As we were walking up the same hill another day, when the weather was so hazy at sea, that I could not perceive the continent, “Friday,” said I “don’t you wish yourself to be in your own country, your nation, among your old friends and acquaintances?” Yes, said he, me much O glad to be at my own nation. “And what would you do there, Friday?  Would you turn wild again, eat man’s flesh, and be a savage as you were formerly.” No, no, (answered he, full of concern and making his head) Friday now tell them to live good, tell them pray God, tell them to eat corn bread, cattle flesh, milk, no eat man again. “But surely,” replied I, “if you should offer to do all this, they will kill you; and to manifest their contempt of such instruction eat you up when they have done.”  He then put on a grave, yet innocent and smooth countenance, saying, No, they no kill me, they willing love learn:  that is that they would be very willing to learn:  adding withal, that they had learned much of the bearded mans that came in the boat.  “Will you,” said I “go back again, Friday?” He smiled at that, and told me, that he could not swim so far.  But said I, I will make a canoe for you. Yes, Master said he, me go if you go, me no go if you stay.  “I go, Friday! why would you have them to eat me up, and devour your kind master?” No no, said he, me make them not eat master, and me make them much love you; that is, he would tell them how I had slain his enemies, and thereby saved his life, for which reason he would make them love me:  and then he related to me, as well as he was able, how exceedingly kind those his nation were to the white, or bearded men, as he called them, who, in their great calamity, were driven into their country.

It was from this time, indeed, I had strong inclinations to venture over, and use my utmost efforts, if possible, to join these white bearded men, who undoubtedly were Spaniards or Portuguese; for, thought I, it must be certainly a better and safer way to escape when there is a good company, than for me alone, from an island forty miles off the shore, and without any assistance.  Some days, after, Friday and I being at work, as usual, at the same time diverting ourselves with various discourses; I told him I had a boat which I would bestow upon him, whenever he pleased to return to his own nation; and to convince him of the truth of what I said, I took him with me to the other side of the island, where my frigate lay, and then taking it from under the water, (for I always kept it sunk for fear of a discovery) we went both into it to see how it would manage such an expedition.