At length he came towards me, jumping and laughing, and I asked him if he had given his father any bread. He shook his head and said: "None, ugly dog eat all up self." I then gave him some food, and soon afterwards he ran out of sight, and I saw him return with some fresh water, which greatly revived the poor old savage, who was fainting with thirst.

Neither the Spaniard, nor Friday's father, were able to walk, so I made a kind of hand-barrow to lay them upon, and in this manner we reached my dwelling. As soon as I had sheltered the two rescued prisoners, I began to think of making some provision for them, and I set Friday to work boiling and stewing some goat's flesh, and having placed a table in my new tent, we sat down to dinner, and were very cheerful. Friday was my interpreter to his father, and indeed to the Spaniard also, for the latter spoke the language of the savages indifferently well. I was not long in learning their histories: and from the account of the Spaniard it appeared that there were sixteen more of his countrymen and Portuguese among the savages, living there at some risk of their lives. This news led me to think of releasing these poor prisoners from their captivity, and I accordingly proposed that we should all set to work and build a large boat, which was done after much labour. Neither did we neglect to increase our stores of provisions, for we prepared additional land for sowing, and added to our stock of tame goats, by taking the kids alive whenever we shot the dams. By these means, and by drying a prodigious quantity of raisins, we had sufficient food, even in case we received the sixteen Spaniards. I now gave the Spaniard leave to cross the water to the main land with the old savage, the father of Friday, in one of the canoes left by the vanquished cannibals, to see what could be done for the Christians, if they were still alive, among the barbarians. It was about eight days after they had left, that one morning my man, Friday, came running towards me, exclaiming": "Master, master, they are come, they are come!" I jumped up, and went out to see what had happened, when, to my great surprise, I beheld a boat at about a league and a half distance, with a sail, and directed towards the point where I stood. I immediately ascended the hill, and with the aid of my perspective glass, I beheld a ship lying at anchor, apparently of English build, as was also the long boat that was now making way towards the coast. My thoughts were greatly confused at this circumstance, as I could not conceive what business could bring an English vessel to this part of the world, and it was therefore probable that its mission here was upon no good purpose. The joy I had felt at first in the hope of meeting my countrymen was therefore checked. Meanwhile the crew of the boat had landed, to the number of eleven, out of whom three appeared tc

be prisoners, as some were bound, and I could perceive one of them used the most passionate gestures of entreaty and despair: but one of the villains, to my great horror, lifted his sword as if to strike him. I now heartily wished that I had the Spaniard, and Friday's father, near me, that I might rescue the three men, for the seamen did not appear to have any fire-arms. Meanwhile the sailors rambled about the adjacent wood, and had apparently forgotten the tide, for when they returned they were unable, with their united strength, to launch the boat. They soon gave over trying, and again strolled away about the country. All this time I kept myself very close, knowing it would be at least ten hours before the boat could float again, and by that time it would be dark, and I could perhaps overhear their plans, if they had any. I prepared my arms, and directed Friday to hold himself in readiness. The three prisoners were sitting under the shelter of a tree at the distance of about a quarter of a mile, and I resolved to discover myself to them, and learn their history. Accordingly, I approached unperceived, and suddenly exclaimed in Spanish :-" "What are you, gentlemen? They started at the sound, and were ten times more confounded when they beheld my uncouth figure. They appeared to be preparing for flight, when I spoke to them in English, and quieted their fears by offering to assist them. Our case," one of them replied, "is too long to tell you, while our persecutors are so near; but in short, sir, I was the commander of that ship in the distance. My men have mutinied and threatened my life, but what is perhaps worse than death, they have set me on shore in this desolate place, with my two companions, my mate and a passenger, where we expected to perish, believing the island uninhabited." "Where are these brutes, your enemies?" I inquired. "There they lie, sir," said the captain, pointing to a thicket of trees. After some further conversation, finding them anxious to effect their deliverance, I expressed my willingness to aid them on two conditions. First, that while they stayed upon the island with me, they should acknowledge my authority, and give up, at my desire, any arms I might entrust to them: and, secondly, that if the ship could be recovered, I should, with my man Friday, have a free passage to England.

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These stipulations being agreed to, with many protestations of sincerity, I gave them arms, and we took our measures cautiously and securely. Two of the mutineers, who were not deeply implicated, were allowed to escape, as they were already on their feet, but the others were overpowered; one being killed and another dangerously wounded, while the rest, seeing no chance of escape, submitted to the captain, and they were bound hand and foot, at my desire, and placed in confinement. I now conferred with the captain about the twenty-six men

on board, who, it appeared, had entered into the conspiracy, and as it was necessary, as our hands were few, to entrap them, I proposed we should watch their proceedings, as a part of the crew would most probably come on shore to look after their companions. I, therefore, directed that the boat by which the captives had arrived should be sunk, in order to give the less chance of escape. As I expected, after various signals and firing, which were of course unanswered, we saw them, with the aid of my glasses, hoist out another boat and row towards the shore. On the arrival of the men, they were amazed to find no trace of the boat, or their companions, and then commenced shouting and firing guns, after which they returned towards their boat. To defeat this, however, I ordered Friday and the captain's mate to go some distance and shout as if in recognition, and to draw them gradually as far into the island, and among the woods, as possible. By this plan we succeeded in separating them, and eventually they were overcome. The ship now remained to be taken, and this was effected by the courage and discretion of the captain, who had no difficulty but to furnish his two boats, stop the breach in one, and to man them.. He made his passenger captain of one, with four of the men who had abandoned the cause of the mutineers, while himself, his mate, and five more, went in the other. They arrived near the ship about midnight, and the crew were hailed and kept chatting until the boats reached the side of the vessel, which the captain and mate climbed and entered first with their arms, immediately knocking down the second mate, and the carpenter, with the butt-end of their muskets, being faithfully seconded by their men. After this surprise the others were quickly overcome, and the new rebel captain, who made a vigorous resistance, was shot through the head by the mate. As soon as the ship was thus secured, the captain ordered seven guns to be fired, the signal agreed upon to announce to me his success, which I was very glad to hear, having listened for it until nearly two o'clock in the morning. After retiring to rest I was awoke by the report of a gun, and presently heard the captain's voice calling me. He stood on the top of the hill over my dwelling, and pointing to the ship, he embraced me, saying, "My dear friend and deliverer, there is your ship, for she is all your own and all that belongs to her." I looked at the vessel, which was lying at little more than half a mile from the shore, and I was ready to sink with joy, for I saw my deliverance at hand, and a large ship lying ready to carry me whereever I pleased. So great were my emotions that it was a long time before I could speak a word, until at length, in my turn, I called him my deliverer, and we rejoiced together. I did not forget to lift my heart in thankfulness to Heaven for the mercies bestowed upon me. When we had conversed together for some time, the captain told me

he had brought some refreshments with him, and he produced a case of bottles containing cordials, six large bottles of Madeira wine, two pounds of excellent tobacco, twelve pieces of the ship's beef, and six pieces of pork, with other articles; and what was a thousand times more useful, he gave me also six new clean shirts, some gloves, shoes, a hat, and a good suit of clothes. The latter was, indeed, a very kind and agreeable present, as any one may imagine, to a person in my circumstances, but the first time I wore them I felt exceedingly awkward and uneasy. After these ceremonies were over, we considered what had better be done to our prisoners, and whether we might venture to take them away with us, especially two of them, whom he knew to be of the worst characters, and whom it was dangerous to take again on board. Upon this, I told him that if he desired, I would undertake to bring the two men he mentioned even to make it their own request that he should leave them upon the island. As he consented, I sent Friday to bring up the five men, pinioned as they were, to the bower, and to keep them there until I came. After some time I went there, dressed in my new attire, and in the assumed character of governor of the island, with which the captain had dignified me, in order to ensure authority to my commands. Being all met, the captain included, I caused the men to be brought forward, and I rated them soundly. I let them know that by my directions the ship had been seized, and I asked them why I should not execute them as pirates, as their new captain had been punished, and as, by my commission, they could not doubt but I had authority to execute in their case. One of them answered, in the name of the rest, that the captain had promised them their lives, and they humbly implored my mercy. But I told them, that as for myself, I had resolved to quit the island with my men, and I had taken a passage with the captain for England; that they could not be carried there otherwise than as prisoners, in irons, to be tried for mutiny, the consequence of which, as they knew, was the gallows; so I could not advise them otherwise than to stay on the island, on which condition I might grant them their lives. They appeared very thankful for this suggestion, and preferred remaining. However, the captain pretended to make some difficulty, upon which I pretended to be angry, and told him that they were my prisoners, and not his; and as I had offered them this favour, I would be as good as my word. If he did not consent to it, he could take them again if he could catch them. Upon this the men seemed very grateful, and I accordingly set them at liberty, and bade them retire into the woods, and I would leave them some fire-arms and ammunition, with instructions, by means of which they could live very comfortably if they thought proper.

After this I prepared to go on board the ship, but I told the captain

I would stay that night to arrange my goods. I requested him, in the meantime, to keep all right on the vessel, and to send the boat next day for me, also to cause the new captain, who was killed, to be hanged at the yard-arm, that these men might see him, and thus be more determined to remain. When the captain left I sent for the men to my apartment, and I conversed seriously with them on their circumstances. I told them I thought they had made a right choice; that if the captain carried them away, they would certainly be hanged. I showed them the rebel captain at the yard-arm of the ship, and I told them they had nothing less to expect if they returned to the ship.

When they had all declared their willingness to stop on the island, I then told them I would relate the story of my living there, and teach them how to procure abundance. Accordingly I related the whole history of the place, and the circumstances of my arrival. I shewed them my fortifications, the manner in which I made my bread, how I planted my corn, dried my grapes, and, in a word, all that was necessary to keep them in comfort. I also told them about the seventeen Spaniards whom I had expected there, and I left a letter for them in case they arrived, in which I recommended them to treat each other as brothers.

I gave them, likewise, some arms, consisting of five muskets, three fowling pieces, and three swords. I had more than a barrel and a half of gunpowder left, for after the first year or two I used but little, and all that remained I presented to them. I explained, also, how I had managed the goats, and milked and fattened them, and how to make both butter and cheese. In a few words I told them the whole of my adventures on the island. I promised to prevail with the captain to leave them two more barrels of gunpowder, and some garden seeds; and I gave them the bag of peas which the captain had brought on shore and bade them sow and increase them.

Having done all this, I left them the next day, and went on board the ship with Friday. We prepared to sail, but did not weigh anchor that night. The next morning, early, two of the five men came swimming to the ship's side, and making a most lamentable complaint of the other three, begged to be taken into the ship, or they would be killed. Upon this the captain referred them to me, and they were received on board.

Some time after this the boat was ordered on shore, with the goods promised to the men; to which were added their chests and clothes. I also forwarded a message, that if it lay in my power later to send any vessel going that way to take them off the island, I would do so.

When I took leave of this island, I carried away, as relics, the great goat-skin cap I had made, my umbrella, and one of my parrots, also I did not forget to take the money I formerly mentioned, as having been taken from the wreck, and which had lain so long useless that it had