save
me from the jaws of devouring cannibals, like myself, after such a
tender regard to provide for me such a comfortable nourishment, and
continuing so long a kind master, and a most sincere friend; and after
making me forsake the false notion of an Indian Deity, and worship the
true God in spirit and in truth; and after all this how comes it now,
that you are willing to send me away to my former course of living, by
which means undoubtedly we shall be dead to each other; but greater must
be my misfortune, that I shall never behold my best friend I have in the
world any more. And this undoubtedly, though he could not express
himself so clearly, must be his sentiments; for the tears ran down his
cheeks in such a plentiful manner, that I had much ado to refrain from
weeping also, when I beheld the poor creature's affection; so that I was
forced to comfort him in the best manner I could, which I did, by
telling him, if he was content to abide with me, I should be ever
willing to keep him.

After Friday's grief was something abated, more fully to convince me of
his affection, he said, _O master, me not care to be in my nation, leave
you here; me desire nation learn good, that's all;_ meaning, that his
desire was for the conversion of that barbarous people. But as I had no
apostolic mission, nor any concern about their salvation; so I had not
the least intention or desire of undertaking it; and the strength of my
inclination, in order to escape, proceeded chiefly from my late
discourse with Friday, about these seventeen white bearded men, that had
been driven upon the Barbarian coast; whom I designed to join, as the
only means to further our escape. To which intent my man and I went to
search for a proper tree to fell, whereof we might make a large perigua
or canoe, to undertake the voyage; and, indeed, we were not long in
finding one fit for our purpose, there being enough of wood in the
island to have built a fleet of large vessels, but the thing we
principally wanted was to get one so near the water, that we might
launch it after it was finished, and not commit so horrid a mistake as I
had once done before.

Well, after a great search for what was best and most convenient,
Friday, at last, whose judgment in such affairs was much superior to
mine, pitches upon a kind of wood the most fitting for it. To this day I
cannot tell the name of the tree, nor describe it any other way, than
only by saying, that it is like what