The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801)

The greatest astonishment that my new servant conceived was the manner of killing the savage at such a distance, without a bow and arrow; and such was his longing desire to know it, that he first pointed to the dead carcase, and then made signs to me to grant him leave to go up to him. Upon which I bid him go, and, as well as I could, made him sensible I granted his request. But when he came there, how wonderfully was he struck with amazement! First, he turned him on one side, then on another, wondering he could perceive no quantity of blood, he bleeding inwardly; and after sufficiently admiring the wound the bullet had made in his breast, he took up his bow and arrows, and came back again; upon which I turned to go away, making signs to him to follow, left the rest missing their companions, might come in pursuit of them, and this I found he understood very well, by his making me understand that his design was to bury them, that they might not be seen if it happened; and which by signs again I made him sensible I very much approved of. Immediately he fell to work, and never was a grave-digger more dextrous in the world than he was; for in an instant, as I might say, he scraped a large hole in the sand with his hands, sufficient to bury the first in; there he dragged him; and without any ceremony he covered him over; in like manner he saved the other; so that I am sure no undertaker could be more expert in his business, for all this was done in less than a quarter of an hour. I then called him away, and instead of carrying him directly to my castle at first, I conveyed him to my cave on the farther part of the island; and so my dream was now fulfilled in that particular, that my grove should prove an asylum or sanctuary to him.

Weary and faint, hungry and thirsty, undoubtedly must this poor creature be, supported chiefly by the vivacity of spirit, and, uncommon transports of joy that his deliverance occasioned. Here I gave him bread and a bunch of raisins to eat, and water to drink, on which he fed very cheerfully, to his exceeding refreshment. I then made him a convenient bed with a parcel of rice straw, and a blanket upon it, (a bed which I used myself sometimes) and then pointing to it, made signs for him to lie down to sleep, upon which the poor creature went to take a welcome repose.

Indeed he was a very comely, handsome, young fellow, extremely well made, with straight long limbs, not two large, but tall and well shaped, and, as near as I could reckon, about twenty-six years of age. His countenance had nothing in it fierce or surly, but rather a sort of majesty in his face; and yet, especially when he smiled, he had all the sweetness and softness of an European. His hair was not curled like wool, as many of the blacks are, but long and black, with the most beautiful, yet careless tresses spreading over his shoulders. He had a very high and large forehead, with a great vivacity and sparkling sharpness in his eyes. His skin was not so tawney, as the Virginians, Brazilians, or other Americans; but rather of a bright dun, olive colour, that had something agreeable in it, though not very easy to give a description of. His face was round and plump, with a small nose, very different from the flatness of the negroes, a pretty small mouth, thin lips, fine teeth, very well set, and white as the driven snow. In a word, such handsome features, and exact symmetry in every part, made me consider that I had saved the life of an Indian prince, no less graceful and accomplished than the great Oroonoko whose memorable behavior and unhappy contingencies of life have charmed the world, both to admiration of his person, and compassion to his sufferings.

But let him be either prince or peasant, all my happiness centered in this, that I had now got a good servant or companion, to whom, as he deserved, I was resolved to prove a kind master and a lasting friend. He had not, I think, slept above an hour when he awakened again, and while I was milking my goats hard by, out he runs from the cave towards me in my inclosure, and laying himself down on the ground, in the lowest prostration, made all the antic gestures imaginable, to express his thankfulness to me for being his deliverer. I confess though the manner of his behaviour seemed to be ludicrous enough to occasion, laughter, yet I was very much moved at his affection, so that my heart melted within me, fearing he might die away in excess of joy, like reprieved malefactors, especially as I was incapable either to let him blood, or administer physic. It were to be wished, that Christians would take example by this Heathen, to have received by the kind mediation and powerful interposition of their benefactors and deliverers; and it would be likewise happy for mankind, were there no occasion to blame many, who, instead of thankfully acknowledging favours and benefits, rather abuse and condemn those who have been the instruments to save them from destruction.

But, leaving these just reflections, I return to the object that occasioned them; for my man, to conclude the last ceremony of obedience, laid down his head again on the ground, close to my foot, and set my other foot upon is head, as he had done before, making all the signs of subjection, servitude, and submission imaginable, and let me understand he would serve me as long as his life endured. As I understood him in many things, I made him sensible I was very well pleased with him; and, in a little time, I began to speak to him, and learn him to talk to me again. In the first place, I made him understand his name was to be Friday, because it was upon that day I saved his life; then I taught him to say Master, which I made him sensible was to be my name. I likewise taught him to say Yes and No, and to know what they meant. I gave him some milk in an earthen pot, making him view me while I drank it before him, and soaked my bread in it; I gave him a cake of bread, and caused him to soak it likewise, to which he readily consented, making signs of the greatest satisfaction imaginable.

All that night did I keep him there; but no sooner did the morning light appear, when I ordered him to arise, and come along with me, with certain tokens that I would give him some clothes like mine, at which he seemed very glad, being stark naked, without the least covering whatever. As we passed by the place where the two men had been interred, my man pointed directly to their graves, showing me the marks that he had made to find them again, giving me to understand, by signs, that we should dig them up, and devour them. At this I appeared extremely displeased, expressed my utmost abhorrence, as if I would vomit at the apprehensions of it, beckoning with my hand to come away, which he did with the greatest reverence and submission. After this I conducted him to the top of the hill, to view if the rest of the savages were yet remaining there; but when I looked through my perspective glass, I could see no appearance of them, nor of their canoes; so that it was evident they never minded their deceased companions whom we had slain: which if they had, they would surely have searched for, or left one boat behind for them to follow, after they returned from their pursuit.

Curiosity, and a desire of satisfaction, animating me with courage to see this scene of barbarity, I took my man Friday with me, putting a sword into his hand, with the bow and arrows at his back, which I perceived he could use very dexterously, causing him to carry one gun for me, and I two for myself; and thus equipped against all attacks, away we marched directly to the place of their bloody entertainment. But when I came there, I was struck with the utmost horror at so dreadful a spectacle, whilst Friday was no way concerned about it, being no doubt in his turn one of these devourers. Here lay several human bones, there several pieces of mangled flesh, half eaten, mangled, and scorched, whilst streams of blood ran promiscuously as waters from a fountain. As I was musing on this dreadful sight, Friday took all the pains he could, by particular signs, to make me understand, that they had brought over four prisoners to feast upon, three of whom they had eaten up, and that he was the fourth, pointing to himself; that there having been a bloody battle between them and his great king, in the just defence of whom he was taken prisoner, with many others; all of these were carried off to different places to be devoured by their conquerors; and that it was his misfortune to be brought hither by these wretches for the same purpose.

After I was made sensible of these things, I caused Friday to gather those horrid remains, and lay them together upon a heap, which I ordered to be set on fire, and burnt them to ashes: My man, however, still retained the nature of a cannibal, having a hankering stomach after some of the flesh; but such an extreme abhorrence did I express at the least appearance of it, that he durst not but conceal it; for I made him very sensible, that if he offered any such thing, I would certainly shoot him.

This being done, I carried my man with me to my castle, and gave him a pair of linen drawers, which I had taken out of the poor gunner's chest before mentioned; and which, with a little alteration, fitted him very well; in the next place I made him a jerkin of goat's skin, such as my skill was able to manage, and indeed I thought myself then a tolerable good tailor. I gave him also a cap which I made of a hare's skin, very convenient and fashionable. Thus being clothed tolerably well, my man was no less proud of his habit, than I was at seeing him in it. Indeed he went very aukwardly at first, the drawers being too heavy on his thighs not used to bear any weight, and the sleeves of the waistcoat galled his shoulders and the inside of his arms; but by a little easing where he complained they hurt him, and by using himself to them, at length he took to them very well.

My next concern was, where I should lodge him; and that I might do well by him, and yet be perfectly easy myself, I erected a tent for him in the vacant place between my two fortifications, in the inside of the last, and the outside of the first; and, as there was an entrance or door into my cave, I made a formal framed door-case, and a door to open on the inside; I barred it up in the night time, taking in my ladders too, so that, was my man to prove treacherous, there could be no way to come at me in the inside of my innermost wall, without making so much noise in getting over, that it must needs waken me; for my first wall had now a complete roof over it of long poles, spreading over my tent, and leaning up to the side of the mountain, which was again laid cross with smaller sticks instead of laths, and thatched over a great thickness with the rice straw, which was as strong as reeds; and at the hole of the place, left on purpose to go in or out by the ladder, had placed a kind of trap-door, which, if it had been attempted on the outside, would not have opened at all, but have fallen down, and made a great noise; and as to my weapons, every night I took them all to my bed side.

But there was no occasion for this precaution; for surely never master had a more sincere, faithful, and loving servant, than Friday proved to me. Without passion, sullenness, or design, perfectly obliging and engaging, his affections were as much tied to me, as those of a child to its parents; & I might venture to say, he would have sacrificed his life for the saving mine, upon any occasion whatsoever. And indeed the many testimonies he gave me of this, sufficiently convinced me that I had no occasion to use these precautions. And here I could not but reflect with great wonder, that however it hath pleased the Almighty in his providence, and in the government of the creation, to take from so great a part of the world of his creatures, the noblest uses to which their faculties, and the powers of their souls are adapted; yet that he has bestowed upon them the same reason, affections, sentiments of kindness and obligation, passions of resentment, sincerity, fidelity, and all the capacities of doing and receiving good that he has given us; and that when he is graciously pleased to offer them occasions of exerting these, they are as ready, nay, more ready, to apply them to the proper uses for which they were bestowed, than we often are. These thoughts would make me melancholy, especially when I considered how mean a use we make of all these, even though we have these powers enlightened by the Holy Spirit of God, and by the knowledge of this world, as an addition to our understanding; and why it has pleased the heavenly Wisdom to conceal the life saving knowledge from so many millions of souls who would certainly make a much better use of it than generally mankind do at this time. These reflections would sometimes lead me so far, as to invade the sovereignty of Providence, and, as it were, arraign the justice of such an arbitrary disposition of things, that should obscure that light from some, and reveal it to others, and yet expect a like duty from all. But I closed it up, checking my thoughts with this conclusion; first, That we were ignorant of that right and law by which those should be condemned; but as the Almighty was necessarily, and by the nature of his essence, infinitely just and holy; so it could not be otherwise, but that if these creatures were all destined to absence from himself, it was on account of sinning against that light, which, as the Scripture says, was a law to themselves and by such rules as their consciences would acknowledge to be just, though the first foundation was not discovered to us. And, secondly, That still as we were the clay in the hand of the potter, no vessel could thus say to him, Why hast thou fashioned me after this manner?

I had not been above two or three days returned to my castle, but my chief design was, how I should bring Friday off from this horrid way of feeding; and to take from him that inhuman relish he by nature had been accustomed to, I thought it my duty to let him taste other flesh, which might the rather tempt him to the same abhorrence I so often expressed against their accursed way of living. Upon which, one morning I took him out with me, with an intention to kill a kid out of the flock, and bring it home and dress it. As I was going, I perceived a she-goat lying down in the shade, and two young kids sitting by her. Immediately I catched hold of my man Friday, and bidding him stand still, and not stir, I presented my piece, and shot one of the kids. My poor servant, who had at a distance perceived me kill his adversary, and yet did not know by what means, or how it was done, stood trembling and surprised, and looked so amazed, that I thought he would have sunk into the earth. He did not see the kid I aimed at, or behold I had killed it, but ripped up his waistcoat to see if he was not wounded, thinking my resolution was to kill him; for coming to me, he fell on his knees, earnestly pronouncing many things which I did not understand the meaning of; which at length I perceived was, that I would not take away his life.

Indeed I was much concerned to see him in that condition, where nature is upon the severest trial, when the immediate hand of death is ready to put for ever a period to this mortal life; and indeed so much compassion had I to this creature, that it was with difficulty I restrained from tears. But, however, as another sort of countenance was necessary, and to convince him that I would do no harm, I took him smiling by the hand, then laughed at him, and pointing to the kid which I had slain, made signs to him to fetch it, which accordingly he did. No less curious was he in viewing how the creature was killed, than he had been before in beholding the Indian; which, while he was admiring at, I charged my gun again, and presently perceived a great fowl like a hawk, perching upon a tree within shot; and therefore, to let Friday understand what I was going to do, I called him to me again, pointing at the fowl, which I found to be a parrot. I made him understand that I would shoot and kill that bird; accordingly I fired, and bade him look, when immediately he saw the parrot fall down. Again he stood like one amazed, notwithstanding all I had said to him: and the more confounded he was, because he did not perceive me put any thing into my gun. Undoubtedly a thing so utterly strange, carrying death along with it, far or near, either to man or beast, must certainly create the greatest astonishment to one who never had heard such a thing in his whole life; and really his amazement continued so long, that had I allowed it, he would have prostrated himself before me and my gun, with the greatest worship and adoration. As for the gun in particular, he would not so much as touch it for several days after, but would come & communicate his thoughts to it, & talk to it, as if the senseless piece had understood and answered him; all this I could perceive him do, when he thought my back was turned, the chief intent of which was, to desire it not to kill him, as I afterwards came to understand.

I never strove to prevent his admiration, nor hinder him from those comical gestures he used on such occasions; but when his astonishment was a little over, I make tokens to him to run and fetch the parrot that I had shot; which accordingly he did, staying some time longer than usual, by reason the bird not being quite dead, had fluttered some way further from the place where she fell. In the mean time, as he was looking for her, I took the advantage of charging my gun again, that so I might be ready for any other mark that offered; but nothing more occurred at that time. So I brought home the kid, and the same evening took off the skin and divided the carcase as well as I could. Part of the flesh I stewed and boiled in a pot I had for this purpose. And then spreading my table, I sat down, giving my man some of it to eat, who was wonderfully pleased and seemed to like it very well: but what was the most surprising to him was to see me eat salt with it: upon which he made me understand, that the salt was very bad for me; when putting a little into his mouth, he seemed to nauseate it in such a manner as to spit and sputter at it, and then washed his mouth with fresh water: but to shew him how contrary his opinion was to mine, I put some meat into my mouth without salt and feigned to spit and sputter as much for the want of it, as he had done at it; yet all this proved of no signification to Friday; and it was a long while before he could endure salt in his meat or broth, and even then but a small quantity.

Thus having fed him sufficiently with boiled meat and broth at that time, the next day I was resolved to feast him with a roasted piece of the kid. And having no spit to fasten it, nor jack to turn it, I made use of that common artifice which many of the common people of England have, that is to let two poles upon each side of the fire, and one cross on top, hanging the meat thereon with a string, and so turning round continually, roast it, in the same manner as we read bloody tyrants of old cruelly roasted the holy martyrs. This practice caused great admiration in my man Friday, being quite another way than that to which the savages were accustomed. But when he came to taste the sweetness and tenderness of the flesh, he expressed his entire satisfaction above a thousand different ways. And as I could not but understand his meaning, you may be sure I was as wonderfully pleased, especially when he made it also very plain to me, that he would never, while he lived eat man's flesh more.

It was now high time I should set my servant to work; so next day I set him to beat out some corn, and sat it in the same manner as I had done before. And really the fellow was very quick and handy in the execution of any thing I ordered him to go about. I made him understand that it was to make bread for us to eat, and afterwards let him see me make it. In short, he did every thing as I ordered him, and in a little time as well as I could perform it myself.

But now considering that I had two mouths to feed instead of one, it was necessary that I must provide more ground for my harvest, and plant a larger quantity of corn than I commonly used to do; upon which I marked out a larger piece of land, fencing it in, in the same manner as I had done before; in the execution of which I must give Friday this good word; that no man could work, more hardy or with better will than he did: and when I made him sensible that it was for bread to serve him as well as me, he then very passionately made me understand that he thought I had much more labour on his account, than I had for myself; and that no pains or diligence should be wanting in him, if I would but direct him in those works wherein he might proceed.

I must certainly own, that this was the most pleasant year I ever had on the island; for after some time Friday began to talk pretty well, and understood the names of those things which I was wont to call for, and the places where I used to send him. So that my long silent tongue, which had been useless so many years, except in an exclamatory manner, either for deliverance or blessings, now began to be occupied in teaching, and talking to my man Friday for indeed I had such a singular satisfaction in the fellow himself, so innocent did his simple and unfeigned honesty appear more and more to me every day, that I really began entirely to love him; and for his part, I believe there was no love lost, and that his nature had been more charmed by his exceeding kindness, and his affections more placed upon me, than any other object whatsoever among his own countrymen. I once had a great mind to try if he had any hankering inclination to his own country again; and by this time, having learned the English so well; that he could give me tolerable answer to any question which I demanded. I asked him whether that nation to which he belonged, ever conquered in battle? This question made Friday to smile, and to which he answered, Yes, yes, we always fight the better; as much as to say, they always got the better in fight. Upon which we proceeded on the following discourse: You say, said I, that you always fight the better; why, then, Friday, how came you to be taken prisoner?

Friday. But for all that my nation beat much.

Master. How say you, beat? if your nation beat them, how came you to be taken?

Friday. They more many mans than my nation in the place where me was; they take one, two, three, and me: my nation much over beat them in the yonder place where me no was, there my nation mans beat one, two, three, great tousand.

Master. Then why did not your men recover you from the hands of your enemies?

Friday. They run one, two, or three, and me: they make all go in the canoe; my nation have no canoe that time-

Master. 'Tis very well, Friday; but what does your nation do with the prisoners they take? Do they carry them away and eat them as these have done?

Friday. Yes, yes, my nation eat mans too, eat up all.

Master. To what place do they carry them to be devoured?

Friday. Go to other nations where they think.

Master. Do they bring them hither?

Friday. Yes, come over hither, came over other place.

Master. And have you been with them here, Friday?

Friday. Yes, me been here, (pointing to the north-west of the island, being the side where they used to land.)

Thus having gotten what account I could from my man, I plainly understood that he had been as bad as any of the rest of the cannibals, having been formerly among the savages who used to come on shore on the farthest part of the island, upon the same bloody occasion as he was brought hither for; and some time after I carried him to that place where he pointed; and no sooner did he come there, but he presently knew the ground, signifying to me that he was once there when they ate up twenty men, two women and a young child; but as he could not explain the number in English, he did it by so many stones in a row, making a sign to me to count them.

This passage I have the rather mentioned, because it led to things more important and useful for me to know; for after I had this satisfactory discourse with him, my next question was, how far it was from the island to the shore, and whether the canoes were not often lost in the ocean? to which he answered, there was no danger, that no canoes were ever lost; but that after a little way out to the sea, there was a strong current and a wind always one way in the afternoon. This I thought at first to be no more than the sets of the tide, of going out or coming in; but I afterwards understood it was occasioned by the great-draught and reflux of the mighty river Oroonoko, in the mouth or gulf of which I imagined my kingdom lay: and that the land which I perceived to the W. and N.W. must be the great island Trinidad, on the north of the river. A thousand questions (if that would satisfy me) did I ask Friday about the nature of the country, the sea, the coasts, the inhabitants, and what nations were nearest them: To which questions the poor fellow declared all he knew with the greatest openness & utmost sincerity. When I demanded of him the particular names of the various nations of his sort of people, he could only answer me in general that they were called Carrabee. Hence it was I considered that these must be the Carribees, so much taken notice of by our maps to be on that part of America, which reaches from the mouth of the river Oroonoko to Guiana, and so on to St. Martha. Then Friday proceeded to tell me, that up a great way beyond the moon, as much as to say, beyond the setting of the moon, which must be W. from their country, there dwelt white-bearded men, such as I was, pointing to my whiskers, and that they kill much mans. I was not ignorant with what barbarity the Spaniards treated these creatures; so that I presently concluded it must be them, whose cruelties had spread throughout America, to be remembered even to succeeding generations.