鲁宾逊漂流记

My first sea journey

Before I begin my story I would like to tell you a little about myself.

I was born in the year 1632 in the city of York in the north of England. My father was German but he came to live and work in England. Soon after that he married my mother who was English. Her family name was Robinson so when I was born they called me Robinson after her.

My father did well in his business and I went to a good school. He wanted me to get a good job and live a quiet com-fortable life. But I didn't want that. I wanted adventure and an exciting life.

I want to be a sailor and go to sea I told my mother and father. They were very unhappy about this.

Please don't go my father said. You won't be happy you know. Sailors have a difficult and dangerous life. And be cause I loved him and he was unhappy I tried to forget about the sea.

But I couldn't forget and about a year later I saw a friend in town. His father had a ship and my friend said to me We re sailing to London tomorrow. Why don't you come with us

And so on September 1st 1651 I went to Hull and the next day we sailed for London.

But a few days later there was a strong wind. The sea was rough and dangerous and the ship went up and down up and down. I was very ill and very afraid.

Oh I don't want to die I cried. I want to live If I live I'll go home and never go to sea again

The next day the wind dropped and the sea was quiet and be autiful again.

Well Bob my friend laughed. How do you feel now The wind wasn't too bad.

What I cried. It was a terrible storm.

Oh that wasn't a storm my friend answered. Just a lit tle wind. Forget it. Come and have a drink.

After a few drinks with my friend I felt better. I forgot about the danger and decided not to go home. I didn't want my friends and family to laugh at me

I stayed in London for some time but I still wanted to go to sea. So when the captain of a ship asked me to go with him to Guinea in Africa I agreed. And so I went to sea for the second time.

It was a good ship and everything went well at first but I was very ill again. Then when we were near the Canary Is-lands a Turkish pirate ship came after us. They were famous thieves of the sea at that time. There was a long hard fight but when it finished we and the ship were prisoners.

The Turkish captain and his men took us to Sallee in Moroc co. They wanted to sell us as slaves in the markets there. But in the end the Turkish captain decided to keep me for himself and took me home with him. This was a sudden and terrible change in my life. I was now a slave and this Turkish captain was my master.

Down the coast of Africa

For two long years I lived the life of a slave. I worked in escape but it was never possible. I thought about it day and night. My master liked to go fishing in a little boat and he al-ways took me with him. A man called Moely and a young boy also went with us.

One day my master said to us Some of my friends want to go fishing tomorrow. Get the boat ready.

So we put a lot of food and drink on the boat and the next morning we waited for my master and his friends. But when my master arrived he was alone.

My friends don't want to go fishing today he said to me. But you go with Moely and the boy and catch some fish for our supper tonight.

Yes master I answered quietly but inside I was excited. Perhaps now I can escape I said to myself.

My master went back to his friends and we took the boat out to sea. For a time we fished quietly and then I moved carefully behind Moely and knocked him into the water. Swim I cried. Swim to the shore

My master liked to shoot seabirds and so there were guns on the boat. Quickly I took one of these guns. Moely was swim ming after the boat and I shouted to him

Go back to the shore You can swim there it's not too far. I won't hurt you but if you come near the boat I'll shoot you through the head So Moely turned and swam back to the shore as quickly as he could.

Then I said to the boy Xury if you help me I'll be a good friend to you. If you don't help me I'll push you into the sea too.

But Xury was happy to help me. I'll go all over the world with you he cried.

I wanted to sail to the Canary Islands but I was afraid to go too far from the shore. It was only a small boat. And so we sailed on south for some days. We had very little water and it was dangerous country here with many wild animals. We were afraid but we often had to go on shore to get more water. Once I used a gun to shoot a wild animal. I don't know what animal it was but it made a good meal.

For about ten or twelve days we sailed on south down the coast of Africa. Then one day we saw some people on the shore strange wild people who did not look friendly. By now we had very little food and We really needed help. we were afraid but we had to go on shore.

At first they were afraid of us too. Perhaps white people never visited this coast. We did not speak their language of course so we used our hands and faces to show that we were hungry. They came with food for us but then they moved away quickly. We carried the food to our boat and they watched us. I tried to thank them but I had nothing to give them.

Just then two big wild cats came down to the shore from the mountains. I think they were leopards. The people were afraid of these wild cats and the women cried out. Quickly I took a gun and shot one of the animals. The second wild cat ran back up into the mountains.

Guns were new to these African people and they were afraid of the loud noise and the smoke. But they were happy about the dead wild cat. I gave them the meat of the dead animal and they gave us more food and water.

We now had a lot of food and water and we sailed on. Eleven days later we came near the Cape Verde Islands. We could see them but we couldn't get near because there was no wind. We waited.

Suddenly Xury called to me Look a ship

He was right We called and shouted and sailed our little boat as fast as we could. But the ship did not see us. Then I re-membered the guns which made a lot of smoke. A few minutes later the ship saw us and turned.

When we were on the ship the Portuguese captain listened to my story. He was going to Brazil and agreed to help me but he wanted nothing for his help. No he said when I tried to pay him. Perhaps one day someone will help me when I need it.

But he gave me money for my boat and for Xury too. At first I did not want to sell Xury as a slave after all our danger-ous adventures together. But Xury was happy to go to the cap-tain and the captain was a good man. In ten years time he said Xury can go free.

When we arrived in Brazil three weeks later I said goodbye to the captain and Xury left the ship and went to begin a new life.

The storm and the shipwreck

I stayed in Brazil and worked hard for some years. By then I was rich but also bored. One day some friends came to me and said We're going to Africa to do business. Why don't you come with us We'll all be rich after this journey

How stupid I was I had an easy comfortable life in Brazil but of course I agreed. And so in 1659 I went to sea again.

At first all went well but then there was a terrible storm. For twelve days the wind and the rain didn't stop. We lost three men in the sea and soon the ship had holes in its sides. We re all going to die this time I said to myself. Then one morning one of the sailors saw land but the next minute our ship hit some sand just under the sea. The ship could not move and we were really in danger now. The sea was trying to break the ship into pieces and we had very little time. Quickly we put a boat into the sea and got off the ship. But the sea was very rough and our little boat could not live for long in that wild water.

Half an hour later the angry sea turned our boat over and we were all in the water. I looked round for my friends but I could see nobody. I was alone.

That day I was lucky and the sea carried me to the shore. I could not see the land only mountains of water all around me. Then suddenly I felt the ground under my feet. Another mountain of water came pushed me up the beach and I fell on the wet sand.

At first I was very thankful to be alive. Slowly I got to my feet and went higher up the shore. From there I looked out to sea. I could see our ship but it was wrecked and there was no body near it. There was nobody in the water. All my friends were dead. I was alive but in a strange wild country with no food no water and no gun.

It was dark now and I was tired. I was afraid to sleep on the shore. Perhaps there were wild animals there. So I went up into a tree and I stayed there all night.

A new life on an island

When day came the sea was quiet again. I looked for our ship and to my surprise it was still there and still in one piece. I think I can swim to it I said to myself. So I walked down to the sea and before long I was at the ship and was swimming round it. But how could I get on to it In the end I got in through a hole in the side but it wasn't easy.

There was a lot of water in the ship but the sand under the sea was still holding the ship in one place. The back of the ship was high out of the water and I was very tnankful for this be-cause all the ship's food was there. I was very hungry so I be-gan to eat something at once. Then I decided to take some of it back to the shore with me. But how could I get it there

I looked around the ship and after a few minutes I found some long pieces of wood. I tied them together with rope. Then I got the things that I wanted from the ship. There was a big box of food rice and salted meat and hard ship's bread. I al-so took many strong knives and other tools the ship's sails and ropes paper pens books and seven guns. Now I needed a little sail from the ship and then I was ready. Slowly and carefully I went back to the shore. It was difficult to stop my things from falling into the sea but in the end I got everything on to the shore.

Now I needed somewhere to keep my things.

There were some hills around me so I decided to build my self a little house on one of them. I walked to the top of the highest hill and looked down I was very unhappy because I saw then that I was on an island. There were two smaller is-lands a few miles away and after that only the sea. Just the sea for mile after mile after mile.

After a time I found a little cave in the side of a hill. In front of it there was a good place to make a home. So I used the ship's sails rope and pieces of wood and after a lot of hard work I had a very fine tent. The cave at the back of my tent was a good place to keep my food and so I called it my kitchen . That night I went to sleep in my new home.

The next day I thought about the possible dangers on the is-land. Were there wild animals and perhaps wild people too on my island I didn't know but I was very afraid. So I decided to build a very strong fence. I cut down young trees and put them in the ground in a halfcircle around the front of my tent. I used many of the ship's ropes too and in the end my fence was as strong as a stone wall. Nobody could get over it through it or round it.

Making tents and building fences is hard work. I needed many tools to help me. So I decided to go back to the ship again and get some more things.

I went back twelve times but soon after my twelfth visit there was another terrible storm. The next morning when I looked out to sea there was no ship.

When I saw that I was very unhappy. Why am I alive and why are all my friends dead I asked myself. What will hap-pen to me now alone on this island without friends How can I ever escape from it

Then I told myself that I was lucky lucky to be alive lucky to have food and tools lucky to be young and strong. But I knew that my island was somewhere off the coast of South America. Ships did not often come down this coast and I said to myself I'm going to be on this island for a long time. So on a long piece of wood I cut these words

I CAME HERE ON 30TH SEPTEMBER 1659

After that I decided to make a cut for each day.

Learning to live alone

I still needed a lot of things. Well I said I'm going to have to make them. So every day I worked.

First of all I wanted to make my cave bigger. I carried out stone from the cave and after many days' hard work I had a large cave in the side of the hill. Then I needed a table and a chair and that was my next job. I had to work on them for a long time. I also wanted to make places to put all my food and all my tools and guns. But every time I wanted a piece of wood I had to cut down a tree. It was long slow difficult work and during the next months I learnt to be very clever with my tools. There was no hurry. I had all the time in the world.

I also went out every day and I always had my gun with me. Sometimes I killed a wild animal and then I had meat to eat.

But when it got dark I had to go to bed because I had no light. I couldn't read or write because I couldn't see. For a long time I didn't know what to do. But in the end I learnt how to use the fat of dead animals to make a light.

The weather on my island was usually very hot and there were often storms and heavy rain. The next June it rained all the time and I couldn't go out very often. I was also ill for some weeks but slowly I got better. When I was stronger I began to go out again. The first time I killed a wild animal and the second time I caught a big turtle.

I was on the island for ten months before I visited other parts of it. During those months I worked hard on my cave and my house and my fence. Now I was ready to find out more about the rest of the island.

First I walked along the side of a little river. There I found open ground without trees. Later I came to more trees with many different fruits. I decided to take a lot of the fruit and to put it to dry in the sun for a time. Then I could keep it for many months.

That night I went to sleep in a tree for the second time and the next day I went on with my journey. Soon I came to an opening in the hills. In front of me everything was green and there were flowers everywhere. There were also a lot of differ-ent birds and animals. I saw that my house was on the worst side of the island. But I didn't want to move from there. It was my home now. I stayed away for three days and then I came home. But I often went back to the other greener side of the island.

And so my life went on. Every month I learnt to do or to make something new. But I had troubles and accidents too. Once there was a terrible storm with very heavy rain. The roof of my cave fell in and nearly killed me I had to build it up again with many pieces of wood.

I had a lot of food now. I cooked it over a fire or dried it in the sun. So I always had meat during the rainy months when I could not go out with a gun. I learnt to make pots to keep my food in. But I wanted very much to make a harder stronger pot a pot that would not break in a fire. I tried many times but I could not do it. Then one day I was lucky. I made some new pots and put them in a very hot fire. They changed colour but did not break. I left them there for many hours and when they were cold again I found that they were hard and strong. That night I was very happy. I had hot water for the first time on the island.

By then I also had my own bread. That was luck too. One day I found a little bag. We used it on the ship to keep the chickens' food in. There was still some of the food in the bag and I dropped some of it onto the ground. A month later I saw something bright green there and after six months I had a very small field of corn. I was very excited. Perhaps now I could make my own bread

It was easy to say but not so easy to do. It is a lot of work to make bread from corn. Many people eat bread but how many people can take corn from a field and make bread out of it without help I had to learn and to make many new things and it was a year before I cooked and ate my first bread.

During all this time I never stopped thinking about escape. When I travelled across to the other side of the island I could see the other islands and I said to myself Perhaps I can get there with a boat. Perhaps I can get back to England one day.

So I decided to make myself a boat. I cut down a big tree and then began to make a long hole in it. It was hard work but about six months later I had a very fine canoe. Next I had to get it down to the sea. How stupid I was Why didn't I think before I began work Of course the canoe was too heavy. I couldn't move it I pulled and pushed and tried everything but it didn't move. I was very unhappy for a long time after that.

That happened in my fourth year on the island. In my sixth year I did make myself a smaller canoe but I did not try to es-cape in it. The boat was too small for a long journey and I did not want to die at sea. The island was my home now not my prison and I was just happy to be alive. A year or two later I made myself a second canoe on the other side of the island. I also built myself a second house there and so I had two homes.

My life was still busy from morning to night. There were al-ways things to do or to make. I learnt to make new clothes for myself from the skins of dead animals. They looked very strange it is true but they kept me dry in the rain.

I kept food and tools at both my houses and also wild goats. There were many goats on the island and I made fields with high fences to keep them in. They learnt to take food from me and soon I had goat's milk to drink every day. I also worked hard in my cornfields. And so many years went by.

A footprint

Then one year something strange and terrible happened. I often walked along the shore and one day I saw something in the sand. I went over to look at it more care fully and stopped in sudden surprise.

It was a footprint the footprint of a man

Who could this be Afraid I looked around me. I listened. I waited. Nothing. I was more and more afraid. Perhaps this man was one of those wild people who killed and ate other men I looked everywhere but there was nobody and no other foot-print. I turned and hurried home. There's someone on my is land I said to myself. Perhaps he knows about me Per-haps he's watching me now from behind a tree Perhaps he wants to kill me.

That night I couldn't sleep. The next day I got all my guns ready and I put more wood and young trees around my house. Nobody could see me now. But after fifteen years alone on the island I was afraid and I did not leave my cave for three days.

In the end I had to go out to milk my goats. But for two years I was afraid. I stayed near my home and I never used my guns because I didn't want to make a noise. I could not forget the footprint but I saw and heard nothing more and slowly I began to feel happier.

One day a year later I was over on the west side of the is-land. From there I could see the other islands and I could also see a boat far out to sea. If you have a boat I thought it's easy to sail across to this island. Perhaps that explains the foot-print it was a visitor from one of the other islands.

I began to move more freely around the island again and built myself a third house. It was a very secret place in a cave. No wild man will ever find that I said to myself.

Then one year something happened which I can never forget. I was again on the west side of the island and was walk-ing along the shore. Suddenly I saw something which made me feel ill. There were heads arms feet and other pieces of men's bodies everywhere. For a minute I couldn't think and then I understood. Sometimes there were fights between the wild men on the other islands. Then they came here to my island with their prisoners to kill them cook them and eat them. Slowly I went home but I was very angry. How could men do this

For many months I watched carefully for the smoke from fires but I didn't see anything. Somehow the wild men came and went and I never saw them. I was angry and afraid. I wanted to shoot them all but there were many of them and on-ly one of me. Perhaps I can shoot two or three I said to my self but then they will kill and eat me.

Then one morning in my twenty-third year on the island I was out in my fields and I saw the smoke from a fire. Quickly I went up the hill to watch.

There were nine men around the fire and they were cooking their terrible food. Then these wild men danced round the fire singing and shouting. This went on for about two hours and then they got into their boats and sailed away. I went down to the shore and saw the blood of the dead men on the sand. The next time they come I'm going to kill them I said angrily.

Man Friday

For two years I never went anywhere without my gun. I felt lonely and afraid and had many sleepless nights. One night there was a very bad storm and I thought I heard the sound of guns out at sea. The next morning I looked out and saw a ship. It was lying on its side not far from the shore. Quickly I put my little boat in the water and sailed out to it.

There were two dead men on the ship but no one alive. The bodies of the other sailors were lost in the sea. I took some clothes and tools and also a box of Spanish gold and silver money. I was a rich man now but what use was money to me I could not buy anything with it.

I wanted people a friend somebody to talk to somebody who could help me escape from my island. One morning I woke up and made a plan. I'll try to catch one of the prisoners of the wild men I said to myself. He'll be happy to be alive and perhaps he'll help me to escape. I watched day and night but for a year and a half there were no boats.

Then one day five boats came. There were about thirty men and they had two prisoners. They made their fire on the sand and danced round it. Then they killed one of the prisoners and began to cook their terrible meal. The second prisoner waited under the trees with two men to watch him. Suddenly the prisoner turned and ran. The two men ran after him but the other wild men were busy round the fire and did not see what was happening.

The prisoner ran like a wild goat and soon I saw that he was coming near the bottom of my hill. As fast as I could I ran down the hill and jumped out of the trees between the prisoner and the two wild men. I hit the first man with the wooden end of my gun and he fell down but I had to shoot the second man. The poor prisoner did not move. He was afraid of the noise of my gun.

I called to him and tried to show him that I was friendly. Slowly he moved nearer to me but just then the first wild man began to get up from the ground. Then the prisoner spoke and I understood that he wanted my sword. How happy I was to hear words again I gave him my sword and at once he cut off the head of his enemy.

Hurriedly we hid the dead bodies under some leaves and then left quickly. I took my prisoner to my secret cave on the other side of the island and gave him food and drink. After that he went to sleep.

He was a fine young man about twenty-five years old tall and well built with a kind face and a nice smile. He had a brown skin black hair bright eyes and strong white teeth. I decided to give him the name of Man Friday because I first saw him on a Friday.

When he woke up in the morning he ran out to me. I was milking my goats in the field and he got down on the ground and put his head near my foot. I understood that he was thank ing me and I tried to show him that I was his friend.

I began to teach him to speak English and soon he could say his name Master and Yes and No . How good it was to hear a man's voice again

Later that day we went back to my first house. We went carefully along the beach but there were no boats and no wild men. Just blood and bones all over the sand. I felt ill but Fri-day wanted to eat the pieces of men's bodies which were still on the ground. I showed him that this was terrible for me and he understood.

When we got to my house I gave Man Friday some trousers and I made him a coat and a hat. He liked his new clothes very much. Then I made him a little tent to sleep in but for a few weeks I always took my gun to bed with me. Per haps Friday was still a wild man and would try to kill me in the night. At first Friday was very afraid of my gun. Some times he talked to it and asked it not to kill him.

Friday was a quick learner and his English got better day by day. He helped me with the goats and with the work in the cornfields and soon we were good friends. I enjoyed teaching him and most of all having a friend to talk to. This was the happiest of all my years on the island.

Friday and I lived together happily for three years. I told him the story of my adventures and about life in England and he told me about his country and his people. One day we were at the top of the highest hill on the island and we were looking out to sea. It was a very clear day and we could see a long way. Suddenly Friday began to jump up and down very excited.

What's the matter I said.

Look Master look Friday cried. I can see my country. Look over there

I looked and there to the north-west between the sea and the sky was a long thin piece of land. I learnt later that it was the island of Trinidad and that my island was in the mouth of the River Orinoco on the north coast of South America.

I began to think again about escape. Perhaps Friday wanted to go home too. Perhaps together we could get to his country. But what then Would Friday still be my friend or would his people kill me and eat me

I took Friday to the other side of the island and showed him my big canoe. It still lay under the trees. It was very old now and there were holes in the wood.

Could a boat like this sail to your country Friday I asked him.

Oh yes he answered. A boat like this can carry a lot of food and drink.

Then we'll make another canoe like it and you can go home in it I said.

But Friday looked very unhappy. Why are you angry with me he asked. What have I done Why do you want to send me home

But I thought you wanted to go home I said.

Yes. But you must come with me. Kill me if you want but don't send me away from you

Then I saw that Friday was a true friend and so I agreed to go with him. We began work on the canoe at once. Friday chose the tree himself he understood wood better than I did and we cut it down. We worked hard and in a month the boat was finished. Two weeks later it was in the sea and we began to get ready for our long journey.

Escape from the island

I was now in my twenty seventh year on the island and I did not want to be there for another year. We worked hard to get the corn in and to make a lot of bread. We had dried fruit and salted meat and big pots to keep water in. One evening Friday went out to look for a turtle for meat and eggs. But in less than an hour he was back and he looked very afraid.

Master Master he cried. There's a great ship near the island and men are coming to the shore in a boat

I jumped up and ran with him down to the shore. To my great surprise I saw that it was an English ship But why was it here English ships never came this way. Perhaps they were pirates Don't let them see you Friday I called. We'll hide in the trees and watch.

There were eleven men in the boat but three of them were prisoners. Their arms were tied with rope but their legs were free and they could walk. The other sailors pushed the three prisoners up the beach laughing and shouting and hitting them. Then some of them sat down on the sand and began to drink. Others walked away to look at the island and two men stayed to watch the boat. The three prisoners walked slowly a-long the beach and sat dowm under a tree not far from us. They looked very unhappy.

Very quietly I came up behind them through the trees and called out to them in English.

Don't be afraid I said. I'm an Englishman. Perhaps I can help you.

The three men turned and looked at me. They did not an-swer at once they were too surprised. Perhaps they thought I was a wild man myself in my strange home made clothes of animals skins and with my long hair and beard. Then the old est man spoke.

I am the captain of that ship he said and these two men are my first and second officers. Last night there was a mutiny and the seamen took the ship from me. Now they re going to leave the three of us here to die on this island.

De these mutineers have guns

Only two he answered and they ve left those on the boat.

All righ I said. We'll fight them but if we get your ship back for you you must take me back to England.

The captain agreed immediately and thanked me very warm ly for my help. Friday ran back to my house to get all the guns and the captain and I made a plan.

The first part was easy because the seamen were not ready for a fight. We shot the two men at the boat and the captain shot another man. This man Tom Smith was the worst of them all and he began the mutiny on the ship. Then the cap-tain talked to the other five men and they agreed to help him. They did not really want to be mutineers but they were afraid of Tom Smith.

Now I said to the captain we must get back your ship. How many men are on it

Twenty six the captain replied and they will fight hard because they won't want to go home. It is death for all muti-neers in England. But not all the men are bad. I'm sure that some of them will help me.

Just then we saw another boat which was coming from the ship to the shore. There were ten men in it and they all had guns. We ran into the trees and waited.

It was a long hard fight but by now it was dark and this helped us very much. We ran here and there in the trees call-ing and shouting. The seamen could not see us and did not know how many men they were fighting. In the end the first officer shouted to them

Put down your guns and stop fightng The captain has fifty island people to help him. We can kill you all

So the seamen stopped fighting and we took their guns. Three of the men agreed to come back to the captain and we put the others in my cave. Friday and I stayed to watch the prisoners while the captain and his men went back to fight for the ship.

All night we listened to the sound of guns and shouting but in the morning when the sun came up the captain was master of his ship again. I went down to the shore to meet him.

My dear friend he cried There's your ship I'll take you to the ends of the world in it

I put my arms round him and we laughed and cried together. How happy I was to leave the ialand

My good friend Friday came with me of course but we left the mutineers on the island. We decided not to kill them they could begin a new life on the island. I showed them my three houses my cornfields and my goats and all my tools. Their life would he easy because of all my hard work for so many years.

And so on the nineteenth of December 1689-after twen-ty-seven years two months and nineteen days-I said good-bye to my island and sailed home to England.

Home in England

When I came back to England I felt like a stranger in the country. Many things were different and not many people remembered me. I went home to York but my fa-ther and mother were dead and also my two brothers. I did find the two sons of one of my brothers. They were happy to learn that I was alive and I was pleased to find some family.

After some months I decided to go down to Lisbon in Portu-gal. I had friends there who could help me to sell my land in Brazil and I needed the money. Friday came with me. He was always a good and true friend to me. In Lisbon I found the Portuguese captain who took me in his ship to Brazil all those years ago. It was good to see him again and he helped me with my business. Soon I was ready to go home again by land. No more adventures and dangers by sea for me

It was a long hard journey. We had to cross the mountains between Spain and France in winter and the snow was deep. Poor Friday was very afraid of the snow. In his country it was always hot and he did not like cold weather.

Back in England I found a house and began to live a quiet life. My two nephews came to live with me. The younger one wanted to be a sailor and so I found him a place on a ship. Af-ter a while I married and had three children two sons and a daughter. Then my wife died and my nephew who was now the captain of a ship came home to see me. He knew that I did not really like a quiet life.

I have a fine ship uncle he said. I'm going out to the East Indies-India Malaya the Philippines Why don't you come with me

And so in 1694 I went to sea again and had many more ad-ventures. Perhaps one day I'll write another book about them.