Robinson Crusoe in Words of One Syllable (Version 2) — 06 - Section 6

I found in the wood where I went to get the sticks for my fire, a cave so large that I could stand in it; but I made more haste to get out, than in; for two large eyes, as bright as stars, shone out from it with a fierce glare.

I took a torch, and went to see what they could be, and found that there was no cause for fear; for the eyes were those of an old gray goat, which had gone there to die of old age.

I gave him a push, to try to get him out of the cave, but he could not rise from the ground where he lay; so I left him there to die, as I could not save his life.

I found the width of the cave was twelve feet; but part of it, near the end, was so low that I had to creep on my hands and feet to go in.

What the length of it was I could not tell, for my light went out, and I had to give up my search.

The next day, I went to the cave with large lights made of goat's fat; and when I got to the end, I found that the roof rose to two score feet or more.

As my lights shone on the walls and roof of the cave, a sight burst on my view, the charms of which no tongue could tell; for the walls shone like stars.

What was in the rock to cause this it was hard to say; they might be gems, or bright stones, or gold.

But let them be what they may, this cave was a mine of wealth to me; for at such time as I felt dull or sad, the bright scene would flash on my mind's eye, and fill it with joy.

A score of years had gone by, with no new sight to rest my eyes on, till this scene burst on them.

I felt as if I should like to spend the rest of my life here; and at its close, lie down to die in this cave, like the old goat.

As I went home I was struck by the sight of some smoke, which came from a fire no more than two miles off.

From this time I lost all my peace of mind.

Day and night a dread would haunt me, that the men who had made this fire would find me out.

I went home and drew up my steps, but first I made all things round me look wild and rude.

To load my gun was the next thing to do, and I thought it would be best to stay at home and hide.

But this was not to be borne long.

I had no spy to send out and all I could do was to get to the top of the hill, and keep a good look out.

At last, through my glass, I could see a group of wild men join in a dance round their fire.

As soon a they had left, I took two guns, and slung a sword on my side; then with all speed, I set off to the top of the hill, once more to have a good view.

This time I made up my mind to go up to the men, but not with a view to kill them, for I felt that it would be wrong to do so.

With such a load of arms, it took me two hours to reach the spot where the fire was; and by the time I got there, the men had all gone; but I saw them in four boats out at sea.

Down on the shore, there was a proof of what the work of these men had been.

The signs of their feast made me sick at heart, and I shut my eyes.

I durst not fire my gun when I went out for food on that side the isle, lest there should be some of the men left, who might hear it, and so find me out.

This state of things went on for a year and three months, and for all that time I saw no more men.

On the twelfth of May, a great storm of wind blew all day and night.

As it was dark, I sat in my house; and in the midst of the gale, I heard a gun fire!

My guess was that it must have been from some ship cast on shore by the storm.

So I set a light to some wood on top of the hill, that those in the ship, if ship it should be, might know that some one was there to aid them.

I then heard two more guns fire.

When it was light, I went to the South side of the isle, and there lay the wreck of a ship, cast on the rocks in the night by the storm.

She was too far off for me to see if there were men on board.

Words could not tell how much I did long to bring but one of the ship's crew to the shore!

So strong was my wish to save the life of those on board, that I could have laid down my own life to do so.

There are some springs in the heart which, when hope stirs them, drive the soul on with such a force, that to lose all chance of the thing one hopes for, would seem to make one mad; and thus was it with me.

Now, I thought, was the time to use my boat; so I set to work at once to fit it out.

I took on board some rum (of which I still had a good deal left), some dry grapes, a bag of rice, some goat's milk, and cheese, and then put out to sea.

A dread came on me at the thought of the risk I had run on the same rocks; but my heart did not quite fail me, though I knew that, as my boat was small, if a gale of wind should spring up, all would be lost.

Then I found that I must go back to the shore till the tide should turn, and the ebb come on.

I made up my mind to go out the next day with the high tide, so I slept that night in my boat.

At dawn I set out to sea, and in less than two hours I came up to the wreck.

What a scene was there!

The ship had struck on two rocks.

The stern was torn by the force of the waves, the masts were swept off, ropes and chains lay strewn on the deck, and all was wrapt in gloom.

As I came up to the wreck, a dog swam to me with a yelp and a whine.

I took him on board my boat, and when I gave him some bread he ate it like a wolf, and as to drink, he would have burst, if I had let him take his fill of it.

I went to the cook's room, where I found two men, but they were both dead.

The tongue was mute, the ear was deaf, the eye was shut, and the lip was stiff; still the sad tale was told, for each had his arm round his friend's neck, and so they must have sat to wait for death.

What a change had come on the scene, once so wild with the lash of the waves and the roar of the wind!

All was calm now--death had done its work, and all had felt its stroke, save the dog, and he was the one thing that still had life.

I thought the ship must have come from Spain, and there was much gold on board.

I took some of the chests and put them in my boat, but did not wait to see what they held, and with this spoil, and three casks of rum, I came back.

I found all things at home just as I had left them, my goats, my cats, and my bird.

The scene in the cook's room was in my mind day and night, and to cheer me up I drank some of the rum.

I then set to work to bring my freight from the shore, where I had left it.

In the chests were two great bags of gold, and some bars of the same, and near these lay three small flasks and three bags of shot which were a great prize.

From this time, all went well with me for two years; but it was not to last.

One day, as I stood on the hill, I saw six boats on the shore!

What could this mean?

Where were the men who had brought them?

And what had they come for?

I

saw through my glass that there were a score and a half, at least, on the east side of the isle.

They had meat on the fire, round which I could see them dance.

They then took a man from one of the boats, who was bound hand and foot; but when they came to loose his bonds, he set off as fast as his feet would take him, and in a straight line to my house.

To tell the truth, when I saw all the rest of the men run to catch him, my hair stood on end with fright.

In the creek, he swam like a fish, and the plunge which he took brought him through it in a few strokes.

All the men now gave up the chase but two, and they swam through the creek, but by no means so fast as the slave had done.

Now, I thought, was the time for me to help the poor man, and my heart told me it would be right to do so.

I ran down my steps with my two guns, and went with all speed up the hill, and then down by a short cut to meet them.

I gave a sign to the poor slave to come to me, and at the same time went up to meet the two men, who were in chase of him.

I made a rush at the first of these, to knock him down with the stock of my gun, and he fell.

I saw the one who was left, aim at me with his bow, so, to save my life, I shot him dead.

The smoke and noise from my gun, gave the poor slave who had been bound, such a shock, that he stood still on the spot, as if he had been in a trance.

I gave a loud shout for him to come to me, and I took care to show him that I was a friend, and made all the signs I could think of to coax him up to me.

At length he came, knelt down to kiss the ground, and then took hold of my foot, and set it on his head.

All this meant that he was my slave; and I bade him rise, and made much of him.

But there was more work to be done yet; for the man who had had the blow from my gun was not dead.

I made a sign for my slave (as I shall now call him) to look at him.

At this he spoke to me, and though I could not make out what he said, yet it gave me a shock of joy; for it was the first sound of a man's voice that I had heard, for all the years I had been on the isle.

The man whom I had struck with the stock of my gun, sat up; and my slave, who was in great fear of him, made signs for me to lend him my sword, which hung in a belt at my side.

With this he ran up to the man, and with one stroke cut off his head.

When he had done this, he brought me back my sword with a laugh, and put it down in front of me.

I did not like to see the glee with which he did it, and I did not feel that my own life was quite safe with such a man.

He, in his turn, could but lift up his large brown hands with awe, to think that I had put his foe to death, while I stood so far from him.

But as to the sword, he and the rest of his tribe made use of swords of wood, and this was why he knew so well how to wield mine.

He made signs to me to let him go and see the man who had been shot; and he gave him a turn round, first on this side, then on that; and when he saw the wound made in his breast by the shot, he stood quite, still once more, as if he had lost his wits.

I made signs for him to come back, for my fears told me that the rest of the men might come in search of their friends.

I did not like to take my slave to my house, nor to my cave; so I threw down some straw from the rice plant for him to sleep on, and gave him some bread and a bunch of dry grapes to eat.

He was a fine man, with straight strong limbs, tall, and young.

His hair was thick, like wool, and black.

His head was large and high; and he had bright black eyes.

He was of a dark brown hue; his face was round, and his nose small, but not flat; he had a good mouth with thin lips, with which he could give a soft smile; and his teeth were as white as snow.