474 FRIDAY IN DEMAND.

wy native country any more. But since you will honour me, '
says he, “with putting me into this work (for which I will pray
for you all the days of my life), T have one humble petition to you,”
said he, “ besides.” “ What is that?” said I. “ Why,” says he,
“it is that you will leave your man Friday with me, to be my in-
terpreter to them, and to assist me; for without some help 1
cannot speak to them, or they to me.”

T was sensibly troubled at his requesting Friday, because I could
not think of parting with him, and that for many reasons. He
had been the companion of my travels; he was not only faithful to
me, but sincerely affectionate to the last degree, and Thad resolved
to do something considerable for him if he outlived me, as it was
probable he would. Then I knew that, as T had bred Friday up to
bea Protestant, it would quite confound him to bring him to embrace
another profession; and he would never, while his eyes were open,
believe that his old master was a heretic, and would be damned ;
and this might in the end ruin the poor fellow’s principles, and so
turn him to his first idolatry.

Towever, a sudden thought relieved me in this strait, and it
was this: I told him I could not say that I was willing to part
with Friday on any account whatever, though a work that to him
was of more value than his life ought to be to me of much more
value than the keeping or parting with a servant. But, on the
other hand, I was persuaded that Friday would by no means con-
sent to part with me, and I could not force him to it without his
consent, without manifest injustice, because I had promised and
engaged him to me that he would never leave me unless I put him
away.

He seemed very much concerned at it, for he had no rational
access to these poor people, seeing he did not understand one word
of their language, nor they one word of his. To remove this
difficulty, I told him Friday’s father had learned Spanish, which I
found he also understood, and he should serve him for an inter-
preter. So he was much better satisfied, and nothing could per-
snade him but he would stay to endeavour to convert them; but
Providence gave another, and very happy turn to all this.

Leome back now to the first part of his objections. When we came