CRUSOE AND HIS CONFUSION. 569

“Well,” said I, “ Seignior Portuguese, but that is not our busi-
ness now. ‘The great question is, if you can carry us up to the
city of Nankin, from whence we can travel to Pekin afterwards.”
“Yes,” he said, “he could do so very well, and that there was a
great Dutch ship gone by that way just before.” This gave mea
little shock ; a Dutch ship was now our terror, and we had much
rather have met the devil, at least if he had not come in too
frightful a figure; and we depended upon it that a Dutch ship
would be our destruction, for we were in no condition to fight them;
all the ships they trade with into those parts being of great bur-
den and of much greater force than we were.

The old man found me a little confused, and under some con-
cern when he named a Dutch ship, and said to me, “ Sir, you
need be under no apprehensions of the Dutch, I suppose they are
not now at war with your nation.” ‘“ No,” says I, “ that’s true; but
I know not what liberties men may take when they are out of the
reach of the law.” “Why,” says he, “you are no pirates, what
need you fear? They will not meddle with peaceable merchants,
sure.”

If I had any blood in my body that did not fly up into my face
at that word, it was hindered by some stop in the vessels appointed
by Nature to prevent it; for it put me into the greatest disorder
and confusion imaginable. Nor was it possible for me to conceal
it so, but that the old man easily perceived it.

“Sir,” says he, “I find you are in some disorder in your
thoughts at my talk; pray be pleased to go which way you think
fit, and depend upon it I'll do you all the service I can.” “ Why,
seignior,” said I, “it is true I am a little unsettled in my resolu-
tion at this time whither to go in particular; and I am something
more so for what you said about pirates. I hope there are no
pirates in these seas; we are but in an ill condition to meet with
them, for you see we have but a small force, and but very weakly
manned.”

“OQ sir,” says he, “do not be concerned; I do not know that
there have been any pirates in these seas these fifteen years, except
one which was seen, as I hear, in the Bay of Siam about a month
since ; but you may be assured she is gone to the southward. Nor

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