Робинзон Крузо
Rescue of Prisoners From Cannibals
Thetwobutchers,whowerejustgoingtoworkwithhim,hadlefthimatthesurpriseofourfirstfire,andfledinaterriblefrighttotheseaside,andhadjumpedintoacanoe,andthreemoreoftherestmadethesameway. IturnedtoFriday,andbidhimstepforwardsandfireatthem. Heunderstoodmeimmediately,andrunningaboutfortyyards,tobenearthem,heshotatthem,andIthoughthehadkilledthemall,forIsawthemallfallofaheapintotheboat; thoughIsawtwoofthemupagainquickly. However,hekilledtwoofthemandwoundedthethird,sothathelaydowninthebottomoftheboatasifhehadbeendead.
WhilemymanFridayfiredatthem,Ipulledoutmyknifeandcuttheflagsthatboundthepoorvictim; andloosinghishandsandfeet,Iliftedhimup,andaskedhiminthePortuguesetonguewhathewas. HeansweredinLatin,Christianus; butwassoweakandfaintthathecouldscarcestandorspeak. Itookmybottleoutofmypocketandgaveithim,makingsignsthatheshoulddrink,whichhedid;andIgavehimapieceofbread,whichheeat. ThenIaskedhimwhatcountrymanhewas;andhesaid,Espagniole; andbeingalittlerecovered,letmeknow,byallthesignshecouldpossiblymake,howmuchhewasinmydebtforhisdeliverance. "Seignior,"saidI,withasmuchSpanishasIcouldmakeup,"wewilltalkafterwards,butwemustfightnow. Ifyouhaveanystrengthleft,takethispistolandsword,andlayaboutyou." Hetookthemverythankfully,andnosoonerhadhethearmsinhishandsbut,asiftheyhadputnewvigorintohim,heflewuponhismurdererslikeafury,andhadcuttwooftheminpiecesinaninstant; forthetruthis,asthewholewasasurprisetothem,sothepoorcreaturesweresomuchfrightedwiththenoiseofourpiecesthattheyfelldownformereamazementandfear,andhadnopowertoattempttheirownescapethantheirfleshhadtoresistourshot; andthatwasthecaseofthosefivethatFridayshotatintheboat; forasthreeofthemfellwiththehurttheyreceived,sotheothertwofellwiththefright.