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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/6936-h.zip b/6936-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c1db6d1 --- /dev/null +++ b/6936-h.zip diff --git a/6936-h/6936-h.htm b/6936-h/6936-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..2b8b03a --- /dev/null +++ b/6936-h/6936-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,3029 @@ +<?xml version="1.0" encoding="us-ascii"?> + +<!DOCTYPE html + PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" > + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en"> + <head> + <title> + Robinson Crusoe, by Mary Godolphin + </title> + <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve"> + + body { margin:5%; background:#faebd0; text-align:justify} + P { text-indent: 1em; margin-top: .25em; margin-bottom: .25em; } + H1,H2,H3,H4,H5,H6 { text-align: center; margin-left: 15%; margin-right: 15%; } + hr { width: 50%; text-align: center;} + .foot { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; text-indent: -3em; font-size: 90%; } + blockquote {font-size: 97%; font-style: italic; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .mynote {background-color: #DDE; color: #000; padding: .5em; margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 95%;} + .toc { margin-left: 10%; margin-bottom: .75em;} + .toc2 { margin-left: 20%;} + div.fig { display:block; margin:0 auto; text-align:center; } + div.middle { margin-left: 20%; margin-right: 20%; text-align: justify; } + .figleft {float: left; margin-left: 0%; margin-right: 1%;} + .figright {float: right; margin-right: 0%; margin-left: 1%;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size: 70%; font-style:normal; + margin: 0; padding: 0; position: absolute; right: 1%; + text-align: right;} + pre { font-style: italic; font-size: 90%; margin-left: 10%;} + +</style> + </head> + <body> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Robinson Crusoe, by Mary Godolphin + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Robinson Crusoe + In Words of One Syllable + +Author: Mary Godolphin + +Release Date: May 31, 2009 [EBook #6936] +Last Updated: January 25, 2013 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROBINSON CRUSOE *** + + + + +Produced by Bruce W. Miller, and David Widger + + + + + + +</pre> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h1> + ROBINSON CRUSOE + </h1> + <h2> + IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE + </h2> + <p> + <br /><br /> + </p> + <h2> + By Mary Godolphin + </h2> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <table summary="" style="margin-right: auto; margin-left: auto"> + <tr> + <td> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_PREF"> PREFACE. </a> + </p> + <p class="toc"> + <a href="#link2H_4_0002"> ROBINSON CRUSOE. </a> + </p> + </td> + </tr> + </table> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_PREF" id="link2H_PREF"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h2> + PREFACE. + </h2> + <p> + The production of a book which is adapted to the use of the youngest + readers needs but few words of excuse or apology. The nature of the work + seems to be sufficiently explained by the title itself, and the author's + task has been chiefly to reduce the ordinary language into words of one + syllable. But although, as far as the subject matter is concerned, the + book can lay no claims to originality, it is believed that the idea and + scope of its construction are entirely novel, for the One Syllable + literature of the present day furnishes little more than a few short, + unconnected sentences, and those chiefly in spelling books. + </p> + <p> + The deep interest which De Foe's story has never failed to arouse in the + minds of the young, induces the author to hope that it may be acceptable + in its present form. + </p> + <p> + It should be stated that exceptions to the rule of using words of one + syllable exclusively have been made in the case of the proper names of the + boy Xury and of the man Friday, and in the titles of the illustrations + that accompany this work. + </p> + <p> + <br /> <br /> + </p> + <hr /> + <p> + <br /> <br /> <a name="link2H_4_0002" id="link2H_4_0002"> + <!-- H2 anchor --> </a> + </p> + <h1> + ROBINSON CRUSOE. + </h1> + <h3> + IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. + </h3> + <p> + I was born at York on the first of March in the sixth year of the reign of + King Charles the First. From the time when I was quite a young child, I + had felt a great wish to spend my life at sea, and as I grew, so did this + taste grow more and more strong; till at last I broke loose from my school + and home, and found my way on foot to Hull, where I soon got a place on + board a ship. + </p> + <p> + When we had set sail but a few days, a squall of wind came on, and on the + fifth night we sprang a leak. All hands were sent to the pumps, but we + felt the ship groan in all her planks, and her beams quake from stem to + stern; so that it was soon quite clear there was no hope for her, and that + all we could do was to save our lives. + </p> + <p> + The first thing was to fire off guns, to show that we were in need of + help, and at length a ship, which lay not far from us, sent a boat to our + aid. But the sea was too rough for it to lie near our ship's side, so we + threw out a rope, which the men in the boat caught, and made fast, and by + this means we all got in. Still in so wild a sea it was in vain to try to + get on board the ship which had sent out the men, or to use our oars in + the boat, and all we could do was to let it drive to shore. + </p> + <p> + In the space of half an hour our own ship struck on a rock and went down, + and we saw her no more. We made but slow way to the land, which we caught + sight of now and then when the boat rose to the top of some high wave, and + there we saw men who ran in crowds, to and fro, all bent on one thing, and + that was to save us. + </p> + <p> + At last to our great joy we got on shore, where we had the luck to meet + with friends who gave us the means to get back to Hull; and if I had now + had the good sense to go home, it would have been well for me. + </p> + <p> + The man whose ship had gone down said with a grave look, "Young lad, you + ought to go to sea no more, it is not the kind, of life for you." "Why + Sir, will you go to sea no more then?" "That is not the same kind of + thing; I was bred to the sea, but you were not, and came on board my ship + just to find out what a life at sea was like, and you may guess what you + will come to if you do not go back to your home. God will not bless you, + and it may be that you have brought all this woe on us." + </p> + <p> + I spoke not a word more to him; which way he went I knew not, nor did I + care to know, for I was hurt at this rude speech. Shall I go home thought + I, or shall I go to sea? Shame kept me from home, and I could not make up + my mind what course of life to take. + </p> + <p> + As it has been my fate through life to choose for the worst, so I did now. + I had gold in my purse, and good clothes on my back, and to sea I went + once more. + </p> + <p> + But I had worse luck this time than the last, for when we were far out at + sea, some Turks in a small ship came on our track in full chase. We set as + much sail as our yards would bear, so as to get clear from them. But in + spite of this, we saw our foes gain on us, and we felt sure that they + would come up with our ship in a few hours' time. + </p> + <p> + At last they caught us, but we brought our guns to bear on them, which + made them shear off for a time, yet they kept up a fire at us as long as + they were in range. The next time the Turks came up, some of their men got + on board our ship, and set to work to cut the sails, and do us all kinds + of harm. So, as ten of our men lay dead, and most of the rest had wounds, + we gave in. + </p> + <p> + The chief of the Turks took me as his prize to a port which was held by + the Moors. He did not use me so ill as at first I thought he would have + done, but he set me to work with the rest of his slaves. This was a change + in my life which I did not think had been in store for me. How my heart + sank with grief at the thought of those whom I had left at home, nay, to + whom I had not had the grace so much as to say "Good bye" when I went to + sea, nor to give a hint of what I meant to do! + </p> + <p> + Yet all that I went through at this time was but a taste of the toils and + cares which it has since been my lot to bear. + </p> + <p> + I thought at first that the Turk might take me with him when next he went + to sea, and so I should find some way to get free; but the hope did not + last long, for at such times he left me on shore to see to his crops. This + kind of life I led for two years, and as the Turk knew and saw more of me, + he made me more and more free. He went out in his boat once or twice a + week to catch a kind of flat fish, and now and then he took me and a boy + with him, for we were quick at this kind of sport, and he grew quite fond + of me. + </p> + <p> + One day the Turk sent me in the boat to catch some fish, with no one else + but a man and a boy. While we were out so thick a fog came on that though + we were out not half a mile from the shore, we quite lost sight of it for + twelve hours; and when the sun rose the next day, our boat was at least + ten miles out at sea. The wind blew fresh, and we were all much in want of + food, but at last, with the help of our oars and sail, we got back safe to + land. + </p> + <p> + When the Turk heard how we had lost our way, he said that the next time he + went out, he would take a boat that would hold all we could want if we + were kept out at sea. So he had quite a state room built in the long boat + of his ship, as well as a room for us slaves. One day he sent me to trim + the boat, as he had two friends who would go in it to fish with him. But + when the time came they did not go, so he sent me with the man and the boy—whose + name was Xury—to catch some fish for the guests that were to sup + with him. + </p> + <p> + Now the thought struck me all at once that this would be a good chance to + set off with the boat, and get free. So in the first place, I took all the + food that I could lay my hands on, and I told the man that it would be too + bold of us to eat of the bread that had been put in the boat for the Turk. + He said he thought so too, and he brought down a small sack of rice and + some rusks. + </p> + <p> + While the man was on shore I put up some wine, a large lump of wax, a saw, + an axe, a spade, some rope, and all sorts of things that might be of use + to us. I knew where the Turk's case of wine was, and I put that in the + boat while the man was on shore. By one more trick I got all that I had + need of. I said to the boy, "the Turk's guns are in the boat, but there is + no shot. Do you think you could get some? You know where it is kept, and + we may want to shoot a fowl or two." So he brought a case and a pouch + which held all that we could want for the guns. These I put in the boat, + and then set sail out of the port to fish. + </p> + <p> + The wind blew, from the North, or North West, which was a bad wind for me; + for had it been South I could have made for the coast of Spain. But, blow + which way it might, my mind was made up to get off, and to leave the rest + to fate. I then let down my lines to fish, but I took care to have bad + sport; and when the fish bit, I would not pull them up, for the Moor was + not to see them. I said to him, "This will not do, we shall catch no fish + here, we ought to sail on a bit." Well, the Moor thought there was no harm + in this. He set the sails, and, as the helm was in my hands, I ran the + boat out a mile or more, and then brought her to, as if I meant to fish. + </p> + <p> + Now, thought I, the time has come for me to get free! I gave the helm to + the boy, and then took the Moor round the waist, and threw him out of the + boat. + </p> + <p> + Down he went! but soon rose up, for he swam like a duck. He said he would + go all round the world with me, if I would but take him in. + </p> + <p> + I had some fear lest he should climb up the boat's side, and force his way + back; so I brought my gun to point at him, and said, "You can swim to land + with ease if you choose, make haste then to get there; but if you come + near the boat you shall have a shot through the head, for I mean to be a + free man from this hour." + </p> + <p> + He then swam for the shore, and no doubt got safe there, as the sea was so + calm. + </p> + <p> + At first I thought I would take the Moor with me, and let Xury swim to + land; but the Moor was not a man that I could trust. When he was gone I + said to Xury, "If you will swear to be true to me, you shall be a great + man in time; if not, I must throw you out of the boat too." + </p> + <p> + The poor boy gave me such a sweet smile as he swore to be true to me, that + I could not find it in my heart to doubt him. + </p> + <p> + While the man was still in view (for he was on his way to the land), we + stood out to sea with the boat, so that he and those that saw us from the + shore might think we had gone to the straits' mouth, for no one went to + the South coast, as a tribe of men dwelt there who were known to kill and + eat their foes. + </p> + <p> + We then bent our course to the East, so as to keep in with the shore; and + as we had a fair wind and a smooth sea, by the next day at noon, we were + not less than 150 miles out of the reach of the Turk. + </p> + <p> + I had still some fear lest I should be caught by the Moors, so I would not + go on shore in the day time. But when it grew dark we made our way to the + coast, and came to the mouth of a stream, from which we thought we could + swim to land, and then look round us. But as soon as it was quite dark we + heard strange sounds—barks, roars, grunts, and howls. The poor lad + said he could not go on shore till dawn. "Well," said I, "then we must + give it up, but it may be that in the day time we shall be seen by men, + who for all we know would do us more harm than wild beasts." "Then we give + them the shoot gun," said Xury with a laugh, "and make them run away." I + was glad to see so much mirth in the boy, and gave him some bread and + rice. + </p> + <p> + We lay still at night, but did not sleep long, for in a few hours' time + some huge beasts came down to the sea to bathe. The poor boy shook from + head to foot at the sight. One of these beasts came near our boat, and + though it was too dark to see him well, we heard him puff and blow, and + knew that he must be a large one by the noise he made. At last the brute + came as near to the boat as two oars' length, so I shot at him, and he + swam to the shore. + </p> + <p> + The roar and cries set up by beasts and birds at the noise of my gun would + seem to show that we had made a bad choice of a place to land on; but be + that as it would, to shore we had to go to find some fresh spring, so that + we might fill our casks. Xury said if I would let him go with one of the + jars, he would find out if the springs were fit to drink; and, if they + were sweet, he would bring the jar back full. "Why should you go?" said I; + "Why should not I go, and you stay in the boat?" At this Xury said, "if + wild mans come they eat me, you go way." I could not but love the lad for + this kind speech. "Well," said I, "we will both go, and if the wild men + come we must kill them, they shall not eat you or me." + </p> + <p> + I gave Xury some rum from the Turk's case to cheer him up, and we went on + shore. The boy went off with his gun, full a mile from the spot where we + stood, and came back with a hare that he had shot, which we were glad to + cook and eat; but the good news which he brought was that he had found a + spring, and had seen no wild men. + </p> + <p> + I made a guess that the Cape de Verd Isles were not far off, for I saw the + top of the Great Peak, which I knew was near them. My one hope was that if + I kept near the coast, I should find some ship that would take us on + board; and then, and not till then, should I feel a free man. In a word, I + put the whole of my fate on this chance, that I must meet with some ship, + or die. + </p> + <p> + On the coast we saw some men who stood to look at us. They were black, and + wore no clothes. I would have gone on shore to them, but Xury—who + knew best—said, "Not you go! Not you go!" So I brought the boat as + near the land as I could, that I might talk to them, and they kept up with + me a long way. I saw that one of them had a lance in his hand. + </p> + <p> + I made signs that they should bring me some food, and they on their part + made signs for me to stop my boat. So I let down the top of my sail, and + lay by, while two of them ran off; and in less than half an hour they came + back with some dry meat and a sort of corn which is grown in this part of + the world. This we should have been glad to get, but knew not how to do + so; for we durst not go on shore to them, nor did they dare to come to us. + At last they took a safe way for us all, for they brought the food to the + shore, where they set it, down, and then went a long way off while we took + it in. We made signs to show our thanks, for we had not a thing that we + could spare to give them. + </p> + <p> + But as good luck would have it, we were at hand to take a great prize for + them; for two wild beasts, of the same kind as the first I spoke of, came + in, full chase from the hills down to the sea. + </p> + <p> + They swam as if they had come for sport. The men flew from them in fear, + all but the one who held the lance. One of these beasts came near our + boat; so I lay in wait for him with my gun; and as soon as the brute was + in range, I shot him through the head. Twice he sank down in the sea, and + twice he came up; and then just swam to the land, where he fell down dead. + The men were in as much fear at the sound of my gun, as they had been at + the sight of the beasts. But when I made signs for them to come to the + shore, they took heart, and came. + </p> + <p> + They at once made for their prize; and by the help of a rope, which they + slung round him, they brought him safe on the beach. + </p> + <p> + We now left our wild men, and went on and on, for twelve days more. The + land in front of us ran out four or five miles, like a bill; and we had to + keep some way from the coast, to make this point, so that we lost sight of + the shore. + </p> + <p> + I gave the helm to Xury and sat down to think what would be my best course + to take: when all at once I heard the lad cry out "A ship with a sail! A + ship with a sail!" He did not show much joy at the sight, for he thought + that this ship had been sent out to take him back: but I knew well, from + the look of her, that she was not one of the Turk's. + </p> + <p> + I made all the sail I could to come in the ship's way, and told Xury to + fire a gun, in the hope that if those on deck could not hear the sound, + they might see the smoke. This they did see, and then let down their sails + so that we might come up to them, and in three hours time we were at the + ship's side. The men spoke to us in French, but I could not make out what + they meant. At last a Scot on board said in my own tongue, "Who are you? + Whence do you come?" I told him in a few words how I had got free from the + Moors. + </p> + <p> + Then the man who had charge of the ship bade me come on board, and took me + in with Xury and all my goods. I told him that he might take all I had, + but he said "You shall have your goods back when we come to land, for I + have but done for you what you would have done for me, had I been in the + same plight." + </p> + <p> + He gave me a good round sum for my boat, and said that I should have the + same sum for Xury, if I would part with him. But I told him that as it was + by the boy's help that I had got free, I was loath to sell him. He said it + was just and right in me to feel thus, but at the same time, if I could + make up my mind to part with him, he should be set free in two years' + time. So, as the poor slave had a wish to go with him, I did not say "no." + I got to All Saints' Bay in three weeks, and was now a free man. + </p> + <p> + I had made a good sum by all my store, and with this I went on land. But I + did not at all know what to do next. At length I met with a man whose case + was much the same as my own, and we both took some land to farm. My stock, + like his, was low, but we made our farms serve to keep us in food, though + not more than that. We both stood in need of help, and I saw now that I + had done wrong to part with my boy. + </p> + <p> + I did not at all like this kind of life. What! thought I, have I come all + this way to do that which I could have done as well at home with my + friends round me! And to add to my grief, the kind friend, who had brought + me here in his ship, now meant to leave these shores. + </p> + <p> + On my first start to sea when a boy, I had put a small sum in the hands of + an aunt, and this my friend said I should do well to spend on my farm. So + when he got home he sent some of it in cash, and laid out the rest in + cloth, stuffs, baize, and such like goods. My aunt had put a few pounds in + my friend's hands as a gift to him, to show her thanks for all that he had + done for me, and with this sum he was so kind as to buy me a slave. In the + mean time I had bought a slave, so now I had two, and all went on well for + the next year. + </p> + <p> + But soon my plans grew too large for my means. One day some men came to + ask me to take charge of a slave ship to be sent out by them. They said + they would give me a share in the slaves, and pay the cost of the stock. + This would have been a good thing for me if I had not had farms and land; + but it was wild and rash to think of it now, for I had made a large sum, + and ought to have gone on in the same way for three or four years more. + Well, I told these men that I would go with all my heart, if they would + look to my farm in the mean time, which they said they would do. + </p> + <p> + So I made my will, and went on board this ship on the same day on which, + eight years since, I had left Hull. She had six guns, twelve men, and a + boy. We took with us saws, chains, toys, beads, bits of glass, and such + like ware, to suit the taste of those with whom we had to trade. + </p> + <p> + We were not more than twelve days from the Line, when a high wind took us + off we knew not where. All at once there was a cry of "Land!" and the ship + struck on a bank of sand, in which she sank so deep that we could not get + her off. At last we found that we must make up our minds to leave her, and + get to shore as well as we could. There had been a boat at her stern, but + we found it had been torn off by the force of the waves. One small boat + was still left on the ship's side, so we got in it. + </p> + <p> + There we were all of us on the wild sea. The heart of each now grew faint, + our cheeks were pale, and our eyes were dim, for there was but one hope, + and that was to find some bay, and so get in the lee of the land. We now + gave up our whole souls to God. + </p> + <p> + The sea grew more and more rough, and its white foam would curl and boil. + At last the waves, in their wild sport, burst on the boat's side, and we + were all thrown out. + </p> + <p> + I could swim well, but the force of the waves made me lose my breath too + much to do so. At length one large wave took me to the shore, and left me + high and dry, though half dead with fear. I got on my feet and made the + best of my way for the land; but just then the curve of a huge wave rose + up as high as a hill, and this I had no strength to keep from, so it took + me back to the sea. I did my best to float on the top, and held my breath + to do so. The next wave was quite as high, and shut me up in its bulk. I + held my hands down tight to my side, and then my head shot out at the top + of the waves. This gave me heart and breath too, and soon my feet felt the + ground. + </p> + <p> + I stood quite still for a short time, to let the sea run back from me, and + then I set off with all my might to the shore, but yet the waves caught + me, and twice more did they take me back, and twice more land me on the + shore. I thought the last wave would have been the death of me, for it + drove me on a piece of rock, and with such force, as to leave me in a kind + of swoon, which, thank God, did not last long. At length, to my great joy, + I got up to the cliffs close to the shore, where I found some grass, out + of the reach of the sea. There, I sat down, safe on land at last. + </p> + <p> + I could but cry out in the words of the Psalm, "They that go down to the + sea in ships, these men see the works of the Lord in the deep. For at His + word the storms rise, the winds blow, and lift up the waves; then do they + mount to the sky, and from thence go down to the deep. My soul faints, I + reel to and fro, and am at my wit's end: then the Lord brings me out of + all my fears." + </p> + <p> + I felt so wrapt in joy, that all I could do was to walk up and down the + coast, now lift up my hands, now fold them on my breast, and thank God for + all that He had done for me, when the rest of the men were lost. All lost + but I, and I was safe! I now cast my eyes round me, to find out what kind + of a place it was that I had been thus thrown in, like a bird in a storm. + Then all the glee I felt at first left me; for I was wet and cold, and had + no dry clothes to put on, no food to eat and not a friend to help me. + </p> + <p> + There were wild beasts here, but I had no gun to shoot them with, or to + keep me from their jaws. I had but a knife and a pipe. It now grew dark; + and where was I to go for the night? I thought the top of some high tree + would be a good place to keep me out of harm's way; and that there I might + sit and think of death, for, as yet, I had no hopes of life. Well, I went + to my tree, and made a kind of nest to sleep in. Then I cut a stick to + keep off the beasts of prey, in case they should come, and fell to sleep + just as if the branch I lay on had been a bed of down. + </p> + <p> + When I woke up it was broad day; the sky too was clear and the sea calm. + But I saw from the top of the tree that in the night the ship had left the + bank of sand, and lay but a mile from me; while the boat was on the beach, + two miles on my right. I went some way down by the shore, to get to the + boat; but an arm of the sea, half a mile broad, kept me from it. At noon, + the tide went a long way out, so that I could get near the ship; and here + I found that if we had but made up our minds to stay on board, we should + all have been safe. + </p> + <p> + I shed tears at the thought, for I could not help it; yet, as there was no + use in that, it struck me that the best thing for me to do was to swim to + the ship. I soon threw off my clothes, took to the sea, and swam up to the + wreck. But how was I to get on deck? I had swam twice round the ship, when + a piece of rope, caught my eye, which hung down from her side so low, that + at first the waves hid it. By the help of this rope I got on board. I + found that there was a bulge in the ship, and that she had sprung a leak. + You may be sure that my first thought was to look round for some food, and + I soon made my way to the bin, where the bread was kept, and ate some of + it as I went to and fro, for there was no time to lose. There was, too, + some rum, of which I took a good draught, and this gave me heart. What I + stood most in need of, was a boat to take the goods to shore. But it was + vain to wish for that which could not be had; and as there were some spare + yards in the ship, two or three large planks of wood, and a spare mast or + two, I fell to work with these, to make a raft. + </p> + <p> + I put four spars side by side, and laid short bits of plank on them, cross + ways, to make my raft strong. Though these planks would bear my own + weight, they were too slight to bear much of my freight. So I took a saw + which was on board, and cut a mast in three lengths, and these gave great + strength to the raft. I found some bread and rice, a Dutch cheese, and + some dry goat's flesh. There had been some wheat, but the rats had got at + it, and it was all gone. + </p> + <p> + My next task was to screen my goods from the spray of the sea; and it did + not take me long to do this, for there were three large chests on board + which held all, and these I put on the raft. When the high tide came up it + took off my coat and shirt, which I had left on the shore; but there were + some fresh clothes in the ship. + </p> + <p> + "See here is a prize!" said I, out loud, (though there were none to hear + me), "now I shall not starve." For I found four large guns. But how was my + raft to be got to land? I had no sail, no oars; and a gust of wind would + make all my store slide off. Yet there were three things which I was glad + of; a calm sea, a tide which set in to the shore, and a slight breeze to + blow me there. + </p> + <p> + I had the good luck to find some oars in a part of the ship, in which I + had made no search till now. With these I put to sea, and for half a mile + my raft went well; but soon I found it drove to one side. At length I saw + a creek, to which, with some toil, I took my raft; and now the beach was + so near, that I felt my oar touch the ground. + </p> + <p> + Here I had well nigh lost my freight, for the shore lay on a slope, so + that there was no place to land on, save where one end of the raft would + lie so high, and one end so low, that all my goods would fall off. To wait + till the tide came up was all that could be done. So when the sea was a + foot deep, I thrust the raft on a flat piece of ground, to moor her there, + and stuck my two oars in the sand, one on each side of the raft. Thus I + let her lie till the ebb of the tide, and when it went down, she was left + safe on land with all her freight. + </p> + <p> + I saw that there were birds on the isle, and I shot one of them. Mine must + have been the first gun that had been heard there since the world was + made; for at the sound of it, whole flocks of birds flew up, with loud + cries, from all parts of the wood. The shape of the beak of the one I shot + was like that of a hawk, but the claws were not so large. + </p> + <p> + I now went back to my raft to land my stores, and this took up the rest of + the day. What to do at night I knew not, nor where to find a safe place to + land my stores on. I did not like to lie down on the ground, for fear of + beasts of prey, as well as snakes, but there was no cause for these fears, + as I have since found. I put the chests and boards round me as well as I + could, and made a kind of hut for the night. + </p> + <p> + As there was still a great store of things left in the ship, which would + be of use to me, I thought that I ought to bring them to land at once; for + I knew that the first storm would break up the ship. So I went on board, + and took good care this time not to load my raft too much. + </p> + <p> + The first thing, I sought for was the tool chest; and in it were some bags + of nails, spikes, saws, knives, and such things: but best of all I found a + stone to grind my tools on. There were two or three flasks, some large + bags of shot, and a roll of lead; but this last I had not the strength to + hoist up to the ship's side, so as to get it on my raft. There were some + spare sails too which I brought to shore. + </p> + <p> + I had some fear lest my stores might be run off with by beasts of prey, if + not by men; but I found all safe and sound when I went back, and no one + had come there but a wild cat, which sat on one of the chests. When I came + up I held my gun at her, but as she did not know what a gun was, this did + not rouse her. She ate a piece of dry goat's flesh, and then took her + leave. + </p> + <p> + Now that I had two freights of goods at hand, I made a tent with the + ship's sails, to stow them in, and cut the poles for it from the wood. I + now took all the things out of the casks and chests, and put the casks in + piles round the tent, to give it strength; and when this was done, I shut + up the door with the boards, spread one of the beds (which I had brought + from the ship) on the ground, laid two guns close to my head, and went to + bed for the first time. I slept all night, for I was much in need of rest. + </p> + <p> + The next day I was sad and sick at heart, for I felt how dull it was to be + thus cut off from all the rest of the world. I had no great wish for work: + but there was too much to be done for me to dwell long on my sad lot. Each + day as it came, I went off to the wreck to fetch more things; and I + brought back as much as the raft would hold. One day I had put too great a + load on the raft, which made it sink down on one side, so that the goods + were lost in the sea; but at this I did not fret, as the chief part of the + freight was some rope, which would not have been of much use to me. + </p> + <p> + The twelve days that I had been in the isle were spent in this way, and I + had brought to land all that one pair of hands could lift; though if the + sea had been still calm, I might have brought the whole ship, piece by + piece. + </p> + <p> + The last time I swam to the wreck, the wind blew so hard, that I made up + my mind to go on board next time at low tide. I found some tea and some + gold coin; but as to the gold, it made me laugh to look at it. "O drug!" + said I, "Thou art of no use to me! I care not to save thee. Stay where + thou art, till the ship go down, then go thou with it!" + </p> + <p> + Still, I thought I might as well just take it; so I put it in a piece of + the sail, and threw it on deck that I might place it on the raft. + Bye-and-bye, the wind blew from the shore, so I had to swim back with all + speed; for I knew that at the turn of the tide, I should find it hard work + to get to land at all. But in spite of the high wind, I came to my home + all safe. At dawn of day I put my head out, and cast my eyes on the sea. + When lo! no ship was there! + </p> + <p> + This change in the face of things, and the loss of such a friend, quite + struck me down. Yet I was glad to think that I had brought to shore all + that could be of use to me. I had now to look out for some spot where I + could make my home. Half way up a hill there was a small plain, four or + five score feet long, and twice as broad; and as it had a full view of the + sea, I thought that it would be a good place for my house. + </p> + <p> + I first dug a trench round a space which took in twelve yards; and in this + I drove two rows of stakes, till they stood firm like piles, five and a + half feet from the ground. I made the stakes close and tight with bits of + rope; and put small sticks on the top of them in the shape of spikes. This + made so strong a fence that no man or beast could get in. + </p> + <p> + The door of my house was on the top, and I had to climb up to it by steps, + which I took in with me, so that no one else might come up by the same + way. Close to the back of the house stood a high rock, in which I made a + cave, and laid all the earth that I had dug out of it round my house, to + the height of a foot and a half. I had to go out once a day in search of + food. The first time, I saw some goats, but they were too shy and swift of + foot, to let me get near them. + </p> + <p> + At last I lay in wait for them close to their own haunts. If they saw me + in the vale, though they might be on high ground, they would run off, wild + with fear; but if they were in the vale, and I on high ground, they took + no heed of me. The first goat I shot had a kid by her side, and when the + old one fell, the kid stood near her, till I took her off on my back, and + then the young one ran by my side. I put down the goat, and brought the + kid home to tame it; but as it was too young to feed, I had to kill it. + </p> + <p> + At first I thought that, for the lack of pen and ink, I should lose all + note of time; so I made a large post, in the shape of a cross, on which I + cut these words, "I came on these shores on the 8th day of June, in the + year 1659" On the side of this post I made a notch each day as it came, + and this I kept up till the last. + </p> + <p> + I have not yet said a word of my four pets, which were two cats, a dog, + and a bird. You may guess how fond I was of them, for they were all the + friends left to me. I brought the dog and two cats from the ship. The dog + would fetch things for me at all times, and by his bark, his whine, his + growl, and his tricks, he would all but talk to me; yet he could not give + me thought for thought. + </p> + <p> + If I could but have had some one near me to find fault with, or to find + fault with me, what a treat it would have been! Now that I had brought ink + from the ship, I wrote down a sketch of each day as it came; not so much + to leave to those who might read it, when I was dead and gone, as to get + rid of my own thoughts, and draw me from the fears which all day long + dwelt on my mind, till my head would ache with the weight of them. + </p> + <p> + I was a long way out of the course of ships: and oh, how dull it was to be + cast on this lone spot with no one to love, no one to make me laugh, no + one to make me weep, no one to make me think. It was dull to roam, day by + day, from the wood to the shore; and from the shore back to the wood, and + feed on my own thoughts all the while. + </p> + <p> + So much for the sad view of my case; but like most things it had a bright + side as well as a dark one. For here was I safe on land, while all the + rest of the ship's crew were lost. Well, thought I, God who shapes our + ways, and led me by the hand then, can save me from this state now, or + send some one to be with me; true, I am cast on a rough and rude part of + the globe, but there are no beasts of prey on it to kill or hurt me. God + has sent the ship so near to me, that I have got from it all things to + meet my wants for the rest of my days. Let life be what it may, there is + sure to be much to thank God for; and I soon gave up all dull thoughts, + and did not so much as look out for a sail. + </p> + <p> + My goods from the wreck had been in the cave for more than ten months; and + it was time now to put them right, as they took up all the space, and left + me no room to turn in: so I made my small cave a large one, and dug it out + a long way back in the sand rock. Then I brought the mouth of it up to the + fence, and so made a back way to my house. This done, I put shelves on + each side, to hold my goods, which made my cave look like a shop full of + stores. To make these shelves I cut down a tree, and with the help of a + saw, an axe, a plane, and some more tools, I made boards. + </p> + <p> + A chair, and a desk to write on, came next. I rose in good time, and set + to work till noon, then I ate my meal, then I went out with my gun, and to + work once more till the sun had set; and then to bed. It took me more than + a week to change the shape and size of my cave, but I had made it far too + large; for in course of time the earth fell in from the roof; and had I + been in it, when this took place, I should have lost my life. I had now to + set up posts in my cave, with planks on the top of them, so as to make a + roof of wood. + </p> + <p> + One day, when out with my gun, I shot a wild cat, the skin of which made + me a cap; and I found some birds of the dove tribe, which built their + nests in the holes of rocks. + </p> + <p> + I had to go to bed at dusk, till I made a lamp of goat's fat, which I put + in a clay dish; and this, with a piece of hemp for a wick, made a good + light. As I had found a use for the bag which had held the fowl's food on + board ship, I shook out from it the husks of corn. This was just at the + time when the great rains fell, and in the course of a month, blades of + rice, corn, and rye, sprang up. As time went by, and the grain was ripe, I + kept it, and took care to sow it each year; but I could not boast of a + crop of wheat, as will be shown bye-and-bye, for three years. + </p> + <p> + A thing now took place on the isle, which no one could have dreamt of, and + which struck me down with fear. It was this—the ground shook with + great force, which threw down earth from the rock with a loud crash—once + more there was a shock—and now the earth fell from the roof of my + cave. The sea did not look the same as it had done, for the shocks were + just as strong there as on land. The sway of the earth made me feel sick; + and there was a noise and a roar all around me. The same kind of shock + came a third time; and when it had gone off, I sat quite still on the + ground, for I knew not what to do. Then the clouds grew dark, the wind + rose, trees were torn up by the roots, the sea was a mass of foam and + froth, and a great part of the isle was laid waste with the storm. I + thought that the world had come to an end. In three hours' time all was + calm; but rain fell all that night, and a great part of the next day. Now, + though quite worn out, I had to move my goods which were in the cave, to + some safe place. + </p> + <p> + I knew that tools would be my first want, and that I should have to grind + mine on the stone, as they were blunt and worn with use. But as it took + both hands to hold the tool, I could not turn the stone; so I made a wheel + by which I could move it with my foot. This was no small task, but I took + great pains with it, and at length it was done. + </p> + <p> + The rain fell for some days and a cold chill came on me; in short I was + ill. I had pains in my head, and could get no sleep at night, and my + thoughts were wild and strange. At one time I shook with cold, and then a + hot fit came on, with faint sweats, which would last six hours at a time. + Ill as I was, I had to go out with my gun to get food. I shot a goat, but + it was a great toil to bring it home, and still more to cook it. + </p> + <p> + I spent the next day in bed, and felt half dead from thirst, yet too weak + to stand up to get some drink. I lay and wept like a child. "Lord look on + me! Lord look on me!" would I cry for hours. + </p> + <p> + At last the fit left me, and I slept, and did not wake till dawn. I dreamt + that I lay on the ground, and saw a man come down from a great black cloud + in a flame of light. When he stood on the earth, it shook as it had done a + few days since; and all the world to me was full of fire. He came up and + said "As I see that all these things have not brought thee to pray, now + thou shalt die." Then I woke, and found it was a dream. Weak and faint, I + was in dread all day lest my fit should come on. + </p> + <p> + Too ill to get out with my gun, I sat on the shore to think, and thus ran + my thoughts: "What is this sea which is all round me? and whence is it? + There can be no doubt that the hand that made it, made the air, the earth, + the sky. And who is that? It is God who hath made all things. Well then, + if God hath made all things, it must be He who guides them; and if so, no + one thing in the whole range of His works can take place, and He not know + it. Then God must know how sick and sad I am, and He wills me to be here. + O, why hath God done this to me!" + </p> + <p> + Then some voice would seem to say, "Dost thou ask why God hath done this + to thee? Ask why thou wert not shot by the Moors, who came on board the + ship, and took the lives of thy mates. Ask why thou wert not torn by the + beasts of prey on the coasts. Ask why thou didst not go down in the deep + sea with the rest of the crew, but didst come to this isle, and art safe." + </p> + <p> + A sound sleep then fell on me, and when I woke it must have been three + o'clock the next day, by the rays of the sun: nay, it may have been more + than that; for I think that this must have been the day that I did not + mark on my post, as I have since found that there was one notch too few. + </p> + <p> + I now took from my store the Book of God's Word, which I had brought from + the wreck, not one page, of which I had yet read. My eyes fell on five + words, that would seem to have been put there for my good at this time; so + well did they cheer my faint hopes, and touch the true source of my fears. + They were these: "I will not leave thee." And they have dwelt in my heart + to this day. I laid down the book, to pray. My cry was "O, Lord, help me + to love and learn thy ways." + </p> + <p> + This was the first time in all my life that I had felt a sense that God + was near, and heard me. As for my dull life here, it was not worth a + thought; for now a new strength had come to me; and there was a change in + my griefs, as well as in my joys. + </p> + <p> + I had now been in the isle twelve months, and I thought it was time to go + all round it, in search of its woods, springs, and creeks. So I set off, + and brought back with me limes and grapes in their prime, large and ripe. + I had hung the grapes in the sun to dry, and in a few days' time went to + fetch them, that I might lay up a store. The vale, on the banks of which + they grew, was fresh and green, and a clear, bright stream ran through it, + which gave so great a charm to the spot, as to make me wish to live there. + </p> + <p> + But there was no view of the sea from this vale, while from my house, no + ships could come on my side of the isle, and not be seen by me; yet the + cool, soft banks were so sweet and new to me that much of my time was + spent there. + </p> + <p> + In the first of the three years in which I had grown corn, I had sown it + too late; in the next, it was spoilt by the drought; but the third years' + crop had sprung up well. + </p> + <p> + I found that the hares would lie in it night and day, for which there was + no cure but to plant a thick hedge all round it; and this took me more + than three weeks to do. I shot the hares in the day time; and when it grew + dark, I made fast the dog's chain to the gate, and there he stood to bark + all night. + </p> + <p> + In a short time the corn grew strong, and at last ripe but, just as the + hares had hurt it in the blade, so now the birds ate it in the ear. At the + noise of my gun, whole flocks of them would fly up; and at this rate I saw + that there would be no corn left; so I made up my mind to keep a look out + night and day. I hid by the side of a hedge, and could see the birds sit + on the trees and watch, and then come down, one by one, at first. Now each + grain of wheat was, as it were, a small loaf of bread to me. So the great + thing was to get rid of these birds. My plan was this, I shot three, and + hung them up, like thieves, to scare all that came to the corn; and from + this time, as long as the dead ones hung there, not a bird came near. When + the corn was ripe, I made a scythe out of the swords from the ship, and + got in my crop. + </p> + <p> + Few of us think of the cost at which a loaf of bread is made. Of course, + there was no plough here to turn up the earth, and no spade to dig it + with, so I made one with wood; but this was soon worn out, and for want of + a rake, I made use of the bough of a tree. When I had got the corn home, I + had to thrash it, part the grain from the chaff, and store it up. Then + came the want of a mill to grind it, of sieves to clean it, and of yeast + to make bread of it. + </p> + <p> + Still, my bread was made, though I had no tools; and no one could say that + I did not earn it, by the sweat of my brow. When the rain kept me in + doors, it was good fun to teach my pet bird Poll to talk; but so mute were + all things round me, that the sound of my own voice made me start. + </p> + <p> + My chief wants now were jars, pots, cups, and plates, but I knew not how I + could make them. At last I went in search of some clay, and found some a + mile from my house; but it was quite a joke to see the queer shapes and + forms that I made out of it. For some of my pots and jars were too weak to + bear their own weight; and they would fall out here, and in there, in all + sorts of ways; while some, when they were put in the sun to bake, would + crack with the heat of its rays. You may guess what my joy was when at + last a pot was made which would stand the heat of the fire, so that I + could boil the meat for broth. + </p> + <p> + The next thing to be made was a sieve, to part the grain from the husks. + Goat's hair was of no use to me, as I could not weave or spin; so I made a + shift for two years with a thin kind of stuff, which I had brought from + the ship. But to grind the corn with the stones was the worst of all, such + hard work did I find it. To bake the bread I burnt some wood down to an + ash, which I threw on the hearth to heat it, and then set my loaves on the + hearth, and in this way my bread was made. + </p> + <p> + The next thing to turn my thoughts to was the ship's boat, which lay on + the high ridge of sand, where it had been thrust by the storm which had + cast me on these shores. But it lay with the keel to the sky, so I had to + dig the sand from it, and turn it up with the help of a pole. When I had + done this I found it was all in vain, for I had not the strength to launch + it. So all I could do now, was to make a boat of less size out of a tree; + and I found one that was just fit for it, which grew not far from the + shore, but I could no more stir this than I could the ship's boat. What + was to be done? I first dug the ground flat and smooth all the way from + the boat to the sea, so as to let it slide down; but this plan did not + turn out well, so I thought I would try a new way, which was to make a + trench, so as to bring the sea up to the boat, as the boat could not be + brought to the sea. But to do this, I must have dug down to a great depth, + which would take one man some years to do. And when too late, I found it + was not wise to work out a scheme, till I had first thought of the cost + and toil. + </p> + <p> + "Well," thought I, "I must give up the boat, and with it all my hopes to + leave the isle. But I have this to think of: I am lord of the whole isle; + in fact, a king. I have wood with which I might build a fleet, and grapes, + if not corn, to freight it with, though all my wealth is but a few gold + coins." For these I had no sort of use, and could have found it in my + heart to give them all for a peck of peas and some ink, which last I stood + much in need of. But it was best to dwell more on what I had, than on what + I had not. + </p> + <p> + I now must needs try once more to build a boat, but this time it was to + have a mast, for which the ship's sails would be of great use. I made a + deck at each end, to keep out the spray of the sea, a bin for my food, and + a rest for my gun, with a flap to screen it from the wet. More than all, + the boat was one of such a size that I could launch it. + </p> + <p> + My first cruise was up and down the creek, but soon I got bold, and made + the whole round of my isle. I took with me bread, cakes, and a pot full of + rice, some rum, half a goat, two great coats, one of which was to lie on, + and one to put on at night. I set sail in the sixth year of my reign. On + the East side of the isle, there was a large ridge of rocks, which lay two + miles from the shore; and a shoal of sand lay for half a mile from the + rocks to the beach. To get round to this point, I had to sail a great way + out to sea; and here I all but lost my life. + </p> + <p> + But I got back to my home at last. On my way there, quite worn out with + the toils of the boat, I lay down in the shade to rest my limbs, and + slept. But judge, if you can, what a start I gave, when a voice woke me + out of my sleep, and spoke my name three times! A voice in this wild + place! To call me by name, too! Then the voice said, "Where are you? Where + have you been? How came you here?" But now I saw it all; for at the top of + the hedge sat Poll, who did but say the words she had been taught by me. + </p> + <p> + I now went in search of some goats, and laid snares for them, with rice + for a bait I had set the traps in the night, and found they had all stood, + though the bait was gone. So I thought of a new way to take them, which + was to make a pit and lay sticks and grass on it, so as to hide it; and in + this way I caught an old goat and some kids. But the old goat was much too + fierce for me, so I let him go. I brought all the young ones home, and let + them fast a long time, till at last they fed from my hand, and were quite + tame. I kept them in a kind of park, in which there were trees to screen + them from the sun. At first my park was three miles round; but it struck + me that, in so great a space, the kids would soon get as wild as if they + had the range of the whole vale, and that it would be as well to give them + less room; so I had to make a hedge which took me three months to plant. + My park held a flock of twelve goats, and in two years more there were + more than two score. + </p> + <p> + My dog sat at meals with me, and one cat on each side of me, on stools, + and we had Poll to talk to us. Now for a word or two as to the dress in + which I made a tour round the isle. I could but think how droll it would + look in the streets of the town in which I was born. I wore a high cap of + goat's skin, with a flap that hung, down, to keep the sun and rain from my + neck, a coat made from the skin of a goat too, the skirts of which came + down to my hips, and the same on my legs, with no shoes, but flaps of the + fur round my shins. I had a broad belt of the same round my waist, which + drew on with two thongs; and from it, on my right side, hung a saw and an + axe; and on my left side a pouch for the shot. My beard had not been cut + since I came here. But no more need be said of my looks, for there were + few to see me. A strange sight was now in store for me, which was to + change the whole course of my life in the isle. + </p> + <p> + One day at noon, while on a stroll down to a part of the shore that was + new to me, what should I see on the sand but the print of a man's foot! I + felt as if I was bound by a spell, and could not stir from, the spot. + </p> + <p> + Bye-and-bye, I stole a look round me, but no one was in sight, What could + this mean? I went three or four times to look at it. There it was—the + print of a man's foot; toes, heel, and all the parts of a foot. How could + it have come there? + </p> + <p> + My head swam with fear; and as I left the spot, I made two or three steps, + and then took a look round me; then two steps more, and did the same + thing. I took fright at the stump of an old tree, and ran to my house, as + if for my life. How could aught in the shape of a man come to that shore, + and I not know it? Where was the ship that brought him? Then a vague dread + took hold of my mind, that some man, or set of men, had found me out; and + it might be, that they meant to kill me, or rob me of all I had. + </p> + <p> + How strange a thing is the life of man! One day we love that which the + next day we hate. One day we seek what the next day we shun. One day we + long for the thing which the next day we fear; and so we go on. Now, from + the time that I was cast on this isle, my great source of grief was that I + should be thus cut off from the rest of my race. Why, then, should the + thought that a man might be near give me all this pain? Nay, why should + the mere sight of the print of a man's foot, make me quake with fear? It + seems most strange; yet not more strange than true. + </p> + <p> + Once it struck me that it might be the print of my own foot, when first + the storm cast me on these shores. Could I have come this way from the + boat? Should it in truth turn out to be the print of my own foot, I should + be like a boy who tells of a ghost, and feels more fright at his own tale, + than those do whom he meant to scare. + </p> + <p> + Fear kept me in-doors for three days, till the want of food drove me out. + At last I was so bold as to go down to the coast to look once more at the + print of the foot, to see if it was the same shape as my own. I found it + was not so large by a great deal; so it was clear there were men in the + isle. Just at this time my good watch dog fell down dead at my feet. He + was old and worn out, and in him I lost my best guard and friend. + </p> + <p> + One day as I went from the hill to the coast, a scene lay in front of me + which made me sick at heart. The spot was spread with the bones of men. + There was a round place dug in the earth, where a fire had been made, and + here some men had come to feast. Now that I had seen this sight, I knew + not how to act; I kept close to my home, and would scarce stir from it, + save to milk my flock of goats. + </p> + <p> + To feel safe was now more to me than to be well fed; and I did not care to + drive a nail, or chop a stick of wood, lest the sound of it should be + heard, much less would I fire a gun. As to my bread and meat, I had to + bake it at night when the smoke could not be seen. But I soon found the + way to burn wood with turf at the top of it, which made it like chark, or + dry coal; and this I could use by day, as it had no smoke. + </p> + <p> + I found in the wood where I went to get the sticks for my fire, a cave so + large that I could stand in it; but I made more haste to get out, than in; + for two large eyes, as bright as stars, shone out from it with a fierce + glare. I took a torch, and went to see what they could be, and found that + there was no cause for fear; for the eyes were those of an old gray goat, + which had gone there to die of old age. I gave him a push, to try to get + him out of the cave, but he could not rise from the ground where he lay; + so I left him there to die, as I could not save his life. + </p> + <p> + I found the width of the cave was twelve feet; but part of it, near the + end, was so low that I had to creep on my hands and feet to go in. What + the length of it was I could not tell, for my light went out, and I had to + give up my search. The next day, I went to the cave with large lights made + of goat's fat; and when I got to the end, I found that the roof rose to + two score feet or more. + </p> + <p> + As my lights shone on the walls and roof of the cave, a sight burst on my + view, the charms of which no tongue could tell; for the walls shone like + stars. What was in the rock to cause this it was hard to say; they might + be gems, or bright stones, or gold. But let them be what they may, this + cave was a mine of wealth to me; for at such time as I felt dull or sad, + the bright scene would flash on my mind's eye, and fill it with joy. + </p> + <p> + A score of years had gone by, with no new sight to rest my eyes on, till + this scene burst on them. I felt as if I should like to spend the rest of + my life here; and at its close, lie down to die in this cave, like the old + goat. + </p> + <p> + As I went home I was struck by the sight of some smoke, which came from a + fire no more than two miles off. From this time I lost all my peace of + mind. Day and night a dread would haunt me, that the men who had made this + fire would find me out. I went home and drew up my steps, but first I made + all things round me look wild and rude. To load my gun was the next thing + to do, and I thought it would be best to stay at home and hide. + </p> + <p> + But this was not to be borne long. I had no spy to send out and all I + could do was to get to the top of the hill, and keep a good look out. At + last, through my glass, I could see a group of wild men join in a dance + round their fire. As soon a they had left, I took two guns, and slung a + sword on my side; then with all speed, I set off to the top of the hill, + once more to have a good view. + </p> + <p> + This time I made up my mind to go up to the men, but not with a view to + kill them, for I felt that it would be wrong to do so. With such a load of + arms, it took me two hours to reach the spot where the fire was; and by + the time I got there, the men had all gone; but I saw them in four boats + out at sea. + </p> + <p> + Down on the shore, there was a proof of what the work of these men had + been. The signs of their feast made me sick at heart, and I shut my eyes. + I durst not fire my gun when I went out for food on that side the isle, + lest there should be some of the men left, who might hear it, and so find + me out. This state of things went on for a year and three months, and for + all that time I saw no more men. + </p> + <p> + On the twelfth of May, a great storm of wind blew all day and night. As it + was dark, I sat in my house; and in the midst of the gale, I heard a gun + fire! My guess was that it must have been from some ship cast on shore by + the storm. So I set a light to some wood on top of the hill, that those in + the ship, if ship it should be, might know that some one was there to aid + them. I then heard two more guns fire. When it was light, I went to the + South side of the isle, and there lay the wreck of a ship, cast on the + rocks in the night by the storm. She was too far off for me to see if + there were men on board. + </p> + <p> + Words could not tell how much I did long to bring but one of the ship's + crew to the shore! So strong was my wish to save the life of those on + board, that I could have laid down my own life to do so. There are some + springs in the heart which, when hope stirs them, drive the soul on with + such a force, that to lose all chance of the thing one hopes for, would + seem to make one mad; and thus was it with me. + </p> + <p> + Now, I thought, was the time to use my boat; so I set to work at once to + fit it out. I took on board some rum (of which I still had a good deal + left), some dry grapes, a bag of rice, some goat's milk, and cheese, and + then put out to sea. A dread came on me at the thought of the risk I had + run on the same rocks; but my heart did not quite fail me, though I knew + that, as my boat was small, if a gale of wind should spring up, all would + be lost. Then I found that I must go back to the shore till the tide + should turn, and the ebb come on. + </p> + <p> + I made up my mind to go out the next day with the high tide, so I slept + that night in my boat. At dawn I set out to sea, and in less than two + hours I came up to the wreck. What a scene was there! The ship had struck + on two rocks. The stern was torn by the force of the waves, the masts were + swept off, ropes and chains lay strewn on the deck, and all was wrapt in + gloom. As I came up to the wreck, a dog swam to me with a yelp and a + whine. I took him on board my boat, and when I gave him some bread he ate + it like a wolf, and as to drink, he would have burst, if I had let him + take his fill of it. + </p> + <p> + I went to the cook's room, where I found two men, but they were both dead. + The tongue was mute, the ear was deaf, the eye was shut, and the lip was + stiff; still the sad tale was told, for each had his arm round his + friend's neck, and so they must have sat to wait for death. What a change + had come on the scene, once so wild with the lash of the waves and the + roar of the wind! All was calm now—death had done its work, and all + had felt its stroke, save the dog, and he was the one thing that still had + life. + </p> + <p> + I thought the ship must have come from Spain, and there was much gold on + board. I took some of the chests and put them in my boat, but did not wait + to see what they held, and with this spoil, and three casks of rum, I came + back. + </p> + <p> + I found all things at home just as I had left them, my goats, my cats, and + my bird. The scene in the cook's room was in my mind day and night, and to + cheer me up I drank some of the rum. I then set to work to bring my + freight from the shore, where I had left it. In the chests were two great + bags of gold, and some bars of the same, and near these lay three small + flasks and three bags of shot which were a great prize. + </p> + <p> + From this time, all went well with me for two years; but it was not to + last. One day, as I stood on the hill, I saw six boats on the shore! What + could this mean? + </p> + <p> + Where were the men who had brought them? And what had they come for? I saw + through my glass that there were a score and a half, at least, on the east + side of the isle. They had meat on the fire, round which I could see them + dance. They then took a man from one of the boats, who was bound hand and + foot; but when they came to loose his bonds, he set off as fast as his + feet would take him, and in a straight line to my house. + </p> + <p> + To tell the truth, when I saw all the rest of the men run to catch him, my + hair stood on end with fright. In the creek, he swam like a fish, and the + plunge which he took brought him through it in a few strokes. All the men + now gave up the chase but two, and they swam through the creek, but by no + means so fast as the slave had done. Now, I thought, was the time for me + to help the poor man, and my heart told me it would be right to do so. I + ran down my steps with my two guns, and went with all speed up the hill, + and then down by a short cut to meet them. + </p> + <p> + I gave a sign to the poor slave to come to me, and at the same time went + up to meet the two men, who were in chase of him. I made a rush at the + first of these, to knock him down with the stock of my gun, and he fell. I + saw the one who was left, aim at me with his bow, so, to save my life, I + shot him dead. + </p> + <p> + The smoke and noise from my gun, gave the poor slave who had been bound, + such a shock, that he stood still on the spot, as if he had been in a + trance. I gave a loud shout for him to come to me, and I took care to show + him that I was a friend, and made all the signs I could think of to coax + him up to me. At length he came, knelt down to kiss the ground, and then + took hold of my foot, and set it on his head. All this meant that he was + my slave; and I bade him rise, and made much of him. + </p> + <p> + But there was more work to be done yet; for the man who had had the blow + from my gun was not dead. I made a sign for my slave (as I shall now call + him) to look at him. At this he spoke to me, and though I could not make + out what he said, yet it gave me a shock of joy; for it was the first + sound of a man's voice that I had heard, for all the years I had been on + the isle. + </p> + <p> + The man whom I had struck with the stock of my gun, sat up; and my slave, + who was in great fear of him, made signs for me to lend him my sword, + which hung in a belt at my side. With this he ran up to the man, and with + one stroke cut off his head. When he had done this, he brought me back my + sword with a laugh, and put it down in front of me. I did not like to see + the glee with which he did it, and I did not feel that my own life was + quite safe with such a man. + </p> + <p> + He, in his turn, could but lift up his large brown hands with awe, to + think that I had put his foe to death, while I stood so far from him. But + as to the sword, he and the rest of his tribe made use of swords of wood, + and this was why he knew so well how to wield mine. He made signs to me to + let him go and see the man who had been shot; and he gave him a turn + round, first on this side, then on that; and when he saw the wound made in + his breast by the shot, he stood quite, still once more, as if he had lost + his wits. I made signs for him to come back, for my fears told me that the + rest of the men might come in search of their friends. + </p> + <p> + I did not like to take my slave to my house, nor to my cave; so I threw + down some straw from the rice plant for him to sleep on, and gave him some + bread and a bunch of dry grapes to eat. He was a fine man, with straight + strong limbs, tall, and young. His hair was thick, like wool, and black. + His head was large and high; and he had bright black eyes. He was of a + dark brown hue; his face was round, and his nose small, but not flat; he + had a good mouth with thin lips, with which he could give a soft smile; + and his teeth were as white as snow. + </p> + <p> + I had been to milk my goats in the field close by, and when he saw me, he + ran to me, and lay down on the ground to show me his thanks. He then put + his head on the ground, and set my foot on his head, as he had done at + first. He took all the means he could think of, to let me know that he + would serve me all his life; and I gave a sign to show that I thought well + of him. The next thing was to think of some name to call him by. I chose + that of the sixth day of the week (Friday), as he came to me on that day. + I took care not to lose sight of him all that night, and when the sun + rose, I made signs for him to come to me, that I might give him some + clothes, for he wore none. We then went up to the top of the hill, to look + out for the men; but as we could not see them, or their boats, it was + clear that they had left the isle. + </p> + <p> + My slave has since told me that they had had a great fight with the tribe + that dwelt next to them; and that all those men whom each side took in war + were their own by right. My slave's foes had four who fell to their share, + of whom he was one. + </p> + <p> + I now set to work to make my man a cap of hare's skin, and gave him a + goat's skin to wear round his waist. It was a great source of pride to + him, to find that his clothes were as good as my own. + </p> + <p> + At night, I kept my guns, sword, and bow close to my side; but there was + no need for this, as my slave was, in sooth, most true to me. He did all + that he was set to do, with his whole heart in the work; and I knew that + he would lay down his life to save mine. What could a man do more than + that? And oh, the joy to have him here to cheer me in this lone isle! + </p> + <p> + I did my best to teach him, so like a child as he was, to do and feel all + that was right, I found him apt, and full of fun; and he took great pains + to learn all that I could tell him. Our lives ran on in a calm, smooth + way; and, but for the vile feasts which were held on the shores, I felt no + wish to leave the isle. + </p> + <p> + As my slave had by no means lost his zest for these meals, it struck me + that the best way to cure him, was to let him taste the flesh of beasts; + so I took him with me one day to the wood for some sport. I saw a + she-goat, in the shade, with her two kids. I caught Friday by the arm, and + made signs to him not to stir, and then shot one of the kids; but the + noise of the gun gave the poor man a great shock. He did not see the kid, + nor did he know that it was dead. He tore his dress off his breast to feel + if there was a wound there; then he knelt down to me, and took hold of my + knees to pray of me not to kill him. + </p> + <p> + To show poor Friday that his life was quite safe, I led him by the hand, + and told him to fetch the kid. By and by, I saw a hawk in a tree, so I + bade him look at the gun, the hawk, and the ground; and then I shot the + bird. But my poor slave gave still more signs of fear this time, than he + did at first: for he shook from head to foot. He must have thought that + some fiend of death dwelt in the gun, and I think that he would have knelt + down to it, as well as to me; but he would not so much as touch the gun + for some time, though he would speak to it when he thought I was not near. + Once he told me that what he said to it was to ask it not to kill him. + </p> + <p> + I brought home the bird, and made broth of it. Friday was much struck to + see me eat salt with it, and made a wry face; but I, in my turn, took some + that had no salt with it, and I made a wry face at that. The next day I + gave him a piece of kid's flesh, which I had hung by a string in front of + the fire to roast. My plan was to put two poles, one on each side of the + fire, and a stick, on the top of them to hold the string. When my slave + came to taste the flesh, he took the best means to let me know how good he + thought it. + </p> + <p> + The next day I set him to beat out and sift some corn. I let him see me + make the bread, and he soon did all the work. I felt quite a love for his + true, warm heart, and he soon learnt to talk to me. One day I said, "Do + the men of your tribe win in fight?" He told me, with a smile, that they + did. "Well, then," said I, "How came they to let their foes take you?" + </p> + <p> + "They run one, two, three, and make go in the boat that time." + </p> + <p> + "Well, and what do the men do with those they take?" + </p> + <p> + "Eat them all up." + </p> + <p> + This was not good news for me, but I went on, and said, "Where do they + take them?" + </p> + <p> + "Go to next place where they think." + </p> + <p> + "Do they come here?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, yes, they come here, come else place too." + </p> + <p> + "Have you been here with them twice?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, come there." + </p> + <p> + He meant the North West side of the isle, so to this spot I took him the + next day. He knew the place, and told me he was there once with a score of + men. To let me know this, he put a score of stones all of a row, and made + me count them. + </p> + <p> + "Are not the boats lost on your shore now and then?" He said that there + was no fear, and that no boats were lost. He told me that up a great way + by the moon—that is where the moon then came up—there dwelt a + tribe of white men like me, with beards. I felt sure that they must have + come from Spain, to work the gold mines. I put this to him: "Could I go + from this isle and join those men?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, yes, you may go in two boats." + </p> + <p> + It was hard to see how one man could go in two boats, but what he meant + was, a boat twice as large as my own. + </p> + <p> + One day I said to my slave, "Do you know who made you?" + </p> + <p> + But he could not tell at all what these words meant. So I said, "Do you + know who made the sea, the ground we tread on, the hills, and woods?" He + said it was Beek, whose home was a great way off, and that he was so old + that the sea and the land were not so old as he. + </p> + <p> + "If this old man has made all things, why do not all things bow down to + him?" + </p> + <p> + My slave gave a grave look, and said, "All things say 'O' to him." + </p> + <p> + "Where do the men in your land go when they die?" + </p> + <p> + "All go to Beek." + </p> + <p> + I then held my hand up to the sky to point to it, and said, "God dwells + there. He made the world, and all things in it. The moon and the stars are + the work of his hand. God sends the wind and the rain on the earth, and + the streams that flow: He hides the face of the sky with clouds, makes the + grass to grow for the beasts of the field, and herbs for the use of man. + God's love knows no end. When we pray, He draws near to us and hears us." + </p> + <p> + It was a real joy to my poor slave to hear me talk of these things. He sat + still for a long time, then gave a sigh, and told me that he would say "O" + to Beek no more, for he was but a short way off, and yet could not hear, + till men went up the hill to speak to him. + </p> + <p> + "Did you go up the hill to speak to him?" said I. + </p> + <p> + "No, Okes go up to Beek, not young mans." + </p> + <p> + "What do Okes say to him?" + </p> + <p> + "They say 'O.'" + </p> + <p> + Now that I brought my man Friday to know that Beek was not the true God, + such was the sense he had of my worth, that I had fears lest I should + stand in the place of Beek. I did my best to call forth his faith in + Christ, and make it strong and clear, till at last—thanks be to the + Lord—I brought him to the love of Him, with the whole grasp of his + soul. + </p> + <p> + To please my poor slave, I gave him a sketch of my whole life; I told him + where I was born, and where I spent my days when a child. He was glad to + hear tales of the land of my birth, and of the trade which we keep up, in + ships, with all parts of the known world. I gave him a knife and a belt, + which made him dance with joy. + </p> + <p> + One day as we stood on the top of the hill at the east side of the isle, I + saw him fix his eyes on the main land, and stand for a long time to, gaze + at it; then jump and sing, and call out to me. + </p> + <p> + "What do you see?" said I. + </p> + <p> + "Oh joy!" said he, with a fierce glee in his eyes, "Oh glad! There see my + land!" + </p> + <p> + Why did he strain his eyes to stare at this land, as if he had a wish to + be there? It put fears in my mind which made me feel far, less at my ease + with him. Thought I, if he should go back to his home, he will think no + more of what I have taught him, and done for him. He will be sure to tell + the rest of his tribe all my ways, and come back with, it may be, scores + of them, and kill me, and then dance round me, as they did round the men, + the last time they came on my isle. + </p> + <p> + But these were all false fears, though they found a place in my mind a + long while; and I was not so kind to him now as I had been. From this time + I made it a rule, day by day, to find out if there were grounds for my + fears or not. I said, "Do you not wish to be once more in your own land?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes! I be much O glad to be at my own land." + </p> + <p> + "What would you do there? Would you turn wild, and be as you were?" + </p> + <p> + "No, no, I would tell them to be good, tell them eat bread, corn, milk, no + eat man more!" + </p> + <p> + "Why, they would kill you!" + </p> + <p> + "No, no, they no kill; they love learn." + </p> + <p> + He then told me that some white men, who had come on their shores in a + boat, had taught them a great deal. + </p> + <p> + "Then will you go back to your land with me?" + </p> + <p> + He said he could not swim so far, so I told him he should help me to build + a boat to go in. Then he said, "If you go, I go." + </p> + <p> + "I go? why they would eat me!" + </p> + <p> + "No, me make them much love you." + </p> + <p> + Then he told me as well as he could, how kind they had been to some white + men. I brought out the large boat to hear what he thought of it, but he + said it was too small. We then went to look at the old ship's boat, which, + as it had been in the sun for years, was not at all in a sound state. The + poor man made sure that it would do. But how were we to know this? I told + him we should build a boat as large as that, and that he should go home in + it. He spoke not a word, but was grave and sad. + </p> + <p> + "What ails you?" said I. + </p> + <p> + "Why, you grieve mad with your man?" + </p> + <p> + "What do you mean? I am not cross with you." + </p> + <p> + "No cross? no cross with me? Why send your man home to his own land, + then?" + </p> + <p> + "Did you not tell me you would like to go back?" + </p> + <p> + "Yes, yes, we both there; no wish self there, if you not there!" + </p> + <p> + "And what should I do there?" + </p> + <p> + "You do great deal much good! you teach wild men be good men; you tell + them know God, pray God, and lead new life." + </p> + <p> + We soon set to work to make a boat that would take us both. The first + thing was to look out for some large trees that grew near the shore, so + that we could launch our boat when it was made. My slave's plan was to + burn the wood to make it the right shape; but as mine was to hew it, I set + him to work with my tools; and in two months' time we had made a good + strong boat; but it took a long while to get her down to the shore. + </p> + <p> + Friday had the whole charge of her; and, large as she was, he made her + move with ease, and said, "he thought she go there well, though great blow + wind!" He did not know that I meant to make a mast and sail. I cut down a + young fir tree for the mast, and then I set to work at the sail. It made + me laugh to see my man stand and stare, when he came to watch me sail the + boat. But he soon gave a jump, a laugh, and a clap of the hands when he + saw the sail jibe and fall, first on this side, then on that. + </p> + <p> + The next thing to do was to stow our boat up in the creek, where we dug a + small dock; and when the tide was low, we made a dam, to keep out the sea. + The time of year had now come for us to set sail, so we got out all our + stores, to put them in the boat. + </p> + <p> + One day I sent Friday to the shore, to get a sort of herb that grew there. + I soon heard him cry out to me, "O grief! O bad! O bad! O out there boats, + one, two, three!" "Keep a stout heart," said I, to cheer him. The poor man + shook with fear; for he thought that the men who brought him here, had now + come back to kill him. + </p> + <p> + "Can you fight?" said I. + </p> + <p> + "Me shoot; but me saw three boats; one, two, three!" + </p> + <p> + "Have no fear; those that we do not kill, will be sure to take fright at + the sound of our guns. Now will you stand by me, and do just as you are + bid?" + </p> + <p> + "Me die when you bid die." + </p> + <p> + I gave him a good draught of rum; and when he had drunk this, he took up + an axe and two guns, each of which had a charge of swan shot. I took two + guns as well, and put large shot in them, and then hung my great sword by + my side. From the top of the bill, I saw with the help of my glass, that + the boats had each brought eight men, and one slave. They had come on + shore near the creek, where a grove of young trees grew close down to the + sea. + </p> + <p> + They had with them three slaves, bound hand and foot, and you who read + this, may guess what they were brought here for. I felt that I must try + and save them from so hard a fate, and that to do this, I should have to + put some of their foes to death. So we set forth on our way. I gave Friday + strict charge to keep close to me, and not to fire till I told him to do + so. + </p> + <p> + We went full a mile out of our way, that we might get round to the wood to + bide there. But we had not gone far, when my old qualms came back to me, + and I thought, "Is it for me to dip my hands in man's blood? Why should I + kill those who have done me no harm, and mean not to hurt me? Nay, who do + not so much as know that they are in the wrong, when they hold these + feasts. Are not their ways a sign that God has left them (with the rest of + their tribe) to their own dull hearts? God did not call me to be a judge + for Him. He who said, 'Thou shalt not kill,' said it for me, as well as + the rest of the world." + </p> + <p> + A throng of thoughts like these would rush on my mind, as if to warn me to + pause, till I felt sure that there was more to call me to the work than I + then knew of. I took my stand in the wood, to watch the men at their + feast, and then crept on, with Friday close at my heels. Thus we went till + we came to the skirts of the wood. Then I said to. Friday, "Go up to the + top of that tree, and bring me word if you can see the men." + </p> + <p> + He went, and quick as thought, came back to say that they were all round + the fire, and that the man who was bound on the sand would be the next + they would kill. But when he told me that it was a white man, one of my + own race, I felt the blood boil in my veins. Two of the gang had gone to + loose the white man from his bonds; so now was the time to fire. + </p> + <p> + At the sound of our guns, we saw all the men jump up from the ground where + they sat. It must have been the first gun the I had heard in their lives. + They knew not which way to look. I now threw down my piece, and took up a + small gun; Friday did the same; and I gave him the word to fire! The men + ran right and left, with yells and screams. + </p> + <p> + I now made a rush out of the wood, that they might see me, with my man + Friday at my heels, of course. We gave a loud shout, and ran up to the + white man as fast as we could. There he lay on the hot sand. I cut the + flag, or rush, by which he was bound, but he was too weak to stand or + speak, so I gave him some rum. He let me know by all the signs that he + could think of, how much he stood in my debt for all that I had done for + him. + </p> + <p> + I said, "We will talk of that bye and bye; but now we must do what we can + to save our lives." Friday, who was free to go where he chose, flew here + and there, and put all the men to the rout. They fled in full haste to + their boats, and were soon out at sea; and so we got rid of our foes at + last. + </p> + <p> + The man whom we had found on the sand told us that his name was Carl, and + that he came from Spain. But there was one more man to claim our care; for + the black men had left a small boat on the sands, and in this I saw a poor + wretch who lay half dead. He could not so much as look up, so tight was he + bound, neck and heels. When I cut the bonds from him he gave a deep groan, + for he thought that all this was but to lead him out to die. + </p> + <p> + Friday then came up, and I bade him speak to the old man in his own + tongue, and tell him that he was free. This good news gave him strength, + and he sat up in the boat. But when Friday came to hear him talk, and to + look him in the face, it brought the tears to my eyes to see him kiss and + hug the poor old man, and dance round him with joy, then weep, wring his + hands, and beat his own face and head, and then laugh once more, sing, and + leap. For a long time he could not speak to me, so as to, let me know what + all this meant. But at length he told me that he was the son of this poor + old man, and that his name was Jaf. + </p> + <p> + It would be a hard task for me to tell of all the quaint, signs Friday + made to show his joy. He went in and out of the boat five or six times, + sat down by old Jaf, and held the poor old man's head close to his breast + to warm it; then he set to work to rub his arms and feet, which were cold + and stiff from the bonds. I told Friday to give him some rum and bread; + but he said, "None! Bad dog eat all up self." He then ran off straight to + the house, and took no heed of my calls, but went as swift as a deer. + </p> + <p> + In an hour's time, he came back with a jug in his hand. The good soul had + gone all the way to the house, that Jaf might have a fresh draught from my + well; and with it he brought two cakes, one of which I bade him take to + Carl, who lay in the shade of a tree. His limbs were stiff and cold, and + he was too weak to say a word. + </p> + <p> + I set my man to rub his feet with rum, and while he did so, I saw Friday + turn his head round from time to time, to steal a look at the old man. + Then we brought Carl and Jaf home from the boat on our backs, as they + could not walk. The door of my house was at the top, and the poor sick men + could not climb the steps by which I got in, so we made for them a tent of + old sails. + </p> + <p> + I was now a king of these three men, as well as Lord of the isle; and I + felt proud to say, "They all owe their lives to their king, and would lay + them down for him if he bade them do so." But I did not think that my + reign was so soon to come to an end. The next thing for us to do was to + give Carl and Jaf some food, and to kill and roast a kid, to which we all + four sat down, and I did my best to cheer them. + </p> + <p> + Carl in a few days grew quite strong, and I set him to work to dig some + land for seed; for it was clear we should want more corn now that we had + two more mouths to fill. So we put in the ground all the stock of grain I + had, and thus we all four had as much work as we could do for some time. + When the crop grew, and was ripe, we found we had a good store of grain. + </p> + <p> + We made a plan that Carl and Jaf should go back to the main land, to try + if they could get some of the white men who had been cast on shore there, + to come and live with us; so they got out the boat, and took with them two + guns and food for eight days. They were to come back in a week's time, and + I bade them hang out a sign when they came in sight, so that we might know + who they were. + </p> + <p> + One day, Friday ran up to me in great glee, and said, "They are back! They + are back!" A mile from shore, there was a boat with a sail, which stood in + for the land; but I knew it could not be the one which our two friends had + gone out in, for it was on the wrong side of the isle for that. I saw too, + through my glass, a ship out at sea. There were twelve men in the boat, + three of whom were bound in chains, and four had fire arms. + </p> + <p> + Bye and bye, I saw one of the men raise his sword to those who were in + chains, and I felt sure that all was not right. Then I saw that the three + men who had been bound were set free; and when they had come on shore they + lay on the ground, in the shade of a tree. I was soon at their side, for + their looks, so sad and worn, brought to my mind the first few hours I had + spent in this wild spot, where all to me was wrapt in gloom. + </p> + <p> + I went up to these men, and said: + </p> + <p> + "Who are you, Sirs?" + </p> + <p> + They gave a start at my voice and at my strange dress, and made a move as + if they would fly from me. I said, "Do not fear me, for it may be that you + have a friend at hand, though you do not think it." "He must be sent from + the sky then," said one of them with a grave look; and he took off his hat + to me at the same time. "All help is from thence, Sir," I said; "but what + can I do to aid you? You look as if you had some load of grief on your + breast. I saw one of the men lift his sword as if to kill you." + </p> + <p> + The tears ran down the poor man's face, as he said, + </p> + <p> + "Is this a god, or is it but a man?" "Have no doubt on that score, Sir," + said I, "for a god would not have come with a dress like this. No, do not + fear—nor raise your hopes too high; for you see but a man, yet one + who will do all he can to help you. Your speech shows me that you come + from the same land as I do. I will do all I can to serve you. Tell me your + case." "Our case, Sir, is too long to you while they who would kill us are + so near. My name is Paul. To be short, Sir, my crew have thrust me out of + my ship, which you see out there, and have left me here to die. It was as + much as I could do to make them sheath their swords, which you saw were + drawn to slay me. They have set me down in this isle with these two men, + my friend here, and the ship's mate." + </p> + <p> + "Where have they gone?" said I. + </p> + <p> + "There, in the wood, close by. I fear they may have seen and heard us. If + they have, they will be sure to kill us all." + </p> + <p> + "Have they fire-arms?" + </p> + <p> + "They have four guns, one of which is in the boat." + </p> + <p> + "Well then, leave all to me!" + </p> + <p> + "There are two of the men," said he, "who are worse than the rest. All but + these I feel sure would go back to work the ship." + </p> + <p> + I thought it was best to speak out to Paul at once, and I said, "Now if I + save your life, there are two things which you must do." But he read my + thoughts, and said, "If you save my life, you shall do as you like with me + and my ship, and take her where you please." + </p> + <p> + I saw that the two men, in whose charge the boat had been left, had come + on shore; so the first thing I did was to send Friday to fetch from it the + oars, the sail, and the gun. And now the ship might be said to be in our + hands. When the time came for the men to go back to the ship, they were in + a great rage; for, as the boat had now no sail nor oars, they knew not how + to get out to their ship. + </p> + <p> + We heard them say that it was a strange sort of isle, for that sprites had + come to the boat, to take off the sails and oars. We could see them run to + and fro, with great rage; then go and sit in the boat to rest, and then + come on shore once more. When they drew near to us, Paul and Friday would + fain have had me fall on them at once. But my wish was to spare them, and + kill as few as I could. I told two of my men to creep on their hands and + feet close to the ground, so that they might not be seen, and when they + got up to the men, not to fire till I gave the word. + </p> + <p> + They had not stood thus long, when three of the crew came up to us. Till + now, we had but heard their voice, but when they came so near as to be + seen, Paul and Friday stood up and shot at them. Two of the men fell dead, + and they were the worst of the crew, and the third ran off. At the sound + of the guns I came up, but it was so dark that the men could not tell if + there were three of us or three score. + </p> + <p> + It fell out just as I could wish, for I heard the men ask, "To whom must + we yield, and where are they?" Friday told them that Paul was there with + the king of the isle, who had brought with him a crowd of men! At this one + of the crew said, "If Paul will spare our lives, we will yield." "Then," + said Friday, "you shall know the king's will." Then Paul said to them, + "You know my voice; if you lay down your arms the king will spare your + lives!" + </p> + <p> + They fell on their knees to beg the same of me. I took good care that they + did not see me, but I gave them my word that they should all live, that I + should take four of them to work the ship, and that the rest would be + bound hand and foot, for the good faith of the four. This was to show them + what a stern king I was. + </p> + <p> + Of course I soon set them free, and I put them in a way to take my place + on the isle. I told them of all my ways, taught them how to mind the + goats, how to work the farm, and make the bread. I gave them a house to + live in, fire arms, tools, and my two tame cats, in fact, all but Poll and + my gold. + </p> + <p> + As I sat on the top of the hill, Paul came up to me. He held out his hand + to point to the ship, and with much warmth took me to his arms, and said, + "My dear friend, there is your ship! For she is all yours, and so are we, + and all that is in her." + </p> + <p> + I cast my eyes to the ship, which rode half a mile off the shore, at the + mouth of the creek, and near the place where I had brought my rafts to the + land. Yes, there she stood, the ship that was to set me free, and to take + me where I might choose to go. She set her sails to the wind, and her + flags threw out their gay stripes in the breeze. Such a sight was too much + for me, and I fell down faint with joy. Paul then took out a flask which + he had brought for me, and gave me a dram, which I drank, but for a good + while I could not speak to him. + </p> + <p> + Friday and Paul then went on board the ship, and Paul took charge of her + once more. We did not start that night, but at noon the next day I left + the isle! + </p> + <p> + That lone isle, where I had spent so great a part of my life—not + much less than thrice ten long years. + </p> + <p> + When I came back to the dear land of my birth, all was strange and new to + me. I went to my old home at York, but none of my friends were there, and + to my great grief I saw, on the stone at their grave, the sad tale of + their death. + </p> + <p> + As they had thought, of course, that I was dead, they had not left me + their wealth and lands, so that I stood much in want of means, for it was + but a small sum that I had brought with me from the isle. But in this time + of need, I had the luck to find my good friend who once took me up at sea. + He was now grown too old for work, and had put his son in the ship in his + place. He did not know me at first, but I was soon brought to his mind + when I told him who I was. I found from him that the land which I had + bought on my way to the isle was now worth much. + </p> + <p> + As it was a long way off, I felt no wish to go and live there so I made up + my mind to sell it, and in the course of a few months, I got for it a sum + so large as to make me a rich man all at once. + </p> + <p> + Weeks, months, and years went by; I had a farm, a wife, and two sons, and + was by no means young; but still I could not get rid of a strong wish + which dwelt in my thoughts by day and my dreams by night, and that was to + set foot once more in my old isle. + </p> + <p> + I had now no need to work for food, or for means of life; all I had to do + was to teach my boys to be wise and good, to live at my ease, and see my + wealth grow day by day. Yet the wish to go back to my wild haunts clung + round me like a cloud, and I could in no way drive it from me, so true is + it that "what is bred in the bone will not come out of the flesh." + </p> + <p> + At length I lost my wife, which was a great blow to me, and my home was + now so sad, that I made up my mind to launch out once more on the broad + sea, and go with my man Friday to that lone isle where dwelt all my hopes. + </p> + <p> + I took with me as large a store of tools, clothes, and such like goods as + I had room for, and men of skill in all kinds of trades, to live in the + isle. When we set sail, we had a fair wind for some time, but one night + the mate, who was at the watch, told me he saw a flash of fire, and heard + a gun go off. At this we all ran on deck, from whence we saw a great + light, and as there was no land that way, we knew that it must be some + ship on fire at sea, which could not be far off, for we heard the sound of + the gun. + </p> + <p> + The wind was still fair, so we made our way for the point where we saw the + light, and in half an hour, it was but too plain that a large ship was on + fire in the midst of the broad sea. I gave the word to fire off five guns, + and we then lay by, to wait till break of day. But in the dead of the + night, the ship blew up in the air, the flames shot forth, and what there + was left of the ship sank. We hung out lights, and our guns kept up a fire + all night long, to let the crew know that there was help at hand. + </p> + <p> + At eight o'clock the next day we found, by the aid of the glass, that two + of the ship's boats were out at sea, quite full of men. They had seen us, + and had done their best to make us see them, and in half an hour we came + up with them. + </p> + <p> + It would be a hard task for me to set forth in words the scene which took + place in my ship, when the poor French folk (for such they were) came on + board. As to grief and fear, these are soon told—sighs, tears, and + groans make up the sum of them—but such a cause of joy as this was, + in sooth, too much for them to bear, weak and all but dead as they were. + </p> + <p> + Some would send up shouts of joy that rent the sky; some would cry and + wring their hands as if in the depths of grief; some would dance, laugh, + and sing; not a few were dumb, sick, faint, in a swoon, or half mad; and + two or three were seen to give thanks to God. + </p> + <p> + In this strange group, there was a young French priest who did his best to + soothe those round him, and I saw him go up to some of the crew, and say + to them, "Why do you scream, and tear your hair, and wring your hands, my + men? Let your joy be free and full, give it full range and scope, but + leave off this trick of the hands, and lift them up in praise; let your + voice swell out, not in screams, but in hymns of thanks to God, who has + brought you out of so great a strait, for this will add peace to your + joy." + </p> + <p> + The next day, they were all in a right frame of mind, so I gave them what + stores I could spare, and put them on board a ship that we met with on her + way to France, all save five who, with the priest, had a wish to join me. + </p> + <p> + But we had not set sail long, when we fell in with a ship that had been + blown out to sea by a storm, and had lost her masts; and, worse than all, + her crew had not had an ounce of meat or bread for ten days. I gave them + all some food, which they ate like wolves in the snow, but I thought it + best to check them, as I had fears that so much all at once would cause + the death of some of them. + </p> + <p> + There were a youth and a young girl in the ship who the mate said he + thought must be dead, but he had not had the heart to go near them, for + the food was all gone. I found that they were faint for the want of it, + and as it were in the jaws of death; but in a short time they both got + well, and as they had no wish to go back to their ship, I took them with + me. So now I had eight more on board my ship, than I had when I first set + out. + </p> + <p> + In three months from the time when I left home, I came in sight of my + isle, and I brought the ship safe up, by the side of the creek, which was + near my old house. + </p> + <p> + I went up to Friday, to ask if he knew where he was. He took a look round + him, and soon, with a clap of the hands, said "O yes! O there! O yes! O + there!" Bye and bye, he set up a dance with such wild glee, that it was as + much as I could do to keep him on deck. "Well, what think you, Friday?" + said I; "shall we find those whom we left still here?—Shall we see + poor old Jaf?" He stood quite mute for a while, but when I spoke of old + Jaf (whose son Friday was), the tears ran down his face, and the poor soul + was as sad as could be. "No, no," said he, "no more, no, no more." + </p> + <p> + As we caught sight of some men at the top of the hill, I gave word to fire + three guns, to show that we were friends, and soon we saw smoke rise from + the side of the creek. I then went on shore in a boat, with the priest and + Friday, and hung out a white flag of peace. The first man I cast my eyes + on at the creek, was my old friend Carl, who, when I was last on the isle, + had been brought here in bonds. + </p> + <p> + I gave strict charge to the men in the boat not to go on shore, but Friday + could not be kept back, for with his quick eye he had caught sight of old + Jaf. It brought the tears to our eyes to see his joy when he met the old + man. He gave him a kiss, took him up in his arms, set him down in the + shade, then stood a short way off to look at him, as one would look at a + work of art, then felt him with his hand, and all this time he was in full + talk, and told him, one by one, all the strange tales of what he had seen + since they had last met. + </p> + <p> + As to my friend Carl, he came up to me, and with much warmth shook my + hands, and then took me to my old house, which he now gave up to me. I + could no more have found the place, than if I had not been there at all. + The rows of trees stood so thick and close, that the house could not be + got at, save by such blind ways as none but those who made them could find + out. "Why have you built all these forts?" said I. Carl told me that he + felt sure I should say there was much need of them, when I heard how they + had spent their time since they had come to the isle. + </p> + <p> + He brought twelve men to the spot where I stood, and said, "Sir, all these + men owe their lives to you." Then, one by one, they came up to me, not as + if they had been the mere crew of a ship, but like men of rank who had + come to kiss the hand of their king. + </p> + <p> + The first thing was to bear all that had been done in the isle since I had + left it. But I must first state that, when we were on the point to set + sail from the isle, a feud sprang up on board our ship, which we could not + put down, till we had laid two of the men in chains. The next day, these + two men stole each of them a gun and some small arms, and took the ship's + boat, and ran off with it to join the three bad men on shore. + </p> + <p> + As soon as I found this out, I sent the long-boat on shore, with twelve + men and the mate, and off they went to seek the two who had left the ship. + But their search was in vain, nor could they find one of the rest, for + they had all fled to the woods when they saw the boat. We had now lost + five of the crew, but the three first were so much worse than the last + two, that in a few days they sent them out of doors, and would have no + more to do with them, nor would they for a long while give them food to + eat. + </p> + <p> + So the two poor men had to live as well as they could by hard work, and + they set up their tents on the north shore of the isle, to be out of the + way of the wild men, who were wont to land on the east side. Here they + built them two huts, one to lodge in, and one to lay up their stores in; + and the men from Spain gave them some corn for seed, as well as some peas + which I had left them. They soon learned to dig, and plant, and hedge in + their land, in the mode which I had set for them, and in short, to lead + good lives, so that I shall now call them the "two good men." + </p> + <p> + But when the three bad men saw, this, they were full of spite, and came + one day to tease and vex them. They told them that the isle was their own, + and that no one else had a right to build on it, if they did not pay rent. + The two good men thought at first that they were in jest, and told them to + come and sit down, and see what fine homes they had built, and say what + rent they would ask. + </p> + <p> + But one of the three said they should soon see that they were not in jest, + and took a torch in his hand, and put it to the roof of the but, and would + have set it on fire, had not one of the two good men trod the fire out + with his feet. The bad man was in such a rage at this, that he ran at him + with a pole he had in his hand, and this brought on a fight, the end of + which was that the three men had to stand off. But in a short time they + came back, and trod down the corn, and shot the goats and young kids, + which the poor men had got to bring up tame for their store. + </p> + <p> + One day when the two men were out, they came to their home, and said, "Ha! + there's the nest, but the birds are flown." They then set to work to pull + down both the huts, and left not a stick, nor scarce a sign on the ground + to show where the tents had stood. They tore up, too, all the goods and + stock that they could find, and when they had done this, they told it all + to the men of Spain, and said, "You, sirs, shall have the same sauce, if + you do not mend your ways." + </p> + <p> + They then fell to blows and hard words, but Carl had them bound in cords, + and took their arms from them. The men of Spain then said they would do + them no harm, and if they would live at peace they would help them, and + that they should live with them as they had done till that time, but they + could not give them back their arms for three or four months. + </p> + <p> + One night Carl—whom I shall call "the chief," as he took the lead of + all the rest—felt a great weight on his mind, and could get no + sleep, though he was quite well in health. He lay still for some time, but + as he, did not feel at case, he got up, and took a look out. But as it was + too dark to see far, and he heard no noise, he went back to his bed. Still + it was all one, he could not sleep; and though he knew not why, his + thoughts would give him no rest. + </p> + <p> + He then woke up one of his friends, and told him how it had been with him. + "Say you so?" said he "What if there should be some bad plot at work near + us!" They then set off to the top of the hill, where I was wont to go, and + from thence they saw the light of a fire, quite a short way from them, and + heard the sounds of men, not of one or two, but of a great crowd. We need + not doubt that the chief and the man with him now ran back at once, to + tell all the rest what they had seen; and when they heard the news, they + could not be kept close where they were, but must all run out to see how + things stood. + </p> + <p> + At last they thought that the best thing to do would be, while it was + dark, to send old Jaf out as a spy, to learn who they were, and what they + meant to do. When the old man had been gone an hour or two, he brought + word back that he had been in the midst of the foes, though they had not + seen him, and that they were in two sets or tribes who were at war, and + had come there to fight. And so it was, for in a short time they heard the + noise of the fight, which went on for two hours, and at the end, with + three loud shouts or screams, they left the isle in their boats. Thus my + friends were set free from all their fears, and saw no more of their wild + foes for some time. + </p> + <p> + One day a whim took the three bad men that they would go to the main land, + from whence the wild men came, and try if they could not seize some of + them, and bring them home as slaves, so as to make them do the hard part + of their work for them. The chief gave them all the arms and stores that + they could want, and a large boat to go in, but when they bade them "God + speed," no one thought that they would find their way back to the isle. + But lo! in three weeks and a day, they did in truth come back. One of the + two good men was the first to catch sight of them, and tell the news to + his friends. + </p> + <p> + The men said that they had found the land in two days, and that the wild + men gave them roots and fish to eat, and were so kind as to bring down + eight slaves to take back with them, three of whom were men and five were + girls. So they gave their good hosts an axe, an old key, and a knife, and + brought off the slaves in their boat to the isle. As the chief and his + friends did not care to wed the young girls, the five men who had been the + crew of Paul's ship drew lots for choice, so that each had a wife, and the + three men slaves were set to work for the two good men, though there was + not much for them to do. + </p> + <p> + But one of them ran off to the woods, and they could not hear of him more. + They had good cause to think that he found his way home, as in three or + four weeks some wild men came to the isle, and when they had had their + feast and dance, they went off in two days' time. So my friends might well + fear that if this slave got safe home, he would be sure to tell the wild + men that they were in the isle, and in what part of it they might be + found. And so it came to pass, for in less than two months, six boats of + wild men, with eight or ten men in each boat, came to the north side of + the isle, where they had not been known to come up to that time. + </p> + <p> + The foe had brought their boats to land, not more than a mile from the + tent of the two good men, and it was there that the slave who had run off + had been kept. These men had the good luck to see the boats when they were + a long way off, so that it took them quite an hour from that time to reach + the shore. + </p> + <p> + My friends now had to think how that hour was to be spent. The first thing + they did was to bind the two slaves that were left, and to take their + wives, and as much of their stores as they could, to some dark place in + the woods. They then sent a third slave to the chief and his men, to tell + them the news, and to ask for help. + </p> + <p> + They had not gone far in the woods, when they saw, to their great grief + and rage, that their huts were in flames, and that the wild men ran to and + fro, like beasts in search of prey. But still our men went on, and did not + halt, till they came to a thick part of the wood, where the large trunk of + an old tree stood, and in this tree they both took their post. But they + had not been there long, when two of the wild men ran that way, and they + saw three more, and then five more, who all ran the same way, as if they + knew where they were. + </p> + <p> + Our two poor men made up their minds to let the first two pass, and then + take the three and the five in line, as they came up, but to fire at one + at a time, as the first shot might chance to hit all three. + </p> + <p> + So the man who was to fire put three or four balls in his gun, and from a + hole in the tree, took a sure aim, and stood still till the three wild men + came so near that he could not miss them. They soon saw that one of these + three was the slave that had fled from them, as they both knew him well, + and they made up their minds that they would kill him, though they should + both fire. + </p> + <p> + At the first shot two of the wild men fell dead, and the third had a graze + on his arm, and though not much hurt, sat down on the ground with loud + screams and yells. When the five men who came next, heard the sound of the + gun and the slave's cries, they stood still at first, as if they were + struck dumb with fright. So our two men both shot off their guns in the + midst of them, and then ran up and bound them safe with cords. + </p> + <p> + They then went to the thick part of the wood, where they had put their + wives and slaves, to see if all were safe there, and to their joy they + found that though the wild men had been quite near them, they had not + found them out. While they were here, the chief and his men came up, and + told them that the rest had gone to take care of my old house and grove, + in case the troop of wild men should spread so far that way. + </p> + <p> + They then went back to the burnt huts, and when they came in sight of the + shore, they found that their foes had all gone out to sea. So they set to + work to build up their huts, and as all the men in the isle lent them + their aid, they were soon in a way to thrive once more. For five or six + months they saw no more of the wild men. But one day a large fleet of more + than a score of boats came in sight, full of men who had bows, darts, + clubs, swords, and such like arms of war, and our friends were all in + great fear. + </p> + <p> + As they came at dusk, and at the East side of the isle, our men had the + whole night to think of what they should do. And as they knew that the + most safe way was to hide and lie in wait, they first of all took down the + huts which were built for the two good men, and drove their goats to the + cave, for they thought the wild men would go straight there as soon as it + was day, and play the old game. + </p> + <p> + The next day they took up their post with all their force at the wood, + near the home of the two men, to wait for the foe. They gave no guns to + the slaves, but each of them had a long staff with a spike at the end of + it, and by his side an axe. There were two of the wives who could not be + kept back, but would go out and fight with bows and darts. + </p> + <p> + The wild men came on with a bold and fierce mien, not in a line, but all + in crowds here and there, to the point were our men lay in wait for them. + When they were so near as to be in range of the guns, our men shot at them + right and left with five or six balls in each charge. As the foe came up + in close crowds, they fell dead on all sides, and most of those that they + did not kill were much hurt, so that great fear and dread came on them + all. + </p> + <p> + Our men then fell on them from three points with the butt end of their + guns, swords, and staves, and did their work so well that the wild men set + up a loud shriek, and flew for their lives to the woods and hills, with + all the speed that fear and swift feet could help them to do. As our men + did not care to chase them, they got to the shore where they had come to + land and where the boats lay. + </p> + <p> + But their rout was not yet at an end, for it blew a great storm that day + from the sea, so that they could not put off. And as the storm went on all + that night, when the tide came up, the surge of the sea drove most of + their boats so high on the shore, that they could not be got off save with + great toil, and the force of the waves on the beach broke some of them to + bits. + </p> + <p> + At break of day, our men went forth to find them, and when they saw the + state of things, they got some dry wood from a dead tree, and set their + boats on fire. When the foe saw this, they ran all through the isle with + loud cries, as if they were mad, so that our men did not know at first + what to do with them, for they trod all the corn down with their feet, and + tore up the vines just as the grapes were ripe, and did a great deal of + harm. + </p> + <p> + At last they brought old Jaf to them, to tell them how kind they would be + to them, that they would save their lives, and give them part of the isle + to live in, if they would keep in their own bounds, and that they should + have corn to plant, and should make it grow for their bread. They were but + too glad to have such good terms of peace, and they soon learnt to make + all kinds of work with canes, wood, and sticks, such as chairs, stools, + and beds, and this they did with great skill when they were once taught. + </p> + <p> + From this time till I came back to the isle my friends saw no more wild + men. I now told the chief that I had not come to take off his men, but to + bring more, and to give them all such things as they would want to guard + their homes from foes, and cheer up their hearts. + </p> + <p> + The next day I made a grand feast for them all, and the ship's cook and + mate came on shore to dress it. We brought out our rounds of salt beef and + pork, a bowl of punch, some beer, and French wines; and Carl gave the + cooks five whole kids to roast, three of which were sent to the crew on + board ship, that they, on their part, might feast on fresh meat from + shore. + </p> + <p> + I gave each of the men a shirt, a coat, a hat, and a pair of shoes, and I + need not say how glad they were to meet with gifts so new to them. Then I + brought out the tools, of which each man had a spade, a rake, an axe, a + crow, a saw, a knife and such like things as well as arms, and all that + they could want for the use of them. + </p> + <p> + As I saw there was a kind will on all sides, I now took on shore the youth + and the maid whom we had brought from the ship that we met on her way to + France. The girl had been well brought up, and all the crew had a good + word for her. As they both had a wish to be left on the isle, I gave them + each a plot of ground, on which they had tents and barns built. + </p> + <p> + I had brought out with me five men to live here, one of whom could turn + his hand to all sorts of things, so I gave him the name of "Jack of all + Trades." + </p> + <p> + One day the French priest came to ask if I would leave my man Friday here, + for through him, he said, he could talk to the black men in their own + tongue, and teach them the things of God. "Need I add," said he, "that it + was for this cause that I came here?" I felt that I could not part with my + man Friday for the whole world, so I told the priest that if I could have + made up my mind to leave him here, I was quite sure that Friday would not + part from me. + </p> + <p> + When I had seen that all things were in a good state on the isle, I set to + work to put my ship to rights, to go home once more. One day, as I was on + my way to it, the youth whom I had brought from the ship that was burnt, + came up to me, and said, "Sir, you have brought a priest with you, and + while you are here, we want him to wed two of us." + </p> + <p> + I made a guess that one of these must be the maid that I had brought to + the isle, and that it was the wish of the young man to make her his wife. + I spoke to him with some warmth in my tone, and bade him turn it well in + his mind first, as the girl was not in the same rank of life as he had + been brought up in. But he said, with a smile, that I had made a wrong + guess, for it was "Jack of all Trades" that he had come to plead for. It + gave me great joy to hear this, as the maid was as good a girl as could + be, and I thought well of Jack; so on that day I gave her to him. They + were to have a large piece of ground to grow their crops on, with a house + to live in, and sheds for their goats. + </p> + <p> + The isle was now set out in this way: all the west end was left waste, so + that if the wild men should land on it, they might come and go, and hurt + no one. My old house I gave to the chief, with all its woods, which now + spread out as far as the creek, and the south end was for the white men + and their wives. + </p> + <p> + It struck me that there was one gift which I had not thought of, and that + was the book of God's Word, which I knew would give to those who could + feel the words in it, fresh strength for their work, and grace to bear the + ills of life. + </p> + <p> + Now that I had been in the isle quite a month, I once more set sail on the + fifth day of May; and all my friends told me that they should stay there + till I came to fetch them. + </p> + <p> + When we had been out three days, though the sea was smooth and calm, we + saw that it was quite black on the land side; and as we knew not what to + make of it, I sent the chief mate up the main mast to find out with his + glass what it could be. He said it was a fleet of scores and scores of + small boats, full of wild men who came fast at us with fierce looks. + </p> + <p> + As soon as we got near them, I gave word to furl all sails and stop the + ship, and as there was nought to fear from them but fire, to get the boats + out and man them both well, and so wait for them to come up. + </p> + <p> + In this way we lay by for them, and in a short time they came up with us; + but as I thought they would try to row round and so close us in, I told + the men in the boats not to let them come too near. This, though we did + not mean it, brought us to a fight with them, and they shot a cloud of + darts at our boats. We did not fire at them, yet in half an hour they went + back out to sea, and then came straight to us, till we were so near that + they could hear us speak. + </p> + <p> + I bade my men keep close, so as to be safe from their darts if they should + shoot, and get out the guns. I then sent Friday on deck, to call out to + them in their own tongue and ask what they meant. It may be that they did + not know what he said, but as soon as he spoke to them I heard him cry out + that they would shoot. This was too true, for they let fly a thick cloud + of darts, and to my great grief poor Friday fell dead, for there was no + one else in their sight. He was shot with three darts, and three more fell + quite near him, so good was their aim. + </p> + <p> + I was so mad with rage at the loss of my dear Friday, that I bade the men + load five guns with small shot, and four with large, and we gave them such + a fierce fire that in all their lives they could not have seen one like + it. Then a rare scene met our eyes: dread and fear came on them all, for + their boats, which were small, were split and sunk—three or four by + one shot. The men who were not dead had to swim, and those who had wounds + were left to sink, for all the rest got off as fast as they could. Our + boat took up one poor man who had to swim for his life, when the rest had + fled for the space of half an hour. In three hours' time, we could not see + more than three or four of their boats, and as a breeze sprang up we set + sail. + </p> + <p> + At first the man whom we took on board would not eat or speak, and we all + had fears lest he should pine to death. But when we had taught him to say + a few words, he told us that his friends—the wild men-had come out + with their kin to have a great fight, and that all they meant was to make + us look at the grand sight. So it was for this that poor Friday fell! He + who had been as good and true to me as man could be! And now in deep grief + I must take my leave of him. + </p> + <p> + We went on with a fair wind to All Saints' Bay, and here I found a sloop + that I had brought with me from home, that I might send men and stores for + the use of my friends in the isle. I taught the mate how to find the + place, and when he came back, I found that he had done so with ease. + </p> + <p> + One of our crew had a great wish to go with the sloop, and live on the + isle, if the chief would give him land to plant. So I told him he should + go by all means, and gave him the wild man for his slave. I found, too, + that a man who had come with his wife and child and three slaves, to hide + from the king of Spain, would like to go, if he could have some land + there, though he had but a small stock to take with him; so I put them all + on board the sloop, and saw them safe out of the bay, on their way to the + isle. With them I sent three milch cows, five calves, a horse and a colt, + all of which, as I heard, went safe and sound. + </p> + <p> + I have now no more to say of my isle, as I had left it for the last time, + but my life in lands no less far from home was not yet at an end. From the + Bay of All Saints we went straight to the Cape of Good Hope. Here I made + up my mind to part from the ship in which I had come from the Isle, and + with two of the crew to stay on land, and leave the rest to go on their + way. I soon made friends with some men from France, as well as from my own + land, and two Jews, who had come out to the Cape to trade. + </p> + <p> + As I found that some goods which I had brought with me from home were + worth a great deal, I made a large sum by the sale of them. When we had + been at the Cape of Good Hope for nine months, we thought that the best + thing we could do would be to hire a ship, and sail to the Spice Isles, to + buy cloves, so we got a ship, and men to work her, and set out. When we + had bought and sold our goods in the course of trade, we came back, and + then set out once more; so that, in short, as we went from port to port, + to and fro, I spent, from first to last, six years in this part of the + world. + </p> + <p> + At length we thought we would go and seek new scenes where we could get + fresh gains. And a strange set of men we at last fell in with, as you who + read this tale will say when you look at the print in front of this page. + </p> + <p> + When we had put on shore, we made friends with a man who got us a large + house, built with canes, and a small kind of hut of the same near it. It + had a high fence of canes round it to keep out thieves, of whom, it seems, + there are not a few in that land. The name of the town was Ching, and we + found that the fair or mart which was kept there would not be held for + three or four months. So we sent our ship back to the Cape, as we meant to + stay in this part of the world for some time, and go from place to place + to see what sort of a land it was, and then come back to the fair at + Ching. + </p> + <p> + We first went to a town which it was well worth our while to see, and + which must have been, as near as I can guess, quite in the heart of this + land. It was built with straight streets which ran in cross lines. + </p> + <p> + But I must own, when I came home to the place of my birth, I was much + struck to hear my friends say such fine things of the wealth and trade of + these parts of the world, for I saw and knew that the men were a mere herd + or crowd of mean slaves. What is their trade to ours, or to that of France + and Spain? What are their ports, with a few junks and barks, to our grand + fleets? One of our large ships of war would sink all their ships, one line + of French troops would beat all their horse, and the same may be said of + their ports, which would not stand for one month such a siege as we could + bring to bear on them. + </p> + <p> + In three weeks more we came to their chief town. When we had laid in a + large stock of tea, shawls, fans, raw silks, and such like goods, we set + out for the north. As we knew we should run all kinds of risks on our way, + we took with us a strong force to act as a guard, and to keep us from the + wild hordes who rove from place to place all through the land. Some of our + men were Scots, who had come out to trade here, and had great wealth, and + I was glad to join them, as it was by no means the first time that they + had been here. + </p> + <p> + We took five guides with us, and we all put our coin in one purse, to buy + food on the way, and to pay the men who took charge of us. One of us we + chose out for our chief, to take the lead in case we should have to fight + for our lives; and when the time came, we had no small need of him. On the + sides of all the roads, we saw men who made pots, cups, pans, and such + like ware, out of a kind of earth, which is, in fact, the chief trade in + this part of the world. + </p> + <p> + One thing, the guide said he would show me, that was not to be seen in all + the world else (and this, in good sooth, I could not sneer at, as I had + done at most of the things I had seen here), and this was a house that was + built of a kind of ware, such as most plates and cups are made of. "How + big is it?" said I, "can we take it on the back of a horse?" "On a horse!" + said the guide, "why, two score of men live in it." He then took us to it, + and I found that it was in truth a large house, built with lath and the + best ware that can be made out of earth. The sun shone hot on the walls, + which were quite white, hard, and smooth as glass, with forms on them in + blue paint. On the walls of the rooms were small square tiles of the best + ware, with red, blue, and green paint of all shades and hues, in rare + forms, done in good taste; and as they use the same kind of earth to join + the tiles with, you could not see where the tiles met. The floors of the + rooms were made of the same ware, and as strong as those we have at home; + and the same may be said of the roofs, but they were of a dark shade. If + we had had more time to spare, I should have been glad to have seen more + of this house, for there were the ponds for the fish, the walks, the + yards, and courts, which were all made in the same way. This odd sight + kept me from my friends for two hours, and when I had come up to them, I + had to pay a fine to our chief, as they had to wait so long. + </p> + <p> + In two days more we came to the Great Wall, which was made as a fort to + keep the whole land safe,—and a great work it is. It goes in a long + track for miles and miles, where the rocks are so high and steep that no + foe could climb them; or, if they did, no wall could stop them. The Great + Wall is as thick as it is high, and it turns and winds in all sorts of + ways. + </p> + <p> + We now saw, for the first time, some troops of the hordes I spoke of, who + rove from place to place, to rob and kill all whom they meet with. They + know no real mode of war, or skill in fight. Each has a poor lean horse, + which is not fit to do good work. Our chief gave some of us leave to go + out and hunt as they call it, and what was it but to hunt sheep! These + sheep are wild and swift of foot, but they will not run far, and you are + sure of sport when you start in the chase. They go in flocks of a score, + or two, and like true sheep, keep close when they fly. In this sort of + chase it was our hap to meet with some two score of the wild hordes, but + what sort of prey they had come to hunt I know not. As soon as they saw + us, one of them blew some loud notes on a kind of horn, with a sound that + was quite new to me. We all thought this was to call their friends round + them, and so it was, for in a short time a fresh troop of the same size + came to join them; and they were all, as far as we could judge, a mile + off. One of the Scots was with us, and as soon as he heard the horn, he + told us that we must lose no time, but draw up in line, and charge them at + once. We told him we would, if he would take the lead. + </p> + <p> + They stood still, and cast a wild gaze at us, like a mere crowd, drawn up + in no line; but as soon as they saw us come at them, they let fly their + darts, which did not hit us, for though their aim was true, they fell + short of us. We now came to a halt to fire at them, and then went at full + speed to fall on them sword in hand, for so the bold Scot that led us, + told us to do. + </p> + <p> + As soon as we came up to them, they fled right and left. The sole stand + made was by three of them, who had a kind of short sword in their hands, + and bows on their backs, and who did all they could to call all the rest + back to them. The brave Scot rode close up to them, and with his gun threw + one off his horse, shot the next, and the third ran off, and this was the + end of our fight. All the bad luck we met with, was that the sheep that we + had in chase got off. We had not a man hurt, but as for the foe, five of + them were dead, and not a few had wounds, while the rest fled at the mere + noise of our guns. + </p> + <p> + Thus we went on our way from town to town, and now and then met some of + these wild hordes, whom we had to fight and I need not add that each time + we had the best of the fray. At last we made our way to the chief town of + the North Seas at the end of a year, five months and three days, from the + time when we left Ching. When I had been there six weeks, and had bought + some more goods; I took ship and set sail for the land of my birth, which + I had left, this time, for ten years, nine months and three days. + </p> + <p> + And now I must bring this tale of my life to a close, while at the age of + three score years and twelve, I feel that the day is at hand, when I shall + go forth on that sea of peace and love, which has no waves or shores but + those of bliss that knows no end. + </p> + <p> + <br /><br /><br /><br /> + </p> +<pre xml:space="preserve"> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Robinson Crusoe, by Mary Godolphin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROBINSON CRUSOE *** + +***** This file should be named 6936-h.htm or 6936-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/9/3/6936/ + +Produced by Bruce W. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Robinson Crusoe + In Words of One Syllable + +Author: Mary Godolphin + +Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6936] +Posting Date: May 31, 2009 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROBINSON CRUSOE *** + + + + +Produced by Bruce W. Miller + + + + + + + + +ROBINSON CRUSOE + +IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE + + +By Mary Godolphin + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The production of a book which is adapted to the use of the youngest +readers needs but few words of excuse or apology. The nature of the work +seems to be sufficiently explained by the title itself, and the author's +task has been chiefly to reduce the ordinary language into words of one +syllable. But although, as far as the subject matter is concerned, the +book can lay no claims to originality, it is believed that the idea +and scope of its construction are entirely novel, for the One Syllable +literature of the present day furnishes little more than a few short, +unconnected sentences, and those chiefly in spelling books. + +The deep interest which De Foe's story has never failed to arouse in the +minds of the young, induces the author to hope that it may be acceptable +in its present form. + +It should be stated that exceptions to the rule of using words of one +syllable exclusively have been made in the case of the proper names +of the boy Xury and of the man Friday, and in the titles of the +illustrations that accompany this work. + + + + +ROBINSON CRUSOE. + +IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. + + +I was born at York on the first of March in the sixth year of the reign +of King Charles the First. From the time when I was quite a young child, +I had felt a great wish to spend my life at sea, and as I grew, so did +this taste grow more and more strong; till at last I broke loose from +my school and home, and found my way on foot to Hull, where I soon got a +place on board a ship. + +When we had set sail but a few days, a squall of wind came on, and on +the fifth night we sprang a leak. All hands were sent to the pumps, but +we felt the ship groan in all her planks, and her beams quake from stem +to stern; so that it was soon quite clear there was no hope for her, and +that all we could do was to save our lives. + +The first thing was to fire off guns, to show that we were in need of +help, and at length a ship, which lay not far from us, sent a boat to +our aid. But the sea was too rough for it to lie near our ship's side, +so we threw out a rope, which the men in the boat caught, and made fast, +and by this means we all got in. Still in so wild a sea it was in vain +to try to get on board the ship which had sent out the men, or to use +our oars in the boat, and all we could do was to let it drive to shore. + +In the space of half an hour our own ship struck on a rock and went +down, and we saw her no more. We made but slow way to the land, which we +caught sight of now and then when the boat rose to the top of some high +wave, and there we saw men who ran in crowds, to and fro, all bent on +one thing, and that was to save us. + +At last to our great joy we got on shore, where we had the luck to meet +with friends who gave us the means to get back to Hull; and if I had now +had the good sense to go home, it would have been well for me. + +The man whose ship had gone down said with a grave look, "Young lad, you +ought to go to sea no more, it is not the kind, of life for you." "Why +Sir, will you go to sea no more then?" "That is not the same kind of +thing; I was bred to the sea, but you were not, and came on board my +ship just to find out what a life at sea was like, and you may guess +what you will come to if you do not go back to your home. God will not +bless you, and it may be that you have brought all this woe on us." + +I spoke not a word more to him; which way he went I knew not, nor did +I care to know, for I was hurt at this rude speech. Shall I go home +thought I, or shall I go to sea? Shame kept me from home, and I could +not make up my mind what course of life to take. + +As it has been my fate through life to choose for the worst, so I did +now. I had gold in my purse, and good clothes on my back, and to sea I +went once more. + +But I had worse luck this time than the last, for when we were far out +at sea, some Turks in a small ship came on our track in full chase. We +set as much sail as our yards would bear, so as to get clear from them. +But in spite of this, we saw our foes gain on us, and we felt sure that +they would come up with our ship in a few hours' time. + +At last they caught us, but we brought our guns to bear on them, which +made them shear off for a time, yet they kept up a fire at us as long as +they were in range. The next time the Turks came up, some of their men +got on board our ship, and set to work to cut the sails, and do us all +kinds of harm. So, as ten of our men lay dead, and most of the rest had +wounds, we gave in. + +The chief of the Turks took me as his prize to a port which was held by +the Moors. He did not use me so ill as at first I thought he would have +done, but he set me to work with the rest of his slaves. This was a +change in my life which I did not think had been in store for me. How my +heart sank with grief at the thought of those whom I had left at home, +nay, to whom I had not had the grace so much as to say "Good bye" when I +went to sea, nor to give a hint of what I meant to do! + +Yet all that I went through at this time was but a taste of the toils +and cares which it has since been my lot to bear. + +I thought at first that the Turk might take me with him when next he +went to sea, and so I should find some way to get free; but the hope +did not last long, for at such times he left me on shore to see to his +crops. This kind of life I led for two years, and as the Turk knew and +saw more of me, he made me more and more free. He went out in his boat +once or twice a week to catch a kind of flat fish, and now and then he +took me and a boy with him, for we were quick at this kind of sport, and +he grew quite fond of me. + +One day the Turk sent me in the boat to catch some fish, with no one +else but a man and a boy. While we were out so thick a fog came on that +though we were out not half a mile from the shore, we quite lost sight +of it for twelve hours; and when the sun rose the next day, our boat was +at least ten miles out at sea. The wind blew fresh, and we were all much +in want of food, but at last, with the help of our oars and sail, we got +back safe to land. + +When the Turk heard how we had lost our way, he said that the next time +he went out, he would take a boat that would hold all we could want if +we were kept out at sea. So he had quite a state room built in the long +boat of his ship, as well as a room for us slaves. One day he sent me +to trim the boat, as he had two friends who would go in it to fish with +him. But when the time came they did not go, so he sent me with the man +and the boy--whose name was Xury--to catch some fish for the guests that +were to sup with him. + +Now the thought struck me all at once that this would be a good chance +to set off with the boat, and get free. So in the first place, I took +all the food that I could lay my hands on, and I told the man that it +would be too bold of us to eat of the bread that had been put in the +boat for the Turk. He said he thought so too, and he brought down a +small sack of rice and some rusks. + +While the man was on shore I put up some wine, a large lump of wax, a +saw, an axe, a spade, some rope, and all sorts of things that might be +of use to us. I knew where the Turk's case of wine was, and I put that +in the boat while the man was on shore. By one more trick I got all that +I had need of. I said to the boy, "the Turk's guns are in the boat, but +there is no shot. Do you think you could get some? You know where it is +kept, and we may want to shoot a fowl or two." So he brought a case and +a pouch which held all that we could want for the guns. These I put in +the boat, and then set sail out of the port to fish. + +The wind blew, from the North, or North West, which was a bad wind for +me; for had it been South I could have made for the coast of Spain. But, +blow which way it might, my mind was made up to get off, and to leave +the rest to fate. I then let down my lines to fish, but I took care to +have bad sport; and when the fish bit, I would not pull them up, for +the Moor was not to see them. I said to him, "This will not do, we shall +catch no fish here, we ought to sail on a bit." Well, the Moor thought +there was no harm in this. He set the sails, and, as the helm was in my +hands, I ran the boat out a mile or more, and then brought her to, as if +I meant to fish. + +Now, thought I, the time has come for me to get free! I gave the helm +to the boy, and then took the Moor round the waist, and threw him out of +the boat. + +Down he went! but soon rose up, for he swam like a duck. He said he +would go all round the world with me, if I would but take him in. + +I had some fear lest he should climb up the boat's side, and force his +way back; so I brought my gun to point at him, and said, "You can swim +to land with ease if you choose, make haste then to get there; but if +you come near the boat you shall have a shot through the head, for I +mean to be a free man from this hour." + +He then swam for the shore, and no doubt got safe there, as the sea was +so calm. + +At first I thought I would take the Moor with me, and let Xury swim to +land; but the Moor was not a man that I could trust. When he was gone I +said to Xury, "If you will swear to be true to me, you shall be a great +man in time; if not, I must throw you out of the boat too." + +The poor boy gave me such a sweet smile as he swore to be true to me, +that I could not find it in my heart to doubt him. + +While the man was still in view (for he was on his way to the land), we +stood out to sea with the boat, so that he and those that saw us from +the shore might think we had gone to the straits' mouth, for no one went +to the South coast, as a tribe of men dwelt there who were known to kill +and eat their foes. + +We then bent our course to the East, so as to keep in with the shore; +and as we had a fair wind and a smooth sea, by the next day at noon, we +were not less than 150 miles out of the reach of the Turk. + +I had still some fear lest I should be caught by the Moors, so I would +not go on shore in the day time. But when it grew dark we made our way +to the coast, and came to the mouth of a stream, from which we thought +we could swim to land, and then look round us. But as soon as it was +quite dark we heard strange sounds--barks, roars, grunts, and howls. The +poor lad said he could not go on shore till dawn. "Well," said I, "then +we must give it up, but it may be that in the day time we shall be seen +by men, who for all we know would do us more harm than wild beasts." +"Then we give them the shoot gun," said Xury with a laugh, "and make +them run away." I was glad to see so much mirth in the boy, and gave him +some bread and rice. + +We lay still at night, but did not sleep long, for in a few hours' time +some huge beasts came down to the sea to bathe. The poor boy shook from +head to foot at the sight. One of these beasts came near our boat, and +though it was too dark to see him well, we heard him puff and blow, and +knew that he must be a large one by the noise he made. At last the brute +came as near to the boat as two oars' length, so I shot at him, and he +swam to the shore. + +The roar and cries set up by beasts and birds at the noise of my gun +would seem to show that we had made a bad choice of a place to land +on; but be that as it would, to shore we had to go to find some fresh +spring, so that we might fill our casks. Xury said if I would let him +go with one of the jars, he would find out if the springs were fit to +drink; and, if they were sweet, he would bring the jar back full. "Why +should you go?" said I; "Why should not I go, and you stay in the boat?" +At this Xury said, "if wild mans come they eat me, you go way." I could +not but love the lad for this kind speech. "Well," said I, "we will both +go, and if the wild men come we must kill them, they shall not eat you +or me." + +I gave Xury some rum from the Turk's case to cheer him up, and we went +on shore. The boy went off with his gun, full a mile from the spot where +we stood, and came back with a hare that he had shot, which we were +glad to cook and eat; but the good news which he brought was that he had +found a spring, and had seen no wild men. + +I made a guess that the Cape de Verd Isles were not far off, for I saw +the top of the Great Peak, which I knew was near them. My one hope was +that if I kept near the coast, I should find some ship that would take +us on board; and then, and not till then, should I feel a free man. In +a word, I put the whole of my fate on this chance, that I must meet with +some ship, or die. + +On the coast we saw some men who stood to look at us. They were black, +and wore no clothes. I would have gone on shore to them, but Xury--who +knew best--said, "Not you go! Not you go!" So I brought the boat as near +the land as I could, that I might talk to them, and they kept up with me +a long way. I saw that one of them had a lance in his hand. + +I made signs that they should bring me some food, and they on their part +made signs for me to stop my boat. So I let down the top of my sail, and +lay by, while two of them ran off; and in less than half an hour they +came back with some dry meat and a sort of corn which is grown in this +part of the world. This we should have been glad to get, but knew not +how to do so; for we durst not go on shore to them, nor did they dare +to come to us. At last they took a safe way for us all, for they brought +the food to the shore, where they set it, down, and then went a long way +off while we took it in. We made signs to show our thanks, for we had +not a thing that we could spare to give them. + +But as good luck would have it, we were at hand to take a great prize +for them; for two wild beasts, of the same kind as the first I spoke of, +came in, full chase from the hills down to the sea. + +They swam as if they had come for sport. The men flew from them in fear, +all but the one who held the lance. One of these beasts came near our +boat; so I lay in wait for him with my gun; and as soon as the brute was +in range, I shot him through the head. Twice he sank down in the sea, +and twice he came up; and then just swam to the land, where he fell down +dead. The men were in as much fear at the sound of my gun, as they had +been at the sight of the beasts. But when I made signs for them to come +to the shore, they took heart, and came. + +They at once made for their prize; and by the help of a rope, which they +slung round him, they brought him safe on the beach. + +We now left our wild men, and went on and on, for twelve days more. The +land in front of us ran out four or five miles, like a bill; and we had +to keep some way from the coast, to make this point, so that we lost +sight of the shore. + +I gave the helm to Xury and sat down to think what would be my best +course to take: when all at once I heard the lad cry out "A ship with a +sail! A ship with a sail!" He did not show much joy at the sight, for +he thought that this ship had been sent out to take him back: but I knew +well, from the look of her, that she was not one of the Turk's. + +I made all the sail I could to come in the ship's way, and told Xury to +fire a gun, in the hope that if those on deck could not hear the sound, +they might see the smoke. This they did see, and then let down their +sails so that we might come up to them, and in three hours time we were +at the ship's side. The men spoke to us in French, but I could not make +out what they meant. At last a Scot on board said in my own tongue, "Who +are you? Whence do you come?" I told him in a few words how I had got +free from the Moors. + +Then the man who had charge of the ship bade me come on board, and took +me in with Xury and all my goods. I told him that he might take all I +had, but he said "You shall have your goods back when we come to land, +for I have but done for you what you would have done for me, had I been +in the same plight." + +He gave me a good round sum for my boat, and said that I should have the +same sum for Xury, if I would part with him. But I told him that as it +was by the boy's help that I had got free, I was loath to sell him. He +said it was just and right in me to feel thus, but at the same time, if +I could make up my mind to part with him, he should be set free in two +years' time. So, as the poor slave had a wish to go with him, I did not +say "no." I got to All Saints' Bay in three weeks, and was now a free +man. + +I had made a good sum by all my store, and with this I went on land. But +I did not at all know what to do next. At length I met with a man whose +case was much the same as my own, and we both took some land to farm. +My stock, like his, was low, but we made our farms serve to keep us in +food, though not more than that. We both stood in need of help, and I +saw now that I had done wrong to part with my boy. + +I did not at all like this kind of life. What! thought I, have I come +all this way to do that which I could have done as well at home with +my friends round me! And to add to my grief, the kind friend, who had +brought me here in his ship, now meant to leave these shores. + +On my first start to sea when a boy, I had put a small sum in the hands +of an aunt, and this my friend said I should do well to spend on my +farm. So when he got home he sent some of it in cash, and laid out the +rest in cloth, stuffs, baize, and such like goods. My aunt had put a few +pounds in my friend's hands as a gift to him, to show her thanks for all +that he had done for me, and with this sum he was so kind as to buy me a +slave. In the mean time I had bought a slave, so now I had two, and all +went on well for the next year. + +But soon my plans grew too large for my means. One day some men came to +ask me to take charge of a slave ship to be sent out by them. They said +they would give me a share in the slaves, and pay the cost of the stock. +This would have been a good thing for me if I had not had farms and +land; but it was wild and rash to think of it now, for I had made a +large sum, and ought to have gone on in the same way for three or four +years more. Well, I told these men that I would go with all my heart, if +they would look to my farm in the mean time, which they said they would +do. + +So I made my will, and went on board this ship on the same day on which, +eight years since, I had left Hull. She had six guns, twelve men, and a +boy. We took with us saws, chains, toys, beads, bits of glass, and such +like ware, to suit the taste of those with whom we had to trade. + +We were not more than twelve days from the Line, when a high wind took +us off we knew not where. All at once there was a cry of "Land!" and the +ship struck on a bank of sand, in which she sank so deep that we could +not get her off. At last we found that we must make up our minds to +leave her, and get to shore as well as we could. There had been a boat +at her stern, but we found it had been torn off by the force of the +waves. One small boat was still left on the ship's side, so we got in +it. + +There we were all of us on the wild sea. The heart of each now grew +faint, our cheeks were pale, and our eyes were dim, for there was but +one hope, and that was to find some bay, and so get in the lee of the +land. We now gave up our whole souls to God. + +The sea grew more and more rough, and its white foam would curl and +boil. At last the waves, in their wild sport, burst on the boat's side, +and we were all thrown out. + +I could swim well, but the force of the waves made me lose my breath too +much to do so. At length one large wave took me to the shore, and left +me high and dry, though half dead with fear. I got on my feet and made +the best of my way for the land; but just then the curve of a huge wave +rose up as high as a hill, and this I had no strength to keep from, so +it took me back to the sea. I did my best to float on the top, and held +my breath to do so. The next wave was quite as high, and shut me up in +its bulk. I held my hands down tight to my side, and then my head shot +out at the top of the waves. This gave me heart and breath too, and soon +my feet felt the ground. + +I stood quite still for a short time, to let the sea run back from me, +and then I set off with all my might to the shore, but yet the waves +caught me, and twice more did they take me back, and twice more land me +on the shore. I thought the last wave would have been the death of me, +for it drove me on a piece of rock, and with such force, as to leave me +in a kind of swoon, which, thank God, did not last long. At length, to +my great joy, I got up to the cliffs close to the shore, where I found +some grass, out of the reach of the sea. There, I sat down, safe on land +at last. + +I could but cry out in the words of the Psalm, "They that go down to the +sea in ships, these men see the works of the Lord in the deep. For at +His word the storms rise, the winds blow, and lift up the waves; then +do they mount to the sky, and from thence go down to the deep. My soul +faints, I reel to and fro, and am at my wit's end: then the Lord brings +me out of all my fears." + +I felt so wrapt in joy, that all I could do was to walk up and down the +coast, now lift up my hands, now fold them on my breast, and thank God +for all that He had done for me, when the rest of the men were lost. +All lost but I, and I was safe! I now cast my eyes round me, to find out +what kind of a place it was that I had been thus thrown in, like a bird +in a storm. Then all the glee I felt at first left me; for I was wet and +cold, and had no dry clothes to put on, no food to eat and not a friend +to help me. + +There were wild beasts here, but I had no gun to shoot them with, or to +keep me from their jaws. I had but a knife and a pipe. It now grew dark; +and where was I to go for the night? I thought the top of some high tree +would be a good place to keep me out of harm's way; and that there I +might sit and think of death, for, as yet, I had no hopes of life. Well, +I went to my tree, and made a kind of nest to sleep in. Then I cut a +stick to keep off the beasts of prey, in case they should come, and fell +to sleep just as if the branch I lay on had been a bed of down. + +When I woke up it was broad day; the sky too was clear and the sea calm. +But I saw from the top of the tree that in the night the ship had left +the bank of sand, and lay but a mile from me; while the boat was on the +beach, two miles on my right. I went some way down by the shore, to get +to the boat; but an arm of the sea, half a mile broad, kept me from +it. At noon, the tide went a long way out, so that I could get near the +ship; and here I found that if we had but made up our minds to stay on +board, we should all have been safe. + +I shed tears at the thought, for I could not help it; yet, as there was +no use in that, it struck me that the best thing for me to do was to +swim to the ship. I soon threw off my clothes, took to the sea, and swam +up to the wreck. But how was I to get on deck? I had swam twice round +the ship, when a piece of rope, caught my eye, which hung down from her +side so low, that at first the waves hid it. By the help of this rope I +got on board. I found that there was a bulge in the ship, and that she +had sprung a leak. You may be sure that my first thought was to look +round for some food, and I soon made my way to the bin, where the bread +was kept, and ate some of it as I went to and fro, for there was no time +to lose. There was, too, some rum, of which I took a good draught, and +this gave me heart. What I stood most in need of, was a boat to take the +goods to shore. But it was vain to wish for that which could not be +had; and as there were some spare yards in the ship, two or three large +planks of wood, and a spare mast or two, I fell to work with these, to +make a raft. + +I put four spars side by side, and laid short bits of plank on them, +cross ways, to make my raft strong. Though these planks would bear my +own weight, they were too slight to bear much of my freight. So I took a +saw which was on board, and cut a mast in three lengths, and these gave +great strength to the raft. I found some bread and rice, a Dutch cheese, +and some dry goat's flesh. There had been some wheat, but the rats had +got at it, and it was all gone. + +My next task was to screen my goods from the spray of the sea; and it +did not take me long to do this, for there were three large chests on +board which held all, and these I put on the raft. When the high tide +came up it took off my coat and shirt, which I had left on the shore; +but there were some fresh clothes in the ship. + +"See here is a prize!" said I, out loud, (though there were none to hear +me), "now I shall not starve." For I found four large guns. But how was +my raft to be got to land? I had no sail, no oars; and a gust of wind +would make all my store slide off. Yet there were three things which I +was glad of; a calm sea, a tide which set in to the shore, and a slight +breeze to blow me there. + +I had the good luck to find some oars in a part of the ship, in which +I had made no search till now. With these I put to sea, and for half a +mile my raft went well; but soon I found it drove to one side. At length +I saw a creek, to which, with some toil, I took my raft; and now the +beach was so near, that I felt my oar touch the ground. + +Here I had well nigh lost my freight, for the shore lay on a slope, so +that there was no place to land on, save where one end of the raft would +lie so high, and one end so low, that all my goods would fall off. To +wait till the tide came up was all that could be done. So when the sea +was a foot deep, I thrust the raft on a flat piece of ground, to moor +her there, and stuck my two oars in the sand, one on each side of the +raft. Thus I let her lie till the ebb of the tide, and when it went +down, she was left safe on land with all her freight. + +I saw that there were birds on the isle, and I shot one of them. Mine +must have been the first gun that had been heard there since the world +was made; for at the sound of it, whole flocks of birds flew up, with +loud cries, from all parts of the wood. The shape of the beak of the one +I shot was like that of a hawk, but the claws were not so large. + +I now went back to my raft to land my stores, and this took up the rest +of the day. What to do at night I knew not, nor where to find a safe +place to land my stores on. I did not like to lie down on the ground, +for fear of beasts of prey, as well as snakes, but there was no cause +for these fears, as I have since found. I put the chests and boards +round me as well as I could, and made a kind of hut for the night. + +As there was still a great store of things left in the ship, which would +be of use to me, I thought that I ought to bring them to land at once; +for I knew that the first storm would break up the ship. So I went on +board, and took good care this time not to load my raft too much. + +The first thing, I sought for was the tool chest; and in it were some +bags of nails, spikes, saws, knives, and such things: but best of all I +found a stone to grind my tools on. There were two or three flasks, +some large bags of shot, and a roll of lead; but this last I had not +the strength to hoist up to the ship's side, so as to get it on my raft. +There were some spare sails too which I brought to shore. + +I had some fear lest my stores might be run off with by beasts of prey, +if not by men; but I found all safe and sound when I went back, and no +one had come there but a wild cat, which sat on one of the chests. When +I came up I held my gun at her, but as she did not know what a gun was, +this did not rouse her. She ate a piece of dry goat's flesh, and then +took her leave. + +Now that I had two freights of goods at hand, I made a tent with the +ship's sails, to stow them in, and cut the poles for it from the wood. +I now took all the things out of the casks and chests, and put the casks +in piles round the tent, to give it strength; and when this was done, +I shut up the door with the boards, spread one of the beds (which I had +brought from the ship) on the ground, laid two guns close to my head, +and went to bed for the first time. I slept all night, for I was much in +need of rest. + +The next day I was sad and sick at heart, for I felt how dull it was to +be thus cut off from all the rest of the world. I had no great wish for +work: but there was too much to be done for me to dwell long on my sad +lot. Each day as it came, I went off to the wreck to fetch more things; +and I brought back as much as the raft would hold. One day I had put too +great a load on the raft, which made it sink down on one side, so that +the goods were lost in the sea; but at this I did not fret, as the chief +part of the freight was some rope, which would not have been of much use +to me. + +The twelve days that I had been in the isle were spent in this way, and +I had brought to land all that one pair of hands could lift; though if +the sea had been still calm, I might have brought the whole ship, piece +by piece. + +The last time I swam to the wreck, the wind blew so hard, that I made up +my mind to go on board next time at low tide. I found some tea and some +gold coin; but as to the gold, it made me laugh to look at it. "O drug!" +said I, "Thou art of no use to me! I care not to save thee. Stay where +thou art, till the ship go down, then go thou with it!" + +Still, I thought I might as well just take it; so I put it in a piece +of the sail, and threw it on deck that I might place it on the raft. +Bye-and-bye, the wind blew from the shore, so I had to swim back with +all speed; for I knew that at the turn of the tide, I should find it +hard work to get to land at all. But in spite of the high wind, I came +to my home all safe. At dawn of day I put my head out, and cast my eyes +on the sea. When lo! no ship was there! + +This change in the face of things, and the loss of such a friend, quite +struck me down. Yet I was glad to think that I had brought to shore all +that could be of use to me. I had now to look out for some spot where I +could make my home. Half way up a hill there was a small plain, four or +five score feet long, and twice as broad; and as it had a full view of +the sea, I thought that it would be a good place for my house. + +I first dug a trench round a space which took in twelve yards; and in +this I drove two rows of stakes, till they stood firm like piles, five +and a half feet from the ground. I made the stakes close and tight with +bits of rope; and put small sticks on the top of them in the shape of +spikes. This made so strong a fence that no man or beast could get in. + +The door of my house was on the top, and I had to climb up to it by +steps, which I took in with me, so that no one else might come up by the +same way. Close to the back of the house stood a high rock, in which I +made a cave, and laid all the earth that I had dug out of it round my +house, to the height of a foot and a half. I had to go out once a day in +search of food. The first time, I saw some goats, but they were too shy +and swift of foot, to let me get near them. + +At last I lay in wait for them close to their own haunts. If they saw +me in the vale, though they might be on high ground, they would run off, +wild with fear; but if they were in the vale, and I on high ground, they +took no heed of me. The first goat I shot had a kid by her side, and +when the old one fell, the kid stood near her, till I took her off on +my back, and then the young one ran by my side. I put down the goat, and +brought the kid home to tame it; but as it was too young to feed, I had +to kill it. + +At first I thought that, for the lack of pen and ink, I should lose all +note of time; so I made a large post, in the shape of a cross, on which +I cut these words, "I came on these shores on the 8th day of June, in +the year 1659" On the side of this post I made a notch each day as it +came, and this I kept up till the last. + +I have not yet said a word of my four pets, which were two cats, a dog, +and a bird. You may guess how fond I was of them, for they were all the +friends left to me. I brought the dog and two cats from the ship. The +dog would fetch things for me at all times, and by his bark, his whine, +his growl, and his tricks, he would all but talk to me; yet he could not +give me thought for thought. + +If I could but have had some one near me to find fault with, or to find +fault with me, what a treat it would have been! Now that I had brought +ink from the ship, I wrote down a sketch of each day as it came; not so +much to leave to those who might read it, when I was dead and gone, as +to get rid of my own thoughts, and draw me from the fears which all day +long dwelt on my mind, till my head would ache with the weight of them. + +I was a long way out of the course of ships: and oh, how dull it was to +be cast on this lone spot with no one to love, no one to make me laugh, +no one to make me weep, no one to make me think. It was dull to roam, +day by day, from the wood to the shore; and from the shore back to the +wood, and feed on my own thoughts all the while. + +So much for the sad view of my case; but like most things it had a +bright side as well as a dark one. For here was I safe on land, while +all the rest of the ship's crew were lost. Well, thought I, God who +shapes our ways, and led me by the hand then, can save me from this +state now, or send some one to be with me; true, I am cast on a rough +and rude part of the globe, but there are no beasts of prey on it to +kill or hurt me. God has sent the ship so near to me, that I have got +from it all things to meet my wants for the rest of my days. Let life be +what it may, there is sure to be much to thank God for; and I soon gave +up all dull thoughts, and did not so much as look out for a sail. + +My goods from the wreck had been in the cave for more than ten months; +and it was time now to put them right, as they took up all the space, +and left me no room to turn in: so I made my small cave a large one, and +dug it out a long way back in the sand rock. Then I brought the mouth of +it up to the fence, and so made a back way to my house. This done, I put +shelves on each side, to hold my goods, which made my cave look like a +shop full of stores. To make these shelves I cut down a tree, and with +the help of a saw, an axe, a plane, and some more tools, I made boards. + +A chair, and a desk to write on, came next. I rose in good time, and set +to work till noon, then I ate my meal, then I went out with my gun, and +to work once more till the sun had set; and then to bed. It took me more +than a week to change the shape and size of my cave, but I had made it +far too large; for in course of time the earth fell in from the roof; +and had I been in it, when this took place, I should have lost my life. +I had now to set up posts in my cave, with planks on the top of them, so +as to make a roof of wood. + +One day, when out with my gun, I shot a wild cat, the skin of which made +me a cap; and I found some birds of the dove tribe, which built their +nests in the holes of rocks. + +I had to go to bed at dusk, till I made a lamp of goat's fat, which I +put in a clay dish; and this, with a piece of hemp for a wick, made a +good light. As I had found a use for the bag which had held the fowl's +food on board ship, I shook out from it the husks of corn. This was just +at the time when the great rains fell, and in the course of a month, +blades of rice, corn, and rye, sprang up. As time went by, and the grain +was ripe, I kept it, and took care to sow it each year; but I could not +boast of a crop of wheat, as will be shown bye-and-bye, for three years. + +A thing now took place on the isle, which no one could have dreamt of, +and which struck me down with fear. It was this--the ground shook +with great force, which threw down earth from the rock with a loud +crash--once more there was a shock--and now the earth fell from the roof +of my cave. The sea did not look the same as it had done, for the shocks +were just as strong there as on land. The sway of the earth made me feel +sick; and there was a noise and a roar all around me. The same kind of +shock came a third time; and when it had gone off, I sat quite still on +the ground, for I knew not what to do. Then the clouds grew dark, the +wind rose, trees were torn up by the roots, the sea was a mass of foam +and froth, and a great part of the isle was laid waste with the storm. I +thought that the world had come to an end. In three hours' time all was +calm; but rain fell all that night, and a great part of the next day. +Now, though quite worn out, I had to move my goods which were in the +cave, to some safe place. + +I knew that tools would be my first want, and that I should have to +grind mine on the stone, as they were blunt and worn with use. But as it +took both hands to hold the tool, I could not turn the stone; so I made +a wheel by which I could move it with my foot. This was no small task, +but I took great pains with it, and at length it was done. + +The rain fell for some days and a cold chill came on me; in short I was +ill. I had pains in my head, and could get no sleep at night, and my +thoughts were wild and strange. At one time I shook with cold, and then +a hot fit came on, with faint sweats, which would last six hours at a +time. Ill as I was, I had to go out with my gun to get food. I shot a +goat, but it was a great toil to bring it home, and still more to cook +it. + +I spent the next day in bed, and felt half dead from thirst, yet too +weak to stand up to get some drink. I lay and wept like a child. "Lord +look on me! Lord look on me!" would I cry for hours. + +At last the fit left me, and I slept, and did not wake till dawn. I +dreamt that I lay on the ground, and saw a man come down from a great +black cloud in a flame of light. When he stood on the earth, it shook as +it had done a few days since; and all the world to me was full of fire. +He came up and said "As I see that all these things have not brought +thee to pray, now thou shalt die." Then I woke, and found it was a +dream. Weak and faint, I was in dread all day lest my fit should come +on. + +Too ill to get out with my gun, I sat on the shore to think, and thus +ran my thoughts: "What is this sea which is all round me? and whence is +it? There can be no doubt that the hand that made it, made the air, the +earth, the sky. And who is that? It is God who hath made all things. +Well then, if God hath made all things, it must be He who guides them; +and if so, no one thing in the whole range of His works can take place, +and He not know it. Then God must know how sick and sad I am, and He +wills me to be here. O, why hath God done this to me!" + +Then some voice would seem to say, "Dost thou ask why God hath done this +to thee? Ask why thou wert not shot by the Moors, who came on board the +ship, and took the lives of thy mates. Ask why thou wert not torn by the +beasts of prey on the coasts. Ask why thou didst not go down in the +deep sea with the rest of the crew, but didst come to this isle, and art +safe." + +A sound sleep then fell on me, and when I woke it must have been three +o'clock the next day, by the rays of the sun: nay, it may have been more +than that; for I think that this must have been the day that I did not +mark on my post, as I have since found that there was one notch too few. + +I now took from my store the Book of God's Word, which I had brought +from the wreck, not one page, of which I had yet read. My eyes fell on +five words, that would seem to have been put there for my good at this +time; so well did they cheer my faint hopes, and touch the true source +of my fears. They were these: "I will not leave thee." And they have +dwelt in my heart to this day. I laid down the book, to pray. My cry was +"O, Lord, help me to love and learn thy ways." + +This was the first time in all my life that I had felt a sense that God +was near, and heard me. As for my dull life here, it was not worth a +thought; for now a new strength had come to me; and there was a change +in my griefs, as well as in my joys. + +I had now been in the isle twelve months, and I thought it was time to +go all round it, in search of its woods, springs, and creeks. So I set +off, and brought back with me limes and grapes in their prime, large and +ripe. I had hung the grapes in the sun to dry, and in a few days' time +went to fetch them, that I might lay up a store. The vale, on the banks +of which they grew, was fresh and green, and a clear, bright stream ran +through it, which gave so great a charm to the spot, as to make me wish +to live there. + +But there was no view of the sea from this vale, while from my house, no +ships could come on my side of the isle, and not be seen by me; yet the +cool, soft banks were so sweet and new to me that much of my time was +spent there. + +In the first of the three years in which I had grown corn, I had sown +it too late; in the next, it was spoilt by the drought; but the third +years' crop had sprung up well. + +I found that the hares would lie in it night and day, for which there +was no cure but to plant a thick hedge all round it; and this took me +more than three weeks to do. I shot the hares in the day time; and when +it grew dark, I made fast the dog's chain to the gate, and there he +stood to bark all night. + +In a short time the corn grew strong, and at last ripe but, just as the +hares had hurt it in the blade, so now the birds ate it in the ear. At +the noise of my gun, whole flocks of them would fly up; and at this rate +I saw that there would be no corn left; so I made up my mind to keep a +look out night and day. I hid by the side of a hedge, and could see the +birds sit on the trees and watch, and then come down, one by one, at +first. Now each grain of wheat was, as it were, a small loaf of bread to +me. So the great thing was to get rid of these birds. My plan was this, +I shot three, and hung them up, like thieves, to scare all that came to +the corn; and from this time, as long as the dead ones hung there, not +a bird came near. When the corn was ripe, I made a scythe out of the +swords from the ship, and got in my crop. + +Few of us think of the cost at which a loaf of bread is made. Of course, +there was no plough here to turn up the earth, and no spade to dig it +with, so I made one with wood; but this was soon worn out, and for want +of a rake, I made use of the bough of a tree. When I had got the corn +home, I had to thrash it, part the grain from the chaff, and store it +up. Then came the want of a mill to grind it, of sieves to clean it, and +of yeast to make bread of it. + +Still, my bread was made, though I had no tools; and no one could say +that I did not earn it, by the sweat of my brow. When the rain kept me +in doors, it was good fun to teach my pet bird Poll to talk; but so mute +were all things round me, that the sound of my own voice made me start. + +My chief wants now were jars, pots, cups, and plates, but I knew not how +I could make them. At last I went in search of some clay, and found some +a mile from my house; but it was quite a joke to see the queer shapes +and forms that I made out of it. For some of my pots and jars were too +weak to bear their own weight; and they would fall out here, and in +there, in all sorts of ways; while some, when they were put in the sun +to bake, would crack with the heat of its rays. You may guess what my +joy was when at last a pot was made which would stand the heat of the +fire, so that I could boil the meat for broth. + +The next thing to be made was a sieve, to part the grain from the husks. +Goat's hair was of no use to me, as I could not weave or spin; so I made +a shift for two years with a thin kind of stuff, which I had brought +from the ship. But to grind the corn with the stones was the worst of +all, such hard work did I find it. To bake the bread I burnt some wood +down to an ash, which I threw on the hearth to heat it, and then set my +loaves on the hearth, and in this way my bread was made. + +The next thing to turn my thoughts to was the ship's boat, which lay on +the high ridge of sand, where it had been thrust by the storm which had +cast me on these shores. But it lay with the keel to the sky, so I had +to dig the sand from it, and turn it up with the help of a pole. When I +had done this I found it was all in vain, for I had not the strength to +launch it. So all I could do now, was to make a boat of less size out +of a tree; and I found one that was just fit for it, which grew not far +from the shore, but I could no more stir this than I could the ship's +boat. What was to be done? I first dug the ground flat and smooth all +the way from the boat to the sea, so as to let it slide down; but this +plan did not turn out well, so I thought I would try a new way, which +was to make a trench, so as to bring the sea up to the boat, as the boat +could not be brought to the sea. But to do this, I must have dug down to +a great depth, which would take one man some years to do. And when too +late, I found it was not wise to work out a scheme, till I had first +thought of the cost and toil. + +"Well," thought I, "I must give up the boat, and with it all my hopes +to leave the isle. But I have this to think of: I am lord of the whole +isle; in fact, a king. I have wood with which I might build a fleet, and +grapes, if not corn, to freight it with, though all my wealth is but a +few gold coins." For these I had no sort of use, and could have found it +in my heart to give them all for a peck of peas and some ink, which last +I stood much in need of. But it was best to dwell more on what I had, +than on what I had not. + +I now must needs try once more to build a boat, but this time it was to +have a mast, for which the ship's sails would be of great use. I made a +deck at each end, to keep out the spray of the sea, a bin for my food, +and a rest for my gun, with a flap to screen it from the wet. More than +all, the boat was one of such a size that I could launch it. + +My first cruise was up and down the creek, but soon I got bold, and made +the whole round of my isle. I took with me bread, cakes, and a pot full +of rice, some rum, half a goat, two great coats, one of which was to +lie on, and one to put on at night. I set sail in the sixth year of my +reign. On the East side of the isle, there was a large ridge of rocks, +which lay two miles from the shore; and a shoal of sand lay for half a +mile from the rocks to the beach. To get round to this point, I had to +sail a great way out to sea; and here I all but lost my life. + +But I got back to my home at last. On my way there, quite worn out with +the toils of the boat, I lay down in the shade to rest my limbs, and +slept. But judge, if you can, what a start I gave, when a voice woke +me out of my sleep, and spoke my name three times! A voice in this wild +place! To call me by name, too! Then the voice said, "Where are you? +Where have you been? How came you here?" But now I saw it all; for at +the top of the hedge sat Poll, who did but say the words she had been +taught by me. + +I now went in search of some goats, and laid snares for them, with rice +for a bait I had set the traps in the night, and found they had all +stood, though the bait was gone. So I thought of a new way to take them, +which was to make a pit and lay sticks and grass on it, so as to hide +it; and in this way I caught an old goat and some kids. But the old goat +was much too fierce for me, so I let him go. I brought all the young +ones home, and let them fast a long time, till at last they fed from my +hand, and were quite tame. I kept them in a kind of park, in which there +were trees to screen them from the sun. At first my park was three miles +round; but it struck me that, in so great a space, the kids would soon +get as wild as if they had the range of the whole vale, and that it +would be as well to give them less room; so I had to make a hedge which +took me three months to plant. My park held a flock of twelve goats, and +in two years more there were more than two score. + +My dog sat at meals with me, and one cat on each side of me, on stools, +and we had Poll to talk to us. Now for a word or two as to the dress in +which I made a tour round the isle. I could but think how droll it would +look in the streets of the town in which I was born. I wore a high cap +of goat's skin, with a flap that hung, down, to keep the sun and rain +from my neck, a coat made from the skin of a goat too, the skirts of +which came down to my hips, and the same on my legs, with no shoes, but +flaps of the fur round my shins. I had a broad belt of the same round +my waist, which drew on with two thongs; and from it, on my right side, +hung a saw and an axe; and on my left side a pouch for the shot. My +beard had not been cut since I came here. But no more need be said of +my looks, for there were few to see me. A strange sight was now in store +for me, which was to change the whole course of my life in the isle. + +One day at noon, while on a stroll down to a part of the shore that was +new to me, what should I see on the sand but the print of a man's foot! +I felt as if I was bound by a spell, and could not stir from, the spot. + +Bye-and-bye, I stole a look round me, but no one was in sight, What +could this mean? I went three or four times to look at it. There it +was--the print of a man's foot; toes, heel, and all the parts of a foot. +How could it have come there? + +My head swam with fear; and as I left the spot, I made two or three +steps, and then took a look round me; then two steps more, and did the +same thing. I took fright at the stump of an old tree, and ran to my +house, as if for my life. How could aught in the shape of a man come to +that shore, and I not know it? Where was the ship that brought him? Then +a vague dread took hold of my mind, that some man, or set of men, had +found me out; and it might be, that they meant to kill me, or rob me of +all I had. + +How strange a thing is the life of man! One day we love that which the +next day we hate. One day we seek what the next day we shun. One day +we long for the thing which the next day we fear; and so we go on. Now, +from the time that I was cast on this isle, my great source of grief +was that I should be thus cut off from the rest of my race. Why, then, +should the thought that a man might be near give me all this pain? Nay, +why should the mere sight of the print of a man's foot, make me quake +with fear? It seems most strange; yet not more strange than true. + +Once it struck me that it might be the print of my own foot, when first +the storm cast me on these shores. Could I have come this way from the +boat? Should it in truth turn out to be the print of my own foot, I +should be like a boy who tells of a ghost, and feels more fright at his +own tale, than those do whom he meant to scare. + +Fear kept me in-doors for three days, till the want of food drove me +out. At last I was so bold as to go down to the coast to look once more +at the print of the foot, to see if it was the same shape as my own. I +found it was not so large by a great deal; so it was clear there were +men in the isle. Just at this time my good watch dog fell down dead at +my feet. He was old and worn out, and in him I lost my best guard and +friend. + +One day as I went from the hill to the coast, a scene lay in front of me +which made me sick at heart. The spot was spread with the bones of men. +There was a round place dug in the earth, where a fire had been made, +and here some men had come to feast. Now that I had seen this sight, I +knew not how to act; I kept close to my home, and would scarce stir from +it, save to milk my flock of goats. + +To feel safe was now more to me than to be well fed; and I did not care +to drive a nail, or chop a stick of wood, lest the sound of it should be +heard, much less would I fire a gun. As to my bread and meat, I had to +bake it at night when the smoke could not be seen. But I soon found the +way to burn wood with turf at the top of it, which made it like chark, +or dry coal; and this I could use by day, as it had no smoke. + +I found in the wood where I went to get the sticks for my fire, a cave +so large that I could stand in it; but I made more haste to get out, +than in; for two large eyes, as bright as stars, shone out from it with +a fierce glare. I took a torch, and went to see what they could be, and +found that there was no cause for fear; for the eyes were those of an +old gray goat, which had gone there to die of old age. I gave him a +push, to try to get him out of the cave, but he could not rise from the +ground where he lay; so I left him there to die, as I could not save his +life. + +I found the width of the cave was twelve feet; but part of it, near the +end, was so low that I had to creep on my hands and feet to go in. What +the length of it was I could not tell, for my light went out, and I had +to give up my search. The next day, I went to the cave with large lights +made of goat's fat; and when I got to the end, I found that the roof +rose to two score feet or more. + +As my lights shone on the walls and roof of the cave, a sight burst on +my view, the charms of which no tongue could tell; for the walls shone +like stars. What was in the rock to cause this it was hard to say; they +might be gems, or bright stones, or gold. But let them be what they may, +this cave was a mine of wealth to me; for at such time as I felt dull +or sad, the bright scene would flash on my mind's eye, and fill it with +joy. + +A score of years had gone by, with no new sight to rest my eyes on, till +this scene burst on them. I felt as if I should like to spend the rest +of my life here; and at its close, lie down to die in this cave, like +the old goat. + +As I went home I was struck by the sight of some smoke, which came from +a fire no more than two miles off. From this time I lost all my peace +of mind. Day and night a dread would haunt me, that the men who had made +this fire would find me out. I went home and drew up my steps, but first +I made all things round me look wild and rude. To load my gun was the +next thing to do, and I thought it would be best to stay at home and +hide. + +But this was not to be borne long. I had no spy to send out and all I +could do was to get to the top of the hill, and keep a good look out. At +last, through my glass, I could see a group of wild men join in a dance +round their fire. As soon a they had left, I took two guns, and slung a +sword on my side; then with all speed, I set off to the top of the hill, +once more to have a good view. + +This time I made up my mind to go up to the men, but not with a view to +kill them, for I felt that it would be wrong to do so. With such a load +of arms, it took me two hours to reach the spot where the fire was; and +by the time I got there, the men had all gone; but I saw them in four +boats out at sea. + +Down on the shore, there was a proof of what the work of these men had +been. The signs of their feast made me sick at heart, and I shut my +eyes. I durst not fire my gun when I went out for food on that side the +isle, lest there should be some of the men left, who might hear it, +and so find me out. This state of things went on for a year and three +months, and for all that time I saw no more men. + +On the twelfth of May, a great storm of wind blew all day and night. As +it was dark, I sat in my house; and in the midst of the gale, I heard +a gun fire! My guess was that it must have been from some ship cast on +shore by the storm. So I set a light to some wood on top of the hill, +that those in the ship, if ship it should be, might know that some one +was there to aid them. I then heard two more guns fire. When it was +light, I went to the South side of the isle, and there lay the wreck of +a ship, cast on the rocks in the night by the storm. She was too far off +for me to see if there were men on board. + +Words could not tell how much I did long to bring but one of the ship's +crew to the shore! So strong was my wish to save the life of those on +board, that I could have laid down my own life to do so. There are some +springs in the heart which, when hope stirs them, drive the soul on with +such a force, that to lose all chance of the thing one hopes for, would +seem to make one mad; and thus was it with me. + +Now, I thought, was the time to use my boat; so I set to work at once to +fit it out. I took on board some rum (of which I still had a good deal +left), some dry grapes, a bag of rice, some goat's milk, and cheese, and +then put out to sea. A dread came on me at the thought of the risk I had +run on the same rocks; but my heart did not quite fail me, though I +knew that, as my boat was small, if a gale of wind should spring up, all +would be lost. Then I found that I must go back to the shore till the +tide should turn, and the ebb come on. + +I made up my mind to go out the next day with the high tide, so I slept +that night in my boat. At dawn I set out to sea, and in less than two +hours I came up to the wreck. What a scene was there! The ship had +struck on two rocks. The stern was torn by the force of the waves, the +masts were swept off, ropes and chains lay strewn on the deck, and all +was wrapt in gloom. As I came up to the wreck, a dog swam to me with a +yelp and a whine. I took him on board my boat, and when I gave him some +bread he ate it like a wolf, and as to drink, he would have burst, if I +had let him take his fill of it. + +I went to the cook's room, where I found two men, but they were both +dead. The tongue was mute, the ear was deaf, the eye was shut, and the +lip was stiff; still the sad tale was told, for each had his arm round +his friend's neck, and so they must have sat to wait for death. What a +change had come on the scene, once so wild with the lash of the waves +and the roar of the wind! All was calm now--death had done its work, +and all had felt its stroke, save the dog, and he was the one thing that +still had life. + +I thought the ship must have come from Spain, and there was much gold +on board. I took some of the chests and put them in my boat, but did not +wait to see what they held, and with this spoil, and three casks of rum, +I came back. + +I found all things at home just as I had left them, my goats, my cats, +and my bird. The scene in the cook's room was in my mind day and night, +and to cheer me up I drank some of the rum. I then set to work to bring +my freight from the shore, where I had left it. In the chests were two +great bags of gold, and some bars of the same, and near these lay three +small flasks and three bags of shot which were a great prize. + +From this time, all went well with me for two years; but it was not to +last. One day, as I stood on the hill, I saw six boats on the shore! +What could this mean? + +Where were the men who had brought them? And what had they come for? I +saw through my glass that there were a score and a half, at least, on +the east side of the isle. They had meat on the fire, round which I +could see them dance. They then took a man from one of the boats, who +was bound hand and foot; but when they came to loose his bonds, he set +off as fast as his feet would take him, and in a straight line to my +house. + +To tell the truth, when I saw all the rest of the men run to catch him, +my hair stood on end with fright. In the creek, he swam like a fish, and +the plunge which he took brought him through it in a few strokes. All +the men now gave up the chase but two, and they swam through the creek, +but by no means so fast as the slave had done. Now, I thought, was the +time for me to help the poor man, and my heart told me it would be right +to do so. I ran down my steps with my two guns, and went with all speed +up the hill, and then down by a short cut to meet them. + +I gave a sign to the poor slave to come to me, and at the same time went +up to meet the two men, who were in chase of him. I made a rush at the +first of these, to knock him down with the stock of my gun, and he fell. +I saw the one who was left, aim at me with his bow, so, to save my life, +I shot him dead. + +The smoke and noise from my gun, gave the poor slave who had been bound, +such a shock, that he stood still on the spot, as if he had been in a +trance. I gave a loud shout for him to come to me, and I took care to +show him that I was a friend, and made all the signs I could think of to +coax him up to me. At length he came, knelt down to kiss the ground, and +then took hold of my foot, and set it on his head. All this meant that +he was my slave; and I bade him rise, and made much of him. + +But there was more work to be done yet; for the man who had had the blow +from my gun was not dead. I made a sign for my slave (as I shall now +call him) to look at him. At this he spoke to me, and though I could +not make out what he said, yet it gave me a shock of joy; for it was the +first sound of a man's voice that I had heard, for all the years I had +been on the isle. + +The man whom I had struck with the stock of my gun, sat up; and my +slave, who was in great fear of him, made signs for me to lend him my +sword, which hung in a belt at my side. With this he ran up to the man, +and with one stroke cut off his head. When he had done this, he brought +me back my sword with a laugh, and put it down in front of me. I did not +like to see the glee with which he did it, and I did not feel that my +own life was quite safe with such a man. + +He, in his turn, could but lift up his large brown hands with awe, to +think that I had put his foe to death, while I stood so far from him. +But as to the sword, he and the rest of his tribe made use of swords of +wood, and this was why he knew so well how to wield mine. He made signs +to me to let him go and see the man who had been shot; and he gave him a +turn round, first on this side, then on that; and when he saw the wound +made in his breast by the shot, he stood quite, still once more, as if +he had lost his wits. I made signs for him to come back, for my fears +told me that the rest of the men might come in search of their friends. + +I did not like to take my slave to my house, nor to my cave; so I threw +down some straw from the rice plant for him to sleep on, and gave him +some bread and a bunch of dry grapes to eat. He was a fine man, with +straight strong limbs, tall, and young. His hair was thick, like wool, +and black. His head was large and high; and he had bright black eyes. He +was of a dark brown hue; his face was round, and his nose small, but +not flat; he had a good mouth with thin lips, with which he could give a +soft smile; and his teeth were as white as snow. + +I had been to milk my goats in the field close by, and when he saw me, +he ran to me, and lay down on the ground to show me his thanks. He then +put his head on the ground, and set my foot on his head, as he had done +at first. He took all the means he could think of, to let me know that +he would serve me all his life; and I gave a sign to show that I thought +well of him. The next thing was to think of some name to call him by. +I chose that of the sixth day of the week (Friday), as he came to me on +that day. I took care not to lose sight of him all that night, and when +the sun rose, I made signs for him to come to me, that I might give him +some clothes, for he wore none. We then went up to the top of the hill, +to look out for the men; but as we could not see them, or their boats, +it was clear that they had left the isle. + +My slave has since told me that they had had a great fight with the +tribe that dwelt next to them; and that all those men whom each side +took in war were their own by right. My slave's foes had four who fell +to their share, of whom he was one. + +I now set to work to make my man a cap of hare's skin, and gave him a +goat's skin to wear round his waist. It was a great source of pride to +him, to find that his clothes were as good as my own. + +At night, I kept my guns, sword, and bow close to my side; but there was +no need for this, as my slave was, in sooth, most true to me. He did all +that he was set to do, with his whole heart in the work; and I knew that +he would lay down his life to save mine. What could a man do more than +that? And oh, the joy to have him here to cheer me in this lone isle! + +I did my best to teach him, so like a child as he was, to do and feel +all that was right, I found him apt, and full of fun; and he took great +pains to learn all that I could tell him. Our lives ran on in a calm, +smooth way; and, but for the vile feasts which were held on the shores, +I felt no wish to leave the isle. + +As my slave had by no means lost his zest for these meals, it struck me +that the best way to cure him, was to let him taste the flesh of beasts; +so I took him with me one day to the wood for some sport. I saw a +she-goat, in the shade, with her two kids. I caught Friday by the arm, +and made signs to him not to stir, and then shot one of the kids; but +the noise of the gun gave the poor man a great shock. He did not see the +kid, nor did he know that it was dead. He tore his dress off his breast +to feel if there was a wound there; then he knelt down to me, and took +hold of my knees to pray of me not to kill him. + +To show poor Friday that his life was quite safe, I led him by the hand, +and told him to fetch the kid. By and by, I saw a hawk in a tree, so I +bade him look at the gun, the hawk, and the ground; and then I shot the +bird. But my poor slave gave still more signs of fear this time, than he +did at first: for he shook from head to foot. He must have thought that +some fiend of death dwelt in the gun, and I think that he would have +knelt down to it, as well as to me; but he would not so much as touch +the gun for some time, though he would speak to it when he thought I was +not near. Once he told me that what he said to it was to ask it not to +kill him. + +I brought home the bird, and made broth of it. Friday was much struck +to see me eat salt with it, and made a wry face; but I, in my turn, took +some that had no salt with it, and I made a wry face at that. The next +day I gave him a piece of kid's flesh, which I had hung by a string in +front of the fire to roast. My plan was to put two poles, one on each +side of the fire, and a stick, on the top of them to hold the string. +When my slave came to taste the flesh, he took the best means to let me +know how good he thought it. + +The next day I set him to beat out and sift some corn. I let him see me +make the bread, and he soon did all the work. I felt quite a love for +his true, warm heart, and he soon learnt to talk to me. One day I said, +"Do the men of your tribe win in fight?" He told me, with a smile, that +they did. "Well, then," said I, "How came they to let their foes take +you?" + +"They run one, two, three, and make go in the boat that time." + +"Well, and what do the men do with those they take?" + +"Eat them all up." + +This was not good news for me, but I went on, and said, "Where do they +take them?" + +"Go to next place where they think." + +"Do they come here?" + +"Yes, yes, they come here, come else place too." + +"Have you been here with them twice?" + +"Yes, come there." + +He meant the North West side of the isle, so to this spot I took him the +next day. He knew the place, and told me he was there once with a score +of men. To let me know this, he put a score of stones all of a row, and +made me count them. + +"Are not the boats lost on your shore now and then?" He said that there +was no fear, and that no boats were lost. He told me that up a great way +by the moon--that is where the moon then came up--there dwelt a tribe +of white men like me, with beards. I felt sure that they must have come +from Spain, to work the gold mines. I put this to him: "Could I go from +this isle and join those men?" + +"Yes, yes, you may go in two boats." + +It was hard to see how one man could go in two boats, but what he meant +was, a boat twice as large as my own. + +One day I said to my slave, "Do you know who made you?" + +But he could not tell at all what these words meant. So I said, "Do you +know who made the sea, the ground we tread on, the hills, and woods?" He +said it was Beek, whose home was a great way off, and that he was so old +that the sea and the land were not so old as he. + +"If this old man has made all things, why do not all things bow down to +him?" + +My slave gave a grave look, and said, "All things say 'O' to him." + +"Where do the men in your land go when they die?" + +"All go to Beek." + +I then held my hand up to the sky to point to it, and said, "God dwells +there. He made the world, and all things in it. The moon and the stars +are the work of his hand. God sends the wind and the rain on the earth, +and the streams that flow: He hides the face of the sky with clouds, +makes the grass to grow for the beasts of the field, and herbs for the +use of man. God's love knows no end. When we pray, He draws near to us +and hears us." + +It was a real joy to my poor slave to hear me talk of these things. He +sat still for a long time, then gave a sigh, and told me that he would +say "O" to Beek no more, for he was but a short way off, and yet could +not hear, till men went up the hill to speak to him. + +"Did you go up the hill to speak to him?" said I. + +"No, Okes go up to Beek, not young mans." + +"What do Okes say to him?" + +"They say 'O.'" + +Now that I brought my man Friday to know that Beek was not the true God, +such was the sense he had of my worth, that I had fears lest I should +stand in the place of Beek. I did my best to call forth his faith in +Christ, and make it strong and clear, till at last--thanks be to the +Lord--I brought him to the love of Him, with the whole grasp of his +soul. + +To please my poor slave, I gave him a sketch of my whole life; I told +him where I was born, and where I spent my days when a child. He was +glad to hear tales of the land of my birth, and of the trade which we +keep up, in ships, with all parts of the known world. I gave him a knife +and a belt, which made him dance with joy. + +One day as we stood on the top of the hill at the east side of the isle, +I saw him fix his eyes on the main land, and stand for a long time to, +gaze at it; then jump and sing, and call out to me. + +"What do you see?" said I. + +"Oh joy!" said he, with a fierce glee in his eyes, "Oh glad! There see +my land!" + +Why did he strain his eyes to stare at this land, as if he had a wish +to be there? It put fears in my mind which made me feel far, less at +my ease with him. Thought I, if he should go back to his home, he will +think no more of what I have taught him, and done for him. He will be +sure to tell the rest of his tribe all my ways, and come back with, it +may be, scores of them, and kill me, and then dance round me, as they +did round the men, the last time they came on my isle. + +But these were all false fears, though they found a place in my mind a +long while; and I was not so kind to him now as I had been. From this +time I made it a rule, day by day, to find out if there were grounds for +my fears or not. I said, "Do you not wish to be once more in your own +land?" + +"Yes! I be much O glad to be at my own land." + +"What would you do there? Would you turn wild, and be as you were?" + +"No, no, I would tell them to be good, tell them eat bread, corn, milk, +no eat man more!" + +"Why, they would kill you!" + +"No, no, they no kill; they love learn." + +He then told me that some white men, who had come on their shores in a +boat, had taught them a great deal. + +"Then will you go back to your land with me?" + +He said he could not swim so far, so I told him he should help me to +build a boat to go in. Then he said, "If you go, I go." + +"I go? why they would eat me!" + +"No, me make them much love you." + +Then he told me as well as he could, how kind they had been to some +white men. I brought out the large boat to hear what he thought of it, +but he said it was too small. We then went to look at the old ship's +boat, which, as it had been in the sun for years, was not at all in a +sound state. The poor man made sure that it would do. But how were we to +know this? I told him we should build a boat as large as that, and that +he should go home in it. He spoke not a word, but was grave and sad. + +"What ails you?" said I. + +"Why, you grieve mad with your man?" + +"What do you mean? I am not cross with you." + +"No cross? no cross with me? Why send your man home to his own land, +then?" + +"Did you not tell me you would like to go back?" + +"Yes, yes, we both there; no wish self there, if you not there!" + +"And what should I do there?" + +"You do great deal much good! you teach wild men be good men; you tell +them know God, pray God, and lead new life." + +We soon set to work to make a boat that would take us both. The first +thing was to look out for some large trees that grew near the shore, so +that we could launch our boat when it was made. My slave's plan was to +burn the wood to make it the right shape; but as mine was to hew it, +I set him to work with my tools; and in two months' time we had made a +good strong boat; but it took a long while to get her down to the shore. + +Friday had the whole charge of her; and, large as she was, he made her +move with ease, and said, "he thought she go there well, though great +blow wind!" He did not know that I meant to make a mast and sail. I cut +down a young fir tree for the mast, and then I set to work at the sail. +It made me laugh to see my man stand and stare, when he came to watch me +sail the boat. But he soon gave a jump, a laugh, and a clap of the hands +when he saw the sail jibe and fall, first on this side, then on that. + +The next thing to do was to stow our boat up in the creek, where we dug +a small dock; and when the tide was low, we made a dam, to keep out the +sea. The time of year had now come for us to set sail, so we got out all +our stores, to put them in the boat. + +One day I sent Friday to the shore, to get a sort of herb that grew +there. I soon heard him cry out to me, "O grief! O bad! O bad! O out +there boats, one, two, three!" "Keep a stout heart," said I, to cheer +him. The poor man shook with fear; for he thought that the men who +brought him here, had now come back to kill him. + +"Can you fight?" said I. + +"Me shoot; but me saw three boats; one, two, three!" + +"Have no fear; those that we do not kill, will be sure to take fright at +the sound of our guns. Now will you stand by me, and do just as you are +bid?" + +"Me die when you bid die." + +I gave him a good draught of rum; and when he had drunk this, he took up +an axe and two guns, each of which had a charge of swan shot. I took two +guns as well, and put large shot in them, and then hung my great sword +by my side. From the top of the bill, I saw with the help of my glass, +that the boats had each brought eight men, and one slave. They had come +on shore near the creek, where a grove of young trees grew close down to +the sea. + +They had with them three slaves, bound hand and foot, and you who read +this, may guess what they were brought here for. I felt that I must try +and save them from so hard a fate, and that to do this, I should have +to put some of their foes to death. So we set forth on our way. I gave +Friday strict charge to keep close to me, and not to fire till I told +him to do so. + +We went full a mile out of our way, that we might get round to the wood +to bide there. But we had not gone far, when my old qualms came back +to me, and I thought, "Is it for me to dip my hands in man's blood? Why +should I kill those who have done me no harm, and mean not to hurt me? +Nay, who do not so much as know that they are in the wrong, when they +hold these feasts. Are not their ways a sign that God has left them +(with the rest of their tribe) to their own dull hearts? God did not +call me to be a judge for Him. He who said, 'Thou shalt not kill,' said +it for me, as well as the rest of the world." + +A throng of thoughts like these would rush on my mind, as if to warn me +to pause, till I felt sure that there was more to call me to the work +than I then knew of. I took my stand in the wood, to watch the men at +their feast, and then crept on, with Friday close at my heels. Thus we +went till we came to the skirts of the wood. Then I said to. Friday, "Go +up to the top of that tree, and bring me word if you can see the men." + +He went, and quick as thought, came back to say that they were all round +the fire, and that the man who was bound on the sand would be the next +they would kill. But when he told me that it was a white man, one of my +own race, I felt the blood boil in my veins. Two of the gang had gone to +loose the white man from his bonds; so now was the time to fire. + +At the sound of our guns, we saw all the men jump up from the ground +where they sat. It must have been the first gun the I had heard in their +lives. They knew not which way to look. I now threw down my piece, and +took up a small gun; Friday did the same; and I gave him the word to +fire! The men ran right and left, with yells and screams. + +I now made a rush out of the wood, that they might see me, with my man +Friday at my heels, of course. We gave a loud shout, and ran up to the +white man as fast as we could. There he lay on the hot sand. I cut the +flag, or rush, by which he was bound, but he was too weak to stand or +speak, so I gave him some rum. He let me know by all the signs that he +could think of, how much he stood in my debt for all that I had done for +him. + +I said, "We will talk of that bye and bye; but now we must do what we +can to save our lives." Friday, who was free to go where he chose, flew +here and there, and put all the men to the rout. They fled in full haste +to their boats, and were soon out at sea; and so we got rid of our foes +at last. + +The man whom we had found on the sand told us that his name was Carl, +and that he came from Spain. But there was one more man to claim our +care; for the black men had left a small boat on the sands, and in this +I saw a poor wretch who lay half dead. He could not so much as look up, +so tight was he bound, neck and heels. When I cut the bonds from him he +gave a deep groan, for he thought that all this was but to lead him out +to die. + +Friday then came up, and I bade him speak to the old man in his own +tongue, and tell him that he was free. This good news gave him strength, +and he sat up in the boat. But when Friday came to hear him talk, and +to look him in the face, it brought the tears to my eyes to see him kiss +and hug the poor old man, and dance round him with joy, then weep, wring +his hands, and beat his own face and head, and then laugh once more, +sing, and leap. For a long time he could not speak to me, so as to, let +me know what all this meant. But at length he told me that he was the +son of this poor old man, and that his name was Jaf. + +It would be a hard task for me to tell of all the quaint, signs Friday +made to show his joy. He went in and out of the boat five or six times, +sat down by old Jaf, and held the poor old man's head close to his +breast to warm it; then he set to work to rub his arms and feet, which +were cold and stiff from the bonds. I told Friday to give him some rum +and bread; but he said, "None! Bad dog eat all up self." He then ran off +straight to the house, and took no heed of my calls, but went as swift +as a deer. + +In an hour's time, he came back with a jug in his hand. The good soul +had gone all the way to the house, that Jaf might have a fresh draught +from my well; and with it he brought two cakes, one of which I bade him +take to Carl, who lay in the shade of a tree. His limbs were stiff and +cold, and he was too weak to say a word. + +I set my man to rub his feet with rum, and while he did so, I saw Friday +turn his head round from time to time, to steal a look at the old man. +Then we brought Carl and Jaf home from the boat on our backs, as they +could not walk. The door of my house was at the top, and the poor sick +men could not climb the steps by which I got in, so we made for them a +tent of old sails. + +I was now a king of these three men, as well as Lord of the isle; and +I felt proud to say, "They all owe their lives to their king, and would +lay them down for him if he bade them do so." But I did not think that +my reign was so soon to come to an end. The next thing for us to do was +to give Carl and Jaf some food, and to kill and roast a kid, to which we +all four sat down, and I did my best to cheer them. + +Carl in a few days grew quite strong, and I set him to work to dig some +land for seed; for it was clear we should want more corn now that we had +two more mouths to fill. So we put in the ground all the stock of grain +I had, and thus we all four had as much work as we could do for some +time. When the crop grew, and was ripe, we found we had a good store of +grain. + +We made a plan that Carl and Jaf should go back to the main land, to +try if they could get some of the white men who had been cast on shore +there, to come and live with us; so they got out the boat, and took +with them two guns and food for eight days. They were to come back in a +week's time, and I bade them hang out a sign when they came in sight, so +that we might know who they were. + +One day, Friday ran up to me in great glee, and said, "They are back! +They are back!" A mile from shore, there was a boat with a sail, which +stood in for the land; but I knew it could not be the one which our two +friends had gone out in, for it was on the wrong side of the isle for +that. I saw too, through my glass, a ship out at sea. There were twelve +men in the boat, three of whom were bound in chains, and four had fire +arms. + +Bye and bye, I saw one of the men raise his sword to those who were +in chains, and I felt sure that all was not right. Then I saw that the +three men who had been bound were set free; and when they had come on +shore they lay on the ground, in the shade of a tree. I was soon at +their side, for their looks, so sad and worn, brought to my mind the +first few hours I had spent in this wild spot, where all to me was wrapt +in gloom. + +I went up to these men, and said: + +"Who are you, Sirs?" + +They gave a start at my voice and at my strange dress, and made a move +as if they would fly from me. I said, "Do not fear me, for it may be +that you have a friend at hand, though you do not think it." "He must be +sent from the sky then," said one of them with a grave look; and he took +off his hat to me at the same time. "All help is from thence, Sir," I +said; "but what can I do to aid you? You look as if you had some load of +grief on your breast. I saw one of the men lift his sword as if to kill +you." + +The tears ran down the poor man's face, as he said, + +"Is this a god, or is it but a man?" "Have no doubt on that score, Sir," +said I, "for a god would not have come with a dress like this. No, do +not fear--nor raise your hopes too high; for you see but a man, yet one +who will do all he can to help you. Your speech shows me that you come +from the same land as I do. I will do all I can to serve you. Tell me +your case." "Our case, Sir, is too long to you while they who would kill +us are so near. My name is Paul. To be short, Sir, my crew have thrust +me out of my ship, which you see out there, and have left me here to +die. It was as much as I could do to make them sheath their swords, +which you saw were drawn to slay me. They have set me down in this isle +with these two men, my friend here, and the ship's mate." + +"Where have they gone?" said I. + +"There, in the wood, close by. I fear they may have seen and heard us. +If they have, they will be sure to kill us all." + +"Have they fire-arms?" + +"They have four guns, one of which is in the boat." + +"Well then, leave all to me!" + +"There are two of the men," said he, "who are worse than the rest. All +but these I feel sure would go back to work the ship." + +I thought it was best to speak out to Paul at once, and I said, "Now if +I save your life, there are two things which you must do." But he read +my thoughts, and said, "If you save my life, you shall do as you like +with me and my ship, and take her where you please." + +I saw that the two men, in whose charge the boat had been left, had come +on shore; so the first thing I did was to send Friday to fetch from it +the oars, the sail, and the gun. And now the ship might be said to be in +our hands. When the time came for the men to go back to the ship, they +were in a great rage; for, as the boat had now no sail nor oars, they +knew not how to get out to their ship. + +We heard them say that it was a strange sort of isle, for that sprites +had come to the boat, to take off the sails and oars. We could see them +run to and fro, with great rage; then go and sit in the boat to rest, +and then come on shore once more. When they drew near to us, Paul and +Friday would fain have had me fall on them at once. But my wish was to +spare them, and kill as few as I could. I told two of my men to creep +on their hands and feet close to the ground, so that they might not be +seen, and when they got up to the men, not to fire till I gave the word. + +They had not stood thus long, when three of the crew came up to us. Till +now, we had but heard their voice, but when they came so near as to be +seen, Paul and Friday stood up and shot at them. Two of the men fell +dead, and they were the worst of the crew, and the third ran off. At the +sound of the guns I came up, but it was so dark that the men could not +tell if there were three of us or three score. + +It fell out just as I could wish, for I heard the men ask, "To whom must +we yield, and where are they?" Friday told them that Paul was there with +the king of the isle, who had brought with him a crowd of men! At this +one of the crew said, "If Paul will spare our lives, we will yield." +"Then," said Friday, "you shall know the king's will." Then Paul said to +them, "You know my voice; if you lay down your arms the king will spare +your lives!" + +They fell on their knees to beg the same of me. I took good care that +they did not see me, but I gave them my word that they should all live, +that I should take four of them to work the ship, and that the rest +would be bound hand and foot, for the good faith of the four. This was +to show them what a stern king I was. + +Of course I soon set them free, and I put them in a way to take my place +on the isle. I told them of all my ways, taught them how to mind the +goats, how to work the farm, and make the bread. I gave them a house to +live in, fire arms, tools, and my two tame cats, in fact, all but Poll +and my gold. + +As I sat on the top of the hill, Paul came up to me. He held out his +hand to point to the ship, and with much warmth took me to his arms, and +said, "My dear friend, there is your ship! For she is all yours, and so +are we, and all that is in her." + +I cast my eyes to the ship, which rode half a mile off the shore, at the +mouth of the creek, and near the place where I had brought my rafts to +the land. Yes, there she stood, the ship that was to set me free, and to +take me where I might choose to go. She set her sails to the wind, and +her flags threw out their gay stripes in the breeze. Such a sight was +too much for me, and I fell down faint with joy. Paul then took out a +flask which he had brought for me, and gave me a dram, which I drank, +but for a good while I could not speak to him. + +Friday and Paul then went on board the ship, and Paul took charge of her +once more. We did not start that night, but at noon the next day I left +the isle! + +That lone isle, where I had spent so great a part of my life--not much +less than thrice ten long years. + +When I came back to the dear land of my birth, all was strange and new +to me. I went to my old home at York, but none of my friends were there, +and to my great grief I saw, on the stone at their grave, the sad tale +of their death. + +As they had thought, of course, that I was dead, they had not left me +their wealth and lands, so that I stood much in want of means, for it +was but a small sum that I had brought with me from the isle. But in +this time of need, I had the luck to find my good friend who once took +me up at sea. He was now grown too old for work, and had put his son +in the ship in his place. He did not know me at first, but I was soon +brought to his mind when I told him who I was. I found from him that the +land which I had bought on my way to the isle was now worth much. + +As it was a long way off, I felt no wish to go and live there so I made +up my mind to sell it, and in the course of a few months, I got for it a +sum so large as to make me a rich man all at once. + +Weeks, months, and years went by; I had a farm, a wife, and two sons, +and was by no means young; but still I could not get rid of a strong +wish which dwelt in my thoughts by day and my dreams by night, and that +was to set foot once more in my old isle. + +I had now no need to work for food, or for means of life; all I had to +do was to teach my boys to be wise and good, to live at my ease, and +see my wealth grow day by day. Yet the wish to go back to my wild haunts +clung round me like a cloud, and I could in no way drive it from me, +so true is it that "what is bred in the bone will not come out of the +flesh." + +At length I lost my wife, which was a great blow to me, and my home was +now so sad, that I made up my mind to launch out once more on the broad +sea, and go with my man Friday to that lone isle where dwelt all my +hopes. + +I took with me as large a store of tools, clothes, and such like goods +as I had room for, and men of skill in all kinds of trades, to live in +the isle. When we set sail, we had a fair wind for some time, but one +night the mate, who was at the watch, told me he saw a flash of fire, +and heard a gun go off. At this we all ran on deck, from whence we saw a +great light, and as there was no land that way, we knew that it must be +some ship on fire at sea, which could not be far off, for we heard the +sound of the gun. + +The wind was still fair, so we made our way for the point where we saw +the light, and in half an hour, it was but too plain that a large ship +was on fire in the midst of the broad sea. I gave the word to fire off +five guns, and we then lay by, to wait till break of day. But in the +dead of the night, the ship blew up in the air, the flames shot forth, +and what there was left of the ship sank. We hung out lights, and our +guns kept up a fire all night long, to let the crew know that there was +help at hand. + +At eight o'clock the next day we found, by the aid of the glass, that +two of the ship's boats were out at sea, quite full of men. They had +seen us, and had done their best to make us see them, and in half an +hour we came up with them. + +It would be a hard task for me to set forth in words the scene which +took place in my ship, when the poor French folk (for such they were) +came on board. As to grief and fear, these are soon told--sighs, tears, +and groans make up the sum of them--but such a cause of joy as this was, +in sooth, too much for them to bear, weak and all but dead as they were. + +Some would send up shouts of joy that rent the sky; some would cry and +wring their hands as if in the depths of grief; some would dance, laugh, +and sing; not a few were dumb, sick, faint, in a swoon, or half mad; and +two or three were seen to give thanks to God. + +In this strange group, there was a young French priest who did his best +to soothe those round him, and I saw him go up to some of the crew, +and say to them, "Why do you scream, and tear your hair, and wring your +hands, my men? Let your joy be free and full, give it full range and +scope, but leave off this trick of the hands, and lift them up in +praise; let your voice swell out, not in screams, but in hymns of thanks +to God, who has brought you out of so great a strait, for this will add +peace to your joy." + +The next day, they were all in a right frame of mind, so I gave them +what stores I could spare, and put them on board a ship that we met with +on her way to France, all save five who, with the priest, had a wish to +join me. + +But we had not set sail long, when we fell in with a ship that had been +blown out to sea by a storm, and had lost her masts; and, worse than +all, her crew had not had an ounce of meat or bread for ten days. I +gave them all some food, which they ate like wolves in the snow, but I +thought it best to check them, as I had fears that so much all at once +would cause the death of some of them. + +There were a youth and a young girl in the ship who the mate said he +thought must be dead, but he had not had the heart to go near them, for +the food was all gone. I found that they were faint for the want of it, +and as it were in the jaws of death; but in a short time they both got +well, and as they had no wish to go back to their ship, I took them with +me. So now I had eight more on board my ship, than I had when I first +set out. + +In three months from the time when I left home, I came in sight of my +isle, and I brought the ship safe up, by the side of the creek, which +was near my old house. + +I went up to Friday, to ask if he knew where he was. He took a look +round him, and soon, with a clap of the hands, said "O yes! O there! O +yes! O there!" Bye and bye, he set up a dance with such wild glee, that +it was as much as I could do to keep him on deck. "Well, what think you, +Friday?" said I; "shall we find those whom we left still here?--Shall we +see poor old Jaf?" He stood quite mute for a while, but when I spoke +of old Jaf (whose son Friday was), the tears ran down his face, and the +poor soul was as sad as could be. "No, no," said he, "no more, no, no +more." + +As we caught sight of some men at the top of the hill, I gave word to +fire three guns, to show that we were friends, and soon we saw smoke +rise from the side of the creek. I then went on shore in a boat, with +the priest and Friday, and hung out a white flag of peace. The first man +I cast my eyes on at the creek, was my old friend Carl, who, when I was +last on the isle, had been brought here in bonds. + +I gave strict charge to the men in the boat not to go on shore, but +Friday could not be kept back, for with his quick eye he had caught +sight of old Jaf. It brought the tears to our eyes to see his joy when +he met the old man. He gave him a kiss, took him up in his arms, set +him down in the shade, then stood a short way off to look at him, as one +would look at a work of art, then felt him with his hand, and all this +time he was in full talk, and told him, one by one, all the strange +tales of what he had seen since they had last met. + +As to my friend Carl, he came up to me, and with much warmth shook my +hands, and then took me to my old house, which he now gave up to me. I +could no more have found the place, than if I had not been there at all. +The rows of trees stood so thick and close, that the house could not be +got at, save by such blind ways as none but those who made them could +find out. "Why have you built all these forts?" said I. Carl told me +that he felt sure I should say there was much need of them, when I heard +how they had spent their time since they had come to the isle. + +He brought twelve men to the spot where I stood, and said, "Sir, all +these men owe their lives to you." Then, one by one, they came up to me, +not as if they had been the mere crew of a ship, but like men of rank +who had come to kiss the hand of their king. + +The first thing was to bear all that had been done in the isle since I +had left it. But I must first state that, when we were on the point to +set sail from the isle, a feud sprang up on board our ship, which we +could not put down, till we had laid two of the men in chains. The next +day, these two men stole each of them a gun and some small arms, and +took the ship's boat, and ran off with it to join the three bad men on +shore. + +As soon as I found this out, I sent the long-boat on shore, with twelve +men and the mate, and off they went to seek the two who had left the +ship. But their search was in vain, nor could they find one of the rest, +for they had all fled to the woods when they saw the boat. We had now +lost five of the crew, but the three first were so much worse than the +last two, that in a few days they sent them out of doors, and would have +no more to do with them, nor would they for a long while give them food +to eat. + +So the two poor men had to live as well as they could by hard work, and +they set up their tents on the north shore of the isle, to be out of the +way of the wild men, who were wont to land on the east side. Here they +built them two huts, one to lodge in, and one to lay up their stores +in; and the men from Spain gave them some corn for seed, as well as some +peas which I had left them. They soon learned to dig, and plant, and +hedge in their land, in the mode which I had set for them, and in short, +to lead good lives, so that I shall now call them the "two good men." + +But when the three bad men saw, this, they were full of spite, and came +one day to tease and vex them. They told them that the isle was their +own, and that no one else had a right to build on it, if they did not +pay rent. The two good men thought at first that they were in jest, and +told them to come and sit down, and see what fine homes they had built, +and say what rent they would ask. + +But one of the three said they should soon see that they were not in +jest, and took a torch in his hand, and put it to the roof of the but, +and would have set it on fire, had not one of the two good men trod the +fire out with his feet. The bad man was in such a rage at this, that he +ran at him with a pole he had in his hand, and this brought on a fight, +the end of which was that the three men had to stand off. But in a short +time they came back, and trod down the corn, and shot the goats and +young kids, which the poor men had got to bring up tame for their store. + +One day when the two men were out, they came to their home, and said, +"Ha! there's the nest, but the birds are flown." They then set to work +to pull down both the huts, and left not a stick, nor scarce a sign on +the ground to show where the tents had stood. They tore up, too, all the +goods and stock that they could find, and when they had done this, they +told it all to the men of Spain, and said, "You, sirs, shall have the +same sauce, if you do not mend your ways." + +They then fell to blows and hard words, but Carl had them bound in +cords, and took their arms from them. The men of Spain then said they +would do them no harm, and if they would live at peace they would help +them, and that they should live with them as they had done till that +time, but they could not give them back their arms for three or four +months. + +One night Carl--whom I shall call "the chief," as he took the lead of +all the rest--felt a great weight on his mind, and could get no sleep, +though he was quite well in health. He lay still for some time, but as +he, did not feel at case, he got up, and took a look out. But as it was +too dark to see far, and he heard no noise, he went back to his bed. +Still it was all one, he could not sleep; and though he knew not why, +his thoughts would give him no rest. + +He then woke up one of his friends, and told him how it had been with +him. "Say you so?" said he "What if there should be some bad plot at +work near us!" They then set off to the top of the hill, where I was +wont to go, and from thence they saw the light of a fire, quite a short +way from them, and heard the sounds of men, not of one or two, but of a +great crowd. We need not doubt that the chief and the man with him now +ran back at once, to tell all the rest what they had seen; and when they +heard the news, they could not be kept close where they were, but must +all run out to see how things stood. + +At last they thought that the best thing to do would be, while it was +dark, to send old Jaf out as a spy, to learn who they were, and what +they meant to do. When the old man had been gone an hour or two, he +brought word back that he had been in the midst of the foes, though they +had not seen him, and that they were in two sets or tribes who were at +war, and had come there to fight. And so it was, for in a short time +they heard the noise of the fight, which went on for two hours, and at +the end, with three loud shouts or screams, they left the isle in their +boats. Thus my friends were set free from all their fears, and saw no +more of their wild foes for some time. + +One day a whim took the three bad men that they would go to the main +land, from whence the wild men came, and try if they could not seize +some of them, and bring them home as slaves, so as to make them do the +hard part of their work for them. The chief gave them all the arms and +stores that they could want, and a large boat to go in, but when they +bade them "God speed," no one thought that they would find their way +back to the isle. But lo! in three weeks and a day, they did in truth +come back. One of the two good men was the first to catch sight of them, +and tell the news to his friends. + +The men said that they had found the land in two days, and that the wild +men gave them roots and fish to eat, and were so kind as to bring down +eight slaves to take back with them, three of whom were men and five +were girls. So they gave their good hosts an axe, an old key, and a +knife, and brought off the slaves in their boat to the isle. As the +chief and his friends did not care to wed the young girls, the five men +who had been the crew of Paul's ship drew lots for choice, so that each +had a wife, and the three men slaves were set to work for the two good +men, though there was not much for them to do. + +But one of them ran off to the woods, and they could not hear of him +more. They had good cause to think that he found his way home, as in +three or four weeks some wild men came to the isle, and when they +had had their feast and dance, they went off in two days' time. So my +friends might well fear that if this slave got safe home, he would be +sure to tell the wild men that they were in the isle, and in what part +of it they might be found. And so it came to pass, for in less than two +months, six boats of wild men, with eight or ten men in each boat, came +to the north side of the isle, where they had not been known to come up +to that time. + +The foe had brought their boats to land, not more than a mile from the +tent of the two good men, and it was there that the slave who had run +off had been kept. These men had the good luck to see the boats when +they were a long way off, so that it took them quite an hour from that +time to reach the shore. + +My friends now had to think how that hour was to be spent. The first +thing they did was to bind the two slaves that were left, and to take +their wives, and as much of their stores as they could, to some dark +place in the woods. They then sent a third slave to the chief and his +men, to tell them the news, and to ask for help. + +They had not gone far in the woods, when they saw, to their great grief +and rage, that their huts were in flames, and that the wild men ran to +and fro, like beasts in search of prey. But still our men went on, and +did not halt, till they came to a thick part of the wood, where the +large trunk of an old tree stood, and in this tree they both took their +post. But they had not been there long, when two of the wild men ran +that way, and they saw three more, and then five more, who all ran the +same way, as if they knew where they were. + +Our two poor men made up their minds to let the first two pass, and then +take the three and the five in line, as they came up, but to fire at one +at a time, as the first shot might chance to hit all three. + +So the man who was to fire put three or four balls in his gun, and from +a hole in the tree, took a sure aim, and stood still till the three wild +men came so near that he could not miss them. They soon saw that one of +these three was the slave that had fled from them, as they both knew him +well, and they made up their minds that they would kill him, though they +should both fire. + +At the first shot two of the wild men fell dead, and the third had a +graze on his arm, and though not much hurt, sat down on the ground with +loud screams and yells. When the five men who came next, heard the sound +of the gun and the slave's cries, they stood still at first, as if they +were struck dumb with fright. So our two men both shot off their guns in +the midst of them, and then ran up and bound them safe with cords. + +They then went to the thick part of the wood, where they had put their +wives and slaves, to see if all were safe there, and to their joy they +found that though the wild men had been quite near them, they had not +found them out. While they were here, the chief and his men came up, and +told them that the rest had gone to take care of my old house and grove, +in case the troop of wild men should spread so far that way. + +They then went back to the burnt huts, and when they came in sight of +the shore, they found that their foes had all gone out to sea. So they +set to work to build up their huts, and as all the men in the isle lent +them their aid, they were soon in a way to thrive once more. For five or +six months they saw no more of the wild men. But one day a large fleet +of more than a score of boats came in sight, full of men who had bows, +darts, clubs, swords, and such like arms of war, and our friends were +all in great fear. + +As they came at dusk, and at the East side of the isle, our men had the +whole night to think of what they should do. And as they knew that the +most safe way was to hide and lie in wait, they first of all took down +the huts which were built for the two good men, and drove their goats to +the cave, for they thought the wild men would go straight there as soon +as it was day, and play the old game. + +The next day they took up their post with all their force at the wood, +near the home of the two men, to wait for the foe. They gave no guns to +the slaves, but each of them had a long staff with a spike at the end of +it, and by his side an axe. There were two of the wives who could not be +kept back, but would go out and fight with bows and darts. + +The wild men came on with a bold and fierce mien, not in a line, but +all in crowds here and there, to the point were our men lay in wait for +them. When they were so near as to be in range of the guns, our men shot +at them right and left with five or six balls in each charge. As the foe +came up in close crowds, they fell dead on all sides, and most of those +that they did not kill were much hurt, so that great fear and dread came +on them all. + +Our men then fell on them from three points with the butt end of their +guns, swords, and staves, and did their work so well that the wild men +set up a loud shriek, and flew for their lives to the woods and hills, +with all the speed that fear and swift feet could help them to do. As +our men did not care to chase them, they got to the shore where they had +come to land and where the boats lay. + +But their rout was not yet at an end, for it blew a great storm that day +from the sea, so that they could not put off. And as the storm went on +all that night, when the tide came up, the surge of the sea drove most +of their boats so high on the shore, that they could not be got off save +with great toil, and the force of the waves on the beach broke some of +them to bits. + +At break of day, our men went forth to find them, and when they saw the +state of things, they got some dry wood from a dead tree, and set their +boats on fire. When the foe saw this, they ran all through the isle with +loud cries, as if they were mad, so that our men did not know at first +what to do with them, for they trod all the corn down with their feet, +and tore up the vines just as the grapes were ripe, and did a great deal +of harm. + +At last they brought old Jaf to them, to tell them how kind they would +be to them, that they would save their lives, and give them part of the +isle to live in, if they would keep in their own bounds, and that they +should have corn to plant, and should make it grow for their bread. They +were but too glad to have such good terms of peace, and they soon learnt +to make all kinds of work with canes, wood, and sticks, such as chairs, +stools, and beds, and this they did with great skill when they were once +taught. + +From this time till I came back to the isle my friends saw no more wild +men. I now told the chief that I had not come to take off his men, but +to bring more, and to give them all such things as they would want to +guard their homes from foes, and cheer up their hearts. + +The next day I made a grand feast for them all, and the ship's cook and +mate came on shore to dress it. We brought out our rounds of salt beef +and pork, a bowl of punch, some beer, and French wines; and Carl gave +the cooks five whole kids to roast, three of which were sent to the crew +on board ship, that they, on their part, might feast on fresh meat from +shore. + +I gave each of the men a shirt, a coat, a hat, and a pair of shoes, and +I need not say how glad they were to meet with gifts so new to them. +Then I brought out the tools, of which each man had a spade, a rake, an +axe, a crow, a saw, a knife and such like things as well as arms, and +all that they could want for the use of them. + +As I saw there was a kind will on all sides, I now took on shore the +youth and the maid whom we had brought from the ship that we met on her +way to France. The girl had been well brought up, and all the crew had +a good word for her. As they both had a wish to be left on the isle, +I gave them each a plot of ground, on which they had tents and barns +built. + +I had brought out with me five men to live here, one of whom could turn +his hand to all sorts of things, so I gave him the name of "Jack of all +Trades." + +One day the French priest came to ask if I would leave my man Friday +here, for through him, he said, he could talk to the black men in their +own tongue, and teach them the things of God. "Need I add," said he, +"that it was for this cause that I came here?" I felt that I could not +part with my man Friday for the whole world, so I told the priest that +if I could have made up my mind to leave him here, I was quite sure that +Friday would not part from me. + +When I had seen that all things were in a good state on the isle, I set +to work to put my ship to rights, to go home once more. One day, as I +was on my way to it, the youth whom I had brought from the ship that +was burnt, came up to me, and said, "Sir, you have brought a priest with +you, and while you are here, we want him to wed two of us." + +I made a guess that one of these must be the maid that I had brought +to the isle, and that it was the wish of the young man to make her his +wife. I spoke to him with some warmth in my tone, and bade him turn it +well in his mind first, as the girl was not in the same rank of life as +he had been brought up in. But he said, with a smile, that I had made a +wrong guess, for it was "Jack of all Trades" that he had come to plead +for. It gave me great joy to hear this, as the maid was as good a girl +as could be, and I thought well of Jack; so on that day I gave her to +him. They were to have a large piece of ground to grow their crops on, +with a house to live in, and sheds for their goats. + +The isle was now set out in this way: all the west end was left waste, +so that if the wild men should land on it, they might come and go, and +hurt no one. My old house I gave to the chief, with all its woods, which +now spread out as far as the creek, and the south end was for the white +men and their wives. + +It struck me that there was one gift which I had not thought of, and +that was the book of God's Word, which I knew would give to those who +could feel the words in it, fresh strength for their work, and grace to +bear the ills of life. + +Now that I had been in the isle quite a month, I once more set sail on +the fifth day of May; and all my friends told me that they should stay +there till I came to fetch them. + +When we had been out three days, though the sea was smooth and calm, we +saw that it was quite black on the land side; and as we knew not what to +make of it, I sent the chief mate up the main mast to find out with his +glass what it could be. He said it was a fleet of scores and scores of +small boats, full of wild men who came fast at us with fierce looks. + +As soon as we got near them, I gave word to furl all sails and stop the +ship, and as there was nought to fear from them but fire, to get the +boats out and man them both well, and so wait for them to come up. + +In this way we lay by for them, and in a short time they came up with +us; but as I thought they would try to row round and so close us in, I +told the men in the boats not to let them come too near. This, though we +did not mean it, brought us to a fight with them, and they shot a cloud +of darts at our boats. We did not fire at them, yet in half an hour they +went back out to sea, and then came straight to us, till we were so near +that they could hear us speak. + +I bade my men keep close, so as to be safe from their darts if they +should shoot, and get out the guns. I then sent Friday on deck, to call +out to them in their own tongue and ask what they meant. It may be that +they did not know what he said, but as soon as he spoke to them I heard +him cry out that they would shoot. This was too true, for they let fly +a thick cloud of darts, and to my great grief poor Friday fell dead, for +there was no one else in their sight. He was shot with three darts, and +three more fell quite near him, so good was their aim. + +I was so mad with rage at the loss of my dear Friday, that I bade the +men load five guns with small shot, and four with large, and we gave +them such a fierce fire that in all their lives they could not have seen +one like it. Then a rare scene met our eyes: dread and fear came on them +all, for their boats, which were small, were split and sunk--three or +four by one shot. The men who were not dead had to swim, and those who +had wounds were left to sink, for all the rest got off as fast as they +could. Our boat took up one poor man who had to swim for his life, when +the rest had fled for the space of half an hour. In three hours' time, +we could not see more than three or four of their boats, and as a breeze +sprang up we set sail. + +At first the man whom we took on board would not eat or speak, and we +all had fears lest he should pine to death. But when we had taught him +to say a few words, he told us that his friends--the wild men-had come +out with their kin to have a great fight, and that all they meant was +to make us look at the grand sight. So it was for this that poor Friday +fell! He who had been as good and true to me as man could be! And now in +deep grief I must take my leave of him. + +We went on with a fair wind to All Saints' Bay, and here I found a sloop +that I had brought with me from home, that I might send men and stores +for the use of my friends in the isle. I taught the mate how to find the +place, and when he came back, I found that he had done so with ease. + +One of our crew had a great wish to go with the sloop, and live on the +isle, if the chief would give him land to plant. So I told him he should +go by all means, and gave him the wild man for his slave. I found, too, +that a man who had come with his wife and child and three slaves, to +hide from the king of Spain, would like to go, if he could have some +land there, though he had but a small stock to take with him; so I put +them all on board the sloop, and saw them safe out of the bay, on their +way to the isle. With them I sent three milch cows, five calves, a horse +and a colt, all of which, as I heard, went safe and sound. + +I have now no more to say of my isle, as I had left it for the last +time, but my life in lands no less far from home was not yet at an end. +From the Bay of All Saints we went straight to the Cape of Good Hope. +Here I made up my mind to part from the ship in which I had come from +the Isle, and with two of the crew to stay on land, and leave the rest +to go on their way. I soon made friends with some men from France, as +well as from my own land, and two Jews, who had come out to the Cape to +trade. + +As I found that some goods which I had brought with me from home were +worth a great deal, I made a large sum by the sale of them. When we had +been at the Cape of Good Hope for nine months, we thought that the best +thing we could do would be to hire a ship, and sail to the Spice Isles, +to buy cloves, so we got a ship, and men to work her, and set out. When +we had bought and sold our goods in the course of trade, we came back, +and then set out once more; so that, in short, as we went from port to +port, to and fro, I spent, from first to last, six years in this part of +the world. + +At length we thought we would go and seek new scenes where we could get +fresh gains. And a strange set of men we at last fell in with, as you +who read this tale will say when you look at the print in front of this +page. + +When we had put on shore, we made friends with a man who got us a large +house, built with canes, and a small kind of hut of the same near it. +It had a high fence of canes round it to keep out thieves, of whom, it +seems, there are not a few in that land. The name of the town was Ching, +and we found that the fair or mart which was kept there would not be +held for three or four months. So we sent our ship back to the Cape, as +we meant to stay in this part of the world for some time, and go from +place to place to see what sort of a land it was, and then come back to +the fair at Ching. + +We first went to a town which it was well worth our while to see, and +which must have been, as near as I can guess, quite in the heart of this +land. It was built with straight streets which ran in cross lines. + +But I must own, when I came home to the place of my birth, I was much +struck to hear my friends say such fine things of the wealth and trade +of these parts of the world, for I saw and knew that the men were a mere +herd or crowd of mean slaves. What is their trade to ours, or to that of +France and Spain? What are their ports, with a few junks and barks, to +our grand fleets? One of our large ships of war would sink all their +ships, one line of French troops would beat all their horse, and the +same may be said of their ports, which would not stand for one month +such a siege as we could bring to bear on them. + +In three weeks more we came to their chief town. When we had laid in a +large stock of tea, shawls, fans, raw silks, and such like goods, we set +out for the north. As we knew we should run all kinds of risks on our +way, we took with us a strong force to act as a guard, and to keep us +from the wild hordes who rove from place to place all through the land. +Some of our men were Scots, who had come out to trade here, and had +great wealth, and I was glad to join them, as it was by no means the +first time that they had been here. + +We took five guides with us, and we all put our coin in one purse, to +buy food on the way, and to pay the men who took charge of us. One of us +we chose out for our chief, to take the lead in case we should have to +fight for our lives; and when the time came, we had no small need of +him. On the sides of all the roads, we saw men who made pots, cups, +pans, and such like ware, out of a kind of earth, which is, in fact, the +chief trade in this part of the world. + +One thing, the guide said he would show me, that was not to be seen in +all the world else (and this, in good sooth, I could not sneer at, as +I had done at most of the things I had seen here), and this was a house +that was built of a kind of ware, such as most plates and cups are made +of. "How big is it?" said I, "can we take it on the back of a horse?" +"On a horse!" said the guide, "why, two score of men live in it." He +then took us to it, and I found that it was in truth a large house, +built with lath and the best ware that can be made out of earth. The +sun shone hot on the walls, which were quite white, hard, and smooth as +glass, with forms on them in blue paint. On the walls of the rooms were +small square tiles of the best ware, with red, blue, and green paint of +all shades and hues, in rare forms, done in good taste; and as they use +the same kind of earth to join the tiles with, you could not see where +the tiles met. The floors of the rooms were made of the same ware, and +as strong as those we have at home; and the same may be said of the +roofs, but they were of a dark shade. If we had had more time to spare, +I should have been glad to have seen more of this house, for there were +the ponds for the fish, the walks, the yards, and courts, which were +all made in the same way. This odd sight kept me from my friends for two +hours, and when I had come up to them, I had to pay a fine to our chief, +as they had to wait so long. + +In two days more we came to the Great Wall, which was made as a fort +to keep the whole land safe,--and a great work it is. It goes in a long +track for miles and miles, where the rocks are so high and steep that +no foe could climb them; or, if they did, no wall could stop them. The +Great Wall is as thick as it is high, and it turns and winds in all +sorts of ways. + +We now saw, for the first time, some troops of the hordes I spoke of, +who rove from place to place, to rob and kill all whom they meet with. +They know no real mode of war, or skill in fight. Each has a poor lean +horse, which is not fit to do good work. Our chief gave some of us leave +to go out and hunt as they call it, and what was it but to hunt sheep! +These sheep are wild and swift of foot, but they will not run far, and +you are sure of sport when you start in the chase. They go in flocks of +a score, or two, and like true sheep, keep close when they fly. In this +sort of chase it was our hap to meet with some two score of the wild +hordes, but what sort of prey they had come to hunt I know not. As soon +as they saw us, one of them blew some loud notes on a kind of horn, with +a sound that was quite new to me. We all thought this was to call their +friends round them, and so it was, for in a short time a fresh troop of +the same size came to join them; and they were all, as far as we could +judge, a mile off. One of the Scots was with us, and as soon as he heard +the horn, he told us that we must lose no time, but draw up in line, and +charge them at once. We told him we would, if he would take the lead. + +They stood still, and cast a wild gaze at us, like a mere crowd, drawn +up in no line; but as soon as they saw us come at them, they let fly +their darts, which did not hit us, for though their aim was true, they +fell short of us. We now came to a halt to fire at them, and then went +at full speed to fall on them sword in hand, for so the bold Scot that +led us, told us to do. + +As soon as we came up to them, they fled right and left. The sole stand +made was by three of them, who had a kind of short sword in their hands, +and bows on their backs, and who did all they could to call all the rest +back to them. The brave Scot rode close up to them, and with his gun +threw one off his horse, shot the next, and the third ran off, and this +was the end of our fight. All the bad luck we met with, was that the +sheep that we had in chase got off. We had not a man hurt, but as for +the foe, five of them were dead, and not a few had wounds, while the +rest fled at the mere noise of our guns. + +Thus we went on our way from town to town, and now and then met some +of these wild hordes, whom we had to fight and I need not add that each +time we had the best of the fray. At last we made our way to the chief +town of the North Seas at the end of a year, five months and three days, +from the time when we left Ching. When I had been there six weeks, and +had bought some more goods; I took ship and set sail for the land of my +birth, which I had left, this time, for ten years, nine months and three +days. + +And now I must bring this tale of my life to a close, while at the age +of three score years and twelve, I feel that the day is at hand, when +I shall go forth on that sea of peace and love, which has no waves or +shores but those of bliss that knows no end. + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Robinson Crusoe, by Mary Godolphin + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROBINSON CRUSOE *** + +***** This file should be named 6936.txt or 6936.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/6/9/3/6936/ + +Produced by Bruce W. 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Do not change or edit the +header without written permission. + +Please read the "legal small print," and other information about the +eBook and Project Gutenberg at the bottom of this file. Included is +important information about your specific rights and restrictions in +how the file may be used. You can also find out about how to make a +donation to Project Gutenberg, and how to get involved. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**eBooks Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*****These eBooks Were Prepared By Thousands of Volunteers!**** + + +Title: Robinson Crusoe +In Words of One Syllable + +Author: Mary Godolphin + +Release Date: November, 2004 [EBook #6936] +[Yes, we are more than one year ahead of schedule] +[This file was first posted on February 15, 2003] +[Date last updated: May 10, 2006] + +Edition: 10 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROBINSON CRUSOE/ONE SYLLABLE *** + + + + +This eBook was produced by Bruce W. Miller + + + + +ROBINSON CRUSOE. + +IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. + +BY MARY GODOLPHIN + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The production of a book which is adapted to the use of the +youngest readers needs but few words of excuse or apology. The +nature of the work seems to be sufficiently explained by the +title itself, and the author's task has been chiefly to reduce +the ordinary language into words of one syllable. But although, +as far as the subject matter is concerned, the book can lay no +claims to originality, it is believed that the idea and scope of +its construction are entirely novel, for the One Syllable +literature of the present day furnishes little more than a few +short, unconnected sentences, and those chiefly in spelling +books. + +The deep interest which De Foe's story has never failed to arouse +in the minds of the young, induces the author to hope that it may +be acceptable in its present form. + +It should be stated that exceptions to the rule of using words of +one syllable exclusively have been made in the case of the proper +names of the boy Xury and of the man Friday, and in the titles of +the illustrations that accompany this work. + + + + +ROBINSON CRUSOE. + +IN WORDS OF ONE SYLLABLE. + + +I was born at York on the first of March in the sixth year of the +reign of King Charles the First. From the time when I was quite a +young child, I had felt a great wish to spend my life at sea, and +as I grew, so did this taste grow more and more strong; till at +last I broke loose from my school and home, and found my way on +foot to Hull, where I soon got a place on board a ship. + +When we had set sail but a few days, a squall of wind came on, +and on the fifth night we sprang a leak. All hands were sent to +the pumps, but we felt the ship groan in all her planks, and her +beams quake from stem to stern; so that it was soon quite clear +there was no hope for her, and that all we could do was to save +our lives. + +The first thing was to fire off guns, to show that we were in +need of help, and at length a ship, which lay not far from us, +sent a boat to our aid. But the sea was too rough for it to lie +near our ship's side, so we threw out a rope, which the men in +the boat caught, and made fast, and by this means we all got in. +Still in so wild a sea it was in vain to try to get on board the +ship which had sent out the men, or to use our oars in the boat, +and all we could do was to let it drive to shore. + +In the space of half an hour our own ship struck on a rock and +went down, and we saw her no more. We made but slow way to the +land, which we caught sight of now and then when the boat rose +to the top of some high wave, and there we saw men who ran in +crowds, to and fro, all bent on one thing, and that was to save +us. + +At last to our great joy we got on shore, where we had the luck +to meet with friends who gave us the means to get back to Hull; +and if I had now had the good sense to go home, it would have +been well for me. + +The man whose ship had gone down said with a grave look, "Young +lad, you ought to go to sea no more, it is not the kind, of life +for you." "Why Sir, will you go to sea no more then?" "That is +not the same kind of thing; I was bred to the sea, but you were +not, and came on board my ship just to find out what a life at +sea was like, and you may guess what you will come to if you do +not go back to your home. God will not bless you, and it may be +that you have brought all this woe on us." + +I spoke not a word more to him; which way he went I knew not, nor +did I care to know, for I was hurt at this rude speech. Shall I +go home thought I, or shall I go to sea? Shame kept me from home, +and I could not make up my mind what course of life to take. + +As it has been my fate through life to choose for the worst, so I +did now. I had gold in my purse, and good clothes on my back, and +to sea I went once more. + +But I had worse luck this time than the last, for when we were +far out at sea, some Turks in a small ship came on our track in +full chase. We set as much sail as our yards would bear, so as to +get clear from them. But in spite of this, we saw our foes gain +on us, and we felt sure that they would come up with our ship in +a few hours' time. + +At last they caught us, but we brought our guns to bear on them, +which made them shear off for a time, yet they kept up a fire at +us as long as they were in range. The next time the Turks came +up, some of their men got on board our ship, and set to work to +cut the sails, and do us all kinds of harm. So, as ten of our men +lay dead, and most of the rest had wounds, we gave in. + +The chief of the Turks took me as his prize to a port which was +held by the Moors. He did not use me so ill as at first I thought +he would have done, but he set me to work with the rest of his +slaves. This was a change in my life which I did not think had +been in store for me. How my heart sank with grief at the thought +of those whom I had left at home, nay, to whom I had not had the +grace so much as to say "Good bye" when I went to sea, nor to +give a hint of what I meant to do! + +Yet all that I went through at this time was but a taste of the +toils and cares which it has since been my lot to bear. + +I thought at first that the Turk might take me with him when next +he went to sea, and so I should find some way to get free; but +the hope did not last long, for at such times he left me on shore +to see to his crops. This kind of life I led for two years, and +as the Turk knew and saw more of me, he made me more and more +free. He went out in his boat once or twice a week to catch a +kind of flat fish, and now and then he took me and a boy with +him, for we were quick at this kind of sport, and he grew quite +fond of me. + +One day the Turk sent me in the boat to catch some fish, with no +one else but a man and a boy. While we were out so thick a fog +came on that though we were out not half a mile from the shore, +we quite lost sight of it for twelve hours; and when the sun rose +the next day, our boat was at least ten miles out at sea. The +wind blew fresh, and we were all much in want of food, but at +last, with the help of our oars and sail, we got back safe to +land. + +When the Turk heard how we had lost our way, he said that the +next time he went out, he would take a boat that would hold all +we could want if we were kept out at sea. So he had quite a state +room built in the long boat of his ship, as well as a room for us +slaves. One day he sent me to trim the boat, as he had two +friends who would go in it to fish with him. But when the time +came they did not go, so he sent me with the man and the +boy--whose name was Xury--to catch some fish for the guests that +were to sup with him. + +Now the thought struck me all at once that this would be a good +chance to set off with the boat, and get free. So in the first +place, I took all the food that I could lay my hands on, and I +told the man that it would be too bold of us to eat of the bread +that had been put in the boat for the Turk. He said he thought so +too, and he brought down a small sack of rice and some rusks. + +While the man was on shore I put up some wine, a large lump of +wax, a saw, an axe, a spade, some rope, and all sorts of things +that might be of use to us. I knew where the Turk's case of wine +was, and I put that in the boat while the man was on shore. By +one more trick I got all that I had need of. I said to the boy, +"the Turk's guns are in the boat, but there is no shot. Do you +think you could get some? You know where it is kept, and we may +want to shoot a fowl or two." So he brought a case and a pouch +which held all that we could want for the guns. These I put in +the boat, and then set sail out of the port to fish. + +The wind blew, from the North, or North West, which was a bad +wind for me; for had it been South I could have made for the +coast of Spain. But, blow which way it might, my mind was made up +to get off, and to leave the rest to fate. I then let down my +lines to fish, but I took care to have bad sport; and when the +fish bit, I would not pull them up, for the Moor was not to see +them. I said to him, "This will not do, we shall catch no fish +here, we ought to sail on a bit." Well, the Moor thought there +was no harm in this. He set the sails, and, as the helm was in my +hands, I ran the boat out a mile or more, and then brought her +to, as if I meant to fish. + +Now, thought I, the time has come for me to get free! I gave the +helm to the boy, and then took the Moor round the waist, and +threw him out of the boat. + +Down he went! but soon rose up, for he swam like a duck. He said +he would go all round the world with me, if I would but take him +in. + +I had some fear lest he should climb up the boat's side, and +force his way back; so I brought my gun to point at him, and +said, "You can swim to land with ease if you choose, make haste +then to get there; but if you come near the boat you shall have a +shot through the head, for I mean to be a free man from this +hour." + +He then swam for the shore, and no doubt got safe there, as the +sea was so calm. + +At first I thought I would take the Moor with me, and let Xury +swim to land; but the Moor was not a man that I could trust. When +he was gone I said to Xury, "If you will swear to be true to me, +you shall be a great man in time; if not, I must throw you out of +the boat too." + +The poor boy gave me such a sweet smile as he swore to be true to +me, that I could not find it in my heart to doubt him. + +While the man was still in view (for he was on his way to the +land), we stood out to sea with the boat, so that he and those +that saw us from the shore might think we had gone to the +straits' mouth, for no one went to the South coast, as a tribe of +men dwelt there who were known to kill and eat their foes. + +We then bent our course to the East, so as to keep in with the +shore; and as we had a fair wind and a smooth sea, by the next +day at noon, we were not less than 150 miles out of the reach of +the Turk. + +I had still some fear lest I should be caught by the Moors, so I +would not go on shore in the day time. But when it grew dark we +made our way to the coast, and came to the mouth of a stream, +from which we thought we could swim to land, and then look round +us. But as soon as it was quite dark we heard strange sounds-- +barks, roars, grunts, and howls. The poor lad said he could +not go on shore till dawn. "Well," said I, "then we must give +it up, but it may be that in the day time we shall be seen +by men, who for all we know would do us more harm than wild +beasts." "Then we give them the shoot gun," said Xury with a +laugh, "and make them run away." I was glad to see so much mirth +in the boy, and gave him some bread and rice. + +We lay still at night, but did not sleep long, for in a few +hours' time some huge beasts came down to the sea to bathe. The +poor boy shook from head to foot at the sight. One of these +beasts came near our boat, and though it was too dark to see him +well, we heard him puff and blow, and knew that he must be a +large one by the noise he made. At last the brute came as near to +the boat as two oars' length, so I shot at him, and he swam to +the shore. + +The roar and cries set up by beasts and birds at the noise of my +gun would seem to show that we had made a bad choice of a place +to land on; but be that as it would, to shore we had to go to +find some fresh spring, so that we might fill our casks. Xury +said if I would let him go with one of the jars, he would find +out if the springs were fit to drink; and, if they were sweet, he +would bring the jar back full. "Why should you go?" said I; "Why +should not I go, and you stay in the boat?" At this Xury said, +"if wild mans come they eat me, you go way." I could not but love +the lad for this kind speech. "Well," said I, "we will both go, +and if the wild men come we must kill them, they shall not eat +you or me." + +I gave Xury some rum from the Turk's case to cheer him up, and we +went on shore. The boy went off with his gun, full a mile from +the spot where we stood, and came back with a hare that he had +shot, which we were glad to cook and eat; but the good news which +he brought was that he had found a spring, and had seen no wild +men. + +I made a guess that the Cape de Verd Isles were not far off, for +I saw the top of the Great Peak, which I knew was near them. My +one hope was that if I kept near the coast, I should find some +ship that would take us on board; and then, and not till then, +should I feel a free man. In a word, I put the whole of my fate +on this chance, that I must meet with some ship, or die. + +On the coast we saw some men who stood to look at us. They were +black, and wore no clothes. I would have gone on shore to them, +but Xury--who knew best--said, "Not you go! Not you go!" So I +brought the boat as near the land as I could, that I might talk +to them, and they kept up with me a long way. I saw that one of +them had a lance in his hand. + +I made signs that they should bring me some food, and they on +their part made signs for me to stop my boat. So I let down the +top of my sail, and lay by, while two of them ran off; and in +less than half an hour they came back with some dry meat and a +sort of corn which is grown in this part of the world. This we +should have been glad to get, but knew not how to do so; for we +durst not go on shore to them, nor did they dare to come to us. +At last they took a safe way for us all, for they brought the food +to the shore, where they set it, down, and then went a long way +off while we took it in. We made signs to show our thanks, for we +had not a thing that we could spare to give them. + +But as good luck would have it, we were at hand to take a great +prize for them; for two wild beasts, of the same kind as the +first I spoke of, came in, full chase from the hills down to the +sea. + +They swam as if they had come for sport. The men flew from them +in fear, all but the one who held the lance. One of these beasts +came near our boat; so I lay in wait for him with my gun; and as +soon as the brute was in range, I shot him through the head. +Twice he sank down in the sea, and twice he came up; and then +just swam to the land, where he fell down dead. The men were in +as much fear at the sound of my gun, as they had been at the +sight of the beasts. But when I made signs for them to come to +the shore, they took heart, and came. + +They at once made for their prize; and by the help of a rope, +which they slung round him, they brought him safe on the beach. + +We now left our wild men, and went on and on, for twelve days +more. The land in front of us ran out four or five miles, like a +bill; and we had to keep some way from the coast, to make this +point, so that we lost sight of the shore. + +I gave the helm to Xury and sat down to think what would be my +best course to take: when all at once I heard the lad cry out "A +ship with a sail! A ship with a sail!" He did not show much joy +at the sight, for he thought that this ship had been sent out to +take him back: but I knew well, from the look of her, that she +was not one of the Turk's. + +I made all the sail I could to come in the ship's way, and told +Xury to fire a gun, in the hope that if those on deck could not +hear the sound, they might see the smoke. This they did see, and +then let down their sails so that we might come up to them, and +in three hours time we were at the ship's side. The men spoke to +us in French, but I could not make out what they meant. At last a +Scot on board said in my own tongue, "Who are you? Whence do you +come?" I told him in a few words how I had got free from the +Moors. + +Then the man who had charge of the ship bade me come on board, +and took me in with Xury and all my goods. I told him that he +might take all I had, but he said "You shall have your goods back +when we come to land, for I have but done for you what you would +have done for me, had I been in the same plight." + +He gave me a good round sum for my boat, and said that I should +have the same sum for Xury, if I would part with him. But I told +him that as it was by the boy's help that I had got free, I was +loath to sell him. He said it was just and right in me to feel +thus, but at the same time, if I could make up my mind to part +with him, he should be set free in two years' time. So, as the +poor slave had a wish to go with him, I did not say "no." I got +to All Saints' Bay in three weeks, and was now a free man. + +I had made a good sum by all my store, and with this I went on +land. But I did not at all know what to do next. At length I met +with a man whose case was much the same as my own, and we both +took some land to farm. My stock, like his, was low, but we made +our farms serve to keep us in food, though not more than that. We +both stood in need of help, and I saw now that I had done wrong +to part with my boy. + +I did not at all like this kind of life. What! thought I, have I +come all this way to do that which I could have done as well at +home with my friends round me! And to add to my grief, the kind +friend, who had brought me here in his ship, now meant to leave +these shores. + +On my first start to sea when a boy, I had put a small sum in the +hands of an aunt, and this my friend said I should do well to +spend on my farm. So when he got home he sent some of it in cash, +and laid out the rest in cloth, stuffs, baize, and such like +goods. My aunt had put a few pounds in my friend's hands as a +gift to him, to show her thanks for all that he had done for me, +and with this sum he was so kind as to buy me a slave. In the +mean time I had bought a slave, so now I had two, and all went on +well for the next year. + +But soon my plans grew too large for my means. One day some men +came to ask me to take charge of a slave ship to be sent out by +them. They said they would give me a share in the slaves, and pay +the cost of the stock. This would have been a good thing for me +if I had not had farms and land; but it was wild and rash to +think of it now, for I had made a large sum, and ought to have +gone on in the same way for three or four years more. Well, I +told these men that I would go with all my heart, if they would +look to my farm in the mean time, which they said they would do. + +So I made my will, and went on board this ship on the same day on +which, eight years since, I had left Hull. She had six guns, +twelve men, and a boy. We took with us saws, chains, toys, beads, +bits of glass, and such like ware, to suit the taste of those +with whom we had to trade. + +We were not more than twelve days from the Line, when a high wind +took us off we knew not where. All at once there was a cry of +"Land!" and the ship struck on a bank of sand, in which she sank +so deep that we could not get her off. At last we found that we +must make up our minds to leave her, and get to shore as well as +we could. There had been a boat at her stern, but we found it +had been torn off by the force of the waves. One small boat was +still left on the ship's side, so we got in it. + +There we were all of us on the wild sea. The heart of each now +grew faint, our cheeks were pale, and our eyes were dim, for +there was but one hope, and that was to find some bay, and so get +in the lee of the land. We now gave up our whole souls to God. + +The sea grew more and more rough, and its white foam would curl +and boil. At last the waves, in their wild sport, burst on the +boat's side, and we were all thrown out. + +I could swim well, but the force of the waves made me lose my +breath too much to do so. At length one large wave took me to the +shore, and left me high and dry, though half dead with fear. I +got on my feet and made the best of my way for the land; but just +then the curve of a huge wave rose up as high as a hill, and this +I had no strength to keep from, so it took me back to the sea. I +did my best to float on the top, and held my breath to do so. The +next wave was quite as high, and shut me up in its bulk. I held +my hands down tight to my side, and then my head shot out at the +top of the waves. This gave me heart and breath too, and soon my +feet felt the ground. + +I stood quite still for a short time, to let the sea run back +from me, and then I set off with all my might to the shore, but +yet the waves caught me, and twice more did they take me back, +and twice more land me on the shore. I thought the last wave +would have been the death of me, for it drove me on a piece of +rock, and with such force, as to leave me in a kind of swoon, +which, thank God, did not last long. At length, to my great joy, +I got up to the cliffs close to the shore, where I found some +grass, out of the reach of the sea. There, I sat down, safe on +land at last. + +I could but cry out in the words of the Psalm, "They that go down +to the sea in ships, these men see the works of the Lord in the +deep. For at His word the storms rise, the winds blow, and lift +up the waves; then do they mount to the sky, and from thence go +down to the deep. My soul faints, I reel to and fro, and am at my +wit's end: then the Lord brings me out of all my fears." + +I felt so wrapt in joy, that all I could do was to walk up and +down the coast, now lift up my hands, now fold them on my breast, +and thank God for all that He had done for me, when the rest of +the men were lost. All lost but I, and I was safe! I now cast my +eyes round me, to find out what kind of a place it was that I had +been thus thrown in, like a bird in a storm. Then all the glee I +felt at first left me; for I was wet and cold, and had no dry +clothes to put on, no food to eat and not a friend to help me. + +There were wild beasts here, but I had no gun to shoot them with, +or to keep me from their jaws. I had but a knife and a pipe. It +now grew dark; and where was I to go for the night? I thought the +top of some high tree would be a good place to keep me out of +harm's way; and that there I might sit and think of death, for, +as yet, I had no hopes of life. Well, I went to my tree, and made +a kind of nest to sleep in. Then I cut a stick to keep off the +beasts of prey, in case they should come, and fell to sleep just +as if the branch I lay on had been a bed of down. + +When I woke up it was broad day; the sky too was clear and the +sea calm. But I saw from the top of the tree that in the night +the ship had left the bank of sand, and lay but a mile from me; +while the boat was on the beach, two miles on my right. I went +some way down by the shore, to get to the boat; but an arm of the +sea, half a mile broad, kept me from it. At noon, the tide went a +long way out, so that I could get near the ship; and here I found +that if we had but made up our minds to stay on board, we should +all have been safe. + +I shed tears at the thought, for I could not help it; yet, as +there was no use in that, it struck me that the best thing for me +to do was to swim to the ship. I soon threw off my clothes, took +to the sea, and swam up to the wreck. But how was I to get on +deck? I had swam twice round the ship, when a piece of rope, +caught my eye, which hung down from her side so low, that at +first the waves hid it. By the help of this rope I got on board. +I found that there was a bulge in the ship, and that she had +sprung a leak. You may be sure that my first thought was to look +round for some food, and I soon made my way to the bin, where the +bread was kept, and ate some of it as I went to and fro, for +there was no time to lose. There was, too, some rum, of which I +took a good draught, and this gave me heart. What I stood most in +need of, was a boat to take the goods to shore. But it was vain +to wish for that which could not be had; and as there were some +spare yards in the ship, two or three large planks of wood, and a +spare mast or two, I fell to work with these, to make a raft. + +I put four spars side by side, and laid short bits of plank on +them, cross ways, to make my raft strong. Though these planks +would bear my own weight, they were too slight to bear much of my +freight. So I took a saw which was on board, and cut a mast in +three lengths, and these gave great strength to the raft. I found +some bread and rice, a Dutch cheese, and some dry goat's flesh. +There had been some wheat, but the rats had got at it, and it was +all gone. + +My next task was to screen my goods from the spray of the sea; +and it did not take me long to do this, for there were three +large chests on board which held all, and these I put on the +raft. When the high tide came up it took off my coat and shirt, +which I had left on the shore; but there were some fresh clothes +in the ship. + +"See here is a prize!" said I, out loud, (though there were none +to hear me), "now I shall not starve." For I found four large +guns. But how was my raft to be got to land? I had no sail, no +oars; and a gust of wind would make all my store slide off. Yet +there were three things which I was glad of; a calm sea, a tide +which set in to the shore, and a slight breeze to blow me there. + +I had the good luck to find some oars in a part of the ship, in +which I had made no search till now. With these I put to sea, and +for half a mile my raft went well; but soon I found it drove to +one side. At length I saw a creek, to which, with some toil, I +took my raft; and now the beach was so near, that I felt my oar +touch the ground. + +Here I had well nigh lost my freight, for the shore lay on a +slope, so that there was no place to land on, save where one end +of the raft would lie so high, and one end so low, that all my +goods would fall off. To wait till the tide came up was all that +could be done. So when the sea was a foot deep, I thrust the raft +on a flat piece of ground, to moor her there, and stuck my two +oars in the sand, one on each side of the raft. Thus I let her +lie till the ebb of the tide, and when it went down, she was left +safe on land with all her freight. + +I saw that there were birds on the isle, and I shot one of them. +Mine must have been the first gun that had been heard there since +the world was made; for at the sound of it, whole flocks of birds +flew up, with loud cries, from all parts of the wood. The shape +of the beak of the one I shot was like that of a hawk, but the +claws were not so large. + +I now went back to my raft to land my stores, and this took up +the rest of the day. What to do at night I knew not, nor where to +find a safe place to land my stores on. I did not like to lie +down on the ground, for fear of beasts of prey, as well as +snakes, but there was no cause for these fears, as I have since +found. I put the chests and boards round me as well as I could, +and made a kind of hut for the night. + +As there was still a great store of things left in the ship, +which would be of use to me, I thought that I ought to bring them +to land at once; for I knew that the first storm would break up +the ship. So I went on board, and took good care this time not to +load my raft too much. + +The first thing, I sought for was the tool chest; and in it were +some bags of nails, spikes, saws, knives, and such things: but +best of all I found a stone to grind my tools on. There were two +or three flasks, some large bags of shot, and a roll of lead; but +this last I had not the strength to hoist up to the ship's side, +so as to get it on my raft. There were some spare sails too which +I brought to shore. + +I had some fear lest my stores might be run off with by beasts of +prey, if not by men; but I found all safe and sound when I went +back, and no one had come there but a wild cat, which sat on one +of the chests. When I came up I held my gun at her, but as she +did not know what a gun was, this did not rouse her. She ate a +piece of dry goat's flesh, and then took her leave. + +Now that I had two freights of goods at hand, I made a tent with +the ship's sails, to stow them in, and cut the poles for it from +the wood. I now took all the things out of the casks and chests, +and put the casks in piles round the tent, to give it strength; +and when this was done, I shut up the door with the boards, +spread one of the beds (which I had brought from the ship) on the +ground, laid two guns close to my head, and went to bed for the +first time. I slept all night, for I was much in need of rest. + +The next day I was sad and sick at heart, for I felt how dull it +was to be thus cut off from all the rest of the world. I had no +great wish for work: but there was too much to be done for me to +dwell long on my sad lot. Each day as it came, I went off to the +wreck to fetch more things; and I brought back as much as the +raft would hold. One day I had put too great a load on the raft, +which made it sink down on one side, so that the goods were lost +in the sea; but at this I did not fret, as the chief part of the +freight was some rope, which would not have been of much use to +me. + +The twelve days that I had been in the isle were spent in this +way, and I had brought to land all that one pair of hands could +lift; though if the sea had been still calm, I might have brought +the whole ship, piece by piece. + +The last time I swam to the wreck, the wind blew so hard, that I +made up my mind to go on board next time at low tide. I found +some tea and some gold coin; but as to the gold, it made me laugh +to look at it. "O drug!" said I, "Thou art of no use to me! I +care not to save thee. Stay where thou art, till the ship go +down, then go thou with it!" + +Still, I thought I might as well just take it; so I put it in a +piece of the sail, and threw it on deck that I might place it on +the raft. Bye-and-bye, the wind blew from the shore, so I had to +swim back with all speed; for I knew that at the turn of the +tide, I should find it hard work to get to land at all. But in +spite of the high wind, I came to my home all safe. At dawn of +day I put my head out, and cast my eyes on the sea. When lo! no +ship was there! + +This change in the face of things, and the loss of such a friend, +quite struck me down. Yet I was glad to think that I had brought +to shore all that could be of use to me. I had now to look out +for some spot where I could make my home. Half way up a hill +there was a small plain, four or five score feet long, and twice +as broad; and as it had a full view of the sea, I thought that +it would be a good place for my house. + +I first dug a trench round a space which took in twelve yards; +and in this I drove two rows of stakes, till they stood firm like +piles, five and a half feet from the ground. I made the stakes +close and tight with bits of rope; and put small sticks on the +top of them in the shape of spikes. This made so strong a fence +that no man or beast could get in. + +The door of my house was on the top, and I had to climb up to it +by steps, which I took in with me, so that no one else might come +up by the same way. Close to the back of the house stood a high +rock, in which I made a cave, and laid all the earth that I had +dug out of it round my house, to the height of a foot and a half. +I had to go out once a day in search of food. The first time, I +saw some goats, but they were too shy and swift of foot, to let +me get near them. + +At last I lay in wait for them close to their own haunts. If they +saw me in the vale, though they might be on high ground, they +would run off, wild with fear; but if they were in the vale, and +I on high ground, they took no heed of me. The first goat I shot +had a kid by her side, and when the old one fell, the kid stood +near her, till I took her off on my back, and then the young one +ran by my side. I put down the goat, and brought the kid home to +tame it; but as it was too young to feed, I had to kill it. + +At first I thought that, for the lack of pen and ink, I should +lose all note of time; so I made a large post, in the shape of a +cross, on which I cut these words, "I came on these shores on the +8th day of June, in the year 1659" On the side of this post I +made a notch each day as it came, and this I kept up till the +last. + +I have not yet said a word of my four pets, which were two cats, +a dog, and a bird. You may guess how fond I was of them, for they +were all the friends left to me. I brought the dog and two cats +from the ship. The dog would fetch things for me at all times, +and by his bark, his whine, his growl, and his tricks, he would +all but talk to me; yet he could not give me thought for thought. + +If I could but have had some one near me to find fault with, or +to find fault with me, what a treat it would have been! Now that +I had brought ink from the ship, I wrote down a sketch of each +day as it came; not so much to leave to those who might read it, +when I was dead and gone, as to get rid of my own thoughts, and +draw me from the fears which all day long dwelt on my mind, till +my head would ache with the weight of them. + +I was a long way out of the course of ships: and oh, how dull it +was to be cast on this lone spot with no one to love, no one to +make me laugh, no one to make me weep, no one to make me think. +It was dull to roam, day by day, from the wood to the shore; and +from the shore back to the wood, and feed on my own thoughts all +the while. + +So much for the sad view of my case; but like most things it had +a bright side as well as a dark one. For here was I safe on land, +while all the rest of the ship's crew were lost. Well, thought I, +God who shapes our ways, and led me by the hand then, can save me +from this state now, or send some one to be with me; true, I am +cast on a rough and rude part of the globe, but there are no +beasts of prey on it to kill or hurt me. God has sent the ship so +near to me, that I have got from it all things to meet my wants +for the rest of my days. Let life be what it may, there is sure +to be much to thank God for; and I soon gave up all dull +thoughts, and did not so much as look out for a sail. + +My goods from the wreck had been in the cave for more than ten +months; and it was time now to put them right, as they took up +all the space, and left me no room to turn in: so I made my small +cave a large one, and dug it out a long way back in the sand +rock. Then I brought the mouth of it up to the fence, and so made +a back way to my house. This done, I put shelves on each side, to +hold my goods, which made my cave look like a shop full of +stores. To make these shelves I cut down a tree, and with the +help of a saw, an axe, a plane, and some more tools, I made +boards. + +A chair, and a desk to write on, came next. I rose in good time, +and set to work till noon, then I ate my meal, then I went out +with my gun, and to work once more till the sun had set; and then +to bed. It took me more than a week to change the shape and size +of my cave, but I had made it far too large; for in course of +time the earth fell in from the roof; and had I been in it, when +this took place, I should have lost my life. I had now to set up +posts in my cave, with planks on the top of them, so as to make a +roof of wood. + +One day, when out with my gun, I shot a wild cat, the skin of +which made me a cap; and I found some birds of the dove tribe, +which built their nests in the holes of rocks. + +I had to go to bed at dusk, till I made a lamp of goat's fat, +which I put in a clay dish; and this, with a piece of hemp for a +wick, made a good light. As I had found a use for the bag which +had held the fowl's food on board ship, I shook out from it the +husks of corn. This was just at the time when the great rains +fell, and in the course of a month, blades of rice, corn, and +rye, sprang up. As time went by, and the grain was ripe, I kept +it, and took care to sow it each year; but I could not boast of a +crop of wheat, as will be shown bye-and-bye, for three years. + +A thing now took place on the isle, which no one could have +dreamt of, and which struck me down with fear. It was this--the +ground shook with great force, which threw down earth from the +rock with a loud crash--once more there was a shock--and now the +earth fell from the roof of my cave. The sea did not look the +same as it had done, for the shocks were just as strong there as +on land. The sway of the earth made me feel sick; and there was a +noise and a roar all around me. The same kind of shock came a +third time; and when it had gone off, I sat quite still on the +ground, for I knew not what to do. Then the clouds grew dark, the +wind rose, trees were torn up by the roots, the sea was a mass of +foam and froth, and a great part of the isle was laid waste with +the storm. I thought that the world had come to an end. In three +hours' time all was calm; but rain fell all that night, and a +great part of the next day. Now, though quite worn out, I had to +move my goods which were in the cave, to some safe place. + +I knew that tools would be my first want, and that I should have +to grind mine on the stone, as they were blunt and worn with use. +But as it took both hands to hold the tool, I could not turn the +stone; so I made a wheel by which I could move it with my foot. +This was no small task, but I took great pains with it, and at +length it was done. + +The rain fell for some days and a cold chill came on me; in short +I was ill. I had pains in my head, and could get no sleep at +night, and my thoughts were wild and strange. At one time I shook +with cold, and then a hot fit came on, with faint sweats, which +would last six hours at a time. Ill as I was, I had to go out +with my gun to get food. I shot a goat, but it was a great toil +to bring it home, and still more to cook it. + +I spent the next day in bed, and felt half dead from thirst, yet +too weak to stand up to get some drink. I lay and wept like a +child. "Lord look on me! Lord look on me!" would I cry for hours. + +At last the fit left me, and I slept, and did not wake till dawn. +I dreamt that I lay on the ground, and saw a man come down from a +great black cloud in a flame of light. When he stood on the +earth, it shook as it had done a few days since; and all the +world to me was full of fire. He came up and said "As I see that +all these things have not brought thee to pray, now thou shalt +die." Then I woke, and found it was a dream. Weak and faint, I +was in dread all day lest my fit should come on. + +Too ill to get out with my gun, I sat on the shore to think, and +thus ran my thoughts: "What is this sea which is all round me? +and whence is it? There can be no doubt that the hand that made +it, made the air, the earth, the sky. And who is that? It is God +who hath made all things. Well then, if God hath made all things, +it must be He who guides them; and if so, no one thing in the +whole range of His works can take place, and He not know it. Then +God must know how sick and sad I am, and He wills me to be here. +O, why hath God done this to me!" + +Then some voice would seem to say, "Dost thou ask why God hath +done this to thee? Ask why thou wert not shot by the Moors, who +came on board the ship, and took the lives of thy mates. Ask why +thou wert not torn by the beasts of prey on the coasts. Ask why +thou didst not go down in the deep sea with the rest of the crew, +but didst come to this isle, and art safe." + +A sound sleep then fell on me, and when I woke it must have been +three o'clock the next day, by the rays of the sun: nay, it may +have been more than that; for I think that this must have been +the day that I did not mark on my post, as I have since found +that there was one notch too few. + +I now took from my store the Book of God's Word, which I had +brought from the wreck, not one page, of which I had yet read. My +eyes fell on five words, that would seem to have been put there +for my good at this time; so well did they cheer my faint hopes, +and touch the true source of my fears. They were these: "I will +not leave thee." And they have dwelt in my heart to this day. I +laid down the book, to pray. My cry was "O, Lord, help me to love +and learn thy ways." + +This was the first time in all my life that I had felt a sense +that God was near, and heard me. As for my dull life here, it was +not worth a thought; for now a new strength had come to me; and +there was a change in my griefs, as well as in my joys. + +I had now been in the isle twelve months, and I thought it was +time to go all round it, in search of its woods, springs, and +creeks. So I set off, and brought back with me limes and grapes +in their prime, large and ripe. I had hung the grapes in the sun +to dry, and in a few days' time went to fetch them, that I might +lay up a store. The vale, on the banks of which they grew, was +fresh and green, and a clear, bright stream ran through it, which +gave so great a charm to the spot, as to make me wish to live +there. + +But there was no view of the sea from this vale, while from my +house, no ships could come on my side of the isle, and not be +seen by me; yet the cool, soft banks were so sweet and new to me +that much of my time was spent there. + +In the first of the three years in which I had grown corn, I had +sown it too late; in the next, it was spoilt by the drought; but +the third years' crop had sprung up well. + +I found that the hares would lie in it night and day, for which +there was no cure but to plant a thick hedge all round it; and +this took me more than three weeks to do. I shot the hares in the +day time; and when it grew dark, I made fast the dog's chain to +the gate, and there he stood to bark all night. + +In a short time the corn grew strong, and at last ripe but, just +as the hares had hurt it in the blade, so now the birds ate it in +the ear. At the noise of my gun, whole flocks of them would fly +up; and at this rate I saw that there would be no corn left; so I +made up my mind to keep a look out night and day. I hid by the +side of a hedge, and could see the birds sit on the trees and +watch, and then come down, one by one, at first. Now each grain +of wheat was, as it were, a small loaf of bread to me. So the +great thing was to get rid of these birds. My plan was this, I +shot three, and hung them up, like thieves, to scare all that +came to the corn; and from this time, as long as the dead ones +hung there, not a bird came near. When the corn was ripe, I made +a scythe out of the swords from the ship, and got in my crop. + +Few of us think of the cost at which a loaf of bread is made. Of +course, there was no plough here to turn up the earth, and no +spade to dig it with, so I made one with wood; but this was soon +worn out, and for want of a rake, I made use of the bough of a +tree. When I had got the corn home, I had to thrash it, part the +grain from the chaff, and store it up. Then came the want of a +mill to grind it, of sieves to clean it, and of yeast to make +bread of it. + +Still, my bread was made, though I had no tools; and no one could +say that I did not earn it, by the sweat of my brow. When the +rain kept me in doors, it was good fun to teach my pet bird Poll +to talk; but so mute were all things round me, that the sound of +my own voice made me start. + +My chief wants now were jars, pots, cups, and plates, but I knew +not how I could make them. At last I went in search of some clay, +and found some a mile from my house; but it was quite a joke to +see the queer shapes and forms that I made out of it. For some of +my pots and jars were too weak to bear their own weight; and they +would fall out here, and in there, in all sorts of ways; while +some, when they were put in the sun to bake, would crack with the +heat of its rays. You may guess what my joy was when at last a +pot was made which would stand the heat of the fire, so that I +could boil the meat for broth. + +The next thing to be made was a sieve, to part the grain from the +husks. Goat's hair was of no use to me, as I could not weave or +spin; so I made a shift for two years with a thin kind of stuff, +which I had brought from the ship. But to grind the corn with the +stones was the worst of all, such hard work did I find it. To +bake the bread I burnt some wood down to an ash, which I threw on +the hearth to heat it, and then set my loaves on the hearth, and +in this way my bread was made. + +The next thing to turn my thoughts to was the ship's boat, which +lay on the high ridge of sand, where it had been thrust by the +storm which had cast me on these shores. But it lay with the keel +to the sky, so I had to dig the sand from it, and turn it up with +the help of a pole. When I had done this I found it was all in +vain, for I had not the strength to launch it. So all I could do +now, was to make a boat of less size out of a tree; and I found +one that was just fit for it, which grew not far from the shore, +but I could no more stir this than I could the ship's boat. What +was to be done? I first dug the ground flat and smooth all the +way from the boat to the sea, so as to let it slide down; but +this plan did not turn out well, so I thought I would try a new +way, which was to make a trench, so as to bring the sea up to the +boat, as the boat could not be brought to the sea. But to do +this, I must have dug down to a great depth, which would take one +man some years to do. And when too late, I found it was not wise +to work out a scheme, till I had first thought of the cost and +toil. + +"Well," thought I, "I must give up the boat, and with it all my +hopes to leave the isle. But I have this to think of: I am lord +of the whole isle; in fact, a king. I have wood with which I +might build a fleet, and grapes, if not corn, to freight it with, +though all my wealth is but a few gold coins." For these I had no +sort of use, and could have found it in my heart to give them all +for a peck of peas and some ink, which last I stood much in need +of. But it was best to dwell more on what I had, than on what I +had not. + +I now must needs try once more to build a boat, but this time it +was to have a mast, for which the ship's sails would be of great +use. I made a deck at each end, to keep out the spray of the sea, +a bin for my food, and a rest for my gun, with a flap to screen +it from the wet. More than all, the boat was one of such a size +that I could launch it. + +My first cruise was up and down the creek, but soon I got bold, +and made the whole round of my isle. I took with me bread, cakes, +and a pot full of rice, some rum, half a goat, two great coats, +one of which was to lie on, and one to put on at night. I set +sail in the sixth year of my reign. On the East side of the isle, +there was a large ridge of rocks, which lay two miles from the +shore; and a shoal of sand lay for half a mile from the rocks to +the beach. To get round to this point, I had to sail a great way +out to sea; and here I all but lost my life. + +But I got back to my home at last. On my way there, quite worn +out with the toils of the boat, I lay down in the shade to rest +my limbs, and slept. But judge, if you can, what a start I gave, +when a voice woke me out of my sleep, and spoke my name three +times! A voice in this wild place! To call me by name, too! Then +the voice said, "Where are you? Where have you been? How came you +here?" But now I saw it all; for at the top of the hedge sat +Poll, who did but say the words she had been taught by me. + +I now went in search of some goats, and laid snares for them, +with rice for a bait I had set the traps in the night, and found +they had all stood, though the bait was gone. So I thought of a +new way to take them, which was to make a pit and lay sticks and +grass on it, so as to hide it; and in this way I caught an old +goat and some kids. But the old goat was much too fierce for me, +so I let him go. I brought all the young ones home, and let them +fast a long time, till at last they fed from my hand, and were +quite tame. I kept them in a kind of park, in which there were +trees to screen them from the sun. At first my park was three +miles round; but it struck me that, in so great a space, the kids +would soon get as wild as if they had the range of the whole +vale, and that it would be as well to give them less room; so I +had to make a hedge which took me three months to plant. My park +held a flock of twelve goats, and in two years more there were +more than two score. + +My dog sat at meals with me, and one cat on each side of me, on +stools, and we had Poll to talk to us. Now for a word or two as +to the dress in which I made a tour round the isle. I could but +think how droll it would look in the streets of the town in which +I was born. I wore a high cap of goat's skin, with a flap that +hung, down, to keep the sun and rain from my neck, a coat made +from the skin of a goat too, the skirts of which came down to my +hips, and the same on my legs, with no shoes, but flaps of the +fur round my shins. I had a broad belt of the same round my +waist, which drew on with two thongs; and from it, on my right +side, hung a saw and an axe; and on my left side a pouch for the +shot. My beard had not been cut since I came here. But no more +need be said of my looks, for there were few to see me. A strange +sight was now in store for me, which was to change the whole +course of my life in the isle. + +One day at noon, while on a stroll down to a part of the shore +that was new to me, what should I see on the sand but the print +of a man's foot! I felt as if I was bound by a spell, and could +not stir from, the spot. + +Bye-and-bye, I stole a look round me, but no one was in sight, +What could this mean? I went three or four times to look at it. +There it was--the print of a man's foot; toes, heel, and all the +parts of a foot. How could it have come there? + +My head swam with fear; and as I left the spot, I made two or +three steps, and then took a look round me; then two steps more, +and did the same thing. I took fright at the stump of an old +tree, and ran to my house, as if for my life. How could aught in +the shape of a man come to that shore, and I not know it? Where +was the ship that brought him? Then a vague dread took hold of my +mind, that some man, or set of men, had found me out; and it +might be, that they meant to kill me, or rob me of all I had. + +How strange a thing is the life of man! One day we love that +which the next day we hate. One day we seek what the next day we +shun. One day we long for the thing which the next day we fear; +and so we go on. Now, from the time that I was cast on this isle, +my great source of grief was that I should be thus cut off from +the rest of my race. Why, then, should the thought that a man +might be near give me all this pain? Nay, why should the mere +sight of the print of a man's foot, make me quake with fear? It +seems most strange; yet not more strange than true. + +Once it struck me that it might be the print of my own foot, when +first the storm cast me on these shores. Could I have come this +way from the boat? Should it in truth turn out to be the print of +my own foot, I should be like a boy who tells of a ghost, and +feels more fright at his own tale, than those do whom he meant to +scare. + +Fear kept me in-doors for three days, till the want of food drove +me out. At last I was so bold as to go down to the coast to look +once more at the print of the foot, to see if it was the same +shape as my own. I found it was not so large by a great deal; so +it was clear there were men in the isle. Just at this time my +good watch dog fell down dead at my feet. He was old and worn +out, and in him I lost my best guard and friend. + +One day as I went from the hill to the coast, a scene lay in +front of me which made me sick at heart. The spot was spread with +the bones of men. There was a round place dug in the earth, where +a fire had been made, and here some men had come to feast. Now +that I had seen this sight, I knew not how to act; I kept close +to my home, and would scarce stir from it, save to milk my flock +of goats. + +To feel safe was now more to me than to be well fed; and I did +not care to drive a nail, or chop a stick of wood, lest the sound +of it should be heard, much less would I fire a gun. As to my +bread and meat, I had to bake it at night when the smoke could +not be seen. But I soon found the way to burn wood with turf at +the top of it, which made it like chark, or dry coal; and this I +could use by day, as it had no smoke. + +I found in the wood where I went to get the sticks for my fire, a +cave so large that I could stand in it; but I made more haste to +get out, than in; for two large eyes, as bright as stars, shone +out from it with a fierce glare. I took a torch, and went to see +what they could be, and found that there was no cause for fear; +for the eyes were those of an old gray goat, which had gone there +to die of old age. I gave him a push, to try to get him out of +the cave, but he could not rise from the ground where he lay; so +I left him there to die, as I could not save his life. + +I found the width of the cave was twelve feet; but part of it, +near the end, was so low that I had to creep on my hands and feet +to go in. What the length of it was I could not tell, for my +light went out, and I had to give up my search. The next day, I +went to the cave with large lights made of goat's fat; and when I +got to the end, I found that the roof rose to two score feet or +more. + +As my lights shone on the walls and roof of the cave, a sight +burst on my view, the charms of which no tongue could tell; for +the walls shone like stars. What was in the rock to cause this it +was hard to say; they might be gems, or bright stones, or gold. +But let them be what they may, this cave was a mine of wealth to +me; for at such time as I felt dull or sad, the bright scene +would flash on my mind's eye, and fill it with joy. + +A score of years had gone by, with no new sight to rest my eyes +on, till this scene burst on them. I felt as if I should like to +spend the rest of my life here; and at its close, lie down to die +in this cave, like the old goat. + +As I went home I was struck by the sight of some smoke, which +came from a fire no more than two miles off. From this time I +lost all my peace of mind. Day and night a dread would haunt me, +that the men who had made this fire would find me out. I went +home and drew up my steps, but first I made all things round me +look wild and rude. To load my gun was the next thing to do, and +I thought it would be best to stay at home and hide. + +But this was not to be borne long. I had no spy to send out and +all I could do was to get to the top of the hill, and keep a good +look out. At last, through my glass, I could see a group of wild +men join in a dance round their fire. As soon a they had left, I +took two guns, and slung a sword on my side; then with all speed, +I set off to the top of the hill, once more to have a good view. + +This time I made up my mind to go up to the men, but not with a +view to kill them, for I felt that it would be wrong to do so. +With such a load of arms, it took me two hours to reach the spot +where the fire was; and by the time I got there, the men had all +gone; but I saw them in four boats out at sea. + +Down on the shore, there was a proof of what the work of these +men had been. The signs of their feast made me sick at heart, and +I shut my eyes. I durst not fire my gun when I went out for food +on that side the isle, lest there should be some of the men left, +who might hear it, and so find me out. This state of things went +on for a year and three months, and for all that time I saw no +more men. + +On the twelfth of May, a great storm of wind blew all day and +night. As it was dark, I sat in my house; and in the midst of the +gale, I heard a gun fire! My guess was that it must have been +from some ship cast on shore by the storm. So I set a light to +some wood on top of the hill, that those in the ship, if ship it +should be, might know that some one was there to aid them. I then +heard two more guns fire. When it was light, I went to the South +side of the isle, and there lay the wreck of a ship, cast on the +rocks in the night by the storm. She was too far off for me to +see if there were men on board. + +Words could not tell how much I did long to bring but one of the +ship's crew to the shore! So strong was my wish to save the life +of those on board, that I could have laid down my own life to do +so. There are some springs in the heart which, when hope stirs +them, drive the soul on with such a force, that to lose all +chance of the thing one hopes for, would seem to make one mad; +and thus was it with me. + +Now, I thought, was the time to use my boat; so I set to work at +once to fit it out. I took on board some rum (of which I still +had a good deal left), some dry grapes, a bag of rice, some +goat's milk, and cheese, and then put out to sea. A dread came on +me at the thought of the risk I had run on the same rocks; but my +heart did not quite fail me, though I knew that, as my boat was +small, if a gale of wind should spring up, all would be lost. +Then I found that I must go back to the shore till the tide +should turn, and the ebb come on. + +I made up my mind to go out the next day with the high tide, so I +slept that night in my boat. At dawn I set out to sea, and in +less than two hours I came up to the wreck. What a scene was +there! The ship had struck on two rocks. The stern was torn by +the force of the waves, the masts were swept off, ropes and +chains lay strewn on the deck, and all was wrapt in gloom. As I +came up to the wreck, a dog swam to me with a yelp and a whine. +I took him on board my boat, and when I gave him some bread he +ate it like a wolf, and as to drink, he would have burst, if I +had let him take his fill of it. + +I went to the cook's room, where I found two men, but they were +both dead. The tongue was mute, the ear was deaf, the eye was +shut, and the lip was stiff; still the sad tale was told, for +each had his arm round his friend's neck, and so they must have +sat to wait for death. What a change had come on the scene, once +so wild with the lash of the waves and the roar of the wind! All +was calm now--death had done its work, and all had felt its +stroke, save the dog, and he was the one thing that still had +life. + +I thought the ship must have come from Spain, and there was much +gold on board. I took some of the chests and put them in my boat, +but did not wait to see what they held, and with this spoil, and +three casks of rum, I came back. + +I found all things at home just as I had left them, my goats, my +cats, and my bird. The scene in the cook's room was in my mind +day and night, and to cheer me up I drank some of the rum. I then +set to work to bring my freight from the shore, where I had left +it. In the chests were two great bags of gold, and some bars of +the same, and near these lay three small flasks and three bags of +shot which were a great prize. + +From this time, all went well with me for two years; but it was +not to last. One day, as I stood on the hill, I saw six boats on +the shore! What could this mean? + +Where were the men who had brought them? And what had they come +for? I saw through my glass that there were a score and a half, +at least, on the east side of the isle. They had meat on the +fire, round which I could see them dance. They then took a man +from one of the boats, who was bound hand and foot; but when they +came to loose his bonds, he set off as fast as his feet would +take him, and in a straight line to my house. + +To tell the truth, when I saw all the rest of the men run to +catch him, my hair stood on end with fright. In the creek, he +swam like a fish, and the plunge which he took brought him +through it in a few strokes. All the men now gave up the chase +but two, and they swam through the creek, but by no means so fast +as the slave had done. Now, I thought, was the time for me to +help the poor man, and my heart told me it would be right to do +so. I ran down my steps with my two guns, and went with all speed +up the hill, and then down by a short cut to meet them. + +I gave a sign to the poor slave to come to me, and at the same +time went up to meet the two men, who were in chase of him. I +made a rush at the first of these, to knock him down with the +stock of my gun, and he fell. I saw the one who was left, aim at +me with his bow, so, to save my life, I shot him dead. + +The smoke and noise from my gun, gave the poor slave who had been +bound, such a shock, that he stood still on the spot, as if he +had been in a trance. I gave a loud shout for him to come to me, +and I took care to show him that I was a friend, and made all the +signs I could think of to coax him up to me. At length he came, +knelt down to kiss the ground, and then took hold of my foot, and +set it on his head. All this meant that he was my slave; and I +bade him rise, and made much of him. + +But there was more work to be done yet; for the man who had had +the blow from my gun was not dead. I made a sign for my slave (as +I shall now call him) to look at him. At this he spoke to me, and +though I could not make out what he said, yet it gave me a shock +of joy; for it was the first sound of a man's voice that I had +heard, for all the years I had been on the isle. + +The man whom I had struck with the stock of my gun, sat up; and +my slave, who was in great fear of him, made signs for me to lend +him my sword, which hung in a belt at my side. With this he ran +up to the man, and with one stroke cut off his head. When he had +done this, he brought me back my sword with a laugh, and put it +down in front of me. I did not like to see the glee with which he +did it, and I did not feel that my own life was quite safe with +such a man. + +He, in his turn, could but lift up his large brown hands with +awe, to think that I had put his foe to death, while I stood so +far from him. But as to the sword, he and the rest of his tribe +made use of swords of wood, and this was why he knew so well how +to wield mine. He made signs to me to let him go and see the man +who had been shot; and he gave him a turn round, first on this +side, then on that; and when he saw the wound made in his breast +by the shot, he stood quite, still once more, as if he had lost +his wits. I made signs for him to come back, for my fears told me +that the rest of the men might come in search of their friends. + +I did not like to take my slave to my house, nor to my cave; so I +threw down some straw from the rice plant for him to sleep on, +and gave him some bread and a bunch of dry grapes to eat. He was +a fine man, with straight strong limbs, tall, and young. His hair +was thick, like wool, and black. His head was large and high; and +he had bright black eyes. He was of a dark brown hue; his face +was round, and his nose small, but not flat; he had a good mouth +with thin lips, with which he could give a soft smile; and his +teeth were as white as snow. + +I had been to milk my goats in the field close by, and when he +saw me, he ran to me, and lay down on the ground to show me his +thanks. He then put his head on the ground, and set my foot on +his head, as he had done at first. He took all the means he could +think of, to let me know that he would serve me all his life; and +I gave a sign to show that I thought well of him. The next thing +was to think of some name to call him by. I chose that of the +sixth day of the week (Friday), as he came to me on that day. I +took care not to lose sight of him all that night, and when the +sun rose, I made signs for him to come to me, that I might give +him some clothes, for he wore none. We then went up to the top of +the hill, to look out for the men; but as we could not see them, +or their boats, it was clear that they had left the isle. + +My slave has since told me that they had had a great fight with +the tribe that dwelt next to them; and that all those men whom +each side took in war were their own by right. My slave's foes +had four who fell to their share, of whom he was one. + +I now set to work to make my man a cap of hare's skin, and gave +him a goat's skin to wear round his waist. It was a great source +of pride to him, to find that his clothes were as good as my own. + +At night, I kept my guns, sword, and bow close to my side; but +there was no need for this, as my slave was, in sooth, most true +to me. He did all that he was set to do, with his whole heart in +the work; and I knew that he would lay down his life to save +mine. What could a man do more than that? And oh, the joy to have +him here to cheer me in this lone isle! + +I did my best to teach him, so like a child as he was, to do and +feel all that was right, I found him apt, and full of fun; and he +took great pains to learn all that I could tell him. Our lives +ran on in a calm, smooth way; and, but for the vile feasts which +were held on the shores, I felt no wish to leave the isle. + +As my slave had by no means lost his zest for these meals, it +struck me that the best way to cure him, was to let him taste the +flesh of beasts; so I took him with me one day to the wood for +some sport. I saw a she-goat, in the shade, with her two kids. I +caught Friday by the arm, and made signs to him not to stir, and +then shot one of the kids; but the noise of the gun gave the poor +man a great shock. He did not see the kid, nor did he know that +it was dead. He tore his dress off his breast to feel if there +was a wound there; then he knelt down to me, and took hold of my +knees to pray of me not to kill him. + +To show poor Friday that his life was quite safe, I led him by +the hand, and told him to fetch the kid. By and by, I saw a hawk +in a tree, so I bade him look at the gun, the hawk, and the +ground; and then I shot the bird. But my poor slave gave still +more signs of fear this time, than he did at first: for he shook +from head to foot. He must have thought that some fiend of death +dwelt in the gun, and I think that he would have knelt down to +it, as well as to me; but he would not so much as touch the gun +for some time, though he would speak to it when he thought I was +not near. Once he told me that what he said to it was to ask it +not to kill him. + +I brought home the bird, and made broth of it. Friday was much +struck to see me eat salt with it, and made a wry face; but I, in +my turn, took some that had no salt with it, and I made a wry +face at that. The next day I gave him a piece of kid's flesh, +which I had hung by a string in front of the fire to roast. My +plan was to put two poles, one on each side of the fire, and a +stick, on the top of them to hold the string. When my slave came +to taste the flesh, he took the best means to let me know how +good he thought it. + +The next day I set him to beat out and sift some corn. I let him +see me make the bread, and he soon did all the work. I felt quite +a love for his true, warm heart, and he soon learnt to talk to +me. One day I said, "Do the men of your tribe win in fight?" He +told me, with a smile, that they did. "Well, then," said I, "How +came they to let their foes take you?" + +"They run one, two, three, and make go in the boat that time." + +"Well, and what do the men do with those they take?" + +"Eat them all up." + +This was not good news for me, but I went on, and said, "Where do +they take them?" + +"Go to next place where they think." + +"Do they come here?" + +"Yes, yes, they come here, come else place too." + +"Have you been here with them twice?" + +"Yes, come there." + +He meant the North West side of the isle, so to this spot I took +him the next day. He knew the place, and told me he was there +once with a score of men. To let me know this, he put a score of +stones all of a row, and made me count them. + +"Are not the boats lost on your shore now and then?" He said that +there was no fear, and that no boats were lost. He told me that +up a great way by the moon--that is where the moon then came +up--there dwelt a tribe of white men like me, with beards. I felt +sure that they must have come from Spain, to work the gold mines. +I put this to him: "Could I go from this isle and join those +men?" + +"Yes, yes, you may go in two boats." + +It was hard to see how one man could go in two boats, but what he +meant was, a boat twice as large as my own. + +One day I said to my slave, "Do you know who made you?" + +But he could not tell at all what these words meant. So I said, +"Do you know who made the sea, the ground we tread on, the hills, +and woods?" He said it was Beek, whose home was a great way off, +and that he was so old that the sea and the land were not so old +as he. + +"If this old man has made all things, why do not all things bow +down to him?" + +My slave gave a grave look, and said, "All things say 'O' to +him." + +"Where do the men in your land go when they die?" + +"All go to Beek." + +I then held my hand up to the sky to point to it, and said, "God +dwells there. He made the world, and all things in it. The moon +and the stars are the work of his hand. God sends the wind and +the rain on the earth, and the streams that flow: He hides the +face of the sky with clouds, makes the grass to grow for the +beasts of the field, and herbs for the use of man. God's love +knows no end. When we pray, He draws near to us and hears us." + +It was a real joy to my poor slave to hear me talk of these +things. He sat still for a long time, then gave a sigh, and told +me that he would say "O" to Beek no more, for he was but a short +way off, and yet could not hear, till men went up the hill to +speak to him. + +"Did you go up the hill to speak to him?" said I. + +"No, Okes go up to Beek, not young mans." + +"What do Okes say to him?" + +"They say 'O.'" + +Now that I brought my man Friday to know that Beek was not the +true God, such was the sense he had of my worth, that I had fears +lest I should stand in the place of Beek. I did my best to call +forth his faith in Christ, and make it strong and clear, till at +last--thanks be to the Lord--I brought him to the love of Him, +with the whole grasp of his soul. + +To please my poor slave, I gave him a sketch of my whole life; I +told him where I was born, and where I spent my days when a +child. He was glad to hear tales of the land of my birth, and of +the trade which we keep up, in ships, with all parts of the known +world. I gave him a knife and a belt, which made him dance with +joy. + +One day as we stood on the top of the hill at the east side of +the isle, I saw him fix his eyes on the main land, and stand for +a long time to, gaze at it; then jump and sing, and call out to +me. + +"What do you see?" said I. + +"Oh joy!" said he, with a fierce glee in his eyes, "Oh glad! There +see my land!" + +Why did he strain his eyes to stare at this land, as if he had a +wish to be there? It put fears in my mind which made me feel far, +less at my ease with him. Thought I, if he should go back to his +home, he will think no more of what I have taught him, and done +for him. He will be sure to tell the rest of his tribe all my +ways, and come back with, it may be, scores of them, and kill me, +and then dance round me, as they did round the men, the last time +they came on my isle. + +But these were all false fears, though they found a place in my +mind a long while; and I was not so kind to him now as I had +been. From this time I made it a rule, day by day, to find out if +there were grounds for my fears or not. I said, "Do you not wish +to be once more in your own land?" + +"Yes! I be much O glad to be at my own land." + +"What would you do there? Would you turn wild, and be as you +were?" + +"No, no, I would tell them to be good, tell them eat bread, corn, +milk, no eat man more!" + +"Why, they would kill you!" + +"No, no, they no kill; they love learn." + +He then told me that some white men, who had come on their shores +in a boat, had taught them a great deal. + +"Then will you go back to your land with me?" + +He said he could not swim so far, so I told him he should help me +to build a boat to go in. Then he said, "If you go, I go." + +"I go? why they would eat me!" + +"No, me make them much love you." + +Then he told me as well as he could, how kind they had been to +some white men. I brought out the large boat to hear what he +thought of it, but he said it was too small. We then went to look +at the old ship's boat, which, as it had been in the sun for +years, was not at all in a sound state. The poor man made sure +that it would do. But how were we to know this? I told him we +should build a boat as large as that, and that he should go home +in it. He spoke not a word, but was grave and sad. + +"What ails you?" said I. + +"Why, you grieve mad with your man?" + +"What do you mean? I am not cross with you." + +"No cross? no cross with me? Why send your man home to his own +land, then?" + +"Did you not tell me you would like to go back?" + +"Yes, yes, we both there; no wish self there, if you not there!" + +"And what should I do there?" + +"You do great deal much good! you teach wild men be good men; you +tell them know God, pray God, and lead new life." + +We soon set to work to make a boat that would take us both. The +first thing was to look out for some large trees that grew near +the shore, so that we could launch our boat when it was made. My +slave's plan was to burn the wood to make it the right shape; but +as mine was to hew it, I set him to work with my tools; and in +two months' time we had made a good strong boat; but it took a +long while to get her down to the shore. + +Friday had the whole charge of her; and, large as she was, he +made her move with ease, and said, "he thought she go there well, +though great blow wind!" He did not know that I meant to make a +mast and sail. I cut down a young fir tree for the mast, and then +I set to work at the sail. It made me laugh to see my man stand +and stare, when he came to watch me sail the boat. But he soon +gave a jump, a laugh, and a clap of the hands when he saw the +sail jibe and fall, first on this side, then on that. + +The next thing to do was to stow our boat up in the creek, where +we dug a small dock; and when the tide was low, we made a dam, to +keep out the sea. The time of year had now come for us to set +sail, so we got out all our stores, to put them in the boat. + +One day I sent Friday to the shore, to get a sort of herb that +grew there. I soon heard him cry out to me, "O grief! O bad! O +bad! O out there boats, one, two, three!" "Keep a stout heart," +said I, to cheer him. The poor man shook with fear; for he +thought that the men who brought him here, had now come back to +kill him. + +"Can you fight?" said I. + +"Me shoot; but me saw three boats; one, two, three!" + +"Have no fear; those that we do not kill, will be sure to take +fright at the sound of our guns. Now will you stand by me, and do +just as you are bid?" + +"Me die when you bid die." + +I gave him a good draught of rum; and when he had drunk this, he +took up an axe and two guns, each of which had a charge of swan +shot. I took two guns as well, and put large shot in them, and +then hung my great sword by my side. From the top of the bill, I +saw with the help of my glass, that the boats had each brought +eight men, and one slave. They had come on shore near the creek, +where a grove of young trees grew close down to the sea. + +They had with them three slaves, bound hand and foot, and you who +read this, may guess what they were brought here for. I felt that +I must try and save them from so hard a fate, and that to do +this, I should have to put some of their foes to death. So we set +forth on our way. I gave Friday strict charge to keep close to +me, and not to fire till I told him to do so. + +We went full a mile out of our way, that we might get round to +the wood to bide there. But we had not gone far, when my old +qualms came back to me, and I thought, "Is it for me to dip my +hands in man's blood? Why should I kill those who have done me no +harm, and mean not to hurt me? Nay, who do not so much as know +that they are in the wrong, when they hold these feasts. Are not +their ways a sign that God has left them (with the rest of their +tribe) to their own dull hearts? God did not call me to be a +judge for Him. He who said, 'Thou shalt not kill,' said it for +me, as well as the rest of the world." + +A throng of thoughts like these would rush on my mind, as if to +warn me to pause, till I felt sure that there was more to call me +to the work than I then knew of. I took my stand in the wood, to +watch the men at their feast, and then crept on, with Friday +close at my heels. Thus we went till we came to the skirts of +the wood. Then I said to. Friday, "Go up to the top of that tree, +and bring me word if you can see the men." + +He went, and quick as thought, came back to say that they were +all round the fire, and that the man who was bound on the sand +would be the next they would kill. But when he told me that it +was a white man, one of my own race, I felt the blood boil in my +veins. Two of the gang had gone to loose the white man from his +bonds; so now was the time to fire. + +At the sound of our guns, we saw all the men jump up from the +ground where they sat. It must have been the first gun the I had +heard in their lives. They knew not which way to look. I now +threw down my piece, and took up a small gun; Friday did the +same; and I gave him the word to fire! The men ran right and +left, with yells and screams. + +I now made a rush out of the wood, that they might see me, with +my man Friday at my heels, of course. We gave a loud shout, and +ran up to the white man as fast as we could. There he lay on the +hot sand. I cut the flag, or rush, by which he was bound, but he +was too weak to stand or speak, so I gave him some rum. He let me +know by all the signs that he could think of, how much he stood +in my debt for all that I had done for him. + +I said, "We will talk of that bye and bye; but now we must do +what we can to save our lives." Friday, who was free to go where +he chose, flew here and there, and put all the men to the rout. +They fled in full haste to their boats, and were soon out at sea; +and so we got rid of our foes at last. + +The man whom we had found on the sand told us that his name was +Carl, and that he came from Spain. But there was one more man to +claim our care; for the black men had left a small boat on the +sands, and in this I saw a poor wretch who lay half dead. He +could not so much as look up, so tight was he bound, neck and +heels. When I cut the bonds from him he gave a deep groan, for he +thought that all this was but to lead him out to die. + +Friday then came up, and I bade him speak to the old man in his +own tongue, and tell him that he was free. This good news gave +him strength, and he sat up in the boat. But when Friday came to +hear him talk, and to look him in the face, it brought the tears +to my eyes to see him kiss and hug the poor old man, and dance +round him with joy, then weep, wring his hands, and beat his own +face and head, and then laugh once more, sing, and leap. For a +long time he could not speak to me, so as to, let me know what +all this meant. But at length he told me that he was the son of +this poor old man, and that his name was Jaf. + +It would be a hard task for me to tell of all the quaint, signs +Friday made to show his joy. He went in and out of the boat five +or six times, sat down by old Jaf, and held the poor old man's +head close to his breast to warm it; then he set to work to rub +his arms and feet, which were cold and stiff from the bonds. I +told Friday to give him some rum and bread; but he said, "None! +Bad dog eat all up self." He then ran off straight to the house, +and took no heed of my calls, but went as swift as a deer. + +In an hour's time, he came back with a jug in his hand. The good +soul had gone all the way to the house, that Jaf might have a +fresh draught from my well; and with it he brought two cakes, +one of which I bade him take to Carl, who lay in the shade of a +tree. His limbs were stiff and cold, and he was too weak to say a +word. + +I set my man to rub his feet with rum, and while he did so, I saw +Friday turn his head round from time to time, to steal a look at +the old man. Then we brought Carl and Jaf home from the boat on +our backs, as they could not walk. The door of my house was at +the top, and the poor sick men could not climb the steps by which +I got in, so we made for them a tent of old sails. + +I was now a king of these three men, as well as Lord of the isle; +and I felt proud to say, "They all owe their lives to their king, +and would lay them down for him if he bade them do so." But I did +not think that my reign was so soon to come to an end. The next +thing for us to do was to give Carl and Jaf some food, and to +kill and roast a kid, to which we all four sat down, and I did my +best to cheer them. + +Carl in a few days grew quite strong, and I set him to work to +dig some land for seed; for it was clear we should want more corn +now that we had two more mouths to fill. So we put in the ground +all the stock of grain I had, and thus we all four had as much +work as we could do for some time. When the crop grew, and was +ripe, we found we had a good store of grain. + +We made a plan that Carl and Jaf should go back to the main land, +to try if they could get some of the white men who had been cast +on shore there, to come and live with us; so they got out the +boat, and took with them two guns and food for eight days. They +were to come back in a week's time, and I bade them hang out a +sign when they came in sight, so that we might know who they +were. + +One day, Friday ran up to me in great glee, and said, "They are +back! They are back!" A mile from shore, there was a boat with a +sail, which stood in for the land; but I knew it could not be the +one which our two friends had gone out in, for it was on the +wrong side of the isle for that. I saw too, through my glass, a +ship out at sea. There were twelve men in the boat, three of whom +were bound in chains, and four had fire arms. + +Bye and bye, I saw one of the men raise his sword to those who +were in chains, and I felt sure that all was not right. Then I +saw that the three men who had been bound were set free; and when +they had come on shore they lay on the ground, in the shade of a +tree. I was soon at their side, for their looks, so sad and worn, +brought to my mind the first few hours I had spent in this wild +spot, where all to me was wrapt in gloom. + +I went up to these men, and said: + +"Who are you, Sirs?" + +They gave a start at my voice and at my strange dress, and made a +move as if they would fly from me. I said, "Do not fear me, for +it may be that you have a friend at hand, though you do not think +it." "He must be sent from the sky then," said one of them with a +grave look; and he took off his hat to me at the same time. "All +help is from thence, Sir," I said; "but what can I do to aid you? +You look as if you had some load of grief on your breast. I saw +one of the men lift his sword as if to kill you." + +The tears ran down the poor man's face, as he said, + +"Is this a god, or is it but a man?" "Have no doubt on that +score, Sir," said I, "for a god would not have come with a dress +like this. No, do not fear--nor raise your hopes too high; for +you see but a man, yet one who will do all he can to help you. +Your speech shows me that you come from the same land as I do. I +will do all I can to serve you. Tell me your case." "Our case, +Sir, is too long to you while they who would kill us are so near. +My name is Paul. To be short, Sir, my crew have thrust me out of +my ship, which you see out there, and have left me here to die. +It was as much as I could do to make them sheath their swords, +which you saw were drawn to slay me. They have set me down in +this isle with these two men, my friend here, and the ship's +mate." + +"Where have they gone?" said I. + +"There, in the wood, close by. I fear they may have seen and +heard us. If they have, they will be sure to kill us all." + +"Have they fire-arms?" + +"They have four guns, one of which is in the boat." + +"Well then, leave all to me!" + +"There are two of the men," said he, "who are worse than the +rest. All but these I feel sure would go back to work the ship." + +I thought it was best to speak out to Paul at once, and I said, +"Now if I save your life, there are two things which you must +do." But he read my thoughts, and said, "If you save my life, you +shall do as you like with me and my ship, and take her where you +please." + +I saw that the two men, in whose charge the boat had been left, +had come on shore; so the first thing I did was to send Friday to +fetch from it the oars, the sail, and the gun. And now the ship +might be said to be in our hands. When the time came for the men +to go back to the ship, they were in a great rage; for, as the +boat had now no sail nor oars, they knew not how to get out to +their ship. + +We heard them say that it was a strange sort of isle, for that +sprites had come to the boat, to take off the sails and oars. We +could see them run to and fro, with great rage; then go and sit +in the boat to rest, and then come on shore once more. When they +drew near to us, Paul and Friday would fain have had me fall on +them at once. But my wish was to spare them, and kill as few as I +could. I told two of my men to creep on their hands and feet +close to the ground, so that they might not be seen, and when +they got up to the men, not to fire till I gave the word. + +They had not stood thus long, when three of the crew came up to +us. Till now, we had but heard their voice, but when they came so +near as to be seen, Paul and Friday stood up and shot at them. +Two of the men fell dead, and they were the worst of the crew, +and the third ran off. At the sound of the guns I came up, but it +was so dark that the men could not tell if there were three of us +or three score. + +It fell out just as I could wish, for I heard the men ask, "To +whom must we yield, and where are they?" Friday told them that +Paul was there with the king of the isle, who had brought with +him a crowd of men! At this one of the crew said, "If Paul will +spare our lives, we will yield." "Then," said Friday, "you shall +know the king's will." Then Paul said to them, "You know my +voice; if you lay down your arms the king will spare your lives!" + +They fell on their knees to beg the same of me. I took good care +that they did not see me, but I gave them my word that they +should all live, that I should take four of them to work the +ship, and that the rest would be bound hand and foot, for the +good faith of the four. This was to show them what a stern king I +was. + +Of course I soon set them free, and I put them in a way to take +my place on the isle. I told them of all my ways, taught them how +to mind the goats, how to work the farm, and make the bread. I +gave them a house to live in, fire arms, tools, and my two tame +cats, in fact, all but Poll and my gold. + +As I sat on the top of the hill, Paul came up to me. He held out +his hand to point to the ship, and with much warmth took me to +his arms, and said, "My dear friend, there is your ship! For she +is all yours, and so are we, and all that is in her." + +I cast my eyes to the ship, which rode half a mile off the shore, +at the mouth of the creek, and near the place where I had brought +my rafts to the land. Yes, there she stood, the ship that was to +set me free, and to take me where I might choose to go. She set +her sails to the wind, and her flags threw out their gay stripes +in the breeze. Such a sight was too much for me, and I fell down +faint with joy. Paul then took out a flask which he had brought +for me, and gave me a dram, which I drank, but for a good while I +could not speak to him. + +Friday and Paul then went on board the ship, and Paul took charge +of her once more. We did not start that night, but at noon the +next day I left the isle! + +That lone isle, where I had spent so great a part of my life--not +much less than thrice ten long years. + +When I came back to the dear land of my birth, all was strange +and new to me. I went to my old home at York, but none of my +friends were there, and to my great grief I saw, on the stone at +their grave, the sad tale of their death. + +As they had thought, of course, that I was dead, they had not +left me their wealth and lands, so that I stood much in want of +means, for it was but a small sum that I had brought with me from +the isle. But in this time of need, I had the luck to find my +good friend who once took me up at sea. He was now grown too old +for work, and had put his son in the ship in his place. He did +not know me at first, but I was soon brought to his mind when I +told him who I was. I found from him that the land which I had +bought on my way to the isle was now worth much. + +As it was a long way off, I felt no wish to go and live there so +I made up my mind to sell it, and in the course of a few months, +I got for it a sum so large as to make me a rich man all at once. + +Weeks, months, and years went by; I had a farm, a wife, and two +sons, and was by no means young; but still I could not get rid of +a strong wish which dwelt in my thoughts by day and my dreams by +night, and that was to set foot once more in my old isle. + +I had now no need to work for food, or for means of life; all I +had to do was to teach my boys to be wise and good, to live at my +ease, and see my wealth grow day by day. Yet the wish to go back +to my wild haunts clung round me like a cloud, and I could in no +way drive it from me, so true is it that "what is bred in the +bone will not come out of the flesh." + +At length I lost my wife, which was a great blow to me, and my +home was now so sad, that I made up my mind to launch out once +more on the broad sea, and go with my man Friday to that lone +isle where dwelt all my hopes. + +I took with me as large a store of tools, clothes, and such like +goods as I had room for, and men of skill in all kinds of trades, +to live in the isle. When we set sail, we had a fair wind for +some time, but one night the mate, who was at the watch, told me +he saw a flash of fire, and heard a gun go off. At this we all +ran on deck, from whence we saw a great light, and as there was +no land that way, we knew that it must be some ship on fire at +sea, which could not be far off, for we heard the sound of the +gun. + +The wind was still fair, so we made our way for the point where +we saw the light, and in half an hour, it was but too plain that +a large ship was on fire in the midst of the broad sea. I gave +the word to fire off five guns, and we then lay by, to wait till +break of day. But in the dead of the night, the ship blew up in +the air, the flames shot forth, and what there was left of the +ship sank. We hung out lights, and our guns kept up a fire all +night long, to let the crew know that there was help at hand. + +At eight o'clock the next day we found, by the aid of the glass, +that two of the ship's boats were out at sea, quite full of men. +They had seen us, and had done their best to make us see them, +and in half an hour we came up with them. + +It would be a hard task for me to set forth in words the scene +which took place in my ship, when the poor French folk (for such +they were) came on board. As to grief and fear, these are soon +told--sighs, tears, and groans make up the sum of them--but such +a cause of joy as this was, in sooth, too much for them to bear, +weak and all but dead as they were. + +Some would send up shouts of joy that rent the sky; some would +cry and wring their hands as if in the depths of grief; some +would dance, laugh, and sing; not a few were dumb, sick, faint, +in a swoon, or half mad; and two or three were seen to give +thanks to God. + +In this strange group, there was a young French priest who did +his best to soothe those round him, and I saw him go up to some +of the crew, and say to them, "Why do you scream, and tear your +hair, and wring your hands, my men? Let your joy be free and +full, give it full range and scope, but leave off this trick of +the hands, and lift them up in praise; let your voice swell out, +not in screams, but in hymns of thanks to God, who has brought +you out of so great a strait, for this will add peace to your +joy." + +The next day, they were all in a right frame of mind, so I gave +them what stores I could spare, and put them on board a ship that +we met with on her way to France, all save five who, with the +priest, had a wish to join me. + +But we had not set sail long, when we fell in with a ship that +had been blown out to sea by a storm, and had lost her masts; +and, worse than all, her crew had not had an ounce of meat or +bread for ten days. I gave them all some food, which they ate +like wolves in the snow, but I thought it best to check them, as +I had fears that so much all at once would cause the death of +some of them. + +There were a youth and a young girl in the ship who the mate said +he thought must be dead, but he had not had the heart to go near +them, for the food was all gone. I found that they were faint for +the want of it, and as it were in the jaws of death; but in a +short time they both got well, and as they had no wish to go back +to their ship, I took them with me. So now I had eight more on +board my ship, than I had when I first set out. + +In three months from the time when I left home, I came in sight +of my isle, and I brought the ship safe up, by the side of the +creek, which was near my old house. + +I went up to Friday, to ask if he knew where he was. He took a +look round him, and soon, with a clap of the hands, said "O yes! +O there! O yes! O there!" Bye and bye, he set up a dance with +such wild glee, that it was as much as I could do to keep him on +deck. "Well, what think you, Friday?" said I; "shall we find +those whom we left still here?--Shall we see poor old Jaf?" He +stood quite mute for a while, but when I spoke of old Jaf (whose +son Friday was), the tears ran down his face, and the poor soul +was as sad as could be. "No, no," said he, "no more, no, no +more." + +As we caught sight of some men at the top of the hill, I gave +word to fire three guns, to show that we were friends, and soon +we saw smoke rise from the side of the creek. I then went on +shore in a boat, with the priest and Friday, and hung out a white +flag of peace. The first man I cast my eyes on at the creek, was +my old friend Carl, who, when I was last on the isle, had been +brought here in bonds. + +I gave strict charge to the men in the boat not to go on shore, +but Friday could not be kept back, for with his quick eye he had +caught sight of old Jaf. It brought the tears to our eyes to see +his joy when he met the old man. He gave him a kiss, took him up +in his arms, set him down in the shade, then stood a short way +off to look at him, as one would look at a work of art, then felt +him with his hand, and all this time he was in full talk, and +told him, one by one, all the strange tales of what he had seen +since they had last met. + +As to my friend Carl, he came up to me, and with much warmth +shook my hands, and then took me to my old house, which he now +gave up to me. I could no more have found the place, than if I +had not been there at all. The rows of trees stood so thick and +close, that the house could not be got at, save by such blind +ways as none but those who made them could find out. "Why have +you built all these forts?" said I. Carl told me that he felt +sure I should say there was much need of them, when I heard how +they had spent their time since they had come to the isle. + +He brought twelve men to the spot where I stood, and said, "Sir, +all these men owe their lives to you." Then, one by one, they +came up to me, not as if they had been the mere crew of a ship, +but like men of rank who had come to kiss the hand of their king. + +The first thing was to bear all that had been done in the isle +since I had left it. But I must first state that, when we were on +the point to set sail from the isle, a feud sprang up on board +our ship, which we could not put down, till we had laid two of +the men in chains. The next day, these two men stole each of them +a gun and some small arms, and took the ship's boat, and ran off +with it to join the three bad men on shore. + +As soon as I found this out, I sent the long-boat on shore, with +twelve men and the mate, and off they went to seek the two who +had left the ship. But their search was in vain, nor could they +find one of the rest, for they had all fled to the woods when +they saw the boat. We had now lost five of the crew, but the +three first were so much worse than the last two, that in a few +days they sent them out of doors, and would have no more to do +with them, nor would they for a long while give them food to eat. + +So the two poor men had to live as well as they could by hard +work, and they set up their tents on the north shore of the isle, +to be out of the way of the wild men, who were wont to land on +the east side. Here they built them two huts, one to lodge in, +and one to lay up their stores in; and the men from Spain gave +them some corn for seed, as well as some peas which I had left +them. They soon learned to dig, and plant, and hedge in their +land, in the mode which I had set for them, and in short, to lead +good lives, so that I shall now call them the "two good men." + +But when the three bad men saw, this, they were full of spite, +and came one day to tease and vex them. They told them that the +isle was their own, and that no one else had a right to build on +it, if they did not pay rent. The two good men thought at first +that they were in jest, and told them to come and sit down, and +see what fine homes they had built, and say what rent they would +ask. + +But one of the three said they should soon see that they were not +in jest, and took a torch in his hand, and put it to the roof of +the but, and would have set it on fire, had not one of the two +good men trod the fire out with his feet. The bad man was in such +a rage at this, that he ran at him with a pole he had in his +hand, and this brought on a fight, the end of which was that the +three men had to stand off. But in a short time they came back, +and trod down the corn, and shot the goats and young kids, which +the poor men had got to bring up tame for their store. + +One day when the two men were out, they came to their home, and +said, "Ha! there's the nest, but the birds are flown." They then +set to work to pull down both the huts, and left not a stick, nor +scarce a sign on the ground to show where the tents had stood. +They tore up, too, all the goods and stock that they could find, +and when they had done this, they told it all to the men of +Spain, and said, "You, sirs, shall have the same sauce, if you do +not mend your ways." + +They then fell to blows and hard words, but Carl had them bound +in cords, and took their arms from them. The men of Spain then +said they would do them no harm, and if they would live at peace +they would help them, and that they should live with them as they +had done till that time, but they could not give them back their +arms for three or four months. + +One night Carl--whom I shall call "the chief," as he took the +lead of all the rest--felt a great weight on his mind, and could +get no sleep, though he was quite well in health. He lay still +for some time, but as he, did not feel at case, he got up, and +took a look out. But as it was too dark to see far, and he heard +no noise, he went back to his bed. Still it was all one, he could +not sleep; and though he knew not why, his thoughts would give +him no rest. + +He then woke up one of his friends, and told him how it had been +with him. "Say you so?" said he "What if there should be some bad +plot at work near us!" They then set off to the top of the hill, +where I was wont to go, and from thence they saw the light of a +fire, quite a short way from them, and heard the sounds of men, +not of one or two, but of a great crowd. We need not doubt that +the chief and the man with him now ran back at once, to tell all +the rest what they had seen; and when they heard the news, they +could not be kept close where they were, but must all run out to +see how things stood. + +At last they thought that the best thing to do would be, while it +was dark, to send old Jaf out as a spy, to learn who they were, +and what they meant to do. When the old man had been gone an hour +or two, he brought word back that he had been in the midst of the +foes, though they had not seen him, and that they were in two +sets or tribes who were at war, and had come there to fight. And +so it was, for in a short time they heard the noise of the fight, +which went on for two hours, and at the end, with three loud +shouts or screams, they left the isle in their boats. Thus my +friends were set free from all their fears, and saw no more of +their wild foes for some time. + +One day a whim took the three bad men that they would go to the +main land, from whence the wild men came, and try if they could +not seize some of them, and bring them home as slaves, so as to +make them do the hard part of their work for them. The chief gave +them all the arms and stores that they could want, and a large +boat to go in, but when they bade them "God speed," no one +thought that they would find their way back to the isle. But lo! +in three weeks and a day, they did in truth come back. One of the +two good men was the first to catch sight of them, and tell the +news to his friends. + +The men said that they had found the land in two days, and that +the wild men gave them roots and fish to eat, and were so kind as +to bring down eight slaves to take back with them, three of whom +were men and five were girls. So they gave their good hosts an +axe, an old key, and a knife, and brought off the slaves in their +boat to the isle. As the chief and his friends did not care to +wed the young girls, the five men who had been the crew of Paul's +ship drew lots for choice, so that each had a wife, and the three +men slaves were set to work for the two good men, though there +was not much for them to do. + +But one of them ran off to the woods, and they could not hear of +him more. They had good cause to think that he found his way +home, as in three or four weeks some wild men came to the isle, +and when they had had their feast and dance, they went off in two +days' time. So my friends might well fear that if this slave got +safe home, he would be sure to tell the wild men that they were +in the isle, and in what part of it they might be found. And so +it came to pass, for in less than two months, six boats of wild +men, with eight or ten men in each boat, came to the north side +of the isle, where they had not been known to come up to that +time. + +The foe had brought their boats to land, not more than a mile +from the tent of the two good men, and it was there that the +slave who had run off had been kept. These men had the good luck +to see the boats when they were a long way off, so that it took +them quite an hour from that time to reach the shore. + +My friends now had to think how that hour was to be spent. The +first thing they did was to bind the two slaves that were left, +and to take their wives, and as much of their stores as they +could, to some dark place in the woods. They then sent a third +slave to the chief and his men, to tell them the news, and to ask +for help. + +They had not gone far in the woods, when they saw, to their great +grief and rage, that their huts were in flames, and that the wild +men ran to and fro, like beasts in search of prey. But still our +men went on, and did not halt, till they came to a thick part of +the wood, where the large trunk of an old tree stood, and in this +tree they both took their post. But they had not been there long, +when two of the wild men ran that way, and they saw three more, +and then five more, who all ran the same way, as if they knew +where they were. + +Our two poor men made up their minds to let the first two pass, +and then take the three and the five in line, as they came up, +but to fire at one at a time, as the first shot might chance to +hit all three. + +So the man who was to fire put three or four balls in his gun, +and from a hole in the tree, took a sure aim, and stood still +till the three wild men came so near that he could not miss them. +They soon saw that one of these three was the slave that had fled +from them, as they both knew him well, and they made up their +minds that they would kill him, though they should both fire. + +At the first shot two of the wild men fell dead, and the third +had a graze on his arm, and though not much hurt, sat down on the +ground with loud screams and yells. When the five men who came +next, heard the sound of the gun and the slave's cries, they +stood still at first, as if they were struck dumb with fright. So +our two men both shot off their guns in the midst of them, and +then ran up and bound them safe with cords. + +They then went to the thick part of the wood, where they had put +their wives and slaves, to see if all were safe there, and to +their joy they found that though the wild men had been quite near +them, they had not found them out. While they were here, the +chief and his men came up, and told them that the rest had gone +to take care of my old house and grove, in case the troop of wild +men should spread so far that way. + +They then went back to the burnt huts, and when they came in +sight of the shore, they found that their foes had all gone out +to sea. So they set to work to build up their huts, and as all +the men in the isle lent them their aid, they were soon in a way +to thrive once more. For five or six months they saw no more of +the wild men. But one day a large fleet of more than a score of +boats came in sight, full of men who had bows, darts, clubs, +swords, and such like arms of war, and our friends were all in +great fear. + +As they came at dusk, and at the East side of the isle, our men +had the whole night to think of what they should do. And as they +knew that the most safe way was to hide and lie in wait, they +first of all took down the huts which were built for the two good +men, and drove their goats to the cave, for they thought the wild +men would go straight there as soon as it was day, and play the +old game. + +The next day they took up their post with all their force at the +wood, near the home of the two men, to wait for the foe. They +gave no guns to the slaves, but each of them had a long staff +with a spike at the end of it, and by his side an axe. There were +two of the wives who could not be kept back, but would go out and +fight with bows and darts. + +The wild men came on with a bold and fierce mien, not in a line, +but all in crowds here and there, to the point were our men lay +in wait for them. When they were so near as to be in range of the +guns, our men shot at them right and left with five or six balls +in each charge. As the foe came up in close crowds, they fell +dead on all sides, and most of those that they did not kill were +much hurt, so that great fear and dread came on them all. + +Our men then fell on them from three points with the butt end of +their guns, swords, and staves, and did their work so well that +the wild men set up a loud shriek, and flew for their lives to +the woods and hills, with all the speed that fear and swift feet +could help them to do. As our men did not care to chase them, +they got to the shore where they had come to land and where the +boats lay. + +But their rout was not yet at an end, for it blew a great storm +that day from the sea, so that they could not put off. And as the +storm went on all that night, when the tide came up, the surge of +the sea drove most of their boats so high on the shore, that they +could not be got off save with great toil, and the force of the +waves on the beach broke some of them to bits. + +At break of day, our men went forth to find them, and when they +saw the state of things, they got some dry wood from a dead tree, +and set their boats on fire. When the foe saw this, they ran all +through the isle with loud cries, as if they were mad, so that +our men did not know at first what to do with them, for they trod +all the corn down with their feet, and tore up the vines just as +the grapes were ripe, and did a great deal of harm. + +At last they brought old Jaf to them, to tell them how kind they +would be to them, that they would save their lives, and give them +part of the isle to live in, if they would keep in their own +bounds, and that they should have corn to plant, and should make +it grow for their bread. They were but too glad to have such good +terms of peace, and they soon learnt to make all kinds of work +with canes, wood, and sticks, such as chairs, stools, and beds, +and this they did with great skill when they were once taught. + +From this time till I came back to the isle my friends saw no +more wild men. I now told the chief that I had not come to take +off his men, but to bring more, and to give them all such things +as they would want to guard their homes from foes, and cheer up +their hearts. + +The next day I made a grand feast for them all, and the ship's +cook and mate came on shore to dress it. We brought out our +rounds of salt beef and pork, a bowl of punch, some beer, and +French wines; and Carl gave the cooks five whole kids to roast, +three of which were sent to the crew on board ship, that they, on +their part, might feast on fresh meat from shore. + +I gave each of the men a shirt, a coat, a hat, and a pair of +shoes, and I need not say how glad they were to meet with gifts +so new to them. Then I brought out the tools, of which each man +had a spade, a rake, an axe, a crow, a saw, a knife and such like +things as well as arms, and all that they could want for the use +of them. + +As I saw there was a kind will on all sides, I now took on shore +the youth and the maid whom we had brought from the ship that we +met on her way to France. The girl had been well brought up, and +all the crew had a good word for her. As they both had a wish to +be left on the isle, I gave them each a plot of ground, on which +they had tents and barns built. + +I had brought out with me five men to live here, one of whom +could turn his hand to all sorts of things, so I gave him the +name of "Jack of all Trades." + +One day the French priest came to ask if I would leave my man +Friday here, for through him, he said, he could talk to the black +men in their own tongue, and teach them the things of God. "Need +I add," said he, "that it was for this cause that I came here?" I +felt that I could not part with my man Friday for the whole +world, so I told the priest that if I could have made up my mind +to leave him here, I was quite sure that Friday would not part +from me. + +When I had seen that all things were in a good state on the isle, +I set to work to put my ship to rights, to go home once more. One +day, as I was on my way to it, the youth whom I had brought from +the ship that was burnt, came up to me, and said, "Sir, you have +brought a priest with you, and while you are here, we want him to +wed two of us." + +I made a guess that one of these must be the maid that I had +brought to the isle, and that it was the wish of the young man to +make her his wife. I spoke to him with some warmth in my tone, +and bade him turn it well in his mind first, as the girl was not +in the same rank of life as he had been brought up in. But he +said, with a smile, that I had made a wrong guess, for it was +"Jack of all Trades" that he had come to plead for. It gave me +great joy to hear this, as the maid was as good a girl as could +be, and I thought well of Jack; so on that day I gave her to him. +They were to have a large piece of ground to grow their crops on, +with a house to live in, and sheds for their goats. + +The isle was now set out in this way: all the west end was left +waste, so that if the wild men should land on it, they might come +and go, and hurt no one. My old house I gave to the chief, with +all its woods, which now spread out as far as the creek, and the +south end was for the white men and their wives. + +It struck me that there was one gift which I had not thought of, +and that was the book of God's Word, which I knew would give to +those who could feel the words in it, fresh strength for their +work, and grace to bear the ills of life. + +Now that I had been in the isle quite a month, I once more set +sail on the fifth day of May; and all my friends told me that +they should stay there till I came to fetch them. + +When we had been out three days, though the sea was smooth and +calm, we saw that it was quite black on the land side; and as we +knew not what to make of it, I sent the chief mate up the main +mast to find out with his glass what it could be. He said it was +a fleet of scores and scores of small boats, full of wild men who +came fast at us with fierce looks. + +As soon as we got near them, I gave word to furl all sails and +stop the ship, and as there was nought to fear from them but +fire, to get the boats out and man them both well, and so wait +for them to come up. + +In this way we lay by for them, and in a short time they came up +with us; but as I thought they would try to row round and so +close us in, I told the men in the boats not to let them come too +near. This, though we did not mean it, brought us to a fight with +them, and they shot a cloud of darts at our boats. We did not +fire at them, yet in half an hour they went back out to sea, and +then came straight to us, till we were so near that they could +hear us speak. + +I bade my men keep close, so as to be safe from their darts if +they should shoot, and get out the guns. I then sent Friday on +deck, to call out to them in their own tongue and ask what they +meant. It may be that they did not know what he said, but as soon +as he spoke to them I heard him cry out that they would shoot. +This was too true, for they let fly a thick cloud of darts, and +to my great grief poor Friday fell dead, for there was no one +else in their sight. He was shot with three darts, and three more +fell quite near him, so good was their aim. + +I was so mad with rage at the loss of my dear Friday, that I bade +the men load five guns with small shot, and four with large, and +we gave them such a fierce fire that in all their lives they +could not have seen one like it. Then a rare scene met our eyes: +dread and fear came on them all, for their boats, which were +small, were split and sunk--three or four by one shot. The men +who were not dead had to swim, and those who had wounds were left +to sink, for all the rest got off as fast as they could. Our boat +took up one poor man who had to swim for his life, when the rest +had fled for the space of half an hour. In three hours' time, we +could not see more than three or four of their boats, and as a +breeze sprang up we set sail. + +At first the man whom we took on board would not eat or speak, +and we all had fears lest he should pine to death. But when we +had taught him to say a few words, he told us that his friends-- +the wild men-had come out with their kin to have a great fight, +and that all they meant was to make us look at the grand sight. +So it was for this that poor Friday fell! He who had been as +good and true to me as man could be! And now in deep grief I +must take my leave of him. + +We went on with a fair wind to All Saints' Bay, and here I found +a sloop that I had brought with me from home, that I might send +men and stores for the use of my friends in the isle. I taught +the mate how to find the place, and when he came back, I found +that he had done so with ease. + +One of our crew had a great wish to go with the sloop, and live +on the isle, if the chief would give him land to plant. So I told +him he should go by all means, and gave him the wild man for his +slave. I found, too, that a man who had come with his wife and +child and three slaves, to hide from the king of Spain, would +like to go, if he could have some land there, though he had but a +small stock to take with him; so I put them all on board the +sloop, and saw them safe out of the bay, on their way to the +isle. With them I sent three milch cows, five calves, a horse and + a colt, all of which, as I heard, went safe and sound. + +I have now no more to say of my isle, as I had left it for the +last time, but my life in lands no less far from home was not yet +at an end. From the Bay of All Saints we went straight to the +Cape of Good Hope. Here I made up my mind to part from the ship +in which I had come from the Isle, and with two of the crew to +stay on land, and leave the rest to go on their way. I soon made +friends with some men from France, as well as from my own land, +and two Jews, who had come out to the Cape to trade. + +As I found that some goods which I had brought with me from home +were worth a great deal, I made a large sum by the sale of them. +When we had been at the Cape of Good Hope for nine months, we +thought that the best thing we could do would be to hire a ship, +and sail to the Spice Isles, to buy cloves, so we got a ship, and +men to work her, and set out. When we had bought and sold our +goods in the course of trade, we came back, and then set out once +more; so that, in short, as we went from port to port, to and +fro, I spent, from first to last, six years in this part of the +world. + +At length we thought we would go and seek new scenes where we +could get fresh gains. And a strange set of men we at last fell +in with, as you who read this tale will say when you look at the +print in front of this page. + +When we had put on shore, we made friends with a man who got us a +large house, built with canes, and a small kind of hut of the +same near it. It had a high fence of canes round it to keep out +thieves, of whom, it seems, there are not a few in that land. The +name of the town was Ching, and we found that the fair or mart +which was kept there would not be held for three or four months. +So we sent our ship back to the Cape, as we meant to stay in this +part of the world for some time, and go from place to place to +see what sort of a land it was, and then come back to the fair at +Ching. + +We first went to a town which it was well worth our while to see, +and which must have been, as near as I can guess, quite in the +heart of this land. It was built with straight streets which ran +in cross lines. + +But I must own, when I came home to the place of my birth, I was +much struck to hear my friends say such fine things of the wealth +and trade of these parts of the world, for I saw and knew that +the men were a mere herd or crowd of mean slaves. What is their +trade to ours, or to that of France and Spain? What are their +ports, with a few junks and barks, to our grand fleets? One of +our large ships of war would sink all their ships, one line of +French troops would beat all their horse, and the same may be +said of their ports, which would not stand for one month such a +siege as we could bring to bear on them. + +In three weeks more we came to their chief town. When we had laid +in a large stock of tea, shawls, fans, raw silks, and such like +goods, we set out for the north. As we knew we should run all +kinds of risks on our way, we took with us a strong force to act +as a guard, and to keep us from the wild hordes who rove from +place to place all through the land. Some of our men were Scots, +who had come out to trade here, and had great wealth, and I was +glad to join them, as it was by no means the first time that they +had been here. + +We took five guides with us, and we all put our coin in one +purse, to buy food on the way, and to pay the men who took charge +of us. One of us we chose out for our chief, to take the lead in +case we should have to fight for our lives; and when the time +came, we had no small need of him. On the sides of all the roads, +we saw men who made pots, cups, pans, and such like ware, out of +a kind of earth, which is, in fact, the chief trade in this part +of the world. + +One thing, the guide said he would show me, that was not to be +seen in all the world else (and this, in good sooth, I could not +sneer at, as I had done at most of the things I had seen here), +and this was a house that was built of a kind of ware, such as +most plates and cups are made of. "How big is it?" said I, "can +we take it on the back of a horse?" "On a horse!" said the guide, +"why, two score of men live in it." He then took us to it, and I +found that it was in truth a large house, built with lath and the +best ware that can be made out of earth. The sun shone hot on the +walls, which were quite white, hard, and smooth as glass, with +forms on them in blue paint. On the walls of the rooms were small +square tiles of the best ware, with red, blue, and green paint of +all shades and hues, in rare forms, done in good taste; and as +they use the same kind of earth to join the tiles with, you could +not see where the tiles met. The floors of the rooms were made of +the same ware, and as strong as those we have at home; and the +same may be said of the roofs, but they were of a dark shade. If +we had had more time to spare, I should have been glad to have +seen more of this house, for there were the ponds for the fish, +the walks, the yards, and courts, which were all made in the same +way. This odd sight kept me from my friends for two hours, and +when I had come up to them, I had to pay a fine to our chief, as +they had to wait so long. + +In two days more we came to the Great Wall, which was made as a +fort to keep the whole land safe,--and a great work it is. It +goes in a long track for miles and miles, where the rocks are so +high and steep that no foe could climb them; or, if they did, no +wall could stop them. The Great Wall is as thick as it is high, +and it turns and winds in all sorts of ways. + +We now saw, for the first time, some troops of the hordes I spoke +of, who rove from place to place, to rob and kill all whom they +meet with. They know no real mode of war, or skill in fight. Each +has a poor lean horse, which is not fit to do good work. Our +chief gave some of us leave to go out and hunt as they call it, +and what was it but to hunt sheep! These sheep are wild and swift +of foot, but they will not run far, and you are sure of sport +when you start in the chase. They go in flocks of a score, or +two, and like true sheep, keep close when they fly. In this sort +of chase it was our hap to meet with some two score of the wild +hordes, but what sort of prey they had come to hunt I know not. +As soon as they saw us, one of them blew some loud notes on a +kind of horn, with a sound that was quite new to me. We all +thought this was to call their friends round them, and so it was, +for in a short time a fresh troop of the same size came to join +them; and they were all, as far as we could judge, a mile off. +One of the Scots was with us, and as soon as he heard the horn, +he told us that we must lose no time, but draw up in line, and +charge them at once. We told him we would, if he would take the +lead. + +They stood still, and cast a wild gaze at us, like a mere crowd, +drawn up in no line; but as soon as they saw us come at them, +they let fly their darts, which did not hit us, for though their +aim was true, they fell short of us. We now came to a halt to +fire at them, and then went at full speed to fall on them sword +in hand, for so the bold Scot that led us, told us to do. + +As soon as we came up to them, they fled right and left. The sole +stand made was by three of them, who had a kind of short sword in +their hands, and bows on their backs, and who did all they could +to call all the rest back to them. The brave Scot rode close up +to them, and with his gun threw one off his horse, shot the next, +and the third ran off, and this was the end of our fight. All the +bad luck we met with, was that the sheep that we had in chase got +off. We had not a man hurt, but as for the foe, five of them were +dead, and not a few had wounds, while the rest fled at the mere +noise of our guns. + +Thus we went on our way from town to town, and now and then met +some of these wild hordes, whom we had to fight and I need not +add that each time we had the best of the fray. At last we made +our way to the chief town of the North Seas at the end of a year, +five months and three days, from the time when we left Ching. +When I had been there six weeks, and had bought some more goods; +I took ship and set sail for the land of my birth, which I had +left, this time, for ten years, nine months and three days. + +And now I must bring this tale of my life to a close, while at +the age of three score years and twelve, I feel that the day is +at hand, when I shall go forth on that sea of peace and love, +which has no waves or shores but those of bliss that knows no +end. + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Robinson Crusoe +In Words of One Syllable, by Mary Godolphin + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ROBINSON CRUSOE/ONE SYLLABLE *** + +This file should be named rbcos10.txt or rbcos10.zip +Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks get a new NUMBER, rbcos11.txt +VERSIONS based on separate sources get new LETTER, rbcos10a.txt + +This eBook was produced by Bruce W. 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