第86章

To remedy this，I went to Work in my Thought，and calling to Friday to bid them sit down on the Bank while he came to me，I soon made a Kind of Hand-Barrow to lay them on，and Friday and I carry'd them up both together upon it between us：But when we got them to the outside of our Wall or Fortification，we were at a worse Loss than before；for it was impossible to get them over；and I was resolv'd not to break it down：So I set to Work again；and Friday and I，in about 2 Hours time，made a very handsom Tent，cover'd with old Sails，and above that with Boughs of Trees，being in the Space without our outward Fence，and between that and the Grove of young Wood which I had planted：And here we made them two Beds of such things as I had （viz.） of good Rice-Straw，with Blankets laid upon it to lye on，and another to cover them on each Bed. My Island was now peopled，and I thought my self very rich in Subjects；and it was a merry Reflection which I frequently made，How like a King I look'd. First of all，the whole Country was my own meer Property；so that I had an undoubted Right of Dominion. 2dly，My People were perfectly subjected：I was absolute Lord and Law-giver；they all owed their Lives to me，and were ready to lay down their Lives，if there had been Occasion of it，for me. It was remarkable too，we had but three Subjects，and they were of three different Religions. My Man Friday was a Protestant，his Father was a Pagan and a Cannibal，and the Spaniard was a Papist：However，I allow'd Liberty of Conscience throughout my Dominions：But this is by the Way.

As soon as I had secur'd my two weak rescued Prisoners，and given them Shelter，and a Place to rest them upon，I began to think of making some Provision for them：And the first thing I did，I order'd Friday to take a yearling Goat，betwixt a Kid and a Goat，out of my particular Flock，to be kill'd，when I cut off the hinder Quarter，and chopping it into small Pieces，I set Friday to Work to boiling and stewing，and made them a very good Dish，I assure you，of Flesh and Broth，having put some Barley and Rice also into the Broth；and as I cook'd it without Doors，for I made no Fire within my inner Wall，so I carry'd it all into the new Tent；and having set a Table there for them，I sat down and eat my own Dinner also with them，and，as well as I could，chear'd them and encourag'd them；Friday being my Interpreter，especially to his Father，and indeed to the Spaniard too；for the Spaniard spoke the Language of the Savages pretty well.

After we had dined，or rather supped，I order'd Friday to take one of the Canoes，and go and fetch our Muskets and other Fire-Arms，which for Want of time we had left upon the Place of Battle，and the next Day I order'd him to go and bury the dead Bodies of the Savages，which lay open to the Sun，and would presently be offensive；and I also order'd him to bury the horrid Remains of their barbarous Feast，which I knew were pretty much，and which I could not think of doing my self；nay，I could not bear to see them，if I went that Way：All which he punctually performed，and defaced the very Appearance of the Savages being there；so that when I went again，I could scarce know where it was，otherwise than by the Corner of the Wood pointing to the Place.

I then began to enter into a little Conversation with my two new Subjects；and first I set Friday to enquire of his Father，what he thought of the Escape of the Savages in that Canoe，and whether we might expect a Return of them with a Power too great for us to resist：His first Opinion was，that the Savages in the Boat never could live out the Storm which blew that Night they went off，but must of Necessity be drowned or driven South to those other Shores where they were as sure to be devoured as they were to be drowned if they were cast away；but as to what they would do if they came safe on Shore，he said he knew not；but it was his Opinion that they were so dreadfully frighted with the Manner of their being attack'd，the Noise and the Fire，that he believed they would tell their People，they were all kill'd by Thunder and Lightning，not by the Hand of Man，and that the two which appear'd，（viz.） Friday and me，were two Heavenly Spirits or Furies，come down to destroy them，and not Men with Weapons：This he said he knew，because he heard them all cry out so in their Language to one another，for it was impossible to them to conceive that a Man could dart Fire，and speak Thunder，and kill at a Distance without lifting up the Hand，as was done now：And this old Savage was in the right；for，as I understood since by other Hands，the Savages never attempted to go over to the Island afterwards；they were so terrified with the Accounts given by those four Men，（for it seems they did escape the Sea） that they believ'd whoever went to that enchanted Island would be destroy'd with Fire from the Gods.

This however I knew not，and therefore was under continual Apprehensions for a good while，and kept always upon my Guard，me and all my Army；for as we were now four of us，I would have ventur'd upon a hundred of them fairly in the open Field at any Time.

In a little Time，however，no more Canoes appearing，the Fear of their Coming wore off，and I began to take my former Thoughts of a Voyage to the Main into Consideration，being likewise assur'd by Friday's Father，that I might depend upon good Usage from their Nation on his Account，if I would go.