第80章

From this time I confess I had a Mind to venture over，and see if I could possibly joyn with these Bearded-men，who I made no doubt were Spaniards or Portuguese；not doubting but if I could we might find some Method to Escape from thence，being upon the Continent，and a good Company together，better than I could from an Island 40 Miles off the Shore，and alone without Help. So after some Days I took Friday to work again，by way of Discourse，and told him I would give him a Boat to go back to his own Nation；and accordingly I carry'd him to my Frigate which lay on the other Side of the Island，and having clear'd it of Water，for I always kept it sunk in the Water，I brought it out，shewed it him，and we both went into it.

I found he was a most dextrous Fellow at managing it，would make it go almost as swift and fast again as I could；so when he was in，I said to him，Well now，Friday，shall we go to your Nation？ He look'd very dull at my saying so，which it seems was，because he thought the Boat too small to go so far. I told him then I had a bigger；so the next Day I went to the Place where the first Boat lay which I had made，but which I could not get into Water：He said that was big enough；but then as I had taken no Care of it，and it had lain two or three and twenty Years there，the Sun had split and dry'd it，that it was in a manner rotten. Friday told me such a Boat would do very well，and would carry much enough Vittle，Drink，Bread，that was his Way of Talking.

Upon the whole，I was by this Time so fix'd upon my Design of going over with him to the Continent，that I told him we would go and make one as big as that，and he should go home in it. He answer'd not one Word，but look'd very grave and sad：I ask'd him what was the matter with him？ He ask'd me again thus；Why，you angry mad with Friday，what me done？ I ask'd him what he meant；I told him I was not angry with him at all. No angry！ No angry！ says he，repeating the Words several Times，Why send Friday home away to my Nation？ Why，（says I） Friday，did you not say you wish'd you were there？ Yes，yes，says he，wish be both there，no wish Friday there，no Master there. In a Word，he would not think of going there without me；I go there！ Friday，（says I） what shall I do there？ He turn'd very quick upon me at this：You do great deal much good，says he，you teach wild Mans be good sober tame Mans；you tell them know God，pray and live new Life. Alas！ Friday，（says I） thou knowest not what thou sayest，I am but an ignorant Man my self Yes，yes，says he，you teachee me Good，you teachee them Good. No，no，Friday，（says I） you shall go without me，leave me here to live by my self as I did before. He look'd confus'd again at that Word，and running to one of the Hatchets which he used to wear，he takes it up hastily，comes and gives it me，What must I do with this？ says I to him. You take，kill Friday；（says he.） What must I kill you for？ said I again. He returns very quick，What you send Friday away for？ take，kill Friday，no send Friday away. This he spoke so earnestly，that I saw Tears stand in his Eyes：In a Word，I so plainly discover'd the utmost Affection in him to me，and a firm Resolution in him，that I told him then，and often after，that I would never send him away from me，if he was willing to stay with me.

Upon the whole，as I found by all his Discourse a settled Affection to me，and that nothing should part him from me，so I found all the Foundation of his Desire to go to his own Country，was laid in his ardent Affection to the People，and his Hopes of my doing them good；a Thing which as I had no Notion of my self，so I had not the least Thought or Intention，or Desire of undertaking it. But still I found a strong Inclination to my attempting an Escape as above，founded on the Supposition gather'd from the Discourse，（viz.） That there were seventeen bearded Men there；and therefore，without any more Delay，I went to Work with Friday to find out a great Tree proper to fell，and make a large Periagua or Canoe to undertake the Voyage. There were Trees enough in the Island to have built a little Fleet，not of Periagua's and Canoes，but even of good large Vessels. But the main Thing I look'd at，was to get one so near the Water that we might launch it when it was made，to avoid the Mistake I committed at first.

At last，Friday pitch'd upon a Tree，for I found he knew much better than I what kind of Wood was fittest for it，nor can I tell to this Day what Wood to call the Tree we cut down，except that it was very like the Tree we call Fustic，or between that and the Nicaragua Wood，for it was much of the same Colour and Smell. Friday was for burning the Hollow or Cavity of this Tree out to make it for a Boat. But I shew'd him how rather to cut it out with Tools，which，after I had shew'd him how to use，he did very handily，and in about a Month's hard Labour，we finished it，and made it very handsome，especially when with our Axes，which I shew'd him how to handle，we cut and hew'd the out-side into the true Shape of a Boat；after this，however，it cost us near a Fortnight's Time to get her along as it were Inch by Inch upon great Rowlers into the Water. But when she was in，she would have carry'd twenty Men with great Ease.