The Life & Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe Part-19

 

The Life & Adventures Of  Robinson Crusoe Part-19

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

so I gave him a Handful of them for his

of my Raisins,

I saw

Father. He had no sooner given his Father these Raisins, but

him come out of the Boat, and run away, as if he had

been bewitch'd, he run 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 some-

thing in his Hand.

239

When he came up to me, I found he had been quite Home

for an Earthen Jugg or Pot to bring his Father some fresh

Water, and that he had got two more Cakes, or Loaves of

Bread: The Bread he gave me, but the Water he carry'd to

his Father: However, as I was very thirsty too, I took a little

Sup of it. This Water reviv'd his Father more than all the

Rum or Spirits I had given him; for he was just fainting with

Thirst.

When his Father had drank, I call'd to him to know if

there was any Water left; he said, yes; and I bad him give it

to the poor Spaniard, who was in as much Want of it as his

Father; and I sent one of the Cakes, that Friday brought,

to the Spaniard too, who was indeed very weak, and was

reposing himself upon a green Place under the Shade of a

Tree; and whose Limbs were also very stiff, and very much

swell'd with the rude Bandage he had been ty'd with. When

saw that upon Friday's coming to him with the Water, he

sat up and drank, and took the Bread, and began to eat, I

went to him, and gave him a Handful of Raisins; he look'd 

fulness, that could appear in any Countenance; but was so

up in my Face with all the Tokens of Gratitude and Thank-

weak, notwithstanding he had so exerted himself in the

Fight, that he could not stand up upon his Feet; he try'd to

do it two or three times, but was really not able, his Ankles

were so swell'd and so painful to him; so I bad him sit still,

and caused Friday to rub his Ankles, and bathe them with

Rum, as he had done his Father's.

I observ'd the poor affectionate Creature every two

Minutes, or perhaps less, all the while he was here, turn'd

his Head about, to see if his Father was in the same Place,

and Posture, as he left him sitting; and at last he found he

was not to be seen; at which he started up, and without

speaking a Word, flew with that Swiftness to him, that one

could scarce perceive his Feet to touch the Ground, as he

went: But when he came, he only found he had laid himself

down to ease his Limbs; so Friday came back to me presently,

and I then spoke to the Spaniard to let Friday help him up

if he could, and lead him to the Boat, and then he should

carry him to our Dwelling, where I would take Care of him:

But Friday, a lusty strong Fellow, took the Spaniard quite

up upon his Back, and carry'd him away to the Boat, and

set him down softly upon the Side or Gunnel of the Canoe,

with his Feet in the inside of it, and then lifted him quite in,

and set him close to his Father, and presently stepping out

again, launched the Boat off, and paddled it along the Shore

faster than I could walk, tho' the Wind blew pretty hard too;

so he brought them both safe into our Creek; and leaving

them in the Boat, runs away to fetch the other Canoe. As

he pass'd me, I spoke to him, and ask'd him, whither he went,

he told me, Go fetch more Boat; so away he went like the

Wind; for sure never Man or Horse run 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

I came to me, I soon made a Kind of Hand-Barrow to lay

them on, and Friday and I carry'd them up both together

it between us: But when we got them to the outside of

up Wall or Fortification, we were at a worse Loss than

before; for it was impossible to get them over; and I was

resolv'd not to break it down: So I set to Work again; and

Friday and I, in about 2 Hours time, made a very handsom

Tent, cover'd 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 them two Beds of such things

as I had (viz.) of good Rice-Straw, with Blankets laid upon

it to lye on, and another to cover them on each Bed:

My Island was now peopled, and I thought my self very

rich in Subjects; and it was a merry Reflection which I

frequently made, How like a King I look'd. First of all, the

whole Country was my own meer¹ Property; so that I had

an undoubted Right of Dominion. 2dly, My People were

perfectly subjected: I was absolute Lord and Law-giver;

they all owed their Lives to me, and were ready to lay down

their Lives, if there had been Occasion of it, for me. It was

remarkable too, we had but three Subjects, and they were of Qu

three different Religions. My Man Friday was a Protestant, hi

his Father was a Pagan and a Cannibal, and the Spaniard

was a Papist: However, I allow'd Liberty of Conscience

throughout my Dominions: But this is by the Way

I

As soon as I had secur'd my two weak rescued Prisoners,

and given them Shelter, and a Place to rest them upon,

began to think of making some Provision for them: And the

first thing I did, I order'd Friday to take a yearling Goat,

betwixt a Kid and a Goat, out of my particular Flock, to

be kill'd, when I cut off the hinder 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