Робинзон Крузо
Wrecked on a desert island
forthoughthestormwasabatedconsiderably,yettheseawentdreadfulhighupontheshore,andmightwellbecalleddenwildzee,astheDutchcalltheseainastorm.
Andnowourcasewasverydismalindeed,forweallsawplainlythattheseawentsohigh,thattheboatcouldnotlive,andthatweshouldbeinevitablydrowned. Astomakingsail,wehadnone;nor,ifwehad,couldwehavedoneanythingwithit; soweworkedattheoartowardstheland,thoughwithheavyhearts,likemengoingtoexecution,forweallknewthatwhentheboatcamenearertheshore,shewouldbedashedinathousandpiecesbythebreachofthesea. However,wecommittedoursoulstoGodinthemostearnestmanner;andthewinddrivingustowardstheshore,wehastenedourdestructionwithourownhands,pullingaswellaswecouldtowardsland. Whattheshorewas,whetherrockorsand,whethersteeporshoal,weknewnot; theonlyhopethatcouldrationallygiveustheleastshadowofexpectationwas,ifwemighthappenintosomebayorgulf,orthemouthofsomeriver,wherebygreatchancewemighthaverunourboatin,orgotundertheleeoftheland,andperhapsmadesmoothwater. Buttherewasnothingofthisappeared;butaswemadenearerandnearertheshore,thelandlookedmorefrightfulthanthesea.
Afterwehadrowed,orratherdriven,aboutaleagueandahalf,aswereckonedit,aragingwave,mountain-like,camerollingasternofus,andplainlybadeusexpectthecoupdegrace.Inaword,ittookuswithsuchafury,thatitoversettheboatatonce; andseparatingus,aswellfromtheboatasfromoneanother,gaveusnottimehardlytosay,"OGod!"forwewereallswallowedupinamoment.
