supply of food for all the guests expected, I gave the Spaniard
leave to go over to the main, to see what he could do with those he left
behind him there: I gave him a strict charge in writing not to bring any
man with him, who would not first swear, in the presence of himself and
of the old savage, that he would no way injure, fight with, or attack
the person he should find in the island, who was so kind to send for
them in order to their deliverance; but that they would stand by and
defend him against all such attempts; and wherever they went, would be
entirely under, and subjected to his command; and that this should be
put in writing, and signed with their hands: how we were to have this
done, when I knew they had neither pen or ink, that indeed was a
question which we never asked.

Under these instructions, the Spaniard, and the old savage, (the father
of Friday) went away in one of the canoes, which they might be said to
come in, or rather were brought in, when they came as prisoners to be
devoured by the savages.

I gave each of them a musket with a firelock on it, and about eight
charges of powder and ball, charging them to be very good husbands of
both, and not to use either of them but upon urgent occasions.

This was a cheerful work, being the first measures used by me in view of
my deliverance for now twenty-seven years and some days. I gave them
provisions of bread, and of dried grapes, sufficient for themselves for
many days, and sufficient for their countrymen for about eight days
time; and wishing them a good voyage, I let them go, agreeing with them
about a signal they should hang out at their return, by which I should
know them again, when they came back, at a distance, before they came
on shore.

They went away with a fair gale on the day that the moon was at the
full; by my account in the month of October; but as for the exact
reckoning of days, after I had once lost it, I could never recover it
again; nor had I kept even the number of years so punctually, as to be
sure that I was right, though, as it proved when I afterwards examined
my account, I found I had kept a true reckoning of years.

It was no less than eight days I waited for them, when a strange and
unforeseen accident intervened, of which the like has not, perhaps, been
heard of in history. I was fast asleep in my hutch one morning, when my
man Friday came running in to me, and called aloud, "Master, master,
they are come, they are c