Робинзон Крузо
Wreck of a Spanish Ship
Butitwasnottobe.Eithertheirfateormine,orboth,forbidit; for,tillthelastyearofmybeingonthisisland,Ineverknewwhetheranyweresavedoutofthatshiporno; andhadonlytheaffliction,somedaysafter,toseethecorpseofadrownedboycomeonshoreattheendoftheislandwhichwasnexttheshipwreck. Hehadonnoclothesbutaseaman’swaistcoat,apairofopen-kneedlinendrawers,andabluelinenshirt; butnothingtodirectmesomuchastoguesswhatnationhewasof. Hehadnothinginhispocketbuttwopiecesofeightandatobacco-pipe. Thelastwastomeofoftentimesmorevaluethanthefirst.
Itwasnowcalm,andIhadagreatmindtoventureoutinmyboattothiswreck,notdoubtingbutImightfindsomethingonboardthatmightbeusefultome. Butthatdidnotaltogetherpressmesomuchasthepossibilitythattheremightbeyetsomelivingcreatureonboard,whoselifeImightnotonlysave,butmight,bysavingthatlife,comfortmyowntothelastdegree. AndthisthoughtclungsotomyheartthatIcouldnotbequietnightorday,butImustventureoutinmyboatonboardthiswreck; andcommittingtheresttoGod’sprovidenceIthought,theimpressionwassostronguponmymindthatitcouldnotberesisted,thatitmustcomefromsomeinvisibledirection,andthatIshouldbewantingtomyselfifIdidnotgo.
Underthepowerofthisimpression,Ihastenedbacktomycastle,preparedeverythingformyvoyage,tookaquantityofbread,agreatpotforfreshwater,acompasstosteerby,abottleofrum(forIhadstillagreatdealofthatleft),abasketfullofraisins. Andthus,loadingmyselfwitheverythingnecessary,Iwentdowntomyboat,gotthewateroutofher,andgotherafloat,loadedallmycargoinher,andthenwenthomeagainformore.
