Doubtless it was," said he;
"and do you think, if I can convert these thirty-seven men to the faith
of Jesus Christ, it is not worth my time, though I should never be
fetched off the island again?--nay, is it not infinitely of more worth to
save so many souls than my life is, or the life of twenty more of the
same profession? Yes, sir," says he, "I would give God thanks all my
days if I could be made the happy instrument of saving the souls of those
poor men, though I were never to get my foot off this island or see my
native country any more. But since you will honour me with putting me
into this work, for which I will pray for you all the days of my life, I
have one humble petition to you besides."--"What is that?" said I.--"Why,"
says he, "it is, that you will leave your man Friday with me, to be my
interpreter to them, and to assist me; for without some help I cannot
speak to them, or they to me."

I was sensibly touched at his requesting Friday, because I could not
think of parting with him, and that for many reasons: he had been the
companion of my travels; he was not only faithful to me, but sincerely
affectionate to the last degree; and I had resolved to do something
considerable for him if he out-lived me, as it was probable he would.
Then I knew that, as I had bred Friday up to be a Protestant, it would
quite confound him to bring him to embrace another religion; and he would
never, while his eyes were open, believe that his old master was a
heretic, and would be damned; and this might in the end ruin the poor
fellow's principles, and so turn him back again to his first idolatry.
However, a sudden thought relieved me in this strait, and it was this: I
told him I could not say that I was willing to part with Friday on any
account whatever, though a work that to him was of more value than his
life ought to be of much more value than the keeping or parting with a
servant. On the other hand, I was persuaded that Friday would by no
means agree to part with me; and I could not force him to it without his
consent, without manifest injustice; because I had promised I would never
send him away, and he had promised and engaged that he would never leave
me, unless I sent him away.

He seemed very much concerned at it, for he had no rational access to
these poor people, seeing he did not understand one word of their
language, nor they one of his. To remove this difficulty, I told him
Friday's father had learned Spani