The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801) by Daniel Defoe
page 25 of 339 (07%)
page 25 of 339 (07%)
![]() | ![]() |
|
|
got up into a thick bushy tree, and seating myself so that I could not
fall, a deep sleep overtook me, and for that night buried my sorrows in a quiet repose. It was broad day the next morning before I awaked; when I not only perceived the tempest was ceased, but law the ship driven almost as far as the rock before-mentioned, which the waves had dashed me against, and which was about a mile from the place where I was. When I came down from my apartment in the tree, I perceived the ship's boat two miles distant on my right-hand, lying on shore, as the waves had cast her. I thought to have got to her; but there being an inlet of water of about half a mile's breadth between it and me, I returned again towards the ship, as hoping to find something for my more immediate subsistence. About noon, when the sea was calm, that I could come within a quarter of a mile of her, it was to my grief I perceived, that, if we had kept on board all our lives had been saved. These thoughts, and my solitude drew tears from my eyes, though all in vain. So resolving to get to the ship, I stripped and leapt into the water, when swimming round her, I was afraid I should not get any thing to lay hold of; but it was my good fortune to espy a small piece of rope hang down by the fore chains, so low that, by the help of it, though with great difficulty, I got into the forecastle of the ship. Here I found that the ship was bulged, and had a great deal of water in her hold: her stern was lifted up against a bank, and her head almost to the water. All her quarter and what was there, was free and dry. The provisions I found in good order, with which I crammed my pockets, and losing no time, ate while I was doing other things: I also found some rum, of which I took a hearty dram: and now I wanted for nothing except a boat, which indeed was all, to carry away what was needful for me. |
|


