Робінзон Крузо
Wrecked on a desert island
Inshort,Itookallpossiblecautiontopreservemyeffectsandkeepupmyplantation. HadIusedhalfasmuchprudencetohavelookedintomyowninterest,andhavemadeajudgmentofwhatIoughttohavedoneandnottohavedone, Ihadcertainlynevergoneawayfromsoprosperousanundertaking,leavingalltheprobablyviewsofathrivingcircumstance,andgoneuponavoyagetosea,attendedwithallitscommonhazards,tosaynothingofthereasonsIhadtoexpectparticularmisfortunestomyself.
ButIwashurriedon,andobeyedblindlythedictatesofmyfancyratherthanmyreason. Andaccordingly,theshipbeingfittedout,andthecargofurnished,andallthingsdoneasbyagreementbymypartnersinthevoyage, Iwentonboardinanevilhour,the(first)of(September,1659), beingthesamedayeightyearthatIwentfrommyfatherandmotheratHull,inordertoacttherebeltotheirauthority,andthefooltomyowninterest.
Ourshipwasabout120tonsburthen,carriedsixgunsandfourteenmen,besidesthemaster,hisboy,andmyself. Wehadonboardnolargecargoofgoods,exceptofsuchtoysaswerefitforourtradewiththenegroes—suchasbeads,bitsofglass,shells,andoddtrifles,especiallylittlelooking-glasses,knives,scissors,hatchets,andthelike.
ThesamedayIwentonboardwesetsail,standingawaytothenorthwarduponourowncoast,withdesigntostretchoverfortheAfricancoast, whentheycameabout10or12degreesofnorthernlatitude,which,itseems,wasthemanneroftheircourseinthosedays.
