第67章

Let the Naturalists explain these Things，and the Reason and Manner of them；all I can say to them，is，to describe the Fact，which was even surprising to me when I found it；though I knew not from what it should proceed；it was doubtless the effect of ardent Wishes，and of strong Ideas form'd in my Mind，realizing the Comfort，which the Conversation of one of my Fellow-Christians would have been to me.

But it was not to be；either their Fate or mine，or both，forbid it；for till the last Year of my being on this Island，I never knew whether any were saved out of that Ship or no；and had only the Affliction some Days after，to see the Corps of a drownded Boy come on Shore，at the End of the Island which was next the Shipwreck：He had on no Cloaths，but a Seaman's Wastcoat，a pair of open knee'd Linnen Drawers，and a blew Linnen Shirt；but nothing to direct me so much as to guess what Nation he was of：He had nothing in his Pocket，but two Pieces of Eight，and a Tobacco Pipe；the last was to me of ten times more value than the first.

It was now calm，and I had a great mind to venture out in my Boat，to this Wreck；not doubting but I might find something on board，that might be useful to me；but that did not altogether press me so much，as the Possibility that there might be yet some living Creature on board，whose Life I might not only save，but might by saving that Life，comfort my own to the last Degree；and this Thought clung so to my Heart，that I could not be quiet，Night or Day，but I must venture out in my Boat on board this Wreck；and committing the rest to God's Providence，I thought the Impression was so strong upon my Mind，that it could not be resisted，that it must come from some invisible Direction，and that I should be wanting to my self if I did not go.

Under the Power of this Impression，I hasten'd back to my Castle，prepar'd every Thing for my Voyage，took a Quantity of Bread，a great Pot for fresh Water，a Compass to steer by，a Bottle of Rum；for I had still a great deal of that left；a Basket full of Raisins：And thus loading my self with every Thing necessary，I went down to my Boat，got the Water out of her，and got her afloat，loaded all my Cargo in her，and then went Home again for more；my second Cargo was a great Bag full of Rice，the Umbrella to set up over my Head for Shade；another large Pot full of fresh Water，and about two Dozen of my small Loaves，or Barley Cakes，more than before，with a Bottle of Goats-Milk，and a Cheese；all which，with great Labour and Sweat，I brought to my Boat；and praying to God to direct my Voyage，I put out，and Rowing or Padling the Canoe along the Shore，I came at last to the utmost Point of the Island on that Side，（viz.） N. E. And now I was to launch out into the Ocean，and either to venture，or not to venture. I look'd on the rapid Currents which ran constantly on both Sides of the Island，at a Distance，and which were very terrible to me，from the Remembrance of the Hazard I had been in before，and my Heart began to fail me；for I foresaw that if I was driven into either of those Currents，I should be carry'd a vast Way out to Sea，and perhaps out of my Reach，or Sight of the Island again；and that then，as my Boat was but small，if any little Gale of Wind should rise，I should be inevitably lost.

These Thoughts so oppress'd my Mind，that I began to give over my Enterprize，and having haled my Boat into a little Creek on the Shore，I stept out，and sat me down upon a little rising bit of Ground，very pensive and anxious，between Fear and Desire about my Voyage；when as I was musing，I could perceive that the Tide was turn'd，and the Flood come on，upon which my going was for so many Hours impracticable；upon this presently it occurr'd to me，that I should go up to the highest Piece of Ground I could find，and observe，if I could，how the Sets of the Tide，or Currents lay，when the Flood came in，that I might judge whether if I was driven one way out，I might not expect to be driven another way home，with the same Rapidness of the Currents：This Thought was no sooner in my Head，but I cast my Eye upon a little Hill，which sufficiently over-look'd the Sea both ways，and from whence I had a clear view of the Currents，or Sets of the Tide，and which way I was to guide my self in my Return；here I found，that as the Current of the Ebb set out close by the South Point of the Island；so the Current of the Flood set in close by the Shore of the North Side，and that I had nothing to do but to keep to the North of the Island in my Return，and I should do well enough.

Encourag'd with this Observation，I resolv'd the next Morning to set out with the first of the Tide；and reposing my self for the Night in the Canoe，under the great Watch-coat，I mention'd，I launched out：I made first a little out to Sea full North，till I began to feel the Benefit of the Current，which set Eastward，and which carry'd me at a great rate，and yet did not so hurry me as the Southern Side Current had done before，and so as to take from me all Government of the Boat；but having a strong Steerage with my Paddle，I went at a great rate，directly for the Wreck，and in less than two Hours I came up to it.

It was a dismal Sight to look at：The Ship，which by its building was Spanish，stuck fast，jaum'd in between two Rocks；all the Stern and Quarter of her was beaten to pieces，with the Sea；and as her Forecastle，which stuck in the Rocks，had run on with great Violence，her Mainmast and Foremast were brought by the Board；that is to say，broken short off；but her Boltsprit was found，and the Head and Bow appear'd firm；when I came close to her，a Dog appear'd upon her，who seeing me coming，yelp'd，and cry'd；and as soon as I call'd him，jump'd into the Sea，to come to me，and I took him into the Boat；but found him almost dead for Hunger and Thirst：I gave him a Cake of my Bread，and he eat it like a ravenous Wolf，that had been starving a Fortnight in the Snow：I then gave the poor Creature some fresh Water，with which，if I would have let him，he would have burst himself.