We Cross the Mountains - I Revisit My Island Summary

Robinson and Friday along with three English men, two Portuguese men, and four servants traveled from Lisbon to Madrid and eventually to Pampeluna. Once in Pampeluna they found the weather to be very cold and inhospitable, especially for Robinson and Friday, because they were used to extremely warm temperatures. Here the temperature was numbingly cold and snow was on the ground to such a depth as to be unpassable. In fact, some men who had tried to pass over the Pyrenean Mountains were forced to return to Pampeluna, because they could not travel through the snow.

The men were about to book passage on a boat to Bordeaux, France when they were told about a guide who could take them safely through the mountains to France. They spoke to the guide, who told them as long as they had guns to defend themselves against wild animals, he could take them through the mountains. Twelve other men, who were from France and Spain, accompanied Robinson's group and the guide on November 15th, as they started their journey through the mountains.

The snow was still coming down at an alarming rate, but the guide assured the men it would soon slow down or stop. They continued to ride through the mountains without mishap, until one day at dusk, the guide was attacked by three wolves, who were being chased by a bear. Friday rode up to the guide, who along with his horse were under attack by the wolves, he came close enough to shoot one of the wolves and killed the animal, which caused the other wolves to run away from the guide and his horse. The guide was wounded in his arm and above his knee.

Friday decided to have a little fun with the bear, which had been chasing the wolves. He climbed a nearby tree, after having gotten the bear's attention by throwing a stone at it and the bear followed him out onto a limb. Friday then called to the bear, which caused it to walk out further on the limb, then he made the limb shake and move about in such a way as to shake the bear with the limb. Friday moved to the farthest end of the limb and let himself down to the ground and the bear slowly climbed back down the tree. It was as the bear was about to step on the ground, when Friday picked up his gun and shot the bear in the head. He thought his escapade with the bear was great fun, because this was how his fellow countrymen killed bears.

A little while later the guide informed the men the most dangerous section of their travels was directly ahead of them. They had to ride through a passage which was surrounded by woods, this place was where the wolves were most likely to attack the group of men. About half way through this plain the men saw about a hundred wolves, as they moved toward them. The men formed a line and half the men fired at the wolves and then immediately the other half fired their weapons at the animals. This method worked to scare off the pack of wolves, the men yelled to frighten off any wolves who might turn and try to attack again.

They came upon a scene of dead horses and men who had all been attacked by the wolves. Robinson spotted some downed trees and suggested the men use a tree as a shield against the wolves. They formed a triangle with the horses in the center to defend themselves. This worked because they could fire at the wolves as they came at them from all sides. But this time the wolves came back at the men, so Robinson had gun powder poured in a line along the downed tree, then he set fire to the gun powder. This along with another shot from a pistol sent the wolves back into the forest.

The men reached the town in which they were to spend the night. They found out their guide was too badly injured to continue the journey, so they hired another guide. He took the men to Tholouse, where the weather was warm. Robinson decided he would never again travel over the mountains.

Robinson returned to Dover on January 14th, there he renewed his friendship with the old widow and left his belongings with her. He then sold his plantation in Brazil because he could not go back to Brazil and in good faith practice the Roman Catholic religion. The money he received from the sale enabled him to help his brother's sons. He helped one become a gentleman and the other a ship's captain. Robinson married and fathered two sons and a daughter, but after his wife died he went with his nephew back to his island. The year was 1694 and he found his island had changed a great deal since he left. The Spaniards had taken control of the English men and they eventually lived together in harmony. The men also raided the mainland and took some prisoners, which included five women; this act in the end produced 20 children. Robinson stayed 20 days on the island in which time he provided the occupants with provisions. He also went to Brazil and sent seven women over to become wives for the Spaniards and promised he would send English women for the English men. He divided up the island so each group would have some of their own land, but he kept most of the island for himself. The island residents fought off an invasion by the Caribbees and then lived more peacefully on the island.

Robinson Crusoe managed to persevere and return to England. He eventually returned to his island to see how well those he had left behind had fared. He in the end was happy as to how his life had turned out.



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