358 ROBINSON CRUSOE.

&. C.—But tell us some of it: how did you begin, Will?
For this has been an extraordinary case, that is certain. She
has preached a sermon, indeed, if she has wrought this upon

ou.
z W, A.—Why, I first told her the nature of our laws about
marriage, and what the reasons were that men and women were
obliged to enter into such compacts, as it was neither in the
power of one nor other to break ; that otherwise, order and
justice could not be maintained, and men would run from their
wives, and abandon their children, mix confusedly with one an-
other, and neither families be kept entire, nor inheritances be
settled by legal descent.

&. C—You talk like a civilian, Will. Could you make her
understand what you meant by inheritance and families? They
know no such things among the savages, but marry anyhow,
without regard to relation, consanguinity, or family ; brother
and sister, nay, as I have been told, even the father and the
daughter, and the son and the mother.

W. A.—I believe, sir, you are misinformed, and my wife
assures me of the contrary, and that they abhor it ; perhaps,
for any further relations, they may not be so exact as we are ;
but she tells me never in the near relationship you speak of.

&. C—Well, what did she say to what you told her?

W. A.—She said she liked it very well, as it was much bet-
ter than in her country.

&. C—But did you tell her what marriage was?

W. A.—Ay, ay, there began our dialogue. I asked her if
she would be married to me our way. She asked me what way
that was. I told her marriage was appointed by God ; and
here we had a strange talk together, indeed, as ever man and
wife had, I believe.

N. B. This dialogue between Will Atkins and his wife I took
down in writing, just after he had told it me, which was as
follows :—

Wife——Appointed by your God! Why, have you a God in
your country ?

W. A.—Yes, my dear, God is in every country.

Wife-—No your God in my country ; my country have the
great old Benamuckee God.

W. A.—Child, I am very unfit to show you who God is;
God is in heaven, and made the heaven and the earth, the sea,
and all that in them is.

IVife-—No makee de earth ; no you God makee all earth
no makee my country.