and it is a favour they have put my mate, this passenger, and me, on shore without murdering us, though we expect nothing but perishing here. 'Are your enemies gone?' said I. No, replied he, pointing to a thicket, there they lie, while my heart trembles, lest having seen and heard us they should murder us all. 'Have they fire arms?' said I. They have but two pieces, said he, one of which is left in the boat. He also told me there were two enormous villains among them, that were the authors of this mutiny, who, if they were killed or seized, might induce the rest to return to their obedience. 'Well, well,' said I, 'let us retire farther under the covering of the woods;' and there it was I made these conditions with him:
I. That, while they staid in the island, they should not pretend to any authority; but should entirely conform to my orders, and return me the arms which I should put in their hands.
II. That, if the ship was recovered, they should afford Friday and myself a passage gratis to England.
When he had given me all the satisfaction I could desire, I gave him and his two companions each of them a gun, with powder and ball sufficient, advising them to fire upon them as they lay sleeping. The Captain modestly said, that he was sorry to kill them; though, on the other hand, to let these villains escape, who were the authors of his misery, might be the ruin of us all. Well, said he, do as you think fit; and so accordingly I fired, killed one of the Captain's chief enemies and wounding the other; who eagerly called for assistance, but the Captain who had reserved his piece, coming up to him, Sirrah, said he, 'tis too late to call for assistance, you should rather cry to God to pardon your villany; and so knocked him down with the stock of his gun: three others were also slightly wounded, who at my approach cried out for mercy. This the Captain granted upon condition that they would swear to be true to him in recovering the ship, which they solemnly did; However I obliged the Captain to keep them bound. After which I sent Friday and the Captain's mate to secure the boat and bring away the oars and sails; when, at their return, three men coming back, and seeing their late distressed Captain, now their conqueror, submitted to be bound also. And then it was, that having more liberty, I related the adventures of my whole life, which he heard with a serious and wonderful attention. After this, I carried him and his two companions into my little fortified castle, shewed them all my conveniences, and refreshed them with such provisions as I could afford. When this was over, we began to consider about regaining the ship: he said, that there were twenty-six hands on board, who knowing their lives were forfeited by the law, for conspiracy and mutiny, were so very hardened, that it would be dangerous for our small company to attack them. This was a reasonable inference indeed; but something we must resolve on, and immediately, put in execution: we, therefore heaved the boat upon the beach so high that she could not shoot off at high water mark, and broke a hole in her not easily to be stopped; so that all the signals they gave for the boat to come on board were in vain. This obliged them to send another boat ashore, with ten men armed, whose faces the Captain plainly descried, the boatswain being the chief officer; but he said there were three honest lads among them, who were forced into the conspiracy. Hereupon I gave him fresh courage (for I had perceived he was in concern): In the mean while securing our prisoners, except two, whom we took to our assistance, we thought ourselves able enough to adventure a battle. When the sailors landed, and beheld their boat in that condition, they not only hallooed, but fired for their companions to hear, yet they received no answer. This struck them with horror and amazement, thinking their companions were murdered, they made as if they would return to the ship. I could perceive the Captain's countenance change at this, till of a sudden three men were ordered to look after the boat, while the other seven leapt on shore in order to search for their companions; and, indeed, they came to the brow of the hill, near my ancient castle, from whence they could see to a great distance in the woods, and there shooting and hallooing till tired and weary, they at length seated themselves under a spreading tree. My opinion was, that nothing could be done till night, when I might use some artifice to get them all out of the boat; but of a sudden they started up, and made to the sea-side; hereupon I ordered Friday and the Captain's mate to go over the creek, and halloo as loud as they could, and so decoying them into the woods, come round to me again. And this, indeed, had good effect; for they followed the noise, till coming westward to the creek, they called for their boat to carry them over, and taking one of the men out of her, left two to look after her, having fastened her to the stump of a little tree on shore. Hereupon immediately the Captain and our party passing the creek, out of their sight, we surprised them both, by the Captain's knocking down one, and ordering the other in surrender upon pain of death, and who being the honestest of them all, sincerely joined with us. By this time it was pretty late; when the rest returning to there boat, which they found aground in the creek, the tide out, and the men gone, they ran about wringing their hands, crying it was an enchanted island, and that they should be all murdered by spirits or devils. My men would willingly have fallen upon them, but I would not agree to hazard any of our party. But to be more certain, Friday & the Captain crawled upon their hands & feet, as near as possible; and when the boatswain approached in sight, so eager was the Captain, that he fired and killed him on the spot; Friday wounded the next man, and a third ran away. Hereupon I advanced with, my whole army: and, it being dark, I ordered the man we had surprised in the boat, to call them by their names, and to parley with them. Accordingly he called out aloud, Tom Smith, Tom Smith! He answered, Who's that? Robinson! answered the other. For God's sake Tom, surrender immediately, or you're all dead men. Who must we surrender to? says Smith. To our captain and fifty men here, who have taken me prisoner, wounded Will Frye, and killed the boatswain. Shall we have quarter then? said he. Hereupon the Captain calls out, You Smith, you know my voice, surrender immediately, and you shall all have your lives granted, except Will Atkins. Hereupon Atkins cries out, What have I done Captain, more than the rest, who have been as bad as me? But that was a lie, for he was the person that laid hold of him, and bound him. However, he was ordered to submit to the governor's mercy, for such was I called. And so, laying down their arms, we bound them all, and seized on their boat.
After this, the Captain expostulated with them, telling them that the governor was an Englishman, who might execute them there; but he thought they would be sent to England, except Will Atkins, who was ordered to prepare for death next morning. Hereupon Atkins implored the Captain to intercede for his life, and the rest begged they might not be sent to England. This answered our project for seizing the ship. For after sending Atkins and two of the worst fast bound to the cave, and the rest being committed to my bower, I sent the Captain to treat with them in the, governor's name, offering them pardon if they would assist in recovering the ship. Upon which they all promised to stand by him till the last drop of their blood; and whoever acted treacherously, should be hanged in chains upon the beach. They were all released on these assurances: and then the Captain repaired to the other boat, making his passenger Captain of her, and gave him four men well armed; while himself, his mate, and five more, went in the other boat. By midnight they came within call of the ship, when the Captain ordered Robinson to hale her, and tell them that with great difficulty they had found the men at last. But while they were discoursing, the Captain, his mate and the rest entered, and knocked down the second mate and carpenter, secured those that were upon the deck, by putting them under hatches, while the other boat's crew entered and secured the forecastle; they then broke into the round-house, where the mate after some resistance, shot the pirate captain through the head, upon which all the rest yielded themselves prisoners. And thus the ship being recovered, the joyful signal was fired, which I heard with the greatest joy imaginable: nor was it long before he brought the ship to an anchor at the creek's mouth, where, coming to me unawares, There, says he my dearest friend and deliverer, there is your ship, and we are your servants: a comfort so unspeakable, as made me swoon in his arms while, with gratitude to Heaven, we were tenderly embracing each other.
Nothing now remaining, but to consult what we should do with the prisoners, whom he thought it was not safe to take on board. Hereupon concerting with the Captain, I dressed myself in one of his suits, and sending for them, told them, that I was going to leave the island with all my people, if they would tarry there, their lives should be spared; if not, they should be hanged at the first port they came at. They agreed to stay. Hereupon I told them my whole story, charging them to be kind to the Spaniards that were expected, gave them, all my arms, and informing them of every thing necessary for their subsistence, I and my man Friday went on board. But the next morning two of the men came swimming to the ship's side, desiring the Captain to take them on board, though he hanged them afterwards, complaining mightily how barbarously the others used them. Upon which I prevailed with the Captain to take them in; and being severely whipt and pickled, they proved more honest for the future, and so I bid farewell to this island, carrying along with me my money, my parrot, umbrella, and goat-skin cap; setting sail December 12, 1686, after twenty-eight years, two months, and nineteen days residence, that same day and month that I escaped from Sallee; landing in England, June 11, 1687, after five and thirty years absence from my own country; which rendered me altogether a stranger there.
Here I found my first Captain's widow alive, who had buried a second husband, but in very mean circumstances, and whom I made easy upon his account. Soon after I went down to Yorkshire, where all my family were expired, except two sisters, and as many of one of my brother's children. I found no provision had been made for me, they concluding I had been long since dead; so that I was but in a very slender station. Indeed the Captain did me a great kindness, by his report to the owners, how I had delivered their ship on the Desolate Island, upon which they made me a present of 200£. sterling. I next went to Lisbon, taking my man Friday with me, and there arriving in April, I met the Portuguese Captain who had taken me on board on the African coast; but, being ancient, he had left off the sea, and resigned all his business to his son, who followed the Brazil trade. So altered both of us were, that we did not know each other at first, till I discovered myself more fully to him. After a few embraces, I began to enquire of my concerns; and then the old gentleman told me that it was nine years since he had been at Brazil, where my partner was then living, but my trustees were both dead; that he believed I should have a good account of the product of my plantation; that the imagination of my being lost, had obliged my trustees to give an estimate of my share to the procurator fiscal, who, in case of my not returning, had given one third to the king & the rest to the monastery of St. Augustine: but if I put in my claim, or any one for me, it would be returned, except the yearly product which was given to the poor. I then desired him to tell me what improvement he thought had been made of my plantation, and whether he imagined it was worth my while to look after it? he answered, he did not know how much it was improved; but this he was certain of, that my partner was grown vastly rich upon his half of it; and, that he had been informed, that the kind had 200 moidores per annum of his third part. He added, that the survivors of my trustees were nervous of an ingenuous character; that my partner could witness my title, my name being registered in the country, by which means I should indefensibly recover considerable sums of money, but, answered, I, how could my trustees dispose of my effects, when I made you only my heir? This, said he, was true but, there being no affidavit made of my death he could not act as my executor. However, he had ordered his don,(then at Brazil), to act by procuration upon my account, and he had taken possession of my sugar-house, having accounted himself for eight years with my partner and trustees for the profits, of which he would give me a very good account.
And, indeed, this he performed very faithfully in a few days, making himself indebted to me 470 moidores of gold, over and above what had been lost at sea, after I had left the place. And then he recounted to me what misfortune he had gone through, which forced my money out of his hands, to buy part in a new ship-but says he, you shall not want, take this; and, when my son returns, every farthing shall be paid you. Upon which he put into my hand a purse of 150 moidores in gold, as likewise the instrument, containing the title to the ship which his son was in, and which he offered as security for the remainder. But really when I saw so much goodness, generosity, tenderness, and real honesty, I had not the heart to accept it, for fear he should straiten himself upon my account. It is true, said he, it may be so; but then the money is yours, not mine, and you may have the greatest occasion for it. However, I returned fifty of them back again, promising that I would freely forgive him the other hundred when I got my effects into my hands, and that I designed to go myself for that purpose. But he told me he could save me that trouble, and so caused me to enter my name with a public notary, as likewise my affidavit, with a procuration affixed to it; and this he ordered me to send in a letter to one of his acquaintance, a merchant in Brazil; and, indeed, nothing could be more faithfully and honourably observed; for, in seven months time, I had a very faithful account of all my effects, what sums of money were raised, what expended, and what remained for myself! In a word I found myself to be worth 5000£. sterling, and 1000 per annum. Nor was this all, for my partner congratulated me upon my being alive, telling me how much my plantation was improved; what Negroes were at work, and how many Ave Marias he had said to the Virgin Mary for my preservation, desiring me to accept kindly some presents he had sent me, which I found showed the greatest generosity.
No sooner did the ship arrive, but I rewarded my faithful Captain, by returning him the hundred moidores, and not only forgiving him all he owed me, I allowed him yearly a hundred more, and fifty to his son, during their lives. And now being resolved to go to England, I returned letters of thanks to the Prior of St. Augustine, and in particular to my old partner, with very suitable presents. By the Captain's advice, I was persuaded to go by land to Calais, and there take passage for England: when, as it happened, I got a young English gentleman, a merchant's son at Lisbon, to accompany me, together with two English, and two Portuguese gentleman: so that with a Portuguese servant, an English sailor, and my man Friday, there were nine of us in number.
Thus armed and equipped, we set out, and came to Madrid, when the summer decaying, we hasted to Navarre, where we were informed that there was scarcely any passing, be reason of the prodigious quantity of snow; so that we were obliged to abide near twenty days at Pamoeluria, and at last to take a guide to conduct us safe towards Tholouse. And now twelve other gentlemen joining with us, together with their servants, we had a very jolly company. Away our guide led us by frightful mountains, and through so many intricate mazes and windings, that we insensibly passed them, which, as we travelled along, ushered us into the prospect of the fruitful and charming provinces of Languedoc and Galcoigne.