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

And now I found it necessary to put an end to this discourse between my man and me; for which purpose I rose up hastily, and made as if I had some occasion to go out, sending Friday for something that was a good way off, I then fell on my knees, and beseeched God that he would inspire me so far as to guide this poor savage in the knowledge of Christ, to answer his questions more clearly, that his conscience might be convinced, his eyes opened, and his soul saved. When he returned again, I entered into a very long discourse with him, upon the subject of the world's redemption by the Saviour of it, and the doctrine of repentance preached from heaven, together with an holy faith of our blessed Redeemer Jesus Christ; and then I proceeded to explain to him, according to my weak capacity, the reason why our Saviour took not on him the nature of angels, but rather the seed of Abraham; and how the fallen angels had no benefit by that redemption; and, lastly, that he came only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and the like. God knows I had more sincerity than knowledge in all the ways I took for the poor Indian's instruction; and, I must acknowledge what I believe, every body that acts upon the same principle will find, that in laying heavenly truths open before him, I informed and instructed myself in many things that either I did not know, or had not perfectly considered before: so that, however, this poor creature might be improved by my instructions, certain it is, that I myself had great reason to be thankful to Providence for sending him to me. His company allayed my grief, and made my habitation comfortable; and when I reflected that the solitary life to which I had been so long confined, had made me to look further towards Heaven, by making me the instrument under Providence, to save the life, and for ought I know, the soul of this poor savage, by bringing him to the knowledge of Jesus Christ, it caused a secret joy to spread through every part of my soul; and I frequently rejoiced, that ever I was brought to this place, which I once thought the most miserable part of the world.

In this thankful frame of mind did I afterwards continue, while I abode on the island, and for three years did my man and I live in the greatest enjoyment of happiness. Indeed, I believe the savage was as good a Christian as I; and I hope we were equally penitent; and such penitents as were comforted and restored by God's Holy Spirit; for now we had the word of the Lord to instruct us in the right way, as much as if we had been on the English shore.

By the constant application I made to the Scriptures, as I read them to my man Friday, I earnestly endeavoured to make him understand every part of it, as much as lay in my power. He also, on the other hand, by his very serious questions and inquiries, made me a much better proficient in Scripture knowledge, than I should have been by my own private reading and study. I must not omit another thing, proceeding from the experience I had in my retirement: It was that infinite and inexpressible blessing, the knowledge of God through Jesus Christ, which was so plain and easy to be understood, as immediately to direct me to carry on the great work of sincere repentance for my sins, and laying hold of a Saviour for eternal life, to a practical stated reformation, and obedience to all God's institutions, without the assistance of a reverend and orthodox divine; and especially by this same instruction, so to enlighten this savage creature, as to make him so good a Christian, as very few could exceed him. And there was only this great thing wanting, that I had no authority to administer the Holy Sacrament, that heavenly participation of Christ's body and blood; yet, however, we rested ourselves content; that God would accept our desires, and according to our faith, have mercy on us.

But what we wanted one way, was made up in another, and that was universal peace in our little church. We had no disputes and wrangling about the nature and equality of the holy, blessed, and undivided Trinity, no niceties in doctrine, or schemes of church government; no sour or morale dissenters to impose more sublimated notions upon us; no pedant sophisters to confound us with unintelligible mysteries: but, instead of all this, we enjoyed the most certain guide to Heaven; that is, the word of God: besides which, we had the comfortable views of his Spirit leading us to the truth, and making us both willing and obedient to the instruction of his word. As the knowledge and practice of this are the principal means of salvation, I cannot see what it avails any christian church, or man in the world, to amuse himself with speculations and opinions, except it be to display their particular vanity and affectation.

You may well suppose, that, by the frequent discourse we had together, my man and I became most intimately acquainted, and that their was but very little that I could say, but what Friday understood; and, indeed, he spoke very fluently, though it was but broken English. I now took a particular pleasure in relating all my adventures, especially those that occurred since my being cast on this island. I made him understand that wonderful mystery, as he conceived, of gunpowder and bullet, and taught him how to shoot. I also presented to him a knife, which pleased him exceedingly, making him a belt, with a frog hanging thereto, like those in which we wear hangers in England; and, instead of a hanger to put in the frog, I gave him a hatchet, which was not only as good, but even a better weapon upon many occasions. In a word, my man thus accoutred, looked upon himself as great as Don Quixote, when that celebrated champion went to combat the windmill.

I next gave him a very particular description of the territories of Europe, and in a particular manner of Old England, the place of my nativity. I laid, before him the manner of our worshipping God, our behaviour one to another, and how we trade in ships to every part of the universe. I then told him my misfortunes in being shipwrecked, showing him, as near as I could the place where the ship lay, which had been gone long before; but I brought him to the ruins of my boat which before my whole strength could not move, but now was a most rotten, and fallen to pieces. I observed my man Friday to view this boat with uncommon curiosity; which, when he had done, he stood pondering a great while, and said nothing. At last, said I, "Friday, what makes you ponder so much?" He replied, O master, me see like boat come to place at my nation.

It was some time, indeed, before I understood what my man meant; but examining strictly into it, I plainly found, that such another boat resembling mine, had come up on the country where he dwelt: that is to say, by his farther explanation, that the boat was driven there through stress of weather. It then came into my mind that some European ship having been cast away, the poor distressed creatures were forced to have recourse to the boat to save their lives; and being all, as I thought drowned, I never concerned my self to ask any thing concerning, them, but my only inquiry was about the boat, and what description my man could give of it.

Indeed Friday answered my demands very well; making everything very plain to my understanding: but beyond measure was I satisfied, when he told me with great warmth and ardour. O master, we save white mans from drown; upon which I immediately asked him, If there were any white mans, as he called them in the boat? Yes, yes, said he, the boat full, very full of white mans "How many, Friday?" said I. Hereupon he numbered his fingers, and counted seventeen. And when I asked him what became of them all, and whether they lived or not? he replied, Yes master, they all live, they be live among my nation. This information put fresh thoughts into my head, that these must be those very men who before I concluded had been swallowed up in the ocean, after they had left the ship that had struck upon the rocks of my kingdom, and after escaping the fury of the deep, landed upon the wild shore, and committed themselves to the fury of the devouring Indians.

The manner of their cruelties to one another, which consequently, as I thought, must be acted with greater barbarity to strangers, created in me a great anxiety, and made me still more curious to ask Friday concerning them. He told me, he was sure they still lived there, having resided among them above four years, and that the savages gave them victuals to live upon: "But pray, Friday," said I, "whence proceeded all this good nature and generosity? How came it to pass that they did not kill and eat them, to please their devouring appetites, and occasion to splendid an entertainment among them?" No, no, said Friday, they not kilt 'em, they make brothers with 'em; by which I understood there was a truce between them. And then I had a more favourable opinion of the Indians, upon Friday uttering these words, My nation, t'other nation no eat man, but when mans, make war fight: as though he had said, that neither those of his kingdom, nor any other nations that he knew of, ever ate their fellow-creatures, but such as their law of arms allowed to be devoured; that is, those miserable captives, whose misfortune it should be to be made prisoners of war.

Some considerable time after, upon a very pleasant day, in most serene weather, my man and I stood upon the top of a hill, on the east side of the island, whence I had once before beheld the continent of America. I could not tell immediately what was the matter, for suddenly Friday fell a jumping and dancing as if he had been mad, and upon my demanding the reason of his behaviour, O joy! said he, O glad! there see my country, there my nation, there live white mans gether. And indeed such a rapturous sense of pleasure appeared in his countenance that his eyes had an uncommon sparkling and brightness, and such a strange eagerness, as if he had a longing desire to be in his country again. This made me no so well satisfied with my man Friday as before; for by this appearance, I made no dispute, but that if he could get back thither again, he would not only be unmindful of what religion I had taught him, but likewise of the great obligation he owed me for his wonderful deliverance; nay, that he would not only inform his countrymen of me, but accompany hundreds of them to my kingdom, and make me a miserable sacrifice like those unhappy wretches taken in battle.

Indeed I was very much to blame to have those cruel and unjust suspicions, and must freely own I wronged the poor creature very much, who was of a quite contrary temper. And had he had that discerning acuteness which many Europeans have, he would certainly have perceived my coldness and indifference, and also have been very much concerned upon that account; as I was now more circumspect, I had much lessened my kindness and familiarity with him, and while this jealousy continued, I used that artful way (now to much in fashion, the occasion of strife and dissention) of pumping him daily thereby to discover whether he was deceitful in his thoughts and inclinations; but certainly he had nothing in him but what was consistent with the best principles, both as a religious Christian and a grateful friend; and indeed; I found every thing he said was ingenuous and innocent, that I had no room for suspicion, and, in spite of all uneasiness, he not only made me entirely his own again, but also caused me much to lament that I ever conceived one ill thought of him.

As we were walking up the same hill another day, when the weather was so hazy at sea, that I could not perceive the continent, "Friday," said I "don't you wish yourself to be in your own country, your nation, among your old friends and acquaintances?" Yes, said he, me much O glad to be at my own nation. "And what would you do there, Friday? Would you turn wild again, eat man's flesh, and be a savage as you were formerly." No, no, (answered he, full of concern and making his head) Friday now tell them to live good, tell them pray God, tell them to eat corn bread, cattle flesh, milk, no eat man again. "But surely," replied I, "if you should offer to do all this, they will kill you; and to manifest their contempt of such instruction eat you up when they have done." He then put on a grave, yet innocent and smooth countenance, saying, No, they no kill me, they willing love learn: that is that they would be very willing to learn: adding withal, that they had learned much of the bearded mans that came in the boat. "Will you," said I "go back again, Friday?" He smiled at that, and told me, that he could not swim so far. But said I, I will make a canoe for you. Yes, Master said he, me go if you go, me no go if you stay. "I go, Friday! why would you have them to eat me up, and devour your kind master?" No no, said he, me make them not eat master, and me make them much love you; that is, he would tell them how I had slain his enemies, and thereby saved his life, for which reason he would make them love me: and then he related to me, as well as he was able, how exceedingly kind those his nation were to the white, or bearded men, as he called them, who, in their great calamity, were driven into their country.

It was from this time, indeed, I had strong inclinations to venture over, and use my utmost efforts, if possible, to join these white bearded men, who undoubtedly were Spaniards or Portuguese; for, thought I, it must be certainly a better and safer way to escape when there is a good company, than for me alone, from an island forty miles off the shore, and without any assistance. Some days, after, Friday and I being at work, as usual, at the same time diverting ourselves with various discourses; I told him I had a boat which I would bestow upon him, whenever he pleased to return to his own nation; and to convince him of the truth of what I said, I took him with me to the other side of the island, where my frigate lay, and then taking it from under the water, (for I always kept it sunk for fear of a discovery) we went both into it to see how it would manage such an expedition.

And really never could any be more dexterous in rowing than my faithful servant, making the boat go as fast again as I could. "Well now, Friday", said I, "shall we now go to your so much admired nation." But instead of meeting with that cheerfulness I expected, he looked very dull and melancholy at my saying so; which indeed at first surprised me, till he made me sensible, that his concern was about the boat's being too small to go so far a voyage. Upon which I let him understand I had a much bigger; and accordingly, the next day went to the place where the first boat lay, which I had made, when all the strength I had or art I could use failed me in my attempt to get it into the water: but now it having lain in the sun two and twenty years, and no care being taken of it all that while, it became in a manner rotten. My man told me, that such a boat would do very well for the purpose, sufficient to carry enough vittle, drink, bread, for that was his manner of talking. In short, my mind being strongly fixed upon my design of going over with him to the Continent, I very plainly told him that we would both go and make a boat full as big, and more proportionable than that, wherein he might safely return to his own nation.

These words made Friday look so very pensive that I thought he would have fallen at my feet. It was some time before he could speak a word, which made me ask him, what was the matter with him? He replied in a very soft and moving tone, What has poor Friday done? why are you angry mad with poor servant? What me done, O what me done? "Friday," said I, "you never yet have offended me, what makes you think I am angry with you, when I am not angry at all." You no angry, no angry, said he several times, if you be no angry, why den send Friday over great water to my own nation? "Why from a mountain you beheld the place where you was born, and is it not to satisfy your desires that I am willing to give you leave to return thither?" Yes, yes, said Friday, me wish to be there sure enough, but then me with master there too: no wish Friday there, no master there. In short, he could not endure the thoughts of going there without me. "I go there! Friday," said I, "what shall I do there?" He answered very quickly, O master you do great deal much good, you teach all de wild mans to be good tame mans: you learn dem to be sober, life good live, to know God, and pray God. "Alas! poor Friday," said I, "what can I do against their priests of Benamuckee, or indeed what good can I make your nation sensible of, when I myself am but a poor ignorant man?" No, no, master, said he, you be no ignorant, you teachee me good, you teachee dem good. "You shall go without me, Friday," said I, "for I don't care to accompany you thither; I would rather live in this solitude than venture among such inhuman savages. Go your way since you desire it, and leave me alone by myself as I was before I saved your life."

Never was any creature more thunderstruck than Friday was at these words. Go me away, leave master away, (said he after a long silence,) no, no, Friday die, Friday live not master gone, as though he had said, I neither can nor will live, if my master sends me from him. And here I cannot but take notice of the strong ties of friendship, which many times surpass those of consanguinity: For often we find a great disagreement among kindred; and when there is any seeming regard for each other, it is very seldom true, and scarce ever lasting, if powerful interest does not bear the sway; and that alone is often the occasion of the greatest hatred in the world, which is to desire the death of parents and relations, for the sake of acquiring their fortunes. But there was no such thing between my servant and me; instead of which there was the greatest gratitude and the most sincere love; he found me not only his deliverer, but his preserver and comforter; not a severe and cruel tyrant, but a kind, loving, and affable friend. He wanted for no manner of sustenance; and when he was ill or out of order, I was his physician, not only for his body but his soul; and therefore no wonder was it, that such an innocent creature long since divested of his former natural cruelty, should have an uncommon concern at so cruel a seperation from me, which pierced him to the very soul, and made him desire even to die, rather than live without me..

After I had told Friday, in a very careless manner, that he should be at his liberty as soon as the boat was made, the language of his eyes expressed all imaginable confusion; when, immediately running to one of his hatchets, which he used to wear as a defensive weapon, he gives it into my hand, with a heart so full, that he could scarcely speak. 'Friday,' said I, 'what is it you mean? What must I do with this?' Only kill Friday, said he, Friday care not live long.' 'But what must I kill you for? replied I again, Ah! dear master, what made you Friday save from eat a me up, so keep long Friday, make Friday love God, and love not Benamuckee, and now Friday send away; never see Friday more. As though the poor creature had said, Alas! my dearest kind master, how comes it to pass, that after having ventured your precious life to save me from the jaws of devouring cannibals, like myself, after such a tender regard to provide for me such a comfortable nourishment, and continuing so long a kind master, and a most sincere friend; and after making me forsake the false notion of an Indian Deity, and worship the true God in spirit and in truth; and after all this how comes it now, that you are willing to send me away to my former course of living, by which means undoubtedly we shall be dead to each other; but greater must be my misfortune, that I shall never behold my best friend I have in the world any more. And this undoubtedly, though he could not express himself so clearly, must be his sentiments; for the tears ran down his cheeks in such a plentiful manner, that I had much ado to refrain from weeping also, when I beheld the poor creature's affection; so that I was forced to comfort him in the best manner I could, which I did, by telling him, if he was content to abide with me, I should be ever willing to keep him.

After Friday's grief was something abated, more fully to convince me of his affection, he said, O master, me not care to be in my nation, leave you here; me desire nation learn good, that's all; meaning, that his desire was for the conversion of that barbarous people. But as I had no apostolic mission, nor any concern about their salvation; so I had not the least intention or desire of undertaking it; and the strength of my inclination, in order to escape, proceeded chiefly from my late discourse with Friday, about these seventeen white bearded men, that had been driven upon the Barbarian coast; whom I designed to join, as the only means to further our escape. To which intent my man and I went to search for a proper tree to fell, whereof we might make a large perigua or canoe, to undertake the voyage; and, indeed, we were not long in finding one fit for our purpose, there being enough of wood in the island to have built a fleet of large vessels, but the thing we principally wanted was to get one so near the water, that we might launch it after it was finished, and not commit so horrid a mistake as I had once done before.

Well, after a great search for what was best and most convenient, Friday, at last, whose judgment in such affairs was much superior to mine, pitches upon a kind of wood the most fitting for it. To this day I cannot tell the name of the tree, nor describe it any other way, than only by saying, that it is like what we call fustic, or between that and the Niacaragua wood, being much of the same colour and smell. But though my man exceeded me in the knowledge of the most proper tree, yet I shewed him a much better and clearer way to make a canoe than ever he knew before; for he was for burning the hollow or cavity of the tree, in order to make this boat; but I then told him how he might do it with tools, learning him at the same time how to use them, which indeed he did very dexterously; so that in a month's time we finished it, making it very handsome, by cutting the outside in the true shape of a boat. After this it took us a full fortnight before we could get her into the water, which we did as it were inch by inch, upon great rollers; but when she was in, she would have carried twenty men, with all the ease imaginable.

As I was very well pleased, you may be sure at the launching of this man of war of mine, I was no less amazed to behold with what dexterity my man would manage her, turn her, and paddle her along. 'Well Friday,' said I, 'what do you think of it now? Do you think this will carry us over? Yes, master, said he, me venture over well, though great blow wind. But my design was yet farther, which he was insensible of; and that was to make a mast and a sail, and to provide her with an anchor and cable. As to a mast, that was no difficult thing at all to procure: so I fixed upon a strait young cedar-tree; which I found near the place, great plenty of it abounding in the island; and setting Friday to cut it down, I gave him particular directions how to shape and order it; but as to the sail, that I managed myself. I very well knew I had some old ones, or pieces of sails enough, which had lain six and twenty years by me; but not being careful to preserve them, as thinking I should have no occasion to use them any more, when I came to overlook them I found them almost all rotten, except two; and with these I went to work, and after a great deal of pains and aukward tedious stitching for want of needles, at length I finished a three-cornered ugly thing, like those which our long boats use, and which I very well knew how to manage, especially since it was like that which I had in my patron's fishing boat, when, with my boy Xury, I made my escape from the Barbarian shore.

It was near two months, I think, before I completed this work, that is, the rigging and fitting my mast and sails; and indeed they were nicely done, having made a small stay and a sail, or a foresail to it, to assist, if we should turn to the westward; and what is still more, I fixed a rudder to the stern of her, to steer with; and though I was but a very indifferent shipwright, yet, as I was sensible of the great usefulness and absolute necessity of a thing like this, I applied myself to it with such a confident application, that at last I accomplished my design; but what with the many dull contrivances I had about it, and the failure of many things, it cost me as much pains in ordering as in making the boat. Besides when all this was done, I had my man to teach what belonged to its navigation; for though he very well understood how to paddle a canoe along, he was an utter stranger to a sail and a rudder, and was amazed when he saw me work the boat to and again in the sea, by them, and how the sail gibbed and filled this way or that way, as the course we sailed changed. After some time and a little use, I made all these things very familiar to him, so that he became an expert sailor, except in relation to the compass, and that I could make him understand but little of. But, as it happened, there was seldom occasion for it, there being but little cloudy weather, and scarce any fog in those parts; the stars were always visible in the night, and the shore perspicuous by day, except in the rainy season, which confined every one to his habitation. Thus entered in the seven and twentieth year of my reign, or captivity, which you please, (the last three of which blessed with the company of my man Friday, ought not to be reckoned) I kept the anniversary of my landing here with the same thankfulness to God, for his tender mercies, as I did before; and certainly, as I had great cause for a thankful acknowledgement for my deliverance at first, I had much greater now for such singular and additional testimonies of the care of Providence over me, in all my distress of both body and mind, and the great hopes I had of being effectually and speedily delivered; for I had a strong impression upon my mind, that I should not be another year in this island. But, however, I still continued on with my husbandry, digging, planting, and fencing, as usual; gathering and curing my grapes, and doing all other things that were necessary.

And now the rainy season beginning to come on, obliged me to keep the longer within doors; but before this I brought my new vessel into the creek, where I had landed my rafts from the ship, and haling her up to the shore, I ordered my man Friday to dig a dock sufficient to hold her in, and deep enough to give her water, wherein she might float; and then when the tide was out, we made a strong dam cross the end of it, to keep out the water; by which means she lay dry, as to the tide from the sea; and to keep the rain from her, we thatched her over, as it were, with boughs of trees, like a house, so we waited for the months of November and December, in which I designed to venture over the ocean.

No sooner did the seasonable weather begin to draw near, but so much was I elevated with this new designed adventure, that I daily prepared for the voyage. The first thing I thought on was, to lay by a certain quantity of provisions, as a sufficient store for such an expedition, intending in a week or fortnight's time to open the dock, and to launch out the boat for that purpose. But one morning as I was very busy upon something necessary for this occasion, I called Friday to me, and bid him go to the seashore, and see if he could find a turtle or tortoise, a thing which we commonly had once a week, as much upon account of the eggs, as for the sake of the flesh. He had not been long gone, but he came running back, as though he was pursued for life, and as if it were flew over my outer-wall, or fence, like one that felt not the ground, or steps he set his feet on; and before I had time to enquire the reason of this precipitation, he cries out, O dear master, O sorrow, sorrow! Bad! O bad! 'Why, what's the matter Friday,' said I. O yonder, yonder! said he; there be one, two, or three canoes! two three! Surely, thought I, there must be six, by my man's way of reckoning; but on a stricter inquiry, I found there were but three. 'Well Friday,' said I, 'don't be terrified, I warrant you we will not only defend ourselves against them, but kill the most of these cruel savages.' But though I comforted him in the best manner I could, the poor creature trembled so, that I scarce knew what to do with him: -O master, said he, they come look Friday, cut pieces Friday, cut a me up. 'Why Friday,' said I, 'they will eat me up as well as you, and my danger is as great as yours. But since it is so, we must resolve to fight for our lives. What say you? Can you fight Friday? Yes,(said he, very faintly) me shoot, me kill what I can, but there come a great many number.'That's no matter,' said I again, 'our guns will terrify those that we do not kill: I am very willing to stand by you to the last drop of my blood. Now tell me if you will do the like by me, and, obey my orders in whatsoever I command?' Friday then answered, O master, me loses life for you, me die when you bid die. Thus concluding all questions concerning his fidelity, immediately I fetched him a good dram of rum, (of which I had been a very good husband) and gave it him to comfort his heart. After he had drank it, I ordered him to take the two-fowling pieces, which we always carried, and load them with large swan-shot, as big as small pistol bullets; then I took four muskets, and loaded them with two slugs and five small bullets each; charging my two pistols each with a brace; I hung my great sword, as customary, naked to my side, and gave Friday his hatchet, as a most excellent weapon for defence.