Робінзон Крузо
Wrecked on a desert island
Heimmediatelymadetotheshore;butbetweenthewound,whichwashismortalhurt,andthestranglingofthewater,hediedjustbeforehereachedtheshore.
Itisimpossibletoexpresstheastonishmentofthesepoorcreatures,atthenoiseandthefireofmygun; someofthemwereevenreadytodieforfear,andfelldownasdeadwiththeveryterror. Butwhentheysawthecreaturedead,andsunkinthewater,andthatImadesignstothemtocometotheshore,theytookheartandcametotheshore,andbegantosearchforthecreature. Ifoundhimbyhisbloodstainingthewater:andbythehelpofarope,whichIslungroundhim,andgavethenegroestohaul,theydraggedhimontheshore, andfoundthatitwasamostcuriousleopard,spotted,andfinetoanadmirabledegree; andthenegroeshelduptheirhandswithadmiration,tothinkwhatitwasIhadkilledhimwith.
Theothercreature,frightedwiththeflashoffireandthenoiseofthegun,swamonshore,andrandirectlytothemountainsfromwhencetheycame; norcouldI,atthatdistance,knowwhatitwas. Ifoundquicklythenegroeswereforeatingthefleshofthiscreature,soIwaswillingtohavethemtakeitasafavorfromme; which,whenImadesignstothemthattheymighttakehim,theywereverythankfulfor.Immediatelytheyfelltoworkwithhim; andthoughtheyhadnoknifeyet,withasharpenedpieceofwood,theytookoffhisskinasreadily,andmuchmorereadily,thanwecouldhavedoneitwithaknife. Theyofferedmesomeoftheflesh,whichIdeclined,makingasifIwouldgiveitthem,butmadesignsfortheskin,whichtheygavemeveryfreely, andbroughtmeagreatdealmoreoftheirprovision,which,thoughIdidnotunderstand,yetIaccepted.
