While we were busy in this action the savages had gotten almost out of sight; and happy it was we did not pursue them: For there arose from the north-west, which continued all night long, such a violent storm that I could not suppose otherwise but that they were all drowned. After this I called Friday to me, and asked him if he had given his father any bread? He shook his head and said, None, not one bit, me eat-a up all; so I gave him a cake of bread out of a little pouch I carried for this end. I likewise gave him a dram for himself, & two or three bunches of raisins for his father. Both these he carried to him, for he would make him drink the dram to comfort him.
Away then he runs out of the boat as if he was bewitched, with such an extraordinary swiftness, that he was out of sight as it were in an instant; but at his return I perceived him slacken his pace, because he had something in his hand. And this I found to be as he approached nearer, an earthen jug with some water for his father, with two more cakes of bread, which he delivered into my hands. Being very thirsty myself I drank some of the water, of which his father had drank sufficiently, it more revived his spirits than all the rum I had given him.
I then called Friday to me and ordered him to carry the Spaniard one of the cakes and some water, who was reposing himself under a green place under the shade of a tree, but so weak, that though he exerted himself he could not stand upon his feet. Upon which I ordered Friday to rub and bathe his ankles with rum as he did his father's. But every minute he was employed in this he would cast a wishful eye towards the boat, where he left his father sitting; who suddenly disappearing he flew like lightning to him, and finding he had only laid himself down to ease his limbs, he returned back to me presently; and then I spoke to the Spaniard to let Friday help him and lead him to the boat, in order to be conveyed to my dwelling where I would take care of him. Upon which Friday took him upon his back and so carried him to the canoe, setting him close by his father; and presently stepping out again, launched the boat off and paddled it along the shore faster than I could walk, though the wind blew very hard too, and having brought them safe to the creek, away he runs to fetch the other canoe, which he brought to the creek almost as soon as I got to it by land, when wafting me over, he took our new guests out of the boat; but so weak were they that I was forced to make a kind of a hand-barrow; and when I came to my castle, not being willing to make an entrance into my wall, we made them a handsome tent covered with old sails and boughs of trees, making two good beds of rice straw, with blankets to lie upon and cover them. Thus like an absolute king over subjects who owed their lives to me, I thought myself very considerable, especially as I had now three religions in my kingdom, my man Friday being a Protestant, his father a Pagan, and the Spaniard a Papist: but I gave liberty of conscience to them all.
To get provisions for my poor weak subjects, I ordered Friday to kill me a yearling goat; which when he had done I cut off the hinder quarters, and chopping it into small pieces, boiled and stewed it, putting barley and rice into the broth. This I carried into their tent, set a table, dined with them myself and encouraged them. Friday was my interpreter to his father, and indeed to the Spaniard too, who spoke the language of the savages pretty well. After dinner I ordered Friday to fetch home all our arms from the field of battle, and the next day to bury the dead bodies, which he did accordingly.
And now I made Friday inquire of his father, whether he thought these savages had escaped the late storm in their canoe? and if so, whether they would not return with a power too great for us to resist? He answered, that he thought it impossible they could outlive the storm; or, if they were driven southwardly, they would come to a land where they would as certainly be devoured, as if they were drowned in the sea. And suppose they had attained their own country, the strangeness of their fatal and bloody attack, would make them tell their people, that the rest of them were killed by thunder and lightning, not by the hand of man, but by two heavenly spirits (meaning Friday and me) who were sent from above to destroy them. And this, he said, he knew because he heard them say the same to one another. And indeed he was in the right on't; for I have heard since, that these four men gave out that whoever went to that inchanted island, would be destroyed by fire from the gods.
No canoes appearing soon after, as I expected, my apprehensions ceased: instead of which my former thoughts of a voyage took place, especially when Friday's father assured me, I should have good usage in his nation. As to the Spaniard, he told me, that sixteen more of his countrymen and Portuguese, who had been shipwrecked, made their escape thither; that though they were in union with the savages, yet they were very miserable for want of provisions and other necessaries. When I asked him about the particulars of his voyage, he answered that their ship was bound from the Rio de la Plata to the Havannah; that when the ship was lost, only five men perished in the ocean; the rest having saved themselves in the boat, were now landed on the main continent. 'And what do they intend to do there?' said I. He replied, they have concerted measures to escape, by building a vessel, but that they had neither tools nor provisions, for that all their designs came to nothing. 'Supposing, said I, I should make a proposal, and invite them here, would they not carry me prisoner to New Spain?' he answered no; for he knew them to be such honest men, as would scorn to act such inhuman baseness to their deliverer: That, if I pleased, he and the old savage would go over to them, talk with them about it, and bring me an answer: That they should all swear fidelity to me as their leader, upon the Holy Sacrament; and for his, part he would not only do the same, but stand to the last drop of his blood should there be occasion.
These solemn assurances made me resolve to grant them relief, and to send these two over for that purpose; but when every thing was ready, the Spaniard raised an objection, which carried a great deal of weight in it: You know, Sir, said he, that having been some time with you, I cannot but be sensible of your stock of rice and corn, sufficient, perhaps for us at present, but not for them, should they come over presently; much less to victual a vessel for an intended voyage. Want might be as great an occasion for them to disagree and rebel, as the children of Israel did against God himself, when they wanted to break bread in the wilderness. And therefore, my advice is to await another harvest and in the mean time cultivate and improve more land, whereby we may have plenty of provisions in order to execute our design.
This advice of the Spaniard's I approved extremely; and so satisfied was I of his fidelity that I esteemed him ever after. And thus we all four went to work upon some more land, and against seed time we had gotten so much cured and trimmed up sufficient to sow twenty-two bushels of barley on, and sixteen jars of rice, which was in short all the feed we had to spare. As we were four in number and by this time all in good health, we feared not a hundred Indians should they venture to attack us; and while the corn was growing, I pitched upon some trees, fit to build us a large vessel in case the Spaniards came over; which being marked, I ordered Friday and his father to cut them down, appointing the Spaniard, who was now my privy counsellor, to oversee and direct the work. I likewise increased my flocks of goats by shooting the wild dams and bringing home their kids to my inclosure. Nor did I neglect the grape season, but cured them as usual, though I had such a quantity now as would have filled eighty barrels with raisins. And thus all of us being employed, they in working, and I in providing for them till harvest came, God Almighty blessed the increase of it so much, that from twenty-two barrels of barley we thrashed out two hundred and twenty, and the like quantity of rice; sufficient to victual a ship fit to carry me and all the Spaniards to any part of America.
Thus the principal objection being answered, by a sufficient stock of provisions, I sent my two ambassadors over to the main land, with a regal authority to administer the oaths of allegiance and fidelity, and have an instrument signed under their hands, though I never asked whether they had pen, ink, or paper; when giving each of them a musket, eight charges of powder and ball, and provisions enough for eight days, they sailed away with a fair gale on a day when the moon was at full.
Scarce a fortnight had passed over my head, but impatient for their return, I laid me down to sleep one morning, when a strange accident happened, which was ushered in by Friday's coming running to me, and calling aloud, Master, Master, they are come, they are come. Upon which, not dreaming of any danger, out I jumped from my bed, put on my clothes and hurried through my little grove; when looking towards the sea, I perceived a boat about a league and a half distant, standing in for the shore with the wind fair. I beheld they did not come from the side where the land lay on, but from the southerhmost end of the island: So these being none of the people we wanted, I ordered Friday to lie still, till such time as I came down from the mountain, which, with my ladder, I now ascended in order to discover more fully what they were; and now, with the help of my perspective glass, I plainly perceived an English ship, which I concluded it to be; by the fashion of its long boat; and which filled me with such uncommon transports of joy, that I cannot tell how to describe; and yet some secret doubts hang about me, proceeding from I know not what cause, as though I had reason to be upon my guard. And, indeed, I would have no man contemn the secret hints and intimations of danger, which very often are given, when he may imagine there is no possibility of its being real; for had I not been warned by this silent admonition, I had been in a worse situation than before, and perhaps inevitably ruined.