I next gave him a very particular description of the territories of Europe, and in a particular manner of Old England, the place of my nativity. I laid, before him the manner of our worshipping God, our behaviour one to another, and how we trade in ships to every part of the universe. I then told him my misfortunes in being shipwrecked, showing him, as near as I could the place where the ship lay, which had been gone long before; but I brought him to the ruins of my boat which before my whole strength could not move, but now was a most rotten, and fallen to pieces. I observed my man Friday to view this boat with uncommon curiosity; which, when he had done, he stood pondering a great while, and said nothing. At last, said I, "Friday, what makes you ponder so much?" He replied, O master, me see like boat come to place at my nation.
It was some time, indeed, before I understood what my man meant; but examining strictly into it, I plainly found, that such another boat resembling mine, had come up on the country where he dwelt: that is to say, by his farther explanation, that the boat was driven there through stress of weather. It then came into my mind that some European ship having been cast away, the poor distressed creatures were forced to have recourse to the boat to save their lives; and being all, as I thought drowned, I never concerned my self to ask any thing concerning, them, but my only inquiry was about the boat, and what description my man could give of it.
Indeed Friday answered my demands very well; making everything very plain to my understanding: but beyond measure was I satisfied, when he told me with great warmth and ardour. O master, we save white mans from drown; upon which I immediately asked him, If there were any white mans, as he called them in the boat? Yes, yes, said he, the boat full, very full of white mans "How many, Friday?" said I. Hereupon he numbered his fingers, and counted seventeen. And when I asked him what became of them all, and whether they lived or not? he replied, Yes master, they all live, they be live among my nation. This information put fresh thoughts into my head, that these must be those very men who before I concluded had been swallowed up in the ocean, after they had left the ship that had struck upon the rocks of my kingdom, and after escaping the fury of the deep, landed upon the wild shore, and committed themselves to the fury of the devouring Indians.
The manner of their cruelties to one another, which consequently, as I thought, must be acted with greater barbarity to strangers, created in me a great anxiety, and made me still more curious to ask Friday concerning them. He told me, he was sure they still lived there, having resided among them above four years, and that the savages gave them victuals to live upon: "But pray, Friday," said I, "whence proceeded all this good nature and generosity? How came it to pass that they did not kill and eat them, to please their devouring appetites, and occasion to splendid an entertainment among them?" No, no, said Friday, they not kilt 'em, they make brothers with 'em; by which I understood there was a truce between them. And then I had a more favourable opinion of the Indians, upon Friday uttering these words, My nation, t'other nation no eat man, but when mans, make war fight: as though he had said, that neither those of his kingdom, nor any other nations that he knew of, ever ate their fellow-creatures, but such as their law of arms allowed to be devoured; that is, those miserable captives, whose misfortune it should be to be made prisoners of war.
Some considerable time after, upon a very pleasant day, in most serene weather, my man and I stood upon the top of a hill, on the east side of the island, whence I had once before beheld the continent of America. I could not tell immediately what was the matter, for suddenly Friday fell a jumping and dancing as if he had been mad, and upon my demanding the reason of his behaviour, O joy! said he, O glad! there see my country, there my nation, there live white mans gether. And indeed such a rapturous sense of pleasure appeared in his countenance that his eyes had an uncommon sparkling and brightness, and such a strange eagerness, as if he had a longing desire to be in his country again. This made me no so well satisfied with my man Friday as before; for by this appearance, I made no dispute, but that if he could get back thither again, he would not only be unmindful of what religion I had taught him, but likewise of the great obligation he owed me for his wonderful deliverance; nay, that he would not only inform his countrymen of me, but accompany hundreds of them to my kingdom, and make me a miserable sacrifice like those unhappy wretches taken in battle.
Indeed I was very much to blame to have those cruel and unjust suspicions, and must freely own I wronged the poor creature very much, who was of a quite contrary temper. And had he had that discerning acuteness which many Europeans have, he would certainly have perceived my coldness and indifference, and also have been very much concerned upon that account; as I was now more circumspect, I had much lessened my kindness and familiarity with him, and while this jealousy continued, I used that artful way (now to much in fashion, the occasion of strife and dissention) of pumping him daily thereby to discover whether he was deceitful in his thoughts and inclinations; but certainly he had nothing in him but what was consistent with the best principles, both as a religious Christian and a grateful friend; and indeed; I found every thing he said was ingenuous and innocent, that I had no room for suspicion, and, in spite of all uneasiness, he not only made me entirely his own again, but also caused me much to lament that I ever conceived one ill thought of him.
As we were walking up the same hill another day, when the weather was so hazy at sea, that I could not perceive the continent, "Friday," said I "don't you wish yourself to be in your own country, your nation, among your old friends and acquaintances?" Yes, said he, me much O glad to be at my own nation. "And what would you do there, Friday? Would you turn wild again, eat man's flesh, and be a savage as you were formerly." No, no, (answered he, full of concern and making his head) Friday now tell them to live good, tell them pray God, tell them to eat corn bread, cattle flesh, milk, no eat man again. "But surely," replied I, "if you should offer to do all this, they will kill you; and to manifest their contempt of such instruction eat you up when they have done." He then put on a grave, yet innocent and smooth countenance, saying, No, they no kill me, they willing love learn: that is that they would be very willing to learn: adding withal, that they had learned much of the bearded mans that came in the boat. "Will you," said I "go back again, Friday?" He smiled at that, and told me, that he could not swim so far. But said I, I will make a canoe for you. Yes, Master said he, me go if you go, me no go if you stay. "I go, Friday! why would you have them to eat me up, and devour your kind master?" No no, said he, me make them not eat master, and me make them much love you; that is, he would tell them how I had slain his enemies, and thereby saved his life, for which reason he would make them love me: and then he related to me, as well as he was able, how exceedingly kind those his nation were to the white, or bearded men, as he called them, who, in their great calamity, were driven into their country.
It was from this time, indeed, I had strong inclinations to venture over, and use my utmost efforts, if possible, to join these white bearded men, who undoubtedly were Spaniards or Portuguese; for, thought I, it must be certainly a better and safer way to escape when there is a good company, than for me alone, from an island forty miles off the shore, and without any assistance. Some days, after, Friday and I being at work, as usual, at the same time diverting ourselves with various discourses; I told him I had a boat which I would bestow upon him, whenever he pleased to return to his own nation; and to convince him of the truth of what I said, I took him with me to the other side of the island, where my frigate lay, and then taking it from under the water, (for I always kept it sunk for fear of a discovery) we went both into it to see how it would manage such an expedition.
And really never could any be more dexterous in rowing than my faithful servant, making the boat go as fast again as I could. "Well now, Friday", said I, "shall we now go to your so much admired nation." But instead of meeting with that cheerfulness I expected, he looked very dull and melancholy at my saying so; which indeed at first surprised me, till he made me sensible, that his concern was about the boat's being too small to go so far a voyage. Upon which I let him understand I had a much bigger; and accordingly, the next day went to the place where the first boat lay, which I had made, when all the strength I had or art I could use failed me in my attempt to get it into the water: but now it having lain in the sun two and twenty years, and no care being taken of it all that while, it became in a manner rotten. My man told me, that such a boat would do very well for the purpose, sufficient to carry enough vittle, drink, bread, for that was his manner of talking. In short, my mind being strongly fixed upon my design of going over with him to the Continent, I very plainly told him that we would both go and make a boat full as big, and more proportionable than that, wherein he might safely return to his own nation.