Volume 1880
Georges Dodds'
The Ape-Man: his Kith and Kin
A collection of texts which prepared the advent of Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
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http://www.erbzine.com/mag18/ycrusoe.htm

Author(s)

Link to Tarzan of the Apes

• Personal research

Edition(s) used

• Mrs Hofland. 1828. The Young Crusoe; or, The Shipwrecked Boy. Containing an Account of his Shipwreck, and Residence for Several Months Alone, upon an Uninhabited Island London: A.K. Newman. From microfilm of Opie collection.

Modifications to the text

• Chapter titles in Table of Contents

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The Young Crusoe

Chapter I

"Dear papa," said little Charles Crusoe to his father, one morning, "do you think that our family is any way related to the famous Robinson Crusoe?"

"I believe not, Charles: but what may be your reason for inquiring?"

"Because I have just been reading the history of Robinson Crusoe, which was in the packet of books my aunt sent me from England; and I did so very much love him and admire him, that I wished he had been my own great-great-grandfather, or something of that kind. I was, however, afraid it was not so, because I know the Crusoes are a Staffordshire family, and he was a Yorkshireman; and the Crusoes were gentlemen, I suppose, when he was only a poor man."

"I believe you are right in your conjectures, my dear Charles, and by no means wrong in your feelings; for so delightful is the story of Robinson Crusoe, that not only as a boy, but a man, have I read it many a time over myself, with the deepest interest."

"And you think it is all true, papa?"

"Not all Charles. In the. first- place, the name is not true; for the poor man who was really left in the desolate situation described, was called Alexander Selkirk; in the second, it is not true that he was shipwrecked, for the fact was, that his captain, to his eternal disgrace, put him on shore, in the year 1703, on the Island-of Juan Fernandez, at which place he was found, in 1709, by Captain Rogers, of Bristol. He was a Scotchman by birth, and probably decently educated, as he was sailing-master of a privateer, at the time of this misfortune; but in giving his adventures to the world, thought proper to employ a clever man, called Daniel Defoe, already well known as a writer. This author compiled the story of Robinson Crusoe, therefore, partly from the real situation of Selkirk, and partly from the experience of other adventurers; so that although it is not true as a whole, it probably is so in all its details; and it is certain, that he has thrown over it such an air of reality, it is impossible for the mind of any reader not to assent to the whole."

"I am much obliged to you for telling me all this, papa; but if you won[']t think me childish, I shall choose to believe it all true, the same as I used to do. I love Robinson Crusoe dearly, he was so courageous, and active, and ingenious; he had so many clever contrivances in his hut, and such droll ways of dressing himself; and then he tamed the creatures so as to be quite companions to him. I shall always think of him when I teach the parrot to talk, and the monkey to play tricks. Perhaps I may be thrown on a desolate island myself, some day, you know, papa."

"To judge from your countenance, Charles, such a fate would be by no means disagreeable to you,"

"Why really, papa, I think I should not much mind it, provided I had a gun, and plenty of powder, and knew how to use it."

"Well my boy, though I sincerely hope that you will never be left, either on a desolate island, or in any other situation which cuts you off from the comforts of social life, which are of much more importance than a child like you can estimate, yet I am glad that you are of an active, enterprising disposition. Let our situation be ever so desperate, we should never despair; and if it were ever so lonely, we yet know that there is One above, who can hear our prayers, and reply to them also, by delivering us from our afflictions."

The father and son now separated, for Mr. Crusoe, who was an English merchant, resident at Bombay, in the East Indies, had some particular business to attend to. Charles, however, repeated the conversation, (with many comments of his own), to his sister Emily, and even his mamma, who took some pains in pointing out to him the obligations he was under to the friends and servants by whom he was surrounded, and how impossible it would be, for a person accustomed like himself to the comforts and elegancies of life, to subsist in a state of utter destitution.

Charles soon was brought to acknowledge that he should want a great many things, and that he should be very unhappy if deprived of his parents and friends: but he had adopted very high notions of the power of man's endurance, and he maintained that persons of his sex ought, and could, go through a great deal without repining.

Mrs. Crusoe smiled at his enthusiasm, but would not repress it, further than was necessary; for, like his father, she sought to turn it to a good account. Whenever, therefore, she saw Charles listless and indolent, desirous of calling his servant to do that which he could do for himself, negligent of his lessons, or averse to exercise, which are all common failings in the east, she used to assure him "that he never would do for a Robinson Crusoe."

This observation frequently roused him to exertion; and of course his sensible and affectionate parents were glad to awaken in him those energies which are so necessary to every young person, but especially to boys who are so situated.

Our young friend was, at this time, about ten years old, and was, happily, blest with an excellent constitution, which the cares of his mother preserved to him though they were not equally. effective for her daughter, who was about two years younger, and was very delicate. When indeed she had attained her tenth year, the little girl became so poorly, that the medical men entreated Mrs. Crusoe to set out with her for England; and accordingly they departed for their native land, at a very short notice.

Mr. Crusoe wished much to give his son the benefit of an English education, but he could not at this period bring himself to part with the only comfort which remained to him; and as he resolved to settle his affairs as speedily as possible, and follow his lady, he thought Charles would not be any great loser by the delay, especially as he shared with a young friend the cares of a very excellent tutor. Under these circumstances, therefore, the boy remained at Bombay about a year and a half longer, when, with his dear father, who was now become almost his sole companion, he set out for England, having previously visited Elephanta, and whatever was most beautiful, in the environs of Bombay.

Chapter II

When Charles Crusoe left England, he was such a very young child, that his memory could not furnish him with any recollections beyond a faint idea of his grandpapa, whom he had loved very dearly; but as this affection had been tenderly nursed by his parents, who had in every respect sought to impress him with general love to his country, and particular regard for his family, he was delighted with the thoughts of his voyage. It may indeed be supposed, that if England had contained only his beloved mother and sister, he would have rejoiced in the idea of going to them, but to this was added extreme anxiety, to see that country, about which all the persons he knew were continually talking, in language which bespoke sorrow for having left it, or desire to return to it. He had been told that Bombay was more beautiful, that the country was more rich, the fruits finer, the style of living more splendid, and that no people in_England were carried about in palanquins, or served by menials with the profound respect, and implicit obedience, of the natives who attended on him here; but this information had no other effect than to quicken his desire of living there. He remembered, that all the little books came from England -- that the kind tutor, to whose instruction he was so much indebted for higher knowledge than they had communicated, was English also; so that both early and late recollections pointed to this country, as the source of his highest pleasures. To this might be added, the fixed belief that his own countrymen, were the most heroic, learned, and good people in the world; and he naturally desired to behold the land in which they were nurtured, and to become one in a land of which he had been reading and thinking so much.

As Charles had made several short vovages with his parents, during their residence at Bombay, he did not experience much inconvenience from sea-sickness; and he was delighted with the manoeuvring of the ship, which was a noble vessel, called the Alexander, commanded by Captain Gordon, who was a sensible, amiable, and pious man, with whom Mr. Crusoe had been long acquainted. There were not many passengers on board, and several were in a state of bad health, so that the captain's society, when it could be obtained, was more than usually valuable to Mr. Crusoe; but Charles (as might be supposed) found company and amusement more easily, and was soon known and liked by every seaman on board. He had also brought with him his parrot, and a little dog, which had been lately a substitute for his monkey; and a native orphan boy, who had been some years the attendant and playfellow of Charles, accompanied them, as he declared "him heart will break if him no go;" therefore his voyage in every respect promised to be agreeable.

As Captain Gordon had some business at Calicut, on the same coast with Bombay, they put in there for a few days, by which means Charles got an opportunity of seeing this city, the capital of a kingdom of the same name, which was, at one time, so extensive and powerful, that the sovereign took the title of "King of Kings." It was exceedingly reduced by Hyder Ali, who caused the cocoa-nut trees and sandal wood, with which it abounded, to be cut down, and the pepper roots to be pulled up, thereby destroying the natural riches of the land. After his time, Tippoo Saib committed horrid cruelties here, many of which were related to Charles by persons who had been eyewitnesses, of them; and thev told him that the citv of Calicut, once so flourishing, had now little to support it, except the wood of the teak trees, which is cut down in the neighbouring mountains. These accounts only made him more desirous to reach his native country, and he renewed his voyage with pleasure, hoping that they should stop at the Cape of Good Hope even. a shorter time than they had done at Calicut.

On leaving Calicut they soon came within view of the Laccadive Islands, and the weather being clear and fine, they appeared beautifully spotting the bosom of the ocean, like emeralds on a robe of azure. Mr. Crusoe told Charles that there were no less than thirty of them, that they were covered with trees, and for the most part surrounded with rocks; and that the inhabitants went in flat-bottomed boats to the nearest coast, where they disposed of dried fish and ambergris, and in return got dates and coffee.

"Then," exclaimed Charles, "there is no such thing, it seems, as an uninhabited island? I should like to see one, of all things."

"I believe there are several in these seas; but as we are not going on a voyage of discovery, it is not likely we should touch at any of them, unless it is Ascension Isle, which is little better than a barren rock, and would, I fear, not satisfy your curiosity."

"No, papa; I should like something to explore ; I would have curious plants, and canes, and trickling springs, and beautiful birds, on my island, and a round hill in the middle, that I might see the extent of my dominions."

"I wish I had you at home, my boy; I would find one in the Thames, just to your taste, or, perhaps, on one of the lakes in Cumberland."

Charles thought his papa was laughing at him, and he felt inclined to be angry; but he knew himself to be a little romantic in his notions, and fond of that which was wild and marvellous, so he turned it off with a laugh, saying -- "He should not like to be lord of an island no bigger than a compound which is the name in India for what we call a homestead;" on which his father said, with serious approbation in his look -- "My dear boy, I perceive you are lord of yourself, which is better than any other power; always pursue this command, and whether you are thrown on a desert island or a busy world, you will be wise and happy."

They now left the Laceadives far behind, and saw around them only the vast ocean, bounded by the skies. Charles thought it a loyely and almost appalling prospect, and sought, with more avidity than he had ever done before, that little world within the vessel, which might be called all that remained to its inhabitants. He never failed, however, to watch the sunset, which, under their present situation, for several successive evenings, presented a glorious spectacle. The most gorgeous colours of the rainbow, mingled with a flood of golden light, which overspread sides and seas with glory, and even in its departure seemed to give a promise of return.

This magnificent sight never failed to give Charles not only sensations of innocent, but holy delight; he would frequently repeat parts of Thomson's hymn, or the invocation to the sun, in the Paradise Lost; and he frequently declared, "that it was worth while to endure the monotony of the voyage twice over, for the sake of seeing the sun set so grandly." On the fifth night that they witnessed it, there were symptoms of a wind coming on, by no means of a favourable description, and the pleasure all the passengers had enjoyed in watching it, were exceedingly damped.

The next day proved that their fears were but too well founded; the wind whistled in the cordage, compelled the sailors to reef the sails, and finally agitated the waves, and, apparently, drove the vessel in a clean contrary direction to that in which they sought ,to steer her. The skies were at this time clear; nevertheless, the sun went down unnoticed, save by those who sought, from their observations, to foretell the length of the gale; and so far as Charles could judge, from their looks, the prospect was not favourable. When the waves first began to swell, and the wind to lift up its voice, as it were, in a threatening strain, the boy felt rather pleased than otherwise; for as he had an insatiable curiosity on all points connected with nautical pursuits, he wished to see a storm, and in the wild commotion of the elements, he rather enjoyed the sublimity of the scene than feared its power. The sight of the captain's anxious countenance first drew him from the contemplation of the billows; and when, like the other passengers, he was ordered to leave the deck, he began to question his papa, with much solicitude, as to the probable duration of the storm, and its effects.

"I hope, my dear, it will not last long, for we have already been driven considerably out of our track; we are, however, happy in being at a distance from the Maldives, or any other islands; and as we are about crossing the line, I hope we shall soon fall in with another wind, and regain what we have lost." These hopes a few hours afterwards appeared in a likely way to be fulfilled, as there was an evident abatement of the storm; but before an other day and night had passed, it was renewed with more fury than before. The ship was now so violently tossed, that every thing on board was in confusion; rain descended in torrents, and there were such frequent storms of thunder and lightning, that they expected destruction every moment. To add to their distress, the captain (who was advanced in years) became so ill, that it was with the utmost difficulty that he did his duty; but his consciousness of the inability of the second in command, induced him to persist in giving orders, and inspecting every thing on board with unceasing vigilance.

In the course of three or four days, their once-beautiful vessel was stripped of sails, masts, and cordage, and reduced to a mere hull, which rolled and plunged, like, a huge porpoise, as if every instant it was going to sink, and be no more seen. When the sun was going down on the sixth night in which they had been thus suffering, one of the sailors espied land, and the captain exerted himself to the utmost to discover where they might be. He concluded at length, that the island now visible was that of Amsterdam, on which he had been many years before, when he went out in the suite of Lord Macartney to China. He said -- "The island was formerly a volcano, and was still exceedingly hot, and had no good water upon it; and that there was only one harbour where it was possible to land, therefore he was glad that the wind drove them from it." He owned, however, "that when he had been there, some American seamen were living on the island, for the purpose of collecting seals' skins, as the shores abound with these creatures."

On learning this, the crew and passengers became impatient to effect a landing on this island, thinking that any situation must be better than that which they were in; and seeing the ship was utterly unmanageable,, they determined on putting to sea in the long-boat, and, if possible, reaching the island by that harbour the captain described. He had said it was only six miles long; and as they had now seen it by an uncertain light for some hours, and were conscious they were drifting from it every moment, they concluded it was possible that they had a chance for life from this effort, which was evidently the only one which remained to them.

The captain, worn out alike with sickness arid fatigue, could only declare -- "That he would die in his vessel;" and so fully persuaded was Mr. Crusoe, that death was inevitable on either hand, that he said -- "Himself and son would take their chance with him;" but he gave Sambo, his servant, full liberty to go; and earnestly recommended him to the kindness of those around him. When, however, the poor boy understood what they were about, he protested, that -- "Him live with him sahib [*Master] -- him die with him sahib;" and sitting down at his master's feet, he seemed ready to meet the death which threatened him.

"You are willing to remain, my dear Charles?" said Mr. Crusoe, questioningly, as he drew his son to his bosom.

Certainly, certainly!" said the poor boy, as he eagerly embraced his father; "you know what is best, papa: besides, I would not leave you for the world."

There was no power of reply to any purpose, for the noise of the wind and sea, the hasty removal of persons into the boat, the shrieks for assistance from some who met a watery grave in their descent, the cries of others for friends or property, completed the confusion.

In a short time all were gone, save the four persons we have mentioned, who were now huddled together in the dark, and appeared drifting fast from the land they had seen, towards some other coast, and the captain now recollected the little island of St. Paul, and said -- "He apprehended they were near it."

Scarcely had he made the remark, when a loud and terrible cry rose on the gale, and they were thus rendered aware of the destruction of their late companions, who had already been swallowed by the, raging sea.

Still the billows raged, and every motion of the vessel seemed likely to be her last. Not a word was spoken; but undoubtedly every heart was engaged in prayer, when one sea, more tremendous than the rest, drove them (as it appeared from the shock they received) upon a rock, from which it was evident they were not moved by several succeeding waves.

The captain now suggested the necessity of preserving presence of mind, and gave various directions for their conduct, under the persuasion, that in a few minutes the ship would break in pieces, and, as it were, vanish from under them. This effect did not, however, immediately take place, and in a short time they became sensible that the storm was abating, which left them hope that they might retain their present position till morning.

At length the long-looked-for day rose, and discovered to our shipwrecked friends the situation in which they were placed. The ship was not upon a rock, for there are none round this island, which was indeed that of St. Paul, as the captain had surmised;. it was driven, by the violence of the wind, into the deep sandy soil, with such force, that it could never be afterwards moved by the waves, which had made numerous breaches in the sides, into which the water was pouring at the end nearest to the sea. On perceiving this, Mr. Crusoe made haste to procure a plank, to use as a bridge, for them to pass to the land, and proposed immediately that they should take as many things as they could out of the vessel, before they were rendered useless by the encroaching water.

Sambo and Charles lost not a moment in obeying these orders; but the captain was so ill, as to be unable to lend a helping hand; and it was with the utmost difficulty that they could enable him to land, for he was not only worn out with anxiety and fatigue, but under the influence of a consuming fever. Mr. Crusoe's first care was to look for a shady place, on which to spread his bedding, that he might lie down, and, if possible, obtain some repose.

At a little distance they found a grassy spot, which formed a glade in a beautiful grove, through which a little limpid stream of pure water ran gurgling towards the ocean. Several birds were already beginning to sing their welcome to the morning, and a cool refreshing breeze ran quivering through the leaves. Every thing around was calm and beautiful, offering a striking contrast with the tremendous storm they had so lately witnessed; and poor Mr. Crusoe observed, with a melancholy smile, to his son -- "My dear boy, you have now got a desolate island, and a very pretty one it is, so far as I can see."

"It is not desolate, papa, if you are here." said poor Charles, as the tears sprung to his eyes.

Mr. Crusoe clasped his son in his arms; he thanked God that he was preserved to him, at least for the present; but he thought on his dear wife and daughter, now far distant, and his tears flowed also. Remembering soon, that it was not by thus indulging his feelings that he could assist his friend, and that to him alone must they all look for guidance and protection, he checked his emotion; and when he had seen his sick friend laid down in comparative comfort, he readily assisted the boys in getting all out of the vessel which the late storm had left, which was likely to be of use to them in their present distress.

Chapter III

There is nothing which makes little troubles so light as the remembrance of great ones. Our travellers had just escaped with life; they had also obtained rest, after enduring incessant fear and toil; therefore, though their situation was full of solicitude, they did not, for the present, feel it. When a fire was lighted, and some coffee made, though the biscuit unfortunately was wet, and there was but little provision of any kind good, all enjoyed their breakfasts, looked round upon their houseless abode with admiration, devoutly thanked God for giving it to them, and employed their minds busily in contriving the means of existing upon it, or escaping from it; but all eagerly inquired of the captain what he happened to know concerning it.

"All I recollect hearing on the subject is this, that the island of St. Paul is to the north of the island of Amsterdam, and within sight of it, that it is covered with shrubs and trees, and has abundance of sweet-water, which Amsterdam is without. Having no safe anchorage or landing-place, it is almost unknown."

Do you think a signal of distress could be seen from hence to Amsterdam?" said Mr. Crusoe.

"Yes; but I fear there is no person now residing there, for it was considered a great wonder, for the American sailors I saw to have staid a single winter; and I have never heard of any other person meeting with any inhabitants since that time."

Mr. Crusoe, on hearing this, became exceedingly anxious to secure any tools which might be left, on the ship, thinking that as their only chance of escape seemed to lie in forming a boat, or raft, these things were of all others most valuable. On returning to the wreck, he perceived that it was now completely parted, and the carpenter's tools were unfortunately lost; but a small (gentleman's) tool-chest was found in the cabin, and now eagerly seized upon, together with some canisters of gunpowder, which had hitherto escaped them, and some clothes of Captain Gordon's.

When Sambo had been sent on the island with these things, Mr. Crusoe began to examine portions of the parting vessel, and fasten ropes about them, with Charles's assistance, in order to drag them ashore.

"But surely, dear papa, you cannot expect to make a boat that would hold four people with such a set of tools? or, if your boat was made, could you go farther than the neighbouring island; and what good would that do?"

"A great deal, Charles. It would be one step gained which is encouragement; and to keep alive hope, in our situation, is a great point, and a difficult one, at my time of life, though not at yours. Besides, employment is invaluable to us; you know I long since told you never to despair -- to that advice I now add, never be idle"

Misser Sharly! Misser Sharly!" cried a voice.

"That is my parrot -- my pretty Poll! How could I forget her! Where can she be?"

It was evident to Mr. Crusoe that the poor bird was in great terror, and he recollected that he had been given some days before into the keeping of a sailor, because he disturbed the captain, since which time, in their distress, he had been forgotten. On looking round, he perceived Poll in his cage, which was attached to a plank, now slowly floating from the island. By venturing into the sea, far enough to throw a rope with effect, Mr. Crusoe moved the plank, to the great joy of Charles, who had followed him; and in a short time, the half-drowned bird was rescued from his perilous situation. The parrot was found almost starved, for his cage had no remains of food in it; and on reaching the island, it was Charles's first care to supply his wants; but as the poor creature continued to cry incessantly all the words he had learnt, he, very properly, carried him to a considerable distance, as the captain was now asleep.

Mr. Crusoe flattered himself that when his old friend awoke, he would be much amended, and even able to assist in forming a vessel in which they might escape, when the state of the weather was.favourable. To his great sorrow, when the poor gentleman again spoke, it was in a voice so weak and faint, as to preclude all hopes of his recovery, especially as his appetite was utterly gone, and he was unable to raise his head from the pillow without support. He had been a sincere Christian, and expressed himself perfectly resigned to death, and devoutly thanked God that, even in this desolate situation, he had a kind, sympathizing friend to sooth his last moments; but he lamented much that he had with him bonds and notes equal to a considerable fortune, of which his grandchildren would be deprived, in consequence of his death, unless it was in the power of Mr. Crusoe to preserve them. He said that he had placed them about his person, when the wreck became inevitable, because it was possible he might escape; but now he felt that all was over, and the little family of orphans would never obtain his property; "yet," he added, "I know their heavenly Father will provide for them, even if this property is lost to them, for 'He is a husband to the widow, and a father to the fatherless,' and will help my poor grandchildren! and I even trust you, or your son, will live to reach England, in which case I know you will see justice done to them.

He then told Mr. Crusoe to feel in his pocket, and take out a little Bible, in which he desired Charles to read several chapters, which he named, saying -- "His time was now so short, it was better that he should not talk farther of his worldly affairs." After Charles had read those portions of the word of God, which he found especially dear and valuable, his mind seemed much consoled, and his spirits renovated. He gave Mr. Crusoe a great deal of valuable information on the subject of the winds in those seas, and the times when a little vessel might navigate them in safety; also when the proper time would arrive in which ships might (from different routes being adopted) come within their signals. Every word he said was carefully treasured, both by father and son, who all night long knelt by him, with beating hearts, and frequently with streaming eyes.

When the sun arose, he looked smilingly on the light, and said something, in a low voice, of the sun of righteousness; then put his little Bible in Charles's hands, as a dying bequest, saying -- "It will be your companion in the wilderness, and your guardian in the world; therefore take this blessed book, my dear boy, and never forsake it!"

Poor Charles, deeply affected, took the sacred volume, and placed it in his bosom, fervently kissing the hand that presented it -- that hand was cold even now, and in a few minutes more, the last sigh escaped the lips of the good old captain.

Mr. Crusoe was sincerely grieved for the loss of this worthy man, nor could he fail to look forward with extreme anxiety for the fate which awaited his survivors. He knew that by exertion alone could they be relieved from the more appalling death which threatened them; and after allowing the sorrow of Charles time to subside, he addressed himself to the painful task of examining the body, and taking thence the important papers, of which the captain had spoken.

In this melancholy duty Charles assisted his father, whilst Sambo went to a place at a little distance, pointed out by his master, where, with such tools as they had procured, he endeavoured to dig a grave.

Mr. Crusoe found in Captain Gordon's bosom several sheets of parchment, and also his will, and in his pockets a bill-book, a case of jewels, and a purse of gold; and wrapping all up together, he began to cast about for a place where he could deposit them safely, observing, that his clothes were already wet, and as it was likely he might be again induced to go into the sea, it was better to put them in a dry place.

Charles recollected, when he took his parrot to a distance, seeing a little mound of earth, which appeared somewhat broken in like a cavern, and formed the only diversity from the level surface, which he had yet seen on the island. To this place he conducted his father, who observed, that, by a little labour, this spot might be rendered a valuable habitation, as it was already sufficiently cavernous to afford them shelter in case of rain, together with their stores, and that the trees grew around it in such a manner, that the ropes, which they luckily possessed, might be so twisted about the trunks, as to guard them from wild beasts, if there were such on the island. For the present, he laid the handkerchief, with its valuable contents, on a flat stone, and covered it with another, and then returned to the spot where his poor friend still lay on the mattress, where he had breathed his last.

Having wrapped the body in a sailcloth, which they had used to carry their stores in from the vessel, the father and son proceeded to the place where the poor boy was still digging; and when Mr, Crusoe had so far assisted his labours as to make the grave sufficiently deep, they laid the body into it, and then all knelt down, whilst the friend, father, master, and mourner, poured from his heart a short but deeply-affecting prayer, to that Almighty Protector, whose eye alone beheld them -- whose hand alone could sustain them: all remained silent many minutes afterwards, and when they arose, they pursued the necessary labour of covering the grave, and placing over it a few planks from his own ship, still meditating on the captain's fate. When this last "labour of love" was ended, Mr. Crusoe, aware that young minds cannot be long exercised on any painful subject, without injury to those energies necessary for their health and activity, urged the boys to prepare some food, and spoke with a cheerfulness he was far from feeling, but which had soon the happiest effect on his young companions.

Mr. Crusoe now armed both himself and the boys, and set out to make the circuit of the island. They found it so overgrown with trees and brushwood, that it was with the utmost difficulty they could proceed in some places, and in others it was covered with beautiful long grass, which they trod with caution, lest it should harbour snakes or scorpions. None such were observed, nor any animal on the ground, except a few rabbits, or small hares, which from time to time crossed their path. The trees were much more full of life, for numerous beautiful birds were there, some of which they had never seen before; but many of them were familiar to them, and on these they gazed with great delight, as a kind of old friends that had shared their voyage and their troubles. When they had proceeded, as they supposed,, about a mile and a half, they arrived at a little promontory, which ran far into the sea, and on which was a small tree or two; but there was no rock, neither any bay, so far as they could observe, which proved Captain Gordon's information correct; and Mr. Crusoe felt his heart sink, as he perceived the impossibility (even if they could make a boat of sufficient magnitude to put out to sea) of launching it from such a shore. He yet thought, if ever they were so happy as to attain this power, it must be from this spot that they should go, and he examined it with great anxiety, from this consideration.

Whilst Mr. Crusoe was thus employed, Sambo had climbed into one of the trees, to look out, as he said, "for one great shippy;" and as the evening was perfectly calm, and his master knew that the Indian had extraordinary eyes, he waited patiently for some time; but was just going to call the boy down, when he declared, that though he saw no shippy in sea or in sky he saw their own big boat rolly, rolly, very slow, bottom at top.

This circumstance Mr. Crusoe considered extremely probable, and hope sprung in his heart at the idea of regaining this vessel, which was infinitely superior to any which he could ever hope to form; and such was his anxiety on the subject, that being a good swimmer, he would immediately have jumped into the sea, in hopes to find it, and guide it to the spot; but the evening was too far advanced for Sambo to give any directions, nor even to perceive it when he looked again; nor had he any rope with him wherewith to secure it. Besides, the idea of his father going out into the sea at so late an hour, the very day when they had been all so deeply affected by the loss of their friend, so completely overcame poor Charles, that he besought him on his knees to desist, declaring -- "That on this terrible day he was utterly unable to bear him out of his sight for a moment"

Mr. Crusoe took his child's hand, and immemediately pursued their walk, which brought them, within half an hour, to the cavern, where the poor captain's property was deposited, and where Mr. Crusoe said he would sleep that night. Sambo immediately began preparing to light a fire, as he had done the preceding nights; but Mr. Crusoe being convinced that there was nothing to fear from wild beasts, told him it was unnecessary; but proceeded with him to the spot where their bedding and victuals remained, and having eaten some cold pork and biscuit, and addressed their evening prayers to Heaven, they all betook themselves to that repose they so greatly required: Mr. Crusoe slept on the mattress; the boys had each a blanket, and laid on the grass, which was deep, soft, and dry.

The next morning Mr. Crusoe's first care was so to increase the excavation, as to render it an effectual shelter in case of storm, which, with their joint labour, became, in the course of the day, effected to a considerable degree; after which they so contrived to line it with portions of the broken vessel still left on the coast, as to keep the earth from crumbling on their heads. Mr. Crusoe considered this work of the utmost importance, because there was not in the whole island any rock or mound that could afford them the least shelter from the rain; and although the weather was at this time beautifully clear and calm, nothing could be more probable than that a tremendous storm might arise in the course of a single hour; and as they had perceived many fallen trees in the course of their walk, there was reason to fear this island was often visited by terrible tempests.

The next morning Mr. Crusoe determined to set out, and, if possible, recover the boat, and for this purpose he took with him whatever appeared necessary. Whilst collecting his materials, Charles employed himself in gathering a species of wild oranges, which he had observed grew in quantities round their hut, and which, although bitter, assuaged the thirst of which both himself and his father complained. Sambo had again climbed into a tree, and on his hasty descent, declared so positively that he saw a ship, at a great distance, that every other thing was forgotten, in the anxiety to put up signals of distress.

Their first care was to take one of the pair of sheets which lay on their bed, and suspend it from a tree near the spot where they landed; and the other was taken by Mr. Crusoe, to hang up at the other end of the island. He then gave Charles the captain's glass, and told him to station himself there, and keep a sharp lookout, and from time to time fire a gun, as a signal. As the highest trees were in the middle of the island, Sambo was directed to climb up on them; and if he saw the vessel within certain limits, to make signs, either to his master or Charles, as agreed on between them.

Yet much calculated as this great event was to enliven all parties, the Indian boy was the only one who seemed really alert. Charles obeyed his father mechanically, for his eye was heavy, and his motions slow; but he knew that every thing depended on attracting the attention of the vessel, and he remembered that it was in compliance with his request, urged in the agony of the moment, that his father had abandoned his intention of seeking the boat, and therefore it was particularly his duty to do his utmost to forward his views. For this purpose he also climbed the tree on which Sambo had been; but notwithstanding he had the benefit of the glass, he could see nothing; but he knew the fault was in his own eyes, which ached excessively ever since he awoke; therefore he quickly came down, saying -- "That he believed Sambo was more to be depended on than him, and begging his papa to pursue his plan."

Mr. Crusoe took a portion of food with him, and set out, having placed some in the hands of Sambo also, Charles declining any thing but the fruit he had gathered. As his father's figure slowly withdrew from his eyes, the poor boy felt exceedingly grieved to part from him, even for a few hours, and remarked that he too walked with slow and lingering steps, as one either oppressed by bodily disease, or severe sorrow. -- "Alas!" said he, "it is no wonder that he is weak and poorly; besides, I know he is thinking of my dear mamma continually."

Charles roused himself from this painful recollection, as well as he could; and in a short time it was certain he ceased to think of this or any other trouble, except that which was connected with his own sensations, which were now become very distressing. He had a dreadful headache, was excessively sick, yet very thirsty, and was alternately of a shuddering coldness, or burning like fire. Several times he determined to fire, in order that his papa, or Sambo, might come to his assistance; but the fear of adding to his father's uneasiness, or being the means of preventing him from accomplishing his purpose, prevented him.

Finding, at length, that he could not watch any longer on the shore, he left the flag and his gun, and tried to crawl towards the hut, which he was approaching with the greatest difficulty, when poor Samho joined him, and perceived how ill he was. He declared that the heat was so terrible, he could not remain on the watch any longer, and expressed his surprise that his master had not returned; and thinking to cheer Charles, he predicted many good things from his protracted stay. -- "Eder him get boaty, else him find large shippy, come and take them all away."

But Charles was now too ill to give even a faint smile to Sambo's predictions; and at length he fell down on the ground, utterly unable to proceed, holding his forehead with his hands, and crying, with a faint voice, for a little water. Sambo left him with extreme reluctance, even for a few moments; and when he returned with water, tried to carry him on his back to the hut; by slow degrees, at length, accomplishing his purpose.

When Charles was sheltered from the rays of the sun, he experienced a little relief, but Sambo continued to complain bitterly of the heat, and the oppression of the air, which, he said -- "lie on him head, and him shoulder, like blanket."

Charles concluded that it was this unusual heat which had affected him so severely; but yet he well remembered that some of his symptoms exactly resembled those of which Captain Gordon used to complain; and he began to think, with great justice, that he had caught the fever of which he died. Under this idea, whenever Sambo suggested the idea of going for his master, or firing the gun as a signal of distress, Charles told him not to do so, for it would only alarm his father, and cause him to come, and catch the complaint also; and when he desired Sambo to give him a little water, or squeeze the juice of an orange for him, he always said -- "Don't come too near me, Sambo, or you will take my complaint" -- "And, Sambo, if I die, re member to be very, very attentive to poor papa; you can swim as well as him, and I hope you will both get away when I am gone" -- "You will be better without me, Sambo."

This was a kind.of comfort the poor boy could not accept; his grief broke out into violent exclamations, during which Charles thought he heard his papa's gun fired; but as his head was laid on the pillow, he could not be certain., for Sambo had made a considerable noise at the same moment. As, however, it was now beginning to grow rather dusk, and they were both aware that Mr. Crusoe would deem it right that he should know Charles was ill, since he was in possession of some medicines.which might be useful, after lighting a lamp (which was amongst their most valuable treasures), and placing water and fruit within his reach, Sambo set out to urge his master to return.

Some time after he was gone, Charles dropped into a kind of troubled slumber; and when he awakened from it, his recollection was confused. Various images flitted before his eyes; sometimes he thought himself on shipboard during the storm; at others, that he was in his late happy dwelling at Bombay. He called aloud to Sambo and his father many times, but no voice answered thim, except that of the parrot. Then he recollected Captain Gordon, and thought he was conversing with him; and again he believed himself in the sinking ship, for the thunder rolled with tremendous violence, the trees bent down to the ground beneath the wind, and sounded like the waves of the sea; and again he expected to be swallowed up every moment, as he had done a week before.

At length the sense of his more lonely situation, as being unsupported by the tender sympathy of his father, struck him forcibly, and rising from his bed, he crept forward to the mouth of the cave, but the wind and the rain drove him in again; and fearing that both his father and Sambo were lost, and expecting every moment the same fate, he knelt upon the floor, and earnestly besought the Almighty to receive his soul, and permit him, for his Redeemer's sake, to rejoin the beloved parent now taken from him. This pious exercise of his mind, though he was doubtless in a delirious state, brought back to his aching heart the memory of his father's tenderness, and he wept long and bitterly. At length, being worn out with sorrow, terror, and disease, he sunk into a profound sleep upon the grass, on which he had been kneeling.

When poor Charles raised his head from the ground, a sweet breeze was playing in the cave, and a delicious smell from the trees and flowers revived him; he arose, and looked around, and saw the sun shining as at noonday; but the heat was by no means intense, and every thing around looked exceedingly beautiful, as if it had been refreshed by recent showers. He now thought that he had been harassed by troubled dreams, and began by degrees to recollect all that had occurred to him, -- "It is plain," said he, "that I have slept very late, and my father, knowing I was ill yesterday, has left me to repose. Well, I am much better; my head does not throb now: it is time I went out to do my share in watching; besides, I think I am hungry." When poor Charles looked round, he saw water of which he eagerly drank, also dates upon one leaf, and oranges upon another, which recollecting something of Sambo having arranged for him, excited his surprise. He found himself so weak, that he could scarcely crawl out of the hut, when the first thing he beheld, was the tree in which his parrot had been hung, laid prostrate on the ground, and the poor bird; though not otherwise injured, as completely wetted as when he was dipped in the sea. Little thinking how much greater misfortunes had arisen to him, Charles rescued and fed his favourite, assisting him to dry his feathers; and afterwards, he helped himself to some of the provisions he found in the hut, wishing at the same time that Sambo had been with him, to have lighted a fire, and made him a cup of coffee, of which they had fortunately preserved a large canister; and for some time he could not help feeling that it was unkind in them to leave him when he was so ill.

As soon as he felt himself able, he proceeded to that place on the shore which he considered it his duty to attend, and there found, to his great vexation, that the tree on which their flag had waved was laid prostrate, though the sheet was still upon it; and that his gun was sunk, and in a manner buried under the sand. Terrible proofs of the severity of the late storm were seen on every side; and he began to doubl whether all the devastation he witnessed had occurred in the night. A strong idea rose on his mind, that it had been partial daylight at the time when he witnessed the storm; and from the state of extreme weakness he experienced, he thought that he had slept at least twenty-four hours, and of course been without food of any kind two days and a night -- "Then where can my papa be?"

When this terrible question had passed the mind of the poor boy, he felt as if he must run that moment all over the islands to look for him. Alas! he was able to proceed only a very short way, for the high wet grass was to him, for the present, an invincible barrier. He was sadly grieved to think that he could not fire his gun, and bring them to his assistance; and his mind was full of fears, lest his father should have been injured by the storm. Findirig. it impossible to proceed to the end of the island, he returned to the hut, and began, as well as his weak state permitted, to get the materials for a fire, saying, "When poor papa comes in, I will have something warm for him."

Grinding the coffee and boiling it, scraping the biscuit, which was very mouldy, setting the place to rights, as well as he was able, and rejoicing that the rain had been driven over and and not into the hut, and that there were a pair of pistols in it which were uninjured by the weather, employed the mind of Charles till it was quite late at night, when all his anxiety returned. Many a time did he go forth, and shout with all the strength he had; but, alas! that was little; and he had a kind of comfort in thinking, that if he could have made more noise, they would have heard him. He then returned, took a little of the coffee, and ate the dates, reserving the biscuit for his father, saying -- "Surely I shall be better to-morrow;" and often did he repeat to himself his dear father's advice, never to despair. Having lately slept such an unusual time, he now watched the live-long night; but towards morning, his harassed mind happily gave way to that refreshment which was now the only restorative of his enfeebled frame.

On awaking, he was sensible of a.considerable accession of health; and having earnestly intreated help from Heaven, he cut himself a staff from the nearest tree, and set out to seek his father, taking with him a portion of biscuit, and a bottle of cordial, under the idea that wherever he might be, he was in a state of anxiety and exhaustion.

Chapter IV

Charles found the labour of walking much less than it had been on the preceding day, because the wet high grass was considerably dried; and when he had proceeded about half-a-mile, he became sensible that the hurricane which had swept so furiously over one part of the little island, had scarcely touched the other. He had seen many trees blown down,several scathed by the lightnings in the beginning of his walk; but as he proceeded., these appearances ceased, and every thing looked the same as it did on the evening when he walked round the island with his father.

It was still very difficult for him to proceed, in his weak state, through the brushwood and grass, without his dear father's arm, and he could, not help entertaining many terrible surmises. Though the wind and rain had confined their ravages to one end of the island, the lightning had probably fallen at the other, and his poor father might be, at that moment, a corpse.

When he emerged from the wood, which completely occupied the middle part of the island, (and, as he hoped, approached the spot where his father kept watch), he fired his pistol, and listened, with intense anxiety, for some answer. He was too weak to raise a loud halloo, therefore he could only practise this mode of challenge; but his repeated firings gained no attention; and he pushed on in extreme agitation, sometimes running a few yards, at others trembling to such a degree, that he sunk down on the ground, as if he could rather die than proceed any further, lest he should find his father a corpse, and Sambo weeping over him.

At length poor Charles reached the point where his father had proposed to watch. It was evident he had done so for the sheet was waving from the tree at the farthest end, and a little nearer there was a large stone, which appeared to have been rolled thither, for the sake of forming a seat. Near it lay his father's silk pocket-handkerchief, (which he seized with eagerness, crying aloud -- "Papa, papa, where are you?speak to me, pray speak to me?" But alas! no answer was made; this part (though there were some trees) was sufficiently open to shew him that no human being was near.

He now perceived that the soft sand seemed as if it had been trodden by many feet, near the place where he stood; but yet it might be only those of his father, as he walked up and down the beach, looking out for a vessel. This place was so evidently the best in the island for such a purpose, that it was utterly unlikely his father should have removed to any other. It was possible -- barely possible, that, worn out with watching, he had returned to the hut, to procure provisions, by one coast of the island, whilst Charles came by the other -- "But then, where was Sambo?"

At all events, weary and faint as he was, he determined to go round that way; but just as he was leaving the little promontory for that purpose, he perceived a cloak, which Sambo wore in rainy weather, (and which it was very probable he had put on, when he went to his father), lying amongst some bushes. What could he-think? Had either one, or both of those he had lost, been killed by the lightning, he should have found their remains. There were no wild beasts on the island, so that they could not have been destroyed. -- "No! no! in a little time he should see them! He must not allow himself to despair."

But it was not a little time, in his present enfeebled and agitated state, that would take the poor boy the circuit he had prescribed himself, though the way was less difficult from impediments than that which he had traversed. He loaded his pistol, took up his staff, and walked forward carefully, as if he feared the creatures which he yet knew the place to be free from. But it was in vain that he looked either towards the beach and the wide expanse of ocean, on the one hand, or among the foliage and high grass on the other; he reached the hut, at length, and, alas! it too was empty, and exactly as he had left it.

The sorrow, the very agony of Charles, now knew no bounds. He had lost his father, who was to him his whole world: his desolation and misery was beyond any thing that we can conceive a child to suffer -- there is not one of my young readers that could have forborne to cry, if they had seen him, thrown on the ground, weeping and wailing for very anguish: he was weak and ill and had no one to nurse and comfort him; he loved his father with the tenderest affection, and he was torn from him, he knew not how; no human being was left on this desolate island, save him now perishing in the cold grave: his situation was desperate and hopeless, beyond all other situations of misfortune and wretchedness.

Last night had been one of wakefulness and sorrow, not unmixed with anger, for he felt that he ought to have been attended to, as being sick; but now no anger blended with his deep, deep affliction. Once it crossed his mind, that, perhaps, his father had seen a vessel, hailed it, and been taken away by it; but this idea he repelled with scorn and indignation. -- " No! no!" he cried; "never would my dear, good father have forsaken me. He would have died a thousand times first! besides, where is poor Sambo? why was his cloak left on the shore? Perhaps they ventured to bathe in the sea, or they swam out together to get the boat, and they are both lost. Oh that I had died with them!"

So extreme was the weakness and exhaustion that the poor child now suffered, from his past illness, long exertion, and violent fits of crying, that he believed he was really going to die; and that God in mercy would remove him, before another day of misery arose upon him. Under this idea, he rose from the ground, to open the cage of the poor parrot, that he might go out and seek for subsistence on the island, when the stock of food he had given him was exhausted. Poll was very sleepy, but Charles, considering it the only living thing that had any interest. in him, could not forbear taking it out, and laid down with it in his bosom, commending himself to God, and begging that he might die without pain.

He fell into a profound sleep, the consequence of crying so long, and of the extraordinary exertion he had used. When he awoke, he was sensible of intolerable hunger; and although his miserable situation came by degrees forcibly to his mind, yet nature impelled him to seek eagerly for provision, before he had, as it were time to reflect on his misery. That source from which he had hitherto been supplied, was now much reduced. The biscuit was nearly finished, and constituted his present meal, with a cup of spring water, into which he put a small portion of the liquor from that flask which he had, the preceding day, taken to support his father, and which they had found in the captain's pocket. It appeared to be of a very strong, but an unpleasant taste, and was most probable a medicine of a restorative quality. Whilst Charles was taking it out of the paper in which it was wrapt, the parrot jumped about him, saying, "Don't be a child, " "Don't be a child," and then stalked back into his own cage. and settled himself comfortably, repeating a few Latin words in a melancholy tone; but from time to time, he screamed out -- "Don't be a child," vehemently.

Charles recollected that these words had often been used by his tutor, when he had shewn an indisposition to his lessons; and he had no doubt but the sight and rustling of the paper had brought them into the bird's memory: nevertheless, they were words which, in his present forlorn state, seemed very applicable. He found, to use his own term, that "he could not die." He remembered that he had once even wished to be placed, like Robinson Crusoe, on a desert island, and find the means of existence solely from his own exertion. -- "Ah!" cried he, as this thought came into his mind, "I was then a very silly boy: I did not know my obligations to my dear parents, nor our servants, nor even the people amongst whom I lived, since every creature I knew, more or less, contributed to my safety and happiness. I am now punished for my ingratitude and folly. I am left to pine away my life in solitude, to die at last of hunger, without one kind voice to cheer me."

"Don't be a child," "Don't be a child," cried the parrot.

Poor Charles, who was again weeping bitterly, wiped his eyes, and once more betook him to searching for any vestiges of his father. As before, he obtained no trace of him whatever; but in surveying the coast, he found the boat of which they had been in search, now actually upon the sands, where it had been left by the receding waves. "Had his father and Sambo lost their lives in a vain endeavour to regain this boat?" Again he searched anxiously for their bodies, which, in that case, would, by the same direction of the waves, have been washetl on the shore. No vestiges of them were ever found, besides Sambo's cloak, which, it was certain, he would throw off, when he went into the water to assist his master. "Was it not possible that they had recovered the boat, and put to sea, with an intention of fetching him, seeing the boat was considerably nearer to the hut than the little promontory; and that in this situation they had been picked up by some vessel from the neighbouring island: or perhaps, they had been driven very far out to sea, in the violence of the storm, and were then taken up by some vessel that could not come for him."

In this thought, the poor boy took great comfort; for he was certain that his father would leave no means untried, to bring him from the island, when he once reached a port, and had the means of hiring a vessel; and till that time arrived, he thought he could have patience to wait, and courage to endure, the evils of his situation.

He remembered that his papa had repeatedly told him, "Never to despair;" that Captain Gordon had said -- "it was a chance of a thousand that a single ship should be seen in those seas, for the following three months; but that after that time, many might be expected to navigate within such a distance, as that their signals might be seen, so that if they could make shift to live that time, relief might be confidently expected; especially if they could construct a boat with which to venture out a few leagues:" to which Mr, Crusoe had replied -- "With so many birds and hares about us, and the sea into the bargain, we shall surely not want food; and I think we shall manage to make a raft of some kind."

"Now I have got a boat," cried Charles, as these words rose to his mind; and he instantly returned to the hut, where he had still some cordage, though his father had taken a coil of the best with him, when he left him for the last time. It was not without great labour that he at length succeeded in securing the vessel, which he effected, partly by tying her to the strongest tree in the neighbourhood, and partly by filling her with stones and sand from the beach. When this was done, he returned to the hut, lighted a fire, and boiled the last piece of pork he had, in the tea-kettle, which was the only vessel he possessed, capable of such a service.

Chapter V

From the time that our unfortunate exile made up his mind not to expect relief for three months, and to hope that his dear father had, by some unknown means, been delivered, his mind gained considerable strength, and he resolved that he would indeed "not be a child," but meet the exigencies of his case like a man. He did not like to hear the parrot use these words, therefore he took some pains to teach him to say, "Don't despair, my dear boy," instead, both because the words reminded him of his papa, and taught him his duty. Of course there were many, many times, when his spirits gave way, under the sorrows and loneliness of his situation; and some particular places could never be seen by him without tears, such as the grave of poor Captain Gordon, the little promontory, and the boat; but nevertheless, as he daily gained strength, and was at an age when the mind is naturally buoyant, in the course of a short time he ceased to afflict himself uselessly; he determined to meet his misfortunes like a man, and fulfilled his intention.

Had he been every day pining after release, had he spent his time in climbing into high trees, or standing on the spot where the flag was, he must undoubtedly become so reduced by famine, that he would at length have been unable to crawl, and in a state of perpetual solicitude during the day, and every night would have seen him overwhelmed with despair, and weeping as in his first agonies. He acted with far more wisdom, and therefore procured more happiness; he remembered particularly all which his father and the captain had said about idleness, and he resolved to give himself continual employment, even if his wants did not call for it; he recollected also, that his tutor, had always pointed out to him the great value of apportioning certain times of the day to certain studies or amusements, and he said, "he would do the same," as he was sure the time would pass much the pleasanter, from having a certain round of occupations.

Charles had with him an excellent watch, but it had not been wound up for several days; he had likewise lost, as he believed (and truly), one day in the week; but this he now endeavoured to retrieve. He wound up his watch, making it twelve o'clock when the sun appeared highest in the heavens; and as there were a number of slender trees, with long smooth stems, standing in a cluster near Captain Gordon's grave, he fixed upon them, for what he called his almanack, and began with cutting a line in the bark for every day he had spent in the island; this brought to his recollection that the present day must be a Sunday, therefore he cut the line twice as long, and putting down his knife, said -- "It is proper I should 'remember the Sabbath day, and keep it holy,' so I will do nothing to-day but feed my dear Poll and read my Bible. What a comfort it is that I have a Bible to read! that when all the books in the ship were gone, this should be saved in the captain's pocket! when I have done reading, I will try to compose a prayer, to thank God for this particular blessing,"

When Charles had read several chapters, first in Genesis, and then in the Acts of the Apostles, which he called the lessons of the day, he recollected that Robinson Crusoe, in his desert island, had fixed on a place for a church, and he determined that he would do the same. He knew that his island was much less than the one described in this favourite story, that it had no high hill, or romantic rocks; but he remembered that there were two or three very large venerable trees, in what appeared the midst of it; and he set out for the first time to examine them. It was from one of these high trees that Sambo had discovered (or thought he discovered) a vessel, and this supposition had led to his present situation; but he did not allow this fact to afflict him now. He said to himself -- "I will make this my church, in which I will keep Sunday, by reading and praying here; and if it has innocently been the means of depriving me of my earthly parent, who knows that it may not give me still more than it has taken away, by drawing down the mercy of my heavenly parent, who, the Bible says, 'is a God that answereth prayer,' and even 'from the mouths of babes has ordained praise."

Charles returned to his hut, composed and happy, making a hearty supper of dates, and intending the next day to begin a regular course of industry and care, suitable to his situation and necessities.

The first thing Charles did on Monday morning, was to examine the stores of his hut. They consisted of three canisters of gunpowder, not containing more than two-pounds each; a large earthen bottle of lamp oil, and flask of olive oil; about a dozen cocoa-nuts, and a famous canister of coffee; a jar of molasses, and another of warm pickles. All the things they secured,, (except a small barrel of pickled pork,) had been got from the captain's cabin, and consisted of a tea-kettle, coffee-biggin, two cups, and a basin; three knives, an odd fork, a coat and cloak, a razor-case, medicine-chest, and his bed, which has been already mentioned.

In addition to these things, (taken out at the time of the wreck,) they afterwards secured two guns, a tin lamp, and a box of clothing, which had been appropriated as a seat by Mr. Crusoe. There was a wine barrel observed to stick fast in the sand, which it had been Mr. Crusoe's intention to secure; but the death of the captain following so soon, put it out of his mind. On looking over these things, Charles necessarily came to that valuable property, left by that poor gentleman, and he took care to keep it safe as before; but he could not help saying -- "Ah! of how little value is money to me now! these bonds and bills, and even these glittering jewels, if they were my own, I should gladly exchange for bread and meat, of even the poorest kind that could be given me."

After replacing his stores, and allaying his hunger with one of the cocoa-nuts, he proceeded to the place where his gun remained buried under the sand; and after a good of trouble, succeeded in getting it out; after which he set seriously to work to clean it. Charles had never really worked before in his life, though he had lately done many things of the same nature: he was very proud when he got it again into order, considering it as the only thing he had to depend upon for his future subsistence; and therefore, as soon as his job was completed, he loaded it, and went towards the upper end of the island, to see if he could shoot one of the little hares which he had frequently seen running amongst the grass.

Charles was exceedingly fond of all animals, and his heart ached at the thoughts of killing any of those innocent creatures, which he considered as having a better right to the island than he had; and it was a long time before he could persuade himself to fire. He however recollected that he had seen no cocoa-nuts on the island, that the dates were very small, that his hunger was very great, and. not likely to he appeased without animal food, and that undoubtedly if his father had remained on the island, he would have shot many of them before this time. Thus encouraging himself, he at length fired, and shot a fine leveret in the head, which of course died instantly, to his great satisfaction, as it would have grieved him sadly to witness the pangs of death. He took it up and carried it to the hut, where he lighted a fire, intending to roast it as his father had roasted some fish, by putting a stick into the ground, to which it was tied, and first doing one side and then another. He found this animal of course much more troublesome to cook than the fish had been, because of the skin; and to him the task of skinning it was so difficult and disgusting that he thought if he lived a year at the island, he would never shoot another; but wllen it was roasted, he made a very hearty meal, and put by the remainder, with sincere thankfulness for such a needful refreshment.

Every day of his life he walked to the promontory, to see that the flag was still hanging; and he generally came home past the boat, to see that it also was safe. One day, when he went as usual, he was exceedingly alarmed bv perceiving a monstrous large fish, close by the side of it, opening a tremendous mouth, and gazing with a pair of prodigious eyes at him, as if it would swallow him instantly. He retreated as fast as possible, and then turning, fired, on which the creature, after beating the sand with its tail in an outrageous manner, floundered back into the sea, leaving poor Charles in such a tremour as he had never been, since the time when he first found that he was left fatherless and friendless on this desolate island.

"Surely," said the poor boy, "my father did not fall a prey to that horrible creature, or such as he is!" The thought was so terrible, that he could not sustain it; and therefore when he got home, he began reading the history of Joseph and his brethren, to put it out of his mind. Indeed, whenever he felt anxious or unhappy, he always began to read the Bible, either to strengthen his faith in the goodness of God (through the merits.of our Redeemer), or to amuse and divert him, by the extraordinary and interesting persons and events of which it treats. Many a time did Charles wonder that he knew so little of the Bible; but for that very reason, it had, at this time, the advantage of being entirely new to him. He knew that his mama read frequently in it; and that she used to hear him read, and so did his father; but though they said it was beautiful and excellent, he had always considered it as a kind of task it was his duty to perform, not an actual pleasure, as he now found it to be; so that he could scarcely lay it down, from any motive but that of hunger. When his spirits had become composed, he considered, that probably the creature in question was a shark, of which he had heard the sailors talk a good deal as being a most ravenous creature, and also that they were frequently seen before a storm; so he began to consider that perhaps another tempest would soon be visiting the island, and he must guard, as well as he could, from the effects.

His first care was to gather all the dates he could, since although they were not near so fine as those in India, they were very valuable to him, for he eat them as bread to his coffee, which was generally his first meal, and afterwards to his meat, if he had got any: they also formed the staple food of his parrot. He took great pains in laying them out to dry in the sun, turning them, so that they were in a manner cured for keeping; after which he dug a deep hole in the dry sand, and covering the inside with large dry plantain leaves, he laid the dates in layers, securing a stock, which was likely, as he thought, to last him all through the succeeding winter, if he remained on the island so long, which was but too probable. He next proceeded to gather figs, guavas, and oranges, so as to get a good stock; the figs he preserved in the same way as the dates, and the guavas he used for food at the present time, because they would not keep. As many large birds had lately been seen on the northern coast of the island, he took some pains in shooting them, for the purpose of drying their flesh by hanging it in the sun, to serve him during those months when it was probable they would have forsaken the island. He also contrived to make a fireplace, less liable to be affected by the wind than it had hitherto been, by building a wall, partly of sea-sand and partly stone, with three sides about a yard high, by which means the heat of the fire was preserved, and the smoke conducted to a certain height. Often would he ruminate on the possibility of having a fire within his hut, but this he found to be impossible, because there was no vent for the smoke; and if he had attempted to pierce a hole through the top, it might probably all come tumbling at once about his head, and both destroy his habitation and bury his property. In order to guard, as well as possible, against the evils of winter, he next made a very great collection of firewood, by gathering innumerable slicks, together with pieces of the wreck, which was now completely dried, from long exposure on the beach; and these he built up on the outside of his hut to a great distance, leaving himself only a narrow entrance, which he could close easily by a piece of board from within. When he had, with great labour and considerable ingenuity, got this construction finished, he set himself to work to thatch it all over, in such a manner as to keep out the wet, if any violent rain should come, remembering that the external covering would both keep his firewood dry, and himself warm, when the cold winds of winter should arrive. He wished much that he could cut some flat turf; but as he had only such a shovel as is used in parlours, for this purpose, he could not manage it; and he was obliged to use some large leaves, from a tree in the upper part of the island, but he found that they answered extremely well. His first care was every morning, as soon as he had prayed to God, to go and cut the notch in his almanack trees; and never did he fail to keep the seventh day as a day of rest, and holy observance; but the number of weeks he thought he would not count, until there was a great many, in order that he might not harass his mind with watching for ships, whilst there was yet no chance for him to see any.

After seeing the great fish we have mentioned, he did not go near the boat, for above,a week; and when he then visited it, he heard a great rush in the water, which made him think the old enemy was returned; as, however, he was well armed, he ventured to go forward, and jumping into the boat, he looked around carefully but fearlessly. He perceived great quantities of the most beautiful sea-shells he had ever beheld, upon the shore; and on stooping over the side of the boat, to gather some, saw, under the shade, a fine turtle. This was to him a valuable prize, since he could instantly kill it, and carry it home; and it was a kind of food he greatly needed, for such was his fear of expending powder, before the time came for firing signal-guns, that he had lately again.suffered for the want of animal food, having confined himself to dates, and the remains of his cocoa-nuts, which, although nutritive, were not sufficient food for a boy who was growing very .fast, and had been used to every comfort in his earlier days. It must be remembered, that he had neither bread, butter, milk, nor wine; the dried dates, on which he principally lived, had now no sweetness to tempt his palate; so that he hardly ate more than barely sufficed to allay his appetite, and certainly required more.

The turtle was not only a present prize, but a promise for the future; and as it accounted for the great fish haunting the shores, (since it probably sought food as well as himself), he lost that painful idea which had frequently crossed his mind, in spite of all his care to expel it, that his dear father had been devoured by the monster, who had followed the boat to find another victim.

We mentioned, that on arriving at the place where he found the turtle, he was well armed. This was by a contrivance of his own. He had broken down a young bamboo tree, about seven feet high, and having split the end of it, and taken one of Captain Gordon's razors out of the haft, he inserted it into the nick, contriving to put a little nail, which he picked out of' the timbers of the ship, through the hole of the rivet, and then tying the whole very firm, with the fibres of a plant. With this weapon he contrived, many times, to kill fish in the clear riils of the island, and sometimes birds also, which was a great comfort to him, as every tiling which saved his gunpowder seemed to him a present gain.

When he had been about two months on the island, the chanire of weather he had anticipated came suddenly upon him. One Friday evening it began to rain violently, just in the way of a thunder shower; but yet it continued so incessantly, that neither that day, nor three succeeding ones, could he venture out of the hut, where he found the value of the large stock which he had prepared for fuel, as the rain never penetrated his cavern, though the sound it made, in battering against the dry leaves, or trickling amongst the wood where it found entrance, was so great, that it seemed as if he were seated in the midst of a cascade, or about to be overwhelmed beneath the waves of the sea.

The poor parrot was so much frightened, that he could not be easy any where but in the arms of his loving master, frequently crying out -- "Captain Gordon ahoy," "Never despair, my dear boy," and every thing else that he had been taught, which sometimes made his poor master smile, notwithstanding the awkwardness of his situation. As his hut was quite dark, he lighted his lamp, which was a luxury he rarely indulged, (as he generally rose and laid down with the sun, on purpose to save his oil); and as his last stock of turtle was in the hut, he warmed it by degrees over the lamp, and fed Poll with some cocoa-nut, as he could not fetch him any dates from the store.

Terrible as his situation would have appeared to his tender mother, had she beheld him thus cooped up in his solitary hut, oyer which a deluge was descending, that threatened every moment to overwhelm him, yet Charles himself was sensible of many comforts; and most devoutly thanked his heavenly Father for the shelter and food which he was blessed with, and the pleasure he experienced in having his poor parrot to speak to, and his lamp to warm his food, and cheer his darksome dwelling. -- "Surely," said he, "I may say, that considering my lonely situation, I am very well off; for although I am really houseless, yet I have a dwelling, which is the more remarkable, because the island is not rocky, as many places are. If it is not rich and fruitful, yet there are no venomous reptiles, no wild beasts, and there is plenty of good sweet water, and little dates, which are better than if they were bigger; for if the trees had been very tail, I could never have climbed into them, now poor Sambo is not here to help me -- and then, what a comfort it is to have this good book to read, full of so much information, about all the most material things that have happened ever since the world began, and which tells me of what will take place when the world has an end! If I did but know what had become of my dear papa, really I should not be so very ill off, after all; I have surely reason to believe that the great God and Father of all, looks down upon me with pity, though I am but a poor insignificant child, left (as it were) to perish on a lonely island."

At length the pattering ceased, and a brisk air seemed stirring on the island; and Charles gladly crept out of his hiding-place, anxious to see the change this deluge might have made, and especially to examine the state of his dates, which he greatly feared would be entirely ruined. He found the usual rills of the island running like rivers into the sea, which also appeared to have encroached exceedingly on his little territory; and things seemed altogether so much changed that he dreaded not finding the spot where his stores were garnered, a matter of the greatest importance, as he had no other supply for the present. After he had cut his usual notches, he began to count the trees, which brought him to two palms, where he had formed his reservoir. The sandy soil was so deeply saturated with the rain, that, after labouring in removing it till he was quite worn with toil, he was obliged to return to the hut, without accomplishing his object; but he took care to cover the place well with leaves, that he might resume his task the next day; and he returned to make himself a fire, and get once more a cup of coffee, to which he had yet a few figs, which were left in his hut.

During the time he was digging, Charles was too busy to be aware of the great change in the atmosphere; but he now became sensible that it was extremely cold, and that a supply of cloathing was not less necessary to him than food. After he had lighted his fire, and ground, or rather crushed, his coffee, between two flat stones, he put on that cloak of Sambo's which he had found; and after cutting two holes with the razor, for his arms, he tied it round him, with a rope of long grass, and found it added much to his comfort; but his legs and arms were still cold; and he now observed, with great regret, that his shoes would scarcely keep on his feet three days longer. His stockings were nearly quite gone; and his shirt, which he used frequently to take off, wash in the brook, dry in the sun, and then put on again, was now torn in so many places, that he had very little good of it.

In this dilemma, he once more determined, if possible, to get to the inside of the box, which had never yet been used for any thing but a seat, and which was so well made, that he had not any instrument whereby he could effect an entrance into it. It now struck him, that the best thing he could do, was to shoot the box; and accordingly he dragged it out, as far as he could, from the hut, as be durst not fire into his dwelling, lest he should injure something besides the box. When we consider that the loss of a single cup would have been irreparable to him, we shall not wonder that he was as much afraid of injuring his little black hole, as if it had been a splendid drawing-room, and that he prepared for this affair, with as much solicitude as if he had been about to spring a mine.

Chapter VI

It was Charles's great object to obtain entrance into the box, but by no means to break it in pieces; he had found it a difficult matter to construct a table, on which to place his necessaries, and he was aware that he had no means of replacing his seat. By calculating the strength required for mailing a sufficient aperture, he had the satisfaction of making a large hole in the lid, without shattering it, and he then dragged it back again, eager to examine the contents and earnestly hoping that he should find it contain the cloaths of a very small gentleman, who had been drowned, with the rest of the passengers, when their ship was wrecked.

To the great mortification of poor Charles, the uppermost thing in the box was a number of ostrich feathers, carefully enclosed in silk handkerchiefs. -- "What a very foolish person" cried he, "must the owner of this box have been, to pack up- such paltry things as feathers! Why, all this end of the island is full of feathers, and, in my opinion, much more beautiful ones than these; and I have never picked up any of them. Well! let us see a little farther."

He next drew out a piece of muslin, as thin as a cobweb, sprigged with gold: the poor boy shook his head: a piece of silver muslin followed, then a case of trinkets, and after that, a beautiful gown of China crape. -- "What a great deal of trouble I have taken.for nothing!" cried Charles, looking towards his parrot, as if asking for sympathy.

Don't despair, my dear boy," replied Poll, winking his eyes, and shaking his head very significantly.

Something soft to the touch now encouraged the seeker, and he drew forth a large camel's hair shawl, on which he gazed with great delight, knowing that it was both the lightest and warmest of all substances; and that he could fold it about his body, in such a manner as to afford him great relief from the severest weather. Next came some linen garments, which, although not of the form he desired, were yet very welcome; as were also some silk stockings and kid shoes -- "I wish," said Charles, "they had been worsted stockings and stout shoes; but these will be better than nothing, for I can twist grass ropes all over them: and here is another shawl -- a great beauty, worked with a gold border, and altogether thick and strong; of this I will make a sail when I put my boat in order -- it will be just the thing for it."

The next thing was a ladies' dressing-box, in which, to his great joy, were needles and thread, with a penknife, scissors, inkstandish, writing paper, and pens. This was a treasure indeed. There was also a purse, with money in it; and some rings, but as they were,quite useless, they scarcely drew his eye: but at the bottom were some valuable furs, intended, probably, for muffs or trimmings; of these Charles determined to make himself some sort of a cap, having no other covering for his head than a kind of turban, formed for him by his papa, out of the captain's pillow-case, as he had been without his hat at the time of the wreck.

The first use which he made of his prize was to take the largest skin, and make it, as well as he could, into a bag, into which he put the parchments and jewels of poor Captain Gordon, and sewed them carefully up, determining, since the weather was so cold, to wear them at present, about his person. -- "I am but a young guardian," said he, "for the widow and the fatherless; but I will be a careful one. Many and many a time, do I fear that my poor father and Sambo were stolen from this island, by pirates, or some kind of bad people; and if by the poor boy's confession, or my papa's entreaties, they should return here to take me, and what else they might find, by this, means I might save the property, and send it some time to the true owner."

When any idea of his papa's imprisonment or suffering, got possession of Charles's mind, it gave him such deep sorrow, that he was compelled to drive it from him, either by setting out on some little expedition, or reading in his Bible. He now thought the best thing he could do was to write, and became impatient to try. Unfortunately he had no table, and if he turned up the box to make it one, he had no seat; and with all his care to keep the hut dry it was still damp on the ground; he was therefore obliged to renounce this amusement, for the present and employ himself in restoring the contents of the box to their old place, as well as he was able; but this was no easy matter.

Whilst he was doing this, he recollected that he had never explored the locker of the boat, in which it was possible there might be something useful, and which he might enter by the same key which had opened the box; and as he must now endeavour to shoot a bird, of which there were great numbers on the island, he might as well go on the morrow -- " Yet surely his first care ought to be given to the dates, which were too probably all spoiling, and which the parrot greatly needed."

In the multiplicity of his business, on this eventful night, he almost forgot his desolate situation; but the cold wind which blew through his little den, and the insufficient food he had taken, compelled him to remember it; and he crept to bed, to forget his wants and his cares in sleep; but not till he had devoutly thanked God, for the blessings which remained to him.

The next day Charles opened out his dates, and had the satisfaction to find, that except the topmost layers, they remained uninjured. He took out a stock for several days, and covered the remainder with more care than before, heaping up the sand over them in the form of a pyramid; by which means he not only saved them from any future rain, but marked the place where they were laid. He had not much fear of the winter, for he knew the climate here must be warmer than in Bombay; and,of the frost and snow of England, he had no recollection; and he reflected, with some comfort, that his food would now keep a much longer time than it used to do.

He now went towards the shore, where many aquatic birds were assembled together, apparently preparing for flight: they had come, in great numbers, just before the rain, and seemed now about to return to the neighbouring island. Thinking he ought to lose no time, Charles, who had, by this time, become very expert, shot two of them, which were large, and very beautiful, somewhat resembling geese, but with much greater beauty of plumage. As he knew that birds of this description have generally a fishy disagreeable taste, it struck him, that if he could cook them with some of the hot pickle (which he had not yet tasted, as he never liked any thing of that kind), it would render them more palatable, and make tliem keep longer. Accordingly he took them to the hut, stripped off their skins, with the feathers, and having, with a great deal of trouble, cut them to pieces, he put part of them into the kettle, with a little water and some of the pickle, and stewed them gently for a long time, until all was done; when he put them into a calabash, which he called a tureen. The gourds which are so called, grow all over India, and are used, in many places, by the natives, as saucepans, for they will bear the action of fire exceedingly well; but on this island they did not grow to a large size. Charles had provided himself with several, that he might never have his hut without a supply of water, which he frequently wanted in the night, and also to put his food into, as in the present instance. He did not find his new cookery half so good as the turtle had been, but it was very welcome to a hungry boy, and very nutritious; the hot spices likewise answered the purpose; and he found that he might now be easy, on the subject of eating, for two or three days, as both himself and Poll were provided for.

He therefore wrapt himself up, as well as he could, took his gun on his shoulder, and set out to make his usual circuit of the island. Every where he was struck with the quantity of fallen leaves, and the feathers that were flying about, and he had frequently great difficulty in pursuing his way. He found the sheet still flapping in the air, at the end of the island, to his great satisfaction, as he had feared that it was lost, and he knew that he could not have fastened any other thing so well as his father had done this.

He then went forward, and in due time reached the beach, where he left the boat, which was now riding on the water, but appeared perfectly safe and sound, to his great satisfaction; and as he was naturally a courageous boy, and very fond of the water, his heart throbbed with delight, at the idea of setting out in this little vessel, and sailing over the wide sea, which, at this moment, lay like a clear blue mirror before him. Being extremely anxious to secure it, he tightened the ropes, and drew it a little nearer to the shore, when his desire to examine it so far influenced him, that he waded into the water and got into it, and was rewarded for his exertion, by finding a turtle within it, which had probably been washed into it in the late commotion of the elements: having turned the creature on its back, he began his preparation for shooting open the locker of the boat; but soon found that with the help of a stone, he could open it by taking a little pains, and he was of course glad to have powder.

To his joy and surprise, the locker was quite full of something, and as it was always likely that the poor people who took refuge in the boat, would take with them what supplies they could procure, in their terror and hurry of the moment, Charles felt surprised to think that he had hitherto overlooked such a material probability. "How often," said he, "have I been hungry since this boat was driven on shore, and above all things, distressed for a bit of bread to eat with my coffee, and all the time there was a case of biscuits lying here! here is some beef also, I declare, and a pair of trowsers -- they are a great prize: and here is something rolled up in this jacket -- it is a little keg, and most pobably has brandy in it; and even that may be useful to me. The bitter hot liquor in the captain's bottle did me a great deal of good, when I was so weak and ill, I remember."

The next question was, how he could get these things home. The biscuits were in a tin case, and appeared to have been something of a superior quality, probably having belonged to some delicate female, and though they were now far from their first state, Were too valuable to be parted with; and these he resolved in the first place, to secure, together with the turtle; the latter he tied with the grass bands which he had twisted round his ancles, fast by the claws, and swung it over his neck, and the tin case he took under his right arm, and jumping into the water, he took hold of the rope with the left hand, and so guided himself to the land. He found it very difficult to wade through the sand, when he was so much loaded; and. when he got out of the water, his feet and ancles were exceedingly cold, for want of the grass bands, as he had worn them constantly ever since the rain. In consequence of this feeling, he thought he would go across the island, by a nearer cut than usual to get to his hut; and as the leaves were fallen, he knew he could see his way; and accordingly he pushed into the most woody part of the plain.

Charles had soon great reason to believe that the nearest way was nevertheless the farthest, for he had much difficulty (being so loaded) to push his way through the brushwood; and the load at his back rendered him several times in danger of being suffocated, for when the trees caught the turtle, the bandage was suddenly drawn across his throat, he was many times obliged to stop and lay down his tin case, whilst he adjusted his other load; and he could not help observing, that sometimes "riches themselves were very burdensome." His spirits were however greatly elated. The air, for the first time since the rain, was pure and clear, and the sight of the calm open sea, the soundness of the boat, and the acquisitions found in it, had all contributed to give him spirits; and he tried to keep them up by whistling, and contriving where he should stow his new-found property. When he had proceeded about two-thirds of the way, and began to see his almanack trees near the hut, he again put down his case, and stood to rest himself for a few minutes.

At this time he was surprised to hear a low rustling noise, which did not at all resemble those sounds made by the foundings of the hares, with which he was well acquainted; he thought however that it might possibly be some of their young, when in a very feeble state; so he stooped down to look at them. Judge of his surprise, his absolute horror, on seeing what appeared to be a whole nest of small green serpents, issuing on every side, from under the tin case. Of all other things, Charles had the utmost aversion from a snake, or any of the serpent tribe; the dreadful tales he had heard in Bombay of the cobra capello, had greatly increased this feeling, and he would have preferred meeting a tiger; forcing himself through all impediments, he scampered away as fast as possible towards the sands of the shore, well knowing that the viperous animals he dreaded, never expose their delicate skins to the rough stones and gravel; nor did he dare once to take breath or look behind him, till he found his feet wounded by those welcome safeguards.

On arriving at his hut, he was not only wearied, but very uneasy. He had hitherto believed the island to be entirely free from those noxious reptiles, and he was aware that his ignorance had been happiness to him, and that he could never again walk about with the same fearless ease to which he had been accustomed; he had also lost his precious case of biscuits in his fright, and he thought it would be the height of imprudence to return for it; had he come the old road, all this vexation would have been spared him. The reptiles were still a long way from him; it was possible that they might be harmless, and it was very probable that they lived entirely on that spot, as he never had seen any before, even when he went to his church, which was a cluster of trees through the way to which he had always to encounter the same impediments of brush wood, that he had met with this morning.

Having devoutly thanked God for the danger from which he had escaped, his first care was to replace the grass bands with which his ancles had been wrapped, their present nakedness rendering his past danger the more striking. This was easily done, as he had a considerable quantity of long dry grass, or rather hay, within the hut, where he had piled it up, for the purpose of giving general warmth, and to help the quick lighting of his fire. When he had accomplished this, he made two long stout ropes on which to sling the other packages; and having placed his turtle in a secure place, he once more set out for the boat, fearing lest his gun, which was in it, should be injured.

This time he went safely, but he could not bring away the barrel, even by the aid of his ropes; so he determined to take away the contents by degrees, as he should want them, seeing that they were in such a situation, that only extreme necessity could compel him to have recourse to such food. The jacket and trowsers were, on the contrary, most welcome things, especially as they had belonged to a small man; and he had no doubt, but with his newly-acquired implements of needle, thread, and scissors, he should soon render them very comfortable-fitting things.

It was very well for Charles that he was so completely tired, that he could not forbear to sleep soundly on this night, otherwise he would probably have spent an uneasy time, thinking of the serpents. The next morning he was so very busy, that in a great measure they went out of his head.

His first care was to examine the trowsers, in the pocket of which he found, to his great delight, a comb, a knife for cutting bread and cheese, and a purse with a marriage certificate in it, a testimonial of good conduct, to one John Fleming, written by Captain Gordon, and a few shillings. The tears sprang to Charles's eyes, as he recollected that both the writer and the poor man written for, were now no more; and that of all that noble ship's company, it was but too probable he alone survived; for surely, if his dear father had lived, before this time he would have been able to have sent or come for him; it seemed now too plain a case that he had no father, that his relations mourned for him as dead, and would therefore never seek for him; no, his fate was evident; he must die in this solitude, or venture out in the boat and perish at sea, for how little, how very little chance had he for being seen and taken up in this wide ocean!

Charles wept long and bitterly at this time, as he had frequently done before, when the thoughts of his dear father's death came into his mind; but he was roused from his present sorrow by a loud screaming of birds at a little distance, amongst which he fancied the voice of his own parrot might be distinguished. On looking, he saw that his cage was empty, and as he had of late either kept within, or gone about the hut at his pleasure, it struck Charles that he had gone abroad too far, and was got again into some kind of danger; and he eagerly flew out to seek him, calling him at the same time as loud as he could.

At a little distance he found, to his sorrow, poor Poll in great distress, as three parrots surrounded, him, and were violently pecking and ill-treating him, whilst fluttering his wings and unable to defend himself, he screamed out -- "Propria qui maribus," "Captain Gordon ahoy;" and when the boldest pounced forward, as if to destroy him, his cry was, "Never despair, my dear boy." Charles often laughed afterwards, when he recollected poor Poll's display of learning at this time; but he was at the moment too angry, and too much frightened to smile, for it will be readily believed the parrot was of great consequence to his master. Taking up the instrument he called his spear, which we have already mentioned, he flew to the spot, and just as the largest opponent of his bird was again pouncing upon Poll, he gave him a blow, which proved fatal, as he fell down upon his unresisting foe, and Charles took them both together. The rest of the noisy tribe took to flight, and poor Poll soon nestled into his master's bosom, who found his feathers torn, and his neck bleeding, to his great sorrow. On taking up the bird he had killed, he found him remarkably large, and more beautiful than any he had ever seen; and he wished he could have taken him alive, and tamed him; as, however, what was past could not be recalled, and he recollected that these birds were good eating, he proceeded to dress and roast him, and found that parrot was good food, as well as company. Thinking it probable that his ladies dressing-box might probably contain lip-salve, or something of the same kind, which might be serviceable to poor Poll's wounds, he searched it carefully, and found a bottle of cold cream, and he also saw that in the lid there was a looking-glass.

Nobody can conceive how Charles started when he beheld his own face; it almost frightened him. His complexion was tanned, from continual exposure to the elements, till he was almost the colour of Sambo; his hair was grown prodigiously, and as it was always of a curly nature, it stuck out like an old matted wig; and as he had no shirt collar, and his clothes consisted of all colours and shapes, his array was more like that of a gipsy than a gentleman. "It is a lucky thing," said he, "that nobody sees me, but a still better, that I have now got a pair of scissors, a comb, and above-all, half-a-dozen pieces of sweet-smelling soap; I am determined now to make myself very neat and comfortable."

Accordingly, Charles cut off a considerable quantity of his profuse locks, and very prudently rubbed his head with a little brandy; and he took great pains in constructing a cap, which would somewhat shade his face, being aware that his eyes would be benefited from it, not less than his complexion. For this purpose, he contrived a cap, both inside and out of a beautiful skin in the crown part, and for the brim, he got those large palm leaves which the native Indians use as umbrellas, which he cut and fastened so, that they shaded both his eyes and shoulders, yet could be, for convenience, turned up completely in a moment. Finding he became expert by practice, he next contrived to make the sailor's trowsers tie down under his feet, and so altered the buttons, that they could be made to fasten round his waist; finding this additional clothing not only a relief from the cold, but a probable guard from the enemies he most dreaded.

The following day was Sunday, and he hoped to get once more to his church, which was one reason why he hastened his work. -- "I know," said he, "it can make no difference whether I go to church, or stay at home, seeing I have no sermon to hear, nor any Christian people to meet; yet I do like to get up into my tree, and consider that I am employed in looking up to God for help and protection, at the same moment when my dear mother and sister are looking up to him for me -- that I am reading what they are reading -- and thinking as they think: besides, I like to look over the wide sea, when it is calm, and think, by and by, I shall get across it; and when I am able to see the island of Amsterdam, I always fancy myself a step nearer to the world."

With these reasons Charles so far reassured himself, that, with his spear in his hand, he once more set out for his place of worship; and climbing into his usual branch, read, prayed, and sung for about an hour. As he descended., he cast many anxious looks around, but he saw nothing of the serpents, and he could perceive, at no very great distance, his own tin canister; and he therefore concluded, on the following day, he would make an effort to recover it, by climbing from tree to tree till he arrived over the spot where it was, and then pushing it from place to place with his spear. On second thoughts, as it seemed likely for rain, he thought it best to do it now; for as he had been reading that the disciples plucked corn on the Sabbath day, to appease their hunger, he thought it was lawful for him to secure that bread which he had lately received as an especial gift of Providence. He soon accomplished the task of reaching the spot, for he had become almost as nimble as a squirrel, (several of which pretty animals he found in these large trees; but when he stooped down his spear, to move the canister, he found that it went every way but the right, and there was so much brushwood about the place, it was impossible to move it more than a quarter of a yard at a time; he however got it into a good position for removing, by a new plan, which, on the following day, he thus effected.

Having got three nice long sticks, of the willow kind, he tied them very well in the bow form, to three others, and then took two strong slips, to which he tied them at equal distances, making a thing something like a coal-shovel, to which he suspended a cord; with this, and his spear, he again went as before into the trees, and let down his willow net, with much care, close to the tin case, hoping that he should be able to catch it, and hook it up, he having secured one end, so that, if he managed to get it in at one side, it should not slip out at the other. Often did he now wish, that, like Robinson Crusoe, he had possessed a sagacious animal, that could have given him a little assistance; but as, after above two hours trial, he found it would not go in, without a little lift, at length he let himself down by the boughs, till he could reach it with one hand, and slip it into the trap. He then speedily got up again into the tree, and drawing the cord very steadily, had the satisfaction of finding himself in possession of that which was to him a richer prize than all the diamonds of Golconda.

It was, however, a most difficult thing for him to travel hack again, from bough to bough, and tree to tree, with this cumbersome package, and his spear also; nevertheless, by being careful and patient, he at length effected it: when he got near home, he placed the tin case in the sand, and threw many calabashes of water over it, and wiped it very clean with one of the silk handkerchiefs he had found in the box, before he carried it into his hut; for he thought that many of the serpents had gone over it, and, perhaps, had left a poisonous slime upon it.

"Well now," said he, "I have got something steady on which I can lean to write. I will empty the biscuits into my leaves and calabashes, and I will fetch loads of sand in the tin case, till I have raised up a kind of table, on the top of which I can lay the lid steady, and then I can write nicely, with the little silver pen, or the nice pencil, that is in the work-box; and if it should be slippery, I can lay the sailor's jacket over it."

With these words, Charles took up the jacket, to see if it would answer the purpose; it was a very shabby affair, and he had not thought of examining it, though he was well aware it had great value to him, as an increase of clothing. He now looked for the pockets, and, to his equal surprise and delight, found, in one of them, a book, and a roll of old songs; and in the other, a tobacco-box. The book was a volume of Cook's voyages; and we may readily suppose it appeared, at the present moment, of more value to the poor boy, than all he had met with before; it was like meeting a friend in a strange land -- the pleasures of sympathy and companionship seemed to visit his cell.

Lighting his lamp, and closing his door, he began to read, with all the avidity natural to a young and curious mind; and probably continued to do so for great part of the night, for the subjects were of a nature particularly to interest one, who, young as he was, had experienced so much of the dangers and distresses to which seamen are subject. At length he recollected himself, and exclaimed -- "What a treat this book is to me! but I must not allow it to spend any more of my oil, especially now I have got food beforehand, and can read it by daylight. Let me thank God, that I am not eaten, as poor captain Cook was, by a parcel of cannibal wretches. I see there is nothing so bad in my situation, as it might have been. I had rather be as I am, than make a feast for a Carib, or become a slave to an Algerine. If I keep clear of the snakes, I shall do very well yet; at least I will continue to hope so."

Chapter VII

Poor Charles now allowed himself to count the number of weeks, upon the trees which he had marked, and found that he had passed almost thirteen in this state of solitude; therefore the time had arrived when he might with probability hope for relief. If his father and Sambo (as he hoped) had been taken out of the boat, and carried back to India, or to some of the islands situate between Africa and Asia, by this time it might be supposed they would find the means of returning; and at all events, this was the time when the captain said they might begin to look out for vessels, it was yet rather cool, but symptoms of spring were already seen, and he would begin to navigate his boat shortly; "he would manage to put in a mast, to spread his sail, lay in a little store, and stand out to sea; and he would take care, that his two pennons were seen flying at either end of the island."

Having contrived, with some flexible branches, the frame by which he extricated his tin case, Charles was induced to try his power of making a bow and arrow, with which to kill the birds necessary for food, as he became more and more afraid of using powder, the nearer the time came when it was likely to aid him in escaping.

Having found a paper of strong needles and bodkins, in the work-box already mentioned, he was enabled to manage this business in a short time, and he became by practice an excellent marksman; but he had much trouble, from the insufficient strength of the string, which was of silk twist, found in the same depository. He also now used the pillow-case as a fishing-net, in the little streams, opening the mouth with bamboos, and placing it in little falls of the rivulet, and when any fish went in, drawing it suddenly up by which means he gained many delicious meals; but there were times when he was reduced to nothing but his dates, which lasted out extremely well, but had quite lost all sweetness and flavour, and afforded but little nourishment.

At length he succeeded in getting his boat out to sea; and as he disliked that side of the island where it lay, as being frequented by enormous fishes, his first care was to get round to the little promontory, which he effected very successfully, contriving to fasten it to the tree from which his flag was suspended, and on leaving it, waded to the shore, a considerable distance, having no better method of proceeding. It was now his constant custom to go every morning into the highest tree in the island, where he generally stayed to recognise, about an hour; he then returned to the hut, and breakfasted, and afterwards, with Poll on his shoulder, went down to the promontory, taking either his new book or his Bible; and there he sat, where his poor father had sat before him, from time to time casting anxious looks over the wide expanse of ocean around him, sometimes agitating himself with the idea that he perceived a far-distant sail, but more frequently aware that he saw nothing beyond light clouds in the horizon, and that the time had not yet arrived, when the ships might be expected.

As he could now clearly perceive the island of Amsterdam, he could not forbear to fancy, that if he could once reach that, one great step would be taken towards his emancipation. -- "If there are any American sailors there now," said he, "as there was when the captain was there, how happy I should be to see them, and live with them, because I speak their language, and they would be just the same as my countrymen! and if they took me home to New York, or Boston, I should feel as if I were going to London, and I could soon be sent thence to England; or they would be very glad to use my boat, and fetch fresh water from my island, as they have none of their own; at all events, I will go and see them."

Full of this idea, one beautiful day, when there was a very pleasant breeze just in the right direction, Charles shipped his parrot, and his tin case with provisions, hoisting the sail, which he had contrived to fix with considerable ingenuity, in the manner he had seen practised by the Hindoos, in their market-boats. He soon left his own little island far behind, and with a heart panting between hope and fear, began to believe he had nearly achieved all his wishes. Well recollecting that there was only one place where he could effect a landing, he kept his eye steadily fixed on the island, remembering those points mentioned by Captain Gordon; but became almost appalled as he approached nearer, for its appearance was forbidding, almost terrific. Just at this time, he fell in with a current, which rapidly drew him back, the kindly breeze having already failed! When he was about midway between the two islands, he found himself deserted, as it were, both by wind and water, alike unable to proceed or return and his distress much increased, by perceiving dark clouds, portentous of rain, and probably of storm, gathering over the face of the sky.

Happily the wind did not obtain much power; but a severe rain fell, which completely soaked him, and rendered it so dark, that he did not dare to proceed, knowing well there was no safe entrance to his island. In this terrible situation, therefore, he remained the whole night, his distress not a little increased by the moanings and vociferations of the parrot, which he heartily wished he had left behind. The rain ceased before morning, but it had left him so drenched, and the boat itself so wet, that he had scarcely the power to exert himself, and it was nearly evening the following day, when he again found himself on the chores of his island, and succeeded, after many laborious efforts, to bring his little vessel to the place whence he had set out; and it was not without danger that he landed himself and the parrot.

It was with a feeling of an extraordinary nature that Charles pursued his way to the hut; often had he thought, when contemplating the effort he had now made, that if he should perish in his attempt, it would be a much better thing than thus to drag on existence, cut off from all the ties of kindred, and the blessings of social life. He now became fully aware, that self-preservation is one of the most abiding propensities of nature, and that he could not forbear to cherish his life, since he was sincerely and warmly thankful to God, for having preserved him from his late danger, and restored him to his humble home, melancholy as it was. His first care was to take a little food, to which he drank some brandy and water, having frequently regretted, during the preceding night, that he had not placed this flask amongst his sea stores. He then proceeded to make a good fire, that he might dry his clothes; and was now thankful for the old sailor's jacket, which he put on whilst his own dried, taking off his other things by degrees, and holding them till they were dry, as he durst not leave them out, lest the rain should come on again. Finding himself many times so sleepy that he was nearly falling, he retired very soon to bed, thankful for that accommodation he had felt the want of so lately; had soon forgotten all his troubles, and was perhaps, in his dreams, wafted over pleasanter seas than those he had lately proved, and received into a far different dwelling from that where his weary head was now pillowed.

How long he had continued in that deep sleep which followed his fatigue, we know not, but when he was awakened, he thought for a moment that it was high noon, for the hut was full of light, more full indeed than it had been for a long time. He started up, and became sensible of an oppression in his breathing, which at first he thought might proceed from the parrot hanging round his throat, as it sometimes did; but no parrot was there -- his hand fell upon him under the bedclothes. At this moment there was a terrible crackling and hissing, like the burning of green wood, and instantly he became sensible that his hut was on fire. Gathering his blanket and the bird in it closely round him, he rose, and burst resolutely through the stack of burning sticks, which covered the front of his dwelling, and which were so far consumed that they gave way and crumbled to pieces as he pressed upon them; and he escaped without injury, except to his feet, which were a little scorched, but which he did not feel, at the present moment of terrible alarm. When he had got sufficiently far from the fire for personal safety, his first care was to see if he had indeed preserved the parrot and finding Poll was uninjured, save by fright, (for the creature trembled exceedingly,) he rolled him in the blanket, and ventured again towards the hut.

It was now early morning, but very gloomy; a slight rain was falling, and Charles earnestly hoped it would Increase, as the only means of preserving the contents of his hut from destruction. The consequence of losing his mattress, clothes, gun, indeed all his means of existence, rushed forcibly on his mind, and gave him a sense of new sorrow and helplessness which almost distracted him. -- "What shall I do?" he cried, in agony. "Oh my God, have pity upon me! have pity upon me!"

The sound of his voice alarmed the parrot anew, and the poor creature screamed so loud, that Charles was called upon by his humanity, (which never forsook him,) to return to it. He thought that perhaps in his fright he had smothered the poor bird, and he hastened to unrol[l] the blanket, and liberate the sufferer. In doing this, he regained the presence of mind so necessary for himself: he recollected hearing that a wet blanket was an excellent thing for putting out fire, and he lost not a moment in plunging this into the stream, and then carrying it, all dripping, to his hut, when he again stepped through the hot ashes, and spread it over the place which was just beginning to take fire.

The heat and smoke were at this moment quite suffocating, yet conscious of his own wet state, he stopped to snatch his shoes, and an empty calabash, with which he made so many journeys to the spring, that, (with the assistance of the rain), he had soon the satisfaction of believing that the danger was over, and the contents of his hut safe, though damaged: the smell was intolerable, the smoke oppressive, but the danger was passed. Had it occurred in summer, the whole island would unquestionably have been on fire, like that of Madeira soon after its discovery.

Kneeling down within sight of the smouldering spot, Charles devoutly thanked his almighty Preserver for his almost miraculous delivery from an awful and terrible death; and under the impression thus made, professed himself humbly resigned to enduring the evils of life, in that way which it might please his heavenly Father to inflict, entreating that he might, in all things, be enabled to say from his heart -- "Not my will, but thine, be done."

When he rose from his knees, Poll flew upon his shoulder, and, in his usual way, intimated his desire for breakfast. After throwing a few more gallons of water about the place, Charles took the only method of complying with his request now convenient, by setting off for the boat. The morning was exceedingly misty, so that it was of no use to climb the trees which he passed in his road; but by the time he arrived, the sun shone pleasantly, and the rain seemed over. He stripped off his clothes, thinking that a sea bathe would do him good; and on getting to the boat, found the tin case and the shawl-sail perfectly safe, but he brought them both away with him; and on his return, sat down and breakfasted, as well as Poll, though the repeated frights he had suffered, in the last forty-eight hours, and the great fatigue he had gone through, made him feel so unwell, that, for a short time, he was afraid that the fever was returning.

After sitting two hours quietly, and reading two or three chapters in the New Testament, (his Bible having been left in his tin box,) he felt himself much recovered; and not doubting but the smoke was now entirely gone, he determined on returning to the hut, and examining the extent of his loss, concluding, with great truth, that although he should have occasion for much toil, in setting his little homestead to rights, yet that every thing he saw would remind him of the goodness and mercy of God, whose eye must be over all his works, since he had looked upon him, in this desert corner. -- "Ah!" exclaimed he, as he pressed the blessed volume to his lips, in which he had been reading, "it is indeed plain, that though I am a poor useless child, and often a naughty one too, 'I am of more value than many sparrows' yet even they are cared for, by him who created them."

Chapter VIII

When Charles arrived at the hut, he found that the embers had now ceased to smoulder, that the smoke was dispersed, and of course, the mouth of the hut was all open, as it had been three months before. On entering, he observed no other harm, than that which had been done by the wet blanket, which had preserved his mattress and his box from