wind; for sure never man or horse ran like him, and he had the other canoe in the creek almost as soon as I got to it by land; so he wafted me over, and then went to help our new guests out of the boat, which he did; but they were neither of them able to walk; so that poor Friday knew not what to do.

To remedy this, I went to work in my thought, and calling to Friday to bid them sit down on the bank while he came to me, I soon made a kind of handbarrow to lay them on, and Friday and I carried them up both together upon it between us; but when we got them to the outside of our wall or fortification, we were at a worse loss than before; for it was impossible to get them over; and I was resolved not to break it down: so I set to work again; and Friday and I, in about two hours' time, made a very handsome tent, covered with old sails, and above that with boughs of trees, being in the space without our outward fence, and between that and the grove of young wood which I had planted, and here we made two beds of such things as I had, viz., of good rice straw, with blankets laid upon it to lie on, and another to cover them on each bed.

My island was now peopled, and I thought myself very rich in subjects; and it was a merry reflection which I frequently made, how like a king I looked: first of all, the whole country was my own mere property, so that I had an undoubted right of dominion; 2ndly, my people were perfectly subjected. I was absolute lord and lawgiver. They all owed their lives to me, and were ready to lay down their lives, if there had been occasion for it, for me; it was remarkable too, I had but three subjects, and they were of three different religions. My man Friday

was a Protestant, his father a Pagan and a cannibal, and the Spaniard was a Papist; however, I allowed liberty of conscience throughout my dominions, but this by the way.

As soon as I had secured my two weak rescued prisoners, and given them shelter and a place to rest them upon, I began to think of making some provision for them; and the first thing I did, I ordered Friday to take a yearling goat, betwixt a kid and a goat, out of my particular flock, to be killed; then I cut off the hind quarter, and chopping it into small pieces, I set Friday to work to boiling and stewing, and made them a very good dish, I assure you, of flesh and broth, having put some barley and rice also into the broth; and as I cooked it without doors (for I made no fire within my inner wall), so I carried it all into the new tent; and having set a table there for them, I sat down and ate my dinner also with them, and as well as I could, cheered them and encouraged them, Friday being my interpreter, especially to his father, and indeed to the Spaniard too; for the Spaniard spoke the language of the savages pretty well.

After we had dined, or rather supped, I ordered Friday to take one of the canoes, and go and fetch our muskets and other fire-arms, which, for want of time, we had left upon the place of battle; and the next day I ordered him to go and bury the dead bodies of the savages, which lay open to the sun, and would presently be offensive; and I also ordered him to bury the horrid remains of their barbarous feast, which I knew were pretty much, and which I could not think of doing myself; nay, I could not bear to see them, if I went that way: all which he punctually performed, and defaced the

very appearance of the savages being there; so that when I went again, I could scarce know where it was, otherwise than by the corner of the wood pointing to the place.

I then began to enter into a little conversation with my two new subjects; and first I set Friday to inquire of his father what he thought of the escape of the savages in that canoe? and whether he might expect a return of them with a power too great for us to resist? His first opinion was, that the savages in the boat never could live out the storm which blew that night they went off, but must of necessity be drowned or driven south to those other shores, where they were as sure to be devoured, as they were to be drowned if they were cast away; but as to what they would do if they came safe on shore, he said he knew not; but it was his opinion, that they were so dreadfully frighted with the manner of being attacked, the noise, and the fire, that he believed they would tell their people they were all killed by thunder and lightning, and not by the hand of man; and that the two which appeared (viz., Friday and I) were two heavenly spirits or furies come down to destroy them, and not men with weapons. This, he said, he knew, because he heard. them all cry out so in their language to one another; for it was impossible for them to conceive that a man should dart fire, and speak thunder, and kill at a distance, without lifting up the hand, as was done now. And this old savage was in the right; for as I understood since by other hands, the savages of that part never attempted to go over to the island afterwards. They were so terrified with the accounts given by these four men (for it seems they did escape

the sea), that they believed whoever went to that enchanted island would be destroyed with fire from the gods.

This, however, I knew not, and therefore was under continual apprehensions for a good while, and kept always upon my guard, I and all my army; for as there were now four of us, I would have ventured upon a hundred of them fairly in the open field at any time.

In a little time, however, no more canoes appearing, the fear of their coming wore off; and I began to take my former thoughts of a voyage to the main into consideration, being likewise assured by Friday's father that I might depend upon good usage from their nation on his account if I would go.

CHAPTER XVII.

1 LEARN FROM THE SPANIARD THAT THERE WERE SIXTEEN MORE OF HIS COUNTRYMEN AMONG THE SAVAGES-THE SPANIARD AND FRIDAY'S FATHER WELL ARMED, SAIL ON A MISSION TO THE CONTINENT -I DISCOVER AN ENGLISH SHIP LYING AT ANCHOR OFF THE ISLAND—HER BOAT COMES ON SHORE WITH THREE PrisonerS-THE CREW STRAGGLE INTO THE WOODS, THEIR BOAT BEING AGROUND-DISCOVER MYSELF TO the prisoners, wHO PROVE TO BE THE CAPTAIN AND MATE OF THE VESSEL, AND A PASSENGER-SECURE THE MUTINEERS.

BUT my thoughts were a little suspended, when I had a serious discourse with the Spaniard, and when I understood that there were sixteen more of his

countrymen and Portuguese, who having been cast away, and made their escape to that side, lived there at peace indeed with the savages, but were very sore put to it for necessaries, and indeed for life: I asked him all the particulars of their voyage; and found they were a Spanish ship, bound from the Rio de la Plata to the Havanna, being directed to leave their loading there, which was chiefly hides and silver, and to bring back what European goods they could meet with there; that they had five Portuguese seamen on board, whom they took out of another wreck; that five of their own men were drowned when first the ship was lost; and that these escaped through infinite dangers and hazards, and arrived almost starved on the cannibal coast, where they expected to have been devoured every moment.

He told me they had some arms with them; but they were perfectly useless; for that they had neither powder nor ball, the washing of the sea having spoiled all their powder, but a little which they used at their first landing to provide themselves some food.

I asked him what he thought would become of them there; and if they had formed no design of making any escape? He said, they had many consultations about it; but that having neither vessel, nor tools to build one, nor provisions of any kind, their counsels always ended in tears and despair.

I asked him how he thought they would receive a proposal from me, which might tend towards an escape; and whether, if they were all here, it might not be done? I told him with freedom, I feared mostly their treachery and ill usage of me, if I put my life in their hands; for that gratitude was no