Робинзон Крузо
Wrecked on a desert island
WehadaverygoodvoyagetotheBrazils,andarrivedintheBaydeTodoslosSantos,orAllSaints’Bay,inabouttwenty-onedaysafter. AndnowIwasoncemoredeliveredfromthemostmiserableofallconditionsoflife;andwhattodonextwithmyselfIwasnowtoconsider.
Thegeneroustreatmentthecaptaingaveme,Icanneverenoughremember. Hewouldtakenothingofmeformypassage,gavemetwentyducatsfortheleopard’sskin,andfortyforthelion’sskin,whichIhadinmyboat,andcausedeverythingIhadintheshiptobepunctuallydeliveredme; andwhatIwaswillingtosellhebought,suchasthecaseofbottles,twoofmyguns,andapieceofthelumpofbeeswax,—forIhadmadecandlesoftherest; inaword,Imadeabout220piecesofeightofallmycargo,andwiththisstockIwentonshoreintheBrazils.
Ihadnotbeenlonghere,butbeingrecommendedtothehouseofagoodhonestmanlikehimself, whohadaningeinoastheycallit,thatis,aplantationandasugar-house, Ilivedwithhimsometime,andacquaintedmyselfbythatmeanswiththemanneroftheirplantingandmakingofsugar; andseeinghowwelltheplanterslived,andhowtheygrewrichsuddenly,Iresolved,ifIcouldgetlicensetosettlethere,Iwouldturnplanteramongthem, resolvinginthemeantimetofindoutsomewaytogetmymoneywhichIhadleftinLondonremittedtome. Tothispurpose,gettingakindofaletterofnaturalization,Ipurchasedasmuchlandthatwasuncuredasmymoneywouldreach,andformedaplanformyplantationandsettlement,andsuchaoneasmightbesuitabletothestockwhichIproposedtomyselftoreceivefromEngland.
Ihadaneighbor,aPortugueseofLisbon,butbornofEnglishparents,whosenamewasWells,andinmuchsuchcircumstancesasIwas.
