# ■ 1 My first sea journey

Before I begin my story，I would like to tell you a little about myself.

I was born in the year 1632，in the city of York in the north of England. My father was German，but he came to live and work in England. Soon after that，he married my mother，who was English. Her family name was Robinson，so，when I was born，they called me Robinson，after her.

My father did well in his business and I went to a good school. He wanted me to get a good job and live a quiet，com-fortable life. But I didn't want that. I wanted adventure and an exciting life.

I want to be a sailor and go to sea，'I told my mother and father. They were very unhappy about this.

Please don't go，'my father said. 'You won't be happy，you know. Sailors have a difficult and dangerous life. 'And be－cause I loved him，and he was unhappy，I tried to forget about the sea.

But I couldn't forget，and about a year later，I saw a friend in town. His father had a ship，and my friend said to me，'We're sailing to London tomorrow. Why don't you come with us？'

And so，on September 1st，1651，I went to Hull，and the next day we sailed for London.

But，a few days later，there was a strong wind. The sea was rough and dangerous，and the ship went up and down，up and down. I was very ill，and very afraid.

Oh，I don't want to die！'I cried. 'I want to live！If I live，I'll go home and never go to sea again！'

The next day the wind dropped，and the sea was quiet and be autiful again.

Well，Bob，'my friend laughed. 'How do you feel now？The wind wasn't too bad. '

What！'I cried. 'It was a terrible storm. '

Oh，that wasn't a storm，'my friend answered. 'Just a lit－tle wind. Forget it. Come and have a drink. '

After a few drinks with my friend，I felt better. I forgot about the danger and decided not to go home. I didn't want my friends and family to laugh at me！

I stayed in London for some time，but I still wanted to go to sea. So，when the captain of a ship asked me to go with him to Guinea in Africa，I agreed. And so I went to sea for the second time.

It was a good ship and everything went well at first，but I was very ill again. Then，when we were near the Canary Is-lands，a Turkish pirate ship came after us. They were famous thieves of the sea at that time. There was a long，hard fight，but when it finished，we and the ship were prisoners.

The Turkish captain and his men took us to Sallee in Moroc－co. They wanted to sell us as slaves in the markets there. But in the end the Turkish captain decided to keep me for himself，and took me home with him. This was a sudden and terrible change in my life. I was now a slave and this Turkish captain was my master.

■ 1 我的第一次海上旅行

開始我的故事之前，我想先向你談一點我自己的情況。

我1632年出生在英國北部的約克郡。我父親是德國人，但他卻來到英國居住和工作。此後不久，他與我母親結了婚。我母親是英國人，孃家姓魯賓孫，因此，我出生後他們都稱呼我魯賓孫，沿用了我母親的姓氏。

我父親在生意上做得很出色，並且我也進了一所好學校。他希望我得到好的工作，過一種平靜的、舒適的生活。但是我不希望如此。我喜歡冒險和刺激的生活。

“我想成為一名水手去航行，”我告訴父母親。他們對此很不高興。

“不要去，”父親說。“你不會幸福的，你知道。水手過著艱苦而且危險的生活。”因為我愛父親，他不高興，我便試圖忘掉大海。

但我不可能忘掉，大約一年後，我在鎮裡遇到一個朋友。他的父親有一艘船，我的朋友對我說，“明天我們航行去倫敦。你為什麼不和我們一起走呢？”

於是，1651年9月1日，我到了赫爾港，第二天我們駛向倫敦。

但是，幾天後，颳起了狂風，狂暴的大海危機四伏，船不斷顛簸。我暈船暈得厲害，非常害怕。

“哦，我不想死！”我哭喊起來。“我想活著！假如我活著，我就要回家，再也不出海了！”

第二天，風停了，大海又重新恢復了平靜而美麗。

“好了，鮑伯，”我的朋友笑著說。“現在你感覺如何？這風並不太令人討厭。”

“什麼！”我大叫起來。“這可是一場可怕的風暴。”

“哦，這不算風暴，”我的朋友回答。“僅僅是小風而已。忘記它吧，來，喝一杯。”

和朋友喝了幾杯，我感覺好多了。我忘記了危險，決定不回家了。我不願意我的朋友和家人嘲笑我！

我在倫敦停留了一段時間，但我仍然想去航行。所以，當一位船長要求我和他一起去非洲的幾內亞時，我答應了。於是，我第二次去航海。

這是一艘好船，開始一切都很順利，但是我又暈得厲害。此後，當我們接近加納利群島時，一艘土耳其海盜船跟上了我們。他們是當時有名的海盜。經過一場長時間激烈的交火，一切都結束時，我們連人帶船都成了俘虜。

土耳其船長和他的部下把我們帶到摩洛哥的薩利。他們想在那兒的市場上把我們當作奴隸賣掉。但最後土耳其船長決定把我留給他自己，帶我隨他回家。

這是我一生中一次突然的可怕的變故。現在我成了奴隸，這位土耳其船長是我的主人。