Робинзон Крузо
Friday’s Education
Ihavetoldthispassage,becauseitintroduceswhatfollows: thatafterIhadhadthisdiscoursewithhim,Iaskedhimhowfaritwasfromourislandtotheshore,andwhetherthecanoeswerenotoftenlost. Hetoldmetherewasnodanger,nocanoeseverlost;butthat,afteralittlewayouttothesea,therewasacurrentandawind,alwaysonewayinthemorning,theotherintheafternoon.
ThisIunderstoodtobenomorethanthesetsofthetide,asgoingoutorcomingin; butIafterwardsunderstooditwasoccasionedbythegreatdraughtandrefluxofthemightyriverOroonoko,inthemouthorthegulfofwhichriver,asIfoundafterwards,ourislandlay; andthislandwhichIperceivedtotheW.andNW.wasthegreatislandTrinidad,onthenorthpointofthemouthoftheriver. IaskedFridayathousandquestionsaboutthecountry,theinhabitants,thesea,thecoast,andwhatnationswerenear. Hetoldmeallheknew,withthegreatestopennessimaginable. Iaskedhimthenamesoftheseveralnationsofhissortofpeople,butcouldgetnoothernamethanCaribs; fromwhenceIeasilyunderstoodthattheseweretheCaribbees,whichourmapsplaceonthepartofAmericawhichreachesfromthemouthoftheRiverOroonokotoGuiana,andonwardstoSt.Martha. Hetoldmethatupagreatwaybeyondthemoon,thatwas,beyondthesettingofthemoon,whichmustbeW.fromtheircountry,theredweltwhite-beardedmen,likeme,andpointedtomygreatwhiskers,whichImentionedbefore;andtheyhadkilledmuchmans,thatwashisword; byallwhichIunderstoodhemeanttheSpaniards,whosecrueltiesinAmericahadbeenspreadoverthewholecountries,andwasrememberbyallthenationsfathertoson.
IinquiredifhecouldtellmehowImightcomefromthisislandandgetamongthosewhitemen.
