Робінзон Крузо
Surveys His Position
butifnot,thenitwasthesavagecoastbetweentheSpanishcountryandBrazils,whichareindeedtheworstofsavages; fortheyarecannibalsormen-eaters,andfailnottomurderanddevourallthehumanbodiesthatfallintotheirhands.
WiththeseconsiderationsIwalkedveryleisurelyforward. Ifoundthatsideoftheisland,whereInowwas,muchpleasanterthanmine,theopenorsavannafieldssweet,adornedwithflowersandgrass,andfullofveryfinewoods.
Isawabundanceofparrots,andfainwouldhavecaughtone,ifpossible,tohavekeptittobetame,andtaughtittospeaktome. Idid,aftersomepainstaking,catchayoungparrot,forIknockeditdownwithastick,andhavingrecoveredit,Ibroughtithome; butitwassomeyearsbeforeIcouldmakehimspeak. However,atlastItaughthimtocallmebymynameveryfamiliarly. Buttheaccidentthatfollowed,thoughitbeatrifle,willbeverydivertinginitsplace.
Iwasexceedinglydivertedwiththisjourney. Ifoundinthelowgroundsbares,asIthoughtthemtobe,andfoxes; buttheydifferedgreatlyfromalltheotherkindsIhadmetwith,norcouldIsatisfymyselftoeatthem,thoughIkilledseveral. ButIhadnoneedtobeventurous,forIhadnowantoffood,andofthatwhichwasverygoodtoo; especiallythesethreesorts,viz., goats,pigeons,andturtle,ortortoise;which,addedtomygrapes,LeadenhallMarketcouldnothavefurnishedatablebetterthanI,inproportiontothecompany. Andthoughmycasewasdeplorableenough,yetIhadgreatcauseforthankfulness,andthatIwasnotdriventoanyextremitiesforfood,ratherplenty,eventodainties.
