Part 7 (1/2)

Having now society enough, and our nues, if they had coreat, ent freely all over the island, whenever we found occasion; and as we had our escape or deliverance upon our thoughts, it was impossible, at least for me, to have the means of it out of mine For this purpose I ht fit for our work, and I set Friday and his father to cut them down; and then I caused the Spaniard, to whohts on that affair, to oversee and direct their work I showed thee tree into single planks, and I caused thee planks, of good oak, near two feet broad, thirty-five feet long, and froious labour it took up any one ine

At the saoats as much as I could; and for this purpose I o out one day, and myself with Friday the next day (for we took our turns), and by thiskids to breed up with the rest; for whenever we shot the dam, we saved the kids, and added therapes co up in the sun, that, I believe, had we been at Alicant, where the raisins of the sun are cured, we could have filled sixty or eighty barrels; and these, with our bread, for too, I assure you, for they are exceedingly nourishi+ng

It was now harvest, and our crop in good order: it was not the most plentiful increase I had seen in the island, but, however, it was enough to answer our end; for froht in and thrashed out above two hundred and twenty bushels; and the like in proportion of the rice; which was store enough for our food to the next harvest, though all the sixteen Spaniards had been on shore with e, it would very plentifully have victualled our shi+p to have carried us to any part of the world; that is to say, any part of Aazine of corn, we fell to work to reat baskets, in which we kept it; and the Spaniard was very handy and dexterous at this part, and often blas for defence of this kind of work; but I saw no need of it

And now, having a full supply of food for all the guests I expected, I gave the Spaniard leave to go over to the main, to see what he could do with those he had left behind hi any man ould not first swear in the presence of hiht with, or attack the person he should find in the island, as so kind as to send for them in order to their deliverance; but that they would stand by hiainst all such attempts, and wherever they ould be entirely under and subjected to his coned in their hands How they were to have done this, when I knew they had neither pen nor ink, was a question which we never asked Under these instructions, the Spaniard and the old savage, the father of Friday, went away in one of the canoes which they ht in, when they caave each of thees of powder and ball, charging theood husbands of both, and not to use either of theent occasions

This was a cheerful work, being the first measures used by me in view of ave therapes, sufficient for themselves for many days, and sufficient for all the Spaniards - for about eight days' tireeing with the out at their return, by which I should know theain when they came back, at a distance, before they caale on the day that the moon was at full, by my account in theof days, after I had once lost it I could never recover it again; nor had I kept even the nuh, as it proved when I afterwards exa of years

It was no less than eight days I had waited for thee and unforeseen accident intervened, of which the like has not, perhaps, been heard of in history I was fast asleep inin to me, and called aloud, ”Master, ardless of danger I went, as soon as I could get rove, which, by the as by this tier I ithout my arms, which was notue and a half distance, standing in for the shore, with a shoulder-of- pretty fair to bring them in: also I observed, presently, that they did not come from that side which the shore lay on, but from the southernmost end of the island Upon this I called Friday in, and bade him lie close, for these were not the people we looked for, and that we ht not know yet whether they were friends or enelass to see what I couldtaken the ladder out, I climbed up to the top of the hill, as I used to do when I was apprehensive of anything, and to takediscovered I had scarce set my foot upon the hill whenat anchor, at about two leagues and a half distance froue and a half from the shore By lish shi+p, and the boat appeared to be an English long-boat

I cannot express the confusion I was in, though the joy of seeing a shi+p, and one that I had reason to believe was manned by my own countrymen, and consequently friends, was such as I cannot describe; but yet I had so aboutuard In the first place, it occurred to lish shi+p could have in that part of the world, since it was not the way to or frolish had any traffic; and I knew there had been no storms to drive thelish it was n; and that I had better continue as I was than fall into the hands of thieves and murderers

Let no er which soiven hi real That such hints and notices are given us I believe few that have s can deny; that they are certain discoveries of an invisible world, and a converse of spirits, we cannot doubt; and if the tendency of theer, why should we not suppose they are froent (whether supreme, or inferior and subordinate, is not the question), and that they are given for our good?

The present question abundantly confir; for had I not been made cautious by this secret admonition, come it from whence it will, I had been done inevitably, and in a far worse condition than before, as you will see presently I had not keptin this posture till I saw the boat draw near the shore, as if they looked for a creek to thrust in at, for the convenience of landing; however, as they did not coh, they did not see the little inlet where I formerly landed my rafts, but ran their boat on shore upon the beach, at about half a mile from me, which was very happy for me; for otherwise they would have landed just at my door, as I may say, and would soon have beaten me out of my castle, and perhaps have plundered me of all I had When they were on shore I was fully satisfied they were Englishht were Dutch, but it did not prove so; there were in all eleven men, whereof three of theht, bound; and when the first four or five of them were jumped on shore, they took those three out of the boat as prisoners: one of the three I could perceive using the estures of entreaty, affliction, and despair, even to a kind of extravagance; the other two, I could perceive, lifted up their hands soree as the first I was perfectly confounded at the sight, and knew not what the lish, as well as he could, ”O eto eat them, then?” ”Yes,” says Friday, ”they will eat them” ”No no,” says I, ”Friday; I am afraid they will murder them, indeed; but you may be sure they will not eat theht of what thewith the horror of the sight, expecting every moment when the three prisoners should be killed; nay, once I saw one of the villains lift up his arreat cutlass, as the seamen call it, or sword, to strike one of the poor men; and I expected to see him fall every moment; at which all the blood in my body seemed to run chill in my veins I wished heartily now for the Spaniard, and the savage that had gone with him, or that I had any way to have coht have secured the threethem; but it fell out to e of the three men by the insolent sea about the island, as if they wanted to see the country I observed that the three other o also where they pleased; but they sat down all three upon the ground, very pensive, and looked like men in despair This put an to look about ave myself over for lost; hoildly I looked round ed in the tree all night for fear of being devoured by wild beasts As I knew nothing that night of the supply I was to receive by the providential driving of the shi+p nearer the land by the stor nourished and supported; so these three poor desolatehow certain of deliverance and supply they were, how near it was to them, and how effectually and really they were in a condition of safety, at the saht themselves lost and their case desperate So little do we see before us in the world, and so reat Maker of the world, that He does not leave His creatures so absolutely destitute, but that in the worst circu to be thankful for, and soine; nay, are even brought to their deliverance by the ht to their destruction

It was just at high-water when these people came on shore; and while they rambled about to see what kind of a place they were in, they had carelessly stayed till the tide was spent, and the water was ebbed considerably away, leaving their boat aground They had left twodrunk a little tooa little sooner than the other and finding the boat too fast aground for hi about: upon which they all soon cath to launch her, the boat being very heavy, and the shore on that side being a soft oozy sand, almost like a quicksand In this condition, like true seaiven to forethought, they gave it over, and away they strolled about the country again; and I heard one of the them off from the boat, ”Why, let her alone, Jack, can't you? she'll float next tide;” by which I was fully confirmed in the main inquiry of what countrymen they were All this while I keptto stir out of my castle any farther than to lad I was to think hoell it was fortified I kneas no less than ten hours before the boat could float again, and by that tiht be at more liberty to see their motions, and to hear their discourse, if they had any In the h withI had to do with another kind of enemy than I had at first I ordered Friday also, whoun, to load hiave hiure, indeed, was very fierce; I had reat cap I have mentioned, a naked sword by un upon each shoulder

It was n, as I said above, not to have made any atte the heat of the day, I found that they were all gone straggling into the woods, and, as I thought, laid down to sleep The three poor distressed et any sleep, had, however, sat down under the shelter of a great tree, at about a quarter of a ht of any of the rest Upon this I resolved to discoverof their condition; iood distance behindquite so staring a spectre-like figure as I did I came as near them undiscovered as I could, and then, before any of theentlemen?” They started up at the noise, but were ten tiure that I ht I perceived thelish ”Gentlemen,” said I, ”do not be surprised at me; perhaps you may have a friend near when you did not expect it” ”He must be sent directly froravely tooff his hat at the same time to me; ”for our condition is past the help of man” ”All help is froer in the way to help you? for you seereat distress I saw you when you landed; and when you seemed to make application to the brutes that came with you, I saw one of them lift up his sword to kill you”

The poorlike one astonished, returned, ”Ael?” ”Be in no fear about that, sir,” said I; ”if God had sent an angel to relieve you, he would have come better clothed, and armed after another manner than you see lishman, and disposed to assist you; you see I have one servant only; we have arms and ammunition; tell us freely, can we serve you? What is your case?” ”Our case, sir,” said he, ”is too long to tell you while our murderers are so near us; but, in short, sir, I was coainst me; they have been hardly prevailed on not to murder me, and, at last, have set me on shore in this desolate place, with these two er - where we expected to perish, believing the place to be uninhabited, and know not yet what to think of it” ”Where are these brutes, your eneone? There they lie, sir,” said he, pointing to a thicket of trees; ”my heart trembles for fear they have seen us and heard you speak; if they have, they will certainly murder us all” ”Have they any firearms?” said I He answered, ”They had only two pieces, one of which they left in the boat” ”Well, then,” said I, ”leave the rest toto kill them all; but shall we rather take them prisoners?” He toldthem that it was scarce safe to show any mercy to; but if they were secured, he believed all the rest would return to their duty I asked him which they were He told uish the I would direct ”Well,” says I, ”let us retreat out of their view or hearing, lest they awake, and ill resolve further” So they willingly went back with me, till the woods covered us from them

”Look you, sir,” said I, ”if I venture upon your deliverance, are you willing to make two conditions withme that both he and the shi+p, if recovered, should be wholly directed and co; and if the shi+p was not recovered, he would live and die with me in what part of the world soever I would send him; and the two other men said the same ”Well,” says I, ”my conditions are but two; first, that while you stay in this island with me, you will not pretend to any authority here; and if I put arive them up to me, and do no prejudice to overned by my orders; secondly, that if the shi+p is or land passage free”

He gave me all the assurances that the invention or faith of man could devise that he would comply with these most reasonable dee it upon all occasions as long as he lived ”Well, then,” said I, ”here are three muskets for you, with powder and ball; tell me next what you think is proper to be done” He showed all the testiratitude that he was able, but offered to be wholly guided by ; but the best method I could think of was to fire on them at once as they lay, and if any were not killed at the first volley, and offered to subht save them, and so put it wholly upon God's providence to direct the shot He said, very modestly, that he was loath to kill theible villains, and had been the authors of all the mutiny in the shi+p, and if they escaped, we should be undone still, for they would go on board and bring the whole shi+p's company, and destroy us all ”Well, then,” says I, ”necessity legitimates my advice, for it is the only way to save our lives” However, seeing hio thee as they found convenient

In the middle of this discourse we heard some of them awake, and soon after o of them on their feet I asked him if either of them were the heads of the mutiny? He said, ”No” ”Well, then,” said I, ”you may let them escape; and Providence seems to have awakened them on purpose to save themselves Now,” says I, ”if the rest escape you, it is your fault” Aniiven him in his hand, and a pistol in his belt, and his two comrades with him, with each a piece in his hand; the twofirst made some noise, at which one of the sea, cried out to the rest; but was too late then, for the moment he cried out they fired - Ihis own piece They had so well aimed their shot at the men they knew, that one of them was killed on the spot, and the other verydead, he started up on his feet, and called eagerly for help to the other; but the captain stepping to him, told him it was too late to cry for help, he should call upon God to forgive his villainy, and with that word knocked him doith the stock of his musket, so that he never spoke more; there were three htly wounded By this tier, and that it was in vain to resist, they begged for mercy The captain told theive him an assurance of their abhorrence of the treachery they had been guilty of, and would swear to be faithful to hi her back to Jaave him all the protestations of their sincerity that could be desired; and he illing to believe theainst, only that I obliged him to keep them bound hand and foot while they were on the island

While this was doing, I sent Friday with the captain'saway the oars and sails, which they did; and by-and-by three straggling men, that were (happily for theuns fired; and seeing the captain, as before their prisoner, now their conqueror, they submitted to be bound also; and so our victory was complete

It now remained that the captain and I should inquire into one another's circuan first, and told him my whole history, which he heard with an attention even to amaze furnished with provisions and ammunition; and, indeed, as my story is a whole collection of wonders, it affected him deeply But when he reflected from thence upon himself, and how I seemed to have been preserved there on purpose to save his life, the tears ran down his face, and he could not speak a word more After this communication was at an end, I carried hi them in just where I came out, viz at the top of the house, where I refreshed them with such provisions as I had, and showed the inhabiting that place

All I showed the; but above all, the captain admired my fortification, and how perfectly I had concealedbeen now planted nearly twenty years, and the trees growing land, was become a little wood, so thick that it was impassable in any part of it but at that one side where I had reserved e into it I told him this was my castle and my residence, but that I had a seat in the country, as most princes have, whither I could retreat upon occasion, and I would show him that too another time; but at present our business was to consider how to recover the shi+p He agreed with me as to that, but told me he was perfectly at a loss what measures to take, for that there were still six-and-twenty hands on board, who, having entered into a cursed conspiracy, by which they had all forfeited their lives to the laould be hardened in it now by desperation, and would carry it on, knowing that if they were subdued they would be brought to the gallows as soon as they calish colonies, and that, therefore, there would be no attacking them with so small a number as ere

I mused for some time on what he had said, and found it was a very rational conclusion, and that therefore so was to be resolved on speedily, as well to draw the men on board into so upon us, and destroying us Upon this, it presently occurred toas become of their comrades and of the boat, would certainly come on shore in their other boat to look for theht co for us: this he allowed to be rational Upon this, I told hi we had to do was to stave the boat which lay upon the beach, so that theyout of her, leave her so far useless as not to be fit to swily, ent on board, took the arms which were left on board out of her, and whatever else we found there - which was a bottle of brandy, and another of rureat luar was five or six pounds): all which was very welcoar, of which I had had none left for s on shore (the oars, mast, sail, and rudder of the boat were carried away before), we knocked a great hole in her bottoh to master us, yet they could not carry off the boat Indeed, it was not hts that we could be able to recover the shi+p; but my vieas, that if they went aithout the boat, I did not ain fit to carry as to the Leeward Islands, and call upon our friends the Spaniards in hts

CHAPTER XVIII

- THE shi+P RECOVERED

WHILE ere thus preparing our designs, and had first, by h that the tide would not float her off at high-waterto be quickly stopped, and were set down un, and nal for the boat to come on board - but no boat stirred; and they fired several tinals for the boat At last, when all their signals and firing proved fruitless, and they found the boat did not stir,thelasses, hoist another boat out and roards the shore; and we found, as they approached, that there were no less than ten men in her, and that they had firearues from the shore, we had a full view of theht even of their faces; because the tide having set them a little to the east of the other boat, they rowed up under shore, to come to the same place where the other had landed, and where the boat lay; by this means, I say, we had a full view of them, and the captain knew the persons and characters of all the men in the boat, of whom, he said, there were three very honest felloho, he was sure, were led into this conspiracy by the rest, being over-powered and frightened; but that as for the boatswain, who it see theeous as any of the shi+p's crew, and were no doubt made desperate in their new enterprise; and terribly apprehensive he was that they would be too powerful for us I smiled at him, and told him that men in our circu almost every condition that could be was better than that which ere supposed to be in, we ought to expect that the consequence, whether death or life, would be sure to be a deliverance I asked hiht of the circumstances offor? ”And where, sir,” said I, ”is your belief ofpreserved here on purpose to save your life, which elevated you a little while ago? Foramiss in all the prospect of it” ”What is that?” say she ”Why,” said I, ”it is, that as you say there are three or four honest fellows a them which should be spared, had they been all of the wicked part of the crew I should have thought God's providence had singled them out to deliver them into your hands; for depend upon it, every man that comes ashore is our own, and shall die or live as they behave to us” As I spoke this with a raised voice and cheerful countenance, I found it greatly encouraged hiorously to our business

We had, upon the first appearance of the boat's co our prisoners; and we had, indeed, secured them effectually Two of them, of whom the captain was less assured than ordinary, I sent with Friday, and one of the three delivered h, and out of danger of being heard or discovered, or of finding their way out of the woods if they could have delivered theave them provisions; and proive them their liberty in a day or two; but that if they attempted their escape they should be put to death without mercy They promised faithfully to bear their confinement with patience, and were very thankful that they had such good usage as to have provisions and light left theave them candles (such as we made ourselves) for their comfort; and they did not know but that he stood sentinel over them at the entrance

The other prisoners had better usage; two of them were kept pinioned, indeed, because the captain was not able to trust them; but the other tere taken into my service, upon the captain's reco to live and die with us; so with them and the three honest men ere seven men, well arh with the ten that were co that the captain had said there were three or four honest ot to the place where their other boat lay, they ran their boat into the beach and ca the boat up after thelad to see, for I was afraid they would rather have left the boat at an anchor souard her, and so we should not be able to seize the boat Being on shore, the first thing they did, they ran all to their other boat; and it was easy to see they were under a great surprise to find her stripped, as above, of all that was in her, and a great hole in her bottom After they had reat shouts, hallooing with all their ht, to try if they could make their companions hear; but all was to no purpose Then they ca, and fired a volley of their small ar But it was all one; those in the cave, ere sure, could not hear; and those in our keeping, though they heard it well enough, yet durst give no answer to them They were so astonished at the surprise of this, that, as they told us afterwards, they resolved to go all on board again to their shi+p, and let the-boat staved; accordingly, they iot all of them on board

The captain was terribly ao on board the shi+p again and set sail, giving their comrades over for lost, and so he should still lose the shi+p, which he was in hopes we should have recovered; but he was quickly as htened the other way