The Life & Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe Part-21 the story

The Life & Adventures Of  Robinson Crusoe Part-21 the story

my greatest Concern now being, that the Sea, as it would

might not carry me back again with it when it gave back

carry me a great Way towards the Shore when it came on,

towards the Sea.

The Wave that came upon me again, buried me at once

20 or 30 Foot deep in its own Body; and I could feel my self

carried with a mighty Force and Swiftness towards the

Shore a very great Way; but I held my Breath, and assisted

my self to swim still forward with all my Might. I was ready

to burst with holding my Breath, when, as I felt my self

rising up, so to my immediate Relief, I found my Head and

Hands shoot out above the Surface of the Water; and tho'

it was not two Seconds of Time that I could keep my self

so, yet it reliev'd me greatly, gave me Breath and new

Courage. I was covered again with Water a good while, but

not so long but I held it out; and finding the Water had

spent it self, and began to return, I strook forward against

the Return of the Waves, and felt Ground again with my

Feet. I stood still a few Moments to recover Breath, and

till the Water went from me, and then took to my Heels, and

Tun with what Strength I had farther towards the Shore.

But neither would this deliver me from the Fury of the Sea,

pouring in after me again, and twice more I

was lifted up by the Waves, and carried forwards as before,

the Shore being very flat.

which came

The last Time of these two had well near been fatal to me;

for the Sea having hurried me along as before, landed me,

or rather dash'd me against a Piece of a Rock, and that with

such Force, as it left me senseless, and indeed helpless, as

my own Deliverance; for the Blow taking my Side and

Breast, beat the Breath as it were quite out of my Body; and

had it returned again immediately, I must have been

strangled in the Water; but I recover'd a little before the

return of the Waves, and seeing I should be cover'd again

and so to hold my Breath, if possible, till the Wave went

with the Water, I resolv'd to hold fast by a Piece of the Rock, and so to hold my breath if possible till the wave went 

back; now as the Waves were not so high as at first, being

nearer Land, I held my Hold till the Wave abated, and then

fetch'd another Run, which brought me so near the Shore,

that the next Wave, tho' it went over me, yet did not so

swallow me up as to carry me away, and the next run I took,

I got to the main Land, where, to my great Comfort, I

clamber'd up the Clifts of the Shore, and sat me down upon

the Grass, free from Danger, and quite out of the Reach of

the Water.

up

I was now landed, and safe on Shore, and began to look

and thank God that my Life was sav'd in a Case wherein

there was some Minutes before scarce any room to hope.

I believe it is impossible to express to the Life what the

Extasies and Transports of the Soul are, when it is so

sav'd, as I may say, out of the very Grave; and I do not

wonder now at that Custom, viz. That when a Malefactor

who has the Halter about his Neck, is tyed up, and just

going to be turn'd off, and has a Reprieve brought to him:

I say, I do not wonder that they bring a Surgeon with it, to

let him Blood that very Moment they tell him of it, that the

Surprise may not drive the Animal Spirits from the Heart,

and overwhelm him:

For sudden Joys, like Griefs, confound at first.

I walk'd about on the Shore, lifting up my Hands, and

my whole Being, as I may say, wrapt up in the Contempla-

tion of my Deliverance, making a Thousand Gestures and

Motions which I cannot describe, reflecting upon all my

Comerades that were drown'd, and that there should not

be one Soul sav'd but my self; for, as for them, I never saw

them afterwards, or any Sign of them, except three of their

Hats, one Cap, and two Shoes that

were not Fellows.

I cast my Eyes to the stranded Vessel, when the Breach

and Froth of the Sea being so big, I could hardly see it, it

lay so far off, and considered, Lord! how was it possible

could get on Shore? 

After I had solac'd my Mind with the comfortable Part

Condition, I began to look round me to see what kind

found my Comforts abate, and that in a word I had a

of Place I was in, and what was next to be done, and I soon

dreadful Deliverance: For I was wet, had no Clothes to

shift me, nor any thing either to eat or drink to comfort me,

neither did I see any Prospect before me, but that of perish-

ing with Hunger, or being devour'd by wild Beasts; and

that which was particularly afflicting to me, was, that I had

no Weapon either to hunt and kill any Creature for my

Sustenance, or to defend my self against any other Creature

that might desire to kill me for theirs: In a Word, I had

nothing about me but a Knife, a Tobacco-pipe, and a little

Tobacco in a Box, this was all my Provision, and this threw

me into terrible Agonies of Mind, that for a while I run

about like a Mad-man; Night coming upon me, I began with

a heavy Heart to consider what would be my Lot if there

were any ravenous Beasts in that Country, seeing at Night

they always come abroad for their Prey.

All the Remedy that offer'd to my Thoughts at that Time,

was, to get up into a thick bushy Tree like a Firr, but thorny,

which grew near me, and where I resolv'd to set² all Night,

and consider the next Day what Death I should dye, for as

yet I saw no Prospect of Life; I walk'd about a Furlong from

the Shore, to see if I could find any fresh Water to drink,

which I did, to my great Joy; and having drank and put a

little Tobacco in my Mouth to prevent Hunger, I went to

the Tree, and getting up into it, endeavour'd to place my

self so, as that if I should sleep I might not fall; and having

I cut me a short Stick, like a Truncheon, for my Defence, I

took up my Lodging, and having been excessively fatigu'd,

I could have done in my Condition, and found my self the

most refresh'd with it, that I think I ever was on such an

Occasion.

When I wak'd it was broad Day, the Weather clear, and

the Storm abated, so that the Sea did not rage and swell as 

before: But that which surpris'd me most, was, that the

Ship was lifted off in the Night from the Sand where she lay

by the Swelling of the Tyde, and was driven up almost as

far as the Rock which I first mention'd, where I had been

so bruis'd by the dashing me against it; this being within

about a Mile from the Shore where I was, and the Ship

seeming to stand upright still, I wish'd my self on board,

that, at least, I might save some necessary things for my use.

When I came down from my Appartment in the Tree, 1

look'd about me again, and the first thing I found was the

Boat, which lay as the Wind and the Sea had toss'd her up

upon the Land, about two Miles on my right Hand. 1

walk'd as far as I could upon the Shore to have got to her,

but found a Neck or Inlet of Water between me and the

Boat, which was about half a Mile broad, so I came back for

the present, being more intent upon getting at the Ship,

where I hop'd to find something for my present Subsistence.

A little after Noon I found the Sea very calm, and the

Tyde ebb'd so far out, that I could come within a Quarter

of a Mile of the Ship; and here I found a fresh renewing of

my Grief, for I saw evidently, that if we had kept on board,

we had been all safe, that is to say, we had all got safe on

Shore, and I had not been so miserable as to be left entirely

destitute of all Comfort and Company, as I now was; this

forc'd Tears from my Eyes again, but as there was little

Relief in that, I resolv'd, if possible, to get to the Ship, so

I pull'd off my Clothes, for the Weather was hot to Extremity,

and took the Water, but when I came to the Ship, my

Difficulty was still greater to know how to get on board, for

as she lay a ground, and high out of the Water, there was

nothing within my Reach to lay hold of; I swam round her

twice, and the second Time I spy'd a small Piece of a Rope,

which I wonder'd I did not see at first, hang down by the

Fore-Chains so low, as that with great Difficulty I got hold

of it, and by the help of that Rope, got up into the Forecastle

of the Ship; here I found that the Ship was bulg'd,2 and had

a great deal of Water in her Hold, but that she lay so on the