Several times I was obliged to land for fresh Water, after we had left this Place; and once in particular, being early in the Morning, we came to an Anchor under a little Point of Land which was pretty high, and the Tide beginning to flow, we lay still to go farther in; Xury, whose Eyes were more about him than it seems mine were, calls softly to me, and tells me that we had best go farther off the Shoar; for, bays he, look yonder lies a dreadful Monster on the side of that Hillock fast asleep: I look'd where he pointed, and saw a dreadful Monster indeed, for it was a terrible great Lyon that lay on the Side of the Shoar, under the Shade of a Piece of the Hill that hung as it were a little over him. Xury, says I, you shall go on Shoar and kill him; Xury look'd frighted, and said, Me kill! he eat me at one Mouth; one Mouthful he meant; however, I said no more to the Boy, but bad him lye still, and I took our biggest Gun, which was almost Musquet-bore, and loaded it with a good Charge of Powder, and with two Slugs, and laid it down; then I loaded another Gun with two Bullets, and the third, for we had three Pieces, I loaded with five smaller Bullets, I took the best aim I could with the first Piece to have shot him into the Head, but he lay so with his Leg rais'd a little above his Nose, that the Slugs hit his Leg about the Knee, and broke the Bone. He started up growling at first, but finding his Leg broke fell down again, and then got up upon three Legs and gave the most hideous Roar that ever I heard; I was a little suppriz'd that I had not hit him on the Head; however I took up the second Piece immediately, and tho' he began to move off fir'd again, and shot him into the Head, and had the Pleasure to see him drop, and make but little Noise, but lay struggling for Life, Then Xury took Heart, and would have me let him go on Shoar: Well, go said I, so the Boy jump'd into the Water, and taking a little Gin in one Hand swam to Shoar with the other Hand, and coming close to the Creature, put the Muzzle of the Piece to his Ear, and shot him into the Head again which dispatch'd him quite.

This was Game indeed to us, but this was no Food, and I was very sorry to lose three Charges of Powder and Shot upon a Creature that was good for nothing to us. However Xury said he would have some of him; so he comes on board, and ask'd me to give him the Hatchet; for what, Xury, said I? Me cut off his Head, said he. However Xury could not cut off his Head, but he cut off a Foot and brought it with him, and it was a monstrous great one.

I bethought my self however, that perhaps the Skin of him might one way or other be of some Value to us; and I resolved to take off his Skin if I could. So Xury and I went to work with him; but Xury was much the better Workman at it, for I knew very ill how to do it. Indeed it took us up both the whole Day, but at last we got off the Hide of him, and spreading it on the top of our Cabbin, the Sun effectually dried it in two Days time, and it afterwards serv'd me to lye upon.

After this Stop we made on to the Southward continually for ten or twelve Days, living very sparing on our Provisions, which began to abate very much, and going no oftner into the Shoar than we were oblig'd to for fresh Water; my Design in this was to make the River Gambia or Sennegall, that is to say, any where about the Cape de Yerd, where I was in hopes to meet with some European Ship, and if I did not, I knew not what Course I had to take, but to seek out for the Islands, or perish there among the Negroes. I knew that all the Ships from Europe, which sail'd either to the Coast of Guiney, or to Brasil, or to the East-Indies, made this Cape or those Islands; and in a word, I put the whole of Fortune upon this Single Point, either that I must meet with some Ship, or must perish.

When I had pursued this Resolution about ten Days longer, as I have said, I began to see that the Land was inhabited, and in two or three Places as we sailed by, we saw People stand upon the Shoar to look at us, we could also perceive they were quite Black and Stark-naked. I was once inclin'd to ha' gone on Shoar to them; but Xury was my better Councellor, and said to me, no go, no go; however I hal'd in nearer the Shoar that I might talk to them, and I found they run along the Shoar by me a good way; I observ'd they had no Weapons in their Hands, except one who had a slender Stick, which Xury said was a Lance, and that could throw them a great way with good aim; so I kept at a distance, but talk'd with them by Signs as well as I could particularly made Signs for some thing to Eat, they to me to stop my Boat, and that they would Meat; upon this I lower'd the top of my Sail, and lay two of them run up into the Country, and in less Hour came back and brought with them two Pieces of dry Flesh and some Corn, such as is the Produce of their Country, but we neither knew what the one the other ever we were willing to accept it, but how to come at it next Dispute, for I was not for venturing on Shore to and they were as much affraid us; but they took a safe way for us all, for they brought it to the Shore and laid it down, and went and stood a great way off till we fetch'd it on Board, and then came close to us again.

We made Signs of Thanks to them, for we had nothing to make them amends; but an Opportunity offer'd that very Instant to oblige them wonderfully, for while we were lying by the Shore, came two mighty Creatures one pursuing the other, (as we took it) with great Fury, from the Mountains towards the Sea; whether it was the Male pursuing the Female, or whether they were in Sport or in Rage, we could not tell, any more than we could tell whether it was usual or strange, but I believe it was the latter; because in the first Place, those ravenous Creatures seldom appear but in the Night; and in the second Place, we found the People terribly frighted, especially the Women. The Man that had the Lance or Dart did not fly from them, but the rest did; however as the two Creatures ran directly into the Water, they did not seem to offer to fall upon any of the Negroes, but plung'd themselves into the Sea and swam about as if they had come for their Diversion; at last one of them began to come nearer our Boat than at first I expected, but I lay ready for him, for I had loaded my Gun with all possible Expedition, and bad Xury load both the other; as soon as he came fairly within my reach, I fir'd, and shot him directly into the Head; immediately he sunk down into the Water, but rose instantly and plunged up and down as if he was struggling for Life; and so indeed he was, he immediately made to the Shore, but between the Wound which was his mortal Hurt, and the strangling of the Water, he dyed just before he reach'd the Shore.

It is impossible to express the Astonishment of these poor Creatures at the Noise and the Fire of my Gun; some of them were even ready to dye for Fear, and fell down as Dead with the very Terror. But when they saw the Creature dead and sunk in the Water, and that I made Signs to them to come to the Shore; they took Heart and came to the Shore and began to search for the Creature, I found him by his Blood staining the Water, and by the help of a Rope which I flung round him and gave the Negroes to hawl, they drag'd him on Shore, and found that it was a most curious Leopard, spotted and fine to an admirable Degree, and the Negroes held up their Hands with Admiration to think what it was I had kill'd him with.

The other Creature frighted with the flash of Fire and the Noise of the Gun swam on Shore, and ran up directly to the Mountains from whence they came, nor could I at that Distance know what it was. I found quickly the Negroes were eating the Flesh of this Creature, so I was willing to have them take it as a Favour from me, which when I made Signs to them that they might take him, they were very thankful for, immediately they fell to work with him, and tho' they had no Knife, yet with a sharpen'd Piece of Wood they-took off his Skin as readily, and much more readily than we cou'd have done with a Knife; they offer'd me some of the Flesh, which I declined, making as if I would give it them, but made Signs for the Skin, which they gave me very freely, and brought me a great deal more of their Provision, which tho' I did not understand, yet I accepted; then I made Signs to them for some Water, and held out one of my Jarrs to them, turning it bottom upward, to shew that it was empty, and that I wanted to have it filled. They call'd immediately to some of their Friends, and there came two Women and brought a great Vessel made of Earth, and burnt as I suppose in the Sun; this they set down for me, as before, and I sent Xury on Shore with my Jarrs, and filled than all three: The Women were as stark Naked as the Men.

I was now furnished with Roots and Corn, such as it was, and Water, and leaving my friendly Negroes, I made forward for about Days more without offering to go near the hoar, till I saw the Land run out a great Length into the Sea, at about the Distance of four or five Leagues before me, and the Sea being very calm I kept a large offing to make this Point; at doubling the Point at about two Leagues from the Land, I saw plainly Land on the other Side to Seaward; then I concluded, as it was most certain indeed, that this was the Cape de Verd, and those the Islands, call'd from thence Cape de Verd Islands. However they were at a great Distance, and I could not well tell what I had best to do, for if I should be taken with a Fresh of Wind I might neither reach one or other.

In this Dilemma, as I was very pensive, I stept into the Cabbin and Sat me down, Xury having the Helm, when on a suddain the Boy cry'd out, Master, Master, a Ship with a Sail, and the foolish Boy was frighted out of his Wits, thinking it must needs be some of his Master's Ships sent to pursue us, when, I knew we were gotten far enough out their reach. I jump'd out of the Cabbin, and immediately saw not only the Ship, but what she was, (viz.) that it was a Portuguese Ship, and as I thought was bound to the Coast of Guinea for Negroes. But when I observ'd the Course she steer'd, I was soon convinc'd they were bound some other way, and did not design to come any nearer to the Shoar; upon which I stretch'd out to Sea as much as I could, resolving to speak with them if possible.

With all the Sail I could make, 1 found I should not be able to come in their Way, but that they would be gone by, before I could make any Signal to them; but after I had crowded to the utmost, and began to despair, they it seems saw me by the help of their Perspective-Glasses, and that it some European Boat, which as they supposed must belong to some Ship that was lost, so they shortned Sail to let a come up. I was encouraged with this, and as I had my Patroon's Antient on Board, I made a Waft of it to them for a Signal of Distress, and fir'd a Gun, both which they saw, for they told me they saw the Smoke, tho' they did not hear the Gun; upon these Signals they very kindly brought too, and lay by for me, and in about three Hours time I came up with them.

They ask'd me what I was, in Portuguese, and in Spanish, and in French, but I understood none of them; but at last a Scots Sailor who was on board, call'd to me, and I answer'd him, and told him I was an Englishman, that I had made my escape out of Slavery from the Moors at Sallee; then they bad me come on board, and very kindly took me in, and all my Goods.

It was an inexpressible Joy to me, that any one will believe, that was thus deliver'd, as I esteem'd it, from such a miserable and almost hopeless Condition as I was in, and I immediately offered all I had to the Captain of the Ship, as a Return for my Deliverance; but he generously told me, he would take nothing from me, but that all I had should be deliver'd safe to me when I came to the Brasils, for says he, I have sav'd your Life on no other Terms than I would be glad to be saved my self and it may one time or other be my Lot to be taken up in the same Condition; besides, said he, when I carry you to the Brasils, so great a may from your own Country, if I should take from you what you have, you mill be starved there, and then I only take away that Life I have given. No, no, Seignor Inglese, says he, Mr. Englishman, I mill carry you thither in Charity, and those things mill help you to buy your Subsistance there and your Passage home again.

As he was Charitable in his Proposal, so he was Just in the Performance to a tittle, for he ordered the Seamen that none should offer to touch any thing I had; then he took every thing into his own Possession, and gave me back an exact Inventory of them, that I might have them, even so much as my three Earthen Jarrs.

As to my Boat it was a very good one, and that he saw, and told me he would buy it of me for the Ship's use, and ask'd me what I would have for it? I told him he had been so generous to me in every thing, that I could not offer to make any Price of the Boat, but left it entirely to him, upon which he told me he would give me a Note of his Hand to pay me 80 Pieces of Eight for it at Brasil, and when it came there, if any one offer'd to give more he would make it up; he offer'd me also 60 Pieces of Eight more for my Boy Xury, which I was loath to take, not that I was not willing to let the Captain have him, but I was very loath to sell poor Boy's Liberty, who had assisted me so faithfully procuring my own. However when I let him know my reason, he own'd it to be just, and offer'd me this Medium, that he would give the Boy an obligation to set him free in ten Years, if he turn'd Christian; upon this, and Xury saying he was willing to go him, I let the Captain have him.

We had a very good Voyage to the Brasils, and arriv'd in the Bay de Todos los Santos, or All-Saints Bay, in about Twenty-two Days after. And now I was once more deliver'd from the most miserable of all Conditions of Life, and what to do next with my self I was now to consider.

我们离开那个地方后，也有好几次不得不上岸取水。特别有一次，在大清早，我们来到一个小岬角抛了锚。这时正好涨潮，我们想等潮水上来后再往里驶。佐立的眼睛比我尖，他向我低声叫唤，要我把船驶离岸远一点。他说，"看那儿，一个可怕的怪物正在小山下睡觉呢！"我朝他手所指的方向看了一下，果然看到一个可怕的怪物，原来那是一头巨狮，正躺在一片山影下熟睡呢！我说："佐立，你上岸去把它打死吧。"佐立大吃一惊，说："我？我去把它打死？它一口就把我吃掉了。"我就不再对这孩子说什么了，并叫他乖乖呆在那儿。我自己拿起最大的一支枪，装了大量的火药，又装了两颗大子弹，放在一旁，然后又拿起第二支枪，装了两颗子弹，再把第三支枪装了五颗小子弹。我拿起第一支大枪，尽力瞄准，对着那狮子的头开了一枪。但那狮子躺着时，前腿稍稍往上抬起，挡住了鼻子，因此子弹正好打在它膝盖上，把腿骨打断了。狮子一惊，狂吼而起，但发觉一腿已断，复又跌倒在地，然后用三条腿站立起来，发出刺耳的吼叫声。我见自己没有打中狮子的头部，心里不由暗暗吃惊，这时，那头狮子似乎想走开，我急忙拿起第二支枪，对准它的头部又开了一枪，只见它颓然倒下，轻轻地吼了一声，便在那儿拼命挣扎。这时佐立胆子大了，要求我让他上岸。"好吧，你去吧！"我说。于是他便跳到水里，一手举着支短枪，一手划着水，走到那家伙跟前，把枪口放在它的耳朵边，向它的头部又开了一枪，终于结果了这猛兽的性命。

这件事对于我们实在是玩乐而已，狮子的肉根本不能吃。

为了这样一个无用的猎物，浪费了三份火药和弹丸，实在不值得，我颇感后悔。可是佐立说，他一定得从狮子身上弄点东西下来。于是他上船向我要斧子。

"干什么，佐立？"我问。

"我要把它的头砍下来！"他说。结果，佐立没法把狮子头砍下来，却砍下了一只脚带回来。那脚可真大得可怕！

我心里盘算，狮子皮也许对我们会有用处，便决定想法把皮剥下来。于是我和佐立就跑去剥皮。对于这件工作，佐立比我高明得多了，而我完全不知道从何下手。我们两人忙了一整天，才把整张皮剥下来。我们把皮摊在船舱的顶上，两天后皮就晒干了。以后我就把它用作被来睡觉。

这次停船之后，我们向南一连行驶了十一二天，我们的粮食逐渐减少，只得省着点吃。除了取淡水不得不上岸外，很少靠岸。我这样做的目的是要把船驶到非洲海岸的冈比亚河或塞内加尔河；也就是说，到达佛得海角一带，希望能在那儿遇上欧洲的商船。万一遇不到的话，我就不知道该往哪儿去了。那就只好去找找那些群岛，或者死在黑人手里了。

我知道，从欧洲开往几内亚海岸，或去巴西和东印度群岛的商船，都要经过这个海角或这些群岛。总之，我把自己整个命运都押在这唯一的机遇上了；遇上商船就得救，遇不上就只有死路一条。

下定了决心，就又向前航行了十天左右，开始看到了有人烟的地方。有两三个地方，在我们的船驶过时，可以看到有些人站在岸上望着我们；同时可以看到，他们都一丝不挂，浑身墨黑。有一次，我很想上岸和他们接触一下，但佐立功我说，"不要去，不要去。"但是我还是驶近海岸，以便与他们谈谈。我发现他们沿着海岸跟着我的船跑了一大段路。我看到，他们手中都没有武器，只有一个人拿了一根细长的棍子。佐立告诉我，那是一种镖枪，他们可以投得又远又准。我不敢靠岸太近，并尽可能用手势与他们交谈。我尤其着力打出一些要求食物的手势。他们也招手要我把船停下，他们会回去取些肉来给我们。于是我落下了三角帆把船停下来。有两个人往回向村里跑去。不到半小时，他们回来了，手里拿着两块肉干和一些谷类。这些大概都是他们的土产品，但我和佐立都叫不出是什么东西。我们当然很想要这些食物，但怎样去拿这些东西却是个问题。我们自己不敢上岸接近他们，他们也同样怕我们。最后，他们想出了一个对双方来说都安全的办法。他们把东西先放在岸上，然后走到远处等待，让我们把东西拿上船后再走近岸边。

我们打着手势向他们表示感谢，因为我们拿不出什么东西答谢他们。说来也巧，正当此时，出现了一个大好机会，使我们大大地还了他们的人情。当时，突然有两只巨兽从山上向海岸边冲来；看那样子，好像后一只正在追逐前一只，究竟他们是雌雄相逐，还是戏耍或争斗，我们也弄不清楚。同时，我们也不知道这种事是司空见惯的呢，还是偶然发生的。

但是，照当时的情况判断，后者的可能性更大。因为，首先，这类凶残的猛兽一般大白天不出来活动，其次，我们看到那些黑人惊恐万分，特别是妇女更是害怕。大家都逃光了，只留下那个拿镖枪的人。可是那两只巨兽跑到海边并没有去袭击那些黑人，而是一下子跳到海里，游来游去，好像是在游戏。后来，出于我的意料之外，有一只竟跑到我们的船跟前来了。好在，我已早有准备。我迅速把枪装上了弹药，还叫佐立把另外两支枪也装好了弹药。当那巨兽一进入射程，我立即开火，一枪打中了它的头部。那家伙立即沉下去了，但又马上浮起来在水里上下翻腾，拚命作垂死挣扎；然后，匆匆向岸边游去，但由于受到的是致命伤，又被海水所窒息，还未游到岸边就死了。

那些可怜的黑人听到了枪声，看到了枪里发出的火光，其惊恐之状，真是笔墨难以形容的。有几个吓得半死，跌倒在地上。过后，他们见那怪兽已死，并沉到水里去了，又见我向他们招手，叫他们到海边来；这时，他们才壮着胆子，到海边来寻找那死兽。我根据水里的血迹找到了那巨兽，又用绳子把它套住，并把绳子递给那些黑人，叫他们去拖。他们把那死了的家伙拖到岸上，发现竟是一只很奇特的豹。此豹满身黑斑，非常美丽。黑人们一齐举起双手，表示无比惊讶。

他们怎么也想不出我是用什么东西把豹打死的。

枪声和火光早就把另一只巨兽吓得泅到岸上，一溜烟跑回山里去了。因为距离太远，我看不清它倒底是什么东西。不久我看出那些黑人想吃豹子肉，我当然乐意做个人情送给他们。对此，黑人们感激万分。他们马上动手剥皮。虽然他们没有刀子，用的是一片削薄了的木皮，但不一会儿就把豹皮剥下来了，比我们用刀子剥还快。他们要送些豹肉给我们，我表示不要，并做手势表示全部送给他们；不过我也表示想要那张豹皮。他们立刻满不在乎地给了我。他们又给了我许多粮食，尽管我不知道是些什么东西，但还是收下了。接着，我又打起手势向他们要水。我把一只罐子拿在手里，把罐底朝天罐口朝下翻转来，表示里面已空了，希望装满水。他们马上告诉自己的同伴，不久便有两个女人抬了一大泥缸水走来。

我猜想，那泥缸是用阳光焙制而成的。她们把泥缸放在地下，然后像第一次那样远远走开。我让佐立带了三只水罐上岸去取水。那些女人也和男人一样，全都赤身裸体，一丝不挂。

现在，我有了不少杂粮，又有了水，就离别了那些友好的黑人，一口气大约又航行了十一天，中间一次也没有登岸。

后来，我看到有一片陆地，长长地突出在海里，离我们的船约十三、四海里。当时风平浪静，我从远处经过这海角；最后，在离岸六海里左右绕过这小岬角后，又发现岬角的另一边海里也有陆地。这时，我已深信不疑，这儿就是佛得角，而对面的那些岛屿即是佛得角群岛。但岬角和岛屿离我都很远，我不知该怎么办才好。如果刮大风，那我一个地方也到不了。

在这进退维谷之际，我郁郁不乐地走进舱房坐了下来，让佐立去掌舵。突然，那孩子惊叫起来："主人，主人，有一只大帆船！"这傻小子以为他原来的主人派船追了上来，几乎吓昏了头。我却很清楚，我们已驶得很远，他们决不可能追到这儿来。我跳出船舱一看，不仅立刻看到了船，而且看出，那是一艘葡萄牙船；我猜想，那是驶往几内亚海岸贩卖黑奴的船。但当我观察那船的航向时，我才知道，他们要去的是另一个方向，根本没有想靠岸的意思。因此，我拚命把船往海里开，并决心尽可能与他们取得联系。

我虽然竭力张帆行驶，但不久就看出，我根本无法横插到他们的航路上去；等不及我发信号，他们的船就会驶过去。

我满帆全速前进追赶了一阵子，就开始感到绝望了。然而，正当此时，他们好像在望远镜里发现了我们。他们看到我的船是一艘欧洲小艇，因此，一定以为是大船遇难后放出的救生艇，所以便落下帆等我们。这给了我极大的鼓舞。我船上本来就有我们原主人的旗帜，我就拿出旗帜向他们摇起来作为求救的信号，同时又鸣枪求救。这两个信号他们都看见了，因为，后来他们告诉我，枪声他们虽然没有听到，但看到了冒烟。他们看到了信号，就停船等我们。他们的这个举动真是仁慈极了。大约过了三小时光景，我才靠上了他们的大船。

他们用葡萄牙语，用西班牙语，用法语，问我是什么人，但他们的话我都不懂。后来，船上有一个苏格兰水手上来叫我，我便告诉他我是英格兰人，是从萨累的摩尔人手下逃出来的。于是，他们便十分和善地让我上了船，并把我的一切东西也都拿到大船上。

谁都相信，我竟然能绝处逢生，其喜悦之情，实在难于言表。我立刻把我的一切东西送给船长，以报答他的救命之恩。但船长非常慷慨。他对我说，他什么也不要，等我到了巴西后，他会把我所有的东西都交还给我。他说："今天我救了你的命，希望将来有一天别人也会救我的命，说不定哪一天我也会遭到同样的命运。再说，我把你带到巴西，远离自己的祖国，如果我要了你的东西，你就会在异国他乡挨饿，这不等于我救了你的命，又送了你的命吗？不，不，英国先生，我把你送到巴西，完全是一种慈善行为。你的那些东西可以帮助你在那儿过活，并可做你回家的盘费。"他提出这些建议是十分仁慈的，而且一丝不苟地实践了自己的许诺。他给手下的船员下令，不准他们动我的任何东西。后来，他索性把我所有的东西都收归他自己保管，还给我列了一张清单，以便我以后要还。清单中连我的那三只装水的瓦罐也不漏掉。

他也看到，我的小艇很不错。他对我说，他想把小艇买下来，放在大船上使用，并要我开个价。我对他说，他对我这么慷慨大度，我实在不好意思开价，并告诉他，他愿出多少钱都可以。他说他可以先给我一张八十西班牙银币的钱（这种西班牙银币都打上一个"８"字）到巴西可换取现金。到了巴西，如果有人愿意出更高的价钱，他愿意全数补足。他又表示愿出六十西班牙银币买下佐立。这钱我实在不能接受。

我倒不是不愿意把佐立给船长，而是我不愿意出卖这可怜的孩子的自由。在我争取自由的逃跑过程中，他对我可谓忠心耿耿。我把不愿出卖佐立的原因告诉了船长，他认为我说得有理，就提出了一个折衷的方案：这孩子如果成为基督徒，则十年后还其自由，并签约为仆。基于这个条件，我终于同意了，因为佐立自己也表示愿意跟随船长。

去巴西的航行十分顺利，大约二十二天之后，就到达了群圣湾。现在我摆脱了困境，该打算打算下一步怎么办了。
关键字:鲁宾逊漂流记
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