As I imagined, so it was, there appear’d before me a little opening of the land, and I found a strong current of the tyde set into it. I guided my raft as well as I could to get into the middle of the stream. But here I had like to have suffer’d a second shipwreck, for knowing nothing of the coast my raft ran aground at one end of it upon a shoal. Not being aground at the other end, it wanted but a little that all my cargo had slipped off towards that end that was afloat. I did my utmost, by setting my back against the chests to keep them in their places, but could not thrust off the raft with all my strength. Neither durst I stir from the posture I was in. Holding up the chests with all my might, I stood in that manner near half an hour, in which time the rising of the water brought me a little more upon a level. A little after, the water still rising, my raft floated again and I thrust her off with the oar I had into the channel. Driving up higher, I at length found myself in the mouth of a little river, with land on both sides and a strong current or tyde running up. I looked on both sides for a proper place to get to shore, for I was not willing to be driven too high up the river, hoping, in time, to see some ship at sea, and therefore resolv’d to place myself as near the coast as I could.
At length I spy’d a little cove on the right shore of the creek, to which, with great pain and difficulty, I guided my raft, and at last got so near as that, reaching ground with my oar, I could thrust her directly in. All I could do was to wait ‘till the tide was at the highest, keeping the raft with my oar like an anchor, to hold the side of it fast to the shore near a flat piece of ground. As soon as I found water enough, for my raft drew about a foot of water, I thrust her upon that flat piece of ground and there fastened or moored her by sticking my two broken oars into the ground, one on one side near one end, and one on the other side near the other end. Thus I lay ‘till the water ebb’d away, and left my raft and all my cargo safe on shore.
My next work was to view the country. Where I was, I yet knew not, whether on the continent or on an island, whether inhabited or not inhabited. There was a hill not above a mile from me which rose up very steep and high and which seemed to overtop some other hills northward. I took out one of the fowling-pieces, one of the pistols, and a horn of powder. Thus arm’d, I travel’d for discovery up to the top of that hill, where, after I had with great labour and difficulty got up to the top, I saw my fate.
I was on an island, environed every way with the sea. No land to be seen except some jagged black rocks, like cathedral spires 'neath the waves, which lay a way off, and two small islands, less than this, which lay about three leagues to the west.
I found also the island I was on was barren and, as I saw good reason to believe, uninhabited except by wild creatures. I saw abundance of fowls, but knew not their kinds. Neither when I killed them could I tell what was fit for food and what not. At my coming back, I shot at a great bird which I saw sitting upon a tree on the side of a great wood. I believe it was the first gun that had been fired there since the creation of the world. I had no sooner fired but from all the parts of the wood there arose an innumerable number of fowls, of many sorts, making a confused screaming and crying, every one according to his usual note. As for the creature I killed, I took it to be a kind of a hawk, its colour and beak resembling it, but had no talons or claws more than common. Its flesh was carrion and fit for nothing.
Contented with this discovery, I came back to my raft, and fell to work to bring my cargo on shore, which took me up the rest of that day. What to do with it for this last night of the moon I knew not, nor indeed where to rest it. I was afraid to leave my cargo too reveal’d, for the beast had in the past committed wanton destruction of the things of men for no discernable reason.
As well I could, I made a solid form with the chests and boards I had brought on shore, and made a kind of a wall for that night. As for food, I yet saw not which way to supply myself, except I had seen two or three creatures, like hares, run out of the wood where I shot the fowl. I knew for a certainty if there were food on this island, the beast would find more of it.
I remov'd my cloathes as the sun dropped and stowed them within one of the seamen's chests. As the beast came upon me, I could not help but sense its pleasure to still be unchayn'd and free in its new home. That night it kill'd two of the hares and feasted well on something larger, tho' I could not tell what.
On the morrow, I now began to consider I might yet get a great many things out of the ship which would be useful to me, and particularly some of the rigging and sails, and such other things as might come to land. I resolv’d to make another voyage on board the vessel, if possible. And as I knew the first storm that blew must break her all in pieces, I resolv’d to set all other things apart ‘till I got every thing out of the ship I could get. Then I called a council in my thoughts as to whether I should take back the raft, but this appeared impracticable. I resolv’d to go as before, when the tyde was down, and I did so, having nothing on but a chequered shirt, a pair of linen drawers, and a pair of pumps on my feet.
I got on board the ship as before, and prepared a second raft. Having had experience of the first, I neither made this so unwieldy nor loaded it so hard, but yet I brought away several things very useful to me. First, in the carpenter's stores, I found two or three bags of nails and spikes, a dozen or two of hatchets, and above all, that most useful thing called a grind-stone. All these I secured together, with several things belonging to the gunner, particularly two or three iron crows, two barrels of musket bullets, seven muskets, and a large bag-full of small shot.