by Daniel Defoe
I gave each of them a musquet with a firelock on it, and about eight charges of powder and ball, charging them to be very good husbands of both, and not to use either of them but upon urgent occasion.
This was a cheerful work, being the first measures used by me in view of my deliverance for now 27 years and some days. I gave them provisions of bread, and of dry’d grapes, sufficient for themselves for many days, and sufficient for all their country-men for about eight days time; and wishing them a good voyage, I saw them go, agreeing with them about a signal they should hang out at their return, by which I should know them again, when they came back, at a distance, before they came on shore.
They went away with a fair gale on the day that the moon was at full by my account, in the month of October: But as for an exact reckoning of days, after I had once lost it, I could never recover it again, nor had I kept even the number of years so punctually, as to be sure that I was right, tho’, as it prov’d, when I afterwards examin’d my account, I found I had kept a true reckoning of years.
It was no less than eight days I had waited for them, when a strange and unforeseen accident interven’d, of which the like has not perhaps been heard of in history. I was fast asleep in my hutch one morning, when my man Friday came running in to me, and call’d aloud, Master, Master, they are come, they are come.
I jump’d up, and, regardless of danger, I went out as soon as I could get my clothes on, thro’ my little grove, which (by the way) was by this time grown to be a very thick wood; I say, regardless of danger, I went without my arms, which was not my custom to do; but I was surpris’d, when turning my eyes to the sea, I presently saw a boat at about a league and half’s distance, standing in for the shore, with a shoulder of mutton sail, as they call it; and the wind blowing pretty fair to bring them in; also I observ’d presently, that they did not come from that side which the shore lay on, but from the southermost end of the island: Upon this, I call’d Friday in, and bid him lie close, for these were not the people we look’d for, and that we might not know yet whether they were friends or enemies.
In the next place, I went in to fetch my perspective glass, to see what I could make of them; and having taken the ladder out, I climb’d up to the top of the hill, as I used to do when I was apprehensive of anything, and to take my view the plainer without being discover’d.
I had scarce set my foot on the hill, when my eye plainly discover’d a ship lying at an anchor, at about two leagues and a half’s distance from me south-south-east, but not above a league and an half from the shore. By my observation it appear’d plainly to be an English ship, and the boat appear’d to be an English long-boat.
I cannot express the confusion I was in, tho’ the joy of seeing a ship, and one who I had reason to believe was mann’d by my own country-men, and consequently friends, was such as I cannot describe; but yet I had some secret doubts hung about me, I cannot tell from whence they came, bidding me keep upon my guard. In the first place, it occurr’d to me to consider what business an English ship could have in that part of the world, since it was not the way to or from any part of the world where the English had any traffick; and I knew there had been no storms to drive them in there, as in distress; and that if they were English really, it was most probable that they were here upon no good design; and that I had better continue as I was, than fall into the hands of thieves and murtherers.
Let no man despise the secret hints and notices of danger which sometimes are given him, when he may think there is no possibility of its being real. That such hints and notices are given us, I believe few that have made any observations of things can deny; that they are certain discoveries of an invisible world, and a converse of spirits, we cannot doubt, and if the tendency of them seems to be to warn us of danger, why should we not suppose they are from some friendly agent, whether supreme, or inferior and subordinate, is not the question; and that they are given for our good?
The present question abundantly confirms me in the justice of this reasoning; for had I not been made cautious by this secret admonition, come it from whence it will, I had been undone inevitably, and in a far worse condition than before, as you will see presently.
I had not kept myself long in this posture, but I saw the boat draw near the shore, as if they look’d for a creek to thrust in at for the convenience of landing; however, as they did not come quite far enough, 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 as I may say at my door, and would soon have beaten me out of my castle, and perhaps have plunder’d me of all I had.
When they were on shore, I was fully satisfy’d that they were English men; at least, most of them; one or two I thought were Dutch; but it did not prove so: There were in all eleven men, whereof three of them I found were unarm’d, and, as I thought, bound; and when the first four or five of them were jump’d on shore, they took those three out of the boat as prisoners: One of the three I could perceive using the most passionate gestures of entreaty, affliction and despair, even to a kind of extravagance; the other two I could perceive lifted up their hands sometimes, and appear’d concern’d indeed, but not to such a degree as the first.
I was perfectly confounded at the sight, and knew not what the meaning of it should be. Friday call’d out to me in English, as well as he could, O Master! You see English mans eat prisoner as well as savage mans. Why, says I, Friday, do you think they are a going to eat them then? Yes, says Friday, They will eat them: No, no, says I, Friday, I am afraid they will murther them, indeed, but you may be sure they will not eat them.
All this while I had no thought of what the matter really was; but stood trembling with the horror of the sight, expecting every moment when the three prisoners should be kill’d; nay, once I saw one of the villains lift up his arm with a great cutlash, (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 seem’d to run chill in my veins.
I wish’d heartily now for my Spaniard, and the savage that was gone with him; or that I had any way to have come undiscover’d within shot of them, that I might have rescu’d the three men; for I saw no fire arms they had among them; but it fell out to my mind another way.
After I had observ’d the outragious usage of the three men by the insolent seamen, I observ’d the fellows run scattering about the land, as if they wanted to see the country: I observ’d that the three other men had liberty to go also where they pleas’d; but they sat down all three upon the ground very pensive, and look’d like men in despair.
This put me in mind of the first time when I came on shore, and began to look about me; how I gave my self over for lost: How wildly I look’d round me, what dreadful apprehensions I had: And how I lodg’d in the tree all night for fear of being devour’d by wild beasts.
As I knew nothing that night of the supply I was to receive by the providential driving of the ship nearer the land, by the storms and tide, by which I have since been so long nourish’d and supported; so these three poor desolate men knew nothing how certain of deliverance and supply they were, how near it was to them, and how effectually and ready they were in a condition of safety, at the same time that they thought themselves lost, and their case desperate.
So little do we see before us in the world, and so much reason have we to depend cheerfully upon the great Maker of the world, that he does not leave his creatures so absolutely destitute, but that in the worst circumstances they have always something to be thankful for, and sometimes are nearer their deliverance than they imagine; nay, are even brought to their deliverance by the means by which they seem to be brought to their destruction.
It was just at the top of high-water when these people came on shore, and while partly they stood parlying with the prisoners they brought, and partly while they rambled about to see what kind of a place they were in, t
hey had carelessly staid till the tide was spent, and the water was ebb’d considerably away, leaving their boat a-ground.
They had left two men in the boat, who as I found afterwards, having drank a little too much brandy, fell a-sleep; however, one of them waking sooner than the other, and finding the boat too fast a-ground for him to stir it, hollow’d for the rest who were straggling about, upon which they all soon came to the boat; but it was past all their strength to launch her, the boat being very heavy, and the shore on that side being a soft ousy sand, almost like a quick-sand.
In this condition, like true seamen who are perhaps the least of all mankind given to fore-thought, they gave it over, and away they stroll’d about the country again; and I heard one of them say aloud to another, calling them off from the boat, Why, let her alone, Jack, can’t ye, she will float next tide; by which I was fully confirm’d in the main enquiry, of what country-men they were.
All this while I kept my self very close, not once daring to stir out of my castle, any farther than to my place of observation, near the top of the hill; and very glad I was, to think how well it was fortify’d: I knew it was no less than ten hours before the boat could be on float again, and by that time it would be dark, and I might be at more liberty to see their motions, and to hear their discourse, if they had any.
In the mean time, I fitted my self up for a battle as before, though with more caution, knowing I had to do with another kind of enemy than I had at first. I order’d Friday also, who I had made an excellent marksman with his gun, to load himself with arms: I took myself two fowling-pieces, and I gave him three musquets; my figure indeed was very fierce; I had my formidable goat-skin coat on, with the great cap I have mention’d, a naked sword by my side, two pistols in my belt, and a gun upon each shoulder.
It was my design, as I said above, not to have made any attempt till it was dark: But about two a clock, being the heat of the day, I found that in short they were all gone straggling into the woods, and, as I thought, were laid down to sleep. The three poor distressed men, too anxious for their condition to get any sleep, were however set down under the shelter of a great tree, at about a quarter of a mile from me, and, as I thought, out of sight of any of the rest.
Upon this I resolv’d to discover my self to them, and learn something of their condition: Immediately I march’d in the figure as above, my man Friday at a good distance behind me, as formidable for his arms as I, but not making quite so staring a spectre-like figure as I did.
I came as near them undiscover’d as I could, and then before any of them saw me, I call’d aloud to them in Spanish, What are ye gentlemen?
They started up at the noise, but were ten times more confounded when they saw me, and the uncouth figure that I made. They made no answer at all; but I thought I perceiv’d them just going to fly from me, when I spoke to them in English, Gentlemen, said I, do not be surpris’d at me; perhaps you may have a friend near you when you did not expect it. He must be sent directly from Heaven then, said one of them very gravely to me, and pulling off his hat at the same time to me, for our condition is past the help of man. All help is from Heaven, sir, said I. But can you put a stranger in the way how to help you, for you seem to me to be in some great distress? I saw you when you landed, and when you seem’d to make application to the brutes that came with you, I saw one of them lift up his sword to kill you.
The poor man, with tears running down his face, and trembling, looking like one astonish’d, return’d, Am I talking to God, or man! Is it a real man, or an angel! Be in no fear about that, sir, said I, if God had sent an angel to relieve you, he would have come better cloth’d, and arm’d after another manner than you see me in; pray lay aside your fears, I am a man, an English man, and dispos’d 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, said he, sir, is too long to tell you, while our murtherers are so near; but, in short, sir, I was commander of that ship, my men have mutinied against me; they have been hardly prevail’d on not to murther me, and at last have set me on shore in this desolate place, with these two men with me, one my Mate, the other a passenger, where we expected to perish, believing the place to be uninhabited, and know not yet what to think of it.
Where are those brutes, your enemies, said I, do you know where they are gone? There they lye, 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 murther us all.
Have they any fire-arms, said I? He answer’d, they had only two pieces, and one which they left in the boat. Well then, said I, leave the rest to me; I see they are all asleep, it is an easy thing to kill them all; but shall we rather take them prisoners? He told me, there were two desperate villains among them that it was scarce safe to shew any mercy to; but if they were secur’d, he believ’d all the rest would return to their duty. I ask’d him, which they were? He told me, he could not at that distance describe them; but he would obey my orders in any thing I would direct. Well, says I, let us retreat out of their view or hearing, lest they awake, and we will resolve farther; so they willingly went back with me, till the woods cover’d us from them.
Look you, sir, said I, if I venture upon your deliverance, are you willing to make two conditions with me; he anticipated my proposals, by telling me, that both he and the ship, if recover’d, should be wholly directed and commanded by me in every thing; and if the ship was not recover’d, 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. 1. That while you stay on this island with me, you will not pretend to any authority here; and if I put arms into your hands, you will upon all occasions give them up to me, and do no prejudice to me or mine, upon this island, and in the mean time be govern’d by my orders.
2. That if the ship is, or may be recover’d, you will carry me and my man to England passage-free.
He gave me all the assurances that the invention and faith of man could devise, that he would comply with these most reasonable demands, and besides would owe his life to me, and acknowledge it upon all occasions as long as he liv’d.
Well then, said I, here are three musquets for you, with powder and ball; tell me next what you think is proper to be done. He shew’d all the testimony of his gratitude that he was able; but offer’d to be wholly guided by me. I told him, I thought it was hard venturing any thing; but the best method I could think of was to fire upon them at once, as they lay; and if any was not kill’d at the first volley, and offered to submit, we might 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 them, if he could help it, but that those two were incorrigible villains, and had been the authors of all the mutiny in the ship, and if they escaped, we should be undone still; for they would go on board, and bring the whole ship’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 him still cautious of shedding blood, I told him they should go themselves, and manage as they found convenient.
In the middle of this discourse, we heard some of them awake, and soon after, we saw two of them on their feet, I ask’d him, if either of them were the men who he had said were the heads of the mutiny? He said, No: Well then, said I, you may let them escape, and Providence seems to have wakened them on purpose to save themselves. Now, says I, if the rest escape you, it is your fault.
Animated with this, he took the musquet, I had given him, in his hand, and a pistol in his belt, and his two comerades with him, with each man a piece in his hand. The two men who were with him going first, made some noise, at which one of the seamen who was awake, turn’d about, and seeing them coming, cry’d out to the rest; but it was too late then; for the moment he cry’d out, they fir’d; I mean the two men, the Captain wisel
y reserving his own piece: They had so well aim’d their shot at the men they knew, that one of them was kill’d on the spot, and the other very much wounded; but not being dead, he started up upon his feet, and call’d eagerly for help to the other; but the Captain stepping to him, told him, ’twas too late to cry for help, he should call upon God to forgive his villainy, and with that word knock’d him down with the stock of his musket, so that he never spoke more: There were three more in the company, and one of them was also slightly wounded: By this time I was come, and when they saw their danger, and that it was in vain to resist, they begg’d for mercy: The Captain told them he would spare their lives, if they would give him any assurance of their abhorrence of the treachery they had been guilty of, and would swear to be faithful to him in recovering the ship, and afterwards in carrying her back to Jamaica, from whence they came: They gave him all the protestations of their sincerity that could be desir’d, and he was willing to believe them, and spare their lives, which I was not against; only I oblig’d him to keep them bound hand and foot while they were upon the island.
While this was doing, I sent Friday with the Captain’s Mate to the boat, with orders to secure her, and bring away the oars, and sail, which they did; and by and by, three straggling men that were (happily for them) parted from the rest, came back upon hearing the guns fir’d, and seeing their Captain, who before was their prisoner, now their conqueror, they submitted to be bound also; and so our victory was compleat.
It now remain’d, that the Captain and I should enquire into one another’s circumstances: I began first, and told him my whole history, which he heard with an attention even to amazement; and particularly, at the wonderful manner of my being furnish’d 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 seem’d to have been preserv’d there, on purpose to save his life, the tears ran down his face, and he could not speak a word more.