SOME MEASURES OF PRUDENCE. 418

by my man Friday, namely, to begin with them upon the prin-
ciple of having saved their lives, and then instruct them in the
rational principles of life, much less of religion, civilizing and
reducing them by kind usage and affectionate arguings; but as
they gave them their food every day, so they gave them their
work too, and kept them fully employed in drudgery enough. But
they failed in this by it, that they never had them to assist them
and fight for them, as [had my man Friday, who was as true to
me as the very flesh upon my bones.

But to come to the family part. Being all now good friends,
for common danger, as I said above, had effectually reconciled
them, they began to consider their general circumstances. And
the first thing that came under their consideration was, whether,
seeing the savages particularly haunted that side of the island, and
that there were more remote and retired parts of it equally adapted
to their way of living, and manifestly to their advantage, they
should not rather remove their habitation, and plant in some more
proper place for their safety, and especially for the security of
their cattle and corn ?

Upon this, after long debate, it was concluded that they would
not remove their habitation; because that, some time or other,
they thought they might hear from their governor again (meaning
me); and if I should send any one to seek them, I should be sure
to direct them to that side; where, if they should find the place
demolished, they would conclude the savages had killed us all,
and we were gone, and so our supply would go too.

But as to their corn and cattle, they agreed to remove them into
the valley where my cave was, where the land was as proper for
both, and where, indeed, there was land enough. However, upon
second thoughts, they altered one part of that resolution too, and
resolved only to remove part of their cattle thither, and plant part
of their corn there; and so if one part was destroyed, the other
might be saved. And one part of prudence they used, which it
was very well they did; namely, that they never trusted those
three savages which they had prisoners with knowing anything of
the plantation they had made in that valley, or of any cattle: they
had there; much less of the cave there, which they kept, in case