“ As I was one time visiting the boat, I espied on the sea-shore the print of a man’s foot, from which I concluded, in a fright, that it must be occasioned by the devil, or that the savages had certainly landed in that place, the latter of which I was soon confirmed in, when I saw several skulls and bones that the Indians had left behind them. ”

“ And indeed the many miracles of this man’s life is very strange and surprising. The events by a serious application, may be as examples to others, and the wisdom of Divine Providence, in all our circumstances, may be justified and honoured, let them occur when they will. ”

“ I was now in the 23d year of my captivity, when sending out my man Friday to seek some turtles upon the shore, he speedily returned, and told me there were two or three canoes coming there to land. It was not long before we discovered they had brought a poor Christian slave to be sacrificed, which I perceived through a grove, where Friday & I were hid; so resolving to set him free, we fired and killed three, and wounded five; than coming down upon them, we killed two, and wounded another, and the rest escaped in their canoes. ”

“ I went afterwards to Lisbon, where I met the Portuguese captain, who took me on board on the African coast, and discovered myself, he told me how my plantation was improved, but that it was in the King’s hands, it being supposed I was dead. He lent me an hundred moidores, which I returned soon after, for in seven months I had an account of my estate, which was 100l. a year and 2000l. in money.
After these most wonderful Providences, I concluded to return to my native country, my man Friday still attending me. ”

“ The crew wondering they staid so long, sent their other boat out, and hallooing for their companions, they were answered from one hill to another, till we decoyed them into a wood, and then coming round to the boat we knocked one fellow down that was in it, and then the others joined us, and pulling up the boat on the ground, the tide being out, we prepared to meet the others returning, when immediately the captain shot, and killed the boatswain, who was the ringleader of the mutiny. ”

“ We kept upon our guard lest any more canoes should come, but there was no danger, for those that had escaped, reported to the other savages, that the island was inhabited by spirits, and would soon be burnt to ashes. After several considerations, I was resolved that Friday, his father, and the Portuguese, should go over in one of the canoes we had taken, and bring those men over to dwell in the island. Accordingly they went, after I had furnished them with provisions to sustain them, and fire arms for their defence.
CHAP. IV.
Of his return to Yorkshire, where he marries ”

“ But we had not long been off the island on the East, before a terrible storm arose, which held twelve days.together, and having made shift to get into our boat, the waves overset us near the shore, and all the men perished except myself, who was violently driven ashore as it were by force. ”

“ However afterwards I always went out armed, and going out one morning as customary, I espied on the shore, two canoes, with eleven savages going to land, having with them another savage, whom they were going to kill and eat. In an instant the victim jumped up, and ran for his life towards my castle ”