The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
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The Junior Classics, Volume 5: Stories that never grow old
Children's literature
He was a comely, handsome fellow, perfectly well made, with
straight, strong limbs, not too large; tall, and well-shaped;
and, as I reckon, about twenty-six years of age. He had a very
good countenance, not a fierce and surly aspect, but seemed to
have something very manly in his face; and yet he had all the
sweetness and softness of a European in his countenance, too,
especially when he smiled. His hair was long and black, not curled
like wool; his forehead very high and large; and a great vivacity
and sparkling sharpness in his eyes. The color of his skin was not
quite black, but very tawny; and yet not an ugly, yellow, nauseous
tawny, as the Brazilians and Virginians, and other natives of
America are, but of a bright kind of a dun olive-color, that had
in it something very agreeable, though not very easy to describe.
His face was round and plump; his nose small, not flat, like the
negroes; a very good mouth, thin lips, and his fine teeth well
set, and as white as ivory.
After he had slumbered, rather than slept, about half an hour, he
awoke again, and came out of the cave to me--for I had been
milking my goats which I had in the enclosure just by; when he
espied me he came running to me, laying himself down again upon
the ground, with all the possible signs of an humble, thankful
disposition, making a great many antic gestures to show it. At
last he lays his head flat upon the ground, close to my foot, and
sets my other foot upon his head, as he had done before; and after
this made all the signs to me of subjection, servitude, and
submission imaginable, to let me know how he would serve me so
long as he lived. I understood him in many things, and let him
know I was very well pleased with him. In a little time I began to
speak to him, and teach him to speak to me; and first, I let him
know his name should be Friday, which was the day I saved his
life: I called him so for the memory of the time. I likewise
taught him to say Master, and then let him know that was to be my
name; I likewise taught him to say yes and no, and to know the
meaning of them. I gave him some milk in an earthen pot, and let
him see me drink it before him, and sop my bread in it; and gave
him a cake of bread to do the like, which he quickly complied
with, and made signs that it was very good for him.
I kept there with him all that night; but as soon as it was day I
beckoned to him to come with me, and let him know I would give him
some clothes; at which he seemed very glad, for he was stark
naked. As we went by the place where he had buried the two men, he
pointed exactly to the place, and showed me the marks that he had
made to find them again, making signs to me that we should dig
them up again and eat them. At this I appeared very angry,
expressed my abhorrence of it, made as if I would vomit at the
thoughts of it, and beckoned with my hand to him to come away,
which he did immediately, with great submission.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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