Робинзон Крузо
Wrecked on a desert island
NothingcandescribetheconfusionofthoughtwhichIfeltwhenIsunkintothewater; forthoughIswamverywell,yetIcouldnotdelivermyselffromthewavessoastodrawbreath,tillthatwavehavingdrivenme,orrathercarriedme,avastwayontowardstheshore,andhavingspentitself,wentback,andleftmeuponthelandalmostdry,buthalfdeadwiththewaterItookin. Ihadsomuchpresenceofmind,aswellasbreathleft,thatseeingmyselfnearerthemainlandthanIexpected,Igotuponmyfeet,andendeavoredtomakeontowardsthelandasfastasIcould,beforeanotherwaveshouldreturnandtakemeupagain. ButIsoonfounditwasimpossibletoavoidit; forIsawtheseacomeaftermeashighasagreathill,andasfuriousasanenemy,whichIhadnomeansorstrengthtocontendwith. Mybusinesswastoholdmybreath,andraisemyselfuponthewater,ifIcould;andso,byswimming,topreservemybreathing,andpilotmyselftowardstheshore,ifpossible: mygreatestconcernnowbeing,thatthesea,asitwouldcarrymeagreatwaytowardstheshorewhenitcameon,mightnotcarrymebackagainwithitwhenitgavebacktowardsthesea.
Thewavethatcameuponmeagain,buriedmeatonce20or30feetdeepinitsownbody,andIcouldfeelmyselfcarriedwithamightyforceandswiftnesstowardstheshoreaverygreatway; butIheldmybreath,andassistedmyselftoswimstillforwardwithallmymight. Iwasreadytoburstwithholdingmybreath,when,asIfeltmyselfrisingup,so,tomyimmediaterelief,Ifoundmyheadandhandsshootoutabovethesurfaceofthewater; andthoughitwasnottwosecondsoftimethatIcouldkeepmyselfso,yetitrelievedmegreatly,gavemebreathandnewcourage. Iwascoveredagainwithwateragoodwhile,butnotsolongbutIhelditout; andfindingthewaterhadspentitself,andbegantoreturn,Istruckforwardagainstthereturnofthewaves,andfeltgroundagainwithmyfeet.
