"On his coming close to me, he kneeled down again" — sixth illustration for the Illustrated Children's Edition of "Robinson Crusoe" (1815) (original) (raw)

Full Caption

On his coming close to me, he kneeled down again. [See page 57]

Original Passage Adapted: Crusoe rescues Friday

I took him up and made much of him, and encouraged him all I could. But there was more work to do yet; for I perceived the savage whom I had knocked down was not killed, but stunned with the blow, and began to come to himself: so I pointed to him, and showed him the savage, that he was not dead; upon this he spoke some words to me, and though I could not understand them, yet I thought they were pleasant to hear; for they were the first sound of a man’s voice that I had heard, my own excepted, for above twenty-five years. But there was no time for such reflections now; the savage who was knocked down recovered himself so far as to sit up upon the ground, and I perceived that my savage began to be afraid; but when I saw that, I presented my other piece at the man, as if I would shoot him: upon this my savage, for so I call him now, made a motion to me to lend him my sword, which hung naked in a belt by my side, which I did. He no sooner had it, but he runs to his enemy, and at one blow cut off his head so cleverly, no executioner in Germany could have done it sooner or better; which I thought very strange for one who, I had reason to believe, never saw a sword in his life before, except their own wooden swords: however, it seems, as I learned afterwards, they make their wooden swords so sharp, so heavy, and the wood is so hard, that they will even cut off heads with them, ay, and arms, and that at one blow, too. When he had done this, he comes laughing to me in sign of triumph, and brought me the sword again, and with abundance of gestures which I did not understand, laid it down, with the head of the savage that he had killed, just before me. But that which astonished him most was to know how I killed the other Indian so far off; so, pointing to him, he made signs to me to let him go to him; and I bade him go, as well as I could. When he came to him, he stood like one amazed, looking at him, turning him first on one side, then on the other; looked at the wound the bullet had made, which it seems was just in his breast, where it had made a hole, and no great quantity of blood had followed; but he had bled inwardly, for he was quite dead. [Chapter XIV, "A Dream Realised"]

Relevant Text on the Facing Page

ivory. After he had slept about half an hour, he waked again, and came running to me in the inclosure just by, where I had been milking my goats. Then falling down again, he laid his head flat on the ground, and set my other foot upon it, as before, and after this made all possible signs of thankfulness, subjection. I began to speak to him and to teach him to speak to me; and first, made him know his name should be Friday, which was the day whereon I saved his life. I taught him to say Master, and let him know that was to be my name. [p. 59]

Commentary

The illustration recalls Crusoe's raising Friday up two pages earlier. In the background, right, one of the pursuers attempts to rise, while the other one lies dead. Beyond them lies the sea, and opposite them, on the left, the jungle. But the reader's attention is attracted to the heads of man and master, with the goatskin cap almost suggesting that his head is on fire. Although Defoe in text subsequent text stipulates that Friday is of aboriginal stock, the illustrator, undoubtedly thinking of West Indian plantation slaves imported from Africa, transforms Friday from Caribbean Indian to Negro wearing a strategically placed lion-cloth.

Left: Stothard's 1790 realisation of the rescue scene, an illustration of which Cruikshank was probably aware, Robinson Crusoe first sees and rescues his man Friday (copper-plate engraving, [Chapter XIV, "A Dream Realised"). Centre: Phiz's steel-engraved frontispiece, with the surviving pursuer about to attack the unwitting Crusoe, Robinson Crusoe rescues Friday (1864). Right: Colourful realisation of the same scene, with a decidedly subservient and Negroid Friday: Friday's first interview with Robinson Crusoe. (1818).

Left: George Cruikshank's elegant frontispiece for the first 1831 volume, Crusoe having just rescued Friday. Centre: Sir John Gilbert's realisation of the rescue scene, Crusoe rescues Friday (1867?). Right: Realistic but emotionally muted realisation of the same scene, Crusoe and Friday (1863-64). [Click on the images to enlarge them.]

Many thanks for the assistance of the staff at Special Collections and University Archives, particularly John Frederick, Library Assistant, McPherson Library, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

Reference

Defoe, Daniel (adapted). The Wonderful Life and Surprising Adventures of that Renowned Hero, Robinson Crusoe: who lived twenty-eight years on an uninhabited island, which he afterwards colonized.. London: W. Darton, 1815.

Last modified 22 February 2018