The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801). Даниэль Дефо
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five pounds nine ounces of gold-dust for my adventure which produced, at my return to London, almost three hundred pounds. But in this voyage I was extremely sick, being thrown into a violent calenture through the excessive heat, trading upon the coast from the latitude of fifteen degrees north, even to the line itself.
But alas! my dear friend the captain soon departed this life after his arrival. This was a sensible grief to me; yet I resolved to go another with his mate, who had now got command of the ship. This proved a very unsuccessful one; for though I did not carry quite a hundred pounds of my late acquired wealth, (so that I had two hundred pounds left, which I reposed with the captain's widow, who was an honest gentlewoman) yet my misfortunes in this unhappy voyage were very great. For our ship sailing towards the Canary islands, we were chased by a Salee rover; and in spite of all the haste we could make by crowding as much canvas as our yards could spread, or our masts carry, the pirate gained upon us, to that we prepared ourselves to fight. They had eighteen guns, and we had but twelve. About three in the afternoon there was a desperate engagement, wherein many were killed and wounded on both sides; but finding ourselves overpowered with numbers, our ship disabled and ourselves too impotent to have the least hopes of success, we were forced to surrender; and accordingly were all carried prisoners into the port of Salee. Our men were sent to the Emperor's court to be sold there, but the pirate captain taking notice of me, kept me to be his own slave.
In this condition, I thought myself the most miserable creature on earth, and the prophecy of my father came afresh into my thoughts. However, my condition was better than I thought it to be, as will soon appear. Some hopes indeed I had that my new patron would go to sea again, where he might be taken by a Spanish or Portuguese man of war, and then I should be set at liberty. But in this I was mistaken; for he never took me with him, but left me to look after his little garden, and do the drudgery of his house, and when he returned from sea, would make, me lie in the cabin, and look after the ship. I had no one that I could communicate my thoughts to, which were continually meditating my escape; no Englishman, Irishman, or Scotchman here but myself; and for two years I could see nothing practicable, but only pleased myself with the imagination.
After some length of time, my patron, as I found, grew; so poor that he could not fit out his ship as usual; and then he used constantly, once or twice a week, if the weather was fair, to go out a fishing, taking me and a young Moresco Boy to row the boat; and to much pleased was he with me for my dexterity in catching the fish, that he would often send me with a Moor, who was one of his kinsemen, and the Moresco youth, to catch a dish of fish for him.
One morning, as we were at the sport, there arose such a thick fog that we lost sight of the shore; and rowing we knew not which way, we laboured all the night, and in the morning found ourselves in the ocean, two leagues from land. However, we attained there at length, and made the greater haste, because our stomachs were exceedingly sharp and hungry. In order to prevent such disasters for the future, my patron ordered a carpenter to build a little state room or cabin in the middle of the long-boat, with a place behind it to steer and hale home the main-sheet, with other conveniences to keep him from the weather, as also lockers to put in all manner of provisions, with a handsome shoulder of mutton sail, gibing over the cabin.
In this he frequently took us out a fishing: and one time inviting two or three persons of distinction to go with him, made provision extraordinary, providing also three fusees with powder and shot, that they might have some sport at fowling along the sea-coast. The next morning the boat was made clean, her ancient and pendants on, and every thing ready: but their minds altering, my patron ordered us to go a fishing, for that his guests would certainly sup with him that night.
And now I began to think of my deliverance indeed. In order to this I persuaded to Moor to get some provisions on board, as not daring to meddle with our patron's: and he taking my advice, we stored ourselves with rusk biscuit, and three jars of water. Besides, I privately conveyed into the boat a bottle or brandy, some twine, thread, a hammer, hatchet, and a saw; and, in particular, some bees wax, which was a great comfort to me, and served to make candles. I then persuaded Muley (for so was the Moor called) to procure some powder and shot, pretending to kill sea curlues, which he innocently and readily agreed to. In short, being provided with all things necessary, we sailed out, resolving for my own part to make my escape, though it should cost me my life.
When we had passed the castle, we fell a fishing; but though I knew there was a bite, I dissembled the matter, in order to put out further to sea. Accordingly we ran a league further; when giving the boy the helm, and pretending to stoop for something, I seized Muley by surprise and threw him overboard. As he was an excellent swimmer, he soon arose and made towards the boat; upon which I took out a fusee, and presented at him: "Muley" said I, "I never yet designed to do you any harm, and seek nothing now but my redemption. I know you are able enough to swim to shore, and save your life: but if you are resolved to follow me to the endangering of mine, the very moment you proceed, I will shoot you through the head." The harmless creature at these words, turned himself from me, and I make no doubt got safe to land. Them turning to the boy Xury, I perceived he trembled at the action: but I put him out of all fear, telling him, that if he would be true and faithful to me, I would do well by him. "And therefore," said I, "you must stroke your face to be faithful: and, as the Turks have learned you, swear by Mahomet, and the beard of your father, or else I will throw you into the sea also." So innocent did the child then look, and with such an obliging smile consented, that I readily believed him, and from that day forward began to love him entirely.
We then pursued our voyage: and least they should think me gone to the Straits' mouth, I kept to the southward to the truly Barbarian coast; but in the dusk of the evening, I changed my course, and steering directly S. and by E. that I might keep near the shore: and, having a fresh gale of wind, with a pleasant smooth sea, by three o'clock next day I was one hundred and fifty miles beyond the Emperor of Morocco's dominions. Yet still having the dreadful apprehensions of being retaken, I continued sailing for five days successively, till such time as the wind shifting to the southward, made me conclude, that if any vessel was in the chase of me, they would proceed no farther. After so much fatigue and thought, I anchored at the mouth of a little river, I knew not what or where: neither did I then see, any people. What I principally wanted was fresh water; and I was resolved about dusk to swim ashore. But no sooner did the gloomy clouds of night begin to succeed the declining day, when we heard such barking, roaring, and howling of wild creatures, that one might have thought the very strongest monsters of nature, or infernal spirits had their residence there. Poor Xury, almost dead with fear, entreated me not to go on shore that night. "Supposing I don't, Xury," said I, "and in the morning we should see men who are worse than those we fear, what then?" "O den we may give dem de shoot gun," replied Xury, laughing, "and de gun make dem all run away."
The wit and broken English which the boy had learned among the captives of our nation, pleased me entirely: and, to add to his cheerfulness I gave him a dram of the bottle: we could get but little sleep all the night for those terrible howlings they made; and, indeed, we were both very much affrighted, when, by the rollings of the water, and other tokens, we justly concluded one of these monsters made towards our boat. I could not see till it came within two oars length, when taking my fusee, I let fly at him. Whether I hit him or no, I cannot tell; but he made towards the shore, and the noise of my gun increased the stupendious noise of the monsters.
The next morning I was resolved to go on shore to get fresh water, and venture my life among the beasts or savages should either attack me. Xury said, he would take one of the jars and bring me some. I asked him why he would go and not I? The poor boy answered, "If wild mans come they eat me, you go away." A mind scarcely now to be imitated, so contrary to self-preservation, the most powerful law of Nature. This indeed increased my affection to the child. "Well, dear Xury," said I, we will both go ashore, both kill wild mans, and they "shall eat neither of us." So giving Xury a piece of rusk-bread to eat, and a dram, we waded ashore, carrying nothing with us but our arms, and two jars for water. I did not go out of sight of the boat, as dreading the savages coming down the river in their canoes; but the boy seeing a low descent or vale about a mile in the country, he wandered to it: and then running back to me with great precipitation, I thought he was pursued by some savage or wild beast; upon which I approached, resolving to perish or protect him from danger. As he came nearer to me, I saw something