again made signs to him that he was his slave. "You saved my life," he
seemed to say, "and now I will serve you." Robinson named him Friday at
once, for that was the day on which the great event of his escape had
taken place.
Robinson's next care was to fit him out with some clothing. He had by
this time several suits made of his coarse cloth. He soon had Friday
dressed in one of the old ones, with a straw or braided hat on his head.
He did not think it safe to allow Friday to sleep with him in the bower.
He made a little tent for him inside the enclosure. This was covered
with goatskins and made a very good protection from both heat and rain.
Robinson took care to keep all his knives and weapons near him in the
bower. But his fears that Friday might harm him were unfounded. Friday
from the first was faithful to his master. He was sweet and obedient in
all things. He seemed to look upon Robinson with the love of a child for
its father and never tired of serving him.
XXXVII
ROBINSON AS A TEACHER
(From Robinson's Diary)
"I began to consider that having now two mouths to feed instead of one, I
must provide more ground for my harvest and plant a larger quantity of
corn than I used to plant. So I marked out a larger piece of land and
began to fence it in. Friday worked not only very willingly but very
hard. I told him that it was for corn to make more bread because he was
now with me. He let me know that he was grateful for my kindness and
would work much harder if I would tell him what to do.
"This was the pleasantest year of all the life I led in this place.
Friday began to talk pretty well and understood the names of almost all
the things that I called for and of all the places which I wished to
send him. I was careful to teach him all the things I knew. I showed him
how to plant and harvest corn, how to gather fibre, spin yarn and to
weave it into cloth. He learned these things quickly and became very
skillful in making pots. He knew something about this because at home he
had seen the women make them. He ornamented them with figures of birds
and flowers. I taught him about the true God. But as for writing he
could never do much with this. I had no books and could not make him
understand the importance of writing. He began to talk a great deal to
me. This delighted me very much. I began to love him exceedingly. He was
so very honest and faithful.
"After I had taught him English I tried one day to find out whether he
had any wish to return to his own country and as I talked to him about
it I saw his face light up with joy and his eye sparkle. From this I had
no doubt but that Friday would like to be in his own country again. This
for a time made me sad, to think how eagerly he would leave me to be
among his savage friends. 'Do you not wish you were back in your own
country, Friday?' I said to him one day. 'Yes,' he said, 'I be much O
glad to be back in my country.' 'What would you do there,' said I?
'Would you turn wild again and do as the savages do?' He shook his head
and said very gravely, 'No, no, Friday tell them to live good. He tell
them to plant corn and live like white mans.'
"One day when we were on the top of a hill on the west side of the
island, Friday suddenly began to jump and dance about in great glee. I
asked him what the matter was. 'O, joy, O glad,' he said; 'there my
country!' The air was so clear that from this place, as I had before
discovered, land could be distinctly seen looking westward.
"I asked him how far it was from our island to his country and whether
their canoes were ever lost in coming and going. He said that there was
no danger. No canoes were ever wrecked and that it was easy to get back
and forth. I asked him many things about his people and country. He told
me that away to the west of his country there lived 'white mans like
you.' I thought these must be the people of Central America, and asked
him how I might come from this island and get among these white men. He
made me understand that I must have a large boat as big as two canoes.
"I resolved at once to begin to make a boat large enough for us to pass
over to the land we could see lying to the west and if possible to go on
to the white man's country Friday told me about. It took us nearly two
months to make our boat and rig her out with sails, masts, rudder, and
anchor. We had to weave our sails and twist our rope. We burned out the
canoe from a large fallen log. We used a great stone tied securely to
the end of a strong rope for an anchor.
[Illustration: ROBINSON AND FRIDAY SAILING THE BOAT]
"When we had the boat in the water, Friday showed great skill in rowing
or paddling it. He had managed boats ever since he was old enough, but
he did not know how to handle a sail or rudder. He learned very quickly,
however, to sail and steer the boat and soon was perfectly at home in
it.
"We made our boat safe by keeping it in the little cove at the mouth of
the creek. I had Friday to fetch rocks and build a dock or place for
landing. But the rainy season was now coming on and we must wait for
fair weather. In the meantime I planned to lay by such quantities of
food as we would need to take along."
XXXVIII
ANOTHER SHIPWRECK
One evening Robinson sat in his shelter thinking of his plans to escape
to Friday's country. He was sad. For, after all, this place was very
dear to him. It was the only home he had. Had he not made everything
with his own hands? It was doubly dear to him on this account. He
thought how it would grieve him to leave his goats, his fields, and the
many comforts he had here.
He had been telling Friday of his home in New York. He told him of the
great city, and of its many wonderful sights. He told him of his country
and people, of his flag and its history. All these things brought back
memories of his boyhood and he wondered what changes had come in his
long absence. Friday, with wonderful intelligence, listened to all
Robinson told him. He was delighted in hearing Robinson tell of the
wonders of the great world, for he had never known anything about it. As
they talked Robinson noticed the approach of a storm. The sky was
getting black with clouds. The winds were blowing a hurricane. The waves
were coming in mountain high. It reminded him of the eventful night now
twenty-five years ago when his ship was tossed up on the shore like an
egg shell and broken to pieces.
Suddenly there was a sound that made Robinson start from his seat with
the wildest alarm. Was it the sound of a cannon from the ocean or the
terrible crash and roar of the water on the rocks of the coast? There it
is again; it is a cannon! Some ship is in distress! This is its signal!
Robinson ran out and down to the shore with Friday at his heels.
"O master!" said Friday, "can we not help? If they only knew the island
was here and how to steer into the harbor beyond the point of land on
the south."
Robinson was so excited that he scarcely knew what he was doing. He ran
up and down the shore calling wildly, but the awful roar of the sea and
wind drowned his cries. Suddenly his thoughts came to him. "Quick,
Friday, get some fire in a pot. We will run to the point, gather grass
and wood, and make a fire there. Maybe we can guide them into the
harbor."
They soon had a great beacon light sending its welcome greeting far over
the sea. The pilot of the ship saw it and steered his ship nearer and
nearer. Robinson was ready to shout for joy as the ship seemed about to
make the harbor. The ship had her sails torn in shreds and her rudder
broken. It was hard to steer her in such a gale. On rounding the point,
she was blown on the rocks. With a frightful crash which could be heard
above the din of the storm she struck and held fast. Robinson could hear
the cries of the men and the orders of the officers. They were trying to
get boats ready to put off, but such was the confusion of the storm and
the enormous waves breaking over the deck that it could not be done
quickly. Before the men could get a boat into the sea, and get into it,
the ship gave a lurch to one side as though about to sink. All the men
jumped for one boat. It was overburdened. The wind tossed it about. The
sea soon filled it and it went down and all were lost.
Robinson and Friday remained on the shore all night. They watched to see
if they could not help some poor sailor that might cling to a plank and
be blown on shore. They saw no one.
At last they lay down, but they could not sleep. Many times they sprang
up and ran about for fear that some poor fellow would need their help.
At last morning came. The storm ceased. Robinson and Friday searched
everywhere for the bodies of the sailors, but could find none. But the
wind had blown the ship in plain view, and into shallow waters. It was
lying on the bottom with more than half its bulk out of the water. The
masts were gone. It was a sad sight. No human being could be seen on it.
They were now rejoiced that they had their boat ready. "Let us take it,"
said Robinson "and go out to the ship. It may be some person is still on
the unfortunate ship." They were soon by the ship's side. They rowed
around it until they saw a rope hanging down from the deck. Robinson
seized this and clambered up. Friday tied the boat fast, and followed.
Robinson opened the door leading from the deck into the ship and went
down. He searched in all the cabins, and knocked at all the doors. He
called, but all was still. When he was satisfied that every person on
board had been drowned he wept bitterly.
Friday stood there with open and staring eyes. He looked and looked. He
was astonished at the large ship and at the wonderful things before him.
They were in the cabin where the passengers had been. There stood
trunks under the benches and clothes hung on the hooks on the wall. One
trunk was open. In it were telescopes through which the travelers had
looked at the land. Robinson saw also paper, pens, pen-holders and ink.
Books were also near by. Robinson first took a thick book. It was the
Bible, out of which his mother had so often taught him. Then they came
to the sailors' cabin. There hung muskets and swords and bags of shot
and cartridges. Then they went to the work-room. There were saws,
hammers, spades, shovels, chisels, nails, bottles, and pails, knives and
forks. And something more, over which Robinson was most glad, matches.
At last they came into the store-room. There lay bags of flour and
barley, teas, lentils, beans and sugar. Then Robinson embraced Friday in
his great joy and said to him, "How rich we are!"
XXXIX
SAVING THINGS FROM THE SHIP
After Robinson had looked through the ship he began to plan the way to
get the tools and things he most wanted on shore. He and Friday first
carried everything together that he wanted to take on shore. When they
had done this, he found he had the following things. Robinson stood
everything together that he needed most.
1. A case of nails and screws.
2. Two iron axes and several hatchets.
3. A saw.
4. A small case of planes, tongs, augers, files, chisels, etc.
5. A third case with iron brackets, hooks, hinges, etc.
6. A case of matches.
7. A barrel of gunpowder.
8. Two muskets and a pistol.
9. Several swords.
10. A bag of cartridges.
11. A large sail cloth and some rope.
12. A telescope.
By means of the ship's ropes, Robinson let everything down into his
boat. He himself took the Bible and then they rowed to the shore, and
unloaded the boat. Everything was put into the bower where rain could
not harm it. By the time they had this done, night was coming on and
they decided to do no more that day, but wait until the next day.
"We must work fast," said Robinson. "The first storm is likely to break
the ship in pieces and destroy everything in it."
The next morning early they ate a hastily prepared breakfast and were
off to the boat. Neither Robinson nor Friday stopped for their noonday
lunch. "A storm is brewing," said Robinson, "the air is calm, the sky is
overcast with clouds, the heat is oppressive. We must hurry." With the
utmost diligence they rowed back and forth all day. They made nine
trips. They had now on shore a surprising quantity of all kinds of
tools, goods and weapons. They had all kinds of ware to use in the
kitchen, clothes, and food. Robinson prized a little four-wheeled wagon
and a whetstone.
But in looking over his stores, Robinson suddenly discovered that he had
no needles or thread. They went at once to procure these important
articles. In looking for needles and thread, Robinson found a small
trunk full of money and valuable stones. There were diamonds, rubies,
pearls, and much gold. Robinson pushed it to one side. "What can I do
with riches on this island? I would give them all for some needles and
thread," he said to Friday. But on second thought he took the trunk and
its contents along with him to his cave. For in the trunk were also
letters and writings. "Perhaps," he said, "these tell to whom the
valuables belong and I can return them some time."
Robinson at last found a case containing everything one could need with
which to cut and sew cloth. There were scissors, thread, needles,
thimbles, tapes, and buttons. But now the wind was rising and they must
hurry. They were nearly ready for departure. They were passing through a
part of the ship not before visited. They were surprised to hear a sound
coming from a room whose door was kept shut by a heap of stuff that had
been thrown against it by the violent pitching of the ship in the storm.
Robinson and Friday cleared away the rubbish and were surprised to find
a dog almost drowned. He was so weak from want of food that his cries
could be heard a short distance only. Robinson took him tenderly in his
arms and carried him to the boat, while Friday carried the sewing case
and the trunk.
The wind was now blowing a gale. A few yards from the ship they were in
great danger. Robinson grasped the rudder and made Friday stand ready to
cut away the mast in case they found the wind too strong. With the
greatest difficulty they finally made the little cove at the mouth of
the creek and were soon landed with their precious cargo. The next
morning they eagerly searched the waters for the ship. Not even their
field glasses could reveal anything of it. Some planks, a mast, and
parts of a small boat were blown on shore. All else had disappeared.
Robinson set to work at once to make a door for his bower out of the
pine wood cast up by the waves. How easy the work proceeded with saws,
hammers, augers, squares, planes, nails, hinges, and screws! With the
wagon too, Friday could now gather his corn quickly and easily, or haul
in a great quantity of grapes to dry for raisins.
Friday had never seen a gun. He did not know the use of firearms. The
muskets that Robinson had brought from the ship were a great mystery to
him. Robinson showed him their use. He showed how they could defend
themselves. He told Friday that these weapons would kill at a distance.
He took some powder and touched a match to it. Friday was greatly
frightened.
[Illustration: ROBINSON SHOWING FRIDAY HOW TO SHOOT]
Robinson then proceeded to load the gun. He put in some powder, a ball
of lead or bullet. Then at the hammer he placed a little cap which gave
a flash when struck. This ignited the powder. When all was in readiness
Robinson bade Friday follow him. They went slowly out into the forest
along the stream. Soon Robinson espied a rabbit sitting under a clump of
grass. Robinson raised his gun, took careful aim, pressed the trigger.
There was a flash and loud report and there lay the rabbit dead. But
Friday, too, was lying on the ground. He had fainted from astonishment
and fright. Robinson dropped his gun and raised the poor fellow up to a
sitting position. He quickly recovered. He ran to get the rabbit. He
examined it carefully. Robinson at last pointed out the hole the bullet
had made and the mystery of the way the rabbit was killed was solved.
Robinson had lived alone so long that he had learned to love every
living creature on the island. He never harmed anything except when he
needed food. He had lived so quietly that the birds and animals did not
fear him. They lived near his shelter and seemed to know him.
Robinson was delighted with his new tools and weapons. But they reminded
him of home. Nothing that he had seen in all the time he had been on the
island so turned his thoughts toward home and friends. Robinson would
sit for hours thinking of the past and making plans for the future. He
was homesick.
XL
THE RETURN OF THE SAVAGES
Robinson now renewed his plans for escaping from the island to Friday's
country. They first rebuilt their boat with their new tools. They
hollowed out the center till the sides were thin toward the top. They
shaped her sides and keel. They made her prow sharp so that she would
cut the water easily. They made a new mast, strong and tall and shapely.
They made larger and stronger sails and ropes. They made two pairs of
extra oars. They made boxes and cupboards in the prow and stern for
keeping their fresh water and provisions. Friday's eyes sparkled with
joy when it was done. He hoped he would now be able to return to his own
island and parents. Robinson noticed his joy and asked him, "Do you want
to return to your own people?"
"Yes," said Friday, "very much."
"Would you trust yourself in this boat?"
"Yes," said Friday.
"Very well," said his master, "you may have it and start home when you
please." "Yes, Master, but you come too, my people will not hurt you."
Robinson resolved to venture over to Friday's land with him.
But before their preparations were complete the rainy season of our fall
set in. They resolved to wait until the weather was settled and as soon
as the rainy season was over to set out. They ran their boat well up
into the creek and covered it over with a large tarpaulin made of
sail-cloth obtained from the ship.
Robinson had now been on the island twenty-seven years. For the last
three years he had lived happily with his companion Friday. Every year
in September, Robinson celebrated the day his life was saved and he was
thrown up on the island. Robinson celebrated it this year with more than
the usual thankfulness. He thought that it would be his last anniversary
on the island.
One morning, Friday had gone to the beach to find a turtle. Soon he came
running back out of breath. "O Master," he cried, "they are coming, they
are coming to take me prisoner!" He was trembling with fright.
"We must take our guns and defend ourselves," said Robinson. "But we
will not kill anyone unless they attack us." This quieted Friday. They
loaded four muskets and three pistols. Robinson put the pistols in his
belt, where he also fastened a sword. He gave Friday a pistol and a
musket, for Friday had learned to shoot well. Besides Friday carried a
bag of powder and bullets. Robinson took his field glasses and saw
twenty-one savages with two prisoners. The prisoners were bound and
lying on the ground. This was a war party celebrating a victory with a
feast. They probably intended to kill their prisoners. "We must save the
lives of those men," said Robinson.
The savages this time had landed quite near Robinson's shelter, not more
than a half mile below the creek's mouth. Soon he and Friday started
off. Robinson commanded Friday to follow quietly and not to speak or
shoot.
"We will surprise them and give them a good scare," said Robinson.
When yet a considerable distance away they could hear the savages
yelling and screaming. Some of them were dancing their war dance. Their
faces and bodies were painted to make them look terrible to their
enemies. They were dancing around their prisoners with hideous cries and
gestures. They could now see the prisoners plainly. One had a beard and
was plainly a white man. Robinson was surprised and determined to save
him at all risks.
"Get your gun ready to fire," he said to Friday, "and when I say the
word let us run forward yelling and firing our guns over their heads.
This will fill them with such fright that they will take to their heels
and boats and get away as soon as possible. In the scramble and
confusion we will rush in and rescue the prisoners."
This plan did not please Friday at all. His savage blood was up and he
wanted to kill all he could. "Let's fire on them," he said. "Let's kill
all but the prisoners."
"No, no," said Robinson, "it's always wrong to take life unless it
cannot be avoided to save one's own. Let's try my plan first."
With great reluctance Friday consented. At a signal from Robinson they
rushed forward, and when in plain sight they fired off their muskets in
the air. If the ground had suddenly exploded beneath their feet there
could have been no more confusion, astonishment, and fright. A few took
to their heels. Others lay as if dead. They had swooned from fright. But
as Robinson came up they jumped to their feet and pushed into the boats,
leaving the prisoners behind. Robinson and Friday still rushed forward
and fired their remaining loaded guns and pistols in the air. The
savages made all haste to get into their boats and push off. Soon they
were well out to sea, paddling rapidly for the west. Robinson reloaded
his arms and gave them a farewell volley, but not a soul was killed or
even wounded. This gave Robinson great pleasure. He had accomplished his
purpose without bloodshed.
They could now turn to the prisoners. Robinson ran back to them and
quickly cut their ropes. Robinson asked the white man who he was, but
the man was too weak to answer. Robinson gave him a piece of bread.
The fear of death being removed, the white man soon grew stronger. When
Friday came running back from watching the boats and saw the savage that
had been a prisoner he gave a loud yell. He threw his arms around the
man, kissed him and laughed and cried for joy. He put his head on his
breast and hugged him again and again. Robinson was greatly surprised
and puzzled. He asked Friday what his actions meant. But so intent was
Friday that he got no answer.
At last Friday recovered far enough from his great joy to say with face
beaming with delight, "O, Master, this man is my dear father." They at
once began a long conversation, each one told his story. Suddenly Friday
jumped up and said, "How foolish I am, I have not thought to give my
father anything to eat and drink. He must be nearly starved." And away
he ran toward the shelter and was soon back with food and water to
drink.
[Illustration: FRIDAY AND HIS FATHER]
Robinson learned through Friday from his father that the white man was a
Spaniard, that he had been captured by the tribe that had a battle with
Friday's people. The Spaniard was one of sixteen men that had been saved
by Friday's people from a wrecked ship. So weak were the prisoners that
they could not walk to the shelter. Robinson and Friday made a litter
and carried them one after the other. When once there, Friday prepared
some rich rice soup. The prisoners ate heartily and in a few days were
strong enough to go about the island.
XLI
DELIVERANCE AT LAST
Friday had not forgotten the plan for going to his home. He would often
mention it and spent hours talking about it during the long rainy
season. But now that the Spaniard and Friday's father had come into the
family, Robinson felt he must change his plans a little. He felt very
sorry for the Spaniards left in Friday's country. They did not have
enough to eat and were sick and sad besides. He talked the matter over
with the Spaniard many times. They at last planned to send for them. The
Spaniard and Friday's father were to go. Robinson was for doing it at
once. But the Spaniard advised delay. "How can we get food for ourselves
and fifteen others? Your small store will soon be used up," he argued.
Robinson at last saw that this difficulty must be overcome. There was
just one thing to do, and this, to delay their departure until a new
crop of corn could be raised. This would take six months.
But at it they went. The four men could do much and work fast. They
cleared more ground and planted all the seed corn they could spare from
their store. Besides this they sowed about twelve bushels of barley they
had gotten in the ship.
The care for so much crop, its harvesting and storing away, kept them
very busy for the season. Robinson not only did this, but also increased
his flock of goats by catching kids and putting them in his pasture. He
gathered, too, all the grapes he could and dried them on the branches of
trees.