Робінзон Крузо
First Weeks on the Island
anditwasafterlongsearchingthatIfoundoutthecarpenter’schest,whichwasindeedaveryusefulprizetome,andmuchmorevaluablethanaship-loadingofgoldwouldhavebeenatthattime. Igotitdowntomyraft,evenwholeasitwas,withoutlosingtimetolookintoit,forIknewingeneralwhatitcontained.
Mynextcarewasforsomeammunitionandarms; thereweretwoverygoodfowling-piecesinthegreatcabin,andtwopistols;theseIsecuredfirst,withsomepowder-horns,andasmallbagofshot,andtwooldrustyswords. Iknewtherewerethreebarrelsofpowderintheship,butknewnotwhereourgunnerhadstowedthem; butwithmuchsearchIfoundthem,twoofthemdryandgood,thirdhadtakenwater;thosetwoIgottomyraftwiththearms. AndnowIthoughtmyselfprettywellfrighted,andbegantothinkhowIshouldgettoshorewiththem,havingneithersail,oar,norrudder;andtheleastcapfulofwindwouldhaveoversetallmynavigation.
Ihadthreeencouragements. 1.Asmooth,calmsea. 2.Thetiderisingandsettingintotheshore. 3.Whatlittlewindtherewasblewmetowardstheland. Andthus,havingfoundtwoorthreebrokenoarsbelongingtotheboat,andbesidesthetoolswhichwereinthechest,Ifoundtwosaws,anaxe,andahammer,andwiththiscargoIputtosea. Foramileorthereaboutsmyraftwentverywell,onlythatIfounditdrivealittledistantfromtheplacewhereIhadlandedbefore, bywhichIperceivedthattherewassomeindraftofwater,andconsequentlyIhopedtofindsomecreekorriverthere,whichImightmakeuseofasaporttogettolandwithmycargo.
AsIimagined,soitwas; thereappearedbeforemealittleopeningoftheland,andIfoundastrongcurrentofthetidesetintoit,soIguidedmyraftaswellasIcouldtokeepinthemiddleofthestream.
