WITH permission, reader, I will re­late to you the particulars of my life, and as but few persons, I fancy, ever experienced more difficulties, it will pro­bably be in my power to entertain you.

I was born in the year 1632, at York; My father Mr. Crusoe, having acquired a very considerable fortune as a merchant, chose that City to spend the residue of his life comfortably in; but alas, how imper­fect is worldly happiness! when we fancy ourselves at the very eve of possession, up starts an unexpected something which em­bitters the whole; for good soul, he had, with the highest reputation to himself, surmounted all the difficulties in trade. Happy to see me growing up promisingly, [Page 6] when on a sudden over all was spread the most horrid gloominess; he discovered my resolution of going to sea. One morning he called me into his chamber, and with tears in his eyes, expostulated with me very freely on the subject, "What can possess thee, my child, said he, for wishing to leave thy native Kingdom, de­pend on it, travel where you will, by land or by water, never will you put foot into any country where the blessings of life are more generously disposed among all ranks of people, and their lives and liberties more preserved; or into a climate more adapted to thy constitution, than is enjoyed in the very country you live [...] happily in, and which you now ack [...]d to me you have resolved upon [...] If the ad­vice of a father, said he, [...] our opinion worth following, by all means banish from your mind such a foolish scheme; you must be laughed at for it by the whole world, as a lad wanting capacity; nay, yourself must confess the idea preposter­ous; such a resolution is madness in you, which possibly might be prudence in an­other, [Page 7] lad, for instance, was you the son of a poor man, and had got into bad compa­ny wherein your character had suffered, in that instance the resolution of going in­to strange countries, with the intent of re­trieving your character and fortune would be commendable; but as you are by my industry, placed above the probability of want, and I am convinced you are as much respected by your acquaintance as ever boy was, what can possess thee to think of leaving such happiness; and take my word, child, if you persist in the resolu­tion, It will bring on you many an aching heart," which words I had too much rea­son to remember: However I was obsti­nate, and the first ship that sailed from Hull carried me to London. I was then a­bout nineteen years of age, and being in company with some captains, I said in con­versation, it was my desire to see the World; one of them answered he would take me with him, passage free, if I chose to go his voyage, which was to Guinea, I readily accepted this offer, and in about seven days the ship sailed. We had very [Page 8] boisterous weather from the time we left the Downs, and at last was taken prisoner by [...] Moorish Rover, who carried us into Sallee; the cruelty I experienced in this country made me resolve to attempt an es­cape the first opportunity, but it was full three years before I had the least chance of effecting it. About that time, our go­vernour coming into the cells one morning, said, he wanted some fish for a grand en­tertainment, and if either of the European slaves understood the art of fishing, he should have the liberty of going with the negro and his boy, in a pinnace; now, as it was always my favourite diversion, I an­swered, if he would suffer me to go, I had no doubt of bringing home double the quantity of fish he wanted. He consent­ed, and while the negro and his lad were getting the boat ready, I was busy in car­rying in provision, thinking this no bad opportunity for me to escape. The boat was presently got ready, away we sailed, and at the distance of two leagues from the shore, the old Negro prepared to fish, and stooping over the side of the pinnace [Page 9] to place the net properly, I suddenly took hold of his legs and threw him headlong into the sea; then taking up one of the muskets (which were always kept loaded in the boat) I levelled it at his head, and

vowed, that unless he immediately turned round and swam towards the shore, (for he was attempting to get into the boat a­gain) I would blow his brains out, and as he was an excellent swimmer, I knew it was in his power to reach it. The Ne­gro [Page 10] finding me resolute, turned towards the shore, and immediately I turned to the boy who was steering the boat, and told him, that if he would obey my orders, he should fare as I did, which he agreed to, and we now stood out to sea. As there was a very brisk wind, I presently found myself out of the Emperour of Morocco's dominions. Next day as the boat was sailing under the shore of some Country I was a stranger to, of a sudden we heard a dreadful howling near us; I must confess I was much frightened, but more so on see­ing a monstrous beast dash himself into the water, and swim towards us; when he was within about ten yards of the boat I levelled my gun at his head and fired, which must I think very near have killed him, as he was a considerable time in re­turning to the shore.

The Negro boy advised me to turn the boat and follow him, but as we had so providentially escaped being devoured, I thought it not proper to run into more danger than was necessary, so I [Page 11] ordered him to keep his course, and di­rectly loaded my gun again, for there was plenty of ammunition in the boat: We now felt the want of nothing but fresh water, and that article we were horridly distressed for. I was exceed­ingly pleased with the lad, for he cheer­fully offered to go on shore with a great pitcher, and try to find some, but by no means would I suffer that until we had made the boat fast, and I was ready to go along with my two guns; we tra­velled full a mile up the country, and at last were fortunate enough to meet with an excellent spring; we were fill­ing the pitcher, when on a sudden, the lad cried, see, Massa, see, I turned round, and at about fifty yards dist­ance, under a tree, sat the greatest Lion my eyes ever beheld, just on the point of darting at us; my guns I had laid on the grass, but instantly snatch­ing up the nearest, fired, and sound I had wounded him. It was lucky I had two guns with me, else I had nev­er lived to have related these strange ad­ventures, [Page 12] for, instead of the Lion's running away, after I wounded him, he jumped from the tree, in the great­est anger, towards us, and I had but just time to level the second gun which dispatched him.

I was very thankful to God for my wonderful escape, and having found what we went on shore for, proceeded [Page 13] to make the utmost haste to the boat. We sailed along until at length we met with a Portuguese ship, which took us on board. The Captain bought the boat and the boy of me, and landed me at the Bra­sils, where I hired a plantation and lived comfortably for some time, but was again tempted to go to sea, in a ship bound for the Guinea trade. We kept sailing on, quite ignorant where going to, until the most dreadful storm surrounded us, surely, which ever man beheld; in a few min­utes the sky turned black as night, though half an hour before the sun told me it was noon, the sea rolled mountains high, every instant we expect­ed to be our last, one moment we were lifted on the top of a wave five times higher than St. PAUL'S, and the next plunged as low. At last we got out the boat, exhausted with fatigue, several were washed overboard and lost. I was too much a­gitated to admit a single thought respect­ing them, for in a few minutes afterwards the boat went to the bottom. The first thing I recollect, was lying on the shore, [Page 14] and seeing the water roll towards me and taking me about a mile into the sea; ano­ther wave would bring me on shore, and leave me there a minute or two; then an­other took me out to sea again; in this manner was I suspended between life and death, until a very large wave, driving in­to shore, carried me so far on the sands, that the next did not touch me, and the storm abating, there was I left, until by degrees I recovered the use of my reason, and the first act, I applied it to, was to thank God my life was saved, in a case wherein there was some minutes before scarce any room to hope. When the storm abated, I saw the wreck of the ship at a distance, and swam to it, and brought off a dog, which was the only thing alive on board, two guns, and many necessaries.

Though I had so wonderfully escaped the dangers of the ocean, I now had the fear of wild beasts before me, a proof this life is intended only as a life of trouble, for I am fully persuaded, none living, let their fortunes, friends, healths, &c, be ev­er so extensive and valuable, can truly as­sert they are now perfectly happy.

[Page 15] When I had recovered strength to rise, I walked into the country, and had got a­bout three miles from the sea, without see­ing any thing but goats, hares, and an im­mense number of wild fowls, when reach­ing a very high hill, I there had the op­portunity of viewing the country. I found it to be an island about ten miles long, five broad, and very woody; an hundred gloomy ideas presented themselves at this instant, I began to fancy Providence pre­served me from the dangers of the water, only to torture me with a more cruel and tedious death; but this reflexion I was angry at, so I jumped from the ground, and with a thought full of industry, said God has done such wonderful kindnesses for me, it is infamous and ungrateful in me to complain; here are fowls, goats, and hares in abundance, and it is strange if I cannot hunt for food; all I have to pray for, is, that it is not inhabited by wild creatures who will devour me, which thank God, was not the case.

No human creature but myself was on [Page 16] the island, or any offensive animal to mo­lest me. On this island I lived fifteen years, subsisting the whole time on milk, (for I had caught some young goats, and brought them up tame) and what fowls I took in the woods, by laying springs and traps in the night. One day, about noon, going into the woods after some of my bird traps, I thought I should have sunk to the ground, through fear, every joint of me trembled at the sight, it was the print of a man's foot. Good God! O! what did I see, I was confident it was not the mark of my own, for besides it being a deal larger, I had not been in that part for a month, and that print was quite fresh. I ran like lightning to my home, which was a kind of cave, over­grown with trees, and threw myself down on a parcel of dry leaves, which for some years, had served me as a bed, there I lay three days and nights, without a morsel of food or sleep, so distressed was I at discov­ering there was on the island, more hu­man creatures than myself, who, I feared, would murder me; hunger at last obliged [Page 17] me to look for food, and surely never poor creature ventured out of his hiding place so fearfully, as I did out of my cave.

I was terrified at every leaf that moved, but having no further reason to fancy my fears well-grounded, I concluded the mark was from my own foot, so was tolerably easy; but soon afterwards I was thorough­ly convinced of the contrary, for ranging through the woods, as was my usual cus­tom, for food, I discovered one day five canoes full of savages, within half a league of the shore, and making to it as fast as they possibly could. I secreted myself near enough to discover what they were about, and found the canoes landed all the Indians, but two of them were chain­ed together, who cried piteously; they presently made a large fire, cut the throat of one of the two, broiled his flesh on the fire, and eat it; never did I behold a sight which filled me with horrour e­qual to this, however, shocked as I was, prudence kept me quiet. When they had eat as much of the poor creature as they chose, they were preparing to dispatch the [Page 18] other, but just as they had unbound him, and going to give the finishing stroke, by the greatest agility I ever beheld, he slip­ped under their arms, and run into the woods; he made towards the place where I lay concealed, and on that account I was alarmed for my own safety; three of the savages I saw follow him, and as I knew nothing but a stout resistance on my part could be of service, I took care to have my guns loaded and in order to receive them; presently the savage who was to have been roasted, came running quite out of breath, he was ready to die at the sight of me, thinking that he had only run from one danger to another, so endea­voured to avoid me but that I prevented; he then fell on the ground, and taking hold of one of my feet, put his head on the earth and my foot upon it, which I con­sidered as a token of his wish to be my servant, it turned out so, and a more faith­ful, diligent fellow never lived; his pur­suers soon gave him up, and returned to their own country.

[Page 19]

Every day I had been on the island I made a notch in a piece of wood, to act as my almanack, by that means I was informed, even in this melancholy island, which was the Sabbath, and most part of that day, on my knees, I spent in prayer. This wooden almanack now told me it was Friday the savages came, so having no other name at hand, I christened my new servant FRIDAY. I soon taught him to understand me, and as he was a very in­dustrious fellow, I now lived with less [Page 20] trouble than before I had him, for he ea­sily killed game enough for us both. In this state five years passed without having another visit from the Barbarians; at that time we discovered several canoes making towards our shore, Friday said he was sure they were on the same business again, so I ordered him to fetch my two guns with ammunition from the cave, and said, "now Friday will you stand by me and help to prevent those horrid savages from accom­plishing their cruel purpose;" he quickly answered, " Yes indeed, Masser, yes, in­deed, Masser, me will, me will." As I knew the man to be honest, I could de­pend upon him, so I resolved to do all in my power to prevent the scene they were going to exhibit. When Friday return­ed, the savages had got out of their canoes, so I found no time was to be lost; away we ran, each having a loaded gun, and placed ourselves behind a very large tree, entirely unseen, and at the distance of about fifty yards; five prisoners were chained, and eight savages pulling them out of the canoes, and placing them in a [Page 21] row. I saw the fire kindling, "now said I, Friday, do your best and support me," and then rushed upon them with the cour­age and strength of lions; in less than five minutes six of the wretches lay dead upon the sands, and the other two leaping into the sea, no doubt, were drowned. I then turned to the five poor souls who stood trembling, and expecting me to serve them as I had the others; but presently I convinced them of my friendship. I now thought poor Friday was really dis­tracted, until I learned his joy was occa­sioned by the sight of his father, who was one of the five we happily saved,

The other four were Spaniards, all pri­soners, taken in war a few days before, by the savage nation, and their practice was to eat all those who fell into their hands.

We were now seven in number, and ve­ry fortunately an English merchant ship, homeward bound, was by contrary winds drove near our island; we made a large fire in the woods one night to convince the crew of the ship the island was inhabited; [Page 23] next morning twenty sailors came on shore well armed, we soon convinced them of our friendship, and treated them with the best the island produced; in return they gener­ously took us on board to Liverpool, from thence I went to York, but was greatly shocked at the news I received; my ram­bling disposition, I found had brought my dear father and mother to their graves; they both died soon after I left Hull.

I cannot express the agony it now causes in me; I consider myself entirely as the author of their deaths and though pro­perty sufficient is left for me to live like a gentleman, I cannot have peace to enjoy it; and at this moment I really believe myself the most miserable object living, and heartily I repent giving way to the restless disposition which made me leave my parents, as from that hour I date all the subsequent misfortunes of my life.

Now as many of my readers, from a wild inclination of their own, or from the advice of bad children, may wish to ram­ble [Page 24] from one country to another, they may rest assured by me, that it will only bring them into distress; for every word of my father's advice, when he called me into his chamber, I fatally found strictly to be true.

Note.— If you learn this Book well, and are good, you can buy a larger and more complete History of Mr. Crusoe, at your friend the Bookseller's, in WORCESTER, near the COURT­HOUSE.