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第8章 墨家出手

　　In what he said there seemed so much sincerity of repentance, thatit painfully affected me. I could not but reflect that I, too, hadshortened the life of a good, tender father by my bad conduct andobstinate self-will. I was, indeed, so surprised with what he hadtold me, that I thought, instead of my going about to teach andinstruct him, the man was made a teacher and instructor to me in amost unexpected manner.

e that ofJoseph's brethren when he told them who he was, and the story ofhis exaltation in Pharaoh's court; but when he showed them thearms, the powder, the ball, the provisions that he brought them fortheir journey or voyage, they were restored to themselves, took ajust share of the joy of their deliverance, and immediatelyprepared to come away with him.

　　This was very rational; but we both found out a remedy for it,which was to carry a framed sloop on board the ship, which, beingtaken in pieces, might, by the help of some carpenters, whom weagreed to carry with us, be set up again in the island, andfinished fit to go to sea in a few days. I was not long resolving,for indeed the importunities of my nephew joined so effectuallywith my inclination that nothing could oppose me; on the otherhand, my wife being dead, none concerned themselves so much for meas to persuade me one way or the other, except my ancient goodfriend the widow, who earnestly struggled with me to consider myyears, my easy circumstances, and the needless hazards of a longvoyage; and above all, my young children. But it was all to nopurpose, I had an irresistible desire for the voyage; and I toldher I thought there was something so uncommon in the impressions Ihad upon my mind, that it would be a kind of resisting Providenceif I should attempt to stay at home; after which she ceased herexpo

ertthese thirty-seven men to the faith of Jesus Christ, it is notworth my time, though I should never be fetched off the islandagain? - nay, is it not infinitely of more worth to save so manysouls than my life is, or the life of twenty more of the sameprofession? Yes, sir," says he, "I would give God thanks all mydays if I could be made the happy instrument of saving the souls ofthose poor men, though I were never to get my foot off this islandor see my native country any more. But since you will honour mewith putting me into this work, for which I will pray for you allthe days of my life, I have one humble petition to you besides." -"What is that?" said I. - "Why," says he, "it is, that you willleave your man Friday with me, to be my interpreter to them, and toassist me; for without some help I cannot speak to them, or they tome."

　　In two days more we passed the great China wall, made for afortification against the Tartars: and a very great work it is,going over hills and mountains in an endless track, where the rocksare impassable, and the precipices such as no enemy could possiblyenter, or indeed climb up, or where, if they did, no wall couldhinder them. They tell us its length is near a thousand Englishmiles, but that the country is five hundred in a straight measuredline, which the wall bounds without measuring the windings andturnings it takes; it is about four fathoms high, and as many thickin some places.

　　In order to do this as intelligibly as I can, I must go back to thecircumstances in which I left the island, and the persons on it, ofwhom I am to speak. And first, it is necessary to repeat that Ihad sent away Friday's father and the Spaniard (the two whose livesI had rescued from the savages) in a large canoe to the main, as Ithen thought it, to fetch over the Spaniard's companions that heleft behind him, in order to save them from the like calamity thathe had been in, and in order to succour them for the present; andthat, if possible, we might together find some way for ourdeliverance afterwards. When I sent them away I had no visibleappearance of, or the least room to hope for, my own deliverance,any more than I had twenty years before - much less had I anyforeknowledge of what afterwards happened, I mean, of an Englishship coming on shore there to fetch me off; and it could not be buta very great surprise to them, when they came back, not only tofind that I was gone, but to find three strangers left

"Very well,"said I, "then it is apparent there is something in it." I thenordered all our men to be called up, and told them there was adesign to seize the ship, and take us for pirates, and asked themif they would stand by us, and by one another; the men answeredcheerfully, one and all, that they would live and die with us.Then I asked the captain what way he thought best for us to managea fight with them; for resist them I was resolved we would, andthat to the last drop. He said readily, that the way was to keepthem off with our great shot as long as we could, and then to useour small arms, to keep them from boarding us; but when neither ofthese would do any longer, we would retire to our close quarters,for perhaps they had not materials to break open our bulkheads, orget in upon us.

　　As they came on shore in the evening, and at the easternmost sideof the island, our men had that night to consult and consider whatto do. In the first place, knowing that their being entirelyconcealed was their only safety before and would be much more sonow, while the number of their enemies would be so great, theyresolved, first of all, to take down the huts which were built forthe two Englishmen, and drive away their goats to the old cave;because they supposed the savages would go directly thither, assoon as it was day, to play the old game over again, though theydid not now land within two leagues of it. In the next place, theydrove away all the flocks of goats they had at the old bower, as Icalled it, which belonged to the Spaniards; and, in short, left aslittle appearance of inhabitants anywhere as was possible; and thenext morning early they posted themselves, with all their force, atthe plantation of the two men, to wait for their coming. As theyguessed, so it happened: these new invaders, leavi

　　WIFE. - How me tink you have great much God up there [she points upto heaven], and yet no do well, no do good ting? Can He tell?Sure He no tell what you do?