202 ROBINSON CRUSOE.

battle ; and, the next day, I ordered him to go and bury the
dead bodies of the savages, which lay open to the sun, and
would presently be offensive. I also ordered him to bury the
horrid remains of their barbarous feast, which I could not think
of doing myself: nay, I could not bear to see them, if I went
that way.; all which he punctually performed, and effaced the
very appearance of the savages being there ; so that when I
went again, I could scarce know where it was, otherwise than by
the corner of the wood pointing to the place.

I then began to enter into a little conversation with my two
new subjects ; and first, I set Friday to inquire of his father
what he thought of the escape of the savages in that canoe, and
whether we might expect a return of them, with a power too
great for us to resist. His first opinion was, that the savages
in the boat never could live out the storm which blew that night
they went off, but must, of necessity, be drowned, or driven
south to those other shores, where they were as sure to be de-
voured as they were to be drowned if they were cast away ;
but, as to what they would do if they came safe on shore, he
said he knew not; but it was his opinion, that they were so
dreadfully frightened with the manner of their being attacked,
the noise, and the fire, that he believed they would tell the peo-
ple they were all killed by thunder and lightning, not by the
hand of man ; and that the two which appeared, viz. : Friday
and I, were two heavenly spirits, or furies, come down to de.
stroy them, and not men with weapons. This, he said, he knew,
because he heard them all cry out so, in their language, one to
another ; for it was impossible for them to conceive that a man
could dart fire, and speak thunder, and kill at a distance, with-
out lifting up the hand, as was done now: and this old savage
was in the right ; for as I understood since, by other hands, the
savages never attempted to go over to the island afterwards,
they were so terrified by the accounts given by those four men
(for it seems they did escape the sea), that they believed who-
ever went to that enchanted island would be destroyed by fire
from the gods. This, however, I knew not 3 and therefore was
under continual apprehensions for a good while, and kept
always upon my guard, with all my army ; for, as there were
now four of us, I would have ventured upon a hundred of them,
fairly in the open field, at any time.

In a little time, however, no more canoes appearing, the
tear of their coming wore off; and I began to take my former
thoughts of a voyage to the main into consideration; being
likewise assured, by Friday’s father, that I might depend upon