The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe read in full. The life and amazing adventures of Robinson Crusoe. Daniel DefoeRobinson Crusoe

Daniel Defoe

Robinson Crusoe

Robinson family. – His escape from his parents' house

From early childhood I loved the sea more than anything in the world. I envied every sailor who set off on a long voyage. For hours at a time I stood on the seashore and without taking my eyes off the ships passing by.

My parents didn't like it very much. My father, an old, sick man, wanted me to become an important official, serve in the royal court and receive a large salary. But I dreamed of sea voyages. It seemed to me the greatest happiness to wander the seas and oceans.

My father guessed what was on my mind. One day he called me over and said angrily:

– I know: you want to run away from your home. This is crazy. You must stay. If you stay, I will be a good father to you, but woe to you if you run away! “Here his voice trembled, and he added quietly:

- Think about your sick mother... She won’t be able to bear being separated from you.

Tears sparkled in his eyes. He loved me and wanted the best for me.

I felt sorry for the old man, I firmly decided to stay in my parents’ house and not think about sea voyages anymore. But alas! – several days passed, and nothing remained of my good intentions. I was again drawn to the sea shores. I began to dream of masts, waves, sails, seagulls, unknown countries, lights of lighthouses.

Two or three weeks after my conversation with my father, I finally decided to run away. Choosing a time when my mother was cheerful and calm, I approached her and respectfully said:

“I’m already eighteen years old, and these years are too late to study judging. Even if I entered the service somewhere, I would still run away to distant countries after a few years. I so want to see foreign lands, to visit both Africa and Asia! Even if I get attached to something, I still don’t have the patience to see it through to the end. Please, persuade my father to let me go to sea at least for a short time, for testing; If I don’t like the life of a sailor, I will return home and never go anywhere else. Let my father let me go voluntarily, otherwise I will be forced to leave home without his permission.

My mother got very angry with me and said:

“I’m surprised how you can think about sea voyages after your conversation with your father!” After all, your father demanded that you forget about foreign lands once and for all. And he understands better than you what business you should do. Of course, if you want to destroy yourself, leave even this minute, but you can be sure that your father and I will never give consent to your journey. And in vain you hoped that I would help you. No, I won't say a word to my father about your meaningless dreams. I don’t want that later, when life at sea brings you to poverty and suffering, you could reproach your mother for indulging you.

Then, many years later, I found out that my mother nevertheless conveyed to my father our entire conversation, from word to word. The father was saddened and said to her with a sigh:

– I don’t understand what he wants? In his homeland, he could easily achieve success and happiness. We are not rich people, but we have some means. He can live with us without needing anything. If he goes on a journey, he will experience great hardships and regret that he did not listen to his father. No, I can't let him go to sea. Far from his homeland, he will be lonely, and if trouble happens to him, he will not have a friend who could console him. And then he will repent of his recklessness, but it will be too late!

And yet, after a few months, I fled from my home. It happened like this. One day I went to the city of Gull for several days. There I met a friend who was about to go to London on his father's ship. He began to persuade me to go with him, tempting me with the fact that travel on the ship would be free.

And so, without asking either father or mother, at an unkind hour! - On September 1, 1651, in the nineteenth year of my life, I boarded a ship bound for London.

It was a bad act: I shamelessly abandoned my elderly parents, neglected their advice and violated my filial duty. And I very soon had to repent of what I had done.

First adventures at sea

No sooner had our ship left the mouth of the Humber than a cold wind blew from the north. The sky was covered with clouds. A strong rocking motion began.

I had never been to sea before, and I felt bad. My head began to spin, my legs began to tremble, I felt nauseous, and I almost fell. Every time a big wave hit the ship, it seemed to me that we would drown right away. Every time a ship fell from a high crest of a wave, I was sure that it would never rise again.

A thousand times I swore that if I remained alive, if my foot set foot on solid ground again, I would immediately return home to my father and never in my entire life would set foot on the deck of a ship again.

These prudent thoughts lasted only as long as the storm raged.

But the wind died down, the excitement subsided, and I felt much better. Little by little I began to get used to the sea. True, I have not yet completely gotten rid of seasickness, but by the end of the day the weather cleared up, the wind died down completely, and a delightful evening arrived.

I slept soundly all night. The next day the sky was just as clear. The calm sea with complete calm, all illuminated by the sun, presented such a beautiful picture as I had never seen before. There was no trace left of my seasickness. I immediately calmed down and felt happy. With surprise, I looked around the sea, which just yesterday seemed violent, cruel and menacing, but today it was so meek and gentle.

Then, as if on purpose, my friend, who tempted me to go with him, comes up to me, pats me on the shoulder and says:

- Well, how are you feeling, Bob? I bet you were scared. Admit it: you were very scared yesterday when the breeze blew?

- Is there a breeze? Nice breeze! It was a mad squall. I could not even imagine such a terrible storm!

- Storms? Oh, you fool! Do you think this is a storm? Well, you’re still new to the sea: no wonder you’re scared... Let’s go, let’s order some punch, drink a glass and forget about the storm. Look how clear the day is! Wonderful weather, isn't it? To shorten this sad part of my story, I will only say that things went as usual with sailors: I got drunk and drowned in wine all my promises and oaths, all my laudable thoughts about immediately returning home. As soon as the calm came and I stopped being afraid that the waves would swallow me, I immediately forgot all my good intentions.

On the sixth day we saw the town of Yarmouth in the distance. The wind was headwind after the storm, so we moved forward very slowly. At Yarmouth we had to drop anchor. We stood waiting for a fair wind for seven or eight days.

During this time, many ships from Newcastle came here. We, however, would not have stood that long and would have entered the river with the tide, but the wind became fresher, and after five days it blew with all its might. Since the anchors and anchor ropes on our ship were strong, our sailors did not show the slightest alarm. They were confident that the ship was completely safe, and, according to the custom of sailors, they devoted all their free time to fun activities and amusements.

However, on the ninth day in the morning the wind became even fresher, and soon a terrible storm broke out. Even the experienced sailors were greatly frightened. Several times I heard our captain, passing me in and out of the cabin, muttering in a low voice: “We are lost! We're lost! End!"

Still, he did not lose his head, vigilantly observed the work of the sailors and took all measures to save his ship.

Until now I had not felt fear: I was sure that this storm would pass just as safely as the first. But when the captain himself announced that the end had come for all of us, I was terribly scared and ran out of the cabin onto the deck. Never in my life have I seen such a terrible sight. Huge waves moved across the sea like high mountains, and every three or four minutes such a mountain would fall on us.

At first I was numb with fear and could not look around. When at last I dared to look back, I realized what a disaster had broken out over us. On two heavily laden ships that were anchored nearby, the sailors cut down the masts so that the ships would be at least a little relieved of their weight.

Two more ships lost their anchors and the storm carried them out to sea. What was waiting for them there? All their masts were knocked down by the hurricane.

Small ships held up better, but some of them also had to suffer: two or three boats carried past our sides straight into the open sea.

In the evening, the navigator and boatswain came to the captain and told him that to save the ship it was necessary to cut down the foremast.

– You can’t hesitate for a minute! - they said. - Give the order and we will cut it down.

“Let’s wait a little longer,” the captain objected. “Maybe the storm will subside.”

He really didn’t want to cut the mast, but the boatswain began to argue that if the mast was left, the ship would sink - and the captain reluctantly agreed.

And when the foremast was cut down, the mainmast began to sway and rock the ship so much that it had to be cut down too.

Night fell, and suddenly one of the sailors, going down into the hold, shouted that the ship had sprung a leak. Another sailor was sent into the hold, and he reported that the water had already risen four feet.

Then the captain commanded:

- Pump out the water! All to the pumps!

When I heard this command, my heart sank in horror: it seemed to me that I was dying, my legs gave way, and I fell backwards on the bed. But the sailors pushed me aside and demanded that I not shirk my work.

- You've been idle enough, it's time to work hard! - they said.

There was nothing to do, I went to the pump and began to diligently pump out water.

At this time, small cargo ships, which could not resist the wind, raised anchors and went out to the open sea.

Seeing them, our captain ordered the cannon to be fired to let them know that we were in mortal danger. Hearing a cannon salvo and not understanding what was happening, I imagined that our ship had crashed. I became so scared that I fainted and fell. But at that time everyone cared about saving their own own life, and they didn’t pay attention to me. Nobody was interested in finding out what happened to me. One of the sailors took my place at the pump, pushing me aside with his foot. Everyone was sure that I was already dead. I lay there like that for a very long time. When I woke up, I got back to work. We worked tirelessly, but the water in the hold rose higher and higher.

It was obvious that the ship was going to sink. True, the storm was beginning to subside a little, but there was not the slightest possibility for us to stay on the water until we entered the harbor. Therefore, the captain did not stop firing his cannons, hoping that someone would save us from death.

Finally, the small ship closest to us risked lowering a boat to give us help. The boat could have capsized every minute, but it still approached us. Alas, we could not get into it, since there was no way to moor to our ship, although people rowed with all their might, risking their lives to save ours. We threw them a rope. They were unable to catch him for a long time, as the storm carried him to the side. But, fortunately, one of the daredevils contrived and, after many unsuccessful attempts, grabbed the rope by the very end. Then we pulled the boat under our stern and every single one of us went down into it. We wanted to get to their ship, but we could not resist the waves, and the waves carried us to the shore. It turned out that this was the only direction one could row. Less than a quarter of an hour had passed before our ship began to sink into the water. The waves that tossed our boat were so high that because of them we could not see the shore. Only in the briefest moment, when our boat was thrown onto the crest of a wave, could we see that a large crowd had gathered on the shore: people were running back and forth, preparing to give us help when we came closer. But we moved towards the shore very slowly. Only in the evening did we manage to get to land, and even then with the greatest difficulties.

We had to walk to Yarmouth. A warm welcome awaited us there: the inhabitants of the city, who already knew about our misfortune, gave us good housing, treated us to an excellent dinner and provided us with money so that we could get wherever we wanted - to London or to Hull.

Not far from Hull was York, where my parents lived, and, of course, I should have returned to them. They would forgive me for my unauthorized escape, and we would all be so happy!

But the crazy dream of sea adventures did not leave me even now. Although the sober voice of reason told me that new dangers and troubles awaited me at sea, I again began to think about how I could get on a ship and travel around the seas and oceans of the whole world.

My friend (the same one whose father owned the lost ship) was now gloomy and sad. The disaster that happened depressed him. He introduced me to his father, who also did not stop grieving about the sunken ship. Having learned from my son about my passion for sea travel, the old man looked at me sternly and said:

“Young man, you should never go to sea again.” I heard that you are cowardly, spoiled and lose heart at the slightest danger. Such people are not fit to be sailors. Return home quickly and reconcile with your family. You have experienced firsthand how dangerous it is to travel by sea.

I felt that he was right and could not object. But still I did not return home, because I was ashamed to appear in front of my loved ones. It seemed to me that all our neighbors would mock me; I was sure that my failures would make me the laughing stock of all my friends and acquaintances. Subsequently, I often noticed that people, especially in their youth, consider shameful not those unscrupulous acts for which we call them fools, but those good and noble deeds that they commit in moments of repentance, although only for these deeds can they be called reasonable . That was how I was at that time. The memories of the misfortunes I experienced during the shipwreck gradually faded, and after living in Yarmouth for two or three weeks, I went not to Hull, but to London.

Robinson is captured. – Escape

My great misfortune was that during all my adventures I did not join the ship as a sailor. True, I would have to work more than I am used to, but in the end I would learn seamanship and could eventually become a navigator, and perhaps even a captain. But at that time I was so unreasonable that of all the paths I always chose the worst. Since at that time I had smart clothes and had money in my pocket, I always came to the ship as an idle loafer: I did nothing there and learned nothing.

Young tomboys and slackers usually fall into bad company and in a very short time they completely lose their way. The same fate awaited me, but, fortunately, upon my arrival in London I managed to meet a respectable elderly captain who took a great part in me. Not long before, he sailed on his ship to the shores of Africa, to Guinea. This trip gave him considerable profit, and now he was going to go to the same region again.

He liked me because at that time I was a good conversationalist. He often spent his free time with me and, having learned that I wanted to see overseas countries, he invited me to set sail on his ship.

“It won’t cost you anything,” he said, “I won’t take money from you for travel or food.” You will be my guest on the ship. If you take some things with you and manage to sell them very profitably in Guinea, you will receive the entire profit. Try your luck - maybe you will get lucky.

Since this captain enjoyed general confidence, I willingly accepted his invitation.

Going to Guinea, I took with me some goods: I bought forty pounds sterling of various trinkets and glass items that were well sold among the savages.

I obtained these forty pounds with the assistance of close relatives with whom I was in correspondence: I told them that I was going to engage in trade, and they persuaded my mother, and perhaps my father, to help me with at least a small amount in my first enterprise.

This trip to Africa was, one might say, my only successful trip. Of course, I owed my success entirely to the captain’s selflessness and kindness.

During the journey, he studied mathematics with me and taught me shipbuilding. He enjoyed sharing his experiences with me, and I enjoyed listening to him and learning from him.

The voyage made me both a sailor and a merchant: I exchanged five pounds and nine ounces of gold dust for my trinkets, for which I received a fair sum on my return to London.

But, unfortunately for me, my friend the captain died soon after returning to England, and I had to make a second journey on my own, without friendly advice and help.

I sailed from England on the same ship. It was the most miserable journey that man has ever undertaken.

One day at dawn, when after a long voyage we were walking between the Canary Islands and Africa, we were attacked by pirates - sea robbers. These were Turks from Saleh. They noticed us from a distance and set off after us with full sail.

At first we hoped that we would be able to escape from them by flight, and we also raised all sails. But it soon became clear that in five or six hours they would certainly catch up with us. We realized that we needed to prepare for battle. We had twelve guns, and the enemy had eighteen.

About three o'clock in the afternoon the robber ship caught up with us, but the pirates made a big mistake: instead of approaching us from the stern, they approached us from the port side, where we had eight cannons. Taking advantage of their mistake, we aimed all these guns at them and fired a salvo.

There were at least two hundred Turks, so they responded to our fire not only with cannons, but also with a weapons salvo of two hundred guns.

Fortunately, no one was hit, everyone remained safe and sound. After this fight, the pirate ship retreated half a mile and began to prepare for a new attack. We, for our part, prepared for a new defense.

This time the enemies approached us from the other side and boarded us, that is, they hooked onto our side with hooks; about sixty people rushed onto the deck and first of all rushed to cut the masts and tackle.

We met them with rifle fire and cleared the deck of them twice, but were still forced to surrender, since our ship was no longer suitable for further voyage. Three of our men were killed and eight were wounded. We were taken as prisoners to the seaport of Saleh, which belonged to the Moors.

The other Englishmen were sent into the interior of the country, to the court of the cruel Sultan, but the captain of the robber ship kept me with him and made him his slave, because I was young and agile.

I cried bitterly: I remembered my father’s prediction that sooner or later trouble would happen to me and no one would come to my aid. I thought that it was me who had suffered such a misfortune. Alas, I had no idea that even worse troubles lay ahead.

Since my new master, the captain of the robber ship, left me with him, I hoped that when he went to rob again sea ​​vessels, he will take me with him. I was firmly convinced that in the end he would be captured by some Spanish or Portuguese warship and then my freedom would be returned to me.

But I soon realized that these hopes were in vain, because the first time my master went to sea, he left me at home to do the menial work that slaves usually do.

From that day on, I only thought about escape. But it was impossible to escape: I was alone and powerless. There was not a single Englishman among the prisoners whom I could trust. I languished in captivity for two years, without the slightest hope of escape. But in the third year I still managed to escape. It happened like this. My master constantly, once or twice a week, took a ship's boat and went out to the seashore to fish. On each such trip, he took me and one boy with him, whose name was Xuri. We rowed diligently and entertained our master as best we could. And since I, in addition, turned out to be a good fisherman, he sometimes sent both of us - me and this Xuri - for fish under the supervision of an old Moor, his distant relative.

One day my master invited two very important Moors to ride with him on his sailboat. For this trip, he prepared large supplies of food, which he sent to his boat in the evening. The boat was spacious. The owner, two years ago, ordered his ship's carpenter to build a small cabin in it, and in the cabin - a pantry for provisions. I put all my supplies in this pantry.

“Maybe the guests will want to hunt,” the owner told me. - Take three guns from the ship and take them to the boat.

I did everything I was ordered: I washed the deck, raised the flag on the mast, and the next morning I sat in the boat, waiting for guests. Suddenly the owner came alone and said that his guests would not go today, as they were delayed by business. Then he ordered the three of us - me, the boy Xuri and the Moor - to go in our boat to the seashore for fish.

“My friends will come to dinner with me,” he said, “so as soon as you catch enough fish, bring it here.”

It was then that the old dream of freedom awakened in me again. Now I had a ship, and as soon as the owner left, I began to prepare - not for fishing, but for a long voyage. True, I did not know where I would direct my path, but every road is good - as long as it means escaping from captivity.

“We should grab some food for ourselves,” I said to the Moor. “We can’t eat the food that the owner has prepared for the guests without asking.”

The old man agreed with me and soon brought a large basket of breadcrumbs and three jugs of fresh water.

I knew where the owner had a box of wine, and while the Moor went for provisions, I transported all the bottles to the boat and put them in the pantry, as if they had been previously stored for the owner.

In addition, I brought a huge piece of wax (weighing fifty pounds) and grabbed a skein of yarn, an ax, a saw and a hammer. All this was very useful to us later, especially the wax from which we made candles.

I came up with another trick, and again I managed to deceive the simple-minded Moor. His name was Ishmael, so everyone called him Moli. So I told him:

- Pray, there are the owner’s hunting rifles on the ship. It would be nice to get some gunpowder and a few charges - maybe we will be lucky enough to shoot some waders for dinner. The owner keeps gunpowder and shot on the ship, I know.

“Okay,” he said, “I’ll bring it.”

And he brought a large leather bag with gunpowder - weighing a pound and a half, and perhaps more, and another, with shot - five or six pounds. He also took the bullets. All this was stored in the boat. In addition, in the master's cabin there was some more gunpowder, which I poured into a large bottle, after first pouring out the remaining wine from it.

Having thus stocked up with everything necessary for a long voyage, we left the harbor as if going fishing. I put my rods in the water, but didn't catch anything (I purposely didn't pull my rods out when the fish was hooked).

“We won’t catch anything here!” - I said to the Moor. “The owner will not praise us if we return to him empty-handed.” We need to move further out to sea. Perhaps the fish will bite better away from the shore.

Not suspecting deception, the old Moor agreed with me and, since he was standing on the bow, raised the sail.

I was sitting at the helm, at the stern, and when the ship moved three miles out into the open sea, I began to drift - as if to start fishing again. Then, handing the steering wheel to the boy, I stepped onto the bow, approached the Moor from behind, suddenly lifted him and threw him into the sea. He immediately surfaced, because he was floating like a cork, and began shouting to me to take him into the boat, promising that he would go with me to the ends of the world. He swam so fast behind the ship that he would have caught up with me very soon (the wind was weak and the boat was barely moving). Seeing that the Moor would soon overtake us, I ran to the cabin, took one of the hunting rifles there, took aim at the Moor and said:

“I don’t wish you harm, but leave me alone now and come home quickly!” You are a good swimmer, the sea is calm, you can easily swim to the shore. Turn back and I won't touch you. But if you don’t leave the boat, I’ll shoot you in the head, because I’m determined to win my freedom.

He turned towards the shore and, I am sure, swam to it without difficulty.

Of course, I could take this Moor with me, but the old man could not be relied upon.

When the Moor fell behind the boat, I turned to the boy and said:

- Xuri, if you are faithful to me, I will do you a lot of good. Swear that you will never cheat on me, otherwise I will throw you into the sea too. The boy smiled, looking me straight in the eyes, and swore that he would be faithful to me until the grave and would go with me wherever I wanted. He spoke so sincerely that I could not help but believe him.

Until the Moor approached the shore, I headed for the open sea, tacking against the wind, so that everyone would think that we were going to Gibraltar.

But as soon as it began to get dark, I began to steer south, keeping slightly to the east, because I did not want to move away from the coast. A very fresh wind was blowing, but the sea was flat and calm, and therefore we were moving at a good pace.

When the next day, at three o'clock, land appeared ahead for the first time, we found ourselves already one and a half hundred miles south of Saleh, far beyond the boundaries of the possessions of the Moroccan Sultan, and indeed of any other African king. The shore we were approaching was completely deserted. But in captivity I gained such fear and was so afraid of being captured by the Moors again that, taking advantage of the favorable wind that drove my boat to the south, for five days I sailed forward and forward, without anchoring or going ashore.

Five days later the wind changed: it blew from the south, and since I was no longer afraid of pursuit, I decided to approach the shore and dropped anchor at the mouth of a small river. I can’t say what kind of river this is, where it flows and what kind of people live on its banks. Its banks were deserted, and this made me very happy, since I had no desire to see people. The only thing I needed was fresh water.

We entered the mouth in the evening and decided, when it got dark, to swim to land and examine all the surroundings. But as soon as it got dark, we heard terrible sounds from the shore: the shore was swarming with animals that howled, growled, roared and barked so furiously that poor Xuri almost died of fear and began to beg me not to go ashore until the morning.

“Okay, Xuri,” I told him, “let’s wait!” But maybe when daylight we will see people from whom we will suffer, perhaps, even worse than from fierce tigers and lions.

“And we’ll shoot these people with a gun,” he said with a laugh, “and they’ll run away!”

I was pleased that the boy was behaving well. So that he would not be discouraged in the future, I gave him a sip of wine.

I followed his advice, and we stayed at anchor all night, without leaving the boat and keeping our guns ready. We didn't have to sleep a wink until the morning.

About two or three hours after we dropped anchor, we heard the terrible roar of some huge animals very strange breed(we didn’t know which one ourselves). The animals approached the shore, entered the river, began to splash and wallow in it, obviously wanting to freshen up, and at the same time they squealed, roared and howled; I had never heard such disgusting sounds before.

Xuri trembled with fear; To tell the truth, I was scared too.

But we were both even more frightened when we heard that one of the monsters was swimming towards our ship. We couldn’t see it, but we only heard it puffing and snorting, and we guessed from these sounds alone that the monster was huge and ferocious.

“It must be a lion,” Xuri said. - Let's raise the anchor and get out of here!

“No, Xuri,” I objected, “we have no need to weigh anchor.” We’ll just let the rope go longer and move further out into the sea - the animals won’t chase us.

But as soon as I uttered these words, I saw an unknown beast at a distance of two oars from our ship. I was a little confused, but I immediately took a gun from the cabin and fired. The animal turned back and swam to the shore.

It is impossible to describe what a furious roar arose on the shore when my shot rang out: the animals here must have never heard this sound before. Here I was finally convinced that it was impossible to go ashore at night. But whether it would be possible to risk landing during the day—we didn’t know that either. Becoming a victim of some savage is no better than falling into the claws of a lion or tiger.

But we had to go ashore at all costs here or elsewhere, since we did not have a drop of water left. We have been thirsty for a long time. Finally the long-awaited morning arrived. Xuri said that if I let him go, he would wade to the shore and try to get fresh water. And when I asked him why he should go and not me, he answered:

- If he comes wild man, he will eat me, and you will remain alive.

This answer expressed such love for me that I was deeply moved.

“That’s it, Xuri,” I said, “we’ll both go.” And if a wild man comes, we will shoot him, and he will not eat you or me.

I gave the boy some crackers and a sip of wine; then we pulled ourselves closer to the ground and, jumping into the water, waded towards the shore, taking with us nothing but guns and two empty water jugs.

I did not want to move away from the shore so as not to lose sight of our ship.

I was afraid that savages might come down the river to us in their pirogues. But Ksuri, noticing a hollow a mile from the shore, rushed there with the jug.

Suddenly I see him running back. “Were the savages chasing him? – I thought in fear. “Was he afraid of some predatory animal?”

I rushed to his rescue and, running closer, I saw that something large was hanging behind his back. It turned out that he had killed some kind of animal, like our hare, only its fur was a different color and its legs were longer. We were both glad of this game, but I was even more delighted when Xury told me that he had found a lot of good fresh water in the hollow.

Having filled the jugs, we had a sumptuous breakfast of the killed animal and set off on our further journey. So we did not find any traces of humans in this area.

After we left the mouth of the river, several times during our further voyage I had to moor to the shore for fresh water.

One early morning we dropped anchor off some high cape. The tide has already begun. Suddenly Xuri, whose eyes were apparently sharper than mine, whispered:

I looked in the direction where Xuri was pointing, and I really saw a terrible beast. It was a huge lion. He lay under the ledge of the mountain.

“Listen, Xuri,” I said, “go to the shore and kill this lion.” The boy was scared.

- I should kill him! - he exclaimed. - But the lion will swallow me like a fly!

I asked him not to move and, without saying another word to him, I brought all our guns (there were three of them) from the cabin. I loaded one, the largest and most cumbersome, with two pieces of lead, having first poured a good charge of gunpowder into the barrel; he rolled two large bullets into another, and five smaller bullets into the third.

Taking the first gun and taking careful aim, I shot at the beast. I aimed at his head, but he lay in such a position (covering his head with his paw at eye level) that the charge hit his paw and crushed the bone. Lez growled and jumped up, but, feeling pain, he fell, then got up on three legs and hobbled away from the shore, emitting such a desperate roar that I had never heard before.

I was a little embarrassed that I missed his head; however, without hesitating for a minute, he took the second gun and shot after the beast. This time my charge hit the target. The lion fell, making barely audible hoarse sounds.

When Xuri saw the wounded animal, all his fears disappeared, and he began to ask me to let him go ashore.

- Okay, go! - I said.

The boy jumped into the water and swam to the shore, working with one hand, because he had a gun in the other. Coming close to the fallen animal, he put the muzzle of a gun to its ear and killed it outright.

It was, of course, pleasant to shoot a lion while hunting, but its meat was not suitable for food, and I was very sorry that we spent three charges on such worthless game. However, Xuri said that he would try to profit from something from the killed lion, and when we returned to the boat, he asked me for an ax.

- For what? – I asked.

“Cut off his head,” he answered.

However, he could not cut off the head, he did not have enough strength: he only cut off a paw, which he brought to our boat. The paw was of unusual size.

Then it occurred to me that the skin of this lion might perhaps be useful to us, and I decided to try to skin him. We went ashore again, but I didn't know how to take on this job. Xuri turned out to be more dexterous than me.

We worked all day. The skin was removed only in the evening. We stretched it out on the roof of our small cabin. Two days later it completely dried out in the sun and then served as my bed.

Having set sail from this shore, we sailed straight south and did not change our direction for ten or twelve days in a row.

Our provisions were running out, so we tried to use our supplies as economically as possible. We only went ashore for fresh water.

I wanted to get to the mouth of the river Gambia or Senegal, that is, to those places adjacent to the Cape Verde, since I hoped to meet some European ship here. I knew that if I did not meet a ship in these places, I would either have to set off on the open sea in search of islands, or die among the blacks - I had no other choice.

I also knew that all the ships that sail from Europe, wherever they go - to the shores of Guinea, to Brazil or to the East Indies - pass by Cape Verde, and therefore it seemed to me that all my happiness depended only on whether I will meet any European ship at Cape Verde.

“If I don’t meet you,” I told myself, “I face certain death.”

Meeting with the savages

Another ten days passed. We continued to move steadily south. At first the coast was deserted; then in two or three places we saw naked black people standing on the shore and looking at us.

I somehow decided to go ashore and talk with them, but Xuri, my wise adviser, said:

- Do not go! Do not go! No need!

And yet, I began to stay closer to the shore so that I could start a conversation with these people. The savages obviously understood what I wanted and ran after us along the shore for a long time.

I noticed that they were unarmed, only one of them had a long thin stick in his hand. Xuri told me that it was a spear and that the savages throw their spears very far and with amazing accuracy. So I kept some distance from them and spoke to them by signs, trying to make them understand that we were hungry and needed food. They understood and began, in turn, to make signs for me to stop my boat, since they intended to bring us food.

I lowered the sail and the boat stopped. Two savages ran somewhere and half an hour later they brought two large pieces of dried meat and two bags of grain of some kind of cereal growing in those places. We did not know what kind of meat or grain it was, but we expressed our full readiness to accept both.

But how to receive the offered gift? We could not go ashore: we were afraid of the savages, and they were afraid of us. And so, in order for both sides to feel safe, the savages piled all the provisions on the shore and moved away. Only after we transported her to the boat did they return to their original place.

The kindness of the savages touched us, we thanked them with signs, since we could not offer them any gifts in return.

However, at that very moment we had a wonderful opportunity to do them a great service.

Before we had time to set sail from the shore, we suddenly saw two strong and scary beast. They rushed as fast as they could straight to the sea. It seemed to us that one of them was chasing the other. The people on the shore, especially the women, were terribly frightened. A commotion began, many screamed and cried. Only the savage who had the spear remained in place, all the others began to run in all directions. But the animals rushed straight to the sea and did not touch any of the blacks. It was only then that I saw how huge they were. They ran into the water and began diving and swimming, so that one might perhaps think that they had come here solely for sea swimming.

Suddenly one of them swam quite close to our boat. I did not expect this, but nevertheless I was not taken by surprise: having quickly loaded the gun, I prepared to meet the enemy. As soon as he approached us within a rifle shot, I pulled the trigger and shot him in the head. At the same moment, he plunged into the water, then emerged and swam back to the shore, then disappearing into the water, then reappearing on the surface. He struggled with death, choking and bleeding. Before reaching the shore, he died and sank.

No words can convey how stunned the savages were when they heard the roar and saw the fire of my shot: others almost died from her fear and fell to the ground as if dead.

But, seeing that the animal was killed and that I was making signs for them to come closer to the shore, they became bolder and crowded near the water itself: apparently, they really wanted to find the killed animal under the water. In the place where he drowned, the water was stained with blood, and therefore I easily found him. Having hooked it with a rope, I threw its end to the savages and they pulled the dead animal to the shore. It was a large leopard with an unusually beautiful spotted skin. The savages, standing over him, raised their hands up in amazement and joy; they could not understand what I used to kill him.

Another animal, frightened by my shot, swam to the shore and rushed back to the mountains.

I noticed that the savages really wanted to eat the meat of a killed leopard, and it occurred to me that it would be good if they received it from me as a gift.

I showed them with signs that they could take the beast for themselves.

They thanked me warmly and immediately got to work. They did not have knives, but, using a sharp sliver of wood, they removed the skin from the dead animal as quickly and deftly as we could not have removed it with a knife.

They offered me meat, but I refused, making a sign that I was giving it to them. I asked them for the skin, which they gave me very willingly. In addition, they brought me a new supply of provisions, and I gladly accepted their gift. Then I asked them for water: I took one of our jugs and turned it upside down to show that it was empty and that I asked for it to be filled. Then they shouted something. A little later two women appeared and brought large vessel made of baked clay (savages must bake clay in the sun). The women placed this vessel on the shore, and they themselves left, as before. I sent Xuri ashore with all three jugs, and he filled them to the top.

Having thus received water, meat and grains, I parted with the friendly savages and for eleven days continued my journey in the same direction, without turning towards the shore.

Every night during the calm, we made a fire and lit a homemade candle in the lantern, hoping that some ship would notice our tiny flame, but not a single ship met us along the way.

Finally, about fifteen miles in front of me, I saw a strip of land protruding far into the sea. The weather was calm, and I turned into the open sea to go around this spit. At that moment, when we caught up with its tip, I clearly saw another land about six miles from the coast on the ocean side and concluded quite correctly that the narrow spit was Cape Verde, and that land that loomed in the distance was one of the Cape Verde islands . But the islands were very far away, and I did not dare to go to them.

Suddenly I heard a boy scream:

- Master! Mister! Ship and sail!

The naive Xuri was so frightened that he almost lost his mind: he imagined that it was one of his master’s ships, sent in pursuit of us. But I knew how far we had gone from the Moors, and I was sure that they were no longer afraid of us.

I jumped out of the cabin and immediately saw the ship. I even managed to see that the ship was Portuguese. “He must be heading for the coast of Guinea,” I thought. But, having looked more closely, I was convinced that the ship was going in a different direction and had no intention of turning towards the shore. Then I raised all the sails and rushed into the open sea, deciding at all costs to enter into negotiations with the ship.

It soon became clear to me that, even going at full speed, I would not have time to get close enough for the ship to distinguish my signals. But just at that moment, when I was beginning to despair, we were seen from the deck - probably through a spyglass. As I learned later, the ship decided that it was a boat from some sunken European ship. The ship drifted to give me the opportunity to get closer, and I moored to it about three hours later.

They asked me who I was, first in Portuguese, then in Spanish, then in French, but I did not know any of these languages.

Finally one sailor, a Scot, spoke to me in English, and I told him that I was an Englishman who had escaped from captivity. Then my companion and I were very kindly invited onto the ship. Soon we found ourselves on deck with our boat.

It is impossible to express in words the delight I felt when I felt free. I was saved both from slavery and from the death that threatened me! My happiness was limitless. To celebrate, I offered all the property that was with me to my savior, the captain, as a reward for my deliverance. But the captain refused.

“I won’t take anything from you,” he said. – All your belongings will be returned to you intact as soon as we arrive in Brazil. I saved your life because I am well aware that I myself could have found myself in the same trouble. And how happy I would be then if you provided me with the same help! Don't forget also that we are going to Brazil, and Brazil is far from England, and there you can starve without these things. I didn’t save you just to destroy you later! No, no, sir, I will take you to Brazil for free, and the things will give you the opportunity to provide yourself with food and pay for travel to your homeland.

Robinson settles in Brazil. - He goes to sea again. - His ship is wrecked

The captain was magnanimous and generous not only in words, but also in deeds. He faithfully fulfilled all his promises. He ordered that none of the sailors should dare touch my property, then he made a detailed list of all the things belonging to me, ordered them to be put together with his things, and handed the list to me so that upon arrival in Brazil I could receive everything in full.

He wanted to buy my boat. The boat was really good. The captain said he would buy it for his ship and asked how much I wanted for it.

“You,” I answered, “have done me so much good that I in no way consider myself entitled to set a price for the boat.” I will take as much as you give.

Then he said that he would give me a written undertaking to pay eighty ducats for my boat immediately upon arrival in Brazil, but if there was another buyer for me there who would offer me more, the captain would pay me the same amount.

Our move to Brazil was completed quite safely. On the way, we helped the sailors, and they became friends with us. After a twenty-two day voyage we entered the Bay of All Saints. Then I finally felt that my troubles were behind me, that I was already a free man, and not a slave, and that my life was beginning all over again.

I will never forget how generously the captain of the Portuguese ship treated me.

He didn't charge me a penny for the fare; he returned all my belongings to me completely intact, up to three clay jugs; he gave me forty gold pieces for a lion skin and twenty for a leopard skin and generally bought everything that I had in excess and that it was convenient for me to sell, including a box of wines, two guns and the remaining wax (part of which we used for candles). In a word, when I sold him most of my property and landed on the shores of Brazil, I had two hundred and twenty gold pieces in my pocket.

I did not want to part with my companion Xuri: he was such a faithful and reliable comrade, he helped me gain freedom. But he had nothing to do with me; besides, I was not sure that I would be able to feed him. Therefore, I was very happy when the captain told me that he liked this boy, that he would willingly take him on board his ship and make him a sailor.

Soon after arriving in Brazil, my friend the captain took me into the house of one of his acquaintances. He was the owner of a sugar cane plantation and a sugar factory. I lived with him for quite a long time and thanks to this I was able to study sugar production.

Seeing how well the local planters were living and how quickly they were getting rich, I decided to settle in Brazil and also start producing sugar. With all my cash, I rented a plot of land and began to draw up plans for my future plantation and estate.

I had a neighbor on the plantation who came here from Lisbon. His name was Wells. He was originally English, but had long since become a Portuguese citizen. He and I soon got along and were on the most friendly terms. For the first two years, we both could barely survive on our crops. But as the land was developed, we became richer.

Having lived in Brazil for four years and gradually expanding my business, it goes without saying that I not only learned Spanish, but also got to know all my neighbors, as well as merchants from San Salvador, the nearest seaside city to us. Many of them became my friends. We often met, and, of course, I often told them about my two trips to the Guinea coast, about how trade was conducted with the blacks there and how easy it was there for some trinkets - for beads, knives, scissors, axes or mirrors - purchase gold dust and ivory.

They always listened to me with great interest and discussed for a long time what I told them.

One day three of them came to me and, having made me promise that our entire conversation would remain secret, they said:

– You say that where you were, you could easily get whole piles of gold dust and other valuables. We want to equip a ship to Guinea for gold. Are you willing to go to Guinea? You will not have to invest a penny in this enterprise: we will give you everything you need for the exchange. For your work you will receive your share of the profit, the same as each of us.

I should have refused and stayed for a long time in fertile Brazil, but, I repeat, I have always been the author of my own misfortunes. I was eager to experience new sea adventures, and my head was spinning with joy.

In my youth, I was unable to overcome my love of travel and did not listen to my father’s good advice. So now I could not resist the tempting offer of my Brazilian friends.

I answered them that I would willingly go to Guinea, with the condition, however, that during my journey they would look after my possessions and dispose of them according to my instructions in case I did not return.

They solemnly promised to fulfill my wishes and sealed our agreement with a written commitment. I, for my part, made a will in case of death: all my movable and real estate I bequeathed it to the Portuguese captain who saved my life. But at the same time, I made a reservation that he would send part of the capital to England to my elderly parents.

The ship was equipped, and my companions, according to the agreement, loaded it with goods.

And here it is again - at an unkind hour! – On September 1, 1659, I stepped onto the deck of a ship. This was the same day on which eight years ago I ran away from my father’s house and so madly ruined my youth.

On the twelfth day of our voyage we crossed the equator and were in seven degrees twenty-two minutes north latitude, when we were suddenly struck by a furious squall. It came from the southeast, then began to blow the opposite side and, finally, it blew from the northeast - it blew continuously with such terrifying force that for twelve days we were forced, surrendering to the power of the hurricane, to swim wherever the waves drove us. Needless to say, all these twelve days I was expecting death every minute, and none of us thought that we would survive.

One early morning (the wind was still blowing with the same force) one of the sailors shouted:

But before we had time to run out of the cabins to find out which shores our unfortunate ship was rushing past, we felt that it had run aground. At that same moment, from the sudden stop, our entire deck was washed over by such a violent and powerful wave that we were forced to immediately hide in the cabins.

The ship was sunk so deep in the sand that there was no point in even thinking about pulling it off the sand. There was only one thing left for us to do: take care of saving our own lives. We had two boats. One hung behind the stern; During a storm it was broken and carried out to sea. There was another one left, but no one knew whether it would be possible to launch it. Meanwhile, there was no time to think: the ship could split in two any minute.

The captain's assistant rushed to the boat and, with the help of the sailors, threw it over the side. All of us, eleven people, entered the boat and surrendered to the will of the raging waves, since, although the storm had already subsided, still huge waves were running onto the shore and the sea could rightly be called mad.

Our situation became even more terrible: we saw clearly that the boat was about to be overwhelmed and that it was impossible for us to escape. We did not have a sail, and even if we had, it would have been completely useless to us. We rowed towards the shore with despair in our hearts, like people being led to execution. We all understood that as soon as the boat came closer to the ground, the surf would immediately smash it to pieces. Driven by the wind, we leaned on the oars, bringing our own death closer.

We carried us like this for about four miles, and suddenly an angry wave, high as a mountain, ran from the stern onto our boat. This was the final, fatal blow. The boat capsized. At that very moment we found ourselves under water. The storm scattered us in different directions in one second.

It is impossible to describe the confusion of feelings and thoughts that I experienced when the wave covered me. I am a very good swimmer, but I did not have the strength to immediately emerge from this abyss to catch my breath, and I almost suffocated. The wave picked me up, dragged me towards the ground, broke and washed away, leaving me half dead, as I had swallowed water. I took a breath and came to my senses a little. Seeing that the land was so close (much closer than I expected), I jumped to my feet and headed towards the shore with extreme haste. I hoped to reach it before another wave came and caught me, but I soon realized that I could not escape it: the sea was coming at me like a big mountain; it was overtaking me like a fierce enemy with which it was impossible to fight. I did not resist the waves that carried me to the shore; but as soon as they left the land and went back, I floundered and fought in every possible way so that they would not take me back to the sea.

The next wave was huge: at least twenty or thirty feet high. She buried me deep beneath her. Then I was picked up and rushed to the ground with extraordinary speed. For a long time I swam with the flow, helping it with all my might, and almost suffocated in the water, when I suddenly felt that I was being carried somewhere upward. Soon, to my greatest happiness, my hands and head were above the surface of the water, and although after two seconds another wave hit me, this brief respite still gave me strength and vigor.

A new wave again covered me completely, but this time I did not stay under water for so long. When the wave broke and subsided, I did not succumb to its pressure, but swam to the shore and soon again felt that the earth was under my feet.

I stood there for two or three seconds, took a deep breath, and with the last of my strength I ran to the shore.

But even now I did not escape from the angry sea: it again set off after me. Two more times the waves overtook me and carried me to the shore, which in this place was very sloping.

The last wave threw me against the rock with such force that I lost consciousness.

For some time I was completely helpless, and if at that moment the sea had managed to fly at me again, I would certainly have drowned in the water. Fortunately, my consciousness returned in time. Seeing that the wave was about to cover me again, I firmly grabbed onto the ledge of the cliff and, holding my breath, tried to wait until it subsided.

Here, closer to land, the waves were not so huge. When the water subsided, I ran forward again and found myself so close to the shore that the next wave, although it washed me all over, could no longer carry me out to sea.

I ran a few more steps and felt with joy that I was standing on solid ground. I began to climb the coastal rocks and, having reached a high hillock, fell onto the grass. Here I was safe: the water could not reach me.

I think there are no words that could describe the joyful feelings of a person who has risen, so to speak, from the grave! I began to run and jump, I waved my arms, I even sang and danced. My whole being, so to speak, was consumed by thoughts of my happy salvation.

But then I suddenly thought about my drowned comrades. I felt sorry for them, because during the voyage I had become attached to many of them. I remembered their faces and names. Alas, I never saw any of them again; no traces remained of them, except for three hats that belonged to them, one cap and two unpaired shoes, thrown onto land by the sea.

Looking to where our ship stood, I could barely see it behind the ridge of high waves - it was so far away! And I said to myself: “What happiness, great happiness, that I reached this distant shore in such a storm!” Having expressed in these words my ardent joy at being freed from mortal danger, I remembered that the land can be as terrible as the sea, that I do not know where I ended up, and that I need to carefully examine the unfamiliar terrain in a very short time.

As soon as I thought about this, my enthusiasm immediately cooled down: I realized that although I had saved my life, I had not been saved from misfortune, hardship and horror. All my clothes were soaked through, and I had nothing to change into. I had neither food nor fresh water to refresh my strength. What future awaited me? Either I will die of hunger, or I will be torn to pieces by fierce beasts. And, what’s saddest of all, I couldn’t hunt game, I couldn’t defend myself from animals, since I didn’t have any weapons with me. In general, I had nothing on me except a knife and a tin of tobacco.

This drove me into such despair that I began to run back and forth along the shore like crazy.

Night was approaching, and I sadly asked myself: “What awaits me if there are wild animals in this area? After all, they always go hunting at night.”

Nearby stood a wide, branchy tree. I decided to climb it and sit among its branches until the morning. I couldn’t think of anything else to save myself from the animals. “And when the morning comes,” I said to myself, “I will have time to think about what kind of death I am destined to die, because it is impossible to live in these deserted places.”

I was thirsty. I went to see if there was any fresh water nearby, and, moving a quarter of a mile from the shore, to my great joy, I found a stream.

Having drunk and put tobacco in my mouth to stifle my hunger, I returned to the tree, climbed onto it and settled in its branches so as not to fall in my sleep. Then he cut off a short branch and, having made himself a club in case of an enemy attack, sat down comfortably and fell soundly asleep from terrible fatigue.

I slept sweetly, as not many people would have slept on such an uncomfortable bed, and it’s unlikely that anyone after such an overnight stay would wake up so fresh and invigorated.

Robinson on a desert island. – He gets things from the ship and builds himself a home

I woke up late. The weather was clear, the wind had died down, and the sea had stopped raging.

I looked at the ship we had abandoned and was surprised to see that it was no longer in its original place. Now he was washed closer to the shore. He found himself not far from the very rock that the wave almost smashed me against. The tide must have lifted him during the night, dislodged him and brought him here. Now he stood no more than a mile from where I spent the night. The waves obviously did not break it: it floated almost straight on the water.

I immediately decided to get onto the ship to stock up on provisions and various other things.

Having descended from the tree, I looked around again. The first thing I saw was our boat, lying on the right hand, on the shore, two miles away - where the hurricane had thrown it. I was about to go in that direction, but it turned out that you couldn’t go there the direct way: a bay, half a mile wide, cut deep into the shore and blocked the way. I turned back because it was much more important for me to get to the ship: I hoped to find food there.

In the afternoon the waves subsided completely, and the tide was so strong that I walked a quarter of a mile to the ship on a dry bottom.

Here again my heart ached: it became clear to me that we would all now be alive if we had not been frightened by the storm and had not abandoned our ship. It was only necessary to wait for the storm to pass, and we would safely reach the shore, and now I would not be forced to live in poverty in this deserted desert.

At the thought of my loneliness, I began to cry, but, remembering that tears never stop misfortunes, I decided to continue on my way and get to the broken ship at any cost. Having undressed, I entered the water and swam.

But the most difficult thing was yet to come: I could not board the ship. He stood in a shallow place, so that he almost entirely protruded from the water, and there was nothing to grab onto. I swam around it for a long time and suddenly noticed a ship’s rope (I’m surprised it didn’t immediately catch my eye!). The rope hung from the hatch, and its end was so high above the water that I managed to catch it with the greatest difficulty. I climbed the rope to the cockpit. The underwater part of the ship was breached and the hold was filled with water. The ship stood on a hard sandbank, its stern rose strongly, and its bow almost touched the water. Thus, water did not get into the stern, and none of the things that were there got wet. I hurried there, because first of all I wanted to find out which things had spoiled and which had survived. It turned out that the entire supply of ship provisions remained completely dry. And since I was tormented by hunger, the first thing I did was go to the pantry, get some crackers and, continuing to inspect the ship, I ate as I went, so as not to waste time. In the wardroom I found a bottle of rum and took a few good sips from it, as I really needed reinforcement for the upcoming work.

First of all, I needed a boat to transport the things I might need ashore. But there was nowhere to get a boat, and it was useless to wish for the impossible. It was necessary to come up with something else. The ship had spare masts, topmasts and yards. I decided to build a raft from this material and eagerly set to work. The cockpit is a room for sailors at the bow of the ship.

Having selected several lighter logs, I threw them overboard, having first tied each log with a rope so that they would not be carried away. Then I descended from the ship, pulled four logs towards me, tied them tightly at both ends, fastening them on top with two or three planks laid crosswise, and I got something like a raft.

This raft carried me perfectly, but for a large load it was too light and small.

I had to climb onto the ship again. There I found our ship's carpenter's saw and sawed the spare mast into three logs, which I attached to the raft. The raft became wider and much more stable. This work cost me enormous effort, but the desire to stock up on everything necessary for life supported me, and I did what under ordinary circumstances I would not have had the strength to do.

Now my raft was wide and strong, it could withstand a significant load.

What should we load this raft with and what should we do to prevent it from being washed away by the tide? There was no time to think for a long time; we had to hurry.

First of all, I laid on the raft all the boards that were found on the ship; then he took three chests that belonged to our sailors, broke the locks and threw out all the contents. Then I selected the things that I might need most and filled all three chests with them. In one chest I put food supplies: rice, crackers, three circles of Dutch cheese, five large pieces of dried goat meat, which served as our main meat food on the ship, and the remains of barley, which we brought from Europe for the chickens on the ship; We ate the chickens a long time ago, but there was some grain left. This barley was mixed with wheat; it would have been very useful to me, but, unfortunately, as it turned out later, it was badly damaged by rats. In addition, I found several cases of wine and up to six gallons of rice brandy that belonged to our captain.

I also placed these boxes on the raft, next to the chests.

Meanwhile, while I was busy loading, the tide began to rise, and I was saddened to see that my caftan, shirt and camisole, which I had left on the shore, were carried out to sea.

Now all I have left are stockings and pants (linen, short to the knees), which I did not take off when I swam to the ship. This made me think about stocking up on clothes as well as food. There were a sufficient number of jackets and trousers on the ship, but I took only one pair for now, because I was much more tempted by many other things, and above all work tools.

After a long search, I found our carpenter's box, and it was a truly precious find for me, which I would not have traded at that time for a whole ship full of gold. I put this box on the raft without even looking into it, since I knew very well what tools were in it.

Now all I had to do was stock up on weapons and ammunition. In the cabin I found two good hunting rifles and two pistols, which I laid on the raft along with a powder flask, a bag of shot and two old, rusty swords. I knew that we had three kegs of gunpowder on the ship, but I did not know where they were stored. However, after a thorough search, all three barrels were found. One turned out to be wet, and two were dry, and I dragged them onto the raft along with guns and swords. Now my raft was sufficiently loaded, and I had to hit the road. Getting to the shore on a raft without a sail, without a rudder is not an easy task: the weakest headwind was enough for my entire structure to capsize.

Luckily the sea was calm. The tide was coming in, which was supposed to drive me towards the shore. In addition, a slight breeze arose, also favorable. Therefore, taking with me the broken oars from the ship's boat, I hurried on the way back. Soon I managed to spot a small bay, to which I directed my raft. With great difficulty I navigated it across the current and finally entered this bay, resting my oar on the bottom, since it was shallow here; As soon as the tide began to ebb, my raft with all its cargo ended up on a dry shore.

Now I had to examine the surrounding area and choose a convenient place to live - one where I could put all my property without fear that it would perish. I still didn’t know where I ended up: on the mainland or on the island. Do people live here? Are there any predatory animals here? Half a mile away, or a little further, there was a hill, steep and high. I decided to climb it to look around. Taking a gun, a pistol and a powder flask, I went on reconnaissance.

It was difficult to climb to the top of the hill. When I finally climbed up, I saw what a bitter fate had befallen me: I was on an island! The sea spread out all around on all sides, behind which there was no land visible anywhere, except for several reefs sticking out in the distance and two islands that lay about nine miles to the west. These islands were small, much smaller than mine.

I made another discovery: the vegetation on the island was wild, not a single piece of cultivated land was visible anywhere! This means that there really were no people here!

There also seemed to be no predatory animals here, at least I didn’t notice any. But there were a lot of birds, all of some species unknown to me, so that later, when I happened to shoot a bird, I could never determine by its appearance whether its meat was suitable for food or not. Descending from the hill, I shot one bird, a very large one: it was sitting on a tree at the edge of the forest.

I think this was the first shot heard in these wild places. Before I had time to shoot, a cloud of birds soared over the forest. Each screamed in its own way, but none of these screams sounded like the screams of birds I knew.

The bird I killed resembled our European hawk both in the color of its feathers and the shape of its beak. Only her claws were much shorter. Its meat tasted like carrion, and I could not eat it.

These were the discoveries I made on the first day. Then I returned to the raft and began dragging things ashore. This took me the rest of the day.

By evening I again began to think about how and where I should settle down for the night.

I was afraid to lie straight on the ground: what if I was in danger of being attacked by some predatory animal? Therefore, having chosen a convenient place to spend the night on the shore, I blocked it off on all sides with chests and boxes, and inside this fence I built something like a hut from boards.

I was also worried about how I would get food for myself when my supplies ran out: except for birds and two animals, like our hare, that jumped out of the forest at the sound of my shot, I didn’t see any living creatures here.

However, at the moment I was much more interested in something else. I didn’t take everything that could be taken from the ship; There were many things left there that could be useful to me, and above all sails and ropes. Therefore, I decided, if nothing would stop me, to visit the ship again. I was sure that at the first storm it would be smashed to pieces. It was necessary to put aside all other matters and hastily start unloading the ship. I can’t calm down until I take all my things ashore, down to the last nail. Having come to this decision, I began to think whether I should go on a raft or swim, like the first time. I decided that it would be more convenient to go swimming. Only this time I undressed in the hut, remaining in only the bottom plaid shirt, linen pants and leather shoes on my bare feet. Just like the first time, I climbed onto the ship by rope, then put together a new raft and transported many useful things on it. Firstly, I grabbed everything that was found in our carpenter’s closet, namely: two or three bags of nails (large and small), a screwdriver, two dozen axes, and most importantly, such a useful thing as a sharpener.

Then I grabbed several things that I found from our gunner: three iron scraps, two barrels of gun bullets and some gunpowder. Then I found a whole heap of all kinds of clothes on the ship and also grabbed a spare sail, a hammock, several mattresses and pillows. I put all this on the raft and, to my great pleasure, delivered it to the shore intact. Going to the ship, I was afraid that in my absence some predators would attack the provisions. Fortunately, this did not happen.

Only some animal came running from the forest and sat down on one of my chests. Seeing me, he ran a little to the side, but immediately stopped and stood on hind legs and with imperturbable calm, without any fear, he looked into my eyes, as if he wanted to get to know me.

The animal was beautiful, like a wild cat. I aimed my gun at him, but he, unaware of the danger that threatened him, did not even move. Then I threw him a piece of cracker, although it was unreasonable on my part, since I didn’t have enough crackers and I should have saved them. Still, I liked the animal so much that I gave him this piece of cracker. He ran up, sniffed the cracker, ate it and licked it with great pleasure. It was clear that he was waiting for the continuation. But I didn't give him anything else. He sat for a while and left.

After that I began to build myself a tent. I made it from a sail and poles that I cut in the forest. I moved everything that could be damaged by the sun and rain into the tent, and piled empty boxes and chests around it, in case of a sudden attack by people or wild animals.

I blocked the entrance to the tent from the outside with a large chest, placing it sideways, and blocked it from the inside with boards. Then I spread out the bed on the ground, placed two pistols at the head of the bed, a gun next to the bed, and lay down.

This was the first night I spent in bed after the shipwreck. I slept soundly until the morning, since the previous night I slept very little, and worked all day without rest: first I loaded things from the ship onto the raft, and then transported them to the shore.

No one, I think, had such a huge warehouse of things as I now had. But everything seemed not enough to me. The ship was intact, and as long as it didn’t drift away, as long as there was at least one thing left on it that I could use, I considered it necessary to take everything that was possible from there to the shore. Therefore, every day I went there at low tide and brought with me more and more new things.

My third trip was especially successful. I dismantled all the gear and took all the ropes with me. This time I brought a large piece of spare canvas, which we used for repairing sails, and a keg of wet gunpowder, which I had left on the ship. In the end I got all the sails ashore; I just had to cut them into pieces and transport them piece by piece. However, I did not regret it: I did not need the sails for navigation, and all their value to me lay in the canvas from which they were made.

Now absolutely everything that one person could lift was taken from the ship. All that was left were the bulky things, which I set to work on on the next flight. I started with the ropes. I cut each rope into pieces of such a size that it would not be too difficult for me to handle them, and I transported three ropes in pieces. In addition, I took from the ship all the iron parts that I could tear off with an ax. Then, having cut off all the remaining yards, I built a larger raft out of them, loaded all these weights onto it and set off on the return journey.

But this time my luck betrayed me: my raft was so heavily loaded that it was very difficult for me to control it.

When, having entered the bay, I approached the shore where the rest of my property was stored, the raft capsized and I fell into the water with all my cargo. I couldn’t drown, since it happened not far from the shore, but almost all of my cargo ended up under water; Most importantly, the iron that I valued so much sank.

True, when the tide began to ebb, I pulled almost all the pieces of rope and several pieces of iron ashore, but I had to dive for each piece, and this tired me very much.

My trips to the ship continued day after day, and each time I brought something new.

I have already lived on the island for thirteen days and during this time I have been on the ship eleven times, dragging ashore absolutely everything that a pair of human hands can lift. I have no doubt that if the calm weather had lasted longer, I would have transported the entire ship piece by piece.

While making preparations for the twelfth flight, I noticed that the wind was rising. Nevertheless, after waiting for the tide to go out, I went to the ship. During my previous visits, I searched our cabin so thoroughly that it seemed to me as if it was impossible to find anything there. But suddenly a small cabinet with two drawers caught my eye: in one I found three razors, scissors and about a dozen good forks and knives; in another box there was money, partly European, partly Brazilian silver and gold coins, totaling thirty-six pounds sterling.

I grinned at the sight of this money.

“You worthless trash,” I said, “what do I need you for now?” I would willingly give a whole bunch of gold for any of these penny knives. I have nowhere to put you. So go to the bottom of the sea. If you were lying on the floor, really, it wouldn’t be worth the effort to bend over to lift you up.

But, after thinking a little, I still wrapped the money in a piece of canvas and took it with me.

The sea raged all night, and when I looked out of my tent in the morning, not a trace remained of the ship. Now I could fully deal with the question that had been troubling me since the first day: what should I do so that neither predatory animals nor wild people would attack me? What kind of housing should I arrange? Dig a cave or pitch a tent?

In the end I decided to do both.

By this time it became clear to me that the place I had chosen on the shore was not suitable for building a dwelling: it was a swampy, low-lying place, close to the sea. Living in such places is very harmful. In addition, there was no fresh water nearby. I decided to find another piece of land more suitable for habitation. I needed my home to be protected from the heat of the sun and from predators; so that it stands in a place where there is no dampness; so that there is fresh water nearby. In addition, I definitely wanted the sea to be visible from my house.

End of free trial.

It is hardly possible to meet a person who has not heard of Robinson Crusoe, the hero of the book by Daniel Defoe. She's on the list school literature For additional reading, many adults enjoy returning to this book years later. Despite the fact that this work was written three hundred years ago, it remains in demand, because it contains a lot of useful thoughts.

The writer tells a story about a young man who always dreamed of traveling by sea. Robinson Crusoe's father was against it, believing that it was too dangerous, but he did not listen to him. He followed his dream. Even the first not entirely successful voyage did not moderate his ardor.

One of Robinson's voyages turned out to be dangerous and ended with him being left all alone on a desert island. He had to adapt to new living conditions, get his own food, and make clothes. The issue of communication was no less pressing, because it is difficult to live alone for a long time while remaining calm.

Robinson spent many years on the island and was able to settle down and get used to it. His example inspires, making you remember how important it is to appreciate what you have. His fortitude is admirable, because he could have given up and died without food and fresh water, but he did not give up for a minute and persistently searched for a way to survive.

On our website you can download the book "Robinson Crusoe" by Danielle Defoe for free and without registration in epub, fb2, pdf, txt format, read the book online or buy the book in the online store.

Chapter 1

Robinson family. – His escape from his parents' house

From early childhood I loved the sea more than anything in the world. I envied every sailor who set off on a long voyage. For hours at a time I stood on the seashore and without taking my eyes off the ships passing by.

My parents didn't like it very much. My father, an old, sick man, wanted me to become an important official, serve in the royal court and receive a large salary. But I dreamed of sea voyages. It seemed to me the greatest happiness to wander the seas and oceans.

My father guessed what was on my mind. One day he called me over and said angrily:

– I know: you want to run away from your home. This is crazy. You must stay. If you stay, I will be a good father to you, but woe to you if you run away! “Here his voice trembled, and he added quietly:

- Think about your sick mother... She won’t be able to bear being separated from you.

Tears sparkled in his eyes. He loved me and wanted the best for me.

I felt sorry for the old man, I firmly decided to stay in my parents’ house and not think about sea voyages anymore. But alas! – several days passed, and nothing remained of my good intentions. I was again drawn to the sea shores. I began to dream of masts, waves, sails, seagulls, unknown countries, lights of lighthouses.

Two or three weeks after my conversation with my father, I finally decided to run away. Choosing a time when my mother was cheerful and calm, I approached her and respectfully said:

“I’m already eighteen years old, and these years are too late to study judging. Even if I had entered the service somewhere, I would still have fled to distant countries after a few years. I so want to see foreign lands, to visit both Africa and Asia! Even if I get attached to something, I still don’t have the patience to see it through to the end. I ask you, persuade my father to let me go to sea at least for a short time, for a test; If I don’t like the life of a sailor, I will return home and never go anywhere else. Let my father let me go voluntarily, otherwise I will be forced to leave home without his permission.

My mother got very angry with me and said:

“I’m surprised how you can think about sea voyages after your conversation with your father!” After all, your father demanded that you forget about foreign lands once and for all. And he understands better than you what business you should do. Of course, if you want to destroy yourself, leave even this minute, but you can be sure that your father and I will never give consent to your journey. And in vain you hoped that I would help you. No, I won't say a word to my father about your meaningless dreams. I don’t want that later, when life at sea brings you to poverty and suffering, you could reproach your mother for indulging you.

Then, many years later, I learned that my mother nevertheless conveyed to my father our entire conversation, from word to word. The father was saddened and said to her with a sigh:

– I don’t understand what he wants? In his homeland, he could easily achieve success and happiness. We are not rich people, but we have some means. He can live with us without needing anything. If he goes on a journey, he will experience great hardships and regret that he did not listen to his father. No, I can't let him go to sea. Far from his homeland, he will be lonely, and if trouble happens to him, he will not have a friend who could console him. And then he will repent of his recklessness, but it will be too late!

And yet, after a few months, I ran away from my home. It happened like this. One day I went to the city of Gull for several days. There I met a friend who was about to go to London on his father's ship. He began to persuade me to go with him, tempting me with the fact that travel on the ship would be free.

And so, without asking either father or mother, at an unkind hour! - On September 1, 1651, in the nineteenth year of my life, I boarded a ship bound for London.

It was a bad act: I shamelessly abandoned my elderly parents, neglected their advice and violated my filial duty. And I very soon had to repent of what I did.

Chapter 2

First adventures at sea

No sooner had our ship left the mouth of the Humber than a cold wind blew from the north. The sky was covered with clouds. A strong rocking motion began.

I had never been to sea before, and I felt bad. My head began to spin, my legs began to tremble, I felt nauseous, and I almost fell. Every time a big wave hit the ship, it seemed to me that we would drown right away. Every time a ship fell from a high crest of a wave, I was sure that it would never rise again.

A thousand times I swore that if I remained alive, if my foot set foot on solid ground again, I would immediately return home to my father and never in my entire life would set foot on the deck of a ship again.

These prudent thoughts lasted only as long as the storm raged.

But the wind died down, the excitement subsided, and I felt much better. Little by little I began to get used to the sea. True, I was not yet completely free of seasickness, but by the end of the day the weather had cleared up, the wind had completely died down, and a delightful evening had arrived.

I slept soundly all night. The next day the sky was just as clear. The calm sea with complete calm, all illuminated by the sun, presented such a beautiful picture as I had never seen before. There was no trace left of my seasickness. I immediately calmed down and felt happy. With surprise, I looked around the sea, which just yesterday seemed violent, cruel and menacing, but today it was so meek and gentle.

Then, as if on purpose, my friend, who tempted me to go with him, comes up to me, pats me on the shoulder and says:

- Well, how are you feeling, Bob? I bet you were scared. Admit it: you were very scared yesterday when the breeze blew?

- Is there a breeze? Nice breeze! It was a mad squall. I could not even imagine such a terrible storm!

- Storms? Oh, you fool! Do you think this is a storm? Well, you’re still new to the sea: no wonder you’re scared... Let’s go, let’s order some punch, drink a glass and forget about the storm. Look how clear the day is! Wonderful weather, isn't it?

To shorten this sad part of my story, I will only say that things went as usual with sailors: I got drunk and drowned in wine all my promises and oaths, all my laudable thoughts about immediately returning home. As soon as the calm came and I stopped being afraid that the waves would swallow me, I immediately forgot all my good intentions.

On the sixth day we saw the town of Yarmouth in the distance. The wind was headwind after the storm, so we moved forward very slowly. At Yarmouth we had to drop anchor. We stood waiting for a fair wind for seven or eight days.

During this time, many ships from Newcastle came here. We, however, would not have stood for so long and would have entered the river with the tide, but the wind became fresher, and after five days it blew with all its might. Since the anchors and anchor ropes on our ship were strong, our sailors did not show the slightest alarm. They were confident that the ship was completely safe, and, according to the custom of sailors, they devoted all their free time to fun activities and amusements.

However, on the ninth day, in the morning, the wind became even fresher, and soon a terrible storm broke out. Even the experienced sailors were greatly frightened. Several times I heard our captain, passing me in and out of the cabin, muttering in a low voice: “We are lost! We're lost! End!"

Still, he did not lose his head, vigilantly observed the work of the sailors and took all measures to save his ship.

Until now I had not felt fear: I was sure that this storm would pass just as safely as the first. But when the captain himself announced that the end had come for all of us, I got terribly scared and ran out of the cabin onto the deck. Never in my life have I seen such a terrible sight. Huge waves moved across the sea like high mountains, and every three or four minutes such a mountain would fall on us.

At first I was numb with fear and could not look around. When at last I dared to look back, I realized what a disaster had broken out over us. On two heavily laden ships that were anchored nearby, the sailors were cutting down the masts so that the ships would be at least a little relieved of their weight.

Two more ships lost their anchors and the storm carried them out to sea. What was waiting for them there? All their masts were knocked down by the hurricane.

Small ships held up better, but some of them also had to suffer: two or three boats carried past our sides straight into the open sea.

In the evening, the navigator and boatswain came to the captain and told him that to save the ship it was necessary to cut down the foremast.

– You can’t hesitate for a minute! - they said. - Give the order and we will cut it down.

“We’ll wait a little longer,” the captain objected. “Maybe the storm will subside.”

He really didn’t want to cut the mast, but the boatswain began to argue that if the mast was left, the ship would sink - and the captain reluctantly agreed.

And when the foremast was cut down, the mainmast began to sway and rock the ship so much that it had to be cut down too.

Night fell, and suddenly one of the sailors, going down into the hold, shouted that the ship had sprung a leak. Another sailor was sent into the hold, and he reported that the water had already risen four feet.

Then the captain commanded:

- Pump out the water! All to the pumps!

When I heard this command, my heart sank in horror: it seemed to me that I was dying, my legs gave way, and I fell backwards on the bed. But the sailors pushed me aside and demanded that I not shirk my work.

- You've been idle enough, it's time to work hard! - they said.

There was nothing to do, I went to the pump and began to diligently pump out water.

At this time, small cargo ships, which could not resist the wind, raised anchors and went out to the open sea.

Seeing them, our captain ordered the cannon to be fired to let them know that we were in mortal danger. Hearing a cannon salvo and not understanding what was happening, I imagined that our ship had crashed. I became so scared that I fainted and fell. But at that time everyone was concerned about saving their own lives, and they did not pay attention to me. Nobody was interested in finding out what happened to me. One of the sailors stood at the pump in my place, pushing me aside with his foot. Everyone was sure that I was already dead. I lay there like that for a very long time. When I woke up, I got back to work. We worked tirelessly, but the water in the hold rose higher and higher.

It was obvious that the ship was going to sink. True, the storm was beginning to subside a little, but there was not the slightest possibility for us to stay on the water until we entered the harbor. Therefore, the captain did not stop firing his cannons, hoping that someone would save us from death.

Finally, the small ship closest to us risked lowering a boat to give us help. The boat could have capsized every minute, but it still approached us. Alas, we could not get into it, since there was no way to moor to our ship, although people rowed with all their might, risking their lives to save ours. We threw them a rope. They were unable to catch him for a long time, as the storm carried him to the side. But, fortunately, one of the daredevils contrived and, after many unsuccessful attempts, grabbed the rope by the very end. Then we pulled the boat under our stern and every single one of us went down into it. We wanted to get to their ship, but we could not resist the waves, and the waves carried us to the shore. It turned out that this was the only direction one could row. Less than a quarter of an hour had passed before our ship began to sink into the water. The waves that tossed our boat were so high that because of them we could not see the shore. Only in the briefest moment, when our boat was thrown up on the crest of a wave, could we see that a large crowd had gathered on the shore: people were running back and forth, preparing to give us help when we came closer. But we moved towards the shore very slowly. Only in the evening did we manage to get to land, and even then with the greatest difficulties.

We had to walk to Yarmouth. A warm welcome awaited us there: the inhabitants of the city, who already knew about our misfortune, gave us good housing, treated us to an excellent dinner and provided us with money so that we could get wherever we wanted - to London or to Hull.

Not far from Hull was York, where my parents lived, and, of course, I should have returned to them. They would forgive me for my unauthorized escape, and we would all be so happy!

But the crazy dream of sea adventures did not leave me even now. Although the sober voice of reason told me that new dangers and troubles awaited me at sea, I again began to think about how I could get on a ship and travel around the seas and oceans of the whole world.

My friend (the same one whose father owned the lost ship) was now gloomy and sad. The disaster that happened depressed him. He introduced me to his father, who also did not stop grieving about the sunken ship. Having learned from my son about my passion for sea travel, the old man looked at me sternly and said:

“Young man, you should never go to sea again.” I heard that you are cowardly, spoiled and lose heart at the slightest danger. Such people are not fit to be sailors. Return home quickly and reconcile with your family. You have experienced firsthand how dangerous it is to travel by sea.

I felt that he was right and could not object. But still I did not return home, because I was ashamed to appear in front of my loved ones. It seemed to me that all our neighbors would mock me; I was sure that my failures would make me the laughing stock of all my friends and acquaintances. Subsequently, I often noticed that people, especially in their youth, consider shameful not those unscrupulous acts for which we call them fools, but those good and noble deeds that they commit in moments of repentance, although only for these deeds can they be called reasonable . That was how I was at that time. The memories of the misfortunes I experienced during the shipwreck gradually faded, and after living in Yarmouth for two or three weeks, I went not to Hull, but to London.

Chapter 3

Robinson is captured. – Escape

My great misfortune was that during all my adventures I did not join the ship as a sailor. True, I would have to work more than I am used to, but in the end I would learn seamanship and could eventually become a navigator, and perhaps even a captain. But at that time I was so unreasonable that of all the paths I always chose the worst. Since at that time I had smart clothes and had money in my pocket, I always came to the ship as an idle loafer: I did nothing there and learned nothing.

Young tomboys and slackers usually fall into bad company and in a very short time they completely lose their way. The same fate awaited me, but, fortunately, upon my arrival in London I managed to meet a respectable elderly captain who took a great part in me. Not long before, he sailed on his ship to the shores of Africa, to Guinea. This trip gave him considerable profit, and now he was going to go to the same region again.

He liked me because at that time I was a good conversationalist. He often spent his free time with me and, having learned that I wanted to see overseas countries, he invited me to set sail on his ship.

“It won’t cost you anything,” he said, “I won’t take money from you for travel or food.” You will be my guest on the ship. If you take some things with you and manage to sell them very profitably in Guinea, you will receive the entire profit. Try your luck - maybe you will get lucky.

Since this captain enjoyed general confidence, I willingly accepted his invitation.

Going to Guinea, I took with me some goods: I bought forty pounds sterling of various trinkets and glass items that were well sold among the savages.

I obtained these forty pounds with the assistance of close relatives with whom I was in correspondence: I told them that I was going to engage in trade, and they persuaded my mother, and perhaps my father, to help me with at least a small amount in my first enterprise.

This trip to Africa was, one might say, my only successful trip. Of course, I owed my success entirely to the captain’s selflessness and kindness.

During the journey, he studied mathematics with me and taught me shipbuilding. He enjoyed sharing his experiences with me, and I enjoyed listening to him and learning from him.

The voyage made me both a sailor and a merchant: I exchanged five pounds and nine ounces of gold dust for my trinkets, for which I received a fair sum on my return to London.

But, unfortunately for me, my friend the captain died soon after returning to England, and I was forced to make a second journey on my own, without friendly advice and help.

I sailed from England on the same ship. It was the most miserable journey that man has ever undertaken.

One day at dawn, when after a long voyage we were walking between the Canary Islands and Africa, we were attacked by pirates - sea robbers. These were Turks from Saleh. They noticed us from a distance and set off after us with full sail.

At first we hoped that we would be able to escape from them by flight, and we also raised all sails. But it soon became clear that in five or six hours they would certainly catch up with us. We realized that we needed to prepare for battle. We had twelve guns, and the enemy had eighteen.

About three o'clock in the afternoon the robber ship caught up with us, but the pirates made a big mistake: instead of approaching us from the stern, they approached us from the port side, where we had eight guns. Taking advantage of their mistake, we aimed all these guns at them and fired a salvo.

There were at least two hundred Turks, so they responded to our fire not only with cannons, but also with a weapons salvo of two hundred guns.

Fortunately, no one was hit, everyone remained safe and sound. After this fight, the pirate ship retreated half a mile and began to prepare for a new attack. We, for our part, prepared for a new defense.

This time the enemies approached us from the other side and boarded us, that is, they hooked onto our side with hooks; about sixty people rushed onto the deck and first of all rushed to cut the masts and tackle.

We met them with rifle fire and cleared the deck of them twice, but were still forced to surrender, since our ship was no longer suitable for further voyage. Three of our men were killed and eight were wounded. We were taken as prisoners to the seaport of Saleh, which belonged to the Moors.

The other Englishmen were sent into the interior of the country, to the court of the cruel Sultan, but the captain of the robber ship kept me with him and made him his slave, because I was young and agile.

I cried bitterly: I remembered my father’s prediction that sooner or later trouble would happen to me and no one would come to my aid. I thought that it was me who had suffered such a misfortune. Alas, I had no idea that even worse troubles lay ahead.

Since my new master, the captain of the robber ship, left me with him, I hoped that when he again went to rob sea ships, he would take me with him. I was firmly convinced that in the end he would be captured by some Spanish or Portuguese warship and then my freedom would be returned to me.

But I soon realized that these hopes were in vain, because the first time my master went to sea, he left me at home to do the menial work that slaves usually do.

From that day on, I only thought about escape. But it was impossible to escape: I was alone and powerless. There was not a single Englishman among the prisoners whom I could trust. I languished in captivity for two years, without the slightest hope of escape. But in the third year I still managed to escape. It happened like this. My master constantly, once or twice a week, took a ship's boat and went out to the seashore to fish. On each such trip, he took me and one boy with him, whose name was Xuri. We rowed diligently and entertained our master as best we could. And since I, in addition, turned out to be a good fisherman, he sometimes sent both of us - me and this Xuri - for fish under the supervision of an old Moor, his distant relative.

One day my master invited two very important Moors to ride with him on his sailboat. For this trip, he prepared large supplies of food, which he sent to his boat in the evening. The boat was spacious. The owner, two years ago, ordered his ship's carpenter to build a small cabin in it, and in the cabin - a pantry for provisions. I put all my supplies in this pantry.

“Maybe the guests will want to hunt,” the owner told me. - Take three guns from the ship and take them to the boat.

I did everything I was ordered: I washed the deck, raised the flag on the mast, and the next morning I sat in the boat, waiting for guests. Suddenly the owner came alone and said that his guests would not go today, as they were delayed by business. Then he ordered the three of us - me, the boy Xuri and the Moor - to go in our boat to the seashore for fish.

“My friends will come to dinner with me,” he said, “so as soon as you catch enough fish, bring it here.”

It was then that the old dream of freedom awakened in me again. Now I had a ship, and as soon as the owner left, I began to prepare - not for fishing, but for a long voyage. True, I did not know where I would direct my path, but every road is good - as long as it means escaping from captivity.

“We should grab some food for ourselves,” I said to the Moor. “We can’t eat the food that the owner has prepared for the guests without asking.”

The old man agreed with me and soon brought a large basket of breadcrumbs and three jugs of fresh water.

I knew where the owner had a box of wine, and while the Moor went for provisions, I transported all the bottles to the boat and put them in the pantry, as if they had been previously stored for the owner.

In addition, I brought a huge piece of wax (weighing fifty pounds) and grabbed a skein of yarn, an axe, a saw and a hammer. All this was very useful to us later, especially the wax from which we made candles.

I came up with another trick, and again I managed to deceive the simple-minded Moor. His name was Ishmael, so everyone called him Moli. So I told him:

- Pray, there are the owner’s hunting rifles on the ship. It would be nice to get some gunpowder and a few charges - maybe we will be lucky enough to shoot some waders for dinner. The owner keeps gunpowder and shot on the ship, I know.

“Okay,” he said, “I’ll bring it.”

And he brought a large leather bag with gunpowder - weighing a pound and a half, and perhaps more, and another, with shot - five or six pounds. He also took the bullets. All this was stored in the boat. In addition, in the master's cabin there was some more gunpowder, which I poured into a large bottle, after first pouring out the remaining wine.

Having thus stocked up with everything necessary for a long voyage, we left the harbor as if going fishing. I put my rods in the water, but didn't catch anything (I purposely didn't pull my rods out when the fish was hooked).

“We won’t catch anything here!” - I said to the Moor. “The owner will not praise us if we return to him empty-handed.” We need to move further out to sea. Perhaps the fish will bite better away from the shore.

Not suspecting deception, the old Moor agreed with me and, since he was standing on the bow, raised the sail.

I was sitting at the helm, at the stern, and when the ship moved three miles out into the open sea, I began to drift - as if to start fishing again. Then, handing the steering wheel to the boy, I stepped onto the bow, approached the Moor from behind, suddenly lifted him and threw him into the sea. He immediately surfaced, because he was floating like a cork, and began shouting to me to take him into the boat, promising that he would go with me to the ends of the world. He swam so fast behind the ship that he would have caught up with me very soon (the wind was weak and the boat was barely moving). Seeing that the Moor would soon overtake us, I ran to the cabin, took one of the hunting rifles there, took aim at the Moor and said:

“I don’t wish you harm, but leave me alone now and come home quickly!” You are a good swimmer, the sea is calm, you can easily swim to the shore. Turn back and I won't touch you. But if you don’t leave the boat, I’ll shoot you in the head, because I’m determined to win my freedom.

He turned towards the shore and, I am sure, swam to it without difficulty.

Of course, I could take this Moor with me, but the old man could not be relied upon.

When the Moor fell behind the boat, I turned to the boy and said:

- Xuri, if you are faithful to me, I will do you a lot of good. Swear that you will never cheat on me, otherwise I will throw you into the sea too.

The boy smiled, looking me straight in the eyes, and swore that he would be faithful to me until the grave and would go with me wherever I wanted. He spoke so sincerely that I could not help but believe him.

Until the Moor approached the shore, I kept a course for the open sea, tacking against the wind, so that everyone would think that we were going to Gibraltar.

But as soon as it began to get dark, I began to steer south, keeping slightly to the east, because I did not want to move away from the coast. A very fresh wind was blowing, but the sea was flat and calm, and therefore we were moving at a good pace.

When the next day, at three o'clock, land appeared ahead for the first time, we found ourselves already one and a half hundred miles south of Saleh, far beyond the borders of the possessions of the Moroccan Sultan, and indeed of any other African king. The shore we were approaching was completely deserted. But in captivity I gained such fear and was so afraid of being captured by the Moors again that, taking advantage of the favorable wind that drove my boat to the south, I sailed forward and forward for five days, without anchoring or going ashore.

Five days later the wind changed: it blew from the south, and since I was no longer afraid of pursuit, I decided to approach the shore and dropped anchor at the mouth of a small river. I can’t say what kind of river this is, where it flows and what kind of people live on its banks. Its banks were deserted, and this made me very happy, since I had no desire to see people. The only thing I needed was fresh water.

We entered the mouth in the evening and decided, when it got dark, to swim to land and examine all the surroundings. But as soon as it got dark, we heard terrible sounds from the shore: the shore was swarming with animals that howled, growled, roared and barked so furiously that poor Xuri almost died of fear and began to beg me not to go ashore until the morning.

“Okay, Xuri,” I told him, “let’s wait!” But perhaps in daylight we will see people from whom we will suffer, perhaps, even worse than from the fierce tigers and lions.

“And we’ll shoot these people with a gun,” he said with a laugh, “and they’ll run away!”

I was pleased that the boy was behaving well. So that he would not be discouraged in the future, I gave him a sip of wine.

I followed his advice, and we stayed at anchor all night, without leaving the boat and keeping our guns ready. We didn't have to sleep a wink until the morning.

Two or three hours after we dropped anchor, we heard the terrible roar of some huge animals of a very strange breed (we ourselves did not know what). The animals approached the shore, entered the river, began to splash and wallow in it, obviously wanting to freshen up, and at the same time they squealed, roared and howled; I had never heard such disgusting sounds before.

Xuri trembled with fear; To tell the truth, I was scared too.

But we were both even more frightened when we heard that one of the monsters was swimming towards our ship. We couldn’t see it, but we only heard it puffing and snorting, and we guessed from these sounds alone that the monster was huge and ferocious.

“It must be a lion,” Xuri said. - Let's raise the anchor and get out of here!

“No, Xuri,” I objected, “we have no need to weigh anchor.” We’ll just let the rope go longer and move further out into the sea - the animals won’t chase us.

But as soon as I said these words, I saw an unknown beast at a distance of two oars from our ship. I was a little confused, but I immediately took a gun from the cabin and fired. The animal turned back and swam to the shore.

It is impossible to describe the furious roar that arose on the shore when my shot rang out: the animals here must have never heard this sound before. Here I was finally convinced that it was impossible to go ashore at night. But whether it would be possible to risk landing during the day—we didn’t know that either. Becoming a victim of some savage is no better than falling into the claws of a lion or tiger.

But we had to go ashore at all costs here or elsewhere, since we did not have a drop of water left. We have been thirsty for a long time. Finally the long-awaited morning arrived. Xuri said that if I let him go, he would wade to the shore and try to get fresh water. And when I asked him why he should go and not me, he answered:

“If a wild man comes, he will eat me, and you will remain alive.”

This answer expressed such love for me that I was deeply moved.

“That’s it, Xuri,” I said, “we’ll both go.” And if a wild man comes, we will shoot him, and he will not eat you or me.

I gave the boy some crackers and a sip of wine; then we pulled ourselves closer to the ground and, jumping into the water, waded towards the shore, taking with us nothing but guns and two empty water jugs.

I did not want to move away from the shore so as not to lose sight of our ship.

I was afraid that savages might come down the river to us in their pirogues. But Ksuri, noticing a hollow a mile from the shore, rushed there with the jug.

Suddenly I see him running back. “Were the savages chasing him? – I thought in fear. “Was he afraid of some predatory animal?”

I rushed to his rescue and, running closer, I saw that something large was hanging behind his back. It turned out that he had killed some kind of animal, like our hare, only its fur was a different color and its legs were longer. We were both glad of this game, but I was even more delighted when Xury told me that he had found a lot of good fresh water in the hollow.

Having filled the jugs, we had a sumptuous breakfast of the killed animal and set off on our further journey. So we did not find any traces of humans in this area.

After we left the mouth of the river, several times during our further voyage I had to moor to the shore for fresh water.

Daniel Defoe's novel Robinson Crusoe was first published in April 1719. The work gave rise to the development of the classic English novel and made the pseudo-documentary genre of fiction popular.

The plot of The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe is based on real story boatswain Alexander Selkir, who lived on a desert island for four years. Defoe rewrote the book many times, giving its final version a philosophical meaning - Robinson's story became an allegorical image human life as such.

Main characters

Robinson Crusoe- the main character of the work, delirious about sea adventures. Spent 28 years on a desert island.

Friday- a savage whom Robinson saved. Crusoe taught him English and took him with him.

Other characters

Captain of the ship- Robinson saved him from captivity and helped him return the ship, for which the captain took Crusoe home.

Xuri- a boy, a prisoner of Turkish robbers, with whom Robinson fled from the pirates.

Chapter 1

From early childhood, Robinson loved the sea more than anything in the world and dreamed of long voyages. The boy's parents did not like this very much, as they wanted a calmer, happier life for their son. His father wanted him to become an important official.

However, the thirst for adventure was stronger, so on September 1, 1651, Robinson, who was eighteen years old at that time, without asking permission from his parents, and a friend boarded a ship departing from Hull to London.

Chapter 2

On the first day the ship was caught in a strong storm. Robinson felt bad and scared from the strong motion. He swore a thousand times that if everything worked out, he would return to his father and never swim in the sea again. However, the ensuing calm and a glass of punch helped Robinson quickly forget about all the “good intentions.”

The sailors were confident in the reliability of their ship, so they spent all their days having fun. On the ninth day of the voyage, a terrible storm broke out in the morning and the ship began to leak. A passing ship threw a boat at them and by evening they managed to escape. Robinson was ashamed to return home, so he decided to set sail again.

Chapter 3

In London, Robinson met a respectable elderly captain. A new acquaintance invited Crusoe to go with him to Guinea. During the journey, the captain taught Robinson shipbuilding, which was very useful for the hero in the future. In Guinea, Crusoe managed to profitably exchange the trinkets he brought for gold sand.

After the captain's death, Robinson went to Africa again. This time the journey was less successful; on the way, their ship was attacked by pirates - Turks from Saleh. Robinson was captured by the captain of a robber ship, where he remained for almost three years. Finally, he had a chance to escape - the robber sent Crusoe, the boy Xuri and the Moor to fish in the sea. Robinson took with him everything he needed for a long voyage and on the way threw the Moor into the sea.

Robinson was on his way to Cape Verde, hoping to meet a European ship.

Chapter 4

After many days of sailing, Robinson had to go ashore and ask the savages for food. The man thanked them by killing a leopard with a gun. The savages gave him the skin of the animal.

Soon the travelers met a Portuguese ship. On it Robinson reached Brazil.

Chapter 5

The captain of the Portuguese ship kept Xuri with him, promising to make him a sailor. Robinson lived in Brazil for four years, farming sugar cane and producing sugar. Somehow, familiar merchants suggested that Robinson travel to Guinea again.

“In an evil hour” - on September 1, 1659, he stepped onto the deck of the ship. “It was the same day on which eight years ago I ran away from my father’s house and so madly ruined my youth.”

On the twelfth day, a strong squall hit the ship. The bad weather lasted twelve days, their ship sailed wherever the waves drove it. When the ship ran aground, the sailors had to transfer to a boat. However, four miles later, an “angry wave” capsized their ship.

Robinson was washed ashore by a wave. He was the only one of the crew to survive. The hero spent the night on a tall tree.

Chapter 6

In the morning Robinson saw that their ship had washed closer to the shore. Using spare masts, topmasts and yards, the hero made a raft, on which he transported planks, chests, food supplies, a box of carpentry tools, weapons, gunpowder and other necessary things to the shore.

Returning to land, Robinson realized that he was on a desert island. He built himself a tent from sails and poles, surrounding it with empty boxes and chests for protection from wild animals. Every day Robinson swam to the ship, taking things that he might need. At first Crusoe wanted to throw away the money he found, but then, after thinking about it, he left it. After Robinson visited the ship for the twelfth time, a storm carried the ship out to sea.

Soon Crusoe found a convenient place to live - in a small smooth clearing on the slope of a high hill. Here the hero pitched a tent, surrounding it with a fence of high stakes, which could only be overcome with the help of a ladder.

Chapter 7

Behind the tent, Robinson dug a cave in the hill that served as his cellar. Once, during a severe thunderstorm, the hero was afraid that one lightning strike could destroy all his gunpowder and after that he put it into different bags and stored it separately. Robinson discovers that there are goats on the island and begins to hunt them.

Chapter 8

In order not to lose track of time, Crusoe created a simulated calendar - he drove a large log into the sand, on which he marked the days with notches. Along with his things, the hero transported two cats and a dog that lived with him from the ship.

Among other things, Robinson found ink and paper and took notes for some time. “At times despair attacked me, I experienced mortal melancholy, in order to overcome these bitter feelings, I took up a pen and tried to prove to myself that there was still a lot of good in my plight.”

Over time, Crusoe dug a back door in the hill and made furniture for himself.

Chapter 9

From September 30, 1659, Robinson kept a diary, describing everything that happened to him on the island after the shipwreck, his fears and experiences.

To dig the cellar, the hero made a shovel from “iron” wood. One day there was a collapse in his “cellar”, and Robinson began to firmly strengthen the walls and ceiling of the recess.

Soon Crusoe managed to tame the kid. While wandering around the island, the hero discovered wild pigeons. He tried to tame them, but as soon as the chicks' wings became stronger, they flew away. Robinson made a lamp from goat fat, which, unfortunately, burned very dimly.

After the rains, Crusoe discovered seedlings of barley and rice (shaking bird food onto the ground, he thought that all the grains had been eaten by rats). The hero carefully collected the harvest, deciding to leave it for sowing. Only in the fourth year could he afford to separate some of the grain for food.

After a strong earthquake, Robinson realizes that he needs to find another place to live, away from the cliff.

Chapter 10

The waves washed the wreckage of the ship onto the island, and Robinson gained access to its hold. On the shore, the hero discovered a large turtle, whose meat replenished his diet.

When the rains began, Crusoe fell ill and developed a severe fever. I was able to recover with tobacco tincture and rum.

While exploring the island, the hero finds sugar cane, melons, wild lemons, and grapes. He dried the latter in the sun to prepare raisins for future use. In a blooming green valley, Robinson arranges a second home for himself - a “dacha in the forest”. Soon one of the cats brought three kittens.

Robinson learned to accurately divide the seasons into rainy and dry. During rainy periods he tried to stay at home.

Chapter 11

During one of the rainy periods, Robinson learned to weave baskets, which he really missed. Crusoe decided to explore the entire island and discovered a strip of land on the horizon. He realized that this was part South America, where wild cannibals probably live and was glad that he ended up on a desert island. Along the way, Crusoe caught a young parrot, which he later taught to speak some words. There were many turtles and birds on the island, even penguins were found here.

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Robinson got hold of good pottery clay, from which he made dishes and dried them in the sun. Once the hero discovered that pots could be fired in a fire - this became a pleasant discovery for him, since now he could store water in the pot and cook food in it.

To bake the bread, Robinson made a wooden mortar and a makeshift oven out of clay tablets. Thus passed his third year on the island.

Chapter 14

All this time, Robinson was haunted by thoughts about the land he saw from the shore. The hero decides to repair the boat, which was thrown ashore during the shipwreck. The updated boat sank to the bottom, but he could not launch it. Then Robinson set about making a pirogue from a cedar tree trunk. He managed to make an excellent boat, however, just like the boat, he could not lower it to the water.

The fourth year of Crusoe's stay on the island has ended. His ink had run out and his clothes were worn out. Robinson sewed three jackets from sailor peacoats, a hat, jacket and pants from the skins of killed animals, and made an umbrella from the sun and rain.

Chapter 15

Robinson built a small boat to go around the island by sea. Rounding the underwater rocks, Crusoe swam far from the shore and fell into the current of the sea, which carried him further and further. However, soon the current weakened and Robinson managed to return to the island, which he was infinitely happy about.

Chapter 16

In the eleventh year of Robinson's stay on the island, his supplies of gunpowder began to deplete. Not wanting to give up meat, the hero decided to come up with a way to catch wild goats alive. With the help of "wolf pits" Crusoe managed to catch an old goat and three kids. Since then he started raising goats.

“I lived like a real king, not needing anything; Next to me there was always a whole staff of courtiers [tamed animals] devoted to me - there were not only people.”

Chapter 17

Once Robinson discovered a human footprint on the shore. “In terrible anxiety, not feeling the ground under my feet, I hurried home, to my fortress.” Crusoe hid at home and spent the whole night thinking about how a man ended up on the island. Calming himself, Robinson even began to think that it was his own trail. However, when he returned to the same place, he saw that the footprint was much larger than his foot.

In fear, Crusoe wanted to loose all the cattle and dig up both fields, but then he calmed down and changed his mind. Robinson realized that savages come to the island only sometimes, so it is important for him to simply not catch their eye. For additional security, Crusoe drove stakes into the gaps between the previously densely planted trees, thus creating a second wall around his home. He planted the entire area behind the outer wall with willow-like trees. Two years later, a grove grew green around his house.

Chapter 18

Two years later, on the western part of the island, Robinson discovered that savages regularly sailed here and held cruel feasts, eating people. Fearing that he might be discovered, Crusoe tried not to shoot, began to light the fire with caution, and acquired charcoal, which produces almost no smoke when burning.

While searching for coal, Robinson found a vast grotto, which he made his new storeroom. “It was already the twenty-third year of my stay on the island.”

Chapter 19

One day in December, leaving the house at dawn, Robinson noticed the flames of a fire on the shore - the savages had staged a bloody feast. Watching the cannibals from a telescope, he saw that with the tide they sailed from the island.

Fifteen months later, a ship sailed near the island. Robinson burned a fire all night, but in the morning he discovered that the ship had been wrecked.

Chapter 20

Robinson took a boat to the wrecked ship, where he found a dog, gunpowder and some necessary things.

Crusoe lived for two more years “in complete contentment, without knowing hardship.” “But all these two years I was only thinking about how I could leave my island.” Robinson decided to save one of those whom the cannibals brought to the island as a sacrifice, so that the two of them could escape to freedom. However, the savages appeared again only a year and a half later.

Chapter 21

Six Indian pirogues landed on the island. The savages brought with them two prisoners. While they were busy with the first one, the second one started to run away. Three people were chasing the fugitive, Robinson shot two with a gun, and the third was killed by the fugitive himself with a saber. Crusoe beckoned the frightened fugitive to him.

Robinson took the savage to the grotto and fed him. “He was a handsome young man, tall, well-built, his arms and legs were muscular, strong and at the same time extremely graceful; he looked about twenty-six years old." The savage showed Robinson with all possible signs that from that day on he would serve him all his life.

Crusoe began to gradually teach him the right words. First of all, he said that he would call him Friday (in memory of the day on which he saved his life), taught him the words “yes” and “no”. The savage offered to eat his killed enemies, but Crusoe showed that he was terribly angry at this desire.

Friday became a real comrade for Robinson - “never has a single person had such a loving, such a faithful and devoted friend.”

Chapter 22

Robinson took Friday with him hunting as an assistant, teaching the savage to eat animal meat. Friday began helping Crusoe with the housework. When the savage learned the basics in English, he told Robinson about his tribe. The Indians, from whom he managed to escape, defeated Friday's native tribe.

Crusoe asked his friend about the surrounding lands and their inhabitants - the peoples who live on the neighboring islands. As it turns out, the neighboring land is the island of Trinidad, where wild Carib tribes live. The savage explained that the “white people” could be reached by a large boat, this gave Crusoe hope.

Chapter 23

Robinson taught Friday to shoot a gun. When the savage mastered English well, Crusoe shared his story with him.

Friday said that once a ship with “white people” crashed near their island. They were rescued by the natives and remained to live on the island, becoming “brothers” for the savages.

Crusoe begins to suspect Friday of wanting to escape from the island, but the native proves his loyalty to Robinson. The savage himself offers to help Crusoe return home. The men took a month to make a pirogue from a tree trunk. Crusoe placed a mast with a sail in the boat.

“The twenty-seventh year of my imprisonment in this prison has come.”

Chapter 24

After waiting out the rainy season, Robinson and Friday began to prepare for the upcoming voyage. One day, savages with more captives landed on the shore. Robinson and Friday dealt with the cannibals. The rescued prisoners turned out to be the Spaniard and Friday's father.

The men built a canvas tent especially for the weakened European and the savage’s father.

Chapter 25

The Spaniard said that the savages sheltered seventeen Spaniards, whose ship was wrecked on a neighboring island, but those rescued were in dire need. Robinson agrees with the Spaniard that his comrades will help him build a ship.

The men prepared all the necessary supplies for the "white people", and the Spaniard and Friday's father went after the Europeans. While Crusoe and Friday were waiting for guests, an English ship approached the island. The British on the boat moored to the shore, Crusoe counted eleven people, three of whom were prisoners.

Chapter 26

The robbers' boat ran aground with the tide, so the sailors went for a walk around the island. At this time Robinson was preparing his guns. At night, when the sailors fell asleep, Crusoe approached their captives. One of them, the captain of the ship, said that his crew rebelled and went over to the side of the “gang of scoundrels.” He and his two comrades barely convinced the robbers not to kill them, but to land them on a deserted shore. Crusoe and Friday helped kill the instigators of the riot, and tied up the rest of the sailors.

Chapter 27

To capture the ship, the men broke through the bottom of the longboat and prepared for the next boat to meet the robbers. The pirates, seeing the hole in the ship and the fact that their comrades were missing, got scared and were going to return to the ship. Then Robinson came up with a trick - Friday and the captain's assistant lured eight pirates deep into the island. The two robbers, who remained waiting for their comrades, unconditionally surrendered. At night, the captain kills the boatswain who understands the rebellion. Five robbers surrender.

Chapter 28

Robinson orders to put the rebels in a dungeon and take the ship with the help of the sailors who sided with the captain. At night, the crew swam to the ship, and the sailors defeated the robbers on board. In the morning, the captain sincerely thanked Robinson for helping to return the ship.

By order of Crusoe, the rebels were untied and sent deep into the island. Robinson promised that they would be left with everything they needed to live on the island.

“As I later established from the ship’s log, my departure took place on December 19, 1686. Thus, I lived on the island for twenty-eight years, two months and nineteen days.”

Soon Robinson returned to his homeland. By that time, his parents had died, and his sisters with their children and other relatives met him at home. Everyone listened with great enthusiasm to Robinson's incredible story, which he told from morning until evening.

Conclusion

D. Defoe's novel “The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe” had a huge impact on world literature, laying the foundation for an entire literary genre - “Robinsonade” (adventure works describing the life of people in uninhabited lands). The novel became a real discovery in the culture of the Enlightenment. Defoe's book has been translated into many languages ​​and filmed more than twenty times. The proposed brief retelling of “Robinson Crusoe” chapter by chapter will be useful for schoolchildren, as well as anyone who wants to familiarize themselves with the plot of the famous work.

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Daniel Defoe

The Life and Amazing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

I was born in 1632 in the city of York into a wealthy family of foreign origin. My father was from Bremen and settled first in Hull. Having made a good fortune through trade, he left his business and moved to York. Here he married my mother, whose relatives were called Robinsons - an old surname in those places. After them they called me Robinson. The father's surname was Kreutzner, but, according to the custom of the English, it is distorted foreign words, they began to call us Crusoe. Now we ourselves pronounce and write our surname this way; That's what my friends always called me too.

I had two older brothers. One served in Flanders, in an English infantry regiment, the same one that was once commanded by the famous Colonel Lockhart; he rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel and was killed in the battle with the Spaniards near Dunkirchen. I don’t know what happened to my second brother, just as my father and mother didn’t know what happened to me.

Since I was the third in the family, I was not prepared for any craft, and my head from a young age was filled with all sorts of nonsense. My father, who was already very old, gave me a fairly tolerable education to the extent that one can get it by being raised at home and attending a city school. He intended me to become a lawyer, but I dreamed of sea voyages and did not want to hear about anything else. This passion of mine for the sea took me so far that I went against my will - moreover: against the direct prohibition of my father and neglected the pleas of my mother and the advice of friends; it seemed that there was something fatal in this natural attraction, pushing me towards the woeful life that was my lot.

My father, a sedate and intelligent man, guessed about my idea and warned me seriously and thoroughly. One morning he called me into his room, to which he was confined by gout, and began to rebuke me hotly. He asked what other reasons, besides vagabond inclinations, could I have for leaving my father's house and my native country, where it is easy for me to go out into people, where I can increase my fortune through diligence and labor and live in contentment and pleasure. Those who leave their homeland in pursuit of adventure, he said, are either those who have nothing to lose, or ambitious people eager to create a higher position for themselves; by embarking on enterprises that go beyond the framework of everyday life, they strive to improve matters and cover their name with glory; but such things are either beyond my power or humiliating for me; my place is the middle, that is, what can be called the highest level of modest existence, which, as he was convinced from many years of experience, is for us the best in the world, the most suitable for human happiness, freed from both need and deprivation, physical labor and suffering , falling to the lot of the lower classes, and from luxury, ambition, arrogance and envy of the upper classes. How pleasant such a life is, he said, I can judge by the fact that everyone placed in different conditions envy him: even kings often complain about the bitter fate of people born for great deeds, and regret that fate did not place them between two extremes - insignificance and greatness, and the sage speaks out in favor of the middle, as the measure of true happiness, when he prays to heaven not to send him either poverty or wealth.

I just have to observe, said my father, and I will see that all the hardships of life are distributed between the higher and lower classes and that least of all of them fall to the lot of people of average wealth, who are not subject to as many vicissitudes of fate as the nobility and the common people; even from illnesses, physical and mental, they are more insured than those whose illnesses are caused by vices, luxury and all kinds of excesses, on the one hand, hard work, poverty, poor and insufficient nutrition, on the other, being thus natural consequence of lifestyle. The average state is the most favorable for the flourishing of all virtues, for all the joys of life; abundance and peace are his servants; he is accompanied and blessed by his moderation, temperance, health, peace of mind, sociability, all kinds of pleasant entertainment, all kinds of pleasures. A man of average wealth goes through his life path quietly and smoothly, without burdening oneself with either physical or mental overwork, without being sold into slavery for a piece of bread, without being tormented by the search for a way out of complicated situations that deprive the body of sleep and the soul of peace, not consumed by envy, without secretly burning with the fire of ambition . Surrounded by contentment, he easily and imperceptibly glides towards the grave, judiciously tasting the sweets of life without an admixture of bitterness, feeling happy and learning through everyday experience to understand this more clearly and deeply.

Then my father persistently and very benevolently began to beg me not to be childish, not to rush headlong into the whirlpool of need and suffering, from which the position I occupied in the world by birth, it seemed, should have protected me. He said that I was not forced to work for a piece of bread, that he would take care of me, try to lead me along the path that he had just advised me to take, and that if I turned out to be a failure or unhappy, I would only have to blame to bad luck or to your own oversight. By warning me against a step that will bring me nothing but harm, he thus fulfills his duty and abdicates all responsibility; in a word, if I stay at home and arrange my life according to his instructions, he will be a good father to me, but he will not have a hand in my death, encouraging me to leave. In conclusion, he gave me the example of my older brother, whom he also persistently convinced not to take part in the Dutch war, but all his persuasion was in vain: carried away by dreams, the young man fled to the army and was killed. And although (this is how my father ended his speech) he will never stop praying for me, he tells me directly that if I do not give up my crazy idea, I will not have God’s blessing. The time will come when I will regret that I neglected his advice, but then, perhaps, there will be no one to help me correct the wrong I have done.

I saw how during the last part of this speech (which was truly prophetic, although, I think, my father himself did not suspect it) copious tears streamed down the old man’s face, especially when he spoke about my murdered brother; and when the priest said that the time for repentance would come for me, but there would be no one to help me, he cut off his speech out of excitement, declaring that his heart was full and he could not utter a word anymore.