FRIDAY’S PERFORMANCE, 347

We were all a little surprised, when we saw him; but when Friday
saw him, it was easy to see joy and courage in the fellow’s counte-
nance. “Oh! oh! oh!” says Friday, three times, pointing to
him ; “oh, master! you give me te leave; me shakee te hand
with him; me make you good laugh,”

I was surprised to see the fellow so pleased. “You fool you.”
says T, “he will eat you up!” “ Hatee me up! eatee me up!”
says Friday, twice over again; ‘me eatee him up; me make you
good Taugh. You all stay here; me show you good laugh.” So
down he sits, and gets his boots off in a moment, and puts on a
pair of pumps (as we call the flat shoes they wear, and which he
had in his pocket), gives my other servant his horse, and with his
eun away he flew swift like the wind.

The bear was walking softly on, and offered to meddle with
nobody, till Friday, coming pretty near, calls to him, as if the bear
could understand him. “ Tark ye! hark ye!” says Friday; “me
speakee wit you.” We followed at a distance; for now, being
come down on the Gascony side of the mountains, we were entered
a vast great forest, where the country was plain and pretty open,
though many trees in it scattered here and there.

Friday, who had, as we say, the heels of the bear, came up with
him quickly, and takes up a great stone and throws at him, and
hit him just on the head, but did him no more harm than if he
had thrown it against a wall. But it answered Friday’s end; for
the rogue was so void of fear that he did it purely to make the
bear follow him, and show us some laugh, as he called it. As
soon as the bear felt the stone and saw him, he turns about and
comes after him, taking devilish long strides, and shuffling along
at a strange rate, so as would have put a horse to a middling
gallop. Away runs Friday, and takes his course as if he ran
towards us for help. So we all resolved to fire at once upon the
bear, and deliver my man; though I was angry at him heartily
for bringing the bear back upon us when he was going about his
own business another way. And especially I was angry that he
had turned the bear upon us and then run away; and I called
out: “ You dog,” said I, “is this your making us laugh? Come
away, and take your horse, that we may shoot the creature.” He