Робінзон Крузо
Wrecked on a desert island
Iwaspositivelyagainstthat; andlookingoverthechartsofthesea-coastofAmericawithhim,weconcludedtherewasnoinhabitedcountryforustohaverecoursetotillwecamewithinthecircleoftheCaribbeeIslands, and,therefore,resolvedtostandawayforBarbadoes,whichbykeepingoffatsea,toavoidtheindraftoftheBayorGulfofMexico,wemighteasilyperform,aswehoped,inaboutfifteendays’sail; whereaswecouldnotpossiblymakeourvoyagetothecoastofAfricawithoutsomeassistance,bothtoourshipandtoourselves.
Withthisdesignwechangedourcourse,andsteeredawayNW.byW. inordertoreachsomeofourEnglishislands,whereIhopedforrelief; butourvoyagewasotherwisedetermined; forbeinginthelatitudeof12degrees18minutes,asecondstormcameuponuswhichcarriedusawaywiththesameimpetuositywestward,anddroveussooutoftheverywayofallhumancommerce, thathadallourlivesbeensaved,astothesea,wewereratherindangerofbeingdevouredbysavagesthaneverreturningtoourowncountry.
Inthisdistress,thewindstillblowingveryhard,oneofourmenearlyinthemorningcriedout, "Land!"andwehadnosoonerranoutofthecabintolookout,inthehopesofseeingwhereaboutsintheworldwewere,buttheshipstruckuponasand, andinamoment,hermotionbeingsostopped,theseabrokeoverherinsuchamanner,thatweexpectedweshouldallhaveperishedimmediately; andwewereimmediatelydrivenintoourclosequarters,toshelterusfromtheveryfoamandsprayofthesea.
Itisnoteasyforanyone,whohasnotbeeninthelikecondition,todescribeorconceivetheconsternationofmeninsuchcircumstances.
