The Life & Adventures Of Robinson Crusoe Part-3

 

The Life & Adventures Of  Robinson Crusoe Part-3

But the next Day the Wind was abated and the Sea calmer, and I

began to be a little inured to it: However, I was very grave

The night the Weather cleared up, the Wind was quite over, and

for all that Day, is also a little Sea sick still; but towards

a charming fine Evening followed; the Sun went down

perfectly clear and rose so the next morning, and having

little or no Wind and a smooth Sea, the Sun shining upon it,

the Sight was, as I thought, the most delightful that ever I

saw.

VI had slept well in the Night and was now no more Sea

sick but very cheerful, looking with Wonder upon the Sea

that was so rough and terrible the day before, and could be

so calm and so pleasant in so little time after. 

And now least my good Resolutions should continue, my Companion, who had indeed enticed me away, comes to me, Well Bob, says he, clapping me on the Shoulder, How do you do after it? I

warrant you were frighted, weren't you, last night when it

blew but a Cap full of Wind? 

A Cap full d'you call it? said 1, Is a terrible Storm: A Storm, you Fool you, replies he, do you call that a Storm, why it was nothing at all; give us but a good Ship and Sea Room, and we think nothing of such a Squal of Wind as that, but you're but a fresh Water Sailor,

Bob; come let us make a Bowl of Punch and we'll forget all

that, d'ye see what charming Weather 'tis now. 

To make short this sad Part of my Story, we went the old way of all Sailors, the Punch was made, and I was made drunk with it, and in

that one Night's Wickedness I drowned all my Repentance,

all my Reflections upon my past Conduct, and all my Resolutions for my future. 

In a word, as the Sea was returned to its Smoothness of Surface and settled Calmness by the Abatement of that Storm, so the Hurry of my Thoughts being over, my Fears and Apprehensions of being swallowed up by the Sea being forgotten, and the Current of my former Desires I entirely forgot the Vows and Promises that I made in my Distress. 

I found indeed some Intervals of Reflection, and the serious Thoughts did, as it were endeavor to return again sometimes, but I shook them off, and you'd myself from them as it were from a Distemper the Return of those Fits, for so I called them, and I had in a Victory over Conscience in five or six days got as

as any young Fellow that resolv'd not to be troubled with it,

I could desire: But I was to have another Trial for it still; and

leave me entirely without Excuse. 

For if I would not take Providence, as in such cases generally it does, resolve this for a Deliverance, the next was to be such a one as the worst and most Wretch among us would confess

both the Danger and the Mercy.

On the sixth Day of our being at Sea, we came into Yarmouth

Roads; the Wind having been contrary, and the Weather

calm, we had made but little Way since the Storm. Here we

were obliged to come to an Anchor, and here we lay, the

The wind continuing contrary, viz. at South-west, for seven or

eight Days, during which time a great many Ships from

Newcastle came into the same Roads, as the common Harbour

where the Ships might wait for a Wind for the River.

We had not however rid here so long but should have

Tided it up the River, but that the Wind blew too fresh;

and after we had lain four or five days, blew very hard.

However, the Roads being reckoned as good as a Harbour,

the Anchorage is good, and our Ground-Tackle very strong,

our Men were unconcerned, and not in the least apprehensive

of Danger, but spent the Time in Rest and Mirth, after the

manner of the Sea; but on the eighth Day in the Morning, the wind increased, and we had all Hands at Work to strike our

Top-Masts, and make everything snug and close, so that the ship might ride as easy as possible. 

By Noon the Sea went very high indeed, and our Ship rid Forecastle in, shipped several Seas and we thought once or twice our Anchor had come home; upon which our Master out the Sheet Anchor;2 so that we rode with two Anchors a-Head, and the Cables out to the better End, 3 By this time it blew a terrible Storm indeed, and now I began to see Terror and Amazement in the Faces even of the scanned themselves.