The Life and Most Surprising Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner (1801). Даниэль Дефо
we planted only for food: but the third year we planted some tobacco, and each of us dressed a large piece of ground the ensuing year for planting canes. But now I found how much I wanted assistance, and repented the loss of my dear boy Xury.
Having none to assist me, my father's words came into my mind; and I used to ask myself, if what I sought was only a middle station of life, why could it not as well be obtained in England as here? When I pondered on this with regret, the thoughts of my late deliverance forsook me. I had none to converse with but my neighbour; no work to be done but by my own hands; it often made me say, my condition was like to that of a man cast upon a desolate island. So unhappy are we in our reflections, so forgetful of what good things we receive ourselves, and so unthankful for our deliverance from these calamities that others endure.
I, was in some measure settled, before the captain who took me up departed from the Brazils. One day I went to him, and told him what stock I had in London, desiring his assistance in getting it remitted; to which the good gentleman readily consented, but would only have me send for half my money, lest it should miscarry; which, if it did, I might still have the remainder to support me: and so taking letters of procuration of me, bid me trouble myself no farther about it.
And indeed wonderful was his kindness towards me; for he not only procured the money I had drawn for upon my captain's widow, but sent me over a servant with a cargo proportionable to my condition. He also sent me over tools of all sorts, iron-work, and utensils necessary for my plantation, which proved to be of the greatest use to me in my business.
Wealth now accumulating on me, and uncommon success crowning my prosperous labours, I might have rested happy in that middle state of life my father had so often recommended, yet nothing would content me, such was my evil genius, but I must leave this happy station, for a foolish ambition in rising; and thus, once more, I cast myself into the greatest gulph of misery that ever poor creature fell into. Having lived four years in Brazil, I had not only learned the language, but contracted acquaintance with the most eminent planters, and even the merchants of St. Salvadore; to whom, once, by way of discourse, having given account of my two voyages to the coast of Guinea and the manner of trading there for mere trifles, by which we furnish our plantations with Negroes, they gave such attention to what I said, that three of them came one morning to me, and told me they had a secret proposal to make. After enjoining me to secrecy (it being an infringement on the powers of the Kings of Portugal and Spain) they told me they had a mind to fit out a ship to go to Guinea, in order to stock the plantation with Negroes, which as they could not be publicly sold, they would divide among them: and if I would go their supercargo in the ship, to manage the trading part, I should have ah equal share of the Negroes, without providing any stock. The thing indeed was fair enough, had I been in another condition. But I, born to be my own destroyer, could not resist the proposal, but accepted the offer upon condition of their looking after my plantation. So making a formal will, I bequeathed my effects to my good friend the captain, as my universal heir; but obliged him to dispose of my effects as directed, one half of the produce to himself, and the other to be shipped to England.
The ship being fitted out, and all things ready, we set sail the first of September, 1659, being the same day eight-years I left my father and, mother in Yorkshire. We sailed northward upon the coast, in order to gain Africa, till we made Cape Augustine; from whence going farther into the ocean, out of sight of land, we steered as though we were bound for the isle Fernand de Norenba, leaving the islands on the east; and then it was that we met with a terrible tempest, which continued for twelve days successively, so that the wind carried us wheresoever they pleased. In this perplexity one of our men died, and one man and a boy were washed overboard. When the weather cleared up a little, we found ourselves eleven degrees north latitude, upon the coast of Guinea. Upon this the captain gave reasons for returning; which I opposed, counselling him to stand away for Barbadoes, which as I supposed, might be attained in fifteen days. So altering our course, we sailed north-west and by west, in order to reach the Leeward Islands; but a second storm succeeding, drove us to the westward; so that we were justly afraid of falling into the hands of cruel savages, or the paws of devouring beasts of prey.
In this great distress, one of our men, early in the morning cried out, Land, land! which he had no sooner cried out, but our ship struck upon a sand bank, and in a moment the sea broke over her in such a manner that we expected we should all have perished immediately. We knew nothing where we were, or upon what land we were driven; whether an island or the main, inhabited or not inhabited; and we could not so much as hope that the ship would hold out many minutes, without breaking in pieces, except the wind by a miracle should turn about immediately. While we stood looking at one another, expecting death every moment, the mate lay a hold of the boat, and with the help of the rest got her flung over the ship's side, and getting all into her, being eleven of us, committed ourselves to God's mercy and the wild sea. And now we saw that this last effort would not be a sufficient protection from death; so high did the sea rise, that it was impossible the boat should live. As to making sail, we had none; neither if we had, could we make use of any. So that when we had rowed, or rather were driven about a league and a half, a raging wave, like a lofty mountain, came rolling astern of us, and took us with such fury, that at once it overset the boat. Thus being swallowed up in a moment, we had hardly time to call upon the tremendous name of God; much less to implore, in dying ejaculations, his infinite mercy to receive our departing souls.
Men are generally counted insensible, when struggling in the pangs of death; but while I was overwhelmed with water, I had the most dreadful apprehensions imaginable. For the joys of heaven and the torments of hell, seemed to present themselves before me in these dying agonies, and even small space of time, as it were, between life and death. I was going I thought I knew not whither, into a dismal gulf unknown, and as yet unperceived, never to behold my friends, nor the light of this world any more! Could I even have thought of annihilation, or a total dissolution of soul as well as body, the gloomy thoughts of having no further being, no knowledge of what we hoped for, but an eternal quietus, without life or sense: even that, I say, would have been enough to strike me with horror and confusion! I strove, however, to the last extremity, while all my companions were overpowered and entombed in the deep: and it was with great difficulty I kept my breath till the wave spent itself, and retiring back, left me on the shore half dead with the water I had taken in. As soon as I got on my feet, I ran as fast as I could, lest another wave should pursue me, and carry me back again. But for all the haste I made, I could not avoid it: for the sea came after me like a high mountain, or furious enemy; so that my business was to hold my breath, and by raising myself on the water, preserve it by swimming. The next dreadful wave buried me at once twenty or thirty feet deep, but at the same time carried me with a mighty force and swiftness toward the shore: when raising myself, I held out as well as possible, till at length the water having spent itself, began to return, at which I struck forward, and feeling ground with my feet, I took to my heels again. Thus being served twice more, I was at length dashed against a piece of a rock, in such a manner as left me senseless; but recovering a little before the return of the wave, which, no doubt, would then have overwhelmed me, I held fast by the rock till those succeeding waves abated; and then fetching another run, was overtaken by a small wave, which was soon conquered. But before any more could overtake me, I reached the main land, where clambering up the cliffs of the shore, tired and almost spent I sat down on the grass, free from the dangers of the foaming ocean.
No tongue can express the ecstasies and transports that my soul felt at the happy deliverance. It was like a reprieve to a dying malefactor, with a halter about his neck, and ready to be turned off. I was wrapt up in contemplation and often lifted up my hands, with the profoundest humility, to the Divine Powers, for saving, my life, when the rest of my companions were all drowned. And now I began to cast my eyes around, to behold what place I was in and what I had next to do. I could see no house nor people; I was wet, yet had no clothes to shift me; hungry and thirsty, yet had nothing to eat or drink; no weapon to destroy any creature for my sustenance; nor defend myself against devouring beasts; in short, I had nothing but a knife, a tobacco pipe, and a box half filled with tobacco. The darksome night coming on upon me, increased my fears of being devoured by wild creatures; my mind was plunged in despair, and having no prospect, as I thought, of life before me, I prepared for another kind of death then what I had lately escaped. I walked about a furlong to see if I could