Робинзон Крузо

           Ihadnosoonersaidso,butIperceivedthecreature(whateveritwas)withintwooars’length; whichsomethingsurprisedme;however,Iimmediatelysteppedtothecabin-door,andtakingupmygun,firedathim,uponwhichheimmediatelyturnedabout,andswamtowardstheshoreagain. 

           Butitisimpossibletodescribethehorridnoises,andhideouscriesandhowlingsthatwereraised,aswellupontheedgeoftheshoreashigherwithinthecountry,uponthenoiseorreportofthegun,athingIhavesomereasontobelievethosecreatureshadneverheardbefore: thisconvincedmethattherewasnogoingonshoreforusinthenightonthatcoast,andhowtoventureonshoreinthedaywasanotherquestiontoo; fortohavefallenintothehandsofanyofthesavageshadbeenasbadastohavefallenintothehandsofthelionsandtigers; atleastwewereequallyapprehensiveofthedangerofit. 

           Bethatasitwould,wewereobligedtogoonshoresomewhereorotherforwater,forwehadnotapintleftintheboat; whenandwheretogettoitwasthepoint. Xurysaid,ifIwouldlethimgoonshorewithoneofthejars,hewouldfindiftherewasanywater,andbringsometome. Iaskedhimwhyhewouldgo?whyIshouldnotgo,andhestayintheboat? Theboyansweredwithsomuchaffectionasmademelovehimeverafter. Sayshe,‘Ifwildmanscome,theyeatme,yougowey.’ ‘Well,Xury,’saidI,‘wewillbothgoandifthewildmanscome,wewillkillthem,theyshalleatneitherofus.’ SoIgaveXuryapieceofruskbreadtoeat,andadramoutofourpatron’scaseofbottleswhichImentionedbefore; andwehauledtheboatinasneartheshoreaswethoughtwasproper,andsowadedonshore,carryingnothingbutourarmsandtwojarsforwater. 

           Ididnotcaretogooutofsightoftheboat,fearingthecomingofcanoeswithsavagesdowntheriver; buttheboyseeingalowplaceaboutamileupthecountry,rambledtoit,andby-and-byIsawhimcomerunningtowardsme. Ithoughthewaspursuedbysomesavage,orfrightedwithsomewildbeast,andIranforwardtowardshimtohelphim;