Робінзон Крузо
Rescue of Prisoners From Cannibals
ToremedythisIwenttoworkinmythought,andcallingtoFridaytobidthemsitdownonthebankwhilehecametome,Isoonmadeakindofhand-barrowtolaythemon,andFridayandIcarriedthemupbothtogetheruponitbetweenus. Butwhenwegotthemtotheoutsideofourwall,orfortification,wewereataworselossthanbefore,foritwasimpossibletogetthemover,andIwasresolvednottobreakitdown. SoIsettoworkagain;andFridayandI,inabouttwohours’time,madeaveryhandsometent,coveredwitholdsails,andabovethatwithboughsoftrees,beinginthespacewithoutouroutwardfence,andbetweenthatandthegroveofyoungwoodwhichIhadplanted; andherewemadethemtwobedsofsuchthingsasIhad,viz.,ofgoodrice-straw,withblanketslaiduponittolieon,andanothertocoverthem,oneachbed.
Myislandwasnowpeopled,andIthoughtmyselfveryrichinsubjects; anditwasamerryreflection,whichIfrequentlymade,howlikeakingIlooked. Firstofall,thewholecountrywasmyownmereproperty,sothatIhadanundoubtedrightofdominion. Secondly,mypeoplewereperfectlysubjected. Iwasabsolutelordandlawgiver;theyallownedtheirlivestome,andwerereadytolaydowntheirlives,iftherehadbeenoccasionofit,forme. Itwasremarkable,too,wehadbutthreesubjects,andtheywereofthreedifferentreligions. MymanFridaywasaProtestant,hisfatherwasapaganandacannibal,andtheSpaniardwasapapist. However,Iallowedlibertyofconsciencethroughoutmydominions. Butthisisbytheway.
AssoonasIhadsecuredmytwoweakrescuedprisoners,andgiventhemshelterandaplacetorestthemupon,Ibegantothinkofmakingsomeprovisionforthem; andthefirstthingIdid,IorderedFridaytotakeayearlinggoat,betwixtakidandagoat,outofmyparticularflock,tobekilled; whenIcutoffthehinder-quarter,andchoppingitintosmallpieces.
