鲁宾逊漂流记-第3部分

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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。　

　
7

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。　

　
8

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