276 ROBINSON CRUSOE.

him if he knew where he was? He looked about a little, and
presently clapping his hands, cried, “O yes, O there, O yes,
O there!” pointing to our old habitation, and fell dancing and
capering like a mad fellow; and I had much ado to keep him
from jumping into the sea, to swim ashore to the place.

“Well, Friday,” says I, “ do you think we shall find anybody
here or no? and do you ever think we shall see your father?”
The fellow stood mute asa stock a good while; but, when I
named his father, the poor affectionate creature looked de-
jected, and I could see the tears run down his face very plenti-
fully. ‘ What is the matter, Friday,” says 1; “are you troubled
because you may see your father?”’ “No, no,” says he, shak-
ing his head, ‘no see him more: no, never more see him
again.” ‘Why so,” said I, “ Friday? how do you know that? ”
“O no, O no,” says Friday, “he long ago die, long ago; he
much old man.” “ Well, well,” says I, “ Friday, you don’t
know; but shall we see any one else, then?” he fellow, it
seems, had better eyes than I, and he points to the hill just
above my old house ; and, though we lay half a league off, he
cries out, ‘‘We see, we see, yes, yes, we see much man there,
and there, and there.” I looked, but I saw nobody—no, not
with a perspective-glass, which was, I suppose, because I could
not hit the place ; for the fellow was right, as I found upon in-
quiry the next day ; and there were five or six men all together,
who stood to look at the ship, not knowing what to think of us.

As soon as Friday told me he saw people, I caused the Eng-
lish ancient to be spread, and fired three guns, to give them
notice we were friends ; and in about a quarter of anhour after we
perceived a smoke arise from the side of the creek ; so I imme-
diately ordered the boat out, taking Friday with me ; and, hang-
ing out a white flag, or a flag of truce, I went directly on shore,
taking with me the young friar I mentioned, to whom I had told
the story of my living there, and the manner of it, and every
particular, both of myself and those I left there, and who was,
on that account, extremely desirous to go with me. We had,
besides, about sixteen men well armed, if we had found any new
guests there which we did not know of ; but we had no need of
weapons.

As we went on shore upon the tide of flood, near high water,
we rowed directly into the creek ; and the first man I fixed my
eye upon was the Spaniard whose life I had saved, and whom
I knew by his face perfectly well: as to his habit, I shall de-
scribe it afterwards. I ordered nobody to go on shore at first
but myself; but there was no keeping Friday in the boat, for