the rice; which was store enough for our food to the next
harvest, though all the sixteen Spaniards had been on shore with me; or
if we had been ready for a voyage, it would very plentifully have
victualled our ship to have carried us to any part of the world, that is
to say, any part of America. When we had thus housed and secured our
magazine of corn, we fell to work to make more wicker-ware, viz. great
baskets, in which we kept it; and the Spaniard was very handy and
dexterous at this part, and often blamed me that I did not make some
things for defence of this kind of work; but I saw no need of it.

And now having a full supply of food for all the guests I expected, I
gave the Spaniard leave to go over to the main, to see what he could do
with those he had left behind them there. I gave him a strict charge not
to bring any man with him who would not first swear, in the presence of
himself and the old savage, that he would no way injure, fight with, or
attack the person he should find in the island, who was so kind as to
send for them in order to their deliverance; but that they would stand
by him, and defend him against all such attempts, and wherever they
went, would be entirely under and subjected to his command; and that
this should be put in writing, and signed with their hands. How they
were to have done this, when I knew they had neither pen nor ink, was a
question which we never asked. Under these instructions, the Spaniard
and the old savage, the father of Friday, went away in one of the canoes
which they might be said to come in, or rather were brought in, when
they came as prisoners to be devoured by the savages. I gave each of
them a musket, with a firelock on it, and about eight charges of powder
and ball, charging them to be very good husbands of both, and not to use
either of them but upon urgent occasions.

This was a cheerful work, being the first measures used by me, in view
of my deliverance, for now twenty-seven years and some days. I gave them
provisions of bread, and of dried grapes, sufficient for themselves for
many days, and sufficient for all the Spaniards for about eight days'
time; and wishing them a good voyage, I saw them go; agreeing with them
about a signal they should hang out at their return, by which I should
know them again, when they came back, at a distance, before they came on
shore. They went away with a fair gale, on the day that the moon was at
full, by my account in the mon