After all this was done too，I had my Man Friday to teach as to what belong'd to the Navigation of my Boat；for though he knew very well how to paddle a Canoe，he knew nothing what belong'd to a Sail，and a Rudder；and was the most amaz'd，when he saw me work the Boat too and again in the Sea by the Rudder，and how the Sail gyb'd，and fill'd this way，or that way，as the Course we sail'd chang'd；I say，when he saw this，he stood like one，astonish'd and amaz'd：However，with a little Use，I made all these Things familiar to him；and he became an expert Sailor，except that as to the Compass，I could make him understand very little of that. On the other hand，as there was very little cloudy Weather，and seldom or never any Fogs in those Parts，there was the less occasion for a Compass，seeing the Stars were always to be seen by Night，and the Shore by Day，except in the rainy Seasons，and then no body car'd to stir abroad，either by Land or Sea.
I was now entred on the seven and twentieth Year of my Captivity in this Place；though the three last Years that I had this Creature with me，ought rather to be left out of the Account，my Habitation being quite of another kind than in all the rest of the Time. I kept the Anniversary of my Landing here with the same Thankfulness to God for his Mercies，as at first；and if I had such Cause of Acknowledgment at first，I had much more so now，having such additional Testimonies of the Care of Providence over me，and the great Hopes I had of being effectually，and speedily deliver'd；for I had an invincible Impression upon my Thoughts，that my Deliverance was at hand，and that I should not be another Year in this Place：However，I went on with my Husbandry，digging，planting，fencing，as usual；I gather'd and cur'd my Grapes，and did every necessary Thing as before.