ll possible speed, seldom staying one
night on shore, lest they should not have the help of the tides and
daylight back again; and that, therefore, I had nothing to do but to
consider of some safe retreat, in case I should see any savages land
upon the spot.

THE COMING OF FRIDAY

_By Daniel Defoe_

I was surprised, one morning early, with seeing no less than five
canoes all on shore together on my side the island, and the people who
belonged to them all landed, and out of my sight. The number of them
broke all my measures; for seeing so many, and knowing that they
always came four, or six, or sometimes more, in a boat, I could not
tell what to think of it, or how to take my measures to attack twenty
or thirty men single-handed; so I lay still in my castle, perplexed
and discomforted. However, I put myself into all the same postures for
an attack that I had formerly provided, and was just ready for action
if anything had presented. Having waited a good while, listening to
hear if they made any noise, at length, being very impatient, I set my
guns at the foot of my ladder, and clambered up to the top of the
hill, by my two stages, as usual; standing so, however, that my head
did not appear above the hill, so that they could not perceive me by
any means. Here I observed, by the help of my perspective glass, that
they were no less than thirty in number, that they had a fire kindled,
that they had had meat dressed. How they had cooked it, that I knew
not, or what it was; but they were all dancing, in I know not how many
barbarous gestures and figures, their own way, round the fire.

While I was thus looking on them, I perceived by my perspective two
miserable wretches dragged from the boats, where, it seems, they were
laid by, and were now brought out for the slaughter. I perceived one
of them immediately fell, being knocked down, I suppose, with a club
or wooden sword, for that was their way, and two or three others were
at work immediately, cutting him open for their cookery, while the
other victim was left standing by himself, till they should be ready
for him. In that very moment, this poor wretch seeing himself a little
at liberty, Nature inspired him with hopes of life, and he started
away from them, and ran with incredible swiftness along the sands
directly towards me,--I mean towards that part of the coast where my
habitation was.

I was dreadfully fr