Робинзон Крузо
A Boat
Ihadnowbeenheresolongthatmany—thingswhichIbroughtonshoreformyhelpwereeitherquitegone,orverymuchwasted,andnearspent. Myink,asIobserved,hadbeengoneforsometime,allbutaverylittle,whichIekedoutwithwater,alittleandalittle,tillitwassopaleitscarceleftanyappearanceofblackuponthepaper. Aslongasitlasted,Imadeuseofittominutedownthedaysofthemonthonwhichanyremarkablethinghappenedtome. And,first,bycastinguptimespast,Irememberthattherewasastrangeconcurrenceofdaysinthevariousprovidenceswhichbefellme,andwhich,ifIhadbeensuperstitiouslyinclinedtoobservedaysasfatalorfortunate,Imighthavehadreasontohavelookeduponwithagreatdealofcuriosity.
First,IhadobservedthatthesamedaythatIbrokeawayfrommyfatherandmyfriends,andrunawaytoHull,inordertogotosea,thesamedayafterwardsIwastakenbytheSalleeman-of-war,andmadeaslave.
ThesamedayoftheyearthatIescapedoutofthewreckofthatshipinYarmouthRoads,thatsameday-yearafterwardsImademyescapefromSalleeintheboat.
ThesamedayoftheyearIwasbornonviz.,the30thofSeptember,thatsamedayIhadmylifesomiraculouslysavedtwenty-sixyearsafter,whenIwascastontheshoreinthisisland; sothatmywickedlifeandmysolitarylifebeganbothonaday.
Thenextthingtomyink’sbeingwasted,wasthatofmybread;Imeanthebiscuit,whichIbroughtoutoftheship. ThisIhadhusbandedtothelastdegree,allowingmyselfbutonecakeofbreadadayforaboveayear; andyetIwasquitewithoutbreadfornearayearbeforeIgotanycornofmyown; andgreatreasonIhadtobethankfulthatIhadanyatall,thegettingitbeing,ashasbeenalreadyobserved,nexttomiraculous.
