Chapter 3: The Most Unfortunate of Enterprises

Back in London, Crusoe luckily falls into good company. He becomes acquainted with the captain of a ship trading on the coast of Guinea. The captain takes a liking to Crusoe and offers him free passage and the chance to trade with the natives. Crusoe accompanies him on the voyage, after buying about forty pounds worth of trinkets to use in trading. The voyage proves to be successful on all counts. During the trip, the captain teaches Crusoe mathematics, navigation, and everything that a sailor needs to know. The captain also teaches Crusoe about trading, and the young man makes an overall profit of three hundred pounds.

Crusoe decides to become a Guinea trader, and although his friend, the captain, dies, he sails out again after leaving two hundred pounds of his fortune with the captain's widow. The first mate has become the ship's new captain. As the ship makes her way between the Canary Islands and the African coast, a Moorish pirate ship attacks them. Crusoe's ship first tries to flee, but when the pirates gain on them, the Englishmen decide to fight. When three of their men are killed and eight wounded, Crusoe's ship surrenders, and they are all taken as slaves to Sallee, a port in Morocco. While the rest of the men are transported north to the emperor's court, the pirate captain keeps Crusoe as his own slave.

Forewarned by this disaster, Crusoe's master decides never to travel without a compass and has a cabin built in the boat to hold provisions. One day, Crusoe's master plans to go sailing with friends. He has Crusoe load the boat with guns, powder, and shot. When the trip is canceled, his master orders Crusoe to go to sea with Motley and Xury to catch some fish for the party he is having at his house that night.

Crusoe manages to persuade Moley and Xury to bring along more provisions, gunpowder, and other useful items. They set off, and Crusoe manages to sail further and further out to sea by claiming that he cannot find any fish. When the boat is far enough away, he grabs Motley and throws him overboard. When Motley tries to swim back to the boat, Crusoe threatens him with a gun and makes him swim to shore. Out of fear, Xury promises to be faithful to Crusoe, and they sail without stopping for the next five days.

When they reach the mouth of a creek, Crusoe thinks about exploring the surrounding country. As they sleep on the boat, they hear the cries of wild animals, but in the morning they are compelled to go ashore for fresh water. While exploring, they are forced to kill a lion. They decide to continue their journey in the boat. Living sparingly on their meager provisions, the two men travel down the coast. They soon find that friendly black people inhabit the shore. One time, they save the natives from two leopards and are given more provisions in return for their heroic deed. After another two weeks at sea, a Portuguese ship rescues Crusoe and Xury.

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