344 ROBINSON CRUSOE.

of this in my heart before, and I believe I should not have
thought of it ; for I looked upon these savages as slaves, and
people whom, bad we any work for them to do, we would have
used as such, or would have been glad to have transported
them to any other part of the world ; for our business was to
get rid of them, and we would all have been satisfied if they
had been sent to any country, so they had never seen their own
I was confounded at his discourse, and knew not what answer
to make him.

He looked earnestly at me, seeing me in some disorder
“Sir,” says he, ‘‘ I shall be very sorry if what I have said gives
you any offence.” “No, no,” said I, “I am offended with
nobody but myself ; but Iam perfectly confounded, not only to
think that I should never take any notice of this before, but
with reflecting what notice I am able to take of it now. You
know, sir,” said I, ‘‘ what circumstances I am in ; Iam bound to
the East Indies in a ship freighted by merchants, and to whom
it would be an insufferable piece of injustice to detain their
ship here, the men lying all this while at victuals and wages on
the owners’ account. It is true, I agreed to be allowed twelve
days here, and if I stay more, I must pay three pounds sterling
per diem demurrage ; nor can I stay upon demurrage above eight
days more, and I have been here thirteen already ; so that I
am perfectly unable to engage in this work, unless I would
suffer myself to be left behind here again; in which case, if
this single ship should miscarry in any part of her voyage, I
should be just in the same condition that I was left in here at
first, and from which I have been so wonderfully delivered.”
He owned the case was very hard upon me as to my voyage ;
but laid it home upon my conscience, whether the blessing of
saving thirty-seven souls was not worth venturing all I had in
the world for. I was not so sensible of that as he was. I re-
plied to him thus: “ Why, sir, it is a valuable thing, indeed, to
be an instrument in God’s hands to convert thirty-seven heathens
to the knowledge of Christ ; but as you are an ecclesiastic, and
are given over to the work, it seems so natural to fall into the
way of your profession ; so how is it, then, that you do not
rather offer yourself to undertake it than press me to do it?”

Upon this he faced about just before me, as he walked
along, and putting me to a full stop, made me a very low bow.
“T most heartily thank God and you, sir,” said he, “for giving
me so evident a call to so blessed a work ; and if you think
yourself discharged from it, and desire me to undertake it, I
will most readily do it, and think it a happy reward for all the