Робинзон Крузо
A Boat
thatifIoncecameintotheirpower,Ishouldrunahazardmorethanathousandtooneofbeingkilled,andperhapsofbeingeaten; forIhadheardthatthepeopleoftheCaribbeancoastswerecannibals,ormaneaters,andIknewbythelatitudethatIcouldnotbefarofffromthatshore. Thatsupposedtheywerenotcannibals,yetthattheymightkillme,asmanyEuropeanswhohadfallenintotheirhandshadbeenserved,evenwhentheyhadbeenoftenortwentytogether,muchmoreI,thatwasbutone,andcouldmakelittleornodefence; allthesethings,Isay,whichIoughttohaveconsideredwellof,anddidcastupinmythoughtsafterwards,yettookupnoneofmyapprehensionsatfirst,butmyheadranmightilyuponthethoughtofgettingovertotheshore.
NowIwishedformyboyXury,andthelongboatwiththeshoulder-of-muttonsail,withwhichIsailedaboveathousandmilesonthecoastofAfrica; butthiswasinvain. ThenIthoughtIwouldgoandlookatourship’sboat,which,asIhavesaid,wasblownupupontheshoreagreatway,inthestorm,whenwewerefirstcastaway. Shelayalmostwhereshedidatfirst,butnotquite; andwasturned,bytheforceofthewavesandthewinds,almostbottomsideupward,againstahighridgeofbeachyroughsand,butnowaterabouther,asbefore.
IfIhadhadhandstohaverefittedher,andtohavelaunchedherintothewater,theboatwouldhavedonewellenough,andImighthavegonebackintotheBrazilswithhereasilyenough; butImighthaveforeseenthatIcouldnomoreturnherandsetheruprightuponherbottom,thatIcouldremovetheisland. However,Iwenttothewoods,andcutleversandrollers,andbroughtthemtotheboat,resolvedtotrywhatIcoulddo; suggestingtomyselfthatifIcouldbutturnherdown,Imighteasilyrepairthedamageshehadreceived,andshewouldbeaverygoodboat,andImightgotoseainherveryeasily.
