Робинзон Крузо
Wrecked on a desert island
ButwhenIobservedthecourseshesteered,Iwassoonconvincedtheywereboundsomeotherway,anddidnotdesigntocomeanynearertotheshore; uponwhichIstretchedouttoseaasmuchasIcould,resolvingtospeakwiththem,ifpossible.
WithallthesailIcouldmake,IfoundIshouldnotbeabletocomeintheirway,buttheywouldbegonebybeforeIcouldmakeanysignaltothem; butafterIhadcrowdedtotheutmost,andbegantodespair,they,itseems,sawmebythehelpoftheirperspectiveglasses,andthatitwassomeEuropeanboat, which,astheysupposed,mustbelongtosomeshipthatwaslost,sotheyshortenedsailtoletmecomeup. Iwasencouragedwiththis; andasIhadmypatron’sancientonboard,Imadeawaftofittothemforasignalofdistress,andfiredagunbothofwhichtheysay;fortheytoldmetheysawthesmoke,thoughtheydidnothearthegun. Uponthesesignalstheyverykindlybroughtto,andlaybyforme;andinaboutthreehours’timeIcameupwiththem.
TheyaskedmewhatIwas,inPortuguese,andinSpanish,andinFrench,butIunderstoodnoneofthem; butatlastaScotssailor,whowasonboard,calledtome,andIansweredhim,andtoldhimIwasanEnglishman,thatIhadmademyescapeoutofslaveryfromtheMoors,atSallee. Thentheybademecomeonboard,andverykindlytookmein,andallmygoods.
Itwasaninexpressiblejoytome,thatanyonewillbelieve,thatIwasthusdelivered,asIesteemedit,fromsuchamiserable,andalmosthopeless,conditionasIwasin; andIimmediatelyofferedallIhadtothecaptainoftheship,asareturnformydeliverance.Buthegenerouslytoldmehewouldtakenothingfromme,butthatallIhadshouldbedeliveredsafetomewhenIcametotheBrazils.
