Ill and Conscience–Stricken

           WhenIcamedowntotheshipIfounditstrangelyremoved. Theforecastle,whichlaybeforeburiedinsand,washeavedupatleastsixfeet; andthestern,whichwasbrokentopieces,andpartedfromtherestbytheforceoftheseasoonafterIhadleftrummagingher,wastossed,asitwere,up,andcastononeside, andthesandwasthrownsohighonthatsidenextherstern,thatwhereastherewasagreatplaceofwaterbefore,sothatIcouldnotcomewithinaquarterofamileofthewreckwithoutswimming,Icouldnowwalkquiteuptoherwhenthetidewasout. Iwassurprisedwiththisatfirst,butsoonconcludeditmustbedonebytheearthquake. Andasbythisviolencetheshipwasmorebrokenopenthanformerly,somanythingscamedailyonshore,whichtheseahadloosened,andwhichthewindsandwaterrolledbydegreestotheland. 

           Thiswhollydivertedmythoughtsfromthedesignofremovingmyhabitation; andIbusiedmyselfmightily,thatdayespecially,insearchingwhetherIcouldmakeanywayintotheship. ButIfoundnothingwastobeexpectedofthatkind,forthatallinsideoftheshipwaschokedupwithsand. However,asIhadlearnednottodespairofanything,IresolvedtopulleverythingtopiecesthatIcouldoftheship,concludingthateverythingIcouldgetfromherwouldbeofsomeuseorothertome. 

           May3. —Ibeganwithmysaw,andcutapieceofabeamthrough,whichIthoughtheldsomeoftheupperpartorquarter-decktogether; andwhenIhadcutitthrough,IclearedawaythesandaswellasIcouldfromthesidewhichlayhighest; butthetidecomingin,Iwasobligedtogiveoverforthattime. 

           May4. —Iwenta-fishing,butcaughtnotonefishthatIdursteatof,tillIwaswearyofmysport;when,justgoingtoleaveoffIcaughtayoungdolphin.