I cast my eyes to the stranded vessel. 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 even the beast could get on shore?
After I had solaced my mind with the comfortable part of my condition, I began to look round me, to see what kind of a place I was in, and what was next to be done. I was wet, had no cloathes to shift me, nor any thing either to eat or drink to comfort me. Neither did I see any prospect before me but perishing with hunger. I had no weapon, either to hunt and kill any creature for my sustenance, or to defend myself against any other creature that might desire to kill me for theirs, though I hoped the creatures of this land would avoid me for the beast within my skin, as most animals of England do. 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 such terrible agonies of mind that for a good while I ran about like a madman. Night coming upon me again, I began, with a heavy heart, to consider what would be my lot if there were naught to eat in this country.
All the remedy that offered to my thoughts at that time was to get what cloathes I was left with into a thick bushy tree, like a fir but thorny, which grew near me, and consider the next day what death I should die, for as yet I saw no prospect of life. I walked about a furlong from the shore to see if I could find any fresh water to drink, which I did, to my great joy. Having drank, I went to the tree and put my cloathes up in it, and presently the beast did come upon me again for the second night, that of the true full moon. While my own unwell state of thought made it most difficult to focus thru the smok'd lens, I was aware that the beast did feed, and if it could find food, there was hope I could as well.
When I waked it was broad day, the weather clear and the storm abated, so the sea did not rage and swell as before. What surprised me most was 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 at first mention’d, where the beast had been so bruised by the wave dashing it 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 myself on board that at least I might save some necessary things for my use.
The first thing I found was the long-boat, which lay as the wind and the sea had toss’d her upon the land, about two miles on my right hand. I walked as far as I could upon the shore to have got to her, but found an inlet of water between me and the boat, which was about half a mile broad. I came back for the present, being more intent upon getting at the ship, where I hoped to find something for my present subsistence. While the beast had fed the night before on one or two creatures, I could not count on it again after tonight.
A little after noon, I found the sea very calm, and the tyde ebb’d so far out I could come within a quarter of a mile of the ship, and here I found a fresh renewing of my grief. I saw if the beast had not forced the crew to flee in terror and all had kept on board, we had all got safe on shore and I had not been so miserable as to be left destitute of all comfort and company, as I now was. This forced tears from my eyes again, but as there was little relief in that, I resolv’d to get to the ship. I pull’d off my cloathes, for the weather was hot to extremity, and took the water.
When I came to the ship, my difficulty was still greater to know how to get on board. As she lay aground 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, hanging down by the fore-chains. With great difficulty I got hold of it, and by the help of that rope got into the forecastle of the ship. Here I found the ship was bulg’d and had a great deal of water in her hold. She lay so on the side of a bank of hard sand, or rather earth; her stern lay lifted up upon the bank and her head low, almost to the water. By this means all her quarter was free and all that was in that part was dry. You may be sure my first work was to search and to see what was spoiled and what was free.