Робинзон Крузо
Wreck of a Spanish Ship
Ispentmydaysnowingreatperplexityandanxietyofmind,expectingthatIshould,onedayorother,fallintothehandsofthesemercilesscreatures; andifIdidatanytimeventureabroad,itwasnotwithoutlookingroundmewiththegreatestcareandcautionimaginable. AndnowIfound,tomygreatcomfort,howhappyitwasthatIprovidedforatameflockorherdofgoats; forIdurstnot,uponanyaccount,firemygun,especiallynearthatsideoftheislandwheretheyusuallycame,lestIshouldalarmthesavages. Andiftheyhadfledfrommenow,Iwassuretohavethemcomebackagain,withperhapstwoorthreehundredcanoeswiththem,inafewdays,andthenIknewwhattoexpect.
However,IworeoutayearandthreemonthsmorebeforeIeversawanymoreofthesavages,andthenIfoundthemagain,asIshallsoonobserve. Itistruetheymighthavebeenthereonceortwice,buteithertheymadenostay,oratleastIdidnothearthem; butinthemonthofMay,asnearasIcouldcalculate,andinmyfourandtwentiethyear,Ihadaverystrangeencounterwiththem;ofwhichinitsplace.
Theperturbationofmymind,duringthisfifteenorsixteenmonths’interval,wasverygreat. Isleptunquiet,dreamedalwaysfrightfuldreams,andoftenstartedoutofmysleepinthenight. Inthedaygreattroublesoverwhelmedmymind,andinthenightIdeamedoftenofkillingthesavages,andofthereasonswhyImightjustifythedoingofit. But,towaiveallthisforawhile,itwasthemiddleofMay,onthesixteenthday,Ithink,aswellasmypoorwoodencalendarwouldreckon,forImarkedalluponthepoststill;Isay,itwasthesixteenthofMaythatitblewaverygreatstormofwindallday,withagreatdealoflightningandthunder,andaveryfoulnightitwasafterit.
