Робинзон Крузо
First Weeks on the Island
AccordinglyIletmyselfdownintothewater,andswamacrossthechannel,whichlaybetweentheshipandthesands,andeventhatwithdifficultyenough,partlywiththeweightofthethingsIhadaboutme,andpartlytheroughnessofthewater; forthewindroseveryhastily,andbeforeitwasquitehighwateritblewastorm.
ButIwasgottenhometomylittletent,whereIlaywithallmywealthaboutmeverysecure. Itblewveryhardallthatnight,andinthemorning,whenIlookedout,behold,nomoreshipwastobeseen. Iwasalittlesurprised,butrecoveredmyselfwiththissatisfactoryreflection,viz.,thatIhadlostnotime,norabatednodiligence,togeteverythingoutofherthatcouldbeusefultome, andthatindeedtherewaslittleleftinherthatIwasabletobringawayifIhadhadmoretime.
Inowgaveoveranymorethoughtsoftheship,orofanythingoutofher,exceptwhatmightdriveontherefromherwreck,asindeeddiverspiecesofherafterwardsdid; butthosethingswereofsmallusetome.
Mythoughtswerenowwhollyemployedaboutsecuringmyselfagainsteithersavages,ifanyshouldappear,orwildbeasts,ifanywereintheisland; andIhadmanythoughtsofthemethodhowtodothis,andwhatkindofdwellingtomake,whetherIshouldmakemeacaveintheearth,oratentupontheearth; and,inshort,Iresolveduponboth,themanneranddescriptionofwhichitmaynotbeimpropertogiveanaccountof.
IsoonfoundtheplaceIwasinwasnotformysettlement,particularlybecauseitwasuponalowmoorishgroundnearthesea,andIbelievedwouldnotbewholesome; andmoreparticularlybecausetherewasnofreshwaternearit.
