Робінзон Крузо
A Dream Realised
Withtheseresolutionsinmythoughts,Isetmyselfuponthescoutasoftenaspossible,andindeedsooften,tillIwasheartilytiredofit; foritwasaboveayearandhalfthatIwaited; andforgreatpartofthattimewentouttothewestend,andtothesouth-westcorneroftheisland,almosteverydaytoseeforcanoes,butnoneappeared. Thiswasverydiscouraging,andbegantotroublememuch;thoughIcannotsaythatitdidinthiscase,asithaddonesometimebeforethat,viz.,wearofftheedgeofmydesiretothething. Butthelongeritseemedtobedelayed,themoreeagerIwasforit. Inaword,Iwasnotatfirstsocarefultoshunthesightofthesesavages,andavoidbeingseenbythem,asIwasnoweagertobeuponthem.
Besides,Ifanciedmyselfabletomanageone,nay,twoorthreesavages,ifIhadthem,soastomakethementirelyslavestome,todowhateverIshoulddirectthem,andtopreventtheirbeingableatanytimetodomeanyhurt. ItwasagreatwhilethatIpleasedmyselfwiththisaffair;butnothingstillpresented. Allmyfanciesandschemescametonothing,fornosavagescamenearmeforagreatwhile.
AboutayearandhalfafterIhadentertainedthesenotions,andbylongmusinghad,asitwere,resolvedthemallintonothing,forwantofanoccasiontoputtheminexecution, Iwassurprised,onemorningearly,withseeingnolessthanfivecanoesallonshoretogetheronmysidetheisland,andthepeoplewhobelongedtothemalllanded,andoutofmysight. Thenumberofthembrokeallmymeasures;forseeingsomany,andknowingthattheyalwayscamefour,orsix,orsometimesmoreinaboat,Icouldnottellwhattothinkofit,orhowtotakemymeasurestoattacktwentyorthirtymensingle-handed; soIlaystillinmycastle,perplexedanddiscomforted.
