Indeed I was much concerned to see him in that condition, where nature is upon the severest trial, when the immediate hand of death is ready to put for ever a period to this mortal life; and indeed so much compassion had I to this creature, that it was with difficulty I restrained from tears.  But, however, as another sort of countenance was necessary, and to convince him that I would do no harm, I took him smiling by the hand, then laughed at him, and pointing to the kid which I had slain, made signs to him to fetch it, which accordingly he did.  No less curious was he in viewing how the creature was killed, than he had been before in beholding the Indian; which, while he was admiring at, I charged my gun again, and presently perceived a great fowl like a hawk, perching upon a tree within shot; and therefore, to let Friday understand what I was going to do, I called him to me again, pointing at the fowl, which I found to be a parrot.  I made him understand that I would shoot and kill that bird; accordingly I fired, and bade him look, when immediately he saw the parrot fall down.  Again he stood like one amazed, notwithstanding all I had said to him:  and the more confounded he was, because he did not perceive me put any thing into my gun.  Undoubtedly a thing so utterly strange, carrying death along with it, far or near, either to man or beast, must certainly create the greatest astonishment to one who never had heard such a thing in his whole life; and really his amazement continued so long, that had I allowed it, he would have prostrated himself before me and my gun, with the greatest worship and adoration.  As for the gun in particular, he would not so much as touch it for several days after, but would come & communicate his thoughts to it, & talk to it, as if the senseless piece had understood and answered him; all this I could perceive him do, when he thought my back was turned, the chief intent of which was, to desire it not to kill him, as I afterwards came to understand.

I never strove to prevent his admiration, nor hinder him from those comical gestures he used on such occasions; but when his astonishment was a little over, I make tokens to him to run and fetch the parrot that I had shot; which accordingly he did, staying some time longer than usual, by reason the bird not being quite dead, had fluttered some way further from the place where she fell.  In the mean time, as he was looking for her, I took the advantage of charging my gun again, that so I might be ready for any other mark that offered; but nothing more occurred at that time.  So I brought home the kid, and the same evening took off the skin and divided the carcase as well as I could.  Part of the flesh I stewed and boiled in a pot I had for this purpose.  And then spreading my table, I sat down, giving my man some of it to eat, who was wonderfully pleased and seemed to like it very well:  but what was the most surprising to him was to see me eat salt with it:  upon which he made me understand,