However, I lugged this money home to my cave, and laid it up, as I had done that before which I brought from our own ship. It was a great pity, as I said, the other part of this ship had not come to my share. I am satisfied I might have loaded my raft several times over with money, and thought if I ever return to England it might lie here safe enough till I may come again and fetch it.
Having now brought all my things on shore and secured them, I went back to my raft and rowed or paddled her along the shore to her old harbour, where I laid her up and made the best of my way to my old habitation, where I found every thing safe and quiet. I began now to repose myself, live after my old fashion, and take care of my affairs. If at any time I did stir with any freedom, it was always to the east part of the island where I was pretty well satisfied the savages never came, and where I could go without so many precautions and such a load of arms and ammunition as I always carried with me if I went the other way. I had more wealth, indeed, than I had before, but was not at all the richer. I had no more use for it than the Indians of Peru had before the Spaniards came there.
I lived in this condition near two years more. Sometimes I was for making another voyage to the wreck, tho’ my reason told me there was nothing left there worth the hazard of my voyage.
It was one of the nights in the rainy season in March, I was lying in the mate's hammock, awake. Very well in health, had no pain, no uneasiness of body, nor any uneasiness of mind, more than ordinary, but could by no means close my eyes. No, not a wink all night long, otherwise than as follows.
It is impossible to set down the innumerable crowd of thoughts that whirled through that great thoroughfare of the brain in this night's time. In my reflections, I was comparing the happy posture of my affairs in the first years of my habitation here on this land, compared to the life of anxiety, fear, and care, which I had liv'd ever since I had seen the print of a foot in the sand and further found the dark church that had been profesy'd by my parrot, Poll. I did believe the savages had frequented the island even all the while, and might have been several hundreds of them at times on shore. But I had never known it, and was incapable of any apprehensions about it. My satisfaction was perfect, tho’ my danger was the same.
After these thoughts had for some time entertain’d me, I came to reflect upon the real danger I had been in for so many years in this very island and how I had walked about in the greatest security and with all possible tranquility, even when perhaps nothing but the brow of a hill, a great tree, or the casual approach of night, had been between me and the worst kind of destruction.
When these thoughts were over, my head was for some time taken up in considering the nature of these twist'd creatures, I mean the cannibals. How had it come to pass in the world that the wise Governor of all things should give up any of his creatures to such inhumanity? As this ended in some fruitless speculations, it occurred to me to inquire what part of the world these wretches lived in? How far off the coast was from whence they came? What they ventured over so far from home for? Had they come all this way to build their dark church, or had they discover'd it here in waiting for them? What kind of boats had the savages? By what means did they travel the high seas? And why might I not order myself and my business so that I might be as able to go over thither as they were to come to me?
This was key in my thoughts. I did reflect that this island, which I would often think of as mine alone, was perhaps never a safe place. I was neither alone here nor safe, and most evidence would say at the least my life and immortal soul may be at great risk. Indeed, upon further reflection, it seem'd the beast had oft times tried to warn me of the wrongness here, as a loyal dog does warn its master from danger.
As such, there was little doubt what my course must be now. The time of penance had come to an end. The beast and I must, at first chance, escape this accursed island.
My dream companion, the savages,
the prisoner
When this had agitated my thoughts for two hours or more, and my pulse beat as if I had been in a fever meerly with the extraordinary fervour of my mind about it, nature threw me into a sound sleep. One would have thought I should have dream'd of it, but I did not, nor of any thing relating to it.