little repair. +This work was not so little as to take me up less than three +months; because great part of that time was in the wet season, when +I could not go abroad.</p> +<p>Within-door, that is, when it rained, and I could not go out, I +found employment on the following occasion, always observing, that +all the while I was at work, I diverted myself with talking to my +parrot, and teaching him to speak; and I quickly learnt him to know +his own name; at last, to speak it out pretty loud, Pol; 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 employment upon my hands, +as follows: viz. 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 by the +sun, be hard enough and strong enough to bear handling, and to hold +any <span class="pagenum">[page 122]</span> thing that was dry, and +required to be kept so; and as this was necessary in 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.</p> +<p>It would make the reader pity me, or rather laugh at me, to tell +how many awkward ways I took to raise this paste, what odd +misshapen ugly things I made, how many of them fell in, and how +many fell out, the clay not being stiff enough to bear its own +weight; how many cracked by the over-violent heat of the sun, being +set out too hastily; and how many fell 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>Though I miscarried so much in my design for large pots, yet I +made several smaller things with better success; such as little +round pots, flat dishes, pitchers, and pipkins, and any thing my +hand turned to; and the heat of the sun baked them strangely +hard.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page +123]</span> 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.</p> +<p>This set me to study how to order my fire, so as to make it burn +me 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 fire-wood all round it with a +great heap of embers under them: I piled 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 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.</p> +<p>After this experiment I need not say that I wanted no sort of +earthenware for my use; but I must needs say, 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 learnt to raise paste.</p> +<p>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 upon the fire again with some water in it, to boil me some +meat, which I did admirably well; and with a piece of a kid I made +some very good broth, though I <span class="pagenum">[page +124]</span> wanted oatmeal, and several other ingredients requisite +to make it so good as I would have had it.</p> +<p>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 +to that perfection of art with one pair of hands. To supply this +want, I was at a great loss; for of all 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 would neither bear the weight of an 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 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 +an hollow place in it, as the Indians in Brasil 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.</p> +<p>My next difficulty was to make a sieve or searce, 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, so much as but to think on; for to be sure I had +nothing like the necessary things to make it with; I mean fine thin +canvass, 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; I had goat’s hair, but +neither <span class="pagenum">[page 125]</span> knew I how to weave +or spin it; and had I known how, here were no tools to work it +with. All the remedy that I found for this, was, that at last I did +remember I had among the seamen’s clothes which were saved out of +the ship, some neckcloths of calico or muslin; and with some pieces +of these I made three small sieves, but proper enough for the work; +and thus I made shift for some years; how I did afterwards, I shall +shew in its place.</p> +<p>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 burnt 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 +making and burning also; but I should not call them square.</p> +<p>When the fire-wood was burnt 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 a little time a mere pastry-cook into the bargain; +for I made myself several cakes of the rice, and puddings; indeed I +made no pies, neither had I any thing to put into them, supposing I +had, except the flesh either of fowls or goats.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page +126]</span> things I had my new harvest and husbandry to manage: +for I reaped my corn in its season, and carried it home as well as +I could, and laid it up in the ear, in my large baskets, till I had +time to rub it out; for I had no floor to thresh it on, or +instrument to thresh it with.</p> +<p>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 +increase of the corn now yielded me so much, that I had of the +barley about twenty bushels, and of the rice as much, or more; +insomuch that I now 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 be sufficient for me a whole year, and to sow +but once a year.</p> +<p>Upon the whole, I found that the forty bushels of barley and +rice were much more than I could consume in a year: so I resolved +to sow just the same quantity every year that I sowed the last, in +hopes that such a quantity would fully provide me with bread, +&c.</p> +<p>All the while these things were doing, you may be 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 inhabited country, I might find some way or other to +convey myself farther, and perhaps at last find some means of +escape.</p> +<p>But all this while I made no allowance for the dangers of such a +condition, and how I might fall into the hands of savages, and +perhaps such as I might have reason to think far worse than the +lions and tigers of Africa: that if I once came into their power, I +should run an hazard more than a thousand to one of being killed, +and perhaps of being eaten; for I had heard that the people of the +Caribean coasts were cannibals, or men-eaters; and I knew by the +latitude that I could not be far off from that shore: that, suppose +they were not cannibals, yet they might <span class="pagenum">[page +127]</span> kill me, as many Europeans who had fallen into their +hands had been served, even when they had been ten or twenty +together; much more I that was but one, and could make little or no +defence. All these things, I say, which I ought to have considered +well of, and I did cast up in my thoughts afterwards, yet took none +of my apprehensions at first; and my head ran mightily upon the +thoughts of getting over to that shore.</p> +<p>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 on 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 upwards, against the high ridge of a beachy rough +sand, but no water about her as before.</p> +<p>If I had had hands to have refitted her, and have launched her +into the water, the boat would have done well enough, and I might +have gone back into the Brasils 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 wood, and cut levers and rollers, and brought them to +the boat, resolving to try what I could do; suggesting 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>But when I had done this, I was unable to stir it up again, or +to get under it, much less to move it <span class="pagenum">[page +128]</span> 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.</p> +<p>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, viz. 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, and with my having much more convenience for it than +any of the Negroes or Indians; but not at all considering the +particular inconveniences which I lay under more than the Indians +did, viz. want of hands to move it into the water, when it was +made; 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 +great trouble cut it down, if after I might be able with my tools +to hew and dub the outside into a proper shape of a boat, and burn +or cut out the inside to make it hollow, so 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?</p> +<p>One would have thought I could not have had the least reflection +upon my mind of this circumstance, while I was making this boat, +but I should have immediately thought how I should get it into the +sea; but my thoughts were so intent upon my voyage over the sea in +it, that I never once considered how I should get it off the land; +and it was really in its own nature more easy for me to guide it +over forty-five miles of sea, than about forty-five fathoms of +land, where it lay, to set it afloat in the water.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 129]</span> that the +difficulty of launching my boat came often into my head; but I put +a stop to my own inquiries into it by this foolish answer, which I +gave myself; Let me first make it, I’ll warrant I’ll find some way +or other to get it along, when it is done.</p> +<p>This was a most preposterous method; but the eagerness of my +fancy prevailed, and to work I went, and felled a cedar-tree: I +question much whether Solomon ever had such an one for the building +the temple at 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 +chissel, 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.</p> +<p>When I had gone through this work, I was extremely delighted +with it: the boat was really much bigger than I ever 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, for there remained nothing but +to get it into the water; 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.</p> +<p>But all my devices to get it into the water failed <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page130"></a>[page 130]</span> me, though they +cost 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, I +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.</p> +<p>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 calculated how deep it was to be +dug, how broad, how the stuff 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; for +the shore lay high, so that at the upper end it must have been at +least twenty feet deep: so at length, though with great reluctancy, +I gave this attempt over also.</p> +<p>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 lightly of our own strength to go through with it.</p> +<p>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 +application of 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 looked now upon the +world as a thing remote; which I had nothing to do with, no +expectation from, and indeed no desires about: in a word, I had +nothing indeed to do with it, nor was ever like to have; so I +thought it looked as we may perhaps look upon it hereafter; viz. as +a place I had lived in, but was come <span class="pagenum">[page +131]</span> out of it; and well I might say, as father Abraham to +Dives, “Between me and thee there is a great gulf fixed.”</p> +<p>In the first place, I was removed from all the wickedness of the +world here: I had neither the lust of the flesh, the lust of the +eye, or the pride of life: I had nothing to covet, for I had all I +was now capable of enjoying; I was lord of the whole manor, or, if +I pleased, I might call myself king or emperor over the whole +country which I had possession of: there were no rivals: I had no +competitor, none to dispute sovereignty or command with me; I might +have raised ship-loadings of corn, but I had no use for it; so I +let as little grow as I thought enough for my occasion: I had +tortoises or turtles enough; but now and then one was as much as I +could put to any use: I had timber enough to have built a fleet of +ships; I had grapes enough to have made wine, or to have cured into +raisins, to have loaded that fleet when they had been built.</p> +<p>But all I could make use of, was all that was valuable: I had +enough to eat, and to supply my wants, and what was all the rest to +me? If I killed more flesh than I could eat, the dog must eat it, +or the vermin; if I sowed more corn than I could eat, it must be +spoiled. The trees that I cut down were lying to rot on the ground, +I could make no more use of them, than for fuel; and that I had no +occasion for, but to dress my food.</p> +<p>In a word, the nature and experience of things dictated to me +upon just reflection, that all the good things of this world are no +farther good to us, than as they are for our use: and that whatever +we may heap up indeed to give to others, we enjoy as much as we can +use, and no more. The most covetous griping miser in the world +would have been cured of the vice of covetousness, if he had been +in my case; for I possessed infinitely more than I knew what to do +with. I had no room for desire, except it was of things which I had +not, and they were but trifles, <span class="pagenum">[page +132]</span> though indeed of great use to me. I had, as I hinted +before, a parcel of money, as well gold as silver, about thirty-six +pounds sterling; alas! there the nasty, sorry, useless stuff lay; I +had no manner of business for it; and I often thought with myself, +that I would have given an handful of it for a gross of +tobacco-pipes, or for an hand-mill to grind my corn; nay, I would +have given it all for six-penny-worth of turnip and carrot seed out +of England, or for an handful of peas and beans, and a bottle of +ink: as it was, I had not the least advantage by it, or benefit +from it; but there it lay in a drawer, and grew mouldy with the +damp of the cave, in the wet season; and if I had had the drawer +full of diamonds, it had been the same case; and they had been of +no manner of value to me, because of no use.</p> +<p>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 my meat with thankfulness, and +admired the hand of God’s providence, which had thus spread my +table in the wilderness: I learnt to look more upon the bright side +of my condition, 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 hath 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.</p> +<p>Another reflection was of great use to me, and doubtless would +be so to any one that should fall into such distress as mine was; +and this was, to compare my present condition with what I at first +expected it should be; nay, with what it would certainly have been, +if the good providence of God had not wonderfully ordered the ship +to be cast up near to the shore, where I not only could come at +her, but could bring what I got <span class="pagenum">[page +133]</span> out of her to the shore for my relief and comfort; +without which I had wanted tools to work, weapons for defence, or +gunpowder and shot for getting my food.</p> +<p>I spent whole hours, I may say whole days, in representing to +myself in the most lively colours, how I must have acted, if I had +got nothing out of the ship; how I could not have so much as got +any food, except fish and turtles; and that, as it was long before +I found any of them, I must have perished first: that I should have +lived, if I had not perished, like a mere savage: that if I had +killed a goat or a fowl by any contrivance, I had no way to flay or +open them, or part the flesh from the skin and the bowels, or to +cut it up; but must gnaw it with my teeth, and pull it with my +claws, like a beast.</p> +<p>These reflections made me very sensible of the goodness of +Providence to me, and very thankful for my present condition, with +all its hardships and misfortunes: and this part also I cannot but +recommend to the reflection of those who are apt in their misery to +say, Is any affliction like mine? Let them consider, how much worse +the cases of some people are, and what their case might have been, +if Providence had thought fit.</p> +<p>I had another reflection which assisted me also to comfort my +mind with hopes; and this was, comparing my present condition with +what I had deserved, and had therefore reason to expect from the +hand of Providence. I had lived a dreadful life, perfectly +destitute of the knowledge and fear of God: I had been well +instructed by father and mother; neither had they been wanting to +me in their early endeavours to infuse a religious awe of God into +my mind, a sense of my duty, and of what the nature and end of my +being required of me. But, alas! falling early into the seafaring +life, which of all the lives is the most destitute of the fear of +God, though his terrors are always before them; I say, falling +early into the seafaring life, and into seafaring company, all that +little sense of <span class="pagenum">[page 134]</span> religion +which I had entertained, was laughed out of me by my messmates; by +an hardened despising of dangers, and the views of death, which +grew habitual to me; by my long absence from all manner of +opportunities to converse with any thing but what was like myself, +or to hear any thing of what was good, or tended towards it.</p> +<p>So void was I of every thing that was good, or of the least +sense of what I was, or was to be, that in the greatest deliverance +I enjoyed, such as my escape from Sallee, my being taken up by the +Portuguese master of the ship, my being planted so well in Brasil, +my receiving the cargo from England, and the like, I never once had +the words, Thank God, so much as on my mind, or in my mouth; nor in +the greatest distress had I so much thought as to pray to him; nor +so much as to say, Lord, have mercy upon me! no, not to mention the +name of God, unless it was to swear by, and blaspheme it.</p> +<p>I had terrible reflections upon my mind for many months, as I +have already observed, on the account of my wicked and hardened +life past; and when I looked about me, and considered what +particular providences had attended me, since my coming into this +place, and how God had dealt bountifully with me; had not only +punished me less than my iniquity deserved, but had so plentifully +provided for me; this gave me great hopes that my repentance was +accepted, and that God had yet mercies in store for me.</p> +<p>With these reflections I worked my mind up, not only to +resignation to the will of God in the present disposition of my +circumstances, but even to a sincere thankfulness of my condition; +and that I, who was yet a living man, ought not to complain, seeing +I had not the due punishment of my sins; that I enjoyed so many +mercies, which I had no reason to have expected in that place, that +I ought never more to repine at my condition, but to rejoice, and +to give daily thanks, for that daily bread, which nothing but a +cloud of wonders could have brought: that I ought to consider +<span class="pagenum">[page 135]</span> I had been fed even by a +miracle, even as great as that of feeding Elijah by ravens; nay, by +a long series of miracles; and that I could hardly have named a +place in the uninhabited part of the world, where I could have been +cast more to my advantage: a place, where as I had no society, +which was my affliction on one hand, so I found no ravenous beasts, +no furious wolves or tigers, to threaten my life; no venomous +creatures, or poisonous, which I might have fed on to my hurt; no +savages to murder and devour me.</p> +<p>In a word, as my life was a life of sorrow one way, so it was a +life of mercy another; and I wanted nothing to make it a life of +comfort, but to be able to make my sense of God’s goodness to me, +and care over me in this condition, be my daily consolation; and +after I made a just improvement of these things, I went away, and +was no more sad.</p> +<p>I had now been here so long, that many things which I brought on +shore for my help, were either quite gone, or very much wasted, and +near spent.</p> +<p>My ink, as I observed, had been gone for 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 remember 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.</p> +<p>First, I had observed, that the same day that I broke away from +my father and my 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.</p> +<p>The same day of the year that I escaped out of the wreck of the +ship in Yarmouth Roads, that same day <span class="pagenum">[page +136]</span> of the year afterwards I made my escape from Sallee in +the boat.</p> +<p>The same day of the year I was born on, viz. the 20th of +September, the 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 solitary life, both began on a day.</p> +<p>The next thing to my ink’s being wasted, was that of my bread, I +mean the biscuit which I brought out of the ship. This I had +husbanded to the last degree, allowing myself but one cake of bread +a day, for above a year: and yet I was quite without bread for 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.</p> +<p>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 behind, +but they were too hot to wear; and though it is true, that the +weather was so violent 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.</p> +<p>One reason why I could not go quite 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 beating with such violence as it does in +that <span class="pagenum">[page 137]</span> place, would give me +the headach presently, by darting so directly on my head, without a +cap or hat on, so that I could not bear it; whereas, if I put on my +hat, it would presently go away.</p> +<p>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. +However, I made shift to make two or three waistcoats, which I +hoped would serve me a great while; as for breeches or drawers, I +made but very sorry shift indeed, till afterwards.</p> +<p>I have mentioned that I saved the skins of all the creatures +that I killed, I mean four-footed ones; and I had hung them 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 a +suit of clothes wholly of those 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 a very good shift with; and when I was abroad, if it happened +to rain, the hair of the waistcoat and cap being outmost, I was +kept very dry.</p> +<p>After this I spent a deal of time and pains to make me an +umbrella: I was indeed in great want of one, and had a great mind +to make one: I had seen them made in the Brasils, 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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 138]</span> 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 any thing likely to hold; +nay, after I thought I had hit the way, I spoiled two or three +before I made one to my mind; but at last I made one that answered +indifferently well. The main difficulty I found was to make it to +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 penthouse, and kept off the sun so +effectually, that I 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, I could close it, and carry it under my +arm.</p> +<p>Thus I lived mighty comfortably, my mind being entirely composed +by resigning to the will of God, and throwing myself wholly upon +the disposal of his providence: this made my life better than +sociable; for when I began to regret the want of conversation, I +would ask myself, whether thus conversing mutually with my own +thoughts, and, as I hope I may say, with even my Maker, by +ejaculations and petitions, was not better than the utmost +enjoyment of human society in the world?</p> +<p>I cannot say, that after this, for five years, any extraordinary +thing happened to me; but I lived on in the same course, in the +same posture and place, just as before. The chief thing 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 the year’s provisions +beforehand; I say, besides this yearly labour, and my daily labour +of going out with my gun, I had one labour to make me a canoe, +which at last I finished: so that by digging a canal to it, six +feet wide, and four feet deep, I brought it into the creek, +<span class="pagenum">[page 139]</span> almost half a mile. As for +the first, that was so vastly big, as I made it without considering +beforehand, as I ought to do, how I should be able to launch it; so +never being able to bring it to 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, of near half a mile; yet as I saw it was practicable at last, +I never gave it over; and though I was near two years about it, yet +I never grudged my labour, in hopes of having a boat to go off to +sea at last.</p> +<p>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 tour +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 journey made me very eager to see +the other parts of the coast; and now I had a boat, I thought of +nothing but sailing round the island.</p> +<p>For this purpose, and that I might do every thing with +discretion and consideration, I fitted up a little mast to my boat, +and made a sail to it out of some of the pieces of the ship’s +sails, which lay in store, and of which I had a great store by +me.</p> +<p>Having fitted my mast and sail, and tried the boat, I found she +would sail very well. Then I made little lockers and boxes at each +end of my boat, to put provisions, 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, making a flap to hang down over it +to keep it dry.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page140"></a>[page 140]</span> +<p>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, I +resolved upon my tour, and accordingly I victualled my ship for the +voyage; putting in two dozen of my 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 with 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.</p> +<p>It was the 6th of November, in the sixth year of my reign, or my +captivity, which you please, that I set out on this voyage, and I +found it much longer than I expected; for though the island itself +was not very large, yet when I came to the east side of it, I found +a great ledge of rocks lie out about two leagues into the sea, some +above water, some under it; and beyond this a shoal of sand, lying +dry half a league more; so that I was obliged to go a great way out +to sea to double that point.</p> +<p>When I first discovered them, I was going to give over my +enterprise, 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 me a kind of +an anchor with a piece of broken grappling which I got out of the +ship.</p> +<p>Having secured my boat, I took my gun, and went on shore, +climbing up an hill, which seemed to over-look that point, where I +saw the full extent of it, and resolved to venture.</p> +<p>In my viewing the sea from that hill where I stood, I perceived +a strong, and indeed a most furious current, which ran to the east, +even came close to the <span class="pagenum">[page 141]</span> +point; and 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 gotten first upon this hill, I believe +it would have been so; for there was the same current on the other +side of 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>The third day in the morning, the wind having abated over-night, +the sea was calm, and I ventured; but I am a warning-piece again to +all rash and ignorant pilots; for no sooner was I come to the +point, when I was not my boat’s length from the shore, but I found +myself in a great depth of water, and a current like a 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 the left hand. There was no wind stirring to help me, and +all that 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 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 avoiding it; so that I had no prospect before me but +of perishing; not by the sea, for that was calm enough, but of +starving for 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 142]</span> 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?</p> +<p>And now I saw how easy it was for the providence of God to make +the most miserable condition that mankind could be in, 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 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!” said I, “whither am I going!” Then I +reproached myself with my unthankful temper, and how 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 scarce 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: however, 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 the 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 was gotten at a frightful distance from +the island; and, had the least cloud or hazy weather intervened, I +had been undone another way too; for I had no compass on board, and +should never have known how to have steered towards the island, if +I had but once lost sight of it; but the weather 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.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 143]</span> +<p>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 the current was near; 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 rock, and made a strong eddy, +which ran back again to the north-west with a very sharp +stream.</p> +<p>They who know what it is to have a reprieve brought to them upon +the ladder, or to be rescued from thieves just going to murder +them, or who have been in such like extremities, may guess what my +present 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.</p> +<p>This eddy carried me about a league in my way back again +directly towards the island, but about two leagues more towards the +northward than the current lay, 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.</p> +<p>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 the two great +currents, viz. that on the south side which had hurried me away, +and that on the north which lay about two leagues on the other +side; I say, between these two, in the west 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.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 144]</span> +<p>About four o’clock in the evening, being then within about a +league of the island, I found the point of the rocks which +occasioned this distance stretching out as is described before, to +the southward, and casting off the current more southwardly, had of +course made another eddy to the north; and this I found very +strong, but 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 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.</p> +<p>When I was on shore, I fell on my knees, and gave God thanks for +my deliverance, resolving to lay aside all thoughts of my +deliverance by my boat; and refreshing myself with such things as I +had, I brought my boat close to the shore, in a little cove that I +had espied under some trees, and laid me down to sleep, being quite +spent with the labour and fatigue of the voyage.</p> +<p>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 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 thereabouts, 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 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.</p> +<p>I soon found I had but a little passed by the place where I had +been before when I travelled on foot to <span class="pagenum">[page +145]</span> that shore; so taking nothing out of my boat but my gun +and my umbrella, for it was exceeding 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 every +thing standing as I left it; for I always kept it in good order, +being, as I said before, my country-house.</p> +<p>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 +you, Robin Crusoe? Where are you? Where have you been?”</p> +<p>I was so dead asleep at first, being fatigued with rowing, or +paddling, as it is called, the first part of the day, and walking +the latter part, that I did not awake thoroughly; and 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 awake more perfectly, and was at first +dreadfully frighted, and started up in the utmost consternation: +but no sooner were my eyes open, but I saw my Pol sitting on the +top of the hedge, and immediately knew that this was he that spoke +to me; for just in such bemoaning language I had used to talk to +him, and teach him; and he had learnt 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.</p> +<p>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 no where else: but as +I was well satisfied it could be nobody but <span class= +"pagenum">[page 146]</span> honest Poll, I got it over; 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.</p> +<p>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 +practicable to get it about as to the east side of the island, +which I had gone round; I knew well enough there was no venturing +that way; my very heart would shrink, and my very blood run chill +but to think of it: and as to the other side of the island, I did +not know how it might be there; but supposing the current ran with +the same force against the shore at the east as it passed by it on +the other, I might run the same risk of being driven down the +stream, and carried by the island, as I had been before, of being +carried away from it; so with these thoughts I contented my self 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 unto the +sea.</p> +<p>In this government of my temper, I remained near a year, 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 my self to the dispositions of Providence, I thought I +lived really very happily in all things, except that of +society.</p> +<p>I improved my self in this time in all the mechanic exercises +which my necessities put me upon applying my self to, and I believe +could, upon occasion, make a very good carpenter, especially +considering how few tools I had.</p> +<p>Besides this, I arrived at an unexpected perfection in my +<span class="pagenum">[page 147]</span> earthen ware, and contrived +well enough to make them with a wheel, which I found infinitely +easier and better; 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 any thing +I found out, than for my being able to make a tobacco-pipe. And tho +it was a very ugly clumsy thing, when it was done, and only burnt +red like other earthen ware, yet as it was hard and firm, and would +draw the smoke, I was exceedingly comforted with it, for I had been +always used to smoke, and there were pipes in the ship, but I +forgot them at first, not knowing that there was tobacco in the +island; and afterwards, when I searched the ship again, I could not +come at any pipes at all.</p> +<p>In my wicker ware also I improved much, and made abundance of +necessary baskets, as well as my invention shewed me, tho not very +handsome, yet they were such as were very handy and convenient for +my 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, flea it, and +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 my receivers for my corn, which I always rubbed out as +soon as it was dry, and cured, and kept it in great baskets.</p> +<p>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 do to kill any goat. 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 hope 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 dyed +at last of mere age.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 148]</span> +<p>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 great with +young.</p> +<p>To this purpose I made snares to hamper them; and believe they +were more than once taken in them; but my tackle was not good, for +I had no wire, and always found them broken, and my bait +devoured.</p> +<p>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 these 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 +perceive, that the goats had gone in, and eaten up the corn, that I +could see the mark 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, I altered my trap; 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 other, three kids, a +male and two females.</p> +<p>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 go +about to bring him 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 e’en let him out, and he ran away as if he had been +frightened out of his wits; but I did not then know what I +afterwards learnt, that hunger would 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.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 149]</span> +<p>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.</p> +<p>It was a good while before they would feed; but throwing them +some sweet corn, it tempted them, and they began to be tame: and +now I found, that if I expected to supply myself with goat’s 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 a +flock of sheep.</p> +<p>But then it presently 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 enclosed piece of +ground, well fenced either with hedge or pale, to keep them up so +effectually, that those within might not break out, or those +without break in.</p> +<p>This was a great undertaking for one pair of hands; yet as I saw +there was an absolute necessity of doing it, my first piece of 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.</p> +<p>Those who understand such enclosures, 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 savanna (as our +people call it in the western colonies) which had two or three +little drills 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 my enclosing of 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 <span class="pagenum"><a name="page150"></a>[page +150]</span> had the whole island; and I should have so much room to +chase them in, that I should never catch them.</p> +<p>My hedge was begun and carried on, I believe, about fifty yards, +when this thought occurred to me; so I presently stopped short, and +for the first beginning I resolved to enclose a piece of about one +hundred and fifty yards in length, and one hundred yards in +breadth, which as it would maintain as many as I should have in any +reasonable time, so, as my flock increased, I could add more ground +to my enclosure.</p> +<p>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 enclosure was finished, and I let them loose, they would +follow me up and down, bleating after me for a handful of corn.</p> +<p>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; and after that I enclosed five several pieces of ground to +feed them in, with little pens to drive them into, to take them as +I wanted them; and gates out of one piece of ground into +another.</p> +<p>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 my +beginning 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 never +milked a cow, much less a goat, or saw butter or cheese made, very +readily and handily, though after a great many essays and +miscarriages, <span class="pagenum">[page 151]</span> made me both +butter and cheese at last, and never wanted it afterwards.</p> +<p>How mercifully can our great 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 a wilderness, where I saw nothing at first +but to perish for hunger!</p> +<p>It would have made a stoic smile, to have seen me and my little +family sit down to dinner: there was my majesty, the prince and +lord of the whole island; I had the lives of all my subjects at +absolute command; I could hang, draw, give life and liberty, and +take it away, and no rebels among all my subjects.</p> +<p>Then to see how like a king I dined too, all alone, attended by +my servants! Pol, as if he had been my favourite, as the only +person permitted to talk to me; my dog, which was now grown very +old and crazy, and found no species to multiply his kind upon, sat +always at my right hand; and two cats, one on one side the table, +and one on the other, expecting now and then a bit from my hand, as +a mark of special favour.</p> +<p>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 hands; but one of them having multiplied by +I know not what kind of creature, these were two which I preserved +tame, whereas the rest ran wild into 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 +attendance, and in this plentiful manner, I lived; neither could I +be said to want any thing but society, and of that, in some time +after this, I was like to have too much.</p> +<p>I was something impatient, as I had observed, to have the use of +my boat, though very loath to run any more hazard; and therefore +sometimes I sat contriving <span class="pagenum">[page 152]</span> +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, and following the edge of the +shore, I did so; but had any one in England been to meet such a man +as I was, it must either have frighted them, or raised a great deal +of laughter; 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:</p> +<p>I had a great high shapeless cap, made of 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 +hurtful in these climates, as the rain upon the flesh under the +clothes.</p> +<p>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 a 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 I had made me a pair of something, I scarce knew 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.</p> +<p>I had on a broad belt of goat’s skin dried, which I drew +together with two thongs of the same, instead of buckles; and in a +kind of a frog on either side of this, instead of a sword and +dagger, hung a little saw and a hatchet; one on one side, 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, <span class="pagenum">[page +153]</span> 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 nine or ten degrees of the +equinox. My beard I had once suffered to grow till it was about a +quarter of a yard long; but as I had both scissars 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 whom I saw at Sallee; for the +Moors did not wear such, though the Turks did: of these mustachios, +or whiskers, I will not say they were long enough to hang my hat +upon them; but they were of length and shape monstrous enough, and +such as in England would have passed for frightful.</p> +<p>But all this is by the by; for as to my figure, I had so few to +observe me, that it was of no manner of consequence; so I say no +more to that part. 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 up 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 point of the rock +which lay out, and which I was to double with my boat, as I said +above, I was surprised to see the sea all smooth and quiet; no +rippling, no motion, no current, any more there than in other +places.</p> +<p>I was at a strange loss to understand this, and resolved to +spend some time in the observing of 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 154]</span> with the current of +waters from some great river on the shore, must be the occasion of +this current, and that according as the wind blew more forcible +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 the 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 in my canoe along with +it, which at another time it would not have done.</p> +<p>This observation convinced me, that I had nothing to do but to +observe the ebbing and the 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 a 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.</p> +<p>You are to understand, that now I had, as I may call it, two +plantations 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 +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 hands.</p> +<p>As for my wall, made as before, with long stakes <span class= +"pagenum">[page 155]</span> or piles, those piles grew all like +trees, and were by this time 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.</p> +<p>Near this dwelling of mine, but a little farther within the +land, and upon lower ground, lay my two pieces of corn-ground; +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.</p> +<p>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 circled 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 more than my stakes, but were now grown very firm and +tall; I kept them always so cut, 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 cover me; and here, whenever I had +occasion to be absent from my chief seat, I took up my country +habitation.</p> +<p>Adjoining to this I had my enclosures for my cattle, that is to +say, my goats: and as I had taken an inconceivable deal of pains to +fence and enclose this ground, 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, <span class="pagenum">[page 156]</span> which +afterwards, when those stakes grew, as they all did in the next +rainy season, made the enclosure strong, like a wall, indeed +stronger than any wall.</p> +<p>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; for I considered the keeping up a breed of +tame creatures thus at my hand, would be a living magazine of +flesh, milk, butter, and cheese, for me as long as I lived in the +place, if it were to be forty years; and that keeping them in my +reach, depended entirely upon my perfecting my enclosures to such a +degree, that I might be sure of keeping them together; which by +this method indeed I so effectually secured, that when these little +stakes began to grow, I had planted them so very thick, I was +forced to pull some of them up again.</p> +<p>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 and most agreeable +dainty of my whole diet; and indeed they were not agreeable only, +but physical, wholesome, nourishing, and refreshing to the last +degree.</p> +<p>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, nor scarce 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.</p> +<p>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 in the sand: I stood like +one thunder-struck, or as if I had seen an apparition; I listened, +<span class="pagenum">[page 157]</span> I looked round me, I could +hear nothing, nor see any thing; 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 very print of a foot, toes, heel, and every part of a foot; how +it came thither I knew not, nor could in the least imagine. But +after innumerable fluttering thoughts, like a man perfectly +confused, and out of myself, I came home to my mortification, not +feeling, 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 bush and tree, and fancying every stump at a distance to be a +man; nor is it possible to describe how many various shapes an +affrighted imagination represented things to me in; how many wild +ideas were formed every moment in my fancy, and what strange +unaccountable whimsies came into my thoughts by the way.</p> +<p>When I came to my castle, for so I think I called it ever after +this, I 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 called a door, I cannot remember; for never frighted hare +fled to cover, or fox to earth, with more terror of mind than I to +this retreat.</p> +<p>I had no sleep that night: the farther I was from the occasion +of my fright, the greater my apprehensions were; which is something +contrary to the nature of such things, and especially to the usual +practice of all creatures in fear. But I was so embarrassed with my +own frightful ideas of the thing, that I formed nothing but dismal +imaginations to myself, even though I was now a great way off it. +Sometimes I fancied it must be the devil; and reason joined in with +me upon 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 158]</span> +any other footsteps? And how was it possible 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 amazement 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 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 an high wind would have defaced entirely. All +this seemed inconsistent with the thing itself, and with all +notions we usually entertain of the subtlety of the devil.</p> +<p>Abundance of such things as these assisted to argue me out of +all apprehensions of its being the devil. And I presently concluded +that it must be some more dangerous creature; viz. that it must be +some of the savages of the main land over-against me, who had +wandered out to sea in their canoes, and, either driven by the +currents, or by contrary winds, had made the island, and had been +on shore, but were gone away again to sea, being as loath, perhaps, +to have staid in this desolate island, as I would have been to have +had them.</p> +<p>While these reflections were rolling upon my mind, I was very +thankful in my thought, 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 imaginations about their having found 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 so that they should not find me, yet they would find +my enclosure, destroy all my corn, carry <span class= +"pagenum">[page 159]</span> away all my flock of tame goats, and I +should perish at last for mere want.</p> +<p>Thus my fear banished all my religious hope; all that former +confidence in God, which was founded upon such wonderful experience +as I had had of his goodness, now vanished; 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 uneasiness, that I 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.</p> +<p>How strange a chequer-work of Providence is the life of man! And +by what secret differing springs are the affections hurried about, +as differing circumstances present! To-day we love what to-morrow +we hate; to-day we seek what to-morrow we shun; to-day we desire +what to-morrow we fear; nay, even tremble at the apprehensions of. +This was exemplified in me at this time in the most lively manner +imaginable; for I, whose only affliction was, that I seemed +banished from human society, that I was alone, circumscribed by the +boundless ocean, cut off from mankind, and condemned to what I call +a silent life; that I was as one whom Heaven thought not worthy to +be numbered among the living, or to appear among the rest of his +creatures; that to have seen one of my own species, would have +seemed to me a raising me from death to life, and the greatest +blessing that Heaven itself, next to the supreme blessing of +salvation, could bestow; I say, that I should now tremble at the +very apprehensions of seeing a man, and was ready to sink into the +ground, at but the shadow, or silent appearance of a man’s having +set his foot on the island.</p> +<p>Such is the uneven state of human life; and it afforded me a +great many curious speculations afterwards, <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page160"></a>[page 160]</span> when I had a +little recovered my first surprise: I considered that this was the +station of life the infinitely wise and good providence of God had +determined for me; that as I could not foresee what the ends of +divine wisdom might be in all this, so I was not to dispute his +sovereignty, who, as I was his creature, had an undoubted right by +creation to govern and dispose of me absolutely as he thought fit; +and who, as I was a creature who had offended him, had likewise a +judicial right to condemn me to what punishment he thought fit; and +that it was my part to submit to bear his indignation, because I +had sinned against him.</p> +<p>I then reflected, that God, who was not only righteous, but +omnipotent, as he had thought fit thus to punish and afflict me, so +he was able to deliver me; that if he did not think fit to do it, +it was my unquestioned duty to resign myself absolutely and +entirely to his will; and, on the other hand, it was my duty also +to hope in him, pray to him, and quietly to attend the dictates and +directions of his daily providence.</p> +<p>These thoughts took me up many hours, days, nay, I may say, +weeks and months; and one particular effect of my cogitations on +this occasion I cannot omit; viz. one morning early, lying in my +bed, and filled with thoughts about my danger from the appearance +of savages, I found it discomposed me very much; upon which those +words of the Scripture came into my thoughts, “Call upon me in the +day of trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify +me.”</p> +<p>Upon this, rising cheerfully out of my bed, my heart was not +only comforted, but I was guided and encouraged to pray earnestly +to God for deliverance. When I had done praying, I took up my +Bible, and opening it to read, the first words that presented to me +were, “Wait on the Lord, and be of good cheer, and he shall +strengthen thy heart: Wait, I say, on the Lord.” It is impossible +to express the comfort this gave me; and in return, I thankfully +laid down <span class="pagenum">[page 161]</span> the book, and was +no more sad, at least, not on that occasion.</p> +<p>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 +not I 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 themselves frighted at them more than any +body else.</p> +<p>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 of it; and indeed it almost spoiled some of them, and almost +dried up their milk.</p> +<p>Heartening myself therefore with the belief, that this was +nothing but the print of one of my own feet (and so I might be +truly said to start at my own shadow), I began to go abroad again, +and went to my country-house to milk my flock: but to see with what +fear I went forward, how often I looked behind me, how I was ready, +every now and then, to lay down my basket, and run for my life; it +would have made any one have thought I was haunted with an evil +conscience, or that I had been lately most terribly frighted; and +so indeed I had.</p> +<p>However, as I went down thus two or three days, and having seen +nothing, I began to be a little bolder, <span class="pagenum">[page +162]</span> 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 any where +thereabouts. Secondly, when I came to measure the mark with my own +foot, I found my foot not so large by a great deal. Both these +things filled my head with new imaginations, and gave me the +vapours again to the highest degree; so that I shook with cold, +like one in an ague, and I went home again, filled with the belief, +that some man or men had been on shore there; or, in short, that +the island was inhabited, and I might be surprised before I was +aware; and what course to take for my security, I knew not.</p> +<p>O what ridiculous resolutions men take, when possessed with +fear! It deprives them of the use of those means which reason +offers for their relief. The first thing I proposed to myself was, +to throw down my enclosures, and turn all my tame cattle wild into +the woods, that the enemy might not find them, and then frequent +the island in prospect of the same, or the like booty; then to the +simple thing of digging up my two corn fields, that they might not +find such a grain there, and still to be prompted to frequent the +island; then to demolish my bower and tent, that they might not see +any vestiges of my habitation, and be prompted to look farther, in +order to find out the persons inhabiting.</p> +<p>These were the subjects of the first night’s cogitation, after I +was come home again, while the apprehensions which had so over-run +my mind were fresh upon me, and my head was full of vapours, as +above. Thus fear of danger is ten thousand times more terrifying +than danger itself, when apparent to the eyes; <span class= +"pagenum">[page 163]</span> and, we find the burden of anxiety +greater by much than the evil which we are anxious about; but, +which was worse than all this, I had not that relief in this +trouble from the resignation I used to practise, that I hoped to +have. I looked, I thought, like Saul, who complained not only that +the Philistines were upon him, but that God had forsaken him; for I +did not now take due ways to compose my mind, by crying to God in +my distress, and resting upon his providence, as I had done before, +for my defence and deliverance; which if I had done, I had, at +least, been more cheerfully supported under this new surprise, and +perhaps carried through it with more resolution.</p> +<p>This confusion of my thoughts kept me waking 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 I awaked 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 +exceeding 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.</p> +<p>That I had lived here fifteen years now, and had not met with +the least-shadow or figure of any people before; and that if at any +time they should be driven here, it was probable they went away +again as soon as ever they could, seeing they had never thought fit +to fix there upon any occasion, to this time.</p> +<p>That the most I could suggest any danger from, was, from any +such 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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 164]</span> 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.</p> +<p>Now I began sorely to repent that I had dug my cave so large, as +to bring a door through again, which door, as I said, came out +beyond where my fortification joined to the rock. Upon maturely +considering this, therefore, I resolved to draw me a second +fortification, in the 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, there wanted but a few piles to be driven +between them, that they should be thicker and stronger, and my wall +would be soon finished.</p> +<p>So that I had now a double wall, and my outer wall was thickened +with pieces of timber, old cables, and every thing I could think of +to make it strong; having in it seven little holes, about as big as +I might put my arm out at. In the inside of this I thickened my +wall to about ten feet thick, 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 got seven on shore out of the ship; +these, I say, I planted like my cannon, and fitted them into frames +that held them like a carriage, that so 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.</p> +<p>When this was done, I stuck all the ground without my wall, for +a great way every way, as full with stakes or sticks of the +osier-like wood, which I found so apt to grow, as they could well +stand; insomuch that I believe I might set in near twenty thousand +of them, leaving a pretty large space between them and <span class= +"pagenum">[page 165]</span> 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.</p> +<p>Thus in two years time I had a thick grove; and in five or six +years time I had a wood before my dwelling, grown so monstrous +thick and strong, that it was indeed perfectly impassable; and no +man of what kind soever would ever imagine that there was any thing +beyond it, much less an habitation: as for the way I proposed +myself to go in and out (for I left no avenue), it was by setting +two ladders; one to a part of the rock which was low, and then +broke in, and left room to place another ladder upon that; so when +the two ladders were taken down, no man living could come down to +me without mischiefing himself; and if they had come down, they +were still on the outside of my outer wall.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>While this was doing, I was not altogether careless of my other +affairs; for I had a great concern upon me for my little herd of +goats; they were not only a present supply to me upon every +occasion, and began to be sufficient for me, without the expense of +powder and shot, but also abated the fatigue of my hunting after +the wild ones; and I was loath to lose the advantage of them, and +to have them all to nurse up over again.</p> +<p>To this purpose, after long consideration, I could think but of +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; +and 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 place; so that if +any disaster happened to the flock in general, I might be able +<span class="pagenum">[page 166]</span> to raise them again with +little trouble and time: and this, though it would require a great +deal of time and labour, I thought was the most rational +design.</p> +<p>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 enclosure by nature; at least it did not want +near so much labour to make it so, as the other pieces of ground I +had worked so hard at.</p> +<p>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 without any farther delay, I removed ten she-goats and two +he-goats to this piece; and when there, I continued to perfect the +fence, till I had made it as secure as the other, which, however, I +did at more leisure, and it took me up more time by a great +deal.</p> +<p>All this labour I was at the expense of, purely from my +apprehensions on the account of the print of a man’s foot which I +had seen; for as yet, I never saw any human creature come near the +island, and I had now lived two years under these uneasinesses, +which indeed made my life much less comfortable than it was before; +as may well be imagined, by any who know what it is to live in the +constant snare of the fear of man; and this I must observe with +grief too, that the discomposure of my mind had too great +impressions also upon the religious part of my thoughts; for the +dread and terror of falling into the hands of savages and cannibals +lay so upon my spirits, that I seldom found myself in a due temper +for <span class="pagenum">[page 167]</span> application to my +Maker; at least, not with the sedate calmness and resignation of +soul which I was wont to do. I rather prayed to God as under great +affliction and pressure of mind, surrounded with danger, and in +expectation every night of being murdered and devoured before the +morning; and I must testify from my experience, that a temper of +peace, thankfulness, love, and affection, is much more the proper +frame for prayer than that of terror and discomposure; and that +under the dread of mischief impending, a man is no more fit for a +comforting performance of the duty of praying to God, than he is +for repentance on a sick bed; for these discomposures affect the +mind as the others do the body; and the discomposure of the mind +must necessarily be as great a disability as that of the body, and +much greater; praying to God being properly an act of the mind, not +of the body.</p> +<p>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 it till my eyes were not able 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 without a perspective glass +in my pocket.</p> +<p>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, <span class="pagenum">[page +168]</span> 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 +taken any prisoners, would bring them over to this shore, where, +according to their dreadful customs, being all cannibals, they +would kill and eat them: of which hereafter.</p> +<p>When I was come down the hill to the shore, as I said above, +being 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 +cock-pit, where it is supposed the savage wretches had sat down to +their inhuman feastings upon the bodies of their +fellow-creatures.</p> +<p>I was so astonished with the sight of these things, that I +entertained no notions of any danger to myself from it, for a long +while; all my apprehensions were buried in the thoughts of such a +pitch of inhuman, hellish brutality, and the horror of the +degeneracy of human nature; which, though I had heard of often, yet +I never had so near a view of before: in short, I turned away my +face from the horrid spectacle; my stomach grew sick, and I was +just at the point of fainting, when nature discharged the disorder +from my stomach, and, having vomited with an uncommon violence, I +was a little relieved, but could not bear to stay in the place a +moment; so I got me up the hill again with all the speed I could, +and walked on towards my own habitation.</p> +<p>When I came a little out of that part of the island, I stood +still a while 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 <span class="pagenum">[page +169]</span> 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.</p> +<p>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, any thing here, and having +often, no doubt, been up in 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 a human +creature there before; and might be here eighteen more as entirely +concealed as I was now, if I did not discover myself to them, which +I had no manner of occasion to do, it being my only business to +keep myself entirely concealed where I was, unless I found a better +sort of creatures than cannibals to make myself known to.</p> +<p>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 enclosure in the woods; nor did I look after this for +any other use than as an enclosure 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; nor did +I so much as go to look after my boat in all this time, but began +rather to think of <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page170"></a>[page 170]</span> making me another; for I could not +think of ever making any more attempts to bring the other boat +round the island to me, lest I should meet with some of those +creatures at sea, in which, if I had happened to have fallen into +their hands, I knew what would have been my lot.</p> +<p>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 particularly, I +was more cautious of firing my gun, lest any of them on the island +should happen to hear it; and it was therefore a very good +providence to me, that I had furnished myself with a tame breed of +goats, that I had no need to hunt any more about the woods, or +shoot at them; and if I did catch any more 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 +likewise furbished up one of the great cutlasses that I had out of +the ship, and made me a belt to put it in 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 broad-sword, hanging at my side in a belt, but without +a scabbard.</p> +<p>Things going on thus, as I have said, for some time, I seemed, +excepting these cautions, to be reduced to my former calm sedate +way of living. All these things tended to shew me more and more how +far my condition was from being miserable, compared to some others; +nay, to many other particulars of life, which it might have pleased +God to have made my <span class="pagenum">[page 171]</span> lot. It +put me upon reflecting, how little repining there would be among +mankind, at any condition of life, if people would rather compare +their condition with those that are worse, in order to be thankful, +than be always comparing them with those which are better, to +assist their murmurings and complainings.</p> +<p>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 try to brew myself some beer: +this was really a whimsical thought, and I reproved myself often +for the simplicity of it; for I presently saw there would be the +want of several things necessary to the making my beer, that it +would be impossible for me to supply; as, first, casks to preserve +it in, which was a thing that, as I have observed already, I could +never compass; no, though I spent not 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, had not all these things +intervened, I mean the frights and terrors I was in about the +savages, I had undertaken it, and perhaps brought it to pass too; +for I seldom gave any thing over without accomplishing it, when I +once had it in my head enough to begin it.</p> +<p>But my invention now ran quite another way; for night and day I +could think of nothing, but how I might destroy some of these +monsters in their cruel bloody entertainment, and, if possible, +save the victim they should bring hither to destroy. It would take +up a larger volume than this whole work is intended to be, to set +down all the contrivances I hatched, or rather brooded upon in my +thoughts, for the destroying these creatures, or at least +frightening them, so as <span class="pagenum">[page 172]</span> to +prevent their coming hither any more; but all was abortive; nothing +could be possible to take effect, unless I was to be there to do it +myself; and what could one man do among them, when perhaps there +might be twenty or thirty of them together, with their darts, or +their bows and arrows, with which they could shoot as true to a +mark as I could with my gun?</p> +<p>Sometimes I contrived to dig a hole under the place where they +made their fire, and put in five or six pounds of gunpowder, which, +when they kindled their fire, would consequently take fire, and +blow up all that was near it; but, as in the first place I should +be very loath to waste so much powder upon them, my store being now +within the quantity of a barrel, so neither could I be sure of its +going off at any certain time, when it might surprise them; and, at +best, that it would do little more than just blow the fire about +their ears, and fright them, but not sufficient to make them +forsake the place; so I laid it aside, and then proposed, that I +would place myself in ambush in some convenient place, with my +three guns all double-loaded, and in the middle of their bloody +ceremony let fly at them, when I should be sure to kill or wound +perhaps two or three at every shoot; and then falling in upon them +with my three pistols, and my sword, I made no doubt but that, if +there were twenty, I should kill them all: this fancy pleased my +thoughts for some weeks, and I was so full of it that I often +dreamed of it; and sometimes, that I was just going to let fly at +them in my sleep.</p> +<p>I went so far with it in my indignation, that I employed myself +several days to find out proper places to put myself in ambuscade, +as I said, to watch for them; and I went frequently to the place +itself, which was now grown more familiar to me; and especially +while my mind was thus filled with thoughts of revenge, and of a +bloody putting twenty or thirty of them to the sword, as I may call +it; but the horror I had at the place, and at the signals of the +barbarous wretches devouring one another, abated my malice.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 173]</span> +<p>Well, at length I found a place in the side of the hill, where I +was satisfied I might securely wait till I saw any of the boats +coming, and might then, even before they would be ready to come on +shore, convey myself unseen into thickets of trees, in one of which +there was an hollow large enough to conceal me entirely; and where +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 shoot, or that I +could fail wounding three or four of them at the first shoot.</p> +<p>In this place then I resolved to fix 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 an 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.</p> +<p>After I had thus laid the scheme for my design, and in my +imagination put it in practice, I continually made my tour every +morning up 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 constantly 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 not on the +whole ocean, so far as my eyes or glasses could reach every +way.</p> +<p>As long as I kept up 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, <span class="pagenum">[page 174]</span> which I had not at +all entered into a discussion of in my thoughts, any further 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 +for some ages, to act such horrid things, and receive such dreadful +customs, as nothing but nature, entirely abandoned of Heaven, and +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 it was 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 upon one +another; also, 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 one upon another. I debated this very often with +myself thus: How do I know what God himself judges in this +particular case? It is certain these people do not commit this as a +crime; it is not against their own consciences reproving, or their +light reproaching them. They do not know it to be an offence, and +then commit it in defiance of divine justice, as we do in almost +all the sins we commit. They think it no more a crime to kill a +captive taken in war, than we do to kill an ox; nor to eat human +flesh, than we do to eat mutton.</p> +<p>When I had considered this a little, it followed necessarily, +that I was certainly in the wrong in it; 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 175]</span> 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.</p> +<p>In the next place, it occurred to me, that albeit the usage they +gave one another was thus brutish and inhuman, yet it was really +nothing to me: these people had done me no injury: that if they +attempted me, or I saw it necessary for my immediate preservation +to fall upon them, something might be said for it; but that I was +yet out of their power, and they had really no knowledge of me, and +consequently no design upon me; and therefore it could not be just +for me to fall upon them: that this would justify the conduct of +the Spaniards, in all their barbarities practised in America, where +they destroyed millions of these people, who, however they were +idolaters and barbarians, and had several bloody and barbarous +rites in these customs, such as sacrificing human bodies to their +idols, were yet, as to the Spaniards, very innocent people; and +that the rooting them out of the country is spoken of with the +utmost abhorrence and detestation, even by the Spaniards +themselves, at this time, and by all other Christian nations of +Europe, as a mere butchery, a bloody and unnatural piece of +cruelty, unjustifiable either to God or man; and such, as for which +the very name of a Spaniard is reckoned to be frightful and +terrible to all people of humanity, or of Christian compassion: as +if the kingdom of Spain were particularly eminent for the product +of a race of men, who were without principles of tenderness, or the +common bowels of pity to the miserable, which is reckoned to be a +mark of a generous temper in the mind.</p> +<p>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 of my +design, and to conclude I had taken a wrong measure in my +resolutions to attack the savages; that it was not my business to +meddle with them, unless <span class="pagenum">[page 176]</span> +they first attacked me, and this it was my business, if possible, +to prevent; but that, if I were discovered and attacked, then I +knew my duty.</p> +<p>On the other hand, I argued with myself that this really was the +way not to deliver myself, but entirely to ruin and destroy myself; +for unless I was sure to kill every one that not only should be on +shore at that time, but that should ever come on shore afterwards, +if but one of them escaped to tell their country-people what had +happened, they would come over again by thousands to revenge the +death of their fellows; and I should only bring upon myself a +certain destruction, which at present I had no manner of occasion +for.</p> +<p>Upon the whole, I concluded, that neither in principles nor in +policy, I ought one way or other to concern myself in this affair: +that my business was, by all possible means to conceal myself from +them, and not to leave the least signal to them to guess by, that +there were any living creatures upon the island, I mean of human +shape.</p> +<p>Religion joined in with this prudential, and I was convinced now +many ways that I was perfectly out of my duty, when I was laying +all my bloody schemes for the destruction of innocent creatures, I +mean innocent as to me; as to the crimes they were guilty of +towards one another, I had nothing to do with them; they were +national punishments to make a just retribution for national +offences; and to bring public judgments upon those who offend in a +public manner, by such ways as best please God.</p> +<p>This appeared so clear to me now, that nothing was a greater +satisfaction to me, than that I had not been suffered to do a thing +which I now saw so much reason to believe would have been no less a +sin than that of wilful murder, if I had committed it; and I gave +most humble thanks on my knees to God, that had thus delivered me +from blood-guiltiness; beseeching him to grant me the protection of +his Providence, that I might not fall into the hands of barbarians; +or that I might not lay my hands upon them, unless I had a +<span class="pagenum">[page 177]</span> more clear call from Heaven +to do it, in defence of my own life.</p> +<p>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 which 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 whatsoever.</p> +<p>With my boat I carried away every thing 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 indeed which could not be called either anchor or +grappling; however, it was the best I could make of its kind. All +these I removed, that there might not be the least shadow of any +discovery, or any appearance of any boat, or of any habitation upon +the island.</p> +<p>Besides this, I kept myself, as I said, more retired than ever, +and seldom went from my cell, other than upon my constant +employment, viz. 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 quite out of danger: for certain it is, that these +savage people, who sometimes haunted this island, never came with +any thoughts of finding any thing 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; and <span class= +"pagenum">[page 178]</span> 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 every where, peeping and peering about the island, +to see what I could get: what a surprise should I 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 pursuing me, and, by +the swiftness of their running, no possibility of my escaping +them!</p> +<p>The thoughts of this sometimes sunk my very soul within me, and +distressed my mind so much, that I could not soon recover it; to +think what I should have done, and how I not only should not have +been able to resist them, but even should not have had presence of +mind enough to do what I might have done; much less what now, after +so much consideration and preparation, I might be able to do. +Indeed, after serious thinking of these things, I would be very +melancholy, and sometimes it would last a great while; but I +resolved it at last all into thankfulness to that Providence which +had delivered me from so many unseen dangers, and had kept me from +those mischiefs, which I could no way have been the agent in +delivering myself from; because I had not the least notion of any +such thing depending, or the least supposition of its being +possible.</p> +<p>This renewed a contemplation, which often had come to my +thoughts in former time, when first I began to see the merciful +dispositions of Heaven, in the dangers we run through in this life; +how wonderfully we are delivered when we know nothing of it: how, +when we are in a quandary, (as we call it) a doubt or hesitation, +whether to go this way, or that way, a secret hint shall direct us +this way, when we intended to go another way; nay, when sense, our +own inclination, and perhaps business, has called to go the other +way, yet a strange impression upon the mind, from we know not what +springs, <span class="pagenum">[page 179]</span> and by we know not +what power, shall over-rule us to go this way; and it shall +afterwards appear, that had we gone that way which we would have +gone, and even to our imagination ought to have gone, we should +have been ruined and lost; upon these, and many like reflections, I +afterwards made it a certain rule with me, that whenever I found +those secret hints, or pressings of my mind, to doing or not doing +any thing that presented, or to going this way or that way, I never +failed to obey the secret dictate; though I knew no other reason for +it, than that such a pressure, or such an hint, hung upon my mind: +I could give many examples of the success of this conduct in the +course of my life; but more especially in the latter part of my +inhabiting this unhappy island; besides many occasions which it is +very likely I might have taken notice of, if I had seen with the +same eyes then that I saw with now: but ’tis never too late to be +wise; and I cannot but advise all considering men, whose lives are +attended with such extraordinary incidents as mine, or even though +not so extraordinary, not to slight such secret intimations of +Providence, let them come from what invisible intelligence they +will; that I shall not discuss, and perhaps cannot account for; but +certainly they are a proof of the converse of spirits, and the +secret communication between those embodied, and those unembodied; +and such a proof as can never be withstood: of which I shall have +occasion to give some very remarkable instances, in the remainder +of my solitary residence in this dismal place.</p> +<p>I believe the reader of this will not think it strange, if I +confess that these anxieties, these constant dangers I lived in, +and the concern that was now upon me, put an end to all invention, +and to all the contrivances that I had laid for my future +accommodations and conveniences. I had the care of my safety more +now upon my hands than that of my food. I cared not to drive a +nail, or chop a stick of wood now, for fear the noise I should make +should be heard; much less would I fire a gun, for the same reason; +and, above all, I <span class="pagenum"><a name="page180"></a>[page +180]</span> was very uneasy at making any fire, lest the smoke, +which is visible at a great distance in the day, should betray me; +and 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 wood; 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.</p> +<p>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 an 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:</p> +<p>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, which fire was wanting for at +home, without danger or smoke.</p> +<p>But this by the by: while I was cutting down some wood here, I +perceived that behind a very thick branch of low brushwood, 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, I made more haste out than I did in, when, looking further +into the place, which was perfectly dark, I saw two broad shining +eyes of some creature, whether devil or man I knew not, which +twinkled like two stars, the dim light <span class="pagenum">[page +181]</span> from the cave’s mouth shining directly in and making +the reflection.</p> +<p>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 large firebrand, and in I rushed again, with +the stick flaming in my hand: I had not gone three steps in, but I +was almost as much frightened 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 if of words half-expressed, and then a deep sigh +again: I stepped back, and was indeed struck with such a surprise, +that it put me into a cold sweat; and if I had had an 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 myself a little, with considering that the power and +presence of God was every where, and was able to protect me; upon +this 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 +most monstrous frightful old he-goat, just making his will, as we +say, gasping for life, and dying indeed of a mere old age.</p> +<p>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 frightened 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.</p> +<p>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, either +round or square, no hands having ever been employed in making it +but those of mere nature: I observed also, that <span class= +"pagenum">[page 182]</span> there was a place at the farther side +of it that went in farther, but so low, that it required me to +creep upon my hands and knees to get into it, and whither it went I +knew not; so having no candle, I gave it over for some time, but +resolved to come again the next day, provided with candles and a +tinder-box, which I had made of the lock of one of the muskets, +with some wildfire in the pan.</p> +<p>Accordingly, the next day, I came provided with six large +candles of my own making, for I made very good candles now of goats +tallow; and going into this low place, I was obliged to creep upon +all fours, as I have said, almost ten yards; which, by the way, I +thought was a venture bold enough, considering that I knew not how +far it might go, or what was beyond it. When I was got through the +streight, 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 an 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.</p> +<p>The place I was in was a most delightful cavity, or grotto, of +its kind, as could be expected, though perfectly dark; the floor +was dry and level, and had a sort of small loose gravel upon it; so +that there was no nauseous creature to be seen; neither was there +any damp or wet on the sides of the 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 that 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 at my castle only five, which +<span class="pagenum">[page 183]</span> stood ready mounted, like +pieces of cannon, on my utmost fence, and were ready also to take +out upon any expedition.</p> +<p>Upon this occasion of removing my ammunition, I was obliged 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 penetrated about +three or four inches into the powder on every side, which, caking +and growing hard, had preserved the inside like a kernel in a +shell; so that I had near sixty pounds of very good powder in the +centre of the cask; and this was an agreeable discovery to me at +that time; so I carried all away thither, never keeping above two +or three pounds of powder with me in my castle, for fear of a +surprise of any kind; I also carried thither all the lead I had +left for bullets.</p> +<p>I fancied myself now like one of the ancient giants, which 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, if five hundred +savages were to hunt me, they could never find me out; or if they +did, they would not venture to attack me here.</p> +<p>The old goat, which 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.</p> +<p>I was now in my twenty-third year of residence in this island, +and was so naturalized to the place, and to the manner of living, +that could I have but enjoyed the certainty that no savages would +come to the place to disturb me, I could have been content to have +capitulated for spending the rest of my time there, even to the +last moment, till I had laid me down and died, like the old goat, +in the cave: I had also arrived to some little diversions and +amusements, which made the time pass more pleasantly with me a +great deal than it did before; as, first, I had taught my Pol, as I +noted before, to speak; and he did it so familiarly, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 184]</span> 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 live afterwards I knew not; +though I know they have a notion in the Brasils, that they live an +hundred years; perhaps some of my Polls may be alive there still, +calling after poor Robin Crusoe to this day; I wish no Englishman +the ill luck to come there and hear them; but if he did, he would +certainly believe it was the devil. 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, which I taught to feed out of my hand; and I had also +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 also several tame +sea-fowls, whose names I know not, which 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 it might but have been +secured from the dread of savages.</p> +<p>But it was otherwise directed; and it might not be amiss for all +people who shall meet with my story to make this just observation +from it, viz. How frequently, in the course of our lives, the evil, +which in itself <span class="pagenum">[page 185]</span> we seek +most to shun, and which, when we are fallen into, is the most +dreadful to us, is oftentimes the very means or door of our +deliverance, 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 remarkable, than in the circumstances of my last years +of solitary residence in this island.</p> +<p>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 +pretty early in the morning, even before it was thorough daylight, +I was surprised with seeing a light of some fire upon the shore, at +a distance from me of about two miles, towards the end of the +island, where I had observed some savages had been, as before; but +not on the other side; but, to my great affliction, it was on my +side of the island.</p> +<p>I was indeed terribly surprised at the sight, and stopped short +within my grove, not daring to go out, lest I might be surprised; +and yet I had no more peace within, from the apprehensions I had, +that if these savages, in rambling over the island, should find my +corn standing, or cut, or any of my works and improvements, they +would immediately conclude that there were people in the place, and +would then never give over till they found me out. In this +extremity I went back directly to my castle, pulled up the ladder +after me, having made all things without look as wild and natural +as I could.</p> +<p>Then I prepared myself within, putting myself in a posture of +defence; 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 +forgetting seriously to recommend myself to the divine protection, +and earnestly to pray to God to <span class="pagenum">[page +186]</span> deliver me out of the hands of the barbarians; and in +this posture I continued about two hours, but began to be mighty +impatient for intelligence abroad, for I had no spies to send +out.</p> +<p>After sitting awhile longer, and musing what I should do in this +case, I was not able to bear sitting in ignorance 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 to the top of the hill; +and pulling out my perspective glass, which I had taken on purpose, +I laid me down flat on my belly on the ground, and began to look +for the place. I presently found there were no less than nine naked +savages sitting round a small fire they had made; not to warm them, +for they had no need of that, the weather being extreme hot; but, +as I supposed, to dress some of their barbarous diet of human flesh +which they had brought with them, whether alive or dead I could not +know.</p> +<p>They had two canoes with them, which they had haled up upon the +shore; and as it was then tide of ebb, they seemed to me to wait +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 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 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.</p> +<p>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 and more +before they went off, they went to dancing, and I could easily +discern their postures and gestures by my glasses; I could only +perceive, by my nicest observation, that <span class= +"pagenum">[page 187]</span> they were stark naked, and had not the +least covering upon them; but whether they were men or women, that +I could not distinguish.</p> +<p>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 +appearance of all. As soon as I got thither, which was not less +than two hours, (for I could not go apace, being so loaded with +arms as I was,) I perceived there had been three canoes more of +savages on that place; and looking out further, I saw they were all +at sea together, making over for the main.</p> +<p>This was a dreadful sight to me, especially when, going down to +the shore, I could see the marks of horror which the dismal work +they had been about had left behind 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 began now to premeditate the destruction of +the next that I saw there, let them be who or how many soever.</p> +<p>It seemed evident to me, that the visits which they thus made 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 never saw them, or any footsteps 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 apprehensions I was in of +their coming upon me by surprise; from whence I observe, that the +expectation of evil is more bitter than the suffering, especially +if there is no room to shake off that expectation or those +apprehensions.</p> +<p>During all this time, I was in the murdering humour; and took up +most of my hours, which should have been better employed, in +contriving how to circumvent and fall upon them the very next time +I <span class="pagenum">[page 188]</span> should see them; +especially if they should be divided, as they were the last time, +into two parties; nor did I consider at all, that if I killed one +party, suppose ten or a dozen, I was still the next day, or week, +or month, to kill another, and so another, even <i>ad +infinitum</i>, till I should be at length no less a murderer than +they were in being men-eaters, and perhaps much more so.</p> +<p>I spent my days now in great perplexity and anxiety of mind, +expecting that I should one day or other fall into the hands of +those merciless creatures; if I did at any time venture abroad, it +was not without looking round me with the greatest care and caution +imaginable; and now I found, to my great comfort, how happy it was +that I had provided a tame flock or herd of goats; for I durst not, +upon any account, fire my gun especially near that side of the +island, where they usually came, lest I should alarm the savages; +and if they had fled from me now, I was sure to have them come back +again, with perhaps two or three hundred canoes with them in a few +days, and then I knew what to expect.</p> +<p>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 hear +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.</p> +<p>The perturbation of my mind, during this fifteen or sixteen +months interval, was very great; I slept unquiet, dreamed always +frightful dreams, and often started out of my sleep in the night; +in the day great troubles overwhelmed my mind; in the night I +dreamed often of killing the savages, and the reasons why I might +justify the doing of it. But to wave all this for awhile, it was in +the middle of May, on the sixteenth day, I think, as well as my +poor wooden calendar <span class="pagenum">[page 189]</span> would +reckon, for I marked all upon, the post still; I say, it was on the +sixteenth of May that it blew a great storm of wind all day, with a +great deal of lightning and thunder, and a very foul night 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 serious thoughts +about my present condition, I was surprised with the noise of a +gun, as I thought, fired at sea.</p> +<p>This was, to be sure, a surprise of a quite 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 up 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; that very moment a flash +of fire bade me listen for a second gun, which accordingly in about +half a moment I heard, and by the sound knew that it was from that +part of the sea where I was driven out with the current in my +boat.</p> +<p>I immediately considered that this must be some ship in +distress, and that they had some comrade, or some other ship in +company, and fired these guns for signals of distress, and to +obtain help. I had this presence of mind at that minute as to +think, that though I could not help them, it may 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 burnt fairly out, so that I was certain, if there was +any such thing as a ship, they must need 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 an hull, I could not +distinguish, no not with my glasses, <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page190"></a>[page 190]</span> the distance was so great, and the +weather still something hazy also; at least it was so out at +sea.</p> +<p>I looked frequently at it all that day, and soon perceived that +it did not move; so I presently concluded that it was a ship at +anchor; and being eager, you may be sure, to be satisfied, I took +my gun in my hand, and ran towards the south-east side of the +island, to the rocks, where I had been formerly carried away with +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 then from the most +desperate hopeless condition that ever I had been in all my +life.</p> +<p>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. and 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 the firing of their guns +for help, especially when they saw, as I imagined, my fire, filled +me with many thoughts: first, I imagined, that, upon seeing my +light, they might have put themselves into their boat, and have +endeavoured to make the shore; but that the sea going 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 overboard with their own hands; other times I +imagined, they had some other ship or ships in company, who, upon +the signals of distress they had made, had taken them up, and +carried them <span class="pagenum">[page 191]</span> 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.</p> +<p>All these were but conjectures at best, so, in the condition I +was in, I could do no more than look upon the misery of the poor +men, and pity them; which had still this good effect on 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 +condition; 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 learnt here again to observe, that it is very rare that the +providence of God casts us into any condition of life 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.</p> +<p>Such certainly was the case of these men, of whom I could not so +much as see room to suppose any of them were saved; nothing could +make it rational, so much as to wish or expect that they did not +all perish there, except the possibility only of their being taken +up by another ship in company: and this was but mere possibility +indeed; for I saw not the least signal or appearance of any such +thing.</p> +<p>I cannot explain, by any possible energy of words, what a +strange longing, or hankering of desire, I felt in my soul upon +this sight; breaking out sometimes thus: “O that there had been but +one or two, nay, but one soul saved out of the ship, to have +escaped to me, that I might but have had one companion, one +fellow-creature to have spoken to me, and to have conversed with!” +In all the time of my solitary life, I never felt so earnest, so +strong a desire after the society of my fellow-creatures, or so +deep a regret at want of it.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 192]</span> +<p>There are some secret moving springs in the affections, which, +when they are set a going by some object in view, or be it some +object though not in view, yet rendered present to the mind by the +power of imagination, that motion carries out the soul by its +impetuosity to such violent eager embracings of the object, that +the absence of it is insupportable.</p> +<p>Such were these earnest wishings, “That but one man had been +saved! O that it had been but one!” I believe I repeated the words, +“O that it had been but one!” a thousand times; and my desires were +so moved by it, that when I spoke the words, my hands would clinch +together, and my fingers press the palms of my hands, that if I had +had any soft thing in my hand, it would have crushed it +involuntarily; and my teeth in my head would strike together, and +set against one another so strong, that for some time I could not +part them again.</p> +<p>Let the naturalists explain these things, and the reason and +manner of them: all I can say of them is, to describe the fact, +which was ever surprising to me when I found it, though I knew not +from what it should proceed; it was doubtless the effect of ardent +wishes, and of strong ideas formed in my mind, realizing the +comfort which the conversation of one of my fellow-christians would +have been to me.</p> +<p>But it was not to be; either their fate, or mine, or both, +forbad it; for till the last year of my being on this island, I +never knew whether any were saved out of that ship, or no; and had +only the affliction some days after to see the corpse of a drowned +boy come on shore, at the end of the island which was next the +shipwreck: he had on no clothes but a seaman’s waistcoat, a pair of +open kneed linen drawers, and a blue linen shirt; but nothing to +direct me so much as to guess what nation he was of: he had nothing +in his pocket but two pieces of eight, and a tobacco-pipe; the last +was to me of ten times more value than the first.</p> +<p>It was now calm, and I had a great mind to venture <span class= +"pagenum">[page 193]</span> 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 nor day, but I must venture +out in my boat on board this wreck; and committing the rest to +God’s providence, I thought the impression was so strong upon my +mind, that it could not be resisted, that it must come from some +invisible direction, and that I should be wanting to myself if I +did not go.</p> +<p>Under the power of this impression, I hastened back to my +castle, prepared every thing for my voyage, took a quantity of +bread, a great pot for fresh water, a compass to steer by, a bottle +of rum, (for I had still a great deal of that left) a basket full +of raisins: and thus loading myself with every thing necessary, I +went down to my boat, got the water out of her, and got her afloat, +loaded all my cargo in her, and then went home again for more: my +second cargo was a great bag full of rice, the umbrella to set up +over my head for shade, another large pot full of lush 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, viz. 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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 194]</span> currents, I should be +carried a vast way out to sea and perhaps out of my reach, or 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.</p> +<p>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 me down upon a little spot of rising +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 came on, upon which my going was for so many +hours impracticable: upon this it presently 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, but 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 of the island in my +return, and I should do well enough.</p> +<p>Encouraged with this observation, I resolved the next morning to +set out with the first of the tide; and reposing myself for that +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 feel the benefit of the current, which sat eastward, and +which carried me at a great rate, and yet did not so hurry me as +the southern side current had done before, and so as to take from +me all government of the boat; but having a strong steerage with my +paddle, I <span class="pagenum">[page 195]</span> went, I say, at a +great rate, directly for the wreck, and in less than two hours I +came up to it.</p> +<p>It was a dismal sight to look at: the ship, which by its +building was Spanish, stuck fast, jambed 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 main-mast and fore-mast were brought by the board, +that is to say, broken short off, but her boltsprit was sound, and +the head and bow appeared firm. When I came close to her, a dog +appeared upon her, which, 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 for hunger and +thirst: I gave him a cake of my bread, and he ate like a ravenous +wolf that had been starving a fortnight in the snow: I then gave +the poor creature some fresh water, with which, if I would have let +him, he would have burst himself.</p> +<p>After this I went on board. 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 were 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 believed belonged to some of the seamen, and I got two of +them into the boat without examining what was in them.</p> +<p>Had the stern of the ship been fixed, and the fore part broken +off, I am persuaded I might have made a good voyage; for by what I +found in these two chests, <span class="pagenum">[page 196]</span> +I had room to suppose the ship had a great deal of wealth on board; +and if I may guess by the course she steered, she must have been +bound from the Buenos Ayres, or the Rio de la Plata, in the south +part of America, beyond the Brasils, to the Havanna, 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 any body; and what +became of the rest of her people I then knew not.</p> +<p>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 a cabin, and a great +powder-horn, 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.</p> +<p>I reposed that night in the boat, and in the morning I resolved +to harbour what I had gotten in my new cave, not to 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 Brasils; and, in a +word, not at all good; but when I came to open the chests, I found +several things which I wanted: 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 white linen handkerchiefs +and coloured <span class="pagenum">[page 197]</span> neckcloths; +the former were also very welcome, being exceeding refreshing to +wipe my face in a hot day. Besides this, when I came to the till in +the chests, I found there three great bags of pieces of eight, +which held about eleven hundred pieces in all; and in one of them, +wrapt up in a paper, six doubloons of gold, and some small bars or +wedges of gold; I suppose they might all weigh near a pound.</p> +<p>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, as there was no powder in it, but about two pounds +of glazed powder in the three flasks, kept, I suppose, for charging +their fowling-pieces on occasion. Upon the whole, I got very little +by this voyage that was of much 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 now for many years: I had, indeed, got +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 case or service, being rather what we +call pumps than shoes. I found in the seaman’s chest about fifty +pieces of eight in royals, but no gold: I suppose this belonged to +a poorer man than the other, which seemed to belong to some +officer.</p> +<p>Well, however, I lugged the 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 the 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.</p> +<p>Having now brought all my things on shore, and secured them, I +went back to my boat, and rowed or <span class="pagenum">[page +198]</span> 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 every thing safe and quiet; so I began to repose +myself, live after my old fashion, and take care of my family +affairs; and for awhile 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 precautions, and such a load of arms and ammunition as I +always carried with me, if I went the other way.</p> +<p>I lived in this condition near two years more; but my unlucky +head, that was always to let me know it was born to make my body +miserable, was all these two years filled with projects and +designs, how, if it were possible, I might get away from this +island; for sometimes I was for making another voyage to the wreck, +though my reason told me, that there was nothing left there worth +the hazard of my voyage; sometimes for a ramble one way, sometimes +another; and I believe verity, if I had had the boat that I went +from Sallee in, I should have ventured to sea, bound any where, I +knew not whither.</p> +<p>I have been, in all my circumstances, a memento to those who are +touched with that general plague of mankind, whence, for aught I +know, one half of their miseries flow; I mean, that of not being +satisfied with the station wherein God and nature hath placed them; +for, not to look back upon my primitive condition, and the +excellent advice of my father, the opposition to which was, as I +may call it, my original sin, my subsequent mistakes of the same +kind have been the means of my coming into this miserable +condition; for had that Providence, which so happily had seated me +at the Brasils as a planter, blessed me with confined desires, and +could I have been contented to have gone on gradually, I might have +been by this time, I mean in the time of my being on this island, +one of <span class="pagenum">[page 199]</span> the most +considerable planters in the Brasils; nay, I am persuaded, that by +the improvements I had made in that little time I lived there, and +the increase I should probably have made if I had stayed, I might +have been worth a hundred thousand moidores; and what business had +I to leave a settled fortune, well-stocked plantation, improving +and increasing, to turn supercargo to Guinea, to fetch Negroes, +when patience and time would have so increased our stock at home, +that we could have bought them at our own doors, from those whose +business it was to fetch them? And though it had cost us something +more, yet the difference of that price was by no means worth saving +at so great a hazard.</p> +<p>But as this is ordinarily the fate of young heads, so reflection +upon the folly of it is as ordinarily the exercise of more years, +or of the dear-bought experience of time; and so it was with me +now; and yet, so deep had the mistake taken root in my temper, that +I could not satisfy myself in my station, but was continually +poring upon the means and possibility of my escape from this place; +and that I may, with the greater pleasure to the reader, bring on +the remaining part of my story, it may not be improper to give some +account of my first conceptions on the subject of this foolish +scheme for my escape; and how, and upon what foundation, I +acted.</p> +<p>I am now to be supposed to be retired into my castle, after my +late voyage to the wreck, my frigate laid up, and secured under +water as usual, and my condition restored to what it was before: I +had more wealth, indeed, 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 thither.</p> +<p>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, and very +well in health, had no pain, no distemper, no uneasiness of body, +no, nor any uneasiness of mind more than ordinary, but <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page200"></a>[page 200]</span> could by no means +close my eyes, that is, so as to sleep; no, not a wink all night +long, otherwise than as follows:</p> +<p>It is as impossible as needless to set down the innumerable +crowd of thoughts that whirled through that great thoroughfare of +the brain, the memory, in this night’s time: I ran over the whole +history of my life in miniature, or by abridgment, as I may call +it, to my coming to this island; and also of that part of my life +since I came to this island; in my reflections upon the state of my +case, since I came on shore on this island; I was comparing the +happy posture of my affairs, in the first years of my habitation +here, to that course of anxiety, fear, and care, which I had lived +in ever since I had seen the print of a foot in the sand; not that +I did not believe the savages had frequented the island even all +the while, and might have been several hundreds of them at times on +the shore there; but as I had never known it, and was incapable of +any apprehensions about it, my satisfaction was perfect, though my +danger was the same; and I was as happy in not knowing my danger, +as if I had never really been exposed to it; this furnished my +thoughts with many very profitable reflections, and particularly +this one: How infinitely good that Providence is, which has settled +in its government of mankind such narrow bounds to his sight and +knowledge of things; and though he walks in the midst of so many +thousand dangers, the sight of which, if discovered to him, would +distract his mind and sink his spirits, he is kept serene and calm, +by having the events of things hid from his eyes, and knowing +nothing of the dangers which surround him.</p> +<p>After these thoughts had for some time entertained me, I came to +reflect seriously upon the real danger I had been in for so many +years in this very island; and how I had walked about in the +greatest security, and with all possible tranquillity, even perhaps +when nothing but a brow on a hill, a great tree, or the casual +approach of night, had been between me and the <span class= +"pagenum">[page 201]</span> worst kind of destruction, viz. that of +falling into the hands of cannibals, and savages, who would have +seized on me with the same view, as I did of a goat, or a turtle; +and have thought it no more a crime to kill and devour me, than I +did of a pigeon, or a curlieu: I would unjustly slander my self, if +I should say I was not sincerely thankful to my great Preserver, to +whose singular protection I acknowledged, with great humility, that +all these unknown deliverances were due; and without which, I must +inevitably have fallen into their merciless hands.</p> +<p>When these thoughts were over, my head was for some time taken +up in considering the nature of these wretched creatures; I mean, +the savages; and how it came to pass in the world, that the wise +governour of all things should give up any of his creatures to such +inhumanity; nay, to something so much below, even brutality it +self, as to devour its own kind; but as this ended in some (at that +time fruitless) speculations, it occurred to me to enquire, 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 my +self, and my business so, that I might be as able to go over +thither, as they were to come to me.</p> +<p>I never so much as troubled my self to consider what I should do +with my self, when I came thither; what would become of me, if I +fell into the hands of the savages; or how I should escape from +them, if they attempted me; no, nor so much as how it was possible +for me to reach the coast, and not be attempted by some or other of +them, without any possibility of delivering my self; 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 +back upon my <span class="pagenum">[page 202]</span> present +condition as the most miserable that could possibly be; that I was +not able to throw myself into any thing but death that could be +called worse; that if I reached the shore of the main, I might, +perhaps, meet with relief; or I might coast along, as I did on the +shore of Africa, 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, as it were, desperate 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 the obtaining of what I so earnestly longed for, viz. somebody +to speak to, and to learn some knowledge from of the place where I +was, and of the probable means of my deliverance; I say, 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 any thing but 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.</p> +<p>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 high 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 thought 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 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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 203]</span> were going to kill jumped +away, and ran for his life: then I thought in my sleep, that he +came running into my little thick grove, before my fortification, +to hide himself; and that I seeing him alone, and not perceiving +that the others sought him that way, shewed myself to him, and, +smiling upon him, encouraged him: that he kneeled down to me, +seeming to pray me to assist him; upon which I shewed my ladder, +made him go up it, and carried him into my cave, and he became my +servant; and that as soon as I had got this man, I said to myself, +“Now I may certainly venture to the main land; for this fellow will +serve me as a pilot, and will tell me what to do, and whither to go +for 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 it was no more than a +dream, were equally extravagant the other way, and threw me into a +very great dejection of spirit.</p> +<p>Upon this, however, I made this conclusion, that my only way to +go about an attempt for an escape, was, if possible, to get a +savage in my possession; and, if possible, it should be one of +their prisoners whom they had condemned to be eaten, and should +bring hither to kill: but these thoughts still were attended with +this difficulty, that it was impossible to effect this, without +attacking a whole caravan of them, and killing them all; and this +was not only a very desperate attempt, and might miscarry; but, on +the other hand, I had greatly scrupled the lawfulness of it to me, +and my heart trembled 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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 204]</span> 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 deliverance were very terrible to me, and such as I +could by no means reconcile myself to a great while.</p> +<p>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 mastered all the rest, +and I resolved, if possible, to get one of these savages into my +hands, cost what it would: the next thing then 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 +opportunity should present, let it be what it would.</p> +<p>With these resolutions in my thoughts, I set myself upon the +scout as often as possible, and indeed so often, till I was +heartily tired of it; for it was above a year and a half that I +waited, and for a great part of that time went out to the west end, +and to the south-west corner of the island, almost every day, to +see the canoes, but none appeared. This was very discouraging, and +began to trouble me much; though I can’t say that it did in this +case, as it had done some time before that, viz. wear off the edge +of my desire to the thing; but the longer it seemed to be delayed, +the more eager I was for it: in a word, I was not at first more +careful to shun the sight of these savages, and avoid being seen by +them, than I was now eager to be upon them.</p> +<p>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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 205]</span> pleased myself with this +affair, but nothing still presented; all my fancies and schemes +came to nothing, for no savages came near me for a great while.</p> +<p>About a year and a half 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 in execution, I was +surprised one morning early, with seeing no less than five canoes +all on shore together, on my side the island, and the people who +belonged to them all landed, and out of my sight: the number of +them broke all my measures; for seeing so many, and knowing that +they always came four, or six, or sometimes more, in a boat, I +could not tell what to think of it, or how to take my measures, to +attack twenty or thirty men single-handed; so I 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 ready for action, if any thing had presented. Having +waited a good while, listening to hear if they made any noise; at +length being very impatient, I set my guns at the foot of my +ladder, and clambered up to the top of the hill by my two stages, +as usual, standing so, however, that my head did not appear above +the hill, so that they could not perceive me by any means. Here I +observed, by the help of my perspective glass, that they were no +less than thirty in number; that they had a fire kindled, and that +they had had meat dressed; how they cooked it, that 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.</p> +<p>When 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 206]</span> 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.</p> +<p>I was dreadfully frighted (that I must acknowledge) when I +perceived him to run my way; and especially when, as I thought, I +saw him pursued by the whole body; and now I expected that part of +my dream was coming to pass, and that he would certainly take +shelter in my grove; but I could not depend, by any means, upon my +dream for the rest of it, 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 were not +above three men that followed him; and still more was I encouraged, +when I found that he out-stript them exceedingly in running, and +gained ground of them, so that if he could but hold it for half an +hour, I saw easily he would fairly get away from them all.</p> +<p>There was between them and my castle the creek, which I +mentioned often at the first part of my story, when I landed my +cargoes out of the ship; and this I knew 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 on with exceeding strength and +swiftness. When the three pursuers came to the creek, I found that +two of them could swim, but the third could not, and that he, +standing on the other side, looked at the other, but went no +farther; and soon after went softly back again, which, as it +happened, was very well for him in the main.</p> +<p>I observed, that the two who swam were yet more than twice as +long swimming over the creek than the <span class="pagenum">[page +207]</span> fellow was that fled from them. It came now very warmly +upon my thoughts, and indeed irresistibly, that now was my time to +get a servant, and perhaps a companion, or assistant, and that I +was called plainly by Providence to save this poor creature’s life. +I immediately got down the ladders with all possible expedition, +fetched my two guns, for they were both at the foot of the ladder, +as I observed above; and getting up again with the same haste to +the top of the hill, I crossed towards the sea; and having a very +short cut, and all down hill, clapped myself in the way between the +pursuers and the pursued, hallooing aloud to him that fled, who, +looking back, was at first perhaps as much frighted at me as at +them; but I beckoned with my hand to him to come back; and in the +meantime I slowly advanced towards the two that followed; then +rushing at once upon the foremost, I knocked him down with the +stock of my piece; I was loath to fire, because I would not have +the rest hear, though at that distance it would not have been +easily heard; and being out of sight of the smoke too, they would +not have easily known what to make of it. I having knocked this +fellow down, the other who pursued him stopped, as if he had been +frightened, and I advanced apace 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 frighted with the fire and noise +of my piece, that he stood stock-still, and neither came forward, +nor went backward, though he seemed rather inclined to fly still, +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 him <span class="pagenum">[page 208]</span> again +to come to me, and gave him all the signs of encouragement that I +could think of; and he came nearer and nearer, kneeling down every +ten or twelve steps, in token of acknowledgment for saving his +life. I smiled at him, and looked pleasantly, and beckoned to him +to come still nearer. At length he came close to me, and then he +kneeled down again, kissed the ground, and laid his head upon the +ground, and taking me by the foot, set my foot upon his head. This, +it seems, was in token of swearing to be my slave for ever. I took +him up, and made much of him, and encouraged him all I could. But +there was more work to do yet; for I perceived the savage, whom I +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 hear, for they were the first sound of a man’s voice +that I had heard, my own excepted, for above five-and-twenty years. +But there was no time for such reflections now: the savage, who was +knocked down, recovered himself so far as to sit up upon the +ground; and I perceived that my savage began to be afraid; but 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 so cleverly, no executioner in Germany +could have done it sooner or better; which I thought very strange +for one, who, I had reason to believe, never saw a sword in his +life before, except their own wooden swords: however, it seems, as +I learnt afterwards, they make their wooden swords so sharp, so +heavy, and the wood is so hard, that they will cut off heads even +with them, nay, and arms, and that at one blow too. When he had +done this, he comes laughing to me in sign of triumph, and brought +me the sword <span class="pagenum">[page 209]</span> 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.</p> +<p>But that which astonished him most was, to know how I had killed +the other Indian so far off; so pointing to him, he made signs to +me to let him go to him: so 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 t’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. Then he took up his +bow and arrows, and came back; so I turned to go away, and beckoned +him to follow me, making signs to him that more might come after +them.</p> +<p>Upon this he signed 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 again to him 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 also by the other; 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; viz. that he came into my grove for shelter.</p> +<p>Here I gave him bread and a bunch of raisins to eat, and a +draught of water, which I found he was indeed in great distress +for, by his running; and having refreshed him, I made signs for him +to go lie down and sleep, pointing to a place where I had laid a +great parcel of rice-straw, and a blanket upon it, which I used to +sleep upon myself sometimes; so the poor creature lay down, and +went to sleep.</p> +<p>He was a comely handsome fellow, perfectly well made, with +straight long limbs, not too large, tall, and well-shaped, and, as +I reckon, about twenty-six <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page210"></a>[page 210]</span> years of age. He had a very good +countenance, not a fierce and surly aspect, but seemed to have +something very manly in his face, and yet he had all the sweetness +and softness of an European in his countenance too, especially when +he smiled: his hair was long and black, not curled like wool; his +forehead very high and large, and a great vivacity and sparkling +sharpness in his eyes. The colour of his skin was not quite black, +but very tawny, and yet not of an ugly yellow nauseous tawny, as +the Brasilians 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 +Negroe’s, a very good mouth, thin lips, and his teeth fine, +well-set, and white as ivory. After he had slumbered, rather than +slept, about half an hour, he waked again, and comes out of the +cave to me, for I had been milking my goats, which I had in the +enclosure just by: when he espied me, he came running to me, laying +himself down again upon the ground, with all the possible signs of +an humble thankful disposition, making many, antic gestures to shew +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 much he would serve +me as 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 made +him know his name should be Friday, which was the day I saved his +life; and I called him so for the memory of the time; I likewise +taught him to say Master, and then let him know that was to be my +name; I likewise taught him to say Yes 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 211]</span> of bread to do +the like, which he quickly complied with, and made signs that it +was very good for him.</p> +<p>I kept there with him all that night; but as soon as it was day, +I beckoned 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 spot, and shewed me the marks that he had made to +find them again, making signs to me that we should dig them up +again, and eat them: at this I appeared very angry, expressed my +abhorrence of it, made as if I would vomit at the thoughts of it, +and beckoned with my hand to him to come away, which he did +immediately, with great 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 of their canoes; so that it was plain +that they were gone, and had left their two comrades behind them, +without, any search after them.</p> +<p>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 further 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 the blood, great +pieces of flesh left here and there, half-eaten, mangled, and +scorched; and, in short, all the tokens of the triumphant feast +they had been making there, after a victory over their enemies. I +saw three skulls, five hands, and the bones of three or four legs +<span class="pagenum">[page 212]</span> 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, whose subjects, it seems, he had been one of; and +that they had taken a great number of prisoners, all which were +carried to several places by those that had taken them in the +flight, in order to feast upon them, as was done here by these +wretches upon those they brought hither.</p> +<p>I caused Friday to gather all the skulls, bones, flesh, and +whatever remained, and lay them together on an 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.</p> +<p>When we had done this, we came back to our castle, and there I +fell to work for my man Friday; and first of all, I gave him a pair +of linen drawers, which I had out of the poor gunner’s chest I +mentioned, and which I found in the wreck; and which, with a little +alteration, 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 +tolerable good tailor; and I gave him a cap, which I had made of a +hare-skin, very convenient, and fashionable enough: and thus he was +dressed, for the present, tolerably well, and mighty well was he +pleased to see himself almost as well clothed as his master. It is +true, he went awkwardly in these things at first; 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.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 213]</span> +<p>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 entrance: and causing the door to open on 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 cross with small 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 trapdoor, 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 in to my side every night.</p> +<p>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 designs; 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 for the saving 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 as to my safety +on his account.</p> +<p>This frequently gave me occasion to observe, and that with +wonder, that, however it had pleased God in his providence, and in +the government of the works of his hands, to take from so great a +part of the world of his creatures the best uses to which their +<span class="pagenum">[page 214]</span> faculties, and the powers +of their souls, are adapted; yet that he has bestowed upon them the +same powers, the same reason, the same affections, the same +sentiments of kindness and obligation, the same passions and +resentments of wrongs, the same sense of gratitude, sincerity, +fidelity, and all the capacities of doing good, and receiving good, +that he has given to us; and that when he pleases to offer them +occasions of exerting these, they are as ready, nay more ready, to +apply them to the right uses for which they were bestowed, than we +are. And this made me very melancholy sometimes, in reflecting, as +the several occasions presented, how mean a use we make of all +these, even though we have these powers enlightened by the great +lamp of instruction, the Spirit of God, and by the knowledge of his +word, added to our understanding; and why it has pleased God to +hide the life saving knowledge from so many millions of souls, who, +if I might judge by this poor savage, would make a much better use +of it than we did.</p> +<p>From hence I sometimes was led too far to invade the sovereignty +of Providence; and, as it were, arraign the justice of so arbitrary +a disposition of things, that should hide that light from some, and +reveal it to others, and yet expect a like duty from both: but I +shut it up, and checked my thoughts with this conclusion: first, +that we do not know by what light and law these should be +condemned; but that as God was necessarily, and by the nature of +his being, infinitely holy and just, so it could not be, but that +if these creatures were all sentenced to absence from himself, it +was on account of sinning against that light, which, as the +Scripture says, was a law to themselves, and by such rules as their +consciences would acknowledge to be just, though the foundation was +not discovered to us: and, secondly, that still, as we are all clay +in the hand of the potter, no vessel could say to him, “Why hast +thou formed me thus?”</p> +<p>But to return to my new companion: I was greatly delighted with +him, and made it my business to teach <span class="pagenum">[page +215]</span> him every thing that was proper to make him useful, +handy, and helpful; but especially to make him speak, and +understand me when I spake: 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. And 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 while I lived.</p> +<p>After I had been two or three days returned to my castle, I +thought, that, in order to bring Friday off from his horrid way of +feeding, and from the relish of a cannibal’s stomach, I ought to +let him taste other flesh; so I took him out with me one morning to +the woods: I went, indeed, intending to kill a kid out of my own +flock, and bring it home and dress 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, or 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 if 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 that his meaning was to pray me not to kill him.</p> +<p>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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 216]</span> how the creature was killed, I loaded +my gun again, and by and by I saw a great fowl, like a hawk, sit +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 him fall, I made him understand +that I would shoot and kill that bird; accordingly I fired, and bid +him look, and immediately he saw the parrot fall; he stood like one +frighted again, notwithstanding all that I had said to him; and I +found he was the more amazed, because he did not see me put any +thing into the gun; but thought there must be some wonderful fund +of death and destruction in that thing, able to kill man, beast, +bird, or any thing near or far off; for 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 over; but would speak to it, and talk to it, as if it +had answered him, when he was by himself; which, as I afterwards +learnt of him, was to desire it not to kill him.</p> +<p>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 staid some time; for the parrot, not being quite dead, had +fluttered a good way off 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 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; after I had begun to eat +some, I <span class="pagenum">[page 217]</span> 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 month, 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 in 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 a great while, and then +but a very little.</p> +<p>Having thus fed him with boiled meat and broth, I was resolved +to feast him the next day with roasting a piece of the kid: this I +did by hanging it before the fire in a string, as I had seen many +people do in England, setting two poles up, one on each side the +fire, and one cross on 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 he would never eat man’s flesh any more, +which I was very glad to hear.</p> +<p>The next day I set him to work to beating some corn out, and +sifting it in the manner I used to do, as I observed before; and he +soon understood how to do it as well as I, especially after he had +seen what the meaning of it was, and that it was to make bread of; +for after that I let him see me make my bread, and bake it too; and +in a little time Friday was able to do all the work for me, as well +as I could do it myself.</p> +<p>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 not only worked very willingly and very +hard, but did it very cheerfully; and I told <span class= +"pagenum">[page 218]</span> him what it was for, that it was for +corn to make more bread, because he was now with me, and that I +might have enough for him and myself too: he appeared very sensible +of that part, and let me know, that he thought I had much more +labour upon me on his account, than I had for myself, and that he +would work the harder for me, if I would tell him what to do.</p> +<p>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 every thing 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 any thing before.</p> +<p>I had a mind once to try if he had any hankering inclination to +his own country again; and having learnt 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 discourse. “You always fight the better!” said I: “how +came you to be taken prisoner then, Friday?”</p> +<p><i>Friday.</i> My nation beat much for all that.</p> +<p><i>Master</i>. How beat? if your nation beat them, how came you +to be taken?</p> +<p><i>Friday</i>. They more than my nation in the place where me +was; they take one, two, three, and me: my nation over-beat them in +the yonder place, where me no was; there my nation take one two +great thousand.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 219]</span> +<p><i>Master</i>. But why did not your side recover you from the +hands of your enemies then?</p> +<p><i>Friday</i>. They run one, two, three, and me, and make go in +the canoe; my nation have no canoe that time.</p> +<p><i>Master</i>. Well, Friday, and what does your nation do with +the men they take? Do they carry them away, and eat them as these +did?</p> +<p><i>Friday.</i> Yes, my nation eat mans too, eat all up.</p> +<p><i>Master</i>. Where do they carry them?</p> +<p><i>Friday</i>. Go to other place where they think.</p> +<p><i>Master</i>. Do they come hither?</p> +<p><i>Friday</i>. Yes, yes, they come hither; come other else +place.</p> +<p><i>Master</i>. Have you been here with them?</p> +<p><i>Friday</i>. Yes, I been here [points to the N.W. side of the +island, which, it seems, was their side.]</p> +<p>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 said 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 ate 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.</p> +<p>I have told this passage, because it introduces what follows; +that after I had had this discourse 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 a wind always one way in the morning, the other in the +afternoon.</p> +<p>This I understand 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 draught and reflux of the mighty river +Oroonoque; in the mouth <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page220"></a>[page 220]</span> of which river, as I thought +afterwards, our island lay; and that this land, which I perceived +to the 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 +Caribees, which our maps place on that part of America which +reaches from the mouth of the river Oroonoque 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 W. +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 which I understood +he meant the Spaniards, whose cruelties in America had been spread +over the whole countries, and were remembered by all the nations +from father to son.</p> +<p>I inquired if he could tell me how I might come from this +island, and get among those white men; he told me, Yes, yes, I +might go in two canoe; I could not understand what he meant by two +canoe; till at last, with great difficulty, I found he meant, that +it must be in a large great boat as big as two canoes.</p> +<p>This part of Friday’s discourse began to relish with me 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.</p> +<p>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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 221]</span> 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 he 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 all things, why did not all things worship him? He +looked very grave, and with a perfect look of innocence said, All +things said O! to him. I asked him, if the people who die in his +country, went away any where? He said, Yes, they all went to +Benamuckee. Then I asked him, whether those they ate up, went +thither too? he said, Yes.</p> +<p>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 +there, pointing up towards heaven; that he governs the world by the +same power and providence by which he made it; that he was +omnipotent, could do every thing for us, give every thing to us, +take every thing 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 +into 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 never went that were young men; none went thither +but the old men; whom he called their Oowookakee, that is, as I +made him explain it to me, their religious, or clergy; and that +they went to say O! (so he called saying prayers,) and then came +back, and told them what Benamuckee said. By this I observed, that +there <span class="pagenum">[page 222]</span> is priestcraft even +amongst the most blinded ignorant Pagans in the world; and the +policy of making a secret religion, in order to preserve the +veneration of the people to the clergy, is not only to be found in +the Roman, but perhaps among all religious in the world, even among +the most brutish and barbarous savages.</p> +<p>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; that if they met +with any answer, or spoke 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 original 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, to adapt his snares so to our inclinations, as to cause +us even to be our own tempters, and to run upon our own destruction +by our own choice.</p> +<p>I found it was not so easy to imprint right notions in his mind +about the devil, as it was about the being of a God: nature +assisted all my arguments to evidence to him even the necessity of +a great First Cause, and over-ruling governing Power, a secret +directing Providence, and of the equity and justice of paying +homage to Him that made us, and the like: but there appeared +nothing of all this in the notion of an evil spirit, of his +original, his being, his nature, and, above all, of his inclination +to do evil, and to draw us in to do so too: and the poor creature +puzzled me once in such a manner, by a question merely natural and +innocent, that I scarce knew what to say to him. I had been talking +a great deal to him of the power of God, his omnipotence, his +dreadful aversion to sin, his being a consuming fire to the workers +of iniquity; how, as he had made as all, he could destroy us, and +<span class="pagenum">[page 223]</span> all the world, in a moment; +and he listened with great seriousness to me all the while.</p> +<p>After this, I had been telling; him how the devil was God’s +enemy in the hearts of men, and used all his malice and skill to +defeat the good designs of Providence, and to ruin the kingdom of +Christ in the world, and the like: “Well,” says Friday, “but you +say God is so strong, so great, is he not much strong, much might, +as the devil?”—“Yes, yes,” said I, Friday, “God is stronger than +the devil, God is above the devil, and therefore we pray to God to +tread him under our feet, and enable us to resist his temptations, +and quench his fiery darts.”—“But,” says he again, “if God much +strong, much might, as the devil, why God not kill the devil, so +make him no more wicked?”</p> +<p>I was strangely surprised at his question; and after all, though +I was now an old man, yet I was but a young doctor, and ill enough +qualified for a casuist, or a solver of difficulties: and, at +first, I could not tell what to say; so I pretended not to hear +him, and asked him what he said; but he was too earnest for an +answer to forget his question; so that he repeated it in the very +same broken words, as above. By this time I had recovered myself a +little, and I said, “God will at last punish him severely; he is +reserved for the judgment, and is to be cast into the bottomless +pit, to dwell with everlasting fire.” This did not satisfy Friday; +but he returns upon me, repeating my words, “Reserve at last! me no +understand: but why not kill the devil now, not kill great +ago?”—“You may as well ask me,” said I, “why God does not kill you +and me, when we do wicked things here that offend him: we are +preserved to repent and be pardoned.” He muses awhile at this; +“Well, well,” says he, mighty affectionately, “that well; so you I, +devil, all wicked, all preserve, repent, God pardon all.” Here I +was run down again by him to the last degree, and it was a +testimony to me, how the mere notions of nature, though they will +guide reasonable creatures to the knowledge of a God, and of a +worship or homage <span class="pagenum">[page 224]</span> due to +the supreme being of God, as the consequence of our nature; yet +nothing but divine revelation can form the knowledge of Jesus +Christ, and of a redemption purchased for us; of a Mediator; of a +new covenant; and of an Intercessor at the footstool of God’s +throne; I say, nothing but a revelation from Heaven can form these +in the soul; and that therefore the Gospel of our Lord and Saviour +Jesus Christ, I mean the word of God, and the Spirit of God, +promised for the guide and sanctifier of his people, are the +absolutely necessary instructors of the souls of men in the saving +knowledge of God, and the means of salvation.</p> +<p>I therefore diverted the present discourse between me and my +man, rising up hastily, as upon some sudden occasion of going out; +then sending him for some thing a great way off, I seriously prayed +to God, that he would enable me to instruct savingly this poor +savage, assisting, by his Spirit, the heart of the poor ignorant +creature to receive the light of the knowledge of God in Christ, +reconciling him to himself, and would guide me to speak so to him +from the word of God, as his conscience might be convinced, his +eyes opened, and his soul saved. When he came again to me, I +entered into a long discourse with him upon the subject of the +redemption of man by the Saviour of the world, and of the doctrine +of the Gospel preached from Heaven, viz. of the repentance towards +God, and faith in our blessed Lord Jesus: I then explained to him, +as well as I could, why our blessed Redeemer took not on him the +nature of angels, but the seed of Abraham, and how, for that +reason, the fallen angels had no share in the redemption; that he +came only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and the +like.</p> +<p>I had, God knows, more sincerity than knowledge, in all the +methods I took for this poor creature’s instruction; and must +acknowledge, what I believe all that act upon the same principle +will find, that in laying things open to him, I really informed and +instructed <span class="pagenum">[page 225]</span> myself in many +things that either I did not know, or had not fully considered +before; but which occurred naturally to my mind, upon my searching +into them for the information of this poor savage; and I had more +affection in my inquiry after things upon this occasion, than ever +I felt before; so that whether this poor wild wretch was the better +for me or no, I had great reason to be thankful that ever he came +to me: my grief sat lighter upon me, my habitation grew comfortable +to me beyond measure; and when I reflected, that in this solitary +life, which I had been confined to, I had not only been moved +myself to look up to Heaven, and to seek to the Hand that brought +me thither, 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 often +thought the most dreadful of all afflictions that could possibly +have befallen me.</p> +<p>In this thankful frame I continued all the remainder of my time; +and the conversation which employed the hours between Friday and me +was such, as made the three years which we lived there together +perfectly and completely happy, if any such thing as complete +happiness can be found in a sublunary state. The savage was now a +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: we had here the Word of God to read, and no +farther off from his Spirit to instruct than if we had been in +England.</p> +<p>I always applied myself to reading the Scripture, and to let him +know as well as I could the meaning of what I read; and he again, +by his serious inquiries <span class="pagenum">[page 226]</span> +and questions, made me, as I said before, a much better scholar in +the Scripture knowledge, than I should ever have been by my own +private reading. Another thing I cannot refrain from observing +here, also from experience, in this retired part of my life; viz. +how infinite and inexpressible a blessing it is, that the knowledge +of God, and of the doctrine of salvation by Christ Jesus, is so +plainly laid down in the Word of God, so easy to be received and +understood, that as the bare reading the Scripture made me capable +of understanding enough of my duty to carry me directly on to the +great work of sincere repentance for my sins, and laying hold of a +Saviour for life and salvation, to a stated reformation in +practice, and obedience to all God’s commands, and this without any +teacher or instructor (I mean, human); so the plain instruction +sufficiently served to the enlightening this savage creature, and +bringing him to be such a Christian, as I have known few equal to +him in my life.</p> +<p>As to the disputes, wranglings, strife, and contention, which +has happened in the world about religion, whether niceties in +doctrines, or schemes of church-government, they were all perfectly +useless to us, as, for aught I can yet see, they have been to all +the rest in the world: we had the sure guide to heaven, viz. the +Word of God; and we had, blessed be God! comfortable views of the +Spirit of God, teaching and instructing us by his Word, leading us +into all truth, and making us both willing and obedient to His +instruction of his Word; and I cannot see the least use that the +greatest knowledge of the disputed points in religion, which have +made such confusions in the world, would have been to us, if we +could have obtained it. But I must go on with the historical part +of things, and take every part in its order.</p> +<p>After Friday and I became more intimately acquainted, and that +he could understand almost all I said to him, and speak fluently, +though in broken English, to me, I acquainted him with my own +story, or at least so much of it as related to my coming into +<span class="pagenum">[page 227]</span> the place, how I had lived +there, and how long: I let him into the mystery (for such it was to +him) of gunpowder and bullets, 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 many occasions.</p> +<p>I described to him the countries of Europe, and 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 +the parts of the world. I gave him an account of the wreck which I +had been on board of, and shewed him as near as I could, the place +where she lay; but she was all beaten in pieces long before, and +quite gone.</p> +<p>I shewed 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.”</p> +<p>I did not understand him a good while; but at last, when I had +examined further into it, I understood by him, that a boat, such as +that had been, came on shore 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 +escape from a wreck thither, much less whence they might come; so I +only inquired after a description of the boat.</p> +<p>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 him, if there, +were white mans, as he called them, in the boat? “Yes,” +<span class="pagenum">[page 228]</span> 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.”</p> +<p>This put new thoughts into my head again; for I presently +imagined, that these might be the men belonging to the ship that +was cast away in sight of my island, as I now call 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.</p> +<p>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 let them alone, and gave +them victuals to live. 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 eat no mans but when make the war fight:” that is to say, +they never eat any men, but such as come to fight with them, and +are taken in battle.</p> +<p>It was after this, some considerable time, that being on the top +of the hill, at the east side of the island, from 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!”</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 229]</span> 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 an 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.</p> +<p>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 in the +wrong too, the honest grateful creature having no thought about it, +but what consisted of the best principles, both as a religious +Christian and as a grateful friend, as appeared afterwards to my +full satisfaction.</p> +<p>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 every thing he +said was so honest and so innocent, that I could find nothing to +nourish my suspicion; and, in spite of all my uneasiness, he made +me at last entirely his own again; nor did he in the least perceive +that I was uneasy; and therefore I could not suspect him of +deceit.</p> +<p>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 my own +nation.”—“What would you do there?” said I: “would you 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 +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page230"></a>[page 230]</span> +added, they learnt 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 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 so with him. “I +go!” said I, “why, they will eat me if I come there.”—“No, no,” +says he, “me make them 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 in distress.</p> +<p>From this time, I confess, I had a mind to venture over, and see +if I could possibly join with these bearded men, who, I made no +doubt, were Spaniards or 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, and alone 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 the water), I brought it out, shewed it him, and we +both went into it.</p> +<p>I found he was a most dexterous fellow at managing it, would +make it go almost as swift and fast again as I could; so when he +was in, I said to him, “Well, now, Friday, shall we go to your +nation?” He looked very dull at my saying so, which, it seems, was +because he thought the boat too small to go so far. I told him then +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 +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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 231]</span> there, the sun had split +and dried it, that it was in a manner rotten. Friday told me, such +a boat would do very well, and would carry “much enough vittle, +drink, bread:” that was his way of talking.</p> +<p>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 thus, “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! no angry!” +says he, repeating the words several times, “why send Friday home +away to my nation?”—“Why,” said I, “Friday, did you not say you +wished you were there?”—“Yes, yes,” says he, “wish be 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!” said I; +“what should 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,” said I, “thou knowest not what thou +sayest; I am but an ignorant man myself.”—“Yes, yes,” says he, +“you teechee me good, you teechee them good.”—“No, no, Friday,” +said I, “you shall go without me; leave me here to live by myself, +as I did before.” He looked confused again at that word, and +running to one of the hatchets which he used to wear, he takes it +up hastily, and gives it me. “What must I do with this?” said 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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 232]</span> often after, that I would never send +him away from me, if he was willing to stay with me.</p> +<p>Upon the whole, as I found by all his discourse a settled +affection to me, and that nothing should 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 my attempting an +escape, as above, founded on the supposition gathered from the +former discourse; viz. that there were seventeen bearded men there; +and therefore, without any delay, I went to work with Friday, to +find out a great tree proper to fell, and make a large periagua or +canoe, to under take the voyage: there were trees enough in the +island to have built a little fleet, not of periaguas and canoes +only, 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.</p> +<p>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 tustick, 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 shewed him how rather to cut it out with +tools, which after I shewed 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 shewed him how +to handle, we cut and hewed the outside into the true shape of a +boat; after this, however, it cost us near a fortnight’s time to +get her along, as it were inch by inch, upon great rollers, into +the water: but when she was in, she would have carried twenty men +with great ease.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 233]</span> +<p>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, and if we might venture over in her? “Yes,” he said, “he +venture over in her very well, though great blow wind.” However, I +had a farther design that he knew nothing of, and that was, to make +a mast and 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 was +a 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 +twenty-six 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 rotten; and indeed most of +them were so; however, I found two pieces which appeared pretty +good, and with these I went to work, and with a great deal of +pains, and awkward tedious stitching (you may be sure) for want of +needles, I at length made a three-cornered ugly thing, like what we +call in England a shoulder-of-mutton sail, to go with a boom at +bottom, and a little short sprit at the top, such as usually our +ships’ long-boats sail with, and such as I best knew how to manage; +because it was such a one as I used in the boat in which I made my +escape from Barbary, as related in the first part of my story.</p> +<p>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 shipwright, yet as I knew the usefulness, and even +necessity of such a thing, I <span class="pagenum">[page +234]</span> 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.</p> +<p>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 the canoe, he knew nothing 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 gibed, and +filled this way or that way, as the course we sailed changed; I +say, when he saw this, he stood like one astonished and amazed: +however, with a little use, I made all these things familiar to +him, and he became an expert sailor, except that 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 seasons; and then nobody cared to stir +abroad, either by land or sea.</p> +<p>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 of acknowledgment 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 invincible impression upon my thoughts, that my +deliverance was at hand, and that I should not be another year in +this place. However, I went on with my husbandry, digging, +planting, and fencing, as usual; I gathered and cured my grapes, +and did every necessary thing, as before.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 235]</span> +<p>The rainy season was in the mean time upon me, when I kept more +within doors than at other times; so I had stowed our new 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 haling +her up to the shore, at high water mark, I made my man Friday dig a +little dock, just big enough for her to float in; and then, when +the tide was out, we made a strong dam cross 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.</p> +<p>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 up a certain +quantity of provision, being the store for the 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 go to the sea-shore, and +see if he could find a turtle or tortoise, a thing which we +generally got once a week, for the sake of the eggs, as well as the +flesh. Friday had not been long gone, when he came running back, +and flew over my outward 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 cried out to me, “O master! O master! O sorrow! O +bad!”—“What’s the matter, Friday?” said I. “O yonder there,” says +he, “one, two, three, canoe! one, two, three!” By this way of +speaking I concluded there were six; but on inquiry I found there +were but three. “Well, Friday,” said I, “do not be frighted;” so I +heartened him up as well as I could. However, I saw the poor fellow +most terribly scared; for nothing ran in his head, but that they +were come to look for him, and would cut him <span class= +"pagenum">[page 236]</span> in pieces, and eat him; the poor fellow +trembled so, that I scarce 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,” said 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 not 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 bade him? He said, “Me die, +when you bid die, master;” so I went and fetched a good dram of +rum, and gave him; for I had been so good a husband of my rum, that +I had a great deal left. When he had drank it, I made him take the +two fowling-pieces which we always carried, and load 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>I observed also, that they were 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 close almost down to the +sea: this, with the abhorrence of the inhuman errand these wretches +came about, so filled me with 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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 237]</span> was now gotten 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.</p> +<p>In this fit of fury, I took first and 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, 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 bullet; and as to orders, I +charged him to keep close behind me, and not to stir, shoot, or do +any thing 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 might come within shot of them before I could be discovered, +which I had seen by my glass it was easy to do.</p> +<p>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 or intended me any wrong, who, as to +me, were innocent, and whose barbarous customs were their own +disaster, being in them a token indeed of God’s having left them, +with the other nations of that part of the world, to such stupidity +and to such inhuman courses; but did not call me to take upon me to +be a judge of their actions, much less an executioner of his +justice; that whenever he thought fit, he would take the cause into +his own hands, and by national vengeance punish them for national +crimes; but that in the mean time, it was none of my business; that +it was true, Friday might justify it, because he was a declared +enemy, and in a state of war with those very <span class= +"pagenum">[page 238]</span> particular people, and it was lawful +for him to attack them; but I could not say the same with respect +to me. These things were so warmly pressed upon my thoughts all the +way as I went, that I resolved I would only go place myself near +them, that I might observe their barbarous feast, and that I would +act 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.</p> +<p>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 shewing 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 the 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 which fired the very soul within me. He told me, it was +not one of their nation, but one of the bearded men whom he had +told me of, who came to their country in the boat. I was filled +with horror at the very naming 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, and had clothes +on.</p> +<p>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-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 <span class="pagenum">[page 239]</span> to +the other tree, and then I came to a little rising ground, which +gave me a full view of them, at the distance of about eighty +yards.</p> +<p>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 stooped +down to untie the bands at his feet. I turned to Friday; “Now, +Friday,” said I, “do as I bid thee.” Friday said, he would. “Then, +Friday,” said 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 do the like. Then asking +him if he was ready, he said, “Yes.” “Then fire at them,” said I; +and the same moment I fired also.</p> +<p>Friday took his aim so much better than I, that on the side that +he shot, he killed two of them, and wounded three more; and on my +side, I killed one, and wounded two. They were, you may be sure, in +a dreadful consternation; and all of them, who were not hurt, +jumped up upon their feet immediately, but did not know which way +to run, or which way to look; for they knew not from whence their +destruction came. Friday kept his eyes close upon me, that, as I +had bid him, he might observe what I did; so as soon as the first +shot was made, I threw down the piece, and took up the +fowling-piece, and Friday did the like; he sees me cock, and +present; he did the same again. “Are you ready, Friday?” said I. +“Yes,” says he. “Let fly then,” said 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 loaden 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 <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page240"></a>[page 240]</span> miserably wounded most of them; +whereof three more fell quickly after, though not quite dead.</p> +<p>“Now, Friday,” said I, laying down the discharged pieces, and +taking up the musket, which was yet loaden, “follow me,” said I; +which he did, with a deal of courage; upon which I rushed, out of +the wood, and shewed myself, and Friday close at my foot: as soon +as I perceived they saw me, I shouted as loud as I could, and bade +Friday do so too; and running as fast as 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 near them, he shot at them, and I +thought he had killed them all; for I saw them all fall on an 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.</p> +<p>While my man Friday fired at them, I pulled out my knife, and +cut the flags that bound the poor victim; and loosing his hands and +feet I lifted him up, and asked him in the Portuguese tongue, what +he was? He answered in Latin, <i>Christianus;</i> but was so weak +and faint, that he could scarce stand, or speak; I took my bottle +out of my pocket, and gave it him, making signs that he should +drink, which he did; and I gave him a piece of bread, which he ate; +then I asked him, what countryman he was? and he said, +<i>Espagnole</i>; and, being a little recovered, let me know, by +all the signs he could possibly make, how much he was in my debt +for his deliverance. “Seignior,” <span class="pagenum">[page +241]</span> 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 +instant; for the truth is, as the whole was a surprise to them, so +the poor creatures were so much frighted 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 in the boat; for as three of them fell with the hurt they +received, so the other two fell with the fright.</p> +<p>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 a fierce engagement between +the Spaniard and one of the savages, who made at him with one of +their great wooden swords, the same weapon that was to have killed +him before, if I had not prevented it: the Spaniard, who was as +bold and as brave as could be imagined, though weak, had fought +this Indian a good while, and had cut him 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 his sword, drew the pistol from his girdle, shot the +savage through the <span class="pagenum">[page 242]</span> body, +and killed him upon the spot, before I, who was running to help, +could come near him.</p> +<p>Friday, being now left at his liberty, pursued the flying +wretches with no weapon in his hand but his hatchet; and with that +he dispatched 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 he plunged into the sea, and swam with all his might +off to those who were left in the canoe; which three in the canoe, +with one wounded, who we know not whether he died or no, were all +that escaped our hands of one-and-twenty. The account of the rest +is as follows:</p> +<blockquote> 3 Killed at our shot from the tree.<br> + 2 Killed at the next shot.<br> + 2 Killed by Friday in the boat.<br> + 2 Killed by ditto, of those at first wounded.<br> + 1 Killed by ditto, in the wood.<br> + 3 Killed by the Spaniard.<br> + 4 Killed, being found dropt here and there of their<br> + wounds, or killed by Friday in his +chase of<br> + them.<br> + 4 Escaped in the boat, whereof one wounded, if<br> + not dead.<br> + ———<br> + 21 in all.</blockquote> +<p>Those that were in the canoe worked hard to get out of gun-shot; +and though Friday made two or three shot 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 <span class="pagenum">[page +243]</span> news home to their people, they should come back, +perhaps, with two or three hundred of their canoes, and devour us +by mere multitudes; 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 alive, bound hand and foot, as the Spaniard +was, for the slaughter, and almost dead with fear, not knowing what +the matter was; for he had not been able to look up over the side +of the boat, he was tied so hard, neck and heels, and had been tied +so long, that he had really little life in him.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>When Friday came to him, I bade him speak to him, and tell him +of his deliverance; and pulling out my bottle, made him give the +poor wretch a dram, which, with the news of his being delivered, +revived him, and he sat up in the boat; but when Friday came to +hear him speak, and looked 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.</p> +<p>It was not easy for me to express how it moved me, to see what +ecstasy and filial affection had worked in this poor savage, at the +sight of his father, and of his being delivered from death; nor +indeed can I describe half the extravagances of his affection after +this; for he went into the boat and out of the boat a great many +times: when he went in to him, he would sit down by him, open his +breast, and hold his father’s <span class="pagenum">[page +244]</span> head close to his bosom, half an hour 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.</p> +<p>This action put an end to our pursuit of the canoe with the +other savages, who were now gotten 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 gotten a quarter of their way, and +continued blowing so hard all night, and that from the north-west, +which was against them, that I could not suppose their boat could +live, or that they ever reached to their own coast.</p> +<p>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 +my 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. He ran at such +a rate (for he was the swiftest fellow of 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 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 was slacker, because he had something +in his hand.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 245]</span> +<p>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 get 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 sip of it: this water revived his +father more than all the rum or spirits I had given him; for he was +just fainting with thirst.</p> +<p>When his father had drank, I called him, to know if there was +any water left? he said, “Yes;” and I bade him give it to the poor +Spaniard, who was in as much want of it as his father; and I sent +one of the cakes, that Friday brought, to the Spaniard too, who was +indeed very weak, and was reposing 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.</p> +<p>I observed the poor affectionate creature every two minutes, or +perhaps less, all the while he was here, turned 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 I +then spoke to the Spaniard to let Friday help him <span class= +"pagenum">[page 246]</span> up, if he could, and load 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 quite up 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 lifted them quite in, and +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, runs +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 boat;” so +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.</p> +<p>To remedy this, I went to work in my thought, and calling to +Friday to bid them sit down on the bank while he came to me, I soon +made a kind of hand-barrow to lay them on, and Friday and I carried +them up both 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.</p> +<p>My island was now peopled, and I thought myself very rich in +subjects; and it was a merry reflection <span class="pagenum">[page +247]</span> which I frequently made, how like a king I looked: +first of all, the whole country was my own mere property; so that I +had an undoubted right of dominion: 2dly, My people were perfectly +subjected: I was absolute lord and lawgiver; they all owed their +lives to me, and were ready to lay down their lives, if there had +been occasion for it, for me: it was remarkable too, I had but +three subjects, and they were of three different religions. My man +Friday was a Protestant, his father a Pagan and a cannibal; and the +Spaniard was a Papist: however, I allowed liberty of conscience +throughout my dominions: but this by the way.</p> +<p>As soon as I had secured my two weak rescued prisoners, and +given them shelter, and a place to rest them upon, I began to think +of making some provision for them; and the first thing I did, I +ordered Friday to take a yearling goat, betwixt a kid and a goat, +out of my particular flock, to be killed: then I cut off the hind +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) so I carried it all into the new tent; and +having set a table there for them, I sat down and ate my dinner +also with them; and, as well as I could, cheered them and +encouraged them, Friday being my interpreter, especially to his +father, and indeed to the Spaniard too; for the Spaniard spoke the +language of the savages pretty well.</p> +<p>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 knew were pretty much, +and which I could not think of doing myself; nay, I could not, bear +to <span class="pagenum">[page 248]</span> see them, if I went that +way: all which he punctually performed, and defaced the very +appearance of the savages being there; so that when I went again, I +could scarce know where it was, otherwise than by the corner of the +wood pointing to the place.</p> +<p>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 he +might 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 dreadfully frighted with the manner of being attacked, +the noise, and the fire, that he believed they would tell their +people they were all killed by thunder and lightning, and not by +the hand of man; and that the two which appeared (viz. Friday and +I) were two heavenly spirits or furies come down to destroy them, +and not men with weapons. This, he said, he knew, because he heard +them all cry out so in their language to one another; for it was +impossible for them to conceive that a man should 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 of that part never +attempted to go over to the island afterwards. They were so +terrified with the accounts given by these 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.</p> +<p>This, however, I knew not, and therefore was under continual +apprehensions for a good while, and kept always upon my guard, I +and all my army; for as there were now four of us, I would have +ventured <span class="pagenum">[page 249]</span> a hundred of them +fairly in the open field at any time.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>But my thoughts were a little suspended, when I had a serious +discourse with the Spaniard, and when I understood, that there were +sixteen more of his countrymen and Portuguese, who having been cast +away, and made their escape to that side, lived there at peace +indeed with the savages, but were very sore put to it for +necessaries, and indeed for life: I asked him all the particulars +of their voyage; and found they were a Spanish ship, bound from the +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 took out of another +wreck; that five of their own men were drowned when first the ship +was lost; and that these escaped through infinite dangers and +hazards, and arrived almost starved on the cannibal coast, where +they expected to have been devoured every moment.</p> +<p>He told me, they had some arms with them, but they were +perfectly useless, for that they had neither powder nor ball, the +washing of the sea having spoiled all their powder, but a little +which they used at their first landing to provide themselves some +food.</p> +<p>I asked him what he thought would become of them there; and if +they had formed no design of making any escape? He said, they had +many consultations about it, but that having neither vessel, nor +tools to build one, or provisions of any kind, their counsels +always ended in tears and despair.</p> +<p>I asked him, how he thought they would receive a <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page250"></a>[page 250]</span> proposal from me, +which might tend towards an escape; and whether, if they were all +here, it might not be done? I told him with freedom, I feared +mostly their treachery and ill usage of me, if I put my life in +their hands; for that gratitude was no inherent virtue in the +nature of man; nor did men always square their dealings by the +obligations they had received, so much as they did by the +advantages they expected: I told him, it would 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 Englishman +was certain to be made a sacrifice, what necessity, or what +accident 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 bark large enough +to carry us all away either to the Brasils 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 it was before.</p> +<p>He answered, with a great deal of candour and ingenuity, that +their condition was so miserable, and they were so sensible of it, +that he believed they would abhor the thought of using any man +unkindly that should contribute to their deliverance; and that, if +I pleased, he would go to them with the old man, and discourse with +them about it, and return again, and bring me their answer: that he +would make conditions with them upon their solemn oath, that they +would be absolutely under my leading, as their commander and +captain; and that they should swear upon the holy Sacraments and +Gospel, to be true to me, and go to such Christian country as I +should agree to, and no other; and to be directed wholly and +absolutely by my orders, till they were landed safely in +<span class="pagenum">[page 251]</span> such country as I intended; +and that he would bring a contract from them under their hands for +that purpose.</p> +<p>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 blood, if +there should happen the least breach of faith among his +countrymen.</p> +<p>He told me, they were all of them very civil honest men, and +they were under the greatest distress imaginable, having neither +weapons or clothes, nor any food, but at the mercy and discretion +of the savages; out of all hopes of ever returning to their own +country: and that he was sure, if I would undertake their relief, +they would live and die by me.</p> +<p>Upon these assurances, I resolved to venture to relieve them, if +possible, and to send the old savage and the Spaniard over to them +to treat: but when he had gotten 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:</p> +<p>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, as it was more, than sufficient for +myself, so it was not sufficient, at least without good husbandry, +for my family, now it was increased to number four: but much less +would it be sufficient, if his countrymen, who were, as he said, +fourteen 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 adviseable, to let him and the other +two dig and cultivate some more land, as much as I <span class= +"pagenum">[page 252]</span> 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: “You +know,” says he, “The children of Israel, though they rejoiced at +first at their being delivered out of Egypt, yet rebelled even +against God himself, that delivered them, when they came to want +bread in the wilderness.”</p> +<p>His caution was so seasonable, and his advice so good, that I +could not but be very well pleased with his proposal, as well as I +was satisfied with his fidelity. So we fell to digging, all four of +us, as well as the wooden tools we were furnished with permitted; +and in about a month’s time, by the end of which it was seed time, +we had gotten as much land cured and trimmed up as we sowed +twenty-two 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 ourselves barley 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.</p> +<p>Having now society enough, and our number being sufficient to +put us out of fear of the savages, if they had come, unless their +number had been very great, we went freely all over the island, +wherever we found occasion; and as here 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 cutting them down; and then I caused the +Spaniard, to whom I imparted my thoughts on that affair, to oversee +and direct their work: I showed them with what indefatigable pains +I had hewed a large tree into single planks, and I caused them to +do the like, till they had about a dozen large planks of good oak, +near <span class="pagenum">[page 253]</span> 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.</p> +<p>At the same time I contrived to increase my little flock of tame +goats as much as I could; and to this purpose I made Friday and the +Spaniard to 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 should have +filled sixty or eighty barrels; and these, with our bread, was a +great part of our food, and very good living too, I assure you; for +it is an exceeding nourishing food.</p> +<p>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 threshed out above two hundred and twenty +bushels, and the like in proportion of the rice, which was store +enough for our food to the next harvest, though all the sixteen +Spaniards had been on shore with me; or, if we had been ready for a +voyage, it would very plentifully have victualled our ship, to have +carried us to any part of 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-work; 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 expected, I gave +the Spaniard leave to go over to the main, to see what he could do +with those he left behind him there: I gave him a strict charge in +writing not to bring any man with <span class="pagenum">[page +254]</span> him, who would not first swear, in the presence of +himself and of the old savage, that he would no way injure, fight +with, or attack the person he should find in the island, who was so +kind to send for them in order to their deliverance; but that they +would stand by and defend him against all such attempts; and +wherever they went, would be entirely under, and subjected to his +command; and that this should be put in writing, and signed with +their hands: how we were to have this done, when I knew they had +neither pen or ink, that indeed was a question which we never +asked.</p> +<p>Under these instructions, the Spaniard, and the old savage, (the +father of Friday) went away in one of the canoes, which they might +be said to come in, or rather were brought in, when they came as +prisoners to be devoured by the savages.</p> +<p>I gave each of them a musket with a firelock on it, and about +eight charges of powder and ball, charging them to be very good +husbands of both, and not to use either of them but upon urgent +occasions.</p> +<p>This was a cheerful work, being the first measures used by me in +view of my deliverance for now twenty-seven years and some days. I +gave them provisions of bread, and of dried grapes, sufficient for +themselves for many days, and sufficient for their countrymen for +about eight days time; and wishing them a good voyage, I let 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.</p> +<p>They went away with a fair gale on the day that the moon was at +the full; by my account in the month of October; but as for the +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 that I was right, though, as it proved +when I afterwards examined my account, I found I had kept a true +reckoning of years.</p> +<p>It was no less than eight days I waited for them, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 255]</span> when a strange and unforeseen accident +intervened, of which the like has not, perhaps, been heard of in +history. I was fast asleep in my hutch one morning, when my man +Friday came running in to me, and called aloud, “Master, master, +they are come, they are come.”</p> +<p>I jumped up, and, regardless of danger, I went out as soon as I +could get my clothes on, through my little grove, which (by the +way) was by this time grown to be a very thick wood; I 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’s +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 bid him be close, for +these were not the people we looked for, and that we did not know +yet whether they were friends or enemies.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>I had scarce set my foot on the hill, when my eye plainly +discovered a ship lying at an anchor, at about two leagues and a +half’s 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.</p> +<p>I cannot express the confusion I was in, though the joy of +seeing a ship, and one whom I had reason to believe was manned by +my own countrymen, and consequently friends, was such as I cannot +describe; but yet I had some secret doubts hung about me, I cannot +tell from whence they came, bidding me keep <span class= +"pagenum">[page 256]</span> upon my guard. In the first place, it +occurred to me to consider what business an English ship could have +in that part of the world; since it was not the way to or from any +part of the world where the English had any traffic; and I knew +there had been no storms to drive them in there, as in distress; +and that if they were English really, 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.</p> +<p>Let no man despise the secret hints and notices of danger, which +sometimes are given him when he may think there is no possibility +of its being real. That such hints and notices are given us, I +believe few that have made any observation of things can deny; that +they are certain discoveries of an invisible world, and a converse +of spirits, we cannot doubt; and if the tendency of them seems to +be to warn us of danger, why should we not suppose they are from +some friendly agent, (whether supreme, or inferior and subordinate, +is not the question,) and that they are given for our good?</p> +<p>The present question abundantly confirms me in the justice of +this reasoning; for had I not been made cautious by this secret +admonition, come from whence it will, I had been undone inevitably, +and in a far worse condition than before, as you will see +presently.</p> +<p>I had not kept myself long in this posture, but I saw the boat +draw near the shore, as if they looked for a creek to thrust in at +for the convenience of landing; however, as they did not come quite +far enough, they did not see the little inlet where I formerly +landed my rafts, but run their boat on shore upon the beach, at +about half a mile from me, which was very happy for me; for +otherwise they would have landed just, as I may say, at my door, +and would have soon beaten me out of my castle, and, perhaps, have +plundered me of all I had.</p> +<p>When they were on shore, I was fully satisfied they were +Englishmen, at least most of them; one or two <span class= +"pagenum">[page 257]</span> 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 concerned +indeed, but not to such a degree as the first.</p> +<p>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 prisoners as +well as savage mans.”—“Why,” said I, “Friday, do you think they +are going to eat them then”—“Yes,” says Friday, “they will eat +them.”—“No, no,” said I, “Friday; I am afraid they will murder +them indeed; but you may be sure they will not eat them.”</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>I wished heartily now for our Spaniard, and the savage that was +gone with him; or that I had any way to have come undiscovered +within shot of them, that I might have rescued the three men; for I +saw no fire-arms they had among them; but it fell out to my mind +another way.</p> +<p>After I had observed the outrageous usage of the three men by +the insolent seamen, I observed the fellows ran scattering about +the land, as if they wanted to see the country. I observed also, +that the three other men had liberty to go where they pleased; but +<span class="pagenum">[page 258]</span> they sat down all three +upon the ground very pensive, and looked like men in despair.</p> +<p>This put me in mind of the finest time when I came on shore, and +began to look about me; how I gave myself over for lost, how wildly +I looked round me, what dreadful apprehensions I had, and how I +lodged in the tree all night for fear of being devoured by wild +beasts.</p> +<p>As I knew nothing that night of the supply I was to receive by +the providential driving of the ship nearer the land, by the storms +and tides, by which I have since been so long nourished and +supported; so these three poor desolate men knew nothing how +certain of deliverance and supply they were, how near it was to +them, and how effectually and really they were in a condition of +safety, at the same time they thought themselves lost, and their +case desperate.</p> +<p>So little do we see before us in the world, and so much reason +have we to depend cheerfully upon the great Maker of the world, +that he does not leave his creatures so absolutely destitute, but +that in the worst circumstances they have always something to be +thankful for, and sometimes are nearer their deliverance than they +imagine; nay, are even brought to their deliverance by the means by +which they seem to be brought to their destruction.</p> +<p>It was just at the top of high water when these people came on +shore, and while, partly they stood parleying with the prisoners +they brought, and partly while they rambled about to see what kind +of place they were in, they had carelessly staid till the tide was +spent, and the water was ebbed considerably away, leaving their +boat aground.</p> +<p>They had left two men in the boat, who, as I found afterwards, +having drank a little too much brandy, fell asleep; however, one of +them waking sooner than the other, and finding the boat too fast +aground for him to stir it, hallooed 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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 259]</span> boat being very heavy, and the shore on +that side being a soft oozy sand, almost like a quicksand.</p> +<p>In this condition, like true seamen, who are, perhaps, the least +of all mankind given to fore-thought, they gave it over, and away +they strolled about the country again; and I heard one of them say +aloud to another, (calling them off from the boat) “Why, let her +alone, Jack, can’t ye? she’ll float next tide.” By which I was +fully confirmed in the main inquiry, of what countrymen they +were.</p> +<p>All this while I kept myself close, not once daring to stir out +of my castle, any further 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 know it was no less then ten hours before the boat +could be on float again, and by that time it would be dark and I +might be more at liberty to see their motions, and to hear their +discourse, if they had any.</p> +<p>In the meantime I fitted myself up for a battle, as before, +though with more caution, knowing I had to do with another kind of +enemy than I had at first: I ordered Friday also, whom I had made +an excellent marksman with his gun, to load himself with arms: I +took myself two fowling-pieces, and I gave him three muskets. My +figure, indeed, was very fierce; I had my formidable goat-skin coat +on, with the great cap I mentioned, a naked sword, two pistols in +my belt, and a gun upon each shoulder.</p> +<p>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 in short they were all gone straggling into the woods, +and, as I thought, were all laid down to sleep. The three poor +distressed men, too anxious for their condition to get any sleep, +were however set 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.</p> +<p>Upon this I resolved to discover myself to them, and learn +something of their condition. Immediately I marched in the figure +above, my man Friday at a <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page260"></a>[page 260]</span> good distance behind me, as +formidable for his arms as I, but not making quite so staring a +spectre-like figure as I did.</p> +<p>I came as near them undiscovered as I could, and then before any +of them saw me, I called aloud to them in Spanish, “What are ye +gentlemen?”</p> +<p>They started up at the noise, but were ten times more confounded +when they saw me, and the uncouth figure that I made. They made no +answer at all, but I thought I perceived them just going to fly +from me, when I spoke to them in English, “Gentlemen,” said I, “do not +be surprized at me; perhaps you may have a friend near you 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 how +to help you, for you seem to me to be in some great distress: I saw +you when you landed, and when you seemed to make applications to +the brutes that came with you, I saw one of them lift up his sword +to kill you.”</p> +<p>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 cloathed, 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?”</p> +<p>“Our case,” said he, “Sir, is too long to tell you, while our +murtherers are so near; but in short, sir, I was commander of that +ship, my men have mutinied against me; they have been hardly +prevailed on not to murther 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 261]</span> passenger, where we +expected to perish, believing the place to be uninhabited, and know +not yet what to think of it.”</p> +<p>“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.”</p> +<p>“Have they any fire-arms?” said I. He answered, “They had only two +pieces, and one 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 shew any mercy to; but if they were secured, he +believed all the rest would return to their duty. I asked him, +which they were? He told me he could not at that distance describe +them; but he would obey my orders in any thing I would direct. +“Well,” says I, “let us retreat out of their view or hearing, least +they awake, and we will resolve further;” so they willingly went +back with me, till the woods covered us from them.</p> +<p>“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 every thing; and +if the ship was not recovered, he would live and dye with me in +what part of the world soever I would send him; and the two other +men said the same.</p> +<p>“Well,” says I, “my conditions are but two. 1. That while you stay +on this island with me, you will not pretend to any authority here; +and if I put arms into your hands, you will upon all occasions give +them up to me, and do no prejudice to me or mine, upon this island, +and in the mean time be governed by my orders.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 262]</span> +<p>“2. That if the ship is or may be recovered, you will carry me +and my man to England, passage free.”</p> +<p>He gave me all the assurance that the invention and faith of a +man could devise, that he would comply with these most reasonable +demands, and besides would owe his life to me, and acknowledge it +upon all occasions as long as he lived.</p> +<p>“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 shewed all the testimony of his gratitude that he was able; but +offered to be wholly guided by me: I told him, I thought it was +hard venturing any thing, but the best method I could think of, was +to fire upon them at once, as they lay; and if any were not killed +at the first volley, and offered to submit, we might save them, and +so put it wholly upon God’s providence to direct the shot.</p> +<p>He said, very modestly, that he was loath to kill them, if he +could help it; but that those two were incorrigible villains, and +had been the authors of all the mutiny in the ship; and if they +escaped, we should be undone still; for they would go on board, and +bring the whole ship’s company, and destroy us all. “Well then,” +said 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.</p> +<p>In the middle of this discourse we heard some of them awake, and +soon after we saw two of them on their feet. I asked him, if either +of them were the 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 wakened them on purpose to save +themselves.”—“Now,” said I, “if the rest escape you, it is your +fault.”</p> +<p>Animated with this, he took the musket I had given him in his +hand, and pistol in his belt, and his two comrades with him, with +each man a piece in his hand: the two men, who were with him, going +first, <span class="pagenum">[page 263]</span> 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 to him, told him it was too late 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, so that he +never spoke more: there were three more in the company, and one of +them was also 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 any 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 +protestations of their sincerity that could be desired, and he was +willing to believe them, and spare their lives, which I was not +against; only I obliged him to keep them bound hand and foot while +they were upon the island.</p> +<p>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 their captain, who before was +their prisoner, now their conqueror, they submitted to be bound +also; and so our victory was complete.</p> +<p>It now remained, that the captain and I should inquire into one +another’s circumstances: I began first, and told him my whole +history, which he heard with <span class="pagenum">[page +264]</span> an attention even to amazement, and particularly at the +wonderful manner of my being furnished with provisions and +ammunition; and indeed, as my story is a whole collection of +wonders, it affected him deeply; but when he reflected from thence +upon himself, and how I seemed to have been preserved there on +purpose to save his life, the tears ran down his face, and he could +not speak a word more.</p> +<p>After this communication was at an end, I carried him and his +two men into my apartments, leading them in just where I came out, +viz. at the top of the house; where I refreshed them with such +provisions as I had, and shewed them all the contrivances I had +made during my long, long inhabiting that place.</p> +<p>All I shewed them, all I said to them, was perfectly amazing; +but, above all, the captain admired my fortification; and how +perfectly I had concealed my retreat with a grove of trees, which, +having now been planted near 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 shew 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, he was perfectly at a loss +what measure 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 reduced, they should be brought to the gallows +as soon as they came to England, or to any of the English colonies; +and that therefore there would be no attacking them with so small a +number as we were.</p> +<p>I mused for some time upon what he had said, and found it was a +very rational conclusion, and that therefore <span class= +"pagenum">[page 265]</span> something was to be resolved on very +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 +see for them; and that then perhaps they might come armed, and be +too strong for us: this he allowed was rational.</p> +<p>Upon this I told him, the first thing we had to do was to stave +the boat, which lay upon the beach, so that they might not carry +her off; and taking every thing out of her, leaving 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, an 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.</p> +<p>When we had carried all these things on shore, (the oars, mast, +sail, and rudder of the boat were carried before as above,) 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.</p> +<p>Indeed it was not much in my thoughts, that we could be capable +to recover the ship; but my view was, that if they went away +without the boat, I did not much question to make her fit again to +carry us away to the Leeward Islands, and call upon our friends the +Spaniards in my way, for I had them still in my thoughts.</p> +<p>While we were thus preparing our designs, and had first by main +strength heaved the boat up upon the beach, so high that the tide +would not float her off at high water mark; and, besides, had +broken a hole in <span class="pagenum">[page 266]</span> 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 saw her 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.</p> +<p>At last, when all their signals and firings proved fruitless, +and they found the boat did not stir, we saw them (by the help of +our 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.</p> +<p>As the ship lay almost two leagues from the shore, we had a full +view of them as they came, and a plain sight of the men, even of +their faces; because the tide having set them a little to the east +of the other boat, they rowed up under shore, to come to the same +place where the other had landed, and where the boat lay.</p> +<p>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 that there were three very honest fellows, who he +was sure were led into this conspiracy by the rest, being +overpowered and frighted: but that for the boatswain, who, it +seems, was the chief officer among them, and all the rest, they +were as outrageous as any of the ship’s crew; and were, no doubt, +made desperate in their new enterprise; and terribly apprehensive +he was, that they would be too powerful for us.</p> +<p>I smiled at him, and told him, that men in our circumstances +were past the operations of fear: that seeing almost every +condition that could be was better than that 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 circumstances 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 +elevated you a little while ago? For my part,” said I, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 267]</span> “there seems to be but one thing amiss +in all the prospect of it.”—“What’s that?” says he. “Why,” said I, +“’tis that as you say, there are three or four honest fellows among +them, which should be spared; had they been all of the wicked part +of the crew, I should have thought God’s providence had singled +them out to deliver them into your hands; for, depend upon it, +every man of them that comes ashore, are our own, and shall die or +live as they behave to us.”</p> +<p>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 boat’s coming +from the ship, considered of separating our prisoners, and had +indeed secured them effectually.</p> +<p>Two of them, of whom the captain was less assured than ordinary, +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, +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 a light left them; for Friday gave them +candles (such as we made ourselves) for their comfort; and they did +not know but that he stood centinel over them at the entrance.</p> +<p>The other prisoners had better usage; two of them were kept +pinioned indeed, because the captain was not free to trust them; +but the other two were taken into my service upon their 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 <span class="pagenum">[page +268]</span> should be able to deal well enough with the ten that +were a-coming, considering that the captain had said, there were +three or four honest men among them also.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>Being on shore, the first thing they did, they ran all to the +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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>They were so astonished at the surprise of this, that, as they +told us afterwards, they resolved to go all on board again to their +ship, and let them know there, that the men were all murdered, and +the long-boat staved; accordingly, they immediately launched the +boat again, and got all of them on board.</p> +<p>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 up 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.</p> +<p>They had not been long put off with the boat, but we perceived +them all coming on shore again; but with this new measure in their +conduct, which it seems <span class="pagenum">[page 269]</span> +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.</p> +<p>This was a great disappointment to us; for now we were at a loss +what to do; for our seizing those seven men on shore would be no +advantage to us if we let the boat escape, because they would then +row away to the ship; and then the rest of them would be sure to +weigh, and set sail, and so our recovering the ship would be +lost.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 could +have been very glad 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 have come abroad.</p> +<p>But when they were come to the brow of the hill, where they +could see a great way in the valley 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 consider of it: had they thought fit to +have gone to sleep there, as the other party 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.</p> +<p>The captain made a very just proposal to me upon this +consultation 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 <span class="pagenum"><a name="page270"></a>[page +270]</span> discharged, and they would certainly yield, and we +should have them without bloodshed: I liked the proposal, provided +it was done while we heard, when they were presently stopped by the +creek, where the water being up, they could not get over, and +called for the boat to come up, and set them over, as indeed I +expected.</p> +<p>When they had set themselves over, I observed, that the boat +being gone up 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.</p> +<p>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 surprized the two men +before they were aware; one of them lying on 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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 271]</span> 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.</p> +<p>There needed very few arguments to persuade a single man to +yield, when he saw five men upon him, and his comrade 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 sincere +with us.</p> +<p>In the mean time, Friday and the captain’s mate so well managed +their business with the rest, that they drew them by hollooing 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.</p> +<p>We had nothing now to do, but to watch for them, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 272]</span> in the dark, and to fall upon them, so +as to make sure work with them.</p> +<p>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 being able to come any faster, which was +very welcome news to us.</p> +<p>At length they came up to the boat; but it is impossible to +express their confusion, when they found the boat fast aground in +the creek, the tide ebbed out, and their two men gone: we could +hear them call to one another in a most lamentable manner, telling +one another they were gotten into an enchanted island; that either +there were inhabitants in it, and they should all be murdered; or +else there were devils or spirits in it, and they should be all +carried away and devoured.</p> +<p>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 that sometimes they would go and +sit down in the boat to rest themselves, then come ashore, and walk +about again, and so the same thing over again.</p> +<p>My men would fain have had me given them leave to fall upon them +at once in the dark; but I was willing to take them at some +advantage, so to spare them, and kill as few of them as I could; +and especially I was unwilling to hazard the killing any of our +men, knowing the other men were very well armed: I resolved to wait +to see if they did not separate; and therefore, to make sure of +them, I drew my ambuscade nearer; and ordered Friday and the +captain to creep upon their hands and feet as close to the ground +as they could, that they might not be discovered, and get as near +them as they could possibly, before they offered to fire.</p> +<p>They had not been long in that posture, till the <span class= +"pagenum">[page 273]</span> boatswain, who was the principal +ringleader of the mutiny, and had now shewn 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 the +principal rogue so much in his power, that he could hardly have +patience to let him come so near as to be sure of him; for they +only heard his tongue before: but when they came nearer, the +captain and Friday, starting up on their feet, let fly at them.</p> +<p>The boatswain was killed upon the spot; the next man was shot in +the body, and fell just by him, though he did not die till an hour +or two after; and the third ran for it.</p> +<p>At the noise of the fire, I immediately advanced with my whole +army, which was now eight men; viz. myself generalissimo; Friday my +lieutenant-general; the captain and his two men, and the three +prisoners of war, whom he had trusted with arms.</p> +<p>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 might perhaps 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, “Who’s that? Robinson?” For +it seems he knew his voice. The other answered, “Ay, ay; for God’s +sake, Tom Smith, throw down your arms, and yield, or you are all +dead men this moment.”</p> +<p>“Who must we yield to? where are they?” says Smith again. “Here +they are,” says he; “here is our captain and fifty men with him, +have been hunting you this two hours; the boatswain is killed, Will +Frye is wounded, and I am a prisoner; and if you do not yield, your +are all lost.”</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 274]</span> +<p>“Will they give us quarter then?” says Tom Smith, “and we will +yield.”—“I’ll go and ask, if you promise to yield,” says 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.”</p> +<p>Upon this Will Atkins cried out, “For God’s sake, captain, give +me quarter: what have I done? they have been all as bad as I,” +(which by the way was not true, either; for it seems this Will +Atkins was the first man that laid hold of the captain when they +first mutinied, and used him barbarously, in tying his hands, and +giving him injurious language:) however, the captain told him he +must lay down his arms at discretion, and trust to the governor’s +mercy, by which he meant me; for they all called me governor.</p> +<p>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, particularly with those three, were all but eight, came up +and seized upon them all, and upon their boat, only that I kept +myself and one more out of sight, for reasons of state.</p> +<p>Our next work was to repair the boat, and to think of seizing +the ship; and as for the captain, now he had leisure to parley with +them, he expostulated with them upon the villany of their practices +with him, and at length, upon the farther wickedness of their +design; and how certainly it must bring them to misery and distress +in the end, and perhaps to the gallows.</p> +<p>They all appeared very penitent, and begged hard for their +lives: as for that, he told them they were none of 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 the island was inhabited, and that the +governor was an Englishman: that he might hang them all there, if +he pleased; but as he <span class="pagenum">[page 275]</span> had +given them all quarter, he supposed he would send them to England, +to be dealt with there as justice required, except Atkins, whom he +was commanded by the governor to advise to prepare for death; for +that he would be hanged in the morning.</p> +<p>Though this was all 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.</p> +<p>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 +distance, 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.</p> +<p>Upon the captain’s coming to me, I told him my project for +seizing the ship, which he liked wonderfully well, and resolved to +put it in execution the next morning.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>They conveyed them to the cave, as to a prison; and it was +indeed a dismal place, especially to men in their condition.</p> +<p>The others I ordered to my bower, as I called it, of which I +have given a full description; and as it was <span class= +"pagenum">[page 276]</span> fenced in, and they pinioned, the place +was secure enough, considering they were upon their behaviour.</p> +<p>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 no, to go on board, and +surprise the ship. He talked to them of the injury done him, of the +condition they were brought to; and that though the governor had +given them quarter for their lives, as to the present action, yet +that if they were sent to England, they would all be hanged in +chains, to be sure; but that if they would join in such an attempt +as to recover the ship, he would have the governor’s engagement for +their pardon.</p> +<p>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 +captain, 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 for a father to them as long as they lived.</p> +<p>“Well,” says the captain, “I must go and tell the governor what +you say, and see what I can do to bring him to consent to it.” So +he brought me an account of the temper he found them in; and that +he verily believed they would be faithful.</p> +<p>However, that we might be very secure, I told him he should go +back again, and choose out five of them, and tell them, that they +should see that they did not want men; but he would take out those +five 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.</p> +<p>This looked severe, and convinced them that the governor was in +earnest; however, they had no way <span class="pagenum">[page +277]</span> 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.</p> +<p>Our strength was now thus ordered for the expedition: 1. The +captain, his mate, and passenger. 2. Then the two prisoners of the +first gang, to whom, having their characters from the captain, I +had given their liberty, and trusted them with arms. 3. The other +two whom I kept till now in my bower pinioned; but, upon the +captain’s motion, had now released. 4. These five released at last; +so that they were twelve in all, besides five we kept prisoners in +the cave for hostages.</p> +<p>I asked the captain if he was willing to venture with these +hands on board the ship: for, 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.</p> +<p>As to the five in the cave, I resolved to keep them fast; but +Friday went twice a day to them, to supply them with necessaries; +and I made the other two carry provisions to a certain distance, +where Friday was to take it.</p> +<p>When I shewed myself to the two hostages, it was with the +captain, who told them, I was the person the governor had ordered +to look after them, and that it was the governor’s pleasure that +they should not stir any where but by my direction; that if they +did, they should be fetched into the castle, and be laid in irons; +so that as we never suffered them to see me as governor, so I now +appeared as another person, and spoke of the governor, the +garrison, the castle, and the like, upon all occasions.</p> +<p>The captain now had 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 other men; and himself, and his +mate, and five more, went in the other: and they contrived their +business very well; for they came up to the ship <span class= +"pagenum">[page 278]</span> 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 a +chat, till they came to the ship’s side; when the captain and the +mate, entering first with their arms, immediately knocked down the +second mate and carpenter with the but end of their muskets; being +very faithfully seconded by their men, they seemed all the rest +that were upon the main and quarter decks, and began to fasten the +hatches to keep them down who were below; when the other boat and +their men, entering at the fore chains, secured the forecastle of +the ship, and the skuttle which went down into the cook-room, +making three men they found there prisoners.</p> +<p>When this was done, and all safe upon the deck, the captain +ordered the mate with three men to break into the round-house, +where the new rebel captain lay, and, having taken the alarm, was +gotten up, and with two men and a boy had gotten fire arms in their +hands; and when the mate with a crow split upon 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.</p> +<p>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 bullets entering at his mouth, and +came out again behind one of his ears; so that he never spoke a +word; upon which the rest yielded, and the ship was taken +effectually without any more lives being lost.</p> +<p>As soon as the ship was thus secured, the captain ordered seven +guns to be fired, which was the signal agreed upon with me, to give +me notice of his success; which you may be sure I was very glad to +hear, having sat watching upon the shore for it, till near two of +the clock in the morning.</p> +<p>Having thus heard the signal plainly, I laid me <span class= +"pagenum">[page 279]</span> down; and it having been a day of great +fatigue to me, I slept very sound, till I was something surprised +with the noise of a gun; and presently starting up, I heard a man +call me by the name of governor, governor; and presently I knew the +captain’s voice; when climbing up 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 a 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 a little creek; and the +tide being up, the captain had brought the pinnace in near the +place where I first landed my rafts, and so landed just at my +door.</p> +<p>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 one word; but +as he had taken me in his arms, I held fast by him, or I should +have fallen to the ground.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>All this while 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 into tears, and in a little while after +I recovered my speech.</p> +<p>Then I took my turn, and embraced him as my deliverer; and we +rejoiced together; I told him, I <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page280"></a>[page 280]</span> looked upon him as a man sent from +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 eyes of an infinite Power could search into the +remotest corner of the world, and send help to the miserable +whenever he pleased.</p> +<p>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 manner provided for one in such a wilderness, and in +such a desolate condition, but from whom every deliverance must +always be acknowledged to proceed?</p> +<p>When we had talked awhile, the captain told me, he had brought +me some little refreshments, such as the ship afforded, and such as +the wretches who had been so long his masters, had not plundered +him of. Upon this he called aloud to the boat, and bids 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.</p> +<p>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 hundred weight of biscuit.</p> +<p>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 clean new shirts, six very good +neckcloths, two pair of gloves, one pair of shoes, a hat, and one +pair of stockings, and 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.</p> +<p>It was a very kind and agreeable present, as any <span class= +"pagenum">[page 281]</span> one may imagine, to one in my +circumstances; but never was any thing in the world of that kind so +unpleasant, awkward, and uneasy, as it was to me to wear such +clothes at their first putting on.</p> +<p>After these ceremonies passed, and after all his 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 +whether 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.</p> +<p>Upon this, I told him, that, if he desired it, I durst undertake +to bring the two men he spoke of to make 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.”</p> +<p>“Well,” said I, “I will send for them, 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.</p> +<p>After some time, I came thither dressed in my new habit, and now +I was called governor again. Being all met, and the captain with +me, I caused the men to be brought before me, and I told them, I +had had a full account of their villanous behaviour to the captain, +and how they had run away with the ship, and were preparing to +commit farther robberies; but that Providence, had ensnared them in +their own ways, and that they were fallen into the pit which they +had digged for others.</p> +<p>I let them know, that by my direction the ship had <span class= +"pagenum">[page 282]</span> 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 might 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.</p> +<p>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 shew 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 +consequence of which they must needs know, would be the gallows; so +that I could not tell which 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; said they would much rather +venture to stay there, than to be carried to England to be hanged; +so I left it on that issue.</p> +<p>However, the captain seemed to make some difficulty of it, as if +he durst not leave them there: upon this I seemed to be a little +angry with the captain, and told him, that they were my prisoners, +not his; and that seeing I had offered them so much favour, I would +be as good as my word; and that if he did not think fit to consent +to it, I would set them at liberty as I found them; and if he did +not like that, he might take them again if he could catch them.</p> +<p>Upon this they appeared very thankful, and I accordingly set +them at liberty, and bade them retire into the woods, to the place +whence they came, and I <span class="pagenum">[page 283]</span> +would leave them some fire-arms, some ammunition, and some +directions how they should live very well, if they thought fit.</p> +<p>Upon this, I prepared to go on board the ship; but told the +captain, that 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 the next day for me; ordering +him in the meantime to cause the new captain who was killed, to be +hanged at the yard-arm, that these men might see him.</p> +<p>When the captain was gone, I sent for the men up to me to my +apartment, and entered seriously into discourse with them of their +circumstances: I told them, I thought they had made a right choice; +that if the captain carried them away, they would certainly be +hanged: I shewed them their captain hanging at the yard-arm of the +ship, and told them they had nothing less to expect.</p> +<p>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: shewed +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 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.</p> +<p>I left them my fire-arms; viz. five muskets, three +fowling-pieces, and three swords: I had about a barrel 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 +directions to milk and fatten them, to make both butter and +cheese.</p> +<p>In a word, I gave them every part of my own story; and I told +them, I would prevail with the <span class="pagenum">[page +284]</span> captain to leave them two barrels of gunpowder more, +and some garden-seed, 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 be sure to sow and increase them.</p> +<p>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 a 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.</p> +<p>Upon this the captain pretended to have no power without me; but +after some difficulty, and after their solemn promises of +amendment, they were taken on board, and were some time after +soundly whipped and pickled; after which they proved very honest +and quiet fellows.</p> +<p>Some time after this, I went with the boat 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 way to send +a vessel to take them in, I would not forget them.</p> +<p>When I took leave of this island, I carried on board for relics +the great goat-skin cap I had made, my umbrella, and one of my +parrots; 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; and also the money I found in the wreck +of the Spanish ship.</p> +<p>And thus I left the island the nineteenth 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 the second captivity the same day of the month +that I first <span class="pagenum">[page 285]</span> made my escape +in the barco-longo, from among the Moors of Sallee.</p> +<p>In this vessel, after a long voyage, I arrived in England the +eleventh of June, in the year 1687; having been thirty and five +years absent.</p> +<p>When I came to England, I was a perfect stranger to all the +world, as if I had never been known there: my benefactor, and +faithful 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 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 place.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>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 that subject, and a present +of almost two hundred pounds sterling.</p> +<p>But after making several reflections upon the circumstances of +my life, and how little way this would <span class="pagenum">[page +286]</span> go towards settling me in the world, I resolved to go +to Lisbon, and see if I might not come by some information of the +state of my plantation in the Brasils, and what was become of my +partner, who, I had reason to suppose, had some years now given me +over for dead.</p> +<p>With this view I took shipping for Lisbon, where I arrived in +April following; my man Friday accompanying me very honestly in all +these ramblings, and proving a most faithful servant upon all +occasions.</p> +<p>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 the sea, having put his son, who was far from +a young man, into his ship; and who still used the Brasil 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.</p> +<p>After some passionate expressions of our old acquaintance, I +inquired, you may be sure, after my plantation and my partner; the +old man told me, he had not been in the Brasils for about nine +years; but that he could assure me, that when he came away, my +partner was living; but the trustees, whom I had joined with him, +to take cognizance of my part, were both dead; that, however, he +believed that 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 appropriated it, in case I never came to claim it, one third to +the king, and two thirds to the monastery of St. Augustine, to be +expended for the benefit of the poor, and for the conversion of the +Indians to the Catholic faith; but that if I appeared, or any one +for me, to claim the inheritance, it would be restored; only that +the improvement, or annual production, being distributed to +charitable uses, could not be restored; but <span class= +"pagenum">[page 287]</span> 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 received duly my moiety.</p> +<p>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 +no obstruction to my possessing my just right in the moiety.</p> +<p>He told me, he could not tell exactly to what degree the +plantation was improved; but this he knew, that my partner was +growing exceeding rich upon the enjoying but one half 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 the register of the county. Also he told me, that the +survivors of my two trustees were very fair, honest people, and +very wealthy, and he believed I would not only have their +assistance for putting me in possession, but would find a very +considerable sum of money in their hands for my account, being the +produce of the farm, while their fathers held the trust, and before +it was given up, as above, which, as he remembered, was about +twelve years.</p> +<p>I shewed 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.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 288]</span> +death; and that, besides, he was not willing to intermeddle with a +thing so remote: that it was true, he had registered my will, and +put in his claim; and could he have given any account of my being +dead or alive, he would have acted by procuration, and taken +possession of the <i>ingenio</i>, (so they called the sugarhouse) +and had given his son, who was now at the Brasils, order to do +it.</p> +<p>“But,” says the old man, “I have one piece of news to tell you, +which perhaps may not be so acceptable to you as the rest; and that +is, that believing you were lost, and all the world believing so +also, your partner and trustees did offer to account to me in your +name, for six or eight of the first years of profit, which I +received; but there being at that time,” says he, “great +disbursements for increasing the works, building an <i>ingenio</i> +and buying slaves, it did not amount to near so much as afterwards +it produced: however,” says the old man, “I shall give you a true +account of what I have received in all, and how I have disposed of +it.”</p> +<p>After a few days farther conference with this ancient friend, he +brought me an account of the six first years income of my +plantation, signed by my partner, and the merchants’ trustees, +being always delivered 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 increased: but, as above, the disbursement +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.</p> +<p>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 +<span class="pagenum">[page 289]</span> he, “you shall not want a +supply in your necessity; and as soon as my son returns, you shall +be fully satisfied.”</p> +<p>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 Brasils in, of which he +was a quarter part owner, and his son another, he puts them both in +my hands for security of the rest.</p> +<p>I was too much moved with the honesty and kindness of the poor +man, to be able to bear this; and remembering what he had done for +me, how he had taken me up at sea, and how generously he had used +me on all occasions, and particularly how sincere a friend he was +now to me, I could hardly refrain weeping at what he said to me: +therefore, first 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.</p> +<p>Every thing the good man said was full of affection, and I could +hardly refrain from tears while he spake. In short, I took one +hundred of the moidores, and called for a pen and ink to give him a +receipt for them; then I returned him the rest, and told him, if +ever I had possession of the plantation, I would return the other +to him also, as indeed I afterwards did; and then, as to the bill +of sale of his part in his son’s ship, I would not take it by any +means; but that if I wanted the money, I found he was honest enough +to pay me; and if I did not, but came to receive what he gave me +reason to expect, I would never have a penny more from him.</p> +<p>When this was past, the old man began to ask me if he should put +me in 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 +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page290"></a>[page 290]</span> 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 +Brasil, 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.</p> +<p>This being regularly attested by a notary, and the 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.</p> +<p>Never any thing was 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, on whose +account I went to sea, in which were the following particular +letters and papers enclosed.</p> +<p>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 1171 moidores in my favour.</p> +<p>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 call <i>civil-death</i>; and the balance of this, the +value of plantation increasing, amounted to 38892 crusadoes, which made +3241 moidores.</p> +<p>Thirdly, There was the prior of the Augustines account, who had +received the profits for above fourteen years; but not being able +to account for what was disposed to the hospital, very honestly +declared he had 872 moidores not distributed, which he acknowledged +to my account. As to the king’s part, that refunded nothing.</p> +<p>There was also a letter of my partner’s, congratulating me very +affectionately upon my being alive; giving me an account how the +estate was improved, <span class="pagenum">[page 291]</span> and +what it produced a year, with a particular of the number of 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 mean time to give him orders to +whom he should deliver my effects, if I did not come my self; +concluding with a hearty tender of his friendship, and that of his +family, and sent me, as a present, seven fine leopard’s skins, +which he had it seems received from Africa, by some other ship +which he had sent thither, and who it seems had made a better +voyage than I: he sent me also five chests of excellent sweetmeats, +and an hundred pieces of gold uncoined, not quite so large as +moidores.</p> +<p>By the same fleet, my two merchant trustees shipped me 1,200 +chests of sugar, 800 rolls of tobacco, and the rest of the whole +Account in gold.</p> +<p>I might well say, now indeed, that the latter end of Job was +better than the beginning. It is impossible to express here the +flutterings of my very heart, when I looked over these letters, and +especially when I found all my wealth about me; for as the Brasil +ships come all in fleets, the same ships which brought my letters, +brought my goods; and the effects were safe in the river 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 surprize of joy had overset nature, and I had died upon the +spot.</p> +<p>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 it had +not been eased by a vent given in <span class="pagenum">[page +292]</span> that manner, to the spirits, I should have died.</p> +<p>I was now master, all on a sudden, of above 5000<i>l</i>. +sterling in money, and had an estate, as I might well call it, in +the Brasils, 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 my self, +for the enjoyment of it.</p> +<p>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 shewed him all that was sent me, I told him, that next to the +Providence of Heaven, which disposes 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 for the 470 moidores, which he +had acknowledged he owed me in the fullest and firmest manner +possible; after which, I caused a procuration to be drawn, +impowering 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 a clause in +the end, being 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.</p> +<p>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 I had now a +great charge upon me, and my business was how to secure it. I had +ne’er a cave now to hide my money in, or a place where it might lie +without lock or key, ’till it grew mouldy and tarnished before any +body <span class="pagenum">[page 293]</span> would meddle with it: +on the contrary, I knew not where to put it, or who to trust with +it. My old patron, the captain, indeed was honest, and that was the +only refuge I had.</p> +<p>In the next place, my interest in the Brasils seemed to summon +me thither, but now I could not tell, how to think of going +thither, ’till I had settled my affairs, and left my effects in +some safe hands behind me. At first I thought of my old friend the +widow, who I knew was honest, and would be just to me; but then she +was in years, and but poor, and for ought I knew, might be in debt; +so that in a word, I had no way but to go back to England my self, +and take my effects with me.</p> +<p>It was some months however before I resolved upon this; and +therefore, as I had rewarded the old captain fully, and to his +satisfaction, who had been my former benefactor, so I began to +think of my poor widow, whose husband had been my first benefactor, +and she, while it was in her power, my faithful steward and +instructor. So the first thing I did, I got a merchant in Lisbon to +write to his correspondent in London, not only to pay a bill, but +to go find her out, and carry her in money, an 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, each of them an +hundred pounds, they being, though not in want, yet not in very +good circumstances; one having been married, and left a widow; and +the other having a husband not so kind to her as he should be.</p> +<p>But among all my relations, or acquaintances, I could not yet +pitch upon one, to whom I durst commit the gross of my stock, that +I might go away to the Brasils, and leave things safe behind me; +and this greatly perplexed me.</p> +<p>I had once a mind to have gone to the Brasils, and have settled +my self there; for I was, as it were, naturalized to the place; but +I had some little scruple in my mind about religion, which +insensibly drew me back, of which I shall say more presently. +However, <span class="pagenum">[page 294]</span> it was not +religion that kept me from going thither for the present; and as I +had made no scruple of being openly of the religion of the country, +all the while I was among them, so neither did I yet; only that now +and then having of late thought more of it than formerly, when I +began to think of living and dying among them, I began to regret my +having professed myself a Papist, and thought it might not be the +best religion to die in.</p> +<p>But, as I have said, this was not the main thing that kept me +from going to the Brasils, but that really I did not know with whom +to leave my effects behind me; so I resolved at last to go to +England with them, where if I arrived, I concluded I should make +some acquaintance, or find some relations, that would be faithful +to me; and accordingly I prepared to go for England with all my +wealth.</p> +<p>In order to prepare things for my going home, I first (the +Brasil 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 was undisposed of, which I +desired might be given, five hundred to the monastery, and three +hundred and seventy-two to the poor, as the prior should direct, +desiring the good Padre’s prayers for me, and the like.</p> +<p>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 +of it.</p> +<p>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 instructions for his future government of +my part according to the powers I had left with my old patron, to +whom I desired him to send whatever became due to me, till he +should hear from me more particularly; assuring him, that it was my +intention, not <span class="pagenum">[page 295]</span> 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 Lisbon, five pieces of black bays, and some Flanders lace of +a good value.</p> +<p>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 in order to go, yet I altered my mind, and that not once, +but two or three times.</p> +<p>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, that is to say, so as in one of them to put my things on +board, and in the other to have agreed with the captain; I say, two +of these ships miscarried, viz. one was taken by the Algerines, and +the other was cast away on the Start, near Torbay, and all the +people drowned except three; so that in either of those vessels I +had been made miserable, and in which most, it was hard to say.</p> +<p>Having been thus harassed in my thoughts, my old pilot, to whom +I communicated every thing, pressed me earnestly not to go to 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.</p> +<p>In a word, I was so prepossessed against my going by sea at all, +except from Calais to Dover, that I <span class="pagenum">[page +296]</span> 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 who were English, +and merchants also, and two young Portuguese gentlemen, the last +going to Paris only; so that we were in all 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 upon the road.</p> +<p>In this manner I set out from Lisbon; and our company being all +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.</p> +<p>As I have troubled you with none of my sea journals, so shall I +trouble you with none of my land journals. But some adventures that +happened to us in this tedious and difficult journey, I must not +omit.</p> +<p>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 to +see 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 an account that so much +snow was fallen on the French side of the mountains, that several +travellers were obliged to come back to Pampeluna, after having +attempted, at an extreme hazard, to pass on.</p> +<p>When we came to Pampeluna itself, we found it so indeed; and to +me that had been always used to a hot climate, and indeed to +countries where we could scarce bear any clothes on, the cold was +insufferable; <span class="pagenum">[page 297]</span> nor, indeed, +was it more painful than it was surprising: to come but ten days +before out of the Old Castile, where the weather was not only warm, +but very hot, and immediately to feel a wind from the Pyrenees +mountains, so very keen, so severely cold, as to be intolerable, +and to endanger benumbing and perishing of our fingers and toes, +was very strange.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>To mend the matter, after 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: in a word, the snow +lay in some places too thick for us to travel; and being not hard +frozen, as is the case in northern countries, there was no going +without being in danger of being buried alive every step. We staid +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 many years) +proposed that we should all go away to Fontarabia, and there take +shipping for Boardeaux, which was a very little voyage.</p> +<p>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, had 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.</p> +<p>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 us from wild beasts: for he said, +upon these <span class="pagenum">[page 298]</span> great snows, it +was frequent for some wolves to show themselves at the foot of the +mountains, being made ravenous for want of food, the ground being +covered with snow. We told him we were well enough prepared for +such creatures as they were, if he would ensure us from a kind of +two-legged wolves, which we were told we were in most danger from, +especially on the French side of the mountains.</p> +<p>He satisfied us there was no danger of that kind in the way that +we were to go: so we readily agreed to follow him; as did also +twelve other gentlemen, with their servants, some French, some +Spanish, who, as I said, had attempted to go, and were obliged to +come back again.</p> +<p>Accordingly we all set out from Pampeluna, with our guide, on +the fifteenth 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, above twenty miles; when having +passed two rivers, and come into the plain country, we found +ourselves in a warm climate again, where the country was pleasant, +and no snow to be seen; but on a sudden, turning to the left, he +approached the mountains another way; and though it is true, the +hills and the precipices looked dreadfully, yet he made so many +tours, such meanders, and led us by such winding ways, we +insensibly passed the height of the mountains, without being much +encumbered with the snow; and all on a sudden he shewed us the +pleasant fruitful provinces of Languedoc and Gascoigne, all green +and flourishing; though indeed they were at a great distance, and +we had some rough way to pass yet.</p> +<p>We were a little uneasy, however, when we found it snowed one +whole day and a night, so fast, that we could not travel; but he +bid us be easy, we should soon be past it all: we found, indeed, +that we began to descend every day, and to come more north than +before; and so, depending upon our guide, we went on.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 299]</span> +<p>It was about two hours before night, when our guide being +something before us, and not just in sight, out rushed three +monstrous wolves, and after them a bear, out of 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 had been devoured indeed, +before we could have helped him; one of them fastened upon his +horse, and the other attacked the man with that violence, that he +had not time, or not presence of mind enough, to draw his pistol, +but hallooed and cried out to us most lustily. My man Friday being +next to me, I bid him ride up, and see what was the matter. As soon +as Friday came in sight of the man, he hallooed, as loud as the +other, “O master’ O master!” But, like a bold fellow, rode directly +up to the man, and with his pistol shot the wolf that attacked him +in the head.</p> +<p>It was happy for the poor man that it was my man Friday; for he, +having been used to that kind of creature in his country, had no +fear upon him, but went close up to him, and shot him as above; +whereas any of us would have fired at a farther distance, and have +perhaps either missed the wolf, or endangered shooting the man.</p> +<p>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 dismallest howlings of wolves, +and the noise redoubled by the echo of the mountains, that it was +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 of +apprehensions.</p> +<p>However, as Friday had killed this wolf, the other, that had +fastened upon the horse, left him immediately, and fled, having +happily 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, +indeed, was most hurt; for the raging creature had bit him twice, +once on the arm, and the other time a little above his knee; and he +was just as it were tumbling <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page300"></a>[page 300]</span> down by the disorder of the horse, +when Friday came up and shot the wolf.</p> +<p>It is easy to suppose, that at the noise of Friday’s pistol we +all mended our pace, and rid 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 +plainly 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.</p> +<p>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 creature, and does not gallop as the wolf does, which +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, I say not his proper prey, because though I +can’t say what excessive hunger might do, which was now their case, +the ground being all covered with snow; yet as to men, he does not +usually attempt them, unless they first attack him; on the +contrary, if you meet him in the woods, if you don’t meddle with +him, he won’t meddle with you; yet then you must take care to be +very civil to him, and give him the road; for he is a very nice +gentleman, he won’t go a step out of the 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; and if you +throw or toss any thing at him, and it hits him, though it were but +a bit of stick as big as your finger, he takes it for an affront, +and sets all other business aside to pursue his revenge; for he +will have satisfaction in point of honour, and this is his first +quality; the next is, that if he be once affronted, he will never +leave you, night or day, till he has his revenge, but follow at a +good round rate till he overtakes you.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 301]</span> +<p>My man Friday had delivered our guide, and when we came up to +him, he was helping him off from his horse; for the man was both +hurt and frighted, and indeed the last more than the first; when, +on a sudden, we espied the bear come out of the wood, and a very +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.”</p> +<p>I was surprised to see the fellow so pleased: “You fool you,” +said I, “he will eat you up.”—“Eatee me up! eatee me up!” says +Friday, twice over again; “me eatee him up; me make you good laugh; +you all stay here, me shew you good laugh.” So down he sits and +gets his boots off in a moment, and put on a pair of pumps, (as we +call the flat shoes they wear) and which he had in his pocket, and +gives my other servant his horse, and with his gun away he flew, +swift like the wind.</p> +<p>The bear was walking softly on, and offered to meddle with +nobody, till Friday coming pretty near, calls to him, as if the +bear could understand him: “Hark ye, hark ye,” says Friday, “me +speakee wit you,” We followed at a distance; for now being come +down to the Gascoigne side of the mountains, we were entered a vast +great forest, where the country was plain, and pretty open, though +many trees in it scattered here and there.</p> +<p>Friday, who had, as we say, the heels of the bear, came up with +him quickly, and takes up a great stone, and throws 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 shew us some laugh, as he called it.</p> +<p>As soon as the bear felt the stone, and saw him, he <span class= +"pagenum">[page 302]</span> turns about, and comes after him, +taking devilish long strides, and strolling along at a strange +rate, so as he would put a horse to a middling gallop. Away runs +Friday, and takes his course, as if he ran towards us for help; so +we all resolved to fire at once upon the bear, and deliver my man; +though I was angry at him heartily for bringing the bear back upon +us, when he was going about his own business another way; and +especially I was angry that he had turned the bear upon us, and +then run away; and I called out, “You dog,” said I, “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 beast’s one, he turned on a sudden, on one side of +us, and seeing a great oak tree, fit for his purpose, he beckoned +us to follow, and doubling his pace, he gets nimbly up the tree, +laying his gun down upon the ground, at about five or six yards +from the bottom of the tree.</p> +<p>The bear soon came to the tree, and we followed at a distance. +The first thing he did, he stopped at the gun, smelt to it, but let +it lie, and up he scrambles into the tree, 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 any thing to laugh at +yet, till seeing the bear get up the tree, we all rode nearer to +him.</p> +<p>When we came to the tree, there was Friday got out to the small +of a large limb of the tree, and the bear got about half way to +him. As soon as the bear got out to that part where the limb of the +tree was weaker, “Ha,” says he to us, “now you see me 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 he +sees him stand still, he calls out to him again, as if he had +supposed the bear could <span class="pagenum">[page 303]</span> +speak English, “What, you come no farther? Pray you come farther.” +So he left jumping and shaking the bough; and the bear, just as if +he understood what he said, did come a little farther; then he fell +a-jumping again, and the bear stopped again.</p> +<p>We thought now was a good time to knock him on 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 +then;” he would have said by and by. However, to shorten the story, +Friday danced so much, and the bear stood so ticklish, that we had +laughing enough indeed, but still could not imagine what the fellow +would do; for first we thought he depended upon shaking the bear +off; and we found the bear was too cunning for that too; for he +would not get out far enough to be thrown down, but clings fast +with his great broad claws and feet, so that we could not imagine +what would be the end of it, and where the jest would be at +last.</p> +<p>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,” said Friday, “you no come farther, 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.</p> +<p>“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 you one more laugh;” and indeed so he did, +as you will see presently; 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, <span class="pagenum">[page 304]</span> +very leisurely. At this juncture, and just before he could set his +hind feet upon the ground, Friday stepped close to him, clapped the +muzzle of his piece into his ear, and shot him as dead as a +stone.</p> +<p>Then the rogue turned about to see if we did not laugh; and when +he saw we were pleased by our looks, he falls a-laughing himself +very loud; “So we kill bear in my country,” says Friday. “So you +kill them?” said I; “why, you have no guns.”—“No,” says he, “no +guns, but shoot great much long arrow.”</p> +<p>This was, indeed, a good diversion to us; but we were still in a +wild place, and our guide very much hurt, and what to do we hardly +knew: the howling of wolves ran much in my head; and indeed except +the noise I once heard on the shore of Africa, of which I have said +something already, I never heard any thing that filled me with so +much horror.</p> +<p>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 three leagues to go, and our guide hastened us; so we left him, +and went forward on our journey.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>We had one dangerous place to pass, of which our guide told us, +if there were any 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.</p> +<p>It was within half an hour of sunset when we entered the first +wood; and a little after sunset, when <span class="pagenum">[page +305]</span> we came into the plain. We met with nothing in the +first wood, except that in a little plain within the wood, which +was not above two furlongs over, we saw five great wolves cross the +road, full speed one after another, as if they had been in chase of +some prey, and had it in view: they took no notice of us, and were +gone and out of sight in a few moments.</p> +<p>Upon this our guide, who, by the way, was a wretched +faint-hearted fellow, bade us keep in a ready posture; for he +believed there were more wolves a-coming.</p> +<p>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 could +not say eating of him, but picking of his bones rather; for they +had eaten up all the flesh before.</p> +<p>We did not think fit to disturb them at their feast, neither did +they take much notice of us: Friday would have let fly at them, but +I would not suffer him by any means; for I found we were like to +have more business upon our hands than we were aware of. We 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 on directly towards us, all in +a body, and most of them in a line, as regularly 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 moment; 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 that then those who had fired at first, should not pretend to +<span class="pagenum">[page 306]</span> load their fusils again, +but stand ready, with every one a pistol, for we were all armed +with a fusil and a pair of pistols each man; so we were, by this +method, able to fire six vollies, 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 our +company to halloo as loud as we could, and I found the notion not +altogether mistaken; for upon our shout, they began to retire, and +turn about; then I ordered a second volley to be fired in their +rear, which put them to the gallop, and away they went to the +woods.</p> +<p>This gave us leisure to charge our pieces again, and that we +might lose no time, we kept doing; but we had but little more than +loaded our fusils, and put ourselves into a 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.</p> +<p>The night was coming on, and the night began to be dusky, which +made it the 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 two or three +troops of wolves on our left, one behind us, and one on 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 +large trot; and in this manner we only came in view of the entrance +of the wood through which we were to pass, at the farther side of +the plain; but we were greatly surprised, when, coming near the +lane, or pass, we saw a confused number of wolves standing just at +the entrance.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 307]</span> +<p>On a sudden, at another opening of the wood, we heard the noise +of a gun; and, looking that way, out rushed a horse, with a saddle +and a bridle on him, flying like the wind, and sixteen or seventeen +wolves after him full speed: indeed the horse had the heels of +them; but as we supposed that he could not hold it at that rate, we +doubted not but they would get up with him at last; and no question +but they did.</p> +<p>Here we had a most horrible sight; for, riding up to the +entrance where the horse came out, we found the carcass of another +horse, and of two men devoured by these ravenous creatures, and of +one the man was no doubt the same whom we heard fire a 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.</p> +<p>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 by 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 +these 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, enclosing our +horses in the centre.</p> +<p>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 growling kind of a 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 man; and they took their aim so sure, that indeed they killed +several of the wolves at the first volley; but there was a +<span class="pagenum">[page 308]</span> necessity to keep a +continual firing, for they came on like devils, those behind +pushing on those before.</p> +<p>When we had fired our second volley of 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 our +vollies of pistols; and I believe in these four firings we killed +seventeen or eighteen of them, and lamed twice as many; yet they +came on again.</p> +<p>I was loath to spend our last shot too hastily; so I called my +servant, not my man Friday, for he was better employed; for, with +the greatest dexterity imaginable, he 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 time to get away, when the wolves came up to it, and some were +got up 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 dispatched +these in an instant, and the rest were so frighted with the light, +which the night, for now it was very near dark, made more terrible, +that they drew back a little.</p> +<p>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, which +we found struggling on the ground, and fell a-cutting them with our +swords, which answered our expectation; for the crying and howling +they made were better understood by their fellows; so that they +fled and left us.</p> +<p>We had, first and last, killed about three score 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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 309]</span> 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 broken into that 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.</p> +<p>The next morning our guide was so ill, and his limbs so swelled +with the rankling of his two wounds, that he could go no farther; +so we were obliged to take a new guide there, and go to Tholouse, +where we found a warm climate, a fruitful pleasant country, and no +snow, no wolves, or any thing like them; but when we told our story +at Tholouse, they told us it was nothing but what was ordinary in +the great forest at the foot of the mountains, especially when the +snow lay on the ground; but they inquired much what kind of a guide +we had gotten, that would venture to bring us that way in such a +severe season; and told us, it was very much 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 that 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 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 <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page310"></a>[page 310]</span> come off safe, +especially having our fire-arms in our hands, and being so many in +number.</p> +<p>For my part, I was never so sensible of danger in my life; for +seeing above three hundred devils come roaring and open-mouthed to +devour us, and having nothing to shelter us, or retreat to, I gave +myself over for lost; and as it was, I believe, I shall never care +to cross those mountains again; I think I would much rather go a +thousand leagues by sea, though I were sure to meet with a storm +once a week.</p> +<p>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 Tholouse to +Paris, and without any considerable stay came to Calais, and landed +safe at Dover, the fourteenth of January, after having had a severe +cold season to travel in.</p> +<p>I was now come to the centre of my travels, and had in a little +time all my new-discovered estate safe about me, the bills of +exchange, which I brought with me, having been very currently +paid.</p> +<p>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, or care too great, to employ for me; and I trusted +her so entirely with every thing, that I was perfectly easy as to +the security of my effects; and indeed I was very happy from my +beginning, and now to the end, in the unspotted integrity of this +good gentlewoman.</p> +<p>And now I began to think of leaving my effects with this woman, +and setting out for Lisbon, and so to the Brasils. But now another +scruple came in the way, and that was religion; for as I had +entertained some doubts about the Roman religion, even while I was +abroad, especially in my state of solitude; so I knew there was no +going to the Brasils for me, much less going to settle there, +unless I resolved to embrace the Roman Catholic religion, without +any reserve; except on the other hand I resolved to be a sacrifice +to <span class="pagenum">[page 311]</span> my principles, be a +martyr for religion, and die in the Inquisition: so I resolved to +stay at home, and, if I could find means for it, to dispose of my +plantation.</p> +<p>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 +the Brasils, who must fully understand the value of it, who lived +just upon the spot, and who I knew to be very rich, so that he +believed they would be fond of buying it; he did not doubt, but I +should make 4 or 5000 pieces of eight the more of it.</p> +<p>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 a correspondent of +theirs at Lisbon, to pay for it.</p> +<p>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 of exchange for 32,800 pieces of eight for the estate; +reserving the payment of 100 moidores a year, to him (the old man) +during his life, and 50 moidores afterwards to his son for his +life, which I had promised them; and which the plantation was to +make good as a rent charge. And thus I have given the first part of +a life of fortune and adventure, a life of Providence’s +chequer-work, and of a variety which the world will seldom be able +to shew the like of: beginning foolishly, but closing much more +happily than any part of it ever gave me leave to much as to hope +for.</p> +<p>Any one would think, that in this state of complicated good +fortune, I was past running any more hazards, and so indeed I had +been, if other circumstances had concurred: but I was inured to a +wandering life, had no family, nor many relations; nor, however +rich, had I contracted much acquaintance; and though I had sold my +estate in the Brasils, yet I <span class="pagenum">[page +312]</span> could not keep that country out of my head, and had a +great mind to be upon the wing again; especially I could not resist +the strong inclination I had to see my island, and to know if the +poor Spaniards were in being there; and how the rogues I left there +had used them.</p> +<p>My true friend the widow earnestly dissuaded me from it, and so +far prevailed with me, that almost for 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 addition to his estate, after my decease; the +other I put out to a captain 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 farther adventures +myself.</p> +<p>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 in the year 1694.</p> +<p>In this voyage I visited my new colony in the island, saw my +successors the Spaniards, had the whole story of their lives, and +of the villains I left there; how at first they insulted the poor +Spaniards, how they afterwards agreed, disagreed, united, +separated, and how at last the Spaniards were obliged to use +violence with them; how they were subjected to the Spaniards; how +honestly the Spaniards used them; an 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, and as to the improvement +they made <span class="pagenum">[page 313]</span> upon the island +itself; and how five of them made an attempt upon the main land, +and brought away eleven men and five women prisoners; by which, at +my coming, I found about twenty young children on the island.</p> +<p>Here I stayed about twenty days; left them supplies of all +necessary things, and particularly of arms, powder, shot, clothes, +tools, and two workmen, which I brought from England with me; viz. +a carpenter and a smith.</p> +<p>Besides this, I shared the lands into parts with them, reserved +to myself the property of the whole, but gave them such parts +respectively, as they agreed on; and, having settled all things +with them, and engaged them not to leave the place, I left them +there.</p> +<p>From thence I touched at the Brasils, 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 for +the Englishmen, I promised them to send them some women from +England, with a good cargo of necessaries, if they would apply +themselves to planting; which I afterwards could not perform: the +fellows proved very honest and diligent, after they were mastered, +and had their properties set apart for them, I sent them also from +the Brasils five cows, three of them being big with calf, some +sheep, and some hogs, which, when I came again, were considerably +increased.</p> +<p>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 some 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:—</p> +<p>All these things, with some very surprising incidents +<span class="pagenum">[page 314]</span> in some new adventures of +my own, for ten years more I may, perhaps, give a further account +of hereafter.</p> +<hr style="width: 25%;"> +<p>That homely proverb used on so many occasions in England, 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 into the world to have been so predominant in my +thoughts, should be worn out, the volatile part be fully evacuated, +or at least condensed, 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.</p> +<p>Nay farther, the common motive of foreign adventures was taken +away in me; for I had no fortune to make, I had nothing to seek: if +I had gained ten thousand pounds, I had been no richer; for I had +already sufficient for me, and for those I had to leave it to, and +that I had was visibly increasing; for having no great family, I +could not spend the income of what I had, unless I would set up for +an expensive way of living, such as a great family, servants, +equipage, gaiety, and the like, which were things I had no notion +of, or inclination to; so that 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.</p> +<p>Yet all these things, 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 315]</span> 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 ran +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 impertinence, and I saw it +myself.</p> +<p>I have often heard persons of good judgment say, that all the +stir people make in the world about ghosts and apparitions, is +owing to the strength of imagination, and the powerful operation of +fancy in their minds; that there is no such thing as a spirit +appearing, or a ghost walking, and the like; that people’s poring +affectionately upon the past conversation of their deceased friends +so realizes it to them, that they are capable of fancying upon some +extraordinary circumstances that they see them, talk to them, and +are answered by them, when, in truth, there is nothing but shadow +and vapour in the thing; and they really know nothing of the +matter.</p> +<p>For my part, I know not to this hour whether there are any such +things as real apparitions, spectres, or walking of people after +they are dead, or whether there is any thing in the stories they +tell us of that kind, more than the product of vapours, sick minds, +and wandering fancies. But this I know, that my imagination worked +up to such a height, and brought me into such excess of vapours, or +what else I may call it, that I actually supposed myself oftentimes +upon the spot, at my old castle behind the trees, saw my old +Spaniard, Friday’s father, and the reprobate sailors whom I left +upon the island; nay, I fancied I talked with them, and looked at +them so steadily, though I was broad awake, as at persons just +before me; and this I did till I often frightened myself with the +images my fancy represented to me: one time in my sleep I had the +villany of the three pirate sailors so <span class="pagenum">[page +316]</span> lively related to me, by the first Spaniard and +Friday’s father, that it was surprising; they told me how they +barbarously attempted to murder all the Spaniards, and that they +set fire to the provisions they had laid up, on purpose to distress +and starve them; things that I had never heard of, and that were +yet all of them true in fact; but it was so warm in my imagination, +and so realized to me, that to the hour I saw them, I could not be +persuaded but that it was or would be true; also how I resented it +when the Spaniard complained to me, and how I brought them to +justice, tried them before me, and ordered them all three to be +hanged. What there was really in this, shall be seen in its place; +for however I came to form such things in my dream, and what secret +converse of spirits injected it, yet there was, I say, very much of +it true. I own, that this dream had nothing literally and +specifically true; but the general part was so true, the base and +villanous behaviour of these three hardened rogues was such, and +had been so much worse than all I can describe, that the dream had +too much similitude of the fact; and as I would afterwards have +punished them severely, so if I had hanged them all, I had been +much in the right, and should have been justifiable both by the +laws of God and man.</p> +<p>But to return to my story.—In this kind of temper I had 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; +so that my wife, who saw my mind so wholly bent upon it, told me +very seriously one night, that she believed there was some secret +powerful impulse of Providence upon me, which had determined me to +go thither again; and that she found nothing hindered my going, but +my being engaged to a wife and children. She told me, that it was +true she could not think of parting with me; but as she was +assured, that if she was dead it would be the first thing I would +do; so, as it seemed to her that the thing was determined above, +she would not be the only obstruction; for if I <span class= +"pagenum">[page 317]</span> thought fit, and resolved to go—Here +she found me very intent upon her words, and that I looked very +earnestly at her; so that it a little disordered her, and she +stopped. I asked her why she did not go on, and say out what she +was going to say? But I perceived her heart was too full, and some +tears stood in her eyes: “Speak out, my dear,” said I; “are you +willing I should go?”—“No,” says she, very affectionately, “I am +far from willing: but if you are resolved to go,” says she, “and +rather than I will be the only hindrance, I will go with you; for +though I think it a preposterous thing for one of your years, and +in your condition, yet if it must be,” said she again, weeping, “I +won’t leave you; for if it be of Heaven, you must do it; there is +no resisting it; and if Heaven makes it your duty to go, he will +also make it mine to go with you, or otherwise dispose of me, that +I may not obstruct it.”</p> +<p>This affectionate behaviour of my wife brought me a little out +of the vapours, and I began to consider what I was doing; I +corrected my wandering fancy, and began to argue with myself +sedately, what business I had, after threescore years, and after +such a life of tedious sufferings and disasters, and closed in so +happy and easy a manner, I say, what business had I to rush into +new hazards, and put myself upon adventures, fit only for youth and +poverty to run into?</p> +<p>With those thoughts, I considered my new engagement; that I had +a wife, one child born, and my wife then great with child of +another; that I had all the world could give me and had no need to +seek hazards for gain; that I was declining in years, and ought to +think rather of leaving what I had gained, than of seeking to +increase it; that as to what my wife had said, of its being an +impulse from Heaven, and that it should be my duty to go, I had no +notion of that; so after many of these cogitations, I struggled +with the power of my imagination, reasoned myself out of it, <i>as +I believe people may always do in like cases, if they will</i>; +and, in a word, I conquered it; <span class="pagenum">[page +318]</span> composed myself with such arguments as occurred to my +thoughts, and which my present condition furnished me plentifully +with; and particularly, as the most effectual method, I resolved to +divert myself with other things, and to engage in some business +that might effectually tie me up from any more excursions of this +kind; for I found the thing return upon me chiefly when I was idle, +had nothing to do, or any thing of moment immediately before +me.</p> +<p>To this purpose I bought a little farm in the county of Bedford, +and resolved to remove myself thither. I had a little convenient +house upon it, and the land about it I found was capable of great +improvement, and that it was many ways suited to my inclination, +which delighted in cultivating, managing, planting, and improving +of land; and particularly, being an inland country, I was removed +from conversing among ships, sailors, and things relating to the +remote part of the world.</p> +<p>In a word, I went down to my farm, settled my family, bought me +ploughs, harrows, a cart, waggon, horses, cows, sheep; and setting +seriously to work, became in one half year a mere country +gentleman; my thoughts were entirely taken up in managing my +servants, cultivating the ground, enclosing, planting, &c.; and +I lived, as I thought, the most agreeable life that nature was +capable of directing, or that a man always bred to misfortunes was +capable of being retreated to.</p> +<p>I farmed upon my own land, I had no rent to pay, was limited by +no articles; I could pull up or cut down as I pleased; what I +planted was for myself, and what I improved, was for my family; and +having thus left off the thoughts of wandering, I had not the least +discomfort in any part of my life, as to this world. Now I thought +indeed, that I enjoyed the middle state of life which my father so +earnestly recommended to me, a kind of heavenly life, something +like what is described by the poet upon the subject of a country +life:</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 319]</span> +<blockquote>Free from vices, free from care,<br> +Age has no pains, and youth no snare.</blockquote> +<p>But in the middle of all this felicity, one blow from unforeseen +Providence unhinged me at once; and not only made a breach upon me, +inevitable and incurable, but drove me, by its consequence, upon a +deep relapse into the wandering disposition; which, as I may say, +being born in my very blood, soon recovered its hold of me, and, +like the returns of a violent distemper, came on with an +irresistible force upon me; so that nothing could make any more +impression upon me. This blow was the loss of my wife.</p> +<p>It is not my business here to write an elegy upon my wife, to +give a character of her particular virtues, and make my court to +the sex by the flattery of a funeral sermon. She was, in a few +words, the stay of all my affairs, the centre of all my +enterprises, the engine that by her prudence reduced me to that +happy compass I was in, from the most extravagant and ruinous +project that fluttered in my head as above; and did more to guide +my rambling genius, than a mother’s tears, a father’s instructions, +a friend’s counsel, or all my own reasoning powers could do. I was +happy in listening to her tears, and in being moved by her +entreaties, and to the last degree desolate and dislocated in the +world by the loss of her.</p> +<p>When she was gone the world looked awkwardly round me, I was as +much a stranger in it in my thoughts as I was in the Brasils when I +went first on shore there; and as much alone, except as to the +assistance of servants, as I was in my island. I knew neither what +to do, or what not to do; I saw the world busy round me, one part +labouring for bread, and the other part squandering in vile +excesses or empty pleasures, equally miserable, because the end +they proposed still fled from them; for the men of pleasure every +day surfeited of their vice, and heaped up work for sorrow and +repentance, and the men of labour spent their strength in daily +strugglings for bread to maintain the vital strength they laboured +with; so living in <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page320"></a>[page 320]</span> a daily circulation of sorrow, +living but to work, and working but to live, as if daily bread were +the only end of a wearisome life, and a wearisome life the only +occasion of daily bread.</p> +<p>This put me in mind of the life I lived in my kingdom the +island, where I suffered no more corn to grow, because I did not +want it; and bred no more goats, because I had no more use for +them; where the money lay in the drawer till it grew mildewed, and +had scarce the favour to be looked upon in twenty years.</p> +<p>All these things, had I improved them as I ought to have done, +and as reason and religion had dictated to me, would have taught me +to search farther than human enjoyments for a full felicity, and +that there was something which certainly was the reason and end of +life, superior to all these things, and which was either to be +possessed, or at least hoped for, on this side the grave.</p> +<p>But my sage counsellor was gone, I was like a ship without a +pilot, that could only run before the wind; my thoughts run all +away again into the old affair, my head was quite turned with the +whimsies of foreign adventures; and all the pleasing innocent +amusements of my farm and my garden, my cattle and my family, which +before entirely possessed me, 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.</p> +<p>When I came to London I was still as uneasy as before; I had no +relish to the place, no employment in it, nothing to do but to +saunter about like an idle person, of whom it may be said, he is +perfectly useless in God’s creation, and it is not one farthing +matter to the rest of his kind whether he be dead or alive. This +also was the thing which of all circumstances of life was the most +my aversion, who had been all my days used to an active life; and I +would often say to myself, <span class="pagenum">[page 321]</span> +“A state of idleness is the very dregs of life;” and indeed I +thought I was much more suitably employed when I was twenty-six +days making me a deal board.</p> +<p>It was now the beginning of the year 1693, when my nephew, whom, +as I have observed before, I had brought up to the sea, and had +made him 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’ll engage to land you upon your old habitation in the island, for +we are to touch at the Brasils.”</p> +<p>Nothing can be a greater demonstration of a future state, and of +the existence of an invisible world, than the concurrence of second +causes with the ideas of things which we form in our minds, +perfectly reserved, and not communicated to any in the world.</p> +<p>My nephew knew nothing how far my distemper of wandering was +returned upon me, and I knew nothing of what he had in his thoughts +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, viz. that I +would go to Lisbon, and consult with my old sea-captain; and so, 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 also 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.</p> +<p>I paused awhile at his words, and looking steadily at him, “What +devil,” said I, “sent you of this unlucky errand?” My nephew +startled, as if he had been frighted at first; but perceiving I was +not much <span class="pagenum">[page 322]</span> 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.”</p> +<p>In a word, the scheme hit so exactly with my temper, that is to +say, with the prepossession I was under, and of which I have said +so much, 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 farther than my own island. “Why, Sir,” says he, “you +don’t want to be left there again, I hope?”—“Why,” said I, “can +you not take me up again in your return?” He told me, it could not +be possible that the merchants would allow him to come that way +with a loaden ship of such value, it being a month’s sail out of +his way, and might be three or 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.”</p> +<p>This was very rational; but we both found out a remedy for it, +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.</p> +<p>I was not long resolving; for indeed the importunities of my +nephew joined in so effectually with my inclination, that nothing +could oppose me: on the other hand, my wife being dead, I had +nobody concerned themselves so much for me, as to persuade me 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 needless hazard of a long voyage; and, above +all, my young children: but it was all to no purpose; I had an +irresistible desire to the voyage; and I told her I thought there +was something so uncommon in the impressions <span class= +"pagenum">[page 323]</span> 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.</p> +<p>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 +perfectly easy and satisfied they would have justice done them, +whatever might befal me; and for their education, I left it wholly +to my widow, with a sufficient maintenance to herself for her care: +all which she richly deserved; for no mother could have taken more +care in their education, or understood it better; and as she lived +till I came home, I also lived to thank her for it.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>First, I carried with me some servants, whom I purposed to place +there as inhabitants, or at least to set on work there upon my own +account while I stayed, and either to leave them there, or carry +them forward, as they should appear willing; particularly, I +carried two carpenters, a smith, and a very handy, ingenious +fellow, who was a cooper by trade, but 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 potmaker; he also made any +thing that was proper to make of earth, or of wood; in a word, we +called him our Jack of all Trades.</p> +<p>With these I carried a tailor, who had offered himself to go +passenger to the East Indies with my nephew, but afterwards +consented to stay on our new plantation, and proved a most +necessary handy fellow <span class="pagenum">[page 324]</span> as +could be desired, in many other businesses besides that of this +trade; for, as I observed formerly, necessity arms us for all +employments.</p> +<p>My cargo, as near as I can recollect, for I have not kept an +account of the particulars, consisted of a sufficient quantity of +linen, and some thin English 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 which I carried for clothing them, with gloves, hats, +shoes, stockings, 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. besides near a hundred pounds +more in iron-work, nails, tools of every kind, staples, hooks, +hinges, and every necessary thing I could think of.</p> +<p>I carried also a hundred spare arms, muskets, and fuzees, +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 an 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 carry two small quarter-deck guns more than he +wanted for his ship, to leave behind if there was occasion; that +when they came there we might build a fort, and man it against all +sorts of enemies: and indeed I at first thought there would be need +enough of it all, and much more, if we hoped to maintain our +possession of the island, as shall be seen in the course of the +story.</p> +<p>I had not such bad luck in this voyage as I had been used to +meet with; and therefore shall have the less occasion to interrupt +the reader, who perhaps may be impatient to hear how matters went +with my colony; yet some odd accidents, cross winds, and bad +weather happened on this first setting out, which made the voyage +longer than I expected it at first; and I, who had never made but +one voyage, viz. my first <span class="pagenum">[page 325]</span> +voyage to Guinea, in which I might be said to come back again as +the voyage was at first designed, began to think the same ill fate +still attended me; and that I was born to be never contented with +being on shore, and yet to be always unfortunate at sea.</p> +<p>Contrary winds first put us to the northward, and we were +obliged to put in at Galway, in Ireland, where we lay wind bound +two-and-thirty days; but we had this satisfaction with the +disaster, that provisions were here, exceeding cheap, and in the +utmost plenty; so that while we lay here we never touched the +ship’s stores, but rather added to them: here also I took several +hogs, and two cows with their calves, which I resolved, if I had a +good passage, to put on shore in my island; but we found occasion +to dispose otherwise of them.</p> +<p>We set out 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 shewed 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 it could +not be far off, we stood directly towards it, and were presently +satisfied we should discover it, because the farther we sailed the +greater the light appeared, though the weather being hazy we could +not perceive any thing but the light for a while; <span class= +"pagenum">[page 326]</span> 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.</p> +<p>I was most sensibly touched with this disaster, though not at +all acquainted with the persons engaged in it; I presently +recollected my former circumstances, in what condition I was in +when taken up by the Portugal captain; and how much more deplorable +the circumstances of the poor creatures belonging to this ship must +be if they had no other ship in company with them: upon this I +immediately ordered that five guns should be fired, one soon after +another, that, if possible, we might give notice to them that there +was help for them at hand, and that they might endeavour to save +themselves in their boat; for though we could see the flame in the +ship, yet they, it being night, could see nothing of us.</p> +<p>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 +immediately sunk. This was 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 boats in the middle of the ocean, which, at present, by +reason 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.</p> +<p>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 +perceived they rowed, the wind being against them; that they saw +our ship, and did the utmost to make us see them.</p> +<p>We immediately spread our ancient, to let them <span class= +"pagenum">[page 327]</span> 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 a 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.</p> +<p>Upon the whole, we found it was a French merchant-ship of three +hundred tons, homeward-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; +but, 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 gotten into some part of the ship, so difficult to come +at, that they could not effectually quench it; and afterwards +getting in 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.</p> +<p>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 themselves from the fire. They had +indeed small hope of their lives by getting into these boats at +that distance from any land; only, as they said well, that they +were escaped from the fire, and had a possibility, that some ship +might happen to be at sea, and might take them in. They had sails, +oars, and a compass; and were preparing to make the best of their +way to Newfoundland, the wind blowing pretty fair; for it blew an +easy gale at S.E. by E. They had as much provisions and water, as, +with sparing it so as to be next door to starving, might support +them about twelve days; in which, if they had no bad weather, and +no contrary winds, the captain said, he hoped he might get to the +<span class="pagenum">[page 328]</span> banks of Newfoundland, and +might perhaps take some fish to sustain them till they might go on +shore. But there were so many chances against them in all these +cases; such as storms to overset and founder them; rains and cold +to benumb and perish their limbs; contrary winds to keep them out +and starve them; that it must have been next to miraculous if they +had escaped.</p> +<p>In the midst of their consultations, 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 designed it should, +viz. that there was a ship at hand for their help.</p> +<p>It was upon the hearing these guns, that they took down their +masts and sails; and 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 considerable while after +another; but these, the wind being contrary, we never heard.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>It is impossible for me to express the several gestures, the +strange ecstasies, the variety of postures, which these poor +delivered people ran into, to express the joy of their souls at so +unexpected a deliverance; grief and fear are easily described; +sighs, tears, groans, and a very few motions of head and hands, +make up the sum of its variety: but an excess of joy, a surprise of +joy, has a thousand extravagances in it; there were some in tears, +some raging and tearing themselves, <span class="pagenum">[page +329]</span> as if they had been in the greatest agonies of sorrow; +some stark raving and downright lunatic; some ran about the ship +stamping with their feet, others wringing their hands; some were +dancing, several singing, some laughing, more crying; many quite +dumb, not able to speak a word; others sick and vomiting, several +swooning, and ready to faint; and a few were crossing themselves +and giving God thanks.</p> +<p>I would not wrong them neither; there might be many that were +thankful afterward; but the passion was too strong for them at +first, and they were not able to master it; they were thrown into +ecstasies and a kind of frenzy, and so there were but a very few +who were composed and serious in their joy.</p> +<p>Perhaps also the case may have some addition to it, from the +particular circumstance of the nation they belonged to; I mean the +French, whose temper is allowed to be more volatile, more +passionate, and more sprightly, and their spirits more fluid, than +of other nations. I am not philosopher to determine the cause, but +nothing I had ever seen before came up to it: the ecstasies poor +Friday, my trusty savage, was in, when he found his father in the +boat, came the nearest to it; and the surprise of the master, and +his two companions, whom I delivered from the two villains that set +them on shore in the island, came a little way towards it; but +nothing was to compare to this, either that I saw in Friday, or any +where else in my life.</p> +<p>It is farther observable, that these extravagances did not shew +themselves in that different manner I have mentioned, in different +persons only: but all the variety would appear in a short +succession of moments, in one and the same person. A man that we +saw this minute dumb, and, as it were, stupid and confounded, +should the next minute be dancing and hallooing like an antic; and +the next moment a-tearing his hair, or pulling his clothes to +pieces, and stamping them under his feet like a madman; a few +minutes after that, we should have him all in tears, then sick, +then swooning; and had not immediate help been <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page330"></a>[page 330]</span> had, would in a +few moments more have been dead; and thus it was, not with one or +two, or ten or twenty, but with the greatest part of them; and, if +I remember right, our surgeon was obliged to let above thirty of +them blood.</p> +<p>There were two priests among them, one an old man, and the other +a young man; and that which was strangest was, that the oldest man +was the worst.</p> +<p>As soon as he set his foot on board our ship, and saw himself +safe, he dropped down stone dead, to all appearance; not the least +sign of life could be perceived in him; our surgeon immediately +applied proper remedies to recover him; and was the only man in the +ship that believed he was not dead: and at length he opened a vein +in his arm, having first chafed and rubbed the part, so as to warm +it as much as possible: upon this the blood, which only dropped at +first, flowed something freely; in three minutes after the man +opened his eyes; and about a quarter of an hour after that he +spoke, grew better, and, in a little time, quite well; after the +blood was stopped he walked about, told us he was perfectly well, +took a dram of cordial which the surgeon gave him, and was, what we +called, come to himself; about a quarter of an hour after this they +came running into the cabin to the surgeon, who was bleeding a +French woman that had fainted, and told him the priest was gone +stark mad. It seems he had begun to revolve the change of his +circumstances in his mind, and this put him into an ecstasy of joy: +his spirits whirled about faster than the vessels could convey +them; the blood grew hot and feverish; and the man was as fit for +Bedlam as any creature that ever was in it; the surgeon would not +bleed him again in that condition, but gave him something to doze +and put him to sleep, which, after some time, operated upon him, +and he waked next morning perfectly composed and well.</p> +<p>The younger priest behaved himself with great command of his +passion, and was really an example of a serious, well-governed +mind; at his first coming on <span class="pagenum">[page +331]</span> board the ship, he threw himself flat on his face, +prostrating himself in thankfulness for his deliverance; in which I +unhappily and unseasonably disturbed him, really thinking he had +been in a swoon: but he spoke calmly; thanked me; told me he was +giving God thanks for his deliverance; begged me to leave him a few +moments, and that next to his Maker he would give me thanks +also.</p> +<p>I was heartily sorry that I disturbed him, and not only left +him, but kept others from interrupting him also; he continued in +that posture about three minutes, or a little more, after I left +him, then came to me, as he had said he would, and with a great +deal of seriousness and affection, but with tears in his eyes, +thanked me that had, under God, given him and so many miserable +creatures their lives: I told him, I had no room to move him to +thank God for it rather than me; for I had seen that he had done +that already: but I added, that it was nothing but what reason and +humanity dictated to all men, and that we had as much reason as he +to give thanks to God, who had blessed us so far as to make us the +instruments of his mercy to so many of his creatures.</p> +<p>After this the young priest applied himself to his +country-folks; laboured to compose them; persuaded, entreated, +argued, reasoned with them, and did his utmost to keep them within +the exercise of their reason; and with some he had success, though +others were, for a time, out of all government of themselves.</p> +<p>I cannot help committing this to writing, as perhaps it may be +useful to those into whose hands it may fall, in the guiding +themselves in all the extravagances of their passions; for if an +excess of joy can carry men out to such a length beyond the reach +of their reason, what will not the extravagances of anger, rage, +and a provoked mind, carry us to? And, indeed, here I saw reason +for keeping an exceeding watch over our passions of every kind, as +well those of joy and satisfaction, as those of sorrow and +anger.</p> +<p>We were something disordered by these <span class= +"pagenum">[page 332]</span> extravagances among our new guests for +the first day; but when they had been retired, lodgings provided +for them as well as our ship would allow, and they had slept +heartily, as most of them did, being fatigued and frightened, they +were quite another sort of people the next day.</p> +<p>Nothing of good manners, or civil acknowledgments for the +kindness shown them, was wanting; the French, it is known, are +naturally apt enough to exceed that way. The captain and one of the +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, that as we had saved their +lives, so all they had was little enough for a return to us for the +kindness received. The captain said, they had saved some money, and +some things of value in their boats, catched 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.</p> +<p>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 Portugal captain that took me up at sea had +served me so, and took all I had for my deliverance, I must have +starved, or have been as much a slave at the Brasils as I had been +at Barbary, the 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, a much worse.</p> +<p>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 as we would desire to be so +delivered, if we were in the like or any other extremity; that we +had done nothing for them but what we believed they would have done +for us if we had been in their case and they <span class= +"pagenum">[page 333]</span> in ours; but that we took them up to +serve them, not to plunder them; and that 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 then abandon them to +starving; and therefore 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, which perhaps was directed by Heaven on +purpose for their deliverance, yet it was impossible for us +wilfully to change our voyage on this 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 the way of Brasil; +and all I knew he 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 passage, if possible, to England or +France.</p> +<p>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 +consternation, especially the passengers, at the notion of being +carried away to the East Indies: they then entreated me, that +seeing 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 possible I might meet some ship or sloop +that they might hire to carry them back to Canada, from whence they +came.</p> +<p>I thought this was but a reasonable request on their part, and +therefore 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 +intolerable severity to the poor people, but would be ruining our +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; <span class="pagenum">[page 334]</span> and in +which no one could say we were to blame; for the laws of God and +nature would have forbid, that we should refuse to take up two +boats full of people in such a distressed condition; and the nature +of the thing, as well respecting ourselves as the poor people, +obliged us to see them on shore somewhere or other, for their +deliverance; 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.</p> +<p>The wind continued fresh easterly, but the weather pretty good; +and as it had blowed continually in the points between N.E. and +S.E. a long time, we missed several opportunities of sending them +to France; for we met several ships bound to Europe, whereof two +were French, from St. Christopher’s; but they had been so long +beating up against the wind, that they durst take in no passengers +for fear of wanting provisions for the voyage, as well for +themselves as for those they should take in; so we were obliged to +go on. It was about a week after this, that we made the banks of +Newfoundland, 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 I spoke of, +hearing we were bound to the East Indies, desired to go the voyage +with us, and to be set on shore on the coast of Coromandel: I +readily agreed to that; for I wonderfully liked the man, and had +very good reason, as will appear afterwards; also four of the +seamen entered themselves in our ship, and proved very useful +fellows.</p> +<p>From hence we directed our course for the West Indies, steering +away S. and S. by E. for about twenty days together, sometimes +little or no wind at all, when we met with another subject for our +humanity to work upon, almost as deplorable as that before.</p> +<p>It was in the latitude of 27 degrees 5 minutes N. <span class= +"pagenum">[page 335]</span> and the 19th day of March 1684—5, when +we espied 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 main-topmast, fore-mast, and bowsprit; +and presently she fires 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.</p> +<p>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 beside the terror of +the storm, they were but in an indifferent case for good artists 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 had lost their masts, as above; 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.</p> +<p>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 was quite gone, they had not an +ounce left in the ship, and had had none for eleven days; the only +relief they had, was, their water was not all spent, and they had +about half a barrel of flour left; they had sugar enough; some +succades or sweetmeats they had at first, but they were devoured; +and they had seven casks of rum.</p> +<p>There was a youth and his mother, and a maid-servant, on board, +who were going passengers, and <span class="pagenum">[page +336]</span> thinking the ship was ready to sail, unhappily came on +board the evening before the hurricane began; and having no +provisions of their own left, they were in a more deplorable +condition than the rest; for the seamen, being reduced to such an +extreme necessity themselves, had no compassion, we may be sure, +for the poor passengers; and they were indeed in a condition that +their misery is very hard to describe.</p> +<p>I had perhaps not known this part, if my curiosity had not led +me, the weather being fair, and the wind abated, to go on board the +ship: the second mate, who upon this occasion commanded the ship, +had been on board our ship; and he told me indeed, that they had +three passengers in the great cabin, that they 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.”</p> +<p>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 part of the coast of America, to have supplied +ourselves; but there was no necessity for that.</p> +<p>But now they were in a new danger, for they were afraid of +eating too much, even of that little we gave them. The mate or +commander brought six men with him in his boat, but these poor +wretches looked like skeletons, and were so weak 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 ate.</p> +<p>I cautioned him to eat sparingly, but set meat before him +immediately, and 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 <span class="pagenum">[page +337]</span> had taken it, he grew better: in the meantime I forgot +not the men; I ordered victuals to be given them, and the poor +creatures rather devoured than ate it; they were so exceeding +hungry, that they were in a manner ravenous, and had no command of +themselves; and two of them ate with so much greediness, that they +were in danger of their lives the next morning.</p> +<p>The sight of these people’s distress was very moving to me, and +brought to mind what I had a terrible respect of at my first coming +on shore in my island, where I had not the least mouthful of food, +or any hopes of procuring it; besides the hourly apprehension I had +of being made the food of other creatures. But all the while the +mate was thus 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.</p> +<p>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 on 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’s +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 little at a time; and +by this caution he preserved the men, who would otherwise have +killed themselves with that very <span class="pagenum">[page +338]</span> food that was given them on purpose to save their +lives.</p> +<p>At the same time I ordered the mate to go into the great cabin, +and see what condition the poor passengers were in, and, if they +were alive, to comfort them and give them what refreshment was +proper; and the surgeon gave him a large pitcher with some of the +prepared broth which he had given the mate that was on board, and +which he did not question would restore them gradually.</p> +<p>I was not satisfied with this; but, as I said above, having a +great mind to see the scene of misery, which I knew the ship itself +would present me with, in a more lively manner than I could have it +by report, I took the captain of the ship, as we now called him, +with me, and went myself a little after in their boat.</p> +<p>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 order, 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 them with the +liquor of the meat, which they call brewis, and gave every one one, +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 +and officers with me, and with good words, and some threats also of +giving them no more, I believe they would have broke into the +cook-room by force, and torn the meat out of the furnace; for words +indeed are of a very small force to an hungry belly: however, we +pacified them, and fed them gradually and cautiously for the first +time, and the next time gave them more, and at last filled their +bellies, and the men did well enough.</p> +<p>But the misery of the poor passengers in the cabin was of +another nature, and far beyond the rest; for <span class= +"pagenum">[page 339]</span> as, first, the ship’s company had so +little for themselves, it was but too true, that they had at first +kept them very low, and at last totally neglected them; so that for +six or seven days, it might be said, they had really had no food at +all, and for several days before, very little.</p> +<p>The poor mother, who, as the first mate reported, was a woman of +good sense and good breeding, had spared all she could get so +affectionately for her son, that at last she entirely sunk under +it; and when the mate of our ship went in, she sat upon the floor +or deck, with her back up against the sides, between two chairs, +which were lashed fast, and her head sunk in between her shoulders, +like a corpse, though not quite dead. My mate said all he could to +revive and encourage her, and with a spoon put some broth into her +mouth; she opened her lips, and lifted up one hand, but could not +speak: yet she understood what he said, and made signs to him, +intimating, that it was too late for her; but pointed to her child, +as if she would have said, they should take care of him.</p> +<p>However, the mate, who was exceedingly moved with the sight, +endeavoured to get some of the broth into her mouth; and, as he +said, got two or three spoonfuls down, though I question whether he +could be sure of it or not; but it was too late, and she died the +same night.</p> +<p>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, though, by giving him some time after but two +or three spoonfuls extraordinary, he was very sick, and brought it +up again.</p> +<p>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 +with an apoplexy, and <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page340"></a>[page 340]</span> struggled for life: her limbs were +distorted, one of her hands was clasped round the frame of one +chair, and she griped it so hard, that we could not easily make her +let it go; her other arm lay over her head, and her feet lay both +together, set fast against the frame of the cabin-table; in short, +she lay just like one in the last agonies of death; and yet she was +alive too.</p> +<p>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 mistress, whom she saw dying +two or three days before, and whom she loved most tenderly.</p> +<p>We knew not what to do with this poor girl; for when our +surgeon, who was a man of very great knowledge and experience, and +with great application recovered her as to life, he had her upon +his hand as to her senses, for she was little less than distracted +for a considerable time after; as shall appear presently.</p> +<p>Whoever shall read these memorandums, must be desired to +consider, that visits at sea are not like a journey into the +country, where sometimes people stay a week or a fortnight at a +place. 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 carry 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 +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 +and pork, two hogsheads of biscuit, and a proportion of peas, +flour, and what other things we could spare; and taking three casks +of sugar and some rum, and some pieces of eight of 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.</p> +<p>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, as it happened <span class="pagenum">[page +341]</span> had lost his father but a few months before at +Barbados. He begged of the surgeon to speak to me, to take him out +of the ship; for he said, the cruel fellows had murdered his +mother; and indeed so they had, that is to say, passively; for they +might have spared a small sustenance to the poor helpless widow, +that might have preserved her life, though it had been just to keep +her alive. But hunger knows no friend, no relation, no justice, no +right; and therefore is remorseless, and capable of no +compassion.</p> +<p>The surgeon told him how far we were going, and how it would +carry him away from all his friends, and put him perhaps in as bad +circumstance, almost, as we found them in; that is to say, starving +in the world. He said it mattered not whither he went, if he was +but delivered from the terrible crew that he was among: 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, she would be +very thankful for it, let us carry them whither we would. The +surgeon represented the case so affectionately to me, that I +yielded, and we took them both on board with all their goods, +except eleven hogsheads of sugar, which could not be removed, or +come at; and as the youth had a bill of lading for them, I made his +commander sign a writing, obliging him to go, as soon as he came to +Bristol, to one Mr. Rogers, a merchant there, to whom the youth +said he was related, and to deliver a letter which I wrote to him, +and all the goods he had belonging to the deceased widow; which I +suppose was not done; for I could never learn that the ship came to +Bristol; but was, as is most probable, lost at sea, being in so +disabled a condition, and so far from any land, that I am of +opinion, the first storm she met with afterwards she might founder +in the sea; for she was leaky, and had damage in her hold when I +met with her.</p> +<p>I was now in the latitude of 19 deg. 32 min. and had hitherto +had a tolerable voyage as to weather, <span class="pagenum">[page +342]</span> 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, shortening my +story for the sake of what is to follow, shall observe, that I came +to my old habitation, the island, on the 10th of April, 1695. It +was with no small difficulty that I found the place; for as I came +to it, and went from it before, on the south and east side of the +island, as coming from the Brasils; so now coming in between the +main and the island, and having no chart for the coast, nor any +land-mark, I did not know it when I saw it, or know whether I saw +it or no.</p> +<p>We beat about a great while, and went on shore on several +islands in the mouth of the great river Oroonoque, but none for my +purpose: only this I learnt by my coasting the shore, that I was +under one great mistake before, viz. that the continent which I +thought I saw from the island I lived in, was really no continent, +but a long island, or rather a ridge of islands reaching from one +to the other side of the extended mouth of that great river; and +that the savages who came to my island, were not properly those +which we call Caribbees, but islanders, and other barbarians of the +same kind, who inhabited something nearer to our side than the +rest.</p> +<p>In short, I visited several of the islands to no purpose; some I +found were inhabited, and some were not. On one of them I found +some Spaniards, and thought they had lived there; but speaking with +them, found they had a sloop lay in a small creek hard by, and that +they came thither to make salt, and catch some pearl-muscles, if +they could; but they belonged to the Isle de Trinidad, which lay +farther north, in the latitude of 10 and 11 degrees.</p> +<p>Thus coasting from one island to another, sometimes with the +ship, sometimes with the Frenchman’s shallop (which we had found a +convenient boat, and therefore kept her with their very good will,) +at length I came fair on the south side of my island, and I +<span class="pagenum">[page 343]</span> presently knew the very +countenance of the place; so I brought the ship safe to an anchor +broadside with the little creek where was my old habitation.</p> +<p>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 capering +like a mad fellow; and I had much ado to keep him from jumping into +the sea, to swim ashore to the place.</p> +<p>“Well, Friday,” said I, “do you think we shall find any body +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 any one else then?” The fellow, it seems, had better +eyes than I, and he points just to the hill 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 could see 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 stood to look at the ship, not knowing +what to think of us.</p> +<p>As soon as Friday had 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 about half a quarter of an hour after, +we perceived a smoke rise from the side of the creek; so I +immediately ordered a boat out, taking Friday with me; and +<span class="pagenum">[page 344]</span> 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 +living there, and the manner of it, and every particular both of +myself and those that I left there, and who was on that account +extremely desirous to go with me, We had besides about sixteen men +very well armed, if we had found any new guest there which we did +not know of; but we had no need of weapons.</p> +<p>As we 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; +but there was no keeping Friday in the boat; for the affectionate +creature had spied his father at a distance, a good way off of the +Spaniards, where indeed I saw nothing of him; and if they had not +let him go on shore 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 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 upon 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 to and again, with his +father, several hours, always leading him by the hand as if he had +been a lady and every now and then would come to fetch something or +other for him from the boat, either a lump of sugar, or a dram, a +biscuit, or something or other that <span class="pagenum">[page +345]</span> 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 made a thousand antic postures and gestures; and all +the while he did this he would be talking to him, and telling him +one story or 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 parts of the +world, one would be tempted to say there hardly would have been any +need of the fifth commandment.</p> +<p>But this is a digression; I return to my landing. It would be +endless 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 saved; he came towards the +boat attended by one more, carrying a flag of truce also; and he +did not only not know me at first, but he had no thoughts, no +notion, of its being me that was come til I spoke to him. +“Seignior,” said I, in Portuguese, “do you not know me?” At which +he spoke not a word; but giving his musket to the man that was +with him, threw his arms abroad, 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 there, had been but +mean improvements; so I walked along with him; but alas! I could no +more find the place again than if I had never been there; for they +had planted so many trees, and placed them in such a posture, so +thick and close to one another, in ten years time they were grown +so big, that, in <span class="pagenum">[page 346]</span> short, the +place was inaccessible, except by such windings and blind ways as +they themselves only who made them could find.</p> +<p>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 an account how they had passed their time since their +arriving in the island, especially after they had the misfortune to +find that I was gone: he told me he could not but have some +satisfaction in my good fortune, when he heard that I was gone in a +good ship, and to my satisfaction; and that he had oftentimes a +strong persuasion that one time or other he should see me again: +but nothing that ever befel him in his life, he said, was so +surprising and afflicting to him at first, as the disappointment he +was under when he came back to the island, and found I was not +there.</p> +<p>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 upon 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 making them our subjects, who would not be content with +being moderately our masters, but would be our murderers.” I +answered, I was heartily 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 +every thing first, and left the other 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 with it; for I knew +they were a parcel of refractory, ungovernable villains, and were +fit for any manner of mischief.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 347]</span> +<p>While I was saying this came the man whom he had sent back, and +with him eleven men 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 I the like, but +really as if they had been ambassadors or noblemen, and I a monarch +or a 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.</p> +<p>The history of their coming to, and conduct in the island after +my going away, is so remarkable, and has so many incidents, which +the former part of my relation will help to understand, and which +will, in most of the particulars, refer to that account I have +already given, that I cannot but commit them with great delight to +the reading of those that come after me.</p> +<p>I shall no longer trouble the story with a relation in the first +person, which will put me to the expense of ten thousand Said I’s, +and Said he’s, and He told me’s, and I told him’s, and the like; +but I shall collect the facts historically as near as I can gather +them out of my memory from what they related to me, and from what I +met with in my conversing with them, and with the place.</p> +<p>In order to do this succinctly, and as intelligibly as I can, I +must go back to the circumstance in which I left the island, and +which the persons were in of whom I am to speak. At first it is +necessary to repeat, that I had sent away Friday’s father and the +Spaniard, the two whose lives I had rescued from the savages; I +say, I had sent them away in a large canoe to the <span class= +"pagenum">[page 348]</span> main, as I then thought it, to fetch +over the Spaniard’s companions whom he had left behind him, in +order to save them from the like calamity that he had been in, and +in order to succour them for the present, and that, if possible, we +might together find some way for our deliverance afterward.</p> +<p>When I sent them away, I had no visible appearance of, or the +least room to hope for, my own deliverance, any more than I had +twenty years before; much less had I any foreknowledge of what +after happened, I mean of an English ship coming on shore there to +fetch them off; and it could not but be a very great surprise to +them when they came back, not only to find that I was gone, but to +find three strangers left on the spot, possessed of all that I had +left behind me, which would otherwise have been their own.</p> +<p>The first thing, however, which I inquired into, that I might +begin where I left off, was of their own part; and I desired he +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, they having very calm +weather and a smooth sea; 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 that he was +fallen into the hands of 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 the deliverance, and in what manner he +was furnished for carrying them away, it was like a dream to them; +and their astonishment, they said, was something 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 shewed them +the arms, the powder, the ball, and the provisions that he brought +them for <span class="pagenum">[page 349]</span> 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.</p> +<p>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 +trespass upon their friendly savages, and to borrow two large +canoes or periaguas, on pretence of going out a-fishing, or for +pleasure.</p> +<p>In these they came away the next morning; it seems they wanted +no time to get themselves ready, for they had no baggage, neither +clothes, or provisions, or any thing in the world, but what they +had on them, and a few roots to eat, of which they used to make +their bread.</p> +<p>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 my other part, and to get off from the island; leaving three of +the most impudent, hardened, ungoverned, disagreeable villains +behind me that any man could desire to meet with, to the poor +Spaniards’ great grief and disappointment you may be sure.</p> +<p>The only just thing the rogues did, was, that when the Spaniards +came on shore, they gave my letter to them, and gave them +provisions and other relief, as I had ordered them to do; also they +gave them the long paper of directions, which I had left with them, +containing the particular methods which I took for managing every +part of my life there; the way how I baked my bread, bred up my +tame goats, and planted my corn; how I cured my grapes, made my +pots, and, in a word, every thing I did; all this being written +down, they gave to the Spaniards, two of whom understood English +well enough; nor did they refuse to accommodate the Spaniards with +any thing 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 <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page350"></a>[page 350]</span> Spaniard, who had seen pretty much +of my method, and Friday’s father together, managed all their +affairs; for 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.</p> +<p>The Spaniards would have been satisfied with this would the +other but have left them alone; which however, they could not find +in their hearts to do long; but, like the dog in the manger, they +would not eat themselves, and would not let others eat neither: the +differences, nevertheless, were at first but trivial and such as +are not worth relating: but at last it broke out into open war, and +it began with all the rudeness and insolence that can be imagined, +without reason, 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.</p> +<p>But before I come to the particulars of this part, I must supply +a defect in my former relation; and this was, that 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 our ship, which +I was afraid once would turn to a second mutiny; nor was it +appeased till the captain, rousing up his courage, and taking us +all to his assistance, parted them by force, and making two of the +most refractory fellows prisoners, he laid them in irons; and as +they had been active 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.</p> +<p>This, it seems, though the captain did not intend to do it, +frighted some other men in the ship; and some of them had put it in +the heads of the rest, that the captain only gave them good words +for the present till <span class="pagenum">[page 351]</span> they +should come to some English port, and that then they should be all +put into a gaol, and tried for their lives.</p> +<p>The mate got intelligence of this, and acquainted us with it; +upon which it was desired that I, who still passed for a great man +among them, should go down with the mate and satisfy the men, and +tell them, that they might be assured, if they behaved well the +rest of the voyage, all they had done for the time past should be +pardoned. So I went, and after passing my honour’s word to them +they appeared easy, and the more so, when I caused the two men who +were in irons to be released and forgiven.</p> +<p>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 stole each of them a 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 haled up, and run away +with her to their companions in roguery on shore.</p> +<p>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 was once resolved, in justice to their roguery, to have +destroyed their plantations, burnt all their household stuff and +furniture, and left them to shift without it; but having no order, +he let all alone, left every thing as they found it, and bringing +the pinnace away, came on board without them.</p> +<p>These two men made their number five: but the other three +villains were so much wickeder than these, that after they had been +two or three days together, they turned their 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.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 352]</span> +<p>When the Spaniards came first on shore, the business began to go +forward; the Spaniards would have persuaded the three English +brutes to have taken in their two 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 comfortable, they +pitched their tents on the north shore of the island, but a little +more to the west, to be out of the danger of the savages, who +always landed on the east parts of the island.</p> +<p>Here they built two huts, one to lodge in, and the other to lay +up their magazines and stores in; and the Spaniards having given +them some corn for seed, and especially some of the peas which I +had left them, they dug and planted, and enclosed, after the +pattern I had set for them all, and began to live pretty well; +their first crop of corn was on the ground, and though it was but a +little bit of land which they had dug up at first, having had but a +little time, yet it was enough to relieve them, and find them with +bread or other eatables; and one of the fellows, being the cook’s +mate of the ship, was very ready at making soup, puddings, and such +other preparations, as the rice and the milk, and such little flesh +as they got, furnished him to do.</p> +<p>They were going on in a 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 possession of +it, and nobody else had any right to it; and, damn them, they +should build no houses upon their ground, unless they would pay +them rent for them.</p> +<p>The two men thought they had jested at first, and asked them to +come and sit down, and see what fine houses they were that they had +built, and tell them what rent they demanded: and one of them +merrily told them, if they were ground-landlords, he hoped if they +built tenements upon the land and made improvements, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 353]</span> they would, according to the custom of +all landlords, grant them a long lease; and bid them go fetch a +scrivener to draw the writings. One of the three, damning 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 very fairly set it on fire; and it +would have been all burnt 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.</p> +<p>The fellow was in such a rage at the honest man’s thrusting him +away, that he turned 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 who 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.</p> +<p>The others had fire-arms with them too; but one of the two +honest men, bolder than his comrade, and made desperate by his +danger, told them if they offered to move hand or foot they were +all dead men, and boldly commanded them to lay down their arms. +They did not indeed lay down their arms; but seeing him 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 effectually, as they might have done, and have gone +immediately to the Spaniards, and given them an account how the +rogues treated them; for the three villains studied <span class= +"pagenum">[page 354]</span> nothing but revenge, and every day gave +them some intimation that they did so.</p> +<p>But not to crowd this part with an account of the lesser part of +their rogueries, such as treading down their corn, shooting three +young kids and a she-goat, which the poor men had got to breed up +tame for their store; and in a word, plaguing them night and day in +this manner, it forced the two men to such a desperation, that they +resolved to fight them all three the first time they had a fair +opportunity. In order to this they resolved to go to the castle, as +they called it, that was my old dwelling, where the three rogues +and the Spaniards all lived together at that time, intending to +have a fair battle, and the Spaniards should stand by to see fair +play. So they got up in the morning before day, and came to the +place, and called the Englishmen by their names, telling a Spaniard +that answered, that they wanted to speak with them.</p> +<p>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 call the honest men; and he had made a sad complaint +to the Spaniards, of the barbarous usage they had met with from +their three countrymen, and how they had ruined their plantation, +and destroyed their corn, that they had laboured so hard to bring +forward, and killed the milch-goat, and their three kids, which was +all they had provided for their sustenance; and that if he and his +friends, meaning the Spaniards, did not assist them again, they +should be starved. When the Spaniards came home at night, and they +were all at supper, he took the freedom to reprove the three +Englishmen, though in gentle and mannerly terms, and asked them, +how they could be so cruel, they being harmless inoffensive +fellows, and 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 had?</p> +<p>One of the Englishmen returned very briskly, “What had they to +do there? That they came on shore without <span class= +"pagenum">[page 355]</span> 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 Inglese, they must not +starve.” The Englishman replied, like a true rough-hewn tarpaulin, +“they might starve and be d—ed, they should not plant nor build in +that place.”—“But what must they do then, Seignior?” says the +Spaniard. Another of the brutes returned, “Do! d—n them, they +should be servants, and work for them.”—“But how can you expect +that of them? They are not bought with your money; you have no +right to make them servants.” The Englishman answered, “The island +was theirs, the governor had given it to them, and no man had any +thing to do there but themselves;” and with that swore by his +Maker, that he would go and burn all their new huts; they should +build none upon their land.</p> +<p>“Why, Seignior,” says the Spaniard, “by the same rule, we must +be your servants too.”—“Ay,” says the bold dog, “and so you shall +too, before we have done with you;” mixing two or three G—d +d—mme’s 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 us go +and have the other brush with them; we will demolish their castle, +I will warrant you; they shall plant no colony in our +dominions.”</p> +<p>Upon this they were all trooping away, with every man a gun, a +pistol, and a sword, and muttered some insolent things among +themselves, of what they would do to the Spaniards too, when +opportunity offered; but the Spaniards, it seems, did not so +perfectly understand them as to know all the particulars; only +that, in general, they threatened them hard for taking the two +Englishmen’s part.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 356]</span> +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 +poor men when they were asleep; and they acknowledged it +afterwards, intending to set fire to their huts while they were in +them, and either burn them in them, 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.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>When they came thither, and found the men gone, Atkins, who it +seems was the forwardest man, called out to his comrades, “Ha! +Jack, here’s the nest; but d—n them, the birds are flown.” They +mused awhile to think what should be the occasion of their being +gone abroad so soon, and suggested presently, that the Spaniards +had given them notice of it; and with that they shook hands, and +swore to one another, that they would be revenged of the Spaniards. +As soon as they had made this bloody bargain, they fell to work +with the poor men’s habitation; they did not set fire indeed to any +thing, but they pulled down both their houses, and pulled them so +limb from limb, that they left not the least stick standing, or +scarce any sign on the ground where they stood; they tore all their +little collected household-stuff in pieces, and threw every thing +about in such a manner, that the poor men found, afterwards, some +of their things a mile off from their habitation.</p> +<p>When they had done this, they pulled up all the young trees +which the poor men had planted; pulled up the enclosure they had +made to secure their cattle and their corn; and, in a word, sacked +and plundered every thing, as completely as a herd of Tartars would +have done.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 357]</span> +<p>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.</p> +<p>But Providence took more care to keep them asunder, than they +themselves could do to meet; for, as they had dogged one another, +when the three were gone thither, the two were here; and +afterwards, when the two went back to find them, the three were +come to the old habitation again: we shall see their differing +conduct presently. When the three came back, like furious +creatures, flushed with the rage which the work they had been about +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, takes hold of his hat, as it was upon his head, +and giving it a twirl about, jeering 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 quite a civil +man, was as brave as a man could desire 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, insolent as the first, fixed +his pistol at the Spaniard immediately; he missed his body indeed, +for the bullets went through his hair, but one of them touched the +tip of his ear, and he bled pretty much. The blood made the +Spaniard believe he was more hurt than he really was, and that put +him into some heat, for before he acted all in a perfect calm; but +now resolving to go through with his work, he stooped and took the +fellow’s musket whom he had knocked down, and was just going to +shoot the man who had fired at him; when the rest of the Spaniards, +being in <span class="pagenum">[page 358]</span> the cave, came +out, and calling to him not to shoot, they stepped in, secured the +other two, and took their arms from them.</p> +<p>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 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.</p> +<p>The rogues were now more capable to hear reason than to act +reason; but being refused their arms, they went raving away, and +raging like madmen, threatening what they would do, though they had +no fire-arms: but the Spaniards, despising their threatening, told +them they should take care how they offered any injury to their +plantation or cattle; for if they did, they would shoot them, as +they would do ravenous beasts, wherever they found them; and if +they fell into their hands alive, they would certainly be hanged. +However, this was far from cooling them; but away they went, +swearing and raging like furies of hell. 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, 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.</p> +<p>The Spaniards indeed despised them, and especially <span class= +"pagenum">[page 359]</span> having thus disarmed them, made light +of their threatenings; but the two Englishmen resolved to have +their remedy against them, what pains soever it cost to find them +out.</p> +<p>But the Spaniards interposed here too, and told them, that they +were already disarmed: 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, as +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 full +satisfaction for you; and upon this condition we hope you will +promise to use no violence with them, other than in your +defence.”</p> +<p>The two Englishmen; yielded to this very awkwardly and with +great reluctance; but the Spaniards protested, they did it only to +keep them from bloodshed, and to make all easy at last; “For,” said +they, “we are not so many of us; here is room enough for us all, +and it is great pity we should not be all good friends.” At length +they did consent, and waited for the issue of the thing, living for +some days with the Spaniards; for their own habitation was +destroyed.</p> +<p>In about five days time the three vagrants, tired with +wandering, and almost starved with hunger, having chiefly lived on +turtles’ eggs all that while, came back to the grove: and finding +my Spaniard, who, as I have said, was the 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 <span class="pagenum"><a name="page360"></a>[page +360]</span> 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 were to wait this half-hour for an answer, they begged +they would send them out some bread in the meantime, which they +did, sending at the same time a large piece of goat’s flesh and a +boiled parrot, which they ate very eagerly.</p> +<p>After half-an-hour’s consultation they were called in, and a +long debate ensued, their two countrymen charging them with the +ruin of all their labour, and a design to murder them; all which +they owned before, and therefore could not deny now. Upon the +whole, the Spaniards acted the 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; 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.</p> +<p>Well, they submitted to all this; and as they had plenty of +provisions given them all the while, they grew very orderly, and +the whole society began to live pleasantly and agreeably together +again; only that these three fellows could never be persuaded to +work—I mean 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 361]</span> about and +be as idle as they pleased; 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.</p> +<p>It was not above a week after they had these arms, and went +abroad, before the ungrateful creatures began to be as insolent and +troublesome as ever. 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.</p> +<p>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, only found his thoughts tumultuous; his +mind ran upon men fighting and killing one another; but he was +broad awake, and could not by any means get any sleep; in short, he +lay a great while, but growing more and more uneasy, he resolved to +rise. As they lay, being so many of them, on goat-skins laid thick +upon such couches and pads as they made for themselves, so they had +little to do, when they were willing to rise, but to get upon their +feet, and perhaps put on a coat, such as it was, and their pumps, +and they were ready for going any way that their thoughts guided +them. Being thus got up, he looked out; but being dark, he could +see little or nothing, and besides, the trees which I had planted, +and which were now grown tall, intercepted his sight, so that he +could only look up, and see that it was a starlight night, and +hearing no noise, he returned and lay down again; but to no +purpose; he could not compose himself to anything like rest; but +his thoughts were to the last degree uneasy, and he knew not for +what.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 362]</span> +<p>Having made some noise with rising and walking about, going out +and coming in, another of them waked, and, calling, 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,” +says he, “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, where the three Englishmen, since their last +mutiny, always quartered by themselves, 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 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 out and look abroad; and if +we find nothing at all in it to justify our trouble, I’ll tell you +a story of the purpose, that shall convince you of the justice of +my proposing it.”</p> +<p>In a word, they went out to go to the top of the hill, where I +used to go; but they, being strong, and in good company, nor alone, +as I was, used none of my cautions to go up by the ladder, and then +pulling it up after them, to go up a second stage to the top but +were going round through the grove unconcerned and unwary, 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.</p> +<p>In all the discoveries I had made of the savage landing on the +island, it was my constant care to prevent them making the least +discovery of there being any inhabitant upon the place; and when by +any necessity they came to know it, they felt it so effectively, +that they that got away, were scarce able to give <span class= +"pagenum">[page 363]</span> any account of it, for we disappeared +as soon as possible, nor did ever any that had seen me, escape to +tell any one else, except it were the three savages in our last +encounter, who jumped into the boat, of whom I mentioned that I was +afraid they should go home, and bring more help.</p> +<p>Whether it was the consequence of the escape of those men, that +so great a number came now together; or whether they came +ignorantly, and by accident, on their usual bloody errand, the +Spaniards could not, it seems, understand: but whatever it was, it +had been their business, either to have: concealed themselves, and +not have seen them at all; much less to have let the savages have +seen, that there were any inhabitants in the place; but to have +fallen upon them so effectually, as that not a man of them should +have escaped, which could only have been by getting in between them +and their boats: but this presence of mind was wanting to them; +which was the ruin of their tranquillity for a great while.</p> +<p>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 that they must all run out to see how things stood.</p> +<p>While it was dark indeed, they were well enough, and they had +opportunity enough, for some hours, to view them by the light of +three fires they had made at some distance from one another; what +they were doing they knew not, and what to do themselves they knew +not; for, first, the enemy were too many; and, secondly, they did +not keep together, but were divided into several parties, and were +on shore in several places.</p> +<p>The Spaniards were in no small consternation at this sight; and +as they found that the fellows ran straggling all over the shore, +they made no doubt, but, <span class="pagenum">[page 364]</span> +first or last, some of them would chop in upon their habitation, 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 have been destroyed; so the first +thing they resolved upon, was to dispatch 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.</p> +<p>Could they have seen the savages all together in one body, and +at a distance from their canoes, they resolved, if there had been +an hundred of them, to have attacked them; but that could not be +obtained, for there were some of them two miles off from the other, +and, as it appeared afterwards, were of two different nations.</p> +<p>After having mused a great while on the course they should take, +and beaten their brains in considering their present circumstances, +they resolved, at last while it was dark, to send the old savage +(Friday’s father) out as a spy, to learn if possible something +concerning them, as what they came for, and 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 +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 in the same island for the devouring their prisoners, and +making merry; but this 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; he did not perceive that they +had any notion of anybody’s <span class="pagenum">[page 365]</span> +being on the island but themselves. He had hardly made an end of +telling the story, when they could perceive, by the unusual noise +they made, that the two little armies were engaged in a bloody +fight.</p> +<p>Friday’s father used all the arguments he could to persuade our +people to lie close, and not be seen; he told them their safety +consisted in it, and that they had nothing to do but to lie still, +and the savages would kill one another to their hands, and the rest +would go away; and it was so to a tittle. But it was impossible to +prevail, especially upon the Englishmen, their curiosity was so +importunate upon their prudentials, 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 themselves to advantage, where they might securely see +them manage the fight, and, as they thought, not to be seen by +them; but it seems the savages did see them, as we shall find +hereafter.</p> +<p>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 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 should do the like in search for them. +Upon this they resolved, that they would stand armed within the +wall, and whoever came into the grove they should 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 stock of the +<span class="pagenum">[page 366]</span> musket, not by shooting +them, for fear of raising an alarm by the noise.</p> +<p>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 addition to our men’s great satisfaction, +viz. 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 and +come in behind them, surprise and take them prisoners; which was +done: the residue of the conquered people fled to their canoes, and +got off to sea; the victors retired, and made no pursuit, or very +little, but drawing themselves into a body together, gave two great +screaming shouts, which they suppose were by way of triumph, and so +the fight ended; and the same day, about three o’clock in the +afternoon, they also marched to their canoes. And thus the +Spaniards had their island again free to themselves, their fright +was over, and they saw no savages in several years after.</p> +<p>After they were all gone, the Spaniards came out of their den, +and viewing the field of battle, they found about two-and-thirty +dead men upon the spot; some were killed with great long arrows, +several of which were found sticking in their bodies, but most of +them were killed with their great wooden swords, sixteen or +seventeen of which they found in the field of battle, and as many +bows, with a great many arrows. These swords were great unwieldy +things, and they must be very strong men that used them; most of +those men 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 of their arms and legs broken; so that it +is evident they fight with inexpressible rage and fury. They found +not one <span class="pagenum">[page 367]</span> wounded man that +was not stone dead; for either they stay by their enemy till they +have quite killed them, or they carry all the wounded men, that are +not quite dead, away with them.</p> +<p>This deliverance tamed our Englishmen for a great while; the +sight had filled them with horror, and the consequence 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 kill them for food as +we kill our cattle. And they professed to me, that the thoughts of +being eaten up like beef or mutton, though it was supposed it was +not to be till they were dead, had something in it so horrible that +it nauseated their very stomachs, made them sick when they thought +of it, and filled their minds with unusual terror, that they were +not themselves for some weeks after.</p> +<p>This, as I said, tamed even the three English brutes I have been +speaking of, and for a great while after they were very tractable, +and went about the common business of the whole society well +enough; planted, sowed, reaped, and began to be all naturalized to +the country; but some time after this they fell all into such +simple measures again as brought them into a great deal of +trouble.</p> +<p>They had taken three prisoners, as I 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 with them as I did by my man +Friday, viz. to begin with them upon the principle of having saved +their lives, and then instructed them in the rational principles of +life, much less of religion, civilizing and reducing them by kind +usage and affectionate 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, <span class="pagenum">[page 368]</span> who was as true +to me as the very flesh upon my bones.</p> +<p>But to come to the family part: Being all now good friends (for +common danger, as I said above, had effectually reconciled them,) +they began to consider their general circumstances; and the first +thing that came under their consideration was, whether, seeing the +savages particularly haunted that side of the island, and that +there were more remote and retired parts of it equally adapted to +their way of living, and manifestly to their advantage, they should +not rather remove their habitation, and plant in some more proper +place for their safety, and especially for the security of their +cattle and corn.</p> +<p>Upon this, after long debate, it was conceived that they should +not remove their habitation, because that 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 would be sure to direct +them on 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 away too.</p> +<p>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 to both, +and where indeed there was land enough; however, upon second +thoughts they altered one part of that resolution too, and resolved +only to remove part of their cattle thither, and plant part of +their corn there; and so, if one part was destroyed, the other +might be saved; and one piece of prudence they used, which it was +very well they did; viz. that they never trusted these three +savages, which they had taken prisoners, with knowing any thing of +the plantation they had made in that valley, or of any cattle they +had there; much less of the cave there, which they kept in case of +necessity as a safe retreat; and thither they carried also the two +barrels of powder which I had left them at my coming away.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 369]</span> +<p>But however they resolved not to change their habitation; yet +they agreed, that as I had carefully covered it first with a wall +and fortification, and then with a grove of trees; so seeing their +safety consisted entirely in their being concealed, of which they +were now fully convinced, they set to work to cover and conceal the +place yet more effectually than before: to this purpose, as I had +planted trees (or rather thrust in stakes which in time all grew to +be trees) for some good distance before the entrance into my +apartment, 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, as I had noted formerly, they took care to have generally +very much larger and taller than those which I had planted, and +placed them so very thick and close, that when they had been three +or four years grown there was no piercing with the eye any +considerable way into the plantation. As for that part which I had +planted, the trees were grown as thick as a man’s thigh; and among +them they placed so many other short ones, and so thick, that, in a +word, it stood like a palisado a quarter of a mile thick, and it +was next to impossible to penetrate it but with a little army to +cut it all down; for a little dog could hardly get between the +trees, they stood so close.</p> +<p>But this was not all; for they did the same by all the ground to +the right hand, and to the left, and round even to the top of the +hill, leaving no way, not so much as for themselves to come out, +but by the ladder placed up to the side of the hill, and then +lifted up and placed again from the first stage up to the top; +which ladder, when it was taken down, nothing but what had wings or +witchcraft to assist it, could come at them.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page370"></a>[page 370]</span> +<p>This was excellently well contrived, nor was it less than what +they afterwards found occasion for; which served to convince me, +that as human prudence has authority of Providence to justify it, +so it has, doubtless, the direction of Providence to set it to +work, and, would we listen carefully to the voice of it, I am fully +persuaded we might prevent many of the disasters which our lives +are now by our own negligence subjected to: but this by the +way.</p> +<p>I return to the story: They lived two years after this in +perfect retirement, and had no more visits from the savages; they +had indeed an alarm given them one morning, which put them in a +great consternation for some of the Spaniards being out early one +morning on the west side, or rather end of the island which, by the +way, was that end where I never went, for fear of being discovered, +they were surprised with seeing above twenty canoes of Indians just +coming on shore.</p> +<p>They made the best of their way home in hurry enough, and, +giving the alarm to their comrades, they kept close all that day +and the next, going out only at night to make observation; but they +had the good luck to be mistaken, for wherever the savages went, +they did not land at that time on the island, but pursued some +other design.</p> +<p>And now they had another broil with the three Englishmen, one of +which, a most turbulent fellow, being in a rage at one of the three +slaves which I mentioned they had taken, because the fellow had not +done something right which he bid him do, and seemed a little +untractable in his shewing him, drew a hatchet out of a frog-belt, +in which he bore it by his side, and fell upon him, the poor +savage, not to correct him but to kill him. One of the Spaniards +who was by, seeing him give the fellow a barbarous cut with the +hatchet which he aimed at his head, but struck into his shoulder, +so that he thought he had cut the poor creature’s arm off, ran to +him, and entreating him not to <span class="pagenum">[page +371]</span> murder the poor man, clapt in between him and the +savage to prevent the mischief.</p> +<p>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 working in the field about the corn-land) knocked the +brute down; another of the Englishmen running at the same time to +help his comrade, knocked the Spaniard down, and then two Spaniards +more came to help their man, and a third Englishman fell upon them. +They had none of them any fire-arms, or any other weapons but +hatchets and other tools, except the third Englishman; he had one +of my old rusty cutlasses, with which he made at the 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 furious, so desperate, +and so idle withal, that they knew not what course to take with +them, for they were mischievous to the highest degree, and valued +not what hurt they did any man; so that, in short, it was not safe +to live with them.</p> +<p>The Spaniard who was governor, told them in so many words, that +if they had been his own countrymen he would have hanged them all; +for all laws and all governors were to preserve society, and those +who were dangerous to the society ought to be expelled out of it; +but as they were Englishmen, and that it was to the generous +kindness of an Englishman that they all owed their preservation and +deliverance, he would use them with all possible lenity, and would +leave them to the judgment of the other two Englishmen, who were +their countrymen.</p> +<p>One of the two honest Englishmen stood up, and said they desired +it might not be left to them; “For,” says he, “I am sure we ought +to sentence them to the gallows,” and with that gives an account +how Will <span class="pagenum">[page 372]</span> 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.</p> +<p>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 G-d d-mn him they would do it +still before they had done with them. “Well, but Seignior Atkins,” +said 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 will you kill us? Why +will you put us to the necessity of this, Seignior Atkins?” says +the Spaniard very calmly and smiling.</p> +<p>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.</p> +<p>This harebrained 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 commit 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.</p> +<p>But the governor Spaniard still said, no, it was an Englishman +that had saved all their lives, and he would never consent to put +an Englishman to death though he had murdered half of them; nay, he +said if he had been killed himself by an Englishman, and had time +left to speak, it should be that they should pardon him.</p> +<p>This was so positively insisted on by the governor Spaniard, +that there was no gainsaying it; and as <span class="pagenum">[page +373]</span> merciful counsels are most apt to prevail, where they +are so earnestly pressed, so they all came into it; but then it was +to be considered what should be done to keep them from the mischief +they designed; for all agreed, governor and all, that means were to +be used for preserving the society from danger. After a long debate +it was agreed, first, that they should be disarmed, and not +permitted to have either gun, or powder, or shot, or 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 converse with +them, speak with them, or have any thing to do with them; that they +should be forbid to come within a certain distance of the place +where the rest dwelt; and that 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.</p> +<p>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 subsistence as for a store; and that they should have +tools given them for their work in the field; such as six hatchets, +an axe, a saw, and the like: 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 of +their fellow Englishmen.</p> +<p>Thus they dismissed them the society, and turned them out to +shift for themselves. They went away <span class="pagenum">[page +374]</span> sullen and refractory, as neither contented to go away +or to stay; but as there was no remedy they went, pretending to go +and choose a place where they should settle themselves, to plant +and live by themselves; and some provisions were given, but no +weapons.</p> +<p>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 an habitation or plantation: it +was a very convenient place indeed, on the remotest part of the +island, N.E. much about the place where I providentially landed in +my first voyage when I was driven out to sea, the Lord alone knows +whither, in my foolish attempt to surround the island.</p> +<p>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 to the 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 dry +goat-skins for beds and covering, which were given them; and upon +their giving their words that they would not disturb the rest, or +injure any of their plantations, they gave them hatchets, and what +other tools they could spare; some peas, barley, and rice, for +sowing, and, in a word, any thing they wanted but arms and +ammunition.</p> +<p>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 +their hands; and when they came to make boards, and pots, and such +things, they were quite out of their element, and could make +nothing of it; and when the rainy season came on, for want of a +cave in the earth, they could not keep their grain dry, and it was +in great danger of spoiling: and this humbled them much; so they +came and begged the Spaniards to help them, which they very readily +did; and in four days <span class="pagenum">[page 375]</span> +worked a great hole in the side of the hill for them, big enough to +secure their corn and other things from the rain: but it was but 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.</p> +<p>About three quarters of a year after this separation a new +frolic took these rogues, which, together with the former villany +they had committed, brought mischief enough upon them, and had very +near been the ruin of the whole colony. The three new associates +began, it seems, to be weary of the laborious life they led, and +that without hope of bettering their circumstances; and a whim took +them that they would make a voyage to the continent from whence the +savages came, and would try if they could not seize upon some +prisoners among the natives there, and bring them home, so as to +make them do the laborious part of the work for them.</p> +<p>The project was not so preposterous if they had gone no farther; +but they did nothing and proposed nothing but had either mischief +in the design or mischief in the event; and if I may give my +opinion, they seemed to be under a blast from Heaven; for if we +will not allow a visible curse to pursue visible crimes, how shall +we reconcile the events of things with divine justice? It was +certainly an apparent vengeance on their crime of mutiny and piracy +that brought them to the state they were in; and as they shewed not +the least remorse for the crime, but added new villanies to it, +such as particularly that piece of monstrous cruelty of wounding a +poor slave because he did not, or perhaps could not understand to +do what he was directed, and to wound him in such a manner as, no +question, made him a cripple all his life, and in a place where no +surgeon or medicine could be had for his cure; and what was still +worse, the murderous intent, or, to do justice to the crime, the +intentional murder, for such to be sure it was, as was afterwards +<span class="pagenum">[page 376]</span> the formed design they all +laid to murder the Spaniards in cold blood, and in their sleep.</p> +<p>But I leave observing, and return to the story: 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, 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 ammunition proportioned for their defence, +they would go over to the main, and seek their fortune, and so +deliver them from the trouble of supplying them with any other +provisions.</p> +<p>The Spaniards were glad enough to be 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 that they would be starved or murdered, and bade them consider +of it.</p> +<p>The men replied audaciously, they should be starved if they +stayed here, for they could not work, and would not work; and they +could but be starved abroad; and if they were murdered, there was +an end of them, they had no wives or children to cry after them; +and, in short, insisted importunately upon their demand, declaring +that they would go, whether they would give them any arms or +no.</p> +<p>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 +condition to defend themselves, and that though they could ill +spare their fire-arms, having not enough for themselves, yet they +would let them have two muskets, a pistol, and a cutlass, and each +man a hatchet, which they thought sufficient for them.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 377]</span> +<p>In a word, they accepted the offer, and having baked them bread +enough to serve them a month, and given them as much goat’s flesh +as they could eat while it was sweet, and a great basket full of +dried grapes, a pot full of fresh water, and a young kid alive to +kill, they boldly set out in a canoe for a voyage over the sea, +where it was at least forty miles broad.</p> +<p>The boat was indeed a large one, and would have very well +carried fifteen or twenty men, and therefore was rather too big for +them to manage; but as they had a fair breeze and the flood-tide +with them, they did well enough; they had made a mast of a long +pole, and a sail of four large goat-skins dried, which they had +sewed or laced together; and away they went merrily enough; the +Spaniards called after them, “Bon veajo;” and no man ever thought +of seeing them any more.</p> +<p>The Spaniards would often say to one another, and the two honest +Englishmen who remained behind, how quietly and comfortably they +lived now those three turbulent fellows were gone; as for their +ever coming again, that was the remotest thing from their thoughts +could be imagined; when, behold, after twenty-two 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.</p> +<p>Away runs the Englishman, as if he was bewitched, and became +frighted and amazed, to the governor Spaniard, and tells him they +were all undone, for there were strangers landed upon the island, +he could not tell who. The Spaniard pausing a while, says to him, +“How do you mean, you cannot tell who? They are savages to be +sure.”—“No, no,” says the Englishman, “they are men in clothes, +with arms.”—“Nay then,” says the Spaniard, “why are you concerned? +If they are not savages, they must be friends; for there is no +Christian nation upon earth but will do us good rather than +harm.”</p> +<p>While they were debating thus, came the three <span class= +"pagenum">[page 378]</span> Englishmen, and standing without the +wood which was new-planted, hallooed to them; they presently knew +their voices, and so all the wonder of that kind ceased. But now +the admiration was turned upon another question, viz. What could be +the matter, and what made them come back again?</p> +<p>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 two days, or something less, 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 were courteous and friendly to them, and they gave +them several roots, and some dried fish, and appeared very +sociable: and the women, as well as the men, were very forward to +supply them with any thing they could get for them to eat, and +brought it to them a great way upon their heads.</p> +<p>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, that they never ate men +or women, except only such as they took in the wars; and then they +owned that they made a great feast, and ate their prisoners.</p> +<p>The Englishmen inquired when they had a feast of that kind, and +they told them two moons ago, pointing to the moon, and then to +two-fingers; and that their great king had two hundred prisoners +now <span class="pagenum">[page 379]</span> 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 to see 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 +sun-rising they would bring some for them; and accordingly the next +morning they brought down five women and eleven men, and gave them +to the Englishmen to carry with them on their voyage, just as we +would bring so many cows and oxen down to a sea-port town to +victual a ship.</p> +<p>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 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 extremely +pleased with; and then tying the poor creatures’ hands behind them, +they (the people) dragged the prisoners into the boat for our +men.</p> +<p>The Englishmen were obliged to come away as soon as they had +them, 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 +invited the donors to dinner.</p> +<p>But having taken their leave with all the respect and thanks +that could well pass 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.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page380"></a>[page 380]</span> +<p>In their voyage they endeavoured to have some communication with +their prisoners, but it was impossible to make them understand any +thing; nothing they could say to them, or give them, or do for +them, but was looked upon as going about to murder them: they first +of all unbound them, but the poor creatures screamed at that, +especially the women, as if they had just felt the knife at their +throats; for they immediately concluded they were unbound on +purpose to be killed.</p> +<p>If they gave them any thing to eat, it was the same thing; then +they 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.</p> +<p>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 to beg some victuals +for them; they (the 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.</p> +<p>When they came into the hut, there they sat all bound; for when +they had brought them on shore they bound their hands, that they +might not take the boat and make their escape; there, I say, they +sat all of them stark naked. First, there were three men, lusty, +comely fellows, well shaped, straight and fair limbs, about thirty +or thirty-five years of age, and five women; whereof two might be +from thirty to forty, two more not above twenty-four or +twenty-five, and the fifth, a tall, comely maiden, about sixteen or +seventeen. The women were well-favoured, agreeable persons, both in +shape and features, only tawny; and <span class="pagenum">[page +381]</span> two of them, had they been perfect white, would have +passed for handsome women, even in London itself, having very +pleasant, agreeable countenances, and of a very modest behaviour, +especially when they came afterwards to be clothed, and dressed, as +they called it, though that dress was very indifferent it must be +confessed, of which hereafter.</p> +<p>The sight, you may be sure, was something uncouth to our +Spaniards, who were (to give them a just character) men of the best +behaviour, of the most calm, sedate tempers, and perfect good +humour that ever I met with; and, in particular, of the most +modesty, as will presently appear: I say the sight was very +uncouth, to see three naked men and five naked women, all together +bound, and in the most miserable circumstances that human nature +could be supposed to be, viz. to be expecting every moment to be +dragged out, and have their brains knocked out, and then to be +eaten up like a calf that is killed for a dainty.</p> +<p>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, +except one of the women.</p> +<p>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 of 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 +and several ways as is hard to describe, for it seems they were of +several nations.</p> +<p>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, any thing that lay next, to carry on <span class= +"pagenum">[page 382]</span> their shoulders, to intimate that they +were willing to work.</p> +<p>The governor, who found that the having women among them would +presently be attended with some inconveniency, and might occasion +some strife, and perhaps blood, asked the three men what they +intended to do with these women, and how they intended to use them, +whether as servants or as women? One of the Englishmen answered +very boldly and readily, that they would use them as both. To which +the governor said, “I am not going to restrain you from it; you are +your own masters as to that: but this I think is but just, for +avoiding disorders and quarrels among you, and I desire it of you +for that reason only, viz. that you will all engage, that if any of +you take any of these women as a woman, or wife, he shall take but +one; and that, having taken one, none else should touch her; for +though we cannot marry any of you, yet it is but reasonable that +while you stay here, the woman any of you takes should be +maintained by the man that takes her, and should be his wife; I +mean,” says he, “while he continues here; and that none else should +have any thing to do with her.” All this appeared so just, that +every one agreed to it without any difficulty.</p> +<p>Then the Englishmen asked the Spaniards if they designed to take +any of them? But every one answered, “No;” some of them said they +had wives in Spain; and the others did not like women that were not +Christians; and all together declared, that they would not touch +one of them; which was an instance of such virtue as I have not met +with in all my travels. On the other hand, to be short, the five +Englishmen took them every one a wife; that is to say, a temporary +wife; and so they 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 they had +taken in the late battle of the savages, lived with them; and these +carried on the main part of the colony, supplying <span class= +"pagenum">[page 383]</span> all the rest with food, and assisting +them in any thing as they could, or as they found necessity +required.</p> +<p>But the wonder of this story was, how five such refractory, +ill-matched fellows should agree about these women, and that two of +them should not pitch upon the same woman, especially seeing two or +three of them were, without comparison, more agreeable than the +others: but they took a good way enough to prevent quarrelling +among themselves; for they set the five women by themselves in one +of their huts, and they went all into the other hut, and drew lots +among them who should choose first.</p> +<p>He that drew to choose first, went away by himself to the hut +where the poor naked creatures were, and fetched out her he chose; +and it was worth observing that he that chose first took her that +was reckoned the homeliest and the oldest of the five, which made +mirth enough among the rest; and even the Spaniards laughed at it; +but the fellow considered better than any of them, that it was +application and business that they were to expect assistance in as +much as any thing else, and she proved the best wife in the +parcel.</p> +<p>When the poor women saw themselves in a row thus, and fetched +out one by one, the terrors of their condition returned upon them +again, and they firmly believed that they were now going to be +devoured: accordingly, when the English sailor came in and fetched +out one of them, the rest set up a most lamentable cry, and hung +about her, and took their leave of her with such agonies and such +affection as would have grieved the hardest heart in the world; nor +was it possible for the Englishmen to satisfy them that they were +not to be immediately murdered, till they fetched the old man, +Friday’s father, who instantly let them know, that the five men who +had fetched them out one by one, had chosen them for their +wives.</p> +<p>When they had done this, and the fright the women were in was a +little over, the men went to work, <span class="pagenum">[page +384]</span> and the Spaniards came and helped them; and in a few +hours they had built them every one a new hut or tent for their +lodging apart; for those they had already were crowded with their +tools, household stuff, and provisions. The three wicked ones had +pitched farthest off, and the two honest ones nearer, but both on +the north shore of the island, so that they continued separate as +before: and thus my island was peopled in three places, and, as I +might say, three towns were begun to be planted.</p> +<p>And here it is very well worth observing, that as it often +happens in the world, (what the wise ends of God’s providences are +in such a disposition of things I cannot say) the two honest +fellows had the two worst wives; and the three reprobates, that +were scarce worth hanging, that were fit for nothing, and neither +seemed born to do themselves good, or any one else, had three +clever, diligent, careful, and ingenious wives, not that the two +first were ill wives as to their temper or humour; for all the five +were most willing, quiet, passive, and subjected creatures, rather +like slaves than wives; but my meaning is, they were not alike, +capable, ingenious, or industrious, or alike cleanly and neat.</p> +<p>Another observation I must make, to the honour of a diligent +application on the one hand, and to the disgrace of a slothful, +negligent, idle temper on the other, that when I came to the place, +and viewed the several improvements, planting, and management of +the several little colonies, the two men had so far out-gone the +three, that there was no comparison; they had indeed both of them +as much ground laid out for corn as they wanted; and the reason +was, because according to my rule, nature dictated, that it was to +no purpose to sow more corn than they wanted; but the difference of +the cultivation, of the planting, of the fences, and indeed every +thing else, was easy to be seen at first view.</p> +<p>The two men had innumerable young trees planted about their +huts, that when you came to the place nothing <span class= +"pagenum">[page 385]</span> was to be seen but a wood; and though +they had their plantation twice demolished, once by their own +countrymen, and once by the enemy, as shall be shewn in its place; +yet they had restored all again, and every thing was flourishing +and thriving about them: they had grapes planted in order, and +managed like a vineyard, though they had themselves never seen any +thing of that kind; and by their good ordering their vines their +grapes were as good again as any of the others. They had also +formed themselves a retreat in the thickest part of the woods, +where, though there was not a natural cave, as I had found, yet +they made one with incessant labour of their hands, and where, when +the mischief which followed happened, they secured their wives and +children so as they could never be found; they having, by sticking +innumerable stakes and poles of the wood, which, as I said, grow so +easily, made a grove impassable except in one place, where they +climbed up to get over the outside part, and then went in by ways +of their own leaving.</p> +<p>As to the three reprobates, as I justly call them, though they +were much civilized by their new settlement compared to what they +were before, and were not so quarrelsome, having not the same +opportunity, yet one of the certain companions of a profligate mind +never left them, and that was their idleness. It is true, they +planted corn and made fences; but Solomon’s words were never better +verified than in them: “I went by the vineyard of the slothful, and +it was overgrown with thorns;” for when the Spaniards came to view +their crop, they could not see it in some places for weeds; the +hedge had several gaps in it, where the wild goats had gotten in +and eaten up the corn; perhaps here and there a dead bush was +crammed in to stop them out for the present, but it was only +shutting the stable door after the steed was stolen; whereas, when +they looked on the colony of the other two, here was the very face +of industry and success upon all they did; there was not a weed to +be seen in all <span class="pagenum">[page 386]</span> their corn, +or a gap in any of their hedges; and they, on the other hand, +verified Solomon’s words in another place: “The diligent hand +maketh rich;” for every thing grew and thrived, and they had plenty +within and without; they had more tame cattle than the others, more +utensils and necessaries within doors, and yet more pleasure and +diversion too.</p> +<p>It is true, the wives of the three were very handy and cleanly +within doors; and having learnt the English ways of dressing and +cooking from one of the other Englishmen, who, as I said, was a +cook’s mate on board the ship, they dressed their husbands’ +victuals very nicely; whereas the other could not be brought to +understand it; but then the husband, who as I said, had been cook’s +mate, did it himself; but as for the husbands of the three wives, +they loitered about, fetched turtles’ eggs, and caught fish and +birds; in a word, any thing but labour, and they fared accordingly. +The diligent lived well and comfortably and the slothful lived hard +and beggarly; and so I believe, generally speaking, it is all over +the world.</p> +<p>But now I come to a scene different from all that had happened +before, either to them or me; and the origin of the story was +this:</p> +<p>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 that they came upon the old errand of feeding upon +their slaves; but that part was now so familiar to the Spaniards, +and to our men too, that they did not concern themselves about it +as I did; but having been made sensible by their experience, that +their only business was to lie concealed, and that, if they were +not seen by any of the savages, they would go off again quietly +when the business was done, having as yet not the least notion of +there being any inhabitants in the island; I say having been made +sensible of this, they had nothing to do but to give notice to all +the three plantations to keep within doors, and not to shew +themselves; only <span class="pagenum">[page 387]</span> placing a +scout in a proper place, to give notice when the boats went off to +sea again.</p> +<p>This was, without doubt, very right; but a disaster spoiled all +these measures, and made it known among the savages that there were +inhabitants there, which was, in the end, the desolation of almost +the whole colony. After the canoes with the savages 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, like beasts, they were asleep, and would not stir when the +others went, or they were wandered into the woods, and did not come +back in time to be taken in.</p> +<p>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, they were none of them inclined to that. The +Spaniard governor told me they could not think of shedding innocent +blood; for as to them, the poor creatures had done no wrong, +invaded none of their property; and they thought they had no just +quarrel against them to take away their lives.</p> +<p>And here I must, in justice to these Spaniards, observe, that +let all the accounts of Spanish cruelty 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; and, as to cruelty, they had nothing of it in +their very nature; no inhumanity, no barbarity, no outrageous +passions, and yet all of them men of great courage and spirit.</p> +<p>Their temper and calmness had appeared in their bearing the +insufferable usage of the three Englishmen; <span class= +"pagenum">[page 388]</span> and their justice and humanity appeared +now in the case of the savages as above. After some consultation +they resolved upon this, that they would lie still a while longer, +till, if possible, these three men might be gone; but then the +governor Spaniard recollected that the three savages had no boat; +and that 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.</p> +<p>Upon this they went back again, and there lay the fellows fast +asleep still; so they resolved to awaken them, and take them +prisoners; and they did so. The poor fellows were strangely +frighted 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 do as they do, eating mens’ flesh; but +they were soon made easy as to that: and away they carried +them.</p> +<p>It was very happy for them that they did not carry them home to +their 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 +afterwards they carried them to the habitation of the two +Englishmen.</p> +<p>Here they were set to work, though it was not much, they had for +them to do; and whether it was by negligence in guarding them, or +that they thought the fellows could not mend themselves, I know +not, but one of them ran away, and taking into the woods, they +could never hear of him more.</p> +<p>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 again in two days time. This thought terrified them +exceedingly; for they concluded, and that not without good cause +indeed, that if this fellow got safe home among his comrades, he +would certainly give them an account that there were people in the +island, as also <span class="pagenum">[page 389]</span> how weak +and few they were; for this savage, as I observed before, had never +been told, as 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 shewn him any other of their retired +places, such as the cave in the valley, or the new retreat which +the two Englishmen had made, and the like.</p> +<p>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 or eight, or ten men in a +canoe, came rowing along the north side of the island, where they +never used to come before, and landed about an hour after sunrise, +at a convenient place, about a mile from the habitation of the two +Englishmen, where this escaped man had been kept. As the Spaniard +governor said, had 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 were too much +odds. The two men had the happiness to discover them about a league +off, so that it was about an hour before they landed, and as they +landed about 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 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 place in the woods, which I have spoken +of above, and there to bind the two fellows hand and foot till they +heard farther.</p> +<p>In the next place, seeing the savages were all come on shore, +and that they bent their course directly that way, they opened the +fences where their milch-goats were kept, and drove them all out, +leaving their goats to straggle into the wood, whither they +pleased, that the savages might think they were all bred wild; but +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page390"></a>[page 390]</span> 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.</p> +<p>When the poor frighted 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 mean time they took their arms, and what +ammunition 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.</p> +<p>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 they had a very great loss, and to them +irretrievable, at least for some time. They kept their station for +a while, till they found the savages, like wild beasts, spread +themselves all over the place, rummaging every way, and every place +they could think of, in search for prey, and in particular for the +people, of whom it plainly appeared they had intelligence.</p> +<p>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 farther, +believing, as it afterwards happened, that the farther they +strolled, the fewer would be together.</p> +<p>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 vastly large; and in this tree they both took their +standing, resolving to see what might offer.</p> +<p>They had not stood there long, but two of the savages appeared +running directly that way, as if they had already notice where they +stood, and were coming <span class="pagenum">[page 391]</span> up +to attack them; and a little way farther they espied three more +coming after them, and five more beyond them, all coming the same +way; besides which, they saw seven or eight more at a distance, +running another way; for, in a word, they ran every way, like +sportsmen beating for their game.</p> +<p>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 there were too many to deal with, then +they would get 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 were near +fifty, were to attack them.</p> +<p>Having resolved upon this, they next considered whether they +should fire at the two first, or wait for the three, and so take +the middle party, by which the two and the five that followed would +be separated: at length they resolved to let the two first pass by, +unless they should spy them in the tree, and come to attack them. +The two first savages also confirmed them in this resolution, by +turning a little from them towards another part of the wood; but +the three, and the five after them, came forwards directly to the +tree, as if they had known the Englishmen were there.</p> +<p>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; to +which purpose, the man who was to fire put three or four 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.</p> +<p>While they were thus waiting, and the savages came on, they +plainly saw, that one of the three was the <span class= +"pagenum">[page 392]</span> runaway savage that had escaped from +them; and they both knew him 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 he did not drop at +the first shot, he should be sure to have a second. But the first +was 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.</p> +<p>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, screaming, 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.</p> +<p>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. Here the poor +ignorant creatures, not sensible that they were within reach of the +same mischief, stood all together over the wounded man, talking, +and, as may be 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 393]</span> +wounded him. This, I say, is rational; for nothing is more certain +than that, as they saw no man near them, so they had never heard a +gun in all their lives, nor so much as heard of a gun; neither knew +they anything of killing and wounding at a distance with fire and +bullets: if they had, one might reasonably believe they would not +have stood so unconcerned to view the fate of their fellows, +without some apprehensions of their own.</p> +<p>Our two men, as they confessed to me, were grieved 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, frightened even to death, though not hurt, fell with the +rest; so that our men, seeing them all fall together, thought they +had killed them all.</p> +<p>The belief that the savages were all killed made our two men +come boldly out from the tree before they had charged their guns, +which was a wrong step; and they were under some surprise when they +came to the place, and found no less than four of them alive, and +of them two very little hurt, and one not at all. This obliged them +to fall upon them with the stocks of their muskets; and first they +made sure of the runaway savage, that had been the cause of all the +mischief, and of another that was hurt in the knee, and put them +out of their pain; then the man that was not hurt at all came and +kneeled down to them, with his two hands held up, and made piteous +moans to them, by gestures and signs, for his life, but could not +say one word to them that they could understand. However, they made +signs to him to sit down at the foot of a tree hard by; and one of +the Englishmen, with a piece of rope-yarn, which he had by great +chance in his pocket, tied his two hands behind him, and there they +left him; and with what speed they could made after the other two, +which were gone before, fearing they, or any more of <span class= +"pagenum">[page 394]</span> them, should find the way to their +covered place in the woods, where their wives, and the few goods +they had left, lay. They came once in 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, the quite 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.</p> +<p>They were now in as great a concern as before, not knowing what +course to take, or how near the enemy might be, or in what numbers; +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-folks, yet they were most terribly afraid of them, and +perhaps the more, for the knowledge they had of them.</p> +<p>When they came thither, they found the savages had been in the +wood, and very near the place, but had not found it; for indeed it +was inaccessible, by the trees standing so thick, as before, unless +the persons seeking it had been directed by those that knew it, +which these were not; they found, therefore, every thing very safe, +only the women in a terrible fright. While they were here they had +the comfort of seven of the Spaniards coming to their assistance: +the other ten with their servants, and old Friday, I mean Friday’s +father, were gone in a body to defend their bower, and the corn and +cattle that 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 savages, who, as I said, +were their prisoners formerly, and with them also came the savage +whom the Englishmen had left bound hand and foot at the tree; for +it seems they came that way, saw the slaughter of the seven +<span class="pagenum">[page 395]</span> men, and unbound the +eighth, and brought him along with them, where, however, they were +obliged to bind him again, as they had done the two others, who +were left when the third run away.</p> +<p>The prisoners began now to be a burden to them; and they were so +afraid of their escaping, that they thought they were under an +absolute necessity to kill them for their own preservation: +however, the Spaniard governor would not consent to it; but +ordered, that they should be sent out of the way to my old cave in +the valley, and be kept there, with two Spaniards to guard them and +give them food; which was done; and they were bound there hand and +foot for that night.</p> +<p>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 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 resolved, though with all possible caution, to go forward +towards their ruined plantation; but a little before they came +thither, coming in sight of the sea-shore, they saw plainly the +savages all embarking again in their canoes, in order to be +gone.</p> +<p>They seemed sorry at first that there was no way to come at them +to give them a parting blow; but upon the whole were very well +satisfied to be rid of them.</p> +<p>The poor Englishmen being now twice ruined, and all their +improvements destroyed, the rest all agreed to come and help them +to rebuild, and to assist them <span class="pagenum">[page +396]</span> with needful supplies. Their three countrymen, who were +not yet noted for having the least inclination to do any thing +good, yet, as soon as they heard of it (for they, living remote, +knew nothing till all was over), came and offered their help and +assistance, and did very friendly work for several days to restore +their habitations and make necessaries for them; and thus in a +little time they were set upon their legs again.</p> +<p>About two days after this they had the farther satisfaction of +seeing three of the savages’ canoes come driving onshore, and at +some distance from them, with 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 blew very hard the night after they +went off.</p> +<p>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 happened to them; and to whet them on to another enterprise +of the same nature, which they, it seems, resolved to attempt, with +sufficient force to carry all before them; for except what the +first man told them of inhabitants, they could say little to it of +their own knowledge; for they never saw one man, and the fellow +being killed that had affirmed it, they had no other witness to +confirm it to them.</p> +<p>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 not +forgot their former bad luck, or had given over the hopes of +better; when on a sudden they were invaded with a most formidable +fleet of no less than twenty-eight 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.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 397]</span> +their only safety before, and would much more be so now, while the +number of their enemies was so great, they therefore resolved, +first of all, to take down the huts which were built for the two +Englishmen, and drive away their goats to the old cave; because +they supposed the savages would go directly thither as soon as it +was day, to play the old game over again, though they did not now +land within two leagues of it.</p> +<p>In the next place, they drove away all the flock of goats they +had at the old bower, as I called it, which belonged to the +Spaniards; and, in short, left as little appearance of inhabitants +any where as possible; and the next morning early they posted +themselves with all their force at the plantation of the two men, +waiting 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 their number neither: the whole account, it seems, +stood thus:—first, as to men:</p> +<blockquote>17 Spaniards.<br> + 5 Englishmen.<br> + 1 Old Friday, or Friday’s father.<br> + 3 Slaves, taken with the women, who proved very<br> + faithful.<br> + 3 Other slaves who lived with the Spaniards.<br> +—<br> +29<br> + To arm these they had:<br> +11 Muskets.<br> + 5 Pistols.<br> + 3 Fowling-pieces.<br> + 5 Muskets, or fowling-pieces, which were taken by<br> + me from the mutinous seamen whom I +reduced.<br> + 2 Swords.<br> + 3 Old halberts.<br> +—<br> +29</blockquote> +<span class="pagenum">[page 398]</span> +<p>To their slaves they did not give either musket or fusil, but +they had every one an 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, which I have spoken of, where the Indians fought with one +another; and the women had hatchets too.</p> +<p>The Spaniard governor, whom I have described so often, commanded +the whole; and William Atkins, who, though a dreadful fellow for +wickedness, 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, was +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 the 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 all before them.</p> +<p>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, +who were frighted 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, William Atkins and +his other three let fly again among the <span class="pagenum">[page +399]</span> thickest of them and in less than a minute the first +three, being loaded again, gave them a third volley.</p> +<p>Had William 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 William 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 Englishmen with their arrows, as they did afterwards one +Spaniard, and one of the Indian slaves who came with the women. +This slave was a most gallant fellow, and fought most desperately, +killing five of them with his own hand, having no weapon but one of +the armed staves and a hatchet.</p> +<p>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 vollies 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, 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.</p> +<p>When our men retreated, they left the Spaniard and the +Englishman that were killed behind them; and the savages, when they +came up to them, killed them over again in a wretched manner, +breaking their arms, legs, and heads, with their clubs and wooden +swords, like true savages. But finding our men were gone, they did +not seem inclined to pursue them, but drew <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page400"></a>[page 400]</span> themselves up in +a kind of ring, which is, it seems, their custom, and shouted twice +in token of their victory; after which, they had the mortification +to see several of their wounded men fall, dying with the mere loss +of blood.</p> +<p>The Spaniard governor having drawn his little body up together +upon a rising ground, Atkins, though he was wounded, would have had +him march, and charge them 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.”</p> +<p>The advice was good; but Will Atkins replied merrily, “That’s +true, Seignior, and so shall I too; and that’s the reason I would +go on while I am warm.”—“Well, Seignior Atkins,” says the +Spaniard, “you have behaved gallantly, and done your part; we will +fight for you, if you cannot come on; but I think it best to stay +till morning:” so they waited.</p> +<p>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 hurry and noise among them where they lay, they afterwards +resolved to fall upon them in the night, especially if they could +come to give them but one volley before they were discovered. 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 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.</p> +<p>The Spaniards charged again with the utmost expedition, +<span class="pagenum">[page 401]</span> and then divided themselves +into three bodies, and resolved to fall in among them all together. +They had in each body eight persons; that is to say, twenty-four, +whereof were twenty-two men, and the two women, who, by the way, +fought desperately.</p> +<p>They divided the fire-arms equally in each party, and so of the +halberts and staves. They would have had the women keep back; but +they said they were resolved to die with their husbands. Having +thus formed their little army, they marched out from among the +trees, and came up to the teeth of the enemy, shouting and +hallooing as loud as they could. The savages stood all together, +but were in the utmost confusion, hearing the noise of our men +shouting from three quarters together; they would have fought if +they had seen us; and 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.</p> +<p>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 do; 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 seaward, so that it was impossible for them to put 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 402]</span> were even +dashed to pieces against the beach, or against one another.</p> +<p>Our men, though glad of their victory, yet got little rest that +night; but having refreshed themselves as well as they could, they +resolved to march to that part of the island where the savages were +fled, and see what posture they were in. This necessarily led them +over the place where the fight had been, and where they found +several of the poor creatures not quite dead, and yet past +recovering life; a sight disagreeable enough to generous minds; for +a truly great man, though obliged by the law of battle to destroy +his enemy, takes no delight in his misery.</p> +<p>However, there was no need to give any order in this case; for +their own savages, who were their servants, dispatched those poor +creatures with their hatchets.</p> +<p>At length they came in view of the place where the more +miserable remains of the savages’ army lay, where there appeared +about one hundred still: their posture was generally sitting upon +the ground, with their knees up towards their mouth, and the head +put between the hands, leaning down upon the knees.</p> +<p>When our men came within two musket-shot 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, viz. whether they were still in heart to fight, or were so +heartily beaten, as to be dispirited and discouraged, and so he +might manage accordingly.</p> +<p>This stratagem took; for as soon as the savages heard the first +gun, and saw the flash of the second, they started up upon their +feet in the greatest consternation imaginable; and as our men +advanced swiftly towards them, they all ran screaming and yawling +away, with a kind of an howling noise, which our men did not +understand, and had never heard before; and thus they ran up the +hills into the country.</p> +<p>At first our men had much rather the weather had <span class= +"pagenum">[page 403]</span> 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 clap in between them and their +boats, and so deprive them of the capacity of ever returning any +more to plague the island.</p> +<p>They consulted long about this, and some were against it, for +fear of making the wretches fly into the woods, and live there +desperate; and so they should have them to hunt like wild beasts, +be afraid to stir about their business, and have their plantation +continually rifled, all their tame goats destroyed, and, in short, +be reduced to a life of continual distress.</p> +<p>Will Atkins told them they had better have to do with one +hundred men than with one hundred nations; that as they must +destroy their boats, so they must destroy the men, or be all of +them destroyed themselves. In a word, he shewed 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 scarce burn. However, the fire so burned the +upper part, that it soon made them unfit for swimming in the sea as +boats. When the Indians saw what they were about, some of them came +running out of the woods, and coming as near as they could to our +men, kneeled down and cried, <i>Oa, Oa, Waramokoa</i>, and some +other words of their language, which none of the others understood +any thing of; but as they made pitiful gestures and strange noises, +it was easy to understand they begged to have their boats spared, +and that they would be gone, and never return thither again.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 404]</span> +<p>But our men were now satisfied, that they had no way to preserve +themselves or to save their colony, but effectually to prevent any +of these people from ever going home again; depending upon this, +that if ever so much as one of them got back into their country to +tell the story, the colony was undone; so that letting them know +that they should not have any mercy, they fell to work with their +canoes, and destroyed them, every one that the storm had not +destroyed before; at the sight of which the savages raised a +hideous cry in the woods, which our people heard plain enough; +after which they ran about the island like distracted men; so that, +in a word, our men did not really know at first what to do with +them.</p> +<p>Nor did the Spaniards, with all their prudence, consider that +while they made those people thus desperate, they ought to have +kept good guard at the same time upon their plantations; for though +it is true they had driven away their cattle, and the Indians did +not find their main retreat, I mean my old castle at the hill, nor +the cave in the valley; yet they found out my plantation at the +bower, and pulled it all to pieces, and all the fences and planting +about it; trod all the corn under foot; tore up the vines and +grapes, being just then almost ripe, and did our men an inestimable +damage, though to themselves not one farthing’s-worth of +service.</p> +<p>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 men when they found +them single, so our men durst not go about 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 edged tool or weapon among them. The +extremity and distress they were reduced to was great, and indeed +deplorable, but at the same time our men were also brought to very +hard circumstances by them; for though their retreats were +preserved, <span class="pagenum">[page 405]</span> yet their +provision was destroyed, and their harvest spoiled; and what to do +or which way to turn themselves, they knew not; the only refuge +they had now was the stock of cattle they had in the valley by the +cave, and some little corn which grew there. The three Englishmen, +William Atkins and his comrades, were now reduced to two, one of +them being killed by an arrow, which struck him on the side of his +head, just under the temples, so that he never spoke more; and it +was very remarkable, that this was the same barbarous fellow who +cut the poor savage slave with his hatchet, and who afterwards +intended to have murdered the Spaniards.</p> +<p>I look upon their case to have been worse at this time than mine +was at any time after I first discovered the grains of barley and +rice, and got into the method of planting and raising my corn, and +my tame cattle; for now they had, as I may say, an hundred wolves +upon the island, which would devour every thing they could come at, +yet could be very hardly come at themselves.</p> +<p>The first thing they concluded when they saw what their +circumstances were, was, that they would, if possible, drive them +up to the farther part of the island, south-east, that if any more +savages came on shore, they might not find one another; then that +they would daily hunt and harass them, and kill as many of them as +they could come at, till they had reduced the number; and if they +could at last tame them, and bring them to any thing, they would +give them corn, and teach them how to plant, and live upon their +daily Labour.</p> +<p>In order to this they followed them, and so terrified them with +their guns, that in a few days, if any of them fired a gun at an +Indian, if he did not hit him, yet he would fall down for fear; and +so dreadfully frighted they were, that they kept out of sight +farther and farther, till at last our men following them, and every +day almost killing and wounding some of them, they kept up in the +woods and hollow places so much, <span class="pagenum">[page +406]</span> that it reduced them to the utmost misery for want of +food; and many were afterwards found dead in the woods, without any +hurt, but merely starved to death.</p> +<p>When our men found this, it made their hearts relent, and pity +moved them; especially the Spaniard governor, who was the most +gentleman-like, generous-minded man that ever I met with in my +life; and he proposed, if possible, to take one of them alive, and +bring him to understand what they meant, so far as to be able to +act as interpreter, and to go among them, and see if they might be +brought to some conditions that might be depended upon, to save +their lives, and do us no spoil.</p> +<p>It was some time before any of them could be taken; but being +weak, 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 him, and +no violence offered him, he at last grew tractable, and came to +himself.</p> +<p>They brought old Friday to him, who talked often with him, and +told him how kind the others would be to them all: that they would +not only save their lives, but would give them a part of the island +to live in, provided they would give satisfaction; that they should +keep in their own bounds, and not come beyond them, 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 all be destroyed.</p> +<p>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, and three Indian slaves, +and old Friday, marched to the place where they <span class= +"pagenum">[page 407]</span> were; the three Indian slaves carried +them a large quantity of bread, and some rice boiled up to cakes, +and dried in the sun, and three live goats; and they were ordered +to go to the side of an hill, where they sat down, ate the +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.</p> +<p>They had taught them both to plant corn, make bread, breed tame +goats, and milk them; they wanted nothing but wives, and they soon +would have been a nation: they were confined to a neck of land +surrounded with high rocks behind them, and lying plain towards the +sea before them, on the south-east corner of the island; they had +land enough, and it was very good and fruitful; for they had a +piece of land about a mile and a half broad, and three or four +miles in length.</p> +<p>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 were ever heard of.</p> +<p>After this the colony enjoyed a perfect tranquillity with +respect to the savages, till I came to revisit them, which was in +about two years. 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 for them to have found them out.</p> +<p>Thus, I think, I have given a full account of all that happened +to them to my return, at least that was worth notice. The Indians, +or savages, were wonderfully civilized by them, and they frequently +went among them; but forbid, on pain of death, any of the Indians +<span class="pagenum">[page 408]</span> coming to them, because +they would not have their settlement betrayed again.</p> +<p>One thing was very remarkable, viz. that they taught the savages +to make wicker-work, or baskets; but they soon outdid their +masters; for they made abundance of most ingenious things in +wicker-work; particularly all sorts of baskets, sieves, bird-cages, +cupboards, &c. as also chairs to sit on, stools, beds, couches, +and abundance of other things, being very ingenious at such work +when they were once put in the way of it.</p> +<p>My coming was a particular relief to these people, because we +furnished them with knives, scissars, spades, shovels, pickaxes, +and all things of that kind which they could want.</p> +<p>With the help of these 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 wild savages to come and do the like for them; so +that when I came to see the two Englishmen’s colonies, they looked, +at a distance, as if they lived all like bees in a hive; and as for +Will Atkins, who was now become a very industrious, necessary, and +sober fellow, he had made himself such a tent of basket work as I +believe was never seen. It was one hundred and twenty paces round +on the outside, as I measured by my steps; the walls were as close +worked as a basket, in pannels or squares, thirty-two in number, +and very strong, standing about seven feet high: in the middle was +another not above twenty-two paces round, but built stronger, being +eight-square in its form, and in the eight corners stood eight very +strong posts, round the top of which he laid strong pieces, joined +together with wooden pins, from which he raised a pyramid before +the roof of eight rafters, very handsome I assure you, and joined +together very well, though he had no nails, and <span class= +"pagenum">[page 409]</span> only a few iron spikes, which he had +made himself too, out of the old iron that I had left there; and +indeed this fellow shewed abundance of ingenuity in several things +which he had no knowledge of; he made himself a forge, with a pair +of wooden bellows to blow the fire; he made himself charcoal for +his work, and he formed out of one of the iron crows a middling +good anvil to hammer upon; in this manner he made many things, but +especially hooks, staples and spikes, bolts and hinges. But to +return to the house: after he pitched the roof of his innermost +tent, he worked it up between the rafters with basket-work, so +firm, and thatched that over again so ingeniously with rice-straw, +and over that a large leaf of a tree, which covered the top, that +his house was as dry as if it had been tiled or slated. Indeed he +owned that the savages made the basket-work for him.</p> +<p>The outer circuit was covered, as a lean-to, all round his +inner, apartment, and long rafters lay from the thirty two angles +to the top posts of the inner house, being about twenty feet +distant; so that there was a space like a walk within the outer +wicker wall, and without the inner, near twenty feet wide.</p> +<p>The inner place he partitioned off with the same wicker work, +but much fairer, and divided into six apartments, for that he had +six rooms on a floor, and out of every one of these there was a +door: first, into the entry, or coming into the main tent; and +another door into the space or walk that was round it; so that this +walk was also divided into six equal parts, which served not only +for a retreat, but to store up any necessaries which the family had +occasion for. These six spaces not taking up the whole +circumference, what other apartments the outer circle had, were +thus ordered: as soon as you were in at the door of the outer +circle, you had a short passage straight before you to the door of +the inner house; but on either side was a wicker partition, and a +door in it, by which you went first into a large room or +storehouse, twenty feet wide, <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page410"></a>[page 410]</span> and about thirty feet long, and +through that into another not quite so long: so that in the outer +circle were ten handsome rooms, six of which were only to be come +at through the apartments of the inner tent, and served as closets +or retired rooms to the respective chambers of the inner circle; +and four large warehouses or barns, or what you please to call +them, which went in through one another, two on either hand of the +passage that led through the outer door to the inner tent.</p> +<p>Such a piece of basket-work, I believe, was never seen in the +world; nor an house or tent so neatly contrived, much less so +built. In this great beehive lived the three families; that is to +say, Will Atkins and his companions; the third was killed, but his +wife remained with three children; for she was, it seems, big with +child when he died, and the other two were not at all backward to +give the widow her full share of every thing, I mean as to their +corn, milk, grapes, &c. and when they killed a kid, or found a +turtle on the shore; so that they all lived well enough, though it +was true, they were not so industrious as the other two, as has +been observed already.</p> +<p>One thing, however, cannot be omitted, viz. that, as for +religion, I don’t know that there was any thing of that kind among +them; they pretty often indeed put one another in mind that there +was a God, by the very common method of seamen, viz. swearing by +his name; nor were their poor, ignorant, savage wives much the +better for having been married to Christians as we must call them; +for as they knew very little of God themselves, so they were +utterly incapable of entering into any discourse with their wives +about a God or to talk any thing to them concerning religion.</p> +<p>The utmost of all the improvement which I can say the wives had +made from them, was, that they had taught them to speak English +pretty well; and all the children they had, which were near twenty +in all were taught to speak English too, from their first learning +to speak, though they at first spoke it in a very <span class= +"pagenum">[page 411]</span> broken manner, like their mothers. +There were none of those children above six years old when I came +thither; for it was not much above seven years that they had +fetched these five savage ladies over, but they had all been pretty +fruitful, for they had all children, more or less: I think the +cook’s mate’s wife was big of her sixth child; and the mothers were +all a good sort of well-governed, quiet, laborious women, modest +and decent, helpful to one another, mighty observant and subject to +their masters, I cannot call them husbands; and wanted nothing but +to be well instructed in the Christian religion, and to be legally +married; both which were happily brought about afterwards by my +means, or at least by the consequence of my coming among them.</p> +<p>Having thus given an account of the colony in general, and +pretty much of my five runagate Englishmen, I must say something of +the Spaniards, who were the main body of the family, and in whose +story there are some incidents also remarkable enough.</p> +<p>I had a great many discourses with them about their +circumstances when they were among the savages; they told me +readily, that they had no instances to give of their application or +ingenuity in that country; that they were a poor, miserable, +dejected handful of people; that if means had been put into their +hands, they had yet so abandoned themselves to despair, and so sunk +under the weight of their misfortunes, that they thought of nothing +but starving. One of them, a grave and very sensible man, told me +he was convinced they were in the wrong; that it was not the part +of wise men to give up themselves to their misery, but always to +take hold of the helps which reason offered, as well for present +support, as for future deliverance; he told me that grief was the +most senseless insignificant passion in the world, for that it +regarded only things past, which were generally impossible to be +recalled or to be remedied, but had no view to things to come, and +had no share in any thing that looked like deliverance, but rather +added to the affliction <span class="pagenum">[page 412]</span> +than proposed a remedy; and upon this he repeated a Spanish +proverb, which though I cannot repeat in just the same words that +he spoke it, yet I remember I made it into an English proverb of my +own, thus;</p> +<blockquote>In trouble to be troubled,<br> +Is to have your trouble doubled.</blockquote> +<p>He then ran on in remarks upon all the little improvements I had +made in my solitude; my unwearied application, as he called it, and +how I had made a condition, which in its circumstances was at first +much worse than theirs, a thousand times more happy than theirs +was, even now when they were all together. He told me it was +remarkable that Englishmen had a greater presence of mind in their +distress than any people that ever he met with; that their unhappy +nation, and the Portuguese, were the worst men in the world to +struggle with misfortunes; for that their first step in dangers, +after common efforts are over, was always to despair, lie down +under it and die, without rousing their thoughts up to proper +remedies for escape.</p> +<p>I told him their case and mine differed exceedingly; that they +were cast upon the shore without necessaries, without supply of +food, or of present sustenance, till they could provide it; that it +is true, I had this disadvantage and discomfort, that I was alone; +but then the supplies I had providentially thrown into my hands, by +the unexpected driving of the ship on shore, was such a help as +would have encouraged any creature in the world to have applied +himself as I had done. “Seignior,” says the Spaniard, “had we poor +Spaniards been in your case we should never have gotten half those +things out of the ship as you did.” “Nay,” says he, “we should +never have found means to have gotten a raft to carry them, or to +have gotten a raft on shore without boat or sail; and how much less +should we have done,” said he, “if any of us had been alone!” Well, +I desired him to abate his <span class="pagenum">[page 413]</span> +compliment, and go on with the history of their coming on shore, +where they landed. He told me they unhappily landed at a place +where there were people without provisions; whereas, had they had +the common sense to have put off to sea again, and gone to another +island a little farther, they had found provisions though without +people; there being an island that way, as they had been told, +where there were provisions though no people; that is to say, that +the Spaniards of Trinidad had frequently been there, and filled the +island with goats and hogs at several times, where they have bred +in such multitudes, and where turtle and sea-fowls were in such +plenty, that they could have been in no want of flesh though they +had found no bread; whereas here they were only sustained with a +few roots and herbs, which they understood not, and which had no +substance in them, and which the inhabitants gave them sparingly +enough, and who could treat them no better unless they would turn +cannibals, and eat men’s flesh, which was the great dainty of the +country.</p> +<p>They gave me an account how many ways they strove to civilize +the savages they were with, and to teach them rational customs in +the ordinary way of living, but in vain; and how they retorted it +upon them as unjust, that they, who came thither for assistance and +support, should attempt to set up for instructors of those that +gave them bread; intimating, it seems, that none should set up for +the instructors of others but those who could live without +them.</p> +<p>They gave me dismal accounts of the extremities they were driven +to; how sometimes they were many days without any food at all, the +island they were upon being inhabited by a sort of savages that +lived more indolent, and for that reason were less supplied with +the necessaries of life than they had reason to believe others were +in the same part of the world; and yet they found that these +savages were less ravenous and voracious than those who had better +supplies of food.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 414]</span> +<p>Also they added, that they could not but see with what +demonstrations of wisdom and goodness the governing providence of +God directs the event of things in the world, which they said +appeared in their circumstances; for if, pressed by the hardships +they were under, and the barrenness of the country where they were, +they had searched after a better place to live in, they had then +been out of the way of the relief that happened to them by my +means.</p> +<p>Then they gave me an account how the savages whom they lived +among expected them to go out with them into their wars; and it was +true, that as they had fire-arms with them, had they not had the +disaster to lose their ammunition, they should not have been +serviceable only to their friends, but have made themselves +terrible both to friends and enemies; but being without powder and +shot, and in a condition that they could not in reason deny to go +out with their landlords to their wars; when they came in the field +of battle they were in a worse condition than the savages +themselves, for they neither had bows nor arrows, nor could they +use those the savages gave them, so that they could do nothing but +stand still and be wounded with arrows, till they came up to the +teeth of their enemy; and then indeed the three halberts they had +were of use to them, and they would often drive a whole little army +before them with those halberts and sharpened sticks put into the +muzzles of their muskets: but that for all this, they were +sometimes surrounded with multitudes, and in great danger from +their arrows; till at last they found the way to make themselves +large targets of wood, which they covered with skins of wild +beasts, whose names they knew not, and these covered them from the +arrows of the savages; that notwithstanding these, they were +sometimes in great danger, and were once five of them knocked down +together with the clubs of the savages, which was the time when one +of them was taken prisoner, that is to say, the Spaniard whom I had +relieved; that at first they thought he had been <span class= +"pagenum">[page 415]</span> killed, but when afterwards they heard +he was taken prisoner, they were under the greatest grief +imaginable, and would willingly have all ventured their lives to +have rescued him.</p> +<p>They told me, that when they were so knocked down, the rest of +their company rescued them, and stood over them fighting till they +were come to themselves, all but he who they thought had been dead; +and then they made their way with their halberts and pieces, +standing close together in a line, through a body of above a +thousand savages, beating down all that came in their way, got the +victory over their enemies, but to their great sorrow, because it +was with the loss of their friend; whom the other party, finding +him alive, carried off with some others, as I gave an account in my +former.</p> +<p>They described, most affectionately, how they were surprised +with joy at the return of their friend and companion in misery, who +they thought had been devoured by wild beasts of the worst kind, +viz. by wild men; and yet how more and more they were surprised +with the account he gave them of his errand, and that there was a +Christian in a place near, much more one that was able, and had +humanity enough to contribute to their deliverance.</p> +<p>They described how they were astonished at the sight of the +relief I sent them, and at the appearance of loaves of bread, +things they had not seen since their coming to that miserable +place; how often they crossed it, and blessed it as bread sent from +heaven; and what a reviving cordial it was to their spirits to +taste it, as also of the other things I had sent for their supply. +And, after all, they would have told me something of the joy they +were in at the sight of a boat and pilots to carry them away to the +person and place from whence all these new comforts came; but they +told me it was impossible to express it by words, for their +excessive joy driving them to unbecoming extravagancies, they had +no way to describe them but by telling me that they bordered upon +lunacy, having <span class="pagenum">[page 416]</span> no way to +give vent to their passion suitable to the sense that was upon +them; that in some it worked one way, and in some another; and that +some of them, through a surprise of joy, would burst out into +tears; others be half mad, and others immediately faint. This +discourse extremely affected me, and called to my mind Friday’s +ecstasy when he met his father, and the poor people’s ecstasy when +I took them up at sea, after their ship was on fire; the mate of +the ship’s joy, when he found himself delivered in the place where +he expected to perish; and my own joy, when after twenty-eight +years captivity I found a good ship ready to carry me to my own +country. All these things made me more sensible of the relation of +these poor men, and more affected with it.</p> +<p>Having thus given a view of the state of things as I found them, +I must relate the heads of what I did for these people, and the +condition in which I left them. It was their opinion, and mine too, +that they would be troubled no more with the savages; or that, if +they were, they would be able to cut them off, if they were twice +as many as before; so that they had no concern about that. Then I +entered into a serious discourse with the Spaniard whom I called +governor, about their stay in the island; for as I was not come to +carry any of them off, so it would not be just to carry off some +and leave others, who perhaps would be unwilling to stay if their +strength was diminished.</p> +<p>On the other hand I told them, I came to establish them there, +not to remove them; and then I let them know that I had brought +with me relief of sundry kinds for them; that I had been at a great +charge to supply them with all things necessary, as well for their +convenience as their defence; and that I had such particular +persons with me, as well to increase and recruit their number, as +by the particular necessary employments which they were bred to, +being artificers, to assist them in those things in which at +present they were to seek.</p> +<p>They were all together when I talked thus to them; <span class= +"pagenum">[page 417]</span> and before I delivered to them the +stores I had brought, I asked them, one by one, if they had +entirely forgot and buried the first animosities that had been +among them, and could shake hands with one another, and engage in a +strict friendship and union of interest, so that there might be no +more misunderstandings or jealousies.</p> +<p>William Atkins, with abundance of frankness and good humour, +said, they had met with afflictions enough to make them all sober, +and enemies enough to make them all friends: that for his part he +would live and die with them; and was so far from designing any +thing against the Spaniards, that he owned they had done nothing to +him but what his own bad humour made necessary, and what he would +have done, and perhaps much worse, in their case; and that he would +ask them pardon, if I desired it, for the foolish and brutish +things he had done to them; and was very willing and desirous of +living on terms of entire friendship and union with them; and would +do any thing that lay in his power, to convince them of it: and as +for going to England, he cared not if he did not go thither these +twenty years.</p> +<p>The Spaniards said, they had indeed at first disarmed and +excluded William Atkins and his two countrymen, for their ill +conduct, as they had let me know; and they appealed to me for the +necessity they were under to do so; but that William Atkins had +behaved himself so bravely in the great fight they had with the +savages, and on several occasions since, and had shewed himself so +faithful to, and concerned for the general interest of them all, +that they had forgotten all that was past, and thought he merited +as much to be trusted with arms, and supplied with necessaries, as +any of them; and that they had testified their satisfaction in him, +by committing the command to him, next to the governor himself; and +as they had an entire confidence in him and all his countrymen, so +they acknowledged they had merited that confidence by <span class= +"pagenum">[page 418]</span> all the methods that honest men could +merit to be valued and trusted; and they most heartily embraced the +occasion of giving me this assurance, that they would never have +any interest separate from one another.</p> +<p>Upon these frank and open declarations of friendship, we +appointed the next 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 provision, 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 Englishmen had tasted for many +years; and which it may be supposed they were exceeding glad +of.</p> +<p>The Spaniards added to our feast five whole kids, which the +cooks roasted; and three of them were sent, covered up close, on +board our ship to the seamen, that they might feast on fresh meat +from on shore, as we did with their salt meal from on board.</p> +<p>After this feast, at which we were very innocently merry, I +brought out my cargo of goods, wherein, that there might be no +dispute about dividing, I shewed them that there was sufficient for +them all; and desired that they might all take an equal quantity of +the goods that were for wearing; that is to say, equal when made +up. As first, I distributed linen sufficient to make every one of +them four shirts; and, at the Spaniards’ request, afterwards made +them up six; these were exceeding comfortable to them, having been +what, as I may say, they had long since forgot the use of, or what +it was to wear them.</p> +<p>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, <span class="pagenum">[page 419]</span> they +should make more, as they thought fit. The like for pumps, shoes, +stockings, and hats, &c.</p> +<p>I cannot express what pleasure, what satisfaction, sat upon the +countenances of all these poor men when they saw the care I had +taken of them, and how well I had furnished them; they told me I +was a father to them; and that having such a correspondent as I +was, in so remote a part of the world, it would make them forget +that they were left in a desolate place; and they all voluntarily +engaged to me not to leave the place without my consent.</p> +<p>Then I presented to them the people I had brought with me, +particularly the tailor, the smith, and the two carpenters, all of +them most necessary people; but above all, my general artificer, +than whom they could not name any thing that was more needful to +them; and the tailor, to shew his concern for them, went to work +immediately, and, with my leave, made them every one a shirt the +first thing he did; and, which was still more, he taught the women +not only how to sew and stitch, and use the needle, but made them +assist to make the shirts for their husbands and for all the +rest.</p> +<p>As for the carpenters, I scarce need mention how useful they +were, for they took in pieces all my clumsy unhandy things, and +made them clever convenient tables, stools, bedsteads, cupboards, +lockers, shelves, and every thing they wanted of that kind.</p> +<p>But to let them see how nature made artificers at first, I +carried the carpenters to see William Atkins’s basket house, as I +called it, and they both owned they never saw an instance of such +natural ingenuity before, nor any thing so regular and so handily +built, at least of its kind; and one of them, when he saw it, after +musing a good while, turning about to me, “I am sure,” says he, +“that man has no need of us; you need do nothing but give him +tools.”</p> +<p>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 +ploughs; and to every <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page420"></a>[page 420]</span> separate place a pickaxe, a crow, a +broadaxe, and a saw; always appointing, that as often as any were +broken, or worn out, they should be supplied, without grudging, out +of the general stores that I left behind.</p> +<p>Nails, staples, hinges, hammers, chisels, knives, scissors, and +all sorts of tools and iron-work, they had without tale as they +required; for no man would care to 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.</p> +<p>My magazine of powder and arms which I brought them, was such, +even to profusion, that they could not but rejoice at them; for now +they could march, as I used to do, with a musket upon each +shoulder, if there was occasion; and were able to fight a thousand +savages, if they had but some little advantages of situation, which +also they could not miss of if they had occasion.</p> +<p>I carried on shore with me the young man whose mother was +starved to death, and the maid also: she was a sober, +well-educated, religious young woman, and behaved so inoffensively, +that every one gave her a good word. She had, indeed, an unhappy +life with us, there being no woman in the ship but herself; but she +bore it with patience. After a while, seeing things so well +ordered, and in so fine a way of thriving upon my island, and +considering that they had neither business nor acquaintance in the +East Indies, or reason for taking so long a voyage; I say, +considering all this, 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.</p> +<p>I agreed to it 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, palisaded like Atkins’s, and +adjoining to his plantation. Their tents were contrived so, that +they had each of them a room, a part to lodge in, and a middle +tent, like a great storehouse, to lay all their goods in, and +<span class="pagenum">[page 421]</span> to eat and drink in. And +now the other two Englishmen moved 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, I believe, in any +part of the world; for I verily believe a thousand men might have +ranged the island a month, and if they had not known there was such +a thing, and looked on purpose for it, they would not have found +it; for the trees stood so thick and so close, and grew so fast +matted into one another, that nothing but cutting them down first, +could discover the place, except the two narrow entrances where +they went in and out, could be found, which was not very easy. One +of them was just down at the water’s edge, on the side of the +creek; and it was afterwards above two hundred yards to the place; +and the other was up the ladder at twice, as I have already +formerly described it; and they had a large wood, thick planted, +also on the top of the hill, which contained above an acre, which +grew apace, and covered the place from all discovery there, with +only one narrow place between two trees, not easy to be discovered, +to enter on that side.</p> +<p>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 +children of the Englishman that was killed; the young man and the +maid; and by the way, we made a wife of her also before we went +away. There were also the two carpenters and the tailor, whom I +brought with me for them; also the smith, who was a very necessary +man to them, especially as the gunsmith, to take care of their +arms; and my other man, whom I called <span class="pagenum">[page +422]</span> Jack of all Trades, who was 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, whom I mentioned +before.</p> +<p>And now I speak of marrying, it brings me naturally to say +something of the French ecclesiastic that I had brought with me out +of the ship’s crew whom I took at sea. It is true, this man was a +Roman, and perhaps it may give offence to some hereafter, if I +leave any thing extraordinary upon record of a man, whom, before I +begin, I must (to set him out in just colours) represent in terms +very much to his disadvantage in the account of Protestants; as, +first, that he was a Papist; secondly, a Popish priest; and +thirdly, a French Popish priest.</p> +<p>But justice demands of me to give him a due character; and I +must say, he was a grave, sober, pious, and most religious person; +exact in his life, extensive in his charity, and exemplary in +almost every thing he did. What then can any one say against my +being very sensible of the value of such a man, notwithstanding his +profession? though it may be my opinion, perhaps as well as the +opinion of others who shall read this, that he was mistaken.</p> +<p>The first hour that I began to converse with him, after he had +agreed to go with me to the East Indies, I found reason to delight +exceedingly in his conversation; and he first began with me about +religion, in the most obliging manner imaginable.</p> +<p>“Sir,” says he, “you have not only, under God” (and at that he +crossed his breast), “saved my life, but you have admitted me to go +this voyage in your ship, and by your obliging civility have taken +me into your family, giving me an opportunity of free conversation. +Now, Sir,” says he, “you see by my habit what my profession is, and +I guess by your nation what yours is. I may think it is my duty, +and doubtless it is so, to use my utmost endeavours on all +occasions to bring all the souls that I can to the knowledge +<span class="pagenum">[page 423]</span> of the truth, and to +embrace the Catholic doctrine; but as I am here under your +permission, and in your family, I am bound in justice to your +kindness, as well as in decency and good manners, to be under your +government; and therefore I shall not, without your leave, enter +into any debates on the points of religion, in which we may not +agree, farther than you shall give me leave.”</p> +<p>I told him his carriage was so modest that I could not but +acknowledge it; that it was true, we were such people as they call +heretics, but that he was not the first Catholic that I had +conversed with without falling into any inconveniencies, or +carrying the questions to any height in debate; that he should not +find himself the worse used for being of a different opinion from +us; and if we did not converse without any dislike on either side, +upon that score, it would be his fault, not ours.</p> +<p>He replied, that he thought our conversation might be easily +separated from disputes; that it was not his business to cap +principles with every man he discoursed with; and that he rather +desired me to converse with him as a <i>gentleman</i> than as a +<i>religieux</i>; that if I would give him leave at any time to +discourse upon religious subjects, he would readily comply with it; +and that then he did not doubt but I would allow him also to defend +his own opinions as well as he could; but that without my leave he +would not break in upon me with any such thing.</p> +<p>He told me farther, that he would not cease to do all that +became him in his office as a priest, as well as a private +Christian, to procure the good of the ship, and the safety of all +that was in her; and though perhaps we would not join with him, and +he could not pray with us, he hoped he might pray for us, which he +would do upon all occasions. In this manner we conversed; and as he +was of a most obliging gentleman-like behaviour, so he was, if I +may be allowed to say so, a man of good sense, and, as I believe, +of great learning.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 424]</span> +<p>He gave me a most diverting account of his life, and of the many +extraordinary events of it; of many adventures which had befallen +him in the few years that he had been abroad in the world, and +particularly this was very remarkable; viz. that during the voyage +he was now engaged in he had the misfortune to be five times +shipped and unshipped, and never to go to the place whither any of +the ships he was in were at first designed: that his first intent +was to have gone to Martinico, and that he went on board a ship +bound thither at St. Maloes; but being forced into Lisbon in bad +weather, the ship received some damage by running aground in the +mouth of the river Tagus, and was obliged to unload her cargo +there: that finding a Portuguese ship there, bound to the Madeiras, +and ready to sail, and supposing he should easily meet with a +vessel there bound to Martinico, he went on board in order to sail +to the Madeiras; but the master of the Portuguese ship being but an +indifferent mariner, had been out in his reckoning, and they drove +to Fyal; where, however, he happened to find a very good market for +his cargo, which was corn, and therefore resolved not to go to the +Madeiras, but to load salt at the isle of May, to go away to +Newfoundland. He had no remedy in the exigence but to go with the +ship, and had a pretty good voyage as far as the Banks, (so they +call the place where they catch the fish) where meeting with a +French ship bound from France to Quebec, in the river of Canada, +and from thence to Martinico, to carry provisions, he thought he +should have an opportunity to complete his first design. But when +he came to Quebec the master of the ship died, and the ship +proceeded no farther. So the next voyage he shipped himself for +France, in the ship that was burnt, when we took them up at sea, +and then shipped them with us for the East Indies, as I have +already said. Thus he had been disappointed in five voyages, all, +as I may call it, in one voyage, besides what I shall have occasion +to mention farther of the same person.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 425]</span> +<p>But I shall not make digressions into other men’s stories which +have no relation to my own. I return to what concerns our affair in +the island. He came to me one morning, for he lodged among us all +the while we were upon the island, and it happened to be just when +I was going to visit the Englishmen’s colony at the farthest part +of the island; I say, he came to me, and told me with a very grave +countenance, that he had for two or three days desired an +opportunity of some discourse with me, which he hoped would not be +displeasing to me, because he thought it might in some measure +correspond with my general design, which was the prosperity of my +new colony, and perhaps might put it at least more than he yet +thought it was in the way of God’s blessing.</p> +<p>I looked a little surprised at the last part of his discourse, +and turning a little short, “How, Sir,” said I, “can it be said, +that we are not in the way of God’s blessing, after such visible +assistances and wonderful deliverances as we have seen here, and of +which I have given you a large account?”</p> +<p>“If you had pleased, Sir,” said he, with a world of modesty, and +yet with great readiness, “to have heard me, you would have found +no room to have been displeased, much less to think so hard of me, +that I should suggest, that you have not had wonderful assistances +and deliverances; and I hope, on your behalf, that you are in the +way of God’s blessing, and your design is exceeding good, and will +prosper. But, Sir,” said he, “though it were more so than is even +possible to you, yet there may be some among you that are not +equally right in their actions; and you know that in the story of +Israel, one Achan, in the camp, removed God’s blessing from them, +and turned his hand so against them, that thirty-six of them, +though not concerned in the crime, were the objects of divine +vengeance, and bore the weight of that punishment.”</p> +<p>I was sensibly touched with this discourse, and told him his +inference was so just, and the whole design <span class= +"pagenum">[page 426]</span> seemed so sincere, and was really so +religious in its own nature, that I was very sorry I had +interrupted him, and begged him to go on; and in the meantime, +because it seemed that what we had both to say might take up some +time, I told him I was going to the Englishmens’ plantation, and +asked him to go with me, and we might discourse of it by the way. +He told me he would more willingly wait on me thither, because +there, partly, the thing was acted which he desired to speak to me +about. So we walked on, and I pressed him to be free and plain with +me in what he had to say.</p> +<p>“Why then, Sir,” says he, “be pleased to give me leave to lay +down a few propositions as the foundation of what I have to say, +that we may not differ in the general principles, though we may be +of some differing opinions in the practice of particulars. First, +Sir, though we differ in some of the doctrinal articles of +religion, and it is very unhappy that it is so, especially in the +case before us, as I shall shew afterwards, yet there are some +general principles in which we both agree; viz. first, that there +is a God, and that this God, having given us some stated general +rules for our service and obedience, we ought not willingly and +knowingly to offend him, either by neglecting to do what he has +commanded, or by doing what he has expressly forbidden; and let our +different religions be what they will, this general principle is +readily owned by us all, that the blessing of God does not +ordinarily follow a presumptuous sinning against his command; and +every good Christian will be affectionately concerned to prevent +any that are under his care, living in a total neglect of God and +his commands. It is not your men being Protestants, whatever my +opinion may be of such, that discharges me from being concerned for +their souls, and from endeavouring, if it lies before me, that they +should live in as little distance from and enmity with their Maker +as possible; especially if you give me leave to meddle so far in +your circuit.”</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 427]</span> +<p>I could not yet imagine, what he aimed at, and told him I +granted all he had said; and thanked him that he would so far +concern himself for us; and begged he would explain the particulars +of what he had observed, that, like Joshua, (to take his own +parable) I might put away the accursed thing from us.</p> +<p>“Why then, Sir,” says he, “I will take the liberty you give me; +and there are three things which, if I am right, must stand in the +way of God’s blessing upon your endeavours here, and which I should +rejoice, for your sake, and their own, to see removed. And, Sir,” +says he, “I promise myself that you will fully agree with me in +them all as soon as I name them; especially because I shall +convince you that every one of them may with great ease, and very +much to your satisfaction, be remedied.”</p> +<p>He gave me no leave to put in any more civilities, but went on: +“First, Sir,” says he, “you have here four Englishmen, who have +fetched women from among the savages, and have taken them as their +wives, and have had many children by them all, and yet are not +married to them after any stated legal manner, as the laws of God +and man require; and therefore are yet, in the sense of both, no +less than adulterers, and living in adultery. To this, Sir,” says +he, “I know you will object, that there was no clergyman or priest +of any kind, or of any profession, to perform the ceremony; nor any +pen and ink, or paper, to write down a contract of marriage, and +have it signed between them. And I know also, Sir, what the +Spaniard governor has told you; I mean of the agreement that he +obliged them to make when they took these women, viz. that they +should choose them out by consent, and keep separately to them; +which, by the way, is nothing of a marriage, no agreement with the +women as wives, but only an agreement among themselves, to keep +them from quarrelling.</p> +<p>“But, Sir, the essence of the sacrament of matrimony (so he +called it, being a Roman) consists not only in the mutual consent +of the parties to take one <span class="pagenum">[page 428]</span> +another as man and wife, but in the formal and legal obligation +that there is in the contract to compel the man and woman at all +times to own and acknowledge each other; obliging the man to +abstain from all other women, to engage in no other contract while +these subsist; and on all occasions, as ability allows, to provide +honestly for them and their children; and to oblige the women to +the same, on like conditions, <i>mutatis mutandis</i>, on their +side.</p> +<p>“Now, Sir,” says he, “these men may, when they please, or when +occasion presents, abandon these women, disown their children, +leave them to perish, and take other women and marry them whilst +these are living.” And here he added, with some warmth, “How, Sir, +is God honoured in this unlawful liberty? And how shall a blessing +succeed your endeavours in this place, however good in themselves, +and however sincere in your design, while these men, who at present +are your subjects, under your absolute government and dominion, are +allowed by you to live in open adultery?”</p> +<p>I confess I was struck at the thing itself, but much more with +the convincing arguments he supported it with. For it was certainly +true, that though they had no clergyman on the spot, yet a formal +contract on both sides, made before witnesses, and confirmed by any +token which they had all agreed to be bound by, though it had been +but the breaking a stick between them, engaging the men to own +these women for their wives upon all occasions, and never to +abandon them or their children, and the women to the same with +their husbands, had been an effectual lawful marriage in the sight +of God, and it was a great neglect that it was not done.</p> +<p>But I thought to have gotten off with my young priest by telling +him, that all that part was done when I was not here; and they had +lived so many years with them now, that if it was adultery it was +past remedy, they could do nothing in it now.</p> +<p>“Sir,” says he, “asking your pardon for such freedom, +<span class="pagenum">[page 429]</span> you are right in this; that +it being done in your absence, you could not be charged with that +part of the crime. But I beseech you, matter not yourself that you +are not therefore under an obligation to do your uttermost now to +put an end to it. How can you think, but that, let the time past +lie on whom it will, all the guilt for the future will lie entirely +upon you? Because it is certainly in your power now to put an end +to it, and in nobody’s power but yours.”</p> +<p>I was so dull still, that I did not take him right, but I +imagined that by putting an end to it he meant that I should part +them, and not suffer them to live together any longer; and I said +to him I could not do that by any means, for that it would put the +whole island in confusion. He seemed surprised that I should so far +mistake him. “No, Sir,” says he, “I do not mean that you should +separate them, but legally and effectually marry them now. And, +Sir, as my way of marrying may not be so easy to reconcile them to, +though it will be as effectual even by your own laws; so your way +may be as well before God, and as valid among men; I mean by a +written contract signed by both man and woman, and by all the +witnesses present; which all the laws of Europe would decree to be +valid.”</p> +<p>I was amazed to see so much true piety, and so much sincerity of +zeal, besides the unusual impartiality in his discourse, as to his +own party or church, and such a true warmth for the preserving +people that he had no knowledge of or relation to; I say, for +preserving them from transgressing the laws of God; the like of +which I had indeed not met with any where. But recollecting what he +had said of marrying them by a written contract, which I knew would +stand too, I returned it back upon him, and told him I granted +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page430"></a>[page 430]</span> all +that he had said to be just, and on his part very kind; that I +would discourse with the men upon the point now when I came to +them. And I knew no reason why they should scruple to let him marry +them all; which I knew well enough would be granted to be as +authentic and valid in England as if they were married by one of +our own clergymen. What was afterwards done in this matter I shall +speak of by itself.</p> +<p>I then pressed him to tell me what was the second complaint +which he had to make, acknowledging I was very much his debtor for +the first, and thanked him heartily for it. He told me he would use +the same freedom and plainness in the second, and hoped I would +take it as well; and this was, that notwithstanding these English +subjects of mine, as he called them, had lived with these women for +almost seven years, and had taught them to speak English, and even +to read it, and that they were, as he perceived, women of tolerable +understanding and capable of instruction; yet they had not, to this +hour taught them any thing of the Christian religion; no not so +much as to know that there was a God, or a worship, or in what +manner God was to be served; or that their own idolatry, and +worshipping they knew not who, was false and absurd.</p> +<p>This, he said, was an unaccountable neglect, and what God would +certainly call them to an account for; and perhaps at last take the +work out of their hands. He spoke this very affectionately and +warmly. “I am persuaded,” says he, “had those men lived in the +savage country whence their wives came, the savages would have +taken more pains to have brought them to be idolaters, and to +worship the devil, than any of these men, so far as I can see, has +taken with them to teach them the knowledge of the true God. Now, +Sir,” said he, “though I do not acknowledge your religion, or you +mine, yet we should be all glad to see the devil’s servants, and +the subjects of his kingdom, taught to know the general principles +of the Christian religion; that they might at least hear of God, +and of a Redeemer, and of the resurrection, and of a future state, +things which we all believe; they <span class="pagenum">[page +431]</span> had at least been so much nearer coming into the bosom +of the true church, than they are now in the public profession of +idolatry and devil-worship.”</p> +<p>I could hold no longer; I took him in my arms, and embraced him +with an excess of passion. “How far,” said I to him, “have I been +from understanding the most essential part of a Christian, viz. to +love the interest of the Christian church, and the good of other +men’s souls! I scarce have known what belongs to being a +Christian.”—“O, Sir, do not say so,” replied he; “this thing is +not your fault.”—“No,” said I; “but why did I never lay it to +heart as well as you?”—“It is not too late yet,” said he; “be not +too forward to condemn yourself.”—“But what can be done now?” said +I; “you see I am going away.”—“Will you give me leave,” said he, +“to talk with these poor men about it?”—“Yes, with all my heart,” +said I, “and I will oblige them to give heed to what you say +too.”—“As to that,” said he, “we must leave them to the mercy of +Christ; but it is our business to assist them, encourage them, and +instruct them; and if you will give me leave, and God his blessing, +I do not doubt but the poor ignorant souls shall be brought home +into the great circle of Christianity, if not into the particular +faith that we all embrace; and that even while you stay here.” Upon +this I said, “I shall not only give you leave, but give you a +thousand thanks for it.” What followed on this account I shall +mention also again in its place.</p> +<p>I now pressed him for the third article in which we were to +blame. “Why really,” says he, “it is of the same nature, and I will +proceed (asking your leave) with the same plainness as before; it +is about your poor savages yonder, who are, as I may say, your +conquered subjects. It is a maxim, Sir, that is, or ought to be +received among all Christians, of what church, or pretended church +soever, viz. that Christian knowledge ought to be propagated by all +possible means, and on all possible occasions. It is on this +principle that our church sends missionaries into Persia, +<span class="pagenum">[page 432]</span> India, and China; and that +our clergy, even of the superior sort, willingly engage in the most +hazardous voyages, and the most dangerous residence among murderers +and barbarians, to teach them the knowledge of the true God, and to +bring them over to embrace the Christian faith. Now, Sir, you have +an opportunity here to have six or seven-and-thirty poor savages +brought over from idolatry to the knowledge of God, their Maker and +Redeemer, that I wonder how you can pass by such an occasion of +doing good, which is really worth the expense of a man’s whole +life.”</p> +<p>I was now struck dumb indeed, and had not one word to say; I had +here a spirit of true Christian zeal for God and religion before +me, let his particular principles be of what kind soever. As for +me, I had not so much as entertained a thought of this in my heart +before, and I believe should not have thought of it; for I looked +upon these savages as slaves, and people whom, had we any work for +them to do, we would have used as such, or would have been glad to +have transported them to any other part of the world; for our +business was to get rid of them, and we would all have been +satisfied if they had been sent to any country, so they had never +seen their own. But to the case: I say I was confounded at his +discourse, and knew not what answer to make him. He looked +earnestly at me, seeing me in some disorder; “Sir,” said he, “I +shall be very sorry, if what I have said gives you any +offence.”—“No, no,” said I, “I am offended with nobody but myself; +but I am perfectly confounded, not only to think that I should +never take any notice of this before, but with reflecting what +notice I am able to take of it now. You know, Sir,” said I, “what +circumstances I am in; I am bound to the East Indies, in a ship +freighted by merchants, and to whom it would be an insufferable +piece of injustice to detain their ship here, the men lying all +this while at victuals and wages upon the owners’ account. It is +true, I agreed to be allowed twelve days here, and if <span class= +"pagenum">[page 433]</span> I stay more I must pay 32 sterling per +diem demurrage; nor can I stay upon demurrage above eight days +more, and I have been here thirteen days already; so that I am +perfectly unable to engage in this work; unless I would suffer +myself to be left behind here again; in which case, if this single +ship should miscarry in any part of her voyage, I should be just in +the same condition that I was left in here at first, and from which +I have been so wonderfully delivered.”</p> +<p>He owned the case was very hard upon me as to my voyage, but +laid it home upon my conscience, whether the blessing of saving +seven-and-thirty souls was not worth my venturing all I had in the +world for. I was not so sensible of that as he was, and I returned +upon him thus: “Why, Sir, it is a valuable thing indeed to be an +instrument in God’s hand to convert seven-and-thirty heathens to +the knowledge of Christ: but as you are an ecclesiastic, and are +given over to that work, so that it seems naturally to fall into +the way of your profession, how is it then that you do not rather +offer yourself to undertake it, than press me to it!”</p> +<p>Upon this he faced about, just before me, as he walked along, +and pulling me to a full stop, made me a very low bow: “I most +heartily thank God, and you, Sir,” says he, “for giving me so +evident a call to so blessed a work; and if you think yourself +discharged from it, and desire me to undertake it, I will most +readily do it, and think it a happy reward for all of the hazards +and difficulties of such a broken disappointed voyage as I have met +with, that I have dropped at last into so glorious a work.”</p> +<p>I discovered a kind of rapture in his face while he spoke this +to me; his eyes sparkled like fire, his face bowed, and his colour +came and went as if he had been falling into fits; in a word, he +was tired with the agony of being embarked in such a work. I paused +a considerable while before I could tell what to say to him, for I +was really surprised to find a man of such <span class= +"pagenum">[page 434]</span> sincerity and zeal, and carried out in +his zeal beyond the ordinary rate of men, not of his profession +only, but even of any profession whatsoever. But after I had +considered it awhile, I asked him seriously if he was in earnest, +and that he would venture on the single consideration of an attempt +on those poor people, to be locked up in an unplanted island for +perhaps his life, and at last might not know whether he should be +able to do them any good or not?</p> +<p>He turned short upon me, and asked me what I called a venture? +“Pray, Sir,” said he, “what do you think I consented to go in your +ship to the East Indies for?”—“Nay,” said I, “that I know not, +unless it was to preach to the Indians.”—“Doubtless it was,” said +he; “and do you think if I can convert these seven-and-thirty men +to the faith of Christ, it is not worth my time, though I should +never be fetched off the island again? Nay, is it not infinitely of +more worth to save so many souls than my life is, or the life of +twenty more of the same profession? Yes, Sir,” says he, “I would +give Christ and the Blessed Virgin thanks all my days, if I could +be made the least happy instrument of saving the souls of these +poor men though I was never to set my foot off this island, or see +my native country any more. But since you will honour me,” says he, +“with putting me into this work, (for which I will pray for you all +the days of my life) I have one humble petition to you,” said he +“besides.”—“What is that?” said I. “Why,” says he, “it is, that +you will leave your man Friday with me, to be my interpreter to +them, and to assist me for without some help I cannot speak to +them, or they to me.”</p> +<p>I was sensibly troubled at his requesting Friday, because I +could not think of parting with him, and that for many reasons. He +had been the companion of my travels; he was not only faithful to +me, but sincerely affectionate to the last degree; and I had +resolved to do something considerable for him if he out-lived +<span class="pagenum">[page 435]</span> me, as it was probable he +would. Then I knew that as I had bred Friday up to be a Protestant, +it would quite confound him to bring him to embrace another +profession; and he would never, while his eyes were open, believe +that his old master was a heretic, and would be damned; and this +might in the end ruin the poor fellow’s principles, and so turn him +back again to his first idolatry.</p> +<p>However, a sudden thought relieved me in this strait, and it was +this: I told him I could not say that I was willing to part with +Friday on any account whatever; though a work that to him was of +more value than his life, ought to me to be of much more value than +the keeping or parting with a servant. But on the other hand, I was +persuaded, that Friday would by no means consent to part with me; +and then to force him to it without his consent would be manifest +injustice, because I had promised I would never put him away, and +he had promised and engaged to me that he would never leave me +unless I put him away.</p> +<p>He seemed very much concerned at it; for he had no rational +access to these poor people, seeing he did not understand one word +of their language, nor they one word of his. To remove this +difficulty, I told him Friday’s father had learnt Spanish, which I +found he also understood, and he should serve him for an +interpreter; so he was much better satisfied, and nothing could +persuade him but he would stay to endeavour to convert them; but +Providence gave another and very happy turn to all this.</p> +<p>I come back now to the first part of his objections. When we +came to the Englishmen I sent for them all together; and after some +accounts given them of what I had done for them, viz. what +necessary things I had provided for them, and how they were +distributed, which they were sensible of, and very thankful for; I +began to talk to them of the scandalous life they led, and gave +them a full account of the notice the clergyman had already taken +of it; and arguing how unchristian and irreligious a life it was, I +first asked them <span class="pagenum">[page 436]</span> if they +were married men or bachelors? They soon explained their condition +to me, and shewed me that two of them were widowers, and the other +three were single men or bachelors. I asked them with what +conscience they could take these women, and lie with them as they +had done, call them their wives, and have so many children by them, +and not be married lawfully to them?</p> +<p>They all gave me the answer that I expected, viz. that there was +nobody to marry them; that they agreed before the governor to keep +them as their wives; and to keep them and own them as their wives; +and they thought, as things stood with them, they were as legally +married as if they had been married by a parson, and with all the +formalities in the world.</p> +<p>I told them that no doubt they were married in the sight of God, +and were bound in conscience to keep them as their wives; but that +the laws of men being otherwise, they might pretend they were not +married, and so desert the poor women and children hereafter; and +that their wives, being poor, desolate women, friendless and +moneyless, would have no way to help themselves: I therefore told +them, that unless I was assured of their honest intent, I could do +nothing for them; but would take care that what I did should be for +the women and children without them; and that unless they would +give some assurances that they would marry the women, I could not +think it was convenient they should continue together as man and +wife; for that it was both scandalous to men and offensive to God, +who they could not think would bless them if they went on thus.</p> +<p>All this passed as I expected; and they told me, especially Will +Atkins, who seemed now to speak for the rest, that they loved their +wives as well as if they had been born in their own native country, +and would not leave them upon any account whatever; and they did +verily believe their wives were as virtuous and as modest, and did +to the utmost of their skill as much <span class="pagenum">[page +437]</span> for them and for their children as any women could +possibly do, and they would not part with them on any account: and +Will Atkins for his own particular added, if any man would take him +away, and offer to carry him home to England, and to make him +captain of the best man of war in the navy, he would not go with +him if he might not carry his wife and children with him; and if +there was a clergyman in the ship, he would be married to her now +with all his heart.</p> +<p>This was just as I would have it. The priest was not with me at +that moment, but was not far off. So to try him farther, I told him +I had a clergyman with me, and if he was sincere I would have him +married the next morning, and bade him consider of it, and talk +with the rest. He said, as for himself, he need not consider of it +at all, for he was very ready to do it, and was glad I had a +minister with me; and he believed they would be all willing also. I +then told him that my friend the minister was a Frenchman, and +could not speak English, but that I would act the clerk between +them. He never so much as asked me whether he was a Papist or +Protestant, which was indeed what I was afraid of. But I say they +never inquired about it. So we parted; I went back to my clergyman, +and Will Atkins went in to talk with his companions. I desired the +French gentleman not to say any thing to them till the business was +thorough ripe, and I told him what answer the men had given me.</p> +<p>Before I went from their quarter they all came to me, and told +me, they had been considering what I had said; that they were very +glad to hear I had a clergyman in my company; and they were very +willing to give me the satisfaction I desired, and to be formally +married as soon as I pleased; for they were far from desiring to +part from their wives; and that they meant nothing but what was +very honest when they chose them. So I appointed them to meet me +the next morning, and that in the mean time they <span class= +"pagenum">[page 438]</span> should let their wives know the meaning +of the marriage law; and that it was not only to prevent any +scandal, but also to oblige them that they should not forsake them, +whatever might happen.</p> +<p>The women were easily made sensible of the meaning of the thing, +and were very well satisfied with it, as indeed they had reason to +be; so they failed not to attend all together at my apartment next +morning, where I brought out my clergyman: and though he had not on +a minister’s gown, after the manner of England, or the habit of a +priest, after the manner of France; yet having a black vest, +something like a cassock, with a sash round it, he did not look +very unlike a minister; and as for his language I was +interpreter.</p> +<p>But the seriousness of his behaviour to them, and the scruple he +made of marrying the women because they were not baptized, and +professed Christians, gave them an exceeding reverence for his +person; and there was no need after that to inquire whether he was +a clergyman or no.</p> +<p>Indeed I was afraid his scruple would have been carried so far +as that he would not have married them at all: nay, notwithstanding +all I was able to say to him, he resisted me, though modestly, yet +very steadily; and at last refused absolutely to marry them, unless +he had first talked with the men and the women too; and though at +first I was a little backward to it, yet at last I agreed to it +with a good will, perceiving the sincerity of his design.</p> +<p>When he came to them, he let them know that I had acquainted him +with their circumstances, and with the present design; that he was +very willing to perform that part of his function, and marry them +as I had desired; but that before he could do it, he must take the +liberty to talk with them. He told them that in the sight of all +different men, and in the sense of the laws of society, they had +lived all this while in an open adultery; and that it was true that +nothing but the consenting to marry, or effectually separating them +<span class="pagenum">[page 439]</span> from one another now, could +put an end to it; but there was a difficulty in it too, with +respect to the laws of Christian matrimony, which he was not fully +satisfied about, viz. that of marrying one that is a professed +Christian to a savage, an idolater, and a heathen, one that is not +baptized; and yet that he did not see that there was time left for +it to endeavour to persuade the women to be baptized, or to profess +the name of Christ, whom they had, he doubted, heard nothing of, +and without which they could not be baptized.</p> +<p>He told me he doubted they were but indifferent Christians +themselves; that they had but little knowledge of God or his ways, +and therefore he could not expect that they had said much to their +wives on that head yet; but that unless they would promise him to +use their endeavours with their wives to persuade them to become +Christians, and would as well as they could instruct them in the +knowledge and belief of God that made them, and to worship Jesus +Christ that redeemed them, he could not marry them; for he would +have no hand in joining Christians with savages; nor was it +consistent with the principles of the Christian religion, and was +indeed expressly forbidden in God’s law.</p> +<p>They heard all this very attentively, and I delivered it very +faithfully to them from his mouth, as near his own words as I +could, only sometimes adding something of my own, to convince them +how just it was, and how I was of his mind: and I always very +faithfully distinguished between what I said from myself and what +were the clergyman’s words. They told me it was very true what the +gentleman had said, that they were but very indifferent Christians +themselves, and that they had never talked to their wives about +religion.—“Lord, Sir,” says Will Atkins, “how should we teach them +religion? Why, we know nothing ourselves; and besides, Sir,” said +he, “should we go to talk to them of God, and Jesus Christ, and +heaven and hell, it would be to make them laugh at us, and ask us +what we believe ourselves? and if we should tell <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page440"></a>[page 440]</span> them we believe +all the things that we speak of to them, such as of good people +going to heaven, and wicked people to the devil, they would ask us, +where we intended to go ourselves who believe all this, and yet are +such wicked fellows, as we indeed are: why, Sir,” said Will, “’tis +enough to give them a surfeit of religion, at that hearing: folks +must have some religion themselves before they pretend to teach +other people.”—“Will Atkins,” said I to him, “though I am afraid +what you say has too much truth in it, yet can you not tell your +wife that she is in the wrong; that there is a God, and a religion +better than her own; that her gods are idols; that they can neither +hear nor speak; that there is a great Being that made all things, +and that can destroy all that he has made; that he rewards the +good, and punishes the bad; that we are to be judged by him, at +last, for all we do here? You are not so ignorant but even nature +itself will teach you that all this is true; and I am satisfied you +know it all to be true, and believe it yourself.”</p> +<p>“That’s true, Sir,” said Atkins; “but with what face can I say +any thing to my wife of all this, when she will tell me immediately +it cannot be true?”</p> +<p>“Not true!” said I; “what do you mean by that?”—“Why, Sir,” +said he, “she will tell me it cannot be true: that this God (I +shall tell her of) can be just, or can punish or reward, since I am +not punished and sent to the devil, that have been such a wicked +creature as she knows I have been, even to her, and to every body +else; and that I should be suffered to live, that have been always +acting so contrary to what I must tell her is good, and to what I +ought to have done.”</p> +<p>“Why truly, Atkins,” said I, “I am afraid thou speakest too much +truth;” and with that I let the clergyman know what Atkins had +said, for he was impatient to know. “O!” said the priest, “tell him +there is one thing will make him the best minister in the world to +his wife, and that is repentance; for none teach repentance like +true penitents. He wants nothing <span class="pagenum">[page +441]</span> but to repent, and then he will be so much the better +qualified to instruct his wife; he will then be able to tell her, +that there is not only a God, and that he is the just rewarder of +good and evil; but that he is a merciful Being, and, with infinite +goodness and long-suffering, forbears to punish those that offend; +waiting to be gracious, and willing not the death of a sinner, but +rather that he should return and live; that he often suffers wicked +men to go on a long time, and even reserves damnation to the +general day of retribution: that it is a clear evidence of God, and +of a future state, that righteous men receive not their reward, or +wicked men their punishment, till they come into another world; and +this will lend him to teach his wife the doctrine of the +resurrection, and of the last judgment: let him but repent for +himself, he will be an excellent preacher of repentance to his +wife.”</p> +<p>I repeated all this to Atkins, who looked very serious all the +while, and who, we could easily perceive, was more than ordinarily +affected with it: when being eager, and hardly suffering me to make +an end—“I know all this, master,” says he, “and a great deal more; +but I han’t the impudence to talk thus to my wife, when God and my +own conscience knows, and my wife will be an undeniable evidence +against me, that I have lived as if I never heard of God, or a +future state, or any thing about it; and to talk of my repenting, +alas! (and with that he fetched a deep sigh; and I could see that +tears stood in his eyes,) ’tis past all that with me.”—“Past it, +Atkins!” said I; “what dost thou mean by that?”—“I know well +enough what I mean, Sir,” says he; “I mean ’tis too late; and that +is too true.”</p> +<p>I told my clergyman word for word what he said. The poor zealous +priest (I must call him so; for, be his opinion what it will, he +had certainly a most singular affection for the good of other men’s +souls; and it would be hard to think he had not the like for his +own)—I say, this zealous, affectionate man could not <span class= +"pagenum">[page 442]</span> refrain tears also: but recovering +himself, he said to me, “Ask him but one question: Is he easy that +it is too late, or is he troubled, and wishes it were not so?” I +put the question fairly to Atkins; and he answered with a great +deal of passion, “How could any man be easy in a condition that +certainly must end in eternal destruction?” That he was far from +being easy; but that, on the contrary, he believed it would one +time or the other ruin him.</p> +<p>“What do you mean by that?” said I.—“Why,” he said, “he +believed he should, one time or another, cut his own throat to put +an end to the terror of it.”</p> +<p>The clergyman shook his head, with a great concern in his face, +when I told him all this; but turning quick to me upon it, said, +“If that be his case, you may assure him it is not too late; Christ +will give him repentance. But pray,” says he, “explain this to him, +that as no man is saved but by Christ, and the merit of his +passion, procuring divine mercy for him, how can it be too late for +any man to receive mercy? Does he think he is able to sin beyond +the power or reach of divine mercy? Pray tell him, there may be a +time when provoked mercy will no longer strive, and when God may +refuse to hear; but that ’tis never too late for men to ask mercy; +and we that are Christ’s servants are commanded to preach mercy at +all times, in the name of Jesus Christ, to all those that sincerely +repent: so that ’tis never too late to repent.”</p> +<p>I told Atkins all this, and he heard me with great earnestness; +but it seemed as if he turned off the discourse to the rest; for he +said to me he would go and have some talk with his wife: so he went +out awhile, and we talked to the rest. I perceived they were all +stupidly ignorant as to matters of religion; much as I was when I +went rambling away from my father; and yet that there were none of +them backward to hear what had been said; and all of them seriously +promised that they would talk with their wives about it, and do +their endeavour to persuade them to turn Christians.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 443]</span> +<p>The clergyman smiled upon me when I reported what answer they +gave, but said nothing a good while; but at last shaking his head, +“We that are Christ’s servants,” says he, “can go no farther than +to exhort and instruct; and when men comply, submit to the reproof, +and promise what we ask, ’tis all we can do; we are bound to accept +their good words; but believe me, Sir,” said he, “whatever you may +have known of the life of that man you call William Atkins, I +believe he is the only sincere convert among them; I take that man +to be a true penitent; I won’t despair of the rest; but that man is +perfectly struck with the sense of his past life; and I doubt not +but when he comes to talk of religion to his wife, he will talk +himself effectually into it; for attempting to teach others is +sometimes the best way of teaching ourselves. I knew a man,” added +he, “who having nothing but a summary notion of religion himself, +and being wicked and profligate to the last degree in his life, +made a thorough reformation in himself by labouring to convert a +Jew: and if that poor Atkins begins but once to talk seriously of +Jesus Christ to his wife, my life for it he talks himself into a +thorough convert, makes himself a penitent; and who knows what may +follow?”</p> +<p>Upon this discourse, however, and their promising as above to +endeavour to persuade their wives to embrace Christianity, he +married the other three couple; but Will Atkins and his wife were +not yet come in. After this, my clergyman waiting awhile, was +curious to know where Atkins was gone; and turning to me, says he, +“I entreat you, Sir, let us walk out of your labyrinth here and +look; I dare say we shall find this poor man somewhere or other, +talking seriously with his wife, and teaching her already something +of religion.” I began to be of the same mind; so we went out +together, and I carried him a way which none knew but myself, and +where the trees were so thick set, as that it was not easy to see +through the thicket of leaves, and far harder to see in than to see +<span class="pagenum">[page 444]</span> out; when coming to the +edge of the wood I saw Atkins, and his tawny savage wife, sitting +under the shade of a bush, very eager in discourse. I stopped short +till my clergyman came up to me, and then having shewed him where +they were, we stood and looked very steadily at them a good +while.</p> +<p>We observed him very earnest with her, pointing up to the sun, +and to every quarter of the heavens; then down to the earth, then +out to the sea, then to himself, then to her, to the woods, to the +trees. “Now,” says my clergyman, “you see my words are made good; +the man preaches to her; mark him; now he is telling her that our +God has made him, and her, and the heavens, the earth, the sea, the +woods, the trees, &c.”—“I believe he is,” said I. Immediately +we perceived Will Atkins start up upon his feet, fall down upon his +knees, and lift up both his hands; we supposed he said something, +but we could not hear him; it was too far off for that: he did not +continue kneeling half a minute, but comes and sits down again by +his wife, and talks to her again. We perceived then the woman very +attentive, but whether she said any thing or no we could not tell. +While the poor fellow was upon his knees, I could see the tears run +plentifully down my clergyman’s cheeks; and I could hardly forbear +myself; but it was a great affliction to us both, that we were not +near enough to hear any thing that passed between them.</p> +<p>Well, however, we could come no nearer for fear of disturbing +them; so we resolved to see an end of this piece of still +conversation, and it spoke loud enough to us without the help of +voice. He sat down again, as I have said, close by her, and talked +again earnestly to her, and two or three times we could see him +embrace her passionately; another time we saw him take out his +handkerchief and wipe her eyes, and then kiss her again, with a +kind of transport very unusual; and after several of these things, +we saw him on a sudden jump up again and lend her his hand to help +her up, when immediately leading her by the <span class= +"pagenum">[page 445]</span> hand a step or two, they both kneeled +down together, and continued so about two minutes.</p> +<p>My friend could bear it no longer, but cries out aloud, “St. +Paul, St. Paul, behold he prayeth!”—I was afraid Atkins would hear +him; therefore I entreated him to withhold himself awhile, that we +might see an end of the scene, which to me, I must confess, was the +most affecting, and yet the most agreeable, that ever I saw in my +life. Well, he strove with himself, and contained himself for +awhile, but was in such raptures of joy to think that the poor +heathen woman was become a Christian, that he was not able to +contain himself; he wept several times: then throwing up his hands, +and crossing his breast, said over several things ejaculatory, and +by way of giving God thanks for so miraculous a testimony of the +success of our endeavours: some he spoke softly, and I could not +well hear; others audibly; some in Latin, some in French; then two +or three times the tears of joy would interrupt him, that he could +not speak at all. But I begged that he would compose himself, and +let us more narrowly and fully observe what was before us, which he +did for a time, and the scene was not ended there yet; for after +the poor man and his wife were risen again from their knees, we +observed he stood talking still eagerly to her; and we observed by +her motion that she was greatly affected with what he said, by her +frequent lifting up her hands, laying her hand to her breast, and +such other postures as usually express the greatest seriousness and +attention. This continued about half a quarter of an hour, and then +they walked away too; so that we could see no more of them in that +situation.</p> +<p>I took this interval to talk with my clergyman: and first I told +him, I was glad to see the particulars we had both been witnesses +to; that though I was hard enough of belief in such cases, yet that +I began to think it was all very sincere here, both in the man and +his wife, however ignorant they both might be; and I hoped such a +beginning would have yet a more <span class="pagenum">[page +446]</span> happy end: “And who knows,” said I, “but these two may +in time, by instruction and example, work upon some of the +others?”—“Some of them!” said he, turning quick upon me, “ay, upon +all of them: depend upon it, if those two savages (for <i>he</i> +has been but little better as you relate it) should embrace Jesus +Christ, they will never leave till they work upon all the rest; for +true religion is naturally communicative, and he that is once made +a Christian will never leave a Pagan behind him if he can help it,” +I owned it was a most Christian principle to think so, and a +testimony of a true zeal, as well as a generous heart in him. “But, +my friend,” said I, “will you give me liberty to start one +difficulty here? I cannot tell how to object the least thing +against that affectionate concern which you shew for the turning +the poor people from their Paganism to the Christian religion; but +how does this comfort you, while these people are, in your account, +out of the pale of the Catholic church, without which, you believe, +there is no salvation; so that you esteem these but heretics still; +and, for other reasons, as effectually lost as the Pagans +themselves?”</p> +<p>To this he answered with abundance of candour and Christian +charity, thus: “Sir, I am a Catholic of the Roman church, and a +priest of the order of St. Benedict, and I embrace all the +principles of the Roman faith. But yet, if you will believe me, and +this I do not speak in compliment to you, or in respect to my +circumstances and your civilities; I say, nevertheless, I do not +look upon you, who call yourselves reformed, without some charity: +I dare not say, though I know it is our opinion in general, yet I +dare not say, that you cannot be saved; I will by no means limit +the mercy of Christ, so far as to think that he cannot receive you +into the bosom of his church, in a manner to us imperceivable, and +which it is impossible for us to know; and I hope you have the same +charity for us. I pray daily for your being all restored to +Christ’s church, by whatsoever methods he, who is all-wise, is +pleased to direct. In the mean time, sure you will allow it to +consist with me, as a Roman, <span class="pagenum">[page +447]</span> to distinguish far between a Protestant and a Pagan; +between him that calls on Jesus Christ, though in a way which I do +not think is according to the true faith; and a savage, a +barbarian, that knows no God, no Christ, no Redeemer at all; and if +you are not within the pale of the Catholic church, we hope you are +nearer being restored to it than those that know nothing at all of +God or his church. I rejoice, therefore, when I see this poor man, +who, you say, has been a profligate, and almost a murderer, kneel +down and pray to Jesus Christ, as we suppose he did, though not +fully enlightened; believing that God, from whom every such work +proceeds, will sensibly touch his heart, and bring him to the +further knowledge of the truth in his own time; and if God shall +influence this poor man to convert and instruct the ignorant savage +his wife, I can never believe that he shall be cast away himself; +and have I not reason then to rejoice, the nearer any are brought +to the knowledge of Christ, though they may not be brought quite +home into the bosom of the Catholic church, just at the time when I +may desire it; leaving it to the goodness of Christ to perfect his +work in his own time, and his own way? Certainly I would rejoice if +all the savages in America were brought, like this poor woman, to +pray to God, though they were to be all Protestants at first, +rather than they should continue pagans and heathens; firmly +believing, that He who had bestowed that first light upon them, +would farther illuminate them with a beam of his heavenly grace, +and bring them into the pale of his church, when he should see +good.”</p> +<p>I was astonished at the sincerity and temper of this truly pious +Papist, as much as I was oppressed by the power of his reasoning; +and it presently occurred to my thoughts, that if such a temper was +universal, we might be all Catholic Christians, whatever church or +particular profession we were joined to, or joined in; that a +spirit of charity would soon work us all up into right principles; +and, in a word, as he thought that <span class="pagenum">[page +448]</span> the like charity would make us all Catholics, as I told +him, I believed had all the members of his church the like +moderation they would soon be all Protestants; and there we left +that part, for we never disputed at all.</p> +<p>However, I talked to him another way; and taking him by the +hand, “My friend,” said I, “I wish all the clergy of the Roman +church were blessed with such moderation, and an equal share of +your charity. I am entirely of your opinion; but I must tell you, +that if you should preach such doctrine in Spain or Italy, they +would put you into the Inquisition.”</p> +<p>“It may be so,” said he; “I know not what they might do in Spain +and Italy; but I will not say they would be the better Christians +for that severity; for I am sure there is no heresy in too much +charity.”</p> +<p>Well, as Will Atkins and his wife were gone, our business there +was over; so we went back our own way; and when we came back we +found them waiting to be called in. Observing this, I asked my +clergyman if we should discover to him that we had seen him under +the bush, or no; and it was his opinion we should not; but that we +should talk to him first, and hear what he would say to us: so we +called him in alone, nobody being in the place but ourselves; and I +began with him thus:</p> +<p>“Will Atkins,” said I, “pr’ythee what education had you? What +was your father?”</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> A better man than ever I shall be. Sir, my father +was a clergyman.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> What education did he give you?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> He would have taught me well, Sir; but I despised +all education, instruction, or correction, like a beast as I +was.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> It is true, Solomon says, “He that despiseth reproof +is brutish.”</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Ay, Sir, I was brutish indeed; I murdered my father; +for God’s sake, Sir, talk no more about that, Sir; I murdered my +poor father.</p> +<p><i>Priest</i>. Ha! a murderer?</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 449]</span> +<blockquote>[Here the priest started (for I interpreted every word +as he spoke it), and looked pale: it seems he believed that Will +had really killed his own father.]</blockquote> +<p><i>R.C.</i> No, no, Sir, I do not understand him so. Will +Atkins, explain yourself: you did not kill your father, did you, +with your own hands?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> No, Sir; I did not cut his throat; but I cut the +thread of all his comforts, and shortened his days; I broke his +heart by the most ungrateful, unnatural return for the most tender, +affectionate treatment that ever father gave, or child could +receive.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> Well, I did not ask you about your father to extort +this confession; I pray God give you repentance for it, and forgive +you that and all your other sins; but I asked you, because I see +that, though you have not much learning, yet you are not so +ignorant as some are in things that are good; that you have known +more of religion a great deal than you have practised.</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Though you, Sir, did not extort the confession that +I make about my father, conscience does; and whenever we come to +look back upon our lives, the sins against our indulgent parents +are certainly the first that touch us; the wounds they make lie +deepest; and the weight they leave will lie heaviest upon the mind +of all the sins we can commit.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> You talk too feelingly and sensible for me, Atkins; +I cannot bear it.</p> +<p><i>W.A. You</i> bear it, master! I dare say you know nothing of +it.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> Yes, Atkins, every shore, every hill, nay, I may say +every tree in this island, is witness to the anguish of my soul for +my ingratitude and base usage of a good tender father; a father +much like yours by your description; and I murdered my father as +well as you, Will Atkins; but think for all that, my repentance is +short of yours too, by a great deal.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page450"></a>[page 450]</span> +<blockquote>[I would have said more, if I could have restrained my +passions; but I thought this poor man’s repentance was so much +sincerer than mine, that I was going to leave off the discourse and +retire, for I was surprised with what he said, and thought, that, +instead of my going about to teach and instruct him, the man was +made a teacher and instructor to me, in a most surprising and +unexpected manner.]</blockquote> +<p>I laid all this before the young clergyman, who was greatly +affected with it, and said to me, “Did I not say, Sir, that when +this man was converted he would preach to us all? I tell you, Sir, +if this one man be made a true penitent, here will be no need of +me, he will make Christians of all in the island.” But having a +little composed myself I renewed my discourse with Will Atkins.</p> +<p>“But, Will,” said I, “how comes the sense of this matter to +touch you just now?”</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Sir, you have set me about a work that has struck a +dart through my very soul; I have been talking about God and +religion to my wife, in order, as you directed me, to make a +Christian of her; and she has preached such a sermon to me as I +shall never forget while I live.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> No, no; it is not your wife has preached to you; but +when you were moving religious arguments to her, conscience has +flung them back upon you.</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Ay, Sir, with such a force as is not to be +resisted.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> Pray, Will, let us know what passed between you and +your wife; for I know something of it already.</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Sir, it is impossible to give you a full account of +it: I am too full to hold it, and yet have no tongue to express it: +but let her have said what she will, and though I cannot give you +an account of it, this I can tell you of it, that I resolve to +amend and reform my life.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> But tell us some of it. How did you begin Will? for +this has been an extraordinary case, that is certain; she has +preached a sermon indeed, if she has wrought this upon you.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 451]</span> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Why, I first told her the nature of our laws about +marriage, and what the reasons were that men and women were obliged +to enter into such compacts as it was neither in the power of one +or other to break; that otherwise, order and justice could not be +maintained, and men would run from their wives and abandon their +children, mix confusedly with one another, and neither families be +kept entire, or inheritances be settled by a legal descent.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> You talk like a civilian, Will. Could you make her +understand what you meant by inheritance and families? They know no +such thing among the savages, but marry any how, without any regard +to relation, consanguinity, or family; brother and sister, nay, as +I have been told, even the father and daughter, and the son and the +mother.</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> I believe, Sir, you are misinformed;—my wife +assures me of the contrary, and that they abhor it. Perhaps for any +further relations they may not be so exact as we are; but she tells +me they never touch one another in the near relations you speak +of.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> Well, what did she say to what you told her?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> She said she liked it very well; and it was much +better than in her country.</p> +<p><i>R.C.</i> But did you tell her what marriage was?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Ay, ay, there began all our dialogue. I asked her, +if she would be married to me our way? She asked me, what way that +was? I told her marriage was appointed of God; and here we had a +strange talk together indeed, as ever man and wife had, I +believe.</p> +<blockquote>[N.B. This dialogue between W. Atkins and his wife, as +I took it down in writing just after he told it me, was as +follows:]</blockquote> +<p><i>Wife</i>. Appointed by your God! Why, have you a God in your +country?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Yes, my dear; God is in every country.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> No your God in my country; my country have the +great old Benamuckee God.</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Child, I am very unfit to shew you who God +<span class="pagenum">[page 452]</span> is; God is in heaven, and +made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and all that in them +is.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> No makee de earth; no you God makee de earth; no +make my country.</p> +<blockquote>[W.A. laughed a little at her expression of God not +making her country.]</blockquote> +<p><i>Wife.</i> No laugh: why laugh me? This no ting to laugh.</p> +<blockquote>[He was justly reproved by his wife, for she was more +serious than he at first.]</blockquote> +<p><i>W.A.</i> That’s true, indeed; I will not laugh any more, my +dear.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Why you say, you God make all?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Yes, child, our God made the whole world, and you, +and me, and all things; for he is the only true God; there is no +God but he; he lives for ever in heaven.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Why you no tell me long ago?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> That’s true, indeed; but I have been a wicked +wretch, and have not only forgotten to acquaint thee with any thing +before, but have lived without God in the world myself.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> What have you de great God in your country, you no +know him? No say O to him? No do good ting for him? That no +impossible!</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> It is too true though, for all that: we live as if +there was no God in heaven, or that he had no power on earth.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> But why God let you do so? Why he no makee you good +live!</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> It is all our own fault.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> But you say me he is great, much great, have much +great power; can make kill when he will: why he no make kill when +you no serve him? no say O to him? no be good mans?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> That is true; he might strike me dead, and I ought +to expect it; for I have been a wicked wretch, that is true: but +God is merciful, and does not deal with us as we deserve.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 453]</span> +<p><i>Wife.</i> But then do not you tell God tankee for that +too?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> No, Indeed; I have not thanked God for his mercy, +any more than I have feared God for his power.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Then you God no God; me no tink, believe he be such +one, great much power, strong; no makee kill you, though you makee +him much angry!</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> What! will my wicked life hinder you from believing +in God! What a dreadful creature am I! And what a sad truth is it, +that the horrid lives of Christians hinder the conversion of +heathens!</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Now me tink you have great much God up there, +(<i>she points up to heaven</i>) and yet no do well, no do good +ting? Can he tell? Sure he no tell what you do.</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Yes, yes, he knows and sees all things; he hears us +speak, sees what we do, knows what we think, though we do not +speak.</p> +<p><i>Wife</i> What! he no hear you swear, curse, speak the great +damn?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Yes, yes, he hears it all.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Where be then the muchee great power strong?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> He is merciful; that is all we can say for it; and +this proves him to be the true God: he is God, and not man; and +therefore we are not consumed.</p> +<blockquote>[Here Will Atkins told us he was struck with horror to +think how he could tell his wife so clearly that God sees, and +hears, and knows the secret thoughts of the heart, and all that we +do; and yet that he had dared to do all the vile things he had +done.]</blockquote> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Merciful! what you call dat?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> He is our father and maker; and he pities and spares +us.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> So then he never makee kill, never angry when you +do wicked; then he no good himself, or no great able.</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Yes, yes, my dear; he is infinitely good, +<span class="pagenum">[page 454]</span> and infinitely great, and +able to punish too; and some times, to shew his justice and +vengeance, he lets fly his anger to destroy sinners and make +examples; many are cut off in their sins.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> But no makee kill you yet; then he tell you, may +be, that he no makee you kill, so you make de bargain with him, you +do bad ting, he no be angry at you, when he be angry at other +mans?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> No, indeed, my sins are all presumptions upon his +goodness; and he would be infinitely just if he destroyed me as he +has done other men.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Well, and yet no kill, no makee you dead! What you +say to him for that? You no tell him tankee for all that too!</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> I am an unthankful, ungrateful dog, that is +true.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Why he no makee you much good better? You say he +makee you.</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i>. He made me as he made all the world; ’tis I have +deformed myself, and abused his goodness, and have made myself an +abominable wretch.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> I wish you makee God know me; I no makee him angry; +I no do bad wicked ting.</p> +<blockquote>[Here Will Atkins said his heart sunk within him, to +hear a poor, untaught creature desire to be taught to know God, and +he such a wicked wretch that he could not say one word to her about +God, but what the reproach of his own carriage would make most +irrational to her to believe; nay, that already she could not +believe in God, because he that was so wicked was not +destroyed.]</blockquote> +<p><i>W.A.</i> My dear, you mean you wish I could teach you to know +God, not God to know you, for he knows you already, and every +thought in your heart.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Why then he know what I say to you now; he know me +wish to know him; how shall me know who makee me?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Poor creature, he must teach thee, I cannot teach +thee; I’ll pray to him to teach thee to know <span class= +"pagenum">[page 455]</span> him; and to forgive me that I am +unworthy to teach thee.</p> +<blockquote>[The poor fellow was in such an agony at her desiring +him to make her know God, and her wishing to know him, that he said +he fell down on his knees before her, and prayed to God to +enlighten her mind with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, and +to pardon his sins, and accept of his being the unworthy instrument +of instructing her in the principles of religion; after which he +sat down by her again, and their dialogue went on.]<br> +<br> +N.B. This was the time when we saw him kneel down and lift up his +hands.</blockquote> +<p><i>Wife.</i> What you put down the knee for? What you hold up +the hand for? What you say? Who you speak to? What is that?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> My dear, I bow my knees in token of my submission to +Him that made me: I said O to him, as you call it, and as you say +your old men do to their idol Benamuckee; that is, I prayed to +him.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> What you say O to him for?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> I prayed to him to open your eyes and your +understanding, that you may know him, and be accepted by him.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Can he do that too?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Yes, he can; he can do all things.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> But he no hear what you say?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Yes, he has bid us pray to him; and promised to hear +us.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Bid you pray? When he bid you? How he bid you? What +you hear him speak?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> No, we do not hear him speak; but he has revealed +himself many ways to us.</p> +<blockquote>[Here he was at a great loss to make her understand +that God had revealed himself to us by his word; and what his word +was; but at last he told it her thus:]</blockquote> +<p><i>W.A.</i> God has spoken to some good men in former days, even +from heaven, by plain words; and God <span class="pagenum">[page +456]</span> has inspired good men by his Spirit; and they have +written all his laws down in a book.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> Me no understand that: where is book?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i>. Alas! my poor creature, I have not this book; but I +hope I shall, one time or other, get it for you to read it.</p> +<blockquote>[Here he embraced her with great affection; but with +inexpressible grief, that he had not a Bible.]</blockquote> +<p><i>Wife.</i> But how you makee me know that God teachee them to +write that book?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> By the same rule that we know him to be God.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> What rule? what way you know?</p> +<p><i>W.A.</i> Because he teaches and commands nothing but what is +good, righteous, and holy, and tends to make us perfectly good, as +well as perfectly happy; and because he forbids, and commands us to +avoid, all that is wicked, that is evil in itself, or evil in its +consequences.</p> +<p><i>Wife.</i> That me would understand, that me fain see; if he +reward all good thing, punish all wicked thing, he teachee all good +thing, forbid all wicked thing, he makee all thing, he give all +thing; he hear me when I say O to him, as you go to do just now; he +makee me good if I wish be good; he spare me, no makee kill me when +I no be good; all this you say he do: yes, he be great God; me +take, think, believe him be great God; me say O to him too with +you, my dear.</p> +<p>Here the poor man said he could forbear no longer; but, raising +her up, made her kneel by him; and he prayed to God aloud to +instruct her in the knowledge of himself by his Spirit; and that by +some good providence, if possible, she might some time or other +come to have a Bible, that she might read the word of God, and be +taught by him to know him.</p> +<blockquote>[This was the time that we saw him lift her up by the +hand, and saw him kneel down by her, as above.]</blockquote> +<p>They had several other discourses, it seems, after <span class= +"pagenum">[page 457]</span> this, too long to set down here; and +particularly she made him promise, that, since he confessed his own +life had been a wicked, abominable course of provocation against +God, he would reform it, and not make God angry any more, lest he +should make him dead, as she called it, and then she should be left +alone, and never be taught to know this God better; and lest he +should be miserable, as he told her wicked men should be after +death.</p> +<p>This was a strange account, and very affecting to us both, but +particularly the young clergyman; he was indeed wonderfully +surprised with it; but under the greatest affliction imaginable +that he could not talk to her; that he could not speak English to +make her understand him; and as she spoke but very broken English +he could not understand her. However, he turned himself to me, and +told me, that he believed there must be more to do with this woman +than to marry her. I did not understand him at first, but at length +he explained himself, viz. that she ought to be baptized.</p> +<p>I agreed with him in that part readily, and was for going about +it presently: “No, no; hold, Sir,” said he; “though I would have +her baptized by all means, yet I must observe, that Will Atkins, +her husband, has indeed brought her, in a wonderful manner, to be +willing to embrace a religious life; and has given her just ideas +of the being of a God, of his power, justice, and mercy; yet I +desire to know of him, if he has said any thing to her of Jesus +Christ, and of the salvation of sinners; of the nature of faith in +him, and the redemption by him; of the Holy Spirit, the +Resurrection, the last judgment, and a future state.”</p> +<p>I called Will Atkins again, and asked him; but the poor fellow +fell immediately into tears, and told us he had said something to +her of all those things, but that he was himself so wicked a +creature, and his own conscience so reproached him with his horrid, +ungodly life, that he trembled at the apprehensions, that her +<span class="pagenum">[page 458]</span> knowledge of him should +lessen the attention she should give to those things, and make her +rather contemn religion than receive it: but he was assured, he +said, that her mind was so disposed to receive due impressions of +all those things, that, if I would but discourse with her, she +would make it appear to my satisfaction that my labour would not be +lost upon her.</p> +<p>Accordingly I called her in, and placing myself as interpreter +between my religious priest and the woman, I entreated him to begin +with her. But sure such a sermon was never preached by a popish +priest in these latter ages of the world: and, as I told him, I +thought he had all the zeal, all the knowledge, all the sincerity +of a Christian, without the errors of a Roman Catholic; and that I +took him to be such a clergyman as the Roman bishops were before +the church of Rome assumed spiritual sovereignty over the +consciences of men.</p> +<p>In a word, he brought the poor woman to embrace the knowledge of +Christ, and of redemption by him, not with wonder and astonishment +only, as she did the first notions of a God, but with joy and +faith, with an affection, and a surprising degree of understanding, +scarce to be imagined, much less to be expressed; and at her own +request she was baptized.</p> +<p>When he was preparing to baptize her, I entreated him that he +would perform that office with some caution, that the man might not +perceive he was of the Roman church, if possible; because of other +ill consequences which might attend a difference among us in that +very religion which we were instructing the other in. He told me, +that as he had no consecrated chapel, nor proper things for the +office, I should see he would do it in a manner that I should not +know by it that he was a Roman Catholic himself if I had not known +it before, and so he did; for saying only some words over to +himself in Latin, which I could not understand, he poured a whole +dishfull of water upon the woman’s head, pronouncing in French very +loud <i>Mary</i> (which was the name her husband desired me +<span class="pagenum">[page 459]</span> to give her, for I was her +godfather,) <i>I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Ghost</i>; so that none could know any thing +by it what religion he was of: he gave the benediction afterwards +in Latin; but either Will Atkins did not know but it was in French, +or else did not take notice of it at that time.</p> +<p>As soon as this was over, he married them; and after the +marriage was over, he turned himself to Will Atkins, and in a very +affectionate manner exhorted him not only to persevere in that good +disposition he was in, but to support the convictions that were +upon him by a resolution to reform his life; told him it was in +vain to say he repented if he did not forsake his crimes; +represented to him, how God had honoured him with being the +instrument of bringing his wife to the knowledge of the Christian +religion; and that he should be careful he did not dishonour the +grace of God; and that if he did, he would see the heathen a better +Christian than himself; the savage converted, and the instrument +cast away!</p> +<p>He said a great many good things to them both, and then +recommended them, in a few words, to God’s goodness; gave them the +benediction again, I repeating every thing to them in English: and +thus ended the ceremony. I think it was the most pleasant, +agreeable day to me that ever I passed in my whole life.</p> +<p>But my clergyman had not done yet; his thoughts hung continually +upon the conversion of the thirty-seven savages, and fain he would +have staid upon the island to have undertaken it; but I convinced +him, first, that his undertaking was impracticable in itself; and +secondly, that, perhaps, I could put it into a way of being done, +in his absence, to his satisfaction; of which by and by.</p> +<p>Having thus brought the affair of the island to a narrow +compass, I was preparing to go on board the ship when the young +man, whom 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 +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page460"></a>[page 460]</span> that +I had caused the Englishmen to be married to the savages whom they +called wives; 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.</p> +<p>I knew this must be the young woman who was his mother’s +servant, for there was no other Christian woman on the island. So I +began to persuade him not to do any thing of that kind rashly, or +because he found himself in this solitary circumstance. I +represented that he had some considerable substance in the world, +and good friends, as I understood by himself, and by his maid also; +that the maid was not only poor, and a servant, but was unequal to +him, she being twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, and he not +above seventeen or eighteen; that he might very probably, with my +assistance, make a remove from this wilderness, and come into his +own country again, and that then it would be a thousand to one but +he would repent his choice, and the dislike of that circumstance +might be disadvantageous to both. I was going to say more, but he +interrupted me, smiling; and told me, with a great deal of modesty, +that I mistook in my guesses; that he had nothing of that kind in +his thoughts, his present circumstances being melancholy and +disconsolate enough; and he was very glad to hear that I had some +thoughts of putting them in a way to see their own country again; +and that nothing should have set him upon staying there, but that +the voyage I was going was so exceeding long and hazardous, and +would carry him quite out of the reach of all his friends; that he +had nothing to desire of me, but that I would settle him in some +little property of the island where he was; give him a servant or +two, and some few necessaries, and he would settle himself here +like a planter, waiting the good time when, if ever I returned to +England, I would redeem him, and hoped I would not be unmindful of +him when I came to England; that he would give me some letters to +his friends in London, to let them know how good I had <span class= +"pagenum">[page 461]</span> been to him, and what part of the +world, and what circumstances I had left him in; and he promised +me, that whenever I redeemed him, the plantation, and all the +improvements he had made upon it, let the value be what it would, +should be wholly mine.</p> +<p>His discourse was very prettily delivered, considering his +youth, and was the more agreeable to me, because he told me +positively the match was not for himself. I gave him all possible +assurances, that, if I lived to come safe to England, I would +deliver his letters, and do his business effectually, and that he +might depend I would never forget the circumstances I left him in. +But still I was impatient to know who was the person to be married; +upon which he told me it was my Jack of all Trades and his maid +Susan.</p> +<p>I was most agreeably surprised when he named the match; for +indeed I had thought it very suitable. The character of that man I +have given already; and as for the maid, she was a very honest, +modest, sober, and religious young woman; had a very good share of +sense; was agreeable enough in her person; spoke very handsomely, +and to the purpose; always with decency and good manners, and not +backward to speak when any thing required it, or impertinently +forward to speak when it was not her business; very handy and +housewifely in any thing that was before her; an excellent manager, +and fit indeed to have been governess to the whole island; she knew +very well how to behave herself to all kind of folks she had about +her, and to better if she had found any there.</p> +<p>The match being proposed in this manner, we married them the +same day: and as I was father at the altar, as I may say, and gave +her away, so I gave her a portion, for I appointed her and her +husband a handsome large space of ground for their plantation; and +indeed this match, and the proposal the young gentleman made to me, +to give him a small property in the island, put me upon parcelling +it out among them, that they might not quarrel afterwards about +their situation.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 462]</span> +<p>This sharing out the land to them I left to Will Atkins, who +indeed was now grown a most sober, grave, managing fellow, +perfectly reformed, exceeding pious and religious, and as far as I +may be allowed to speak positively in such a case, I verily believe +was a true sincere penitent.</p> +<p>He divided things so justly, and so much to every one’s +satisfaction, that they only desired one general writing under my +hand for the whole, which I caused to be drawn up, and signed and +sealed to them, setting out the bounds and situation of every man’s +plantation, and testifying that I gave them thereby, severally, a +right to the whole possession and inheritance of the respective +plantations or farms, with their improvements, to them and their +heirs; reserving all the rest of the island as my own property, and +a certain rent for every particular plantation after eleven years, +if I or any one from me, or in my name, came to demand it, +producing an attested copy of the same writing.</p> +<p>As to the government and laws among them, I told them, I was not +capable of giving them better rules than they were able to give +themselves; only made them promise me to live in love and good +neighbourhood with one another: and so I prepared to leave +them.</p> +<p>One thing I must not omit, and that is, that being now settled +in a kind of commonwealth among themselves, and having much +business in hand, it was but odd to have seven-and-thirty Indians +live in a nook of the island, independent, and indeed unemployed; +for excepting the providing themselves food, which they had +difficulty enough in doing sometimes, they had no manner of +business or property to manage: 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 +take them into their several families as servants, to be maintained +for their labour, but without being absolute slaves, for I would +not admit them to make them slaves by force by any means, because +they had their liberty given by <span class="pagenum">[page +463]</span> capitulation, and as it were articles of surrender, +which they ought not to break.</p> +<p>They most willingly embraced the proposal, and came all very +cheerfully along with him; so we allotted them land and +plantations, which three or four accepted of, but all the rest +chose to be employed as servants in the several families we had +settled; and thus my colony was in a manner settled as follows: The +Spaniards possessed my original habitation, which was the capital +city, and extended their plantation all along the side of the brook +which made the creek that I have so often described, as far as my +bower; and as they increased their culture, it went always +eastward. The English lived in the north-east part, where Will +Atkins and his comrades began, and came on southward and +south-west, towards the back part of the Spaniards; and every +plantation had a great addition of land to take in, if they found +occasion, so that they need not jostle one another for want of +room.</p> +<p>All the west end of the island was left uninhabited, that, if +any of the savages should come on shore there, only for their usual +customary barbarities, they might come and go; if they disturbed +nobody, nobody would disturb them; and no doubt but they were often +ashore, and went away again, for I never heard that the planters +were ever attacked and disturbed any more.</p> +<p>It now came into my thoughts that I had hinted to my friend the +clergyman that the work of converting the savages might perhaps be +set on foot in his absence to his satisfaction; and I told him, +that now I thought it was put in a fair way, for the savages being +thus divided among the Christians, if they would but every one of +them do their part with those which came under their hands, I hoped +it might have a very good effect.</p> +<p>He agreed presently in that; “if,” said he, “they will do their +part; but how,” says he, “shall we obtain that of them?” I told him +we would call them all together, and leave it in charge with them, +or go to <span class="pagenum">[page 464]</span> them one by one, +which he thought best; so we divided it—he to speak to the +Spaniards, who were all Papists, and I to the English, who were all +Protestants; and we recommended it earnestly to them, and made them +promise that they would never make any distinction of Papist or +Protestant in their exhorting the savages to turn Christians, but +teach them the general knowledge of the true God, and of their +Saviour Jesus Christ; and they likewise promised us that they would +never have any differences or disputes one with another about +religion.</p> +<p>When I came to Will Atkins’s house, (I may call it so, for such +a house, or such a piece of basket-work, I believe was not standing +in the world again!) I say, when I came thither I found the young +woman I have mentioned above, and William Atkins’s wife, were +become intimates; and this prudent and religious young woman had +perfected the work Will Atkins had begun; and though it was not +above four days after what I have related, yet the new-baptized +savage woman was made such a Christian as I have seldom heard of +any like her, in all my observation or conversation in the +world.</p> +<p>It came next into my mind in the morning, before I went to them, +that among all the needful things I had to leave with them, I had +not left a Bible; in which I shewed myself less considering for +them than my good friend the widow was for me, when she sent me the +cargo of 100<i>l</i>. 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.</p> +<p>I took one of the Bibles in my pocket; and when I came to +William Atkins’s tent, or house, I found the young woman and +Atkins’s baptized wife had been discoursing of religion together +(for William Atkins told it me with a great deal of joy.) I asked +if they were together now? And he said yes; so I <span class= +"pagenum">[page 465]</span> went into the house, and he with me, +and we found them together, very earnest in discourse: “O Sir,” +says William Atkins, “when God has sinners to reconcile to himself, +and aliens to bring home, he never wants a messenger: my wife has +got a new instructor—I knew I was unworthy, as I was incapable of +that work—that young woman has been sent hither from Heaven—she +is enough to convert a whole island of savages.” The young woman +blushed, and rose up to go away, but I desired her to sit still; I +told her she had a good work upon her hands, and I hoped God would +bless her in it.</p> +<p>We talked a little, and I did not perceive they had any book +among them, though I did not ask, but I put my hand in my pocket, +and pulled out my Bible. “Here,” said I to Atkins, “I have brought +you an assistant, that perhaps you had not before.” The man was so +confounded, that he was not able to speak for some time; but +recovering himself, he takes it with both hands, and turning to his +wife, “Here, my dear,” says he, “did not I tell you our God, though +he lives above, could hear what we said? Here is the book I prayed +for when you and I kneeled down under the bush; now God has heard +us, and sent it.” When he had said thus, the man fell in such +transports of a passionate joy, that between the joy of having it, +and giving God thanks for it, the tears ran down his face like a +child that was crying.</p> +<p>The woman was surprised, and was like to have run into a mistake +that none of us were aware of; for she firmly believed God had sent +the book upon her husband’s petition: it is true that +providentially it was so, and might be taken so in a consequent +sense; but I believed it would have been no difficult matter at +that time to have persuaded the poor woman to have believed that an +express messenger came from Heaven on purpose to bring that +individual book; but it was too serious a matter to suffer any +delusion to take place: so I turned to the young woman, and +<span class="pagenum">[page 466]</span> told her we did not desire +to impose upon the convert in her first and more ignorant +understanding of things, and begged her to explain to her that God +may be very properly said to answer our petitions, when in the +course of his providence such things are in a particular manner +brought to pass as we petitioned for; but we do not expect returns +from Heaven in a miraculous and particular manner; and that it is +our mercy it is not so.</p> +<p>This the young woman did afterwards effectually; so that there +was, I assure you, no priestcraft used here; and I should have +thought it one of the most unjustifiable frauds in the world to +have had it so: but the surprise of joy upon Will Atkins is really +not to be expressed; and there we may be sure was no delusion. Sure +no man was ever more thankful in the world for any thing of its +kind than he was for this Bible; and I believe never any man was +glad of a Bible from a better principle; and though he had been a +most profligate creature, desperate, headstrong, outrageous, +furious, and wicked to a great degree, yet this man is a standing +rule to us all for the well instructing children, viz. that parents +should never give over to teach and instruct, or ever despair of +the success of their endeavours, let the children be ever so +obstinate, refractory, or to appearance insensible of instruction; +for if ever God in his providence touches the consciences of such, +the force of their education returns upon them, and the early +instruction of parents is not lost, though it may have been many +years laid asleep, but some time or other they may find the benefit +of it.</p> +<p>Thus it was with this poor man. However ignorant he was, or +divested of religion and Christian knowledge, he found he had some +to do with now more ignorant than himself; and that the least part +of the instruction of his good father that could now come to his +mind was of use to him.</p> +<p>Among the rest it occurred to him, he said, how his father used +to insist much upon the inexpressible <span class="pagenum">[page +467]</span> value of the Bible, the privilege and blessing of it to +nations, families, and persons; but he never entertained the least +notion of the worth of it till now, when being to talk to heathens, +savages, and barbarians, he wanted the help of the written oracle +for his assistance.</p> +<p>The young woman was very glad of it also for the present +occasion, though she had one, and so had the youth, on board our +ship among the goods which were not yet brought on shore. And now, +having said so many things of this young woman, I cannot omit +telling one story more of her and myself, which has something in it +very informing and remarkable.</p> +<p>I have related to what extremity the poor young woman was +reduced; how her mistress was starved to death, and did die on +board that unhappy ship we met at sea; and how the whole ship’s +company being reduced to the last extremity, the gentlewoman and +her son, and this maid, were first hardly used as to provisions, +and at last totally neglected and starved; that is to say, brought +to the last extremity of hunger.</p> +<p>One day being discoursing with her upon the extremities they +suffered, I asked her if she could describe by what she felt what +it was to starve, and how it appeared? She told me she believed she +could, and she told her tale very distinctly thus:</p> +<p>“First, Sir,” said she, “we had for some days fared exceeding +hard, and suffered very great hunger, but now at last we were +wholly without food of any kind except sugar, and a little wine, +and a little water. The first day after I had received no food at +all, I found myself, towards evening, first empty and sickish at my +stomach, and nearer night mightily inclined to yawning, and sleepy; +I lay down on a couch in the great cabin to sleep, and slept about +three hours, and awaked a little refreshed, having taken a glass of +wine when I lay down. After being about three hours awake, it being +about five o’clock in the morning, I found myself empty, and my +stomach sickish again, and lay down again, but could not sleep at +all, being very faint and ill; and thus I continued all the second +<span class="pagenum">[page 468]</span> day with a strange +variety—first hungry, then sick again, with retchings to vomit. +The second night, being obliged to go to bed again without any food +more than a draught of fair water, and being asleep, I dreamed I +was at Barbadoes, and that the market was mightily stocked with +provisions, that I bought some for my mistress, and went and dined +very heartily.</p> +<p>“I thought my stomach was full after this, as it would have been +after or at a good dinner; but when I waked, I was exceedingly sunk +in my spirits to find myself in the extremity of famine; the last +glass of wine we had I drank, and put sugar into it, because of its +having some spirit to supply nourishment; but there being no +substance in the stomach for the digesting office to work upon, I +found the only effect of the wine was to raise disagreeable fumes +from the stomach into the head; and I lay, as they told me, stupid +and senseless as one drunk for some time.</p> +<p>“The third day in the morning, after a night of strange and +confused inconsistent dreams, and rather dozing than sleeping, I +awaked ravenous and furious with hunger; and I question, had not my +understanding returned and conquered it, I say, I question whether, +if I had been a mother, and had had a little child with me, its +life would have been safe or no.</p> +<p>“This lasted about three hours, during which time I was twice +raging mad as any creature in Bedlam, as my young master told me, +and as he can now inform you.</p> +<p>“In one of these fits of lunacy or distraction, whether by the +motion of the ship or some slip of my foot I know not, I fell down, +and struck my face against the corner of a pallet-bed, in which my +mistress lay, and with the blow the blood gushed out of my nose, +and the cabin-boy bringing me a little basin, I sat down and bled +into it a great deal, and as the blood ran from me I came to +myself, and the violence of the flame or the fever I was in abated, +and so did the ravenous part of the hunger.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 469]</span> +<p>“Then I grew sick, and retched to vomit, but could not, for I +had nothing in my stomach to bring up. After I had bled some time I +swooned, and they all believed I was dead; but I came to myself +soon after, and then had a most dreadful pain in my stomach, not to +be described, not like the colic, but a gnawing eager pain for +food, and towards night it went off with a kind of earnest wishing +or longing for food, something like, as I suppose, the longing of a +woman with child. I took another draught of water with sugar in it, +but my stomach loathed the sugar, and brought it all up again; then +I took a draught of water without sugar, and that stayed with me, +and I laid me down upon the bed, praying most heartily that it +would please God to take me away; and composing my mind in hopes of +it, I slumbered awhile; and then waking, thought myself dying, +being light with vapours from an empty stomach: I recommended my +soul to God, and earnestly wished that somebody would throw me into +the sea.</p> +<p>“All this while my mistress lay by me just, as I thought, +expiring, but bore it with much more patience than I, and gave the +last bit of bread she had to her child, my young master, who would +not have taken it, but she obliged him to eat it, and I believe it +saved his life.</p> +<p>“Towards the morning I slept again, and first when I awaked I +fell into a violent passion of crying, and after that had a second +fit of violent hunger, so that I got up ravenous, and in a most +dreadful condition. Had my mistress been dead, so much as I loved +her, I am certain I should have eaten a piece of her flesh with as +much relish and as unconcerned as ever I did the flesh of any +creature appointed for food; and once or twice I was going to bite +my own arm. At last I saw the basin in which was the blood had bled +at my nose the day before; I ran to it, and swallowed it with such +haste, and such a greedy appetite, as if I had wondered nobody had +taken it before, and afraid it should be taken from me now.</p> +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page470"></a>[page 470]</span> +<p>“Though after it was down the thoughts of it filled me with +horror, yet it checked the fit of hunger, and I drank a draught of +fair water, and was composed and refreshed for some hours, after +it. This was the fourth day; and thus I held it till towards night, +when, within the compass of three hours, I had all these several +circumstances over again, one after another, viz. sick, sleepy, +eagerly hungry, pain in the stomach, then ravenous again, then sick +again, then lunatic, then crying, then ravenous again, and so every +quarter of an hour; and my strength wasted exceedingly. At night I +laid me down, having no comfort but in the hope that I should die +before morning.</p> +<p>“All this night I had no sleep, but the hunger was now turned +into a disease, and I had a terrible colic and griping, wind +instead of food having found its way into my bowels; and in this +condition I lay till morning, when I was surprised a little with +the cries and lamentations of my young master, who called out to me +that his mother was dead. I lifted myself up a little, for I had +not strength to rise, but found she was not dead, though she was +able to give very little signs of life.</p> +<p>“I had then such convulsions in my stomach for want of some +sustenance, that I cannot describe them, with such frequent throes +and pangs of appetite that nothing but the tortures of death can +imitate; and this condition I was in when I heard the seamen above +cry out ‘A sail! a sail!’ and halloo and jump about as if they were +distracted.</p> +<p>“I was not able to get off from the bed, and my mistress much +less; and my master was so sick that I thought he had been +expiring; so we could not open the cabin-door, or get any account +what it was that occasioned such a combustion; nor had we any +conversation with the ship’s company for two days, they having told +us they had not a mouthful of any thing to eat in the ship; and +they told us afterwards they thought we had been dead.</p> +<p>“It was this dreadful condition we were in when <span class= +"pagenum">[page 471]</span> you were sent to save our lives; and +how you found us, Sir, you know as well as I, and better too.”</p> +<p>This was her own relation, and is such a distinct account of +starving to death as I confess I never met with, and was exceeding +entertaining to me: I am the rather apt to believe it to be a true +account, because the youth gave me an account of a good part of it; +though I must own not so distinct and so feelingly as his maid, and +the rather because it seems his mother fed him at the price of her +own life: but the poor maid, though her constitution being stronger +than that of her mistress, who was in years, and a weakly woman +too, she might struggle harder with it; I say, the poor maid might +be supposed to feel the extremity something sooner than her +mistress, who might be allowed to keep the last bits something +longer than she parted with any to relieve the maid. No question, +as the case is here related, if our ship, or some other, had not so +providentially met them, a few days more would have ended all their +lives, unless they had prevented it by eating one another; and even +that, as their case stood, would have served them but a little +while, they being five hundred leagues from any land, or any +possibility of relief, other than in the miraculous manner it +happened.—But this is by the way; I return to my disposition of +things among the people.</p> +<p>And first, it is to be observed here, that for many reasons I +did not think fit to let them know any thing of the sloop I had +framed, and which I thought of setting up among them; for I found, +at least at my first coming, such seeds of division among them, +that I saw it plainly, had I set up the sloop, and left it among +them, they would, upon very light disgust, have separated, and gone +away from one another; or perhaps have turned pirates, and so made +the island a den of thieves, instead of a plantation of sober and +religious people, as I intended it to be; nor did I leave the two +pieces of brass cannon that I had on board, or the two quarter-deck +guns, that my nephew took extraordinary, for the same reason: I +thought they <span class="pagenum">[page 472]</span> had enough to +qualify them for a defensive war, against any that should invade +them; but I was not to set them up for an offensive war, or to +encourage them to go abroad to attack others, which, in the end, +would only bring ruin and destruction upon themselves and all their +undertakings: I reserved the sloop, therefore, and the guns, for +their service another way, as I shall observe in its place.</p> +<p>I have now done with the island: I left them all in good +circumstances, and in a flourishing condition, and went on board my +ship again the fifth day of May, having been five and twenty days +among them; and, as they were all resolved to stay upon the island +till I came to remove them, I promised to send some further relief +from the Brasils, if I could possibly find an opportunity; and +particularly I promised to send them some cattle; such as sheep, +hogs, and cows; for 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.</p> +<p>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 Brasils, in +about twenty-two days; meeting nothing remarkable in our passage +but this, that about three days after we sailed, being becalmed, +and the current setting strong to the N.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 Land, to the +westward; but whether it was the continent, or islands, we could +not tell by any means.</p> +<p>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; +but, 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 <span class="pagenum">[page +473]</span> the fellow a fool, or some such word: “Nay, Sir,” says +he, “don’t be angry, for it is an army, and a fleet too; for I +believe there are a thousand canoes, and you may see them paddle +along, and they are coming towards us too apace, and full of +men.”</p> +<p>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 devoured. I must confess, considering we were +becalmed, and the current set strong towards the shore, I liked it +the worse; however, I bade him not be afraid, but bring the ship to +an anchor, as soon as we came so near as to know that we must +engage them.</p> +<p>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 the 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 sheet and buckets, +to put out any fire these savages might endeavour to fix upon the +outside of the ship.</p> +<p>In this posture we lay by for them, and in a little while they +came up with us; but never was such a horrid sight seen by +Christians; my mate was much mistaken in his calculation of their +number, I mean of a thousand canoes; the most we could make of them +when they came up, being about 126; and a great many of them too; +for some of them had sixteen or seventeen men in them, some more, +and the least six or seven.</p> +<p>When they came nearer to us, they seemed to be struck with +wonder and astonishment, as at a sight which they had, doubtless, +never seen before; nor could they, at first, as we afterwards +understood, know what to make of us. They came boldly up however, +<span class="pagenum">[page 474]</span> very near to us, and seemed +to go about to row round us; but we called to our men in the boats +not to let them come too near them. This very order brought us to +an engagement with them, without our designing it; for five or six +of the large canoes came so near our long-boat, that our men +beckoned with their hands to keep them back, which they understood +very well, and went back: but at their retreat about fifty arrows +came on board us from those boats, and one of our men in the +long-boat was very much wounded. However, I called to them not to +fire by any means; but we handed down some deal boards into the +boat, and the 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.</p> +<p>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; and I easily found they were +some of my old friends, the same sort of savages that I had been +used to engage with. In a short time more they rowed a little +farther out to sea, till they came directly broadside with us, and +then rowed down straight upon us, till they came so near that they +could hear us speak; upon this, I ordered all my men to keep close, +lest they should shoot any more arrows, and made all our guns +ready; but being so near as to be within hearing, I made Friday go +out upon the deck, and call out aloud to them in his language, to +know what they meant. Whether they understood him or not, that I +knew not; but as soon as he had called to them, six of them, who +were in the foremost or nearest 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 they were going to shoot, and, unhappily for him, +poor <span class="pagenum">[page 475]</span> fellow, they let fly +about three hundred of their arrows, and to my inexpressible grief, +killed poor Friday, no other man being in their sight. The poor +fellow was shot with no less than three arrows, and about three +more fell very near him; such unlucky marksmen they were!</p> +<p>I was so annoyed at the loss of my old trusty servant and +companion, that I immediately ordered five guns to be loaded with +small shot, and four with great, and gave them such a broadside as +they had never heard in their lives before. They were not above +half a cable’s length off when we fired; and our gunners took their +aim so well, that three or four of their canoes were overset, as we +had reason to believe, by one shot only. The ill manners of turning +up their bare backs to us gave us no great offence; neither did I +know for certain whether that which would pass for the greatest +contempt among us might be understood so by them or not; therefore, +in return, I had only resolved to have fired four or five guns at +them with powder only, which I knew would frighten them +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.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 476]</span> men took up +one poor fellow swimming for his life; above an hour after they +were all gone.</p> +<p>Our small shot from our cannon must needs kill and wound a great +many; but, in short, we never knew any thing 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 Brasils.</p> +<p>We had a prisoner indeed, but the creature was so sullen, that +he would neither eat nor speak; and we all fancied he would starve +himself to death; but I took a way to cure him; for I made them +take him, and turn him into the long-boat, and make him believe +they would toss him into the sea again, and so leave him where they +found him, if he would not speak: nor would that do, but they +really did throw him into the sea, and came away from him; and then +he followed them, for he swam like a cork, and called to them in +his tongue, though they knew not one word of what he said. However, +at last, they took him in again, and then he began to be more +tractable; nor did I ever design they should drown him.</p> +<p>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, as I have said; and it was a long while before we +could make him understand any thing; 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 spoken +in the throat, in such a hollow and odd manner, that we could never +form a word from him; and we were all of opinion that they might +speak that language as well if they were gagged, as otherwise; nor +could we <span class="pagenum">[page 477]</span> perceive that they +had any occasion either for teeth, tongue, lips, or palate; but +formed their words just as a hunting-horn forms a tune, 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, there were five nation (we could not +make him understand the plural <i>s</i>,) 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.”—Where it is to be +observed, that all those natives, as also those of Africa, when +they learn English, they always add two <i>e</i>’s at the end of +the words where we use one, and place the accent upon the last of +them; as <i>makee, takee</i>, and the like; and we could not break +them of it; nay, I could hardly make Friday leave it off, though at +last he did.</p> +<p>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 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: +and so ended the life of the most grateful, faithful, honest, and +most affectionate servant that ever man had.</p> +<p>We now went away with a fair wind for Brasil, and, in about +twelve days time, we made land in the latitude of five degrees +south of the line, being the north-easternmost land of all that +part of America. We kept on S. by E. in sight of the shore four +days, when we made the 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.</p> +<p>Never did a ship come to this part that had less business than I +had; and yet it was with great difficulty that we were admitted to +hold the least correspondence on shore. Not my partner himself, who +was alive, and made a great figure among them, not my <span class= +"pagenum">[page 478]</span> two merchant trustees, nor the fame of +my wonderful preservation in the island, could obtain me that +favour; but my partner remembering that I had given five hundred +moidores to the prior of the monastery of the Augustines, and three +hundred and seventy-two to the poor, went to the monastery, and +obliged the prior that then was, to go to the governor, and beg +leave for me presently, with the captain, and one more, besides +eight seamen, 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.</p> +<p>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 broad-cloths, stuffs, and some linen, +which I had brought for a present to my partner.</p> +<p>He was a very generous, broad-hearted man, though (like me) he +came from little at first; and though he knew not that I had the +least design of giving him any thing, 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 broad-cloth, English stuffs, lace, and fine +Hollands. Also, I delivered him about the value of 100<i>l</i>. +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.</p> +<p>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 +instruction as he could not miss the place; nor did he miss it, as +I had an account from my partner afterwards. I got him soon loaded +with the small cargo I had 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 479]</span> +letter to the governor Spaniard, to allot him a sufficient quantity +of land for a plantation; and giving him some clothes, and tools +for his planting work, which he said he understood, having been an +old planter in Maryland, and a buccaneer into the bargain.</p> +<p>I encouraged the fellow by granting all he desired; and, as an +addition, I gave him the savage which 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.</p> +<p>When we came to fit this man out, my old partner told me, there +was a certain very honest fellow, a Brasil planter of his +acquaintance, who had fallen into the displeasure of the church: “I +know not what the matter is with him,” says he, “but, on my +conscience, I think he is a heretic in his heart; and he has been +obliged to conceal himself for fear of the Inquisition;” that he +would be very glad of such an opportunity to make his escape, with +his wife and two daughters; and if I would let them go to the +island, and allot them a plantation, he would give them a small +stock to begin with; for the officers of the Inquisition had seized +all his effects and estate, and he had nothing left but a little +household stuff, and two slaves; “And,” adds he, “though I hate his +principles, yet I would not have him fall into their hands, for he +will assuredly be burnt alive if he does.”</p> +<p>I granted this presently, and joined my Englishman with them; +and we concealed the man, and his wife and daughters, on board our +ship, till the sloop put out to go to sea; and then (having put all +their goods on board the sloop some time before) we put them on +board the sloop, after she was got out of the bay.</p> +<p>Our seaman was mightily pleased with this new partner; and their +stock, indeed, was much alike, rich in tools, and in preparations, +for a farm; but nothing to begin with, but as above. However, they +carried over with them (which was worth all the rest) some +materials for planting sugar-canes, with some plants of +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page480"></a>[page 480]</span> +canes; which he (I mean the Portugal man) understood very well.</p> +<p>Among the rest of the supplies sent my tenants in the island, I +sent them, by this sloop, three milch-cows and five calves, about +twenty-two hogs, among them, three sows big with pig, two mares, +and a stone-horse.</p> +<p>For my Spaniards, according to my promise, I engaged three +Portugal women to go; and recommended it to them to marry them, and +use them kindly. I could have procured more women, but I remembered +that the poor persecuted man had two daughters, and there were but +five of the Spaniards that wanted; the rest had wives of their own, +though in another country.</p> +<p>All this cargo arrived safe, and, as you may easily suppose, +very welcome to my old inhabitants, who were now (with this +addition) between sixty and seventy people, besides little +children; of which there were a great many: I found letters at +London from them all, by way of Lisbon, when I came back to +England, being sent back to the Brasils by this sloop; of which I +shall take some notice in its place.</p> +<p>I have now done with my 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 only +of the follies of an old man, not warned by his own harms, much +less by those of other men, to beware of the like; not cooled by +almost forty years misery and disappointments; not satisfied with +prosperity beyond expectation; not made cautious by affliction and +distress beyond irritation.</p> +<p>I had no more business to go to the East Indies, than a man at +full liberty, and having committed no crime, has to go to the +turnkey at Newgate, and desire him to lock him up among the +prisoners there, and starve him. Had I taken a small vessel from +England, and gone directly to the island; had I loaded her, as I +did the other vessel, with all the necessaries for the plantation, +and for my people; took a patent from the <span class= +"pagenum">[page 481]</span> government here, to have secured my +property, in subjection only to that of England, which, to be sure, +I might have obtained; had I carried over cannon and ammunition, +servants, and people to plant, and, taking possession of the place, +fortified and strengthened it in the name of England, and increased +it with people, as I might easily have done; had I then settled +myself there, and sent the ship back, loaded with good rice, as I +might also have done in six months time, and ordered my friends to +have fitted her out again for our supply; had I done this, and +staid there myself, I had, at least, acted like a man of common +sense; but I was possessed with a wandering spirit, scorned all +advantages, pleased myself with being the patron of these people I +had placed there, and doing for them in a kind of haughty majestic +way, like an old patriarchal monarch; providing for them, as if I +had been father of the whole family, as well as of the plantation: +but I never so much as pretended to plant in the name of any +government or nation, or to acknowledge any prince, or to call my +people subjects to any one nation more than another; nay, I never +so much as gave the place a name; but left it as I found it, +belonging to no man; and the people under no discipline or +government but my own; who, though I had an influence over them as +father and benefactor, had no authority or power to act or command +one way or other, farther than voluntary consent moved them to +comply: yet even this, had I staid there, would have done well +enough; but as I rambled from them, and came thither no more, the +last letters I had from any of them, were by my partner’s means, +who afterwards sent another sloop to the place; and who sent me +word, though I had not the letter till five years after it was +written, that they went on but poorly, were malecontent with their +long stay there; that Will Atkins was dead; that five of the +Spaniards were come away; and that though they had not been much +molested by the savages, yet they had had some <span class= +"pagenum">[page 482]</span> skirmishes with them; that they begged +of him to write to me to think of the promise I had made to fetch +them away, that they might see their own country again before they +died.</p> +<p>But I was gone a wild-goose chase indeed, and they who will have +any more of me, must be content to follow me through a new variety +of follies, hardships, and wild adventures; wherein the justice of +Providence may be duly observed, and we may see how easily Heaven +can gorge us with our own desires, make the strongest of our wishes +to be our affliction and punish us most severely with those very +things which we think it would be our utmost happiness to be +allowed in.</p> +<p>Let no wise man flatter himself with the strength of his own +judgment, as if he was able to choose any particular station of +life for himself. Man is a short-sighted creature, sees but a very +little way before him; and as his passions are none of his best +friends, so his particular affections are generally his worst +counsellors.</p> +<p>I say this with respect to the impetuous desire I had from a +youth to wander into the world, and how evident it now was that +this principle was preserved in me for my punishment. How it came +on, the manner, the circumstance, and the conclusion of it, it is +easy to give you historically, and with its utmost variety of +particulars. But the secret ends of Divine Providence, in thus +permitting us to be hurried down the stream of our own desires, are +only to be understood of those who can listen to the voice of +Providence, and draw religious consequences from God’s justice and +their own mistakes.</p> +<p>Be it had I business or no business, away I went. It is no time +now to enlarge any farther upon the reason or absurdity of my own +conduct; but to come to the history—I was embarked for the voyage, +and the voyage I went.</p> +<p>I shall only add here, that my honest and truly pious clergyman +left me here; a ship being ready to go to Lisbon, he asked me leave +to go thither; being still <span class="pagenum">[page 483]</span> +as he observed, bound never to finish any voyage he began. How +happy had it been for me if I had gone with him!</p> +<p>But it was too late now; all things Heaven appoints are best. +Had I gone with him, I had never had so many things to be thankful +for, and you had never heard of the Second Part of the Travels and +Adventures of Robinson Crusoe; so I must leave here the fruitless +exclaiming at myself, and go on with my voyage.</p> +<p>From the Brasils we made directly away over the Atlantic sea to +the Cape de Bonne Esperance, or, as we call it, the Cape of Good +Hope; and had a tolerable 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 befal me on shore; that it might appear the land was as +well prepared to be our scourge as the sea, when Heaven, who +directs the circumstances of things, pleases to appoint it to be +so.</p> +<p>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 the several ports she was to go to. This was none +of my business, neither did I meddle with it at all; my nephew the +captain, and the supercargo, adjusting all those things between +them as they thought fit.</p> +<p>We made no stay at the Cape longer than was needful to take in +fresh water, but made the best of our way for the coast of +Coromandel; we were indeed informed that a French man of war of +fifty guns and two large merchant-ships were gone for the Indies; +and as I knew we were at war with France, I had some apprehensions +of them; but they went their own way, and we heard no more of +them.</p> +<p>I shall not pester my account, or the reader, with descriptions +of places, journals of our voyages, variations of the compass, +latitudes, meridian distances, trade-winds, situation of ports, and +the like; such as <span class="pagenum">[page 484]</span> almost +all the histories of long navigation are full of, and which make +the reading tiresome enough, and are perfectly unprofitable to all +that read, except only to those who are to go to those places +themselves.</p> +<p>It is enough to name the ports and places which we touched at, +and what occurred to us upon our passing from one to another. We +touched first at the island of Madagascar, where, though the people +are fierce and treacherous, and, in particular, 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, +middling in size, but very good in flesh, which we took in, partly +for fresh provisions for our present spending, and the rest to salt +for the ship’s use.</p> +<p>We were obliged to stay here for some time after we had +furnished ourselves with provisions; and I that was always too +curious to look into every nook of the world wherever I came, was +for going 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; 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 the country +not only of truce and friendship, but when it is accepted, the +other side set up three poles or boughs also, 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 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 +thither you must not carry your weapons <span class="pagenum">[page +485]</span> with you; and if they come into that space they stick +up their javelins and lances all at the first poles, and come on +unarmed; but if any violence is offered them, and the truce thereby +broken, away they run to the poles and lay hold of their weapons, +and then the truce is at an end.</p> +<p>It happened one evening when we went on shore, that a greater +number of their people came down than usual, but all was very +friendly and civil. They brought with them several kinds of +provisions, for which we satisfied them with such toys as we had; +their 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 of trees, and lay on shore all that +night.</p> +<p>I know not what was the occasion, but I was not so well +satisfied to lie on shore as the rest; and the boat lying at an +anchor about a stone’s cast from the land, with two men in her to +take care of her, I made one of them come on shore, and getting +some boughs of trees to cover us also in the boat, I spread the +sail on the bottom of the boat, and lay on board, under the cover +of the branches of the trees, all night.</p> +<p>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 firing of five muskets, +which was the number of the guns they had, and that three times +over; for, it seems, the natives here were not so easily frighted +with guns as the savages were in America, where I had to do with +them.</p> +<p>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 fusils we had on board, to land +and assist our men.</p> +<p>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 <span class="pagenum">[page 486]</span> +the expedition they could, being pursued by between three and four +hundred men. Our men were but nine in all, and only five of them +had fusils with them; the rest, indeed, had pistols and swords, but +they were of small use to them.</p> +<p>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 fain 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, or +providence rather, in the boat.</p> +<p>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, and we could hear by the cries of some of them, +that we had wounded several; however, they stood thus in battle +array on the shore till break of day, which we suppose was that +they might see the better to take their aim at us.</p> +<p>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, +which 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 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 +nearer to us; and <span class="pagenum">[page 487]</span> one of +the men taking the end of a tow-line in his hand, and keeping our +boat between him and the enemy, so that they could not perfectly +see him, swam on board us, and made the line fast to the boat, upon +which we slipt our little cable, and leaving our anchor behind, +they towed us out of the reach of the arrows, we all the while +lying close behind the barricade we had made.</p> +<p>As soon as we were got from between the ship and the shore, that +she could lay her side to the shore, we ran along just by them, and +we 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.</p> +<p>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, viz. that an old woman, who had come to sell +us some milk, had brought it within our poles, with a young woman +with her, who also brought some roots or herbs; and while the 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 wench that was with her, at which the old woman +made a great noise. However, the seaman would not quit his prize, +but carried her out of the old woman’s sight, among the trees, it +being almost dark. The old woman went away without her, and, as we +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 been all destroyed.</p> +<p>One of our men was killed with a lance that was thrown at him, +just at the beginning of the attack, as he sallied out of the tent +we had made; the rest came off free, all but the fellow who was the +occasion of <span class="pagenum">[page 488]</span> all the +mischief, who paid dear enough for his black mistress, for we could +not hear what became of him a great while. We lay upon the shore +two days after, though the wind presented, and made signals for +him; 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 the less.</p> +<p>I could not satisfy myself, however, without venturing on shore +once more, to try if I could learn any thing 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 he had done, and how the +game stood on the Indian side. I was careful to do it in the dark, +lest we should be attacked again; but I ought indeed to have been +sure that the men I went with had been under my command before I +engaged in a thing so hazardous and mischievous, as I was brought +into it without my knowledge or desire.</p> +<p>We took twenty stout fellows with us as any in the ship, besides +the supercargo and myself; and we landed two hours before midnight, +at the same place where the Indians stood drawn up the evening +before. I landed here, because my design, as I have said, was +chiefly to see if they had quitted the field, and if they had left +any marks behind them, or of the mischief we had done them; and I +thought if we could surprise one or two of them, perhaps we might +get our man again by way of exchange.</p> +<p>We landed without any noise, and divided our men into two +companies, whereof the boatswain commanded one, and I the other. We +neither could hear nor see any body stir when we landed; so we +marched up, one body at a distance from the other, to the field of +battle. At first we could see nothing, it being very dark; but by +and by our boatswain, that led the first party, stumbled and fell +over a dead body. This made them halt there awhile; for knowing by +the circumstances that they were at the place where the Indians +<span class="pagenum">[page 489]</span> had stood, they waited for +my coming up. Here we concluded to halt till the moon began to +rise, which we knew would be in less than an hour, and then we +could easily discern the havoc we had made among them. We told +two-and-thirty 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.</p> +<p>When we had made, as I thought, a full discovery of all we could +come at the knowledge of, I was for going on board again; but the +boatswain and his party often sent me word, that they were resolved +to make a visit to the Indian town, where these dogs, as they +called them, dwelt, and desired me to go along with them, and if +they could find them, as they still fancied they should, they did +not doubt, they said, getting a good booty, and it might be they +might find Thomas Jeffrys there, that was the man’s name we had +lost.</p> +<p>Had they sent to ask my leave to go, I knew well enough what +answer to have given them; for I would have commanded them +instantly on board, knowing it was not a hazard fit for us to run +who had a ship and a ship’s loading in our charge, and a voyage to +make, which depended very much upon the lives of the men; but as +they sent me word they were resolved 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 still +refused positively, began to grumble, and say they were not under +my command, and they would go. “Come, Jack,” says one of the men, +“will you go with me? I will go for one.” Jack said he would; and +another followed, and then another; and, in a word, they all left +me but one, whom, with much difficulty too, I persuaded to stay; so +the supercargo and I, with one man, went <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page490"></a>[page 490]</span> 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 Thomas Jeffrys.</p> +<p>They told me, like seamen, they would warrant it they would come +off again, and they would take care, &c. So away they went. I +entreated them to consider the ship and the voyage; that their +lives were not their own; and that they were entrusted with the +voyage in some measure; that if they miscarried, the ship might be +lost for want of their help; and that they could not answer it to +God and man. I said a great deal more to them on that head, but I +might as well have talked to the main-mast of the ship; they were +mad upon their journey; only they gave me good words, and begged I +would not be angry; said they would be very cautious, and they did +not doubt but they would be back again in about an hour at +farthest; for the Indian town, they said, was not above half a mile +off; though they found it above two miles before they got to +it.</p> +<p>Well, they all went away as above; and though the attempt was +desperate, and such as none but madmen would have gone about, yet, +to give them their due, they went about it warily as well as +boldly. They were gallantly armed, that is true; for they had every +man a fusil or musket, a bayonet, and every man a pistol; some of +them had broad cutlasses, some of them hangers, and the boatswain +and two more had pole-axes; besides all which they had among them +thirteen hand-grenadoes. Bolder fellows, and better provided, never +went about any wicked work in the world.</p> +<p>When they went out their chief design was plunder, and they were +in mighty hopes of finding gold there; but a circumstance, which +none of them were aware of, set them on fire with revenge, and made +devils of them all. When they came to the few <span class= +"pagenum">[page 491]</span> Indian houses, which they thought had +been the town, which were not above half a mile off, they were +under a great disappointment; for there were not above twelve or +thirteen houses; and where the town was, or how big, they knew not. +They consulted therefore what to do, and were some time before they +could resolve; for if they fell upon these they must cut all their +throats, and it was ten to one but some of them might escape, it +being in the night, though the moon was up; and if one escaped he +would run away, and raise all the town, so they should have a whole +army upon them. Again, on the other hand, if they went away, and +left those untouched (for the people were all asleep), they could +not tell which way to look for the town.</p> +<p>However, the last was the best advice; so they resolved to leave +those houses, and look for the town as well as they could. They +went on a little way, and found a cow tied to a tree: this they +presently concluded would be a good guide to them; for they said +the cow certainly belonged to the town before them or the town +behind them, and if they untied her they should see which way she +went: if she went back they had nothing to say to her, but if she +went forward they had nothing to do but to follow her; so they cut +the cord, which was made of twisted flags, and the cow went on +before them. In a word, the cow led them directly to the town, +which, as they reported, consisted of above two hundred houses or +huts; and in some of these they found several families living +together.</p> +<p>Here they found all silent; as profoundly secure as sleep and a +country that had never seen an enemy of that kind could make them. +Upon this they called another council to consider what they had to +do, and in a word they resolved to divide themselves into three +bodies, and to set three houses on fire in three parts of the town; +and as the men came out, to seize them and bind them; if any +resisted, they need not be asked what to do then, and so to search +the rest of <span class="pagenum">[page 492]</span> the houses for +plunder; but resolved to march silently first through the town, and +see what dimensions it was of, and consider if they might venture +upon it or no.</p> +<p>They did so, and desperately resolved that they would venture +upon them; but while they were animating one another to the work, +three of them that were a little before the rest called out aloud, +and told them they had found Thomas Jeffrys; they all ran up to the +place; and so it was indeed, for there they found the poor fellow, +hanged 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.</p> +<p>The sight of their poor mangled comrade so enraged them, as +before, that they swore to one another they would be revenged, and +that not an Indian who came into their hands should have quarter; +and to work they went immediately, and yet not so madly as by the +rage and fury they were in might be expected. 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 or rushes, of which the +country is full: so they presently made some wildfire, as we call +it, by wetting a little powder in the palms of their hands; and in +a quarter of an hour they set the town on fire in four or five +places, and particularly that house where the Indians were not gone +to bed. As soon as the fire began to blaze, the poor frighted +creatures began to rush out to save their lives, but met with their +fate in the attempt, and especially at the door, where they drove +them back, the boatswain himself killing one or two with his +pole-axe; the house being large, and many in it, he did not care to +go in, but called for an hand-grenado, and threw it among them, +which at first frighted them; but <span class="pagenum">[page +493]</span> when it burst made such havoc among them, that they +cried out in a hideous manner.</p> +<p>In short, most of the Indians who were in the open part of the +house, were killed or hurt with the grenado, except two or three +more, who pressed to the door, which the boatswain and two more +kept with the bayonets in the muzzles of their pieces, and +dispatched all who came that way. But there was another apartment +in the house, where the prince, or king, or whatsoever he was, and +several others, were; and they kept in till the house, which was by +this time all of a light flame, fell in upon them, and they were +smothered or burnt together.</p> +<p>All this while they fired not a gun, because they would not +waken the people faster than they could master them; but the fire +began to waken them fast enough, and our fellows were glad to keep +a little together in bodies; for the fire grew so raging, all the +houses being made of light combustible stuff, that they could +hardly bear the street between them, and their business was to +follow the fire for the surer execution. As fast as the fire either +forced the people out of those houses which were burning, or +frighted them out of others, our people were ready at their doors +to knock them on the head, still calling and hallooing to one +another to remember Thomas Jeffrys.</p> +<p>While this was doing I must confess I was very uneasy, and +especially when I saw the flames of the town, which, it being +night, seemed to be just by me.</p> +<p>My nephew the captain, who was roused by his men too, 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 should +become of us; and at last, though he could ill spare any more men, +yet, not knowing what exigence we might be in, he takes another +boat, and with thirteen men and himself comes on shore to me.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 494]</span> +<p>He was surprised to see me and the supercargo in the boat with +no more than two men, for one had been left to keep the boat; 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. I confess it was next to an impossibility +for any men in the world to restrain their curiosity of knowing +what had happened, or their concern for the safety of the men. In a +word, the captain told me he would go and help his men, let what +would come. I argued with him, as I did before with the men, the +safety of the ship, and the danger of the voyage, the interest of +the owners and merchants, &c. and told him I would go, and the +two men, and only see if we could, at a distance, learn what was +like to be the event, and come back and tell him.</p> +<p>It was all one to talk to my nephew, as it was to talk to the +rest before; he would go, he said, and he only wished he had left +but ten men in the ship, for he could not think of having his men +lost for want of help; he had rather, he said, lose the ship, the +voyage, and his life, and all: and so away went he.</p> +<p>Nor was I any more able to stay behind now than I was to +persuade them not to go before; so, in short, the captain ordered +two men to row back the pinnace, and fetch twelve men more from the +ship, 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 +first quarrel which brought this mischief on.</p> +<p>Being now on the march, you may be sure 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 were surprising to us before, the cries of the poor people +were now quite of another nature, and filled us with horror. I must +confess I never was at the sacking of a <span class="pagenum">[page +495]</span> city, or at the taking of a town by storm; I have heard +of Oliver Cromwell taking Drogheda in Ireland, and killing man, +woman, and child; and I had read of Count Tilly sacking the city of +Magdebourg, and cutting the throats of 22,000 of both sexes; but I +never had an idea of the thing itself before, nor is it possible to +describe it, or the horror which was upon our minds at hearing +it.</p> +<p>However, we went on, and at length came to the town, though +there was no entering the streets of it for the fire. The first +object we met with was the ruins of a hut or house, or rather the +ashes of it, for the house was consumed; and just before it, plain +now to be seen by the light of the fire, lay four men and three +women killed; and, as we thought, one or two more lay in the heap +among the fire. In short, these were such instances of a rage +altogether barbarous, and of a fury something beyond what was +human, that we thought it impossible our men could be guilty of it; +or if they were the authors of it, we thought that every one of +them ought to be put to the worst of deaths: but this was not all; +we saw the fire increased forward, and the cry went on just as the +fire went on, so that we were in the utmost confusion. We advanced +a little way farther, and beheld to our astonishment three women +naked, crying in a most dreadful manner, and flying as if they had +indeed had wings, and after them sixteen or seventeen men, natives, +in the same terror and consternation, with three of our English +butchers (for I can call them no better) 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 dreadful +shriek, especially the women, and two of them fell down as if +already dead with the fright.</p> +<p>My very soul shrunk within me, and my blood ran chill in my +veins, when I saw this; and I believe had <span class= +"pagenum">[page 496]</span> the three English sailors that pursued +them come on, I had made our men kill them all. However, we took +some ways 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 lamentations to us to save +them, which we let them know we would do; where upon they kept all +together in a huddle close behind us for protection. I left my men +drawn up together, and charged them to hurt nobody, but if possible +to get at some of our people, and see what devil it was possessed +them, and what they intended to do; and in a word to command them +off, assuring them that if they staid till daylight they would have +a hundred thousand men about their ears: I say, I left them and +went among those flying people, taking only two of our men with me; +and there was indeed a piteous spectacle among them: some of them +had their feet terribly burnt with trampling and running through +the fire, others their hands burnt; one of the women had fallen +down in the fire, and was almost burnt to death before she could +get out again; two or three of the men had cuts in their backs and +thighs, from our men pursuing, and another was shot through the +body, and died while I was there.</p> +<p>I would fain have learnt what the occasion of all this was, but +I could not understand one word they said, though by signs I +perceived that some of them knew not what was the occasion +themselves. I was so terrified in my thoughts at this outrageous +attempt, that I could not stay there, but went back to my own men: +I told them my resolution, and commanded them to follow me, when in +the very moment came four of our men, with the boatswain at their +head, running over the heaps of bodies they had killed, all covered +with blood and dust, as if they wanted more people to massacre, +when our men hallooed to them as loud as they could halloo, and +with much ado one of them made them hear, so that they knew who we +were, and came up to us.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 497]</span> +<p>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 +bearing to hear me, “Captain,” says he, “noble captain, I am glad +you are come; we have not half done yet: villains! hell-hound dogs! +I will kill as many of them as poor Tom has hairs upon his head. We +have sworn to spare none of them; we will root out the very name of +them from the earth.” And thus he ran on, out of breath too with +action, and would not give us leave to speak a word.</p> +<p>At last, raising my voice, that I might silence him a little, +“Barbarous dog!” said I, “what are you doing? I won’t 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.”</p> +<p>“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 hither;” and +with that he shewed me the poor fellow hanging upon a tree, with +his throat cut.</p> +<p>I confess I was urged then myself, and at another time should +have been forward enough; but I thought they had carried their rage +too far, and thought of Jacob’s words to his sons Simeon and Levi, +“Cursed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it +was cruel.” 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; +for, as to the people, he thought not one of them ought to live; +for they 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 498]</span> 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.</p> +<p>I got nobody to come back with me but the supercargo and two +men, and with these I walked back to the boats. It was a very great +piece of folly in me, I confess, to venture back as it were alone; +for as it began now to be almost day, and the alarm had run over +the country, there stood about forty men armed with lances and bows +at the little place where the twelve or thirteen houses stood +mentioned before, but by accident I missed the place, and came +directly to the sea-side; and by that time I got to the sea-side it +was broad day: immediately I took the pinnace and went aboard, and +sent her back to assist the men in what might happen.</p> +<p>I observed that about the time I came to the boat-side the fire +was pretty well out, and the noise abated; but in about half an +hour after I got on board I heard a volley of our men’s fire-arms, +and saw a great smoke; this, as I understood afterwards, was our +men falling upon the forty men, who, as I said, stood at the few +houses on the way; of whom they killed sixteen or seventeen, and +set all those houses on fire, but did not meddle with the women or +children.</p> +<p>By the time the men got to the shore again with the pinnace our +men began to appear; they came dropping in some and some, not in +two bodies, and in form, as they went out, but all in heaps, +straggling here and there in such a manner that a small force of +resolute men might have cut them all off.</p> +<p>But the dread of them was upon the whole country. The people +were amazed and surprised, and so frighted that I believe a hundred +of them would have fled at the sight of but five of our men. Nor in +all this terrible action was there a man who made any considerable +defence; they were so surprised between the terror of the fire, and +the sudden attack of our men in the dark, that they knew not which +way to turn themselves; for if they fled one way they were +<span class="pagenum">[page 499]</span> met by one party, if back +again by another; so that they were every where knocked down. Nor +did any of our men receive the least hurt, except one who strained +his foot, and another had one of his hands very much burnt.</p> +<p>I was very angry with my nephew the captain, and indeed with all +the men, in my mind, but with him in particular, as well for his +acting so out of his duty, as commander of the ship, and having the +charge of the voyage upon him, as in his prompting rather than +cooling the rage of his men in so bloody and cruel an enterprise: +my nephew answered me very respectfully, but told me that when he +saw the body of the poor seaman whom they had murdered in such a +cruel and barbarous manner, he was not master of himself, neither +could he govern his passion; he owned he should not have done so, +as he was commander of the ship, but as he was a man, and nature +moved him, he could not bear it. As for the rest of the men, they +were not subject to me at all, and they knew it well enough, so +they took no notice of my dislike.</p> +<p>The next day we set sail, so we never heard any more of it. Our +men differed in the account of the number they killed; some said +one thing, some another; but according to the best of their +accounts, put all together, they killed or destroyed about a +hundred and fifty people, men, women, and children, and left not a +house standing in the town.</p> +<p>As for the poor fellow, Thomas Jeffrys, as he was quite dead, +for his throat was so cut that his head was half off, it would do +him no service to bring him away; so they left him where they found +him, only took him down from the tree where he was hanged by one +hand.</p> +<p>However just our men thought this action to be, I was against +them in it, and I always after that time told them God would blast +the voyage; for I looked upon the blood they shed that night to be +murder in them: for though it is true that they killed Thomas +Jeffrys, yet it was as true that Jeffrys was the aggressor, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page500"></a>[page 500]</span> had +broken the truce, and had violated or debauched a young woman of +theirs, who came to our camp innocently, and on the faith of their +capitulation.</p> +<p>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, we might also be in a capacity to do ourselves justice +upon them in an extraordinary manner; that though the poor man had +taken liberty with a wench, he ought not to have been murdered, and +that in such a villanous manner; and that they did nothing but what +was just, and that the laws of God allowed to be done to +murderers.</p> +<p>One would think this should have been enough to have warned us +against going on shore among heathens and barbarians; but it is +impossible to make mankind wise but at their own experience; and +their experience seems to be always of most use to them when it is +dearest bought.</p> +<p>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 of +the business outward-bound he was to go up to China, and return to +the coast as he came home.</p> +<p>The first disaster that befel us was in the Gulf of Persia, +where five of our men venturing on shore on the Arabian side of the +Gulf were surrounded by the Arabs, 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 the boatswain very warmly told me, he thought I went farther in +my censures than I could show any warrant for in Scripture, and +referred to the thirteenth of St. Luke, ver. 4, where our Saviour +intimates that those men on whom <span class="pagenum">[page +501]</span> the tower of Siloam fell, were not sinners above all +the Galileans; but that which indeed put me to silence in this case +was, that none of these five men who were now lost were of the +number of those who went on shore to the massacre of Madagascar (so +I always called it, though our men could not bear the word +<i>massacre</i> with any patience:) and indeed this last +circumstance, as I have said, put me to silence for the +present.</p> +<p>But my frequent preaching to them on this subject had worse +consequences than I expected; and the boatswain, who had been the +head of the attempt, came up boldly to me one time, and told me he +found that I continually brought that affair upon the stage, that I +made unjust reflections upon it, and had used the men very ill on +that account, and himself in particular; that as I was but a +passenger, and had no command in the ship, or concern in the +voyage, they were not obliged to bear it; that they did not know +but I might have some ill design in my head, and perhaps call them +to an account for it when they came to England; and that therefore, +unless I would resolve to have done with it, and also not to +concern myself farther with him, or any of his affairs, he would +leave the ship; for he did not think it was safe to sail with me +among them.</p> +<p>I heard him patiently enough till he had done, and then told him +that I did confess I had all along opposed the massacre of +Madagascar, for such I would always call it; and that I had on all +occasions spoken my mind freely about it, though not more upon him +than any of the rest; that as to my having no command in the ship, +that was true, nor did I exercise any authority, only took the +liberty of speaking my mind in things which publicly concerned us +all: as to what concern I had in the voyage, that was none of his +business; I was a considerable owner of the ship, and in that claim +I conceived I had a right to speak, even farther than I had yet +done, and would not be accountable to him or any one else; and +began to be a little warm with him: he made but little reply to +<span class="pagenum">[page 502]</span> me at that time, and I +thought that affair had been over. We were at this time in the road +to 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 have me trouble myself to come down to +the boat, for they had orders not to carry me on board. 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 errand to me? He told me, +the coxswain. I said no more to the fellow, but bid him let them +know he had delivered his message, and that I had given him no +answer to it.</p> +<p>I immediately went and round out the supercargo, and told him +the story, adding, what I presently foresaw, viz. that there would +certainly be a mutiny in the ship; and entreated him to go +immediately on board the ship in an Indian boat, and acquaint the +captain of it: but I might have spared this intelligence, for +before I had spoken to him on shore the matter was effected on +board: the boatswain, the gunner, the carpenter, and, in a word, +all the inferior officers, as soon as I was gone off in the boat, +came up to the quarter-deck, and desired to speak with the captain; +and there the boatswain making a long harangue, (for the fellow +talked very well) and repeating all he had said to me, told the +captain in a few words, that as I was now gone peaceably on shore, +they were loath to use any violence with me; which if I had not +gone on shore, they would otherwise have done, to oblige me to have +gone. They therefore thought fit to tell him, that as they shipped +themselves to serve in the ship under his command, they would +perform it faithfully; 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 farther with him; and at that word All, he turned his face +about towards the main-mast, which <span class="pagenum">[page +503]</span> was, it seems, the signal agreed on between them, at +which all the seamen being got together, they cried out, “One and +All, One and All!”</p> +<p>My nephew, the captain, was a man of spirit, and of great +presence of mind; and though he was surprised, you may be sure, at +the thing, yet he told them calmly 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 shew 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 go all on shore unless he would engage to them not to suffer +me to come on board the ship.</p> +<p>This was a hard article upon him, who knew his obligation to me, +and did not know how I might take it; so he began to talk +cavalierly to them; told them that I was a very considerable owner +of the ship, and that in justice he could not put me out of my own +house; that this was next door to serving me as the famous pirate +Kid had done, who made the mutiny in the ship, set the captain on +shore in an uninhabited island, and ran away with the ship; that +let them go into what ship they would, if ever they came to England +again it would cost them dear; that the ship was mine, and that he +would not put me out of it; and that he would rather lose the ship, +and the voyage too, than disoblige me so much; so they might do as +they pleased. However, he would go on shore, and talk with me +there, and invited the boatswain to go with him, and perhaps they +might accommodate the matter with me.</p> +<p>But they all rejected the proposal; and said, they would have +nothing to do with me any more, neither on board nor on shore; and +if I came on board, they would go on shore. “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.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 504]</span> +<p>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, and nothing to help myself: in short, I +had been in a worse case than when I was all alone in the +island.</p> +<p>But they had not come to that length, it seems, to my great +satisfaction; 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 onshore; +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.</p> +<p>This was a heavy piece of news to my nephew; but there was no +way to help it, but to comply with it. So, in short, he went on +board the ship again, and satisfied the men that his uncle had +yielded to their importunity, and had sent for his goods from on +board the ship. So the matter was over in a very few hours; the men +returned to their duty, and I begun to consider what course I +should steer.</p> +<p>I was now alone in the remotest part of the world, as I think I +may call it, for I was near three thousand leagues, by sea, farther +off from England than I was at my island; only, it is true, I might +travel here by land, over the Great Mogul’s country to Surat, might +go from thence to Bassora by sea, up the Gulf of Persia, and from +thence might take the way of the caravans, over the deserts of +Arabia, to Aleppo and Scanderoon, and from thence by sea again to +Italy, and so overland into France; and this, put together, might +be, at least, a full diameter of the globe; but, if it were to be +measured, I suppose it would appear to be a great deal more.</p> +<p>I had another way before me, which was to wait for some English +ships, which were coming to Bengal, <span class="pagenum">[page +505]</span> from Achin, on the island of Sumatra, and get passage +on board them for England: but as I came hither without any concern +with the English 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 of the Company’s factors; and to both I +was an utter stranger.</p> +<p>Here I had the particular pleasure, speaking by contrarieties, +to see the ship set sail without me; a treatment, I think, a man in +my circumstances scarce ever met with, except from pirates running +away with a ship, and setting those that would not agree with their +villany on shore: indeed this was the next door to it both ways. +However, my nephew left me two servants, or rather, one companion +and one servant: the first was clerk to the purser, whom he engaged +to go with me; and the other was his own servant. I took me also a +good lodging in the house of an English woman, where several +merchants lodged, some French, two Italians, or rather Jews, and +one Englishman. Here I was handsomely enough entertained; and that +I might not be said to run rashly upon any thing, I stayed here +above nine months, considering what course to take, and how to +manage myself. I had some English goods with me of value, and a +considerable sum of money; my nephew furnishing me with a thousand +pieces of eight, and a letter of credit for more, if I had +occasion, that I might not be straitened, whatever might +happen.</p> +<p>I quickly disposed of my goods, and to advantage too; and, as I +originally intended, I bought here some very good diamonds, which, +of all other things, was the most proper for me, in my +circumstances, because I might always carry my whole estate about +me.</p> +<p>After a long stay here, and many proposals made for my return to +England, but none falling to my mind, the English merchant, who +lodged with me, and with whom I had contracted an intimate +acquaintance, came to me one morning: “Countryman,” says he, +<span class="pagenum">[page 506]</span> “I have a project to +communicate to you, which, as it suits with my thoughts, may, for +aught I know, suit with yours also, when you shall have thoroughly +considered it.</p> +<p>“Here we are posted,” says he, “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 +business, a great deal of money is to be got: if you will put a +thousand pounds to my 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 will go a trading voyage to China; for what should +we stand still for? The whole world is in motion, rolling round and +round; all the creatures of God, heavenly bodies and earthly, are +busy and vibrant: why should we be idle? There are no drones,” says +he, “living in the world but men: why should we be of that +number?”</p> +<p>I liked this proposal very well; and the more because it seemed +to be expressed with so much good will, and in so friendly a +manner. I will not say, but that I might, by my loose and unhinged +circumstances, be the fitter to embrace a proposal for trade, and +indeed for any thing else; or otherwise trade was none of my +element; however, I might, perhaps, say with some truth, that if +trade was not my element, rambling was; and no proposal for seeing +any part of the world, which I had never seen before, could +possibly come amiss to me.</p> +<p>It was, however, some time before we could get a ship to our +mind; and when we 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 +are, to make up.</p> +<p>There are so many travellers who have written the <span class= +"pagenum">[page 507]</span> history of their voyages and travels +this way, that it would be but very little diversion to any body, +to give a long account of the places we went to, and the people who +inhabit there: those things I leave to others, and refer the reader +to those journals and travels of Englishmen, many of which, I find, +are published, and more promised every day. It is enough for me to +tell you that we made the voyage to Achin, in the island of +Sumatra, first; and from thence to Siam, where we exchanged some of +our wares for opium, and for some arrack; the first a commodity +which bears a great price among the Chinese, and which, at that +time, was very much wanted there: in a word, we went up to Susham; +made a very great voyage; were eight months out; and returned to +Bengal: and I was very well satisfied with my adventure.</p> +<p>I observe, that our people in England often admire how the +officers, which the Company send into India, and the merchants +which generally stay there, get such very good estates as they do, +and sometimes come home worth sixty, seventy, and a hundred +thousand pounds at a time. But it is no wonder, or, at least, we +shall see so much farther into it, when we consider the innumerable +ports and places where they have a free commerce, that it will then +be no wonder; and much less will it be so, when we consider, that +at all those places and ports where the English ships come, there +is so much, and such constant demand for the growth of all other +countries, that there is a certain vent for the return, as well as +a market abroad for the goods carried out.</p> +<p>In short, we made a very good voyage, and I got so much money by +the first adventure, and such an insight into the method of getting +more, that, had I been twenty years younger, I should have been +tempted to have stayed here, and sought no farther for making my +fortune: but what was all this to a man on the wrong side of +threescore, that was rich enough, and came abroad more in obedience +to a restless desire of seeing the world, than a covetous desire of +getting in <span class="pagenum">[page 508]</span> it? And indeed I +think it is with great justice that I now call it a restless +desire, for it was so: when I was at home, I was restless to go +abroad; and now I was abroad, I was restless to be at home. I say, +what was this gain to me? I was rich enough already; nor had I any +uneasy desires about getting more money; and therefore, the profits +of the voyage to me were things of no great force to me, for the +prompting me forward to farther undertakings: hence I thought, that +by this voyage I had made no progress at all; because I was come +back, as I might call it, to the place from whence I came, as to a +home; whereas my eye, which, like that which Solomon speaks of, was +never satisfied with seeing, was still more desirous of wandering +and seeing. I was come into a part of the world which I never was +in before; and that part in particular which I had heard much of; +and was resolved to see as much of it as I could; and then I +thought I might say I had seen all the world that was worth +seeing.</p> +<p>But my fellow-traveller and I had different notions: I do not +name this to insist upon my own, for I acknowledge his was most +just, and the most suited to the end of a merchant’s life; who, +when he is abroad upon adventures, it is his wisdom to stick to +that, as the best thing for him, which he is like to get the most +money by. My new friend kept himself to the nature of the thing, +and would have been content to have gone, like a carrier’s horse, +always to the same inn, backward and forward, provided he could, as +he called it, find his account in it: on the other hand, mine, as +old as I was, was the notion of a mad rambling boy, that never +cares to see a thing twice over.</p> +<p>But this was not all: I had a kind of impatience upon me to be +nearer home, and yet the most unsettled resolution imaginable, +which way to go. In the interval of these consultations, my friend, +who was always upon the search for business, proposed another +voyage to me, viz. among the Spice Islands; and to bring home a +load of cloves from the Manillas, or thereabouts; places where, +indeed, the Dutch do trade, but <span class="pagenum">[page +509]</span> the islands belong partly to the Spaniards; though we +went not so far, but to some other, where they have not the whole +power as they have at Batavia, Ceylon, &c. We were not long in +preparing for this voyage; the chief difficulty was in bringing me +to come into it; however, at last, nothing else offering, and +finding that really stirring about and trading, the profit being so +great, and, as I may say, certain, had more pleasure in it, and +more satisfaction to the mind, than sitting still; which, to me +especially, was the unhappiest part of life, I resolved on this +voyage too: which we made very successfully, touching at Borneo, +and several islands, whose names I do not remember, and came home +in about five months. We sold our spice, which was chiefly cloves, +and some nutmegs, to the Persian merchants, who carried them away +for the Gulf; and, making near five of one, we really got a great +deal of money.</p> +<p>My friend, when we made up this account, smiled at me: “Well +now,” said he, with a sort of an agreeable insult upon my indolent +temper, “is not this better than walking about here, like a man of +nothing to do, and spending our time in staring at the nonsense and +ignorace of the Pagans?”—“Why truly,” said I, “my friend, I think +it is; and I begin to be a convert to the principles of +merchandising. But I must tell you,” said I, “by the way, you do +not know what I am doing; for if once I conquer my backwardness, +and embark heartily, as old as I am, I shall harass you up and down +the world till I tire you; for I shall pursue it so eagerly, I +shall never let you lie still.”</p> +<p>But to be short with my speculations: a little while after this +there came in a Dutch ship from Batavia; she was a coaster, not an +European trader, and of about two hundred tons burden: the men, as +they pretended, having been so sickly, that the captain had not men +enough to go to sea with, he lay by at Bengal; and, as if having +got money enough, or being willing, for other reasons, to go for +Europe, he gave public notice, that he would sell his ship; this +came to my ears <span class="pagenum"><a name="page510"></a>[page +510]</span> before my new partner heard of it; and I had a great +mind to buy it. So I went home to him, and told him of it: he +considered awhile, for he was no rash man neither; but musing some +time, he replied, “She is a little too big; but, 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 entertain the men, if we could, to join them with +those we had, for the pursuing our business; but on a sudden, they +not having received their wages, but their share of the money, as +we afterwards learnt, 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; and from thence were to travel to Surat, and so by sea +to the Gulf of Persia.</p> +<p>Nothing had so heartily troubled me a good while, as that I +missed the opportunity of going with them; for such a ramble, I +thought, and in such company as would both have guarded me and +diverted me, would have suited mightily with my great design; and I +should both have seen the world, and gone homewards too; but I was +much better satisfied a few days after, when I came to know what +sort of fellows they were; for, in short, their history was, that +this man they called captain was the gunner only, not the +commander; that they had been a trading voyage, in which they were +attacked on shore by some of the Malaccans, who had killed the +captain and three of his men; and that after the captain was +killed, these men, eleven in number, had resolved to run away with +the ship, which they did; and had brought her in at the Bay of +Bengal, leaving the mate and five men more on shore; of whom we +shall hear farther.</p> +<p>Well; let them come by the ship how they would, we came honestly +by her, as we thought; though we did not, I confess, examine into +things so exactly as we ought; for we never inquired any thing of +the seamen, who, if we had examined, would certainly have +<span class="pagenum">[page 511]</span> faltered in their accounts, +contradicted one another, and perhaps have contradicted themselves; +or, one how or other, we should have seen reason to have suspected +them: but the man shewed us a bill of sale for the ship, to one +Emanuel Clostershoven, or some such name, (for I suppose it was all +a forgery) and called himself by that name; and we could not +contradict him; and being withal a little too unwary, or at least +having no suspicion of the thing, we went through with our +bargain.</p> +<p>However, we picked up some English seamen here after this, and +some Dutch; and we now resolved for a second voyage to the +south-east, for cloves, &c. that is to say, among the +Philippine and Malacca isles; and, in short, not to fill this part +of my story with trifles, when what is yet to come is so +remarkable, I spent, from first to last, six years in this country, +trading from port to port, backward and forward, and with very good +success; and was now the last year with my partner, going in the +ship above-mentioned, on a voyage to China; but designing first to +go to Siam, to buy rice.</p> +<p>In this voyage, being by contrary winds obliged to beat up and +down a great while in the Straits of Malacca, and among the +islands, we were no sooner got clear of those difficult seas, but +we found our ship had sprung a leak, and we were not able, by all +our industry, to find out where it was. This forced us to make for +some port; and my partner, who knew the country better than I did, +directed the captain to put into the river of Cambodia; 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.</p> +<p>While we were here, and going often on shore for refreshment, +there comes to me one day an Englishman, and he was, it seems, a +gunner’s mate on board an English East India ship, which rode in +the same river, up at or near the city of Cambodia: what +<span class="pagenum">[page 512]</span> brought him hither we knew +not; but he comes up to me, and, speaking English, “Sir,” says he, +“you are a stranger to me, and I to you; but I have something to +tell you, that very nearly concerns you.”</p> +<p>I looked stedfastly at him a good while, and he thought at first +I had known him, but I did not. “If it very nearly concerns me,” +said I, “and not yourself, what moves you to tell it me?”—“I am +moved,” says he, “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 I, “but that my ship is leaky, and I cannot find it out; but I +propose to lay her aground to-morrow, to see if I can find +it.”—“But, Sir,” says he, “leaky or not leaky, find it or not find +it, 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 this river? +And there are two large English ships about five leagues on this +side, and three Dutch.”—“Well,” said I, “and what is that to +me?”—“Why, Sir,” says he, “is it for a man 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 was +amused very much at his discourse, but not amazed at it; for I +could not conceive what he meant; and I turned short upon him, and +said, “Sir, 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?”</p> +<p>He looked like a man half angry, half pleased; and pausing +awhile, but smiling, “Well, Sir,” says he, “if you think yourself +secure, you must take your chance; I am sorry your fate should +blind you against good advice; but assure yourself 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, <span class="pagenum">[page +513]</span> and the particulars be examined into afterwards. I +thought, Sir,” added he, “I should have met with a better reception +than this, for doing you a piece of service of such +importance.”—“I can never be ungrateful,” said I, “for any +service, or to any man that offers me any kindness; but it is past +my comprehension,” said I, “what they should have such a design +upon me for; however, since you say there is no time to be lost, +and that there is some villanous design in hand against me, I will +go on board this minute, and put to sea immediately, if my men can +stop the leak, or if we can swim without stopping it: but, Sir,” +said I, “shall I go away ignorant of the reason of all this? Can +you give me no farther light into it?”</p> +<p>“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, viz. that you were with this ship at Sumatra; +that there your captain was murdered by the Malaccans, 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 shew but little law to pirates, if they get them in +their power.”</p> +<p>“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, but +I am sure we came honestly and fairly by the ship; yet seeing such +work is a-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 the danger: if +you have any regard to your life, and the lives of all your men, +put out to sea without fail at high-water; and as you have a whole +tide before you, you will be gone too far out <span class= +"pagenum">[page 514]</span> before they can come down; for they +will come away at high water; and as they have twenty miles to +come, you’ll 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.”</p> +<p>“Well,” said I, “you have been very kind in this: what shall I +do for you to make you amends?”—“Sir,” says he, “you may not be so +willing to make me 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 England +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 life, and the ship, and +the lives of all the men in her, we will leave the rest to +you.”</p> +<p>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 on the quarter-deck, and called to +me with a great deal of joy, “O ho! O ho! we have stopped the +leak!”—“Say you so?” said I; “thank God; but weigh the anchor then +immediately.”—“Weigh!” says he; “what do you mean by that? What is +the matter?” says he. “Ask no questions,” said I, “but all hands to +work, and weigh without losing a minute.” He was surprised: but, +however, he called the captain, and he immediately ordered the +anchor to be got up; and though the tide was not quite done, yet a +little land breeze blowing, we stood out to sea; then I called him +into the cabin, and told him the story at large; and we called in +the men, and they told us the rest of it: but as it took us up a +great deal of time, so before we had done, a seaman comes to the +cabin door, and calls out to us, that the captain made him tell us, +we were chased. “Chased!” said <span class="pagenum">[page +515]</span> I; “by whom, and by what?”—“By five sloops, or boats,” +said the fellow, “full of men.”—“Very well,” said I; “then it is +apparent there is something in it.” In the next place, I ordered +all our men to be called up; and told them, that 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 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 fire at them +with our small arms, to keep them from boarding us; but when +neither of these would do any longer, we should retire to our close +quarters; perhaps they had not materials to break open our +bulk-heads, or get in upon us.</p> +<p>The gunner had, in the mean time, orders to bring two guns to +bear fore and aft, out of the steerage, to clear the deck, and load +them with musket-bullets and small pieces of old iron, and what +next came to hand; and thus we made ready for fight; but all this +while 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.</p> +<p>Two of these boats, which, by our glasses, we could see were +English, had outsailed the rest, were near two leagues a head of +them, and gained upon us considerably; so that we found they would +come up with us: upon which we fired a gun without a shot, to +intimate that they should bring to; and we put out a flag of truce, +as a signal for parley; but they kept crowding after us, till they +came within shot: upon this we took in our white flag, they having +made no answer to it; hung out the red flag, and fired at them with +shot; notwithstanding this, they came on till they were near enough +to call to them with a speaking trumpet, which we had on board; so +we called to them, and bade them keep off at their peril.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 516]</span> +<p>It was all one, they crowded after us, and endeavoured to come +under our stern, so 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 them had been levelled so true, as to carry away the +stern of the hindermost boat, and bring them to the necessity of +taking down their sail, and running all to the head of the boat to +keep her from sinking; so she lay by, and had enough of it; but +seeing the foremost boat still crowd on after us, we made ready to +fire at her in particular.</p> +<p>While this was doing, one of the three boats that was behind, +being forwarder than the other two, made up to the boat which we +had disabled, to relieve her, and we could afterwards see her take +out the men: we called again to the foremost boat, and offered a +truce to parley again, and to know what was her business with us; +but had no answer: only she crowded close under our stern. Upon +this our gunner, who was a very dexterous fellow, run out his two +chase-guns, and fired at her; but the shot missing, the men in the +boat shouted, waved their caps, and came on; but the gunner, +getting quickly ready again, fired among them a second time; one +shot of which, though it missed the boat itself, yet fell in among +the men, and we could easily see had done a great deal of mischief +among them; but we, taking no notice of that, weared the ship +again, and brought our quarter to bear upon them; and, firing three +guns more, we found the boat was split almost to pieces; in +particular, her rudder, and a piece of her stern, were shot quite +away; so they handed their sail immediately, and were in great +disorder; but, to complete their misfortune, our gunner let fly two +guns at them again; where he hit them we could not tell, but we +found the boat was sinking, and some of the men already in the +water. Upon this I immediately manned out our pinnace, which we had +kept close by our side, with orders to <span class="pagenum">[page +517]</span> pick up some of the men, if they could, and save them +from drowning, and immediately to come on board with them; because +we saw the rest of the boats began to come up. Our men in the +pinnace followed their orders, and took up three men; one of which +was just drowning, and it was a good while before we could recover +him. As soon as they were on board, we crowded all the sail we +could make, and stood farther out to sea; and we found, that when +the other three boats came up to the first two, they gave over +their chase.</p> +<p>Being thus delivered from a danger, which though I knew not the +reason of it, yet seemed to be much greater than I apprehended, I +took care that we should change our course, and not let any one +imagine whither we were going; so we stood out to sea eastward, +quite out of the course of all European ships, whether they were +bound to China, or any where else within the commerce of the +European nations.</p> +<p>When we were now at sea, we began to consult with the two +seamen, and inquire first, what the meaning of all this should be? +The Dutchman let us into the secret of it at once; telling us, that +the fellow that sold us the ship, as we said, was no more than a +thief that had run away with her. Then he told us how the captain, +whose name too he mentioned, though I do not remember it now, was +treacherously murdered by the natives on the coast of Malacca, with +three of his men; and that he, this Dutchman, and four more, got +into the woods, where they wandered about a great while; till at +length he, in particular, in a miraculous manner, made his escape, +and swam off to a Dutch ship, which sailing near the shore, in its +way from China, had sent their boat on shore for fresh water; that +he durst not come to that part of the shore where the boat was, but +made shift in the night to take in the water farther off, and +swimming a great while, at last the ship’s boat took him up.</p> +<p>He then told us, that he went to Batavia, where two of the +seamen belonging to the ship had arrived, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 518]</span> having deserted the rest in their +travels; and gave an account, that the fellow who had run away with +the ship, sold her at Bengal to a set of pirates, which were gone +a-cruising in her; and that they had already taken an English ship, +and two Dutch ships, very richly laden.</p> +<p>This latter part we found to concern us directly; and though we +knew it to be false, yet, as my partner said very well, if we had +fallen into their hands, and they had such a prepossession against +us beforehand, it had been in vain for us to have defended +ourselves, or to hope for any good quarters at their hands; +especially considering that our accusers had been our judges, and +that we could have expected nothing from them but what rage would +have dictated, and ungoverned passion have executed; and therefore +it was his opinion, we should go directly back to Bengal, from +whence we came, without putting in at any port whatever; because +there we could give an account of ourselves, and could prove where +we were when the ship put in, whom we bought her of, and the like; +and, which was more than all the rest, if we were put to the +necessity of bringing it before the proper judges, we should be +sure to have some justice; and not be hanged first, and judged +afterwards.</p> +<p>I was some time of my partner’s opinion; but after a little more +serious thinking, I told him, I thought it was a very great hazard +for us to attempt returning to Bengal, for that we were on the +wrong side of the Straits of Malacca; and that if the alarm was +given, we should be sure to be waylaid on every side, as well by +the Dutch of Batavia, as the English elsewhere; that if we should +be taken, as it were, running away, we should even condemn +ourselves, and there would want no more evidence to destroy us. I +also asked the English sailor’s opinion, who said, he was of my +mind, and that we should certainly be taken.</p> +<p>This danger a little startled my partner, and all the ship’s +company; and we immediately resolved to go away to the coast of +Tonquin, and so on to China; <span class="pagenum">[page +519]</span> and from thence pursuing the first design, as to trade, +find some way or other to dispose of the ship, and come back in +some of the vessels of the country, such as we could get. This was +approved of as the best method for our security; and accordingly we +steered away N.N.E. keeping above fifty leagues off from the usual +course to the eastward.</p> +<p>This, however, put us to some inconvenience; for first the winds +when we came to that distance from the shore, seemed to be more +steadily against us, blowing almost trade as we call it, from the +E. and E.N.E.; so that we were a long while upon our voyage, and we +were but ill provided with victuals for so long a run; and, which +was still worse, there was some danger that those English and Dutch +ships, whose boats pursued us, whereof some were bound that way, +might be got in before us; and if not, some other ship bound to +China might have information of us from them, and pursue us with +the same vigour.</p> +<p>I must confess I was now very uneasy, and thought myself, +including the last escape from the long boats, to have been in the +most dangerous condition that ever I was in through all my past +life; for whatever ill circumstances I had been in, I was never +pursued for a thief before; nor had I ever done any thing that +merited the name of dishonest or fraudulent, much less thievish. I +had chiefly been mine own enemy; or, as I may rightly say, I had +been nobody’s enemy but my own. But now I was embarrassed in the +worst condition imaginable; for though I was perfectly innocent, I +was in no condition to make that innocence appear: and if I had +been taken, it had been under a supposed guilt of the worst kind; +at least a crime esteemed so among the people I had to do with.</p> +<p>This made me very anxious to make an escape, though which way to +do it I knew not; or what port or place we should go to. My +partner, seeing me thus dejected, though he was the most concerned +at first, began to encourage me; and describing to me the several +ports of the coast, told me, he would put in <span class= +"pagenum"><a name="page520"></a>[page 520]</span> on the coast of +Cochinchina, or the bay of Tonquin; intending to go afterwards to +Macao, a town once in the possession or the Portuguese, and where +still a great many European families resided, and particularly the +missionary priests usually went thither, in order to their going +forward to China.</p> +<p>Hither we then resolved to go; and accordingly, though after a +tedious and irregular course, and very much straitened for +provisions, we came within sight of the coast very early in the +morning; and upon reflection upon the past circumstances we were +in, and the danger, if we had not escaped, we resolved to put into +a small river, which, however, had depth enough of water for us, +and to see if we could, either overland or by the ship’s pinnace, +come to know what ships were in any port thereabouts. This happy +step was, indeed, our deliverance; for though we did not +immediately see any European ships in the bay of Tonquin, yet the +next morning there came into the bay two Dutch ships; and a third +without any colours spread out, but which we believed to be a +Dutchman, passed by at about two leagues distance, steering for the +coast of China; and in the afternoon went by two English ships, +steering the same course; and thus we thought we saw ourselves +beset with enemies, both one way and the other. The place we were +in was wild and barbarous, the people thieves, even by occupation +or profession; and though, it is true, we had not much to seek of +them, and except getting a few provisions, cared not how little we +had to do with them; yet it was with much difficulty that we kept +ourselves from being insulted by them several ways.</p> +<p>We were in a small river of this country, within a few leagues +of its utmost limits northward, and by our boat we coasted +north-east to the point of land which opens to the great bay of +Tonquin: and it was in this beating up along the shore that we +discovered as above, that, in a word, we were surrounded with +enemies. The people we were among were the most barbarous of all +the inhabitants of the coast; having <span class="pagenum">[page +521]</span> no correspondence with any other nation, and dealing +only in fish and oil, and such gross commodities; and it may be +particularly seen that they are, as I said, the most barbarous of +any of the inhabitants, viz. that among other customs they have +this one, that if any vessel had the misfortune to be shipwrecked +upon their coast, they presently make the men all prisoners; that +is to say, slaves; and it was not long before we found a spice of +their kindness this way, on the occasion following:</p> +<p>I have observed above that our ship sprung a leak at sea, and +that we could not find it out: and however it happened, that, as I +have said, it was stopped unexpectedly, in the happy minute of our +being to be seized by the Dutch and English ships, near the bay of +Siam; yet, as we did not find the ship so perfectly tight and sound +as we desired, we resolved, while we were in this place, to lay her +on shore, take out what heavy things we had on board, which were +not many, and to wash and clean her bottom, and if possible to find +out where the leaks were.</p> +<p>Accordingly, having lightened the ship, and brought all our +guns, and other moveable things, to one side, we tried to bring her +down, that we might come at her bottom; for, on second thoughts, we +did not care to lay her dry aground, neither could we find out a +proper place for it.</p> +<p>The inhabitants, who had never been acquainted with such a +sight, came wondering down to the shore to look at us; and seeing +the ship lie down on one side in such a manner, and heeling towards +the shore, and not seeing our men, who were at work on her bottom +with stages, and with their boats, on the off side, they presently +concluded that the ship was cast away, and lay so very fast on the +ground.</p> +<p>On this supposition they came all about us in two or three hours +time, with ten or twelve large boats, having some of them eight, +some ten men in a boat, intending, no doubt, to have come on board +and plunder the ship; and if they had found us there, to have +<span class="pagenum">[page 522]</span> carried us away for slaves +to their king, or whatever they call him, for we knew not who was +their governor.</p> +<p>When they came up to the ship, and began to row round her, they +discovered us all hard at work, on the outside of the ship’s bottom +and side, washing, and graving, and stopping, as every seafaring +man knows how.</p> +<p>They stood for awhile gazing at us, and we, who were a little +surprised, could not imagine what their design was; but being +willing to be sure, we took this opportunity to get some of us into +the ship, and others to hand down arms and ammunition to those that +were at work to defend themselves with, if there should be +occasion; and it was no more than need; for in less than a quarter +of an hour’s consultation, they agreed, it seems, that the ship was +really a wreck; that we were all at work endeavouring to save her, +or to save our lives by the help of our boats; and when we handed +our arms into the boats, they concluded by that motion that we were +endeavouring to save some of our goods. Upon this they took it for +granted they all belonged to them, and away they came directly upon +our men, as if it had been in a line of battle.</p> +<p>Our men seeing so many of them began to be frighted, for we lay +but in an ill posture to fight, and cried out to us to know what +they should do? I immediately called to the men who worked upon the +stages, to slip them down and get up the side into the ship, and +bade those in the boat to row round and come on board; and those +few of us who were on board worked with all the strength and hands +we had to bring the ship to rights; but, however, neither the men +upon the stage, nor those in the boats, could do as they were +ordered, before the Cochinchinese were upon them, and with two of +their boats boarded our long-boat, and began to lay hold of the men +as their prisoners.</p> +<p>The first man they laid hold of was an English seaman, a stout, +strong fellow, who having a musket in <span class="pagenum">[page +523]</span> his hand, never offered to fire it, but laid it down in +the boat, like a fool as I thought. But he understood his business +better than I could teach him; for he grappled the Pagan, and +dragged him by main force out of their own boat into ours; where +taking him by the two ears, he beat his head so against the boat’s +gunnel, that the fellow died instantly in his hands; and in the +mean time a Dutchman, who stood next, took up the musket, and with +the but-end of it so laid about him, that he knocked down five of +them who attempted to enter the boat. But this was little towards +resisting thirty or forty men, who fearless, because ignorant of +their danger, began to throw themselves into the long-boat, where +we had but five men to defend it. But one accident gave our men a +complete victory, which deserved our laughter rather than any thing +else, and that was this:—</p> +<p>Our carpenter being prepared to grave the outside of the ship, +as well as to pay the seams where he had caulked her to stop the +leaks, had got two kettles just let down into the boat; one filled +with boiling pitch, and the other with rosin, tallow, and oil, and +such stuff as the shipwrights used for that work; and the man that +tended the carpenter had a great iron ladle in his hand, with which +he supplied the men that were at work with that hot stuff: two of +the enemy’s men entered the boat just where this fellow stood, +being in the fore-sheets; he immediately sainted them with a +ladleful of the stuff, boiling hot, which so burnt and scalded +them, being half naked, that they roared out like two bulls, and, +enraged with the fire, leaped both into the sea. The carpenter saw +it, and cried out, “Well done, Jack, give them some more of it;” +when stepping forward himself, he takes one of their mops, and +dipping it in the pitch-pot, he and his man threw it among them so +plentifully, that, in short, of all the men in three boats, there +was not one that was not scalded and burnt with it in a most +frightful, pitiful manner, and made such a howling and crying, that +I never heard a worse noise, and, indeed, nothing like <span class= +"pagenum">[page 524]</span> it; for it was worth observing, that +though pain naturally makes all people cry out, yet every nation +have a particular way of exclamation, and make noises as different +from one another as their speech. I cannot give the noise these +creatures made a better name than howling, nor a name more proper +to the tone of it; for I never heard any thing more like the noise +of the wolves, which, as I have said, I heard howl in the forest on +the frontiers of Languedoc.</p> +<p>I was never pleased with a victory better in my life; not only +as it was a perfect surprise to me, and that our danger was +imminent before; but as we got this victory without any bloodshed, +except of that man the fellow killed with his naked hands, and +which I was very much concerned at; for I was sick of killing such +poor savage wretches, even though it was in my own defence, knowing +they came on errands which they thought just, and knew no better; +and that though it may be a just thing, because necessary, for +there is no necessary wickedness in nature; yet I thought it was a +sad life, when we must be always obliged to be killing our +fellow-creatures to preserve ourselves; and, indeed, I think so +still; and I would, even now, suffer a great deal, rather than I +would take away the life even of the worst person injuring me. I +believe also, all considering people, who know the value of life, +would be of my opinion, if they entered seriously into the +consideration of it.</p> +<p>But to return to my story. All the while this was doing, my +partner and I, who managed the rest of the men on board, had, with +great dexterity, brought the ship almost to rights; and, having +gotten the guns into their places again, the gunner called to me to +bid our boat get out of the way, for he would let fly among them. I +called back again to him, and bid him not offer to fire, for the +carpenter would do the work without him; but bade him heat another +pitch-kettle, which our cook, who was on board, took care of. But +the enemy was so terrified with what they met with in their first +attack, that they would not come on <span class="pagenum">[page +525]</span> again; and some of them that were farthest off, seeing +the ship swim, as it were, upright, began, as we supposed, to see +their mistake, and gave over the enterprise, finding it was not as +they expected. Thus we got clear of this merry fight; and having +gotten some rice, and some roots and bread, with about sixteen good +big hogs on board two days before, we resolved to stay here no +longer, but go forward, whatever came of it; for we made no doubt +but we should be surrounded the next day with rogues enough, +perhaps more than our pitch-kettle would dispose of for us.</p> +<p>We therefore got all our things on board the same evening, and +the next morning were ready to sail. In the meantime, lying at an +anchor some distance from the shore, we were not so much concerned, +being now in a lighting posture, as well as in a sailing posture, +if any enemy had presented. The next day, having finished our work +within board, and finding our ship was perfectly healed of all her +leaks, we set sail. We would have gone into the bay of Tonquin, for +we wanted to inform ourselves of what was to be known concerning +the Dutch ships that had been there; but we durst not stand in +there, because we had seen several ships go in, as we supposed, but +a little before; so we kept on N.E. towards the isle of Formosa, as +much afraid of being seen by a Dutch or English merchant-ship, as a +Dutch or English merchant-ship in the Mediterranean is of an +Algerine man of war.</p> +<p>When we were thus got to sea, we kept on N.E. as if we would go +to the Manillas or the Philippine islands, and this we did, that we +might not fall into the way of any of the European ships; and then +we steered north again, till we came to the latitude of 22 degrees +20 minutes, by which means we made the island of Formosa directly, +where we came to an anchor, in order to get water and fresh +provisions, which the people there, who are very courteous and +civil in their manners, supplied us with willingly, and dealt very +fairly and punctually with us in all their <span class= +"pagenum">[page 526]</span> agreements and bargains, which is what +we did not find among other people, and may be owing to the remains +of Christianity, which was once planted here by a Dutch mission of +Protestants, and is a testimony of what I have often observed, viz. +that the Christian religion always civilizes the people and reforms +their manners, where it is received, whether it works saving +effects upon them or not.</p> +<p>From hence 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: but being resolved, if +possible, 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; nay, so great was my fear in particular, as +to my being taken by them, that I believe firmly I would much +rather have chosen to fall into the hands of the Spanish +Inquisition.</p> +<p>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 very 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.</p> +<p>I thought it was now so much in our choice to make the old man +carry us whither we would, that I began to talk with him about +carrying us to the gulf of Nanquin, which is the most northern part +of the coast of China. The old man said he knew the gulf of Nanquin +very well; but smiling, asked us what we would do there?</p> +<p>I told him we would sell our cargo, and purchase China wares, +calicoes, raw silks, tea, wrought silks, &c. and so would +return by the same course we came. He told us our best port had +been to have put in at Macao, where we could not fail of a market +for our <span class="pagenum">[page 527]</span> opium to our +satisfaction, and might, for our money, have purchased all sorts of +China goods as cheap as we could at Nanquin.</p> +<p>Not being able to put the old man out of his talk, of which he +was very opinionated, or conceited, 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, “you should go to Ningpo, where, by the +river that runs into the sea there, you may go up within five +leagues of the great canal. This canal is a navigable made stream, +which goes through the heart of all that vast empire of China, +crosses all the rivers, passes some considerable hills by the help +of sluices and gates, and goes up to the city of Pekin, being in +length near two hundred and seventy leagues.”</p> +<p>“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 Nanquin, from whence we can travel to Pekin afterwards?” +Yes, he said, he could do so very well, and there was a great Dutch +ship gone up that way just before. This gave me a little shock; a +Dutch ship was now our terror, and we had much rather have met the +devil, at least if he had not come in too frightful a figure; we +depended upon it that a Dutch ship would be our destruction, for we +were in no condition to fight them; all the ships they trade with +in those parts being of great burden, and of much greater force +than we were.</p> +<p>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 apprehension 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 country.”—“Why,” said he, “you are no pirates, what need +you fear? They will not meddle with peaceable merchants, sure.”</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 528]</span> +<p>If I had any blood in my body that did not fly up into my face +at that word, it was hindered by some stop in the vessels appointed +by nature to circulate it; for it put me into the greatest disorder +and confusion imaginable; nor was it possible for me to conceal it +so, but that the old man easily perceived it.</p> +<p>“Sir,” said 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.”—“Why, +Seignior,” said I, “it is true, I am a little unsettled in my +resolution at this time, whither to go in particular; and I am +something more so for what you said about pirates. I hope there are +no pirates in these seas; we are but in an ill condition to meet +with them; for you see we have but a small force, and but very +weakly manned.”</p> +<p>“O Sir,” said he, “do not be concerned; I do not know that there +have been any pirates in these seas these fifteen years, except +one, which was seen, as I hear, in the bay of Siam, about a month +since; but you may be assured she is gone to the southward; nor was +she a ship of any great force, or fit for the work; she was not +built for a privateer, but was run away with by a reprobate crew +that were on board, after the captain and some of his men had been +murdered by the Malaccans, at or near the island of Sumatra.”</p> +<p>“What!” said I, seeming to know nothing of the matter, “did they +murder the captain?”—“No,” said he, “I do not understand that they +murdered him; but as they afterwards ran away with the ship, it is +generally believed they betrayed him into the hands of the +Malaccans, who did murder him; and, perhaps, they procured them to +do it.”—“Why then,” said I, “they deserved death, as much as if +they had done it themselves.”—“Nay,” said the old man, “they do +deserve it, and they will certainly have it if they light upon any +English or Dutch ship; for they have all agreed together that if +they meet that rogue they will give him no quarter.”</p> +<p>“But,” said I to him, “you say the pirate is gone <span class= +"pagenum">[page 529]</span> out of these seas; how can they meet +with him then?”—“Why, that is true,” said he, “they do say so; but +he was, as I tell you, in the bay of Siam, in the river Cambodia, +and was discovered there by some Dutchmen who belonged to the ship, +and who were left on shore when they ran away with her; and some +English and Dutch traders being in the river, they were within a +little of taking him. Nay,” said he, “if the foremost boats had +been well seconded by the rest, they had certainly taken him; but +he finding only two boats within reach of him, tacked about, and +fired at these two, and disabled them before the others came up; +and then standing off to sea, the others were not able to follow +him, and so he got away. But they have all so exact a description +of the ship, that they will be sure to know him; and where-ever +they find him, they have vowed to give no quarter to either the +captain or the seamen, but to hang them all up at the +yard-arm.”</p> +<p>“What!” said I, “will they execute them, right or wrong; hang +them first, and judge them afterwards?”—“O Sir!” said the old +pilot, “there is no need to make a formal business of it with such +rogues as those; let them tie them back to back, and set them +a-diving; it is no more than they rightly deserve.”</p> +<p>I knew I had my old man fast aboard, and that he could do me no +harm; so I turned short upon him. “Well, Seignior,” said I, “and +this is the very reason why I would have you carry us to Nanquin, +and not to put back to Macao, or to any other part of the country +where the English or Dutch ships came; for be it known to you, +Seignior, those captains of the English and Dutch ships are a +parcel of rash, proud, insolent fellows, that neither know what +belongs to justice, or how to behave themselves as the laws of God +and nature direct; but being proud of their offices, and not +understanding their power, they would get the murderers to punish +robbers; would take upon them to insult men falsely accused, and +determine <span class="pagenum"><a name="page530"></a>[page +530]</span> them guilty without due inquiry; and perhaps I may live +to call some of them to an account of it, where they may be taught +how justice is to be executed; and that no man ought to be treated +as a criminal till some evidence may be had of the crime, and that +he is the man.”</p> +<p>With this I told him, that this was the very ship they had +attacked; and gave him a full account of the skirmish we had with +their boats, and how foolishly and coward-like they had behaved. I +told him all the story of our buying the ship, and how the Dutchmen +served us. I told him the reasons I had to believe that this story +of killing the master by the Malaccans was not true; as also the +running away with the ship; but that it was all a fiction of their +own, to suggest that the men were turned pirates; and they ought to +have been sure it was so, before they had ventured to attack us by +surprise, and oblige us so resist them; adding, that they would +have the blood of those men who were killed there, in our just +defence, to answer for.</p> +<p>The old man was amazed at this relation; and told us, we were +very much 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 very well do, and buy or build another in the country; “And,” +said he, “though you will not get so good a ship, yet you may get +one able enough to carry you and all your goods back again to +Bengal, or any where else.”</p> +<p>I told him I would take his advice when I came to any port where +I could find a ship for my turn, or get any customer to buy this. +He replied, I should meet with customers enough for the ship at +Nanquin, and 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.</p> +<p>“Well, but, Seignior,” says 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, and, perhaps, +be <span class="pagenum">[page 531]</span> murdered in cold blood; +for wherever they find the ship they will prove the guilt upon the +men by proving this was the ship, and so innocent men may probably +be overpowered and murdered.”—“Why,” said the old man, “I’ll find +out a way to prevent that also; 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 those +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.”—“Well,” said I, “and will you deliver one message to them +from me?”—“Yes, I will,” says he, “if you will give it under your +hand in writing, that I may be able to prove it came from you, and +not out of my own head.” I answered, that I would readily give it +him under my hand. So I took a pen and ink, and paper, and wrote at +large the story of assaulting me with the long-boats, &c. the +pretended reason of it, and the unjust, cruel design of it; and +concluded to the commanders that they had done what they not only +should have been ashamed or, but also, that if ever they came to +England, and I lived to see them there, they should all pay dearly +for it, if the laws of my country were not grown out of use before +I arrived there.</p> +<p>My old pilot read this over and over again, and asked me several +times if I would stand to it. I answered, I would stand to it as +long as I had any thing left in the world; being sensible that I +should, one time or other, find an opportunity to put it home to +them. But we had no occasion ever to let the pilot carry this +letter, for he never went back again. While those things were +passing between us, by way of discourse, we went forward directly +for Nanquin, and, in about thirteen days sail, came to anchor at +the <span class="pagenum">[page 532]</span> south-west point of the +great gulf of Nanquin; where, by the way, I came by accident to +understand, that the two Dutch ships were gone that 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, and would very gladly have been safe on shore almost any +where. However, I was not in such perplexity neither, but I 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 southward +about two-and-forty leagues, there was a little port called +Quinchang, 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 +proper to put in there, I might consider what farther course to +take when I was on shore. He confessed, he said, it was not a place +for merchants, except that at some certain times they had a kind of +a fair there, when the merchants from Japan came over thither to +buy the Chinese merchandises.</p> +<p>We all agreed to go back to this place: the name of the port, as +he called it, I may, perhaps, spell wrong, for I do not +particularly remember it, having lost this, together with the names +of many other places set down in a little pocket-book, which was +spoiled by the water, on an accident which I shall relate in its +order; but this I remember, that the Chinese or Japanese merchants +we correspond with call it by a different name from that which our +Portuguese pilot gave it, and pronounced it as above, +Quinchang.</p> +<p>As we were unanimous in our resolutions to go to this place, we +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 to us, and brought us abundance of things +to sell to us; I mean of provisions, plants, roots, tea, rice, and +some fowls; but nothing without money.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 533]</span> +<p>We came to the other port (the wind being contrary) not till +five days; but it was very much to our satisfaction, and I was +joyful, and I may say thankful, when I set my foot safe on shore, +resolving, and my partner too, that if it was possible to dispose +of ourselves and effects any other way, though not every way to our +satisfaction, we would never set one foot on board that unhappy +vessel again: and indeed I must acknowledge, that of all the +circumstances of life that ever I had any experience of, nothing +makes mankind so completely miserable as that of being in constant +fear. Well does the Scripture say, “The fear of man brings a +snare;” it is a life of death, and the mind is so entirely +suppressed by it, that it is capable of no relief; the animal +spirits sink, and all the vigour of nature, which usually supports +men under other afflictions, and is present to them in the greatest +exigencies, fails them here.</p> +<p>Nor did it fail of its usual operations upon the fancy, by +heightening every danger; representing the English and Dutch +captains to be men incapable of hearing reason, or distinguishing +between honest men and rogues; or between a story calculated for +our own turn, made out of nothing, on purpose to deceive, and a +true genuine account of our whole voyage, progress, and design; for +we might many ways have convinced any reasonable creature that we +were not pirates; the goods we had on board, the course we steered, +our frankly shewing ourselves, and entering into such and such +ports; even our very manner, the force we had, the number of men, +the few arms, little ammunition, and short provisions; all these +would have served to convince any man that we were no pirates. The +opium, and other goods we had on board, would make it appear the +ship had been at Bengal; the Dutchmen, who, it was said, had the +names of all the men that were in the ship, might easily see that +we were a mixture of English, Portuguese, and Indians, and but two +Dutchmen on board. These, and many other particular circumstances, +might have made it <span class="pagenum">[page 534]</span> evident +to the understanding of any commander, whose hands we might fall +into, that we were no pirates.</p> +<p>But fear, that blind useless passion, worked another way, and +threw us into the vapours; it bewildered our understandings, and +set the imagination at work, to form a thousand terrible things, +that, perhaps, might never happen. We first supposed, as indeed +every body had related to us, that the seamen on board the English +and Dutch ships, but especially the Dutch, were so enraged at the +name of a pirate, and especially at our beating off their boats, +and escaping, that they would not give themselves leave to inquire +whether we were pirates or no; but would execute us off-hand, as we +call it, without giving us any room for a defence. We reflected +that there was really so much apparent evidence before them, that +they would scarce inquire after any more: as, first, that the ship +was certainly the same, and that some of the seamen among them knew +her, and had been on board her; and, secondly, that when we had +intelligence at the river Cambodia, that they were coming down to +examine us, we fought their boats, and fled: so that we made no +doubt but they were as fully satisfied of our being pirates as we +were satisfied of the contrary; and I often said, I knew not but I +should have been apt to have taken the like circumstances for +evidence, if the tables were turned, and my case was theirs; and +have made no scruple of cutting all the crew to pieces, without +believing, or perhaps considering, what they might have to offer in +their defence.</p> +<p>But let that be how it will, those were our apprehensions; and +both my partner and I too scarce slept a night without dreaming of +halters and yard-arms; that is to say, gibbets; of fighting, and +being taken; of killing, and being killed; and one night I was in +such a fury in my dream, fancying the Dutchmen had boarded us, and +I was knocking one of their seamen down, that I struck my double +fist against the side of the cabin I lay in, with such a force as +wounded my hand most gievously, broke my knuckles, and cut and +<span class="pagenum">[page 535]</span> bruised the flesh, so that +it not only waked me out of my sleep, but I was once afraid I +should have lost two of my fingers.</p> +<p>Another apprehension I had, was, of the cruel usage we should +meet with from them, if we fell into their hands: then the story of +Amboyna came into my head, and how the Dutch might, perhaps, +torture us, as they did our countrymen there; and make some of our +men, by extremity of torture, confess those crimes they never were +guilty of; own themselves, and all of us, to be pirates; and so +they would put us to death, with a formal appearance of justice; +and that they might be tempted to do this for the gain of our ship +and cargo, which was worth four or five thousand pounds, put all +together.</p> +<p>These things tormented me, and my partner too, night and day; +nor did we consider that the captains of ships have no authority to +act thus; and if we had surrendered prisoners to them, they could +not answer the destroying us, or torturing us, but would be +accountable for it when they came into their own country. This, I +say, gave me no satisfaction; for, if they will act thus with us, +what advantage would it be to us that they would be called to an +account for it? or, if we were first to be murdered, what +satisfaction would it be to us to have them punished when they came +home?</p> +<p>I cannot refrain taking notice here what reflections I now had +upon the past variety of my particular circumstances; how hard I +thought it was, that I, who had spent forty years in a life of +continued difficulties, and was at last come, as it were, at the +port or haven which all men drive at, viz. to have rest and plenty, +should be a volunteer in new sorrows, by my own unhappy choice; and +that I, who had escaped so many dangers in my youth, should now +come to be hanged, in my old age, and in so remote a place, for a +crime I was not in the least inclined to, much less guilty of; and +in a place and circumstance, where innocence was not like to be any +protection at all to me.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 536]</span> +<p>After these thoughts, something of religion would come in; and I +would be considering that this seemed to me to be a disposition of +immediate Providence; and I ought to look upon it, and submit to it +as such: that although I was innocent as to men, I was far from +being innocent as to my Maker; and I ought to look in, and examine +what other crimes in my life were most obvious to me, and for which +Providence might justly inflict this punishment as a retribution; +and that I ought to submit to this, just as I would to a shipwreck, +if it had pleased God to have brought such a disaster upon me.</p> +<p>In its turn, natural courage would sometimes take its place; and +then I would be talking myself up to vigorous resolution, that I +would not be taken to be barbarously used by a parcel of merciless +wretches in cold blood; that it was much better to have fallen into +the hands of the savages, who were men-eaters, and who, I was sure, +would feast upon me, when they had taken me, than by those who +would perhaps glut their rage upon me by inhuman tortures and +barbarities: that, in the case of the savages, I always resolved to +die fighting to the last gasp; and why should I not do so now, +seeing it was much more dreadful, to me at least, to think of +falling into these men’s hands, than ever it was to think of being +eaten by men? for the savages, give them their due, would not eat a +man till he was dead; and killed him first, as we do a bullock; but +that these men had many arts beyond the cruelty of death. Whenever +these thoughts prevailed I was sure to put myself into a kind of +fever, with the agitations of a supposed fight; my blood would +boil, and my eyes sparkle, as if I was engaged; and I always +resolved that I would take no quarter at their hands; but even at +last, if I could resist no longer, I would blow up the ship, and +all that was in her, and leave them but little booty to boast +of.</p> +<p>But by how much the greater weight the anxieties and +perplexities of those things were to our thoughts while we were at +sea, by so much the greater was our <span class="pagenum">[page +537]</span> satisfaction when we saw ourselves on shore; and my +partner told me he dreamed that he had a very heavy load upon his +back, which he was to carry up a hill, and found that he was not +able to stand long under it; but the Portuguese pilot came, and +took it off his back, and the hill disappeared, the ground before +him shewing all smooth and plain: and truly it was so; we were all +like men who had a load taken off their backs.</p> +<p>For my part, I had a weight taken off from my heart, that I was +not able any longer to bear; and, as I said above, we resolved to +go no more to sea in that ship. When we came on shore, the old +pilot, who was now our friend, got us a lodging, and a warehouse +for our goods, which, by the way, was much the same: it was a +little house, or hut, with a large house joining to it, all built +with canes, and palisadoed round with large canes, to keep out +pilfering thieves, of which it seems there were not a few in the +country. However, the magistrates allowed us all a little guard, +and we had a soldier with a kind of halbert, or half-pike, who +stood sentinel at our door, to whom we allowed a pint of rice, and +a little piece of money, about the value of three-pence, per day: +so that our goods were kept very safe.</p> +<p>The fair or mart usually kept in this place had been over some +time; however, we found that there were three or four junks in the +river, and two Japanners, I mean ships from Japan, with goods which +they had bought in China, and were not gone away, having Japanese +merchants on shore.</p> +<p>The first thing our old Portuguese pilot did for us was to bring +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. However, that +was not our business. One of these was a Frenchman, whom they +called Father Simon; he was a jolly well-conditioned man, very +<span class="pagenum">[page 538]</span> free in his conversation, +not seeming so serious and grave as the other two did, one of whom +was a Portuguese, and the other a Genoese: but Father Simon was +courteous, easy in his manner, and very agreeable company; 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. We often ate and drank with those men; and though I +must confess, the conversion, as they call it, of the Chinese to +Christianity, is so far from the true conversion required to bring +heathen people to the faith of Christ, that it seems to amount to +little more than letting them know the name of Christ, say some +prayers to the Virgin Mary and her Son, in a tongue which they +understand not, and to cross themselves, and the like; yet it must +be confessed that these religious, whom we call missionaries, have +a firm belief that these people should be saved, and that they are +the instrument of it; and, on this account, they undergo not only +the fatigue of the voyage, and hazards of living in such places, +but oftentimes death itself, with the most violent tortures, for +the sake of this work: and it would be a great want of charity in +us, whatever opinion we have of the work itself, and the manner of +their doing it, if we should not have a good opinion of their zeal, +who undertake it with so many hazards, and who have no prospect of +the least temporal advantage to themselves.</p> +<p>But to return to my story: This French priest, Father Simon, was +appointed, it seems, by order of the chief of the mission, to go up +to Pekin, the royal seat of the Chinese emperor; 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 +shew me all the glorious things of that mighty empire; and among +the rest the greatest city in the world; “A city,” said he, “that +your London and our Paris put together <span class="pagenum">[page +539]</span> cannot be equal to.” This was the city of Pekin, which, +I confess, is very great, and infinitely full of people; but as I +looked on those things with different eyes from other men, so I +shall give my opinion of them in few words when I come in the +course of my travels to speak more particularly of them.</p> +<p>But first I come to my friar or missionary: dining with him one +day, and being very merry together, I showed some little +inclination to go with him; and he pressed me and my partner very +hard, and with a great many persuasions, to consent. “Why, Father +Simon,” says my partner, “why should you desire our company so +much? You know we are heretics, and you do not love us, nor can +keep us company with any pleasure.”—“O!” says he, “you may, +perhaps, be good Catholics in time; my business here is to convert +heathens, and who knows but I may convert you too?”—“Very well, +Father,” said I, “so you will preach to us all the way.”—“I won’t +be troublesome to you,” said he; “our religion does not divest us +of good manners; besides,” said he, “we are all here like +countrymen; and so we are, compared to the place we are in; and if +you are Hugonots, and I a Catholic, we may be all Christians at +last; at least,” said he, “we are all gentlemen, and we may +converse so, without being uneasy to one another.” I liked that +part of his discourse very well, and it began to put me in mind of +my priest that I had left in the Brasils; but this Father Simon did +not come up to his character by a great deal; for though Father +Simon had no appearance of a criminal levity in him neither, yet he +had not that fund of Christian zeal, strict piety, and sincere +affection to religion, that my other good ecclesiastic had, of whom +I have said so much.</p> +<p>But to leave him a little, though he never left us, nor +soliciting us to go with him, but we had something else before us +at that time; for we had all this while our ship and our +merchandise to dispose of; and we began to be very doubtful what we +should do, for we were now in a place of very little business; and +once <span class="pagenum"><a name="page540"></a>[page 540]</span> +I was about to venture to sail for the river of Kilam, and the city +of Nanquin: but Providence seemed now more visibly, as I thought, +than ever, to concern itself in our affairs; and I was encouraged +from this very time to think I should, one way or other, get out of +this entangled circumstance, and be brought home to my own country +again, though I had not the least view of the manner; and when I +began sometimes to think of it, could not imagine by what method it +was to be done. Providence, I say, began here to clear up our way a +little; and the first thing that offered was, that our old +Portuguese pilot brought a Japan merchant to us, who began to +inquire 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 eleven ounces each. While we were +dealing with him for our opium, it came into my head that he might, +perhaps, deal with us 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, and that was this: he had +bought a great quantity of goods of us when he had no thoughts (or +proposals made to him) of buying the ship, and that, therefore, he +had not money enough 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 this proposal; and so eager did +my head still run upon rambling, that I could not but begin to +entertain a notion myself of going with him, and so to sail from +the Philippine islands away to the South Seas; and accordingly I +asked the Japanese merchant if he would not hire us to the +Philippine <span class="pagenum">[page 541]</span> 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, he said, 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, +treacherous people; and then of the Spaniards at the Philippines, +more false, more cruel, more treacherous than they.</p> +<p>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 the men, and know if they were willing to go to +Japan; and, while I was doing this, the young man whom, as I said, +my nephew had left with me as my companion for my travels, came to +me 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 how I pleased to order him; +and if ever he came to England, and I was there, and alive, he +would render me a faithful account of his success, and it should be +as much mine as I pleased.</p> +<p>I was really loath to part with him; but considering the +prospect of advantage, which was really considerable, and that he +was a young fellow as likely to do well in it as any I knew, I +inclined to let him go; but first I told him, I would consult my +partner, and give him an answer the next day. My partner and I +discoursed about it, and my partner made a most generous offer: he +told me, “You know it has been an unlucky ship, and we both resolve +not to go to sea in it again; if your steward (so he called my man) +will venture the voyage, I’ll leave my share of the vessel to him, +and 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.”</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 542]</span> +<p>If my partner, who was no way concerned with my young man, made +him such an offer, I could do no 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. +The Japan merchant proved a very punctual honest man to him, +protected him at Japan, and got him a licence to come on shore, +which the Europeans in general have not lately obtained, paid him +his freight very punctually, sent him to the Philippines, loaded +him with Japan and China wares, and a supercargo of their own, who +trafficking with the Spaniards, brought back European goods again, +and a great quantity of cloves and other spice; and there he was +not only paid his freight very well, and at a very good price, but +being not willing to sell the ship then, the merchant furnished him +with goods on his own account; that for some money and some spices +of his own, which he brought with him, he went back to the +Manillas, to the Spaniards, where he sold his cargo very well. +Here, having gotten a good acquaintance at Manilla, he got his ship +made a free ship; and the governor of Manilla hired him to go to +Acapulco in America, on the coast of Mexico; and gave him a licence +to land there, and travel to Mexico; and to pass in any Spanish +ship to Europe, with all his men.</p> +<p>He made the voyage to Acapulco very happily, and there he sold +his ship; and having there also obtained allowance to travel by +land to Porto Bello, he found means, some how or other, to go to +Jamaica with all his treasure; and about eight years after came to +England, exceeding rich; of which I shall take notice in its place; +in the mean time, I return to our particular affairs.</p> +<p>Being now to part with the ship and ship’s company, it came +before us, of course, to consider what recompense we should give to +the two men that gave us such timely notice of the design against +us in the <span class="pagenum">[page 543]</span> river of +Cambodia. The truth was, they had done us a considerable service, +and deserved well at our hands; though, by the way, they were a +couple of rogues too: for, as they believed the story of our being +pirates, and that we had really run away with the ship, they came +down to us, not only to betray the design that was formed against +us, but to go to sea with us as pirates; and one of them confessed +afterwards, that nothing else but the hopes of going a-roguing +brought him to do it. However, the service they did us was not the +less; and therefore, as I had promised to be grateful to them, I +first ordered the money to be paid to them, which they said was due +to them on board their respective ships; that is to say, the +Englishman nineteen months pay, and to the Dutchman seven; and, +over and above that, I gave each of them a small sum of money in +gold, which contented them very well: then I made the Englishman +gunner of 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.</p> +<p>We were now on shore in China. If I thought myself banished, and +remote from my own country at Bengal, where I had many ways to get +home for my money, what could I think of myself now, when I was +gotten about a thousand leagues farther off from home, and +perfectly destitute of all manner of prospect of return!</p> +<p>All we had for it was this, that in about four months time there +was to be another fair at that place where we were, and then we +might be able to purchase all sorts of the manufactures of the +country, and withal might possibly find some Chinese junks or +vessels from Nanquin, that would be to be sold, and would carry us +and our goods whither we pleased. This I liked very well, and +resolved to wait; besides, as our particular persons were not +obnoxious, so if any English or Dutch ships came thither, perhaps +we might <span class="pagenum">[page 544]</span> have an +opportunity to load our goods, and get passage to some other place +in India nearer home.</p> +<p>Upon these hopes we resolved to continue here; but, to divert +ourselves, we took two or three journies into the country; first, +we went ten days journey to see the city of Nanquin, a city well +worth seeing indeed: they say it has a million of people in it; +which, however, I do not believe: it is regularly built, the +streets all exactly straight, and cross one another in direct +lines, which gives the figure of it great advantage.</p> +<p>But when I came to compare the miserable people of these +countries with ours; their fabrics, their manner of living, their +government, their religion, their wealth, and their glory, (as some +call it) I must confess, I do not so much as think it worth naming, +or worth my while to write of, or any that shall come after me to +read.</p> +<p>It is very observable, that we wonder at the grandeur, the +riches, the pomp, the ceremonies, the government, the manufactures, +the commerce, and the conduct of these people; not that they are to +be wondered at, or, indeed, in the least to be regarded; but +because, having first a notion of the barbarity of those countries, +the rudeness and the ignorance that prevail there, we do not expect +to find any such things so far off.</p> +<p>Otherwise, what are their buildings to the palaces and royal +buildings of Europe? What their trade to the universal commerce of +England, Holland, France, and Spain? What their cities to ours, for +wealth, strength, gaiety of apparel, rich furniture, and an +infinite variety? What are their ports, supplied with a few junks +and barks, to our navigation, our merchants’ fleets, our large and +powerful navies? Our city of London has more trade than all their +mighty empire. One English, or Dutch, or French man of war of +eighty guns, would fight with and destroy all the shipping of +China. But the greatness of their wealth, their trade, the power of +their government, and strength <span class="pagenum">[page +545]</span> of their armies are surprising to us, because, as I +have said, considering them as a barbarous nation of pagans, little +better than savages, we did not expect such things among them; and +this, indeed, is the advantage with which all their greatness and +power is represented to us: otherwise, it is in itself nothing at +all; for, as I have said of their ships, so it may be said of their +armies and troops; all the forces of their empire, though they were +to bring two millions of men into the field together, would be able +to do nothing but ruin the country and starve themselves. If they +were to besiege a strong town in Flanders, or to fight a +disciplined army, one line of German cuirassiers, or of French +cavalry, would overthrow all the horse of China; a million of their +foot could not stand before one embattled body of our infantry, +posted so as not to be surrounded, though they were not to be one +to twenty in number: nay, I do not boast if I say, that 30,000 +German or English foot, and 10,000 French horse, would fairly beat +all the forces of China. And so of our fortified towns, and of the +art of our engineers, in assaulting and defending towns; there is +not a fortified town in China could hold out one month against the +batteries and attacks of an European army; and at the same time, +all the armies of China could never take such a town as Dunkirk, +provided it was not starved; no, not in ten years siege. They have +fire-arms, it is true, but they are awkward, clumsy, and uncertain +in going off; they have powder, but it is of no strength; they have +neither discipline in the field, exercise in their arms, skill to +attack, nor temper to retreat. And therefore I must confess it +seemed strange to me when I came home, and heard our people say +such fine things of the power, riches, glory, magnificence, and +trade of the Chinese, because I saw and knew that they were a +contemptible herd or crowd of ignorant, sordid slaves, subjected to +a government qualified only to rule such a people; and, in a word, +for I am now launched quite beside my design, I say, in a word, +were not its distance <span class="pagenum">[page 546]</span> +inconceivably great from Muscovy, and were not the Muscovite empire +almost as rude, impotent, and ill-governed a crowd of slaves as +they, the czar of Muscovy might, with much ease, drive them all out +of their country, and conquer them in one campaign; and had the +czar, who I since hear is a growing prince, and begins to appear +formidable in the world, fallen this way, instead of attacking the +warlike Swedes, in which attempt none of the powers of Europe would +have envied or interrupted him; he might, by this time, have been +emperor of China, instead of being beaten by the king of Sweden at +Narva, when the latter was not one to six in number. As their +strength and their grandeur, so their navigation, commerce, and +husbandry, are imperfect and impotent, compared to the same things +in Europe. Also, in their knowledge, their learning, their skill in +the sciences; they have globes and spheres, and a smatch of the +knowledge of the mathematics; but when you come to inquire into +their knowledge, how short-sighted are the wisest of their +students! They know nothing of the motion of the heavenly bodies; +and so grossly, absurdly ignorant, that when the sun is eclipsed, +they think it is a great dragon has assaulted and run away with it; +and they fall a-cluttering with all the drums and kettles in the +country, to fright the monster away, just as we do to hive a swarm +of bees.</p> +<p>As this is the only excursion of this kind which I have made in +all the account I have given of my travels, so I shall make no more +descriptions of countries and people: it is none of my business, or +any part of my design; but giving an account of my own adventures, +through a life of infinite wanderings, and a long variety of +changes, which, perhaps, few have heard the like of, I shall say +nothing of the mighty places, desert countries, and numerous +people, I have yet to pass through, more than relates to my own +story, and which my concern among them will make necessary. I was +now, as near as I can compute, in the heart of China, about the +latitude of thirty <span class="pagenum">[page 547]</span> degrees +north of the line, for we were returned from Nanquin; 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 to go; so I referred him 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 finding 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 with great homage from the people, who are +sometimes greatly impoverished by them, because all the countries +they pass through are obliged to furnish provisions for them, and +all their attendants. That which I particularly observed, as to our +travelling with his baggage, was this; that though we received +sufficient provisions, both for ourselves and our horses, from the +country, as belonging to the mandarin, yet we were obliged to pay +for every thing we had after the market-price of the country, and +the mandarin’s steward, or commissary of the provisions, collected +it duly from us; so that our travelling in the retinue of the +mandarin, though it was a very great kindness to us, was not such a +mighty favour in him, but was, indeed, a great advantage to him, +considering there were about thirty other people travelling in the +same manner besides us, under the protection of his retinue, or, as +we may call it, under his convoy. This, I say, was a great +advantage to him; for the country furnished all the provisions for +nothing, and he took all our money for them.</p> +<p>We were five-and-twenty days travelling to Pekin, through a +country infinitely populous, but miserably cultivated; the +husbandry, economy, and the way of living, all very miserable, +though they boast so much <span class="pagenum">[page 548]</span> +of the industry of the people: I say miserable; and so it is; if +we, who understand how to live, were to endure it, or to compare it +with our own; but not so to these poor wretches, who know no other. +The pride of these people is infinitely great, and exceeded by +nothing but their poverty, which adds to that which I call their +misery. I must needs think the naked savages of America live much +more happy, because, as they have nothing, so they desire nothing; +whereas these are proud and insolent, and, in the main, are mere +beggars and drudges; their ostentation is inexpressible, and is +chiefly shewed in their clothes and buildings, and in the keeping +multitudes of servants or slaves, and, which is to the last degree +ridiculous, their contempt of all the world but themselves.</p> +<p>I must confess, I travelled more pleasantly afterwards, in the +deserts and vast wildernesses of Grand Tartary, than here; and yet +the roads here are well paved and well kept, and very convenient +for travellers: but nothing was more awkward to me, than to see +such a haughty, imperious, insolent people, in the midst of the +grossest simplicity and ignorance; for all their famed ingenuity is +no more. My friend Father Simon, and I, used to be very merry upon +these occasions, to see the beggarly pride of those people. For +example, coming by the house of a country-gentleman, as Father +Simon called him, about ten leagues off from the city of Nanquin, +we had, first of all, the honour to ride with the master of the +house about two miles; the state he rode in was a perfect Don +Quixotism, being a mixture of pomp and poverty.</p> +<p>The habit of this greasy Don was very proper for a scaramouch, +or merry-andrew; being a dirty calico, with all the tawdry +trappings of a fool’s coat, such as hanging sleeves, taffety, and +cuts and slashes almost on every side: it covered a rich taffety +vest, as greasy as a butcher, and which testified, that his honour +must needs be a most exquisite sloven.</p> +<p>His horse was a poor, lean, starved, hobbling creature, +<span class="pagenum">[page 549]</span> such as in England might +sell for about thirty or forty shillings; and he had two slaves +followed him on foot, to drive the poor creature along: he had a +whip in his hand, and he belaboured the beast as fast about the +head as his slaves did about the tail; and thus he rode by us with +about ten or twelve servants; and we were told he was going from +the city to his country-seat, about half a league before us. We +travelled on gently, but this figure of a gentleman rode away +before us; and as we stopped at a village about an hour to refresh +us, when we came by the country-seat of this great man, we saw him +in a little place before his door, eating his repast; it was a kind +of a garden, but he was easy to be seen; and we were given to +understand, that the more we looked on him, the better he would be +pleased.</p> +<p>He sat under a tree, something like the palmetto-tree, which +effectually shaded him over the head, and on the south side; but +under the tree also was placed a large umbrella, which made that +part look well enough: he sat lolling back in a great elbow-chair, +being a heavy corpulent man, and his meat being brought him by two +women-slaves: he had two more, whose office, I think, few gentlemen +in Europe would accept of their service in, viz. one fed the squire +with a spoon, and the other held the dish with one hand, and +scraped off what he let fall upon his worship’s beard and taffety +vest, with the other; while the great fat brute thought it below +him to employ his own hands in any of those familiar offices, which +kings and monarchs would rather do than be troubled with the clumsy +fingers of their servants.</p> +<p>I took this time to think what pain men’s pride puts them to, +and how troublesome a haughty temper, thus ill-managed, must be to +a man of common sense; and, leaving the poor wretch to please +himself with our looking at him, as if we admired his pomp, whereas +we really pitied and contemned him, we pursued our journey: only +Father Simon had the curiosity to stay to inform himself what +dainties the <span class="pagenum"><a name="page550"></a>[page +550]</span> country justice had to feed on, in all his state; which +he said he had the honour to taste of, and which was, I think, a +dose that an English hound would scarce have eaten, if it had been +offered him, viz. a mess of boiled rice, with a great piece of +garlick in it, and a little bag filled with green pepper, and +another plant which they have there, something like our ginger, but +smelling like musk and tasting like mustard: all this was put +together, and a small lump or piece of lean mutton boiled in it; +and this was his worship’s repast, four or five servants more +attending at a distance. If he fed them meaner than he was fed +himself, the spice excepted, they must fare very coarsely +indeed.</p> +<p>As for our mandarin with whom we travelled, he was respected +like a king; surrounded always with his gentlemen, and attended in +all his appearances with such pomp, that I saw little of him but at +a distance; but this I observed, that there was not a horse in his +retinue, but that our carriers’ pack-horses in England seem to me +to look much better; but they were so covered with equipage, +mantles, trappings, and such-like trumpery, that you cannot see +whether they are fat or lean. In a word, we could scarce see any +thing but their feet and their heads.</p> +<p>I was now light-hearted, and all my trouble and perplexity that +I had given an account of being over, I had no anxious thoughts +about me; which made this journey much the pleasanter to me; nor +had I any ill accident attended me, only in the passing or fording +a small river, my horse fell, and made me free of the country, as +they call it; that is to say, threw me in: the place was not deep, +but it wetted me all over: I mention it, because it spoiled my +pocket-book, wherein I had set down the names of several people and +places which I had occasion to remember, and which not taking due +care of, the leaves rotted, and the words were never after to be +read, to my great loss, as to the names of some places which I +touched at in this voyage.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 551]</span> +<p>At length we arrived at Pekin; I had nobody with me but the +youth, whom my nephew the captain 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 +Portuguese pilot, he being desirous to see the court, we gave him +his passage, that is to say, bore his charges for his company; and +to use him as an interpreter, for he understood the language of the +country, and spoke good French and a little English; and, indeed, +this old man was a most useful implement to us every where; for we +had not been above a week at Pekin, when he came laughing: “Ah, +Seignior Inglese,” said he, “I have something to tell you, will +make your heart glad.”—“My heart glad,” said I; “what can that be? +I don’t know any thing 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 sorrow;” sorry, he would have +said. This made me more inquisitive. “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 afterwards, 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.</p> +<p>In short, he told us there was a great caravan of Muscovy and +Polish merchants in the city, and that they were 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 +surprised with this news: a secret joy spread itself over my whole +soul, which I cannot describe, and never felt before or since; and +I had no power, for a good while, to speak a word to the old man; +but at last I turned to him: “How do you know this?” said I: “are +you sure it is true?”—“Yes,” he said, “I met this morning in the +street <span class="pagenum">[page 552]</span> an old acquaintance +of mine, an Armenian, or one you call a Grecian, 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 back with the caravan to Moscow, and so down the +river of Wolga to Astracan.”—“Well, Seignior,” said 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 made a +good voyage here, if he could vest it in China silks, wrought and +raw, such as might be worth the carriage, he would be content to go +to England, and then make his voyage back to Bengal by the +Company’s ships.</p> +<p>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 part neither, if we had not rewarded him +farther; for the service he had done us was really worth all that, +and more; for he had not only been a pilot to us at sea, but he had +been also like a broker for us on shore; and his procuring for us +the Japan merchant was some hundreds of pounds in our pockets. So +we consulted together about it; and, being willing to gratify him, +which was, indeed, but doing him justice, and very willing also to +have him with us besides, for he was a most necessary man on all +occasions, we agreed to give him a quantity of coined gold, which, +as I compute it, came to about one hundred and seventy-five pounds +sterling between us, and to bear his charges, both for himself and +horse, except only a horse to carry his goods.</p> +<p>Having settled this among ourselves, we called him <span class= +"pagenum">[page 553]</span> to let him know what we had resolved: I +told him, he had complained of our being like to let him go back +alone, and I was now to tell him we were resolved he should not go +back at all: that as we had resolved to go to Europe with the +caravan, we resolved also 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 he had no pecune to carry him thither, nor to subsist +himself when he came thither. We told him, we believed it was so, +and therefore we had resolved to do something for him, that would +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 lay out as we would do +our own; and that as for his charges, if he would go with us, we +would set him safe ashore (life and casualties excepted), either in +Muscovy or in England, which he would, at our own charge, except +only the carriage of his goods.</p> +<p>He received the proposal like a man transported, and told us, he +would go with us over the whole world; and so, in short, we all +prepared ourselves for the journey. However, as it was with us, so +it was with the other merchants, they had many things to do; and +instead of being ready in five weeks, it was four months and some +odd days before all things were got together.</p> +<p>It was the beginning of February, our style, when we set out +from Pekin. My partner and the old pilot had gone express back to +the port where we had first put in, to dispose of some goods which +he had left there; and I, with a Chinese merchant, whom I had some +knowledge of at Nanquin, and who came to Pekin on his own affairs, +went to Nanquin, where I bought ninety pieces of fine damasks, with +about two hundred pieces of other very fine silks, of several +sorts, some mixed with gold, and had all these brought to Pekin +against my partner’s return: besides this, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 554]</span> we bought a very large quantity of raw +silk, and some other goods; our cargo amounting, in these goods +only, to about three thousand five hundred pounds sterling, which, +together with tea, and some fine calicoes, and three camel-loads of +nutmegs and cloves, loaded in all eighteen camels for our share, +besides those we rode upon; which, with two or three spare horses, +and two horses loaded with provisions, made us, in short, +twenty-six camels and horses in our retinue.</p> +<p>The company was very great, and, as near as I can remember, made +between three and four hundred horses and camels, and upward of a +hundred and twenty men, very well armed, and provided for all +events. For, as the eastern caravans are subject to be attacked by +the Arabs, so are these by the Tartars; but they are not altogether +so dangerous as the Arabs, nor so barbarous when they prevail.</p> +<p>The company consisted of people of several nations, such as +Muscovites chiefly; for there were about sixty of them who were +merchants or inhabitants of Moscow, though of them some were +Livonians; and to our particular satisfaction, five of them were +Scots, who appeared also to be men of great experience in business, +and very good substance.</p> +<p>When we had travelled one day’s journey, the guides, who were +five in number, called all the gentlemen and merchants, that is to +say, all the passengers, except the servants, to a great council, +as they termed it. At this great council every one deposited a +certain 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. And here they constituted the journey, as they called it, +viz. they named captains and officers to draw us all up and give +the 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 +found needful upon the way, as shall be observed in its place.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 555]</span> +<p>The road all on this side of the country is very populous, and +is full of potters and earth makers; that is to say, people that +tempered the earth for the China ware; and, as I was going along, +our Portuguese pilot, who had always something or other to say to +make us merry, came sneering to me, and told me, he would shew the +greatest rarity in all the country; and that I should have this to +say of China, after all the ill humoured things I had said of it, +that I had seen one thing which was not to be seen in all the world +beside. I was very importunate to know what it was; at last he told +me, it was a gentleman’s house, built all with China ware. “Well,” +said I, “are not the materials of their building the product of +their own country; and so it is all China ware, is it not?”—“No, +no,” says he, “I mean, it is a house all made of China ware, such +as you call so in England; or, as it is called in our country, +porcelain.”—“Well,” said I, “such a thing may be: how big is it? +can we carry it in a box upon a camel? If we can, we will buy +it.”—“Upon a camel!” said the old pilot, holding up both his +hands; “why, there is a family of thirty people lives in it.”</p> +<p>I was then curious, indeed, to see it; and when I came to see +it, it was nothing but this: it was a timber house, or a house +built, as we call it in England, with lath and plaster, but all the +plastering was really China ware, that is to say, it was plastered +with the earth that makes China ware.</p> +<p>The outside, which the sun shone hot upon, was glazed, and +looked very well, perfectly white, and painted with blue figures, +as the large China ware in England is painted, and hard, as if it +had been burnt. As to the inside, all the walls, instead of +wainscot, were lined with hardened and painted tiles, like the +little square tiles we call gally tiles in England, all made of the +finest china, and the figures exceeding fine indeed, with +extraordinary variety of colours, mixed with gold, many tiles +making but one figure, but joined so artificially with mortar, +being made of the same <span class="pagenum">[page 556]</span> +earth, that it was very hard to see where the tiles met. The floors +of the rooms were of the same composition, and as hard as the +earthen floors we have in use in several parts of England, +especially Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, &c. +as hard as stone, and smooth, but not burnt and painted, except +some smaller rooms, like closets, which were all, as it were, paved +with the same tile: the ceilings, and, in a word, all the +plastering work in the whole house, were of the same earth; and, +after all, the roof was covered with tiles of the same, but of a +deep shining black.</p> +<p>This was a china warehouse indeed, truly and literally to be +called so; and had I not been upon the journey, I could have staid +some days to see and examine the particulars of it. They told me +there were fountains and fish-ponds in the garden, all paved at the +bottom and sides with the same, and fine statues set up in rows on +the walks, entirely formed of the porcelain earth, and burnt +whole.</p> +<p>As this is one of the singularities of China, so they may be +allowed to excel in it; but I am very sure they <i>excel</i> in +their accounts of it; for they told me such incredible things of +their performance in crockery-ware, for such it is, that I care not +to relate, as knowing it could not be true.—One told me, in +particular, of a workman that made a ship, with all its tackle, and +masts, and sails, in earthenware, big enough to carry fifty men. If +he had told me he launched it, and made a voyage to Japan in it, I +might have said something to it indeed; but as it was, I knew the +whole story, which was, in short, asking pardon for the word, that +the fellow lied; so I smiled, and said nothing to it.</p> +<p>This odd sight kept me two hours behind the caravan, for which +the leader of it for the day fined me about the value of three +shillings; and told me, if it had been three days journey without +the wall, as it was three days within, he must have fined me four +times as much, and made me ask pardon the next council-day: +<span class="pagenum">[page 557]</span> so I promised to be more +orderly; for, indeed, I found afterwards the orders made for +keeping all together were absolutely necessary for our common +safety.</p> +<p>In two days more we passed the great China wall, made for a +fortification 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. They tell us, its length is near a thousand English +miles, but that the country is five hundred, in a straight measured +line, which the wall bounds, without measuring the windings and +turnings it takes: ’tis about four fathom high, and as many thick +in some places.</p> +<p>I stood still an hour, or thereabouts, without trespassing on +our orders, for so long the caravan was in passing the gate; I say, +I stood still an hour to look at it, on every side, near and far +off; I mean, what was within my view; and the guide of our caravan, +who had been extolling it for the wonder of the world, was mighty +eager to hear my opinion of it. I told him it was a most excellent +thing to keep off the Tartars, which he happened not to understand +as I meant it, and so took it for a compliment; but the old pilot +laughed: “O, Seignior Inglese,” said he, “you speak in +colours.”—“In colours!” said I; “what do you mean by that?”—“Why, +you speak what looks white this way, and black that way; gay one +way, and dull another way: you tell him it is a good wall to keep +out Tartars; you tell me, by that, it is good for nothing but to +keep out Tartars; or, will keep out none but Tartars. I understand +you, Seignior Inglese, I understand you,” said he, joking; “but +Seignior Chinese understand you his own way.”</p> +<p>“Well,” said I, “Seignior, do you think it would stand out an +army of our country-people, with a good train of artillery; or our +engineers, with two companies of miners? Would they not batter it +down in ten <span class="pagenum">[page 558]</span> days, that an +army might enter in battalia, or blow it up in the air, foundation +and all, that there should be no sign of it left?”—“Ay, ay,” said +he, “I know that.” The Chinese wanted mightily to know what I said, +and I gave him leave to tell him a few days after, for we were then +almost out of their country, and he was to leave us in a little +time afterwards; but when he knew what I had said, he was dumb all +the rest of the way, and we heard no more of his fine story of the +Chinese power and greatness while he staid.</p> +<p>After we had passed this mighty nothing, called a wall, +something like the Picts wall, so famous in Northumberland, and +built by the Romans, we began to find the country thinly inhabited, +and the people rather confined to live in fortified towns and +cities, 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.</p> +<p>And here I began to find the necessity of keeping together in a +caravan, as we travelled; for we saw several troops of Tartars +roving about; but when I came to see them distinctly, I wondered +how that the Chinese empire could be conquered by such contemptible +fellows; for they are a mere herd or crowd of wild fellows, keeping +no order, and understanding no discipline, or manner of fight.</p> +<p>Their horses are poor, lean, starved creatures, taught nothing, +and are fit for nothing; and this we found the first day we saw +them, which was after we entered the wilder part of the country. +Our leader for the day gave leave for about sixteen of us to go a +hunting, as they call it; and what was this but hunting of sheep! +However, it may be called hunting too; for the creatures are the +wildest, and swiftest of foot, that ever I saw of their kind; only +they will not run a great way, and you are sure of sport when you +begin the chase; for they appear generally by thirty or forty in a +flock, and, like true sheep, always keep together when they +fly.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 559]</span> +<p>In pursuit of this odd sort of game, it was our hap to meet with +about forty Tartars: whether they were hunting mutton as we were, +or whether they looked for another kind of prey, I know not; but as +soon as they saw us, one of them blew a kind of horn very loud, but +with a barbarous sound that I had never heard before, and, by the +way, never care to hear again. We all supposed this was to call +their friends about them; and so it was; for in less than half a +quarter of an hour, a troop of forty or fifty more appeared at +about a mile distance; but our work was over first, as it +happened.</p> +<p>One of the Scots merchants of Moscow happened to be amongst us; +and as soon as he heard the horn, he told us, in short, that we had +nothing to do but to charge them immediately, without loss of time; +and, drawing us up in a line, he asked, if we were resolved? We +told him, we were ready to follow him: so he rode directly up to +them. They stood gazing at us, like a mere crowd, drawn up in no +order, nor shewing the face of any order at all; but as soon as +they saw us advance, they let fly their arrows; which, however, +missed us very happily: it seems they mistook not their aim, but +their distance; for their arrows all fell a little short of us, but +with so true an aim, that had we been about twenty yards nearer, we +must have had several men wounded, if not killed.</p> +<p>Immediately we halted; and though it was at a great distance, we +fired, and sent them leaden bullets for wooden arrows, following +our shot full gallop, resolving to fall in among them sword in +hand; for so our bold Scot that led us, directed. He was, indeed, +but a merchant, but he behaved with that vigour and bravery on this +occasion, and yet with such a cool courage too, that I never saw +any man in action fitter for command. As soon as we came up to +them, we fired our pistols in their faces, and then drew; but they +fled in the greatest confusion imaginable; the only stand any of +them made was on our right, where three of them stood, and, by +signs, called the rest to come <span class="pagenum"><a name= +"page560"></a>[page 560]</span> back to them, having a kind of +scimitar in their hands, and their bows hanging at their backs. Our +brave commander, without asking any body to follow him, galloped up +close to them, and with his fusil knocked one of them off his +horse, killed the second with his pistol, and the third ran away; +and thus ended our fight; but we had this misfortune attending it, +viz. that all our mutton that we had in chase got away. We had not +a man killed or hurt; but, as for the Tartars, there were about +five of them killed; how many were wounded, we knew not; but this +we knew, that the other party was so frighted with the noise of our +guns, that they fled, and never made any attempt upon us.</p> +<p>We were all this while in the Chinese dominions, and therefore +the Tartars were not so bold as afterwards; but in about five days +we entered a vast great wild desert, which held us three days and +nights march; and we were obliged to carry our water with us in +great leather bottles, and to encamp all night, just as I have +heard they do in the deserts of Arabia.</p> +<p>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 +part of the Great Karakathy, or Grand Tartary; but that, however, +it was reckoned to China; that there was no care taken here to +preserve it from the inroads of thieves; and therefore it was +reckoned the worst desert in the whole march, though we were to go +over some much larger.</p> +<p>In passing this wilderness, which, I confess, was at the first +view very frightful to me, 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 met the devil, +if they had nothing to say to us, we had nothing to say to them; we +let them go.</p> +<p>Once, however, a party of them came so near as to stand and gaze +at us; whether it was to consider what they should do, viz. to +attack us, or not attack us, we knew not; but when we were passed +at some distance by them, we made a rear guard of forty men, and +<span class="pagenum">[page 561]</span> stood ready for them, +letting the caravan pass half a mile, or thereabouts, before us. +After a while they marched off, only we found they assaulted us +with five arrows at their parting; one of 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 suppose they might shoot more +arrows, which might fall short of us; but we saw no more arrows, or +Tartars, at that time.</p> +<p>We travelled near a month after this, the ways being not so good +as at first, though still in the dominions of the emperor of China; +but lay, for the most part, in villages, some of which were +fortified, because of the incursions of the Tartars. When we came +to one of these towns, (it was about two days and a half’s journey +before we were to come to the city of Naum) I wanted to buy a +camel, of which there are plenty to be sold all the way upon that +road, and of horses also, such as they are, because so many +caravans coming that way, they are very often wanted. The person +that I spoke to to get me a camel, would have gone and fetched it +for me; but I, like a fool, must be officious, and go myself along +with him. The place was about two miles out of the village, where, +it seems, they kept the camels and horses feeding under a +guard.</p> +<p>I walked it on foot, with my old pilot in company, and a +Chinese, being desirous, forsooth, of a little variety. When we +came to this place, it was a low marshy ground, walled round with a +stone wall, piled up dry, without mortar or earth among it, like a +park, with a little guard of Chinese soldiers at the doors. Having +bought a camel, and agreed for the price, I came away; and the +Chinese man, that went with me, led the camel, when on a sudden +came up five Tartars on horseback: two of them seized the fellow, +and took the camel from him, while the other three stepped up to me +and my old pilot; seeing us, as it were, unarmed, for I had no +weapon about me but my sword, which could but ill defend me against +three horsemen. <span class="pagenum">[page 562]</span> The first +that came up stopped short upon my drawing my sword; (for they are +arrant cowards) but a second coming upon my left, gave me a blow on +the head, which I never felt till afterwards, and wondered, when I +came to myself, what was the matter with me, and where I was, for +he laid me flat on the ground; but my never-failing old pilot, the +Portuguese (so Providence, unlooked for, directs deliverances from +dangers, which to us are unforeseen,) had a pistol in his pocket, +which I knew nothing of nor the Tartars neither; if they had, I +suppose they would not have attacked us; but cowards are always +boldest when there is no danger.</p> +<p>The old man, seeing me down, with a bold heart stepped up to the +fellow that had struck me, and laying hold of his arm with one +hand, and pulling him down by main force a little towards him with +the other, he shot him into the head, and laid him dead on the +spot; he then immediately stepped up to him who had stopped us, as +I said, and before he could come forward again (for it was all done +as it were in a moment) made a blow at him with a scimitar, which +he always wore, but, missing the man, cut his horse into the side +of his head, cut one of his ears off by the root, and a great slice +down the side of his face. The poor beast, enraged with the wounds, +was no more to be governed by his rider, though the fellow sat well +enough too; but away he flew, and carried him quite out of the +pilot’s reach; and, at some distance, rising upon his hind legs, +threw down the Tartar, and fell upon him.</p> +<p>In this interval the poor Chinese came in, who had lost the +camel, but he had no weapon; however, seeing the Tartar down, and +his horse fallen upon him, he runs to him, and seizing upon an ugly +ill-favoured weapon he had by his side, something like a pole-axe, +but not a pole-axe either, he wrenched it from him, and made shift +to knock his Tartarian brains out with it. But my old man had the +third Tartar to deal with still; and, seeing he did not fly as he +expected, nor <span class="pagenum">[page 563]</span> come on to +fight him, as he apprehended, but stood stock still, the old man +stood still too, and falls to work with his tackle to charge his +pistol again: but as soon as the Tartar saw the pistol, whether he +supposed it to be the same or another, I know not; but away he +scoured, and left my pilot, my champion I called him afterwards, a +complete victory.</p> +<p>By this time I was a little awake; for I thought, when I first +began to awake, that I had been in a sweet sleep; but as I said +above, I wondered where I was, how I came upon the ground, and what +was the matter: in a word, a few minutes after, as sense returned, +I felt pain, though I did not know where; I clapped my hand to my +head, and took it away bloody; then I felt my head ache, and then, +in another moment, memory returned, and every thing was present to +me again.</p> +<p>I jumped up upon my feet instantly, and got hold of my sword, +but no enemies in view. I found a Tartar lie dead, and his horse +standing very quietly by him; and looking farther, I saw my +champion and deliverer, who had been to see what the Chinese had +done, coming back with his hanger in his hand. The old man, seeing +me on my feet, came running to me, and embraced me with a great +deal of joy, being afraid before that I had been killed; and seeing +me bloody, would see how I was hurt; but it was not much, only what +we call a broken head; neither did I afterwards find any great +inconvenience from the blow, other than the place which was hurt, +and which was well again in two or three days.</p> +<p>We made no great gain, however, by this victory; for we lost a +camel, and gained a horse: but that which was remarkable, when we +came back to the village, the man demanded to be paid for the +camel; I disputed it, and it was brought to a hearing before the +Chinese judge of the place; that is to say, in English, we went +before a justice of the peace. Give him his due, he acted with a +great deal of prudence and impartiality; and having heard both +sides, he gravely <span class="pagenum">[page 564]</span> asked the +Chinese man that went with me to buy the camel, whose servant he +was? “I am no servant,” said he, “but went with the stranger.”—“At +whose request?” said the justice. “At the stranger’s request,” said +he. “Why then,” said the justice, “you were the stranger’s servant +for the time; and the camel being delivered to his servant, it was +delivered to him, and he must pay for it.”</p> +<p>I confess the thing was so clear, that I had not a word to say; +but admiring to see such just reasoning upon the consequence, and +so accurate stating the case, I paid willingly for the camel, and +sent for another; but you may observe, <i>I sent</i> for it; I did +not go to fetch it myself any more; I had had enough of that.</p> +<p>The city of Naum is a frontier of the Chinese empire: they call +it fortified, and so it is, as fortifications go there; for this I +will venture to affirm, that all the Tartars in Karakathy, which, I +believe, are some millions, could not batter down the walls with +their bows and arrows; but to call it strong, if it were attacked +with cannon, would be to make those who understand it laugh at +you.</p> +<p>We wanted, as I have said, about two days journey of this city, +when messengers were sent express to every part of the road, to +tell all travellers and caravans to halt, till they had a guard +sent to them; for that an unusual body of Tartars, making ten +thousand in all, had appeared in the way, about thirty miles beyond +the city.</p> +<p>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 those 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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 565]</span> 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.</p> +<p>It was early in the morning, when marching from a little +well-situated town, called Changu, we had a river to pass, where 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.</p> +<p>About three hours after, when we were entered upon, a desert of +about fifteen or sixteen miles over, behold, by a cloud of dust +they raised, we saw an enemy was at hand; and they were at hand +indeed, for they came on upon the spur.</p> +<p>The Chinese, our guard on the front, who had talked so big the +day before, began to stagger, and the soldiers frequently looked +behind them; which is a certain sign in a soldier, that he is just +ready to run away. My old pilot was of my mind; and being near me, +he called out: “Seignior Inglese,” said he, “those fellows must be +encouraged, or they will ruin us all; for if the Tartars come on, +they will never stand it.”—“I am of your mind,” said I: “but what +course must be done?”—“Done?” said he; “let fifty of our men +advance, and flank them on each wing, and encourage them, and they +will fight like brave fellows in brave company: but without it, +they will every man turn his back.” Immediately I rode up to our +leader, and told him, who was exactly of our mind; and accordingly +fifty of us marched to the right wing, and fifty to the left, and +the rest made a line of reserve; for so we marched, leaving the +last two hundred men to make another body to themselves, and to +guard the camels; only that, if need were, they should send a +hundred men to assist the last fifty.</p> +<p>In a word, the Tartars came on, and an innumerable company they +were; how many, we could not tell, but ten thousand we thought was +the least. A party of them came on first, and viewed our posture, +traversing <span class="pagenum">[page 566]</span> the ground in +the front of our line; and as we found them within gun-shot, our +leader ordered the two wings to advance swiftly, and give them a +<i>salvo</i> on each wing with their shot, which was done; but they +went off, and I suppose went back to give an account of the +reception they were like to meet with; and, indeed, that salute +clogged their stomachs; for they immediately halted, stood awhile +to consider of it, and, wheeling off to the left, they gave over +the design, and said no more to us for that time; which was very +agreeable to our circumstances, which were but very indifferent for +a battle with such a number.</p> +<p>Two days after this we came to the city of Naum, or Naunm. We +thanked the governor for his care for us, and collected to the +value of one hundred crowns, or thereabouts, which we gave to the +soldiers sent to guard us; and here we rested one day. This is a +garrison indeed, and there were nine hundred soldiers kept here; +but the reason of it was, that formerly the Muscovite frontiers lay +nearer to them than they do now, the Muscovites having abandoned +that part of the country (which lies from the city west, for about +two hundred miles) as desolate and unfit for use; and more +especially, being so very remote, and so difficult to send troops +hither for its defence; for we had yet above two thousand miles to +Muscovy, properly so called.</p> +<p>After this we passed several great rivers, and two dreadful +deserts, one of which we were sixteen days passing over, and which, +as I said, was to be called No Man’s Land; and on the 13th of April +we came to the frontiers of the Muscovite dominions. I think the +first city, or town, or fortress, whatever it might be called, that +belonged to the czar of Muscovy, was called Argun, being on the +west side of the river Argun.</p> +<p>I could not but discover an infinite satisfaction; that I was +now arrived in, as I called it, a Christian country; or, at least, +in a country governed by Christians: for though the Muscovites do, +in my opinion, but just <span class="pagenum">[page 567]</span> +deserve the name of Christians (yet such they pretend to be, and +are very devout in their way:) it would certainly occur to any man +who travels the world as I have done, and who had any power of +reflection; I say, it would occur to him, to reflect, what a +blessing it is to be brought into the world where the name of God, +and of a Redeemer, is known, worshipped, and adored—and not where +the people, given up by Heaven to strong delusions, worship the +devil, and prostrate themselves to stocks and stones; worship +monsters, elements, horrible-shaped animals, and statues, or images +of monsters. Not a town or city we passed through but had their +pagods, their idols, and their temples; and ignorant people +worshipping even the works of their own hands!</p> +<p>Now we came where, at least, a face of the Christian worship +appeared, where the knee was bowed to Jesus; and whether ignorantly +or not, yet the Christian religion was owned, and the name of the +true God was called upon and adored; and it made the very recesses +of my soul rejoice to see it. I saluted the brave Scotch merchant I +mentioned above, with my first acknowledgment of this; and, taking +him by the hand, I said to him, “Blessed be God, we are once again +come among Christians!” He smiled, and answered, “Do not rejoice +too soon, countryman; these Muscovites are but an odd sort of +Christians; and but for the name of it, you may see very little of +the substance for some months farther of our journey.”</p> +<p>“Well,” said I, “but still it is better than paganism, and +worshipping of devils.”—“Why, I’ll tell you,” said he; “except the +Russian soldiers in garrisons, and a few of the inhabitants of the +cities upon the road, all the rest of this country, for above a +thousand miles farther, is inhabited by the worst and most ignorant +of pagans.” And so indeed we found it.</p> +<p>We were now launched into the greatest piece of solid earth, if +I understand any thing of the surface of the globe, that is to be +found in any part of the world: we had at least twelve hundred +miles to the sea, eastward; <span class="pagenum">[page 568]</span> +we had at least two thousand to the bottom of the Baltic sea, +westward; and almost three thousand miles, if we left that sea, and +went on west to the British and French channels; we had full five +thousand miles to the Indian or Persian sea, south; and about eight +hundred miles to the Frozen sea, north; nay, if some people may be +believed, there might be no sea north-east till we came round the +pole, and consequently into the north-west, and so had a continent +of land into America, no mortal knows where; though I could give +some reasons why I believe that to be a mistake too.</p> +<p>As we entered into the Muscovite dominions, a good while before +we came to any considerable town, we had nothing to observe there +but this: first, that all the rivers run to the east. As I +understood by the charts which some of our caravans had with them, +it was plain that all those rivers ran into the great river Yamour, +or Gammour. This river, by the natural course of it, must run into +the east sea, or Chinese ocean. The story they tell us, that the +mouth of this river is choked up with bulrushes of a monstrous +growth, viz. three feet about, and twenty or thirty feet high, I +must be allowed to say I believe nothing of; but as its navigation +is of no use, because there is no trade that way, the Tartars, to +whom alone it belongs, dealing in nothing but cattle; so nobody +that ever I heard or, has been curious enough either to go down to +the mouth of it in boats, or to come up from the mouth of it in +ships; but this is certain, that this river running due east, in +the latitude of sixty degrees, carries a vast concourse of rivers +along with it, and finds an ocean to empty itself in that latitude; +so we are sure of sea there.</p> +<p>Some leagues to the north of this river there are several +considerable rivers, whose streams run as due north as the Yamour +runs east; and these are all found to join their waters with the +great river Tartarus, named so from the northernmost nations of the +Mogul Tartars, who, the Chinese say, were the first Tartars +<span class="pagenum">[page 569]</span> in the world; and who, as +our geographers allege, are the Gog and Magog mentioned in sacred +story.</p> +<p>These rivers running all northward, as well as all the other +rivers I am yet to speak of, made it evident that the northern +ocean bounds the land also on that side; so that it does not seem +rational in the least to think that the land can extend itself to +join with America on that side, or that there is not a +communication between the northern and the eastern ocean; but of +this I shall say no more; it was my observation at that time, and +therefore I take notice of it in this place. We now advanced from +the river Arguna by easy and moderate journies, and were very +visibly obliged to the care the czar of Muscovy has taken to have +cities and towns built in as many places as are possible to place +them, where his soldiers keep garrison, something, like the +stationary soldiers placed by the Romans in the remotest countries +of their empire, some of which I had read were particularly placed +in Britain for the security of commerce, and for the lodging of +travellers; and thus it was here; though wherever we came at these +towns and stations the garrisons and governor were Russians and +professed mere pagans, sacrificing to idols, and worshipping the +sun, moon, and stars, or all the host of heaven; and not only so, +but were, of all the heathens and pagans that ever I met with, the +most barbarous, except only that they did not eat man’s flesh, as +our savages of America did.</p> +<p>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 Nertzinskay; in which space +is a continued desert or forest, which cost us twenty days to +travel over it. In a village near the last of those places, I had +the curiosity to go and see their way of living; which is most +brutish and unsufferable: they had, I suppose, a great sacrifice +that day; for there stood out upon an old stump of a tree, an idol +made of wood, frightful as the devil; at least as any thing we can +think of to <span class="pagenum"><a name="page570"></a>[page +570]</span> represent the devil that can be made. It had a head +certainly not so much as resembling any creature that the world +ever saw; ears as big as goats’ horns, and as high; eyes as big as +a crown-piece; and a nose like a crooked ram’s horn, and a mouth +extended four-cornered, like that of a lion, with horrible teeth, +hooked like a parrot’s under bill. It was dressed up in the +filthiest manner that you can suppose; its upper garment was of +sheep-skins, with the wool outward; a great Tartar bonnet on the +head, with two horns growing through it: it was about eight feet +high, yet had no feet or legs, or any other proportion of +parts.</p> +<p>This scarecrow was set up at the outside of the village; and +when I came near to it, there were sixteen or seventeen creatures, +whether men or women I could not tell, for they make no distinction +by their habits, either of body or head; these lay all flat on the +ground, round this formidable block of shapeless wood. I saw no +motion among them any more than if they had been logs of wood, like +their idol; at first I really thought they had been so; but when I +came a little nearer, they started up upon their feet, and raised a +howling cry, as if it had been so many deep-mouthed hounds, and +walked away as if they were displeased at our disturbing them. A +little way off from this monster, and at the door of a tent or hut, +made all of sheep-skins and cow-skins, dried, stood three butchers: +I thought they were such; for when I came nearer to them, I found +they had long knives in their hands, and in the middle of the tent +appeared three sheep killed, and one young bullock, or steer. +These, it seems, were sacrifices to that senseless log of an idol; +and these three men priests belonging to it; and the seventeen +prostrated wretches were the people who brought the offering, and +were making their prayers to that stock.</p> +<p>I confess I was more moved at their stupidity, and this brutish +worship of a hobgoblin, than ever I was at any thing in my life: to +see God’s most glorious and best creature, to whom he had granted +so many <span class="pagenum">[page 571]</span> advantages, even by +creation, above the rest of the works of his hands, vested with a +reasonable soul, and that soul adorned with faculties and +capacities adapted both to honour his Maker and be honoured by him; +I say, to see it sunk and degenerated to a degree so more than +stupid, as to prostrate itself to a frightful nothing, a mere +imaginary object dressed up by themselves, and made terrible to +themselves by their own contrivance, adorned only with clouts and +rags; and that this should be the effect of mere ignorance, wrought +up into hellish devotion by the devil himself; who, envying his +Maker the homage and adoration of his creatures, had deluded them +into such gross, surfeiting, sordid, and brutish things, as one +would think should shock nature itself.</p> +<p>But what signified all the astonishment and reflection of +thoughts? Thus it was, and I saw it before my eyes; and there was +no room to wonder at it, or think it impossible. All my admiration +turned to rage; and I rode up to the image or monster, call it what +you will, and with my sword cut the bonnet that was on its head in +two in the middle, so that it hung down by one of the horns; and +one of our men that was with me, took hold of the sheep skin that +covered it, and pulled at it, when, behold, a most hideous outcry +and howling ran through the village, and two or three hundred +people came about my ears, so that I was glad to scour for it; for +we saw some had bows and arrows; but I resolved from that moment to +visit them again.</p> +<p>Our caravan rested three nights at the town, which was about +four miles off, in order to provide some horses, which they wanted, +several of the horses having been lamed and jaded with the badness +of the way, and our long march over the last desert; so we had some +leisure here to put my design in execution. I communicated my +project to the Scots merchant, of Moscow, of whose courage I had +had a sufficient testimony, as above. I told him what I had seen, +and with what indignation I had since thought that human nature +could be so degenerate. I told him, I was <span class= +"pagenum">[page 572]</span> resolved, if I could get but four or +five men well armed to go with me, to go and destroy that vile, +abominable idol; to let them see, that it had no power to help +itself, and consequently could not be an object of worship, or to +be prayed to, much less help them that offered sacrifices to +it.</p> +<p>He laughed at me: said he, “Your zeal may be good; but what do +you propose to yourself by it?”—“Propose!” said I: “to vindicate +the honour of God, which is insulted by this devil-worship.”—“But +how will it vindicate the honour of God,” said he, “while the +people will not be able to know what you mean by it, unless you +could speak to them too, and tell them so? and then they will fight +you too, I will assure you, for they are desperate fellows, and +that especially in defence of their idolatry.”—“Can we not,” said +I, “do it in the night, and then leave them the reasons in writing, +in their own language?”—“Writing!” said he; “why, there is not in +five nations of them one man that knows any thing of a letter, or +how to read a word in any language, or in their own.”—“Wretched +ignorance!” said I to him: “however, I have a great mind to do it; +perhaps nature may draw inferences from it to them, to let them see +how brutish they are to worship such horrid things.”—“Look you, +Sir,” said he; “if your zeal prompts you to it so warmly, you must +do it; but in the next place, I would have you consider these wild +nations of people are subjected by force to the czar of Muscovy’s +dominion; and if you do this, it is ten to one but they will come +by thousands to the governor of Nertzinskay, and complain, and +demand satisfaction; and if he cannot give them satisfaction, it is +ten to one but they revolt; and it will occasion a new war with all +the Tartars in the country.”</p> +<p>This, I confess, put new thoughts into my head for a while; but +I harped upon the same string still; and all that day I was uneasy +to put my project in execution. Towards the evening the Scots +merchant met me by accident in our walk about the town, and desired +<span class="pagenum">[page 573]</span> to speak with me: “I +believe,” said he, “I have put you off your good design; I have +been a little concerned about it since; for I abhor the idol and +idolatry as much as you can do.”—“Truly,” said I, “you have put it +off a little, as to the execution of it, but you have not put it +all out of my thoughts; and, I believe, I shall do it still before +I quit this place, though I were to be delivered up to them for +satisfaction.”—“No, no,” said he, “God forbid they should deliver +you up to such a crew of monsters! they shall not do that neither; +that would be murdering you indeed.”—“Why,” said I, “how would +they use me?”—“Use you!” said he: “I’ll tell you how they served a +poor Russian, who affronted them in their worship just as you did, +and whom they took prisoner, after they had lamed him with an +arrow, that he could not run away: they took him and stripped him +stark naked, and set him upon the top of the idol monster, and +stood all round him, and shot as many arrows into him as would +stick over his whole body; and then they burnt him, and all the +arrows sticking in him, as a sacrifice to the idol.”—“And was this +the same idol:” said I.—“Yes,” said he, “the very same.”—“Well,” +said I, “I will tell you a story.” So I related the story of our +men at Madagascar, and how they burnt and sacked the village there, +and killed man, woman, and child, for their murdering one of our +men, just as it is related before; and when I had done, I added, +that I thought we ought to do so to this village.</p> +<p>He listened very attentively to the story; but when I talked of +doing so to that village, said he, “You mistake very much; it was +not this village, it was almost a hundred miles from this place; +but it was the same idol, for they carry him about in procession +all over the country.”—“Well,” said I, “then that idol ought to be +punished for it; and it shall,” said I, “if I live this night +out.”</p> +<p>In a word, finding me resolute, he liked the design, and told +me, I should not go alone, but he would go <span class= +"pagenum">[page 574]</span> with me; but he would go first, and +bring a stout fellow, one of his countrymen, to go also with us; +“and one,” said he, “as famous for his zeal as you can desire any +one to be against such devilish things as these.” In a word, he +brought me his comrade a Scotsman, whom he called Captain +Richardson; and I gave him a full account of what I had seen, and +also what I intended; and he told me readily, he would go with me, +if it cost him his life. So we agreed to go, only we three. I had, +indeed, proposed it to my partner, but he declined it. He said, he +was ready to assist me to the utmost, and upon all occasions, for +my defence; but that this was an adventure quite out of his way: +so, I say, we resolved upon our work, only we three, and my +man-servant, and to put it in execution that night about midnight, +with all the secresy imaginable.</p> +<p>However, upon second thoughts, we were willing to delay it till +the next night, because the caravan being to set forward in the +morning, we supposed the governor could not pretend to give them +any satisfaction upon us when we were out of his power. The Scots +merchant, as steady in his resolution to enterprise it as bold in +executing, brought me a Tartar’s robe or gown of sheep-skins, and a +bonnet, with a bow and arrows, and had provided the same for +himself and his countryman, that the people, if they saw us, should +not be able to determine who we were.</p> +<p>All the first night we spent in mixing up some combustible +matter with aqua-vitæ, gunpowder, and such other materials as +we could get; and, having a good quantity of tar in a little pot, +about an hour after night we set out upon our expedition.</p> +<p>We came to the place about eleven o’clock at night, and found +that the people had not the least jealousy of danger attending +their idol. The night was cloudy; yet the moon gave us light enough +to see that the idol stood just in the same posture and place that +it did before. The people seemed to be all at their rest; only, +that in the great hut, or tent as we called it, where we saw the +three priests, whom we mistook for <span class="pagenum">[page +575]</span> butchers, we saw a light, and going up close to the +door, we heard people talking, as if there were five or six of +them; we concluded, therefore, that if we set wildfire to the idol, +these men would come out immediately, and run up to the place to +rescue it from the destruction that we intended for it; and what to +do with them we knew not. Once we thought of carrying it away, and +setting fire to it at a distance, but when we came to handle it we +found it too bulky for our carriage; so we were at a loss again. +The second Scotsman was for setting fire to the tent or hut, and +knocking the creatures that were there on the head, when they came +out; but I could not join with that; I was against killing them, if +it was possible to be avoided. “Well then,” said the Scots +merchant, “I will tell you what we will do; we will try to make +them prisoners, tie their hands, and make them stand and see their +idol destroyed.”</p> +<p>As it happened, we had twine or packthread enough about us, +which we used to tie our fire-works together with; so we resolved +to attack these people first, and with as little noise as we could. +The first thing we did, we knocked at the door, when one of the +priests coming to it, we immediately seized upon him, stopped his +mouth, and tied his hands behind him, and led him to the idol, +where we gagged him that he might not make a noise, tied his feet +also together, and left him on the ground.</p> +<p>Two of us then waited at the door, expecting that another would +come out to see what the matter was; but we waited so long till the +third man came back to us; and then nobody coming out, we knocked +again gently, and immediately out came two more, and we served them +just in the same manner, but were obliged to go all with them, and +lay them down by the idol some distance from one another; when +going back we found two more were come out to the door, and a third +stood behind them within the door. We seized the two, and +immediately tied them, when the third stepping back, and crying +out, my Scots merchant <span class="pagenum">[page 576]</span> went +in after him, and taking out a composition we had made, that would +only smoke and stink, he set fire to it, and threw it in among +them: by that time the other Scotsman and my man taking charge of +the two men already bound, and tied together also by the arm, led +them away to the idol, and left them there, to see if their idol +would relieve them, making haste back to us.</p> +<p>When the furze we had thrown in had filled the hut with so much +smoke that they were almost suffocated, we then threw in a small +leather bag of another kind, which flamed like a candle, and +following it in, we found there were but four people left, who, it +seems, were two men and two women, and, as we supposed, had been +about some of their diabolic sacrifices. They appeared, in short, +frighted to death, at least so as to sit trembling and stupid, and +not able to speak neither, for the smoke.</p> +<p>In a word, we took them, bound them as we had the other, and all +without any noise, I should have said, we brought them out of the +house, or hut, first; for, indeed, we were not able to bear the +smoke any; more than they were. When we had done this, we carried +them all together to the idol: when we came there we fell to work +with him; and first we daubed him all over, and his robes also, +with tar, and such other stuff as we had, which was tallow mixed +with brimstone; then we stopped his eyes, and ears, and, mouth full +of gunpowder; then we wrapped up a great piece of wildfire in his +bonnet; and then sticking all the combustibles we had brought with +us upon him, we looked about to see if we could find any thing +else to help to burn him; when my Scotsman remembered that by the +tent, or hut, where the men were, there lay a heap of dry forage, +whether straw or rushes I do not remember: away he and the other +Scotsman ran, and fetched their arms full of that. When we had done +this, we took all our prisoners, and brought them, having untied +their feet and ungagged their mouths, and made them stand up, and +set them <span class="pagenum">[page 577]</span> all before their +monstrous idol, and then set fire to the whole.</p> +<p>We stayed by it a quarter of an hour, or thereabouts, til the +powder in the eyes, and mouth, and ears of the idol blew up, and, +as we could perceive, had split and deformed the shape of it; and, +in a word, till we saw it burnt into a mere block or log of wood; +and then igniting the dry forage to it, we found it would be soon +quite consumed; so we began to think of going away; but the +Scotsman said, “No, we must not go, for these poor deluded wretches +will all throw themselves into the fire, and burn themselves with +the idol.” So we resolved to stay till the forage was burnt down +too, and then we came away and left them.</p> +<p>In the morning we appeared among our fellow-travellers, +exceeding busy in getting ready for our journey; nor could any man +suggest that we had been any where but in our beds, as travellers +might be supposed to be, to fit themselves for the fatigues of that +day’s journey.</p> +<p>But it did not end so; for the next day came a great multitude +of the country people, not only of this village, but of a hundred +more, for aught I know, to the town-gates; and in a most outrageous +manner demanded satisfaction of the Russian governor, for the +insulting their priests, and burning their great Cham-Chi-Thaungu; +such a hard name they gave the monstrous creature they worshipped. +The people of Nertzinskay were at first in a great consternation; +for they said the Tartars were no less than thirty thousand, and +that in a few days more they would be one hundred thousand +stronger.</p> +<p>The Russian governor sent out messengers to appease them, and +gave them all the good words imaginable. He assured them he knew +nothing of it, and that there had not a soul of his garrison been +abroad; that it could not be from any body there; and if they would +let him know who it was, he should be exemplarily punished. They +returned haughtily, That all the country <span class= +"pagenum">[page 578]</span> reverenced the great Cham-Chi-Thaungu, +who dwelt in the son, and no mortal would have dared to offer +violence to his image, but some Christian miscreant; so they called +them, it seems; and they therefore denounced war against him, and +all the Russians, who, they said, were miscreants and +Christians.</p> +<p>The governor, still patient, and unwilling to make a breach, or +to have any cause of war alleged to be given by him, the czar +having straitly charged him to treat the conquered country with +gentleness and civility, gave them still all the good words he +could; at last he told them, there was a caravan gone towards +Russia that morning, and perhaps it was some of them who had done +them this injury; and that, if they would be satisfied with that, +he would send after them, to inquire into it. This seemed to +appease them a little; and accordingly the governor sent after us, +and gave us a particular account how the thing was, intimating +withal, that if any in our caravan had done it, they should make +their escape; but that whether they had done it or no, we should +make all the haste forward that was possible; and that in the +meantime he would keep them in play as long as he could.</p> +<p>This was very friendly in the governor. However, when it came to +the caravan, there was nobody knew any thing of the matter; and, as +for us that were guilty, we were the least of all suspected; none +so much as asked us the question; however, the captain of the +caravan, for the time, took the hint that the governor gave us, and +we marched or travelled two days and two nights without any +considerable stop, and then we lay at a village called Plothus; nor +did we make any long stop here, but hastened on towards Jarawena, +another of the czar of Muscovy’s colonies, and where we expected we +should be safe; but it is to be observed, that here we began, for +two or three days march, to enter upon a vast nameless desert, of +which I shall say more in its place; and which if we had now been +upon it, it is more than probable we had been all destroyed. It was +the second day’s march from Plothus <span class="pagenum">[page +579]</span> that by the clouds of dust behind us at a great +distance, some of our people began to be sensible we were pursued; +we had entered the desert, and had passed by a great lake, called +Schanks Osier, when we perceived a very great body of horse appear +on the other side of the lake to the north, we travelling west. We +observed they went away west, as we did; but had supposed we should +have taken that side of the lake, whereas we very happily took the +south side: and in two days more we saw them not, for they, +believing we were still before them, pushed on, till they came to +the river Udda: this is a very great river when it passes farther +north, but when we came to it, we found it narrow and fordable.</p> +<p>The third day they either found their mistake, or had +intelligence of us, and came pouring in upon us towards the dusk of +the evening. We had, to our great satisfaction, just pitched upon a +place for our camp, which was very convenient for the night; for as +we were upon a desert, though but at the beginning of it, that was +above five hundred miles over, we had no towns to lodge at, and, +indeed, expected none but the city of Jarawena, which we had yet +two days march to; the desert, however, had some few woods in it on +this side, and little river, which ran all into the great river +Udda. It was in a narrow strait, between two small but very thick +woods, that we pitched our little camp for that night, expecting to +be attacked in the night.</p> +<p>Nobody knew but ourselves what we were pursued for; but as it +was usual for the Mogul Tartars to go about in troops in that +desert, so the caravans always fortify themselves every night +against them, as against armies of robbers; and it was therefore no +new thing to be pursued.</p> +<p>But we had this night, of all the nights of our travels, a most +advantageous camp; for we lay between two woods, with a little +rivulet running just before our front; so that we could not be +surrounded or attacked any way, but in our front or rear: we took +care also <span class="pagenum"><a name="page580"></a>[page +580]</span> to make our front as strong as we could, by placing our +packs, with our camels and horses, all in a line on the side of the +river, and we felled some trees in our rear.</p> +<p>In this posture we encamped for the night; but the enemy was +upon us before we had finished our situation: they did not come on +us like thieves, as we expected, but sent three messengers to us, +to demand the men to be delivered to them, that had abused their +priests, and burnt their god Cham-Chi-Thaungu, that they might burn +them with fire; and, upon this, they said, they would go away, and +do us no farther harm, otherwise they would burn us all with fire. +Our men looked very blank at this message, and began to stare at +one another, to see who looked with most guilt in their faces, but, +<i>nobody</i> was the word, nobody did it. The leader of the +caravan sent word, he was well assured it was not done, by any of +our camp; that we were peaceable merchants, travelling on our +business; that we had done no harm to them, or to any one else; and +therefore they must look farther for their enemies, who had injured +them, for we were not the people; so desired them not to disturb +us; for, if they did, we should defend ourselves.</p> +<p>They were far from being satisfied with this for an answer, and +a great crowd of them came down in the morning, by break of day, to +our camp; but, seeing us in such an advantageous situation, they +durst come no farther than the brook in our front, where they +stood, and shewed us such a number, as, indeed, terrified us very +much; for those that spoke least of them, spoke of ten thousand. +Here they stood, and looked at us awhile, and then setting up a +great howl, they let fly a cloud of arrows among us; but we were +well enough fortified for that, for we were sheltered under our +baggage; and I do not remember that one man of us was hurt.</p> +<p>Some time after this we saw them move a little to our right, and +expected them on the rear, when a cunning fellow, a Cossack, as +they call them, of Jarawena, <span class="pagenum">[page +581]</span> in the pay of the Muscovites, calling to the leader of +the caravan, said to him, “I will send all these people away to +Sibeilka.” This was a city four or five days journey at least to +the south, and rather behind us. So he takes his bow and arrows, +and, getting on horseback, he rides away from our rear directly, as +it were, back to Nertzinskay; after this, he takes a great circuit +about, and comes to the army of the Tartars, as if he had been sent +express to tell them a long story, that the people who had burnt +their Cham-Chi-Thaungu were gone to Sibeilka, with a caravan of +miscreants, as he called them; that is to say, Christians; and that +they were resolved to burn the god Seal Isarg, belonging to the +Tonguses.</p> +<p>As this fellow was a mere Tartar, and perfectly spoke their +language, he counterfeited so well, that they all took it from him, +and away they drove, in a most violent hurry, to Sibeilka, which, +it seems, was five days journey to the south; and in less than +three hours they were entirely out of our sight, and we never heard +any more of them, nor ever knew whether they went to that other +place called Sibeilka or no.</p> +<p>So we passed safely on to the city of Jarawena, where there was +a garrison of Muscovites; and there we rested five days, the +caravan being exceedingly fatigued with the last day’s march, and +with want of rest in the night.</p> +<p>From this city we had a frightful desert, which held us +three-and-twenty days march. We furnished ourselves with some tents +here, for the better accommodating ourselves in the night; and the +leader of the caravan procured sixteen carriages, or waggons, of +the country, for carrying our water and 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.</p> +<p>We may well be supposed to want rest again after this long +journey; for in this desert we saw neither <span class= +"pagenum">[page 582]</span> house or tree, or scarce a bush: we +saw, indeed, abundance of the sable-hunters, as they called them. +These are all Tartars of the Mogul Tartary, of which this country +is a part; and they frequently attack small caravans; but we saw no +numbers of them together. I was curious to see the sable skins they +catched; but I could never speak with any of them; for they durst +not come near us; neither durst we straggle from our company to go +near them.</p> +<p>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 the czar of Muscovy, with garrisons of stationary soldiers to +protect the caravans, and defend the country against the Tartars, +who would otherwise make it very dangerous travelling; and his +czarish majesty has given such strict orders for the well guarding +the caravans and merchants, that if there are any Tartars heard of +in the country, detachments of the garrison are always sent to see +travellers safe from station to station.</p> +<p>And thus the governor of Adinskoy, whom I had an opportunity to +make a visit to, by means of the Scots merchant, who was acquainted +with him, offered us a guard of fifty men, if we thought there was +any danger, to the next station.</p> +<p>I thought long before this, that as we came nearer to Europe we +should find the country better peopled, and the people more +civilized; but I found myself mistaken in both, for we had yet the +nation of the Tonguses to pass through; where we saw the same +tokens of paganism and barbarity, or worse, than before; only as +they were conquered by the Muscovites, and entirely reduced, they +were not so dangerous; but for the rudeness of manners, idolatry, +and polytheism, no people in the world ever went beyond them. They +are clothed all in skins of beasts, and their houses are built of +the same. You know not a man from a woman, neither by the +ruggedness of their countenances, or their clothes; and in the +winter, when the ground <span class="pagenum">[page 583]</span> is +covered with snow, they live under ground, in houses like vaults, +which have cavities or caves going from one to another.</p> +<p>If the Tartars had their Cham-Chi-Thaungu for a whole village, +or country, these had idols in every hut and every cave; besides, +they worship the stars, the sun, the water, the snow; and, in a +word, every thing that they do not understand, and they understand +but very little; so that almost every element, every uncommon +thing, sets them a-sacrificing.</p> +<p>But I am no more to describe people than countries, any farther +than my own story comes to be concerned in them. I met with nothing +peculiar to myself in all this country, which I reckon was, from +the desert which I spoke of last, at least four hundred miles, half +of it being another desert, which took us up twelve days severe +travelling, without house, tree, or bush; but we were obliged again +to carry our own provisions, as well water as bread. After we were +out of this desert, and had travelled two days, we came to Janezay, +a Muscovite city or station, on the great river Janezay. This +river, they told us, parted Europe from Asia, though our +map-makers, as I am told, do not agree to it; however, it is +certainly the eastern boundary of the ancient Siberia, which now +makes a province only of the vast Muscovite empire, but is itself +equal in bigness to the whole empire of Germany.</p> +<p>And yet here I observed ignorance and paganism, still prevailed, +except in the Muscovite garrisons. All the country between the +river Oby and the river Janezay is as entirely pagan, and the +people as barbarous, as the remotest of the Tartars; nay, as any +nation, for aught I know, in Asia or America. I also found, which I +observed to the Muscovite governors, whom I had opportunity to +converse with, that the pagans are not much the wiser, or the +nearer Christianity, for being under the Muscovite government; +which they acknowledged was true enough, but, they said, it was +none of their business; that if the czar expected to convert his +Siberian, or Tonguese, or Tartar subjects, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 584]</span> it should be done by sending clergymen +among them, not soldiers; and they added, with more sincerity than +I expected, that they found it was not so much the concern of their +monarch to make the people Christians, as it was to make them +subjects.</p> +<p>From this river to the great river Oby, we crossed a wild +uncultivated country; I cannot say ’tis a barbarous soil; ’tis only +barren of people, and wants good management; otherwise it is in +itself a most pleasant, fruitful, and agreeable country. What +inhabitants we found in it are all pagans, except such as are sent +among them from 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 to +impossible they should ever come away.</p> +<p>I have nothing material to say of my particular affairs, till I +came to Tobolski, the capital of Siberia, where I continued some +time on the following occasion:—</p> +<p>We had been now 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, +considering that we were bound for England, and not for Moscow, to +consider how to dispose of ourselves. They told us of sledges and +rein-deer to carry us over the snow in the winter-time; and, +indeed, they have such things, as it would be incredible to relate +the particulars of, by which means the Russians travel more in the +winter than they can in summer; because 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, the vales, the rivers, the +lakes, are all smooth, and hard as a stone; and they run upon the +surface, without any regard to what is underneath.</p> +<p>But I had no occasion to push at 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 585]</span> off west for +Narva, and the gulf of Finland, and so either by sea or land to +Dantzic, where I might possibly sell my China cargo to good +advantage; or I must leave the caravan at a little town on the +Dwina, from whence I had but six days by water to Archangel, and +from thence might be sure of shipping, either to England, Holland, +or Hamburgh.</p> +<p>Now to go any of these journies in the winter would have been +preposterous; for as to Dantzic, the Baltic would be 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 to Archangel, +in October all the ships would be gone from thence, and even the +merchants, who dwell there in summer, retire south to Moscow in the +winter, when the ships are gone; so that I should have nothing but +extremity of cold to encounter, with a scarcity of provisions, and +must lie there in an empty town all the winter: so that, upon the +whole, I thought it much my better way to let the caravan go, and +to make provision to winter where I was, viz. at Tobolski, in +Siberia, in the latitude of sixty degrees, where I was sure of +three things to wear out a cold winter with, viz. plenty of +provisions, such as the country afforded, a warm house, with fuel +enough, and excellent company; of all which I shall give a full +account in its place.</p> +<p>I was now in a quite 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 my clothes on my back, and never +made any fire but without doors, for my necessity, in dressing my +food, &c. Now I made me 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.</p> +<p>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 +chimnies, which, when the <span class="pagenum">[page 586]</span> +fire was out, always kept the air in the room cold as the climate. +But taking an apartment in a good house in the town, I ordered a +chimney to be built like a furnace, in the centre of six several +rooms, like a stove; the funnel to carry the 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; like as they heat the +bagnios in England.</p> +<p>By this means we had always the same climate in all the rooms, +and an equal heat was preserved; and how cold soever it was +without, it was always warm within; and yet we saw no fire, nor +were ever incommoded with any smoke.</p> +<p>The most wonderful thing of all was, that it should be possible +to meet with good company here, in a country so barbarous as that +of the most northerly part of Europe, near the Frozen ocean, and +within but a very few degrees of Nova Zembla.</p> +<p>But this being the country where the state criminals of Muscovy, +as I observed before, are all banished; this city was full of +noblemen, princes, gentlemen, colonels, and, in short, all degrees +of the nobility, gentry, soldiery, and courtiers of Muscovy. Here +were the famous prince Galilfken, or Galoffken, and his son; the +old general Robostisky, and several other persons of note, and some +ladies.</p> +<p>By means of my Scots merchant, whom, nevertheless, I parted with +here, I made an acquaintance with several of these gentlemen, and +some of them of the first rank; and from these, in the long winter +nights, in which I staid here, I received several agreeable visits. +It was talking one night with a certain prince, one of the banished +ministers of state belonging to the czar of Muscovy, that my talk +of my particular case began. He had been telling me abundance of +fine things, of the greatness, the magnificence, and 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 of Muscovy was, though my dominions were not so +<span class="pagenum">[page 587]</span> large, or my people so +many. The Russian grandee looked a little surprised, and fixing his +eyes steadily upon me, began to wonder what I meant.</p> +<p>I told him his wonder would cease when I had explained myself. +First, I told him, I had the absolute disposal of the lives and +fortunes of all my subjects: that notwithstanding my absolute +power, I had not one person disaffected to my government or to my +person, in all my dominions. He shook his head at that, and said, +there, indeed, I outdid the czar of Muscovy. I told him, that all +the lands in my kingdom were my own, and all my subjects were not +only my tenants, but tenants at will; that they would all fight for +me to the last drop; and that never tyrant, for such I acknowledged +myself to be, was ever so universally beloved, and yet so horribly +feared, by his subjects.</p> +<p>After amusing them with these riddles in government for awhile, +I opened the case, and told them the story at large of my living in +the island, and how I managed both myself and the people there that +were under me, just as I 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 greatness of life was to be +master of ourselves; that he would not have changed such a state of +life as mine, to have been 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 storm, 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 himself, 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 <span class="pagenum">[page 588]</span> 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 air to breathe in, food to sustain +life, clothes for warmth, and liberty for exercise, in order to +health, completed, in his opinion, all that the world could do for +us: and though the greatness, the authority, the riches, and the +pleasures, which some enjoyed in the world, and which he had +enjoyed his share of, had much in them that was agreeable to us, +yet he observed, that all those things chiefly gratified the +coarsest of our affections; such as our ambition, our particular +pride, our avarice, our vanity, and our sensuality; all which were, +indeed, the mere product of the worst part of man, were in +themselves crimes, and had in them the seeds of all manner of +crimes; but neither were related to, or concerned with, any of +those virtues that constituted us wise men, or of those graces +which distinguished us as Christians; that being now deprived of +all the fancied felicity which he enjoyed in the full exercise of +all those vices, 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 that they (the banished) had +left behind them.</p> +<p>“Nor, Sir,” said he, “do I bring my mind to this politically, by +the necessity of my circumstances, which some call miserable; but +if I know any thing of myself, I would not go back, no not though +my master, the czar, should call me, and offer to reinstate me in +all my former grandeur; I say, I would no more go back to it, than +I believe my soul, when it shall be delivered from this prison of +the body, and has had a taste of the glorious state beyond life, +would <span class="pagenum">[page 589]</span> come back to the gaol +of flesh and blood it is now enclosed in, and leave Heaven to deal +in the dirt and grime of human affairs.”</p> +<p>He spake this with so much warmth in his temper, so much +earnestness and motion of his spirits, which were apparent in his +countenance, that it was evident it was the true sense of his soul; +and indeed there was no room to doubt his sincerity.</p> +<p>I told him, I once thought myself a kind of a monarch in my old +station, of which I had given him an account, but that I thought he +was not a monarch only, but a great conqueror; for that he that has +got a victory over his own exorbitant desires, and has the absolute +dominion over himself, and whose reason entirely governs his will, +is certainly greater than he that conquers a city. “But, my lord,” +said I, “shall I take the liberty to ask you a question?”—“With +all my heart,” said he. “If the door of your liberty was opened,” +said I, “would not you take hold of it to deliver yourself from +this exile?”</p> +<p>“Hold,” said he, “your question is subtle, and requires some +serious just distinctions to give it a sincere answer; and I’ll +give it you from the bottom of my heart. Nothing that I know of in +this world would move me to deliver myself from the state of +banishment, except these two: first, the enjoyment of my relations; +and secondly, a little warmer climate. But I protest to you, that +to go back to the pomp of the court, the glory, the power, the +hurry of a minister of state; the wealth, the gaiety, and the +pleasures, that is to say, follies of a courtier; if my master +should send me word this moment, that he restores me to all he +banished me from, I protest, if I know myself at all, I would not +leave this wilderness, these deserts, and these frozen lakes, for +the palace of Moscow.”</p> +<p>“But, my lord,” said I, “perhaps you not only are banished from +the pleasures of the court, and from the power, and authority, and +wealth, you enjoyed before, but you may be absent too from some of +the conveniencies of life; your estate, perhaps, confiscated, +<span class="pagenum"><a name="page590"></a>[page 590]</span> and +your effects plundered; and the supplies left you here may not be +suitable to the ordinary demands of life.”</p> +<p>“Ay,” said he, “that is, as you suppose me to be a lord, or a +prince, &c. So indeed I am; but you are now to consider me only +as a man, a human creature, not at all distinguished from another; +and so I can suffer no want, unless I should be visited with +sickness and distempers. However, to put the question out of +dispute; you see our manner; we are in this place five persons of +rank; we live perfectly retired; as suited to a state of +banishment; we have something rescued from the shipwreck of our +fortunes, which keeps us from the mere necessity of hunting for our +food; but the poor soldiers who are here, without that help, live +in as much plenty as we. They go into the woods, and catch sables +and foxes; the labour of a month will maintain them a year; and as +the way of living is not expensive, so it is not hard to get +sufficient to ourselves: so that objection is out of doors.”</p> +<p>I have no room to give a full account of the most agreeable +conversation I had with this truly great man; in all which he +shewed, that his mind was so inspired with a superior knowledge of +things, so supported by religion, as well as by a vast share of +wisdom, that his contempt of the world was really as much as he had +expressed, and that he was always the same to the last, as will +appear in the story I am going to tell.</p> +<p>I had been here eight months, and a dark dreadful winter I +thought it to be. The cold was so intense, that I could not so much +as look abroad without being wrapt in furs, and a mask of fur +before my face, or rather a hood, with only a hole for breath, and +two for sight. The little daylight we had, as we reckoned, for +three months, not above five hours a day, or 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) <span class="pagenum">[page 591]</span> under ground; and +as for our servants, (for we hired servants here to look after our +horses and ourselves) we had every now and then their fingers and +toes to thaw, and take care of, lest they should mortify and fall +off.</p> +<p>It is true, within doors we were warm, the houses being close, +the walls thick, the lights small, and the glass all double. Our +food was chiefly the flesh of deer, dried and cured in the season; +good bread enough, but baked as biscuits; dried fish of several +sorts, and some flesh of mutton, and of buffaloes, which is pretty +good beef. All the stores of provision for the winter are laid up +in the summer, and well cured. Our drink was water mixed with aqua +vitæ instead of brandy; and, for a treat, mead instead of +wine; which, however, they have excellent good. The hunters, who +ventured abroad all weathers, frequently brought us in fresh +venison, very fat and good; 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 as above; and, in a word, we lived very +cheerfully and well, all things considered.</p> +<p>It was now March, and the days grown considerably longer, and +the weather at least tolerable; so 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 set out for +that part of the world till May or June; and that if I was there at +the beginning of August, it would be as soon as any ships would be +ready to go away; and therefore, I say, 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, every year they go from +thence to Moscow for trade; viz. to carry furs, and buy necessaries +with them, which they bring back to furnish their shops; also +others went on the same errand to Archangel; but then they also, +being to come back <span class="pagenum">[page 592]</span> again +above eight hundred miles, went all out before me.</p> +<p>In short, about the latter end of May I began to make all ready +to pack up; and as I was doing this, it occurred to me, that seeing +all these people were banished by the czar of Muscovy to Siberia, +and yet, when they came there, were at liberty to go whither they +would; why did they not then go away to any part of the world +wherever they thought fit? and I began to examine what should +hinder them from making such an attempt.</p> +<p>But my wonder was over, when I entreated upon that subject with +the person I have mentioned, who answered me thus: “Consider, +first,” said he, “the place where we are; and, secondly, the +condition we are in; especially,” said he, “the generality of the +people who are banished hither. We are surrounded,” said he, “with +stronger things than bars and bolts: on the north side is an +unnavigable ocean, where ship never sailed, and boat never swam; +neither, if we had both, could we know whither to go with them. +Every other way,” said he, “we have above a thousand miles to pass +through the czar’s own dominions, and by ways utterly impassable, +except by the roads made by the government, and through the towns +garrisoned by its troops; so that we could neither pass +undiscovered by the road, or subsist any other way: so that it is +in vain to attempt it.”</p> +<p>I was silenced indeed, at once, and found that they were in a +prison, every jot as secure as if they had been locked up in the +castle of Moscow; however, it came into my thoughts, that I might +certainly be made an instrument to procure the escape of this +excellent person, and that it was very easy for me to carry him +away, there being no guard over him in the country; and as I was +not going to Moscow, but to Archangel, and that I went in the +nature of a caravan, by which I was not obliged to lie in the +stationary towns in the desert, but could encamp every night where +I would, might easily pass uninterrupted to Archangel, <span class= +"pagenum">[page 593]</span> where I could immediately secure him on +board an English or Dutch ship, and carry him off safe along with +me; and as to his subsistence, and other particulars, that should +be my care, till he should better supply himself.</p> +<p>He heard me very attentively, and looked earnestly on me all the +while I spoke; nay, I could see in his very face, that what I said +put his spirits into an exceeding ferment; his colour frequently +changed, his eyes looked red, and his heart fluttered, that it +might be even perceived in his countenance; nor could he +immediately answer me when I had done, and, as it were, expected +what he would say to it; and after he had paused a little, he +embraced me, and said, “How unhappy are we! unguided creatures as +we are, that even our greatest acts of friendship are made snares +to us, and we are made tempters of one another! My dear friend,” +said he, “your offer is so sincere, has such kindness in it, is so +disinterested in itself, and is so calculated for my advantage, +that I must have very little knowledge of the world, if I did not +both wonder at it, and acknowledge the obligation I have upon me to +you for it: but did you believe I was sincere in what I have so +often said to you of my contempt of the world? Did you believe I +spoke my very soul to you, and that I had really maintained that +degree of felicity here, that had placed me above all that the +world could give me, or do for me? Did you believe I was sincere, +when I told you I would not go back, if I was recalled even to be +all that once I was in the court, and with the favour of the czar +my master? Did you believe me, my friend, to be an honest man, or +did you think me to be a boasting hypocrite?” Here he stopped, as +if he would hear what I would say; but, indeed, I soon after +perceived, that he stopped because his spirits were in motion: his +heart was full of struggles, and he could not go on. I was, I +confess, astonished at the thing, as well as at the man, and I used +some arguments with him to urge him to set himself free; that he +ought to look upon <span class="pagenum">[page 594]</span> this as +a door opened by Heaven for his deliverance, and a summons by +Providence, who has the care and good disposition of all events, to +do himself good, and to render himself useful in the world.</p> +<p>He had by this time recovered himself. “How do you know, Sir,” +said he, warmly, “but that, instead of a summons from Heaven, it +may be a feint of another instrument, representing, in all the +alluring colours to me, the show of felicity as a deliverance, +which may in itself be my snare, and tend directly to my ruin? Here +I am free from the temptation of returning to my former miserable +greatness; there I am not sure, but that all the seeds of pride, +ambition, avarice, and luxury, which I know remain in my nature, +may revive and take root, and, in a word, again overwhelm me; and +then the happy prisoner, whom you see now master of his soul’s +liberty, shall be the miserable slave of his own senses, in the +full possession of all personal liberty. Dear Sir, let me remain in +this blessed confinement, banished from the crimes of life, rather +than purchase a show of freedom at the expense of the liberty of my +reason, and at the expense of the future happiness which now I have +in my view, but shall then, I fear, quickly lose sight of; for I am +but flesh, a man, a mere man, have passions and affections as +likely to possess and overthrow me as any man: O be not my friend +and my tempter both together!”</p> +<p>If I was surprised before, I was quite dumb now, and stood +silent, looking at him; and, indeed, admired what I saw. The +struggle in his soul was so great, that, though the weather was +extremely cold, it put him into a most violent sweat, and I found +he wanted to give vent to his mind; so I said a word or two, that I +would leave him to consider of it, and wait on him again; and then +I withdrew to my own apartment.</p> +<p>About two hours after, I heard somebody at or near the door of +the room, and I was going to open the door; but he had opened it, +and come in: “My <span class="pagenum">[page 595]</span> dear +friend,” said he, “you had almost overset me, but I am recovered: +do not take it ill that I do not close with your offer; I assure +you, it is not for want of a sense of the kindness of it in you; +and I come to make the most sincere acknowledgment of it to you; +but, I hope, I have got the victory over myself.”</p> +<p>“My lord,” said I, “I hope you are fully satisfied, that you did +not resist the call of Heaven.”—“Sir,” said he, “if it had been +from Heaven, the same power would have influenced me to accept it; +but I hope, and am fully satisfied, that it is from Heaven that I +decline it; and I have an infinite satisfaction in the parting, +that you shall leave me an honest man still, though not a free +man.”</p> +<p>I had nothing to do but to acquiesce, and make profession to him +of my having no end in it, but a sincere desire to serve him. He +embraced me very passionately, and assured me, he was sensible of +that, and should always acknowledge it: and with that he offered me +a very fine present of sables, too much indeed for me to accept +from a man in his circumstances; and I would have avoided them, but +he would not be refused.</p> +<p>The next morning I sent my servant to his lordship, with a small +present of tea, two pieces of China damask, and four little wedges +of Japan gold, which, did not all weigh above six ounces, or +thereabouts; but were far short of the value of his sables, which +indeed, when I came to England, I found worth near two hundred +pounds. He accepted the tea, and one piece of the damask, and one +of the pieces of gold, which had a fine stamp upon it, of the Japan +coinage, which I found he took for the rarity of it, but would not +take any more; and sent word by my servant, that he desired to +speak with me.</p> +<p>When I came to him, he told me, I knew what had passed between +us, and hoped I would not move him any more in that affair; but +that, since I made such a generous offer to him, he asked me, if I +had kindness enough to offer the same to another person +<span class="pagenum">[page 596]</span> that he would name to me, +in whom he had a great share of concern. I told him, that I could +not say I inclined to do so much for any one but himself, for whom +I had a particular value, and should have been glad to have been +the instrument of his deliverance: however, if he would please to +name the person to me, I would give him my answer, and hoped he +would not be displeased with me, if he was with my answer. He told +me, it was only his son, who, though I had not seen, yet was in the +same condition with himself, and above two hundred miles from him, +on the other side the Oby; but that, if I consented, he would send +for him.</p> +<p>I made no hesitation, but told him I would do it. I made some +ceremony in letting him understand that it was wholly on his +account; and that seeing I could not prevail on him, I would shew +my respect to him by my concern for his son: but these things are +too tedious to repeat here. He sent away the next day for his son, +and in about twenty days he came back with the messenger, bringing +six or seven horses loaded with very rich furs, and which, in the +whole, amounted to a very great value.</p> +<p>His servants brought the horses into the town, but left the +young lord at a distance till night, when he came <i>incognito</i> +into our apartment, and his father presented him to me; and, in +short, we concerted there the manner of our travelling, and every +thing proper for the journey.</p> +<p>I had bought a considerable quantity of sables, black fox-skins, +fine ermines, and such other furs that are very rich; I say, I had +bought them in that city for exchange for some of the goods 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 done at Louden; 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.</p> +<span class="pagenum">[page 597]</span> +<p>It was in the beginning of June when I left this remote place, a +city, I believe, little heard of in the world; and, indeed, it is +so far out of the road of commerce, that I know not how it should +be much talked of. We were now come to a very small caravan, being +only thirty-two horses and camels in all, and all of them passed +for mine, though my new guest was proprietor of eleven of them. It +was most natural also, that I should take more servants with me +than I had before, and the young lord passed for my steward; what +great man I passed for myself I know not, neither did it concern me +to inquire. We had here the worst and the largest desert to pass +over that we met with in all the journey; indeed I call it the +worst, because the way was very deep in some places, and very +uneven in others; the best we had to say for it was, that we +thought we had no troops of Tartars and robbers to fear, and that +they never came on this side the river Oby, or at least but very +seldom; but we found it otherwise.</p> +<p>My young lord had with him a faithful Muscovite servant, or +rather a Siberian servant, who was perfectly acquainted with the +country; and who led us by private roads, that we avoided coming +into the principal towns and cities upon the great road, such as +Tumen, Soloy Kamaskoy, and several others; because the Muscovite +garrisons, which are kept there, are very curious and strict in +their observation upon travellers, and searching lest any of the +banished persons of note should make their escape that way into +Muscovy; but by this means, as we were kept out of the cities, so +our whole journey was a desert, and we were obliged to encamp and +lie in our tents, when we might have had good accommodation in the +cities on the way: this the young lord was so sensible of, that he +would not allow us to lie abroad, when we came to several cities on +the way; but lay abroad himself, with his servant, in the woods, +and met us always at the appointed places.</p> +<p>We were just entered Europe, having passed the <span class= +"pagenum">[page 598]</span> 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, which is as much as to +say, the great city on the river Kama; and here we thought to have +seen some evident alteration in the people, their manners, their +habit, their religion, and their business; but we were mistaken; +for as we had a vast desert to pass, which, by relation, is near +seven hundred miles long in some places, but not above two hundred +miles over where we passed it; so, till we came past that horrible +place, we found very little difference between that country and the +Mogul Tartary; the people mostly Pagans, and little better than the +savages of America; their houses and towns full of idols, and their +way of living wholly barbarous, except in the cities as above, and +the villages near them; where they are Christians, as they call +themselves, of the Greek church; but even these have their religion +mingled with so many relics of superstition, that it is scarce to +be known in some places from mere sorcery and witchcraft.</p> +<p>In passing this forest, I thought indeed we must, after all our +dangers were, in our imagination, escaped, as before, have been +plundered and robbed, and perhaps murdered, by a troop of thieves: +of what country they were; whether the roving bands of the +Ostiachi, a kind of Tartars, or wild people on the banks of the +Oby, had ranged thus far; or whether they were the sable-hunters of +Siberia, I am yet at a loss to know; but they were all on +horseback, carried bows and arrows, and were at first about +five-and-forty in number. They came so near to us as within about +two musket shot; and, asking no questions, they surrounded us with +their horses, and looked very earnestly upon us twice. At length +they placed themselves just in our way; upon which we drew up in a +little line before our camels, being not above sixteen men in all; +and being drawn up thus, we halted, and sent out the Siberian +servant who attended his lord, to see who they were: his master was +the more <span class="pagenum">[page 599]</span> willing to let him +go, because he was not a little apprehensive that they were a +Siberian troop sent out after him. The man came up near them with a +flag of truce, and called to them; but though he spoke several of +their languages, or dialects of languages rather, he could not +understand a word they said: however, after some signs to him not +to come nearer to them at his peril, so he said he understood them +to mean, offering to shoot at him if he advanced, the fellow came +back no wiser than he went, only that by their dress, he said, he +believed them to be some Tartars of Kalmuck, or of the Circassian +hordes; and that there must be more of them on the great desert, +though he never heard that ever any of them were seen so far north +before.</p> +<p>This was small comfort to us; however, we had no remedy: there +was on our left hand, at about a quarter of a mile’s distance, a +little grove or clump of trees, which stood close together, and +very near the road; I immediately resolved we should advance to +those trees, and fortify ourselves as well as we could there; for, +first, I considered that the trees would in a great measure cover +us from their arrows; and in the next place, they could not come to +charge us in a body: it was, indeed, my old Portuguese pilot who +proposed it; and who had this excellency attending him, namely, +that he was always readiest and most apt to direct and encourage us +in cases of the most danger. We advanced immediately with what +speed we could, and gained that little wood, the Tartars, or +thieves, for we knew not what to call them, keeping their stand, +and not attempting to hinder us. When we came thither, we found, to +our great satisfaction, that it was a swampy, springy piece of +ground, and, on the other side, a great spring of water, which, +running out in a little rill or brook, was a little farther joined +by another of the like bigness; and was, in short, the head or +source of a considerable river, called afterwards the Wirtska. The +trees which grew about this spring were not in all above two +hundred, but <span class="pagenum"><a name="page600"></a>[page +600]</span> were very large, and stood pretty thick; so that as +soon as we got in, we saw ourselves perfectly safe from the enemy, +unless they alighted and attacked us on foot.</p> +<p>But to make this more difficult, our Portuguese, with +indefatigable application, cut down great arms of the trees, and +laid them hanging, not cut quite off, from one tree to another; so +that he made a continued fence almost round us.</p> +<p>We staid here, waiting the motion of the enemy some hours, +without perceiving they made any offer to stir; when about two +hours before night, they came down directly upon us; and, though we +had not perceived it, we found they had been joined by some more of +the same, so that they were near fourscore horse, whereof, however, +we fancied some were women. They came in till they were within half +a shot of our little wood, when we fired one musket without ball, +and called to them in the Russian tongue, to know what they wanted, +and bid them keep off; but, as if they knew nothing of what we +said, they came on with a double fury directly to the wood-side, +not imagining we were so barricaded, that they could not break in. +Our old pilot was our captain, as well as he had been our engineer; +and desired of us, not to fire upon them till they came within +pistol shot, that we might be sure to kill; and that, when we did +fire, we should be sure to take good aim. We bade him give the word +of command; which he delayed so long, that they were, some of them, +within two pikes length of us when we fired.</p> +<p>We aimed so true, (or Providence directed our shot so sure) that +we killed fourteen of them at the first volley, and wounded several +others, as also several of their horses; for we had all of us +loaded our pieces with two or three bullets apiece at least.</p> +<p>They were terribly surprised with our fire, and retreated +immediately about one hundred rods from us; in which time we loaded +our pieces again, and, seeing them keep that distance, we sallied +out, and caught <span class="pagenum">[page 601]</span> four or +five of their horses, whose riders, we supposed, were killed; and +coming up to the dead, we could easily perceive they were Tartars, +but knew not from what country, or how they came to make an +excursion such an unusual length.</p> +<p>About an hour after, they made a motion to attack us again, and +rode round our little wood, to see where else they might break in; +but finding us always ready to face them, they went off again, and +we resolved not to stir from the place for that night.</p> +<p>We slept but little, you may be sure; but spent the most part of +the night in strengthening our situation, and barricading the +entrances into the wood; and, keeping a strict watch, we waited for +daylight, and, when it came, it gave us a very unwelcome discovery +indeed: for the enemy, who we thought were discouraged with the +reception they had met with, were now increased to no less than +three hundred, and had set up eleven or twelve huts and tents, as +if they were resolved to besiege us; and this little camp they had +pitched, was upon the open plain, at about three quarters of a mile +from us. We were indeed surprised at this discovery; and now, I +confess, I gave myself over for lost, and all that I had. The loss +of my effects did not lie so near me (though they were very +considerable) as the thoughts of falling into the hands of such +barbarians, at the latter end of my journey, after so many +difficulties and hazards as I had gone through; and even in sight +of our port, where we expected safety and deliverance. As for my +partner, he was raging: he declared, that to lose his goods would +be his ruin; and he would rather die than be starved; and he was +for fighting to the last drop.</p> +<p>The young lord, as gallant as ever flesh shewed itself, was for +fighting to the last also; and my old pilot was of the opinion we +were able to resist them all, in the situation we then were in: and +thus we spent the day in debates of what we should do; but towards +evening, we found that the number of our enemies <span class= +"pagenum">[page 602]</span> still increased: perhaps, as they were +abroad in several parties for prey, the first had sent out scouts +to call for help, and to acquaint them of their booty; and we did +not know but by the morning they might still be a greater number; +so I began to inquire of those people we had brought from Tobolski, +if there were no other, or more private ways, by which we might +avoid them in the night, and perhaps either retreat to some town, +or get help to guard us over the desert.</p> +<p>The Siberian, who was servant to the young lord, told us, if we +designed to avoid them, and not fight, he would engage to carry us +off in the night to a way that went north towards the river Petraz, +by which he made no doubt but we might get away, and the Tartars +never the wiser; but he said, his lord had told him he would not +return, but would rather choose to fight. I told him, he mistook +his lord; for that he was too wise a man to love fighting for the +sake of it; that I knew his lord was brave enough by what he had +shewed already; but that his lord knew better than to desire to +have seventeen or eighteen men fight five hundred, unless an +unavoidable necessity forced them to it; and that if he thought it +possible for us to escape in the night, we had nothing else to do +but to attempt it. He answered, if his lord gave him such order, he +would lose his life if he did not perform it. We soon brought his +lord to give that order, though privately, and we immediately +prepared for the putting it in practice.</p> +<p>And first, as soon as it began to be dark, we kindled a fire in +our little camp, which we kept burning, and prepared so as to make +it burn all night, that the Tartars might conclude we were still +there; but, as soon as it was dark, that is to say, so as we could +see the stars, (for our guide would not stir before) having all our +horses and camels ready loaded, we followed our new guide, who, I +soon found, steered himself by the pole or north star, all the +country being level for a long way.</p> +<p>After we had travelled two hours very hard, it <span class= +"pagenum">[page 603]</span> began to be lighter still; not that it +was quite dark all night, but the moon; began to rise; so that, in +short, it was rather lighter than we wished it to be; but by six +o’clock next morning we were gotten near forty miles, though the +truth is, we almost spoiled our horses. Here we found a Russian +village, named Kirmazinskoy, where we rested, and heard, nothing of +the Kalmuck Tartars that day. About two hours before night we set +out again, and travelled till eight the next morning, though not +quite so hastily as before; and about seven o’clock we passed a +little river, called Kirtza, and came to a good large town +inhabited by Russians, and very populous, called Ozomya. There we +heard, that several troops or herds of Kalmucks had been abroad +upon the desert, but that we were now completely out of danger of +them, which was to our great satisfaction, you may be sure. Here we +were obliged to get some fresh horses, and having need enough of +rest, we staid five days; and my partner and I agreed to give the +honest Siberian, who brought us hither, the value of ten pistoles +for his conducting us.</p> +<p>In five days more we came to Veussima, upon the river Witzogda, +which running into the river 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, where +the river joins, the third of July; and provided ourselves with two +luggage-boats, and a barge, for our convenience. We embarked the +seventh, and arrived all safe at Archangel the eighteenth, having +been a year, five months, and three days on the journey, including +our stay of eight months and odd days at Tobolski.</p> +<p>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 <span class= +"pagenum">[page 604]</span> took freight with him; and having put +our goods on board, it was most natural for me to put my steward, +on board to take care of them; by which means my young lord had a +sufficient opportunity to conceal himself, never coming on shore +again in all the time we staid there; and this he did, that he +might not be seen in the city, where some of the Moscow merchants +would certainly have seen and discovered him.</p> +<p>We sailed from Archangel the twentieth of August the same year; +and, after no extraordinary bad voyage, arrived in the Elbe the +thirteenth of September. Here my partner and I found a very good +sale for our goods, as well those of China, as the sables, &c. +of Siberia; and dividing the produce of our effects my share +amounted to 3475<i>l</i>. 17<i>s</i>. 3<i>d</i>. notwithstanding so +many losses we had sustained, and charges we had been at; only +remembering that I had included, in this, about 600<i>l</i>. worth +of diamonds, which I had purchased at Bengal.</p> +<p>Here the young lord took his leave of us, and went up to the +Elbe, in order to go to the court of Vienna, where he resolved to +seek protection, and where he could correspond with those of his +father’s friends who were left alive. He did not part without all +the testimonies he could give of gratitude for the service I had +done him, and his sense of my kindness to the prince his +father.</p> +<p>To conclude: having staid near four months in Hamburgh, I came +from thence over land to the Hague, where I embarked in the packet, +and arrived in London the tenth of January 1705, having been gone +from England ten years and nine months.</p> +<p>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 learnt sufficiently to know the value +of retirement, and the blessing of ending our days in peace.</p> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 12623 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/12623-h/images/image.jpg b/12623-h/images/image.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..6eccc6a --- /dev/null +++ b/12623-h/images/image.jpg |
