Робінзон Крузо
Finds Print of Man’s Foot on the Sand
Asthiswasalsoabouthalf-waybetweenmyotherhabitationandtheplacewhereIhadlaidupmyboat,Igenerallystayedandlayhereinmywaythither; forIusedfrequentlytovisitmyboat,andIkeptallthingsabout,orbelongingtoher,inverygoodorder. SometimesIwentoutinhertodivertmyself,butnomorehazardousvoyageswouldIgo,norscarceeveraboveastone’scastortwofromtheshore,Iwassoapprehensiveofbeinghurriedoutofmyknowledgeagainbythecurrentsorwinds,oranyotheraccident. ButnowIcometoanewsceneofmylife.
Ithappenedoneday,aboutnoon,goingtowardsmyboat,Iwasexceedinglysurprisedwiththeprintofaman’snakedfootontheshore,whichwasveryplaintobeseeninthesand. Istoodlikeonethunder-struck,orasifIhadseenanapparition. Ilistened,Ilookedroundme,Icouldhearnothing,norseeanything. Iwentuptoarisingground,tolookfarther. Iwentuptheshore,anddowntheshore,butitwasallone; Icouldseenootherimpressionbutthatone,Iwenttoitagaintoseeiftherewereanymore,andtoobserveifitmightnotbemyfancy; buttherewasnoroomforthat,fortherewasexactlytheveryprintofafoot—toes,heel,andeverypartofafoot. HowitcamethitherIknewnot,norcouldintheleastimagine. Butafterinnumerableflutteringthoughts,likeamanperfectlyconfusedandoutofmyself,Icamehometomyfortification, notfeeling,aswesay,thegroundIwenton,butterrifiedtothelastdegree,lookingbehindmeateverytwoorthreesteps,mistakingeverybushandtree,andfancyingeverystumpatadistancetobeaman; norisitpossibletodescribehowmanyvariousshapesaffrightedimaginationrepresentedthingstomein,howmanywildideaswerefoundeverymomentinmyfancy,andwhatstrangeunaccountablewhimsiescameintomythoughtsbytheway.
