by Daniel Defoe
When the settled season began to come in, as the thought of my design return’d with the fair weather, I was preparing daily for the voyage; and the first thing I did, was to lay by a certain quantity of provisions, being the stores for our voyage; and intended in a week or a fortnight’s time, to open the dock, and launch out our boat. I was busy one morning upon some thing of this kind, when I call’d to Friday, and bid him go to the sea shore, and see if he could find a turtle, or tortoise, a thing which we generally got once a week, for the sake of the eggs, as well as the flesh: Friday had not been long gone, when he came running back, and flew over my outer wall, or fence, like one that felt not the ground, or the steps he set his feet on; and before I had time to speak to him, he cries out to me, O Master! Master! O sorrow! O bad! What’s the matter, Friday, says I; O yonder, there, says he, one, two, three canoe! one, two, three! By his way of speaking, I concluded there were six; but on enquiry, I found it was but three: Well, Friday, says I, do not be frighted; so I heartned him up as well as I could: However, I saw the poor fellow was most terribly scar’d; for nothing ran in his head but that they were come to look for him, and would cut him in pieces, and eat him; and the poor fellow trembled so, that I scarce knew what to do with him: I comforted him as well as I could, and told him I was in as much danger as he, and that they would eat me as well as him; but, says I, Friday, we must resolve to fight them; Can you fight, Friday? Me shoot, says he, but there come many great number. No matter for that, said I again, our guns will fright them that we do not kill; so I ask’d him, Whether if I resolv’d to defend him, he would defend me, and stand by me, and do just as I bid him? He said, me die, when you bid die, Master; so I went and fetch’d a good dram of rum, and gave him; for I had been so good a husband of my rum, that I had a great deal left: When he had drank it, I made him take the two fowling-pieces, which we always carry’d, and load them with large swan-shot, as big as small pistol bullets; then I took four musquets, and loaded them with two slugs, and five small bullets each; and my two pistols I loaded with a brace of bullets each; I hung my great sword as usual, naked by my side, and gave Friday his hatchet.
When I had thus prepar’d my self, I took my perspective-glass, and went up to the side of the hill, to see what I could discover; and I found quickly, by my glass, that there were one and twenty savages, three prisoners, and three canoes; and that their whole business seem’d to be the triumphant banquet upon these three human bodies, (a barbarous feast indeed) but nothing more than as I had observ’d was usual with them.
I observ’d also, that they were landed not where they had done, when Friday made his escape; but nearer to my creek, where the shore was low, and where a thick wood came close almost down to the sea: This, with the abhorrence of the inhuman errand these wretches came about, fill’d me with such indignation, that I came down again to Friday, and told him, I was resolv’d to go down to them, and kill them all; and ask’d him, if he would stand by me? He was now gotten over his fright, and his spirits being a little rais’d with the dram I had given him, he was very cheerful, and told me, as before, he would die, when I bid die.
In this fit of fury, I took first and divided the arms which I had charg’d, as before, between us; I gave Friday one pistol to stick in his girdle, and three guns upon his shoulder; and I took one pistol, and the other three my self; and in this posture we march’d out: I took a small bottle of rum in my pocket, and gave Friday a large bag, with more powder and bullet; and, as to orders, I charg’d him to keep close behind me, and not to stir, or shoot, or do any thing, till I bid him; and in the mean time, not to speak a word: In this posture I fetch’d a compass to my right hand of near a mile, as well to get over the creek, as to get into the wood; so that I might come within shot of them before I should be discover’d, which I had seen by my glass, it was easy to do.
While I was making this march, my former thoughts returning, I began to abate my resolution; I do not mean, that I entertain’d any fear of their number; for as they were naked, unarm’d wretches, ’tis certain I was superior to them; nay, though I had been alone; but it occurr’d to my thoughts, What call? What occasion? much less, What necessity I was in to go and dip my hands in blood, to attack people, who had neither done, or intended me any wrong? Who, as to me, were innocent, and whose barbarous customs were their own disaster, being in them a token indeed of God’s having left them, with the other nations of that part of the world, to such stupidity and to such inhuman courses; but did not call me to take upon me to be a judge of their actions, much less an executioner of his justice; that whenever he thought fit, he would take the cause into his own hands, and by national vengeance punish them as a people for national crimes; but that in the meantime, it was none of my business; that it was true, Friday might justify it, because he was a declar’d enemy, and in a state of war with those very particular people; and it was lawful for him to attack them; but I could not say the same with respect to me. These things were so warmly press’d upon my thoughts, all the way as I went, that I resolv’d I would only go and place myself near them, that I might observe their barbarous feast, and that I would act then as God should direct; but that unless something offer’d that was more a call to me than yet I knew of, I would not meddle with them.
With this resolution I enter’d the wood, and with all possible waryness and silence, Friday following close at my heels, I march’d till I came to the skirt of the wood, on the side which was next to them; only that one corner of the wood lay between me and them; here I call’d softly to Friday, and shewing him a great tree, which was just at the corner of the wood, I bad him go to the tree, and bring me word if he could see there plainly what they were doing; he did so, and came immediately back to me, and told me they might be plainly view’d there; that they were all about their fire, eating the flesh of one of their prisoners; and that another lay bound upon the sand, a little from them, which he said they would kill next, and which fir’d all the very soul within me; he told me it was not one of their nation; but one of the bearded men, who he had told me of, that came to their country in the boat: I was fill’d with horror at the very naming the white-bearded man, and going to the tree, I saw plainly, by my glass, a white man who lay upon the beach of the sea, with his hands and his feet ty’d, with flags, or things like rushes; and that he was an European, and had clothes on.
There was another tree, and a little thicket beyond it, about fifty yards nearer to them than the place where I was, which by going a little way about, I saw I might come at undiscover’d, and that then I should be within half shot of them; so I with-held my passion, though I was indeed enrag’d to the highest degree, and going back about twenty paces, I got behind some bushes, which held all the way, till I came to the other tree; and then I came to a little rising ground, which gave me a full view of them, at the distance of about eighty yards.
I had now not a moment to lose; for nineteen of the dreadful wretches sat upon the ground, all close huddled together, and had just sent the other two to butcher the poor Christian, and bring him perhaps limb by limb to their fire, and they were stoop’d down to untie the bands, at his feet; I turn’d to Friday, now Friday, said I, do as I bid thee; Friday said he would; then, Friday, says I, do exactly as you see me do, fail in nothing; so I set down one of the musquets, and the fowling-piece, upon the ground, and Friday did the like by his; and with the other musquet, I took my aim at the savages, bidding him do the like; then asking him if he was ready? He said, yes, then fire at them, said I; and the same moment I fir’d also.
Friday took his aim so much better than I, that on the side that he shot, he kill’d two of them, and wounded three more; and on my side, I kill’d one and wounded two. They were, you may be sure, in a dreadful consternation; and all of them, who were not hurt, jump’d up upon their feet, but did not immediately know which way to run, or which way to look; for they knew not from whence their destruction came: Friday kept his eyes close upon me, that as I had bid him, he might observe what
I did; so as soon as the first shot was made, I threw down the piece, and took up the fowling-piece, and Friday did the like; he saw me cock, and present, he did the same again; are you ready, Friday? said I; yes, says he; let fly then, says I, in the name of God, and with that I fir’d again among the amaz’d wretches, and so did Friday; and as our pieces were now loaden with what I call’d swan shot, or small pistol bullets, we found only two drop; but so many were wounded, that they ran about yelling and skreaming like mad creatures, all bloody, and miserably wounded, most of them; whereof three more fell quickly after, though not quite dead.
Now Friday, says I, laying down the discharg’d pieces, and taking up the musquet, which was yet loaden; follow me, says I, which he did, with a great deal of courage; upon which I rush’d out of the wood, and shew’d myself, and Friday close at my foot; as soon as I perceiv’d they saw me, I shouted as loud as I could, and bad Friday do so too; and running as fast as I could, which, by the way, was not very fast, being loaden with arms as I was, I made directly towards the poor victim, who was, as I said, lying upon the beach, or shore, between the place where they sat, and the sea; the two butchers, who were just going to work with him, had left him, at the surprise of our first fire, and fled in a terrible fright to the sea side, and had jump’d into a canoe, and three more of the rest made the same way; I turn’d to Friday, and bid him step forwards, and fire at them; he understood me immediately, and running about forty yards to be near them, he shot at them, and I thought he had kill’d them all; for I saw them all fall of a heap into the boat; though I saw two of them up again quickly: However, he kill’d two of them, and wounded the third; so that he lay down in the bottom of the boat, as if he had been dead.
While my man Friday fir’d at them, I pull’d out my knife, and cut the flags that bound the poor victim, and loosing his hands, and feets, I lifted him up, and ask’d him, in the Portuguese tongue, what he was? He answer’d in Latin, Christianus; but was so weak, and faint, that he could scarce stand, or speak; I took my bottle out of my pocket, and gave it him, making signs that he should drink, which he did; and I gave him a piece of bread, which he eat; then I ask’d him, what countryman he was? And he said, Espagniole; and being a little recover’d, let me know by all the signs he could possibly make, how much he was in my debt for his deliverance; Seignior, said I, with as much Spanish as I could make up, we will talk afterwards; but we must fight now; if you have any strength left, take this pistol, and sword, and lay about you; he took them very thankfully, and no sooner had he the arms in his hands, but as if they had put new vigour into him, he flew upon his murtherers, like a fury, and had cut two of them in pieces in an instant; for the truth is, as the whole was a surprise to them; so the poor creatures were so much frighted with the noise of our pieces, that they fell down for meer amazement and fear; and had no more power to attempt their own escape, than their flesh had to resist our shot; and that was the case of those five that Friday shot at in the boat; for as three of them fell with the hurt they receiv’d; so the other two fell with the fright.
I kept my piece in my hand still, without firing, being willing to keep my charge ready; because I had given the Spaniard my pistol, and swords; so I call’d to Friday, and bad him run up to the tree, from whence we first fir’d, and fetch the arms which lay there, that had been discharg’d, which he did with great swiftness; and then giving him my musquet, I sat down myself to load all the rest again, and bad them come to me when they wanted: While I was loading these pieces, there happen’d a fierce engagement between the Spaniard, and one of the savages, who made at him with one of their great wooden swords, the same weapon that was to have kill’d him before, if I had not prevented it: The Spaniard, who was as bold, and as brave as could be imagin’d, though weak, had fought this Indian a good while, and had cut him two great wounds on his head; but the savage being a stout lusty fellow, closing in with him, had thrown him down (being faint) and was wringing my sword out of his hand, when the Spaniard, tho’ undermost wisely quitting the sword, drew the pistol from his girdle, shot the savage through the body, and kill’d him upon the spot; before I, who was running to help him, could come near him.
Friday being now left to his liberty, pursu’d the flying wretches with no weapon in his hand but his hatchet; and with that he dispatch’d those three, who, as I said before, were wounded at first and fallen, and all the rest he could come up with, and the Spaniard coming to me for a gun, I gave him one of the fowling-pieces, with which he pursu’d two of the savages, and wounded them both; but as he was not able to run, they both got from him into the wood, where Friday pursu’d them, and kill’d one of them; but the other was too nimble for him, and tho’ he was wounded, yet had plung’d himself into the sea, and swam with all his might off to those two who were left in the canoe, which three in the canoe, with one wounded, who we know not whether he dy’d or no, were all that escap’d our hands of one and twenty: The account of the rest is as follows:
3
Kill’d at our first shot from the tree.
2
Kill’d at the next shot.
2
Kill’d by Friday in the boat.
2
Kill’d by ditto, of those at first wounded.
1
Kill’d by ditto, in the wood.
3
Kill’d by the Spaniard.
4
Kill’d, being found dropp’d here and there of their wounds, or kill’d by Friday in his chase of them.
4
Escap’d in the boat, whereof one wounded if not dead.
21
In all.
Those that were in the canoe, work’d hard to get out of gun-shot; and though Friday made two or three shot at them, I did not find that he hit any of them. Friday would fain have had me take one of their canoes, and pursu’d them; and indeed I was very anxious about their escape, least carrying the news home to their people, they should come back, perhaps, with two or three hundred of their canoes, and devour us by meer multitude; so I consented to pursue them by sea, and running to one of their canoes, I jump’d in, and bad Friday follow me; but when I was in the canoe, I was surpris’d to find another poor creature lye there alive, bound hand and foot, as the Spaniard was, for the slaughter, and almost dead with fear, not knowing what the matter was; for he had not been able to look up over the side of the boat, he was ty’d so hard, neck and heels, and had been ty’d so long, that he had really but little life in him.
I immediately cut the twisted flags, or rushes, which they had bound him with, and would have helped him up; but he could not stand, or speak, but groan’d most piteously, believing it seems still that he was only unbound in order to be kill’d.
When Friday came to him, I bad him speak to him, and tell him of his deliverance, and pulling out my bottle, made him give the poor wretch a dram, which, with the news of his being deliver’d, reviv’d him, and he sat up in the boat; but when Friday came to hear him speak, and look in his face, it would have mov’d any one to tears, to have seen how Friday kiss’d him, embrac’d him, hugg’d him, cry’d, laugh’d, hollow’d, jump’d about, danc’d, sung, then cry’d again, wrung his hands, beat his own face and head, and then sung, and jump’d about again, like a distracted creature: It was a good while before I could make him speak to me, or tell me what was the matter; but when he came a little to himself, he told me, that it was his father.
It is not easy for me to express how it mov’d me to see what extasy and filial affection had work’d in this poor savage, at the sight of his father, and of his being deliver’d from death; nor indeed can I describe half the extravagancies of his affection after this; for he went into the boat and out of the boat a great many times: When he went in to him, he would sit down by him, open his breast, and hold his father’s head close to his bosom half an hour together, to nourish it; then he took his arms and ankles, which were numb’d and stiff with the binding, and chaffed and rubbed them with his hands; and I perceiving what the
case was, gave him some rum out of my bottle to rub them with, which did them a great deal of good.
This action put an end to our pursuit of the canoe, with the other savages, who were now gotten almost out of sight; and it was happy for us that we did not; for it blew so hard within two hours after, and before they could be gotten a quarter of their way, and continued blowing so hard all night, and that from the north-west, which was against them, that I could not suppose their boat could live, or that they ever reach’d to their own coast.
But to return to Friday, he was so busy about his father, that I could not find in my heart to take him off for some time: But after I thought he could leave him a little, I call’d him to me, and he came jumping and laughing, and pleas’d to the highest extream; then I ask’d him, If he had given his father any bread? He shook his head, and said, None: Ugly dog eat all up self; so I gave him a cake of bread out of a little pouch I carry’d on purpose; I also gave him a dram for himself, but he would not taste it, but carry’d it to his father: I had in my pocket also two or three bunches of my raisins, so I gave him a handful of them for his father. He had no sooner given his father these raisins, but I saw him come out of the boat, and run away as if he had been bewitch’d, he ran at such a rate; for he was the swiftest fellow of his foot that ever I saw; I say, he run at such a rate, that he was out of sight, as it were, in an instant; and though I call’d, and hollow’d too, after him, it was all one, away he went, and in a quarter of an hour, I saw him come back again, though not so fast as he went; and as he came nearer, I found his pace was slacker, because he had something in his hand.