creatures, who would not only kill them as enemies, but for food,
as we kill our cattle; and they professed to me that the thoughts
of being eaten up like beef and mutton, though it was supposed it
was not to be till they were dead, had something in it so horrible
that it nauseated their very stomachs, made them sick when they
thought of it, and filled their minds with such unusual terror,
that they were not themselves for some weeks after. This, as I
said, tamed even the three English brutes I have been speaking of;
and for a great while after they were tractable, and went about the
common business of the whole society well enough – planted, sowed,
reaped, and began to be all naturalised to the country. But some
time after this they fell into such simple measures again as
brought them into a great deal of trouble.
They had taken three prisoners, as I observed; and these three
being stout young fellows, they made them servants, and taught them
to work for them, and as slaves they did well enough; but they did
not take their measures as I did by my man Friday, viz. to begin
with them upon the principle of having saved their lives, and then
instruct them in the rational principles of life; much less did
they think of teaching them religion, or attempt civilising and
reducing them by kind usage and affectionate arguments. As they
gave them their food every day, so they gave them their work too,
and kept them fully employed in drudgery enough; but they failed in
this by it, that they never had them to assist them and fight for
them as I had my man Friday, who was as true to me as the very
flesh upon my bones.
But to come to the family part. Being all now good friends – for
common danger, as I said above, had effectually reconciled them –
they began to consider their general circumstances; and the first
thing that came under consideration was whether, seeing the savages
particularly haunted that side of the island, and that there were
more remote and retired parts of it equally adapted to their way of
living, and manifestly to their advantage, they should not rather
move their habitation, and plant in some more proper place for
their safety, and especially for the security of their cattle and
corn.
Upon this, after long debate, it was concluded that they would not
remove their habitation; because that, some time or other, they
thought they might hear from their governor again, meaning me; and
if I should send any one to seek them, I should be sure to direct
them to that side, where, if they should find the place demolished,
they would conclude the savages had killed us all, and we were
gone, and so our supply would go too. But as to their corn and
cattle, they agreed to remove them into the valley where my cave
was, where the land was as proper for both, and where indeed there
was land enough. However, upon second thoughts they altered one
part of their resolution too, and resolved only to remove part of
their cattle thither, and part of their corn there; so that if one
part was destroyed the other might be saved. And one part of
prudence they luckily used: they never trusted those three savages
which they had taken prisoners with knowing anything of the
plantation they had made in that valley, or of any cattle they had
there, much less of the cave at that place, which they kept, in
case of necessity, as a safe retreat; and thither they carried also
the two barrels of powder which I had sent them at my coming away.
They resolved, however, not to change their habitation; yet, as I
had carefully covered it first with a wall or fortification, and
then with a grove of trees, and as they were now fully convinced
their safety consisted entirely in their being concealed, they set
to work to cover and conceal the place yet more effectually than
before. For this purpose, as I planted trees, or rather thrust in