Робинзон Крузо
Wrecked on a desert island
—Isay,howjusthasitbeen,thatthetrulysolitarylifeIreflectedoninanislandofmeredesolationshouldbemylot, whohadsooftenunjustlycompareditwiththelifewhichIthenled,inwhich,hadIcontinued,Ihadinallprobabilitybeenexceedingprosperousandrich.
Iwasinsomedegreesettledinmymeasuresforcarryingontheplantationbeforemykindfriend,thecaptainoftheshipthattookmeupatsea,wentback; fortheshipremainedthereinprovidinghisloading,andpreparingforhisvoyage,nearthreemonths; whentellinghimwhatlittlestockIhadleftbehindmeinLondon,hegavemethisfriendlyandsincereadvice: "SeigniorInglese,"sayshe,forsohealwayscalledme,"ifyouwillgivemeletters,andaprocurationhereinformtome, withorderstothepersonwhohasyourmoneyinLondontosendyoureffectstoLisbon,tosuchpersonsasIshalldirect,andinsuchgoodsasareproperforthiscountry,Iwillbringyoutheproduceofthem,Godwilling,atmyreturn. Butsincehumanaffairsareallsubjecttochangesanddisasters,Iwouldhaveyougiveordersbutforonehundredpoundssterling,which,yousay,ishalfyourstock,andletthehazardberunforthefirst; sothatifitcomesafe,youmayordertherestthesameway; andifitmiscarry,youmayhavetheotherhalftohaverecoursetoforyoursupply."
Thiswassowholesomeadvice,andlookedsofriendly,thatIcouldnotbutbeconvinceditwasthebestcourseIcouldtake; soIaccordinglypreparedletterstothegentlewomanwithwhomIleftmymoney,andaprocurationtothePortuguesecaptain,ashedesired.
IwrotetheEnglishcaptain’swidowafullaccountofallmyadventures; myslavery,escape,andhowIhadmetwiththePortugalcaptainatsea,thehumanityofhisbehavior,andinwhatconditionIwasnowin,withallnecessarydirectionsformysupply.
